#what if the movie gets so popular that all of us book-only fans are sidelined and ignored and fade into obscurity forever…….

[nineteen-rats]

Gonna be honest I am really, really, REALLY not excited for this movie. It’s probably in my top 3 worst things that could possibly happen to RA. I have no confidence that they’ll do a faithful adaptation, and even if it’s a good movie, it’ll never live up to the version of RA in my mind (though, to be fair, I doubt anything can). I’ll watch it when it comes out, but the books are forever going to be the only canon for me

[twothpaste]

Paula for the ask game, if you'd like!

First impression:

wow they sure made the girl character a pink little damsel (despite her badass powers) and called it a day huh. ok

Impression now:

wow i can take the girl character and develop whatever i want about her and -- oh shit - oops - haha whoops - now she's my favorite

Favorite moment: Every time she uses PK Freeze. But really, I'm very sentimental about the brief period between Twoson and Threed where it's just Ness and Paula traveling together. Paula makes a friend she can be herself with. Ness makes a friend after braving the big scary world all by himself. They're probably a little awkward and uncertain of each other at first, but they quickly come to admire each others' strengths!! Combat feels so fresh and exciting once you finally have a party member! They both have to learn to work together with a fellow PSI user, and it's really sweet.

Idea for a story: I don't really have more Paula stories on the brain rn. Whatever I do next with Intermission AU though, I wanna develop her friendship with Claus some more… They're both book-smart and snarky, he's one of very few people who can keep up with her wit. She only knows the half of what he's been through, but she looks out for him on the downlow. Especially in light of his bad experiences with Porky (Paula helped Ness through his fallout with Porky too, she's kind of in a unique position to provide some levelheaded advice & support). And they've both got unresolved anger with their family members. Their playfully pretentious nerd banter might easily give way to some heartfelt & heavy discussions. I feel like one of these days I could cook up somethin interesting. Intermission Senior Year arc where Paula finally stands up to her megalomaniac mom, while Claus cheers from the sidewalk like "yeah paula, you tell her!! yolo, dude! i got your back!"

Unpopular opinion: A lot of fan content I see & read will either sideline her or just, not flesh her out very much beyond Yeah She Sure Is The Girl. :( Itoi left the EarthBound party members relatively underdeveloped on purpose, hoping players would fill in the blanks to their hearts' content. Paula can be anything or anyone, and can have really interesting dynamics with her other party members! I just think her potential is often underutilized.

Favorite relationship: She's Ness' best friend!! A smart pretty popular girl befriends a little fat boy with average grades n' no connections beyond his hometown! And against all expectations, it turns out they get along brilliantly! He helps her loosen up & let go of her perfectionism, she helps him overcome his insecurities & become a more confident person! Ness really really needed someone to trust as his friendship with Porky crumbled, and Paula was right there the whole time. I think they have lots of silly goofy fun together - they'll dance and do karaoke and take joke photos at national monuments. I have a funny little headcanon that they tried dating in high school, quickly realized they like just being friends much better, and went on as if nothing happened. And another, that they teach each other their PSI techniques. Healing doesn't come naturally to Paula, and offense doesn't come naturally to Ness, but they're patient and perseverant and they figure it out over time.

Favorite headcanon: My girl Paula is academia pilled to comedic degrees. She's obsessed with Virginia Woolf. She feels a spiritual kinship with The Queen's Gambit. She daydreams about being a college professor. When she watches movies she calls them "films," and you'd better believe she's taking notes.

[leam1983]

I occasionally get a bit of an interesting "third angle" view of things when I think about smash hits like the Potterverse and their successes and variable downfalls. It's fairly simple, really:

Consider how many books were printed when the publishing model became accessible to the masses. In Honoré de Balzac's "Lost Illusions", we get a glimpse at a Parisian publishing scene that was as rabid, back in its day, as the crypto market was a few months back. You had a shitty idea? You got published.

You get a book deal, you get a book deal, EVERYONE GETS A BOOK DEAL!

Cool, right? The one problem is that the books that made it through History and over to us were selected and recognized for their quality. For every Robinson Crusoe, there's dozens of authors who either were never meaningfully recorded by history - or worse, who were massive hits in their day but who are now forgotten.

Visit a book fair and look for collected Adventure serials; you'll find hundreds of Alexandre Dumas copycats trying to gin up the popularity of the then-serial Count of Monte Cristo with narratives of their own. Narratives that fail at capturing the imagination in quite the same way as Dumas' work.

Look at the modern publishing sphere and it's obvious that Rowling is in something of a similar position. Right now, whether you agree with her or not, she's a hot commodity. Right now, HBO is rushing to adapt her juvenilia into a ten-season behemoth out of the misplaced assurance that it'll be as gangbusters as Game of Thrones was for its first few seasons.

Even if it is, even if my grandkids grow up sorted by their Hogwarts Houses because the fucking Stupid Magic Series can't leave the zeitgeist, know that it eventually will.

Eventually, the only ones left to dwell on Harry Potter and its derivative works will be media scholars specializing in the dissection of Pop Culture materials, the sorts who buy books at dusty book fairs and who pirate material relentlessly because they work for a department that has a shoestring budget. Nothing lasts forever, and there's a day in the far-flung future that'll see someone sell the entire series for a couple bucks. They'll never have read it and never will have cared, because something else will have taken Harry Potter's place.

So, to the detractors - rest assured, this series isn't Classic Lit material. It'll sink into the sidelines of specialized Undergraduate programs or in the wheelhouses of Sociology teachers tracking how Pop Culture repurposes folk magic.

To the fans - just remember that your own grandkids won't connect with the Potterverse. They likely won't connect with the MCU or the DCEU, either - much less Star Wars. Very few are the media properties who become more than basic household names, phenomenons like Dracula killing it in book fairs and surviving off of the popularity of vampires for a hundred and twenty-six straight years are almost unheard of.

After all, the second-best fate a book can hope for is to be regurgitated by a myriad of other authors. Not everyone reads the Epic of Gilgamesh but we've all read something that lifts from the Epic.

What this means is that you liking this over another franchise is, in the grand scheme of things, generally harmless. Reading a book never killed anyone, and we'll eventually reach a point where there won't be a Rowling estate left, no active transphobic organisms to promote by purchasing these books and derivative products - especially not if book fairs and flea markets are considered. The bigots are going to find themselves another sacrificial lamb, and we'll reach a point where despite all the ink that's flowed on Rowling's transphobia, the average curious bookworm's going to be left thinking "There's transphobic stuff in this old-ass book series? Really?!"

Most of everything ever written ends up forgotten. Even now, movies and video games are falling victim to legal abandonment. Life goes on, studies are funded and, I'm certain of it - the greater LGBTQA cause will keep advancing. Rowling's transphobia feels like a tsunami that could wash away years of popular support in some areas, but it's likely more of a tiny stream in an otherwise-dry valley.

Rest easy - nobody's going to give a shit about which Hogwarts House you've been sorted in; and it'll happen fairly soon on the scope of all of Literature's recorded works.

It's just in human nature to want to focus on the Next Shiny Thing.

i agree it's tactically sound to reframe harry potter as a Loser Brand for Losers, since all the transphobia clearly isn't slowing its fanbase down. they don't feel guilt, the consumerism patches over it, so instead... make the consumption painful, shameful. treat it like Ghostbusters: a franchise doddering into the senior home, while its fans slobber for a new movie to turn them young again

like relentlessly. always talk about HP in the context of manchildren refusing to let go of their fifth grade level reading. talk about it like it's got the literary complexity of a crossword puzzle. treat them like they're eating kid cuisine every meal of the day. baby like their baby book? gonna watch the spooky wizard show? that's nice sweetie, but the bills and the kids and the rest of the world are waiting for you, whenever you feel like changing out of your pajamas

[land-of-brains-and-chocolate]

here’s the entirety of the paywalled businessinsider article interviewing charles beacham about marvel’s racism in staffing and editorial decisions! 

In the early 2010s, Marvel's comics business focused on a diverse slate of new characters, but by 2017 comic sales had fallen, which resulted in the exit of editor-in-chief Axel Alonso.

Three former Marvel editors and one current editor told Business Insider that in the years since, Marvel has recommitted to nostalgia and classic, mostly white characters, often at the expense of some of those diverse characters like Miles Morales, a biracial teenage Spider-Man.

That shift was guided by an editorial department that lacked diversity, particularly in leadership roles. Today, there are no Black staffers on Marvel's editorial team of about 18 people, and only two people of color, Marvel confirmed.

"My voice and what I brought to the table wasn't valued equally," said Charles Beacham, one of two Black editorial staffers to work at Marvel in the past five years.

Have a tip? Email the author at tclark@businessinsider.com or DM him on Twitter @TravClark2.

Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Miles Morales was the character who pulled Charles Beacham into the world of comics.

Beacham was studying journalism at Brigham Young University, in Utah, when he walked into a comics shop in 2011 and picked up a copy of Morales' first appearance. Beacham, who is Black, said he was amazed to see Morales — a teenage Spider-Man who has a Black father and Puerto Rican mother — in its pages.

"When I was growing up, I always wanted to be the red Power Ranger, and the other kids would say I had to be the black Ranger," Beacham said. "The same thing happened with Spider-Man. They'd say, 'You can't be Spider-Man because Peter Parker's not a Black dude.' Seeing Miles Morales made me wish I had that as a kid."

Morales propelled Beacham into comics and into Marvel itself, where he worked as an assistant editor.

"I didn't have job prospects when I moved to New York in 2013, but the goal was to work for Marvel because of Miles Morales," Beacham said. When he landed a job at the company the next year, he loved it.

But Beacham, now 31, was living in New York City with a child on a $38,000 salary. He said that after three years as an assistant editor, from 2014 to 2017, without a promotion, he was ready to leave. It wasn't about the money as much as the lack of a path forward.

"I thought I'd be at Marvel forever," he said. "If they had promoted me I'd probably still be there and surviving on ramen."

Beacham is one of two Black editorial staffers to have worked at Marvel in the past five years, the company confirmed. The second Black staffer, also an assistant editor, left this year after five years without a promotion or raise, a person familiar with the matter said. The editorial team of about 18 people now has two people of color.

"I want to be back there all the time," Beacham said. "But when it comes down to it, my voice and what I brought to the table wasn't valued equally."

Disney-owned Marvel has grown into a cultural force that extends beyond its comic books and into movies, video games, and other media. The comics are the foundation for it all, including the Marvel Cinematic Universe, which has become the highest-grossing movie franchise of all time.

The stories that Marvel's small editorial team helps shape are central to popular culture in the US and around the world.

"Who works on these stories can help broaden them," said Regine Sawyer, the founder of Women in Comics Collective International, which helps to spotlight the comics work of marginalized people.

That was clear from 2011 to 2017, when Marvel ushered in a new era for its comic books under then editor-in-chief Axel Alonso, who is Mexican American.

New and diverse characters like Morales took center stage instead of Marvel's decades-old classic characters, who were primarily white. These characters inspired new fans like Beacham, and continue to inspire new fans as they make their way to other media.

But by 2017, Marvel's comic sales had fallen. Marvel's president of sales, David Gabriel, publicly blamed it on diversity. Alonso exited the company and was replaced by a white man in the role of top editor. Marvel reversed course.

Now, in the aftermath of the killing of George Floyd and the protests that followed, Marvel is promising to once again introduce more diversity to its ranks and its stories.

Marvel chairman Ike Perlmutter sent a letter to employees on June 18 saying the company would "support more Black voices."

And in a memo to staff sent July 6, Marvel's president, Dan Buckley, outlined three areas of focus for Marvel moving forward:

broaden Marvel's creative landscape, which includes identifying "what has traditionally prevented us in the industry from recruiting and fostering more BIPOC talent."

build a foundation of lasting growth by "examining our internal culture and rebuilding our long-term process for talent recruitment, retention, and outreach to communities of color."

create new initiatives and expansion opportunities by "looking to explore new projects that will enable us to reach and represent an even broader audience."

In addition to Beacham, Business Insider spoke with two former Marvel editors and a current editor. Aside from Beacham, the Marvel insiders spoke on condition of anonymity to protect their stance at the company or job prospects. They said they weren't confident in Marvel's latest initiative.

"The guy who made a commitment to diversity and wanted to try new things was fired," a former Marvel staffer said, referring to Alonso.

'Spider-Man with an asterisk'

Alonso led Marvel through a bold era during his time as editor-in-chief starting in 2011, helping to establish a diverse slate of characters.

Jane Foster was the new Thor. Sam Wilson, aka the Falcon, a Black character, replaced Steve Rogers as Captain America. Riri Williams, a Black girl, was introduced as an Iron Man-like character named Ironheart. Kamala Khan, a Pakistani American Muslim teenager, was the new Ms. Marvel.

It wasn't a new phenomenon in comic books. Characters are regularly passing on their mantles, at least for a while. Dick Grayson, the first Robin, was DC's Batman for a time in the early 2010s, for instance. Sam Wilson wasn't the first person to take over as Captain America. This era at Marvel Comics, however, was notable for how it emphasized diversity.

But by 2017 — Alonso's final year as editor-in-chief — the company's print sales had plummeted (Marvel in 2014 said that Ms. Marvel's solo title was a top seller digitally, but digital comics sales aren't released to the public).

"What we heard is that people didn't want any more diversity," David Gabriel, the vice president of sales at Marvel Entertainment, said that year in an interview with ICv2, a website that covers the comics business.

"I don't know that that's really true, but that's what we saw in sales," Gabriel said. "Any character that was diverse, any character that was new, our female characters, anything that was not a core Marvel character, people were turning their nose up."

What Gabriel meant by "core Marvel character" were the classic, decades-old characters being sidelined for new, younger, and more diverse characters.

Seven months later, in November 2017, Marvel's Alonso stepped down from his role and was replaced by C.B. Cebulski, a white man who faced controversy when he was hired after admitting to writing comics in the early 2000s under a Japanese pseudonym.

"The comics that [Alonso] made me think I could work in comics," Beacham said. "But when a Latinx guy is scapegoated for diversity and replaced by a white dude, and the sentiment was that Marvel was 'getting away from its roots,' what does that mean?"

In a statement after his 2017 comments, Gabriel emphasized that "our new heroes are not going anywhere."

But in the months between that retailer summit and Alonso's exit, Marvel introduced an initiative for editorial staff that had been discussed internally for some time: Phase out the familiar superhero codenames for some newer, diverse characters and give them their own, two former assistant editors including Beacham said.

Marvel confirmed to Business Insider that it had previously considered stripping Morales of his Spider-Man title and giving him a new name, but has no plans to do so right now. Marvel added that it discusses status quo changes for all of its top characters.

Today, some of the classic characters have been thrust back into the spotlight. Steve Rogers has taken back the mantle of Captain America, and Thor is a man again. Miles Morales shares the Spider-Man title with Peter Parker, the original Spider-Man.

Morales has grown in popularity beyond comic books, having starred in Sony's Oscar-winning animated "Into the Spider-Verse" movie in 2018 and in a coming PlayStation video game called "Spider-Man: Miles Morales."

Beacham said he was glad that Morales continued to be a Spider-Man.

"It would have made him less important," Beacham said of Morales' losing the Spider-Man title. "He becomes Spider-Man with an asterisk. It takes away the power for kids who relate to this character."

'There's not a lack of people who can do the work'

Now, Marvel's comic-book slate is once again largely focused on classic characters, though characters like Morales and Khan remain. And there are some comics starring diverse characters from creators of color, like Ta-Nehisi Coates' "Black Panther." But their stories are in the hands of an editorial department run by an establishment of white male leadership.

"There's not a lack of people who can do the work," said Yumy Odom, the founder of the East Coast Black Age of Comics Convention, which helps to showcase the talents of creators of color. "But it's about how receptive the industry is to them. I can think of 20 creators, mostly African Americans, who would be ready to work at Marvel."

Women faced an uphill battle at Marvel as well, the Marvel editors said. A female former assistant editor told Business Insider that she was never promoted or given a raise from her $30,000 salary in her three years at the company. She said she got promoted within a year at her new company, a different comics publisher.

Marvel declined to discuss employee salaries.

The Marvel insiders said a notable exception was Sana Amanat, who is Pakistani American and a former editor. She is now Marvel's head of content and character development, a leadership role outside the editorial department.

'There's a whole cohort of young readers'

Marvel has significantly bounced back from its 2017 sales decline, which might suggest that the refocus on its classic characters reeled longtime readers back.

Of the top 100 best-selling comics of 2020 so far, 69 belonged to Marvel, as of Wednesday, including four of the top five, and the company has accounted for 41% of comic sales this year, according to industry website Comichron. Three years ago, Marvel was lagging behind DC, its biggest competitor.

An example of the start of this resurgence was the first issue of Marvel's "Amazing Spider-Man" relaunch — starring the original Spider-Man, Peter Parker — which ranked fifth in 2018 out of all comics, according to data from Comichron. In contrast, when Marvel launched a series called "Miles Morales Spider-Man" in that year, the debut issue didn't crack the top 200 best-selling comics.

"People of a certain age have a connection with Peter Parker, not Miles Morales," a former Marvel staffer said. "Years from now, that may be different."

The current and former Marvel staffers Business Insider spoke with said they were hopeful that readership could broaden, particularly now that characters such as Morales and Khan are being introduced to audiences in other media like movies and TV. Khan is to appear in a Disney Plus TV series and the upcoming "Avengers" video game, for instance.

There are signs that the comics industry is going through a larger shift in how people read and who is reading, which could also spur change.

Last year, comic sales through the "book channel" — which includes chain and independent book stores and online retailers like Amazon — surpassed comic-book stores for the first time, driven by the increased popularity in children's graphic novels, according to an analysis by ICv2.

Milton Griepp, the chief executive of ICv2, said at the New York Comic Con conference last year that the shift could usher in a new audience for superhero comic books.

"There's a whole cohort of young readers that are being introduced to this medium and may graduate to other forms of content in the comic format over the course of their lifespans," Griepp said.

Beacham said: "Marvel needs to figure out the next stage of its core demographic because it could change rapidly."

[theliterateape]

I Like to Watch | Zack Snyder’s Justice League

by Don Hall

Mythology is fun.

As a kid I loved reading Edith Hamilton’s book on the Greek gods and the myths. Hercules, Perseus, Apollo, and Hera—this fell completely in line with my love for superhero comics. The strangely petty human traits of envy, greed, and lust combined with the power to level cities make for some great storytelling.

Zeus was basically Harvey Weinstein in the retroactive revision we’re mired in today. If Harvey could’ve changed into a golden animal and boned unsuspecting ladies looking for careers in Hollywood I’m pretty certain he would. The gods and demi-gods of the Greeks dealt with daddy issues, mommy issues, bad relationships, and fighting. Lots of fighting. Sometimes for the good of humanity but more often for the glory of winning.

Zach Snyder is in the business of tackling myths and reframing them with a style all his own. His career has become its own myth.

From Dawn of the Dead (not so much a reboot of Romero's zombie mythology but a philosophical reimagining of the genre that arguably jumpstarted The Hollywood fascination with it), 300 (a borderline homoerotic take on the myth of the Greek underdog), and Watchmen (a ridiculously ambitious attempt to put one of the most iconic takedowns on the potential fascism of the superhero legend machine ever written) to his nearly single-handed hack at answering the Marvel juggernaut with Man of Steel and Batman vs Superman: Dawn of Justice, Snyder is in the artistic business of subverting and re-envisioning the mythologies we embrace without even seeing them as such.

Snyder's style is operatic. It is on a grand scale even in the most mundane moments. The guy loves slow motion like Scorcese loves mobsters and Italian food. When you're tackling big themes with larger than life stories, the epic nature of his vision makes sense and has alienated a good number of audience members. With such excess, there are bound to be missteps but I'd argue that his massive take on these characters he molds from common understanding and popular nomenclature elevates them to god-like stature.

Fans of Moore's Watchmen have much to complain about Snyder's adaptation. The titular graphic novel is almost impossible to put in any other form than the one Moore intended and yet, Snyder jumped in feet-first and created a living, breathing representation of most, if not all, of the source material's intent. Whether you dig on it or not, it's hard to avoid acknowledging that the first five minutes of Watchmen is a mini-masterpiece of style, storytelling, and epic tragedy wrapped up in a music video.

Despite a host of critical backlash for his one fully original take, Sucker Punch is an amazing thing to see. More a commentary on video game enthusiasm with its lust for hot animated chicks and over-the-top violence that a celebration of cleavage and guns, the film is crazily entertaining. For those who hated the ending, he told you in the title what his plan was all along.

The first movie I saw in the theaters that tried to take a superhero mythology and treat it seriously (for the most part) was Richard Donner's Superman: The Movie. Never as big a fan of the DC characters as I have been of Marvel, it was still extraordinary to see a character I had only really known in pages to be so fully realized. Then came Burton's Batman movies. The superhero film was still an anomaly but steam was gaining. Things changed with Bryan Singer's X-Men in 2000, then Raimi's Spiderman, and those of us who grew up with our pulpy versions of Athena, Hermes, and Hades were rewarded with Nolan's Batman Begins. A far cry from the tongue-in-cheek camp of the 1966 TV Batman, Christian Bale's Bruce Wayne was a serious character and his tale over three films is a tragic commentary filled with the kind of death and betrayal and triumph befitting the grand narrative he deserved.

I loved Singer's Superman Returns in 2006 because it was such a love letter to the 1978 film (down to the opening credits) but by then, the MCU was taking over the world.

Snyder's first of what turns out to be an epic storyline involving perhaps seven or eight movies was Man of Steel. It was fun and, while I had my issues with the broodiness of Kal El, the odd take on Jonathan Kent, and a redheaded Lois Lane, I had no issue with Superman snapping Zod's neck. Darker and more tragic than any other version of the Kryptonian, it was still super entertaining.

Then came Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. By 2016, Marvel had codified their formula of serious characters wrestling with serious issues of power and responsibility peppered with lots of good humor and bright colors. Snyder's desaturated pallete and angst-filled demi-gods was not the obvious road to financial competition.

I'll confess, I hated it. BvS felt half-rendered. Lex Luthor was kind of superficial and played as a kind of Joker. The whole Bruce Wayne wants to kill Superman thing felt undeveloped and the "Martha" moment was just stupid.

When Joss Whedon's version of Snyder's Justice League came out in 2017, I was primed for it to be a turd and I wasn't surprised. So much of it didn't work on any level. I dismissed it as DC trying and failing miserably and was comforted by the coming of Thanos.

Following Thanos and the time heist was COVID. Suddenly, we were internationally sidelined and the movie theater industry caved in. Streaming services started popping up like knock-off smartphones and Hollywood was reeling, doing anything and everything to find a way back. Since Whedon's disastrous helming of Snyder's third act, fans online had been demanding to #ReleasetheSnyderCut but no one was ever really taking them seriously until all movie production was shut down for a year.

The stage was set to remedy a mistake (or at least make some bucks on a do-over of a huge box office failure). Snyder had left the production in part because of the suicide of his daughter and in part due to the constant artistic fights over executives looking for the quippy fun of the MCU but he still had all the original footage. Add to that the broiling accusations that Joss Whedon was "abusive" during the reshoots, the path seemed destined. For an additional $70 million and complete control, Snyder delivered a four hour mega-movie streamed on HBOMax.

Of course, I was going to watch the thing as soon as I could.

The Whedon version opens with an homage to the now dead Superman (including the much maligned digitally erased mustache on Henry Cavill). The SynderCut opens with the death of Superman and the agony of his death scream as it travels across the planet. It's a simple change but exemplifies the very different visions of how this thing is gonna play out.

Snyder doesn't want us to be OK with the power of these beings unleashed. He wants us to feel the damage and pain of death. He wants the results of violence to be as real as he can. When Marvel's Steve Rogers kicks a thug across the room and the thug hits a wall, he crumples and it is effectively over. When Batman does the same thing, we see the broken bones (often in slow motion) and the blood smear on the wall as the thug slides to the ground.

The longer SnyderCut is bloated in some places (like the extended Celtic choir singing Aquaman off to sea or the extended narrations by Wonder Woman which sound slightly like someone trying to explain the plot to Siri). On the other hand, the scene with Barry Allen saving Iris West is both endearing and extraordinary, giving insight to the power of the Flash as well as some essential character-building in contrast to Whedon's comic foil version.

One thing I noticed in this variant is that Zach wants the audience to experience the sequence of every moment as the characters do. An example comes when Diana Prince goes to the crypt to see the very plot she belabors over later. The sequence is simple. She gets a torch and goes down. Most directors which jump cut to the torch. Snyder gives us five beats as she grabs the timber, wraps cloth around the end, soaks it with kerosene, pulls out a box of matches, and lights the torch. Then she goes down the dark passageway.

The gigantic, lush diversity of Snyder’s vision of the DC superhero universe—from the long shots of the sea life in the world of Atlantis to the ancient structures and equipment of Themyscira— is almost painterly. Snyder isn't taking our time; he's taking his time. We are rewarded our patience with a far better backstory for the villain, a beautifully rendered historic battle thwarting Darkseid's initial invasion (including a fucking Green Lantern), and answers to a score of questions set up in both previous films.

Whedon's Bruce Wayne was more Ben Affleck; Snyder's is full-on Frank Miller Batman, the smartest, most brutal fucker in the room. Cyborg, instead of Whedon's sidelined non-character, is now a Frankenstein's monster, grappling with the trade-off between acceptance and enormous power. Wonder Woman is now more in line with the Patty Jenkins version and instead of being told about the loss of Superman, we are forced to live with the anguish of both his mother and Lois Lane in quiet moments of incredible grief.

To be fair to Whedon (something few are willing to do as he is now being castigated not for racism or sexism but for being mean to people) having him come in to throw in some levity and Marvel-esque color to Snyder's Wagnerian pomposity is like hiring Huey Lewis to lighten up Pink Floyd's The Wall or getting Douglas Adams to rewrite Cormac McCarthy's The Road.

I loved Snyder's self-indulgent, mythologic DC universe.

So much so that I then re-watched Man of Steel and then watched the director's version of BvS (which Snyder added approximately 32 minutes). The second film is far better at three hours and Eisenberg's Lex Luthor now makes sense. Then I watched Zach Snyder's Justice League a second time.

After nineteen hours of Snyder's re-imagining of these DC heroes and villains, I saw details that, upon first viewing, are ignored or dismissed, but after seeing them in order and complete, are suddenly consistent and relevant. Like Nolan or Fincher, Snyder defies anyone to eliminate even one piece of his narrative no matter how long. With all the pieces, this is an epic story and the pieces left at the extended epilogue play into a grander narrative we will never see.

Or maybe we will. Who knows these days?

[dereksmcgrath]

In order to talk about this episode, we have to talk about how manga publishing and anime production does (and does not) work.

And before we can get into this episode, and its originating storyline that comes not only from the My Hero Academia manga but also its spinoff Vigilantes, I have to talk about three things:

The challenges of adapting more than one manga series.

An imaginary Vigilantes co-production (an “Imagine If,” to steal a phrase from a writer better than I) between Studio BONES and Studio Trigger.

But first, another franchise Studio BONES adapted the same year as MHA: Bungo Stray Dogs.

(Bear with me–this is all going somewhere.)

“More of a Hero Than Anyone,” My Hero Academia Episode 107 (Season 5, Episode 19)

An adaptation of Chapters 253, 254, and 255 of the manga, by Kohei Horikoshi, inspired by My Hero Academia: Vigilantes, Chapters 59 to 65 by Hideyuki Furuhashi and Betten Court. All translated by Caleb Cook with lettering by John Hunt and available from Viz.

My Hero Academia is available to stream on Crunchyroll and Funimation.

Spoilers up to the My Hero Academia Chapter 324, Vigilantes Chapter 108, and the film World Heroes’ Mission.

There are also spoilers for Bungo Stray Dogs and Gurren Lagann.

Created by writer Kakfa Asagiri and illustrator Sango Harukawa, with additional spinoffs illustrated by Kanai Neko, Ganjii, Oyoyo, and Shiwasu Hoshikawa, Bungo Stray Dogs is about a world where characters, who happen to have the names of real-life authors of Japanese and other literature, also happen to have superpowers based on the titles of works by those same famous authors. For example, Herman Melville can summon the giant battle fortress Moby-Dick, Nikolai Gogol can transport items through his overcoat, and Motojiro Kajii has the ability “Lemonade,” which prevents him from being harmed by bombs shaped like lemons.

(…Bungo Stray Dogs is weird. The first anime doesn’t even have dogs in it.)

Studio BONES premiered an animated adaptation of Bungo Stray Dogs in 2016, the same year the studio premiered the MHA anime. What makes Bungo unique compared to some other anime is that each season adapted from not only the manga but one of the franchise’s light novels as well. While some of the light novels take place concurrent to the manga, most take place in the past–which made Season 1 awkward, re-setting some events from the Azure Messenger Arc in the present and hampering some characterization for what was supposed to be the very first meeting of the characters Osamu Dazai and Doppo Kunikida.

The next light novels adapted for the Bungo anime all take place in the past, with Season 2 giving what I think is the best of the adaptations, The Dark Age, as we learn more about Dazai’s time with the Port Mafia and his relationship with fellow mafioso Sakunosuke Oda. This arc set a high standard that I don’t think the next light novel adaptations have reached, as it not only fleshes out the characters and builds the world, but it also has two important accomplishments. First, on its own, you could watch the entire four-episode arc as its own movie. While some details will gain more significance if you watched the first season, and will become more important as you watch the rest of the series or read the manga and light novels, by itself, The Dark Age is a thrilling narrative of intrigue, deception, betrayal, and heartache. Second, thematically, The Dark Age ties in very well to the rest of Season 2. Some of it is cheap shorthand: the Lupin Bar matchstick container becomes a visual indicator for Dazai helping Atsushi Nakajima save an ally when Dazai couldn’t. But even as cheap as that may seem, it enhances the overall season, giving Dazai more to do in a story where he is otherwise on the sidelines and playing everyone like chess pieces. Plus, you kind of needed to see The Dark Age to understand who Ango Sakaguchi is in Season 2 and why Dazai hates him.

Season 3 gave me high hopes for where the next light novel adaptation could go. This season focuses on a third party attempting to destroy Dazai and Atsushi’s organization, the Armed Detective Agency, along with the Port Mafia. When Agency founder Yukichi Fukuzawa is poisoned, we see the usually lighthearted and arrogant Ranpo Edogawa become momentarily silent and devastated by Fukuzawa’s hospital bed. I blame myself for reading theories online that this moment would lead the season to do a flashback arc to one of the light novels, one that shows the origins of the Agency, how Fukuzawa first met young Ranpo, and explains what that cat was doing all throughout The Dark Age and Season 3.

Instead, as soon as I started Season 3 and saw the premiere was beginning with a lengthy adaptation of a light novel centered around Dazai and his former Mafia teammate Chuuya Nakahara, my heart sank. Nothing about that story thematically tied into the overall season as well as would Ranpo and Fukuzawa’s light novel, a story that reveals how much Ranpo has lost in his life and why he clings onto Fukuzawa for approval and why the dissolution of the Agency would not only deprive him of family and friends but also the very meaning to his existence. That is a heavy story to tell, one that would make the audience better appreciate the lengths the Agency goes to for Fukuzawa. By comparison, there is next to nothing about Chuuya’s back story that accomplishes the same. If anything, all that light novel adaptation tells us is that Dazai and Chuuya’s partnership mirrors that of Atsushi and the Mafioso Ryunosuke Akutagawa–and that detail was already established well enough in Season 2, so we’re just retreading the same old material.

Adapting Chuuya’s story is like explaining Aizawa’s back story: as I’ll explain in the moment, all you really learn in either case is why Chuuya hates Dazai and why Aizawa is a lone wolf–and it’s the reasons you already see in the present day, Chuuya hates Dazai because he’s annoying, and Aizawa has always been a loner, end of discussion. The choice to give these two characters the spotlight doesn’t really do anything new for the audience. I’ll say more about Aizawa later, but for now, I’ll say, nothing against Chuuya as a character, but the decision to adapt his light novel seemed very much like a marketing strategy by manga/light novel publisher Kadokawa and Studio BONES: Dazai and Chuuya’s relationship is popular with fans, there’s a lot of back story to mine, and the light novel that gave us this anime adaptation already set up a sequel that itself could serve as a Season 4 adaptation or even a feature film.

(Honestly, that Chuuya sequel novel in Bungo is more entertaining: there’s a cyborg named Adam Frankenstein. Re-read that sentence: a cyborg named Adam Frankenstein, who treats Chuuya like a little kid, offering him candy because he read that young people like candy and the serotonin from sugar can help with dealing with times of stress. Chuuya’s babysitter is Frankenstein: it’s so absurd that it just works.)

So, why am I talking about Bungo Stray Dogs instead of the other anime Studio BONES makes, My Hero Academia? Because I’m seeing a set of mistakes and Band-Aids repeat themselves all over again.

I profess ignorance about how the anime industry works: there are better people than I who can speak to it. As far as I can gather, just by looking at the evidence in that industry, and the evidence of just about any industry, the goal is to make money. I don’t think the goal to make an anime is necessarily to get people to watch it, especially now that streaming makes the cost of entry very low or even free if you wait long enough for Crunchyroll and Funimation to put it up with commercials. I don’t think it’s to get you to buy the manga: even if you get hooked like I am to read ahead to see what happens next, why read something you just watched? Instead, I think the goal is to buy merchandise, like how musical groups have switched from record deals to selling individual songs online and getting merch sold at concerts (pre-COVID). The conundrum for the anime and manga industries are not dissimilar from those in comic book publishing in the United States: DC and Marvel can have all the crossover events in the comics that they want, but those don’t always get someone who to read a new series just because Spider-Man or Wolverine pop up in it. I have not looked at sales for Vigilantes, so I don’t know whether Aizawa, Midnight, and All Might popping up in there boosts its sales. Rather, the comics are testing grounds for what works. Marvel uses its comics to test what can work in films and streaming, where money now is, while maybe Vigilantes was testing the Oboro story to see if there was something there to put into the anime. Sure enough, the fan art out there for Oboro has increased since the episode, merchandise can’t be far behind.

But let’s move on to actually looking at the episode itself. “More of a Hero Than Anyone” centers on Aizawa and Present Mic being brought to the prison Tartarus to interrogate captured League of Villains member Kurogiri. As I have complained for most of this season, BONES has made confusing choices regarding which chapters of the MHA manga it is adapting first: this story comes from manga chapters that were the last before the big Pro Heroes vs Paranormal Liberation Front Arc, and we haven’t even gotten to the Meta Liberation Army Arc yet. True, this episode ends in a way to set all of that up, showing us Shigaraki getting his power boost, but it has been a befuddling choice of what to adapt first. Making matters more confusing is that, while this episode introduces Aizawa and Present Mic’s classmate Shirakumo, someone alluded to during Shinso’s arc this season, that story doesn’t really originate in the main manga: it started in an MHA spinoff.

The manga My Hero Academia: Vigilantes is to My Hero Academia like the Bungo Stray Dogs light novels are to its main manga: it is largely a prequel that fills in back story for major characters and some worldbuilding details while telling its own story with its own protagonist and plot. Chapters 59 to 65 are the first major departure for the series, as it shifts from the usual protagonist to a plot about Aizawa, showing his time as a UA student and setting up why he ended up returning to UA as a teacher.

The first time I read Aizawa’s arc in Vigilantes, I hated it: it is a cynical attempt at giving us an origin story to explain how Aizawa got to be the way he is–without actually showing us anything we could not have figured out ourselves. It tries to set up this idea that, if Shirakumo had not died, Aizawa would not have been the lone wolf.

That idea butts up against two details. First, we already see Aizawa keeps up the lone wolf appearance anyway in the present, so imagining an alternative timeline doesn’t make sense, especially when, in its own flashback arc, Aizawa was already a lone wolf–that was his entire dynamic with Mic, Skirakumo, even Midnight, so it’s less that Shirakumo’s death made him this way when he was always this way. Hell, this was a gag in the supplementary material of the manga that got adapted into the anime, when Mic had to come up with a Pro Hero name for Aizawa because he was that checked out–and, again, that was before Shirakumo died.

Second, we know Aizawa’s lone wolf persona is just that, a front he puts up that belies his pragmatic willingness to work with others. Just because he is annoyed by the antics of friends like mic and Skirakumo, just because he bristles at Midnight trying to rope him into teaching at UA throughout most of Vigilantes, and just because he is overly serious when dealing with his students or with newbie heroes like Vigilantes’s protagonist the Crawler, none of that ignores that, despite everything, Aizawa, maybe more than anyone else, fulfills the collaborative spirit of Pro Hero work that other characters do not.

Aizawa’s strengths as a teacher center around his understanding that people have to work together. That detail fails when remembering he is still the one who is not properly reprimanding Bakugo to stop being a bullying, violent dick to Izuku. (Seriously, this episode is yet another moment of him being awful: how many times in the anime alone has he kicked the shit out of Izuku for no reason, as if any reason would justify it?) But otherwise, Aizawa understands how to work with others, and that has set him apart for so long from other prominent Pro Heroes. All Might doesn’t really collaborate–he’s been trying to hold up the peace of the world on his own. Endeavor may run an agency with sidekicks that enhance his abilities, but as seen in the Endeavor Agency Arc he would rather rush ahead to save the day on his own, in this pathetic desire to catch up to All Might. Aizawa, though, knows his limitations and is willing to work with anyone else to help him achieve his goals, something we have seen him learn to embrace more and more, whether hanging back to be the face in front of the camera to distract the League while the other Heroes rescue Bakugo, or when he accepted Izuku joining on the Shie Hassaikai mission. And you can pick up on all of this from just reading the main manga–so why bother reading Vigilantes if all it’s going to tell you is,”Aizawa’s friend died and that’s why he’s sad”? Even little details get lost in the shuffle: while I should appreciate Aizawa bringing up the cat Oboro rescued, that’s such a big part of the Vigilantes plot that it feels like a nod to the story rather than getting fully into it. (Trivia: That cat, Sushi, is adopted by Midnight. Enjoy feeling awful that Sushi may have passed away by now or is going to be without an owner when Midnight dies.)

I had thought I could put that frustration with that Vigilantes arc behind me. Then the main manga revealed Shirakumo’s corpse was used to create Kurogiri–and I rage quitted. Okay, that’s exaggerating: I didn’t stop reading the manga, but I did take a long pause in keeping up on it, seeing as the next arc got to be so bloody and depressing that, on top of enough real-world concerns, that wasn’t the kind of escapist reading I was looking for. I needed some time to sit back and process how annoying this revelation was. That means, for all of Vigilantes, this detail, that Kurogiri was Shirakumo all along, was just waiting to be revealed. To again repeat the SpongeBob meme I used last week, this series used me for plot contrivances.

(Vigilantes also seems like one long troll. After the main manga shows the Hood Nomu used to be an underground fighter, he gets a backstory in Vigilantes. And Vigilantes give you the last bit of Midnight you’re going to get before she’s killed off–which, now that I think about it, makes her exclusion from this episode even worse: she was friends with Shirakumo, too, so bring her into this episode before we fridge her!)

It doesn’t help how ignorant I feel for not realizing this sooner: Skirakumo’s name and abilities are the white-and-black opposite of Kurogiri’s. The cover to a collected volume of Vigilantes made that all the clearer. But if that’s the case, why wasn’t this hinted at when Aizawa and Kurogiri first encountered each other way back in the USJ Arc? I know it’s a lot to expect the audience to track throughout the series, and I appreciate the story trying to explain that away by Aizawa asking the same question I have, before someone tells him that maybe Kurogiri’s reprogramming made Oboro’s personality disappear. But Horikoshi’s creation of Shirakumo seems more like a late addition rather than something always there since the earliest chapters. And that’s fine–it’s just disappointing compared to other comics creators like Oda who sets stuff up years in advance before payoff in One Piece. And it’s more disappointing it didn’t come up in the anime adaptation: I would have hoped, if Horikoshi had that idea so early, he would have told BONES so they could throw in a hint early in that fight. I don’t know, maybe Aizawa has a flashback to the last words Shirakumo told him and that motivates him to use his Quirk one last time to save Tsuyu and Izuku, or maybe Kurogiri pauses before Aizawa just long enough that you think that’s a weird choice, then upon rewatch now you realize, “Oh, shit, Kurogiri was remembering his classmate and trying to process that information!”

It doesn’t help that the Shirakumo story doesn’t feel like something Studio BONES should handle. Granted, that story is from Vigilantes, not the main manga, so I anticipated BONES would not adapt it here–even as I held out hope for an OVA or, as I hinted earlier, something akin to Bungo Stray Dogs: start the season with this three- to four-episode adaptation of Aizawa’s back story to introduce this season. I’ll say more about why placing that story at the beginning of the season in a moment, but there was another reason why I didn’t think this was a Studio BONES story: it always felt like a story suited for Trigger, the studio behind Kill La Kill, Little Witch Academia, and more, built by people from Gainax of Evangelion and Gurren Lagann fame.

The Shirakumo arc in the Vigilantes manga felt like a visual love letter by Shueisha to Trigger saying, “Please adapt this!” Betten Court’s illustrations for Vigilantes emphasize diagonals, even when adapting MHA characters originally designed by Horikoshi, as well as facial expressions with sharp lines rather than curves, all visually reminiscent of some Trigger and even Gainax anime. Characters’ facial expressions look more like Panty and Stocking than Studio BONES. Aizawa’s final fight in the arc is against a stories-tall behemoth with laser powers that, if not visually, then narratively invokes similar fights in Gurren Lagann, Gridman, and Evangelion. Speaking of Gurren Lagann, in this arc Midnight is sporting Kamina’s shades, and Skirakumo’s last words to Aizawa come through an intercom, after he supposedly died, similar to Kamina’s death. Also, Midnight is running around in a nudist beach outfit from Kill La Kill–so, yeah, the Trigger allusions are that in your face, in all senses of that phrase. Again, I’m not saying I personally would like Trigger to adapt MHA: it’d be different, they are not the first studio I would go with or one whose output I would like, given a lot I don’t like about their output, but when you look at the manga-based evidence, going in that direction makes sense.

I don’t know what plans Shueisha, Toho, and BONES had for this episode, but the style of it already feels so different and off-kilter anyway, due to Aizawa’s nostalgia, that I can’t help but think that someone at some point did have an idea to go with a different studio to animate it, or at least a different approach. I appreciate how much they changed Chapter 254’s opening, re-staging Oboro’s agency talk to be outdoors instead of a walk-and-talk scene as in the manga. Even if I can’t quite say the street walking and outdoor sitting under a bright sky is indicative of Trigger exactly–if anything, the fixation on centering the scenes Wes Anderson-style (the hallway walking in Tartarus, Aizawa and Mic and Oboro hanging out under the blue sky) looks more like something out of Shaft or BONES’s Bungo Stray Dogs–that difference tells me there was something more ambitious in mind than what we ultimately got. It’s the same when we get Kurogiri’s point of view as Aizawa and Present Mic get through to Oboro.

Imagine how gutsy it would be to start Season 5 with an entire Oboro flashback arc. Imagine moving forward in time to this moment of Aizawa and Present Mic interviewing Kurogiri, disorienting the audience asking why we’re skipping the Classes 1A and 1B fights, the League of Villains vs the Meta Liberation Army Arc, and the Endeavor Agency Arc, to show this moment that was supposed to come later. Imagine how gutsy it would be to start with Aizawa and Present Mic learning all of this at Tartarus, setting up the finale for this season, the Pro Heroes versus the Paranormal Liberation Front–then not actually showing that fight start until next season. Why do all of that? Because, if you’re going to delay the LOV vs MLA Arc for that long, you might as well start your season assuring the audience that, no, we have not forgotten the Villains, they will be relevant this season–because, since Aizawa and Present Mic’s high school years, they have been the Big Bads all along and were toying with these two for so long. Imagine how gutsy all of that would be.

Instead, all of that is reduced to just one episode. It’s all so cliche. Aizawa points out, towards the beginning, that this power of friendship trope won’t work–then it does work, negating the entire point of calling it cliche. (Well, it does work, for now: given often we’re told rather than shown how All For One is a chessmaster, it wouldn’t surprise me if he let Kurogiri spill the beans like this knowing it would help him break out of prison later when the Pro Heroes foolishly take on the PLF all at once with little back up plan.) If we had had the full story of Oboro, like did readers of Vigilantes, the slow revelation that Nomus are hardly puppets but, more than that, are reanimated Frankenstein’s monsters capable of agency and personalities, would make this hurt more. We would have seen Oboro, we would have been as horrified as Aizawa and Mic are to learn he was resurrected–but, instead, it is already upon our first meeting with Oboro that suddenly we learn he is also Kurogiri, and it’s just too fast.

How disappointing, but sadly realistic.

It feels like BONES has made a lot of safe choices this season, and while that helps sustain the studio during the unpredictable times of COVID and does what works already for MHA, it doesn’t feel very adventurous. It makes me wonder whether BONES should have put in that time improving Season 5 than trying to make another MHA film. I have not seen World Heroes’ Mission, and while I’ll reserve my review of it until I see it, and will limit as many spoilers as I can, based on just the plot summary I have read, I fail to see how putting in the budget on that film makes sense in terms of narratives, even as I understand how it makes sense in terms of increasing an audience and getting box office sales (in a pre-COVID model, of course).

But speaking of COVID, yeah, I do see why World Heroes’ Mission is necessary right now: it is a globe-trekking film, from what I read it includes beautiful scenery as characters travel vast distances–it is a film needed right now when many of us are still social distancing and still staying at home in the hope that our contributions limit the spread of this deadly virus. (Get vaccinated, mask up, stay at home when possible, and stop being a jerk, people.) Still, I can’t say I’m not disappointed that, with a season whose animation has depended a lot on flashbacks, even if that makes sense given how much ground to cover and how far along the story has come over more than 100 episodes, it is disappointing to not get something more stylistically out-there.

I’m also not saying it’s realistic that Trigger would ever animate this arc. I don’t even necessarily want them to: I find most of their productions to be so light on story while heavy on themes, message, and the animation that, while I appreciate people getting into how visually stunning the artwork is, I find the story so empty that I just can’t get into it. And I’m not expecting Shueisha, Toho, or Studio BONES to cut some kind of deal with Trigger to give them the rights to adapt part or all of Vigilantes: Trigger is animating Star Wars stuff next, that’s a wider market than My Hero Academia (regardless how many Star Wars references Horikoshi puts into his series).

I know I’m being very critical of the production choices behind the episode. Granted, the recap to the last episode was needless–and seems like it’s just there to remind us that we’re somehow supposed to see Aizawa, Mic, and Oboro as analogous to Izuku, Bakugo, and Todoroki–which does not work at all. And somehow BONES made the unfunny All Might part from the manga even longer and even less funny: we already got comedic relief off Iida to accent how much a contrast there is to the Aizawa stuff, and that has a more personal connection as he is Aizawa’s student, while All Might’s Dad Joke is as painful a pun as it looked to be for the students.

Otherwise, I thought the episode was good, just not meeting expectations I set that are not fair. Present Mic’s extended pause, then the long pause before Aizawa has to hold back from crying, when realizing Kurogiri’s concern for Shigaraki means he is indeed Oboro, is more powerful than it was in the manga. Aizawa letting loose the tears at the end while claiming he has dry eyes is very much Roy Mustang complaining about the rain. I do think the ambition for the storyboarding hints at something bigger they had planned, and largely the animation and tension, especially trying to reach Oboro, did work. Wrapping up this episode showing that Kurogiri was just the start of an experiment that would lead to Shigaraki’s transformation only creates a more foreboding tone.

Furthermore, the voice direction and acting in the English dub was very good. Ever since David Trosko replaced Sonny Strait as Present Mic, he has upheld all that works in the character, and while I feared that kind of loud acting would disrupt any pathos for this episode, it worked incredibly well, putting up so much bluster that shows how powerless he feels facing this madness and how this is as heartwrenching for him as it is for Aizawa. I especially appreciate, in the English dub, how much Oboro sounds like Izuku: while the series has never made Aizawa see a bit of Oboro in Izuku, that casting lends a new way of interpreting why Aizawa sticks with that masochist after everything he lost when Oboro died.

(You know that if things had worked out differently, Vic Mignogna would’ve ended up cast as Oboro, given his roles already as the dead friend of the hard-ass teacher in Naruto, and the presumed dead Sabo in One Piece, and his dynamic acting against Kurogiri’s Chuck Huber in other productions).

So that takes care of all the stuff about Aizawa: what about his students? I don’t just mean the class he failed–which, no, that detail doesn’t really work for me, that Aizawa failed a class as we were told upon his initial introduction, and now we reveal it was an empty threat since, while that is on their record, it was to reset matters with his class, not so they would take him seriously but so that they would value their lives. That’s not how that works. I don’t pretend that students, myself included, took our education so seriously that a failing grade or a career setup felt awful–but not the same kind of life-threatening that is literally dying. A poor mark on your report card does not typically result in that kind of same mortal fear, and I hate this story for trying to compare the two, especially when it positions teachers like us to have a fatal power we don’t have: we’re not the Grim Reaper, this isn’t Soul Eater, this is real freaking life. I can’t imagine any good teacher wanting that kind of power to think they are the difference between life and death. We don’t want our students to think these are mortal matters–especially right now, in this context, where I don’t think it’s at all appropriate to re-start in-person teaching and learning (without masks and without social distancing or remote learning opportunities) at a time when not enough of us are vaccinated and the threat of COVID remains too dangerous even when vaccinated. This takes me out of the story. Granted, it’s not the rest of this story is somehow like real life: this is a school where Nezu somehow has a ton of money, so applying real-world matters to a work of fiction is foolish. The only bar this story needs to clear is believability, and it’s not unbelievable that Nezu made that money and overlooked Aizawa’s behavior.

(It’s also why I wish Midnight was in this episode: she recruited Aizawa to UA as a teacher–it would be fascinating to hear her say she chose him for these reasons, that she knew the school needed a hard-ass like him.)

But like I said, I don’t just mean the class he failed: I mean his current students. Re-reading Chapter 253, I now understand why Iida doesn’t pop up in the third film: if he had his new desire to loosen up, then it would make a lot less sense seeing as he just came off a mission to save the world like Ochaco and his classmates did.

And that again leads to a paragraph of me repeating that I don’t give Ochaco enough attention. I promise, I will say more about where her character stands in this series at some point, if not when talking about Chapter 324 tomorrow. But even as this story keeps insisting she is important, it feels like it’s hanging her up like that All Might toy from Izuku. I appreciate putting in the budget to animate her dive-and-hide on Izuku’s gift, something not as obvious or visually impressive in the manga–but we couldn’t have put that budget into doing something more creative with the Aizawa story? Building her characterization around Izuku, at this point in the anime, remains frustrating–until the manga gives that a good payoff and seems to be sticking the landing on it. That’s one of the challenges of reviewing the manga as it goes on, and why reviewing the anime is in some ways easier: I can see where the pieces fit in and what is being set up. It doesn’t change that it’s annoying right now in this moment, but it fits in the overall scheme of her and Izuku’s story. But When it comes to how Toga is going to tie into this, I’m less convinced, but we’ll get to that in the next few episodes and in tomorrow’s manga review.

Oh, and Bakugo remains the worst. I’m so grateful he is tolerable in the manga right now, because the fact that he was getting away with this nonsense up to Chapter 253 is an indictment against teachers like Aizawa and All Might.

I apologize for how much this post seemed like a long college lecture (a college instructor leturing–shocking), or a Rachel Maddow monologue–only far less repetitive than Maddow’s condescending “I’m going to repeat the same point five times and treat you like you haven’t been paying attention”–and far less financially profitable. This is basically a joke I told a friend after posting last week’s review:

“Show me you’re an academic without telling me you’re an academic.”

“I wrote nine pages reviewing an episode without actually reviewing the episode."

[artsybi]

because i end up basically writing fan fiction of my own projects when i’m procrastinating on said project if i ever manage to actually publish something, i will one hundred percent have an ao3 account on which i write fanfic for my own shit

maybe i’ll even like, make reference to fanfic during like, an interview or something, like making reference to the fact that i’m active on ao3 or just in the fandom community in general and watch as the fandom loses it 

and i’d one hundred percent be active in the fan community, no matter how small, just like, making fandom friends and shit, it’d be so fun to see what ships rise to the top and what headcanons become super popular in fandom spaces for my characters

and like, with ships especially because in two of the main projects i’m currently working on all the main characters are some flavor of bi/pan (and a secondary protagonist from one who might end up as a main character because i like her is a poly lesbian) with one focused around two guys and two girls and the other around two girls and one guy so, like, i’m two hundred percent leaving the door wide open for shippers to have their ways with them

in one project actually i have a whole thing with two of the characters being “dating but not really” and they’re literally fake dating in canon to get their parents off their back, and if that’s not fandom bait i don’t know what is

see this is the problem, like i have all these dreams of people falling in love with my characters the same way i’ve fallen in love with so many in the past but actually writing is so hard, so i just daydream about a hypothetical fandom space for my writing (and i wonder what “hot takes” born of misunderstanding fundamental parts of both character and story would arise) then i have to remind myself that it doesn’t exist and might not ever exist because writing is hard as fuck y’all

like i want to read all the bad and out of character au’s, and i want to see who runs the tattoo parlor and who owns the flower shop, and i want to see fan art, and i want to know about everyone’s interpretations of my characters and i want to know what small reference from one of them will become integral to their personality in fandom, and i want people to love these characters the same way that i love them, but for that i have to actually write, and actually finish something, and actually get it published and etc etc etc and it’s such a laundry list

like i don’t even want to be famous or anything, i don’t care about that and i wouldn’t want to be shoved into the spotlight, but i want people to get a chance to get to know all my characters, i want them to sympathize with tara, laugh with ava, roll their eyes with luke, smile with rachel, get exasperated with alex, fight side by side with kai, hunt with indie, pity jaz, hell, i want them to stand by rosie, rebel with em, stay strong with kat, run with micky, i want them to know these characters, and these worlds i have constructed in my head, i want them to be able to lose themselves in these stories and characters

i want to see my characters through a fandom’s eyes, and i want to know what crossovers get written, i want to know what hogwarts house everyone gets assigned and why, i want to know what crack ships are fan favorites, i want to know what percy jackson cabin the fandom thinks they fit, i want all the stupid au’s, i want to see all the high school and college au’s, hell, who studies what at college, i want to scroll through a tag on tumblr, or ao3, hell, wattpad, and be able to think to myself that, hey, i wrote that source material

and i want

i just desperately want to know what people think of these pieces of me that i’ve molded and given names, how they get characterized

like kai, is he the fandom “uwu soft boy” because he has anxiety? or is he the fandom badass because he’s known for getting into fights? (and how many au’s take away the fact that he’s mute?)

is indie the cool and stoic rebel who smokes and wears all black and combat boots? or is she dangerously reckless and self-destructive? or is she just the fandom slut because she flirts and sleeps around? (and how often are her unhealthy coping mechanisms turned into mere personality traits?)

does rachel get pegged as the fandom’s “literal sunshine child has never done anything wrong ever”? or is she seen as boring in comparison to the other characters? (and how much of her symbolism gets caught?)

is ava the “soft uwu bby girl who must be protected at all costs”? or is she just a bitch who pokes her nose into things that don’t involve her because she stands up for people? (and how often does the fandom forget she needs glasses? how often do they forget she’s a star runner?)

is luke just the book smart source-of-important-information? or is he cold and calculated because he knows how to use a gun? (and how often is the fact that most of his family is alive get glossed over?)

is tara a cold bitch who keeps too many secrets and hides things from those close to her? or is she self destructive and half-suicidal because of all her trauma? (and how often is she a demon in au’s?)

is alex just the dad-friend and nothing more? or is he cast aside and forgotten because he seems boring compared to his far more traumatized peers? (and how often is the fact that he’s a star sports player forgotten?)

is jaz simplified down to “cold shallow rich bitch who only cares about appearances”? or is she seen as heavily traumatized and very mentally ill? (and how are her parents seen, are they the fandom’s john winchester, or are they just forgotten and shoved to the side?)

i desperately want to know how these characters are seen, and even simplified down by a fandom game of telephone, leaving only their most recognizable traits

what color is every character assigned? is jaz gold as i intended? does ava get pastel pink? is alex green? is kai gray or orange? is tara maroon-y purple? does indie get black? is luke dark yellow or blue? does rachel get strawberry blonde? 

what’s their most recognizable outfit or accessory? is it ava’s sweets skirt, kai’s hoodie? alex’s sports jersey, jaz’s fake nails? indie’s gun holster and black canvas jacket, tara’s combat boots? luke’s hoodie, rachel’s sneakers?

what fanwork gains a fandom of its own? is it super angsty like twist and shout(which i have not read)? or is it soft and almost hopeful the way not easily conquered is? is it a heavy au, or is it simply canon divergent?

who are the fan favorites? and who gets brushed to the side in favor of said fan favorites? who’s always wildly out of character, and who stays true to their original form?

what’s the fandom as a whole like? is it wildly toxic or mostly okay? how common are blow-out ship wars? what are the ship wars like? are there ships that stay on the sidelines? which ones start shit the most often? how many people just say “fuck it” and go poly to avoid that shit?

what questions would fans ask at like, panels or during an ama or something? i dream up questions people might ask sometimes, mostly to try and practice explaining things that i feel might be misinterpreted, but what would they really care about?

i know all of this is a pipe dream, books don’t gain the same notoriety on tumblr as tv shows and movies do, percy jackson and harry potter are stark exceptions but i have no hope that i’ll write something half as culturally relevant as either of them, but i dunno, i just think about it sometimes, and i wonder, and i want.

[battlestar-royco]

Hi Maxine, since it’s come recently on your blog, I wanted to share my perspective on the Twilight Renaissance, as someone who’s relatively involved with it. I can’t speak for everyone but the main points of the Renaissance are about 1) the giant nostalgia factor 2) reclaiming it. For me at least, Twilight will always remind me of the 2008 recession and how reading it gave me a lot of comfort then. As I grew up however, I realized that it was deeply problematic.

Every modern Twilight fan I’ve encountered is aware of & angered by s.meyer’s racist and conservative attitude & we are not here to make excuses for her. While we cannot change the canon, a lot of us hc characters being POC, LGBTQ+, etc. We ignore plot lines that push s.meyer’s gross agenda (the treatment of the Quileute tribe, the birth of Resume, etc) & focus more on the actual good things within canon (characters like Rosalie, Esme, and Leah, who have empowered a lot of women).

The point isn’t to erase the issues within the series but to improve it. A lot of us actually come from marginalized groups (I’m a queer WoC Mayonnaise would hate me lol!) & while we love the nostalgia of Twilight there is a sense of cognitive dissonance that comes from liking something that is so vehemently against you. I would say it’s akin to how ASOIAF/G0T fans can like certain characters but hate most of the aspects of the show, and might HC things that contradict the actual canon.

Also- While I kind of get the argument of “girls were shamed for liking Twilight” I do think it’s a white feminist way to narrow down the very cereal criticisms that ppl have for the series. I haven’t seen the video you’re talking about but it seems to me that she probably ignored the treatment of the Quileute tribe and other messed up things in the series

Hello! Thanks for the elaboration. I’ve never been involved in the Twilight fandom but I do have a LOT of mutuals and off-Tumblr friends who are relishing in the Renaissance, and I know all of them well enough to know they are cognizant of the issues in the books. I have sometimes gotten caught up in the nostalgia of it as well, like I said in the previous answer–I appreciate a lot of the memes and hilarity that the movies have inspired. This might be due to the kind of people I like to follow, but I’ve mostly seen the reclamation that you are describing: queering the text and adding more diversity, playing up the positive interactions between women, headcanoning Bella as a wlw, etc. I’ve also seen a resurgence in the popularity of vampire fantasy in general.

The “people hated Twilight because girls like it” argument was popular for a few months but has died down since it first came out because countless users rebutted immediately with a more intersectional approach. I did not mean to make assumptions/inaccurate statements about the Renaissance fandom because I simply don’t know enough about it to do so, so I hope my answers didn’t come off that way–just having a discussion about the books and how the fandom has evolved since it first really blew up in 2008. The video essay in question argued along the white feminist line, and was a huge reason why the Renaissance occurred, but that take was the only major one I’ve seen that was so shallow. Though I do agree that a portion of the hate for Twilight was due to misogyny, that wasn’t the full story, and I’ve seen recognition of that. In my experience, that original video essay perspective has not reflected most of the Ren activity I’ve seen on my dash. The books at this point seem pretty separate from the fandom (disclaimer: based on who I follow and what kind of Twilight Ren content they’re reblogging). As a person who’s been on the outskirts of such a huge cultural phenomenon in its first iteration and now is seeing a lot more mature and diverse takes in the second iteration, it’s been very interesting to be on the sidelines through it all. :)

[surveys-at-your-service]

Survey #167

“everything he sees is just blue like him, inside and outside.”

Did the house you grew up in have a big yard? It was fairly decent. Have you ever worked over 50 hours in one week? No. What has been the most difficult class you’ve ever taken? Latin. Do you think teenagers should focus more on their education rather than on relationships? Well, yeah. I mean that as in you should pursue knowledge more than love, but it can of course happen and should be taken seriously. What’s your opinion on couples ‘staying together for the kids?’ Awful idea. Your children don't need to grow up on the sidelines of a dead relationship. It can give them such negative expectations. Did any of the classes you took in high school count towards uni credit? No. Do you think being born was a mistake? No. Have you ever been arrested? No. Has a relative ever been arrested? Don't believe so. Do you think the Fountain of Youth exists? No. How about in a parallel dimension? Maybe, idk. Do you believe humans are part of a giant alien experiment? Not necessarily aliens, but I'm *open* to the possibility that we're just a simulation of a future civilization to learn how their ancestors lived, like we're literally Sims. I lean towards that being false, but. There's astonishing evidence for the possibility we're not "real," though regardless, I stand by the "I think, therefore I am" quote, so I really don't care either way. Do you think your blood is sacred? Uh... no? Have you ever been suicidal? Yeah. Was it a passing phase or is it something controlled by medication? It was something corrected with the help of medication, LOTS of therapy, and a closure conversation with Jason. Do you hold any holiday special in your heart? Halloween and Christmas, particularly. Is there a holiday you wish no one celebrated? Which is it? Why do you feel that way? Eh, I don't feel like flipping through the list of holidays right now. What’s your favorite book? Why is that? Johnny Got His Gun by Dalton Trumbo because it is a masterpiece of the needlessness for war, as well as The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton, though by this point I don't even recall most of the story... I just know I adored it. Who is your all-time favorite author? Don't have one. What do you like about them? N/A Who’s your favorite poet? Poe, of course. What’s your all-time favorite band? How about all-time fave singer? I have too many favorite bands. Singers, Freddie Mercury and Brendon Urie. Do you think most mythological creatures exist? No. Have you ever had lice? No. What brand of dish soap do you use? Uhhhh idk, I don't wanna go look lol. Do any of your neighbors have dogs? Idk. Growing up, did you listen to country music? Yup, believe it or not. Have you ever dated someone on the football team? No. Do you like tomatoes? I'm not a fan. I can enjoy fresh ones in a small amount in a sandwich/burger, but that's it. What’s your favorite brand of bottled water? Essentia. Do you have any ceramic animals in your house or outside? No. What brand of makeup do you wear? I don’t wear a specific brand. What type of waffles do you like? (Plain, blueberry etc..) Plain or chocolate chip, depending on mood. Do you brush your tongue? Holy shit brush your tongue, dude. What kind of laugh do you have? It's loud and obnoxious as hell. What kind of cell phone do you have? (ex. flip, slider, or traditional.) Touch screen. Have you ever gotten searched by the cops? No. Have you ever been enrolled in private school? No. Do you know how to grill a steak? No. Would you ever use an online dating service? No, was on one v briefly and it was. Very much not my thing. I felt like I was hunting for a relationship when I'm way more for it just finding you. Do you like Gushers? YES. Do you have a large dog? No, Teddy and Bentley are both medium-sized. If not, are you afraid of them? Not at all. I love big dogs. What is more annoying: A sore throat or a headache? Headaches. Have you ever sent an X-Rated picture to someone? No. Have you ever gone out of state for a concert? No. When is the last time you went on a date? March. ;____; Do your parents know that/if you smoke? I don't. What is your favorite board game from your childhood? I hated shopping, so I haven't a clue how it was Mall Madness lmao. I also loved that carnival Cranium game, whatever it was. Have you ever gotten rid of something you shouldn’t have and then really regretted it later? Yeah, senior prom pics. There were some where I actually looked pretty fuck Do you beat yourself up when you make mistakes? Usually. Have you ever tried anything off the Starbucks secret menu? No. Do you have string lights in your bedroom? No, but I'd like them. What is your favorite flavor of tea? Tea is disgusting. Do you have an inspiration board? I have a Pinterest board of hair colors and styles I like. What is your favorite magnet on your fridge? Never paid attention to the ones we have. Do you like to sit in the grass? No. Are there popsicles in your freezer right now? Yeah, we got 'em for when I got my tongue pierced. Is there a lamp in your bedroom? No. Would you prefer eating jello or pudding? Pudding. After washing your hair, do you put any products in it? No. Have you ever crawled through a vent? No. Last time you rode a bike? Years ago. What is something you used to always do but don’t anymore? Uhhhh. Idk. Well actually, I used to always have soda like multiple times a day, but now I go some days without touching it. What is the last thing you broke and how did you break it? Idr. What is the best thing you have received when trick or treating? Reese's, ha ha. What is the worst thing you have received when trick or treating? I hate(d) tootsie rolls. What word do you hate the absolute most? Probably "the 'n' word" or the derogatory term for gays... idk. How many seasons is your favorite TV show in so far? Eight for That '70s Show, but both FMAs don't have seasons. Do you remember getting sung to when you were little? No. Have you ever felt a temperature below 0? No. When was the last time you had blood drawn? Couple days back for more tests. What color eyes does/did your father have? Brown. What do you daydream most about? The future. What names do you like? Alessandra, Damien, Josephine, Luther, Chloe, Evelyn, Evangeline, Vincent, Victor... At what age do you want to start working or at what age did you start? My first job was when I was about 19, I think. Where’s the best place to eat a romantic dinner? Olive Garden omlllllll. Who was the last person to piss you off? I don't know about pissed. Probably Mom. Has anyone ever told you that they loved you, and you didn’t say it back? Yeah. What’s your favorite hairstyle on the opposite sex? I like scene/emo hair too much fuck Has anyone ever played a prank on you? What happened? Probably. Which parent are you more similar to? Idk. I'm a pretty even mix of them both. Do you have a lot of self-discipline? Eh, depends. Have you ever been to another country’s capital city? No. What are some of your favorite qualities for another person to have? Compassion, kindness, an open mind, considerate, creative, difficult to anger, understanding... What smell reminds you of your childhood? Chlorine, gingerbread, rain in the air... Have you ever dated someone who had a child from a previous relationship? No, and I wouldn't. When was the last time you spoke to the first person you ever kissed?  Second week of February '17. What’s a political issue you have a strong opinion on? Gay rights. Stopping that "oh if (s)he was raped ten years ago, why come out now?" bullshit that's been popular lately. What was the last fruit or vegetable you chopped/sliced up? Romaine lettuce for Kaiju. When you take a nap, do you nap in bed or on the couch? My bed. Have you ever done a Mason jar craft? No, but most of those that I see are so cute. What are you going to be for Halloween this year? Idk if I'm even dressing up. Do you decorate your front door for holidays? Mom puts up a wreath. What are all the costumes you remember wearing for past Halloweens? I literally remember none. Who is your favorite photographer? Check out mothmeister on Instagram. Cool as fuck. Don't know who takes the pictures exactly, but. Jovana Rikalo/thefirebomb on deviantART is also incredible. Were you shy in high school? Not very. Do you wish karma were real, or are you glad that it isn’t? I wish it was. What was your favorite Nick Jr. show? Rugrats. What school subjects are/were you the best at? English and science. What comes naturally to you? Spelling, usually. Bonding with animals. Do you prefer to call life a journey, a battle, a dance, or an adventure? Journey. Do you believe in the power of dreamcatchers or do you just like them as a decoration? They're just pretty decor to me. Who are the cutest babies in your Facebook newsfeed? I have two friends with young babies and neither are cute tbh. One's face looks like a grown man's with elephant ears, while the girl is just like, a month old, and I almost never find babies that young cute. What were your favorite mall stores when you were in high school? HotTopic. What time of day do you normally feel the most awake and alert? A while after I wake up. Have you ever searched for your house on Google Earth? Yeah. How old do you look? I guess my age? Do you like movie nights? Only if it's with someone. What would be number one on your bucket list? Pet a wild (well, habituated) meerkat. How old do you think you’ll be when you make your will? *shrugs* where is the fanciest place you have ever visited? Idk. Do you wear earrings on a normal basis? Ugh, I wish. Two reasons I don't. 1.) My first holes are stretched badly from wearing heavy earrings to much. Put one in the left especially and it almost looks like it's not even attached to my ear. Looks gross. 2.) I'm allergic to silver and like all my earrings are silver. Are your ears pierced more than once, if at all? Yeah. If you wear skirts, are you more likely to wear leggings, or go bare? If I was to wear them, I'd probably wear leggings. Ever stayed up all night on the phone? Jason and I did that (or almost did?) once early in our relationship. If you could move somewhere else, would you? Uh yeah. The one and only reason I won't move too far is because I'm unwilling to leave my psychiatrist; he's one of the biggest reasons I recovered and also gives me free samples of the medicine that saved my damn life, which costs over $1,000. No exaggeration. He knows that's absolutely outrageous. So it's like if I moved somewhere else, would my new psychiatrist do the same? Did the last guy/girl you kissed have any piercings? No. Do you actually love your parents? Yes. Have you ever had a school picture turn out absolutely dreadful? Like, all of them. I look high when I smile. What is the name of the last band you discovered? That I actually got into, Powerwolf. What happened last time you got drunk? Never been drunk, but on the occasion I got the closest, I was more outgoing and giggly. Do you know anyone autistic? I don't believe so. How about someone bipolar? Me. What do you want your job to be when you’re older? A photographer and also an out-on-the-field zoologist. I could bring my camera out with me, combine the two. Have you ever made your parents cry? Mom on sadly multiple occasions, and I could hear that Dad was tearing up when I called him wanting to make up. Do you always lock your door? Not my room door, but the front and back door pretty much always are. If I'm home alone, without a doubt. Have you ever been to Hooters? No. Do you snore in your sleep? No. Do you have a brother? What’s his name? A half-brother, Robert/Bobby. Do you believe in celebrating anniversaries? Year ones, yes. Have you ever driven without a license? I don't have mine yet, but I don't believe I've ever done so without my permit. What was your very first pet like? I'm pretty sure my first personal one was a long-haired guinea pig named Squeak. He was a total sweetie that loved attention and would do one of those high-pitched, four squeaks back at me if I did it lol. What kind of an old person do you think you’ll become? I hope I become a wise, more loving than ever, content person that does all she can for humanity and doesn't isolate like I do so much. I want to be out there with people, making memories and always maintaining a young heart. Which well-known person’s death shocked you the most, if any? Steve Irwin's above anyone else, but Chester Bennington was a close second. What’s the craziest color you’d dye your hair? I seriously want to bleach my hair to snow white and have it fade to a blood-red tip, but that'd probably destroy my hair. What’s the coolest hobby one of your friends has? Hm. I'm not sure. What’s the silliest thing you’ve believed, that turned out to be untrue? LOOK I stg I learned in school that thunder was clouds rubbing against each other and I only learned the truth THIS YEAR. Have you ever pet a cow, a sheep or a pig? A pig. Who’s the last person to make you laugh? GameGrumps. Ever been in a race? No. Favorite brand of color pencils? Crayola, I'm a basic bitch. Do you like the smell of peppermint? Omgggggggg yes. How many pieces did the last puzzle you completed have? Idr, maybe 150? It was at the hospital with my peers. In the end we were missing exactly o n e piece. What is missing from your wardrobe that you need to buy? I want a studded leather jacket pls I've wanted one since high school. When was the last time you witnessed a sunshower? A month back, maybe? Maybe sooner? Who was the last person to kiss your cheek? Mom, I believe. What temperature do you consider “too cold” to be outside? Comfortably, 40 F. Did anything bad happen to you in September? My knees became quite a problem. Had some rough streaks of depression. In your phone’s contacts, who is the first person listed under the letter ‘R’? When did you last see that person? No one under "r." If someone is sticking their nose into your business where it isn’t wanted, how would you deal with that? Would you say something to them? I'd like to think I'd say something. When your last relationship ended, how long was it before you felt ready to think about being with someone else? I realized I wanted to be with Sara while I was with him. It was one of the reasons I broke up with him. Think about your Facebook profile photo. What kind of assumptions do you think a stranger might make about you, from seeing that photograph? Would any of these assumptions be correct? (It's the same picture as here.) I obviously like a darker style, and it'd also be an understandable assumption I'm a bitch by my expression lmao. That one's not true, I hope. If you aren’t an only child, do you wish you were? Noooo. What is your birth order? I'm the middle child between my immediate siblings. What is your eye color? What would you want it to be? Blue/green/gray. I wish they were more sapphire. Do you like Victoria’s Secret, or PINK? I like their bras and undies, super cute, but other products, nah. What color highlighter do you prefer? Pink. What is the wallpaper on your best friends cell phone? Dunno. Do you like using big words when you talk? Don't hate it, but I avoid it when I can with most people. I wanna make sure they understand what I'm saying, no need to make it all fancy. What’s your favorite thing to do in the summer? Stay the fuck inside and wish it was fall. Eh, swimming. Do you like being tickled? NO. Are you loud when you’re having sex? I'd always try to be quiet even when home alone because I was worried about someone coming home and us not hearing or something. But it took effort to keep quiet sometimes, and even then I was a moaner. Are you a very open or private person? Depends on who I'm with and whether it's on or offline, but generally, private. What is your favorite Christmas movie? Jim Carrey's How the Grinch Stole Christmas. What do you get complimented on the most? My hair. When was the last time you were in a public setting and a stranger annoyed you? I'm not sure. Scariest storm you’ve ever had in your town? Um idk. Skill you wish you had? Drawing exactly what I see in my head ugh. How do you feel about raising minimum wage? FUCK-ING DO IT. NC's is $7.25 an hour, and you can't live off that shit. Humor me. What physical ideal do you imagine in a boyfriend/girlfriend/partner? It really doesn't matter to me, but I'd say I'm more quickly attracted to people with a dark style. What type of personality traits do you look for in a boyfriend/girlfriend/partner? Calm, open-minded, friendly, I like a bit more outgoing than me, compassionate, very passionate like myself, artistic, considerate... Any other essential quirks/interests/other you look for in a boyfriend/girlfriend/partner? The only thing I can think of as essential are some common interests to bond over. I don't think I could date someone totally different from me. Or someone heavily religious. Any romantic gestures you really like? Small, simple efforts just for the purpose of showing you care, more than anything. I appreciate the cliche of opening doors. What were you like when you were a kid? Outgoing, talkative as hell, pretty odd, big time creative. What is your definition of cheating? Flirting in a clearly non-joking manner. Have you ever been to a psychiatrist/therapist? Both since the 6th grade. Are looks important in a relationship? For me personally, no, but I don't shame people who feel it's at least a smaller factor for them. Sure, it'd be more difficult to be more sexually attracted to you, but not romantically, which is what I care about. What were you doing right before you started this survey? Another survey. I combine them into longer ones. Ever get mad at something that happened years ago? Rarely, and if ever, briefly. What do you order on your pizza? Jalapenos. I miss meat lovers. What the kind of soda you drink most often? Mountain Dew Voltage. Do you freak out if a bee/wasp flies near you? Wasp, I'm fuckin' outie. I'm uncomfortable with any bee, but won't spaz over most. If Facebook started making you pay, would you still use it? No. If you were dying and had to tell the last person you texted one thing, what would it be? Lmao we actually had a convo about this once, and it'd totally be, "I love you, and I'll see you on the other side." If you could have sex to one song, what song would it be? We playin' "Death of a Bachelor" by P!atD on our wedding night 100% 100% 100% 100%. Are you a forgiving person? Too forgiving. Who is the last person you told you loved them? Sara Jaaaane. <3 Do you have a specific gas station you usually go to? Or do you stop wherever? Mom tends to go to Sheetz or Shell. She gets bad mileage at Sheetz, but it's super close to our house. Do you have a place you go to a lot that you may be considered “a regular” at? The people at New Addiction (tat and piercing parlor I go to) are starting to recognize me lmao. I'll be there tonight again. Think of the last person you kissed, have you ever kissed them on a bed? Yeah. Do you like your girlfriend's/boyfriend's parents? YEAH. Why aren’t you with the person you first fell in love with? He couldn't stand my depression anymore. What’s worse, knowing you still love them, or pretending you hate them? THE FORMER. Do you own any television series box sets? All seasons of Meerkat Manor. What is your favorite band of all time? Ozzy Osbourne. Would you consider getting a tattoo any time soon? I'm getting one T O N I G H T  B O Y S. Do you like candles? Yeah, but I prefer incense. Have you ever been diagnosed with a mental illness? More like seven lmao. And I'm 99% sure I have ADD, but I haven't been officially diagnosed. If you had to choose to have a different accent than the one you have now, what accent would you choose and why? British, 'cuz I love it. Have you ever or do you currently live in a Gated Community? No. Do you know how to use a DSLR camera? Yeah. Do you know anyone who is named after a state? Jason's mom. Miss that woman, she sincerely cared for me. I owe her so much for staying on the phone with me for legit like two hours a couple nights before my attempt. It was dead in the middle of the night, yet she was happy to be there. Have you ever had a “bad trip”? If yes, what happened? N/A. Do you enjoy learning about conspiracy theories? Y E S. Shane Dawson got me so into them omg. If you had a baby boy, what would you name him? Damien Alexander, maybe.

[rosiewitchescottage]

I'm just sick of these wall to wall Live Action remakes of classic cartoons.

They did Cinderella and they did Jungle Book and Pete's Dragon. OK. Can't say I'm exactly a fan. I'll still stick to the classic originals. But they weren't bad. And at the time, they were a novelty.

What I'll say for 'Pete's Dragon', in particular is that the first Pete's Dragon does get sidelined. And the remake brings attention back to it. It's a very sweet little movie. And the two versions can be enjoyed in their own ways.

I'd welcome them giving this treatment to The Black Cauldron. The original books are fantastic, and whilst the movie is enjoyable, they could improve on it.

But no. Because that isn't what this is about. They do it with classics that are already super popular. So they don't need to put the effort into building the characters and their stories up.

Diversity, when it's a seamless partner to a great story and memorable characters. It's a good thing. It embraces the variety of humanity and our host of cultures.

The Princess and the Frog. I love it! It's one of my favourites of the later classics.

Setting it in the Cajun swamps, it works. The characters, the music, the way it all fits into the world in which it lives. All spot on.

And to me, the biggest point. They rehabilitate a Brother's Grimm story, that annoys the heck out of me.

Tiana is a million miles from the original spoiled brat princess, a girl that not only has to be forced to keep a promise she made to a frog, and only does so with ill grace.

But she doesn't even have to improve her attitude for the Prince to fall in Love with her.

Prince Naveen falls for Tiana and we know exactly why. She and he are right for each other.

I'd applaud Disney to the rafters and beyond, if they used their remakes to tell other versions of the stories used for the originals.

Cinderella for example - There are at least hundreds, and probably more versions of this tale across the world. They didn't need to tell Charles Perrault's version again.

There are oodles more versions in Europe alone. And then still more when you go further, a Chinese Cinderella, Indian Cinderella etc, etc

Snow White - Soviet cinema has a cartoon of their Russian version of the story. Where she stays in the home of seven hunters. It's on Youtube and it's gorgeous. There are loads of other versions that Disney could use too.

Now we get to mermaids. This isn't just about Ariel being played by a black actress. At least it shouldn't be.

It's about Disney being lazy and expecting the black community to be satisfied with an already well loved, white character just being turned black.

No. Mermaids don't have to only be white. And they aren't just found in European cultures either.

I've looked up mermaids across the world. And whilst not every version of the part sea creature, part human trope would work as a Disney character. I'm darn sure there has to be something that they can use.

Mami Wata from across Africa sounds like a contender.

A mermaid of colour that's in her own world and with her own identity.

Let Ariel remain as the pale skinned red head from the sea around Denmark.

Give us a darker skinned lady of the sea that's a character of her own. There's room of more than one Disney mermaid surely?

I watched the trailer and thought it looked really good before I noticed the like to dislike ratio. Well, this is depressing.

[wesonerdy]

To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is a wonderful end of summer treat: great acting, well-paced plot, and all the swoony, teen-y feels. This is the quality, RomCom content we deserve!

Courtesy of NETFLIX

  When I saw the first trailer for To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before earlier this summer, I just knew that I needed this film in my life, so much so, that I emailed NETFLIX publicity and practically begged them for a screener. And now that I’ve seen this film eight times (EIGHT!!!!!!!!), my initial feelings have only grown.

NETFLIX has been doing the Lord’s work lately by bringing us glorious romantic comedy, and TATBILB is, through and through, swoony and hilarious and heartwarming. Instantly, the films transports me back to my 16/17-year old self, the optimism and feels, coupled with the awkwardness and insecurity of trying to navigate my teenhood.

Now, I haven’t read Jenny Han’s best-seller, so I can’t really talk about the film as an adaptation. (I promise, it’s at top of my TBR list. And FYI: our friends at Fangirlish have an awesome interview with Jenny Han where she reflects on the process of working with the creative team to adapt her book for NETFLIX.)

What I can say is that To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is a wonderful end of summer treat: great acting, well-paced plot, and all the swoony, teen-y feels. This is the quality, RomCom content we deserve.

  Lara Jean Song Covey, the middle daughter in an interracial, Korean-American family, is about to begin her junior year of high school. She has just said goodbye to her older sister, Margot, who’s off to college in Scotland. In the absence of their mother (who dies when the Lara Jean, Margot, and their baby sister Kitty are quite young), Margot becomes a maternal figure in the family. Though, their father, Dr. Dan Covey, tries to keep the memory of their mother alive for the girls by cooking Korean food, etc., he sometimes botches things. Margot has been there to clean up the messes and smooth things over.

Margot does something similar in Lara Jean’s life at school. Lara Jean has been on the sidelines of the social scene and mostly relying on her best friend Christine, Margot, and Margot’s boyfriend Josh. When Margot leaves (and breaks up with Josh beforehand), Lara Jean loses 2/3 of her circle. This doesn’t bother Lara Jean too much… she’ll eat lunch in the library (as long as they don’t kick her out for eating noisy foods) and on the weekends, she’ll watch Golden Girls reruns with Kitty. Lara Jean seems satisfied; however, someone in her life wants to shake things up.

Over the last several years, Lara Jean has written love letters to five guys she’s had crushes on. Lara Jean doesn’t mail them, but it helps her to articulate her feelings and make sense of them. Lara Jean hides the letters in a teal gift-box (a keepsake from her mother). But one day, Lara Jean gets a rude awakening when all five letters are missing. Someone has mailed them out!!!

Right away, Lara Jean has to confront three of the guys, Peter Kavinsky (jock and Mr. Popular), Lucas Krapf (who shows Lara Jean a fun time at the 9th grade Homecoming dance), and Josh Sanderson. YES, the Josh who is now Sister Margot’s ex-boyfriend. LAWD!

In order to avoid the major awkward of dealing with Josh, Lara Jean agrees to begin a fake relationship with Peter Kavinsky (who’s trying to make his ex-girlfriend jealous). DRA.MA. Unexpectedly, hanging out with Peter does help Lara Jean to open up and enjoy high school. But what happens when Lara Jean starts to develop real feelings for her fake boyfriend?

  1. Lara Jean is all of us!

Lana Condor dazzles us as Lara Jean! She’s the perfect RomCom leading lady. Several times, Lara Jean shares her love of John Hughes films, and she, herself, could totally be a John Hughes heroine: smart, relatable, a little awkward, with perfect comedic timing, and all-around delightful.

I see so much of myself in Lara Jean, with her passion for bodice-ripper, romance novels, her shyness, and her love of her family. Lara Jean will be the first to tell you that she’s addicted to romance and drama… but aren’t we all, like a little bit?

And though I very much identify with Lara Jean, I recognize that a young, Asian-American woman as a romantic lead in a film like this is something special, something to celebrate, and something to replicate. Because #RepresentationMatters!

  2. Sisters before misters!

Yes, TATBILB is a romance, but, for me, the relationship between the three Covey sisters is the highlight of the film–Margot, the responsible one; Lara Jean, the shy, melodramatic one; and Kitty, the popular one and baby-feminist.

A significant part of the storyline follows the evolution of the way the sisters engage with one another as they’re growing up. Lara Jean is keeping a major secret from her sisters and it does create conflict between them. However, when Lara Jean finds herself in a difficult and embarrassing situation towards the end of the movie, it’s Margot and Kitty who Lara Jean turns to.

By the end, I was cheering “sisters before misters!!!” at the screen and so ready to call my own sisters, too.

  3. John Corbett is the DILF we deserve!

To all my fellow Sex and the City fans, I have to confess that Aidan has always been my favorite of Carrie’s guys. So, now to see John Corbett as a sweet, single-daddy to his girls, is the literal BEST. Dan Covey was so, super in love with his wife and has worked hard to channel all of that love into raising his three daughters. This includes hella awkward conversations about sexual health, all the way to reminding Lara Jean that she deserves to be young and carefree.

  4. Lara Jean’s boys…SWOON!

I didn’t expect to like Peter Kavinsky as much as I did, but he was charming and kind and a great guy for Lara Jean. Peter challenges Lara Jean to have fun and helps her step out of her shell to embrace the experiences of high school and be part of the group.

One of my favorite scenes takes place between Lara Jean and Peter after dinner with Peter’s family. They bond over losing a parent, and Lara Jean reflects on how losing her mother has shaped her fear of love and relationships. In the course of the film, this realization jars Lara Jean into taking some risks. But as they say: no risk, no reward! (Especially if that risk includes making out in a hot tub! 😉 )

While I adore Peter, Lucas is my homeboy. I would take him and his cravat-wearing, cutie-patootie self anywhere. Lucas is a really good friend to Lara Jean and I love how he encourages her.

Then there’s Josh *sigh* Lara Jean’s relationship with Josh is complex, especially because of Margot. Throughout the movie, Josh really struggles with losing his connection to the Covey sisters. While I don’t necessarily want Lara Jean and Josh to have a romantic relationship, I want them to be good friends. And P.S. I think Josh and Margot should get back together.

  5. Awesome music is AWESOME!

I mentioned that To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before hooked me before the end of the trailer, and the amazing soundtrack 100% contributed to the RomCom goodness. I hadn’t yet heard Lauv’s “I Like Me Better”, and after hearing it in the trailer and movie, I downloaded the song and played it on repeat for dayssss. Then I watched the music video on repeat for dayssss and cried at how lovely and romantic it was. Then I texted Katie, my BFF Patrice, and my sister Sey to share it with them, too. *SWOONY SIGH*

The film soundtrack, as a whole, is effervescent, just like the film– “Human Right” by The Strike, “Boyfriend” by Confidence Man, and so much more. You can listen to it on Spotify HERE.

  Friends, this film is MUSTSEE, so make sure to take time this weekend to unwind with To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before and drown in teen-y, RomCom feels. You won’t regret it! And Team NETFLIX, you might as well just greenlight the sequels now. Js.

  To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before had their premiere/special screening in Los Angeles on August 16, 2018 at the Arc Light Culver City. Check out images from the screening below!

Courtesy of Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix

Courtesy of Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix

Courtesy of Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix

Courtesy of Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix

Courtesy of Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix

Courtesy of Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix

Courtesy of Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix

Courtesy of Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix

Courtesy of Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix

Courtesy of Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix

Courtesy of Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix

Courtesy of Charley Gallay/Getty Images for Netflix

  FILM REVIEW: ‘To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before’, the Teen RomCom We Deserve To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before is a wonderful end of summer treat: great acting, well-paced plot, and all the swoony, teen-y feels.

[weekendwarriorblog]

The Weekend Warrior  - BLOODSHOT, THE HUNT, I STILL BELIEVE and more!

Since this is gonna be a pretty busy weekend with four … oops, make that three wide releases, I’m just gonna get right into it, and discuss last weekend’s movies down below. Cool? 

Of the three new releases, it’s likely that all three of them will make somewhere between $10 and 20 million, although I could see a couple of them ending up on the lower side of that number. All of them have some intriguing pluses and minuses.

Up until last weekend, the STXfilms family action-comedy MY SPY, starring former WWE wrestler (and soon-to-be WWE Hall of Fame inductee) David Bautista, was being dumped on this weekend after being delayed numerous times. This past Saturday it was moved again… to April 17, so one less movie to write about this week… yay!

First up is the very first movie based on a Valiant Comics character as BLOODSHOT (Sony) comes to theaters with none other than Vin Diesel playing soldier Roy Garrison, who has been brought back to life using power-enhancing nanotech that turns him into an assassin for the RST Corporation, led by Guy Pearce.  

Directed by David Wilson, co-founder of Blur Studios with Deadpooldirector Tim Miller, the movie also stars Eiza Gonzalez (Baby Driver), Sam Heughan from Outlander, and Toby Kebbell from lots of stuff, including the “Planet of the Apes” movies (he performance-captured the villainous Koba), and yes, Kebbell was also Victor Doom in the most recent Fantastic Four movie.

This is one of the weekend’s more interesting offerings, firstly because it’s the second comic book movie of the year (if you don’t include Sonic the Hedgehog), but because as I said above, this is the first movie based on a Valiant Comics property. Valiant was founded by former Marvel Editor-in-Chief Jim Shooter in 1989, beginning by reviving and updating a number of popular Gold Key characters like Magnus, Robot Fighterand Solar, Man of the Atom.  Bloodshot was created in 1992 by Valiant co-founder Bob Layton along with Kevin Van Hook and artist Don Perlin, and the character became quite popular while going through several incarnations. It wasn’t until 2005 when a group of entrepeneurs, including Dinesh Shamdasani, bought the rights to the Valiant properties where things started moving forward with a relaunch of Valiant Comics in 2012 as well as development on a number of movies including BloodshotGetting Vin Diesel on board helped move the project forward as Diesel had revived popularity due to returning to the Fast and Furious franchise.

Obviously, the success of Bloodshot relies entirely on Diesel and his popularity, although his movies outside the “Fast and Furious” ones haven’t exactly made big waves. Sure, he’s had a few other franchises like the Riddick character originated in 2000’s Pitch Black with director David Twohy, but the 2013 Riddick only made $42 million, just a little more than the first movie. There’s also the Xander Cage character Diesel created for 2002’s xXx, just a year after the original The Fast and the Furious.

Diesel’s return to that character in 2017 with xXx: The Return of Xander Cage did just slightly better than Riddick four years earlier. The point is that Diesel just hasn’t been able to sell other characters which brings us to 2015’s The Last Witch Hunter, an attempt by Diesel to introduce a new character to his fans, and that opened with just $10.8 million.

Granted, I’m not sure that there are that many Bloodshot and Valiant fans compared to the comics from Warners and DC, and even with Neal Moritz’s production company (which just had a hit with that aforementioned Sonic movie) behind Bloodshot, I’m not sure it will get fans excited, especially with its more cerebral take on superheroics.

I’d like to be more excited about the movie, but opening this weekend against The Hunt (see below) and Blumhouse’s The Invisible Man still doing decent business, I just don’t see this opening north of $15 million. Hopefully I’m wrong, as I would truly like to see more Valiant movies.

My Review of Bloodshot

The movie that might offer the biggest competition for Bloodshot and possibly could sideline it and maybe even beat it this weekend is THE HUNT, the latest film from Blumhouse’s deal with Universal. The movie was originally supposed to be released last September but was delayed due to the controversial content. On the surface, The Hunt, directed by Craig Zobel (Compliance) is about a group of rich people that are hunting a group of “deplorables,” an interesting premise written by Damon Lindelof and Nick Cuse (son of Lost co-creator Carlton Cuse), who have found success together with HBO’s The Leftovers and Watchmen.

The movie stars Betty Gilpin from Netflix’s "Glow,” Ike Barinholtz from various comedies and even Glen Howerton from “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.” It also stars Emma Roberts, who has done a lot of genre stuff, and two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank, who hasn’t. It’s definitely an interesting cast but like many horror movies, this one is more about its premise and whether it interests moviegoers.

The problem I see in The Hunt is that it’s so political in terms of being a battle between liberals and conservatives that might just be too on point with what people get from watching CNN or other 24-hours news cycles, so why would they want to see this brought into their entertainment? Barinholtz should definitely know this as his politically-tinged directorial debut The Oath, which only made $401,000 a few years back despite an attempt by distributor Roadside Attractions to open it wider than the 300 theaters it got.

The Hunt may have the advantage of opening on Friday the 13thwhere many moviegoers like going to see horror movies, but why would they go see this over Blumhouse’s other offering, The Invisible Man, which has been much better received?

We’ll see how the reviews go – you can read mine below--but the fact this was delayed and then put into this weekend less than a month back didn’t give Universal much time to market it, and the best they’ve been able to do is try to build on the controversy. In any other instance, I could see this making $15 million or more, but because of the circumstances that surround this movie’s tougher sell, it will probably make somewhere between $10 and 12 million.

Mini-Review: To say that it’s difficult to talk about The Hunt without potentially spoiling everything that makes it such a surprising and clever premise would be a huge understatement. What writers Damon Lindelof and Nick Cuse have done along with director Craig Zobel (Compliance) is an amazing twist on Richard Connell’s “The Most Dangerous Game” pulled writhing and screaming into the country’s current political climate. That last bit might decide who loves and who absolutely loathes this movie, but there’s no question that everyone will have an opinion, either good or bad, with few able to be outright indifferent about the movie.

The basic premise, if you hadn’t heard or seen any marketing, is that a group of very wealthy people have kidnapped a group of people with plans to hunt them down. Before we get to the hunted, we see texts between a few of the hunters talking about “the hunt,” “the manor” and their upcoming (seemingly annual) plans. We then meet  few of them in person on a private jet to “the manor” before we meet the “contestants,” a group of a dozen individuals seemingly from disparate backgrounds, many of whom are quickly picked off in exceedingly gory ways.

The key player on the side of the hunted is Betty (“Glow”) Gilpin’s Crystal, a Southern woman seemingly with a military background who seems to be up to the task of fighting back more than some of the others in the group.

That’s all I’m gonna say about the general plot and premise because where The Hunt excels is in the number of twists it throws at the viewer. That’s actually something I realized that I liked about Blumhouse’s Fantasy Island on a recent rewatch in that it seems like a simple enough premise but there are enough twists and surprises that it keeps you guessing, and that’s the same with The Hunt.

The thing about The Hunt is that I don’t see it so much as horror but as violent political satire because the fact that the hunters and hunted come from opposite sides of the political aisle and there is no clear “side,” so to speak. In that sense, it reminds me a bit of Ike Barinholtz’s own directorial debut The Oathwhere it’s snarky and sardonic humor though in this case with more action and violence. The hunters are extremely left-leaning liberals always trying to be conscientious to social justice and equality… but also wantonly killing people, so no heroes there. And the hunted aren’t politically correct and are labelled as “deplorables” although even the most liberal viewer might find themselves rooting for them.

What’s interesting is that this premise is shared somewhat by the recent Brazilian drama Bacurau, but I generally like how The Hunt handles things, more because I somewhat thought I knew what to expect going in with the latter and only partially was correct.

While Gilpin is fantastic throughout, it’s when she finally confronts Hilary Swank in the film’s big climax where you realize that the filmmakers were building up to something quite amazing. Unfortunately, few of the other actors get enough screen time to please any of their fans.

There’s no question that The Hunt won’t be for everyone, and I wish I could discuss it at further length in terms of which parts might click with viewers and which might lose them completely. Either way, it’s worth a look just by how daring it is for a studio film in these times when everyone is on edge, ready to be outraged about anything and everything.

Rating: 7/10

The third offering this weekend, which stands a good chance at doing even better than the other two movies above is the faith-based drama I STILL BELIEVE (Lionsgate), which stars the popular K.J. Apa from the CW show Riverdaleand Britt Robertson, who is just a great up and coming actor who actually starred opposite George Clooney in another Lindelof-penned movie, Disney’s Tomorrowland. Robertson also starred in the attempted young adult sci-fi romance The Space Between Us a few years back before shifting to television, including Netflix’s Girlboss.

The movie is based on the real-life story of country singer Jeremy Camp (played by Apa), who built his career around Christian music and the faith he relied upon after his young wife (played by Robertson) was diagnosed with cancer. Camp won five gospel awards and received a number of music nominations but his title song “I Still Believe” from his 2004 debut album was popular enough that it got the attention of the filmmaking Erwin Brothers, Andrew and Jon, who had a bit hit with I Can Only Imagine, which grossed an astounding $83 million after a $17.1 million opening in March 2018. Their earlier film Woodlawn didn’t do as well, making just $14.3 million total, but clearly, Lionsgate are full behind the filmmakers behind their 2018 faith-based hit and hoping I Still Believe can bring in the same sized audience.

Not really being in tune with the Christian audiences, it’s hard for me to judge how the marketing is being received, as I personally haven’t seen a single commercial, but I have to imagine the popularity of Camp and Apa as the lead on Riverdale should be enough for the movie to bring in $13 to 15 million or maybe even more for a strong second place. The movie will screen for regional critics outside New York and L.A. since those blue state cities are clearly filled with agnostic heathens who won’t give the movie a chance, but I’m not sure reviews will make much difference either way.

Onward shouldn’t have a problem holding onto a lead in the top 10 with over $20 million despite the weaker than expected opening, and Ben Affleck’s The Way Back should hold on decently but still end up pushed out of the top 5 by new movies. We’ll have to see how either of them fare in the long run especially with next week’s A Quiet Place Part 2. There’s also the matter of the panic around the country about the corona virus, so we’ll see if that’s still in effect. Otherwise, I Still Believehas the strongest chances at besting both Bloodshotand The Hunt, which will likely be cannibalizing each other’s business.

This week’s Top 10 should look something like this…

1. Onward (Disney-Pixar) - $24.5 million -38%

2. I Still Believe (Lionsgate) - $13 million N/A (down $1 million)*

3. Bloodshot (Sony) - $12.5 million N/A (down $1.5 million)*

4. The Hunt (Universal) - $10.5 million N/A (down .5 million)*

5. The Invisible Man (Universal) - $8.5 million -44%

6. The Way Back (Warner Bros.) - $5.2 million -37%

7. Sonic the Hedgehog (Paramount) - $4.3 million -44%

8. The Call of the Wild (20th Century) - $4 million -41%

9. Emma. (Focus Features) - $2.9 million -40%

10. Bad Boys for Life (Sony) - $2 million -35%

*UPDATE: We’re clearly in new and strange times with the few week’s movies being postponed, delayed and maybe some eventually cancelled, but we saw that this weekend as many of the new movies lost theater counts from the estimates earlier in the week with Bloodshot not even getting 3,000 theaters. And expect it to get worse when theaters start shutting down which may even happen this weekend

LIMITED RELEASES

Due to a last minute scheduling change, this week’s “FEATURED FILM” is now going to Eliza Hittman’s fantastic drama NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS (Focus Features), a smaller indie that might have a difficult to remember title, but it’s a title you’ll never mess up after seeing it in context in the film.  It stars young newcomers Sidney Flanigan and Talia Ryder, as Autumn and her cousin Skylar, who travel from Pennsylvania into New York City when the former gets an unwanted pregnancy and has to get an abortion away from her judgmental community. This really was a riveting film with a very simple premise that’s driven by the performances of the two young actors. It reminded me of two other indies, Lodge Kerrigan’s 2004 film Keane, starring Damian Lewis and Abigail Breslin, which also takes place at the Port Authority where much of NRSA takes place, and Julia Loktev’s Day Night Day Night, which similarly follows the journey of a teen girl who is sent into Times Square as a suicide bomber.  Like I said, it begins as a very simple tale but watching the two young girls having to deal with being in New York with no money really makes it quite a heartbreaking journey to watch. HIttman finds a way to tell this story sans pathos and the drama always comes from a real place.

Sally Potter returns with her new movie THE ROADS NOT TAKEN (Bleecker Street), a character drama starring Javier Bardem and Elle Fanning as father and daughter, Fanning playing Molly, a young woman who needs to check in on her father Leo, who is suffering from some form of Alzheimer’s or dementia – it’s never made clear what is going on with him – but it leaves him speechless with limited mobility and therefore a difficult person to manage for Molly.  As we watch her trying to bring him to routine dentist and eye doctor visits, the film flashes back to Leo’s past with his early love Dolores, played by Salma Hayek, and later in life. I have to be honest that I’m not 100% sure I understood what was going on since as with much of Potter’s work, its very arty, relying less on narrative or storytelling than mood and tone, but I did love Bardem and Fanning’s performance, and there’s a small appearance by Laura Linney as Molly’s mother that’s also great. So yeah, apparently, this is the year that I not only begin to appreciate Kelly Reichardt (with her current film First Cow) but also Sally Potter. I was particularly impressed with the film’s score and only realized with this film that Potter always does the music for her films.

Inside the Rain (Act 13/Killer Films) is a really interesting feature directorial debut from Aaron Fisher, in which he plays college film student Benjamin Glass, who suffers from ADHD, OCD and borderline personality disorders and is also bipolar, referring to himself as “recklessly extravagant.” When his illnesses lead to a possible drug overdose, the dean of the college decides to give Ben the boot, but he decides to use his filmmaking skills to make a film to fight the dean’s decision. Along the way, he meets a sex worker (Ellen Toland) who he convinces to be in his movie although he starts developing a crush on her. What’s interesting about Fisher’s film is that a lot of it is based on personal stories since he himself suffers from personality disorder and is bipolar, but he decided to use his talents to inform others on what it’s like to dealing with these issues, getting the likes of Rosie Perez and Eric Roberts to be a part of the cast. I’m not sure this movie will be for everyone, but I think it’s quite a brave effort by Fisher which I hope people will check out. It opens at New York’s Village East on Friday and in L.A. on March 20 and other citieson March 27. (For the sake of transparency, I helped with some of the publicity work on this film.)

Opening in select theaters this Friday and then streaming on Hulu next Friday is Jason Orley’s Big Time Adolescence (NEON), starring Pete Davidson from “Saturday Night Live” and Griffin Gluck, the latter playing 16-year-old Mo, a mostly innocent guy who is trying to navigate high school with the guidance of his best friend and college drop-out Zeke (Davidson). When Zeke starts teaching Mo untraditional life lessons about dating, partying and drug dealing, causing Mo’s father (Jon Cryer) to realize he needs to step in. The movie premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival.

Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Famke Janssen star in Danis Tanovic’s thriller The Postcard Killings (RLJE Films), based on James Patterson and Liza Marklund’s best-selling novel with Morgan playing New York Detective Jacob Kanon, whose daughter and son-in-law are killed in London. As Jacob starts learning about a series of journalist murders in Europe, each one preceded by a postcard, he goes after the killer to get justice for his daughter. As with most RLJE films, it will get a limited theatrical release and be On Demand and digital.

Australian actor Rachel Griffiths makes her directorial debut with Ride Like a Girl (Saban Films/Paramount), based on the true story of the first female horse jockey to win the 2015 Melbourne Cup, Michelle Payne, as played by the wonderful Teresa Palmer. Sam Neill plays Michelle’s father Paddy who supports her when she decides to leave school as a teenager to become a jockey, overcoming tragedy and a nearly fatal fall along the way. The movie will open in select theaters (including New York’s Village East) as well as On Demand and Digital this Friday.

Cindy Meehl’s The Dog Doc (a somewhat self-explanatory title there?) will open at New York’s Quad Cinema this Friday and at the Laemmle Royalin L.A. next Friday, March 20. It takes a look at veterinarian Dr. Marty Goldstein whose practice at the Smith Ridge Veterinary Center where he treats animals using holistic care.

Meanwhile Adam Bolt’s doc Human Nature (Greenwich), opening in New York and L.A., deals with the breakthrough and controversial medical process known as CRISPR which looks at how DNA can be changed from before birth to avoid diseases and even be used to “design our children.” The film talks to the scientists behind CRISPR and how it will change our relationship with nature and evolution. (Note: The Village East Cinema has a lot of amazing guests talking about the movie and its implications over the next week, including the one and only Dan Rather!)

Last up is Philip Harder’s Tuscaloosa (Cinedigm), based on the Southern novel by W. Glasgow Phillips, which takes place in Alabama, 1972 with Devon Bostick playing Billy, a young man who falls for a patient at his father’s mental asylum (played by Natalia Dyer from “Stranger Things”). At the same time, Billy’s best friend becomes involved in the civil rights movement against Tuscaloosa’s power elite. Having premiered at the Nashville Film Festival last Fall, this hits select theaters, VOD and Digital HD this Friday.

REPERTORY

Besides the usual repertory theater offerings in New York and L.A. (listed below), select AMC theaters will be screening the horror classic The Exorcist on Friday night as part of the “She Is Risen” lead-up to A24’s upcoming horror film Saint Maud.  This will continue over the next few Fridays until an advance preview of Saint Maud on Wednesday, April 1.

METROGRAPH (NYC):

Let’s see what’s going on at my favorite local NY theater. Well, first of all, the Metrograph will be screening Satoshi Kon’s fantastic 2003 film Tokyo Godfathers over the weekend and probably into next week. (Saturday afternoon will be the only English-dubbed screening of the movie with an intro by voice actor Shakina Nayfack!) This Friday night will be a screening of Michael Mann’s 1992 movie Last of the Mohicans, starring the great Daniel Day-Lewis, as part of its “Academy at Metrograph” series.This weekend’s “Late Nites at Metrograph“ is John Waters’ Cry Baby (1990), starring Johnny Depp, while “Metrograph Matinees” will present James Neilson’ sci-fi satire Moon Pilot (1962).

ALAMO DRAFTHOUSE BROOKLYN (NYC)

Tonight’s “Weird Wednesday” is the 1985 action film Swords of Heaven (already sold out, sorry!) Next Monday is the latest in the Alamo’s “Remakes and Hot Takes” series with Eddie Murphy’s 1996 film The Nutty Professor. A day later, my pal Ted Geoghegan is showing another esoteric offering for “Terror Tuesday,”  with 1990’s Death Spa, and the Alamo is also doing a “The Departed St. Patrick’s Day Dinner” also as part of the “Remakes and Hot Takes” series but this one with a special St. Patrick’s Day menu. Next week’s “Weird Wednesday” is the 1985 aerobics movie Perfect, starring John Travolta and Jamie Lee Curtis.

Over in L.A., the Alamo Drafthouse Downtown L.A.will screen Bobcat Goldthwait’s 2011 movie God Bless America as the “Weird Wednesday” tonight with Joe Lynch and Adam Green filming an episode of their “The Movie Crypt” podcast after the screening. (Sadly, it’s already sold out.) Thursday’s screening of Michael Mann’s 2006 Miami Vice movie is also sold out, unfortunately. Saturday’s “Champagne Cinema” is the comedy classic Bridesmaids. Sunday’s “Remakes and Hot Takes” is the 1996 The Birdcage (two shows sold out!) and then later that night, John Carpenter’s The Thing (1982) gets two screenings, one which is sold out. Monday evening is a “Billy Madison Quote-along” which should be fun, while L.A. does its own “The Departed St. Patrick’s Day Dinner” Tuesday and its “Terror Tuesday” is 1962’s Carnival of Soulswith the wonderful Alicia Malone from Turner Classic Movies. Next week’s “Weird Wednesday” is two screenings of 1994’s Tammy and the T-Rexwith Paul Scheer at the 9pm screening.

THE NEW BEVERLY (L.A.):

Weds’ “Afternoon Classic” matinee is Clint Eastwood’s The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976), while the Weds/Thurs cross-dressing double feature is La Cage Aux Folles (1978) and Blake Edwards’ Victor/Victoria (1982). This Friday’s “Freaky Friday” is appropriatelyJason X (2001)with screenwriter Todd Farmer in person. Friday and Saturday night, there’s an awesome double feature of Edgar Wright’s Hot Fuzz(2007) with Benny Chan’s 1996 Hong Kong film Big Bullet. Saturday night’s midnight is the Malcolm McDowell debut, O, Lucky Man! (1973) while the Kiddee Matinee continues the Harry Potter run with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1. Saturday and Sunday also sees this month’s “Cartoon Club” offerings. The Sunday/Monday double feature is two movies starring Barbara Stanwyk, The Two Mrs. Carrolls  (1947) and The Bitter Tea of General Yen  (1932). Monday’s matinee is New Jack City, starring Wesley Snipes. The Tuesday night Grindhouse double feature is the action movies Zebra Force (1976) and Bare Knuckles (1977).

EGYPTIAN THEATRE (LA):

“Noir City: Hollywood” continues through the week with The Long Haul(1957) and Black Gravel (1961) on Wednesday, The Naked City (1948) and Hardly a Criminal (1949)on Thursday, and then the double feature of Gun Crazy (1950) and Pale Flower (1964) on Friday. The “End of History: The Cinema of Lav Diaz” continues Sat. with 2014’s From What Is Before, and “Noir City: Hollywood” has an all-day five film marathon all in 35mm with 1947’s Out of the Past, The Guiltyand High Tide, and The Prowlerand Try and Get Mefrom 1951. Sunday’s matinee double feature as part of “Noir City: Hollywood” is Portrait of Jennie (1948) and Girl with Hyacinths (1950) and then that night is The Spiritualist (1948) and In the Palm of Your Hand (1949). In other words, if you’re a fan of film noir and you live in L.A. and you’re not spending at least a few hours at the Egyptian this week, then I’m not sure what to tell ya.

AERO  (LA):

Greg Proops Film Club presents Akira Kurosawa’s 1963 film High and Lowon Weds. night, and then Thursday’s matinee (free to members!) is Truffaut’s The 400 Blows. The “Woman Film Editors: An Assembly” series begins on Thursday with Paul Thomas nderson’s Punch Drunk Love (2002) and Barry Jenkins’ Oscar Best Picture Schmoonlight(2016). The series continues Friday with a double feature of George Lucas’ American Graffiti (1973) and Francis Ford Coppola’s The Outsiders (1983), while the Saturday double feature is Soderbergh’s Out of Sight and Tarantino’s Jackie Brown with Michael Keaton playing the same character in both of them! Sunday is a special DCP screening of Cecil B. Demille’s nearly four-hour The Ten Commandments (1956)!

FILM FORUM (NYC):

The series “The Women Behind Hitchcock” continues with Hitchcock’s 1950 film Stage Fright and the Joan Harrison-written 1944 film Dark Waters on Wednesday, as well as Young and Innocent and The Passing of the Third Floor Back, plus a lot more through the weekend. Honestly, the best thing to do is click on the title link above for the full schedule. This weekend’s “Film Forum Jr.” is the Marx Brothers film Go West from 1940.

MOMA  (NYC):

This week’s Modern Matinees: CicelyTysonscreenings are 1981’s Bustin’ Looseon Weds, Tyler Perry’s 2006 movie Madea’s Family Reunionon Thursday and 1974’s The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittmanon Friday. In Character: Daniel Craig

Continues this week with Matthew Vaughn’s 2004 Layer Cake on Weds, Sam Mendes’ The Road to Perdition (2002) and Fincher’s The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) on Thursday, Roger Michell’s Enduring Love  (2004) on Saturday, as well as the 2012 Bond film Skyfall (also directed by Mendes) and then Spielberg’s Munich on Sunday.

FILM AT LINCOLN CENTER (NYC):

This week begins the series “Mapping Bacurau” with movies that influenced the filmmakers of the Brazilian film Bacurau. The films include Paul Morrissey’s 1974 film Blood for Dracula, Carlos Diegues 1980 film Bye Bye Brazil, Sergio Corbucci’s 1970 film Compañeros, Sergio Leone’s Duck, You Sucker! (1972) and more that will extend over the next two weeks.

NITEHAWK CINEMA  (NYC):

At Williamsburgthe Friday midnight movie is Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter from 1984 and then the Saturday matinee is the 1982 sci-fi classic Tron. Also Saturday afternoon, the “Uncaged” series continues with 1992’s Honeymoon in Vegas.  For St. Patrick’s Day on Tuesday, Prospect Park will be playing the 1993 horror film Leprechaun.

IFC CENTER (NYC)

In preparation for the release of Hirokazu Kore-Eda’s French film The Truthnext week, IFC Center is doing a one-week retrospective called “Family Portraits: The Films of Hirokazu Kore-Eda” beginning with After Life andMaborosion Thursday, Shopliftersand Like Father, Like Sonon Friday and more through the weekend, including a sneak preview of The Truthon Saturday night. Weekend Classics: Luis Buñuelis taking another week off, but Waverly Midnights: Hindsight is 2020s will screen 2000’s Mission to Mars and Late Night Favorites: Winter 2020also takes the weekend off.

ANTHOLOGY FILM ARCHIVES (NYC)

At the East Village’s primary rep theater, the current “1995: The Year the Internet Broke” continues through Thursday with single screenings of Kathryn Bigelow’s Strange Days (Weds), and Johnny Mnemonic andGhost in the Shell(the original Anime) on Thursday. Neil Jordan’s Breakfast on Plutoalso screens again on Thursday.

MUSEUM OF THE MOVING IMAGE (NYC):

“See It Big! Outer Space” continues on Saturday with a screening of  Andrzej Żuławski’s 1988 movie On the Silver Globe followed by a Masterclass with cinematographer Andrzej Jaroszewicz.

QUAD CINEMA (NYC):

Cane River continues through Thursday, although at this writing, there doesn’t seem to be any repertory stuff this weekend.

BAM CINEMATEK (NYC):

Charlie Chaplin’s 1936 film Modern Times will screen on Sunday afternoon as part of BAM’s “BAMkids Movie Matinees.”

ROXY CINEMA (NYC)

A few more recent Nicolas Cage movies will play this week, last year’s Mandy on Wednesday and the more recent Color Out of Space on Thursday.

LANDMARK THEATRES NUART  (LA):

The Friday midnight movie is the 1990 horror sequel Child’s Play 2.

STREAMING AND CABLE

There is new stuff on Netflix this week but nothing I really know much about: the first season of Norwegian anthology series “Bloodride,” the third season of something called “Elite,” although I’m kind of interested in Liz Garbus’ Lost Girls, starring Amy Ryan. You know what? Other than getting the trailer in January, I have heard absolutely nothing about this movie, so I guess if Netflix doesn’t want their movies covered, that’s just fine by me.

Premiering on Disney+ this Friday is Star Girl, the new romantic drama directed by Julia Hart (last year’s Fast Color), starring Grace VanderWaal as Stargirl Caraway, a colorful new girl at school that captures the interest of Graham Verchere’s Leo Borlock. That’s about all I know about it.

Next week, it’s John Krasinski’s horror sequel A Quiet Place: Part 2!

By the way, if you read this week’s column and have read this far down, feel free to drop me some thoughts at Edward dot Douglas at Gmail dot Com or send me a note on Twitter. I love hearing from readers!

[ramajmedia]

Fantastic Four: 5 Things The Other Movies Got Wrong (& 5 Ways The MCU Can Get It Right)

With Disney’s merger with Fox underway, the rights to the Fantastic Four will be back in Marvel’s hands soon enough. Then, they’ll be free to introduce the iconic characters into the MCU. This is an exciting prospect, but every previous attempt to translate the Fantastic Four onto the big screen has been an astounding failure.

RELATED: Fantastic Four: 10 Past Mistakes The MCU Cannot Afford To Make

That doesn’t mean that there can’t be a good Fantastic Four movie – it just means that, for one to work, the filmmakers will need to avoid past mistakes. So, here are 5 Things The Other Fantastic Four Movies Got Wrong (And 5 Ways The MCU Can Get It Right).

10 Other movies got wrong: Tone

The first couple of Fantastic Four movies appealed to children, but not to adults. The jokes were too immature, we couldn’t connect to the characters as people, and the world was too bright and fuzzy. Similarly, the reboot – the abysmally named Fant4stic – was way too dark, trying to bring a Christopher Nolan “grounded” tone to characters that don’t suit it at all.

This isn’t the Dark Knight, protector of crime-ridden Gotham under the thumb of a maniacal clown; it’s the Fantastic Four: a stretchy guy, a rock guy – it’s light, it’s playful, it’s fun. Both attempts at a Fantastic Four blockbuster franchise (although the reboot in particular) botched the tone.

9 How to fix it: Use Guardians of the Galaxy as a guide

Guardians of the Galaxy has the perfect tone for a Fantastic Four movie. It has a lot of humor, but it also has a lot of heart. It has a strong sense of family, with characters that couldn’t live without each other and are always there for the people they love when they’re needed. It doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it’s not cynical – when a character is in serious danger, we’re not laughing; we’re clinging to the edge of our seat, praying they’ll make it out alive.

All of the characters are lovable and have plenty of banter, but also plenty of heart-to-hearts to talk through their emotions and understand the changes going on in their lives. If the MCU’s Fantastic Four team follows in Guardians of the Galaxy’s footsteps, then they’re on the right track.

8 Other movies got wrong: Doctor Doom’s characterization

Doctor Doom is one of the most powerful and fearsome villains in the Marvel Comics universe. If he was done justice on the big screen, he would be as instantly iconic and terrifying as Thanos.

From Julian McMahon’s cartoonish, evil-for-the-sake-of-evil Doom in the 2005 series to Toby Kebbell’s dark, vaguely defined incarnation in the 2015 reboot, the on-screen portrayals of Victor Von Doom so far have been painfully disappointing. He needs to have a plan that makes sense, a sinister personality that makes a chill go down the audience’s spine, and an infinite supply of power that makes him truly formidable.

7 How to fix it: Better writing

There’s a common rule in writing: “show, don’t tell.” All throughout the 2015 Fantastic Four reboot, we’re told how powerful Toby Kebbell’s Doctor Doom is; how he can wipe out all life in the world and he can total New York City in an afternoon and he’s the greatest threat the world has ever faced. But he only gets a chance to wreak havoc about 15 minutes before the credits roll and he’s irritatingly easy to defeat.

We don’t need to be told that Doom is a terrifying force to be reckoned with; we need to be shown. He has diplomatic immunity, immeasurable power, and a genius-level mind. A Fantastic Four movie should show how dangerous that can be instead of just describing it to us.

6 Other movies got wrong: Boxing out the wider Marvel universe

It was reported recently that Tim Story and the team behind Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer wanted to include Nick Fury in the movie, but rights issues forced them to replace him with Andre Braugher’s generic military character. Now, it’s not like having Nick Fury around would’ve magically fixed Rise of the Silver Surfer, but it would have suggested a wider universe within those films.

RELATED: Everything We Know About Marvel's Fantastic Four Movie

Even if the plan wasn’t to set up an MCU-style franchise back then, it helps with the world-building to have organizations like S.H.I.E.L.D. operating from the sidelines. Rights issues are to blame for this one, so it’s not the filmmakers’ fault, but it’s still a negative mark on the movie.

5 How to fix it: Ingratiate them into the MCU

The Fantastic Four would fit the bubbly, lighthearted, superhero-infested world of the Marvel Cinematic Universe like a glove, so ingratiating them into that world is the next logical step. One theory is that the Fantastic Four will be helping out Nick Fury on his Skrull command ship that is assumed to be associated with S.W.O.R.D. (the cosmic version of S.H.I.E.L.D.), which is a great way to introduce the characters, because it would explain their absence from the previous MCU films.

But either way, the best way to give the Fantastic Four a wider universe to inhabit would be to simply introduce them into the MCU, which seems to be the plan anyway.

4 Other movies got wrong: Characters’ ages

The first couple of Fantastic Four movies had characters with ages close to their comic book counterparts, but there were still small issues like Reed and Sue being slightly too young and Johnny being slightly too old – there needs to be a bigger age gap between Sue and Johnny to emphasize that Sue is the older, smarter one and Johnny is the younger, cockier, more immature one.

The 2015 reboot totally screwed it up with all of the characters being college-aged. Reed and Sue are a middle-aged married couple, not a pair of bright-eyed twentysomethings. The ages were all wrong.

3 How to fix it: Cast the right actors

To get the characters at the right ages, the MCU’s casting team will need to find the perfect actors for their roles. Some fans have suggested John Krasinski and Emily Blunt for the roles of Reed Richards and Sue Storm, respectively, which would be awesome – they’re married in real life, which means they have tangible on-screen chemistry and share a real love, and they’re both wildly popular and talented actors in their own right.

RELATED: 5 Actors Who Should Play Fantastic Four Characters In The MCU (& 5 Who Shouldn't)

Another widely circulated fan casting is Zac Efron as Johnny Storm, which would also be ideal – he’s young, popular, attractive, and he can play arrogant, yet likable characters. The MCU has rarely miscast a role, so there’s no doubt they’ll find the right people to portray Marvel’s first family.

2 Other movies got wrong: Team dynamic

The best thing about the Fantastic Four has always been their team dynamic. There’s a reason they’re called “Marvel’s first family.” This is the team that the entire Marvel universe was built on and their relationships have kept comic book readers coming back again and again for decades.

Unfortunately, the movie versions we’ve had so far have failed to capture this dynamic in the same way that the comics have. The studios have been more interested in spectacle than character development, and so the bonds shared by the team have always been thinly drawn and generic. It’s a real problem.

1 How to fix it: Flesh out their relationships

What makes other team movies in the MCU like the Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy movies work so well is that the relationships between the characters have all been fleshed out and they feel like a real team – or, better yet, a real family.

Reed Richards and Sue Storm are in love (and married with kids later down the line). Johnny is Sue’s immature younger brother that she wants to get on a wayward path. Ben Grimm was a childhood friend of Reed’s. These characters all have deep-rooted connections with one another, and that needs to be conveyed on film.

NEXT: 10 Things The MCU's Fantastic Four Reboot Needs

source https://screenrant.com/fantastic-four-things-movies-wrong-mcu-right/

[aion-rsa]

How Batwoman Takes on Policing and Social Issues

https://ift.tt/31NtgS3

Police brutality has gone from a niche concern – one most white people considered impolite to bring up at dinner parties – to a compulsory national conversation. It’s long overdue, which has left many playing catch-up, especially white folks and popular media. As David Dennis Jr. pointed out in his excellent Twitter thread (seriously, go read it!) superhero shows have an especially tall order, given that they rely on portraying lawlessness and a fictionalized criminality that the hero can then clamp down on. But that image is out of touch with reality and can send damaging messages.

We’ve long discussed this problematic aspect of the genre in our reviews and features, whether it’s Barry Allen’s personal private prison kept in the basement of STAR Labs or Oliver Queen’s incredibly short-lived interest in reforming the prison industrial complex…before he went right back to adding more people to it. But Batwoman has taken a different tack that other comic book shows could learn from. 

Batwoman has, to greater and lesser degrees, explored gentrification, corruption of police and the legal system, police brutality/the lawlessness of privatized law enforcement, and the wrongful conviction of a Black man. The show is not perfect, and it must be stated that no other show is doing quite what HBO’s Watchmen did in terms of exploring this country’s legacy of race, anti-Black violence, and policing. But Batwoman is a superhero show that spent the last year actively engaging with questions like “was that an appropriate use of force?” and “isn’t this a gross violation of the civil rights of the people of Gotham City?”

In the Gotham of Batwoman, a private security firm called The Crows operates with near-impunity within the city, keeping the incredibly well-heeled secure while everyone else hopes for the best. Gated community is an understatement, and frankly, the firm is closer to a mercenary paramilitary operation.

By the end of the season, The Crows have expanded their reach through an app that’s available to all Gothamites, even those who aren’t clients, so anyone can call in the mercenaries if they see big bad Alice and her brother Mouse, or Batwoman, whom Crows head honcho Jake Kane views as equally villainous. It’s easy to imagine the Crows’ app going the way of SketchFactor in DC and other IRL safety apps, which quickly turned into racial and socioeconomic maps, with white and upper class folks flagging anything that made them uncomfortable – namely, Black neighborhoods.

Read more

TV

Replacing Kate Kane on Batwoman Season 2 is a Terrible Idea

By Lacy Baugher

Sophie Moore, a high-ranking agent with the Crows, continually pushes back against their use of force and in several circumstances when the Crows overstep the rights of citizens, to the point where she is sidelined, suspended, and eventually kicked off the Crows. She questions her mentor Jacob Kane in his vendetta against Batwoman – for whom there is no arrest warrant, the shoot-to-kill order on Alice that comes and goes throughout the season, and the extreme blanket use of surveillance on average citizens. If you’re worried about police breaking the law or the militarization of the police, try the privatization of a police force on for size. While the writing on Batwoman clearly raises concerns throughout the season, Sophie and Kate are among the only people able to effectively check the Crows’ power, largely due to their personal and professional relationships with Jake Kane. 

One of the show’s greatest assets has been the willingness of its writing and its hero to give the supposed villain of any given episode – who is often disenfranchised in some way that turns out to be connected to how they have lashed out at the system – the benefit of the doubt. It’s a benefit that our legal system is based on, but one that we know many people do not get – and one that the Crows don’t often give to suspects. Some so-called villains have turned out to be innocent people manipulated by others, or victims of systems that eroded their humanity.

For example, the season finale deconstructed the media and law enforcement trope of the giant invincible Black man, using the show’s own gossip host (voiced with juicy irony by longtime Batwoman comic fan Rachel Maddow) to introduce a suspect with barely-coded language. The show goes on to deconstruct that narrative, introducing the audience to his brother, who worries about his sibling who was nothing like the man described on TV. Gotham’s professional football league used him for entertainment and several people in positions of power abused their privilege to do serious harm, in this case irreparable CTE that turned a gentle man into someone who literally couldn’t feel pain, yet another harmful stereotype of Black folks that has caused harm from slavery to the medical field.

Gotham’s actual police force is so incompetent as to be a non-factor. They only come up in maybe a handful of episodes, but they feature prominently in one of the season’s best arcs: the wrongful conviction for Lucius Fox’s murder. His father’s murder was a defining moment in Luke Fox’s life. 

Normally the calm, logical, emotionally removed man behind the comms and tech on Team Bat, we watched Luke put together the pieces and realize that a fellow Black man had been set up to take the fall for his father’s death and then pursue the real killer. This wasn’t a clunky after school special one-and-done story so the creators can check a box. The arc was allowed to breathe over many episodes, giving actor Camrus Johnson the space to show the complex and often-changing swirl of emotions his character was experiencing. 

Read more

TV

Batwoman Showrunner Addresses Kate Kane Season 2 Departure

By Kayti Burt

Nothing about the writing or the performance was straightforward or easy. It’s the kind of ambitious writing and gnarled injustice that real people actually face, the sort of thing that we actually need real heroes for. It was a high point of Camrus Johnson’s excellent, season-long performance.

It’s worth noting that simply having the male lead – number two on the call sheet, Batwoman’s professional other half – played by a Black man, makes a big difference. But while other Arrowverse shows have had prominent Black characters – John Diggle on Arrow and Iris and Joe West on The Flash come to mind – Batwoman is different. For one, the writing has made explicit that Luke and Kate are partners, whereas for all that he came to eventually love and respect them, Oliver fought Diggle and Felicity every step of the way, and The Flash has always felt like a lead singer with a backing band. Even then, there’s a hierarchy, and a quick spin around the internet will produce ample evidence that neither Iris West-Allen nor Candice Patton have received the kind of treatment that a show’s leading lady would normally expect. 

At the root of this is the writers’ room. Batwoman is written by a diverse group of people that represents the issues discussed on the show. It includes queer folks, women, and BIPOC. Actors can do their best to convey the work with skill, sensitivity, and depth. But talent behind the scenes needs to be diverse as well, otherwise they’re still going to be talking about Grandma Esther’s noodles. 

While there’s a lot we don’t know about Batwoman season 2, namely the LGBTQ actor who will play the new lead and how they will be written in to pick up the threads from last season, I hope Batwoman will continue working with “villains” who are more complicated than we’re used to seeing on shows with tights. 

I also hope they’re able to portray more of the income inequality that showrunner Caroline Dries discussed in an interview with Den of Geek earlier this season. “One thing we had in Gotham City is this idea of the ‘us-versus-them’ in the districts where people are protected and then other districts where they’re left to their own devices because they can’t afford private security.”

Dries told us that, unfortunately, this wasn’t as emphasized as she would have liked, due to the limitations as production.

“In a perfect world, you’d have a bird’s eye view of the city and you would actually be able to see districts,” Dries said. There were some references to this earlier in the season with checkpoints between neighborhoods, but as the season went on, Dries said those little bridge scenes were the first to get cut due to time and money. Fortunately, it sounds like it will still be part of season 2, and likely more pronounced.

“If I had all the time in the world and all the money in the world, I would have been able to dramatize that disparity better and the segregation a little bit better, visually,” Dries said. “But we’re going to continue to keep that alive, especially now as we’ve seen the Crows sort of becoming more heightened in their power and becoming more authoritarian and scarier.”

Read more

Movies

DC FanDome to Reveal DCEU, Arrowverse, and More DC Universe Secrets

By Jim Dandy

Moreover, homelessness has been part of the show’s narrative since the very first teaser, but Batwoman has yet to engage with the issue of economic inequality or with actual people experiencing homelessness as individuals, rather than as an abstract concept. Even if it’s simply by having Mary, Luke, or the mysterious “Ryan Wilder” develop a relationship with someone who sleeps rough outside Wayne Tower or their apartment building, or if Mary’s clinic starts back up again and a character or two is differentiated that way, it would be nice to see humanity and individualism, rather than a monolith.

Finally, while it’s not an issue involving our carceral systems, it must be said that Batwoman has provided the space for Meagan Tandy’s Sophie to have a truly lovely storyline about her sexuality. While Kate Kane/Batwoman has basically always been out and accepted, that’s not everyone’s story. Not everyone has accepting parents and a family fortune to fall back on if they’re kicked out of the military. Sophie’s journey as a queer Black woman has been allowed to progress at her own pace, allowing the character to unpack what it means for her relationship (she starts the series married to a man), her identity, and her family as she explores who she is and what that means to her. Not everyone’s path is the same, nor do they have to express it the same way. While it’s great for people to see Kate Kane as a role model, I imagine there are far more people who can relate to Sophie Moore.

As television reorients itself around a long overdue reprioritization of Black lives, the landscape will shift, in some cases dramatically, as with the cancellation of long-running show Cops. But for other shows, like Batwoman, there’s an opportunity to continue pushing even further forward on the very social issues that once caused trolls to review-bomb the show with so much online hate. Heading into season 2, as the social and cultural landscape shifts, Batwoman should continue Kate Kane’s legacy of fighting injustice intersectionally, centering the marginalized while upending comic book tropes about law and order. 

The post How Batwoman Takes on Policing and Social Issues appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/2Z09TUa

[ginnyzero]

Female Agency

(Originally Posted in 2018)

New Year. Time for new blog stuff. Time to look for the positives as the new year kicks off. Especially with the specter of the old year and Harvey Weinstein and #metoo and how sexual harassment and gender discrimination isn't just in the entertainment industry but every industry. (The horror tales I've heard about fashion and then there are the things that only female writers hear and oh dear when I worked manufacturing.) And it's got me thinking about consent issues and female characters and female agency.

Now, back when I started writing the Heaven's Heathens series, I sat there and pondered the female to male ratio of characters in my books a lot. I fretted. Was I giving into the patriarchy by making Brand male? Wouldn't it be better to make the leader of the club female? Or should I use this opportunity to show how difficult it's going to be for a female to take on the international leader role even in a motorcycle club (of the future) that isn't especially traditional? Can I offset it with other strong female characters, also in leadership positions? AM I OVERTHINKING THIS? (The answer to the last is usually yes. Yes. I am.)

At the same time, these issues are important and I did need to think about them. There are issues I don't think I've begun to cover yet in the books in regards to gender, gender equality and emotional labor and I hesitate to say gender roles. Because, I'm trying to write a good story rather than a creed on "this is how women should be treated." (Because that just never goes well, okay.)

But the last few months I've been doing more "fun" writing than "work" aka original writing as I fight my head/health and work on a portfolio in hopes of getting a job in a creative field. And I'm a fan of a few older shonen anime series. Now, please understand, that fan fiction writing (aka fun writing) is mostly about fantasy. Sure, you can make the argument that most writing is about fantasy, but fan fiction is about fantasy in the most extreme, whacky ways possible where the most out there romance novel tropes and cross overs and cathartic emotional release writing meet in this huge wonderful stew. And for some reason, one of my favorite couples has a very trashy romance novel trope as one of the popular alternate universe story ideas. It always seems to skew in one gender direction and ends up being very smutty. (Romance novel trope.) And there is nothing wrong with this! Fantasy writing for fun, here, take the smut! Take my time!

Then, it occurs to me that it would, at least in my mind, make more sense to turn it around gender wise because that would be turning the world a little less in knots at least. And suddenly, instead of smuttiness in my head, I have female spy adventures with a round of consent issues!

And Becca goes "Well, at least it gives the female character agency."

I go. "What do you mean?"

Becca replies: "She's not sitting around being protected."

Me: "Oh, you mean the usual, Ginny gives the female character something to do."

Because, let's be honest here, if you read my books or knew of my fan fiction past, you'd discover that I'm not very good at writing the "girlfriend," the "Damsel in distress" or whatever the last female that sits on the sidelines trope goes here. I think I have a fun/fan story on my computer that started out as "male character gets turned into a living ice statue to protect country" and turned into "female character has to rule separate country until she grows up and can go 'save' the male character." Oh, he's not sitting around doing nothing, but he can't save himself. She has to do it! But she's little! She needs to get bigger first! (And you know, recruit some pirates to turn into a navy and all that fun stuff.) So, if you don't like original characters in your fun/fan fiction, then you wouldn't like this story. The point being, it was a story about a guy and somehow got subverted by my girl going "no, I want to be cool too!" And since she's so cute, I mean, how could I resist the pegasus, pirate, queenly, save the island from volcanic eruptions adventures?

I fretted about this a lot with the Heathens as well. (Not so much in Dawn Princess because honestly, she's a warrior and a princess.) Was I giving the female characters enough to do? Is it clear that Esme is more than "the wife" of Brand? (Maybe not at this point.) Did I accidentally make Gideon "the boyfriend?" (Funny if so. Hysterical if so.) Did the female characters have power? Did they have a purpose? Could they choose their own way? I hope all the answers are yes. But I'm not sure how unbiased I am about this.

Maybe I do this because the writers that I read during high school and to a certain amount when I was younger were the romantic fantasy authors that put women in the forefront of their writing, McCaffery, Lackey. During college, I started reading people like Bishop, Briggs, Harrison, and some Hamilton. Female writers who aren't ashamed to be put females in the forefront and celebrate female heroes. My favorite characters always tended towards the strong brash ones, Rogue from X-Men, Ryoko from Tenchi Muyo, though I preferred Hinata in Naruto. Even in the ensemble books I prefer that are often written by men, X-Wing series and Brian Jacques Redwall, the women weren't treated as second class who needed to be saved and at times, stood up to the males in their lives and went 'No. I'm not going to sit here. Here, I am a waste of space. I'm going to fight." Jesmin Ackbar and Mariel come to mind.

I've never been fond of the girlfriend. "Eat a whole meal, would you and stop picking off his plate!" Or the damsel in distress. "PUNCH THE IDIOT ALREADY!" (Don't watch movies with me, honestly.) Give me a movie like the Parent Trap or the Devil Wears Prada because in it the females are smart and crafty even if there aren't explosions! (Well, the Parent Trap depending on how it's written could have explosions.)

There's nothing wrong with giving the female character something to do. Give her agency. Give her power. Make her an equal or better at something than the male and make that something better important to the story! Because if it isn't important, why mention it (unless it's character building. Then it should be mentioned somehow.)

Less TMNT April's. More Wonder Woman's! More women of all shapes, sizes, and beauty types that are treated as normal human beings that aren't expected to smile or be groped or open their legs to get ahead. That would be true agency. And it's way past due.

[cover2covermom]

Goodbye June & hello July!

I cannot believe we are officially in the second half of 2019!  Where did the first half of the year go?  I’m going to need time to slow down a bit because I am thoroughly enjoying my summer and am not ready for the craziness of the fall yet.

Let’s see what I read in June…

June was a decent reading month for me.  I managed to finish 11 books, which sounds like a lot, but 3 of these books were shorter children’s chapter books I listened to via audiobook with my daughter…  I also didn’t accomplish much on the blog front, but I did take 2 weeks off during my vacation & the aftermath of getting back to reality.  I hope to get more accomplished both reading & blogging wise this month.

» Matilda by Roald Dahl

This was actually my first time reading Matilda and I loved every moment!  I grew up watching the film adaptation, so I was familiar with the storyline.  I can now really appreciate how well done the movie adaptation really is.  Reading this definitely gave me all the nostalgia feels.

» My Father’s Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett

This book was listed in The Read-Aloud Handbook as a good book to read-aloud with younger children, so I gave it a go via audiobook with my 5-year-old.   This was a cute story that was simple enough for younger children to understand.  If your children enjoy picture books like The Gruffalo with lots of clever trickery by the main character, and want to attempt simple chapter books, this is a good place to start!

» With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo

I adored Elizabeth Acevedo’s debut novel, The Poet X, so I was very excited to read her next book.  I listened to her first book via audiobook, and fell in love with the author’s narration.  I chose to listen to Fire on High via audiobook as well.  I loved this one just as much as her first!  Elizabeth Acevedo has a beautiful way with words & I adore her characters & plotlines.  I typically stray away from YA contemporary, but I’ll read anything Acevedo writes!

» Deconstructing Penguins: Parents, Kids, and and the Bond of Reading by Lawrence & Nancy Goldstone

*3.5 Stars*

This was a very interesting little book about a husband & wife team that run book clubs for parents & their children.  The Goldstone team breaks down books into their elements: characters (protagonist vs antagonist), setting, themes, etc. to really dig into what the author was trying to convey with the books.  The authors talk about a few of the books they frequently utilize in their bookclubs in detail, so if you do not want to be spoiled for these books, you might not want to pick this up.

» Daisy Jones and the Six by Taylor Jenkins Reid

I know this book has very mixed reviews due to its format, but I LOVED this book.  Since Daisy Jones and the Six is told in interview format from many different characters, many people were turned off.  Since I knew this was the format going into the book, this read like a classic rock band documentary playing out in my mind.  This book was meant for TV or film adaptation.

» Dark Matter by Blake Crouch

Dark Matter blew my mind.  I think Blake Crouch did a wonderful job taking such a complex theory and constructing a story accessible to all different kinds of readers.  Dark Matter would appeal to a wide variety of readers: science fiction, thriller, romance etc.   I read this book with one of my book clubs and it made for an excellent discussion.

» Amelia Bedelia (Audio Collection) by Peggy Parish

I listened to this audiobook collection with my 5-year-old daughter.  We really enjoyed listening to this collection of stories about Amelia Bedelia.  Actually, Amelia reminded me a bit of Anne from Anne of Green Gables.  Since these stories were first published in the 60’s and 70’s, it was a bit dated, which made it a bit more challenging for my daughter to totally understand all of Amelia’s misunderstandings, but it was a great opportunity to talk to her about words & phrases with multiple meanings.

» The Night Tiger by Yangsze Choo

*3.5 Stars*

I picked up The Night Tiger after discovering that it was set in Malaya in the 1930.  I love historical fiction, especially one with a touch of magic realism.   I think the author nailed the setting here, which was the best part of the book for me.  It really felt authentic and I also liked that the author really showcased what it was like for a woman in Malaya in the 30s.  I also enjoyed the magic realism elements and the Malayan folklore & superstitions.  On the flip side, the length of the book was far too long and the pacing was too slow, particularly in the middle, so it took me a long time to trudge through this story.  I also did not care for the romance… to be honest, it was off-putting.  In my opinion, the book would have been much stronger without it.

» A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult

A Spark of Light was classic Jodi Picoult.   I respect that Jodi tackled such a hot button issue like abortion, despite the fact that it must have had an impact on her career.   Is there a topic she won’t address?  Unfortunately when you are dealing with the abortion debate, most people are firmly pro-life or pro-choice.  There isn’t much of a gray area.  I think Picoult did a wonderful job of showing the perspective of women that choose to have an abortion and that it isn’t typically an easy decision for most.  Picoult addresses many issues in the abortion debate that are very relevant right now.

I had a hunch about one of the twists, but the other took me completely by surprise.

» The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

This book will definitely be one of my top reads of 2019!  What bookworm doesn’t love a story about books, bookstores, and the people that love books?  The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry was heartwarming, funny, and emotional.  I’d recommend this book to fans of quirky characters & fans of books like A Man Called Ove.

This made for an excellent book club discussion with the moral dilemmas in the story.

» Beezus and Ramona (Ramona #1) by Beverly Cleary

I remember a teacher reading us this series as a kid, so I decided to give the audiobook a go with my daughter.  Despite the fact that this was originally published in 1955, I was surprised how timeless it felt.  Sure, there were definitely some parts that dated it, but overall it still felt relevant.  Beezus and Ramona captures the complexities of sibling relationships perfectly, especially siblings with a significant age gap.

Goodreads Challenge Update:

#YARC2019 Update: 13 books!

Year of Asian Reading Challenge TBR + Progress Tracker #YARC2019

I read 1 book in June for #YARC2019, bringing my total up to 13 books for the year.  This month I read The Night Tiger.

2019 Goals Update:

» 80% NetGalley feedback ratio = 15 backlist ARCs �� 7/15 ARCs

So technically I did “read” one NetGalley ARC in June.  I ended up DNFing it at 30%, but it totally counts because I wrote my review on NetGalley explaining why I wasn’t going to finish it.  My NetGalley feedback ratio is now up to 68%.

» 30 physical TBR books ⇒ 13/30 books

I read 2 books off my physical TBR in June.  I read Dark Matter & A Spark of Light.

» No buying new books ⇒ Fail!

Yeah I bought a few books… BUT only 9… ((facepalm))

» Read long books I’ve been putting off ⇒ 0/3

Still no progress on this goal HOWEVER one of these books is actually on my July TBR, so that is progress right?

May 2019 Reading & Blogging Wrap-Up

June 2019 TBR

Most Anticipated Books of 2019 (July – December)

My Iron Tome-A-Thon TBR #IronTomeAThon

Mini Book Reviews: June 2019 (Part 1)

» Normal People by Sally Rooney

At school Connell and Marianne pretend not to know each other. He’s popular and well-adjusted, star of the school soccer team while she is lonely, proud, and intensely private. But when Connell comes to pick his mother up from her housekeeping job at Marianne’s house, a strange and indelible connection grows between the two teenagers—one they are determined to conceal.

A year later, they’re both studying at Trinity College in Dublin. Marianne has found her feet in a new social world while Connell hangs at the sidelines, shy and uncertain. Throughout their years in college, Marianne and Connell circle one another, straying toward other people and possibilities but always magnetically, irresistibly drawn back together. Then, as she veers into self-destruction and he begins to search for meaning elsewhere, each must confront how far they are willing to go to save the other.

Sally Rooney brings her brilliant psychological acuity and perfectly spare prose to a story that explores the subtleties of class, the electricity of first love, and the complex entanglements of family and friendship.

» Keeper of the Lost Cities Collection (#1-5) by Shannon Messenger

Twelve-year-old Sophie Foster has a secret. She’s a Telepath—someone who hears the thoughts of everyone around her. It’s a talent she’s never known how to explain.

Everything changes the day she meets Fitz, a mysterious boy who appears out of nowhere and also reads minds. She discovers there’s a place she does belong, and that staying with her family will place her in grave danger. In the blink of an eye, Sophie is forced to leave behind everything and start a new life in a place that is vastly different from anything she has ever known.

Sophie has new rules to learn and new skills to master, and not everyone is thrilled that she has come “home.”  There are secrets buried deep in Sophie’s memory—secrets about who she really is and why she was hidden among humans—that other people desperately want. Would even kill for.

In this page-turning debut, Shannon Messenger creates a riveting story where one girl must figure out why she is the key to her brand-new world, before the wrong person finds the answer first.

» Educated by Tara Westover

Tara Westover was 17 the first time she set foot in a classroom. Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, she prepared for the end of the world by stockpiling home-canned peaches and sleeping with her “head-for-the-hills bag”. In the summer she stewed herbs for her mother, a midwife and healer, and in the winter she salvaged in her father’s junkyard.

Her father forbade hospitals, so Tara never saw a doctor or nurse. Gashes and concussions, even burns from explosions, were all treated at home with herbalism. The family was so isolated from mainstream society that there was no one to ensure the children received an education and no one to intervene when one of Tara’s older brothers became violent.

Then, lacking any formal education, Tara began to educate herself. She taught herself enough mathematics and grammar to be admitted to Brigham Young University, where she studied history, learning for the first time about important world events like the Holocaust and the civil rights movement. Her quest for knowledge transformed her, taking her over oceans and across continents, to Harvard and to Cambridge. Only then would she wonder if she’d traveled too far, if there was still a way home.

Educated is an account of the struggle for self-invention. It is a tale of fierce family loyalty and of the grief that comes with severing the closest of ties. With the acute insight that distinguishes all great writers, Westover has crafted a universal coming-of-age story that gets to the heart of what an education is and what it offers: the perspective to see one’s life through new eyes and the will to change it.

» The Read-Aloud Handbook (7th Edition) by Jim Trelease

Recommended by “Dear Abby”, The New York Times and The Washington Post, for three decades, millions of parents and educators have turned to Jim Trelease’s beloved classic to help countless children become avid readers through awakening their imaginations and improving their language skills. Now this new edition of The Read-Aloud Handbook imparts the benefits, rewards, and importance of reading aloud to children of a new generation. Supported by delightful anecdotes as well as the latest research, The Read-Aloud Handbook offers proven techniques and strategies—and the reasoning behind them—for helping children discover the pleasures of reading and setting them on the road to becoming lifelong readers.

» Creating Room to Read by John Wood

The inspirational story of a former Microsoft executive’s quest to build libraries around the world and share the love of books

What’s happened since John Wood left Microsoft to change the world? Just ask six million kids in the poorest regions of Asia and Africa. In 1999, at the age of thirty-five, Wood quit a lucrative career to found the nonprofit Room to Read. Described by the San Francisco Chronicle as “the Andrew Carnegie of the developing world,” he strived to bring the lessons of the corporate world to the nonprofit sector—and succeeded spectacularly.

In his acclaimed first book, Leaving Microsoft to Change the World, Wood explained his vision and the story of his start-up. Now, he tackles the organization’s next steps and its latest challenges—from managing expansion to raising money in a collapsing economy to publishing books for children who literally have no books in their native language. At its heart, Creating Room to Read shares moving stories of the people Room to Read works to help: impoverished children whose schools and villages have been swept away by war or natural disaster and girls whose educations would otherwise be ignored.

People at the highest levels of finance, government, and philanthropy will embrace the opportunity to learn Wood’s inspiring business model and blueprint for doing good. And general readers will love Creating Room to Read for its spellbinding story of one man’s mission to put books within every child’s reach.

» Maybe He Just Likes You by Barbara Dee

*ARC sent for review – Available October 2019*

Barbara Dee explores the subject of #MeToo for the middle grade audience in this heart-wrenching—and ultimately uplifting—novel about experiencing harassment and unwanted attention from classmates.

For seventh grader Mila, it starts with an unwanted hug on the school blacktop.

The next day, it’s another hug. A smirk. Comments. It all feels…weird. According to her friend Zara, Mila is being immature, overreacting. Doesn’t she know what flirting looks like?

But it keeps happening, despite Mila’s protests. On the bus, in the halls. Even during band practice-the one time Mila could always escape to her “blue-sky” feeling. It seems like the boys are EVERYWHERE. And it doesn’t feel like flirting–so what is it?

Mila starts to gain confidence when she enrolls in karate class. But her friends still don’t understand why Mila is making such a big deal about the boys’ attention. When Mila is finally pushed too far, she realizes she can’t battle this on her own–and finds help in some unexpected places.

From the author of STAR-CROSSED, HALFWAY NORMAL and EVERYTHING I KNOW ABOUT YOU comes this timely story of a middle school girl standing up and finding her voice.

Which books did you read in June?

Have you read any of the books I read or hauled this month?  If so, what did you think?

Did you buy any books?  If so, which ones?

Comment below & let me know 🙂

June 2019 #Reading & #Blogging Wrap-Up! How many #books did you #read in June? #BookBlogger #Bibliophile #AmReading #Reading #Bookworm #BookTalk Goodbye June & hello July! I cannot believe we are officially in the second half of 2019!