#nostalgia binge 2024

[refinedstorage]

Adam Hunter 🔥🔥🔥

[crazychicke]

Long Live I H20 Otps

[a-scary-lack-of-common-sense]

Wreck it Ralph fanart?? In 2024? More likely than you think....

I get way too insane about kids' movies, and I've been on a nostalgia binge watch lately, so here's a villain/hero swap AU

Does anyone even remember this movie??

[thisaintascenereviews]

Our Favorites Of The Year (So Far), Part One: April 2024

By Bradley Christensen & @jakeh2987

At the end of every year, I’m always amazed when peoples’ yearend lists come out, because it takes me awhile to fathom that it’s really the end of another year. Aside from Christmas, which is what most people associate with that time of year, I love “list season.” Publications of all kinds put out their yearend lists, and I just love seeing what people have been into the entire year. It feels like yesterday I was talking about my favorite media from the entire year, so I thought I’d “check-in” in the beginning, middle, and (obviously) the end of the year. I’m not doing this alone, however, because I thought I’d bring along my buddy Jake. We worked together on a yearend piece last year, too, and I thought it would be fun to work on something like this again, at least checking in periodically with each other and seeing what we’ve been into throughout the year, as well as how the year’s been going when it comes to media of all kinds. With that said, it’s good to have you back, Jake! It feels like deja vu, because it feels like we just did this, but I digress, how’s this year been treating you so far, Jake? How do you think this year has been in comparison to last year?

First of all, thank you for having me back to do this! I had a blast working on our year-end wrap up last year, so I jumped at the chance to do something similar. To answer your question, though, I feel like this year has been really stacked in terms of new releases in not only music, but a lot of different forms of media. Last year was incredible, for sure, but I feel like a lot of it was backloaded in the second half of 2023. This year, on the other hand, I felt like there’s been at least one or two new things to be excited about every week really since the start of the year, but especially so in the last couple of months. I had a look at my top 10 albums, and I think almost all of them have come out after the first week of March, which has been great. But, we’ll get to that later. For now, though, I say we take a look back at the broader picture for a second! Last year, we talk about how we often found ourselves falling back into old comforts, whether that be favorite artists, that TV show you’ve binged far too many times before, and so on. For the first bit of this year, I kinda feel like I’ve been a lot more open to discovering new things and stepping outside of my comfort zone, so I’m curious, how does it feel for you?

Last year definitely had a theme of listening to what I call “ol’ reliable” types of media. A lot of my favorite pieces of media were from old favorites, whether I was revisiting them again for the first time in awhile, or old favorites releasing new albums, movies, or shows that I could easily get into and gave me a nice sense of nostalgia. I would say that this year, at least so far, is a mixture of both being adventurous and discovering some new things and still revisiting some of those same “comfort foods,” so to speak. Looking at the big picture of how media has gone this year, it’s certainly been steady since March with at least one album per week that I’m listening to (almost my whole top ten is from the last couple of months as well), and we’ve been getting a steady stream of movies and shows that are worth watching and talking about. Speaking of which, let’s start with movies and TV, what have you been watching this year?

Okay, this is where I get to gush about the new Fallout show that just premiered on Amazon Prime Video a couple weeks ago. I’m not super familiar with the games, having only put a few hours into Fallout 4 way back in 2015, but when the first trailer for this show dropped, I knew I was gonna be in for this. I’m a sucker for a sci-fi/post apocalypse setting, and from what I do know from the games, there was gonna be a blend of dark humor/satire along with the high-stakes drama. I ended up watching the whole season in about a week, and I really loved it. The creative team behind the show did about the best thing you could do for a video game adaptation; it’s set within the universe and continuity of the games, but it’s a new story with new characters, so they were able to tell their own story while still nailing that Fallout vibe. Also, come on, Walton Goggins playing a post-apocalyptic cowboy bounty hunter, how can you not love that? But for real, this show was a blast, and I’m happy it’s already been renewed for a second season, because I can see this show being a great time for many years to come.

Aside from that, though, I did see the Mean Girls musical movie from earlier this year, and while I don’t think it was all that great (and I don’t necessarily love the original, either), it’s pretty clear why Renee Rapp is a rising star, she was great in it and can definitely sing. I’ve also been making my way through a super casual Criminal Minds rewatch, it’s been a long while since I’ve watched a lot of the early stuff, so I like having it on in the background while I do other things, but I still love this show a lot. How about you, though?

When it comes to TV and movies, I haven’t watched as much stuff as I’ve listened to music, but I’ve got a few things I’ve been watching. The second half of the second season of Invincible, also on Prime Video, premiered last month, and that was a lot of fun, especially after loving the first season a few years back. Animation has been on a roll this year, between that and X-Men ‘97, which has been a show that I’ve been eagerly watching every Wednesday. That show’s been an absolute blast, and despite being rooted in a show from the past, it doesn’t let the nostalgia overtake the show itself. I haven’t really been watching a lot of movies this year, surprisingly enough, but I need to catch up. I need to watch Fallout, though; I love dystopia and post-apocalyptic universes, so I need to sit down and watch that front to back. What about video games? I got a couple that I’ve played this year, not necessarily new but new to me; and that’s been a whole lot of fun.

Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth came out at the end of February (on the leap day, no less!), and I've been playing it basically non-stop since then. Rebirth is the second part of a trilogy of games that are remaking/reimagining the original Final Fantasy 7 from back in 1997, greatly expanding upon and making tweaks to various things that were in the original. This is also a game that adopts more of an open-ended structure, featuring several pretty big zones filled with a ton to do. As of writing this, I've put about 100 hours into it, and I'm just over 60% of the way through it. This is a game that''s so incredibly easy to get lost and immersed in for hours, and I think that comes down to three things. Firstly, your main party of characters is so enjoyable to be around; it really hammers home that feeling of being on a grand adventure with your friends, and even when you're doing a seemingly mundane open world activity, you still get little interactions with the characters that makes it worth it. Another factor for me is the combat. I said after the first part came out in 2020 that it had maybe my favorite combat in an RPG, I really loved the seamless blend of real time action and strategy with the ATB system. Rebirth's combat is essentially more of that, but the improvements and enhancements make this combat sing in a way that very few games ever have for me. Swapping between party members, using the new synergy abilities, and popping ATB abilities feels so seamless and flows super well. It's just a blast to play. Finally, I wanna give a shoutout to the minigames. I won't give all of them away, but there are so many different minigames to play, and this is where Rebirth gets to really lean into its silliness more often than not. Your main story can often be very dramatic and emotional, so I appreciate that these side activities are a way to provide a tonal balance and gameplay pacing. And aside from maybe one or two I admittedly wasn't a huge fan of, all of them were really fun to play (shoutout Queen's Blood in particular, I would buy a standalone version of that in a heartbeat). Oh, and I would be remiss if I didn't mention the music. It's incredible, and even when you're walking around in the open areas, you get hit with yet another really cool music piece, and that's before you even get to the big set pieces or boss fights, which also rule. I could just gush about this thing forever, really, but I'll top this off by saying it's been a really special experience and I'm so excited to see where it ends up. How about you, though? Have you been playing anything in particular?

Man, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth sounds great! I always love when a piece of media, whether it’s a game, movie, or album, can really suck you into its story or sound. I can’t say I’ve played any new games, but I got a couple things I’ve been playing so far this year. I spent the last few months playing Mafia III, especially after seeing it was on sale for the first time in awhile, and I absolutely love the first two games. Now those are games that you can get lost in, especially its story, world, and atmosphere, but I’d say the third in this trilogy is the best. Instead of taking place the 1930s or 1940s, like the first two games, the third one takes place in the 1960s, let alone in a New Orleans-type of city with different “districts” that are composed of different kinds of people. This game also tackles issues like racism and PTSD, especially where the main character is Black and a Vietnam veteran. It’s got some hard hitting and still relevant themes, despite coming out in 2016, but it’s still relevant today. The game does have a couple downsides, such as the combat and side missions between story missions being repetitive (despite still a lot of fun), but it’s the story, characters, and the world itself that really draws you in. The music is also a big part of this game, as it features a lot of 50s and 60s blues, rock, soul, pop, and lots of different songs that you can listen to on any car’s radio, and the songs really bring everything to life. It’s a wonderful game, and it’s the best of the three, hands down.

As for the other game, thanks to the new Fallout show coming out, I decided to download Fallout 4 on the PlayStation Store, because it was only $4.99, and I’ve been playing it for a few days now! It’s a lot of fun, despite how I’m still getting used to its world and mechanics. I’ve always been curious about Fallout’s story and lore, but never knew where to start. There’s so many games and lore to sink your teeth into, but that’s what makes the show so good — it’s its own story, like you said, so you don’t need to know everything about the games. The show eases you into it, but if you enjoy post-apocalyptic stories with retro futuristism aesthetics, along with a killer soundtrack (that I enjoy, thanks to my niche taste of 30s, 40s, and 50s music), you should get really into it. The game itself is cool, too, and it also eases you into the story, especially if this is your first go-around. I’m excited to play more, since I haven’t had anything I’ve really dedicated my time to after finishing Mafia III.

With all of that said, let’s get to our main event — 2024 in music. We discussed this a bit earlier, at least our overall first impressions, but this year has been off to the races when it comes to new music. I swear that almost every week since the start of the year, there’s been something new to listen to, but a lot of my favorite albums this year have been from March and April. Let’s not beat around the bush anymore, though. What are your favorites of the year so far? Hell, what are some albums that have been resonating with you this year? They don’t even need to be new, but stuff that you’ve found that you’ve just been into this year, regardless of when it came out.

Both Mafia III and Fallout 4 are games I wanna revisit sometimes, for a lot of the reasons you've said. I do remember Mafia III getting a bit of criticism for its repettitive open world structure and missions, but I loved what I played of it for the setting and characters and how it tackled heavier subject matters in a game like this. And I did redownload Fallout 4 as well, I played a few hours of it when it first released in 2015, but the show has made me wanna give it another go, though at this point I'll probably end up starting a new save.

Anyways, yes, let's get to the main event, our favorite music! I feel like since we both have the same number one, at least I think we do, let's save that for last, but for now, I'm gonna highlight a few from my top 10, in no real order (at least not for the purposes of this piece, I do have a proper list for myself). First, an interesting thing I noticed about my list is how a few of these are from bands/artists you recommended to it. Cory Wells' Harbouring the Hurt I Cause is a really good acoustic/emo album that I had never heard of before you suggested it, and that new Fluorescents album that just dropped, Scream It At Me! gives me such great mid/late 2000s neon pop-punk/pop-rock vibes but with a modern polish to it. You also turned me back on to Neck Deep; their self-titled album is just a really damn solid pop-punk album from a band I admittedly kinda wrote off in recent years.

Secondly, I wanna talk about two final releases from two of my favorite bands, but they're final releases for very different reasons. Sum 41 are pop-punk legends at this point, and sometime last year, they announced that after their new album and some extensive touring, they were calling it quits. It's always nice that when a band does break up, they do so on their own terms and while going out on top. I really had a lot of fun with their final (double) album Heaven x Hell, it felt like a love letter to the band and everything they do well, and I'm happy they were able to go out with that. On the other hand, though, we have Too Close to Touch's For Keeps, and this one is very bittersweet. Vocalist Keaton Pierce passed away unexpectedly in March 2022, and many fans like myself weren't sure we were ever gonna hear from the band again. So, it was a very welcome surprise when they announced a final collection of songs, but it was also a little bittersweet that they decided to call it quits, although it was for a very understandable reason. For Keeps, I think, turned out as well as it could have, and is a very solid sendoff for a vocalist and a band who were so close to taking that next step.

Outside of this year, I did wanna highlight Linkin Park's recently-released greatest hits album, called Papercuts. It's a very nice little collection of songs from their career, and it's been a lot of fun revisiting my first favorite band.

Okay, now I'm gonna throw it back to you, what's some music that you've really been resonating with so far this year?

Yeah, Mafia III got some criticism for the repetitive open world structure and the missions being pretty much copy and paste, such as killing certain enforcers, and interrogating informants, but it’s still a lot of fun every time you get to unleash carnage on an unsuspecting group of bad guys (or are they, because this game does tackle how the main character might not be as good as he thinks he is, and that’s a real interesting idea). I got through a bit of Fallout 4 already, though, and despite a rather annoying combat system that I still need to master, I enjoy it a lot. It’s pretty cool, especially with its story and the lore that the game has already built up for itself.

As for the main event, we can save that specific album for later, but I have a feeling I know what it is, too, and it’s a doozy, that’s for sure. I figured we could highlight stuff from our top tens, really in no particular order, but that’s really neat! I always love recommending stuff, but if I hear something that I think you’d like, I always throw it your way, even if it’s not something I’m as into. Anyhow, my top ten is mainly from bands and artists I’ve already been a fan of, and with the exception of Fluorescents’ debut, Scream It At Me, it’s all stuff that I’ve both heard of but haven’t listened to in awhile. A few of my favorites, in no particular order as well, are Neck Deep’s self-titled and Fluorescents’ Scream It At Me, especially for really wanting some catchy pop-punk at this time of year. Neck Deep’s new one came out in the beginning of the year, but it just hits differently now, and it’s really grown on me. I’ve also been enjoying a handful of metalcore albums, including two that just came out last week. The new Ghost Inside and SeeYouSpaceCowboy albums, respectively titled Searching For Solace and Coup De Grace, are a couple of metalcore albums that really hit what I’ve been looking for, especially really catchy and hard hitting stuff. The new Justin Timberlake album, Everything I Thought It Was, is another album that I’ve been playing a lot this year, and it’s a solid little comeback album for him.

A couple of albums on my list, too, aren’t from bands who released their last albums, although those two albums you mentioned were pretty good, but they’re from artists I never expected to really love a new album from. Thrice frontman Dustin Kensrue dropped a country album, entitled Desert Dreaming, and it’s a wonderful throwback country album that sounds like it came out of the 1960s and 1970s. Augustana, and indie-pop / folk-pop band, also dropped their first album in a decade, called Something Beautiful, and it really hit me, especially for being so catchy. Lil Dicky also dropped a new album this year, his first in almost a decade and I wasn’t expecting to enjoy that as much as I did. I also binged his show, Dave, that has been on for the last few years and it’s a pretty funny show, and I forgot to mention that earlier, but the album, Penith, is supposed to be the “soundtrack” to the show.

Now when it comes to music this year that I’ve been that isn’t new, I got a couple of things, such as getting into the last Hot Mulligan albums after seeing them live with Fall Out Boy a couple months back. I also have spent some time with the last couple of James And The Shame records. That’s the brainchild of Rhett McLaughlin, most famously known from YouTube duo Rhett & Link, but it’s a retro-style country project that has a lot of themes about religion and his overall deconstruction from the church, and it’s very interesting stuff. I’d like to check out that Linkin Park greatest hits, though; they’re a band I feel like hits better with their greatest hits, although their first two albums are really cool still.

There is one album that we haven’t talked about yet that we’ve alluded to, because it’s both our current favorite album this year, so would you like to introduce it?

You know, this is actually kind of a funny full cirlce thing, because Bayside was another band you originally introduced me to, I wanna say about a decade ago, around the time Cult was coming out. I really enjoyed that album, but their next album, 2016''s Vacancy, was what really won me over and made me a huge fan of theirs. So, naturally, you could say that their new album, There Are Worse Things Than Being Alive, being my number one album of the year so far is a bit of a no-brainer, but I really do think this is one of Bayside's best albums, and it really showcases the band at their peak and what they do best, whether it be guitarist Jack O'Shea really letting it rip with some killer guitar parts and solos, Anthony Raneri's ability to paint a picture and tell a story with his lyrics, or the band's penchant for memorable hooks. It's all there in full force on this album, but what I will say, is that if you really think about it, it's not really all that different than what they've been doing. So, I wanna turn it back to you and ask, what was it about thsi album in particular that really clicked and led it to also being your favorite album so far this year?

Bayside is a band that I’ve got a lot of nostalgia for, because I found them on a 2007 Alternative Press compilation. It was an acoustic version of “Dear Your Holiness,” and I really loved it, I picked up 2007’s The Walking Wounded and immediately fell in love with it. It’s still one of my favorite albums today, especially for its great hooks, awesome guitarwork that was really heavy for a pop-punk album, and very poignant lyrics that still hold up today. I have enjoyed their subsequent records, but Bayside ended up becoming a band whose albums all sound the same to me.

Despite how good they are, especially 2016’s Vacancy, you know what you’re getting with an album from them, which can be a good or bad thing, depending on where you stand with them. Aside from The Walking Wounded, nothing else they’ve done since has really blown me away as much as that album. I was somewhat eagerly awaiting There Are Worse Things Than Being Alive, especially because it’s been five years since their last album came out, but what really surprised me was how this album feels oddly refreshing compared to their last couple. Not that they were bad, or even bland, but this album reminds me a lot of The Walking Wounded.

Like you said, this album is a classic Bayside album on the surface, but they prove that they can tweak their formula a bit and make it really interesting. This album is both the heaviest and catchiest I’ve heard Bayside in a long time; their hooks are sticky sweet this time around, but their guitar riffs are some of the thrashiest and most heavy metal-ish that I’ve heard from them. Raneri’s lyrics are also some of the best I’ve heard in awhile, too, and a lot of this album gets lodged in my head for the best reasons. I bet it was a shock to you, especially as someone that hasn’t been crazy about their last few albums, that I was over the moon for this album when it came out, huh?

I was definitely pleasantly surprised when you said you were loving this album as much as you do, but at the same time, especially after hearing you talk about it more, I do kinda get why this one maybe hooked you more than they have the past few albums. Sometimes all it takes is some tweaks/refreshes to the formula, and sometimes, something will just hit you in the right place at the right time, even if maybe it normally wouldn't as much otherwise. But, I love that we both have this at number one; thinking back on years past, I think this has only happened a handful of times, most likely with Fall Out Boy, since they're another band we both love.

It's really hard to believe we're already a quarter of the way through this year already, isn't it? I'm glad we got together to do this again, though, it's been a blast looking back on all of it so far, and I really can't wait for what's still to come.

I really was surprised to love this new album as much as I did, but you’re right, sometimes all it takes is a tweak to the formula to really hit you at the right time. I think by having a catchier and heavier sound, the album was able to hit me harder because it reminded me of when I first listened to them all those years ago. It just hits in the right way, but I truly love it. Not many albums this year have really hit me in that way, but this record is their best in a long time. It’s really hard to believe we’re almost a quarter done, though, so much good stuff has come out and so much is going to come out in the next eight months. It’s been an absolute blast doing this with you again, but before we close this out, what are some albums you’re looking forward to, whether they have a confirmed release date or not?

Just today, as we're writing this, The Home Team announced their third album, called The Crucible of Life, is coming out on July 12th, and I know that album is gonna be amazing. They're really about to be the next big thing, and I can't wiat. The other big one for me is The Early November, whose self-titled album is coming out June 14th. They're a band sorta like Bayside, in that they have a pretty storied legacy in the scene and have still been at it, putting out great music for over 20 years now.

Got anything on your radar coming up?

No way, they finally announced their new album? I hadn’t seen it yet, so that’s awesome. I can’t wait for that, so that’s easily a most anticipated. I’d say that off the top of my head, the upcoming Knocked Loose is my most anticipated, and that comes in a couple weeks on May 10th. Those guys are currently one of the biggest heavy bands in the scene, and their last album was easily my favorite of 2019, so I’ve been looking forward to this for a long time. It’s gonna be a good rest of the year, for sure, and I can’t wait to do this again with you. I hopefully plan on doing this again here in another three or four months, and then at the end of the year, but it’s been a lot of fun being able to work on another one of these pieces with you, so thanks for being able to indulge me on what we’ve been into this year so far!

Yeah, this has been so much fun, so thank you for having me! I'm looking forward to meeting up for this again, as I'm sure we'll have plenty more to talk about.

[allys-diary]

stories i om-nom-nom'd :: april 2024 (week 1)

Considering that this is my first week of full on unemployment since 2016, this is also probably the first time I've purely had time just to myself. So you bet ur souls I nom'd a whole lot of media this week.

As usual, expect spoilers, you've been warned. Everything below the cut:

movies

Mulan (1998)

This was a rewatch and I honestly just had it on because I wanted something in the background while I was cleaning, but also I was having such a blast singing and dancing along to the soundtrack. And also I just wanna take this moment to say that Yao, Ling, and Chien Po were the realest ones in this movie because they were so unfazed by the reveal that their new friend Ping was actually a woman and all they cared about was trying to stop Shang because they thought he was gonna execute her. And then when she popped up at the palace going "Hey guys! I have an idea" they just dropped everything and didn't even hesitate to put on a dress and makeup.

Like I need friends like that, their loyalty is unmatched 👏👏👏

Also the Emperor becoming Mulan's wingman at the end was something I forgot and I cackled so loud watching that scene over 😂

Hocus Pocus 2 (2022)

I'll be so real and tell y'all that I put off watching this movie for the longest time because I've seen so much hype around it, and when I see smth like that I have one of two possible responses. I either immediately jump on it the second it releases…or I procrastinate. But watching this was honestly so much fun and even though I didn't watch the first movie, I could still feel Winnie's devastation when she watched her sisters fall victim into a yassified Thanos snap. Although honestly I do feel like this was just natural consequence doing its thing, like Book really tried to warn her so many times, so really this is just "Fuck around and find out (Winnifred's Version)".

I will say though, that something I felt was lacking was the building of the characters of the new witches. It feels like the movie was made with the hopes that people would go in this with so much nostalgia for the first movie and that would be enough to carry the entire project without having to do much on actually telling us who these new witches are, and why we should root for them. The dynamic between the three girls felt very much like it was telling rather than showing that Becca would be the leader but she's going to put in the work to make them all have equal footing, while in contrast, the Sanderson sisters had a dynamic that drew you in and showed you from even the first scene that Sarah and Mary were treated by Winnie as subordinates rather than sisters.

There was just enough hints at the end that there's a movement for a third Hocus Pocus movie to be greenlit because there's still one more black flame candle, and that was more than enough for me to blurt out the words "Gilbert, you lil bitch".

On a lighter note tho…the flying roombas and the performance number were a few of the highlights of the movie that kinda make me wanna watch it again…Ohh and Hannah Waddingham as Witch Mother 100% had me going "this better not awaken anything in me"

nvm…too late

tv shows

Law and Order: Special Victims Unit

I can't watch the shows in order because my streaming services really said "fuck your binging rights", so I have 0 context on overarching series arcs, but I watch what I can.

Season 21, Episode 1: They created a whole ass MeToo episode and it was so well-written I actually had to take a second to remind myself that this was acting and to hold off on hating Ian McShane because he portrayed his whole "sleazy media mogul with a whole ass casting couch" persona eerily well. One of the things I'm steadily coming to appreciate with the series is that they're not shying away from touching on current issues, and I personally cannot wait for the incoming seasons and they start taking jabs at Sickelodeon--I mean Nickelodeon.

Also Hadid deserves jail time she needs to be taken down ALL the pegs. If Hadid has 0 haters, I am dead.

Season 21, Episode 2: Speaking of not shying away from sensitive issues, this was a doozy and a half because it was really subliminally heavy on the victim blaming. Reagan's "friends" for one are some insane pieces of work just damn near scoffing when they were told "your friend might have been assaulted" and going "yeah probably not she has a whole bunch of crazy antics". And that utterly disheartening moment when the team realizes that if this actually does go to trial, that she might not win because the defense could spin a story about "her wanting it" because of her history and her sexcapades with a bunch of other guys.

In the name of fully supporting women's wrongs, I fully support Reagan going full "I Spit on Your Grave" on these bastards 😤 That and I'd fully be on board with a movie where Ariel Winter goes the vigilante & revenge route.

Sidenote: This is why I hate that I can't stream all the seasons because I have no idea what happened to Olivia in the previous season that was called back to in the final scene with Reagan where she said she knows that Reagan will survive because she survived.

Season 10, Episode 22: Okay so I knew from the jump when Stuckey was introduced that either he wouldn't be around for long because he was gonna screw something up which would result in him getting fired (or at the very least transferred to another department far away from interacting with people), or he'd get an improvement arc where he suddenly became an invaluable asset to the team. What I didn't think was gonna happen was that he was going to go on a murder spree in an attempt to manipulate events so he could overcorrect on a mistake that he made from being way too lax and honestly kind of arrogant.

I just know that Benson went like this the second they had him in custody:

games

Undercover: Blood Bonds

Chapter 3: We get introduced to Vera's former coworker (and possibly ex) Gabe, revealing that before she became a journalist, she was a detective, and he's not too happy about her career shift. In the chapter outro, we get a flashback of Lilly looking like she's going through it and has been keeping a diary to write her feelings down. This flashback might be of the night that Lilly disappeared, maybe the last time Vera saw her sister alive.

Chapter 4: Jericho's a mysterious new figure that makes his entrance by walking into Club (no really, the club's name is "Club") without being carded by Hank, the bouncer. Also he has red eyes. Vera managed to swipe Lilly's journal from the crime scene and she finds out that the last time her sister wrote in there was the night that Vera left the city to go back home.

Chapter 5: Vera's in a competition with Crystal over who gets to keep the job at Club because only one of them can stay after the week's over, and knowing she doesn't have a shot, Crystal sabotages Vera by "accidentally" dropping her lipstick on the floor so that Vera slips and falls and breaks a tray full of glasses. Hank mentions that the previous barmaid Daisy would've been useful to know what happened to Lilly, and the very end shows a flashback that Jericho met Lilly the last time she went to Club and bought her a drink.

Chapter 6: Jericho buys a drink for the new DJ, Bluejay, but doesn't score with her because she has a gig and she's determined to stick to schedule (which is finish her shift at 4am). Hank tells Vera that Daisy was head over heels for Jericho when she used to work at Club, and a flashback reveals Daisy trying to discourage him from chatting up Lilly because she's "just a kid". He's unfazed by that (red flag alert red flag alert woop woop das da sound of da police)

Chapter 7: Vera turns down Jericho's sleazy attempts to buy her a drink and invite her back to his place after shift, and he denies ever having seen Lilly when he's shown a picture of her, claiming that "she's not his type". Then he immediately rebounds in a record 0.5 seconds with the next girl that shows up (and serving her orders becomes our side quest for this level). Outro showcases Hank's green flag status offering his coworkers to drive them home since it's so late, and ends with him driving Vera to the police station so she can check on the status of the investigation.

Chapter 8: We play as Crystal in this level and let me tell you now, I hate it here. She goads on Vera for being "sluggish" and having a bad day and sucks up big time to the boss Mr Smirnov with "grand plans" to improve clientele, which of course gets him going and has him leaning towards granting her the permanent staff position. Then Gabe calls Vera with disappointing news and tells her he'll just give her the apartment keys after work.

Chapter 9: Gabe goes to Club to hand over Vera's apartment keys, which gives us our side quest for this level where we serve Gabe his orders for the night. When he releases the apartment back to Vera, he reveals that Lilly's ex-boyfriend Sam is the prime suspect. He also lets slip that their chief's trying to prioritize the case of a missing barmaid (most likely Daisy). We also get a flashback of what is probably the night Lilly disappeared, where she comes home to find Sam waiting in the dark, angry over her coming in late.

Delicious: True Love

Stage 3, Day 8: Philippe, a horny mustachio'd guy that made the moves on Emily back in Stage 2 and ends up having to share a passenger cart with her on the train, asks Emily about why she's so attached to Jean-Paul's letter. She tells him that she and JP had a summer thing when they were 16, and she wrote him a letter and thought he'd never replied. Turns out he did and the letter arrived a little late…like 16 years late. She says it's fate, but Philippe drops hints that maybe what fate was really trying to do was to make her cross paths with him along the way. He's really down bad for her and it's getting a bit painful to witness, tbh.

Stage 3, Day 9: Philippe writes a review for Fresco's Diner Express (the train restaurant…ohh also, Philippe's a renowned food critic), which he tears into pieces when Emily tells him "you're sweet but my heart's with someone else" and calls her a silly naive American girl whose head's filled with frilly "plastic" Hollywood love stories. Typical "I'm a nice guy" behavior, part of him still thinking that Emily "owes" him after he voluntarily bought her a ticket so she won't be kicked out the train. He tries to make amends when she goes back and gives him his torn up review that she taped back together, and says he's happy to stay friends.

Now see here I wanna believe that he means that, but I've seen "nice guy" behavior. They're never happy staying friends. They're like not-so-silent red flags 😤😤

Stage 3, Day 10: It's Emily's final day on the train and Fresco's a bit emotional because she's helped him so much (he's precious we must protect him at all costs). Philippe shows up at the end to wish Emily goodbye and good luck, finding her suitcase at the station that's now filled with a whole bunch of notes from her mother (she's another thing I don't even wanna touch on right now), and gives her the details of a restaurant where he believes she'll find Jean-Paul.

I'm now looking at the chapter titles for Stage 4, which takes place at a restaurant called "Chez Jean-Paul", and ngl y'all I'm scared. There's one here that says "A Bitter Blow" and something tells me Emily's not actually ending up with JP at the end of this story. Lemme just…preemptively sharped a pitchfork real quick…

Stage 4, Day 1: Emily's arrived at Jean-Paul's restaurant but he's not around, and she offers her assistance to the sole employee manning the place. Said sole employee then takes off to go to an appointment. 🤦🏻‍♀️ The day ends, still no JP, so she goes off to explore Paris and becomes so enamored with the place seeing all these couples so madly in love. Even the birds have their own love stories going on.

Imma tell y'all right now I have so many fears--

Stage 4, Day 2: Emily sees some flowers that remind her of Patrick (the boy next door who delivers flowers to her restaurant back home in Snuggford) and she has a moment where she's just happily remembering him before she up and decides to get some flowers for Jean-Paul. The day ends with her running into JP and him needing to jog his memory (it's been 16 years, so I can kinda understand), which really only kicks into gear when Emily starts reciting lines from his letter. They share a hug and they seem happy but…that chapter title from earlier is still giving me fears--

Stage 4, Day 3: Emily and Jean-Paul are catching up with each other, and that's really what the whole day revolves around. There was a side quest in this level where you'd have to tap on JP when he shows up because he's having a food fight with Emily while serving customers. He says a bit about her being worth waiting for, and they share a kiss. And here's where I have some critique for the story writers and game developers…

If y'all didn't want us to anticipate the twists, the chapter titles should have been hidden until the player reaches said level. Now I know that Emily's bound for heartbreak at JP's hands which makes it easy not to root for this relationship. Y'all should've pulled out the rug from under our feet without the early warning device. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Stage 4, Day 4: Ohh no. Ohh fuckque no I hate it here. Emily's over the moon and tells her new florist friend Amelie that she's reunited with her first love, and Amelie's equally excited because she thinks her boyfriend's about to propose after she's been dropping hints for the last six months. The chapter ends with Jean-Paul in a hurry and promising to see Emily later, but in his rushing he didn't see that a goddamn ring box fell out his pocket.

To quote Dr Swift herself, "I think I've seen this film before and I didn't like the ending" 😖😖

Stage 4, Day 5: Jean-Paul's clearly in a bit of distress because he can't find something, which opens up our side quest for this level, putting the ring back in his coat pocket. There's also an inscription on the ring about "love being a flower" which makes me even more convinced that this ring isn't for Emily, but rather someone else whose name sounds like "Emily". JP then asks Emily to go away with him and see the countryside, to which she says "Yes" because now she's convinced he's gonna propose to her there.

Stage 4, Day 6: Emily and Amelie make promises to each other to attend each other's weddings, both clearly excited about where their relationships are headed (meanwhile I'm here fully convinced that they're seeing the same man). At the end of the day, Emily asks Jean-Paul if they're going to see each other later that night but he says that he has "a prior engagement", but that he intends to whisk her away to the countryside the next night. So lemme just get this straight…he's gonna propose and get engaged to his long-time girlfriend (most likely Amelie), and he's turning Emily into an unwitting other woman by starting something with her without ever even once thinking that "Ohh oopsies I probably should've told her I have a whole ass relationship and I'm already in the proposal stage".

If OG story Jean-Paul has 0 haters, I am dead 😤

Stage 4, Day 7: The day starts off with Jean-Paul starting to wave his red flag loud and proud by showing annoyance at the sound of a child crying because he got a splinter, which has Emily side-eyeing him while she tended to the kid to get the splinter out. There's no side quest in this level, and the day ends with JP postponing their getaway because a friend of his is in town and "he hasn't seen him in so long and he wants to catch up".

Yeah no…I'm sharpening a pitchfork…

Stage 4, Day 8: Aaaaaand here it is. Big confirmations that this story's Jean-Paul is a piece of work that deserves to have da pipi chopped off. The day starts with Emily not having heard from him, the guy not even bothering to check on his restaurant that he claims he gave his entire life to just to earn his star rating, mind you. And it ends with Emily going to spend some time with Amelie, who reveals that she's engaged. They're planning a double date, when they see JP with another woman and kissing her ("haven't seen him in a long time" my ass). The two women reveal to each other in their shock that they've been seeing the same man, and Amelie's immediately on whack-a-cheater mode, while Emily breaks down in tears.

Stage 4, Day 9: We love Amelie in this household, she's a complete girl's girl, not even spending a single second even remotely annoyed at Emily and immediately goes in to hug her when they see each other again. She just hates that she wasted her time and moved to Paris for trash bag Jean-Paul. She walks off before the level starts, vowing to have her revenge. Then Philippe arrives excited to see Emily again and telling her he's had Chez Jean-Paul on his schedule to review, which kicks off this level's side quest of bringing him his orders. Amelie shows up at the end of the level, dousing the final dish that Emily serves Philippe with a heaping dose of hot sauce (high key hoping it's some Carolina Reaper levels of burn).

Philippe writes a review that will take away the restaurant's star rating, and JP goes rabid telling the two women that they ruined his life and "all because he couldn't help that he loved women", to which Emily pushes him into the fountain and Amelie delivers this absolute banger of a line:

Stage 4, Day 10: There isn't much to this day other than Emily saying goodbye to her new friends, and Amelie reminding her that one day they'll attend each other's weddings. We also have Nadia finally getting the quote right. "Love is the flower that grows in front of you." That sends Emily into another round of tears, and giving us as the viewer the glaring red neon sign that's been there since Stage 1, Day 1.

BAY-BEE. IT'S PATRICK. WAKE UP AND SMELL THE FRESHLY DELIVERED EVERY MORNING TO YOUR RESTAURANT FLOWERS 👏👏

Delicious World

Season 2, Episode 3, Part 7: This bit focuses more on Frank and Monet's side story, where Monet's cooking his boyfriend a simple risotto and Frank's trying to be reassuring that people would still love his recipes even if he pivots and tries to make simpler dishes, because what would matter is the taste. They have a discussion about what the people would think if he changed up his cooking style, and it led to how his reputation would be "ruined" if he comes out and reveals Frank to be his boyfriend, and sweet little pretend-Health Inspector boi says he's fine with staying private.

Sweet babey noooooo…you deserve better than to be hidden away in a corner 😤

Season 2, Episode 3, Part 8: Speaking of keeping relationships hidden…Jean-Paul's doing the exact opposite, constantly risking it all just to kiss his bb on the cheek out in public where anyone can see. And he shoots down the rumor about him and Shuvani. This is where it's giving me so much whiplash to play both this and True Love at the same time because while the original story's JP is a walking talking red flag, this one's steadily looking more and more like a green flag that I'm almost sad for him that he won't end up with Emily in the end. 😩

Gallery Coloring

If you're familiar with those games where you have to decorate your house/garden/cafe after completing enough levels or earning enough stars from completing levels, that's essentially the whole concept of Gallery. Except the levels are color by number that have varying difficulties.

The story I'm at right now is Leo and Mia (our main characters) are trying to get their friends Paul and Vivian, who've been crushing on each other, to make up and try their hand at a first date again, since the first one didn't go through because of Paul's outstanding levels of misfortune. Vivian's pissed and doesn't even want to look at Paul, let alone hear him out, and instead talks out what she wants to tell him by telling Leo what she appreciates about his and Mia's relationship in a way that's not so subtly criticizing and reading Paul for filth.

Meanwhile these four are all working together trying to get the cafe they've been renovating into a presentable enough state before an art critic named DeWitt comes in to meet with Mia and discuss her works.

There's also a Festival Season event that I'm trying to work through, which is just a mini story of Leo teaching his wife the ways of partying in a music festival.

Hello Kitty Island Adventure

A new update released this week, and gave us a few new morsels of lore. We go on a quest that spans 4 days to bring together Hapidanbui for a performance in hopes of reminding the Island Spirit that old long-running friendships are something to be cherished and hopefully heal her heart a little bit more and get her to open up a bit more to the idea of seeing her old friends again.

There was also a shorter quest that involved us bringing back weather into the island and getting it to rain with the restoration of the Aquafaller, so now it can rain throughout the biomes of the island, revealing blue flowers to water that will reward you with raindrops that can be traded for new furnitures and clothing items.

youtube & tiktok channels that got my watch minutes

India Rose Crawford

If y'all haven't seen the knitted frog stop motion animation videos yet, let me put you on because the way she has gotten to make these motions so smooth, it's like she's breathed life into this cute lil knitted frog?? Like, da fuckque??

SWOOP

SWOOP is one of those creators where when I see that she's posted something new, I wanna drop everything and watch through the entire video no matter how long it is. The new video she dropped this week was an hour and a half long, and she talks about Amanda Bynes and the devastating downfall of her career. If my heart wasn't breaking enough for her, it's just shattered now, and I just hope that whatever she's doing, that she's genuinely happy and giving herself the room and the patience to heal at her own pace.

Also, if Dan "The Foot Man" Schneider has zero haters, I am dead. Jail. Electric chair. 😤😤

Alexa Nikolas

While I can't find it in me to recommend a Trisha Paytas video, that's shockingly what's gonna happen right now, because Alexa made an appearance on Trisha's podcast "Just Trish" this week, talking about her experience in the set of Zoey 101, the abusive chapter of her life where she was a victim of child SA by her ex-husband and the cover up made by parties in the music industry that ultimately led her to starting Eat Predators. And while I do have my opinions on Trisha, I do have to give credit where credit is due and give them my respect for giving Alexa the time and space to share her story and let the emotions flow and not butting in with any potentially disruptive questions and adjusting accordingly when the mood shifts.

Also every single part of me itches so bad whenever I get reminded that she and most likely the rest of the cast don't actually get any residuals from Nickelodeon. Like excuse you?? After all those reruns that are still going to this day, and none of the child talents that helped y'all make those shows happen see a single cent of it?? What the whole grain full fat buttery fuckery is this??

ASMeRi Eats

On a lighter note, lemme share with y'all a mukbang video that had me going full on out of character and craving shrimp

Quinton Reviews

Quinton's become quite notorious for releasing videos that do deep dives of series that span anywhere from 2 to 21 hours. No, really…his Sam & Cat videos are a total of 21 hours spread across 3 videos.

Well this week a new video dropped on the Beverly Hillbillies, this time hosted by his father because Quinton's off hard at work on another project. And this video from his dad has a runtime of 38.5 hours. My eye's twitching just thinking about it, but for some reason I've started to watch it and I'm nowhere near even the 25% mark, but I'll ease my way through in multiple sessions.

stories to om-nom-nom next

Hello Kitty Island Adventure: Imagination Celebration Event

Not quite sure how much story they're gonna put into this event, but I hope that there's a good bit in it because there's castles and cute lil medieval fairy tale vibe type costumes involved, and also they're calling Kuromi "Spooky Queen Kuromi" so there's gotta be something there, right?

The Bricklayer

Honestly I just wanna watch this because Nina Dobrev's in it. I barely even remember what was in the trailer.

That's all for this week. Considering that I'm on vacation mode, chances are next week's post is gonna be even longer than this. I apologize in advance 🫡

[a-bucket-full-of-feels]

A retrospective look on Hibike! Euphonium S1&2 and what it means to me

"Because I like the Euphonium."

Amidst Hibike S3 airing in 2024, I decided to binge re-watch the first 2 seasons because it had been a long while since then. I've first watched season 1 some time after it aired (maybe in 2016?), and followed season 2 during its original run in 2016. Back then, I had just started university and fresh out of junior college. I played in a music ensemble in junior college and took part in an inter-school music competition (actually it wasn't so much of a competition but there was judging involved), so when I watched both seasons, it filled me with a fresh sense of nostalgia for those days that passed not too long ago. And now, as a 27 year old watching this series and living vicariously through the characters once again, while the experience is pretty much similar, my perspective towards this story feels somewhat different.

Throughout the series, it explores the question of "why do I play music?" through the lens of different characters. And though the motivation for each character is different - for example, Midori plays the contrabass simply because she loves music, Reina plays the trumpet to become special, and Mizore plays the oboe to be connected with her best friend Nozomi - it ultimately boils down to this: because they love their instrument. And because they love their instrument, it ultimately motivates them to continue playing in the band and reaching for the top despite the journey not being easy.

As an outsider looking into a music club, it can seem absurd how these kids can spend hours several times in a week devoted to gruelling practice sessions, all for the performance for 2 pieces lasting less than 15 minutes in total. And for most of these kids, the time spent in club activities won't have a direct impact in their future, in for example, preparing for college/university admission exams, unless they're going to music school. But having lived through that same experience myself, at that moment when you're preparing for that performance, you're just so emotionally invested in it, and what I absolutely love about Hibike is that it makes that passion feel so palpable.

At the same time, what makes Hibike especially compelling for me is how real it feels. Nobody is a true antagonist in the series, and everybody has their own motivations and backstory that you can empathise with, which makes the disappointments all the more heartwrenching. In particular, one story arc I didn't expect to hit me this hard during my re-watch was the Reina vs Kaori solo audition. Although Reina was more deserving of the solo based on merit and skill, I could feel Kaori's determination and even desperation to get the solo, being a third year student and being denied a chance to play solos in her junior years even though she was better because the band prioritised seniority over skill. And when she finally heard Reina's audition in front of everyone, the realisation hits her, and when Taki asks her if she would play the solo, she responds calmly "I won't, I can't". And at that moment, the anguish of it all just hit me. Perhaps having lived through my schooling/undergraduate days, the feeling of wanting to achieve certain goals or go through experiences but falling short of the chance to do so, knowing that you'll never get to do that again because you're only a student once... At that moment, I really felt for Kaori more than ever.

Ultimately, Hibike is an extremely poignant series for me because it so beautifully captures that fleeting moment of how it's like to be so invested an after-school activity, purely because you like it. When I went to university, like Kumiko, I was ambivalent about joining back the same music band that I once did in junior college, and wanted to try out another club that seemed more meaningful and looked better on my resume. I did both eventually, but the only club I stuck through till my final year was the music one, simply due to one reason - because I like my instrument. And now as a working adult, as I look back on my schooling days, the best moments of my life were definitely not sitting in class with my head spinning in increasingly difficult accounting lessons, but instead spending my days practicing and performing music with the band.

And it's that same sense of nostalgia and wistfulness that I felt as I re-watched Hibike - experiencing the characters go through their high school days preparing for the band competition, knowing at the back of their mind that these are the last few years they can do something they're passionate about, before becoming an adult with a boring job and caught up with real responsibilities. As I think about Asuka's farewell with Kumiko, and the third years realising that after the competition, it is truly the end of their concert band days, it hurts not only because of my emotional attachment to these characters, but the feeling of closing a chapter of your life in school is bittersweet.

To wrap this all up, when I first watched Hibike, I didn't expect myself to be so invested in it. I watched it because it was about high school band which was sort of relatable to my experience, and also the few Kumiko/Reina scenes I saw seemed very cute. But right now, Hibike is one of my all-time favourite anime series - its story is told with so much love and attention to detail by KyoAni, and this has truly made it a special series for me.

[uebermacht]

Games I played in 2024

Because there is no such thing as a gaming wrapped, I made one myself. No particular reason for it, I guess I just feel somewhat nostalgic nearing the end of the year.

A little bit of a review below the cut for those who are interested.

Genshin Impact: Yes, I'm playing this game for years now and yes, I'm aware of all the controversies and no, I don't agree with all of the decisions they amde. But I never gave it a single dollar and I enjoy it for probably different reasons than anyone else. It's a very comfortable after-work game to relax in the evening, and I plan on keeping it that way.

Persona 5 (Royal): Stated it last year, finished it in January or so. Absolutely fantastic game, I adored the music, general vibes and UI, as a first time Persona player it was very exciting, great times! Although I felt that it was slightly too long for my tastes, near the end I could feel myself losing interest, but that's maybe my own fault for binging every game and not switching it up.

Persona 4 (Golden): After 5, I immediately continued with this one. The vibe was totally different, I got this really comfortable feeling of nostalgia for a past I didn't have, it's really hard to describe. My biggest gripe with it was probably that the expansion elements felt really tacked on and didn't connect with the main game as much and, just like in 5, the length. But I still greatly enjoyed it overall.

Paper Mario TTYD Remake: There's not much to say, just relived fun memories and it's a solid remake that fixed some of more tedious aspects of the base game (btw, Vivian is now canonically trans in the german version, too).

Master Detective Archives; Raincode: From the desk of Kozataku Kodaka of Danganronpa fame came this new franchise, but you can immediately tell that it's from the same people. There are a lot of similar storytelling elements and gameplay mechanics, but there were a few things that were refreshing and interesting, mainly the worldbuilding and the exploration part. I liked it, despite some subjective flaws in character writing and some squandered opportunities.

Higurashi: This absolute behemoth of a story took most of my gaming time this year, it's not even close. I reviewed each chapter already so just a quick note: I liked it, great mystery story with some horror elements and cool core themes.

Gone Home: This and the following games were on my to play list for years and I finally got around to tackle a few of the shorter ones. All in all great experience. An interesting thing was the vibes being strangely eerie at times despite it being a chill narrative-based story game without any threats.

White Shadows: A short puzzle platformer inspired by Limbo. Nice experience for the most part, especially if you like this monochrome style (and hate capitalism).

A Juggler's Tale: Another short and beautifully designed puzzle platformer with an interesting twist.

Forgotton Anne: Only played for a brief time for reasons unrelated to the game. Seemed really interesting, gave me big old-time Disney or Ghibli movie vibes, will continue eventually.

The Unfinished Swan: Yet another puzzle game with creative narrative and stylistic choices, maybe you can guess my tastes already.

Tacoma: From the same developers as Gone Home, another exploration-based storygame, but this time with more interactivity and a more futuristic topic.

Control: I'm currently about 80% through the game, and my biggest takeaway is this: I actually like brutalism in architecture. The game itself is cool too so far.

AI; The Somnium Files: Another foray into a new franchise from an unhinged Japanese writer, this time Kotaru Uchikoshi, writer of the Nonary Games. I only recently started it but so far, I actually like it better then the older games, mainly because some of the more exaggerated character quirks and tropes of those games (that I didn't always enjoy that much) have been toned down a lot and the story feels a lot more grounded.

[pingwen]

11 and 4 for the end of year ask game!!! :]

And my movie of the year iiiiiissssssssss....... (drummedroll)

YEAH IT'S WICKED

There were some actually good movies this year (Transformers One was SO much fun and sparked a Transformers hyperfixation among me and my friends that's been a blast to talk about) But. Wicked. Come on. A movie musical that FEELS like watching a musical! And I got to see it with my family and one of my best friends and my partner and we ALL loved it!!! The movie was a joy and getting to go see it with everyone is a new treasured memory! 💚

Uh, caveat. Sonic 3's not out yet, but that's probably going to take over the #1 spot. And if the entirety of Murderdrones, when binged, counted as a single film, it would also shoot up to #1.

OKAY NOW FOR A THING I WANNA DO AGAIN NEXT YEAR:

I tried to think of something fun. But everything Fun I did this year is either stuff I'm DEFINITELY going to do again next year without really trying (drive a zamboni, set up a rec center event, write an SCP, write a wiki article) or stuff I CAN'T or SHOULDN'T do again (get a new job that I like, attend a sibling's graduation.) So, I'm sorry for keeping this broad:

I wanna do something new again!

2023 was a bit of a nostalgia overload for me, going back to places I've been before, living in my childhood home again, and... I've learned nostalgia wears thin after a while. The first half of 2024 was kinda awful for me specifically because I didn't get to have new experiences, or at least they were few and far between, but... then I got my new job! And learned to do new things! And... I wanna keep that ball rolling!

[tinygmusic]

BTS' V To Unveil Jazz Pop Collaboration “Winter Ahead (with Park Hyo Shin)”

Rosa Gulliver of TINYGMUSIC | November 22, 2024

V (Kim Taehyung) announces the release of his new digital single, "Winter Ahead (with PARK HYO SHIN)."

Through an announcement today via the global fandom platform Weverse and BTS' official social media channels, BIGHIT MUSIC revealed that V’s digital single "Winter Ahead (with PARK HYO SHIN)" will soon be released, continuing his tradition of releases that evoke the feeling of winter, such as "Snow Flower," "Christmas Tree," and "wherever u r (ft. V of BTS)." This year, V returns with a collaboration that perfectly captures the end-of-year spirit with South Korean ballad singer Park Hyo Shin, known for his powerful and emotive voice. Their voices come together to beautifully capture the warmth and nostalgia of the season.

“Winter Ahead (with PARK HYO SHIN)” was inspired by V’s wish for his fans to have a warm and joyful winter. A jazz enthusiast, V reached out to Park Hyo Shin, with whom he has a longstanding friendship, to propose the idea of creating a winter-themed single. Park Hyo Shin happily took part to create a jazz pop track that reflects both of their tastes, shaped by thoughtful development and careful attention to every detail over time.

The evocative lyrics were written by Jesse Harris, known for penning Norah Jones' hit "Don’t Know Why." The poetic words blend seamlessly with the warm melody, while the smooth, soothing vocals of V and Park Hyo Shin bring a comforting sense of warmth to listeners.

Setting the stage for the holiday season, “Winter Ahead (with PARK HYO SHIN)” arrives just one week before the highly anticipated release of “White Christmas (with V of BTS),” V’s duet with the legendary Bing Crosby, dropping on December 6. “White Christmas,” originally released in 1942 by Bing Crosby and beloved worldwide, will be brought to life again by V with his unique touch to this timeless classic to deliver warmth and joy just in time for the holidays. 

“Winter Ahead (with PARK HYO SHIN)” will be available on all streaming platforms worldwide on November 29 at 2 PM KST.

About V of BTS

V (Kim, Taehyung) is a South Korean singer, songwriter and member of 21st century pop icons, BTS.  Known for his captivating charm and distinct low pitch voice, V enriches the sound of BTS’ music. His solo discography includes “Stigma,” “Singularity” and “Inner Child.” He demonstrated his song-writing capabilities with “4 O’CLOCK,” “Scenery,” “Winter Bear,” “Blue & Grey,” and “Snow Flower.” He also participated in original soundtracks for Korean TV series, including “Even If I Die, It’s You” (‘Hwarang: The Poet Warrior Youth’ OST), “Sweet Night” (‘Itaewon Class’ OST) and “Christmas Tree” (‘Our Beloved Summer’ OST), broadening his musical scope. With the release of his first solo album Layover (2023), which debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200, and digital single “FRI(END)S” (2024), V has solidified his recognition as a solo artist, showcasing his soulful vocals and unique style that reinforce his status as a fashion icon.

About BTS

BTS, an acronym of Bangtan Sonyeondan or “Beyond the Scene,” are a GRAMMY-nominated South Korean boyband that has been capturing the hearts of millions of fans globally since their debut in June 2013. The members of BTS are RM, Jin, SUGA, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook. Gaining recognition for their authentic and self-produced music, top-notch performances, and the way they interact with their fans, the band has established themselves as 21st century pop icons breaking countless world records. While imparting a positive influence through activities such as the LOVE MYSELF campaign and the UN ‘Speak Yourself’ speech, the band has mobilised millions of fans across the world (named ARMY), collected six No.1 Billboard Hot 100 singles since 2020, and performed multiple sold-out stadium shows across the world. They were also named TIME’s Entertainer of the Year 2020. BTS are 5-time GRAMMY nominees (63rd to 65th GRAMMY Awards) and have been recognised with numerous prestigious awards like the Billboard Music Awards, American Music Awards (Artist of the Year 2021) and MTV Video Music Awards.

Keep up with V

Instagram

Weverse

Spotify

Apple Music

Amazon Music

DEEZER

genie

Melon

TIDAL

YouTube Music

Keep up with BTS

Instagram

X (Twitter)

Facebook

TikTok

YouTube

Website

Weverse

Spotify

Apple Music

Amazon Music

DEEZER

genie

Melon

TIDAL

iTunes Store

YouTube Music

[moyra-moyu]

Concept Art - Nostalgia and Memory#1

The theme of this work is nostalgia and memory, I remember a lot of things when I was a child, but unfortunately, most of the things in my memory are sad and sad, I wanted to change the theme, at first, I thought that when I was in elementary school, I once created a fantasy creature with my friends, just like Bing Bong, a fantasy creature in Inside Out.

But I didn't go deeper, I recalled that when I was a child, every time I had the Lantern Festival, part of my annual income would be used to create a gorgeous fireworks show in my community. It was the most beautiful fireworks I can remember, and the brilliant sparks stretched across the sky, enduring and colorful. The whole fireworks show will last for thirty or forty minutes, and I remember that the finale fireworks will explode, and then the folded lanterns inside the fireworks will open and fall from the sky, and they will flutter and fall in the air like stars in the sky. When I was younger, I really wanted a lantern like that, and I thought it would bring me good luck for the year.

So I created this concept based on this memory, and I wanted it to be as beautiful and memorable as the last way the protagonist in CoCo to meet his loved ones, shining in the night. I have referred to a lot of pictures and styles of Chinese lanterns, and in my mind, the crowd walking on a covered bridge full of lanterns is like walking on a bridge back to the past, it should be colorful, beautiful, and pleasant, and I want to bring good feelings to my audience.

These are the references I was looking for.

Club Penguin Wiki contributors. (n.d.). Bing Bong.https://clu.fandom.com/wiki/Bing_Bong

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Coco (2017 film). Wikipedia. Retrieved October 17, 2024, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coco_(2017_film)

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Inside Out (2015 film). Wikipedia. Retrieved October 17, 2024, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inside_Out_(2015_film)

[anantadiai]

Understanding Viewer Behavior in the Streaming Era: 2024

In 2024, the streaming landscape continues to evolve rapidly. For content creators, marketers, and platform developers, understanding viewer behavior is key to success. This guide explores the factors influencing streaming content consumption this year.

The Shifting Sands of Streaming Consumption

Multi-Platform Viewing: Viewers now switch between smartphones, tablets, smart TVs, and laptops, expecting a consistent experience across all devices.

Binge-Watching vs. Weekly Releases: While binge-watching remains popular, some platforms find success with weekly release models, fostering anticipation and community discussions.

Niche Content Platforms: Platforms catering to specific interests are gaining loyal audiences by offering curated content often overlooked by major players.

Demographic Shifts Driving Change

Gen Z and Millennials: These streaming natives prefer personalization, interactive features, and short-form content.

Older Generations: Increased streaming adoption among older demographics is driven by user-friendly interfaces and nostalgia-focused content.

Content is King: What Viewers Want

Original Content: Exclusive, high-quality original shows and movies attract subscribers.

Nostalgia Factor: Reboots and spin-offs of beloved franchises resonate well with viewers.

Global Content: International shows like "Squid Game" are breaking language barriers, with viewers more open to subtitled or dubbed productions.

Technology Shaping Viewer Habits

5G Networks: The adoption of 5G has boosted mobile streaming with higher speeds and lower latency.

Smart TVs: These devices have become central to home entertainment, driving further cord-cutting trends.

AI-Driven Personalization: AI is enhancing hyper-personalized content recommendations, keeping viewers engaged.

The Social Streaming Experience

Second-Screen Engagement: Viewers use social media to discuss shows in real-time, enhancing their viewing experience.

Virtual Watch Parties: These have become mainstream, allowing friends to watch and interact together online.

User-Generated Content: Streaming services are encouraging user-generated content related to popular shows, boosting engagement.

Ad Consumption in the Streaming World

Ad-Supported Tiers: As subscription fatigue sets in, viewers are opting for cheaper, ad-supported plans, prompting the creation of more engaging ad experiences.

Interactive Advertising: There is a rise in interactive ads that allow direct viewer engagement.

Subscription Strategies and Viewer Loyalty

Subscription Stacking: Viewers are subscribing to multiple services to access their favorite content, driving competition among platforms.

Battling Churn: Platforms are using data analytics to predict and prevent cancellations, offering personalized content and incentives.

Privacy and Regulation

Balancing Personalization vs. Privacy: Platforms must offer personalized experiences while respecting user privacy concerns.

Regulatory Impact: New privacy regulations are leading to more transparent data practices and greater user control over information.

Looking Ahead: The Future of Streaming

Industry Consolidation: Increased competition may lead to mergers and acquisitions, resulting in fewer but more comprehensive streaming options.

Creator-Driven Content Models: New models are emerging where creators have more control over production and distribution, disrupting traditional systems.

Conclusion: Adapting to the Ever-Changing Streaming Landscape

Success in the streaming industry in 2024 hinges on understanding viewer behavior. From technological advancements to shifting demographics, adaptability is crucial. Content creators must stay attuned to audience preferences, while platforms should focus on providing seamless, personalized experiences while respecting privacy.

By keeping a finger on the pulse of viewer behavior, industry players can position themselves for the next wave of innovation in digital entertainment. More Details

[appsworldforever]

Disney+: A Magical Portal to Endless Entertainment 2024

In the competitive realm of streaming services, Disney+ Apk has quickly emerged as a beloved platform that not only celebrates nostalgia but also charts new frontiers in entertainment.

Launched by the Walt Disney Company in November 2019, Disney+ has rapidly grown into a cultural phenomenon, captivating audiences worldwide with its vast library of beloved classics, original content, and the promise of immersive storytelling.

A Treasure Trove of Timeless Classics

From Mickey Mouse to Marvel superheroes, Disney+ transports viewers into a world where timeless classics come alive. The platform boasts an extensive collection of animated masterpieces, including beloved Disney films like "The Lion King," "Beauty and the Beast," and "Aladdin." For those seeking a trip down memory lane or introducing iconic stories to a new generation, Disney+ offers unparalleled access to the magical legacy of Disney animation.

The Marvel Cinematic Universe and Beyond

Beyond animated classics, Disney+ serves as the ultimate destination for Marvel enthusiasts. As the exclusive streaming home for the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), fans can binge-watch their favorite superhero adventures, from "Iron Man" to "Avengers: Endgame." Original series like "WandaVision," "Loki," and "The Falcon and The Winter Soldier" expand the MCU narrative, offering deeper insights into beloved characters and introducing new ones.

Star Wars Saga and Galactic Adventures

For fans of a galaxy far, far away, Disney+ delivers an epic journey through the Star Wars universe. The platform hosts all nine Skywalker saga films, spin-offs like "Rogue One" and "Solo," and critically acclaimed series such as "The Mandalorian." With upcoming series like "Obi-Wan Kenobi" and "Ahsoka," Disney+ continues to enrich the Star Wars mythos, captivating audiences with compelling storytelling and groundbreaking visual effects.

Original Content: From Imaginative Worlds to Real-Life Inspirations

Beyond its rich catalog of classics and beloved franchises, Disney+ has made a name for itself with a robust lineup of original content. From heartwarming family dramas to adventurous documentaries, original series like "The Mandalorian," "High School Musical: The Musical: The Series," and "The Imagineering Story" showcase Disney's commitment to innovative storytelling across diverse genres and demographics.

A Platform for Everyone

With a user-friendly interface and robust parental controls, Disney+ caters to viewers of all ages, ensuring a safe and enjoyable streaming experience for families and individuals alike. Subscribers can create personalized profiles, curate watchlists, and download content for offline viewing, making Disney+ a versatile companion whether at home or on the go.

Future Endeavors and Innovations

Looking ahead, Disney+ continues to expand its content library with new original series, films, and specials. The platform's collaboration with Pixar Animation Studios, National Geographic, and 20th Century Studios promises to deliver even more diverse and compelling stories, further solidifying Disney+ as a leading player in the streaming landscape.

Conclusion

Disney+ stands at the intersection of nostalgia and innovation, offering a seamless blend of beloved classics and cutting-edge entertainment. With its unparalleled collection of Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and National Geographic content, the platform captivates audiences of all ages, inviting them to embark on unforgettable journeys through timeless stories and imaginative worlds.

As Disney+ continues to grow and evolve, it remains dedicated to enchanting viewers with magical moments, heroic adventures, and heartwarming tales that resonate across generations. Whether you're reliving cherished memories or discovering new favorites, Disney+ promises to be a magical portal to endless entertainment, where the power of storytelling knows no bounds.

[twobillionseconds]

May 24th - May 27th 2024

May 24th:

Friday woo hoo. I can't remember much. I did some work. I went to the gym for sure. For dinner I met up with a buddy of mine. He had a grad school buddy visiting. We decided to show him around San Diego. We hung out at a bar that had a virtual golf studio. Learned how to swing. After we went to another bar. Since my buddy is getting divorced he is unleashing the beast so to speak. After that bar we went downtown and hit up couple places. The night ended up meeting some random people.

May 25th:

Woke up relatively early but I went back to sleep. Had a late start to the day as expected. I did some errands around the house. Took the dog for a long walk. Made myself some lunch at home. Since it was a Saturday night they wanted to go out again. So we started out at a bar with some pool tables to get the night rolling. After we hit up more places down in other parts of the city. It was one hell of a night. It was a tamer night for me because I was the DD. For my buddies, they definitely had their fill of liquor for sure. One of my buddies threw up a couple times. Made sure they got home safe and I chilled at home.

May 26th:

Woke up late as expected. Did the usual things, like walking the dog and what not. I went for a run in the afternoon. I just needed a good cardio session. After I cleaned up and met up at another buddies' place. A few of the guys got together to hear my buddy's story from Vegas. We chilled in the hot tub for a while. After a few of us got dinner and hung out for a bit. A lot tamer night.

May 27th:

Woke up later. Not as late as the nights before. Going out on the weekends is a young man's game. Anyway did the usual things. Today is a holiday so no work. Thank god. I needed today to just recover. I just hung around the house. Took the dog to the beach and the park. Sort of a reward for putting up with my weird schedule this weekend. In the evening the damn YouTube algorithm put this fitness instructor's video and I have been binge watching that. I gotta get ready for my trip. Headed to the bay and then to Japan.

I'm just thinking right now. It's almost 11:30 and I am listening to some pensive music. Worse time to listen to this stuff because your mind leads you down into some rabbit holes. One of the videos that had the music on had this picture of what appeared to be 4 teenagers walking around dusk along a coast some where. It brought back memories of when I was in high school and college where I did that stuff with friends.

Nostalgia. Powerful emotion. In some ways those were some of the best times of my life. There was a level of innocence and naivety that in some ways I really miss. I remember in high school we would sneak out and take our parents cars and just drive around town and to the beach. The summers were the best because at night the temperature would be just right. We would park somewhere by the beach and hang out til 3 or 4 in the morning so that we can sneak back in. I still have to say that the summer after high school graduation was one of the best summers I've experienced. I wish I could go back to that. I wish I took pictures of it. I just have to dig through my mind and draw the pictures mentally.

College was pretty good too. Made friends that I still talk to today. Actually all the people that I am thinking about right now I still maintain contact. We try to get together when we can, but you know life happens.

I guess I am pretty blessed to have met the people that I consider close friends. The fact that we still talk to each other even though it's periodical. Life's short. You just gotta enjoy it to the best you can. I am of the belief that at the end of your life your success should be measured by how many people will be at your funeral. Whether it be children, grandchildren, other relatives, friends or whoever it maybe, I think the saddest part is to have nothing to show for. Then again in a 100 years everyone who attended your funeral will be long gone too and no one will even remember who you were. Well, I guess it doesn't matter how you go.

Anyway. I know I was very stupid in my younger days, but I wish I could relive it too. For the most part I actually like my life right now, but I know that this too will not last. The only thing that I wish I had were a couple kids. The wife and I have been struggling for the past 4 or 5 years with this. I know that there is a good chance that we will never experience the joys and sorrows of parenthood, but we are still fighting the best we can. The odds aren't favorable.

Because of this I feel like just saying fuck it and let me just experience all the pleasures of life. We've been doing the whole fertility thing for a long time. It's frustrating as hell. I fucked up a lot. I'm trying to be better. I'll keep on fighting. I tend to get nihilistic, but you know, in the face of completely meaningless void, I rather go out fighting for things that I want than to just lie still and have the universe happen to me. It's a stupid position because if it doesn't matter then why bother? But something in me keeps wanting to fight. You gotta fight. If you can move and do something about it, you have to fight. That's at least my philosophy.

[maximuswolf]

What's your most recent nostalgia binge game?

What's your most recent nostalgia binge game? I recently got a ROM on my phone for the Gameboy Color game "Pokemon Trading Card Game". Its a blast from the past. What are you guys into? Submitted May 09, 2024 at 10:29AM by oldreddit_isbetter https://ift.tt/yUjYoXP via /r/gaming

[invisiblegarters]

GMMTV 2024 Part II Thoughts

Okay watched all the trailers now and here is how I fall:

Fully Seated:

Re-Vamp. this looks like it could be the tragic romance type and honestly, here for it. The last time I had a good tragedy was Eternal Yesterday I am ready to be broken again. Plus as I said when the first mock trailer aired the whole aesthetic really suits everyone. This is tied for my most anticipated show of 2024 with

Us. Oh my god I am so here for this it looks so delicious give it to me now. I love everything about the trailer, no notes, if we get this and Pluto in 2024 this will be the best year ever. I assume we'll get this more towards the end of the year (if not the beginning of next year) but that's fine, just please don't change too much of it because what we have looks great. And it's not highschool! Look I'm loving 23.5 but I also want some messy lesbians on my screen please.

The Heart Killers. I can't pretend that this doesn't look like a hot mess but I also won't pretend that the type of mess isn't right up my alley. God help me I love a good honeytrap, and if we have First's character honeytrapping Khao's to get him arrested or whatever but also getting Dunk's character to honeytrap Joong's so that he can commence with the first honeytrap...yep. My kind of mess. Plus I just genuinely want to see First being the one chasing for once. I want him all flirty, I know he's got it in him, and I'm tired of the usual configuration with Khao (I say after two shows, lol. What can I say I get bored quick).

Friendshit Forever. Speaking of toxic. Pat is amazing and I love her and that alone would have me seated, but Mook too? I'm there. Also pleased to see Boun in one of these already although in my heart of hearts what I want to see most is him in something with First oh shut up the heart wants what it wants

Hide & SIs. Jan and Lookjun being awful? Toxic families and fucked up relationships and someone (or several someones) doing a murder? Like, come on. Of course I'll be tuning in.

Half Seated:

Leap Day. Let's actually call this one three quarters seated. My butt is almost completely on the chair but I haven't settled into it yet. Mostly it's because right I want to watch just for Gun, and I'm not sure it's worth that yet. The plot itself isn't making me excited at the moment.

Ossan's Love. This looks ridiculous. I have never seen the OG and I have also not heard good things but well. I like Earth and Mix and I like seeing Earth playing a goof. We'll see.

Heart That Skips a Beat. I don't know. The trailer looked good and I love a good two people from different worlds collide sort of story, and I also like when shows tackle some of the issues of the industry, in this case the weird rules around idols and having, you know, lives. That said, I wasn't grabbed to the point that I know I'll be showing up, so it's on my tentative list for now.

Sweet Tooth, Good Dentist. I love Mark and that will probably be enough to make me tune in but the only thing I remember about the trailer is the beginning with the vlogging and while my found footage loving heart adores that out of horror flicks, it's not really for me in BL. I have tried Gameboys and See You After Quarantine and that other one from the Philippines and while they were fine they were not my bag. But Mark. So yeah I'll probably wind up watching regardless but in terms of grabbing me, no. Sorry.

In the Same Room, at Least:

(Meaning that sure, if I'm bored or the official trailer looks good I might binge it later)

The Ex Morning. Look. I love Singto and Krist grew on me in Be My Favorite. That said I hated SOTUS. SO this doesn't even get the nostalgia factor for me. If I hear a lot of good things maybe.

Perfect10 Liners. Looks like too much to cover so it'll probably wind up being a mess in the bad way. I like all the couples but yeah. It just looks like We Are part II. Not for me although I can't say I won't eventually watch the whole thing some lazy Saturday.

TV Firmly Turned Off:

Break Up Service, Dark Dice, Scarlet Heart. There were trailers (except for the last one which was just a concept). I remember nothing (except the last one because it was just a concept). Enough said.

Final Thoughts:

I genuinely can't believe two non-BL shows made my top list but here we are, I guess.

I'm very curious to see which of these actually get made in 2024. If I had to guess, I'd say all the het ones, Revamp, The Heart Killers or Perfect10, and probably The Ex Morning. The rest will go to 2025 or the discard pile.

But please remember that I am not good at this lol.