#it's been a year of underwhelming movies so like. score

[chlmtsdoll]

I WAS AN ANGEL

౨ৎ Paring: ballerina!reader x older!Art Donaldson/Patrick Zweig

౨ৎ Summary: it’s winter and your on vacation at a cabin locked away with Art and Patrick. Spending the weekend teasing the men till they’re wrapped into your alluring nature leads to you getting them exactly where you want

౨ৎ Word count: 10k - well yes, ur girl went crazy !

౨ৎ Warnings: smut ! threesome, p in v (unprotected) sex, age gap (reader early 20’s) older!Art and Patrick, inexperienced!reader, eventually filthiest filth, sugar baby!reader, mentions of Tashi, pet names, smoking (cigs), oral (m) receiving, fingering, porn with a lot of plot, petite!reader, size kink, corruption if you squint (it’s def there), teasing, fluff, a tad angst, so much praise kink, title based off Gods and Monsters by Lana Del Rey 🤍

౨ৎ Part one | two | three + more

The wind outside was frosted as it hit against the sealed windows of the cabin you’d been staying in for the weekend with no other than the only person you’d want to be cuddled up with on a cozy cabin trip in the hike of the woods on a winter like this one — accompanied by his best friend of course, Art and Patrick.

Tashi, making time for her off weekends of freedom being an underwhelming three times a year, was away with her daughter Lily on a girls scouting trip not too far by where you’d all been staying at in such a luxurious rental cabin.

And it really was the highest of class.

With eight bedrooms, each offering it’s own fireplace and balcony lookout to the fields of mountains and trees surrounding you. A beautiful avalanche of white dust covering trees was the scenery all around. You got to spend a week doing absolutely nothing but lying around the gorgeous place, and although the image of Tashi being uncomfortably out in the wilderness trying with all her dignity to get a signal to check her emails was a priceless sight to see — you knew that scoring such a win as to be stuck in winter paradise with two men near godly looking and over six foot walking around twenty four seven, was an opportunity you were never going to take advantage of.

It had been you and them watching movies all week. From silly romcoms down to chilling horror films that earned you the touch of Arts protective arm surrounding you as a shield, baking sweets with the blonde that was really overall unnecessary since the dozen of cupboards had been pre-stocked with all the foods and treats you could imagine before your arrival. But spending that time with him, laughing, and getting the tidy place all messy with cookie batter and themed frosting was worth it anyways. Getting closer than close. Falling head over heels for a man that had been someone else’s all while engaging in the most pompous wealthy people actives your friends back at the academy would of killed one another for. It was chimera.

And when it came to Patrick, although the two of you couldn’t quite be called the best of friends — Tashi had thought it would be better off if she reversed her approximation of keeping the two of you as separate as possible. Instead, you started spending even more time together. (Preoccupied of course) but settling the wall of any jealousy or tension between you both and the couple. And of course it probably would never be fully clear skies when Patrick was a man of such fiend for rivalry — even if for you, you’d just wanted him to like you deep down. And with the occasional bickering and obvious strive for Art and Tashi’s attention, you could now say the kinship between you and the tennis player wasn’t all bad for the time being.

It had been sunset when you were tidying up in the far end of the house that had been all yours as you glanced at yourself in the mirror of the grand bathroom. Bath tub behind you so large it could fit a party of ten at least.

You were braiding your hair into two dainty braids and your fingers worked quickly as you tied knots into little bows on the ends of your hair. Perfect and precious as ever you attempted yourself to be, getting ready for a dip in the hot tub on the patio Art had asked if you if you wanted to join him and Patrick — so of course you rushed to throw on your bikini. And just beneath you in the grand kitchen area, Art had been getting ready with his best friend to met you there themselves.

“Please ? I just wanna fuck her with the tutu on at least,” Patrick boasted to Art as he had been trying his hardest to bluntly ignore his friends comments about you, that had been in his perfect fashion of light hearted vulgarity.

“No.” Art replied giving the man nothing but an unbothered side eye as he searched the wet room they’d been in for a couple towels for the three of you, or at least you and himself since Patrick had been using the same one the entire time you’ve been there so far by choice.

“Come on,” the brunette laughed as he pushed Art in a way that was all too familiar to him, grinning widely as he burrowed in the fantasy of having solicited intercourse with you while his dear friend observed. “We’ll be stuck in this cabin together for the entire weekend, it’s bound to happen. You’ve been gettin’ virgin pussy all this time. I know you’re dying to share with me..”

“You say things like that and wonder why she doesn’t want to come near you.” Art chuckled, he shook his head at Patrick’s ignorance, “and you’ll probably just scare her away from wanting to participate in anything involving sex ever again, man. I just won’t let you overwhelm her, she’s still getting used to.. y’know-”

“Fucking?”

“Yes.”

“Well, your right, she’s only fucked you. So technically she’s still a virgin.” Patrick joked only to get under the blondes skin even more, and Art rolled his eyes away from Patrick’s obvious smirk.

“I could turn’er into a whole new woman.”

“You’re not touching her.” Art shrugged as he glanced at Patrick who wouldn’t give away the stupid grin on his face of wanting to cause nothing but foolery.

“I think you’re scared after I’m done with her she won’t wanna go back to you… so that’s why you gotta do it with me.” Patrick pokes Art in his exposed chest as they’d both been in nothing but their swim trunks. He looked down at the finger on his skin and then back up at Patrick’s face with a loose expression. Falling unconvinced.

“You know you wanna fuck her with me. See how she’ll react from the outside when someone else gets to make her cum.. it’ll be just like old times.” Patrick’s tone was laced with poison and desire the blonde would try to fight off till he ultimately couldn’t, grimace all over Patrick’s face as he described the image of you spread out for the two of them to enjoy, and Art would defend cutting the conversation short in response to an obvious tent forming in his trunks.

Art looked Patrick in the eyes as he called out for you,

“Baby, are you ready?”

“Yeah! Just a second!” You answered in chime.

Patrick couldn’t help but laugh in all seriousness at the fact that he had been this close to getting Art to submit to his desires and let him get his hands on you. When you had been so devoted to Art, and you had him wrapped around your finger, there was no way he didn’t think he couldn’t loosen the screws just enough by the time this little trip came to an end. He just had to keep trying, at the end of the day, it was all a game to him.

“keep dreaming. And grab the beer while your at it.” Art gave the man a generous pat on the back and sighed lightly with a fond but challenging smile as he walked around Patrick to the back door.

♡

When you had been pleased with your attire, you made your way down to the patio where you knew the two boys had been waiting for your arrival, in nothing but a strapy pink bikini underneath a bulky robe, you pushed the doors open to the nature and you’d been immediately hit with the brisk winter air — so thankful for the robe you’d decided to throw on, you scurried your way quickly to the steaming hot tub, and Art and Patrick’s eyes met your miniature figure skipping over.

“Cold, cold, cold, cold!” You pleaded as the air made you shake, and with a soft grin that turned into a laugh Art stood from the water he’d been adjacent in with Patrick to help you step into the tub, doing so you’d slipped your robe from your shoulders and let it fall as your smooth, shivering skin and dainty swimwear was revealed to the two.

“Careful, it’s pretty hot” Art chuckled as he held your delicate hand to guide you into the water.

“Good.” You breathed out as you settled in slowly, arms wrapped around yourself from the coldness and the steam hit your skin at the perfect rate — making you warm up from outside in. You let out a soft sigh as your body had released it’s tension. “Ahh”

Art’s sideways smirk was stuck to his face as he watched your adorable gesture already change the environment when you made your way over — and he couldn’t say he didn’t catch the eyes Patrick had been giving your oblivious state as you brought yourself to the two men in the littlest yet flattering bikini they’d maybe ever seen. Smile on your face like you’d hadn’t know how goddamn phenomenal you looked right then. Art still had a hand out to you as you’d both settled into the almost boiling water at this point, florescent lights from the jets hitting each of your faces even under the gloominess of the sky.

“Is that the set I got you ?” Art grinned at the way your bikini top had decorated your chest in a painfully perfect way. Dior. Your smile has been shy but girlish, you nodded coyly but with a soft giggle. You’d been waiting for him to notice notice that you were being patient on the perfect opportunity to bring it out of your wardrobe.

“Yeah. You like?” Your smile had widened as the blonde couldn’t have looked prettier right then, hair damp from the steam of the tub that had been hovering the water, chest glistening in the most stunning way which made made his pecks look godly and a certain boyishness look on his face.

Your eyes glanced over how it matched the smile on his peach colored lips.

“Like? I love it and you know that.” Art’s tone was low and laced with adoration mixed with a hit of lust rising. He held a hand out to you, eyes filled with nothing but intentions of getting you as close to him as possible. You’d been too far in his opinion, even being in the medium sized hot tub that had the three of you in an acute triangle. “Come closer baby doll,” Art asked of you and you couldn’t stop blushing already when you slid closer to him in the water. Smile plastered to your face as the man took you in with his muscular arm over your shoulder.

Eyes lightly hooded as he looked down at the way you fit snug in his side and he had to stop himself from biting into your shoulder as a way to show his affection. Just your sent was overwhelming him.

From the opposite end, Patrick had been sitting quite still as he observed the two of you. Elbows hanging off the rim of the tub and he held a cold beer in hand. His green irises switched between you and the blonde as if you were purely entertainment as you basked in each other’s warmth that had been heightened from the temperatures around you.

Patrick could almost feel the way Art felt you. The way you wanted him.

He’s been trying to figure out what made it so easy for you to stroll through the cabin around two men feverishly much older than you, so innocently without a care or censor in the world going off in your head. — and not just that, but you’d hardly ever wore clothing that actually covered you up. This has been the most revealing Patrick had seen you, but it wasn’t all shock when you’d merely always been in shorts that were just right off of having your ass cheeks on display — along with the smallest mini tennis skirts and tops so tight it was hard to imagine how’s you even get yourself into them. He didn’t know if there’d been a dip in your brain or what, but he almost wondered if you acted the way you did on purpose. Like a lost lamb in heat for only the sake of getting their dicks hard and uncomfortable enough for your own pleasure. Or for Art at least.

Maybe you could of just been playing slut like most girls your age did when it came to older men. Whatever it had been, Patrick knew to have you all figured out ahead of time.

“Save some space in between, yeah?” Patrick had noted out in reply of your and Arts closeness, only grin spreading across his lips as he raised the glass of beer to them slowly as if he’d been some threat you both should stay aware of.

And he loved that.

You looked over his way from Arts peering eyes on you with a soft blush. Art had looked at Patrick and remembered what they’d been sipping on to offer you,

“Did you want a beer ? I told Patrick to grab the cold ones.”

“Oh, yeah, sure.”

“Patrick, pass her one.” Art eyed his friend as the pack of six had been hanging out on the bar beside the tub, but before the brunette could speak up, you stood from the curb of the small pool.

“Don’t worry, I got it !” you smiled at both boys, but instead they had immediately gone to watch the droplets of water fall from your angel like body. And as you walked to exit the hot tub, you had to maneuver pass Patrick, which was a brief moment of his eyes just inches away from making contact with your breast being nearly one with his face. A shy kind of tint in your eyes as you climbed out and the water you carried splashed on the man while his eyes watched you in complete veneration. Only moving over a tad when he’d remembered you’d been literally trying to get out of the enclosure. And Art only watched, too mesmerized before he noticed Patrick had been staring just as much.

But even jealousy didn’t over take him right then when he saw the way your body was moments away from caressing the man, it was something more of yearning that took the lead.

You could of sworn you heard one of the men curse under their breath when you tuned your back to reach the table for the cold drink. Your ass had been of viewing now and you tried your best to hide an all knowing little smirk before you got back to them. Returning, Art didn’t even think twice before he reached for the can in your hands to open it up for you. The metal cracked with a pop and Art met your eyes again with a small grin as he handed it back to you.

“Merci” you giggled softly, as you relaxed beside him once again. Thinking to yourself before sitting comfortably, “y’know… there’s something I need to ask you both that I’ve been wondering for a while.”

With your delicate but filled, choice of words — both men had sat a little straighter in the steaming water at your voice, hanging on to your every note already as Patrick’s leafy eyes scanned your figure and Art looked down at you with anticipation for whatever had been on your mind.

“Yeah? What is it, doll face?” Patrick’s tone was low as he met your gaze for a brief second before you looked away with a coy scoff,

“Well… back at the academy a lot of the girls would constantly talk about it and - as embarrassing as it is - I just was never around boys much in my upbringing. Like ever. Most dance schools are pretty strict about that where I come from. So, I never got closure or a real answer. But you guys are boys...”

You couldn’t help but let out light girlish laughter after the hint to the male dominance of the atmosphere, and both Art and Patrick had matched your gesture with the sound of their laugher filling the air as they listened in on the way you spoke. It had been obvious they were both fighting the same urge to trail their vision to your exposed chest but you just pretended not to notice.

“So like, how do guys know when we’re ovulating?”

Art had coughed on the frozen beer that had been half way down his throat by the time your words fully got out, and Patrick’s grin only widened before he let out a louder laugh.

“Well-”

“Patrick- can definitely answer that one for you, right Pat?”

Art narrowed his eyes at his best friend sitting across from him in quick notion and your eyes flicked from the blonde to the brunette just as fast. His chuckle only fading some as he glanced back at you

“I mean, it’s more of a senses thing.”

“Like intuition, or?”

“A smell.”

“Oh-” you were slightly taken back by his answer as you snickered nervously. “That’s only a tad bit jarring I guess”

“It honestly comes with the package. Just a normal male thing, unless your consciously looking for it. I myself have a natural talent if you will.” Patrick’s smug was heavy as he educated you and you nodded in agreement, which made Art want to roll his eyes on instant.

“Because of the testosterone?”

“Likely.”

“Is it like that for you as well? Can you smell it?” Your wide eyes landed on Art again as you spoke in innocence that was almost too easy on the ears, the blonde met your eyes as he just lightly fondled with his ear in a fretful manner.

“Well, I- uh, it’s pretty much a normal thing. Like Patrick said. Not really an on or off switch.” The muscular but lean man chuckled and Patrick leaned forward as he watched.

“Art has you and Tashi around twenty four seven so he’s probably immune.”

“No. Not immune, overstimulated? Maybe.”

You watched between them as Patrick kept a sly smile on his face and Art had remained calm throughout the sultry conversation.

“Have you ever used it on me? Like- before we have sex or something..?” you peered up at Art through your lashes and Patrick had raised a brow at your new assertiveness — Art only tried to keep a cool state not too get too flustered as he sunk farther into the tub,

“Honestly babe, I can tell just from looking at you mostly. Like- how you look in those extra mini tennis skirts Tashi has you wear. The way your eyes sparkle a little more when you look up at me… When you’re being naughty.” Art went in to playfully nibble on your neck and you let out a string of giggles at the tickle off it as you fought him off with charm. But the blonde only grinned more as he pulled you in by the waist and he peppered kisses from your neck to your lips.

“I’d offer to say get a room but I don’t mind a little show.” Patrick inhaled deeply and when you turned to glance at him, hand staying on Arts jaw, you could see he had that idiotic look of arousal behind his not so hidden smirk as he sat man spread across from you both.

“My god. You’re such a perv.”

“Yeah? You love it, you’re a perv too.”

“I am not. I’m a girl,” you defended.

“And? Girls can be pervs also.”

“Or maybe you’re just projecting.”

“Art, your little play thing is talking back….” Patrick looked past you to his friend that was as used to the two of you naturally falling into bickering as anything else.

“Shut up.” You laughed, sending a light eye roll the brunettes way.

“You shut up.” He spat back at you like a tennis ball as he leaned up on the edge of the tub, broad shoulders flexing to catch himself and he reached for his pack of cigarettes. The man used his lips to pull a stick from box, he stared up at you with a glimpse of darkness in his pupils. “Want one?”

“Really?.. yeah.” You replied with chipper as you easily lifted yourself from Arts lap.

“Baby..” the blonde declared in a soft but alarming voice while he watched you stand, his hands slipped from your hips and he lost you to Patrick’s side of the pool with ease.

It was known to the two men that you hadn’t ever smoked before, and Art always had his dad instincts constantly lingering in the back of his mind. He couldn’t help it. He never wanted you participating in anything that wasn’t necessarily the best for you, and especially since Tashi would surely be against the idea of it at all costs. It was part of the reason why she wanted Patrick away from you — his influence and easy persuasion always getting to the best of any of the girls he could mess with. So Art knew how easy it was for you to let up to him.

“I just wanna try. Please?” You pleaded, and Art couldn’t say your pretty wide doe eyes and shape all too heavenly for him to deny didn’t steer him away from giving you a clean no.

“Yeah Art, she wants to try..” Patrick’s voice mimicked yours and he started to slowly but surely show his friend a sly smirk which Art replied with a daring look. You’d now been seated beside Patrick and Art had sighed out a deep breath as he nodded you off speculatively, which you then smiled excitedly in regard.

“You’ve really never done this before?”

“No.”

“What have you done?”

Patrick couldn’t help but poke you, and when you hissed with a soft smack to his broad arm that had been intimidatingly large. The man chuckled. You shook your head playfully which also released a few droplets of water from your braids and Patrick observed how your eyes had searched him from up close — he wondered if this was how Art felt when he looked at you. All senseless with a newfound kind of vulnerability like he’d be willing to your every need. But Patrick being who he was naturally, knew how to restrain from that part of himself and kept a mostly dominant state even at your first fruits. He flicked open his lighter and passed you a cigarette which you held with mostly confusion of what to do next.

“Don’t give her a full one.” Art narrowed at his friend.

“Alright, alright,” Patrick furrowed his brows as he exclaimed with his own cig hanging from the side of his lips.

The corners of your mouth inched up into a small simper as you watched the two men exchange with consideration of protection over you. Art remained a safety net always even if Patrick had challenged that assertiveness to him. And as much as Patrick was a hard case you didn’t underestimate your power to have him just as softened as Art was when it came to you.

“You can share with me.” The brunette notified you and you watched as he lit the end of the stick effortlessly and cupped the fire away from you with his ravishingly large hands. In one swift motion he passed the burning substance to you, which you inspected before your eyes met his face again — slight worry crossed you mind. But you didn’t let it show, “inhale that.”

You did inhale it. But it happened much faster than you expected because when the smoke hit the back of your throat, you began to cough instantly.

“No, no, no you have to exhale it eventually,”

“Yeah, because you totally gave her proper directions, Patrick.” Art huffed as he leaned up from attention to your coughing with growing aggravation at what Patrick had lured you into. Already regretting his notion to agree. Patrick shrugged with open arms and he furrowed his brows.

“Fuck off. I’m not good with kids.”

“I’m not a kid.” You responded when your coughs had dialed down and you swayed the smoke coming from your lungs away from you.

“Whatever helps you sleep at night.” Patrick replied in a snarky attitude and you half groaned half whined at his annoying remarks, which had lead you to doing nothing but choking on air, literally. And it made Patrick have to refrain from letting out a chuckle because he’d known Art kill him.

“Relax. Just try again and remember not to inhale it too far. Just hold it in the back of your throat a little then release it.”

This time you did what he told you more considerately. Inhaling the smoke temporarily, then pushing it out with ease and Patrick watched you. His observation quickly turned into dilated pupils and a grin that liking spoke of mischief had widened across his face again.

“Atta’ girl.” He praised, and you supported a cheeky smile.

You held the cigarette in your fingers as you repeated the same all while keeping eye contact with the tennis player and he could of fallen trick for your soft but glorious bambi eyes right then.

“How cool do I look?” You let a light giggle slip from your lips after you exhaled the smoke once again and passed the substance back to the man and he wondered if you or Art could sense the way his desire had basically broadened in the last twenty seconds.

And as Art watched you both smile in lust from each others presence on the other side of the tub, he shifted as a perplex expression rested on his face. He observed the eyes you gave Patrick that he knew all too well. Pleading and filled with elite burning desire that he knew was just seconds away from setting Patrick off — he knew he had to get into stop it somehow.

He just didn’t like to be left out.

“It’s getting dark out, sweetheart. Why don’t you head inside and start setting up for s’mores ? I’ll come set the fire in a bit.”

Your eyes had trailed away from their fixture on Patrick to settle on Art when his voice came ruling in, But Patrick was still looking at you.

“Okay, yeah.” You said energetically as you lifted your legs out of the water that were wet from the knees down, fondly smiling at the two men before you grabbed your robe to head inside.

And when the patio door shut with your exit, Patrick ran his hands over his rugged half beard in a pace.

“Fuck, Art. She wants to fuck me.”

“Fuck off.”

“I’m serious. She told me. She wants to fuck us.”

“When did she tell you this?”

“Just a second ago. With her eyes.”

“Okay. So, she didn’t tell you that.”

Patrick huffed out and fixed the prominent bulge through his trunks that was growing fairly uncomfortable. Art looked down to notice and let out a soft chuckle of not very much surprise since he’d known the man sitting across from him like the back of his hand. Always just on the verge of needing to fuck whatever pitty excuse of emotions he had out somehow.

“For fucks sake, you’re unbelievable.”

“Whatever.” The man scoffed as he grabbed his towel and wrapped it around his hips in a hurry. “She’s just as much of a slut as I am, and I’m gonna find out.”

Art watched as his best friend exited from the pool, leaving a splash to hit Art in anxiousness to get to you. And Art scurried to dry off just to follow after him.

♡

It was almost an hour that passed since you’d all been spaced in the living area as the dim lights situated the room in a way that was all too torrid for the atmosphere at once, but you certainly weren’t complaining.

Art had been by the fireplace as he messed with the wood for a while till a brightening flicker over took the large cape and a small flame spread into a huge one in just a few seconds. You’d been sitting on the floor only a few inches away as you were putting a couple marshmallows on sticks (slipping a few chocolates in your mouth here and there) and when you heard the crackle of the fire come from Arts side of the room you glanced up at him with an impressive expression taking over your face and you clapped graciously.

Art couldn’t help but grin at your sweet gesture to which he found you all the more beautiful under the warm tones of the once cold room. You shook your head softly as the smile on your face hadn’t dropped when you focused back on what you’d been doing.

It was rather darker where Patrick sat on the couches not too far away as his forest like eyes watched the two of you basically flirt in secret code. He would usually find it all too soft for himself maybe, and to him, you’d just been a pint sized cheer squad for every time Art dropped a penny.

It was cute, he guessed.

What Patrick was more focused on was the way your eyes flickered to glance at him every so often.

Spotless and filled with attempt to say something. Anything. Just from the clear tension in the room, and as quite as it was — the brunette had to admit he was getting bored.

“Alright.” Patrick groaned as he stretched to lean up from his seat and your eyebrows furrowed as you watched the much taller man, seemingly giant from where you’d been on the rug, march over to where you’d been settled. Calmly but with a smoothness getting close enough to your face that he could read the quick nervousness fill your senses as your eyes searched him questionably, and Patrick’s own eyes scanned your rose tinted robe that you’d slung on, half fallen from your shoulder as he scoffed to himself.

“Just tell me. Do you want to fuck me and Art, or not?”

It came out as a mutter. But Patrick wasn’t the quiet type even attempted in the slightest. Art certainly heard and his eyes had snapped to where the two of you shared breaths with an immediate hardened expression.

“What the fuck, Patrick?”

“Just let her answer.” The other man spat back. And you fought not to bite down on your bottom lip as both men stare each other down. And with an irritated sigh, Art put his vision on you.

“You don’t have to answer him. Patrick just can’t control his dick — and that’s not your problem.” Art spoke sharply as his eyes flickered to the darker haired man who was in fact smirking.

Of course.

Both of their eyelines follow back to you.

And though you hadn’t needed to ponder for an answer, your bashful lashes met the floor anyways as you peered away softly. But all while keeping a dainty simper to your lips.

“No, it’s okay.. He’s right.”

With your words, you noticed Arts face soften, but not in a way you’d guessed — more in a perplexed manner as his eyebrows dipped. And on the other hand Patrick had been grinning to himself with a cocky chuckle coming from his lungs as he rested back on his palms.

“Simple. And easy. I was right, just like always.”

Art had ignored Patrick’s boastfulness and instead he rose to his feet and stepped over to where the two of you had been, you stood up as well — and you’d been immediately met with the blondes gaze on you, hand lifted to your cheek.

“Baby, are- - you sure ? You don’t have to feel pressured to do anything, Patrick can be very..”

“Charming, sexy, fucking unforgettable-” The brunette chimes in with a cheeky smile as he stood up to put his nose in the conversation between you two.

“A nuisance.” Art spoke over Patrick as his eyes went darkening with annoyance while he glanced over to the other nosy man.

“What? Do you think he’ll be too rough ? That I can’t handle it?” You laughed softly, “I can take it.”

“I never said you couldn’t.. but you are learning. And I get this is all new and exciting for you — and your sex drive is going to be heightened at this time…”

“Give the girl what she asks, Art.”

“Shut up. No one’s talking to you.”

“You’re talking about me.”

You couldn’t help but playfully roll your eyes at the two men bickering now, both over a foot taller than you, making your neck begin to pain just a little as you glanced up at the pair. And although, you would’ve been claimed very brave by most girls your age of how prominent your actions were towards teasing both of the men — you just couldn’t help but play with them.

A delicate sigh escaped you, “y’know.. if you aren’t nice to each other than I won’t want either of you to touch me.” You declare as you turn away from them and begin to walk away, but Art had grabbed on to your forearm and twisted you back around to face him.

“Hey. It’s just- - I’d never hear the end of it from Tashi.”

“She doesn’t have to know,” you began, and you searched the blonde’s expression for any ease which you failed to find — so you took your hand and reached up to gently caress the nape of his neck with your fingertips. “Besides, you’ll be involved. And therefore you won’t miss a thing.”

Your voice echoed songfully throughout Arts ears as he stared into your pretty eyes filled with desire, and just a spark of lust. You step closer to the man and your lips had been inches from his broad chest. It’s like your pleading eyes were like magic, and he couldn’t say he wasn’t fighting the urge to touch you all night long. He didn’t even care if Patrick watched — he liked showing you off anyways. Art pulled from your enrapture to look over at the darker haired man who was already pinned back at him. Chest inflating with a sigh, Art shrugged lightly.

“Fuck it. Fine.” He breathed out, and your smile had gone wide once again and you bit your lip with anticipation already. “But I need to prep you first.”

And with that Art had taken your hand in his as he lead you to one of the closest bedrooms nearby the floor plan, and Patrick of course, had scurried to follow after you both at the immediate note.

Your feet fastened to keep up with the blonde as the childish smile on your face had been filled with excitement to the rush where he lead you.

Patrick pushed open the cracked door as Art was lifting you to your feet on to the high bed where you stood ahead of him. “Are you gonna be a good girl for me?” Art murmured while he looked up into your eyes through his aquamarine that had darkened with lust in just the short amount of time — soft grin taking upon his lips and you could sense his head just being filled with ideas by the second. It made your stomach do flips with yearn. Your nod quick as you pulled your bottom lip between your teeth and Art lifted a finger to your silk robe and gently pull it from your shoulders. As it falls, lace straps are revealed to the man and he observed the fabric, eloquent against your glowing skin with a chuckle. “What do we have here?”

“I knew she was prepared,” Patrick’s voice came jarring as he stood next to the blonde and your pupils started dialing by the contrast of the two men gawking at you now. One filled with alluring desire to almost tear what was left of your clothing to pieces — and the other softened. Needing to worship every inch of your petite body before he lost it.

Art pulled away your robe completely in one swift motion as his wide-set eyes never left your own, you wet your lips as your cheeks had began to heat up with anticipation, but nervousness at his quick movements — you stood beyond him, lingerie displaying that was stuck to your body, white with small pink flowers scattered across the cotton and lace. Arts breath hitched just from the sight and he felt so constrained in his briefs as the little pink bow trimming the lining above your core making his dick go painfully hard. He moved his large hands across you carefully. Almost like you were a doll that could break at any given second.

“These stay on till I say,” the man softly mentioned at your ear and you nodded.

You reached for his shoulder blades and the man inched behind your back to undo your bra, he let it fall from your arms before leaning over you to place a smooch your neck area — seamlessly turning into kisses that scattered down to your exposed nipples and you closed you eyes. Bliss took over you for a moment and you smiled. Your hold on him close to your warmth, and Arts fingertips felt the lushness of your skin from every part of you he could. “mmm,” you left out a soft sough as the blondes plump lips explored your tender buds and his tongue brushed up against you briefly, making you hiss for a moment.

His eyes had been examining you, but yours had been softly lidded stint you glanced in Patrick’s direction — to which, the other man’s mouth had been slightly agape, feasting on the view of you both in exhilaration already.

Art braced his hands under your thighs and he laid you down against the bed, your legs were pushed apart on instant but with all tenderness as he leaned up from you — your smile had never faded for a glimpse while the man moved you like a toy. His hands went quickly to pull your panties to the side and Patrick had circled the bed around you both as he stood in awe of the way you weren’t even trying to put up a sexy or proactive kind of facade at all — in fact, you’d been laughing.

Right then. Girlish giggles filled the air as Art grinned down at you in the rising heat of the moment. Already knowing of your ways — you had big, wide doe eyes watching the man take a finger and run them against your slick folds. He examined over your expression, to your already dripping cunt and you bit down on part of your lip. Watching him explore you in an expert manner. Art’s tongue darted out to wet his own lips, he moved his body to tower over your own and your lower back arched a bit off the bed when you felt the tips of his fingers just over your soaking entrance. Coating him in your slick wetness.

“That’s it, sweet girl.”

Art started sinking his ring and middle finger into you painfully slow. You whined a little at the stretch before letting your head fall and braids spread against the comforter of the bed.

Your eyes had caught sight of Patrick looking down on you — so only giving him a playful but sweet smile laced with a kind of innocence and temptation that could of made his head spin. You could just read the expression on his face of how dare you even look at him that way when you’d lured them both into soon doing the dirtiest of acts with you in between. You were a fucking minx. And he then felt his mouth go dry.

“Holy fuck,” the brunette panted in a mutter as he quickened to lower his checkered green boxers to pull out his throbbing cock, stroking himself at the sight of your pretty smile — and cunt, taking Arts fingers so finely.

The soft yet high pitched sighs and moans that were coming from you were the remedy that pushed a complete solid hard on beneath Arts pajama pants as the blonde held your tender legs spread for him to get you ready for his and Patrick’s cocks. He watched you. Eyes filled to the brim with mercenary while feeling you clench and pulse around his digits. Slipping in and out of you, he used his thumb to rub at your clit and you whined out as your eyebrows knitted together in one motion.

“O-oh..” you moaned, reaching out for the man’s fit arm to grasp on to as your toes flexed.

“Good girl.” Art groaned.

You could hear the sound of Patrick jerking himself to the sounds of your moans and the sight of pre cum that was gooing on to Arts hands lead by the own tent that was prominent in sight to the man. Patrick let out a low noise of his own. And Arts eyes finally traveled from you to glance over at his friend,

“You wanna show Patirck what I taught you, princess?”

Your lips curled into a sly smile when you heard his word — you leaned up from the sheets and your legs swiftly moved behind you to now crawl over to the brunette standing by the end of the bed, cock hard and reddened with want for all that was you.

It was undeniable that he was bigger than you could of comprehended maybe, your eyes locked on him now from your knees. They travelled from his dick, to the way he peered down at your plump lips in enchantment for where your clues had left guesses, taking you by the nape of your neck almost immediately you let yourself lick a clean stripe from the base of his cock to the tip as your tongue wet him nice and slow. Patrick watched the way you made sure to show him the shape of your tongue flush against him and he could of came all over your face right then. Large hands going opaque with veins to match his hard member, he gripped the hairs on the back of your neck as you cinched your lips to the tip of him.

“Shit, shit you’re fucking pretty,” Patrick panted at the sight of your eyes staying on his — you perfectly sunk him into your mouth as you sucked with ease and a soft whimper exited from the back of your throat. Knuckles turning white as the brunette peered at the way you took him so sweet, and you brought a hand up to jerk him farther past your lips all at once.

Art just behind your shoulder, watched as you could only fit Patrick half way while you throated him, your lips left spit as you bobbed your head up his cock and back down. The blonde took reign of his own pants and t-shirt to remove them just like you and Patrick had been now, and as the scene had been going on between the two of you, Art couldn’t help but maneuver himself beneath you. Lifting your lower body up a bit effortlessly so he could fit himself underneath — he tugged on your panties to get them off, right down your upper thighs and over your feet in routine as he discarded them off somewhere across the room.

His cock hard and dripping pre cum just under your pulsing cunt, you felt yourself clench just from Arts grip on you, already guiding you down his dick. Familiarly to him filling your tightness still made you pull from Patrick to let out a high toned gasps as you felt the other man sinking into your hole. “Mmm- - fuck..” you breathe out as you feel yourself being stretched so nice — Arts hands never letting up easy from your hips, he guided you all the way down his member just to let out a deep groan and move you back up again.

“Oh, shit..” the blonde panted. You kept your hold on Patrick as you stroked him even moving up and down Arts dick and letting out strangled moans from beneath the brunettes chest. “Come on baby, just like that- keep stroking him while you take my cock..”

“My god. You weren’t kidding when you said you wanted us both.” Patrick huffed from the sight of you ridding Art with eyebrows knitted into another realm as you bounced up and down the blondes lap and Art couldn’t help but run his hands up your torso to your breast as you did. You placed your mouth back on Patrick and sucked him into letting out low moans of his own from your warmth around him.

“I could cum right now- - fuck, fuck !” he grunted, your hand had gone from moving quick to slowing down as you stroked his base and Art made you feel way to good inside — you didn’t know how much longer you even had in you as you’d gone light headed right then from the way he thrusted up into your soaking pussy, making your head fall back slightly and your words came out slurred,

“Oh- my-y god! Fuck..” you whimpered out as Art made your ass slap against his thighs from his pounding, he leaned up to peck at your neck and hold your body against his chest swiftly. You always remained content in his lap as you turned to kiss him back sloppily, moans and whimpers come from the two of you like a suppressed hunger.

Patrick felt his cock twitch with greed at the sight, “fuck Art, stop hogging her- - I’ve been practically dying to feel that tight little cunt.”

The already much sweatier and rough man, pulled you off of Art, and launched you forward on the bed as your hands braced your plummet — he made sure your ass was up and superb for his viewing. You moaned as your face hit the mattress and you rose to your hands and knees.

“I know this pussy feels fucking amazing. So sweet.” The brunette had been smirking as breathed in awe of the way the lips of your cunt shaped around his thumb as he felt up your folds and palmed your ass. He watched the way you turned to gaze at him with your own hazy fawning eyes that were full of a subtle plea to let him treat you like a whore. If you didn’t know before — you’d definitely known what I’d been like now. Patrick slid his dick over your soaked lips. You inched forward just from the feeling of the girth against you, causing you to hiss out a whine, not prepared or used to his size at all, it made you shake at the slight sensation.

“Keep still, baby doll” Arts hand had came to rub circles gently on your hip bone, your face consorted in uncertainty for a moment till you felt the blondes touch against your skin and you relaxed under his touch finally.

“Yeah. You’re a big girl, you wanted this remember?” Patrick added, he went to put his hand in your hair and you bit down on your strawberry reddened lips hard.

“Slow, please.” Your voice soft as you palmed the sheets beneath you to brace yourself,

“Slow.” Art repeated as his vision shifted from you to eye the brunette, leaning back on to his elbows beside you to making sure the darker haired man wasn’t pushing his luck.

Patrick raised a leg to get a better angle as he slapped the head of his aching cock a couple times to your puffy cunt, and he began to push in, taking his time to feel the way your tightness stretched fairly wide for him and when your jaw had hung to let out a choke moan, you’d been fighting the urge to give up on your arms strength. You took the man inch by inch. Whimpers escaped you like crazy and your legs began to tremble while Patrick’s lips parted to groan out deeply at the feeling of you clenching around him.

“There you go, pretty girl. Take my cock just like that..” he muttered as he started to fuck into you and your body had moved with his thrusts rather quickly, the man had been much more hasty to take you at a rapid pace on contact than Art normally did. His pelvis hitting the form of your ass and your soft cries matched the pace as he slid you up and down his throbbing member.

“Mmmh, fuck- your so- - big,” You watched as he grabbed on to your body and pounded into you. Patrick couldn’t stop himself now — your legs spread and nearly shaking just for him as your pre juices pooled at the bottom of his shaft. It was all too easy on the eyes for him to only take you faster. Your eyes had fought to stay open as hands come at you from every way at his escalated thrust.

Both of the men watch as you shudder to keep composure. The bows at the ends of your braids go wild on your back from the force of Patrick taking on your little body. And he had reached to grip them in his tough hands, making your your head to lift and echo out your whimpers and mewls.

Art felt himself coming close just from the sight, he had to calm his own hand from stroking himself into finishing. It was like the sight beyond him had surpassed what it ever could of been in his fantasies. He wanted it in you after all.

Patrick pushed on your lower back which forced you to arch for him all the more, your face against the mattress, watching you take his dick while pornographic moans fall from your pretty lips. You turned your head against the sheets to meet Arts eyes in petition as you’d been pulsing so hard — in fear you may start cumming too quick for your own little head to catch up to. Your eyebrows furrowed and your jaw dropped as Patrick fucked cries out of you.

“Aww, you want Art to save you now? Poor thing.” The brunette coo’d at you and you could almost taste the smirk on his face right then as he watched your ass cheeks going swell from his maul on your tight cunt. Art had run his finger tips across your face that had glistened with tears.

“I can- take it, I need more..” you whispered out. To which Patrick pulled out of you with a deep grunt, sack full as he could of came inside of you, but he too could agree. More. The man had simply taken place on his back , you swiftly adjusted your position as the feeling of being cockless inside had already increased your fine need.

“Yeah? Then show us how much you need it. Ride my dick like a good girl.”

You were already climbing on top of the man with abs that could of made your head drowsy all the more, you heaved softly as your much smaller legs adjusted over Patrick’s broad muscular thighs to position yourself to his member. Dripping with a mixture of his and your wet arousal. You sunk down on him more easily now and you winced with pleasure as you leaned back on your arms, head going with you as you started to feel butterflies down there from your first slight movement, moving your hips up his girthy cock and right back down.

Patrick moaned lowly as he held your hips there and helped you move, your tits daintily bouncing with your body in the low light of the room, and you could hear a muttered, “god” come from your side as Art leaned over your delicate shoulder to grope at your exposed breast. His bottom lip tucked in his teeth. You could feel his leaking cock run again your lower back causing you to moan as you took yourself upon Patrick’s hard erection ramming into you.

“You look like a fucking angel fucking yourself on his cock- - shit, you’re gonna make me cum.” The man groaned as he observed his best friend turn you into a whimpering mess.

“Ugh- -, I wanna cum. Fuck, fuck..” Your whimpers were heavenly and sweet, Art took the initiative to reach around you and rub at your clit the perfect pace — making your legs shake and you gasps out. “Yes- - yes, oh. Fuck!”

Patrick grabbed hold of your ankles so you’d keep your balance on top of him, his thumb grazed against your white lace frilled sock and he groaned. To him they were so stupid, but at the same time so fucking hot.

“Cum, princess. Go ahead, Be a good girl for us.” Art slow talked you and it made your eyes flutter as you couldn’t have been filled more with burning lust all over your body as the men brought you right to where you wanted like that — shaking and crying out moans as you had came hard on Patrick’s dick. Your movements became sloppy as you heard groans coming from him as well, he leaned up to grab hold of your neck and press for pressure just before he pounded up into you hard and released his own ropes inside your sensitive heat — feeling him pump you full and the overstimulation of his large hand around your throat had you moaning out his name. You lifted from his cock, but Art held your body so you wouldn’t fumble over.

“Oh my god, holy- - fuck,” your grin now of bliss, string of naughty words and giggles left your puffy lips as you sighed into Arts shoulder and he was smirking down at the way his fingers rubbed your now creamy cunt and the blonde laid you back against the comforter again.

Completely cock drunk and breathing heavy as your heart beat caught up with your breathing, Art didn’t want you losing your overstim too quickly — he was already towering over your petite body and sliding back into you at the second your eyes met his and you reached for his arms immediately. Jaw open as you let out a choked noise. You couldn’t catch a break. Just being filled up again. You lock eyes with the gorgeous blonde above you as he stretched you wide once again.

“You’re so fucking good, sweet girl. Just one more, for me..”

All knowing you’d do whatever he longed for, the man sweet talked you slow as he watched Patrick’s seed drip from your drooling cunt and met the tip of his cock as he began to sink in. You kept your legs spread for him. Round eyes glittering with adoration for him like worship, you stared up at Art — so obedient for him always.

“I wanna cum again for you, I can-” you tried to speak fairly normal through soft gasps when Art bottomed out into you, reaching that spot Patrick lit up within you, your head went cloudy again and released into the pillows priming you. “-do it.” You finished your sentence with a whine.

Art couldn’t help but to grin at your state, so tired and fucked out but so turned on by the way the two men had been taking their toll on you back to back. You couldn’t help but take it all — he held your body, pussy so full from cum and Arts member that filled you excellently. You began to shake and tremble with a whimper at his every slap against your sensitive cunt.

Your hand moved to your face unconsciously you took your thumb in your mouth to balance the sensations all at once, moaning as the blonde pounded you into the bed — he watched you bite down and suck on your own digit in euphoric bliss. He soon reached to remove your own hand and replace it with his, sliding his tip against your pump bottom lip before dipping his thumb in your mouth.

You let out a satisfied little chirp as you run your tongue sloppily over the man’s digit with a smile before sucking on him like it was everything you needed. Eyes shutting softly, he pleased you both orally and by the clench of your pussy. “mmmh” you whimpered out and Art kept fucking into you with a quick pace.

“That’s my girl. I know exactly what you want.” He kept his finger in your mouth before your legs were shaking with need and your own hands gripped his one as you cried out from his thrusts, the blonde panted at the slight of you beneath him so prolific and exposed — he couldn’t even think straight before he was spilling his load inside of you. Keeping himself flush to your cunt as he emptied himself with a low grunt and you ended up squirting on his cock with a muffled scream.

“Fuck, you got her to squirt.” You heard Patrick pant and by the looks of his hand covered in his own arousal, you and Art had both been knowing he came again. Sweaty and chests heaving you both melted into each other, your arms immediately going to wrap around Art as he squeezed and kissed you.

“Are you good, baby? Was that not too much for you? You took a lot just now.” Arts voice came in calmly as he looked over you for any signs of turbulence. His fingers graced your flushed face, wedding band cold as it brushed against your skin. You nodded as your breathing finally caught up to you steadily.

“Yeah.. Fuck, I feel good. You both came inside of me..” your words slip out as if you needed to convince yourself of the matter, like you hadn’t been on your back and both of the men’s cum wasn’t gushing out of you as you speak.

Art smiled softly at you and his tired eyes watched the sparkle in yours. He readjusted himself so he was lying beside your left — and Patrick collapsed against the pillows on your right.

“Fucking hell, Art. I just can’t believe you kept her all to yourself this whole time.”

“Yeah? She’s something isn’t she?” Art replied with a grin as he turned your way and continued to run his thumb over your cheeks and lips. Your blush was heightened at the two boy’s marvel over you, lip between your teeth as you let out a light chuckle.

“I hope you had fun, Patrick. She’s still all mine, right angel?” Art glanced down at you.

“Sharing is caring.” You shrugged in a teasing manner as the blonde scoffed playfully and raised a brow in thought before nodding, “okay, maybe a little sharing.”

Patrick laughed, “you call that a little ? We made her cum twice. You let me fuck her like a sl-”

The brunette was cut off at the blonde hitting him in the forearm then gesturing to you — sound asleep in between the two.

Your soft breaths slip through your lips as your head fell into Arts shoulder. He put his finger to his lips to warn Patrick not to wake you, and he leaned up from the bed slow. “Pass me my shirt on the floor, and grab a towel from the bathroom.” He whispers to the other man who carefully moved up from the bed and threw the T to Art before he went to grab a towel for your body.

Art started to maneuver his shirt on you with tenderness so you at least wouldn’t wake up naked and confused.

When Patrick came back he smirked at the way your small tiresome figure had been passed out on the bed like some sort of sleeping beauty. “See, I did that.” He nodded up at Art with the same darkened lustful eyes he began the night with — but Art only rolled his at the man’s cockiness.

“We did that.” He corrected while he ran the towel over your inner thighs lightly before he lifted your limbs to lie you beneath the covers, and Patrick helped him pull them over you. You only let out a quiet noise from the movement as you continued your slumber and the two men watched you for a quiet moment.

Arts lips curled up in a fond smile before he bent to leave a kiss to your forehead — the blonde looked over at the brunette who had folded his arms over his chest while he watched with a raised brow and Art contemplated before leaving another peck against your skin.

“And one from Patrick too, I guess.”

A/N: I love this little uv I’ve created sooo bad you guys <3

[msclaritea]

Martin Freeman Says Backlash Over Age Gap in Ortega Movie Wasn't Fair

Eve Crosbie Apr 27, 2024, 8:36 AM ET

Lionsgate

Martin Freeman addressed the controversy around his latest film, "Miller's Girl."

Freeman, 52, plays a teacher who has a relationship with his student, played by 21-year-old Ortega.

He said the movie isn't endorsing age gap romances any more than Holocaust movies endorse genocide.

Martin Freeman addressed the controversy caused by his latest film, "Miller's Girl," in which he stars opposite Jenna Ortega, who is 31 years younger than him.

The movie, which landed on Netflix on April 25, follows a high school student, played by Ortega, who begins a sexual relationship with her English teacher, played by Freeman.

Audiences were quick to criticize the film due to the age gap between the two actors — Ortega is 21, while Freeman is 52. Some said the film romanticizes the relationship between minors and those in positions of power.

Speaking with The Times of London for an interview published Saturday, Freeman defended "Miller's Girl" as "grown-up and nuanced."

"It's not saying, 'Isn't this great,'" he said of the film's dynamic between his character and Ortega's.

Freeman said the film had been "tainted by association" with a difficult subject.

He said that derision wasn't distributed equally, though — saying that people seemed to understand the level of distance involved in stories depicting Nazism.

"Are we gonna have a go at Liam Neeson for being in a film about the Holocaust?" he asked, referring to Neeson's starring role in Steven Spielberg's 1993 film "Schindler's List."

Martin Freeman and Jenna Ortega in "Miller's Girl."

Martin Freeman and Jenna Ortega in "Miller's Girl." Lionsgate

Although the controversial relationship at the center of "Miller's Girls" prompted a lot of comment, the film wasn't a hit.

It premiered at the Palm Springs Film Festival to underwhelming box office numbers.

The R-rated film was given a small theatrical release in the US, showing at just 350 screens for just one week domestically, earning $321,000 in ticket sales, according to box office tracker The Numbers.

It took an additional $568,522 at the international box office, bringing its total gross to $889,522 — less than a quarter of its $4 million production budget.

On review aggregator site Rotten Tomatoes, the film earned a critic score of 29% based on 58 reviews. Its audience score is 42% based on 50-plus verified ratings.

This could, of course, change now that "Miller's Girl" has been on one of the most popular streaming platforms."

(Disclosure: Mathias Döpfner, CEO of Business Insider's parent company, Axel Springer, is a Netflix board member.)

Dear GOD. Did he just... Martin, I know you're not this stupid, so seeing you being put up to behave like this, is just...gross. Your co-star had just come off of an Antisemitic publicity stunt with Tom Cruise, she's a one note actress, and we all know how films that are supposed to be cautionary tales, usually get turned into the opposite. Wall Street kicked off the age of Greed. The Fight Club inspired real underground fight clubs. If a film is not clear about its moral stance, then it WILL be misinterpreted. I don't know what's going on with you, but I'm going to pray for you, Martin. You need it. Especially working for Lionsgate.

[moviewarfare]

A Review of “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)”

Mad Max: Fury Road is one of the best action movies ever made. I have been craving for another Tom Hardy sequel for years! I understand that because of the lawsuit with WB is the reason why the sequel still hasn't happened. For now, we have a prequel concerning Charlize Theron's character, Furiosa, from Fury Road. Is this a worthy entry in the Mad Max saga?

One enjoyable thing about the Mad Max films is that they all feel very different. Furiosa is no exception. It is a very gang-driven, political and revenge-filled story. We get a lot of world-building on how the Wasteland is operating with all its factions. Seeing the political tension between the previous villain Immortan Joe and the new villain Dementus is very engaging. It is also interesting to see a calmer and smarter Immortan Joe. I also like that we get to see what "The Green Place" looked like as we only got tiny mentions before. The prequel story also successfully expands more on how Furiosa is where she is by the time of Fury Road. By the end, I do sympathise with her more.

On that note, Anna Taylor Joy does a good job as a younger Furiosa. She doesn't have much dialogue but she does great through facial and body performance alone. Chris Hemsworth is the highlight of this film though as the villain Dementus. He is clearly having a lot of fun and does a great job of hamming it up. His villainous speeches are thoroughly entertaining! The rest of the supporting cast do a wonderful job as well but special praise to Lachy Hulme as a younger Immortan Joe. He does a terrific job living up to the previous actor Hugh Keays-Byrne. One of the most important things of a Mad Max film is the action and there is certainly a lot of it. Every action set piece is a marvellous spectacle with its over-the-top violence and incredibly well-made wasteland vehicles.

Unfortunately, the action scenes here just aren't as great to look at as it was in Fury Road. This is because the CGI and colour grading are just not that well done in Furiosa. Fury Road did a majority of the action practically while CGI was used subtly to enhance the movie. Furiosa has a fair amount of action scenes that are not done practically. We have action set pieces that are entirely CGI or scenes that contain lots of green screens. These CGI are very noticeable and can pull you out of the movie. The colour grading is just orangey for the most part and looks way too clean for an apocalyptic movie. Visually, Furiosa just doesn't look as nice and the cinematography never quite mesmerises me. 

Junkie XL returns to compose the music for Furiosa. His score for Mad Max: Fury Road is one of the most amazing things ever. However, his music score is so incredibly underwhelming in Furiosa. It doesn't help that the action scenes are oddly silent when they would greatly benefit from an epic soundtrack. Junkie XL feels wasted this time. The movie also lacks the kinetic and fast-paced editing that you would expect from director George Miller but here it just feels generic. The movie is also 148 minutes long (28 minutes longer than Fury Road) and you definitely feel it. There are a fair amount of moments where the pace is quite slow and the last 20 minutes of the movie does drag a bit.

Overall, Furiosa is still an enjoyable movie but it doesn't quite live up to Fury Road. Still, it is impressive that George Miller was able to make this when he was nearing 80 years old. I am still looking forward to a Tom Hardy Mad Max sequel that will blow me away again because Furiosa doesn't quite do that. 

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[geekgemsspooksandtoons]

My rewatch of Hilda season 3

It has been an hour since I finished my rewatch of season 3. And what's amazing, I finished it about 4 minutes before it struck 12 am in my area. if you don't count the extra credits after the original or something. It was 11:56 pm when I was looking at my phone.

Anyway, it's also Christmas today. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all of you who read this. Or if you're a Hilda fan, Happy Sonstansil if you want to say that.

Again, I'm not spoiling anything huge. But I want to mention this information. The fact that Luke Pearson and Andy Coyle said that there were 6 more episodes planned for this season. But it was shortened to 8 episodes. And I agree with many that I would've liked it if was the usual 13 episodes we got like we did with season 1 and 2.

But to be honest with you all. After my rewatch, even with it being shortened than the previous seasons. I legit think season 3 is an excellent season that is brings an emotional closure to the series. I agree with Andy that we were incredibly lucky to have that third season be even made. And while I do think it being short was fine with me. It still saddens me we didn't get more of the extra episodes we should've gotten.

And I'll admit, I'm sorry I didn't get this out right away. But compared to my reaction last time. The first time I finished season 3...I essentially broke down crying. But this time around, I guess you can say I was happier? More so, I was pacing around in the kitchen, thinking about a lot of stuff. Wondering if I should do a retrospective on the series. And that seems like development for me that the first time I finished it, I was heartbroken. But now, I feel like maybe I've accepted it this time around. Unless the feeling returns, but I felt much better this time around.

I will admit, I still did tear up/cry at that "Memory" part and I'm not spoiling that.

Will admit, I'll never forget my experience watching season 3 for the first time. First time watching something is always special. But back to the point, season 3 is still pretty excellent. Everything about it still oozes brilliance with its animation, writing, voice acting, and many other things. Even if some things could've been dealt with better. But I still appreciate the end result.

Also, I legit think Ryan Carlson legit outdid himself this time around. Season 3 probably has the best score in all the series. Also, the sound design is insane because I mentioned this already. I swear, my volume was only at 18. But I swear, it's so loud that I feel like I'm in an IMAX theater. Or simply a movie theater, but I'm going with the IMAX option because dang, the sound design is some powerful stuff.

And to be honest, when I was pacing around. I was really thinking what my favorite season is of this show. And I don't want to choose favorites for some stupid reason because I love them all. Even though I had wondered about picking season 3 because similar to how I feel about season 2. It was so nice to finally get season 3. Seeing all these characters again, but just how this season goes. And I feel like if we had those extra episodes. This season would likely be my favorite.

I also wanted to talk about something concerning the fandom. The ones that were...a bit negative I could say. With opinions I can understand. Mainly the idea some folks didn't like the idea that this season was more serialized than the other two seasons.

To be honest, I heavily disagree with someone's notion that season 3 was underwhelming, forgettable, and disappointing. I felt the opposite because after watching this show for five years. Even with a shorter season. The crew managed to deliver a satisfying final season. And I'll admit, while chapters 3 and 4 were fun and nice in their own right. I actually didn't mind season 3 being more serialized this time around. Especially with what the focus was on.

And there's also parts of the fandom or...I don't want to sound mean. But to the people who have an issue with certain reveals this season. I totally understand if you don't like season 3 for some of the decisions they make in this. How this may...mess up your AU's or something. But these days, I'm usually all for a creator going with their vision of a show or a movie. If this is how Luke Pearson wanted for season 3, then I will respect his decision. And I honestly loved his direction for season 3. Also, I think if we had more episodes, I think maybe things could've been more cleared up. That's what I hoped the other episodes could've been. Maybe episodes on the Marra, Trylla, Erik and whoever else. Mainly epilogues to certain characters we saw in the finale.

It's almost an Owl House season 3 situation. But in other words, I really don't mind teen Hilda. I don't mind Anders, and I don't mind some of the reveals in season 3. And along with the fact what the themes and story they were telling in season 3. I appreciate what they were doing. Even though I question if my opinions should be considered valid because I don't own any of the books or that's a whole other thing.

I want to finish this soon. But I want to mention two things. You know when I said chapter 2 and even chapter 8. I was getting Silent Hill vibes from certain scenes. I didn't say this the first time. But chapter 6, I think saying Resident Evil vibes or so is the best way to describe how scary that episode is.

And you know what? There are certain characters the Hilda fandom hates. Erik, the Committee of Three, Trylla and even Anders. There are some others. But you know...despite my issues with those characters, season 3 introduced I hate. While I could say the Spider-Frog/Frog-Spider, but no despite how I feel about that character.

The Fairy Entity...that is a character that I would straight up become Bayformers Optimus Prime and be like "Time to find out" to this character. If you've watched season 3, or you know personally, you'll understand why I'm saying this. Screw that character, yet I'm likely overreacting.

Anyway, it's been two hours now. I should post this now.

[miloscat]

[Review] Child of Eden (PS3)

The cooler Rez.

After United Game Artists (the studio behind Rez) was dissolved into Sonic Team, Tetsuya Mizuguchi left Sega and founded Q Entertainment. They made other games with his signature flashy light show style, like Lumines and Every Extend, but in 2011 they followed up his original "synaesthetic" game with another rail shooter, Child of Eden. If you ask me it's a more successful expression of Rez's aims, and a more engaging shooter as well.

In addition to Rez's eight-target homing shot (which can now get multiple locks on stronger enemies like Kachi's shot in Sin & Punishment 2), there's a new rapid-fire shot which is specifically for destroying projectiles and damaging certain enemies. A strong use of colour coding helps with gameplay readability, so it's clear when there are hazards to shoot down or targets to lock on to, and responding with the right choice of weapon is satisfying. There's also a score multiplier system that turns CoE into a true rhythm hybrid game, as you're rewarded with a score combo when you get full target locks that are released to the beat of the backing track.

You will want to get good scores as this grants you stars which are necessary to unlock new levels. Again there are only five, plus a unique bonus marathon challenge unlocked after you clear them; I couldn't get more than a third of the way through this but it's a nice extra that hearkens back to Rez's more abstracted visual style. Luckily the unlock stars are cumulative, so you don't have to perfect stages to open up later ones, simply play them through a few times. This felt like a chore at first but I did get into improving my score as I flew through the rich virtual environments.

While the setting is similar to Rez (a cyberspace world vaguely under attack, an avatar character to save) the levels have memorably stronger theming, such as evolution or technology, and the bump in console generation certainly helps to make more fleshed-out and visually impressive worlds and setpieces. I also found the music landed better with more of a pop and vocal tinge, especially given the story.

You see, Child of Eden is something of a tie-in to Mizuguchi's house-pop band Genki Rockets, who needless to say handled the soundtrack. Their virtual frontwoman Lumi, played in their shows and this game by Rei Yasuda, is the central character, an AI recreation of a woman born in the far-future year of 2019. Lumi has a constant presence in the game as a live-action integrated FMV character, appearing on menu screens, in gameplay, and in the intro movie as a white-dress-clad personality-less object of innocence soon imperilled.

I'm not keen on the damsel-in-distress imagery, and I thought the concept would have landed better if she had been rendered in the cool sketchy "Take On Me" rotoscope style as seen in the unlockable music videos (well, you can only watch partial clips of them in the gallery, for some strange reason...). Either way, she provides a central figure to hang the game around which works well enough, especially because the implied player character has reduced presence as the game is presented from the first person perspective.

While I was underwhelmed by Rez, I found Child of Eden genuinely impressive; it actually is what I was hoping that Rez would be. It's a shame that it's now a lot less accessible than Rez. I suppose it's also worth mentioning that just as Rez Infinite has its VR support, Child of Eden is compatible with the flash-in-the-pan 3DTV technology, as well as having optional Playstation Move motion controls, which seems like it would work pretty well (the 360 version instead has Kinect support, which probably doesn't work as well). I still found it plenty immersive without the gimmicks, playing on a 2D telly with a stock Dualshock 3. Good stuff.

[cosmicangst]

finished almost there as my first book of the year. this is part of those disney twist books where it's basically a spinoff of the original movie but with a what-if premise to change things up. i read one of these (the cinderella one) years ago to see if the gimmick was worth it but i remember feeling very underwhelmed. for a ya-marketed series, it definitely leans into the much younger part of the demographic. i see the appeal but the overall effect was just not for me

but when i heard that tiana was getting her own book, i knew i had to read it because princess and the frog, despite its faults and my current antipathy towards disney as a whole, remains one of those childhood properties that i still have a lot of earnest and indulgent love and nostalgia for. and i feel this book absolutely delivers and addresses everything that i would have wanted for tiana but i think this book (through really no major fault of its own but its source) still has some flaws that make it difficult for me to give it a perfect score. spoilers below

the biggest positive is that everybody stays human for the whole book lol

tiana gets a character arc this time, more or less. the twist premise is basically "what if tiana took facilier's offer at the end of the movie" but instead of a restaurant it's a deal to bring her father back (and revert naveen into a human) in exchange for, among other things, naveen's memories (and by extension his love). her grief and inability to let her father go (which prevents her from achieving future happiness and love) becomes the emotional crux of the book. and you could make an argument that it is also the foundation of tiana's biggest flaw. one of the criticisms that some had of the movie was that the narrative didn't give as much development into tiana's potential points of change the same way it did for naveen. so it's markedly better here.

i make this point because tiana's flaw is that she won't let people help and care for her and to go even deeper, she won't let people in. she views her independence as a virtue because it enables her to achieve her dreams and weather hardships. and while that is true it also alienates her from her loved ones and from happiness outside of her career. the book makes a case that this facet of her character comes namely from her father's influence but also her experiences with overcoming oppression (racism and classism, which are explicitly addressed. i don't remember sexism being even mentioned). her father's death exacerbated this virtue into a fault. so the personal reading here is that tiana's fear of trusting people to care for her is tied to her grief and inability to let her father go. but again, that's a personal reading. the book's biggest weakness is that while it does present these as open-ended suggestions, it doesn't concretize this connection into a straightforward arc.

tiana's mistake in dealing with facilier is brought on less by this flaw and more by a fear of her loved ones being hurt, which isn't really an internal weakness that she needs to overcome based on the trajectory we're given. but it could have been! this book could have made tiana's journey more cohesive by tying this external threat with her internal motivation. one way is to make tiana feel responsibility for her father's death. of course it's not her fault; he died as fodder in a senseless war but grief rarely makes any sense. she doesn't have to believe she's directly responsible but emphasizing the added fear that if she doesn't work hard enough or sacrifice enough, she could lose her loved ones and their happiness as well (like her mother through financial insecurity or naveen's dreams by being too focused on her own self-fulfillment) would make her arc neater. i mention this because i feel like it would be more compelling if tiana agreed with the deal purely from internal motivation rather than it being a decision majorly influenced by facilier's direct and external threat. tiana is tempted with the prospect of getting her father back but she remains pretty adamant not to do it until facilier basically corners her with threats on her other loved ones. so the inciting action doesn't come so much from the flaw which she needs to overcome but more from facilier's gaslighting and manipulation; it feels less like the actual mistake it needs to be and more a self-defense choice. which is fine enough if not a little boring because tiana doesn't have that much agency then in an arc that is meant for her to learn how to let go (her father and to a lesser extent her pathological grip on work/duty). there's less emotional pay off because the journey is centered not so much on defeating her personal demons and just on defeating Some Guy who's causing all her troubles

if not this...another reading we can take is that the arc is about tiana learning how to overcome power (or the pursuit/desire of it). facilier is a symbolic stand-in for power in his belief that gaining it for himself over those with social and economic capital in new orleans is the only way of overcoming the impotency he felt growing up in poverty. tiana loses her father in a war for power. she defeats facilier (power) by leaning into her community (love) and using his hubristic pursuit of it against him. tiana's flaw is a response to the oppressive powers that shape her everyday life. this also kind of works character-wise for her because we are often shown that tiana thinks she knows what is best all the time and learns gradually that perhaps that's not always the case. but we still have that pitfall in which her biggest mistake wasn't a choice made by her hubris for power. plus i don't feel as great interpreting a black man who we learn came from poverty (and most likely faced racism as well during this time period though the book does not make it as explicit as with tiana) metonym with systemic power. and it also kind of gives off this very booker t. washington ideology that social uplift is only possible and valid through hard work and social equity only achievable by white acceptance/tolerance

not advocating of course for facilier as a person but if if we take this route and we look at this thematically that's what it comes across as; the optics of this interpretation being: tiana's experience with her oppression is more validated by the narrative than facilier's (ie acting with dignity such as patience in response to oppression vs acting with "less dignified" responses such as anger)

ANYWAY getting too much into the weeds with this but what i ultimately mean is that this book could have benefited with a hundred more pages and a slight tweak of the inciting action. and i can't fully blame the author who has done such impressive work with what she was given. but because the source material she's pulling from is flawed, naturally those are flaws she has to work and fudge around with.

i love that we got a black, female author who is from louisiana to write this book. the culture, the insider know-how of new orleans's streets and alleys are foundational to everything in this book. actual vodou is revisited and corrected from the movie's misguided treatment of it as purely "evil". and she is not afraid to call out what things are. esp regarding tiana and charlotte's interracial friendship and the minefields they have to address. but she is also still writing for disney. so she has to operate within that fairy tale (and white-centered) framework inherent to the company's artistic (and marketing) ethos so all of these grits and bumps have to be light touches. and i'm not saying that this book should be chapters of exposes on 1920s racism but disney's editorializing hand is always evident in their properties (even andor, which i hold near and dear, can't fully escape from disney). so the real difficulty is that you can easily see what she could do with these characters and this plot without the strictures and boundaries of the disney corporation and the original movie. but the ouroboros curse is that this book wouldn't have been possible without disney and that movie

anyway other things i super loved: facilier is as much of a great villain here as ever (he has this passage where he's plotting to manipulate tiana by thinking of ways to torture naveen in front of her lmao) but there is an attempt to better understand his motivations by briefly providing his background and giving him some moments of actual humanity, which does him make more sympathetic. in the movie tiana and facilier meet for like five minutes at the very end but here the premise gives protagonist and antagonist an actual connection, both relationship and theme-wise. facilier is ultimately trapped by his "friends on the other side" in the pursuit of power and tiana learns to embrace her own friends wholeheartedly with love and community. facilier lost his mother through poverty at a young age which affected him greatly and tiana lost her father through a war at a young age which affected her greatly. facilier has grudging respect for tiana's smarts and loyalty to her principles. tiana doesn't have as much regard for him lol and if the book is going to humanize him with more complexity, i wish that they shared some moments that couldn't be just simplified to a hero/villain dichotomy

i love lottie's arc. at the end she uses her privilege to get into the rooms of politics and becomes an advocate for civil rights after she and tiana have an honest talk about the racism the latter faces and the ignorance the former grew up with. it's very much a Teaching Moment for the Whites (and again light touches courtesy of disney) but charlotte emphasizes she wants to be the best kind of friend for tiana because she takes her role in tiana's life so seriously as her best friend and it was such a sweet moment i can't even be that cynical about it

naveen's arc is pretty much a redux only slightly more fleshed out and purely out of narrative necessity because he lost his memories. which i think is one of the greatest disappointments because spoilers he gets flashes of the past but he doesn't fully get his memories back. normally im a huge sucker for the amnesia trope however i felt that because tiana is the reason why he can't remember and naveen didn't discover or learn from her the details of the deal she made, it feels like he was stripped of his agency from that choice. like she has a moment where she regrets making louis's wish for him without his input so i wish there was a moment in the end where she reveals what she did, have him be conflicted about it (like he doesn't even need to get his memories back), but ultimately come to terms with it together, making their relationship stronger than before

but i love them as always. they're still my favorites and the most believable disney couple. i love that out of everyone he is the one who consistently makes her laugh. and they make a point to say that tiana seldom does laugh freely and naveen has this unique ability to incite that from her. also the yearning parts were top notch. even without his memories, naveen can't help his love for her and it makes me cry. another thing i would have preferred is for naveen to be the one to join tiana while she's working out a way to solve her mistake and face facilier. he feels less of a partner and more of a reward for her in that regard when the whole point is tiana learning how to achieve things with someone rather than just how to achieve things. and more than anything i wanted him (and charlotte) to comfort her when she finally lets her dad go. as a kind of symmetry that her happiness is still present even with all this grief

also there's this moment where tiana's planning to get a pear and she's asking him if he wants anything and naveen stares at her and says "not a pear"

THIS IS DISNEY

anyway great book. i had to return it to the library but im definitely buying a paperback copy of it for my own when it comes out. i wish farrah rochon was part of the creative team for the tiana series coming out because she just gets it. she gets why these characters are so loved in spite of the flaws of their movie. the audience is marketed for young young adult readers so expect the writing to go that way but if you're a fan of the movie or are just interested in new orleans culture in the 1920s and vodou i recommend this book. it made me cry even though i recognize it could have easily made me cry harder with just a few adjustments

[sylvarantii]

Action fans, this one's for you!

Detective Conan Movie 15: Quarter of Silence is very much for those fans that always enjoyed the above and beyond stellar action that we really only get in the movies (and maybe some specials)

It begins with a bang and ends with an absolutely gut punching and suspenseful ending that actually had me in tears with anticipation of how this was all going to wrap up.

And that's really saying something considering I can't recall another movie that actually impacted me in such an emotional way. (Except maybe the second movie? I'm not sure)

Like Full Score of Fear, this movie also presents another interesting new character that is reserved for the movie only. Touma, in my opinion, is a rather well written character for a child that has been in a coma for 8 years and has to adjust to being a teenager after having only his memories up to being 7 years old.

I can't say for certain how realistically the whole matter is done other than he would have definitely needed physical therapy to get his body moving again after having laid in a bed for so long, but it's a fictional movie and sometimes a lot of media doesn't find those matters all that interesting, so I'm personally just going to ignore that considering I'm really not watching these movies or the series in general for extreme realism.

Now onto the ratings!

1.) The Raven Chaser (13th Movie)

2.) The Fourteenth Target (2nd Movie)

3.) The Lost Ship in the Sky (14th Movie)

4.) The Time Bombed Skyscraper (1st Movie)

5.) Magician of the Silver Sky (8th Movie)

6.) Captured in Her Eyes (4th Movie)

7.) Crossroad in the Ancient Capital (7th Movie)

8.) Quarter of Silence (15th Movie)

9.) The Phantom of Baker Street (6th Movie)

10.) Countdown to Heaven (5th Movie)

11.) Strategy Above the Depths (9th Movie)

12.) The Private Eyes' Requiem (10th Movie)

13.) Full Score of Fear (12th Movie)

14.) The Wizard of the Last Century (3rd Movie)

15.) Jolly Roger in the Deep Azure (11th Movie)

In any case, I have to say, another impressive movie. I'm really pleased with how there hasn't been a major dip in quality after The Raven Chaser.

Too bad I don't really have high hopes for the next one. Not that I think it'll be bad, but considering the synopsis, this feels like a movie that'll be similar to some of the specials seen through out the series.

But, perhaps I'll be surprised. You never know. I sometimes like going into these things a bit underwhelmed. I'll end up being happier with the result than I would if I tried something that I was all hyped up about, feeling certain it's going to be the best thing ever.

And if I'm being real honest with myself, the sports centered stories do end up being pretty good usually.

[denimbex1986]

"Andrew Scott has always been a fantastic actor. He first broke through with his role as Jim Moriarty in BBC's Sherlock. Love or hate his depiction, it's undeniable he took great swings with the character. and continued to build out his resume with his fantastic portrayal of the priest in Fleabag, and even made the most out of his one scene appearance in Sam Mendes' 1917.

Yet despite finding tremendous success in supporting roles, he was yet to be given a lead role where he's able to use his talents to carry the audience through a story, particularly on the big screen. Then comes All of Us Strangers, a movie about Adam, a screenwriter played by Scott, and his relationship with his neighbour Harry, played by Paul Mescal. As their romantic relationship continues to develop, Scott returns to his childhood home where he discovers his long deceased parents still alive, with both of them seemingly not a day older than when he last saw them decades ago.

I heard this movie got a lot of awards buzz and acclaim...and I think it almost lives up to the hype and excellent reviews surrounding it - almost.

If there's anyone out there who had doubts as to whether or not Andrew Scott could take the talent he's showcased in supporting roles and apply it to a leading role, you can rest easy...a lot is asked of Scott, but whether it's the feeling of loneliness, otherness or childhood trauma, he gives you all the depth, authenticity and vulnerability you could hope for from a lead actor. It's an incredibly understated performance; one where a subtle crack in the voice or a look of melancholy in the eyes says so much more than a grand display of yelling or crying.

Paul Mescal delivers a similarly fantastic performance...he continues to portray melancholy better than just about any young actor in Hollywood. The guy just knows how to rip your heart out. The romantic chemistry between the two leads really works...whenever we're watching the two act together, it feels like peering through a window into a conversation you shouldn't be privy to - which is a testament to just how well these two work off of each other. It doesn't take long for us to care about them, and it's not because of the typical, quirky, witty banter we expect from a romance movie, but because of the tenderness of their conversations and the willingness of these characters to bear themselves vulnerable to one another, both physically and emotionally.

I found the contrast between their different experiences one of the most interesting things about the film. Though both of them struggle with a feeling of otherness, Mescal's character is much more confident and comfortable in expressing his sexuality in comparison to Scott. A big vessel for exploring this is through Adam's interaction with his parents, played to perfection by Jamie Bell and Claire Foy...Thanks to Bell and Foy's performances, the parents are portrayed as incredibly flawed characters, but are undeniably well-meaning for the most part.

...This movie is surprisingly more haunting than like 95% of horror movies hitting theaters nowadays. There's an eerie atmosphere throughout the film; some of the images are genuinely unsettling and the movie has a sombre quality to it that captures a feeling of depression and isolation more effectively than anything I've seen in a while. The phenomenal original score contributes to this vibe. It's present enough to create a palpable atmosphere of sadness, but quiet enough for that same atmosphere to feel genuinely empty.

...the ending of this movie is disappointingly predictable, and at worst it arguably undercuts some of what the movie was establishing before...but look, when your movie features one of the best lead performances of the year, an absolutely incredible supporting cast, memorable, effective imagery and an incredible soundtrack, a lot can be forgiven, and this movie certainly has all of the above.

In spite of an underwhelming ending, I haven't been able to stop thinking about this movie, and though it isn't my favourite movie I've seen in a while, it might just be the one I wish most to re-watch when it was over. I still feel like there's a lot to unpack in the film, and I can't wait to continue to do that in future viewings. But on first viewing alone, I'm giving this one 8/10."

[dcblogs]

Salaar - Movie Review

Prashant Neel after the successful blockbuster KGF series joined hands with Prabhas for the much anticipated Salaar. Prabhas hasn’t tasted success after Bahubali franchise, major part due to teaming up with inexperienced and non-mass movie directors. This is his 1st proper combination after Rajamouli.

Story :- Vardha (Prithviraj), son of Raja Mannar (Jagapathi Babu) and Deva (Prabhas) are good friends who live in Khansar. Deva is very protective about Vardha and is ready to do anything for his safety. Once Deva and his mother were attacked and Vardha saves them and helps them leave Khansaar. Owing to the same, Deva assures whenever Vardha needs him, he will be there. After few years, Vardha needs the help of Deva and he calls him back to Khansar. Did Deva protect Vardha? What did he do in Khansar? Why did Deva lives in exile after that instance? Forms rest of the story.

Performances :- Prabhas steals the show in action blocks. He’s macho, fierce and calm at the same time. First half he’s controlled by his mother and second half by his friend. But in both cases, once he’s unleashed, there’s no stopping. Prithviraj as his best friend looks apt. We can feel his helplessness, pain and aspiration. He gets to show his action prowess in the last fight and he shines well. Eswari Rao as Prabhas mother has a lengthy role. Though the character pain is understandable, it feels monotonous and lag at few instances. Shruthi Haasan is okay in 1st half. Her role in 2nd half is just like Malavikain KGF, just to narrate/listen to the story. Jagapathi Babu, Bobby Simha, Shriya Reddy, Jhansi, etc have limited scope and they are fine.

Technicians :- Ravi Basrur didn’t live up to the expectations of KGF both in terms of music and background score. Scenes would have been elevated to next level, had the BG was in the range of Dheera Dheera. Movie’s strength is its action episodes. Anbariv did a terrific job with the fights and gave some of the best heroic moments. Prashant Neel used similar screenplay as done for KGF. Arriving at one scene from multiple dimensions and characters. In Salaar, he narrates the story completely backwards, revealing the after effects upfront and showing the reasons that caused it in later part. We may find many similarities between KGF and Salaar, mother sentiment, multiple villains (similar get ups), a tribe of oppressed, etc. Though the action part and elevation scenes work well, the drama is a bit let down with not so emotionally connecting scenes and repetitive actions. Few noteworthy moments are engine ignition sounds when Prabhas controls his anger in 1st half, Prithviraj looking at Prabhas shadow and seeing whether he is in control or about to freak out in action episode of 2nd half. Prashant has created a big canvas with a long history, a place in the map, multiple tribes and their generations, internal rift, power games, etc and amidst all this a warrior on lose who can go to any extent for his friend. He has lot of scope for the 2nd part to play with and the climax sets up the platform perfectly for 2nd part.

Positives :-

Action episodes

Story and set up

Prabhas

Negatives :-

Slow drama

Underwhelming background score and songs

Summary :- Worth watching for the action episodes and elevation scenes. Not on par with KGF 1, but far better than all Prabhas movies after Bahubali.

Rating :- 3/5 (Keep expectations in check, you will like it)

[mrbigbrother]

The scariest thing about Michael Myers that Ends was too scared to say.

I was underwhelmed by the ads for Halloween Ends, but i didn't know why until after seeing it and then taking about a week to think on it: It was false advertisement.

The previous films in James Gordon Green's H40 trilogy, promised a returning Laurie Strode, a terrifying Michael Myers (who does feels like the very same character from the original.) and a great score from a returning John Carpenter and his son. And the films delivered these things for most part. I liked the 2018 film. Halloween Kills had problems, but I liked it too. And I liked how both films took place in the same night, despite being years apart in development. Which brings me to the biggest problem I have with Halloween Ends: the set up. It should have took place that very same night as the others had. Kills had a deleted ending suggesting that that was the original plan before Blumhouse suddenly changed direction. That was a mistake. Setting things 4 years later muddys the story up. The film attempts to establishs a new lead to focus on, Corey Cunningham. Some of the ideas around him work for awhile. That "I'm the psycho, and you're the freakshow." line shows that with more time, and a movie of his own, Corey might have been a better character. But his story slowly falls apart and becomes nonsensical before being axed altogether in the end. The idea that Michael Myers and Corey are kindred spirits... i'm not against exploring that actually. Infact, I wish that Green had explored that relationship more than the poorly written and unconvincing relationship between Corey and Alison. 

Michael is an afterthought in a film about his final demise. That has historically been proven to be a mistake the series has made before. Halloween 6: curse of michael myers, committed the same exact sin of complicating the story with a Satanic cult and trying to explain away Michael's supernatural abilities, while hardly using him in the plot, because they really thought it would be more interesting to try and develop another psychopathic character in his place. Almost the exact same thing happens in Ends, with both films now considered all time lows for the franchise.

The original Halloween takes its time before unleashing Michael on his victims. In the meantime, the characters are stalked, really almost haunted by him. The genius of Michael Myers, is that he doesn't have to be on screen for his presence to be felt. If you pay attention to the background, you will notice the Shape here and there. John Carpenter wisely spent most of that film's runtime creating atmosphere, while James Gordon Green spends the runtime of this film desperately trying to develop a character, who is just not interesting. 

The final battle that the trailer promised is reluctantly delivered, as if the filmmakers didn't want to even do that much. It lasts maybe 10 minutes, including the grinder scene and the epilogue. Laurie has no real purpose in the film either, and having her be blamed by the town and by her own grand daughter made no sense at all. Karen is sorely missed here, and killing her off in Kills proved to be a mistake. Alison doesn't seem to have learned much of anything from the previous films, so her character is rendered useless, and utterly wasted too. There are some unforgivable uses of cliches where, I kid you not, Alison mistakes Laurie for having killed Corey, and storms off! They actually pulled the 'misunderstanding' story bit from Shrek! Just to stall the plot for maybe 5 minutes, and add on to the runtime...Come on guys.

I like the idea of showing a nearly dead and desolate Haddonfield in the midst of a severe depression after the Michael Myers rampage. I like the idea that Michael can actually be just a homeless man, going by unnoticed as the monster he once was/is. There are definitely interesting ideas, and sadly none of them are really fleshed out or made interesting. 

The climax could have worked if it had felt more earned. Just imaginr this damaged broken town coming together to purge it's demons once and for all. Just a somber and quiet moment. No one screaming "Evil dies tonight!" because in the end, these people are in utter defeat. Their neighbors and loved ones are still dead, and survivors are left irreparably impaired. They may have killed Michael Myers, but they'll never be able to forget him. In other words:

"You can't kill the Boogeyman."

Worse yet, (rather the filmmakers intended on it or not) the town will never know why the killings even happened in the first place. The film doesn't try to answer that question either; it accepts that there is no right answer. In the 78' film, Dr Loomis diagnosed him as being simply and purely evil, because to a psychiatrist, a person, let alone a child reaching such depths of emotionless ambivalence, was clinically inhuman. And thats what frightened Loomis so. Green and company almost said something utterly true about Michael Myers, that would have been a very scary thing to consider, but it was obscured by the film's problems. So I'll just say it here: It doesn't matter why any of it happened. 

We can't understand what kind of evil Michael was, or understand why he did what he did, because in the end, neither did Michael.

"Evil never dies, it changes Shape."

In a better film, that line would have been bloody chilling.

[legionofpotatoes]

my thoughts on the wonderful panda movie!!

my favorite thing about turning red is that it really, really understands the human nucleus at the crux of all the seemingly disparate themes it depicts; and specifically how the complex tapestry at the dawn of our teenage years is a fiercely interconnected set of experiences that cannot be individually pluck out and examined without pulling a bunch of other ones along. like how boundary-less parental expectations are often tangled up in generational trauma. how teenage sexual awakening can clash with those expectations and create a self-destructive shame bubble. how that shame then in turn clashes with developing biology and begets self-righteous, uncontrollable rage, marking a fork in the road for a far too young mind. how that choice then, that very act of choosing between your found family and your home, can be its own trauma response to all that internalized shame. how it all then congeals into quiet acceptance that suppresses healthy self-indulgence and creates a rigid way of life. how that way of life then naturally morphs into a parenting model, feeding off home-grown validation, sexist social norms, and fear. how it all locks down and starts the cycle again.

and how the way out isn't some quick bandaid and lip service over any one of those symptoms, but a long, hard look through the walls of trauma that stretch back generations, and ultimately to a very human expression of helplessness somewhere down that line. confrontation and honest communication then becomes a road that the younger mind has to choose to pave first, arduously, against all wit and will, and even then; the heavier their trauma has grown with time, the harder it will be for her older family members to accept their red pandas. their tragedy is in the calcification of shame, but the work can still be worth it; for they might just realize that it is you who can accept all your sides and supersede them.

and that catharsis then is everything. it is what sets the young mind truly free and blows the doors open for true growth and self-expression to occur. it is utter harmony and selfless love with your family, as they guide and support your fumbling young mind into a weird and dangerous future. and to see a kids' movie articulate this so clearly, so vividly, with slapstick embellishment and razor-sharp metaphors dripping with clarity of intent (something I thought encanto had issues with), is really, really heartwarming, especially at a time like this.

and despite not being a member of any asian-american diaspora groups, I do live in an ancient, infinitely-colonized country barely clinging to self-identity and dripping with survivalist sentiment that trickles down to familial social norms and traditionalist baggage; so I think I can understand. Not the cultural context, but the mechanisms by which this story can potentially puncture and embrace the bleeding heart of someone close to its setting. and I can appreciate and speak to how well-oiled and crafted those mechanisms are. they only go on top of a story that is ultimately full of joy and heart, fine-tuned to thematic perfection, sporting a hilariously competent cinematic eye, and treating the interior lives of children with the same tender care and unabashed drama as any high-brow kino would its whitewashed monomyths. and it is undoubtedly my favorite movie I've seen this year, genre or medium notwithstanding.

honorable mentions:

I know we're all victims of disney's cute animal design trap but that panda is fucking adorable and I, a dude pushing his 30s, would visibly squee every time she made a Face

yeah apropos of that disney overall is obviously corrupt to a fault and a tumor on the side of any industry it touches, so I have to make it clear that the excellence of craft on display in this movie is overtly and exclusively creator-driven. the corporate meddling, if anything, is probably a detriment to what could easily have been a vessel for meaningful LGBTQ+ narratives, seeing as how elegantly they would work not just within the plot, but on a story level in this specific thematic framework, as well. a damn fucking shame

but as far as big and mainstream disney/pixar/whatever movies go, I can see turning red being an overall net positive for the zeitgeist - especially with many shitheads on twitter already parroting their self-owns by frothing over a story that directly points a finger at their emotional incompetence. and it goes deeper as well, like some details many people have already pointed out - including but not limited to the first shameless discussion of menstrual pads in a children's movie that I recall seeing. you know. something half of all kids everywhere right now and forever in history have had to deal with as the rest of the world played hush-hush. that's not too minor in a film this big, especially for one that tries to talk about shame. and it truly is one example out of many (the horny doodles sequence lives in my mind rent-free and is painfully accurate)

I love Abby with my entire heart and I feel such kinship with her tiny outbursts. I have nothing more to add. I love her

and just overall the way these kids act and behave at home/around friends/at school is such an unashamed, joyous look at life in 2002. I was ten during that time, living my own personal hell, and something about the unfiltered, unhinged nature of interactions Mei has with her friend group knock directly at a memory box in my brain that I vowed never to open again. It is also just hilarious in a purely aesthetic sense of visual exaggeration; a wonderful step away from the normally restrained simulacrums that the mouse house churns out

but why ARE they called 4Town if there's five of them, honestly

[moviewarfare]

A Review of “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)”

Mission Impossible is one of those franchises that started rough but got better as more entries were made. The previous entry, Mission Impossible Fallout, might be one of the best action movies ever made. Of course, I was massively hyped for the next entry but I had a slight worry when I heard it was going to split into parts. Does the Mission Impossible franchise continue to cruise upwards or this time a mission failure?

Let's start with the reason that many watch this franchise, the action and stunts. Tom Cruise continues to be one of the few proper action stars as he does dangerous stunts for our entertainment. This entry is no exception as he rides a motorbike off a cliff, speed gliding and does a fight sequence on a train reminiscent of the first film. Tom doing it for real, makes the sequence feel more real and it certainly shows in the way these scenes are shot. In terms of action set pieces, the airport scene is incredibly tense with how many groups trying to mess or hunt the IMF. The Rome car chase is a thrilling 20 minutes of pure adrenaline and comedic joy. The 3rd act with the train is an awesome, stellar and gripping delight to watch.  Lorne Balfe returns from Mission Impossible Fallout to do the score for the film and he delivers yet again. His score makes every action scene more impactful and the emotional stuff hit harder.

All the returning actors continue to give great performances but the new character Grace played by Hayley Atwell is a highlight. I appreciate that she isn't an agent like Ilsa Faust (Rebecca Ferguson).  She is an amazing thief that adds a bit of chaos to everything while not being truly loyal to the hero or villain's cause. Grace is not accustomed to the shenanigans of the IMF so she adds an interesting POV to what is going on in the plot. There is also great chemistry between Tom Cruise and Hayley Atwell which makes their scenes together really enjoyable. Henry Czerny returns as Kittridge from the first Mission Impossible and he is still great as he was 27 years ago. The weird rivalry and antagonism between his character and Ethan are fun to watch. There is a big MacGuffin in the plot called "The Entity" which is A.I. and this is so different for Mission Impossible which has it be a bomb or virus. The Entity is quite scary because it is very fitting for the time we currently live in and feels quite possible in real life. The Entity feels like the real villain.

The human villains, Gabriel (Esai Morales) and Paris (Pom Klementieff) are sadly quite disappointing. It was great to have villains that aren't agents going evil or arms dealers like in past films. Gabriel even has a connection to Ethan's past which makes him a more personal villain. Unfortunately, they aren't explored much whatsoever and Gabriel himself doesn't become truly involved until over halfway through the film. Paris feels like a James Bond henchman and Gabriel ends up feeling like a person for Ethan to punch rather than a compelling antagonist.  The stunts and action are great but they are a little underwhelming when compared to how amazing the stunts were in Mission Impossible Fallout. It seems Fallout set the bar so high that it was too tough to top it.

The script is also a bit weak. There are so many times when the dialogue is just characters mentioning "The Key" all the time. I wish they cut back on this repetition or rephrased some of the dialogue. I also think the intro scene is dumb for reasons I won't state but it really shouldn't have been in the movie. On that note, this being a part 1 does result in a non-complete story. The ending is not as painful as Dune or Spiderverse where it felt like it ended midway through a story. Here, the end feels conclusive for the most part and leaves you at least partially satisfied. It is just clear that many lingering plot threads weren't settled. I am not a big fan of splitting movies into parts so I hope this is not a trend we bring back.

Overall, it is genuinely crazy how the Mission Impossible franchise is still this great 7 movies in. Compared to other long-running franchises, this one still managed to keep me excited for more. I am incredibly hyped for part 2 and can't wait to see Tom Cruise's iconic run again!

For more reviews like this visit:

https://moviewarfarereviews.blogspot.com/

[movie-magic]

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings Review: Is Among The Best Superhero Origin Films Of All Time!

Marvel Studios may have taken 2020 off due to the pandemic, but its 2021 has proven bigger than ever. Just two months after this summer's espionage-themed Black Widow, the MCU is ready with another solo project: Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, Shang-Chi introduces a brand new hero to the franchise, and it's already clear he will appear in several more projects down the line. Non-comics fans might not be as familiar with Shang-Chi, so it's a good thing that his first movie is unique, compelling, and emotional. It also just might be one of the best origin stories in the MCU. Bolstered by a star-making performance from Simu Liu, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings gets the MCU's newest hero off to a promising start.

Shang-Chi starts not with the titular hero, but with the other part of the lengthy title: The Ten Rings, an infamous criminal organization previously mentioned in various Iron Man instalments. The group is led by Wenwu (Tony Leung), AKA the Mandarin, the power-hungry wielder of an actual set of ten rings which bestow him with incredible abilities. Wenwu is especially important to this story, because he's Shang-Chi's (Liu) father. In the present day, Shang-Chi has spent the past several years living in America well outside of his father's vicious grasp. However, an attack on a San Francisco bus leads Shang-Chi to realize his past isn't as far behind him as he hoped, sending him on an adventure with his best friend Katy (Awkwafina) to reunite with his estranged family members and confront everything he's been running from.

On the surface, Shang-Chi holds most Marvel's biggest trademarks: quippy one-liners, references to the broader universe, and pulse-pounding action. At the same time, there are plenty of beats that feel like they could fit into a standard domestic drama. Cretton, along with fellow screenwriters Dave Callaham and Andrew Lanham, have structured a good chunk of Shang-Chi to be a family saga wrapped up in a superhero movie. Flashbacks are woven into the present day storyline, offering deeper shades to Shang-Chi, Wenwu, and Xialing (Meng'er Zhang), the badass sister of the title hero. It's a unique structure for a Marvel movie, but it serves the story well. Shang-Chi's family history runs deep, and by actually exploring it through the flashbacks, Cretton, Callaham, and Lanham give the impression that all of these characters have always been a part of the MCU.

By starting Shang-Chi with Wenwu, Cretton immediately sends the message that he won't be like past Marvel villains. The franchise is known for churning out underwhelming bad guys, but Wenwu manages to be among the very best. With a deeply personal goal that resonates with his entire family, the Mandarin is chilling and cruel, yet retains just enough humanity that audiences can feel some sympathy. It helps that Hong Kong icon Leung is the one playing him; with his steely gaze and physicality, he makes Wenwu even more compelling. And yet, Shang-Chi truly does belong to Liu and his new hero. Carrying a heavier backstory than most Marvel heroes, Shang-Chi balances the typical humor of the franchise with his inner demons, and Liu skillfully portrays his conflicted nature. There's no question: Liu is a star, and it'll be quite exciting to see him continue to flourish in the MCU. Shang-Chi features an impressive cast all around, with Zhang and Awkwafina both getting their own moments to shine, be it via action sequences or deeper character moments, these women are far from one-dimensional. Cretton treats both of their personal conflicts with equal respect. Michelle Yeoh, though arriving later in the film, is a welcome presence as a key figure for Shang-Chi and Xialing.

Shang-Chi has a great deal of things working in its favor, from the gorgeous locations (beautifully rendered by production designers Sue Chan and Clint Wallace) to the epic score from Joel P. West. At the same time, it falls into a few traps Marvel movies are often susceptible to. After giving so much time to a conflict rooted in family and grief, Shang-Chi's final battle becomes another CGI fest with world-ending stakes. The movie is far stronger when it keeps the focus on its themes of identity and loyalty, which sometimes get lost in the bombastic action. Make no mistake, Shang-Chi's action scenes truly are the best in the MCU, with the early bus fight and a precarious battle on spindly scaffolding in Macau being standouts. The final fight is thrilling. Additionally, while the women are all fierce and well-developed, Shang-Chi's handling of the hero's mother (Fala Chen) presents mixed results. Her story ultimately follows a tired trope, but she has more dimension than some previous Marvel moms, which helps.

Ultimately, Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is a great origin story in a franchise that has more origins than any other. Liu is destined for Marvel greatness, and the two post-credits scenes offer some hints about what lies ahead. MCU fans will find much to enjoy about this new offering, while casual viewers who prefer more personal stories might find themselves drawn to Shang-Chi's struggles. There's been much discussion over whether Shang-Chi should've been made available on Disney+, and indeed that would've ensured more people could see it. However, there's no denying it will make for a thrilling watch on the big screen, so hopefully those who feel safe enough to do so will venture out to see it. After all the delays, this is a movie well worth the wait.

[anotheruserwithnoname]

Sci-fi gets some Oscar Best Picture love

Of course, sci-fi and fantasy films have been nominated for, and even won, Best Picture at the Oscars before. But as a pair of genres they still remain often underrepresented at the various big awards beyond the technical categories.

So it was kind of nice to see two such films get Best Picture nods this year. Dune is the big one, receiving not only Best Picture but a bunch of other nominations, though primarily in the technical categories (and, if it wins the top prize, Dune will join a select group of Best Picture winners not to have their directors also nominated). I’ve yet to see it but everyone I’d heard from has raved about it and it’s certainly considered superior to the David Lynch/Alan Smithee version from 1984 (though that one is deservedly a cult classic and, hey, it’s got Agent Dale Cooper, Jean-Luc Picard and Sting in it - what’s not to like?).

The other is Don’t Look Up, I saw over the holidays. I know opinions vary widely on this film. I thought it was OK. It had a Thick of It vibe and it’s been a while since I’d seen a Jennifer Lawrence film I liked so that was good.

Of the two, Dune is the more likely winner, though of course there are other films in the category including some critical (if not public) darlings like the remake of West Side Story and the “all-star-cast” thriller Nightmare Alley which if it wins would join the storied list of box office bombs that went on to win Best Picture. There’s also Power of the Dog which appears to be this year’s Slumdog Millionaire - a film that most people likely have never heard of before today and will likely find its mainstream popularity after it wins (it and Belfast appear to be the favourites).

I’ve never been a huge Oscars fan but they are still the recognition of record and command a lot more respect than the infamous Golden Globes and the [Insert Magazine Title Here] Movie Awards. So I’m pulling for Dune (I said I liked Don’t Look Up but even sight unseen I can tell Dune is the superior film). Also, although I didn’t like the song as much as other recent Bond themes, I’m still hoping Billie Eilish’s theme from No Time to Die allows the Bond series to pull a trifecta for Best Original Song.

In terms of snubs - considering how few theatrical films I had any interaction with in 2021, I don’t have too many. I was hoping to see Jodie Comer get a nod for The Last Duel (the film was generally considered underwhelming but everyone raved about Jodie’s performance), and her other film released last year, Free Guy, deserved some technical-nomination love. I also was hoping to see Rita Moreno score a Supporting Actress nomination for West Side Story as it would have given her the rare opportunity to win an Oscar for appearing in an original and its remake 60 years apart.

Also, whenever nominations come out people often note how the most popular film of the year usually didn’t get a Best Picture nomination. Spider-Man: No Way Home got a Visual Effects nod, but despite being the biggest-grossing film ever, no Best Picture or other major nomination. Fact is, popularity is never a reliable gauge for whether a film is critically acclaimed enough to win awards. Nightmare Alley bombed, and obscure films have won - often to their benefit; just ask the producers of Slumdog Millionaire, a film that no one in North America had ever heard of before it won and became a box office hit here afterwards. And while I am not suggesting No Way Home is a bad film, there are plenty of movies that are big hits but really aren’t considered “Oscar-worthy”. Problem is put a guy in a costume and it becomes harder to cross that line (Michael Keaton and Christian Bale were both widely seen as Oscar nomination-deserving for their versions of Batman, and in decades to come, Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man will be cited as an example of someone that deserved an Oscar nomination).

Will I be watching the Oscars? Possibly. After several years of messing about with the formula (some intentional changes, some dictated by C19) they’re going back to basics this year. I might watch as the nomination for No Time to Die might give the Oscars an excuse to do a 60th anniversary tribute to the Bond films, much like they did in 2012 for the 50th, and that was the year Skyfall won Best Song, too. I’m also curious to see who will host; in past years this was announced as much as a year in advance, but this time they’ve yet to announce even as the nominations have been revealed. Part of me hopes they play it safe and bring back a classic host, such as Billy Crystal (Whoopi is in people’s bad books right now, so I doubt it would be her). One can dream and hope for Ricky Gervais (that would be entertaining). Or even better, Ryan Reynolds (either as Deadpool or as himself; I’m not picky).

[taylorswiftdiscographyrate]

#160-151

160. Girl At Home (4.416)

Highest score was 7.6; Lowest score was 1

I consider this not being in the bottom five a win! Remember when we all theorised that this song was about Zac Efron? What a fun theory. It’s also fun to contrast this song with later songs such as illicit affairs and ivy. To be both anti-cheating and pro-cheating all within the same discography... the range she has!

Highlighted comments:

@leadinmeon​: “i like this one. not sure why ppl stan it so much”

@corneliaavenue​: “I'm saving my 0, but girrrlllll you were so close to getting it”

159. Bad Blood (4.497)

Highest score was 7.6; Lowest score was 0 (@na-smetisti)

A song about the Katy Perry feud that honestly feels like decades ago at this point. Looking back, what strikes me about this song is how... vague and generic the lyrics are. I mean, I unashamedly bop, but if Taylor hadn’t all but named Katy as the subject, I’m pretty sure no one would have ever known. We rated the album version here, but I think the Kendrick version probably would score a little bit higher, mostly because the verses are marginally more interesting.

Highlighted comments:

@everfolk​: “the kendrick version slaps tho”

@tobesolonely​: “this song hits at a solid ten when you're mad though”

@leadinmeon​: “look it's poppin but it's also boring”

158. Change (4.778)

Highest score was 7.5; Lowest score was 1

Honestly, I think this is one of the songs that will benefit best from a rerecording. Because as much as I love Taylor, this is... not the best showcase of her vocals. Imagine if she included that 15 second long high note that I used to see all over my timeline on swiftie twt back in 2013. Now that would be a moment.

Highlighted comments:

@corneliaavenue​: “her worst album closer”

157. Two Is Better Than One (4.797)

Highest score was 10; Lowest score was 1

This is a collab with Boys Like Girls, a band I know absolutely nothing about. I've only listened to this once, when I was doing my own ranking, and I could not tell you how it goes, but I think it bopped at least a little bit? If any OG Swifties have an insight on this collab, particularly how and why it happened, I would find that very interesting!

Highlighted comments:

@tobesolonely​: “i asked taylor to perform this on the rep tour and she looked at me like i was crazy” (she should’ve listened to you smh)

@itspeterlosingwendy​: “boys like girls was such a big part of middle school, this duet hit hard then”

@yourivysgrows: “I had war flashbacks remembering this existed”

156. Invisible (4.825)

Highest score was 9; Lowest score was 1

I have literally nothing interesting to say about this. It’s not awful, but I think it’s a concept that Taylor has done better numerous other times. I think I enjoyed it when I was like 12 years old and had a minor crush on a guy in my class I had never spoken to? I would rather not think about my 12 year old self, so let’s just leave it at that.

Highlighted comments:

@leadinmeon​: “this song is so terrible i have no idea why people like it”

@yourivysgrows: “7 year old me BOPPED to this”

155. Today Was A Fairytale (4.909)

Highest score was 8; Lowest score was 0 (@everfolk)

Am I a fake Swiftie if I've never watched Valentine's Day? I've watched a compilation of Taylor's scenes on YouTube, and that was more than enough for me. This song was probably the best thing to come out of that movie for me, and even then I hardly ever listen to it. It’s sweet, though.

Highlighted comments:

@everfolk​: “I cannot for the life of me listen to this song in full”

@onceintwentylifetimes​: “It's cute but she's done it all before and better”

@yourivysgrows: “That movie javajajaj”

154. I Forgot That You Existed (5.000)

Highest score was 7.5; Lowest score was 2

The way that the final score for this song is a perfectly average 5... almost poetic in a sense. It isn't love, it isn't hate, it's just indifference indeed. I think this song being an album opener makes me dislike it more than I otherwise would, it’s just so underwhelming in that role. Also, someone (either a sessioner or someone pretending to be a sessioner) hyped it up as being a “pop State of Grace” and I’m still bitter about that.

Highlighted comments:

@liabilitys​: “the closest she gets to acknowledging calcium hydroxide and i love that for her”

@corneliaavenue​: “I forget this song exists”

153. A Place in This World (5.059)

Highest score was 7.5; Lowest score was 2

This really hit hard for my teenage self, but it’s been a while since I really felt like it connected. It’s a nice song, and a nice sentiment, but the lyricism is ultimately a bit simplistic and the song doesn’t really have as much depth as we’ve come to expect from Taylor’s best work.

Highlighted comments:

@yourivysgrows: “Was actually a favorite as a kid but I've outgrown it”

152. Both of Us (5.066)

Highest score was 9; Lowest score was 1

I know we just talked about Two Is Better Than One and the fact that I know literally nothing about Boys Like Girls, but for me this is the most enigmatic Taylor collab. How and why did it happen? What commonalities drove BoB and Taylor to work together? Did they discuss the Flat Earth theory? So many questions, so few answers. Also while I actually think this is a very lovely song, it's produced by Dr Luke and BoB is an antisemetic conspiracy nut so we have no choice but to not stan!

Highlighted comments:

@onceintwentylifetimes​: “Taylor's chorus is nice and the rest of this song is fine but I never really want to listen to it”

@yourivysgrows: “Not bad, not my favorite”

151. End Game (ft. Ed Sheeran & Future) (5.078)

Highest score was 8; Lowest score was 1

As an End Game apologist, I’m disappointed... but not surprised. This was actually my least favourite song on reputation when it first released, but over time it snuck up on me and I can appreciate it for the bop that it is! Can we at least agree that Taylor’s verse slaps? I mean, it has the ever so brilliant “I bury hatchets but I keep maps of where I put ‘em” and I wholeheartedly believe that “I can’t let you go / Your handprints on my soul / It’s like your eyes are liquor / It’s like your body is gold” is one of her greatest lyrics ever.

Highlighted comments:

@treacherousdemo​: “will end game not being in the bottom three be upsetting to some? perhaps”

@corneliaavenue: “this song is good, you guys just hate ed sheeran” (and that’s the tea!)

@tobesolonely: “ed sheeran rapping :/” 

[doctorhoe]

I watched pride and prejudice (2005) today for the first time in over a year. Honestly? I still don't love this film.

- the music is far too repetitive for my taste and I know that some of it apparently symbolizes things but to me it always just felt like all characters could only play this one melody

- the movie is directed pretty decently but I was not and am not too overwhelmed with the final product.

- when I first watched this movie (before knowing this story and before even knowing it was based on any book) I totally forgot about Wickham and the supposed threat he poses. I also didn't understand why Lizzie trusts him.

- I also never got what was so special and memorable about this love story until I read the book.

- This Darcy doesn't really undergo much character development as his most fatal flaws seem to be just him being socially awkward and being overprotective over his biggest friend. He doesn't even keep Jane's presence in London from Bingley in this version.

- I also don't like how Lizzie and Darcy almost kiss after the first proposal. This is supposed to be the moment where Lizzie hates him the very most. She has just found out that he ruined her sister's chance at happiness, thinks he ruined the live of a dear friend of hers and has been insulted by him. This is not a sexual tense moment, she fucking hates his guts and that's the point.

- The whole fight with Lady Catherine is so underwhelming and that sucks because it was possibly one of my favourite parts of the book. Especially the line "He is a gentleman, I am a gentleman's daughter. So far we are equal" —which is not in the movie.

- The "You have bewitched me" speech is beautifully written but I still always felt the ending was very unsatisfying. I thought so the first time I watched it and after reading the book even more so.

- Overall this gets a score of 5/10