#redline reviews

[kujopher]

Trava: Fist Planet DVD, special edition.

I lucked out and got this gem on my 20th birthday, which is today. There aren't many pictures of the figures or the booklet, so I thought I'd share some photos. Im very happy that the back part of the figure packaging simply slides out, so nothing was damaged.

[beyondthegate]

We hope you're excited - tomorrow's Redline review is ready and raring to go!

[lewisclarkmate]

Redline movie review - originally published on Anime Picks 9/11/2011

Redline follows the story of ‘Sweet’ JP as he competes to become the king of Redline; an extreme, no-holds-barred race that takes place on the dangerous planet Roboworld. JP originally competes in Yellowline but suffers an engine explosion just as he approaches the finish line -costing him the race. When Redline is announced and the venue decided as Roboworld, JP gets his break when another competitor pulls out thus qualifying JP for Redline. With the help of his chief mechanic and team boss, JP’s custom Trans AM is modified to allow him to compete against the tougher competition.

The central focus in Redline is racing, and you’ve never seen racing like it. This is some of the most visceral speed put to film and is complimented by a thumping soundtrack and blistering sound that really makes you feel like your ears are being pulled off by the shear speed of the cars as they blitz past.

Thankfully, it’s bolstered by some of the most interesting and fleshed out characters you will ever meet. This is also down to the fact that most of these characters come from different planets! The variety of different aliens and creatures makes for some surreal viewing. Redline introduces you to bipedal dogs, lobster-men who can eat an entire course in one bite, wise-cracking bird-people looking to tout tickets to the nearest sucker and a psychotically depressed sales-thingy looking to make a quick buck. Redline really has one of the most unique worlds you will ever experience.

Luckily this is bolstered by some fantastic writing that fleshes each character out. JP is a suave, cocky and fun-loving character who hides a dirty secret. His on-screen presence is overwhelmingly cool, but his care-free attitude makes him incredibly endearing.

His love interest Sonoshee is a beautiful woman who doesn’t have time for men. Sonoshee’s obsession is cars and winning Redline no matter what it takes. However, she doesn’t understand how much she really needs JP. JP and Sonoshee’s relationship fleshes out the middle of the film and allows you to connect to the characters. This makes the final race at Redline even more exciting as you now have characters with back-stories to connect to and trust me, you will be rooting for these characters when you see the mayhem they have to face.

The on screen carnage is magnificent to experience. Madhouse‘s animation is slick, detailed and fantastically vibrant. Redline does not conform to any style but its own and it looks brilliantly original because of it. It’s also one of the few animes you’ll want to watch with the Japanese dub because the mouths are actually animated to match the voices. No offence to the English dub which does a fantastic job regardless, the Japanese dub clearly matches the characters as they speak. Enough cannot be said about the level of detail that Madhouse have gone to in regards to its presentation.

This also follows onto the sound which is of an equally high standard. The soundtrack is full of heavy electronica and the pumping beats that match the relentless pace of the races perfectly. This is a masterfully composed soundtrack that suits the action and heightens the experience of watching these amazing races to a whole other level. As we mentioned earlier, the sound effects are equally visceral as blaring engines whoosh past you at 200 miles per hour. They’re even further complimented by the use of surround sound that gives the film added depth. This is instantly noticeable as you listen to the vehicles speed towards you from a distance. This has to be one of the most well presented animated films I’ve ever experienced.

Redline is a stunning movie and the sort of film you pay that little bit extra to see at the cinema. The races are thrilling, the animation is unique, the characters are superbly well written and the soundtrack is brilliant. It’s incredibly well paced with a slower middle that builds on its characters and makes the races that little bit more exciting. Do not miss an opportunity to see Redline, it’s one of the best Japanese movie experiences in years.

https://web.archive.org/web/20120516115711/http://animepicks.co.uk/2011/11/redline/

[h0neyfreak]

***

[imalloutofgin]

Long time, no see...

Hello friends, I have been watching things this whole time I promise! I have finally graduated from my masters degree and will hopefully post a lot more frequently... But I am considering moving to video form. What do the few of you that actually read these think? Anyways, here's some mini reviews!

American Psycho (2000): Absolutely amazing, very funny while also being harrowing. I cannot comprehend how so many misunderstood this brilliant satire. 5/5

A Simple Favour (2018): Very fun. I adore Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively in this. THE OUTFITS! Recommend for a relaxed watch. 3/5 stars.

The End of Evangelion (1997): I would love all this symbolism if it had any other meaning besides "Catholicism looks cool". Great imagery with nothing to say. 2.5/5 stars.

Redline (2009): Good, but too over the top for me to really love it. My girlfriend was a big fan though. 2/5 stars.

Gentlemen Prefer Blondes (1953): I was going to give this film 4/5 stars but I actually can't stop thinking about it and I've watched it twice through. Really fun, great quotes, Marilyn Monroe at her finest. 5/5 stars.

Lady Bird (2017): I sobbed like a baby. This affected me in ways I can't fully articulate. What a painful and accurate depiction of a strained mother and daughter relationship. 5/5 stars.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016): A fun romp, but nothing to write home about. 3/5 stars.

Oceans 8 (2018): Looking at my notes I've given it 2.5/5 stars but I don't remember it being *that bad*. Certainly nowhere near as good as Ocean's 11... I did have fun though. 2.5/5 stars.

The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (2023): The more I think about this movie, the more mad I get. The book slaps - it's about fascism and it says something about power. The movie is about a guy falling in love with his tribute and he's a bad guy, actually. 1/5 stars.

Talk To Me (2022): What an amazing Australian film! Great music, awesome concept, and Australian as fuck. I would have liked there to be a bit more of an intense tone shift to create more fear, but other than that, basically perfect. 4.5/5 stars.

I have more reviews coming, so stay tuned!

[yesterdanereviews]

Redline (2009)

Film review #605

Director: Takeshi Koike

SYNOPSIS: In the future, the most thrilling race in the galaxy is held every five years. racer JP manages to qualify for the race after other competitors drop out, and must risk his life in the ultimate race...

THOUGHTS/ANALYSIS: Redline is a 2009 animated sci-fi film. The film is set in the future, where the ultimate race in the galaxy has competitors fight to the finish line by any means necessary; risking their lives to achieve fame and riches. One of these racers is JP, who manages to qualify for the redline race, even though he crashed out of the previous race, since other racers withdrew because of the race taking place on Roboworld, where the the rulers will attempt to stop the race by any means necessary. The film starts off with the preliminary race and we immediately get the full force of the movie: high speed and explosion that never misses a beat. This is where the film's strengths really shine, as the animation is smooth, colourful, and detailed. The film is composed of over one hundred thousand hand-drawn frames, and is quite an feat to pull off, however it certainly seems worth the effort.

The weakness in the story comes in the middle part of the film, where there is no racing, and the film relies on character interaction and development. This isn't completely void of interest, but it does feel like the film is padding itself out a little before the big race, and there's no real impactful relationships between the characters. There's some hint of a past between JP and Sonoshi, another racer in the redline race, but it's never really resolved or impacts the story, which is odd. The romance element again doesn't feel earned between them. When the racing picks up again though, you're treated to an intense display of speed, action and well choreographed set pieces that will make you quickly forget all of that. The influence of futuristic video games such as Wipeout and F-Zero are also easy to spot, as the high speed, high stakes racing combined with the colourful and varied character designs such as you might see in F-Zero, add some real variety and visual appeal to the film, even if you're not really given much backstory to their characters or the universe in general.

Overall, Redline is at its best when is being a general assault on your senses: when it's fast, loud and violent, it's captivating and a thrill to watch. The set pieces, pacing, and scale again give the film an epic feel. The film does slow down a bit during the middle, and fails to really cement much character development or raise the stakes personally for them. None of that really matters much though, as the film shines where it needs to when the race is on and the action is high.

[ballingb-a-g-s]

This is as negative as any of my reviews are going to get any worse and IL just give it the stars

[109inthesky]

Danger Days terminology and phrases

If you see any errors, or have a definition for something that I do not, feel free to inform me.

This is entirely based in canon. I have listed the sources below each term. Sources not included for frequently encountered terms (e.g. BLI).

This is currently a WIP. Lore videos have yet to be reviewed for information.

Amnesia

BLI medication used to reset people. Source: Comics

Analog Wars

A war between the rebels and BLI, prior to the events of the album. Source: Comics

Bat City

Abbreviation of “Battery City”. Source: Comics

Blackbird

BLI worker. Source: Comics, ‘S/C/A/R/E/C/R/O/W’

B.L.I., BL/ind

Better Living Industries

Carbon

Currency in the Zones Source: Comics

C.A.T.

A BLI nuclear tracking device that looks like a cat, with cameras as eyes. Source: Comics

Clap

Run-in, fight. Source: ‘Traffic Report’

Crash-queen

An outgoing Killjoy (e.g. used to describe Val Velocity). Source: ‘Look Alive, Sunshine’, Comics

Colour

Life (e.g. “gave their colours”). Source: Comics

Costa Rica

Go badly. Source: ‘Traffic Report’

Crow

BLI worker. Source: Comics

Death disco

A fight. Source: Comics

Dr Death, Dr D, D

Dr Death Defying

Dust darlings

Killjoys. Source: Comics

Dusted

Killed Source: Comics, ‘Traffic Report’

Fashion flood fest

A party/rave/concert Source: Comics

Ghosted, to ghost

Shot, to shoot. Source: ‘Traffic Report’, Comics

Ghoster

Gun. Source: Comics

Graffiti Bible

The book written by the droids describing how Destroya came to be and the prophecy about his return. Source: Comics

Have a better day

BLI overuses the word “better”, especially in positive contexts. This is a common phrase they use. Source: Comics, video media

Hit the red/redline

Run away. Source: ‘Traffic Report’, Comics

Killjoys never die

N/A Source: Comics

Killologist

A term for Scarecrows, used by BLI. Source: Comics

Lethal injection

Gunshot. Only seen being used by BLI in canon sources. Source: Comics

Look alive, sunshine

The opening of Dr Death Defying’s transmissions. Dr D is known for referring to people as “sunshine”. Source: ‘Look Alive, Sunshine’, Comics, ‘Na Na Na’ music video

Medusa’s motorbike

N/A Source: Comics

Motor baby

Killjoy. Source: ‘Look Alive, Sunshine’

Pigs

BLI officials. Source: Comics, ‘Look Alive, Sunshine’, ‘Bulletproof Heart’

Pixilated

Dead. Source: Comics

Plus

A product that can be bought to replenish batteries. Source: Comics

Polka dotty

Messy. Source: Comics

Red-eye rave

A party/rave/concert Source: Comics

Ritalin rats

Battery City inhabitants. Ritalin is suspected to be one of the drugs given to them. A BLI pill bottle is shown along with this phrase in the ‘Na Na Na’ lyric video. Source: ‘Na Na Na’

Shadow

Soul. Source: Comics, ‘Goodnite, Dr. Death’

Slaughter-matic

N/A Source: Comics, ‘Look Alive, Sunshine

The voice of the desert

Killjoy description of Dr Death Defying. Source: Comics

Tumbleweeds

Dr D addressing Killjoys. Source: Traffic Report

Undergrads

Battery City residents beginning to go against BLI, but aren’t quite Killjoys yet. Source: Comics

Wave head

Someone with an addiction to getting high off the radiation from the sun, often getting severely burnt and denying themselves water. Source: Comics

[lupincentral]

Oh my God it’s finally happening!

A brand-new work in the Lupin IIIRD spin-off series, tentatively titled Lupin the IIIRD THE MOVIE is coming to Japan in 2025. While not confirmed at time of writing, the film is also likely to be localised and released worldwide.

Directed by Takeshi Koike (of Redline and previous Lupin the IIIRD fame), the film is set to be feature-length and 2D animated, in line with previous entries.

While details are currently scarce, the teaser trailer (shown at the bottom of this article), mentions that Yūya Takahashi will be returning to write the screen play, and that James Shimoji is also back to handle the soundtrack. Katsuhito Ishii is also on board as a creative adviser. The teaser shows footage from the previous three spin-off films, some clips of the new one (which appears to be Zenigata focussed), and ends with a glimpse at a shaken and beaten-up figure, with the phrase “You don’t know the real Lupin III”.

The Lupin the IIIRD spin-off series first began in 2012, with The Woman Called Fujiko Mine. Labelled “hard and dangerous”, Fujiko Mine took the franchise in a vastly different direction from what fans were used to at the time, telling a darker story diving deep into the femme fatales past, and exploring her relationship with a slightly edgier Lupin, Jigen, and Goemon (and yes, it’s also the one where she has sex with Inspector Zenigata). While the fanbase was divided on this at the time, over the years, a deeper appreciation for the Fujiko Mine series has formed, and more recently, it was given the title of “anime of the decade” by website Fanbyte.

From there, the series continued in the form of three films - Jigen’s Gravestone, Goemon’s Bloodspray, and Fujiko’s Lie. Continuing the storyline and tone from the show, the films shone a spotlight onto each character in a way we had never seen up until that point, helping to create a gorgeous looking film trilogy that no Lupin fan should miss (you can read our review for each by clicking here, if it takes your fancy)! This latest entry appears to follow a similar trend, with Inspector Zenigata getting his time to shine - judging by the teaser and the images released today by Comic Natalie.

Takeshi Koike, who directed the films and acted as a character designer on the original Fujiko series, is a Japanese animator, illustrator and film director. He has previously worked on animated features such as Redline and Afro Samurai - with his first folly in the Lupin series being with the 2012 spin-off show, The Woman Called Fujiko Mine. It is great to see him back at the helm for a fourth film, and we cannot wait to see the see the direction things go - especially after the ending of Jigen's Gravestone, which saw the tease of the return of a fan favourite villain (who can be seen in this trailer, if you look carefully)!

More details are sure to be released on this upcoming film next year - stay tuned!

[delusionalvenusian]

Imagine being Congressman Barnes’ Legislative Aide.

And he has such a crush on you. Always taking care of him, managing him, looking out for him.

It’s his first legislative session, and he’s so nervous and overwhelmed with all of the meetings, committee assignments, bill filings.

You’re seasoned— a few sessions under your belt now— and do everything you can to ease him in the daily hustle and bustle around the Capital.

You felt particularly playful today as you prepared the final draft of his latest House Bill, placed neatly this morning on his desk for review and approval before filing.

In the afternoon, after finding a few minutes of peace and quiet to devote to finishing his task up for you, Bucky emerged from his office with an expression of composed amusement on his face. “Looks great,” he said, handing back the redlined draft, “except for an… unfortunate typo on page 3, line 12.”

You smiled wide and placed a hand on your chest as you took the papers from him. “You actually read it!”

“‘Course I rea— wait, were you testing me?”

You scoffed sarcastically. “Would I do that? Typing ‘pubic’ instead of ‘public’ is a perfectly innocent mistake,” you said, never having to look at page 3 to know exactly to what he was referring.

“Happens all the time, I’m sure,” Bucky chuckled. “And if I hadn’t caught that, were you going to leave it in there to be memorialized in the Congressional record forever?”

You shrugged innocently. “Guess we’ll never know.”

[beyondthegate]

Our first review of the month is live! This week is all about Redline, the race that only takes place once every five years. Check out our review and let us know your own thoughts if you've seen this movie: http://shorturl.at/dpS26 Enjoy!

[seriouslysam8]

Hey all,

I wanted to have a little sit down with you all. I ADORE the fact that Selcouth is definitely my most popular story. I love that you guys are reviewing the hell out of it, you’re asking questions, you’re giving theories, and you want more.

But I’m going to be honest right now, the pressure is getting a little much. I have EIGHT asks from the past 24 hours about when I’m updating the next chapter. Anytime, I reply to an ask or post saying I’m close to finishing, I always get an ask or two if I’m updating today. Maybe that’s on me for saying where I’m at in the creative process.

I’ve been rushing to get this next chapter done. I like to read all your reviews and I love interacting about the story, and I know you’re all impatiently waiting for it. I finished it and sent it to be read over and I got a lot of redlines. I restated things, I rushed certain parts, I didn’t have the sparkle. I need to do rewrites now which is going to make this process longer than it should be. And I’m not just blaming you guys for asking when the update is, because I got super duper excited to read your guys’ thoughts on the every new chapter.

But, I try to be transparent with you guys. My life has taken a very hectic turn these past six months. Lack of time and just emotional bandwidth has made my writing suffer because sometimes I can’t even open a word document and think. I want to write. I love writing. But my free time to effectively write just wasn’t what it was a year ago. I can’t do consistent updates anymore without my writing suffering drastically.

So, I guess, in short, please feel free to send me asks about theories or questions you have. Please, continue to review. But can we cool it on always asking me when the new chapter is coming? I promise you, it’s coming as soon as it’s done and ready.

[ismahanescorner]

My Fault: London | Movie Review

Platform: Prime Video

Release Date: 13/02/2025

Rating: 7.5/10

Review:

tw//: violence, assault.

i’ll start this review with a little story on how i caved in and watched this version. so, like most people i watched the spanish og version, and while it wasn’t good by any measure, it was entertaining. but, then again, i watched “culpa mia” around the same time as “the tearsmith” cuz of tiktok recommendations and “the tearsmith” was so god awful that i might have an eschewed opinion on “culpa mia” being entertaining! 😬 anyways, a month or so ago, i watched the sequel “culpa tuya” and i was pretty disappointed with how disjointed and non-cohesive the plot line was! hence, when i saw the trailer for a london version i thought “meh, i ain’t watching!” anyways, yesterday, while on tiktok, i come to find out that the actor who plays nick in the london version is matt broome from “the buccaneers” *aaahhh! my racing heart beat still* and so i decided to check out this version to see him and i was NOT disappointed!!

after watching the movie, i immediately hurried back to tiktok to bask in the edits and gush with the girlies over how perfect matt broome and asha banks were for these roles. that’s when i was hit by the “haters brigade” ie; defenders of the og version. they kept whining in the comments about “culpa mia” being a better adaptation cuz it adhered to the books and yada yada. babes, the books are wattpad fics (not even AO3), they are shite paraliterature for us girlies to brainrot over, that’s it. the og script writers should’ve changed stuff here and there in “culpa mia” to make a good adaptation but they didn’t. well, the “my fault london” script writers learned from that mistake and changed loads and gave the audience an entertaining movie and a decent guy/relationship to lust after/root for!!

as i said “my fault london” is so much better than “culpa mia” cuz of those script changes. the plotline in this version feels like a cohesive story instead of just bad boy clichés and spicy scenes strung up together. the events flowed seamlessly one after the other, and the relationships’ bonds between the characters felt deep and better established. additionally, the acting was just better! the chemistry between the leads was off the charts even though they had fewer spicy scenes. the “london nick and noah” talked more and connected better and so when they took that step over the redline it felt proper scandalous. it literally, had me blushing, kicking my feet, looking at my walls with how hot those scenes felt!

so yeah, i quite enjoyed this version and i’m excited to see how they will subvert the storyline if they get the green-light to make a sequel. i’m also beyond happy that cuz of the leads’ good acting, more people will finally be tuning into “the buccaneers” and “a good girl’s guide to murder” our little british shows that deserve more love.

[sbdskate]

Laws Of Attraction (Part 6) - DR x lawyer!fem!reader

Summary: McLaren is in breach of contract, dr3 hires a lawyer to deal with the aftermath. Tropes ensue. Slow burn. Enemies(kind of) -> Friends/colleagues -> Lovers

Pairing: lawyer!fem!reader x Daniel Ricciardo

Warnings: language, slight angst, alcohol consumption, mature themes

Word Count: 3,635

A/N: That’s right, I broke the ending into another part which means another chapter is on the way. If you’ve been keeping up, I appreciate you sticking with me through my draughts and generally inconsistent posting schedule. Thank you again for every like, comment, and reblog. Please let me know what you think and enjoy ❤️

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Epilogue 1

The week passed more quickly than you anticipated. You pulled an all-nighter to draft the language you promised. It helped that you couldn’t sleep anyways. You tried to make up for it on the twenty-hour flight from Brazil to Abu Dhabi but again, rest evaded you. It didn’t help that between the travel and the time difference you basically lost a day and a half. You threw yourself deeper into your work as a distraction. You were thankful that there were lots of back and forths of redlines, as expected.

But no matter how busy you kept yourself, you couldn’t stop thinking about that damn kiss that had now been tattooed in your mind. You wished it wasn’t good. You wished he had chapped lips and tasted like onions. But it had enveloped you. The way he grabbed you and the feeling of his stubble on your face set off butterflies in your stomach and other places down south. You were pretty sure you saw through space and time and you suddenly had the ability to hear colors.

And even though the kiss was so good, it was made bittersweet by everything that was discussed afterwards. You didn’t miss the warmth leaving his eyes and his obvious disappointment. On one hand, you handled the situation the best way you knew how. You had been very clear in Mexico on the limits of your relationship, that should not have been a surprise to him. Your job was to be professional and you reestablished those boundaries. On the other, you had somehow removed every laugh line from his face. You missed the crinkles around his eyes and the reverberating bravado of his laugh. If there was another way you could have gone about the conversation, it was lost on you. Leaning into the kiss and those feelings surrounding it was legally impossible. He would simply have to pick up his bruised ego and move on, which you were sure wouldn’t be difficult. The thought helped you somewhat – he was still a handsome, charismatic celebrity who could get any girl he wanted. You were one piece of parsley in an endless buffet. Poor little rich boy couldn’t have the one dish he wanted right now, but as soon as the season was over and you went your separate ways, you would be a distant memory he would laugh at in retrospect. Amongst the models, actresses, singers, and influencers he could pick from, he had trauma bonded with his very average and nerdy lawyer during a particularly vulnerable point in his life.

As your thoughts meandered during the course of the long flight, you were appreciative that you would not be on your own this weekend. The partner apparently decided to show up in Abu Dhabi, finally making Daniel a priority knowing that the matter would be closing. You had gotten somewhat frustrated with Joe, that he kept cancelling on meetings last minute leaving you to deal with everything. There were several silver linings, however. First, you hoped it meant he trusted you with the significant responsibility, which again would likely lead to a positive performance review and a hefty bonus. It may even come in handy a few years from now when you would become eligible to make partner yourself. Second, in picking up that responsibility, you had grown a lot professionally in the last few months. Belgium felt like a lifetime ago, in more ways than one. In the last few restless days your mind kept reflecting back to that first race weekend when you were full of nerves, but lately you didn’t quite feel like the same young associate with a chip on her shoulder and something to prove. Third, for better or worse, you grew to know you client in a way you would not have been able to but for the partner’s absence and that transfer of duty. Because you knew him so well now, you were better able to represent him. This was, of course, a double-edged sword. You’d unintentionally gotten to know the driver far better than you intended. Over the course of months, he poked little holes in your armor leaving you open and vulnerable and inching you closer towards that delicate line you dared not cross. The two of you had danced around it for weeks. If you hadn’t crossed it before, kissing certainly pushed the two of you over the edge together. You wondered what he thought about all this, considering he had far less to lose from the predicament. It would probably be awkward the next time you saw each other, but hopefully still respectful and professional if nothing else.

-

Meanwhile, Daniel along with the rest of the grid arrived in Abu Dhabi a day early to have a retirement dinner party for Seb. Seb had been unexpected source of support during this uncertain time in his career. Not all of the drivers had reached out to him when news about his early termination with McLaren broke. Of those that did reach out, some were simply surface level exchanges lacking compassion and depth. Seb, however, had helped him navigate a slew of existential crisis. The least Daniel could do was return that support to his friend. He sat next to Lando and Pierre, the drivers chatting amongst themselves during the meal. Of course there was a general curiosity about his plans for next year, but he playfully remained tight-lipped. The conversation was light, reminiscing and debriefing on some of the post-race debauchery over the course of the season. It was all fun and games until Pierre brought up Halloween in Mexico and his failed attempts at bringing home an instragram influencer and a model that night.

“I think I might be losing my touch. But that was a fun night though, yeah?”

“It was, I’m surprised you remember most of it,” Daniel teased.

“Honestly, me too. That girl dressed as you, she was a good time.” Daniel did his best to remain casual, though his heart skipped at beat at your mention.

“Yeah, y/n is fun when she’s not working.”

“I’ve seen her around the paddock a few times. She’s your lawyer, right?” He took a long drink, not liking the direction the conversation was headed.

“Yeah.”

“Maybe when the season is over I can grab her number.” It was more of a statement than a question. Daniel feigned ignorance at the request and laughed.

“I mean I can give it to you, but she probably wouldn’t be able to help you.”

“How so?” Pierre looked at Daniel, both men visibly confused.

“I mean I’m no lawyer myself, but wouldn’t it be a conflict of interest for her?”

“Oh no dude, I don’t want her services – or, uh legal services I should say,” he said cheekily. Daniel’s ears immediately turned red, his jaw clenched, and hand balled into a fist. He did his best to control his facial muscles to not let on to the fact that Pierre had unknowingly stepped on an emotional landmine. Lando, who had been talking to Zhou across from him, sensed the shift in the driver sitting next to him. He diverted his attention for a moment to try to break the tension before Daniel could say or do something he would regret.

“Pierre, she’s way too smart for you and you’re not her type,” he said casually, earning a laugh from the others including Pierre.

“What are you talking about, I’m everybody’s type,” he said with a smirk.

“Yeah, I think that might be part of the problem,” Lando responded. “Plus, you’re already in a committed relationship with this one,” jabbing his thumb in the direction of Yuki. That side of the table continued to laugh and joke, Daniel included, but he didn’t miss the chance to lock eyes with his teammate to silently convey his thanks for discreetly deflecting the conversation away from the woman that had taken up so much space in his mind. Had he really almost punched his friend at a fancy restaurant during his mentor’s retirement party? He was in deep. Hook, line, and sinker.  

Daniel had bought himself more time extending the signing with Red Bull, but he had no idea what he was doing. You had made it abundantly clear that nothing could happen until after everything was signed. You also hadn’t explicitly said whether you wanted anything to happen afterwards... All he knew, whether or not anything progressed further between the two of you, he just needed to be near you. He needed more time with you, beyond Monday.

The evening continued with heartfelt sentiments exchanged, and Daniel found himself more and more in his feelings especially as the drinks flowed. He thought he recovered from Pierre’s comments at dinner, but then Seb gave a speech to the rest of grid that brought him to the brink of tears. His mentor’s goodbye made him reflect and contemplate his own journey over the year. Though neither driver would be on the grid next season, Daniel was envious that Seb had the opportunity to leave the sport on his own terms compared to the lack of agency he felt with his tenure with McLaren. Feeling unmoored, you showed up out of nowhere to turn his ship around at the eleventh hour. He wasn’t sure what was next for him, but he knew he couldn’t do it without you by his side. Maybe another drink would take his mind off you.

The night continued, one by one the other drivers called it a night. But Daniel stayed until the wee hours of the morning with some of the younger drivers who had higher tolerances. Lando took note of his teammate’s condition who refused to believe he couldn’t keep up. They hadn’t discussed the elephant in the room, but he could put two and two together even if he didn’t have all the details. You might have been discreet, but Daniel was anything but. He noticed how Daniel perked up just a little on the days you had meetings. He noticed the stupid looks you gave each other, each party oblivious to the other. He noticed all the times you went out with the drivers at Daniel’s invitation, which was surely not in your job description. And right now for whatever reason likely involving you, Daniel was miserable, his melancholia exasperated by alcohol.

“Hey mate, I think it’s time to go back to the hotel,” Lando said as he put an arm around Daniel.

“Nooo, but we’re having fun! For Seb!” Daniel slurred as he held up his drink triumphantly.

“We are having fun, but we have to get up really early. Remember?”

Daniel was too tired to fight back. So he pouted as Lando corralled him into the backseat of the car back to the hotel.

-

You rolled into Abu Dhabi at 2am. You were exhausted. You had no shame about rocking under eye patches and a face mask mid-flight to at least hopefully make it look like you’d gotten some type of rest over the last two days. Unfortunately, the dark circles that remained begged to differ.

You were in the middle of checking in when you heard commotion in the lobby behind you. You rolled your eyes at the drunks stumbling in, keeping your head down to avoid any interaction.

“That’s it, almost there mate.” You knew that voice. You slowly turned to find Lando struggling to guide a dazed Daniel towards the elevator. You rubbed your eyes and blinked a few times to make sure you were seeing clearly. That made you wake up.

“Lando? Daniel?”

Both drivers looked your way. You suddenly became very aware and self-conscious of your grungy airport outfit: messy bun, no makeup, and full Enchante sweatsuit Daniel had gifted you after Japan. You couldn’t decipher the look Lando gave you that was equal parts relieved and concerned, but Daniel’s face lit up immediately showing off those darn dimples.

“Y/n!”

“Hi. What are you guys doing?” you asked hesitantly. It was mostly directed at Lando since he still had his wits about him, but Daniel answered anyways.  

“We had to say goodbye to Seb,” he said solemnly. Lando rolled his eyes seeing the immediate look of concern and confusion on your face.

“Jesus Christ. The guy’s retiring, he didn’t die.”

You gave a polite smile. “I’m sorry, I think I’m missing something.”

“The whole grid had a retirement party for Seb, not a funeral as this one might have you believe. It started with dinner but some guys stayed out and well… he’s just been slightly overserved.” You pursed your lips together to keep from laughing. You could tell Lando’s patience had run thin, but despite his annoyance he had made sure Daniel got back safe which you appreciated.

“Well, thank you for taking care of my client.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, I’m fine,” Daniel slurred a few feet away, leaning against a pillar in the opulent lobby – immediately followed by him almost slipping but quickly catching himself. He smiled again, proud and satisfied with his own rescue effort.

“Right…” you drawled. You turned to the concierge who had been patient and stoic as the scene unfolded. You’d been informed that the hotel catered to Westerners, but you were still cautious being in a country that technically followed Sharia law despite the many exceptions for expats and tourists. “My apologies ma’am, is it ok if I help escort my friend to his room for a moment? I can finish checking in afterwards.”

“Of course Miss l/n. I’ll still be here.” Having the green light to accompany the two boys, you and Lando flanked Daniel linking your arms through his to walk him to the elevator.

“I don’t need help,” *hiccup* “I’m a strong, independent woman,” he said, though he did nothing to resist your assistance.

“You are maybe half of those things,” you retorted.

“That’s being generous, I give him zero out of three,” Lando chimed in.

“Oh be nice, you know you can feel those muscles,” you lightly countered as you gave Daniel’s bicep a quick squeeze. You gave him a tired, playful smile and the look he returned you was so full of adoration it felt like your heart was going to burst at the seams. He leaned his head on your shoulder when you stepped in the elevator and you wished you could put the moment on pause to keep him there a while longer.

“You can’t possibly be referring to these chicken wings,” Lando replied. “Do you have your room key?” Lando asked Daniel, breaking your daze. Daniel shuffled for a second, patting his pockets, then nodding in confirmation. “Good, I’m going to bed.” He pressed the floor for himself, then Daniel’s.

“I’m sorry, what?” Lando gave you a knowing smile.

“I already did 90% of the heavy lifting, I’m sure you can handle it from here.” You shot daggers his way, Daniel still between the two of you, blissfully unaware of your quarrel. “See you in seven hours,” he said as he got off the elevator.

You sighed as the elevator doors closed, leaving the two of you alone. Daniel was too drunk to feel awkward about the predicament given how you last left things, a lazy smile still on his face.    

“You called me your friend. To the concierge.”

“I did.”

“I thought I was your client.”

“The two aren’t mutually exclusive.” He hummed in response. The answer seemed to make him happy. His eyes grazed over you, his smile growing.  

“You’re wearing my clothes.”

“An astute observation.”

“They look good on you.” The elevator doors opened as a blush crept to your face. You guided him into the hallway and ignored his comment.

“Ok, what number are you?”

“This way,” he said, ignoring your question and yanking you to the right. You kept your arm around him to steady his swaying. You could smell the alcohol coming off him, making you wonder about the events leading up to this but whatever it was wasn’t a conversation for today. He finally stopped in front of a door and fumbled with his pockets. You waited to make sure he could get into his room, but after a minute or two you got concerned.

“I can go back to the concierge to get another key-”

“No, no, I got it.” You watched as he fished it out from the depths of his front pocket, then struggled with getting it to work on the fob.

“Here, let me help you.” Your own patience running low, you took the key from his hands and opened the door. You had planned on finishing your check-in when you knew he made it inside, but felt bad leaving him in the condition he was in. You reasoned that it was to help him avoid a hangover in the morning so that he would be as camera ready as possible for press day, but it was a loose excuse.

You cautiously entered his room and turned on some lights. Your jaw dropped for a moment – his room was at least triple the size of every other hotel room you had stayed at over the course of the season, every detail pristine. You held the door open for him as you ogled in the foyer. He pinballed off the door frame to make his way inside, leaning against the wall across from you. He openly took you in, admiring how his merch hung from your body more perfectly than he ever could have imagined. He didn’t turn away when you returned his gaze.

“Come on let’s get you tucked in, you have a long day tomorrow – or in six and a half hours.” You grabbed his arm again and brought him towards the bed, and he happily followed you like a puppy. You were relieved he was at least cooperating. You sat him down. “Ok sir, where do you keep your pajamas?” He gave you a wicked grin.

“I don’t wear any,” he said shamelessly. You pursed your lips, you knew you walked into that one.

“Of course you don’t. Well when I leave you can get undressed. Just sit tight for a sec.” You opened up the bottle of water by the coffee maker and poured it into a glass. “Here, drink this.” He guzzled the water, so you poured him another. “Good job. How are you feeling?”

“Better now that you’re here.” He showed off his pearly whites with a giant smile, closing his eyes as his head flopped back.

Oh my God, you’re so drunk, you said under your breath. “I’m serious, do you feel nauseous at all? Headache?”

“I’m peachy,” he said as he swung his legs back and forth off the bed. He played with his hands in his lap. Seemingly able to entertain himself at least for a minute, you walked into the bathroom to go through his toiletries to find some Advil and maybe some tums for the morning. When you returned, your patient was already taking off his shirt and had started undoing his belt.

“Woah, woah, woah, slow down there tiger. Why don’t you take two Advil first?”

“I’ll do anything you tell me,” he said before swallowing the pills you handed him. “I’m going to miss you when you leave.” His sudden shift in tone threw you off. You sat down next to him to show your support and solidarity.

“You know you can always call me. It will be like I never left.”

“As a friend?” he asked hopefully. You smiled and put a reassuring hand on his thigh.

“Yes, definitely as a friend.” There was a pause.

“What about as more than a friend?” *hiccup* “Like, afterwards?” You bit your lip, but smiled.

“I think that’s a conversation for another time.”

“You didn’t say no.” You laughed.

“You’re drunk as a skunk and this is the moment you choose to dissect semantics.” He picked up your hand resting on his thigh, bringing it to his lips to kiss without breaking eye contact.

“Enchante.”

“That doesn’t even make sense, but it sure is charming as heck,” you said between laughs. You pulled your hand back and stood up. “On that note, I think you have everything you need so I’m going to head out. You have two more ibuprofen on your nightstand for the morning and two tums in case you get heartburn or an upset stomach. I set your alarm for 8:00 so you can sleep in a little, but still gives you an hour to get ready before you need to head to the paddock. I think it’s ok if you’re fashionably late.” He pouted. “Oh come on now, no need to frown. You get to take off those pants and go to bed. I’m going to go to bed too.”

“You’re sure you don’t want to stay?” He gave the best puppy eyes he could. Matched with his bare torso, six pack on full display, and unbuttoned belt and pants, anyone with a weaker constitution would’ve folded immediately. But at this point you were a trained soldier, the end of your internal battle in sight. You did make one concession though.

Maybe it was impulse. Maybe it was the jet lag. Maybe it was the possibility he wouldn’t remember any of it in the morning. But in a streak of boldness, you brought your hand to the side of his face, feeling the sharpness of his jawline and the texture of his stubble. You bent down and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Maybe next time,” you murmured, your lips ghosting over his.

His eyes were flying saucers when you stood. “Good night, Daniel. Get some rest.”

Despite how tired he was, it was hard for him to fall asleep after that.

Taglist: @ravenqueen27 @leslizzle @zendayabelova @eitak-t @chiliwhore @wewoo1233 @thatchickwiththecamera

[contemplatingoutlander]

This is the first time I've clearly seen the actual revisions a state education department (Virginia) is making to a high school elective course on African American history (which focuses on that history in Virginia) because of a GOP governor's (i.e. Glenn Youngkin's) executive order prohibiting “inherently divisive concepts” from public schools.

This is a link to an archived article, so anyone can read the entire article. Below are some charts in the article that show the recommended revisions:

It is clear from the above chart that the reviewers want any mention of systemic racism and White privilege to be eliminated from the course, even though there is clear evidence that both exist.

It is also deeply concerning that any discussion of "implicit bias and stereotypes" is banned, even though those of us in the social sciences know that implicit bias and stereotyping exist. To prevent high school students from learning about these concepts is a blatant attempt to keep them ignorant.

Again, based on the chart above, the proposed revisions have done away with any discussion of the ubiquitous nature of racism or the fact that systemic racism exists. Instead the proposed revisions focus on (presumably overt) "discriminatory practices," while ignoring the subtle ways that racism has affected the Black population over the years, including the way it affected returning WWII Black veterans.

[See more under the cut.]

Furthermore, according to the proposed revisions, the term "White supremacist" cannot even be used. I wonder how the reviewers expect teachers to be able to describe the ideology of members of the KKK?

The reviewers also apparently want to pretend the University of Virginia wasn't involved with the Eugenics movement, since they took out a reference to it. In addition, the proposed revisions wouldn't allow the Eugenics movement to be called a "pseudo science." Are teachers supposed to claim it was "science"?

The reviewers also apparently want to forbid a discussion of how Eugenics was used in Virginia "to control African Americans," which indeed it reportedly was.

Furthermore, the recommended revisions falsely assume that redlining no longer exists, and that historical redlining no longer has an impact. Although it is not as overt as it once was, redlining does still exist in various forms and the impact of older redlining practices still have negative affects on Black populations.

From what I can tell, the proposed revisions have NOTHING to do with trying to stop students from feeling "uncomfortable" in classrooms. Discomfort naturally occurs for all of us when we learn about things that go against what we previously believed. But that is how people learn and grow.

And if the GOP wanted to stop "liberal" teachers from "indoctrinating" their students into "left-wing ideas," they would simply have legislated the presentation of two sides of an argument, AS LONG AS both sides were factually-based and rational. (For instance, there is NO factual or rational argument that the Holocaust didn't happen or wasn't as destructive as it was).

But the GOP politicians want to BAN the discussion of any view of history and society, however factually and rationally based, that goes against their whitewashed ideas of how history should be presented. In other words, the GOP wants schools to indoctrinate students into a right-wing way of viewing history and society that favors Whites.

This is incredibly regressive, and reminiscent of the United Daughters of the Confederacy's attempts to ensure "The Lost Cause" mythology was taught in schools.

[smokeybrandreviews]

Bury That Guitar

Sinners absolutely took the weekend with a sixty-million dollar, worldwide take. That sh*t is a true feat considering it’s a Blackity-Black film, made by a Black person, starring a Black person, about Black people, doing Black things, during a historical era where that could get you killed. In this social climate of “DEI bad” and “Go Woke, Go Broke”, and considering both of those terms have become synonymous with n*gger among most White outlets, Sinners dominating the way it has is truly a goddamn accomplishment. I’ll probably get out and see it this weekend, that run time is a whole ass commitment, but I definitely want to give Coogler and the gang their flowers. Thus far, Sinners is being touted as the best movie released this year. Both word-of-mouth and professional reviews can’t stop singing this thing’s praises. So why am I even writing about this right now? Because there is a certain portion of society, and a rather large media outlet, intent on tarnishing this film’s shine.

Variety came out this week basically saying that such a bombastic opening was great but Sinners still had a ways to go to recoup the budget. Now, that’s going to happen regardless. There’s no competition and the buzz is thick for what Coogler and Jordan have cooked up. But the thing is, why the f*cking asterisk? Why even throw the “recoup” caveat in your headline? We are a society of headline readers and article skimmers. That little blip, while technically true, is all these short-sighted folks with the literacy patience of toddler, will ever see. Adding the bit about it needing to make more money makes it seem like Sinners is failure and, or all intents and purposes, it is not. Yes, it still needs another two or three weeks to make back its money but a sixty million opening weekend is a f*cking boon. Especially for an especially melanated film, about especially melanated things, with an especially hard-R rating. This f*cking headline was so egregious, f*cking Ben Stiller had to call it out and he was right to do so. A sixty million opening weekend is a whole ass success by any standard, no asterisk needed. So why give it to Coogler’s movie in the first place?

Because Coogler made it. This is a race thing. It always is. It always will be. Black people can never have nice things without a “but” or a bomb. It’s wildly frustrating because, cats always want to alienate and single us out. Corral us into ghettos with redlining and take their resources during White Flight. Scream about DEI and Affirmative Action like the darkies hired during said programs weren’t overly qualified for those positions, like they aren’t the best options, because all of us are raised with the notion that we have to be twice as good for half the credit. They complain about all of the race pandering and racebending in media but then do this sh*t when we make our own sh*t. It’s f*cking chronic, man. There are entire Black towns under lakes because of this nonsense. Black Wall Street was literally burned to the ground because of White jealousy. Rosewood, Rock and Roll, dreadlocks; We, as Black people, aren’t allowed to have sh*t, but the Whites refuse to share theirs. If they even have anything to call their own.

It’s the hypocrisy for me. The “Shut up and Dribble” mentality. The valuing of Black bodies, Black culture, but no Black lives. We try to meet you halfway, and you deny us our credit. We go out and get it on our own, you mitigate our success or destroy its legacy. There is no American culture without Black influence. The pushback from the Country Music community because Beyonce dropped Cowboy Carter was insane. Ma is from Houston. She country as f*ck. Country music is an offshoot of the Blues. Just like Rock and Roll. That sh*t is intrinsically Black. White people stole that sh*t and made it their own. Now that the descendants of its originators are showing up, showing out, and making better sh*t than them, it’s a problem. That energy is why Variety put an asterisk on Sinners’ success. It’s a way to subtly check a Black who’s starting to get a little uppity. And Coogler is getting real uppity. Dude got final cut, first gross, and the rights to his film after twenty-five years. That’s a helluva deal. It’s the sh*t Tarantino got for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. Tarantino is one of the greats. It took him eight films and two studios to make that deal happen. Coogler did it in five, after a bidding war for the script to Sinners. That he wrote. Sinners' success is undeniably because of Ryan Coogler, a Black man working in a lily-White system. Fruitvale Station, Black Panther. Creed. The closest thing to a miss he has in his filmography is f*cking Wakanda Forever, and even that is one of the better MCU entries to date, especially considering the circumstances in which it was made. Coogler earned every bit of this win with Sinners because he had to be twice as good as the next not-so-melanated guy. And, just like we were taught as kids, cats are trying to half the credit rightfully due.