#like i can understand this shit in like. tv or movies but on LIVE PERFORMANCE???

[lgbtlunaverse]

I was watching a clip of the nutcracker on youtube and someone complained about the ballerina dancing as clara because "an adult playing a 12 year old is creepy" and guys. I think we need to shut down takes. No more takes until we figure out what's going on.

[sillyteecup]

Morning Delights (but make 'em spicy)

Jey Uso x black!o.c

Warnings:

18+

Strong language

Oral (male receiving)

Suggestive content

Mentions of sex

A.N: Okay so because I have a huge "Y/N" phobia, once I create an O.C to pair someone with, I stick with that shit. So like right now I'm not sure if I should just make it a little mini-series of oneshots or nah. Anyway, this little piece was inspired by Warmth by Janet Jackson, so yeah🤭. I hope you like it. Enjoy❤️

Siya was a firm believer in eye contact. In everything she did, she made sure that she commanded attention and respect by staring right into the souls of her audiences souls. Whether it was a conversation, a speech, a performance, and most specially: leaving Josh weak in the knees as she sucked his soul out from his dick.

It was 3:58 am in Cape Town and they were both barely awake in the living room of their villa after basically sleeping through the rest of whatever movie they had been watching before. The only thing illuminating the room was the TV in the background and the red LED lights they had turned on for ambiance the night before.

Neither of them could tell you how they had gotten into that position even if they tried. Yet there Siya was, sitting on the back of her heels, perched between his legs with her hands on his thighs for support. She bobbed her head up and down, keeping her lips tight around him. Her tongue moved up and down his shaft with her head, eliciting the occasional gasp and curse at the ceiling. Her left hand moved to fondle his balls, thumb moving in circles over the sac.

"Fuck," Josh sighed, throwing his head back into the back of the couch.

Siya removed her hand from his balls and dug her pink acrylics into the backs of his thighs; a silent command for him to look at her while she took him in her throat. Josh shook his head in response, too winded to speak. Siya popped him out of her mouth and took his dick into her left hand, running her thumb over his tip. This got Josh's head to shoot up with a look of dismay painted on his sweat decorated face.

"What did I say about taking your eyes off me?" Siya asked, her voice raspy from the sleep and having Josh so deep in her mouth.

"Baby-" Josh began to protest as his hands desperately reached for the back of her head.

Siya however moved her head out of his reach and smirked. "Uh-uh, I asked you a question," she said.

Josh looked at her pleadingly, voice strained as he answered, "You said to keep my eyes on you when you got me down your throat."

Siya then moved to plant soft, wet kisses up his thigh, her tongue drawing circles on his skin. She took his dick into her hand once again, lightly tracing his tip with her tongue before spitting on the same hand. Her hand began to slowly run up and down his shaft, making Josh bite his lip almost hard enough to draw blood as he kept his gaze locked on hers.

"See? You can do it when it's just my hand. Now let's see if you can watch me till you cum," she said. Her lips closed around his tip, tongue ghosting right over the soft spot between his tap and the rest of his dick.

"Shit, Siya...need you," he groaned, fighting the urge to clench his eyes shut.

"Mhmm?" Siya hummed around Josh. making him nod eagerly.

"Yeah, need you so badly baby, fuck," he said, desperation seeping into his voice.

At that, she took him all the way into her mouth, hitting her past her Uvula and down the back of her throat. Siya kept him there for a moment, feeling his dick twitch on her tongue. She began to move her head, keeping a steady pace and essentially using his dick to bruise the back of her throat. She felt her eyes prickle with tears as she took in the sight of her man writhing and fruitlessly grab at the armrests. His strained moans and grunts driving her to go deeper and deeper.

"Baby, I-fuck I'm gonna..." Josh sputtered, struggling to get out a full sentence.

Understanding her boyfriend's warning, she nodded before taking him deep into her throat and keeping him there. Josh let out a choked groan as his seed spilled into her mouth. The tears that had welled up earlier finally spilled down her cheeks as she took the last of his cum down her throat.

Josh regained his composure and nodded at Siya as an affirmation that he was finished. Siya popped him out of her mouth and stuck her tongue out teasingly for him to see the mess he had made on it. Josh let out a breathy chuckle, while she swallowed the last of his seed that was left in her mouth. She then got up from her position on the ground and moved to straddle him, settling her knees on the sides of his waist.

The pair smiled lazily at each other as the soft orange glow of the sunrise shone through the blinds and curtains. They shared a sloppy kiss, tongues passionately moving in sync to one another. Her nails run through the hair on the back his head right down to his nape while his hands gently gripped the thick flesh of her ass.

Her lips moved from his to his jaw, leaving a trail of wet kisses down to his neck. She sucked gently at his neck ellicitng a gasp from him. His hands ran up and down her back, nails digging into her skin occasionally as she gave him a hickey. Her lips released his skin, but not before letting her teeth graze the now darkened patch of skin.

Their lust-filled eyes met, taking each other's flustered states in. Their hair slightly messy from running their fingers through it, their lips swollen from the passionate kiss they just shared, and now the dark mark forming on the base of Josh's collarbone. Not to mention Josh's hard-on pricking at Siya's warm, wet core.

"What?" Siya asked mischievously as Josh's gaze and begun to burn at her skin.

"Just admiring my beautiful, beautiful woman that's all," Josh replied with a lazy smirk.

Siya grinned as she felt the heat run up to her cheeks. "Yeah?" she said, lightly biting her lip.

"Yeah," he said before sitting up to lean. closer to her ear I'm also thinking about how in a minute, I'm gonna have you bent over the back of this couch and fuck you till you can't even remember your own name," he growled lowly, making her shift unconsciously on his lap to create some friction.

"Promise?" she asked, her grin now a devilish smirk.

Josh planted his hands on her waist and bucked his hips to grind up against her clothes pussy, sending a shiver down her spine.

"Does that feel like a promise?"

[thefirsthogokage]

So, the AMPTP basically said that the studios take too much risk to pay people anything for streaming shows. Here's John Rogers and David Slack responding to that.

(link to top of thread)

[Image ID: A tweet thread from John Rogers on July 23rd, 2023 that reads in its entirety:

Last time I had a failure - which was collateral damage in an argument between the studio and the network - I had to personally fire 200 people, they all were off payroll by that afternoon, and I was also out of a job. The executives all continued to get paid. So fuck off.

Actually, that’s not true. The failure after that one happened as collateral damage in one of the mergers, so it had nothing to do with the quality of the show. And I had to wait, forbidden to work, not earning a dime, as they shopped it for six months.

Also several of my writers were cheated of their expected salaries, some losing up to 75%, for reasons too complicated to explain here. Those executives, both studio and streamer, all kept their jobs. So double fuck off.

Actually no, my last failure was a show where after delivery the network made us wait *seven months … for a PASS*. Seven months where I was in first position, and again, was forbidden from working.

Do that was one pilot fee, cut in half with a partner, for a year and a half’s work counting development. Those executives, both studio and network, kept their jobs.

So *triple* fuck off.

Luckily I had my tiny sliver of back end from TRANSFORMERS - no, wait, no, because according to the Hollywood accounting while that movie grossed something like a billion dollars all in, it unfortunately wound up $36 million in the hole.

So QUADRUPLE fuck off.

If you’re dumb enough to take that AMPTP statement at face value, responsible adults should remove all the scissors from your home. You are the reason hair dryers have the “Do not use while sleeping” warning.

/End ID]

I believe that merger one was Leverage or The Librarians. Both were doing REALLY well before they got cancelled due to network shit, I know that much. So the network/studio one could be either of those as well. Probably Leverage?

(Link to top of thread)

[Image ID: A tweet thread from David Slack posted July 21st, 2023 that reads in its entirety:

The studios claim they shouldn’t have to share revenue for the success of the shows we make succeed because they assume all the risk.

Well.

To paraphrase a famous actor: There’s more than one type of risk, motherfucker.

While the studios and their new hedge fund besties may assume some modest financial risk, any losses just go on a balance sheet next to the C-suite’s golden parachutes.

The workers in this industry, on the other hand, risk a hell of a lot more than that.

Most working actors live with the constant uncertainty of never knowing where their next paycheck will come from or how long it will be between jobs. That’s risk.

If they work a second job, they often risk losing it every time they take time off for auditions or jobs.

Actors also generally have little control over the final product, so *every* role is a risk for them. Sure, it could be the hit that changes everything. But it could also be a flop that hurts their career for years. They become “the guy from that thing” and can’t get more work.

Under our old contract, writers put in untold hours of free work developing and rewriting pitches and scripts for features and TV. Much of this work is on spec. That’s a huge risk writers take on — yet the studios are happy to benefit from the upside without taking on any risk.

Writers, actors, crew, and directors also risk our personal relationships, spending long hours at work, frequently across the country or around the world. Our partners soldier on without us. Our kids miss us and we can only hope they’ll understand.

That’s a huge risk.

Stunt performers literally risk their lives for the shows we make. Productions and crews take every possible precaution to ensure their safety, but accidents still can and do happen.

You gonna try and tell us that’s not risk?

All of us risk our health and safety working insane hours to keep up with the schedules our bosses create. When was the last time David Zaslav or Bob Iger worked a Fraturday? Do they even know what one is?

In production, where 14, 15, and 16 hour days are common, people have died from falling asleep at the wheel driving to and from set.

And the studios have the fucking gall to say they’re taking all the risk?

We risk our finances, our families, our friendships, our futures, and sometimes our lives to make a product for you that you have no idea how to make yourselves.

All you risk is money.

And by the fucking way, we *know* you can afford to give us success-based pay — because you’ve been doing it for 83 YEARS.

Remember 1960? When both the WGA and SAG went on strike and won…

residuals for TV?

Residuals for TV *are* success-based pay. Great movies and TV shows re-ran more often, so the people who created and starred in them got more money as a reward for that success. It’s a great system that incentivized workers to bust their asses to make great shows.

And you know what happened to the entertainment industry in the 8 decades studios have been making these success-based payments?

IT THRIVED.

Studios made billions in revenue selling our product all around the world.

But now, the studios say they can’t afford it. They say it’s not “fair” for actors to ask for success-based pay because they don’t take on any risk.

That’s stupid.

It’s offensive.

And it’s a lie.

It’s shameful that the AMPTP and their studio bosses are trying to deny the workers who make their product a bonus for success that is time-tested and has 83 years of precedent.

And that they’re lying about it?

That’s just… uncivilized. #WGAStrong #SAGAFTRAStrong

/End ID]

The absolute fuckery of this statement that came from the AMPTP is that the studios thought this would gain them sympathy. They were wrong. They genuinely thought this was a good statement from them because they DO think they take all the risk because they can't see people who don't have their wealth as real people. They can't.

Wealth is a disease.

No one should make the kind of money these people make. It makes them so out of touch they think of themselves as gods among ants. They step on those ants? They don't notice. They don't care. They just keep moving forward to gain as much money as possible, even though they have no way to spend it.

Fuck the studios, a new system needs to be built around them so that they'll die.

[yoonmetogether]

Get to know your mutuals

hiiii @moochii-daisies thanks for tagging me!!! this was really fun! sorry for the lack of grammar tho

what's the origin of your blog title? it's kinda corny and i sometimes think of changing it but i'm lazy lol basically just incorporating my fav yoongi nickname and making it a play on words i guess?

favorite fandoms: army, atiny once upon a time i was a hooligan lol

OTP(s)/shipname: sebastian and grell (from black butler)

favorite color: pink

favorite game: honestly? club penguin oh and that card game 'spit'

song stuck in your head: there's so much going on up there i don't really know lol today it was everybody mad and yesterday it was that creepy tiptoe thru the window song idk

weirdest habit/trait? i constantly talk to myself. and if i'm outside i'll pretend to be on the phone so no one thinks im nuts lmaoo

hobbies: writing, reading (when i have the brain capacity), hiking with my dog, singing

if you work, what's your profession? I’m a substitute for elementary school students. I dont think im going to branch out to any other grades bc unfortunately where i live there are higher risks of firearm incidents in middle/high schools 🙃

if you could have any job you wish, what would it be? a singer and/or vocal teacher historian, museum curator

something you're good at: oversharing making lattes/mixed drinks

something you're bad at: being on time

something you love: my dog and kitty aka my children markiplier's editor - (also just markiplier in general he's endlessly funny. one day at work i was watching him play that supermarket game and when things weren't going well he went "this is a poopy day! what a shit ass poop ass day!" i had to go hide in a corner for ten minutes to laugh i'm laughing just thinking about it im immature as hell)

something you could talk about for hours off the cuff: bts' origin story lol other history related things

something you hate: fascist governments, maga all these fucking ads everywhere like there's an extra $3-4 fee to not see 5 minutes of ads every 10 minutes on a service that already costs $8-12???? i guess i'll be indefinitely paying for youtube premium because i cannot be without my youtubes fuck you capitalism and forced consumption that goes for you too tumblr !!! something you collect: rocks

something you forget: everything. i have the memory of a gnat on acid

what's your love language acts of service

favorite movie/show: movie - spirit: stallion of the cimarron (idk if hamilton counts lol) tv show - new girl and family guy

favorite food: bibimbap if i could eat that every day for the rest of my life i would but i can't cook for shit nor can i afford it lol

favorite animal: my top 3 are elephants, cheetahs, and pigs lol

are you musical? yes! i went to an arts school for vocal music and did musicals from age 6-13. i don't miss the competitive environment but i do miss performing and singing pretty much every day

what were you like as a child? i was an only child with undiagnosed adhd and not a lot of friends im gonna leave it at that

favorite subject at school? history

least favorite subject math

what's your best character trait? i've been told that i give good advice and perspectives on issues and that i'm caring and understanding

what's your worst character trait? umm i get triggered easily when i feel left out (i have unresolved trauma okay im working on it) ((there's that oversharing))

if you could change any detail of your day right now what would it be? that i finished cleaning out my car

if you could travel in time who would you like to meet? my great-grandmother bc not only am i named after her but she was also born almost exactly 100 years before me and i want to show her everything i found out about her through the research i did for my undergrad thesis project like some stuff none of our family knew about but i was able to discover

aaaaand on an entirely different note, brendan frasier on the set of the mummy

recommend one of your favorite fanfics (spread the love) first thing that comes to mind is Kanalia it's just so perfectly written and beautiful like the angst and tension is paced so well i wish my memory could be erased so i can read it again for the first time i'm actually about to go reread it now

i'm gonna tag @ot72025 @polarnightmyg and @glossdebut ! but no obligation to do it!

[saraminia]

Does it ever just hit you how fucking talented Noah is? Like, objectively you know this. It's nothing new, but then you're listening to a song of his and just get hit with this feeling of.. WOW! This man is a poet! And he's a composer. He's a singer. He's a musician, a multi instrumentalist at that. He's an actor, voice, stage, tv and movies. But most of all I'm in awe of his musical talent. The music he writes is so well crafted and beautifully performed. To think that this man is able to create these perfect pieces of art out of nothing. Like. There's nothing, the song doesn't exist. And then he just. Sits at his piano and. Makes a song. You know? It's incredible. And yeah, I know that's what all musicians do, but let's face it, not everyone is as talented and authentic as Noah and he doesn't have like a huge machinery behind him crafting these songs. And that's why his songs have so much soul you can sense how he makes music from a place of pure joy of creating and he has things he wants to say and get out in the world. And how lucky are we that we get to enjoy the fruit of his creativity. It's easy to mistake him for being just some guy, like any guy you see walking the streets of Toronto or whatever, but once you know of his talent, you'll never think he's just like any other guy. You'll know he's a very very special somebody. A rare talent and a true artist. I hope he truly understands how loved and cherished and adored and appreciated he is. Not just because he's hot or because he played Patrick on Schitt's Creek, but because he creates something that touches his fans and we see the authenticity of his art and the amount of talent and skills that go into making it. I hope everyone who meets him recognizes that they are in the presence of greatness. And I know he probably doesn't think he's that great or special, but it's our job as his fans to remind him of that. I mean, he's chosen show business after all, at least some part of him craves the applause. And we're more than happy to give it to him, because he gives so much to us. Music that lives in our hearts and minds, as a soundtrack of our lives. Like a gift straight from his fascinating wonderful mind to ours. And isn't that just amazing. The way it allows us to connect to a part of his mind. The part that he's willing to put out there for all of us to see, which is pretty damn brave by the way. Anyway, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to write such a long thing. I just wanted to make a silly little shit post, but once I start waxing poetic about Noah, there's no stopping me. I love him so much and am so grateful for every piece of himself he's willing to share with us in his work.

[popculturebuffet]

I thought I'd try an interesting idea. Looking at how Community is, I thought it'd be cool to bring this question up: Favorite episode for Jeff, Britta, Abed, Annie, Shirley, Troy, and Pierce (I'll do the non-Study Group main cast members in a second ask to make it easier) on where they shine the best individually and why?

Okay finally getting to this one since I have a spare ten minutes: Jeff: Advanced Criminal Law. He has plenty of great moments but I think his bullshitting yet also genuine defneses as Britta's lawyer get to the heart of this guy. Jeff shines best when his heart has to show, that he's full of bullshit and axe body spray, but he's also a good man deep down despite himself and will do the right thing when pressed. He shines best comedically when just given a good withering put down or spinning out over his vanity.

Britta: Lawnmower Matinence and Postnatal Care. This episode is already one of my faviorites: it brings keith david into the series who damn well better be in the movie even just for a cameo, who shows his immense comedic chops as elroy, and has my faviorite line in the entire series

But while the a plot is one of community's best, the b plot is no slouch. While jeff stayed largely the same comedicaly, the bill murray type for everyone to rally around, Britta's evolution is intresting going from a bland as hell love intrest for Jeff who mostly just scowled at the others.. to deconstructing that as a hilariously pathetic hipster trying badly to be the moral center she was originally creeated to be and becoming a human train wreck the group sometimes fairly, sometimes not picks on. This late stage episode showcases that the best with the reveal her parents have secretly been subsiding her friends paying for her nonsense. Yet it's also a good character piece: While Britta is being performatively petty with her parents, even riding off on a trike while telling her parents not to infantalize her in what I consider THE britta scene and why this is here... it also gets as to WHY she's like this: her parents were strict, controlling and led her to being the conrarian mess she is, and she's understandably upset they both changed this late AND her friends can't accept she has valid frustrations. But I like them settling things: britta accepts their help and they geninely apologize for how they were. As you can see Britta works best as a mess.. someone who SEES herself as this big sister type, but is really just as flawed as the rest of her group.

Abed: This is a fucking hard one but thankfully like the rest of this my brain filled in the blank for me. Abed has a LOT of good episodes: as the series meta guy, he's the best vehicle for high concept nonsense the crew had. There's a lot of great stuff from his early breakout with his film for his dad, to his time as jesus, to "I'm a cat i'm a sexy cat". But honestly the best abed episode is abed's uncontrollable christmas. It gets to the real heart of him and Danny Pudi's splended performance: Abed's schitck goes way too far as he gets stuck in christmas and his friends have to help him out. It shows why he flees to tv: with a disapproving dad and a mom who left him, it's a source of comfort.. and finding out his mom no longer wnated him makes him shut down. It takes his friends geninely supporting him to make him see he dosen't need to escape.. that tv is nice.. but he can share it with his new family. It also has a lot of great weird shit. Abed is at his best in a LOT of circumstances: palling around with troy, when you tear him apart just a bit, and honestly feels like a better picutre of a neurotypical person than most. It's still a BIT tv autisim, but they lean off that early in favor of having him be a person: he hyperfixates on a ton of shit from inspector spacetime to the cape, has trouble with other people's emotins and get slost in his own world. It's exagerated because community is a live action cartoon at times, but they never stop making Abed feel like a person as much as a gimmick.

Annie: Virtual Systems Analysis. While this is a good abed episode, showing his mind in pieces and getting a good dig in at grey's anatomy, again a show i've watched all of up to the current episodes, it also gets to annie: her need to help people, her crush on jeff and why at the time it wouldn't work, and who she is. Annie like Abed is a good multitool character. Like Danny Pudi (And the whole cast really), Allison Brie is super talented, so Annie got to evolve from a vaugely defined character who was breaking down to a chill yet still type a person. She also plays off abed VERY well and Ig et why the shipping for these two was thick and frothy: Annie makes a good straight man while still being zany enough to kick off her own plots and she plays perfectly off Pudi and Glover. Giving the two a whole episode together was genius. You could see this dynamic as early as the psycological study which again, feels like an accurate depcition of autisim compared to a lot of what i've seen: Annie asked Abed to do something, so he did it. She's a strong character as the show goes on and this shows it off well.

Shirley: Comparitve Religion. It's one of only two shirley episodes I relaly like, the other being urban matriomony and the sandwitch arts. I love Yvette Nicole Brown, she's talented and does the roll well... but Shirely is easily my least faviorite of the greendale 7. It's not even close. Yvette Nicole Brown does a good job playing her.. but it's very hard to like her as 8 times out of ten, their focusing on her being a self righteous asshole who can't understand that being religoius dosen't make you a moral authority.

Comparative Religion uses this well, as her sermonizing is a problem: None of the gang is Christian like her and her passive agressive shit towards there religions grates and causes Jeff to lash out. While he DOES mend the fence by agreeing not to fight, Shirley realizes she needs to get the stick out of he rass ant takes a candy cane to a mans face. "It's december 10th!" Yvette Nicole Brown is, and I stress this, talented. I like her as a person. She just didn't get nearly as much to do as the others and as a result they tended to fall back on her sandwitch shop or her religion. Shirley works best when called on her shit or serving as the voice of reason.

Troy: Troy was hard to think of an episode for which is weird. Troy is one of the shows best character going from typical jock to loveable weirdo, with Glover having top notch comedic timing: a lot of the shows most memeable and memorable lines come from him: "HOw about I pound you like a boy", the that's racist exchange, the cookie crisp breakdown, the masturbation breakdown.. Donald Glover is REALLY good at having a hilarous breakdown, and of course TROY AND ABED DOING ANNNYTHING as pairing them up was genius.

Thankfully I did remember the one plot where Troy's not only mostly on his own but gets to shine, and partly because as a change of place he's a straight man. His time at Air Conditioner Repair. I mean the whole subplot is great from the good will hunting parody, to John Goodman as hte manical dean of the air conditionir repair school, but the climax is fantastic: with the dean dead Troy is thrown into a weird labyrinth of rituals, attempted murder and a contest to the death. It also leads to his best line,

It works thanks to Glover's great acting.. and the simple fact that TROY, who in this same season had a blanket fort war with his best friend rather than just talk things out, is the sane one.

Pierece: This one is easy. Intermmediate Documentary Filmaking. While it has a lot of good gags to it on it's own, patucally troy's freakout over lavar burton (Who also hopefully shows up for the movie). At it's core though it's a character piece for Pierece: It shows how fucked up he is as a person, putting everyone thorugh elabroate mind games to fuck with them, while also showing how he sees some of them giving annie a genuine gift and abed a neutral gift as he's neutral to him and vice versa. Piece has a valid reason to be pissed at everyone, how they treat him, ignore him and generally dispise him.. yet his going to such elaborate lengths to fuck with him kinda proves WHY: he's a bitter old man who rather than just call everyone out, decided to fuck with their heads and pretend to be jeff's dad and he's only not beaten to death ofr his actions, which he was warned about, because everyone else stops jeff.

Pierce can be hit and miss: his offensive grandpa jokes don't always land and he works best being weird as shit, like desnging the greendale human being or the college's theme song, getting high on paint thinners, making streets ahead a thing or other wacky nonsense. I"ll also say this: Chevy Chas eis talented. He's funny, he adds something to the show and it was nice to have him.. but unlike the rest of the cast who far as I can tell are wonderful human beings and talented, Chevy Chase is a giant combative prick, always has been always will be and while I like him as an actor, as a person he can go fuck himself and I want that on record.

[marble-arble]

Hey, I yap a lot and I engaged in a lot of stuff this year. Let’s talk about 2024.

Things I deemed worth remembering in 2024

Films:

Police Story (1985): Best martial arts movie ever? Probably. I understand why Every Frame A Painting was so disillusioned by Jackie Chan’s US work (though I’m certain Jackie Chan doesn’t mind how well it pays the bills). Really just a masterclass in combining comedy and action. The last 10 minutes of raw action, perfection.

Hundreds Of Beavers (2023): Speaking of comedy, holy shit. This is the biggest love letter to video games and looney tunes I’ve ever seen. I think this is one of the best to ever do it. Perfectly walks the line between cheap and charming to the point where the latter would be lost without the former.

The Lighthouse (2019): Was everything everyone hyped it up to be. Anything I could say would either be lacking or a pale imitation of what’s already been said by people smarter than me.

Sunset Boulevard (1950): I took a film noir class this semester! I didn’t pay attention or care about most of them ahah. But, this one is a banger. Gloria Swanson owns every scene as Norma Desmond. Her performance made this movie. Everyone else was up to snuff of course, and a sharp script coupled with incredible shot composition makes this the best film I saw in that class and one of the best I saw this year.

Eega (2012): Do not look anything up about this movie. Don’t even search for it by its title. Find friends and just watch it. The entire way through. You can get past those first 30 minutes and it will be worth it.

They Live (1988): We gotta aim for anti-capitalist radicalization this fast irl (this is a joke). John Carpenter’s musclebound 80’s extravaganza, anything but subtle, but a good time throughout. Has one of the most dragged out fight scenes I’ve ever seen and I loved every minute of it.

Playtime (1967): Jesus christ. One of those “How did they do this?” movies like Police Story but instead of stunt work it’s the blocking. It’s almost exhausting despite it being nothing but looking at people go about their day. It’s quite good in fact! But you can definitely feel the exhaustion director Jacque Tati had with modern life by the end. A worthy movie to go into financial ruin for.

Shorter Films/TV

Various Works of Jan Svankmajer (1989, 1988, 1982, 1966, 1964):

I was introduced to him last year in a film class with the “Lunch” segment from 1992’s “Food”. Haven’t checked out the rest from that collection but I loved that one segment so much that this year I decided to dive into his other works. Cinemassacre has a great video that gives five great shorts to check out from him as a beginner. I’ll be talking about the ones he recommended, however, out of the chronological order he suggests, but if you’re curious and want a guide, use his.

“Darkness Light Darkness” from 1989 is so charming to me. I think human bodies are just very funny things, watching him construct one in real time reminded me of some of my own strange thoughts about my own body. His 1988 sports (i say that word loosely) comedy “Virile Games” is like a monty python sketch with 90’s nicktoons humor. I don’t have any better way to describe it, that’s just what it is to me. 1982’s “Dimensions In Dialogue” feels at parts Jan flexing his mastery over the stop motion/claymation medium. Impressive claywork in two of the segments and some fascinating materials for stop motion in one. Also his most direct feature with its messaging and subtext.

1966’s puppet show endeavor “Punch and Judy” was kinda a miss for me. Some great moments in the very end but it felt the most aimless. Still enjoyed it but not one I think I’ll revisit very soon. However his first ever feature, 1964’s “The Last Trick” I’ve revisited plenty. Being at the very start of Svankmajer’s career, he’s not messing around with the stop motion, claymation, collage style he became known for. But I think he’s still in top form here. A lot of charming effect work and enjoyably surreal comedy from two magicians who desperately want to one up each other. I think it stands as one of his best even if later on his style became much more daring.

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time with Svankmajer. I’ll probably get around to his feature length films “Alice” and “Conspirators of Pleasure” with more of his short films along the way. If you have a love for strange mediums and a somewhat off kilter sense of humor, I really recommend trying out his shorts.

X-Men ‘97 (2024): I’ve never seen the original 90’s cartoon and don’t plan to. ‘97 delivers on every level. Stunningly gorgeous, perfectly structured (remembering you can have a serialized narrative but have episodes that can stand on their own was a welcome holdover from the 90’s), and the best monologues I’ve heard in a minute. Feels like the first revival to understand and embrace the appeal of the original work yet still have the courage and finesse to elevate the material with some great creative decisions. Hope the team and new head writer can keep the momentum going from season two onwards.

Radio TV Solutions “RTVS” (idfk): Preaching to the choir, I love this channel. A friend late last year and early this year got me hooked on Wayne’s selfaware ai half life saga. Other friends upped the ante by getting me into RTVS other works. They’re really fucking funny. I can be watching a stream for a fake console, nosferatu going into the public domain, or even a merch reveal stream for Pizza Tower and they’ll hit me with the most obtuse bits that remind me I’m a very weird person who’s very happy to find equally weird yet incredibly funny people.

Manga (Mostly):

Jujitsu Kaisen (2018-2024): I started reading this last year but with it officially calling wraps, I think now is a good time to say my thoughts on it. It’s s’alright. I really loved how much Gege’s art evolved throughout the series, I especially liked where his style was by Culling Games onward. But, this was a bit of a rush job. I can see why many left the series disillusioned with the conclusion. Can’t say I’m crazy about it myself, buuuut I think I had a good time by the end.

One Piece (1997-): We really are in the final saga. I'm gonna have this mostly be my thoughts on the insane climax of Egghead island cause wow. I had my reservations hearing murmurings that the final saga of One Piece would be only 5 years long. But if Oda plays his cards right (and the multiple decades spent on weekly manga don’t catch up and kill him) he could end it then. Fantastic arc that escalated so much in its climax I get why the anime announced a hiatus. Gonna be great watching all this play out when it’s animated.

Azumanga Daioh (1999-2002): Yeah. It’s peak. Azuma just knows how to make the most insane characters worm their way into your heart. The dynamics and interactions were perfect, art only got better. Beautiful series that does everything it needs to.

Yotsuba&! (2003-): Ofc I had to start what most people consider to be Azuma’s best work still going on today. I can see why so many love this series. Azuma captures the essence of being a child so earnestly without it ever feeling fake or overly-sentimental. The supporting cast is even better than Azumanga Daioh with some really incredible characters throughout (and Yanda). I think I prefer Azumanga Daioh just a bit for how good the interplay with the main cast is in that series, but Yotsuba is a wonderful manga.

Marvel’s New Ultimate Universe (Spider-Man, X-Men, Ultimates 2024): These were the three Ultimate universe titles I chose to follow. Now I’m about 2 months behind on what's been happening with them but I liked what I was reading. Very much a slow and steady start, this is Johnathan Hickman at the helm, the long con is always the end goal. But if you wanna try out a Big 2 comic, these are a great start.

Dungeon Meshi (2014-2023): I’m gonna save most of my thoughts on this when I talk about the anime I saw (and care to remember) this year. But the anime inspired me to read all of the manga and I’m very grateful I did. Ryoko Kui is a master. Probably the best fantasy story I’ve ever read.

Goodnight Punpun (2007-2013): Hey it’s that manga everyone treats like an SCP. Can’t say it's not warranted to some degree. If you have a headspace that’s easily swayed by any form of media, this could worsen depression for anyone going through it or with a history with it. And if not that, it’s not a very pleasant manga regardless of mental wellbeing. Very few punches are pulled, very few lines not crossed. But I do think this is the best manga Asano has made wholesale.

With the benefit of it being his longest work, Punpun feels like the most complete package. Now I’m usually pretty susceptible to any media I read/watch/play affecting my headspace. I think with my knowledge of Punpun’s legacy, I went into this with a ”Voyeur to tragedy” mindset which shielded me and left me shocked but also in awe of Asano’s abilities. Definitely not a manga for everyone or one I find myself able to really recommend. It’s to be read by those genuinely curious about it with or even because of its legacy. If you do, Punpun left me inspired and speechless at the same time.

Solanin: (2005-2006): The second work by Inio Asano I read. In some ways the more depressing one for me. I’m in my mid 20’s and am still figuring out what to do. I think the first half is stronger than the second half. The first chapter's statement that “Freedom without purpose is kinda boring” has stuck with me for a while now. The latter half I wasn’t as into, but it’s an incredibly honest story about the struggles of your mid 20’s and that expecting a grand coda to anything from it is a bit silly.

Dead Dead Demons DEDEDEDE Destruction: (2014-2022): My final Asano work for this trilogy, and wow. This one was a lot! Not even in the ways that Punpun was a lot thematically, DeDeDeDe packs so many ideas and concepts into it’s 100 chapters that somehow it’s climax, (that giving credit looking back Asano managed to elude to it somewhat), but it still feels rushed!!!

DeDeDeDe starts with what I assume was Asano showing two girls friendship (debatable) persevering through a looming disaster, also becomes commentary about social media feeding our worst habits, radicalism, and modern times in general. Sometimes it's incredibly kind and empathetic with characters like Makoto, other times it feels like Asano goes for the lowest hanging fruit for mockery, sometimes someone looks like they came from Doraemon. Intentionally of course, very aware what the Isobyean sections was meant to be a sendup of.

I can’t really get into it without spoiling which even with my mixed feelings towards the ending I don’t wish to spoil. I guess the hook for me was Kadode and Ontan’s bond and the series seems to be focusing on that. But the way everything wraps up felt way too out of left field. A manga that wanted to tackle big ideas through an intimate lens but I think it lost that balance by the end. Probably my second favorite work by Asano. Could’ve been first, oh well.

Shimeji Simulation (2019-2023): By the same author as Girls Last Tour, I probably would not have given this a shot if not for the recommendation of a friend and it’s pretty damn good. Tsukumizu has such an enjoyably loose approach to manga. Alternating between traditional page layout and 4komas that are sometimes 4.5komas, this is a manga that embraces surrealness with the most casual touch. The writing really captures depression in its most genuine sense. It’s not miserable, but it isn’t happy. If you’ve ever had days where it feels like anywhere you go is just a detour from your room, it’s like that. A manga for people who’ve had hazy brains on clear days. I’m slowly chipping through it. Maybe it’ll be 2025 when I finish it. I do recommend it wholeheartedly.

Video Games:

Dragon Quest III HD-2D (2024): Game of the year. I’ve been looking forward to this game for so long and I loved it. I’ve never played DQ3 before but this delivered on every front. The HD-2D style is what it should be (imo) with no mixels getting in the way. The story isn’t mind blowing but charming nonetheless. So many little setpieces and ideas here that feel like you can see the ripples this game would have on many games later. Not perfect of course. The battles don’t really have much strategy beyond how hard and fast you can hit and how much you minimize damage taken from getting hit. And there were some noticeable difficulty spikes with some bosses which made me pretty bitter. But I still loved this game to the very end. Definitely seeing myself replaying this and messing around more with its class system. Absolute beast of a JRPG.

Star Fetchers: Escape from Pork Belly (2024): I loved the pilot, I supported the kickstarter for Episode 1. I loved the demo for episode 1, and I loved this dlc to tide us over until Episode 1 comes out. Everything great about Star Fetchers in a quick one and done Punch Out style adventure, and a great showcase for what tech they’ve been working on for Episode 1. I can’t wait to see what they have in store.

Lunisitice (2022): I’m not crazy into 3D Platformers outside of a select few and this one might have become my favorite. It’s incredibly charming and simple. It's a game I can just pop on whenever I wanna smile a bit. Really loved it.

Celeste (2018): I’m not crazy into ~~3~~ 2D Platformers outside of a select few and this one might have become my- you get it. Really wonderful to finally play this game. I’m no platforming expert, my strawberry count was pitifully low and I’m definitely not enough of a platforming pervert to attempt the B-Sides. But the heart on display here did show me why so many love this game, and I do too.

Enjoy The Diner (2023): What a remarkably chill game. The only thing that I think matches this game's approach to writing and by extension Sci-Fi is Shimeji Simulation. And even then both of them feel a bit too different to really be lumped together. I’ve never felt a game that was so content in letting pieces fall where they may in its writing. There’s rarely a cause for panic, no urgency whatsoever. It’s another series that takes a very casual approach to surreality with sci-fi. This is a vibe, an experience to go through if you’ve ever had conversations with a friend at 3 in the morning.

Webfishing and Atlyss (2024): I will lump these two together as I hope experiences made with furries in mind crop up more and more as we go into another hell world lol. Loved both of em, chose a great year to embrace being a furry and all that brought with it.

Anime:

Dungeon Meshi Season 1 (2024): Fantastic. Trigger knocked it out of the park. I only got into it this year, but this is such a fun take on dungeon crawling. Starts deceptively simple with a fun gimmick that greatly appeals to me and my love of food, then (remember when I said I read the whole manga because of this anime) completely sidewinds you with incredibly deep pathos and some beautiful character moments. Laios and company are just the perfect DnD group. Can’t wait to see how Trigger adapts some of the later chapters and the major surprises and turns within them. Fantastic.

A decent chunk of Dragon Ball Z’s original 90’s dub: I got into Dragon Ball when the Kai re-cut was airing on Nicktoons. That was my exposure to the saga of Dragon Ball Z. So I got to watch a series with no filler and a dub that was made with faithfulness to the original script in mind (and a score that I hesitate to say is great for reasons already known if you ever followed what happened with the composer for Kai).

With friends I watched the original dub with the Faulconer score, all the filler pacing intact, and a dub with as many wisecracks the translators wanted to put in. Honestly, it was fun. I’m very aware of the debates that have been had about changes from sub to dub and had them as well. Do I like this more than Kai? No. But was it fun? Yes.

Dandadan (2024): I never got into Dandadan’s manga, but science saru’s adaptation has left me charmed and impressed multiple times. Not a lot to say, this will definitely put this series on the map for many.

One Piece (1999): Well the anime is still flexing its animation team and budget acquired since Wano Act III. Egghead is still marred by the usual pacing issues sticking with One Piece’s anime since Enies Lobby, but if you’re gonna stretch moments to fill an episode, may as well do it with the most bombastic moments you can. Can’t blame em for the hiatus as so many moments later on are gonna need a lot of tlc if they’re gonna hit. Also that opening, “Assu!” Best opening One Piece has ever had. They really should let Megumi Ishitani do more with One Piece.

One Piece Fan Letter (2024): Well hey, ask and you shall receive. This is so much more than I could ever expect it to be. What could’ve been just a cute segway into the Fishman Island recut is also the biggest love letter to One Piece I’ve ever seen. Ishitani and co. understand the heart of this series, why you love it, why you laugh at it, and all the emotions it carries. Ishitani’s style is as fluid as ever and her skills as a director make her the best thing to happen to any shonen anime ever. I need her to direct a One Piece movie. And I need all of you to experience One Piece, if not just for how good One Piece is, for how amazing this one OVA is. I left this OVA with such a big smile on my face.

Bakemonogatari (2009): I’ve known about Monogatari. I’ve always been curious about Monogatari. I’ve watched plenty of memes that recreated its eccentric editing style in other media, I also knew how much this show was accused of being for anime perverts (derogatory). After a friend's recommendation once again, I watched it.

Y'know what, yea. It’s got lots of pervert shit but it was fucking worth it for me. This was wonderful. The presentation is an acquired taste but you can acquire it as soon as Bakemonogatari ends. I loved its rapid editing style, its soundtrack, and the characters. The presentation is top notch, but I loved so many characters by the end of its 15 episode run.

Initially I pinned the go crazy go nuts girl Suruga as my favorite, though looking back at her arc Suruga Monkey is maybe one of the weaker ones in Bake. Not bad, but feels weaker in comparison. I still quite like Suruga, and both Hitagi and Hachikuji are great with arcs that measure up as well.

I got to Nadeko Snake. Loved it. My feelings on Nadeko herself are positive though I think I gotta give her time to grow on me (She can pat herself on the back for the best opening in Bake). Anyways, I was enjoying myself thoroughly. Thinking it was a good experience but maybe not something I’ll leave much with. Then the final arc Tsubasa Cat bookends ybe season.

Wow. I always liked Tsubasa. Her presence was great in the past arcs, but her arc, god it was so good. I won’t spoil but certain moments and revelations hit me close to home in ways I didn’t expect. Is Tsubasa my favorite character now? Maybe, I still have a ways to go with this series, but that arc, I like that arc a lot. I like Bakemonogatari a lot.

Kizumonogatari Trilogy (2016-17): I liked it so much I immediately jumped into the prequel that the director spent just shy of a decade making. If you want the long and the short of it, all three good, but here’s a rough recollection of my headspace throughout all 3.

Iron Blooded: Wow this movie is pretty. This artstyle is kinda fucking everything, oh the cut ins are french now that’s cool. God this movie is so fucking pretty. Holy shit what an entrance. I can see why it took just shy of a decade to put this out. Phenomenal, next one.

Hot Blooded: God this movie is fucking pretty. This series also has an incredible ost, thank fucking god, holy shit this action. God I love you Hanekawa. Also it’s fascinating watching Araragi be more in line with what is usually expected from a light novel protagonist. Bake has him as a hapless but endearing lead, but here he’s a very adolescent loner who can barely compose himself in Kizu. There’s something very interesting as both in adaptation and original publication Bake starts the entire Monogatari series. The allusions to everything that happened in Kizu were quickly revealed in publication as Kizu is the second monogatari book published. But the anime, being a passion project by the director, continued with every book from Kizu onward. I’m glad I’m watching Kizu when I do, I think having this context going forward will be nothing but helpful. But back on topic, Araragi is a very different guy here. Also cause I didn’t mention her earlier Kiss-Shot is wonderful.

Cold Blooded: God this movie is SO fucking pretty- Oh.

Now, I made a post not too long ago about how this trilogy left me with a lot to chew on. I’ll admit here, a lot of it is Cold-Blooded but the whole package really stunned me. Every praise I've lauded the last two here applies to Cold Blooded as well, even more I think. But it’s final moments cut deep for me. I wish I could elaborate more and how many incredible moments there are in Cold Blooded, but words fail me in that regard. I’ve had to think about how this is the beginning of Monogatari. This is what inspires Araragi to stop being such a loner, and choosing to live and make the incredibly meaningful bonds he develops in Bake. Araragi makes the decision to start growing up.

I wrote, like, five pages on what Kizumonogatari made me feel. And I think all together Kizu was discussed in about 2 pages collectively. The rest was a very personal mess of words. It’s weird, Kizu gave me the ability to write about things I thought I never could, but what I wrote about was a lot. And I’m too much of a coward to post that in confidence without thinking it would be unwelcome. It’s stuff I want to share one day. It’s me admitting a lot of things. If anyone is interested I’ll share. But at the moment I don’t have the confidence to talk about it without it feeling like it’s unwelcome, too much, and lacking finesse. This movie made me reflect on a lot. Mentally and Identity wise. I’ll always thank it for that

2024 was a weird one for me. Lotta good, some bad, a whole lot of introspection this fall. Let’s see what 2025 will bring.

Have a Happy New Year Everyone

Best Movie: Police Story (but also Kizumonogatari)

Best Not A Movie: Jan Svankmajer’s strange works.

Best Manga/Comic: Azumanga Daioh

Best Video Game: Dragon Quest III: HD-2D

Best Anime: Kizumonogatari Trilogy

[neuroticbookworm]

Another day, another Step by Step post I did not plan on writing but had to because my smart as fuck mutuals thunk some thoughts, and now my brain won't stop screaming unless I write some words.

Original post by @waitmyturtles here, where she levels criticism on the editing and writing on the show, and adds some excellent perspective on how some people can spend most of their time in work mode, and how that might leave less room to forge any intimacy with the people sharing the work with them.

My addition to this discussion could've very well been a comment, or even a reblog, but I HAD to make this a separate post because @wen-kexing-apologist decided that they wanted to add their INCREDIBLE, PASSIONATE, AND WELL ARUGUED piece defending the show's writing of Pat and Jeng, and their relationship, as a reblog, NOT A SEPERATE POST. I couldn't even like it because I had already liked the original post, why would you torture me like that!!

I will add a quick TLDR, begging you all on my hands and knees to read it, and then get to my point. In the post, @wen-kexing-apologist

Goes through the entire relationship timeline to justify that the reasons for Pat misreading Jeng as straight are realistic and understandable.

Makes a case for the actors' skills and how a very inexperienced but capable Ben and his performance as Pat might come off as a little duller compared to (an equally inexperienced but insanely talented) Man's incredible acting, and how it might contribute to us feeling the drag in narration.

Points out, with a beautiful metaphor, that the slowburn is ending, we're all exhausted because we're almost there, and when it ends, we're all gonna be engulfed in flames, along with Jeng and Pat (I worry for the mental health and wellbeing of all of us when that finally happens).

(that's right, @wen-kexing-apologist, I fully read the wall of text you thought no one would read, and I'm doing my very best to get other people to read it)

Now, @waitmyturtles, I love your addition that Pat has reasons to see all of their interactions as work, and how it is yet another reason for him to intentionally delude himself into thinking Jeng is unattainable. I understand your frustrations and why you would think the narration and editing do not and cannot sustain this slow burn anymore. I'm right there with you, and I think the show as a whole does suffer a little due to the pacing and the editing, but I digress.

My two cents: I have observed that sometimes, movies and TV shows choose to be intentionally frustrating to the audience, to add a feeling of immersion to their viewing experience. The best example of this I can think of right now is The Shawshank Redemption. The movie has a runtime of 2 hours and 22 minutes, which is considerably longer than a standard Hollywood feature, and most of it is spent with the characters inside the titular prison. (spoilers ahead if you haven't seen the movie. Also, howwww?!?!) When Andy finally crawls out of that shit tunnel, the audience collectively takes that deep breath of freedom with him, because they have spent the last 2+ hours of their lives trapped in that prison with him. They feel his euphoria, they can almost feel the rain on their faces because, with Andy, they have escaped the narration that had locked them up in that prison.

While Step by Step might not have executed this as intensely as TSR, I believe they are doing it to an extent, with the audience following the story primarily through Pat. Think of it this way: if we watched our best friend have a crush on a hot guy, find out he is his boss, hate the said hot guy because he is a strict micromanager, torture himself wondering if he is straight or gay, single or taken, and fight his desire for this man while he's also getting badgered by his manipulative ex, we would be understandably frustrated. Add to the fact that, unlike real life, we can actually see the crush reciprocated and the world-class pining Jeng does for Pat every single day. When we consider this angle, the fact that none of us has popped a vein in our heads yet is a miracle.

Another point that might factor into this is Pat's age. I'm not sure of the exact number, but I believe he's a college graduate starting his first job when the show begins. That would put him firmly in his early 20s. As a fellow 20-something-year-old, I strongly believe our twenties are when we are the worst, most emotionally inefficient versions of ourselves. I like to call it adulting with a teenage brain. There's a reason why actual adults can't stand us, it must be frustrating to watch a child in a fully grown body stumble their way through life, making mistakes that are so easy to avoid. Pat's relative immaturity is also contrasted with Jeng's age, introspection, and levelheadedness, and again, I believe it is by design. The writers want to drive us to the brink of our sanity, and so far, they are winning.

This post is not intended to win you over, @waitmyturtles. In fact, I'm firmly on your side, clawing my eyes out over this show. But I might have my teeniest, tiniest toe on the door, just enough to keep the sliver of the writers' intentions shining through.

[solarsonicsoda]

Rebbie Wrestling School - Intro

I like a lot of things. Hopefully you're still with me at this point!

Lots of these things are forms of media! I like movies, I like TV shows, I like music. I like comics and manga when I do actually get around to reading them! I like art, though I'm still not too good at doing it. You probably quite like a couple of these, if not all. However, there's one medium I really enjoy, maybe most of all, that might be a little more out there: professional wrestling.

You've probably encountered it before! Crossover stars like John Cena, The Rock, and Hulk Hogan have all brought varying levels of awareness to the businesses in which they made their names, so it's pretty hard to not have at least heard of it. You might have watched it growing up, or played the games with a friend, or maybe you're a big fan too! But it is definitely the black sheep of my interests, it's just simply less popular.

This is fine though. It's not for everyone and I'm glad it's not! However, I love this stupid, awesome, exhilarating business so so much, and anything I can do to introduce it to someone new, I will do immediately. With this being said, one thing I notice when people ask me about wrestling is: no one knows shit about wrestling but me.

For clarity, I am absolutely taking the mick there, that's not true. But the average person doesn't know too much about what it is beyond "men in tights cuddle". Now, whilst that's a pretty great pitch and I don't know why more people don't look into it from that description alone, it's not strictly true, and I think understanding what pro wrestling truly is will in many cases turn a head. I've even had many people say they'd be interested in checking it out from pieces they've heard but have no idea where to start! So let me give you the lo-down in just one sentence:

Professional wrestling is basically a sports-based soap opera usually performed in front of a live audience, sometimes with supernatural and/or fourth wall breaking and/or reality-based elements, featuring a combination of acrobatics, real combat sports, cooperative manoeuvres that simulate both over-the-top and grounded combat, and dangerous stunts, all to tell a physical story, as well as acting, comedy, video packages, and sports-presentation.

That sentence is long as fuck! Sounds a bit overwhelming, it might be best if we expand on all that. And I suppose while I have you, I could... go ahead and teach you all things wrestling?

Well, this is what my series of posts, The Rebbie Wrestling School, is all about! Are you looking to get into wrestling, but don't know where to start? Are you looking to get a better knowledge of your friend, family member, or partner's interest? Do you want to impress your wrestling friends with your newfound expertise? Are you simply willing to hear me out on this one? Well then, get comfortable in your favourite steel chair, play My Way by Limp Bizkit on loop, and maybe even crack open a few Steve-weisers: it's time to learn about wrestling!... well, in the next post. But stick around to hear it from Rebbie!

Table of Contents

Next Post

[uhlavender]

hey I'm sorry if this reply is coming in late. I've been busy with traveling and work stuff the past couple weeks, that I haven't had any time for myself. i hope you've been well.

sorry to hear that you didn't like cults live! some artists are just great at production and not as performers. I remember having a friend so disappointed of how joji performed live. He kept yelling and asking the city how they were doing every minute. It was amusing lol. performing is just a whole other skill. honestly, there's artists that sound 1000x better live than the studio versions.

i'm learning korean, but i haven't had time to keep up with grammar, im just maintaining vocabulary so i dont forget. there's a lot to talk about when it comes to theory, but to boil it down, especially at the level you're at if you already can speak/listen, you should always be constantly giving yourself a lot of input (reading, listening, etc.) and never stop observing. Once you stop observing, and settle at your level/fluency, you will never grow. So if you don't stop observing/noticing stuff, like phrases, pronunciations, slang, you'll continue to grow. But yeah a lot of input is important. You should always read/listen to your stuff at your level + 1. Read/listen to stuff that you can understand ~96% of. You learn best when you can attach new words to a memory/emotional connection/image. You won't remember the word "obstruction" in a dictionary, but when you figure out the word "obstruction" when used in a movie, TV show, or song, you'll remember it better because of context.

Yeah i think what you're saying is very true. i think life in general is a whole mass of grey. i just wish artistically, my interests and passions will come together and align to something i can be proud of, but i'm just littered with unfinished projects. maybe in my mind during the time, i thought if i just had more focus and precision, i'd get things done.

hmm i think it's definitely an exciting position at a clean slate, but i don't see my slate as clean haha. i already fucked around a lot and have experience walking the roads im interested in. it feels more depressing when you tried and don't know whether you want to try again or fuck around with other shit. i hate saying this, but time is limited, and at a certain point, sometimes you feel like it's too late to hop on another path, but i guess that's just a sunk cost fallacy lol.

at the end of the day, i always think you should do what's fun. For me, it's always rotating -- if i stay too long on one thing, it gets too saturated for me fast. i've always seen that as a bane then a boon, it shows i can't stay consistent and i don't have perseverance.

and you're right. i think to see growth, you need change, otherwise you plateau. i definitely see growth and change in myself. my past self wouldn't believe how mellow i've become. a large part of me now just wants to simplify, minimize, and live a stable quiet life. and i think to do that, i want to let go of a lot of the things i was interested in. i think im just at a phase in my life where i want to move past experimenting and fucking around, and settle on something. i should be having fun with the process. when i think deep about it, it's not that im frustrated not knowing the answer, but that i really have a deep appreciation for art and expression, that it's hard to "choose" a medium to stick with. with all the ways you can express yourself through movies, books, clothes, music, painting, dancing, designing, cooking, and so much more along with the sub-genres behind it, it's hard to say "hey i want to do this for life". but i realize i don't really have to choose. it'll come naturally. i can just ride the river, and see where it leads me. you can also argue you don't have to do it for life, you can do anything you want, it's really your choice and that's the beauty of it. and i argue that my choice is to stick with 1 (or a few). i kind of see it like the difference between a buffet and a specialized restaurant. sure you get variety in a buffet, but you can't match the quality and 1:1 personal experience of a specialized restaurant.

Hey! Don't be sorry, I know I am not the most prompt either.

I hope you've since found some time for yourself. Traveling sounds fun though, where did you go and what do you do? Also, where is home for you?

Lol... Joji doing that does make sense to me. But I'm no performer either.

That language advice makes a lot of sense. It's why immersion is so great for learning quickly. That plus your need to survive lol. Why are you learning korean?

What exactly is stopping you from being proud now, even with unfinished projects? For me, it's comparison that makes my imposter syndrome worse. But other people have different circumstances, it would be really unfair to me if I didn't take that into account. I feel you on the focus thing too. I was diagnosed with ADHD and things started to make sense. Now I try to work with it rather than against it

I hear you, I think if you are called to pivot, do it. It is never too late to reinvent yourself. I am also brutally aware of how little time we have. It's like everything everywhere all at once. You can pick the timeline you want to live. It really is never too late.

I think it's ok to hop from one thing to the next. There are a lot of multi-passionate people who are restless with life. I see that as an asset, but I know it doesn't always feel like it. Regardless, this is good to think about. What do you think would happen if you did persevere? Are you avoiding something? Is there a part of you that wants to keep things incomplete? A part that secretly likes it?

I say this because I feel this way about my success. I know I can make it big, but a part of me is afraid of my own success. I would have that much more to lose. But to not go for it, well wouldn't I have already lost?

I also tooootally understand your struggle with finding your specialty. I am on that boat right now too. I've even used the same restaurant analogy too lol. This capitalistic society pressures us to pick one but we are so much more dimensional. Having too much to pick from is a good problem, but still all the more frustrating. I think riding the way is the best thing to do too. Why do I have to decide now? Can't I just let my heart show and guide me? I know you also want stability, but why throw away your interests? I don't think they are necessarily mutually exclusive. I think we can have our cake and eat it too.

Again, I think it's an asset. And I think you can get really good at more than one medium too. Lately I decided I want one of my main mediums to be metal working. But also machine knitting, jewelry, and print making. Also book making, and maybe also paper making. In the future, I wanna do glasswork and ceramics too. I want to do it all!

I've been thinking about what jobs I could apply for with my lack of specialty, but I realized my specialty is my intersection of passions and my niche is me. I could be a good leader, creative director, manager (something big picture) if I am familiar with all the moving parts. This is just what we interdisciplinary artists do!

PS. Obviously I'm not an expert, but some of the things you're describing sound like adhd behaviors. Could be worth looking into :P

[star-shard]

Elvis Movie Breakdown

in my current opinion, to each their own!

Great stuff (crowd pleasers): Love Me Tender (#1 LMT fan here, even if it wasn't Elvis's favorite movie to work on, its my fav to watch, its one of the few movies he's openly emotional in and fuck it, I think he's a good actor in this, eat my shorts) King Creole (Casablanca director. Melodramatic sometimes but the soundtrack slaps like all fuck and Elvis is charming as Danny, good shit, watch it) Flaming Star (Nuanced 'for it's time', good Elvis performance, SPOILER on secondary watches I stop at the point in which Pacer is radicalized in which I can imagine everything went great after that) It Happened at the World's Fair (Adorable movie alert, Elvis's character is an asshole around romantic prospects but good with kids, so close to real life. Cool as shit shots of the irl World's Fair at the time) Viva Las Vegas (I shan't stand for Viva slander, I ship the fuck out of Ann Margret and Elvis I don't give a fuck if Bye Bye Birdie was shit, just skip the last ten minutes of this flick) Change of Habit (Pretty nuanced, Elvis is a hot doctor. There's a 1969 understanding of what Autism is, keep that in mind if you want to watch)

Fan Favorites! (for the girlies): Loving You (The original music movie biopic, the fight scene in the restaurant slaps cunt severely) Jailhouse Rock (Loving You but what if the protagonist was a lovable asshole, title song dance sequence goes off) G.I. Blues (Adorable as fuck, the definition of fluff, get ready to be seduced by a puppet show) Wild in the Country (It feels like a play. You know? That vibe? Elvis is good in it) Follow That Dream (HIMBO ALERT, not bad, mildly libertarian?) Kissin' Cousins (Ok ok, listen, I know, the title, it's a lot, look Elvis plays two characters and one wears a blond wig wait where are you going wait don't call the police WAIT) Girl Happy (Cute as fuck comedy, actually made me lol, Elvis wears a dress for one scene blink and you'll miss it) Tickle Me (Cute as fuck comedy, haunted house climax) Live a Little, Love a Little (gaslight, gatekeep, girlboss. Two maniacs fall in love)

Drunk Watch (is it good? No, is it entertaining? Maybe): Blue Hawaii (Elvis spanking a suicidal teenager is the highlight of the movie, if u don't like ballads i got bad news for you) Kid Galahad (something something inn keeper type dude has debts zzzzz, fuck me Elvis is wearing a wife beater) Girls! Girls! Girls! (Man loves boat, boat is love, boat is life) Harum Scarum (Racist, offensive, intoxication is a must) Frankie and Johnny (CAMP, pure camp, Elvis gets shot and it's fabulous) Paradise, Hawaiian Style (Love hexagon, he flies a helicopter with a bunch of dogs, gets stranded on an island? It's better than Blue Hawaii, fight me) Double Trouble (A murder plot in an Elvis movie?? Three bumbling detectives take up a majority of the third act, is it funny? No.) Clambake (Elvis wears a suit that looks like a baseball. Races a boat. I forgot about this movie yet it will always haunt me) The Trouble with Girls (So close to being a good-ish. I can't remember the plot. VINCENT PRICE makes a cameo)

See it once for the sake of the marathon (Struggle to keep yourself awake during these beauties): Fun in Acapulco (The child actor made me black out. Elvis is a former circus performer or something) Roustabout (He's hot in a leather jacket, thats about it) Spinout (I always confuse this for Speedway) Easy Come, Easy Go (The worst one. It's not offensive, it's not shocking. It's three episodes of a TV show from the 60s that no one watched) Stay Away, Joe (Imo, just as offensive than Harum Scarum, surreal comedy, funny? No.) Speedway (I always confuse this for Spinout) Charro! (A good movie, compelling, and boring as fuck, Elvis is hot)

[notafraidofredyellowandblue]

Flake's podcast - uncool bands

Published 2021-12-29 (but possibly already broadcast before)

Uncool songs and/or uncool bands: Flake has some difficulty figuring out what the definition of cool or uncool is, not helped by the fact that (as so often) initially he didn't understand the english word and thought it was 'kuhl' when his older brother first mentioned the word at home; what follows is a ramble about an old book, a german movie 'Kuhle Wampe' from 1932, but really figuring out what cool is...no...

So what is cool... at least Flake is sure that fusion music isn't cool (0h20), but the only reason for that is when talking with the band there is always someone who tells him "quit it with that fusion-shit" (for some reason my mental image is of Schneider and/or Paul being the one 😁 but Flake doesn't mention).

It isn't until 0h21 that he solves the mystery for the german listeners, 'cool' means 'cold' (you knew that, didn't you 😁). Most importantly, cool has nothing to do with quality, an really good song can be uncool all the same (and he plays Scorpions 'Wind of change' after that) (which indeed for a certain generation at least is a very uncool song) (am i giving away my age again? 😁)

Very cool people can also make uncool music, like at 0h35 Herbert Grönemeyer, who Flake thinks is a really cool person for the way he plays his music unconcerned if someone is listening..also Flake thinks Grönemeyer is definitely not good looking which is even better, because looking good and making music is a lot easier, but when you don't look good you really have to work for it.

The GDR punks in Flake's circle (from abt 0h50) were very specific in what was cool to listen to and what not, almost like a sort of Taste-Police (again...Paul?). Depeche Mode? Nope, too poppy! The Cure was always a safe bet, you could admit to listen to them

Not many bandanecdotes in this podcast, a quick mention at 1h08 of travelling to London, performing for MTV live, but getting cut off half way through the song because Till let fake-blood run from his mouth, so it was a total flop, going to London for just 40 seconds of tv (bet MTV is now kicking itself for being uncool 😁); but...the good part was that while driving through London Flake saw the actual factory that was on the cover of Pink Floyd's album 'Animals', and only then realized it was a real thing...well...without the flying pig... (for who's keeping track: Pink Floyd is cool)

A hint from Flake if you're in a band at 1h30: always try to be a supporting band instead of the headline act: the expectations are less, the fear of failure is less, and you can hang out with the ladies while the main band is playing. When you're a headliner and you're done, everybody's gone, the canteen is closed, evening is over, when you're the supporting act you've already showered and are partying by that time... (maybe someone can take Flake to an afterparty next time?)

The cutest anecdote for me (at abt 0h51)... you know the 'nasty' ('fies' in german, Paul and Flake still use the phrase a lot) punks Feeling B and their friends at Hiddensee..one of the songs they played day and night? The very uncool 'Walking on sunshine' by Katrina and the Waves.... and I can just picture that immediately 😊

More of my ramblings on Flake's podcasts

[mostlymovieswithmax]

Movies I watched in July

Once again I’m doing my monthly round-up of movies I’ve watched. This was a good month for the cinema getting back on track and seeing new releases including the new M. Night movie, Old and James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad. Pretty sure Marvel put out a new movie also. I’m hoping that this list can help in guiding a decision about what to watch (or what to avoid) and introduce people to movies they may otherwise not have heard of or bothered to see. These short reviews are my own subjective opinions on each individual movie and maybe a more informal approach to movie criticism can help include others who are just passing through. Here is every film I watched from the 1st to the 31st of July.

Bridesmaids (2011) - 4/10

Off to a good start. I won’t say Bridesmaids is a terrible movie but I don’t think I’m exactly the target audience. As far as I know, this is a beloved comedy but I just can’t get on board with all the boring, juvenile humour; with Maya Rudolph shitting in the street, with Rose Byrne and Kristen Wiig trying to one-up each other at a toast that went on forever, with Melissa McCarthy shitting in a sink… the conflict is so done to death and makes the movie feel unspecial. I do understand the appeal of the film, especially for women in that before this movie the likelihood of seeing something like this, where women play up the more crass and gross side of comedy, was probably few and far between. But the story is very tired and while I did appreciate some moments, namely a couple of decent jokes and some of the more intimate scenes, for the most part it felt like they wanted to corner a more quiet type of line delivery in a way that was supposed to be understated but very funny so as to not rely on over the top body language or musical cues, and it ended up being super dull.

Spectre (2015) - 7/10

As far as I can tell, a lot of people don’t like this instalment of the James Bond franchise… but I really enjoyed it! I’ve really taken a shine to these Daniel Craig-era Bond movies and while I can’t say any of them are the most amazing thing, I have a lot of fun with them. The biggest problem I have with Spectre is the villain being utterly pointless and uninteresting in basically every way. The idea of every villain Bond has fought before being tied to this one organisation controlled by this one guy is ridiculous, and what makes it worse is that the villain is barely in it! There’s so much that doesn’t come together in this but as it goes, I still had a really good time. Daniel Craig holds the whole thing together; he is excellent as 007 and the main reason I’m up for each of these movies is because of him. Sam Mendes directs again after the previous instalment and for what it’s worth I do think he does a good job with some of the action set pieces and the locations. I’m so ready for No Time To Die.

Shazam (2019) - 7/10

Shazam is a genuinely fun superhero movie that doesn’t take itself seriously at all. I was having a great time throughout and while it could conform to some of the same tropes we’re used to with these kinds of movies, it still remained playful and used the character of Shazam to his fullest potential in a way that showed an understanding of just how silly the idea of a kid who can turn into an adult and shoot lightning out of his hands is.

High School Musical (2006) - 6/10

So as you may or may not know, I co-host a podcast: The Sunday Movie Marathon. It’s a film podcast and every week I get together with my other co-hosts and watch movies. For episode 38, we watched the High School Musical trilogy. This first movie blew me away. I was really surprised with just how much fun I had, and if you want to hear more of my thoughts on the film, please listen to episode 38 of the podcast.

High School Musical 2 (2007) - 4/10

We then jumped into the second and while it’s certainly not as good as its predecessor, there are still some brilliant songs that manage to top the last movie. Again, more of what I have to say can be heard on episode 38 of the podcast.

High School Musical 3: Senior Year (2008) - 3/10

Senior Year was pretty hard to get through. I don’t remember it being as bad as it was, but then I didn’t really remember it anyway. It did however have one redeeming quality, which you can discover on episode 38 of the podcast.

The Piano Teacher (2001) - 9/10

What the fuuuckkkk. The Piano Teacher is horrendously affecting and I was so upset when it ended, maybe not because it’s not what I wanted but because it’s just so fucking dour and unrelenting. This is the second Haneke movie I’ve seen (after the original Funny Games) and I’m so impressed with how well executed it is. Following a woman who teaches piano, we get a glimpse into the life she lives, how sheltered she is from living with her mother at an age where you’d reasonably expect a person to be living alone or with a partner or friends (even going so far as to be sleeping in the same bed as her), and how repressed she is sexually. It’s clear she’s never experienced any kind of sexual interaction or romantic love with another person, so she goes out of her way to take control and make that happen. The upsetting nature of it comes from just what she does in pursuit of it or as a result of her repression, and what is done to her. It is by no means a movie to recommend to your parents but The Piano Teacher offers so much in terms of the ideas it presents (and I’ll admit there seems to be a lot more going on than I think I picked up on a first go round) about women in modern society, and about the portrayal of sex and expectations of people when it comes to how that is represented in a person’s character depending on their gender. I really enjoyed this movie but it is not for the faint of heart.

Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure (2011) - 1/10

My podcast co-hosts decided it’d be a right laugh to add Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure to this episode and that might have been a fun idea for them because they got to watch it together, but I was just watching it alone. Just a 24-year-old man watching Sharpay’s Fabulous Adventure alone and having a miserable time, I might add. But for a short and sweet ramble on what we all thought, please listen to episode 38 of The Sunday Movie Marathon podcast.

Dr. No (1962) - 6/10

A lot of very iffy parts of this movie. A lot of discomfort arising from how black people are portrayed that really didn’t sit right with me. As far as a Bond movie goes, this first instalment in the series is one I’ve seen before and it’s not wholly engaging but it plants the seeds for the rest, with Sean Connery breathing life into the role and making an otherwise lacklustre plot bearable.

Black Widow (2021) - 6/10

I think probably the best part about Black Widow is the experience I had while watching it. It was great being back in the cinema with a couple of friends in a packed theatre. The energy was high and I’m sure for a lot of people, this is the first time they’d been to the cinema since Endgame. For what it’s worth, I did have a lot of fun with Black Widow and I’ve explained more of what I thought about the movie in episode 39 of the podcast.

The Climb (2020) - 10/10

The Climb was added to Now TV recently and I already knew I loved it, having seen it in an empty cinema theatre last year, which I had an absolute blast with. The Climb details the years of a rocky friendship told over scenes filmed as one-shots. Not only is the presentation something to gawk at, but the performances by the two leads playing these friends with a terrifically dysfunctional dynamic is truly captivating. They’re both trying to figure out their own lives and where one can come across as being rather selfish, the opposite is true in his counterpart, whom everyone loves. This is a truly funny and heartwarming movie with a lot to say about how we choose to live our lives and who we choose to be with. It’s a shame the distributors of The Climb didn’t do a very good job because if not for it being available on Now TV, it would be near impossible to watch without forking out more money than is necessary to purchase a film.

From Russia With Love (1963) - 5/10

The second Bond movie. I thought perhaps I’d change my mind on it with another watch, having seen it for the first time maybe a year ago. But no, it’s still largely boring and it treats women like absolute garbage. From Russia With Love is one of those movies I forget as I watch it, and I was trying very hard (in the middle of the day!) not to fall asleep.

The Good, The Bart, and The Loki (2021) - 1/10

I don't usually talk about the short films I watch but for this I'll make an exception. As we all should know, Disney owns The Simpsons now, through their acquisition of Fox, so, coupled with another of their properties, that being Marvel, they decided to make a six-minute animated film wherein Marvel’s Loki is stranded in Springfield. This felt as though it was a minute long due to the horrendously jarring pacing; it is a movie that feels adamant that it needs to exist, while trying as hard as it can to be over as soon as possible. It serves only to stare the audience directly in the face and say “look, characters from The Simpsons are dressed as Avengers”, shit out three credit scenes, then end before you’ve even processed the atrocity you just bore witness to.

Russian Ark (2002) - 8/10

For this next episode of the podcast, we watched a few Russian movies, starting with Russian Ark, a film shot completely in one take as the camera moves about a luxurious museum in a first-person perspective as this main character watches what is happening around him, seeing people moving about the place but unable to interact with them, guided only by another man who seems to be just slightly out of his own perception of reality. This is a tremendous feat in filmmaking and more can be heard about what I have to say in episode 39 of The Sunday Movie Marathon podcast.

Ivan’s Childhood (1962) - 7/10

For my own pick of Russian movies to discuss on the podcast, I chose the debut feature from one of my favourite directors, Andrei Tarkovsky. It’s amazing that while this is not his best film by far, Ivan’s Childhood is still such a stellar debut, jumping around in its timeline as it details a child’s experience in the second world war. Again, I do go into more depth in episode 39 of the podcast, so be sure to check that out.

Outlaw (2019) - 1/10

The third movie chosen for this marathon is apparently the fourth Russian LGBTQ+ movie ever made. I’m unsure of the ultimate goal of this movie but what seems to be clear is that it hates the LGBTQ+ community. This is perhaps the worst film we’ve discussed on the podcast to date, so listen to episode 39 to understand exactly why it’s such trash.

Almost Famous (2000) - 7/10

I too love heavy music and also studied journalism so it stands to reason that a movie about a teenager who makes his way onto a band tour, following them through America and interviewing them as they hang out and play shows is going to be a premise that resonates with me. This certainly did. I enjoyed Almost Famous a lot; this kid is living the dream and I was so along for the ride, seeing a lot of myself in what was being portrayed. That said, the story itself is at times a bit by the numbers and I really would’ve been more on board if the visual component was more interesting. For what it is, technically it’s fine enough but nothing in that department ever jumped out at me.

Minari (2021) - 8/10

It’s crazy that this didn’t get a theatrical run where I live in the UK. It feels as though I complain about film distribution all the time but I really don’t understand the process by which a movie gets no cinematic release and yet, months later will pop up on the front shelf of hmv, taking pride of place. But of course I got the blu-ray straight away. Minari has a lot to say about the immigrant experience, specifically in America as a family comes over from Korea and tries to start a business and make something of themselves. You get to see a lot of what you might not think twice about when you think about immigration: the hardship of coming from a place where you know everyone to somewhere rural and sparsely populated, having to make friends with locals and integrate within the community; the strain it can put on a family and on a marriage where this idea is presented about the importance of making it on your own in order to live and not just survive, while also taking into account why you’re doing it in the first place and the value you place on being part of a family that you decided to make because that was more important than money, than economy, than proving you were good enough to make it in a place that gave you very little advantage from the offset. This concept of the promised land, of the American dream is a construct. There are times when it’s not pretty, when you have no running water, or you’re in debt, or a family member is dying and it just feels like you’ve been dealt as bad a hand as you can get. But it is better to know you’re not facing all that alone.

Roma (2018) - 10/10

This was my recommendation for the podcast episode on Alfonso Cuarón movies. Roma is as beautiful as it is heart-wrenching and I would recommend listening to episode 40 of the podcast to find out more about my thoughts.

An American Werewolf In London (1981) - 8/10

In all fairness, London is enough to make anyone a little crazy at the best of times. An American Werewolf in London showcases some fantastically grotesque effects, akin to something like Carpenter’s The Thing, in showing the dead brought back to life and a horrifically gory transformation scene. Although the film is from the perspective of an American protagonist, directed also by an American, the depiction of British culture and climate is something I’ve not seen many films pull off quite so well, and I was pleasantly surprised at the more comedic tone the film has overall, which is something that works more in its favour than straight horror would.

The Party’s Just Beginning (2018) - 6/10

Karen Gillan’s directorial debut is… pretty good! There are a lot of ideas I like in this movie: a woman living life and through convenient circumstances, is confronted with death in many ways. Gillan obviously knows her homeland as well as she can, imbuing the whole thing with an intensely Scottish vibe (though maybe not in the same vein as something like Trainspotting) that makes it a bit more unique than a more run of the mill movie of this ilk, backed up in no small part by her own main performance. The plot itself is no great diversion from the kind of story I’m used to with these smaller movies and for something that’s trying to include messaging about transgender issues and suicide, it probably could have been handled better or done in a different way.

Solaris (1972) - 9/10

Another Tarkovsky joint, one I thought I’d revisit to see if there was indeed more to get out of it a second time. Well, it’s no surprise that yes, there was certainly more to get out of it. Solaris is a crazy trip of a movie and I would liken it to Kubrick’s 2001 in terms of how grand the scale of it feels. Yet this is a film that comes across as deeply personal, choosing to focus on a specific character as he goes to a space station to help those on board who are experiencing some kind of emotional crises, only to feel the effects of the planet, Solaris invading his own mind as it has the crew. To many, I can see this lengthy Russian sci-fi being a tad slow but my personal experience is one of deep engagement. Solaris pulls its viewer in a lot of different directions and it is always doing something unexpected in terms of where its narrative goes. There’s a lot to think about with the movie and thankfully it’s no chore to watch again.

Y Tu Mamá También (2001) - 9/10

Another recommendation for the podcast episode on Alfonso Cuarón movies. This is a very relaxed experience, following three young people as they go on a road trip, visit different places and have sex. Listen to episode 40 of The Sunday Movie Marathon podcast for more of my thoughts.

Children of Men (2006) - 10/10

My favourite Cuarón movie, one that never stops being tense as its characters are constantly moving towards the end goal. Set in a future where humans are infertile, the oldest living person is 18, and London is the last city in the world that’s still keeping it together, somewhat. This is masterclass filmmaking. Listen to episode 40 of the podcast for more insights.

Minority Report (2002) - 5/10

I’m really not the biggest fan of Spielberg… Minority Report is an interesting movie in terms of its concept of stopping crimes before they happen by way of prediction, but I just didn’t connect with the heart of it. The colouring is way too overexposed in a way that’s supposed to be eliciting a futuristic vibe but instead feels so early-2000’s in the worst way. My biggest problem with Minority Report is just how long it is, clocking in at two hours and twenty-five minutes which allows for a lot of meandering, all while never quite developing characters enough for you to care about.

Caché (2005) - 9/10

Oh god! Another Michael Haneke movie! Here we see a couple periodically sent video tapes featuring hours of footage of the outside of their house. The anxiety ratchets up and the mystery gets deeper with every minute. There’s always at least one moment in any of his films that have so far made me realise just how out of my depth I am. Caché is no exception, and I won’t spoil anything here because I think it’s better just to watch the movie and see for yourself. He is a director that wants the audience to know something and that something is never what is explicitly shown at face value; it is pressed into the fabric of the film - plainly evident, yet hidden. Caché is so stupidly clever in displaying its themes and messaging - making reference to the Siene Massacre of 1961 as well as a deeper study of colonialism - and there’s no way to change a single detail of it without risking the Jenga tower crumbling to the ground. It all works in tandem. It is passion and fury and haunting.

Coco (2017) - 7/10

Pixar had a string of around seven forgettable movies before this point so thankfully Coco emerged to show the company still had something good in them. Coco deals a lot with themes of death and legacy, remembering those who are gone in order to preserve them and while its plotting is quite basic and there are certainly moments that either drag or cannot escape the same Pixar formula, most of what the movie has to offer is a lot of fun, with creative, colourful animation and emotional beats that resonate the way they’re supposed to.

Incredibles 2 (2018) - 5/10

Oh, they almost had it! There's a lot here that could have been explored in far more interesting ways. Setting Incredibles 2 directly after the events of the first movie was not a good idea. If it had taken place five or ten years after, the characters could have been in different places in life and it would feel as though they'd actually changed and developed. But instead of trying to be a film that actually cares about its characters and the journeys they go on, a lot of the film is wrestling with the idea that Bob isn't supportive of his wife and Jack-Jack has to fight a raccoon… They have to shoehorn in a villain that in no way compares to the genius of the original. The ending of the original introduces another antagonist that gets wrapped up within this film's first ten minutes, except they don't catch him and he's never mentioned again. It's a real shame because the animation is fantastic and the acting is superb and there are great ideas sprinkled throughout. It just doesn't come together.

Toy Story 4 (2019) - 6/10

I was rather reluctant to watch Toy Story 4 because from the get-go I’m not really here for sequels being made just for the sake of it. Everyone loves Toy Story and making another one is a sure fire way to make money. This is the first time I’ve seen Toy Story 4 and for what it’s worth, I did enjoy it. The animation is immaculate and that alone feels like a huge flex from Pixar who tend to step up the game when it comes to animation in film, despite not having the best track record for films generally at this point. While it was nice to see these characters again, I found a lot of them to be side-lined (namely Buzz) in favour of a story that focuses mainly or entirely on Woody, who I just don’t like as much as in the previous movies. Generally the movie is good and decent enough but there’s no real antagonist and the plot is quite loose… it doesn’t feel as though it needed to be made from a story point of view.

Onward (2020) - 6/10

And with that I have seen every Pixar movie. And Onward is a fine one to go out on. While I don’t think it compares to the likes of earlier Pixar it’s still pretty fun. Or maybe I’m just a sucker for a medieval setting filled with bright colours and magic! Speaking of which, the animation was super and the medieval quest element is something that hooked me with the film. Again, plot-wise it does feel very familiar and I don’t know, maybe I’m past the point now of expecting Pixar to mix it up where their formula for story-telling is concerned but the movie is quite predictable. Nonetheless, while I’m not rushing back to see Onward I would hardly turn it off or refuse if someone wanted to watch it.

Old (2021) - 3/10

Oh boy! New M. Night movie dropped and my word, was it fun! For more of my thoughts on this… masterpiece (?) of a movie, please direct your attention to episode 41 of The Sunday Movie Marathon podcast.

T2 Trainspotting (2017) - 5/10

Trainspotting is perhaps one of my favourite movies and I had never bothered with the sequel, 20 years on, because the ending of that first movie is so conclusive. T2 felt more an excuse for these guys to get together again and in that, I probably would have preferred a couple of pictures on Twitter of the main cast and director, Danny Boyle having dinner or something. This is a fine movie - very arty in its presentation but meandering and dull in its story that doesn’t offer much in the way of proof that it had to exist.

Taste of Cherry (1997) - 9/10

What makes life worth living? This is a central question and theme of Taste of Cherry, and one that leaves such interpretation not only up to its central character but to the viewer as well. This film got me thinking about times in my life when I truly have had no answer to hard questions. Because it’s hard to convince people of things they are so adamantly against and harder still to rationalise what you believe if you’re not even entirely sure why you believe it in the first place. We are all of us alive and in recognising that, does that make it precious? And if indeed living is not a happy thing, why then should we fight so hard to preserve it? I felt upset as I watched this movie because I’ve been asked these kinds of questions before and it makes me feel stupid when I’m unable to answer. But the only real answer I can give is, everything. And if you can’t see the point then you’re not looking hard enough. Taste of Cherry is beautiful in its exploration of these topics and in its overall presentation, offering some of the best visuals in any movie I’ve seen - fitting for a feature with so much to say about the beauty of life - and an ending that as much pulls the rug out from under you as it does pull you out of the dark and make you realise just how lonely you’ve felt.

Bones (2001) - 2/10

Snoop Dogg is Jimmy Bones! This film is super funny but I’m not sure it’s trying to be and I really didn’t love it overall. But I do talk more in depth about it in episode 41 of the podcast.

The Duchess (2008) - 5/10

Another recommendation for the podcast. The Duchess was pretty much exactly what I thought it was going to be and there’s a lot to like about it but generally it’s a bit sparse. For more chat on the movie, listen to episode 41 of the podcast.

The Man With One Red Shoe (1985) - 1/10

This was another one for the podcast and man, was it awful. We had to watch it at 1.5x speed towards the end because it just wasn’t getting finished otherwise. To find out more, make sure to listen to episode 41 of the podcast.

The Emperor’s New Groove (2000) - 7/10

Pull the lever, Kronk! Haha! Slays me. I do quite miss this era of Disney, where the animation was hand-drawn and the stories were actually compelling and funny. The Emperor’s New Groove is vibrant, it’s got great characters and memorable moments that will forever be ingrained in the memory of culture. All in all, it’s just a solid flick that doesn’t waste time, developing the standard fall from glory type of arc but smoothly and in an entertaining way.

The Suicide Squad (2021) - 8/10

Oh, bloody hell! They actually made a good one! The Suicide Squad is not only better than the ‘Suicide Squad’ of 2016 in every way, it’s a genuinely great film! This time, James Gunn (director of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy movies) is at the helm and it seems clear that Warner Bros. basically let him do what he wanted with the movie, as it doesn’t seem to bog itself down with the restrictions of a more family-friendly rating. The result of this is a far cleaner, colourful film with a clearer vision that takes from early Vietnam movies and uses that style to craft a superhero/villain movie that differentiates itself among the copious amount of existing films of the genre.      The Suicide Squad wastes very little time, introducing fun, crazy characters we’ve not seen on the big screen before and isn’t worried about killing a whole bunch of them, with standouts being Elba’s Bloodsport, Melchior’s Ratcatcher 2, Stallone’s King Shark (expertly rendered with fantastic visual effects), and Robbie’s returning interpretation of Harley Quinn.      A lot of Gunn’s trademark sense of humour is laced throughout and more often than not, it hits. The audience at the cinema were truly loving this movie and I’ll admit, I was right there with them. This mix of the gritty, gory and absurd is not something that should work as well as it does but the basic premise of the film is already so silly (and boy, do they know it) that it just works! Certainly one of the best DC movies since The Dark Knight and one I’d be more than happy to watch again. This is what the modern comic book movie should be: just balls to the wall fun!

[bewitching-elizabeth-olsen]

Press/Gallery: How Elizabeth Olsen Brought Marvel From Mainstream to Prestige

“The thing I love about being an actor is to fully work with someone and try so hard to be at every level with them, chasing whatever it is you need or want from them.”

  GALLERY LINKS

Studio Photoshoots > 2021 > Session 008 Magazine Scans > 2021 > Backstage (August 19)

Backstage: Elizabeth Olsen grins widely over video chat when recalling many such moments on set with her co-stars. Yet, she can’t bring herself to divorce such a lofty vision of film acting from the technical multitasking it requires. The camera sees all.

“But then you move your hair, and you’re in your brain, like: OK, remember that! Because I don’t want to edit myself out of a shot. I know some actors are like, ‘Continuity, shmontinuity!’ But the good thing about continuity is, if you remember it, you’re actually providing yourself with more options for the edit.”

That need to balance being both inside the scene and outside of it, fully living it and yet constantly visualizing it on a screen, feels particularly apt in light of Olsen’s most recent project, “WandaVision.”

The mysteries at the heart of the show grow with every episode, each fast-forwarding to a different decade: Could this 1950s, black-and-white, “filmed in front of a studio audience” newlyweds bit be a grief-stricken dream? Might this ’70s spoof be a powerful spell gone awry? Could this meta take on mockumentary comedies be proof that the multiverse is finally coming to the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

The series’ structure, which branches out to include government agents intent on finding out why Westview has seemingly disappeared, calls for the entire cast to play with a mix of genres, balancing a shape-shifting tone that culminates in an epic, MCU-style conclusion. What’s key—and why the show struck a chord with audiences during its nine-episode run—is the miniseries’ commitment to grounding its initial kooky setups and its later special effects-driven spectacle in heartbreaking emotional truths. It’s no small feat, though it’s one that can often be taken for granted.

“I was thinking how hard it would have been to have shot the first ‘Lord of the Rings,’ ” Olsen muses. “Like, you’re putting all these actors [into the frame] later and at all these different levels. All the eyelines are completely unnatural. And yet the performances are fantastic! And technically, they are so hard. People forget sometimes that these things are really technically hard to shoot. And if you are moved by their performance, that took a lot of multitasking.”

As someone who has learned plenty about harnesses, wirework, fight choreography, and green screens (she’s starred in four Marvel movies, including the box office megahit “Avengers: Endgame,” after all), Olsen knows how hard it can be to wrap one’s brain around the work needed to pull off those big, splashy scenes.

“​​If you think about it, it’s, like, the biggest stakes in the entire world—every time. And that feels silly to act over and over again, especially when people are in silly costumes and the love of your life is purple and sparkly, and every time you kiss them, you have to worry about getting it on your hands. Those things are ridiculous. You feel ridiculous. So there is a part of your brain that has to shovel that away and just look into someone’s eyeballs—and sometimes, they don’t even have eyeballs!”

The ability to spend so much time with Wanda, albeit in the guise of sitcom parodies, was a welcome opportunity for Olsen. Not only did it allow the actor to really wrestle with the traumatic backstory that has long defined the character in the MCU, but having the chance to calibrate a performance that functions on so many different levels was a thrilling challenge.

“It was such an amazing work experience,” she says. “Kathryn [Hahn] uses the word ‘profound’—which is so sweet, because it is Marvel, and people, you know, don’t think of those experiences as profound when they watch them. But it really was such a special crew that [director] Matt Shakman and [creator] Jac Schaeffer created. It was a really healthy working environment.”

Related‘WandaVision’ Star Kathryn Hahn’s Secret to Building a Scene-Stealing Performance ‘WandaVision’ Star Kathryn Hahn’s Secret to Building a Scene-Stealing Performance Considering that the miniseries spans several sitcom iterations, various layers of televisual reality, and a number of character reveals that needed to feel truthful and impactful in equal measure, Shakman’s decision to work closely with his actors ahead of shooting was key.

“We truly had a gorgeous amount of time together before we started filming,” Olsen remembers. “Our goal was—which is controversial in TV land—that if you wanted to change [anything], like dialogue in a scene, you had to give those notes a week before we even got there. Because sometimes you get to set, and someone had a brilliant idea while they were sleeping, and you’re like, ‘We don’t have an hour to talk about this. We have seven pages to shoot.’ And so, we were all on the same page with one another, knowing what we were shooting ahead of time.

“Matt just treated us like a troupe of actors who were about to do some regional theater shit,” she adds with a smile.

That spirit of camaraderie was, not coincidentally, at the heart of Olsen’s breakout project, Sean Durkin’s 2011 indie sensation “Martha Marcy May Marlene.” As an introduction to the process of filmmaking to a young stage-trained actor, Durkin’s quietly devastating drama was a dream—and an invaluable learning opportunity.

“It was truly just a bunch of people who loved the script, who just were doing the work. I didn’t understand lenses, so I just did the same thing all the time. I never knew if the camera would be on me or not. There was just so much purity in that experience, and you only have that once.”

The film announced Olsen as a talent to watch: a keen-eyed performer capable of deploying a stilted physicality and clipped delivery, which she used to conjure up a wounded girl learning how to shake off her time spent in a cult in upstate New York. But Olsen admits that it took her a while to figure out how to navigate her career choices afterward. In the years following “Martha,” she felt compelled to try on everything: a horror flick here, a high-profile remake there, a period piece here, an action movie there. It wasn’t until she starred in neo-Western thriller “Wind River” (alongside fellow Marvel regular Jeremy Renner) and the dark comedy “Ingrid Goes West” (opposite a deliciously deranged Aubrey Plaza) that Olsen found her groove.

“It was at that point, when I was five years into working, where I was like, Ah, I know how I want it. I know what I need from these people—from who’s involved, from producers, from directors, from the character, from the script—in order to trust that it’s going to be a fruitful experience.”

As Olsen looks back on her first decade as a working actor, she points out how far removed she is from that young girl who broke out in “Martha Marcy May Marlene.”

“I feel like a totally different person. I don’t know if everyone who’s in their early 30s feels like their early 20s self is a totally different human. But when I think about that version of myself, it feels like a long time ago; there’s a lot learned in a decade.”

Those early years were marked by a self-effacing humility that often led Olsen to defer to others when it came to key decisions about the characters she was playing. But she now feels emboldened to not only stand up for herself and her choices but for others on her sets as well.

“[Facebook Watch series] ‘Sorry for Your Loss’ I got to produce, and I really found my voice in a collaborative leadership way. And with ‘WandaVision,’ Paul [Bettany] and I really took on that feeling, as well—especially since we were introducing new characters to Marvel and wanted [those actors] to feel protected and helped,” she says. “They could ask questions and make sure they felt like they had all the things they needed because sometimes you don’t even know what you need to ask.”

It’s a lesson she learned working with filmmaker Marc Abraham on the Hank Williams biopic “I Saw the Light,” and she’s carried it with her ever since. “I really want it to feel like we’re all in this together, as a team,” Olsen says. “That was part of ‘Sorry for Your Loss’ and it was part of ‘WandaVision,’ and I hope to continue that kind of energy because those have been some of the healthiest work experiences I’ve had.”

If Olsen sounds particularly zealous about the importance of a comfortable, working set, it is because she’s well aware that therein lies an integral part of the work and the process. As an actor, she wants to feel protected and nurtured by those around her, whether she’s reacting to a telling, quiet line of dialogue about grief or donning her iconic Scarlet Witch outfit during a magic-filled mid-air action sequence.

“Sometimes you’re going to be foolish, you know? And [you need to] feel brave to be foolish. Sometimes people feel embarrassed on set and snap. But if you’re in a place where people feel like they’re allowed to be an idiot,” she says, “you’re going to feel better about being an idiot.”

This story originally appeared in the Aug. 19 issue of Backstage Magazine. Subscribe here.

Press/Gallery: How Elizabeth Olsen Brought Marvel From Mainstream to Prestige was originally published on Elizabeth Olsen Source • Your source for everything Elizabeth Olsen

[hwangsbbg]

don’t wanna talk to you - Hyunjin

3k words, makeup sex, reader is mad that Hyunjin is neglecting her and ignores him. Reader is foreigner.

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

"It's like I sacrifice my precious vacation time to come all the way to Seoul and spend time with him but he's always busy with her" I complained to my best friend Juyeon who was over at my house along with Eric after I had called them, frustrated with my oblivious boyfriend.

"So you think he's cheating with you?" Eric asked as Juyeon ran his hands through my hair, my head sat in his lap as the TV played in the background, none of us really caring what was on anyways.

"It's not that. But he knows she likes him. She's always shown it. She tried kissing him at the JYP family event this year knowing he was with me and whenever she's around him she acts all flirty" I explained getting more and more riled up at the thought of Hyunjin hanging out with her.

"But why would he hang out with her then? That makes no sense?" Juyeon quirked an eyebrow as I sighed.

"JYP thought it was a good idea to make them do a collab dance stage so they're working on it. He could have said no though. He's supposed to be on a break but he accepted because he didn't want to let his boss down."

"Ok so if it's just work, why're you so riled up?" Eric asked.

"Because! He goes out to eat with her and they're always texting now ad it's just so fucking annoying" I replied.

"So did you tell him that its bothering you?" Juyeon inquired after listening to my mini rants.

"No. I'm just gonna ignore him. If he doesn't bother spending time with me or considering my feelings then I won't bother acknowledging him" I replied making Juyeon shake his head.

"Stop. I know it sounds petty but he really deserves it" I spoke up before Juyeon could say what was on his mind.

Hyunjin and this girl have known each other for a long time. She's liked him for a long time. She works in the same company as him and always gets to see him. She flirts with him all the time when I'm working and when I come to Seoul during my vacation, he still spends time with her.

"So how long have you been ignoring him for?" Eric grabs some pringles chips and stares at me through the lenses of his golden rimmed glasses, awaiting my response.

"Like 2 days" I answered truthfully. "And do you think he noticed?" Juyeon asks.

"I mean he sent me a message two nights ago and I ignored it, then he sent like three more the next day along with two calls and I ignored them. But I hung out with Chan and Jisung yesterday and texted them so I'm pretty sure he knows" I told them.

"Wow. I don't even know what to say. This is between you two and I'm sure you'll figure it out" Juyeon gave me a small smile that I returned.

"Okay but you hang out with so many guys though? Us and the rest of our members, the rest of stray kids, txt, ab6ix, nct, seventeen, too and so many more. Isn't it a little unfair for you to get mad at him" I lifted my head from Juyeon's lap to look at him after he tried to reason with me.

"All of these guys have never tried to kiss me and respect my relationship. If it were Yeji or Ryujin, I wouldn't worry but it's because it's her. On top of that, I always make time for him and he literally forgot I existed although I came here for him and my friends" I huffed.

After more talking and me basically venting my anger out, we decided to watch a movie before they had to go back to their dorms.

"Love you guys" I hugged them, waving goodnight and closing the door behind me. It was only 8pm but I was pretty sure I wasn't going to go anywhere tonight.

I decided on taking a shower. It was well needed as it gave me time to just think about anything I wanted to underneath the hot and powerful taps of the shower drops.

After showering I put on some body lotion and got dressed in an oversized shirt along with a pair of underwear as it was quite hot this night.

"What the fuck" I stopped scrolling through my phone as I heard the door to my house knock even though I wasn't expecting anyone at this time. It was already about 9pm.

I walked out of my room and towards the door, phone in hand. My house was one story but with several rooms.

As soon as I opened the door I groaned and closed it again. There stood my beautiful boyfriend whom I was very mad at dressed in ripped black jeans and a white button up.

The door was knocked again right as I closed it and I rolled my eyes opening it again.

"I don't want to talk to you" I huffed, trying to look tough despite the 12 cm difference between the two of us, glaring at him even though he towered over me.

"Well we're gonna talk whether you like it or not" He pushed himself inside the house, clearly as frustrated as I was before kicking the door close behind him.

"It's been two days. Two fucking days you're not talking to me and I don't even know why" Hyunjin runs as hand through his hair, staring at me as I stood in front of the front door watching his movements.

"I get that you're mad at me but can you at least tell me what I fucking did" he follows me into the living room as I start walking away from him.

"Why don't you fucking ask Yuna" I glared at him.

"What the fuck are you talking about" He asks, still oblivious to the issue.

"Are you fucking serious Hyunjin. I decide to come to Seoul and spend time with you during my break. And you fucking go on lunch dates with a girl who's clearly into you" I yelled, trying to hold back tears of frustration. I tend to cry when I'm angry or worked up.

"You know we're practicing together for the collab stage and that's it so I don't see the problem" He tells me.

"That's not the problem. The fact that you keep hanging out with her and always texting her, going to eat with her and so on, that's the problem. You haven't spent a minute with me in like a week and you're on a fucking break" I replied.

"I'm only going out to eat with her and hanging with her because even if she likes me, we're still friends and she's my partner. It's not my fault if you're jealous" He shoots back at me.

"Fine then I guess you don't mind me sleeping over at Sunghoon's place" I was purposefully trying to incite a reaction out of him. Sunghoon is a close friend of mine that used to like me.

"The hell you are" He glares at me.

"Who are you to stop me? I'm only hanging with him because even if he liked me, we're still friends. It's not my fault you're jealous" I used his words against him.

"I'm your fucking boyfriend. And I don't understand why you're being like this"

"Because I care about you and you don't act like you care at all about me. Its been a week you're hanging out with her all the time, only texting me as if we weren't in the same country. And you only come to me when I start ignoring you" I wanted to hit him with his own album that I saw resting in my bookshelf.

"You're acting like such a bitch right now. I don't have to spend every fucking minute with you. I have a life you know" He spat.

"You know what you're right. I guess I'm not as important in that life of yours I had thought." I couldn't help but let a tear fall at his words. I turned on my phone that was resting in my hand and quickly unlocked it.

"Babe? Baby are you crying? Fuck I didn't mean to make you cry. Shit I'm sorry" His tone immediately softens as he walks closer to me, cupping my face in his hands and wiping away the tears.

"Are you seriously looking up flights back to the US" He asked incredulously after glancing at my phone screen.

"I mean you clearly don't care if I'm here or not" I huffed, removing his hands from my face.

"Of course I care, so much. And I'm sorry I made it seem like I didn't. You know this project is important for me. Solo projects like these give more attention to the group. And I know you don't like her but trust me, nothing will happen." He began apologizing.

"It's not about trust Hyunjin, it's the fact that you don't even remember I exist and spend all your time with her" I huffed.

"I'm sorr-" "I mean what girlfriend wouldn't be fucking jealous if their boyfriend decided to spend every minute with a girl who likes him" I cut him off.

"Oh so you're jealous huh" He smirked as I glared at him.

"That's besides the point. You really fucking pissed me off" I rolled my eyes

"Okay I'm sorry baby. Ok? I promise tonight and all day tomorrow I'm all yours" He gave me a small peck and this time I didn't reject his actions.

"And you know I might've been spending time with her but it's you I'm always thinking about" he wrapped his arm around my waist, resting his forehead on mine, smiling.

"Cuz you're fucking mine, not hers" I replied, kissing him once again, my hands unconsciously moving to wrap themselves around his neck and pulling him slightly downwards so I didn't have to go on my tippy toes to reach his lips.

"Of course, I'm yours. I'll always be just yours" He whispered, his hands holding onto my waist, pulling me closer, closing the distance so there was not a millimeter of space between our two bodies.

His pink, plump, soft and addictive lips moved against mine and I almost forgot why I was mad at him to begin with. I smile into the kiss as I felt him tug at my bottom lip and smiled even wider when his tongue entered my mouth.

He moved his tongue in sync with my own as his hands travelled down, cupping my ass, rubbing on them and using them to bring me closer to him even if there was no distance between us.

"Fuck baby, jump" He pulled away as I looked at him with a smirk, my arms still hanging onto his neck, jumping slightly so he caught my thighs and wrapped them around his waist. Having a dancer and performer boyfriend came in really handy as he could easy carry me like this with no problem.

I began leaving small kisses and sucking on his neck as he carried me to my room. He obviously knew the way as he was accustomed to the house more than anyone else.

With no words said he used his back to close the door before laying me on the queen sized bed, giving me a small smile whole kicking off his shoes.

"You're so fucking beautiful" He easily slid off his shirt, moving between my legs and lowering his body to plant kisses on my neck.

His fingers trailed on my bare thighs as I realized my shirt definitely rose up so he had a perfect view of everything the underwear wasn't covering.

One of his hands slid under my oversized shirts, cupping a breast and rubbing on it while the other lazily rested at my waist as he continued to suck dark purple marks on my dark skin.

My legs wrapped around his torso, pulling him closer causing him to rut against me making both of us to let out different noises but for the same pleasurable reason.

I lifted my back a little and he immediately understood what I meant as his hands went to the hem of my shirt and in a swift action, he pulled it off, throwing it to the ground next to us.

He groaned, staring at my bare breasts, his lips immediately attaching to one as if it were a magnet. He teasingly held my nipple between his teeth ever so delicately making me whine before he placed his soft lips around the bud and began sucking on it, grinding his prominent bulge against my underwear covered core.

He tried to pull away and my hands instinctively went to the back of his head, keeping him in place as if to not lose the pleasure. I heard him chuckled lightly before slowly lifting his head, staring at me, my nipple still in his mouth, before he released it with a loud pop, moving to the next one.

He began sucking on the breast, already leaving dark purple marks before sucking on the dark and hard nipple that was patiently waiting for his mouth.

"Mm please" I didn't actually know what I was begging for but I was in too much pleasure not only from his lips but from the way his hips moved on me.

He let go of the nipple after a while, blowing onto it before standing up straight, unbuttoning his jeans ever so slowly. It's almost like he wanted to tease me however he was only making himself suffer by imprisoning his erection in those tight clothes for a while longer.

His lip stuck out of his mouth as his brows furrowed in concentration as he removed his jeans and underwear at the same time. He was quite impressive, not only blessed with good looks.

"You're soaked and we barely even started" He smirked, running a finger along my covered slit making me let out a small whine that didn't go by unnoticed by him.

He began chuckling before grabbing the hem of my white underwear and pulling them down, easily.

"As good as you look right now I really need you" He was referring to all the foreplay he wanted to skip and I was completely fine with that.

"You're still here tomorrow" I gave him a small smirk before sitting up, wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him back onto the bed with me, engaging a passionate kiss. I took the lead as Hyunjin focused on positioning himself.

"Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck" I moaned out as the tip of his length slowly entered, already stretching my walls and he moved his head to rest at the crook of my neck.

"So fucking tight. Fuck" He mumbled, slowly pushing the rest of himself in until he was buried deep inside.

He placed both his hands on either side of my body and slowly began moving. His thrusts were slow and precise and had the both of us cursing and breathing heavily.

I stared at his sweat covered forehead with strands of hairs sticking to it all the way to his glorious lips that were swollen from the kissing to his abs that I could drool over for days.

"HO- FUCK" I might've reacted a tad bit too loudly as he hit a certain area that made the pool of heat in my stomach bubble and a certain knot form.

"You're so fucking hot. Look at you. Under me. So hot. You're gonna make me cum" He grabbed one of my thighs and moved my legs up to his shoulder, resting it there to give him better access.

He continued for a while before I stopped him and flipped us around.

I kissed all over his neck, sucking on a few areas on his chest, shoulders and collarbones and of course the nipples before I positioned myself.

I hovered over his waist, carefully grabbing his length and positioning it at my entrance before sliding on to him.

I began moving slowly as he watched me, jaw slightly parted, his eyes darting from my face to my breasts to his cock being buried deep inside of me.

"Mmm fuck babe c-can you speed up" I began moving faster at his words and he began matching ever bounce I made with a thrust upwards.

"Yeah who fucks you like this huh?" "Only you baby- fuckkk" I was pretty sure the neighbors could hear us considering how loud we were being.

"B-babe I'm coming" his voice for some reason dropped and came out a bit broken as he reached his high.

I felt his cock twitching inside of me and like he predicted, a few seconds later, he released, painting my inner walls white as I rode him until he was finished.

"Keep- keep going you didn't come yet" He looked out of breath when he grabbed my waist as I tried to slide off of him.

"It's fine you don't have too, it was great for me as well so don't worry" I reassured him but he shook his head no.

He gave weak thrusts and I smiled at his attempts to make me feel good as I began moving again, slowly.

It didn't take much time or effort after that for me to come and to get off of him roll over onto the other side of the bed

"I bet Yuna can't give it to you like that" I finally let out after recollecting my breathing.

"Would you let that go already" He chuckled, playfully rolling his eyes before grabbing me and pulling me closer to him.

"I love you. Really. I love you so fucking much. And I might not always show it but I do. And nobody could ever compare to you babe" He kissed my forehead as I tried to suppress the huge grin making way on my face.

"I love you more Hyunjin" I breathed out, moving closer to him as his grip around me tightened.

[reallivegeekgirl]

StanQuest

Something clicked on in my brain a couple months ago and suddenly Sebastian Stan became the hottest man alive. So I decided to watch everything he’s ever been in. A friend and I called it StanQuest.

Here are my spoiler-free reviews for anyone considering something similar (in inverse chronological order starting with latest works and going back in time. The stars are an overall rating of the work, not of Sebastian’s performance.

This only lists things I could find streaming for free or a price I was willing to pay. It does not count after credits scenes, music videos, or works in which he was uncredited.

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (2021) - TV show - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - This started it all. I very much enjoyed it. Good balance of humor and action, heart and heroics. I’ve watched it four times already, and will watch it again. Bucky Barnes is my favorite character of his and this is my favorite story of Bucky's so far. I can’t wait to see what he does next. (And I have a lot to say about how they treat his trauma in this show. I’ve definitely written about it before and may again.)

Monday (2020) - Movie - ⭐⭐⭐ - This is the one where he gets naked. If that’s all you’re looking for, enjoy. It was a very realistic portrayal of a relationship between two deeply flawed people. It can get depressing. But hey, penis.

The Devil All the Time (2020) - Movie - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - If you think Monday is depressing, this movie says “hold my beer”. But something about it is just captivating. It’s really disturbing, and if you’ve ever been screwed over by American Evangelical Christianity it might be more disturbing. Still, I’ve watched it twice. And as much of a bastard as Lee Bodecker is, he also looks really cuddly. He’s just barely in it.

The Last Full Measure (2019) - Movie - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - You will cry. A lot. It’s based on a true story. Sebastian plays a man who cares more about his career than this weird quest dumped on his desk by his boss, but changes his mind and his heart as he investigates why a war hero was denied a medal of honor 34 years before. Definitely recommend.

Endings, Beginnings (2019) - Movie - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - One of two love interests in the complicated life of Shailene Woodley’s Daphne, Sebastian is an adorable mess. The editing is interesting and fresh feeling. Watch it and you’ll see what I mean. Fair amount of sex in this movie, and you see his butt. It’s a very nice butt. I’ve watched this one a few times so far.

Avengers: Endgame (2019) - Movie - ⭐⭐ - There is no reason to watch this movie if you’re not familiar with at least most of the rest of the MCU. It plays merry hob with the rules of time travel, and only makes sense if you don’t really think about it. In my opinion, the ending is really freaking stupid comsidering his character’s history, but at least it sets up TFatWS, which was amazing.

We Have Always Lived in the Castle (2018) - Movie - ⭐ - If you’re into movies that are creepy but also almost nothing happens for most of the movie, this is the one for you. Sebastian is handsome as hell, but also a complete asshole. As fine as he is, I’m not gonna watch this again. I fucking hated it.

Destroyer (2018) - Movie - ⭐⭐- I had a hard time paying attention to the plot because it seemed like they made this movie just to get Nicole Kidman an Oscar nomination for wearing ugly makeup and playing a complete mess of a person. It’s a fine movie, and all of the performances are good. Sebastian looks surprisingly good with the short hair and goatee. Ultimately, the plot is depressing and the whole movie seems kind of pointless.

Avengers: Infinity War (2018) - Movie - ⭐⭐- Again, no reason to watch this if you aren’t already familiar with all the movies leading up to it. It’s long and the villain looks like Grimace and a California Raisin had an evil baby. The ending made me scream with frustration that I had to wait until the next one came out. Now I just watch them back-to-back if I watch them at all. It’s not a good movie, but it is part of a long-form story that I enjoy in general.

I’m Not Here (2017) - Movie - ⭐⭐- Another depressing one. Told over the course of one man’s terrible life, it’s a sad account of how much your parents can fuck you up. Sebastian portrays the middle part of the man’s life. J.K. Simmons plays the current day part and unreliable narrator.. Do not watch unless you are fully prepared to be sad for a really long time after.

I, Tonya (2017) - Movie - ⭐⭐⭐- This movie is hilarious. I mean, the true story is insane and really stupid. The spousal abuse is hard to watch, and Sebastian’s mustache in this is a war crime. But the acting is great and it’s a very engaging movie. The parts that aren’t horrifying are pretty funny.

Logan Lucky (2017) - Movie - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Watch. This. Movie. Sebastian Stan is only in it a little, but it’s a really fun, clever caper/heist movie and everyone in it is fantastic. I don’t want to say anything else about it if you’re going in fresh. I’ll be rewatching this one a lot

Captain America: Civil War (2016) - Movie - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - If you ignore how kind of silly the conflict over the Sokovia Accords is, this is a good Marvel movie. Sebastian gets a lot of screen time because Bucky is the more pressing concern/urgent point of contention than the Accords. Bucky is my favorite character of his partly because of this movie.

The Martian (2015) - Movie - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - I’m watching it(again) as I’m typing this. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve watched it. Sebastian Stan isn’t in it very much, but he’s very cute and so is his little story arc. Mostly I watch it because Ridley Scott made a fantastic movie. If you can get your hands on the Blu-Ray, it comes with a ton of extras. They made a very complete story that isn’t all seen in the movie. A lot of it is stuff about Mars, but there are also extra “crew” interviews, so there’s another chance to see more of Sebastian’s character.

Ricki and the Flash (2015) - Movie - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - He’s not in this very much, but he’s very cute when he does appear. It’s all about the relationship between Ricki and her daughter. Definitely rewatchable. Meryl Streep is fantastic, because she’s Meryl Streep.

The Bronze (2015) - Movie - ⭐ - This is not a good movie. It’s about Olympic gymnastics, so it might be slightly more interesting right now while the Olympics are happening. Sebastian isn’t in it a lot, but his performance is certainly… memorable. Weirdest sex scene I’ve ever seen. Worth watching just for that.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) - Movie - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - This is the one I can watch over and over. I bought a Winter Soldier face mask for when I need to feel like a badass. Bucky’s story is really sad, but he’s also extremely sexy with the metal arm and determined walk.

Once Upon a Time (2012-2013) - TV Show - ⭐⭐⭐ - This show is so stupid, but it’s also fun. If you haven’t seen it, the premise is that fairy tale characters are real and live in another land. Snow White’s Evil Queen casts a spell to transport a bunch of them to a town she creates in Maine called Storybrooke, and gives them all fake memories so she can be mayor and watch them all not remember who they are. Sebastian plays Jefferson, a.k.a. The Mad Hatter. He’s in a few episodes in season 1 and 2, and doesn’t get a ton of screen time, but he’s really cute and tragic as Jefferson. It probably helps to watch the whole first season just to understand his episodes, but that’s up to your tolerance for weird shit. Note: IMDB says he’s in an episode uncredited, but I’ve watched it and didn’t see him anywhere in that one.

Labyrinth (2012) - TV Mini-Series - ⭐⭐⭐ - Two episodes that tell a complete story. Sebastian isn’t in this one a whole lot, but he is adorable. It’s a strange story about religious stuff and a sort of Holy Grail that’s three books. It’s hard to describe. It’s on Amazon Prime right now, but they’re taking it down August 8, 2021, so watch it while you can.

The Apparition (2012) - Movie - ⭐ - If you like horror movies, you might like this. I did not. From what I understand, it’s not a very good horror movie. Watch with caution and expect it to suck.

Political Animals (2012) - TV Mini-Series - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - I had to buy this through Apple and watch it on a Mac, but it was worth it. Sebastian plays TJ Hammond, the out gay son of a former American president who is clearly based on Bill Clinton. Sigorney Weaver plays the former first lady and current secretary of state. TJ struggles with addiction and relationship problems. His performance is heart-wrenching. The whole show is pretty great. I wish there was more of it.

Gone (2012) - Movie - ⭐⭐⭐ - More of a psychological thriller than a horror movie. Sebastian has a small amount of screen time as the worried boyfriend. Amanda Seyfried is good. She carries the film well on her own.

Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) - Movie - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - If you haven’t seen this yet, I’d like to know what it’s like under your rock. This is a movie I can rewatch a lot, and have. I 100% cried in the theater. Sebastian looks fantastic in uniform as Bucky Barnes. This is his introduction and the start of his ultimately tragic story (before he’s saved by his best friend, again).

Black Swan (2010) - Movie - ⭐⭐⭐⭐ - Sebastian is barely in this. He’s basically just in one scene in a dance club. But I watched it to try to complete StanQuest, and I had seen it before. It’s a good movie, but might induce some nightmares, depending on what scares you. If Natalie Portman didn’t at least get a nomination for an award she was robbed.

Gossip Girl (2007-2010) - TV Show - ⭐⭐ - Carter Baizen is a little shit. The episodes with Sebastian in them might have made more sense if I watched the show from the beginning, but I didn’t want to. His character is an asshole, but a very cute one.

Hot Tub Time Machine (2010) - Movie - ⭐⭐⭐- The people who made this movie are bad at math, and their rules of time travel are sketchy at best, but it is funny and entertaining. Sebastian plays a ski patrol bro who’s paranoid about the Russians, which is hilarious irony to me. Worth watching if you want to laugh at something dumb.

Kings (2009) - TV Show - ⭐⭐⭐- Sebastian plays Jack Benjamin, the closeted gay son of the king of a fictional place. It’s loosely based on the David and Goliath story from the Bible. Sebastian is so sad and so gay. His family makes his life a living hell. Ian McShane is a force of nature in this. It’s only one season. I’ve watched it twice. I will watch it again.

Spread (2009) - Movie - no stars - This movie was practically unwatchable. It stars Ashton Kutcher and Anne Heche as a romantic couple, I guess? I ended up just skipping to Sebastian’s scenes and only watching those. Still painful.

The Covenant (2006) - Movie - ⭐⭐⭐ - This movie is so fuckig stupid, and I will watch it a ridiculous number of times. It’s about magic and teenagers, like The Craft for boys. Nothing about it makes sense. It’s terrible, almost irredeemable, but an evil Sebastian with magic powers is a siren song that will make me steer my boat right into the rocks.

And there you have it. There are a bunch of earlier things on IMDB that I just can’t find or don’t want to pay to rent. Maybe some day I’ll watch them and add them to this list.