#movie looks stunning but it was the most boring predictable stuff i just did not care for it

[cinemaobscura]

A Snake of June | 六月の蛇 (2002) dir. Tsukamoto Shinya

[georgemackayhey]

Like Real People Do

“Hii can you do an imagine, "Your first time with George" maybe as an insecure/uneasy reader"

"Can you pleeaaassse write more nsfw stuff? More Than A Night Out gave me my rights"

Alright yall, heed the 18+ warning! 

Seriously, I really don't want to block anyone (I love yall!) On that note... I wouldn't say this theme is my strong suit, nor have I been in a good headspace, but boy did I try my best ♡ 

w/c: 3k

───※ ·❆· ※───

You didn't date.

You called off meeting up with strangers in bars and listening to them tell half-assed life stories, embellishing in hopes they'd get to have their way with you in the same evening.

You were happy to mingle among friends on weekends and at parties, but going home alone felt safe. Keeping to yourself was the best bet, having learned your lesson by now. You recalled more unpleasant domestic experiences than ones that left you daydreaming of more. So you simply stayed single.

Some of your friends didn't regard your limits, tricking you into double dates and the like. Other friends understood but still gushed over their brothers and cousins in hopes you'd be intrigued by their qualities and demand to be introduced with wedding rings on standby.

And then there were the friends who never asked or bothered you about it at all. George was one of those friends.

He was your ride to your friend groups monthly movie theater meet up's. And he always let you take home his leftovers after dinners he wasted chatting with your mutual friends about books and culture.

In turn, you let George borrow your favorite albums. And you'd always saved him a seat in the back of bars you had to show up to for friend's birthday parties, while they threw themselves between strangers on the dance floor. Times like then were when you got to know George best.

And during the last month of summer, George invited everyone to take over a beach house big enough for your ever-expanding group and more. Apparently some of his distant family owned the property but were hardly ever in the area to enjoy it. So they gave George a spare key, and insisted he treated the place like his own.

And thankfully, then, between your friends racing to the shore in the witching hour, and when everyone split up into pairs for the evening, George kept you company. You made a habit of joining each other on the rickety front porch, sharing a drink, and usually sitting in silence.

But there were nights you talked about the constellations you could see above the roaring ocean. And where you'd like to live if you had an unlimited budget. Where you'd come from and what you wanted, and didn't.

You went home to the most dreary September of all time. You used to adore the solitude of your dull apartment. But you missed waking up to your friend's laughter, having someone, if not many more, to enjoy market runs and mealtimes with. You had never felt more lonely. And you couldn't stop thinking of George.

When he came round to give you a lift to the movie theater, your usual ride together was quiet. The silence between you was heavy- you wondered if he noticed. You sat together in a boring film. Or maybe it was the best of all time. You could only focus on how close George was to you, how you'd recognized the feeling of his company. You wondered how to ask him to come around more often, without sounding pathetically desperate.

Luckily birthday parties and Halloween bashes kept coming. And you kept finding quiet places to listen to George tell his stories. And he would always share his drink, and ask about your family, and how you were doing.

One night when he invited everyone around to his flat and only a couple of your friends managed to show up, they headed out soon after dinner. You were left alone in George's kitchen to help clean up and wonder what to do with the rest of the early blue evening.

And even though your heart beat in your throat, and everything you thought to say sounded stupid in your head, you determined it was time.

During a much too easy card game at Georges table, when a conversation about some of the horrifically silly things George had witnessed you manage in the past; you decided to stop testing the waters, and address them.

"I can't believe you put up with me." You grinned, peering past your hand of playing cards to the guy sat beside you.

"I just like you," George answered simply, his ocean eye flickering up to meet yours for a beat.

"Really?" You asked, pushing for him to say more, hoping he got the hint.

"I really do." George grinned shyly, turning his attention back to his hand of playing cards he kept accidentally giving you glimpses of. You watched George bite his lip and fiddle with the cards as if he were arranging them just so.

"What if... I like you too?" It wasn't just his tousled yellow hair, or the way his smile was warmer than a ray of sun. It was his lame jokes. His soft answers. Him.

"You don't date." George rose a brow, keeping his eyes turned away. He wasn't bittered or mocking. He was accepting. George laid down his cards, to a game you weren't focused on at all anymore.

"I like you, George." You admit in a hush. His stunning eyes met yours. He seemed to consider your words, and much more. He started to speak a couple of times as he searched your features.

"So maybe... we can start slow..." You offered. You had never planned on opening up to anyone. But George had stuck around. He was always there when you needed him even when you hadn't known what you needed. He didn't make fun of your unreasonable anxieties and he always laughed at your jokes. Even the ones you knew weren't funny. You hadn't expected to ever let anyone close enough, you hadn't trusted anyone could feel like home. But before you could even decide, it was as if your heart grew a mind of its own and lept right out of your chest into George's orbit. So since he already seemed to have you, it seemed like common courtesy to at least let the guy know.

With a shy smile, George bore his brilliant blue eyes into yours, searching them for assurance. As you looked to each other you felt his knuckles brush yours, the back of his hand nervously creeping closer. George took one of his fingers and looped it around one of yours while he agreed that it would be silly for two people who felt the same way about each other to do nothing about it. So you did.

George started coming around when there wasn't any reason to, sometimes bringing take away, or asking you on walks around the park. Sometimes you'd sit in silence next to your favorite old tree and enjoy that last purple swirls in the dusk sky. And sometimes you'd watch films, one after another, pausing only to argue over the ending or make silly predictions.  And times like then, you curled into George's side like a sleepy cat. He'd carded his warm hand through your hair as you drifted off, content.

You got snowed into his flat when you showed up a few hours before the first-holiday party of the season; to help bake treats for everyone. As ice froze everyone's doors shut, the party was swiftly canceled but your plans for the evening weren't ruined at all.

George set up his den with extra blankets, finding the holiday channel on the telly, standing to refill your cup of tea during commercials so you didn't have to move. He kissed you that night, soft and kind, and slow. You both fell asleep on the floor among the mess of all the blankets he owned, while snow piled up and over the window sills.

You spent New Year's Eve much like the past couple before, watching your wild group of pals take shots and dance to bad music. George listened to you talk as you waited for the new year to set in, and he kept one of his fingers looped around yours almost all night long.

When the snow started to melt and your group of friends started squeezing into their cut off jeans from the year before, George invited everyone back to the beach house. He set a date and sent out invitations in the mail like it was the damn 1800's. Most every rsvp got sent back with the box labeled "going "grossly marked up.

George offered to give you a lift there, a day early so he could stock up on emergency snacks and soaps and even more DVDs in case the rains came and ruined your fun on the shore. You agreed happily and walked through the isles of a department store together, picking out essentials based on how well you knew your group of friends who might need them.

And while you laughed and helped and listened, you grew increasingly more fucking terrified. Because you'd never spent so long enjoying one person's company. You were enamored with George yes, but what's more, was- you trusted him. You never thought it was possible. But you really did. And the thing that you were most scared of, was having to accept the possibility that he didn't feel the same way.

Things like this had gone wrong before. Granted, things had never gone remotely close to this right before, either. But you still prepared yourself to hurt. It was always a possibility you were too afraid of risking. But George was different. You somehow knew even if he hurt you, it would be the loveliest heartbreak you'd ever feel.

You got to the beach house, completely abandoned since the last time you left it. You found your someone's favorite lost t-shirt in one of the bathrooms, and a lot of dust on the shelves. After clearing away some of the cobwebs and unloading all your groceries to their respective places, night began to fall.

The sky was still blue enough to admire the roaring ocean from the front porch. George brought out a couple of drinks, and you sat there together like you had the summer before. Only now, it was a little too chilly. So you said goodnight to the scenery, making a note of spending extra time to soak up its beauty the next morning.

And on your way inside you joked about how someone was bound to forget to pack something they needed, or bring one of the things George asked them to. You were wrapped up in laughter as you turned out the lights and drifted to settle in.

When you headed to the bedroom where all your bags had been discarded, you scurried off to the ensuite shower. This was the room George stayed in last year, a space you'd never stepped foot near until tonight.

And when you stepped back out into the bedroom, you realized you didn't want to leave.

George was busy turning down his bed covers to the dim night light in a far off corner. A dark shine beamed in from the moon in the window next to the quilted bed, and George never looked more beautiful- perfectly tousled hair. Kind, sleepy eyes. Yeah, you'd let him break your heart.

"What?" He laughed in a warm low rumble, catching you staring. You bit back a chuckle and crossed the room to meet him.

"I just love you. That's all." You informed, circling one of your fingers around his, gazing up to the guy.

You'd said so in passing, during game nights he helped you win and in the middle of lunches he'd managed to talk you into ordering. But nothing prompted you now, and the statement held an all-new kind of weight.

"I love you, too," George whispered in turn, raising his other hand to your cheek.

"Can I stay in here? With you?" You asked, keeping your gaze set and your voice low even though no one else was around to hear.

"I'd like that." George assured with a tiny grin.

You clamored into the big bed, pointing out the window to the moon over the ocean. George eased in behind you, gazing all the same. You tangled your hands together staring out the window for a while, giggling over nothing every now and again. He was so impossibly close, so warm next to you.

"George." You turned your head slowly, catching his attention. He looked at you, silently wondering what you wanted. But somehow you didn't need to say.

Somehow he knew to lean in for a kiss, soft and sweet. When he pulled away, you could tell he didn't want to. When George looked at you, you could tell he longed for more, but still kept his distance, kept your meek nature in mind. He was too kind, too considerate. There weren't words to convey how you felt. You knew what came next. You wanted George.

You reached for his hand, and brought it to rest in the dip of your waist. He kept his eyes steady on yours while his thumb brushed over the skin exposed where your shirt had ridden up.

"Kiss me again?" You asked, barely a whisper. George leaned in, almost before you could finish asking, to press his mouth against yours. You grabbed a fist full of his shirt to pull him closer while George let his hand travel to the small of your back, holding you perfectly against him. He kissed you slow and deep like he was trying to put you in a trance.

Whether he meant to or not, you wondered if it worked, as you melted into the mattress all while lazily pulling him almost all the way on top of you. This was as far as you'd ever taken things with George, yanking at each other's clothes while you kissed until you couldn't breathe.

So when you gently pushed George away, he started to retract back to his side of the bed without putting up a fight. But you sat up too. And George watched on in wonder when you sheepishly slid into his lap, your knees on either side of his hips.

Without a word you pulled George's shirt up, silently suggesting he take it all the way off.

When he did, you didn't relish the sight long before you dove in for another kiss. His skin was burning, and you could feel his heart hammer when your hand traveled across his chest. You moved your kisses to his neck, reveling in the feeling of being so close. George kept one arm gently wrapped around you as your teeth grazed a spot under his ear that made his breath catch in his throat.

"Y/n. Are you- Do you..." George began, keeping his hold around you all the same. You pulled away, gazing to George through your lashes while your heart teetered on the edge.

"Do you not want to?" You worried. You were so finally sure. But George might not have been. So you prepared to be let down gently, knowing George would at least be kind enough to break your fall.

"Yes." George let out a breathy laugh, reaching to hold your head in both of his hands. "Of course I want to do this. But I know how you feel and if you don't-"

"I trust you, George." You nodded, searching his eyes while a smile bloomed across your face. You'd been so nervous for a moment like this to come true. But everything was different with George. He made you laugh when you never expected to, he made you think about things in ways you'd never even considered. He was so the one for you.

You wrapped your fingers around George's wrist, bringing his plus to your lips. You watched George's eyes flutter as you planted a small kiss there, before moving his hand to your hip.

"Just go slow." You nodded, watching George's eyes open to meet yours. You leaned your forehead against his while he nodded, making you laugh.

He decorated your cheeks with gentle pecks and moved his hands under the hem of your shirt as you leaned in to capture his lips with yours again. And because you spent a while that way, you weren't nervous to act upon taking things even further.

Kisses turned seering as George wrangled your shirt off. His lips traveled down your throat as you settled deeper into his lap, shocked by how easy this was. Your kisses grew longer and sloppier while your layers started to collect on the floor.

You impressed yourself by how effortlessly you reach to pull away George's trousers. He managed to kick them aside while you kept your lips on his, laughing between breaks for air.

But when he pulled you back into his lap, when his fingers danced around your waistband, you were suddenly swept up in the realization that this was happening. Like, really happening.

"Uh, wait a second." You halted in a shaky breath. You didn't want to stop, not completely. You just needed to assess things for a moment, to catch up with this new reality in which this wasn't upsetting or dull or any of the things being with anyone else ever was.

George stalled in an instant, nuzzling his head into the crook of your neck. "Do you want to stop?" He asked gently, hands firmly pressed against your back, eyes glowing right into yours.

"No way." You breathed with a grin. You knew it would be better than before, with George. Probably the best. It already was, you realized with a smile, encouraging George one more time. Your hips rolled against his, causing his heavenly sigh in your ear.

He wriggled you out of the last of your clothes and made you feel like a wonder of the world, tracing the shapes you were made up of with his pretty fingers. By the time you were laid against the pillows admiring the halo of light ringing around George's waves of hair, he asked again if you were sure about this.

"So long as you are." You swallowed.

"Of course I'm sure. God, I'm so sure." George pressed a kiss to your face between sentences, making you giggle and swoon all at once. "I've never been so sure of anyone but you. I'd like to keep it that way." George rambled, peppering a few more loving, gentle kisses to your cheek. "But if you want to stop for any reason, we'll stop. Just say so."

"Thank you, George." You grinned after a beat, knowing he really meant it. Recognizing how deeply he really cared for you, watching him search your face for validation. Watching George watch you, contentedly, like he had dozens of times before now. He gave you a slowly sleepy blink, ocean blue eyes shining brighter when they opened again.

George leaned closer, hovering over you with his eyes locked on yours. He molded a kiss to your lips before anything. Then to your cheek. Then his eyes fluttered to meet yours once more.

"Slow." You rose a brow, whispering a reminder, but it was really more of a green light for him to finally take the next step.

George repeated you, in a barely audible hush, soaking up the look in your eye. A lithe grin painted his lips while you held your breath. You accounted for the feeling of his fingers loosely tangled in your hair, his thumb brushing across your temple every now and again. You'd nearly forgotten everything else while swimming in those warm icy eyes of his. He didn't break you from your reverie when he gave a small nod. The gesture only settled you further, as you responded by lacing your fingers around the back of his neck.

George kept his hand nearly cradling your head as he pushed closer. His thumb brushing across the pulse of your temple was keeping you grounded while your heart threatened to soar into the clouds. While your breathing grew deeper, while he moved as close as he could until he couldn't anymore.

"You okay?" George asked, his voice beautifully strained.

"Uh-huh." You gazed at him through hooded eyes as you adjusted everything, including the realization that this was happening. He wasn't even moving yet. And he waited until you had to ask him to, with his head buried in your neck. After a couple of breaths, you looked to George, giving him a nod. He pressed his forehead against yours and moved his hips.

A tame, steady pace set in as you stopped George from asking if you were alright, again, assuring him you were really, very good. Your raspy encouragement must have given George the sound authority to go about awing you further.

He kept one hand against your temple while his other trailed down your side, fingers deliberately pressed into your skin as he brought your leg around his hip. George's strong-arm hooked under your back to keep you secured against him. He picked up the pace as your hands tangled in his hair, around his shoulder, holding on to the moment. To George.

You wondered why you waited so long to feel this damned good, while George spoke low in your ear. He listed off all the things he liked best about you, and why. He planted clumsy kisses to your lips. He made you see stars brighter than all the far off constellations you were used to pointing out from the shoreline. You seemed to float among them, above everything. Time slowed down while your heart sped up, somehow, and while everything around you faded into an impossibly dull background, you still had George.

His weight was warm and secure. His breath was hot on your neck. His voice was saccharine in your ear.  When he eventually eased next to your side in a heap, the cool of the night was still shielded by him.

You snuggled to his chest, like an old sleepy cat while he kept repeating how he loved you. You said so too, as many times as you could manage before drifting to sleep all tangled together.

The next morning came slow. You made coffee and watched the sunrise above the waves from the porch. When your friends started showing up in pairs and trios and more, they all seemed sort of relieved to find you and George attached at the hip. They greeted you as if you'd always been a packaged deal, and they didn't bat an eye when you stuck together to roam the vast empty beach. There was no fighting over choosing partners when someone broke out a new board game that night. When your friends were all gathered around the dinner table, and all the extra snacks and gifts and surprises for the summer were stored away, you still had George.

Maybe things wouldn't always be so easy. There would likely be fights and upsets and questions that didn't always have answers. But George was worth it. You had him now, you loved him and he couldn't stop reminding how dearly he loved you. Nothing had ever hurt so good before. You decided to keep it that way.

───※ ·❆· ※───

[rose-lighters]

Time to rank every MCU film

Yes I am doing that oh so original thing of ranking every marvel film from worst to best. Criticisms and debates are welcome. (Disclaimer: I like all these films unless stated otherwise)

X. Incredible Hulk - I haven’t seen it. Sorry.

21. Guardians Of the Galaxy Vol. 2 - I can honestly say I hated this film. The only likeable part of the whole film was the soundtrack and the first few minutes with Groot dancing. Beyond that it was dull, cringy and oh so predictable. The second that Ego (???) appeared and said he was Quill’s dad I was just like “Oh so this guy’s the villain then” and noped out of there. I never saw past that point and don’t intend to.

20. Captain America: The Winter Soldier - People praise this film till kingdom come and I for one do not get it at all. Many say that it is unique in moving away from the typical superhero film and towards the spy genre. Maybe I just don’t like spy films but it is in no means a great Marvel film. I liked it enough but it’s so forgettable I had to google the plot for this review. I liked the characters and all but it just never stuck with me as anything special.

19. Guardians Of the Galaxy -  Maybe I just don’t like the guardians??? I don’t know but this was another film that just didn’t stick with me. I like Rocket and Groot but beyond that the Guardians themselves hold no interest with me. I don’t care for the humor particularly and whilst the music is great that really shouldn’t be the best part of a film unless it’s a musical.

18. Avengers: Age of Ultron - People hate this film, I however do not. It’s an okay Marvel film, I don’t care for it enough to hate it. I like that scene where they’re all trying to lift mjolnir and I think I liked the ending (I watched it like two years ago so I don’t remember that well) but I have to agree with a lot of the criticism of white washing the Maximoffs (despite how much I love Elizabeth Olsen and Aaron Taylor Johnson, it was still shady). I didn’t hate the ‘giving Hawkeye a family’ like a lot of people did because the already made it clear he wasn’t like comic Clint.

17. Thor: The Dark World - Now we’re moving into films I do like (I love Marvel films more than I dislike them, it's literally just GOTG2 that I don’t like). This was a good film from what I can remember (as I said it's been a while since I’ve seen a lot of these films). I liked the story arcs, I liked that it was set in places other than America and space (ok, so I’m from England, sue me), I loved Tom Hiddleston in this film and I like Darcy. All in all it was an enjoyable viewing, a little dull at times but generally harmless.

16. Doctor Strange - This would be further up if it wasn’t for how dull the first half hour or so is. I had to go back and watch this months after I had first tried just because the start was so boring. Once I moved past it however it was a great origin film. I liked the humour in it and I have always had a soft spot for magic so it was a brilliant film. The effects were absolutely stunning and on aesthetics alone it would place as the second or third best marvel film. I loved the good guys and was genuinely rooting for them despite Strange being a bit of a snarky arsehole.

15. Iron Man - Is this a very important film? Yes. Is it a great film? Also yes. Do I remember it? Not at all. Okay, so I remember some stuff and what I do remember was great but to say its a film that sticks out would be a lie. It’s THE origin story in as much as it’s a formulaic one: flawed character is traumatised and realises their flaws in the process, is influenced by important person, becomes a hero and is betrayed. It works though. That’s the thing, it works so damn well that its almost not in the formula. It's a great watch and honestly RDJ looks great in it (so not the point but I digress). That bit with Stane ripping out the arc reactor made me feel betrayed and I kinda knew it was coming. ( https://tonynatashas.tumblr.com/post/184375713429/that-scene-in-iron-man-where-obadiah-stane-is this post explains why this scene is so great important)

14. Captain America: The First Avenger - Another (enjoyable) origin story. If Sebastian Stan wasn’t in it it would probably be three places down but hey I have a type. No but seriously this was a great film because not only did it show off the brilliance of Roger’s transformation and gave us an idea of who he was and what motivates him but it also then gives us details of his waking in the 21st century and begins to expose his issues with this time travel (for want of a better phrase). This film shows you what you’re gonna get whilst still having pretty good effects, a good, solid storyline and a pretty badass comic book villain. The serum guy creeps me out though and there are so many ethical issues of that level of human experimentation on a person whose only friend went off to war, had Steve died they chose someone no one would really miss which is so concerning.

13. Captain Marvel - A lot of people may have a criticism of this film being so far down but for me it needs to be. I like superhero films where the main character overcomes a flaw and amnesia is not a character flaw. This is a good origin story but it is not a great marvel film. I like Carol but I don’t love her. I love the fact that we have a superhero film with a female main character and i liked that scene where she talks with biker guy but it felt like Samuel L Jackson was a more interesting character at times. I often rate characters on humor so there’s that. It was a good film but I’m mostly looking forward to what will be done with the character as she has so much potential. 

12. Spiderman: Homecoming - This is a weird one for me. It’s the only marvel film I own on DVD and it’s the only one I like where I skip scenes. I can not deal with cringy humour so I skip 80% of the jokes and awkward moments in this film however it’s a really good film. It’s funny and the music is great, I love Zendaya and Jacob Batalon probably more than Tom Holland, their roles are great and the film’s emphasis on friendship is one of the elements from the Iron Man and Captain America films that I love just further amplified. The references to Ferris Bueller and the fact that it is, at its core, a teen flick makes it a brilliant film. The vulture twist was also amazing. 

11. Ant-man and the Wasp - I feel like it isn’t talked about enough but I really bloody love Scott Lang. He is one superhero that I can really get behind because above all else he is just the nicest guy. He is probably one of the most human seeming characters in the MCU and it always makes for such an enjoyable viewing. This could probably draw with ant-man in terms of great films. I loved Ava Starr so much and my heart really went out to her and that FBI guy was a total joy to watch. The Ant man films are so funny and light hearted that they don’t have that sort of weariness that other MCU films have. If only Luis told more stories in the MCU.

10. Ant-man - Honestly just look above. Also I love Hank Pym and Hope Van Dyne so much. The villain was kind of eh but I loved the heist aspect.

9. Black Panther - I watched this film for Shuri and to an extent because I felt obligated to so I had low expectations. People were talking about it for the significance of fighting for equality (which I am all for, don’t worry) so I was expecting it to not live up to the hype and it didn’t. That being said it was a bloody great movie. The movie was beautiful, the use of colour and the CGI tech was so damn pretty. The plot was brilliant and for a while I wanted Erik Killmonger to win, he put forward a good argument and I like a ‘baddy’ so to speak. The fights were great and I was so here for their version of going under cover finally not being a hoodie and cap. Was it over hyped? Hell yeah. Was it still a great film? 100%

8. Iron Man 3 - This gets a hell of a load more crap than it deserves, mostly from comic book fans who can’t stand that their precious mandarin was a hoax but honestly I respect the fuck out of marvel for that. Rather than having a stereotypically asian terrorist they turned that stereotype on its head and made the white guy the actual terrorist. Ben Kingsley is one of my favourite actors and he was amazing. I, obviously, also loved the representation of PTSD as a serious issue and how it was displayed in all of its real ugliness. For once it didn’t just show a damaged person who was fixed with romance. So yeah, this film was a masterpiece.

7. Captain America: Civil War - Zemo may just be my favourite MCU villain to date, why? Because he fucking won. This was a film about a man who knew his victims and rather than stupidly trying to attack the big scary strong guys he exposed them and made the best of circumstance. He got under Captain America’s skin and played him like a puppet. This was more than just a villain, this was finally a smart villain. Not to mention that this film had some of the best action sequences and heart breaking moments whilst still having time for a laugh. It’s also the first film (in my opinion) that called out Steve’s morals and his obsession with the past. Bucky was hot used against him and it showed that above all else, even the little people, Steve’s loyalties are with his past.

6. Thor - Most people would disagree and rate this film far lower however for me this was the start. I didn’t grow up watching superhero films because I didn’t like watching TV as a kid so it wasn’t till I was 13 that I saw a superhero film and this was it. I honestly watched it because my friend had it on DVD and I thought Tom Hiddleston looked hot but from what I can remember this was one of the best films I ever saw. I wasn’t too bothered by Jane Foster but I absolutely loved Darcy, Loki and Thor. Whilst I’m not adopted I do know what it is like to be the younger and smarter sibling with an older thuggish brother who is still the favourite so I loved Loki with a passion and was so upset when he fell.

5. Iron Man 2 - This was the film that made me realise that I liked girls, Scarlet Johansson in a black cat suit and red ringlets was an amazing thing to little 13 year old me. Beyond that it was just a solid film, it had spies and daddy issues and sass and Samuel L Jackson. What more can you want?

4. Thor: Ragnarok - This is the peak of Thor, I’m calling it now. Never had a director before been able to capture the absolute chaos of Loki and the sweetheart-ness of Thor so brilliantly. As far as representations of characters this, Captain Marvel and Iron Man 3 may just be the best of all the MCU. This is the full completion of Thor’s arc, this is the film that the first Thor set up. Finally Thor is ready to be King. This film had so much humour but still set it all up so perfectly that it was more than just a comedy. Jeff Goldblum was amazing and honestly Taika Waititi should direct the whole of the MCU. He knows the characters better than anybody.

3. Avengers: Endgame - I cried three times. That scene with the portals was the most beautiful thing I have ever witnessed and whilst many criticize much of the plot I don’t have too much I’d change, though in fairness I did like the cursed child so maybe I just have a soft spot for all things time travel. Dynamic timelines are not used in cinema enough and the three alternate timelines create have all sorts of implications for future films in the MCU. If Thor is not fat in the next film this may go down to 20th though.

2. Avengers Assemble - This is the film that I believe best represents what the MCU has to offer. It’s a light hearted superhero film with all the characters that were needed at this point in time. For its time it was ambitious and honestly it shows. I loved the dynamics between the characters, the plot was engaging and not overly complex and even if you haven’t seen any other MCU films it makes perfect sense. In some respects it probably is the best the MCU has to offer.

1. Avengers: Infinity War - Oh boy do I love this film. This isn’t just a film, this is the film. Did it have the same emotional impact as Endgame? Fuck no but it didn’t need to. It was serious. It was funny. It had just the right amount of just the right characters and may I just say that is the best that Captain America has ever looked in the MCU. I (controversially) really loved Gamora dying and most of the Guardians being dusted. The memes were great.This was the most ambitious cross over event since Wizards of deck with Hannah Montana. One thing that I can’t get out of my head though is Bruce’s comment of “broke up like the beatles?”. Does that make Bucky Yoko Ono?

[riverheadbooks]

READER HOROSCOPE FOR APRIL 2018 Spring into your literary portents from the stars

ARIES

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, Aries! Bust out the birthday crown and bubbly, because it’s finally time to celebrate YOU. Of course, once the party has died down and your last guest hugs you goodbye, it’s time to sit in the silence and do some reflecting. You’re one year older: how have you changed in the past year? What’s remained the same? Do you still hope to reach the same goals, or have your benchmarks shifted? Life has a way of completely upending expectations formed when we were still naive enough to believe in the illusion of control: whether it was a pivotal move, job acceptance, or relationship beginning or ending, circumstances rarely play out the way we originally imagine. On one hand, it’s a blessing, because how boring would life be if we could accurately predict every twist and turn? And on the other, of course, is the heartache and sometimes downright embarrassment of being caught off-guard with stunning regularity. Luckily, you aren’t alone, Aries! It’s completely normal to feel bewildered and unpracticed at the game of your own life, as long as you do your best to learn from the lessons it foists upon you. Your lucky book this month may unearth some of those memories, or simply act as a confidant and companion in trying times. Sloane Crosley’s signature wicked humor and frank truth-telling in this timeless essay collection make it feel like you’re swapping stories with an old friend whose kooky setbacks always make you feel slightly better (or just understood) about your own.

 LUCKY BOOK: I Was Told There’d Be Cake by Sloane Crosley

 TAURUS

 A change is gonna come, Taurus! And while that is definitely not your preferred state of things, it’s inevitable, so as much as you can, get ready to embrace it. After all, from the very moment we enter the world, hollering and exposed, change becomes the only constant: growing up, learning from minute to minute, observing the ever-shifting tides of the wider world around you. You establish belief systems and views based on your upbringing and what you consider just. But sometimes, those beliefs are tested, and the accumulated wisdom from your experiences forces you to reexamine what you once thought to be unshakable. A scary occurrence, to be sure, but never one to run away from. When you begin to feel the panic of once-trusted convictions crumbling around you, do your best to look your fear directly in the eye. What are you noticing? What are you trying to escape? And what are you headed towards? Ease some of the tension you’re experiencing by losing yourself in this month’s lucky book: a thrilling and fantastical short story collection that examines the nature of life through its stages: love, conception, gestation, birth, death. We’re all familiar with them, yet it can become all too easy to feel like you’re experiencing them in a vacuum -- not so. Allow yourself to be reminded of the universality of doubt, of questioning and recalibrating, and let change you’re going through illuminate a new way forward.

 LUCKY BOOK: A Guide to Being Born by Ramona Ausubel

 GEMINI

You are Gemini! Let’s hear you ROAR! This month, you’re completely fired and ready to go. Let’s face it: we’re living through some very challenging times, and the pace and content of our breaking news alerts can feel downright dystopic. But there are a number of different ways to engage with that reality, and this month, you’re not feeling particularly inclined to mourn, mope, or stick your fingers into your ears. With the resurgence of spring comes a wave of energy that has you feeling inspired to activism, whatever that might mean for you. Ready to arm yourself with signs and take to the streets? Organize a night of letter-writing making calls to Congress? Creating fundraisers for your favorite charities? There are an abundance of ways to raise your voice in support of the causes that matter the most to you, and we salute your commitment to righting some of the world’s many, many wrongs. Just don’t allow yourself to get so swept up in your vision that you lose sight of the people around you -- especially the people who share a similar goal, but maybe not always the same methods. Buoyed by righteous indignation, it can be alarmingly easy to slip into a dictator-like role rather than listen and compromise when the stakes feel high. For a story that gorgeously and deftly explores modern-day feminism through the lens of a bright young woman, your lucky book this month is guaranteed to please. Simultaneously succinct yet taking a generational view of a few crucial, groundbreaking aspects of women’s liberation, this novel will only stoke your fire, while reminding you of the importance of listening, collaboration, and learning from the people around you.

 LUCKY BOOK: The Female Persuasion by Meg Wolitzer

 CANCER

 Hey there, Cancer! Welcome to a brand new month. It won’t be a totally smooth one, but alas, that’s life. There are times that it seems as though no matter what you do, you just can’t win. Even worse, the people you’re closest to -- partner, best friends, parents, siblings -- are sometimes your loudest naysayers. What is that about? Here’s the thing: the ones you know us best are usually able to see our blind spots. If you ate a hearty spinach salad for lunch and had several pieces stuck in your teeth, you’d be furious if someone who claimed to love you pretended not to see it, wouldn’t you? Well, it may be a decidedly less benign issue than impacted spinach, but the fact is, there’s likely an aspect of your life that you’re unwittingly messing up right now, and your loved ones are the only ones in the best position to let you know. Try not to jump to a defensive position, but listen to what they’re saying and take their observations to heart. Maybe their concern is completely unfounded, but most likely, there’s a kernel of truth (if not more) that you can benefit from. They’re helping you. Don’t allow anyone to trash you, of course, but if you feel their intentions are pure, then accept that help, for your sake and for theirs. And consider the alternative: it’s laid out in your lucky book this month. Think of all the poor souls in positions of high visibility and power who didn’t have anyone save them from themselves until it was too late, and they suffered a takedown in front of thousands or even millions of friends, acquaintances, and total strangers. Cautionary tale! Don’t give yourself the chance to be put in that position -- accept the humbling advice, and thank your loved ones for getting you together.

 LUCKY BOOK: So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed by Jon Ronson

 LEO

 Into April and through the looking glass, huh Leo? Things are feeling pretty topsy-turvy lately, and it’s beginning to make you a bit seasick. The bad news is, you’re going to have to live with it a bit longer. You’re in a moment of flux: old routines, relationships, and habits that you’ve come to rely on are suddenly changing, often without your permission or preparation. It can be terrifying to feel as though you’ve suddenly lost the plot, and you’re set adrift in what used to be the familiar landmarks of your own life. But! The good news: it will end, eventually. Things will settle and re-organize themselves into a new normal. You can adapt; you will be fine. But until then, figure out some ways to cope with this moment of transition. What are your core beliefs, things that you can turn to when everything else seems wonky and unsure? It can be as simple as returning to a beloved childhood book or movie, attending a religious service, or quiet meditation. Don’t let a few shake-ups disrupt your entire sense of self and stability; after all, you’re still here, aren’t you? Of course, sometimes it helps to have some perspective, and dive into a world where characters are experiencing some similar emotions and handling things all wrong. (Call it literary schadenfreude, the best kind, because it’s guilt-free!) Your lucky book this month features a woman who can’t quite control her reckless impulses when her life begins to spiral out of her control. A startling and moving examination of how race and class collide in 1980s Brooklyn, but darkly sharp enough to feel incredibly relevant today. You’re feeling unsettled? This will settle you right back in!

 LUCKY BOOK: New People by Danzy Senna

 VIRGO

 Oh, Virgo! The advent of Spring is so often a disjointed, murky phenomenon, with indecisive weather outside and inconsistency inside. Messy, in other words. And if there’s one thing you do not relish, it’s mess! Fortunately, the clouds and rain will make way for the sun, but it’s just going to take a bit of time. But think about it this way: when the clutter of life begins to build, the friction it creates helps us get some stuff done more thoroughly than we may have otherwise. Rather than take a depressingly long view, zoom in on the particulars: what is there to be done? If you’re stressed at work, devote an afternoon to cleaning your email inbox. It’s not a sweeping gesture that makes all things right again, but it’s a tangible step towards clarity and peace. Did you find a mouse in your apartment last week that you refuse to think about now? Do yourself a favor and just make the call to an exterminator. Small steps! In every area of your life, pinpoint the rough parts that are bringing you anxiety and pick them off, bit by tiny bit. Progress may be slow, but it’s still progress. You’re getting a doozy of a lucky book this month, one that’s guaranteed to put all of your current issues of perspective yet continue to illuminate the power of making purposeful steps toward your salvation (by whichever scale you happen to measure it). A young boy flung far from his home, pursued by danger and traversing an apocalyptic, barren country, must learn how to choose hope and bravery over despair. In a dystopian world where morals have melted away and one wrong movement can mean sudden death, all he can do is keep his wits about him and keep moving forward. A valuable lesson to absorb, though thankfully at much lower stakes!

 LUCKY BOOK: Out in the Open by Jesús Carrasco

 LIBRA

 Welcome to a brand new month, Libra! And a brand new season to boot. April will bring its challenges, so be prepared for a bit of turbulence. Some of your relationships are about to be tested in a real way, but if you really think about it, that shouldn’t come as a surprise. It can be very easy to let small hurts slide, temporarily let go of missteps and frustrations for the sake of calm and keeping a cool head in the midst of a busy schedule. But the reckoning always comes, sooner or later! Those flashes of irritation don’t really go away if they’re not addressed, they just get buried for the time being. Use this new beginning to have some difficult conversations; you desperately need to vent. And most likely, your partner/friend/family member/coworker does too! Maintain focus on what you need (don’t forget your “I” statements!) and don’t meander into unrelated topics. Think of this as another aspect of spring cleaning: you’re clearing away the debris from past wounds to make room for the goodness and growth to come. Tackling these difficult moments with grace and knowing when to compromise, when to concede, and when to de-escalate are the telltale signs of a healthy, mature relationship, romantic and platonic alike. Your lucky book this month is a modern classic, a hilarious tale of an emotional stunted adult that will paint your relationship endeavors this month in an even more flattering light! It follows the story of ultra-cool Will Freeman, who’s developed the ultimate dating hack: attend single parents’ groups full of single women hoping to meet Mr. Nice Guy. But along comes twelve-year-old Marcus, who takes a liking to Will and turns his seemingly foolproof  strategy upside down. Grab this one when you need a mental break from the relationship heavy-lifting; it’ll be sure to provide some laughs when you need them most.

 LUCKY BOOK: About a Boy by Nick Hornby

 SCORPIO

 Scorpio, what’s going on? April’s just begun and it’s already got you down! If you feel yourself growing increasingly stressed by the day, take a step back and look around. Attacking your problems head on will only work if you know what to attack, and right now, your anxiety feels too broad and uncertain to allow for much clarity. Time to embark upon a cleaning mission -- whether that be literal, and you spend a weekend cleaning your apartment or work space from top to bottom; or metaphorical, and you spend a weekend away, doing some intense inner reflection and meditation -- whatever your methods, it’s time to take a short break from life and its stressors in favor of getting yourself back to center. Where are you feeling particularly blocked? What’s standing in your way? You may be surprised by the answers to these questions. But they won’t come to you right away; it takes work and patience to discover these parts of yourself, especially if you’ve been unknowingly hiding from them for a long time. Be intentional: commit yourself to emerging from this place of negativity you’ve been stuck in, but trust yourself to the process. Once you’ve decided to take action and you begin your internal excavation, then allow yourself to truth your own intuition. Don’t dismiss anything that seems like a “stray” thought -- follow them, examine them, see where they lead. Your lucky book this month is thematically appropriate to the struggle you’re working through, as it follows the waterways that branch off from the Colorado River, an essential source for a large part of the United States. A fascinating tale of the many issues affecting our watery ecosystem and how crucial a functional system is for our futures, this book can be a meaningful reminder of what is lost when we fail to acknowledge the many through-lines of our choices and habits. After all, they all have to lead somewhere.

 LUCKY BOOK: Where the Water Goes by David Owen

 SAGITTARIUS

 Happy April, Sag! The sun is shining (...sort of), flowers are just beginning to bloom, and you’re in the mood to make moves. Money moves, to be specific. And there’s certainly nothing wrong with that! It makes the world go ‘round, after all, and financial freedom is a blessing. All of that said, chasing meaningless money is the quickest way to end up miserable. Rather, put your talents and interests to work. What do you enjoy doing? What are you good at? If you can imagine it, there is probably a way for you to monetize it. We live in a sharing economy, after all, and it’s easier than ever to market and brand yourself for broad audiences. Of course, balance is key. Too much ambition and you may end up corrupting a once-loved hobby by only taking pleasure in it if brings in some quick cash. Too little and you’re trapped in an endless cycle of procrastination and feeling like a failure. Remember that the only person you should be aiming to impress is YOU, not the other sculptors, essayists, knitters, or dog walkers you follow on social media. Keep your sets sight on the goals you aim to achieve, the milestones you take pleasure in working toward. It will keep your creativity flowing and your momentum steady. Your lucky book this month is about a young woman who grows up watching two groups of fishermen caught up in a generational feud over fishing rights for the water between their islands, off the coast of Maine. When she returns home after college, determined to make a name for herself among this group of headstrong, gruff men, she must reckon with her place in this new society and what she alone can bring to the table.

 LUCKY BOOK: Stern Men by Elizabeth Gilbert

 CAPRICORN

 Happy April, Cap! The seasons are slowly changing and the emerging sun and warmth are having incredible effects on your productivity and presence. Simply put, you’re in your element this month, a bit heady with power, in whatever arena feels most applicable: in the board room, in your relationship, with your friend group, or some combination of all those and more. People are sitting up and paying attention when you speak, deferring to your ideas, coming to you for guidance and encouragement. If you feel proud, you should: you’ve worked hard to get to where you are, and you deserve that recognition. But as you settle into your new status as a leader, don’t forget yourself or where you came from. That is, tread lightly. Don’t allow your influence to get to your head, and undo all of the work you’ve done to make it this far. It’s cliche because it’s true: power can easily corrupt, so be intentional about the decisions you’re making, how you treat the people around you, and how you conduct yourself. You could be riding this high for a long time, Cap, if you play your right cards right. For inspiration, turn to your lucky book: a sweeping, satisfying tale of a young business tycoon who builds an empire on water, an increasingly scarce ingredient, and recruits other young people from all over “rising Asia” to join him in his quest. But more than untold riches and power, the young businessman hopes to win the affections of a beautiful woman whose career is similarly bound for greatness. In the midst of a rapidly changing world, these two young people are forced to come to terms with what power and riches truly mean, and how much is worth sacrificing to attain them.

 LUCKY BOOK: How to Get Filthy Rich in Rising Asia by Mohsin Hamid

 AQUARIUS

 Is this all a dream, Aquarius? Or is what you’re experiencing real? April is here, and it’s got you feeling decidedly...trippy. Rather like an extended episode of deja vu, or just like you haven’t gotten enough sleep for past two weeks (which may very well be true; smart phones in bed are a habit you should try to break sooner rather than later!), you’re having more trouble than usual making sense of what’s happening around you. You’ve had a few encounters lately that left you feeling distinctly off-kilter, like there was some giant hint you weren’t picking up on, or social cue you’d utterly missed. Or maybe it’s the inverse of that issue, and you’re blurting things out that you’d normally filter, causing your friends and family to give you that look more often that usual. Yeah, you know the one. Don’t panic, you’re fine. You’re probably just in sore need of a break. March was a trying month and your brain needs a break! Take a few steps away from the hustle of your every day and escape to somewhere quiet for a few days, where you won’t be expected to make sparkling conversation to struggle to remember the names of the five strangers you just met at a stuffy work event. Bust out your old journal and write what you’re thinking, feeling, wishing for. Unload some of the stress that’s carried over from last month and what you’re hoping to accomplish in April. And then, for goodness’ sake, take a few naps! In between these essential moments of R&R, though, get your blood pumping and brain engaged with a riveting tale: a legal conspiracy steeped in racism that shocked the nation in 1957. There is nothing like the satisfaction of witnessing a truly gifted journalist at work, slowly peeling back the layers of subterfuge and lies to get to the long-concealed truth. You’ll relish this one, and by the end, you’ll be raring to jump back into the fray of human society, if for anything, to tell someone else about this book.

 LUCKY BOOK: Beneath a Ruthless Sun by Gilbert King

 PISCES

 What’s good, Pisces? April’s barely arrived and your social calendar is half full already! Understandable -- the glimpses of warmer weather have probably awakened a desire for outdoor brunches and long walks through the park that were in hibernation during the long, cold months of winter. So socialize away! But as you’re putting yourself out there for one-on-one time or group hang time, be mindful of who you’re penciling into your life. You tend to pride yourself on knowing when to cut toxic people out, but those individuals have a way of creeping back in when your defenses are low. It’s a new month, it’s a new day, and you’ve come too far to backslide now. Maintain a squad of true friends who have proven that they’re looking out for your best interests, just as they know you’d do for them. If a family member becomes too demanding and controlling, don’t be afraid to make your discomfort known. Closed mouths don’t get fed, after all, and keeping consistently healthy relationships means that sometimes, you need to have uncomfortable conversations that tell the truth. If you open yourself up to people, then you have to accept that not every interaction will be 100% pleasant, and be prepared to respond accordingly. Luckily, your selection for the month is engrossing and thrilling enough to offer you the distraction you’ll most likely need from various pockets of fiction. A short story that examines the ties that bind us to each other through gripping narration and sprinkles of magical realism and myth, this is one that you’ll tear through and walk away from forever slightly changed.

 LUCKY BOOK: What It Means When a Man Falls From the Sky by Lesley Nneka Arimah

[violent-optimism]

My Ranking of all the MCU films so far

Hey guys! So now that I have finally caught up and watched every single film from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (to date) I will now rank them from worst to best!

Just an FYI: Some of you will probably not agree with some of my choices, and that is perfectly fine. This is just my personal opinion.

Here we go!

#19: The Incredible Hulk (2008)

The Hulk has always been one of my favourite superheroes, and as far as I am concerned this movie completely ruined him. The CGI looked like a video game, the narrative was terrible. No redeeming qualities whatsoever. Just not a good movie at all in my opinion.

#18: Iron Man 2 (2010)

I actually saw this one in the theater, and I kinda wish I hadn’t. However, unlike the previous entry I wouldn’t say it’s a completely awful film. There are a couple decent/funny moments. But for the most part, it’s not great and I don’t think I’d watch it again.

#17: Thor: The Dark World (2013)

I seriously cannot believe I wasted my money TWICE to see this in the theater. I was pretty disappointed by this movie. The villain had no clear motivation. The romance was so awkward and the majority of the humor just didn’t work. The only redeeming qualities are the performances of Hemsworth and Hiddleston.

 #16: Iron Man 3 (2013)

Now, I don’t think this movie is actually that bad, but it’s just not quite as good as some of the other high caliber MCU films. I liked that they addressed Tony’s mental health issues and the film has a pretty good ending. This movie won’t exactly waste your time, but there are other films more worthy of it.

#15: Thor (2011)

While not NEARLY as bad as its sequel, the first Thor film is a bit cheesy, clunky and predictable. That being said, it’s a visually impressive movie with some pretty fun and hilarious moments. At this point I feel kind of neutral about it. It ain’t no Ragnarok but it’s not as terrible as the second installment.

#14: Iron Man (2008)

For the very first film in the MCU line-up, this one is pretty good. Right away we know exactly what kind of person Tony Stark is, and the first half of the movie is surprisingly suspenseful and emotionally charged. It has a few humorous and bad-ass sequences. Unfortunately, it doesn’t really stand up in comparison to some of the later MCU films. That being said, it’s still a pretty good time.

#13: Ant-Man (2015)

Now the only reason I put this above Iron Man is because of how much it exceeded my expectations. I really didn’t think it was going to be that good, but it was. Not a perfect film by any means, but I was surprised at how entertaining and funny it was. I suppose my only complaint would be that unless you are really into Ant-Man as a character, it’s not that memorable of a film.

#12: Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017)

Don’t get me wrong, I did think this film was very enjoyable for the most part, I just don’t think it was as good as the first one. I think what I liked most was the development of the relationship between Gamora and Nebula. I did think most of the humor was good, but there was so much of it that it ended up feeling more like a comedy rather than a super-hero flick.

#11: Captain America: The First Avenger (2011)

There is no denying that Chris Evans was cast perfectly as Captain America/Steve Rogers. He is someone you can really root for, which is what makes this movie so successful. However, the film is very cheesy at parts, and some sequences are slowly paced, but overall it’s a very entertaining movie and a great introduction to one of the MCU’s most important characters.

#10: Guardians of the Galaxy (2014)

Personally, I do think this one is better than the sequel. All of the characters are introduced perfectly, and their interactions are written in such a clever way. I also think this movie has the better soundtrack when compared the sequel, and the humor is not as overblown. I guess my only complaint would be that it kind of feels like the film makers were trying to copy the Avengers with the whole “team doesn’t get along at first but then they do” scenario. It definitely works, but it’s not the most original idea. Overall, very well done.

#9: Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)

Although the Sam Raimi Spider-Man films (excluding the 3rd one) will always be close to my heart, I have to admit that this movie was really good. I really enjoy Tom Holland’s portrayal of Peter Parker. He has an innocence about him that makes him so likeable, and you really want him to succeed. I also thought the humor in this movie was perfect, and Michael Keaton was not just another boring Marvel villain. Overall, I would definitely see it again.

#8: Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)

To be honest, I don’t think this movie is QUITE as good as the Tumblr community thinks it is. However, it is pretty darn good. Some of the action and fight choreography is absolutely stunning. I love how it feels like a spy/espionage film while also displaying themes that the MCU is known for. I love the developing relationship between Steve and Natasha, and how this film exposes their true colours. Really well done.

#7: Thor: Ragnarok (2017)

Again, I don’t think this movie is as incredible as the Tumblr fans say it is, but overall I did enjoy it quite a bit. A lot of the issues I had with the previous Thor films are not in this one.The Director must have realized that the previous Thor films just weren’t working, and decided to give this one a fun, energetic spin that I think was the perfect choice. Of course, I have to talk about my favourite actress, Cate Blanchett, who KILLS IT in this role (no pun intended). With a brilliant aesthetic and motivation that makes sense, she might just be my favourite MCU villain yet. In my opinion, this is the best Thor film so far.

#6: Black Panther (2018)

Alright, now we’re getting to the really good stuff! This movie took the world by storm, and it’s not hard to understand why. With a cast full of talented and diverse actors, Black Panther is unlike any Marvel movie we’ve ever seen before. I can’t tell you how unbelievably refreshing it is to see a film that is not 90% white people, it’s the other way around! Although the story is a tad predictable if you’ve seen The Lion King, the action is superb, the visuals are beautiful, and the script is very well written. Wakanda forever!

#5: Avengers: Infinity War (2018)

Without getting too much into spoiler territory, I will say that this film is probably the most ambitious cross-over I have ever seen in all of cinema. The crazy part is that the directors actually managed to tell a clear and concise story despite the fact that they were dealing with something like 30 characters in one film. Emotional, suspenseful, thought-provoking and hilarious, this one hits all the marks that it should in the most surprising ways.

Still not sure what to think about that ending though....

#4: The Avengers (2012)

I don’t know about anyone else, but when I first saw this movie it totally blew my mind! It truly is an epic movie with some of the best writing I’ve ever heard/seen. While I feel that fans obsessed over Loki a little too much, he is a fun villain with a pretty clear motivation. This movie also introduces Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner who I think is by far the best actor to portray the character. I feel like this is the movie that started the trend of MCU films that were actually really good. It’s a really entertaining ride from beginning to end.

#3: The Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)

I know exactly what some of you are thinking: “Oh my god she thinks Age of Ultron is better than the first one are you freaking kidding me”. Yes, you are correct. I do think that Age of Ultron is better than the first Avengers, and I seem to be very very alone in that opinion for some reason. Basically I think that this film has everything that made the first Avengers film good with a couple things that make it even better:

1) The character interactions are more complex and interesting

2) The stakes are a lot higher and the heroes suffer more

In a nutshell, that is why I think it’s better than the first one. To be perfectly honest I’m not really sure why Tumblr hates this movie so much. I get that nobody really likes the Bruce/Natasha pairing but is that really a valid reason to hate the entire movie? I guess I’ll never know.

#2: Doctor Strange (2016)

Unless you’ve been counting, I doubt you saw this one coming up so high on my list. It wasn’t until I started thinking about my ranking that I thought: “Wow, I LOVE Doctor Strange!” Not only is Benedict Cumberbatch an incredibly talented actor, I always liked this film because it was a marvel film that didn’t feel like a stereotypical “marvel” film (if that makes sense). Aside from having a visual style I don’t think I’ve ever seen before, I think my favourite part about this movie is the progressive character arc that Stephen Strange goes through. By the end of the film he’s not a completely different person, but his priorities have shifted and he wants to help make the world a safer place. Also I can’t talk about this movie without mentioning the SOUNDTRACK, oh my goodness the soundtrack. Here’s the link, listen and be amazed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jc0KNrpFka8

#1: Captain America: Civil War (2016)

It took me a little while to figure it out, but I definitely feel that this movie is my favourite in the MCU so far. Sort of a scaled-down version of Infinity War, this movie has a lot of characters, but the story is balanced so well that you barely notice. The comedy is really good, and is countered with scenes of irreversible emotion. Everything ties together so wonderfully, and despite the long run time, the movie is extremely well paced. Although it has one of the more darker endings in a marvel movie, it still manages to end on fairly positive note, which I love. I don’t know what else I can say to praise this movie, so I’ll end it right there.

Wow, that took a while! There you have it folks, my personal ranking of all 19 MCU films so far. If you took the time to read all of this, thank you so much for doing so. Hope you guys enjoyed it!

[jksmoongf]

When You Least Expect it - Jackson Wang Imagine

This was requested by my baby @jaxonah and I can’t say no to her (and she damn well knows it lmao so I made her wait until today)

But firstly, 💖💖💖HAPPY BIRTHDAY SAM 💖💖💖 I hope you have a fantastic birthday, even though I know you have a long day at work. I wish I could spend today with you. I just want you to know that I love you so very much and that I’m beyond grateful that you are in my life. You make every day a lot happier and brighter for me. It’s been a little less than two months since we started talking and I don’t want to ever lose you (but I think you know that, I tell you way too often bc I’m a sappy ass bitch). I really hope you like this little extra gift on your special day. Again, love you bby 💞 --------------------------

Pairing: Jackson Wang x Reader

Wordcount: 1788

Genre: fluff (or something like that)

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When You Least Expect It

She was visiting her best friend who left America to study abroad in Seoul. They hadn’t seen each other in over a year so this trip had been long overdue. It was the first time that she had ever left the country, only to fly halfway across the world for two weeks. All she wanted was to spend time with her friend, taste the local food and see as much as possible of Seoul. What she didn’t know was that her life was about to turn upside down.

“Y/n hurry up, we’re late already.” Her best friend yelled, running up the stairs from the subway station. “Ugh, don’t worry it’ll be fine. The commercials are boring anyway.” She replied, hurrying after her, down the street towards the big movie theater in Gangnam. “Knowing you, you want to get snacks, so you better run faster.” The two girls ran as fast as they could, it was late in the evening and winter was approaching quickly this year. The cold air tinted their cheeks in a light pink hue. Luckily not many people were out this late during the week, so her friend went to buy the tickets, while she rushed to get popcorn and drinks for the two of them. It was anything but easy to find their seats in the dark, so she pulled out her phone to find the right seat number. “Would you mind turning that off?” The guy in the row in front of them said, his baseball cap pulled down deep to cover his face. “Sorry.” She mumbled, gesturing to her friend to just sit down right behind him. She took her coat off and draped it over the empty seat next to her. “Told you we’d make it just in time.” The opening credits started playing on the big screen and faint eerie music was filling the room. “Yeah, yeah you’re always right. We all know that.” They both giggled, but as the guy cleared his throat, they stopped. They exchanged looks and rolled their eyes with big smiles on their faces.

The movie had gotten good reviews online; supposedly it was tense and the jump scares were great. “Oh that’s so typical, the killer will be right behind her.” She groaned when the main character opened the closet door. “Did you read about the movie and already spoiled it for yourself again?” Her friend whisper-giggled behind her hand that was covering her mouth to muffle the sound. “Of course I have, old habits die hard. Oh see I was right. He’s outside her window staring holes in the back of her head.” They both laughed, before stuffing popcorn in their mouths.

It had been a long day of dance practice and fittings and all he wanted was peace and quiet, some downtime to himself where he could recharge and switch his brain off. Usually Jackson would ask one of the other members to go see a movie with him, but not tonight. It was already pretty late and they had an early start in the morning, they all valued their sleep but he just needed to get away for bit. There were only a few people with him in the room, a couple a few rows down in the front and two guys in the far back. He was sprawled out in his seat with a bag of popcorn resting on his lap. When the lights turned off again, two girls came waltzing in, giggling and using a phone as a flashlight.

Normally, he wouldn’t care about the phone or the talking, but it was taking away from the atmosphere and as soon as he had scolded them, he felt bad. They were here to have a good time and relax, just like he was. He tried to focus on the movie, but the girls kept talking and laughing, although they were trying to be quieter, he found himself growing more annoyed on the inside as they were talking through all the scary parts and even predicting the jump scares at the right time. He had to admit that they were right, the movie was predictable and most definitely not as good as the critiques online had made it out to be but after shushing them several times, he wasn’t going to let them know that. “Oh god, I swear if she’s going to fall- of course, there she goes aaaaand she’s limping what a coincidence.” The one girl said and he had to suppress a laugh. She wasn’t really invested in the movie but her commentary on all the flaws in the plot made him grow fond of her.

The curiosity inside him grew and he wanted to turn around to look at her, but he couldn’t bring himself to do it. Her laugh sent shivers down his spine, right down to his core and he liked the way her voice sounded. He tried to pay attention to the movie, but as soon as she started whispering to her friend, he just had to listen to her. What was going on with him? Mentally, he was slapping himself trying to regain power of his brain.

Focus, Jackson, focus… he kept telling himself. As the end credits were rolling, he could hear the girls getting up to leave. “That was a waste of money.” One of them said, as they were leaving. He quickly jumped up and turned around. They were almost at the door; he grabbed his jacket and followed them but he wasn’t able to catch up with them. As he entered the foyer they were both standing there. “I’ll have to go to the bathroom real quick.” The other girl nodded and pulled out her phone from her pocket. He could feel his heart pounding against his ribcage, desperately trying to burst out of his chest. Her voice and the tiny glimpse of her personality he had gotten was enough for him. He wanted, -no needed to meet her. And there she was, all by herself. For the first time in forever his legs felt unsteady as he slowly walked up to her.  He stood behind her and cleared his throat; a mixture of nervousness and excitement filled his body. Immediately she spun around to look at him with a flustered expression. His heart was now hammering against his chest while a smile spread across her face. She was radiating and he couldn’t quite grasp what was drawing him in. Never had he felt this rush before; the kind that made you feel sick but yet so good.

He could feel his hands starting to shake and it felt like fireworks were going off inside him. “I’m so sorry that we were talking during the movie.” He lightly shook his head and nervously laughed. “No it’s fine, I was a bit of dick. The movie wasn’t good and you made it more enjoyable.” She let out a sigh. “It was a bit shit, wasn’t it?” Her laugh echoed in his head, it was almost like it was fogging up his mind. Why was it so hard for him to think straight?  “Oh it definitely was but you made it better.” Her cheeks turned pink as their eyes met. She wasn’t avoiding his gaze but she seemed to feel the same strange form excitement. “I’m Jackson.” He held out his hand, which she not so hesitantly shook. “Y/n.”   “That’s a beautiful name.” A shy smile appeared on her lips. “Do you live here?” He needed to know more about her and he was dreading the moment her friend would come back and she’d leave with her. “No, I live in America, I’m just visiting my friend.” The sound that escaped his mouth sounded more disappointed than he had intended it to. Of course, it was just his luck to meet the most stunning girl, only to find out that she didn’t live here. “For how long are you in Seoul?” Her eyes lit up at his question. “I have a little over week left before I have to go back home.” He wanted to ask her out; he wanted to know if she felt the same instant connection. Should he ask her to get coffee, or to get dinner? Maybe getting drinks was more her thing? The options were endless and he knew that they all meant different things to girls. His eyes met hers again and it was the little push he needed to gather up all the courage he could muster. “Are you free tomorrow?” His hands began to sweat again and the very few seconds she took to answer felt like forever. “Yeah, I am.” He let out a deep breath in relief. “I have work stuff to do in the morning, but if you want we can go get coffee in the afternoon and maybe dinner after?” Jackson knew that it was a bold move, but he just had to try. He had never felt this way and he couldn’t quite describe what it was about her that captivated his full attention; it was like she had already stolen his heart. “I would love that.” Quickly he wiped his hands on his jeans before reaching for his phone. “Would you mind giving me your number so I can call or text you?” She nodded, and took his phone. For the split second their hands touched, it felt like goose bumps was creeping all over his body and they both pulled away quickly. She must have felt it too, he was sure of that. Her fingers flew over the screen of his phone and when he looked at her contact info she had saved her name was followed by heart emoji. With a smile, he pressed the little phone symbol and her phone started vibrating in her hand. “I’ll text you in the morning, so we can figure out the time and place.” But before she could answer him her friend appeared next to them. “Y/n, we should get going, I have class in the morning.” Her friend didn’t acknowledge his presence and was just looking at her phone. “Okay.” She turned back to him. “It was nice meeting you.” “You too, I’ll see you tomorrow.” He wanted to go for a handshake but she quickly hugged him and before he could process what had just happened, the two girls were walking away. He simply stood there, in the empty foyer trying to contain his excitement. It didn’t feel real, all his insides were doing cartwheels and he had the biggest smile plastered over his face. How was it possible that a day that started out like any other ordinary day, would turn his whole life around?

[mceproductions]

October 2018 Blurbs

10/1/18 31 Nights of Halloween, Freeforms inheritence from its previous incarnations, other than the mandated 700 Club. The month between seasons, otherwise known as candy city. Stockholm Syndrome from Willies departure may be setting in as we had a large truck and only 4 of us to do it. I shouldnt be missing his prescence but somehow i am. Remedy is needed soon. 10/2/18 Im A Christmas Guy, love giving gifts out and decorating. Have done so annually for 16 years and it always starts within the first few days of October as i unblock my Holiday themed movie and TV Shows on digital. Looking forward to the next few weeks especially. Brewers NLDS starts Thursday! 10/3/18 The old tutalige of when it rains it pours, reared its ugly head. Flat by Old El Rancho. That really screws things up for me. Hoping for Miracle. 10/4/18 Well, day minus the Brewers coming back, was a bust. Tire was flat. Hoping I can get it either possibly fixed or a cheap replacement. Wondering how ill get to the store tomorrow. 10/5/18 Apparently massive flu spreading around as Mom picked up whatever Dad was sick with. Ended up replacing tire, but with brand new one. Hopeful not mistake. Also affected things at WallyWorld as Linda and Tyler were feeling cruddy. Hopeful I dont get it. Brewers win and truck got fixed. Still undecided on Venom or Gaga for movie on Saturday. 10/6/18 Ended up going with Gaga and was pleasently stunned by both her and Bradley Cooper. Movie was wonderful and that ending was rough, picked up soundtrack to boot. Sort of took longer than I anticipated coming back from EC thanks to BlueGolds Homecoming. Boy colleges take that far more seriously than High School. Panera for dinner was a great alternative as well. 13th Doctor tomorrow before work! FLCL on the other hand...I'll never say the C word to anyone, but Pets was definetly the C Word to Kana. 10/7/18 Man that was emberassing to watch. Green Bay actually played so lousy I watched Doctor Who, and loved the female 13th looking forward to more of her. Final Season of Walking dead also premired. Wonder how Ricks going out. Gunner and his partner are really intolerable. Reporting that asap, the store is not a place for thier private spats. 10/8/18 Columbus getting squeezed out of his own day is the most PC thing that I can get on board with. Nobody gives a crap about the whole Sailed the ocean blue in 1492 thing anymore. Stuff to do including assignments that I have to go to the library to finish. Hoping internet will be back sooner rather than later. 10/9/18 Woke up to flashing lights by house and realized power line got taken down by tree that Dad had pointed out. A bit more broke than I anticipated. Stuff here i have to do anyway and thankfully work will limit my having to go anywhere. Really could use $300 to pay Patti. Brewers will take on Dodgers in NLCS starting Friday. Mad that Conan for all intent and purpose has been cancelled, adpating is one thing but this is a glorified cancellation. 10/10/18 Rain city continues...Puddles in Bravada. On top of it its getting colder. Winter isnt here yet, but the white ravens are taking flight. 10/11/18 Now comes the cold, and first snow of the year. We had it all today cold, wind, sun and snow. 10/12/18 Store gave me a first look at my future. Gaurantee work on Sunday Monday and Friday every week unless i say so. Which other than one day may be saying much. Could use more variety than that. Also stinks NLCS is on when im working. Pulling for Dodgers in at least 1 game so I can see game 5 on wednesday at least. 10/13/18 They have been hyping the crap out of inventory for the past 3 weeks. Now i see why, Clint made a rare Saturday appearance at the store. Hopeful for the next few days. Got my prediction right about game 5 on Wednesday so thats good. Kanye is nuts as usual, and Kana gave me the best reason yet to finally move forward on the FLCL finale. Cold week ahead. 10/14/18 Andrew and his little notes are getting out of hand. Got called in to do truck early as Inventory closes in on Tuesday. Clint on the other hand, i know ive got to not walk off for a few seconds but he really needs to chill for a bit especially cause we both used to be pushing carts in the first months of the store he should know my rhtyms by now. Stinks about Pete Davidson though, really hope he can recover cause i liked him and Ariana as a couple. Rather unfortunate that they split cause she couldnt deal with her ex commiting suicide. 10/15/18 A missing person is a big deal, when you happen to know someone who is related to said missing person, then you know its huge. Jayme Closs, the cousin of Brody being abducted after her parents were gunned down, sad for all. My only issue is brody reatcing to everyones sympathies, overkill a bit. The other issue i have is the amber alert system that can be sent out to phones. With Trumps ability to text everyone in the country I witnessed a bunch of people who got the alert yesterday complain about it, the others who thought she killed them and fled are the bigger morons. Hopefully shes found safe. Other than that, good night for Wisconsin Sports, Brewers are 2 Out from pennant and Rodgers did his thing once again. 10/16/18 Boring first part of shift as we did basically nothing due to the inventory. But at least the night managed to salvage itself. Dodgers really play dirty. 10/17/18 Nose began to stuff itself again. Bunch of classwork for 2 weeks as i get the inservice day. Milwaukee gave another one away. Hoping Game 6 on Friday will be a turnaround. 10/18/18 Rare thursday day, nose still stuffed. 10/19/18 Library day as i caught up on work, and finally watched A Chrsitmas Story to its ending. A classic, yes just don't feel that strongly about it. Big game from the Crew forcing Game 7. 10/20/18 This day was nuts, a quick 25 minute snowcase that gave way to sunny conditions by noon. Saw Venom, didn't get why it was hated. Quite enjoyable dyanmic and She-Venom was the highlight of it all. Dodgers unfortuantley took the pennant. Great season overall for Milwaukee just bummed my streak of picking the world series winner at the All Star game ended at 4. Also tide pods finally used them, no wonder people ate them they're great for clothes. 10/21/18 First day ever that i skipped NFL Games. Neat concept. 10/22/18 Very long strech of store coming up, especially given that Today we only had 3 total. 10/23/18 Held off on grabbing Mamma Mia 2 Blu Ray. Mainly due to gas situation that had Bravada dying near tracks. I got to figure cash situation out to pay off people. 10/24/18 Lone day off before Halloween. No class today so that made things better. Master Mode on Zelda getting easier to figure out. Did reset on iPhone and Kindle, should fix lone bugs. Really want to play RDR2 and Spiderman PS4. World Series from what I can tell is shaping up as a sweep. Also, whole reason I began watching Sunny aired tonight. First of 2 Part Super Bowl Episode. Charlie in a Bear Trap drinking pee, eww! 10/25/18 First of 6 in a row backwise. The Halloween episodes on TV Usually do wonders for me, not this time. I know this is the final season of Big Bang Theory but Sheldon not realizing how irritating he sounds to others after 12 years and so much maturing seems not the right way to do it. Especially seeing his wife irrate Bernadette. 10/26/18 2nd night, the wheels i dont think feel off, but the were more loose than usual. Hour to set up, hour work, break, 30 minutes to unload hvdc and then didn't finish til after 6. When your down numbers wise you can certainly feel it. FYI The crap with the MAGA Bomber made me mad enough to likely stay off social media until after the election, that made it my breaking point. RWBY Season Premire Tomorrow! 10/27/18 Rooster Teeth First free trial, worth it for watching a great primire that perfectly sets up what comes. My point who is that woman with the Maz Kanata eyewear? Wisconsin stinks. 10/28/18 My issue with the whole core hours thing involves me working on days i know theres something i should be doing. Such as watching the packers. Almost beating LA, hopeful they can actually do that against Brady. 10/29/18 That blue wave better close in next week cause, another shooting and another predictable Trump response occurred. Hate crimes abound in his america. 10/30/18 Last in the back, October really came and went this year. Only thing bad about not working Halloween is the dressup im missing out on. Adam in drag would have been a hoot. 10/31/18 Darkness Falls Across the Land...You Know the rest. Halloween. This day is one back 20 Years ago i would openly love. At least the Candy is still around, albiet smaller and more sugary. Nowadays this day has me DVR'ing all the major shows to see what costumes get put on. Spoiler Alert only episodes of ATH And PTI that I happily record all year. When it comes to applying for scholarships however thats where it blurrs. WITC is really biased against those in the outreach sites hoping i can get help tomorrow when i visit. November came too quickly but, I get to see my nephew in 2 Weeks!