#me watching any and every movie about opera singers

[sugarcoated-lame]

get to know me tag 🌻

@emeraldmoth 🧡 thank you so much for the tag (on my main acc @its-dee-lovely I just did it over here hehe) 🥰🧡

1. were you named after anyone?

yes! so kricket is just a nickname (gasp 😱 i know) but my mom chose my real name after an actor in a soap opera that she really loved

2. when was the last time you cried?

a few nights ago re-watching Me Before You, that movie makes me sob every time 🥺

3. do you have kids?

no kids, but i do have a fur baby 🥹

4. what sports do you play/have you played?

does dance count as a sport?? i took ballet and tap for a few years in elementary school lol, but aside from that no sports

5. do you use sarcasm?

me??? sarcastic? never 👀 (yes, i think sarcasm is hard-wired into all capricorns’ brains lmao)

6. what’s the first thing you notice about people?

eyes and smiles 🥹

7. what’s your eye color?

brown with little bits of hazel

8. scary movies or happy endings?

both? but i guess if i had to choose, happy endings bc i’m such a sap 🥹

9. any talents?

i can sing, but like the previous person said i also will not prove it lol 🙈, not sure if this counts as a talent, but i’ve been told i’m really good at giving advice — I’m the therapist of my friend group haha. and baking — I’ve been vegan for the past 7 years, so I’ve been doing all vegan baking since then and i think i could probably veganize any recipe at this point and make it delicious!

10. where were you born?

NYC 🗽 !!

11. what are your hobbies?

writing fics, songwriting, poetry, reading, watching movies, singing, baking, thrifting, playing video games (currently playing the last of us), drawing although it’s been a while

12. do you have any pets?

yes!! i have a calico kitty named patches (the most unoriginal name for a calico i know, i didn’t name her lol)

AND i temporarily have my sister’s cat, Chai, living with me for the next few months!

13. how tall are you?

5’5 and a half-ish ?

14. favorite subject in school?

people always think i’m insane for this, but my favorite subject was math.. also really loved forensics and psychology!!

15. dream job?

probably a singer or an actor… or both? as a kid i really wanted to be on broadway 🥺 would also love to be an author or a photographer!

no pressure tags: @sebsxphia @sunlightmurdock @hangmanssunnies @just-in-case-iloveyou @joelsgreys @joels-shitty-puns @pascalpvnk @ryebecca @floydsmuse @gracieheartspedro @itsthevelvetline @fairyheart @sio-ina-bottle @vee-bees-blog I’m a little late to this so sorry if you’ve already done it 🧡

[alter-bridge-fanatic]

Gems from Myles Kennedy's Interview with Lupe Galvan (archived 2013)

Hobbies? I guess I have been pretty fortunate since I have turned what was a hobby into a living. Music pretty much consumes me. If I’m not writing, performing or listening I am probably trying to learn more about its history. I’m kind of a geek at the end of the day. Oh, I also like Curious George.

What kind of movies do I like? That is kind of tough since there are so many great films out there. I guess a lot of it depends on the mood I’m in at the time. The last great film my wife and I saw was “Crash.” This was a fantastic film about the state of racial issues in our culture. It really shed some light on the subject. My favorite film of all time is “Field of Dreams.” I have to admit that I can’t watch it with any one around me since I tend to turn into a little crybaby at the end. The part where his father comes out of the cornfield gets me every time.

Have I ever used a vocal coach? You bet. I have been very fortunate to work with Ron Anderson. Being a Rock and Roll singer is very hard on the vocal chords. There is no way I could go out there and sing night after night without the insight I have gained through working with him. He teaches Bel Canto, which has been used for years by opera singers. I believe it originated in Italy during the late sixteenth century. If it weren’t for this technique I would probably have blown my voice out by now and would be selling shoes at “Payless.”(I hope I didn’t just offend anyone who might be a shoe salesman.)

Warm ups and warm downs? I have a series of exercises that I got from Ron on my IPOD. I usually spend 75 to 90 minutes before the show trying to get my voice to open up. After the show I warm down for about 10 minutes. I am always skeptical that my voice is going to make it through another show. That’s why if you see me during the day I don’t talk a lot. Talking takes a lot more out of the voice than you would think. So if you see me on a day when I am quiet please don’t think that I’m a jerk, I just don’t want to suck that night.

Favorite food? That is easy. SUSHI. My wife and I love this place in L.A. called Sushi Nozawa that my friend turned us onto. It’s a little taste of heaven. It’s funny though because the chef is kind of abusive at times. They call him the “Sushi Nazi.” Legend has is that he kicked someone out of his restaurant for ordering a California Roll. ….. Oh yeah I also like Bananas a lot, just ask the band.

Favorite color? Blue. I would go off on some tangent about this like I have on all of your other questions but I’m sure by now you are all weary of my rambling.

[terrainofheartfelt]

Hi okay. So opera is like. One of my biggest cultural blind spots. And I wanna start trying to get into it but at you know…reasonable prices lol. Any tips on where to start? Maybe in terms of where to watch operas online? And which operas are more easily digestible for a newbie lol

EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE! waking up and seeing this in my notifs made me sooooooo happy! S! there's a beautiful, wondrous, extremely problematic world of art awaiting you!

Alright, so I'm gonna try to take your question bit by bit but this is my specialized field and I love to talk about it but I'll try my best ok ok

pricing is definitely a valid concern - I totally get it. good news is there are still lots of options to see opera live that are not in A-level, top dollar houses. try googling and poking around instagram for what's called "storefront" companies, ie, smaller companies. there's less star power and production value, but you can see great performances for $20-$60 a ticket, depending on the house and your neck of the woods. another great option is the MetHD series. The Met Opera in NYC is an institution that I have....lots of thoughts about -- and we can talk about those too if you like -- but a decent thing they've done is that for about half of their season, they broadcast performances to movie theaters all over the world. I haven't gone since the Before Times (pre-covid), but I think the most I paid was 40 bucks. and it is a great way to see opera that's low stakes. wear comfy clothes, bring a big sweater, stuff your purse full of snacks. my friend and I went to Tristan and Isolde with numerous smuggled snacks and big old fountain drinks and it rocked!

online stuff: possibilities are endless. MetHD does have a catalog of past performances - you have to pay, so take that for what you will, but you can find whole ass operas on YouTube! and once you figure out what kinds you like, and which singers you like, you can get pickier and choosier. And of course, check out your local library! big city library systems likely have lots of digital subscriptions to peforming arts things. some names to look out for: Alexander Street Press; medici tv; naxos. a cursory google brought up this NYT article that has some resource possibilities too!

and, my recommendations for a new viewer!

disclaimer: I am a sucker for big, bombastic, romantic grand opera, but I understand that that can be A Bit Much for a first timer, so while I love all of these, not all are my top faves, but I think they are a great primer, and hopefully if you like them I can go on and on about the heavier-hitters later.

I personally think the best starting point for someone looking to get into opera is Puccini. He was a bit of a bastard (weren't they all) but his music and stories all unfold in a cinematic kind of way. Opera was written to fit a specific kind of theatrical/musical structure for a long time, and Puccini and his era was where that structure kind of broke down, and he just wrote to move a story and characters and music forward, away from this speak-sing, solo, repeat, speak-sing, ensemble, rinse repeat kind of thing. for a specific title, I highly recommend Tosca. The political battle for Italy's unification is the backdrop for one hell of a story. The title character is a boss ass bitch. She sings well, fights well, dies well. I think it rocks. and it's a very popular one, so finding an online version or a live performance should be easy going!

and S, since you are a theatre kid, I'd steer you to checking out La Boheme as well -- its the og source material Larson based Rent off of, though it's considerably more tragic. music is gorgeous though. Zefferelli (yeah, that one) directed a production at the Met that they mount every other year. it's beautiful! another I think you should try is La Traviata. aka the basis of the classic film Moulin Rouge. this one is by Verdi, based off the Dumas Lady of the Camellias. a courtesan in Paris who falls in love with this young man, and the forces of fate that pull them apart. it's got that aria that you hear in Princess Diaries 2 Royal Engagement, and there are moments of music that are just so fucking SUBLIME. Puccini also wrote his own spin on Dame aux Camellias called La Rondine, and it is a delightful, gorgeous, romantic piece, definitely worth checking out.

Okay one more rec and then I'll stop myself. and this one will be contemporary! mentioning the Met reminded me that this season they've swung big and put Dead Man Walking on their list. this is an opera that's been very important to me for like, 10 years. I learned one of the arias in undergrad, and I even met Sister Helen Prejean, and a few years after that, I got to see it live in kansas city, and even though we agreed that the lead was kinda meh, my friend and I were still so moved that we were sobbing. it's so so so powerful. idk if it is part of MetHD, but if so, I highly encourage you to see it. so, it is based off of Sister Helen's memoir Dead Man Walking, about how she came to be a spiritual advisor to inmates on death row, and it follows her starting this new -- phase? i guess? -- of her nun career, through to the inmates execution. it is not for the faint of heart, and I would say read the wikipedia and mind the content warnings, but god what a great opera. and one more note about the composer, honestly I don't think anyone else is doing it like Jake Heggie. he understands this concept that I think many modern composers don't, is that he's creating a dramatic work. and whether is comedic or tragic, it's got to move people. I've dealt with a lot of shitty modern opera, and I think those are mostly composed as if they are university assignments. llike, prove how well you understand this music theory concept by writing it. I say it's more like they are writing math problems instead of music. but Jake Heggie writes music. and that's what makes DMW such a standout to me. That and a low-voiced woman plays the heroic lead (rarer than one may think rip)

I am so so happy you asked and I am always open to talking more if you're curious! (and that goes for S and anyone else reading this <333)

[thesingersews]

Someone (@knifeofdreams) tagged me in a survey and I LOVE SURVEYS because they make me think of when I was but a kid in high school and how much I loved them back then.

QUESTIONS FOR 15 FRIENDS

ARE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?: I am named after a character in a bible story

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?: I cried on Thursday in my improvisation seminar because the professor was being a dick and really uncompassionate about how literally the entire class was struggling to improvise a countermelody over a basse danse tenor while following TInctoris' rules of counterpoint. I had practiced for multiple hours over the last two weeks and been frustrated every time. I understand the rules and wrote a countermelody in less than 10 minutes but translating it into actual performance just hasn't clicked yet. The professor is a very rigid thinker and has not adjusted to the level we are at in a way that is supportive.

DO YOU HAVE KIDS?: No, only my furry child. I want to be a parent to humans someday if possible though. (I've decided not to try and have my own biological kids after I turn 40 though so the Viking and I have got about 9 years of wiggle room left)

WHAT SPORTS DO YOU PLAY/HAVE YOU PLAYED?: When I was a kid I did gymnastics and I competed one time, but I stopped when I was 14 because I am giant (compared to your average gymnast) and I wasn't improving.

DO YOU USE SARCASM?: Very poorly haha

WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE?: Whether they dress themselves in a unique way, and whether I vibe with their general aesthetic and demeanor.

WHAT’S YOUR EYE COLOUR?: Blue!

SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS?: Happy endings. I'm a rom-com junkie I watch them to feel good and not think.

ANY TALENTS?: I think I'm a good singer/actor. I am very proud of my even stitching when I embroider or sew by hand. I also have a talent for misunderstanding jokes.

WHERE WERE YOU BORN?: Texas

WHAT ARE YOUR HOBBIES?: Sewing clothes, usually historical or historically inspired pieces. Knitting. Some calligraphy. I'm a casual Scadian. I read sometimes, mostly fantasy. I flirt with all my hot friends.

DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS?: My beautiful asshole son, Escamillo, who is a brown tabby with gorgeous blotchy markings who is super soft but very reactive and bite-y.

HOW TALL ARE YOU?: Somewhere between 5'8" and 5'9"

FAVOURITE SUBJECT IN SCHOOL?: Growing up it was math but now it's Music!

DREAM JOB?: College music professor who teaches voice lessons, music history, and opera workshop but not music theory, and who has a professional ensemble that does living history concerts in immaculate historical dress, and who also occasionally gets to sing in an opera. I'll settle for anything that lets me not have to worry about paying bills.

I tag, YOU if you want to do this. But also @agardenandlibrary @cinisekha @aceofthegreenajah @relevant-catnik @pilgrimshadow

[survey--s]

689.

When did you last see someone you know in public? A few hours ago at the pub.

Do you enjoy going to the dentist? No, but I don't hate it either - it's just one of those things that needs to be done, really.

When did you last eat something you didn’t like? Luckily as an adult I don't need to do that.

Do you think you’d survive if zombies took over the world? Seeing as zombies don't exist, yes. When did you last hang out with a bunch of friends at one time? I never really hang out in big groups, I find it too overwhelming.

What kind of music is your least favorite? Heavy metal, opera.

Are you and your best friend complete opposites? In some ways, yeah.

Would people around you say you’re regularly a mean person? No.

Do you like the colour yellow at all? It's a nice colour in nature but it's not one I would ever wear.

If you were to write a novel, what would it be about? I don’t think I'd be any good at writing a novel.

How many times have you logged in to Bzoink? (it has a counter) Zero.

Are you currently pretending to be someone’s friend? Nope.

Are you an impatient person? In some circumstances I can be, yeah.

Are you afraid to watch movies that have sex scenes with your friends? No.

Who sings the last song you listened to? I can't remember, it was just whatever happened to be on the radio.

Why do you think some actors don't want to see their movies/shows? Because it would be weird to watch yourself perform, I guess.

Do you think fortune tellers are the devil’s messengers (haha)? I just think they're charlatans preying on the vulnerable.

Would you rather use napkins or paper towels? Paper towels.

Do you go to the pool in the summer time very often? We don't have a pool anywhere near here. I did go to the pool every summer as a kid though - I loved it.

Have you ever had a serious issue involving your eyes? I have quite severe astigmatism and poor eyesight, but generally speaking my eyes are healthy.

Have you ever watched South Park? Who’s your favorite character? Yeah, but not often enough to have a favourite.

Do you have sensitive teeth? No.

Do you enjoy or hate snow days? Why is this your choice? I love snow but we had two snow days last week and I didn't get paid which is just a PITA this close to my unpaid Christmas break, lol.

Do you turn pale when you get sick? Yeah.

Does it bother you to get shots in the mouth? Does it hurt? It's not wonderful but I wouldn't say it bothered me. 

When did you last talk seriously with one of your parents? I honestly don't remember.

What is the day of the week currently? It's Sunday.

Is anything exciting coming up in the next three months? Christmas and my Christmas break.

Do you ever borrow money from someone? No.

Do you know anyone who tells every single thing you say? No.

When did you last kiss someone on the cheek? Who was it? My husband this morning.

Why do you think people like Lady Gaga so much? Because she's a very talented singer?

Do you have a lot of enemies, or not so much? Not so far as I know.

Can you count backwards from 100 without a mistake? I've never tried but I would guess so.

Do you have any friends you’ve had since birth? No.

Do you care if your friends talk badly about you? I mean, a friend wouldn't do that to begin with.

Would you rather drink out of a straw or just the cup alone? A straw.

Does anyone ever say they miss you often? No.

Would you rather become a wizard or a vampire, if you had the choice? Definitely a wizard/witch.

Is there anyone out there who has made you feel miserable? Not anyone that I have to spend any time with.

Do you have a problem answering personal questions? Not on here, but in real life it depends on the circumstances.

What color is the vacuum-cleaner in your house? Grey and black.

Have you already moved out of your parents’ house? Yeah, I moved out years ago.

Are your parents divorced, married or separated? They’re married.

Have you ever thought you might just have obsessive compulsive disorder? No.

Do you think it’s rude to text someone else while on a date? It depends on the situation, surely. I think it's a bit dumb to have a blanket rule of "texting is always rude" tbh.

What is the funniest movie you’ve ever seen? Life of Brian.

What are your views on our current president? He's the least shit of two shit options, assuming you're referring to Joe Biden.

Has one of your websites ever quit operating or shut down? Were you sad? Yeah, I was gutted when Xanga went.

Is it awkward to see your best friend’s parents out in public? Not at all.

Who is the person you talk to the most in your house? My husband, as he's the only other person who lives there.

Is there a television show out there that you never miss? I never watch live TV.

What movie have you seen too many times to be healthy? Harry Potter, Alice and Wonderland.

What are the last two digits of your phone number? 93.

Does it creep you out to see people with mullets? Nah, I just think they look ridiculous.

What is your biggest responsibility in your household? Paying bills, the mortgage, the animals.

How cold did it get where you live, last winter? Not very cold, it never does as we're right by the coast.

Do you ever wish you could go back in time to redo something? No.

Ever accidentally pull out a filling from your tooth? Yeah - I chipped my front tooth as a kid and I lost the filling bit when I was eating potato waffles lol.

Do you ever wonder what your exes are doing? Sure.

Have you ever been caught in a huge lie with your parents? No.

Do you ever listen to the radio anymore? Yeah, sometimes in the car.

Does it bother you to have personal conversations with people? No.

Ever ride in a limo? When did you last do so? Nope. I have no interest in it either tbh, they just look tacky to me.

Do any of your body parts hurt at this moment in time? No.

Are you sober at the time being? Yeah. I had a glass of wine with lunch but that was a few hours ago.

Do any of your friends constantly do things to annoy you? No.

When did you last eat a Starburst? What color was it? Years ago. I love them but never think to buy them.

Have you ever lied to someone & said they could sing when they couldn’t? I'm sure I have. Sometimes it's just kinder to tell a white lie.

Do you ever call backstabbers out on what they do? I've done it before, sure.

How many people in the world do you trust? Four or five.

[rainismdata]

Rain is here!! ^^

rainismdata (laufeysongm1n9i) [Ao3]

rainismdata [Twitter/X and Discord]

[◽️] #hmdlm or "The Living Medicine" is fake tweets of House MD characters; where everybody is alive, healthy, and happy. [◽️] #hilsoneulogy or "Eulogy for The Head and The Heart" is a collection of mini songfic, sickfic, or MCDfic; where I collect my sadness towards House or Wilson's death/sickness/pain in headcanons. [◽️] #hilson ff (with space) is a collection of currently read or subscribed stories (also my recommendations) [◽️]

[◽️] #hmdshots #rainshots or is a collection of LQ screenshots that I took while watching House MD, and then any other movies/series. [◽️] #rainedits is a collection of my amateurly edited pictures (using PicsArt); including wallpaper/lockscreen. [◽️] #rainfics #rainff is a collection of my written stories (fanfictions, prompts, drabble, fake tweet, fake chats, etc). #rainocs is for my OCs. [◽️] rainplays is a collection of me talking about games. [◽️]

About Me (+preferences):

Welcome to my ✨fantasy world ����✨

I'm Rain, the “I'm fluent in Google Translate” enjoyer, reader, and writer. [Yes, I am quoting Stephen Strange.]

[[ 2⃣5⃣ she/they 💓💛💙 eng/idn 🔞 (MDNI on NSFW things) ]]

This account stands for every thing I could find or any thing I would read. So, basically I can read anything; and I can just leave it alone if it's not my preferences (on tropes, ships, or genres)

OTPs: Albert×Chris (RE), Batman×Superman (DC), Wong×Strange (Marvel), Wilson×House (House MD), Price×Ghost (CoD), Castiel×Dean (SPN), Eddie×Buck (9-1-1), Maverick×Iceman (TG/TG-M), Higuruma×Nanami (JJK), etc.

I'm also having an agenda with crackpairs/rarepairs. I'm not RPS, but if you are— you do you^^

Also— ✨M-PREG✨

Games I currently play on devices: Arena of Valor, Baldur's Gate 3, Call of Duty (series: OG and Reboot Modern Warfare, Black Ops, Infinite Warfare), Counter Strike, Death Stranding, Dynasty Warriors (6-9), God of War (2018 and Ragnarok), Minecraft, Monster Hunter World: Iceborne, Resident Evil (4-8, Remake 1-4, Revelations 1-2, Code Veronica), SuperStar rhythm games (ATEEZ, SM, JYP, YG, Cube, Woollim), The Last of Us (1-2), Warriors Orochi (3-4, +Ultimate)

dividers by: @cafekitsune and @enkeli-moonsys

Now that you're here—

I do have another account for korean thingie (series, movies, music), but here I am still proudly announcing that I am CREZL's Pretzel 🥨 😌✨ I am a fan of a crossover quartet voice group; Lim Kyuhyung (Tenor/Musical), Jo Jinho (Pop/PENTAGON), Kim Suin (Korean Traditional Musician), and Lee Seungmin (Baritone/Opera).

They covered iCorre! (Jesse & Joy), Faith (Stevie Wonder ft. Ariana Grande), Kill This Love (BLACKPINK), Higher (Michael Bublé) on the show as one of the top three quartet finalists of Phantom Singer season 4. [Also, Faith performance has got them the highest score from producers/judges in the whole seasons (S1-S4); 593 points from 6 producers of one for 98 and five for 99 points.]

Recently, CREZL released a mini album "CRE:㘉" with "Forbidden Love" as the title track and 4 more songs in the album.

[junecast-moonfast]

helloooo this is your santa!!! i hope you had a great weekend :)))

i'm happy you like johnny cash's album! to bo perfectly honest, i don't think i'd like this album as much as i do if it weren't live, as you said, it adds so so much to it.

i recommend count basie, he's my favorite big band director i think!! you should listen to his album prime time, and especially the music "bundle o'funk" which is, as said in the title, very funk with still old school jazz elements (it's my favorite music from the album) ; also "lady be good" by mel tormé (my fav jazz singer, he sure knows how to scat). if you want to listen to pre-60s jazz, i recommend count basie (again), duke ellington ; i love benny carter, zoot sims, wynton kelly, curtis fuller, to name a few :^)

that's also how i discovered rhps!! there are not many movies that run at a shadow cast i believe, at least i've never seen or heard about any other movie that way. oooh very 70s queer-coded movies i see ahah! my favorite movies are mainly the back to the future trilogy, we used to watch them on vhs with my brothers every summer, the three in a row. i guess i love them so much bc of nostalgia but also bc i think it's very well written and fun

how did you get into """old""" music? what/who was your first favorite band/musician?

see you later!

Hii! I hope you had a good weekend as well :D It really seemed to fly by lol

I listened to Prime Time and I really enjoyed it! Bundle O’Funk, The Great Debate, and Ya Gotta Try were all so fun, and I really loved Featherweight. I can definitely see me adding this album, and more of Count Basie’s work, into my regular rotation of jazz music :D I’ll also be sure to listen to Mel Tormé at work tomorrow!

My local cast actually put on a Shadow Cast performance of Shock Treatment, and it was amazing! I’ve heard of Repo! The Genetic Opera, Reefer Madness, and Dr. Horrible being shadow casted, but unfortunately they’re very uncommon. I’ve only heard of them being done at conventions, RKO Con specifically I think.

I’ve only seen the first Back to The Future movie, but I remember really liking it, so might have to binge watch the other two over winter break. :D

My parents played a lot of classic rock growing up, so I picked up a lot of music from them. I remember really liking the Beatles as a kid.

Once I got into middle school I kinda strayed away from older music. I mostly listened to emo, indie, vaporwave, and folk, but I did still have a soft spot for Pink Floyd.

It was only until early high school that I got back into older music. During lockdown I got really into Guitar Hero, and it got me back into a lot of 80’s bands like Talking Heads, DEVO, Squeeze. I also ended up getting back into The Beatles, mainly their late 60’s stuff like Sgt. Pepper’s and Abbey Road.

The way I got into 70’s music is kinda funny. I was looking up Roxy Lalonde on Pinterest (I hate to admit it, but I was a Homestuck fan), and a picture of Roxy Music came 14 year old me was like, “Woah!! Those guys look so cool!!!” so I started listening to them lol. From there I listened to whatever people in the YT comment sections recommended, and that led me down the prog rabbit hole.

How about you? How’d you get into older music? Also, I remember that you brought up Pink Floyd and the Beatles yesterday, what would you say are your favorite songs/albums by them? I hope you have a good night! :D

[astroneatly]

Schumacher’s 2004 adaptation of Lloyd Webber’s screen adaptation to Gaston Leroux’s Phantom of the Opera, despite any negativity from the higher court. (Critics will be critics) is cinematic perfection. As a boasterous, triumphant spectacle of imagination, The set and choreography is as impressive as the composition. Indeed, Gerard Butler performed quite impressively despite not being a trained Opera singer. Yet, the role ALMOST went to Hugh Jackman, who was working on Van Helsing at the time. And John Travolta, but he had already had his limelight. Either of these actors would have fitted that Masculine persona that men of Eric Phantom’s ilk glorify. As I watched I saw visible awe on Rossum’s face at the depth of Butler’s tenor. At the unmasking of the phantom, you can see the look in her eyes that say, “I’m hots for you though.” Because he is scarred, she cannot love him? Or for her wager on her life. There’s that… she has been like eurydice taken by hades. Raoul must venture into hell to seek her, and it’s below the Opera.

The crashing monkey statue was a nice touch. The point of showbiz’ is to go all out. Go big or go home. There’s no cowardice in showbiz, you must give it your all, every time, no matter what. And that’s why the spectacle that is drama that is theater is larger than life. This movie sat in development limbo through the 90s, Schumacher would have rather waited until he finished Batman Unchained, Runaway Jury, and Dream Girls.

Andrew Lloyd Weber was born on March. 22, 1948, and has won a variety of prestigious awards for his work with Cats, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Don’t Cry for me Argentina. What surprises me about this drama is how much it resembles a Wilkie Collins novel, (anyone of them will do), and the innocent crime of being bewitched by the Angel of Music. Who wants to keep you in his lair for eternity. Or, his soul needs to rest, and true love will break the curse.

[chocogoths]

SCREAMS HERE'S SOME DI ANGELO FAMILY HEADCANONS💀🖤

bc I haven't read the books in a long ass time but they live in my head rent. free. please feel free to scream w/ me PLEASE

it's. actually "D'Angelo" lol. I like to imagine when they arrived to the US some worker misunderstood their family name as.. "D. Angelo" like it was an initial or smth (saw that in a movie once ksksk) and it just stuck until it eventually became "di Angelo"

Nico's full name is Niccolò Salvatore D'Angelo uwu I'm not too sure about Bia, but I like Bianca Isabella D'Angelo

they both look so much like their mom!! I hc that Maria had a couple beauty marks that Bia and Nico inherited✨ bottom corner of the eye maybe? and freckles too

Goth Maria supremacy!!! She always had a fascination with death and ghosts and such, that's one of the reasons she fell in love with Hades<3 Plus she canonically dresses in all back and wears dark makeup

Maria was an opera singer! I have no proof but also no doubts. In the present Nico managed to find some records of her singing and now Mama sings him to sleep every night💕

also Hades canonically enjoys music and singers (Orpheus) so that's one of the reasons he fell for Maria

I think Maria was generally an artsy person, she had Bianca and Nico take lessons in dance, music and painting, Bianca probably learned embroidery and Nico BEGGED her to teach him so he learned too, they had lil music sessions where Maria would sing, Bianca played the violin and Nico the piano (Bia and Nico weren't perfect but they tried so hard and Maria always encouraged them!!)

Nico inherited Maria's love for all things spooky, his favorite thing to watch was Disney's Silly Symphonies: The Skeleton Dance (he tried to imitate it in front of the tv hghghfhfhg)

also he loves chocolate. this one's kinda out of pocket i know but i just had to say it. Nico says dark chocolate supremacy

I also hc that one time, they found a baby bird that had fallen from its nest, Maria let Bianca hold it while she fetched a first aid kit to nurse it back to health, while Nico peeked and jumped around Bianca bc he wanted to hold it too🥺 When Maria came back though, Bianca had tears in her widened eyes and she told her that the lil bird had suddenly died on her hands :(( she didn't squeeze or anything!! one second it was just sitting on her palm and the next it was just. dead (i saw this in a movie too lol)

Nico didn't really understand what was happening, but that's how Bianca learns about mortality (and unknowingly, a lil bit of her powers) and y'know how some little kids learn about death and are either fascinated or scared by it? poor Bia was TERRIFIED

Bianca developed a fear of dying, and anything to do with death in general (which I hc as one of the reasons she joined the Hunters of Artemis.. besides wanting to actually live for herself and not be a mom to her little brother :c) the bird incident was something she was never able to get over😔

also!!! both Bianca and Nico sometimes saw ghosts. Baby Nico would babble all day long to his ghost buddies, Maria found it SO cute. Younger Bianca chatted with them and had tea parties and such, but after the bird incident she would flinch and look away whenever she saw one :(((

Bia's fear of her (unknown) powers sometimes manifested and her Mama's roses would wilt and dry up :c But Maria would kiss her forehead and tell her she liked them better that way, and Bia would feel a lil bit better, and a lil less scared<3<3

Nico's first crush was a boy he went to school with, he also once had a teeny tiny crush on his teacher, and another time a crush on one of Bianca's classmates... he falls in love easily ok lol

he never acted on his feelings bc he wasn't even sure what they were?? he just knew he really liked those guys and he'd feel lil skeletal butterflies in his tummy when he looked at them!! when he told Mama about this she laughed and hugged him, and told him he'd understand those feelings when he grew up a bit💗

this one is more set in the present-future but. I really desperately need Hades (& Persephone!!) and Nico to have a good relationship🥺 I like to think they slowly but surely work through their issues, and Nico does end up regularly visiting (or even living in!!!) the Underworld with his family, since Hades has a room for him in his palace💕💕 One for Hazel, too! and they get along marvelously with their step-siblings as well<3

Macaria, Melinoe and Zagreus loooove them. big siblings taking care of and mentoring their lil siblings. good. One big, happy goth family that's all i ask!!

y'know this one. no one beats Nico at any videogame or card game ever. thank u Lotus Hotel

ok that's it!!!!! for now.

[kasimirfrei]

PROMPT 07  — AMUSE ME for @nvghtingale  (One character healing another.)

Very few things in this world make you feel like a man.

It’s like this — there may have a time and a place where the things you do are manly. Baking involves very many masculine components, has traditionally been a man’s profession, but it doesn’t feel like it. Not when it comes from cooking for your father in the kitchen. When what you want is to be the hot meal someone comes home to, the clean home and fresh laundry and warm embrace.

You’re sincere and tender and warm, at least in your contemplation, in your care. You watch, and listen, and think deeply about the people around you. And you know, intellectually, that — none of these traits or behaviours or actions are inherently or inextricably sexed or gendered, you are a Marxist, after all; you understand these are all expressions of divisions of labour, that the relationship is causal but not permanent, that it’s never always like this, just often enough to recognize a pattern.

But.

You never feel more like a man then when you’re standing there, and a pretty girl is crying right in front of you.

And, God, you don’t see women in that way, but Isabele is so beautiful when she cries. You know — she’s an opera singer, an actor, a professional at this; of course when she does it, it’s beautiful. You know her powers must be like yours, seeping out of every pore, demanding you to play along with her performance. Invites you into the scene, demands your belief and commitment, even without intention.

Still. She’s crying, and more than anything, you’d like her to stop. You just don’t know what to do with yourself, what to do to help her. If you were — more normal, maybe you’d sit beside her. Hand on her back, rubbing small circles, like your mother did for you when you were small. Maybe she’d lean her head on your shoulder, and you’d curl her hair through your fingers. Maybe then, you’d know what to say. Or know that she doesn’t need you to say anything, just listen to her, just be there. Maybe then, you’d know how to do that. You’d know how to comfort.

But you’re still a man, of a worse, stupider time, who was raised half a boy, half a housewife, who learned to offer comfort silently, stoically, without touch or warmth; the impulse to be the one who does it, the one who soothes, but the inability to act on it. The foot between you might as well be a mile, and you don’t know what to do, just the blunt hammer of fix this beating against your brain. You want to ask questions. What’s wrong, Isa? What happened? Did someone do this? Who? Why? Show me in your heart where it hurts. Let me fix it. Please, please, please stop crying. I can’t take it anymore, I’ll cry too.

And maybe you’re too obvious, too conflicted and miserable and oppressively constricted by what you don’t know, because she looks up at you and smiles. Those mesmerizing lips part, shinier and redder than any cerise glacées you’ve ever seen; impossibly, smiling at you. Useless, unhelpful you.

You reach out to her, offer your hand, brace yourself against the flinch when she takes it. She doesn’t need to know it hurts, and you don’t want to explain why it does, why you offer it anyways. Just because you want her to keep smiling. The same reason you take her calls, the same reason you write her back, the same reason you bring her chocolates and let her kiss you on the cheek and try to set you up on dates you’ll never, ever go on.

When she smiles, you smile back. When laughs, you can’t help yourself, you laugh too. Something about her, unrestrained and in the moment, permits you to join her in it.

She takes your hand, and you pull her up — delicately, like a proper gentleman. You thumb away her tears, like you’ve seen in the movies. Isa’s always generous, she plays along, like you know how to do this. You smile, eyes crinkling, warmth seeping through. “Isa, dear, who did this to you? Give me a name, I’ll kick their ass. No one makes my Nightingale cry and gets away with it.”

[chazz-anova]

tagged by my loves @johnnycranes and @scungilliwoman to fill out a lil 'about me'! thank you guys these are always so fun!

Name: Paige/Jaden (don't look at me ygogx was my fave)

Age: 22

Height: 5'2" short queens unite

Zodiac Sign: Gemini Sun/Sag Moon/Sag Rising ♊♐

Where do you call home: 'The navel of this great country' (gone girl quote my beloved) lol, but fr the central midwest!

Any tattoos or piercings: My ears are pierced, and I haveeeee (pausing to count) 19 tattoos! In quick succession they are- a black widow on my neck, lilacs on my shoulder, the maze from westworld on my inner right arm, some eyeballs in a jar from ozark on my wrist, the frog from otgw on my other shoulder, a lightening bolt on my lower arm, 'let me not be derided by fools' along my arm, sam from trick r treat with the pumpkin from halloween on my wrist, the evil eye on my inner arm, a quote below that saying 'bosses beware when we're screwed we multiply', the triple goddess, a bony fish on my thumb, the symbol for Venus on my index finger, devil horns on my middle finger, an evergreen tree on my ring finger, a gemini symbol on my ankle, a heart with the words 'fuck you' in it on my knee, some crossbones from the game dishonored on my other knee, anddddd a little ghost on my thigh! i think that's it! (didn't realize this would turn into a paragraph when i started listing them but i couldn't stop when i started lmao)

Last song you listened to: STFU - Pink Guy

Last movie you watched: I watched Treasure Planet to fall asleep last night!

Last book or fanfic you read: Last book I read was the first in the True Blood (Sookie Stackhouse) Series, last fanfic was uhhhhh my own probably- I'm so bad at reading fics unless people send them to me lol

Do you collect anything: Yes! I collect crystals for mystical reasons, candles, perfumes, and I have a decent collection of cups from the restaurant The Other Place that my mother so kindly donated to me from her collection lmfao

Morning person or night owl: Not to be that person but- both? I love an early morning where I can get my coffee and get some writing done as the birds begin to wake up, but I also bask in the hush of night and watching the lights twinkling in the city

Are you an optimist, a pessimist, or a realist: Optimist!

A quote you live by: There's a couple I can think of! "Progress isn't linear", "Every cloud has a silver lining", and one of my faves from Buffy The Vampire Slayer- "The hardest thing to do in this world is live in it. So be brave- live."

Are you an introvert, an extrovert, or an ambivert: Ambivert no question!!! I love being social and big, elaborate gatherings, but afterwards I will need like a week to recharge lol

Do you believe in an afterlife or not: Absolutely! I believe there's limbo, there's something after, and of course something before as well. I don't have anything necessarily fully formed- but I believe you reincarnate until you're learned all the lessons your soul must learn, and then you get to retire and function as a guide for others going through their lessons or possibly just get to rest for eternity! Probably depends on what you want or are destined for (not to sound hokey lol)

A weird or fun fact about yourself: Copying off of Mika's fun fact bc I'm unoriginal lmao, I was once an extra in a zombie movie with my mom and stepmom and her kids! After filming me and my family went to Dennys with all our makeup still on it was great lol

If you could have coffee with anyone, dead or alive, who would it be: Oooooh wonderful question... HARD question!!!! I would have to choose someone interesting like Robert Patterson (he seems nice and unhinged), or Julie d'Aubigny, that bisexual 17th century pirate/opera singer

tagging @fadedjacket @envyisms @chyrstis @depyotee @lovely-english-rose @adelaidedrubman and anyone else who would like to do it!!

[oneboxofmatches]

All You Need to Know About Matchups!

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE WAITLIST

Hi y'all!

This account is solely for matchups for several different fandoms. That means requests for imagines, oneshots, headcanons, etc. will NOT be taken.

Here are some basic things to know about requesting a matchup!

Unless otherwise specified for a certain fandom, a request yields one romantic pairing AND one friendship pairing as well as information on why I think you work well with the individuals I choose. Of course, if you only wish to receive either just the romantic matchup or just the friendship matchup, just let me know!

You can request matchups for several different fandoms at once! For each fandom you request, I will match you up with one romantic partner and one friend unless you request differently.

You can ask to exclude any character(s)!

Where can I request a matchup?

Requests can be made in the MATCHUP REQUESTS/ASK ME ANYTHING tab.

What do I need to include in my request?

Required

Fandom(s)

Your gender and/or pronouns

Your sexual orientation and/or preferences

Description of personality

Optional (but definitely helps me out!)

Description of appearance

Hobbies

Personality alignment (Myers-Briggs, Enneagram, Hogwarts House, etc.)

What you would look for in a partner and/or friend

Any other information you think would be helpful – the more you provide, the more I can work with!

Now with that out of the way, onto the fandoms!

Listed directly below is a shortlist of all the fandoms I take requests for as well as some extra information as needed.

Disclaimers

If a title is in italics, it means that while I feel comfortable providing matchups for this show, I have not watched every season. If a character drastically changes after a certain point, I may not be aware. The last season I watched of these shows will be included in parentheses.

All movies/shows based on novels will most likely focus on the on-screen adaptations of characters.

SHOWS

The 100 (6)

Good Omens

The Good Place (3)

Lucifer (4)

On My Block

Parks and Recreation (4)

Prodigal Son (1)

Sherlock

Space Force

Supernatural (14)

The Walking Dead (8)

MOVIES

Clueless

The Greatest Showman

Harry Potter -- Unless specified in request, will entail 2 sets of matchups as a student (Golden Trio and Marauders eras respectively)

The Hunger Games

Marvel Cinematic Universe -- Unless age is specified, underage characters will NOT be available for romantic matchups

BROADWAY

Anastasia

Beetlejuice

Carrie (2012 Off-Broadway)

Hadestown

Hamilton

Les Misérables

The Phantom of the Opera

Six

VIDEO GAMES

Detroit: Become Human

Red Dead Redemption 2

What’s below the cut?

A masterlist of characters in each fandom that will be considered for each request (unless marked with an asterisk (*), all characters are assumed to be available for both romantic AND friendly matchups while names marked with an asterisk are only available for friendly matchups). Listed alphabetically by first name.

Don’t be afraid to tell me about a typo!

Any questions? Just want to talk? You can also use the  MATCHUP REQUESTS/ASK ME ANYTHING tab to get ahold of me!

SHOWS

Bellamy Blake

Clarke Griffin

Echo

Finn Collins

Harper McIntyre

Jasper Jordan

Johnathan “John” Murphy

Jordan Green

Lexa

Lincoln

Marcus Kane

Monty Green

Octavia Blake

Raven Reyes

Roan

Wells Jaha

Aziraphale

Anathema Device

Crowley

Newton Pulsifer

Mme. Tracy*

Witchfinder Sgt. Shadwell*

Chidi Anagonye

Eleanor Shellstrop

Jason Mendoza

Michael*

Tahani Al-Jamil

Amenadiel

Det. Chloe Decker

Det. Daniel “Dan” Espinoza

Ella Lopez

Eve

Dr. Linda Martin*

Lucifer Morningstar

Mazikeen “Maze”

Cesar Diaz

Jamal Turner

Jasmine Flores

Monsé Finnie

Oscar “Spooky” Diaz

Ruben “Ruby” Martinez Jr.

Andrew “Andy” Dwyer

Ann Perkins

April Ludgate

Benjamin “Ben” Wyatt

Christopher “Chris” Traeger

Donna Meagle*

Gerald “Jerry” Gergich*

Jean-Ralphio Saperstein*

Leslie Knope

Ronald “Ron” Swanson*

Ainsley Whitly

Det. Dani Powell

Edrisa Tanaka

Lt. Gil Arroyo

Det. James “JT” Tarmel

Jessica Whitly

Malcolm Bright

DI Greg Lestrade

Mrs. Hudson*

James “Jim” Moriarty

Dr. John Watson

Mary Morstan*

Molly Hooper

Mycroft Holmes

Sherlock Holmes

Dr. Adrian Mallory*

Capt. Angela Ali

Brig. Gen. Bradley Gregory*

Dr. Chan Kaifang

Duncan Tabner

Erin Naird

F. Tony Scarapiducci

Kelly King

Maggie Naird*

Gen. Mark Naird*

Abbie “Bela” Talbot*

Adam Milligan

Alex Jones

Balthazar

Benjamin “Benny” Lafitte

Castiel

Charlene “Charlie” Bradbury

Claire Novak

Crowley

Dean Winchester

Sheriff Donna Hanscum

Eileen Leahy

Ellen Harvelle*

Gabriel

Garth Fitzgerald IV

Jack Kline

Jessica “Jess” Moore*

Joanna “Jo” Harvelle

Sheriff Jody Mills*

John Winchester

Kaia Nieves

Kevin Tran

Lucifer

Meg Masters

Michael “Mick” Davies

Patience Turner

Robert “Bobby” Singer*

Rowena MacLeod

Rufus Turner*

Samuel “Sam” Winchester

Aaron

Abraham Ford

Andrea*

Beth Greene

Carl Grimes*

Carol Peletier*

Dale Horvath*

Daryl Dixon

Dwight

Enid*

Eugene Porter*

King Ezekiel*

Father Gabriel Stokes

Glenn Rhee

Hershel Greene*

Maggie Greene

Michonne

Morgan Jones*

Negan Smith

Paul “Jesus” Rovia

Rick Grimes

Rosita Espinosa

Sasha Williams

Tara Chambler

Tyreese Williams

MOVIES

Cher Horowitz

Dionne Davenport

Josh Lucas

Tai Frasier

Travis Birkenstock

Anne Wheeler

Charity Barnum

Jenny Lind

Lettie Lutz*

Phillip Carlyle

Phineas “P.T.” Barnum

W.D. Wheeler

Alastor “Mad-Eye” Moody*

Albus Dumbledore*

Arthur Weasley*

Cedric Diggory

Cho Chang

Draco Malfoy

Fleur Delacour

Fred Weasley

George Weasley

Ginevra “Ginny” Weasley

Harry Potter

Hermione Granger

James Potter

Lily Evans

Luna Lovegood

Minerva McGonagall*

Molly Weasley*

Neville Longbottom

Nymphadora Tonks*

Oliver Wood

Remus Lupin

Ronald “Ron” Weasley

Rubeus Hagrid*

Severus Snape

Sirius Black

Viktor Krum

Cinna

Effie Trinket*

Finnick Odair

Gale Hawthorne

Haymitch Abernathy*

Johanna Mason

Katniss Everdeen

Peeta Mellark

Anthony “Tony” Stark -- Iron Man

Dr. Bruce Banner -- Hulk

Carol Danvers -- Captain Marvel

Dr. Christine Palmer*

Clint Barton -- Hawkeye

Drax the Destroyer*

Edward “Ned” Leeds

Gamora

Groot*

Harold “Happy” Hogan*

Dr. Henry “Hank” Pym*\

Hope van Dyne -- Wasp

Sgt. James “Bucky” Barnes -- Winter Soldier

Col. James “Rhodey” Rhodes -- War Machine

Loki Laufeyson

Luis*

Mantis*

Dr. Margaret “Peggy” Carter*

Cdr. Maria Hill*

May Parker*

Lord M’Baku

Michelle “MJ” Jones

Nakia

Natasha Romanoff -- Black Widow

Nebula*

Col. Nicholas “Nick” Fury*

Okoye

Peter Parker -- Spider-Man

Peter Quill -- Star-Lord

Agt. Phillip “Phil” Coulson*

Pietro Maximoff -- Quicksilver

Rocket*

Samuel “Sam” Wilson -- Falcon

Scott Lang -- Ant-Man

Shuri

Dr. Stephen Strange

Steven “Steve” Rogers -- Captain America

King T’Challa -- Black Panther

Thor Odinson

Valkyrie

Virginia “Pepper” Potts

Vision

Wanda Maximoff -- Scarlet Witch

W’Kabi

Wong*

Yelena Belova

Yondu Udonta*

BROADWAY

Grand Duchess Anastasia Romanov

Dimitri Sudayev

Gleb Vaganov

Countess Lily Malevsky-Malevitch*

Dowager Empress Maria Feodorovna*

Vladimir “Vlad” Popov*

Adam Maitland

Barbara Maitland

Beetlejuice*

Delia Schlimmer

Lydia Deetz*

Carrie White

Christine “Chris” Hargensen

Susan “Sue” Snell

Thomas “Tommy” Ross

Eurydice

Hades

Hermes*

Orpheus

Persephone

Aaron Burr

Alexander Hamilton

Angelica Schuyler

Elizabeth “Eliza” Schuyler

George Washington

Hercules Mulligan

James Madison

John Laurens

Margarita “Peggy” Schuyler

Maria Reynolds

Marquis de Lafayette

Philip Hamilton

Thomas Jefferson

Cosette

Enjolras

Éponine Thénardier

Fantine

Insp. Javert

Jean Valjean

Marius Pontmercy

Carlotta Giudicelli*

Christine Daaé

Erik “The Phantom”

Mme. Giry*

Meg Giry

Raoul de Chagny

Anna of Cleves

Anne Boleyn

Catherine of Aragon

Catherine Parr

Jane Seymour

Katherine Howard

VIDEO GAMES

Carl Manfred*

Chloe

Det. Chris Miller*

Connor

Elijah Kamski

Lt. Hank Anderson*

Capt. Jeffrey Fowler*

Josh

Kara

Leo Manfred

Lucy*

Luther

Markus

North

Rose Chapman*

Simon

Abigail Roberts

Arthur Morgan

Beau Gray*

Charles Smith

Daniël “Dutch” Van der Linde

Eagle Flies

Hosea Matthews*

Javier Escuella

Johnathan “John” Marston Sr.

Josiah Trelawny

Karen Jones

Kieran Duffy

Leonard “Lenny” Summers

Marion “Bill” Williamson

Mary-Beth Gaskill

Micah Bell

Molly O’Shea

Penelope Braithwaite*

Rev. Orville Swanson*

Sadie Adler

Sean MacGuire

Simon Pearson*

Tilly Jackson

[statticscribbles]

Singer

Summary: Sweet Pea/Reader- Soulmate AU where you can hear whatever music your soulmate is listening to

You’d grown up hearing your parent’s humming songs in secret. Your mother’s voice streaming upbeat pop music and opera ballads; while your father hissed along with the alt-rock and the country drawl he heard in his head. They didn’t need to tell you they weren’t soulmate’s; the music did that for them. They assured you that while they did love each other, and wanted to meet their soulmate’s, sometimes the world was too big, and the funds to short to get them out of the small town they called home. You worried constantly that Riverdale would trap you the same way it had them; not truly miserable, but never happy enough.

They put you in singing and piano lessons when you’re five, you drop the piano in exchanged for ballet and keep the singing until your parents decided not to drive you to Centerville for lessons; you join the cheerleading squad instead.

You’re not sure what genres your soulmate is into, their changing taste the only constant with the music. You settle into a mixture of Pop and Dance music that only grows as you join the River Vixens in high school. You enjoy singing; although you try your best to limit it to hours you know both you and your soulmate are awake. Usually they start listening to music around the time you start school, you try not to listen before then, although morning practices usually leave you humming whatever song Cheryl decided to have you all dance to. The music your soulmate listens to seems to constantly stream throughout the day, wherever he goes to school either allows music constantly or he’s sneaking it. Cheryl laughs when you hum under your breath whatever song you’re soulmate is listening to. “So your soulmate is into Indie then? How much you wanna bet he’s some pretentious hipster. Isn’t he?” “Well I haven’t met him have I?” ———————————————————————————

“Hey do any of you know the lyrics; ‘We get lost, and we get found; Now we are here, we won’t back down’ my soulmate has been listening to it on repeat for an hour.” Toni huffs and Sweet Pea nods. “They must be hanging out with mine then; my soulmate is listening to the same thing.” “Aww they’re friends like you two are, you can go on double dates.” Fangs laughs, “That’s a Josie and the pussycat’s song by the way. That means they must be here in Riverdale!!” “Hey! Wait for us!” Fangs shouts after Sweet Pea jogging to catch up to where he’s run up to, he’s stopped and turns around to look nervously at Fangs. “If she knows the Pussycat’s she’s probably a Northsider.” His face falls and Fangs rolls his eyes. “I don’t think she’ll care you’re a Southsider, the gang though, that might freak her out.” ——————————————————————————-

Cheryl had been the one to inform you the Southsider’s were coming to Riverdale. You caught your soulmate almost mockingly singing the Riverdale high fight song. You didn’t know what to expect ignoring all the rumors everyone started spreading. You much preferred to judge your soulmate for who he was when you met him, not based on everything everybody was saying. You find yourself spending more time with Kevin, he’d managed to explain his soulmate was a Southsider; you figured if the sheriff’s son was going to be with a Southsider it could be all that bad. ———————————————————————————–

It’s just your luck you managed to catch a weeklong flu when the Southsider’s are set to make their debut to the school. You trudge in still half sick but coherent enough for your parents to deem you fit to return to school. You wonder how pissed your soulmate is, you’d been marathoning every Disney movie and every musical you could find while you coughed your lungs up at home. You’re half humming a song from Heathers when Kevin and Betty pull you into a hug. “Hey no, I’m still kinda sick so I don’t-“ “You really think we care Y/N? You’ve been gone for the most exciting week ever! You have to meet all the serpents!” “I will I just have to check with Cheryl about practice this week.” -You leave after checking with her, bumping into two of the Serpents. “Sorry.” You smile at them.

“I’m Y/N, you are?” “Toni Topaz, and that’s Fangs Fogarty. Nice to meet you, you new too?” You shake your head. “No, I was sick all last week it’s probably why you didn’t.” You pause wrinkling your nose when your soulmate starts blasting some new song. “You okay?” “Yeah my soulmate decided to crank it up to like fifty on the volume apparently. That’s probably what I get considering he had to listen to Disney and half of the Broadway musical roster all last week.” They laugh along with you. “So how’re you guys adjusting? I was told it was kind of tense?” They nod walking with you to lunch.

“It hasn’t been too bad. Sweet Pea’s having a hard time adjusting.” “Our other friend, he’s a Serpent, but his soulmate goes here and has been avoiding him.” Toni clarifies. “Oh god that must be horrible, can you not talk to them about trying to help him adjust?” “Well they haven’t met yet.” “Oh, well if they’re here it shouldn’t be to hard to wrangle them to at least say hi.” “We don’t know who it is.”

“Well pick out a song for him and just have him blast it 24/7, either one of you will pick up on his soulmate singing it, or they’ll find him to complain.” “We can make him play that song she listened to all the time!” Fangs beams slinging an arm around you smiling. “You’re the best Y/N” “You’ve just met me.” “And now you’re our friend, problem solved!” “That’s not a problem.” Toni comments sitting down. “What’s not a problem?” “Y/N just solved your soulmate problem!”

“It’s not a problem, we haven’t met and we can avoid each other until she’s ready to meet.” He scowls. “Sweet Pea, just try it! All you have to do is pick a song and just blast it to her! Then she’ll either get so annoyed she’ll find you, or we’ll hear her singing it too!” “So you want me to piss my soulmate off before I meet her?” “No, pick a song she likes!” “Wow, yeah hang on let me ask what her favourite song is!” He snaps and you can’t help but laugh.

“Well then pick your favourite? Or something that reminds you of her?” You ask him and he nods. “Okay fine, I’ll start tonight.” “Tonight?” “Well yeah after the Serpent meeting so everyone can be on the look out.” Fangs beams nodding. “I’m glad I could help then.” You smile at Sweet Pea and try not to blush when he smiles back. Toni arches an eyebrow but doesn’t say anything as you bid them goodbye.

You’re sitting in Pop’s half asleep after Vixen practice trying to not pass out before your food shows up when you hear it. You’ve only heard your soulmate actually singing about four times, but it’s one of the things that made you fall in love with him. Of course the comfort of his voice is the last thing you need while trying not to fall asleep. You struggle, trying your best to focus on the actual words; you swallow shocked at the song that he’s singing.

You feel dumb for not thinking about how he caught on to your music habits as much as you have for him. You sit still and enjoy the private concert. You wonder if he picked it up from how often you’d sing it; or if it was the time that you would sing and listen to it. –Load the car and write the note; Grab your bag and grab your coat; Tell the ones that need to know.– You hum faintly, careful to not let the sound too far past your lips, you don’t think you want your soulmate meeting you like this, exhausted and caked in sweat and grime. ————————————————————————————

The song has been playing on repeat for days, anytime your soulmate seems to switch to another song he cuts himself off restarting the song once more. “Hey Kevin, you said you needed help with the sound check?” You watch as Kevin sinks into a chair in the theatre, you smile at Toni and Fangs, the rest of the Serpent’s lounging around, as well as Archie and his friends. “Can you sing?” Cheryl ask and you shrug. “I’ve been taking singing lessons since I was five, so I like to think I can.” You smile.

“Besides I don’t need to sing for a basic sound check.” Kevin coughs slightly. “So I do need to sing?” “Please,  just pick something, and sing into the mic.” You nod gripping the mic and letting your soulmate sart the song for you. “ Oh Brooklyn, Brooklyn take me in, Are you aware the shape I’m in? My hands they shake, my head it spins, Oh Brooklyn, Brooklyn take me in-“ You’ve never heard someone harmoinze with you before but the way the voice from you head blends with yours settles the anxiety in your chest. “Three words that became hard to say, I and love and you” You pause when Kevin holds up his hand.

“That’s great.” He nods and you swing off the stage, Toni and Fangs track your movements and you make your way over to them when they wave. “What?” “Your soulmate was singing that wasn’t he.” “Yeah.” “You want to meet him?” “You know him?” Your face lights up and they falter. “You want to meet him?”

“Of course! Why wouldn’t I?” “Well; he’s a Serpent.” “Do you think I care? Wait, does he not want me?” You cant help the ice that shoots through your chest, already planning  break-up songs to blast when you get home. “What no, he’s just nervous. About everything.” “Why would he be nervous we’re soulmates. I’ll love him no matter what.” “You mean that?” You nod at Fangs. “Uhh okay Pop’s at six?”He rushes out nodding to you and you nod back confused, as Toni almost shoves you to Vixen practice with her. You miss the way the rest of the Serpent’s enter through the side door, Sweet Pea scanning the crowd.

You’d been able to go home early with Toni, she’d explained to Cheryl you were planning on meeting your soulmate and Cheryl had practically shoved you out of the gym, assuring you Toni would help you pick something out to wear. “Does Cheryl really not trust me to find an outfit to wear?” “Well you’re meeting your soulmate, you have to look nice.” “If he’s my soulmate he won’t care what I wear.” “It’s not about that, imagine you meet him and he’s nothing like what you expect him to be.” “Toni I’ve been listening to his music taste flip back and forth, there’s barely any consistency, it took me years to even figure out he was in Riverdale, let alone close by.” Toni nods. “You know Cheryl and I are soulmates right? I had to listen to hours of all the Vixen practice music, before you’d actually practice. So I know a little about that, everyone does.”

“My parents don’t. They couldn’t, they can’t afford to visit to look for their soulmates.” Toni pulls you into a hug. “That’s not you, you have the chance to meet him; why wouldn’t you. Seems even him being a Serpent won’t dissuade you.” “You know him.” Toni nods. “Yes, it’s how we know to meet you.” She smiles and your eyes widen. “You know him.” You repeat and she nods laughing. “Come on, don’t want to be late.” She nudges you as you come up to Pop’s doors.

You step through the doors and Fangs blocks your view; holding out a blindfold. “Don’t say anything we’re going to take them off at the same time; it’ll be cute.” You sigh letting him tie the fabric around your eyes and walk you to a booth, you have no clue who’s sitting in it, it was the only booth away from all of the windows, probably planed by them. “Okay sit down and in three, two, one.” Toni beams and you blink adjusting to the light. “Thanks for the advice by the way. It really helped.” You look across to see Sweet Pea sitting smiling at you.

“Glad the advice could be of use then.” You try your best not to move your hands aware they’re shaking. You can tell Sweet Pea picks up on his eyebrow quirking. “My uh, my parents never met there soulmates, so this is, a bit of a big deal for me. Oh my god I didn’t tell them, they’re gonna kill me.” You look up to see Sweet Pea laughing. “What? This is serious!” He shakes his head.

“It’s not like we don’t; we live in a tiny ass town; besides we go to school, I share five classes with you. We’re not going to part ways and never see each other. Besides, I’d like to get to know you, before I go meet your parents.” “There’s not much to know.” Sweet Pea smirks. “That my dear soulmate is where I beg to differ. You’re my other half. I want to know everything about you.” “Where do I start?” “Well what’s your favourite song?” You can’t help but join in his laughter.

Support My Writing?

[who-am-i-no-one]

Emma. (2020)

I watched this movie in late January. After multiple viewings and re-reading the book, I have a lot of thoughts about this adaptation.

It seems rather strange, given that Emma is part of my holy trinity of Austen novels, that I didn't watched the most recent adaptation earlier. I think it was mostly due to my initial impression that Anya Taylor-Joy's otherworldly looks didn't quite match what I had in mind for the titular character. I decided to give this version a try after watching Queen's Gambit. Not sure that Anya's looks will ever grow on me, but she did impress me as a young actress who seemed to have a maturity beyond her years.

Long story short: really wished I had seen this movie earlier! It is absurd and heartfelt at the same time, imo, the version that best imbues Austen's humor. It is now my favorite adaption, with the possible exception of Clueless, and I'm not quite sure how much of that is just nostalgia.

From the casting to the direction to the script to the costumes to the set to the soundtrack, I could tell the creative team really put a lot of love into this project. It's always a joy to watch something that's made with love and made well.

Direction

Autumn de Wilde's directing is quite good. I would never have thought this was her first feature. She certainly has a unique and colorful style, which is probably to be expected for such a famous photographer.

Funnily, while watching the movie I kept thinking it reminded me of early Hollywood romantic comedies like Bringing Up Baby (incidentally one of my favorites) or The Philadelphia Story, and then reading interviews and seeing that she had tried to bring in some of that style of humor made me feel rather validated. Also the servants' reactions were awesome!

Absolutely loved the fact that they decided to show that Knightley and Emma were in love with each other very early on in the story, with Knightley more aware of it. I've read some people complaining about the surprise of Emma's being in love being ruined. But come on, did anyone reading two chapters into the book think it wasn't going to be the two of them together in the end?

Loved how much of Knightley's point of view we got in this movie. This is one repressed pinning man. I can totally see this Knightley riding ventre a terre from London in the rain because he thought Emma was heartbroken.

The only gripe I had was the lack of Frank and Jane's subplot. As it seems they shot some scenes for that, I assume it was the director's discretion to take them out. I remember thinking while watching the movie that they must have expected the audience to be familiar with the story because some things just didn't really get explained or extrapolated on a lot. If you hadn't read the book it'd be 30 minutes or more into the movie before you put two and two together and figured out why Mr. Knightley is always at Hartfield.

Script

The script takes most of the dialogue directly from the book, which is awesome. I love Austen's writing because there is a certain musicality to it and retaining that in large part for the movie really made it better for me. The deftness with which Eleanor Catton moved dialogue from one scene in the book to a totally different one in the movie was quite brilliant. Everything flowed so well.

The scenes that differed from the book were also excellent - namely, I really loved the Jane/Knightley duet, the infamous nosebleed and first kiss scenes. 💖 I thought the screenwriter used those changes to quickly establish plot points and character arcs well.

Costume/Hair

Not a Recency expert so can't say much about the costumes and hair as far as period correctness but from reading other reviews it seemed like they were very true to the period. Obviously appreciated them taking the time to show the audience how men got dressed in that time (purely for research purposes obviously 😜).

Emma's dresses were all quite beautiful. I especially loved the black evening dress, the pink one with the roses and the proposal dress. Also loved the little pop of red shoes that went with the proposal dress. As someone who wore red shoes with her wedding gown I heartily approve.

Absolutely loved how Emma's curls unwound as her life unravels. Similarly think they must have done the same for Knightley to a lesser extent. His hair during the card playing scene at the Westons was quite terrible.

Set

I! Loved! Hartfield! It looked just like a doll house. Really most of the sets looked good enough to eat. So much pastel. Reminded me of French macarons.

I liked how everything in Donwell Abbey was shrouded in Holland covers. Makes a good point that Knightley barely lives there at all, that his home has been with the Woodhouses for quite a while now. Which, of course, makes his sacrifice at the end just a little bit less of a sacrifice?

Soundtrack

Isabella Waller-Bridge's music really meshed well with the tone of the entire film. The male and female opera singers, sometimes sounding as if they are bickering with each other and other times seeming to be in duet, was a brilliant touch. The folk music was a little jarring at first but really grew on me.

Johnny Flynn's end credits song "Queen Bee" is amazing. I love that we get Knightley's perspective at the end with a song written and sung by Knightley. It's a lovely coda to the movie. And now, if the next Austen hero doesn't write one for his SO I'm going to think him a very poor sort of lover.

Cast

Anya's Emma was really great. I'm glad they allowed Emma to be her bitchy self. Lol. I haven't watched the 1996 and 2009 versions in a while but I distinctly remember them making Emma too nice. I recall writing after watching the Garai version that Emma was actually mean and they should have let her be mean! If she's not a brat in the beginning, how will we see her change for the better later on? I love what a snob and how manipulative this Emma was and so assured of her place in her little society but still had the vulnerability of almost an imposter's syndrome which I feel most people can relate to.

Her chemistry with Johnny Flynn's Knightley was off the charts. Pretty much every scene they had together I half expected them to reenact the library scene from Atonement lol.

Mia Goth was a wonderful Harriet. She really captured Harriet's inexperience, naivete and diffidence. The orgasmic sounds she was making during the gypsies attack scene were awesome. Although, I could probably have forgone a few of Harriet's scenes for more Frank and Jane.

Not sure why they made Mia go brunette since the book specifically mentioned Harriet was fair? Perhaps having all three leads as blondes was just a bit too much. I'm also not sure if I liked Harriet's ending as I really don't think Emma, even in her most contrite mood, would invite further friendship from a tradesman's daughter and soon-to-be her husband's tenant farmer's wife. This seems a piece of modern day wishful thinking on the part of the creative team.

Bill Nighy was so good as Mr. Woodhouse. He made it so believable why everyone would do everything in their power to accommodate his whims. The gag with the screens was too funny. He was able to sketch out a lonely quirky old man who is afraid to lose those close to him in very limited screen time. Absolutely loved the scene where Emma was heaping blame on herself and he just sat with her in sympathetic silence.

Miranda Hart's Miss Bates was excellent as well. She has long been one of my favorite British comedic actresses but she can also do drama well. Her reaction to Emma's teasing on Box Hill and her forgiveness of Emma later brought me to tears.

Josh O'Connor's Mr. Elton was deliciously creepy. The carriage proposal scene was at once a little scary and hilarious. I actually liked the portrait scenes a little less because I found the acting there slightly affected and veering into 1995 Mr. Collins territory. But as Austen described Elton as having "a sort of parade in his speeches", this was much more forgivable. Really loved Mr. Elton's determination to eat cake during the Eltons' visit to Hartfield.

Tanya Reynolds was an excellent Mrs. Elton and in very little screen time was able to bring to life this meddlesome nouveau riche. Adored her little shimmy during the ball.

Amber Anderson's Jane really looked as if she were in a decline. Callum Turner did a good job as a slightly restless, mischievous and immature Frank Churchill. I did feel his looks were a bit too modern but that's just my personal view.

Given how many scenes they had I thought they used the time they had pretty well with furtive glances and sly smiles at each other to establish the relationship.

Connor Swindells was such a love sick puppy as Robert Martin. Did this role ever get cast in other adaptations? I don't seem to recall at all.

Special shoutout to Oliver Chris's John Knightley. Absolutely had me in stitches.

And last but never the least, Johnny Flynn's Mr. Knightley:

To preface, I will never not fall for Mr. Knightley in any version that I watch. And really, get yourself a good looking enough actor with good enough chemistry with Emma and good enough acting chops and you should have a fairly successful Knightley.

I judge all my Knightleys by the Box Hill scene. And up to that point in the movie, I really liked Johnny Flynn's Knightley. He was playful and sexy and jealous and slightly bitchy as well. The duet scene was lovely because I always appreciate a man who can play instruments and sing well. The sexiness and chemistry of the dance scene was off the charts. That's all well and good. And like I said before, given any well cast actor, I probably would have liked them in those scenes as well, just as I've liked Northam's and Miller's Knightleys.

But, the Box Hill scene absolutely blew me away. To make sure I was not just biased towards the last Knightley I saw on screen, I did go back and compare each version's Box Hill scene and I am, actually, even more blown away. Some of it is a credit to the directing and script, but a large part of it is Johnny Flynn's acting in that scene.

As far a script and directing, the set up to the fight scene was fantastic. Loved Anya's expression changes after she makes the joke. Loved Miranda Hart's Miss Bates as she realizes what Emma meant. The silence that followed. Knightley's shocked face and how sympathetic he was to Miss Bates. Can probably write a whole thing just about this scene alone.

I loved the fact that Knightley had an internal struggle as to whether or not to approach Emma and reproach her for her behavior. I know the book has him tell Emma about his struggle but that just doesn't work as well for me on screen.

During the scene you can just tell how frustrated and disappointed in her he is even though he tries to keep his voice low. But the way he reprimands her does not at all feel lecture-y and I feel like part of it is because it seems like he starts to lose control a little bit as well. His voice starts to crescendo as she stubbornly refuses to admit she was in the wrong and culminates in "badly done, indeed!" with actual fingerpointing. Yikes.

Then he losses steam and looked regretful, almost devastatingly so, at his own outburst and perhaps felt that he was losing her by giving this speech and looked as if he would have said something more - an apology or some words of comfort to soften the blow? - but didn't.

This remorse and the struggle at the beginning really bookended the scene for me.

Absolutely loved his Knightley, and, really, him as an actor after that.

The proposal scene as well was very good. His delivery was just really good. The way he said "If I loved you less then I might be able to talk about it more." with some regret and then closing his eyes as if he can't believe what he just said. Soooo good. Also, he cries very pretty, lol.

The delivery of the three "yes" during the kiss scene as Emma asked for confirmation that he really was ok with giving up his house to come live with them was also brilliant. It just kept getting softer and softer but he never breaks eye contact. Absolute chef's kiss. His closed eyed little smile of content after Emma kisses him just made me melt into a puddle.

Yup, overall I'd say I rather liked his interpretation of Mr. George Knightley. 😜

I did wish they hadn't giving him such sideburns but after watching some Emma interviews I can totally understand. If he didn't have the sideburns there'd be more complaints about how young this Knightley was. He's got such a baby face.

...I seemed to have written an entire essay on this movie...yeah, I just have a lot of feelings and thoughts about this version...

[lunaf1]

Hi!!! Can I have a match too? I am 22 yo and 5'4 with blonde hair and grey/blue eyes (they turn blue when it's sunny). I'm a mix of an introverted and an extroverted person that likes to stay at house reading or watching a nice movie or show, but when I an with my friends I usually am "the mother" of the group that asks to a waitress. It takes me a lot of time to trust people, because some years ago someone separated my friends from me for fake rumours, but when I feel comfortable with someone I trust them with all my heart . I am the type person that shows love with touch and i love cuddles.

As my work... I am a musician, started studying when I was seven years old and now I am an opera singer and a violist. I love everything that is involved with art and everytime I travel to another country I search for museums or about the history of the place.

I love animals! I have three cats (Neytiri, Freyja and Ragnar) and a crazy but lovely dog (Artai). My hobbies are writing and reading. I started following F1 this year but I'm trying my best to understand everything, and when there is a race and I can't watch it I am ways looking at my phone (even when I am at rehearsals).

Oh, I'm from Spain, and I can speak Spanish (obviously), English and now I'm studying Italian and Deuth.

I ship you with Charles Leclerc

There are so many things that Charles would find so wonderful about you. He would love that you have a mix of extroverted and introverted qualities, as he exhibits the same characteristics. While on track, he can be seen talking animatedly to reporters and colleagues, skipping about, and doing fun challenges such as basketball at the US Grand Prix. But, that being said, he treasures the the time he gets to spend with you indoors, watching movies or reading, or just cuddling in the comfort of each other’s silence and surrounded by your adorable pets!

While gaining your trust wasn’t necessarily easy, given your experiences with people in the past (Charles would blurt out things like “they didn’t deserve your friendship!” screwing up his face and showing the utmost indignation on your behalf.) Nonetheless, Charles would work hard to get close to you, first friends and then more – your love would mean more to him than he could ever describe.

One thing that he finds incredible is your ability to speak several languages, though he does find himself making an effort not to pout when he catches you in quick and excitable conversation with Carlos in Spanish that he can’t understand, given his proneness to a little jealousy. (“Careful,” Lando would say with mock seriousness as he passes Daniel helping you with Italian pronunciation, “if you keep telling her how she should be moving her tongue, a green-eyed monster might jump out and maul you.” He winked at Charles, who was standing nearby and badly pretending to inspect the McLaren F1 car – “If you’re going to pretend to inspect a car, Charles, you actually have to look at it,” you’d tease him, as Daniel barked a loud laugh). It would also be commonly said around the paddock that you and Seb were the F1 “parents” given both of you are often said to be “mother hens”. Charles would find this quite amusing, though. (“What are you going to do, eh? Tell Sebastian on me?”, he’d ask teasingly as you responded with, “I might just do that!”). 

Charles would also be in awe of your musical talent, and would often ask you to collaborate with him so he could put fun, dorky little videos on Instagram of the two of you performing together. Off camera, Charles would sing along quietly in the different languages he can also speak, he would not be confident to do this in front of anyone else but you. He would also make sure to attend any live music that you perform, he would sit at the front of every show cheering you on proudly as you do for him at races. When watching you perform, he would look like the human form of the emoji with hearts for eyes. 

Of course, Charles has spent his whole life around karts and racing so he would love to tell you everything he knows about it. He’d spend as much time as he’s allowed showing you around the Ferrari (or whatever team he’s at later in his career), pointing out particular things, how they work and how it improves performance – of course, this is the perfect opportunity to stand behind you, as though teaching you how to use a snooker cue to point things out, enjoying the closeness until the team reminds him that he has a race to participate in.

Hope this was okay! I’m not sure if I got a bit carried away with this one but it’s so fun to think of cute/ silly little scenarios! I’m also in awe of your bilingual ability. I’m English/ (and a little) Welsh speaking (from England) and I’m trying to learn German and it’s so hard!! (I’m getting carried away again lol). Long story short, I hope you enjoy your result!! 

Like I said in my initial post opening requests - this is just a bit of fun and should not be taken seriously. That being said, I hope you enjoyed your result.

[365days365movies]

February 19, 2021: The Phantom of the Opera (2004) (Part 1)

I love musicals.

Hands down, when talking cinematic adaptations of musicals, my favorite is Little Shop of Horrors. I’ve seen it MANY times, and will see it many, MANY more. And I’m not the only one. I mean, obviously, but in this case, I’m referring to my girlfriend. She’s chosen to represent herself with a GIF from her favorite musical, Hairspray. So, here she is:

Ravishing. Now, because it’s currently our anniversary, I let her pick today’s movie from my list. And so, she chose a musical that neither she nor I have seen: 2004′s The Phantom of the Opera. And some of you may now be saying, “What, this guy said he liked movie musicals, and he hasn’t seen TPotS? That’s like saying you haven’t seen Grease, or Singin’’ in the Rain, or, PFFT, West Side Story!”

...About that...

Yeah, yeah, I know! It’s insane, and I’m a hypocrite. I’ll be getting to the rest of those eventually, and one of them’ll be coming in the next couple of days, I promise. You can probably guess which one. Anyway, fact of the matter is that we’re gonna watch it tonight, and I’m looking forward to it. 

However, there’s another factor to this, and that’s the fact that this film...doesn’t have the best reputation amongst fans of the original musical. And, yeah, this should ideally be the Michael Crawford version, but the Butler version is the one I have access to, so we’re going for it. SPOILERS AHEAD!!!

Recap (1/2)

Paris, 1919, back when the whole city was in black-and-white for a year. They lost the budget for color after World War I. Anyway, at an old opera house, an auction is taking place, and items found within the theater are for sale. One of these is a music box with a monkey on it, an item which sponsors a bidding war between an older woman, and an older man in a wheelchair. I’m sure we’ll find out who they are eventually.

Anyway, a broken chandelier is also up for option, and was involved in the mysterious disaster of the “Phantom of the Opera” fiasco. They turn it on with electric light, and as they raise it to the ceiling, the organist goes fuckin’ NUTS. The song’s so loud that it REVERSES TIME, and we’re now in color, in the year 1870 at the same opera house.

The theatre, managed by the soon-to-retire Monsieur Lefèvre (James Fleet), has just been purchased by Richard Firmin (Ciaran Hinds) and Gilles André (Simon Callow), who are there to observe. On stage, a rehearsal for the opera Hannibal is taking place, and the costume’s are already...like, a LOT, not gonna lie. The headliner for the show is soprano (and drama queen supreme) Carlotta Giudicelli (Minnie Driver), and is being funded by patron Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny (Patrick Wilson). 

The background dancers are instructed by Madame Giry (Miranda Richardson), and include her daughter, Meg (Jennifer Ellison), and her adopted daughter, Christine Daaé (Emmy Rossum). As the rehearsal takes place, an accident happens on stage, almost injuring Carlotta. Enraged, she leaves, and refuses to perform.

Meanwhile, Madame Giry finds a letter from the Phantom, who demands his normal monthly salary of 20,000 francs, as for Box 5 to be left open. While the new owners think that this is ridiculous, they also note that it’s pointless without a lead singer for their show. 

However, Christine is volunteered, and shows that she is indeed a talented singer. The show goes on, and Christine is a smash, much to Carlotta’s dismay. At this point, Raoul also discovers that this is his long lost childhood friend (and possibly long lost love) Christine, which she also noticed earlier.

But this is because of a mysterious teacher, who sings to her from the walls of the theatre. Meg comes in to congratulate her (through song), and asks who her tutor is. Meg responds...in song (”Angel of Music”).

Afterwards, Madame Giry also congratulates her, and tells her that the Phantom is pleased with her. Right after, Raoul also pays her a visit, and the two reconnect on shared memories of times in an attic in the summer. She tells Raoul that she is visited by an Angel of Music, and cannot go to the dinner that night with him. And the Phantom agrees, as he locks Christine in her room. YIKES. 

And as literally every person in the theatre except Christine leaves, the Phantom serenades her, angered by Raoul’s presence, and Christine’s potential dalliance with him (”Mirror”). And through the mirror, he takes her to a mysterious crypt beneath the theatre. And as they sing their strange duet in the form of the title song (”The Phantom of the Opera”)...I try to resist talking about Gerard Butler until later. And it’s hard. It’s SO hard, guys.

But, OK, he takes her away on a...sewer horse...how the FUCK did he get that horse down there? And wait, WAIT, does he put her on that horse to walk her, like, 20 feet to the gondola? Like...WHY DO YOU HAVE THE HORSE? That is...monumentally wasteful. Where do you keep the horse? Does he feed the horse? How much? How often? With what? Does the horse eat the sewer rats? Is there naturally growing sewer hay? Does the Phantom’s salary go towards buying food for the horse, or buying new horses when the original ones DIE OF STARVATION - WHAT THE FUCK IS WITH THIS HORSE?!?!? WHOMSTVE THE FUCK

And yes, I love this fuckin’ song (not the singers, but we’ll get there), but this is distracting me alongside the statues of naked men in the sewer, because...well, Joel Schumacher. What can I say, it’s kind of his aesthetic. Anyway, we get officially introduced to the Phantom of the Opera (Gerard Butler), a very handsome-looking man who likes wearing a half-mask.

I say handsome, because the Phantom in this movie, looks...fine. HE LOOKS OK. HE LOOKS LIKE A DUDE WEARING A MASK. What, did somebody throw a hot candle at his face once, and he freaked out over it and ran into the sewers forever...WITH A HORSE? NOT OVER THE HORSE SHIT.

Look, the Phantom is supposed to be HIDEOUSLY scarred. Famously, in one of the film adaptations of Phantom, actor Lon Chaney Jr. purposely distorted his own face using adhesive face in order to play the role of the hideously disfigured character. Now, other versions have just given him severe, and I mean SEVERE burn scars. But behind the mask, Butler looks...fine. HE LOOKS FINE GODDAMMIT. He looks like he’s wearing the mask because it looks edgy and shit.

But OK, what’s happening in the movie? Oh, right, more serenading (”Music of the Night”), with another song that I like quite a bit. This and the previous song were songs Id heard before, and that I’d already had on my playlist. They’re great, what can I say? Now is Butler doing it justice? Ehhhhhhh, we’ll talk about that in the Review.

During this song he kinda seduces her, or attempts to, and also shows her a wedding dress. She sees herself in it and IMMEDIATELY faints, Jesus!  Curtain falls on Christine while she’s in a bed, and we go back to her room, where Meg is looking for her. She finds the mirror, and is about to go back there, but her mother finds and stops her.

Meanwhile, stagehand Joseph Buquet (Kevin McNally) tells the chorus girls of the legend of the Phantom, and describes a physical description that doesn’t match him...even a little. We cut back to Christine, who wakes up in what my girlfriend refers to as a “bomb-ass HQ.” Which is fair, let’s be honest. Anyway, she heads over and tries to unmask her new masked lover (?).

He’s not the biggest fan of this, and he emos all over the screen (”Stranger Than You Dreamt It”). And then, as he puts his mask on, we suddenly (and I mean suddenly) jump to 1919, where the old woman, Madame Giry, bids farewell to...wait, that’s Raoul? HOW DOES HE LOOK SO MUCH OLDER THAN HER, WHAT???

Back in the past, inexplicably, the theatre owners and manager sing about the theatre and the Phantom’s demands ("Notes..."), and are soon joined by Raoul, who brings them a separate note, saying not to look for Christina any further. THEN, Carlotta joins them, delivering a letter of her own from the Phantom, warning her not to return to the theatre.

In his letters, he details how his theatre is to be run, threatening a disaster if Christine is not cast in the lead role, and if Carlotta is not cast in a silent role. However, the theatre owners and Carlotta refuse to obey, and Carlotta is cast in the role, as the owners try to appease her (”Prima Donna”).

That night, during a performance of Il Muto, Carlotta’s singing the lead role. Additionally, Box Five is full, and the Phantom is PISSED. So, like a Phantom do, it’s time for some good old fashioned petty revenge! He switches her throat spray, causing her to lose her voice on stage, and causing the audience to laugh when the show ends abruptly. They quickly and publicly recast the role, giving it to Christine instead. Well, mission accomplished by the Phantom! Guess we’re good without retribution. And then he hangs the stagehand.

Well...fuck, man. Realizing that the Phantom is EXTREMELY dangerous, Christine goes to save Raoul, who she...is in a relationship with now? Wait...wait, hold up, the fuck did I miss? I mean, yeah, he probably is gonna kill Raoul, but there is, like, NO lead-up to their connection before this point.

Anyway, as Christine explains that there is a Phantom when Raoul says he doesn’t exist...wait, WHAT? MOTHER FUCKER BUQUET JUST NOT MURDERED IN FRONT OF EVERYBODY WHAT IN THE FUCK DO YOU MEAN????? YOU LITERALLY HEARD THE...you know what? Break. BREAK. This is...this one’s tough.

See you in Part 2!