#love life hbomax

[aetee]

I was watching 13 Sins when I realized Rutina Wesley is the black Anna Kendrick. Are ya picking up what I’m putting down? And I only was able to make this connection cuz I’ve watched Love Life 10 times over so I know Anna’s face like the back of my hand 😭

[wishtherebestars]

ya suffer for your art, darlin’

[aksually2008]

aksel's guide to relaxing media

A lot of people have asked me to compile a list of my go-to depressing/dooming media, but I feel it would be irresponsible to give you that without an antidote.

Maybe this will be of help to you on an anxious night and instead of smoking a cigarette you'll turn to this or maybe its a nice cozy afternoon and you need something to maintain that feeling.. either way here's stuff that I consume on those days:

Film/TV

Joe Pera Talks You to Sleep

This is something I have recommended to most of my friends at this point and if you ever give me the opportunity I'll probably talk your ear off about this man. I have a very special affinity towards this video, as it randomly found me on a particularly stressful quarantine night and boy am I glad it did.

I'm not gonna talk about it too much further, but if you're feeling a little bit lost or anxious, even after my 250 watches of this, I end up feeling a little bit better. If you like it make sure to check out his show, Joe Pera Talks With You on hbomax as it's one of my favourite shows ever!! The episodes are short and easy to digest :)

How to With John Wilson

It's hard for me to exactly describe this show, it's just one of those things you have to see for yourself to fully understand the appeal of it. For the most part, this show uses street footage of New York City and interviews with average everyday New Yorkers to convey some kind of narrative, usually disguised as a tutorial(hence the "how to"). There's a lot of absurdity, laughter and sometimes it plays with your emotions a bit, but sometimes it's nice to just unwind and learn about the insane industry of scaffolding in NYC.

Come and Visit Us Again

Okay, so this is probably one of the most niche things here.. Considering that it has 205 views as of me writing this and it's in estonian with no captions available.(Maybe someday I'll translate it)

As far as I can tell, it is a documentary short made by Liis Nimik, who at the time was a film school student. It follows the day-to-day of a village grocery store cashier and her interactions with the people who visit her store everyday.

Moms, dads, scary little kids and village bums.. It has it all and serves as this kind of a sweet time capsule of one particular week in this one Estonian village. I will admit this is probably extra comforting for me as I grew up near a village similar to this that also had a store just like this one. In a small village, the people who work at the local grocery store really become apart of your everyday life and I loved to see it captured like this.

I feel like even if you don't understand Estonian, it's nice background noise.

Malcom in the Middle

Need I say more?

Youtube

If you know me, you know I'm a fiend for comforting youtube personalities. Here are some of my favorites:

Steve Wallis

Even if you aren't particularly interested in camping, you'll still probably enjoy these videos. Steve is probably one of the sweetest dudes I've found on YouTube and he really knows how to keep a conversation. All in all, just nice to throw on if you just wanna disconnect for 30 minutes

Shirley Curry

I've loved Shirley's stuff for years now. She calls her viewers her grandkids and posts vlogs & let's plays. I think that covers the gist of it.

Featureman a.k.a. Tom Willett

This is an older gentleman, who for the most part shows you different meals that he makes & tells you stories about his time as an actor in the 1980s. Every video feels like you're visiting your grandpa.

GIFGAS

I found them quite recently, but they're quickly turning into my favourite Youtube channel. Videos of trainhopping, which are so well shot and the music choices are soooooo gooooood. Every travel vlog should have a mandatory requirement of at least (1) shoegaze song.

Roger Hance

Found this guy randomly on my recommended and him only having 4k subs feels like a crime. He's a bird photographer, who vlogs his outings and talks about all the little birds he sees. super cute.

Music

Below are a couple of playlists and tracks I recommend for this occasion:

Mixture of ambient tracks and just relaxing instrumentals. There's no vocals. During the summer, I would always listen to this if I was sitting in a park or doodling.

This is just some of my favourite ambient tracks. If you've never really listened to ambient music before, check this out I guarantee you'll like it.

I have fallen asleep to this so many times that sometimes i just constantly hear it in the back of my head. Maybe thats not a comforting thought but it helps me sleep so that's a price I am willing to pay.

That's about it though.. I didn't include everything, because this is already pretty long and I have to keep some things secret, but I hope you find use in some of this. bye

[destielcrack]

With the CW network canceling almost all scripted shows on its network, many great shows have been canceled or are facing the threat of cancellation. Gotham Knights is potentially one of the shows that unfortunately, could share this same fate.

Many fans all over the world support Gotham Knights and would love to see it continued for more seasons! Gotham Knights has an immense following all around the world. The show has been a massive success globally, where streaming services like HBOMAX and the CW app have continuously shown the series in the top 10 most watched of 2023, ranking number six for the current year and number three for the last two months with only the international hits "The Last of Us", and "Succession" ahead, respectively. That's astounding statistics considering the series has only been on the air for two months.

Gotham Knights is the most talked about show on the CW. From its gripping and action-packed storylines, to production and costume design, to the phenomenal acting talent of a diverse cast, there is constant buzz about potential award nominations for this series. Misha Collins, playing the tragic Harvey Dent who, eventually becomes the iconic villain Twoface, has been exceptional invoking the duality of an honorable and upstanding man, who succumbs to his darker, deadlier side. Olivia Rose Keegan, as Duela Doe, not only provides comic relief, but is also effective showing her vulnerable side.

If the show is canceled, then the producers of the show will have to find a new home for it. However, that's not an easy task. The CW network, as well as, Nexstar Media Group, Inc. will have to be convinced to sell the show to other networks or streaming services. I do believe, however, that with the show's immense popularity and success on HBOMAX and the CW app, that selling it would be the best option if it's not renewed. Considering its popularity worldwide, other networks and streaming services would hugely benefit from acquiring Gotham Knights due to its cheaper production costs and potential buyers of streaming memberships.

I was moved to start this petition because I believe that Gotham Knights is a television series that is needed on air and to be seen not only for its talented cast and hardworking crew, but also for its diversity and real life issues that people around the world suffer with. In today's political climate where discrimination is rampant, Gotham Knights, embraces a cast of characters, as well as, actors of different race, sexual orientation, and sexual identity. They promote inclusion and acceptance, especially with the LGBTQIA community. Gotham Knights's storylines are emotional and raw because they tackle issues that are relevant in the world today, such as, substance abuse, mental health issues, homophobia, transgender discrimination and income inequality. Gotham Knights deserves to be renewed!

I'm writing this because this is something I care about deeply and it won't happen without the support of people like you. Starting a petition isn't something would normally do, but I was moved to do so because not only is this a show that means so much to the fans but also, to the entire cast and crew, who worked with dedication and love to create a series that fans would adore. It would be incredibly sad to see them so disappointed. I know I'm not alone and together we can make this change happen. Please sign and share!

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 4.5/5

Book Blurb: Gripping, romantic, and impossible to put down, this dark and immersive post-apocalyptic debut YA novel is about two teen girls who loved each other before the end of the world — and before one of them became infected with the virus that turned her into a monster.

Perfect for fans of Krystal Sutherland, Adam Silvera, and the darkly human side of the HBOMax horror-drama, The Last of Us.

Seventeen-year-old Mara is dead—mostly.      

Infected with a virus that brought the dead back to life and the world to its knees, she wakes up in a facility to learn a treatment for the disease has been found. No longer a Tick, Mara is placed in an experimental resettlement program. But her recovery is complicated by her destination: she’s sent to live with the best friend she hasn’t seen since the world ended—and since their first and only kiss.      Seventeen-year-old Rory is alive—barely.      

With impaired mobility from an injury and a dead sister, Rory’s nightmares are just as monstrous as the Ticks that turned her former best friend. Even after the Island—one of a handful of surviving communities—rebuilds itself, Rory is prepared for the Ticks to return at any time. She never expected them to come in the form of the only girl she’s ever loved.      

As the girls struggle with their pasts and the people they’ve become, the Island’s soldiers go rogue and come after the Ticks and anyone harboring them. With the Island’s fragile peace in the balance, Rory and Mara must lean on each other to survive—or risk losing the girl they love all over again.

Review:

The Last of Us meets a love story about two girls dealing with the aftermath of of a virus taking over the world and what happens when one of them is infected... and now is being let back out into the world. Mara and Rory were best friends, they've even thought about being more... until a virus known as "the Tick" happened turning people into flesh hungry zombies essentially and Mara gets infected... and that was two years ago... and now she has been rehabilitated and been put on a treatment program to treat her disease. Mara is put into an experimental resettlement program... and who better than to be her host family than her godparents... aka the same family with her old best friend and the girl she loved who she knows now hates her lives. Mara is still traumatized from what happened to her, she remembers everything she did as a Tick... everyone's she's killed including her parents. Rory is reeling from losing her younger sister, having sene her been killed, and she has impaired mobility from an injury. She is still plagued by nightmares and she's dreading facing Mara again. Rory has spent her time preparing to face off against Ticks, what she didn't expect was facing it in the form of the only girl she's ever loved. Both girls struggle with dealing with their pasts and the girls they have become since then, all the while the island's soldiers have gone wrong and are coming after the rehabilitated ticks and anyone who is harboring them... with the leader of the island's soldier particularly going after Rory and Mara, the girls will have to learn to lean on each other and grow past their differences in order to survive this new horror... and maybe fall for the new girls they are now. This was the perfect read for anyone who loved The Last of Us or loves a post-apocalyptic Romance!! The angst was real and the tension was so good. The world building in this one was fantastic and I loved how the book has you so interested in what was happening all the way to the end of the book. The romance was so well done and I loved that the girls were both healing and trying to get to know the new version of the person they loved. This is a fun read and I would absolutely recommend it!

*Thanks Netgalley and PENGUIN GROUP Penguin Young Readers Group, G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

[mothrocks]

Actually yknow what I can't forgive HBOMax for cancelling Our Flag Means Death. So today (it's currently 11:01 pm :D) I'm going to talk about why I love this show so much and why I (and the entire fandom if I'm being honest) am so upset over its cancellation. Spoilers ahead for those who haven't seen the show!

This show has helped me through so many rough times and I'm sure it's done the same for many others. The lighthearted comedy aspect is wonderful, but the themes of love and acceptance means so much to me. These characters are unabashedly queer and the show doesn't even make a big deal of their identities. Jim is just Jim, Ed and Stede are just Ed and Stede; the list goes on. Sure, several comparisons between the characters' issues and the current issues of queer people worldwide can be made, but their identities are never the root of their problems and it is just so refreshing to see.

Stede's arc of finding his own identity and place in his world is wonderful and very relatable. Throughout his life, he never fit in with other people and societal expectations. This is shown through his interactions with the Badminton brothers, his relationship with his father, and even his marriage to Mary. He leaves his old life behind to make something for himself and finds a home with the crew where he is accepted for who he is and eventually forms a loving relationship with Ed.

Furthermore, Izzy's entire arc of finding a loving family hits close to home. Izzy had gone so long without any kind of actual, real, unconditional love and from the moment he receives it, he changes as a person and grows. No longer is he the bully he once was, desperate to live in Ed's shadow. He now lives to be his own authentic self and it makes him a happier person overall. This is evident in Calypso's Birthday when he performs La Vie en Rose for the whole crew, makeup and all. The Izzy we knew in season one would never expose himself like that, let alone to this specific crew. Instead of being mocked or looked down upon in any way, the crew, his newfound family, celebrates him for being himself and it's just... so beautiful and meaningful.

This show means so much to me and it will forever hold a special place in my heart. Producing queer media in this world is such an uphill battle, and while I'm utterly devastated by this show's cancellation, I'm forever grateful to everyone who made it possible in the first place.

[talkinfanfic]

Episode 305 - Talkin' Music with shineswithyou

Summary:

🎧 Find Talkin' Fanfic on your favorite podcast app. Or stream here!

Sara takes (kind of sort of) a break from talking fanfic and bandfic to talk about a different form of storytelling– music, and writing about music! @shineswithyou is a familiar face around Oasis and U2 tumblr, but what you might NOT know is that she has recently embarked on a writing journey of her own, with a substack blog about music and its place as the soundtrack of her own life.

Sara and shines talk about her blog, and the difficulty of “writing words about sounds”; how music is a language in and of itself capable of telling its own (and our own) stories.

Of COURSE we loop it back around to fanfiction and RPF (or, ‘real person fanfiction’), and how bandfic is, at its core, a pure form of love for the musical artist. Other talking points include: how awesome Bono is, and how we wish we could have been at Slane Castle in 2001; the perennial dysfunction of the Gallagher brothers; and the dichotomy of the U2 and Oasis fandoms.

Contact and Credits:

Theme Music: Kyle Laurin "Oasis Supersonic Theme" (Twitter: @cobrakylemusic)

Clips from "Pop Muzik" by M (℗ 1979 Robin Scott Limited) and "Marquee Moon" by Television (℗ 1977 Elektra/Asylum)

Tumblr: talkinfanfic.tumblr.com 

Instagram: @talkinfanfic

Email: talkinfanfic@gmail.com

Time caps:

00:00 - Introduction

14:52 - Interview start

23:07 - Music memories and growing up

30:40 - Tumblr and bandom

34:27 - the pf+hb blog!

39:32 - Blog entry 1 

44:40 - Tom Verlaine and Television

46:50 - Excerpt of blog entry 4

48:56 - shines’ music writing style and influences, and the difficulties of writing about music

57:15 - Art in the time of Covid and intentional listening

01:10:56 - More on Television’s style and ‘Marquee Moon’

01:22:22 - CBGB’s and ‘the scene’

01:28:29 - Music mags!

01:32:05 - Speaking of U2…

01:36:55 - The dichotomy of the U2 fandom vs Oasis fandom

01:43:01 - Rapid Fire Questions!

Episode References

“Pf+Hb” shineswithyou’s substack blog 

Shineswithyou on Tumblr 

Music vid for The Stone Roses’ “She Bangs the Drums” (title inspiration for the blog)

M - Pop Muzik (Official Video) (Youtube) 

Book - "Heartbeat" by Sharon Creech (Goodreads) - a children’s coming-of-age story told in free verse

Music writing rec - Liz Barker’s tinyletter (music writer and blogger, this is Liz’s main website: Words by Liz Barker ) Here is an an excerpt from her novel 

Blog rec - Hanif Kureishi’s substack and a piece he wrote which shines recommends 

Album - Nirvana MTV Unplugged (Spotify)

Album - The Velvet Underground & Nico (Spotify)

Trouser Press - “The biblio of alternative rock”

"The Too-Muchness of Bono" by David Brooks for the Atlantic

Achtoon Baby - U2 music blog project by Kelly and PJ

Fic mentioned - "The Passing of Peggy Gallagher" by Jeevey   

Fic mentioned - “Stop the Clocks” by savageandwise 

Youtube Clip from “My Beautiful Laundrette” (1985, starring Gordon Warnecke and Daniel-Day Lewis, screenplay by Hanif Kureshi. You can stream it on HBOMax)

Film Trailer for “CBGB” (2013) starring Alan Rickman

Book - Meet Me in the Bathroom: Rebirth and Rock and Roll in New York City 2001-2011 (Goodreads)

Documentary - Meet Me In The Bathroom (2022) - Youtube trailer stream on Paramount+ or rent on Amazon Prime Video 

Documentary - "Gimme Shelter" (1970) - “A harrowing documentary of the Stones' 1969 tour, with much of the focus on the tragic concert at Altamont.”

Music Video - “Dark Sunglasses” a single off of Chrissie Hynde’s 2014 album ‘Stockholm’. The album doesn’t appear to be on streaming platforms.

Youtube - Where The Streets Have No Name (Live From Slane Castle, Ireland (2001) (you can see the heart-shaped stage that shines mentions really well at about 58 seconds!)

Shines’ Desert Island Discs: “Achtung Baby” by U2 (but on another day it might be “Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends” by Coldplay

Shines is listening to: “Lucifer On the Sofa” by Spoon (album, 2022) 

Shines is listening to: “Wet Leg” (self-title debut album, 2022)

Music Discovery - Paul Gallagher's MixCloud channel (Sara rec, Paul does a weekly playlist with tons of great and lesser known artists. You can listen for free and there’s no ads, but to get the tracklist you have to be a paid subscriber)

Justin Hawkins Rides Again (Youtube channel, and he has a new podcast)

Music Discovery - Shines recommends finding your local independent radio station with real human DJs! You can google, and most colleges have student run stations, and TuneIn is a site that has a “find a local station” feature you can try out!

Fic Rec - “cheaper than a dime” by harmonising (Beatles RPF, George & Paul gen) -  Shines says it’s a “beautiful, angsty study of Paul and George’s relationship, written in a choppy, time-jump style”

Fic Rec - “Dare, Disturb the Universe” by @penaltybox14 (ao3, Bruce/Steve)

Fic Rec - “Wharf Rats on the Stage” by @penaltybox14 (ao3, Bruce/Steve)

Fic Rec - “Fictitious Characters” and “You Wanted Me Alone” by @likeamadonnau2. Shines says: “gorgeously written and very meta - an alternative history of U2’s early days framed by Bono & Edge’s relationship, & written by them.”

Rapid Fire Questions (starting at 01:43:01)

Beatles or Stones?

Which of these best describes your inner rock star? (I picked ladies because they don’t get talked about enough): Chrissie Hynde, Joan Jett, or Stevie Nicks? 

What’s the best way to experience music? Live show, or headphones and vinyl?

You have a free Wednesday afternoon. Are you going to the Man City Match with Noel, or spending a day at the pub with Liam?

The Doctor suddenly appears with the TARDIS and offers to take you to ONE of the following shows: 

Jan 1969 - Beatles on the rooftop of Apple Corps in London

1974 - sneak into one of Television’s regular sets at CBGB’S

Nov 1995 - Oasis at Earl’s Court, London

Sept 2001 - U2 at Slane Castle, Ireland

What’s your desert island record?

Name a recent album you’ve been enjoying. 

Any music discovery recs? (ex. For me, Paul Gallagher’s mixcloud shows / Justin Hawkins)

Can you give me a couple of RPF band fics off your bookmarks list?

What does music mean to you?

[adultswim2021]

Space Ghost Weekend (part 2)

It's the second season of the dang GameTap episodes of Space Ghost Coast to Coast, and the second of two posts covering them on this dang blog. I have very special thoughts about these, so please! pour over every word. Read this out loud to a loved one if needed.

Space Ghost Coast to Coast #98: "Richard" | September 11, 2007 | S09E01

In this episode: Moltar discusses Linda, solidifying her into the canon of Space Ghost. I will not rest until she gets her first onscreen appearance on HBOMax’s Jellystone. In the cold open they joke about Moltar being whipped. Space Ghost proclaims to be the Earl of Peppercorn, which is pretty wacky. Moltar is self-conscious about having a huge head. And other garbage. 

Space Ghost Coast to Coast #99: "Stephen" | October 31, 2007 | S09E02

Okay, so Yar is back in this one, and he doesn’t actually sound like the one guy I said from yesterday’s post, I fucked up. He also is clearly drawn in a pixel art style, which I didn’t realize because of the questionable provenance of the video files I’m watching. He’s sorta the Bubba Duck of this show (readers! Bubba Duck was introduced late into Ducktales’ run, and those episodes are largely considered [by whom?] to be inferior to the ones that came before them!).

There’s a non-verbal (like Val Kilmer aww) appearance from the Council of Doom. This one is abysmal. They really chopped up the interview to make it sound nonsensical, and I personally consider this to be cheating at making Space Ghost. Worse than having your main character follow an ant around for 11 minutes (Which I like!!!).

Space Ghost Coast to Coast #100: "David" | November 11, 2007 | S09E03

Seems like this show thrives on coming up with silly words like “Lava Chicken”. I sorta liked this one but it’s still pretty weak. Zorak takes over the show after bogusly claiming that Moltar went on “vacation”, tantamount to “escaping” Space Ghost's enslavement. Space Ghost goes on a wild goose chase looking for him. If this were a higher-budgeted episode they’d probably take it to funnier places, but Space Ghost talks to little Space Ghosts instead and it’s mildly amusing. Moltar was in the bathroom the whole time, nasty!

Space Ghost Coast to Coast #101: "Chantal" | December 2, 2007 | S09E04

Why do these all start with a weird click noise? I’m guessing that’s the website’s fault and people screen-recorded these? This one features Chantal Claret who seems like she’s a fan of Space Ghost. She’s also one of the biggest babes the show has ever had. It’s a shame she was wasted on a Gametap episode! I have not heard her music or googled her name + "Israel" so I’m not sure if I respect her or not yet. But she seems cool I like her. 

Space Ghost Coast to Coast #102: "Mark" (lost) | May 4, 2008 | S09E05 Space Ghost Coast to Coast #103: "Bruce" (lost) | May 16, 2008 | S09E06

Two losties in a row. No Idea who these schmoes are. I can’t even google these dildos. My pal London told me that the lost episode's titles/guests could very well be bogus; filled-in by some ne'er-do-well on a wiki, and that this information has self-replicated itself ever since. I am very interested to find out if that's true or not, but I believe it. I did do a cursory search on the library of congress website and was astonished to see some GameTap episodes listed, but it was missing episodes that definitely do exist so I can't really conclude anything from that.

Space Ghost Coast to Coast #104: "Dee" | May 25, 2008 | S09E07

Dee Snider who I heard is MEAN IN REAL LIFE appears in Space Ghost’s monitor. The compositing effects look bad again. Maybe Dee had to self-tape and this is what we got? They bleeped the word bitch in this. The Ghost Planet building is shown to blow up and a title appears on screen saying TO BE CONTINUED. This turns out to be a FUCKING joke. Dee is sorta funny in this, he gets into the spirit of the show pretty well by egging Moltar and Zorak to rebel against Space Ghost. 

Space Ghost Coast to Coast #105: "Barenaked Ladies" | May 31, 2008 | S09E08

This is easily the best episode of the GameTap batch, because it made me laugh twice. I expect this gag might be polarizing, but the weird live-action nipple with the fly crawling on it made me laugh. It’s unlike anything the show has ever done, really, and it was probably the element of surprise that got me. I suspect that gag might’ve pissed some people off, though.

The other part that made me laugh was when Space Ghost urges the band members to do something “sinsational” and the smack his lips. No joke, I laughed so hard at this, and it was one of those rolling laughs that feel like they’ll never end. They deserved the Peabody award for that joke. 

Space Ghost Coast to Coast: "Jonny Quest" | March 19, 1996 | Special

I wanted to throw this in there because I do sorta feel like this comes close to being a SORTA episode? It’s not really any better than the GameTap episodes, in my opinion. It’s mostly Space Ghost being excited about Jonny Quest’s VHS releases. Space Ghost never got an official retail VHS tape release, if I’m not mistaken, and couldn't you just imagine the world we’d be living in if there had been? 9/11 wouldn’t have happened! But Jan 6th still would have :( 

That's that for Space Ghost Weekend. We'll begin doing 2010 pretty soon. Maybe not exactly tomorrow, but soon.

[yeahiwasintheshit]

Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles

so some magazine, sight and sound, named Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles the GREATEST FILM OF ALL TIME, last year. i hadnt heard of it before and found out its actually on hbomax right now, and decided to watch it. well it isnt... the greatest film. i dont know sight and sound but clearly they are either trolling or theyre the pretentious film snobs types, and being an art school faggot, i kinda loved it too. its by no means the greatest film ever tho. its just not. people will absolutely hate this, and tbh maybe that makes me love it more. but its pure film snob wankery. LOOOOONNNNGGGGG boring static unedited shots of this woman, jeanne dielman, making meatloaf, folding her sons clothes, washing dishes, getting dressed, sitting, getting undressed, walking to the store, taking a bath, reading a letter, dusting, buttoning up her housedress, waiting for the elevator, making breaded veal cutlets, waiting on the elevator, fixing her bed, eating dinner with her son, drinking coffee, wondering if the milk went bad, peeling potaotes, shining her sons shoes, buying groceries, prostituting herself... all very common boring housewife things. and all these scenes were shot with the camera LOCKED DOWN. not one zoom or close up in the whole french movie. yes, its also in french with subtitles, but dont let the language barrier dissuade you from watching it because in the whole 3 hours and 20 minutes of the movie, there may be 18 minutes total of dialogue. its mostly a silent film. a 3 hour and 20 minute silent film, and if you think: silent film... it must has a nice score? no. nope. no score/soundtrack whatsoever. just lots of sound of jeanne dielman’s heels on the hardwood floors tho. lol and even with all that i watched every damn minute of its 3 hour and 20 minute run time, waiting to see what was going to happen next. i didnt pick up my phone once. i didnt even fall asleep. part of the reason was the lead actress, Delphine Seyrig, who really made the movie worth watching. she has the film presence thing... i dont know. captivating to watch. the movie starts with a hook that keeps you waiting to see what is going to happen next. this woman clearly has a very strict rigid life, where daily tasks are repeated exactly the same over and over and over again. her life is on a loop day in and out. and once you see the cracks in that regimented life, things... change... for her, and you start to wonder how someone who lives so precisely can handle change. i wont say anything to spoil, but this worked on me. i was with jeanne dielman the whole way through. loved it.

[styxhuntress]

Just watched The Winchesters for the first time, binged it with a VPN on HBOMax since it’s not on anything in the US or Canada.

And can I just say: Carlos is hands down the best character. He gives me life. He was the most entertaining to watch and I love him.

Anyone who disagrees can fight me.

[follower-of-romcommunism]

Shows with poignant endings that are actually satisfying

Since season 3 ended on such a pathetic note, here are shows I think that actually do what Ted Lasso was trying to do with its ending, but in a way that doesn’t rob its audience or gaslight them about what they showed us in literally everything else leading up to it 

1. The Newsroom - written by Aaron Sorkin, watch on HBOmax

2. Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story - written by Shonda Rhimes, watch on Netflix

3. Derry Girls - written by Lisa McGee, watch on Netflix

4. Fleabag - written by Phoebe Waller-Bridge, watch on Prime Video

5. M*A*S*H - many writers, watch on Hulu

Notice I didn’t say happy endings, because none of these shows have an ending that’s neatly tied up and everyone’s hunk dory. You don’t need that to have your ending be satisfying and well-written. You can have a gut punch goodbye without destroying everything you built. Feel free to drop more recs in the comments.

spoilers under the cut for explanations

The Newsroom ends with the death of Charlie Skinner, Will McAvoy’s mentor and dear friend. The message of the final episode is about how life will go on without him, but the characters are consistent, and while some things are open-ended (like where Jim and Maggie stand with her moving to DC), we aren’t left feeling empty. They give the viewers some fucking credit here. 

Queen Charlotte may seem like a silly historical romance series on the surface, but it has more depth than its parent show, Bridgerton, especially with the end. It shows us that George will never be cured, not even with Charlotte’s love, and she is choosing him anyway. The whole show preaches that those with mental illness will always be that way, and they are still deserving of love and respect. We can meet them where they are. And life will not be easy at George’s side, but Charlotte wants to be there anyway. That is the real power of love. 

Derry Girls has what I’d consider the happiest ending out of all these, but the questions at the end leave the audience hopeful but with that seed of doubt. As each of these young women place their vote, and decide how they want to live their lives after the Troubles, it’s moving in a surprising way. It’s the end of their childhood, the end of an era, and yet with that comes this exciting new world. The final shot of Granda Joe and Erin’s little sister walking hand in hand perfectly shows the old life and the new coming together. 

Fleabag has probably the most devastating of all endings here, but it’s probably closest to what Ted Lasso wanted to accomplish by showing how one person can come into you life and change it forever, but that doesn’t mean they’re meant to stay. But what makes Fleabag’s ending effective is not only the dialogue, both characters actually voicing their feelings for each other and stating why they can’t be together, but Fleabag finally looks at the camera and shakes her head before walking away. She doesn’t need the audience anymore. And we aren’t left loving her or Hot Priest any less. 

M*A*S*H is along the same lines as Fleabag. All these doctors came together because of the war, and they were the epitome of found family while they were all so far away from home. At the end, as they all part ways, they let each other know through words and gestures what the experience meant to them. And there isn’t some weird sequence showing what everyone’s up to now, they let the audience fill in those gaps themselves, so we can’t be disappointed by things missing (Ted at Beard’s wedding *coughcough*). 

[mercurygray]

Currently Reading January 2023

How to Pray, by Fr. James Martin - I got this for Christmas last year and still haven't started it yet. It's slowly making its way to the top of the TBR pile.

The Merchant of Power: Sam Insull, Thomas Edison, and the Creation of the Modern Metropolis - one of my coworkers loaned this to me and I should probably get it back to him soon.

The Daughters Of Yalta: The Churchills, Roosevelts, and Harrimans: A Story of Love and War - impulse buy at the library book sale.

Those Wonderful Women in Their Flying Machines: The Unknown Heroines of World War Two by Sally Van Wagenen Keil - Another impulse buy at the library.

Currently Watching All Creatures Great and Small, Season 3 (PBS) - War is looming for Darrowby's favorite vets and James and Helen are being adorable newlyweds. This show continues to be like a warm hug.

Vikings Valhalla, Season 2 (Netflix) - I was trying to space this one out after it started while I was on vacation, but now I'm on episode 5.

Les Combattantes (Netflix) - Women in World War One. Sometimes a show is written specifically for me.

Just Finished

Brown Girl Dreaming, by Jacqueline Woodson - a novel (memoir?) told entirely in poetry. This was a pick for bookclub and it was great. Would highly recommend.

Hemingway and Gellhorn (2012, HBOMax) - I'm not entirely sure why I turned this on. Maybe it was my weakness for Clive Owen. Anyway, this is several hours of my life that I can't get back BUT it make a nice backdrop from which to launch into Mackrell's book. I still can't stand Hemingway.

The Correspondents: Six Women Writers on the Front Lines of World War II, by Judith Mackrell - a very nice overview of 6 of the war's most high profile authors. Taken in conjunction with Hemingway/Gellhorn and the upcoming Lee Miller biopic, a real good read.

SAS: Rogue Heroes (2023, MGM+) - a show so fun I told my therapist I think I needed more 'fuck it, do it anyway' energy. Not exactly fabulous history, or female representation, but a really, really fun soundtrack and a lot of things going boom.

SAS: Rogue Heroes, by Ben Macintyre - an impulse buy while I was on vacation because I'd just finished the TV show. The show's a pretty good adaptation, though I take some issues with David Stirling's characterization.

Domina ( MGM+) - I gave up on this after the timeskip in the fourth episode. Really wasn't expanding my understanding of Livia Drusilla and post-Caesar Rome.

Belgravia (2020, MGM+) - Kind of glad I skipped this (and the book) when it originally came out, but it filled a hole for a couple of evenings.

The Man from UNCLE (2015) - finally watched this movie and can understand why people like it so much.

[kris-bliss]

SPOILERS FOR THOSE WHO PLAN TO GET INTO THE MAZE RUNNER SERIES either the books or movies!!!!‼️

I know I have only posted shit about

RE but I love so much more. Like the maze runner! I LOVE THE BOOKS AND THE MOVIES. Thomas is and always will be my favorite. And those of you who know the main runner know who I'm talking about. So Max (HBOmax) just added the scorch trails onto it and i was watching the movie and i couldn't help but remember something. I fucking hate Teresa. Like don't get me wrong she has reasons for the things she did but at the same time...

WHO BETRAYS THE PEOPLE WHO SAVED YOUR LIFE COUNTLESS TIMES????? Like i understand she fully thought WICKED was good but still. Ratting out an entire GROUP of people who literally lost many beforehand is such bullshit. Like I know for a fact she knew doing that would kill tons of people. But all she cared about was herself and Thomas. "WICKED is good! What they're doing will save tons of people!" YEAH WHILE KILLING THE NEXT GENERATION?

I truly do love the Maze Runner series, truly a masterpiece but I'm so glad she dies in the last movie. She deserved it tbh.

[chronicsyd]

ok I’m taking a small break from raving about Catradora for a bit to talk about Velma (the new HBOmax show) cause I’ve seen Several videos on my socials (most specifically tiktok) talking about the how's and whys this show doesn’t work and why its currently sitting at a measly 8% on RT with audiences (I know that RT is something to be taken with a grain of salt but when talking about this show I think we can take this rating at face value.) 

Now one of the reasons I think this show is failing so hard is cause it tried to “Harley Quinn” the Mystery Gang is the best way to put it. however, the reason why upping the comedy and adult humor was well received with the Harley Quinn show is because these characters (while being ridiculous and over the top) are still recognizable as these characters. Harley Quinn is still a villain turning antihero who's dealing with the fallout of hers and the jokers relationship. Poison Ivy hates people but makes exceptions for those in her life that matter to her. all in all, if you showed me the HBO max show and compared it to the DCEU I’d still be able to recognize that character as Harley Quinn (also I think it came out fundamentally at a time when Harley Quinn content was at an all time high demand (especially after what we received with the first Suicide Squad back in 2016). season 1 of the show came out in 2019 with Birds of Prey and the new Suicide Squad quickly following suit in 2020 and 2021; one of those main movies focuses being About Harley Quinn’s breakup with the joker) 

The problem with Velma is that the characters don’t really feel like the same characters that we’ve grown to know and love over the years. it doesn’t feel like they’ve taken existing characteristics of these characters and ampt them up for comedy it feels like they slapped new characteristics onto these characters that don’t fit these characters at all. And we really haven’t had all that much Scooby Doo content come out in recent years (that I’ve noticed) (the most recent from memory that I can recall being the crossover episode with Supernatural which does a much better job at sticking to the characters while being in a more adult show) the big bust for Scooby Doo content I’d argue would be the 2000′s-2010′s when shows like Mystery Incorporated or A Pup Named Scooby Doo were airing (as well as the theatrical releases however I’m not the biggest fan of those, if you like them more power to you but that’s not the point of this) maybe the show would work if they took something like Mystery Incorporated and upped the antics so that it works for a more mature audience and the show Just came out and all but i really don’t see it getting all that much better. 

[simplebeardedguy]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Acción, Crimen, Suspenso Positivo ✅ •Las Escenas de Acción •Los nuevos personajes •El Desenlace •John Wick más humano Negativo ❌ •La duración de algunas escenas •La falta de diálogos significativos •La historia se vuelve un poco plana Opinión - John Wick 4 es una obra maestra, cada vez más acción, más violencia y más se conoce el mundo de los asesinos. Esta saga empieza con una leyenda (John Wick), no sabemos cómo llegó a dónde está, no sabemos quién es, o porque es tan temido, pero nos encanta el personaje y lo que logra. En esta entrega John sigue su camino intentando dejar la vida de asesino cosa que sabemos es imposible, por fin encontramos personajes a la altura de Baba Yaga, lo vemos sufrir, cansarse y pedir ayuda. Toda la película me parece fantástica solo que carece de diálogos, la historia se vuelve plana y muy superficial, las escenas de acción son muy largas, pierden sentido, emoción y la duración total es mucha pero dicho esto es una película que debes de ver si eres fan de la acción y de la saga. What I Think -John Wick 4 is a masterpiece, more and more action, more violence and the world of assassins is more known. This saga starts with a legend (John Wick), we don't know how he got to where he is, we don't know who he is, or why he is so feared, but we love the character and what he accomplishes. In this installment, John continues on his way trying to leave the life of an assassin, which we know is impossible, we finally have characters at the same level of Baba Yaga, we see him suffer, get tired and ask for help. The whole movie seems fantastic to me, except that it lacks dialogue, the story becomes flat and very superficial, the action scenes are very long, they lose meaning, thrill, and the total duration is too much, but that being said, it is a movie that you should see if you are a fan of action movies. #cine #movies #personajes #top #review #mymoviebro #mexico #post #followｍe #followforfollowback #follow4followback #followbackinstantly #netflix #primevideo #disneyplus #appletvplus #cinepolis #cinemex #movietime #cinephile #cineencasa #recomendacionesdenetflix #reseña #star+ #cinemexico #hbomax #2023 #johnwick (en Mexico City, Mexico) https://www.instagram.com/p/CqYGM3vu6jF/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=