#A new theme and icon for this gal -^-

[mayamidnightmelody]

Art of Bill Medcalf

William Edward (Bill) Medcalf (1920 - 2005)

Bill Medcalf was totally ahead of his time with his pin-up art! 😍 Like, imagine these super cute paintings from back in the day that are still iconic AF today! He was all about capturing these bombshell babes in their element, rockin' those retro vibes like nobody else. His style was on point, blending realism with a touch of fantasy, making you wish you could step into those scenes! 🎨

Each painting by Medcalf is like a glimpse into this fantasy world where everything's glamorous and sassy. His babes are always so confident and playful, showing off those killer curves and making you go, "Wow!" He had this knack for detail, every brushstroke making these gals look alive and full of personality. 🌟

One thing you can't miss about Medcalf's work is how he nailed those vintage vibes. Think about it: those retro hairstyles, the fashion that's now back in trend, and those smoldering expressions that say, "I know I'm hot." It's like stepping into a time machine where beauty standards were all about class and sass! 💃

His drawing style? Flawless. The way he could capture the human form, especially the female figure, was legendary. Smooth lines, delicate shading, and colors that pop like they're straight out of a modern fashion mag. It's like he painted these pin-ups to be timeless, always keeping them fresh and relevant. 🖌️

And let's not forget the themes he explored! From beach babes soaking up the sun to sultry sirens lounging in luxurious settings, Medcalf covered it all. He knew how to make art that speaks to your soul and your sense of style, no matter what decade you're in. 😎

Even today, Medcalf's paintings are poppin' on social media and inspiring new artists. People are still vibing with his style because it's not just about the beauty, it's about the attitude. His work is like a mood board for confidence and self-expression, reminding us to own our uniqueness and flaunt it! 🌈

So yeah, Bill Medcalf wasn't just an artist. He was a vibe curator, a trendsetter of his time, and a total legend in the pin-up scene. His legacy lives on through every cheeky smile and every perfectly painted eyelash. Cheers to keeping art spicy and iconic! 🎉

[fandom-trash-xl]

Mini AU: Universe 6 Spiderverse AU

((To celebrate Across the Spiderverse releasing on Blu-Ray- and me patiently awaiting my copy in the mail- I've decided to finally pop out the notes for a mini Dragon Ball/Spiderverse cross AU that I've been jotting down over time between projects since I saw it in the theater!))

SETTING/WORLD-BUILDING

Also known as Dimension DBU6 in multiverse codes. The AU is set in a more New York-esque, in true Spiderverse fashion, Planet Sadala in an equivalent Manhattan, "Sadalhattan" if you will. While the planet's population is not 100% Saiyan, a few species immigrating there, the Saiyans are still the original inhabitants and dominant demographic. Numbers wise, the population comes closer to a highly populous state versus a full-scale Earth's worth.

Ki is either non-existent or a rare and discreet skill, so there's less focus on it. The Sadalan Defense Force becomes more traditional soldier combat focused similarly to the real world rather than a pure ki-CQC combination. They recruit similarly to the army/marines at about 18.

Bonus note: Dimension DBU6 has an equivalent Dimension DBU7 in which Goku receives the radioactive spider bite, taking on the Spider-Man name due to not yet knowing his heritage.

CHARACTERS:

THE HERO Cabba aka Spider-Saiyan

"My name is Cabba. I was bitten by a radioactive spider and for the past (x amount of time), I've been Planet Sadala's one and only Spider-Saiyan."

Rather than being the Sadalan Defense Force's prodigy fighter, Cabba lives a more domestic lifestyle as a high school student, planning to enlist in the SSDF post-graduation or at least pursue criminal justice- at least until the spider event occurs. Cabba is the type to go into hyper-anxiety, so he's desperately trying to disinfect and treat the spider bite, all while Googling his symptoms and being none the wiser on the "radioactive" part.

He's trained in jiujitsu and is very limber and agility-focused. He also has an interest in tactile and textile skills, so his Spidey-Suit is handmade.

Design: Similarly to AtSV's Pavitr Prabhakar, his iconic Saiyan spikes stick out of the top of the spider cowl. While the peaks end up slicked down into a waved side part, his front bang remains distinctive. In terms of the coloration, the suit's color scheme reverses the color distributions in the palette, prioritizing shades of blue over reds, and adds some gold accents, particularly on the spider symbol. There is a red headband pattern along the brow resembling Bardock's bandanna. Additions to the design incorporate elements from the main canon's SSDF uniform, including a reddish x-crossed double belt, the four lavender skirt tails (unintentionally completing the "eight legs" spider theme), and ankle boots in black rather than purple.

THE GAL PALS Caulifla and Kale

Caulifla and Kale serves as this AU's equivalents to Gwen Stacy and Mary Jane Watson respectively. Close to Cabba's age and grade in high school if not in the same year. Since Cauli is the Gwen Stacy equivalent, there is an alternate DBU6B where she receives the spider bite instead of Cabba.

Having this pair in play explores the fun what-if of Gwen and MJ getting together in the end. As a result, this means that Cabba doesn't get either end-game gal and he doesn't have a problem with that- love is love.

It's debatable whether Cauli will suffer the same fate as your average Gwen Stacy- she seems the type to be able to take care of herself.

THE POLICE CAPTAIN Captain Renso

"Sadalhattan"'s resident police chief and Caulifla's older brother and caretaker due to their absentee parents. Unfortunately, if you've been picking up on the Spiderverse patterns, he ends up being Spider-Saiyan's canon event and loses his life.

Caulifla, who is normally apathetic about her brother, starts to become even more hostile and spiteful against the world. She acts particularly distrusting and vengeful towards Spider-Saiyan, putting him to blame and believing it was negligence on his part that got her brother killed.

If she's not gone completely moodily silent, Cauli will rant on and on to Cabba and Kale about her plans to bring Spider-Saiyan to justice- and Cabba just has to nod along.

Spider-Saiyan is bound to encounter typical street thugs, generic evildoers, villains of the week but...

THIS ONE The Lizard

Villains of the week and your standard commonplace criminals come to pass but Cabba's recurring villain by moonlight manifests in the form of a scaly creature known simply as The Lizard. It only appears at night and resembles a draconic reptilian with sharp horns yet is oddly humanoid in build. It's colored in shades of blue, dons a mask over its mouth, and has piercing red eyes that glow in the dark. It communicates in mainly hisses and grumbles and is rarely verbal.

The Lizard always manages to elude capture and vanishes into the night.

Who knows where this creature disappears to once morning breaks? Perhaps there is another side to the beast.

THE CLOSEST COMPANION Frost

In this AU, Frost has a more humanoid appearance, practically a human AU design. He has blue hair and pronouns tied up in a messy bun and green and hazel heterochromatic eyes, though there's reason to suspect they're contacts.

He's not a Saiyan, obviously, but he's from an immigrant species family, somewhat of an Ellis Island type situation, about second or third generation. His family lives in an area of the city similar to Chinatown.

Frost has been described as "cool as cucumbers and gay as sunshine". He's one of Cabba's closest friends and they share a high level of trust. They occasionally have talks after school, usually while Frost is working part time in his family's small-business cafe.

"Do you think if you ever had to keep a secret... about who you are... you'd ever just want to tell someone just to ease a bit of weight from your shoulder?" Cabba's hand tenses on the strap of his bag, lightweight and flowy yet heavy with problems, fingers self conscious about whether the zipper is shut to hide the Spider-Suit he quickly stashed inside.

"An oddly specific hypothetical, my dear Cabba," Frost simply chuckles a bit, yet there's an odd twinge in his throat. "Even so, there is quite the risk in doing so... could you even do it without causing yourself more stress? Putting yourself in more danger?" There's a beat of silence, Frost still smirking but the corner of his lip still twitching. "But I digress, drink that tea you ordered before it gets cold~"

However...

Due to a mysterious experimental contamination, Frost experiences almost werewolf-like transformations into The Lizard by night- though these occurrences seem to worsen as of late, triggering more frequently and at less convenient times, making it harder to track the timing. It's a wonder it hasn't happened earlier in the day- or worst of all, in public or at school. His memory of what he does as The Lizard has grown less and less hazy of late.

Frost hasn't been up for sleepovers in ages, and adverse after effects lead people to believe this kid needs serious amounts of lotion on his hands.

Further down the road, these two discover each other's identities in the least pleasant of circumstances- with events leading to Cabba catching his friend with his face half-shapeshifted...

[gaoshunenjoyer]

cringe is dead baybey!!!

Due to realising that it's 2023 and everyone is cringe, therefore I'm the only thing stopping me from being exactly as feral as I want to be, I will be back on tumblr

TL;DR: ☽ previously denimshortsdean ✿ queer, genderfluid, he/they/she -> pronouns page ♡ destiel 'til i die ♡ ꕤ muscle butches please step on me ❀ mainly Supernatural, but also KNH and genshin. Gaoshun is my wife ✶ terfs get off my fucking lawn ☽ stream Every Rose Has Its Sword on AO3. I wrote it! ❀ everything tagged for my own navigation purposes

✦Icon by @werepires ✦

I will once again be posting about supernatural. Destiel brainrot. Genshin impacted my wallet and also my brain. I do my own kusuriya no hitorigoto translations because i like it that much. Arcane beat me up in a dark alley. The Locked Tomb series made me go lie face up in the ocean to just Consider. FIGHTING ROBOTS FUCK YEAH (Pacific Rim)!!!!!

Acquired a lot of legend of Zelda knowledge while I was away and am still a big fan of animation, art, and obviously jokes. Text posts for days. Probably some misc book things too. multifandom I guess? Is that still a thing people say?

I have a custom blog theme because I'm still living in the 2014 pimp your blog era and i will never leave

I love to use tags as my personal diary heehehe. My own thoughts/posts tagged "it's ya boi rach", "it's ya gal rach", or just "it's ya rach". block all three for full coverage in case you hate me <3 My navigation page is under construction because it's been a million years since I've done HTML coding and tumblr apparently hates custom theme pages now, but if there's anything you want to find then go ahead and search for it! if i may suggest gay little lip thing, silly little faces, the sads, or hee hoo, these are all some personal favourites

If you have questions or just want to be friends then my inbox/chats are always open and new friends are welcomed with open arms 🥹

[coziclouds]

› admin info: hii, my name is honey. i am twenty-six years old and my pronouns are she|her. i tend to be shy at first but once i get past the introduction i can be very fun and bubbly. i have eleven years of role playing experience and i love making new friends.

› activity: i can’t ever come up with a reply schedule because i just reply when i have the motivation to do so. if i ever go longer than a few weeks without replying please reach out to me sometimes i don’t notice that i have missed a reply.

› themes: nsfw content will be seen on my blog along with other themes such as fluff and angst (rarely) with a hint of violence im open to plots about stalking, kidnapping, etc just message me and ask and most likely ill be down.

› formatting: i personally switch between medium gifs, icon banners and icon gifs, i really don’t care or judge if anyone uses them or not. the only thing that matters to me is that we are writing, so go wild with your own lane of creativity.

› writing length: just giving a heads up that i do not write novella and i personally just don’t have the time for it. i am a para to multi-para writer and will write what i think fits the connection.

› shipping: i love, love, love ships okay, so don’t ever hesitate to reach out if you wish to ship with one or more of my muses. nine times out of ten when approached, id totally be down for it. platonic ships are welcomed but on the sense of romance: m/f, m/m.

› banned faceclaims: ana de armas, ariana grande, camila cabello, bella thorne, eiza gonzalez, sofia carson, taylor swift, selena gomez, demi lovato, iu, emma roberts, amber heard, lil nas x, olivia rodrigo, sydney sweeney, summer walker, nicki minaj, cardi b, justin bieber, new jeans, gal gadot, kiss of life, anyone that is under the age of 19 or anyone that doesn’t want to be roleplayed and anyone that has passed away. (more will be added.)

sources used:

★ pinned promo banner: calisources.

★ rules banner: starrcher.

★ divider: dollywons.

[bllsbailey]

Report: Disney Scales Back 'Snow White' Premiere Following Ongoing Film Backlash (DEI gone Crazy?)

Disney has reportedly scaled back its premiere of the new “Snow White” film — which is set to be released on March 21st.

On Tuesday, Variety reported that Disney has decided to scale back its usual over-the-top premiere for “Snow White,” after receiving major backlash due to the film’s casting directors’ choice of actress, actors, and overall plot — which heavily strays from the original story that we all grew up with.

Due to the criticism, the studio has reportedly opted for a much more quiet, laid-back pre-party and screening at the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood, California, on March 15th.

According to reports, Disney has also hand-picked a select few photographers and house crew to cover the event.

Additionally, actresses Rachel Zegler, 23, and Gal Gadot, 39, will not be answering questions from a slew of media outlets, as per usual, only certain selected outlets.

In the film, Zegler plays the character of Snow White and Gadot stars as the Evil Queen.

The movie has received backlash for various reasons, including replacing the fairy tale’s seven dwarfs with “magical creatures” of “all sizes and genders.”

Others have also accused Disney of being too “politically correct” and “woke” in the film — a common theme for Disney.

Another issue that was highlighted in the Marc Webb-directed film was Zegler, a Latina actress, being cast as the lead. In the Brothers Grimm’s fairy tale “Snow White,” which the original film is based on, Snow White is described as having skin “as white as snow, lips as red as blood, and hair as black as ebony” — a description that became iconic and is associated with the character. 

Popular “Game of Thrones” actor Peter Dinklage, who has dwarfism, shared his thoughts on the actress choice.

“Literally no offense to anyone, but I was a little taken aback [when] they were very proud to cast a Latina actress as Snow White, but you’re still telling the story of ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,’” the actor told Marc Maron during a January 2022 interview.

“You’re progressive in one way, but then you’re still making that f–king backward story about seven dwarfs living in a cave together. What the f–k are you doing, man? Have I done nothing to advance the cause from my soapbox? I guess I’m not loud enough.”

The company has responded to the disapproval by explaining that they were taking a “different approach” to “avoid reinforcing stereotypes” from the 1937 film.

Zegler also faced criticism after she spoke out against those who voted for President Donald Trump, and for calling the original animated “Snow White” film “extremely dated.”

“She’s not going to be saved by the prince and she’s not going to be dreaming about true love. She’s dreaming about becoming the leader she knows she can be and the leader that her late father told her that she could be if she was fearless, fair, brave and true,” the “West Side Story” actress told Variety in 2022.

Stay informed! Receive breaking news blasts directly to your inbox for free. Subscribe here. https://www.oann.com/alerts

[angelo-the-whistleblower]

Official Communication - Letter: Elon Musk (@elonmusk) and Shari Ellin Redstone (chairwoman of Paramount Global)

The Art of Movie Reboots: A Case for World Building and Reimagining

Introduction

Many filmmakers, actors, and directors often express skepticism about movie reboots, dismissing them as uninspired or unnecessary. However, I urge you to take a step back and consider the fundamental reasoning behind the rebooting process. Reboots, when executed correctly, are not merely cash grabs or lazy filmmaking—they are opportunities to honor and elevate past works by applying modern storytelling techniques, advanced technology, and bigger budgets.

To truly understand why we reboot films from the 1970s, 80s, and 90s, we must first acknowledge the limitations that filmmakers of those eras faced and recognize how our advancements today provide the means to refine and expand upon their creative visions.

Why Do We Reboot Movies from Past Decades?

Economic and Technological Constraints of the Past

When many iconic films were originally produced, screenwriters and directors often had limited financial resources. Budgets were constrained, special effects were rudimentary, and certain ambitious storytelling elements were simply impossible to execute convincingly.

Despite these limitations, many of these films introduced brilliant concepts that, if given the resources, could have been developed into even greater cinematic experiences.

Advancements in Filmmaking Today

Fast forward 30 to 50 years, and we now have the economic and technological capacity to revisit these films and fully realize their potential.

High-quality CGI, immersive world-building, and refined storytelling techniques allow us to transform these older concepts into modern masterpieces.

In essence, rebooting is a way of paying homage to the creative minds of the past while elevating their work to match today’s cinematic standards.

A Perfect Example: ‘The Net’ (1995) vs. Its Reboot in 2025

Consider the 1995 film The Net, starring Sandra Bullock. The movie revolved around themes of technology, surveillance, and cybersecurity—topics that were forward-thinking at the time but limited by the technological constraints of the 90s.

While the film had an intriguing premise, its execution was restricted by the era’s relatively primitive special effects and knowledge of cyber technology.

If we were to reboot The Net in 2025, we could:

Reimagine the story to include contemporary issues such as artificial intelligence, social media surveillance, and digital identity theft.

Implement cutting-edge cinematography, better special effects, and modern storytelling techniques to make the film more immersive.

Cast an actress like Gal Gadot, who could bring fresh energy and depth to the lead role while benefiting from the advancements in film production that Sandra Bullock did not have access to in 1995.

Expand the film’s scope through world-building, making the story more expansive, interconnected, and relevant to today’s audience.

By doing this, The Net would not simply be a remake—it would be a full-fledged reimagining that honors the original while making it more impactful for a 2025 audience.

The Two Golden Rules of Rebooting: ‘World Building’ and ‘Reimagining’

For any movie reboot to succeed, two essential principles must be followed:

World Building

A successful reboot does not just retell an old story—it expands upon it, creating a richer, more immersive cinematic universe.

This involves deeper character development, interconnected story arcs, and well-defined settings that enhance the film’s impact and allow for future sequels or spin-offs.

Reimagining

The goal of a reboot should not be to simply replicate the original film with updated visuals. Instead, it should reimagine the story by modernizing its themes, introducing fresh subplots, and innovating upon the original concept.

This ensures that both old and new audiences find value in the reboot—fans of the original appreciate the tribute, while new viewers experience a film that feels fresh and relevant.

The Financial and Cultural Benefits of Reboots

Box Office Success: Reboots have the potential to generate billions of dollars if executed properly. By choosing the right films to revisit and applying the principles of world-building and reimagining, studios can tap into nostalgia while attracting a new generation of moviegoers.

Cultural Relevance: Older films, no matter how beloved, may not always resonate with modern audiences due to outdated storytelling techniques or themes. A well-done reboot allows for cultural updating, ensuring the story remains meaningful in today’s world.

Artistic Opportunity: Reboots give writers, directors, and actors the chance to breathe new life into classic works, offering them a platform to explore and innovate rather than merely replicate.

Final Thoughts: Making Reboots ‘Cool’ Again

Hollywood should not shy away from reboots. Instead, studios should embrace them as a legitimate art form, provided they follow the two golden rules:

Rule #1: World Building – Expand and enrich the original story, giving it depth and dimension.

Rule #2: Reimagining – Modernize and innovate upon the original concept to create something new and exciting.

When these principles are applied, reboots will not only be successful but will also be seen as a valuable contribution to cinematic history rather than an uninspired retread of past works.

The rebooting frenzy should be celebrated—not ridiculed—because it represents billions in revenue and an opportunity to bring classic storytelling into the future. Let’s make reboots cool again by honoring the past while embracing the possibilities of today.

Angelo (POW)

P.S.:

Here's a concise synopsis of this letter:

The letter presents a compelling argument in favor of movie reboots, addressing common criticisms while highlighting their artistic and financial potential. It explains that many films from the 70s, 80s, and 90s were constrained by limited budgets and technology, preventing filmmakers from fully realizing their creative visions. With today’s advancements, Hollywood has the opportunity to revisit these films, honoring the original creators while enhancing their stories through improved storytelling, CGI, and world-building.

A key example is The Net (1995), which had a strong concept but was restricted by the era’s technological limitations. A 2025 reboot, featuring modernized themes and superior production, could transform it into a cultural phenomenon.

The letter introduces two essential rules for successful reboots:

World Building – Expanding the story’s universe, developing deeper characters, and creating interconnected narratives.

Reimagining – Updating the original concept with new themes, subplots, and innovations to make it relevant to contemporary audiences.

By following these principles, Hollywood can make reboots a respected art form rather than a source of criticism. The letter concludes by encouraging studios to embrace reboots as a means of generating revenue and revitalizing classic films while ensuring they are executed with creativity and purpose.

[bottled-up]

Em

This is my girl Em. She loves art and fashion, but that's still a W.I.P.

The story of Em is actually pretty short! Back in 2023, I had decided I wanted to try and stream on twitch, but had a hard time getting started with my concepts, themes, and overall what to stream. Upon expressing my interest in streaming, but not wanting to show my face, a friend introduced me to the VTubing community (I KNOW IT'S NOT THE BEST BUT I'VE MET SOME COOL PEOPLE THROUGH IT).

From there, I decided on character streaming/VTubing, which honestly I've all but dropped the whole "lore" and "different personality" thing bc I'm way more fun as myself.

It was suggested to me to make a unique model design aside from Arulia and maybe go with an animal concept. Because of that, it inspired me to make a new character who was me but like way cuter and more art focused. That's where this first concept popped up (I do borrow poses but that's bc I'm pretty shit at posing, but I don't trace, and I pay when possible).

Not my best work, also not a bad design, but also not fun enough for what I was going for.

Originally, I liked the idea of pastels and more earthy tones to accent, but it kindaaaa fellttt horse girlish? Which was not what I was going for. I also liked the idea of making a more curvy kind of gal who is super friendly, emotional looking, and has a nice smile.

With that, I ditched the pastels and went with bolder colours, and redressed her the way I would dress if I was a full time artist.

This one is all kinds of janky, but I still loved this direction better.

From there, I gave her more jewlery, longer hair (kinda unkempt vibe), and iconic heels with kneehigh socks.

Now this one was very rough and rushed inorder to have something out for people to veiw that wasn't Arulia, but I also hated it enough that I don't think I showed it off to everyone... but the concept stuck! (Still 2023 btw).

2/18/2023 I finally have a design I am super happy with and feels right.

Not perfect, but I LOVED this idea of having a character who loves her apperance, but isn't afraid of getting messy.

This was her final design for a while until I decided to give her some new outfits and hairstyles the literal next year (2024).

I was sooo happy with this, the heels, the smile, the paint, the weird hair that looks way to hard to do irl... She was perfect. She was Em ❤️

From here, I was able to very happily make emotes, and Icons of her.

I explored a lot with my linework, shadows and shading, colors, and expressions.

My girl stayed like this until 1/09/2024 when I decided to try out new outfits and hairstyles.

I think I forgot to mention she was my first fully digital art OC. So I had more fun with colors and shading.

Em is still a W.I.P. But I am continuely proud of I make of her. I want to further flesh out her style, and overall vibe to the point where she can be spotted no matter the style. Kinda like Miku!

Anyways, I hope to be able to put out new works of both Em and Arulia before the year's end. We shall see how life works out.

Thanks for reading :))

[zydrateacademy]

Current Activities in Gaming #226

Alternative title: My Christmas sale haul. I'll start with something that wasn't even on sale but still bought it at the same time as the others; Rogue Trader. Pretty much along the same lines as BG3, I don't expect to ever beat RT. There's also a lot of reports that Act 4 and beyond are a buggy breakable mess, which is similar to how BG3's act 3 becomes a lagfest for me because I'm still in the process of saving up for a new CPU/Motherboard so I can run newer games like Starfield. Quick aside about Starfield: The one saving grace of not being able to play it right away... I hear it's a fairly lackluster game. Perhaps by the time I am able to play it at all, the modding tools might be out and help liven it up. I certainly expect to get a ReShade because it LOOKS like dogshit from most screenshots I've seen. I don't want to play in a brown mess.

Back to RT; Much like BG3 I am finding myself doing some alt hopping to see how other class/archetype combinations behave. I also want one of everything; A heretic, a dogmatic, and the "iconoclast", a word I'm not familiar with but mostly means "helpful and supportive".

I have 20 hours played but have only gotten past Act 1 just last night on my "main" file. My main girl is a crime lord soldier, whose main job is being the team's backline sniper. She's very good at it, and when she CAN hit, she's the most likely to crit into very high damages. But she's the least capable of AoE. Her sniper can sometimes hit an enemy directly behind my target but that's it.

Next on the list is Evil Genius 2. Don't know much about it, screenshots and reviews remind me one of those "Dungeons" games I had where I had a bunch of minions build various functional rooms in order to do dastardly deeds. But if Zero Punctuation is anything to go by it sounds like EG2 spends too much time on the room building part and not enough on the dastardly deeds. Not sure if I'll like it but hey it was on sale.

We got Sipho next, which acts like Stage 1 of Spore but more robust. I played a few rounds of it and I'm still not sure I understand how to really build my own creature. Controlling them seems sluggish too, and I wonder if that will be more smooth as I get more parts.

Next up is Death Must Die, a survivor-like that follows the same Diablo-esque mood of Halls of Torment. If you liked Vampire Survivors I recommend both of these. Death Must Die is fun but it currently has a problem where one build is vastly superior to others, based around the "Mayhem" trait, if you can get it, it adds permanent damage for that run. I once got it up to 416% so I killed the map's boss in about seven seconds. That's gonna be nerfed.

We got Dome Keeper, which acts like that old digging game I can't recall the name of (but it was iconic for its era, I just didn't play it myself). You kinda play a bit of minecraft but your dome gets attacked every couple of minutes so you need to use the resources you get to upgrade it and fight them off. It's cute, finding it a bit difficult though.

Keeping the same theme here, Graveyard Keeper. Same developers as Stardew Valley which I really liked and most reviews state that if I enjoy Stardew than Graveyard follows a lot of the same beats. I just wish I could mod my bearded chud fellow into a girl but that doesn't seem to be available. Didn't play it for very long, I'll get around to it some day.

I -finally- got one of those Vampire Masquerade visual novels, a genre I don't usually care much for because there's not enough "game" in them. Sometimes one will add RPG elements and that catches my interest more. Right now I have "Shadows of New York", which I believe has a gal PC. I think the other ones you switch around like five different characters. I installed it but didn't play it.

I have Vectorio which I can't even get past the tutorial. I should probably refund that one. It's haunted my wishlist for so long but I have no idea what to actually do.

Got Hard West 2. Looks like another XCOM-like, as Rogue Trader is. Not installed yet. Low priority.

Startup Panic, another game dev simulator like. Not installed, low priority.

Crossroads: Anniversary edition has been on my wishlist for fucking ever but it's been locked to mixed reviews because apparently it's buggy to the point of unplayable for some people, and I'm just hoping I get lucky. The christmas sale finally put it on sale to an acceptable price so I nabbed it. Not even fully sure what kind of game it is, just an inn manager sort of thing.

Noun Town Language Learning. Installed but waiting for them to add Norwegian. I could get in there now and start a little bit of Japanese. One of my favorite things about learning other languages is watching movies and occasionally catching to see if the subtitles are accurate or not, which I can typically do with German even though I'm no longer remotely fluent in it (took German classes for a couple years in high school, those days are long behind me).

But I'm on a Norse lore kick lately and I want to be a little "closer" to it by learning Norwegian.

And that's a wrap!

[thewheelieweirdclub]

West Coast Mish

It had been a hot minute between biking missions. My knee had finally recovered from the buggery that was the Tassie Trail, and the iconic duo had a 4 day window in April, booked in months prior. What we were going to do with those 4 day was undecided until just a few days before. As mentioned previously planning is not our strong suit.

The Tarkine in the North West has been an alluring destination since I found out what it was. Australia’s largest temperate rainforest, home to Huon Pine and Tasmanian devils. I thought ‘what better way to soak up its beauty than ride through it’. Logistically this was going to be challenging as I wasn't keen on another hardcore bike packing trip just yet (the naughty knees were recovered, but probably not up to that kind of spanking). So it was decided we'd drive to Corinna, leave the car there, ride our roadies up to Arthur River, take on the 160km Tarkine loop, then ride back to Corinna the next day...easy right?

Let me preface this by saying this was a hilarious yet completely disastrous trip and literally nothing went to plan. Although in order for things to not go to plan there has to be a plan, of which there wasn't, so I guess that kinda checks out? or is that too many double negatives?

Day 1.

Big day ahead, so we meet at Sophie’s abode in Hobart at 5am, and after a few bike rack malfunctions we hit the road (not before a cheeky MaccyDs breaky). We're beyond excited to see what fuckery we get up to, and are chomping at the bit to get our butts on those bikes. Alas just out of New Norfolk Sophie’s bonnet starts emitting a kind of green hazy smoke (bugger). Concocting a new plan, I uber back to Hobes and pick up my car, swing around and head back to New Norfolk to pick up a Sophie, who has dutifully unloaded her car. We ditch her car and get back on the road... a mere 3 hours behind schedule, mind you. It was here that Sophie came up with the phrase that would be the theme of the trip, 'adapt and overcome.' Too bad I couldn't remember it for love nor money...

We picked an arbitrary time of 2pm, “As long as we're off by 2pm”. This was completely misguided and a gross underestimation of what the upcoming 110km gravel ride would entail. Now the reader may be asking, why road bikes? Why would someone ride a road bike along an unsealed road in the middle of the Wild West? Roads so filled with corrugations and pot holes, so steep they'd make even the grittiest of gals get off and push? I actually don't have a clue, but it seemed like a good idea at the time.

We ride the Fat Man across the Pieman River and pack up the bikes, ready to metaphorically ‘fuck this puppy’. It's here that Sophie and I have our friendships first somewhat terse moment. Whilst Sophie is a stop-and-smell-the-roses kinda gal, I'm more of a let's-get-this-show-on-the-road-STAT kinda gal. Poor Sophie felt pressured by my impatient huffs and sighs, standing there just staring at her waiting for her to do just something, anything! Granted this serves no one, and I learnt a valuable lesson in patience that afternoon. At 2pm we hit the old gravel road and were soon greeted with hill, after hill, after big motherfucking hill. It rained, a lot, but whilst our knicks were sodden, our spirits were not dampened. That was until we did a casual watch check. We had been on the road for just over three hours and we'd covered a meagre 38km and 1400m of elevation (Just your average Kununyi summit). Anyway this realisation had us both in absolute stitches because it was nearing 5pm, about to get dark and we still had nearly 70km to go....big LOL. I don't know what was so funny about this situation, but it was just so classic Sophie and Sammy we could do nothing but laugh. Ever the optimists, we calculated that we had covered the majority of the vert for the day already, so that was a small win.

Sophie's life flashed before her eyes when a suicidal wombat kamikazed out onto the road, she clipped its thicc rump with her front tyre, both lived to tell the tale.

The sun left us, the rain did not, we pumped some classic drum-n-bass and got on with the task at hand. The rest of the day kind of just flew by as they tend to do when you're in the zone, with your best mate, grinding out in a magical part of Tasmania. I mean I think it was magical but it's hard to tell when the sun sets just after 5pm.

We had a few realisations in these hours of grind. 1- That we were heinously remote 2- that we were heinously unprepared (I hadn't thought to bring a jumper or bike lights and neither of us had shoes aside from our bike shoes- WHO DOESN'T BRING SHOES AND A JUMPER TO THE WEST COAST FOR FUCKS SAKE) and 3- "You can't die of exposure if you just keep riding." Anyway, writing this I feel like the ultimate Hubbard, in fact its kind of down right dangerous to behave the way we do. But with each adventure/failure is a lesson learnt, and we're damn lucky to be sitting in our cosy living rooms writing in retrospect about our silliness.

Anyway, 5km out of Arthur River Sophie’s light dies (of course it does), so we're led by the head torch I've borrowed off her that is quickly dimming. We make it into town just gone 10pm, exhausted, exhilarated and excited for a shower (bike packing with a touch of luxury). We're feeling particularly smug too, who needs specific gravel bikes when a roadie can get you 110km through some pretty hairy roads without a single puncture?! ohhhh you sweet silly summer girls, how little did you know…

We eat our slightly grim dehydrated meals and get our butts into bed. We'd booked an Airbnb with two rooms but we're both so obsessed with each other we chose to sleep in the same one.

Day 2.

The OG plan for today was ambitious, and after yesterdays antics, we knew we didn't have it in us to make the 160km Tarkine loop. Despite this being the whole point of the trip, we actually do know where to draw the line sometimes, and decided on a more manageable 70km loop. 5km on our way north, I am blessed with my first ever puncture. First ever! Lucky I had my spirit puncture guide by my side. With her instruction and a few big LOLs, some pissfarting around and an hour and a bit later, I got the job done. Back on the road we go, and by this time our motivation for even 70km had seriously waned and our smugness over our lord roadies was diminishing. The constant rain and grit from yesterday had coating our chains in cement, leaving the bikes and riding feeling horrendous. We set our sights instead on the beautiful town of Marrawah, a mere 10km away (oh how the mighty have fallen). Marrawah was absolutely stunning, we rolled through some gorgeous greenery down to the beach and set up shop for some lunch. The sun even graced us with her presence and I decided a non negotiable nude swim was on the cards. We tootled down to the end of the beach where we stripped from our stinky knicks and dashed into the surf, no better feeling. After another prolonged lunch break we'd earned a stout at the local. All in all a minuscule day of riding, but I guess it's not about the distance covered but instead- the good times (of which there were many).

This got us back to our accommodation at a fairly early time. Neither of us are able to sit still for any amount of time, therefore it was decided now would be the perfect time to learn to twerk via some YouTube videos. I'll spare you the details but we'd best stick to being health professionals/bike riders because Beyonce aint calling us up any time soon.

Day 3.

The day to end all days. We set the alarm for 5am knowing that we had a gravelly gritty day ahead. We were out the door pre 6am, which for my Sophie girl is a rapid turn around and I was ever so proud.

With the sun rising after 7, we had a blissful hour of night riding which was a supremely pleasant experience. Dead quiet sealed roads while the sun rose over the somewhat barren west, was a dreamy start to the day. We soaked up those 30km knowing that would be the last road for a while, with the rest of the day entailing the aforementioned gravel beast…

The first hills came quickly while we made bets on how many cars we would encounter that day, I think I went with 4 and Sophie 7. The first of these cars was some kind of zooped up lift kitted 4WD filled with tweens drinking XXXX. They were baffled but appeared completely delighted at happening upon these two loony gals. Poor Sophie was a tad behind on a particularly piggish hill and was bombarded with question after question from these boys (as they drove next to her going 7km/hr) on what we were doing here and did we want a lift and were we SURE we didn’t want a lift?!!? Sophie also got offered a coldie, which at 8am on a 14% incline was an easy but respectful decline. Off they hooned and Sophie was one closer to winning today’s car bet.

Not far into the grav section and both Sophie’s front AND back breaks start failing… fuck. This is not an ideal situation as the road was incredibly undulating and as one can imagine rather terrifying without a mechanism to stop yourself. Ever the optimist sophie decides that the best way to stop is to drag a foot along the ground and then worst come to worst yeet herself off into the bushes. This goes incredibly poorly, she hits a particularly techy patch and with no way to slow down hits a large rock and does herself a cheeky burst puncture. She dutifully changes the tyre whereby she pinches the next inner going in, and has to do the whole thing over again. Good lesson learnt. We whip out a bag of Percy Pigs (all the way from England, thank you Sally-Anne Malone you’re a true god send). I wonder if anyone’s ever eaten Percy pigs on the west coast of Tasmania before? And off we roll once more!

Both of us are feeling physically very good, legs are fresh and we’re keen to make it back to the car in good time. However we start mumbling about the mechanical issues, and at what point we need to start thinking a little more seriously about safety. We laugh and decide we’ll keep going “until the next mechanical.” “The next mechanical” was a mere 3km down the road whereby I get my first puncture for the day. This wasn’t a serious enough mechanical so we laughed it off, changed the damn thing and away we went. About 30 minutes later I got another flat, ya kidding me right now? I checked to make damn well sure there wasn’t anything stuck in the tyre, patched the flat because at this point we were long out of spare inners and off we set…again. Alas, the road had other plans, and a few kilometres later I had ANOTHER flat. Did I mention it’s pissing with rain, and as I’m trying to patch repair this one it’s getting wetter and increasingly more difficult for the sticky patch to adhere, I pinch puncture it again on the way back in (turns out I also still have a bit to learn). By this point a few more cars have passed us, we have 35km to go and have started to have more serious chats about what the fuck to do. Our patch repairs are not holding, and therefore I’m left with a nonfunctional bike. Neither of us are quitters but the option at present is to start walking the 35km or to get the thumb out and hitch. Eventually we agree to say at the same time we’ll try and get a hitch. And lucky enough half an hour later a Ute and a shiny looking car with Melbourne plates stops. We chuck our bikes in the Ute and the kind Melbourne people lay a tarp across the back seats for us (we look a bloody state by this point). And just like that we’re back in Corinna.

Wowee what a journey! Not what we set out to do but my god it was an adventure. You can get hung up on achieving your goals but then anything else can be viewed as a failure. And when I look back at this trip I don’t think of failure, I think of hectic times in the wilderness just figuring it all out with my pal. We learnt a lot about gear, safety, resilience and the power of a positive attitude. We stuck together, made decisions together and had a metric fuck tonne of fun together…mission accomplished.

ADDIT: you’ll be pleased to know since the writing of this blog both authors have invested in gravel bikes. HOLD TIGHT.

[msclaritea]

Zachary Levi's Shazam 2 Co-Star Wants to be Paid By the Hour for 'Snow White' - Makes Revolutionary Demand for Streaming Services - FandomWire

"In a revolutionary step emphasizing the evolving landscape of the entertainment sector, Rachel Zegler, renowned for her role alongside Zachary Levi in Shazam 2, has adopted an unprecedented perspective on streaming service compensation. Amid her active involvement in the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike, she fervently supports a remuneration framework that boldly challenges traditional norms.

Actress, Rachel Zegler

Read more: “She’s not gonna be saved by the Prince”: Gal Gadot, Rachel Zegler Confirm Snow White Remake Will Change Prince Charming Storyline

Snow White’s Star Rachel Zegler Seeks Payment Per Streaming Hour

In a daring and visionary leap, Rachel Zegler, the radiant luminary set to grace the upcoming Snow White reimagining, has sparked a resounding dialogue that resonates across the ever-shifting picture of the entertainment sphere.

Rachel Zegler

Shazam 2 performer, Rachel Zegler

Read more: Shazam 2 Star Rachel Zegler Slams Critics for “Unnecessary, Insensitive” Negative Reviews: “Seems like it’s cool to hate fun these days”

The groundbreaking Zegler now finds herself entangled in an unknown whirlpool of controversy. Fresh from her participation in the SAG-AFTRA strike, the actress’s candid response has spurred the digital world, stoking discussions far and wide.

Positioned as the intangible Snow White in the much-anticipated 2024 performance, the 22-year-old shares the cinematic stage with luminaries Gal Gadot, Ansu Kabia, Martin Klebba, and Andrew Burnap.

Amid the strike in a media conversation that captures her unwavering attitude, Zegler proposed,

“If I’m going to stand there 18 hours in a dress of an iconic Disney princess, I deserve to be paid for every hour that it is streamed online.”

Snow White, Rachel Zegler speaks up about the strikes.

pic.twitter.com/6miJDJlEWU

— Disney Princess Facts (@DPrincess_Facts) August 3, 2023

However, passionate supporters added their voices to the conversation as her demand merged with the overall strike theme, expressing a range of thoughts that are often seemed by a sense of unease.

Yet, as the artist strives for her request to be fulfilled, her upcoming film is in the midst of controversy and has encountered a wave of criticism.

Controversy Surrounding The Upcoming Snow White Remake Arises

The imminent release of Disney’s live-action Snow White remake, scheduled for March 2024, has been enveloped in a whirlwind of controversy.

Anticipation for the reimagined classic has stirred debates across multiple fronts due to revelations about casting and plot adjustments. Starring Zegler of West Side Story fame as the titular character, the forthcoming film promises a departure from its 1937 animated predecessor.

Rachel Zegler

Snow White star, Rachel Zegler

Read more: ‘Doesn’t sound like something a little kid would like’: Snow White Actor Rachel Zegler Claims Original Movie Scared Her So Much She Didn’t Watch it For 17 Years

Critics have voiced concerns, accusing Disney of reshaping the storyline to promote a feminist agenda, impacting Prince Charming’s role. The West Side Story star shared her insights with the media. She stated,

“Snow White is not going to be saved by the prince and she’s not going to be dreaming about true love. She’s dreaming about becoming the leader she knows she can be and the leader that her late father told her that she could be if she was fearless, fair, brave, and true.”

She emphasized that the new rendition acknowledges the changing times and envisages Snow White’s aspirations for leadership, in line with her late father’s counsel.

Snow White’s transformation from a dreamer of true love to a fearless, fair, brave, and true leader has sparked debates, highlighting the intriguing blend of tradition and innovation."

I don't know who talked Disney into this insulting, toxic, feminist, "WE DON'T NEED MEN!" Snow White version, which will NOT be suitable for kids, or in hiring Rachel Zegler, star of the over-hyped West Side Story, but BOY! Did they get raw-dogged. She hasn't been in any hits, is loud, abrasive, pretty clearly going for her Artist As Activist street cred, and I just saw clips of her in interviews, endlessly talking about herself. If it were me, I'd just shelve the whole damn film.

Hollywood, we see you.

“Spielberg’s sets are very different.”

LaBeouf continued:

[rom-e-o]

@quill-pen Yes, LOVING the floral patterns in this batch! All have a theme, but they're all also so different!

Absolute Addie dress, with the pink and girly elements! And the synched waist moment is so cute! It's still lose, but has more shape than you'd expect. This would be such a cute thrifting dress for her!

This gives off an edgy, rocker chick vibe that would look SO good on Bess! I can just picture her at a meet-and-greet meeting fans after a show, or her hanging out and doing a Q&A after a concert!

and 4. Another twinning moment for the girlies! Maybe Connie and 3 and Bess in 4, since 4 has more of that fit and flare silhouette that Bess likes? They'd look so good at a garden party in these!

5. I'm seeing Bess or Gal in this. Gal because it's elegant and flatterly without added fluff or...poofiness, haha; and Bess because the black and white lace motif that has looked gorgeous on her in other outfits HCs.

6. This also feels super Bess-coded! With a messy updo and a black choker, this would be so sexy and feminine on her!

7. Annnd the Connie vibes are at FULL VOLUME! I see white being like brown for her; she never wore it a ton with Orin, but now she's discovering that she likes it, especially when she's got a nice tan going.

8. Those bright pink flowers with that soft blue give me Addie vibes. I can just imagine her skipping around in this, twirling about, picnic basket in hand as she and the girls enjoy a day in the sun in a local park together. England doesn't get many sunny day, so she breaks out the most summery of dresses to celebrate!

9. Oh, this feels like another date dress. I can see Connie gravitating toward the warm cream color of this, but that floral pattern on Bess? along with the fit? GORGEOUS! Bess in floral and yellow is honestly iconic.

10. This one I feel like has elements all the girls enjoy, so I can see them sharing it, BUT wearing it for different occasions. Gal wears it for a trip to the beach to walk in the waves, Bess wears it to a flower/plant market to look for some new additions, Connie wears it with her little apron while still working at the coffee house, and Addie wears it while perusing a toy market with Tom - perhaps looking for some new inspiration for the shop?

Found some pretty brownish thrifts for Connie

I know the tan one isn't as glam as her usual vibe, but I just see her in it for some reason. Might be a good, safe outfit for her first day as clerk when she starts at the bank. They could always send it to Josie to do a glam-up too.

The last one is kind of the same. Idk where she'd wear it or what for, but I see her in it. Maybe it'd be a cute beach dress?

All of these are so perfect! seriously, her in this very posh, chocolate/coffee brown is just clicking so well.

Okay, I legit adore these, so each one is getting an occasion:

This feels like a date dress for a night at a jazz club or dueling piano bar. Just sitting, drinking a nightcap and savoring the music. I want her to pair it with some wedge shoes for ultimate 90s babe vibes.

Absolutely a shopping day dress. Easily gets paired with tall boots and a messy updo. It's the perfect 'lunch then shop' look because it's breezy but still elegant.

Definitely a first-day dress for her time as a clerk! She wants to look as formal as possible. What's more classy and formal than an A-line belted dress? She does wear it with heels and some gold jewelry too! Quite a few people stare on her way up and wonder who the hell got lucky enough to get HER in their office? (She also brought a briefcase).

LOVE this for the beach! It's almost a raisin-brown shade, which is so unique. This is one where she feels comfortable enough around the Pack to be herself, so she kicks off her shoes and is like...thigh-deep in the surf, twirling and having a blast. Love this dress with her hair down nice and loose.

[prevsapphism]

Rebrand is complete ladys.....check it out 🌸🌸🌸🌸

[byakuyacoochie]

Status: Temporary on hold

Masterlist

Man Titties Monday

ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっ Greater Beings = Greater Bahongas - Pillar Men x Reader

ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっCure For Sadness - Bleach x Reader

ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっMy what big boobies you have - Various x Reader

Bleach Tuesday

ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっFinding your Gigai in their bed- Bleach x Reader

ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっPanty Thief - Bleach x Reader

ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっIconic Throuples - Bleach x Reader

Women Loving Women Wednesday

ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっGal Pals - Part 6 Girls (+ Foo) x Reader

ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっGirls Night - Hxh Phantom Troupe x Reader

ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっAre you...you know - Trish Una X Reader

New Shows Thursday

ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっMama - Buddy Daddies x Reader

ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっSchool Festival - Demons Slayer x Reader

ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっTatsu husband! Texts x Reader

No Theme Friday

ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっStolen Dress - La Squadra x Reader

ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっDream Threesome - Jujutsu Kaisen x Reader

ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔ���Earth Shattering..... - Various x Reader

Stardust Crusaders Saturday

ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっ"French" Braids- Stardust Crusaders x Reader

ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっ Old Photo's - Stardust Crusaders x Reader

ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっUntitled - Stardust Crusaders x Reader

Smash Sunday

ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっSmash - Dio's Minions x Reader

ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっSmash - Part 4 Jojo's x Reader

ʕ•́ᴥ•̀ʔっSmash - Part 6 Jojo's x Reader

[ausetkmt]

Highsnobiety: Is Rihanna's $1M Toe Ring Actually Her Engagement Ring?

click the link to go to the story and then look at the video yes it does show this big ass ring on her toe

Leave it to Rihanna to leave the internet in disarray (and spark engagement murmurs) over a TikTok of her feet.

The Barbadian billionaire made her second TikTok, joining last year's adorable reveal of baby RZA. In the latest, Rihanna struts in a pair of Amina Muaddi x AWGE heels while wearing a 9-Karat toe ring by XIV Karats.

The caption? "Quiet luxury."

While I'm still trying to figure out if this was shade towards the quiet luxury trend (which is quite loud, if we're being honest), let's focus on the things that matter: the fact Rihanna is just casually flexing a diamond on her toe which is reportedly worth $1 million.

Rihanna doesn't even wear it on her Morton's toe, or second toe. Nah, she saves her $1M flex for the middle toe — a subtle reminder of her savage ways of giving zero f*%ks. In case you didn't get the memo with her Y-Project earrings.

In the Tiktok, which now holds over a million views (like the price of her toe jewelry), you'll also notice a few flashes of white fluff from Rihanna's outfit — it's the same iconic Chanel outfit worn ahead of the Met Gala.

While we were hung up on how Rih nailed the theme before the red carpet even opened, gemstone wholesaler Julia Hackman Chafé made a Tiktok, dedicated solely to the Barbadian billionaire's XIV Karat toe ring (the same jeweler made her bespoke "Mom" diamond ring, by the way).

"When someone asks me what success means, I'm gonna tell them success is not about money, it's not about health, it's not about happiness. Success means wearing a 9-karat diamond on your toe and not even caring enough to post about it," Chafé stated in her video shared on May 1.

25 days later, it appears Rihanna does care enough to post about it. The rumors of celebs (and their teams) watching our videos and reading our tweets just might be true.

A few comments seem to believe the bad gal just quietly announced her engagement to A$AP Rocky by way of her whopping diamond ring icing out her toe.

If true, I can't say I'd be surprised by this move from the stylish couple who once fictionally (or was it?) said "I do" with custom grills. Not to mention, Rocky's already got a ring made in Rih's honor.

If we've learned anything from the two's mic-drop baby announcements (like this year's Super-Bowl-turned-baby-reveal), it's that the pair is full of surprises.

At the same time, does this mean Rihanna made toe rings fetch again just in time for summer? I mean, it's no secret she's an influential fashion icon (she undoubtedly revolutionized maternity style).

[darkoverord]

Huh not sure how I feel about tumblr’s new content policy with the labels. Like how far is “too far” with “sexual themes”?

Two fellas in suits snogging and grinding? A couple of gals “just being good friends” in bed? A very large Falco and a building? Can it only be illustrated (or written)? Does this mean people who got marked as an 18+ Content blog can finally change their icon?

Like I get the content labels are there and genuinely think it’s a good idea but I feel like it’s a little more ambiguous in the terminology that they’ve used for “sexually suggestive”

Basically: Is it sex? Or is it something that would be marked 18+ in a movie but not Adults Only?

Which of these Tumblr?????????????????

I don’t plan on suddenly pivoting to posting porn here (I avoided it for this account before the ban) but a little extra clarity would be nice?

[wonderfulworldofmichaelford]

Michael in the Mainstream: Space Jam/Space Jam: A New Legacy

I am genuinely confused, guys. Space Jam: A New Legacy has come out, and it is just getting a critical thrashing on all fronts. It is being derided as being a retread of Ready Player One, it’s being mocked as a shameless commercial, it’s being called the ‘definition of corporate’… And all of this is just baffling because this is literally no different than the original film, which was based on a commercial and just made to cash in on 90s culture. The original is a cult classic now and something of a meme in its own right, but it is undoubtedly a big fat commercial made to cash in on the times and boy did it ever because we still remember it fondly to this very day.

But I think there’s plenty of value in this new film, and I think a lot of it might be fondly remembered by younger generations down the line like the original is by people like me. What helps is that, in a lot of ways, this movie does things way better than the original… though I certainly won’t say this new film is perfect by any means. You’ve gotta go in with the mindset that this is just a dumb, silly commercial that you’re watching for cartoon antics and shameless product placement, first and foremost. Do that, and you might be able to handle all the stuff I’m about to talk about.

The obvious starting comparison for the films is the leads. Michael Jordan in the original is, to put it lightly, not an actor. He puts in a very corny performance by even the nicest definitions. But still, I think that lends him a charm all his own, and he’s not detrimental to the film at all. In fact, his lack of acting talent is easily smoothed over by the general charisma Jordan brings to his role. In comparison, LeBron James is a much better actor (though let’s not pretend he’ll be winning an Oscar any time soon), but he lacks a lot of the charisma Jordan brought to his role. That’s not to say James is weak, though; he acts just enough to bring the awkward, dorky charm of someone not an actor by trade trying their best to the role. It’s hard not to like him, at least a little bit, and he does have some decent interactions with the Tunes, though I think Jordan definitely has him beat there.

Speaking of the Tunes, they are a clear improvement over how they were in the original film. A common criticism of Space Jam is that, as fun as the Tunes were, a lot of the time they were a bit out of character, and the one newcomer (Lola) was nothing but oversexualized furry bait who existed to be a love interest and whose personality began and ended with ‘girl.’ The new movie fixes this by giving the Tunes a lot of fun, cartoonish antics that feel far more in line with how they are usually portrayed. Bugs is back to being a tricky rascal, Daffy is an egomanical jackass, and so on. Much like a lot of modern portrayals, the movie fixes Lola by amping up her badass qualities while still staying true to her original appearance by having her be good at basketball, but not to the point she overshadows everyone. There are some issues with the Tunes, such as the weird stunt casting of Zendaya as Lola and Gabriel Iglesias as Speedy instead of using their more modern voice actors, as well as using a voice for Bugs that makes him sound really off at times, but overall the Tunes are treated far more respectfully and with far greater dignity than the original afforded them (except my man Marvin, they really did him dirty in this one).

When it comes to the main villain, there is absolutely no contest here. Swackhammer is a bland, horribly forgettable corrupt corporate executive archetype with little to no interesting twists to him, and he commits cardinal sin of cinema by wasting Danny DeVito. A New Legacy, on the other hand, gives the Oscar-nominated superstar Don Cheadle a hell of a lot to do in the movie. Al-G Rhythm is a sentient computer virus who wants to capture LeBron James and use him to churn out lazy, soulless cashgrab films, and he does it all while hamming things up to the high heavens. Cheadle looks like he’s having an absolute blast, and he’s definitely one of the most fun villains in a kid’s movie in a long while (especially since Disney doesn’t seem to be able to make good villains anymore). Unfortunately, this does come at a price it seems. In the original, the opposing team is comprised of the Nerdlucks/Monstars, who all build themselves up throughout the movie as an actual intimidating threat. The opposing team here gets no buildup, being conjured up solely for the big game at the end, and while they’re not awful, they really aren’t particularly memorable either.

Speaking of the big game, I’m just gonna say it: A New Legacy blows the original completely out of the water in this regard. The cartoonish antics are through the roof and are mixed in with video game antics, Don Cheadle hams it up to the high heavens, and there are cameos from the most ridiculous array of Warner Bros. Properties you could imagine. This has become a prominent source of derision, but if you feel no joy at seeing Arnold Schwarzengger’s Mr. Freeze, the Droogs, Pennywise, and one of the nuns from The Devils doing idle animations and losing their shit over a Looney Tunes basketball game, I’m not particularly sure I care about your opinion. This is the exact sort of stupid fun I’d want from a movie like this. I’ll certainly take it over Bill Murray showing up out of nowhere for no good reason, that’s for sure.

The humor of A New Legacy far outshines the original for the reasons I mentioned with talking about the portrayal of the Tunes, but there are some issues. The montage where Bugs and LeBron recruit all the Tunes is a bit rushed, and the concept (the Tunes have migrated to other Warner properties) is really glossed over save for Daffy and Porky in the DCAU and Lola training to become an Amazon in a comic book-style take on Wonder Woman (complete with the now-iconic theme!) that really goes to show she should replace Gal Gadot. Other than them, we get Wile E. Coyote and Road Runner in Fury Road, Sylvester and Elmer in The Spy Who Shagged Me, Granny and Speedy in The Matrix, and Yosemite Sam in Casablanca, and while all of these gags are great and funny, they’re over far too quickly and could have been expanded into a whole sequence of their own rather than just a montage. I don’t know about you, but I really am far more interested in seeing what the hell Game of Thrones is like with Foghorn Leghorn as Daenerys than I am most other things in movies. It’s just a whole lot of missed opportunities. I’m less forgiving to the out-of-nowhere rap battle in the middle of the basketball game, but is it really worse than the out-of-nowhere Pulp Fiction reference in the original or, again, Bill Murray just showing up at the end?

Look, I’m not trying to say either film is some masterpiece of emotion or storytelling or anything like that, but both films have their place. The original is a fun, corny piece of 90s nostalgia that manages to be fun almost in spite of itself, while the new film is a fun, goofy spectacle that takes everything good about the first film and makes it better while still hosting problems of its own. They’re fun, flawed, amusing, and stupid commercials, and they absolutely deliver on what you want them to be. The Looney Tunes play basketball with a superstar against a bunch of crazy opponents while a cavalcade of cameos watches from the sideline… If you’re expecting anything more, you’re watching the wrong movie.