#I feel like me watching the first movie 3-4 times in preparation for the sequel might've affected my watch

[idleglowingpixels]

I finally got my schedule aligned with a friend of mine to watch Monster High 2 (the live action movie sequel) and I have some thoughts about it

(Keep reading only if you're okay with spoilers, I go into a lot of detail)

Monster High 2 was a solid experience altogether. The previous movie was in a similar vain, but I think the special effects budget got amped up, because everything looked stellar and just generally better than the first movie. It's still not cinema film level quality but these aren't meant to be compared to that. It's a TV movie, and for what it is I thought that (almost) everything rendered out beautifully (idk why they keep having Lagoona do the oAo thing but okay).

As per the previous film, there were lots of highs in the comedy (Frankie is always the highlight of these movies for me, Cleo taking her job as campaign manager so seriously was kinda funny to me, and a lot of the Heath shenanigans were so reminiscent of G1 to me ESPECIALLY the teasing about Clawdeen being Deuce's girlfriend and general himbo behavior), but it's also a kid's movie, so there's bound to be misses too. Comedy isn't personally my forte, but I got enough chuckles and laughs here and there that it didn't really matter to me.

The songs sounded pretty nice! I went into the movie this time without hearing any songs in advance like the first movie, and was pleasantly surprised. None of them were particularly bad to me, but I think my favorite one was the very-poorly-disguised friend breakup song with the main trio. It reminded me of a similar song in Descendants 2 ironically enough, but I don't mean that as an insult, I love the Descendants soundtracks too!

Okay, now the story of the movie…I don't really know where to begin, there's so much to talk about. I guess I can start at the beginning.

I've seen a few people complain about Clawdeen blowing up on social media and going viral when the characters would regularly go viral or get tons of views on their not-YouTube channels in G1. I know the Internet was different back in 2010, but it wasn't THAT much different going viral back then as it is now imo. I found it an odd complaint personally.

While I have no idea how a half-human ghost can exist in the first place, I ADORED the little bits where that new character was. Unfortunately I neglected to remember her name, usually I'm better with keeping up on this stuff. But she was so goofy, like yeah queen, walk through the door and immediately hit it on the way back out. 💖

The whole thing with the prefect is kind of irrelevant for the most part, so I don't mind it as much. I have an irrational love for the whole fire and water thing Heath and Lagoona got to do for it together, and I noticed characters like them actually have something to do in the movie instead of just awkwardly showing up at the end to record Komos and stand guard I guess??? And they had much more dialogue this time around (very few exceptions, I can only think of Ghoulia and Abbey but who knows, maybe they'll get to be main characters in the third movie I presume will release next year).

Torelai being a general nuisance was amazing, and here she really did feel like her G1 counterpart…if said counterpart was British lol. Her outfits were really nice, felt super edgy and it was a plus for me. I also liked the mention of her scarring from the witches in France, where she'd studied abroad, but I do think they repeated the point of her bringing it up against witches in the song was too quick after the initial mention, perhaps it could've been reserved to the song and have her sing-song her way through explaining the wraith silver.

Draculaura was the main focus in the film, and I really enjoyed her story. She's got every card stacked against her, even those she trusts, it feels like they turn on her in her point of view (Clawdeen and Ellis specifically). I've also seen characters like Ellis a billion times, but as generic as he is, he served the purpose he was in the film for (lowkey thought the name was a reference to Elphaba/Wicked Witch of the West).

Seeing Dracula as much as we did this movie was amazing, loved that, though Zamara kinda fell flat with me as an antagonist. Making a comparison here, but it felt like they were trying to replicate what they'd done with Komos in the previous film, just adjusting her to fit the new narrative, but Komos was much better executed imo (I promise this isn't my bias to Jekyll and Hyde characters showing, I just think his dynamics with the students flowed more organically). I found the whole thing about witches marketing herbal products as remedies with magical healing properties to exploit humanity's fears of appearing healthy to be funny with Z, but that's about it. I also could tell she'd be the villain a lot faster than I did with Komos haha. Seeing Apollo play a significant role here was nice too! I really like how the adult/parent characters can be just as important as the teens, as I find the lack of parent appearances in G1 to be too sparce for something so integral to the characters' stories.

As with pretty much anyone who's seen the film, it seems we were all shouting at Clawdeen towards the end to just turn human to avoid injury from the wraith silver bars (I was so confused lmao), but I think she was so desperate to save her friend that she was in too blind a panic to control that or think rationally. Frankie is in a similar vein; I thought their upgrades would've caused more pain than it'd be worth, and since we saw the electricity from their arm separating from the rest of their body earlier in the scene, it might've triggered a rush of pain to Frankie or their energy would've been zapped out like a light. Also, y’all, they thought their friend was going to forcefully commit genocide, I don’t think either of them were safe from having irrational/impulsive solutions to a situation in which their friend is literally gonna die if they take time to think critically. I do think there could’ve been better execution with the scene, especially how important it is for later, however. I may be explaining the thought process of my only other point of contention here, but it wasn’t thought out all too much imo — Deen could’ve tried to shift back and find it doesn’t work, Frankie could’ve tried to detach their hand/arm and found themselves getting hurt (but not scarred since that’s really the were-girls’ common thing).

But when Clawdeen died just from touching the bars for too long, I was so shocked it was happening from something so small, I figured the explanation was that it might drain a monster's life force or something. But I COULD NOT take the grim reaper thing seriously. Genuinely laughed my ass off cause WHAT WAS THAT??? It seemed so out of place for the pacing to me I guess. I felt like it could've been a perfect opportunity to have Komos reach out to her through his petrification, especially with how much she hangs around his statue during her troubles and looks to his statue for guidance, but I knew going in he was like 99% certain to be a one-off villain. 🥲

Anyway, Torelai and Clawdeen's little trauma bond moment with the scars at the end was very wholesome, a nice tie back to the "not afraid to show my secrets or my scars" line from Coming Out Of The Dark. And for once the franchise acknowledges were-animals as having kinship, like don't get me wrong, I know it's mainly for the cats vs dogs thing, but they're essentially the same monsters. I always found it odd that they were treated as completely different monster types entirely when all they are is just a human base with animal features and abilities (speed, agility, heightened senses, etc.).

A lot of people have a problem with Clawdeuce being a thing, but I don't mind it personally. It's a different gen, nothing has to stay the same as G1, so I’m just going along with the vibes. And I can tell Deuce leaving is going to be where we follow through in the next movie (unless he got tossed into the underworld in the end credits scene, I have no clue). To be honest I really like his prominent inclusion in the roster of characters, especially with how erased he’d get in the G1 movies (they literally cut his part of the rap out and it’s so apparent q-q).

But back to the point about the after credits, when I saw the grim reaper actually CAME BACK and just threw Deuce to the side (or maybe through the portal idk) I instantly freaked out, no laughter to be had, like "WAIT OH MY GOD WE WERE SUPPOSED TO TAKE THAT BIT FOR REAL—"

I know the third film is looking to be centered on Frankie (They 💖) but I do worry with how much elements they're taking from G1 movies to make up new/similar narratives (Drac's Sweet 1600, the previous gen's self acceptance narrative but specifically with a half human character, the emphasis on Jekyll and Hyde shenanigans, vampires vs werewolves but make it vampires vs witches instead, etc.). I just don't think another Freaky Fusion thing with Frankie sacrificing their life energy should be necessary. Especially considering the new antagonist is very clearly gonna be this Grim Reaper dude. And since the Underworld might be the main location for the third film, I wonder if the whole thing about Heath being Hades's son in the TV show will come up in the movie. Ik they're different canons from each other, but It'd be pretty interesting to see how they'd create a MH version of Hades. (I found his design from the cartoon after typing all this up and I mean, okay then I guess 🤷 Don’t love it but don’t hate it either, he just looks too nice to me haha. I love when Hades is actually a nice character, but his appearance and Resting Bitch Face make him out to be a huge dick.)

As of right now, that's basically everything I have to say on the movie. I personally prefer the first one, but I will not deny that it's because I liked Komos more as an antagonist than Zamara — antagonists are just as important as protagonists. He has the Jekyll and Hyde thing going for him too, which is just overall a favorite trope of mine (Though his change wasn’t as literal). I do think this movie had more going on and much higher stakes, what with characters almost committing mass genocide, suffering injuries and nearly outright DYING.

But I don't know, it was a solid 7/10 for me I think, on the higher end of 7 but Zamara keeps me from giving it a higher rating (sorry y'all I just REALLY didn't like her character, not even in a love to hate way, and villains’ likability matters too much for me personally). I guess my ranking for the first movie would be a low 8, but it’s based more on how much I enjoyed it than how objectively good or "perfect" it is.

[skylinx2o]

Admittedly, I've been feeling terrible lately. I didn't even finish my weekly drawing and broke my now months long streak. I thought I would be able to do it, but my emotions weighted me down too much. I might go back to drawing one art every two weeks.

Anyway, I feel like I should do more fun things. I mean, drawing is fun, and I love creating stories for my OCs, but I do have a lot of other interests. And tho I'm sticking to talking about LEGO today, I want to talk more and get out of my shell. And maybe give you more insight into me as a person.

So today I'm going to talk about my favourite LEGO themes and why I love the series, plus how I personally got i to all of them. It's not a normal review whatsoever, just an excuse to ramble about my interests freely. Just remember this is my experience and my feelings.

(And it's not at all like I'm making this post because I need all of this to prepare for a speaking class and the only way to motivate myself is by making a post about it o _o Come on, I'm killing two birds with one stone here!)

Okay, so, my all-time favourite themes are (in chronological order to when I found them):

1. Bionicle

Honourable mention: Hero Factory

2. Ninjago

3. Legends of Chima

4. Monkie Kid

5. Dreamzzz

1. So. Bionicle. I have a weird history with Bionicle. My dad's friends used to get movies for us, and one day it just happened that my dad's friends gave us a pen drive with Bionicle: Legend Reborn on it. I think I would be around... Seven or eight when I watched it I've seen fans say that it was a pretty weak film, but I didn't know Bionicle back then, and I really enjoyed it! That movie was a soft reboot of the series, and as someone who started their Bionicle obsession with that movie, in my opinion it worked really well as a standalone supposed to capture new audiences. I really loved the sense of mystery that was probably lost on new fans. It wasn't exactly explained what or who Mata Nui was, besides him being a warrior who lost his people. And the ending... I really thought there would be a sequel to it, and was really intrigued by whom the great beings were, and what happened to the world, why Mata Nui knew them, what the giant ahh robots were supposed to do.

Of course, when a few years later in middle school I looked for the sequel, I didn't find it. And to be honest, the ending was disappointing to me. However, there was a whole other storyline in Bionicle to catch up on! And so one faithful summer was spent reading all the comics I could find, reading wiki pages one after another, playing Mata Nui online game obsessively, refusing to use a walkthrough. Believe me when I say I was obsessed!

And then out of nowhere in 2015 g2 came out, and I was stoked since I missed out on practically the whole g1 as it was being made. (I mean, it's understandable, I was born the same year the first Bionicle movie came out.) I mean, can you blame me for being excited? A dead franchise that I just started becoming a devoted fan of is suddenly revived from the grave. I felt like the luckiest person on earth that day. Honestly, g2 was a lot simpler than g1, but I really like it, even if most people said it sucked. Sure, it wasn't exactly like g1, and even I cringed a few times when watching the g2 show, but for what it was, it was cool in my eyes, and loved finding all the g1 references. And there were quite a few of them! The story of g2 was simpler, but for little kids I think it would've been fine. But alas, LEGO did a crap job promoting it, and it died early, with an ending that was so bad even I can't defend it. It just didn't make sense, and it was rushed as hell. But I still wished it would've continued.

I love both generations for different things, and I'm sad I didn't get any g2 sets when they were out (Lewa was my favourite one). But years later I managed to get a promotional anniversary set of Tahu and Takua, and you wouldn't believe my happiness when I was building it. It's strange being a relatively new fan compared to others I see online, but I still remember seeing Bionicle commercials, and even have a very vague memory of seeing a Phantoka commercial on our ancient TV. I mean come on, I was so into it, I even learned the Matoran alphabet! My mom had to listen to my countless rambling, and if I ask her about Bionicle today, she still remembers some answers, that's how much into it I was. Hell, this blog started as a Bionicle blog before I moved fully to Monkie Kid content.

Okay, this Bionicle ramble is getting a tad long, so I'll wrap this up. Would I recommend Bionicle to anyone? Well... Not really, unless you like long lore researching adventures. The story is so convoluted, with many sides stories, and it went on for so many years, that despite my obsession I still probably missed like, 40% of the lore. G1 at least, wouldn't vibe with casual audience probably. G2 might be easier on the brain, despite it having some deeper lore too. Plus, there's the cultural appropriation issue, that I'm not qualified to talk about, but others already made pages long blogs and articles about. Plus the weird gender situation. But, it's still a good story in my eyes, despite its many faults. But that's just me, and if you didn't catch on yet, I'm already deep in this hole and there's no getting out of here now.

Honourable mention: This brings us to Hero Factory. I watched the first few episodes at around the same time as the first Bionicle movie. Came from the same source as before. I think it deserves a mention, because I still loved it, and did some lore digging, but I wasn't as obsessed with it as the other positions on the list. I didn't like the later stuff as much, tho some concepts were really cool too. But the story of the first episodes was really well done, and worked great as a movie. The fights were tense, and when watching it for the first time, I couldn't really know if the characters would be okay. Honestly, it got me really excited and invested. A factory of heroes is a unique concept, and I always found it intriguing how they made the robot society work. But, I don't think it needed more time than it needed, unlike Bionicle, where I didn't like the ending of either generation. I think it wrapped things up quite well with the first episodes, and the later ones just feel like cool side stories, and it works in my opinion.

This one I would definitely recommend, because I feel like it's underrated, and it's not long. Like I said, the version I got was just a one movie like compilation. I checked and there's just 11 episodes. It would probably take 1–2 hours to watch it, not counting the later movies and all.

2. Next one is Ninjago! I started watching it almost from the start. I must have been around ten or so... The episodes aired on TV, so I had easy access to it! I almost never missed an episode, and watched even the reruns. And believe me, I was hypnotised when watching it. Tho, starting from rebooted I watched the episodes online, first in my native language, then in English since I started getting too impatient to wait. This was my first obsession. For the longest time, when people asked me what I wanted to do, I said I wanted to be a ninja. One of my oldest OCs is Mika, and she grew up with me. Whenever a new season was to come, I would design a new suit for her. I have a whole dedicated blog to her, I wonder if you all can find it lol. Anyway, for a kid's show, the first seasons were really well written, and the show could be dark when it wanted, but it didn't lack jokes, and most were very funny. And honestly, Ninjago had a really big impact on my life. It taught me not to give up, and it made me want to make the world a better place. Grade school was a horrible time for me, and Ninjago was like my escape. Tho, I might have daydreamed about it too much at one point...

I started distancing myself from Ninjago around hands of time. I didn't watch the show as regularly, catching up on seasons long after they aired. I think that's also where the writing quality started dropping… I just didn't like it as much any more. But it should've been expected with a series that went on for so long. I'm not one of the people who think old Ninjago was better than anything. It wasn't perfect at all. But I didn't like the short format of newer seasons. But then secrets of forbidden spinjitzu dropped, and i as a person started getting better too, so I went back to Ninjago, and while it wasn't still the best and people had a lot of issues I loved those few next seasons. I mean, they somehow hit right into my interests with those seasons. First the adventure movies like atmosphere with the Egyptian like tomb, then they get sucked into a video game, then the very DnD like feeling Shintaro. It was right up my alley. My love for Ninjago was back in full force by then. So you can imagine how sad I was when the word that Ninjago was ending started going around. The series has been with me for half my life. My friends even knew how much I liked it, my best IRL friend even bought me a Ninjago set for Christmas one time. But you know, I thought it was probably Ninjago's time. Nothing can last forever after all, and it had a very good run. Why not end it when the story was still quite alright? And then… Crystallized happened. I didn't watch Crystallized. I heard the spoilers, and I wasn't… thrilled. Especially with Harumi. And people hated that season. It left a bitter taste in my mouth. It didn't feel like a send-off Ninjago deserved.

So you can imagine how damn happy I was about Dragon Rising! And surprise, it's the best Ninjago has been in a while! I absolutely loved the first season. The new characters are wonderful, and that change was certainly what Ninjago needed. And the fact that it's merged with one of other of my beloved LEGO series only makes it better. And that's probably my cue to move to it hehe

So, would I recommend Ninjago? Yeah. Its story is easy to follow, you just need to watch the show. If you're ready to watch sixteen+ seasons that it! Even the worse seasons have some value to them I'd argue. But I may be biased with how close to my heart that series is.

3. Yeah boy, Legends of Chima! I started watching Chima around the same time I started watching Ninjago, and I was equally hooked. And yes, my mom remembers this one as well, I watched it every time it was on too. Actually, I think the first fanfiction I've ever written was about Chima. With a pencil on paper. I think that, while the other series captivated me because of magic or the setting or the action, in Chima it was the characters and their dynamics mostly, despite there being plenty of magic powers and action too, plus a unique setting. The main characters all have distinct personalities, and it's fun to see how their personalities clash or work together. I think it's cool because the conflict between lions and crocodiles takes the main stage in the first season. Later seasons are great too, and they shake things up to make things interesting quite well. The lore isn't as broad as in other series, but it's pretty cool and interesting either way. There were some unique concepts there. I can't explain my love for this theme as well as with other series, because I don't think there was anything big that made me like it. It's just a cool show. I think what there was has been satisfying, tho young me was really sad and angry it ended anyway. But it's great for what it was. But I can't say I'm not happy that Chima is now merged with Ninjago, and it works so well together, and I absolutely love Lord Ras.

I would absolutely recommend it. It's a fun show, and only three seasons long. It can be both fun and serious, and I definitely had a blast watching it.

4. Now one of my newer obsessions! Monkie Kid! I watched the pilot in Chinese when it came out, then I promptly forgot about the series and binge-watched it all when season 3 came out. I was reading about Journey to the West long before the series was announced, since I have a liking for old stories and legends and myths and stuff. And Asian cultures fascinate me. I blame Ninjago with its Japanese influence and all the martial arts movies that were on the TV all the time. Plus Mulan and Kung Fu Panda. Anyway, I can't say much about how accurate it is or anything since I'm not Chinese, but I think the show is great. I noticed a lot of references to Journey To The West. No shocker here, it's inspired by it. But being in this fandom made me learn a lot of new things about China, tho I still have a bunch of things to learn. I'm no expert yet. Tho, I try my best to be respectful.

Umm... Like I said, not much to say about how accurate the story is. But I really liked Journey to the West, so naturally I like Monkie Kid too. Plus, MK i really relatable to me. I feel like my personality is really similar to his, tho I'm more introverted. For some reason, I relate to this portrayal of Macaque and Wukong as well.

I dare to say that from all the series so far, I find this one to be the most well written. I just find the writing to be the most impactful. Plus, the artstyle is very different from other LEGO shows. Action scenes are really fun. The artstyle definitely works in its favour. And yeah, I would recommend this show 100%.

5. And finally, the newest addition to the LEGO series, Dreamzzz! The show is really new and just starting, but I love the concept and the writing! Plus again, I really relate to Mateo. The characters feel like real people you would meet, and how they interact feels realistic. And I found myself liking even the characters that annoyed me, because their personalities were the realistic type of annoying, one that you might find out in the wild. And the concept of a dream world just really speaks to me. And it gives the creators a lot of creative freedom. All wacky things can happen in a dream after all. One thing I didn't expect in the show was the secret agency, and I think it's a clever addition to the story.

I would recommend this series. I hope it'll have a bright future, and that the writing will stay this good.

Well, time to wrap all of this up. Whoever suffered through this whole ramble deserves a juice and a cookie 🍪🧃 For a few finishing thoughts... I noticed a lot of the series I like blend magic powers and technology together. I just thought it's interesting. And I wanted to mention that the songs for Bionicle, Ninjago and Chima absolutely slap. I used to listen to them on repeat all the time lol Even my mom really enjoyed those songs

Yeah, I don't know what this post was for, I just felt like writing all that :v

[euphorial-docx]

10 horror or horror-adjacent movie recommendations from a certified horror fan :)

*rank is not to show best to worst. i just like numbering things.

1. WYRMWOOD

synopsis: a survivor of a zombie plague prepares to slash his way through a horde of sinister soldiers and ravenous monsters to rescue his kidnapped sister.

rating: not rated, but probably would be rated r

rotten tomatoes: 82% critics, 58% audience

review: if you like indie horror, this is for you. if you like more big-budget and clean films, then don’t even bother. despite being a little rough, this movie is a lot of fun and has one of the most memorable plot twists i’ve ever seen. a very creative take on a zombies. there’s a sequel, but i haven’t seen it yet.

2. ESCAPE ROOM

synopsis: six strangers find themselves in a maze of deadly mystery rooms and must use their wits to survive

rating: pg-13

rotten tomatoes: 50% critics, 53% audience

synopsis: is this movie great? nope! is it a lot of fun? hell yeah it is! the set pieces are stunning, and even though it leans into some lazy horror cliches, i think there’s enough creativity to keep it interesting. good for a fun movie night where you don’t want anything too serious or too mind-consuming. there’s also a sequel for this too, but i don’t really recommend it lol.

3. 28 DAYS LATER

synopsis: a group of misguided animal rights activists free a caged chimp infected with the "rage" virus from a medical research lab. when london bike courier jim wakes up from a coma a month after, he finds his city all but deserted. on the run from the zombie-like victims of the rage, jim stumbles upon a group of survivors, including selena and cab driver frank, and joins them on a perilous journey to what he hopes will be safety.

rating: r

rotten tomatoes: 87% critics, 85% audience

review: one of my favorite movies of all time, so maybe i’m biased. it is absolutely terrifying at times, but i feel it’s a good mix of social commentary, drama, and gore. also, cillian murphy.

4. 28 WEEKS LATER

synopsis: six months after the original epidemic, the rage virus has all but annihilated the population of the british Isles. nevertheless, the u.s. army declares the danger past, and american soldiers arrive to restore order and begin reconstruction. refugees return to british soil, but one of them carries a deadly secret: the virus is not gone and is even more dangerous than before.

rating: r

rotten tomatoes: 72% critics, 66% audience

review: bloody. terrifying. shocking. while the characters are a bit harder to care about, this movie has an eerie and dreadful atmosphere that immerses you and scenes that will hit you like a truck. there is one scene in particular that has stuck with me my entire life because of how gory and unsettling it is. if you don’t like violence, skip this one.

5. UNDERWORLD

synopsis: under cover of night, vampires engage in an age-old battle with their sworn enemies, the lycans, a clan of violent werewolves. selene, a vampire orphaned in the wake of a bloody lycan attack, works for the vampire clan as a trained killer. when the lycans take a mysterious interest in michael corvin, an exceptional mortal doctor, selene struggles to save him from lucian, a ruthless lycan leader hellbent on ending the vampire bloodline.

rating: r

rotten tomatoes: 31% critics, 79% audience

review: more horror-adjacent and supernatural flick. i remember loving the entire series, but i can mostly only remember the first. it’s been a hot minute since i’ve watched it, but it has a stylish gothic atmosphere, a cool female lead, and is so early 2000s/late 90s in a great way (in my opinion, at least.) it’s an under-appreciated, and divisive, action-horror classic.

6. BONES AND ALL

synopsis: love blossoms between a young woman on the margins of society and a disenfranchised drifter as they embark on a 3,000-mile odyssey through the backroads of america. however, despite their best efforts, all roads lead back to their terrifying pasts and a final stand that will determine whether their love can survive their differences.

rating: r

rotten tomatoes: 81% critics, 62% audience

review: you guys knew it would be here. another horror-adjacent recommendation in the form of horror-romance about cannibals. it’s is deeply romantic in all its gore, and unsettles just as much as it comforts. beautiful atmosphere, beautiful scenery, beautiful acting, beautiful music— everything about it is beautiful, but bloody enough to remind you why it got its r rating.

7. HELLBOY (2004)

synopsis: at the end of wwii, the nazis attempt to open a portal to a paranormal dimension in order to defeat the allies, but are only able to summon a baby demon who is rescued by allied forces and dubbed "hellboy.” 60 years later, hellboy serves as an agent in the bureau of paranormal research and defense, where he, aided by abe sapien, a merman with psychic powers, and liz sherman, a woman with pyrokinesis, protects america against dark forces.

rating: pg-13

rotten tomatoes: 82% critics, 66% audience

review: it’s a sci-fi/action/fantasy, but in my heart i know it’s got some horror in it. hellboy has some stunning set designs and makeup/styling that make this movie stand out amongst other comic book adaptations. ron perlman is the definitive hellboy, and guillermo del toro gave this story a unique sense of style and wit. (also, abe sapien? one of my favorite character ever.)

8. READY OR NOT

synopsis: grace couldn't be happier after she marries the man of her dreams at his family's luxurious estate. there’s just one catch— she must now hide from midnight until dawn while her new in-laws hunt her down with guns, crossbows and other weapons. as grace desperately tries to survive the night, she soon finds a way to turn the tables on her not-so-lovable relatives.

rating: r

rotten tomatoes: 89% critics, 78% audience

review: a lot of recent horror movies have let me down, but ready or not is refreshing for the genre. it has a compelling dark humor, as well as clever writing that both makes you laugh and keeps you on the edge of your seat. i highly recommend to any and everyone. it’s great! it’s not a tough watch and easily makes you want to pay attention without it feeling like a chore.

9. X

synopsis: a group of actors sets out to make an adult film in rural texas under the noses of their reclusive hosts, but when the elderly couple catches their young guests in the act, the cast finds themselves in a desperate fight for their lives.

rating: r

rotten tomatoes: 94% critics, 75% audience

review: it may take on the classic slasher formula, but ti west’s direction keeps it fresh. i will say it kind of meanders a little bit, but generally it’s a good time with some good kills and a nice slowburn that doesn’t leave you unsatisfied once the credits roll.

10. NOPE

synopsis: a man and his sister discover something sinister in the skies above their california horse ranch, while the owner of a nearby theme park tries to profit from the mysterious, otherworldly phenomenon.

rating: r

rotten tomatoes: 83% critics, 69% audience

review: jordan peele is amazing. nope is an alien horror flick that expertly builds suspense and keeps you locked in, even when you don’t want to be. some scenes in this film have disturbed me more than anything else i’ve ever seen. the alien itself is imposing and brings a sense of anxiety, and the characters are charming and witty. daniel kaluuya and keke palmer are fantastic leads. also, we love smart horror protagonists!

[90shaladriel]

My son just watched the Star Wars OT for the first time and some observations.

Ok this is a bit of cross-fandom random thoughts, but I wanted to put somewhere.

I'm a child of the 80s-90s. I grew up with Star Wars, was legitimately obsessed with it from ages 3-7 me and my brothers endlessly rewatched the Original trilogy (or just 'Star Wars' as it was known then) on VHS tapes in those years. I remember being so excited for the theatrical re-releases and later the prequels.

My son (4) doesn't watch a lot of non-educational TV or movies, partly we don't show him much, but also he tends to be easily frightened by any tension or scary villains. Probably the scariest movie he had watched before this was Cars 2 (which was weirdly violent!) I also thought that maybe the violence would be something he wasn't really prepared for, none of his books or TV shows really shows graphic deaths. The worst thing he's seen are clips from TV News about the war in Ukraine which isn't often.

Last year I picked up some old children's books from my parents, and I had a stack of books that were the Star Wars read along books (that used to come with a small vinyl record) for the OT and a Star Wars ABC books. I would occasionally read these books at bedtime and my son gradually became enthusiastic about them, so we would get other Star Wars books from the library, most of those were either Prequel-era or even now Sequel-era stuff which he seemed to like and get. I think what's important is that going into actually watching the films he had been "spoiled" somewhat on the basic storylines and characters, like he knew Anakin Skywalker became Darth Vader, but honestly I think at his age he doesn't follow stories that well, so knowing all the characters and places upfront probably helped him enjoy it more I think?

So I thought with this I would just sort of give some observations about my son's experience and also my own re-watching the films for the first time in years. I had the Blu-ray Special Editions that were released maybe 5-6 years ago?

A New Hope

On rewatch this is by far my favorite, it's funny, gritty, action packed. It is pretty violent, dead bodies seen in the first firefight on the ship, Vader force choking people, Owen and Beru's burnt corpses, but overall this didn't seem to be harmful to my son, we did talk a bit about it being a war and that people were 'hurt'. He seemed most affected by the death of Obi-wan, and kept asking where he went. My son seemed to like Luke and R2-D2. I will say a lot of the audio was kind of uneven on this edition, I had trouble hearing dialog and my son can't read subtitles so I was explaining stuff and then the action or score would be super loud.

I think that the special edition CGI additions are the weakest in the trilogy, particularly the ones on Tatooine. IMO they don't add much and look fairly cheesy by today's standards. To be fair a lot of the Cantina alien costumes also don't look the best now in HD resolution.

Sadly one of the areas I feel suffers the most now is the continuity with all the Prequels and series. Like the way Obi-wan talks about the past makes it sound like 30-40+ years ago when it was really more like 18 and, now with the Kenobi show, things like him meeting Darth Vader was <10 years ago. I'm only 40 and events 10 years ago feels like nothing. So Vader's line "I sense something; a presence I've not felt since..." just feels like doesn't carry the weight it should. The Jedi shouldn't be an "ancient religion" they were still be hunted down in recent years and Han would have been alive when the Jedi were fighting in the Clone Wars I would think? I kind of think George Lucas backed the franchise into a corner a bit by setting the Prequels too close to the beginning of the OT, I get why to somewhat explain Luke and Leia's ages. I dunno, I would have rather ret-conned them to be mid-20s or something.

Empire Strikes Back

Very enjoyable still. Son liked the Hoth battle scenes, loves AT-ATs. Kind of less interested in some of the Dagobah planet and Yoda scenes. He didn't understand at all what was happening in the Dark side cave which was pretty scary for him, eventually the explanation that stuck was "It was a robot Darth Vader, not the real Darth Vader" that Luke killed. He had little or no commentary on the Han-Leia romance, something I remember feeling cringey about it as a boy that thought girls were like the enemy, he doesn't seem to care, but doesn't like it either as far as I can tell. My son was shocked when Vader cut off Luke's hand, because the Read Along picture books sanitize this as "Vader slashed Luke's lightsaber away" or something more PG. These are violent movies!

I don't remember as much additional scenes or CGI in this one, the old models of Star Destroyers and Rebel ships looked amazingly good I thought, I think Executor and generally imperial navy scenes overall are so good still. I think they added a few shots of the Falcon flying around Cloud City and maybe the snow monster scene looked a bit cheesy now?

Something that struck me on this rewatch in particular was how good the lightsaber duel between Vader and Luke was. I always remembered it as Luke losing pretty badly. Which is true, but he seriously held is own for most of the fight, counterattacking even getting a few glancing blows on Vader. The fight was way more intense than I remember it being and super fun to watch especially with how later jedi duels in the prequel movies get a lot of praise. This really held up in my opinion.

Which is impressive with what we now know Vader to be, like the greatest Jedi warrior ever. Again some continuity stuff bothers me more about the prequels, especially in Kenobi the Darth Vader vs Third Sister fight where in the how Vader could basically force block her lightsaber, and she was pretty much fully trained in the force. Similarly the hallway scene in Rogue One he can toss people around, it's hard to imagine Luke being able to compete with him at all. I kind of prefer the OT Vader without the prequels, strong with the force yes, but not superhuman powerful.

One nitpick though. Several times The Falcon is being chased by TIE fighters, why didn't Han or Leia go back and use the turret cannons to shoot them down like in ANH Death Star escape?

Return of the Jedi

Confession, growing up this was always my favorite Star Wars movie. On rewatch for me it kind of felt the weakest of the three. I guess you have to be an adult to kind of see it?

My son seemed to get a bit bored at parts. I think the Jabba Palace scenes were a bit more subdued and slow-paced than I remember, and so was a few of the middle scenes with Yoda or Luke's revelation to Leia, very quiet and somber, but definitely nothing like what we saw in ANH or ESB in terms of action-pacing.

My son thought ewoks were kind of silly and funny, but doesn't seem like to make an impression on him since we watched, unlike the AT-ATs or some of the human characters. He was afraid of the emperor, on some level I think he "got" the dynamics between Luke and Vader as it's clear Vader is his dad and Vader used to be a good guy (Anakin) in contrast to the truly evil Emperor so that all seemed to work well for him. I have to say, as a Dad now myself the final fight scenes and what Vader did hit way more deeply than anytime I've watched before, definitely teared up a bit. One question I got from him which I struggled to answer was "What does it mean to turn to the dark-side?" I'm not really sure I have a good answer other than "be tricked to do bad things" which is as good as I could explain it to his level. I guess that is a pretty abstract and fictional concept for a 4 year old.

Overall I loved the Luke - Vader rematch, again, Vader seems to be slowing down with age or wear and tear when compared to even Rogue One or ESB but Luke is getting stronger. Since Luke is the only Jedi left at the time, it was never clear how strong he was supposed to be, also being physically a small guy he doesn't seem as impressive a hero but more of an underdog in the saga, yet he took on Vader 1 on 1 and defeated him, so maybe the Force is stronger with him than I used to give him credit for? The fight was good, emotionally intense, I almost wish the actual lightsaber battle was a little longer.

One new takeaway that never really struck me before was that the ultimate climax to STAR WARS was the hero throwing away his weapon and choosing Non-Violence and ultimately being saved by (a father's) Love. That's kind of a radical notion for the 2020s let alone the 1980s. Props to George Lucas for that unconventional twist there. I almost feel like this doesn't get talked about enough compared to other aspects of Lucas' philosophy or themes in the films.

The Battle of Endor still is one of the best space battles I've ever seen. I do think the Battle of Scarif in Rogue One is probably on-par with it, but for the 1980s it's so impressive what they were able to achieve with the technology then. Also my favorite minor character of the series is Admiral Ackbar. I'm glad my son enjoyed him as well (also I felt his costume held up better in HD than the ANH alien rubber mask costumes). I wish he had his own spin-off show or movie tbh.

Overall Thoughts

I was so happy to finally be able to share this treasured part of my childhood with my son, and he seemed to take as much enjoyment from them as I did. He still asks to read the books at bedtime and we have been trying to branch out and get more Star Wars books about the Prequels and Sequels. As far as toys goes, he likes LEGO in general so we've got him a couple of Star Wars LEGO sets. It's a far cry from the collection of action figures and space ships I had in the mid-80s, but he enjoys it.

Next Star Wars to Show Him

I think that I would like to show him some of the Prequels next. Those were never my favorites, but maybe they will appeal to him at his age? The prequels were released when I was in HS/College and already had a lot of head-canon for what I thought would be in them from the EU and other sources. Maybe the Clone Wars animated show would be appropriate? I've never actually seen it myself so don't know if it's good for him to watch, maybe it's more for older kids?

I think Rogue One is also a natural fit with the Original Trilogy, but that's probably a bit too dark/adult for him right now I think. I do wonder if there are any good sanitized kids picture books about it though 😂

[pin4tacademia]

life update!!!

Soooo it's the second week of uni. So far, so good. I definitely feel like the general workload of this semester has eased up SO MUCH. I'm actually so surprised bc so many engineering guys have scared me saying it only gets worse, that I will hate 2nd year, that electrical is the hardest, and tbh, my workload is already eased up so much compared to last semester. I not only have ZERO prelecs (last sem I had 2 classes with weekly prelecs), but I also have like around half the amount of lectures than last semester. On top of that, only three of my four classes have weekly quizzes (last semester 4 of my 5 classes had weekly quizzes AND THERE WAS ONE WEEKLY QUIZ THAT TOOK A WHOLE DAY TO DO I HATED IT).

Anyways, so I'm off to a good start.

I will say digital logic, circuit analysis, and physics has been pretty good. Not too difficult yet. However, algorithms has been a lot already. I am forseeing that I will probably spend a lot more time on algorithms than anything else. I have also been warned about the circuit analysis class, so I suspect it will get much harder later in the semester. Physics has been my favourite class so far, which is good bc I will have to do 2 more physics classes for my degree.

My research internship ends this week. I already have my final presentation mostly done, just need to tweak some aspects of it, but other than that I am fully ready to present. In the next two days I am planning to finalise my report (which I already have mostly done anyways), so I will probably have to spend most of my time on that until friday. Ngl I spent last week procrastinating A LOT, so I will have to make up for that mistake this week. I have also applied to two societies: a rocketry one and a motorsports one. These two I have been planning to apply to for ages, as they're basically work experience that I can put on my resume and they supply a HUGE amount of work hours (I need like 700 or smth to graduate), so hopefully I get in. I am a bit scared in applying though, because I've heard it is quite intensive and I am already working a part-time job already. We'll see. I'm sure I can leave anytime if it ever gets too much.

Because of my procrastination, theres already a lot to do:

watch + write notes for physics lectures

go over physics tutorial sheets

prepare for the physics labs

complete the physics weekly quiz

complete the algorithms weekly quiz

go over digital logic content and labs

go over circuit analysis tutorial (and prepare for lab)

complete motorsports activities

go over algorithms content

finish research report

anyways, in terms of more personal updates:

Finished netflix's ATLA!!! Tbh it wasn't incredible in a way I was hoping for, but it also wasn't dogshit, and I think everyone can agree it was better than the movie. I'd give it a solid 7/10. If they made a second season, I would definitely watch it.

I've also been going out a LOT more. I spent last weekend doing escape rooms and mini-golf and fun little activities. It feels really good to actually go out again, and I definitely want to do it more, especially before the sem gets hectic.

And finally, there's really a lot to look forward to. The first two episodes of Shogun has come out, and I am really looking forward to watching them. I've read approximately the first 100 pages of the book, so I am curious to how they'll adapt it. Also, FF7 Rebirth is coming out tomorrow!!! How exciting!! I probably won't be able to play it, but I might be able to watch someone else gameplay. I have played FF7 Crisis Core and a little bit of FF7 the remake and the original, so I should probably try and finish FF7 itself before the sequel hehe.

anyways that is all, peace out <3

[navegandoaciegas]

Fic Recommendation list #2

Check out my first list if you’re interested (and 18+)

Some are light, some are dark. Most are smut. Be mindful of the warnings.

Mostly Bucky Barnes. Lee Bodecker and Sam Wilson too.

I hope you all enjoy these as much as I did 🤍

DARK

📌 Twice Bitten | by @cherienymphe Hands down the best fanfiction I’ve ever read, from the plot to the characterization of Bucky and Steve, and every other little detail. I literally felt like I was watching a movie.

📌 Promises | @giorno-plays-piano Dad’s bestfriend is always a huge yes. Poor reader just latches onto him after a string of tragedies. Dark, hot, and surprisingly sweet.

📌 The House of the Rising Sun | @cryptidcasanova The descriptions in this story are so vivid that I could literally feel New Orleans’ humidity on my skin. Cryptid Bucky is mysterious and hot af. 10/10 would give him my name, let him drag me in a swamp and sell him my soul.

Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4

Also check out her Sam Wilson x Reader story: “Love Potion no. 9”. I love the magic atmosphere, and I love dark Sam with all my heart. (Part 2 here)

📌 What You Can’t See | @honeyhan-123 Delusional, obsessed Bucky gets me every time. Suprisingly sweet for a dark fiction. Very accurate description of the conflict between the reader’s mind and body.

📌 Breeding kink | @softboibarnes I love yandere, dark Bucky, especially if he’s scheming and creepy af. Hot smut as always.

📌 The Wrong Idea | @mypoisonedvine I’m slowly becoming a Lee Bodecker hoe: something about chubby Sebastian, probably. Rough yet sweet. The daddy kink is the cherry on top.

📌 Push, Pull, Pressure | @darkficsyouneveraskedfor Another great Lee Bodecker story. Very vivid setting, many asshole men, absolutely irredeemable Lee.

📌 The Thrill of the Kill | @nellblazer Absolutely unhinged, psycho Bucky. Badass reader. The story is written in the first person, so if you’re very much into that, you’ll love it. And even if you’re not, you’ll love it anyways because it’s so good. And creepy af.

📌 кролик | @mariessecretfantasies I love sensory deprivation, and I love this story. You wouldn’t expect the Winter Soldier to be as caring as he is in this one, but he is, and so he gets my heart and...other parts of me.

DARK-ISH?

Not really dark but... just being safe.

📌 some of them want to get used by you | @youtastelikesugar Darkish, brainscrambled Bucky owns my heart and my whole being. I love a good story of obsession, what can I say. Not completely dark because the obsession is reciprocated. The smut is steamy and the ending is sweet.

📌 Voyeurism Drabble (Bucky Barnes x Reader x Steve Rogers) | @sweeterthanthis Hottest smut I’ve ever read. I am a slut for voyeur, dark-ish Bucky, and exhibitionist Steve and reader. Also has a sequel that includes double penetration. I need to lay down a sec and catch my breath just thinking about it.

📌 mutual | @buckycuddlebuddy Yes, I have a problem with voyeurism, and another with creepy Bucky, and I feel no shame. I wish my neighbor was as hot as Bucky, tbh. Very hot if you’re into this kink. Check out Elif’s kinktober masterlist. Many great, steamy stories you’ll love.

LIGHT

📌 The patient in room 212 | @constantwriter85 Very original story, I’ve never personally read anything quite like this in the Bucky fandom. Bucky’s inner monologue is the best thing ever, second only to the amount of pining and fluff.

Also recommended: Where I belong. Short and sweet. Bucky is very good with kids in this, so be prepared. (Pt. 2, 3)

📌 Lose Control | @navybrat817 Words can’t even begin to describe how hot this story is. Possessive Bucky is something else, I swear, and so is the raw, passionate sex he has with the reader.

📌 thoughts and actions | by @ballyhoobarnes Bucky has a stutter and is super shy and the concept itself makes me all soft. This one is my favorite out of her librarian!Bucky masterlist, but you should read all of them!

📌 my sweet girl | by @sunmoonandbucky Heartbreaking but so, so sweet. It’s a story of love and mental illness. I don’t cry easily when it comes to fanfiction but I bawled my eyes out for this one.

📌 Abstract | @suntrastar Moody, broody Bucky is everything. Very fun, lighthearted story. I love the reader too much.

📌 All Good Things | @sagechanoafterdark I have a thing for Ghost!au, and in this one, the ghost...kinds comes back to life. Very interesting story, very original too.

📌 pictures of girls | @subtlebucky Hot and cute at the same time. If Bucky Barnes asked to take my nude photos for a class, I’d say yes. No hesitation. No questions asked.

📌 All of You | @moonbeambucky Heartbreaking but so, so sweet. Bucky is so used to being tossed away like he means nothing that it’s the reaction he always expects. Fluffy, happy ending.

📌 It’ll last longer | @angrythingstarlight If you’re gonna have sex in a photo booth, make sure you have a Steve Rogers with you. Public sex and hot af smut.

📌 Zoom Meeting | @tuiccim In a time where most of us work or study from home, this fic is basically... all of us horny hoes dreams come true.

-

These amazing authors put a lot of time and effort into writing their stories. Please make sure to reblog and comment on their fics, and show them your appreciation. Reblog this list too so that it can reach as many people as possible. 🤍

[life-rewritten]

THE GIANTS OF THAI BL 2020 AKA SHOWS STEALING MY HEART IN NOVEMBER

UPDATE AND UPCOMING ANALYSIS NOVEMBER 2020

It's the moment I've been waiting for since the excruciating silence of Thai BLS during the lockdown. It's November, the month of thanksgivings, the month of pre-Christmas jitters, nanowrimo and the month that has finally made me realise we are so close to ending this godforsaken year. Still, most of all, November means that we are getting buttloads of shows that are about to take my breath away. This year has been such an exciting year for BLS because of the increasingly amount of companies and directors willing to produce and release different types of BLS. In this list, we have awaited sequels, delicious plotlines and shocking comebacks. But most of all we have lots and lots of romance and men. Which of these have you been waiting for? Let me know. Let's squeal about it. November is going to be so great!

Ratings: From 1 to 5 (1 being least excited to watch, 5 being most,) how excited am I to delve into these shows?

Shows already airing

1.I TOLD SUNSET ABOUT YOU/ INTERPRET, MY LOVE, WITH YOUR HEART

Genre/Themes: Romance, Melodrama, Coming of Age, Angst, Drama, Childhood friendship

Country: Thailand

Verdict: So finally I rise from the memories of poorly produced bls, and pains of bad acting, and toxic writings, and traumas of stiff actors and homophobic agendas to finally say that without a doubt. Nadao has produced another masterpiece after my other favourite (Non) BL; Greater Man academy. Nadao stuns me, and for a very long time, I couldn't understand that this was how everyone was feeling, one because I wasn't fully educated or in the know about the company, I only saw tv shows in Thailand that were produced by GMMTV and to be honest I didn't think there was anything else above that standard in shows apart from Lakorns and Movies. (I know Sacrebleu) Getting to know and watch Nadao shows has been an experience, and for BL, I am hooked and ready for what else they have to offer. The only qualms that prevent me from gushing about the show are how international fans are treated. It took me a very long time to forgive ITSAY for its subbing platform (and price range), and that's why I refused to watch it with positive feelings. After episode 2 though, I'd be a fool to hold on to resentment when there is no doubt that this BL (despite not knowing if it's a sad ending. I'd hate if it is but it wouldn't change anything) is the best BL of this year. With ridiculous, incredible production, outstanding breathtaking cinematography, beautiful and talented actors and writing so good it blows me away. Episode 2 left my heart in pieces, but in a good way, I haven't recovered from the angst.

Ratings: 4.5/5 Would have been a 5/5 if the pricing made sense but also I'm terrified about a sad ending which I won't be too happy about.

2. FRIEND FOREVER/ OUR LOVE IS SICK

Genre/Themes: Romance, Music, Coming of Age, Angst, Drama, Childhood friendship, Rich vs poor,  Bullying 

Country: Thailand

Verdict: It's a pity this show is not available for international fans. Because I think people would actually love this show the way I do. It's so precious, reminds me so much of my first ever BL Lovesick (made by the same production team so makes sense) but better. What can I say about this show, really adorable cast, actually so good on the screen, great chemistry, and good storylines that keep me hooked. I am so in love with surprisingly one of my favourite couples this year Tin and Sea. I have such a great time watching this show, and I enjoy also analysing and just piecing together some of the mysteries in the show. It's been so good so far, and I can't wait for more. The first episodes are a little slow-paced, but it gets better as you keep watching it. I'd advise you to watch the director's cut because that has all of the storylines in the episode instead of the tv version which is more censored and has a lot of deleted scenes that mess with the flow of the storyline. Still, one of my favourite Thai shows right now. 

Ratings: 4/5  I think 4/5 is a fair score just because of some confusion when trying to watch it internationally and getting the right version and I do think the story feels like a whiplash between the different styles of writing of the main two couples. Go watch this though if you haven't, dm me and I'll show you how. 

NON-THAI

3. GAYA SA PELIKULA

Genre/Themes: Romance, Drama, Comedy, Angst, LGBTQ+ Education, Contract relationship, Haters to lovers

Country: Philippines 

Verdict: Normally with verdicts, I have so much to say about a show, also when I analyse I can write essays and essays of information. When it comes to this show, I'm speechless. I'm in awe; I'm crying just even trying to explain how great this show is. How great Fridays are because of this show. How upsetting and damaged I am when the end of the episode occurs, I literally mourn waiting for the next episode the next week because it's too long. This show pulls you in, and it never lets you go. I'm mindblown by the writing of this show, mindblown by the acting, by the production, music, but most of all I have become a mess because of this meta in this show. I have cried so much because of how much I care about this show, the characters are all fleshed out, are so powerfully written, and emotionally tugs at your heartstrings whilst still educating and representing LGBTQ community fantastically. I don't know what we did to deserve a show like this. Maybe its because after years of waiting for something to finally show up and just be unproblematic and be so great with no questions, no confusions, no struggle, this show is just that. And I will be forever thankful to the whole team that brought this to us

Ratings: 5/5 I would give this more than 5 if I could. That's how much this show means to me. 

4. CHERRY MAGIC 

Genre/Themes: Romance, Comedy, Supernatural, Office drama, Slice of Life

Country: Japan

Verdict: Kurosawa and Adachi. That's it. That's the reason for the 5/5 stars when it comes to watching this show. First of all, I like Japanese romantic comedy shows, and anime, and manga. So seeing cherry magic come to life as this amazing form of that makes me so happy. Typically with Japanese BL, everything feels so serious sometimes, and then sometimes it feels too crazy and over the top. But Cherry Magic just feels like a warm hug when you watch it; you can't help your self but to smile and giggle at Adachi's adventures realising that he can read minds because he's a virgin at 30 years old. To add to that, he is given Kurosowa this incredible, amazing, wonderful non-toxic man who absolutely adores him and unconditionally is there for him. I just like what? Where do I get my own Kurosawa? Like it just feels so unfair haha. But really cherry magic is full of great acting, fantastic plot and unique as well. Every character is also written well, and all have interesting dynamics. We also have another side couple who is so funny and ridiculous but also just cute and heartwarming. I have a great time watching this show and the fact that it's ending on Christmas day? Already tells you what this show is, a gift and its a great one. 

Ratings: 5/5 I want my own Kurosawa. That's it. That's all I want Universe.

Shows Upcoming

5. THARNTYPE 7 YEARS OF LOVE

Genre/Themes: Romance, Drama, Comedy,  Mature, LGBTQ+ Representation, Internalised homophobia, Sequel

Country: Thailand

Verdict: This is a complicated show to gush about. First of all TharnType, the series in 2019 was one of my favourite shows that brought me back to this BL thing. I absolutely adore all the actors, and I also loved the storyline like I said before there's something about Mame's writing that I appreciate, I think most of her strengths is found in TharnType. Because of this, this sequel is one of my most anticipated show this year. However, I feel conflicted because I hate sequels. I hate couples having to go through the weird-ass, shallow, conflicts that just end up ruining the meaning of their previous show and leaves me with a bad taste in my mouth about the couple I once loved (Looking at you Together with me the next chapter still traumatised honestly). Enough of the negatives, Tharn and Type from the trailer looks like it's going to be a wild ride, I can even see the great chemistry that made me fall for MewGulf, and I'm so excited to see the new couples and characters. I also am so excited to see TECHNO again and laugh with him every Friday. We also know that the awaited wedding between our couple is also going to be in this show. And that's going to make me bawl like a baby. Let's hope we don't have too many toxic or troublesome storylines, let's hope we don't have too many breakups and fights (because that hurts so much seeing Mew cry) and let's hope we finally have a sequel that is better than its predecessor. 

Ratings: 4.5/5  This is how I feel about it, I don't think I can rate it as 5/5 because of all the worry and anxiety at what the storyline entails—still a great show to look forward to. 

6. MANNER OF DEATH

Genre/Themes: Romance, Crime, Mature, Angst, Drama, Mystery, Thriller, Haters to Lovers

Country: Thailand

Verdict: Think about it. Why wouldn't this be number one on everyone's list of upcoming BLS? We have the return of one of the best actors in this genre MaxTul the actual godfathers of Thai BL; we have an incredible team here with a director that has won multiple awards, with a storyline that is unique to Thai BL, we're getting crime, detective, mystery BL with mature characters who are not in university? As if that's not enough, we also have a really incredible plotline about this forensic doctor who falls in love with someone who we are not sure if we should trust because he could be a murderer! Like oooh yes please, the drama, the angst, the thrill?? I'm ready for this; I am so prepared to give my whole heart and attention on this show. I want it to be so good, to defeat the shows of 2019 that came and took our hearts away, to be the best BL ever. It's so difficult not to raise my expectations when it comes to this show when I know we have a great cast, great chemistry, non-stiff acting, and just a really non-toxic author as well. I look forward to this so much. Only issue/question? Where is the trailer? Hello WETV, where is our teaser? Why don't we know the date for when this is coming out? I want it out now. But I'll try and be patient okay? 

Ratings: 5/5 I can't think of how this show won't be good. And that's really worrying. But for now, I'll keep my expectations high and wait.

7. TONHON CHONTALEE 

Genre/Themes: Romance, Coming of Age, Angst, Comedy, Childhood friendship, GMMTV

Country: Thailand

Verdict: Podd and KHAOTHUNG, (my sun, my heart, my favourite person ever) Sorry just gushing over my two faves. GMMTV has shocked me this year with the announcement of this show. First of all, Khao gets to have a show where he's the main lead. I've been waiting for this, and I'm so proud and excited for him. Not only that obviously, but TonTonChontalee looks really good with a vibe of a  comedic spin to one of my favourite shows Theory of love. I am ready to see Podd act so stupid as Ton and at the same time sob when he finally realises that Chon is the one. I'm so ready to see Khao act his socks off, and the show looks so funny, so fun and just like the chemistry between two is definitely a winner. I cannot wait for this next Friday. And it also has Mike and Toptap! What's not to love? Seriously though I'm praying this is successful, and it helps both Podd and Khao to dominate GMMTV. Let's find out next Friday.

Ratings: 5/5 For Podd and Khaothung. Just worth the rating.

8. GEN Y THE SERIES

Genre/Themes: Romance, Drama, Comedy, Angst, 2moons Fanfiction, Haters to Lovers

Country: Thailand

Verdict: First of all 2 MOONS Reunion! What?? Very shocked to see this show tbh one because it's like a direct copy of 2moons the series; the same cast, the weird alternations to the same name, the same kind of plot as well. Channel 3 has finally decided to invest in BLs,  one of the biggest companies in Thailand, so the budget is high, the actors are known and famous, the production is good. This is so exciting to see. Also, 2moons was one of my favourite past BLs the whole time it was airing, and I had a massive affinity for Kimmon and Copter, so it's great to see them play their characters again but with a better budget and now glow up and grown. Their acting seems to have improved, Kit and Ming's storyline being the main focus is also really lovely to see. I also love seeing Bas and the other actors from other Bl series (The Moment actors) and I'm excited to know more about the new cast as well. So yeh this show has a great potential to win my heart as well, and the competition is not easy at all. But with a great company behind them and an exciting premise, this can also be a winner. 

Ratings: 4/5 I'm intrigued by this show, and I look forward to seeing what it brings.

November is such an exciting month for someone like me who just loves watching tv and analysing and just seeing romance bloom. These couples, stories and actors have a great potential to be the best things of 2020 so far, each of these shows holds evidence that they're worth paying attention to and honestly I've missed seeing Thai BLs that make me so excited so much. I've missed these actors, I've loved each and every one of them, and I can't wait to see them this month on my screen. What about you, guys? What do you look forward to? Who are your favourites? What are you worried about when it comes to these comebacks. Let's discuss.

[mystarmyangel]

[TRANS-ARTICLES] 220816 YoonA’s related extracts from #ConfidentialAssignment2 Press Conference

YoonA on reprising the role as Minyoung

Lim YoonA who plays Minyoung, the sister-in-law and beauty Youtuber who earns 100 won per day said: “It was my first time doing a series (movie), I feel happy and there is a sense of familiarity. And unlike the first movie, she has a job now. In the first movie, she was a jobless sister-in-law who is constantly scolded and now has a job as a beauty Youtuber at home. In addition, she will also be sharing the heart that was once lost to Cheol Ryung with Jack as well, getting into a conflict by herself.”

 “You can also see the familiar chemistry that she shared with her brother-in-law and family after a long time. And the self-conflicting love triangle with Cheol Ryung and Jack. This is a self-made love triangle.”

“I looked up on several videos of how beauty Youtubers introduced themselves. I have also considered how I could add actions (gestures) in my lines. While I didn’t do anything special than what the others usually do, but with Minyoung’s dressing it feels like it came out differently. There are also scenes where I helped in the investigation as a beauty Youtuber”

“It was so much fun to act with Yoo Haejin with ad-libs in the first movie. In this second movie, I can’t remember clearly which parts that I have ad-libs in. There were some parts that are filled up as a teamwork with the other actors. In this area, I learnt so much, and I had so much fun. And regardless of what, the scene with the most ad-libs must be the one scene where I was drunk.”

“I think I have accumulated experience through the ‘Confidential Assignment’ series. CA1 is my debut movie, and many people thinks that the character Minyoung is very charming. Hence, I tried to emphasize this part. I also tried to show a more improved and different side in the second movie. To me, CA2 is like a new work.”

In addition, on the pressure of acting in a comedy film, YoonA said, “There isn’t much in particular. ‘Confidential Assignment’ series to me is a work that feels reassuring. Rather than acting in a comedy film, I think I should show my charms as Minyoung. I enjoyed watching Minyoung’s charms, she is a character that I am grateful towards.  

Sources: (1), (2), (3), (4)

Daniel Henney mentioned YoonA Recalling his meeting with YoonA in 2007, he said “I have always been a fan of hers. It was amazing to watch the process of her transforming into singer & actress. I felt honoured to be able to appear in the same project as her this time.

Source: Link

Director Lee Seok Hoon on ‘Confidential Assignment 2’

“It is like a jinx that usually sequel will not be as good as the previous one. And I thought about the cause myself. It seemed that the reason behind it is when one depends on the success of the previous movie and wasted the characters. In order to prevent that, I tried to add in unexpected novelty to the expected familiarity by the audience.”

“The first filming was a gathering at Jin Tae’s house. It is an important scene and where everyone gathered together, but because this scene was filmed so early so I felt burdened. But when we all arrived at the setting, it was like a scene that have waited for really long and everyone was fully prepared, and we had a lot of fun filming. Since then, I have gained momentum and filmed it so smoothly that I think I am going on a free ride.”

“To me I felt that the biggest fun will the relationships among the characters. In the first movie, there was tension and fun from the ironic joint cooperation between the South and North Korean detective. This time, it will be upgraded further and lead to a three-way cooperation with the FBI. There is friendship, competition, fun and tensions that arise from there. Also, the fun that will come out from Minyoung’s imaginary love triangle with Cheol Ryung and Jack. I think the chemistry of the characters is one of things that makes the fun of the movie special.”  

Sources: (1), (2) Trans: mystarmyangel

[unironicduncanstan]

rating disney movie sequels ive seen from worst to best bc i can

12. pocahontas II: journey to a new world - caught sight of it on my tv one time, and as a child who was probably still identifying as republican at that point, i s2g it was so racist i could not finish it. ‘wait till he sees you’ gives me fuckin hives

11. tarzan II - its. tarzan as a kid. like just more young tarzan adventures and dont get me wrong its a cute idea but after about 5 minutes it gets so boring 

10.  atlantis: milos return - this one gets a lil bit of a pass bc from what i heard it was supposed to be a better sequel but that got canned and they were working on a spin off series too so they just like. took a couple of the episodes they were working on and stitched it into a movie. its like a bootleg parody of the first film and my family and i despite loving the original , once again, could not even finish this one. the only memorable part for me was kida picking up a life preserver presuming its a game and milo telling her you throw it to someone whos drowning and she responds “does this not make it difficult to play the game”

9. beauty and the beast: the enchanted christmas - not that bad, tim curry plays a great villian per usual, its just kinda confusing where and how it fits into the plot of the first film. and its like. Dark? perhaps scary? for a christmas movie??? i remember my mom didnt want me to watch it every year she’d dread it bc it was such a bummer lol

8. brother bear 2 - ok nah introducing the new girl character was actually a baller move, and the concept was pretty cool. they just didnt make it fit very well and ngl the entire rest of the movie also feels disconnected from the first. had a lot of good dots but no good connection ya dig. also even though they tried in the end it was still just a ‘we have to give this character a love interest’ movie which kinda trumps the whole reason the first movie revolved around brotherhood. it aint wife bear

7. cinderella II: dreams come true - i barely remember it i am literally just giving it this high of a rating bc the romance between the baker and one of the stepsisters was so fucking wholesome. that true love lives in my head bitch xoxo

6. the rescuers down under - i never saw the original so when i saw this on tv i thought it was the original , thats how quality it was imo. i just hardly remember it and had no real urge to seek it out again for years. its eye catching but not super duper memorable

5. the little mermaid II: return to the sea - ik most of the plot is just the first movie reversed but i actually rly liked the character melody and how they inverted a lot of the concepts, its just. a lot of it includes secondhand embarrassment and some of it rly is too lazy for me to ignore. solid B- for me

4. the lion king II: simbas pride - INCREDIBLE soundtrack, nothing can beat the first but its still Baller, and the newly introduced characters are all iconic. my only qualm is how like. the concept of bigoted simba is very hard to watch which ik ik it makes some sense with the events of the first movie but jfc my man does not have a great look in this one

3. mulan II - most ppl hate this one?? but i actually rly loved the princess characters and the music as well, i watched it a LOT growing up. the whole mushu trying to break up mulan and shang thing is equal parts entertaining and frustrating. and the animation is a tad bit... off. but like am i ever gonna FORGET mulan hanging off the bridge and reaching for her man and screaming with her entire heart? or the way she kinda parallels his ‘ping, hold on’ from the first movie with ‘shang, hang on’? no

2. peter pan II: return to neverland - broe....... howd they take the racist misogynistic trainwreck that was the first film and make this. its so fucking good, it has emotional depth and speaks to kids who feel they are being forced into growing up too fast by showcasing wendys daughter going thru WORLD WAR II and making her an incredibly realistic portrayal of a traumatized kid, pairing her with the happy go lucky peter pan and the lost boys who CANT grow up, symbolizing the death of her innocence with the way that her not believing in fairies is slowly killing tinkerbell, it all just makes for a really impactful movie. and even in a kids movie sense its just so entertaining and at times really funny and/or whimsical? not to mention the ‘i’ll try’ song/scene gets me crying every single time. beautiful movie dude the only reason its 2nd is bc it is , So emotional that im not always in the MOOD to watch it bc i have to prepare a little

1. the lion king 1 1/2 - god yes i fuckign loved and still love this one so much. the music is fire the comedy still makes me laugh so hard and the whole idea is so fucking genuinely clever. god bless whoever came up with this one i had it on dvd and im p sure i watched it for years till it was so scratched up it wouldnt play anymore, 11/10

[cuddlepilefics]

Glow Stars

Fandom: Stray Kids

Little: Felix (age 3-4), Changbin (age?)

Caregiver: Chan + Changbin

Sequel to ‘Gonna leave a light on’

 Noone’s POV.:

“Dada nu leave Lixxie”, the little pouted, grabbing the caregiver’s sleeve. Chan gave him a sad smile and pet the little’s hair. The leader had been called to the studio by their manager and would most likely come back home late, way past the younger’s bedtime. “I’m sorry, cupcake. I don’t want to go either but I really have to. You don’t want daddy to get in trouble, would you?”, he sighed. Felix shook his head and dropped his hand from where it was clutching the other’s sleeve. Frowning, the oldest turned to Changbin. “Hyung, don’t worry. We’ll be fine. Both of you told me so much about little space, I’m sure I’ll be able to care for Lix for a few hours. The others aren’t even here, so we don’t have to worry about hiding”, the rapper tried to comfort his hyung. He knew how protective Chan was of Felix, which only amplified when the younger Aussie was little. Originally, Stray Kids had a day off, which most of the members used to take a day trip together. They’d only come back after Felix’ bedtime, so Chan and Felix decided to stay back home and let the little regress. Changbin stayed behind with them because he wanted to see how his friend regressed and maybe learn more about little space. The rapper himself had only regressed a small handful of times around the two Aussies to deal with his insomnia and was still unexperienced, that’s why he wanted to learn from Felix. It came as a shock to all of the three when Chan was suddenly called into work while Felix was little. They had always made sure they’d be together when Felix regressed, so he’d be taken care of. Sure, the leader was glad that Changbin now knew about their secret and was more than willing to take care of the little but the caregiver was reluctant to leave anyways. Frowning, he ruffled the little’s hair one last time promising: “Be good for Binnie, okay? I’ll be all yours tomorrow. If you behave well and the weather’s good tomorrow, we can even go to the park and get ice cream. Daddy loves you little koala.” The little held back tears when he hugged his caregiver one last time, not wanting to let go as he mumbled a sad ‘love chu too’ and with that the leader was gone.

Ever since to oldest left, Felix had been in a gloomy mood. Changbin had tried to cheer him up but was slowly running out of ideas, so he just turned on one of Felix’ favorite cartoons and held the little tight as they watched. After a few hours, the young Aussie started to giggle along and by the time lunch rolled around, he had fully warmed up to Changbin. The older made dino nuggets for the little and some egg fried rice for himself, afraid he might feel little if he ate the same as Felix. The little munched happily on his nuggets, telling the newfound caregiver what he wanted to do with the remaining day. Despite talking with a mouth full of food, the older never scolded him. The rapper was too in awe to tell the little off and after the dishes were cleaned, they did exactly what Felix had been talking about. The little proudly showed off all of his coloring books and let Changbin choose a page that Felix would color just for him and one that the little would color for his daddy when he came back home. The little even offered the rapper one of the coloring books but the older declined because he still didn’t know which things could trigger his own headspace, instead he praised the younger for how great of an artist he was. He also made sure to take lots of pictures, sending them to Chan, reassuring that they were having a great time. Before dinner they played a few rounds of tag, chasing each other through the entire dorm to tire Felix out. After blowing off some steam, they had dinner in form off some scrambled eggs and sliced fruit and spent another two hours to watch a Disney movie. With still an hour left till Felix’ bedtime, they settled in bed with the older reading the little some cartoons. The little was laughing at the different voices Changbin imitated and cuddled into the rapper’s arm. Changbin also made sure to remember Felix’ evening milk. He turned on some calm music and dimmed the light, before sitting down on the bed and cradling the little in his arms. While bottle-feeding him, the older watched Felix’ eyes flutter shut and when the little’s lips slowed and then stopped, he pulled the bottle away and placed it on the nightstand before sliding out of bed and tucking the little in.

Laying in his own bed, Changbin envied Felix for how easily sleep seemed to come for the younger. It had been two hours since the little had fallen asleep and the rapped had gone to his own bed only to be reminded of his own insomnia. It was pitch black in the room because unlike Changbin when he regressed, Felix had no problem with the dark. The older knew, that the only thing that helped him sleep was being little but he couldn’t regress while looking after Felix. He chewed on his bottom lip, being stuck in a dilemma. After a few minutes, the rapper decided, it was unlikely that the younger would wake up anytime soon. Not being able to see much with how dark it was, he fumbled around his bedside drawer and pulled out a cute pink pacifier. It had been his first little space gift from Chan and Felix. Assuring himself that he’d just use the paci to relax while staying big, Changbin took the comfort item between his lips and started sucking on it softly. His plan to stay big started to prove itself as much harder than expected and with the belief he’d be able to pull himself out of headspace should Felix need him, the older gave up the fight and allowed his mind to slip.

Having never regressed without somebody who’d care for him, Changbin didn’t think about having to make preparations. He also completely forgot about his little self’s fear of the dark, so when the little suddenly found himself in a pitchblack room, he started to panic. Instinctively, the rapper knew he couldn’t cry out for one of his members, who had come home an hour prior, because they didn’t know about little space and both him and Felix preferred it stayed that way. Clutching Gyu, Changbin shoved his face into his pillow to muffle his sobs, when suddenly a small hand touched his back. His frightened screamed went muffled by the pillow, so luckily none of the other dorm mates got alerted. “Chu otay, hyung?”, Felix mumbled sleepily from where he had climbed onto the other’s bed. Changbin flinched at the used honorific and pulled his blanket over his head before choking out: “Too dawk.” Hadn’t he been hiding his face, the rapper would have seen the realization lighting up his friends face before he scrambled of the bed. There were a few cluttering noises heard, from Felix blindly stumbling into things before he found the switch and the large ceiling light turned on. Lowering the blanket, Changbin blinked at his fellow little, chubby cheeks stained with tears. He rubbed his eyes while Felix climbed back into bed and cuddled him. “Chu wanna be fwiends? Lixxie always wanted little fwiend”, the Aussie whispered shyly, playing with the hem of his sleep shirt. Not being able to speak with the paci in his mouth, Changbin nodded excitedly and hugged his knew found little space friend tight. When their eyes met, their bright smiles mirrored each other’s. The rapper removed his pacifier and giggled: “Chu wanna pway with Binnie?” Felix nodded happily but then his smile dropped. “Lixxie pwomised dada to be good. Good boys follow wules and wule is to follow bedtime. Nu think Lixxie is allowed to pway at night”, he frowned, scared that his daddy wouldn’t take him to the park in the morning if he found out that the two were playing after bedtime. Changbin too looked worried at the other’s statement and mumbled: “Binnie nu wanna be bad boy. Sweep?” Felix nodded and got up. He turned on the lap on his desk before switching the ceiling light off and collecting his paci and one of his favorite plushies. The Aussie climbed in next to his friend, who had put his pacifier back into his mouth, holding Gyu. They fell asleep cuddling.

Chan came back home an hour later, sneaking into his room that he shared with Changbin and Felix. His heart dropped when he found both of them with their pacis. The leader hadn’t calculated the risk of the rapper slipping too and his first thought was ‘What if the others saw?’. Remembering that he had gotten no confused or panicked texts, the oldest slowly relaxed. He took a picture of the two cuddling littles before getting changed and going to bed.

Changbin was the first to wake up and when he did, he was out of little space. He cleaned his paci and stored it away before Felix woke up. The Aussie was still in little space, so the rapper took out a coloring book and pencils to entertain the little in their room till Chan would wake up. They had this day off too, so everyone was sleeping in. When Felix complained about being hungry, Changbin ventured to the kitchen and chopped some fruit, for the little to have for breakfast, allowing him to eat in their room. It wasn’t too long before Chan woke up too and helped Felix to change into clothes that were suitable for going out in public. The leader decided to take the little out as early as possible, so they wouldn’t run into too many people. While they got ready in their room, Changbin told him what had happened the day before and apologized for being irresponsible. The oldest of course forgave him, he knew how difficult it was for Felix to stay big when he felt little. When Chan and Felix left the dorm, Chan didn’t eat breakfast. He wanted to keep the time little Felix was around the other members as short as possible. They knew him too well and would be able to tell that something was off. The pair already had a way of sneaking little Felix past every one else. The younger stayed quiet and only waved happily while Chan explained that he was taking his dongsaeng to the park. Before anyone could notice something and before Felix got the chance to talk, they were gone, leaving Changbin to wonder how often he had seen little Lixxie without being aware of it.

The two Aussies trailed around the park, their fingers intertwined and their arms swinging. They were enjoying the morning sun, when the caregiver spotted a café close by. “You wanna get ice cream now, sweetie?”, Chan smiled and the little nodded excitedly, “Alright, tell daddy which flavors. Remember, only daddy and Binnie and daddy know you’re little, so no talking to anyone else.” It was a rule they had made to avoid Felix giving himself away, should he slip when others were around. He could pass of as big for quite a while but his cute little voice would catch everyone’s attention. When they entered the café, the little stayed close to his caregiver when the older ordered him one scoop of strawberry ice cream and one scoop chocolate. The leader got himself a piece of pastry along with a cup of coffee to make up for his skipped breakfast and the two ate at their favorite spot in the park. It was a small bench, hidden by a few trees but still close to the lake. When they were done, the older pulled out two slices of old toast. He knew how much the little loved to feed the ducks on the lake so he always made sure to sneak something from the kitchen when they went to the park. Chan let his little feed the ducks while he watched in adoration, being certain that one of the best things he had ever done was asking Felix if he could be his caregiver.

After playing in the sun for a while and feeding the ducks, the younger came running back to his caregiver with a huge smile on his face. He hugged Chan tightly, repeating over and over again how much he liked the older and how happy he made him. The leader grinned proudly and returned the hug, promising he loved the little more. They pulled apart and made their way back to the dorm, so Felix could show him the picture he colored for him. On their way back, they passed a toy store and Chan had an idea: “Hey Lixxie. How about we get you a reward for how good you were yesterday? You can choose one bigger item or two small ones and daddy’s going to buy them for you.” The little’s eyes lit up at the thought of new toys and he gave his caregiver a side-hug, almost tripping both of them while he repeatedly whispered “thank chu”. Wandering the aisles, something quickly caught Felix’ eyes and he handed his pick to Chan. The leader smiled at the cute nightlight and the box of glow stars his little had chosen. They went to check out and made their way home with the little skipping along happily.

Back at the dorm they used the same tactic as earlier to get to their room and Felix was quick to also pull Changbin along. The two older, sat on one of the beds and watched the little clap his hands excitedly. “Lixxie got gifts fow Binnie”, he announced proudly and Chan smiled when he understood why Felix chose what he did. Changbin loved receiving gifts although he’d never admit it. The rapper’s eyes lit up and he was quick to slip, knowing it was only Chan and Felix around. The thought of Lixxie getting him a gift got him too excited to stay big. The leader handed him the shopping bag and watched as he reached into it. Changbin looked at the items with large sparkling eyes, lips forming a small ‘o’. First there was little reaction and Felix bit his lip worried his little friend might not like the gift but the rapper was simply too stunned. It took a few moments for Changbin to snap out of it and he was quick to tackle Felix onto one of the free beds, hugging him tightly and fighting back tears of joy. Chan watched the two littles, proud of how thoughtful Felix was. When the two finally let go of each other, the leader split the glow stars into two even piles and first picked up Changbin, so that the rapper could touch the ceiling to put up half of the glow stars. Then Chan picked up Felix to let him place the other half of the stars.

That night, Chan made two cups of warm milk with honey and took them back to their room where he transferred the milk into Felix bottle and sippy cup. It was common for Changbin to borrow Felix sippy, which wasn’t a big deal because the Aussie preferred his bottle anyways. The leader bottle fed Felix and Changbin drank his milk himself, while the two littles listened to their caregiver’s soft voice, singing only for them. When they finished, Chan plugged in the nightlight and lay down. They had their beds pushed together again, so each little could lay in one of the caregiver’s arms and cuddle into his wide chest. From that point on, Changbin would slip every night when he looked up at the glow stars but he wasn’t afraid anymore because the nightlight provided just enough light for him to see his surroundings and being in headspace, the rapper had no troubles sleeping. Seems like his little friend managed to cure his insomnia.

[route22ny]

We’re Never Going Back to the 1950s

The year 2020 shattered America’s shared reality.

by DEREK THOMPSON

DECEMBER 16, 2020

***

Twenty years ago, the sociologist Robert Putnam in Bowling Alone used the decline of bowling leagues since the middle of the 20th century to symbolize America’s declining social engagement. This year, he published a sequel of sorts, The Upswing, in which he identified more stray threads of our social unraveling: in lower marriage rates, church attendance, and trust in government; in falling membership in all chapter-based associations; collapsing social trust among young adults; and even a decrease in mentions of community versus identity in novels and nonfiction books.

But no measure of communitarian pessimism could have prepared Putnam for the circumstances of the past nine months. America’s bowling alleys haven’t just depopulated; they’ve gone dark, along with thousands of churches, restaurants, bars, cafés, gyms, theaters, and almost every other physical space that could preserve or nurture a physical community.

Mirroring this civic fragmentation, America’s media and entertainment industry has spun apart, and the spinning is accelerating. On December 3, the film studio Warner Bros. announced that subscribers of the company’s digital streaming service HBO Max will be able to watch all of its 2021 film releases at home, on the same day that they’re released in theaters. The movies affected by this decision aren’t humble indies. We’re talking Dune and The Matrix 4—the sort of films that, if they were released exclusively in theaters next year, might earn a domestic box office roughly equal to the GDP of Micronesia.

Like Putnam’s beloved bowling alleys, cinemas are an example of the decline of semiweekly gatherings in the United States—even if they’re less chatty establishments. In the 1940s, the average American bought more than 30 movie tickets a year, regularly packing into theaters with scores of strangers. In the past few years, that figure fell below four. In 2020, movie tickets sold per-person will fall below one—possibly for the first time since the late 1800s. The decision by Warner Bros. will likely encourage other entertainment companies, such as Disney, to funnel more of their marquee content to streaming services in the next few years. And the result could be a death spiral for movie theaters as we know them, as the film industry continues its shift from a public, ticketed affair to a private, living-room experience.

Home entertainment is fracturing as well, and along with it the communal-while-alone possibility of a shared popular culture. Since 2010, 33 million households have either cut the cord or never signed up for cable TV in the first place. The traditional cable bundle is slowly dying, and its death is fertilizing new subscription-only streaming services, such as HBO Max, Disney+, Peacock from NBCUniversal, and Quibi (RIP), which join a landscape crowded with Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and Hulu, not to mention user-generated video platforms including YouTube and TikTok.

It would be hackish to accuse Netflix or Warner Bros. of being the main accelerants of American loneliness. But the fact is that cinematic entertainment, which was born as the ultimate communal ritual, an experience whose technology required simultaneity and togetherness, has become the ultimate personal activity, an incomprehensibly long spectrum of different stories mostly consumed in a state of solitude.

This media shift—from the scarce and communal to the abundant and privatized—also describes the evolution of the news industry. In the past 20 years, newspaper circulation, advertising revenue, and employment have cratered. But overall, news—that is, sources of new information, of varying truthiness—didn’t decline; it exploded. The web created a phalanx of news publishers, not just websites but also Facebook pages, Instagram personalities, newsletters, podcasts, and so on; at the same time, Google and Facebook duopolized digital advertising, creating a situation where publishers were multiplying as advertising declined.

In ecology, the term niche partitioning describes the way that competing species become hyper-specialized in an attempt to co-exist in an environment with scarce resources. I think that’s what’s happening in the news industry. As the number of competing publishers increases, it makes sense for each of them to carve out an ecological niche. This niches-get-riches race leads logically to a set of more outlets that embrace a more unabashedly partisan perspective—just as they did in the late 1800s.

One might assume that polarization is what happens to people cut off from information. But the truth is closer to the opposite: More information means more polarization. Research shows that access to broadband internet in the U.S. has in many cases increased various measures of polarization, as the web introduces voters to a bigger menu of partisan news from which voters select the sites that match their political tastes.

We’ve seen this phenomenon accelerate in 2020. Four years ago, most people would have said there were three major cable news networks: the center-left one (CNN), the liberal alternative (MSNBC), and the conservative juggernaut (Fox News). But in the past few months, the conservative-news monolith has shattered. Since the election, Newsmax TV and the One America News Network have stepped up to backfill President Donald Trump’s election-fraud lies with programming from an alternate reality. And behold, niche partitioning works: Last week, Newsmax rode the election-conspiracy story to its first-ever ratings win over Fox. Because Trump devotees are going to buy tickets to whatever media universe offers the best narrative, networks are competing to tell the Trumpiest tale.

With weekly religious attendance at low ebb and live TV in structural decline, national elections are arguably the only activity that Americans do together in shared time. But shared time is not shared reality. Led by the president, Republican lawmakers have petitioned to sabotage the results of the election, based on fantastic conspiracy theories. The GOP fever dream, which is credulously reproduced across Trump-friendly media, is clearly contagious: More than 80 percent of Trump voters believe that Biden’s win is illegitimate, a figure corresponding to about 60 million people. There is nothing unique about reality and fantasy blending together in politics. But the speed and severity with which Trump’s “Stop the Steal!” mind virus has infected the GOP is the sign of a compromised civic immune system. A far-right cohort has been effectively quarantined from reality in one corner of our honeycombed media landscape.

There is no going back to the 1950s. We will never again be enfolded by those bespoke mid-century circumstances, the scarce broadcasts and broadsheets. The dividing forces are too strong and too many. The film experience pushed out across millions of flatscreens; the live-television networks splintering into millions of digital entertainment queues; the news dissolving into innumerable political realities: One by one, these are not evil trends. But they add up. Or, more aptly, they divide. They individuate.

People ask me if I’m optimistic about 2021, and the answer is that, in a way, I’m ecstatically optimistic. The economy will reopen, and life will reopen. People will come out of their homes; they will send their kids to school; they will hug and kiss and live. But underneath the high tide of economic growth and social normalization, I think we’ll feel something else, an eerie undertow of isolation and anxiety.

“The definition of community is ‘where you keep showing up,’” said someone I met, whose name I’ve forgotten, back in the days when it was normal to meet new people whose names you could forget. I haven’t forgotten that line, though: Community is where you keep showing up. What a lovely idea. But where do people keep showing up, these days? Nowhere. Not the office, not the COVID-aerosolized bars and gyms. A lot of people have spent a year finding community via a glowing screen in a room they never leave.

The empty bowling alleys and movie theaters; the infinity buffet of entertainment and partisan media; the dissolution of a shared American reality—these are distinct yet connected phenomena. Digital technology has spawned a choose-your-own-adventure mediascape, which has flooded the electorate with alternate realities, at the same time that its community ties wither. America is coming apart, and these pieces will not be easily reassembled.

***

DEREK THOMPSON is a staff writer at The Atlantic, where he writes about economics, technology, and the media. He is the author of Hit Makers and the host of the podcast Crazy/Genius.

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2020/12/how-2020-shattered-shared-reality/617398/

[capevans3000]

Love triangle - Part 5 (final part)

seSummary: You and Chris had always have feelings for each other, but were too afraid to let each other know. That was until Sebastian came along and a love triangle was quickly formed.

Featuring: Chris x Reader x Sebastian Stan

Warning: Some angst. Other than that mostly just fluff.

Note: This is the final part of Love Triangle! I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this mini series as much as I’ve had a wonderful time writing it! Let me know what you think of the ending! Should there be a sequel, if yes, what should the sequel be? Which was your favourite part of this story? Let me know! Once again, thank you for reading and pardon any grammar error in this one. Stay safe everyone! <3

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Masterlist

“Don’t leave me like this again. Please.” Chris choked as he pulled you into a hug, his actions urgent, like his life depended on it. You took in his warmth and returned the hug. Chris quickly removed his jacket, second time in two days, and wrapped it around your shoulders to keep you warm.

You looked at him and saw that he had tears in his eyes. “You were gone for so long and I didn’t hear anything from you for hours. I couldn’t get through to your phone and- and I thought something bad had happened to you.” Chris cried openly now, tears cascading down his cheeks and dampening his face mask. You felt bad for making Chris cry like that. It was never your intention to make Chris worry and you felt so bad for forgetting the time. You pulled Chris in for another hug. “I’m sorry for making you worry.”

You and Chris were locked in an embrace in the middle of that sidewalk. It was late and dark, and no one else were around. You felt a sense of déjà vu, for 24 hours ago, you were in a similar embrace, but with Sebastian. Both of these embraces were warm and safe to be in, but you couldn’t help but feel a sense of home and familiarity with Chris, although this was the first time you and him had hugged. Chris felt like home, something that you didn’t quite feel with Sebastian last night.

Chris quietly took your hands in his and walked you towards his home. You and Chris didn’t talk during the walk home, instead, the both of you just enjoyed the moment together. It was the first time you held hands and your hands fit so well together. His hands tightened on yours, seemingly not wanting to let go. His hands were warm, warmer than your pockets.

Hidden from view, Sebastian stood and watched. After realizing that you were gone and missing, Sebastian had dashed out of Chris’ house in no time to look for you. He heart had pumped with adrenaline and fear as he searched around the vicinity for you. When he couldn’t find you anywhere, it had felt like his heart had collapsed. His hands had went cold, his mind numb and he struggled to breathe. It was a feeling of utter despair when he couldn’t find you and the closest way to describe how he felt was like he was drowning. When he had finally seen you walking alone on the sidewalk, he was too late. He was a step later than Chris, yet again. Chris had gotten to you first. As he saw you walked away with Chris holding hands, he wanted to cry out your name. He wanted to run towards you and take you away, not caring what anyone would say.

But he couldn’t. His feet stood still on the ground, suddenly losing its ability to move. He could only watch as you slowly disappeared into the night, his heart felt cold like the weather. When the sense of loss finally hit him, you were already nowhere to be seen. Willing his legs to work, he slowly made that lonely and broken road back to Chris’ house – in the other direction, even further away from you.

Right before you both reached home, Chris sat you down at the bench nearby. Seeing and ensuring that there were no one else around, you and Chris removed the face masks so you could talk.

“Y/N, I’m really sorry about what happened last night. There’s no excuse for how I reacted.” Chris began. “I want to be honest with you, something I wished I had done earlier.”

Chris then began to tell you everything he had been feeling, from fearing about your lack of privacy, to him being a jerk for not telling you how he felt about you much earlier and to him lashing out at Sebastian because of his own fears.

You listened and took in everything. Your heart was pounding so hard and so quickly, you swore you could hear it in the dead of the night. You swore the person in the house next to you could hear it. You felt euphoric, like a weight had been lifted off your shoulders. Before this, you had felt inadequate, thus unable to tell Chris you had feelings for him. But with Chris’ confession, you felt braver to let him know about your feelings as well.

“I love you, Y/N. I have never, never loved anyone else so much before that it scares me. It scares me that I could actually lose you that I became possessive. I love you, and I really want to be with you.”

You took a breath and looked at Chris. All those months of secretly having feelings for him were finally over. This was the moment that you would tell him your true feelings as well.

“Chris, I love you too. I have been wanting to tell you this for months but I never felt good enough for you. Thank you, thank you for loving me the way I am and showing me that I am enough for you. This means so much to me.” You said, feeling a tear escaping the edge of your eyelid. It was one thing feeling like you were not good enough for him, but it showed you how much Chris really cared about you that he had casted all these doubts from your head. You felt lighter, not only because you had finally told him how you feel, but because, as he always did, made you feel enough.

“I don’t care if being with you means a life of paparazzi chase. I want to be with you and everything else is secondary.” You continued. You saw Chris’ eyes tear up again at the sound of what you just said. In the same way Chris had made you feel enough, you had assured him that his fears were unfounded because you were not afraid of giving up that part of your life for him. Chris was touched at what you were willing to sacrifice for him and his heart swelled with love.

In that moment, it was like everything clicked. It was like putting the last piece of the jigsaw puzzle that you each had held in your hands for months but didn’t put down to complete the whole puzzle. Everything was full and well, like tea leaves and water together, making one flavourful drink.

“I love you so damn much, Y/N.” Chris said and he leaned in for a kiss that he had dreamed about for months. Your lips locked and you felt Chris’ warmth through his kiss. If this was a movie, fireworks would light up the sky behind them, because that was exactly what the kiss felt like. The kiss felt like it went on forever, when finally you both let go to catch a much needed breath. “I love you, too.” You said.

“Shall we continue this at home?” Chris asked and took your hands in his.

As Chris kissed you, he fumbled to look for his keys. He didn’t had to, because the door unlocked from the inside.

“Hey,” Sebastian called out. Both you and Chris stopped kissing and looked up at Sebastian. He had his bag over this shoulders, and was preparing to leave the house.

“Hey.” You and Chris called out at the same time.

“I see you two are officially together. Congratulations.” Sebastian said, forcing a smile. 

“Yeah. Thank you.” Chris replied. You looked at Sebastian and smiled.

“Thank you for having me for the past two days. I should get going. Sorry if I had caused any trouble.”

“You’re family too, Seb. You’re welcome here anytime.” Chris said.

“Thanks, buddy. Before I leave, can I just talk to Y/N for a moment?” Sebastian said, his gaze turned to look at you. You turned and looked at Chris before noding your head and followed Sebastian into the deck.

“I hope this doesn’t scare you, what I’m about to tell you.” Sebastian began. He was usually confident and candid, but it felt difficult to confess to you, knowing that you already belonged to someone else.

You looked at Sebastian, not knowing what to say.

“You’re really a very special person to me. I have never ever felt this way before about someone that I barely know for a day but you were different. I was so drawn to you and extremely attracted to you almost instantly. I can only blame the fact that I didn’t know you before you knew Chris. I know Chris is head over heels in love with you and I know you’re well protected with him. If it was anyone else, I would have stopped at nothing to put up a fight for you. This may sound crazy, but please know that my feelings for you aren’t rash. I may not have known you for a long time, but I can’t deny the fact that I have feelings for you no matter how short our interaction was.” Sebastian continued.

You looked at Sebastian, even more unsure of what to say.

“I’m here for you. We may not have the chance to develop our relationship further, but I’ll be here when you need me.” Sebastian finished. He pulled you in for one last hug, and you gladly returned the hug. “I’ll always remember the dance we had on this very deck.” He said and kissed you gently on your forehead before saying goodbye.

You followed Sebastian back to the house as he went to bid goodbye to Chris. As he leaned in to give Chris a hug, you heard him whispered to Chris, “Don’t you ever dare hurt her.” Chris smiled as he returned the hug. If not for Sebastian, Chris wouldn’t have had the courage to do something he had been afraid to do for months, which was to tell you how much he loved you.

Sebastian gave you a final wave and a smile and as his car slowly disappeared into the night, Chris closed the door behind him and grabbed you in for a kiss. “For all the times in the past few months that I didn’t kiss you, I want to kiss you enough and more to make up for it. I love you, Y/N.”

[horansqueen]

You & Me : chapter 21

A Niall Horan fanfiction ; rated MA

Sequel to AM CONVERSATIONS

CHAPTER 1 || CHAPTER 2 || CHAPTER 3 || CHAPTER 4 || CHAPTER 5 || CHAPTER 6 || CHAPTER 7 || CHAPTER 8 || CHAPTER 9 || CHAPTER 10 || CHAPTER 11 || CHAPTER 12 || CHAPTER 13 || CHAPTER 14 || CHAPTER 15 || CHAPTER 16 || CHAPTER 17 || CHAPTER 18 || CHAPTER 19 || CHAPTER 20

NOTES:

-one chapter is her pov, the next is his. -4k -im sorry, i never proofread, i hate it. -there WILL be smut. but not only smut. -this is a romance, comedy, smut story. -for the summary, check my MASTERLIST.

- notes: thank you for the comments and notes to those who still send them! it means a lot to me. i hope this chapter isnt disappointing!

if you want to be on the list of blogs i notify when this is updated, just message me :)

requests! : MAJOR SPOILERS! i even added one that i got for AM Conversations lol so yep! keep sending them! the more i get, the longer this story will be lol!

Chapter 21 : His chapter

NIALL

The way we had made love kept playing over and over in my head but what I was really obsessed with was how she looked, wearing only my shirt (not even panties), sitting in the couch as she ate the meal I had prepared. She had almost choked on the rice when something funny happened in the movie we were watching and I never really noticed how endearing it was... how adorable she was. Now that we had had sex a few times, I could see a bit clearer. I was still horny for her and was ready to go whenever she wanted to, but I could also realize the little things I had missed. The way her nose raised up when I teased her about her clumsiness, the way her face lighted up when she was excited (she would even sometimes make a few small jumps), the way she bit her bottom lip when she was trying not to laugh, and even the messy state her hair was in when she'd wake up in the morning. I could make a list of all the things she did that I adored and sometimes, I spent half an hour actually listing her cute behaviors in my head.

I knew she was busy these days and I didn't want to bother her but I couldn't help but sent her a few text messages through the days. She didn't seem to bother, she even answered me quite quickly, but on friday, she replied with a message that sort of got to me.

'Did you ever have a talk with Louis about the argument you two had?'

In fact, we had not and I knew that since a few days had passed, we were both calm now and could have a discussion without risking to jump at each other's throat. It was not like me to be violent anyway but Louis knew me well and he knew exactly on which button to press to anger me. I sent him a quick text message, inviting him over and got up to check if I had enough beer left for the night. My phone beeped and I chuckled at his answer that consisted of a smiley emoji showing his teeth and the words 'On my way' written with a few exclamation points.

I quickly sent Olivia a message to tell her about it and then licked my lips before pressing them together and typing something else.

'I miss you, petal, send a selfie.'

I waited about a minute and smiled when I saw the picture of her doing a pouty face with El and Julie doing the same behind her and I realized that Louis was either stuck with the 3 girls and was glad to escape to come to my place, or he was alone by himself at his house and I was saving him from boredom. Either way, it made me laugh and I hesitated but decided to send her an other message.

'Love that selfie but when you have time, you should send me an other kind of selfie 😏'

'😂😂😂 Perv!'

I laughed and put my phone away before rummaging through my pantry to find chips and candies and brought everything to the living room along with beers before the doorbell rang. I breathed in and walked up to it, opening it slowly only to see one of my best friends waiting for me on the other side. He shook his eyebrows and the left corner of his lips curled into an amused smile.

"Hey Neil." he let out, making me smile too. "Thanks for inviting me. Livi said I should bring you this."

He moved his hand up and I noticed he was holding two bottles, one of vodka and one of jack daniels, in-between his fingers. I chuckled and moved away to let him in, following him to the living room. He put the bottles on the coffee table and turned to me before we hugged each other.

"I'm sorry Niall, I should have told you."

"I'm sorry too, I shouldn't have been so pissed about it."

We pulled away and Louis raised his eyebrows before rushing to the kitchen and coming back with two glasses. He poured vodka in both and handed me one before clinking his against mine.

"To neverending friendship." he let out, making me smile. "Nothing can break this bond yea?"

I smiled and nodded, licking my lips. "Yea."

We sat together and he opened a beer. I stared at him as he dropped the cap on the coffee table and leaned against the couch before turning to look at me. I didn't know if he was waiting for me to say something but I just grabbed my beer too and took a sip.

"I know I shouldn't have had sex with your ex girlfriend, Niall. " he pointed out after a while. "I just... we became very close, and it's the only way we found not to throw ourselves at random people in bars and shit. I mean I love my son more than anything in the world, but that wasn't planned and I didn't want something like that to happen again. I mean it was a baby, and it was good news, but it could have been something bad, you know?"

It didn't make much sense to me but I kept quiet, curious to hear all he had to say about that.

"It really just happened. The first time we did it she was... so sad. I had just learned that I was going to be a dad, and we both didn't know how to cope with that."

"Who had the idea?" I asked, surprised that those words even came out of my mouth and regretting them right after. I wanted to know but at the same time, i didn't.

Louis sighed but kept looking in my eyes. "Hers, I guess." he shrugged. "But also not really. It's complicated. She proposed it, changed her mind, and I insisted. She said It was the best way to stop hurting for a few hours and honestly Niall, she was right. Every time we needed to tone down the pain in the next few months, that's how we did it. It was a bad way to handle it I mean, we went to therapy later and the more we healed, the less we fucked."

Quickly, I swallowed my beer, emptying it and putting it a bit roughly on the coffee table before grabbing the glass and pouring myself more vodka. I could feel Louis' eyes on me as I took a long sip of it and he sighed.

"I'm sorry, Niall."

"I just can't believe you choked my ex girlfriend." I pointed out in a low tone. "You called her names. You made her moan and cum. But the worst of all, Louis, is that you became so close to her that you guys can just look at each other and know exactly what the other is thinking."

I didn't say more but I knew that it also meant that in bed, he knew exactly what she liked. He knew exactly how to turn her on, how to touch her to give her pleasure, how to make her shake beneath him. He had seen her in a vulnerable state that I wished I was the only one who saw. I wanted to be the only one to read her that way, whether it was sexually or romantically.

"You're her best friend now and I'm not." I mumbled. "I'm nothing."

I swallowed the rest of my glass, feeling suddenly my whole body on fire but I didn't know if it was because of anger or because of the alcohol. Perhaps, a bit of both.

"I won't lie to you, Niall. She's my best friend. She's my other half." he shook his head. "But it's just friendship. It means a lot, but we don't have romantic love for each other. The special connection we have is all about friendship. A deep one alright, but still."

"You don't get it." I scoffed, looking down at my glass as I felt myself get slightly dizzy. "She used to have that connection with me."

I felt Louis move on the couch and he got closer, still holding his glass but he waited until I looked up in his eyes to talk.

"No, what you had was stronger than that. The connection you two had, Niall, was stronger than what me and her have. And you're the one who broke it. It'll come back, I can feel it. But you're gonna have to work for it. She was hurt, and even if I know she loves you, she's so scared."

He took a pause as I let the words he spoke sink in.

"I don't think you realize what happened after you broke up with her, Niall. She was broken. She was like a zombie, numb and lost. She lost her boyfriend and her best friend at the same time. The person she loves the most in the world. You're still that person so... fight. And don't hurt her again because I swear I'm going to kill you."

"Did she date anyone else?"

Louis sighed and finished his beer before filling our glasses again. Waiting for his answers every single time I asked a question was driving me crazy.

"Yea, some girl she met I can't remember where." he shrugged. "It was not serious because we didn't..." he stopped himself and looked up in my eyes. "We didn't stop having sex while she was with her. I mean I'm not even sure they were official, I never asked and she didn't want to talk about it."

"So she never cheated on Dylan with you." I pointed out, suddenly a bit stressed.

"No. And I never cheated on El. With anyone. You know me." he let out firmly. "She cheated on him with you though, didn't she."

"I guess. From what I understand, he knows or something. I just don't know what to do to make her choose me. I've tried telling her how I felt and I made her many promises, but she doesn't trust me, so I'm getting drunk tonight trying not to think too much of my ex girlfriend riding you and moaning your name, or about her getting married to an other famous prick."

"Who's the prick? You or me?"

I smiled and chuckled low. "Both."

I thought he'd throw something at me but he just laughed and shook his head.

"Liv has her secrets but I feel like you have yours, too." Louis let out as we drank our third glass. "You two are gonna have to talk to each other before anything can be official between you."

I groaned. "Talking is all we do. I told her so many things I thought I'd never have the guts, or the chance to tell her. I don't know if she can handle finding out about who I was when she was not around."

"She can." he argued. "Besides, it must not have been that bad since nothing appeared online."

I chuckled. "I'm normally quite good at being private, so don't be so sure."

"I'm sure it's nothing that can't be forgiven. I mean she slept with your best mate and you forgave her, so." he laughed, making me groan again and grimace.

I heard my phone beep again and grabbed it only to smile when I saw her name on the screen. I didn't know why everything that was linked to her made me happy but I knew I was a bit tipsy anyway. I quickly lost my smile when I saw the picture she sent me and my jaw dropped.

'For your eyes only 😉' was written right under a picture of her.

"Jesus Christ."

My eyes roamed on her body and I felt my heartbeats accelerate. She was naked in front of the mirror and her free hand was hiding her pussy. I wanted her so bad that I had to reach for my cock to adjust myself, almost forgetting that Louis was there with me. I thought about touching her and groaned low until Louis hit my knee with his.

"You're fucking drooling, what is it?"

With difficulty, I took my eyes off of my phone and looked up at my friend who had an amused smile on the lips. I turned the screen off and cleared my throat, grabbing my glass and swallowing what was left in it as Louis started laughing.

"It's Olivia isn't it?" he asked, his smile growing. "What did she say? No wait, did she send you a picture? She's supposed to be with my girlfriend right now!"

"Well trust me, your girlfriend is not on the picture. She was not even in the same room."

"No fucking way, she sent you a nude!"

I opened my lips to answer something cheeky but was cut by the sound of my phone again, feeling my heart jump in my chest at the thought of her messaging me but I frowned when I saw who it was coming from and made a small grimace. I should have blocked Heidi's number but I normally don't do that because I'm not a bitter person. Still, if she was to message me too much, I'd definitely have to do something. I clicked on it and it's the message I saw first.

'Told you. Call me.'

I frowned more and scrolled down to see the picture. It was Olivia wearing a wedding dress. I had no idea where the picture came from and I knew that I should try to find details on the picture that would give me clues but all I could focus on was her. Something jumped in my chest but unlike what Heidi probably thought, it was not sadness that I felt when I looked at that picture. I was pretty sure Heidi had sent that to me just to hurt me or start something between Olivia and I but I didn't care. All I cared about was all the thoughts running through in my mind. She looked incredible. She looked so beautiful I felt like I was witnessing something I was not supposed to, as if I was the future husband and that I was not allowed to see her in her wedding dress before she walked down the altar. I felt myself tear up and brought my hand to cover my mouth, swallowing hard and blinking a few times.

I knew Olivia was not sure she was going to get married to Dylan yet and for now, it was enough for me. I also knew she had to go through with the wedding plan and even if it hurt, it was still legit. I could wait a few weeks, right? After all, she waited years for me and never gave up.

"Olivia was shopping for her wedding dress today?" I just asked, my eyes glued to the picture.

"Yea, she was going with Julie and El." Louis confirmed as I shook my head. "Are you mad?"

"Mad?" I asked, raising my eyebrows and looking up at him. "No, I'm just.. she looks amazing."

I turned my phone and Louis moved closer to check the picture before moving back and leaning against the couch again. I turned the screen to me again and sighed, closing my eyes and rubbing them roughly.

"So which picture do you prefer?" Louis asked with a smirk, making me roll my eyes.

"You want to know if my lust for her is stronger than my love for her?" I just asked. "The answer is no. I just feel a bit guilty for even seeing the one with the wedding dress."

"Who sent it to you?"

"Heidi." I replied with a grimace, making Louis roll his eyes.

"Never liked this girl. No idea what you saw in her. But she did that to hurt you, clearly."

"Well it doesn't, it just makes me want to..." I shook my head, searching for my words. "It makes me want to marry her."

With a chuckle, Louis moved closer to me again, his eyebrows raised in surprise and a small smile playing across his lips.

"Excuse me you said what?"

"I want to marry her. You know, have kids, live together, plan an actual future..."

"Who are you and what did you do with me mate?"

"Shut up!" I groaned before chuckling, throwing the untouched bag of chips at him.

He just caught it, opened it and took a handful of chips that he brought to his mouth.

"Yuh shoo tah uh." he muttered as I rolled my eyes, waiting for him to swallow. "You really should tell her." he repeated.

"I don't know how to tell her I love her anymore. I don't know how to prove to her that she's the only one I need and that I'll never break her heart again. That I will never leave, no matter what happens."

I knew I was getting drunk by the minute but I still grabbed my glass and poured more alcohol in it without checking from which bottle it was from. I drank it as I shook my leg, racking my brain to find a way to show her that I meant it. I jumped off the couch and felt suddenly dizzy and held myself on the couch, making Louis laugh.

"Mate, sit back down, you're drunk."

"Nooo no, I know how to make her realize how much she means to me!"

Louis frowned but I ignored him, rushing to my room and searching through a box of my old stuff. It took me about ten minutes but I finally found an old letter Olivia had written me when we were teens and brought it back, giving it to Louis with a big smile. I stood next to him with a large smile as he read it and finally, he looked up at me and chuckled.

"Okay she wrote you letters like that and you didn't know she was in love with you?" he just said with an other chuckle. "Mate, you need someone to hit you behind the head. I can do it if you want me to."

"No, Tommo. You don't get it." I grabbed the paper from his hands and turned it around, pointing at the bottom. "There's her name. In her own handwriting."

Louis frowned, then realized and finally, his eyes got bigger and he got up, grabbing both my shoulders and raising his eyebrows before shaking me slightly.

"Niall, you never ever wanted a tattoo in your life!" he pointed out. "Besides, you're drunk, no one will agree to tattoo you!"

"Oh but you know tattoo artists that will anyway yea? I'm counting on you!"

He stared at me for a few minutes and I brought my hands together in a way to beg him. He ended up rolling his eyes with a smile, making mine grow even more.

"Fine! But if you regret it tomorrow, don't you fucking blame me!"

I barely remembered anything, from the way the needles felt to the final result but when Louis drove us back home, he kept glancing at me. The window was down and the cool wind of the night helped me sober up. I still didn't regret it but I knew it was a possibility when I'd wake up. I'd deal with it in the morning though, I was getting a bit too tired to think about it.

"Did it hurt?"

"Not really. Perhaps I was too drunk to feel it." I replied with a shrug, leaning my head on the seat. "You think she'll realize how much I love her with that tattoo?"

"First off, you're gonna have to show her. It's super small, and it's in a spot no one can see unless you're naked I mean, why did you want it there?" Louis frowned before shaking his head. "Anyway, not the point. She already knows you love her. So do I think this tattoo will suddenly bring her trust in you back? No. But it'll definitely entertain her."

I groaned again. "Shut up."

"Hey, I'm just so happy I got to witness that once in my life. Pretty sure it's the only tattoo you'll ever get. It's an honor for me, thank you, Neil."

"I hate you."

He was right, I had chosen a spot no one could see, at the top of my thigh, near my stomach. I've never been a fan of tattoos and I couldn't find a place to put it that wouldn't be obvious and the only other places that people never see would have given her a very wrong impression of my intentions. I could feel it burn on my skin and unlike what I thought, It didn't make me feel weird. Louis was right, it was a very small tattoo, not worth writing home about, but everyone who knew me was aware that it did mean something.

Louis parked and we walked inside in silence but he stopped near the door and patted my shoulder gently.

"I think I'm gonna leave." he just said in a low tone. "Do you need help to clean or anything?"

I shook my head and grabbed my phone, checking her picture again and surprisingly, it was the wedding dress one. I pressed my lips together and Louis moved closer, his hand squeezing my shoulder this time.

"Do you want me to call her for you?" he asked in a gentle tone. "Maybe she'd want to spend the night here? I'll even give her a ride if she wants."

I looked at my friend and felt a wave of affection for him. Knowing he was there for me and that he cared made me feel better. When I broke up with Olivia, Louis had disappeared and he hadn't been much present until I ran into her again. Now, it felt like he was back in my life for real and I liked it.

"I don't know..."

I was not sure. I wanted her with me, and the craving was intense, but I didn't want her to feel like she had to take care of me again. Still, the thought of holding her in my arms was so hard it made a shiver cross my back.

"I started writing songs for a new album." I let out randomly. "All the fucking songs are about her."

Louis looked at me for a few seconds and sighed. "Tell her, Niall. Do it." He grabbed his phone and clicked on something before bringing the phone to his ear.

"Hey love, I'm with Niall right now and he really wants to see you." Louis looked up at me as I rolled my eyes and he smirked. "Why didn't he call you himself?" He took the phone away from his mouth and whispered to me. "She says you never replied to her last text message."

I closed my eyes, remembering the nude she sent me and let out a low curse word, feeling suddenly like an ass and hoping she didn't think I didn't enjoy looking at her naked.

"No darling," Louis continued. "He was too shy to call you. And he didn't answer your text because he was too busy jerking off to it."

I felt my heart jump in my chest and hit his arm a bit roughly but it only made him smile more. I closed my eyes and grunted low, hearing Louis say a bunch of 'Mmhm''s before saying goodbye and hanging up.

"She'll be there in half an hour." he sent me a satisfied smile. "I mean she said 15 minutes but, you know her."

I remained motionless for a few seconds, just looking at my friend, and finally, I brought him into a hug that he quickly answered. I moved my chin down, trying not to cry, and just closed my eyes.

"I know you love her, mate. And I think you two are soulmates." he admitted in a low tone. "Fight for it. Get her back. And then, never let her go."

[grigori77]

2019 In TV - My Top 10 Shows

This past year may have sucked balls in a lot of ways, but we certainly never got short-changed when it came to our TV.  There was an absolute WEALTH of truly cracking TV around, both on regular networks and on the various on-demand platforms, and so here is my pick of the best, my absolute favourites of 2019.

10.  WATCHMEN

Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof brings us a blinding sequel to comic book legend Alan Moore’s legendary graphic novel with a delightfully trippy, ruthlessly efficient rug-puller that seems pretty tailor-made for HBO.  Old faces return in interesting ways, while there are some cracking new “masks” on offer, particularly Regina King’s Sister Night and the always-brilliant Tim Blake Nelson as morally complex antihero Looking Glass (in some ways very much the show’s own answer to Rorschach).  It never goes where you expect it to go, and refuses to give easy answers to the questions it raises, effortlessly paving the way for more next year ...

9.  THE BOYS

Amazon offers up its own edgy, thoroughly adult superhero property with this darkly funny antiheroic gem based on the cult Garth Ennis comic, expertly adapted by Supernatural creator Eric Kripke.  Karl Urban dominates as Billy Butcher, the foul-mouthed, morally bankrupt “leader” of a makeshift crew of mercenaries, hitmen and psycho killers devoted to “taking care of” superheroes when they inevitably go bad.  Season 1 ultimately serves as an origin story, showing how the team come together, laying quality groundwork for the incoming sophomore tour that promises to open the already fascinating world out significantly.

8.  PREACHER (SEASON 4)

More Garth Ennis, namely this blinder of a closing season for AMC’s consistently impressive adaptation of his best known series for Vertigo comics.  Surprisingly epic, deliciously subversive and constantly, darkly hilarious, this thoroughly non-PC series from showrunners Sam Catlin, Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen (yes! I Know!) certainly went out on a high note, providing its loyal followers with perfectly-pitched bow-outs and sometimes heartbreaking goodbyes for all its players, especially its dynamite leads, Dominic Cooper, Ruth Negga and, in particular, Joe Gilgun as unapologetic bad boy vampire Cassidy.  A worthy end to one of my all-time favourite TV shows.

7.  THE WITCHER

While it’s clearly taken its look from the wildly successful video games, Netflix’s second most ambitious long-form offering of the year takes its lead from the fantasy book series by Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski that started it all.  With its somewhat episodic set-up and decidedly twisted narrative timelines, it take a few chapters to get the hang of it, but there’s plenty to draw you in, from the exotic world-building to the frenetic action and compelling collection of richly crafted characters.  Henry Cavill is the titular hero, lovably grouchy mutant monster-hunter Geralt of Rivia, but the real scene-stealer is co-star Anya Chalotra as roguishly self-serving mage Yennefer of Vengenberg.

6.  CARNIVAL ROW

One of the year’s two big sleeper hit TV surprises for me was this inventively offbeat allegorical Amazon fantasy series from The 4400 creator René Echevarria and screenwriter Travis Beacham. Orlando Bloom and Cara Delevigne are the star-crossed lovers at the heart of this intriguingly dark and dirty murder mystery thriller set in Victorian London-esque city-state the Burgue, in which humans struggle to co-exist alongside a struggling disenfranchised underclass of fae (fairies, fawns, centaurs and the like).  The racial turmoil undertones are writ large throughout, but this is far more well-written and lavishly appointed than you might expect on first glance, and almost ridiculously addictive viewing.

5.  LOVE, DEATH + ROBOTS

My other big TV surprise was this wonderfully bizarre sci-fi anthology series of animated shorts from Netflix, mostly adapted from an eclectic selection of short stories from a wide range of top-notch literary talent including Peter F. Hamilton, John Scalzi, Marko Kloos and Alastair Reynolds (a particular favourite of mine).  As you’d expect from the brainchild of Deadpool director Tim Miller and producer David Fincher, this is edgy, leftfield stuff, frequently ultra-violent and decidedly adult, and the wildly varied nature of the material on offer makes for a decidedly uneven tone, but there are some absolute gems on offer here, my favourite being Suits, an enjoyably simple tale of salt-of-the-earth farmers on an alien world utilising clunky mech suits to protect their settlement from rampaging giant xeno-bugs.

4.  THE DARK CRYSTAL: AGE OF RESISTANCE

The show with the biggest cinematic wow factor in 2019 had to be this long-awaited prequel series to Jim Henson’s classic fantasy movie masterpiece, created for Netflix by, of all people, Louis Leterrier (yes, the director of The Transporter, Now You See Me and Clash of the Titans, if you can believe it). The technology may have evolved in leaps and bounds, but there’s a wonderfully old school vibe in the delightfully physical puppet effects used to bring the fantastical world of Thra and its denizens to life, so that it truly does feel like it’s based in the same world as the film.  This was EASILY the most visually arresting show of 2019, packed with exquisite character, creature and set design that perfectly complements the awesome work done by Henson and Brian Froud on the original, while the writers have created a darkly rich narrative tapestry that makes Thra seem a more dangerous place than ever.

3.  THE UMBRELLA ACADEMY

I was a HUGE fan of My Chemical Romance frontman Gerard Way’s magnificently oddball alternative superhero comic, so when I learned that Netflix were adapting it I was a little wary because I knew how spectacularly hard it would be for ANY showrunners to get right.  Thankfully Steve Blackman (Fargo season 2) and Jeremy Slater (The Exorcist TV series) were the right choice, because this perfectly captured the outsider nature of the characters and their endearingly dysfunctional family dynamic. Ellen Page, Tom Hopper (Black Sails, Merlin), David Castañeda and Emmy Raver-Lampman are all excellent as the more “functional” Hargreeves siblings, but the show is roundly stolen by Misfits star Robert Sheehan and Nicky, Ricky, Dicky & Dawn’s Aidan Gallagher as nihilistic clairvoyant Klaus and the old-man-in-a-child’s-body sociopath known only as Number Five. Consistently surprising and brilliantly bonkers, this was definitely the year’s most wonderfully WEIRD show.

2.  STRANGER THINGS (SEASON 3)

Writer-director duo the Duffer Brothers’ ultra-nostalgic 80s-set coming-of-age sci-fi horror series remains the undisputed jewel in Netflix’s long-form crown with this consistently top-drawer third season expertly maintaining the blockbuster-level standards we’ve come to expect.  This year the cross-dimensional shenanigans have largely been jettisoned, replaced by a gleefully nasty through-line of icky body horror that would make major influences like David Cronenberg and Stuart Gordon proud, as perennial teenage bad boy Billy Hargrove (the fantastically menacing Dacre Montgomery) becomes the leader of an army of psychic slaves under the control of the Upside Down’s monstrous Mind Flayer.  The kids are all brilliant as always, Winona Ryder and David Harbour really get to build on their strong-yet-spiky chemistry, and the show is almost effortlessly stolen by Joe Keery as one-time golden boy Steve Harrington and series-newcomer Maya Hawke as his nerdy new foil Robin Buckley, who were very nearly the cutest couple on TV in 2019.  Another gold standard season for a true gold standard show.

1.  GOOD OMENS

Sadly, legendary author Terry Pratchett died before he could see the adaptation of one of his most beloved novels (and one of my all-time literary favourites too) see the light of day, but at least his co-author Neil Gaiman was around to bring it to fruition with the aid of seasoned TV director David Mckinnon (Jekyll, Doctor Who, Sherlock), and the end result sure did him proud, perfectly capturing the deeply satirical voice and winningly anarchic, gleefully offbeat and gently subversive humour of the original novel.  David Tennant and Michael Sheen could both have been born to play Crowley and Aziraphale, the angel and demon nominally charged with watching over the young Antichrist in preparation for his role in the End Times, even though they would both much rather the world just went on quite happily the way it is, thanks very much. This is about as perfect an adaptation as you can get, the six hour-long episodes giving the surprisingly complex story time to breathe and grow organically, and the result is the most fun I spent in front of my TV this year.

[gffa]

Hii I'm new to the Fandom and I'm obsessed with your blog! I ADORE your point of view really its making me love star wars more and more, my question is do you have any recommendations on which books to read to understand more about the lore and where cannon is right now??

Hi!  I’m glad if I can help you like SW lore more and thank you for such kind words, I deeply appreciate them.  And, oh, what a tricky question that is, without meaning to be!A lot depends on which part of the SW lore you’re looking for–are you looking for technical terms or character backstory tidbits?  Lore on Force woo?  The stories that help better inform the structure of Star Wars?  Because I feel like my answers would be different for each of those!So, I’m going to do a “here’s what I think is the best places to start when getting into SW supplementary material” list:1.  THE TV SERIESIf you haven’t watched The Clone Wars and Rebels yet, those should be first on your list!  TCW is there to help give you the bigger picture of just how awful the Clone Wars were, how politics dragged everything down into the mud, and will give you a ton of feelings on established characters.  I’m currently in the middle of a rewatch and its kicking up all these feelings I had and you can really tell that this is what George Lucas’ world looks like when they have the time to explore it.  (Though, hell, even with this show, it only covers things in broad strokes, especially because it is still aimed at younger audiences, too.)And Rebels is just a really great series by itself, but it also does a fantastic job of showing you just how complicated the war against the Empire was, how hard it was to wind together these various minor factions into one bigger Rebellion, as well as it does a lot to show what it’s like for Jedi after the genocide of their people.  It also has some killer cameos and resolution to things started in TCW and moments of confrontation for all the characters.Both of those really only have minor moments of exploring the Force Woo Lore (but there’s really not one singular place that explains it, imo, it’s something you have to piece together to see the bigger picture), but they’re fantastic for echoing the narrative structure of Star Wars and its themes.2.  THE COMICSThey’re the next best stop, they are also really great stories in terms of the character arcs, as well as the next best place to get more on the themes of Star Wars.  There have been so many moments, more than anywhere else, that I have wanted to just absolutely (virtually) SCREAM, because HOLY SHIT THAT WAS A HELL OF A MOMENT or HOLY SHIT THAT UNDERSTOOD STAR WARS SO WELL or just had really amazing moments.  I would recommend starting with:- The Star Wars 2015 comic (by Jason Aaron) and read it concurrently with Darth Vader vol. 1 (by Kieron Gillen), as they’re meant to go together.- Then read Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith (by Charles Soule)- After that, in any order:  Age of the Republic comics (by Jody Houser), Obi-Wan & Anakin (by Charles Soule), Jedi of the Republic - Mace Windu (by Matt Owens), and Kanan: The Last Padawan (by Greg Wiseman).- I also really enjoy the Star Wars Adventures comics from IDW, the Poe Dameron comics (by Charles Soul) are incredible and give a lot of context to the sequel trilogy and Shattered Empire does a lot in the same vein.3.  THE NOVELSNovels are trickier, because some are good for lore but aren’t necessarily stories I would recommend to new fans, others are amazing stories but don’t necessarily have a lot of lore.  So, I’m going to focus on the books that I think do the most bridge work and help you understand the bigger picture of Star Wars:- The Star Wars Battlefront II video game (okay, not a book, bear with me) does an amazing job of giving more context to how the Empire ended and how it connected to the First Order.  You can do a search on YouTube for “Battlefront 2 game movie” or similar search parameters and watch it like a movie, it’s about two hours and it’s wonderful.  Fall in love with the characters with me, understand why Jakku was important, and get some amazing cameos (and stunning planets) for the OT trio!- The Aftermath trilogy by Chuck Wendig also does a ton of showing how the Empire’s fall wasn’t instantaneous after Endor’s moon, as well as the faltering early steps of the New Republic, and a ragtag bunch who hunt down Imperial war criminals and all come to love each other AND I LOVE THEM, sobs.  I would add in the caveat that I think these work massively better as audiobooks, so check if your library has them and maybe you can check them out on-line and be prepared to give the books a little time to grow on you.- Bloodline by Claudia Gray shows Leia six years before TFA and the New Republic still faltering and how she discovers the early origins of the First Order and loses her position in the Senate and starts up the Resistance.  It’s at its best when it’s a Leia book, but it also does do a lot of groundwork for the connections between the OT and the ST!- From a Certain Point of View by various authors, is a collection of short stories, many of which are hits and many of which are misses, but the hits are amazing.  If nothing else, “Master & Apprentice” (by Claudia Gray–not to be confused with the full novel of the same title), “Time of Death” (by Cavan Scott), “There Is Another” (by Gary D. Shmidt), and “An Incident Report” (by Daniel Mallory Ortberg) are all MUST READS.  I read all of them and I’m glad I did, but if a story isn’t gripping you, feel free to skim over it for the next, they’re only connected by theme, not events.- I loved both Spark of the Resistance (by Justina Ireland) and Resistance Reborn (by Rebecca Roanhorse) as books set between TLJ and TROS, where I grew even more fond of the characters getting to have adventures together.  I also thought the Dooku: Jedi Lost audiodrama was probably the best PT era canon book to recommend, too.4.  THE GUIDEBOOKSGuidebooks are more fun when you’re already invested and just want to look up a thing or two, but there’s at least one that I think is a must-read from cover to cover:  Star Wars Propaganda: A History of Persuasive Art in the Galaxy by Pablo Hidalgo.  It doesn’t sound like it would be that interesting–a history told through art?  But it’s an absolutely stellar bird’s eye view and explanation of how things happened in the GFFA, how the Clone Wars happened, how the Republic fell, how the Empire rose, how the Rebellion fought back, how the New Republic rose, how the First Order knocked it all down again.5.  ANYTHING ELSE?I love the game Jedi: Fallen Order and I think it does an amazing job of staying true to the Jedi Order, their culture, and the themes of Star Wars.  You can do the same thing of looking for a movie-version on YouTube, it should be about four hours long to cover the majority of the game, and I absolutely fell in love with the characters and the world, it was clear they really cared about the story and the lore and making this feel like a game where you got to experience becoming a Jedi.This isn’t a list of “stories I thought were good” but ones aimed at establishing the best understanding of the bigger galaxy, as well as stories that I thought were really good for new fans!  While I put them generally in the order I would suggest them, if something’s not working for you, feel free to drop it and move on to another thing, either coming back later to the dropped one or not, because this should be fun and not boring work.HOPEFULLY THAT’S A GOOD PLACE TO GET YOU STARTED and if someone else would suggest a good Starting Place For A New Fan, feel free to chime in!

[kolbisneat]

MONTHLY MEDIA: April 2020

Another month of indoor media consumption! Here’s how April shook out.

……….FILM……….

Little Women (2019) We missed this in theatres and I only vaaaaguely remember the 1994 version. Anyway, this was fantastic. It was funny and dramatic and I’d really like to know the story better to fully appreciate what Greta Gerwig did with her interpretation. Also Amy’s “Your one beauty” comment is so ice cold that it only makes sense that she fall into the river to feel that same chill.

Onward (2020) Pretty good! All the fantasy and D&D-type elements were fun and the heart of the story worked. I’m not sure the characters really landed as well as some others Pixar films, but maybe that’s the case of this being the first in a series as compared to those that have sequels. Also I was not prepared for Colt’s hair reveal.

……….TELEVISION……….

Mad Men (Episode 1.01 to 1.10) WHOA! So this my first time watching the series (outside of a random ep I saw back in the day about selling convertibles after the JFK assassination) and this series is so good! Who knew?! I initially only liked the ad stuff and some of the office drama, but now I’m even on board for the home drama! Though I’m not sure I’ll ever get into whatever Pete is up to. Ugh Pete. At least there’s Betty shooting pigeons to console me.

Gravity Falls (Episode 1.01 to 1.08) Going back for some comfort food. I really value a project that knows what it wants to do, does it, and then concludes. There’s just something so...driven by creative...that I value about it.

McMillion$ (Episode 1.04 to 1.06) This documentary really delivered. It’s not as wild as Tiger King, but the depiction of everyone felt so much more real. It really took its time to show how widespread the impact of one individual really was and in times like these, I think that’s a welcomed reminder.

Love is Blind (Episode 1.03 to 1.11) Just bonkers. I wish they’d shared a little more of the show’s structure before everything started, as I would’ve liked to know where we were heading. Ending with weddings feels like an obvious choice, but I would’ve been way more interested in a Terrace House-styled approach (where we just get to see if these couples work after picking each other sight-unseen). There was lots of drama, sure, but it always felt more like reality tv than a social experiment.

……….READING……….

The Brothers Cabal (Johannes Cabal #4) by Jonathan L Howard (Complete) More comfort food. I love this series and reading them out of order has been fun and so now I think I’ll go back to the first book. Oh and if you haven’t gotten into this series, it follows a brilliant necromancer (who’s awful) as he goes on a range of adventures that all tie together. They’re pulpy and witty and breezy and I can’t recommend them enough.

Hellboy Library Edition Vol 1 & 2 by Mike Mignola and John Byrne (vol. 1) (Complete) A friend of mine pointed out how Hellboy’s whole deal is “introduce threat, Hellboy punches it and wins” and I think he’s onto something. Though volume 2 really starts to get into that a little more. At the end of the day, these are pulpy stories and Hellboy’s character isn’t a detective or a schemer, he’s the heavy. He’s the the big gun and he’s a tradesman. He’s just doing a job and sometimes that job gets repetitive. I think there’s something to that.

Hellboy Library Edition Vol 3 & 4 by Mike Mignola, Richard Corben (vol.3), and others (vol. 4) (Complete) It’s interesting reading the behind-the-scenes stuff before and after each volume, as it really clears up why this era of Hellboy is...different. The movies really rocked the boat and the comic just feels less sure of itself (at least in volume 3). There’s great stuff, but it’s not as consistently strong. As for volume 4, I’m still baffled by the decision to start with the Crooked Man. To introduce us to someone other than Mignola drawing the comic is fine, but this story barely features Hellboy and it sets a really weird tone. Why not start off with the joint effort? Anyway I’m excited to get into 5 & 6 where I feel like it gels a little more and feels like everything is back on course.

……….GAMING……….

Cuphead: Don’t Deal With the Devil (Studio MDHR) I haven’t been nearly as frustrated by the game as I expected! Mind you I’m only in the second world and averaging B-, but I feel like the game plays fair and that I’m getting a little better. More importantly, it is all just so beautiful to look at. That background on the Genie level? Oof.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Nintendo) Replaying on Master Mode was worth the price of the DLC but admit that I’m not really digging the other stuff (sword improvement and Champion’s Ballad). Maybe it’s because I replayed the entire game before jumping into the DLC and now it just feels like more of the same? I dunno. Also the refilling health is...infuriating. Anyway still love this game.

Neverland: A Fantasy Role-Playing Setting (Andrews McMeel Publishing) The group continues to explore the island and have finally met a handful of mermaids! They’ve also discovered some hidden treasure and gotten acquainted with more of the region’s inhabitants...for better or worse.

D&D Homebrew Adventure (Menace of Merlin) It’s been...a few years since we’ve played, but the one upside to us staying indoors is it’s made our schedules waaaaaay more open to slot this in! The group now has the location of Merlin’s HQ but because it’s outside of time, they had to strike a deal with a chronomancer.

And that’s it! As always, feel free to share any recommendations and I’ll be back at the end of May!