#truly spooky day worthy

[teatimesims]

shock and horror, there's an actual baby in my game.

[supercalifragipopculturevomit]

THE BEST OF DANIEL BRÜHL

It’s dumb, honestly.

You get this seemingly brilliant idea of turning to foreign films so you’re forced to read subtitles and focus—a problem you’ve been noticing of late—but in doing so, you end up with a more destructive distraction.

“Who’s that guy, again? The one in all those international productions?” That’s how I found myself on my Daniel Brühl marathon-turned-obsession.

It was his role as the cute Nazi in Inglorious Basterds that first put him on my radar. Over the years, I would see him in The Fifth Estate, Burnt, Woman in Gold, The Zookeeper’s Wife, and The King’s Man. Midway through All Quiet on the Western Front, I was like, “All this needs is that German actor…” and I had to chuckle when he later appeared on screen. I also checked out the first season of The Alienist because I was intrigued by what he and Dakota Fanning as leads would do with such a spooky-looking show.

Adorable as he was in his breakout role in Good Bye, Lenin!, it was his performance in the critically-acclaimed Rush that caused me to spiral. Similar to when Benedict Cumberbatch took on the modern version of Sherlock, it was like seeing Brühl with new eyes. His playful take on Helmut Zemo in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier was the final nail in the coffin. I don’t imagine it’s all too different from what Tom Hiddleston did to fans of Marvel as Loki.

I’m actually at the tail-end of this obsession now that I’ve seen everything I can get a hold of—around 39 films, two TV shows, a documentary, a music video, countless interviews, a bunch of ads, and a handful of fan cuts—but he has a lot of works worth recommending so I thought I would share them on here. This will mostly be a subjective list with priority on projects I found most interesting which showcase his range best. Like, I enjoyed The Bourne Ultimatum but he was on screen for a total of 2 minutes so I wouldn’t include that here.

RUSH (2013) This biographical sports film written by Peter Morgan—the man behind The Crown—centers on the rivalry between Formula One drivers James Hunt and Niki Lauda in the 70s. Not a fan of F1 or sports in general. I have nothing against either, just zero interest. But this character-driven film, much like Ford vs Ferrari, had me at the edge of my seat the entire ride. And it surprisingly has one of the best meet-cutes—and accidental wingmen—I’ve seen yet.

Brühl delivers an Oscar-worthy performance in this role. For someone who needed a lot of convincing he could do the character justice, he truly went above and beyond. For one, he befriended and studied Lauda, the iconic F1 figure he was portraying. No easy feat considering Lauda being, well… Lauda. In interviews, Brühl recounts the story of the memorable invite he got from Lauda to meet in Vienna. This would be their first meeting and Lauda told Brühl outright that he should only bring hand luggage so he can piss off if they don’t like each other.

He would end up staying a few days and buying additional clothes.

He also spent a month in Vienna to nail the accent, making sure to capture the arrogance and irony innate to it. And although he got driver training for the role, he also considered the tiniest details like which went on first: helmet or gloves? There was also the tricky business of looking graceful entering a tiny F1 car—a bigger challenge for Chris Hemsworth who plays Hunt—but an obstacle all the same.

All the hard work paid off. It was well-received by audiences, critics, and the F1 world. The first time Lauda saw the film he went, “Holy shit, that’s really me”. Lauda’s friends thought he did voiceover work for it. Director Ron Howard was so pleased with Brühl’s performance that he went out of his way to show an unfinished cut of the movie to the producers of The Fifth Estate (2013). This gracious act would land Brühl the co-lead role opposite Benedict Cumberbatch.

GOOD BYE, LENIN! (2003) Can't tell if it's just because the two films have the same composer and were created around the same time, but this tragicomedy set in East Germany reminded me so much of my beloved Amélie. This is definitely more dramatic and political but it has that same mix of whimsy, heart, and charm. With its budget, it was meant to be an indie film, but the story of a son who would recreate a faux-socialist world to keep his mother alive captured the heartstrings of audiences, not just in Germany but also worldwide. Brühl plays the son and his success with this film was a double-edged sword: although it would open doors for him internationally, he would also be typecast as the “nice guy” in his home country.

INGLORIOUS BASTERDS (2009) This has one of the best, most intense opening sequences in all of cinema… and one of the greatest villains. In this wild alternate universe from Quentin Tarantino, he rewrites the ending of World War II. It’s the right balance of dark, hilarious, and entertaining—my favorite from the auteur’s works. Here Brühl plays a cute and charming Nazi, which is very confusing to the senses.

Aside from Brühl, it was also my first introduction to Christoph Waltz, Michael Fassbender, and Melanie Laurent—all fantastic European actors who’ve crossed over to Hollywood after the success of this movie. “Crossing over” seems ubiquitous now but, at that time, giving most of the lead roles to then relatively unknown actors must have been a risk. But for this, it was necessary. Language plays a huge part in this trilingual film and casting native speakers grounded it in authenticity. Tarantino originally had Leonardo di Caprio in mind to play Hans Landa. Whether he meant for him to learn German or to speak English with a German accent, who knows. Either way, it’s safe to say that would have been a different film.

THE EDUKATORS / DIE FETTEN JAHRE SIND VORBEI (2004) This anti-capitalist film, which has become a cult classic, captures the spirit, idealism, recklessness, and angst of young revolutionaries who just want a better world. Where one stands on the measures taken, or even their sentiment, can be considered a litmus test. With or without reference to this quote from the movie—“Under 30 and not liberal, no heart. Over 30 and still liberal, no brain.”—is up to the viewer.

There needs to be a suspension of disbelief for the series of events that takes place but the setting is necessary for the clash of worlds to happen. It’s not a perfect movie but the issues they debate about in length… they’re still discussions we’re having nearly 20 years later.

p.s. this has my favorite behind-the-scenes of all of Brühl’s projects. Though he hasn’t lost his sense of humor, he seems to have become more reserved as he got older. HERE, at this period in his life, he’s a total goofball bordering on loose cannon.

THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER (2021) Though I’ve enjoyed quite a few MCU movies, I’m not invested in the universe at all, so watching this wasn’t a priority. In fact, I was ready to settle on YouTube compilations made by devoted fans of all the scenes Brühl was in. Upon seeing clips, however, I got intrigued by his character so I still ended up watching the miniseries and also Captain America: Civil War (2016).

Both were better than I expected. Civil War is more serious, while TFATWS is more playful, but both face relevant issues along with formidable foes. Brühl’s villain in Helmut Zemo is fascinating because he tears the mighty Avengers apart with mere patience, fury, and intelligence… and his motivations are understandable. He lets his character loose in TFATWS—at one point, on the dance floor—and it’s magnificent. His mission is still the same, but this time he does it with a lot of charm, humor, and fabulous Sokovian style. A Turkish delight, personified.

ME AND KAMINSKI / ICH UND KAMINSKI (2015) Brühl’s Sebastian Zöllner is a repulsive and sleazy journalist who has greasy hair and wears too much cologne but I can’t get enough of his chaotic energy. His magnum opus is hitched on a legendary artist dying and his fantasy is to turn the orphaned daughter into a sugar mommy. It’s all kinds of messed up but he plays the hell out of the smarmy dirtbag so it’s a lot of fun. This is Brühl’s second collaboration with Wolfgang Becker, who directed Good Bye, Lenin! Daniel Kehlmann, the writer whose eponymous book this film was based on, would later write Brühl’s directorial debut, Nebenan.

NO REGRETS / NICHTS BEUREUEN (2001) This is reminiscent of the slightly problematic but highly enjoyable teen comedies and coming-of-age films of the 90s. It’s like an edgier Can’t Hardly Wait: boy goes through cringe-worthy measures to get the girl he’s long been pining for, his two closest pals have nothing but dumb advice to offer, yet he still ends up on the path to self-discovery. It’s awkward, chaotic, frustrating, and beautiful—but such is adolescence.

Brühl and his co-star Jessica Schwarz fall in love on the set of this film. And although they would break up years later, the tenderness between their scenes together is palpable and there’s something rather bittersweet about seeing that captured in perpetuity.

For a more straightforward rom-com, he has Lila, Lila (2009). It’s about a guy who passes off a manuscript as his own to impress a girl and the hilarity that follows. It’s on YouTube for those who need a fun and light watch.

THE ALIENIST (2018 – 2020) Based on the novel of the same name, this moody psychological thriller set in late 19th century New York follows a psychiatrist—then called an Alienist—who investigates a series of grisly murders with methods still considered new and controversial at that time, such as psychology and fingerprinting. He gets by with a little help from his friends, John Moore, an illustrator for the New York Times, and Sara Howard, a society woman who works in the NYPD.

In the lead role of Dr. Laszlo Kreizler, Brühl plays the dark, complex, and mysterious Alienist whose study of mental pathologies and deviant behaviors reveals much of himself and his past.

LESSONS OF A DREAM / DER GANZ GROßE TRAUM (2011) This film is loosely based on Konrad Koch, an educator and pioneer who brought football to Germany in the late 19th century. In the movie, the sport is used as a means to pique students’ interest in the English language and culture—both considered barbaric by the Germans at that time. A heartwarming tale of a teacher who overcomes insurmountable odds and inspires students along the way, it’s the German equivalent of Dead Poet’s Society.

ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT (2022) This story, the third adaptation of the 1929 novel, “Im Westen nichts Neues”, conveys the futility of war like no other. There aren't as many films on World War I as there are on World War II, fewer ones that tell it from a German perspective, so this is doubly unique in that regard. Powerful watch but 10/10 not like to relive it again. Apart from producing it with his company, Amusement Park, Brühl plays Matthias Erzberger, the German State Secretary who pushes for armistice talks with the Allied forces.

An ideal companion watch to this would be Joyeux Noël / Merry Christmas (2005), another WWI movie Brühl stars in, which depicts the unbelievable Christmas truce between French, German, and Scottish soldiers in 1914. His linguistic ability shines here as he shifts between German, French, and English effortlessly. (Half German, half Spanish, Brühl speaks a total of five languages: those three plus Spanish and Catalan.)

The Zookeeper’s Wife (2017) and Alone in Berlin (2016) also recognize the bravery of defiance at the height of tyrannical regimes. Although between the two, I would skip the latter.

JOHN RABE (2009) This biographical film set in China tells the incredible true story of a German businessman who uses his Nazi Party membership to create an International Safety Zone in Nanking. This was in the late 1930s, during the Rape of Nanjing. In this six-week carnage by the Imperial Japanese Army—which includes sexual assault, mutilations, and killing contests—upwards of 200,000 Chinese are brutally murdered. The protective zone manages to save around the same number of civilians.

Brühl doesn’t play the titular Rabe, but his character, Dr. Georg Rosen, is one of few Westerners who decides to remain and protect Nanking even as conflict escalates. Dr. Rosen was a German Diplomat instrumental in the creation of the safety zone.

p.s. with all these heroic roles in his catalog, I’m convinced Brühl would be a frontrunner to play President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, should a movie be made about him and Ukraine’s conflict with Russia. You heard it here first.

NEXT DOOR / NEBENAN (2021) This is Brühl’s directorial debut. Here he plays a darker, fictionalized version of himself. Definitely not for everyone but quite enjoyable if you’re familiar with his major works and public persona, appreciate the ingenuity of one-location movies, and delight in British-style meta humor.

Pre-requisite viewing for maximum enjoyment: Good Bye, Lenin!, Captain America: Civil War, and The Falcon and the Winter Soldier.

[fandom-go-round]

Yooo~ let's go it's spooky month, so let's get started with Yandere FGO servants~ with Yandere Shuten Douji, Minamoto no Raikou and Demon King Nobunaga~

Warnings: Yandere, Unhealthy Relationships, Stalking, Kidnapping, Implied Sexual Assault, Implied Murder, Emotional Manipulation, Physical Manipulation, Implied Physical Assault, Denying Food/Water

Shuten Douji:

Demons just love differently than humans. That’s what Shuten tells you and herself, if you ever ask about the bruises and why she keeps you on such a short leash. She doesn’t mean to hurt you; she’s too strong and forgets herself. You’re so fragile, how can she not want to keep you safe and to herself? It starts out slowly, Shuten realizing she wants you. It’s so rare for anyone to be this interesting she hardly believes it herself.

She’s good at playing the long game, surprisingly. It’s more about breaking your resolve than anything. You can’t get away from her, will never be able to and the sooner you accept it the smoother everything will go. Shuten will be disappointed if you give in too faster however, she wants you to make her work for it. Boredom is the bane of her existence after all.

She loves it when you cry. Tears get her excited, sexually and not. Plead and beg all you want she’s not going to change anything until you’re crying. Does it help you at all? Not really. Shuten doesn’t change her mind based on tears and will sometimes lose control from getting too excited. It’s getting harder and harder to explain the broken bones but no one has put the pieces together yet and she’ll indulge as long as she can.

Minamoto no Raikou:

Raikou will never truly realize what’s going on. You can blame it on her being a Berserker but it’s deeper than that. She truly believes she’s taking care of you and no one can convince her otherwise. It makes her one of the most dangerous yanderes; the more she falls for you, the more rules she puts in place and the harder it gets to stay in her good graces.

She keeps up the ‘mom’ act until she breaks, insisting on giving you advise and protecting you. As she gets more obsessed, Raikou will push boundaries more and more. She wants you to sit in her lap or let her feed you, mother will take care of everything just relax. It becomes harder and harder to deny her, especially when she gets a certain look in her eye. She’s not against using her strength to force you to do what she wants.

Raikou wants to take care of you forever. All she wants is your trust and undying loyalty. She’s your partner, of course she’s going to do what’s best for you. And if you don’t listen? If you continue to be a stubborn child? Raikou doesn’t want to hurt you but naughty children need discipline. Maybe a spanking and going to bed without dinner will help curb your attitude.

Demon King Nobunaga:

You should be honored that Nobunaga thinks you’re worthy of her attention. She’s the greatest general in the world, the best warlord; anyone else in your position would be tripping over themselves for her attention. She won’t ever admit she wants your attention focused solely on her; you should be the one showering her in praise. It can be hard to keep track of her moods, Nobu goes from happy one moment to pissed off the next. It keeps you on eggshells and your attention focused on her.

She does her best to make you dependent on her, if not physically than emotionally. She’ll spend days showering you with attention and then go cold, making you think you’ve done something wrong. Nobu does her best to hide the smug grin on her face when you come crawling to her, apologies on your lips for things you don’t even know. She loves seeing you desperate for her.

Nobu isn’t subtle about trying to keep you to herself and the others do their best to mediate. It doesn’t help that you’re either oblivious or slowly falling for her; no one is going to be able to talk you out of taking her on missions if you want. Nobu makes you her right hand and excepts you to do the same. Depend on her and she’ll never betray you; you’re hers and she won’t give you up, she’d rather you be dead.

[silky-silks]

Minty reminds me of a Minecraft sniffer, just as fluffy and cute :3

Well My Fellow Friend, I have to say

Minty is a Minecraft Sniffer

Well, a rejected one but I wont get too deep in that. Actually scratch that I will. Have a lore dump for you! (get your pen and paper ready because im literally about to spew 100 hours worth of pointless words)

Minty is a boy, he was part of a group of Sniffers I like to call "Sneezes."

(A group of Sniffers in my opinon is going to be called Sneeze.)

He was originally the smallest of the group until one day after randomly wandering around he finds a hanging hand parasite from oak tree. At first it had no name. Suddenly the hand parasite attached its body to Minty, casuing him to grow to a arrangment of teeth on his back as well as a awful red hue. The hand soon was able to speak, in a rather cheery and very yappy voice. Now its to note these two had no offcial name so Syrup and Minty just really didnt refer to each other as name. Also Minty cannot talk, only can make noises.

When the connection happens. Syrup explains to Minty how he got stuck in that tree. Minty surprisnly doesnt seem to mind Syrup as in his "Sneeze"no one really talked. He was interested so he kept Syrup around.

Personality

Syrup as usual is the talker of the duo while Minty is reserved in quiet. The share one thing is common and that is their curiosity. The only difference is Syrup can express his with words while Minty can only say "dum".

Goals:

One day walking through a village they saw a villager trading with someone. Syrup wanted to try it out but failed miserably as no one wanted their "good" (They didnt understand how worthy emeralds were) and couldnt really get info as the villagers became rather annoyed or scared if Syrup and Minty due to their weird looks. Determined to fit in with the group, they looked everywhere and met with other humans "Steve and Alex" to learn how to trade, along the way they discover mining and archelogy.

Other Lore Spooky Month (Oc Based)

They stay relatively the same in design for Spooky month, and I have shown a bit of then interacting with Nina and Grant

(characters belonging to ericvelseb666)

Their prescese was alarming to everyone there, literally everyone was like "WHO THE FUCK IS THAT".

Syruo became nervous and Minty grew protective of his friend. As he deliver bites and growls they were scared off by Jack and John until Stumbling across a holy site. Starry Night Bakery. Inside Syrup saw all the cool sweets, and with the little money they had at the time (more of stolen as some guy dropped their wallet and ran), they ordered a lot of Turnovers and snacks from Nina and Grant. Not understanding change they left a bit too much money and hurried off with their snacks.

(old art, this was a redone concept deisgn when I didnt know what I wanted to do with them yet)

It was the first time they felt truly accepted, and they did miss Nina and Grant as they didnt go all "Oh my god what is that?!" on them. Syrup wishes to work there but stays hidden for now. Until they heard she was hiring. And Well you get what happened next. They realize the lacked a proper name, so they gave themselves one. Well Syrup names Minty, "Minty" for his colors and Syrup names himself Syrup after eating pancakes some stranger left for them with the strange liquid on top.

Minus the Frank torture, Syrup and Minty were a grateful duo. They stuck close to Nina and Grant, and for the first time Minty became more "emotional". Always flapping his ears, sniffing and nose booping, even doing little stomps when he sees Grant. (He mistakes Grant for a sniffer for some god forsaken reason)

Syrup will bring Torchflowers for Nina whenever they can as a sign of "thanks" as they are very very grateful monsters.

WELCOME HOME

Not much content on this one as I am still working on a offical deisng for them. But Minty and Syrup are just trying to understand the universe and what is happening with HOME and the rest of the puppets.

Due to their odd looks, the neighborhood was quite questionable.

But for the meantime, Minty hates Frank for inspecting Syrup. Poor guy got Mauled.

Oh and they became uber drivers in the backrooms. Why? Dont know. Currently trying to shove them in Cuphead, so they may end up working for the devil BUT are saved by angels as they are just desperate for some work. Besides they suck at contracts, the devil himself got tired of them.

YOU CALLED AN UBER??????

CONCLUSION

Thats Minty and Syrup for ya! I know you didn't ask for all of this but hey i Wanted to treat you with some rather cool lore. So if ya choose to ignore all of this that's fine!

[egg-emperor]

Do you think one of the reasons Eggman likes spooky locations is so he can taunt and exert power over the ghosts of his victims?

I definitely like to imagine it being part of the appeal of the spooky locations Eggman takes over. He likes charging into abandoned haunted places and announcing that it's his place now to do with as he pleases with smugness and pride and that they can't do anything about it because they're dead. He likes tearing parts of them down to replace with statues of his visage like Hang Castle/Mystic Mansion too.

Then he has the nerve to call them stupid for haunting his castle and acting like they own the place with a get off my turf attitude like in Shadow 2005, as if the bastard wasn't the one who just came in and acted like he owned the place and spat on their graves (sometimes literally just to be even more of an asshole about it, with the tombstones that are at some of these spooky locations) and disturbed their previously peaceful afterlife smh !!!

And as much as he can find them a nuisance when he dare to cause trouble for him as if the asshole isn't asking for it, another part of the appeal is adding to that ghost count. Saying he's going to give them some new little friends, so they should thank him really! That may be some of the poor small critters or any of his enemies that are either killed by the defense systems he sets in place or he takes matters into his own hands.

He'd enjoy threatening that he's going to throw his enemies right into the graves that are already there after he kills them, considering the times he's said Sonic is entering his tomb or arriving to his own funeral lol. And his victims will find they can't escape him and find freedom from his power and empire even in death, like how the ghosts that could have once been critters were trapped in the capsule in Sandopolis.

He'll say they'll always belong to him to do with as he pleases and will witness him in power and control of everything once he succeeds in taking over the world, whether they're alive or not! I can see it being one of the reasons he doesn't hold back on killing people before the day comes, as they don't even need to live to see, he'll make sure they do even in their afterlife. He'll make it an... unliving? undead? hell XD

Though it's a bit different with Sonic himself because he wants to feel the total satisfaction of showing him everything completed before he kills him so he feels like he's truly defeated him, broken him down, and proven himself to him once and for all before the big finish, which is why he kept him alive in Forces. Though I imagine he'd hope to get rid of that nuisance forever in all forms and completely erase his spirit too lol

But yeah he'd love to torment and mock his fallen enemies spirits whenever he's around, saying that he owns them both them and this spooky resting place to those of them that existed there prior to him taking it over. And when it comes to the ones he added to the count himself, he rubs in that fact that he killed them and proved his power over them and tells them they weren't worthy of life in comparison to his brilliant superior being.

He doesn't give them beautiful resting places, the ones he kills himself are just thrown into the graves of the previously buried on top of them in shallow holes. He defiles the tombstones and etches in crude epitaphs mocking them and spits, pisses, and dances on them when he's feeling especially cheeky. Others won't get a stone or even a hole at all as he traps them in his capsules, castles, or mansions.

And if he can't rid of Sonic's spirit then you bet he's not gonna let him have peace or interfere and will use the same methods to try to mock him further and exert power over him too. If he manages to at least do that, they'll still be the bright side of getting to rub it in every day that he killed him and got what he wanted, the world belongs to him and he lives and thrives while Sonic can only watch helplessly from the afterlife!

But yeah I imagine that he loves spooky scary locations for multiple reasons- he likes the aesthetic and atmosphere that scares people as it it's like a real life scary spooky attraction experience like the artificial ones at theme parks that he loves just as much, he likes taking any abandoned place and defiling and taking it over to serve his selfish desires, and he also really loves trapping and mocking ghosts!

[msookyspooky]

OMFG?? I don’t even know what to say spooky?? The latest chapter was literal perfection, so fucking worth the wait! Don’t think I can be normal until the next chapter, that ending will be on my mind every waking minute (honestly every sleeping minute too lmoa) cuz oml WOW!! Your mind and absolute talent just never seizes to amazing me, I’m truly speechless. This is definitely in my top 3 chapters of the whole set up series. I’m simply so blown away at your writing and the way you just know these characters like your own hand. I’m so excited and cannot wait until the next chapter because wow, the drama that is about to unfold wow (Don’t wanna spoil anyone).

Getting the notification for every chapter you post always lights up my day, always wait until the afternoon so I can give it my full attention. And i’m always left sitting more intrigued and so stunned by your sheer talent. I don’t even think I can find a word to describe it well enough, I’m truly obsessed ahah. Hope you have the most fantastic day ever, you definitely deserve it<333

THANK YOU DARLING UR SO KIND!! 🖤🖤🖤

But I actually thought 'Oh this chapter is so boring ppl will think it's a filler' just to be pleasantly shocked so thank you 😅💝

For someone whose Scream hyperfixation died months ago and I feel like idk the theme anymore the second I start...STU out of all of them is second nature which is so freaking bizarre because he's the opposite of my personality. Followed by Billy. Then YN trying not to make her a mary sue bc her words and choices aren't mine but she's gotta be self insert worthy, ya know?

I hope I won't take a whole month this time but thank you sm for this it means a lot that you enjoy my writing and really really really urges me to get these chapters out faster!! 🥲🥰❤

[geekgemsspooksandtoons]

I just watched the original Godzilla.

It’s been years since I’ve watched it. Don’t know if I’ll make my review very detailed. But yeah, been a long time since I’ve rewatched it.

You know, when I was watching this film. I had worried my thoughts on it might’ve been overblown. Thinking of it as a harrowing horror film that truly stands the test of time despite Godzilla changing as a character for whatever story he’s been in and with how history as gone on. I had worried about that.

But you know what?

This film is still impactful still to this day. It just only gets better as the film plays.

I’m wondering of where to start out this little review here. I think I’ll just say this is still just as powerful. Especially when I saw it as a kid. The themes are still really heavy with how the film goes on and things get more intense. With characters that are legit likable, and everyone gives a fantastic performance. A bonus mention to all the extras that give out great performances that really showcase the terror of what’s happening. Along with other excellent performances from Akihiko Hirata and Takashi Shimura. Again, everyone does a great job.

The score is fantastic and fits the mood whenever it’s played. Particularly “Prayer for Peace” that really sells the tone of this film nearing its end. Especially playing during the end.

Let’s not forget Godzilla, the scenes with him are great as well. Who is played by Haruo Nakajima, and he does a good job with what is shot on film. I gotta admit, Godzilla is truly spooky in black and white. But it’s that roar that really haunts you. 

Listen, a lot has been said about this film already. Other than that, I watched this with subtitles, and I plan to do the same with Mothra vs Godzilla and Ghidorah The Three-Headed Monster. And that while I don’t mind the 1956 version with Raymond Burr. It’s not as impactful as the original version and in my humorous way of explaining it. It’s like adding a self-insert DLC character into an existing movie. Edit update I want to say that 1956 version isn’t a bad film. But I think Up From The Depths explains it well in his review here. It’s as valid as the original 1954 version. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFkTlvYWH6E&t=206s

And having said this before. Even though this was originally released in Japan. I legitimately feel like this film is as worthy as King Kong (1933) to be in a national film registry. I’m hoping Japan has something of their own. But yeah, this film is still a masterpiece.

[photog-crafty]

It would be easy to dismiss the Sanctus as a gimmick bike, only worth driving around Halloween. It was a mistake I made myself. It shares a lot of parts with the Avarus, so I thought it was just an Avarus with a skull and some spooky mods made as a quick cashgrab. But, it turned out that the Sanctus was a motorcycle unlike any other, with unholy amounts of torque that allowed it to drift across town and dared you to fully open the throttle. Not to mention it sounded utterly badass, and with some practice it could climb two-story walls like something out of a horror movie. This bike wasn't silent, but it was definitely a killer.

In a similar vein, this Ruffian evokes imagery of the Headless Horseman. The Ruffian's different headlights were classified as extras, and with the use of a very simple glitch, it was possible to obtain one with none at all. Driving it at night was very interesting.

Is "Apocalypse Deathbike" a band name? It should be. This bike was born out of the pursuit of speed. The Gargoyle was famous for a glitch that propelled it to very high speeds when popping a wheelie with specific wheels installed, and this quality persisted when it was upgraded into the Apocalypse or Nightmare variants of the Deathbike. Then, low grip tires were glitched on to it for even more speed, and coupled with its built-in jump, this bike became truly worthy of the War Boys.

The fact that there were two Sanchez models in GTA made it a no-brainer to have one with standard tires and one with low grips. Surprisingly, it was much more controllable than I expected, but it lost a lot of its stunt potential.

This Manchez Scout was a last-minute addition to the collection during the initial low grip tire rush. Trying to paint up this one was even more difficult, and the end result was very lacking all around. The extra speed was noticeable, but it couldn't hold a candle to other, faster motorcycles, and it handled like a drunk squirrel. This is a bike I wouldn't hesitate to sell if push came to shove.

The BF400 was an example of low grip tires done well. Its already high speed got a nice kick, and the handling was just loose enough to be fun. With a color-matched livery to make it look sharp, this was a bike I took out quite a bit when I wanted to ride on the wild side.

The Sovereign was a rare vehicle in more ways than one. It was only available during the Independence Day week, and it was pretty darn slow, so seeing one in the wild was an uncommon occurrence. In addition, one of its quirks was that it wasn't able to be painted because of the American flag livery. This one here had that overridden with a midnight purple paint job that turned the livery into a subtle detail, visible if you looked very closely.

While its performance was completely unremarkable in every way, the Diabolus Custom had so many customizations and looked so cool that I rode it all the time nonetheless. I gave it a vivid purple-chrome secondary color and carefully masked it off to make the bike look like it had a glowing, futuristic power core. It was fitting that the Diabolus Custom also had an unusually powerful headlight, making it quite useful as a portable spotlight when people needed illumination for a scene.

Also known as the $2,500,000 Bati, the Shinobi was a welcome addition to the game's bike roster that was also an example of rampant in-game inflation. Sure, it had some cool mods, and we hadn't gotten a new sports bike in years, but it drove almost exactly the same as a bike from the game's launch in 2013 that was equally competitive and could be had for less than one percent of the Shinobi's price tag. Move over, Lynx.

Installing low grip tires on a Shotaro resulted in one of the most amazing bikes of my GTA career. The Shotaro was so naturally grippy that the loss in handling was almost imperceptible if you weren't specifically trying to throw it out, and the added speed covered the Shotaro's one weakness, making it even more exhilarating and turning it into a trick machine. Even after the nerf to low grips, I still had tons of fun with this one.

[minipliny]

9, 10, 17, 18, 19 :D

Have a plate:

9 - A book that was better than you expected it to be

I go into all books with high hopes, occasionally dashed....maybe "Future Popes of Ireland" by Darragh Martin? I picked it up because the title sounded fun and then it turned out to be a great family story and a really funny satirical sad time capsule of a changing Ireland personally and politically for the three siblings. I really loved that book in the end and there were so many parts that resonated with me, especially honestly the worst sibling who is the spoiled youngest brother and future pope who has gifted kid centre of the world syndrome to the maximum.

10 - A book that didn't live up to your expectations

"This One Sky day", Leone Ross. I am here for magical realism, I am not here for magical realism meaning that magic solves every single plot point Because Magic. Beautiful writing and lots of fascinating ideas but both the deus ex machina and the central love story did not sit right with me

17 - top five books of the year - I answered this but I read enough good books I'm going to reanswer with a new set :

Mavis Gallant, the Cost of Living. Perfect, ironic, satirical short stories in washed up postwar Paris. Funny and wince worthy sad and with the most oblique and accurate possible takes on the politics of the time

The Yield, Tara June Winch. Parallel narratives of a 19th century missionary witnessing the cruelty of Australian policies towards the Aboriginal people and a young woman returning to her family and the mystery of her sisters disappearance. Just so well written and subtle and an amazing example of a book that is a dictionary and a cultural ark and the story of why the cultural ark exists in one.

Get in trouble, Kelly Link. Hella surrealistic and brillaint and spooky short stories. Just pure catnip to me. Read "the specialists hat" online and you will see

This mournable body, Tsitsi Dangarembga. 'Nervous conditions', which this is the sequel to, really changed me, and this book is in some ways such a painful next chapter in the main character's life but so so well realised. You track her every step of the way, even into some terrible places, and you slowly walk out of them with her too.

The haunting of alma fielding, Kate Summerscale. Just a fascinating book albeit with every possible content warning for psychiatric and medical trauma in the interests of parapsychology, oh my GOD.

18 - least favourite book of the year.

I feel bad saying this about any one book! They all tried their hardest. Or tried somewhat. I don't think I read anything truly actively terrible just some books that didn't really get where they were trying to go

19 - best non fiction

I was going to say I'd have to pick a textbook, but I forgot haunting of alma fielding was non fiction! So that one :)

[arabe]

considering how long the markets extended the holiday events for, it was no doubt that she was with her young cousin one day out to the age-friendly events. ever since they knew ara was good with children, she'd become the 'token relative' to dump their kids on, despite her busy schedule. after she signed as a trainee, she made a point to say that it must be checked with her to see if she was available prior to dropping off a relative at her mom's house for her to babysit like before. but she made an exception for young soonah, who was tucked by her side as they held hands down the walkway. the goals were to see if there were any cool foods to try, check out the costumes and take some photo-op worthy shots, and most importantly - the face painting! bonus if there were cool mascots walking around but it was rather early in the day. last year soonah wanted to be a butterfly, and not anything scary, but she wonders if her cousin has turned a new leaf and leaned more into 'spooky themes' this year. maybe even a cute cat. that was cute and very halloween-esque, yes? the closer they walked to the usual stall, the louder the cheer of children were. yep, they were truly walking in the right direction. "maybe we can even pick a pumpkin and paint it or carve it this year. that would be nice, yea? what did you want to do first? did you want to... get your face painted first thing, and then walk around as whatever your character will be this year? or... at the end of the day so its freshly painted when you get home and show your mom?" she laughed at how soonah went from nodding vigorously to shaking immediately, going with the former. "alright, there's a small line here but now we have time to talk about what you want to have your face doodled as..." ara looks at the child sitting in the seat right now and there's a little boy getting his face painted as 'It'. ohhh.... "do you want to look like that?" to which soonah shakes her head no again. ah, a bit too under the age group for that series, she supposes. "okay, so what options were you thinking...?"

[charleyad]

Unleash Your Spooky Spirit: Transform Your Selfies into Haunting Halloween Portraits with iFoto's AI Headshot Generator!

Gather 'round, fellow selfie enthusiasts, and prepare to transform your ordinary Halloween portraits into something truly haunting with the help of iFoto's AI Headshot Generator. Whether you're a Halloween aficionado or just looking to add a little ghoulish flair to your day, this free tool is the perfect trick to pull off a trick-or-treat-worthy transformation.

Picture this: it's October 31st, and you've just taken a quick selfie in your costume. With the iFoto AI Headshot Generator, you can instantly swap out your face for the eeriest, most enigmatic expressions you can imagine. Imagine your face contorted into a ghostly grimace or a sinister, toothy grin. It's like having your own personal makeup artist, but without the mess and the need for a mirror.

The best part? It's as easy as uploading a photo. iFoto's AI Headshot Generator does the heavy lifting for you, analyzing your image and applying the effects in seconds. You can experiment with different styles, from the classic vampire fangs to the more modern, cyberpunk-style visages. The possibilities are as limitless as your imagination.

But here's the real kicker: this isn't just for your own amusement. Share your spooky self with friends and family, or even post it to your favorite social media platforms. Imagine the reactions you'll get when your friends see your new, eerie alter ego!

The beauty of the iFoto AI Headshot Generator lies in its simplicity and accessibility. It's free to use, and it doesn't require any technical know-how. Just visit the website, upload your photo, and let the magic happen. It's like having a fun, interactive costume party at your fingertips.

So, if you're ready to swap your regular self for a spectral sensation, give iFoto's AI Headshot Generator a try. It's the perfect way to kick off your Halloween celebrations with a touch of terror and a whole lot of fun. Your next spooky selfie awaits!

[rainisawriter]

I'm so happy you exist and I would be heart broken if you ever disappeared. You are worthy of all the love and spooky memes in the world and I'm happy I get to call you my friend.

Sometimes we feel insignificant in this big old world, but there's always at least one person out there that needs us, that wants us around, that's fueled by our smiles and our insanity.

People say that you shouldn't stop smiling because you never know who might be falling in love with your smile. It's a similar vein online. You never know who could be helping with your posts, whether it's silly little rants, a fic, a gif, a drawing... you have no idea the impact that could have on someone.

For all you know, you've saved someone's life without ever even knowing it. And to me, that's special. Even if you feel alone, there's over 7 billion people on this planet. Your people are there waiting for you to meet them so don't give up. Keep trecking through that mud because, one day, a hand will reach out to you and pull you out.

One day, you'll realize just how special you truly are.

✨ tw: mental health struggles (nothing graphic)✨

🖤🖤🖤🖤

✨✨✨✨

🖤🖤🖤🖤

It occurred to me that tonight marks two months since I didn't take myself clean off of this Earth and, though sometimes it's hard to feel great about that, a big part of me is proud that I stopped myself because I am worthy of life. I do deserve to be here and, if you're someone who deals with these thoughts like me, you're worthy too, my love.

If no one's told you this I will. I'm happy you're still here and you're not alone 🖤

[josnhoes]

Halloween.... Spooky scary skeleton 🎶

Okay since halloween is near what if humans do not exsisted in two world but as a myth, like we humans make mythos out of thin air or drugs

And child yuu just appear one day?

I'm assuming you mean twst so I'm going to write it that way. But if you meant a different Fandom feel free to message me again. Also since you didn't pick 3 characters I'm going to do a more general version then focused on characters.

Edit: I ran out of steam and only did the first 3 dorms.

Content warning: Monsters, child reader

In the world of Twisted Wonderland there are a few truths none question; the great seven where revered, the races of monsters where to do their best to keep the peace the great seven created, and humans where nothing more then myths. Though the stories of humans where common, told as tales of fun and whimsy most of the time. There where a few cases of stories where humans where dangerous, abducting monsters to have friends. A set truth about humans aside they didn't exist was if you befriended one, and treasured them in return of their loyalty they would help your magic grow. Young monsters often sought out humans for fun and with hopes of becoming a mage worthy of being seen along side the great seven.

The world of humans was real, a reality mirroring the monster's own. Where humans where viewed by monsters like fairies are to humans; to humans a majority of monsters where to be fear. But just like the monster world their counterpart was viewed as fake.

On rare once a millennium event the realities overlapped allowing for travel between realms. Though usually it was with out incident, but on occasion someone fall through. A monster and a human switched places. But none truly knew of this.

Mc was little even for their age. Though their age was small as well, not even in double digits yet. So waking up in a strange place alone was not ideal. In fact it was the opposite of what any child would want. Alone, lost, and hungry you could do nothing but cry. A cry that caught the attention of a certain Tengu headmaster.

Crowley was in shock to find such a little monster alone in the mirror chamber and approached. Only for the little one to scream. At the fearful wailing he took a closer look and was in shock to find the child was *human*. Oh how fortunate for his school chosen to host such a rare guest! It was a sign and he couldn't wait to see who you chose to bestow power upon, would it be one or many?

Once you're calmed down and reassured no one would hurt you, he asked how you arrived. The answer of you didn't know wasn't ideal but no matter. Soon you found yourself bounced between dorms to find someone for you to bond with.

Heartslabyul was first. The dorm leader refused at first finding no possible way a human could exist, as such he was very hard on you for the first week. The werewolf was strict on everyone but especially himself lest he become a mindless beast. Trey the gentle living doll however was kind and managed to help Riddle realize you where human and not some monsterling shape shifted. Once that gets out the school is vying for your attention. The various monsters in Heartslabyul did their best to keep the havoc to a minimal for your sake.

Savanclaw has a mixed reaction. The sphinx dormleader Leona was the worst at having mixed feelings. He wanted the promised power a human could offer, but you where a child and children where such a pain to deal with..or so he claimed. Most of your care while with them is from Ruggie the resident Knoll and Jack the werewolf wind spirit hybrid.

Octavinelle was the first to have actively tried to bribe your affections. Even with out the bond you brought profits galore. Everyone wanted a deal with Azul the water element Slime, as such his power was growing and growing. The twins a pair of sea serpents where extra busy keeping the lounge in order as many monsters fought to get contracts for a chance to meet the small human.

[starlightsailfish]

MA! There's a group of three stray cats outside! They look like wet rats...

Adam's brothers, Specs and David, join the SAW Warriors AU! They were abandoned as kittens on the street but always had each other. In time, though, they parted ways and found their own paths in life. More under the cut!

Applebelly (Adam)- used to be a loner called Sneaky. He traveled beyond the heart of the city into the suburbs where he barely managed to scrape by. When a strange wild cat approached him to stalk another cat, he accepted only because if meant free food. Never did he think he'd get caught in a twisted trap and be saved by the very cat meant to kill him.

After recovering, he didn't really have anywhere else to go, and Thunderclan's leader had taken a liking to him and offered him a chance to train as a warrior. The new lifestyle suited him perfectly as he got to use his senses and feel the freedom of hunting for himself and finding cats worthy of fighting for.

Socks (David) - Socks is the city hospital's resident cat orderly! The entire hospital is his domain and every day he makes the rounds checking in on patients and giving them some much needed purring love. Hospital regulars always look forward to seeing him patrolling the halls and he even has little beds throughout the building where they leave snacks and toys for him as thanks for all his hard work. Not pictured is his collar which includes an actual hospital ID of him so everyone knows that he's part of the staff.

One day, a group of 5 wild cats found themselves deep in the city and approached him for help in getting back to the forest. He assisted them in scaling the hospital so they could get an aerial view of the city and determine the right direction back home and was prepared to let them leave so he could get back to work. However, one of the she-cats mentioned how familiar he looked to another cat she knew, a warrior who used to be called Sneaky. At that, Socks offered to travel with the party in hopes of seeing his brother again after all those years apart.

When they finally reunited, Applebelly begged Socks to become a warrior so they would never be separated again, but Socks had come to love his job too much at the hospital. They spent a week together at the Thunderclan camp before Socks returned home, promising his brother that he would come back sometime and that he and his wild cat friends were welcome at the hospital any time. It was bittersweet, but both were truly happy that the other had found their calling in life and were finally happy with themselves.

Spooky (Specs) - Spooky doesn't have much in the story since he's from a different universe, but occasionally he stops by Sock's hospital! He's practically blind and prefers to stay by his friend's side as they hunt ghosts. It turns out that he has a stronger connection to Starclan and The Place with No Stars than most cats...

[steadfastspirits-a]

[ Don’t mind me just considering adding a whole Columbina/Damselette - ]

thoughts after messaging 2b and choko for much of the day, either paraphrasing ideas or re-writing them here. insane little lady, spooky as can be.

- she has obsessive tendencies; despite all the odd in fighting between harbingers, columbina views each of them as her “family.” she sang rosalyne off to the next life as her precious sister... like just out here eye zooming at all these terrible harbingers. they are Hers.

- death to her is not a “””bad””” thing. it’s merely a new phase of existence, and she was wishing rosalyne well. sending her off softly, and that despite not being able to see her anymore, columbina is happy for wherever she may flutter off. she will hold her gently in her heart forevermore.

- columbina is almost always smiling softly, with a dazed, almost serene appearance... though, her eyes have no light in them whatsoever. 2b offered the idea of having them be fully black and bug-like, and i’m still debating!! tbh, it would be SUPER cool to have them like that beneath her cross-hatched mask

- to prove her “ownership,” that someone is dear to her and Hers, she will give them a variety of endearing nicknames. there is always one that is solely used for that person, and then others that are just Generally Utilized. some have multiple personalized nicknames, it depends on her fondness for them or just what pops into her head (Solnyshko, or little sun, is one of Tartaglia’s names).

- columbina is especially fond of arlecchino and visits her and the orphanages very often

- she likes to... sew things. creatures that have appeared in her dreams. fluffy, soft toys that have rows upon rows of teeth and mouths in odd places. Eyes on the inside. teeth and claws are always razor sharp. the house of hearth is a spy training camp, so others may view it as a way to keep them on their toes, but columbina truly finds her creations to be adorable and worthy of a child’s affections. she means her gifts Very Genuinely

- she is no hypocrite, and so if another lays claim to someone or something, she will Respect this implicitly. she is no thief. that said, she will still be kind to things that are not Hers

- columbina speaks quietly, her voice almost in song regularly. her words can be cryptic or poetic, just odd thoughts and feelings. she is polite enough.

- on the other hand harbinger arguments are just given a lil tut. family bickers all the time. such is life. hums off and leaves them to it

- she is fondest of draping herself against others. dramatically and softly becomes a shroud of creepy eerie harbinger

- animals are either deathly afraid of her and will scramble away, or they are relaxed bc of the serene disposition she exudes. if they run away and she was trying to dote, she will viciously kill them. and then sew them back together like taxidermy, with fabric and parts from other creatures (perhaps hilichurls, really anything around), to keep them Forever. they were always meant to be Hers.

- this goes into how an additional method of proving her ownership is to patch things up. animals, objects, people. if she sews them up, they are hers. in general, my columbina takes a heavy dose of inspiration from Ray of Angels of Death

- cryo catalyst user; she’s similar in nature to how heizou does punches and kicks, but her cryo energy manifests as elongated claws. her delusion is a hydro one, and tends to manifest as eldritch tendrils.

- columbina never knew love prior to being a harbinger, and her desire to Own People and Things is a sort of mechanism by which she can showcase her love. she is filled to the brim with love. but she has never been wanted, until the tsaritsa accepted her into the fold. she is eternally loyal, and considers herself to be owned by both the tsaritsa and arlecchino. which haha could become an issue if arlecchino is less than loyal

- i’m assuming columbina is her main harbinger title and damselette is similar in nature to how rosalyne was “the fair lady” and ajax/aias’ sub title is “childe.” she mainly goes by columbina as that is the name the tsaritsa bestowed upon her. otherwise, she does not offer any given names. you may nickname her, and she will take that as a sign of love.

[marzipanandminutiae]

I’m one of the people who’s a bit spooked by older dolls; my beloved late aunt collected Shirley Temples in bad shape with the intent of restoring them, and they usually got to convalesce in the room I stayed in until then. It was formative in the most unfortunate sense, ha. But I’m really curious to hear about your Mademoiselle Leonore - what age group would she have been intended for, originally? Would they have seen her more like a friend, or as something to mother? Is she a typical model for a doll from her era, or would she have been considered old-fashioned or even new for the time?

Sorry for all the questions, you definitely don’t have to answer them all! I’m only like the anon who’s trying to think of dolls less as “eek spooky uncanny valley” and more as companions that would’ve been dearly loved. Thanks for your help in that! :)

Oh NO. Yeah, not the best way to introduce a kid to old dolls. I'm sorry you had a bad first experience with them.

(To be honest, damaged composition dolls like that sometimes creep even me out. I know they were loved too, and they have artistic value, but their eyes are just so flat and they feel so weird to the touch- not plastic, not bisque, not wood or leather, not cloth, not even rubber/gutta-percha...even earlier dolls with composition bodies and bisque heads don't trip the same Nope instinct in me. And sometimes they have TIN EYES which make scraping noises when they open and close, get yellowed, and look even flatter than the painted ones...brrrr. But! Still worthy of appreciation.)

French fashion dolls like Leonore are in a really interesting position re: intended age and common types of play. When the movement started in the 1850s in Paris, it began with dolls in the "Mode Enfantine" style- fashions for children, with the dolls meant to represent girls of perhaps 9-12.

(Doll by Huret, c. 1860, dressed in the enfantine style. Note relatively short skirt, less shaped bodice, and fluffy unstyled lamb's-wool wig.)

However, by the mid-late 1860s, the same sort of doll was beginning to be dressed as a fashionable lady, too.

(Doll by Dehors, late 1860s. Same manufacturer that made Leonore's head. Here we see a long skirt, a more sophisticated dress design, pinned-up hair, and a silhouette that mimics an adult woman's shape rather than a child's.)

The two styles existed contemporaneously for a while among French fashion dolls, with the taste for lady dolls coming to dominate in the 1870s and early 1880s. However, children will always play what they want with what they have, and one occasionally sees original French fashion trousseaus that include both opera dresses and christening gowns. It's not common, but it does happen.

And how exactly children played with these dolls was a subject of some concern among contemporary commenters. Many articles in at least American and British magazines expressed concern that Young Miss would lose her maternal instincts playing with dolls that were adults rather than babies. One particularly nauseating story I read on Google Books features some Little Sally or other throwing over her "Paris doll" at once when Mama is persuaded to buy her "a real baby-doll." Gag.

(There was also debate over whether a little girl could truly be content with ordinary outfits when her doll had such fabulous treasures as were sold for French fashions. I'm rather glad we're past the "will this doll make my child Too Worldly" hand-wringing. At least modern "will this doll damage my child's self-esteem" is well-intentioned, even if it often backfires in practice.)

So it seems like, with a few exceptions, they were mostly vehicles for girls to imagine their own futures. And interestingly, those futures were wider than simply being a wife and mother. As with Barbie, French fashions may have presented a circumscribed adult life, but it was still a life outside the home. With sporting outfits, promenade dresses, formalwear, traveling clothes, etc., the average Parisian doll of the day certainly didn't seem to be entirely focused on hearth and household.

The target age range for these dolls is a little bit murky. One generally sees them in photographs with children around ages 8 to 14, but occasionally one will be clutched in the hand of a younger child. It's hard to imagine a truly wee one working the minute fastenings of their clothing or keeping them unbroken, so I imagine they were generally for today's Barbie crowd (Monster High? Rainbow High? what's hot right now, anyway?). There are rumors of adult collectors, including Napoleon's niece Mathilde Bonaparte, but I haven't actually read the sources that information comes from to check for myself. Still, with entire miniature worlds available for these dolls, it wouldn't surprise me!

And finally, Leonore would have been considered a very fine modern doll indeed when she was new. Her jointed wooden body was a cut above the most common stuffed leather bodies, though her average size (17"/43cm) likely made her easy to find clothing for in doll shops. Collectors often now call this "size 4," after some markings consistently found on dolls, and it seems to have been the most usual size for French fashions. Though of course, there's massive variation in the "genre," from tiny 9"/22cm fairies to exhibition models that can reach 3'/91cm tall.

Rather long-winded, but I hope that answers all your questions! I'm really glad whenever I can help shed some light on my much-maligned antique darlings. Best of luck in your journey towards de-creepying dolls for yourself.