#they use so much music in general for episode titles and emotions... it's so much is already taken that's in that era

[shallowseeker]

If we couldn't have Carry On My Wayward Son, what song would you pick for the sequel?

This was hanging out on one of the earlier pages of my drafts, waiting for a Eureka moment that will never come. (I'm sorry. I'm not the greatest with music.)

I mean, assuming Led Zeppelin is too expensive...

I've gravitated to Genesis's Land of Confusion before for a sequel, but not sure the refrain is high-energy enough. But it's got a lot of really cool themes for what I think a sequel would/should touch on.

This is a newer song that has a nice vibe: Lift Your Head Weary Sinner (Chains), but it's slow. (I'd use it tongue-in-cheek for a Chuck won plot situation). It's got some nifty transitions I just think would be so neat for the kind of montages that Shaving People Punting Things used to put out on occasion. (Plus, it's got a bit of the SPNwin vibe, which I like.)

Any other ideas, y'all?

(Full lyrics below)

Land of Confusion - Genesis (1986)

I must've dreamed a thousand dreams Been haunted by a million screams But I can hear the marching feet They're moving into the street Now did you read the news today? They say the danger's gone away But I can see the fires still alight They're burning into the night There's too many men, too many people Making too many problems And not much love to go 'round Can't you see this is a land of confusion? This is the world we live in (oh, oh, oh) And these are the hands we're given (oh, oh, oh) Use them and let's start trying (oh, oh, oh) To make it a place worth living in Oh, Superman, where are you now When everything's gone wrong somehow? The men of steel, the men of power Are losing control by the hour This is the time, this is the place So we look for the future But there's not much love to go 'round Tell me why this is a land of confusion This is the world we live in (oh, oh, oh) And these are the hands we're given (oh, oh, oh) Use them and let's start trying (oh, oh, oh) To make it a place worth living in I remember long ago Oh, when the sun was shining Yes, and the stars were bright all through the night And the sound of your laughter as I held you tight So long ago I won't be coming home tonight My generation will put it right We're not just making promises That we know we'll never keep Too many men, there's too many people Making too many problems And not much love to go 'round Can't you see this is a land of confusion? Now this is the world we live in (oh, oh, oh) And these are the hands we're given (oh, oh, oh) Use them and let's start trying (oh, oh, oh) To make it a place worth fighting for This is the world we live in (oh, oh, oh) And these are the names we're given (oh, oh, oh) Stand up and let's start showing (oh, oh, oh) Just where our lives are going to

Lift Your Head Weary Sinner - Crowder (2014)

Lift your head weary sinner, the river's just ahead Down the path of forgiveness, salvation's waiting there You built a mighty fortress 10, 000 burdens high Love is here to lift you up, here to lift you high If you're lost and wandering Come stumbling in like a prodigal child See the walls start crumbling Let the gates of glory open wide All who've strayed and walked away, unspeakable things you've done Fix your eyes on the mountain, let the past be dead and gone Come all saints and sinners, you can't outrun God Whatever you've done can't overcome the power of the blood If you're lost and wandering Come stumbling in like a prodigal child See the walls start crumbling Let the gates of glory open wide If you're lost and wrecked again Come stumbling in like a prodigal child See the walls start crumbling Let the gates of glory be open wide Lost and wandering Come stumbling in like a prodigal child See the walls start crumbling Let the gates of glory open wide If you're lost and wrecked again Come stumbling in like a prodigal child See the walls start crumbling Let the gates of glory be open wide Let the gates of glory be open wide Let the gates of glory be open wide

///////////////////////////////////////

If we're talking Wayward Daughters, I probably would've gone a totally different vibe like Keep On by Portugal. The Man cause.... vibes.

Keep on hangin' on Stuck here 'til I'm gone Boys still throwin' stones Runnin' till I'm wrong I never listened To tell the truth I never knew But nobody misses What you did Quite like I do Got me thinkin' 'bout it All day long All day long Bangin' my head against the wall All day long Bangin' my head against the wall Dead and gone But I'm seein' a pattern Fallin' from a ladder Must be trippin' like a cartoon Slippin' on a banana Looked up in the sun Burned out but I ain't done Ice cream meltin' down Drippin' on the ground Young black and gifted Never lose, gotta be the shoes That old money privilege Got me confused What is it you do? Got me thinking 'bout it All day long Bangin' my head against the wall All day long Bangin' my head against the wall All day long Bangin' my head against the wall All day long And it's all and it's all and it's all day long 'Til we're dead and gone Maybe I'm trippin' to tell the truth Don't have a clue (Maybe you're not alone, that's right) Or maybe I missed out on my youth Playing it cool Man in the mirror like Grow up, be a winner Blow up, be a winner All day long, 'til we're dead and gone Be a winner All day long, 'til we're dead and gone Grow up, be a winner All day long, 'til we're dead and gone Bangin' my head against the wall All day long And it's all and it's all and it's all day long Bangin' my head against the wall 'Til we're dead and gone And it's all day long 'til we're dead and gone Bangin' my head against the wall

[dracoqueen22]

[CR] Honest to Goodness

Title: Honest to Goodness Universe: Critical Role, Campaign Two, Somewhere Post Episode 70, Close to Home series Characters: Caduceus Clay/Caleb Widogast Rated: K+ Description: Caduceus has never been talented at finding the right words for anything, but thank Melora, actions speak a lot louder. For @claylebweek​

There was something oddly soothing about the clean-up post dinner. Stowing his ingredients in their proper place, wiping down the kitchen of all detritus, doing the dishes, restoring his workspace to a pristine condition. Caduceus hummed to himself as he worked, washing and drying and stacking, letting his mind wander but not linger on anything in particular. He felt far too restless to retire, though he knew rest was sorely needed. They’d leave again in the morning, perhaps to Nicodranas, perhaps elsewhere.

The Mighty Nein had a peculiar habit of deciding a course of action, and then changing it at the last minute. Caduceus had learned to match the sporadic flow, rather than harbor frustration. He set a plate to the side, covering it with a cloth. Caleb had still been gone by the time Caduceus served dinner, but their wizard missed too many meals as it was. Caduceus would try to catch him on his return, encourage him to eat. Caleb had not seemed well, last Caduceus saw him, though honestly, he’d been seeing less of their wizard as of late. Granted, they’d not had much downtime, but still. Their reading lessons had been few and far between, and Caleb hadn’t joined him for evening tea in quite some time. Caduceus assumed he had erred in some manner, but no matter how often he turned their interactions over in his head, he couldn’t identify why. He considered asking someone else in the Mighty Nein for advice, but couldn’t decide who. If another week passed of Caleb avoiding him, for lack of a better word, Caduceus would start with Fjord and work his way around, leaving Nott for last. Surely someone could offer him an explanation, since Caleb seemed uninterested in providing one himself. Caduceus put the last clean plate into the cabinet and shut the door. He cast a glance around the kitchen -- completely tidied with Caleb’s dinner waiting on the sideboard -- and untied his apron, hanging it on the hook. He supposed he’d go to his tower and see if he could spot Caleb’s return from there. Caduceus turned around and blinked with surprise. Caleb stood in the doorway of the kitchen, looking in on him with an expression Caduceus was unable to read. He must have been deep in his own thoughts not to hear Caleb arrive. Nott snuck up on him frequently but rarely were other members of the Mighty Nein capable of such a feat. “I saved you dinner,” Caduceus said when it seemed Caleb wasn’t going to speak up. “Oh. I -- thank you,” Caleb said, his voice oddly quiet, his brow pinched as though he were troubled, and perhaps he was, given the revelation about one of his former compatriots being in the grasp of the Dynasty. “I appreciate it.” “It was no trouble,” Caduceus said. Caleb nodded, and chewed on his bottom lip. He lifted his gaze from the floor as though it took great effort before he said, “I owe you many things. An apology, to start, and then an explanation.” “All right,” Caduceus said, cautious to his core. This felt like one of those conversations he didn’t want to have, although he wasn’t sure why. “Though I’m not certain what you need to apologize for.” Caleb fidgeted. He moved further into the kitchen, drifting toward one of the tables Caduceus used to prep food -- and the table containing the reserved meal. “You may have noticed I’ve been avoiding you lately.” “Yeah. Noticed that. Hoped you’d tell me why eventually,” Caduceus said. Perhaps now was the ‘eventually’. “It’s complicated,” Caleb said, his accent thicker than usual, perhaps because of the fatigue cloaking him, the overwhelming emotional wringer he’d pushed himself through today. “But I will explain. And I am sorry.” Caduceus nodded. “I’m listening.” He moved toward Caleb, tried to usher him in the direction of the chair, of the food, because it seemed as though Caleb would topple any moment, but the wizard shook his head. “I have to say this first, and say this now, before I lose my nerve.” Caleb looked up at Caduceus, the space between them little more than an armlength. “Because if I don’t, then I’ll keep losing my chance. We almost died. You’ve already died once, briefly if not for Jester. Now Yasha’s gone, the danger has only magnified, and…” He paused and sucked in a sharp breath, face wrinkling. “I’m running out of time,” Caleb said. “It’s not as though I thought I had all the time in the world. I’m conscious of how short my life is, and shorter still with the danger we put ourselves into. And there are things I want to do, things I want to see done, I have a purpose. I have a wrong I must right, but…” He trailed off again, frustration leeching into his voice. Caduceus waited. He sensed there was something important in the babble, something Caleb struggled to find the words to say, whether it was because he was speaking Common, or because he spoke to some emotion he rarely shared, Caduceus didn’t know. “I am not a good person, Mr. Clay,” Caleb said, and his voice was thick, like one who was fighting back tears. “I am a garbage person, and I have no right to do this, but because I am selfish, I am going to do it anyway. I must because if I don’t, time is going to run out, and I’ll never know, and isn’t that the worst? Never knowing?” Caduceus tilted his head, a tightness in his chest, an ache to pull Caleb into his arms and soothe whatever emotional turmoil had taken their wizard. But Caleb, more than any other in the Mighty Nein, kept his physical intimacies to himself, and Caduceus didn’t know if such a thing would be welcome. He didn’t know anything. “It is often better to take a risk then be left wondering. At least, that’s how I’ve always believed,” Caduceus said quietly. He looked down at Caleb, trying to catch his wandering gaze. “I am listening, Mr. Caleb. Whatever burden you carry, I am listening.” Caleb gave him a sad, gentle smile. “Oh. It is as much a burden as it is not.” He took in a long, slow breath. “I care for you, in a way I probably should not, but I can’t shove it aside anymore.” “I care for you as well,” Caduceus said, only partially confused. He was aware Caleb wrestled with his affection for the Mighty Nein, considering it a burden as much as he did a boon. “You are all very important to me.” “No, that is not what I meant.” Caleb’s forehead wrinkled, and he exhaled sharply, as if he were frustrated. He reached up. “Please, bend down for me, Mr. Clay. I can’t reach you.” Caduceus blinked. Bend down…? It was an odd request, but he complied, and once he did, Caleb’s fingers threaded through his hair, cupping gently around the back of his head. “Please don’t hate me,” Caleb murmured, and he rose up, leaned in toward Caduceus, cradling Caduceus’ head as if he were a treasured item. Their lips brushed. At once, Caduceus understood, and then the kiss deepened, Caleb’s mouth moving over his, their lips skimming together. Caleb’s lips were chapped and swollen, perhaps he’d been chewing on them in his anxiety. Warmth flooded Caduceus, from where Caleb's lips touched his, spreading throughout his entire body. His heartrate fluttered. The sensation of butterflies in his belly turned into a whole flock. And then Caleb drew back and looked up at him with worry in his face, his hand sliding away from Caduceus, trailing briefly through his hair. Caduceus blinked. "Oh," he murmured, a slow smile curving his lips, which tingled in the aftermath. Revelation was a warm pool in his belly, a tingle dancing over his skin. "Oh?" Caleb echoed, his voice thick with anxiety. Caduceus smiled and touched Caleb's face gently. "Oh that's what this feeling is. I like you." Caleb's face immediately burned bright red, his freckles standing out in sharp relief. He sucked in a breath. "I don't think I'll ever get over how abundantly honest you are," he said, and knocked his forehead against Caduceus' chest. "It's startling." "I think that's because you're so wrapped up in your secrets, Mr. Caleb. You and Miss Beau are both like that," Caduceus said. His lips tingled. He wondered if it would be weird to ask Caleb to kiss him again. "That is probably true," Caleb said, muffled against Caduceus' shirt. Caduceus chuckled quietly. He stroked Caleb's hair, because Caleb was still hiding his face. "I, uh, you'll have to forgive me, Mr. Caleb, but I don't have a lot of experience with this. I don't know what I'm supposed to do next. Is this where we take our clothes off?" Caleb bolted upright, and his face was as red as a tomato, all the way to the tips of his ears. "Caduceus!" he gasped, and my, but the sound of his given name in Caleb's voice was music to Caduceus' ears. "That's, I think, a little fast." Caduceus tilted his head. "Is it? I mean, that seems to be the standard as far as I can tell. Beau--" Caleb shook his head, hard enough to dislodge some of his hair from the tie. "Beauregard's, ah, intimacies are not to be taken as the standard. This is different," he said, and seemed to gather himself, straightening his shoulders. "I would not have this be a... a fling. You know?" Caduceus nodded, but then shook his head. "No, I'm sorry, I don't know." Caleb sighed and kind of scratched at his chin, where a bit of stubble was making a strong effort to dust his cheeks. "A fling is, you know, temporary. It is a one time thing. That is not what I am after, though I know I should probably be content with that, but I am a selfish man, Mr. Clay. I want more than I should." He paused and peered up at Caduceus. "Or is that what you want?" "I'm not sure. This is all very new to me." Caduceus hummed and considered it. "The idea in general sounds nice. Especially with you. Not, I mean, the fling part, but the other part where we take off our clothes. It sounds like it could be nice." Caleb's red deepened. He coughed into his hand, and for a moment, looked as though he had shed ten years worth of exhaustion and anxiety. "That is good to know, but maybe we can wait a bit for that part. I mean, I am in no rush, and it doesn't seem as though you are either?" "Sure," Caduceus said, easily agreeable. He had no source of comparison. He couldn't miss what he had never experienced. He touched his lips. "Should I wait to kiss you again, too?" Caleb's lips curved into a genuine smile. He breathed a soft laugh. "Come here," he said, gesturing, and Caduceus leaned down, into the gentle cup of Caleb's fingers, threading through his hair as Caleb pulled him into a kiss. It was firmer this time, more sure. Caleb touched him with confidence, radiating satisfaction and relief as opposed to an anxious trepidation. Caleb's mouth moved against his, and then his lips parted, and the tip of his tongue traced the seam of Caduceus' lips, warm and wet. A thrill danced down Caduceus' spine, pooling at the base of it. He didn't know what to do with his hands, so they hung awkwardly at his sides, until he rested them on Caleb's shoulders. He opened his mouth to Caleb, and shivered at the first touch of Caleb's tongue to his. It was an odd sensation, indescribable. Even with Caleb's lessons, Caduceus still couldn't find appropriate words, save that he enjoyed it, and wouldn't mind more. Caleb must have understood, because he carded his fingers through Caduceus' hair, scrubbing gently at his scalp, and the kiss continued, softer and wetter until the low growl of Caleb's stomach shattered the moment. Caduceus chuckled against Caleb's mouth. "It's a good thing I saved you a plate," he said. Caleb breathed a laugh and tucked loose hair behind Caduceus' ear. "Sometimes, I think you are too good for us," he said, and there was a quiet fondness in his eyes. "I don't know where this is going to go, and gods know, I do not deserve it. But if you'll have this broken man, I would like to see." "We're all broken, Mr. Caleb." Caduceus took Caleb's hand, tangled their fingers together, and rubbed his thumb over Caleb's scarred knuckles. "And I don't know how to do this, but I'm willing to learn." "And you learn very quickly," Caleb said. He watched Caduceus' thumb stroke his knuckles. "I will do my best not to withdraw. I'm sorry for doing so before. I wasn't ready to face... myself, I suppose." Caduceus followed through on impulse and brushed a kiss over Caleb's knuckles. "Apology accepted," he said as Caleb's belly rumbled again, and the wizard's face returned to the tomato-red cast it had earlier. "And now, you eat." "Now, I eat," Caleb agreed and withdrew from Caduceus, though there was reluctance in the lingering brush of his fingers. "Read to me while I do? We can make up for the missed lessons." Warmth remained where Caleb had touched him. His lips yet tingled. He would like to kiss Caleb again, perhaps after he ate, or before bed, or in the morning. "Sure." Caduceus put the kettle back on the fire, preparing two cups of tea. It was late, but this was worth missing a little sleep for. Caleb was worth a lot.

***

Feedback, reblogs, comments, all are absolutely welcome! 

[alchemist-shizun]

As expected, Dealing with intrusive thoughts is now one of my favorites

Here I come with almost all of my reactions on the episode, even though I tagged the spoiler warnings I put everything under the cut just in case. Enjoy the emotional rollercoaster while I'll probably go and rewatch it again.

Okay kinda expected one or two of the warnings but all of them together what is gonna happen???? (Though they make sense after reading the title)

HELLO FRESH BACK AGAIN

"I'm awesome and I can do this" there goes my boy. *said boy falls flat on the floor* ...come on

I felt that yawn bc I stayed up all night waiting for the video but it dropped at 8 am, I'm an idiot who should've gotten more sleep

"help me" why is he such a mood "everything is going wrong in my life" same but YOU SHOULDN'T SAY THAT LET ME HUG YOU

They're all sinking up so fast god I missed my bois. Also the general awkwardness of Virge and Pat, greeeeat something will go wrong

Virgil just ignoring everything and touching the railing, a mood

ALSO PLEASE LET ROMAN IN THE SITUATION

SECRET SECRETS ARE NO FUN TELL ME NOW OR ELSE WE'RE DONE

wait why does Ro want to be deeply troubled- man are you okay-

LOGAN'S HERE

"your most extreme reaction is an eyebrow raise" "FALSEHOOD" "I stand corrected" omfg

"what are you ta- what are you talking- what are you talking about?" I loved that whole take it made me feel complete

"Look I barely got any sleep" this can apply to a lot of us and I love just how we're all always like "TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF" but in the end this is where we all end up anyway

Okay I'm very curious about these troubling thoughts though

"so sushi" FUCCC I DIED RIGHT THERE

"Don't act like that was an accident" "everybody, Virgil. Let's give it up for the Purp Man" these speak for themselves. Also the purp man is my new fav nickname and I'm gonna use it.

4:17 Patton is adorable bye

"if you continue to push this we're going to end up in really dangerous territory" AND THAT'S WHERE THE TENSION STARTED TO BUILD UP

great flick

"am I delirious or is this the funniest video I've ever made" I felt that

YOU HIGH-JOCKED

okay but when Thomas starts disassociating I also feel really weird like as if there was something blocking my own hearing for real?? And not just the audio edited like that?? Maybe I'm just too tired

WHAT WHO WHHH first intrusive thought making its way what is gonna happen

OH MY GOD ROMAN WATCH OUT ALSO THAT'S DEFINITELY A NEW DARK SIDE OR SMTH LIKE THAT

W HO THE FUCKLKDSL IS THAT A MOUSTACHE IS THAT GLITTER WHAT IN THE WORLD IS HE WEARING WHAT IS HE DOING THERE PLEASE- okay but he looks crazy af I like that

"-evIL" "-SHOW UP"

First time I watched the scene where Ro gets knocked out I literally just screamed "ROMAN" in a high pitched sound I was shook wtf my bOY

Patton and Thomas's yells in unison plus "YOU KILLED HIM" I just I JUST

"Ah, he's the Duke" "....... boo" AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Okay but his voice is so on point with his character portrayal he's so weird it's awesome?

SONG SONG SONG and oh goodness the visuals I can't fathom how much editing work must have gone through this, they're all so talented.

"aunt patty naked" A G AI N??

"IM GONNA WHIP YOUR BUTT"

a snaKE IT'S DECEIT oh my these silouhettes are so great this is my favorite scene

this is gonna be stuck in my head all day

THE COOL MIRROR EDIT.

god i hate him so much already but i'm super intrigued he's so chaotic the whole team made a wonderful job i'll never stop saying this

"i'm really stupid right now" just how much out of context relatable content are we going to get on this fine day?

omg the dark version of creativity, which can be associated with intrusive thoughts, that's very clever

THE JUICY STUFF DANCE

"Repression can be very bad indeed" I mean he's right tbh it leads to never solving the problem at all

GO LOGAN GO HAVE YOUR TIME TO SHINE FINALLY i missed him

"i can't hear youuuuuu" much like "I don't understand what you're saying I don't know anything about words" THE DARK SIDES ARE ALL SASSY LITTLE BITCHES

pattonnnn did a real good job

THE BRAVE HANDSOME UNBEATABLE ROMAN and mashed potatoes

"scary" and Virgil just gives Thomas a look idk I live on the little details (Im ten minutes into the vid and look how long this post already is)

GEE Remus (already using his name bc it's shorter) looking so offended at the label and then pointing out it should be a Virgil problem whAT DOES THIS MEAN IM SHAKING

WHY WOULD HE BE DECEIT AGAIN IM DYING. "Idk if you guys can tell but I'm a little silly"

"then why are you lying" no everybody I don't need angst

THE BLACK AND THE WHITE THEORY I SAW GOING AROUND good job to whoever thought of that

JOAN

the forbidden dance

INTO A BUTTHOLE WHAT IS IT WITH HIM AND BUTTHOLES

there u go thomas said it too

haters gonna hate hate hate hate hate FHDSLAKLFD

irresponsible parenting, Logan completing the parental unit of the sides

"maybe there's hope for you after all!" me looking at all my wips

REMUS' LAUGH IS PERFECT. also "BITCH WHAT IS *YOUR* DEAL"

"you've never been one to soften the truth" OH BOI HERE WE GO

"do we have some case of brain swap???" I legitly said "maybe" in unison with Patton the first time

Vee pls stop putting Thommy boy down he's having a bad time

Logan trying to put some sense into the situation is my only spark of hope for this to turn back good

REMUS IS SO DRAMATIC

That lick was ....... let's pretend it never happened

"you know who can help us with that???" DECEIT'S SONG COMING UP that was great, imagine the chaos that the duo would create

"THATS WHAT REPRESSION IS?"

gasp Remus trying to make Virgil angry at Logan shall not stand DON'T PUT THEM AGAINST ONE ANOTHER HE'S JUST TRYING TO HELP

"you all are not listening to Thomas" this is the development I needed

"you're just para-" and he cuts himself. You all know what I'm talking about. Foreshadowing probably? This happened too back then when Roman was almost calling him the same. And then Virge looks so hurt I- "thank you for being on guard" that made me want to cry idk

the whole speech Logan gave? Pure gold. That was perfect.

HE SAID FIGURATIVELY *CLAP CLAP CLAP*

"UH RECORD SCRATCH?"

"does this make me cool?" djslagrkglhf also the teeth thing right after what the

... the deodorant eating ...

DUKEY

The first time I watched I thought his name was spelled Remis that's how dumb my Italian ass is

Still I love his name bc I'm a nerd for ancient culture, ESPECIALLY Roman (and ancient Greek but it isn't mentioned here) and I love the little thing they did with both Creativity names, super clever and very much liked on my part.

"I would never hide anything from you" and he looks at Virgil JUST ALL THIS FORESHADOWING

LOGAN SHOWING HIS TEETH BACK UP

"how about you shut up" Roman what the hecc man

THAT THING INTO LOGANS HEAD UNSETTLED ME A BIT

what are they doing to him today let him rest

double blow

"can we logic our way out of that?" everybody nodding was so pure

"shit"

THAT FUCKING JUMPSCARE I'M SORRY WHAT THE FU

"not all thoughts are meaningful"

He's go- no he's back again

THE CALLBACK MENTION AND PATTONS REACTION... probable foreshadowing to what Joan said about there being a part two of SvS?

"When are you actually gonna jump out of a moving car I've been bringing it up for years" so it's not just me..?

"it is okay if the thought happens to cross your mind"

"everything is okay" I'm going to cry I needed that

I love how Logan touches the topic that there is no problem in seeking help from therapists. There's a lot to say on this, but I was really glad that was pointed out since the are a lot of stereotypes on the matter

why did Virgil look like he was about to cry

Patton I love you

Thomas going to rest is what everyone wanted to see

Virgil confronting Remus I'm living you're doing amazing sweetie

"you tickle me emo"

"it was just like old times" then Pat and Lo's looks in this essay I will

ROMAAAAN

VIRGILS SMILE

"YOU'RE ALIVE"

"I LOVE YOU" ME TOO!! ME TOO ME TOO

"are you good?" "are you hurt at all?" I love when the sides look out for each other

"I'm sorry Logan" right through the heart. Another development.

I need y'all to look at Virgil in this exact second because. he.

that's my point.

All those smiles while Logan's talking are making me alive

"No seriously, you're ... really ... cool" I started tearing up right here. Twice. And then Logan sinks down cause he's not at all used to this and he's feeling t h i n g s please keep on being appreciated you deserve it

Also Patton always learning from his mistakes and understanding them when he does something wrong or he thinks in the wrong direction, that's something I think a lot of people need to learn, including myself. Like, it's okay to be wrong and make mistakes, just do your best to make sure you're improving yourself afterwards, instead of dwelling on it too much

"I don't like him" makes two of us

"Soooo you have a brother?" oh boy

The m i r r o r it's making me cry

"He's gone now and he's never coming back!" "I don't think that's-" "BYEE" what was all that talk about repression for if you contiNUE TO DO THIS ROMAN please I beg of you let us hELP YOU he's making me die inside

Oh boi the big moment. I already expected a bomb to drop since Virgil was the last one remaining.

"You okay buddy?" "Huh?" op somehow was already found crying

"I'm a little disappointed in myself" istg all that foreshadowing mixed with me wanting to hug him

The music picking up tension, this is poetic cinema let me tell you

I noticed how he calls them "the others", all these tiny details is what I'm living for

"I should know better" I couldn't beLIEVE IT, also how he seemed to be so frustrated made something inside me break

the pause and then "Because I was one of them", the music stops for a second, a little second in which you can hear my distant screaming "GOSH HE SAID IT IT WAS TRUE"

Thomas is speechless and just stares at him while the music picks up again and then Virgil's sigh and expression sinking down like "there you have it. that's the truth. and you can't do anything about it" he looks so defeated I'm breaking down.

Did I already mention poetic cinema? I just love angst and this scene was perfect

First time watching I, too, barely understood anything I was listening to in the last parte because all of that was really a lot to take in.

"Those thoughts that you may have thought do not define you"

"[the thought] may simply be that we are really okay"

"Go to bed!" me

no im not in the mood for food because for some unfathomable reason I had anxiety before the video dropped yay me

WHY ARE U DRINKING RED WINE WITH THAT DISH

GAVIN BEST BOY EVER

and last but not least: are you fucking serious Remus

THERE'S A SNAKE IN MY BUTT FANDFKJL

I didn't expect this topic at all and I am so glad it was talked about, thankfully my intrusive thoughts do not bother me as much as I realized other people's do. And I never saw anyone talking about this before, which is why it makes this video so important. I saw a tweet recently about someone saying that it is okay if you think about weird things, the important is that you never act on them, that's what makes you a good person. But I think this video really explains it far better and I never realized how common something like this was? So yeah another time in which I've been educated and couldn't be happier about it. These people really are bringing light to the world gah I LOVE THEM.

oKAY guess I'm done this was a wild ride and yeah I tend to point out EVERYTHING, so here you have it, as I already mentioned if you feel the need to geek out too, I'm here for ANYBODY! (pls I have no friends)

[ultraclops]

I Can't Think Of A Creative Title [Mao Mao Spoilers]

SUGAR BERRY FEVER

BULL MONSTER? YEEHAW GIDDY-UP

Oh the Hero's Code IS a real book! Made by Mao's family no less! Cool

I'm gonna say it now. The pirate aunt's kinda cute.

I don't know much about cobbler but I'm pretty sure you don't put it in a trough

*screaming interspaced by cobbler eating*

Why exactly is eating cobbler against the Hero's Code? Did the first person in the Mao clan really hate cobbler or something?

"If I could have that cobbler, I would do things to it that would make my ancestors cry in shame." JESUS CHRIST HOW'D THEY GET AWAY WITH THAT

"Buuut I can't!" Am I the only one who thinks he sounded like Thomas Sanders when he said that

"Has anyone told you that you have issues?"

(Mao ominously hovers into the kitchen with glowing eyes while creepy wails play in the background) Nothing to see here.

The thing Mao's eyes do when he goes 'Oooooo' like if you agree

Apparently Badgerclops' biggest fear is 'crushing self-doubt'. Oooooo.

Tbh I had the same reaction as Mao when the cobbler started talking

I don't like where this is going...

UNCLE JIM-JIM?!

OH NO IT'S THE SCRIBBLY EYES

Okay but if Mao passed out in the kitchen how'd he get in the living room? Badgerclops couldn't have moved him because then he would've known he ate the cobbler

And that's, what, the second table Badgerclops has destroyed?

Cool, HQ has security cam - oh nevermind.

If Badgerclops and Adorabat saw the cobbler on Mao's mouth why didn't they assume he ate it? It wouldn't be there otherwise

"Ah know ah wooould :)" Sassy Adora

"And you're going by yourself. That's okay, I'm emotional anyways."

NYAAAMN NYAAAMN NYAAAMN

So the Sugar Berry Fever is literal? Like, an actual condition caused by eating cobbler? Is that why it's against the Hero's Code? And why didn't Badgerclops and Adorabat get it?

DOUBLE JOINTED BABEY!!

BEARCLOPS HAS RETURNED for like 2 minutes.

I know we makes jokes about Mao going feral but he ABSOLUTELY went feral in this episode. CBS incarnate.

Ok that's really sad. Why would you make a child destroy the thing they love and force their siblings to watch?! At least one of the sisters looks a little hurt over it.

Aaand the Bull Monster's back of course. And it has the fever too? Suspicious.

I don't wanna say where my mind went here but you probably know what I mean

ADORABAT BARKING I'M

B!TCH WENT SUPER SAIYAN - I mean GOLDEN TRUTH

If only fighting your demons was as easy as shoving a cobbler down their throat.

Are we gonna see Golden Truth Mao in the future? I like the he

Mao probably crashed the moment they got home ngl

CAPTURED CLOPS

Those stealth boots look like weird cleats.

"Stealth boots aren't toys." "Then why are mine colored like toys?" "I found them at the toy store." Isn't that a contradiction-

He used to be a villain what did you expect

HE DIDN'T SAAAVE

If BC's chores are fixing the Aerocycle and grocery shopping, what do Mao and Adora do?

"I need to be away from you right now before I LOSE IT on you." Is that a callback to The Truth Stinks or Legend of Torbaclaun? Both?

Yay another BC song, with some casual boulder-chucking

Aww the Sky Pirates are swimming together. Fambly.

BADGERCLOPS GETTING ATTACKED BY A TITMOUSE IN THE BACKGROUND ASDFGHJK

Yes, follow the cute but suspicious puppet that totally isn't trying to murder you

What's with the glowy eyes and creepy autotune?

So running away and cry-singing into a lake is normal for Badgerclops? Damn why isn't HE in therapy

MOM-MOM

You heard it here folks, BC is canonically depressed

That was quick

HOUSE MUSIC ELECTRONICA! And can we get uhh Orangusnake in the 90s?

Dang they still don't have any food? What happened to Mama Ratarang's meatballs?

ORANGUSNAKE WHAT THE HECK

I know it's supposed to be kinda sad but the imaginary food is really shiny.

So he'll fix the Sky Pirate's ship but not the Aerocycle? Priorities, priorities...

Mao and Adora Have Become Ninjas

HOSS WATERBOARDING THE PUPPET I

*Jaws theme*

"I love house music!" Trust me, I know.

DON'T HURT YOUR CO-HERO AND KID BC LET'S TALK ABOUT THIS

They're gonna take the Pure Heart? Weren't they trying to destroy it a couple episodes ago? Oh god what if Badgerclops DID get the Ruby Pure Heart's powers... that'd be scary

I can see the Badgersnake fics now

Mao fixed the Aerocycle - oh nevermind.

VIVA LA REVOLUTION

"How'd you get over here so fast??" "Badgerclops, I walked over here. Casually." Reminds me of a girl I used to know.

Hmm. Should've known the Sky Pirates not eating anything would've had side-effects

So the Sky Pirates could've just. Bought groceries. But chose not to.

"Aren't you forgetting something BIG?!" "*sighs* Thank you for having me" I mean at least he's polite??

How'd he manage to plug the ship into Benny and Penny's house though? And how'd it WORK?!

"Those guys are a little too relaxed" -cuts to the Sky Pirates panicking-

FLYAWAY

Aww, family training exercises - OH NO ADORABAT

Nevermind she's okay she just chipped a tooth.

'Physics...recital?' Do 5-year-olds even study physics? Is Adorabat a child prodigy?

Adorabat can face giant monsters but can't stand the dentist? Is she secretly Goku?

Aww, Mao still has one of his old plushies and he kisses it

I like that book it looks like there's a gemstone on it

Meditating Melvin, because you can't have enough alliterative names.

STAHP IT >:(

(Insert ASCENDED meme here)

Adora: *masters a technique that should take years* ight i'mma head out

WHY WOULD YOU DROP HER FROM THAT HIGH? BAD PARENTING BC

OH GOD THEY'RE GONNA KILL HER. good thing her soul isn't in her body huh

Oh look it's the Meditating Melvin guy. And he gives me strong Wander over Yonder vibes.

Being in the Astral Plane causes you to lose your memories?? Dang Adora better get out fast

Time for a song that TOTALLY isn't a desperate cry for help!

Bugs, smoke bombs, and popping balloons with pikes. These are the things used to summon Adorabat.

Wait, how come Adorabat doesn't feel any of the pain she sustained when Mao and BC were trying to return her soul to her body?

Yaaay Adorabat got over her fear and is ready to go to the dentist - OH MY GOD THAT IS UNCALLED FOR

THAT ENDING I

Wait a minute. If Mao said the technique took years to master, but Adorabat and Badgerclops both achieved it in under a day...does that mean they're more spiritually inclined than him or there's something preventing him from ascending?

BAOST IN SHOW

If I'm honest, I misread the title as 'Boast in Show', which made more sense at the time.

Why is Snugglemagne playing discus by himself though? Where's Quinton?

OH $H!T IT'S BAO BAO

Snugglemagne: it's free dog (and royal pet show)

"You're my new best friend!" Ooh boy.

"If he leaves me a third time, who knows what could happen? I might explode, LITERALLY" Mood

Literally everyone in PHV knows Badgerclops, how does changing his ear shape and putting on a leash count as a disguise. The guards could tell who Penny and Benny were why not him

Adorabat has a pet fly asdgdgffkh

Hey Chet's back

I don't want to imagine all the weird fanart and fanfics that'll come from this scene. Actually from this episode in general.

Whoever wins keeps Bao AND BC?! WHAT THE F-

Aww bento - OH NO ADORA ATE THE FLY

THAT 'DON'T STOP ME NOW' PARODY

IT'S THE SUIT FROM THE CONCEPT ART!

"I'm not actually a pet." "I know." Then why didn't you say anything??

Yay, Mao and Bao are reunited - nevermind Bao just wanted BC's snacks.

HE ACTUALLY EXPLODED and took it shockingly well I'm surprised

Well Mao, you did it. You pissed off Snugglemagne again.

Those combo attacks are freaking GENIUS

I'm tempted to make a "Long live the king" joke when Bao Bao bites Snugglemagne's arm

"I TOLD YOU HE'S TRAITOROUS"

At last, Mao truly forgives Bao and is willing to let him go

"Until next time." Is Bao Bao gonna come back??

Snugglemagne tortures people by forcing them to listen to his harpsichord? Does that even count as torture? And is Mao gonna get them out?

[sujus-girl]

Disclaimer: This is just for fun, so please don’t take it too seriously. This is not an official profile or anything like that!

A GUIDE TO PENTAGON

I actually had a lot of fun making my guide to JBJ, so I was like?? What other group do I love that doesn’t get the attention they deserve? …. PENTAGON

Are y’all ready to cringe? To sigh? To question what is going on with these children? Then, without further ado, I present to you: Pentagon: My Shitty Guide to 10 Toddlers

Group Name: Pentagon

First appeared on a show called Pentagon Maker, which was called a survival show, but SPOILER ALERT: Cube decided to do the right thing and debuted all 10 members together

If I’m going to be 100% honest, I still dk where to find the full episodes, but there are a ton of clips on youtube, and, honestly, I was satisfied with just watching those

ALL OF THEM HAVE REALLY GOOD VISUALS? LIKE, I SAY THIS WITH EVERY GROUP, BUT SERIOUSLY, PENTAGON HAS SOME A+++ VISUALS

Beware because they’re very. Very. very. Loud

The fandom name is universe and i just think that’s so cute OKAY?

Ofiicial Music Videos: Gorilla, Can You Feel It, Critical Beauty, Pretty Pretty, Run Away, Like This, Violet

Personal Favorite Non-Title Tracks: Thank You, Beautiful, You Are, Spectacular, and Lose yourself

Aight, we have ten members to go through this time, so BUCKLE UP, MY FRIENDS

Members:

Jo Jinho

The oldest member of pentagon

Vvv smol baby. Is only 5’6”

Is scared very easily lmfao

May be smol but has A HELLA SET OF LUNGS

High note king that leaves almost everyone shook

Used to be in SM the Ballad, but left and became a trainee again under cube entertainment

Had trained for EIGHT FRICKIN YEARS, DO NOT SLEEP ON MY BOI

I guess he gave vocal lessons to cube trainees like Yoo Seonho (someone pls KINDLY let me know if i’m wrong)

Drops a bunch of covers and spoils Universe with his voice, thx boo

Usually gets paired with hongseok for stuff?? Idk

Has a room by himself in the dorms, lucky boi

ALSO A MUSICAL THEATER ACTOR?? ALL SHOOK UP REALLY HAD US ALL SHOOK UP

Videos to Watch: (1) (2) (3)

Lee HwiTaek (Hui)

The leader of this mess

Got pretty popular after the song Never was released, then continue to leave people quaking after Energetic was released

Is an A+ Singer and Producer, we love a talented man

Is vvvv scared of everything and also has a lot of tears (we love a man in touch with his emotions)

A former JYP trainee

Got7’s JB said that one time, Got7’s Mark got into a fight with him, Hui, and B.A.P.’s Youngjae and Day6’s Brian had to translate the argument LOL

Also in a subunit called Triple H that consists of him, E’Dawn and Hyuna

Also has a room to himself

HONEY SOCKS

Has a fanboy named Yoo Seonho that loves him vvv much, and they even went to vietnam together

also appeared on this variety show called hyena’s on the keys and flaunted his composing SKILZ

Videos to Watch: (1) (2) (3)

Yang Hongseok

A former YG trainee

Was on the show that created iKon, and it was…. Oof

He was new at the time, so it was kinda awkward and tense, but it got better

Is obsessed with working out, and has the abs of a greek god as a result

Reads books in his free time, and enjoys studying foreign languages

He moved around when he was younger, so he can speak Mandarin and English (we love an intelligent man)

Apparently the mom?? Cooks and cleans for the babies in the dorm

Shares a room with E’Dawn

Also really likes Iron Man… and Jinho

The members say he’s the worst at dancing in the group LOL

It’s okay though, cause he’s vvv talented in other aspects

Videos to Watch: (1) (2) (3)

Kim HyoJung (E’Dawn)

“I have no fear” not even two seconds later *HIGH PITCH SCREAMING*

Can reach an octave i didn’t think human possible

A little weird, but that’s okay!

Is also in Triple H with Hui and Hyuna

Hongseok’s roommate

Is really good at dancing, wow

Kinda looks tired 24/7, but we’re pretty sure that’s just his face. Like you know how some people have resting bitch face? E’Dawn has resting tired face.

TATTOOS!

Sry, i just really like tattoos, lol

But yeah! E’Dawn has multiple tattoos! Since it’s like 1 in the morning and I’m kinda tired, I’m not gonna try and think of all of them, but they should all show up if you just google e’dawn tattoos lol sorry

Videos to Watch: (1) (2) (3)

Go Shinwon

Has trouble keeping his clothes on apparently

Like for real, just casually pulled his pants down and took his shirt off multiple times in pentagon maker

Is scared of animals because one time because… um…. let’s just say that there was an unfortunate incident with his pet hamster when he was in like middle school... yeah

Was eliminated during Pentagon maker, but four remaining members broke into cube late at night and put up posters saying they wanted pentagon to debut as ten

Gets mad real easily

Has broad shoulders… Like real broad. Edawn and yanan fell asleep on his shoulders and they were comfortable

Shares a room with Kino

Also really likes Mcdonalds?? Like, this boy put on a burger hat and ate a mcdonalds burger.

Really hates bugs LOL

Videos to Watch: (1) (2) (3)

Yeo Changgu (Yeo One)

Has a visual that a lot of foreigners seem to really like? That’s just something I noticed, I know it’s not the general consensus

Is also an actor, he appeared in a webdrama called Spark and was the main actor for a historical drama not too long ago

Shares a room with yanan

Is yanan’s biggest fan

Has a laugh that can revive wilting flowers tbh

Talks a lot too

Sucks at table tennis

He and hui put ducktape on their legs and ripped it off

GIVE HIM MORE LINES PLS

Videos to Watch: (1) (2) (3)

Yan An

“MADE IN CHINA!”

“Annyeong chingudel”

He’s from Shanghai

Hella model vibes, amirite or amirite

He injured himself when preparing for the Ceremony album, and he had to sit out and everyone was vvv sad and vvv worried

Got better and is back, and more random than ever

Sometimes says things that are real funny, even if he doesn’t intend for it to be

“What are you talking about, this is plastic”

“You… You’re in big trouble!”

“Korean name is Yanan. Chinese name is Yanan. English Name? Yanan.”

Also once called Jinho a foreigner, even tho Jinho is Korean and they were in Korea?

May be tol and handsome, but he’s really just a big toddler

Scared of roller coasters

Roommates with yeo one who loves him v much (yeo one has the right idea, y’all)

Videos to Watch: (1) (2) (3)

Adachi Yuto

“YUTODA”

A japanese prince

AN ATHLETE! Played baseball and used to do soccer

A former JYP trainee

Good friends with Yuto (U) from ONF because they both used to be JYP trainees and also NCT’s Yuta

Shares a room with Wooseok and will laugh at anything he says

Milk couple

Can’t eat spicy food for shit

Hella tall

Also appeared predebut at ISAC 2015 for futsall

A bby that is afraid of many things. Especially the dark. On pentagon maker, the crew turned off the lights and he real cutely went “pd-nim~” and i almost cried it was so cute

“What’s your favorite ice cream flavor?” “Ice cream.”

Says he can’t do aegyo, but he hella cute already, so it’s okay

Also once danced shirtless and i almost sued, you a child Boi (i say as I am younger than him)

Videos to Watch: (1) (2) (3)

Kang Hyunggu (Kino)

A whole cutie

I legit that he was my age or younger cause he was just so adorable

Only 4 days younger than yuto and 4 days older than wooseok, but he a whole baby

They did a vlive for wooseok, yuto, and kino’s birthdays and when they were getting into teams, hongseok was chosen to be in kino’s team but he said it so emotionlessly that kino got all pouty LOL

A dancing king

“I was going to go easy on you, but you called me Hyunggu”

Has a lot of friends in k-pop, he vvv popular

Shares a room with shinwon

A laugh that motivates me to be a better person

Saved the entire world by eating watermelon in front of cameras BLESS

“Get it Kino Beauty”

Proceeded to destroy yanan’s face with makeup RIP

Makes funny faces that i sometimes screenshot and send to my friends at 2 in the morning

ALSOALSOALSO, he had this little dance solo in Critical Beauty and I was LIVING for it

Videos to Watch: (1) (2) (3)

Jung Wooseok

The baby of the group

HELLA TOL??? LIKE WTF, IF YOU LOOK AT PHOTOS OF JINHO AND WOOSEOK STANDING NEXT TO EACH OTHER HE LOOKS LIKE A FREAKING GIRAFFE

He was sleeping backstage once and yuto put a chocopie in front of his mouth and he sleepily tried to eat it and i was :((((( he was so cute

Really likes yuto, they’re usually paired together for stuff. Like dorms

Really likes anime, legend has it that if you play samurai heart at exactly 1:23 AM, wooseok will appear behind you and sing along

Imitates an opera singer and achieves an octave that i would imagine isn’t humanly possible for someone with a voice as deep as his

Has a fanboy names Lai Guanlin from wanna one, and he will not let anyone forget about his precious Wooseok

Once did an eating broadcast with super spicy food and accidentally got some in his eye and the rest of pentagon thought it was the funniest thing ever RIP

Videos to Watch: (1) (2) (3)

That was a journey! We’re almost done, though!

Videos Of Pentagon to Watch! Weekly Idol with Victon and Momoland! (X) This crack (?) series that I live for (X) The VLive that was all sorts of mess (X) Triple H Weekly Idol (only Hui and E’Dawn) (X) This clip from Pentagon Maker that was all sorts of mess, even with only 4 members (X) Hui, Wooseok, and E’Dawn trying to cook (X) This other VLive that was all sorts of mess (X) Pentagon Heyo TV (Mafia Game Cut) (X)

AND THERE YOU HAVE IT! A VERY SHORT, SHITTY GUIDE TO PENTAGON! I hope this helps anyone wanting to get into Pentagon, or even just makes an Universe smile! Now go and bask in the glory that is Pentagon’s craziness! Bye!

[ohoshi]

yess the part where johnny bumped into taeyong was cool!! ty looks so cool while performing gosh 😌 i think ive watched that nct u class performance so many times by now, im still not over it for some reason hahaha

OMG I KNOW XIAOJUN BEING RELEVANT!! YES!! honestly im so glad that during nct 2020 a lot of the wayv members got to show their skills and how theyve improved (like xiaojun, hendery, yangyang) and i hope this keeps going (i feel like winwin esp couldve been showcased more? maybe it's hard with soo many members and i dont wanna be *that* fan...but he was the leader of the 90s love unit and had like 2 lines lol)

omg yes shotaro!! you never couldve known he debuted just 2 MONTHS AGO but i agree even in maw u can tell that the boy got moves! i feel so proud of him and hes so cute 😊 i agree, sign me up too for the idols who have such duality!! they were all so good (as expected)!!

WAIT LMAO SO SORRY i just fact checked myself and haikyuu actually has 4 seasons 😂 😅 there was like a 4 year gap between s3 and s4 so i think i felt like it was 2 seasons lmaoo. lately i have been more okay watching ongoing shows bc it gives me something to look forward to every week! but i usually do binge shows, which is why im a little sad that the uncanny counter is ongoing so i am forced to wait 😭 i must say though my binging skills are amazing...my one talent in life 🤣

her private life is another fake relationship kdrama (the main girl character is a fangirl and she runs a blog for her bias ahaha relatable??), and i think crash landing on you has some fake relationship things?? obviously it's not the main focus of the drama but crash landing is iconic u gotta watch, be prepared to cry tho if you get emotional watching these things like me 😭 because this is my first life was also good (i've heard some ppl get frustrated by the main guy character's lack of emotion though but i liked the writing and it's worth giving it a shot if you want!) i love the fake relationship and the enemies to lovers tropes, so if you come across any that are good pls let me know hehe

SVT yes that part in home where they choreographed like a house imagery with their hands was so cool!! the choreo is just so detailed (like i think there was a part that looked like they were opening a door bc it's "home"), i had heard svt is self produced and thats so amazing! theyre so talented and their performances are so good (the ones i've seen so far). i watched their mafia dance video for left and right and it was so FUNNY HAHAHAA they seem so chaotic i love it (also i love the mafia dances in general lol like nct dream did it for we go up). i'm going to try to learn svt's names (which i usually do by just watching crack videos about the group on youtube lmao) so stay tuned 👀 coming from nct, 13 members doesnt even seem like a lot to me anymore hahaha and i think im usually good with names so we'll see! i am also curious to see if i end up stanning dino :)) who are your svt biases??

haha yes i can understand xj/hn/lc without subtitles!! it's interesting because i think all 3 of them are from different places so their canto actually sounds a bit different from each other! but when i hear wayv speaking canto it feels so familiar bc i really only speak cantonese with my family, and it's such a weird but also good feeling and it makes me feel warm :) wayv is the unit that feels like ur close friends (whereas dreamies have best chemistry and i think i like 127’s music most? (but ofc i do actually like all the units songs hahah))

🥺yeah me too! i’m glad wayv members became more relevant thanks to nct 2020! honestly they are soooo good and they deserve all the attention! and winwin 💔 honestly i’m so happy he is in wayv now where he is being appreciated more! where he gets the lines and screentime! he deserves it 😤 of course you’re gonna be *that* fan! we’re all *that* fan 😤 the leader of the unit got 2 lines 😤 smh 😤

omg 4 year gap???? that’s a lot 😳 what for?? i guess the 4 year gap is the reason the show is still airing after all these years lmao when i saw gifs on my dash my reaction was wtf when did haikyuu become one piece what have i missed and then i googled and saw that the anime has 80+ episodes????? ABOUT VOLLEYBALL???? 😳 WILD

ohhh i see you have something to look forward to hmm that makes sense? maybe i should try it, especially since it’s most likely not as consuming as binge watching!! but yeah same, binge watching tv shows is one of my talents 😏

her private life is about a girl who runs a blog about her bias? there’s a whole kdrama about me? are you kidding me rn? never knew someone would be inspired by me or us for that matter? since we’re both just two little human beings running a blog about their biases<3 OMGGGG when am i gonna get the time to watch all of these drama 😭 hopefully really soon, but knowing how busy my college life can be (and esp rn) probs not 🤕 if i ever come across any drama that you haven’t watched already i will most likely recommend it to you!!!!

AHDGAGHFSDGH i love when idols play mafia game of any kind and i think that svt’s left and right is my favorite mafia dance ajfdshgadfshga they’re so chaotic and funny and omg vernon was so good tho?????? 😳 i was impressed bc i could never lie so well ahgdfags yeah it’s not that hard to remember all 13 of them especially because all of them are so different (i mean all of the members in all of the groups are always so different but ajdsgakja for whatever reason svt to me seemed the most uhhh versatile from the others?? like for example woozi is so smol it’s easy to remember him, and then seungkwan is the loud one, and then mingyu and jeonghan are pretty ones, joshua the charming one, sweet one, my biases are the best<3 etc but i mean THIS COULD BE JUST ME AJDGAJSH maybe i’m just too biased bc i love them so much sigh) anyways,,,,,, there’s a lot of ICONIC SVT CONTENT SO  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ welcome we have cookies, relax and enjoy yourself, the ride to being 500% whipped for svt begins right here, i recommend to you their pot and hammer game bc i love to watch when idols play it and svt? CHAOTIC AS ALWAYS! 

OK MY SVT BIASES 🥺 ok first of all here’s a digression: usually when i get into a kpop group i have like 3 different positions, 1) love at first sight - which is the person who i’m attracted to right from the second?? like the first person i see and i’m like oh //they// kinda like the way you’re attracted to dino’s dancing and stuff; 2) first bias - which is the person i just pick for whatever reason //ok they’re gonna be my bias//; 3) the actual bias - after watching a lot of content and listening to the music and getting to know the group in general i then choose //THE BIAS// or rather the bias chooses me bc it’s out of my control i just love them whoever they are! and with svt 🥺 all of the 3 were one guy (the only other time this happened to me is w nct dream lmao) 🥺 and i love him so much! one and only: xu minghao! (aka the8) 🥰 he’s one of the lead dancers and 1/2 china line in svt and he can sing! he can rap! and boy can he dance 😭 i just 🥺 love him 🥺 my other svt bias (whom, tbh, i don’t love nearly as much as i love minghao but i still love him very much<3) is wen junhui! (aka jun) 🥰 he is the other lead dancer and 2/2 china line in svt (this is random: but i really love china line in kpop??? like idek why? i mean of course i don’t care about their nationality or whatever but i’ve just noticed that for whatever reason the ones i tend to love and bias are more often than not chinese) and i know i know you asked ‘hey cora who are your svt biases??’ and everything i was supposed to say was ‘hey santa it’s the8 and jun!’ but no i had to be EXTRA bc guess what? well I AM EXTRA!!! bc i got excited i really love them 😭 (esp minghao<3 lately he’s been my ultimate bias so  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯)

OMG I AM SO JEALOUS OF YOU RN? you can understand them without titles? lucky!!!!!! but the fact that it feels familiar and it makes you feel warm<3 is so precious<3 so cute!! so wayv feels like home? 🥺 bc you only speak cantonese with your family? this is so 🥺 i’m not crying you’re crying 🥺 teach me something in cantonese?? like?? actually, first tell me is it too different from mandarin??? and then teach me something? how do i say i love you? or hi and bye lmao and thank you? yk the basics! and i mean of course that we all love all units songs i mean!! we’re here for all the mess those 23 boys give us but!! i think i’d be biased and pick nct dream’s music<3 but i love wayv and 127 so much as well 😭

[nightmareonfilmstreet]

[Review] THE SHAPE OF WATER is a Perfect Collision of the Strange and Beautiful

New Post has been published on https://nofspodcast.com/review-shape-water-perfect-collision-strange-beautiful/

[Review] THE SHAPE OF WATER is a Perfect Collision of the Strange and Beautiful

I regard Guillermo del Toro as one of the most (if not the) most esteemed genre filmmakers of the 21st century. His ability to tell enrapturing tales about life, love, and loss through fantastical and sometimes frightening vehicles, is unparalleled. Whether motivated by ghoulish red ghosts in Crimson Peak, a frightening Faun in Pans Labyrinth, or a sighing spectre in The Devil’s Backbone, del Toro has always been able to find humanity in the darkest of places.  And as inevitable for someone so innately talented; his use of the fringe has gone mainstream in creature-feature turned romance The Shape of Water, and I couldn’t be more ecstatic.

  The film follows melancholic Eliza (Sally Hawkins), who navigates a nocturnal existence in cold-war era Baltimore.  Eliza is mute, though her day-to-day life is filled with the colorful voices of her closest confidants; her neighbour Giles (Richard Jenkins), and co-worker Zelda (Octavia Spencer). Though Eliza cannot speak, no one speaks for her. Throughout the film her range and depth of emotion floods* the film (*water puns=1), pushing us through this quirky, romantic adventure.

Eliza and Zelda work as night maids for a highly classified government research facility. Until the creature swims* into her life (*water puns=2), Eliza lives a pretty mundane existence. Her morning ritual; a short, exhilarating bath, boiled eggs, a quiet bus-ride through the city, a repetitive night’s work, serves as enough motivation for Eliza when an amphibian appears one day at the facility.

The Creature, portrayed by frequent del Toro Collaborator, Doug Jones, is the latest catch of government official Strickland (Michael Shannon), who serves as the film’s main antagonist and creepiest monologuer. Very quickly, through Eliza‘s brazen attempts to socialize, we learn the Creature to be an intelligent being, worthy of some ‘dolphin-safe tuna‘ treatment.  Through lunchtime meetings in secret, Eliza and the Creature bond over boiled eggs, music, and a general distaste for the government goons keeping him chained.

It isn’t long until our Romeo and Juliette tale turns bank heist after Eliza learns of facility’s sinister plot. Not able to conclude whether the creature is a weapon, asset, or both – General Hoyt (Nick Searcy) ultimately decides housing such a being is too much of a risk for when the Soviets come knocking. With the aid of surprise good-guy Dr. Robert Hoffstetler (Michael Stuhlbarg) and her chatty chums, Eliza busts the merman of her dreams* out of the facility. (*water puns=3)

Though this romance takes a road familiarly travelled, this film isn’t about wowing us with a mysterious and twisting story arc. Audiences know very well they are in for a fishy romance before the titles role. But it is how this story rolls out; with its the sweeping, (swimming?) grandiose camera movements, quirky Parisienne score, and old Hollywood showbiz glitz, that The Shape of Water takes us both somewhere nostalgic and unfamiliar.

Time and time again, del Toro has proven that the secret ingredient lurking in the fold of his fantastical films is the breath of life each and every character receives, no matter the quantity of their speaking parts. It is the divergent storytelling of these sideline characters; ranging from tiny nuances, ticks, quirks – to grand, melancholic motivations and glimmering glimpses of goals, that ultimately elevates the core story. Never detracting from it. Each character is given legs for which to leap out from the pages of the screenplay; the opportunity to capture the audience – even if only for a brief and glittering moment.

4/4 eberts

  I have many more thoughts on The Shape of Water, but unfortunately you are going to have to sit tight until Thursday’s episode of Nightmare on Film Street Podcast, where Jon and I will dive* into the film (*water puns=4) at length.

The Shape of Water had a limited theatrical opening this past Friday, December 8th after very select screenings December 1st In New York city. If it isn’t yet playing near you, fret not! The film is slowly expanding and rolling out to additional theaters throughout the month.  See below for the opening dates of remaining major cities:

[reactingtosomething]

Kris Reacts to The Defenders (cont’d)

"For Whatever It’s Worth, I’m Glad You’re Here.”

Find my off-the-cuff mini-Reactions to the first five episodes of The Defenders here. A full-sized Reaction with some others may be forthcoming later in the week. SPOILERS AFTER THE JUMP for the rest of the season. Some non-spoilery, mostly Daredevil-related thoughts first.

I feel even more strongly than before that to get very much out of The Defenders, you really should watch both seasons of Daredevil. There are for sure lots of quality Jessica-Luke moments, don’t get me wrong, and in the unlikely event that your favorite Defender show is Iron Fist, Colleen Wing gets a surprising amount to do. But the most important non-Defender characters, including significant villains, are from Daredevil’s supporting cast.

I love Matt Murdock (although not as much as Caroline loves Matt Murdock), but he has got to stop referring to New York (or is it just Hell’s Kitchen, or Manhattan? I’ve never been sure) as “my city.” Especially when Daredevil never really gave us a sense of what either the Kitchen in particular or NYC in general means to him. In fact, I’d love a moratorium on all superheroes referring to “My City,” especially if we rarely see them interacting with the people and places of “their” cities in meaningful, specific civilian capacities. The bar here is set by Luke Cage, which in two episodes does more to flesh out Harlem than the entirety of either Daredevil or Jessica Jones (which are otherwise the best entries in the Defenders series) did for Hell’s Kitchen.

The Defenders shares a composer, John Paesano, with Daredevil. This is not surprising, as these shows also share showrunners, Douglas Petrie and Marco Ramirez (who were producer-writers under Drew Goddard and later Steven DeKnight in Daredevil s1). What is surprising is how much I like the music in these shows. It’s pretty melody-light, and vaguely “atmospheric,” and there’s a lot of repetitive percussion, which all taken together is generally a style that annoys me. But what usually annoys me about that style is that it’s intended to blend into the background, to not really be noticed at all. And Paesano’s music, while it isn’t always super prominent in the sound mix or anything, uses simple but still hummable leitmotifs that -- even if in your experience their overall impression is to blend in -- can be recognized as very Of This Show. In other words, unlike many movies that have melody-light or even effectively melody-less scores, often with aggressive percussion, things scored by Paesano actually have musical identities (including Mass Effect: Andromeda, whose musical identity is probably the second-best thing about it, after combat).

Take the first music we hear in season 2 of Daredevil, “The Devil of Hell’s Kitchen”:

At first this seems like it’s just gonna be generic chasing-and-punching music, from literally any post-Bourne action franchise, but around 1:14, the ostinato that’s the backbone of the title theme kicks in. It’s much faster than in the titles, but instantly recognizable. Even if you don’t consciously recognize it in the moment, you probably feel a distinctly Daredevil vibe. It goes away again for a bit as the action of the scene ends, but returns as we see Matt (relatively) clearly for the first time in the season, a devil perched on a chapel.

This music from the climactic fight of the s2 finale, “They Have Nothing Now,” is another good example, riffing on both the ostinato and the main melody that starts about 18 seconds into the title theme.

Contrast this with the Guardians of the Galaxy movies, which do have a melodic instrumental theme, but which you almost certainly don’t associate with the movies or the characters. Partly this is because it’s just OK, but mostly it’s because what anyone remembers about those soundtracks are the needle drops of the Awesome Mixes. Don’t get me wrong, the Awesome Mixes are cool and all. But they also consist of music that most people would not specifically or exclusively associate with Guardians. Weirdly, the same composer worked on Atomic Blonde, which takes a similar approach to its music. This always seems to me like a missed opportunity. It’s like your movie or your show is somehow incomplete. What is Star Wars without John Williams? Or Batman: The Animated Series without Shirley Walker, 30 Rock without Jeff Richmond, Battlestar Galactica without Bear McCreary, Game of Thrones without Ramin Djawadi? What is Wonder Woman’s No Man’s Land without “No Man’s Land”? 

Anyway, all this to say that I’m a weirdo who REALLY LOVES A LOT that when a character briefly plays an instrument late in The Defenders, what they play is the show’s simple, vaguely Danny Elfman-esque title theme, rather than some overused classical piece.

Moving on... spoilers below!

There’s a lot about The Defenders that doesn’t work, and we’ll get to some of it. But unexpectedly, what’s stuck with me -- perhaps its single greatest achievement -- is that after the shitshow of his solo series, it renders Danny Rand pretty likable. Or at least, much easier to empathize with, much more often, than in Iron Fist.

In episode 6 when he’s tied up and Luke is babysitting, Luke (sarcastically) asks him to recount again the story of how he earned the Iron Fist by punching a dragon in the heart. Danny has a very bad sarcasm radar, and complies, and Luke has to remind him that he doesn’t give a shit or even really believe him (EVEN AFTER ALL THE WEIRD SHIT THAT’S HAPPENED). And Danny gives this sigh that back in Iron Fist I probably would’ve found petulant and childish. It does still feel, for lack of a better word, very young here. But I also found myself honestly feeling bad for the guy. He’s trying so hard, and in episode 4 he was the only one who (this is crucial) like the audience was rooting for the team to be a team, yet everyone keeps treating him like an annoying little sibling. Also, he’s telling the truth, he’s been telling the truth since he got back to New York (admittedly in the least persuasive ways possible at the start of Iron Fist), and since he got back to New York almost no one has believed him. And finally there comes the one guy in The Defenders who doesn’t have to believe Danny because he knows that Danny’s telling the truth: Stick. But then Stick is the one who wants to take Danny off the board at the top of episode 6, pulling the rug out from under him just when it seemed he had an all-in ally and even a potential mentor (something he realized he still needed very badly late in Iron Fist). This can’t be a fun place.

So that sigh actually carried some decent emotional weight for me. All the more because Luke immediately realized he’d genuinely hurt Danny’s feelings, and not just “get over yourself, you privileged white boy” feelings but “this is a central part of his identity that I’m mocking mercilessly” feelings.

Now, to be clear, Danny is an annoying little sibling. But Iron Fist never really recognized this, because it wanted Danny to be an imposing, menacing badass when what it needed him to be -- what The Defenders makes him -- is sweetly goofy and eager-to-please, a puppy who just happens to also be a trained killing machine. Danny’s the kind of guy that the cast of Leverage would call “adorable” with equal parts condescension and fondness, the kind of guy about whom you might say “bless his heart” and actually kind of mean it.

It should surprise no one who knows me well that despite all of the above, I Extremely Approve of Elektra pretty easily outclassing Danny in their fight at the end of episode 7, Iron Fist or no Iron Fist. 

But as Caroline mentions in her thoughts on her Patreon (and as she discussed in her Daredevil s2 reviews), it’s never super clear what it means for Elektra to be “the Black Sky.” For that matter it’s still unclear (though more deliberately) what the full potential extent of Danny’s Iron Fist powers is. And I think The Defenders could’ve gotten a lot more mileage out of parallels between Danny and Elektra as “living weapons.”

In general I’d hoped, perhaps foolishly, for a lot more from Elektra than we got. I didn’t have any problems with the acting, to be clear; I’m basically in love with Elodie Yung, entirely on the strength of her absurdly charismatic performance in Daredevil. But because Elektra doesn’t come back to life with her memories, Yung has to spend most of The Defenders keeping that charisma locked away, until a Plot Twist (Elektra killing Alexandra!) that I’m not convinced entirely works. I went along with it wholeheartedly anyway because it meant Yung got to unleash her full powers again. Or it would’ve been her full powers, if there’d been a lot more time to flesh out exactly what and who Elektra 3.0 is. 

We get a complete-ish answer by the end of the show, when it becomes clear that Elektra not only has her memories of Matt back but is still in love with him. But this is a character whose main challenge in her first life was that she was never permitted to figure out for herself what she wanted to do with that life, and “hijack the Hand’s plan to return to K’un Lun, and more importantly become immortal” -- though immortality certainly makes sense as a thing Elektra would want -- doesn’t come close to concretely addressing the ultimately relatable existential crisis (what is my place in the world?) that she faced in Daredevil. 

Sigourney Weaver is able to sell a desire for immortality as Alexandra Reid’s overriding concern because we meet her getting a (vaguely defined) terminal disease diagnosis, and because we spend a lot of time with Alexandra dwelling on her physical fragility and on her concerns about legacy. Yung’s Elektra doesn’t have that way in, and the writers don’t have the time or space in the last act of the season to do more than gesture broadly at Elektra’s desire to finally decide her own destiny. I think the reason this doesn’t land as well as it ought to is that it’s framed as a Villain Monologue, delivered to Danny, a character with whom she doesn’t have history. She doesn’t have this conversation with Stick (she just stabs him), and worse, she doesn’t really have it with Matt outside the chaos of a fight scene, though at least they get that last (?) kiss.

There’s a lot of lazy dialogue in The Defenders, especially in the finale, though thankfully these actors for whom we have a lot of banked affection just about pull it off. The last line of the cold open -- Luke’s “let’s go do something crazy” -- is... just kind of there? Which is a weird choice for the first big punctuation mark in the climactic chapter of this crossover event. He could’ve said that at basically any other point of the show; this should have been a line he could only say at this moment. 

Trish’s “Jess is a good friend speech” to Karen is not great. It’s not awful, either, but it’s not all that specific: Jess doesn’t do any of the things most of us in the real world ask our friends to do, “but when it comes to the real stuff, the stuff that’ll last forever...” What is that stuff? That Trish is interrupted by Malcolm and Foggy with some Bad News feels a little like the writers just didn’t know how to finish that sentence. How exactly are Matt and Jessica good friends? Yeah yeah yeah, they save your life, cool, standard superhero. But what’s the last time Matt in particular was 100 percent emotionally there for you? I do remember Jess and Trish’s friendship being my favorite part of Jessica Jones, but it’s been almost two years and some details would’ve been nice. 

Actively bad is the exchange that ends this scene: “That was the epicenter.” “Of what?” “Everything.” That’s just -- come on. That’s nowhere near as profound as it seems to want to be. That Midland was the epicenter of the earthquake is PLENTY to convey to the others that “ohhhhh that WASN’T a natural earthquake and shit’s about to go down.” In the abstract, “EVERYTHING” may sound more important than “the earthquake.” But the latter was a major inciting incident of The Defenders, and because none of these characters actually knows all of the other pieces the Defenders themselves are concerned with, the specificity of the earthquake is what should have been prized.

(In general, though, I did love that Karen and Trish got a scene together.) 

Luckily the best lines -- or at least, the best line readings -- of the episode come in the scene immediately afterward:

JESS: If you’d told me a week ago that I’d be here, with you two, about to blow up some building and fight ninjas to save New York... LUKE: (sigh) MATT: (chuckle) For whatever it’s worth, I’m glad you’re here. JESS: What? MATT: No, circumstances could be better, I’m just saying, you know -- I’m glad we found each other. LUKE: I’m not hugging you. MATT: (resigned sigh) JESS: You guys ready or what? LUKE: No. MATT: ...No. JESS: Sounds about right.

The sheer endearing-ness and tonal perfection of this moment is hard to convey in writing. Charlie Cox’s delivery of Matt’s “No” in particular is just terrifically world-weary. The other thing I need to say about this scene is that I identify a weird amount with Matt’s series-long resistance to the team culminating in a belated moment of emotional openness, only for him to be met with the realization that the emotional availability of others doesn’t work on his schedule. 

It’s possible I’m reading way too much into this. After all, I also identify with Luke’s resistance to hugging it out.

(My favorite dialogue in the show is probably still the “Are those pork?”-through-“God, you’re weird” exchange of episode 4.)

Another dialogue thing that stood out to me in the finale was the repeated trope of The Moment I Saw You.

Elektra, to Matt: “We’re together. Something I’ve wanted since I first laid eyes on you.”

Claire, to Foggy, about Matt: “But there was no talking him down. He had his mind made up the day I met him.”

This isn’t remotely unique to The Defenders, but it is a trope I tend to find annoying. I don���t think I believe in love at first sight, is probably part of my problem here, and I guess I get it if your mileage varies on that particular account. But it also feels lazy that it happens twice in a relatively narrow span of time, and about the same character, no less. Arguably more importantly, this is -- I know I lean on variations of this word a lot -- such an unspecific thing to say, in a show that had SO MUCH specificity at its disposal in the solo series. Why “since I first laid eyes on you” rather than a callback to something Matt said that night, or to their Sexy Sparring Session? Why “the day I met him” rather than a reference to Claire stitching Matt back together, or finding Matt in a literal dumpster?

(I liked that Claire and Foggy got an “our mutual friend” scene, but as others have said, it’s super weird that Claire and Matt never had a moment.)

There’s probably also something to say here about destiny and purpose, which ties into Elektra and Danny, and into the formation of the team itself, but again the show didn’t really make the time for that. I'm absolutely not suggesting that they needed 13 episodes -- I just don’t think they really managed their time well -- but with so many characters to serve, maybe 10 would’ve been interesting? To give Elektra a more robust arc post-Alexandra, if nothing else?

(About Alexandra -- I read some reviews to the effect that Sigourney Weaver held the first few episodes of The Defenders together through sheer force of will and Sigourney Weaver-ness, but I did not feel that way at all. I mean I thought she was very good, but the writing mostly wasn’t deep or clever enough for her to take the character of Alex anywhere near the level of Cottonmouth or Kilgrave or Wilson Fisk, and I think this “Sigourney Weaver is the best thing about The Defenders” take was mostly wishful projection on the part of people who know her corpus much better than I do. I’ve seen Alien but not Aliens; #sorrynotsorry.)

I did love that both in the premiere and the finale, Luke got to call back to Pop’s “Forward” mantra, without repeating the full “Forward always, always forward.” It was a nice way to show that Pop’s philosophy is thoroughly a part of him now, and that -- unlike Jessica, the person he’s with for the second callback -- he’s really deliberately thinking about his future.

I also liked, or wanted to like, that Jessica said maybe they could get coffee, but I wasn’t entirely sure what was intended by this. See, in Luke Cage, “coffee” turns out to be a euphemism Luke uses for sex, or at least a one-night stand.  But he’s with Claire now, which may be a reason he doesn’t deliver the established winking response from his own show: “I don’t drink coffee.” (Misty said it to him back then; he replied, “Neither do I.” I don’t think Luke not drinking coffee was a thing in Jessica Jones, and even if it was, it would totally be in character for Jess not to remember.) Apart from the lack of a callback response, my uncertainty comes from “we should get coffee” almost inevitably meaning, in my experience, “we are definitely not going to make the effort to get coffee,” even if we’re both totally sincere about wanting to catch up, which seems like a relatable social phenomenon Jess would snark about. 

To backtrack a bit -- that big fight scene in episode 7, against Gao and Bakuto and Murakami? It was... not shot well. Way too claustrophobic, and at least by the high standards of Daredevil, way too choppily edited. Most of the fights in The Defenders were underwhelming -- really missed Philip Silvera’s work -- but that one in particular stood out as a mess. (Caroline remarked that it’s a shame the fighting styles of the team aren’t better differentiated, at least in the show’s latter half; this is particularly true for Matt and Danny. It’s interesting that although Finn Jones is overall much better at the action here than he was in Iron Fist, the fights in The Defenders do lose a fair bit of the wushu character that previously distinguished his hand techniques, at least, from Matt’s.)

Anyway, I could probably say more -- I’m particularly sorry I haven’t done justice to the Jessica-Luke dynamic, or to the Daughters of the Dragon -- but I’ve lost most semblance of a train of thought here, so I’ll stop. I do recommend checking out all of Caroline's Random Thoughts, and, as always, the episode reviews over at The AV Club. (As of this writing the AVC is currently on episode 5.)

Though I did want a lot more from The Defenders in a lot of ways, as with the pretty strange and uneven Age of Ultron it was still a lot of fun to spend time with these characters, both alone and together. This was very much a show that did not manage to be more than the sum of its parts, but at least many of those parts were very pleasant. And frankly, I’m glad the run of episodes 6 through 8 was the last thing I watched this weekend, rather than the trainwreck (Tormund banter, zombie burning, and Dany’s winter wardrobe notwithstanding) that was this season’s penultimate episode of Game of Thrones.

I’m also cautiously optimistic about the possibility of a Luke Cage-Iron Fist team-up show, and to a lesser extent even -- I can’t believe I’m gonna say this -- the next solo season of Iron Fist (which will have a new showrunner -- Scott Buck is helming Inhumans, something about which I have strong feelings that we just can’t get into right now -- and add Simone Missick’s Misty Knight to its roster). If that’s not an endorsement, I don’t know what is.

[bluebookbadger-blog]

The Price of a Life - Chapter 6

Title: The Price of a Life Fandom (s): Fullmetal Alchemist/Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood Summary: I always thought waking up in another world would be a lot more…interesting. At least slightly exciting and terrifying, but it really wasn’t. It was more of a sudden and underwhelming event, that landed me in the company of fiction and its ignorance to modern physics. I thought it was a dream. Boy was I wrong. Characters: SI/OC, Maes Hughes, Edward Elric, Alphonse Elric, etc. Rating: PG-13

A/N: I do not own any Disney films or associated materials mentioned in this or any upcoming chapters. Any opinions of Disney expressed by the characters are their own.

I rested my head against the window the the train, watching the countryside pass by. Did you know how awful it was to get 'Let it Go' stuck in your head, and have no other music to drown it out? Truth, why couldn't you have left me in a strange world with at least an Ipod or my phone or something! I guessed it would have messed up the entire technology gap, but how could I have cared about that with Idina Menzel screaming in my skull?

"What's the matter Mac?" Hughes asked, noting my pained expression. It was just him and me, Denny and Maria has missed the train and were taking a later one, and Armstrong had left with the Elrics to Resembool.

I still had a few episodes to go until the Fifth Laboratory incident, but I needed to be on my guard. Things were progressing on schedule, but the room for error was small in my upcoming scheme.

"Do you ever get that good but overplayed song stuck in your head?" I asked, looking on as we passed some cows. They looked like Brahmans, which was strange considering that breed developed in the West Indies, but hey - Amestris was an entire smattering of countries apparently so why bother questioning anything.

"Can't say that I have…" Hughes said, observing me carefully. "Do they play a lot of music in your village?" I looked up, having not thought of how I'd translate my world into a small village.

"Yeah, all the time. Whenever a new song is written people go crazy about it have it played over and over again by anyone who can sing and use an instrument. Most people have instruments of all sorts in their house and can sing - from farmers to the mayor, everybody knows the same songs by heart." I smiled imagining this in the small village of Ire. "It keeps everybody in touch with new ideas and upcoming events - like a spoken newspaper but with more emotion and less job advertisements."

"Do you not have a publisher in Ire?" I gave a small laugh - this talk was actually getting the damned song out of my head.

"Yeah, but not a lot of people read newspapers. It's much faster and easier to spread news by song." I needed to start replacing any modern technology with song, it'd make this whole technology gap seem a lot smaller. "But that song I have stuck in my head is just a stupid - well, it's not actually that bad, and it conveys a really good message, but people sang it way too often instead of singing any relevant songs, which made it hard to get information around in newer songs. Just annoying."

I sighed, looking out the window. I really did like the song when I first heard it, and I didn't mind that it was so popular, but having it stuck in your head for two hours on a train was one of the worst forms of psychological pain I had endured since coming here.

"You're village sounds fun," I nodded, aware he was subtly interrogating me. It didn't matter. Years of lying to my siblings, and to my parents for those same siblings - not to mention having a sister in the military - coupled with my overactive imagination made it very easy to convince myself that Ire was a real place.

"Yeah, it was fun. I kind of miss it now and then, but it's pretty cool being here in Amestris too." I sighed, happy that the infernal song had been replaced with 'Reflection' from Mulan. Still Disney, but not overly popular Disney.

You know how you think you'd remember all of your favorite songs by your favorite bands if you were dropped somewhere isolated for a while? Nope. I could barely recall a single line of any of my favorite songs - let alone the names of the bands. Only Disney songs and childhood lullabies remained, probably for the best.

"Irish," Wait, he never called me Irish. Hughes, what the hell were you going to ask? "Why did you leave Ire? You must miss your family, and you're too young to be traveling by yourself." Jokes on you Maes Hughes! I had come up with this story during all of those sleepless nights whenever I wasn't working on the future, I had been making up my past.

"Long story, do we have the time?" I asked peering around for a clock. Hughes took out a pocket watch - not a pretty engraved silver one like the one given to State Alchemists. Its hands read 10:10, and judging by the sun peering over the horizon, it was morning. We had only left around 8:00, meaning we wouldn't be back in Central until supper time.

"Well, I left because I heard alchemists here in Amestris were very gifted. I came to find one who specializes in medically based alchemy." I patted my bag, the lists of registered alchemists. "Beyond my plan for organizing Scar's target range, I wanted to see if there were any that met the requirements I was looking for."

"Why were you looking for a bioalchemist who specialized in medicine?" Hughes prodded gently. I could almost see him making a mental note of every word I said.

His suspicion was growing, and rightfully so. I had all but predicted every one of Scar's moves - I wouldn't be surprised if anyone thought I was working with him. I was one of the only people to face him alone and live to tell the tale.

"My mother," I looked down, feeling my cheeks warm in actually distress as I touched the Celtic cross, which had once more jumped over the collar of the blouse I was wearing. "She's very sick, and none of the doctors can explain her illness. It presents itself as a cross between dementia and leprosy, she's forgetting where she is, and her limbs are slowly dying."

I gulped down the lump in my throat, happy those years of drama club were paying off. And, part of it wasn't entirely acting. Back home, my mother had bravely fought off stage three cancer, at the price of her legs. Not all of the tears pricking at my eyes were fake.

"I-I thought, since the alchemists here are some of the best in the world, not to mention you have some of the latest medical technology, I'd be able to find someone who'd have some knowledge on the subject."

"Mac," Hughes said as I wiped the tears from my eyes. No time to have a mental breakdown right here and now - I'd have to save that for when the carnage of the series began. "I'm sorry-"

"No, no," I said, taking a deep breath, "I'm sorry, um, what else do you want to know?" I sniffed, looking down as a man came by with a cart.

"Do you want anything-"

"No, thank you." Hughes said curtly, annoyed with the interruption. As the man moved on, he turned back to me.

"Tell me anything you want to, I'm not forcing you to talk Mac." Maes Hughes was such a sweet guy, it almost made me start crying again.

"Um, well, we had this huge library. My dad never could convince my mother to open it to the public or as book store, and after she got sick he never had to heart to. When I wasn't with my siblings or working at Mr. Solosky's farm, I was in there. Most of the books were nonfiction - science documents, research papers, boring stuff like that.

"But every now and then there'd be a good fiction novel, and I'd read them over and over again to my little brothers. I'd read the science and research papers, but my brother never really bonded with me over those - they're just boys, you know? Nothing satisfies their little minds more than a good bloody war."

I needed to keep talking. If I didn't continue, he's just interrogate me later, and giving the story a personal touch made it more believable. I cracked a tired smile at the man, his eyes both cold and yet pitying. Everyone in this world seemed to be a paradox of how they were generally portrayed. It was strange.

"But, it burned down - just a few days before I left for Amestris, actually. My grandfather took it as a sign from Utka that I wouldn't be able to return if I left, but it was just an accident. During the Festival of Micky, the campfire sparks lit it up like a pile of old tinder." I had to stifle a smile and keep my somber expression. The idea of a group of people worshiping a giant anthropomorphic mouse was amusing.

"A few days later I caught a train south, jumped the border into Creta, spent a little time in Aerugo, and then booked it north through the South Area. I would have just come through the north, but the mountain and Fort Briggs is a pretty good deterrent, besides, I wanted to see a bit of the world - I'd never left Ire for anything more than a hunting trip before then."

"How did you get all the way to Central without getting caught? I mean, you did say you spent a while in Liore." I yawned, looking out the window.

"No offense, but you're border patrol is awful. And once I got to Liore I fit in pretty well. It is - or well, it was a smattering of different cultures and people, so they all ignored the little Drachman immigrant girl who never caused any trouble." I said, running a hand through my hair. "Though, once Letoism moved in, they were pretty quick to judge. At first I thought Father Cornello would be able to help me but his quote and quote 'miracles' had a bad energy to them."

"A 'bad energy'?" Hughes inquired as we headed into a tunnel. The dark of the underground passage only lit by the small, flickering, light bulbs. I shivered, the memory of my nightmare coming back for a moment.

"Yeah, it just didn't feel right. You know, something that puts you on edge and makes your insides turn and your heart feel frozen. That kind of bad energy." I relaxed a little as we exited the dark of the tunnel, natural sunlight streaming through the windows once more.

"So, I hitched a train up north. When I got to Central, I was a little distracted by how impressive - well, how imposing everything was. I...wasn't paying attention and I guess someone stole my belongings. I didn't have any money so I kind of just fell asleep in the park, then those soldiers found me and we went to the jail and bada bing bada boom here I am." Hughes was looking at me strangely, his brow furrowed with confusion. "What?"

"You use a lot of strange words," He noted, as I brought a hand self consciously to my lips. I forgot how out of place my 21st century lingo might seem to them. I smiled, scratching Lucha's head as he crawled out of the bag and onto the table.

"Sorry, I just picked up a lot of expression in my travels." I said with a laugh, once more turning to the window. We passed a small town, the people slow moving blurs in the distance from my train window. "Hey Hughes, why did you become a soldier?" I asked, half aware of what I was asking.

It had been bugging me for a while. He didn't seem like the soldier type - Hughes was more of a businessman or engineer, something that didn't have the prospect of death everyday. He had whole family to think of as well, so what were his motives for staying the job that could, and would if I didn't plan on interfering, end in his death?

"The same reason you risked your life to come all the way to Amestris," I looked up at him, confused.

"For modern medicine…?"

"No, Mac, for family." I looked down at the table, tracing the scratches in its polished finish.

"But Hughes," I asked, doing my best to recall his age and the start of the Ishvalan war. "If you did serve in the war, you must have joined the military academy before you were past twenty one. Was there a draft for normal soldiers as well as alchemists?" He shook is head, resting his chin on his clasped hands.

"There was someone I wanted to protect-"

"Gracia?" He nodded, though I felt a bit embarrassed by my interruption.

"Yes, and Elecia, though I didn't know until after I left for the war." I frowned, still not understanding entirely.

"But wouldn't you want to be with Gracia instead of risking your life? What if you never came back and Elicia never got to meet you?" Hughes shrugged, turning his gaze to the looming mid afternoon sun.

"It didn't cross my mind at the time, I wanted to protect the both of them. And if I needed to join the military then that's what I wanted to do. Knowing I was going to be a father, and having my adorable little angel with Gracia waiting for me only made my resolve to come back in one piece stronger."

My hand was once again drawn to the cross around my neck. My sister Mary had joined the military because she, well, she was very proud to be an American. Not necessarily your typical die hard redneck from the sticks - we grew up in New England after all - but she still had a bit of fire in her that made you wonder how she could possible be related to that quiet family that only ever said a word in her defense.

She had always said she joined the military because she loved her country, but part of me could now see that Mary wasn't just that one crazy aunt I'd keep my kids away from at parties. She really did just want to protect the people most important to her. I sighed, and laid my head down upon my crossed arms.

"You're an idiot Hughes," I closed my eyes briefly before looking up at his amused expression. "But you were an idiot for love, and so long as it doesn't get you killed, I guess I can tolerate it."

The train slowed as it approached its second stop - Geob. It was a pleasant little city, not too buy but not at all rural either. The train screeched to a halt, the crowded platform bustling with waiting passengers and families awaiting the train's arriving passengers. It took almost an hour for the train to leave the station - and today seemed as if it was going to take even longer.

The rain the past few days had delayed and closed trains, and with the new sunny weather of late summer setting in, I wasn't surprised so many people had waited until today to depart. I sighed, watching the passengers slowly get off, like bees lazily leaving the hive after a long winter.

Taking out the files of State Alchemists, I flipped through them for the billionth time when Hughes suddenly sat straight up in his seat, as if he was a meerkat on alert. He opened the window, much to my annoyance as the smell of smog and city air filled the once sterile, recirculated train car air.

"Hey, Jo!" He called out, waving at someone in the crowd. Since it didn't seem whoever he was talking to noticed, Hughes got out of his seat. "Come on, Mac."

'Why must everything be an adventure?' I thought, putting the files and Lucha in my bag before I let Hughes drag me along. His clear hazel eyes focused on something up ahead, something I couldn't see being vertically challenged.

"Where we going this time?" When we finally broke out of the masses of people, the narrow street was full of people going to and fro in between shops. Peering over the crowd - Hughes was really tall by the way, not NBA tall but still up there - the man saw whatever he was looking for and dragged me along. "Hey, Hughes, be careful. I'm not a ragdoll." He never answered my question as we rushed up to a ratty looking apartment building, the front door closing slowly behind someone.

"Hey, Jo don't go running off like that-" He stopped as we entered the building, the reception room crawling with unfriendly characters. Taking back what I said earlier, I held his hand tighter and nervously stood behind him, as if that would hide me from the stares and faces. Hughes was quiet for a moment, before ducking his head slowly and heading towards the receptionist.

She was a shapely woman, her dark hair loose and curled. I had to do a double take to make sure it wasn't Lust. It wasn't, her skin a few shades too pale and her lips more of a rose pink than blood red. The woman was also chewing tobacco - something I couldn't begin to imagine Lust ever doing.

"You need something?" Her name tag read Rebecca.

Hughes was in civilian clothes for the train ride - he complained that the uniform was too stiff to sleep in. That was probably the only reason her first question wasn't about us being cops. Still, he had that...air around him, one that made you aware he meant business and wasn't one to dabble in the illegal. That might have been all it took here.

"Yes, that man who just came in, what's his room number?" Her black eyes looked us up and down, or at least they looked Hughes up and down. I was still hiding behind him.

"You guys are with the military, aren't you?" Oh, there was the cop question. What came next surprised both Rebecca and I. Hughes leaned forward, took her chin in his hand, and gave her peck, not to mention he slid a few cenz over the counter.

"Nope," He responded, pulling back and smirking at the woman's shocked expression. I half expected an enraged boyfriend or partner to kill us then and there. Rebecca's surprised expression morphed into one I could only define as impressed.

"Room 342, though he's never there." She said, blowing a kiss towards Hughes as we nodded and headed up the staircase. He turned to me sternly, glaring down at me as I let loose a giggle.

"Never, tell Gracia about that." I shoved him gently, an easy feat in the narrow stairwell. He gave a groan of worry, running a hand through his hair. I chuckled as we roamed through the quiet and dusty halls.

"Hey, you keep my secrets and I'll keep yours, capice?" He gave me that eyebrow wiggle of amusement that was followed by a short laugh.

"The words you use Mac, the words you use…" Sorry, I had forgotten my highschool Italian was showing. Would he have preferred angry German or unintelligible Irish Gaelic? I continued to argue this point against him in my head until I almost walked into him as he suddenly stopped at a door. The numbers 342 were carved into it, jagged and lopsided. "This is the place," He breathed, looking at the cracked ceiling for a moment.

"Um, Hughes, who are we chasing after? Who's Jo?" I asked, finally having a moment of peace to inquire about our sudden detour. The man lifted a hand to knock, glancing down at me for a moment.

"An old friend," He knocked three consecutive times as he said this. There was dull shuffle from within the room.

"Go away," A muffled voice whined, sounding almost annoyed with the interruption. I rolled my eyes, glancing at the clock. We were going to miss the train if we didn't hurry this up. I took a turn to rap on the door's thin wooden surface.

"Open the door, Jo. Hughes won't tell me who you are and we're going to miss the train-" The door opened, and my fist met the unfortunate face of whoever opened it. I instinctively closed my eyes for a moment, expecting a harsh response. "Sorry!"

When none came, and Hughes moved past me to embrace the person, I opened my eyes. The man looked absolutely disgusted with the hug, but didn't say anything. He was clean shaven, and his apartment looked well taken care of compared to the rest of the building. The man wore a pair of wire rimmed circular glasses, and his black hair was combed back neatly.

"Nice to see you again, Jo!" I looked back and forth between Hughes and the man - Jo I guessed his name was. "Mac, this is Jo - this is Mac, she and Elicia and Gracia get along so well, oh that reminds me, have you seen these new pictures of my little angel-"

"What do you want Hughes?" Jo grumbled angrily, walking inside the apartment. Hughes seemed offended, comically placing a hand over his heart and gasping.

"I just wanted to show you the new dress Elicia is wearing at her birthday party - you will be there won't you?" I was so confused. Who was Jo? Why was Hughes inviting him to the party? What was going on?

"If that's all then leave, I'm not going all the way to Central for the kid's party. I'll send her a card, okay?" Jo sat down on the ancient couch, dust flying up. I sneezed, bringing unwanted attention in my direction. "What's with the kid? She's not military - nevermind, just get out. Nice to see you again, but scram." Hughes ignored the request and sat next to Jo on the couch.

"Rude much," I said under my breath, checking the clock outside in the hallway once more. We were really going to be late. "Hey, Hughes, let's get going -" He and Jo were talking in hushed voices on the couch, Hughes' hazel eyes sharp and cold in the dim light. I hung my head as the minutes ticked away.

Who was Jo anyways? I decided to find out, sitting in a soft armchair and eavesdropping. However, I was rather bad at eavesdropping despite my acting skills, so Hughes immediately brightened up after I sat down.

"Mac, have you ever seen a chimera?" I shook my head, swatting at Lucha's own as he tried to escape the bag - I didn't want him getting lost in this building. "Come on, Jo wants to show you his lab!" I tilted my head to the side, thinking...chimeras...Jo…

"Johann Adlersflügel?" I asked, looking to the two men for an explanation. "What's going on Hughes? Why the secret agent sneaky stalker stuff? Who is Jo in relation to my existence beyond a possible target of a serial killer?" The man just laughed, Jo looking embarrassed for him.

"Jo's my little brother," Hughes finally said, giving Jo a 'noogie' as my brother Matt would give my younger brother Aiden.

"By three minutes."

"Doesn't matter, you're still younger."

It was going to take a while to process this information. I knew my existence would screw things up, but a whole new person introduced to the story? Not to mention Hughes didn't have a twin canonically! Ugh, I really needed to talk with Truth. Something besides these new revelations was bothering me.

"If you two are twins, why is Johann's last name different?" I asked, trying not to let my disbelief bleed into my words. They were nothing alike; except maybe in their build and face, but Johann's eyes were a shade or two lighter and he had less facial hair.

"I'll tell you some other time, but seriously you have to see his lab - Jo's a bit of a nerd," Hughes said, dragging me out of the apartment as Jo followed, a small smile of amusement twitching his lips as I nearly tripped over Hughes going down the narrow staircase.

Rebecca waved as we left the building, blowing another kiss at Hughes who flushed with embarrassment. Johann led us through the streets, not any less busy than they were earlier. We had been walking for only a few blocks when a clock somewhere in town rang twelve times.

"Hughes, we missed the train." I said anxiously, reaching into my bag and hauling out Lucha. He nipped at my fingers, reminding me it was past his lunch time. Having no food to give him, I simply held him in the crook of my arm until he stopped squirming and watched the passing hordes in a silent assessment of his next meal. Not that he could actually eat a person, he just liked to think he could.

"We'll get one tomorrow." I looked at him in horror.

"You expect me to sleep in there? In that crappy hotel?" I asked softly, noticing to my dismay that Johann had overheard me. He didn't say anything, only momentarily glancing at me before purposefully walking faster. Hughes looked down at me, a smile on his face.

"Yep," I groaned, but did not further comment - I didn't want to offend Johann more than I already had.

We finally came to run down storage facility of sorts, the hot afternoon sun beating down on us as Johann fiddled with the key to open the heavy metal doors. Without air conditioning, it was going to be an oven in there. I had realized air conditioning units had not been invented yet at the grocery shop - the beans went bad after only a few days in the excessive heat of the back room.

However, upon stepping into the dark building, i discovered it to be pleasantly cool. The air was moist, bringing my thoughts to mold, but I had no time to dwell on that possibility as Lucha spasmed inside my bag, sneezing up a storm. It seemed to make Johann nervous.

"What kind of cat is that?" He asked with a weak laugh as we trailed through the empty corridors. This place was almost as bad as Command in its labyrinth's complexity.

"The kind that's a ferret." I responded quietly, a stiff smile finding its way to my face.

Why was this so awkward? He was just some guy. Well, a guy who wasn't supposed to be involved in the story. But who knew? Maybe this happened all along and it was just never shown? For the first time since I arrived here, I honestly didn't have a clue to my next move.

I didn't even know if he was a friend or a foe. Sure, Hughes trusted him enough - but Johann was his brother, and it wouldn't be surprising for a betrayal or two to surface. And from the sounds of it Johann and Maes weren't exactly the closest or most in touch brothers.

"A what?" Johann asked, small snort of laughter. I scowled in his general direction as we stopped at a large metal door with a padlock.

"It's a weird fuzzy snake, what's it to you?" I growled back in response as Hughes' brother unlocked the door.

"Keep it in the bag, you don't want one of these guys catching it." The clean shaven man said, flipping a light switch to illuminate the large room. There were fours cages, each big enough for a big dog to live in.

But instead of Irish Wolfhounds and American Staffordshire Bull Terriers there were large, strangely marked cats. Their fur came to hard scale like formations, as if they had been caked in mud. Their eyes too, were strange. They were slitted beyond normal, and sat higher up on the animal's skull. The skull itself was elongated, stretching beyond a normal length as if it had been run over by a steamroller.

"I'm seeing crocodilian and big cat cross - what are they?" I asked, standing a good distance from the cages. Two cages held one of the cat-croc chimeras each. Both paced anxiously back and forth, one giving a gargled growl, snarling and hissing at our arrival. The other two cages separated four smaller chimeras, two in one and two in the other. The smaller chimeras were sleeping, or dead, from the looks of it. The floors of the cages were littered with straw for bedding.

"I made them from - you guessed it - a crocodile and a lynx." Johann said, walking over to a desk and avoiding the large circles of chalk on the floor. Hughes had wandered over to one of the cages, whistling at the sleeping baby chimeras.

"Where did you find a lynx this big?" I asked. The animals were longer than I was tall, and could easily take down a man with their sheer weight and muscle.

"The size is from the crocodiles - there's a river in the desert area between Xing and Amestris that's crawling with them. Longer than cars!" I nodded, not recalling a riving in the desert but deciding to blame it on my lack of extensive study.

It would have been nice if I had at least gotten a warning before being whisked away into a world of hellfire and cold baths.

"So, I'm not expert in alchemy, or biology, but why would you combine a reptile with a mammal? One lays eggs and the other gives birth to live young - not to mention the chromosomal difference that would make the sex cells all mixed up. Wouldn't it have been easier to at least use animals within the same class, or even the same family to make it a bit easier for them to reproduce." I inquired, looking over the chimera before me. It was one of the adults, but it lay still as it watched me with its flickering gold and green eyes. Behind me Johann gave a short chuckle of amusement.

"That would be no fun, besides, if it was possible to do with two entirely different classes, then it is possible to mate pairs within the class." I gave a vague nod, still entranced by the chimera's rainbowed eyes. They really were beautiful.

"Let me get this straight - you risked your life and career to get some crocs, managed to find some lynxes from who knows where, and instead of making hybrids or something to experiment with first, you put all of your resources, time, and effort into an experiment that could have gotten your killed or been a fruitless waste of time." Johann nodded, Hughes cracking a smile in my direction.

"You can see why we aren't quite as, well, in touch as we should be." Hughes said, one of the baby chimeras stumbling over to him and letting out pathetic squeaks and mewls.

"So, what are you doing for this year's assessment?" I asked, feeling queasy at the thought of Mr. Tucker's chimera. Johann flipped through some documents on his overflowing and cluttered desk.

"I plan on breeding one of the lynx-crocodiles with a different chimera. It should be possible, I just need to make the new chimera and test my research." I looked up, the thought of Nina and Alexander resurfacing.

"What kind of chimera?" I asked, careful not to step on the large transmutation circles on the floor. Another thing I never really understood - how the hell could a human being draw such a perfect circle?

"I''m thinking maybe a mammal with an amphibian? Or maybe another reptile, I plan on going to Xing and seeing their frogs - if I could cross one of those with a bear maybe or one of the wolves up north it'd have an interesting result." I looked at the sketches of the possible chimeras Johann had drawn.

Unlike I, the man was one hell of an artist. The animals looked as if they had jumped out of the pages of a fantasy book, with tails and scales and manes and claws, but they were so realistic they almost looked as if they'd bite you for getting too close.

As if on cue with that thought, Hughes shrieked and fell back from the cage, the small chimera hissing and rolling instinctively, but the frightened man managed to snatch his hand out of the beast's death grip.

"You going to make it Maes? Should we buy you a new hand at Walm- I mean at the general store?" I asked sarcastically, though I really was concerned if he was hurt. Judging by the lack of puddling blood and pained screams, it couldn't be that awful.

"My hand will be fine Mac," The older man huffed, holding his injured hand to his chest before feigning a mortal wound. "But your words have injured my heart beyond repair, tell Gracia that I'm sorry, and tell my angel Elicia daddy loves her."

I felt my heart squeeze in my chest and the blood drain from my face. Those were pretty close to his last words. Neither of the brothers seemed to notice my miniature panic attack, Johann rolling his eyes and neatening up his desk as far as it could be neatened and his older brother doubled over from a fake wound and real laughter. These two were going to drive me nuts.

Back at the hotel, I drank whatever milk Johann had in the icebox (I had called it a refrigerator when we first got back and no one seemed to understand what the hell I was talking about). I called the couch, since there was only one bed and I didn't want to force either of them to sleep in the old armchair that looked as if it had a family of rats inside of it.

The couch turned out to be a big mistake. The couch was always shifting under my weight, and the dust from it kept me constantly prepared for an eruption of coughing and hacking. On another note, the walls were thin as paper, and I could hear the neighbor doing someone, which wasn't helping my inability to get any sleep.

Johann was going to be an interesting character if he was going to be involved. He could confuse the homunculi if he decided to show up in Central, but that could put him in danger. Johann and Maes didn't seem to get along well, and from the sounds of it he had cut himself off from the family with his work, which meant he had little to lose beyond his own life if he did get involved.

You see, I really wanted to tell someone about what I knew. It was starting to eat me alive. I would see the characters, now flesh and blood people, and just want to evacuate them all out of the country. Even random strangers I'd want to run up to and tell them to get out while they still could. Having the knowledge to change the future was overwhelming beyond belief.

And now, with people like Johann and Rebecca, I was starting to question why I was only planning to help a few people when I should have been running an underground railroad of sorts to get as many people out of Amestris before the Promised Day. If the guilt of not telling people the horrible fates that would inevitably catch up with them didn't kill me first, the strangers who were so ignorant to the oncoming shit storm might drive me insane.

"Truth, I need to talk to you, now," I whispered into the darkness, the shadows cast by the moon's light moving and twisting into shapes by the help of my imagination. "A sign, anything would be nice." I asked the darkness. Nothing came. No reply, not even Lucha bothered to wake up. He had gorged himself on a few biscuits Johann had in the apartment and passed out in sheer joy.

Disappointed, I laid back down slowly, careful not to stir up any dust that would send me into a spiraling asthma attack. Closing my eyes, I listened to the people making love next door, the argument over kids in the next room, and the quiet murmur of people downstairs as they discussed the upcoming drug sale next week on Hoadly street.

They were all living, breathing human beings. They had the potential to do good, bad, and act on instinct. They all knew more about how to ask for a beer than I knew how to not ask where the nearest Walmart was. And yet I knew more about their world than they ever would. It's a very lonely thing, knowledge. Very cold, very blunt, and very lonesome.

Masterlist

[major-artery]

The disappointment is real.

So, Episode Daddiolu-- uh, I mean Gladiolus. <ahem> *Spoilers - for all things FFXV.*

I have been hyped up for this DLC since I beat the game, cried my eyes out, beat it again, and bawled even harder. Gladiolus has been my favorite character from the get-go, and as far as character development goes, we never really got to learn too much about him.

More than anything, I wanted this DLC to expand on Gladiolus as a character - when he learned about the downfall of Insomnia, there's hardly a reaction aside from reading what is in the print. He has to realize that since King Regis died, his father Clarus did as well - but nothing. We see Noctis boil down, and the group agrees that they need to see Insomnia for themselves, but...

I'm at a loss here.

Further along in the story, the group is confronted by Ravus who easily tosses Gladio aside like the giant muscley sack of sweet potatoes he is. And THIS is the point where Gladio's DLC begins?

You have got to be fucking with me.

We know how strong Gladdy's connection with his family is. It's presented to you on a silver platter and wrapped up in a bow during Brotherhood, and it's made even more evident when he's worrying nonstop about his little sister after the fall of Insomnia. I expected the DLC about finding himself to come from the loss of his father.

But nope - instead it comes from him being thrown by Ravus. I don't understand what they were thinking in that regard.

So the DLC begins with Gladiolus getting in touch with Cor. Why does he reach out to The Immortal, though? No idea - none. We just know that Gladio is obviously sulking in the rain after he breaks away from your Rock Band party after dropping Iris off in Cape Caem. Butthurt and brooding, he teams up with Cor --- not to find himself, oh no, but to gain more power.

Cor takes Gladio to the Tempering Grounds, to seek out the Blademaster, Gilgamesh. But in order to even make it to Gilgamesh, he has to overcome trials.

"Here we go," I'm thinking to myself as I'm guiding Gladiolus and Cor the Immortal through this (stunning) crag in a mountain, learning how to play as the king's shield, getting various link strikes with the Marshall and feeling over-all pretty awesome about the experience.

You reach the first campsite and Cor mentions Clarus in passing, and again I'm sitting on edge waiting for some emotional feedback about Gladio's father's death. But, nah. Nope. Instead Gladio's all, "Tell me about you, Cor."

This becomes a constant callback through each campsite. We learn about Cor, and how he earned the title of "the Immortal." And little by little, Gladiolus learns more about himself.

I can't even begin to round on my disappointment in the fight with Gilgamesh. Gilgamesh is a constant in the Final Fantasy series. He is *always* a bad-ass motherfucker. This dude knows how to fight with any blade, and knows how to do it with perfection. A force to be reckoned with, and he's generally got like... eight arms. In this iteration, though, he only has one visible arm.

As you're fighting you're thinking, "Oh shit, I gotta beat him, if I don't, it's game over." Literally. That's the threat that's hanging over your head. If you fail, Gladiolus will be killed.

Awesome.

As you go through the trials, you're gaining skills to aid in the fight against Gilgamesh. When the fight begins, you realize it's going to be a challenge even though the rest of the trials were relatively simple. You have to chip away at his health, use parry-techniques whenever you can, and unleash the occasional maelstrom.

After whittling away a good chunk of health, the game loads a cutscene where Gilgamesh regenerates his missing arm. In my head I'm thinking:

"Holy shit. This is going to be NUTS - I'm going to have to whittle him down and he's going to spawn another arm!!" I was excited and nervous. Ner-cited? Exvous? Smad?

Power through that health bar, and we get small cutscenes here and there showing Gladio receiving the scar across his forehead and abdomen. Some more fighting... Gilgamesh just falls to the ground, and is like, "Lol you pass. Here's Cor's old sword from 30 years ago. Kthxbye." No more arms.

It all rounds up in the cliche "I didn't want to admit that I was scared, but I am, and that's okay" from Gladio. Cut to me - "Are you FUCKING kidding me right now with this SHIT. YOU BEAT HIM AND HE'S LIKE YOU PASS BECAUSE YOU REALIZE YOU'RE ALLOWED EMOTIONS??? WHAT."

Nope. Bullshit. Excuse me? 30 years, and no one has ever defeated you, but Gladio does it in like 90 seconds because he realized he was allowed to be scared? Square Enix, what the fuck did you just give me with this cop-out bukkake?

<sigh>

I'm all for fanservice - and that's basically what this was. They gave their fan base more schlick material with a grumpy, slightly expanded upon and emotional Cor the Immortal, and a shirtless, tough Gladdy. Add in some cup noodles, heavy metal-ish battle music, and heavy grunting, and you're good to go.

The gameplay is relatively simple, but sometimes challenging since you're used to playing as the light-footed Crown Prince that can warp-strike all the things, easily dodge attacks, etc. But filling up Gladdy's "rage" meter to get more powerful attacks is satisfying - just like being able to pick up an ENTIRE COLUMN and swinging it around mercilessly.

-ooo-

Overall, I give Episode Gladiolus 2.5 out 5 Cup Noodles. 1 hour is far from the ultimate 3-to-5 hour flavor experience that I was promised, Square Enix.

[Side note - the expanded preview of Episode Prompto at the end? My poor sunshine Chocobro... ♥] [Side note 2 - I wrote this in an emotional rush, and it may be a bit jumbled. Apologies. I JUST HAVE A LOT OF FEELINGS, OKAY?]

[svankmajerbaby]

A Personal Review of Netflix’s A Series Of Unfortunate Events

Just as a disclaimer, these are my personal opinions on the show. I know that a lot of people loved it, and that a lot of people did not like it at all.

I’ve here listed what I’ve considered were the good aspects, the bad aspects, and the things I felt confused to see. As to the confusing aspects particularly, if someone has an answer for me -or even a theory- I’d love to read it.

The asoue fandom has evidently waited a very long time; and even though I completely understand the exhilarating feeling of joy we all felt last Friday, I think hype and enthusiasm can also give place to analysis and, while not as pleasant a thing, personal opinions, which are certainly not the same as facts.

THE GOOD

The Baudelaire siblings are my children and they must be protected at all costs.

Louis Hynes and Malina Weissman have good chemistry as siblings and seeing them act together and discuss plans and talk about their interests is a pure delight. Both of them are flawlessly cast. Presley Smith, as it’s expected from a baby, gets distracted very often and it’s somewhat distracting to see her looking around and making faces inappropriate for the situation taking place, but I really liked her nonetheless. Her little smile at Uncle Monty was adorable. Her saying bye at Judge Strauss broke my heart.

Violet’s self confidence. Will it work? “It will now.”

Klaus’ enthusiastic definitions of complex vocabulary.

The short dedications to Beatrice are so beautiful and well done. I love the background music, with the soft humming, and the sound of the typewriter keys.

Patrick Warburton plays a wonderful Lemony Snicket. Almost all of his scenes on screen are great. His deadpan delivery is great, his voice is great, his reactions are great. The little moments he narrates in his room are quite interesting, too. As much as I like watching him slip right into a scene in the Baudelaire’s story, I was very much looking forward to see him in his own timeline, on the run. His sigh before the Baudelaires learn the sad truth is perfectly gentle and bitter.

Neil Patrick Harris is a very convincing Count Olaf. I wholeheartedly loathed him. I like how his interpretation of the character is that of a bratty man-child used to having everything his way, and who is so overdramatic and vain he literally does not seem to care about anything but himself. His makeup was fantastically made and applied. Also, he put a nice physicality to the role, in the way he moved like he was slightly drunk, slightly hungry and like he owned the place at all times. His delivery was also quite spot-on -his Olaf voice is menacing and his other disguised voices are ridiculous but still quite distinct, which was good.

I began hating this Count Olaf so much, so early, when he first held Sunny up high.

Olaf! slapping! Klaus!!!!! Very effective on me. Also, during the second episode, Klaus still had the bruise on his cheek. Good. It kept my anger alive.

When the Bald Man made that remark of Violet being pretty I was immediately thinking, “Oh boy. They kept this.” They also kept the very, very, very unsettling remarks Olaf gives about Violet’s appearance and almost touches her hair once and then he said “I can touch what I want” and I seriously wished he was struck by lightning or that Sunny suddenly bit his ankle or something generally painful happened to him. It’s awful, it’s in character, and as much as I despise it I’m kind of glad they kept it there and didn’t hold back any punches.

Little Moment N° 1: Very near the beginning, when Klaus and Violet discuss the Proust quote: “Happiness is beneficial for the body, but it is grief that develops the powers of the mind”. That scene was great. I really like both their pleasant confusion and how it a) displayed their intelligence, b) displayed their innocence, c) displayed their inability to understand grief at that particular moment.

The set design is no Rick Heinrichs, but it’s really good. I especially like the design of all the libraries (even if they were a bit samey), the Murnau cinema hall, the secret passageways, the Reptile Room, the Lucky Smells Lumbermill office and Dr Orwell’s office. The outside of the buildings, I’m not that much of a fan. Still pretty good. What little was seen of Prufrock Preparatory, it looked great.

The secret passageways. I loved these.

It was confusing, but there was something curiously beautiful about the untimely death of Gustav. His saying “the world is quiet here” is definitely a strange choice of last words, but maybe this is a thing in VFD. It served nicely to prove how being a volunteer is definitely a perilous career path.

K. Todd Freeman gave his all to his performance, and it shows. Sometimes he veered into almost too much of a useless, clueless stand-in for neglectful authority figures, but most of the time he was perfect for the role. I know how hard is to fake a convincing cough, so kudos to him also for his very believable sore throat. He is also amazingly good at talking really fast with really long sentences which is difficult to do and sound slightly spontaneous, so yep. A greatly done Mr Poe.

I know Eleanora Poe is an awful person, but I’m kind of happy to see how Mr Poe is so supportive of her, and they seem to love each other very much. I’m always down for that.

Jacquelyn won me over by sheer determination and commitment. Hope to see more of her, even though she proved to be just as deaf to the children’s questions and despair as countless other people.

Little moment N° 2: When Klaus turns the stove on, in the first episode, he stays there, looking at the fire, with wide eyes. He stays there, looking at it, while Violet puts the pan on the stove; and then she puts her hand on his shoulder and pulls him gently to the table. It’s a very small thing (Snicket is talking over it, and it ends in a matter of seconds), but Klaus’ distress and fixation on that stove fire felt strangely deliberate and very, very sad.

Sunny biting something with her face off camera -when she flattens the skipping rock, when she chops the parsley- the effect is so cute and funny? I wish that was more used.

“A home cooked meal is better than nothing. A roof over one’s head is better than nothing. (...)  But being raised in a violent and sinister environment by a man more interested in one’s fortune than comfort and well-being is not better than nothing.“ Yes.

I love Joan Cusack’s performance. Strauss was such an insecure woman, and despite being so gullible and not listening to them when they tried to warn her, she loved the Baudelaires so much and wanted to keep them and help them, and was so kind... She provided a great emotional core to the second episode. I hope Cusack returns in case they film book eleven.

Aasif Mandvi made a wonderful Uncle Monty. He managed the perfect line between eccentric snake fan and caring, loving guardian. My only complaint about his performance was that he had not enough screentime.

Zombies In the Snow, good God. The fake cow. I loved it so much.

Larry, yes. Yes, thanks.

Klaus saying that plenty of boys enjoy playing with dolls... my nerd son.

Violet’s fear for his brother’s safety in the Miserable Mill, and her insistence to clear their parents’ names while being in Paltryville. She can’t afford to think their parents could have possibly been morally dubious. In the end, the parents were still the unquestionable heroes the children wanted them to be, but I like to think this was a bit of foreshadowing of the secrets revealed in the end.

The super extra 200 page letter Beatrice sent Snicket (if one freeze-frames it one can read that it describes how she sent it through carrier pigeons and which also details how they became engaged. I love that the prop makers took the time to write that down).

Cobie Smulders is the best secret spy, ass-kicking mother since Carla Gugino. A+ casting choice.

THE BAD

More of a general thing, but the style of the show felt all over the place.

Sunny is barely in the show. She acts as the distressed victim of Olaf’s plans twice (in the cage and in the luggage) which is one scene too many, especially considering the sensible and understandable erasure of her epic duel with Orwell. Her sole victorious moment was when she bit Captain Sham’s leg. She rarely participated in the other two siblings’ discussions. She was often sat aside, in a chair out of sight, while her siblings talked. Their siblings actively left her alone! She often feels like an extra weight, which is the worst thing a baby can be in a piece of entertainment.

The ugly Sunny speech subtitles. Why that font... why that color.

Some scenes with Olaf were unnecessary -his twirling with the dress, the interview with Mrs Poe, his talking to the troupe while spying on the children at Strauss’ house. I was made very much aware of how much Neil Patrick Harris participated in the creative process.

When the show’s style was being creative it most often succeeded. I hoped they kept it up, but most of it was only about Snicket. I wish they kept using title cards, like they did before Aunt Josephine and Captain Sham’s flashback, and iris shots, like the one used with Violet. If they had continuously using a stylistic choice, these few examples wouldn’t stick out so much. They could also have played around with the ratios, just to give an example, or kept all flashbacks in black and white. It would have been a nice way to incorporate the old-feel style to the show.

I enjoyed their performances, all in all, but the troupe constantly felt like comic relief. They were very seldomly menacing (mostly the Bald Man, who I am genuinely a bit scared of) or useful.

Not enough Reptile Room creatures. I need to see the Church Frog. And the Incredibly Deadly Viper could have been so much better. And it could have had more screentime with Sunny. I find it hard to believe that they became friends so fast.

I really hoped they wouldn’t put the Shirley disguise... Olaf could have perfectly had been a secretary without dressing up as a woman.

70% of the time I felt the costume design was lacking. Not so much that it was bad, but that it was boring and didn’t say anything at all about the character that was wearing it. There was nothing particular about how any of the characters were dressed. I like that each Baudelaire seems to have a certain color palette, but even then it’s not very well determined. Aunt Josephine’s clothes in particular were drab.

The background music can be a bit overbearing. There’s many times when I felt silence would have been better, or maybe something with less choir... And as much as I love the accordion soundtrack -because it is great, and it is fitting- it would have been better with a bit less of it. It made scenes feel “extra quirky”, if that makes sense, and while sometimes it worked, there were moments in which it was overdone.

I really did not care to see the Marvelous Marriage. It wasn’t funny enough to warrant being shown.

The CGI effects were so bad! I understand that they had to use recent pics of the adults to make sure they were easily recognizable, and that Sunny does a great deal of very unusual things that a real life baby can’t possibly do, so one can’t complain too much; but still, some things -like her whistling, or her hanging from the doorknob, or her poker playing, were both unnecessary and a bit unsettling. Also, Violet’s rock retrieving device at the beginning... Surely there had to be a practical way around that. Generally, if they felt the need to add something, one would wish they wouldn’t make an effort to make that addition hard to do without CGI.

The photoshopped picture of the VFD members. It was just bad.

Klaus may have had a bit too many speaking lines compared to Violet... just saying.

Weird continuity goofs... They’re details, but there were so many of them. Most of them around Sunny, which again, understandable, but still, there should have been a way around it.

Let! Klaus! also carry Sunny! Almost all the time, Violet does it!!

So Dr Orwell was Olaf’s girlfriend. I hope they find fresh ways to repeat that trope, because there’s two more characters that exactly follow this concept, and with the already repetitive nature of the Baudelaire’s misadventures this could become quite boring.

Sometimes the adults were so ignorant and blatantly oblivious to what was going on (especially with Mr Poe actively saying what a bad idea it was to act the way he did, like leaving the children with untrustworthy people or abandoning them in the empty dock) that it was not frustrating, it was cumbersome.

Aunt Josephine’s statue. What was up with that? Why couldn’t she just throw a chair through the window?

As effective -and boy was it effective- of a red herring it was, the Mother and Father B-plot felt unnecessary in the end. It could have been cut, and despite suffering from the lack of a Cool Spy Mom and a Tired Spy Dad, the story would have flowed better. Heck, it would have been better with more Jacquelyn.

Statue woman in the middle of the maze? What the heck? What was the purpose of that? Why did she need to talk to the Baudelaires? Why was she the only one who reached out to them? It didn’t contribute anything at all.

Have another actor to be Ike... Sonnenfeld is already visibly seen in the background of Strauss’ library as her father. It was so weird.

Why couldn’t Klaus start the fire with his glasses when he needed to, in the boat during the leeches attack? Mother’s binoculars starting the fire saved the children out of pure luck.

Similarly, the Reptile Room reptiles decided a very particular moment to attack Olaf and his troupe, which also made the ending of the episode seem like a matter of pure luck.

If luck saves the children in the end, then less emphasis is put on their individual talents and resourcefulness. Having them save themselves would have often been the cheaper production decision and the smartest narrative decision.

The Wide Window episodes had sometimes an overreliance on CGI, and it turned it into a bit of a pain to sit through. The house collapsing looked bad. Sunny dangling from the doorknob was bad, Klaus jumping around was bad...

The musical numbers. None of them were truly terrible, by themselves, but they felt out of place and unneeded. The first cringy one was mercifully short and at least served the purpose to show how much of a self-aggrandizing lousy actor Olaf is. The little song with the spoons he sings in the taxi as Captain Sham feels stretched out and annoying. And the last song, “That’s Not How The Story Goes”, which everyone (why Poe? Why Olaf?) sings... It was the most bizarre thing in an already very, very bizarre show. From Snicket in his school uniform, sitting on a cliff, to Sunny’s weirdly CGIed contorted face whistling (including Mr Poe cheerfully singing it, which almost made me think he was truly looking forward to the Baudelaires being even more miserable), it’s a really good song -the best of the musical numbers- but it was a wrong way to finish the first season.

Finally, I know that Neil Patrick Harris is the Star Power, but why must he sing the title song? Why couldn’t it be an instrumental? And as much as I like the way they managed to change each title sequence for each book, it would have been better to have more interesting visuals during the titles. It felt like a missed opportunity.

THE CONFUSING

The grandfather clock toaster? Couldn’t Violet’s talents be shown with a more interesting, useful invention?

What was up with the weird James Brown references? “I’m super bad”, what? A non-sequitur/inside joke between the siblings?

At Justice Strauss’ library, Klaus showed her that he had a small notebook with him, and said he had it with him at all times. He never actually used it. Why show it if you’re not going to use it?

Why are most of the henchpeople unusually and occasionally nice? Why do they act shocked and worried when Olaf kills and hurts (most clearly with the killing of Josephine and when he held Sunny up high)?

Strauss was last seen reading a book on secret organizations. Why does she have that book? Will she become a member? Is her family linked to VFD? How can that book be a thing, if the organization is supposed to be secret? Is VFD something that is well known? Is that book’s author a VFD member, or a Geraldine Julienne/Rita Skeeter kind of badly-informed and dimwitted investigator? Are there other organizations besides VFD that one should be concerned about? Is that book a standard secret VFD reading, or is it sold in average bookstores and available in city libraries? Just how available to the public is that book?

It was suggested Strauss is Jewish (what with greeting Poe and the children with “Shalom” and mentioning how cooking could be a mitzvah), and Olaf too (mostly for the klezmer-style wedding music and his little dance, but I’d find it rather out-of-character for him to be a religious man at all) and Dr Orwell too, though much less clear, for mentioning Olaf ruined a bat mitzvah. But the big question is, are the Baudelaires Jewish?

Who was that elder lady at the cinema and why was the camera so interested in her uninteresting life

Is the Bald Man as unquestionably terrible as he was in the books? “We should use the baby as bait” kind of confirmed it, but the question is more about the future role of the character, considering what happens is following books.

Where did Olaf get that very specific snake-bite-faking device? Is that a standard VFD contraption?

What in the world is Beatrice’s name doing engraved in the remains of Aunt Josephine’s house?

What was up with Snicket buying an orange vest?

Are Sir and Charles actually members of VFD?

Why did Orwell have literal skeletons in her closet? Did she kill people, took away their clothes and hair and skin and muscle and cleaned them and stored them in her closet?

In the little awfully photoshopped picture at the end of the last episode, at Prufrock Prep, Snicket and Olaf seem to be friends; even though Snicket said at the beginning of the first episode that Olaf’s “dreadful villainy haunted [Snicket since he] first met him as a young man.”  Was it a goof by the showrunners, or a proof of the unreliable narrator Snicket can be?

Are the Baudelaire parents really the ones shown in other awfully photoshopped picture of the volunteers at Paltryville? Klaus recognized them, so there’s almost no way they’re not the Baudelaires. Are these actors the confirmed ones for the parents?

Aren’t the Quagmire parents wary of telling their children about their past in VFD? Weren’t they afraid of the known fate of some members of the organization? Do they believe VFD is doing good?

Were the Baudelaire parents active volunteers till the moment of their demise? Did they balance a double life, with the VFD missions and their homelife?

Does Snicket still trust VFD? Does he support the organization that gave him nothing but pain and misery?

Will the series portray VFD as noble? What happened with the aggressive training, the indoctrination, the kidnapping, the indoctrination?

Are the Baudelaire parents morally dubious? Will the show have the guts to put that on screen?

“Call me Ishmael”???????? What the fuck??

Here’s hoping the second season rights the wrongs, emphasises on the good, and answers some questions and creates new ones -hopefully all the right ones.

[fictionalescapeartist-blog]

    I know, I know I have been gone for a while. I took a bit of a sabbatical, because I was having a hard time coming up with content and then would go into a shame spiral etc. Blogging stopped being fun and became another thing to beat myself up about, if you haven’t picked up on it I might have a slight self esteem issues… but I am back and applying less pressure on myself because ultimately I enjoy blogging.

  Anyway! I wanted to take a few to talk about some of my favorite Fictional Escapes (see what I did there?) from 2017. Some I blogged about already, some I have not. Even though I have it in a list format, it is not a ranking. THAT WOULD BE LIKE ASKING ME TO PICK A FAVORITE CHILD! Here are 10 favorite things from 2017:

s1. Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid

I blogged about this book, so I wont spend a ton of time on this one, my feelings on this book are well documented here, on Twitter and Facebook. BTW Taylor Jenkins Reid is a mega sweetie to her fans, I suggest following her. This book was absolutely amazing! I read it in like a day. I say read, but more devoured it. The book takes you through 2 stories of very different women and how their lives connect. It is beautifully written and so well done at times I forgot I wasn’t reading an Autobiography.

2. Reincarnation Blues

Another one that I haven’t shut up about since I read it. Milo is the oldest soul in the universe, living nearly all of his 10,000 lives. We are taken through several of his lives as he tries to reach perfection, as well as his time between lives where he is in love with a Death who goes by Suzie. This book is magical, fun, and at times heart breaking. This book is reminiscent of Douglas Adams. The many different worlds Michael Poore has built in just one book is astounding.

3. Twin Peaks the Return

What can I say about this show? Honestly I am never so happy to be confused then when watching Twin Peaks, and the Return took that up a notch or. Kyle MacLachlan playing several hard roles so perfectly, you forget its the same actor. Dougie Jones absolutely broke my heart on a weekly basis, while the bad Cooper was scary as hell. The fact they were on Showtime, they were able to get a lot darker then in the original show. Plus we so got this beautiful sigh-worthy moment:

#BigEdandNormaForever

4. The final season of the Mindy Project

Mindy, Mindy, Mindy. There is nothing that Mindy Kaling has done that I didn’t love, this show included. I was hooked from the very first episode. The characters, the story line, the jokes, everything was perfect. Season 6 was the shortest and one of the best seasons of the show. They wrapped up everyone’s story line, with out every feeling like everyone was short changed or rushed. With out spoiling the overall story arch, I was nervous about how the show would end, the direction it seemed to head and they nailed it, with out sacrificing the character’s emotional growth as I feared they could. This show goes down as one of my all time favorites with 30 Rock, Parks and Rec and Scrubs. I will miss this show so much!

5. Season 3 of Playing House

  Ugh! I guess technically I should have titled this one “The final season of Playing House” but I’m not there emotionally and it is too soon. I knew the Mindy Project was ending, this one was ripped from my arms by the cruel USA. This show. THIS SHOW YOU GUYS! I have so many thoughts and feelings about it, and have blogged about it in the past. The entire show is amazing, but season 3 was something truly special. Season 3 had Emma being diagnosed with breast cancer and shows her and Maggie battle it together, in a story line “ripped from the headlines” as Law and Order likes to say. You see in reality the lead actresses Jessica and Lennon are best friends, and Jessica did have breast cancer. The way the show handled the story line was perfect. It was touching and informative. It was sad at times with out ever actually feeling too heavy. They educated us on cancer treatment options, with out ever pulling you out of the story or feeling preachy about things. Damn you USA Network for canceling it! If you have On Demand, I could not recommend watching this show enough.

6. Womp It Up! Podcast

What? Jessica and Lennon get 2 spots on your list? Yes they do, because they are amazing people who rocked my 2017. Womp It Up! has been around for a while, but I didn’t discover it until this year, and luckily for me I didn’t have to wait a year and half between episodes like other fans. Womp I Up! is a comedy podcast that was birthed from Comedy Bang Bang characters. Jessica St Clair plays Marissa Wompler, a 17(ish) year old, not very well adjusted, student at the Marina Del Rey High School, the podcast is her senior project. She is doing some alternative learning in her school’s program called STARS, ran by her teacher and lets face it best friend Charlotte Listler, played by Lennon Parahm. Every week there is a new comedian on playing a person in the Marina Del Rey community. My favorite has been Andrew Daly as Joe Bongos, the Health teacher who has some interesting ideas on what to teach the kids.

7. Oh, Hello on Broadway

Oh, Hello got it’s start on the Nick Kroll Show, where Gil Faizon and George St Geegland had a prank show on public access channel in New York. Their one prank was ordering a tuna sandwich with way too much tuna, ultimately getting the person say “That’s too much tuna”. What was the prank show called? Too Much Tuna of course. Somehow, in Nick Kroll and John Mulaney’s brilliance they were able to make a super successful Broadway play based on these two dirt bags.

Gil (a writer) and George (an actor) have been best friends and roommates since the 1970s. They decided to write an autobiographical play telling their story. The brilliance of this show is the play that is happening around the play. It gets pretty meta at times, often Gil and George stop the actual play to have their own interactions, generally it is Gil giving George notes on how he is doing in the play. The sheer detail that has gone into this show is mind boggling. I can’t even describe the layers of the play. I highly recommend checking it out.

8. Wonder Woman

Let’s not get into a DC vs MCU argument here, generally I am an MCU fan and haven’t been too excited over the last few DC movies, but this one. I will admit was a little nervous when I first saw Gal Gadot was cast as Wonder Woman, but she won me over immediately in Batman vs Superman. I was still cautiously optimistic for the Wonder Woman movie, but it came out better then I imagined. In my opinion it was just awesome (I am aware of the issues people had with it, but to me the good outweigh the bad). I enjoyed the hell out of it, it made me laugh and cry. I also enjoyed the feel of it, different then the other super hero movies, it felt more like a war movie. If you haven’t seen it, check it out!

9. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 and Thor: Ragnarok

I decided to combine these two into one, because well I didn’t want this list to be 3/4s super hero movies. I could also write a book on my feelings for these two movies and their directors. Guardians was written and directed by James Gunn and Thor was directed by Taiki Waititi, a kiwi writer and director known for his work with Flight of the Concords, What we do in the Shadows to name a couple. Also if you’re looking for a sort of weird but sweet movie, check out Eagle Vs Shark.

These two movies have a bit of a rag-tag team thing going on, and both delve into family relationships. They are both visually stunning, and laugh out loud hilarious, (yes I know that is a problem some people have with Marvel, but I love to laugh and they are right up my alley). Their similarities are one reason I decided to group them together. The first Guardians became my favorite Marvel movie about 10 minutes into it, and was thrilled that James Gunn actually made something better. I have always had a soft spot for Thor, and been sad at the state of the movies he’s had. I left Ragnarok thinking they finally gave him the movie he deserves, also Jeff Goldblum at his Goldbumiest.

My other favorite part of both of these movies, is they seemed to fix the villain problem. Hela and Ego managed to be interesting and complex. They didn’t seem to fall flat like others have in the past.

These two movies are all in all a good ass time!

10. Hamilton the Musical, paired with Hamilton the book

   I know, I know. It’s based on true events, but some of it is changed for dramatic effect. I am so late to the game on Hamilton, but I just recently got Spotify Premium which let me listen to the soundtrack in order… and I am HOOKED. I decided to check out the biography the musical was based on by Ron Chernow. Combining the two adds a lot more depth to the play, certain lines in songs make sense. There is so much drama in Hamilton’s life, so much that the play never even touched on.

If you want to add to your Hamilton experience, read the book as well. Honestly, it makes the entire experience so much better.

  Thanks for reading everyone!

    Check out my top 10 from 2017 list of my favorite Fictional Escapes. I know, I know I have been gone for a while. I took a bit of a sabbatical, because I was having a hard time coming up with content and then would go into a shame spiral etc.

[canaryatlaw]

Well today was pretty good. I have to take back a little of what I said about my abs not hurting very much, because they hurt a bit more today, mostly just when stretching or moving or like, laughing lol. Still not as bad as over the summer though. Alarm went off at 9, got up and got ready and headed to church. I was signed up for the nursery for the 11 and I would go to the 12:30. Once I got off the train another girl who works in the nursery had just gotten off so we walked the few blocks together, she was attending the 11 and working in the 12:30. Once we get there I go upstairs, it's only like 10:35 at this point so the 9:30 service is about to wrap up, which means there's still like 15 babies and 7 volunteers up there lol. It's always the craziest service but luckily it's always pretty well stocked with volunteers, so that's good. I helped work through the transition, and then our service was underway, two other volunteers with me, and I think we got 7 of 8 babies, so a good number. Things were...interesting, lol. There were a couple that were in and out of crying for most of the service, and we did have to text the mother of one of them because she just wasn't stopping anytime soon, but I think we got the other two to settle down after a while. The boy who was there last week and just stood by the gate for the second half of the service was back, and he pretty much just wanted to stand by the gate the whole time this week too haha. He's a real cutie, he's like 23 months (so about to get moved to the preschool room) and he's a big little guy, but he's just kind of like a teddy bear. I couldn't get him interested in any toys, so I decided to try one of our tricks to occupy crying babies, which is pulling up some "baby songs" on YouTube on my phone and watch how they get mesmerized looking at the screen which generally has adorable illustrations and just listen to the music. I'm sure their parents aren't thrilled at the prospect of them getting more "screen time" but I mean the poor kid was just gonna sit at the gate the whole time, I didn't want him to be totally unoccupied because that would likely lead to boredom followed by tears. But he was captivated quite quickly, and just sat down and basically just looked at and listened to my phone the whole time haha. Interestingly enough, it kind of attracted most of the other well-behaved (not crying) kids, so by the end I had a little crowd of them, most of whom were fine with just leaving the phone on the floor and watching haha so that was cool! Towards the end it got a little hectic because they all wanted snack and the other two volunteers were in the other room with the two crying babies and I had like 6 of them being like "more please!" and it was a little crazy haha but mostly it was fine. Service ended and I ran downstairs to the next one. I know I say this every week, but I really do love my church so much. It's always just so awesome to be there and feel so surrounded by God's presence and people who love others so well. The female lead pastor ("the wife") was speaking, and she was talking about Romans 8 and the idea of being "more than conquerors" in our lives and how that plays out on a daily basis. She told this really adorable story of being at a fitness class at the gym and being like, so out of energy and ready to give up until "firework" by Katy Perry comes on and she gets this amazing second wind and of course they start playing the song when she says it and I just couldn't helps thinking how happy I am that I go to a church where people are fine with a pastor referencing Katy Perry and playing a little bit of her music. I feel like I say this a lot (and I probably do) but never in a million years would that happen in the church I grew up in, so this is such a welcome change. Service wrapped up and I realized I left my coat in the closet in the nursery, and more so I just wanted an excuse to go in there and play with my little tiny girl because I know she was in there this last service and she's always the last to get picked up since her parents have other church responsibilities. So I go up and she's hanging out, and she sees me and starts jumping around and laughing so I go in the gate and start chasing her around and tickling her and she was laughing so much and loving it and it was pretty much the cutest thing ever. So I ended up hanging out with her while the rest of the people actually working that service headed out haha because I had to hang around anyway for a babies coaches meeting. Her family was kind of hanging out in the little foyer area so we went over there and then I went to sit down and took my little bag of cheezits out of my bag because I was hungry haha and she's like, looking at me from across the room with her eyes getting big and she comes over and I'm like, I know you you little sneak you just want me snacks and it was also pretty cute lol. Not long after that I was joined by the other babies coaches, who at this point are one of the ladies I served with and the couple that heads up the 9:30 usually and both actually graduated from law school last year, so we always have fun conversations. After a few minutes the babies coordinator or whatever her actual title is (I really don't know) came out and we went into one of the classrooms and just talked about like, procedure about checking kids in and out, how to handle things, different scheduling things and just a bunch of other little things that need to be handled. They're trying a new check in this so we get a little more info about the kids that can definitely come in handy. We started at 2:30 and talked till 4, so we obviously spoke for quite a while. By the time we got out I knew it was gonna take me another like, hour to get home if took the train/bus and I knew I had reading to get done so I opted to take an uber, which didn't really turn out to be a better option, lol. The guy was nice enough and we had a good conversation, but he like didn't know how to work his GPS and took us like wayyy out of the way and then had to go back, and he definitely like cut in and out of traffic on multiple occasions, all of which had multiple cars honking at him....yeah, it wasn't a very pleasant experience haha and by the time I got home it was almost 5 anyway. Sigh. I knew I needed to get groceries at some point but it was snowing and the sun was setting so I didn't want to go back out, so I instead put in an instacart order, which then when I was done told me they wouldn't deliver until tomorrow morning which was like UGH because at the beginning they definitely said they could deliver tonight. Sigh. So I have to be up at 10 tomorrow for that, which could be worse of course, but still the extra sleep would've been appreciated. Oh well. I dove right into my crim pro reading, because at this point I've pretty much decided reading for mission based lawyering and trial ad isn't really mandatory so most of the time I'm just not going to do it....lol, it's bad that I'm saying this on like the 4th week of class, but I know my limits well enough to know that if I do have to do the reading I will, but also when I can get away with it. I got like 2/3 of the way done with that before kind of losing interest since I'll have other time during the week to possibly do it because the class wasn't until Wednesday night. But that still left the trial ad assignment, because I can skip the reading but I still gotta prepare the directs and crosses and such. There were four this week, with alternating directs and crosses for each "team," and I was the witness for one so I had to do 2 directs and 1 cross, and then just the witness problem which was about like, an old lady who slips on ice in the grocery store parking lot and gets a severely sprained ankle and a mild concussion so that should be plenty of fun to play of course (I'm planning on being like "and my head was hurting and my ankle was burning and I was just like Jesus is gonna take me any second now!!!" 😂). The others weren't too bad, the thing is this week the topic is objections, so of course the problems are full of objectionable content that they want you to prep for objections to, mostly hearsay ones in like 10 different contexts and you gotta find an applicable exception for all of them haha so that was interesting. Finished with that by 8:30 and was planning on watching Conviction at 9, so I put on the Chicago episode of legends until then, but at 9 I ended up getting a call from a friend from undergrad who asked earlier if we could talk, so I of course went to take that. Usually when I'm asked to do this kind of stuff it's either mental health related or legal related, my two main areas of expertise haha (though for the former while I'm fine talking people off the proverbial "ledge" and have done so many times, I always always say I am not a therapist and they need to get professional help). This one was legal though, which is always interesting because some people will assume (and have done so my whole life, even before law school, just on the count of my dad being a lawyer) I know the answer to every obscure legal question they can come up with, which of course isn't quite true. This one, however, unfortunately was right up my alley, unfortunately being that I deal in a very hard line of work that I wouldn't wish on anybody. I won't get into details because of the sensitive nature of the issue, but basically there had been an initial physical incident by a parent after a long pattern of emotional abuse (not my friend, someone she knows who's still a minor) and they really just didn't know what to do, and unfortunately in that situation the only real answer you can give is that if you want to do something you really have to call DCFS. If you tell anyone, school counselor or doctor or teacher, they're mandated to call them so it's gonna end up happening. People don't realize though that calling DCFS doesn't immediately result in the kid being taken away, that DCFS offers a variety of services designed particularly to keep families together and fix the problem so the kid doesn't have to be taken away. It's just that beyond that kind of thing, there's really no way for an "outsider" to deal with such things, like my friend said she thinks the dad really needs therapy and I'm sure she's right but how is that going to happen without external assistance? It's just not possible. I am always a big proponent of calling DCFS though because I know child abuse tends to be WAY under-reported because people "don't want to get involved" or they'll make excuses that "oh they'll just end up making it worse" and ignoring signs of child abuse like that is how we end up with dead kids- because leading up to a child death there were always, always be signs, and in those cases they were just ignored by everyone for long enough that a child ends up dead. I'm ranting now though. But I think my advice at least helped settle things a bit. I went to turn on conviction when I finished, knowing it was their last episode. It was....okay I guess. Nothing spectacular, and definitely not a whole lot of closure, which is pretty much to be expected being that they got cancelled mid-season, but if was still kind of disappointing that it kind of ended just like it was any other episode. The case was okay, not really all that interesting, though the ultimate cause of death was intriguing. The whole Sam kiss thing in the end was weird because at first I was like WAIT WHAT WHAT IS HAPPENING DID I MISS SOMETHING then she said it and I was like oh okay good I was gonna be worried there for a moment, lol. But yeah, I'm sad it's gone before it got to live up to its full potential, but that's life I guess. Hung out for a bit longer before heading to bed and now here we are. Eyes are wanting to close now, and wake up is in t-minus 9 hours and 8 minutes, so I'll end things here. Goodnight my loves. Stay sweet.

[nightmareonfilmstreet]

[Review] THE SHAPE OF WATER is a Perfect Collision of the Strange and Beautiful

New Post has been published on https://nofspodcast.com/review-shape-water-perfect-collision-strange-beautiful/

[Review] THE SHAPE OF WATER is a Perfect Collision of the Strange and Beautiful

I regard Guillermo del Toro as one of the most (if not the) most esteemed genre filmmakers of the 21st century. His ability to tell enrapturing tales about life, love, and loss through fantastical and sometimes frightening vehicles, is unparalleled. Whether motivated by ghoulish red ghosts in Crimson Peak, a frightening Faun in Pans Labyrinth, or a sighing spectre in The Devil’s Backbone, del Toro has always been able to find humanity in the darkest of places.  And as inevitable for someone so innately talented; his use of the fringe has gone mainstream in creature-feature turned romance The Shape of Water, and I couldn’t be more ecstatic.

  The film follows melancholic Eliza (Sally Hawkins), who navigates a nocturnal existence in cold-war era Baltimore.  Eliza is mute, though her day-to-day life is filled with the colorful voices of her closest confidants; her neighbour Giles (Richard Jenkins), and co-worker Zelda (Octavia Spencer). Though Eliza cannot speak, no one speaks for her. Throughout the film her range and depth of emotion floods* the film (*water puns=1), pushing us through this quirky, romantic adventure.

Eliza and Zelda work as night maids for a highly classified government research facility. Until the creature swims* into her life (*water puns=2), Eliza lives a pretty mundane existence. Her morning ritual; a short, exhilarating bath, boiled eggs, a quiet bus-ride through the city, a repetitive night’s work, serves as enough motivation for Eliza when an amphibian appears one day at the facility.

The Creature, portrayed by frequent del Toro Collaborator, Doug Jones, is the latest catch of government official Strickland (Michael Shannon), who serves as the film’s main antagonist and creepiest monologuer. Very quickly, through Eliza‘s brazen attempts to socialize, we learn the Creature to be an intelligent being, worthy of some ‘dolphin-safe tuna‘ treatment.  Through lunchtime meetings in secret, Eliza and the Creature bond over boiled eggs, music, and a general distaste for the government goons keeping him chained.

It isn’t long until our Romeo and Juliette tale turns bank heist after Eliza learns of facility’s sinister plot. Not able to conclude whether the creature is a weapon, asset, or both – General Hoyt (Nick Searcy) ultimately decides housing such a being is too much of a risk for when the Soviets come knocking. With the aid of surprise good-guy Dr. Robert Hoffstetler (Michael Stuhlbarg) and her chatty chums, Eliza busts the merman of her dreams* out of the facility. (*water puns=3)

Though this romance takes a road familiarly travelled, this film isn’t about wowing us with a mysterious and twisting story arc. Audiences know very well they are in for a fishy romance before the titles role. But it is how this story rolls out; with its the sweeping, (swimming?) grandiose camera movements, quirky Parisienne score, and old Hollywood showbiz glitz, that The Shape of Water takes us both somewhere nostalgic and unfamiliar.

Time and time again, del Toro has proven that the secret ingredient lurking in the fold of his fantastical films is the breath of life each and every character receives, no matter the quantity of their speaking parts. It is the divergent storytelling of these sideline characters; ranging from tiny nuances, ticks, quirks – to grand, melancholic motivations and glimmering glimpses of goals, that ultimately elevates the core story. Never detracting from it. Each character is given legs for which to leap out from the pages of the screenplay; the opportunity to capture the audience – even if only for a brief and glittering moment.

4/4 eberts

  I have many more thoughts on The Shape of Water, but unfortunately you are going to have to sit tight until Thursday’s episode of Nightmare on Film Street Podcast, where Jon and I will dive* into the film (*water puns=4) at length.

The Shape of Water had a limited theatrical opening this past Friday, December 8th after very select screenings December 1st In New York city. If it isn’t yet playing near you, fret not! The film is slowly expanding and rolling out to additional theaters throughout the month.  See below for the opening dates of remaining major cities: