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terrorhqs · 4 years

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THE ARCANE.

— NAME: iskender soufian khodja. — AGE: 36. — GENDER: cis male. — ROLE: guest, anthropologist. — FACE: marwan kenzari. You were always painfully aware of how the world will fade. Not its grand finale, its blaze of glory, but the small ways in which it can disappear. Your childhood was spent in a muribound universe — growing up in Tunisia during its decline taught you a thing or two about endings. European markets had managed to bottleneck all influx and efflux in the country, to create a steep tributary that could flow no other way but to their doorsteps. Your parents fought the tendencies of the regime; they resented foreign influence, staunch believers in the idea that any land should govern itself in truth. You agreed with that, and took it a step further—you believed that land had a truth of its own. A hidden reality which only time, and care, and passion could help unveil. It was this that led you into humanism, folklorism, ethnography. Whatever the name, the result is the same: to find the secrets that bind a place, a people, a past, and, with their permission, release it unto the light. You finished your schooling as a professor in Egypt, then moved on to lost civilizations, dismissed struggles for recognition. Everything you published was a subtle jab to Britain and France. You mocked these temporary, fickle empires, these places on whom the sun never sets, yet whose time under it will still be just as short. In later years, you turn away from known worlds entirely. After the death of your parents, or perhaps merely after that cynical haze which befalls all successful people, you begin to gravitate towards the supernatural. It’s no longer enough to free the things that need light: now, you wish to seek what doesn’t want to be found.

CONNECTIONS.

✹ THE IDOL — you crossed paths in Egypt, of all places; you were working as a collaborator with the British army, pretending to feed them morsels of rumor about where treasures might be buried. you also handed them maps: purposefully counterfeit, purposefully obscured. your pulling rank was only a front for the real duty you carried, which was to subvert each Englishman’s expectations of ever finding gold, beauty, or acceptance in a place not meant for them. you never liked them to begin with, but you took a shine to their superior, the Maori soldier who brightened every night around the fire. you were there to see him die. you know what was done, and what wasn’t.

✹ THE ROMANTIC — You found them waiting for you on the steps of the Royal Academy, papers held forth as if they were white pigeons. their eyes shone like olive branches, fingers like surrendering flags. peace, yes, but for whom? they look and speak like abnegation. they look and speak like the exact midpoint between denial and delight. they want to be a poet, they cooed to you; they find inspiration in your published work, stories and fieldnotes alike. you reject them, of course. what use do you have for a European youth, where you’re going? you do not even remember the pretext you gave. your life not being that of wardship & mentorate, perhaps. you hope, for their sake, it was not more cruel than that. but the way you are yet to speak aboard tells a different story.

✹ THE SCARLET — They were a regular guest to all the homes you’ve ever had, all those foreign places where you held court. academic forums, conferences, opulent & exclusive parties: you’ve had them everywhere. the couple they worked for (though that verb soon left pretense behind, and became replaced by livelier ones) were dear friends of yours. you used to catch them on their own, in a balcony or a mango grove, and have flowing conversations about their upbringing, what they’re reading at the time, what opera they like. you always tried to make them feel less aware of the discrepancy between their education and the present company. yet when the scandal broke, you did not seek them out, did not even write a letter. it feels too late to explain it was a poor coincidence of time, being stranded in a place without access. it feels too late for many things.

This skeleton is TAKEN by Venli.

#horror rp #period rp #oc rp #skeleton rp #literate rp #a #t #tg #original character #the arcane

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liorasophie · 5 years

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All my thoughts on Aladdin 2019 Live Action Remake

I'll never give up on the animated version, it's my favorite movie of all time. But this was an absolute gift, I loved it so much. All the feels. Must rewatch.🤩

TL:DR version:

Aladdin - hot

Jafar - hot

Jasmine - hottt

Arabian Nights - hotter than hot (in a lot of good ways)

5 stars. Go see it in the theater.

**Spoilers ahead***

Cultural Updates

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PASSING THE BECHDEL TEST

People sometimes try to shrug off why movies fail Bechdel by saying that they are era appropriate. News flash: women have existed for a very long time. A story passes Bechdel because the artist made a decision that women are an important part of it, and the roles they play are valuable. Adding Dalia's character gave Jasmine a friend, which makes her much more of her own person, rather than "a prize to be won." The women are suddenly their own people and not just props.

PASSING POC BECHDEL TEST

Hats off to Disney for making the effort to cast this movie authentically. I've heard a few gripes about Naomi Scott as Jasmine being Indian, when the story is about the Middle East. Peeps, I live in the Middle East and I have to say that the most authentic representation of our region is not in a cast where everyone is one single ethnicity - rather the diverse cast represents this part of the world much more accurately. The Middle East is an ethnically heterogeneous place. It actually makes more sense to me that they are not all the same.

#representationmatters

It was nice to see the removal of the disturbing lyrics from the original, although I don't think I can ever unhear "where they cut off your ear if they don't like your face." Also, to be fair, "Barbaric but hey, it's home," is both not politically correct and also a kind of endearing and accurate statement about the Middle East.

"Friday Salaam" This is a cute gesture but I'm not sure Islam's Friday and Christianity's Sunday are entirely comparable. It would be nice to hear from someone who knows if "Friday Salaam" means anything.

Jasmine 1992 calls the Sultan "Father," and in the LAR she calls him "Baba," which is the Arabic would for Dad.

Characters

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GENIE

Don't go in expecting Will Smith to be Robin Williams. Those are impossible shoes to fill. Will Smith knew this going into the role. I Loved how he put himself into the genie, giving it a hip hop twist. The genie's story ending is also much more satisfying than the animation.

The live action movie emphasized the relationship between Aladdin and the Genie much more than the animated version, not that it wasn't there, just not as much. It felt to me like Aladdin/Genie was actually the central relationship of the film, following the classic boy-meets-girl formula where Aladdin/Jasmine doesn't.

The live-action genie has a clear race and gender, as opposed to animated genie, who is just blue. This makes it stronger to see drag!genie and flamboyant!genie and black!genie.

JAFAR

Jafar getting a backstory and more rational, human motives deepened our understanding of the villain and made his motives much more clear and realistic. It also made him wanting to marry the princess a much less cringey scene to watch - I just think his reasons made more sense than in the animation.

Marwan Kenzari's Jafar is not the distastefully feminized Jafar of the animation, which perpetuates negative stereotypes about feminine men. Nope. Hot Jafar completely drops this aspect of the beloved villain. However - we lost the Prince Ali Reprise in the remake - I wonder if singing!Jafar is too feminine?

Jafar calling the Sultan "Baba" :)

The relationship between Jasmine and Jafar is also much more appealing and makes much more sense in the LAR. It even makes me wonder if they have any kind of unresolved courtship. Why wouldn't he have just tried to go for it if he could become Sultan that way? Why doesn't Jafar try to hypnotize Jasmine? He knows he can't, which means he has tried it before, or doesn't consider her a significant threat (more likely.) But why wouldn't he just try to marry her? He wanted to be Sultan, seems like an easy fix. There must be a reason they never just opted for that. How does Jasmine think of Jafar?

"Baba" - Is Jafar a lovechild of the Sultan with a servant, thereby being born into poverty even though he could have been born for the throne? This would also make him and Jasmine siblings. I should check the book.

ALADDIN

LOVE LOVE LOVE Mena Massoud's embodiment of Aladdin as much more humble/embarrassed by all the attention even as Prince Ali - The animated character kind of magically became cocky and I don't like that as much in comparison.

Aladdin is such a good listener. Wow. What a guy. Not just this, also his awareness of other people's needs (although this came to light in the animation.)

It's much more obvious this time what makes him "a diamond in the rough."

It doesn't seem era appropriate or even possible at all that Aladdin would just totally believe Jasmine should be the Sultan if it's never been done in 1000 years. And yet, this portrayal of Aladdin as a woke 3rd-wave feminist is adorable and inspiring and a much more suitable partner for ambitious Jasmine, as well as a better role model for men and boys. Love it.

Note that Aladdin describes Jasmine to the genie as: 1) smart 2) kind 3) so beautiful. In that order. This is true for the animation as well but I never noticed it until the LAR.

Aladdin and Jasmine's courtship is a most appealing love story. They listen to each other, they understand each other deeply. Aladdin is such a good listener! And it's only when he starts to lose himself in the power rush that the genie gets upset with him. Aladdin has no ego, he just wants to hang out with Jasmine because he likes her. He sees other people around him. He's sensitive to others' needs. He's good with animals. And Jasmine really is not a prize to be won. Her journey towards winning over Aladdin is just because she likes him and wants to be with him. Of her own merit she wants to be Sultan and has the wisdom and leadership skills to go with it.

JASMINE

Jasmine's character actually having ambition and getting to show her leadership abilities takes Jasmine as the iconic feminist Disney princess to the next level.

"Speechless" is the new third-wave anthem. It resonates with #metoo vibes, speaking out against injustice and refusing to just look pretty and stay silent. It also speaks to breaking traditions like religious practices and men's leadership just because that's what has always been done.

Then again, the animation is not so era appropriate either - I don't think it's era appropriate for Jasmine to even think she could have a chance of marrying for love - or for the idea to cross her mind in the first place. Love and marriage were not mixed until much later.

In the animation, when Jasmine choose Prince Ali, her father then declares that he will become Sultan. Aladdin's facial expressions reflect that he is not prepared for this. Did he not know that this would be a package deal with courting the princess? Like what did he think was going to happen? Still, I felt the lack of his leadership experience in that declaration, and that doesn't resolve at the end. The remake patches up this hole perfectly. Aladdin is not prepared for leading a country, but Jasmine is, and this comes to light beautifully. It's not just a nice feminist twist, it's a much better solution.

IAGO

Iago wasn't funny at all. Disappointment. His lines in the original are the most quotable of all time. This part was missing for me.

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VISUALS

Other Stuff

The glittery colorful costumes! The set! It's beautiful. I loved all the things that looked similar to the animation but were updated and look better in the LAR.

MUSIC

The new score, sounds much more authentic, I could actually hear the traditional Arabic drumming patterns in some of the songs, in a much more prominent way than the original. (Although the new score still has that western-disney twist on it holding it back from sounding 100% authentic.)

FINALLY

The LAR is not as scary as the animated version. This is a good thing.

Even during the underwater scene, I was more confident that Aladdin would survive because the dialogue had hinted at it. I didn't miss the snake-crush scene or the hourglass in the finale.

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majestyrp · 3 years

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alias mav timezone cst pronouns he/they favorite faces idris elba, marwan kenzari, ben whishaw, ethan hawke, kj apa, kristen stewart, charlize theron favorite james bond movie spectre (craig-era) favorite villains the man in black, magneto, loki, bloodsport, any idris elba villain, IT favorite heroes heimdall, multiple man, shatterstar, professor x, angel, the gunslinger things that inspire you stephen king books, petrichor, smoking cigarettes, watching movies what you want to see on majesty the notoriety system in action and all the great plots people are going to come up with!

#intros #contests #submission

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deicide-hq · 3 years

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name: up to player age: up to player faceclaim suggestions: michael b jordan, alba flores, courtney bandeko, alperen duymaz, miguel gomez, chance perdomo, marwan kenzari, drey ray tanner, kit young, hunter schafer, jessie mei li gender & pronouns: up to player occupation: thief character inspiration: deadpool (marvel comics), catwoman, (dc comics), jesper fahey (shadow & bone), ellie williams (the last of us), jon snow (game of thrones), captain marvel (marvel comics) written by: open

ABOUT

just a lowly thief, you stumble carelessly upon something on a job that will not only change your life, but the lives of everyone in clarico. in the outskirts of the city you come face to face with a dark mass you've never witnessed before, it speaks in confused concepts and watches you with two beaming green eyes. you do not understand it, you only know that you don't want euphoria corp to get their hands on it, and that it does not want to hurt you. or anyone.

CONNECTIONS

the spider. you two have worked countless jobs together, a voice you’re used to having in your ear. they are reliable and money is always made one way or another, but they’re not the first person you intend to share your discovery with. you know their dislike of euphoria corp better than anyone and you doubt they’ll be happy to have a new target on their back.

the revolutionary. you’ve known them longest, the closest thing you have to a kindred spirit and the person you trust most in this hellish city. so of course you go to them hoping they can help you make sense of the shadow that follows you around like a lost child.

the reformer. not long ago you held them at gunpoint and robbed their practice of its medicine stash. to your surprise, no panic buttons were pressed, no fight or biting words against the less fortunate were made, they seemingly let you take it all. it's one of the easiest jobs of your life and that's exactly why it haunts you.

#the catalyst

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smokeybrandreviews · 5 years

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Smokey brand Movie Reviews: Parkour!

So the Disney Overlords are triple-fisting us with that franchise blessing. So far they’ve dropped Captain Marvel, Dumbo, and Endgame. We got the Lion King on deck, a second Maleficent for some reason, and Far From Home in a month. Also, a maybe decent Star War to close out the hear. I got hopes for that but they are, just, the LOWEST! The way i feel about Episode IX, is essentially how i felt about what i saw today; Aladdin. I’m a fan of Will Smith and i thought he was the perfect choice to try an tackle the utter genius that was Robin Williams but then we SAW his Genie and, i mean, Sonic levels of cringe. That and the fact that Guy Ritchie, the guy who made King Arthur a few years ago and Robin Hood just last year, was in charge of a family friendly, Disney musical? Yeah...

The Good

Will Smith is awesome in this as Genie. Sure, he’s just kind of playing himself but what A-lister actually acts anymore? Besides, it’s Smith’s charisma that makes this flick. He exudes this palpable likeability that lends itself to the character. It’s a unique energy, not quite like Williams, but every bit as exuberant. I thought it was going to be kind awkward seeing him hitting the same notes and musical numbers as Robin but he totally made them his own. Comparing the two would be a disservice. Smith’s Genie can stand on it’s own.

The guy who plays Aladdin? Mena Massoud? Yo, this cat is Aladdin given flesh! He IS that character, it was uncanny. I don’t know who cast this film but, seriously, that is some MCU-level of character portrayal. Mena was spectacular! I was enthralled by his ability and look forward to whatever he decides to do next.

Speaking of spectacular, can we just take a minute to talk about Naomi Scott? She was easily my favorite part of this film, cringy spotlight song aside. Hell, even then, she was kind of killing it. Seriously, the screen LOVES this woman and she owns every scene she’s in. Her Jasmine was gorgeous, strong, brilliant, outspoken, and, capable. She never came across as a damsel in distress or a princess that needed saving. Jasmine is one of my favorite Princesses so to see her brought to life with such love and dedication was great. I am officially a fan of Ms. Scott and look forward to seeing her talent in many future productions. Also, ma got a set of pipes on her!

Nasim Pedrad plays newcomer Delilah, who’s a handmaid for Jasmine, and my goodness, was she a delight! Delilah was easily the best addition to this flick and i love every second she was onscreen.

The sets and costumes in this movie are spectacular. Seriously, the costume designer deserves SO much credit. Agrabah feels real. It feels alive. There are so many vibrant, brilliant, colors that just assault your senses. Seeing that city, alone, is worth the cost of admission. If i’m not mistaken, Michelle Clapton created the costumes and overall feel of the sets. That quality shows, for sure. Give this lady an Oscar because, f*ck!

The music in this is awesome. Sure, it’s all rehashes from the animation but they’ve all been kind of remixed and remastered. It’s weird listening to Will sing the Robin bits but he does a decent gig. Cat even gets an opportunity to bust a dope rhyme or two. Trust me, it’s executed much better than that sounded. Seriously, Naomi Scott can belt ‘em out!

This thing feels like a hundred million dollar Bollywood musical and i am okay with that, which is wild because i f*cking hate musicals! Man, the set pieces in this thing were grandiose and just plain dope. I mean, Will even got the Carlton in there real quick during the Never Had A Friend Like Me piece. It was awesome!

The Meh

I was skeptical about Guy Ritchie directing this thing and i was right to be. This is, for better or worse, a Guy Ritchie film. Take that for what it is.

Hot Jafar was... interesting. I can tell Marwan Kenzari gave it hi all but the material he had was just so... mustache-twirly. This Jafar is easily the most disappointing thing about this Aladdin. He had a few cool scenes and the additions to his character were okay but, overall, meh.

The actual visual effects are kind of bleh? The computer stuff. Not the background things, those are fine. I’m talking more the big stuff; in your face stuff. I mentioned earlier how jarring Genie was but that grows on you a little bit. Iago doesn’t. Raja doesn’t. Abu doesn’t. There’s a scene where Aladdin gets transferred to a frosty wasteland and, you guessed it; Doesn’t.

As highly as i praised the practical sets, they feel tiny. Agrabah feels like three rooms. It’s almost a stage play. It’s certainly shot like one. More on THAT later.

The Bad

Yo, with all of this grandeur and brevity and scale, Ritchie frames this thing like a close up, stage play. This is specifically on display with the Jasmine spot. That sh*t was awful and takes you out of the film a little bit. Scott, herself, was exceptional but the way she was presented? Sh*tty. There are a lot of scenes like that. The opening one-take is easily the best camera work in the movie and it legitimately gets worse as the plot progresses.

The liberties taken for this adaption are kind of awful. Some are awesome, Delilah, but there are many, MANY, that are not. Aladdin was my third favorite Disney animation when i was kid. Atlantis, Lion King, Aladdin, if you’re curious. I kind of know what is in there and what is missing and there is some SUBSTANTIAL awesomeness missing. I’m talking that entire climax with giant, cobra Jafar. THAT should have been the finale and i am still salty it wasn’t.

The Verdict

Aladdin was pretty good. It’s much better than the ratings and critics say but it’s not the strongest of these remix films. Jungle Book was much better. Still, this one is a solid update. The musicals were spectacular, the sets were gorgeous, and the overall performances were inspiring. Sure, there were certain characters that were superfluous and a titular part of the core characters fell a little flat but, ultimately, Smith, Massoud, Scott, and Pedrad have enough chemistry to carry through. This thing made a ton of scratch opening weekend and deserved every penny. Aladdin was a fun, nostalgic, time and i highly recommend checking it out, if you haven’t already.

#Aladdin #Disney #Smokey brand Movie Reviews

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smokeybrand · 5 years

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Smokey brand Movie Reviews: Parkour!

The Good

Nasim Pedrad plays newcomer Delilah, who’s a handmaid for Jasmine, and my goodness, was she a delight! Delilah was easily the best addition to this flick and i love every second she was onscreen.

The Meh

I was skeptical about Guy Ritchie directing this thing and i was right to be. This is, for better or worse, a Guy Ritchie film. Take that for what it is.

As highly as i praised the practical sets, they feel tiny. Agrabah feels like three rooms. It’s almost a stage play. It’s certainly shot like one. More on THAT later.

The Bad

The Verdict

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