#it's sound of music vs hairspray

[cowardlycowboys]

need to watch a movie that will make me kill myself or I could watch a movie that will make me want to die but I'm a fun way!

[raphaelesbian]

Ok ok ok so hear me out! Shush! I'm not crazy! Just....just....just....stop screaming.....LISTEN!!!

So we open with a song I'll call "Hamato vs Foot" which is very "Horse and The Infant" from Epic esque. War drums. Large powerful chorus of ninjas singing about the feud and how much they hate eachother. There is a big battle happening.

"The Hamatos are ending the Foot tonight."

Then we have a break/bridge/whatever that's very "Just A Man" from Epic and "Dear Theodosia" from Hamilton (but much dramatic, less domestic) for when Hamato Yutta finds baby Saki and debates killing him, but decides to take him in instead.

This part will be done with a specific motif that I'm calling "Miwa's Melody". (That's a surprise tool to help us later!)

"This child will not die for my cause. I'll take him home. Raise him as my own. He doesn't have to know who his father really was."

Time skip!!!

I'll call this "Brothers Song". I can't find anything with the right feel, but kinda "Two Player Game" from Be More Chill, but COMPLETELY different sound. (Video games just don't fit here, despite being set in Japan in the 80's and 90's.) For some reason "Two By Two" from Sofia The First is the closest song I can find to MATCH MY VISION!!!

I'm not crazy! Shut up!

Anyways. So the "Brothers Song" would jave either two or three time skips. Depending.Either, Toddler to Tweens to Young Men, or just Tweens to Young Men.

"Brother Song" would be a song aboit Saki and Yoshi being a team and promising to be there for eachother. Very cute. Very happy. Very hopeful. Bonus points for ever "Wizard And I" from Wicked lile wordplay. IE, lines that COMPLETELY change meaning when you know the ending and are suddenly twisting knives! (Think Saki saying something like "I'd follow you to the other side of the world!" although our story isn't showing that pay off.)

We end with two grown men.

Enter Shen.

IDK if I was to give her an intro song or not, but definitely something where Saki and Yoshi are singing over eachother with COMPETING melodies. (Do you see it!? DO YOU UNDERSTAND THE VISION!?!?!?)

Yoshi gets his own love song duet with Shen. Think "I Can Hear The Bells" from Hairspray or "Elephant Love Melody" from Moulin Rouge.

Let's face it. We all know we need a "I will love you until my dying day" like line here and why!

The Saki gets hisbown duet with Shen I'm calling the "Silver Medal Song". Shen is confirming that she loves him, but that Yoshi is her first choice. No amount of convincing from Saki is going to change that. He can't win because the fact Shen choose Yoshi first will never go away. Even if they got together. It would bother him forever and he would never be happy.

"Even if you get the prize. Will if truly make you happy if your medal is still silver?"

Shen leaves stage and we are left with Saki singing a solo I'm calling "Saki's Lament". Think "Pity The Child" from Chess with a touch of "Sally's Song" from Nightmare Before Christmas. "We're never to become. For I am not the one."

Basically it's Saki airing out that he's always felt lile second place to Yoshi. He loves his brother, but he doesn't know why it feels like Yoshi is always the favorite. (We may have a few musical hints at a later song at the end of this one)

End of Act One!

We open Act Two with a fully proper song arpund the previously established "Miwa's Melody". This is more domestic. Almoat unrecognizable. Miwa is born and her parents are blissfully. Even more "Dear Theodosia" and maybe a little "Everything Changes" from Waitress. Maybe a touch of "Thank Goodness" from Wicked.

I'm not sure if we end the song on it, or if Saki waits until the dialog section, but he RUINS the mood. He's not happy.

Maybe it's a few scenes, or this one goes on for a while, but I think the "Yoshi loses his temper" scene gpes here. Maybe an angry reprise of "Brothers Song"

Our next song is when Shen rips Saki aside to rip him a new one.

The cut song "Congratulations" from Hamilton". "Nobody's Side" and "Florence Quits" from Chess. "You want to lose your only friend well keep up you're doing fine!" is SUCH the vibe for this!

Shen tears into Saki for his misbehavior and warns him that he needs to get a grip.

"You'll destroy everything you have and hurt everyone you have to love! Me your friend, Yoshi your brother, and you yourself!"

Bad Sad. Maybe throw in some motifs from "Saki's Lament" Because Shen loves and understands him, even if he's not the man she choose to have romantically.

Then, while Saki is dealing with that Yutta reveals his true heritage.

We start the next song as a reprise of "Saki's Lament" but it morphs into the big bombastic villain descent song. "Shredder's Song" Kind of "No Good Deed" from Wicked. Kind of "Hell To Your Doorstep" from Count Of Monty Cristo. Lind of "Epiphany" from Sweeney Todd.

This is the moment Saki dies from heartbreak and The Shredder is born from that grave.

Now we cut away to what I'm calling the "Cassandra Song" from Shen. She's trying to warn Yoshi that things are about to go south. Yoshi ignores her and leaves part wau through the song, and she's left lamenting that bother men she loves are stupid and probably doomed.

Part "Sally's Song" From Nightmare Before Christmas. "What will become of my dear friend? Where will his actions lead us then?" and a lot "Someone Else's Story" from Chess with a dash of "I Know Him So Well". "Although the feelings run just as deep. The promise she made has grown impossible to keep."

So now. NOW!!! NOW WE HAVE THE CLIMAX!!!

A little diddy I would called "Foot vs Hamato." which is very "Horse and The Infant" from Epic esque. War drums. Large powerful chorus of ninjas singing about the feud and how much they hate eachother. There is a big battle happening.

"The Foot are ending the Hamatos tonight."

Sound familiar? Oh yeah baby!!!! SYMMETRY!!!!!

Only instead of the break wjere Hamato Yutta sang Miwa's Melody.

The Shredders is reprising hia hit new single.

Yoshi runs in to fight him singing another reprise of "Brothers Song". Maybe in a pleading manner, maybe another angry version.

It harmonizes of course.

The chorus is still going strong with "Foot vs Hamato"

Shen adds a layer of "Cassandra Song" as she sets Miwa down to jump in.

Then everything stops when Shen gets hit.

There's a sad reprise of Yoshi and Shen's duet. You KNOW this is where the "I will love you until my dying day" line comes back!

Screams, roof caves in. Shredder finds Miwa.

Shredder sings Hamato Yutta's part from "Hamato vs Foot" as he decides to take Miwa!

"This child will not die for my cause. I'll take her home. Raise her as my own. She doesn't have to know who her father really was."

The one more time skip to see a child Karai interactingnwith Shredder who sings a reprise, not of "Miwa's Melody" again, but "Brothers Song" symbolic of the fact Karai os not only a stand in for her mother, the woman Shredder lost, but also her father, the brother he misses. Also hinting that Shredder will destroyed her and their bond the same way he destroyed Yoshi and their brotherhood.

Alright. Thank you for your attention. You may all chew through the restrains now.

I am!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩 this is literally SO COOL OMG. I've read this whole thing through a few times, listening to each of the song examples you gave, and it's just. Augh you've put it together so well?? Like I can just SEE and HEAR it and I would kill someone for it to be real omfg.

Yoshi and Saki having a competing melody song fight over Shen??? I ABSOLUTELY see the vision it's FANTASTIC god it fits so well that would be so funnnn. And I'm just obsessed with the levity, considering this is kind of a turning point in their story. Going from that, to the duets, to Saki's LAMENT. Him always feeling second to Yoshi..... oh man.

Saki coming in to ruin the mood!! Like imagining coming back from intermission, the curtains draw back and it's so light and happy and peaceful, and then Saki's very presence rips that away. \

(CONGRATULATIONS MENTION. fucking love that one, can't believe they cut it)

The idea of Shen's "Cassandra Song" is so cool omg, like. God, imagining her trying so hard to convince Yoshi of the coming storm and him brushing her off, IMMEDIATELY following Shredder's big villain song (which OH MY GOD that would be so cool I'm shaking and biting. Epiphany is one of my fav songs I can just aaaaaaasdhgsdhg imagining his whole like. Breakdown, like I feel like Epiphany is a really good example of the singer so vividly SNAPPING as the song goes on. Just, imagining Saki starting mournful, then ending the song straight up snarling the lines).

The carry through of "Brothers Song," from the bright optimistic montage in the beginning, to the angry reprise when they fight, to a desperate, begging reprise during the climax. Absolute AGONY I love that kind of thing in a musical. A good reprise is AMAZING.

I love the idea of starting with Hamato vs Foot, and Yuuta finding Saki and audibly debating what to do before deciding to take him, and then ENDING with the inverse, and Saki repeating Yuuta's line about not allowing a child to day for your cause and keeping their heritage from them??? hsdkaghksdghsldgk !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it's about the PARALLELS!!!!

AND THEN ENDING. WITH BROTHERS SONG. WITH SHREDDER AND KARAI. BITING YOU BITING YOU. OH I GOT CHILLS.

[homosandhomies]

Introducing...

Movie March Madness!!!

These are my top 32 favorite movies, and I was really curious to see how you guys would rank all of these. Each round will last 1 week. Please don’t just vote, but reblog too!

Round 1:

The Sound of Music vs. Fiddler on the Roof

Back to the Future vs. Ferris Bueller’s Day Off

Dead Poets Society vs. Forrest Gump

Matilda vs. Titanic

Life is Beautiful vs. The Truman Show

The Parent Trap (1998) vs. The Prince of Egypt

Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone vs. Legally Blonde

School of Rock vs. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind

Mean Girls vs. Spider-Man 2 (2004)

Hairspray (2007) vs. Enchanted

Mamma Mia! vs. Tangled

The Shape of Water vs. Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again

Booksmart vs. Midsommar

Jojo Rabbit vs. Knives Out

Little Women (2019) vs. Promising Young Woman

Tick... Tick... BOOM! vs. Glass Onion

[moviebracket]

One group of polls will go up each day and polls will be a week long! Submissions will remain open through the end of the first round, and I'll add some more first round groups depending on submission numbers! Apologies for the brief absence, I had some personal stuff going on.

Movies that lose by smaller margins may have a chance to return to the bracket at the end of Round 1.

Round 1 Group A

Lilo & Stitch (78%) vs Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio (22%)

Pan's Labyrinth (53%) vs Mickey, Donald, Goofy: The Three Musketeers (47%)

Legally Blonde (96%) vs The Last Temptation of Christ (4%)

Brother Bear (59%) vs Kubo and the Two Strings (41%)

Round 1 Group B

Stardust (47%) vs Heathers (53%)

The Batman (2022) (47%) vs Moulin Rouge! (53%)

Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (58%) vs Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (42%)

Now You See Me (78%) vs Morbius (22%)

Round 1 Group C

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (29%) vs The Prince of Egypt (71%)

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl (32%) vs The Princess Bride (68%)

Rogue One (33%) vs Spirited Away (67%)

Goncharov (90%) vs Love Actually (10%)

Round 1 Group D

A Silent Voice (38%) vs Princess Mononoke (62%)

How to Train Your Dragon (65%) vs The Sound of Music (35%)

Knives Out (43%) vs Howl's Moving Castle (57%)

Little Miss Sunshine (42%) vs The Little Mermaid (1989) (58%)

Round 1 Group E

A Quiet Place (45%) vs Zombieland (55%)

10 Things I Hate About You (72%) vs Lemonade Mouth (28%)

Juno (21%) vs The Addams Family (1991) (79%)

The Parent Trap (1998) (54%) vs Bend It Like Beckham (46%)

Round 1 Goup F

Rent (48%) vs West Side Story (2021) (52%)

Elf (39%) vs The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (61%)

Hairspray (2007) (43%) vs Mamma Mia! (57%)

Clueless (51%) vs Miss Congeniality (49%)

Round 1 Group G

Forrest Gump (50%) vs Kingsman: The Secret Service (50%)

Enchanted (69%) vs Ferris Bueller's Day Off (31%)

Battle Royale (45%) vs High School Musical (55%)

Matilda (1996) (60%) vs Chicago (40%)

Round 1 Group H

Mean Girls (54%) vs School of Rock (46%)

The Hitman's Bodyguard (25%) vs Grease (75%)

The Nightmare Before Christmas (51%) vs Parasite (49%)

The Wizard of Oz (46%) vs Star Wars: A New Hope (54%)

Round 1 Group I

Populaire (13%) vs Labyrinth (87%)

Matilda (2022) (17%) vs Kung Fu Panda (83%)

Superman (1978) (44%) vs The Sixth Sense (56%)

The Martian (65%) vs Trainspotting (35%)

Round 1 Group J

Dune (37%) vs Back to the Future (63%)

Phineas and Ferb: Across the 2nd Dimension (44%) vs The Return of the King (56%)

Home Alone (63%) vs Frozen (37%)

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (59%) vs Meet the Robinsons (41%)

Round 1 Group K

Crazy Rich Asians (68%) vs The Phantom of the Opera (2004) (32%)

Alien (75%) vs Mulholland Drive (25%)

The Imitation Game (39%) vs The Simpsons Movie (61%)

Castle of Cagliostro (59%) vs Once Upon a Time in the West (41%)

Round 1 Group L

North by Northwest (22%) vs Arrietty (78%)

Scream (53%) vs War and Peace (1966/1967) (47%)

Arrival (18%) vs The Rocky Horror Picture Show (82%)

Little Shop of Horrors (1986) (55%) vs Night at the Museum (45%)

Round 1 Group M

Steven Universe: The Movie vs Atlantis: The Lost Empire

Everything Everywhere All at Once vs Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan

Rise of the Guardians vs She's the Man

Pacific Rim vs Treasure Planet (2002)

Round 1 Group N

Deadpool vs Spiderman: Into the Spiderverse

Pitch Perfect vs Get Out

The Perks of Being a Wallflower vs Mad Max: Fury Road

Inception vs The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Round 1 Group O

The Princess Diaries vs Paddington

Pride vs Velvet Goldmine

Shrek 2 vs The Devil Wears Prada

Saw vs But I'm a Cheerleader

Round 1 Group P

Evil Dead 2 vs Nope

Whip It vs I Love You Phillip Morris

Jennifer's Body vs Ginger Snaps

Bodies Bodies Bodies vs The Social Network

Round 1 Group Q

The Mummy (1999) vs The Silence of the Lambs

Fight Club vs The History of Future Folk

Cyrano vs Beetlejuice

Die Hard vs While You Were Sleeping

Round 1 Group R

Cocaine Bear vs Boy Meets Girl

Clue vs Dungeons and Dragons: Honour Among Thieves

Coco vs Wendell & Wild

The Lost Boys vs Scott Pilgrim vs. the World

[bestmusicalworldcup]

2023 League of Musicals Division A - Round 2

Below are links to every match.

The Producers vs. The King and I Next to Normal vs. Octet Hello, Dolly! vs. Ragtime The Book of Mormon vs. Firebringer Ride the Cyclone vs. The Music Man Jekyll and Hyde vs. The Band's Visit A Chorus Line vs. Chess Guys and Dolls vs. Once on this Island The Wiz vs. SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical West Side Story vs. The Hunchback of Notre Dame Assassins vs. Alice By Heart Moulin Rouge vs. Once Hair vs. A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder Ghost Quartet vs. My Fair Lady Spring Awakening vs. Kinky Boots Falsettos vs. Annie Hamilton vs. Waitress Newsies vs. Avenue Q Little Shop of Horrors vs. Matilda Legally Blonde vs. The Rocky Horror Show The Sound of Music vs. Company Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street vs. Pippin The Phantom of the Opera vs. Something Rotten Wicked vs. Spies Are Forever Into the Woods vs. Fun Home Twisted: The Untold Story of A Royal Vizier vs. Hairspray Cabaret vs. The Lion King Chicago vs. In The Heights Hadestown vs. Rent Les Misérables vs. Come From Away Fiddler on the Roof vs. Mozart, l'opéra rock Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812 vs. Cats

[musical-hunger-games]

Second Wave of Tributes

All tributes and pairs were chosen randomly

Tribute list under cut

Aladdin (Aladdin) vs. Eva Perón (Evita)

Leading Player (Pippin) vs. Michael Mell (Be More Chill)

Rameses II (The Prince of Egypt) vs. Greaseball the Diesel Engine (Starlight Express)

Lin-Manuel Miranda vs. Natalie Goodman (Next to Normal)

Odysseus (Epic: The Troy Saga) vs. Elsa (Frozen)

Evan Hansen (Dear Evan Hansen) vs. Tanya Chesham-Leigh (Mamma Mia)

Carrie White (Carrie) vs. Man in Chair (The Drowsy Chaperone)

Claude Frollo (The Hunchback of Notre Dame) vs. Sharpay Evans (High School Musical)

Victoria the White Cat (Cats) vs. Paul Matthews (The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals)

Annie Oakley (Annie Get Your Gun) vs. Nathan Detroit (Guys and Dolls)

Shrek (Shrek the Musical) vs. Kermit the Frog (The Muppets)

Tara Maclay (Buffy the Vampire Slayer's musical episode 'Once More, With Feeling') vs. Ashley the Smoking Car (Starlight Express)

Agatha Trunchbull (Matilda) vs. Elder McKinley (The Book of Mormon)

Rebecca Bunch (Crazy Ex-Girlfriend) vs. The Three Fathers from Mamma Mia [Harry Bright/Sam Carmichael/Bill Anderson] (Mamma Mia)

Grizabella the Glamour Cat (Cats) vs. Velma Kelly (Chicago)

Enjolras (Les Miserables) vs. Henry the Duck (36 Questions)

Éponine Thénardier (Les Miserables) vs. Beetlejuice (Beetlejuice)

Claire (Ordinary Days) vs. Dr. Horrible (Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog)

Spot Conlon (Newsies) vs. Crutchie (Newsies)

Maizy (Shucked) vs. Mr. Krabs (Spongebob Squarepants: The Broadway Musical)

Anne Boleyn (Six) vs. Glinda Upland (Wicked)

Judas Iscariot (Jesus Christ Superstar) vs. Willy Wonka (Willy Wonka)

Robert (Company) vs. Fanny Brice (Funny Girl)

Draco Malfoy (A Very Potter Musical) vs. Mr. Mistoffelees (Cats)

Deloris Van Cartier (Sister Act) vs. Audrey II (Little Shop of Horrors)

Mae Tuck (Tuck Everlasting) vs. Harry (Fangirls)

Boq (Wicked) vs. Percy Jackson (The Lightening Thief)

William Schuester (Glee) vs. Hannah Montana (Hannah Montana)

Dr. Doofenschmirtz (Phineas and Ferb) vs. Gretl Von Trapp (Sound of Music)

Caldwell B. Cladwell (Urinetown) vs. Dr. Henry Jekyll (Jekyll & Hyde)

Edna Turnblad (Hairspray) vs. Zazzalil (Firebringer)

Vriska (Homestuck: The Musical) vs. Rum Tum Tugger (Cats)

[ifchotballs]

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Thenks for waching 🩷🩷🩷💯💯

[2o2o-kit]

Musical Songs with the Same Name

I Believe (Book of Mormon vs Spring Awakening

Book of Mormon: This song is optimistic and hilarious, a great modern 11 o’clock number and a man reassuring his faith

Spring Awakening: A calm song about that plays as teens ... Thid song may sound religious but it’s just a bunch of metaphors for ... I love it

It Takes Two (Hairspray vs Into the Woods)

Hairspray: Sweet little 60s style love song sung by Link

Into the Woods: Pure Sondheim, a song that is amazing if the people singing it have incredible chemistry

Santa Fe (Newsies vs Rent)

Newsies: Iconic Newsies songs really does lift theatre kids spirits

Rent: Angel and Collins content we don’t deserve in this world, a bit more acustic compared to the rest of Rent, but the vocals fit perfectly with it

Right Hand Man (Hamilton vs Something Rotten)

Hamilton: Washington’s entrance song and it slaps, gets me motivated, so flipping amazing, as is most of Hamilton

Something Rotten: Comedy gold here, strong women song, reminds me of Shakespearian Comedy Women *gasp* Eat Your Cabbage

Maria (The Sound of Music vs West Side Story)

The Sound of Music: Aw look at the nuns bitch and gossip about Maria, I want to be one of those Nuns (as a dream role)

West Side Story: Aw Tony’s in love with her, so sweet, while Maria is the most beautiful sound Tony’s ever heard, this song is a beautiful sound

Beautiful (Heathers vs Beautiful the Carol King Musical)

Heathers: It’s the opening to Heathers, need I say more

Carol King: You know what’s beautiful? Jessie Mueller’s voice

I’m Alive (Next to Normal vs Xanadu)

Next to Normal: I have not fully listened to Next to Normal but that guitar in this song and Aaron Tveit’s voice keeps me alive

Xanadu: So disco, but not dead like disco

Someday (Hunchback of Norte Dame vs Memphis)

Hunchback: So powerful, I starting tearing up 5 seconds in

Memphis: I need to listen to Memphis but this song makes me want to dance

Maybe (Miss Saigon vs Annie)

Miss Saigon: This song makes you an emotional wreck epically when you know the context of it, adds depth the Ellen

Annie: Aw childhood memories, I still know all the words of Annie’s song about what her parents are like

Home (The Wiz vs Beauty and the Beast vs Beetlejuice)

The Wiz: The final song for the Wiz, I could never hit those notes

Beauty and the Beast: Gives Belle some depth, and the notes, I just love Disney Princess songs on Broadway

Beetlejuice: I mean come on it’s Lydia in Beetlejuice singing, the internet loves her

Here’s a playlist I made of the songs

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1NTjGtBq9wpX94C6EIeq8L?si=gCEJEDH5QrKLywPfJjFftw

[ragingstillness]

MCU as musicals tbc

StrangeFrost - What is this Feeling (Wicked)

FrostMaster - Dead Girl Walking (Heathers)

Venom x Eddie - Upgrade (Be More Chill)

Thor and Loki brotp - For Forever (Dear Evan Hansen)

Also Thor and Loki brotp - You and Me But Mostly Me (The Book of Mormon)

Pepperony - You’re the Top (Anything Goes)

Justin Hammer and Obie - A Secretary Is Not A Toy (How to Succeed In Business Without Really Trying)

FrostIron - Seventeen (Heathers)

InterWebs - Two Player Game (Be More Chill)

Peter and MJ - A Guy That I’d Kind I’d Be Into (Be More Chill)

Grandmaster - Land of Lola (Kinky Boots)

Tony and May and Clint and all the other good parents - Dear Theodosia (Hamilton)

Tony and Loki brotp - Not My Father’s Son (Kinky Boots)

Tony, upon meeting Stephen - History Of Wrong Guys (Kinky Boots)

IronHusbands post Iron Man 2 - For Good (Wicked) 

Thruce/TaserTricks/Pepperony (I couldn’t decide) - As Long As You’re Mine (Wicked)

Odin in Thor 2 - No One Mourns The Wicked (Wicked)

Children of Thanos - March of the Witch Hunters (Wicked)

Thor and Loki vs Thanos - No Good Deed (Wicked) 

Peter, MJ, Liz, and Ned at their first party - Big Fun (Heathers)

Angsty Pepper if she had to hide love for Tony while he got with Steve (I know, this is complex but at this point I’m just listening to musicals and randomly placing stuff) - I’m Not That Girl (Wicked)

Tony post Civil War - Beautiful (Heathers)

Thanos and Lady Death/Thanos’ plan - Meant To Be Yours (Heathers)

IronHusbands MIT era - Freeze Your Brain (Heathers)

Tony, during Civil War - Lifeboat (Heathers)

Pietro and Wanda when they were still messed up Hydra - Our Love is God (Heathers) 

Loki, all of Avengers - Yo Girl (Heathers)

Stucky pre-serum - Kindergarten Boyfriend (Heathers) 

The people of Asgard after being informed Loki died on Svartlheim - Me Inside of Me (Heathers)

Odin after Loki tried to kill himself in the first Thor - My Dead Gay Son (Heathers) 

Hela and Loki and Fenrir to Thor - Candy Store (Heathers) 

Stucky/Steggy post-serum - Fight For Me (Heathers) 

The Howling Commandos after any given battle - The Story of Tonight (Hamilton)

Frigga after Odin wakes from the Odinsleep - Congratulations (Hamilton) 

Steve - Wait for It (Hamilton)

Tony and Peter after the ferry scene - Meet Me Inside (Hamilton) 

Pepperony - Take A Break (Hamilton)

Clint, always - The Room Where It Happens (Hamilton) 

Team Cap, bitter - Washington On Your Side (Hamilton)

Fury and Coulson - One Last Time (Hamilton)

Tony, holding baby Morgan for the first time - Blow Them All Away (Hamilton)

(Don’t hate me) May and Tony post infinity war - It’s Quiet Uptown (Hamilton)

Steve’s letter at the end of Civil War - Your Obedient Servant (Hamilton)

Stucky post infinity war - On My Own (Les Mis)

Tony post infinity war - House On A Hill (The Secret Garden)

Tony post infinity war - Bring Him Home (Les Mis)

Everyone not killed in the snap - Empty Chairs At Empty Tables (Les Mis)

Pepperony - Something Good (The Sound of Music)

Gamora, Hela, Nebula, Loki, Pepper, Wanda - Cell Block Tango (Chicago)

Pepperony covering up the many many MCU villains Pepper has killed - We Both Reached For The Gun (Chicago)

Tony and the senate committee - Razzle Dazzle (Chicago)

Anyone making fun of Steve (this is a joke) - Look At Me, I’m Sandra Dee (Grease)

Stucky - Holding Out For A Hero (Footloose)

Everyone at Steve - Welcome to the 60s (Hairspray)

Pepper/Natasha - There Are Worst Things I Could Do (Grease)

Maria/Fury/Coulson/the non-HYDRA SHIELD agents - Somebody’s Eyes (Footloose)

Anyone who knows him, about Loki (this is a joke ppl) - The Girl Gets Around (Footloose)

Romanogers - Light My Candle (Rent)

Pepperony - Another Day (Rent)

All the Avengers in the middle of a press conference during pride month - La Vie Boheme (Rent)

BlackPepper/ScienceBros - Take Me Or Leave Me (Rent)

Fury, trying to manage the avengers - Little Girls (Annie)

Loki and Hela brotp - Easy Street (Annie)

All the children to their awful parents - Just You Wait (My Fair Lady)

Steve and Bucky about Howard after meeting Tony for the first time - Lily’s Eyes (The Secret Garden)

Loki, during avengers - Pitiful Children (Be More Chill)

Frostiron - Crazier Than You (Addams Family)

Frigga & Odin before he brought Loki home - Secrets (Addams Family)

Hela after Odin’s death - Get Down (Six the Musical)

Loki, being constantly used and abused by everyone around him - All You Wanna Do (Six the Musical)

Frigga, when Odin starts becoming more of an ass - No Way (Six the Musical)

Loki and Sylvie, drunk - Friendship (Anything Goes)

Natasha after meeting Clint the first time - Pulled (Addams Family)

Loki and Sylvie as children - Waving Through A Window (Dear Evan Hansen)

[storypanda88]

The things I’m obsessed with:

Ok so tv series (including anime series) (I’ll probably update this many times as I think of more):

Timeless

Miraculous ladybug

Star vs the Forces of Evil

New Girl

Brooklyn nine nine (not up to date yet)

Ouran High School Host club

Fruits Basket

The Big Bang Theory

Once Upon a Time (but not up to date, no spoilers)

Doctor Who

The Good Place

Futurama

Trollhunters : Tales of Arcadia

Voltron : Legendary Defender

Lucifer

Disney movies:

All of the classics, most of Pixar

Avengers (binge watched all 20 of them)

Disney channel movies:

Zombies

Descendants 1 and 2

Camp Rock

High School Musical

Hannah Montana

Other movies:

The Greatest Showman

Bridget Jones (all 3)

Chalet Girl

It’s a boy girl thing

Trolls

27 dresses

Storks

Pitch Perfect trilogy

(Other rom coms I cant think of right now)

Spirited away

Howl’s Moving Castle

Musicals (including some movie musicals):

Wicked

Avenue Q

Hairspray

Walking on Sunshine

Mama Mia

Disney movie musicals

The sound of music

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

Sunshine on Leith

Spamalot

Annie

High school musical

Ships:

Peter Parker x Michelle (MJ) / Spideychelle

Nick x Jess

Lyatt

ML love square

Ml pv love square

Starco

DJWIFI

CheeseCake (Tikki x plagg)

Peraltiago (Jake x Amy)

Eleanor x Chidi

Deckerstar

Tamaki x Haruhi

Kyo x Tohru

Captain Swan

Music:

Ballad of Star Butterfly

The entire ‘The Greatest Showman’ soundtrack

https://open.spotify.com/user/haey1/playlist/15HiKjAnUuAymWdqejOTcP?si=jjvS7iuKSIqPfhgaWsQLwQ a lot in this soundtrack

I’m yours - Jason Mraz

Mr Brightsize

Most Disney songs (especially from brother bear, Tarzan, tangled, frozen, beauty and the beast, Zootropolis/ Zootopia and Brave)

Green light - lorde

Songs from musicals

Ed Sheeran

P!NK

The Vamps

Olly Murs

Jess Glynne

Random other songs that stick in my head

Books / series / manga / otome games:

Fire and Flood - Victoria Scott

Starcrossed - Josephine Angelini

Fruits Basket

Ouran high school host club

Dork diaries

The school for good and evil

Percy Jackson (still not up to date)

Cinderella Phenomenom

Various voltage and other visual novel games

Various other books I can’t think of

Fanfics that are as good as stories (too many to list)

Feel free to reblog adding your obsessions, I’ll never judge and we may have something in common.

[fennbirn-fandom]

Okay I know this is a lot but reading this guy’s thoughts gives you all the feels of reading the book all over again and it is amazing (x)

1. Okay first of all I am SO excited it’s starting back at Greavesdrake 2. Love this little poison bitch 3. “These are only a bit of fun.” I am living 4. I cannot wait for this reunion omg I can’t wait for ANYTHING

5. Book one Katharine vs. book two Katharine:

6. Fifty bucks says Thomas and Michael don’t make it to book three 7. Maybe it would be easier if Joseph didn’t make it to book three 8. Omg that’s right if Arsinoe wins as a poisoner then the poisoners will want to claim her as their own dang there is so much going on 9. I LOVE THIS BOOK 10. Wait did they never kiss in the first book 11. Are you kidding me Joseph and Mirabella shacked up in a seaside cavern and the real royal couple is out here willing to die for each other without ever having locked lips?? 12. Ew imagine someone spit on you I would scream 13. “Next time it won’t be spit. Next time it’ll be a knife!” LMAO WHAT 14. Can you IMAGINE 15. They’re already going to fight I can’t believe this 16. I love Bree 17. I’m screaming Kat just enjoys RUNNING PEOPLE DOWN in her free time 18. WHO IS THIS GIRL 19. Black marble and spitting gargoyles is such an aesthetic 20. I lied the GODDESS STONE is an aesthetic 21. Omg she’s referring to herself as “us” this is amazing 22. Luke/Hank 2020

23. THERE IS GOING TO BE A FIGHT 24. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ME

25. I love that every single character is like “Well I don’t WANT to kill them, but also I myself do not want to die, so,”

26. Except for Jules she would absolutely kill a man

27. Do I love or hate Madrigal? I just don’t know 28. WHAT 29. Omggg I love this I love Jules 30. Wait DROWN HER these people are so DRAMATIC 31. I want to know more about every single gift 32. They’re gonna fight!! 33. They’re gonna fight!!!!!!! 34. Mirabella the bear isn’t there just KILL HER

35. Ok if these girls didn’t have such a flair for drama I guarantee this war would already be over

36. “Mirabella has found her nerve.” Yes she has 37. Lmao jokes she still won’t kill her 38. Like… just do it!!! Just kill her!!!!!!!!!! 39. WELP now you CAN’T because there’s a BEAR 40. Katharine is insane THAT’S FUN 41. You know I’ve always wanted to learn how to throw knives 42. Omg Pietyr?! 43. Jk 44. I don’t know Nicolas but I love him 45. Don’t you DARE throw my queen off a cliff 46. “He doesn’t smell like the last one.” Billy the last one was dead 47. BILLY’S GOING TO THE WESTWOODS 48. Honesty, the DRAMA 49. “Because I saw you first,” ugh I love them

50. I can’t believe I’m only a quarter of the way through this book I need a nap

51. Ugh why doesn’t anyone love Mirabella 52. Don’t worry I love you Mirabella

53. PREGNANT 54. SHE’S PREGNANT 55. Oh my god 56. Thomas and Michael are here someone get the death cannon ready 57. AHHH 58. What did I say 59. “At least they were cousins,” Katharine PLEASE 60. I want a buddy-cop spinoff where Natalia and Luca fight crime 61. Aw okay at least Mira has a friend Billy is nice

62. “Where is your bear?” “WELL HE’S NOT IN MY POCKET.”

63. I love Billy Chatworth, Worst Cook on Fennbirn Island ™

64. Nicolas lmao wtf 65. WHO IS THIS GUY 66. PIIIIIEEEETTTYYYYYRRRRR 67. “But you will never have me again.” Bye I just screamed 68. You know I think I’d want the war gift it’s so vague and powerful

69. “It only gives you powers over weapons,” you say 70. “ANYTHING CAN BE A WEAPON,” I scream in response

71. I love Katharineeeeeeee 72. Omg wait and Rho can’t publicly help Mirabella 73. So much is happening 74. Oh my god 75. Yeah curse the queens THIS SEEMS LIKE A GOOD IDEA 76. Can’t wait for this one to go wrong 77. “What’s this gonna do btw?” “Oh lmao idk” Super 78. Oh my god 79. Ohhhhh my god 80. Here we GO 81. Can I just say again that I love Nicolas the psychopath 82. Pietyr is going to slap him 83. “This is your life. Don’t tell me to stay out of it.” 84. Imagine this book from Braddock’s POV 85. Omg just KISS ALREADY

86. This is all VERY High School Musical 2

87. Imagine a plot twist that reveals Billy as the true naturalist queen 88. “I’ll love you for as long as I live.” Oh no 89. Everyone is ready for surprise murder but I’m watching Hairspray as I read this and it’s creating quite the interesting mood 90. Lmao I love Katharine and Nicolas!!! What little psychopaths!!!!!! 91. I love Katharine!!!!!!!!!!!! 92. This is amazing 93. I LOVE DRAMA 94. “But that is not fair!” Mira, buddy, pal, 95. SHE SLEPT THROUGH THE ENTIRE FESTIVAL LMAO NO!!! 96. JULLIENNE MILONE!!!!! 97. HOW IS THERE STILL MORE THAN HALF THE BOOK LEFT 98. This girl is literally being HUNTED 99. Omg please Braddock go go go follow her 100. Mirabella NO!!!! 101. Omg omg omg omgggggg 102. I’M SO STRESSED 103. Sidenote I love Mirabella and Arsinoe together 104. WHAT 105. WHAT!!!!!!! 106. JULES 107. JULES IS HERE 108. JULES!!!!! 109. LMAO THEY STOLE HER HORSE I’M SCREAMING 110. Oh my god Katharine no don’t SAY THAT

111. Honestly I don’t super remember Bree from the first book but would I die for her now? Absolutely

112. I’m so stressed 113. THEY WENT TO CARAGH 114. Lol TBH makes it sound like a jewelry commercial 115. “They went to Caragh!” Madrigal will cry, clutching her diamonds 116. “Until they were six, they were mine.” 117. Um @ the Young Queens WHERE ARE YOU 118. Mirabella/Billy 2020 119. Lmao yo I am so freaking excited for Arsinoe to make her dramatic return 120. I’m just thinking about it!! Ah!!!! 121. A DUEL 122. This is madness I need a break and a nap and a snack immediately 123. Katharine!!!!! You can’t just THROW BACK a cup of poison!! Honestly!!!

124. “You cannot kill,” she says, causing me to GASP, “what is already dead.”

125. SHE ALREADY KNEW

126. I can’t decide if I want Katharine, Pietyr, and Nicolas to all destroy each other or if they are the toxic, murderous OT3 of my dreams 127. The venn diagram of those two things may just be a circle

128. KAT JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT THE CHALLENGE 129. Omg she’s throwing a TANTRUM I’m living 130. “I will hold a ball the night before,” This is my ideal dark gothic aesthetic

131. “What if the Goddess is on her side?” “It does not matter. They are on mine.”

132. Why do I picture Madrigal exactly as Alice Cooper from Riverdale 133. She’s going to help Mirabella!!! She’s going to help Mirabella!!!!!!! 134. I’m serious can I vote for Mirabella and Billy on the ticket in 2020 135. Oh my god no 136. No no no I refuse to believe they have their hooks in him 137. THEY CANNOT HAVE THEIR HOOKS IN BILLY 138. He’s a horrible cook he would never fit in with the feast-loving Arrons 139. I love Mirabella

140. Oh my god Katharine 141. Oh my goddddd 142. LMAO WHAT THE F#&K 143. “We have not been your Katharine since you threw me down the Breccia Domain.” WHAT THE F#&KKK!!!!!!!! LMAO!!!?! 144. HE’S GOING BACK TO THE BRECCIA DOMAIN!!

145. Meanwhile, Arsinoe, on a mule, 146. Just looking at the names of the chapters left is stressing me out 147. NAT IS SLEEPING WITH BILLY’S DAD I just CHOKED

148. THERE’S SO MUCH DRAMA AROUND EVERY TURN

149. Oh thank god their hooks are not in Billy yet 150. Omg omg Jules is at the ball here we go here we GO it’s happening

151. “Before Katharine and her suitor take their place amid the Arrons, dazzling in their snakes and scorpions, Katharine cocks her head at Mirabella and winks. Nicolas smiles at Billy and discreetly spits onto the floor.” I’m just obsessed with this entire snippet

152. Oh Joseph honey no go home 153. ARSINOE!! 154. “Dancing with my sister,” Oh my god 155. This is what I LIVE FOR 156. “I am not afraid. I am angry.” 157. “I may be the weakest, but I am a queen, through and through.” 158. Oh my god

159. I NEED TO SEE THIS SCENE ON A BIG SCREEN

160. “They are tired of it.” I SCREAMED

161. Oh my godddd he’s going in 162. HE’S GOING IN THE BRECCIA DOMAIN 163. Oh my god 164. Oh my g o d d d 165. AHHHHHHHHHHHHH 166. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 167. Oh my GOD WHAT A SCENE I SHOULD NOT HAVE READ THIS AT NIGHT!!!

168. Pepper………… 169. Of all the characters I love… I would be ok with Rho dying at any time 170. @ Kendare just fyi 171. Oh my god they pulled it off HOW 172. Of course Arsinoe is thinking of food though 173. F#&k f#&k f#&k here we go 174. I am horrified for what Katharine’s reign of terror would mean 175. Tag yourself I’m the priestess weeping as she fastens Mirabella’s dress 176. Ugh Kat 177. Ok she’s horrifying but she’s also amazing this arena entrance is everything 178. THERE THEY ARE!!!!! 179. “Yes, me again.” JULES FOR QUEEN 180. SHE KNOWS THAT ARSINOE REMEMBERS HER 181. Omg I’m so emotional 182. JULES!!! “She punches the first in the eye and knocks back another three.”

183. “I’m sorry you thought I was dead.” “I’m sorry I agreed to marry your sister.”

184. Oh no Luca no don’t 185. A concept: Madrigal slapping Natalia Arron 186. “Or perhaps there were more sides to a woman than he had ever understood.” Lol oh Billy you simple boy 187. Ugh it was WILLIAM 188. Omg the throwbacks to the very first chapter of the first book I’m dying 189. A tattooed crown they are NOT f#&king around 190. NICOLAS MARTEL 191. “Arsinoe has been banging her head against the stone wall for what seems like hours. But there is no way to tell for sure.” Me in class

192. LMAO IS SHE GOING TO POISON ARSINOE 193. STOP I’M GOING TO SCREAM 194. This is EVERYTHING

195. AND THERE’S A WEDDING 196. Ew Nicolas I changed my mind I don’t love him not one bit 197. “Though perhaps this is what he truly is underneath. Angry, and ugly, and small.” Aren’t all men 198. Oh my god 199. THIS WAS NOT A FIGHT I WAS EXPECTING 200. Ohhhhhh my god 201. YES RHO 202. I lied Kendare thank you for this fierce and wonderful gift of a character 203. “Roll him up in a rug,” LMAO 204. “After all, Mirabella’s first tears were real, before she looked down and realized that Arsinoe was grinning.” I can’t I love them so much 205. Omg wait if Natalia… what does that mean for her deal with Luca?! 206. “Oh!” I LIED I WANT A MIRABELLA/ARSINOE BUDDY-COP SPINOFF 207. God bless Joseph taking responsibility for his actions 208. “How I love you, Jules.” I’m so emo 209. ARSINOE!!!!! 210. Ew someone please kill Nicolas already 211. “… So hard that she hears a crack. That must be good,” I’m dying 212. I LOVE MIRABELLA 213. I WANT HER TO BURN THE ENTIRE CITY DOWN 214. Oh god Joseph 215. THE WARRIORS 216. Oh my god 217. Oh my god oh my goddddd what 218. That is BRUTAL 219. What a way to go, my man

220. “I failed you once. I betrayed you once. But I will not again.”

221. “I’m fine,” Joseph says, CLEARLY LYING 222. Oh my god Genevieve 223. THIS IS SUCH A DYSFUNCTIONAL TRIO 224. AND NOW THEY KNOW EVERYONE HAS ESCAPED 225. Oh my god so much is happening 226. Pietyr is the one true king someone bring him the Iron Throne or whatever the f#&k they have on this cursed and twisted island 227. “It is just that she will be the last.” 228. Omg they’re gonna GOOOO 229. Third time’s the charm, maybe??

230. I’m telling you Jules and Pietyr are going to have to duel and that will decide who the true ruler of Fennbirn Island will be

231. Jules will obliterate him and I will be sad for approximately thirty seconds and then extremely happy for my new queen

232. Aw I loved Madrigal in this book 233. I LOVE THIS LIL’ MOTLEY CREW 234. Lmao I wonder how long Genevieve will last now. What will she do 235. “Then she looks back at the sea and the confrontation that is about to take place there.” I’m so scared for my lil’ motley crew!!! 236. FINALLY!!!! THE KISS!!! 237. Omg come on Mirabella come onnnnn

238. Oh no 239. Oh no Joseph 240. … Oh my god? 241. Oh my god did they do it??? 242. THEY DID IT 243. Oh n o

244. JULES NO!!!

245. WHAT THE F#&K, MAN 246. … I’m telling you she needs to be queen 247. Oh my god 248. I can’t believe they… made it 249. Oh my g o d

[thecaffeinebookwarrior]

How to Write a (Healthy) Relationship:  An Illustrated Guide.

@trappedinfairytales asked:

Hi! Let me start by saying this blog is a god send for more than just writing skills, I even turned on your notifications 😂 Anyway, I apologize if you've already done a post like this, but I was wondering if you could do a post with different kinds of healthy relationships? I feel like it would help, because even though I am a bi girl, I've never been in a relationship so sometimes I don't know where to start 🙈 

@magnificentcollectiverebel asked:

Bro bro I'm trying to write a cute lil romance do you have any tips please I didn't realize writing needs so much planning also thank you for all the tips on characters both of my love interests are girls the tips help

Excellent questions! 

Now, there has been a request for me to make a post about LGBTQ characters, so I will talk more exclusively about queer relationships then; sufficed to say this post applies to all types of healthy relationships.  Even though you could say I’m BI-ased on the matter.  (I’ll see myself out.)  

In the meantime, here are my personal rules of thumb for writing a ship-worthy romance. 

1.  Allow opposites to attract (but do it right!)

No, I’m not talking about two characters who have no common ground or core values;  I’m talking about two characters whose traits compliment one another.  

Maybe one’s analytical and the other’s impulse driven.  Maybe one’s a happy ray of sunshine and the other’s a grump.  Maybe one’s an idealist and the other’s a realist.

Do you see pattern here?  Not only do these proposed pairings balance each other out, but their mutually beneficial to each other:  an impulse-driven character will add spontaneity to the life of their analytical partner, while the analytical character will keep the impulsive one from leaping off cliffs;  the happy ray of sunshine will brighten up the life of the grump, while the grump will keep the ray of sunshine aware of life’s problems;  the realist will keep the idealist weighted in reality while the idealist will help them to get off the ground.

Moreover, as each of them has something the other lacks and needs, it creates a natural magnetism between them.  

Just think of it like the old Greek myth, in which mankind was split in two by Zeus and each of them are searching for their other half to become their best selves.  

In terms of writing romance, pretend your two characters are two halves of a greater whole, and allow them to complete each other.

2.  Create chemistry and attraction (but remember that it does not immediately equal love.)

If I had to pinpoint the source of my frustration with the depictions of attraction in literature, particularly YA romantic novels, I would say it roughly narrows down to the fact that the attraction, as it’s depicted, is largely extremely vapid and hollow. 

Two characters that hate each other are not going to have true chemistry or be compatible for a long-term relationship, even if one of them is equipped with excessive depictions of eye-color and can smirk like a champ.

To create true chemistry, the readers have to crave the characters’ interactions;  they have to root for them to get together, not role their eyes when they finally do.

So how do you do this?  Well, first and foremost, there are different and better ways to convey attraction than the tried and true “cerulean orbs” and obnoxious smirks and whatnot.

First and foremost, save strong, sensual language, like “she leaned in close, and I tasted her breath on mine,” “My heart thudded painfully in my chest as I felt her body press against mine,” et cetera for when your characters are actually in an intense situation.  That way, your audience isn’t desensitized to it and are more likely to root for your characters when they finally shack up.

When your characters first meet, keep the language light and playful.  Unless you’re doing a modern, queer reenactment of Romeo and Juliet (which sounds pretty awesome, honestly -- so long as the ending is happier) most people aren’t righting sonnets about people they first meet.

Let your POV character check out her prospective partner if you so desire, but press hold on the purple prose.  

For instance, instead of something like this:

“Long lashes fluttered like the wings of the butterfly over peridot orbs, a faint gold dusting over the graceful slope of her nose.  Red lips as ripe as strawberries glistened in the sun, and a waterfall of gilded hair fell over her slender shoulders.”

Try something more along the lines of this:    

“She had striking green eyes framed with long lashes, a smattering of freckles over the bridge of her nose.  Her hair was a thick mane of unkempt gold, and when she saw me, she smiled.  Her lips were plump and strawberry pink.”

If you’ll notice, both passages convey basically the same thing (i.e. that this narrator finds her prospective gal-pal attractive):  one is just significantly less pretentious than the other, and in my opinion, a lot more readable.

As the story continues, you’ll likely want to build up the tension as the character’s attraction to one another grows.  Maybe your character starts to get butterflies in their stomach whenever their love interest is around, or there’s a tension-filled moment where their skin brushes together.  Maybe they’ve found themselves constantly looking at one another’s lips and mouths.

Keep in mind while developing your characters’ chemistry into something greater that contrary to what most YA novels will teach you, attraction isn’t love.  Finding one another’s meatsuits aesthetically pleasing isn’t reasonable merit for a long-term commitment.  Love, generally speaking, is often just that:  it’s a commitment.  It takes time to cultivate, and it isn’t fun 100% of the time.  But people stick with it anyway, because ideally, the payoff is worth it.

And that’s a good thing.  As an author, you get to build up on your character’s relationship, challenge it, make it stronger.  And that’s a lot of fucking fun.  Plus, you get to write all the cute romantic shit in the times in between.

If you are implying love at first sight (which, sappy bitch I am, I’m a bit of a sucker for) feel free to imply as such, but I’m still inclined to think short, sweet descriptions work best:  “Their eyes met, and for a moment, Ishmael could have sworn the earth had come to a stop while the world kept moving.”  Or perhaps, “Luna looked at Misery for the first time, and knew right away this was the woman she was going to marry.” 

Now keep moving.  Too strong language too fast weighs your story down, keeps the reader from relating to it, and detracts from the satisfaction of when your characters finally end up together.     

3.  Let your characters’ relationship be built on friendship.  

The other day, I got lunch with my best friend and her new girlfriend.  A year or so ago, she’d gotten out of a really toxic relationship that she’d been in since I’d first known her.  

I’d thought she was happy (because at the time, I didn’t have anything else to compare it to) but seeing her with her new girl was like seeing the proverbial sunrise for the first time.  (Pardon the floral language.  Even I’m not totally exempt from purple prose.)

We laughed, we made jokes, we all checked out the hot waitress together.  Overall, it was just like spending time with two close friends -- just, y’know.  They happened to be in a romantic relationship with each other.  And that, let me tell you, makes all the difference in the world.

I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again:  all the sexual attraction in the world will not make up for the lack of a strong basis of mutual respect, affection, and camaraderie.  

Sorry to burst your bubble, authors of the mainstream publishing world:  even if they kiss in the rain till the cows come home, even if the music swells every time they make contact, even if it’s a love story for the ages, that means your characters actually have to be friends.

So ask yourself these questions:

Do your characters have any shared interests or hobbies?

Do they actively take interest in their partners’ hobbies?

Do they crack each other up, tell each other jokes?  Exchange playful jibes that aren’t pointed or hurtful?

Do they do the above more than they fight and bicker?

Would both your characters feel comfortable with their partner seeing them at their most comfortable (e.g. stuffing their faces with Nutella and watching bad reality shows)?

If so, would they join in?

If one partner feels hurt, neglected, or insecure, will the other partner take notice and attempt to comfort and reassure them?

Can they confide in each other?

Do they share the same goals, desires, and core values?

If you answered  ‘yes’ to most of these questions, congratulations:  your characters’ romance is more akin to Gomez and Morticia than most YA pairings today.  And believe me, that’s a good thing.

  4.  Make sure your characters are more or less equals.

She’s a ridiculously hot, intelligent, accomplished twenty-something.  He’s a an out-of-shape manchild in his thirties who makes lots of fart jokes and probably has a neck-beard.  

This pairing probably would raise quite a few eyebrows in real life, but it happens so much in movies and TV (particularly comedies) that no one even questions it.  Do I really need to remind you that the entertainment industry is largely male dominated?

This doesn’t always equate to characters being equal in conventional attractiveness:  movies such as Legally Blond and Hairspray, for example, both have adorable pairings featuring lovely plus-sized/chubby women and thinner, more conventionally attractive men.  Tucker and Dale vs. Evil consisted of a satisfying romance between a chubby, kindhearted hillbilly and a thin, conventionally hot girl.  Moreover, they don’t leave anything resembling the bad taste in my mouth that the aforementioned Manchild + Hot Girl trope does.    

But your characters will need to be more-or-less equals in terms of positive attributes.  Even if they differ significantly in conventional attractiveness or status, they’ll probably roughly even in out in terms of intelligence, good manners, kindness, conscientiousness, et cetera.  

It’s also best to avoid blaring power imbalances when writing healthy romances.  I’m inclined to avoid huge age differences (though there are instances where it can be healthy), and definitely avoid huge age differences where one of the characters is underage.    

Basically, if your pairing looks like they could belong in a Woody Allen movie, no dice.  (If you think I’m kidding, just look at his fifty-six-year-old self with a nineteen-year-old love interest in Husbands and Wives.)

Differences in wealth and status are also generally be okay, but be conscientious that they can easily become abusive if one person misuses their power (lookin’ at you, 50 Shades.)    

Last, and certainly not least, your characters will almost definitely need to be equals in terms of three-dimensionality.  No exceptions.    

Which brings me to my final point:

5.  Give your love interest purpose (outside of being a love interest.)

I’ve talked about this before, but why do you think there’s such a huge following for Kirk and Spock’s romance (besides that one episode where Spock gets super horny and the two of them role around in the sand for twenty minutes), when there are droves of female love interests for both?  

Why are Dean and Castiel AO3′s most popular pairing (besides the recurring prevalence of romantic tropes throughout their narrative), when the following for their more canonically established relationships are practically nonexistent?  

What about Holmes and Watson (besides the blaring case of queerbaiting in the BBC version, and the fact that Doyle’s Sherlock was rife with gay subtext), or Steve Rogers and Bucky and Barnes (besides the fact that the writers somehow find the possibility of making Steve a Nazi less offensive than having him love a man)?   

Internalized misogyny and fetishization of MLM by straight women is sometimes a factor.  But considering the popularity of these M/M pairings amongst queer women, I’m inclined to think its simply because these male main characters are simply the most interestingly written in their respective franchises. 

It also works the other way: why do you think everyone hates Kara and Mon El’s romance so much? Because Kara is a wonderfully developed, benevolent character (surrounded with equally developed, benevolent characters who would work much better as love interests, I might add) and Mon El is a callous, entitled jerk who only wants to become a hero to woo his prospective girlfriend. 

This is also why heterosexual pairings with equally well-developed characters have no problem at all finding followings.  Just look at Han and Leia, Mulder and Scully, Booth and Bones, Monica and Chandler -- both characters hold roughly an equal amount of weight in the narrative, so we give a fuck what happens to both of them. 

Healthy, well-balanced WLW romances with happy endings are difficult to find in media, but some of my favorite examples of ship-worthy pairings that fit this criteria are Korra and Asami from Legend of Korra, Willow and Kennedy from Buffy (even though I’ll never forgive them for what they did to Tara), Carol and Susan from Friends, and Alana and Margot from Hannibal.         

And of course, there’s these lovely ladies from Sense 8.

Bottom line is, make sure both your characters are important;  don’t follow the trend of meaningless, forced heterosexual romances in media in which one party could almost invariably be replaced with a sexy lamp or a dildo.

Make the love interest a hero in their own right, and the audience will root for them.

Best of luck, and happy writing!  <3 

[waystobuild-blog]

I got tagged in an ask game by @allicareaboutishowyoufeel

Do you believe in ghosts, spirits, angels/ demons, etc? Have you ever encountered any? I believe in angels and demons because I grew up in a religious background. I don’t think I’ve ever encountered any though. 

If you could cameo in any t.v. show still on the air, which show would you pick and what would your character be like? (i’d wanna be a warlock) Hm... depends. If I had to pick something like I guess “normal” I’d go with the show Gotham. I love Gotham even if I haven’t actually watched it in some time. But if it were anything... Steven Universe. Yeah, dumb. But I’d love a little animated cameo in the show. Either way, nothing to serious, just a thing to say “There I am!”

do you have a favorite musical? Not really. Although if I had to pick, Hairspray or maybe Westside Story? Or uh... Sound of Music? I don’t really have a favorite. 

what would you do with ten million dollars? First thing, flee the country. Go literally anywhere in the world. Next order of business, quit accounting and laugh in accountants faces for all the grief it’s given me. Next thing, look into some safe investments that’ll keep me okay. Then, buy a house that I won’t need to worry about rent. Nothing to big or too small. Then, open a small animation studio, hire some incredible artists and writers that I know and create some original animation to pitch to places like Netflix or Cartoon Network or something. Both my stories and their’s. And I guess after that, more investments and deposits. Help my family a little and overall just make sure I’m safe enough to be able to live out my passions.

what’s one thing that’s not socially acceptable to do that you definitely would do if you could get away with it? Being myself and talking in public. Lol.  But for real, probably... Listen to my music out loud and sing along and heck, maybe even dance. And I know that doesn’t sound like much, but like I have a very niche music taste that isn’t quite socially acceptable. But if I were able to blast my music on speakers and stuff like everybody else does and not feel like I’m gonna get shot then that would be a victory.

do you believe in soulmates? I do. 

how do you feel about rain? what about snow? Rain is nice. I love the rain because it gives me the excuse to wear my hoodies, carry an umbrella and just gives off such a nice atmosphere.  With snow, I’d say the same minus umbrellas. I really miss snow. I haven’t seen it in about five years now, so I miss it a bit. I loved snow angels and snow ball fights and stuff. But I’m 19 now, so I suppose that’s a bit childish. 

do you collect things? if so what do you collect? ( i collect notebooks) I don’t collect.

i you were throwing a dinner party, and you could invite any 10 living people, who would you invite and why? Well, for starters @allicareaboutishowyoufeel my best friend that I haven’t seen in years. I’d love to have you around. A second person of her choice. She could bring whoever she’d want. I suppose a collection of friends old and new. I really miss my buddy Sean, so he’d be on the list. A few internet friends so all of staff squad so I guess that’s another five people. Two left. Uh... Hm... I don’t really have any irl friends. So two other internet friends, probably guys.

what’s your favorite quote (it’s okay to have more than one) and where/who is it from? I don’t really have a favorite. Hahaha.

But I guess that’s it. I had fun with this. I suppose, I’ll ask some questions. 1. If you were to have a conversation with a famous person, who would it be and why? 2. You’re able to bring a fictional character to life. Who is it? 3. What is the thing you like most about life? 4. What is the thing you hate most about life? 5. What is your dream pet? 6. Imagination is seen as a problem when growing up. Do you believe that people should become less or more imaginative as they grow older? 7. Favorite book/movie/video game genre? 8. What are your thoughts on the book vs. movie debate? 9. Cats or dogs? 10. Who do you most admire?

I don’t really have anyone to nominate. I guess anybody can go. Tag me if you do.

[pattyrv9]

Making a list of all the CDs I own cause I tend to forget while buying more xD

5 Seconds of Summer - 5 Seconds of Summer 5 Seconds of Summer - Don’t Stop EP 5 Seconds of Summer - LIVESOS 5 Seconds of Summer - She looks so perfect EP 5 Seconds of Summer - Sounds Good Feels Good Ada Szulc & DJ Adamus - 1000 miejsc Alain Clark - Live it out Alesha Dixon - The Alesha Show ALEKSEEV - Pyanoe Solnce Alicia Keys - The element of freedom Ania Rusowicz - Mój big-bit Abraham Mateo - #AreYouReady? Alexandra Burke - Overcome Alvaro Soler - Eterno Agosto American Hustle OST Ariana Grande - Dangerous Woman Ariana Grande - My Everything Ariana Grande - Yours Truly Ashlee Simpson - Autobiography Avril Lavigne - Let Go Avril Lavigne - The best damn thing Beyonce - 4 Beyonce - B’Day Beyonce - I am...Sasha Fierce (Deluxe) Beyonce - Beyonce Beyonce - Crazy in Love (single) Beyonce - Dangerously In Love Blog 27 - <LOL> Blue - One Love Bownik - Bownik Bridgit Mendler - Hello My name is... Brodka - Clashes Bruno Mars - 24K Magic Bruno Mars - Doo-woops & Hooligans Bruno Mars - Unorthodox Jukebox Bry - Bry Busted - A ticket for everyone Live Busted - Busted Camila Cabello - Camila Camp Rock OST Camp Rock OST Collectors Edition Camp Rock 2: The Final Jam OST Charli XCX - True Romance Chico - In Limbo Chris Brown - Graffiti Christina Aguilera - Back to basics Christina Aguilera - Christina Aguilera Christina Aguilera - Stripped CNCO - Primera Cita Cris Cab - Where I belong Cody Simpson - Paradise Coldplay - A head full of dreams Coldplay - A rush of blood to the head Coldplay - Ghost stories Coldplay - Kaleidoscope EP Coldplay - Live 2012 Coldplay - Mylo Xyloto Curly Heads - Ruby Dress Skinny Dog Dawid Kwiatkowski - Element trzeci (SPRZEDAM) Daniel Bedingfield - Gotta get thru this Daniel Bedingfield - Second first impression Daria Zawiałow - A kysz! Dawid Podsiadło - Annoyance and Disappointment Dawid Podsiadło - Annoyance and Disappointment (Deluxe) Dawid Podsiadło - Annoyance and Disappointment  2.0 Dawid Podsiadło - Comfort and Happiness Dawid Podsiadło - Comfort and Happiness (CD+DVD) David Guetta - Listen Demi Lovato - Demi Demi Lovato - Don’t forget Demi Lovato - Here we go again Destiny’s Child - Destiny Fulfilled Destiny’s Child - Destiny’s Child Ed Sheeran - Multiply (X) Ella Eyre - Feline Ella Henderson - Chapter One Eminem - The Marshall Mathers LP Eros Ramazzotti - Noi Ewa Farna - Ewakuacja Example - Playing in the shadows Example - The evolution of man Foster The People - Torches Fismoll - At glade Fismoll - Box of feathers G-Eazy - The Beautiful & Damned G-Eazy - These things happen G-Eazy - When it’s dark out George Ezra - Staying at Tamara’s Girls Aloud - Out of control (x2) Girls Aloud - Sound of the underground Girls Aloud - Tangled Up Girls Aloud - Ten Green Day - 21st Century Breakdown Gouryella - From the heavens Gosia Andrzejewicz - The best of XD Gwen Stefani - The sweet escape Hairspray OST Halsey - Badlands Halsey - Hopeless Fountain Kingdom Harry Styles - Harry Styles High School Musical 2 OST High School Musical 2 Non-Stop Party Edition Hilary Duff - Most Wanted HONNE - Warm on a cold night Hozier - Hozier Hurts - Exile Hurts - Surrender Imagine Dragons - Smoke + Mirrors Imagine Dragons - Night Visions Imagine Dragons - Night Visions (Deluxe) Imany - The shape of a broken heart (Deluxe) Imany - There were tears Imany - The wrong kind of war Izzy Bizu - A moment of madness Jake Bugg - Jake Bugg Jamelia - Thank you James Arthur - Back from the edge James Arthur - James Arthur James Bay - Chaos and the calm James Blunt - Chasing Time: The Bedlam Sessions James Blunt - Moon Landing James Blunt - Moon Landing (Apollo Edition) James Blunt - Moon Landing (Deluxe) James Blunt - Some kind of trouble James Blunt - You’re Beautiful (single) James Morrison - The awakening James Morrison - Undiscovered Janet Jackson - The Best Janet Jackson - The velvet rope Jedward - Planet Jedward JLS - Exlusive DVD: The videos JLS - JLS JLS - Jukebox JLS - Love you more (single) JLS - Outta this world Jonas Brothers - A little bit longer Jonas Brothers - Jonas Brothers Jonas Brothers - Lines, vines and trying times Justin Bieber - Believe Justin Bieber - Believe Acoustic Justin Bieber - My World Justin Bieber - My Worlds Justin Bieber - My Worlds: The Collection Justin Bieber - Purpose Justin Bieber - Under the Mistletoe Justin Timberlake - Future Sex/Love Sounds Justin Timberlake - Justified Justin Timberlake - The 20/20 Experience Kanye West - 808s & Heartbreak Katy B - Little Red Katy Perry - Prism Katy Perry - Teenage Dreams Kelly Rowland - Simply deep Kings of Leon - Come around sundown Kylie Minogue - Aphrodite (Experience Edition) Kylie Minogue - Fever Kylie Minogue - Kiss me once Lady Gaga - Artpop Lady Gaga - Born this way Lady Gaga - Joanne Lady Gaga - The Fame Monster La La Land OST Lana del Rey - Ultraviolence LemON - Etiuda zimowa LemON - LemON LemON - LemON (CD+DVD) LemON - Scarlett Leona Lewis - Echo Leona Lewis - Spirit Leski - Splot Lily Allen - It’s not me, it’s you Lilly Hates Roses - Mokotów Loic Nottet - Selfocracy Loreen - Heal Olly Murs - Right Place Right Time Organek - Głupi Manchester - Manchester Mans Zelmerlow - Chameleon Mans Zelmerlow - MZW Mans Zelmerlow - Perfectly Re:damaged Mans Zelmerlow - Stand by for... Matt Cardle - Letters Matt Dusk - My funny valentine McFly - Motion in the ocean McFly - Room on the 3rd floor (x2) Mela Koteluk - Migracje (Edycja specjalna) Męskie Granie 2014 Męskie Granie 2015 Mika - Life in cartoon motion Mike Dignam EP Miley Cyrus - Bangerz Miley Cyrus - Breakout Miley Cyrus - Hannah Montana The Movie OST Miley Cyrus - Younger Now Milky Wishlake - Wait for us Mrozu - Rollercoaster Mutya Buena - Real Girl Nadine - Insatiable Natalie Imbruglia - Left of the middle Natasha Bedingfield - Unwritten Negatyw - Albinos Nelly Furtado - Loose Nelly Furtado - The best of Nextpop’s Tunnel Vision Vol.1: Slow Burning Nick Jonas and The Administration - Who I am One Direction - Best Song Ever (single) One Direction - Four One Direction - Live While We’re Young (single) One Direction - Made in the A.M. (Deluxe) One Direction - Midnight Memories One Direction - Midnight Memories (single) One Direction - Take Me Home One Direction - Up All Night Paloma Faith - A perfect contradiction Paloma Faith - Fall to grace Paloma Faith - The Architect Patrick The Pan - Something of an End Pharrell Williams - Girl Pink - The truth about love (Fan Edition) Piotr Lisiecki - Rules Changed Up Plastic - I Want U (single) Plastic - Living in the iWorld Plastic - p.o.p. Rebecca Ferguson - Heaven (Deluxe) Rihanna - Good girl gone bad Ronan Keating - 10 years of hits Ronan Keating - Ronan Room 94 - No strings attached Sam Smith - In the lonely hour Sam Smith - The thrill of it all Scissor Sisters - Ta-Dah September - Dancing shoes Shakira - Laundry Service Shayne Ward - Breathless Sia - 1000 forms of fear Snoop Dogg - Bush Snow Patrol - Up to now SoundGirl - I’m the fool (single) South Blunt System - Potęga w czynie Star Guard Muffin - Jamaican Trip Sugababes - Angels with dirty faces Sugababes - Change Sugababes - Overloaded: The singles collection Sugababes - Taller in more ways Sylwia Grzeszczak - Komponując Siebie Tegan and Sara - Heartthrob Terrific Sunday - Strangers/Lovers Timbaland - Shock value Tokio Hotel - Schrei so laut du kannst The 1975 - The 1975 The 1975 - I Like It When You Sleep, for You Are So Beautiful yet So Unaware of It The Killers - Direct Hits The Neighbourhood - I Love You The Neighbourhood - The Neighbourhood The Neighbourhood - Wiped Out The Pussycat Dolls - PCD The Script - #3 The Script - No sound without silence The Script - Science & Faith The Wanted - The Wanted The Weeknd - Starboy Tom Odell - Long Way Down Troye Sivan - Blue Neighbourhood twenty one pilots - blurryface twenty one pilots - vessel US5 - Here we go US5 - In control Usher - Raymond VS Raymond Westlife - Back home Will Smith - Willenium Will Young - Friday’s Child Will Young - Let it go Yannick Bovy - Better Man Years & Years - Communion Young Stars 2014? Zayn - Mind of mine

[stevecanmakeanythingnerdy]

RANDOM RECORD WORKOUT SEASON 4 Battle 30 Montrose : Jump On It (side 2) Vs. Shogun: 31 Days (Side 1) Montrose : Jump On It (side 2) As far as rock guitar legends go, I am sure you often hear names like Page and Hendrix. Classics like Angus Young, and even more modern faves like Gossard and that guy Tom from Rage whose last name escapes me right now. You (unfortunately) do NOT hear about someone like Ronnie Montrose. Montrose was a California-based hard rock band, and the band originally featured Ronnie Montrose on guitar and future solo artist and Van Halen frontman/destroyer Sammy Hagar. Sorry, Sammy, but it's true. Rounding out the original foursome were bassist Bill Church and drummer Denny Carmassi. The lineup on this album is much different, with the only constant being Montrose himself. Montrose got a start on projects as diverse as Van Morrison, Herbie Hancock, and as a member of Edgar Winter Group. In fact, it was during his time in the latter that , As the result of a near-fatal amphetamine overdose, Ronnie Montrose observed a strong personal anti-drug/anti-alcohol stance. Evidence exists exemplified by his insistence that all Montrose band members abide by a strict policy of drug and alcohol-free performances. More like XMontroseX!! (#seewhatididthere). Montrose, both the band and the individual, is often cited by metal gods such as Iron Maiden as being influential to their music. That alone should give you reason to seek this out. And so, side two begins with the title track, "Jump On It" which is just a blitz right from the beginning. It never lets up either, and fades directly into "Rich Man". A total Boston Ballad. Foreigner frenzy. Queenish quandry. "Crazy for You" is a good old radio friendly, poppy rock and roll number, and "Merry-Go-Round" will make you say (the) Who? Freakin' Montrose that's who!! Certainly an early adopter of keys in hard rock. I am not sure about the weird noise montage that exists in the middle, but whatever. Montrose has been well repped in these RRW battles. He is also a founding member of Gamma, which pretty much picks up where Montrose ends. This is a punkier version of Van Halen. Also, because it bears mention, the cover is totally the original version of the Black Crowes attempt at the same thing. This is a perfect showcase of Ronnie (and company)'s skills, and rich playing styles. Do yourself a flavor ( not a typo) and pick this up. Sadly you might be able to find it in your local cut out bin. Shogun: 31 Days (Side 1) I searched the internet for info on Shogun, but not too hard because it's the internet and there are a million distractions on there. What I found out was...nothing, really. Other than a fan site for obscure glam/metal arena rock where they talked about the glories of this album and a 3rd never released album. As beat I can tell, Shogun are, in no particular order: Alan Marsh vocals, Tony Moore keyboards, Andy Wrighton bass, Danny Gwilym guitars, Toby Martin guitars, and Steve Pierce drums. 6 members and full of hair metal power ballads and vocal cheese! Initial thoughts are a possible Kix meets Bon Jovi rip off. I will tell you what though, this band won me over , but QUICK! You can take that Samuri sword and shove it through my warrior heart! I sacrifice myself on the hairspray leotard altar of Shogun! If Poison did ONLY ballads, then this is what they would sound like. I would place money that they chose Shogun because they were warriors from the Skid Row Tribe. This band is about as cliche as they come and I LOVE it! I could see actual hair growing out of my speakers. "Cloak and Dagger" starts it off with 80's keys and heavy guitar. Biiiiig Beefy production on this. Do I hear a Journey riff rip off in there? "Shock To The Heart" is a very poppy and "hearty" number (#seewhatididthere) while "voices from the heart" is a softer, more we-are-the-world level event. Solo guitar showcase. Thus completing the heart diptych. Wait is that right? Not a Trillogy, but just two...ahhh forget it, you know what I mean. Where is Stacey Q when you need her!!?! ( " two of hearts"... Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?) The best track on here has got to be "You Are What You Are"- and it is what it is: great cheesy 80's glam rock. Yes! Grating metallic guitars and such! The album closes with a total play on a Bon Jovi riff (at least at the intro) mixed with Boston's Piece of Mind. Nice try Shogun! "Love Is a Game" indeed. This is the perfect summary of 80's glam rock: Shogun are the unnecessary leather fringe on the cheap pleather jackets, but they are so damn good at it, you have to respect them. So Montrose Jumped on it (like Tonto #seewhatididthere) and took 17 minutes to burn through 134 calories over 4 songs. That is 33.50 calories per song and 7.88 calories per minute. Shogun took 31 Days (apparently) and 20 minutes to burn through 158 calories over 5 songs. That is 31.60 calories per song and 7.90 calories per minute. It seems it was a very, VERY close battle, but Shogun win! With no dishonor! Montrose : "Jump On It" https://youtu.be/vWGPUIuExr8 Shogun: "You Are What You Are" https://youtu.be/FXm1bsXZ698 #randomrecordworkout #randomrecordworkoutseason4

[leighleighpresents-blog]

Conversations With A Rock

GenQ: Hey Rocky, how are you?  How’s the lead-up to Christmas going for you? 

Rocky: It’s actually going really well.  My parents are coming down from Michigan, and they’re going to come out to Los Angeles, and we’re going to go to the Rowboat Parade, the first time there, so I’m pretty excited for that.  I won’t be going home to the snow this year. 

 GenQ: We don’t even get snow over here … 

Rocky: Are you serious? 

 GenQ: It’s summer over here now. 

Rocky: Oh wow.  That’s insane … it’s freezing here!  It’s 50 degrees in California, and we’re freezing here. 

 GenQ: That’s crazy, haha!  So, your new movie, Tunnel Rats, is coming out here in Australia on DVD in January ’09.  Was it released theatrically anywhere? 

Rocky: We have the world premiere this Thursday, December 18th, in downtown Los Angeles at the Independent Theatre, and then it’s going to be showing in Los Angeles, and I believe New York, but I’m not sure about that one.  I know it’s going to be released in Germany, and around the world on different dates, but it will be coming out on DVD, and there is a video game that’s going to go with it. 

 GenQ: Oooh!  Are you going to be doing any voiceovers for that? 

Rocky: I’m not.  I don’t think there’s any type of voice in it. 

 GenQ: Damn, that sucks!  Well, you could still do your own little “Red vs. Blue” Halo type thing with it! 

Rocky: Hahaha, that’s crazy! 

 GenQ: Uwe Boll is the director of Tunnel Rats.  What was he like to work with? 

Rocky: Uwe’s an interesting character.  He’s a really good director, he’s one of those directors that really cares about the actors, so he gives you a lot of leeway with what you want to do with your character.  In Tunnel Rats, the entire movie was based on a treatment, and it was improvised, so it was up to us to come up with our own character background, and then we sat down, and had a cast table-read, and we each represented our characters to Uwe, and producers, and it was beautiful with what happened, it fit perfectly with all the characters. 

 GenQ: Wow!  I don’t think I’ve ever heard of that happening before! 

Rocky: I know, and, you know what?  We were all a little nervous at first, because yeah, they have improv’d comedy, but I’ve never seen an improv’d dramatic motion picture, so this is one of the first I’ve seen, and I got to participate in it, so it was a unique experience. 

 GenQ: I guess you could say it was written by the entire cast, couldn’t you? 

Rocky: Yeah, but the story’s based on Daniel Clarke’s story. 

 GenQ: Cool.  And Michael Paré’s in it too, he’s been in some great movies too … 

Rocky: He’s actually in a lot of Uwe’s films, they’ve got a close working relationship, so it was good to work with him, cos he’s worked with Uwe before, so he could give us a heads-up on what to expect and everything, and he’s a great guy, and a great actor, and he did a very good job on the film. 

 GenQ: I’ve read a lot of comments from other people who said they normally don’t like war movies, but they can’t wait to see Tunnel Rats.  I have to admit, I’m the same, I hate war movies, but there’s something about Tunnel Rats that just seems really intriguing …  

Rocky: The great thing about this one is that, usually with war movies, you have someone that you’re rooting for, and, in this film, you’re not sure who to root for, because, I think, the main message is that we’re all human, and that the true reason behind war is absolutely insane.  You’re not rooting for the Americans, you’re not rooting for the Vietnamese, you actually see the real humanity behind the people. War is the people.  It’s a very, very emotional movie. 

 GenQ: Your father was in the Vietnam War, wasn’t he? 

Rocky: Yes, he was.  He was a Marine there. 

 GenQ: Has he seen Tunnel Rats? 

Rocky: He has, we had a screening of it in February for cast and crew, and distributors, and he flew up to California to see the film, and he loved it, absolutely loved it, which was important to Uwe, because my Dad was there, he was a Vietnam Vet, he was a Marine, he was actually down in the tunnels at one point … so it was an emotional experience for him.  That’s why I auditioned, I wanted this role so bad, it was kind of a way for me to pay respects to my Dad, cos he actually fought there, so when I was in the auditions, I actually called him, and asked him questions, like “what was the lingo that you used”, that kind of stuff, and it really helped me out in the audition, cos the audition itself, we had one scene, and the producers had us improv the scene on the spot right there, so it was important to know that sort of stuff. 

 GenQ: Yeah, for sure!  How long did it take to make? 

Rocky: We were out there for a little over a month.  We had boot camp for a week near Port Edward, and some filming in South Africa, and then for two weeks over in Eastern Africa, and then we went down to Capetown and filmed the rest on a soundstage. 

 GenQ: I can’t even imagine what it’s like to do what you do.  Being an actor is something I’ve always dreamed of, and it must be so amazing! 

Rocky: Well, this one was unique because the cast members were put through a week-long boot camp.  We actually had South African missionaries that were our instructors, and me thinking, you know, “this is just going to be an actors boot camp, piece of cake, push-ups, nothing big” but we spent like 12-, 13-hour days, we would have PT training, we would have rifle training, just certain things, and one day, we had wet socks, and we had to march in them all day, and was the point when it really clicked in my head, because, one of the instructors said, “you get to go home and put dry socks on, and the real soldiers had to keep those wet socks on”, so it was when it clicked in my mind that it was more than just worrying about just staying alive, there were certain things that nature created that even they had to worry about.  It was pretty cool. 

 GenQ: So, after this, what other projects do you have coming up at the moment? 

Rocky: Right now, it’s pretty quiet in Hollywood, I’m sure you’ve heard all about the Writers Strike that went on, WGA, the Writers Guild Of America … and then there was the Directors Guild Of America that was in limbo about whether to strike or not strike, and they ended up settling.  The American Federation of Radio And Television Artists settled, but WGA, which is my union, has not settled yet, so we’ll have a vote on January 2nd about what we want to do, so what that means is not a lot of independent films are happening right now.  The main movies that are happening are huge studio films, which usually have known actors attached to them, the big names, and the television shows which are already in production, so we might not even have a pilot season out here if they stay on strike, which I’m hoping we do not.  We have good reason to, but with the American Economy so bad, I’m not so sure that we should at this time.  So yeah, that’s my answer, I keep myself occupied working on Barack Obama campaigns, as a Deputy Field Organiser for Burbank/Pasadena area in California, which was a neat experience.   I believe that the best acting tool is getting out and getting experience, learning new things, so it was a great experience working on Barack Obama’s campaign.  I’ve learned a lot from it. 

 GenQ: Did you get to meet him? 

Rocky: No, I didn’t meet Barack Obama.  I met Bill Clinton …  

 GenQ: What was he like? 

Rocky: Oh, he was … haha! … Bill Clinton’s Bill Clinton … he just looked at me funny, then he gave me that smirk, that charming smirk that he always makes.  He was a great president … 

 GenQ: Yeah … more human, from what I can tell. 

Rocky: Yeah.   But I’m really excited for what Barack Obama’s going to do for our country.  That’s why I worked so hard. 

 GenQ: When you and I were chatting the other day, you mentioned that you play piano, trombone, sax and drums.  Can you sing as well? 

Rocky: I’ve taken voice lessons before, and I’ve done some community theatre back in Michigan, some musical theatre … I’m not the best singer, but I can carry a tune. 

 GenQ: Fair enough.  The reason I ask is there’s so many of Broadway’s biggest musicals being taken to the big screen now, such as Hairspray, Dreamgirls, etc.  I was just thinking, a lot of them (especially Hairspray) got unknowns to be in the movie, and I was just thinking that could be the perfect way to get you to become a household name … if you could sing! 

Rocky: Right … I really don’t dance, which I think is a huge part of it … I mean, I can club dance, but not musical theatre dance. 

 GenQ: You could learn … 

Rocky: Yeah, I could learn … I SHOULD learn …  

 GenQ: You should do like a Hairspray audition on Youtube …  

Rocky: Right … haha! 

 GenQ: Do “Good Morning Baltimore” or something … 

Rocky: Haha! (still laughing from before) 

 GenQ: There was something else I was going to ask, but that mental image just cleared my brain …  

Rocky: Well, there’s something else that’s keeping me occupied at the moment is that I’m starting to write, cos when I went to college, or university, one of my top subjects was Shakespeare, and Writing, so I’ve started with writing screenplays.  Currently, I’m working on two screenplays, one horror/thriller, and the other one is a comedy/dramatic piece. 

 GenQ: Oooh!  Sounds interesting! 

Rocky: Yeah!  Rocky the actor/writer/muso! 

 GenQ: Haha!  Multi-talented!  Well, make sure you film them in Australia if they get turned into films, and do them in Melbourne so I can be in them. 

Rocky: Ok, sounds good to me! 

 GenQ: So you also studied Shakespeare at College? 

Rocky: Yeah, I went to Grand Valley State University, which is in Michigan, and I was actually on a Shakespeare scholarship to go there, so I was in some of the Shakespeare plays, all the Shakespeare classes, and all that.  I absolutely think it’s important for every single actor to study Shakespeare. 

 GenQ: Yeah, absolutely.  I was thinking the same thing.  So many actors that would not be able to do Shakespeare, and so many people don’t understand it, and, to be a great actor, you need to be able to do Shakespeare, for sure! 

Rocky: Absolutely. 

 GenQ: Well, let’s finish off on some random questions.  You up for that? 

Rocky: Absolutely. 

 GenQ: Who would be your dream actor and actress to work with? 

Rocky: I would LOVE to act with Cate Blanchett.  She my all-time favourite actress.  She didn’t start until she was a little bit older, but every single movie I’ve seen her in, she absolutely engulfs herself in the role.  To work with someone who can dive into a role that much, that makes you an even better actor, and makes you want to dive deeper into your role as well.  I’d LOVE to work with her.  Actor-wise, I’d have to say my top actor right now is Leonardo diCaprio.  I grew up with him, watching him, ever since Growing Pains, every single movie he does, I absolutely love him in.  Some of my favourite movies, like of course, Gilbert Grape, but there’s this one movie that’s not very well-known called Total Eclipse, which I thought he was brilliant in, absolutely brilliant. 

 GenQ: I haven’t even heard of that, I’ll have to check it out!  What about Johnny Depp?  Is he another favourite? 

Rocky: Oh, of course!  Who doesn’t love Johnny Depp?  Every single role he’s done, he’s so amazing.  I actually had this discussion with my manager, where, the type of role I want to be doing are not the Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise type of role.  It’s going to be more along the lines of Johnny Depp or Steve Buscemi, where it’s that very quirky type of role. 

 GenQ: I guess like you did in Triloquist? 

Rocky: Yeah, exactly!  Triloquist is BEYOND quirky, haha!!!  It’s from the director of Leprechaun, which is a very quirky goofy-movie-slash-horror, and this one just went over the top.  I think it was meant to be more comical than a horror film.  

GenQ: Yeah, definitely.  Especially the lines that the Dummy had.  That movie’s not even out here yet … actually, the only ones I know that are out at this stage are Shallow Ground, and Mortuary! 

Rocky: Well, Anderson’s Cross, Iowa, The Bondage … I’m sure what’s going on with them at the moment.  I know that Take is coming out on DVD VERY soon.  That was so much fun, working with Minnie Driver, though my scene got cut out. 

 GenQ: Oh really?  That sucks! 

Rocky: Yeah, but … like, you get to see the back of my head, and I say two lines, and that’s about it!  We filmed a whole scene of me with Minnie, but it got cut because we missed filming a few other scenes, and it just didn’t flow, but I’ve got that scene on DVD for myself, so that’s pretty cool. 

 GenQ: True.  Getting back to the last line of questioning, who’s your dream screenwriter or director?  Maybe Stephen King? 

Rocky: Oh yeah, to work with Stephen King would be AMAZING.  I’d say, director wise, Scorsese would be my first choice, I love every single film he does.  They have an interesting quirk to them, they have an atmosphere, a feel to it.  Of course, I’d love to work with ALL directors, haha!  But yeah, I’d love to work with him, Spielberg, I mean, who wouldn’t wanna work with Spielberg?  Besides Scorsese, I’d say Gus Van Sant has to be my favourite director.  I’d also love to work with Larry Clark, who directed Kids, and Bully.  He’s very edgy, very raw with his directing.  Gregg Akari is another, he directed Mysterious Skin.  I’ve actually met him, I went in for Mysterious Skin 3 times, but they didn’t choose me … they chose a great cast, so that’s ok.  I went in to read for the best friend of Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s character, and I can see why they didn’t choose me, there was a similarity between me and him and Joseph, but it just wouldn’t have worked. 

 GenQ: Do you have any messages for our readers? 

Rocky: I just wish everyone happy holidays, and a happy new year, I’m sure 2009 is going to be a great year for everybody, and I appreciate everybody’s support, it really does mean a lot to have fans who love your work and are behind you 100%, that just keeps me motivated.  I always say the key to motivation is to look at how far you’ve come, and not how far you have to go.