#tags peer reviewed to inflict damage on others

[agentjazzy]

(tags via @thelightwillbreakthrough)

objectively hilarious that ash's girlfriend linda is played by three different actors in each of the three og movies and they all look completely different

[wangxianficrecs]

Please don't take this the wrong way but someone who has very little time to read fics I'm used to browsing bookmarks and I appreciate a lot when someone does a fic review, which doesn't mean they should bash it of course but sometimes it really would've saved me time if I had listened to a couple of them. Again, I don't mean for reviewers to do it in poor taste and overly critically, but anyway, I hope you understand what I mean. Thank you for this blog and all the effort you put in it ❤️

Good morning, my dear.  I have strong opinions about AO3 bookmarks, and they’ve actually evolved over time as I learned more about AO3, its features, and the community as a whole.

You’re right, of course.  It’s very useful to other readers to see a frank assessment of a fic they may or may not want to commit to.  I often cruise bookmarks before diving into a work, to see what other readers think.

But,

in balance against what the author feels when they read it, that benefit shrivels. Fanfiction is not the same as books on Amazon or Goodreads. The authors are a part of your community. They are your peers and your friends, your mentors and your ducklings. The absolutely massive effort of churning out a fic is done solely out of love (if not for you, than of the topic). An author of fanfic makes no profit, gains no material recompense other than people saying Thank you.

Authors of fanfic can be from any walk of life. You don't know whether they are very young, very old, peeking for the first time into your culture, in perilous mental or physical health. Your critical words can and do wound them, possibly inflicting damage far beyond what you imagine you might feel if you were in their place.

I am lucky in that I am an author as well as a reader, so I understand both points of view.

So the question is: how do you balance these conflicting needs?

I think the answer is pretty simple. Stay positive. If your review is negative or critical, mark it Private. Go bitch about that story on your blog (without tags, please, no need to bring the author's attention to it) if you need to.

If you hate the story, or found problems with it, don't make a public bookmark and don't leave kudos. That in itself tells the reader (and the author) what they need to know, if they see a fic with many, many hits and no bookmarks. And if the fic is good but you have to wade through 6 chapters of scene setting to get to the good stuff, you can simply leave a positive bookmark and a reader will know that they should carry on through the initial portion because there's something there good enough for you to make a bookmark. There's no need to even have bookmarks like, "slow start, but stick with it - it gets better".

Writers are ripping themselves wide open when they write and post their stories. They are skinless - all exposed nerves with no protection. That's their guts out there, that you're analyzing; their bare, beating heart in your hands. You may believe they should have thicker skin, but unfortunately, you can't make that happen any more than they can.

It costs you nothing to be generous, and a lack of a positive bookmark can tell other readers what you think without inflicting untold damage on a vulnerable stranger.

[doomonfilm]

Thoughts : It (2017)

One of the most fascinating things about fandoms is the completely random nature they have in regards to the properties they choose to champion.  I’m almost positive that when Stephen King initially wrote It, he never dreamed there would be not only multiple movies, but an extremely devoted fanbase and a general recognition of the collective fear of clowns held by the general public.  Personally, I didn’t catch It-mania the first time around (even as a fan of Tim Curry), so when the recent remake hit the theaters, I felt no sense of urgency to see it.  It was seeing the trailers for It Chapter Two, however, that finally piqued my interest and brought me to a viewing of the 2017 remake.

Bill Denbrough (Jaeden Lieberher) is home sick, but in a gesture of kindness, he makes a paper boat for his younger brother Georgie (Jackson Robert Scott) to play with in the rain.  Georgie loses the boat in the gutter, and while peering in, he is scared, taunted and eventually assaulted by Pennywise (Bill Skargard), an ominous and terrifying clown.  Bill is scarred by the event, but with the support of The Losers Club, his close knit group of friends, he plans to comb the sewers of Derry, Maine in hopes of uncovering the truth about his brother.  The Losers Club, consisting of the brash Richie Tozier (Finn Wolfhard), mother’s boy Eddie Kaspbrak (Jack Dylan Glazer), and the pragmatic Stanley Uris (Wyatt Oleff), try to console Bill and keep his mind off of things, but Bill is unshaken in his quest for the truth.  Meanwhile, tomboy Beverly Marsh (Sophia Lillis), in an attempt to find friendship amidst a nasty rumor campaign the town has adopted about her, befriends newcomer Ben Hanscom (Jeremy Ray Taylor), a shy bookworm that has taken it upon himself to study the turbulent history of Derry.  All the while, Mike Hanlon ( Chosen Jacobs), a young black kid from the outskirts of town, is attempting to adapt to a life under the care of his hardworking grandfather in the wake of a housefire that killed his parents.  All six children are tormented by the Bowers Gang, led by Henry Bowers (Nicholas Hamilton), the irrationally violent son of a Derry police officer.  As the bond grows between the kids amidst the nightmarish attacks by Pennywise and the Bowers Gang, the newly expanded Losers Club must use all the tools at their disposal to defeat an enemy they do not understand, while nurturing a connection deeper than any they’ve ever known.

I really and truly do not know where to begin with this movie, and it is almost impossible to discuss this film without bringing up (if not making direct comparison to) the 1990 TV miniseries.  I can flat out state that the 2017 film is an overall better film, and one that will more than likely escape the curse of looking dated decades down the road, save for astronomical leaps in technology.  The most interesting thing about this movie, however, is the fact that it is not really a horror or suspense film, despite it having the shapings of one.  No matter the nature of your enemy or villain in a horror film, there has to be a hint of reality in the mix to truly instill fear.  Freddy may be over the top, but the damage he inflicts is tangible and visible to observers (we will circle back around to the Freddy thing momentarily).  Jason instills fear because he never stops coming, and his attack is brutal when he catches you.  Vampires, zombies, werewolves and even Frankenstein’s monster are rooted in historical lore.  Pennywise, while being a fascinating villain, fails to land as a true terror due to a two-parted shortcoming : his outlandish nature makes him more of a cartoon character than a true threat, and as the kids state multiple times within the film, none of what he does is ‘real’ unless you fear him.  It is intriguing how his power is, on the one hand, limited to perspective, but on the other hand, seemingly limitless due to the number of tricks he displays during the film.

For all the things that It does correctly, there is a series (and a villain) that does it better : Nightmare on Elm Street and the aforementioned Freddy.  Rag tag group of high school misfits?  Check.  Ominous threat, based in the history of the city that it dwells in, that manifest mostly in the minds of its victims, though the repercussions of its actions are very much felt in the real world?  Check.  Heavy dose of the 1980s?  Check.  Equal doses of fear, controversy and humor?  Check.  That is not to say that It is not an entertaining and truly fascinating film, but with the burden of comparison to past versions of itself already on the table, it’s got enough of a mountain to climb to win over both those faithful to the creator of the property and those faithful to the original and iconic depiction of the titular character.

It may sound like I’m coming down rough on this film, but there are many things that it does quite well.  For a film that displays the levels of violence that this one does, it does not necessarily glorify it or force you to dwell in it... even a broken arm is taken in as more of a realization than a focus, therefore making it easier to digest.  The special effects are monumental, yet their visual integration is subtle and natural.  For a film that is mostly carried by child and teenage actors, the acting is surprisingly strong across the board, even when the material is failed by forced exposition or finds itself in the realms of tropes.  The sound design enhances the experience of the film, towing the line between building real suspense and reliance on jump scares with a finesse and restraint often not found in films of this nature.  For a film where the villain/monster is so heavily present, Pennywise surprisingly does not wear out his welcome, remaining stunning and hard not to enjoy from the moment he pops up in the sewer until the moment he falls into the recesses of the well.

Jaeden Lieberher does a solid job as the sympathetic protagonist, finding a good range in regards to the use of his stutter, how believable he executes it, and the moments it goes away.  Sophia Lillis steals the show with a confidence that bursts off the screen, and a killer smile to match.  Jeremy Ray Taylor manages to dodge typecasting as the ‘fat kid’ as he proves himself to be one of the more valuable members of the Losers Club, while turning in a strong and endearing performance.  Wyatt Oleff is forced to show a restraint not placed upon his costars as the groups’ voice of reason, but he does manage to bring dignity and logic to the crew, as well as a sense of rationale and reason in the midst of the mind-blowing.  The joy that Finn Wolfhard is feeling in light of being given the green light to fully cut loose is impossible to ignore.  Chosen Jacobs is not given much to work with, but similar to Oleff, he provides a grounding nature to the group.  Jackson Robert Scott manages to somehow be one of the tougher members of the group while also leaning into his role as momma’s boy.  Bill Skargard fully commits to making Pennywise as creepy, off-putting and uncanny valley reminding as he can.  Nicholas Hamilton proves to be a serious threat, even as the secondary antagonist.  Performances by Stephen Bogaert, Jake Sim, Owen Teague, Logan Thompson, Pip Dwyer and Stuart Hughes also stand out.

As popular as this film was, and as large a fanbase as it was able to garner, I imagine this will find life as a cult classic down the road.  I’ve heard mixed reviews for It Chapter Two, and while I did enjoy my viewing of It, I don’t think I’ll rush to the theater for the follow-up.  I will, however, be purchasing the two pack on Vudu when it drops, because I am certain I will revisit this film over the years.

[truncatedgrip]

via @more-like-reyna

[image id: #the normal pills are the heat blockers and he threw them away to be his hashtag real self #im so sorry for that tag /end id]