#begin again 2013

[guillermosfamiliar]

Is it too deep of a niche cut to write a Begin Again (2013) x Firstprince AU fanfic? Like. Would anyone be interested in that?

[grilledcheesevore]

First time posting a film review on the blog. Hope you'll watch this film eventually and enjoy it as much as I did!!

[doctoralpha]

Keira knightley - Coming Up Roses(Lyrics and Scene) Begin Again

[bengiyo]

Theory of Love Romcom Rewatch Episode 10: Begin Again (2013)

Once again I am watching Theory of Love because @lurkingshan gets specific pleasure out of making me change my mind about this show. This week we’re continuing with Begin Again (2013), an American music and dramatic comedy that Third clearly misunderstood again.. As usual, I had not actually seen this one before, but this might be my favorite film from the project. @lurkingshan wrote about Third’s struggle to accept that Khai is actually serious about him now.

Begin Again (2013)

Begin Again (2013) tells the story of Gretta (Keira Knightley), a British songwriter who plans to leave New York after her boyfriend, Dave (Adam Levine), has cheated on her in his rise to music stardom. Before she can leave, her friend Steve (James Corden) has her sing at an open mic, and she’s discovered by Dan (Mark Ruffalo), a music executive that hasn’t had success in years, and is battling issues with alcohol. Together, the two set about creating an album together around New York, and find ways to work through some of their struggles together.

This was a genuinely excellent film about music. I really loved the way that the music improved over the course of the film. It fully captured the feeling of finding something promising that others might not have seen, and then building something together with bored musicians. More importantly, CeeLo paid the black musicians! 

Beyond that, I really loved the way the film challenged our preconceptions about characters in a way that felt really gentle. Dan’s issues with alcohol stem from a compelling breaking point, and Gretta’s relationship with Dave’s music is more complicated than I originally thought at the beginning. Most importantly, this film reaches a conclusion that I think feels right for the characters, in what might be the greatest catharsis I’ve received from this project. Clearly, Mark Ruffalo is the winner of this project (he was also in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)).

Theory of Love Episode 10

In this episode, Khai and Third finally have the big talk about everything that’s happened, and Khai begins to properly date Third. Third, who’s burned a flame for Khai for so long with little hope that he might reciprocate. Unfortunately, Khai has hurt Third in so many ways over the last five or six episodes that Third can’t really believe any of it, and Bone and Two have to step in to tell Third to get a grip. Third and Khai finally kiss in a much-improved showing for Off, and Third once again misunderstands a film of the episode, since the leads of Begin Again actually even get together! 

Unfortunately for Khai, he’s still up against his own reputation. An actress auditions for their production with a Klear song that I am certain I’ve heard before (I have a follow-up post I hope to write about it), and she’s clearly into Khai. Khai, to his credit, recognizes what’s going on and is trying to keep things professional. However, we all know that this is going to blow up because Third’s feeling so uncertain about things. Still, it was nice to revisit this early dating part of their actual romance and see that Khai is actually into Third and making out with him regularly.

Meanwhile, the Bone and Two storylines continue to disappoint and annoy me. I don’t care about Paan’s fiance cheating on her, and I am over the bland chemistry between Earth and White in this story. As I said before, this pair feels like it exists just to make the audience jettison any feelings they might have for Earth and Gun as a pair. 

[clowningcrows]

not sure if i’m projecting or crazy or stupid or just actually incredibly good at characterization but will graham is extremely ethel cain coded 2 me

this man would drunkenly listen to strangers on repeat on his bathroom floor and bawl his eyes out while murmuring along to, “i tried to be good, am i no good? am i no good? am i no good?” while thinking about abigail and alana and beverly and and and….

[mori-no-majou]

HER!!!!!

[drjohnweston]

I have zero recollection of listening to any episodes of Welcome to Night Vale this year.

Which I feel is a very WTNV thing to happen.

[magnusmodig]

||. it is once again adoring thor, my beloved, tragic, pure hearted, fierce, emotional, elemental alien king hours my god he's wonderful and oh-so tragic and he deserves the world

[solitaryandwandering]

Hiya! This is a new pinned post - I noticed recently that some commentary posts I've made on shows have disappeared into the ether, so this is the place where I will save any past and future posts about things I watch or read! I mostly make commentary from the perspective of my life as a queer, disabled person.

Watch-alongs:

La Pluie - episode 1 (kinda); episode 2; episode 3; episode 4; episode 5; episode 6; episode 7; episode 8; episode 9; episode 10; episode 11; episode 12

Hidamari ga Kikoeru (I Hear the Sunspot) - episodes 1-4; episode 5; episode 6; episode 7; episode 8; episode 9; episode 10; episode 11; episode 12

Tumblr Watch Parties:

Love in the Big City (rambles) - episodes 1-2; episodes 3-4; episodes 5-6; episodes 7-8

Theory of Love (RomCom Roundup) - Dear Dakanda; Love Actually; Friends with Benefits; Crazy, Stupid, Love.; 10 Things I Hate About You; Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind; Flipped; The Proposal; The Last Moment; Begin Again; He's Just Not That Into You; My Girl; Stand By Me

Other:

My Dear Gangster Oppa - Wahl & unhealthy relationships

The On1y One - The On1y One Went Off the Rails and I’m Mad About It

Doku Koi: Doku mo Sugireba Koi to Naru (Love is a Poison) - Doku Koi: WATCH IT.

You can also check out my MDL or Letterboxd for more of my rambles on television and film! I'm on Goodreads, too.

[the-penguinspy]

me, when the bad guys are coming after ciri: it's the Them it's THEM oh god from the game what are they called. they. the

the

stormguard

[heyyitsarwen]

Begin Again | 2013

You're only as strong as your next move.

[heritageposts]

What does life in North Korea look like outside of Pyongyang? 🇰🇵

Hey, I'm back again with a very scary "tankie" post that asks you to think of North Koreans as people, and to consider their country not as a cartoonish dystopia, but as a nation that, like any other place on earth, has culture, traditions, and history.

Below is a collection of pictures from various cities and places in North Korea, along with a brief dive into some of the historical events that informs life in the so-called "hermit kingdom."

Warning: very long post

Kaesong, the historic city

Beginning this post with Kaesong, one of the oldest cities in Korea. It's also one of the few major cities in the DPRK (i.e. "North Korea") that was not completely destroyed during the Korean war.

Every single city you'll see from this point on were victims of intense aerial bombardments from the U.S. and its allies, and had to be either partially or completely rebuilt after the war.

From 1951 to 1953, during what has now become known as the "forgotten war" in the West, the U.S. dropped 635,000 tons of bombs over Korea — most of it in the North, and on civilian population centers. An additional 32,000 tons of napalm was also deployed, engulfing whole cities in fire and inflicting people with horrific burns:

For such a simple thing to make, napalm had horrific human consequences. A bit of liquid fire, a sort of jellied gasoline, napalm clung to human skin on contact and melted off the flesh. Witnesses to napalm's impact described eyelids so burned they could not be shut and flesh that looked like "swollen, raw meat." - PBS

Ever wondered why North Koreans seem to hate the U.S so much? Well...

Keep in mind that only a few years prior to this, the U.S. had, as the first and only country in the world, used the atomic bomb as a weapon of war. Consider, too, the proximity between Japan and Korea — both geographically and as an "Other" in the Western imagination.

As the war dragged on, and it became clear the U.S. and its allies would not "win" in any conventional sense, the fear that the U.S. would resort to nuclear weapons again loomed large, adding another frightening dimension to the war that can probably go a long way in explaining the DPRK's later obsession with acquiring their own nuclear bomb.

But even without the use of nuclear weapons, the indiscriminate attack on civilians, particularly from U.S. saturation bombings, was still horrific:

"The number of Korean dead, injured or missing by war’s end approached three million, ten percent of the overall population. The majority of those killed were in the North, which had half of the population of the South; although the DPRK does not have official figures, possibly twelve to fifteen percent of the population was killed in the war, a figure close to or surpassing the proportion of Soviet citizens killed in World War II" - Charles K. Armstrong

On top of the loss of life, there's also the material damage. By the end of the war, the U.S. Air Force had, by its own estimations, destroyed somewhere around 85% of all buildings in the DPRK, leaving most cities in complete ruin. There are even stories of U.S. bombers dropping their loads into the ocean because they couldn't find any visible targets to bomb.

What you'll see below of Kaesong, then, provides both a rare glimpse of what life in North Korea looked like before the war, and a reminder of what was destroyed.

Kaesong's main street, pictured below.

Due the stifling sanctions imposed on the DPRK—which has, in various forms and intensities, been in effect since the 1950s—car ownership is still low throughout the country, with most people getting around either by walking or biking, or by bus or train for longer distances.

Kaesong, which is regarded as an educational center, is also notable for its many Koryŏ-era monuments. A group of twelve such sites were granted UNESCO world heritage status in 2013.

Included is the Hyonjongnung Royal Tomb, a 14th-century mausoleum located just outside the city of Kaesong.

One of the statues guarding the tomb.

Before moving on the other cities, I also wanted to showcase one more of the DPRK's historical sites: Pohyonsa, a thousand-year-old Buddhist temple complex located in the Myohyang Mountains.

Like many of DPRK's historic sites, the temple complex suffered extensive damage during the Korean war, with the U.S. led bombings destroying over half of its 24 pre-war buildings.

The complex has since been restored and is in use today both as a residence for Buddhist monks, and as a historic site open to visitors.

Hamhung, the second largest city in the DPRK.

A coastal city located in the South Hamgyŏng Province. It has long served as a major industrial hub in the DPRK, and has one of the largest and busiest ports in the country.

Hamhung, like most of the coastal cities in the DPRK, was hit particularly hard during the war. Through relentless aerial bombardments, the US and its allies destroyed somewhere around 80-90% percent of all buildings, roads, and other infrastructure in the city.

Now, more than seventy years later, unexploded bombs, mortars and pieces of live ammunition are still being unearthed by the thousands in the area. As recently as 2016, one of North Korea's bomb squads—there's one in every province, faced with the same cleanup task—retrieved 370 unexploded mortar rounds... from an elementary school playground.

Experts in the DPRK estimate it will probably take over a hundred years to clean up all the unexploded ordnance—and that's just in and around Hamhung.

Hamhung's fertilizer plant, the biggest in North Korea.

When the war broke out, Hamhung was home to the largest nitrogen fertilizer plant in Asia. Since its product could be used in the creation of explosives, the existence of the plant is considered to have made Hamhung a target for U.S. aggression (though it's worth repeating that the U.S. carried out saturation bombings of most population centers in the country, irrespective of any so-called 'military value').

The plant was immediately rebuilt after the war, and—beyond its practical use—serves now as a monument of resistance to U.S. imperialism, and as a functional and symbolic site of self-reliance.

Chongjin, the third largest city in the DPRK.

Another coastal city and industrial hub. It underwent a massive development prior to the Korean war, housing around 300,000 people by the time the war broke out.

By 1953, the U.S. had destroyed most of Chongjin's industry, bombed its harbors, and killed one third of the population.

Wonsan, a rebuilt seaside city.

The city of Wonsan is a vital link between the DPRK's east and west coasts, and acts today as both a popular holiday destination for North Koreans, and as a central location for the country's growing tourism industry.

Considered a strategically important location during the war, Wonsan is notable for having endured one of the longest naval blockades in modern history, lasting a total of 861 days.

By the end of the war, the U.S. estimated that they had destroyed around 80% of the city.

Masikryong Ski Resort, located close to Wonsan. It opened to the public in 2014 and is the first, I believe, that was built with foreign tourists in mind.

Sariwon, another rebuilt city

One of the worst hit cities during the Korean War, with an estimated destruction level of 95%.

I've written about its Wikipedia page here before, which used to mockingly describe its 'folk customs street'—a project built to preserve old Korean traditions and customs—as an "inaccurate romanticized recreation of an ancient Korean street."

No mention, of course, of the destruction caused by the US-led aerial bombings, or any historical context at all that could possibly even hint at why the preservation of old traditions might be particularly important for the city.

Life outside of the towns and cities

In the rural parts of the DPRK, life primarily revolves around agriculture. As the sanctions they're under make it difficult to acquire fuel, farming in the DPRK relies heavily on manual labour, which again, to avoid food shortages, requires that a large portion of the labour force resides in the countryside.

Unlike what many may think, the reliance on manual labour in farming is a relatively "new" development. Up until the crisis of the 1990s, the DPRK was a highly industrialized nation, with a modernized agricultural system and a high urbanization rate. But, as the access to cheap fuel from the USSR and China disappeared, and the sanctions placed upon them by Western nations heavily restricted their ability to import fuel from other sources, having a fuel-dependent agricultural industry became a recipe for disaster, and required an immediate and brutal restructuring.

For a more detailed breakdown of what lead to the crisis in the 90s, and how it reshaped the DPRKs approach to agriculture, check out this article by Zhun Xu.

Some typical newly built rural housing, surrounded by farmland.

Tumblr only allows 20 pictures per post, but if you want to see more pictures of life outside Pyongyang, check out this imgur album.

[ducktracy]

"Go See The Day the Earth Blew Up" Masterpost

this isn't really anything new for anyone following me, but i wanted to make a comprehensive post covering my adamence on seeing this movie--i have a lot of different versions of a lot of different posts being spread around, and wanted to uncross the wires a bit. entering Tumblr PSA mode for a bit like it's 2013 all over again--bear with me!

before getting into the nitty gritty, though, this is a TIME SENSITIVE POST. most theaters were beginning to pull the film out as early as end of day TODAY--not even a full WEEK'S worth of a run. but, thanks to word of mouth, the film has mostly been extended to the end of the weekend. with continued word of mouth and support, the film has a chance to run even longer.

What the Heck is The Day the Earth Blew Up

The Day the Earth Blew Up is an all traditionally hand-drawn, 2D animated film starring Looney Tunes' own Porky Pig, Daffy Duck and Petunia Pig. initially announced in September of 2021, it's the very first all traditionally animated film in the franchise's entire 95 year run.

Why Haven't I Heard About The Day the Earth Blew Up

originally intended to be a direct to streaming release, this film's existence has been wrung through the wringer. for the benefit of tax cuts, Warner Bros. wrote the film off and just barely avoided axing it entirely--even during its production. the film was put up for sale and only just last summer finally was able to procure an independent distributor, Ketchup Entertainment. unfortunately, Ketchup Entertainment is a much smaller name than Warner Bros. is, and because WB isn't releasing it, it's Ketchup who is marketing and spreading the film--obviously, something incredibly difficult to do with a very small budget.

Why the Heck Should I See The Day the Earth Blew Up

hand-drawn, traditionally animated films are all but extinct in theaters, and by setting the film up for what could essentially be described as sabotage, a meager box office performance is the perfect excuse for the suits to claim that there's no more demand for traditionally animated movies anymore.

it's the first all-animated Looney Tunes film in the entire franchise's history.

you don't have to have any knowledge or attachment to the characters to enjoy the film--there are absolutely no prerequisites required (but there are plenty of loving nods to fellow fans of the film.) i dragged my best friend to see this with me who doesn't have the same LT brain parasite that i do and she absolutely loved it.

WB just axed the entire LT library of shorts off of HBO Max, as well as gutted all of the cartoons freely available on their YouTube channel--there seems to be a clear embarrassment for the franchise on their behalf, and seeing the film proves that notion dead wrong.

supporting the film spreads the message that there is a demand for the love and craft that goes into these films. you will genuinely be experiencing history in the making--when's the last time you've seen a brand new, all traditionally animated film in the theaters from the States?

crew members themselves are urging you to spread your support and mention how it empowers them to keep making more

the money goes to Ketchup, not Zaslav--you don't have to worry about boycotting the film. the absolute opposite is necessary.

supporting this film could potentially spawn similar films with similar opportunities. Eric Bauza himself has mentioned that suport and turnout for this film could see a potential revival in Coyote vs. ACME, another film victim to WB's tax writeoffs all in the name of the dollar

EDIT: Ketchup Entertainment is in talks with WB to distribute Coyote vs ACME!!! because of the word of mouth and positivist surrounding The Day the Earth Blew Up!! keep it coming!!

it's likely that the film will be completely overshadowed by the Snow White remake, with theaters initially beginning to pull screens to make way for early previews. what could be more poetic than supporting an all traditionally hand-drawn film over a cash-grab remake of the very first feature length traditionally hand-drawn film?

How Else Can I Support The Day the Earth Blew Up

GO SEE IT! go see it again! go see it with your siblings, your friends, your family! tell your coworkers! reblog this post! spread the news! keep the conversation going!

pre-orders for the Blu-ray, releasing May 27th, are already scheduled

there's a limited edition run of 1,000 copies for the film's soundtrack on vinyl!

said soundtrack is also available on YouTube, which you should likewise listen to! get those view counts up!

Why the Heck Should I Listen to You

i'm asking myself the same thing! but, i do want to put this out there: i get it. i usually do not like being a walking advertisement. i know this is full on shill-mode and you're surely asking "you're being paid, aren't you" (i wish!). i also share the Ferocious Contrarian Gene where seeing posts like these is an instant way for me to NOT want to see the film. i genuinely understand how pushy and obnoxious this can come off. especially since, clearly, i'm a little biased to the franchise and these characters. i also balk at the guilt trippy idea of "YOU'RE A MONSTER IF YOU DON'T SUPPORT THIS FILM YOU KILLED ANIMATION". i HATE that rhetoric with a passion, and that only is going to alienate people from wanting to see this further. please know that's not the intent of my messaging here at all.

but even beyond my personal biases, i really think this is a film worth supporting. movies like this are a once-in-a-lifetime event anymore, and that could only be exacerbated by how this film's fate is handled. i've been overjoyed with the amount of messages i've received from people who said they caught the film on a whim and enjoyed it--especially from those without a clear LT bias like myself. it's proven that this film is enjoyable for anyone.

also, just, spite. the reason you haven't heard about it is by design. this film has been set up to fail. and while the success shouldn't be the sole responsibility or burden of the consumers, but instead the higher-ups, you are making a difference by supporting and spreading word of mouth of this film. crew members themselves are saying so. the distributor themselves are saying so.

i'm not expecting a miracle for this film, as much as i'd love one. i will genuinely be surprised if it makes a profit (which it should at a measly $15 million, pennies compared to most features that look much worse than this). but that's all the more reason to TRY rather than give up and say there's nothing we can do. you all have been making such a wonderful difference. that energy needs to continue, not dwindle. every single person is able to make a difference.

there are a lot worse ways you could be spending your time than spending an hour and a half at the theaters enjoying some gorgeous traditionally hand-drawn animation on the big-screen, feeling good that you're helping to spread a message and supporting the hard, loving craft of the people who worked on it. imagine if all "good turn"s in the world could be as fun and easy as seeing an animated comedy!

[lorereadsclassics7]

So we watched "The Last Voyage of Demeter" (2023)

Not gonna lie, we've been looking forward to this one for months now ever since we first saw the trailer. Now as for whether it held out or not...

Plot Accuracy: 7, now honestly it almost was a solid 8 because they actually put some Demeter quotes from the book logs, as well as used correct character names and death order. However, the addition of 2-3 new characters (doctor, mystery lady, and the kid) threw us off a bit ngl. I would have still put it at a solid 8 up until the halfway point despite it though if not for the last 40ish minutes or so. The whole point of the Demeter was that is was a tragedy. These people never had a chance to make it out alive and the start of the movie even comments on that by saying there were no survivors. Whoever directed this movie clearly disagreed with that narrative because guess how the movie ends. But I did love how it captured the horror of the experience and did mostly follow the plot because that part was honestly well done.

Movie plot: 6, sadly. The aforementioned end of the movie is mostly to blame for that. Like I said it does follow book plot quite well overall and it is a well made supernatural boat mystery/horror. I honestly love the cgi, music, and atmosphere. I've seen people say they're put off by the way Dracula looks, and while I do agree to an extend I do love how much it reminds you of Nosferatu (1922) design for Drac. Having him look so gargoyle-like was honestly p neat, even if keeping that design after he came to Britain was... a choice. Very Van Helsing (2004) as Kal would say. Honestly we were very much vibing w the movie up until around the halfway point.

Look the actors gave their best but the movie just fell... flat. I don't know whether it was the dialogue or the very caricature-like characters or even the three added characters but I honestly had a hard time getting myself to care for them. Kal says it's because of the false hope they try to give you with 'maybe they'll live' despite knowing how it ends, but I say it's a bit more than that. Also the 'lone survivor seeking revenge' ending just begging for a sequel? Look, I could forgive the lady lasting that long before turning because of the blood transfusion, we see the same thing happening in the original with Lucy; but I can't explain the sheer disappointment we experienced seeing the doctor survive to the end.

Like if I went into this movie not knowing anything about Dracula I would have made a few jokes about it being cliche and put it under 'cool looking but unmemorable movie'; but as a Dracula fan? Do expect some frustration with it if you wanted it to be a true adaptation.

I'm treating it the same way I do Dracula (2020). Cherrypicking which parts of it I consider canon and ignoring everything else. Just get rid of the new characters and the movie is honestly p neat. Not as good as I expected but we definitively saw worse things that I can tell you.

[mcflymemes]

PROMPTS FROM THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE *  assorted dialogue from the 2013 film, adjust as necessary

if you die, and i live, i'd have nothing. nobody else that i care about.

it's different for you. your family needs you.

you have to live. for them.

nobody needs me.

i do. i need you.

how does that sound?

what if we set your backyard on fire?

he can't hurt me. there's no one left that i love.

remember who the real enemy is.

we got married... in secret.

we want our love to be eternal.

we've been luckier than most.

i just wanted to say that i didn't know [name]. i only spoke to him once.

he could have killed me, but instead he showed me mercy.

that's a debt i'll never be able to repay.

she wasn't just my ally. she was my friend.

i couldn't save her. i'm sorry.

you guys look amazing.

so what do you think, now that the whole world wants to sleep with you?

i wasn't talking to you.

will you unzip?

thanks. let's do it again sometime.

the way the whole "friend" thing works is you have to tell each other the deep stuff.

what's your favorite color?

now you've stepped over the line.

see, this is why no one lets you make the plans.

you have been our mission from the beginning.

the plan was always to get you out.

people are looking to you, [name].

you've given them an opportunity. they just have to be brave enough to take it.

we have seen a lot of tears here tonight.

you are angry. tell me why.

i'm getting totally screwed over here.

now you wanna kill me again.

nobody decent ever wins the games.

nobody ever wins the games. period. there are survivors. there's no winners.

love is weird.

i would love to borrow that outfit someday.

you look pretty terrifying in that get-up.

i outgrew them.

any secrets worth my time?

unfortunately, i think that's true.

i'm sorry you had to cancel your wedding.

i'm really not in the mood for a lecture.

you don't have to apologize to anybody, including me.

i hardly know anything about you except that you're stubborn and good with a bow.

there's more than that. you just don't want to tell me.

make him pay for it.

any last advice?

stay alive.

she's committed, i'll give her that.

you saved my life. you gave me a chance.

fear does not work as long as there is hope.

you were dead. your heart stopped.

how rude of them.

eyes bright, chins up, smiles on.

we're a team, aren't we?

i am truly sorry.

you both deserved so much better.

i don't want to be with anyone else in there. just you.

that's what i want.

no waving and smiling this time.

i want you to look straight ahead as if the audience and this whole event are beneath you.

that should be easy.

be careful. it's a force field up there.

i think these games are gonna be different.

i guess we're not holding hands anymore.

i don't care about any of them.

i'm here to drink.

you know and i know there's only one person walking out of here, and it's gonna be one of us.

i get to say goodbye.

they will kill us.

whatever game you think you're playing, those out there are not playing it with you.

i don't want you to get hurt.

so how do you like the party?

you could live a hundred lifetimes and never deserve that boy.

you don't want to shoot her.

how about i shoot both of you?

get them out of here.