#the original series was completely transformative for tv at its time

[peetum]

My parents were hippie nerds who watched the original. So I watched the vhs's of the original and Star Trek The Next Generation with them, and watched Deep Space Nine on tv. There's episodes with lots of complex thought and direction put into them. Then there's episodes where an alien gets an ear job (like a hand job but on his ears 🤪) or where someone turns into a salamander because they went REAL fast. One day while I was super sick my spouse asked me what I wanted to watch - I said a specific episode of Star Trek (one where the autistic coded android has a day off and wants to use the big computer to play sherlock holmes) its a fun and silly episode with a bit of serious rumination on conciousness and what defines life. This got my spouse hooked in it :3 (especially as they saw themselves in the android character). Quite literally no one isndoing it quite like Star trek!

I love how strong and passionate the star trek fandom is. It actually makes me want to watch the show. Like why are there so many of y'all? Why have you been here for *so* long? There must be a reason and the answers must be in the show

[crowleysgirl56]

The year was 1996. Growing up in Australia one of our free to air TV channels (channel 7 specifically) had a kids morning program that would show random cartoons (shout out to anyone who understands when I reference Agro’s Cartoon Connections). One particular morning I woke to a new cartoon. The animation style reminded me of Transformers and its theme song began with a catchy guitar riff.

🎶Fighting evil by moonlight. Winning love by daylight!🎶

Wait. What?! This is certainly something that Ive never seen before. Intrigued I watched with rapt fascination. There was a talking cat and a girl with beautiful long hair who was actually a secret super hero.

Her name was Sailor Moon.

I was 12 years old and completely hooked. I immediately started wearing my hair in pigtails (I was never able to grow my hair long and it was always terribly thin. Oh that hair envy never went away). I fantasied about how I was also a secret moon princess and one day my Tuxedo Mask would find me and whisk me away. I would look for Luna on every corner, but the talking cat never showed up.

I remember crying so hard when Serena and Darian (original English dubbing!) were separated and ached for them to be reunited (gee, funny how those kinds of obsessions never go away. Or just get transferred…). It was only ever season 1 and 2 that aired here and I was lucky that they replayed it at least three times over the years. I remember there was this one tiny shop at my main shopping centre devoted to anime (a rare thing in the 90’s and early 2000’s) where you could buy VHS copies of season 1 and 2. Unfortunately a poor high school student could not afford $36 a tape.

Years later when Sailor Moon Crystal started, the same English dub cast redubbed the entire original series as well. I eventually collected them and watched them all on DVD, and watched all the episodes I never saw (man, Sailor Moon Super S really rambles doesn’t it).

I loved Crystal because I thought the retelling in a more condensed version (without the filler episodes) got us to the point of the arc much quicker. And I like that Usagi and Mamaro didn’t hate each other to begin with.

With the second part of Sailor Moon Cosmos now watched it brings my Sailor Moon journey to an end (well…not quite an end, I never did get around to reading the mangas). But as a 40 year old woman who’s been obsessed with this show since before I was a teenager, I’m always amazed I still love it as much as I do. So whenever anyone ever tells you “this is just a passing fad. You’ll grow out of it” or somehow makes you feel disparaged for loving something so intensely, remember the things you like are for you and you alone and no one can tell you how to go about loving them.

So here’s to my first love. My first obsession. My first hyperfixation. The first couple that I desperately wished could be together, whose love never strayed far from my mind. Thank you for the journey!

[bakerstreetbabble]

Granada TV Series Review: "The Copper Beeches" (S02, E01)

Season 2 of Granada's The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes starts with a gripping, dramatic episode, complete with a creepy "bad guy" (played to great effect by British actor Joss Ackland), a winsome heroine (the late Natasha Richardson playing Violet Hunter), and a bloodthirsty hound (not that hound, mind you). Honestly, re-reading "The Adventure of the Copper Beeches" just now, I felt like the Granada series took a fairly average story and made it into something much more exciting. Overall, they were very faithful to the source material, but they managed to rearrange a few plot points and use a fine cast to elevate the adaptation beyond its original form.

For one thing, Joss Ackland is extremely creepy as Mr. Rucastle. Sure, he's jovial enough most of the time, but Ackland is a talented enough actor to make every line seem sinister. From the very first time we meet him, we feel as if things just aren't quite right with this "generous" employer. Meanwhile, Natasha Richardson as Violet Hunter gave the role the right balance between a young lady who's getting more and more frightened and the kind of ingenuity that obviously wins the great detective's respect.

Jeremy Brett and David Burke are excellent, as usual, and there's a particularly delightful sequence at the opening of the episode where we are treated to one of Holmes's rants about how Watson has injected too much romance into the stories that Holmes thinks should be cold, logical case studies. We also are treated to a classic Holmes line, as the detective and his sidekick take the train to meet up with Miss Hunter: “Data! data! data! I can’t make bricks without clay.” (This line, which happens back at the flat at 221B Baker Street in the story, is moved a bit later in the TV episode, which I think works quite well.)

I should also mention the little detail of the slight change of setting of Mr. Rucastle's daughter's prison: in the original story, it is merely a mysterious, shuttered wing of the Copper Beeches estate. In the adaptation, however, it has been transformed into a mysterious "turret," which I think works a bit better.  That's what I enjoyed about this episode: the writers, while staying quite faithful to the original story, made minor tweaks to the plot, which ended up giving the story a lot more drama and forward momentum.

This was really a top-notch episode to begin the second season of the successful series. Before I wrap up the review, I should probably mention the entertaining final scene, in which Watson is clearly reading his most recent write-up of the events at the Copper Beeches, with no little delight at the effect his "romantic" storytelling has on his friend. By this point in the series, one can easily tell how comfortable David Burke and Jeremy Brett were becoming in their own roles, as well as in the camaraderie shared by the two friends. It really was a very fine episode to begin the second season!

[princesscolumbia]

https://www.furinkan.com/features/articles/pregnant.html

About a week-ish ago, the above link was posted to the r/Ranma subreddit. I took a look at the article and the tl;dr seems to be as follows:

Once upon a time there was a person who put forth the question to Rumiko Takahashi on whether Ranma's transformation from boy-to-girl was complete enough that Ranma could experience all the consequences of such a transformation, the logical conclusion being, "Can Ranma get pregnant?" The rather infamous 'quote' of "I don't think about that, and neither should you," is purported to come from this question, which told the audience one thing: Don't fucking ask about Ranma's sex life or by Kami-sama, Takahashi-sensei will gut you! This stood as an uncontested truth until the pandemic when someone decided to try and track down the exact source of the quote, at which point they realized this was NOT said at a convention (as had initially been circulated via rumor at the time), but in an editorial that stood in lieu of a an interview that took place over a sit-down dinner between Takahashi and an editor who would wind up garnering a reputation for ginning up drama for its own sake. It's likely a heavily 'interpreted' quote that probably didn't have the intent to come across as cutting or biting and likely had a LOT of questions left on the table that could have been asked as a follow-up. So now that we've answered the question of whether Takahashi-san was actually a rude bitch or not (likely not), if you want to know whether Ranma can get pregnant you are a smelly sex pervert who most likely has cooties and should just drop dead and save us all the trouble of shunning you.

Am I taking liberty with my summary? FU~HUH~HUH~UCK YES! If you want to see what they actually say, follow the link and read. It's not tremendously long and, save for the author's unconscious purity cult bias, is a pretty solid piece of reportage into the infamous "quote," even if the question isn't actually answered. What follows is what I posted to Reddit in the comments section for that link:

I take issue with the foundational premise that the question of whether or not Ranma could get pregnant is inherently puerile or vulgar, which is not only the foundation of the original misquote but also the basis of the article's author's premise. Guess what, people f*ck, including at least two people you (yes, YOU) know. This should not be controversial. Now, I'll grant that, maybe...maybe in the 1990s when the question came up it might have been one of those giggle-behind-a-hand-in-shock kind of things, but we're entering a phase in world culture where uterus transplants for transwomen are being put through clinical trials to allow them to get pregnant. The rights of trans and gender-non-conforming folk are being trampled on the world over. Some transmen are choosing to become pregnant and have children. The hypocrisy of "cis het people get to talk about pregnancy without everyone assuming the question is about f*cking, but you'd better not talk about someone who's even a little bit trans or you're clearly doing it to be filthy, nasty perverts" is being exposed for the comp-het that it is. Asking "does this character who, canonically, transitions back and forth between one biological set of sex organs and secondary sex characteristics multiple times per day have to deal with all the concerns, consequences, and benefits of both forms?" is no longer the automatic, "You can't say that on TV!" that is used to be (and, honestly, never should have been). Soun, canonically, has f*cked. Nodoka, canonically, has f*cked. Genma, canonically (goddess help us all), has fucked. The operational premise of the primary conflict of the series is whether or not Ranma and Akane are going to, eventually, f*ck. The question of "What happens if Ranma gets pregnant?" should only ever be problematic if Takahashi at some point declares that Ranma is an ace transwoman and never wants to birth children, at which point it would be a thing that shouldn't be considered for hard/soft canon purposes because it would violate Ranma's choices in the matter. IMHO, in the reboot I think an episode where Ranma has to deal with attending both the boy's and the girl's sex ed classes would be tremendously funny. It would also have the knock-on effect getting people to think about things like "consent" and "consequences," something our current culture rather lacks.

This was auto-banned on Reddit because, apparently, saying the word "fuck," even with the self-censoring and used in the appropriate context, is a bridge too far for a subreddit attended by people old enough to know what sex is.

This isn't the first time I've encountered problematic behavior on the r/Ranma subreddit. When I pointed out that Ranma's basically saying that s/he just plain forgot about their gender and they only wanted the cure for Akane's sake, this is basically Ranma declaring that they don't care about their 'curse' and is genderfluid/NB, just lacking in the language that we have for those gender presentations (or non-presentation, as the case may be) that we have today, I got the clapback of, "NUH-UH! You're wrong! Ranma's a cis guy!".

(Yes, a cis guy. A cis guy who has 'his' own bras and likely has to carry around period products "just in case" and grows at least a cup-size canonically over the course of the show's run as commented on by Nabiki...and don't tell me Nabiki's not at least bi!)

This was on a conversation about whether Ranma was trans, which is a challenging question given the best word at the time for what Ranma is was 'newhalf,' a term that has come to be associated with sex workers and holds the same cultural niche as "sh*male" in American culture; it's a bit derogatory and is considered to be a slur that is used specifically in a sexual connotation. Couple this with the anime and manga being, at best, parallel continuities (there's SO many places where the two are different timelines I could probably do an entire series of posts just breaking down the differences) AND the fans stitching the two together to create fused variant timelines for their derivative works means that we just don't, at this point, have a solid answer.

Thanks to THAT episode of the anime:

Am I... Pretty? Ranma's Declaration of Womanhood (Peacock link)

...pretty much no transwoman on the planet is going to question that anime Ranma is a transgirl. The parallels to our own experiences that (femme)Ranma talks about during her dissociative state hit entirely too close to home and if a member of the writing team for that episode wasn't part of the queer community I will eat my bra with spaghetti sauce.

It's important to note, as well, that because of the anime, Takahashi is NO LONGER THE FINAL AUTHORITY ON ALL THINGS RANMA. If 'death of the author' is a thing, Takahashi committed honorable sepuku and gave creative control over to a writing and directorial team that is not her.

For the original manga, because Takahashi was unwilling to tackle those questions that give Purity Cultists hives (though why she'd shy away from the pregnancy angle when she was perfectly happy showing Ranma and her mirror clone working as prostitutes is a question I will probably never get answered), it's "open to interpretation" as to Ranma's Genderfluid/NB status, though IMHO the text is as clear as you can get it for the language of the time.

(In retrospect, it's obvious; she should be in the club)

In the anime, though, Shampoo and Ukyo are bi (and fuckin'), Ranma is a transwoman, and Akane is either lesbian or bi and strangled by comp-het to an obvious degree. Ryoga may well be trans as well, though his pig-related curse makes the matter questionable given his lamentations could be either about not having a girl body like Ranma does OR having a pig body, which would suck and result in severe dysmorphia either way.

This is because the anime team chose to tackle those questions, at least tangentially. Rumiko Takahashi, for all she is to be thanked for giving the world Ranma 1/2 (...and a few other things), handed off the baton to other creators. If we want the answers to the questions like, "Can Ranma get pregnant?", Takahashi is NOT the source for that.

That said, if she and I had the chance to sit down over a meal in San Diego during a convention, I'd apologize on behalf of the community for the monstrous tool who misquoted her and ask the questions like another content creator, not some asshat who just wants to stir up trouble for decades to come.

[thatsmutaccount]

Oh boy, this is a difficult one.

Just so we are all clear I'm putting this first thing first: this chapter focus heavily on the theme of incest and has an explicit sexual scene between brothers (both over 18, btw), so if this is something you don't like or find in some way disturbing or triggering, please don't read. The central part also delves heavily into the description of bullying incidents and depiction of a toxic home environment. There is no actual scene, this episodes are only mentioned, still if you find this triggering be warned. These bullying incidents are in no way sexual, btw, just to be clear, just old Rex being an asshole as usual.

Yeah, about this chapter and this theme in particular, let's talk about it. I confess that in canon media it's not something I like. If I read a book or watch a movie or a TV series where there are two characters that are related to each other I do not like to read fan fiction where they are depicted having an incestuous relationship. I explain it in the note at the beginning of the chapter, but basically for me familial love is something completely different for romantic/sexual love, and the two can't be compared or confused with each other. Of course (I think is obvious but better be safe than sorry) I do not support incest in real life and I do not want to romanticize it in any way, the only reason I'm writing about is because is a fictional scenario and because my stories are so out of this world and "cartoony" that honestly something like that could probably never happen.

So, that being said, why am I an hypocrite and write incest stories between fictional made up adults while saying I don't like it? Because I created them to be this way. Rex is messed up, he is in no way a "normal" character: he never had a sane relationship with his family, so he never formed that bond of familial love with them, and vice versa the other never saw him as someone actually related to them. Because his situation is so different and his feeling are so complicated I was able to write this chapter, and others still on this line (you want a real incest-fest? Go read ch 28 of this story, "Family beach fun", that is really messed up XP). Rex is supposed to have this feeling that are not of familial love but of sexual attraction towards the members of his family, and because of this I have no problem writing him this way.

Anyway, rant aside, let's talk story, yay! I like how I wrote it. For once I tried to be more touchy feely with a major hurt/comfort vibe. Still there is a lot of sex and I like how I handled it.

Anyway I'm currently having Rex/Mike brainrot (and just Rex/Mike brainrot) and, for some reason, I want to write more stuff about these two, and by that I mean a lot of chapters with just Mike and Rex being dumbasses in love, and of course I can't because "Rex new life" has its own schedule and has to be balanced with the characters in it. Soooooo... I will probably publish a short long/one shot collection with some prompts that will be just Rex/Mike.

What do you think of this idea? Yay or nay? I would probably take some prompts from around Tumblr and such and just publish them.

Wish me luck not to be banned here in doing so, and enjoy this chapter, see ya dudes!!!!!

*****

CHAPTER SUMMARY: The time has finally come for Rex to confront his brother. Will things between the two finally be explained? Will they get their closure? Or is the gap between them so deep that it can never be bridged?

*****

WARNING: Incest (Borther/Borther); Jerking Off; Blowjob; Anal Sex; Bukkake; Degradation Kink; Slut Shaming; Implied Cheating; Nipple Play; Cumming Untouched; Fingering

ADDITIONAL WARNING: Bullying; Toxic Familial Relationship; Verbal Abuse; Physical Abuse; Unhealthy way of coping; past hospitalization; past charachter death; grieving

[best-underrated-anime]

Best Underrated Anime Group J Round 1: #J8 vs #J1

#J8: Teenage girls find a random guy in a river, adventure ensues.

A few young girls with strange powers and a tree that has grown through a railcar cling onto life in a desolate land, searching for its last reservoirs of water. Their routine struggle to survive is interrupted by the arrival of Wakaba, a boy with no memory beyond his own name.

The girls and their new companion commit to a perilous journey across seas of burning red fog—all in order to find what they need to sustain themselves on the more distant, dangerous islands swarming with robotic bugs. Their ultimate fate will be decided by their own strength, along with Wakaba's curious ability to understand the Kemurikusa: mysterious glowing leaves with wondrous powers. Besides the girls, Wakaba, and the hordes of ravenous bugs, the Kemurikusa are the last sparks of life surviving in this land. How did things end up this way? Why are there so many empty buildings with no one to live in them? Wakaba and the girls lack the answers to these questions, which means the truth can only be found within the Kemurikusa.

#J1: Magical girls kill monsters, find themselves, and yuri it up

Cocona is an average middle schooler living with her grandmother. And she, who has yet to decide a goal to strive for, soon met a strange girl named Papika who invites her to an organization called Flip Flap.

Dragged along by the energetic stranger, Cocona finds herself in the world of Pure Illusion—a bizarre alternate dimension—helping Papika look for crystal shards. Upon completing their mission, Papika and Cocona are sent to yet another world in Pure Illusion. As a dangerous creature besets them, the girls use their crystals to transform into magical girls: Cocona into Pure Blade, and Papika into Pure Barrier. But as they try to defeat the creature before them, three others with powers from a rival organization enter the fray and slay the creature, taking with them a fragment left behind from its body. Afterward, the girls realize that to stand a chance against their rivals and the creatures in Pure Illusion, they must learn to work together and synchronize their feelings in order to transform more effectively.

Titles, propagandas, trailers, and poll under the cut!

#J8: Kemurikusa (TV)

Propaganda:

Here’s ONE bit of propaganda for you: Kemurikusa is made by Tatsuki, the extremely talented director behind the original Kemono Friends anime by Yaoyorozu. This time, Tatsuki’s really stepped up his game: not only is this an improvement from his original short by the same name, this is also both an animation improvement and a writing improvement from the Yaoyorozu made Kemono Friends.

With Tatsuki’s skill as a writer to tell tight, medium-paced stories centering girls and the apocalypse, Kemurikusa focuses on both the emotions of Rin, Rina, and Ritsu, as well as fleshing out Wakaba to be more than just a simple sidekick, but the heart of the series, providing a very typically feminine role of comfort, care, and nurturing. The subversion of typical masculine and feminine roles in the story, especially from a male director, as well as the well-written, well-developed female characters (of which there are about 7, including a spoiler character), is a bonus for people who don’t like stereotypical “cool tough male character/generic nice boring female character who doesn’t do anything” stories.

The concept of a world sapped of resources by technology is also fascinating. [Admin: this part of the propaganda has been cut out due to possible spoilers.] Sadly, I can’t find a trailer, as this anime is SUPER obscure, but I linked the opening video to show another strength as well: the music. Just listen to it: this song is a total banger.

Trigger Warnings: Flashing lights, Child death (in reference to the characters’ motivation to find water)

#J1: Flip Flappers

Propaganda:

Flip Flappers is a magical girl show that brings its own unique twist to the genre, while still being reminiscent of older classics. It has incredibly creative visuals, good characters, and an absolute banger soundtrack! The deeper messages of the show are about finding the courage to start making your own decisions and living your life the way you want it, growing up, and the struggle against controlling authority figures that entails. While it is a fun show, the emotional moments it has hit hard! It also has a yuri narrative (seriously, they even get taken to an all-girls Catholic school yuri setting one time), which I’m sure the himejoshis on this webbed site would appreciate if they saw the show!

Trigger Warnings: Depictions of child and emotional abuse, both at a side character and a main character. Control over children is a common theme in the show.

If you’re reblogging and adding your own propaganda, please tag me @best-underrated-anime so that I’ll be sure to see it.

[eliotqueliot]

Happy Valentine's Day, Queliot!

Chapter 3 of you want it darker? || dark king eliot is now live! As a Queliot gift for Valentine's Day!

This chapter does still focus on Eliot's grief, and Quentin's still technically dead (but not really/permanently?). But, as dark and angsty as this story can be, there's a strong emphasis on the Queliot love story. It feels essential to me. Hopefully you’ll agree! Big 🍑❤️ to all of you today (Happy Valentine’s Day, no matter when you read this!) (Yes, today this fic finally earns its E-rating!)

A big thank you to my collaborator @juliawickers❤️who in addition to all the support and inspiration, and creating the original concept, graphic, and fanmix❤️has made an edit for Ch. 2 and now a queliot au: you want it darker? || dark king eliot pin board with Ch. 3❤️

Summary for Chapter 3 specifically:

Eliot sees glimpses of Quentin everywhere. Hears his voice. Feels his phantom touch.

He knows it's really Q. And that no one will believe him. Telling Margo or Julia will only make them worry more.

Meanwhile, attempts to bring Quentin back continue to fail. Will a visit with an old friend help turn things around?

================

Thank you @queliotbingo! ❤️ This WIP as a whole will be marking my Resurrection/Reincarnation, Time Travel, Underworld squares

Thank you @ficwip for Hey, Sweetheart 2024! In addition to meeting the "sweetheart" challenge (several times!), Chapter 3 fits today's themes of 🗺️ Forest and 💕 mutual pining.

you want it darker? || dark king eliot (34561 words) by victoriaandalbert, EliotQueliot Chapters: 3/12 Fandom: The Magicians (TV), The Magicians - Lev Grossman Rating: Explicit Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Quentin Coldwater/Eliot Waugh, Margo Hanson & Eliot Waugh, Margo Hanson/Julia Wicker, Eliot Waugh & Julia Wicker, Quentin Coldwater & Julia Wicker, Quentin Coldwater & Margo Hanson, Quentin Coldwater & Theodore "Ted" Rupert Coldwater-Waugh & Eliot Waugh, Quentin Coldwater & Theodore "Ted" Coldwater Characters: Eliot Waugh, Margo Hanson, Julia Wicker, Quentin Coldwater, Alice Quinn (The Magicians), Josh Hoberman, Fen (The Magicians), Rupert Chatwin | Dark King Sebastian, Jane Chatwin, 23rd Timeline William "Penny" Adiyodi, 40th Timeline William "Penny"Adiyodi, William "Penny" Adiyodi, Henry Fogg, 24th Timeline Alice Quinn (The Magicians), Kady Orloff-Diaz, Todd (The Magicians), Ted Coldwater, Hades (The Magicians), Theodore "Ted" Rupert Coldwater-Waugh, The Great Cock of the Darkling Wood, The Great Cock (The Magicians) Additional Tags: Grief/Mourning, Canonical Character Death, Canon-Typical Violence, Violence, Blood and Violence, Soulmates, queliot, endgame queliot, Underworld, Resurrection, Dark Fantasy, Margo Hanson is a Good Friend, Julia Wicker is a Good Friend, Quentin Coldwater Lives, Depression, References to Depression, References to Shadeless Julia Wicker, Shadeless Eliot Waugh, Oral Sex, Anal Sex, Hand Jobs, Castle Whitespire, Mountain of Ghosts, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Fillory (The Magicians), Goddess Julia Wicker, Crying, Fix-It, Alternate Universe, Suicidal Thoughts, Afterlife, Ghosts, Souls, True Love, royal husbands, Magic, Fairies, High King Eliot Waugh, High king Margo Hanson, King Quentin Coldwater, Queen Julia Wicker, Suicide Attempt, Lucid Dreaming Series: Part 2 of You Want It Darker? Series Summary:

Eliot finds among Jane Chatwin’s things perhaps a way to bring back Quentin—but it comes at an enormous personal cost: during the ritual, Eliot is stripped of his Shade completely. Violently ripping the reigning Dark King from the throne, Eliot assumes the mantle of Dark High King—a truly malevolent force who will do anything to get Quentin back. Even if it means he becomes somebody the man he loves won’t recognize when Eliot rescues Quentin from the Underworld. By any means necessary.

—summary from you want it darker? || dark king eliot [graphic + fanmix] by victoriaandalbert

[kylesvariouslistsandstuff]

INSIDE OUT 2 slowly treks to possibly unseating Photoreal LION KING, now playing in Japan where the original made around $30-35m USD, while DESPICABLE ME 4 slowly climbs towards the big billion. If it does so, that makes it the first film in the franchise to do that since the third movie way back in 2017. MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU was close but no cigar two summers back.

Both movies continue to fill up the auditoriums at the cinema I work at...

However, a new movie on the block with a curious helping of *2D* animation in it... Is not... The Sony release HAROLD AND THE PURPLE CRAYON, directed by Blue Sky alum Carlos Saldanha (ICE AGE 2, RIO 1 & 2, FERDINAND) in his live-action debut. I know some are having a lark at the weird Zachary Levi FX vehicle arriving a year after completion with no marketing, bombing hard, but I can't help but think... That just sucks.

And a big case of "what could've been?" Hollywood's been trying to adapt the Crockett Johnson-written book, first published in 1955, since the 1990s. Animated shorts and a TV series were made, but the movie just stalled and stalled, shuffling through different directors and iterations... And mediums. Sony Animation at one point, in conjunction with Amblin, was supposed to do a feature based on this... So now we got this movie, finished some time in early 2023 with an MPA rating and everything... Months before its initial release date (late July 2023), with no trailer in sight, it quietly packed its bags and left for this summer. I guess they were concerned that being wedged between BARBIE and MUTANT MAYHEM wasn't exactly the best idea...

So, it tried to arrive - unnoticed - nearly a month after DESPICABLE ME 4. Both DM4 and INSIDE OUT 2 charted higher at the weekend box office than CRAYON, which only took in $6m stateside. It's another "animation director goes live-action" endeavor that ended rather poorly. Andrew Stanton and JOHN CARTER OF MARS, Brenda Chapman and COME AWAY, even Brad Bird with TOMORROWLAND. Saldanha now has a picture called 100 DAYS lined up, an effort the Brazilian director is pursuing in his home country, so that's good for him.

It's also another largely live-action family/kids movie - not made by Disney - that didn't add up. They just become rarer and rarer by the year, it seems. I remember when those kinds of movies were everywhere. All your STUART LITTLEs and BABEs and LAST MIMZYs, off the top of my head. I think around the late aughts/early tens, they started to slowly go away, many of them just came up short most of the time. If they do exist, and aren't part of a movie franchise (like, say, WONKA and the SONIC movies), I feel they go to Netflix or whatever. There was IF this year, but that didn't make back its budget despite strong audience response/great WOM. So they still kinda exist?

Anyways, the summer belongs to emotions and gibbering tictacs on the family end of things... Though I saw quite a few parents taking their 4-7yos into DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE, and hey, some of today's kids probably see and hear worse elsewhere lol. I recall being allowed, weirdly, to watch SOUTH PARK circa 1999 when I was in 2nd grade but certain levels of violence were off-limits. I don't think my folks would've taken me to see an R-rated Deadpool/X-Men movie in 1999, haha.

So that probably ends the summer seasons, animation box office-wise. I know the autumnal equinox technically begins two days after TRANSFORMERS ONE opens, but I peg the beginning of it there. Bring on the robots!

[talenlee]

The Brilliant Fool

Normally when I write here about a Transformers character, it’s a character who has some significance to me as – well, honestly, as an example of a kind of person I could be, growing up. Blades gave me a lesson about quelling the want for violence inside me and also how defensive violent bf /softboy medic bf was a top tier pairing, and Dinobot gave me lessons about dying well in the face of oblivion, a lesson that I thought I needed really soon when I got it. There are Transformers I love because of jokes, Transformers I love because of association with toys and there are some Transformers that I love because they are, through no fault of their own, completely useless doofuses.

Let’s talk about Wheeljack

Wheeljack is an OG Transformer. Not only was he present in the original TV series, he was the first ever Transformer to be animated, the first one to appear on a cell and the first one to say or do anything. Wheeljack was also in this privileged position because he was from an earlier time, an earlier toyline, one of the diaclone toys that needed minimal changes to come on over. And not only was this the 1980s but this was a Japanese toy from the 1970s, so his toy was a really nice model that was also, coincidentally, made largely out of die-cast metal and had all sorts of lovely detailing and stickers that you could use to show how good you were at putting on stickers unless you were a fumble handed gallumphus like myself.

Don’t worry, I never had a Wheeljack, but I knew someone who did, and that toy was nice.

Anyway, Wheeljack as a character was one of the huge cast of Transformers who got a personality written up in what feels in hindsight like filling out a spreadsheet, where the writer got a picture of a character and had to devise a name and personality for them and keep moving, while also doing everything they could to keep them from overlapping with one another, which, of course, they did. Did you know that Grimlock (A t-rex) and Fortress Maximus (a city) and Brawl (a little guy about the size of a VW bug) are all listed as the strongest Autobot? Making sense of these original bios was like digging through Biblical harmonisation, but at least Transformers admit they’re making stuff up.

Anyway, Wheeljack got given the personality up front of being a crackpot mad scientist working for the good guys, which meant you took an archetype normally full of potential malice and potential goofiness and then just stripped out all the malice. Wheeljack in G1 was a guy who would invent things, and those things would have to be useful to pretty much only anyone in exactly one episode. This meant Wheeljack was either solving the problem of the episode by techno-babbling up a device that would fix it, or causing the problem of the episode by techno-babbling up a device that unfixed something, and sometimes both.

Wheeljack served a good, steadfast, mechanical role in the story of the show and to that end he hung around a lot. He also had a really easy face to animate – rather than flap a mouth or move a visor, his face lit up when he was talking, which meant you just changed its colour. Real convenient, real nice when you wanted to have him talk at length.

But this is just ‘why Wheeljack showed up a lot,’ it’s not by any means an explanation as to why I liked Wheeljack. What I like about Wheeljack is instead something created in the negative space of the character by what the people making it didn’t intend to do.

Here’s how it cooks out. First of all, Wheeljack is an inventor who is memorably depicted screwing up and eating dirt, regularly. He’s an inventor but it’s easy to feel like his hit rate is half and half, and a bunch of the things he makes have the weirdest solutions to them and ways they work. It’s not true in the comics, mind you, those are written a bit less for, y’know, four year olds in the 1980s, but the ‘crackpot inventor’ element sticks around.

The other thing is that Wheeljack’s disguise sucks.

It’s not that he doesn’t look like a car, he sure does look like a car! But Wheeljack doesn’t turn into ‘a car.’ Wheeljack turns into a sports car.

Well, so what you may say, it’s not like sports cars are that rare.

And then I go, he turns into a Lancia Stratos

And you’d interrupt me, comically, — Well, okay, no you wouldn’t, you’d say what and I’m embellishing for the bit — and say, hey, no no, see, you’ve got a specific name for it, a model, that means it got made in some degree of mass production,

And I respond with yeah, we know how many of his type of Lancia Stratos got made. He’s the Group 5 Lancia Stratos. He has specific racing regalia on him for sponsor material. Because he didn’t copy ‘a car’, he copied a race ready Lancia Stratos Group 5. There were only 500 Lancia Stratos made, and only a small number of them – like, less than ten – were ever put into racing colours, and then they were deomissioned. Imagine if while trying to blend into a location you picked the disguise of ‘recognisable celebrity,’ or maybe tried to blend in at the zoo as an endangered animal of which they knew they only had two. This means Wheeljack was in a position to scan the Lancia Stratos Group 5 (which wasn’t run in many races after it failed!) and then drove around after it left!

It plays into the way that his inventions seemed to fail a lot, or seemed to work in weird ways. It depicts a person who has somehow a skillset that’s suited to making big, impressive, technically challenging accomplishments and not a goddamn lick of sense about what he can do with it. This is a guy who can invent a teleportation machine and his idea of how to use it to solve the war is to let humans move more quickly to and from the base to update them on what the Decepticons are doing. This is a guy who makes a blender with a frappe setting that retasks a satellite. This is a guy whose first appearance on screen is using a machine he built that then immediately backfires and sets the tone for him for the rest of his life.

Wheeljack is one of my favourite Transformers, but only in the way that I love to watch the way fans talk about him, because of the beautiful alignment of super genius and fantastic idiot.

Check it out on PRESS.exe to see it with images and links!

[maximumwobblerbanditdonut]

“Monsieur Spade” series (Prime Video)

Monsieur Spade is a TV series directed by Scott Frank in 2024 and based on the characters from the book The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell Hammett, first published in 1929. The TV series features Clive Owen, Rebecca Root, Oscar Lesage, Cara Bossom, Inès Melab, Luke Tinson, and others.

The series revolves around the detective Sam Spade, created by writer Dashiell Hammett, who has been leading a peaceful retirement in the small town of Bozuls in the South of France. The year is 1963, the Algerian War has recently concluded, and soon Spade’s tranquillity will also come to an end.

The famous detective Sam Spade ( Clive Owen ) is now 60 years old and lives as an expatriate in the south of France in 1963. Monsieur Spade was an original story starring the character, bringing the iconic literary detective out of retirement in the south of France as Spade pursues a tortuous web of criminal conspiracy revolving around a mysterious young man.

Is Monsieur Spade Based On A Book? Monsieur Spade has interesting connections to a literary work from the 1930s as well as an iconic Hollywood film. Starring Clive Owen as the titular character, Monsieur Spade is a new mystery series from AMC. The show follows the exploits of Sam Spade, a once-successful private detective.

Choosing 1963 France as its main setting, the first season of Monsieur Spade tells a six-episode story that finds its main protagonist diving head first into a murder case. In the story's period, Clive Owen's Sam Spade is years past his prime. Having left the life of a private detective behind years ago, Sam is enjoying the lack of excitement in his everyday activities when he is suddenly forced back into action. As for where this all leads, that remains to be seen. However, this is not to say that Monsieur Spade is a completely original story. It is rooted in the existing material.

Sam Spade is the protagonist of the 1930 novel “The Maltese Falcon”

Sam Spade made his first appearance in The Maltese Falcon, a 1930 novel by Dashiell Hammett, before spearheading a series of short stories by the writer. The book was published as a serial in 1929 and published as a novel the following year. A private detective gets involved in a case to find an expensive but mysterious statuette and indulges with three criminals and a liar.

The novel proved popular enough to be adapted three times in the decade following its publication. While the first two adaptations were not well received, the third adaptation starring Humphrey Bogart as Sam Spade is considered not just a great adaptation but one of the great films of the twentieth century.

During this era, stories about “tough detectives” became incredibly popular, with writers such as Hammett, Mickey Spillane, and Raymond Chandler penning some of the best-known entries in the mystery subgenre. Many of them, including The Maltese Falcon, ended up getting the Hollywood treatment.

In 1941, John Huston wrote and directed a film adaptation of The Maltese Falcon and cast Hollywood legend Humphrey Bogart in the lead role of Sam Spade. The story, like the book it is based on, saw Spade engage in a multi-part quest to find a seemingly priceless bird statue called the Maltese Falcon. Bogart's performance in the film and Dashiell Hammett's handling of the story helped transform Sam Spade into one of the famous actor's best-known roles.

The events of Monsieur Spade take place well after the events of the book

Although the story told in Monsieur Spade is not based on a book, its protagonist comes from a classic novel. In Monsieur Spade's canon, the events of The Maltese Falcon are in the past. It acts as a sequel to the original 1930 novel. Everything that occurs in the book happened in the series, but it's been decades.

This makes sense considering Monsieur Spade's 1963 setting. Hammett's Sam Spade stories have never ventured this far into Sam Spade's life, meaning that while the show may explore the history of the Maltese Falcon through flashbacks, its overarching narrative must be an entirely new story, making it impossible to predict what happens just by looking at Hammett's work alone.

The series arrived on 14th January 2024

#MonsieurSpade #SamSpade #CliveOwen #AMC+ #TheMalteseFalcon #HumphreyBogart #JohnHuston #DashiellHammett #Hollywood #novel #series #drama

[rescue-ram]

6, 11, 18 for the writer asks

6. First fic/pairing you wrote for? (If no pairing, describe the plot)

Kdjfjd. Don't remember the first real proper fic that I wrote, but I think the very first fic I ever posted to the Internet was like. "What if Pippin had a Yokomon." And it immediately got deleted by the mods on FF.net for being ""spam"" kfkdk.

11. Weirdest thing you’ve ever written/thought about writing/etc.?

I got pretty wild with Kinktober this year- I think the wildest thing I published was the Hawnk voodoo doll fic kfkdkd, though Trapper Jesus is probably a v close runner up in terms of deranged premises. I- and I am genuinely mortified about this kvkkfd- almost wrote a vore fantasy fic (aka character fantasizing about vore/cannibalism, not enacted.) I half-started it and then realized no- no matter how convinced I am this character could plausibly do that- I absolutely can't publish that kdkdjkf.

ACTUALLY 18. How old were you when you started writing fanfiction

Like 10 or 11 kfkck

EDIT I'M AN IDIOT AND COPIED THE WRONG QUESTION FROM THE ASK MEME BUT I SPENT TOO LONG ON THIS LVKDKXJCM

18. Favorite Fic By Another Author

I COULDN'T PICK JUST ONE Links and squeeing below the cut.

Your Cowboy Days Are Over by Sam Donne is one of those fics I read a little too young but is so good- it's exploration of memory and trauma and parental love and the trolley problem is woven in with this great sci-fi setting and a resistance story. Absolutely phenomenal. Another fic by Sam Donne- Nebraska, an Iron Man fic- is a fic I read once a year every year for over a decade and made me weep uncontrollably at multiple points every time. It's one of the most intensely psychological fics I've ever read and dealt phenomenally with depression and autism and the nature of consciousness, and it fundamentally shaped my language of grief. It also currently only exists as a print out in a fire proof bag next to my social security card. The thought of losing that fic forever genuinely makes me gnaw on things!

One other SGA shout out: A Farm in Iowa by sheafrotherdon. My best friend and I were completely obsessed with this series in high school. Sweet wholesome AU fluff, absolutely bucolic.

In adjacent Stargate fandom, cleanwhiteroom recently posted a revised version of Force Over Distance to AO3 and is working revising on my personal fave of her stories Mathematique! Incredibly compelling slow-burn of a plot with deliciously ambiguous relationships and consciousness blending that questions the nature of self and other. Extremely concept rich story.

The Heart's Obligations by schemingreader I THOUGHT was lost media but it is found!!!! Augh. The ULTIMATE transformative fic to me- so wildly AU from its source material, Harry Potter, it's practically an original novel and yet the knowledge that this ISN'T original and IS informed by outside context changes the way you read it. Really well written and well researched historical novel with lines that have stuck with me for well over a decade.

For Man from UNCLE, couldn't decide between Wonderland and Partners, both by Pat Foley. Really interesting and realistic take on the canon material and makes great use of the Cold War setting.

Force of Nature by Jenna Hilary Sinclair for Brokeback Mountain is an ABSOLUTELY TRANSCENDENT "What if Jack didn't die" fic that is so so realistic and well written and touching. Not a happily ever after fic, but also not needlessly cruel, but a very compelling story of Jack and Ennis making a real relationship work while staying closeted in rural New Mexico. Incredible characterization, good OCs, plotty and long enough to lose yourself in, incredibly influential on my writing in ways I can't even express, you WOULD NOT BELIEVE MY SQUEE when I saw she was writing a sequel after a ten year hiatus!!!!

Graduation by bat400 takes some of the dark storylines from Star Trek Enterprise and plays them out without giving them a neat resolution an episodic TV show demands. Fully explores the depths of tragedy but still pulls it back up to that Star Trek optimism at the end without undermining what came before at all. There are some annoying formatting issues in the AO3 copy from when it was imported, but the story itself still shines. A really well written story about grief, moral injury, and recovery.

Okay we've officially exhausted my "off the top of my head" all time favorites and I'm now mentally gibbering to myself about what else I should mention because clearly I have many favorites that rotate in the back of my mind the way normal people think about scenes and quotes from real books or poems jfkdn.

We will close with Sins and Virtues by Quordle, because I VIVIDLY REMEMBER the experience of reading this I think in high school. I remember pawing thorough livejournal for TrapHawk fic recs, absolutely QwQ at the dearth, and there was like. A single line in a review for another fic, "inspired by the excellent Hawkeye/Mulcahy fic Sins and Virtues by Jane Carnall" and I was SO COMPLETELY GOBSMACKED by the concept of shipping Mulcahy with anyone but especially Hawkeye, I just had to track down this fic. I eventually found her personal archive and started reading the series like "Okay... Okay... Augh. AAAAAAAUGHHHHHHH." I was seriously getting up to pace multiple times during Such as We. Something that really made the series stand out to me was how DIFFERENT it felt. It didn't follow the usual rhythm of tension and release in shippy fics, used none of the usual tropes or short hands- it felt very original, and I loved how historically grounded it was. Like I'm sure you've already read it but if anyone else reading this hasn't, highly highly recommend!!!

[mediaevalmusereads]

Redshirts. By John Scalzi. Tor, 2012.

Rating: 4/5 stars

Genre: science fiction

Series: N/A

Summary: Ensign Andrew Dahl has just been assigned to the Universal Union Capital Ship Intrepid, flagship of the Universal Union since the year 2456. It’s a prestige posting, and Andrew is thrilled all the more to be assigned to the ship’s Xenobiology laboratory.

Life couldn’t be better…until Andrew begins to pick up on the fact that:

(1) every Away Mission involves some kind of lethal confrontation with alien forces

(2) the ship’s captain, its chief science officer, and the handsome Lieutenant Kerensky always survive these confrontations

(3) at least one low-ranked crew member is, sadly, always killed.

Not surprisingly, a great deal of energy below decks is expended on avoiding, at all costs, being assigned to an Away Mission. Then Andrew stumbles on information that completely transforms his and his colleagues’ understanding of what the starship Intrepid really is…and offers them a crazy, high-risk chance to save their own lives.

***Full review below.***

CONTENT WARNINGS: gruesome deaths, blood, dismemberment

OVERVIEW: I generally respect John Scalzi as a storyteller. I read Old Man's War a while ago, so it has been a hot minute since I've picked up any of his books, but I figured I'd give one a go since I needed something relatively light. Overall, I enjoyed myself and I understand what Scalzi was doing: poking fun at sci fi tropes while simultaneously deploying them. There's a lot to like, especislly if you're a fan of Star Trek. I guess my 4 star rating is entirely subjective; as much fun as I had, I wanted a little more from this book, so while it was a blast to read, it ultimately could have had a greater impact.

WRITING: Scalzi's writing is fine for the type of book we're working with. The prose is quick, so you can get through it pretty fast, and it revels in a particular brand of humor that some will enjoy. The prose is also heavily weighted towards dialogue and telling (versus showing), which I normally wouldn't like but works in this context precisely because it's imitating the dialogue of TV shows like Star Trek.

CHARACTERS: I'm not going to look at individual characters in this book because a lot of them blurred together for me. Because the plot is partially meant to mimic an episode of Star Trek, there isn't much meaningful character development, and the differences between the characters are not so impactful that they make them feel like individuals. I often mixed some of the supporting characters up, which I guess could be indicative of some aspect of sci fi, but personally, I wish some of the "redshirts" had felt like real people.

PLOT: The plot of this book follows a group of new recruits aboard the spaceship Intrepid, which has been mysteriously experiencing a high number of recorded crew deaths every time there is an away mission. Led by Ensign Andrew Dahl, the recruits try to get to the bottom of the phenomenon while avoiding their own untimely- and nonsensical- demise.

This story is more enjoyable the more you know what it's trying to do. It pokes fun at the running gag on Star Trek the Original Series, in which "redshirts" (low-ranking crewmembers) are killed off at astonishing rates and in ridiculous manners. It also pokes fun at Star Trek's imitators and episodic TV, primarily at shows who bend the rules of physics or use character deaths for drama. At the same time, Scalzi deploys these same tropes to construct a story that is quick, silly, and ultimately, something of a love letter to sci fi (in the way Galaxy Quest is a love letter to the same).

But what made this book most meaningful for me were the 3 codas at the end of the book. The codas are a little different in tone and reflect more seriously on the idea of what makes a life (and death) meaningful. Personally, I loved this meta-analysis and wished more had been sprinkled in throughout the novel as a whole.

TL;DR: Redshirts is a humorous look at the life of "expendable" sci fi extras and episodic TV writing, poking fun at the nonsense physics and meaningless deaths in shows like Star Trek. While readers familiar with these tropes will get a chuckle out of the narrarive, the codas at the end of the novel will really bring the story into more contemplative territory, and my rating is partially a reflection of my desire to see more from the codas explored throughout the rest of the novel.

[denimbex1986]

Two of Europe's hottest stars sit in a green leather armchair each between a movie poster adorned with a bouquet of flowers. They look like two carefree unshaven Irish lads who could be on holiday in the sun. Paul Mescal wears a white t-shirt, while Andrew Scott sports a turquoise "No problem" t-shirt emblazoned with pop culture alien ALF, the 80s sitcom character whose name stands for "Alien Life Form" .

Perhaps a subtle reference to their new film, "All of us strangers"? It is certainly not about aliens, but is in any case a cosmic love story about two extraterrestrial aliens who find each other in a lonely world. At the same time, it is a kind of supernatural "ghost story" about a queer son who gets a second chance to talk to his dead parents.

- Although the role scared the crap out of me, Andrew Haigh's script was the most original I've read in ages. Everything in this film is rooted in tenderness and love – and who doesn't dream of going back and redefining the relationship with their parents, Andrew Scott wonders rhetorically, making a gesture where he is given the opportunity to discreetly flex one of his biceps at a zoom screen from London.

For a Swedish audience, he is perhaps best known for the role of the arch-villain Professor Moriarty in "Sherlock Holmes" and "the hot priest" that Phoebe Waller Bridge becomes obsessed with in the second season of "Fleabag".

Andrew Scott believes that "All of us strangers" is the most personal thing he has done.

- I love the mix of naturalism and surrealism in this film, it's completely different from anything I've played before. I've always wished I was in Derek Cianfrance's tragic love story "Blue Valentine" and suddenly I get a chance at a film similar to "All of us strangers". I've never before brought myself into the role in the same way and for once I didn't have to work on my accent, smiles the Dublin-born actor who has long lived in London.

In "All of us strangers" he plays Adam, a gay writer with writing cramp who slowly falls for his mysterious neighbor Harry (Paul Mescal) who lives in the same soulless and deserted apartment complex in London's East End. Parallel to the budding romance, he commutes to his childhood suburb to meet his dead parents (Claire Foy and Jamie Bell) exactly as old as they were when they died in a car accident when he was 11 years old.

Andrew Haigh got the idea from Taichi Yamada's novel "Strangers" from 1987. After much effort and trouble, he managed to transform the rather traditional Japanese ghost story into something more poetic, psychological and personal.

- I ignited this whole idea of ​​meeting his dead parents again and being able to reconcile with his own past in order to help with the future. It was of course crazy risky, but it wasn't about making a traditional ghost story, but about creating something vulnerable, true and honest that would be an emotional experience, says Andrew Haigh.

In the past, he has directed wayward films such as "45 Years", "Weekend" and "Lean on Pete", as well as TV series such as macho "The North Water" and "Looking", which revolves around three gay friends in San Francisco. "All of us strangers" is his most personal film to date. To get closer, he made the main character a gay writer.

- I am gay and this is a story I have wanted to tell for a long time, a film about the experiences of "queerness", non-heteronormativity, and how it can make people feel like strangers in their own family. The concept of going back in time and dealing with the complicated issues of growing up queer within a family has its own challenges. It's also about the difficulty of parenting and saying the right things at the right time, says Andrew Haigh.

- For me, the film is also about the writing process itself. To investigate one's own past through a fictional world. Not that I look back on my upbringing with a desperate sadness, more curiosity, melancholy and a strange nostalgia. But just like the character Adam, I look back on my own life, says Haigh.

For the director, it was also a highly private experience. Among other things, he filmed several scenes in his real childhood home in Croydon, south London, which he left 40 years ago.

- It was a ghostly experience. Like walking into a haunted house, but it was my memories that were the ghosts. We designed it the same way as when I was a kid. When we finished, I closed the door behind me and experienced a catharsis, as if I was free and could move on, says Haigh.

Nevertheless, it is still not straightforward. In the same vein as he was to film a key scene where the grown-up Adam talks to his father, Andrew Haigh visited his father in the dementia home.

- Although I had the same partner for 18 years, he asked me: "Do you have a wife?". My first thought was, "Oh my God, am I going to have to come out again?", but then I pretended it was raining. Oddly enough, I felt a bit terrified about having to tell him I was gay again - even though he was fine with me coming out in my 20s, says Andrew Haigh.

- So that scene with Adam was extremely difficult to write. I wanted to make it a moment that was as simple as it was meaningful. I was incredibly moved, he says.

In many ways, "All of us strangers" is reminiscent of "45 years", which is also a kind of ghost story. A fate-filled drama about a struggling British couple (Charlotte Rampling and Tom Courtenay) who are suddenly haunted by an old love story just in time for the couple's 45th wedding anniversary.

- Yes, I think there was definitely a similarity between the films. But I've always been interested in the past versus the present because that's how we learn throughout our lives. Our first fifteen years have such a dramatic and profound impact on who we become as an adult, he says.

In "All of us strangers" he fills it with pop music from his upbringing in the 1980s; Pet Shop Boys, The Housemartins and, not least, Frankie goes to Hollywood's "The power of love", which becomes a signature song for the entire film and not least its emblematic final scene.

- There was something in that song that spoke to me already as an 11-year-old without me really knowing about it. A bombastic pop song that is loaded with longing. Actually, it was quite subversive to be mainstream, there's a melancholy and darkness lurking beneath the surface, says Andrew Haigh.

Although Holly Johnson's "The power of love" wasn't exactly Paul Mescal's cup of tea, it helped him get in the right emotional mood during the recording.

- Andrew has interpreted the power of love in the most extraordinary way. This is his way of saying that Adam and Harry's relationship is also a grand love story that has its place up there in heaven with all the other heterosexual love stories. I think it's very beautiful, says Paul Mescal who was Oscar-nominated last year for his performance in Charlotte Wells' Aftersun, where he played a tormented father on his first joint charter trip with his eleven-year-old daughter.

He does not think that the self-confident but traumatized Harry is an essential character from father Callum in "Aftersun".

- Harry belongs to a certain kind of family of characters that I have played, but is also completely different. Subconsciously, I'm obviously drawn to this kind of material that deals with tormented masculinity and humanity, smiles Paul Mescal.

Like Andrew Scott, he is a great admirer of Andrew Haigh's films. In addition to the script, Scott was also a decisive factor in his acceptance. Before "All of us strangers", they had admired each other from afar. The recording turned into a bromance in full bloom that ended with intimate scenes where Paul Mescal "went down" on Andrew Scott co-star and licked a kind of cake mix from the co-star's body. In interviews, Mescal has explained that it was such a powerful moment that it almost scared him.

- Yes, there was a special charge between us. We were both very aware of how intense it was and how we were somehow aware of how committed we were to each other. It is very beautiful that the story often lies in the character who is listening, which is quite unusual. The challenge was to tell a story via sexual intimacy. We treated the sex scenes as if they were dialogue scenes, the only thing different was that we were half-naked, smiles Paul Mescal.

Andrew Scott believes that sex scenes between two male actors often tend to be about raw sexuality, but that "All of us strangers" felt radical because it was more interested in highlighting the tenderness between the characters.

- The first scenes when Adam and Harry meet in the elevator and at the front door trigger the film's sexual charge. When they are separated after the slightly awkward meeting, it creates an urge in the audience for them to reunite. When they finally sit next to each other on the couch and they stare at each other, it gets very, uh, sexy. I like the scene where Adam forgets to breathe because he hasn't been with anyone in a long time, says Andrew Scott.

Like the director, Andrew Scott talks about working on "All of us strangers" as a kind of cleansing bath. Before the recording, they both talked about their experiences in the loneliness of growing up queer in the gap between the 80s and 90s.

- Going back in time can be both anxious and nostalgic. For me, the challenge was trying to bring together Haigh's story with my own story, both the pain and the joy, says Andrew Scott the day after the film's Irish gala premiere in Dublin.

Although he was not entirely comfortable with the idea of ​​being in the same room as his parents when they watch the sex scenes in "All of us strangers", he seems to have managed it without a pillow of shame.

- It was a magical evening in my hometown. My family was there and all the other people I love so much. Suddenly it was as if I saw this whole journey that I've been on, realized that this is a deeply personal film that hit me right in the heart. I really love this movie.'

[zackarygoncz]

The Best TV Shows for Binge-Watching on a Lazy Weekend

The weekend is the perfect time to unwind, and what better way to do that than by binge-watching a great TV show? Whether you’re looking for intense drama, hilarious comedy, or thrilling action, the world of television offers a plethora of options to keep you entertained from sunrise to sunset. The key to a great binge-watch is finding a show that hooks you from the first episode and keeps you glued to your screen. Here are some top picks that are perfect for a lazy weekend.

One of the most popular choices for binge-watching is Stranger Things. This Netflix original combines 80s nostalgia, supernatural thrills, and a heartwarming story of friendship. With its engaging plot, lovable characters, and perfect balance of horror and humor, Stranger Things is a show that you can easily watch episode after episode without wanting to stop. Plus, with several seasons available, it’s a show that can fill your entire weekend.

If you’re in the mood for comedy, The Office is a classic that never gets old. This mockumentary-style sitcom takes place in the mundane world of a paper company, but the quirky characters and hilarious antics make it anything but boring. With nine seasons of content, The Office offers endless laughs and is the perfect comfort show to binge on a lazy weekend. Whether you’re watching for the first time or re-watching for the tenth, it’s always a good time.

For those who enjoy a good mystery, True Detective offers a gripping anthology series where each season presents a new case and new characters. The first season, in particular, is highly acclaimed for its dark, atmospheric storytelling and stellar performances from Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson. With its intricate plot and intense suspense, True Detective is a show that’s hard to put down once you start.

If drama is more your style, Breaking Bad is often hailed as one of the best TV shows of all time. Following the transformation of a high school chemistry teacher into a ruthless drug kingpin, Breaking Bad is a masterclass in storytelling, character development, and tension. Every episode is packed with suspense and drama, making it an ideal show for binge-watching.

On the fantasy side, Game of Thrones is another epic series that’s perfect for a weekend binge. With its complex characters, political intrigue, and jaw-dropping twists, it’s a show that demands your full attention. Although the final season sparked controversy among fans, the journey through the earlier seasons is filled with unforgettable moments that make it worth the watch.

For those who prefer something lighter but still engaging, Parks and Recreation is a feel-good comedy that will leave you smiling. The show follows the employees of the Parks Department in the fictional town of Pawnee, Indiana, and is known for its witty humor and charming characters. It’s the kind of show that’s easy to binge, with episodes that are both heartwarming and hilarious.

No binge-watch list would be complete without mentioning Friends. This iconic sitcom has been a staple of comfort TV for years, and its timeless humor and lovable characters make it an easy choice for a weekend marathon. With ten seasons to choose from, Friends offers hours of entertainment and nostalgia.

Whatever your taste in TV shows, there’s something out there for everyone to binge-watch on a lazy weekend. Whether you’re diving into a new series or revisiting an old favorite, the beauty of binge-watching is that you can fully immerse yourself in the world of the show. So grab your favorite snacks, get comfortable, and let the binge-watching begin.

[alikharaghanian]

3. SOURCES From History to Fantasy: Why AI Can’t Replace George R.R. Martin

For this blog post, I would like to analyze my favorite TV series and, in the end, predict whether generative AI could create a similar product or not.

In my opinion, Game of Thrones is the best series I have ever watched. To put it simply, every dialogue in this show is meaningful and purposeful, which can certainly be attributed to the strong foundation provided by George R.R. Martin’s books.

Although several directors worked on creating this show, in reality, it had a single author who built this fictional world—this is a single-author work. George R.R. Martin himself has mentioned that he wrote his books inspired by the history and politics of our real world. Many of the families and their stories, as well as the wars described in his books, were influenced by historical events in Europe and England, which is an example of intertextuality, proving that even such a grand work is not entirely independent.

For example, the Wars of the Roses, one of the most important battles in England’s history, fought between the Lancasters and the Yorks, bears a significant resemblance to the conflicts between House Stark and House Lannister—even the name Lannister is derived from Lancaster. Another example is House Martell of Dorne, which resembles Andalusia of old, showcasing a blend of Spanish and Arab culture in their architecture and clothing. Moreover, the Red Wedding event closely mirrors real historical events, such as the Black Dinner of 1440 in Scotland.

These are examples of unconscious and conscious intertextuality, as writers often unconsciously incorporate elements from the stories they have heard or seen, drawing inspiration from real-world politics and human experiences.

But could such an extraordinary story have been created without historical studies and the author’s creativity? Certainly not. Many people know and have heard about these historical events, but only a few possess the creativity and talent to craft a completely new world inspired by those events. As George R.R. Martin once said, “Real history is full of stories as complex and compelling as any fantasy. You don’t have to look far to find tales of betrayal, war, and intrigue that rival the most elaborate fiction.” This quote perfectly reflects how Martin masterfully draws upon real-world events to craft the rich, intricate world of Game of Thrones, blending historical inspiration with his boundless imagination to create a narrative that feels both fantastical and grounded in reality.

In recent years, Game of Thrones has been evolving into a transmedia franchise, with the production of new video games, board games, spin-off series, novels, and comics. However, it cannot yet be considered a complete transmedia franchise, as most of the products that have followed the main series remain heavily connected to the original books and show, without offering something entirely new. Nevertheless, in my opinion, this issue will be resolved over time, and the world of Game of Thrones will transform into a vast transmedia franchise like Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. There are two main reasons for this: first, Game of Thrones is relatively new compared to other franchises, so it requires more time to expand. Second, due to its large fanbase and success, significant investment will be made in this franchise, making it a profitable source of revenue, thereby transforming it into a complete transmedia. However, this capitalist approach to the franchise raises concerns among fans about the quality of future works. Unfortunately, none of the new productions, especially the House of the Dragon series, have been able to replicate the success of the original Game of Thrones.

Now, let’s assume George R.R. Martin never wrote this novel—could generative AI create such a masterpiece today? While it is undeniable that generative AI has the potential to succeed in crafting scenarios and fictional worlds, what makes Game of Thrones distinct from other series is its highly complex plot, multi-layered characters, and the exceptional creativity of a human mind in building an intricate fictional world. Therefore, it’s difficult to say for certain. While AI is advancing rapidly, we can conclude that, for now, AI cannot produce such a detailed and nuanced work. This is because AI lacks a complete and accurate understanding of human emotions and psychology.

Spoiler Alert in This Paragraph

Finally, I want to use an example to illustrate how ideas are often reused, and even the best works draw inspiration from the creativity of others. In the final episode of Arcane, the scene referencing the end of a powerful figure and their downfall closely resembles Arya’s killing of the Night King in Game of Thrones. Additionally, the scene where Jinx rescues her sister is quite similar to a moment in The Matrix, where Neo uses a helicopter to save Morpheus. These examples show that, even with conscious or unconscious imitation, it is possible to create new and extraordinary works, provided creativity and finesse are applied. I won’t include pictures of these scenes to avoid spoilers.

References

• Hills, M. (2002) Fan Cultures. London: Routledge. • Martin, G.R.R. (1996) A Game of Thrones. New York: Bantam Books. • O’Sullivan, S. and O’Sullivan, T. (2016) Studying the Media: An Introduction. 4th edn. London: Routledge. • Juul, J., 2001. Games telling stories? Game Studies, [online] 1(1). Available at: https://www.gamestudies.org/0101/juul-gts/

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The Future of Digital Entertainment: Trends and Innovations

Digital entertainment has become an integral part of our daily lives. It shapes how we interact with the world around us, from streaming our favorite TV shows to playing immersive online games. As technology continues to advance, the possibilities for entertainment in the digital space are virtually endless. From online gaming platforms to virtual reality, the future promises new and exciting experiences that will reshape how we engage with media and entertainment. One such platform, mybangercasino com, shows how innovation is already transforming the entertainment landscape, offering unique ways to enjoy digital games and experiences.

Streaming Services: Redefining How We Watch

Streaming services have completely redefined the way we consume television, movies, and music. Gone are the days of waiting for a show to air on TV or renting DVDs from a local store. With platforms like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Disney+, viewers now have the power to watch anything they want, whenever they want. This freedom has made streaming services one of the most popular forms of entertainment in the world.

Not only do these services offer an extensive library of content, but they also provide original programming that attracts millions of subscribers. From critically acclaimed series to blockbuster films, streaming platforms continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible in terms of content creation. The ability to stream on multiple devices, from smartphones to smart TVs, has made it more convenient for people to enjoy entertainment at home or on the go. In the coming years, we can expect even more innovation in streaming, as the demand for high-quality, diverse content grows.

The Growth of Online Gaming: A New Era of Play

Online gaming has exploded in popularity over the past decade, becoming a multi-billion dollar industry. Whether it’s casual mobile games or hardcore multiplayer experiences, online gaming offers a vast array of entertainment options for people of all ages. One of the biggest draws of online gaming is its social aspect, as players can connect with others around the world, forming communities and making new friends.

With the advent of advanced technologies like virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), the gaming experience has become even more immersive. Players can now step into fully-realized digital worlds where they can interact with other players and engage in experiences that feel more like real life. These innovations have led to the creation of virtual casinos and interactive gaming experiences, offering users an opportunity to experience digital entertainment in new and exciting ways. Online casinos, such as mybangercasino, provide real-time gaming, allowing players to interact with dealers and other players from the comfort of their homes, simulating a casino experience like never before.

Virtual Reality: The Next Frontier in Entertainment

Virtual reality (VR) is no longer just a concept for sci-fi movies; it’s quickly becoming a mainstream technology that is revolutionizing the entertainment industry. VR allows users to immerse themselves in entirely new digital worlds, offering experiences that go beyond passive observation. Whether it’s exploring virtual worlds, watching 360-degree videos, or participating in VR games, this technology creates a sense of presence that traditional media cannot match.

In the entertainment industry, VR has opened up new possibilities for how we engage with content. For example, VR concerts and live events allow people to experience their favorite artists and performances as though they were right there in the front row. Similarly, virtual tourism lets people explore historical landmarks, exotic destinations, or even outer space without leaving their homes. As VR technology continues to improve, it will likely play an even bigger role in shaping the future of entertainment, offering more immersive and interactive experiences that push the boundaries of imagination.

Social Entertainment: Connecting the World through Media

In today’s digital age, entertainment is increasingly becoming a social experience. With social media platforms, online gaming communities, and live streaming services, people are finding new ways to connect and share their favorite content. Social media has become a place where fans can engage with creators, share their opinions, and discuss the latest trends in entertainment. It has also allowed for the rise of influencer culture, where individuals gain massive followings by creating content that resonates with a global audience.

Live streaming platforms, such as Twitch and YouTube, have taken social entertainment to new heights by allowing viewers to interact with streamers in real time. Whether it’s watching someone play video games, participate in challenges, or host live events, these platforms foster a sense of connection and community among viewers. Online casinos have also embraced the social aspect of entertainment, with platforms like mybangercasino offering live dealer games that allow players to interact with real dealers and other participants. This makes the online gaming experience feel more social and engaging, even in the virtual realm.

The Future of Digital Entertainment: What’s Next?

As digital entertainment continues to evolve, the possibilities seem limitless. From enhanced streaming experiences to more immersive gaming and virtual reality, the future of entertainment is set to be more engaging, interactive, and personalized than ever before. The growth of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning is also set to change how we consume entertainment, allowing for content recommendations that are tailored to individual preferences. Furthermore, the rise of 5G technology will make streaming and online gaming faster and more reliable, enabling smoother, higher-quality experiences.

The future of digital entertainment will be marked by increased connectivity and interactivity. It’s likely that we will see more seamless integration between different forms of media, with virtual reality, gaming, and social networking becoming increasingly intertwined. As technology continues to advance, new forms of entertainment will emerge, offering unique ways for people to experience and interact with the world around them.

Conclusion: A Thrilling Digital Future Awaits

The digital entertainment landscape is constantly evolving, driven by advancements in technology and changes in consumer preferences. From streaming services and online gaming to virtual reality and social platforms, there are more ways than ever to enjoy content and connect with others. Platforms like mybangercasino are leading the way in offering interactive, immersive experiences that enhance the entertainment journey. As we look to the future, it’s clear that the digital entertainment industry will continue to grow and innovate, bringing us new and exciting ways to experience the world of entertainment. The best part is, we’re only scratching the surface of what’s possible.