#kingsman character poster

[justsomerandomfanfic]

We Meet Again - Eggsy Unwin X Female Reader

Title: We Meet Again

Eggsy Unwin X Female Reader

Additional Characters: Reader's boss

| Part 2 |

WC: 3,004

Warnings: Kingsman canon violence, guns, Reader is also a spy, spy stuff, suggestive (not a lot, but references a few suggestive things, none play out), teasing, banter, flirting, cursing, nicknames, slight angst, and fluff

"Target's turning the corner," You muttered, pushing your shades up, the sun blinding, as you briskly walked down the sidewalk, easily maneuvering past pedestrians as you followed the man a couple of hundred feet in front of you. You stuffed your hands into your overcoat pockets, eyes trained on the man whom you had been following for the past couple of days.

"Don't lose sight of him, Agent." The voice in your ear spoke just as the man you were following turned down another corner. "We need to know where he's going."

"I'm on it, calm yourself, would you?" You grumbled, your hand brushing against the rough brick wall of a building as you turned the corner, pausing as your eyebrows furrowed. "He's... He's entering a bookstore?" You relay, confused.

There was silence on the other line as you began walking towards the small, hole-in-the-wall bookstore, "Proceed with caution." Your boss then spoke.

Rolling your eyes, you let out a sigh as you pressed your hand against the swinging door, pushing it open as a bell rang from above you, signaling the workers or owner of your arrival. You lightly surveyed the room, taking in the small bookstore. 

You took note of the two workers behind the counter, lightly chatting with one another - eating their lunch, and the old woman sitting at a small table with a coffee in her hand, book in the other. It was actually a really nice-looking bookstore, and if this was any other day - when you weren't working - you probably would've enjoyed reading a book or two; you could easily imagine yourself sitting at one of the tables, reading a mystery novel. But today was different. Today, you wanted to reach your target, find out what you needed, and leave without getting caught.

The bookshelves in the little shop lined up in rows, giving way to the back wall where there were a few more tables and chairs, all covered by a white cloth. A large sign hung on the far wall, proclaiming 'Bookstore' in big, neon, red letters, and 'A Place Where Dreams Come True!' was written on a poster below in swirly orange letters, to the right side of it.

Slowly, you walked to an aisle beside your target, watching him from your peripheral vision as you tried to blend in and pretend that you were just any other regular, day-to-day, human being looking for a book. As you walked down the aisle, you let your fingers brush from spine to spine; you spotted several novels about time travel, some sci-fi, fantasy, and even an entire section dedicated to cowboy romance novels.

You then turned to look at the long bookshelf behind you, while allowing your gaze to peer through the tops of the books. You surveyed what you could of him, tilting your head slightly as you watched his hand reach out and grab a book from his side of the shelf, opening it, and placing it back a moment later. He was looking for something... But, the question was... What was he looking for?

Turning around again, you faced the previous shelf, grabbing a handful of random books before piling them in your arms. Then, you made your move, walking down your row of bookshelves and turning into his. Looking down at your books, you tried to pretend that you weren't paying any attention before bumping right into the target. You and the target staggered back slightly, your books falling from your arms - and the few in his - as you gasped.

"Oh, my goodness, I'm so sorry for bumping into you like that," You dropped to your knees, beginning to grab some of the books that you had 'accidentally' dropped. "I am such a klutz."

The man bent down on one knee, shaking his head as he began to pick up some of the books with you, "It's no problem. You like thrillers?"

“Hmm?” You paused at his question, looking up slightly to see the book in his hand that you had randomly grabbed, "Oh, yeah... I find them... Thrilling." You answered, feigning nervousness and embarrassment as you finished collecting the books in a neat stack in front of your knees.

The man was silent, as you felt his eyes on you, staring. You took a chance, glancing up at him above the rims of your sunglasses, your gaze finding his. His head was tilted to the side slightly, like some confused puppy, as his lips turned downward in a frown. It took only a split second for him to realize who you were, both continuing to stare at each other as your lips twitched; threatening to turn into a mischievous grin. With a flicker in his eyes, a knowing look soon found its way upon his face. 

But before you could even say a word, he swiftly pulled out his handgun, silencer at the ready, from his satchel. You let your smirk falter as he raised the gun to point directly at your chest, “You finally remembered to bring a silencer. Good for you…" You trailed off softly, quietly so as to not draw attention to the both of you, but deadly enough as you gave the gun one glance before slowly sitting up, raising your hands in the air beside your head. Why did he have to be so good at his job?

"Y/N... Long time, no see." He tried to play off, a grin creeping across his face. It had been a long time, seven months long. You hadn’t seen him since Rio. “You seemed to have forgotten how to properly tail someone. Miss me or something?"

"I'm not here for a reunion, Unwin." You responded, "Now, I'm going to stand up, slowly." You carefully demanded, your eyes never leaving his as you both slowly stood.

"Now," He began, as he took a few steps closer; a foot or so distance between the both of you. "Hand me the file, love."

"File? What file?" You asked, feigning innocence as you widened your eyes and tilted your head to the side. Blinking owlishly, “I don't have a file.”

His furrowed brows lifted slightly as he gave you a lopsided smile, letting out a small awkward laugh - between a laugh and a scoff; you could tell that he was clearly in discomfort, trying to lift the tension with his words. "This is quite the predicament you put me in here." There was no point in lying anymore. He knew you had it… Somehow.

"And I assure you, it'll be much worse if you don't put down that gun." You threatened, hating how much your arms were beginning to ache, "I'm not giving you the file, Eggsy."

"Oh, how I love it when you say my name, love." He sighed out, his tone almost taunting as you narrowed your eyes.

Clicking your tongue to the roof of your mouth, lowering one of your hands, pressing the small button on your earpiece, silencing it; allowing you to speak freely without your boss hearing. "Why do you have to be so frustrating?" You exclaimed, glaring daggers at the man before you.

Eggsy only shrugged, "I'm just trying to do my job." He answered before you caught him by surprise when you grabbed his wrist. In a matter of seconds, you moved your forearm over his, forcing him to bend at his waist as the arm that held the gun pressed horizontally against your stomach. With a sharp tug of your free hand, you pulled the gun from him, watching as he stumbled back. Blinking slightly, he frowned - obviously upset with himself at the fact that you so easily took his gun, "... Which you are delaying." He added, voice sounding a bit strained as he glanced from you, to the gun, and back. "I see you still got the moves." He mimicked your previous stance, raising his hands in the air.

"I'm just trying to do my job too," You lowered the gun slightly, resting it against his gut, "And taking your gun was almost too easy, Eggsy." You countered, trying to ignore how close you were to him; your eyes subconsciously drifting down his body, your heart beginning to hammer against your ribcage as you again met his gaze, "I just want to know what you know." You lowered your voice, your expression softening ever so slightly.

"What I know?" Eggsy huffed out a laugh, "I don't know any more than you do." He paused, letting his eyes flicker over your face for a moment - seemingly thinking - before continuing, "We could always come together and exchange notes-"

You narrowed your eyes, feeling your face flush slightly, "I am not going to let this turn into the last time we met."

Last time? Last time in Rio. That night that was filled with dancing, drinking, and getting intel. You were on a mission, a mission that crossed over with Eggsy’s. There had always been that palpable tension that had kept you drawn to each other. Something you'd never experienced before. It had been months since the two of you had run into each other - not even your missions could keep you both apart for long it seemed - ‘It was fate,’ Eggsy said one time - and you had your high doubts, but you were beginning to believe it. It was kind of strange just how many times you bumped into him, the sight of him still got to you every single time though.

There were so many times that you and Eggsy would meet on these missions and things would inevitably end up with the two of you in compromising positions together. You hated how wrapped around his finger you were, you hated how much he affected you. So, you pushed him away, trying desperately to stay distant. But, it was hard, hard to forget about him, hard to pretend that what you were feeling wasn't real, hard to forget his face, his voice, his scent, and his touch. Even now, you had to force yourself to stop from just smiling. You had to admit, despite yourself, you were almost glad to see him again. But, that night could never repeat itself. Not now, not when you were trying to get your job done.

You shook your head, "Stop playing around." You admonished, not wanting to admit anything to him. You hated the fact that you couldn't even act naturally around him. You hated the fact that you could barely breathe around him. You hated the fact that, whenever he was near, you found yourself flustered and nervous. And you especially hated the way your heart raced whenever you were near him... Eggsy was making things difficult, as always.

"Well, if you must know..." Eggsy began, "I think you liked it just as much as I did, love." He continued, his voice low and husky as you tried your best to remain calm, but your heart was racing. You didn't want this conversation to end up anywhere near the bedroom... Or the shower... Or anywhere else where things were more intimate with him.

You ignored his comment, your eyes snapped away from his, and glanced down at the satchel that he was wearing, "I can't let you jeopardize this mission for me, Eggsy."

Eggsy said nothing, still grinning as he quickly grabbed a hold of your gun, forcing your arm up, and spinning you around; your back hitting his chest and expelling a small ‘umph’ from you. Locking you against his body with his other arm and yours, he used his free hand to expel the magazine before pulling back the slide barrel; you watched in anguish as the bullet flew through the air almost in slow-motion and onto the ground with the magazine.

Sighing deeply, you finally acknowledged the way his hot breath tickled your neck, how the muscles in his arms flexed as he held you tight against him. "You never make things easy, do you?" You huffed, "I should have known better than to expect anything different."

Eggsy chuckled, nudging his nose to the hair on the side of your head before muttering, "Well, I guess that's one thing we've both got in common." Goosebumps began to rise from your arms at the feeling of his warm breath against your skin, causing a familiar heat to build between the two of you.

"I really don't have time for this." You tried to push out of his arms, but his grip tightened around you, keeping you pinned to his chest.

"You were the one that has been following me." He pointed out, a smug grin on his lips as you felt your heart begin to pound in your ears. The warmth from his body bled into your clothes, sinking into your skin the longer you stayed pressed up against him. You were struggling to focus. "You wouldn't want to tell me why, would you?"

Oh, how you hated him sometimes, how cocky he got. Though you also knew that he was just confident in his capabilities, it still irritated the hell out of you. You could already imagine the expression on his face. You could already picture the smug smile plastered on his handsome features as he held you so close to him. You could already see his eyes glimmering as they gazed down at you. He was loving this…

It was hard to concentrate, trying to think of a way out of this predicament as you felt as if your entire being was being engulfed in the smell of pine, and musk that was so incredibly intoxicatingly him... And... And...

And then, after all those thoughts ran through your mind, you snapped yourself out of it and back into action. Lifting your shoe, you slammed your heel down onto his foot, hard. You heard his breath catch in his throat as he groaned, and as his arms loosened around you, you quickly used your momentum to spin around. Raising your free hand, you grabbed the back of his neck, pushing his head towards yours; discomfort all over his face from the sudden pain to his foot.

You tilted your head slightly as you stared into those ocean-blue eyes of his, watching as his scrunched up face slowly softened as his eyes met yours. You then became acutely aware of how his tongue slid out between his lips to wet them, and how his eyelashes fluttered as he blinked several times - knowing full well what you were doing to him.

"I'm not telling you shit, Eggsy." You spoke, your voice barely above a murmur as the corner of his lips twitched up slightly.

He leaned into you a little bit more, moving his hands to rest on your hips. "It's alright, love." He answered, his voice low, matching yours, "I already got what I needed."

Your eyebrows furrowed in confusion as Eggsy pulled away, giving you one last grin before speeding his way out of the aisle and out of the bookstore. Mind racing, you patted down your jacket, eyes widening as you opened your jacket; only to find the file that was securely placed in the large inside pocket was gone.

Turning towards the window facing the outside of the shop, your eyes flickered from person to person before you spotted Eggsy. A mixture of disappointment, inner pain, and anger crossed your face as you watched him hurry across the street and start climbing into the passenger seat of a black car parked on the curb.

"... Oh, gosh." You muttered, shaking your head as you clicked your tongue to the roof of your mouth, "This is a damn mess..." You sighed, gritting your teeth as you clenched your fists tightly in frustration as you reached up and turned your earpiece back on; the fear of disappointing your boss rising once more. "I got some bad news, boss." You relayed, "He stole the file."

It was silent on the other line for a moment, and you felt a sense of dread creep down your spine. "He got the file?" Your boss's voice was calm, unnervingly so. "How the hell did he get it from you?" His tone suddenly became more annoyed, "I told you to watch him and just find out what he knows."

"I understand that, sir," You huffed, "I thought I could just talk it out of him... I wasn't expecting the gun-"

"Agent Montgomery." Your boss cut you off, "How long have you been an agent?"

You sighed, rubbing your cheek before getting down on your knees and collecting the gun, magazine, and stray bullet, pocketing them. "Six years, sir."

"Then you already know that you should always assume another spy has a gun or any other weapon, no matter where you go or what you do." You nodded, even though he couldn't see; his voice was stern as he continued, "Even if you think your target won't be armed, you should always assume they will be. I shouldn’t have to say this. If this happens again, you’re back on desk duty."

Running a hand through your hair, you pinched the bridge of your nose, "I'll get the file back, sir." You assured him before grabbing the books on the floor and taking them into your arms once more, "He can't get any further without the key." You finished, placing the books back on the shelf that you had gotten them from.

"Good." Your boss responded. You took a deep breath and wiped your still-warm cheeks with your palms, sighing as you straightened out your attire.

"He left in a black car, the license plate is '2FD224.'" You added while proceeding to leave the small bookstore that you made a mental note to come back and visit in the future.

Slipping your shades securely upon the bridge of your nose, your boss spoke up, "Do you know where he's heading next, Agent?"

You pursed your lips, stuffing your hands in your jacket pockets, as you venture out into the bright sun. "Italy."

---

Main Masterlist | Kingsman Masterlist

---

Should I make a part 2?

[weclassybouquetfun]

Netflix is so funny. The streamer goes radio silence on their projects for years ::cough:: THE OLD GUARD sequel ::cough::, then turn around and say, "By the way: this and that drops tomorrow."

Or tonight in the case of the new SING short. Did you know there was going to be a SING short? Neither did I. But today Netflix announced that tonight at midnight, the Halloween themed SING short will debut.

SING THRILLER.

What is is about? Well, just that. The gang decides to stage their version of Michael Jackson's music video "Thriiller"

Returning for the short is Matthew McConaughey as Buster Moon, Tori Kelly as Meena, Nick Kroll as Gunter, Scarlette Johannsson as Ash, Garth Jennings as Miss Crawly and Taron Egerton as Johnny.

To prove the global reach of "Thriller" Taika Watiti did a Haka inspired bent at the end of his film BOY.

Taron Egerton's not coming off of his IG hiatus for this, but perhaps he will in December when his Netflix thriller CARRY ON is finally released (on December 13th, to be exact.).

Maybe by December 13th they will release a better poster.

Entertainment Weekly exclusive pictures from the upcoming film (and other KINGSMAN alums goings-on).

Since Edward Holcroft has provided Taron's fans with a few glimpses of Taron since his self-imposed social media hiatus,

I'll give Ed equal time.

Holcroft's Lithuanian limited series A WOLF'S PALATE (which, to date is Lithuania's most expensive sereis) is one of the five series selected to screen at TV Beats Forum's inaugural screening day on November 20th.  The six-parter, A WOLF's PALATE is described as a psychological drama with supernatural elements.

While I await Ed's return to the screen, I just have to be satisfied with his selfies.

Our other KINGSMAN alum, Colin Firth has been absent from screens for a moment, but he will soon be back with the Sky/Peacock five-part limted series, LOCKERBIE: A SEARCH FOR TRUTH.

LOCKERBIE: A SEARCH FOR TRUTH tells the real-life story of Dr. Jim Swire whose daughter was among the 259 people who lost their lives in the 1988 bombing of a PamAm flight over Lockerbie, Scotland (with an additional eleven who died on the ground due to the disintergrating plane). It will drop January 2nd in the UK and the US.

Like Mark Strong, Firth will set foot in the Sherlock Holmes universe. He has been cast in Guy Ritchie's upcoming YOUNG SHERLOCK series for Amazon Prime Video starring Heros Fiennes-Tiffins as the young detective, Fiennes-Tiffin's uncle Joseph Fiennes as his father Silas,

Natascha McElhone as his mother Cordelia, Max Irons as Mycroft Holmes, Tsine Tseng (3 BODY PROBLEM) as Princess Gulun Shou'an, Dónal Finn (WHEEL OF TIME) as Moriarty and Firth as  Sir Bucephalus Hodge (no further character details have been announced).

And while not confirmed, there was a report that Colin Firth will be joining his ARTHUR NEWMAN and MARY POPPINS RETURNS costar Emily Blunt in Steven Spielberg's next film that is slated for a 2026 release.

[warm-like-autumn]

Two posts in one day??What is this??

More Harry Hart fanart because he is my babygirl. (Also an excuse to draw more male characters plus practice this new shading style)I am once again asking for more kingsman content, I miss these characters. I tried to make the drawing look like a poster for an anime character(a kingsman anime made by studio trigger will always be my biggest dream, could you imagine the fight scenes?)

[myriadimagines]

kingsman character poster: gary ‘eggsy’ unwin » requested by anonymous

“...snobs like you, judging people like me from your ivory towers, with no fault about why we do what we do. we ain’t got much choice, you get me? and if we was born with the same silver spoon up our arses, we’d do just as well as you.”

[ahundredtimesover]

February - April 2022 Reads

Heyy, it’s been awhile and I’m sort of back to my reading groove. Here are my February - April reblogs of JK (and a few other member) fics (x f. reader/OC). Please note the angst, fluff, and smut descriptions.

And a little note: please, please reblog and comment on stories you like, and interact with authors if you can! A nice little message goes a long way for anybody and it’s deeply appreciated. 💜💜

*’read for’ are guides for anyone!

JJK

Muse by @satnin-darling (s) - strangers au (read for something enigmatic and captivating with great smut and storytelling)

One-step forward, two-steps back by @oureuphoria pt.1 + pt.2 (a, f) - friends au, college au (read for something that hurts good and fun, lovable characters)

Wherever you will go by @ve1vetyoongi (a, f, s) - childhood friends au, small town au (read for a YA novel/movie feel with lovely storytelling, moving themes, precious characters, and something to make you cry and smile)

Parallel by @satnin-darling (a) - childhood friends au (read for something intriguing with k-drama vibe and something a little sad but hopeful)

In which you’re Jungkook’s lip balm fairy by @onlyswan - boyfriend au (read for something short and soft to give you a giddy feeling about babie and whipped jk)

So it goes by @kookdbean (f) - workmates au, teachers au (read for wholesome flirting, adorable characters, something lighthearted, and if you just want to smile and feel happy; an absolute gem)

The event crasher by @artaefact (f) - boyfriend au, kingsman jk (read for something short but interesting, with fun and teasing/flirty MCs so whipped for each other)

Violet by @bts-bay-bee (a, f, s) - roommates au, fwb au, smau (read for something fun with rly good smut, emotionally constipated but adorable characters) 

Hot ones by @yoon-kooks (f) - idol jk, workmates au, fwb au (read for some hot sauce on chicken challenge shenanigans but something lighthearted, wholesome, flirty, and unproblematic)

Over the horizon by @bangtansmauyeondan (a) - exes au (read for that classic exes au angst with intriguing set-up and background)

Nomads of the dark by @yoondoze (a) - childhood friends au, sci-fi au (read for an interesting albeit heartbreaking and hopeless storyline + a friendship that stopped)

Plastic yellow eggs by @bubmyg (f) - best friends au (read for jk & a claw machine but something so soft and happy, a wholesome and playful friendship, and something to make you smile)

Damsel in shining armor by @jimilter (humor) - workmates au, rich jk (read for something funny, all the sexual tension, and jk’s annoying but lovable ass and a very relatable but kickass OC)

A still day or a hurricane by me (a, f, s) - friends au, single mom OC, pastry chef jk

Please stay by my side pt.1, pt.2, pt.3 by @withlovemilk (a, f) - best friends au, childhood friends au (read for something that hurts good about a special and intimate friendship)

In which you’ve found comfort by @onlyswan (f) - boyfriend au (read for something soft and wholesome)

Re: stacks by @scribbles-rambles (f) - friends au (read for that sitting on jk’s lap scenario that’s tense and sexy)

Call me back by @whatifyoulivelikethat (s) - strangers au (read for something tense but so well-written, captivating, and immersive, GQ jk and rly hot smut)

I gasp once and in that breath, I accept you in pt.1, pt.2, epilogue by @inkofyoonkoo (a, f, s) - neighbors au, small town au (read for that small town novel you won’t be able to put down, with beautifully heartbreaking themes, written so well with such good imagery and dialogues, tension- and emotion-filled and painful and vivid scenes, amazing smut, and perfect storytelling)

Poster boy (ft. Yoongi) by @hamsterclaw (s) - boyfriend au, hospital au (read the Foundation couple for their chaotic and horny energy but still so whipped for each other and for rly fun and hot smut scenes)

Strings by @minsuxga (a, f) - soulmates au (read for something that hurts so good but heals you, and vivid and metaphoric and flawless writing)

Many moons by @onlyswan (f) - royalty au, bodyguard au (read for a fairytale-like story that’s pure and wholesome and would make you smile and giddy, with charming characters)

Blink and you’ll miss it by @satnin-darling (s) - strangers au, lawyer jk (read for the slow build up, fun banter, tiny soft moments, and rly hot smut)

Paint me naked by @gimmethatagustd (a, f, s) - college au, badboy jk (read for badboy but soft and sensitive jk, with tense and steamy but soft moments) 

Wanderers by @kidguk (a, f) - strangers au, memory loss au (read for something that will hurt you but make you smile after, something painful yet soft) 

KSJ

Kiss me by @sunshinerainbowsbts (f, s) - best friends au (read for something heartwarming and comfortable to make you feel giddy & the loveliest accompanying song)

MYG

Brown piano by @yoongiseesawmp3 (f) - friends au (read for that exciting ‘there’s only one bed’ trope with feelings and something lighthearted and soft, and a little awkward but comfortable and caring MCs)

Summer of our youth by @seokth (a, f) - childhood friends au (read for something painful about friendship and youth and love, that will hit you in ways you wouldn’t expect, that would make you cry and feel hopeful at the same time)

Souvenir by @jiminrings (f) - husband au (read for the cutest most adorable and relatable relationship dynamic and the softest cutest yoongi, something to make you laugh and feel good)

KNJ

Yellow by @hobipost (f) - boyfriend au (*reader is blind* read for the softest fic told like a love letter that will make you all soft and teary-eyed and giddy)

How I Love You by me (a, f, s) - husband nj

(Un)predictable by @yoonjinkooked (s) - arranged marriage au (read for minimal drama but sweet and sexy and entertaining smut)

Landing by @joyfulhopelox (s) - strangers au (read for something super duper sexy with pilot NJ)

Red mercedes by @bubblebeom (s) - strangers au (read for dorky, sexy joon with wholesome flirting and hot smut, something to make you smile)

Number 45 by @btsmosphere (f) - strangers au (read for something quick but a shy and sweet joon to make you smile)

Livin’, leavin’ by @outroshooky (f) - strangers au (read for a mono-inspired story of loneliness and clarity but something that’s comforting)

Seoul redemption by @sahmfanficbts (a, s) - criminal au, single mom OC (read for a romance drama with tension-filled and emotional scenes and well-written characters and rly good storytelling)

PJM

Flirt buddies by @jimilter (f) - friends au (read for something quick of a flirty but soft jimin)

KTH

Crush by @bubblebeom (f) - neighbors au (read for something short with cowboy hat tae who’s cheeky and whipped)

(monthly reads masterpost)    

[ilovemovieposters]

Kingsman: The Golden Circle, character posters

[epicallychrissy]

So, after seeing the new "The King's Man" movie posters this morning, all I can think of is how I want "Rasputin" by Boney M to be playing when they introduce his character in the movie. Him walking down the hallway to the fancy ball and the song is just blaring. It's in the Kingsman world, son stranger things have happened. Just me? Okay, cool.

[posterview]

Kingsman The Golden Circle new Character Posters #KingsmanTheGoldenCircle

[filmhabits]

Kingsman: The Golden Circle - Character Posters

Check out the trailer here. 

[youkeepmerightt]

I wasted my winter break watching most of Pedro Pascal’s filmography, so here are my thoughts for posterity:

Kingsman: The Golden Circle

Overall Movie Rating: 9/10

This is the only one I’d seen already but I watched it again

It did not disappoint

Strong plot, great characters, awesome action sequences

Elton John is the best part of this movie, sorry Pedro

Character Fuckability: 8/10

Whiskey gets an 8/10 because he has the accent going for him, it’s sexy

His eyes are particularly big, brown, and beautiful in this film idk why

Dude is really strong, coordinated, and good in a fight, therefore my brain automatically thinks “rail me” (all of Pedro’s characters are like this, but Whiskey gets bonus points for the whip)

He’s kinda misogynistic but we could do a one night thing

Wonder Woman 1984

Overall Movie Rating: 4/10

This was a bad movie

Like, you can’t even argue it

Plot is poorly paced and nonsensical (and I love superhero movies, so it’s not that)

Pedro is the best part and I’m not being biased

Character Fuckability: 5/10

It’s like they went out of their way to make me not attracted to him

Listen, it’s not just the lack of facial hair here, it’s the blond hair and bad power suits too

I prefer him when he’s falling apart later in the movie, and that says a lot (about me)

Max also seems like he’d be a selfish lover, there I said it

Definitely ranks lowest, but would not say no after a few drinks (the accent he uses here works in his favor)

We Can Be Heroes

Overall Movie Rating: 5/10

It’s not fair to rate this one by the same standards because it’s a movie made purely for children

It’s very cringe as an adult but I probably would’ve loved it as a kid, just like Spy Kids

But yeah, everything about it is cheesy af

Also Boyd Holbrook is here, hi Boyd, I loved you in Narcos!

Character Fuckability: 10/10

But listen, there’s a reason that this movie was viewed by a ton of childless households and it’s because of us Pedro simps

He looks amazing

I want to personally thank the costumer designer for putting him in a tight black shirt that shows off those arms, instead of a stupid costumer like everyone else

Also the glasses really get me

Marcus also gets bonus points for being a Good Dad, it’s a very attractive quality

I want him to wreck me but I know he’d be respectful after

Triple Frontier

Overall Movie Rating: 6/10

So it’s a straight up action movie and I was a little bored at times but luckily the cast is fully stacked with v attractive men, so I got through it

Did this movie need to be made? No. Does it say anything new or different about “brothers in arms”? No, but we got to look at Ben Affleck, Oscar Isaac, Charlie Hunnam AND Pedro Pascal all in one movie, and they were really sweaty for most of it, so that was cool

Watching Oscar Isaac and Pedro Pascal in a movie together was very cute because that friendship is real, man

Character Fuckability: 8/10

Idk what to say, the longer hair and scruffy beard really work

(I want to pull on that hair so bad)

Seems like a pretty down-to-earth guy who’s good at his job

Yes, he does canonically do cocaine, but I can look past that...

Prospect

Overall Movie Rating: 7/10

I was pleasantly surprised by this movie

We love a small, self-contained Sci-Fi movie

Turns out Pedro’s been playing (surrogate) Sexy Dads since 2018, was not expecting it from this one

Character Fuckability: 7/10

Why is the little blonde streak he has so alluring? Pls don’t ask me to explain, it just is

He’s competent and self-reliant, and that’s sexy

But Ezra loses a couple points because he scares me a little

... I’d do him with or without the arm though

The Great Wall

Overall Movie Rating: 6/10

This movie felt like a cool concept but the execution came off sillier than what they were probably going for

Also it’s another example of the too-common “white savior in an East Asian setting” trope

It’s your basic action movie; not terrible but not overly memorable and if I wasn’t so invested in staring at Pedro Pascal’s face, I never would’ve watched it

Plus side: I really believed in the friendship between Garin and Tovar, they were fun together, kudos to Pedro and M.Damon on that account

Character Fuckability: 8/10

Tovar gives me big Oberyn Martell vibes, so you know he’s good in the sack

The SCAR

He’s a Spaniard so once again he gets bonus points for the accent

[I didn’t include Din Djarin or Javier Peña in this list because it’s only about movies, but I feel like it needs to be said that they’re both ∞ / 10 ]

[aion-rsa]

The Real Martial Arts Behind Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings

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This article contains some minor spoilers for Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

In the pages of Marvel Comics, Shang-Chi is known as the “Master of Kung Fu.” So when Marvel Studios announced the character to help usher in MCU Phase 4, the one thought on every fan’s mind was that whoever gets cast in the lead role better really know Kung Fu. 

In the wake of Netflix’s Iron Fist, Marvel’s other Kung Fu master, there was a lot of skepticism. Marvel had scored with the previous Netflix series Daredevil, which delivered some of the best small screen fight choreography we’d ever seen. But Iron Fist was sorely lacking. Finn Jones just couldn’t sell a punch as Danny Rand, leaving fans of Marvel martial arts masters overwhelmingly disappointed. If there’s one thing that Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings had to nail, it was the Kung Fu. 

Like Jones, Simu Liu had little martial arts experience before taking on the role of Shang-Chi. However, he already had the physique, so much so that appearing shirtless was a running joke when he played Jung in Kim’s Convenience. What’s more, Liu bulked up, added 10 more pounds of muscle while training for the film. 

Unlike a character like Daredevil, Shang-Chi doesn’t wear a mask, so Liu had to quickly pick up enough cinematic Kung Fu to appear masterful on screen. Fortunately, he was backed by a top-notch team of stuntmen and surrounded with a cast of veteran film fighters including Michelle Yeoh (Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Star Trek: Discovery), Tony Leung (Hero, The Grandmaster), Yuen Wah (Kung Fu Hustle), Florian Munteanu (Creed II), Andy Le (The Paper Tigers), and others. Even though Liu was new to Kung Fu, he carries the action scenes with panache.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is not only a good Marvel movie, it’s a good Kung Fu movie. It has the best fight scenes seen in the MCU so far. And although the movie doesn’t get bogged down in the specifics of Kung Fu style, there are telling nods throughout the film that shows the filmmakers knew their Kung Fu too. “We knew the martial arts had to be authentic,” says Director Destin Daniel Cretton. “In order for that to feel real, we worked with people who understood Chinese Kung Fu.”

Let’s take a look at some of the Kung Fu roots and martial arts Easter Eggs underlying Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ringsdone..

The Ten Rings are Real…Kind of

Wenwu (Tony Leung) is the villain of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, and he wields ten magical rings that he wears on his forearms. These are the source of his power, as well as the name of his criminal organization. The origin of these rings is a prevailing mystery in the movie; however, their inspiration is not. 

Traditional Kung Fu practitioners use rings akin to these while training, particularly in Southern Chinese styles. Such rings are called tit waan in Cantonese, which literally means “iron rings” or “iron bracelets.” Iron rings are constructed of heavy metal, typically brass or steel, and are worn loosely on the forearms when practicing solo forms and doing arm drills. 

They serve two purposes. Firstly, they are heavy, usually weighing over a pound a piece, so they act like wrist weights. Secondly, unlike Wenwu’s magical rings which conform to fit his forearms perfectly, real iron rings are looser. They must be narrow enough so that they stay on when the practitioner makes a fist, but they are far from form fitting. This gives them play to bang against the practitioner’s forearms when they are shadowboxing. The banging conditions the user’s forearms, hardening them to withstand the impact of blocking. Some iron ring practitioners have forearms that are so tough they can severely damage an adversary’s punch with their ring-hardened blocks.

Although iron rings are not conventionally considered as weapons, Kung Fu practitioners have figured out ways to weaponize just about everything. Some wield iron rings like brass knuckles, holding them in their fists for punching. 

Kung Fu Hustle

Weaponized iron rings are used in the 2004 comedy Kung Fu Hustle. The character Tailor (Chiu Chi Ling) fights with them. Chiu is a genuine master of Hung Ga Kung Fu, a southern style that uses iron ring training extensively. 

Director Destin Daniel Cretton claims that Kung Fu Hustle is one of his favorite martial arts movies so there are other nods to it in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, including when a Kung Fu Hustle poster can be seen on a bedroom wall in the background. What’s more, Yuen Wah also appears as the warrior leader of Ta Lo who oversees Katy’s (Awkwafina) archery training. Yuen played the Landlord in Kung Fu Hustle and is a veteran martial arts actor with nearly 200 film credits. He is also the Kung Fu brother of Jackie Chan. 

Yuen Qiu, who plays the Landlady in Kung Fu Hustle is a mutual Kung Fu sibling. Jackie, Yuen Wah and Yuen Qiu were all pupils of Yu Jim-Yuen, a master of Chinese opera who trained them all from childhood.  They all took stage names that included the “Yuen” part of their master’s name (Jackie Chan was known as Yuen Lau as a child). Others among that troupe were many of the movers and shakers of Hong Kong’s golden age of Kung Fu films, such as Sammo Hung (a.k.a. Yuen Lung) and famed action choreographer, Yuen Woo-Ping (The Matrix, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, Kill Bill). 

Tiger Head Hooks

The signature weapons of the Ten Rings are Tiger Head Hooks. These are those black glowing hooked swords that the gang members wield. They also appear on the Ten Rings banner. It’s an excellent choice because Tiger Head Hooks are one of the most distinctively Kung Fu weapons of all. 

In Chinese, these are called Hu tou shuang gou, which literally means “Tiger head paired hooks.” “Paired” because they are typically used in pairs. Sometimes they are just translated as Hook Swords. They have a sword blade with a hooked tip, a crescent-shaped blade for a knuckle guard, and a dagger blade for a pommel. Every edge is sharp. The only place they are not sharp is the handle. This makes them very difficult to wield. Consequently, Tiger Hooks are considered an advanced Kung Fu weapon. 

The reference book Ancient Chinese Weapons by Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming dates Tiger Head hooks back to China’s Spring Autumn Period (771-476 BCE), however those ancient hooks likely took on a different form. The modern style of Tiger Head hooks as seen in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings rose to prominence around the 1800s. They are still practiced today, mostly by Northern schools of Kung Fu.

What Style of Kung Fu Does Shang-Chi Practice?

Kung Fu is renowned for its diverse collection of styles like Shaolin, Wing Chun, Tiger style, and countless others. There’s even Drunken style and Toad style. In the movie, Shang-Chi doesn’t adopt a particular style of Kung Fu. Some of his moves have characteristics of Wing Chun or Bajiquan, but there’s nothing in the choreography to indicate a very specific style.

Avatar: The Last Airbender

The warriors of Ta Lo are different. While their style is not explicit, their peacekeeping philosophy is expressed through the soft, internal styles of Kung Fu like Tai Chi. When Ying Nan (Michelle Yeoh) schools Shang-Chi in their first match, it’s reminiscent of how airbending is depicted in Avatar: The Last Airbender. 

However, the connection is deeper than that. Despite its fantasy elements, Avatar based its martial arts sequences on authentic Kung Fu by mo-capping Sifu Kisu, a renowned martial arts master. Kisu designated specific styles for each school of bending. Airbending was based upon an internal style of Kung Fu known as Baguazhang, or Eight Diagram Palm. Like Tai Chi, it has a soft expression. It relies on circular movements and pivoting evasions. Several of Yeoh’s techniques are plucked straight out of Baguazhang.

The Masters Behind Shang-Chi’s Martial Arts

Credit for Shang-Chi’s Kung Fu authenticity falls on the film’s top notch stunt team. Two are leading graduates of the legendary Jackie Chan Stunt Team. The fight on the hi-rise scaffolding is a homage to Jackie’s parkour-inspiring choreography. Andy Cheng worked on around half a dozen of Jackie’s films including his first two Rush Hour films, Shanghai Noon, The Tuxedo, and Who Am I? where Jackie does one of his all-time greatest stunts, sliding down the Willemswerf skyscraper in Rotterdam. He was also the action director for Into the Badlands. When Jackie inevitably stepped back from doing his own stunts, Cheng stepped in for him. 

“We were very concerned [about Kung Fu] from the very beginning,” says Cretton. “Marvel was also concerned and wanted to get it right. [They] knew that Marvel fans, wouldn’t have let it slide if we did a Hollywood version of a whitewashed Kung Fu movie. To be able to, we brought in Brad Allan.” Brad Allan was the first non-Asian to make Jackie’s stunt team. He also worked on around a dozen of Jackie’s films (this is approximate because stunt work wasn’t always credited).

Who Was Brad Allan?

You can’t miss the credits in any MCU film. In Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, there’s a prominent dedication to Allan at the very end. Tragically, on August 7th, 2021, Brad Allan died unexpectantly at the early age of 48, sending the martial arts world reeling from the loss of one of its brightest stars. Beyond Shang-Chi, Allan leaves behind an exemplary legacy of action films where he served as the Second Unit Director including Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, Cuban Fury, Solo: A Star Wars Story, and the Kingsman trilogy. 

Allan was obsessed with the martial arts from childhood and rose to compete internationally in Wushu, representing Australia where he was born and raised. Through a chance encounter, he was able to demonstrate his skills to Jackie, and Jackie liked what he saw so much that he took Allan under his wing. 

In 1999, Allan played Alan, the villain in Jackie’s film Gorgeous, which coincidentally also stars Tony Leung. With Allan clad in black and Jackie in white, their finale fight is, well, it’s gorgeous. It’s two of the greatest masters of the craft delivering top notch fight choreography. Allan spent most of his career modestly behind the scenes, so Gorgeous is the outstanding example of his speed and agility. It’s heartbreaking that Allan didn’t get to see the premiere of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

Allan’s final work will be seen in The King’s Man later this year.

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Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is now playing in theaters.

The post The Real Martial Arts Behind Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/38AEQ5t

[lensinski]

To me the funniest thing about the kingsman franchise is the fact that they packed the second movie so full of A-listers with the idea of expanding the universe and introducing characters for future movies (eg. Halle Barry and Channing Tatum) but didn’t give any of them a lot of screen time or development. Instead they focused on the villain and the established kingsman agents. As a result  Pedro Pascal gets the most screen time and most interesting story line of the new characters. But now they scraped the expended universe so they wasted a handful of A-list stars that get to do almost nothing while the only cast member whose name wasn’t even in the trailers, who was not on the main poster and who was without a doubt the least known of all of them got the biggest new role in the movie franchise.

[ja-khajay]

what's your favourite movie and why? :~)

oh man it’s really hard to name a fav....... i’m not a big movie watcher in the first place :’) this is considering that and the fact I super rarely watch movies twice

though i’m gonna go with mad max fury road, as my FavTM! when i first saw a poster for it I only knew the franchise name and thought “they’re making a new one? smh, cashgrab” then the first trailer hit, I think I saw it on tumblr first, but I was transfixed. the way it was paced and shot was pure candy to me and when the movie finally came out in France I watched it five times in theaters.... I was completly obsessed with it for a while and I still rewatch it from time to time if I find a friend who hasn’t seen it!

as for why it’s my fav it’s a combination of simplicity, world building and hype factor. I’m kind of a difficult audience for movies because I really hate the way hollywood movies are acted and shot and it’s 90% of what you see :/ MMFR felt very different in philosophy and it just made for a great experience. list of things of the why :

it’s not complex. i like a good simple story and that’s what it does. it’s the only criticism I remember seeing about the movie and I think it’s stupid, the plot being that straightforwards is what you want in an action movie imo

the world is so well made and you see it in the little details. I adore worldbuilding and usually I feel dissapointed by people trying for the wow factor without answering basic questions and MMFR does the exact opposite of this. stuff like new slang, characters from different social classes, the politics of their little world, how people craft and eat. hell yeah

said attention to detail is reflected in the props and such of the movie it’s so fun to look at... plus I love crafts and the fact most of it isn’t CGI is so fun to think about. I’m (sigh) an artist and I really appreciate the concepts of the Things in that film...good design

it’s just really well paced and shot, you got nice colors and striking scenes galore. again nothing ground breaking genre defining but i’m here for mad max not fine art and it did more than what a mad max could have been!!! action is super well choreographed too. I usually hate action scenes for being too showoffy to the point of not being very readable

it’s one of those films that make me go ooh ooh ooh this next scene is so good at every new scene. I’ve watched it so much I could practically quote dialog at some point lol

it avoids the general hollywood feel I mentioned above which is hard to sum up but instantly makes film enjoyable for me

Now if you want a less mainstream movie I really like too, I’m nominating the rabbi’s cat! it’s technically not an original movie (comic adaptation) but they went for summing up several volumes of the comic in a single movie, the animation and voice acting is lovely and it’s one of those....simple yet smart and charming movies. I’m used to Sfar’s tone because I read his stuff growing up but for someone who hasn’t the writing will feel really original... Also it’s in a setting I rarely see represented ever (early century Algeria/Africa and all the colonization and wars by european powers). It touches on sensitive topics without being annoying which boy is rare, and it’s generally just a very fun film. Wish I could force every “muh adult animation” dudebro to watch it lol

The rest of my recs are gonna be basic “yeah im an animation student” ones because I tend to not watch live action asides from the ones my fam buys me tickets to so i’ll make it a short list

Akira and yes its as good as people say

same goes for Parasite if you’re among the 3 ppl on earth who havent seen it

the odd one out here : Kingsman, again its like if action movies were good which happens when hollywood isnt involved :)

Redline. its gotta be one of the dumbest movies ive seen and it’s phenomenal. the animation is insane the entire film is. watch it with overexcited type friends and a lot of beer and have the time of your life it’s free on youtube

[weclassybouquetfun]

Netflix's REBECCA will screen (again) in Pasadena next week so hopefully, soon patiently awaiting fans will get a poster or a trailer soon. But at least there is a release date and poster for Julian Fellowes latest drama THE ENGLISH GAME.

I don't give a toss about football, I do however give a number of tosses about Edward Holcroft and Craig Parkinson who star along with Kevin Guthrie, Kate Dickie, Niamh Walsh, and Henry Lloyd-Hughes (who just appeared in the recently aired Agatha Christie adaptation THE PALE HORSE starring Rufus Sewell).

The series tackles the invention of football and the class divide of the game. And Edward Holcroft who has played a number of pricks plays A PRICK in this.

Still true.

I guess it's because Holcroft looks like the British cousin of every jerk ass character James Spader played in the 80s.  It doesn't help that he dated Prince Harry's ex and his father has a fancy sounding title.

Lord-Lieutenant of Worcestershire Patrick Holcroft and his sons Edward, Oliver and Thomas.

Holcroft is no stranger to football. He was featured in a Nike advert directed by his KINGSMAN director Matthew Vaughn where he played a footy player.

Someone who has played their fair share of jerks is his costar Craig Parkinson.

Whether it's playing a nefarious rabbit in WATERSHIP DOWN to an irascible probation worker, I am a fan.

I am also a fan of his podcast - The Two Shot Podcast - where he interview fellow acting pals like Matt Berry or costars such as Mark Strong who he costarred with in TEMPLE,

and MISFITS costars Joseph Gilgun who discussed his history of depression and being bi-polar and Lauren Socha who gave an emotional interview about her firing from the show due to her arrest for racial assault against a cab driver.

and Shaun Dooley who replaced Parkinson as yet another beleaguered probation worker.

[myriadimagines]

Kingsman Character Posters ☆ Roxanne Morton

↳ “It’s just scare tactics. No one’s gonna d i e.”

requested by melody-of-scream

[max--phillips]

On Kingsman, I feel like *someone* had to go in that grinder so it was of course The Final Boss, Whiskey lol. But I wish we could’ve had a proper third Kingsman x Statesman movie and he could come back as the villain maybe. Like a replacement for the Charlie character. Maybe Pedro would even be on the poster this time 😉

FKGKFNNDDKJDJSJSJSJSHFJGKJD

Charlie should have gone in the fuckin grinder, I’m just so mad that they did Whiskey so dirty. Like, I guess I don’t necessarily mind him being a villain exactly? But I feel like he had so much potential for and actual good character arc with like. Learning and Growing and Redemption. And therapy