#ROSS WAS SO HYPED IT WAS BEAUTIFUL TO WATCH

[my-mt-heart]

tldr here - it was very short qa, only 30 mins no questions. norman and melissa hung out and took selfies and signed stuff with as many people as possible before security wrapped it up. neither stopped when the came out the back to their cars.

what do you want to know? you don't have to post this / you can repost it under a cut for spoilers, idc.

pros: most scene time in the first ep is of carol, who's dry wit i missed but is totally back. i like the new character, avi. beautiful scenery, love that it's supposed to be maine. the crowd cheered for carol / melissa, there wasn't like favoritism towards norman / daryl in terms of reactions. fans of all ages / genders / etc.

cons: same character development. she meets someone, she puts on a facade. i was so frustrated carol didn't just tell the truth. i didn't watch the first season out of spite but daryl's scenes.....i really felt like i was watching, like, harry potter and the walking dead. it just felt wrong.

neutral (imo-not significant but feels a little stale / like they didn't try atp): focusing on carol's loss of sophia, call backs to The Barn scene, there's a cherokee rose that symbolizes "hope."

from the qa: norman really hyped up the finale but that could just be to get people to watch. teased "bickering like an old married couple." zabel teased the photos of mel and norm shooting in paris and norman was like, "there's pictures of it on the internet" they know. when they asked melissa what she said on the radio she did an adorable bit about "i want my socks back" or something. she also implied that she's been apart of crafting where the character goes and what's important. dalton ross is very cringe, he needs everyone to know he was the guy to be at the height of the comic-con days (but he wasn't that was hardwick lol). there was a well known rick cosplayer there and people were trying to sneak photos, i think they thought he was andy fr.

plot spoilers: tldr carol befriends a guy, avi, for his plane and convinces him to fly her to france by the end of the first episode to find her daughter sophia, who was in paris with her father ed when the world ended (avi calls her out on this and everyone laughs). she plays on the loss of his son, which melissa says is "awful." i'm not positive bc i didn't watch but i think avi's place is where daryl made the radio call from to cArol but i can't be sure i could be making that up.

it was cool but also gave me this deep bit of sadness? like maybe i'm too old for this and need to move on. it was a little disorganized - they kept removing reserved seating so people kept rushing for closer seats, which left me in the middle of the front section with empty seats in either side of me? it was weird.

Thanks for the writeup! I'm really happy Melissa was so well-received. She deserves that.

Carol falling back on old habits makes me nervous because of how quickly some viewers like to demonize her (female characters are always judged more harshly than men for their flaws). I know she's desperate to get to Daryl, I love that he's her emotional drive, and I trust Melissa's performance will be nuanced, but I'll judge the writing when I get to see the scene for myself.

What is Daryl's arc in 201?

I feel like there is actually a lot of healing left to do as far as Sophia goes, so I'm glad Melissa wanted to explore that. I hope the callbacks/flashbacks with Sophia as well as with Daryl really will help Carol grow as a character. I'm confident in Melissa's storytelling abilities. She's very intuitive. Zabel on the other hand tends to put gimmicks before substance and that doesn't mesh well. If people are saying they can feel Melissa's influence in the episode, that's a good sign. AMC should keep leaning into her vision for Carol/Caryl.

[girlfriendsofthegalaxy]

tuesday again 12/19/2022

shambling along towards the new year

listening

cotton heads by caravan palace. i think this has been on every spotify wrapped playlist ive ever had. soft and comforting in a way that’s hard for me to describe. this has been part of the background music in some of the softest times of my life, winter-warm and safe and solitary noodling around on some project that involves a lot of fiddling with tiny pieces on a desk. spotify

-

reading

houston thrift stores are, predictably, awash with cowboy western novels. mostly it’s every louis l’amour or zane grey possible (no thanks)

jake logan’s SLOCUM AND THE YELLOWBACK TRAIL is number three hundred and seventy nine in the series, which is quite impressive. i am fascinated when a book attempts to transplant a cowboy into an urban environment so we’ll stick with it for a bit, despite a truly horrible sex scene describing a “rigid pole”. there were no onomatopoeia sex sounds which is both blessing and curse bc the intel SLOCUM gathered during this sex scene seemed like a completely different conversation totally unrelated to the sex he was having. she simply happened to come three times in three pages while telling him everything he needed for Next Location.

-

watching

saw several very beautiful movies in the last two weeks, one of which i liked very much.

Experiment in Terror (1962, dir. Edwards) has one of my favorite Mancini-composed pieces of music but i had never seen the movie it was from. a neo-noir man with an asthmatic rasp puts pressure on a bank teller and her teen sister to rob the bank by terrorizing them through various means. however, despite successfully playing on a lot of Womanly Fears (unexpected phone calls, driving at night, being alone) the fbi. this is perhaps a bit snide since it is extremely good at keeping the tension up through most of the runtime, the leads all did a good job imo— a letterboxed reviewer pointed out the villain played by Ross Martin has a certain chameleon-like quality from scene to scene and it is really arresting, he pops up in some unexpected places to great effect. a well-shot movie, just a hair longer than i wanted it to be, i don’t think any movie could survive the hype i built up in my head after loving than mancini piece so much, and was not quite the vibe i was looking for on the afternoon i finished it.

in a different noir with an important scene during a baseball game, Stray Dog (1949, dir. Kurosawa). everything you could possibly say about this movie has already been said. mifune is such a fucking joy to watch as a somewhat hapless young cop with a bad case of the scruples. gets his fully loaded pistol pickpocketed on the tram, sending him hither and yon during a brutally hot summer tracking down every bullet. widely available for free. fucking beautiful work of art. deeply annoying when widely acclaimed movies are actually really good

-

playing

nothing new to report, nothing i want to play has been a free epic game lately. very excited that a character ive been waiting for is dropping in genshin on…uhhhhh…tomorrow? she has sunglasses. she has a gunbrella. she can call in heavy cannon bombardment. she’s just so cute

-

making

one of the purposes of the tuesdaypost is to remind myself to expand the selection of things i do and my brain partially feels like sludge bc of the time of year and partially bc i haven’t fucking done anything more complicated than scrambled eggs or cleaning things in like two weeks

[lizardkingeliot]

Unfortunately I’m feeling inspired to embrace hyping tf out of my own work by that last reblog so!!! Hi. I posted the final chapter of my latest Queliot fic last week and it would mean the world to me for more people to come check it out. This is the culmination of a series I’ve been working on for the past 3 years and it truly was the biggest labor of love. I think most people who follow me are aware of it already, but if you’re in the mood to read 3 entire Queliot novels you can find the series page here.

I’m gonna put the opening scene of the latest chapter below a cut because I think it’s cute lol. You can find said chapter here, or start from chapter one here. And I’d love to hear from you guys in the comments section after you finish reading! Our fandom is so teeny tiny now and people just do not comment the way they used to, but connecting with you all when I post is my most favorite part. 💖 

ANYWAY. Here’s the opening scene. Enjoy! 🥰

—

“That—” Quentin could hardly get the words to come he was laughing so much. Flat on his back gazing up at the ceiling, the color of it sea water blue. “That really tickles, um—”

“Wouldn’t tickle nearly as much if you’d stop squirming, honey love.”

“I’m not squirming,” Quentin said, absolutely squirming. Eliot’s paintbrush swooping over his ribcage like the tip of a finger. “Shut up.” The words were soft on his tongue, not a hint of heat behind them. Lifting one hand slowly, touching Eliot soft on the shoulder. “This can’t seriously be, like—the next level of. You know…”

Slowly, Eliot let his eyes drift up to Quentin’s face. “Confused about what tent we’re in already?” He grinned, lifting his brush for a moment, running the palm of his free hand over Quentin’s brow gently, gently. “This isn’t the next level of anything, baby. Daddy just loves to watch you squirm.”

“You’re an idiot,” Quentin slurred, drunk on love that melted on his tongue sweet as honey. “What are you even—” Sucking a breath when the tip of Eliot’s brush pressed to his skin again. “Are you turning me into a Bob Ross painting on purpose?”

Eliot laughed, the sound of it a dark little rumble. “Something something horny little trees,” he said, picking up a little paint from his palette. The tip of his brush marking Quentin’s skin with a shock of blue.

The tent they were in was dedicated mostly to nude life drawing classes, sculpting, and photography. With one little alcove tucked into the back big enough for three or four couples at a time to indulge in body painting. Quentin was lying on a table with his head propped up on a cushy pillow. Eliot hovering over him with a palette splashed with paint, looking so goddamn beautiful Quentin almost couldn’t stand it. With his hair all soft and his brows pinched together, deeply and entirely focused on his task.

“Where is that supposed to be?” Quentin gazed down at the upside down image of a landscape blooming to life on his torso. The dip of his belly a lake rimmed in trees, a cloud-dappled sky on his ribcage.

Eliot hummed, the tip of his brush swirled in orange flecked with yellow. “I don’t know,” he said, flashing a grin, mapping out a shape of a big burning sun just between Quentin’s nipples. “Maybe it’s… Fillory?”

Quentin laughed, reaching up and brushing a curl away from Eliot’s eye. “If it’s Fillory it, um—” He touched Eliot on the back of his neck, his shoulder. Struck through with such fondness he struggled to draw a single breath. “Needs more talking animals.”

Eliot flicked his gaze up at Quentin, pulling back, cleaning the paint from his brush with a burst of magic. “Are we talking a little Toucan Sam action here, or…” He grinned, pinching his bottom lip in his teeth. “More like Tony the Tiger?”

“Do you think—” Quentin snorted a laugh, let it ripple through him so hard it shook the table. “Do you think Fillory is just full of cereal mascots, El?”

Eliot gave an airy little sigh, gesturing with his brush as he said—“Guess you’ll just have to read me your little fanboy bibles one day so I can find out.”

“You want me—” Quentin nearly choked on the sound of his own words. Suddenly—subspace was hovering in the periphery of his vision. Soft gush in his head like he was sinking slowly underwater. “You want me to read the Fillory books to you?”

Eliot swirled his brush in cheerful green, shot Quentin a soft little smirk. “I’d listen to you read the phone book,” he said, and winked, and immediately turned his attention to his painting again. “Now, I think maybe we need a bit more—”

“Let’s, um—” Quentin gripped the bare curve of Eliot’s elbow. A living, breathing hunger rising up from the depths and seizing him like hooks in his belly. “Let’s go back to our room. I—”

“Someone’s itching for a spanking, I see.” Eliot met Quentin’s narrow-eyed gaze, the corners of his mouth curling up. “Shove your waistband down for me just a little, darling. Daddy needs more canvas.”

Quentin pushed the tiniest whine from his throat. Barefoot and shirtless, there was so little keeping his body from total abandon. He could have slipped out of his little shorts with such ease right then, presented himself bent and quivering over the edge of the table. He could have begged for Eliot to fuck him right there in front of the others. Create the most masterful of all masterpieces with nothing more than bare flesh. Instead—

Quentin relented at once. Shoving one side of his waistband down to expose the bony rise of his hip. Eyes on Eliot, watching him take in the sight of all that fresh bare skin. Tongue darting out to swipe along the swell of his bottom lip, his eyes all flushed with a dark and almost unbearable hunger. Like he was only just barely containing the wild beast snarling within.

“Good boy,” Eliot said, his voice a soft low rumble. Holding onto his brush with one hand, rubbing the bare flesh of Quentin’s thigh with the other. “Hold still now.” He winked again, and Quentin’s whole body felt like it was being plunged into bubbly warm water. “No squirming.”

[libertyreads]

Underhyped Books--

These are some of the books on my shelves that I think are under-hyped on the Book-ternet as some people call it. I think a lot of these standalones or series are under represented in the book community online. (Going from top to bottom, left to right.)

1. The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes-- Maybe I’m biased because this is one of my favorite authors. I discovered her a year or two ago and have become obsessed. The latest series of hers is going to be an all time favorite for me. Or at least the first one was. This book came out this past fall so I know that’s probably part of the reason for the under representation. But, for the love of all things spooky and puzzle-y, read this damn book.

2. House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig-- This is a 12 dancing princesses retelling that has some turns no one expects. It has a gothic/horror/mystery/thriller element in a creepy mansion. What’s not to love? It’s so perfect for the fall. I have seen a couple of people talk about this one, but it’s not getting the love it truly deserves.

3. The One by John Marrs-- I only read this one this past month so maybe I’m the person who’s late to the party here. But I just need people to read this and love it as much as I do. I was literally gasping out loud and saying things like, “No. No, they wouldn’t do that. Oh. My. God. They did that.” Thankfully there is a Netflix adaptation coming out on March 12th.

4. In the Hall with the Knife by Diana Peterfreund-- This one got me hooked so fast. I blame the 1000 times I watched Clue (1985 with Tim Curry) as a kid. This is a take on Clue that involves a boarding school in an isolated Maine town. It’s probably the fact that this is so easy to read and is probably on the middle end of the YA age range that keeps this from being so popular. But I cannot tell you how much I loved this book when I read it this past fall. It’s the perfect late fall/early winter read.

5. Sky in the Deep by Adrienne Young-- A YA Viking Fantasy story about two rival tribes. The way it felt like this book dropped you into this world and you didn’t come up for air until the book was over? Amazing. I think I’ve only heard about it in passing which is a damn shame.

6. The Queen’s Rising by Rebecca Ross-- This was one of those books that sat on my shelf for years before I found the time for it and afterward regretted not reading it sooner. This is a YA Fantasy that includes a fallen kingdom that is overtaken and must find the strength to stand up to their oppressors. It’s only a duology so this series was so quick for me to read.

7.  Old Magic by Marianne Curley-- A backlist Fantasy novel from 2000. This is probably the oldest book on this list and so the nostalgia is a big factor here. But this is about a girl going back in time to prevent an evil wizard from putting a curse on her friend’s family bloodline. This does a good job of pulling the reader into the setting as well.

8. Fable by Adrienne Young-- This is a more recent release so I understand that a lot of people may not have gotten around to it yet, but I wish they would. I need someone to talk to about this book. This is a YA Fantasy novel about a girl who gets dropped on a deserted island after her mother is killed in a storm on the sea. Her only goal for the next four years is to find a way off the island and back to her father who is the biggest trader in the Narrows. The setting is great, very pirate-y, and a classic found family trope. As a whole, I just think Adrienne Young is a really underrated writer.

9. Turtles All the Way Down by John Green-- Being a fan of John Green’s has been a bit of a roller coaster ride as he got more and more popular only to plummet as people started picking his work apart. But I think this book is him being truly vulnerable as writer. He suffers from OCD similar to the OCD the main character suffers in this novel. And as someone who has been diagnosed with OCD I found this to be pretty haunting to read. I know that this book isn’t a beloved John Green book and I think that’s a real shame.

10. Written in Red by Anne Bishop-- This series is a bit weird for me since this isn’t my usual genre. This is an Adult Urban Fantasy about a blood seer who runs away from the institution she’s been kept in and finds her way to the local group of mythological creatures who hold a lot of power influence over the local government. There are werewolves, shifters, vampires...etc. who take up a huge section of this city and there are a ton of politics throughout the series. But the thing that I loved the most about it is that every story has a section that is so slice of life before the big action happens and those moments were so warm and cozy. The big action at the end of the novels all work to bring the main characters closer. There’s a romance between the human seer and the alpha werewolf which I didn’t expect to enjoy as much as I did. Also, I read most of this series while I was stuck in bed sick with covid so I think the distraction added another level of fondness from me.

11. Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton-- Where. Are. My. YA. Fantasy. People. AT?! Why is no one talking about this series?! This a YA Desert Fantasy with some amazing characters and a rebellion hiding out in the desert from the people in power. Found family tropes. Magic. Mystery. Stop sleeping on this series already! My only real complaint is that I wish I had the original cover because that one is so beautiful.

12. Ace of Shades by Amanda Foody-- I originally got the first book in this series in a subscription box but held off reading it because I hadn’t heard of this series before then. But it’s one of those series that you wish you had read as soon as you had gotten it. This is a YA Fantasy novel set in a fictional town that looks/feels like a combination of 1920s-ish New York and Las Vegas. The Shadow Game series is about a girl going to the big city to find her adoptive mother who’s gone missing while there for work. But she’s spent her whole life learning how to be a proper lady and in the City of Sin anything can happen. The magic system here is so, so well done. It’s something I haven’t seen before or since which is refreshing when the main thing you read is Fantasy.

[issaxcharlie]

You’ll always be the answer

Pairing: Charlie Gillespie x Fem Reader

Requested: YES💚

Summary: For the first time Charlie and Y/N have to do an interview together and things get pretty interesting and chaotic as always with the couple.

*In the wired autocomplete section the part of the question that was covered will be in bold*

Pretty much based in the we say we’re friends world, (yes, again😤 I love their dynamic I’m sorry) you only need to know that Y/N is a musician by profession, wrote the JATP soundtrack, a childhood friend of Charlie and now his current girlfriend.

The couple is completely excited because today they have their first interviews after the confirmation of the second season of Julie and The Phantoms, and usually they are not on the same interview team so this is new. Charlie always does them with the band and the singer usually does them with director Kenny Ortega representing the people behind the scenes.

“Hello everyone, I’m Charlie Gillespie and I play Luke in Julie And The Phantoms.”

“And I’m Y/N Y/L and I play Daniela in Stardust.”

“Baby, you are here today as the songwriter of the album.”

“I know?” She thinks for a few seconds until she realizes what she said. “Oh. Well, this is embarrasing. Make my selfpromo accident worthwhile and watch Stardust after watching JATP!”

“Nice safe, beautiful. Pretty natural.” Her boyfriend teases as she smiles proudly.

“I like to believe I could be an actress.” Charlie begins to laugh at the seriousness with which she answered and looks at her, full of happiness. He loves that they can enjoy moments like this where their careers can go exactly on the same track.

They know that it will not always be this way so they should make the most of the experience.

“I’m excited to have you back, Y/N. And a pleasure to meet you Charlie. You both sure are full of amazing energy, I love it. Let’s start with the questions. Charlie, this is your first leading and in a fairly complete role, you acted, sang, danced and even wrote one of the songs, how was the experience?”

“Pure magic. They are all incredibly talented and so supportive of us, they worked so hard to unleash our full potential in an accelerated manner. They had a lot of patience with me in the dance part, they taught me to use my voice properly, they supported me in the change to electric guitar, it was simply a dream to work with every single person in the project.”

“Sounds amazing. Next question is for you, Y/N. Much has been said about the unreal chemistry between Julie and Luke. How was it for you as his girlfriend to have to witness it live? As I understand you were present throughout the recording."

"Oh man, it was awesome!" Charlie laughs at her pure response and the interviewer looks at her in disbelief.

"I'm Team Juke all the way. I know I may sound like a liar or something since I'm the girlfriend, but here's the thing.

I can't see my Char in Luke. Charlie is so good at bringing him to life that I can't believe that cool rockstar is my adorable goofball. It’s like Clark and Superman with the glasses thing. Beanie and electric guitar? Oh, hi Luke. You are so hot, wait... don’t tell Charlie I said that! Bandana and acoustic guitar? Hey baby, give me a kiss in the forehead and sing me to sleep.

What I was saying again? Oh, yeah. So... I see Juke and I’m soft, they are perfect for each other.”

“So you think Luke is hot, huh.” he pretends to be jealous and folds his arms.

“What can I say, I have a thing for rockstars, my legs melted during now or never."

He snorted a laugh. “Good to know.”

The interviewer cannot contain a laugh of her own.

"It's always a pleasure to have you here, Y/N. You are such a character and I always enjoy listening to you, and I love that even though the years go by and you are no longer so new in the industry you continue to have that fresh and iconic personality."

“Thank you so much Maria, If I can be myself here it is thanks to the beautiful atmosphere that your interviews always have.”

“My pleasure, ‘golden star’. Let’s continue. Y/N, We know you already knew Charlie, but who did you get along with better from the rest of the cast?”

“Oh my, definitely Owen. He was Charlie's roommate throughout the project so we hang out together a lot in our free time taking turns as third wheel. I'm pretty sure he's going to apply the same card to me this second season now that I'm gonna be the roommate.

But it’s okay, I totally deserve it. May the best third wheel win, Joyner!” Charlie grins and does a fistbump with his girlfriend who looks really hyped about going back to Canada with the band.

“I’m rooting for you, girl! Let’s go back to Charlie a little bit. The album that Y/N wrote is a resounding success and a very important piece for the series to be as brilliant as they are. I imagine that the four of you have a special affection for the album, but how do you feel that your girlfriend was the one who wrote a soundtrack of that level for such a special project in your career?”

Charlie looks so proud. He looks at her in a way that makes the young woman blush.

“I’m just so blessed that the things happened they way they did. She’s the love of my life, you know? I couldn't be more proud to sing her songs. She has always been insanely talented and nothing gives me more happiness that knowing she gets to do what she loves and is able to share it with the world.”

The singer's eyes water and she puts her head on the actor's shoulder, who kisses her hair sweetly.

“You two are so pure and so cute to watch, I have a new favorite celebrity couple.”

They continue the interview for a few more minutes and then they have to move on to the second section, in which they are handed some boards with the most searched questions on the internet regarding them.

“Okay guys, introduce yourselves again. I’m not going to be in the segment this time so you’ll have to help each other.”

Both agree without confessing that they have seen videos of this segment until 5 in the morning when they have nothing to do the next day and have sleepovers.

“Hi, we are Charlie Gillespie and Y/N Y/L and will be doing the wired-autocomplete interview today!”

“Okay handsome, let’s start with yours.” Charlie smiles and takes the sign in his hands, while his girlfriend removes the first tape and reveals the first question.

“Does Charlie Gillespie have a girlfriend?” Charlie smiles proudly and kisses his girls nose.

“I do, and she’s so adorable.” He touches gently her cheek and she closes her eyes at his touch.

He gives her a light kiss in the forehead and then uncovers the next question.

“What is Charlie Gillespie like in real life.”

“I’ll answer this one, Char’s a total goofball. He is cheerful, funny, always full of energy, talented, caring, and really, really hot. All done, next question!”

He laughs while blushing and reveals the next one. “Is Charlie Gillespie married?”

“Well I tried but someone ate the ring.”

“I would do it again, it was really good. Answering the question, he is not yet, but he is taking too long, maybe one of these days I will declare myself.”

He opens his eyes wide, he knows very well that his girlfriend is capable of doing it, and honestly he wants to be who does it, so he makes a mental note to prepare everything soon. Thank god he is working on the rings already.

“It’s Y/N still dating...”

“If the question says Ross Lynch I’m goin’ to lose it. No shade though, man.”

She laughs, after the James Larkin show, a lot of people showed anger as they felt that she was a much better match with the blonde, and Charlie couldn't help but feel a bit offended.

“...Charlie Gillespie! Yes, baby!” Both high five, Charlie looks almost relieved, is adorable.

“The answer is always yes folks, get use to it.”

“Who is Y/N’s best friend?”

“Well, this one is easy.” She turns to see Charlie and gives him a flirtatious little smile. He blushes and reaches out to kiss her, but she answers the question just before their lips touch.

“Ross Lynch.” She leans over and presses her lips against his for a few seconds as Charlie reacts to her response and then gapes in disbelief.

“You did nOT.” He laughs and and wrinkles his nose feigning annoyance.

“Yes I dID. But to be honest, has to be this man right here. Not a lot people know this but we’ve been best friends all our lives, so yeah. You baby, of course.” He blushes and kisses her hand, clearly happy with the answer.

“Is Y/N going to be in Julie And The Phantoms S2?”

“Will you?” He asks, genuinely curious. She never tells him what Kenny secretly confesses her about the project so as not to be unfair to the other members of the band.

“I will, but probably still back the scenes, guys. I'm really enjoying this part and learning from the best of the best so I am very happy not to be in front of the camera for now.”

“And you are doing an amazing work, love.” She grins and kisses his cheek.

“Thank you for watching us being ridiculously corny for 30 minutes, don't forget to watch Julie and the Phantoms Season 2 only on Netflix! I feel sorry for that poor people that will have to see how cheesy we are.”

“We were still recording Y/N, but never mind. The editing team has a lot of work ahead.”

“Well, damn. I’m sorry guys!” Charlie laughs for the thousandth time today. There is nothing better in life than sharing your days with your best friend. He can't wait to formalize that ‘forever’.

Thank you for reading✨

NEXT PART HERE

Taglist: @writerinlearning , @ghostofmgg, @strangerthanfanfiction713, @thebloodthirstyvampress, @kinda-really-lost, @kcd15, @magnet-girl, @aliandthephantoms, @stxrkspidey, @pinkrockstar19, @s0uz4s, @shycupcakealissa, @cookiebuba, @fangirlangioma, @sageellsworth05, @twist3dtinkerbell, @sunsetcurvenotsunsetswerve, @caitsymichelle13, @ifilwtmfc, @luckylouiebug, @bibliophilewednesday, @totomoshi, @siennanoelle01, @lunashadow6955, @bookfrog247, @morganayennefertyrell, @kiss-themoongoodbye, @rachelle3musicals, @imsydneywalker, @really-dont-forget-it

[80s4life]

Until We Meet Again”

Word Count: 1,353

Status: Not Requested!

A/N: This is completely off from the movie, like, it has nothing to do with the story line. It was just a little something when I got in my feels. I might make a part 2 depending on the hype and whether or not this was actually like lol.

Fandom: The Expendables 2010-2014

Relationship: Tool x Reader

Summary: When the reader has an unexpected turn of events, they realize all the things they’ve never done, and some of the things they should’ve done. Will they make it out or will they never get the chance?

Warnings: angst, regrets, blood, assumed death, Reader is shot, blood loss, violence mentioned, language, VERY SAD (I warned you)

Taglist: @snapessecretdiary ( @one-boring-person​ cuz u love expendables)

Masterlist Expendables Masterlist

{gif is not mine, credits to @hellofagirl​}

People say that, when death happens, your life flashes before your eyes, giving you a slideshow of all the good, the bad, and the downright dirty. Usually, when this happens, regrets and prideful moments occur, making you either want to keep time the way it is or change it in some way, making you burn inside. It is also common for you to die peacefully, surrounded by the ones you love, whether it be of old age or other natural causes. All the people you want, there and supporting you throughout your final hurrah.

Unfortunately, this wasn’t the case for you, you were not one of those people to die of natural causes or simply old age. You weren’t even surrounded by any of the people you loved. You were just a nobody, someone that was used at other people’s expense, used to kill and terminate any threats and rescue what’s stolen or held unlawfully. 

Hence your group’s name, The Expendables. Highly trained mercenaries, veterans, and weapons experts used to do as you do best.

You were on a mission with them when your worst nightmare occurred, it being thoughtfully planned and kinks worked out days prior, giving you preparation as multiple other missions had time and time again. Just like any of the jobs you took with the team.

The objective was to take down a newly popular mafia, not unusual to you, the mafia not being too strong or big of a family just yet. However, when finally on the battlefield, you, along with the rest of the team; Barney Ross, Lee Christmas, Hale Caesar, Gunnar Jensen, Toll Road, and Yin Yang, had noticed just how wrong the mission truly was.

It was a set-up, one put in place by your highly unidentified employers, sent to tear your one-of-a-kind, intelligent family apart from what it was. You weren’t very fond to your past enemies, taking them out, ruining their plans, and destroying what could’ve been years of work to put together. This had led to many menacing opponents.

Barney, your leader, had sprung to action quickly, splitting us off and protecting us, being the amazing leader he was. Something you never got to fully acknowledge at times, sometimes being so pissed, you didn’t care if you had threatened his superiority or level of expertise. Hurting his feelings immensely.

The mission had gone fairly well for a while, working hand-in-hand with one another, tag-teaming with your brothers at separate times, given your unexpected predicament and disadvantage.

This was until you had managed to unknowingly cut yourself far from the group of mercenaries, having to run from a silent assailant wielding knives. Running underneath an archway, scared and exhausted, you felt your legs, abdomen, and lungs burn as the only missions in mind now were to get to safety and come home to the one you love undeterred. 

Only time would tell if these were going to be successfully accomplished.

You duck and weave through crates and buildings, running through a small town, but quickly run out of options as you draw yourself into a massive clearing. You scream over the comms, turning your mic on, asking for help, anyone, anything.

But they were too far away, rushing as fast as they could, wanting none other than to be at your side, fighting off anything that were to threaten you. You were their sister, whether it be blood or in arms, you were family and connected as one.

You spin on your heels, looking for a way out, but find nothing. Nothing to protect you or hide away in.  Nothing to just get you out. Accepting your fate, you decide this is it, facing your pursuer now, hands above your head in an attempt of surrender. The surrender goes unanswered though, unaccepted, your attacker pulling a gun from his waist band, shooting you square in the chest, not giving you a chance. 

Walking now, the killer comes to your side, body encased in a pool of blood, seeping into your clothing. Deciding his job is done, he lowers his gun, looking you in the eyes before disappearing into the distance, concluding that a slow death was the best revenge. 

All you do is lay there, unmoving, your mic still on and blaring with the voices of your team, concern and anger lacing their tones. You do not answer however, motivating Yin Yang to track your location from his keypad, Caesar and Toll deciding that bullets weren’t enough anymore, throwing grenades and bombs instead, killing the multiples. Barney, Lee, and Gunnar finishing the last of the survivors off, the full team hurrying to get to you from all different directions.

Gunnar is the first to find you, pumping his long legs harder now as he fears the worst, knowing this situation is a close two-end street, your chances slimming by the minute. Lee and Barney file in a moment later, followed by Toll, Yin Yang, and soon, Caesar. 

All you can do is stare, lovingly, regrettably, and solemnly all at once, knowing there is so much to say but not enough time to do so. So you told them, as quickly as physically possible, the blood now rushing into your lungs and mouth. You told them what you loved most, what you had regretted saying or doing, knowing the full effect of the past now.

And, when the pain gets to its worst factor, you turn to face Barney, him knowing you the most. “The pink book,” you choke out, Barney knowing exactly what you were referring to, “Give it to Tool for me, will ya’? There’s so much I haven’t told him, and just about everything should be in there.”

“Yeah,” Barney answers, his voice fading now, tears in his eyes, “Yeah, I’ll give it to him. I know what ya’ want, and I’ll send the message. You’ve always had a better way of speakin’ than me, and I think he’d like if you came back home in one piece, Kid. Just focus on stayin’ awake for me for now though, okay?” The last of his sentence comes out choked, tears now pouring from his eyes. Tears pooling from all of the men now, knowing that your fate is nearing its end.

“I love you guys...Always know that okay? Keep it with ya’,” I say, my body now feeling immensely lighter than any high could’ve.

“Yer not dyin’ on us Y/N...Ya’ can’t!” Gunnar yells, his emotional defense kicking in as his way of coping. “Yer supposed to be here always-”

All you can do is watch, tears of your own flowing in waves down the corners of yours eyes, rounding my eye cheek bones, slipping down towards my ears, and falling in delicate puddles. They’re all falling apart, and there’s nothing anyone can do to help it. Instead, you weakly motion your hands, grabbing one of Barney’s and Gunnar’s, the rest motioning to either hold onto one another or a limb of your body, such as your knees or legs.

As your vision starts to fade, and the familiar faces of your family dim and disappear, the last face you see is one that wasn’t there. One who will never know what would’ve happened until the group returns home, your body being held within their own arms. Tool. The most talented, artistic, and loving man of my dreams, will never know the full extent of your passion for him. And now, as darkness overcomes you, your last final regret lies on him, your last tears shedding from your eyes. Closing them, seeing the darkness, and feeling the last bit of your being being lifted, no longer seeing or feeling anything. Just black.

Whoever said death was a pleasant goodbye never really understood all of what leaves with the hollow body of a once joyful, full of life person. The regrets, stories, love, and connections staying remnant within them and never truly leaving even when they are no longer visible. For even as they part, the people who knew them now are haunted and reminded of a person no one will ever see again. Never have the beauty of knowing just like they had.

That is, until they part ways as well. 

Until then, it is just a bittersweet goodbye.

[cobbbvanth]

help I'm super emo after finally getting to see a Black Widow movie

if you can watch this at a cinema, i highly recommend you do so ♡

[spoilers ahead. beware!]

- seeing the Marvel title card on a cinema screen after two whole years is so exciting, it feels like coming home <3

- Ever Anderson was a great choice for young Natasha, i was crying just 10 minutes in wtf

- THE OPENING CREDITS. major Bond film vibes, excellent song choice and some heartbreaking exposition all in about three minutes

- i really like how it bridges the gap between Civil War and Infinity War, this is peak MCU in my opinion so yes give us all the story (did Ross just let her walk again though? that guy is not good at his job lol)

- seeing Nat wearing her arrow necklace always makes me so happy

- fight choreography throughout was so good, especially with pretty much all of it being close hand to hand combat!

 - but damn everybody has a Cap shield these days, do they grow on trees now or something?

- Florence Pugh is beautiful, talented, amazing, incredible. the dynamic between Nat and Yelena is fantastic and feels so much like a real sibling relationship even if they haven’t seen each other for years. their constant bickering in their first escape scene, “any day now” “shut up,” “what was your plan?” “i was just going to drive us away!” lmao big fan of these two

- you can tell this movie had a female director because the women HAVE THEIR HAIR TIED UP! ESPECIALLY IN FIGHT SCENES!! this is so important to me, we love to see gals being practical

- on a similar note i adored Yelena mocking Nat’s “pose fighting.” the movie itself is making fun of how Natasha has been unnecessarily sexualised for so many years and it’s so refreshing

- Alexei being the butt of every joke was so funny to me. he’s got the spirit, that’s for sure. the girls explaining what happens to their reproductive organs in the red room after rescuing him from prison was one of my favourite scenes for sure

- oh and Yelena’s vest! it has so many pockets!! some she even added herself!!! and she gives it to Nat and it’s the one Nat wears in Infinity War NOBODY TOUCH ME

- i liked the little dysfunctional family so much more than i thought i would. from American Pie singalongs and awkward reunion dinners to trusting each other with unrehearsed super spy plans, they’ve got it all

- plus Nat calling the Avengers her family so many times?? and us finally getting to know what went down in Budapest?? now that’s some good content

- this movie really illustrates why Nat broke the Sokovia Accords: she really does care about saving people, and will do whatever it takes

- have to give some props to Mason for getting Nat all the stuff she needs AND at such short notice, really pulled through at the end there. (AND THE AVENGERS THEME OVER THE JET AT THE END. yes just that piece of the original theme is enough to make me cry again)

- not wild about the villain dude, but he’s not really what the movie was about! Taskmaster pulling out Avengers fighting moves (Winter Soldier knife flip!) was SICK though!!

- i really don’t care how many times we’ve seen the face shifting mask thing before i’m excited about it every time!

- there's just so much girl power in this movie and it's so nice to see. And it's genuinely badass women, not just pandering. Also it's just fun to see the ladies getting the classic action hero treatment, even if it gets a tad out of hand at the very end

- Secretary Ross, sir, please take a vacation

overall i thoroughly enjoyed the movie, and it was worth the wait. it was well paced, the score was great, and such a perfect place in the mcu timeline to have a Nat-centric moment. i love her so much, it’s been like 3 hours and i miss her already :’)))

- END CREDIT: i’m hyped. poor Clint still cannot catch a break, but i’m so excited to see these guys together

[wemakeitupaswego]

I just need to share something and idk Where else to go. Okay, so, none of my friends are into spn and I tried to get them into the fandom but they all are not really into watching shows like crazy. But they all do enjoy "friends" series maybe and yeah they were all crazy about the friends reunion thing. And idk if you are aware about this but in the reunion episode the Ross and Rachel characters admitted something about having a crush on each other in real life when they were shooting the Ross/Rachel love phase. (I haven't watched the reunion thing. I'm just telling what my friends told me)

Now just by hearing this news my friends are like; 'OMG!! they had a crush on each other irl! While they were acting on screen as a love interest.' I have nothing against it and it might be the huge deal to the people who are like a huge fan of this show and I get it. But I'm just suprised to see my friends go crazy in a same way like I do when I talk about spn. And they tried to get me hyped about this thing but I just couldn't. How am I supposed to tell them that their ship had a on screen kiss quite a few time as well as the actors of the ship also admitted about having a crush while what I got is nothing. One half of my ship died in very first confession, I never got on screen kiss of my ship except for 12yrs of sexual tension and the bits and pieces of subtext which I have to piece them altogether to understand the hidden meaning, I do know their is something not normal about cockles and I want to believe it exists but at the same time idk if it exists just in my head because I only get inappropriate jokes form the actors about their relationship with each other and huge amount of subtext which I have to analyse along with their body language around each other and around Jared coz I have to compare "the friend" and "more than friends" aspects of their relationship. It's analysing 3 people at the same time which is a lot.

I can only imagine that if my friends got this hyped about something in a show where everything is about text and everyone is vocal. Idk what they will do if they got into spn. Being in spn fandom is hard man. We don't get it easy.

Thank you for sharing this anon. Anytime!

I am a big fan of Friends and I went crazy when Aniston and Schwimmer admitted that they had feelings for each other.

What you have to understand is Friends and Supernatural are a very different two journeys of fan experience. I would never get the feeling I had when Cas confessed from Friends. I would never feel the high I felt when the script said Still Beautiful Still Winchester. Trust me! As much as it hurts to be a heller in this fandom, it is such a pleasure to be among you all witnessing this.

In few hours we are getting the scripts for the episode of 12×19 the episode where mixtape is in. The rumour has it, that script is such a treat. We are here about to witness that and go crazy over something that ended 8 months. That media experience itself is a wonderful adventure.

Your friends are missing out something amazing. My friends are missing out that too. But it's alright.. Sometimes we can't have everyone to follow us through this journey.

As for Jensen and Misha, what we have is more than enough to me anon. I have hopes there might come a day where we don't have to murmur in Tumblr about them. Until then, Embrace what we all are witnessing together. It all is an amazing experience..

Have a great day anon!

[preachelectric]

i love pretty odd so much im sobbing

[theflikchic]

Obscure Pop Culture I Love That Nobody Talks About

Consider this entire post a series of recommendations, especially if you're bored in quarantine.

1. Quantum Leap

Starring Scott Bakula and Dean Stockwell, "Quantum Leap" is a sci-fi show from the 80s and it's one of the most progressive shows I've ever seen. The plot's a bit complicated so I'll be quick: A scientist named Sam- in an attempt to travel back in time- accidentally gets trapped in the bodies of different people throughout time. He can only leap from body to body when he changes a point in history (most often, he has to stop a death).

The reason this show is so amazing is because of fact that no matter what body he leaps into, we always see him as him. My favourite episode (called "What Price, Gloria?") is about how Sam gets stuck in the body of a beautiful female secretary. We watch him undergo the sexual harassment of the workplace and see how ridiculous it really is as every guy thinks he's a girl. It's terrific seeing him in women's clothing because it's very normalized in the show and is used to further explain sexism in gender constructs of clothing.

There's about five seasons and sadly, it never got a proper ending. It's quite sad and can be difficult to watch but it's beautiful and I love it.

2. The RED Movies (RED and RED 2)

I love these movies. And sadly, there's only two of them. A lot of people dislike the second one and whild it isn't as good as the first one, I still think it's a lot of fun. They're funny, they're action-packed, and they've got an incredible cast and yet no one's seen any of them.

The movies follow ex-CIA agent Frank Moses and his adrenaline-hyped girlfriend Sarah Ross as they travel the globe with other retired agents and contract killers to stop bad guys and it's AMAZING. I originally watched them because of Anthony Hopkins being in the sequel but then it turned out that I loved them both so much.

They're also very well-written and require a lot of attention. And the jokes make that really rewarding. Both of these films are on Amazon Prime and they're so much fun. If you need more convincing, there's a scene when Helen Mirren tasers Anthony Hopkins and then several scenes after, they kidnap a pizza guy-

3. Dinotopia

The books by James Gurney reign supreme but I love the five episode (or six??? I dunno, there weren't a lot) TV series. It's very mediocre and super low budget but I enjoy the characters and the overall world (even if the books are better).

I'd like to mention that there's also a three hour-long miniseries featuring the same characters but with different actors. While there's more dinosaurs and David Thewlis, the acting is really bad and that's where I prefer the TV show.

I'd also like to mention that the TV show has the character of LeSage, a morally grey antagonist who hates dinosaurs and will occasionally team up with the mains when the rules suit her. She's an excellent character and the highlight of the show.

4. V (1984)

Hey, so, you know Freddy Krueger? Yeah, of course you do. Well, this was the show that made him famous.

Two miniseries (a two-parter and a three-parter) and a fourteen-episode TV series. This show was HUGE in the 80s and yet, for some reason, everyone seems to have forgotten it (but we did get Funko Pops so...victory!).

The show is about an alien invasion of earth but it's not just an alien invasion: it's an invasion from evil alien lizards that serve as an allegory for Nazis. It's got amazing characters, especially amazing female characters. It deals with moral decisions and the horrors of war. While it does get more campy as it progresses and doesn't have a proper ending, 90% of it is low-budget but compelling sci-fi with great characters (and the found family trope, especially once they bring Robert Englund aboard).

Be aware: there are some elements of body horror regarding a pregnancy and an ab*rtion attempt in the second miniseries so if that stuff bothers you like it does me, I promise that it has a happy ending and everything turns out okay. I love love LOVE this show and I wish more people watched it.

If you're curious, it's located all on archive.org.

5. Monk

One of the only three cop shows I actually watch, "Monk" is an incredible show starring Tony Shaloub as an ex-homicide detective who suffers from OCD. As someone with a diagnosed anxiety disorder, I just feel so...seen with this show. Tony Shaloub does an excellent job at portraying someone with anxiety and he's written so wonderfully that I often find myself saying out loud- "Me too, man. Me too."

Don't let the fact that it's a comedy throw you off. They take Monk's illness pretty seriously and most of the laughing comes from the sadness that comes with the way he reacts to the world. Often when something goes wrong because of his anxiety, it funny but also doesn't shy away from the character trying to deal with the way his mind is wired. No characters really laugh at him in the show and those who do are portrayed as jerks (because they are). And Monk is incredibly courageous and it's inspiring to see him triumph.

It has 8 seasons and it's on Amazon Prime. It's brilliant and fun and sad all at once. It's also set in the same universe of "Psych" (another amazing show) but this wasn't established until years later once both shows were over.

The bonus to watching this show is for the character of Monk's friend Captain Stottlemeyer played by severely underrated actor Ted Levine. And if that name sounds familiar, it's because he made a mark back in 1991 as a serial killer who owned a pet poodle and went by the name of Buffalo Bill. He's so funny in this show and his friendship with Monk is one of my favourite parts.

So that's the post! I hope you found something that you're interested in and that your quarantine remains filled with fun, fictitious content! Stay safe!

[ratingtheframe]

Everything That Happened at the 2021 Golden Globes

The first two months of the year are finally over and as the days grow longer, we can start to see the early signs of spring. With spring comes summer and with summer comes an influx of movie releases, with the majority of films that were put on hold last year scheduled to be released in the following months in cinemas across the world. You know, cinemas, as in those big rooms where you pay to sit and watch movies from start to finish without pausing it? Gosh have I missed the pre movie adverts, comfy chairs and super wide screens. It's not the same at home and despite Netflix, HBO and Amazon Prime thriving, we shouldn’t set anything in stone when it comes to the quality and accessibility of film. 

Cinema is tradition whereas On Demand is convenience and usually choosing convenience over tradition does impact the quality of work being distributed. There are a bunch of films on streaming platforms that would be too inappropriate for cinemas, seeing as they lack a cinematic or dramatic feel to them to be good enough for a big screen. This allows mediocre to downright awful films to find an audience via streaming platforms. All well and good, seeing as these platforms are great exposure for upcoming filmmakers but at the same time it's a capitalistic system that puts views above the quality of content. It doesn’t matter if what you’re watching on Netflix is bad, they just want you to keep coming back for more. This can be said for mainstream cinema too, but to a lesser degree seeing as cinemas typically release around 68 movies per month, whereas Netflix has the ability to add up to 200 releases on their platform per month. It makes perfect sense that Netflix has the viewers that it does, as we can see that it releases almost twice the content of cinemas per month. For the avid cinephiles, this leaves us wanting a lot more as we’re only able to enjoy maybe one or two films a month from online streaming services, because the quality is so inconsistent. I hope that cinemas open soon so that I can relax knowing that the film I’ve paid money for will be of a good quality. 

Speaking of good quality films, Chloé Zhao, director of Nomadland (2021) became the second woman in the 78 year history of the Golden Globes to win an award for directing. This is an exceptional triumph and from the moment I saw Nomadland, I knew that it would have an incredible impact on awards circuits this year. Nomadland also won Best Picture, which proves something that up and coming filmmakers may need to start getting their heads around. People may not necessarily be gravitating towards cinema for a chance of escapism any more. I thoroughly believe those days are behind us, buried in the 70s and 80s with films that defied the laws of filmmaking and went to extreme lengths to serve us an entire universe that we couldn’t even comprehend. However, as the world grows more fragile and people start to realise the fragility of life, we want to connect with one another authentically and realistically. 

The way that film can do this is by showing our real selves on screen, showing our pain, redemption, emotions, fear, honesty, laughter, race, gender, humanity, darkest secrets and biggest dreams using the backdrop of cinema to sell us a story. People want films that are honest and are a reflection of humanity as well as the current society we’re living in. Not necessarily “a slice of life”, but a slice of humanity that we never see because it’s never impacted us directly, yet we still want to be made to feel like it has through film. That’s the key to success in any film, making the viewer feel like they’ve experienced something on screen even when they haven’t. If the film is too far away from our own psyche or humanity, we switch off, as we can no longer relate or even want to relate to something so obtuse and boring. Nomadland was the complete opposite to this theory, bringing us humanity in all its glory; its sadness and pure emotion that affects millions everyday, especially in such a time when loneliness is rife.

This is why Mank (2020) lost out. In a time where the world is in a sensitive disposition, Mank came as ineffective to the world of film. Though triumphant in it’s making, the film proves the fundamental foundation of film that Mank failed to do; have a good story. Mank just wasn’t the story people wanted or needed to see and one can appreciate a filmmaker’s efforts to make films but at the end of the day, the story is truly the only thing that’ll carry a film and if it's uninteresting and impersonal, people switch off. And they clearly did, seeing as Mank lost out to all SIX of its nominations. Less is more, I suppose, seeing as Nomadland won two out of four awards, including the top prize of Best Picture. David Fincher even took a shot every time he lost a category. Better luck next time.Other snubs included Emerald Fennell’s Promising Young Woman (2021) starring Carey Mulligan ,which was released on VOD last month. The film was nominated for four prizes and I suppose the lack of release in cinemas worldwide or at a Film Festival meant the lack of hype for the film. Regina King’s One Night In Miami...failed to pick up a prize, having been nominated for three awards. King shouldn’t be too disheartened, seeing as her debut definitely got her the recognition she deserved.

Aaron Sorkin most notably won Best Screenplay for his amazing picture, The Trial of the Chicago 7. I had the fortune of catching this in cinemas and the musicality of this screenplay was unreal. An incredibly authentic, riveting and honest piece of work, I believe we can safely say that Aaron Sorkin is the greatest writer for cinema and TV in our day and age. Sorkin is used to being showered with accolades, from Primetime Emmys with The West Wing, to an Oscar with David Fincher’s The Social Network.

The late Chadwick Boseman was honoured in full glory, having won the award for Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture for his role as Levee in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. An exceptional performance that reeks with Oscar success, Boseman is the first actor to be awarded the prize posthumously.

What’s also to be noted is the amount of British nominees and winners at this year’s ceremony. It seems like the American Film & TV market is wide open for Brits, seeing as Emma Corrin, Josh O'Connor, Daniel Kaluuya, Sacha Baron Cohen, Rosamund Pike, John Boyega and Anya Taylor Joy all won awards for acting. Helen Bonham Carter, Olivia Coleman, Vanessa Kirby, Riz Ahmed, Gary Oldman, Antony Hopkins, Dev Patel, James Corden, Hugh Grant, Jodie Comer, Lilly Collins and Nicolas Hoult all received nominations and were all born in the UK. The Crown in particular just seems to be getting more successful with each year and despite its controversy, the show has won Netflix 7 Golden Globes and 10 Emmys. What does this tell us about our actors and their ability in comparison to our friends overseas? Is it just a stroke of luck that the majority of actors who won this year are British or are we doing something different? Only time will tell as more British actors begin to be recognised for their flare over in the US.

If anything, we’ve learnt that The Golden Globes is for everyone. Anyone can win an award despite their background as long as those who control the awards ceremony are willing to give a variety of films a chance, not just ones directed by David Fincher. Nomadland is certainly an underdog for cinema, one that may not have done as well had other films been released last year. COVID-19 created space for this film to be seen and has truly been taken in as a work of art, proving that films of the same kind deserve to be seen in the up and coming future. British actors can and have made it big in Hollywood and it seems like American audiences welcome them with open arms. Sacha Baron’s Cohen’s humour in Borat Subsequent MovieFilm wasn’t unrequited, seeing as it won Best Musical / Comedy at this year’s award season, meaning every moment of that film (incriminating or not) WAS WORTH IT. Even though Regina King and Emerald Fennell lost out on their respective films, their work has been courageous and profound in helping to give space to women in the film industry. The fact that they were even nominated along with Chloé Zhao, was an achievement in itself and has women like me looking up to the success of these three women and realising that I could have the same shot. Mank came at the wrong time, and though good visually, it lacked a beating heart that the Golden Globes could identify with enough to give it at least one award. Soul was named Best Animation Feature Film of the year, also winning an award for music with a beautiful score by Atticus Ross, Trent Reznor and Jon Batiste. The Queen’s Gambit also reigned supreme, as Anya Taylor Joy won Best Actress for a performance in a mini series / tv film and the overall series won Best Television Mini Series / Television Film.

This has to be the best Golden Globes I’ve ever witnessed. Not only did it champion diversity in the film categories, British Actors and female directors, it actually gave consumers as well as judges, something that actually wanted, which was to see underdogs thrive in an environment that’s usually laid bare for the same characters. Let’s keep this up for the next ceremony !

ig @ratingtheframe

[mysticalhearth]

Dear Evan Hensen

Dear Evan Hansen - Broadway - June 24, 2017 (SunsetBlvd79's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Ben Platt (Evan Hansen), Rachel Bay Jones (Heidi Hansen), Laura Dreyfuss (Zoe Murphy), Jennifer Laura Thompson (Cynthia Murphy), Michael Park (Larry Murphy), Mike Faist (Connor Murphy), Will Roland (Jared Kleinman), Olivia Puckett (u/s Alana Beck) NOTES: Excellent HD capture with no obstructions. This was shortly after Ben Platt's 2017 Tony win for Best Actor and Best Musical Award. The cast and show are still in wonderful shape, energy and speaks for itself. A- Dear Evan Hansen - Broadway - August 11, 2017 (SunsetBlvd79's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Michael Lee Brown (u/s Evan Hansen), Garrett Long (u/s Heidi Hansen), Olivia Puckett (u/s Zoe Murphy), Jennifer Laura Thompson (Cynthia Murphy), Michael Park (Larry Murphy), Mike Faist (Connor Murphy), Will Roland (Jared Kleinman), Kristolyn Lloyd (Alana Beck) NOTES: Excellent HD capture of Understudies going on for the three lead roles. Michael does a terrific job filling Evan's shoes, bringing his own interpretation and power. A Dear Evan Hansen - Broadway - November 3, 2017 (Highlights) FORMAT:  MP4 (HD) CAST: Ben Platt (Evan Hansen), Garrett Long (u/s Heidi Hansen), Laura Dreyfuss (Zoe Murphy), Jennifer Laura Thompson (Cynthia Murphy), Michael Park (Larry Murphy), Mike Faist (Connor Murphy), Will Roland (Jared Kleinman), Kristolyn Lloyd (Alana Beck) NOTES: Highlight running about 57 minutes; ends right before Disappear, youtube rips filmed in portrait on a phone. Dear Evan Hansen - Broadway - November 19, 2017 (Highlights) FORMAT:  MP4 (HD) CAST: Ben Platt (Evan Hansen), Rachel Bay Jones (Heidi Hansen), Laura Dreyfuss (Zoe Murphy), Jennifer Laura Thompson (Cynthia Murphy), Michael Park (Larry Murphy), Mike Faist (Connor Murphy), Will Roland (Jared Kleinman), Kristolyn Lloyd (Alana Beck) NOTES: Poorly recorded from a mobile device, about 9 minutes of clips of the show.  Ben is outstanding in his final performance. C- Words Fail, the Or Did You Let Go? scene, and the Finale only.  Ben Platt's final show Dear Evan Hansen - Broadway - December 8, 2017 (Highlights) FORMAT:  MOV (HD)  CAST: Noah Galvin (Evan Hansen), Rachel Bay Jones (Heidi Hansen), Laura Dreyfuss (Zoe Murphy), Jennifer Laura Thompson (Cynthia Murphy), Michael Park (Larry Murphy), Mike Faist (Connor Murphy), Ben Levi Ross (u/s Jared Kleinman), Kristolyn Lloyd (Alana Beck) NOTES: Highlights of Ben Levi Ross's first performance as Jared. Includes: Waving Through A Window, Sincerely Me, For Forever, If I Could Tell Her, Disappear, You Will Be Found, Words Fail and a few others. Filmed Vertically. Dear Evan Hansen - Broadway - January 31, 2018 (Highlights) FORMAT:  MP4 (HD) CAST: Taylor Trensch (e/c Evan Hansen), Nicole Van Giesen (u/s Heidi Hansen), Laura Dreyfuss (Zoe Murphy), Jennifer Laura Thompson (Cynthia Murphy), Michael Park (Larry Murphy), Mike Faist (Connor Murphy), Ben Levi Ross (u/s Jared Kleinman), Kristolyn Lloyd (Alana Beck) NOTES: Highlights: Waving Through a Window, Sincerely Me, 'Helping the Murphys' scene, Good For You, Words Fail Taylor's second show as Evan Dear Evan Hansen - Broadway - September 30, 2018 (StarCuffedJeans's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (4K) CAST: Taylor Trensch (Evan Hansen), Lisa Brescia (Heidi Hansen), Mallory Bechtel (Zoe Murphy), Jennifer Laura Thompson (Cynthia Murphy), Michael Park (Larry Murphy), Alex Boniello (Connor Murphy), Sky Lakota-Lynch (Jared Kleinman), Phoenix Best (Alana Beck) NOTES: Starts a little bit before "Requiem" but is full from there. Small obstruction on bottom right of the screen for some of the show, and camera can be jumpy at times. That aside, the picture quality is beautiful, and pretty much all of the important actions are caught. The master obviously knew the show well. Dear Evan Hansen - Broadway - December 29, 2018 (Highlights) (bluebird's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (4K) CAST: Taylor Trensch (Evan Hansen), Nicole Van Giesen (u/s Heidi Hansen), Gabrielle Carrubba (u/s Zoe Murphy), Jennifer Laura Thompson (Cynthia Murphy), Michael Park (Larry Murphy), Alex Boniello (Connor Murphy), Sky Lakota-Lynch (Jared Kleinman), Phoenix Best (Alana Beck) NOTES: Act One only! Gabrielle is a wonderful Zoe and really gives the role her all. Filmed from the center mezzanine, with obstructions in the bottom of the screen, filmed between heads. Lots of washout, especially in the brighter scenes, but definitely watchable. Dear Evan Hansen - Broadway - December, 2016 (Highlights) (SJ Bernly's master) FORMAT:  VOB (no smalls) (SD) CAST: Ben Platt (Evan Hansen), Rachel Bay Jones (Heidi Hansen), Laura Dreyfuss (Zoe Murphy), Jennifer Laura Thompson (Cynthia Murphy), Michael Park (Larry Murphy), Mike Faist (Connor Murphy), Will Roland (Jared Kleinman), Kristolyn Lloyd (Alana Beck) NOTES: Act One only! A nice capture with no washout and just one quick dropout during the scene after Waving Through a Window. There is one head that blocks part of the front of the stage, but it’s worked around generally doesn’t do more than block the actors’ legs. It’s filmed in 16:9, with a mix of wides, mediums, and close-ups. The sound is excellent. Dear Evan Hansen - Broadway - February, 2019 (NYCG8R's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Andrew Barth Feldman (Evan Hansen), Lisa Brescia (Heidi Hansen), Mallory Bechtel (Zoe Murphy), Jennifer Laura Thompson (Cynthia Murphy), Michael Park (Larry Murphy), Alex Boniello (Connor Murphy), Sky Lakota-Lynch (Jared Kleinman), Phoenix Best (Alana Beck) NOTES: Due to a sick audience member, the last 2 minutes of Act One are from a performance a few weeks prior with Michael Lee Brown. This is the fixed version. This is also the last known video capture of Michael Park and Jennifer Laura Thompson in the role of Larry and Cynthia Murphy before they depart on August 4. The version with February, 2018 in the menu should not be shared. Dear Evan Hansen - Broadway - January, 2020 (StarCuffedJeans's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (HD) CAST: Jordan Fisher (Evan Hansen), Jessica Phillips (Heidi Hansen), Gabrielle Carrubba (Zoe Murphy), Christiane Noll (Cynthia Murphy), Ivan Hernandez (Larry Murphy), Dan Macke (t/r Connor Murphy), Jared Goldsmith (Jared Kleinman), Phoebe Koyabe (Alana Beck) NOTES: The video starts just after Anybody Have a Map. Dear Evan Hansen - Broadway - June, 2018 (NYCG8R's master) FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD) CAST: Taylor Trensch (Evan Hansen), Rachel Bay Jones (Heidi Hansen), Laura Dreyfuss (Zoe Murphy), Jennifer Laura Thompson (Cynthia Murphy), Asa Somers (s/b Larry Murphy), Alex Boniello (Connor Murphy), Sky Lakota-Lynch (Jared Kleinman), Phoenix Best (Alana Beck) Dear Evan Hansen - Broadway - June, 2019 (StarCuffedJeans's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (HD) CAST: Roman Banks (u/s Evan Hansen), Lisa Brescia (Heidi Hansen), Gabrielle Carrubba (u/s Zoe Murphy), Jennifer Laura Thompson (Cynthia Murphy), Asa Somers (s/b Larry Murphy), Alex Boniello (Connor Murphy), Sky Lakota-Lynch (Jared Kleinman), Samantha Williams (Alana Beck) NOTES: Beautiful HD capture of Roman in the titular role, with Gabrielle and Asa as Zoe and Larry respectively! Filmed from the left orchestra, this is a very Roman-centric capture, filmed with a mix of wides, mediums, and many closeups. Dear Evan Hansen - Broadway - November, 2016 (Preview) (SunsetBlvd79's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (HD) CAST: Ben Platt (Evan Hansen), Rachel Bay Jones (Heidi Hansen), Laura Dreyfuss (Zoe Murphy), Jennifer Laura Thompson (Cynthia Murphy), Michael Park (Larry Murphy), Mike Faist (Connor Murphy), Will Roland (Jared Kleinman), Kristolyn Lloyd (Alana Beck) NOTES: Excellent HD capture of the Broadway transfer. In the long journey to Broadway, the show still lives up to all it's hype and greatness. The cast gives amazing performances and leaves it all on the stage. A Dear Evan Hansen - Broadway - September, 2019 (StarCuffedJeans's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (HD) CAST: Roman Banks (u/s Evan Hansen), Lisa Brescia (Heidi Hansen), Gabrielle Carrubba (Zoe Murphy), Ann Sanders (t/r Cynthia Murphy), Ivan Hernandez (Larry Murphy), Alex Boniello (Connor Murphy), Sky Lakota-Lynch (Jared Kleinman), Samantha Williams (Alana Beck) Dear Evan Hansen - Broadway - September, 2019 (2) (StarCuffedJeans's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (HD) CAST: Michael Lee Brown (alt Evan Hansen), Lisa Brescia (Heidi Hansen), Gabrielle Carrubba (Zoe Murphy), Ann Sanders (t/r Cynthia Murphy), Ivan Hernandez (Larry Murphy), Roman Banks (u/s Connor Murphy), Sky Lakota-Lynch (Jared Kleinman), Samantha Williams (Alana Beck) NOTES: If this is your first time watching Dear Evan Hansen, or if you are just a casual fan this video may not make sense. The seat location for filming is not great and the video starts during “Waving Through a Window.” This video is very much focused on Michael Lee Brown/Roman Banks/Ann Sanders. While other people are speaking and singing you will get close ups of their acting choices. Never to be posted publicly on any social media site. Don't post screenshots on twitter. Gifs on tumblr are okay after the NFT date, but don't link anything to the actors. Dear Evan Hansen - First National Tour - October 18, 2018 (Matinee) (Preview) (Highlights) (thehouseonsunset's master) FORMAT:  MP4 (HD) CAST: Stephen Christopher Anthony (alt Evan Hansen), Jessica Phillips (Heidi Hansen), Maggie McKenna (Zoe Murphy), Christiane Noll (Cynthia Murphy), Aaron Lazar (Larry Murphy), Marrick Smith (Connor Murphy), Jared Goldsmith (Jared Kleinman), Phoebe Koyabe (Alana Beck) NOTES: Most of Act one. There were a lot of difficulties during the show. Master had to leave unfortunately so they couldn't get the entire show. Dear Evan Hansen - First National Tour - November 17, 2018 (Highlights)

FORMAT: video CAST: Stephen Christopher Anthony (alt Evan Hansen), Jessica Phillips (Heidi Hansen), Maggie McKenna (Zoe Murphy), Christiane Noll (Cynthia Murphy), Aaron Lazar (Larry Murphy), Marrick Smith (Connor Murphy), Jared Goldsmith (Jared Kleinman), Phoebe Koyabe (Alana Beck) NOTES: Highlights include: You Will Be Found, Sincerely Me, Requiem, Anybody Have A Map?, Good For You, Words Fail.

Dear Evan Hansen - First National Tour - December 30, 2018 (Closing Night) (Highlights)

FORMAT:  MOV (HD) 

CAST: Ben Levi Ross (Evan Hansen), Jessica Phillips (Heidi Hansen), Maggie McKenna (Zoe Murphy), Christiane Noll (Cynthia Murphy), Aaron Lazar (Larry Murphy), Marrick Smith (Connor Murphy), Jared Goldsmith (Jared Kleinman), Phoebe Koyabe (Alana Beck)

NOTES: Highlights running around 30 mins, includes: Waving Through A Window, For Forever. Sincerely Me, Requiem, If I Could Tell Her, You Will Be Found and Only Us.

Dear Evan Hansen - First National Tour - October 26, 2019 (Matinee) (myroadofgoodintentions's master)

FORMAT:  MP4 (HD)

CAST: Sam Primack (alt Evan Hansen), Jessica Sherman (Heidi Hansen), Stephanie La Rochelle (Zoe Murphy), Claire Rankin (Cynthia Murphy), John Hemphill (Larry Murphy), Noah Kieserman (Connor Murphy), Alessandro Costantini (Jared Kleinman), Ciara Alyse Harris (Alana Beck)

NOTES: High quality boot shot with an HD camera. Some shakiness and jumping around and quick zooms in and out to find the action as master was less familiar with this show. Really great captures of faces and mix of wide shots and zooms.

Dear Evan Hansen - First National Tour - December 8, 2019 (Closing Night) (mynewfavoriteday's master)

FORMAT:  VOB (with smalls) (SD

CAST: 

Matthew Edward Kemp (u/s Evan Hansen)

, Jessica Sherman (Heidi Hansen), Stephanie La Rochelle (Zoe Murphy), Claire Rankin (Cynthia Murphy), John Hemphill (Larry Murphy), Noah Kieserman (Connor Murphy), Alessandro Costantini (Jared Kleinman), Samantha Williams (Alana Beck)

NOTES: Matthew Edward Kemp’s debut as Evan! Excellent HD capture of the second year cast of the National Tour and first known video of Samantha on tour. A perfect capture of the final performance in Dallas with minimal washout, obstructions, and no noticeable dropouts. There are only a few instances where the camera doesn't focus completely but the show is filmed just as a well as any fan would want it to be. Jessica cuts off one of Matthew's lines and Claire almost misses an entrance, but overall it was just a perfect performance with a perfect audience. It’s filmed in 16:9 from the far right mezzanine, with a mix of wides, mediums, and close-ups. The sound is excellent. Includes curtain call.

Dear Evan Hansen - West End - November, 2019 (Preview) (queenofthedead's master)

FORMAT:  M2TS (HD)

CAST: 

Marcus Harman (alt Evan Hansen)

, Rebecca McKinnis (Heidi Hansen), Lucy Anderson (Zoe Murphy), Lauren Ward (Cynthia Murphy), Rupert Young (Larry Murphy), Doug Colling (Connor Murphy), Jack Loxton (Jared Kleinman), Nicole Raquel Dennis (Alana Beck)

NOTES: Shot from very high up which gave my camera a hard time focusing on faces in bright scenes which is shown. Action on the far left side of the stage (to us) gets missed. The bar sometimes obstructs but not massively. Would recommend it for checking out the cast more than for if you want to see the projections. Marcus’ 4th show as Evan.

[mononyann]

a while back people requested that i share some of my headcanons for certain bnha characters, so here's some of the characters that i did

Shota Aizawa

- he absolutely has at LEAST 3 cats, he spoils the heck out of them too. that's why he's always eating those gel packs... he spends too much on his cats.

- he really does love his class. and we all know honey??? u haven't expelled any of them. ur soft for them ok.

- he likes to sleep with his cats bc he gets lonely at night... he will not admit it, but he likes having someone/something there :)

- he has reuccuring nightmares about the usj attack and how he could have failed to save his students

- has a very low alcohol tolerance and often ends up getting dragged back to his apartment by mic or midnight when they go out whilst he rambles and whines the entire time

- he hates crying and tries his best to keep his emotions held in, he's only cried in front of a select few people

- he tries not to let others opinions on him rule his life and tends to block it out if someone hates him

- he doesn't know it, but he is the entirety of class 1-a's dad.

- he really likes tea, and dislikes sweets

- as you would expect, he takes his coffee black

Hanta Sero

- he really likes kpop! he stans multiple groups and really wants to attend a concert

- though he seems really chill on the outside, he's actually quite sensitive and has some self confidence issues

- he loves being around people and finds that he gets his energy from being around those he loves

- definitely into e-boy fashion, and he is open about it

- pierced his own ears at 3 am and called kaminari crying about how he screwed it up

- he actually likes to draw a lot in his free time, it's very relaxing. he puts on some nice low-fi music and draws for hours

- he hasn't had many crushes in his life and doesn't find romance to be a big issue currently, but he's open to anything

- accidentally taped his hamster to the ceiling in 2nd grade, he didn't mean to and cried for hours (the hamster was ok)

Nemuri Kayama

- she is a BRO, she likes to crack a cold one open with the boys on the weekends

- she is bisexual and thinks everyone is beautiful in their own unique ways

- most likely talks shit about her coworkers to her classes

- she thinks children are adorable and loves them, often scaring them with her enthusiasm

- very touchy, she loves hugs and will probably not pass up a chance to use you as an armrest if she has the chance

- she secretly worries about aizawa a lot and is scared that he lets the past effect him too much

- did you guys know she has a cat?!

- i like to think she and mic are like... EPIC bros, she loves to paint his nails and do his hair while gossiping with him (aizawa would NEVER let her do this to him lmao)

- she isn't a mom, but finds the idea of having her own children very nice, for now having a cat will suffice

- she enjoys trying to make all might flustered, she thinks his reactions to things are always very cute and funny (it's all in good fun!)

- she's the mom friend! though she may seem very sexual, which she undoubtedly is, she is also very caring and has a very nuturing motherly personality, she's a lot more than just fanservice !!!!!

Todoroki Shoto

- completely oblivious when it comes to love... he doesn't even understand his own crushes

- "of course you can borrow my credit card uraraka" *pulls out endeavors card which he sneakily took*

- would be the person to tell a child that their pet guinea pig didn't go to heaven and be confused when they start sobbing... like "what... don't be honest?"

- allows his friends to huddle up to his warm side when they are cold

- is confused when people show him copious amounts of love and affection

- he would beat up anyone if they tried to do ANYTHING bad to midoriya

- he wants more friends. he really is enjoying meeting new people and having some new friends at ua!

- he gives really good hugs, he doesn't try to hug you too tight, but he doesn't half ass it either, very nice and warm

- he hates his scar. like. a lot. he wants to cover it up so bad but it just doesn't work. he's afraid it'll make other people scared of him.

Shinsou Hitoshi

- loves patd! and fall out boy, a brendon urie STAN

- loves to kiss his kitties on the forehead but dreads human interaction

- he loves to squish his cats' toebeans... he takes pictures of them and posts them to his secret cat social media acc

- he is gay but doesn't know how to feel about it and/or come out, he's really nervous and doesn't trust people to accept him

- he doesn't smile often but when he does it's the cutest thing ever

- he secretly really likes deku and kaminari and is hesitant about accepting their friendship, but appreciates the gestures a lot

- he suffers with social anxiety and doesn't really know how to make friends very well??? like, in middle school people were total dickbags to him so he kinda just closed himself off and decided he was gonna like... not make friends, but now that there's nice people around him he just kind of- doesn't know how

- this is actually canon! but he feels guilty about having to manipulate people when he uses his quirk, during the 4th school briefs book he feels guilty when he overhears midoriya and ojiro talking about him using his quirk during the sports festival, and he's like "i wish ojiro would say something rude about me to show he's angry so i wouldn't have to feel so guilty about this" since ojiro showed no ill feelings towards him

Izuku Midoriya

- "hold on I'll go get a blanket!" *opens closet* *thousands of all might figurines tumble out*

- watches cat vine compilations until 2 am, than freaks out when he realizes it is 2 am

- very good with children!

- used to be very self conscious about his freckles bc of bakugou insulting them; hid them with concealer for a while until someone told him they were beautiful

- loves his momma so muchhh he would do anything for her, he likes to surprise her with small favors to see her happy

- does not understand the concept of letting people handle their own problems

- stays after to class to offer his teachers help

- he has a lot of self doubts and is still struggling to this day to come to terms with the fact that he is worthy of having one for all

- he wants to learn how to cook for his mom and friends

Kyoka Jirou

- she is a lesbian!!!!! she has a crush on momo but is completely convinced that it's unrequited

- struggled with judgmental kids in middle school because of her sexual identity and style

- gets very easily flustered by anyone complimenting her

- that one person sitting at the back of the bus with their earbuds blasting full volume

- was a GOD at guitar hero

- acts like she's fed up with kaminari's (which she can be sometimes), but truly he's one of the people she can trust the most. she secretly appreciates the way he hypes up her talents and how he really helps her through the day sometimes!

- she loves heroes so much... when she was a little girl and didn't know what to do she'd ask herself "what would my favorite heroes do!?"

- she also secretly buys hero merch but hides it in fear of her being seen as sappy

Amajiki Tamaki

- would have trouble standing up for himself but if he sees ANYONE messing with mirio he WILL throw hands

- likes to watch bob ross videos when hes feeling anxious

- he once went to a butterfly museum with his parents and cried out of joy when one landed on his nose

- leaves food out for strays in his neighborhood, ends up attracting an entire hoard of animals.

- he can paint very nicely, he began to paint after he discovered bob ross

- mirio then saw his paintings and showed the entire class to tamaki's dismay, but everyone absolutely LOVED them!!!

- every day he becomes more and more capable and sure of himself, he is still very anxious, but he's learning to open up and embrace his talents <3

- he really loves to listen to music and any time he's not around others he'll probably have earbuds in, gently swaying back and forth to whatever he has on

- nejire loves to try out new hairstyles on him, and strangely enough, tamaki lets her, he loves it when people play with his hair

Shirakumo Oboro

- shares one collective braincell with mic

- that one person that brings EVERYONE valentine treats on valentines day at school

- most likely plays ding dong ditch

- *draws stick figure* "ah yes. just like van goh" (he cannot draw)

- hates to see his friends (and even random strangers upset) and will go out of his way to do dumb things to make them smile

- probably played soccer

- he's a massive flirt and likes to believe he will become a stereotypical anime protagonist with a massive harem

- he really wants to see aizawa come out of his shell more and tries his best to encourage him to see the best in everything

- he has most likely worn a schoolgirl uniform to class once

- he's very affectionate and loves to hug his friends (even if they don't want hugs), it's his way of showing he likes people

Hizashi Yamada

- he lives off of caffeine. he is a teacher, pro hero, and radio show host, im honestly not sure how he does it

- gives out stickers when students get the correct answer in class and has class parties when they are well behaved for the semester

- just like everyone else, he has his own turmoil as well, he likes to stay busy because it prevents him from having a lot of time to dwell on the past

- he gives really good hugs, and loves to feel the touch of others, it's very comforting to him

- was probably pretty troublesome when he was very young while he learned to get control of his quirk

- overall a really happy and excitable guy, he loves being the center of attention and if he can make people happy by being what he is, that's awesome!

- he shows his appreciation for people in odd ways, but he always means good, even if his wild antics can be a bit stressful lol

- he likes to sing a lot and does it a bunch when he's alone, he can also play a lot of instruments

- he can be very serious if needed, he does often put on a persona when he's present mic

- when he's hizashi (out of hero persona) he's even more of a dork than usual, very goofy, awkward and pouty. a manchild.

OK so I reached my image limit, if u guys wanna see the rest I might post some more later PLUS feel free to request some in my asks, I don't really know how all that stuff works bc I'm kinda new to Tumblr but ILL FIGURE IT OUT

[kumkaniudaku]

Media Darling

I’ve been gone a while. I’m sorry. Thanks for asking questions and sticking with me. I hope you enjoy this late tale of the Oscar’s Red Carpet. 

"Girls, I think we've done it. We've created a star." Deidra, CoCo's handpicked stylist, stepped back to join the rest of her glam squad and smiled. "You ready to see the finished product?" 

"Oh my God, I'm so nervous. Give me a second to breathe." 

Truthfully, there was no amount of breathing exercises or affirmations that could adequately douse the flame of anxiety building in Tasha's chest. She's been on plenty of red carpets, but none with the same prestige as the Oscars red carpet. She also had never been the plus one of arguably the biggest star expect to attend the award show. In roughly an hour, she would go from unknown businesswoman to most-searched person in internet forum history if she had a lash out of place. The thought was overwhelming. 

Several seconds passed until Tasha finally worked up the nerve to turn and face the floor-length mirror in front of her. She twisted and turned to examine her reflection, taking note of every sparkle on her dress and coil in her mane. 

"Am I giving Diana Ross glam or Tracee Ellis Ross doppelganger," she asked without looking away from the mirror. 

"Is either considered a bad thing?" 

A chorus of different answers sounded from the team as they all shared their opinions on the matter. 

"I see a bit of 80s influence with modern touches. The high neck and shoulder pads are just enough not to be out of my mother's closet and, paired with the cutouts in the midsection, bring a bit of class to the look." 

"And your hair! It's giving Whitney shape with Diana volume." 

"Now wait a minute, we talking 80s Whitney or mid-2000s Whitney? 'Cause you know there's a difference." 

"Shut up, Shay!" 

Tasha listened to her squad playfully argue in the background while she continued to go through her mental checklist. She had all of the makings for a great night and a few pictures if she got swept into the hype of the moment. Smiling at herself in approval, she turned to face her team. 

"This is really happening. Am I ready to be a thread on Twitter?" 

"Hopefully, they mention how good your ass looks in that dress. Who knew Miss CoCo was draggin' a wagon?" 

"I know, right! I'm learning how to twerk again. Look!" 

While Tasha turned around to demonstrate her new abilities, an unexpected visitor snuck into the room to observe the spectacle. 

"Ooop, I think we have a spectator." 

"And he is highly intrigued." 

"Wha-" A glance over her shoulder brought Tasha eye to eye with the reason she was in this predicament. "This isn't what it looks like." 

"That's too bad. I was enjoying the show." 

As the room cleared to allow the couple some privacy, Chadwick took a few long steps to close the gap between and his partner. He took her hand in his to spin her in a circle for a complete view of her ensemble. 

"Wow. I mean...woah. You look amazing." 

"Yeah? You sure it's not too much? I don't wanna have you blasted on social media." 

"If anyone can find something wrong with you tonight, I'll give them one million dollars. You're perfect." 

Chadwick smiled with his entire face, his eyes shining with sincerity. He didn't look away as he nodded toward an empty chair in the room for Tasha to take a seat. In all the time spent nervously considering every single detail that she hadn't noticed that she had yet to slip into her shoes. Once seated, she watched her man with thoughtful consideration as he took his time carefully fastening the straps of her heels. 

"Be honest with me. What should I do out there? How should I act?"

Chadwick sat in hyper-focused silence until he completed his task. When he was satisfied with his work, he looked up at her to offer a small smile. "All of this bullshit is fake." 

Tasha's mouth dropped hung open at the blunt nature of his statement before they both threw their heads back in laughter. "Well, then," she spoke as she attempted to catch her breath. "Tell me how you really feel." 

"I say it like that because I love you, and I don't want you getting caught up in this...circus." Reaching up, Chadwick gently used his hand to cup CoCo's chin. "It's a long carpet we walk on, people take pictures and ask questions, then we go and have a seat. Nothing more, nothing less. Be your beautiful self, Nippy." 

Tasha's adoration manifested into a tiny 'aww' as she leaned in to press her lips to his nose and mouth. "Thanks, babe. One last thing, though."

"Yes?" 

"Am I giving you 80s Whitney or 2000s Whitney? Shay says there's a difference." 

------------------------

The glitz and glamour of red carpet life that Tasha had imagined quickly became a cramped logistical nightmare. Her hand felt like it would break under the pressure of Chadwick's tight grip as he led her through crowds of media members and guests. At every corner, a new flash emerging from the group temporarily robbed Tasha of her vision. Every step of the way alternated between fears about her appearance and keeping up with her partner's long strides. 

When their walking finally slowed, she found herself in front of a long row of cameramen and women practically screaming for her attention. 

"Over here! Smile!" 

"Can we get a smile over here!?" 

"Chadwick, is this your new girlfriend?" 

CoCo's brain had begun to turn every word into white noise as she stood for the onslaught of pictures until she heard the last question above the rest. In a knee jerk reaction, she turned to the photographer and made a face. 

"Girlfriend? I don't know this man. I'm here for Lupita." 

In jest, she lightly pushed Chadwick away to pose for solo pictures. Her exaggerated movements drew attention from everyone in the area, taking some of the focus from more recognizable entertainers beside her. 

From the corner of her eye, Tasha caught the image of Chadwick's eyebrows knitted as he struggled to find an angle that would capture her entire body. When he found the perfect position, knees bent and leaning slightly backward; his eyes flickered up to catch a glimpse of her smiling back at him. Though the moment was brief to them, cameras in every direction captured their loving gazes. 

By the time they were away from the step and repeat and nearing the crowd of journalists, low rumbles of the mystery woman with the big hair were preceding their arrival. 

Stepping onto the E! podium, Tasha felt a surge of pride as she stood back and watched her man navigate yet another interview. 

"It's a big night for you and the Black Panther cast. What's it like being on this carpet with everyone knowing that next year, you could be walking away with some major hardware?" 

"Ah, man, it's amazing. The energy here is great and it feels good to see meaningful work be recognized. I think I can speak for all of us when I say we hope we can be recognized when it's our turn." 

While Chadwick answered questions and dished out Wakandan salutes for what felt like the 100th time, Tasha busied herself with scrolling through various social media applications. Her absent-minded scroll on the Instagram explore page came to an abrupt halt when she spotted an admittedly flattering photo of her backside. 

Before she could take a peek at the photo's caption, her ears picked up on what sounded like a repeated request for her attention. 

"I'm sorry, what was that? I was too busy telling my mama that I'm famous for washing the dishes when I visit now."

"Oh yeah? What'd she say," Michael Strahan inquired, his eyes twinkling with his signature smile spread across his face. 

"Mmmm, I don't know if I can say that on national television." 

"I guess it's a good thing we've gone to commercial then."

As the group shared a laugh, Chadwick used the distraction to pull Tasha's body closer to his. They shared a quick glance that said more than words ever could before attempting to tune into the conversation. Quick pleasantries and a request to enter the theater cut Michael's questioning short and sent the pair into the frenzy of bodies flooding to their seats. 

For hours, Tasha sat in unbearable boredom. She knew that a room stuffed with Hollywood's elite drooling over asinine accomplishments wouldn't be the time of her life, but she expected to enjoy a performance or two at the very least. Instead, she spent most of her time whispering comments to Chadwick and praying someone would walk by with a champagne flute so that she could drink her way out of her misery. 

At some point between the 50th commercial break and someone she didn't recognize giving a long-winded speech onstage, Tasha took to her phone for some form of happiness. Bright red notification icons lit up the screen across several apps leading CoCo to believe that someone had died or Beyonce had dropped an album. Scrambling, she chose to open Twitter for answers to the mayhem. 

To her surprise, her face was the first image at the top of the newsfeed. 

"Oh shit." 

Her quiet mumbling caught Chadwick's attention, and he leaned over to get a better look at what had grabbed her attention. As she frantically scrolled through the app, the screen became littered with images of her face with various expressions and commentary. 

"You know, I caught that look while I was up there, but I didn't wanna believe you would be actin' up like that in public." 

CoCo paused to shoot her partner a look before her eyes darted back to the screen. "It's okay, girl, we all look at him like this. That look when you know about to tear ya man up when he's done talking. Get you somebody that looks at Chadwick Boseman the way his girlfriend does." 

"Oh, I like this one," Chadwick laughed as he pointed to a tweet that caught his attention. "If she don't look at me like this, I don't want it. That's good advice." At Tasha's expense, Chadwick fell into a fit of hushed laughter until he noticed that he was alone in his amusement. "Oh, c'mon, it's not that bad. Laugh a little!" 

"I'd like to see you laugh when your debut to social media is people meme' ing your lusty lip bite. What am I supposed to do?" 

Leaning in, Chadwick placed a quick kiss on CoCo's cheek and smiled, "Enjoy the show. You'll be fine." 

If the anxiety of knowing the whole world had witnessed her inappropriate behavior in real-time, the array of notifications continuing to build across her phone had nearly induced full-blown panic. Responses ranging from requests to follow her accounts to an article on the '10 Most Important Things to Know About Chadwick Boseman's Oscars Date' kept Tasha on edge until the lights in the theater lit up the room to signal the end of the event. 

Her assumption that her usually predictable man would attempt to dart out of the crowd as soon as possible could not have been further from the truth. Instead, CoCo's pleas to exit the building and ditch the afterparty were, leaving her to awkwardly stand and grin behind Chadwick as she tried to decide who was silently judging her during each interaction. 

"You're Tasha, right?" 

Initially, Tasha was relatively content with playing the background but, the voice calling her name was far too familiar to ignore. 

"I'm sorry. Wait. Did Regina the King just call my name?" 

"Only if you're Tasha," she laughed. "Heard a lot about you in the last few minutes." 

"Hopefully, about how you can kinda see a six-pack forming in this dress and nothing about weird faces on social media." 

"Ya know, I think it was a little of both." The awkward nature of the moment seemed to fade away by the second, only leaving room for shared laughter amongst the trio. 

"Damn, I fucked up. I'm sorry, baby," CoCo apologized through laughter. 

"Oh girl, you have done everything but fucked up. You're a damn meme. You got white people doing E! features on your Red Carpet look." 

Tasha's mouth opened to speak, but no words came out while she watched Regina be escorted away with her eyes wide as saucers. As Chadwick wrapped up a side conversation, he noticed the look on his girlfriend's face. 

"Are you-" 

"Is it hot in here to you? I can't breathe." 

"Co. Focus on me. What's the matter?" 

"I need fresh air. We have to go!" 

Together, they made a beeline for the nearest exit in search of their vehicle for the night. While feeling the cool breeze of the Los Angeles night air began the process of soothing her frazzled nerves, the loud chatter and flashes of light that greeted them as they rounded a corner sent Tasha back into a small spiral. 

"Is it true that you two are secretly married?" 

"Are you pregnant?" 

"Tell us about the fight between you and his ex!" 

The ridiculous nature of the questions climbed in frequency and intensity as the pair used long strides to reach their destination. 

When Chadwick swung open the door for CoCo to enter the backseat, a reporter shouted over the crowd, "How does it feel to be on every major best-dressed list tonight? Designers are begging to style you." 

"Say what?" With one leg already in the car, Tasha turned her body toward the crowd. "Who wants to style me?"

"Christian Siriano posted pieces he thinks you would look great in on his Instagram. Rihanna wants you in Fenty." 

Chadwick could sense her shift in energy and allowed a smile to creep across his face, one that Tasha caught from the corner of her eye before mirroring the expression. 

Tasha took a quick second to toss her clutch into the waiting SUV before taking a step forward and smiling. 

"Well," she started, fluffing her hair and smoothing the front of her dress. "I guess we better give them some full-body shots to work with." 

------------

@k-michaelis

@wakandanmoonchild

@idilly

@texasbama

@afraiddreamingandloving

@inxan-ity

@onyour-right

@sisterwifeudaku

@killmongerdispussy

@90sinspiredgirl

@willowtree77785901

@maynardqueen101

@heyauntieeee

@halfrican-heat

@purple-apricots

@lalapalooza718

@blue-ishx

@profilia

@ljstraightnochaser

@girl-wtf-lmao

@royallyprincesslilly

@melaninmarvel

@thiccdaddy-mbaku

@lavitabella87

@purplehairgawdess

@unholyxcumbucket

@airis-paris14

@uhlxis

@oshasimone

@maliadestiny

@drsunshine97

@zxddy-panther

@queentearra

@skysynclair19

@retro-melanin

@mermaidchansons

@misspooh

@melanisticroyalty

@babygirlofwakanda

@wakanda-4evr

@sarahboseman

@karensraisns

@wakandankings

@ororowrites

@awkwardlyabstract

@mixedmelanin

@brownsugarcocoabutterwildflowers

@cosmicmelaninflower

@justanotherloveaffair

@oceanscorazon

@jaeee-http

@iliketowrite1996

@blackpantherismyish

@soldierandawar

@msincognito67

@reignsxjackson

@yaachtynoboat711

@syreanne

@minim236

@yoyolovesbucky

@maddiestundentwritergaines

@bribrisback

[scribblewriting65]

Top 5 YouTube Channels

Intro

Communication is a powerful and ever-changing force; especially with the rise of the Internet in recent decades. And no online service knows this better than YouTube. Hosting thousands of channels and millions of videos, no website has sucked away our free time quite like Big Red.

Today I would like to acknowledge 5 of the platform’s strongest creators, in my eyes. Whether it be for their intelligent content or the sheer fun they bring, to me, these guys are some of the best of the best; and proudly hold some of my greatest respect.

Quick disclaimers: This is my first writing like this, and as you know, opinions can change over time; so please lower your pitchforks and know that there are plenty of channels I love. Also, when writing this, I don’t have a particular order in mind (Except for #1). Whether you find your favorite on the bottom, top, or nowhere at all, know that these guys deserve a watch (if my digital mouth has any impact on your choices, that is).

Enough talk though. Onward, to appreciation!

#5: JT Music

Art is mankind’s most unique unifier, and no art brings people together quite like music. Whether it be country, funk, or rap in this pick’s case, you can look just about anywhere for a good time.  And while rock star NateWantstoBattle is a close second in this regard, no musician really does it for me quite like JT.

While most would look at the genre “Video Game Rap” with an upturned nose, those that stick around won’t find anything quite like what Skull and Pat bring to the table. Their weekly tunes always bring a fire to my subscription feed, whether they’re putting me into the role of a badass superhero, or dragging me into the darkest abyss, I can just about always have a good time nodding my head to the beat.

Not only is their work consistently fun, but it’s also wide in diversity, and constant in quality. Hits like Follow Father, No Hero, and Hungry for Another One capture their source material perfectly within a musical context. Even their cameo appearances in tracks like DAGames’ We Want Out and Zack Boucher’s Ultimate Super Smash Bros. Rap steal the show with their wild energy. I always find myself smiling when I find their newest song; getting a small amount of enjoyment even in my less liked tracks.

Consistent fun and passion can be felt in the notes, and I can’t help but rock my skull out when JT Music starts playing.

#4: GameXplain

Games offer a wide variety no matter where you look. No matter if you’re looking for a deep insight into 30 second clips, latest updates on a title, or general thoughts on an event, you can always find something, or someone, explaining the perspective for you.

I’m a funny guy, aren’t I?

GameXplain has certainly explored over the years. From Cool Bits and Missing In Action in the past, to their famous modern Analyses and Discussions, Andre and friends have always hosted an approachable place with a variety of outlooks from its diverse crew, like Andre’s obsession with Stunt Race FX and Ash’s knowledge and love of Mega Man.

Even if you aren’t super into any of their interests, you’ll still find a laid-back but insightful pool of content. Their discussions are a personal favorite of mine, bringing fun, thoughtful ideas to events or ideas occurring in the gaming industry. I can’t help but get caught up in their hype, especially for Nintendo Directs or the annual E3 Show.

Even if I don’t quite understand the excitement that something is receiving, I can always go to these guys for a solid explanation and platform to join the hype train.

#3: Mithzan

It seems that no matter where you go, Minecraft can be found there. Games, books, plushies, animations, even an entire convention; those familiar blocks pervade some space of modern culture. While this space has hosted some incredible creations, simplicity also has its own beauty.

Mithzan uses this simplicity to great effect. With his buddies Ross, Pooki, Jerry and frequent guests, Max is always there to give me a laugh. And while Minecraft holds a variety of fun games like Would You Rather and Never Have I Ever, Mithzan also offers experiences outside of the blocks, like Uno and Dead by Daylight.

Along with the wide content, the experiences and humor are also varied, sometimes employing puns or old-fashioned smack talk, to name a few. Even with the different conversations and games, the fun and heart are always there. Whether he’s playing a wacky or horrifying game, Mithzan is approachable and honest with his style of play.

#2: Mother’s Basement

Appearances can be deceiving, no matter where you look. Assumed bullies are victims themselves, ‘loner’ people are simply introverted, and the most stubborn ones find themselves lost in an unexpected niche. All it takes is a little looking around, and you’ll find a new lesson or friend more often than not.

And what better place to look for insight than in a Mother’s Basement?

While not all people can see the artistry that anime brings to the table, Mother’s Basement brings its potential to the limelight. With weekly insights and discussions on things like how animation enhances an atmosphere or what makes a fight extraordinary in Animelee, the ideas and thought put into these discussions is top-notch.

Along with this, Geoff (the host)’s voice is great support, staying calm but strong, adding great emphasis on major points. He even provides touches of comedy and actual life advice into his videos. I find myself especially entertained with his analyses on My Hero Academia and Fullmetal Alchemist, but Geoff also covers topics like best romantic partners and essential shows to watch (and avoid), and pointing out his reasons why. Even if anime isn’t your style, there are some videos dotted in discussing topics like the nuances of binge-watching in “Is Binge Watching Bad for Us? (Netflix vs. Disney+)” and other media like movies (“Spider-Verse: The Ultimate Spider-Man Movie”) and video games (“Insomniac’s Spider-Man is Truly Superior”).

While it took some time to grow on me, I’m glad to have been welcomed into Mother’s Basement. With plenty of insight and care put into each video, Geoff is just about always a good choice for fun education on how artistic Japanese animation can be.

#1:Fawful’s Minion

The world is full of stories; they’re simply part of human nature. Whether it be fantasy, drama, or comedy, all of us have the potential to weave tales that inspire. And none have inspired me on YouTube quite like Fawful’s Minion.

This mean bean gaming machine has the mouth of a divine artist. His videos always bring a bright smile and incredible awe to me for just how much quality and care goes into each video. Fawful’s Top 10’s have never let me down with their fun, reasons, and pure passion that is tangible in every project.

Not only are the videos fun, but they’re also inspiring too. Fawful’s linguistics is beyond captivating, even partially motivating how I speak and write. Along with constantly being a good time, I’m always inspired to write or gain a storytelling voice whenever I watch an FM video.

And the touches of insight into his personal life give Fawful an air of relatability. Now, I realize I may make him sound like some sort of Shakespearian poet, but he also dispels this through his more colorful language, bringing in modern terms (and curses) and joyful, nearly maniacal at times, laughter and emotion into his speech, making himself grounded and relatable.

Most of all, Fawful’s storytelling skills were, and still are, a big reason why I write and tell my own stories. I want to enrapture others with my words like Fawful does, so he gets a big thanks and respect in my book. Balancing fun, humor, emotion, and creativity, Fawful’s Minion has made a goon out of me, running towards the goal of becoming a true storyteller.

Outro

If you made it here, thanks for sticking around! I wanna maybe try these sorts of blog/list posts more often, so tell me what you think! If you like this and want to see more, feel free to check out my AO3 Page: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScribbleWriting65. I hope you enjoyed this little list, and I’ll see you next time!

[davereview]

BLACK PANTHER NOT THAT GOOD

Black panther the movie was overrated and over hyped movie due to the fact the movie is mainly comprised of great black actors and actresses. But they all didn’t mix well together; the acting is ok but nothing to write home about. I am not saying that the movie is terrible; Black Panther is still a good and enjoyable movie, but you shouldn’t go into this movie expecting too much. It’s just a typical Marvel movie, good once but on multiple watchings you start to see the cracks (its like most Marvel movies). I’ll start with the good things of the movie. The movie has many highlights like the setting of Wakanda. Wakanda is a beautiful city within the movie. It is colorful, and feels lived in. Another good part of the movie is the character Kill Monger. Kill Monger is the antagonist of the movie. His character is interesting and well thought out, his motivations are also interesting. He wants to give Wakanda's technology to all the people who are oppressed. I was unclear of whether Kill Monger was giving weapons to all people being oppressed or just to black people in America. These are some of the good things of the movie, but there is also a lot of bad things of the movie. Black Panther the movie is not perfect (no movie or anything is perfect). One of the bad parts of the movie was the character Everett K. Ross. Everett K. Ross was an uninteresting and unnecessary character for the movie; he didn’t add anything to the movie’s story. Everett K. Ross was only there to tell us about Wakanda, but we already knew about Wakanda at the time. He was also there to connect civil war and Black Panther, but they could have done that by talking about Black Panther’s father. Another pointless character was black panthers pointless love interest. She so pointless I ever forgot her name. She was also had done nothing to add to the story, in all the scenes she was in she was just boring. She was added in to the movie to give T’Challa a reason to fight for Wakanda, but he already had a reason to fight for Wakanda. Like his mom, sister, and for his father’s honor, and also plot convenience. Another boring character was please don't shoot me Black Panther. Despite being the main character black panther felt super dull in the movie more so than he was in Civil War. What I mean by that is he was boring. His performance felt like he was be held back. In the movie Civil War T’Challa had a great arc of revenge, but in the movie Black Panther all that was lost until the very end of the movie when he is talking to his father. But the rest of the movie was was just him walking and talking about nothing with random people. On a different note Black Panther the movie had some bad special effects in the last act especially. Like when T’Challa is fighting Kill Monger it looks like a bad video game cutscene. The fight had some weird camera angles and inorganic character movement. For a different movie in the early 2000’s it would not pass for good, especially for a marvel movie, Which is known for great special effects (have you seen infinity war). In conclusion if Black Panther wasn’t so over hype it would be a better movie. Although the movie was over hyped it was still an enjoyable movie. 6/10 this is all my opinion please don't shoot me.