#masterpiece in comedic writing

[queenofthearchives]

Arthur Conan Doyle 🤝 Robert Pattinson

Two men who did a silly little thing and were made to regret it for the rest of their lives

RIP Arthur Conan Doyle. You would’ve hated us for still obsessing over a man you hated so much that you had to kill him.

[coralinnii]

Hello Coral~~💖💖✨✨ Congrats on your 2.7k Milestone 💐🎂✨ Like many others, I love your villainess au and happy that many people is supporting it ✨✨ For the event request, I have some brain rots about Sebek Silver Malleus being in a friendly culture (maybe theyre visiting Yuu's hometown and its really welcoming like the people from Kalim's Hometown)!! they refer to them as like their family, gifts them foods the very moment they visited, and not bothered that theyre faes since they know theyre just creatures who protects nature~ i think its a nice culture shock for them considering how secluded and proper briar valley is ✨

‧₊˚✧ It Takes a Village‧₊˚✧ 

↳ Getting Culture Shock from Your Hometown

feat: Sebek ❋ Silver ❋ Malleus genre: fluff, note: no pronouns were used for reader, established relationships, set before Book 7 (mostly because I haven’t finished it yet),

A lot of the scenarios are inspired and modeled after my experiences growing up, which is very Southeast Asia-coded. So, I apologise if this is not actually how you envision. Hope you still enjoy, though. 

similar post: Getting Culture Shock from your Friendly Family (Sebek, Silver, Malleus)

2.7K Followers Writing Event 2023

You’d be absolutely evil if you didn’t even try to warn your uptight boyfriend. I’d love you for that  

Sebek has finally found his match as his own voice gets drowned out by the boisterous market vendors and customers, but he’s more surprised by the forward way everyone seems to address each other. 

“Sir, it’s a pleasure to meet you, I’m-” 

“Sebek, he’s not really my uncle. We call everyone that.” 

You would have to keep Sebek on tight hold because he’s a gullible green bean. The freshman burns in embarrassment at every “handsome boy” or “strong guy” comment calling out for his attention. He won’t lie, his ego is inflated quite a bit but it’s still strange to hear someone other than you call him that. 

On the other hand, he’s not too sure how to feel when vendors of all ages were calling out to you the same way. You may be used to it but Sebek isn’t, especially if he’s not used to calling you beautiful or cute himself yet. 

But, he could take this as a challenge to improve himself. For every compliment they give, he’ll give you tenfold. This he swears!

To your luck, it seems that the market the two of you were visiting was hosting a mini concert as music and lights filled a well-known open space near the market. 

Visitors and locals young and old surrounded the space, either resting while eating their confections or grooving to the catchy tune of the music blasting through the speakers. 

Then, a particularly famous song began to play, and Sebek flinched as the crowd suddenly burst in excited cheers and laughter, you included. Many women and men jumped to their feet, with some confidently running to the center of the space. You jumped to your feet as they did, but you chose to stand close to your confused boyfriend. 

Sebek’s expression was a comedic masterpiece as he watched you and many others start this synchronized sequence of silly movement, identical to the minor beat. Those who didn’t join were still clapping in unison while joyously laughing. 

What sort of local ritual was this? 

The synchronous dance was short lived, and soon people were divided into those who resumed their previous activity or continued swaying to the melody. 

You fell into the latter category, even reaching to Sebek hoping to persuade him to join you. 

Sebek was shocked and a little offended. He was a man of great honor and pride. He’d rather be caught dead than to devolve himself to this undignified manner of dance, if you could even call it so. No, he would never stoop so low, even if the string lights gave off this tempting glow around you, your soft hand still reaching out to him while you looked at him so lovingly… 

Well, the knight-in-training thought he could allow such exceptions once in a while, especially when you smiled so beautifully when he joined you on the dance floor. 

Don’t let Sebek know, but he became sort of a local online sensation as someone slyly took a video of him smiling so softly at you after putting on such a grumpy persona. 

Every reshare of this video was always paired with the caption, “Scary man turns into puppy for his lover”  

See, you can’t tell if your community is being especially friendly, or maybe it’s just that the beautiful young man next to you is just too irresistible to ignore. 

All the chatty aunties were cooing over Silver and even the laid-back uncles sitting around were praising the cut of Silver’s muscular figure. 

But, you won’t say anything because you just wanted Silver to smile and bask in the well-deserved praises. 

“The locals here are quite friendly to strangers like me, even offering small treats.” 

“Mhm, they sure are.” 

Silver is amazed by the seamless blend of close bonds and community from what he sees. Customers casually chatting with workers as children run around without worries in this homely environment. 

In comparison to them, Silver felt a little inadequate as he couldn’t express himself as openly as the locals do so easily. 

But maybe because they’re so open with everyone, he feels this sense of safety to try. 

“So you’re not from around here, are you?” The kind woman asked the silver-haired man as her fingers deftly package and wrap some snacks you two picked out to share with others back in NRC. 

“No, I’m actually from Briar Valley.” 

“Hmm, that’s the fae kingdom, right?” The woman’s curiosity peaked. “Are you fae, then? I couldn’t tell.” 

“Well no, I’m human. I was adopted by my father who’s from Briar Valley.” 

“Just him? No one else?” The store owner asked without looking at Silver once, instead moving back and forth to get things done behind the counter, but her attention was still locked on him.

“There were a few others I grew up with, but my father was the one who raised me” 

It was only then when the busy woman slowed down a smidge, pausing for a moment before untying the bag that held your snacks. You watched her tossed a few more small packets of snacks near her counter. 

“These are very popular, share them with your father.” She looked sternly into your boyfriend’s iridescent eyes, the first time in a while since you’ve been in the store. “Make sure to visit him, okay?” 

Silver wanted to protest, to correct the misunderstanding. The snacks the two of you picked out already included some for Lilia and he couldn’t possibly ask for more without paying. 

It was up to you to intervene. “Just give up, Silver. You can’t change a woman’s mind.” 

The store owner nodded. “Listen to the smart one. Just take it, I insist.” 

With a sliver of guilt but a lot of warmth, Silver eventually accepted the kind woman’s offering before leaving the establishment. 

What Silver didn’t see however, was you sneaking a few snacks and a drink onto the counter with adequate fare tucked underneath. You shared a look with the store owner before leaving, playfully staring her down to not to refuse your offering. 

The store owner let out a laugh, thinking what a cute couple you were. 

Regardless of wherever he goes, Malleus sticks out like a sore thumb, a very intimidating sore thumb. 

Eyes naturally glance at him with curiosity throughout the market, amazed by the regal figure walking around, like a celebrity strolling around the local areas. 

If your hometown speaks another language, some of the market vendors would tell you not-so sneakily how attractive your lover was while Malleus was none the wiser.

But, as curious as the humans were, they were quick to accept him as is, which shocked the fair-skinned fae. It wasn’t as though he was being avoided or judged, but rather the community took him and his inhuman appearance as typical. Undaunted by anything, the nosy sellers would joke and compliment him like any other walking around here. 

“What a handsome fae you are, you can be a model!” “And tall! He can reach the top of our tent, haha!”

Malleus can tell his horns and ears are eye-catching to say the least, but everyone was quick to grow accustomed to his features, even warning him to watch his head should he bump into anything in this crowded alley. 

“Are those with my features a common prevalence in your homeland?” 

“No, you’re a rarity around here. But that doesn't mean you don’t belong here any less.” 

“Ah, so this is how a beautiful soul is cultivated,” Malleus thought, gazing softly as you and a kind merchant searched around the store for a shirt that could fit the future king.

The day was setting, and you and Malleus decided to rest at a popular park that was famous for its view of the town. You weren’t alone as both locals and visitors filled the space, either resting or making memories with their friends and families. 

Then, you heard a whisper from a timid voice behind the two of you. 

“Um, mister.” You turned around to see some local children looking curiously at Malleus. 

“Are you fae?” The eldest boy spoke first, nervously clutching his jacket. 

When Malleus calmly responded in affirmation, the other children lit up with excited smiles. 

“You’re super tall, taller than my dad!” Another child exclaimed, “Are all fae tall like you?” 

Malleus smirked rather haughtily. “Very few others, fae or otherwise, stand on par to myself.”

”I’m the tallest in my class!” The eldest boy blurted out, even puffing his chest and slightly leaning on his toes. “It’s because I drink my milk everyday. Do you drink milk?” 

You abruptly nudged your lover before intervening. “Yes he does, which is why you need to drink milk and other healthy food to keep growing.” 

A little girl, hidden behind the first two children, spoke out. “How long is your hair? My hair is really long too!” 

She pushed her long braided hair to the front, comparing her neatly combed hair to Malleus’s direction. 

“Your hair is quite long indeed, perhaps matching mine in length at first glance.” Malleus commented back, amused by the children’s competitive nature. 

After sharing all of their thoughts, the curious children finally left when their guardians called them back, waving at the two of you before running out of sight. Now free, Malleus looked to you with curiosity of his own gleaming in his striking green eyes. 

“The offspring of this land are inquisitive as they are fearless,” Malleus smiled in your direction. “I wonder if all children hailed from here shared these traits.” 

Were you like them as a child? 

You picked up on his unspoken question and replied with a cheeky expression. “Wouldn’t you like to know~” 

Would he? Would he like to know if you were the type to run around so carefree and see the world with such interest and curiosity. If your future children would be like those endearing little ones just now…

Yes, he would.

[jovialsongdefendor]

Talking more about the idw sonic comics

idw comics are getting more popular over the years, months, days. and I mean, great for the creators. but lets be clear that popularity doesnt mean exactly that something is canon. like a responded to someone in the last post (And i dont know WHY I CANT SEE MY REPLYS WHY TUMBRL), the divine comedic of dante can be used like a example. or even the other writes of the bibles itself. the divine comedic is basically a selfinsert where dante explain how hell is divided in seven circles if I remember correctly, and how the sinners suffer in each circle depending on how they acted in life. But even if they have the best representation of hell of the bible and used in many medias, is NOT canon to the bible itself

Dante’s Masterpiece ‘La Divina Commedia’ is Actually Fanfiction | by Kalea Martin | Life is Lit. | Medium

(so yeah your self insert can be popular so yay)

because if it was part of the canon of the bible, why dante hasnt been mentioned in the bible? or describe hell when in the bible there isnt a really a description of the hell itself? each country had a different representation of the religion, of heaven and hell. Each country had different views of the religion or even how god itself it seen or believe.

coming back to sonic, if idw sonic were canon, then how blaze is able to travel to dimensions withouth having all the 14 esmeralds to do it? why sonic acts so different in the comics and in the games? why the resistence is back when it was disbanded in the end of forces? sonic had his own differents universes: sonic x, sonic boom, sonic archie, sonic idw, sonic fleetway, etc. and all of them are inspired by the sonic of the games, like dante did with the bibble. if idw are canon, then the same logic can be applied to sonic x, sonic boom, sonic archie when they were confirmed to be non canon. I guess chris come back to make everyone hate him again lol. and the comment thatr sayed where is the panel where sonic gaslight shadow in using his trauma against him:

Pretty contradictory when eggman had done worst things than shadow but ANYWAY-

[evangesworld]

pisces placements

pisces sun

pisces moon

pisces rising

pisces stellium

12th house stellium

pisces lilith

You have to have an emotional outlet. No. It doesn’t have to be a career, but you need it to be apart of your routine. here are some things that can turn the stress and mundane into an outlet:

Listen to music

- this is probably one of the easiest ones to do. Music is so accessible. So make a playlist for every mood or just for fun lol. but make sure it’s high frequency and good for your soul. example: i like to listen to my childhood bops to get me to maintain a positive vibe or just positive instrumentals.

Journal

- ive been a consistent journaler for about 5 years. i don’t do it everyday but i mainly journal when im in a negative state. It helps put my mind at ease. It’s also beneficial long term, to see how your mental has progressed!

Scrapbooking

- this may be a little old school. be this is a good way of getting off of your phone and creating sentimental memories. you can also add your own creativity and admire it for years to come!

Poetry

- i look at poetry as the love child between traditional journaling and song writing. poetry is a unique and creative way of expressing your feeling and experiences. so give it a try and challenge your creative word play!

Record yourself sing ( just for you)

- now not everyone is a singer. but pisces placements are know to be very artist and many can sing so if you do, do it and record yourself. keep the video/audio for yourself. make a playlist of yourself for yourself and keep it for your future self.

Paint

- painting can seem intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be. if u want to, just throw some color on a canvas and you’ll see u don’t have to be a professional to create a masterpiece. (or just watch some bob ross videos!🤷🏽‍♀️)

Draw

- learning to draw is so cool. i can be alittle intimidating like painting but it doesn’t have to be something that’s intricate. start with something simple.

Take pictures

-take pictures of everything. romanticize your life. make it interesting and make it fun. time moves fast, you have to capture it.

Watch comedic tv

- when i’m feeling down, i like to watch light hearted tv. and more than likely i get a laugh or two out of it. laughing is good for the mind, body, and soul. and it’s a natural cure. so watch something funny!

Watch low stim tv shows

-watching low stimulation shows can help alleviate some anxiety and level your mood (especially at night!) my personal favorite is bob’s burgers but there are many other low stim shows.

don’t copy/steal any of my work @evangesworld ©️2025

[starredforlife]

ok top five scenes from the kung fu panda universe (any of the movies, shorts, shows, etc). could be fight scenes, character moments, etc etc so on and so forth

FERN THIS IS SO HARD. FOR ME. UHM !!!!

ESCAPE FROM GONGMEN TOWER please watch it right now please please it's such an underrated scene musically and visually. this is the scene where tigress catches a flaming arrow and that's the exact moment i became a homosexual. vic history. it's also the scene where we see her chops as a leader of the five and the way she's fit into this role to balance out Po so well. and also all her potential as who she could've been, if she'd been chosen to be the dragon warrior herself. but she's not.

MUSICIAN'S VILLAGE I LOVE this scene the way it introduces, to the audience, that the score is going to play a part in the fight scenes of this movie is absolutely magnificent. and the way we get reintroduced to the furious five's + po's fighting style, and it reminds us immediately that they are formidable--and then sets up the inciting incident of the plot with so much mystery (and we see the 2d animation style again too, which has always represented po's inner subconscious. WHY DIDN'T THEY DO THAT FOR THE FOURTH MOVIE. whatever)

i would say the bridge fight (kfp1) and i adore that scene but i have to say, i really love the performances, the ambience, the color boards, the sound effects, and the emotional impact of shifu and tai lung's fight in the 3rd act more. i love when kfp actually invested time in its non-main protag characters. tai lung was an absolutely fascinating villain and this scene just rounds out his character so well

The entirety of the secrets of the scroll short film oh my god i love that one so much. teenage tigress. my baby girl.

FUCK okay and then the fireworks factory (2nd movie) where Po confronts Shen about his past. And he gets shot with a cannon and Tigress doesn't get to him in time. breaks my heart every time. i'm going to include the scene where Tigress and Po fight right before that in the jail too bc the musical score called "Fireworks Factory" starts with THEIR HUG. AND IT ENDS WITH HER RUNNING TO CATCH HIM. AND FAILING. MY BAKA LIFE !!!!! i don't even ship them anymore like i did when i was 14 i mostly just love tigress but their platonic relationship is v important to me. i have to include their hug bc that did irreparable damage to me as a tween. sorry the quality of the first vid is so ass. their relationship in the entire 2nd movie is so good i could write a whole analysis on it probably. it's paining me physically to not include their earlier boat scene talk.

this is also the scene where tigress snarls at the gorilla and that changed my brain chemistry forever.

i love the entire second movie this is so hard for me AUGHHHGHGH okay quick honorary mention: i also love the scene where we see shen fight the three masters (rhino, croc, ox). that quick fight scene is SO well executed. the dialogue and the performances are incredible. i used to have every line of dialogue of this movie memorized and especially loved reciting this scene (skip to 1:10)

and then if i had to pick a moment from the third one it's the one where oogway's statue gets wrecked at the jade palace. it lands emotionally very well for a scene that could have easily been mishandled too comedically or too quickly. like it still gives me chills. and i'm not even gonna touch on the character animation/acting of tigress and shifu here bc GOD. kai's theme does rock also!!! AND i LOVE the colors in this movie SO MUCH holy fuck

and then a minor detail from the first one is i love how the characters act with each other, namely the five and shifu. they clearly have a history and/or comradery with each other. shifu undoing the nerve damage tai lung did in a way specific to each of his students stands out to me in particular.

1 and 2 are masterpieces to me and i have my Things about the 3rd one but overall, a beautiful trilogy. i wish the 4th one didn't exist im killing it with my bare hands. vic hate movie? vic murder it. 5th rule of the streets.

[technicolorfamiliar]

The Spy in Black Dir. Michael Powell 1939

I was going to combine this and Dark Journey in one post, but I ended up writing way more about The Spy in Black than I thought I would. I'm so, so glad I came back to this film. Rereading my initial thoughts after my first viewing, I realize clearly missed a lot because I was too hyperfocused on Connie being the way he is. But I did rewatch Dark Journey recently, and ended up liking that movie a whole lot less the second time around, so I'm not really in any hurry to post about it.

...

The Spy in Black feels worlds away from the grand, technicolor masterpieces of Powell and Pressburger. Despite the whole final act taking place at sea with the U-boats and battleships firing at one another, the film doesn't come close to the opulence of what are perhaps The Archers' most well-known and beloved films. The Spy in Black is minimalist by comparison, and yet it doesn’t feel out of place when considered among their other works.

Set mostly in the Orkney Islands, a damp and cold feeling permeates the film. That's something The Archers are exceptionally good at as filmmakers -- creating a multisensory experience for the viewer just through their visuals and sound design. Whether it's their wind battered Himalayan monastery in Black Narcissus, or the ever present rain and closeness of the sea to the little schoolhouse in The Spy in Black, Powell and Pressburger films are undeniably immersive. Atmosphere and a sense of place are key defining factors in their films even in this, their earliest work together.

The filmmakers also of course were aware of Conrad Veidt's prestige and wanted to make sure the look of the film paid homage to Connie's past work. There are scenes with deep, angular shadows for Hardt to disappear into and creep out of like in Caligari or Orlac. The title of the film has been bugging me, but now I think it's not so much about what Hardt wears as it is about him lurking in the shadows. (There's also a cute story about Michael Powell and Connie's first meeting where Powell was more than a little star struck; I believe he went on and on about Connie's deep blue eyes and his purring voice, which is understandable.)

The writing suits their actors so perfectly. Compared to Dark Journey where everyone is so painfully British when they aren't supposed to be, there's something in the writing and direction that differentiates the nationalities in The Spy in Black. So even Marius Goring, who is British as can be, when playing a German naval officer isn't quite AS British as Sebastian Shaw and Valerie Hobson, if that makes any sense. It's a subtle difference, but there's something about the performances in this film compared to Dark Journey that allow for a greater suspension of disbelief.

And it's funny! Maybe not as obviously funny as Contraband, but The Spy in Black has some really finely crafted comedic moments that don't feel out of step with the rest of the film. It's not a comedy by any means; it's a drama with room for humor, kind of like real life… just with better looking people. When Hardt is wrestling his motorbike up a hill and is startled by a bunch of sheep, he baas back at them! It's a little moment that feels random at the same time it feels relatable. And it humanize Hardt, who doesn't really need the help -- he's already at this point in the movie completely endeared to the audience (or should be if you have a heart and eyes to see him). Most of the humor in the movie comes from Hardt being put in Situations.

The whole butter thing is so delightfully stupid. They establish Hardt early on as a foodie and a glutton, if only because he's been deprived of good food for great lengths of time. So when he arrives at the schoolhouse rendezvous and is checking each room to make sure it's safe, when the camera catches him in closeup staring with extreme intensity at something off screen. We're to think he suddenly sees something dangerous. The camera cuts to Miss Burnett/Fräulein Thiel/Mrs Blacklock looking confused and concerned. The music builds dramatically as they cut back to Hardt who is creeping towards the table. He reaches down, grabs something, the music crescendos, he lifts the thing to his face -- it's a giant block of butter.

It's delightful, it speaks to anyone who loves food, or at least just to me. Hardt then proceeds to eat most of the butter and, like, half a ham before collapsing but not without first lighting what are clearly supposed to be post-coitalesque cigarettes for himself and Thiel. Even though they spend most of the middle of the film flirting like goddamn pros, sharing a decadent meal is the closest they get to anything explicitly sexual.

Production began towards the end of 1938 and the film was released in the spring of 1939. While England didn't officially enter the war until the following fall, one would have to imagine the threat of conflict was making the general population anxious. The Spy in Black is a WWI film, set in 1917, but unlike other cinematic narratives of the 1930s centered around past wars, this film doesn’t really go out of its way to glorify the military or present a particularly nationalistic story. All the characters are heroic, all the characters are flawed, none more so than the man at the center of the film, Captain Ernst Hardt, a German U-boat captain. The balls they had to make a film with this kind of protagonist at this time. Yet the film doesn't claim to make any kind of sweeping judgement, positive or negative, about Germans. It seems more likely that with the war looming, Hardt is less of a statement about Germans in general and more like Dark Journey's Von Marwitz: both characters seem to be informing the British audience that this outsider, Conrad Veidt, this man you mainly know as a screen villain, is a good man. He's one of us, it seems to suggest.

This film, perhaps uniquely for its time, focuses on the individuals rather than the nations they represent. It seems more focused on how each of the main characters are personally affected by their actions. While the acts of espionage are played out with slick intrigue, by the end of the movie Hardt and Mrs Blacklock are both full of regret. Everything they've done has done little more than lead to the deaths of people who had lives, families, people who loved them. No amount of honor and devotion to one's country in wartime can wash the blood from their hands. In Mrs Blacklock's case, I don't believe her heart was really in it. She breaks down on the captured ferry and says, "You’re in the hands of a man who cares nothing for his life or yours. And it's all my fault. I forgot we were at war, forgot that war means that it kills every fine, decent human feeling." And Hardt himself, for all his good intentions and humanity extended to his prisoners on the ferry, loses every one of his crew, men who may have been the only people he truly cared about in the entire world. And having lost them, having not been able to protect them from the fatal depth charge that struck their U-boat, he has nothing left to live for. The machine of war, or more accurately the psychology of war, claims Hardt as yet another victim. The real villain of The Spy in Black is not the German naval captain nor his men, but rather the war itself. The Spy in Black is at its heart, under all the sexually suggestive dialogue and clever cinematography, an anti-war movie masquerading as a standard espionage thriller.

Valerie Hobson apparently was hired to replace Vivien Leigh and, honestly, thank god. A hundred thousand Vivien Leigh fans would swarm my house with torches and pitchforks if they ever read this, but Valerie Hobson is a better actor and more charismatic, SORRY. She has more range and better comedic timing than Leigh (who went on to do Gone With The Wind anyway, so good for her I guess). Val is maybe more fun in Contraband, but I love that she and Connie got on so well, on screen and off, with each other and with Powell and Pressburger that they all got back together to make a second film. Watching The Spy in Black again, Contraband definitely feels like the more self-indulgent film, but I don't care. And here we get to see the beginning of that collaboration, see the sparks fly as Val and Connie expertly handle the dialogue and direction. I love their dynamic on screen; Hardt deferring to this woman that he thinks is his superior, the way she corrects his English (which was something Val did to Connie in real life that adorably carried over into the film), the way she barks at him to pick up his motorbike and go to bed, the way she looks at him at the end of the film with heartbreak in her eyes but can't bring herself to apologize or say anything at all. UGH. UUUUUGGHHHH. She and Connie have so many great moments together in this film, it's impossible to pick a favorite.

(Powell and Pressburger dared to put Connie and Val nose to nose and have him say to her, "It is evening and I am grown up, " knowing full well what this would do to unsuspecting audiences, only to -- just one year later -- go "hold my beer" and make give him even worse lines in Contraband. GOATed.)

Connie genuinely seems like he's having 10x more fun on this film than Dark Journey. For one thing, he's welcomed back to England after a couple flops and a stopover in France with a more interesting, more fully realized character, one where he's allowed to bring in more of his own opinions and creative choices. Captain Hardt feels more like a real guy, he's less perfect than Von Marwitz. On this rewatch, I realized I'd forgotten how gruff and grumpy Hardt is (which, like Andersen in Contraband, I chalk up to him being hangry). As captain, he's no-bullshit but endures lighthearted teasing from his shipmates. He's allowed to have a friend! Schuster and Hardt clearly have history, they aren't new to one another, they speak (comedically) in unison, after all. I mean, Hardt brings Schuster a block of butter later in the film! That's real friendship.

Hardt makes it known that he loves food, even simple things like bread and butter. This may have more to do with the military rations being beyond bad than a pre-existing character trait of Hardt's, but it gives him color and humanity. And Hardt is just as smooth as the Von Marwitz; when the fiancé of the real Miss Burnett shows up and sees the medal ribbon on his uniform, Hardt slyly and proudly states that it's the "Iron Cross, second class." And when Miss Burnett's fiancé assumes Hardt must be a prisoner of war, the Captain replies, slowly drawling his pistol, "No… you are." And all with the most perfect, calm confidence. He's a Bad MF, no lie.

So many interesting little things get revealed about Hardt pretty early on in the film. There are multiple exchanges about cigarettes being unavailable and someone offering him a pipe to which he says, "I never smoke a pipe." (As far as I see it, and I'm not complaining, but one of the only character differences between Hardt and Captain Andersen in Contraband is that Andersen does smoke a pipe lol) There are a handful of possibly queer coded things they throw in too: Schuster finds it humorous that Hardt would be reciting poetry in the dark to the lady spy he's to meet, to which Hardt says, "You think it's so funny, you know what you can do with it!" And earlier, when someone is looking for the captain, they're told, perhaps with an implied wink, that he might be found at the Turkish baths. Then there's the whole thing with Hardt literally pulling the cigar away from Schuster's mouth. I'm not saying definitively that Hardt is bi… but isn't he, though??

He is ultimately a reluctant spy; when he receives his orders to meet the German agent in Scotland, he's more annoyed than excited. He grumpily accepts his orders, but as a decorated military officer, doing spy stuff is beneath him. He insists on wearing his uniform even at the schoolhouse when he's supposed to be in hiding, because if he should die in service of his duties, he'd rather meet his end as Captain Hardt, not as an assumed identity.

Hardt is so wrapped up in his identity as a military officer that it ends up killing him. His end is tragic, nearly Shakespearean. He is not without honor, in fact he's positively full of it. He seems born and bred to follow orders, to whatever end they may have. And yet he is not a bad man. He commands authority but does not wield it with cruelty. He tells his crew to shoot any of the prisoners on the captured ferry who make noise, "with one exception" for a crying infant, and he allows the prisoners to escape on the lifeboats when the ship is sinking. Hardt cannot stop his own men from firing on the ferry, what they think is an enemy ship -- they have no way of knowing Hardt's taken over command of the ferry. Even his desperate and helpless cries and signals can't carry over the water to reach them in time. As the ship slowly sinks and everyone, including the ferry's original captain and crew, disembarks, Hardt elects to stay behind -- as his U-boat's commanding officer and with his entire crew lost and his captured ship sunk, Hardt makes the decision, in his mind the only decision, to die a captain's death at sea. The last time we see Hardt in closeup, he has tears in his eyes. We don’t see him drown, but we watch as an abandoned lifejacket floats across the frame. It's heartbreakingly tragic; we've gotten to know him, maybe even love him, over the course of the film.

I know I'm going on and on about this one, and I'm almost done, but I have a few more things to say.

People loved to get on Connie's case for his English pronunciation and his supposedly heavy German accent, but he sounds amazing in this film. He plays up some German pronunciation of certain words for comedic effect (Exhibit A: "Bütter"), but his natural accent is so inoffensive here (not that it's ever that bad, even in Rome Express or FP1 imo), and it sounds like he even tried to play it down even more than usual. And if I've said it once I've said it a hundred times, he's such a fucking master of vocal delivery. Hardt's voice sits almost in the same pocket that Von Marwitz's does but Hardt is allowed to be more expressive in his range. I feel like I have a whole separate post in me strictly about Connie's use of his voice. He's a master technician vocally, and yet for as studied as his film speaking voice in English may have been, it never sounds to my ears anything other than effortless and natural.

To wrap things up: Powell, Pressburger, Connie and Val Hobson really are the dream team. The Spy in Black is yet another movie I immediately wanted to watch again the second it was over. It's a 10.

[askew-d]

Can I ask your top 10 fav fics ever (from any fandom, if you don't mind)?

Also, just curious, is there a story behind your name "askew-d "?

hello, there! sorry for the long wait, i forgot to check my notifs :( i will do better next time. thank you for this question! i feel like i’ve waited ages for someone to ask me exactly that, lol. i could talk about well-written fanfics forever!! can i give you a hug? because this is wonderful, really.

let’s go for it! my range of fanfiction that i enjoy vary, but one thing remains: i will adore your fic, no matter the fandom, if it’s written with passion and if it contains good, poetic introspection. i love poetry. for me, if there’s melancholic tropes of any kind i’m into it. immortal character and reincarnation? give me now. supernatural elements or slice of life with doomed narrative? i’ll ignore sleep to read it. angst with happy ending? my endgame, for sure.

however, i also adore silly, comedic, cute pieces of domestic life or otherwise. i had a hard time choosing from my bookmarks for this, and i also reviewed some of my favorites, it was fun. before we continue, here are some of the tags that i don’t dive into for whatever reason: porn without plot (it personally just doesn’t interest me at all), non-con, gore, a/b/o dynamics, soulmates au. sorry if you were hoping for it! i’ll try classify them into an order of what i like most.

1. jellyfish, by mystery twin, for the haikyuu!! fandom — i read this when i was finishing high school and coincidentally the story talks about finishing high school! i have a personal attachment that makes me reread it every year. it’s some sort of tradition at this point. not to mention i love kagehina dearly.

2. teen project to change the world, by animeloverhomura, for the mo dao zu shi fandom — respectfully speaking, i would find this author and give them a big hug. their writing is spetacular! if you've never seen this one and you're into mdzs, know it's a story where the characters get to see every event from the novel and donghua, even the dead characters. they watch wei wuxian journey, can you believe it? so goddamn entertaining. promptly waiting for the next update!

3. a hundred or so hellos, by iwillstillopenthewindow, for the haikyuu!! fandom — remember i said i love melancholic stories? well, this one broke me so hard, i had to mention how i hold it with tenderness (we love things that breaks us, dont we?). this fandom manages to write the cutest, most unhinged things sometimes. even it's an anime about sports. i always get amazed by it.

4. no certainty of doors between us, by betts, for the mo dao zu shi fandom — certainly the most silly little fanfic i've ever seen, it's hilariously sweet. i want everyone to read this masterpiece because, seriously, whoever did this deserves only the best. so, so, cute. it had to be in my top 10!

5. their kindred encounters, by fireflavoredwhiskey, for the untamed rpf fandom (bjyx) — you know those kinds of shows, books, any piece of media, that tears up apart? well, this one was it for me. it's a very famous one that deserves all praise, certainly well-written and enjoyable to the core, with doses of angst, romance and beauty overall.

6. as the clouds part and clear, we finally meet again, by 12262325, for the mo dao zu shi fandom — aaaaa, i was truly torn between putting this in the third or fourth place, but i ended up putting it here. come on, i love an age difference kind of story, especially for wangxian, and this one was perfectly done. sweet and funny. the development? the yearning?? outstanding!! i read this many times already, i'll never get tired.

7. pursuit, by emleewrites, for the haikyuu!! fandom — mystery, romance, lawsuits, poker games, adventure, slice of life, AMAZING depictions and so, so goddamn well-written? that's what you're looking for in any fanfiction. the author dedicated herself entirely for this story, and, like i said, i love stories that are written with passion, you can see it pouring through every paragraph. besides, highly entertaining. i'm not very into long fics, but once i started it off, i couldn't stop. that's how addicting it is.

8. linger by the door (i’ve always been yours), by piecrust, for the mo dao zu shi fandom — epistolary?? have i mentioned how i love it?? some of the phrases in this are gold, in my bookmarks you can check some of them (i ought to make a list of my favorite fic quotes, btw, i will sure do it). through each letter i could comprehend more of wei wuxian's feelings and his internal conflict. i love feeling this connected to a character.

9. all the world is ours to take, by khrys, for the fugou keiji fandom — i have more than one favorite fanfiction for this couple. you know these kinds of developing relationship where the transition from (maybe enemies too) friends to lovers happens so smoothly that it feels like they've been soulmates first and foremost at the end? i don't even know how to explain. i just love how, when they finally are together, it's like they've been together for years. and they just... made it official? i like it. i love my mr. kambe haru.

10. he won’t tell you that he loves you, by hellshandbasket, for the house m.d fandom — i found this to be the most fitting, perfect story for this specific couple. they deserved more stories like this, but we dont see it anymore. i would hightlight the feelings realization in this one, that is so fucking real? haha in any case, it's a fanfic that i enjoyed a great deal.

that's it, i guess! i wanted to add link click fanfics also, however i barely started reading fanfictions from its fandom, i'm drowning in it lately but it's just a start. perhaps very sooon!

oh, i’m gonna finish explaining about the name! in my native language, i’ve heard someone tell me before that ‘life’s a little askew, nothing’s ever perfect’, and that quote remained in every biography of any english website i ever went to. then in literature class someday i had to write about historical women and came across this one named anne askew (i wanted to write about the mostly barely-spoken women). it was the second time i saw this word. i didn’t think of it as a proper name before, but then i had to create a nickname for my ao3 profile and thought, humn, why not just ‘askew’? the quote has been engraved in my heart anyway, so i went for it. we’re all flawed and askew. so, yeah, it just… fit? the ‘d’ here on tumblr it’s only because my surname has a ‘de morais’ in it. i also liked that it resembled ‘alaska’, the john green character i was kinda of obsessed with back in my teenager grunge phase. i don’t like these kinds of books anymore, but i guess some details stay with you. do you think it’s weird? never thought of changing.

thanks for this outstanding ask, it certainly entertained me. and hope you have a nice sleep today, big hugs coming your way! 🤍

[certifiedsoundwavesimp]

So.....

Hello everyone.

With a heavy spark, I hate say that I have finished the most heartwarming, comedic, an violent fic I have possibly read.

The Echo Garden, by Altraviolet on ao3, is one of the very, very, very few fics that made me feel things. It made me laugh till I cried, it made me cry till I couldn't pick it up again to read it, it made me feel warm inside where my heart is supposed to be.

I'll admit, I'm not the biggest fan of romantic scenes in general, but TEGs more lovey scenes, somehow let me power through them, unlike others I've read.

Thank you, @altraviolet for your amazing work and dedication to sw and rodimus, I won't be forgetting them for a while. You are one of the best authors I have seen in a while, and if you post TEG on other fanfic platforms, everyone is gonna go crazy cuz they ain't never seen a masterpiece like this. Whatever other projects you have, I hope they turn out well, so well in fact that every ao3 writer will bang on your door for your secrets.

I have problems letting go of things, I have a very bad hoarding problem, and I defo won't be letting go of TEG. And I should let go of writing this otherwise it will go on forever.

Bye 🥺🥺🥺🤧🤧🤧

[katnissdoesnotfollowback]

A Happy Birthday to Katniss Everdeen!

A promotion of my fabulous friend's writing! I present ...

Disaster is Served by buttercupbadass

Summary: All Peeta wanted to do was host a nice dinner party for his wife’s 30th birthday. But with their family and friends, nothing ever goes as planned. Between family secrets and a descending horde of Hawthornes, they’ll be lucky to make it through the dinner without bloodshed.

My shameless plug: Disaster is Served is a masterpiece of comedic dinner theater. Family drama served up piping hot with the appetizers and not letting up until after the candles on the birthday cake have been extinguished. It is modern au, also mind the warnings and tags, although I assure this is all entirely fun.

Please enjoy and remember to comment!

[ninadove]

fav french media? (films, books, shows, games etc)

OH I LOVE THIS QUESTION THANK YOU SO MUCH 💖

I’m sure I’ll forget a lot of things and smack my own forehead in shame afterwards, but this is what comes to mind right away:

Literature:

Anything ever written by Victor Hugo is a masterpiece. This dude was a terrible human being, but he sure knew how to write, and he contributed to major changes in the social conscience of his contemporaries on many important topics (including but not limited to the death penalty and child labour). To give you a taste, here is my favourite poem ever, which he wrote, because of course he did.

My favourite piece of literature across all categories, though, is and forever will be Cyrano de Bergerac by Edmond Rostand — the story of a man who convinced himself his unusually long nose makes him monstruous. The concept sounds so silly, I know, but this play is a masterpiece and a wonderful love letter to the French language.

Which brings me to my favourite comic series: De Cape et de Crocs by Alain Ayroles and Jean-Luc Masbou! Basically a twelve-volume-long fix-it fic, disguised as a tribute to French literature. Also, a beautiful bromance.

Visual arts:

Basically everyone in France can quote at least one line from Kaamelott, a comedic (?) series derived from the Arthurian legend. It is so well researched and hilarious — until it isn’t.

I’m sure there’s like, a very obvious movie choice that will come back to me in a minute, but I was raised on Disney and Scooby-Doo, so these are clogging my brain at the moment. Just give it time.

When I was very young, I would watch TV at my grandparents’ and enjoy Les Hydronautes, an animated series about an extraterrestrial explorer documenting the Earth’s marine wildlife in an effort to learn how to better protect her own planet (Aka There Are Many Benefits To Being A Marine Biologist: The Series), as well as C’est pas sorcier, a series of very fun documentaries on a plethora of subjects, from lavender farming to volcanic eruptions.

Obviously, Miraculous gets a place on the list too! 🐞🐈‍⬛

EDIT BECAUSE I FORGOT: Fantomette the animated series! This show is single-handedly responsible for my taste for smart women with amazing hair who ride motorbikes and kick ass. It even had Egytpology as a key part of the plot.

Music:

For me Formidable by Charles Aznavour is a classic, a very cute song, and a great place to start if you want to learn French!

A few other favourites include Fanny Ardant et moi by Vincent Delerm, Le Dîner by Bénabar (extremely funny to listen to while thinking about the Diamonds’ Dance) and J’ai cherché by Amir (This one is… Borderline when it comes to grammar, but cute enough that I grin and bear it. Also, it got us an honourable ranking at the Eurovision a while back, which is rare enough to be celebrated).

ALSO. I complain too much about bad translations and poor writing (see previous bullet point) not to show you kids how it’s done with Je vole from Aladdin (a genius play on words which delves into the two significations of the verb “voler”: to fly or to steal).

Video games:

Long ago, before I discovered the wonderful world of Nintendo, I would wait patiently every month for the new issue of Toboclic. This game had everything: cute animal mascots, stories, mini-games, arts-and-crafts suggestions, catchy songs, interactive documentaries… I’m sure my parents still have the CDs somewhere, but they probably don’t run anymore, which is a shame. I miss my friends.

Thank you so much for the ask, this was so fun to write!

@dragongutsixofficial please do this too so we can compare notes! 👀💖

[ouroborosorder]

Should I read the 100 Girlfriend Mamga? I've heard it's trashy, and as a rule I normally shy away from Harem stuff, but every panel I've seen from it is so goddamn funny...

it is profoundly trash. It is the Highest eschalon of trash. It’s the Mona Lisa of hot garbage. If you are the sort of person who thinks “I have heard this thing is kinda trashy” and marks that as a point of concern, 100 GF is not for you. 100 GF is for the people who hears “kinda trashy” and starts putting on their finest dumpster diving suit. And boy is it worth it.

it is a masterpiece of writing, because balancing its unreasonably massive cast is literally one of the single most impossible endeavors a mangaka could undertake, and it actually manages to pull it off. Each character is well-developed, with their own dynamics, not just with Rentaro, but with their other girlfriends, each of them bouncing off each other in a way that feels really natural and charming. It’s also a comedic fucking genius. I think “DJ No Smoking Before 20” is the second hardest any manga has ever made me laugh. (second only to Witch Watch’s death game chapter)

As a romcom/harem, it actually manages to pull off the massive dating pool because Rentarou is an impossibly perfect boyfriend. Most harem manga suck ass because it’s women throwing themselves at a guy who doesn’t want to date them. but 100 GF is magic because Rentaro fucking loves every one of his girlfriends. And there is never a single doubt, even once, if the girls should be dating him. He is the best boyfriend in the entire universe, and he loves all of them so very much.

It also has a teenage boy dating one of his girlfriends’ mother, another one of his girlfriends’ grandma, his own cousin, and two of his teachers. You will be watching one girl regularly get beat with a baseball bat for her own sexual pleasure.

i cannot recommend this manga without 5.6 million asterisks. Your trash tolerance must be at the level where you can stomach the average isekai without wanting to gauge your eyes out. You will have at least one GF whose bit goes too far for your comfort. This is the nature of the beast.

I highly recommend it!!

[ozzgin]

Okay, seriously, how are are you so damn talented? It's like...I look away for one second and boom, you come up with another masterpiece 😭

Sending you and Y/N/Reader/etc. lots of flowers 💐💐💐 for all the hard work and effort, not to mention the downright weird and hilarious stuff they go through (maybe you don't. But if you do, hopefully it's nothing bad and you can just laugh about it later)

Like the eldritch god who's disguised and not being recognised by anyone and Reader going for the ”looking into the camera the Office-style 😑”

Or the cult leaders being like fine, we'll help... But just because our lord/god demands it! 🤣

You're killing me a bit more with every post you make 😮‍💨

Sorry for the ramble and have a great day/night!

- 🍡

I think it’s a vicious circle for all of us here. It turns out that if I write down whatever ideas plague me, I saves me from entire days of dysfunctional daydreaming. On the other hand, I will pass it on to someone here, who in return reaches out to me with a brand new suggestion, which sends me straight back. So all in all, I would say there’s a lot of teamwork involved. 😂

In that comedic vein, I’m currently working on an enemies to lovers between an ancient vampire and a goofy reader who accidentally stole his cursed ring. Something suggested by one of the anons. If all goes well, I’ll post it tomorrow. Until that happens, I do wish you an equally fantastic day. 🩷

[ctl-yuejie]

watched both love next door up to ep 10 and the frog...

was about to quit love next door after ep 1 since it was marketed as solely a romance and the parental abuse seemed to be a spot of comedy (i believe the bgm used still sadly gives it a comedic twist) but after sticking with it for jung so min it got better each episode. i believe they could've polished it a bit more and got sth more magical but i love to see her acting in sth good again (alchemy of souls didn't quite do it for me...)

as for the frog...wasn't expecting a masterpiece but the trailer was intruiging....and it's....not good.

for the name the director has made himself, the cast, location and premise this should work on paper. but the characters take nonsensical actions which are bonkers even considering the messed up situation they are in. the bit with the serial killer in the lake view motel with *spoilers* the reveal about the son later is quite good. but chanyeol doesn't do it for me here and mostly because it feels like they made him needlessly cool (the whole timed montage of his run up the hospital felt very out of place) and the older policewoman is so underused...they emphasize how she is good at sniffing out bodies....but this series just makes her seem dumb with how many clues she just doesn't seem to notice. the location of the second motel is gorgeous though.

and while i also don't think the writing for the second killer is compelling, i vibe with her interior design choices and dress choices.

[bookstoreadbtr]

Blending Flavors and Creativity: An Interview with a Culinary Innovator

Although cooking, music, and comedy may seem like separate worlds, for our guest today, they blend seamlessly into a creative and flavorful masterpiece. From Jacqine’s early days of experimenting in the kitchen as a teenager to writing an innovative cookbook filled with recipes, melodies, and laughter, this culinary artist has crafted a unique experience for food lovers and creative minds alike. Join us as we explore her journey, inspirations, and advice for aspiring cooks and writers.

1. When did you discover the joy of cooking? At 15 years old, I started to cook various dishes in the kitchen.

2. What was one of your favorite dishes to make when you first started cooking?

Italian food and Greek food. I made meatballs, lasagna, pasta, moussaka, Greek salad, pastitsio.

3. What inspired you to produce and publish a cookbook? My mom used to cook various foods in the kitchen from when I was a toddler. They were delicious foods, Mediterranean and Eastern European, but she encouraged me to experiment with foods on my own. So, I did. I independently created recipes and expanded my repertoire of foods over time. I watched my mother sometimes. My mother made meat and noodle dishes, pepper steak, and a variety of foods.

4. Your cookbook has music and songs in it. When did you first discover your passion for music? Yes, I started playing organ around the age of 9 years old and I moved on to piano, recorder, and a little bit of flute later on. My father also discovered I could sing and that my singing abilities developed over time as well and I began to sing in other languages too. I took some piano and vocal lessons, bought a piano, and started to write and produce my own music. My music skills evolved and I enjoyed being in jazz improvisation classes and classical courses including music conservatory courses in theory, ear training, and piano. I soon realized I had a great appreciation for compositions and I enjoyed writing music. I later began to perfect my music production skills.

5. Who was/were your musical influences growing up? Lalah Hathaway, Chaka Khan, Earth Wind and Fire, Annie Lenox, Chicago, Sting, Jeffrey Osbourne, Joe Jackson, Bruce Hornsby, Luther Vandross, Genesis, Chic, Patti Labelle, Michael Jackson, Elton John, Stanley Jordan, Joe Sample, Peter White, Brian Culbertson, Tavares, The Bee Gees, Nelson Rangell, Shalamar, Quincy Jones, Tina Turner, Mini Riperton, Pat Metheny, Phyllis Hyman, Teena Marie, Olivia Newton-John, and my dad’s influences: Debbie Boone, Connie Francis, Mama Cass.

6. Your book also has some comedic stories in it. When did you first discover your comedic writing skills? I was in college and had an acting course in improvisation and there I learned to express my creativity. I began to tell stories to friends and they thought the stories I told them were funny.

14. Where can we find you (website, social media)?

Contact Info:

● Website: https://Jacqine.com

● Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jacqine.cb/

● Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jacque.cohen Brand page: https://www.facebook.com/Jacqinemusic

● YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jacqine

● Other: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5FvjwX4IOGqhVT4nIP16em?si=1F_by2JwTdqPe3ndbtE_Dg

To read full interview go to

[madge-nius]

this may be a weird ask but atp my meds have completely eliminated any and all self restraint of mine, so i was wondering if you have any tv shows you'd recommend??? i'm looking for some new ones to start, and i think u have really good taste, so

they can honestly be the worst shows ever as long as their entertaining tbh, and don't feel pressured to like answer this or whatever. because i'm probably going to regret sending it like 3.5 seconds later. that's all bye bye

Not weird at all lol I love askssss!!! Okay soo I have shows I like and that are good, and shows I like which are dreadful and I’m going to rec both because they’re all so funnn

Derry Girls: absolute masterpiece, incredibly funny and also moving at the same time. It’s set during the troubles in Ireland and follows a group of school children and their families, and all the stupid shenanigans they get up to

Arcane: stunning, genuinely my favourite show for visuals ever. Top tier character designs and arcs, fantasy/action vibes and really entertaining character arcs! S2 (the final season) came out last week!

Miraculous Ladybug: very comedic and shenanigan-y if you have the stomach for cringing a bit. Writing wise low-key dreadful but a really entertaining world and set of characters, once you’re into it you can’t get out

TDP: MAGIC. FANTASY. DRAGONS. I love so many things about it but esp the side wlw ship which will forever have my heart!

a man on the inside, Brooklyn 99, the good place: these are all by the same director and all epiccc! A man on the inside is about a lonely old guy who is hired by a PI to go undercover in a care home but ends up making friends there. The good place is a comedy with emotional moments set in the afterlife (if watching this be careful to avoid spoilers). All three are a vibe and I very much reccomend! Michael Schur makes masterpieces!

Never have I ever: the most entertaining and wildly aggravating show I have ever watched. You will hate Devi at times but also she is so endearing! I rewatch the few episodes I can manage to get thru whenever I can!

on my to watch list as well I have: Tokyo override, Atypical, ranma 1/2, trinkets, and Alexa and Katie

[tobiasdrake]

Dinnertime random thought.

A major component of fanworks is simply "I love this character and I want to see them in situations." But what defines a situation can vary. Sometimes a situation is as simple as "Having dinner at a buffet restaurant" or "being stuck in traffic".

Marvel writer Brian Michael Bendis once said that audiences always want to see characters in conflict. Nobody who loves these characters wants to see them simply going about domestic life; That's not what the audience is here for. He threatened, as a joke, to write a comic that was just about DareDevil and Wolverine eating sandwiches and see how well that sells.

But the thing is, seeing these absurd larger-than-life caricatures of humanity undergoing ordinary domestic rituals is entertaining. Maybe eating sandwiches in the kitchen might not offer much to work with, but Wolverine and DareDevil in full costume trying to get lunch at Subway? Yeah, that's a scenario that's rife with comedic potential and opportunities for characterization.

There's a reason everyone's favorite scene in Age of Ultron is the Stark Tower party. When the bullets aren't flying, that's when the characters get to express their humanity.

I go back to Dragon Ball as an example for things like this a lot, because Dragon Ball is blunt and not exactly a masterpiece of writing. To quote one YouTuber (Girlfriend Reviews), it's a series fixated moreso on the pageantry of action than the poetry of narrative.

There is a lot to admire and learn from with regards to Dragon Ball, but most of it has to do with series artist Akira Toriyama's incredible paneling and phenomenally paced action, which the anime adaptation more or less ruined. Toriyama in his heyday wasn't a phenomenal writer, but he was a brilliant artist and visual storyteller.

And, like a lot of popular anime that started while the manga was still in production, Dragon Ball had a lot of filler. Some of which is beloved by the fandom to this day, in fact - in stark contrast to the way "filler" tends to be used as a curse word around other fandoms. Do you know what episode people think of first and foremost, when they think of Dragon Ball filler?

It's an episode where Goku and Piccolo go to the DMV. That's the whole episode: These two dipshits have to get driver's licenses. Naturally, comedy ensues. That's it. That's all it is. That is the top-tier most popular Dragon Ball filler episode.

Because when your characters are absurd, sometimes the best thing you can do to them is to let them be absurd in everyday life.