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flying-elliska · 3 years ago

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Just binge read the Bone Season series by Samantha Shannon and !!!!!! amazing. Now I want to yell about it for a bit, bear with me (essay incoming sorry)

- the concept already, urban fantasy dystopia, just feels both so fresh and so obvious it's surprising it's not more of a Thing, and the world building is next level. the modern technology + Victorian aesthetics is not just cool (although it is) it evokes the fact that Victorian England was a brutal, very unequal and fucked up society, so it really fits a dystopia. Plus Scion is also an evil empire that invades other countries, which is also thematically relevant, as is the fact that the MC is Irish.

- I'm obsessed with the concept of a magical mob and Underworld (unsurprisingly) and people who are pushed to the margins of society because their very existence has been outlawed and bond together to find freedom but are also forced to exist in a state of constant brutality and the damage it all does

- the first book throws a lot of plot and world building at you in ways that can be a bit overwhelming and confusing, and doesn't give you a lot of time to connect emotionally to the characters, so that took me a while, but it's really worth pushing through for, i love them all now.

- I love the main character, Paige, so much. she's a survivor ; clever, witty, action oriented and very down to earth ; she's also very competent in ways that feel earned, and interestingly flawed, not some gratuitous emotionless Strong Female Character with plot armor or a 'not like other girls' complex. She's proud and she has a mean, ruthless streak. She's brave, too loyal for her own good, and impulsive to the point of recklessness, and sometimes her gambles pay off and sometimes she has to pay a very heavy price for them (it made me yell at the page several times). It's really cool to see a female MC that is so invested in the politics of her world. I hate that so many female mains in fantasy or dystopia are these isolated loners who hate politics, only really care about a handful of people and want to retire to their husband/2.5 kids happy ending as fast as possible, with a plot-line that focuses over personal development rather than political goals, because it sends this weird message that women are not meant to be in the public space. (Not making this into a rant about the Shadow and Bone books but lol I could)

Paige has to shoulder massive burdens that nobody in their right mind should want and that's understandable, but you do get the sense that she enjoys being a criminal, running free and scheming and climbing over roofs and outwitting her enemies and sticking it to the government. She doubts herself sometimes, worries about people only valuing her for her powers, but she doesn't have a lot of time to waste on self-consciousness, angsting or moping about her feelings. It's very empowering to read. And she's fiercely compassionate in moments where it's actually very dangerous for her to be. She has this constant struggle between the part of her that finds injustice intolerable and the part of her that is grimly pragmatic. This is exactly what women in fiction have been excluded from for too long, complex dilemmas about action and morality taken seriously, not just love triangle shit. It's great. Although wow does she deserve a break. Ouch. Baby </3

- the world is incredibly fucked up but there seems to be no sexism/homophobia/racism, which is refreshing to read. the main romance is m/f but there's a lot of ambient queerness, just because and not to 'make a point' ; the author has confirmed that the MC is demisexual, her bff is gay, the love interest is pan, there's a badass trans commander/mob boss, you get randomly informed that this henchwoman has a wife or that this mobster is trying to save his boyfriend, it's great (and it's not a word-of-god after the fact thing like jkr it's actually shown on the page, they just don't use any labels)

- the main romance is a slow build that is very low-key at first, enemies to reluctant allies to friends to lovers, but becomes really powerful over time. the fact that the MC is demi means it can't rely on 'omg so hot i can't stop thinking about him!' clichés - nothing wrong with attraction at first sight but it often leads to lazy storytelling and irritating instalove, tell over show romances. the characters are drawn to each other but it's more of a meeting of minds and souls at first, admiration and common goals, and their actions are still first and foremost guided by strategy, not sentiment. (sidenote I've often wondered if i wasn't at least a little demi myself. that would explain why i have such high standards for credible romance lmao.) also there's a significant power imbalance at the start but it gets very much deconstructed before anything can happen and it's an interesting negotiation. Warden could easily have fit in the 'brooding immortal douchebags' category but there's an alienness and gentleness to him that lifts him above that, along with the respect and space he gives to Paige and their shared experience of trauma and hopes for a better world. Her hot-headedness and his calm, deadpan sort-of-humor play off each other really well. Also I love the idea that develops over the series that their connection isn't a distraction from their fight but that it makes them stronger and allows them to resist and find solace from the deluge of constant horror that is their world. their whole dynamic in s4...no words. also the second time i read a scene where one character is bandaging the other's wounds and there's touch aversion involved and like, I LOVE that.

- lots of complex different bad guys. some are just brutes, some are sadistic masterminds with superiority complexes, some are deceptive and manipulative and morally ambiguous. love that the Big Bad Guy is a woman - female characters being fully realized means that sometimes, they're just incredibly evil (as long as it's not tied to their gender, i love that). Paige and Jaxon's relationship is fascinating - he's a terrible, manipulative person but i do feel in his own way, he cares about her and wants to see her thrive ; but that's not necessarily a good thing as he sees it as a justification to make her go through awful things. She knows he's awful but she can't get over the fact that he took her in, taught her, believed in her and gave her a sense of belonging and freedom when nobody else did ; she was super proud of being his mollisher and it makes sense it would take time for her to rebuild her sense of self without that, on her own. I like that the ambiguity isn't resolved (it's also a very good illustration of how emotionally abusive parental dynamics can get their hooks in you). The fact that he's aroace really works there too, could have been a lot creepier otherwise and i feel that's really not the point.

- also it's really cool how each book really feels like its own thing, it never feels repetitive, there are huge twists and a shift of focus each time - the penal colony in Oxford in the first, the London Underworld in the second, traveling through England in the third, Paris in the fourth, etc. The pace is pretty breakneck and i wasn't bored for one moment - actually at times i would have liked more quiet moments w the characters. There are two novellas that focus more on that and the second one is an exploration of trauma and recovery that's particularly hard hitting and beautiful. The first book does feel like a beginner novel, it's a bit clunky in terms of exposition, pacing and character development etc ; and there are moments where all the violence and brutality feel a bit repetitive ; but overall the story builds up so beautifully and in so many complex ways it's just really worth it and it's not for nothing i read the four books and two novellas in five days. just have to wait for the next one now though argh

- anyway more people should read it

#the bone season #samantha shannon #book reviews #paige mahoney #bookblr #the mime order #the song rising #the mask falling #ellie reads things

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spidercakes · 5 years ago

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SpiderCakes Masterlist

People have asked about masterlists before and I’m usually too lazy to make them but I decided I’d organize today so here goes! I’ve made the list according to the themes/ tropes of the fics I’ve written. Starker unless labeled otherwise. A lot of these are ABO and also something else but they’re labelled accordingly. Appropriate warnings are attached to each story.

The list is below the cut because its very long.

ABO

Confessions of a Slutty Omega- ABO AU in which Peter is a YouTuber and Tony watches his channel. More of a synopsis than an actual story.

Best Friend’s Kid: fic preview in which Tony is fucking his best friend’s kid.

Random ABO AU- based off this prompt: the first time Tony really holds Peter down with his entire weight as they fuck. Peter absolutely loves the loss of control.

Traditionalist Peter: older alpha Tony and young traditionst Peter in which Peter.

Another Random ABO AU: high school AU, based off this prompt: An Abo in which omegas when severally distressed emit an high pitched call that alerts their alpha.

Prep School AU: Big ‘ol pile of smut tbh.

Young Peter: based off this prompt- 16 yro omega!peter massaging tony's knot with his hands.

Bitchy Tony: fem!Omega!Tony and alpha!Peter where Tony is well known for being a real bitch to anyone who tries to court him.

Angst AU: based off this prompt: Tony is an alpha but Peter is a beta. They can’t be together as laws prevent alphas from mating with betas so they pine in silence.

Cheerleader!Peter Punk!Tony: HS AU cheerleader Peter and punk Tony, smut.

High School AU: what’s on the tin, including a little pining.

Slutty Peter AU: Peter is used to being in charge, but Tony takes over.

High School AU: fem!omega!Tony and alpha Peter.

Gossip Girl AU: Peter is surprised to find himself on a gossip blog he’s never heard of.

CNC Young Peter: 16 year old omega Peter and alpha mob boss Tony.

Married Tony: omega Tony is married unhappily to Justin Hammer and cheats with younger alpha Peter.

50′s AU: fem omega Tony and alpha Peter.

Heat Fic: Peter helps Tony through a heat.

Beauty Queen AU: beauty pageant AU with omega!Peter and alpha!Tony.

Playmate: omega Tony teaches omega Peter how to please an alpha. Intended as multichap but I have yet to write more.

Young!Peter: Tony needs to be married by 21 or he doesn’t inherit Stark Industries.

Tease Peter: best friend’s kid trope featuring Peter the tease.

High School AU: coy Peter makes Tony work for his attentions.

Intern: Tony takes an interest in his new omega intern.

Omega Run: Peter tries to outsmart the alphas only to get outsmarted by Tony.

Just The Tip

50′s AU- ABO also, based off this prompt: how about tony letting peter put just the tip in him as a reward, and they both like it so much they go all the way.

Young Peter- based off this prompt: Mmmm how about horny 16 yo Peter using the “just the tip” argument to convince guilty!Tony.

Late Bloomer Peter- based off this prompt: Omega!Peter is a very late bloomer. Neither he nor Tony realize Peter’s going into heat until it’s too late.

Just the Tip: ABO AU, dubcon, the one that started my fascination with this trope.

Teacher Student: This fit into like four categories on here but I put it here. Just the top with teacher Tony and student Peter.

Bratty Peter: ABO AU, based off this prompt: maybe Peter is being a brat and says he wants to ride Tony but Peter teases him by only putting the tip in.

Half Asleep Peter: ABO AU, based off this prompt: Peter is half-asleep and Tony comes home late from work, Peter tells him he’s tired. Smut ensues.

Fic Ideas (feel free to adopt any of these!)

ABO fic Idea- Meant to be long form, may never get to.

Whatever this is- WinterIronSpider, mentions of incest.

Prep School Idea- definitely starker, more than likely would have included a lot of smut and drug use lol.

Bodyguard AU: half crack half serious.

WinterIronSpider: ABO WinterIronSpider idea.

Urban Fantasy AU: vampire!Peter and incubus!Tony.

Funky BDSM YouTube AU: Tony and Peter do BDSM demonstrations and occasionally themed episodes where they try to use holiday objects as like BDSM equipment.

Royal AU: Tony loves Peter, shouldn’t because blacksmiths can’t love princes.

Naive Peter: young very naive omega Peter who gets fucked by older alpha Tony.

Mob AU: Peter gets involved with Tony after he gets in over his head with Quentin.

Random AU: Peter has had a crush on Tony ever since May started working for the Starks.

Actor AU

Karma Got is Kiss for Me

Age Difference: fic snippet in which Peter, looking for a little adventure, runs into Tony.

Mob AU

Angelic Peter: ABO, based off this prompt: angelic little omega peter who mob boss or biker tony takes a liking to.

More Bratty Peter: based off this prompt: You can’t lose your temper like this every time you get a bit upset.

Kidnapping AU: Tony deliberately kidnaps Peter because he has no patience for domestic violence and is basically offended that Beck sucks.

Smol Omega Peter: ABO AU featuring jailbait Peter.

Prequel to Smol Omega Peter: How they met in the above fic.

Shifter AU: based off this prompt: shifter au where everyone has a designated animal as well as abo.

Heir to The Mob: high school ABO AU featuring Tony as heir to the mob boss throne.

Barely Legal!Peter: ABO featuring mob boss Tony with barely legal! Peter.

Kidnapped!Peter: Peter gets kidnapped, Tony does something about it.

Mob Boss Peter: ABO Peter sleeps with Tony to intentionally fuck with mob boss Steve, whom Tony is married to.

Kept!Peter: Tony finds Peter in trouble and saves him, then chooses to pamper the hell out of him.

Stripper!Peter: mob boss Tony favors Peter when he visits the club.

Bratty Peter: Tony has to leave to take care of some things, Peter doesn’t care for that and reacts badly.

Mob Boss Peter: mob boss Peter featuring subby Tony who adores him.

Baker!Peter: Tony stark is a well known mob boss and he meets and falls in love with Baker! Peter.

Figure Skater Peter: mob boss Tony takes a liking to figure skater Peter, marriage to Quentin Beck be damned.

Harassed!Peter: mob boss Tony sees Peter being harassed and steps in.

Soulmates: mob boss Tony didn’t think he had a soulmate.

Superior Iron Man

Merperson Peter: based off this prompt: Tony takes down a rival corporation and discovers a hidden aquarium where they have captive merman!Peter.

Manipulative!Peter: based off this prompt: SIM being manipulated by an evil and/or mischievous Peter?

SIM AU: SIM!Tony manipulates MCU!Peter into coming home to his dimension with him.

Kidnapped Peter: based off this prompt: SIM had kidnapped Peter from the MCU dimension to replace his Peter that was murdered- SIM uses Extremis to wipe Peter’s memories.

WinterIronSpider

Pre WIS AU- based off this prompt: Peter and Tony love each other but Peter is worried about his super strength when they fuck so Bucky steps in.

High!Peter AU: WinterIronSpider high!Peter and soft Dom Tony AU feat. Bucky, the Added Element.

CNC Fic Preview: badboy type Tony and cheerleader! Peter with a splash of Bucky in there too. Incomplete.

Taboo

Stepbrothers AU: ABO featuring jealous Tony and a dash of winterspider.

Sequel to Stepbrothers AU: more jealous Tony and a dash of spidershield.

Another Stepbrother AU: WinterIronSpider- Alpha Tony shares his omega step brother Peter with alpha Bucky.

Age Difference: based off this prompt- Peter at a picnic with Tony, Peter in little daisy dukes or something similar and summery while eating watermelon.

Non-Con Politician AU: based off this prompt- Tony comes across something shameful the young, up and coming, idealistic politician peter parker has done in the past, and holds it over his head.

Teacher/Student

Tease!Peter: based off this prompt: Peter’s flirting not so subtly and tony ignores it until peter shows up in a short skirt and he can’t take it anymore.

Established Relationship: Peter and Tony discuss the future. D/s elements, smut.

Bathroom Fun: pure smut.

BDSM

Across The Stars: WIP, Peter takes a job as Tony’s sub to pay Ben’s medical bills after he's shot and falls into a coma. I’m only tagging this one as it links to all the other chapters.

Dom!Peter: 5 part series in which omega Peter learns he has a thing for domination and alpha Tony learns he has a thing for submission. Incomplete.

Teacher/Student AU: based off this prompt: Teacher/student (maybe an established relationship) with a whole lot of teasing. Dom Peter.

Dom!Peter: based off this prompt: Tony’s had a really long and horrible week at work and just wants to be good?

Sub!Tony: Peter accidentally becomes Tony’s Dom.

Edging: Tony edges Peter within an inch of his life.

Dom!Peter: Tony meets Peter in a club.

Drabble: Dom Peter and subby Tony.

Met Online: wherein Peter and Tony met online and decided to recreate a fantasy or two.

Miscellaneous

Trans!Tony AU- exactly what it says on the tin, smut.

High School AU: Exactly what’s on the tin, with smut/ fem Peter.

Serial Killer AU: exactly what’s on the tin.

Exhibitionist!Peter: Tony isn’t looking forward to his trip home because he knows he’s just going to be compared to his brother Steve the whole time. Peter helps.

So Sorry, Mr. Stark: Rumor has it Tony hates being called ‘Mr. Stark’ but that’s not the real reason he doesn’t want anyone calling him that.

5+1 honeymoon AU- based on this prompt: 5+1 honeymoon in which they stop their honeymoon five times to save the world and one time that they do not.

Acolyte Peter: Tony needs a replacement for Pepper and she suggests Peter.

Sensitive!Peter: based off this prompt: Peter trying to top but he's too sensitive so he either has to stop or ends up finishing too fast.

Rock Star Tony AU: exactly what's on the tin with a moodboard.

Wedding Fluff: exactly what it says on the tin.

Crack AU: Peter and Tony have been in an on again off again relationship since high school and they both happen to be in town for the same event.

Rabbi’s Nephew Peter: literally exactly what’s on the tin, preslash.

Spoiled Peter: exactly what’s on the tin.

WingFic: based off this prompt: a wing fic/soulmate AU where when you meet your mate, your wing colours combine so that you get your mates colours on your secondary feathers.

Zoom AU: Peter introduces his class to all his pets with funky names.

Vacation AU: Peter, Ned, and Liz all vacation in Italy before going off to college.

Bratty Peter: based on this prompt: bratty!Peter possibly with an over accommodating Tony?- in which Peter mostly only pretends to be a spoiled brat.

Diety!Peter: Tony is chosen as that years sacrifice to his village’s god by priest!Howard.

Urban Fantasy AU: urban fantasy starker AU featuring vampire!Tony.

Possessed!Peter: crack AU- Tony possessed Peter, Peter forces him to deal with the consequences.

Sex Slave AU: Headcanons around what this would look like.

Witch!Tony Familiar!Peter: Exactly what’s on the tin.

Sequel to Witch!Tony Familiar!Peter: Tony want to propose.

Camping!AU: Tony fucks Peter against a tree.

Prompt!Fic: Peter teases Tony.

Umbrella Sharing: exactly what’s on the tin. Fluff.

Possessive!Tony: Peter teases possessive Tony and it goes in his favor.

Snowball Fight: Peter hits Tony with a snowball by accident and that’s how they meet.

Pop Star!Peter Rock Legend!Tony: exactly what it says on the tin.

Media: media outlets have a heyday with Tony’s new relationship with 22 year old Peter.

Dumped!Peter: Tony comforts Peter after he gets dumped.

Cat Burglar Peter: based off prompt: Peter is a famous cat burglar and Tony is a police officer trying to catch him.

College AU: fluff mostly.

High School AU: 3 part series in which punk Tony gets with seemingly innocent Peter. The last part is linked, but all three parts are attached to the third.

Sleepy Starker: fluff piece that’s exactly what’s on the tin.

Soulmates: you don’t see in color until you meet your soulmate.

Random AU: Peter is upset that Tony never seems to mention him on social media.

Non Powered AU: Peter’s friends are really confused on what his new job is.

Moodboards

Serial Killer!Peter Detective!Tony

A Star Is Born

Kept!Peter Mob Boss!Tony

#starker #tony stark x peter parker #starker fanfiction #starker masterlist #winterironspider #masterlist

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silenthillmutual · 5 years ago

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Hey! For the ask meme, 5, 9, 12, 16, 21 :) Is that too many???? I think that's too many but oh well ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

(actually i dont think its too many but ily you anyway!!)

5. what makes you feel validated?all my family members (except my mom) not even asking when i change names, just saying “hi [insert new name]!” like i do wish they cared a lil bit more than they do about what’s going on in my life but that part at least!! feels good

9. what does your name mean?tbh, weeb ass got it from noriaki kakyoin initially just as like, an rp nickname? bc i used to rp kakyoin a lot. but i dont want to go by noriaki since i’m white and i know ‘nori’ by itself pops up as a name or nickname in other cultures, although outside of japanese & arabic i can’t find it right now.

tbh i really like that it just sounds like ppl are calling me seaweed, although i’ve also seen that depending on the kanji used it could also mean doctrine/belief. i wish i could find the use of it in other cultures but scrolling through baby name websites is both nauseating and unhelpful, although one person said that in lithuanian it means “wants”

i was going to go by kieran as a middle name until my mom ruined that (like she did with luke) but atm i’d rather accept link - like from legend of zelda, since link was designed to be androgynous and a lot of trans ppl relate to him (although ppl trying to find a deeper meaning to the name on baby name sites is hilarious - ‘lincoln’, really? just admit u like video games) - or cas. cas is apparently dutch for “imperial” but i just took it from the character castiel on supernatural, and his name is probably derived from the archangel cassiel. ‘cassiel’ has a ton of different spellings depending on which religion’s texts you’re reading and which translation, but that name means “speed of god” or “god is my anger”, according to wikipedia. he’s sometimes depicted as the angel over saturn, or the angel of saturdays. he’s not depicted in the bible, but shows up in jewish/islamic/christian mystical and occult texts.

(i think its also worth noting i had a hard time finding these names on baby name sites and like, i do live to be difficult!)

12. favorite trans headcanon?

there are just so many good ones!!! danny fenton & timmy turner (made esp great by the fact that butch hartman just fucking hates it) being trans, that cow from the barnyard show on nickelodeon, reigen arataka, mob (as either trans masc or trans fem), link - and for that matter, any character when you see them shirtless and they don’t have nipples? they had top surgery and elected not to have the nipples put back on.

i think sam porter bridges from death stranding could easily be read as a trans man or trans woman, and i like both. on the one hand, he needs an stand-to-pee device (literally, that is a part of your equipment); on the other, the game has heavy themes of motherhood and he is able to use technology to be connected through what i can only describe as an umbilical cord to the bridges baby. and it wouldn’t surprise me at all if the gender commentary was entirely intentional on kojima’s part. for that matter, i also love trans solid snake and trans hal emmerich in metal gear solid.

i also think danganronpa deserves a special shoutout, not just because you can pry canon trans girl chihiro fujisaki from my cold, dead hands and i’m sick of seeing cis bootlickers harassing ppl online over that transphobic as fuck storyline, but for real? nobody’s birth name actually spells out “diamond” with their sibling so mondo and daiya oowada are both trans (it’s also one of the only ways to make any part of case 2 make any goddamn sense), yasuhiro hagakure and celestia ludenberg having plotlines where where they have to reveal those aren’t their birth names? congrats they’re both trans now.

i wish there were more headcanons about characters being trans women that didn’t rely on stereotyping. i know thats a big problem wrt seeing muscular or tall women and ppl focusing their trans headcanons on them, so i actually kinda head canon aoi asahina as trans and wanna eventually write that for fic w sakura ogami being cis bc people tend to look at sakura and go “well obviously shes trans bc shes muscular” (and then they do the opposite when it comes to trans men, but i’ve seen a lot of trans masc hcs). i also don’t see a lot of nonbinary hcs being given to amab people…. we need to fix that!! but alas i have already rambled a lot so thats a post for another day.

16. song that gives you Big Trans Feels?

if we’re not including music that is literally about being trans (like “transgender dysphoria blues” by against me!) then, “twin size mattress” by the front bottoms! the lines “it’s no big surprise you turned out this way / when they closed their eyes and prayed you would change / and they cut your hair and sent you away / you stopped by my house the night you escaped / with tears in my eyes, i begged you to stay / you said, ‘hey man, i love you, / but no fucking way’“ always sounded like he was talking about a trans girl friend of his, but i dont know enough about the band to say for certain what that song is about. it probably helps that i felt that song extra hard when i was first coming out and w how my relationship w my mom was like.

21. what makes you feel euphoric?

back when i first started going by luke (and then later by nori), my dog bingley would just blink at you and not react if you told him to go get [deadname]. he only would come find me if you told him to go get luke / nori.

he’s such a good boy. i hope somebody steals him from my mom.

thank u for asking!!!!

trans asks

#about the blogger #lawliyeeeet #answers.txt #THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A ''I KNOW THIS AND I LOVE YOU'' IMAGE

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thefloatingstone · 6 years ago

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Somebody asked me for some anime recs. I asked them what kind of genres they’re into but I’m not getting a reply, so here are just some general recommendations for good stuff to watch.

I assume they meant new anime so I’m only focusing on those.

Made in Abyss (2017) (warning for Body horror, violence and gore)

The Abyss—a gaping chasm stretching down into the depths of the earth, filled with mysterious creatures and relics from a time long past. How did it come to be? What lies at the bottom? Countless brave individuals, known as Divers, have sought to solve these mysteries of the Abyss, fearlessly descending into its darkest realms. The best and bravest of the Divers, the White Whistles, are hailed as legends by those who remain on the surface.

Riko, daughter of the missing White Whistle Lyza the Annihilator, aspires to become like her mother and explore the furthest reaches of the Abyss. However, just a novice Red Whistle herself, she is only permitted to roam its most upper layer. Even so, Riko has a chance encounter with a mysterious robot with the appearance of an ordinary young boy. She comes to name him Reg, and he has no recollection of the events preceding his discovery. Certain that the technology to create Reg must come from deep within the Abyss, the two decide to venture forth into the chasm to recover his memories and see the bottom of the great pit with their own eyes. However, they know not of the harsh reality that is the true existence of the Abyss.

Pros:

Ghibli artists working on the backgrounds and environments

likeable characters

crushing atmosphere

incredible world building

Really compelling mysteries

Very emotional

Cons:

The manga its based on has a lot of lolicon bullshit. But the anime has doneits best to either remove or downplay those elements as childhood innocence rather than the author being a creep

Ends without clear answers as we have to wait for season 2

Not for you if you dislike violence or body horror

That Time I got Reincarnated as a Slime (2018)

Thirty-seven-year-old Satoru Mikami is a typical corporate worker, who is perfectly content with his monotonous lifestyle in Tokyo. In the midst of a casual encounter with his colleague, a knife weilding maniac attacks them. Satoru, in shielding his co-worker and his co-worker’s new girlfriend, is fatally stabbed, and dies.

And then he wakes up again. But now, in the body of a blob of slime. In doing so, he acquires newfound skills—notably, the power to devour anything and mimic its appearance and abilities. He then stumbles upon the sealed Catastrophe-level monster "Storm Dragon" Veldora who had been sealed away for the past 300 years for devastating a town to ashes. Sympathetic to his predicament, Satoru befriends him, promising to assist in destroying the seal. In return, Verudora bestows upon him the name Rimuru Tempest to grant him divine protection.

With a goal now, the newly named Rimuru sets out to explore this fantasy world, stumbling into situations where other people need help, and since finding ways to live peacefully is much less hassle, Rimuru does his best to settle conflicts and help people to get along. Mostly because he’s got nothing better to do.

Pros:

Likeable, chilled out protagonist who acts and behaves like an adult

Not the average wish-fullfilment harem-in-disguise type stuff you expect from the average Isekai show

Characters focusing on trying to help each other and be kind without coming across as cheesy or unrealistic

Fun powers and “how are you gonna fix this mess?” situations

Cons:

occasional anime tiddy

Mob Psycho 100 (2016) (If you’ve seen season 1 already then watch season 2)

An Eighth-grader Shigeo "Mob" Kageyama is possibly the most powerful psychic on earth. Which is the only thing he has going for him which, in his opinion, isn’t much. Due to his powers going crazy if he gets overwhelmed by his emotions, Mob has spent his life suppressing his feelings, both negative and positive. As a result, however, Mob is an extremely socially awkward and shy person who struggles to connect to people.

The story follows Mob as he tries to find ways to better himself as a person, aided by the fake psychic Reigen who both uses Mob’s real psychic powers to exorcise ghosts, but also uses his fake con-man skill of charming people and being a smooth talker to help people fix their problems rather than have them rely on a psychic for help. He also acts as a mentor to Mob, not on how to be a better psychic, but on how to mature into a good, capable person. Because according to Reigen “Having psychic powers is just a skill. Some people can run fast, some people can can sing well, some people are good at studying, some people are funny, and some people have psychic powers.”

Now if only the assortment of Cult leaders, Ghosts, Secret organizations and Powerful psychics trying to take over the world could leave him alone.

Pros:

A subversion of the “I must get stronger!” shounen story where the character is already the strongest and needs to focus on being a better person instead.

Probably the best animated show to come out in years

Good uplifting morals

A wacky off-beat art style and sense of humour

Genuinely complex and 3 dimensional characters who are likeable

Really relatable in many ways

Cons:

I can’t think of any tbh

Then we have anime I have on my “to watch” list and come highly recommended but I haven’t seen yet. But I want to recommend them anyway

A Place Further Than The Universe (2018)

a “Cute Girls Doing Cute Things” show.

Filled with an overwhelming sense of wonder for the world around her, Mari Tamaki has always dreamt of what lies beyond the reaches of the universe. However, despite harboring such large aspirations on the inside, her fear of the unknown and anxiety over her own possible limitations have always held her back from chasing them. But now, in her second year of high school, Mari is more determined than ever to not let any more of her youth go to waste. Still, her fear continues to prevent her from taking that ambitious step forward—that is, until she has a chance encounter with a girl who has grand dreams of her own. Spurred by her mother's disappearance, Shirase Kobuchizawa has been working hard to fund her trip to Antarctica. Despite facing doubt and ridicule from virtually everyone, Shirase is determined to embark on this expedition to search for her mother in a place further than the universe itself. Inspired by Shirase's resolve, Mari jumps at the chance to join her. Soon, their efforts attract the attention of the bubbly Hinata Miyake, who is eager to stand out, and Yuzuki Shiraishi, a polite girl from a high class background. Together, they set sail toward the frozen south.

The Promised Neverland (2019) (warning for violence and gore)

Surrounded by a forest and a gated entrance, the Grace Field House is inhabited by orphans happily living together as one big family, looked after by their "Mama," Isabella. Although they are required to take tests daily, the children are free to spend their time as they see fit, usually playing outside, as long as they do not venture too far from the orphanage—a rule they are expected to follow no matter what. However, all good times must come to an end, as every few months, a child is adopted and sent to live with their new family... never to be heard from again. However, the three oldest siblings have their suspicions about what is actually happening at the orphanage, and they are about to discover the cruel fate that awaits the children living at Grace Field, including the twisted nature of their beloved Mama.

Zombieland Saga (2018)

There’s a good chance you might have heard or seen this one floating around tumblr as its one of the really big, really popular anime to have come out that features a trans main character written and presented in a positive light.

Zombieland Saga is both a satirical parody of Idol anime, a complete embracing of what makes idol anime enjoyable, and a criticism of how the Idol industry treat women and young girls. A lot of the girls in the idol group are the complete opposite of what is considered a “good Idol” from one girl being trans, one girl having been an Oiran many many years ago (a historic proffession for women where they play instruments, perform tea ceremonies and entertain paying guests. As well as being very high class prostitutes) as well as debating and comparing the ideal of an Idol as they were seen in the 80s versus the modern interpretation.

Zombieland Saga is at both times the complete antithesis of everything an Idol anime should be, while also being one of the best examples of the genre at the same time. It also features really well written characters with emotional depth and arcs to them and boasts a lot of good humour to boot.

Yuru Camp△ (2018)

Another “Cute Girls Doing Cute things” anime

While the perfect getaway for most girls her age might be a fancy vacation with their loved ones, Rin Shima's ideal way of spending her days off is camping alone at the base of Mount Fuji. From pitching her tent to gathering firewood, she has always done everything by herself, and has no plans of leaving her little solitary world. However, what starts off as one of Rin's usual camping sessions somehow ends up as a surprise get-together for two when the lost Nadeshiko Kagamihara is forced to take refuge at her campsite. Originally intending to see the picturesque view of Mount Fuji for herself, Nadeshiko's plans are disrupted when she ends up falling asleep partway to her destination. Alone and with no other choice, she seeks help from the only other person nearby. Despite their hasty introductions, the two girls nevertheless enjoy the chilly night together, eating ramen and conversing while the campfire keeps them warm. And even after Nadeshiko's sister finally picks her up later that night, both girls silently ponder the possibility of another camping trip together.

Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai (2018)

You’re gonna look at this gif and that title and think this is some Light-Novel sexy fantasy wish fullfillment bullshit, but I absolutely assure you it’s not.

The rare and inexplicable Puberty Syndrome is thought of as a myth. It is a rare disease which only affects teenagers, and its symptoms are so supernatural that hardly anyone recognizes it as a legitimate occurrence. However, high school student Sakuta Azusagawa knows from personal experience that it is very much real, and happens to be quite prevalent in his school. Mai Sakurajima is a third-year high school student who gained fame in her youth as a child actress, but recently halted her promising career for reasons unknown to the public. With an air of unapproachability, she is well known throughout the school, but none dare interact with her—that is until Sakuta sees her wandering the library in a bunny girl costume. Despite the getup, no one seems to notice her, and after confronting her, he realizes that she is another victim of Puberty Syndrome. Mai’s unapproachability and air of not wanting to interact with people has manifested that it is now borderline impossible for people to physically notice her. Or in some cases see her at all. As Sakuta tries to help Mai through her predicament, his actions bring him into contact with more girls afflicted with the elusive disease.

Bunny Girl Senpai is an anime that deals with Societal pressures, especially as they apply to teenagers, as well as being a criticism of the Japanese mentality of “not rocking the boat” and in dutifully conforming and falling in line with what society dictates is “proper behavior”. It has the running theme that this mentality of just accepting the way things are and not doing anything to change it is unhealthy, and does more harm than good.

Dororo (2019) (warning for violence and Gore)

A samurai lord has bartered away his newborn son's organs to forty-eight demons in exchange for dominance on the battlefield. Yet, the abandoned infant survives thanks to a medicine man who equips him with primitive prosthetics—lethal ones with which the wronged son will use to hunt down the multitude of demons to reclaim his body one piece at a time, before confronting his father. On his journeys the young hero encounters an orphan who claims to be the greatest thief in Japan.

An anime adaptation of one of Osamu Tezuka’s manga, but deciding to go for an updated, darker art style to match its mature tone.

Dororo is currently still airing but so far reviews are extremely high.

Anyway I hope those are enough to give you at least one new show to check out.

#Anime #recommendations #long post #gif heavy

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fightmeyeats · 6 years ago

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Wrath Month: Probably Not Gonna Calm Down

I feel very frustrated by @taylorswift’s “You Need to Calm Down” (currently “#3 On Trending” on youtube). This is not a particularly hot take.

Corporate pride tends to be highly contested in general: on the one hand, some argue that it's helpful to LGBT+ youth to see themselves represented in the hegemony and suggest that maybe it’s better that corporations are courting LGBT+ dollars over the money of homophobes; on the other, normalization (especially normalization through capitalist/corporate interests) has historically been complicit in the further marginalization of many queer folks--especially trans women of color. To some, “You Need to Calm Down” is simply one example of corporate pride, and therefore represents the same potential for an ambiguous reading. Personally, I have tried to imagine whether this song would have meant anything useful to me as a closeted queer teen; I remember looking desperately for queer themes in “straight” music, and I remember being slightly older (18, maybe?) watching Hayley Kiyoko’s “Girls like Girls” on a loop and how much my first exposure to actually queer music produced by actually queer artists meant to me, and I don’t think even that version of me would have felt connected to Taylor Swift’s attempt to reconcile her experience as a celebrity who has literally capitalized off of internet drama to the harassment queer folks experience daily for existing as themselves.

The Onion’s article “Taylor Swift Inspires Teen To Come Out As Straight Woman Needing To Be At Center Of Gay Rights Narrative” does a great job of simplifying why exactly this video and song is so exhausting to me and many other LGBTQ+ folks: the author argues that Taylor Swift uses “LGBTQ iconography to advance her career” and that, rather than letting people speak for themselves and control their own narratives, she’s making Pride Month about herself. The Atlantic and Vox both have run more in-depth articles breaking down the multitude of reasons why this song is deservedly coming under fire, which I highly recommend reading.

One counter argument I’ve seen here and there is that Taylor Swift is actually not a straight woman centering a gay rights narrative around herself--now that she’s said the word “gay” in a non-negative way in a song, its only a matter of time before she comes out! So one of the things I want to emphasize here is that while I personally don’t believe she’s queer (and per Swift’s own tumblr post explaining why she didn’t kiss Katy Perry in the music video where she says “To be an ally is to understand the difference between advocating and baiting. Anyone trying to twist this positivity into something it isn’t needs to calm down. It costs zero dollars to not step on our gowns.” she doesn’t seem to anticipate coming out either), regardless of whether or not she turns out not to be straight, this song and its lyrics are appropriating LGBTQ iconography to advance her career, and Swift is using queer folks as accessories to perform “wokeness” and draw parallels between herself and actual marginalized communities for her own gain. She may end the music video with directions to sign her petition for Senate support of the Equality Act, but the links in the song description are all promotion for her song, her merch, and her social media accounts. She does not even follow through on the optics of social justice.

The main way I want to trace this argument is through her fundamental misunderstanding and, more significantly, misrepresentation of what homophobia is.Throughout the song/music video Swift is consistently trying to render compatible her own supposed experiences with being bullied/criticized on the internet to the violence of homophobia which is, quite frankly, fucking wild. She sings: “Say it in the street, that's a knock-out / But you say it in a Tweet, that's a cop-out.” What seems to be the intended interpretation of this line is that negative interactions online are cowardly, because people are “hiding” behind usernames and icons, rather than being “brave” enough to offer direct criticism and publicly/visibly own their words; I am not going to go into the potentials of this line of conversation, because I do think in another context (and said by other people) real conversations about the potentials and pitfalls of online culture in regards to purity/call-out culture, social activism/organizing, and bullying can be and are already being had. What I want to point out here is the cognitive dissonance: who can say anything in the street to someone as rich, privileged, and insulated as Taylor Swift? If Swift only accepts criticism delivered in person, she doesn’t accept criticism and she might as well own up to that. And when she is trying to tie this into a commentary on homophobia, maybe she should have considered for two seconds the kind of actual danger queer folks (especially trans and gender non-conforming) are actually in on the streets every day while she’s in a mansion/penthouse apartment (and to that extent, the gentrified trailer park imagery didn’t sit to well with me either, but I’ll get into the discussion of class later on). Queer folks really are getting knocked-out in the streets (1, 2, 3). Furthermore, in her desperate attempt to center her psuedo-discourse on homophobia and queer liberation around herself, she sings the lines: “But I've learned a lesson that stressin' and obsessin' / 'bout somebody else is no fun / And snakes and stones never broke my bones”. I’m not really surprised that it doesn’t “break her bones,” given how successfully she has marketed and monetized her feuds and her own victimhood; this is just a newnother rebranding of said victimized persona, and even though she may not be bothered, there are real stakes to it beyond the “lack of fun”.

So let’s get into it. As I said before, Swift is dangerously misrepresenting what homophobia is and what it looks like, namely through the use of a progress “wrong side of history” narrative. The lines run “Why are you mad when you could be GLAAD?...Sunshine on the street at the parade / But you would rather be in the dark ages” and the music video shows what Kornhaber, writing for The Atlantic, aptly describes as “an unwashed-looking mob” holding childish signs with misspellings and the all-time classic “Adam + Eve Not Adam + Steve.” Korhnaber points out the more common use of “God Hates Fags” signs; personally, I’ve also seen a lot of the “HolyBible” “After Death, the Judgement” signs. In Swift’s narrative, homophobia looks like the obvious, regressive, primitive villain; the already defeated. Perhaps worse, it looks like the rural poor, against the backdrop of rich queer celebrities. This narrative works to render invisible the poor-and-queer, and it undermines the real dangers homophobic violence poses by imagining homophobia has already lost. Imagining homophobia as thirteen unwashed rural poor people who can’t spell the word “moron” obscures the reality that there are also the Mike Pences and the Philip Anschutzs and the laundry list of other rich and connected anti-LGBT politicians, activists, and donors who have very real effects on the lives of the disabled, people of color, women, LGBTQ+ folks, the poor, immigrants, and all the intersections thereof. This also ties into the way Swift puts forward the solution “You just need to take several seats and then try to restore the peace / And control your urges to scream about all the people you hate.” As meaningless as these lines are overall, the insinuation that there is a “peace” that we can be “restored” to that would benefit the marginalized and oppressed is ridiculous and harmful, and again misrepresents the problem. Moreover, it suggests the problem could be understood as one of bodily discipline: if homophobes “controlled” themselves better, didn’t scream so much, there wouldn’t be a problem--this gets us back to the problematics of representing homophobia as exclusively the undisciplined poor, rather than the rich and connected. It also leaves room for the potential insinuation that everybody who is angry on the internet needs to calm down; I’ve seen a lot of jokes that this Pride Month, the 50th anniversary of Stonewall, we’re returning to our rebel roots and also celebrating Wrath. I certainly don’t plan to calm down, thanks anyway, Taylor.

In this same vein lets consider the much quoted line: “'Cause shade never made anybody less gay”. This was the first line I heard from the song, and my immediate problem with it was, as Korhnaber also points out, that throwing shade comes from queer communities of color, and “there are many ways to describe a parent who disowns a trans kid, or a lawmaker who tries to nullify same-sex marriages, or a church member who crashes a gay soldier’s funeral. Shady isn’t one.”

Swift hides from potential criticism/backlash behind a psuedo-feminist “female solidarity” with lines such as: “And we see you over there on the internet / Comparing all the girls who are killing it / But we figured you out / We all know now we all got crowns.” While there certainly are people who try to pit women against each other on the internet, again this is something which Taylor Swift has directly utilized multiple times to make herself money. I’m glad celebrities know they’ve all got crowns, but in what world does this benefit the non-rich and famous?

#taylor swift #queer theory #pride month #homonormativity #heteronormativity #homophobia #slurs cw #essay #maybe i can't say it in the street but taylor if you or your publicity team wanna respond heres an open invitation #bc FOR REAL they dont even put a link to the petition in the description which is WILD like if ur gonna go for the optics of wokeness #at least follow through that much lmao #anyways as always i wrote this in a 2 hour rant so ill fix typos as i catch them

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diarrheaworldstarhiphop · 5 years ago

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"...what annoys me. is the pressure put on people and victims..." - I can see your point in that. I think the reason that whole thing piss me off about them was the fact that she was friends with both the victim and assailant. When the response did come around, it just felt they were trying to save face with both of them, which if I think about it, I probably do the same. As for the trans thing, I always felt she was phoning it in, white girl try to be different for the sakes of being different.

its not really surprising for someone in a group of friends to be close to both people in a relationship in that same friend group.

>When the response did come around, it just felt they were trying to save face with both of them, which if I think about it, I probably do the same.

Why does it matter to you so much, what gene does when you simultaneously hold this opinion of him:

>As for the trans thing, I always felt she was phoning it in, white girl try to be different for the sakes of being different.

Of course you are unable to see the pressures and abuse someone suffers from a mob and sympathize with their desire to stay out of it for their mental health when you reduce a crucial aspect of their identity to this kind of shit.

I know what happened because the same psycho activists were pushing and harassing people close to me, who i love, into opening up about their experiences or else be cast into the flames as their abuser/rapist as an enabler.

Fuck leftist mob justice

especially when in the same breath they callously misgender someone as well as demand they speak out to satisfy your rubbernecking veiled in concern trolling.

vampires, all of you.

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emmittk-writingblog · 5 years ago

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Why Losing Federal Legal Protections Won’t Erase Trans* Existence

The Trump Administration wants to change the legal definition of gender under Title IX, but that won’t magically make us go away.

We like to think that, when any minority group faces persecution or oppression from the federal government, there comes a time for resistance.

A time when minority individuals and their allies must band together to push back against discrimination found in the laws intended to protect every American citizen. To battle for equal rights and recognition - socially, legally, and physically. To earn justice for the underdog. To triumph through perseverance and willpower.

A time when those who fought back can rest easy knowing that from that day on, the way forward - paved with civil liberties and good intentions - is set in stone for future generations.

But if you still think that romantic fantasy has any basis in reality, you need to take off your rose-colored glasses and take a long, careful look at the world.

The truth is, we are still fighting.

We will always be fighting.

The nature of power is cyclical, and when one barrier falls, a new one will quickly be built in its place.

It’s easy to feel hopeless, reading the proposals that come out of our current administration. Each seems to outdo the last in a dangerous combination of bigotry and ignorance, which I like to refer to as “bignorance.”

Not all that long ago, Trump shook the trans* community to the core by announcing, via tweet, a surprise ban on transgender individuals - anyone who falls under the trans* umbrella, be they transgender, transsexual, or genderqueer - serving in the military.

In case your literacy of federal policies needs a refresher, Title IX is a civil rights law banning discriminatory rules, practices, and language based on gender or gender identity in any education program receiving government funding. “Title IX” is often dropped in discussions on preventing sexual harassment or assault in schools and protecting survivors, but most often applying exclusively to cisgender women.

Then, at the tail end of October, The New York Times broke the news on a more nefarious plot brewing deep within the Department of Health and Human Services: to redefine gender through a very narrow lens “as a biological, immutable condition determined by genitalia at birth” under Title IX.

Not that the attacks haven’t already started. Despite some forward-thinking states embracing varied gender identities through gender-neutral options on federal forms of I.D., the last decade has seen a rise in laws aiming to cram everyone into the little binary boxed set - Girl and Boy, with nothing in between.

Enter the dreaded Bathroom Bill: legislation ruling that bathroom use must correspond with the sex listed on one’s birth certificate.

It’s easy to forget how impactful this law can be on the health, safety, and well-being of trans* students, who are especially vulnerable to harassment; The National Center for Transgender Equality reports that 75% of transgender youth feel unsafe at school, were more likely to miss school out of concern for their safety, and were less likely to plan on continuing their education. Those that persevere consistently end up with lower GPAs. And that’s with Title IX protections in place.

Every trans* person who’s heard the faulty logic behind these amendments - like North Carolina’s own HB-2 - can spot the fallacy easily. “If we have gender-neutral bathrooms,” proponents wail, “if we don’t enforce the law of male and female segregation on everybody, what’s stopping creeps from waltzing into the lady’s room to peep on our wives and children!?”

As this change to Title IX looms in the distance, threatening to revoke the legal definition of our genders, we can fire back with a taste of their own medicine:

Well, genius, what exactly about that flimsy little sign glued to the door is stopping them now?

You think a couple of words are going to erase us?

We’re already existing in the face of adversity. Of discrimination. Of invalidation. Of physical harm.

As things stand, the Human Rights Campaign reported 29 confirmed homicides of transgender individuals in 2017, and the number has already reached 22 for 2018. The Trump administration has done everything in its power to roll back Obama-era regulations regarded as huge victories for the trans* community, and with political polarization giving credence to violent extremist movements, trans* people are rightfully afraid.

Fear is perfectly acceptable. It’s rational and fueled by instincts of self-preservation.

It’s tempting to curl up around our fragile bodies and let the bigots win. But they want us to cower in the shadows, to avoid confrontation, and to be complacent with our oppression so that they can remain ignorant, washing their hands of us and our legitimacy.

The only thing that isn’t acceptable is resignation.

Alone, we are vulnerable; we wear targets on our backs. Together, we are a maelstrom - one that will lash out with the fire and fury of those too long denied the right to a peaceful existence, over and over, until we are heard.

If we resist, unapologetic and unified, we can summon a courage so deafening, it’s impossible to drown out. If they declare “Mob Rule!” in response to every political protest, every act of defiance and love proudly displayed in city squares and along busy avenues, let’s give them what they asked for.

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spichik453 · 7 years ago

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Because no one likes people who talk through movies, here are (some) of my thoughts about Beauty and the Beast... don’t worry, its a love story.

Since no one likes people to talk through the movies, I thought I’d write down some very serious thoughts I have about the new live action Beauty and the Beast.

First, I must say that the original animated Beauty and the Beast is my all-time favorite movies. I was 5 when it came out, and I thought I was the coolest girl in the theater because my uncle took me. I loved it. Beauty and the Beast got me through every sickness I ever had. Even as an adult, I would listen to the soundtrack at the dentist, to help take me away from the sound of drills that terrify me so. I can picture every move with every line. Despite my deep love for the 1991 version, I do acknowledge its flaws. I love always laughing at the disappearing bats, and it took many arguments and discussions, with wikipedia searches to convince me that it wasn’t an example of Stockholm syndrome (once I was old enough to know what that was). My friends and I had a rule: never make sense of the timeline in the movie. But Belle was my hero and role model. She was kind, and stood up for herself. She loved to read, and wanted an adventure. She didn’t quite fit in with the people she was around, but still showed them humanity.

When I heard that they were making a live action version, I was very nervous. I had not been pleased with the other live-action remakes in the past couple of years. The trailer dropped, and I realized that I was going to see a shot-for shot, but with CGI. I was convinced that I was never going to like this movie, but at least while watching it, the sets looked beautiful. At the very least, I was going to like the visuals.

I went in with excitement but also with hesitation. I tried to have no expectations.

This is where I have say that I saw the new Beauty and the Beast 5 times in the theater, and since it came out on DVD, I have lost count of how many times I’ve seen it. I now go to bed listening to little pieces at a time.

Clearly, expectations were exceeded.

All of my problems with the 1991 version were fixed. I always connect mostly with characters, and character development. And as I a grew up, I still loved the Beast, but I didn’t always see the development of Belle and the Beast together. Don’t get me started at how angry the addition of “Human Again” made me, because it made the beast seem like an idiot. I never got why he didn’t know how to read!

I was pleasantly surprised when I realized that they made the Beast read in the live action! He could quote Shakespeare, and I could see him and Belle having good discussions. They played up how isolated the town made her feel, and gave the Beast a backstory that actually explained why he was spoiled, selfish and unkind. Belle showed more independence and spirit. She was smart, and creative. She was more like me in the live-action then what is seen in the 1991 version. And suddenly, I found myself facing an extensional crisis. I loved the new version more than the one I grew up on. Does this mean that my all-time favorite movie is different? Can an all-time favorite movie change? Isn’t that the point of all-time, that it doesn’t change?

And so with confidence, I can say “Beauty and the Beast is my all-time favorite movie”. And I’ve put them on the same level. They serve very different functions in my heart.

But since no one wants me to talk about all my feelings about every little thing in the movie, I thought I’d write down my thoughts instead. These are in no order.

Belle’s stomping on the side of the well, as the girls are doing the washing is totally a jerk move! They had to pick up their clothing! If they hadn’t, Belle would have stepped all over the clothing. Come on.

I am super impressed with Belle’s being able to glance at the music box for just a second, and knowing exactly what her father needs. A sweet moment, but also one that just makes me go “Damn! Let that girl be an engineer.”

Why don’t the villagers like the washing machine! Clearly that is a great invention! It’s not traditional, but it would save the women of the village so much time.

When Gaston stomps all over the lettuce is a perfect example of his personality.

Chips introduction and Maurice's sprinting from the castle? Yes, that is how you’re supposed to react when a teacup talks to you.

When Philippe runs away from the Beast’s castle to Belle, he is all muddy. And Belle says “You must take me to him now” and then when she approaches the castle, she had taken the time to give the horse a bath.

How did she know to pick up the stick before entering the castle?

I LOVE the exchange between Belle and the Beast about a life sentence for a rose. I think it really helps create more sympathy for the Beast and explains some of his actions.

Belle attacking Lumiere and Cogsworth is one of the most relatable moments in the entire movie. Also, shows her fighting spirit.

What the fuck is that tall thing in the corner of Belle’s room?

Why did Belle get her rope out the window, have the conversation with the Beast, then go hide in the corner, only to go back to the rope in the next scene. She had a plan? What made her cower for 30 minutes in the corner like that?

During “Be Our Guest” does Cogsworth emerge from the Taj Mahal or the palace in Agraba (Aladdin)?

Can we please talk about about how awesome the new “Gaston” sequence is?? The new lyrics! The dancing! And I love how LeFou pays everyone to sing along. Clearly they practice it, because has to remind Tom, Dick and Stanley the lyrics through miming.

Was the spelling of Gaston line improvised? It’s one of my favorites in the entire movie.

Now that I am on a LeFou bit, his development is the best in the entire film. His hero worship turned to “Wellllllll…” to totally fighting against Gaston and his mob is just amazing. Shows this great arch.

The Beast’s face when they are in Paris and Belle says “Let’s go home” makes me absolutely melt every time.

All the random magic? Like “WTF, how did Madame De Garderobe get the gold from the ceiling onto the dress?” But then again, the enchantress would have to do SOMETHING to help the beast woo a girl.

Anyone low-key ship Agatha and Maurice?

At the beginning of the song “Beauty and the Beast” the Beast, like a gentleman, offers his arm to Belle. She takes it, by placing her arm on top of his arm. It's the polite but distant way of taking his arm. At the end of the dance, she wraps her arm around his. A much more intimate gesture.

Sorry Emma Thompson. I love you. I love everything you do. But only Angela Landsbury’s “Beauty and the Beast” can live in my heart.

THEY BUTCHERED THE SCENE WHERE BELLE SEES HER FATHER IN THE MIRROR! I had no idea how important that scene was until they screwed up every little bit of it. Ok, not everything, but a couple of major things. The first mistake that they made was not having Belle say “I’d like to see my father, please.” Belle leaves off the “Please” in the remake. Why is this a problem? Even as a kid, I could appreciate the fact that Belle was polite to this inanimate object. Earlier in the movie, she asks a hair brush its name. She acknowledges that everything could have life, so why doesn’t she say please to a magic mirror? I loved that as a kid. It increases my understanding and love of her kindness. Then, as Belle leaves in the 1991 version, she reaches up and gently caresses the Beast’s face as he runs his claws through Belle’s hair. I really need these gestures in the remake. They are so important to establish Belle’s ultimate return to the castle. Was it a CGI thing that made this bit impossible? What? It is such a perfect moment, and a perfect little bit of intimacy. Belle’s wrapping her arm around his at the end of the ballroom scene doesn’t just quite cut it.

Belle and her father talking about how dangerous it was to go after the mob? I love it. That is so perfect, showing Belle has grown up protected, but that she is now able to fight for herself.

Is it really that easy to take off a ball gown and throw it over your shoulder as you ride a horse?

She left the village with no coat. She arrives at the castle with a coat (a cute coat too). Where does the coat come from.

Belle fighting back Gaston is perfect. I like that better than seeing her just be a spectator like she is in the 1991 version.

When Madam De Garderobe puts dresses on Tom, Dick and Stanley, it’s for laughs, much as the scene that inspires it in the 1991 version was supposed to. But this time, you have the one guy who smiles and skips off. Also designed for laughs, and to establish the man as at least open to cross-dressing, maybe even trans? But since it is played for laughs, is it making fun of the idea? I just am a little bothered by that, and I can’t quite figure out how to say it.

Who knew I could cry over a teacup, or a clock.

The mob song has always been one of my favorites for its lyrics, especially “Screw your courage to your sticking place”. I love that line so much, I thought about getting it as a tattoo. But I think that they are missing one of the most important lyrics. “We don’t like, what we don’t, understand and it scares us, and this monster is mysterious at least.” (Yes, I know that lyric is on the soundtrack, and in the deleted scenes, but it is needed in the movie). Even as a child, I could identify that the mob was bad. And that line, helps show that close-minded people do stupid things. Keep it! Keep the new Gaston line! Don’t touch that line. (Also love, “Lights ablaze, banners high, we go marching into battle, unafraid although the danger just increased).

When the Beast says “I am not a beast.” would have been the perfect time to introduce his name into cannon! Please! Us major Disney fans know he is Prince Adam, but I want the whole world to know.

How did he keep the growl?

The slow dancing as Mrs. Potts sings the “Beauty and the Beast” new lyrics is beautiful.

#Beauty and the beast #beauty and the beast 2017 #beauty and the beast 1991 #movie thoughts #favorite movie

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placetobenation · 5 years ago

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Oliver & Company

Release Date: November 18th, 1988

Inspiration: “Oliver Twist” by Charles Dickens

Budget: $31 million

Domestic Gross: $74 million

Worldwide Gross: $121 million

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 51%

IMDB Score: 6.7/10

Storyline (per IMDB): Inspired by Charles Dickens’ “Oliver Twist”. A homeless kitten named Oliver, roams the streets of New York, where he is taken in by a gang of homeless mutts who survive by stealing from others. During one of these criminal acts, Oliver meets a wealthy young girl named Jenny Foxworth. This meeting will forever change his life.

Pre-Watching Thoughts: We continue on through the 1980s with another film that has been sharply divided in its place as a classic in the Disney film canon. There are some that think that this film is also very underrated while some think that it is one of the weaker films in the canon, and I can honestly say that I might have seen this film at least once in my life though my memories of it are very vague. Knowing what the next film in the canon is after this, it will be interesting to see how this film ends up being as a lead-in to that one and I hope that it ends up being enjoyable.

Voice Cast: As I had mentioned in the previous few films, we were now starting to see a decline in the number of returning actors as most of the names that dominated the last two decades have now been phased out and each film pretty much as a fresh cast going forward. Case in point, we only have one returning actor here and that is Frank Welker who voices a hot dog vendor and it is a bit funny that an actor best known for voicing animated dogs voices a human in a film where most of the main characters are dogs. We now move onto the newcomers and there are a lot of big names in this film which also becomes more of a staple going forward, and we start off with Joey Lawrence who voices Oliver in what was one of his first major roles as he was still a child. We then have music icon Billy Joel who voices Dodger in what would be one of his only film appearances, and then we have legendary comedian Cheech Marin who voices Tito and it is funny seeing him in an animated film given his career to this point. We then have TV icon Richard Mulligan who voices Einstein as he was starting to wind down his career by this point, and then we have Roscoe Lee Browne who voices Francis as he was at the peak of his career at this point. Next, we have Sheryl Lee Ralph who voices Rita with legendary singer Ruth Pointer providing the singing voice, and then we have Dom DeLuise who voices Fagin as he was in the midst of his biggest run in terms of animated films. We then have Taurean Blacque and Carl Weintraub who voice Roscoe and DeSoto as both wouldn’t appear in many films after this, and then we have another legend in Robert Loggia who voices Sykes as he was hitting the peak of his career as well. Up next, we have Natalie Gregory who voices Jenny with Myhanh Tran providing the singing voice, and then we have William Glover as Winston and finally we have the legendary Bette Midler who voices Georgette as she was also at the height of her career. Looking back, this might actually be the most star-studded cast in the history of the Disney film canon to this point and we will see going forward if any future film matches the star power of this film.

Hero/Prince: Looking at this film, it doesn’t seem like on the surface that the film would feature a hero though very clearly the film does in fact have a hero, and going even further the film really has two heroes that we can talk about. The first one is the main character Oliver the cat who is the only kitten not adopted when the rest of his family is, and he searches for an owner before stumbling upon the other hero in the film Dodger who first hustles him out of food they stole. But when Oliver stumbles upon Dodger and his friends, they accept him into the group and Dodger becomes Oliver’s mentor as their owner Fagin also brings Oliver into the group. They try to hustle the occupants of a limo only for Oliver to be discovered by Jenny Foxworth who takes him into her home, and Dodger and the others bring Oliver back to Fagin who plans to ransom Oliver for money to realize that Jenny wanted him back and he gives Oliver away. However, Sykes kidnaps the two and plans to hold them hostage until Dodger and his gang come to save them, and Oliver is eventually adopted by Jenny though he remains close to Dodger and the gang. Oliver and Dodger are pretty much different in every way as Oliver longs to be owned by a family while Dodger is content with being a stray, and Dodger is very street savvy and smart as he tries to teach Oliver everything he knows. In the end, Dodger realizes the true meaning of friendship as he helps save Oliver and Jenny and while he is sad that Oliver stays with Penny, Oliver assures him that they will remain close. Comparing them to the other heroes to this point, Oliver and Dodger will more than likely rank pretty low against the rest of them and it will be interesting to see if they don’t end up near the bottom of the rankings.

Princess: N/A

Villain: Obviously when it comes to the Disney film canon, there are many villains that are easily recognizable and come right to your head when you think about it, but there are a few villains that you might need to really think about when it comes to remembering them. Case in point, we have the villain of this film who we only know as Sykes and he is a shipyard agent and loan shark who lends money to Fagin and expected to be paid back under the threat of violence. He learns that Fagin intends to hold Oliver hostage in exchange for a large sum of money not realizing that he was dealing with Jenny, and Fagin relents and gives Oliver back to Jenny only for Sykes to kidnap both and he declares Fagin’s debt paid. Fagin, Dodger, and the gang attempt to rescue Jenny and Oliver only to be confronted by Sykes and his Dobermans, Roscoe and DeSoto as they chase them through the subway, and the Dobermans are electrocuted when they fall onto the tracks and then Sykes meets his end when he collides with a speeding train and the fiery remains fall off the bridge into the river. Sykes is a pretty typical bully comparable to a mob boss as he has his connections and can be very intimidating, and like most villains he considers himself untouchable though that proves not to be the case when his car is destroyed by the train and he is sent to a watery tomb. It is also very fitting that he ends up being thrown into the river which is typical for mobs to cast their victims into a body of water, and while he might not be as completely memorable as some of the other Disney villains he is still a pretty solid villain and it may be surprising where he ends up being ranked.

Other Characters: This is an interesting film because we see a lot of people walking the streets and more importantly, a lot of dogs running around though there are only a handful of characters that ultimately matter to the film. We start off with Dodger’s pack of friends in Tito the chihuahua who is feisty and brave despite his size and he falls in love with Georgette, and then there is Francis the bulldog who is sophisticated and cultured as he utilizes his acting when needed. We then have Einstein the Great Dane who may not be the smartest, but he is the friendliest and means well despite his low IQ, and then we have Rita the Saluki who acts as the defacto leader and keeps everyone in line while taking a liking to Oliver. We then have their owner Fagin who is a simple pickpocket who is in debt to Sykes and he even attempts to ransom Oliver, but he ends up returning him to Jenny and then he helps save Jenny along with Oliver, Dodger, and the gang. We then have Jenny Foxworth whose parents are wealthy though they are constantly away on business, and she quickly falls in love with Oliver and even offers to pay for him though Fagin declines and returns Oliver to her. She is then kidnapped by Sykes and Fagin and the dogs save them and become her friends, even being there for her birthday party and then we have her butler Winston who is a bit bumbling but he is devoted in his care of Jenny. We then have Georgette the poodle who is a champion purebred and detests Oliver at first to the point that she helps the dogs take him back, but she comes around on him and even falls in love with Tito. Next, we have Sykes’ two Dobermans Roscoe and DeSoto who are trained to attack at the snap of Sykes’ fingers, and they try to kill Oliver only for Dodger to fight them and they are tossed onto the subway tracks where they are electrocuted. Finally we should mention Old Louie the hotdog vendor who gets some of his product stolen by Oliver and Dodger, and again it is always interesting when there are more animal characters than human though animals as main characters is a pretty common trope for Disney films.

Songs: After having a film that had absolutely no songs in it and then a film that only had three songs in it, we revert back to what was the standard and that is having a medley of songs as Disney was beginning to experiment with having their films be more like musicals and this was really the first to test that theory. We start off with the song “Once Upon a Time in New York City” sung by legendary singer Huey Lewis and it is a good song to set the table for the film, and then we have “Why Should I Worry?” sung by Dodger as we see why Billy Joel is one of the best singers of all time and we learn about who Dodger really is. Next, we have “Streets of Gold” sung by Rita as she and the gang try to teach Oliver how to be like them and it is a fun song with a good beat, and then we have “Perfect Isn’t Easy” sung by Georgette as she sings about how perfect she is and Bette Midler does a great job in making you love Georgette even with how snobby she is. Finally, we have the song “Good Company” sung by Jenny as she sings a nice song about how her and Oliver will become friends given that she is all by herself with her parents away. The songs are fairly good and they work well for the film, but there isn’t that song that helps put them over the top and they more than likely won’t rank very high amongst the other songs.

Plot: Now with all the films that we have seen up to this point, the majority of them have been straight up adaptations of the books or novels that they are inspired by while a few of them are in essence original screenplays with elements from the novel included. This is one of those cases as this film is inspired by Charles Dickens classic book “Oliver Twist”, but it is a lot more modern with Oliver being turned into a kitten while Dodger and his gang are dogs and the human characters have certain aspects of the characters in the novel incorporated into their characters. Oliver is a kitten that is not adopted and he tries to survive the streets of New York, and he meets Dodger who helps him steal a string of hotdogs only to take them for himself and he brings them to his gang. Oliver follows him and he is welcomed in by the gang which are owned by Fagin who is in debt to Sykes and Sykes gives him 3 days to pay him back, and they work to find items for Fagin to pawn only for Oliver to be picked up by Jenny who brings him back to her mansion. Dodger and the gang think Oliver was taken and they retrieve him before returning to Fagin who decides to ransom Oliver thinking a rich man now owns him, but he realizes that it is Jenny that comes for him and Fagin gives Oliver back not knowing Sykes followed him and he takes Jenny looking to get money from her parents. Oliver, Dodger, the gang, and Fagin rescue Jenny and Sykes chases them down into the subway where they avoid a train and Sykes is killed when his car collides with it, and Oliver decides to stay with Jenny though he remains friends with Dodger and the gang. I’m sure if anyone went into this film thinking that it would be a faithful adaptation of “Oliver Twist” were probably disappointed, but those that hadn’t read the book might’ve been swayed to pick it up and read it themselves to get a better aspect of the novel.

Random Watching Thoughts: It is always a bit weird watching old films with New York City being the setting and seeing the Twin Towers; Shameless product advertising in Times Square with Sony, Coca-Cola, Tab, USA Today, Kodak, Yamaha, and National Auto Sales; Who just leaves a box of kittens on the sidewalk in New York City, and who’s watching over them especially if they are charging $5 a kitten?; Someone was watching the box because they changed the price from $5 to free, yet they didn’t bother to make sure Oliver was taken; That box must’ve really gotten wet if it just fell apart so easily; That was quite the place for Oliver to sleep, on top of a truck tire; New York Yankees hat; Maybe it’s just me, but I never figured Oliver was a fan of rap; That little kid clearly wanted to have Oliver yet for some reason, the mom wouldn’t let them unless she thought Oliver belonged to someone else even though he didn’t have a collar; I was expecting the hotdog vendor to shout “I’m walking here!” in an homage to Dustin Hoffman in “Midnight Cowboy”; A hotdog vendor who sings Italian opera; He must have great pride in his hotdogs if he calls them the best in New York; I don’t know if I would want to buy a hotdog from a guy who is smoking a cigar because the ashes might get in the sauerkraut; Dodger didn’t seem like the kind of character that would make puns; So Dodger doesn’t eat cats because they have too much fur, but what about cats that don’t have fur?; Not only was Louie smoking a cigar, but he has flies all around him; Oliver says he can feel the beat of the city when he was really feeling the vibrations from a nearby jackhammer; Dodger could’ve at least warned Oliver he was going to pretend to chase him, but I guess it did elicit a real reaction from Oliver; Dodger just grabbed those hotdogs and casually walked away while Oliver had to run for his life; That is a pretty dick move by Dodger to not give Oliver at least one hotdog after he did most of the work; They should be lucky that cement wasn’t quick-dry; Dodger should be careful playing with that water because he might get the hotdogs wet; Poor Oliver turned into a big ball of fuzz by being air-dried; A fun note is the visual of Dodger with the sunglasses was inspired by Billy Joel’s image at the time to the point they even had Dodger playing a piano; It looks like we got random appearances by Jock, Trusty, and Peggy from “Lady and the Tramp” along with Pongo from “One Hundred and One Dalmatians”; I don’t think I would want a collection of dogs just walking down the street blocking traffic, especially in New York City with how people drive there; Dodger walked a long way to get back to his hideout, I’m shocked the hotdogs didn’t go dry; A bulldog who is cultured in Shakespeare; Tito asks if Macbeth gets the girl not realizing that Lady Macbeth had already killed herself out of regret and fear; Francis is so bent on being called “Francis” and not “Frank” or “Frankie”; Tito says they need good, quality stuff yet nothing in that box matches the description; Dodger tells this elaborate story about getting the hotdogs and heavily embellishes Oliver’s appearance; Tito cries “Gang War” but how many gangs of dogs are there really?; Fagin should’ve realized that holding that box of dog biscuits in front of him was going to be a bad idea; That’s quite the perilous path to get from the pier down to the tugboat; It would be interesting to know how much money Fagin actually borrowed from Sykes because given how mobsters like to include “interest”, Fagin probably owed a lot of money to him; Fagin must’ve pulled with all his might if he could pull the side mirror off that easily; You have to give Tito credit for his willingness to fight Roscoe and DeSoto despite his size; Roscoe has a twisted sense of humor if he finds breaking a TV funny; Sykes clearly says that Fagin has 3 days yet Fagin’s version of math came out to 9 days; So it looks like this film takes place in real time because the calendar very faintly says 1988 which was the year the film was released; Those dogs are pretty loyal to Fagin though he clearly cares about them; Fagin was all ready to go to bed until Einstein gave him the book to read to them; Dodger had no issues with conning Oliver out of the hotdogs, but he quickly warmed up to him enough to let him share the same bed; Saying that dead men don’t buy dog food really puts things into perspective; I don’t know what section of the Wall Street Journal would have the type of “investment banking” that Tito is referencing; $1 for 5 apples is a pretty good bargain; More Coca-Cola advertisement; Oliver has becoming so engrossed in this group that he is even barking like a dog; Poor Jenny, she had to have the parents that are constantly away; Francis was really dramatic in his acting; The way Tito mentioned taking the car to Atlantic City gives you the impression that he thinks it’s just a short drive away; Poor Tito just became an electrified pinball; Einstein was knocked loopy when he hit the car yet got better when the light fell on his head; Jenny must be very confident in the belief that her parents won’t mind her bringing in Oliver; That was a quick transition for Winston to get out of the tie and put the bowtie and apron on; It is a bit fitting that Better Midler is voicing Georgette since Midler is a Diva and Georgette is also clearly a diva; The dogs must really love Georgette if one of them gave up chasing a cat and another dragged his doghouse the whole way just to hear her; What the hell is Jenny making that she made that large of a mess?; You would think Jenny would’ve at least found another bowl and not just assumed she could use Georgette’s; I get Jenny lives in a big house, but 200 people living there is a major exaggeration; Why is Jenny and Oliver just running around Central Park by themselves and where is Winston?; So when I was starting to write this review, I kept mistakenly writing Penny instead of Jenny and I realized that I was confusing Jenny with Penny from “The Rescuers”; That’s the smallest school bus I have ever seen; Who would’ve guessed that Winston would be a fan of pro wrestling; You would think that Winston would’ve recognized Francis as being the same dog that was in front of his car; I never considered Tito the type that would smoke cigars; Georgette was terrified of Dodger until he told her he wasn’t here for her and then she flips out thinking he’s not attracted to her; Now I see why Tito just uses the name “Tito” considering how long his real name is; She wanted nothing to do with them until she learns that they wanted to take Oliver; Dodger was quite offended when Oliver said he wanted to go back to Jenny’s; That was quite the assumption Fagin made that Oliver’s owner was rich just based on the collar; Another quick transition for Fagin to write that note and deliver it to Jenny’s house just before she got home from school; Georgette doing leg exercises after eating a box of chocolates; Again, it would be nice to know how much Fagin was demanding in exchange for Oliver; Fagin was so confident in rehearsing what he was going to say to Sykes only to fold up like a cheap suit when he actually met him; Sykes clearly told Fagin to push the door open and Fagin spend 15 seconds pulling it; The person Sykes was talking to must be quite the novice thug if Sykes has to walk him through the process of torturing someone; Dodger did well for himself fighting two Dobermans for a while; In fairness to Jenny, Fagin did do a haphazard job in putting that map together for her; Easter Egg spotting as one of Fagin’s watches had Mickey Mouse on it; The look on Fagin’s face when he realized Jenny was Oliver’s owner; Quick thinking by Fagin to throw Oliver in the box and make it look like he found him; DeSoto has got quite a good sense of smell since he seems to notice Oliver’s scent every time; Leave it to Tito to allow Georgette go first; Where were they able to find a pizza box in that building?; These dogs are risking their lives to save Jenny yet all Francis wants to do is watch ballet; Tito didn’t want to deal with anymore wires until Georgette swooned him into doing it, and another Easter egg as Tito sings “Heigh-Ho”; Sykes tells Jenny to open the door forgetting that she is tied to a chair; How in the hell did Jenny get freed from that chair from the time they dropped from the hook to when they landed on the conveyor belt?; You knew it was the beginning of the end for Sykes when he thought it was a good idea to drive a car down into a subway station and then drive on the tracks; I know it was nighttime, but the fact that the station was completely empty is mind-blowing especially since it was in Times Square; That was pretty crazy that they actually showed Roscoe falling onto the tracks and getting electrocuted; They are in the middle of a dangerous car chase and Tito wants to pretend that he is in a race; A truly fitting end for Sykes to be essentially dumped into the river; Tito had some good handling skills to be able to back the scooter down the beam perfectly; It is a bit weird that we see Sykes throw Dodger and Oliver aside before the train hits him though we never see where they ended up; Does Jenny have any friends because the fact that only Fagin and the dogs came to her party is a bit sad even though she looks very happy?; Winston should’ve been smart enough to realize that Fagin would bail without paying; I don’t know if Jenny is just being polite or if she really likes the “gifts” that everyone gave her; Tito was all about getting a private moment with Georgette until he found out she wanted to make him sophisticated and pampered; One last plug for the advertisements in Times Square as we hit the credits.

Overall Thoughts: Overall, this film was a fairly decent film though I don’t believe it deserves to be considered underrated as some people think it and I think that it is about properly rated. While there were some aspects of the film that were good and made the film enjoyable to watch, it is a slight step backwards from the last film and I’m sure there were still questions as to whether the animation department was still viable. The 1980s have been a roller coaster decade for Disney as they were making great strides in many other areas, but as mentioned there was still some question as to whether the animated films could still succeed and we will see what happens when we get to the final film of the decade. As for this film, it is a good film that ranks about in the middle to the bottom of the Disney film canon and does not deserve its status as being underrated.

Final Grade: 6/10

#IFTTT #Place to Be Nation

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