#wes anderson films just slap so hard

[thedreadvampy]

tonight we went to see asteroid city and boy it's not a joke that this is the most concentrated Wes Anderson film to ever wes an anderson

if you like the conscious artifice of Wes Anderson films, the painstaking composition of an entirely openly unreal story-world, abstract musings about the mediums and forms of storytelling, and that specific snappy, deadpan, turn-your-head-and-say-a-crisply-theatrical-line staccato dialogue he does. this is the film for you. there are also excellent puppets.

if you don't like that element of the Wes Anderson oeuvre boy howdy is this gonna be a long couple of hours for you because it's Just That.

for me personally? I said on exiting the cinema I think I liked most of the parts but not the sum. it's doing a really interesting nested stories thing and I really enjoyed the degree of line blurring between the many layers of storytelling. about half the performances really slapped, including Scarlet Johansen (which surprised me) and most of all Bryan Cranston who was a delight. the aesthetic in the central story of a world of theatre flats, moulded scenery, miniatures and matte paintings worked super well for me and there were a lot of background details that made me laugh out loud. I also really really liked the way that the part of the story that was posed as a TV show was performed as a play and the part that was posed as a play was performed as a film, and that the camera alternated between putting a fourth wall on scenes that should be 360° and adding full turnarounds to scenes that only make sense as stage sets. there was a lot to like in the film. unfortunately I think for me it just didn't gel, the pacing was a bit off and it felt kind of so on the nose that it was hard to just relax into being with the film for me, it ended up feeling kind of like having a conversation at a party with someone who's, like, have you ever really THOUGHT about stories, man? like really THOUGHT about them? Life, man. What's it all about?

not my favourite but I liked what it was going for I think. solid 7.5/10

[philhoffman]

This week’s Monday Philm very well might be the great cinematic work of all time, The Master (2012), dir. Paul Thomas Anderson.

I’ve never written a full, in-depth review of The Master, partly because there is so much to say and so little that captures it sufficiently. This is the first time I’ve watched it again in almost a year—since I saw it in theaters last March, a dream come true—and I think I can say I finally saw the full genius of Phil Hoffman’s performance as Lancaster Dodd on this viewing. Not that I didn’t recognize it as an incredible performance before, I absolutely did, but something this time around it was truly transcendent. He is once again unrecognizable, the Phil we know and love become another human being entirely. Even Joaquin Phoenix’s performance was startlingly sublime this time, on par with Phil’s as they elevated each other.

Phil once described Freddie and Lancaster as two animals circling each other, fascinated by each other, thinking “How do we become one person? So we can be perfect?” The Master is no doubt a love story (among many, many other things). In the same interview, PSH said “Freddie will never not be the love of this man’s life.” The phone call Freddie receives in the movie theater—it may be a dream, but Dodd had it too. “I miss you. We’re tied together.” The way Dodd protects Freddie’s head when he’s jumping during the wall-to-wall processing. Clark said he was worried Freddie might be after Dodd’s unpublished life work, and Dodd responds by taking Freddie to the middle of the dessert to retrieve that valuable work, just the two of them together.

Every frame full of love in this final collaboration between Phil and Paul. Three of my all-time favorite scenes from any film—A-Roving, rolling around on the grass together, and Slow Boat to China. PTA has the greatest close-ups on the most interesting faces of any director and The Master is another great example. The way Dodd’s eyes light up when we first see him talking to Freddie, how he blushes at his own brilliance. Freddie’s dark eyes, his restlessness—until he feels he’s disappointing his master, at which point he slaps himself hard and focuses and sits stiller than ever before and stares into Master’s eyes. He’s a liar but he’s honest, he’s a stray dog. Freddie will likely die soon, young and drunk, but Lancaster Dodd will live a long, miserable life because he’s lost his brave boy.

I’ve been thinking about the theory that Peggy is really the titular “Master,” not Lancaster, which is an idea I’ve appreciated in the past but I don’t think it held up this time. (And not just because in interviews, talking about his character, Phil referred to himself as “the master” multiple times). Peggy is not really in control—sexually dominating, sure, but she’s entirely unable to pull her husband away from Freddie. The only reason they ultimately part is because Freddie decides to leave, and you get the feeling Lancaster will never be happy again.

Dodd created the Cause because he wanted to create something eternal. “Our spirits live on in the whole of time,” he says. I think this was the film Paul Thomas Anderson—and Phil, and Joaquin—were meant to make, to be part of something rare and eternal. Its magic is unutterable.

[red-riding-wood]

Writing Plans for 2022

I'm gonna slap a read more tag on this because it's gonna be a long one. Basically just an overview of what I will (probably) be writing this year.

My New Years resolution was to absolutely crack down on my writing and pump out more pages than Stephen King but we'll see if that actually becomes a thing.

My priorities, kind of in order but also not really because I am a very indecisive person:

Also, requests are not featured on here because I intend to do those sort of in between my actual fics. But I swear they are on my mind and definitely on "the list"!

My Peaky Blinders fic (White Ribbon). This will be a two part novel series so I think the majority of my efforts will be going towards this. I at least need the first written this year but will hopefully power through into Book 2.

A bunch of other things for Adrien Brody characters because I am down bad and nobody can stop me. Confirmed (in my mind) so far includes: - The Grand Budapest Hotel - bringing Alice back for a multichapter AU of her and Dmitri rather than Jopling - The Darjeeling Limited - have a lil multichapter fic planned for this - King Kong (2005) - Look, hear me out. It's a really cool world that I want to write in. Also, Adrien. - Chapelwaite - Main reason is again Adrien but also I really want to write horror and love the gothic sort of setting. Probably will wait for season 2 to come out first though. Also may use Charlotte (my Peaky character) for it.

I'm probably not finishing that Willem challenge... but I still have a lot of his stories that I intend to follow through on because they will haunt me otherwise. These include: - World on Fire (Light Sleeper) - A two part novella? novel? that uses my character Kelly from my old Far Cry 5 fic and it keeps calling to me, especially the ending scene, so I know I need to finish writing it. - a currently unnamed fic for Murder on the Orient Express - I also have so much inspiration for this and I can't wait til it's written but I have some things in the storyline and character to fine tune first. This will probably come when White Ribbon and World on Fire are finished. - Finish Verum Vindictae (John Wick). I can't let this one fall into the abyss of abandoned WIPs but I also don't really have the inspiration for it right now. - I do have to finish LEOMB though can make no promises when - Potentiallyyyyyy an Aquaman fic that I didn't have a full storyboard for but some ideas for. I love the world of this film and what I had in mind would be very dark, almost horror-esque. - Also potentially a fic for Roadhouse 66. I have the first chapter written, a character, and nearly an entire storyboard. I just don't know if I care enough about it to invest the time. - also potentially (but less likely) a Beyond Two Souls one

A Modern Warfare fic because the nostalgia for COD is hitting me hard again and I think I actually sort of have a couple ideas for it. And I had no idea that so many people were horny for Ghost now so it's actually a thing.

Finish my Far Cry 5 fic. The sequel will probably be in 2023 realistically.

Potentially more Wes Anderson stuff even if it doesn't involve Adrien because I just love his worlds; they're huge comforts to me. But this is only if I can think of good ideas.

A couple original works. Short stories and some poetry. I don't know yet if I will be posting them, though.

If I'm feeling ready for it, and have written enough of my long to-do list, then I may start on my dark western novel that I intend to publish. Won't be posting here because if my real name was ever associated with this I would probably become a hermit. But of course whenever I do end up writing it I can keep anyone interested updated.

Monster sequel in um... 2023? 2050, more like it.

Also let me know if you'd like to be on the tag list for any of these specifically or in general and if you'd like details on any of them since most currently exist in my head.

[tearsanddeers]

i dig the kingsman series so bad like,, especially the latest movie!!

this is just me talking spoilers n the movies like a fanatic so yea dont mind me im a movie addict 🧎‍♀️🧎‍♀️ (i make too many movie references irl, its crazy)

the wardrobe, casting, cinematography, vfx, fighting choreo, props, etc.? LOVE IT. they slayed everyth so well, i q literally convert into a full time kingsman lover. everyth adds up to that posh englishman doing such refined (yet brutal) fights feel (as harry says, 'manners maketh man') so nicely!!! ₍^> <^₎‪‪

the first two movies tackled everyth nicely, n I'd dare say that the selling points were the funky gadgets they had. so i was wondering how they'd make the prequel top those, considering the time period it's set in (wwi) and MAN ITS SO GOOOOD ARFARFARFARF they handled it like a champ by including the origins of those gadgets in the first two movies (im looking at the knife-in-shoe thing 🤨) like BRUVVV

and and and the choreo just proved to be better imo?? like?? AAAA????

implementing traditional russain dance moves in the rasputin fight??? EPICCC (they also executed his character well 😫) made him do his lil hops whole plotting deaths lol! AND DONT GET ME STARTED WITH CONRAD'S SCENES IN THE TRENCH 😭😭😭😭 I CLD CRY ABT IT FOR DAYS I SWEAR. I KEPT REWATCHING IT LMAOO IM NOT OKKK

i love the tension they built with the emphasis the characters themselves place on the silence they had to keep whole fighting (totally went as planned haha) AND the tension the soundtrack shoved in our faces like like like UGHHHH THE WAY IT STARTED GRADUALLY BUILDING UP ON THE BEATS WHEN THEY GOT UP CLOSE TO THE PEOPLE BRAWLING??? MANNN.... the way they did that stealth mission with the crawling, crouching n hand signs instd of dialogue was muah muah 🤌🤌 i also realised that they did a shit ton of research (i mean, ofc but still like!!) on how soldiers hv to move when they need to be all sneaky with the crouch-sneak action as they approached the opponents, how they kept their bodies so close to the ground, and how it transitioned into jumping at each other for a fight to their deaths 😭😭 so detailed ngl... conrad running w that dude over his shoulder ( and away frm the gunshots b4 that) rlly reminded me of 1917's cinematography. perhaps its the 'one-shot' feel it had to it n the relatively shaky yet stable camera movement. and the explosions ard them too. that too. MMMMM ✋😫

and then the tragedy of conrad brooo i canttt it yanked a painful gasp out of me the first time i watched it 🗿🗿🗿 its so rare for me to gasp that hard while watching movies LOL and i almost cried over it like el oh ellll I RARELY CRY TOO IMO

N THEN THE SADNESS AND MOURNING THE DUKE HAD AFT THAT ACKKK _:(´།། `｣∠):_ tho i do admit that the length of the wwi scene made me forget that it was a message being relayed to orlando b4 it coz of how absorbed i was in the action hajshwjd

alsoalso the outfits were on point as always 😫😫 smth smth abt suits and the manners they have while they wear em UGH and also the soldier's equipment and outfits were historically accurate i i i- man. i love it.

ok im done. thanks for reading this if u made it all the way to the end. stan the kingsman series. also this is just my take on the movie and my kind of film appreciation eheh. i cld write an essay or synopsis of this to my old literature teacher, i swear. i think he'd be interested HAJSHA man i miss literature lessons so bad.

i might draw some cool shots or characters as an environment/figure study.

[whatthefishh]

They’ve all seen John Wick and Triple Frontier and have very strong opinions.

What are their opinions?

Sorry for taking long to answer this anon! Had a busy work week, but here we are now :) Moon Boys + John Wick / Triple Frontier

tw: spoilers for John Wick and Triple Frontier, animal dying, violence?

John Wick

Marc relates to John's character, with his military/merc history, finding the love he never thought he deserved

the movie is made for dog lovers (I mean not really but still yknow), all of your moon boys hate that scene but they get it, get the rage that would surface if it were them

little puppy Daisy HAS STEVEN MELTING, he was so alone for a while, he wishes he had a little companion like that other than Gus

Jake hates the scene where the guy is just slapping the Mustang and asking for a price, he's shuffling uncomfortably during it and mumbling Spanish swear words at his character

Steven hates the death of the dog so much, hates the way they showed the violence for it and almost wants to turn off the movie but instead lets Jake front to let him process and gather his bearings

Steven does come back out when the Vulture (B99) pops out, "Oi, what's he doin' in a film like this?"

obviously from there, the action just picks up and the boys switch fronting to comment (Marc appreciating a certain move, Jake bragging "I can do that, too, but with less grunting")

Steven is a Willem Dafoe fan from Wes Anderson films and Spider-man

honestly, the whole hard-to-get-out once you're involved thing gives Marc major flashbacks of Khonshu's initial deal, so he heavily relates to John

the silent lethal way John moves reminds them of some of their heavier, ruthless Moonknight nights

the copper taste of bloodshed is brought back to Marc from his mercenary days, the pedestal of an iconic ex-assassin making him wince from the glamour they've painted his reality with

as cheesy as some of the dialogue is - which they critisize, "nobody talks like that in real life" and "this guy sounds like a pendejo"

"I knew I liked that guy!" (Steven about Willem's character, he always was good at reading people)

after all that action, John goes to adopt another dog which makes Steven really happy and the other two content with the way everything was settled in the end

overall, they would NOT watch it again, opinions being it was borderline triggering for Marc even though they related to John's portrayal, they wouldn't go through that again so they didn't bother with the sequel

Triple Frontier

you somehow convince the boys to watch Triple Frontier, even though they see straight through your interests, "its only because Poe and Mando are in it," Marc says rolling his eyes

first ten minutes and he's already complaining about how tight Santiago's pants are

Jake fronts when he starts speaking Spanish, squinting his eyes, closely listen to his accent, immediately taking a liking to Santi

Steven fronts to say he gets bad vibes from Tom, shaking his head and frowning, "no, no, don't like that one"

Marc loves the soundtrack, "You know I'm a sucker for Stevie- no not you, Steven, Stevie Nicks"

Marc surprises you by saying Fish reminds him of a friend of his, and says his and Santiago's relationship is similar to what they had

he likes this movie better than John Wick, he can understand their initiative, their purpose, and takes a liking to the team's brotherhood

Steven doesn't miss the way you ogle Santi through the bar scene, popcorn falling out of your hands when he starts beating at the wall to get at the money, jumping to call you out on it

Jake starts shaking his head at Tom's greed, "This pendejo is going to get them killed"

eventually, they get quiet after Tom's death, most likely thinking of Marc's past, and their own battles

you spend the last half hour of the movie looking back and forth between their face and the screen, trying to make sure they're alright

they definitely like this movie better than John Wick, commenting that the ending was more fulfilling than the other, and mumbled something about reaching out to Frenchie

errr, hope this fulfilled... what you wanted LOL

[fluffbyday-smutbynight]

THE VERSATILITY OF "CAZZO" in the Italian language

(kinda wanted to title this "italian cocks and where to find them" but... you know...)

So, we have covered "sti cazzi" here. Let's move on to the many uses of this amazing word and all the idioms derived from it.

--

cazzo = literally, "dick/cock". As an exclamation (cazzo!), it equates the English "fuck!"

'sto cazzo = (lit. "this dick") - no way! ; conveys refusal, disagreement. e.g.: "Will you lend me money?" "Sto cazzo!"

un cazzo = (lit. "a dick") - nothing, no amount of smth.; e.g.: "non c'é un cazzo da fare" = "there's nothing left to do about it"

che cazzo...? = (lit. "what dick...?") - what the fuck...?; just as the English equivalent, can be used alone or to ask about what's going on, e.g.: "che cazzo stai facendo?" = "what the fuck are you doing?"

eccheccazzo! = (lit. "what dick!") - what the fuck!; exclamation variant of the idiom above

cazzata = bullshit or cock-up, depending on context. e.g.: "stai dicendo una cazzata" = "what you're saying is bullshit" ; "ho fatto una cazzata" = "I screwed up"

cazzone = (lit. "big dick") jackass, stupid/unreliable individual. e.g.: "Anderson è un cazzone" = "Anderson is a wanker"

testa di cazzo/faccia di cazzo = respectively, dickhead and dickface. As simple as that.

a cazzo di cane = (lit. "as a dog's dick") - said of something done hastily, with poor results. e.g.: "Anderson lavora a cazzo di cane" = "Anderson works very poorly"

a cazzo duro = (lit. "with a hard dick") - to take action with great confidence and resolution.

cazzuto = adj.; (someone) badass, ballsy.

del cazzo = (lit. "of the dick") - something of poor quality. e.g: "E' proprio un film del cazzo" = "That's a terrible film"

cazzi amari/acidi = (lit. "bitter/sour dicks") - troubles, problems. e.g.: "Ora sono cazzi amari!" = "Now you're gonna face big troubles!"

farsi i cazzi propri/degli altri = (lit. "to mind your own/other people's dicks") - to mind your own/other people's business.

incazzarsi = verb; to get upset/angry.

incazzoso = adj.; someone who gets angry very easily and/or is looking to pick a fight

stare sul cazzo = (lit. "to be on someone's dick") - to be unlikeable/unpleasant to someone. e.g.: "Mary mi sta sul cazzo" = "I find Mary annoying/disagreeable"

levarsi dal cazzo = (lit. "to get out of someone's dick") - to get out of the way, to piss off.

sbattersene il cazzo = (lit. "to slap your own dick") - to not give a shit.

rompere il cazzo = (lit. "to break someone's dick") - to be annoying, irritating. Accordingly, it can be said of someone that they're a "rompicazzo".

scazzare = verb; to argue/have a fall-out with someone.

essere scazzati = verb; to be upset/in a bad mood.

cazziare = verb; to scold/reprimand someone. It results in a "cazziatone": an earful, an ass-kicking.

cazzeggiare = verb; to faff around, to laze around

fancazzista = (lit. "no-dicks-doer") - a lazy person.

sarcazzo! = (lit. "the dick knows!") - exclamation, when confronted with something unknown, imperscrutable. Only god knows! (eheh)

coi controcazzi = (lit. "with the counterdicks") - said of something/someone that is top-quality. "Greg è un detective coi controcazzi" = "Greg is a very capable detective"

cazzo me ne frega? = (lit. "what dick do I mind?") - I don't give a shit.

cagacazzo/i = (lit. "dick-shitter") - someone annoying (see: "rompicazzo")

grazie al cazzo! = (lit. "thanks to the dick!") - sarcastic thank you in reply to something utterly obvious.

supercazzola = term invented by Ugo Tognazzi and popularized by the film "Amici miei", it's a string of non-sense sentences aimed at bamboozling the listener. In everyday use, it can define a long-winded, meaningless speech.

... and I'm not even going into all the different regional terms referring to the male genitalia. There are *a lot* of dicks in Italy, and they're widespread.

and then there's the big outlier: the Veneto region, with its preference for... female anatomy (right, @kettykika78?) XD

paging @totallysilvergirl @ineffableuser @hubblegleeflower @instantparadisesoul @johnlockismyreligion

[lady-divine-writes]

Klaine Advent Drabble 2020 - “Take One” (Rated PG13)

Summary: Embroiled in the aftermath of two very messy break-ups, Kurt and Blaine are preparing to film their first love scene together. But how do you pretend to be in love when your love life is falling apart?

It probably doesn't hurt to be in love with your co-star then. (1982 words)

Notes: Written for the @klaineadvent Drabble Challenge 2020 prompt 'grey'.

Read on AO3.

“Ooo, I get a limo this time,” Kurt mumbles, not nearly as impressed as he’s pretending to be. But he needs to keep up appearances. Even though it’s the literal buttcrack of dawn, he’s not alone. There are about thirty asshats, armed with cameras, camped out on his doorstep, climbing over each other to snap a candid of him for the gossip sites. A photo of him emerging from his townhouse fresh-faced and ready for another day on set will fetch an easy couple hundred.

But if he looks like he rolled out of bed, drank a bottle of whiskey for breakfast, then fell down a flight of stairs, landing face-first onto a mountain of cocaine - those pictures would fetch considerably more.

That’s what he gets for going through a horrendous break-up while having the nerve to be rich and famous.

Despite how he feels about his life at this moment, he went for the former, not the latter. He would never touch hard drugs, not for any reason, and he can't justify looking less than his best. 

Like a good friend once told him - never let them see you sweat.

��Kurt! Kurt Hummel! Over here!” the pariahs start calling, some of them whistling for his attention like he’s a dog. “Hummel! Hey, Hummel!”

Hummel.

That’s the one that gets him, burrows into the roots of his teeth and makes his whole head pulsate. It keeps his feet moving when he might have stopped to exchange a polite hello. Who talks to people like that? When did it become acceptable to bellow out someone’s last name as a means of getting their attention? Is it too much to ask for the respect of at least shoving a ‘Mr.’ in front of it? Have these glorified stalkers forgotten that if it weren’t for him and stars like him the only jobs they could get would be snapping photos of families for minimum wage at Six Flags?

Ugh. 

Too much thinking too early in the morning.

He could write an essay on how much he loathes pap culture, but today, Kurt can’t be bothered caring.

He slaps on a smile and waves, sliding his glasses down his nose only far enough so they can’t see how red his eyes are from crying.

“Oh, hello! I didn’t see you all here! It’s so nice of you to greet me at 5:30 on this fine winter morning! Oh, careful there. You spilled your coffee. And I think you just kicked that poor young man in the face.”

Kurt greets his guests this way every morning, killing them with kindness, as subtle an eff you as he can come up with when his brain cells have yet to kick in for the day.

Coffee. He needs coffee. About a gallon-and-a-half of it.

Kurt glides through the crowd, an angelfish among sharks, and comes out unscathed.

A man with dark hair and olive skin, wearing a fitted, black uniform tailored to within an inch of its life, opens the car door for Kurt as he approaches.

"Good morning, Mr. Hummel."

“Good morning, Harold. It's nice to see you.” Kurt slides into the car, thankful when the chauffeur shuts the door. He sinks into the leather seat and tosses his sunglasses aside. “God!" he moans, burying his face in his hands. "I don't want to do this! I want to stay home and eat ice cream! I don’t want to kiss anyone today!”

Blaine, who had been waiting quietly and wearing a sympathetic smile, frowns. “Gee. Thanks.”

Kurt's head snaps up, his face splotchy and red in seconds. “Blaine! I’m so sorry! I didn’t know you were …! That’s not what I meant!" He takes a deep breath in, lets it out slowly. "It's not you. I just don’t feel particularly romantic today.”

“It’s okay. I know what you mean. I feel the same way.”

Kurt squares Blaine with a stern look. “Gee. Thanks.”

Blaine ducks his eyes, his cheeks turning pink as he pours Kurt a glass of champagne. There’s always champagne, no matter what vehicle the studio sends to pick them up. But Kurt and Blaine never avail themselves to it.

Today, however, Kurt thinks as he accepts the flute Blaine offers and takes a sip, is an exception.

“I didn’t know Harold was picking you up first,” Kurt says, starting small talk to ease the tension. Kurt and Blaine don’t usually have trouble making small talk.

But, again, today is an exception.

“Well ...” Blaine clears his throat, seems embarrassed “... I was just … you know … a few blocks down the way.”

Kurt sits up further, leans forward with interest. “So you did it. You moved out.”

“Yup,” Blaine replies quietly. “I couldn’t … I just couldn’t stay. Not after …” He stops and sniffles, turning his head to hide eyes that must be as red as Kurt’s. Kurt doesn’t know.

He only ever notices how striking they are.

Kurt rests a comforting hand on Blaine’s knee. “I know.” 

“Yeah,” Blaine says with a slightly bitter laugh. “So does the whole world. In fact, the photogs knew I was leaving before I knew. You should have seen it. I could barely get past them.”

Kurt pulls a box of tissues out of the side panel and offers one to Blaine. “They’re bottom feeders. Try to ignore them.”

“Easier said than done.”

“I know,” Kurt repeats, feeling exceptionally useless. He’s in the exact same boat, but his heart hurts more for Blaine.

Blaine doesn’t deserve what he's going through. He doesn’t deserve such a public break-up.

He doesn’t deserve having his name drug all over social media by an emotionally manipulative bastard.

Kurt gazes out the window at the sky above. The forecast said it would be clear and sunny today, but it’s cloudy and grey. It matches Kurt's mood. Everything is cloudy and grey.

Well, maybe not everything.

The champagne isn’t. It’s cool and refreshing, and the bubbles make his tongue tingle.

That helps.

And Blaine helps, too.

Even gloomy, melancholy Blaine helps.

Just being in Blaine's presence helps.

“Living in the public eye isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, huh?” Blaine asks, though it sounds as much like a statement to himself as a question for Kurt.

“Not on days like today. But that’s the trade-off for being a star, I guess.” 

“Would you ever give it up?” Blaine takes a sip so slight it doesn’t lower the level of the liquid in his glass.

“I can’t say I would. You?”

“Nah. Acting has given me so many opportunities I could never have dreamed of. And all the great people I've met? I mean, this is what? The fifth film we’ve starred in together?”

“It is." 

Blaine chuckles, shakes his head. "Some of them have been real winners."

"I know! The roles you get offered when you're just starting out are criminal! Let’s see, we’ve been rogue enemy agents from different factions …”

“High school frenemies …”

“Alien co-conspirators …”

“Jealous rivals …”

“And now … lovers.”

“Yes,” Blaine says bashfully. “And today …”

Kurt smiles. “We get together for the first time.”

Hearing Kurt say it makes Blaine’s heart race, his pulse thrumming so fast it disappears.

The day Blaine found out he’d gotten the role of Kurt’s love interest and not the ‘jealous ex’ (the role his agent originally pitched him for since they play adversaries so well) was a dream come true. The studio felt the two of them could take their insane sexual tension (the studio's words, not Blaine's, although he doesn't disagree) and use it to fuel the plot of their latest 'friends-to-lovers' rom-com.

Blaine has always wanted to be a leading man. Deep down, he prayed that his first time, he'd play opposite Kurt. Now that it has finally happened, the role of his dreams comes with the greatest perk in the universe - an intimate moment with Kurt.

In front of about three dozen crew members, but still. 

It's Blaine's chance to indulge his crush, which he plans to savor since it may not come around again. 

Not in the way Blaine wants.

As friendly as Kurt is to him, as flirty as he can be, Blaine doesn't know for sure whether Kurt shares his feelings.

“If you don't mind my asking, when did he tell you?” Blaine asks.

“He didn’t." Kurt snorts humorlessly. "I woke up, and he was gone. I thought he had left for work. He had a table reading at six that morning, so I wasn’t immediately suspicious. Not until I started noticing important things were missing - clothes, toiletries, his contact lenses, his laptop …” 

"Did he tell you why he was leaving?"

Kurt chews his lower lip at the question he'd known was coming ... the answer he's debating whether or not to give. "Eventually." He glances up at Blaine, flashes a sly grin, and decides to go for broke. “He left because he thought I was falling in love with my co-star.”

"Really?" And just like that, Blaine Anderson dies, his heart shrinking into nothing and blowing away on the wind. "W-which one?" he asks, solely for conversation's sake.

This time, when Kurt snorts, clamping a hand over his mouth to keep from spraying champagne all over the interior of the limo, it's genuine. "You, you gumball!"

"Oh. Oh!" Blaine’s expression of shock is so endearing, Kurt can’t look at it too long. There's a glow about him. It's like staring into the sun. “That's ... that’s funny. My ex broke up with me for the same reason. Because of ... you. At least, that's the excuse he gave on Twitter ... and Instagram ... and Facebook. There were other things. Other men, too.” Blaine's glow dims as he talks about his ex. Their relationship, and separation, weren’t as civil as Kurt’s. In reality, trouble had been brewing behind the scenes for a while. 

He’s glad they finally went their separate ways. 

But it stings just the same, finding out that someone you once loved, who you thought loved you back, was using you for clout. 

And in that, Blaine's ex was a better actor than Blaine ever was.

"That is funny. Not funny ha-ha. Just ... funny. Who would have thunk?" Kurt goes back to his glass of champagne, keeping an eye on Blaine above the rim.

Blaine glances out the window as the limo slows, approaching the gates to the studio lot. Kurt doesn't follow Blaine's gaze, but he doesn't need to. 

He knows what Blaine sees by the way his face falls.

Blaine had hoped they could slip in quietly, but there's already a mob three feet deep waiting for them. The photographers and fans won't be able to see a thing through the car's windows. The tint on them is darker than dark. Still, the whole lot will be on high alert with them here. 

Inevitably, a handful will slip in. 

They may even find their way on set.

Blaine doesn't have the energy to deal with that.

Not today.

“How are we going to get through it?" Blaine asks. "Filming this scene? I mean, the timing is ... uncanny, to say the least.”

“Think of it this way …” Kurt slides across to Blaine’s side, sits as close as they're both comfortable with. Crooking a finger beneath his chin, Kurt draws Blaine's attention away from the gathering crowd and over to his eyes instead “… we get to spend the entire afternoon making each other feel better. That's how we're going to get through this. Agreed?”

Blaine's eyes lower, flicker to Kurt's lips unintentionally. When they travel back up, he notices Kurt's eyes do the same. He swallows hard. At this distance from Kurt, from his mouth, Blaine only has the wherewithal to say one word. He makes it count. "Agreed."

[visual-explorxtion]

A Date With Rebecca [Rebecca Chambers x Reader] - One Shot

Summary: Taking your favourite girl on a date. Go see her favourite movie, have a candlelit dinner, take a short stroll. What more can you ask for?

A/N: Looking for some wholesome Rebecca content? Then you’ve come to the right place. Originally, I’ve planned to make this 1.5k words or less but somehow I kept adding more and more details to the story. Is it a fluff fic? Yes. Is it filled with cliché plots? Also, yes. Sometimes, cliché stuff are pretty wholesome. Bonus content if you read the whole fic ;)

Word Count: 2.7K

Hairstyle? Check. Outfit? Check. Time? You peered up from your full-length mirror and glanced at the analogue clock on the wall. The ticking dish points to 6:15 pm. Perfect, you still got time before picking up your lovely date, Rebecca. You've planned a surprise date night for her for weeks now. Only up until recently, she finally agreed and cleared up her schedule. Joy would be an understatement to describe how you are feeling right now, nevertheless, joy is the only thing that's coursing through your body. Ping! The screen of your phone illuminated in blue, revealing a text sent by your date.

'Hey! I'm on my way to our meet up point. I'll see you in 10 minutes x :)'

The message made your heart melt into a pool of jello, she even left a little kiss and a smiley face at the end. This made you even more excited to meet her, the sooner the better. With no time to lose, you grab your old-fashion helmet from the console table, reviewing yourself one last time before exiting the apartment. Keys to your scooter in your fist, you stick it in the ignition and the little yellow hunk of junk sputter to life. You smile to yourself and pray that your only transportation doesn't fail on you tonight. Index finger double tapping on the oil gauge disk displaying petrol 3/4 of the way full, tucking your hair neatly inside the helmet then you set off.

Round the corner and through the bustling streets of downtown, you parked your bike just a couple of shops down from where you're meeting Rebecca. Every step you take seems like you're walking on air, the bounce in your steps lights up every way of your path, leading you right to her. There, she stands under the fairy lights- strung from one side of the patio to the other wrapping around the redwood columns- waiting for your arrival just outside of her favourite cafe, 'Dans le bleu'. From the moment she saw you, her sweet smile has taken over her perfectly shaped face and time slows down around you as you take in the impression of her. Her hair twinkles under the warm white glow, eyes crinkled as she beams; draped in a celadon green vintage flare dress, fitted waistband hugging against her slender waist, she is your angel at heart even if she denies it.

"Hey, you look beautiful tonight." you resist the urge to pull her into your arms even with the whole world watching.

"You don't look so bad yourself. Did you style your hair? It looks great." she praised. "Should we go to eat? I think Bleu just flipped to their bar menu and I'm kinda craving pasta right now."

"Actually...I have something else planned. It's only 6:30 and I think it's still kinda early for dinner, so I have something else planned instead." you smiled mischievously.

"Oh no. What deathly things have you got planned for me." Rebecca's face drained as you chuckled at her expression.

"I'm not telling you, it's a surprise." you flashed a smug grin. "Come on, we'll be late." You grabbed her hand and tangle your fingers with hers. The warmth of her palm radiates onto yours and you can feel the nervousness and sweat running through with each beat of her pulse. But all of that did not bother you. You held her hand tighter even with the sweat binding both hands, you love her too much that you just accept every part of her.

After 15 minutes of waltzing through the artificially lit avenue, you and Rebecca both arrived at an inconspicuous movie theatre. "The cinema? But it doesn't even look like it’s in business." Rebecca frown.

The cinema looks a little out of place compared to the rest of the street. The creamy white façade has witnessed the testimony of time and history, all cracked and shedding off little pieces. But, the neon sign still glows ominously in the shade of red, the building itself it's illuminated with a standalone rustic street lamp and a retro letterbox that's yellowing with age, only one film is showing in bold letters.

"...Roman Holiday? Oh my gosh! D-did you do this?" she's dying to know as curiosity shimmers from her eyes.

"I have my ways." you winked and she playfully slaps your arm to return the gesture.

Upon entering the building, the scenery was so drastically different that you'd almost thought you stepped back in time. Or walked into a Wes Anderson movie set. Your feet landed on the carpet that was once plush and fluffy, vermillion red and sunset orange shades of intricate patterns stretched across the main entrance. The ticket booth stands in the centre of the hall with a two-tier crystal chandelier hanging above on the high rise ceiling. The leather lounge chairs face one another on either side, beige wrinkles and creases etched onto the chestnut seats with time. The pair of you gradually take in the scenery but was soon greeted by the sweet and savoury scent of popcorn. Rebecca's eye lit up with delight.

"Wait here, I'll get us popcorn." Swiftly, you turned and Rebecca's gaze follows. She watches intently as you carry two bags full of popcorn from the kiosk. Her eyes widened in bewilderment. "I didn't know which one you want so I got both." you shrug as she shakes her head in disbelief.

"The film's about to start. Let's go."

You and Rebecca found your seats with ease, considering the fact that only a dozen of people are here for this movie, scattered across the theatre in various age groups, even though you'd thought about having this screening just for the two of you instead. The lights went dim, shading your eyes in pitch blackness, then the screen comes on. The unfamiliar brightness made you squint your eyes as you shield them and blinked several times to get used to the luminosity. Actors appear in black and white, the deliverance of dialogues flows through the auditorium but not to your ears. Your eyes admire Rebecca as she’s fixated on the film. Adoration and excitement glisten in her soul, just like stars, watching this film as if it's the first time. As the story continues to play, the protagonists tour the city of Rome on a scruffy moped, her arms around his waist, riding away in this romantic getaway. You held Rebecca's hand laying on the velvet armrest, a little shock sent up her arm and she looked at your conjoined hands then up to your rosy gaze. Someday, you'd hope to take her to Rome, under the ray of the summer sun, riding on the same vintage moped and reenact the same scene in front of our very own eyes.

"That was such a good film! I haven't had this much fun in so long, I almost forgot what it feels like." she giggles. "I bet I'm going to have a sweet dream tonight."

"You'd think our date ends here? Just after one movie?" you blinked. "Honey, I'm taking you out on a date, not a movie night. We can go anywhere and do anything you want, just say the word."

Rebecca paused. "Anything?"

"Anything," you answered.

Her stomach grumbles and she laughs. "I think the first thing I want is dinner."

You chuckled along. "I think so too. You said you want pasta, right? I know just the place."

Leaving the cinema with the night claiming the light, Rebecca's hand hasn't left yours since halfway through the film, nor does she have the intention to. Everything just felt natural, like puzzle pieces falling in the right place. As you lead the way, a darkened cobbled street came into view as both of you turn a corner, Rebecca couldn't shake off the feeling of uneasiness.

"A-are you sure this is the right way?" she stammers.

"Trust me. I am 100% sure," you reassure her.

"B-but what if-"

"Ah, we're here!" you voice made Rebecca jolt.

She peeked out from behind your right shoulder, quizzical by what she's seeing whilst tugging on your sleeve, she asked, "A hole in the wall? That was a bit anticlimactic..." a hint of disappointment seeps through.

"Dear, you shouldn't judge a book by its cover. I thought you taught me that." you tease. Her face pouts but you still find her cute no matter what.

You push the wooden front door which made a stifling groan. Inside, the little restaurant is rustic and oddly homey. Photographs hung on the wall, from monotones transitioning to technicolour, each photograph tells its own story and heartfelt emotions behind it. Your eyes scan each decoration as you move further into the place, bits and pieces collected from around the world and written messages left by visiting customers. The reserved table is located in a less crowded area behind a half wall, just overlooking the rest of the room, an ambience mood under the candlelit atmosphere. Quiet chit-chats and conversions turn to waves of laughter, feeling content in each other's company as dinner went by in a flash. Spending time with Rebecca is every second well spent.

"I hope you still got room for dessert."

"I think you're underestimating my stomach's capacity." she returns the jab.

Flipping between pages, indecisive, Rebecca bites her bottom lip as her finger scans through the list of desserts, unawarely emitting soft 'umm's and 'eh's from her lips, tinted with a glossy shade of chilli red. Trying hard not to laugh at her child-like indecisiveness caused by this inconvenience, to which her brows begun knitting together bit by bit, the corner of your lips can't help but slowly crawled upwards. All the dessert dilemma ended with her favourite, Baked Alaska. The snowy white miniature mountain engulfed in a sea of blue flames, it's a form of entertainment in the shape of a dessert. You and Rebecca filled your stomachs to the brim with food, thus, this concludes the dinner segment you have planned for her.

The touch of the summer breeze caressed your face under the starry night, footsteps in sync with one another as the night winds down with a stroll into empty, midnight street. Silence flows through the air, except for the distant sound of traffic and Rebecca's angelic voice. Shop windows reflect the pair of you, illuminated by neon lights, you wish this moment could last forever. Music could be heard from afar which prompted the curiosity within Rebecca as she ran ahead to listen to the tune more clearly. The playing tune came from a speaker located just outside of the entrance of the theatre. An all-time classic 'Singing in the Rain'. The cheerful melodic song takes the centre stage as the vacant street acts as their audience. Rebecca looks at you with devious gaze in her eyes. You have a bad feeling in your gut as you can almost see the thought that runs in her mind. You shook your head.

"Oh, come on! You promised that I can do anything I want. Please?"

She gave you those pleading puppy eyes, a critical hit to your heart. You battle with your internal self but the latter isn't any good with arguments. You sigh and agreed. Rebecca jumped up in celebration of her little victory and took you by your hand and lead you to the spotlight. Hands behind her back, tapping one foot out to her right; heel, toe, heel and step. Knowing your cue, you followed. With the opposite foot, she repeats the same moves, gliding in the opposite direction and you do the same. One foot at a time, she hops with airy steps with arms flutter at her sides as she glides her footwork in the figure of eight, in time with the beat. Pushing her foot out with pointed toes, her leg lightly sweeps across the concrete floor as she shifts her weight and twirls on the spot. Her matte satin dress spins in the same direction, the seams floats up in a graceful manner as it whirls around like a maypole but it's gravitational pull delays when Rebecca halts to an end with a croisé pose as the song fades.

Mesmerised by the sight of her dance, you stand on the spot and gawk with your jaw hanging wide. Before you can react with applause, she extends out a hand to ask for yours in return. You happily accepted her touch with the heat of your palm. Fingertips tenderly brushed against her shoulder blades and even the slightest touch her skin can make your heart race a thousand beats per minute. With her hand clasped on your waist, she takes the lead. The incandescent bulb echos in her emerald eyes, twinkling like stardusts; each step she takes, you follow along. Moving to the adagio rhythm, Elvis whispering softly about hopelessly falling in love with somebody, swaying side to side in front of the dazzling theatre with half the city fast asleep. You wish the city could watch as both of you dance in the moonlight, but you need no audience, as Rebecca is your whole world. Prompting her right hand, she twirls for you once more, making a long-lasting image imprinted into your memory. Hands delicately raising the edge of her skirt with the pinky finger extended out for emphasise, she dips into a curtsy bowed gracefully towards you and you do so returning the politeness also as graciously as possible.

All seriousness suddenly turns into a bellow of laughter filling up the darkness and drowning out the music. The hilarity persisted until both your stomach muscles ache with a fiery pain and eyes filled to the brink with tears of joy.

"Alright, lemme take you home."

She nodded with a soft smile, strolling together once more, hand in hand. Wasn't long until you looped back to where you've parked your transport. Rebecca eyes the yellow, barely-holding-it-together machinery with uncertainty.

"A...vespa. Can you please make sure I get home in one piece?" she jest.

"Hey! This baby is as safe as a house." you shift just out of earshot and murmur, "Don't listen to her, baby."

"You should get an electric one. You know, to help save the planet."

"Alright, alright...Dr Chambers." she huffs in response.

Tucking strands of hair back into you hat of safety, you popped open the seat, revealing yet another helmet. This one, a cream coloured shell lined with a retro red-blue stripe inspired by 60s aesthetic. You bought this weeks before the date and with the intention that she'll be the only designated passenger. Rebecca picks up the helmet and paused, eyes gazing attentively at it. Internally, you start to panic. Is it too much? Does she hate it? You swallowed hard; your lips quiver as you were about to speak, she cups your cheek as the warmth of her palm spreads before you could register it her lips are pressed onto yours, taking you in by astonishment. Your hands instinctively supported her waist as her body leaned against you on tiptoes, then she pulled away. The kiss only lasted a few seconds, but the lingering feeling felt forever. Still living in a daze, she calls out.

"Are you still going to drive me home?"

You snapped out of your daydream and found her already seated on the backside of the Vespa. Gleefully, you skipped your way to the driver's side, almost crashed landed onto the seat, still giggling stupidly to yourself. Sometimes, action speaks louder than words. And that kiss was all you needed. Ignition on, goggles strapped to your face, you yell;

"Hold on tight, babydoll."

The back tire squeals as you take off. Rebecca clutches your midriff for the sake of her life as you race into the twilight full of adrenaline. Engine roaring in the dead of the night amidst the summer wind streamlining around you, streetlights began to form in a strip of fluorescent lines. Her chin rests on your shoulder, squeezing you ever so tighter as the passing signs and billboards reflect off her visor, in shades of pink and purple hue, wondering if she's existing in a virtual dream state. Even though the music had already stopped playing for the both of you, this was once in a lifetime experience that you will remember for eternity.

-----

Bonus:

Love ya ☆

[tiesandtea]

Brett Anderson and Mat Osman from influential ’90s indie outfit Suede are back with a new album and a new film to match

By Dave Calhoun, TimeOut. Posted on Friday, November 6, 2015.

It’s one of the defining images of the ’90s British music scene: Suede’s Brett Anderson swinging his mic and slapping his arse as he tore through unifying glam-rock hits like ‘Animal Nitrate’ and ‘Trash’. Along with his old school friend Mat Osman, Anderson founded Suede as a London student in the late ’80s. When Britpop exploded, the four-piece became the smarter, darker, more ambiguous face of the scene. Five albums later, they called it a day in 2003. 

But Suede have been back since 2010, touring and lately recording. ‘Night Thoughts’ follows ‘Bloodsports’ as the second album of Suede 2.0. A brooding, expansive and playfully eccentric record, it nods to the experimentation and orchestral sound of their 1994 album ‘Dog Man Star’, the last to feature guitarist Bernard Butler.

Suede will be performing the album over two nights in London at the Roundhouse, also premiering a new film made to accompany the album. We met Brett and Mat, both 48, near their homes in west London.

You were up against Kanye West as Saturday night headliners at Glastonbury earlier this year. How was that?

Mat: ‘We loved it. We were only there for about three hours.’ Brett: ‘It’s a bit hit and miss for us, Glastonbury. We’ve done some crap ones. We did the main stage below REM about 15 years ago, in daylight, and it was terrible. I think we’re a much better live band now than we were even back in our heyday. We’re on a different level.’ Mat: ‘We’re also a bit less precious about not playing to our own audience. In the early days we spent a lot of time playing to people who were rabidly obsessive. So it could be strange to go to a festival and it not immediately go off.’ Brett: ‘We’ve got some resilience to that now. We were so used to adoring crowds in smaller venues, it became this little cult. I love playing live now. When we first started I used to be all about writing stuff and the studio, but bizarrely enough as I’ve got older, I actually enjoy the physicality of playing live.’ But anyone who’s seen you play live, especially in the early days, always remembers you going for it hell for leather, swinging the mic lead, slapping your arse…

Brett: ‘That wasn’t what it was about for me. It was about coming up with the magic in the studio.’ Mat: ‘I still think that’s the measure of the band for me, the albums you leave behind.’ Brett: ‘Of course it is. The live performance is transitory, isn’t it? It’s a beautiful thing. It’s life-affirming – and all that nonsense.’ Mat: ‘It’s the sex to a record’s love, you know what I mean? It’s the brief moment as opposed to a lifetime.’

‘London is this poisonous, brutal place, but there’s so much love here as well’

Last year a ‘Mastermind’ contestant picked Suede as their specialist subject. Were you watching?

Mat: ‘I was. I think he did better than all of us in the band.’ Brett: ‘What? I got them all right.’ Mat: ‘There was that hard question about who shot the photo of the two people kissing on our first album cover.’ Brett: ‘I knew that one.’ Your lyrics are full of images of the city. Does London still inspire you?

Brett: ‘I wrote a line about 25 years ago in a song called “He’s Dead”, and it’s “all the love and poison of London” and it’s one of my favourite lines. It still resonates with me. London is this poisonous, brutal place, but there’s so much love here as well. There’s so much inspiration, you can feel the power pulsing through its veins and I love that.’

Did the city feel brutal when you were fighting to get noticed as a student band in the late ’80s and early ’90s?

Brett: ‘We spent three years playing in the toilets of London, in places like the Amersham Arms and the Camden Falcon. Regularly there’d be more people on stage than in the audience. It was a very brutal way to start out. For some reason we stuck at it. Seriously, it wouldn’t have happened if we’d been less arrogant, or more sensible…’ Mat: ‘Or less talented, that’s the other possibility!’ Brett, you’ve said you always believed you were writing big Whitney Houston-style pop belters when you were writing early songs like ‘Animal Nitrate’ and ‘The Wild Ones’. Do you still feel like that?

Brett: ‘Yes. Less so with this new album. But I’ve always thought Suede’s music was quite poppy. The whole indie ghetto thing, especially in the ’90s, I thought it was limiting. Pop music is incredibly powerful, even in its most crass form. If you sit in the back of a cab and listen to Magic FM and all those sloppy, sentimental songs, they’re beautiful songs. Because they’re performed by cheesy artists, they’re considered naff. But they still have emotional resonance.’

‘We’re high art kitchen sink!

Your new album ‘Night Thoughts’ is more experimental than your last, your comeback album ‘Bloodsports’ (2013). Did you have less to prove?

Brett: ‘We definitely felt like we could do things that we wouldn’t have done with “Bloodsports”. That was very much about re-establishing the brand of the band, horrible as it sounds. There are echoes of “Dog Man Star”, which is our most loved record. But it’s a different record to “Dog Man Star”, it’s a lot harder to pin down.’ The filmmaker Roger Sargent has made a full-length film to accompany the album. How did that come about?

Brett: ‘We wanted to make one long film instead of making videos. Partly to reinforce the idea that the album was designed to be listened to as an album rather than a collection of songs. I sent Roger vague ideas about the themes of the album. Lots of it is about family stuff. Kids and parenthood.’ Do you have kids?

Brett: ‘I do.’ Are they old enough to listen to your music?

Brett: ‘Yeah, I’ve got a stepson who’s 11 and a little boy who’s three and has started to play the drums. We often play “Anarchy in the UK” together.’ So you don’t buy that line about the pram in the hallway killing creativity? Brett: ‘I just don’t believe that. I find there’s friction within the most comfortable relationship, and good writing is about documenting friction, documenting tension, for me. Or good Suede writing. And there’s always friction to find.’ Are you film fans?

Mat: ‘I think Brett’s probably the biggest film lover in the band. When we were planning the film for “Night Thoughts”, we all went to Roger with lists of films we liked.’ Brett: ‘Lots of arty stuff. Lots of Bergman. Things like that.’ Mat: ‘Lots of kitchen-sink drama.’ Brett: ‘Yeah, ’60s stuff. I think the combination of the two is where we meet. We’re high art kitchen sink!’

[cashforrester]

rank all the songs on the trolls soundtracks!

Alrighty! Since there's 33 total, I'm going to start at #33 and go up to #1, aka the best song in both Trolls combined soundtracks! Please note that I'm not up to debating any of these placements and if you try, I'll scream -- I'm not an expert on much, but I am on the world of Trolls and that's absolutely final. Also worth noting is that even #33 is a masterpiece; this list really isn't from bad to good, it's more from 'pretty good' to 'absolutely rocked my world and changed it forever more!'.

33. The last place spot goes to "Rainbows, Unicorns, Everything Nice" from Trolls: World Tour! It’s a fun little bop and it got a small chuckle out of me but in the end, it’s super short and a little too obvious.

32. “The Other Side” by SZA and JT has to score low. I know it was used to bookend Trolls: World Tour or at least the instrumentals were, but it’s one of the more boring songs on the soundtrack which is the closest to a criticism of one of these songs I’ll have.

31. “Just Sing”, the non-film version, goes here. I know this seems low and it kind of is, but that’s because outside of the context of the movie, the song doesn’t have the same punch! The movie version will be higher on the list!

30. Next goes to "What U Workin' With?" by Gwen Stefani and Justin Timberlake from Trolls! It wasn’t super utilized in the movie so it’s just kind of a spare song on the soundtracks, even if it is a fun bop! I still dance along when it comes on my playlists but the other songs are more integral to the plot.

29. The next spot goes to "Don't Slack" by Anderson Paak and Justin Timberlake, aka the voices of Prince D and Branch! It’s used in the credits of Trolls: World Tour and they’re cute little credits and a cute little song but because it wasn’t used in a more relevant way, it has to rank lower than the others.

28. "I Fall to Pieces" by Sam Rockell, aka the voice of Hickory from Trolls: World Tour comes next! It’s a short but totally funny country tune that’s used well in the plot and made me smile. It is very short though and more of a joke than anything else, but the music isn’t bad so here we go!

27. "Rock N Roll Rules" by HAIM comes next and it’s a really REALLY good song, don’t get me wrong! I love the instrumentals and how they’re used in Trolls: World Tour and I still wish they’d gotten the lead singer of HAIM to voice Queen Barb instead of Rachel Bloom, but ultimately it just reminds me we didn’t get a great rock vocalist for the most important character in the sequel.

26. "It's All Love" by Andersen Paak has to come next! I love this song actually but there’s two versions on the soundtrack and this is the non-film version so it’s got to score lower than songs actually used in the movies, but holy heck, it’s a really good song, I’d highly recommend it.

25. Another song that’s just used as a joke is "The Sound of Silence" by Anna Kendrick, aka Poppy in Trolls and this ranks higher than the others because it was the first real joke song and it made me laugh so hard I cried!

24. "Barracuda” is the worst of Rachel Bloom’s vocal performances in Trolls: World Tour and I hate to say it, I really do, but at times on this one, you can definitely hear that she isn’t a rock singer. It scores higher than the others so far because it was used in a super plot relevant moment and super effectively! AND the most offensive part of the song to my ears, when she says the titular word horribly, was cut out of the film, so it gets 26th instead of last place for being a song that’s hard for me, the King of Suspension of Disbelief, to take seriously.

23. “They Don’t Know” by Ariana Grande comes next. It’s a fun bubbly song that fits Gristle and Bridget’s first date in Trolls perfectly and it made me really really want a roller-skating date at some point in my life. It gets points off for not being able to understand the words and also because none of the characters actually sang it. Songs in the backgrounds of musicals score lower with me.

22. I have to put “Can’t Stop the Feeling” by Justin Timberlake here. It’s one of my favorite songs ever but the film version is even better! It gets higher than other non-film versions because of how much it was used for advertising, it basically became synonymous with the Trolls franchise and that sparks joy.

21. And on that note, I have to put “True Colors” the non-film version, before we get to our top twenty. It’s such an amazing song but in the scope of the Troll world... well, the film version is going to score way higher, you’ll see.

20. "Trolls 2 Many Hits Mashup" in Trolls: World Tour has to come next. It’s the last joke song, and the highest scorer because at least they committed to the joke of pop music being way too much! The scene in its entirety is hilarious and all the voice actors really did their best! 

19. "Leaving Lonesome Flats" from Trolls: World Tour comes next! It loses some major points for not being sung by a character in the movie but it’s basically sung by the location that is Lonesome Flats and I love that! It’s a fun little country dirge that really makes us feel transported and it also slaps.

18. "Crazy Train" is maybe the average of Rachel Bloom’s performance as Barb in Trolls: World Tour. It’s over the top and not necessarily in a good way but it’s inoffensive to the ears and a good song notwithstanding whether it’s a cover. 

17. "Trolls Wanna Have Good Times" has to come next which isn’t fair, really; the only reason it’s not higher is because it’s clearly trying to do as well at an opening medley as its predecessor Trolls did with their opening medley. As it often is with sequels, the opening number really didn’t measure up. It was made up of some really fun parts and it gets points for having personalized lyrics (’lived underground away from the world till I had my life changed by a beautiful girl. Just need the guts to tell her that she’s the one’? Amazing!)

16. "Hair Up" from the opening of Trolls comes next! It’s purely sentimental that its this high but every time I hear this beat, it’s like I’m about to start watching Trolls and my whole mind and body get happy so it had to be top twenty, although not fifteen because it’s not the best of the best.

15. "Born to Die" by Kelly Clarkson, aka Delta Dawn, from Trolls: World Tour comes next. My favorite songs from the sequels were the introduction songs for the most part, and this song did a great job of summing up the differences between country trolls and pop trolls. It was great for plot, character, and conflict! It’s just not the kind of music I bop to - ironically, it’s lower than the other introduction songs for me because it’s not fun, which I know is their whole thing, but my whole thing is having fun!

14. "Atomic Dog World Tour Remix" is the funk trolls introduction song in Trolls: World Tour and it’s funky and fun and fresh and I love it! There’s not that much to say about this one, it’s used pretty quickly but very effectively from a storytelling standpoint! It quickly puts us into the world of the funk trolls.

13. "One More Time" is a very nearly perfect introduction song for the techno trolls in Trolls: World Tour! I love how the emphasis of this song is the instrumentals and the dancing more than the actual words -- the techno trolls are big on synchronicity and beats and it’s something that differentiates them from the other kinds of trolls and also makes them a devastating first colony to attack in the movie. They’re all about unity and togetherness and something about attacking and tearing apart the group that’s all about syncing up is so tragic.

12.  “Rock You Like a Hurricane” is the best Bloom sounds in the movie as Barb, and it’s also her introduction song, not surprisingly. The instrumentals are amazing both as a display of talent and power and her voice lends itself well to the moment; it’s a great opener for the rock trolls and it made me so excited to see more from them!

11. “Perfect for Me” is Trolls: World Tour’s answer to the excellence that was the True Colors duet and it was really cute! It wasn’t quite as perfect for the moment as True Colors was, which is funny because this one was written for the movie but I don’t know, since it was written for the movie, I’d have hoped it’d be better? More fitting? It’s a fine enough song that sometimes I listen to sadly while lying down in my bed but in the Trollverse, it’s not top ten material.

10. “September” comes next! It’s the song that the Trolls start singing as soon as they escape the Bergins and it’s their celebration song and I love it for that! It’s also used in the credits of the first movie which makes me love it more; I don’t know, it’s performed and sung really well and makes me really happy. The top ten all spark MASSING amounts of joy.

9. “It’s All Love (History of Funk)” is one of the best songs in the sequel! I love the way the funk trolls go through the history of funk and music, and the beats are amazing and the lyrics are so good and the movie’s scene is SO GOOD. I can’t articulate how much I love that the funk trolls show their history through album covers instead of scrapbooks like the pop trolls. All the vocalists are crazy talented and something about the beat just...yes. It’s just a yes.

8. “Yodel Beat”! It scores surprisingly high if you haven’t seen Trolls: World Tour but if you HAVE seen it, you’ll understand why! It’s one of the best songs for musically punctuating a moment that the entire franchise has and I still get goosebumps thinking about how that scene was executed and how this song played such a massive role in it. Big fan, big fan!

7. "I'm Coming Out" / "Mo' Money Mo' Problems" is just hilarious! I love this scene in Trolls, as it’s the first example we have that Trolls and Bergins can work together, as well as the fact that Bergins can be happy without eating trolls, since Bridget is so confident and awesome! I also give lots of points to mashups and medleys and this was an unexpected one that just worked!

6. "Just Sing (Trolls World Tour)" is the best song in the sequel, hands down! When all the leaders of the different troll counties sing together? It’s amazing, every single time! It’s so meaningful, the fact that music is the most important thing in all of their lives and how it’s what ultimately unites them. I shed a tear every time, honestly. I’m tearing up thinking about it right now.

5. "Hello"  in Trolls is performed EXPERTLY by Zooey Deschanel. Did anyone know she was that funny? Because holy carp! She’s hilarious! I love this song and scene, it was one of the first scenes in Trolls that made me realize this movie was on a whole other level! It had to be top five!

4. "Get Back Up Again" by Anna Kendrick aka Poppy has to be a high scorer! It’s an original for the movie and it’s so damn good! It’s optimistic and encouraging and I love it for the movie and the character but I also love to listen to it when I need some help getting up or feeling like it’s going to be a good day. I will get back up again! It’s a great philosophy and a fantastic reminder that life can knock you down but that you’ll be good!

3. Top three times! The best medley in the movie has to be here, and that’s "Move Your Feet" / "D.A.N.C.E." / "It's a Sunshine Day"! It’s our introduction to the Pop trolls in the first movie and it’s crafted so good! I love it! No matter how many times I listen to it, it makes me so so happy the way the songs flow together. Any world where these songs exist and fit together as well as they do is a world I want to be sucked into for at least the next two hours of my life.

2. THE FILM VERSION OF “TRUE COLORS”! Is my number two pick! It has to be! It’s so impactful and emotional and romantic and if I ever get somebody to want to marry me, an instrumental cover of this has to be our first dance song, I’m sorry. It’s so beautiful! And the film version somehow makes an amazing song even better! WHEN THE TROLLS HUG TIME WATCHES CHIME OFF IN THE TUNE OF THE SONG?! AS THEY FACE THEIR IMPENDING DOOM?! IT’S AMAZING, SHOWSTOPPING, LEGENDARY, ICONIC. I’m getting sweaty just thinking about it!

1. If you know me, you knew “Can’t Stop the Feeling”, the film version, was gonna be number one! The buildup to that moment in the movie is cinematic perfection, the performance is dazzling, and the feeling it leaves in you is unforgettable. It’s the song that’s played when the trolls teach the Bergins that you don’t need to eat other sentient species to be happy, you just need to find the magic and music inside of you, and it’s a lesson I learned while watching -- this movie and this song unlocked a power inside of me to smile and be happy with just myself and it’s absolutely... it’s just everything. It’s everything and I love it and I love you, whoever you are, who sent me this ask, because getting to think about and go through all the songs in Trolls that I love, it was awesome.

honesty hour!

[mediawhorefics]

Helloo, for the movie game! 32, 37 and 48 :D

thank you for indulging me maggie <3333

32. Your most anticipated films.

god, remember when movies actually came out ?? feels like a lifetime ago...  i’m def. still super excited for chris nolan’s tenet and every day i think about the fact that my bi ass was supposed to see ww 1984 back in june 😭😭😭 i’m also looking forward to the green knight with dev patel and wes anderson’s the french dispatch.... i’m blanking on other stuff rn mostly because i can’t remember the last time i left my house let alone looked up movie releases rip. i miss going to the cinema so much folks it’s not even funny. 

i mean they’re open again but you won’t catch me there any time soon :/ 

37. Share an unpopular film opinion you have.

oh here we go !!!!!! bold of you to think i can only share one !!!!! 

the princess bride just.... is not that good. i have tried to watch this movie so many times and i just.... fall asleep every time. rip to that beloved classic but i’m different !!!! 

idk if it’s unpopular ?? because it is technically one of history’s most beloved film BUT i feel like it became such a trend to mock titanic for it’s female-led cheesy romance side but that movie straight up SLAPS and still looks INCREDIBLE over twenty years later. none of the movies who surpassed it for the ‘made the most money in history’ record is anywhere near as good. legit james cameron’s best film ?!! !

a star is born (2018) was not a well-written movie; it lacked focus and the script was wayyy too scattered and it tried so hard to be a tear-jerker?? like we get it you want people to cry at the end so you can trick them into thinking the movie is good...... very nice performances but it needed to know what story it was telling and to focus on that to give it direction. 

i hate the breakfast club & ferris bueller’s day off. 

sort of on that topic: genuinely funny american comedies are literally so fucking rare.

the star wars prequels are actually fun and revenge of the sith is one of the best star wars movies ever made. change my mind. 

idk how unpopular these are but: iron man and batman are horribly boring superheroes and i couldn’t care less about the ~billionaire superhero trope... i have never seen a batman film apart from the chris nolan ones because well... chris nolan and i have zero interest in any others. 

i have only seen the matrix once and i do not get the hype surrounding it

the terminator franchise is one of my favourites ever and i’ve liked pretty much everything from it except t3! yes even the latest trashy ones!!

while it’s not as good as the original trilogy, Indiana jones 4 REALLY isn’t as bad as people make it seem. the whole alien thing totally tied into the 50s sci fi genre in the same way the original had that 1930s b movie action vibe

dirty dancing 2 is better than the first one :))))

okay im gonna stop now but i could prob. go on :/ 

48. A movie that took you a couple of viewings to appreciate.

uhhh honestly nothing comes to mind rn ? if i didn’t like it the first time around i’m unlikely to revisit it, even as a huge rewatcher haha. however my mother and i were talking about moulin rouge! earlier and she told me that it took her NINE TIMES to watch this movie to the end because she kept falling asleep so i can offer that anecdote to you instead ?? 

LET’S TALK MOVIES!

[svtskneecaps]

Rule: tag 9 people you’d like to get to know better

I was tagged by @letsseehowhappyyouare the love of my life

top 3 ships: i don’t really ship things tbh so idk

lipstick or chapstick: i don’t put things on my lips bc i have this habit of chewing them when i’m nervous, and i’m always nervous, so i’m scared i’ll either ingest a lot of stuff i shouldn’t or i’ll just waste it. but i really want to wear like lipstick / lip tint (esp red it felt so badass when i wore it for prom), so i’m trying to kick the habit

last film you watched: i’m reordering these a tad because FROZEN 2 it came out on Disney+ the other day (which we have bc my mom got offered a good deal, i don’t know the full details) and we watched it and deadass i cried at into the unknown, and then cried from the scene directly after elsa’s trailer moment all the way to the end of the movie IT HIT ME SO HARD

last song listened to: into the unknown from frozen 2, but also 3am by Halsey slapped my gut last week and i was looping that before we watched the movie

currently reading: i’m really not reading all that much stuff atm (unless we count my old works lmao i like tormenting myself and some of the ideas are pretty ok), but if i had the drive to go to the library, either Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson or that Bridge to Neverland book which actually like slaps

what shows are you currently watching: well i WOULD be watching doctor who but SOME EXECUTIVE ASSHOLE TOOK IT OFF AMAZON PRIME so nothing, at the moment. unless we count all of Polygon’s Jackbox videos, or i started watching some Going Seventeen, bc i had time to devote my full attention to it (yknow i need subtitles so i can’t just have it on in the background listening to them,,,, i need to pick korean back up)

i’m only gonna tag @queer1107 bc they are my Comrade in Arms and idk i mean i’m sure you’d love something to do bc like me too boyo

anybody else, heckin hop on

while we’re at it, @bossgyu too I LOVE YOU HONEY

[crowdvscritic]

round up // FEBRUARY 20

On Wednesdays we wear pink, and in February, I stay inside and watch Turner Classic Movies because it’s too gosh-darn cold to do anything else. I watched almost as many movies as days in this month, largely thanks to TCM’s 31 Days of Oscar. A few things I learned:

As much as I enjoy a good TV binge, I enjoy the satisfaction of a movie's end more.

Thank goodness TCM shows good movies when the theatres seem barren of them.

If anyone says women’s complaints about their depiction in Hollywood are overblown, I’d challenge them to watch my month’s lineup. Most female characters were basically non-existent or defined as objects of desire no matter what decade the movies were from.

In February, I also watch the Academy Awards. Most of the movies here were nominated for Oscars, but I’m also recommending a few more pop culture picks (including TV, social media, a book, articles, and music) for the month.

February Crowd-Pleasers

The Imagineering Story (2019)

The Imagineering Story tells the story behind the creation of Disney theme parks, with the greatest highlight of showing you how attractions are designed. Is this shameless Disney marketing on the Disney+ streaming service? Yep, but it’s so well done that for a moment I forgot about their unsettling takeover of the entertainment industry and wanted to quit everything I was doing to go work for them.

This Knives Out Sequel Twitter Thread

The Internet can be a scary place, but this thread reminds us the fun things that can happen when tons of strangers come together. My recommendation was Knives Out: In 2 the Donut Hole, but that’s mostly because someone beat me to Knives Out 2: Adam Driver Is In It.

Classic Action Double Feature: The Magnificent Seven (1960) and The Dirty Dozen (1967)

Your girl loves star-studded team-ups, and it’s never better than when an action movie rounds up its squad of special skills. Also a Charles Bronson double feature! (Bonus: I recommend checking out the 2016 Magnificent Seven remake for a reevaluation of some of the elements that haven’t aged well in the original.)

Classic Comedy Double Feature: Moonstruck (1987) and Road to Morocco (1942)

Moonstruck is like My Big Fat Greek Wedding meets While You Were Sleeping, and Cher’s 1980s hair is a mood. (Arguably, so is Nicolas Cage’s chest hair.) Road to Morocco is like Airplane! meets Aladdin, and the silliness has hardly aged thanks to the talents of Bing Crosby and Bob Hope.

Joyful by Ingrid Fetell Lee

The science of joy? This non-fiction book is as fun a read as it should be! It’s not providing answers to deep questions of philosophy, but it’s about a philosophy that can bring life changes. I was amazed by stories of how bright colors, circular spaces, and Northern Lights can inspire joy no matter what your circumstances are. The only problem with this book is that you constantly want to Google every beautiful things she is describing—maybe we need a big coffee table book with photos as a second edition?

'90s Action Double Feature:Tremors (1990) and The Fugitive (1993)

You know a movie's good when you tense up even though you know what's coming. I'd caught bits and pieces of The Fugitive on TV, but this Harrison Ford/Tommy Lee Jones standoff still sucked me in when I watched it start-to-finish. Tremors is not a good movie—this is a movie so bad it’s great. If on some Friday night you need a big, dumb action movie with terrible dialogue, a monster created with dated special effects, and forgettable characters getting picked off one by one and coasts entirely on the charisma of Kevin Bacon and Reba McEntire (???), have I got the movie for you!

February Critic Picks

These Pieces on the Grammys Controversy

The New York Times and Variety wrote about why the firing of President/CEO Deborah Dugan and her subsequent lawsuit won’t be disappearing even though the Recording Academy is trying hard as heck to do that. As one too invested in how the arts are recognized and celebrated, I’m paying attention to what appears to be a scandal just waiting to be uncovered.

“Can the Grammys Be Trusted?” by Jon Caramanica (The New York Times)

“The Grammys May Be Over, but the Recording Academy Scandal Isn’t” by Jem Aswad (Variety)

Dark Passage (1947)

An exception to the trend of weak female roles in the films I watched this month. Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart re-team for their third film (of four) together in this romantic film noir. Bogart plays a wrongfully accused escaped convict, and Bacall is the woman who helps him keep his cover. The unconventional first-person camera angles at the beginning will catch your attention, but their chemistry will keep you invested till the end.

The Oscars

The 2020 Oscars ceremony was one of the most bonkers ceremonies in recent memory. Bonkers is preferable to boring, and I love any night celebrating movies, so I have very few complaints about an evening spent with friends eating movie-themed snacks. (Anyone care for an Adam Screw-Driver?) My favorite moments came thanks to Bong Joon Ho, especially his wins for Best Original Screenplay and Best Director.

The French Dispatch Trailer (2020)

A star-studded team-up about Midwestern journalists from the aesthetically-pleasing mind of Wes Anderson? Take my money!

Classic War Comedy Double Feature: Life Is Beautiful (1997) and Dr. Strangelove (1964)

They were both nominated for Best Picture, and they both find humor in the darkest of war. In Life Is Beautiful (La Vita è Bella), a father transforms a Nazi concentration camp into a game to save his son’s innocence. In Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, a bunch of incompetent leaders try to prevent nuclear war. Neither sounds funny, but they pull it off with delicate execution. (Bonus: Enjoy Robert Benigni winning an Oscar!)

The Slow Rush by Tame Impala

As my brother would say, this album slaps.

Leap Day Bonus

“What a Man Gotta Do” by the Jonas Brothers

My apologies to the Jo Bros for forgetting to include this in my January Round Up—this movie-inspired music video is a treat.

Also in February…

Yes, I love the Oscars, but considering how much viewership went down, it seems the Academy could do more to draw people in. One of my favorite film podcasts inspired me to brainstorm seven ways the Oscars could make the public care again in a piece for ZekeFilm.

The writers of ZekeFilm counted down our favorite films of 2019, most of which you can find on streaming now.

Kyla and I discussed a rock ‘n’ roll documentary and a camp classic on SO IT’S A SHOW? this month.

If you want to see the full list of movies I watched this month, you can find it on Letterboxd.

Photo credits: Grammys, Tame Impala. Joyful my own. All others IMDb.com.

[purplerain85]

Regret

PAIRING: Sebastian Stan x Reader

WORDS: 4115

WARNINGS: Heartbreaking Angst, and smut

SUMMARY: The reader and Sebastian have been in a long-term relationship, when he has a moment of weakness and finds out that the consequences may be bigger than he ever thought possible.

@raewritesfiction  @louise-buchan  @downtowngirlkate  @kyber-hearts-and-stardust-souls  @sideeffectsofyou  @imgoldielikehawn @laketaj24 @dewy-biitch  @loey-bae @itsmeauntie @esoltis280 @anahgem94 @sploodgebucketlu @shipping-not-sailing

Readers P.O.V.

You were standing in the livingroom talking on the phone to Sebastian who you had been dating for the last 6 years, after two years you and your then daughter 5-year-old Adelaide moved into his house.  You had met Sebastian 6 1/2 a years ago when you were working for Chris Evans as his assistant. Sebastian was on-location near home about an hour away, finishing the last bit of filming for his part in a new T.V. Show.

“How is the last day of filming going? I cannot wait to see the show.” Sebastian: “It’s going really I am going to miss everyone here it’s been a great 19 months and working with Tom again was great and Alex is every bit of talented as they say he is…” the door bell rings and you say “hang on babe, there is someone at the door…” answer the door, sign the paper for the package and say thank you to the delivery man. “it’s a package for you.” Sebastian: “can you open it for me? It’s probably my new contract and the new script for the new movie.” You open the envelope and take the papers out and you are shocked when you see an affidavit for DNA for the test of a baby boy and you looked at the other papers and see another affidavit for Child Support and you feel all blood rush from your body, you feel tears threatening to spill from your eyes, you are barely aware of Sebastian calling your name.  You snap out of your daze and coldly say “You need to call your lawyer.” And hang up on him the moment you end the call you fall to the floor you see a little picture sticking out of the affidavit for DNA you pull it out and in that moment you cry your eyes out looking at the picture and all you see is Sebastian.

Sebastian called his lawyer and his lawyer told him that a woman named Louise was filling a paternity and child support affidavits against him for a 2.5-month-old baby boy. Sebastian felt his heart drop and he said, “Thank You John, I will call you in a couple days.” Sebastian asked the director if he can take the rest of the day off for a family emergency, the director said go home. He drove home so quick and ran up the steps to the house and ran through the front door and stops in the mudroom and sees you sitting on the floor surrounded by the papers and looking at a picture with tears streaming down your face. He sits down on the floor in front of Y/N and says “babe, I don’t even know what to say other than I am sorry.”

You look at him and say “you don’t know what to say? Are you fucking kidding me Sebastian! You cheated on me and got another woman pregnant and had a baby with her! You have been on me for the last three years to marry you and have a baby with you and because I am not quite ready to have a baby or get married you decide to go and fuck some other woman! And all you can say is I am sorry! You are a fucking asshole!”

Sebastian: Y/N I am sorry it was one night of me having a weakness and I had a sex with her and it was nothing I swear it was nothing, you and Adelaide are all I want and need.” “You are such a fucking liar do you really think I am that stupid? Sebastian you cannot sit there and tell me that you only did this once or that you care for me and our daughter!” Sebastian: “ENOUGH!!! Y/N I SLIPPED UP ONE TIME…..” he doesn’t even get to finish as you slapped him across the face so hard that head jerked to the right and you hand stung so hard that it burned in a matter of seconds, you had turned your head to the left to look at him, you two are so in sync with each other, that when he moves his head slowly to look back at you, you looked at him with the look of murder in your eyes, Sebastian shrink back a little as he has never seen you so mad. You stood up and look down at him and said “I want you to leave now! I don’t care where you go, I just want you out of this house.” You drop the picture of the baby and walk away. Sebastian picked up the papers and the picture and grabbed his jacket and leaves the house.

Sebastian’s P.O.V.

Sebastian gets in his car and calls Chris to see if he can come over and talk to him. He gets to Chris’s house Sebastian tells him everything from how he met Louise that he had a moment weakness and how he was sent paper work for a DNA test, custody and child support and shows him the picture of the baby and asks Chris what he should do? Chris: “Take the DNA test first and foremost! You need to find out of this baby is your.” Sebastian: “but... but....” he is starting to lose his composer “what if he is mine?” Chris: “What do you mean what if he is yours? You be a man and deal with it!” Sebastian: “I cannot lose Y/N and Adelaide!” Sebastian starts crying and hyperventilating “I can’t lose them Chris! Nothing ever made sense until they came along, I’ve never felt so complete, that’s why I fought so hard with her deadbeat ex to adopt Adelaide.” Chris: “well you shouldn’t have laid with someone who wasn’t Y/N! And you most definitely should have used a condom!” Sebastian: “I did! I swear to God I used one.... I bought the box and carry them with me” he says in a low voice. Chris arches his eyebrow at him he knows he is treading in dangerous water, but he needs to ask, “have you cheated on her before?” Sebastian shakes his head and says “No! But its an old habit of mine that I have never been able to break, I always have a box with me.” Chris looks at him and repeats “get the DNA and find out if this little boy is your or not, and if he’s not yours then you can start trying to fix your relationship with Y/N, but you also need to be aware that.... you may not get her back.” Sebastian starts crying again and chokes out “I want to marry her Chris, I want only her, I want her and only her to carry my babies, I want to grow old with her.” Chris: “I know you do but you need be aware that she may not now, or she will make you jump through hoops to get her trust back.” “I would jump through 1,000 hoops a day to get her back..... I would walk away from all of this to get her back and teach at an arts school if that’s what it takes!” 

The next morning, I call my lawyer and sets up a time to do the DNA, he says he will call him back when he has everything set up. The next thing he does is call you and to my surprise you answer I can hear the heartbreak in your voice and can tell that you spent all night crying, I ask if Adelaide needs to be driven to school. You: “No she spent the night at Emma and Celeste’s house last night” he tells her he set up the DNA and asks if they can meet up and talk. You: “Adelaide goes to my mom’s in two weeks, so we can talk then” Sebastian knows he has to do this on your terms and even though he wants to go home and show you how sorry he is over and over again, he knows that all the lovemaking in the world is not going to help right now. So instead he says sadly “OK, Y/N call me when I can come over.” He has to at least has to start appealing to you “Y/N I am so very sorry for the pain that I have caused you, I love you more than anything and I will do whatever it takes to get your trust back” You: “I love you too Sebastian, I just need some time, please call me in a couple days.”

Tuesday: my lawyer called me and told me where I needed to for the DNA test and what time and said he would meet me there as Louise was going to be there with her son and her lawyer. God I did not want to see her I just wanted to get what needed to be done and get out of there and go back to Chris’s and call you on your lunch break and tell you about the test and how long it would be tell we found out, as I may have been ok with waiting to see you in two weeks but I was going to call you everyday when you were on your lunch break, and I was going to call Adelaide every night. On my way to the Dr. office I thought back to when I first met you, you were Chris’s new assistant (which is why Chris was more pissed at me about the situation) it took me 6 months to get you to agree to go on a date with me, and another 3 months before I found out you had a 3 year old daughter, you had called to let me know that you would have to cancel our date because her babysitter had canceled and couldn’t get another one, I told you to give me 30 minutes to change somethings around so you could bring her it was the best date with the two of you. Two and half years into our relationship your ex started to cause problems and saying shit to any tabloid who would listen, because we had gone public and he figured he could make a quick buck. I talked to my lawyer who told me that the only way to get him out of the picture for good would be me to adopt her, so we started the proceedings for that (that alone took some convincing on my part for you to agree to) then he kept asking for another date every time we were all set to go to court but eventually the Judge said enough is enough and set a final court date to which he never showed up to and we were full awarded custody and I was allowed to adopt her, which was perfect timing as she started school with my last name.

I am pulled from my daydream when I pull into the parking lot, next to my lawyers’ car and I get out of my jeep and we are walking to the building he is telling that its just a simple mouth swab and it will take about 2 weeks. As I walk through the doors I see something that I was not expecting, there in the waiting room with their lawyers were Tom Hiddleston and Alex Høgh Anderson we look at each other and start talking and figured out we were here for the same reason and the same person Louise.... because she wasn’t sure who the father of her son was because she had sex with each of use around the same time one-night Tom, a couple nights later Alex and a few nights after Alex she had sex with me.  The nurses told us we were being put in different rooms and once Louise and her son were done being swabbed she would be escorted out of the building by her lawyer. I was swabbed first and told they would call me in about 10 days with the results. I left the office as soon as I was done and thanked my lawyer and drove back to Chris’s place. I say to Chris “There are two other possibilities of who the father might be, Tom and Alex.” Chris: “Wow? Really? So, there is a 1 in 3 chance that he is not yours? Well that’s.... good I think hopefully its one of the other two?” “What do you remember about her?” I tell him the truth “don’t remember much about her, other than I thought she was very pretty and funny, we had been drinking and she kissed me and I hadn’t seen Y/N in 7 months and phone and skype sex wasn’t doing it anything more, and I just got lost in the moment and brought her back to my room and had sex, I woke up in the morning and she was gone, and I thought about telling Y/N, which looking back I know I should have but I decided not to since I never thought I would see her again.” Chris looks at me thinking over what I said and said “if Y/N asks you about that night I suggest in fact I highly suggest that you tell her everything! When do you see her again?” Sebastian: “In a week and a half, I honestly cannot wait to be near her again. She said she loved me but needed sometime.”

Reader’s P.O.V.

I had just sat down on the bench by the lake when my phone started ringing, and as hurt, heartbroken and just plain broken I am my heart soared and I smiled to myself when I saw it was Sebastian calling. I was also happy that he was calling every day, I wanted him to come home so bad and I missed having him hold me at night, I missed feeling his lips all over my body but most of all between my thighs and missed making love to him. I answer my phone “Hello Sebastian, how did the DNA test go?” God it hurt my heart asking that. Sebastian: “It went good quick swab will have the results in about 10 days....” I know he is holding something back and my mind goes to the worst thing thinking that he actually wants to be with her. “What is it Seb?” Sebastian: “I wasn’t the only one there, there were two other guys there...” my mind went blank that was not what I was expecting. You: “Who else was there?” Sebastian: “Tom and Alex.”You: “What?” Sebastian: “She had sex with the three of us within the same time period.... just different days.” You: “Ummm I don’t want to talk about that right now, but we will when you come back home next weekend.” Sebastian: “.... back home?” You: “Yes, I want you to come home, but I need you to stay at Chris’s tell next weekend as Adelaide thinks you are filming, and she thinks you are coming back home next weekend. I don’t want to tell her anything just yet, as we are not entirely sure of anything yet. As we need to figure us out first.” We talk for the next 20 minutes before I have to go back to work, I tell Sebastian I love him and will talk to him tomorrow. He tells me he loves me too and to give Adelaide big hugs and kisses and tell her I love her.

Sebastian’s P.O.V.

This is the longest I have gone without any kind of sex since I met you even though it was 9 months tell we actually had sex I had been tempted to get myself off but it felt odd even thinking of doing that in Chris’s house and tonight is my last night here, it has been the longest week and half I am going back home in the morning as Adelaide went to her grandmothers tonight and I know you will be up by 9:30. I toss and turn all night I finally get about 5 hours of some what solid sleep I get up shower, I trim my beard and say thank you to Chris for giving me a place to stay. He says, “you’re welcome, and good luck!”  The drive home seems to take forever I stop to grab myself a coffee and you a hot chocolate, when I get home and up to the door and I stand there like an idiot as I don’t know of I should just walk in or knock, I choose to do both. You’re sitting in the livingroom looking at me like I have two heads and asks, “why did you knock?” Sebastian: “I didn’t know if I should knock or not” you laugh at me as I pass you, your drink and say thank you. Again, I don’t know where to sit on the couch and I choose to keep the middle cushion between us as much as I want to hold you. You are wearing a loose top and I am pretty sure you don’t have a bra on and shorts and again I am pretty sure you have no panties on, I can feel myself getting hard at just the sight of you. We do some small talk and then you start asking me about that night and why, I can see the heartbreak all over your face and that you are fighting back tears as I tell you everything minus the graphic details that I figure you don’t need to hear, and you don’t ask. I am just finishing up telling you everything when my phone rings and see its my lawyer I have it on speaker “Hi John, how it’s going” John (lawyer): “Sebastian I have the results of the DNA test...” I look over at you and see you holding her breath “and?” John (lawyer): “Sebastian it is not your baby” I say nothing, and I hear you choke on your breath and a sob, and John says “Sebastian did you hear me? The baby is not yours, its Alex’s” Sebastian: “Thank you for all your help John, have a good weekend.” John (lawyer): “You too Sebastian”. I barely hang the phone up and put it down before you throw yourself onto my lap and hugs me. 

I wrap my arms around you and pull you close to me and I can feel the tears threatening to spill as I choke out “Please Y/N forgive me! I promise will never ever hurt you like this ever again!” You pull back and put your hand on either side of my face and say, “I forgive you, but if you ever put me through anything this again I will cut your balls off and force feed them to you!” I am slightly scared but more turned on that you talked about my balls I wrap my right arm around your waist and place the other up behind your back and place my hand on the back of your neck and pull you in for one of the most passionate kisses between us we both moan as you grinds your hips down on my growing erection, I slide my right arm up your shirt to your shoulder and realize that I was right no bra and I scrap my fingers down your back to the top of your shorts and slide my right hand in your shorts and grip your right ass cheek that is bare under the shorts. You grip the back of my head and pulls my hair and that was enough for me, I all but rip your top off and flip you over so your laying down on the couch which is big enough for what is about to happen.

 I rip your shorts off and spread your legs and bury my face between your thighs you yell “OH ffffuuuck Sebastian! Oh God I missed you!” I swirl my tongue around her opening and lick up to her clit I pull your hood back fully exposing your clit and I flick my tongue over your clit quickly and I have to reposition my left arm to hold your waist down. I pull away and place my right index finger over your exposed clit and rub while looking up you, and it’s an amazing sight you’re breathing quickly your back is arched, your hands are in your hair pulling it and your head is thrown back I groan at you knowing you won’t last long, I bring my right index and middle finger to your opening and at the same time I attach my lips back to her clit I thrust my two fingers into you and thrust them quickly and curl them at the right spot and rub your g-spot over and over you try to close your legs you threads your fingers in my hair and pulls hard and scream “Sebastian I...I...mmmm going to cccuummmmm” I hum against her and that’s all it takes your legs tense for a couple minutes through your orgasm then relax when you stops cumming. 

I quickly stand and strip myself of my clothes and look down at the woman I love more then anything in this life and I know how lucky I truly am. I settle between your legs and you pulls me down to kiss you and you hum against my mouth tasting yourself on my tongue and while you are preoccupied I thrust hard into you and try to let you adjust bit, but you pull away and say “Sebastian, baby please move, show me how much you missed me” I start thrusting my hips at a fast pace and kiss you again, you wrap your legs around my hips and meet me thrust for thrust I can feel your orgasm building again and I know I won’t last much longer. I slide my right hand back down to your sensitive clit and rub it quickly while I say, “I Love you more than anything and I will give up everything I do to keep you if that’s what it takes to make you stay.” Sebastian: “Cum for me Y/N please cum for me” you grip my arms and I can feel you convulsing around me and I watch your eyes roll into the back of your head and hear you moan out my name and it sends me over the edge. I try to keep myself up on my arms, but you pull me down onto you and pull me into a death grip. As we lay there catching our breath you say “I don’t want you to quit what you love, I do not need to give some of your fans more reason to hate me, I just need to know that you won’t step out of our relationship again. You know my job allows me to travel and our parents are willing to take Adelaide for a weekend or a week and if you need a sex fix tell me and l will come to you and you can fuck me into whatever piece of furniture you want. Deal?” “Deal Y/N I promise” eventually we get up and start getting dressed I tell you I will be right back I go to my office and come back to find you in standing out on the deck. 

“Y/N I know that right now is probably not the best time but I really do love you and Adelaide more than anything....” she turns to look at me and sees me down on one knee and she gasps as I continue “I never thought I would ever meet someone so caring and loving like you, you have been more than understanding with me being gone and supportive and even with the major bump we just experienced I promise to spend the rest of my life making it up to you, I want to continue making a life for us as Wife and Husband and I want to have a baby or babies with only you. Y/F/N & Y/L/N will you do me the honour and marry me?” I open the ring box and she says, “Oh my God!” and says “Although it wasn’t the greatest time to ask.... I will finally agree to marry you Mr. Stan”

The End

[spaceorphan18]

Changed For the Better 5 [Klaine Advent 5]

Rating: S for Shenanigans Word Count: 837 Summary: AU - Kurt’s a struggling actor living in New York, and is currently working on a Made-for-TV movie starring Cooper Anderson.

A/N: Written for Klaine Advent Day 5: Example

[Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [Part 4]

///

Changed for the Better - Part 5/24: Science Fiction, Double Feature

There wasn’t a whole lot of time to rehearse for Rocky Horror - but Kurt didn’t need a lot of time.  He knew the show well, and in the few practices they did have, Kurt didn’t have any trouble settling into the role of Riff-Raff.  It helped that Rachel was right there with him most days, and that the rest of the cast was made up of theater geeks, who loved the show as much as he did.  

He had spent so much time on a film set lately, waiting around for directors and crew members to set up and reset that he had forgotten how fast past the stage could be.  It was slightly overwhelming and thrilling at the same time.  He had missed it.  How did he spend so much time away.  

The performance was held at a hole-in-the-wall theater that didn’t hold more than fifty people, and the stage was so close that you could reach out and touch the actors from the audience if you wanted to.  Mercedes brought Sam with her to the performance, the two of them holding hands as they found a seat.  And Brittany came as well, bringing her girlfriend.  He could hear Brittany cheer for him every time he was on stage.  Even his dad few out.  Burt was pretty confused by a majority of what was going on around him, but he’d never miss a chance to see his kid perform.  

The show wasn’t perfect.  Rachel messed up a line that threw the whole thing off, a few of the girl playing Magenta broke down in laughter after someone threw a piece of toast at her head, and Kurt managed to trip and make a (hilarious to the audience) spill during The Time Warp.  But Kurt had fun.  For the first time in a really long time, he was just enjoying himself.  And the applause at the end helped.  

Later at the cast party, Jesse said to him, “That was a pretty impressive performance, Hummel.  Any chance you’ll be heading back to stage once your film is over?”  

He didn’t have to think about it.  “I’m already there.”  

//

Kurt’s last day of filming was on a Wednesday.  He felt bittersweet about it - the last few weeks or so had run rather smoothly.  But he wouldn’t miss the project one bit.  

Cooper, however, was in a near state of distress for their entire last scene.  The scene was supposed to be a comical one - but Cooper was more melodramatic than usual, even giving Kurt a huge bear hug after the last take.  Kurt might have expected Cooper’s easy flow of emotions on set, he seemed to be having a hard time letting go of everyone as the film wrapped up, but what Kurt didn’t expect was Cooper waiting for him after he got out of his costume.  

“Kurt,” Cooper said, placing an arm around his shoulders.   “These past few months, I feel like I’ve gotten to know you not just as a friend, but as a best friend.  And as a best friend, I think maybe we should continue to be best friends, even if we are no longer pretend best friends.”

“Uh, Cooper…”

“I think you and I should go to a concert together,” Cooper said.  He pulled a couple of tickets from his back pocket.  “It’s a benefit concert, in which my little brother will be performing.  All the great singers of the stage will be there.”  

Kurt raised an eyebrow, suspicious. “What’s it a benefit concert for?”

Cooper paused, thinking of an answer.  “Children, I believe.”

“Just children?”

“All children, everywhere,” Cooper continue.  “And we should set an example for all the children who may be watching for the press tour--”

“I really doubt this movie is going to have a press tour.”

“--that you can be friends with those around you, and do charity, so you can get acclaim for doing said charity.  It is a win-win any way that you look at it.”

“So you want me to come to this benefit concert because it’ll make you look good?”

“It’ll make us both look good.  And we’ll be there to support my little brother.  And the children.  Think of the children Kurt.  And it won’t hurt your publicity, no matter where you go next, to be seen with me - Cooper Anderson.  What do you say?”

Cooper slapped a ticket on his chest.  Kurt took it, feeling a little apprehensive.  Cooper was up to something.  He wasn’t pointing, he wasn’t monologuing (much), and he had a strange twinkle in his eye - one Kurt had never seen before.  Kurt had a strange feeling about spending time with Cooper outside of work.  Still, as he stared down at his ticket, there was something about Cooper’s eagerness that compelled Kurt to want to go.  Or maybe the curiosity about Cooper’s mysterious younger brother had finally peaked his interest.  It was one night.  What was the worst that could happen?

[independentartistbuzz]

INDIE 5-0: 5 QUESTIONS WITH MUNK DUANE

Boston based Recording Artist, Producer and Film Composer Munk Duane has a style deeply rooted in late 60s and early 70s Soul and Pop, with unapologetic nods to legends such as Curtis Mayfield, Marvin Gaye, Prince and Stevie Wonder, crafting a sonic atmosphere that is traditional in inception and modern in execution. Channeling spirits of the past and filtering them through a 21st century aesthetic, Munk manifests an evolution by daring to experiment in hybrids. 

We got together with him to ask some questions and talk about his most recent release Sweet Tooth.

1.) You are an extremely versatile, charismatic and unique artist, with your sound rooted in the early 60s/ 70s Soul and Pop. How long did it take you to hone in on your style and sound, and what advice do you have for other artists who are trying to figure it out?

Why thank you! I've been a fan of Motown since I was a kid, especially around the era of Marvin Gaye's album " What's Going On" and "Talking Book" through the "Songs In the Key Of Life" period of Stevie Wonder. This is when these artists stepped into a more musically ambitious and socially aware light. Prince was my number one influence from the time I was a teen. The final piece of the "Soul puzzle" that defined me though was a chance meeting with Jame Brown. When I was about 16, I was walking out of a music conference in New York with my Father. A limo was just pulling up. A man and his entourage emerged and he made a beeline for me. I was holding a notebook that I used for the conference and I'm sure he thought I was coming toward him for an autograph. The man gingerly steps up to me, grabs the notebook out of my hand with a huge, warm Cheshire Cat smile on his face, and says something to me I can't quite make out. I looked down and saw that he had written what he had just said. "God loves you. James Brown". I was completely naive as to who he was at this point, still being young and inexperienced. After he walked away, I looked at my Dad, speechless and puzzled. He gave me the old Italian Father "slap upside the back of my head" and said "you have no idea what just happened, do you? That was The Godfather of Soul, James Brown". After this encounter, I dove headlong into his discography, learned that he was one of the main influences of MY main influence, and completely fell in love with Soul, R&B and Funk. As far as advice to anyone trying to figure out what their sonic identity is, I would simply ask "What is the music that made you want to make music?". After my third album, I became super busy writing on spec for television. I was good at fast, high-quality, turn-arounds and capturing the vibe of established artists that these productions didn't have the budget for, without sounding like a knock-off. In TV, you generally have to respond to these creative briefs from Music Supervisors and Publishers in less than 24 hours, so developing a methodology to crank out content super fast is critical for any reasonable success in spec licensing placements. After several years, I wanted to get back to focusing on my next release as an artist but when I sat down to write, I was horrified to find that my mind was completely blank. Without a creative brief and the parameters of "who I needed to sound like" and the ungodly deadlines, I discovered that I had forgotten who "I" was as an artist. After several false starts that included a complete album that I shelved upon completion because it was miles from who I actually am, I stopped writing altogether and just took some time to try and remember why I got into this in the first place. Marvin Gaye's "Inner City Blues" lead me back to my musical genesis. The emersion of Alt R&B, born of Neo-Soul and artists like Anderson .Paak, Childish Gambino and Leon Bridges were sign posts telling me that the music closest to my heart never went away and continues to evolve. Just be who you are with no apologies or trend-chasing. 2.) Your single, "Dangerous" was inspired by your battle with COVID-19 in March. Tell us more about the virus, and how you were able to overcome it and still release music.

COVID kicked my ass. I contracted it in the early wave when the medical community still did not know what they were dealing with. I saw two doctors via telemedicine, and one in person, who ALL told me I didn't have it, so of course I didn't quarantine from my family and transmitted it to my wife and kids. It wasn't until antibody tests became available months later that I had a positive confirmation. It took me 6 weeks to shake the worst of the symptoms from radical temperature shifts, extreme fatigue, uncontrollable coughing to the point where I couldn't speak without a fit, loss of smell and taste and finally labored breathing like an elephant was sitting on my chest. I was still compromised for a few weeks after the worst of the symptoms had subsided (I still ran out of breath quickly and my limbs were like jelly). Probably 8-10 weeks in total. I was completely untreated, and was left with whatever my body's natural ability to fight it was. Thank goodness we're a little smarter about it now but it's still scary as hell. The ONLY good thing as a result was getting to be at home in my studio for so much time, due to the cancellation of gigs. Losing the income was painful but having an extended period to write and record whatever I wanted to was a gift. As I started to feel well enough, I began to write my thoughts in lyric form about the false narratives we were being fed at the time. As I was the sickest I'd ever been in my life, our President was telling anyone who would listen that COVID was a hoax. "Dangerous" began to write itself. In the span of a few weeks I had it completed and wanted to release it while the message was still timely. 3.) Your newest release "Sweet Tooth" is such a smooth track, tell us about the writing/ recording process.

Thank you. This was around the time that the remaster of Prince's "Sign O The Times" was about to drop, along with 63 unreleased songs from his vault. That album is an inspirational mile marker for me and I simply wanted to write an homage to my hero. It was not my intention to copy him as much as capture the way he could make you feel and reinterpret that feeling through the filter of my own capabilities and taste. I set out to let an infectious, clean and quirky groove drive the shape of the song. More often than not, I write "backwards" compared to the school of traditional songwriting. Instead of starting with chords, lyrics and melody, I sometimes start with groove, bass and vibe. If that excites me enough to flesh it out into a song, the piece will survive. It's not a hard and fast rule as much as a bi-product of beginning my musical experience as a bass player. I need to feel it in my bones first. The rhythm has to make me want to tell a story. It comes from a primal place. On "Sweet Tooth" the rhythm led me to the synth layers and sound design which took me further down the road to that odd, falsetto chorus hook with the violin pluck in the stops. I was just allowing my eccentricity full reign. That verse melody and those harmonies fell directly in line afterward. From a Production standpoint, I was channeling a bit of Danger Mouse into FINNEAS to explore how much articulation and sonic separation I could create in the sound palette for this one. 4.) You've had some tracks that are centered around some heavier topics, but with this latest record, you took more of a fun and flirty turn, tell us about the inspiration behind it.

The last thing I want to be is a "one trick pony". The human condition is a spectrum of feelings and experiences. I could change the vibe of each song sonically but if I stayed in the same lyrical wheelhouse all the time, it would have the opposite of the intended effect. Yeah, I could be in my "Shame Against The Machine" mode very easily, but I'm super self-aware of becoming preachy, predictable and one dimensional. All work and no play makes Munk a dull boy. 5.) Your music has had some incredible placements, like The 70th Annual Tony Awards, NCIS, Hawaii Five- O, and so much more. What is on the "Munk Duane - 5 Year Goals" List?

As much work that is behind me, I'm convinced my best work is still ahead. I'm taking in so much of the exponential advancements in music technology and it's blowing my creative mind wide open with possibilities. It's like going from a box of 4 Crayolas to a box of 120. I feel like infinite opportunities lie ahead if I'm bold enough, and there aren't enough hours in the day to explore them all, and this is coming from a guy who stays up until 3 or 4am creating until he slumps over the console. Given all of that, I want to continue to diversify. I've had the honor this past year to contribute music to groundbreaking technology by Bose for a new earbud designed to help those with sleep disorders. This required a lot of research, exercising both my Right and Left brain. I want more of that, for sure. I'll be working on more Film Scoring projects. Getting a taste of my first Hollywood Red Carpet experience as a Composer was pretty intoxicating and yeah, if I'm being honest, I want more of that too. Occasional celebration and acknowledgement of accomplishments is something I need to work on more. I'm really bad at it and hard on myself. I'm enamoured with the return of the Title Sequence as a work of art unto itself. Work done by studios like Perception (The Black Panther, Thor: Ragnorok) and Prologue (Star Trek: Discovery, American Horror Story) inspire me as much as any recording artist does. I'm exploring ways to crack my way into that world as a Composer. Producing other artists is also in the plan, as is a full length album for myself in 2021. I'm focused on continuing to will my way into the general awareness of the music and film industries, new fans and anyone that will honor me with a listen. 

Listen to Sweet Tooth: https://open.spotify.com/track/4Q7KYh1gaKRoHolohoJQhF?si=OjGIsu2YSEOQk4byVwCYxg

Connect with Munk Duane via:

https://www.munkduane.com/

https://www.instagram.com/munkduane

https://www.youtube.com/munkduane

https://www.facebook.com/munkduane