#Be My Boyfriend review

[rwnjun]

gorgeous gorgeous boyfriends make lunch for each other

[fxnfiction]

presenting: my 2023 year of reading queer literature (part 1).

next few months focus will be on sapphic books, so swing over some recommendations!

enjoy my funky commentary, im in a weird mood. all my opinions!

[mostofthingsmostofthetime]

My thoughts on The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes movie

I don’t know if I liked it as much as the original films (maybe Mockingjay 1 & 2 as they are pretty emotionally draining), but I still enjoyed it.

I think where it fell a little flat for me is 1. The beginning was a bit slow (tbh I only really started getting interested when Lucy Gray stuck that snake down that girl’s dress & even then I enjoyed the story more when the setting changed from the Capitol to the district) 2. I knew Snow would survive 3. I’d already been spoiled online for a lot of stuff that happens & 4. while I know the director did his best to make Snow as “likeable” as he could for as long as possible, even before he started getting “a little too comfortable” with killing & snitching I didn’t find him as sympathetic as Katniss or Peeta (but that is probably again down to the fact that I know what he goes onto do & there’s no real way around that), this made engaging with him difficult for me.

The world is fascinating. Getting to see all the new locations we never had access to before as well as old locations now in a totally different light (for example district 12 which, while still clearly suffering, seemed like such a bustling industrial town compared to how it is in Katniss’s time). It might have a much more retro aesthetic but there's also just a more vibrant, natural, wild & lawless atmosphere to this movie compared to the others in the franchise. The whole scope of the film just felt more cinematic then I remember the others being yet also weirdly intimate. Maybe because it was one contained story & we knew the main character’s fate from the start. I also loved the title cards signifying the start of each section of the story like from the books & wished they'd done something similar for the other films. It just added a certain flair to the whole thing. Almost gave it the vibe of a tragic play.

The costuming was great. The bright red of the academy uniforms.  Flickerman’s snazzy suits. Snow’s dapper black & white outfit. Both peace keeper uniforms (despite one of them giving very ‘1930’s Germany’ vibes) looked great. Grandma might have been a bigot, but at least she was well dressed. Everything Dr Gaul wore (except the top that looked like a used tampon, lol) was exquisite. The main ladies of fashion, Tigris & Lucy Gray slayed. Our Future Capitol stylist looked like some regal yet exotic bird & Miss Survivor was giving Bohemian, country girl realness the entire time she was on screen. Even the extras were serving (like that random couple Snow walked past on his way to the reaping ceremony).

The music was amazing. Every song that played was fantastic (shout out to Olivia for her end credit contribution). The lyrics & instrumentation were beautiful & my god does Rachel Zegler have pipes! Anyone who says the singing scenes are cringy is just stupid like I’m sorry you can’t appreciate art. Also, the words ‘ballad’ & ‘songbirds’ are literally in the title. Plus, Lucy Gray is from the poorest district, so what exactly do those people want her to do in her free time? She can’t exactly hop on an X-box for a few hours. Not too mention that (as the offspring of someone who’s musically inclined) I can tell you, it’s completely realistic for a musician to use their craft to help them deal with trauma & Lucy Gray clearly had more than her fair share of that.

The Grandma'am helped to paint a sadly very realistic background for Snow. As who among us hasn’t met at least one delusional old person who thinks that their/their group’s suffering (regardless of the severity of it or the reason behind their former/newer status in society) means that no one else are deserving of even the tiniest shred of humanity & there are some people who are unlucky enough to not only be related to these people but be raised by them.

Hunter schafer as Tigris is clearly the superior Snow when it comes to things like empathy & overall mental stability but I do kind of wish they’d been more for her to do. Credit where credit is due though her & Tom did actually look like they could be related & I did buy their familial bond (which makes her appearance in Mockingjay so much sadder in hindsight).

Peter Dinklage as Casca Highbottom was a bit of a mix for me just due to his purpose as a character & the limit of film as a form of media. Like sure the audience know that Snow’s going to become an irredeemable monster in the end but without a window into his mind it really does just seem like the Dean is just out to get him & even when we find out why it seems kind of unfair. Like sure his dad sucked but haven’t the Games shown that blaming children for violence caused by others is unjust (& like ok he hates Coriolanus & probably the grandma but Tigris hadn’t done anything to deserve living in poverty, as she can’t control who she’s related to)? Plus, it felt like he could have at least tried taking Snow under his wing at some point to try to hinder Dr Gual’s influence. Saying all of that, though, Peter Dinklage is great at playing an addict with depression & the idea that some drunken rambling could lead to such long-lasting suffering is terrifying. Also its pretty realistic that living with that kind of guilt & in such a cruel environment for that long would make most people jaded & bitter, even if they did have good intentions.

Omg we finally get a Mayor family on screen & they’re assholes! Madge would be so disappointed 😭. It was interesting to see how harsh & overall “boot licky” the mayor & his family seemed compared to decades later, which makes sense as the war wasn’t that long ago for them so the dad probably felt more incentive to align himself with the Capitol as well as not feeling very connected to the district people as 12’s decline probably didn’t fully set in until they really started running low on coal & Snow became president (oh I just know he wanted to blow that district off the map 😆). I also wouldn’t put it past Billy to come up with some sob story of how he really does love Mayfair but wicked Lucy Gray is somehow preventing them from being together. Still no excuse to try to send her to her death twice in one week, though. Definitely not a girl’s girl.

Ok, so a liar. Cheat. Drunk & someone who hits women. Is there anything good about Billy Taupe? Also, trying to get your ex back, while your current girlfriend is literally standing right next to you? Dude, have some god damn back bone! You made a choice, now stick to it. Also, fumbling Lucy Gray, for a girl like that? What’s it like having no brains or taste? Well, too bad, coz you’re stuck with her forever now, lol.

Viola Davies, the actress that you are. What else is there to say? Dr Gaul is almost comic book levels of insane. Like she is how the Right see women in STEM, on crack! I don’t know what she did to get into character, but whatever it was, it worked.

Jason Schwartzman as Lucretius Flickerman is a very interesting addition to the story despite playing such a small & seemingly insignificant role. He is strange in how unthreatening he is while also extremely blasé about the abhorrent violence he witnesses that it’s as funny as it is disturbing. Making him come across as  more human yet harsher than his son, who at least pretends to care about the tributes (in a very Capitol way, obviously but still). There’s also a polish & confidence to Tucci’s performance that I think Schwartzman did a great job of avoiding copying (despite knowing what audiences were probably expecting) because not only are their characters in entirely different stages of their careers but the whole ethos of the Hunger Games is different in Snow’s youth than it is in Katniss’s. Caesar is a well established presenter & during his time, the games have always been a success (minus the year with the tundra) that the entire Capitol is invested in & seemingly in support of. On the other hand Lucretius had the unique task of not only coming into a job like this with zero experience (I mean imagine going from announcing the weather to presenting the fucking hunger games) but also there were no vibes to try to emulate let alone guidelines to follow because he truly was the first person to do this. On top of that, the "event" his presenting has been panned for years as both boring & unethical. Schwartzman brought a slightly awkward, experimental, yet try hard vibe (like a comedian who's desperate to get a laugh) that I think worked wonderfully for the character.

Tom Blyth's performance was great & he was visually perfect for a young Snow (the power of a good wig! Who knew lol). Even having the cool, analytical stare of Donald Sutherland, down pat. While his appearance was very Eminem during his peacekeeping days, his realisation in the cabin and subsequent breakdown in the woods were crazy. There was so much tension between him & Rachel in that scene that for a second, it literally felt like all the air had been sucked out of the room. I could almost hear the record scratch for both of them, & all that building paranoia finally coming to a sudden crescendo in the way that it did? Pure cinema!

Josh Rivera, as Sejanus, was honestly a mix for me. Obviously, I agree with his morals, but his way of going about it did seem a little dumb. However I do think it’s pretty realistic that a teenager, especially a rich one, would be rather naive. Also I’ve heard that he’s smarter in the book & I think at times my frustration with him is more just down to the fact that I’m seeing him from Snow’s point of view. Meaning scenes that would be portrayed as noble in any other film instead come across as almost painfully inconvenient because the focus is always on how they affect Snow rather than the actual victims of the situation. Lastly, sorry, Snowjanus shippers, I just don’t see it (especially on Snow’s end), but whatever floats your boat.

Rachel Zegler played Lucy Gray with the perfect mix of natural charm & emotional vulnerability with clear pride in her culture & a refusal to let the world around her change who she is. Yet there was also an air of mystery & a subtle resilience to her that makes her potentially surviving out in the woods for years without being detected actually believable (though I don’t buy the theory that she went on to become president Coin). Definitely the highlight of the movie for me.

PS. I'd love to know what you think of my review in the comments/tags & am open to criticism (as long as it's respectful) just remember that I'm only talking about the movie so please don't reference anything spersific to the book.

[laurzzz]

Boy oh boy I wonder if I will get to finishing this unlike that one oneshot I just gave up on LMAO

[oceanera12]

Have officially played as all four Batkids. Impressions include:

Jason is slow as heck. Look, I love you my dude, but your sprint is slow.

Barbra needs a longer cape. The designers knew exactly what they were doing and she crouches WAY too often. Knock it off, Babs

Dick is the most fun to flip around on buildings with.

Tim is a sneaky, sneaky boy and I ambushed SO many people who I could have sworn had seen me.

Jason is very ranged (as he should be) but it is difficult to adjust to because everyone else is melee. Not a bad thing, just different. Also he is a tank, which is a weird combo (ranged tank)

Barbra was like a combo of Tim and Dick, which isn't horrible, but was definitely not what I was expecting. She is stealthily(ish) and can hit VERY hard.

Dick is very quick on the dodges which I really liked because I am a hit then dodge person.

On a similar note, Jason can barely dodge. It's more of a short slide or step aside and I found myself getting hit more often then not.

Cosmetics are a weird mix. Some look great on some of them and other look good only on Jason. Tim had the best overall, in my opinion, with Barbra being second.

I played with Tim in the photomode and he and Gotham looked amazing. PS the photomode is insane and I had way too much fun with it, especially as someone who just took a college photography class.

The map is BIG

It is more fun, to zip around everywhere then ride the bike. Now this could be my Spider-Man PS5 talking but it's FUN, in my humble opinion.

Long story short, I am maining as Tim/Robin.

[ohpsshaw]

Goofy-sinister Fritz lineart. Then in post, "haha, Futura would be a funny font choice considering its origins" turned into "this looks like a page from a science textbook", which I took as a mini design challenge.

[dokushoclub]

[N5] 彼氏（かれし）がほしい！

If you are at the beginner stage of learning Japanese and interested in reading full manga one day, have a look at this short free manga in simple Japanese:

Textbook grammar with some colloquial expressions inbetween

100% furigana on all kanji

Beautiful drawings that support reading comprehension

[rhysintherain]

I know this episode is framed as a custody battle for Wilson, but "the polycule is fighting and demands their boss mediate their schedule" is much funnier so that's how I've decided to watch it.

[aeiouyxiii]

Tally ho lads, welcome to the second installment of (the newly named)

Memeburger.

Today's victim:

This

Fucking

Thing.

My boyfriend was showing me that one old Hetalia anime blog chronicling the mishaps of the ever-infamous Studio DEEN's anime adaptation, and we came across this affront to your deity of choice. I immediately decided I had to make it myself. With proper seasoning, despite my boyfriend's protests.

This is the result.

My main goal was to replicate the look of the reference, while still being... y'know, edible. To that end, when I toasted the buns (both of which were top buns), I covered it up with mayo to keep the untoasted look of the bottom bun on the reference. I also decided to try out a trick I learned a day or so ago where mustard is used as a seasoning seared into the patty rather than a condiment, leaving next to no trace of itself. Aside from that, seasonings were kept minimal; a healthy amount of salt and pepper. After a three-ish minute sear on each side, it was time to plate up. Special care was taken to replicate the lopsided lettuce, though I only had access to iceberg lettuce that didn't quite match the deep green color reminiscent of romaine lettuce in the reference photo. After letting it rest for another three-ish minutes, Judgement was nigh.

The verdict?

I actually really enjoyed this, if only because the mustard left a distinctly not-mustard taste that unlocked a core memory of a Mexican street food vendor my family frequented long ago. There's not many moving parts in the flavor profile, but in many cases (including this one), that's not a bad thing. Quite frankly, I'm surprised to have taken to it this well. Overall, I rate this memeburger 4 attempts by Japan on the lives of his friends out of 5.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️☆

[vilecr0ws]

I am a Victor Wiley apologist through and through. He and Bandit deserve the world 🥹

(I tagged this as spoilers but in case you’re still seeing this, don’t click the link if you haven’t gotten through at least a few routes of the game!)

[femmeidiot]

just tried peanut butter from erewhon that weird like LA grocery store where the rich and famous pay $50 for one slice of pie and it was the worst peanut butter I've ever had in my entire life which was exactly what I expects from $20something peanut butter.

[dhaaruni]

A year in the life

[katnissgirlsmakedo]

i don’t mean this to sound homophobic or whatever but some queer people literally cannot conceptualize that they actively look down on things they consider “basic” or “straight” with an insane level of contempt no matter how much they say they support everyone and everything. like. if i tell you i love riverdale because it’s campy and fun and you give me that look of disgust because you perceive riverdale as some basic lame straight people show. that’s not very like. nice. and then you refuse to hear me out in my show’s defense… and you just wave me off with a “whatever like whatever you like” but you’re still looking at me like i’ve just ordered a pumpkin spice latte while wearing ugg boots and listening to taylor swift. like at a certain point when will you admit you’re not actually very nice about people’s interests that don’t align with yours.

[alsoyooraiyah]

fanmerch is nuts, just found a perfumer on shopee that has genshin-inspired scents and so many reviews say they make sense for the characters?? is this it is the the beginning of my perfume era

[gemsgamegems]

Okay, it’s been enought time, dev account has been posting spoilerssssss.

Convincing you to play BCB with out of context Mr. Wiley screens 🤣(I would have posted sooner but like, I was too busy screaming at Peter and Clark in their routes 🤣😂)

I am especially fond of the way Wiley really fixed his mouth to say “Black don’t crack”--it was both UNEXPECTED and the most in character thing I have ever seen, like--...never been a band kid a day in my life BUT you don’t attend public school and not run into at least one white male authority figure who says something out of pocket JSHFJSH 

[faeymouse]

Having now finished The Eagle (2011), I can say I've never been more confused about whether or not I like a piece of media. Do I think the whole premise surrounding that stupid golden eagle was cool? No. Did I feel any shred of sympathy for the "plight" and "noble sacrifice" of the Romans that got their butts handed to them? Lol no. Would I read a 500k+ word fanfic of Esca and Marcus having a slowburn romance north of Hadrian's Wall, never to return to Rome at all? Absolutely.