#that's a banger joke ken

[uwudonoodle]

[pickapea]

the kens being portrayed as the villains in barbie is kind of giving the same as fantasy racism (like when the oppressed ethnic group are oppressed as a kind of revenge for something bad they did in the past) like it's pretty whack that the happy ending in barbie is the oppressive matriarchy regaining absolute power again

[goombasa]

SLARPG and Writing Good Relationships

So originally this was an idea I was going to try and make a video about not long after Super Lesbian Animal RPG came out. Due to a number of factors, that obviously never happened, but it's a topic that I do want to at least talk about, both because I think it's a fun discussion to have, and because I just love this game so much. It's like… it's really, really good, guys.

Super Lesbian Animal RPG (heretoafter referred to as ‘SLARPG’ for simplicity) is a turn-based RPG released in December of 2022. It was created and published by Ponett, largely a one-person development team headed by Bobby Schroeder, someone who I was already familiar with via their blog “Thanks, Ken Penders”, an analysis and retrospective of the various Sonic the Hedgehog comics published by Archie and written by Ken Penders.

The game boasts a banger soundtrack, and beautifully realized world that combines magic and technology together in interesting ways, fun and colorful character designs and a simple combat system that makes you think about what sort of moves you have the resources for in the moment, with a difficulty curve that is just right. Even at the peak of your power by the end of the game, you can't just steamroll everything, and the game wants you to keep paying attention from the start of the game all the way to the end.

But at its heart, the real driving force in its narrative, at least to me, is the relationship between our main character, Melody, and her best friend, now girlfriend, Allison. Their relationship is beautiful in how its portrayed, mostly because it doesn't try to present their romance as anything special. They goof off, they joke with one another, they speak casually, but they aren't dramatic about their own relationship, it feels completely natural. You are very aware of the fact that these two were very close friends before they started dating, just from listening to the two of them chat with one another. It's not only very cute, but it also grounds the two of them as a very normal, relatable couple, despite being adventurers for hire in a world where they regularly fight off slimes and minor nuisances around their own.

Watching their relationship grow as the game goes on, with the stress of an invading, reality-warping force coming after their world, is fascinating, because despite the adventure, a lot of what happens with them is very mundane. We see the two of them confront their personal hang ups, we see the two of them eventually have a full communication breakdown that actually really hurts their relationship for a while, but despite the situation that causes it, the way that they work around it, and how they handle it, it all feels so real. Their observation that they felt like they were tiptoing around each other, worried about upsetting one another before their first big argument was such a massive moment for me especially, that I felt myself kind of deflate in relief in my chair after witnessing it.

(I'd give more context, but I really want anyone who hasn't already to play this game, so please, please, if you want more context for what I'm talking about, go and play this wonderful game!)

Melody and Allison's relationship is also contrasted well with their other party members. Jodie, who is the most experienced adventurer in the group, was already in a relationship pre-game with the Guardian (leader of the paladins), Faith. Her relationship is stable, but the workload placed on faith, and her own job as an adventurer does mean that their professional lives often lead to separation between them, and while they love each other, they do realize that finding a good work/life balance is something they need to adjust to, even after being in a relationship for a while. But because their relationship is more mature, the two of them are pretty good at handling their rockier challenges in their relationship, at least for what we're shown of it.

Then there's Claire, who definitely has one of the bigger character arcs in the game, with her journey being just as much centralized on finding value in herself before she actually ends up in a relationship, which is another good contrast because it relates back to Melody's struggles with her own self image as well. These relationships and stories could have easily just been their own standalone stories with no real bearing on the main plot, but the relationships, both romantic and platonic, are woven into both the main conflict and each other's relationships so well that it feels as though they grow as a group as well as individuals.

Relationships are also woven into gameplay as well. Not so much that they are the major focal point of combat, but in smaller ways that are meant to reinforce the relationships between characters. Characters that are in a relationship for example, can choose to take a turn to smooch their significant other, which gives a temporary buff to the participants' stats. There's even a counter in the pause menu that keeps track of the number of smooches you've given. It doesn't affect anything, but it's a cute addition. This gives certain events in the story more weight when you temporarily lose access to the ability to smooch. It is integration between story and gameplay that I love to see in my RPGs.

The game is really a romance disguised as a traditional, adventurous RPG. It's main focus is on its characters and their building relationships. That is the main focus, and because of that, the romance and everything related to it feels front and center, but not separate from the main plot. The two are woven together wonderfully in their themes and experiences, and that, to me, makes this one of the best written romance games I have played, and I'm counting games where getting into a relationship is the main focus.

If you're looking for some wonderfully written characters, a nostalgic feeling RPG systems from the 16-bit era, some clever writing, and a colorful adventure, Super Lesbian Animal RPG is absolutely something you should play. It is absolutely worth its asking price and I am wondering if we'll see more of this world and these characters down the line. I sure hope so. You can visit the game's steam page HERE (#NotSponsored).

I love these girls.

[delicatestones]

It's still pretty funny that in the Barbie movie the character given the most complete narrative arc and funniest comedy bits was Ken. I was never expecting it to be a 'good' movie but straight up having Ken be granted the best parts of the Barbie movie was a little on the nose.

You can't even do the dodge of 'oh it's misogyny that makes people overlook the good part they wrote for Barbie'. The Barbie related jokes suffered immensely from the restriction that the Barbie movie by Mattel cannot possibly offer any genuine critiques of Barbie. That's their marquee brand. They can't make Barbie that funny because they don't want Barbie to be laughable.

Meanwhile, Ken is a laughable buffoon, and in a comedy the laughable buffoon is king. They gave him a visually dynamic slapstick Ken battle and a banger theme song. Mojo Dojo Casa House. Kenergy. All of his outfits. Beaching off. The fact he falls in love with a montage of PATRIARCHY footage in the lobby of an office building. Having an easily articulated emotional problem (he wants Barbie to love him) with a clear ending (he learns to try to start being Kenough for himself) vs Barbie having someone else's generic mid-life 'professional woman out of touch with her daughter' crisis resolved by a magic ghost on a sound stage beaming pictures of women into her head until she manifested human genitals, which might have at least been sort of interesting if Barbie had ever said something like "god I wish I had a pussy".

What a film. They couldn't have encapsulated exactly what the problem is with incoherent commodified 'girl power' better if they did it on purpose.

[jamesintherye91]

Personal Hot Takes on the Sonic Franchise.

Something I felt like sharing on here, my personal hot takes of Sonic The Hedgehog that I'm sure will rankle some but I've deeply felt over the past year or so having researched and examined most things revolving around the titular speedy blue hedgehog.

I think Ian Flynn is simultaneously overhated and overrated. He has contributed for almost 20 years as one of the main writers of the spin-off comics and most recently the games but honestly I again think he's not that great nor do I think he's terrible. To me, he's just a name and that's it.

Pontaff (Ken Pontac and Warren Graff) aren't that bad but how the fandom treated them is much worse than their contributions. Yes, their writing was more kiddie style but Sonic Team/Sega signed off on this direction and Pontaff were for the most part localisers as Ian Flynn currently serves as a games writer. I know Lost World and Forces are often derided for their respective story problems but personally I think they've got at least the right ideas in terms of what the Sonic characters represent thematically and I genuinely like aspects of them (the scene of Eggman violently snapping at Zavok and Zazz is genuinely great and I think Infinite as a character idea for a new Sonic adversary is what I prefer to see the franchise do more off rather than a series of giant slobbering lovecraftian creatures) but I agree that they're charitably speaking deeply flawed as stories. But the blame should be laid at the feet of Sonic Team/Sega than just at Pontaff personally.

IDW Sonic is just mediocre at best, often full of filler, drawn out story arcs and having a distinctively underwhelming set of new villains that really aren't that interesting or compelling. Honestly it feels like a waste and I'd be up for a proper reboot series that potentially hues much closer to the spirit of the games. The actual art however is often excellent. It's a shame that such great art is saddled with the mostly mediocre of stories...

Satam is fine but overrated by nostalgic older people who loved it as kids back when it was first on. Compared some of the best 90s animated shows of that era, it's not even close to them. It's just a in-name-only animated spin-off that honestly if you strip all of the Sonic related things from it, it further reveals just how mid it is. It's just a series that's been propped up by 90s nostalgia but to me who grew up on that stuff, it's nothing that great.

Adventures Of Sonic The Hedgehog is fine and in it's own way captures aspects of Sonic and his original influences (albeit his 90s American persona) that actually feels somewhat more respectful in it's own way. Sonic in this feels less like of an obnoxious little jerkass in this compared to him supposedly more "serious" counterpart in Satam (where his snarky tone often clashes with the more serious bent of that show whereas AOSTH, he's yes snarky but in a more cartoonish environment where it feels more appropriate).

Sonic Underground for all of it's issues with it's ugly animation, designs, vapid pop songs, the ridiculous mythos etc is really not that bad. I just think thanks to memes and certain internet "critics", it's become a joke but honestly I believe there's much worse cartoons out there. But it's certainly the weakest Sonic related cartoon to date I'll concede. But you gotta admit, the theme song is one hell of a banger...

But here's the big one and despite what I've said, I believe that pretty much every bit of American Sonic lore (Mobius, chilli dogs, Sonic's Bart Simpson-esque personality and 90s AF catchphrases, the Archie comics, DiC cartoons etc) that has influenced the franchise since should be dropped and consigned to the waste bin of history, finally allowing the games universe to be the defacto one. Blame Sega of America's marketing that whilst it did legitimately made the hedgehog a serious competitor against Nintendo's Mario, I really think we don't need that version anymore especially as aspects of this original American version still inform aspects of Sonic's current characterisation in the West. Watching that terrible Eddie Lebron Sonic fanfilm just put all of that in sharp focus (the scene where "Kintobor" announces to the world that he's rechristened himself as Robotnik because that's his fucking name spelled BACKWARDS is just fucking stupid in so many ways which was derived from that juvenile backstory between Sonic and the evil doctor made for the American lore and was later appropriated by the British Fleetway series) and despite some aspects I'd be willing to personally save (ie Freedom Fighters, Naugus etc), I'd still be willing to throw all of this American lore in the trash otherwise and replace it with the Japanese games lore and recontextualise various aspects that I would save from the original American lore to better fit the games one. This may sound like fanfiction style wish fulfillment but it's something I would consider personally as much as I greatly dislike the American lore, I'd be willing save certain aspects of it that may be applicable to a potential rebooted canon. But otherwise, I'd pretty much stick to the world, lore and characterisations from the Japanese developed games.

And despite the aforementioned American produced cartoons and comics, I'm really not a fan of giving Sonic actual parents and/or siblings. He really doesn't need a mum, a dad, an uncle, a brother and a sister, a queen mum etc. I like the idea (and Sonic's original creator Naoto Ohshima has conceded on Twitter about this) that he's an orphan and still being someone willing help those and with his friends like Tails, Amy, Knuckles and the rest, build a strong personal connection with each of them. It's just another example of the American interpretations trying to create something that I don't think was really needed personally. He doesn't need to have actual hedgehog parents for him to be who he is imho.

[kenshivshow]

This is another joke, obviously. Well, partially. The eBay thing is not; that is, for some reason, very real. When Stewy had questioned it—you have more money than you'll ever be able to spend, dude, just buy ‘em outright—Kendall shook his head and said the eBay bidding shit was “more mentally stimulating.” Which, okay, sure. Stewy was all for Ken stimulating himself, mentally or otherwise, in whatever ways worked, considering all the times not so long ago he'd told Stewy I kinda wish I didn't exist, Stew and even if he hadn't actively tried to make that happen, he hadn't exactly been trying to live, either. Stewy’s fairly certain Kendall would've just rotted away to nothing through inaction, if he hadn't been there to force him to eat and drink and bathe, expose himself to direct sunlight every once in awhile. So yeah, if Ken wants to fight bratty teenagers and middle-class dads over some “super rare” Air Jordans, he can knock himself the fuck out.

omg another banger ask from @highkingpenny thank you so much for making my day!!!!!

this particular moment is so special to me bc it's the first idea I ever had and I was like well guess I'm writing a fic based around this concept because it's so funny lmao and the rest is history.......he's a funemployed housewife!!! 💕💕💕

[atrophiedcompassion]

having seen barbie twice, all i can say is that the movie's even funnier the second time around. the jokes land and the serious parts are good.

let me get this out first: the main reason i went to see it again was for the ken dance/off / beach/off number. oh boy on the pre-premiere night this got a round of applause in my theater. it was spectacular and the song's a total banger. needed to see this again so i did.

which leads us to the second point, ken steals the show in all his scenes. ryan gosling is beyond perfect in the role and he dominates his scenes easily. the physical comedy of the dance blowout in the barbie dream house was just a morsel of the full meal RG provided.

he's so funny and so engaging and so plastic and perfect and insecure and overall i'd say major awards contender. he made the movie his with sublime! ease

the second viewing changed that perception a bit, because i was able to focus on margot robbie (who i unequivocally stan). she's also stellar as the regular stereotypical barbie, and that's the point. her whole shtick (as barbie) is to be pretty and perfect, but she struggles with being boxed in even if she says she doesn't want change.

i guess this is the only decision the movie makes that i don't fully understand: she wanted to be the same, the pretty perfect barbie, claiming this throughout the movie, but then at the end, she wants more. even on the second viewing, i found the ending with her convo with ruth the weakest part (although it's still moving and well acted) and it only pays off for the closing line, which is incredible.

the SPEECH felt more natural on my second viewing, whilst the first time it just felt we were being spoon-fed feminism (a thing that american movies do all the time, in a "MESSAGE!" sort of way).

overall, a top marks experience and i NEED the OST like right now.

strike that last part. i finally got the MESSAGE! no-one can be JUST pretty, with nothing else going on, not even stereotypical barbie. looks are not important, being perfect is not the endgame.

[gods-favorite-autistic]

Pros and cons about the Hairspray movie after seeing the musical (with spoilers)

Pros:

I absolutely love Ladies Choice and The New Girl In Town

Inez winning instead of Tracy was honestly so awesome I love that for her

Velma getting her comeuppance and Amber being taken away in the chair instead of just straight up stopping being racist because of a funky little dance number

Penny’s mom having to see her make out with Seaweed on live tv

It Takes Two not being in it so no cheating on Links end (and Corny very much enabling it???)

Penny not needing a “hot girl transformation” at the end

Cons:

Link is a lot less of a himbo in the movie (like I love musical Link but he is dumb as dirt and I love him for that)

No “Link, come!” “Amber, go!” Remark

No Edna Turnblad about the fucking beat Velma Vontussel’s ass for calling her daughter “that thing”

No reoccurring “I Can Hear The Bells” joke (also no Link just standing like a Ken doll for like a solid amount of time during that song and Penny just confused my crawling around on stage)

Honestly the musical is just so much more of a raunchy comedy than the movie (see “and Link, you could go to prison for what you did tonight” “JUST FIRST BASE IN THE BACK OF A CAB I SWEAR!”)

Mama I’m a Big Girl Now and Cooties are honestly bangers argue with the wall

Velma’s Revenge also slaps once again argue with the wall

And Big Dollhouse, I get that it’s very much and opening act number that doesn’t really transfer well to the screen but it’s so good

Link singing to himself in Tracy’s room in Without Love instead of with Tracy at the jail

“lf we get any more white people in here, it'll be a suburb.”

The little kid who just straight up went “OH” when Edna and Wilbur kissed during Timeless To Me

Them completely changing Big Blonde and Beautiful

“And we came in through the front door” honestly iconic

Yeah no this is just me essentially saying that I loved the musical

[alchemisland]

Mike’s list of Irish punk bangers

Recently I’ve been attempting to recall the results of a certain patch-decked census, namely the list of one-off punk bands I’ve seen over the years. Next came another, more troubling thought: if tomorrow morning a hemorrhage turned my wits to water, who would wrest this mantle and detail those defunct Irish punk and metal bands who split without leaving behind a recording? If not I, then who?

Rather than spouting a list of band names so unheard as to seem almost religiously profane when uttered aloud, I recall only the time when conjuring a selection suchlike was easy and did not require considerable aforethought, which counts as work and is thus un-punk. 

Perhaps it’s misremembrance which worries most. 

Striving to immortalize these rarities which, like rare nightbugs, enter one’s ear and soon thereafter die, I will compile these annals myself. I’ve opted for a regular selection of arbitrary Irish underground and alternate tunes. Mostly punk and extreme metal, although there’s post-punk, bassy weirdness, drone, rock&roll and hip hop throughout.

I haven’t yet considered breakdown metrics. By subgenre or county of origin perhaps, but that’s for a future iteration to say. Just count your good sense badges and be glad I didn’t use the originally planned ‘Pale Shadows’ and ‘From the Bog’ headings for Dublin and rest-of-country songs respectively.

From the forge of Hephaestus to your plateless breast, three of my favourite underground Irish songs:

Violins is Not the Answer - Sick

Unless someone’s asking what luthiers make, Violins is Not the Answer. However, Violins were someone’s answer when they tore the tucked shirt off Galway punkdom with their raucous 2011 debut Green Diesel and Poitin. It’s a time-tested sob story of Irish scene cohesion that lets so fresh a band go unnoticed, unhailed and handsomely unkempt outside their home county; it’s this exact myopia, although antipode, which confined Lovecraft in Rhode Island and left Howard’s hypothalamus on the dash under a Cross Plains sun. 

Aside from the band themselves, I doubt there’s another  person alive who has heard this album more than I. I’ve proudly flown that battered, cider-stained flag throughout a local and global invasion until Violins, not 42, became the answer, at least for me.

Has it really been that long? Eight years on it still excites much as the first time. Its engine-revving opening track conjures images of sputtering roadsters chewing the starting line of a Mad Max outback race, while the final upstroked riddums of its GBH-esque closer Sick promises the tinny best of Shitty Limits alongside the sombre heights of FNM’s Midlife Crisis.

Guitars that sound like they’re being played with chainmail’d fingers, vorpal bass tapping, ska pick it ups to HxC stick it ups (middle fingers in this instance), Green Diesel crams a maelstrom of alt genres into a curt 26-ish minute runtime. Ben’s phlegm-tinged vocals lead the sonic vanguard, bolstered and occasionally shelved in favour of fireman-cum-drummer Donal’s softer warble on cryptid welfare anthem Vampire on the Dole.

Sick is my favourite tune. The song, the album’s only track exceeding a three minute runtime, combines everything that makes Violins worth ear-time in the epoch of overchoice. Although Class Ayes and Dickheads Picnic deliver the nutkicks exactly how frontman Ben, of Psychopigs, Hardcore Priests and Doppelskangerz fame, wants them delivered, Sick offers a sample book of greatness to come across two recorded albums. Containing an otolaryngologist-approved mix of harsh shouting and actual singing, Ben’s disarming foghorn timbre sweeps us slowly toward the finish after a suppressing fire of growled insistence, “You ain’t never gonna come//between me and my bottle.”

Fans of short time good time are well served with riffy tunes in the vein of punchier Propagandhi songs, albeit playfully apolitical. Littered with in-jokes and avowedly pro substance, these tracks stink of fun in the studio, a subterranean lodge affectionately christened the Fritzl Bunker. Even angry songs fizz with youthful energy. It makes me want to drink malibu from a shoe in GG Allin’s house. It rouses me to a bubbling zenith of bacchic hedonism which Andrew W.K. can’t hold a candle to. 

There’s much here not found elsewhere; adjoining on Keytar Mr Jimmy Penguin of Skratch Games fame, his genius confined only by the breadth of his current interest; also the album’s producer. You can tell Jimmy put work on this record. Every groove is warm and tipped to perfect balance with just the right amount of hiss; right in the sense that it’s sometimes wrong. 

Since disbanded, there’s two albums worth of raw riffage to enjoy. From Refused rip-offs and Exploited shouts-outs to Elvis Costello tracks played backwards, find this album, buy a CD and tell your Granny this picnic is for dickheads.

I’m rambling. Violins is not the Answer. For my money, the best punk band in Ireland post 2010.

https://violinsisnottheanswer.bandcamp.com/track/sick

Divisions Ruin - Srebrenica/Merely Existing

I won’t lie. Much like a former athlete whose varsity gout impeded athletic excellence, I’ve had to settle here. I wanted the track Srebrenica from Division Ruin’s side of the Easpa Measa split - another band we’ll encounter later, or if not here than absolutely in future installments, should they ere be writ. 

I have the vinyl. Whenever I want to sonically experience withstanding a carpet bombing, I stick the needle down, turn the table over, sit in the lotus position and wait for oblivion. This track absolutely slays. The opening riff, an atomic discharge of heavy bass, distorted guitar and technical drumming from the scene stalwart and filler-player-extraordinaire John K, sears the ears, and one might be forgiven for touching that dial. Then the vocals come. Impassioned howls from the furious maw of Cirarot, which sound almost prehistoric in their primal ferocity. With my eyes closed, I feel the cymbal crashes like great waves and imagine people of the dawn age battling terrible beasties, although I’m not sure if she’s the lizard or its prospective prey. 

Although all their recorded tracks offer something for filth-seekers, I struggled to find another which accurately conveyed with sufficient brutality the blunt force flavour Srebrenica proffers. However you locate this song, ensure you’ve your iodine pills to hand; shit is about to get nuclear. In lieu of an active link, here’s another hefty slab from the same split.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARGqt0r_cVg

Easpa Measa- Vargold

B-side of the Divisions Ruin split, Easpa Measa deliver a cleaner, dare I say, more mature crust experience. Less raw but equal in ferocity, Easpa Measa’s Eric’s howls are twisted as the metal he contorts for his angry punky art, conjuring images of Ireland with reintroduced wolves.

We picture them on the plain, endemic of wider wildness among the populace. However you fall on the lupine legacy of Eireann’s isle, Easpa Measa deliver perfect high kicks on every tier. Riffs, loud bass and amazing drumming from Ken Sweeney, another scene stalwart also of Harvester fame, while Clodagh’s vocals, whose shrieking ire can only be matched by the shipwrecking songs of the sirens themselves, compliment Eric’s baleful howls.

Bring back the wolf indeed. Although so many years since its release the band have disbanded with ne’er a wolf attendant at a single show, this song’s singular ferocity more than accounts for any deficit of wolfnishness on the island. Don’t miss this amazing video from their final show, alongside the Freebooters at the Boh’s club in Dublin, with bonus front row Mike Dempsey (that’s me!).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wIQC6wk7sY

If you like this list or the tunes therein, let me know your thoughts and why they activated your nodding lever. 

If other bands are close to your heart but far from the zeitgeist, comment or PM with appropriate links and I’d be glad to include your suggestion.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read this short post. I’ll have interesting content by the fishgut bucketload in 2020, but should/hope to have one more live before yuletide at least. 

Please drop a like and share this post with your favourite PUNX. Give them the gift of Violins this Christmate. An early stocking filler to ensure the loyalty of nephews and nieces come the post-yule divorce news, here’s an.. Important music video I made for their track Dickheads Picnic.

[dghdabigbang]

Big Bang Check-In (feat. How To Write A Summary)

Hi, Bangers!

So, as you (hopefully) know, the first Big Bang check-in is coming up soon- in just over a week’s time, in fact, on May 13th! For this, we need you to email us to confirm your participation, and include in this email:

A current word count (hopefully you’re at least 5k words in by now!)

A WIP

A summary of your story, including pairings, rating and triggers

Now, that last part is pretty important, because this is the summary that will be viewed by artists looking to claim a fic for the challenge! Basically, it’s your elevator pitch, so you wanna give people a good idea of what your fic’s about, and make it appealing- but also give them fair warning of what it entails, we don’t want anyone being caught off guard!

As an example, here’s the summary I wrote for my Big Bang fic last year:

”Y’know, make it up. Pretend to be in a relationship with someone. Can’t be that hard to fake, right?” it was still a stupid idea, but Todd was actually pretty invested in it now. He leaned forward, folding his arms. “C’mon, think about it- you got any other desperate homeless friends?”

Yellow sat up fully, glancing between Todd and the paper. The storm clouds parted, and the sunniest smile Todd had ever seen broke across his face. “Well, now that you mention it, one fellow does spring to mind…”

Flatmates/Fake-Dating AU, based on the TV show ‘Spaced’.

Todd meets Dirk when both are homeless and stuck in a rut- Todd fresh out of the band, Dirk fresh out of England- and find the perfect apartment. The catch? It’s professional couple only. Dirk proposes a ruse, and Todd’s too desperate to be picky. With the help of their friends- Farah, Todd’s trigger-happy ex-crush from college; Bart, Dirk’s terrifying ex-bodyguard from boarding school; Ken, the mysterious computer guy downstairs- they must keep their landlady Amanda Mandelbrot believing the lie, and learn to navigate the wonderful world of being ‘independent adults’.

What could go wrong?

First part of a three-part series. Featuring daring dog rescues, epic paintball showdowns and gratuitous quarter-life crises. Overall comedic sitcom vibe, sometimes bordering on the surreal, with thoughtful and bittersweet moments as the characters learn to be part of each other’s lives, and be happy in their own.

Mostly gen, friendship/found family fic. Pre-Brotzly (to be further explored in part two of the series, VERY slow-burn), pre-background Faranda, background Kentine. No explicit sexual content, but references to/jokes about sex and pornogaphy. Swearing. Mild canon-typical ableist language (‘crazy’, ‘insane’ etc. used once or twice, VERY infrequent). Mild, non-detailed recreational drug use (smoking/consuming weed- no snorting/injecting, and nothing stronger). Cigarettes and alcohol. Disillusioned twenty-somethings having existential/identity crises. Farah has lots of guns and wishes she had more opportunity to use them.

Hardly a perfect summary, but it was among the first claimed, so I must have done something right! So, suggestions would be:

Keep it 400 words or under: artists will have a lot of summaries to sift through (over 20 at present) and that could get very old very fast! The summary above is just under 400, but I’d recommend going slightly shorter if you can because it can be tempting to skim big blocks of text.

Include a short snippet of your current WIP to give an idea of the fic and its style.

Include relevant content warnings (pairings, rating, triggers etc.)- your artist needs to know what they’re getting into!

And, as anyone in showbiz’ll tell ya- leave ‘em wanting more!

Hope this is helpful! I’ll be sending round a reminder email about the check-in, too. Remember to check our calendar and FAQ if you have any questions, and come to us if you’re still confused on anything by sending us an ask or an email to dghdabigbang@gmail.com!

Happy writing!

-Mod Hellz

[aion-rsa]

Best Movies Coming to Netflix in July 2021

https://ift.tt/2UQ1B1r

Movies are back. It at least feels that way when you see the numbers that films like F9 and A Quiet Place Part II are earning. But more than just the thrill of going back to theaters, July signals what is typically considered to be the height of the summer movie season. On a hot evening, there are few things better than some cold air conditioning and a colder drink of your choice while escapism plays across a screen.

That can prove just as true at home as in theaters. And as luck would have it, Netflix is pretty stuffed with new streaming content this month. Below there are space adventures, comedies, dramas, and more than a few epics worth your attention, either as a revisit or new discovery. And we’ve rounded them up for your scrolling pleasure.

Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)

July 1

When the first Austin Powers opened in 1997, it was intended to be as much a crude love letter to the popular cinema of the 1960s as a modern day raunchy laugh-fest. Now with the benefit of another 20 years’ worth of hindsight, Mike Myers and Jay Roach’s spoof of Bondmania is itself an amusing time capsule of 1990s comedy tropes. There’s Myers’ cartoonishly larger-than-life characters—beginning with Powers but most dementedly perfected with Dr. Evil, the comedian’s riff on Ernst Stavro Blofeld—as well as the pair’s embrace of what they considered to be the defining trappings of the late ‘90s.

The film’s nostalgia for the ‘60s and its value as a piece of kitsch ‘90s nostalgia makes this Austin Powers (and to a lesser extent the second movie, The Spy Who Shagged Me) a fascinating relic, as well as a genuinely funny lowbrow symphony of sex gags, bathroom humor, and multiple digs at British stereotypes, including bad teeth. In other words, it’s a good time if you don’t take it too seriously. Just avoid the third one, which is also coming to Netflix.

The Karate Kid (1984)

July 1

1984’s The Karate Kid is the cultural apex of Reagan America’s obsession with martial arts movies and Rocky-style underdog stories. It offered ’80s kids the ultimate fantasy of learning martial arts to defeat local bullies and finding time to squeeze in a love subplot along the way. Granted, the Cobra Kai series has thrown a wrench into this film’s seemingly simple morality tale, but just try not to root for Daniel by the time you reach arguably the greatest montage in movie history.

There’s also something eternally comforting about watching Pat Morita beat-up ’80s thugs while validating parents everywhere by suggesting that you to can one day grow up to be a great warrior if you just sweep the floor, wax the car, and paint the fence.

Love Actually

July 1

Christmas in July? Sure, why not. This Yuletide classic likely needs no introduction. Writer-director Richard Curtis’ Love Actually is the ultimate romantic comedy, stuffing every cliché and setup from a holiday bag of tricks into one beautifully wrapped package. Perhaps its greatest strength though is it mixes in a touch of the bitter with its sweet, and doesn’t hide the thorns in its bouquet of roses. Plus, its use of “All I Want for Christmas” is still a banger nearly 20 years on.

Admittedly, we aren’t particularly inclined to watch this in July ourselves, but if you don’t mind the Christmas of it all, there are few better rom-coms in your queue at the moment.

Memoirs of a Geisha (2005)

July 1

This adaptation of the Arthur Golden novel of the same name was one of the highest profile literary adaptations of the early 2000s. It’s the story of a young girl sold to a geisha house in the legendary Gion district of Kyoto who then grows up to be the most famous geisha of 1930s imperial Japan… right before the war. The film (like its source material) had controversy in its day due to having a somewhat exoticized view of Japanese customs, as well as for the casting of Chinese actresses Michelle Yeoh and Zhang Ziyi in the roles of icons of Japanese culture, with Zhang playing central geisha Sayuri.

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But whatever its shortcomings, Memoirs of a Geisha is still an exquisitely crafted melodrama that provides an often delicate window into one of he most graceful and misunderstood arts. The film won Oscars for its costumes, art direction, and cinematography for a reason. Plus whenever Zhang and the actually Japanese Ken Watanabe share the screen, unrequited sizzle is hot to the touch.

Mortal Kombat (1995)

July 1

Look, 1995’s Mortal Kombat isn’t a great movie in the classic sense of the word. Those looking for notable ’90s schlock might even have a better time with 1994’s Street Fighter and Raul Julia’s scene-stealing performance as General M. Bison.

Yet at a time when video game movies still struggle to capture the magic of the games themselves, Mortal Kombat stands tall as one of the few adaptations that feel like an essential companion piece. It might lack the blood and gore that helped make 1992’s Mortal Kombat arcade game a cultural touchstone, but it perfectly captures the campy, shameless joy that has defined this franchise for nearly 30 years.

Star Trek (2009)

July 1

The idea of a Star Trek movie reboot wasn’t greeted with universal enthusiasm when it was first announced but then J.J. Abrams delighted many fans by creating a Trek origin story that was both familiar and new. Chris Pine shone as the cocky Kirk, bickering with Zachary Quinto’s Vulcan Spock while trying to save the universe from a pesky Romulan (Eric Bana). This was a standalone that could be enjoyed by audiences completely ignorant of the Star Trek legacy which also achieved the feat of not annoying many long-term followers of the multiple series. It was a combination of humor, heart, action and a zingy cast that won the day – it’s still the best of the three Star Trek reboot movies to date.

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (2005)

July 1

Alongside Step Brothers, Tallageda Nights remains a a biting snapshot of the 2000s zeitgeist from writer-director Adam McKay. Eventually he would drop (most of) the crude smirks in favor of dramedies about the excesses of the Bush years via The Big Short (2013) and Dick Cheney biopic Vice (2018), however Talladega Nights remains a well-aged and damning satire of that brief time when “NASCAR Dads” were a thing, which is all the more impressive since it was filmed in the midst of such jingoistic fervor.

So enters Will Ferrell in one of his signature roles as a NASCAR driver and the quintessential ugly American who’s boastful of his ignorance and proud that his two sons are named “Walker” and “Texas Ranger.” He’d be almost irredeemable if the movie wasn’t so quotable and endearing with its sketch comedy absurdities. There’s a reason Ferrell and co-star John C. Reilly became a recurring thing after this lunacy. Plus, that ending where adherents of the homophobic humor of the mid-2000s found out the joke was on them? Still pretty satisfying.

Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)

July 1

This is the movie that changed everything. Filmmakers had been experimenting with computer-generated visual effects for years, including director James Cameron with 1989’s The Abyss. But Cameron, as usual, upped his game with this 1991 action/sci-fi epic in which the main character — the villain — was a hybrid of live-action actor and CG visuals.

Those of us who saw T2 in the theater when it first came out can remember hearing the audience (and probably ourselves) audibly gasp as the T-1000 (an underrated and chilling Robert Patrick) slithered into his liquid metal form, creating a surreal and genuinely eerie moving target that not even Arnold Schwarzenegger’s brute strength could easily defeat. There were moments in this movie that remained seared into our brains for years as high points of what could be accomplished with CG.

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By Joseph Baxter

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By Ryan Lambie

This writer prefers T2 to the original Terminator. It’s fashionable to go the other way, but the first movie, while excellent, is essentially a low-budget horror film, Schwarzenegger’s T-800 a somewhat more formidable stand-in for the usual unstoppable slasher. The characters in T2 are far more fleshed out, the action bigger and more spectacular, the stakes more grave and palpable. It was the first movie to cost more than $100 million but it felt like every penny was right there on the screen. And Cameron tied up his story ingeniously, making all the sequels and prequels, and sidequels since irrelevant and incoherent. We don’t need them; we have Terminator 2: Judgment Day.

Underworld (2003)

July 1

Is Underworld a good movie? No, not really. Is it a scary movie, what with the vampires and werewolves? Not at all. Well, is it at least entertaining?! Absolutely. Never before has a B-studio actioner been so deliciously pretentious and delightful in its pomposity.

Every bit the product of early 2000s action movie clichés, right down to Kate Beckinsale’s oh-so tight leather number,  Underworld excels in part because of the casting of talent like Beckinsale. A former Oxford student and star of the West End stage, she got her start in cinema by appearing in a Kenneth Branagh Shakespeare adaptation, and she brings a wholly unneeded (but welcome) conviction to this tale of vampire versus werewolves in a centuries-long feud. Shamelessly riffing on Romeo and Juliet, the film ups the British thespian pedigree with movie-stealing performances by Bill Nighy as a vampire patriarch and Michael Sheen (Beckinsale’s then-husband who she met in a production of The Seagull) as an angsty, tragic werewolf. It’s bizarre, overdone, and highly entertaining in addition to all the fang on fur action.

Snowpiercer (2013)

July 2

Before there was Parasite, there was Snowpiercer, the action-driven class parable brought to horrific and mesmerizing life by Oscar-winning Korean director Bong Joon-ho in 2013. The film is set in a future ice age in which the last of humanity survives on a train that circumnavigates a post-climate change Earth. The story follows Chris Evans‘ Curtis as he leads a revolt from the working class caboose to the upper class engine at the front of the train.

Loosely based on a French graphic novel, filmed in the Czech Republic as a Korean-Czech co-production, and featuring some of Hollywood’s biggest stars, with dialogue in both English and Korean, Snowpiercer is not only a truly international production that will keep Western audiences guessing, but it packs an ever effective social critique as we head further into an age of climate change and wealth inequality. Also, there is a scene in which Chris Evans slips on a fish.

The Beguiled (2017)

July 16

Sofia Coppola’s remake of the 1971 film of the same name (both are based on a Thomas Cullinan novel) is a somewhat slight yet undeniably intriguing addition to the filmmaker’s catalog. It’s the story of a wounded Union soldier being taken in by a Southern school for girls–stranded in the middle of the American Civil War–with salvation turning into damnation as the power dynamics between the sexes are tested. It is also an evocative piece of Southern Gothic with an ending that will stick with you. Top notch work from a cast that also includes Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, Elle Fanning, and Colin Farrell makes this a bit of an underrated gem.

The Twilight Saga

July 16

In July, not one, not two, not three, not even four, but all five of the movies adapted from Stephenie Meyer’s young adult phenomenon book series will be accessible on Netflix. Indulge in the nostalgia of Catherine Hardwicke’s faithful and comparatively intimate Twilight. Travel to Italy with a depressing Edward and Bella in New Moon. Lean into the horror absurdity of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn: Part 2. Or marathon all five for maximal escapism into a world where vegetarian vampires are the boyfriend ideal, the sun is always clouded, and the truly iconic emo-pop tunes never stop. 

Django Unchained (2012)

July 24

The second film Quentin Tarantino won an Oscar for, Django Unchained remains a highly potent revenge fantasy where a Black former slave (Jamie Foxx) seeks to free his wife from Mississippian bondage and ends up wiping out the entire infrastructure of a plantation in the process. Brutal, dazzlingly verbose in dialogue, and highly triggering in every meaning of the word—including quickdraw shootouts—this is a Southern-fried Spaghetti Western at its finest.

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Perhaps its other great asset is a terrific cast of richly drawn characters, including Foxx as Django (the “D” is silent), Christoph Waltz as German dentist-turned-bounty hunter Dr. King Shultz, Leonardo DiCaprio as sadistic slaveowner Calvin Candie, and Samuel L. Jackson as Stephen. While Waltz won a deserved Oscar for the film (his second from a Tarantino joint), it is Jackson’s turn as a house slave who becomes by far the most dangerous and cruel of Django’s adversaries who lingers in the memory years later… 

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The post Best Movies Coming to Netflix in July 2021 appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/3A8JEeG

[quarantineroulette]

Minor Disappointments’ Least Disappointing of 2017

2017 has been my seventh year as a music critic and also the one where I’ve been most confounded by year end lists. More than ever,the lists give the impression that an algorithim has plugged the same 50 or so albums into empty slots, with the order slightly altered each time. Without trying to be willfully defiant of the more ubiquitous albums, here is a list of 10 releases from 2017 not featured on many year end lists (with a few givens thrown in, because sometimes the bots are right). 

The moral is, if you liked something a lot this year, but it wasn’t on a year end list, it’s probably still very good (and lists are still fun to read): 

1) Wolf Parade -- Cry Cry Cry:  Here is my most “mountain out of molehill” statement of 2017: the lack of exposure and praise this record got is simply obscene. Not only is Cry Cry Cry a rare case of a band returning from a hiatus to show an energy and progress completely at odds with its six year dry period, it is also a record that is highly relevant to our times, a defiant last cry from the sinking ship that is North America (and yes, Wolf Parade is Canadian, but just go with it). You may think that an album whose opening song has a refrain of “we’re all gonna die” and closes on “...coming down the hall to kill us all” would be a bit of a downer, but Cry Cry Cry is wholly invigorating throughout its 11 prog-power-pop-hypersynthed-indie(I guess) jams. 

Furthermore, Spencer Krug is a gift to us all, whether he’s applying some Leonard Cohen-esque phrasing, playing the synths like the devil or doing his signature “oh!oh!oh!”-ing. But enough of my fawning -- let’s allow the lyrics to speak for themselves: 

  “ And then it rains on you, and then it pours And then the angel of the future is locking all her doors And then you're shocked at how you have become some crocodile form of the truth Like a forest coming up through the floor So may I hang my hat in this hallway, dear I've made it almost halfway, dear May I hang from the branches of the past above that crocodile and his crocodile tears.” 

WOW

2) Shilpa Ray -- Door Girl: No disrespect for the Hurray for the Riff Raff record, but I’ve been seeing things about it being the sound and soul of New York right now, and I feel that title (and so much more) should go to Shilpa Ray’s 2nd Happy Hookers-less full-length instead. As I’ve sort of said in the past, Shilpa’s music is a perfect confluence of New York-specific styles, from no wave to old school hip hop to doo-wop, and never has that merging been stronger than on Door Girl. Add in Shilpa’s wry narration and almighty vocals, and you have a near-flawless collection of catchy, smart, funny, and timely yet timeless multi-genre gems. That this record didn’t make more waves this year is as clear a testament as there is that the music industry is, in fact, a burning ruin.

3) Kendrick Lamar -- DAMN.: Now this one, this one everybody got right. Much more straightforward than To Pimp A Butterfly but just as vital. 

4) Protomartyr -- Relatives in Descent: This is the sort of music that I had hoped would come out this year: anxious diatribes on the state of things that never lose their potency on repeated listens. 

5) Sparks -- Hippopotamus: It’s a little overlong, but there are six or so songs that are more joyous than anything I’ve heard all year. I can’t believe it took Sparks this long to write a song about the missionary position!

6) Mountain Goats -- Goths: A loving chronicle on gothhood, that period of adolescence that only the lucky among us get to experience. In any other hands a loungey song called “The Grey King and the Silver Flame Attunement” would be an utter joke, but when John Darnielle does it, it’s surprisingly moving.

7) Mount Eerie -- A Crow Looked At Me: I nerve out about death so frequently that it took me eight months until I was able to listen to this. Nearly had a breakdown at my work cubicle. Well done, Phil. 

8) Destroyer -- Ken: I’m not going to lie -- I listened to this because Dan Bejar got the title from Suede’s “The Wild Ones” demo. The sound of Ken is more New Order meets Pavement (and yes, that sounds terrible; this is why it’s OK to cringe when you read music writing sometimes), and each song is a dreamy puzzle filled with quality Bejar-isms. I hope all the Destroyer bros on Reddit (there are a few) listened to “The Wild Ones” a bunch while they waited for this to leak. 

9) Afghan Whigs -- In Spades: Just a wonderfully performed rock record with gorgeous string arrangements and really cool cover art. Sometimes those sorts of things still get made!

10)  LCD Soundsystem -- American Dream: Like the Sparks record, I found half of American Dream to be a banger, and then the rest just very slightly boring. That said, it had the strongest four-song opening run of any record I heard in 2017. 

10 good songs:

Algiers -- The Underside of Power: I didn’t get to listen to this album enough to form an opinion, but this song is terrific melding of what Algiers is about. 

Liars -- No Help Pamphlet: Latter day Liars releases have been a bit mixed for me, but TFCF, the first Angus Andrew-only Liars release, was a surprisingly solid outing filled with surprises, the least not being this straight-up beautiful number that takes unexpected turns. 

King Krule -- Dum Surfer: Singlehandedly giving me hope for the youth of today. 

Horrors -- Something to Remember Me By: I’m so happy that these reformed goths are still around and still delivering. As a live band they’ve definitely improved, they still look cool, and, with “Something to Remember Me By,” they may have put out their best song yet. Clever video, too. 

Sparks -- Missionary Position: “It ain’t no joke / it ain’t baroque / it’s the missionary position.” Classic Sparks. 

Future Islands -- Shadows: Although it was Future Islands’ breakthrough, I thought 2014′s Singles was kind of a step down from 2011′s excellent On the Water. The Far Field saw the band return to very fine form, but not even Debbie Harry guesting on this track seemed to get anyone to care that much. You all missed out. 

Veda Rays -- False Coloured Eyes: In the past, I guess it could be seen as kind of conceited to put your own band on a “best of the year” list. Considering it’s so hard to get through to anyone unless you have the dollar for excellent PR, I think it’s almost necessary to sneak your own material on to a list. So, here’s our song about surveillance, it’s got one hell of a riff. 

Thundercat -- Bus In These Streets: "Opening your mouth removes all doubt / so be quiet.” Very zen and very wise words for basically anyone who tweets / leaves a comment somewhere on the internet. 

Wolf Parade -- Lazarus Online: And now I’m the one crying. 

[wacky-hatter]

You’re getting it anyways.

If you didn’t know, in We’re Lalaloopsies (the lala reboot show that only the rich (Netflix users) get to view) one of the first few episodes establishes that Jewel has a crush on Ace. There’s even a song about her crushing on him!! It honestly hits, MGA please put it on Spotify or SoundCloud I’d stream it. Anyways, back on topic, the episode has a wacky plot, but this is lalaloopsy we’re talking about. Ace’s Monkey and Jewel’s cat swap personalities (something like that, I can’t recall specifics since I haven’t watched the episode in a while) due to Dot’s strange machine, which she warned no one to touch but naturally Ace touched it because he’s a fool (and for the plot <3). So the episode has Jewel and Ace interacting primarily! Sweet!

But, Jewel’s crush on Ace, despite getting a banger song, never comes up again. In the episodes where Ace shows up after that, nothing. I’d let this slide if We’re Lalaloopsy didn’t have established Continuity. So if the characters remember what happened last episode, why doesn’t Jewel and Ace’s potential romance come back up? I mean, the pairing seemed kinda shoehorned in if we’re being honest. This comes off as Whoever’s running the show trying to make it seem like the characters like, aren’t gay or something, or try to take your attention off other pairings with sudden RELATIONSHIPS!!!

A lot of media aimed towards little girls always forces in boyfriend characters, so this may not be so different. This isn’t saying Ace is the Ken to Jewel’s Barbie, they come no where close. It’s just food for thought. The show also did this with Storm E and Forest, albeit they get more development and interactions than Ace and Jewel; Storm E often goes to Forest for help, goes to fly kites with him to avoid helping Spot, generally have more chemistry than Ace/Jewel, etc.... They too seemed a bit forced, but since Forest shows up more than Ace their relationship gets more screen time and such can grow! Ace and Jewel DONT get that, sadly. So how can we improve this.

Let’s quickly go back to the episode that first started the pairing. One of the main conflicts besides the personality swap is that Ace and Jewel don’t want their pets acting like the other’s pet. Cat is now messy and avidly works on machinery, Monkey acts proper and refuses to get her hands dirty. I remember in that episode Jewel saying that she didn’t want Cat to be messy, something along those lines, in a annoyed (maybe even hostile) tone, and Ace replies saying he doesn’t want Monkey acting all prissy (Once again, something along those terms) in a similar tone. And then ITS NOT BROUGHT BACK UP AGAIN. I think they may have apologized to each other in that second, maybe not, but either way this small conflict that was probably only introduced to reach a script word limit is never acknowledged.

And if we examine them more, we see that Jewel and Ace are NOTHING alike. That was already apparent but in hyperfixated so let me speak. Jewel is proper, Shes a perfectionist and hates getting her hands dirty. Ace is the total opposite, he’s laidback and jokes around, he’s more cluttered and a lot of the stuff he makes/fixes fail. Total opposites. Maybe MGA was looking for a opposites attract moment... but due to the lack of interactions on their part I don’t believe it could be a funny “Oh let’s agree to disagree and kiss :)” sceneario.

I don’t believe they have any common interest, unlike a chatacter like Storm E, she and Jewel manage to get along after some interaction. They collab on a song!! Due to them actually talking, since they’re the main characters, they fill a better opposites attract dynamic. Jewel probably only likes Ace because he wears a cool leather vest.

So here’s how I think we can wrap the strings up.

The seeds for a potential relationship have been planted, but so has the conflict of them not liking each other’s lifestyle as seen with the small dialogue I listed before. I believe if We’re Lalaloopsy got a second season, or even just a few more episodes squashed in between the first season, we can have something great here. I believe I’ve heard talk about We’re Lalaloopsy meaning to have a second season, but it got canned (WOULDNT be a Netflix series if it didn’t get cancelled after it’s first season) so we may have missed out on potential growth in various plot points, like why Storm E has commitment issues. But this is about Ace/Jewel. Hypothetically, let’s imagine We’re Lalaloopsy got a second season, picture it in your heads, the main plot doesn’t matter.

I say, dedicate at least four episodes (Each “episode” of We’re Lalaloopsy is actually two episodes, one A and one B, so this would actually be two As and Bs) to Jewel and Ace. In one of them, have Jewel finally get the courage to ask Ace on a date, and have him accept the offer. The next episode can focus on that as the A plot. During the date, that’s when they can really clash with each other. I can’t think of coherent examples, but let’s say Jewel takes him to a fancy dinner by candle light (Aka she forces everyone but Ace and Crumbs out of Crumbs’ bakery and they sit in the dark), Ace could get fed up with all the manners he has to follow, like all the fancy forks.

And have Ace equally get on Jewel’s nerves, maybe later they go to his place to work on a project, and he has Jewel hold his tools for plot convince. She could hand him the wrong gears and screws since she’s not educated in mechanic speak. Boom, whole thing is ruined. Hell, you can even throw a song in between to show that they really clash!

Ultimately, it could end with Jewel and Ace realizing they’re better off as friends who have clashing interests and lifestyles than lovers who get on each other’s nerves. So they end the date and continue off as friends. This realization would tie up the Possible Relationship and Conflict with Lifestyles threads nicely, maybe even give a good message! Or you could make them have a nice date and kiss, I mean it would be generic but this is a Netflix show aimed at little girls, so like, we can’t stop them. Eitherway could work.

It would give the episode meaning, the song meaning, this ESSAY meaning. But, we never got the possibility. No season 2. Heck, there’s a chance that even with a few more episodes we wouldn’t get Ace and Jewel development. Alas, we may never know, which is probably good cause I don’t trust this show with this concept.

So yes, that concludes my essay on how this pairing could be so much more better... if it had screen time, essentially. I don’t even ship it, I’m more of a Jewel/Storm E Enby myself, but this topic wouldn’t leave me alone. It’s probably because I’m a Patch Kinnie. All I know is Fixate on Ace, be LGBT, eat hot chip and lie. I really need to go to bed, go watch We’re Lalaloopsy if you want, good night and thanks for reading cause I had too much fun with this.

Buh-Bye!

Do you guys wanna hear my essay on why a season 2 of We’re Lalaloopsies (or just a few more episodes) could tie up some loose ends in the Ace/Jewel pairing or would that be annoying </3

[spicynbachili1]

Don’t let absurd leaks poison the well of expectations

Diablo and Smash Bros. had a tough week in some corners

Generally, salt is justified.

I’ve coated the Future collection because the beta interval for the unique and have witnessed events reminiscent of its developer primarily telling individuals to “shut up purchase our recreation,” and an occasion the place they outright lied to their neighborhood.

However there is a darkish aspect of salt: taking leaks at face worth. Leaks may also fully coloration expectations and dig builders (and followers) right into a gap of which there isn’t a return. That is precisely what occurred to Blizzard and Nintendo this week.

Proper now, the Diablo III subreddit is (appropriately for a recreation a few denizen of hell), on fireplace. Followers anticipated a bunch of Diablo bulletins and as a substitute have been met with the reveal of a cellular recreation. Let’s again up a bit.

I am what you name a hardcore Diablo participant. I grinded via a whole bunch of hours within the unique, together with the enlargement most individuals most likely have not even heard of. To say I performed Diablo II for over 1000 hours is a conservative estimate. I had max-level characters for each class a few month after Diablo III launched and have caught with it via Reaper of Souls, the Necromancer replace and the current Change iteration. When Blizzard mentioned to mood our expectations for BlizzCon in October and that there most likely would not be a serious announcement, are you aware what I did? I tempered my expectations and assumed there would not be any main bulletins. However the promise of leaks is simply too tempting for some.

A number of weeks following Blizzard’s requires calm, a serious leak dropped that promised all kinds of old style Diablo associated goodies. A remaster of Diablo II was sufficient to stoke the flames, however a superbly plausible (and nonetheless probably within the works) Druid replace for Diablo III was thrown in there. Some individuals even believed that Diablo four was potential despite the fact that it wasn’t within the leak. Something was potential if you happen to believed.

So when Immortal (a cellular recreation announcement) hit and that was it, individuals blew up. This is the factor although: Blizzard has at all times been a “prepared when its prepared, Blizzard Time” firm. There are additionally fully separate groups engaged on “a number of Diablo initiatives.” We’ll get Diablo four in the future. There was a twelve-year wait between D2 and D3. Count on to attend slightly longer regardless of what number of improbable sounding leaks come out between now and subsequent November’s BlizzCon. If something as soon as Diablo four does come out my child and lots of of her friends will develop into Diablo followers due to the accessibility of the cellular launch (the jury remains to be out however I am keen to offer it a shot).

That is not the one leak-related fiasco this week although. Nintendo obtained an earful when the “Grinch Leak” did not pan out. So-called as a result of it additionally supplied beforehand unseen media for the upcoming Grinch movie (and thus including to its legitimacy), Smash gamers anticipated the world from the ultimate Tremendous Smash Bros. Final Direct on November 1. The Grinch Leak was the definition of a decadence, together with Shadow the Hedgehog, Isaac (Golden Solar), Ken, Mach Rider, Geno, Refrain Children (!) and Banjo-Kazooie into the combination.

Semi-believable ideas have been thrown in to make it appear actual, matching up with the myriad feedback from Microsoft about how they need Banjo-Kazooie to enter the fray. Ken, somebody who has been predicted for months on finish (and was extra apparent as an Echo, or, alternate fighter for the prevailing Ryu), did make it in, as did Incineroar (who was out of left area). Nobody else did and Smash boss Sakurai re-iterated that the ultimate roster (pre-DLC) was set. The leak was bogus, however that did not cease Smash gamers from expressing their disappointment.

Not each announcement or keynote goes to be a banger: if you happen to latch onto leaks this dearly you are solely going to get burned. Positive, we are able to commiserate over the notably terrible occasions like Sony’s current “tent-based” E3 presentation with a number of breaks and slapdash rapid-fire trailers for stuff we have already seen. Leaks could be enjoyable to speak about. However the subsequent time somebody tells you that Diablo goes to be a DLC character for Tremendous Smash Bros. based mostly on a joke that Blizzard made throughout a candid interview, pause, mirror, and take into account whether or not or not you need to hitch your horse to that cart.

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from SpicyNBAChili.com http://spicymoviechili.spicynbachili.com/dont-let-absurd-leaks-poison-the-well-of-expectations/

[thebadbadstarlight]

Ravi: R.eal1ze (2017) || Album Review

R.eal1ze is the official solo debut of VIXX's rapper Ravi. After showing what he can do as a soloist with an earlier mixtape release in 2016 and MV release of Damnra, Starlights were super excited for this album released on January 9, 2017, produced by the rapper himself. What better way to start off the year?

Songs

1) Bomb (ft. San E)

2) Rose (ft. Ken of VIXX)

3) Ladi Dadi (ft. Microdot, Jero)

4) Alone at Home (ft. Jung Yonghwa of CNBlue)

5) Do the Dance

6) Lean on Me

7) Brain's Bands (ft. ESBEE) *rough translation

My Review

Bomb

is an explosive start to the album (pun intended). The chorus of the track is loud and hard and keeps true to the name of the song. Ravi's rap skills are absolutely no joke, from quick and witty to loud and proud he pulls it off! San E’s contribution to the song was pretty good, I enjoyed his verse except for the part in the beginning where he just holds the word "wow" three times, it was not pleasant to listen to. 

Rose is the romantic ballad that will sweep anyone off their feet just by hearing Ravi's deep sexy voice. Ken's voice is very well suited for this song because it is a lower tone than Leo's voice. This song is also a more mature romantic ballad describing a woman like a rose and the lyrics suggest a more serious relationship than the typical first love song.

Ladi Dadi contains a marimba which makes the song more lighthearted yet it still has the hardcore rapper feel to fit in with the album. The featured artists contributed well to this song, both Microdot's rapping and Jero's singing fit the flow well and did not stick out like a sore thumb.

Alone at Home is sort of a ballad but still not, because it is happier. Jung Yonghwa's singing is great and Ravi's raps are great as well. Also, Ravi's sing-talking in the chorus is quite a treat, it's smooth and sweet. The piano and drums in this song give the track the happy atmosphere that would put a smile on the listener's face.  

Do the Dance is a song that surprised me lyrically. At first, the title gave me the impression that it would be another song filled with plenty of the sexual innuendos Ravi is famous for putting into the songs he writes.  After some research and reading, we see that this song is delivering some serious shade and the beat matches his frustration and anger. Not as hard as Bomb, but pretty close.

Lean on Me shows that Ravi is experienced in relationships and he knows what a girl wants. It is a sweeter song that is completely different from this hardcore rapper on the other tracks. Ravi's singing is very nice to listen to, it sounds innocent. Although my favourite song on the album, it falls under the category of songs that are completely polar opposite of the concept the artist is going for with the release. 

Brain's Bands is the cool off that finishes the song on a quieter note. Putting the ballad at the end of an album always wins points from me because it really does close the album in a refreshing way. Ravi's rapping, even in a ballad are amazing and fit. ESBEE's feature was a good choice for the ballad because it makes the chorus memorable and does not just blend in with the rest of the song.

Final Thoughts

Ravi's R.eal1ze is a solid solo debut. Here we can see that Ravi's rapping can it in many different styles: ballads, pop songs, banger title tracks and more! The features were not generic and each added a bit of flavour to each song.

My Rating: 4 1/2 Kens

[riffs-music-notebook]

Definite setlist consideration

Somepony to watch over me Once upon a time Long way from Equestria Lights around Theme for you Into the ocean Drowned in love Dodge this Somewhere in Equestria Find a way (DJ Pon-3 mix) Gypsy Bard (DJ Pon-3 mix) A final twilight (ft. Giggly Maria) Art of the dress (radio edit) Awoken [H8 Seed + WoodenToaster] Becoming popular (radio edit) Christmas in Equestria (radio edit) Crusader (are we there yet) Dreaming with ponies Emerald Eyes Giggles and Gumdrops Heartmender Pixel Rush Spring (Big Macintosh) Hearts as Strong as Horses (final premaster) (from and old friend) I’ll be waiting It all started with your smile Ken Ashcorp 20% Cooler Alex S. Remix Supernatural Pinkies Brew (Russian) Love is

AGAIN. My idea of setlists were bookend mixing and obviously I had no clue how to mix outside of Kramixer, which as I listed before as being very limited to what it can and can’t do. Also what kind of set just goes from the intensity of Crusader (are we there yet) to dreaming with ponies??? 

All jokes aside, I really was learning alot about music production in general as well as introducing myself into the fandom’s ever lasting bangers at this time.