aemke

[aemke]

Barring the actor having other commitments, they'd be crazy not to. Not only is Trent a darling character in and of himself, but he makes everyone else he interacts with better. For example, I had very little interest in either Eleanor or Paxton, but their scenes with Trent eventually endeared me to them (at least a bit).

I really do hope Ben Norris gets series regular status next season. He deserves it for carrying the weight of the ‘comedy’ aspect of the show on his obviously-aching back.

[aemke]

I think Austen is so important because she brings human drama to the forefront. The background of the political upheaval of Europe and the Napoleonic wars are all there, but she focuses on the drawing rooms, the dance halls, and the village squares, where the human drama is unfolding. As this was the domain of women at the time, it was groundbreaking to use their (our) lives as fodder for literature. I love an epic war drama as much as the next person, but it is wonderful to have women and intimate family life take the forefront of a novel.

jane austen is the only author/creator/writer, male or female, who consistently creates/created well-written, fleshed-out, compelling, and flawed female characters. same applies to female friendships and familial relationships. that’s a huge reason that i love her so much and want to emulate her as an author. no one else can compare and no one else even manages to create ladies that come close to how real these women are.

[aemke]

Frank Churchill would be a great fit for sure! Possibly, Henry Crawford from Mansfield Park too? I could see him be charming, a little snarky, and walking that line of hero and villain perfectly!

Okay SO Tilney is still my dream Austen role for Jaren (in part because Northanger Abbey has 0 good adaptations and I want it). Who could you see playing Catherine?

I struggle to see him as Knightley for age-related reasons (no shade to Knightley, I know the character is a product of Austen's time).

BUT you know what would be super fun? Jaren as an Austen villain character. Willoughby, preferably, or maybe Wickham if they wanted to re-attempt P&P despite Colin Firth already having killed it. I know Jaren wants some villain roles, and this would be such an interesting way to foray into that arena.

BTW so glad to see another Austen fan! What are your favourites of hers? My favourites are Emma and P&P, but I literally love all of them including Sanditon/Lady Susan/Juvenalia.

Old lady that I am, Persuasion has become my favorite Austen of late (1995 version is tops, 2007 decent, 2022 unwatchable). Not the best written, but Anne Eliot is very dear to my heart. Emma is, I think, Austen’s technically best work and always a delight (love the Romola Garai and Johnny Lee Miller best, very much enjoy the Gwyneth Paltrow movie despite not really liking Gwyneth Paltrow much). P&P made me an Austen Super fan (added by Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth’s perfect Lizzie and Darcy). And no matter how old and jaded I get, I think a part of me will always be Catherine Morland, losing all sense and dignity to romanticism. And who isn’t in love with Henry Tilney? (I aspire to be Eleanor Tilney, I love Henry Tilney, and I am Catherine …even sometimes Isabella!)

On the subject of Northanger Abbey, I could see Jaren crushing John Thorpe (Though I enjoyed William Beck in the 2007 version, I never really found him appealing…it would be cool to see a John Thorpe who actually had some oomph to him). And let’s be honest, he’d be amazing as any character, especially those who aren’t pretty boys who appeal on their looks alone (not to disparage Jaren, who is very handsome).

Finally, who could play Catherine to his Tilney? I’m not as up on young actresses as I could be to answer this question. It’s odd, because there don’t seem to be many roles for naive, idealistic, female characters anymore. In some ways this is a victory (it beats a time when these were the only roles women had) but in another sense it is kind of a shame (idealism and naivety are still very real experiences of young women). Did you have any possible actress in mind?

Final thought…have you seen ‘Fire Island’ by any chance? I really loved it as a P&P remake. Much like Clueless, it sometimes greatly benefits a remake to bring the content into a modern setting and I think Booster nailed it. Your friendly rec for the day, if you haven’t seen it yet! (Though heads up there is some adult content in it, if you’re sensitive to that kind of thing…)

[aemke]

Okay SO Tilney is still my dream Austen role for Jaren (in part because Northanger Abbey has 0 good adaptations and I want it). Who could you see playing Catherine?

I struggle to see him as Knightley for age-related reasons (no shade to Knightley, I know the character is a product of Austen's time).

BUT you know what would be super fun? Jaren as an Austen villain character. Willoughby, preferably, or maybe Wickham if they wanted to re-attempt P&P despite Colin Firth already having killed it. I know Jaren wants some villain roles, and this would be such an interesting way to foray into that arena.

BTW so glad to see another Austen fan! What are your favourites of hers? My favourites are Emma and P&P, but I literally love all of them including Sanditon/Lady Susan/Juvenalia.

Old lady that I am, Persuasion has become my favorite Austen of late (1995 version is tops, 2007 decent, 2022 unwatchable). Not the best written, but Anne Eliot is very dear to my heart. Emma is, I think, Austen's technically best work and always a delight (love the Romola Garai and Johnny Lee Miller best, very much enjoy the Gwyneth Paltrow movie despite not really liking Gwyneth Paltrow much). P&P made me an Austen Super fan (added by Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth's perfect Lizzie and Darcy). And no matter how old and jaded I get, I think a part of me will always be Catherine Morland, losing all sense and dignity to romanticism. And who isn't in love with Henry Tilney? (I aspire to be Eleanor Tilney, I love Henry Tilney, and I am Catherine ...even sometimes Isabella!)

On the subject of Northanger Abbey, I could see Jaren crushing John Thorpe (Though I enjoyed William Beck in the 2007 version, I never really found him appealing...it would be cool to see a John Thorpe who actually had some oomph to him). And let's be honest, he'd be amazing as any character, especially those who aren't pretty boys who appeal on their looks alone (not to disparage Jaren, who is very handsome).

Finally, who could play Catherine to his Tilney? I'm not as up on young actresses as I could be to answer this question. It's odd, because there don't seem to be many roles for naive, idealistic, female characters anymore. In some ways this is a victory (it beats a time when these were the only roles women had) but in another sense it is kind of a shame (idealism and naivety are still very real experiences of young women). Did you have any possible actress in mind?

Final thought...have you seen 'Fire Island' by any chance? I really loved it as a P&P remake. Much like Clueless, it sometimes greatly benefits a remake to bring the content into a modern setting and I think Booster nailed it. Your friendly rec for the day, if you haven't seen it yet! (Though heads up there is some adult content in it, if you're sensitive to that kind of thing...)

[aemke]

Tagged by @benjamingross (Hi!)

Three ships:

Chandler and Monica (Friends) Leslie and Ben (Parks and Rec) Veronica and Logan (Veronica Mars)

First ship:

Harry and Ginny (Harry Potter)

Last movie:

The Apartment (I can't stop watching it; I have a problem!)

Last song:

Calm down, Rema with Selena Gomez

Currently reading:

Cain's Jawbone by Torquemada (aka Edward Mathers) (If you can call it reading; really more of a puzzle)

Currently watching:

The Cleaner, BBC One

Currently consuming:

Water

Currently craving:

Coffee (trying not to drink a zillion cups a day)

This was way more embarrassing to fill out than I thought it would be!

[aemke]

But God, do I love his stupid goofy face.

Jack Lemmon: /breathes/

Me: 💖😍 you’re doing amazing sweetie 🥰💖🌸

[aemke]

Oscar Levant, born on December 27, 1906 #botd

[aemke]

I've watched this movie 10 times in the last 2 days. That's healthy, right?

The Apartment (1960) is the best Christmas Movie and nothing will ever change my mind on that

[aemke]

Favorite: The Splendid and the Vile by Erik Larson, Least Favorite: Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood

alright. favorite book u read in 2022 AND…if ur feeling spicy…LEAST favorite book u read in 2022. let’s go.

[aemke]

Happy Hanukkah, Tumblr! As an atheist who was raised Catholic, raising Jewish kids, I wish you lots of light into whatever darkness you're struggling with.

[aemke]

reblog this if you’re jewish or your blog is a safe space for jewish people

in light of recent events as well as a new rise in creating nazi ocs I think this post is an important one to have on your blog if you stand behind your jewish followers or are jewish yourself.

[aemke]

Pop culture reduces It's a Wonderful Life to that last half hour, and thinks the whole thing is about this guy traveling to an alternate universe where he doesn't exist and a little girl saying, "Every time a bell rings, an angel gets its wings." A hokey, sugary fantasy. A light and fluffy story fit for Hallmark movies.

But this reading completely glosses over the fact that George Bailey is actively suicidal. He's not just standing there moping about, "My friends don't like me," like some characters do in shows that try to adapt this conceit to other settings. George's life has been destroyed. He's bankrupt and facing prison. The lifetime of struggle we've been watching for the last two hours has accomplished nothing but this crushing defeat, and he honestly believes that the best thing he can do is kill himself because he's worth more dead than alive. He would have thrown himself from a bridge had an actual angel from heaven not intervened at the last possible moment.

That's dark. The banker villain that pop culture reduces to a cartoon purposely drove a man to the brink of suicide, which only a miracle pulled him back from. And then George Bailey goes even deeper into despair. He not only believes that his future's not worth living, but that his past wasn't worth living. He thinks that every suffering he endured, every piece of good that he tried to do was not only pointless, but actively harmful, and he and the world would be better off if he had never existed at all.

This is the context that leads to the famed alternate universe of a million pastiches, and it's absolutely vital to understanding the world that George finds. It's there to specifically show him that his despondent views about his effect on the universe are wrong. His bum ear kept him from serving his country in the war--but the act that gave him that injury was what allowed his brother to grow up to become a war hero. His fight against Potter's domination of the town felt like useless tiny battles in a war that could never be won--but it turns out that even the act of fighting was enough to save the town from falling into hopeless slavery. He thought that if it weren't for him, his wife would have married Sam Wainwright and had a life of ease and luxury as a millionaire's wife, instead of suffering a painful life of penny-pinching with him. Finding out that she'd have been a spinster isn't, "Ha ha, she'd have been pathetic without you." It's showing him that she never loved Wainwright enough to marry him, and that George's existence didn't stop her from having a happier life, but saved her from having a sadder one. Everywhere he turns, he finds out that his existence wasn't a mistake, that his struggles and sufferings did accomplish something, that his painful existence wasn't a tragedy but a gift to the people around him.

Only when he realizes this does he get to come back home in wild joy over the gift of his existence. The scenes of hope and joy and love only exist because of the two hours of struggle and despair that came before. Even Zuzu's saccharine line about bells and angel wings exists, not as a sugary proverb, but as a climax to Clarence's story--showing that even George's despair had good effect, and that his newfound thankfulness for life causes not only earthly, but heavenly joy.

If this movie has light and hope, it's not because it exists in some fantasy world where everything is sunshine and rainbows, but because it fights tooth and nail to scrape every bit of hope it can from our all too dark and painful world. The light here exists, not because it ignores the dark, but because the dark makes light more precious and meaningful. The light exists in defiance of the dark, the hope in defiance of despair, and there is nothing saccharine about that. It's just about as realistic as it gets.

[aemke]

I gotta ask, do you ship Ben/Devi? Lol (Also, hello! Hope you're having a good day. Totally understand if you prefer to answer privately btw. I think you're so cool)

This is a tricky one.

I am a Benvi-shipper in so much as I do love the scenes where they interact and have romantic moments. I do think that when Devi isn't self-sabotaging and spiraling in her narcissistic grief, their relationship can be healthy and positive. (I'm a hopeless friends to lovers fan). I think they're different enough in their core characters but share a lot of interests and respect. Dates playing trivia? Yes please!

The problem is that we haven't seen Devi not spiraling much. I can forgive her her manic insecurities (I personally have the insecurities, but not the impulsivity) but until she's healthy its hard to see her as a good thing for our Ben. He's had plenty of experience with narcissistic love (Vivian) to be paired with anyone who is using their personal relationships as a way to validate themselves.

We'll see what season 4 brings. I'd love to see Devi choose Ben (the whole cast of characters should be in love with Ben, imho), but I'd like to see her be ready for that relationship too.

I'm fairly confident this is the show's intention, but I hope they can sell me on it . I'm a little concerned about the introduction of this new character (possible love interest?). I, for one, have no interest and really think we need a full 10 episodes to make Devi being ready for Ben make sense.

Excited (nervous) to see what the final season brings us!

(Thank you to @benjamingross for the question and for the insight into Ben and inspiration for future fic!)

[aemke]

And being vulnerable, which is something they're both reluctant to be with anyone but he always is with her.

"You followed him and you left me behind!!" Is easily my favourite season 2 scene overall. There's just something about Ben standing up for himself for a few seconds that is really, really important to me.

[aemke]

Greatest movie of all time, but not a Halloween film. Solidly a New Year's movie.

DAILYFLICKS 20K EVENT: FAVORITE FALL/HALLOWEEN FILM PER MEMBER  ↳ WHEN HARRY MET SALLY (1989) — Giulia (@brittas-perry)

I came here tonight because when you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible.

[aemke]

Everything I ever wanted.

I've been talking about writing another Ben + Trent fic (hyped for that, and it'll be canon compliant this time!). Thought I'd take this opportunity to shamelessly plug an old fic I wrote after season 2.

Ben and Trent solve a murder mystery in this one!

[aemke]

I love the idea of Ben and Trent creating art! I also think they could find some common ground with wine appreciation, Adele, and a love of the Clippers. Really at this point, I may be more invested in Trent ditching Paxton for Ben than Devi...

Hard to believe this, but I haven’t written a friendship fic about Ben and Trent since their hug in season 3. I’m hoping to do that sometime soon (after Halloween since the Halloween fic is currently the priority). Drop prompts in the comments or my ask box if you have any, I’ll select one if there are any I like (and I don’t randomly think of something else). @rainparadefromhell @aemke @seriesofunfortunaterelationships  @corduevasmila​