#mine: faye and diana

[forbescaroline]

235 FAVORITE SHIPS OF ALL TIME (ranked by my followers) 106. faye chamberlain and diana meade - the secret circle

[kylegallners]

[wickedslip]

SO I know that nobody on god's rotting earth is going to understand what I am talking about but if you've read The Secret Circle Books, if you know you know------- this is a Happy Birthday to Diana Meade and Faye Chamberlain, and they'd be like... 100 years old now if you went by the books written in 1992 (I am kidding, they'd be like... 49 I think, since they were supposed to be born in 1975?) But anywayyyy happy birthday to our Scorpio bitches and since @bloodwr4th uses Shelly Hennig for their ooc face and I am using Phoebe Tonkin as mine, it's SOOO fitting.

Yes I read this every year and have obsessed with this series SO.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHH ALLLLLLLS LOOK AT THEMMMM

[dcbbw]

Sunday Six 9.24.23

Happy Sunday evening, Tumblrs! I know I have been MIA for the absolute longest, and wanting to give a huge THANK YOU to those who know the dirty deets about what’s been going on this summer, and being the shoulders, ears, support, and encouragement, I need to carry on and carry through one day at a time.

Despite posting two dribbles over the past day or so, not saying I am on the comeback trail, but I have been putting fingers to keyboard, and sharing story ideas. While they are not part of today’s Sunday Six, I am working on Sins of the Father; a part two to Dead in the Water (the How to Get Away with Murder AU), tentatively titled Tell Me When I’m Telling Lies; and a Riam one-shot that may become a casual series titled Happy Family.

What I offer to you tonight dear readers are two new ideas (well one isn’t that new):

Church Folk (the MegaChurch AU) based on Wonder’s worst ever version of Riam; she looks like a cross between Wendy Williams and Dionne Warwick, and has six fingers (five whole ass fingers and a thumb); Asian Liam is a dead ringer for Joel Osteen. They are co-pastors of the First, Last, & Only Cordonian Church of God in Christ where the mottos are:

We’re Alphabet Friendly!

God LOVES a Sinner, and so do we

Jesus Ain’t No Joke!

Think of every megachurch scandal, and give Riley Tammy Faye Baker’s hair …

A Summer Place—The Graduate which is an age-gap romance between Liam and Diana, who is Drake & Riley’s daughter. Except Liam doesn’t know, and Diana knows nothing about Cordonia except it is where her parents’ once-great love story originated.

There will be two versions to this story; Version B is titled A Summer Place—Mrs. Robinson, where Riley has an age-gap romance with Andreas, Liam’s son who visits NYC for the summer before starting University. Again, they have no idea of the other.

I realize others are writing age-gap/forbidden romances, but I am hopeful that my ideas and execution will make mine different from what's out there. And it’s me; by the time I finish writing the stories, it isn’t as if I’ll be glutting the market with the trope.

Okay, enough rambling; sneak peeks are below the cut, and as usual everything is in a state of rough draft and published product may vary.

Church Folk (song inspo: Church Clap, KB/Lecrae):

Their courtship had lasted two years; at Liam’s insistence, it had been chaste as well. At least for one of them.

The couple attended church together: Monday night Praise and Devotionals, Wednesday evening Bible study, couples therapy on Saturday mornings, 11am Sunday Sermon.

Between work and church activities, Liam and Riley dated; meals, museums, hikes, volunteering at soup kitchens. No matter the time or venue, all tended to end with them getting hot and heavy in the back seat of his car: Moans, groans, fogged windows; deep French kisses, groping of breasts and fondling of balls, arching and thrusting of hips. All the while keeping their clothes on.

The son of a preacher man never allowed himself to finger Riley nor for her to stroke his manhood.

Penetration was completely out of the question.

Riley often thought it was because of her 6th finger, and that despite his protests, Liam really could not deal with it. But he assured his bride-to-be between desperate kisses that it didn’t matter. Saving themselves for marriage did.

Liam Osteen Rhys firmly believed Riley had been sent to him; her polydactyl was a sign from God Himself that this woman was to be his wife. In the biblical sense, her extra finger was a sign of both wealth and that she was a messenger of God. Liam needed the former, FLOCC needed the latter. In the scientific sense, persons with polydactyl were proven to be stronger and more dexterous than those without.

Yes, Riley B. Williams was his good thing, and he wasn’t letting lust interfere. So, after every date while Riley sat alone in her bedroom with her battery-operated boyfriend and Pornhub pulled up on her phone, Liam visited Maybelle Nussbaum, his high school sweetheart.

If all had gone according to Liam’s plan, he would be wedded to Maybelle already, but his father absolutely forbade an inter-faith marriage. Only one version of God would be worshipped in the Rhys family, and THEIR God believed in ham, bacon, shrimp, and one day to celebrate the birth of Christ.

With Maybelle, Liam could go all the way, and he did. Every time. Sometimes protection was used, but most times not. The future preacher was convinced God wouldn’t allow anything bad to happen to him because he always sought forgiveness afterwards.

On their wedding day, all of Cordonia’s press outlets were present, as well as most of the town; the Rhys family was practically royalty in the small suburb, and everyone wanted to be in attendance for the wedding of a lifetime. Liam stood at the altar with his father, best man and groomsmen, occasionally looking over the crowd still being seated.

His eyes widened when the doors to the ceremony room opened and Maybelle Nussbaum strode through, wearing baggy sweatpants, a vomit-stained tee shirt, and her hair in a messy blonde bun. A swaddled infant rested in the crook of one arm; her free hand pulled a rolling suitcase behind her.

Liam had broken it off with his lover exactly 13 months earlier; he needed to focus on being a husband and ensure no hint of scandal touched his betrothment. He did it via text message and promptly blocked Maybelle’s number and deleted their chat history. And that was the end of that.

Or so he thought.

“Here ya go, Liam! You left this in my uterus right before you blocked me,” the new mother said loudly and cheerily as she placed the baby in a non-plussed Liam’s arms.

The murmurs and whispers amongst the guests began immediately. Constantine’s complexion turned a vague shade of purple. The groomsmen’s eyes went between Maybelle and Liam, who was sputtering and stammering as he protested.

“YOU CANNOT LEAVE ME WITH THIS CHILD, MAYBELLE!” Liam thundered.

“Why not? You did it to me,” Maybelle retorted as she rolled the suitcase up to the altar. “Everything you need is in there. I’m gonna skedaddle now. Take good care of her.”

The scorned lover slipped out a side door just as the Wedding March began to play.

A Summer Place—The Graduate (Version A, Liam)

Song Inspo: Parallel, Emlie Kahn

The server and the sovereign stood at the balcony’s railing as they awaited their food. The dock surrounding the sea harbor was gaily decorated with colorful streamers and balloons. The intricately painted dragon boats sat in their slips, bobbing against the gently cresting aquamarine sea while crew members worked on last minute inspections and details before the race.  

Diana’s chocolate brown eyes were wide with excitement as they took in the scene before her.  

“This is amazing! I’ve never seen anything like this. Montana is basically bull riding, which is literally flags and cowboy hats. And the ocean … it’s so blue and clear, like something out of a painting!” 

Liam studied her profile, wondering why he had the nagging feeling he had seen her before. Her olive complexion, high cheekbones, the curvature of her full lips. It was as if he had seen her features on another face, but not in this particular order. 

“It’s the Aegan Sea,” he gently corrected her, “and yes, it’s a beautiful sight.” 

Diana felt her cheeks flush crimson, as embarrassment flooded her body. She stared up at Liam contritely. “I’m sorry, you must think I’m a goof!” 

Liam’s arm reached out and his palm gently patted the back of her hand. “Why would I think that? You simply didn’t know. It’s your first time here.” 

Diana’s eyes went between Liam’s hand on hers and his eyes, which were filled with a gentle emotion.  

“You’re fine,” he assured her as his other hand ran fingers through her hair, tucking strands behind her ear.  

She felt a pleasant shiver at his touch, which she quickly dismissed as her imagination. Yes, Liam was manly perfection with his trim physique, head full of hair untouched by gray, and the face of a Greek god. But he was her father’s age and had women across the country and continent ready to do his bidding.  

She was a tourist that would be leaving in a couple of months. A nobody, 24 years his junior who didn’t know an ocean from a sea. Diana slowly pulled her hand away from his.  

“So, what’s for lunch? I’m starving!” she said a little more loudly than intended.  

“Oh, you are in for a treat!” Liam grinned. “Mediterranean seafood pie, scallops in a lemon garlic cream sauce, lobster tails stuffed with crabmeat, crab imperial …" 

“Oh my God! It’s like Red Lobster!” Diana exclaimed as she clapped her hands together.  

Liam looked puzzled. “Red Lobster?” 

“It’s an American surf and turf chain restaurant. It’s delicious!” 

“I can only hope Portavira lives up to such a lofty ideal.” 

Tagging: @jared2612​​​ @ao719​ @marietrinmimi​ @indiacater​​​ @kingliam2019​ @bebepac​​​ @liamxs-world @mom2000aggie​​​ @liamrhysstalker2020​​ @twinkleallnight​​​ @umccall71 @superharriet​​​ @busywoman​​​ @gabesmommie1130 @tessa-liam​​​ @beezm​​​ @gardeningourmet​​​ @lovingchoices14​​​ @mainstreetreader​​​ @angelasscribbles​​​ @lady-calypso @emkay512​​​ @princessleac1​​​ @charlotteg234 @alj4890​ @motorcitymademadame​​​ @queenmiarys​​​ ​​​ @choicesficwriterscreations

[themomsandthecity]

50 Meaningful Baby Girl Names

For a lot of parents, the sheer amount of baby names to choose from can be so overwhelming, not one name takes the lead over another. Our names are deeply tied to our personalities though, so you want to find something special and meaningful to you and your partner. If you're looking for unique girl names with deep meaning, we've got you covered. We know that while having a baby is an experience that's incomparable to any other, it's also OK to admit that it may feel a little stressful at times - especially when it comes to choosing the perfect name. If you're having trouble picking a meaningful baby girl name, don't worry. There are plenty of beautiful names out there that are made even more lovely and significant by their meanings. Maybe you'd like a name that translates to "strong" or something that means "light" or "beautiful." Either way, choosing from this list of girl names with meaning may be the best way forward. From Abigail to Zoe, one of these meaningful baby girl names is meant to fit your little one like a glove. Related: Malti, Nova, Posie and Other Aesthetic Girl Names Perfect For Your Newborn Meaningful Baby Girl Names We know there's a lot of pressure tied to finding the perfect name for your little girl. You want something that holds personal meaning, but is also unique to your baby. It's not an easy feat. Good thing that when it comes to looking for a unique and deeply meaningful name for your baby, there is no shortage of creative options. Read the list of names - complete with origin and meanings - below, and see what fits best for you and your family. * Abigail: Hebrew - The father's joy. * Alessia: Italian - Defending warrior. * Alexandra: Greek - Helper; defender of mankind. * Alice: English - Noble; kind. * Amara: Latin - Strong; attractive; stylish. * Amelia: German - Industrious; striving. * Anne: Hebrew - Favored grace. * Arabella: Latin - Lovely; elegant. * Audree: French - Nobility; strength. * Arianna: Greek - Holy. * Avery: French - Wise. * Callie: Greek - Most beautiful. * Calynn: Gaelic - Powerful in battle. * Charlotte: French - Petite; feminine. * Charvi: Sanskrit - Beautiful. * Claire: Latin - Bright; clear; famous; brilliant. * Cora: Greek - Filled heart. * Darlene: English - Darling; loved one. * Della: German - Noble; bright. * Diana: Latin - Moon goddess. * Eleanor: Greek - Bright, shining one; sun rays. * Ella: English - Light; beautiful fairy woman. * Eva: Hebrew - Life. * Farrah: Arabic - Happy. * Faye: French - Loyalty; confidence; trust; belief. Related: Arya, Sage, Zaire, and 144 Other Cool Baby Names * Gabriella: Hebrew - Devoted to God. * Grace: Latin: Goodness; generosity. * Hannah: Hebrew - Favor; grace of God. * Isabelle: Hebrew - God is my strength; devoted to God. * Jocelyn: Latin - Happy; joyful. * Kaitlyn: Greek - Pure. * Kalila: Arabic - Heap of love. * Layla: Egyptian - Dark beauty. * Mackenzie: Gaelic - Child of the wise leader. * Malia: Hawaiian - Beloved. * Mia: Latin - Mine; wished-for child. * Mila: Russian - Industrious; hardworking. * Millie: Latin - Free-born; strength; determination. * Naila: Arabic - Successful. * Nora: Greek - Shining light. * Reagan: Irish - Little ruler. * Reveka: Hebrew - Captivating. * Samantha: Hebrew - Listener. * Sarah: Hebrew - Princess. * Shayna: Yiddish - Beautiful; God is gracious. * Sophia: Greek - Wisdom. * Stella: Greek - A star. * Vivian: Latin - Full of life. * Zahra: Arabic - Flower. * Zoe: Greek - Life. https://www.popsugar.com/family/Meaningful-Baby-Girl-Names-46096722?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

[kiddstellas]

TIME STAMP ROULETTE ✨ the secret circle 1.01 ↳ requested by @addys-beth

[fallencrackships]

Crackship request from Anon

Phoebe Tonkin as Faye Chamberlain, Kristen Stewart as Bella Swan and Shelley Hennig as Diana Meade - Sisters.

[jadedxwritings]

Title: Goals Fandom: The Secret Circle Characters: Diana Meade, Faye Chamberlain Pairing: Diana/Faye Rating: General Word Count: 440 words Summary: Diana and Faye have an argument at prom. Notes: Written for femslash100100 (zeroes table, prompt 005 “goals”). Takes place near the end of their senior year of high school, so post-canon .

[crackshipsanddreamcasts]

Secret Circle Reboot Cast: 

Ty Wood as Chris and Doug Henderson Caylee Cowan as Melanie Glaser Becky G as Deborah Armstrong Hallea Jones as Suzan Whittier  Abigail F. Cowen as Laurel Quincey Zachary Gordon as Sean Dulaney Sydney Park as Faye Chamberlain Alisha Boe as Diana Meade Thomas Doherty as Adam Conant Felix Mallard as Nick Armstrong Chelsea Clark as Cassie Blake

[forbescaroline]

favorite platonic relationships: faye chamberlain, diana meade and melissa glaser “I’m so sorry we didn’t believe you. – And yet you still came to help break into a car, thanks.”

[gallescouture]

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

welcome to my blog ✩

faye | ‘05 | she/her

— this is a blog meant to show any interests of mine, such as:

✎ the kennedy's

✎ diana, princess of wales

✎ audrey hepburn

✎ grace kelly

✎ marilyn monroe

✎ kpop / kdramas

✎ old hollywood

✎ astrology

✎ general aesthetics & interiors

✎ etcetera

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

[letterboxd]

The Eyes of TIFF.

Programmers for the 46th Toronto International Film Festival chat about the degrees of intensity they look for in a festival film, and help us zoom in on the gems from TIFF’s 2021 program, by genre and region.

“Intensity can be achieved in so many different ways. I know it when I feel it. You feel it in your gut.” —Cameron Bailey

It’s almost business as usual for TIFF this year. In-person events and red carpets return, but a healthy virtual program is also available for Canadian-based folk unable to travel, as the Covid-19 pandemic continues its onslaught.

TIFF co-head and artistic director Cameron Bailey has been with the festival for just over half its life, and says while some of the technology has changed in that time—“you’re no longer sitting in front of a TV monitor with VHS tapes… or waiting for 35mm prints to be spooled up and projected for you”—the “basic process of falling in love with movies” has not.

It’s a challenge, Bailey says, to winnow down the films he falls in love with for the final TIFF lineup. And even then, it is an annual challenge for film lovers tight on time to narrow down their own selections. So, ahead of the fest, Bailey joined fellow TIFF programmers for a Twitter Spaces conversation with our editor in chief Gemma Gracewood, in order to help Letterboxd members make some watchlist decisions.

Joining Bailey were Thom Powers (TIFF Docs), Peter Kuplowsky (Midnight Madness), Robyn Citizen (senior programming manager), Diana Sanchez (Special Presentations, Spain, Latin America, Portugal and the Caribbean), Diana Cadavid (International Cinema) and Nataleah Hunter-Young (Africa, “the Middle East” and the Black Diaspora).

Edited highlights of the conversation follow, so have your watchlists close at hand.

‘The Eyes of Tammy Faye’, written by Abe Sylvia and directed by Michael Showalter.

Thank you all for joining me today. You watch a lot of films as you’re going through the selection process. How does one make itself stand out to you? Cameron Bailey: For every programmer it’s going to be something different. For me, it comes down to an intangible quality of intensity. That can be emotional intensity, it can be the intensity of formal elements, the cinematography, the performances, the writing. Some sense of concentrated emotion and momentum, where you get the sense that a filmmaker is trying to find a way to distill the essence of what they’re trying to do and communicate it to an audience through all of the tools that cinema provides. That doesn’t mean the movie has to be fast-paced or have a lot of dramatic jolts, as intensity can be achieved in so many different ways. I know it when I feel it. You feel it in your gut.

What would you say are some of the performances that have struck you the most this year? CB: Jessica Chastain is the lead in a film we’re premiering called The Eyes of Tammy Faye, directed by Michael Showalter. If you were watching TV in the ’80s and ’90s, you will remember Tammy Faye Bakker, and her husband, Jim Bakker, who were TV televangelists. You couldn’t miss Tammy, as she had these giant eyes and makeup with giant eyelashes, and this is essentially her story. It’s hard to know at first that it’s Jessica Chastain underneath all of that makeup, but she gives a performance that’s not just about the exterior. It’s about a woman who is shaped by a difficult upbringing, shaped by this incredibly deep need she has for affirmation, to be on TV, to be in front of the camera, and that guides her decisions into extremes. She’s fantastic in it.

Benedict Cumberbatch is back with two films. He is the lead in Jane Campion’s The Power of the Dog. It’s an understated, slow-burn performance in some ways, which he can do so well. He’s also in a film that’s on the opposite end of the dramatic spectrum, The Electrical Life of Louis Wain. It’s based on a real person, and when you watch the film you will be amazed that this person actually existed. Wain, in the early part of the twentieth century, was a prodigious painter who turned his talent towards painting thousands of cats. Cute cats, big eyed cats, fuzzy, adorable cats. He’s largely responsible for cats becoming as big as they are as domesticated pets. It’s a wild story.

I’m still recovering from watching The Power of the Dog’s trailer earlier today, and had to promise myself that I wouldn’t take up this entire time talking about Jane Campion’s obsession with hands. The Spencer trailer dropped as well, which has a lot of buzz around it. CB: Yes, Spencer is a remarkable portrait. Some of us remember Princess Diana, some of us have watched The Crown, and so have a very recent image, but this is a completely different performance that Kristen Stewart gives. She’s remarkable in it. I think everybody’s going to want to see this film.

‘Charlotte’, written by David Bezmozgis and Erik Rutherford, directed by Tahir Rana and Éric Warin.

Are there any other titles you’d like to get the buzz started for, Cameron? CB: On the animation side, I would say people should look out for a film called Charlotte, by Tahir Rana and Éric Warin. It’s a Canadian film telling a story based in World War II Europe about a woman in a Jewish family [exiled] in France during the occupation of France by the Nazis. She can feel what is coming. She decides to paint everything about her life, and her family’s life, trying to document what she feels is going to be very fragile, and what she might lose altogether.

As it turns out, before the end of the war she was taken away to a death camp by the Nazi regime, and she didn’t survive, but her paintings have survived and they were turned into a book, along with the story of her family. The animation is just gorgeous. I think that’s one that awards bodies are going to be paying attention to. It’s one of the best animated films I’ve seen in quite a while.

Thom, what are some of the documentary titles that you and the team think those awards bodies will have their eyes on? Thom Powers: A big one to pay attention to is The Rescue, by Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin, who won the Oscar for their last film, Free Solo. Their new film is looking at the Thai cave rescue [in 2018], when a group of young soccer players and their coach got trapped by monsoon floods in a cave. When we were watching the news, we were seeing the journalists reporting from outside the cave. What this film does is bring you inside that rescue using footage that’s never been seen before. Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin are masters at the documentary adventure genre, and also [at] bringing a real human side to the people involved, which they do again here.

I’ll also mention Becoming Cousteau, by Liz Garbus, and Julia, a film about Julia Child, directed by Julie Cohen and Betsy West, who made the Oscar-nominated documentary RBG a few years ago. So many of us during the pandemic had to rediscover ourselves in the kitchen, and Julia Child’s life was about making people feel more comfortable in the kitchen, which makes it a terrific film to watch at this time.

‘Saloum’, directed by Jean Luc Herbulot.

Peter, what’s a movie from this year’s Midnight Madness lineup you’d love to recommend? Peter Kuplowsky: We’ve got a lot of firsts at Midnight this year. We have Saloum, the first time a West African film has ever been in Midnight. We’ve also got Zalava, which is the first Iranian film to play in Midnight. Our opening film for Midnight Madness is Julia Ducournau’s Titane, which is playing at the Princess of Wales theater, and will be a spectacle to behold. When I’m looking for Midnight Madness, I like hearing the audience make certain noises in the room, whether that’s a gasp or screams or laughter. I feel that every note on the scale is going to be played during Titane by the audience.

Brilliant. Now, we’re going to bring in some audience questions. First up is Vincent, who says that one of their favorite films is Georges Franju’s Eyes Without a Face, and asks if there are any films in this year’s TIFF lineup you could recommend for a fan of that film? PK: I’ve really been encouraging people to check out the films I just mentioned, Zalava and Saloum, and I think Zalava especially would fit here, as it’s more of a horror-drama. It begins as something that is steeped in the supernatural, but as it escalates it becomes something of a pitch-black comedy while still maintaining a gravitas to it. I think it’s one of the most fascinating discoveries in the genre space this year.

CB: I’d also add Good Madam, by Jenna Bass, from South Africa. It is a chilling movie, with a bit of an Eyes Without a Face vibe. If you like that sort of approach to cinema, I think you’ll like that.

PK: Vengeance Is Mine, All Others Pay Cash just won the Golden Leopard at Locarno. With a title like that, this is a film that feels like it’s going to be sort of a strictly pulp crime film, but it’s so much more. It’s deeply romantic, incredibly eclectic, and beautifully shot on 16mm film. It feels like a film that was hidden away, shot in the late ’70s or early ’80s. It’s a throwback to 1980s Hong Kong action films, while also, I can’t stress this enough, being one of the most romantic films in the festival. You’ll fall in love with this relationship while it’s also working in fight sequences and magical realism.

Nataleah, what’s something you would recommend from your TIFF selections from Africa, “the Middle East” and the Black Diaspora? Nataleah Hunter-Young: One I’d highly recommend is Costa Brava, directed by Mounia Akl, from Lebanon. Even amidst what’s going on in Lebanon right now, the film offers a beautiful and engrossing portrait of a family that includes a grandmother who’s a non-actor, but has impeccable comedic timing (that travels through the subtitles if you don’t speak Arabic).

‘Snakehead’, written and directed by Evan Leong.

Robyn, what’s a movie that surprised you most during your selections this year? Robyn Citizen: I always recommend that people check out our Discovery section because that’s where we find new talent and nurture new voices. The film that really surprised me this year was Snakehead, by Evan Jackson Leong. Some people will know him from a documentary called Linsanity, and he did another documentary about evangelism in Korea. Snakehead has been a ten-year labor of love for him. He had to do a Kickstarter for the film, which is loosely based on the life of a woman named Sister Ping, who had a human trafficking ring that was the biggest trafficking ring for about 20 years.

The film tackles what’s going on now with vulnerable populations being trafficked into America, in particular Chinatown in the US, and the main character, played by Shuya Chang, has to fight to find her daughter. It’s an exciting film, and very moving. It’s extremely tightly edited, and it looks fantastic.

We’ve got our next question here from a member who says their favorite genre is science-fiction. While Dune is at the top of their watchlist, are there any other sci-fi selections you could recommend? PK: I would recommend After Blue (Dirty Paradise), which is a perverse science-fiction by Bertrand Mandico. It reminds me a lot of the French animated film Fantastic Planet. This one is about a planet which is inhospitable to men because of the way hair grows. The plot follows a young teenage girl who accidentally unleashes a notorious criminal that she and her hairdresser mother have to stalk through the alien landscape that is full of bizarre creatures and liquids and gases. I feel it’s kind of like the inverse of Dune, and an opportunity to explore a bizarre ecosystem.

NHY: I would totally insist that this member see Neptune Frost, from Saul Williams and Anisia Uzeyman. It’s a difficult film to put into words, but I’ve been summing it up by calling it an Afro-sonic sci-fi musical.

Whoa, that sounds like a whole new subgenre. NHY: That’s just the beginning. There’s a lot to experience in this film. It’s a cosmic romance that follows an intersex hacker and a coltan miner who make their way to this kind of dream space where they connect with others as they travel through these lush mountainous regions of Rwanda and Burundi. It’s a beautiful anti-narrative that is impeccably colored and totally consuming. It’s a must-see for anybody who loves cinema.

Diana, what would you say is the best debut feature that you’ve seen among this year’s international selections? Diana Cadavid: There are so many wonderful new talents, but I think I’ll go with an Argentinian filmmaker named Agustina San Martín. Her film, To Kill the Beast, is a co-production between Argentina, Brazil and Chile, and she worked for nine years to put this all together. She started working on it when she was 21, and we were actually having a conversation yesterday about her process, and how it’s a film that deals with the growth of a woman, and female desire. There’s this idea of the beast, something that’s either from inside or from outside forces, trying to control the human mind and body. It’s a very interesting film, gorgeously shot and very atmospheric.

‘Yuni’, written by Prima Rusdi and Kamila Andini, directed by Andini.

We’ve got another question here from David, who says their favorite films are humanistic dramas, citing Hirokazu Kore-eda as one of their favorite directors. Would anybody have any recommendations for David? CB: I can recommend at least one film, called Yuni, an Indonesian film from Kamila Andini. This is a naturalist drama about a high-school girl who is one of the top students in her class, and has a great group of friends. We slowly begin to see that her life is being constrained by one man after another, and then something happens at school, which begins to narrow her possibilities for her future. She’s trying to figure out things like sexuality and romance and what she wants to do with her future, and all of these obstacles keep getting placed in her path. It’s told in a very gentle way, but very incisive as well. Each scene really matters, taking you deeper inside this girl’s life.

RC: Our senior programmer Giovanna Fulvi programmed a film called Aloners, a South Korean film by Hong Sung-eun. This is her first feature, and it’s very much a film of our time. It is about a woman who works in the gig economy at a credit-card customer-service call center. It’s a very transient existence. She doesn’t talk to anybody, she eats by herself, she doesn’t really want to associate with the people in her apartment building. One day, one of her neighbors who has tried to talk to her many times passes away, and she has to re-interrogate the way that she’s been living her life, and figure out if it’s worth starting to form some human connections.

Next up is a question from Matt Neglia, from the Next Best Picture podcast. Matt says that he’s a massive fan of epics, whether they’re three hours long or just telling an expansive story with lots of world-building. Apart from Dune, are there any other films in the lineup that you would describe as epic? CB: While Joachim Trier’s The Worst Person in the World might not strike you on reading its synopsis as an epic, I think it actually is an emotional epic. It’s the story of a young woman who’s trying to figure out her life. Her romance with one boyfriend doesn’t quite fit the bill for her, and she begins this looking and exploring. Trier and his writer and lead actor do remarkable work, blowing open the idea of a person trying to define who they are at this turning point in their life. They make these stakes massive and they have all kinds of interesting, innovative, formal elements in [the film] as well. It’s incredibly cinematic. If you’ve seen Joachim Trier’s other films, this is kind of the conclusion of a trilogy that he’s made.

‘Listening to Kenny G’, directed by Penny Lane.

Next up, we have Sarah, who is looking for movies about music, and also some body horror. CB: We’ve got a number of great music docs this year. I have to mention Dionne Warwick, the queen of Twitter, who is the subject of Dionne Warwick: Don’t Make Me Over. It tells the story of this incredibly talented, determined and glamorous musician who broke so many barriers. She toured in the south during the Jim Crow era, making gains as a Black woman in the music industry and in the pop-music industry, not the so-called race-record or Black-music industry, which simply wasn’t done at the time. This documentary tells that story, and also shows her later work in the ’80s contributing to the fight against stigma and hysteria during the AIDS crisis.

PK: I’ll follow up Cameron by mentioning the Alanis Morissette film Jagged. We’ve also got a film about the great jazz pianist, Oscar Peterson, called Oscar Peterson: Black + White. Lastly, there’s a film about Kenny G, called Listening to Kenny G.

Diana Sanchez: For the body horror, I’d like to mention the debut film by Ruth Paxton, titled A Banquet. It’s about a young woman who insists her body is no longer her own, and is a service to a higher power. Her mother has no idea what to think. She stops eating, and her mother doesn’t know [whether] to believe her or not. I love Ruth Paxton’s work, the way she shoots the film, the way she shoots the food. It’s almost, as she refers to it, pornographic. It looks delicious and gross all at the same time.

I’d also like to flip to comedy quickly to mention Official Competition. The film stars Penélope Cruz, Antonio Banderas and Oscar Martínez. Cruz plays a filmmaker who puts together a well-known theater actor and a well-known box-office glamor guy, played by Banderas. The film speaks to the tension between high art and more popular art, testing those boundaries. It’s incredibly funny.

We’d love to squeeze a few more films out of everyone for our watchlists. Could you each recommend one film and try to sell it in ten words or less? CB: Let me try. Sundown, by Michel Franco. Tim Roth falls apart beautifully in Mexico.

TP: I’m going to go with the Mexican documentary, Comala. Filmmaker Gian Cassini explores the legacy of his father, who was a Tijuana hitman.

PK: I’ll go with Saloum, which is basically From Dusk Till Dawn in West Africa.

RC: I’m going to say The Wheel, a movie by Steve Pink. If you like Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, this is like that with a younger couple in a much more humane, intimate key.

DS: I’ll say I’m Your Man, a sci-fi where Maren Eggert dates a robotic Dan Stevens.

PK: I know Diana has been recommending a film called OUT OF SYNC, about an artist who begins to experience the sound of the world going out of sync. She starts hearing sounds from the past because people and things are out of sync with their surroundings.

NHY: I’ll go with The Gravedigger’s Wife, directed by Khadar Ahmed. It showcases the horn of Africa unlike you’ve ever seen it on screen.

Finally, for Cameron: with fall coming, what is the best TIFF 2021 movie to watch under a blanket, either because it’s cozy or because you’re terrified, or both? CB: Great question, which gives me a chance to talk about Earwig, the new film by Lucile Hadžihalilović. If you’ve seen Innocence or Evolution, her two most recent films, you’re prepared in terms of tone, but you’ve not even seen Lucille make a film quite like this. It’s eerie, disturbing, hypnotic, mesmerizing. You can’t stop watching, but you’re always afraid that something awful and horrifying is about to happen… and maybe it might.

‘Night Raiders’, written and directed by Danis Goulet.

To bring it all back home, what would you say is the Canadian film of 2021? CB: It’s always hard to say, but I think in a year where we have Danis Goulet’s feature Night Raiders, that’s got to be the one. Danis has made some exceptional short films over the last few years that people might know. Her feature takes on the horrific, devastating story of residential schools and children torn from Indigenous families and put in institutions where the goal was to erase their Indigenous identity. She takes that terrible, real history that we’re grappling with right now in Canada, and turns it into a piece of speculative fiction, a kind of propulsive thriller.

By turning it into fiction rather than reality she can use all of the tools of cinema to tell a terrific story that’s exciting and has high stakes, but also has this deep resonance of a truth that we are, I hope, coming to terms with in this country.

The Toronto International Film Festival runs from September 9 to 18. This conversation has been edited for length and clarity. Follow TIFF on Letterboxd, and follow our Festiville HQ for regular festival updates.

[octaviablossom]

Fayana au

[surroundedbypearls]

Revisit and Ramble: The Secret Circle (Books 1-3)

Recently I started revisiting some books I loved when I was a teenager to see what I thought of them now, for nostalgia and for fun. I’ve been writing since I was ~13 but my skills and style have evolved since I read a lot of these books, and so has my way of reading since I’ve started reading as a writer. So I decided to make these ramble/review posts because why not? Whee~

(I picked this image bc it’s the closest to my versions of the books, but the font on mine is much less extra.)

So, yeah. More LJ Smith. You may have heard of the TV series based on these books, which I haven’t watched nor do I plan to, even if Phoebe Tonkin is hot. The Secret Circle actually has more than 3 books - I think the current total is 6 - but the other 3 were written much later (and possibly not by the original author, but that’s another story). The original 3 books read like a complete trilogy and story, so I’ll be talking about them like they’re the only books.

See me ramble below the cut! Is it a mess? Signs point to yes.

Basically I’m gay. Let me explain~

When I first read these books, I was obsessed with the ensemble cast. I had so many drawings of the characters - mostly of the girls. Reading it back now, I realise that I may have unconsciously had a crush on basically all of them except for Cassie because she’s the protagonist and a bit Wonderbread. The boys of the circle are just not on the same level of the girls, and that’s that. This time round the crushes were all very conscious.

Also, I got a lot of sapphic vibes from Cassie on this read. Sure, she thinks Adam is handsome but she sure spends a lot of time describing how gorgeous her fellow women are. I’m just saying. Especially Diana. Honestly, I could see Cassie/Adam/Diana being a throuple, and I want it. What a wasted opportunity.

If I’m honest though Adam can go in the bin because he’s quite boring. I mean, he’s a nice person, and I guess I like his ethics, but I don’t think he’s that special. There have been worse love interests, but also better ones. At least he’s not Arya. And he’s not a dick in any way which is nice.

I mentioned the show in my intro, and though I haven’t watched it, I did look it up. What is this nonsense? The show has no Henderson twins, no Deborah the beautiful lesbian, no Laurel, no Melanie. No Suzan? No Sean? It only has Cassie, Diana, Adam, Nick, Faye and some chick named Melissa who I guess might be Melanie but I don’t know. If so, why her but not the others? Then there’s other characters that aren’t even in the original books?? I’m mad and I don’t get it. At least they cast Phoebe Tonkin as Faye. That’s god-tier casting. They cast some Diana lookalike to play Cassie, which was dumb. I’m done talking about it.

Okay I’m almost done but I just think it’s a wasted opportunity to take a fun cast of 12 characters who, while they have recognisable traits, are still simple and could easily be expanded on in adaptation, only to dump half of them and create some other randos? I don’t want it. Take it away.

The original trilogy is actually so short. It’s good on one hand because there’s no time to have a dull moment or a lot of filler, but at the same time, I think these characters are fun and I wish I had a bit more time with them.

Faye is a morally grey queen. I love her, I’d die for her. Her and Deborah are my ladies. And Suzan. Suzan gets 5 stars from me on this re-read.

Except for the *ahem* parts about bewitching men. Those aren’t cute. Tricking one into taking you to the dance is one thing but there are some other parts that I do not like. At all. Tear those pages out please.

I like the backstories of the circle’s parents; in the big calamity/battle that took place when they were babies, it was the brave ones who went to fight, so the surviving parents are the ones who didn’t go, and the question is always there about what the outcome would have been if they had gone together as a full circle. It adds an interesting dimension to the characters and how they view their parents; how Deborah has two parents who never went to fight (one of which lost the actual love of her life in the process) or Diana, whose father stayed behind while her mother left to fight. I like it.

I like a good whodunnit story and I think this has some good elements of one. I just think some things are figured out a bit too easily. But the events are quite creepy and tense at times and it’s enjoyable to read. It’s hard to remember for certain now but I think a lot of what happened was a surprise for me when I read it for the first time.

I think Cassie discovers some twists/secrets a bit too easily. There are hints in places, but for one reveal in particular there’s no real moment of her putting the pieces together in her head. She just says the answer out loud and it’s right, and it makes sense if you look at some hints from before, but when did she figure it out? It just feels a bit convenient. And of course she gets to be uber important in a destined way because she’s the main character and that’s what main characters do, especially in YA.

That said, I don’t dislike Cassie as a character. Her own image of herself as someone evil because of her feelings for Adam is compelling. I like how she just throws herself into the chaos of it. She’s not the worst.

So overall I loved this series because I liked the mystery, I liked the witchy stuff and I liked the women. Would recommend to a sapphic teen.

If anyone else has read this series and has some thoughts I’d love to hear them! Let’s ramble together 😁

Actual book reviews where I make sense Message me

[seraphicmaze]

Different doesn't necessarily mean bad

[babyconnectingworld]

Fall in Love With 100 of the Most Gorgeous Baby Names and Their Meanings

Whether you wait until your child is born or have a list ready months in advance, picking your child's name is one of the first major decisions you'll make as a new parent. There are endless options out there, and that coupled with the fact that your child will be called this name for their entire life can make the name game pretty overwhelming. But when you move beyond how a name sounds and start looking at the definition behind it, you can quickly start narrowing down your list. Check out these 100 pretty names with equally powerful meanings that you'll want to take into consideration ASAP!

Meaningful Girl Names

Image Source: Unsplash - Abigail: Hebrew — The father's joy. - Alessia: Italian — Defending warrior. - Alexandra: Greek — Helper; defender of mankind. - Alice: English — Noble; kind. - Amara: Latin — Strong. - Amelia: German — Industrious; striving. - Anne: Hebrew — Favored grace. - Arabella: Latin — Lovely; elegant. - Audree: French — Nobility; strength. - Arianna: Greek — Holy. - Avery: French — Wise. - Callie: Greek — Most beautiful. - Calynn: Gaelic — Powerful in battle. - Charlotte: French — Petite; feminine. - Charvi: Sanskrit — Beautiful. - Claire: Latin — Bright; clear; famous; brilliant. - Cora: Greek — Filled heart. - Darlene: English — Darling, loved one. - Della: German — Noble; bright. - Diana: Latin — Moon Goddess. - Eleanor: Greek — Bright, shining one; sun rays. - Ella: English — Light; beautiful fairy woman. - Eva: Hebrew — Life. - Farrah: Arabic — Happy. - Faye: French — Loyalty; confidence; trust; belief.

Image Source: Unsplash - Gabriella: Hebrew — Devoted to God. - Grace: Latin: Goodness; generosity. - Hannah: Hebrew — Favor; grace of God. - Isabelle: Hebrew — God is my strength; devoted to God. - Jocelyn: Latin — Happy; joyful. - Kaitlyn: Greek — Pure. - Kalila: Arabic — Heap of love. - Layla: Egyptian — Dark beauty. - Mackenzie: Gaelic — Child of the wise leader. - Malia: Hawaiian — Beloved. - Mia: Latin — Mine; wished-for child. - Mila: Russian — Industrious; hardworking. - Millie: Latin — Free-born; strength; determination. - Naila: Arabic — Successful. - Nora: Greek — Shining light. - Reagan: Irish — Little ruler. - Reveka: Hebrew — Captivating. - Samantha: Hebrew — Listener. - Sarah: Hebrew — Princess. - Shayna: Yiddish — Beautiful; God is gracious. - Sophia: Greek — Wisdom. - Stella: Greek — A star. - Vivian: Latin — Full of life. - Zahra: Arabic — Flower. - Zoe: Greek — Life.

Meaningful Boy Names

Image Source: Unsplash - Aaron: Hebrew — Enlightened. - Aiden: Celtic — The sun god; fiery. - Alexander: Greek — Defender of men. - Amell: German — Power of an eagle. - Amory: German — Leader; divine; brave; powerful. - Andrew: Greek — Strong; manly; courageous. - Anthony: Latin — Priceless. - Asher: Hebrew —Happy or blessed. - Austin: Latin — Majestic dignity. - Azai: Hebrew — Strength. - Aziel: Hebrew — God is my power. - Caelan: Irish — Powerful warrior; victorious people. - Chance: English — Good fortune. - Charlie: English — Free. - David: Hebrew — Beloved. - Edric: English — Power and good fortune. - Edward: English — Wealthy guardian. - Elliot: Hebrew — Lord is my God. - Ethan: Hebrew — Strong; safe; firm. - Ezra: Hebrew — Helper. - Felix: Latin — Happy; fortunate. - Gabriel: Hebrew — Devoted to God; a hero of God; God is my strength. - Henry: German — Ruler of the household. - Ian: Scottish — God is gracious. - Isaac: Hebrew — He will laugh.

Image Source: Unsplash - Isaiah: Hebrew — Salvation of the lord. - Jayce: Greek — Healer. - Jonathan: Hebrew — God gives. - Josiah: Hebrew — Fire of the Lord; healer. - Julian: Latin — Father of the skies. - Kano: Japanese — One's masculine power; capability. - Levi: Hebrew — Joined in harmony. - Liam: Irish — Strong-willed warrior and protector. - Lucas: Latin — Light-giving; illumination. - Magnus: Latin — Greatest. - Matthew: Hebrew — Gift from God. - Miles: Latin — Soldier. - Milo: German — Merciful. - Nathan: Hebrew — He gave. - Ned: English — Wealthy guardian. - Noah: Hebrew — Rest; comfort. - Nolan: Gaelic — A descendant of a chariot fighter or champion; famous; noble. - Oswald: English — Divine power. - Owen: Welsh — Young warrior; well-born; noble. - Robert: German — Bright fame. - Ryan: Irish — Descendent of the king; little king. - William: German — Strong-willed warrior; resolute protection. - Xander: Greek — Protector of men. - Zachary: Hebrew — Remembered by God. - Zane: Hebrew — God's gracious gift. Read the full article