#like he’s legitimately a very talented actor

[foolishlyzephyrus]

tosin cole is actually so good as ryan, i wish his character had gotten more to do

[hollowed-theory-hall]

ok so what are some of the changes you would want in the upcoming harry potter hbo series. and since your blog is Harry centric so I'll ask how do you want him to be portrayed in the series ? what traits of him do you think the series makers should shine more light on ?

Okay, I have, like, a list of things I didn't like in the movies and could be improved upon by the show. The list I have here isn't just about things the show could improve, but also things I want to see in the show in general. I think most of my opinions are pretty common, though.

(Also I'm not sure how good the show will be, like, I'm somewhat hopeful, but also very cautious with my expectations. We should start getting casting announcements around in a few months, which could help indicate where this show is going)

Regardless, here's my list of top concerns for the upcoming show:

Harry's character

This is the one you questioned specifically and one that could make or break the show for me. I want Harry's sass and anger, I don't want him to be a self-insert for the audience the way he was in the movies. I want his actual character. The sass, anger, and tenacity that is Harry Potter combined with his kindness, compassion, and sometimes clueless awkwardness. Let him be smart, clever, and talented.

Harry in the books is so much more than "just Expeliarmos" and the fact people could think that about Harry is a legitimate crime against his character the movies committed. Truly character assassination that Harry isn't an exceptional wizard with the world's lowest self-esteem and cheeky attitude.

(Also, for the love of god, give him green eyes, please. Contacts exist for a reason and it'll be a good way to differentiate the new actor from Radcliffe)

2. Ron & Hermione's characters

I could probably just put a "make all characters like in the books" category since this is true for a lot of them.

Specifically for the other two members of the Golden Trio, I want Hermione to have her flaws, and Ron to be smart. He is talented and smart and just as skilled as Harry and Hermione. He isn't the dumb comic relief and I'm so mad the movies made him such. And Hermione isn't a perfect Mary Sue who can do no wrong. Let her put Rita in a jar. Let her show how much she actually appreciates Ron and Harry and their approach to problems, different as it is to hers.

3. Voldemort's everything

I didn't like Voldemort's design, I didn't like his characterization, I didn't like how he spoke, how he walked — none of it felt like Voldemort to me.

I want Voldemort to be scary, not some odd caricature of himself. Give me a Voldemort design that looks scary. Give him the red eyes, and make him look actually skeletal. And let him move elegantly, talk softly. He isn't shouting and throwing tantrums, usually, he is very deliberate in what he says and does.

Also, give him his weird sense of humor. In the books, he makes bad puns ("Wormtail is here to lend a hand"), I like my villains a little campy with bad puns but also terrifying.

4. Dumbledore's everything

Well, honestly, I have no complaints about Dumbledore in the first movie, my problems started after he was recast.

I want Dumbledore to speak softly. I need an actor who could say "Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!" and make it work. I want an actor who'd smile like he knows things you don't as his eyes fucking twinkle, but could still look intense and even intimidating for the later seasons. I also want him to look whimsical and dress in the most absurd eye-catching robes you've ever seen.

5. On the matter of robes — wizard fashion

I want wizarding fashion. I want long robes, silly hats, colors, and patterns. I want the costume designers on the show to have fun with it. I want them to go wild.

The wizarding world should look whimsical and campy — that's part of the magic. I want it to look like a foreign world. Even the most purebloods of purebloods (like the Blacks) are more like the Addams Family than any serious drama. They have a sense of campiness and whimsy. Let wizards be weird as shit and show it in their dress and interior design (I mean, the Blacks hang house elf heads and have a troll leg umbrella stand, the Ministry of Magic has paper airplanes flying all around, they're weird).

6. About the more filler-y sections of the books

I want all the silly little plots that were removed from the movies. I think some of the more filer-y things add a lot to the books and to the whimsy of being a student at Hogwarts. I want the trio to sneak out Norbert, I want to see Peeves, the deathday party, all of these things that make Hogwarts truly feel like a magic school.

7. Hogwarts Castle

I love the castle of the movies and that of Hogwarts Legacy. Honestly, I think Hogwarts Legacy did a good job of capturing the feeling of the movies castle while making it its own new unique thing. I think the TV show should do something similar and kinda create a Hogwarts castle amalgamation of all previous iterations that would feel familiar and allow them to still use some of the same merchandise but also be new and unique at the same time.

8. Time period

I think this is a pretty common opinion, but I want the muggle clothes and sets to clearly be set in the 1990s. I want the show to be a period piece. I don't want to see smartphones, or modern fashion, or modern cars — none of that.

9. Age-appropriate casting

I'm not the only one who says this, but as great as Allen Rickman was, he was too old for the role. Part of the tragedy of Snape and the Marauders is how young they actually are. I think it'll just be much more heartbreaking if the actors looked as young as they're supposed to be.

(Including James and Lily in the flashbacks!)

10. Worldbuilding & extra scenes

Since it's a TV show and not a book, which opens up more perspective options, I would like to get, maybe, some extended Pottermore facts into the show. Like, to flash out the world in a way the movies didn't.

Additionally, I wouldn't mind if some extra scenes were added to build up characters we don't get as much of in the books and it could serve the plot. Like, as long as the scenes are added in a way which is like 'they might've happened in the books, we just didn't see them cause Harry wasn't there', that sort of thing without subtracting from anything else and without retconning or contradicting anything. Like, with good writers, this could be really well done, I'm just worried about them adding anything because I don't know how much faith I have in the whole project. But it could be cool if done well.

[eros-thanatos89]

I love your post about Lalo's appearance benefiting him being a chameleon (/759454466239021056) and was wondering if you had more thoughts on that or would be willing to expand more? I remember a NYT article with Tony where he says that American casting directors didn't know how to cast him because he didn't "look" or "sound" Mexican. But it feels like that works in Lalo's favour too, at least the way Tony portrayed him

Hello Anon! First of all, thank you! I'm glad that the post resonated with you! :D

Thank you for mentioning that NYT interview! I'll link it at the end of this reply!

I remember reading it or a similar interview where Tony discussed his difficulty being cast for roles in the USA, particularly in roles for the stage in NYC, following his schooling in NYC, because he was too light-skinned to "look Mexican", so casting directors weren't sure whether to cast him in Latino roles or White roles. And I was struck by him sharing that he moved to Mexico (and luckily found success being cast in telenovelas!), but he actually had to learn to be "more Mexican" after being raised in Texas. That dilemma of him being perceived as not looking or sounding "Mexican enough" to be cast in Latino roles in the USA, but also having to learn to be "Mexican enough" to be in Mexican telenovelas just really struck a chord with me, as a light-skinned half-Mexican person who grew up in the US (though sadly, I am NOT bilingual like Tony and Lalo).

In the interview, Tony also shares his own headcanons that Lalo's mom is a gringa, and Lalo likely spent some time in the USA during his time with the cartel. And I'd agree with you (and Tony himself!) that his bi-cultural identity, ethnically ambiguous appearance, and bilingualism DO work in his favor in terms of him being able to blend in and charm his way through many different social settings.

He has one foot in the US and one foot in Mexico, and his appearance and privilege allow him to fluidly move through both the criminal world and more legitimate spheres (like his ability to blend in at the German bar and play the part of an urbane American businessman).

I honestly don't know if I'm saying anything new or making any sense, but...I was just very touched by how much struggle such a talented actor had to go through at the start of his career! And his struggles as a bicultural person really struck a chord with me, personally!

So anyways, Anon, thanks for reminding me about that interview! I hope my response made sense or had some value for you :D

Here's the link to that NYT interview <3

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/20/arts/television/tony-dalton-better-call-saul-finale.html

[justenjoythegossip]

Would it be more “acceptable” if Chris & Abba were exclusively PR?

Chris’ performative political activism

Whether Chris and Abba are a real legitimate couple with a PR spin or exclusively PR, Chris’ political activism has proved to be totally performative. It’s one thing to fight for equality and injustice when it is beneficial to your image, it’s another to do it when voicing that opinion can be costly. Look at Melissa Barrera who expressed her opinion, stuck to her guts and lost the role she is most famous for. Look at Brendan Fraser who refused to stay silent and paid such a heavy price after speaking out on his being sexually assaulted. It took him years to come back and finally take home a much deserved Oscar for his acclaimed performance in the Whale. 

Chris’ persona and brand were utterly destroyed when he was linked to that fat-shaming racist antisemitic Nazi sympathizing girl. The most aggravating part of this PR shitshow is that by accepting to be officially in a “RS” and then be “married” to her, he has helped put her in the spotlight, which was his first mistake. Look at Dylan O’Brien who is in a real relationship with someone extremely problematic as well. They are rather discreet. If Chris and Abba had behaved like a real private couple, if Abba would have stayed in the shadow, then the backlash would have been kept to a minimum. Also by agreeing to this, Chris helped clean her image. Knowing what she has shown to the world publicly, it’s all the more egregious to see the media portraying her as this smart talented great humanitarian who speaks 5 languages and who has perfect eyebrows. The gaslighting is unbearable. 

Of course, Chris has famously said that the industry makes you do things that you don’t want to do. But it is an excuse. It’s a rationalization. The truth is that he had a choice. For sure the two options he was offered probably sucked but he still had a choice. Nobody forced this on him. And he knew the optics were terrible. That’s why he didn’t come back to Twitter, that’s why he took so much distance from his political project ASP. It would have been too hypocritical to be vocal and to be lecturing people when he, himself, was connected to someone that represents what he is allegedly fighting against. 

When he did that infamous asp chat about racism and antisemitism, it wasn’t random. It was very likely a test to monitor the reaction of his fans. This is probably why they left all those negative comments. They wanted to know if Chris had been forgiven...

If their “RS/marriage” was exclusively PR, would that absolve him somehow?  

Certain mods have expressed the opinion that if Chris and Abba were a real legitimate couple, it would be much worse and then they couldn’t support Chris anymore. I don’t mean to judge or criticize anyone’s opinion by the way, especially since I think some of those mods are good, well-intentioned people and I love reading their take on things but I am just trying to ask questions here. 

What is implied here is that it’s ok and preferable to compromise yourself if it’s meant for your career.  And it’s true that we are taught from the earliest age that we have to succeed. Whatever the cost may be. We must have friends, have a career, have money, have a family, have a house… So much emphasis on having and so little on being. This is the darker side of the American dream, it puts way too much importance on money and success. And if you can’t achieve those goals then you are considered to be worthless. Nihilism starts right there. If you are nothing, it’s a lot easier to give up on your morals and ethics… 

To get back to Chris. Yes he’s had an amazing career, the kind of career most actors would kill for. But it’s easy to relate to being terrified to lose what you have and what you have always wanted. I guess the desperation must be unbearable if you have defined yourself by your professional success and you see that things start slipping away from you. And by his looks and demeanor, people can tell he has struggled with it. Although it might be an act of course. But I choose to believe that it’s genuine and that he really feels guilty about it.   

But wouldn’t love make this situation more “acceptable”?

If Chris and Abba were exclusively PR, then it would signify that Chris compromised himself and his beliefs for his career, for roles, for money and for power. 

But wouldn’t it be actually “preferable” and “more acceptable” to compromise yourself out of love? 

Love can be so powerful and nonsensical that certain people have lost their ways because of it. People have betrayed their partners or spouses, some have abandoned their own children because of it. Heck, people have even killed out of passion. And we sometimes free those people in a court of law when a jury decides that the criminal was so blinded by love and passion that they were unable to distinguish right from wrong. We call it temporary insanity! 

If Chris had genuinely fallen in love with Abba (I don’t believe it by the way) to the point of being blind to her problematic stuff, would that be really worse or wouldn’t that serve as more mitigating circumstances? I am merely asking a question: compromising yourself for money and roles is it better than compromising yourself out of love? Did we actually become too cynical? Too materialistic? 

Chris and his treatment of Abba and how it is reflective of our society…

Regardless of what we might think of Abba (and for sure we don’t have a good opinion of her), Chris has treated her very poorly. And this doesn’t reflect well on him. 

Indeed he has done the absolute bare minimum to sell this, has never even said her name once, he has acted all ashamed most times she was nearby, has thrown shade (see the GQ interview where he implied she was judgmental), he has kept repeating how much he likes to be alone and how his dog is his true soulmate. He even said while allegedly being with her that he was looking for a partner to spend the rest of his life with. Ouch!

Of course, people who know about her problematic stuff will have trouble having any kind of empathy for her but that doesn’t make it ok. 

Chris has agreed to this PR shitshow so tacitly he has accepted that Abba is good enough for these PR games and he has accepted to use her. So he should treat her with a minimum of respect. Otherwise he shouldn’t have gone through with it in the first place.  

And it’s very symptomatic of our society these days. With the propaganda pushed by the mass media, we are taught that it’s ok to hate on people as long as they are horrible human beings. And similarly we have seen so many mods troll and comment on Abba‘s appearance as if it was even relevant. Just because someone is horrible, it doesn’t give you a license to behave the same way. Otherwise you become the very same thing you are criticizing. 

[majaloveschris]

Yeah people can be mad all they want to due to this bs, but sorry Chris Evans cameo was most definitely one of the favs.

I know many feel his career should be greater but the man has a pretty solid standing regardless of his choices post Marvel. He’s successful like it or not. People love to talk about him no longer being A-List or whatever like that matters that much, he’s still a successful working actor, has his looks and is rich as fuck…..that’s not a flop or an actor about o go to pasture. 😂

If these next three movies score well it’s going to lead to more stuff for him, so if people are truly that mad and want to act like he’s broke and a bum due to this situation, they might as well walk away permanently now.

I mean if they legitimately hate him that bad, why are they even still here. I’m disappointed in his life partner choice due to me expecting better from him and the simple fact……I don’t believe what they tried to sell. I expect her gone soon enough, but not my life…….but I still enjoy his work and think he’s talented so I’m still here.

Anyone calling him a flop because their feelings are hurt, aren’t fans and probably shouldn’t be so invested in a man they clearly loathe. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Yeah, I think he is doing very well for himself. I'm not saying he didn't have flop projects that didn't do that well, like Ghosted, RSDR, and Lightyear. But even those are loved by fans and didn't perform that badly. Ghosted was played almost 330,000 times in the very first two days. Lightyear on Disney was watched 13 million times in the very first 5 days, and the fandom loves Ari and even Cole. So even though some of his projects flopped, it's not that bad as some people try to portray it, and he does well for himself.

I'm also disappointed in this decision, and I also don't believe they are real. I get that them being real or fake doesn't matter for some people, and I understand why. But as you said, if someone hates him this much, they should just leave. Why waste so much time on someone you think it's a shitty human being? I get if people call him about because of Alba, but bodyshaming him and calling him a flop when he clearly isn't shouldn't be part of it. Those are being said only to hate on him. I get if you don't want to support him, but then leave. Call him out if you want him, but do it for the right reasons. 

[thephantomcasebook]

Do you think Criston and Alicent have feelings for each other or was it just sex? Emily Carey said once that young Alicent was in love with Criston, but I'm not sure about the adult version of Alicent because Olivia sometimes plays as ambiguous. I wouldn't want their romantic relationship to be one-sided, because most likely Criston in love with her

Yes, I legitimately think that Criston and Alicent absolutely love one another, 1,000%

Alicent has been in love with Criston Cole since she was 14 years old and she has never stopped. Criston has been in love with her for eighteen years. We saw in 1x09 that the love is fucking electric and if you've ever read the script that describe their feelings as very much romantic and not sexual.

The ugly truth is that Condal and Hess fucked around for months and missed the production deadlines. By the time that Production got underway the writer's strike hit and Condal and Hess went back to America and so did GRRM. And since a lot of Season 2 was being written on the fly due to delays and scripts not being done they hired a ghost showrunner that didn't know anything about HOTD or F&B. So he, stupidly, relied on the actors to steer the characters this season.

To quote Alicent.

"Condal's intentions died with him."

The idea of the actors and actresses steering the production can be a good idea if you have a veteran cast of seasoned actors. The Showrunner for "The Crown" could trust his cast in "The Crown" because they had templates and historical figures to base their performances on. They also had a mostly mature cast of very talented actors.

HOTD does not have a mature cast. They have elite level actors that cannot be trusted with plotting their own character arcs, cause some of them have really - REALLY - bad instincts.

Alicent, right now, is being played the way Olivia Cooke wants to play Alicent without any supervision from the actual Showrunner. She doesn't want to be in a love story, she doesn't want to be the matriarch of the Greens, she wants to be this angry, petulant, woman-child who hates her children and acts like a teenager. These are the actions of a woman trapped in preputial adolescence not the mother of a four children who ruled a realm for eight years.

I will almost guarantee you that in Season 3 we will a completely different Alicent when Condal reasserts himself, getting Alicent back on track the way she was supposed to be acted, not letting Olivia Cooke run riot with her immature power fantasies because she was given too much control over the character development.

Alicent is reportedly going to Harrenhal with Criston and Aemond this season on campaign. So it looks like Alicent will not be at King's Landing at its fall. So, we'll get a little bit more Alicole in Season 3.

[wellofdean]

I started watching supernatural again from the first season, partly because of your blog, and you are so right about Jensen’s acting. The control that man has as a performer. The way his face will go through an entire journey in a pause in the dialogue. I feel so many things for Dean and a lot is in those shifts in expression.

I'm so glad you're giving it another go, and I'm proud my blog has anything to do with it! And yeah, Supernatural has some real flaws, but it's also just...so good? Two things can be true?

And, Jensen is incredible? It's like you can see the emotions drifting through his pretty face like clouds or something. He manages to make Dean feel like a whole-ass human being, and it's because his performance makes you truly believe that Dean's got a rich, emotional inner life that no one but him is privy to, and he feels and thinks things he never, ever says. He makes you feel curious about what's going on in there! He just so makes so much space for the audience to imagine him and care about him. I feel like the genius of it lies somewhere between the culturally determined tough guy script Dean's running and the way you know that despite all that, he's just full to the brim with soft, private, real ass FEELINGS.

I think people sleep on how legitimately fucking great Jensen is at his job because he's got a mathematically perfect face, that lush mouth and the biggest, wettest, greenest eyes in all the land, but he truly is a remarkably gifted actor, and it's straight up amazing that his performance of Dean never flagged over 15 years, and that despite what seems to have been EPIC tomfoolery on that set, and all the vagaries of production, he just kept getting better and better, and Dean just got deeper and richer and more devastating. The Dean I love most is the one in season 15 who is in the grip of a snowballing existential crisis, and is always visibly choking down and swallowing everything he doesn't say while letting emotion just well up like a flood in his face. He's very, very talented and the ability he has to communicate legible emotion in a way that feels like there is no artifice at all involved is extremely impressive.

There are a lot of VERY good actors who can't do what he does, and like...KUDOS. And, THANK YOU, because I love Dean. Please do more Dean, Jensen. Never stop.

[scarystickers]

THE MAGNUS ARCHIVES IMPRESSIONS: EP 115 - 120

EP 115: Taking Stock

SALESA?? Omg Salesa backstory? I feel like I've heard about the meat grinder in a previous story, no? Noooo Helen. Like I get why Jon was a jerk but like idk me personally I'd listen. It's better to have a weird ally than a weird enemy.

EP 116: The Show Must Go On

This episode was sooooo well written. HELP JON IMMEDIATELY SAYING MARTIN CAN'T GO??? Omg the gang is back together and scheming I'm so happy. "If you die I'm afraid you won't be able to claim your expenses." Tim is in desperate need of therapy it's not even funny, like someone has got to book him an appointment.

EP 117: Testament

I love these little bits where we get to see the characters thought process. JON BRINGING UP THE OFFICE GOSSIP IS CRAZY???? HES STUTTERING??? BRO YOU'RE ABOUT TO DIE YOU CANNOT BE STUTTERING OVER THIS LMAOOO. Awww Basira and Daisy are actually so cute, I love their friendship so much omg. Melanie's voice actor is so talented omg this is so well acted. I feel so bad for Melanie :( MELANIE'S TRIP???? :( Man I love Melanie. "I need him to be okay. sorry." WHAT DOES THAT MEAN MARTIN??? DID HE JUST TELL JON TO CHILL OUT LMAO? Oh my god Martin has a legitimate crush stop I love him. World could possibly end and he's here yapping about his crush. Daisy is so real for just turning on the recorder and only breathing and saying okay. Noooooo Tim :(

Current predictions: Tim dies, Someone is irreversibly injured, Basira dies? They succeed but not properly so there's extreme damages to our world and reality

EP 118: The Masquerade

Jon was really okay with Martin burning cases?? Losing that knowledge??? Tim I love you for making bad jokes. Oh?? Weird Tape appearing out of nowhere?? ELIAS CLOCKED MARTIN'S FEELINGS SO FAST LMAOOO This is horrifying then. HE ADMITTED THE FEELINGS???????? YALLLLLL. Elias really said "your mom" and then went on to attack Martin's mommy issues. GUYS IM ACTUALLY THE NUMBER ONE ELIAS HATER. THEY BETTER SUCCEED AND KILL HIM I NEED HIM GONE AFTER WHAT HE DID TO MELANIE AND MARTIN. DID DAISY JUST SHOOT JON???????

EP 119: Stranger And Stranger

The music goes so hard for this intro omg. THIS EPISODE IS SO COOL??? Tim saw Jon and then went to kill him, didn't even need an illusion goddamn. The Watcher??? Rip to Tim since he's pressing the detonator. After reading the description I missed Daisy dying and Basira leaving because I got confused :')

EP 120: Eye Contact

Elias you cannot be making a statement about a guys dreams that's just not right. So Jon is in the hospital?? Y'all this was a very cool statement but confused me so bad. WAIT SO DAISY DIED??? Elias is under arrest?? So there is that weird Lukas guy. OH new guy in charge then.

ADDITIONAL NOTES:

This finale was so weird on so many levels. So much not processed??? Like we haven't see the aftermath of it all which is a bit weird. Man I wish I was apart of the fandom at the time so I could see people dissect this and explain bits I missed and make silly theories.

[miraculouslbcnreactions]

Do you think having to model would have been damaging to Adrien when his mother was still with him?

Potentially controversial take here, but no, I don't think child acting is a terrible thing that should be illegal and child models are just a variant of child actors. Acting in commercials or movies is arguably more serious than something like community theater or local ads, but the risks aren't actually all that different. No matter the level of the production, the risk for abuse is there. It's not something limited to Hollywood. So I have no issue with child stars as a general concept. I think I've only ever hinted at this in my stuff, but I can actually picture a scenario in which Adrien got into modeling as an act of love.

His mother was a professional actress and Adrien very clearly enjoys acting. I could absolutely see Emilie recognizing his talents and getting him involved in commercials and modeling shoots for the company so that he can try acting in an environment that she can fully control (which is not concerning given that Adrien has clearly been modeling for several years, so he started young.)

I think most "good" parents would be super hesitant to let a little kid work with people they don't know, but with Emilie's connections and the success of Gabriel's company? Adrien going into an acting career actually makes a lot of sense. Especially if Emilie acted as his agent and was always on set to make sure he was okay.

Adrien being a model only becomes concerning when we get things like the super creepy Alliance AI-Adrien. Stuff that Adrien clearly isn't okay with and that should never have been considered to begin with (you literally see the model in his underwear when Soquline is showing off the fact that you can dress him up in Jubilation.) If Adrien was actually enjoying the work and the work was all ethical? Then it wouldn't be a problem.

Creative fields are rife with abuse and poor working conditions, but they're also a source of joy for many. Minors working in these types of fields is an incredibly complex topic, but I can't view it as inherently bad. I've known too many kids who legitimately loved acting or playing sports or whatever creative thing they were into.

Oh, and random side note, but it's super weird how the show plays Adrien's fame. He's fashion model, not a movie star. He would not be as famous as the show tries to make him. I actually researched this a while back to make sure France didn't have some sort of model-obsession and I couldn't find anything (btw, please let me know if I missed something and this is wrong).

I mention all of this because I think fashion modeling is potentially a much safer way to let a kid do some acting. Commercials and one-off fashion shoots are much smaller commitments than movies and TV shows and they carry way less risk of super star fame. I actually get distracted when fanfics have Gabriel constantly pulling Adrien out of school for fashion shoots for two reasons: first, that appears to be highly illegal in France. Second, how much marketing material is the Gabriel brand supposedly producing??? Especially since Adrien seems to just be a teen model and not model for the adult line, which would be standard for the industry. You don't really become a full fledged model doing things like runways until you're at least 16. (Btw, guess what age I often scale Adrien up to? There's a reason for that.)

As far as I can tell, most models have to work with multiple brands and companies to make good money. An exclusive deal with a single company should mean that your schedule is pretty relaxed, which is another reason I could buy a loving parent letting Adrien model. Modeling, commercials, and voice acting are actually a fantastic set of options for someone who wanted to do some acting work while still going to school. It is incredibly easy to take the setup the show gave us and use it to make Adrien a child star who wasn't exploited.

[softestvirgil]

I don’t even like his other content now because of his treatment of all the sanders sides stuff which sucks cause he is legitimately a good actor and musician! and i used to really enjoy his stuff but i just hate it now. I was 14 when i first started watching his stuff and I’m 21 now? i don’t even watch his stuff anymore but i love the ts crit like you get it

I feel the same way! I used to watch every single video he posted but now I don’t even follow him and when he shows up on my feed with his shorts or whatever I just scroll away. I used to never shut up about him to anyone who would listen and go on and on about how talented he is, because he is very talented, but yeah this whole experience of kind of having to take him off the pedestal I had him on, I kind of just avoid him all together unless I’m on Tumblr. This is my place I come to find out the tea.

[corvarrow]

Aaaaand one more ref completed! Hooray! Toyhouse is here: https://toyhou.se/29521619.sy

Sy is my oldest character that I still actively use and draw. As such he has a lot of old ref sheets so it was extra satisfying to finish this one and compare it to the old ones. This is going to be the last of this style of ref for now as I found it a little more time consuming than I wanted. I may or may not do a couple other characters as I have a height chart going on the side and I want to line them all up, but if I do they are JUST going to be the descriptive notes and color dots.

Anyway so the rest of this description box here is going to be a bit longer than the other ones cause there were a couple more things I wanted to note about him -

The first thing being that Tower IS basically a doppelganger - physically they look like they're twins, down to Sy's tattoo being copied, only Tower has been through some shit. They even have a couple of personality traits in common, such as being loyal and nervous talking, but on these ref sheets I thought it was more important to keep them as separate as possible. They are very much aware of each other. They don't get along at first but eventually they are much more like siblings.

The other thing was that it was extra hard to write down traits here, as a lot of his issues directly relate to the current dystopian state of shifter society. That needs a bit more context, which can't exactly go on a model sheet. 😅 Shapeshifting is basically a psychic ability, and those who can do something besides shift are called "true psychics". For Reasons this is becoming increasingly rarer so their society tries to draw out all the true psychics they can and put them on pedestals, even when the individuals otherwise don't have any particular merits. (Also, they've made tier lists out of them so some abilities are way higher regarded than others.) The best example I can think of is their entertainment industry, where they will more often hire and promote true psychic actors with little to no talent over regular actors who do have actual talent. This is prevalent in multiple industries. Sy knows it, he hates it and thinks it sucks, if he is given something he wants to feel like he actually earned and deserves it. He wants to be recognized for his actual merits rather than arbitrarily just for winning the genetic lottery. The problem is that even when he DOES legitimately become very skilled he just never feels like it's enough.

[fandomgrabbag]

I'm waiting for a movie to start and I got here like 10 minutes early so it's time for a BSD rant because this has been on my mind.

Character dynamics in BSD are super interesting, partially because we get to see relatively few of the full potential of interactions. And one that's really been on my mind is: what does Ranpo think of Dazai? Read More inserted because I intend to type for this entire 10 minutes.

Like. We know what Dazai thinks of Ranpo. We saw Dazai testing Ranpo's Ability and being impressed by the fact that it wasn't an Ability at all, it was just normal human talent. It's not hard to extrapolate that there is something important there for Dazai, who is so concerned with the experience of being a Normal Person and the ways he has overlooked or missed out on it (partially, most likely, because of his own Ability, and the way he has been treated as superhuman or human-adjacent by the others in the Port Mafia outside that). Dazai in this case is not hard to read.

Ranpo, on the other hand. Not a lot of the series at all is from Ranpo's POV, so we don't really have a lot to go on. He also just very rarely directly interacts with Dazai, except in group settings, so it's hard to get a read on his opinions.

I'm almost finished The Secret Origins of the Detective Agency, and there's a few things that crop up there that have really made me think about this again. First is the short story at the start: it's fun but not like substantial, but there is one thing in it that drew my attention.

There's like two big sections where Asagiri is talking about Ranpo compared to Dazai, he's just gone on for like half a page about Ranpo's deductive ability. Then the perspective switches and there's a few paragraphs about Dazai's manipulation ability. Asagiri makes almost a two-page point about how Ranpo can look at the facts and deduce everything etc. etc. But Dazai can look at a person and make them do almost anything he wants yada yada. Part of this is definitely Dazai being Asagiri's Specialest Little Boy, but it sparked a thing for me.

I'm just up to the point where - spoilers, but it's in the anime adaptation of this section so ... not too spoilers? Ranpo is in the fake cop's car being taken somewhere that isn't the police station. And I think there's something that's worth noting here that I don't really see mentioned a lot in Ranpo discussions (I could just be peripheral though, so I'm not gonna say it's not something people see and think about), which is that Ranpo is actually *good* at reading people.

It's an interesting balance and one that is I think hard to strike sometimes, but Ranpo is BOTH very confused about the people around him AND very canny about how people act. The narrative focuses on the former: he says it several times and a lot of his own reactions speak to his confusion about how to connect inputs with outputs, so to speak.

On the other hand, Ranpo uses people's actions and reactions to judge them both constantly and accurately. His big deductions take behaviour into account, particularly anomalous behaviour (the rows of documents in the room that the secretary lays out at the start of the story, the unusual watch owned by the policeman in the drowned body episode in the anime) but also he's able to manipulate people to a degree. He sets up an irresistible trap for - spoilers again - the actor, Murakami, by letting him monologue his confession to the audience and providing him a stage to give his dramatic entry on. He joins in the mind games that the fake police officer is playing in the car, and legitimately keeps up with him. And of course, he's been around Fukuzawa a matter of hours and he not only deduces that Fukuzawa is *embarrassed* by his past but also that he is *afraid of other people*, which one would absolutely not suspect of a person who is completely at a loss around other people.

All of which brings me to my interpretation of Ranpo: he is good at pattern recognition, and when a pattern is in front of him, he can recognise it. He is *not* good at prediction. He doesn't necessarily grasp the underlying *why* of those patterns, and he's clearly got trauma about being wrong about his guesses, so he's both not great at and probably deeply uncomfortable with being asked to guess at what those patterns might be before he has the information in place. He can come in halfway through a situation and take charge: he doesn't orchestrate.

Which brings us back to the original question: what does Ranpo think of Dazai? I don't really have a good answer for this yet, myself, but I wanna throw out the ideas I have been playing around with.

Ranpo has probably guessed or found out way more about Dazai's background than he's telling the rest of the Agency except perhaps Fukuzawa. Which means a) he has context for Dazai that the other main cast members don't (not counting Fukuzawa as a main cast member because he has relatively little screen time and isn't super active in the plots usually), and b) he certainly knows some stuff about the Port Mafia in specific that the others only know in general (like Dazai's time as an interrogator, and the true numbers behind all those murder counts that the police have). I'm not saying Ranpo would be scared of Dazai in any way, they do act pretty friendly when they're together, but I think that's important context to note.

In many ways, too, Ranpo and Dazai are very similar. They are both mask using childlike (or even childish) behaviour, even though they are masking different things and for different reasons. Given how Ranpo sees through people I don't think it's reasonable to suggest that he wouldn't see Dazai's mask for what it is. I actually think there might be an odd tension there: both knowing that the mask is up, both being very aware of each other's mask and their purposes, but also both letting the other keep it up not because they aren't close, but because each sees the value in their behaviour: how being childish is freeing in a way for both of them. Ranpo because his childishness is at its core based on not forcing himself to be hypervigilant about social cues, and Dazai because his irritating habits are his way of vibe checking the Agency members. Do you still love me enough to put up with me? Yes? OK, how about now?

But yeah, can't help but think of that space that neither of them talk about, the secrets they keep on behalf of each other that they both know they know because they know each other and respect each other's deductive abilities, but haven't confirmed that they know. Ranpo is hinted to know that his glasses aren't actually magical, f'ex, but is keeping up the illusion partly out of embarrassment and partially, I think, because they are a token of the time Fukuzawa had no reason to want to help him but did anyway, for the first time since his parents died. So ... if he knows that Dazai knows that, and knows Dazai is keeping that secret, is Ranpo 100% comfortable with that? He seemed a bit put out when he had to confess to Yosano about it. Even if they're friendly and Ranpo sees Dazai as an ally and a good person, does it still not sit at least a little off with him that Dazai, who he knows is capable of being the Port Mafia person again if he has to be, and whose list of crimes he knows in detail, knows something so uncomfortable about him?

And like, there's that whole question, right: Dazai is good at everything Ranpo feels his deficiencies in most keenly. Ranpo's greatest feelings of inadequacy about himself are his inability to understand others' motives/social cues, and his feeling that everyone around him is working to a script he never got to read. And here's Dazai, who not only understands what drives people extremely deeply (not necessarily intuitively, I think Dazai is probably neurodivergent and did rote learn/learn by experiment just like Ranpo, but certainly deeply), but acts like he *wrote* the script? And about 50% of the time, he might as well have? And not only that, is famous for doing so and using it in service of murder and torture, among the more mundane uses? Yeah, I can't see that not giving Ranpo pause on some level. As I said, I don't think Ranpo is scared of Dazai or thinks Dazai is smarter than him. I think that would be a simplistic interpretation. But I can't see this *not* factoring into how Ranpo feels about and approaches Dazai on some level.

Jumping back a point, Dazai and Ranpo seem to have a bit of a truce going over this whole thing. They don't reveal each other's secrets. Dazai seems not to mess with Ranpo as much as the others, if at all. I feel they'd be a tough match for each other if they had some sort of prank war, and neither of them are really averse to that concept (Dazai's pranks vs Ranpo's deduction would be enrichment in both their enclosures tbh) but they just don't go there. There's a part of me that wants to wonder if they both just don't want to know the answer to the question of who is smarter/better at intellectual games (Dazai says it's Ranpo, and I'm inclined to agree, but 1, Dazai says a *lot* of things, and 2, Dazai still probably has tactics that Ranpo would be hard pressed to match)? Do they both know that the optimal strategy is Dazai lets Ranpo win, because in order to beat him, Dazai would have to play by a level of bastardry that neither of them want to instigate, so it's not an interesting question to them?

And final thing: I also get the sense that Dazai in many ways admires Ranpo. Dazai tends to admire, seek out, and grow attached to people with strong moral compasses, and people with strongly developed senses of integrity. Ranpo is absolutely in that category, though in a different way to Kunikida or Oda. Dazai sees in Ranpo a person who was mistreated by the world and could have been so resentful but instead considers it his moral duty to protect people who don't have his deductive powers. And I think that compels Dazai. What I don't know is exactly how Ranpo feels about that. Is that just under the category of his "of course everyone should admire me!" posturing, or does it hit different knowing who he's being compared to and what it means to Dazai, specifically, to admire someone?

Anyway. Wrapping up because this got away from me. Dazai and Ranpo are clearly both friendly with each other and respect each other but I'm biting the furniture trying to work out how Ranpo feels about Dazai, what Ranpo thinks their relationship is, and how Ranpo processes this whole thing. Thank you for indulging me.

[fuckyeahfightlock]

Well, today's scary movie was an interesting one. I'll start out by saying, if talent and/or acting chops are somehow passed down by heredity, Miles Robbins definitely has the talent and chops you'd expect from the son of Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins. :-D

And Patrick Schwarzenegger has pretty much the talent and chops you'd expect from the son of Arnold Schwarzenegger. :-/

Daniel Isn't Real was written by Adam Egypt Mortimer (who also directed) and Brian DeLeeuw, based on DeLeeuw's novel In This Way I Was Saved. In this psycho-horror, college freshman Luke (Robbins) calls forth the support of his childhood imaginary friend (Schwarzenegger) in order to cope with his social awkwardness at school and family trauma at home.

This movie opens with a horrifying bang (literally) as six-year-old Luke (this child actor is painfully cute) witnesses a bloody crime scene, where he meets his new best friend, Daniel. Soon enough Daniel causes the kind of trouble that makes Luke's mother insist he is no longer welcome, and Luke "locks him up in Grandma's dollhouse." Years later, Luke is lonely at school, and his mother (Mary Masterson) is unraveling at home in a spiral of mental illness. In desperation, Luke unlocks the dollhouse and Daniel returns, helping him develop a smooth patter with the ladies, give comeuppance to his annoying dormmate, and develop his artistic skill. Eventually, it all goes wrong.

The film's "is Daniel a manifestation of Luke's new-blooming schizophrenia, or is Daniel somehow a real entity?" premise is so unsettling, and the slow reveal of good-buddy Daniel as an agent of chaos, violence, and cruelty is truly terrifying (despite the fact Daniel dresses like a douchecanoe and Schwarzenegger's performance is fairly one-note). Miles Robbins gives a tour de force performance that is endlessly engaging and brilliantly nuanced. The rules of the film were clear enough that what could have been a very confusing story is easy to follow (Daniel can occupy Luke's body, and does, and this is handled well, as are the sequences in the metaphorical prison of Luke's mind). In the first act I was tempted to label this one Gen Z Fight Club, but any comparisons are. . .well, I think they're legitimate, but probably a little too cute.

If you love a psychological horror--with some demonic overtones and creature design right out of a painting by Hieronymous Bosch--this film is for you. There is some body horror and a not insignificant amount of blood, as well as violence the filmmaker doesn't shy away from (apparently this is my Month Of Realistic Stabbings), but you can watch through yr fingers, because this movie is absolutely worth the time.

[mrstsung]

I want this shang but only the version in my head. Only the version i handcrafted away from the narrative and the hype schlock that was mk12/mk1. The version that is his humble beginnings,freshly cursed by the gods,former warrior of earthrealm,having a falling out with his former friend and mentor lord raiden and cohersd by shao kahn to serve under him thus betraying earthrealm. The version i handcrafted and carefully made with love. Tho it can apply to any and many of the various iterations of shang tsung over the years. I feel a young shang's misadventures is long overdue or at least a proper backstory that isn't overtaken and overshadowed by corporate meddling. (I would absolutely love to have mr.tagawa's input more on this personally,and his opinions and thoughts on my backstory for shang. But alas maybe some day)

But anywho. A young shang tsung would be nice but better written or given at least a better script.

Because mr. Alan lee is such an amazing talent. And i feel he deserves so much better as shang tsung,one of THE if not THE MOST iconic antagonist of the mortal kombat series. (As with many other actors and VA for said character.)

Like this shang's aesthetics(minus the claws gauntlets tho they are growing on me but they could look better. Maybe more snake or dragon motifs?),the charm is there,the feeling,the attitude,the actor does an amazing job,but the problem is....legitimately....everything else. When your "antag" is better than everyone else,and i mean that genuinely. Better than the script and plot,better than the protags,better than the other antagonists,etc. Then....it's not good. Of course i love shang and want a win for him once. Especially now he has legitimate reasons why he does what he does,why he is how he is,and you genuinely feel sorry for him,and want to hug him,give him a friend,ffs you just go "ah fuck man, you good?" Yeah. He actually has something shown at least. Not my personal flavor. However for canon to be bold enough to do so is shocking. But what pisses me off as a fan of both mk and shang tsung. Is that...

1. It took them waaaaay too long to make that happen.

2. It doesn't feel sincere even when they did.

3. It feels rushed and plot convenient. And centering shang's whole backstory around liu kang instead of well....shang tsung. At least it feels that way. It doesn't feel like the character has agency. So it feels like a half assed apology for doing shang dirty.

So that's why i don't like the story that shang is centered around. Now if we take the character,the concept of a shang tsung down on his luck,barely surviving off of scraps,even tho he serves a powerful kingdom and emperor with a cushy job as a court mage. That i would love to see. That's exactly how i always saw his og backstory, if you want him to rectify mistakes ACTUALLY FUCKING DO IT AND NOT BACKTRACK FOR STATUS QUO FOR YOUR "PROTAGS OR HEROES" TO WIN!!!! Like holy shit dude. Like crap,the Fanfics are better than canon writing and nrs knows it! They seem to even try to copy what we as fans to but fail so hard. But it's sad it feels so half assed when a "professional gaming company" is supposed to make this. But i feel its corporate meddling,and Hollywood greed that prevents this series,at least storywise and narratively from reaching its true potential.

Sorry for this vent. But this character I'm very very passionate about. But mostly this game series. I love this game. I love playing it. Almost all the games. It's my childhood as many others. And I'm not gonna stand for mediocrity and slander to one of my faves.

But anyways. Enough rambling. Back to shang.

Like mk12/mk1 shang tsung isn't bad at least looks wise. No more different than anyone else. But it still bothers me they all look "samey" and not in a memey,jokey,fun way. It looks sloppy next to him. Ignoring everyone else around him,looking at shang individually. Omfg he's a cutie. He's smug,he's the shang i know n love but just....younger. like in His 30s or so. Around my age. Which is cool. But....i still kinda wish his old man shang wasn't a ruse. I ignore it was a ruse tho so it doesn't count. In fact like i said. I'm rewriting the whole thing period.

Will it be kinda self indulgent? Maybe a bit self inserty,Yes. But i don't care. Because he deserves better than that.

We owe it to mr.tagawa. to shang's character. To all the voice actors and actors and amazing talent over the 30+yrs mk has been around. We deserve a good story,a better story,and even more so,a better fucking game. To play. To learn. To have fun with. Without paying and arm and a leg to even access it. Period.

Shang tsung baby you deserve better. So so so much better.

[ocil91]

I meant to do this MONTHS ago but I want to talk about the Coven Heads a bit now that they've all shown up at least a bit in Outsiders.

Let's just start with the three at the Glandus Incident.

Mason - Stern Head Witch of the Construction Coven. He's very good at what he does and has a bit of a perfectionist streak. He's a newer Head Witch and is quite proud of the title. He works well enough with the other Head Witches but he's not going to let them boss him around or speak down to him. Which generally puts him at odds with Adrian, Vitimir, Terra, Osran and even Darius.

He's generally a kind person but his strict adherence to his own personal beliefs, combined with being very openly hostile to anyone that he believes is in the wrong don't always make him come across that way.

He is Steve and Matt's father, which hasn't come up in the actual story yet but its a thing that's true. Steve and Matt are half-brothers meaning that they have different mothers, but the same father. He's proud of both of his boys. Does he know Matt is Dual Tracking? Probably not.

------------------------

Raine Whispers - We all know and love Raine. An incredibly powerful Bard with an equally strong sense of justice. As a member of the Rebellion, Raine has to pretend like they are part of the Coven Machine, but cannot bring themselves to actually hurt anyone just to keep up appearances.

They are also the leader of the Bards Against the Throne and are fiercely protective of its members. It drives Raine mad listening to Darius making snide comments at their expense. The trio of Bards might not be as strong as Head Witches, but Raine believes fully in their potential and always seeks to nurture that potential.

As a talented actor, Raine pretends to be much more meek around the other Head Witches and Belos himself. With an overbearing presence like Terra always hovering over them, its easy for them to appear more timid and weak.

Speaking of Terra, their relationship to her is pretty simple. They absolutely hate the woman. She has involved herself in their life as far back as high school. She's even constantly vouched for Raine's ability while, in the same breath, infantilizing them. It's led to an overwhelming belief among the Coven Heads that Raine only got the position because of Terra.

However, as much they can't stand her, Raine can't help but feel like a helpless kid in her presence. One day they'll work up the courage to speak the truth directly to her face, but for now...

------------------------

Terra Snapdragon - The ever-confident Head of the Plant Coven. She's held the position for decades now. Every year it is speculated that she'll finally retire and name her replacement but it never happens. Terra intends to hold firmly onto the role until she finally gets what she deserves. And to that end, everything is fair game. There's nothing too cruel or too petty.

Her age and experience put her a notch above even her peers. Despite her age her magical power hasn't weakened at all, even if her body has a bit. She looks down on pretty much everyone, viewing herself as the most skilled, most powerful, most beautiful, most... everything.

With the exception of Raine, she doesn't really get along with anyone. The others are either too young to be taken seriously or too weak for her to even consider listening to.

She even views herself as superior to Belos. She acknowledges his position in the world, but thinks of him as a lowly brute who she can effortlessly manipulate into doing what she wants.

Her relationship to Raine is more complicated than she'd like. Having never had any kids of her own, she legitimately views Raine Whispers as her legacy. This bright-eyed and endlessly talented kid who she took under her wing and boosted up to the very top! She will do whatever it takes to keep Raine on the right path and protect them... in her own ways.

However, any care she has for Raine is ultimately swaddled by her own selfishness. The core of the matter is that she views Raine as an extension of her own prowess and ability so, truthfully, her grip on them is just her trying to puff herself up further. Not that she sees it that way.

[thephantomcasebook]

I'm thinking Ewan Mitchell sold his soul to Hollywood. Fucking scary how they lure young great talents like him in. Thoughts?

Look, I'm gonna tell it to you as clean as I can.

Actors and Actresses are narcissistic, shallow, neurotic, empty people, which, as a whole, can't be trusted. They'll do and say whatever it takes not just to get a role, but to get even a few more lines in a script. They are adult people that play make believe for a living because they, generally, don't like themselves and want to be someone else. To deify or put on a throne, anyone, that plays pretend for a living is plain ignorant and you're asking for your heart to be dashed.

No one enters entertainment and comes out a better person, yeah?

There is a very few actors/Actresses that are jobbing, lunch pail working performers that are good and normal people.

Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael, Jenna Coleman, Nikolaj Coster-Waldu, Matthew Marsden, Aiden Turner, and Sam Heughan.

The only standard you should have for an actor or actress is these three questions:

Are they respecting the character?

Are they respecting the Lore?

And - most importantly - are they respecting the fans?

I hit Olivia Cooke with the fucking truck all the time, because, Olivia Cooke does not live up to these basic principles. She doesn't care about Alicent, in fact she hates Alicent. She doesn't give a fuck about the lore, and is actively campaigning to change it to virtue signal. And she openly does not care about the fans unless their gender and sexuality gives her cashe to big-up her career.

Like I've said, you can love a character and dislike an actor/actress. I'd give my sword for Alicent Hightower ... and at the same time I think Olivia Cooke is a dishonest snake.

Same thing with Lena Headey. Lena Headey might legitimately be retarded, okay. She is so stupid that she couldn't spell "Cat" if I spotted her the "C" and the "A", right? Lena Heady also happens to check all three of the boxes. She loved playing Cersei. She respected the Lore around Cersei and didn't try to change her character to make her look better. And while she had a terrible history prior of out right abusing her own fans, she learned to appreciate the people that paid her fucking bills, in the end.

When it comes to Ewan. I wouldn't wear those clothes, and I question the manhood and self-respect of any man who wears them - gay or straight. But at the end of the day, Ewan Mitchell has a right to do whatever the fuck he wants to do. Or, more succinctly, I don't give a fuck about his or any other actor's personal lives.

What they do on their time is their business. But what they do on my time is my business. And since I'm paying a subscription for "MAX" and thus paying his fucking salary, I expect him to not waste my time with half-ass performances and hack effort, right?

But he hasn't waisted my time.

Ewan Mitchell has been a model of professionalism and passion when it comes to portraying Aemond.

He has put more thought than anyone - except for Glynn-Carney - about his character.

He is dedicated to playing the character right.

And he has been exemplary in his treatment and interaction with the fans of the show and the franchise as a whole.

And that's really all you can ask of an actor in your franchise. What he does and believes in his personal life is his affair. As long as he doesn't disrespect me than I won't disrespect him. That simple.

Once more, you guys have to stop putting actors/actresses on thrones, cause they're only human ... and, in many cases, not very good ones. Love the character, stan the character, but hold these real life people to simple standards that they should be holding themselves too.

I'm not coming down on you nonny, but I've had thirteen years of this shit on Tumblr of fangirls worshiping an actor or actress in cult like status because they like a character.

You guys have got to stop doing that, cause it only leads to bad things.