#they're just gorgeous and brilliant actors

[athousandbyeol]

today i'm thinking about how dong qin was casted first as sheng wang, while there were two possible candidates for jiang tian: benjamin and the other unknown actor.

the two candidates were asked to act alongside dong qin, and benjamin was chosen as the final jiang tian (i'm so thankful that he got this role... he's really jiang tian through and through 🥺)

but what's interesting to me is that, in the novel, jiang tian is taller than sheng wang (around 185 cm if i'm not mistaken?) while sheng wang is shorter. i think it's a known fact that dong qin is tall (i just discovered he's 185!) while benjamin is 180. so he did wear extra shoe pads to make him taller (i think it's kind of cute 😅)

but what really scratches my brain is that... perhaps benjamin is just too brilliant of an actor, the perfect jiang tian, that they managed to overcome that minor inaccuracy. because they've locked dong qin as sheng wang first... and if i'm not mistaken they did try finding taller actors (?) for jiang tian. but that role has always belonged to benjamin, i believe... (which makes me so happy really 😭)

it's like they're destined to be jiang tian and sheng wang.

[my-rose-tinted-glasses]

This was the hardest monthly wrap up I ever had to do because I forgot about it until like two days ago and my brain is not at its best and I'm tired so I can't really write a lot. So anyway as usual, spoilers and opinions below, read at your own risk.

QL - Currently Watching

🇹🇼 Blue Canvas of Youthful Days [2/12] - I really like the look of this show and all the art. I'm not yet sold on the main couple as a possible item but I really like the characters individually. I adore the second couple. The scene with the hearing aid was beautiful and I like the fact that it's not about the couple. Perhaps in a bl from a different country this would be about them finally being able to communicate, but because Liu knows sign language, it's simply about helping Tan Yin. Don't know why but I really liked this.

🇰🇷🇹🇭 Eccentric Romance [8/12] - It's not the worst thing ever but at several points during the episodes I find myself asking, what am I watching?

🇹🇭 Every You, Every Me [4/8] - This show constantly surprises me. The different stories every week and the aspec rep was how they got me at first but now I'm invested in the meta and the absolutely adorable mains. And this show is just so gorgeous to watch.

🇹🇭 Fourever You [5/16] - Beautiful Pond. Cute Earth. I'm annoyed. Hopefully the next couple is better in terms of storyline.

🇹🇭 Jack & Joker [8/12] - Can they just get together first and then give me all the drama? I'm okay with that. I actually liked Love Mechanics, so give it to me. But Jack is all over the place with his behaviour, he says Joke is family and they seem to have a shared view of the future, and they sure behave as if they're a couple, but then he hides things from Joke, supposedly 'for his own good'. I feel for Joke, because he's being jerked around by Jack.

🇹🇭 Kidnap [8/12] - I love Ohm. And that is the one and only reason I'm still here.

🇰🇷 Let Free the Curse of Taekwondo [6/8] - I'm obsessed. I think about this show way too much. It's painful and beautiful, brilliant writing and visuals and I need it to be over but I don't want it to end. I think we're gonna have a second time skip since they are not in our present yet and I just want to see them happy.

🇰🇷 Love in the Big City [4/8] - Obsessed in a total different way. This story is like an open tab in my brain at all times. I'm dreaming of edits and gifsets. I think of Young and my chest tightens. I'm having a hard time writing about the second part of the show because it's just so much, although it feels lighter than the novel. I'm dreading the next part.

🇯🇵 Love is a Poison [7/10] - I love it here. Everything about it. This being Shiba's first love sure explains a lot, and the onsen date was amazing. I think the actors are nailing this.

🇹🇭 Peaceful Property [10/12] - I've said enough about it. I'm here for TayNew and trying to just ignore everything else.

🇹🇭 Perfect 10 Liners [1/24] - And so it begins. Every gmmtv boy is here and they are all playing engineers. They got two Flukes and everything. I wish Force wasn't once again an asshole jock and Book the clueless fool but I guess that's too much to ask. This is the couple I'm least interested here so I want to see the rest.

🇹🇼 See Your Love [3/13] - Taiwan just doing giving all the rep with disabled characters and as usual a parade of bl actors. It's fine for now.

🇯🇵 Smells like Green Spirit [6/9] - I love Mishima. I think the scenes with him and Kirino are always great. I'm still not totally on board with the romance but I'm somewhat fascinated with Yumeno.

QL - Finished

🇹🇼 First Note of Love - I feel like I need to rewatch this as a binge because I think this format didn't help this particular show. Although I like the mains and I really liked the actors, their romance never truly clicked for me. I need more of the sides. The language banter was my favourite thing about this.

🇹🇭 I Saw You In My Dream - This is super cute. They are all adorable and they actually communicate. Ultimately I was a little underwhelmed about the concept.

🇹🇭 Monster Next Door - It's fine. I like Big and he was great here. But I've already forgotten everything about this.

🇭🇰 Our Golden Times - I watched it. It was okay.

🇹🇭 Reverse 4 You - Pretty show. Good concept. Not great execution all the way through.

Dropped / On Hold

Waiting to binge - 🇹🇭 The Loyal Pin | 🇹🇭 Apple | 🇻🇳 Teenager Judge

Rose Watches OJBL

Same Difference aka Docchi mo Docchi (2014) - I don't even know what to say. It's not good. That's it.

Others - Watched

🇯🇵Densetsu no Head Sho| 🇰🇷Black Out | 🇯🇵Double

Upcoming Shows - November

As usual my ask box is open. Have a wonderful weekend💜

[crystal-lillies]

General thoughts after watching Season 1 of Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender (spoilers may be present)

It's not bad. It's weird, but it's not bad.

No one asked for this.

No one asked, but we got it anyway. So what did we get?

It's not a 1:1 remake. I don't think, despite everything people have worried and griped about before the show's release, anyone wanted that either. It doesn't retain the same character arcs for everyone. Not just Sokka, but everyone.

At the same time, they still have arcs.

They're weird, they feel weird, because this show does what the Shyamalan movie doesn't, and makes an honest effort to capture the essence of the animated show, of the characters, of the world, and there is respect in its efforts.

There are musical motifs from the original. The set designs are out of the original. Many scenes are shot exactly like the original as homages.

And yet, storylines are merged together, elements from later seasons are introduced earlier, character interactions happen differently, character motivations are presented differently, and that feels weird.

We know the motions but when we the audience try to follow them, the show changes its direction and pulls a weird flex out of left field.

I won't say I agree with every major and minor change made, but I'm not enraged or disappointed in the same way as I was (and many of us were) after seeing the movie.

Instead, I'm more inclined to see where these new threads intend to go, and how the story we all know and love can be told in a different way.

Roku had barely a presence in this season, whereas in the original, he was more or less Aang's spiritual teacher. Instead, we've felt more from Kyoshi and Kuruk and Yangchen, and Aang has felt lost in his spiritual journey as well as his physical one.

Ozai, who was just a shadowy one-dimensional nightmare for most of the original first book, is now a more fleshed out figure, but one of confusing motivations. It's not the tonal whiplash of the movie, of the Ozai who legitimately worried and cared about Zuko's well being while also having still scarred and banished him, but one who is playing a 4-D chess game with his kids as the pieces and doesn't care who wins so long as one does.

I don't think it was the right call to have Zuko fight back in the Agni Kai before getting burned, but it gives a different dynamic to Zuko and Ozai's relationship that he's not the towering, shadowy Mark Hamill terror Zuko cowers before.

This Zuko seems legitimately convinced Ozai cares about him and all it takes is the Avatar to win his full love back, whereas there's still bitterness in the OG Zuko of book one. He knows Ozai favors Azula over him, he knows he's had to struggle well before being banished.

I also think not casting Dee Bradley Baker was a mistake. But they have time to correct that mistake.

All the kid actors, being green, of course do not stand up to expressive and gorgeous animation with brilliant voice acting. But they are all giving it their best, and I think they have what it takes to grow into the Book 3 Team Avatar if they get the chance.

The music got to me a number of times, particularly the instrumental renditions of "Leaves From the Vine."

Do we need this show? No absolutely not.

We have the original ATLA, and we always will. It's a timeless classic of our generation. Nothing could ever compete with it or ruin it.

However, I do feel like this adaptation is worth giving a chance to stand on its own. It may be far from perfect, but after watching it through, I legitimately want to see where it goes from here. I want to see this cast grow and change in their own ways. I want to see Toph in live action. I want to see Ba Sing Se. I want to see the new directions this story chooses to take to end up in the same place at Sozin's Comet.

But that might not happen if Netflix decides to cancel it, and I think that would be a shame.

I really do think it's worth seeing this show through, for better or worse.

Overall, as a show, I would give it a modest 7/10. (With individual elements skewing higher or lower throughout)

I don't like that it's only 8 episodes, but that's been a trend of other streaming shows also, across platforms, so I cannot fault NATLA alone for that.

You don't NEED to have seen the original to understand what's happening or get key details (unlike SOME adaptations have been doing recently). You can get a complete picture with just this. Is it as pretty or vibrant as the original? No. But it is still a whole picture (or, could be, with all three seasons).

It has great effects, sets, props, choreography, good music. It has SUKI. And JET. and JUNE. And THE Cabbage Man!

AND OMA/SHU ARE LESBIANS! I mean, I see that as an absolute win.

[jalebi-weds-bluetooth]

Hey I absolutely love your page and IPKKND is literally the only Indian serial I've watched a multiple times. I moved on in my life and not once thought about this show until recently when I saw some clips on Insta and bro the chemistry is truly something. I know this serial had so many of us in a chokehold in childhood but what I am surprised at is that it still has similar effect on me and still stands the test of time for being the best TV romances from ITV. What are your thoughts?

Hello hello,

Thank you so much for your love <3

See a few things happened, one is that Indian television has not improved. In fact, gone downhill. To a point that I truly appreciate things released prior 2019 far more than anything else (exceptions being half of Chand Jalne Laga, Channa Mereya and half of Kahaan Hum Kahaan Tum).

So storytelling, tbh, was far more active in that era than now.

Second, when it comes to angsty love stories, IPK is perhaps one of the few with a really good compelling structure for plot and an excellent male lead characterization. Arnav is the limit of what can be accepted for a grey character. Khushi's character, in hindsight, is a weakness that's largely forgiven and forgotten because of Sanaya Irani's brilliant acting.

The world building was very strong in IPK - from Shyam to Anjali, Lucknow to Delhi, the family structures, the side plots - it was just a very very rich world.

Also the show had some excellent set ups and brilliant executions of tragedies. I love how messed up some of the characters got and just the show's on delay in romanticizing the relationship between Arnav and Khushi.

And the show is GORGEOUS to look at. We were coming to cusp of the way technology began to change in ITV - HD cameras, aesthetics, etc.

And IPK was the first to take the risk and spend a lot of time and energy to bring that on the table. Visually the show is STUNNING.

If you are a consistent tv watcher, you'd be shocked the visual difference delivered in 2011.

Here's a list of all the shows and how they looked on 4th November, 2011

This was IPK in 4th November, 2011

The difference is visible

That's why it is so watchable even now. Romance wise, my fondness for Khushi has been affected over time, however the chemistry that Barun-Sanaya shared, with both really fitting in what the characters needed (Barun is better in layered roles, Sanaya almost always captures the attention on screen) and given they both just have beautiful, evocative eyes, makes all the sense.

If not for these actors, or if, to be honest, the show didn't end when it did (right after Arnav-Khushi achieved their happily ever after) then this show would have NEVER developed the status it did.

Some shows have a right time to end, and this one did at the right time. And we have a LOT of good stuff to remember. A lot of romance to enjoy. The show indulged its viewers by giving us romance that mattered.

Once Arnav and Khushi are sure about each other's feelings - they're actually kind of solid as a couple. Legit 1/3rd of the show is them being in love.

And when a show has spent sustainable amount of time showing your leads being in love, without any major misunderstanding or separation in between - the fondness and escapism remains :) I feel peace watching them because they just spend a significant amount of time being a couple.

That's it.

Best,

JWB

[joesalw]

I sent these quotes to another blog a while ago and thought it would be a good time to bring them back here. Because a lot of people say they don't understand how or why people like Joe and that we don't know him and only like the person Taylor painted in her songs. A big reason for this is that these people never really saw him as much more than a pawn and Taylor's boyfriend or tried to get to get to know him beyond that. You're not required to do that ofc, but once you make up lies to fit your story that's other thing. My point is these are just a few things people who actually interacted with Joe up close and personal have said about him. Mostly all different people, because everyone who works with him has something good to say about him. Even people who randomly meet him seem to get enrupted right away. So this is to show what people who know him (co-workers, directors, his school teachers) say as opposed to the shitty stuff swifties say without even being in the same room with this man for 5 minutes to make people believe he's some kind of monster. I would even say there's a few things being said that are not very common for people to compliment in a man.

"He's just so gentle and sincere. I felt very safe with him."

"Joe isn't nearly as reserved as Nick, but it's a tendency to let others have the floor. He just tends to be more interested in everyone else, what they're saying, which is a lovely quality"

"he's so sensitive and thoughtful"

"there's something very soulful about Joe as a person. He's very introspective. He's exceptionally kind, as a person. There’s just something gorgeous about him, as a person, and that goes into the acting. He can do uncertainty brilliantly and he can do vulnerability brilliantly."

"Joe’s instinct as an actor is always to push away from the obvious and into ambiguity. He’s very quietly spoken. He’s not brash at all. He’s a gentle, intelligent guy. "

"Joe is such a naturally kind and warm and welcoming human being,”

"I don’t think people will be surprised by just how much everyone loves Joe Alwyn, how much everyone fell in love with Joe Alwyn… he’s a true English gent. I completely owe my heart to Joe Alwyn.”

“Yeah Joe Alwyn does come in and steal the hearts of everyone around. He’s just like the most genuine, kind, present human. Funny too! Real funny.”

"I know Joe a little and like him an enormous amount. Such a phenomenal talent and wonderful human

"He has to be one of the nicest people I have ever met and I know it might sound like I'm saying it to ease everyone's mind, but no genuinely he was the sweetest and he was super worried about me all the time"

"I really liked acting with him. He's really a gentleman. A sweet guy. He's really focused and cares a lot about his work"

"Joe is tremendously warm and winning"

"There was just something very subtle about his reading. You could feel the tenderness inside of him. He just felt real."

"I'll say he is perhaps the top notch talent I ever witness in a reading. He was so directable, so talented, and ofc the look is gorgeous. Like a gift dropped from heaven"

"He has a disarming humility which appears both on and off screen. I spoke to Joe recently and found that the experience of starring in a Hollywood movie had not changed him at all. He will continue to be the person he is."

"Very cool impressive actor. After meeting him I had the opposite thought: Can she keep him?" (This came from a movie director who seems to be a Taylor fan, after meeting him once)

“He’s really nice. Really, really friendly, really good dude.”

When Joe first arrived at the school… “He brought a maturity and intelligence that was of immense benefit to the group. He also had a passion for the work and a conviction within his own artistry that was an inspiration to some of his younger colleagues.” By the time Joe was approaching his final year, he had become… “completely fearless.”

"A brilliant natural actor, especially gifted at quiet emotion"

"He's an absolute pleasure to work with. I became very close to him. I think everybody did"

“He can carry a movie on his shoulders—he has the height, the looks, obviously, the voice, the ability with accents; he is versatile,”

“Joe was gentle and he wasn’t overly pushy, because he knew I’m not good at mushy stuff,” she says. “Boys age differently, they’re f—ing idiots until they get older. But he’s a kind man with good manners.”

“When you’re speaking to him you feel like he’s only listening to you,”

“He’s got…the greatest head on his shoulders,”

‘That very first scene between the tree, he was worried the entire time like, “Are you OK? I don’t want to hurt you. Shall we do it like that? Is this easier for you?” The entire time trying to find out if I was OK, he was so sweet, so gentle, that I knew that I would be safe with him"

'He's very hardworking, very down to earth, very diligent and very gregarious. A very nice spirit to be around.

'Joe was always deeply committed to his craft. He was often very moved by the massiveness of his vocation. 'He saw acting as a necessity. He was serious about it, very committed. He was exceptional in that regard. He's a thoughtful man who cares beyond the frivolity of putting on a show. 'He sees performance as a powerful gift that he has, and that he hopes can change things for good.'We always hoped that this poetic soul would find a place for his vision.'

wow this was such a precious thing to read, he's really such a nice individual it makes my heart warm 🥺

[acearcane]

Who’s your favorite TUA character?

I’ve done been asked about my hyperfixation‼️

Because I’m incapable of being normal about Umbrella Academy rn, I’m going to rate all the Hargreeves siblings by way of choosing a favorite.

Going from least favorite to favorite (I like them all, but some are more precious than others):

7. Allison. Don't get me wrong, I love all of the siblings. For me, what really makes the media is the characters, and all of the Umbrella Academy characters are unique, endearing, yet flawed. That being said, Allison is the one I connect with the least, and also after season 3... well...

6. Diego. He would be higher, but I didn't really start to like him until season 2. Like Allison, Diego's one of the ones I connect with the least, although I do find his character arcs very compelling (and heartbreaking, to be honest).

5. Luther. Luther is very much back and forth for me. Like, he's such an idiot towards the end of season 1, but AMAZING in season 3. Honestly, I just love the trope of a big blond himbo, so even if Luther is as dumb as rocks, he's so endearing.

4. Viktor. He explodes things. He's just three apples tall. Viktor is just a little guy, and I've been his firm supporter since season 1. (Like, my sister keeps dissing him and I'm ready to throw hands). Plus, I really love Elliot Page, so like... Viktor, ya know?

3. Ben. I don't wanna let my men-loving show, but like, Ben's gorgeous. He's so hot. Ahem, anyway-- I love the whole concept of him being Klaus's conscience and voice of reason (even if Klaus never listens) and the only time I cried while watching this show was at one of his scenes. That being said, I don't really like Sparrow!Ben. I won't count him out quite yet though, we still have season 4.

2. Klaus. He's hilarious. He's sexy trash. He's wife material. Klaus is very much a close second when it comes to my favorite character, if only for the fact that he never irritates me. All of the other characters (except maybe Five) have moments where I'm screaming at the screen because they're so dumb (affectionate) but... never Klaus. Live love Klaus. He's great.

1. Five. I. Fucking. LOVE. Five. Which sure that's probably predictable, he's a fan favorite, but he's freaking hilarious, one of the deeper characters in the show (in my opinion), and his actor does a brilliant job with all of his quirks and mannerisms. Plus I hardcore headcanon him as either ace or aroace, but maybe I'm just projecting. But anyway, he's the new blorbo consuming my brain, and when I attend my first convention this summer (yay me!) I really want to cosplay him.

I'm so sorry for how rambly this was. If you can't tell, I'm very hyperfixated rn, and my sister hasn't finished season 3 yet so I'm practically vibrating with spoilers. I feel a little awkward being so obsessed with it cuz the fandom seems to be dead, for the most part, but hey-- I'm having fun. And that's what matters, right?

To all of my beautiful mutuals who followed me for Owl House content-- I am so sorry. The hyperfixation will return, the big ones always do. I'll try to feed you once in a while so you don't starve. Love you <3

[arthurslesbian]

anyway, as someone coming at this movie from not having read the book but being an avid rom com fan, i kind of don't like how rwrb is being called not original or not creative or not inventive or silly or basically not good

i mean. i get if you don't like rom coms. i do, they're truly not for everyone. but like. this movie was really fucking good. maybe rom coms just don't get credit for how hard they are to do well?

like idk actors repeatedly say how comedy is harder to do than dramatic, serious scenes, which is probably why there's a whole group of actors who are known for doing comedy, because it's really hard and a specialized skill set. getting those comedic beats right, the expressions that have just the right amount of irony and im in on it is hard!

and with romance, you need to have that chemistry, that rhythm it's really hard to do well because there's nothing external to the characters to distract from their performances there's no cool effects or world at stake plot or menacing villian

and rom coms?? really hard to get right. the whole genre has been in a decline for like the past ten years if I've been honest. so many recent rom coms have not been good at all! horribly written, terribly edited with really bad pacing, the flattest acting with no chemistry and not to mention uninteresting sets and costumes and stagnant camera work

meanwhile. rwrb is brilliant. it's written so well, with hilarious one liners (thank you zahra) and so much humour and comedy from the couple, the actors went all out with phenomenal performances, the shots showed so much care and attention to each scene, and the pacing was perfect for what it is - a rom com.

like so many recent rom coms take 4k way too far and it looks so bad, but rwrb looks so beautiful in every still. every single background was gorgeous every set, every detail with costuming. and this is important in rom coms! the two leads look so incredible!! taylor looks like a greek god with his long legs and his abs and his eyelashes to his nose while nick looks like a beautiful angel. (sorry it had to be said)

and the thing is, this is really hard to do. I believe rom coms have been in decline as the industry grapples with how much technology has pervaded dating recently, from dating apps to communicating constantly through things like texting and facetime, which it's really struggled to show convincingly on screen. the last good rom coms were before things like smartphones really took off

and rwrb did that so well!! romance as a genre in books recently has kind of been leaning into the tropes we're nostalgic about while incorporating those more recent aspects of relationships, and rwrb translates that so well on screen. the way they did the text messages was honestly innovative!!

the way it kind of led up to having henry physically in the room was an amazing way to capture growing closeness and how we now perceive text conversations to be just like real conversations, while still highlighting the kind of difference of actually being there which is actually really hard to portray and not really something the industry has figured out how to show well imo.

i loved the chemistry in that scene, and i loved how they did the emails as well because those are two different things!! and how it was able to show their togetherness while they were apart. even the way that ghosting works and alex literally storming a castle was shown so well!! that's not easy or done before!!

all this to say, i for one really appreciate matthew lopez's vision and will be rewatching this movie just as much as movies like 27 dresses, bridget jones' diary, and the proposal and i can't wait for a new wave of (queer!) rom coms

[isca-rambles]

6x04 Aaron experiencing the trauma of his assault. Me experiencing the trauma of getting closer to *that* episode. Help. Blair. No. You're a bad person and you should feel bad. Oh god I forgot it was this episode. More people letting Lucy down. Her hiding her hands in her cardi. My poor baby. God I love Aaron and Tim's relationship. Why are you doing this to uuuuusssss. Celina, your favourite TO will be Lucy, you just haven't experienced her wonderful guidance properly yet. God Aaron has the most expressive face. He's a really wonderful actor. I hope he goes far in his career outside of The Rookie. I know he does a lot of voice acting, but he's a brilliant live actor as well. Nolan, yes, that is 100% on you. Harper, Lopez. Really? Really?! I'm disappointed and mad. Yes, it's Lucy's job but be a little nicer about it. She's meant to be your friend. You know she's hurting. Come on. Hanging up on her as well? Harper, I expected better of you, honestly. Surely that'd be a suitable 'punishment' for Celina and Nolan to guard the vomit? I can't even enjoy Tim and Aaron being adorable. I'm just mad and disappointed in Harper and Lopez. Okay, I can enjoy it a little bit. Tim really is a great TO. I loved him in Metro and I'm not 100% sure he's going back to being a TO in S7, he might just be back to being a LAPD sergeant, but he's a good teacher. Look, I love Celina getting recognition but I don't know why they're getting such big attention for stumbling onto this. Grey, go recognise Lucy's work right now. Yes, I'm bitter. Anyway, are there any fics with Tim pampering Lucy after they leave the station? Just a nice cute fluff fic of them going for dinner, having little cuddles and some sexytimes, just relaxing and being cute and him making her feel better? I've seen some good comfort fics for after the shooting, but I'm not sure I've seen any for mid-episode. Aaron, my poor angel. Blair, you back the fuck off. I know you're a good therapist but seriously fuck off. I am full of anger today and I want to protect my babies. God Lucy is so badass. I know she took risks here she shouldn't have, I know she wanted to prove herself, but she was fucking badass. She tried to protect the patient and she protected Bailey and the other paramedic. She didn't let a suspect escape. Lucy fucking Chen, fist of justice. Nyla and Angela are senior officers here, they could have said no. Yes, she is a smart girl. She better get that recognition in S7 I swear to god. Oh my love. My poor poor Lucy. Poor Opal as well, honestly. Yes, Bailey. You give Lucy the respect she deserves. The only fucking one. You're up like 20 places on my good list now, girl. God it hurts that no-one could ever give her a glance. A sympathetic look. Nolan didn't even offer to go see her as her union rep? Oh but Tim. Tim speeding to be with her. Didn't even get changed out of uniform. Also Wesley?! Come on. And Grey, I know you gave him a look and told her she could go home and did the tiniest of sympathetic smiles, but not even a pat on the shoulder. Or a 'are you okay?' after she's been cleared? Gah. It just. Compared to whenever anyone else goes through this, they all just seem so happy to leave her alone. Anyone else they'd have snuck in or given them a sympathetic look or sad smile. Something comforting. Nyla and Angela were involved so they can't until she's been cleared, but why aren't they at the hospital too waiting to hear what happens? To give her support? Show her some respect? At least Aaron asks after her but still. Thank god for Tim. They haven't even let her clean the blood off her face! I was so mad I forgot to talk about the comfort Chenford scene. Which was gorgeous. The music and angles were really lovely. The concern in his face when he races in, when he gets to her, touches her hair. Her voice is so small and broken. She's shaking and anxious and can't stop fidgeting. "We'll deal with it". "Let's go home". And the hug. The forehead kiss. Cradling her. Rocking her. Her hand against his heart and his against her head. I can't.

Lucy is not okay, and it's not just about the shooting, and no-one outside of Tim can see that and it bothers me.

[xahriknight]

Im not sure if anyone has heard of the new werewolf show 'Wolf Pack'. I saw the first 3 episodes today and I have to say I'm pretty disappointed at the moment. I thought Jeff Davis is gonna cook up something even better than Teen Wolf but tbh, it's not that great.

new actors like armani jackson, tyler gray, bella shepard are really gorgeous and HOT AF but their characters are not quite how I wanted them to be. In S1 of Teen Wolf, all the characters were bunch of carefree, hormonal teens. I get that this show is not even in the same universe as Teen Wolf but the characters are so serious, so dramatic; it's too much for a supernatural show with teenagers in it.

Sarah Michelle Geller *chefs kiss*

The eyes and teeth are more realistic so that's brilliant 👏

I like that they're showing things anxiety disorders, forest fires, autism. Realistic things that are refreshing to see.

These are just my current opinions. I hope I change my mind cuz I love werewolves and Teen Wolf, and I'll be very upset if I don't like this show.

p.s. armani and tyler are very very very🥵

[bloomfish]

this show has absolutely floored me btw. i am agog. the themes were themeing, the performances were performing... i honestly think s2 was better than the first series and that's saying something because I really enjoyed s1. definitely one of the better tv shows i've seen in a while

i'm just gonna get out my thoughts so spoilers for s2 of iwtv

i was mildly spoilered on here but not in a way that matters ❤️ (also I'm not someone who cares about spoilers that much lol so I wasn't blacklisting) like it really made no difference, because the things I saw were either very predictable (claudia dying, lestat returning in general) or made no sense out of context and the main beats were still as impactful as they were meant to be, I think. I could NOT have predicted lestat returning the way he did, either in new orleans or at the (count olaf voice) theatre

speaking of the theatre, what a GREAT device that was. from a technical standpoint the set and visuals were absolutely gorgeous and just so effective. and SANTIAGO. what a delight to watch him on my screen. great chemistry with the other cast members. i particularly enjoyed how he was played off lestat at the trial, the tensions were crazy and you could see this guy who was used to the limelight being suddenly dimmed by lestat's command of the audience. his death was great but kind of a shame just because he was so entertaining to watch lol

lestat. like i said sam reid was born to play this character and he absolutely eats up the scenery like WHAT a performance, start to finish. ive seen some "discourse" about he sucks and i feel like that's not the point. they are all evil because they are vampires who kill people so let's start there. Anyway, he was brilliant as always, his vulnerability AND his exuberance and all of it. lestat they could never make me hate you❤️

the scene at the end between between louis and lestat amidst the hurricane in new orleans... i had my hand over my mouth the entire time, i was GASPING i was heartbroken. jacob anderson another impeccable performance as louis, absolutely smashed it. the chemistry between reid and anderson is WILD whenever they're around each other i am going insane

armand, i'm so obsessed with him. he really got to let loose this season after being somewhat understated for most of s1 and assad zaman DELIEVERED. boy did he deliver. i absolutely love him, i am naming my three children after him

claudia 💔 it was obvious what was coming since she was introduced in s1. delainey hayles brought such complexity to the role. i can't believe she's english like jacob anderson, admittedly my familiarity with new orleans accent is limited so idk how well they did. madeleine was also excellent. im insane about it

daniel molloy both younger and elder.... so good. loved seeing the friendship growing between him and louis and their history. loved seeing him and armand being insane in a room together. daniel molloy the accidental couples therapist that you are ❤️

other notes:

i am glad i'm not french because i think their accents would bother me lol. (gus fring breaking bad's spanish really took me out of what was otherwise a great performance). Even while not speaking French I could tell a few were meh, especially secondary actors. But I also know this must be difficult to do, and if it doesn't impact the performance too much it's fine.

the sartre cameo and daft punk reference.. im lmao. but apart from that the level of detail and care given to recreating post war paris... just phenomenal

i'm starting to think maybe i just like vampires. I was always like 'vampires arent really my thing and buffy is the exception' but idk idk maybe i'll read the books

[ichorai]

tag games ! tagging for any of the following tag games : @taylorsvrs, @jiya-jale, @horrorwild, @bowieandqueen11, @richeeduvie, @curryaboo, @klahaist, @shirehobbit, @targaryeirene, @babygirlyofthevale, @aimlesslywanderingthings, @aegonmixup, @bornbetter, @fairysluna, @parkerflix, @a-asterias, @runningmunson, @sofietargaryen, @kiwicider, @oneeyedvisenya, @xfancyuu, @sanccharine, @dearsnow, @beaconofthehightower, @captainkilly, any of the lovely folks who tagged me in the following games, and any of my followers who wanna join in (pls tag me) !! <3

tagged by : @bluebirdsboi <3

song stuck in my head: succession (main title theme) by nicholas britell

last song i listened to: teardrop by massive attack (sooo good)

top three foods: cheesecake, seafood, chicken w/ sambal <3

last thing googled: 'antz cast' HAHA

dream trip: new zealand :( or croatia!

anything i want right now: to finish my milestone series sigh

tagged by : @typingfool and @peachjaem00 !! rules : shuffle your playlist and post the top ten tracks !

headlines - rupert gregson-williams & lorne balfe

edge of seventeen - stevie nicks

paradise found - michael giacchino

angel - theory of a deadman

the crown of jaehaerys - ramin djawadi

ezio's family - jesper kyd

trip switch - nothing but thieves

andante agitato - nicholas britell

link up - metro boomin

taro - alt-j

hotd tag game ! tagged by : @randomdragonfires <3 and tagging @jotterjots for the wonderful questions, too !!

who's your favorite character? what draws you to them? i'm gonna say rhaenyra is my favorite character :( particularly nyra when she's older. that's literally my queen fr

what's your favorite episode of the season? defo ep 8 :) the infamous dinner episode

what is your favorite line from the season? gosh there's just so many but when nyra says, "exhausting, wasn't it? hiding beneath the cloak of your own righteousness." UGH it's utter perfection

which actor's portrayal is your favorite? they're all so good :( paddy considine plays a brilliant viserys throughout all his stages and emma d'arcy is amazing as rhaenyra too <3

which character would you most want to be stuck on a deserted island with? i Want to say aemond bcs i love that man to pieces but i have a feeling he wouldn't like me very much so imma go with jace :)

name a minor character you want to know more about! the cargyll twins !!! would love to see more of their relationship and how the war splits them apart

who's character arc are you most interested to see continued, for better or worse? definitely aemond, i would love to see how they develop his character next season esp after luke's death

who's your most anticipated new character of season two? CREGAN STARK !!!!!!! MY MAN <3 also daeron targaryen bcs i Need to see that mfer rn

which is your favorite dragons of the ones we saw? i think we only saw her for like half a second but dreamfyre my love <3

what's your favorite relationship from this season? rhaenyra and her sons :(

link one or more of your favorite pieces of fanart! this brilliant piece by @mothdoly !! and this one by @4yvle1, the colors are gorgeous !!!

link one or more of your favorite fics! oh god i have way too many but i've reblogged all of them onto my ficrecs blog, @ichorkurt !! over 45 of my hotd ficrecs are linked here.

link one or more of your favorite gifsets! this gorgeous nyra set by @margoterobbies, and this amazing aemond set by @nina-zcnik :)

tagged by : @itsapapisongo <3

currently reading: elektra vol.2 (1996) comics favorite color: mm beige and sage green :) last movie: dead presidents (1995) sweet/spicy/sour: spicy but the sweet kind of spicy yk? currently working on: a roman fanfic for my milestone series :) we're almost at 40k words fr !!!

[dvggered]

A garment bag is tossed onto the original bed as Jackie welcomed herself into Rebekahs room. "Here," she says. Despite attempting to remain neutral, she can not help the excitement that leaks into her voice. Usually, she was quite the actor. Perhaps now it was merely the fact she didn't need to keep an act. "I met a group of girls down at this antique shop. They're from a few towns over. They now think you and me are their total bffs for life, and we are attending a valentines day formal, aka. pretty dresses, alcohol, human boys, and fun. " not to mention - plenty of opportunities to feed without issue in their own residence

Rebekah turns to the sound of Jackie entering her room, smiling as the hybrid drops a bag and starts making herself comfortable. She has a quick flashback to a time when she didn't trust the hybrid at all and was more likely to rip her heart out than to be planning a girls night of sorts. She can't help but let out a small chuckle at how far they had come to just be casually entering each other spaces but Jackie was always welcome here. Rebekah absolutely adores Jackie now and can't imagine letting anyone close enough to hurt her, not that Jackie really needs the backup but Rebekah would be there anyway.

“My god, I knew nurturing our friendship was a brilliant idea but I didn't realize how much I'd come to love these girl's night out escapades. That is exactly what we need right now.” before she even finished her sentence she walks over to unzip the bag with full confidence shes going to love whatever Jackie had found for her tonight. Jackie has the best fashion sense and she knows Rebekah's style easily by now with their little “adventures”.

Rebekah unzips the bag to find a gorgeous dress and as predicted, she can't wait to try it on. She pulls the beautiful dress from the bag and lays it against her body, spinning in a few circles and testing the way it flares out at the bottom. “ I love that you know exactly what to bring me. This is perfect Jackie. When do we leave?”

[bijoupreciieux]

debunking wizard of oz myths / urban legends part 1.  TW for mentions of suicide / suicide by hanging.

let me be clear that while a lot of myths about this film are either blown out of proportion or just straight up not true, this movie came out in 1939. hollywood was a partriarchal system & one that cared more about turning a profit than it did the safety of their actors. it would be irresponsbile to try and pretend that absolutely nothing went wrong or nobody was ever hurt as a result of MGM's negligence.

"the munchkin suicide" is the urban legend that claims that you can see a body swinging in the background when dorothy, the scarecrow, and the tinman are entering the forest about to meet the lion. there is doctored footage of this incident that has been debunked over and over but people love to post as proof regardless. this myth has had a few versions throughout the years such as the person being a director's son, a producer, a girl who wanted to play dorothy but didn't get the part etc.  but you can spot something in the background of this scene and it's a crane. 

maybe this seems random but exotic birds ( toucans & cranes ) were borrowed from the LA zoo and brought on set to give oz a more well...exotic & fantastical sort of vibe as well as to make it feel more outdoorsy as the movie's sets were all indoors. this was taken from the book, i've included a passage directly from it. 

"...Banks of gorgeous flowers were on every hand, and birds with rare and brilliant plumage sang and fluttered in the trees and bushes..."

people often argue against this saying that the bird was digitially inserted. but here's the thing, you can see the crane in the VHS footage from 1983, the first VHS release of the wizard of oz. they did not have the technology to seamlessly superimpose a bird over a hanging person, point blank period. there is footage from a 1949 trailer when the film was rereleased into theaters for the first time where you can see it's a bird. in every VHS tape release you can see it's a bird. you can also see the same bird behind judy garland when they're talking to the tinman.

something else people love to say; "you can see a person climb up a ladder & hang themselves from a tree" no you can't. the foregrounds in the film were painted, there were no real trees in the background. the set was filled with many people including director victor flemming. someone ( in fact probably more than just one person ) would have noticed if someone was committing suicide in the background. even if the person managed to go through with it in front of all those people, even if they didn't stop rolling the cameras they wouldn't have kept that footage. they would have done another take. MGM was extremely careful about their image, they simply would not have allowed a prestige film based on a beloved children's book to have footage of a hanging body. 

and again they simply didn't have the technology in the 1930's/1940's to insert a bird or anything for that matter over existing footage, and they still didn't have it in the 1980's either. but this rumor and myth might never completely die unfortunately no matter how many times it's debunked.

[moveslikeanape]

the hercules pin i was looking for was from this years disney arcade pin collection! i love the design of it, and fortunately it wasn't difficult to find at all. and as for the copyright issue with tarzan, i actually knew about that but somehow it never crossed my mind to wonder how it worked with there being tarzan merch at the parks... i'm a kingdom hearts fan, and there was a tarzan world in the very first game back in 2002 which was never featured again even though the majority of other disney worlds, including all others from the first game, have reappeared over the years. there are even flashbacks and such in other games where we'll see all the worlds the main character sora has visited, except for tarzan, which always made me a little sad. i've heard that the copyright issues related to tarzan are what's most likely causing that.

oh wow, i didn't know that about the festival of the arts, though!! i went on steve's instagram to look for the pieces you mentioned and they're gorgeous, i'm really glad to see those 3 movies getting that kind of appreciation.

ooh i see! i always keep up with disney's upcoming releases as much as i can, so i definitely was interested in frozen before i saw it too. but i think the thing that made me really fall in love with the movie was seeing the scene where anna chose to jump in front of hans to try and stop him from killing elsa, in spite of the fact that she herself was dying and was about to be saved by kristoff. i had already strongly connected with elsa and loved her character, but that particular moment just felt so unique and powerful to me.

like you, i also have trouble picking just one favorite thing about the movies i love most, but i think my love for anna and elsa both individually and together as sisters is probably the main thing that keeps me coming back to frozen! i actually do think the movie has some flaws, but i've still never stopped loving it for the past 10 years. and as for beauty and the beast, honestly, it's just such a beautiful movie that i love nearly everything about it! but i guess one of my many favorite things about it has to be the music. in my opinion howard ashman was a lyricist like no other, alan menken's score is brilliant, and the voice actors are perfect. i could listen to the soundtrack multiple times in a row without skipping a single song and not get tired of it. also, i'm sending this rather late at night when it's technically already christmas for me--so, merry christmas to you if you celebrate it, and if you don't then i just hope you have a wonderful day! and, again, i hope it's not a problem for me to be messaging you on anon like this haha.

-🌟

Hello! No worries, it'll never be a problem you messaging me like this. I enjoy your messages!

I'm so happy you were able to get your Hercules pin. That was such a great series, but I think the Hercules was the best design.

Sadly the copyright issue has been a pain for some time now. I wanna say they had the rights to their version of Tarzan until 2005 or so. After that, from what I've read, there was a lot of effort they had to go to to do anything with Tarzan. Basically had to get everything approved by ERB Estate, and I'm sure had to pay a certain amount of royalties. I remember a few years ago Steve Thompson mentioning in one of his post that the copyright was wholly with the ERB Estate, but didn't elaborate if there was any hope of new merch. I don't know if the parks thing is recent or has always been. Of course, like all businesses, there's always the possibility they never communicated that loop hole with the designers, lol.

I have yet to play Kingdom Hearts (not really into games and have nothing to play it on any anyway), but what I've seen of it looks amazing!

I always look forward to the Festival of the Arts, there's always so many amazing pieces released. There was actually a Tarzan one done by Brett Owens back in 2021 Would love to go someday… if only it weren't so expensive. If you get a chance to check out some of the other artists, I highly recommend it. Some artists on instagram I know are going are Dylan Bonner, Yesenia Moises, Ann Shen, Ryan Riller, and Ashley Taylor. Dylan and Yesenia are even doing Anastasia pieces!!!! Never dreamed that could happen!

The Festival also features food and performing arts. They have a Disney on Broadway concert series, and Josh Strickland (the original Tarzan on Broadway) will be performing again this year!

I love your reasons for loving Frozen. I completely agree, the moment with Anna was so powerful… best part of the movie!

Howard Ashman was amazing, one of the best storytellers ever. He had such an incredible gift, and the world is a poor place without him. I definitely get on the soundtrack, Alan did such a fantastic job setting the tone/mood for the film.

Thank you so much for your Christmas wishes! A very Merry Christmas to you and yours as well! Hope you have a wonderful day!

[meerkatandthesloth]

Excellence

Right now, the sloth and I are obsessed with this group of singers and dancers called Ateez. They’re fun, they're energetic, they're gorgeous and best of all, they're absolutely fantastic at what they do.

Ateez is based in Korea, which is why you might not have heard of them, although they’re gaining global recognition pretty fast. I’m intentionally not calling them a K-pop group because I don’t like the term. Specifically, I don’t like how, depending on where an artist is from, their origin is seen as a defining characteristic of their work. Korean pop singers produce K-pop. Japanese pop singers produce J-pop. But I haven't heard the term A-pop before, because if you're an American pop singer, what you produce is simply pop. The word 'K-pop' suggests that all Korean pop songs are more similar to each other than they are to any other pop music produced around the world. Generalizations like that are not only unnecessary and inaccurate, they can be harmful. In this instance, to Korean artists. Have you ever heard someone say 'I don't like K-pop' after hearing one or two songs by one specific band? The term K-pop puts a wide variety of works and musicians in one box, which is unnecessary, disrespectful and limiting. In my opinion. Anyway, we've come a bit off topic.

The reason I’m obsessed with Ateez is because they boost my motivation to do well. Don't worry. I am not an aspiring musician running after my idols and producing my own hopeful yet sadly lacking interpretations of their work. Far from it. I can't even read sheet music. I am a horse trainer. But that's not the point.

The point is excellence. Competitors at an athletics championship, a duo of brilliant acrobats at a small circus, a fantastic comedian and pianist with his own show, a superb actor, a great book; all of these have given me this big boost of motivation before. I just love it when people are good at what they do. To me, there is nothing more beautiful than seeing someone do what they love, what they’re born to do, and do it well. It doesn’t matter what it is that people are doing. If it has that feeling of true talent and ability, it gets me going.

Right now, that is Ateez. The members of Ateez are insanely talented, they obviously love what they do to the core and they work super hard to get better every chance they get. And you see that passion and that discipline in every move they make. Watching them is watching excellence. To me, that is pure inspiration. All it takes right now is an Ateez song for me to go out in the cold and the rain, work an hour longer, train another horse, face a situation I am scared of, and then do yoga in the evening to improve my physical abilities. Because witnessing excellence makes me want to go out and work hard towards excellence myself.

Do other people feel like that? Do you ever watch someone and feel like you're seeing skill in its purest form? And does that not only give you joy but also an almost desperate desire to reach that height, to climb the mountain where those giants live, and to be one of them? I do hope so, because riding that wave of inspiration is a great feeling, and it can carry you far even on days when you're too tired to walk.

So thank you, excellent people, for your time, for your sweat and your tears. I hope you know that your hard work may lift up not only yourselves but other who appreciate your skill and whom you inspire to reach for the stars. I hope you know that your accomplishments have the power to change lives, maybe in small ways, but with important impacts. Your strength can give strength to others. I hope I can do the same for someone someday.

-weird always, meerkat