#Sure wish I had the deleted scene of this in 4k

[taronunwin]

Necessarily (and Respectfully) Zoomed-In 4K gifs [45 of ?]

[oblxvion]

kiss me thru the phone | megumi fushiguro (1)

-> pairing(s): megumi fushiguro x f!reader, a bit of yuji itadori x f!reader

-> wc: 4k

-> warnings: smut, phone sex, slight corruption, cheating, mutual masturbation, a bit of praise

megumi had always thought you were insanely attractive, what was there not to like? everything about you, how kind you were to everyone, how your smile could always lighten up a room, your body and facial features were just a plus. he’d never really thought about you in that way until you started to hang around him and his friends more. there wasn’t anything wrong with you in his mind, you had no flaws. except for one thing, he wasn’t the one dating you, yuji was. 

of course, there wasn’t anything wrong with that, he was glad that you were happy and if dating yuji put a smile on your face, then so be it. but sometimes, he wishes he had you all to himself. 

on the other hand, you were completely obvious to megumi’s liking to you. and you had reason, you were preoccupied with your feelings for your loving boyfriend. you would’ve never suspected that he felt something for you due to the fact that he was a very closed off person, rarely sharing intimate aspects about himself. regardless, you were still close with him because of how all tended to hang out together sometimes with kugisaki, who was one of your best friends. 

yuji had recently left for a business trip that was in his hometown, he said it was going to take a week, which you were fine with. you could use this time to spend some time with friends and family during the day, but at night, this was a completely different story. since yuji wasn’t home, you were left alone, having to deal with the nightly events. you enjoyed pleasuring yourself but having him pleasure you was just so much different, you had grown addicted to it, and now that he wasn’t home, you missed him even more. 

you had been laying in bed in a bra and panties, scrolling through your phone for what seemed like hours when you got a snapchat notification from yuji, bringing a small smile to your face. you quickly tapped on the app and opened his snapchat, he was in bed, clearly tired and ready to go to sleep. you swipe over to the chat and your fingers tapped on the screen as you sent him a message.

hi baby, how was your day? you sent him before swiping back to your other snapchats, answering them and going to explore the other apps on your phone. you missed him, a lot, in fact, but you didn’t want to seem desperate.

you opened kugisaki’s snapchat, she was watching a new show that she had told you about, to which you responded with a smile. then you opened megumi’s, he seemed to be in bed with his shirt off and LED lights set to a low dark blue. you chuckled to yourself as you had a good feeling about what he was doing, but you decided to play it off as you send him back a photo of you, making sure not to show anything that was meant for yuji.

yuji is typing…

snapchat from yuji

angel! my day was good, i’m a bit tired though, how was yours? his words made your heart flutter, you missed him. it was only going to be a few more days until he came home. 

good, i miss you

i need you right now.

you hoped he would get the message, you couldn’t deny the warmth near your core that was beginning to form. it had been a while since the last time the two of you had sex, the week before he left, you were on your period. as much as he begged you to have period sex, you didn’t necessarily feel comfortable at the time but you told him that it would happen in the future, to which he obliged.

i need you too, fuck, i don’t know how i’m gonna go without you for the next few weeks. you felt yourself freeze, weeks? the trip was originally supposed to only be a few days. did something happen? at work? with his family? all possible reasons to why he would be staying longer flooded through your head. 

i thought it was only supposed to be a week? what happened? your fingers trembled as you typed out onto the screen. how were you supposed to go weeks without him? you were already struggling as much as it is, you missed him too much.

yeah, it was but something came up at home and i need to stay to help. 

i’m sorry, baby.

you wanted to ask him if you could come but if it was something personal to their family matters, you didn’t want to impose and cause any stress. you replied with a simple “i understand,” not wanting to invade his privacy because you knew that it could be something that he didn’t want to talk about just yet, but he would tell you eventually and you were fine with that. it was clear that the both of you didn’t want to continue the conversation, however sensitive it may be. you snapped him a photo of you cuddled up in bed with a small smile, hoping to brighten his mood.

he responded with a picture of him laying shirtless in bed, he angled his phone perfectly for you to get a good view of his chest and abs, while his free hand was very close to the waistband of his sweatpants. you could feel yourself growing hot at the scene, but for some reason, it felt weird to be sending lewd photos of yourself after that conversation. knowing yuji, he probably was jerking off before you texted him, so you disregarded the other thought from before. 

you decided to have a little fun with him as you sat up in your bed, sending him a picture of your body, specifically the matching panties and bra. it was one that he had bought for you for valentines day this year, claiming that he didn’t need anything from you because seeing you in it would be all that he needed. 

he opened the snapchat almost right away, taking a few moments to respond while you responded to kugisaki and megumi. his response consisted of him sending you a video as he slid his sweatpants down to mid thigh, his hand slowly sliding up and down his shaft before picking up the pace. you knew he was close, you could tell. his body had a sheen layer of sweat, only telling you that your suspicion about him jerking off earlier was true.

“fuck…” he groaned through the video, his voice sending vibrations down your spine. you took it upon yourself to help him reach the release that he was so desperately trying to reach. you exited out of his snapchat and double clicked, brining your phone in front of you, trying to take a good picture of your breasts that you know he loved. once you took the photo, you made sure that you looked good before you hit send.

your heart dropped once you realized who the photo went to, it wasn’t yuji.

it was his best friend, megumi.

you frantically swiped through the chat to attempt to delete the ten second photo, but to your despair, he’d already opened it. what were you going to do? you needed to tell him that it was an accident, especially since you double snapchatted him as well. 

fuck, i’m so sorry that wasn’t meant for you

you were shaking, how was he going to react? how could you tell yuji? was he going to tell yuji? all these questions began filling your head as you awaited his response. what the hell were you going to do? just what the fuck had you gotten yourself into?

as an attempt to calm yourself down, you clicked on yuji’s profile, seeing that he was last seen 5 minutes ago, you hoped that he would snapchat you back. you were never one to cheat, it was only an accident. he would understand that, right? you didn’t send megumi that picture on purpose.

that was meant for yuji! sorry again!

megumi couldn’t believe what he was seeing, here you were, on his phone screen, sending him a lewd photo. he thought he was dreaming, the way the lingerie fit so perfectly on your body, he couldn’t help but palm himself through his pants. he had a feeling that the picture wasn’t for him, he knew that it was for yuji, you confirmed his thoughts by sending your apology but what was the issue with looking at it a bit longer? dragging this moment out to the fullest?

the things he wanted to do to you, how fuckable you looked, it was driving him insane. he wanted to have you, to hear your whimpers as he ruined you over and over again. but he knew it was wrong, he had always felt wrong for having these feelings about you while you were with yuji.

megumi fushiguro is typing…

snapchat from megumi fushiguro

you were terrified to open his snapchat, afraid to see his response, slut-shaming you for sending him a picture like that when you had a boyfriend. you had to know what he said in order to explain the whole situation or else you’d hate yourself for it. but his response was something that you did not expect.

nah you’re all good

look at you, fuck

you could feel your face grow warm at his comment, it wasn’t something you weren’t used to. yuji always told you how good you looked for him, but for some reason, this was different. you liked it, and you felt dirty for it. 

the right thing to do would be just to apologize for the confusion and be on with your day, but your mind and body were saying two different things. you knew this was wrong but your body was saying something else. 

he doesn’t have to know.

he won’t know.

before you even had time to respond, megumi sent you a photo. you hesitated to open it at first, what if it was a picture of his dick? he didn’t seem like the one to do that, but men in the past had done this to you before, so you weren’t so sure. but curiosity kills the cat, and once you opened his snapchat, you shifted your position, trying to get any sort of friction on your clothed clit.

he was on his bed in the photo, one arm behind his head as he held the phone at a good angle for you to see some of his body while he wore a mischievous smirk on his face, cocking his head to the side. who knew such a innocent act like this could get you all riled up? and to top it off, the words on the photo said put on a show for me.

it was obvious that his words had an effect on you, even though you couldn’t hear him saying them, your whole body was hot. it felt like this decision was life or death, it wouldn’t be that bad. 

you tapped out of his snapchat, stood up near your bed and angled the camera to make sure you got your whole body in the picture. nobody could deny it, you looked so fucking sexy in this lingerie. this was all so dirty, the fact that it was the lingerie that yuji had bought you and you were sending picture of yourself in it to his best friend. in a way, it almost turned you on even more. you loved yuji, you did, but this was getting you more excited than he ever had. 

you continued to send him more photos of your body, living for every response that he gave you. his responses sent a chills throughout your body, making you want to hear more, see more. it seemed that megumi wasn’t really one to send lewds but you could tell that he was very aroused by your photos with the comments he was giving you, it was addicting.

fuck, you’re so pretty

so fucking sexy

holy fuck y/n

it was wrong to be doing this, and you hated to admit that you were enjoying it every one bit. with just his comments and pictures back to you, you could feel your slick pooling in your panties. his photos back to you consisted of him sending pictures of his abs or pictures of him gently stroking his length through his sweatpants. 

you wanted more, him to say more, for there to be more, you wanted to see it. just from seeing his print in his pants, you could tell that he was nowhere near small, maybe it was time to take it to the next level.

his previous snapchat consisted of a body shot, clearly from the side so you could see how toned he was, along with his free hand down and under his waistband. it was a sight, you had to agree, it left you flustered. you wanted to one up him, make him be the one unable to control himself, make him be the one who’s flustered. 

you took it upon yourself to take a video of your body, hand slightly ghosting down your breasts, making sure that one could hear the small whimpers and noises you were emitting. you had to admit, you were hot, there was no doubt in that statement. once you clicked send on the video, a smirk took form on your face, you couldn’t wait for his reaction.

when megumi opened your video, he was surprised because all you had sent him before were pictures, but now seeing a video, he didn’t know how to react. he felt his whole body freeze when he heard your little moans as you gave him a perfect view of your body. he was impossibly harder than he was before, and it was all because of you. 

“fuck,” he groaned as he set his phone down, bring his hands up to his face. his cheeks felt hot, he would’ve never believed that this was going to happen. you, the girl he’d always wanted to be his own, sending him provocative pictures like this. it felt like a dream come true, he didn’t want to let it go to waste. 

on the other hand, you leaned back on your bed as you set your phone down beside you as you slowly began to bring your hands down to your pulsing heat. although you had been teasing him, you also had been teasing yourself too and you needed to let off some steam. you tried to think of yuji, how he loves and praises you, but all you could think of was him.

megumi.

your boyfriends best friend.

you tried to imagine what it’d be like if it were his fingers on you instead, sliding up and down your body as he took in every crevice, every dip of your skin. the feeling of his mouth on yours, on your body, between your legs, you wanted to feel him everywhere. you felt filthy, disgusting, but you needed him. 

just as you were about to bring your fingers under the waistband of your flimsy panties, your phone began to vibrate on the bed. you were a bit confused to be receiving a call at this time of the night but when you turned your phone up to face you, it was megumi. 

you were nervous to pick up, thinking that it would be awkward. but you had just sent him lewds, so you decided that didn’t matter. you picked up the phone call embarrassingly quick, only to see his face light up when yours came on screen. you didn’t know what to say, it was like all the words had suddenly fell back down your throat.

“hi princess,” he whispered, making your heart flutter. you mentally cursed at yourself, he shouldn’t be making you feel this way. you had a boyfriend. 

megumi took notice in your lack of response, chuckling lowly to himself. he thought it was cute, how you now could barely keep your composure around him. 

“hi,” you mumbled in response, his voice putting you in a haze. you’d hung out with megumi before, but never did you feel this way towards him.

“acting all shy now, huh? you weren’t so shy before, baby.” lust was laced in his voice, you found it undeniably attractive, the pet name sending a warm feeling throughout your body. “c’mon, put on a show for me.” 

you weren’t quite sure with what he meant with his words, but you had an idea. you reached behind you to unclasp your bra and slowly pulled it down for him to see, gently bringing your free hand to fondle with your breasts, forefinger and thumb playing with your nipple, making sure both got the same amount of attention.

this simple action had him throbbing as he held back a moan, he could feel the precum leaking down his shaft. oh how he wanted to ravish you, have you all to himself. you were addicting, he needed you.

megumi slid his hand under the waistband of his pants, stroking himself ever so slightly. he tried to hold back his moans as his eyes stayed glued to the screen as you played with your breasts. it was so overwhelming, he loved every second of it.

“fuck,” you moaned quietly, hoping he wouldn’t hear, but to your disappointment, he heard. 

“what is it?” he responded rather quickly, worried that he had done something wrong. the silence in his room and yours was undeniably loud, and he heard that small sound of you playing with your cunt. you tried everything to make sure that he hadn’t heard, but this whole situation was going south and you needed to relieve the feeling that was building up. you knew you would feel disgusting about this later, you’d feel like a horrible person for what you were doing. 

yuji didn’t have to know.

“‘need you right now, fuck, megumi, please,” you whimpered as you gently ghosted your fingers over your folds, silently cursing at yourself for getting so aroused from him, with him on the phone. you gently swirled your finger around your clit causing you to twitch at the sensation, stifling back a moan as you bit your lip.

the sound of you moaning his name and getting off on the other end of the phone was driving him insane, he needed to see you, to see your pretty pussy, all puffy and slick with your essence as you shamelessly fingered yourself for him. the fact that you had a boyfriend and this could be really bad for the both of you, seemed to only turn the two of you on more. 

“wanna see you,” your voice was small, he thought it was cute. “please.” he could tell that as much as you wanted to see his face, you wanted to see something more.

“fuck, y/n, okay, only if you show me after.” he pulled his sweatpants down just enough to free himself, his dick slapping against his lower abdomen. you swore you could feel your hole clench at the sight of his fully erect cock. sure, you had a large amount of sexual experience and seen a fair share of dicks in your life, but there wasn’t a single one that looked as pretty as his. he seemed to be above average size, a bit on the skinnier side but he made up for it in length, compared to yuji, who was around average size but had more girth than megumi. but you knew that megumi would be able to hit spots inside you that yuji hadn’t. of course, he still pleasured you but there was something about megumi that had you itching to have him inside you. although it seemed far fetched, you were just going to have to relish in this moment.

“like what you see, hm?” his words snapping you out of your trance, turning your head away from the camera which earned a low chuckle from him.

“shut up,” you mumbled, before looking back towards the screen. you saw him stroke himself, picking up the pace from the speed at which he was going at earlier. he tried to hold back the noises that were coming from his mouth but you loved them, you loved this.

“are you g’na show me that pretty pussy of yours?” he asked you, your face heating up once again at his request. you nodded your head slowly as you brought your phone down in between your legs. you never had done something like this in the past, but it sent adrenaline throughout your whole body.

megumi’s eyes stayed glued to the screen as you lowered the phone agonizingly slow until the phone was right in front of your clothed heat. the wet spot at your crotch was incredibly noticeable along with your free hand stuffed in your panties, trying to bring yourself close to the edge. you slowly pulled your hand out from under the waistband, fingers coated in your slick as you pulled your underwear to the side to reveal yourself fully to him. 

he felt his breath hitch in his throat, you were so wet. there was no doubt that you were talking to yuji before you talked to him but the fact that he had managed to get you even more turned on before, stroked his ego immensely.

but little did he know, most of this was because of him.

“holy shit,” he groaned as he began to stroke up and down his length, keeping his eyes on the screen. you had the prettiest cunt he’d ever seen, it was even better than he’d imagined, he knew he wasn’t going to last long. megumi had fantasized about this for so long, and now he has it right before his eyes. he continued to watch, giving you encouraging words of praise as you fingered yourself ever so slowly, making sure your clit also got some relief as well.

your saccharine moans echoed through the room as you began to pick up the pace, you were close. you could feel your orgasm as it was just on the edge, you just needed one more push.

“oh fuck,” you bit your lip as you tried to cover your sounds, your fingers barely grazing over your special spot as you fucked yourself with your fingers. “megumi, ’m gonna - ”

“you gonna cum? yeah?” he seethed, megumi could feel his orgasm approaching fast, he needed to see you cum before him. “imagine if it was me, using my fingers on you, my mouth on you. c’mon baby, cum for me.”

as soon as those words came out of his mouth, you came hard, imagining as if it were him who was the one with his fingers inside of you, easing you out of your orgasm. the sight of you coming undone before his eyes through the screen made him lose it as he came, hot spurts of his cum on his chest, groaning at the feeling of his long awaited release. 

you both stayed quiet as you caught your breath, the silence somewhat awkward, but for some reason, calming. once back to normal, you both exchanged a light conversation before ending the call.

you lay in bed, thinking about what you had just done. it was wrong, dirty, and you felt filthy for it. the worst part, you enjoyed it way more than you thought you would. the two of you knew in your hearts that things won’t be the same after this, there’s no way they could. it would have to be a secret, just be between you and megumi.

as you lay there, one thought played on repeat inside your head.

what were you going to tell yuji?

© all content belongs to oblxvion 2021, do not repost or change.

[maleksrami]

gif tutorial ✨🎥

I got a few requests to make a gif tutorial so here it is. hope it helps :) It’s quite long so I’ll put it all under a read more. If you have any questions, feel free to ask or PM me directly for help!

Alright....sooo, I don’t remember the last time I made a gif tutorial on this site, but I figured I would even though I use the same method a lot of gif makers have been using for years. I have never strayed from this process and I’ve been making gifs on this site for a decade. 

There are a couple methods to making gifs. You can import your video directly into photoshop and cut your gif there. OR you can use a separate video player that has a screencapping tool, then import all your frames into photoshop; this is the method I use and it’s how I’ve adapted and perfected my giffing skills over time. 

This post will be long, but I want to be as detailed as I can and explain it step by step. It’s really NOT difficult once you get the hang of it, which is probably why I’ve always done it this way. 

Disclaimer: There are three programs I use and I highly suggest you look for reliable links yourself if I’m not able to provide one. I use pretty old versions of KMPlayer and Photoshop (I’ll explain why later), so be careful where you go looking for downloads. There are some photoshop downloads here, but I can’t vouch for them.

Let’s start :)

DOWNLOADING VIDEOS

I use a program called 4k Video Downloader to rip HD videos from Youtube. 1080p is the way to go, but obviously that’s not always possible. It’s ridiculously easy, all you do is click the “Paste Link” button and it’ll download your video. Clicking the “Smart Mode” button will let you set the default quality and the folder you want all your videos to be saved to. 

As you can see, here are all the videos I’ve downloaded recently for my gif posts. You can clear this download history list at any time.

SCREENCAPPING 

After your video is done downloading, I open the video in KMPlayer. Now, I use an OLD version of this program because this was exactly how I learned to do this back in the day. You can find old versions online, I don’t really know exactly which version mine is because I’ve had it forever, but it’s the old school one that looks like this.

When you open the video, it might stretch the player to full screen so I always adjust it by dragging the corner of the player inward so it shrinks to a more medium size. This will also make your screencaps not so GIANT, which will take longer to load into photoshop. 

Anyways, you’re gonna open your video and right click anywhere on the video to select Capture > Frame Extract... (or Ctrl+G on Windows). This window will come up. Make sure all your settings look like this to ensure a really smooth gif.

The first thing you should do is click that little “G” button next to the window size at the bottom. That’ll lock in the dimensions of however big you’ve made your video window, and if you stretch it you’ll see these numbers change. If you start capping without remembering to push that and you make your window smaller/bigger, your caps might be a wacky size or look stretched and you’ll have to go back and do it again. Also note the extracting location at the top. All your caps will go directly to a default folder titled “Capture”.

Once all the settings are ready, go to your desired section of the video, pause it, and hit “Start”. Play the video, pause the video when you’ve got all your caps, then hit “Stop”.

Locate your “Capture” folder and doublecheck you got all the caps you want. This is where I take a moment to delete any caps I don’t want in my gif, that way you don’t bother loading them into photoshop and making it take longer than it needs to. 

MAKING THE GIF

You’re gonna open whatever version of Photoshop you’re using. I hilariously still use CS3 to make gifs because the next script I’m gonna run doesn’t work in the free download that I have of CS5, but that’s what you get sometimes when you don’t pay for stuff. Hopefully whatever more recent version of PS you use, you have no problems.

Go to File > Scripts > Load Files Into Stack...

This window will come up. 

Hit “Browse” and locate your capture folder. Highlight all your caps and press OK. You’ll see them all come up in a list as shown above. Press OK again. Your caps will start to load into one big stack of layers. This will take a minute or so.

When it’s all loaded in, you’ll see them all stacked in your Layers window (Windows > Layers). You’re gonna open your animations timeline (Windows > Animation) and click the little drop down button in the top right corner of the window and select “Make Frames From Layers”. 

Click that drop down menu again and hit “Reverse Frames”. Click that drop down menu again and hit “Flatten Frames Into Layers” (this is so our sharpening action will work later). Click the drop down menu again and select “Select All Frames”. All your frames will be highlighted. This is where you’ll set your animation speed. Under each frame you’ll see “0 sec.” Click on that and select “Other”. Type in your desired speed. I usually go for 0.04 if it has a lot of frames. For less frames, 0.05 or 0.06. This is honestly entirely up to your preference. I actually made myself a photoshop action doing all these repetitive steps so it saves me a few precious long seconds of clicking around over and over. I just run the action after my caps are loaded. If you make gifs a lot, I recommend it.

Next it cropping. The reason I don’t crop right away after the files are loaded into a stack is because I like to see where the subject in the gif moves before I decide where I need to crop. I don’t want to accidentally cut anything off. The subject might sway in and out of frame or be off center if I crop it blindly before seeing exactly where the object moves around. So I’ll play the gif first to see exactly where to crop.

Anyways, you’re gonna set your desired width x height of your gif. I’m making this a big gif so you can see the details better. 540 px is Tumblr’s width for big horizontal gifs. If you’re making a photoset with two gifs side by side the width for Tumblr is 268 px.

Go ahead and crop your gif. It’ll resize itself as well. Play the gif back so you can see if anything gets cut off or it’s not where you want it. You can undo the crop and do it again until you’re satisfied.

Here is what my gif looks like animated and cropped. 

As you can see, it plays nice and smoothly due to our screencap settings from before in KMPlayer and with our set gif speed (I used 0.05 here).

Next is sharpening the gif. I use a sharpening action that can quickly sharpen up to 120 frames. You can download it here. Open the action by going to File > Open and locating the file. It’ll be added to your Actions window. (Window > Actions if you can’t see it.) In order for it to run correctly, you have to have the first frame selected on your animation window, as well as “Frame 1″ in the layers window. Just like this:

Click the play button on the action and wait a few seconds for all the gifs to finish being sharpened. For any gif with less than 120 frames (which I hope is always, good God) a pop-up will come up when it reaches the end of the frames asking you if you want to stop.  Click “Stop”. 

Tip: If you think you want to delete more frames, run the sharpening action before you do it. Otherwise you’ll have to flatten your frames into layers again. The first frame and the “Frame 1″ layer should always be the same (the little eye will appear to the left of the layer to let you know it’s visible when you have that specific frame selected) otherwise the action won’t work. 

Here is what my gif looks like now that it’s sharpened.

COLORING THE GIF

This is where all the fun (or pain) comes in. All your coloring will be done by using Adjustment Layers (Layers > New Adjustment Layer). I usually go in the same order of adjustments, but this is where personal style comes in and you do no have to do it in the same order I do. You can practice with this part all you want and see how you like to do it.

I start with brightening the gif first and fixing the white balance if a scene needs it. I chose this video specifically so you could see this next handy trick that a lot of people don’t even know about. It’s a dark scene and the white balance makes the subject look quite blue. 

I can fix this by starting with a Curves layer. By clicking the third eyedropper tool, you can go and click on a white point in your gif (in this case, I clicked on a white square on his shirt) and bumped up the input number a bit for a little contrast (optional). My curves look like this. Click OK.

My gif now looks like this.

It’s much better, right? The white eyedropper tool will become a lifesaver sometimes, but it’s not always needed. 

Next, I go in with a Levels adjustment to do some more brightening. This is all up to preference, but you can play around with this. I typically like to add more contrast with this layer. I just adjust the sliders until I’m satisfied.

Here is my gif now.

Onto yet another brightening layer. Brightness/Contrast. A couple teeny tiny more positive numbers and I now have this.

Next is Selective Color. I wish I could explain this in a way that makes sense, but this is the layer that takes a bit of practice getting down and boils down to how you like the colors in your gif to look. I personally don’t like a lot of yellow in mine, so I focus a lot on the Yellow and Black sliders in each specific tab. I start in the Reds, then Yellows, Whites, Neutrals, then bump up the Blacks a tiny bit.

Here is my gif now. It’s a bit more cool toned, which is what I like.

Next I’ll go in with a Color Balance layer and play with the Midtones and Shadows. 

Here it is now.

This is usually my last step unless I want to adjust the brightness again (which I do), so I might go back into my Curves and Levels layers to bump it up.

And you can totally stop there, but I would like to mention a few more optional layers to add depending on your gif. If I wanted more saturation, I would add a Hue/Saturation layer at this point, but I think it’s colorful enough so I’m not going to.

Another layer you can use is Gradient Maps. 

Setting a black and white gradient map overtop your gif and setting the layer to Soft Light and lowering the opacity to your heart’s desire (you might need to go to the little drop down menu in your animation timeline and hit “Match Layers Across Frames”) can give your gif a very contrast-y look like this.

Or you can change the black color to something else for a different tone, like a dark blue.

Here is my final gif. 

If you want to add a caption to your gif, you can do so with your font of choice (Arial and Calibri are good) and add Stroke or a Drop Shadow to it by going to Layer > Layer Style. You can make sure the text is perfectly centered by clicking on your top frame layer under all your coloring adjustments, hitting Select > All, then clicking your text layer again and going to Layer > Align Layers To Selection > Horizontal Centers. Then hit Select > Deselect and go to your little drop down menu in your animation timeline and click “Match Layers Across Frames”.

Here is what it looks like with a caption.

SAVING YOUR GIF

Go to File > Save for Web & Devices...

A big window will come up where you can preview your finished gif by pressing the play button on the right hand side. In the bottom left corner will tell you what size your gif is. Tumblr’s gif limit is a whopping 10 MB, so we’re good. 

Your gif settings should look something like this. 

We always want to keep all colors at 256 (the highest). Lowering this number will make our gif file size smaller, but also decrease the quality of the gif itself. If your file size is more than 10 MB, I recommend going back and deleting some frames or making some more curve adjustments. Some users also like to set their gif to “Adaptive” instead of “Selective”. This is up to you.

Click Save and you’re done!

[koko-bopp]

Exposé

min yoongi x jeon jungkook x male!reader

word count – 4K

genre – Angst, fluff

warning(s) – argument scene, mentions of homophobia and racism,

synopsis – An incident happened where your boyfriends had had an interview on national television, and one of them publicized your relationship with then. You're the manager of Bangtan, so your concern fell on your job, your relationship, and your life, but also what it meant for the jobs, lives and relationship of your boyfriends.

A/N – for @thatcucumberwhore :))

"Are you guys fucking kidding me?"

Jungkook accidently jumped at the tone of your voice, though Yoongi seemed less surprised. You'd come in practically throwing down the door of you and your boyfriends' apartment, and that being said, you weren't surprised that Jungkook jolted at the noise, it was unlike you.

"Hyung, er–" Jungkook tried his best to speak up, but was cut off quite quickly.

"I'll get to you later," You snapped, and your attention was fixed on Yoongi. He stayed silent, which is a habit that seems to occur whenever he was nervous, but you were fuming, barely thinking about what your boyfriends' might be thinking. "What the fuck, Yoongi. What the actual fuck, you can't just announce shit without–"

"I did," Yoongi argued, standing up from the couch, looking up at you in anger, "And frankly, so did Jungkook, and you knew damn fucking well it was gonna happen anyway."

"You didn't fucking consult me, Yoongi," You grinded your teeth down, doing your best not to react irrationally, "You can't just make decisions because you feel like it, that fucking stunt could've cost us our job!"

Yoongi had no trouble talking back, "Well, it didn't."

Jungkook went in the middle of you two, clearly anxious and panicking, not knowing how to properly resolve the argument. "Guys, please can we just–"

"No," You snapped, slapping away Jungkook's hand before glaring at him. Honestly, you were so insulted by Yoongi's recklessness, and especially because you're the manager of Bangtan, you had no idea what this meant for your career, but not only yours, Yoongi's and Jungkook's too, "You do understand that our boyfriend just outed us on live television, right? South Korean. Television. Where marital relationships like ours aren't recognised by law."

Yoongi grapped your wrist, forcing you to look at him, "How long were you expecting us to keep this a secret?"

"As long as it kept us safe," You spat.

"Even if it was taking a toll on our mental health?" Yoongi said, almost too calmly, "Not everyone can keep themselves sane enough when it comes to this shit, [Y/N]."

You frowned and just stared at Yoongi.

"Mind you, your job is to look after us as well," Yoongi added.

"That requires you to fucking talk to me, Suga," The anger became evident, especially for Jungkook, because you only call Yoongi by his stage name in a professional setting, never outside of it, "Not snake around and leave things up to you."

You ripped Yoongi's grip on your wrist, taking one last glance at Jungkook before getting your jacket from the hanger.

Clearly, staying in the apartment wouldn't do your anger any good, leaving before the water begins to tip was probably the best option. You didn't look at your boyfriends', just spoke, "I'm staying at Jin's. Don't call me."

✨

"You might as well change your Facebook status to 'complicated', and start feeding my cat, bro," Jin said from the kitchen, "You've been living on my couch for four days. Four days. I don't see why you can't just talk to them."

"I don't know..." You huffed, "Bro I deleted all my social media, and I haven't even opened the television for the last few days...I've yet to cop it from PD, though. God knows what he's thinking."

"Yeah, and no offence, you and your whole, 'Im gonna pretend I'm not bothered by acting so overly professional in the workplace with my boyfriends' isn't proof that you're unbothered. It's proof that this is effecting you," Jin walked into the living room, who beers in hand as he did. He tried handing you one, though you rejected the offer, wanting to remain sober while you're still upset.

Your bestfriend, after your boyfriends, is the eldest member of Bangtan. Partly because you two are the same age, you being just a bit older than Jin, but despite that, you two understood each other well. Also, another reason that your relationship with him is so good is because it's the best entertainment to be around Kim Seokjin, the sarcasm is inevitable.

"Look, I get what Yoongs was thinking, but I also get they you may not have been ready, but I also think you just shouldn't give a shit about what people have to say about you," Jin placed his input, sitting down on the couch near you, throwing a leg over the other, taking a swift sip of the beer. "And that's coming from singer that racists and homophobes hate, those fucks on twitter are the worst."

You laughed at his reasoning, your eyes fixed on the loose string on the knee of your jeans. They're ripped jeans, they're supposed to be there, but it bothered you. "I'm still mad that they didn't ask me about it first.."

"No, that's fair. You feel lied to, I get that," Jin responded, "But, people make mistakes."

You scoffed, "Not like this, I don't put people's lives on the line," You shook your head, running your thumb on the bottom of your lip for a second, "This is Seoul, it's super hard to get a job, it's worse if you're not straight, even worse if you're not pale."

"Yeah," Jin agreed, "But in your case. What radical fan is gonna let Jungkook and Yoongi leave– no– get kicked out of BTS? You know how fucking mad people would be? ARMY would literally boycott BigHit. But let's say it's you who needs to leave, those two would quit their jobs in a fucking heartbeat, people would still be mad at BigHit, and more accepting companies would do anything to have those two in their company."

You smirked in amusement. It sounded true, those two are the biases of a lot of fans, people would pissed.

"And to add onto that," Jin continued, "Bangtan would be mad. You think any of us would put our jobs over our bestfriends' happiness? No fucking way. We're wanted eveywhere, it would take an email and two phone calls to get us a job somewhere else."

You smiled at that, but you remained silent, it was always nice talking to Jin. He was always honest. You lifted your head up to look at your best friend, a little hesitant to give a response, "Do you... Do you think I should..."

"You still got it?"

"Both of them. Always."

"Yeah. They still love you, I wasn't gonna tell you, but I'm pretty sure Yoongi was crying about it."

You stood up from your seat immediately, throwing a pillow at Jin, "You bafoon! You didn't think to fucking tell me?!"

"Ow! I still have a beer!" Jin defended in a protective, half-ninja pose to protect himself from more pillows, stretch his hand to keep his beer alive and unspilt on his leather couch. "Just remember that they need to apologize too, it's not all your fault. Go and see your mans'."

You didn't waste another moment. You throw your jacket over your shoulder and quickly grabbed the keys to your car, slipping on your shoes and racing to get into your car.

The apartment, thankfully, wasn't far, and you know the city of Seoul like the back of your hand so getting there wasn't an issue, it was more about emotionally preparing yourself.

It wasn't as if you thought about what you were gonna say, but hearing that one of your boyfriends who are always so strong broke down crying wasn't a 'think-first-act-later' moment. Jungkook, god, and Jungkook, you'd yet to figure out how he's been handling everything, but you know for Yoongi's sake, he'd try to be staying as strong for him as possible.

You'd gotten three texts from Jungkook in the last four days. One apology, a sticker, and an 'i love you', but your stubborn trait got the best of you. Now having a silent moment, you wish you'd responded.

"Hyung..?"

You didn't know what to say, but you were standing at the door of your apartment with Jungkook in front of you.

You could tell he was hoping for this, he just didn't know when.

He threw his arms around your shoulders, catching you off guard, but as soon as you'd regained your senses, you returned the embrace just as tight as he'd given it. He had his face buried into your shoulder, one hand in your hair trying to remember the feel he thought he'd forgotten, "I thought you were leaving us..." He whispered, holding back a sob.

"Jungkook, I'm so so sorry, I overreacted. I was being a jerk and–" You spewed, but was interrupted when your boyfriend shook his head.

"No, no– I'm sorry too, I thought we were doing the right thing and–" He accidently sniffled, a tear falling down his cheek, "–Ah, fuck... Jagi, I'm just so glad you're back."

You kissed Jungkook's cheek from where he was, bringing your hand up to cradle his head lovingly.

You'd do anything for Jungkook, hes your boyfriend and you love him so much.

You continued to embrace Jungkook, before speaking in a small whisper, "... Kookie, baby... Is Yoongs okay?"

Jungkook pulled away from the embrace slightly, but your hands were still on his waist. The younger wipes the tear stain on his cheek first, "He's had better days... A lot of better days."

"How bad?"

"Remember when Namjoon-hyung and him fought that one time?"

"Oh no."

"Yeah.. But this time it's more heartbreak than anger. I think you'll be fine."

You kissed Jungkook one more time, smiling at hin before hesitantly letting go to head towards Yoongi's room.

You made it three quarters of the way there, then saw the 'go away' mat in front of his door with the cat flipping the finger. It made you chuckle, knowing that then Yoongi had bought it despite the fact that nobody is allowed to walk into the house without socks.

Yoongi does things because something tells him it's the right thing to do. He doesn't act then think, he'll probably think for years and the finally act.

"Jagi..." You knocked gently on your boyfriend's door, "Yoon. It's me... Please open–"

Your request was filled before it was finished, the door swang open to reveal a rather teary Min Yoongi, and your heart didn't handle it well. But you probably didn't notice it well enough, because he threw his arms around your neck almost immediately after. He begun sobbing into your collar with his hands gripping the back of your shirt like you'd run away if he let go. He spoke through tears, "[Y/N], I'm so sorry, I didn't think about how you'd feel and," He sobbed, "But please, p-please don't leave again. I thought–"

"Shhh, baby, breathe for me," You said softly, kissing his forehead as a way to comfort him, before pulling away to look at your boyfriend, holding both of his hands in yours, "Yoongs, it's okay, I'm sorry too, and I know this is something we can work around because I love both of you so so much."

You motioned for Jungkook to come too, watching him walk over then holding his hands too.

It took only a second to exhale, but it seemed too long, "I love you two more than anything in this world. You're more important to me than my job, than my pet–"

Jungkook gasped, "Don't say that! Fluff is a beautiful pet!"

You laughed, and Yoongi didn't stop himself from giggling, but you continued, "Regardless, you two are the best thing that's ever happened to me, that I get to see your faces in the morning is a blessing enough." Jungkook was getting teary and Yoongi was holding back tears as much as he could, but you continued, "You're my heaven on earth. I want to be able to spend the rest of my life with you too."

You for down on one knee, Jungkook's eyes going wide and Yoongi's jaw unhinged to its full capacity. You pulled out the velvet box containing two identical rings, opening it carefully to reveal them.

"Min Yoongi and Jeon Jungkook. Will you steal my last name?"

[piracytheorist]

A Kiss for Good Luck (8/15)

Summary: So this is the story of one born lucky, and one born unlucky. Fate will keep making them cross paths, but is it to bring them together, or to test them? Captain Swan AU.

A/N: This will hurt. I am sorry.

Rating: T (make sure you’re okay with the warnings on AO3) Warnings: This chapter contains character death, some depictions of violence, depictions of poor and unhealthy coping mechanisms, as well as a toxic relationship. Any intercourse and physical touch in general is fully consensual, but emotionally the relationship may appear upsetting to some. Also there are some elements that may resemble emotional self-harm.

Word count for this chapter: 4k (48k in total) AO3

Read from the beginning: Tumblr | AO3

~

Chapter 8: Killian Jones, October 19th 2011 – October 24th 2015

The kiss is deeper than he expected. Killian pushes the woman back, but gently. He was the one who gave her permission to kiss him, after all.

"I thought it would be a quick kiss. I have a girlfriend."

Her brows are going wild. "Shit. Sorry."

He's so stupid. What would Milah think? "'Salright. Go pee."

"Yes. That,” she slurs. “Thank you again."

Just as the woman closes the bathroom door behind her, Milah appears above him.

“You okay?” she says.

He looks at her confused, before he realizes it's not that normal to sit on the floor while at a club. “Yeah,” he says. “Just very, very drunk.”

She gives him her hand, he takes it, then she starts pulling at him. “Let's go outside for some air. There's too much smoke in here.”

“I wanna pee!”

She drags him up. “You can pee outside! Let's go!”

It feels better outside. The cool, clean air wakes him up a bit.

Milah throws her arms around Killian's neck and pulls him to lean his forehead on hers. He smells the martini in her breath, landing hot against his lips.

He closes his eyes. He could stay like this forever, and how he wishes this moment lasted that long...

“How sweet,” a sharp voice says from the side.

They turn together to see Gold staring at them, his hands crossed on the handle of his cane. There's two big guys flanking him, and Killian pulls Milah aside, stepping in front of her.

“What do you want?” Killian says.

“I did wait,” Gold says. “I held back, let you take my wife away from me.”

“Shut up,” Milah says, moving to Killian's side. “Our marriage was over long before I met Killian.”

Gold looks at her, hand grabbing the cane hard.

“You... you followed us here?” Milah says, suddenly realizing. “What the hell? Where's Jack?”

“You have no right to ask about him,” Gold says and takes a brisk step forward. “You went against my conditions for meeting him. You brought that bastard with you!”

Milah flinches, and Killian's left hand grabs onto hers.

“And you?” Gold looks at him. “Going behind my back to take my son on your side? Trying to buy his love?” His face seems to barely contain his rage as he reaches into his jacket and pulls out a handgun.

Killian's hand squeezes Milah's as his other one raises up in defense. “Whoa, Gold, wait-”

Gold shoots.

Though Killian’s ears are ringing from the exploding sound, he hears Milah's trembling sigh. It feels like it's hours later that he turns to look at her, eyes going straight for the growing red spot on her chest.

And then she's falling.

“No,” he whispers and holds her, gently breaking her fall.

Her eyes are moving wildly, then she coughs and a thin trail of blood runs from the corner of her lips.

“No, no. Milah...”

She focuses on him. “I love you,” she whispers. She gasps one last time, then she's limp in his arms.

It's like even more hours pass. He feels her hot blood staining his hands.

Her eyes are closed. She's not breathing. Only her blood moves, dripping out of her body even though her heart has stopped beating.

“No,” he says.

He hears the tapping sound of a cane, and he looks up to see Gold standing above him, gun aimed at him. His henchmen also aim their handguns at him.

“What are you waiting for?” Killian says. “Finish it.”

What else can he say? It's not as if he'd leave him to tell the tale.

“Oh, no. You won't be so lucky,” Gold says, but he doesn't move.

Killian manages to hold himself back only long enough to set Milah down gently, then he lunges at Gold, grabbing the gun.

It all happens in half a second.

Gold shoots, Killian's ears are ringing again, and he sees two fingers fly off in a sudden fountain of blood.

He drops down to his knees. His left hand hangs limp in a way no hand should. The thumb and index finger are missing, and there's a gaping crescent hole, starting under his middle finger and reaching to the middle of his wrist.

The pain hits him suddenly and a scream erupts from his throat.

His vision comes and goes; one moment Gold is standing above him, the next Killian is leaning over Milah, the blood spilling from his hand onto her unmoving body.

There's more people screaming; people shouting; sirens, blue and red lights...

Then white. So much white.

Killian is just three days younger of twenty-eight when he once again thinks how he's cursed.

Milah is dead, there is no doubt about that. His hand was amputated, and he has to spend a whole week in the hospital before the doctors clear him for a transatlantic flight.

In the meantime he learns that Milah's body was sent back to England, per Gold's request.

At first, he finds it impossible; but the cops who'd questioned him about the assault soon inform him that Gold has solid alibi in London at the time of the murder.

Killian almost shuts down in the week he has to spend in there; Gold must have stolen Killian's phone before fleeing the scene of the crime, and Killian has no way of contacting Nemo, and he didn't let him know the specifics of his trip in the first place, like when exactly his return trip would’ve been.

If Nemo had known, he would have worried after not getting any news from Killian the day he was supposed to return. He would have contacted hospitals, would have found out about the assault. Probably would even honor Killian's request to attend Milah's funeral in his place, if Killian had the guts to actually ask him for that.

And to top it all, Nemo's phone at home is out of order. Why didn't he ever bother memorizing his cell phone? Now all Killian can do is lie in his hospital bed and do his damnedest to avoid looking at where his left hand is no more.

The blasted week goes by; Killian spends the rest of his savings into a new return trip, the only one he can afford has two stops in between.

He's dead tired, hungry, with fresh dog crap under his sole, and somehow he's not surprised to see his apartment has flooded.

It's three in the morning and he contemplates walking through the ankle-deep water anyway and collapsing in his bed.

He stands so long in front of the open door of his apartment that eventually the downstairs neighbor comes to complain about water dripping into his place.

One call to the fire department later, Killian picks up his two bags – he didn't have the heart to throw Milah's stuff away – and takes a taxi to Nemo's place.

Nemo obviously got out of bed to let Killian in, and of course, he asks Killian what happened.

It's like he's seventeen again, unable to react to one of the most life-changing news he ever received, only the opposite, in the most grim way that he never dared imagine.

He's hiding his handless arm inside his jacket pocket and silently walks the stairs up to his old bedroom. He doesn't answer Nemo's questions next morning, he doesn't even sit down to get breakfast. He goes straight to the lawyer Milah had during her divorce.

Gold is paying people to give false testimony, and Killian is gonna take him down.

Too consumed in his own hatred for the man, the whole week he spent planning his comeback he didn't think of the problems the lawyer is listing now; Killian was drunk – as evidenced by hospital records – enough for his testimony to be considered debatable; he also has motive to want to get back at Gold, stronger than Gold's motive to kill his unfaithful wife three whole years post their divorce which concluded in his favour; and of course, one has to prove first that Gold's witnesses are lying before questioning Gold's alibi of more than five thousand kilometers away from the scene of the crime.

Killian doesn't return to Nemo's place. His own apartment stinks, damp and moldy, half of his furniture and appliances were ruined, but at least his bed is functioning, and he can't deal with Nemo's sympathy right now.

He needs to take Gold down. He can't have any more distractions.

It takes him a month to remember his therapist. He checks his emails for the first time since the assault, and he feels he loses another part of him at the news of his therapist moving towns to study for a doctorate; she's suggested other therapists at him, followed by two more emails of asking if everything is okay, then nothing.

Killian looks at the names and phones of the suggested therapists as if they're threats to his consciousness. He actually laughs. Dr. Eriksen had him since before he was even an adult and she knew everything about his fucked-up adolescence. Where would he even begin with someone new?

He deletes the email.

For two years, his whole life centers around finding weak spots in Gold's armour. He quits from Shakespeare's boat rental and works at stock in the harbor. It's a tough, time-consuming job, but it keeps him in view of the sea and gets his mind off his pain. Alcohol takes over that job in his time off.

He stops drawing; Milah used to draw with him and it nearly breaks him to pick up a pencil to sketch. The last thing he sketches is the design for the tattoo with her name on it that is soon permanently inked on his arm.

Two years of trying, as much as his exhausted psyche and a mind always leaning towards booze can handle, and the best he manages is to break into Gold's house, hack through his computer and locate some suspicious activity between Gold's bank account and the one of one of his witnesses.

Thirteen years of no spots in his criminal record mean nothing to the law when there are spots in it in the first place, and he's arrested for breaking and entering.

Nemo responds to Killian's call to bail him out, even though Killian has barely spoken to him in two years. However, the disappointment is, for the first time since Killian met him, visible on his face.

“It's your decision,” Nemo tells him after Killian is out. “Your path to choose, and your life to ruin.”

If it were anyone else, Killian would be flipping him off. But Nemo is the one who took Killian in as an assortment of broken pieces and put him back together, loving and patient all throughout. The one who has always been too good to be called a mere father.

“It's not just wanting to get back at that bastard,” Killian says, nearly shouting. At Nemo's small flinch, Killian breathes in and out. Among all his losses, it's the first one that has filled him with such rage. “That monster killed her in cold blood. And he's out there now, not paying for his crime-”

His voice is too unsteady now to accommodate shouting.

“It's not just personal. He killed her-” A soft sob breaks his sentence in half. “-and he's walking free.”

“The world is not fair,” Nemo says in a very soft voice, hand resting on Killian's shoulder. “Come home, son. This isn't what you need right now.”

“No. I need to see him behind bars.”

“You need to grieve.”

Killian scoffs, laughing mirthlessly. “It's been two years.”

“Exactly.”

He drops his gaze. If he looks at Nemo's face right now, he may crumble, and his efforts of two years – albeit not very successful – will be rendered pointless. The time he lost, the damage he's done to himself, to his relationships with everyone, Nemo, Shakespeare, Will and Tink, it will all be for nothing.

And worst of all, he'll be yet another one who will do Milah wrong. If he gives up, he'll be doing to her nothing better than what Gold did, and the very thought sickens him.

There's only one thing he changes. His drinking has reached new levels, and he needs, if nothing else, to survive in order to bring Gold down. So for now, AA meetings are something.

At first, he only talks about how he manages to stay clean, how he slips and how he tries to not beat himself up over it. His fifth meeting is on a particularly bad day; the story of watching the love of his life die slips from him, and across the circle he gets looks of pity that he hates.

If only he told everyone about the furious thoughts for revenge on Milah's murderer that have been plaguing his every waking thought for the past two years.

He slumps in his seat and stays silent for the rest of the meeting. He shouldn't have come today, he should have known he would be too emotional to think rationally before speaking.

The meeting ends and he's already made up his mind to look into other AA groups before he even exits the building.

“Excuse me,” a voice calls at him.

He turns. It's Eloise Gardener, one of the attendees.

“On the last meeting you mentioned that mental activities keep your thoughts away,” she says.

“Yeah?”

“I'm hosting gardening classes, two evenings a week at the Bare Feet Greenhouse. I thought I could invite you to join, they're already quite cheap and I'll give you a discount.”

“Your name is Gardener, innit?”

She smiles. “And I am a gardener. Shocking, I know. But I've found it's a good distraction, especially knowing you're taking care of a life. You get the satisfaction without committing to... raising a child, let's say.”

Killian decides it's worth a try; unlike the AA meetings, raising a plant actually has visible proof of progress.

He stops coming to the meetings, but Eloise doesn't ask him why. She teaches him and guides him through providing a good environment for his plants.

One night after class, she helps him move the pots with his grown plants to his apartment. He doesn't truly invite her in, and when she initiates a kiss with him, he takes a few seconds of thinking before he realizes he doesn't mind that much.

It's just fuck, and Eloise doesn't seem to be thinking it's anything deeper than he does.

If he thinks it's any deeper, he'll just be haunted again by that miserable thought, that the last person he kissed before Milah died was not Milah herself, but a random stranger whose face he wasn't even sober enough to remember.

Eloise leaves and within minutes, he's left as well to search for any open store that sells booze. Rain is pouring down, cars splash him until he's soaking wet, but he finally gives up when he trips and falls, his leg hurting too much to take him too much further.

Even the couple of hours he stays in the hospital while they put a walking cast on him feel unbearable. Two years have gone by and the memories of hospital misery are still too raw.

Eloise doesn't comment on the cast nor his continued absence from the AA meetings. She invites him to her place and after they have sex he asks if he can stay the night. That way it's much easier to avoid looking for a drink to deal with how disgusted he feels.

Even the other people attending the gardening lessons wouldn't imagine Eloise and Killian are sleeping together – and Killian is attending two different classes side by side. Not that there's anything to show for it. They just fuck, sleep in the same bed, and that's all. She keeps him from running out for a drink in the middle of the night, better than any AA meeting managed, he gives her a person to have control over the way she wants, and they scratch each other's itches.

Nemo keeps trying to stay in touch with him, and Killian nearly blocks his number out of pure shame. Perhaps if Nemo realizes he's been blocked he'll stop bothering.

Killian has practically moved in with Eloise now, or she with him; in any case, they'll sleep in the same bed every night, whether it's the one in Killian's apartment or the one in Eloise's house.

He cannot connect who he was before with who he is with Eloise now. Before Nemo even adopted him officially, Killian had allowed him to pick up his pieces and make him a functional human. With Milah, it was Killian who was the whole, the rock she could lean on.

With Eloise, he can once again be broken, but without any expectation to get fixed back up – and he's too tired for unrealistic expectations. He can stay the mess that he is, sharing his body and his space with her so that he can feel something, even when the feeling isn't the best. Eloise is controlling and demanding, and Killian's feelings for her range from fear to disgust, but he prefers those over pain, grief, rage, and a continuously burning thirst.

It's easier to hate his... “partner” than to hate everything else in his life, including himself.

He's actually shocked to realize two years have passed since his first time with Eloise, and nothing at all has changed. Their feelings didn't change towards one way or another; they just kept fucking, sleeping next to each other, and going by their day without thinking about each other.

He almost hates it when she asks him to ride with her to a concert in Maidstone. Not only because she's making ensuring no-one assaults her sound like a chore, but also because he's still not ready to enjoy music he used to love. Especially not in her presence. Being in her company is not a circumstance that fits happy thoughts.

There's a lot of things he's been denying himself since Milah died. Everything that used to make him happy, even the company of his family, feels sullied now.

He doesn't expect to enjoy the concert. But Eloise buys his ticket and drives the car, so he decides that he can tolerate one night of being a boy toy to discourage sleazebags.

It doesn't even feel that special that his birthday is tomorrow; he lost Liam a few days after his fifteenth birthday, and Milah a few days before his twenty-eighth. Maybe it's just not in the cards for him to celebrate it again.

For three whole hours, he forgets everything. There's just the music, and the lights, and his throat getting sore from singing without a care.

There is, of course, the occasional groping, people stepping on his feet, even getting an elbow to the ribs, but for him it's all par of the course now. Including checking his pockets afterwards and realizing that twenty pounds are missing. And Eloise being... well, Eloise.

“You were supposed to stand by my side,” she starts complaining after the concert is over and people start dispersing.

“I can assure you I was touched against my consent far more than you were.”

“Is that supposed to be an excuse?”

Ugh, her arrogant, calm face she makes when she tells him off. He hates it.

“If you wanted an actual bodyguard, you should have hired one. I only have one hand,” he bites back at her.

“Really? I get you a birthday gift and you consider this an appropriate response.” There’s no question mark in her tone.

“Oh, piss off. As if you've given a fuck about my birthday all these years.”

Her lips purse together, but her voice keeps that cool tenor that irritates him to no end. “I wanted to make it a good one for you. Just because you don't care about it doesn't mean no-one else does.”

He sighs. He actually had a good time and he doesn't want it ruined by her gaslighting. He's experienced people actually caring for his birthday, and he knows Eloise's words are just words. Next, she'll say that she contacted Scorpions themselves and asked them to have a concert the day before his birthday.

She shakes her head and goes for the portable toilets. At last, he can have some time on his own. He turns his head away and back to the scene, now completely empty.

No One Like You wasn't exactly the song he liked the most tonight, but it's the one he can't stop humming. He's humming!

Maybe he does owe Eloise a bit. Just a bit.

"Catchy tune, huh?" he hears from the side.

He turns, seeing a woman with a wide smile on her face.

"Oh, which one isn't?" he says, smiling back. "What a night."

The woman nods. "Did you have fun?"

The words pour out of him like vomit. "A lot of people stepped on me, I got groped, pick-pocketed, and I got in a fight with my...” – How should he call her? – “friend, but you know what?" He shrugs. "Bloody worth it."

"Oh.” Her face softens. “Sorry that you were mugged."

"Ah, it was like, twenty quid. I've known better than to carry credit cards where hands can easily reach." A very dedicated hand, maybe. There's only so many hiding spots he has.

"Do you have a ride back home?" the woman says.

He stares at her, and he feels his jaw drop when he realizes. "Bollocks. I overshared, didn't I?"

She just smiles. "I mean, I have a car, and space for two... how many of you are there?"

He scratches behind his ear. "Don't worry. We've got a car. And we going right back to Brighton, anyway."

"Oh.” She seems to think for a moment. “I don't even know where that is."

He holds back a laugh. "Figured so. From your accent."

Her smile widens. "I'm Emma," she says, extending her hand.

"Killian," he gives his hand back, careful to keep his left arm inside his jacket pocket. She's still looking at his face when he drops his hand to his side. "So... you know that they're actually having a few concerts in the States for this tour, right? How come you decided to fly all over to here?"

"Well, today... or more like, yesterday," she pauses as she checks her watch, "was my birthday. This was more like a birthday gift to me, and of course I'm going to see them in-” She pauses suddenly. “What?"

She's obviously cut off by the expression on his face. "You're not kidding? Tomorrow- or, today, is my birthday."

"Wow. Happy birthday, then."

"Happy birthday to you too. Seems it was a great one."

Emma seems happy as she looks back at the now empty stage. "I'd say one of the best ones. Does your birthday seem promising?"

His chest feels twice its normal size when she turns to look at him. Somehow, with their birthdays being so close, it feels as if her having had a great birthday is feeding his own satisfaction for that day, for the first time in four- no, five years.

Some of her slightly messy hair is sticking to her face – she probably went all out dancing tonight – and her eyes seem to droop in drowsiness, but she's absolutely glowing.

Glowing and looking at him.

When she takes a step towards him, it feels like it's gravity that's pulling his own body to her.

"It seems that way, aye," he replies.

Her eyes close when she's a few inches away from him, but he waits for the moment his lips touch hers to close his eyes.

~

(A/N: I want to remind the readers that this chapter is told from Killian's point of view, distorted as it is from grief, rage and isolation from the people he loves. Emotional progress is almost never visible in the short term, especially regarding addictions. Killian might have thought the AA meetings didn't help him, but it doesn't mean that giving up and depending on a controlling person to keep him clean was the healthy thing to do.

I know it's a work of fiction but some lines are easily confused, so the message I want to pass is that if you or a loved one is trying to let go of an addiction, keeping up the effort when progress isn't directly visible may be hard, but it's worth it and will eventually help.)

[buticancarryyou]

Fic Writer Questions

@wincestismyheart thank you for tagging me in this. I love these kinds of things. Sorry it's taken me over a month to do it myself! Ha!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

I have 27 works currently. I've deleted a few over the years.

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

207,118. That's actually crazy to think about.

3. How many fandoms have you written for and what are they?

Predominately, Supernatural. But I do write for Skam and its Remakes as well (Skam France and Druck currently).

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

1) The First Time I Saw Your Face (263 Kudos, 4k, wincest) - I posted this one in 2019 crazily enough, so it's semi new and its also the only fic I have on ao3 that I attempted no promotion of. So how it ended up with the most kudos, is a mystery to me. This fic was a WIP for so fucking long and 2019 was a good year writing wise for me, so I was able to finish it up and post it. It's actually very endearing to my heart, because it's an over-compassing story in short glimmers of their love story from Sam's birth until Stanford!Era / Pilot.

2) Two Hearts, One Home (230 Kudos, 5k, evak - skam) - The first published fic for these two and it's literally just fluffy and porn. For some reason when I write them, I turn into a porn writing champion, which is a strange turn for me--as I usually struggle with it! Written in 2019.

3) Close Your Eyes & Make A Wish (203 Kudos, 7k, Datteo - Druck) - The first Druck fic I ever posted and it's a recanting of one of their episodes. I love Matteo and David so fucking much and they will always live in my heart. So happy I wrote this piece. Also written in 2019. (see what I mean about it being a good writing year?)

4) To Rise, We Must Fall (197 Kudos, 11k, Wincest) This was written for the 2014 reverse big bang. It was my first dip into challenges and I'm happy it exists because it gave me courage to attempt other challenges. I def don't think it's the strongest thing I've ever written, but I love it because it's Boy King related.

5) Treble Clef Confessions (191 Kudos, 1k, Elu - Skam Fr) - The first and only thing I ever wrote for Skam France. I don't anticipate writing anything in the future for them, but I do love this short little piece that reimagines a scene. This was also written in 2019.

5. Do you respond to comments, why or why not?

Oh yes, I absolutely do. I am so grateful for any comments I get, because unfortunately they are few and far between. I wish my readers left more tbh, because they just fuel my desire to keep writing. So I definitely love to take care of those that do, just to also encourage them to do the same for others.

6. What's the fic you've written with the angstiest ending?

There's two that I think of, but I'll go with the one that has had more responses from the fandom. Everything's For You was written in my earlier tumblr days for a tumblr challenge. The prompt was basically to imagine: “Dean says time is different in hell, but what if it’s not? What if Dean really spent 40 years in hell before Cas put him back to 2008? Write what 40 years without Dean may have looked like for Sam.” And well, things get a little sad.

7. What's the fic you've written with the happiest ending?

I feel like I try to make sure all of my fics end on a happy note, just because I like to make the angst so severe throughout the fic. Lol. But the Skam piece I am currently working on and isn't posted yet, is def going to be the happiest. So look out for, A Weekend To Remember.

8. Do you write crossovers? If so what is the craziest one you've written?

I haven't written one yet, not to say I never would.

9. Have you ever received hate on a fic?

I wouldn't say hate, but I have had people challenge the way I write and say it's too flowery. People also try to correct the way I write Brother in Wincest fics with a capital B, but that's my creative freedom as a writer. They're not just brothers. They're Brothers. <3

10. Do you write smut? If so what kind?

I do write it, but it really depends on the fandom I guess. When I write for Sam and Dean, I feel like the smut I write is few and far between. Not that it's hard to write, or that I don't enjoy it--but I enjoy writing them without it. Sometimes I feel like it means just as much without it, because that's just them. But then I put my Skam glasses on and I'm suddenly on a smut roll.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not to my knowledge. I hope that never happens; I wouldn't handle that very well.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

No, but I would be open to it under the right circumstances.

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Nothing posted, but maybe between friends--yes.

14. What's your all time favorite ship?

Def, Wincest. I don't care how far away from SPN I get, I walk by a flower stand and see sunflowers and with always instantly be reminded of Sam. I'll see wanderer things and think of Sam. I'll see leather candles and think of Dean. I'll see an impala on the road and think of the boys on the road in the middle of the night. I will always see them everywhere and they will always be a part of me.

15. What's a WIP that you want to finish but don't think you ever will?

Probably the 900 J2 fics I've started. I want to finish one, but I usually get distracted and start something else.

16. What are your writing strengths?

I think for me, it is dependent on how well I know a character...because if I know them like the backs of my hands, I can really get into the vein of them and write them well. The worst feeling for me is when I can't feel a characters voice as I write.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Probably that I get distracted entirely too easily. An idea will come up and I'll be all about it, write 10k of it and then think of something else. And then it'll sit in my drafts as a WIP for years, staring at me with pleading eyes and I just try my best to not think about the 'what-ifs'.

18. What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

I try to stay away from it if I can, because to me it is distracting.

19. What was the first fandom you wrote for?

Unpublished Nsync fanfic for sure. LMAO. But second fandom would be Supernatural.

20. What's your favorite fic you've written?

There's so many things I want to say, but in this moment, I can't help but think of: A Brother's Lament (A Slow Death). It was written for the spnj2bigbang for 2016 and it's probably the longest fic I've written, being that it's 46k. It is a love story to Dean's slow and maddening deterioration after Sam's death in Swan Song. Of how he tries to live the life he promised, but finds that he physically cannot do it. It's sad and violent, dark and upsetting, but I put my whole heart into it and it's not even the most well received thing I've written--but I fucking love it so much.

Tagging: @sammichgirl @nyxocity @hellhoundsprey and @homo-pink because they're some of my favorite writers. <3

[tb5-heavenward]

talented amateurs - deleted scene

this is not a chapter of TA so much as it is something that was GOING to be a chapter of TA, but i just wasn’t feeling it. It’s not BAD, it’s just...ehhhhh. It meanders a lot and its narratively dense and it doesn’t end well. It can be taken to be sort of nebulously semi-canon to the story itself, but it wastes a lot of words to say very little and doesn’t quite do what I want it to and so it won’t be included. I feel bad about how slow I’ve been lately, though it’s not for lack of trying, just for lack of time and energy and a sort of mire of challenging personal circumstances. Nothing’s wrong, just having a rough month.

Anyway! here’s about 4k of something that won’t be published elsewhere, concerning Gordon and introducing Alan into the story, although when that happens properly it’ll probably happen in a different way. Sorry for the wait, and hopefully I can get myself back on track again soon. thanks for reading and thanks for your patience with me <3

There are worse places to spend twelve hours of his life than in the Azores, even if it is the rainy season. And even if the rainy season has resulted in flooding and mudslides throughout the archipelago, and has Gordon and Alan hopping from island to island, figuratively putting out fires, and literally helping to manage the damage done by all of the aforementioned flooding and mudslides. So far they've evacuated a handful of assorted small villages, helped dig channels to reroute inland flooding, and reinforced a few dozen miles worth of levees (from the French levée , itself from the feminine past participle of the verb lever, "to raise") along a few dozen miles worth of rivers.

Of course, there are better places he could've spent the past twelve hours of his life, and Gordon's especially conscious of the fact that he's only about an hour's flight away from Penelope. When his mind wanders, as it's wont to do when he's bored and shoving dirt around to build dikes, lately it wanders back to Creighton-Ward Manor, the master bedroom at the end of a long hallway and the shift of a paradigm that had happened therein. With rain pounding relentlessly on the exterior of his little yellow pod, in the muggy darkness of a thunderstorm in the middle of the day, with saltwater and mud permeating everything---Gordon's thinking back to the way the earliest morning sunlight had filled Penelope's bedroom, all white and gold and satiny softness, and the scent of lilac on every breath.

It's hard to believe that she's only about an hour's flight away. And not even at top speed---if he really punched it, if he pushed all the way up to even TB2's poky-slow Mach 6, he could be there in a bare twenty minutes.

Admittedly Gordon's sense of distance has been skewed by the work they do and the way they do it, because actually it's a whole 1500 miles. There are entire climates in between him and Penelope, but he's still daydreaming about the twenty minutes it would take for him to get to her doorstep. He could just show up. He's sweaty and tired and he's got mud in places that mud shouldn't logically have been able to get to---but in twenty minutes, he could just be there. With her.

---And Thunderbird 2, and his obnoxious little brother, and with the Azores still slowly being rained into the ocean at his back, and with no actual guarantee that Penelope's even at Creighton-Ward Manor, and not off in Milan or Tokyo or Belarus, because he hasn't managed to keep track of what her plans were for the week, because in the two weeks since he'd had to leave her alone in Paris, they've only spoken twice, and he only remembers the first time, because he'd pretty much passed out in the middle of the second.

He hasn't even managed a spare moment to call and apologize for that. It's just another reason he wants to drop everything, leave the Azores behind, and fly his ass to England. It's really not that far.

But it's a moot point, because any distance is insurmountable when there are people who need him. So he stays on the ground, in a mole pod in the Azores, because people need him.

It's nice to be needed. Showing up to a place and being essential to the continued survival of the people who've been waiting for him has always provided something of a rush, something he'd grown to crave over the course of his family's existence as International Rescue. But lately Gordon's starting to think that on the whole he might prefer being wanted.

Knowing that Penelope wants him is a whole other kind of thrill. She'd said it in French, when she'd said it, but she'd still said it, and in his head he keeps hearing it, imagining her voice all soft and sultry and sincere. It's hard to believe that the way he feels about her began as an idle crush, all those years ago, when these days his feelings for her seem to consume his every idle moment, not to mention all the not-idle moments, when he's really supposed to be paying more attention to the circumstances at hand. It's been hard as hell not to be able to talk to Penelope. It makes it very difficult to concentrate on building dikes in the Azores. It makes him wish he at least had someone he could really talk to about her.

But Virgil's at home on Tracy Island, probably lounging poolside, on a deck chair with his broken leg propped up, recuperating. In Gordon's head, his big brother is nibbling on bunches of dewy grapes and sipping champagne, while MAX waits on him hand and foot, as the rest of the family toils in their usual heroic obscurity.

So it's Alan who's flying TB2, keeping her steady and level in the rough skies that go with the rough weather and rough seas in their current rough situation. And in his big brother's absence, Gordon's had to settle for melancholy rambling at his little brother about just how much he misses the love of his life. Pines for her. Aches for her. And all sorts of other tormented emotions that Alan probably doesn't understand, because when it comes to affairs of the heart, at least as far as Gordon can tell, Alan has the emotional range of a turnip.

He's definitely not as good a listener as TB2's usual pilot, and has answered Gordon's heartfelt lament with nothing better than "mmhms" and "uh huhs" and the occasional "oh yeah, really?"

That is, until he finally stirs himself to break the pattern.

"So if you love her so much, why haven't you told Scott yet?"

He's also a little blunt, for Gordon's tastes. The last vestiges of sullen teenagerhood cling to Alan like cottony down on a baby chick, and in the weeks leading up to his twentieth birthday, he seems determined to pull out all the stops. One last sulky hurrah before he's officially in his twenties and fully expected to smarten up and act his age. He's being more of a brat than usual, which is notable, because he's not usually a brat at all.

To be fair, Alan's always been well aware of his position as the baby of the family, and it's always suited him just fine. He leans into it more than a little bit. It helps that he still looks like a twelve-year-old. Ever since his little brother was born, Gordon's been of the opinion that it was a good thing that Alan came along when he did, because he makes a much better baby of the family than Gordon ever would have. In Gordon's head, his baby brother is eternally caught at nine years old, with his big blue eyes and his freckles and his perpetual baby-face. And his blunt, tactless questions.

Despite the fact that he's younger by an entire five years, Alan's a good pilot---probably the best in the family---and he handles TB2 as well as anyone else; as well or better than Gordon does, even. And he's even a decent co-pilot, which is another skillset entirely. As far as everything else---well. Virgil wouldn't need to ask why Gordon hasn't told Scott about Penelope yet. Virgil would just get it.

But Virgil's back home on Tracy Island, and MAX is feeding him grapes and topping up his champagne glass and probably fanning him with a palm leaf, not that palm trees are actually native to Tracy Island, or that Gordon's even sure offhand if MAX has that many arms.

"Because," Gordon answers, in the manner of elder brothers since time immemorial, and means that to be the extent of the answer.

"Because why?" Alan asks back, the other half of the ritual as observed by little brothers. A little brother three times over himself, Gordon probably should've seen that one coming, but it stymies him all the same.

Rain continues to pound on the outside of his pod as Gordon fails to find an answer. It's dry inside, but it doesn't feel like it, because it's also swelteringly hot and he's sweating beneath his uniform, almost fogging up his helmet. It's only midday, but with the weather raging outside, it's too dark to see too far in front of his pod, so Gordon's been relying on a holographic rendering of the surrounding terrain, helpfully provided by TB2's scanners, as the ship hovers overhead, monitoring his dike-building progress. They're nearly done here. Despite all evidence to the contrary, apparently the storm is finally starting to slacken off. Soon it'll be back home to the island, just in time to catch just enough sleep before something else, somewhere else, goes terribly, tremendously wrong.

"You can say it's 'cuz you're chicken," Alan tells him, in the annoyingly smug fashion of a teenager who thinks he knows what he's talking about.

Gordon bristles and revs the pods engines a little harder than they need to be revved, so that he buries the leading edge of the bulldozer blade in a mound of thick, tenacious clay and gets a little bit stuck. "I don't care what Scott thinks."

"Still haven't told him, though," Alan points out, as though he knows the first damn thing about anything at all.

"There hasn't been a good time for it," Gordon counters, terse, and smothering his own internal guilt about the fact that he hasn't made an effort to seek out his eldest brother and sit him down, to tell him the truth and just get it over with. He keeps putting it off. Other things always seem more important, because in their line of work, the other things are usually other people's lives. That's as good an excuse as any. "Hell, there just hasn't been any time, good or otherwise. We're a man down, Al. We're all busting ass trying to cover for Virgil. We're so busy that you're flying the big green bathtub. We're so busy that John actually needs to be useful. I've barely even Scott in like a week---if he's not flying, he's sleeping. Same with me. I'll tell him when things are less batshit crazy."

Alan ignores this perfectly rational explanation and Gordon attempts to change gears and get his stupid pod unstuck from the riverbank. The engine revs impotently against stubborn, sodden clay, as his little brother continues to press the point. "Is it 'cuz you think he'll be mad?"

Gordon doesn't actually know. Truth be told---though he's not actually about to tell this particular truth to Alan or even to Virgil---inwardly, he's still reeling from what Penelope had told him. Weeks ago, now. About Scott. And her. And her and Scott. And the fact that Penelope and Scott had ever been even a remote possibility, because the very thought of the two of them makes him feel a muddled up mess of emotions that he doesn't entirely know how to process. Nausea, if nausea counts as an emotion, though that might be down to the fact that he secretly gets a little carsick in pods, sometimes. Jealousy, but in retrospect, of something long since past that had never happened anyway, so there's nothing to actually be jealous of. Bafflement that anyone in the world---even his eldest brother---could ever have taken only an idle interest in Penelope and then not been completely devastated by her rejection.

And a deep, resonant fear that the reasons she'd turned Scott down in the first place, all those years ago, are the same reasons why their own nascent attempt at a relationship might not work out in the end.

But he doesn't like to think about any of that for too long, and especially not while he's operating a motor vehicle, and so he fends Alan's question off with the judicious application of false bravado. "Don't care if he would be. I'll tell him when I'm good and ready. It's none of his business anyway."

"It's a little bit his business if it's an IR thing."

"Yeah, well, it's not."

Alan persists, "It kind of is, though. Since it's Lady P, and all."

"We both have lives outside of International Rescue, Allie."

Gordon's taken aim at lofty disdain, reinforced with the condescending use of his little brother's nickname. His little brother just laughs at him. "Well, she might. You sure don't."

On the ground, in a pod, while Alan watches overhead from TB2, there's not much Gordon can do in retaliation for the way he's being picked on, but he makes a mental note to smack his brother solidly in the back of the head once he's back in the cockpit. As it stands, he grinds his back teeth together and changes gears again, switching back and forth between forward and reverse, rather aggressively along the edge of the riverbank. He's fixing to give his brother a proper piece of his mind, when Alan comes at him out of the blue with a question he hasn't anticipated---

"If you and her get married, d'you think you're gonna quit IR?"

This is not where Gordon had thought the conversation was going, and it's a surprising enough question that he guns his engine a little too hard, in the act of getting himself unstuck from the riverbank. The pod's treads come free all at once, and the thick mud that had gummed up the whole works suddenly grows slick and untrustworthy, and the pod goes plunging over the top edge of a freshly reinforced levee, to land squarely in the river. This is deep, swollen right up to its banks with rainwater, but despite how damp and filthy Gordon feels, the pod is completely watertight, even as it as the nose of it finds the bottom of the riverbed, the whole vehicle upended about fifteen degrees shy of vertical. He's jolted against the restraints, sudden and uncomfortable against his collarbone, but not as sudden or uncomfortable as his little brother's question. He'd thought it had been dark before. Dropped below the level of the water, it's pitch black outside the pod, and the inside is only illuminated by the pod's protesting systems, which are blaring all manner of alarms and alerts about the current situation.

"...Fuck, Alan!" he explodes at his little brother, temper finally bubbling up from below the surface. "Lookit what you---"

"Hey, this one's all on you, bro." There's an unbearably smug note in Alan's tone, because he's not wrong. Goddamn brat. When he gets back aboard, Gordon's just gonna throttle his little brother. Overhead, TB2 will be lowering itself into position, preparing to drop a cable and haul him and his stupid pod out of the river. "Should've been paying more attention."

"Yeah, well, what the hell is with the fucking third degree about me and Penny! Jesus!"

In lieu of an answer, predictably, there's the solid, ringing impact of a magnetic clamp being fired at the exposed back end of Pod-A, upended in the middle of the Ribeira Grande with Gordon fuming inside of it, angry about the situation and deeply annoyed with his baby brother for needling at him.

"What the hell d'you even care, anyway?" he snarls, still irritated. There's another jolt of his shoulders against his harness as TB2's not-inconsiderable lifting power starts to haul him out of the river. "I don't know why I thought I could talk to you."

"Kinda doesn't seem like it matters what I care about, when you whine about her for an hour straight." The pod splashes upward out of the river, but Alan doesn't set him back down on the banks. Instead he continues to pull the pod upward into into the belly of TB2's cargo bay. "We're done here, by the way," he adds, cheerfully. "We've been done for about twenty minutes, the local police guy radioed me that we could clear off, they've got it handled from here."

Gordon mutes his radio and swears an extremely unkind but unheard blue streak at and about his little brother, and thinks about how much better he could've spent those past twenty minutes. Time and distance get mixed up in his head sometimes, especially at times like these, when he's rambled for what his brother thinks was an hour. Gordon can't honestly pretend he kept track. He'd only been trying to pass the time.

The pod gets pulled securely up into the cargo bay, and as the bay doors close beneath him, there's a moment of absolute darkness. Before the halogen lights of TB2's interior flood on, there's a brief pause, a silence and a stillness that swallow him up and then spit him back out as brightness floods the space around him and the pod docks properly. Gordon shoves the hatch open and climbs out. His pulls helmet off and throws it on the ground so hard that it bounces, just in time to be caught in the act by his little brother, descending on the lift from the cockpit. Gordon looks up to see a cheeky smirk plummet off Alan's face, replaced with the abrupt, wary caution of a younger sibling who realizes that he's accidentally crossed a line.

Alan's wide-eyed and baby-faced and all pseudo-twelve-year-old innocence again, as he shifts where he stands, suddenly awkward and contrite. "I was just messing with you, Gordie," he tries, summoning up a feeble half-grin, and reaching for the same diminutive Gordon had tried, maybe hoping to placate his older brother. "It's only been like five minutes since we could go. I was gonna tell you, but then things were just getting interesting, and I figured---"

"What?" Gordon snaps, pushing a hand through his hair. This has gone all cowlicked and curly in the humidity, damp with sweat to the point that its dissolved away the industrial strength hair gel meant to last the past twelve hours. He glares at his little brother, who has the sense to look appropriately cowed. "What'd you figure, Alan, that maybe she's all I wanna talk about because I miss her like crazy? We're working ninety goddamn hours a week and she's all I can think about and Scott still doesn't even know? Because yeah, actually, I'm scared as hell to tell him, but you wouldn't understand why!"

The silence that falls after shouting at his brother seems to fill the cargo bay from the bottom up, like water rushing into the vacuum of an empty space, a hollow roar that slowly fills with the sound of Thunderbird Two's VTOLs, on autopilot.

The problem with yelling at Alan is that he does look like a twelve-year-old, and so almost instantly after cussing him out for whatever reason, Gordon almost always feels like an absolute monster; like he's the sort of person who'd kick a puppy. He kicks his helmet instead, venting the last little flare of his anger and in its place feeling every last minute of the last twelve hours, playing achingly along his muscles and nerves. He takes a deep breath, holds it for a moment as he closes his eyes, and then lets it out as a heavy sigh, with an apologetic shake of his head. "...Sorry, Al."

When he looks up, Alan's still lingering on the lift, and looking at him like even his immediate apology might be a trap. Probably with good reason. Gordon's always been quick to scrap with his older brothers; arguments with Scott, deliberate antagonization of John, and the occasional parody of an altercation with Virgil---but he's always tried to keep his temper in check around Alan, on account of Alan's the only little brother Gordon's got. If he's always been happiest as the baby of the family, it's because everybody babies him, and Gordon no less than the rest of his siblings. Yelling at Alan makes him feel worse than he had before.

"I didn't mean to make you mad. I was just screwing around. I'm sorry." Alan offers his own apology like an olive branch, hesitant and awkward. "it's just it's the first time I ever heard you talk about her like this, I guess, is the thing. I didn't know you were, like, really serious."

Gordon shrugs wearily, bends to scoop his helmet up off the ground, and then trudges across the cargo bay to join his little brother aboard the lift. It'll be his turn to fly home, at least for the first shift, and they've got about eight more hours to spend in the air before they can make it back to Tracy Island. They're just about as far from home as it's possible to be, and Gordon can't help thinking about how much easier it would be just to fly to England instead, and the hell with Tracy Island. "I shouldn't have gone off on you," he says dully, acknowledging the mistake. He clambers up onto the platform with another sigh, as Alan toggles the switch to bring them back up to the cockpit, starts the lift with a slight jolt. "I'm just tired. I don't wanna talk about Scott. I dunno how to tell him about me and Penny. I dunno what the hell he's gonna say. But it's not like it matters, anyway, because I don't know when I'm gonna get any goddamn time."

"We're working way too much," Alan agrees fervently, quick to commiserate, eager to work his way back into Gordon's good graces. He follows obediently as the lift reaches the cockpit and Gordon makes his way to the pilot's seat. "You're the second best in TB2 after Virgil, and nobody else can really cover for TB4. You're pulling a lot harder than the rest of us."

That's maybe true. Hearing it acknowledged, even just by Alan, lends a legitimacy to the shortness of Gordon's temper, and just how quickly his mood had turned. It doesn't quite make him feel better, but it goes a little further to soften his sharpness with his little brother, as he offers back, "Yeah, well, it's not just me. At this rate, you're gonna have a pretty lousy birthday." He settles himself in the pilot's seat, starts to switch the autopilot over to manual control so he can set a course for home. "Maybe Virgil'll manage to haul his lazy ass to the kitchen and stop Grandma from inflicting a cake on the rest of the family. Maybe John and EOS can figure out how to get you the day off. Maybe Scott'll even let you have it." And then, magnanimously, just to make it clear that all is forgiven, "Hell, I'll cover for you if that'd help. You shouldn't have to work on your birthday."

"Oh, nah. I dunno." Alan drops himself into the co-pilot's place and shrugs, and it's with a maturity beyond the last of his teenage years that he admits, "I kinda wouldn't mind, I guess, if we end up working. I kinda didn't wanna say so, 'cuz everybody's so tired and mad and stressed out lately---but I like being busy. I get out more when I'm backing you up in TB2 than I ever do in TB3. And...I just...I like it, you know? I like this job. There are worse ways to spend a birthday."

"Yeah. Guess so."

[creideamhgradochas]

Thanks to the lovely @green-eyeddragonfanfiction for taking the time to answer these! Get to know more about her, go give her a follow and then show her some love!

These questions are from this list. You should check it out, there’s 50 questions all together and they’d be great to ask your favorite fic writer!

1) How old were you when you first starting writing fan-fiction?

Around 20, I think.

2) Do you prefer writing OC’s or reader inserts? Explain your answer.

Reader inserts, definitely. I don’t mind throwing OC’s in there if I need to, though. I really like reading reader inserts. I think it’s really fun and engaging to imagine yourself in a story.

3) What is your favorite genre to write for?

Super Heroes! Although I really adore fantasy. If I were to write a book, it would be fantasy.

4) If you had to delete one of your stories and never speak of it again, which would it be and why?

I’m… not sure. I s'pose it’d have to be One Mistake, simply because I think it’s worst piece.

5) When is your preferred time to write?

Whenever I actually find the motivation to write, which usually ends up being around 1-4 am. Aka I’m a Mess: Part 1

6) Where do you take your inspiration from?

Have you seen this man?

I suppose I also draw inspiration from comics, movies, TV shows, and video games where applicable.

7) In your Winter’s War Series, what’s your favorite scene that you wrote?

Out of the entire trilogy? Dang, that’s tough. Maybe in Ghosts of War when Bucky, Reader, and Nat are sitting together, sort of like some messed up little family? If not that, then it’s probably in Winter’s War when Reader, Steve, and Bucky reunite after the Azzano goes up in flames.

8) Have you ever amended a story due to criticisms you’ve received after posting it?

I don’t think I’ve ever received “criticism.” I’ve received very polite corrections of some of the German in WW from some native speakers, but that’s about it (I haven’t corrected any of it yet because I’m a lazy pos).

9) Who is your favorite character to write for? Why?

Bucky Barnes. Because he’s Bucky Barnes.

10) Who is your least favorite character to write for? Why?

I don’t really write characters that I don’t like. Even villains are fun to write, even if I hate them. If I had to choose, I guess it’d be Ashley Williams, from the Mass Effect series. I’ve only written her once, but she’s a damned space racist and I hate her, even if I didn’t hate writing her.

11) How did you come up with the title for the Winter’s War Series?

Winter’s War was named with the final scene of the first book in mind, as well as what reader and Bucky would be turned into for the second book; Winter Soldier(s), and the war that led them to being created. And because they “die” in the snow and ice. Ghosts of War because that’s what Reader and Bucky are in the second book. Ghosts. Shells of themselves. War torn and weary. Weapons. War of Attrition because, in the third book, they fight tooth and nail for every scrap of memory, personality, humanity, and they don’t always win. They’re going to hit a lot of roadblocks, mostly in the form of other humans, their past and their guilt, and sometimes each other.

12) How did you come up with the idea for Winter’s War Series?

I always liked the thought of a Bucky x Reader series where they both ended up as Winter Soldiers. Everything kind of grew from that. It follows very closely to the canon, so everything was trying to figure out the most believable way to weave a reader character into the existing story.

13) Do you have any abandoned WIP’s? What made you abandon them?

“Abandoned” is a strong word…. *stares guiltily at The Way I Do and Two of a Kind.* I just haven’t found the inspiration to write them recently, but I do plan on finishing them… eventually.

14) Are there any stories that you’ve written that you’d really love to do a sequel to?

I plan on doing a second part for A Night to Remember when October rolls around. I also plan on adding more monster!Bucky’s to The Monster Series. My other series are complete or in progress and I don’t plan to add more to them (except to finish them in the case of the WIPs).

15) Are there any stories that you wished you’d ended differently?

I don’t think so, no.

16) Tell me about another writer(s) who you admire? What is it about them that you admire?

@angryschnauzer​ writes absolutely divine smut. I absolutely hate writing smut, so I wish I had her skills. There are others, but she’s the first one that came to mind. If I listed out every single author on here that I admire and why I admire them, we’d be here for another ten paragraphs!

17) Do you have a story that you look back on and cringe when you reread it?

I only started writing back in August. Anything written before that’s been lost to the Great Laptop Death of 2017. So, luckily, most of my writing is relatively recent and cringe-free.

18) Do you prefer listening to music when you’re writing or do you need silence?

I prefer listening to music (I love loud music and hate silence), but it’s distracting. My brain sometimes can’t process correctly so it tries to write the words I’m hearing instead of what I actually want to write. RIP me and my stupid brain. Aka I’m a Hot Mess: Part 2.

19) Have you ever cried whilst writing a story?

Haha. No. I’m dead inside. I very rarely (if ever) cry when reading, too.

20) Which part of your Winter’s War Series was the hardest to write?

Oh god the entire Agents of SHIELD part of War of Attrition. That show is so dense and woven so intricately into the MCU that it was difficult as hell to figure out where to put the reader so that it’d be relevant and set up for the next parts of the story. I love that show, but it was so hard *sobbing*.

21) Do you make a general outline for your stories or do you just go with the flow?

I almost never make outlines. WoA has been the exception because, as stated above, the content was way denser and I needed a clear path to be able to write them from point A to point B. That being said, I’ve only gotten as far as just after AoU. I haven’t decided what to do with Civil War or Infinity War yet.

22) What is something you wished you’d known before you started posting fan-fiction?

A) How Tumblr worked and B) that it’s a terrible, terrible site with horrible coding that, if it were a person, I would shoot as a mercy. Other than that, I read a lot of fics on here before I started posting some myself, which meant I had a pretty good idea of how to format it to be reader-friendly. Still had to google a lot of stuff, though.

23) Do you have a story that you feel doesn’t get as much love as you’d like?

Hmmm. I’m lucky in that I think I have a lot of readers/followers who leave lots of likes/comments/reblogs, but if I had to choose one? I think it’d be my recent Steve x Reader fic, Promise.

24) In contrast to 23 is there a story which gets lots of love which you kinda eye roll at?

Oh god. Again, I’m grateful for every like, comment, and reblog I get, but By Chance. It’s by far my most popular one shot at a staggering 1,925 notes. I like the a/b/o verse, but I posted it pretty early on in my writing career and it skyrocketed which completely blindsided me. The same thing kinda happened with Dumped, Drunk, and Angry. I wrote a one shot in a day or two because inspiration hit me like a freight train, and somehow they’re both over a thousand notes now.

25) Are any of your characters based on real people?

I s'pose Reader is always based off of me, just a little bit? Every other character (except the rare OC) has an established personality, but if I made reader a completely faceless, bland being it wouldn’t be that fun to read, would it? So even though I’m always careful to never describe reader too much physically, s/he always ends up with at least some of my personality.

26) What’s the biggest compliment you’ve gotten?

Oh goodness, I don’t know. My readers are amazingly kind people. I get a lot of asks and comments saying very, very nice things all the time. I don’t think I could choose just one if I tried..

27) What’s the harshest criticism you’ve gotten?

I was told very politely I spelled some German words wrong/used the wrong German words.

28) Do you share your story ideas with anyone else or do you keep them close to your chest?

I word vomit on my real life friend sometimes if I’m really stuck. It’s not always super useful because she doesn’t follow/watch any MCU stuff. Mostly, ideas just bounce around in my head until one sticks.

29) Do people know you write fan-fiction?

Yeah, most of my real life friends know. The friend I mentioned above writes fanfic, just not for the MCU. The rest are big nerds, too, so they don’t judge me.

30) What’s your favorite minor character you’ve written?

I loved writing Ran Shen and Mila Hitzvig for The Bitter March arc in Ghosts of War. As far as OC’s go, Dean from my series Time is probably my favorite.

31) What spurs you on during the writing process?

Interest in the source material has a lot to do with it. For example, I was writing easily 4k+ words a day when I was writing about the events of Captain America: the Winter Soldier. Other than that, I wait for the urge to hit me… which sometimes means I don’t write for a few days and sometimes a week depending on what’s happening in real life.

32) What’s your favorite trope to write?

So far? Soulmate. A/B/O was also fun and I’ll probably write it again at some point.

33) Can you remember the first fic you read? What was it about?

Oh jesus, no. I have the worst memory ever. I’m lucky if I can remember things a week ago, much less years ago.

34) If you could write only angst, fluff or smut for the rest of your writing life, which would it be and why?

Uhh… Not smut, I know that much. But I have this bad habit where I can’t write fluff without some angst and vice versa? I don’t think I could deal with writing cotton candy fluff for the rest of my life, though. So…. angst, I guess? But I wouldn’t be happy about it.

[thefutureisplywoodbikes]

Harte Rates, #1

Hello.  Those who know me well know I watch quite a lot of films and because I’m a nerd I rate them all on IMDB so that, come December, I can write a film of the year list that no-one really wants to read.  In a bid to turn this activity into something useful/exacerbate a waste of time (delete as your opinion deems applicable) I’ve decided to make this into a monthly exercise, in case others wish to risk trusting my guidance when selecting what to watch.  Below you’ll find a list of what I’ve watched so far this year with a rating out of ten.  Below that will be a little additional information on each film for those of you that like that sort of thing.   (I tend to rate things based on how I feel in the immediate aftermath of watching something so there is a chance I may be swayed by a prevailing mood and if you’re suspicious of my praise or damnation this may be why)  Right at the bottom will be a breakdown of the ratings and what they mean.  Anyway enough preamble.

Since January 1st I have watched:

- What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) - 9/10

- Rumble Fish (1983) - 9/10

- The Last Movie (1971) - 7/10

- The Lobster (2015) - 9/10 (rewatched)

- Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018) - 3/10

- Shin Godzilla (2016) - 6/10

- Sucker Punch (2011) - 2/10

- Alien³ (1992) - 6/10 (rewatched)

- High Noon (1952) - 9/10

- Gargoyles (1972 TV Movie) - 3/10

- The Favourite (2018) - 10/10

- Madhouse (1981) - 6/10

- The German Sisters (1981) - 8/10

- Fyre (2019) - 7/10

- Roman Holiday (1953) - 9/10

- Moon (2009) - 8/10

- Eyes Without a Face (1960) - 7/10

- Funny Face (1957) - 8.5/10

- Destroyer (2018) - 7.5/10

- The Thomas Crown Affair (1968) - 10/10

- A Quiet Place (2018) - 7.5/10

- Sabrina (1954) - 9/10

- Burning (2018) - 9/10

- Alison's Birthday (1981) - 3/10

- Roma (2018) -10/10

Further Details

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962) - 9/10

Should you watch it: Definitely if you haven’t already.  Probably if you already have.

Where did I watch it: It was on Amazon Prime but I don’t think it is any more

What’s it like: Beautiful photography and brilliant performances of contrasting style from the two leads.  Also it’s crueller and more blackly comic than you might expect from a film from 1962, in a good way.

If you like ______, watch this: Not sure really, maybe Psycho regarding the dark humour perhaps Frankenheimer’s 60′s films for an approximation of the aesthetic.  If you’re a fan of Davis or Crawford you probably wont require prompting for this.

Rumble Fish (1983) - 9/10

Should you watch it: Yeah.

Where did I watch it: Caught it at the cinema on 35mm.  Print had seen better days and I’d say is nearing the end of it’s serviceable life.  Even with ropey sound at the beginning and a few scenes chopped up more than I’d like it was great though.  

What’s it like: Looks great and has a superb soundtrack from Stewart Copeland.  Full of incongruous smoke and inky blackness it’s a surprisingly and I’d say unusually seductive film from Coppola.  The story is kind of absent and Coppola pitching it as an “art film for teenagers” maybe belies a lack of serious depth but if you’re prepared to relax and let it wash over you it’s got a lot of dreamy charm to offer.

If you like ______, watch this: I could maybe scratch up some movie parallels but the most apt I think is Charles Burns’ Black Hole; they share a commitment to pitch black nights and hypnotic hazy days in the visuals.

The Last Movie (1971) - 7/10

Should you watch it: Maybe.  It’s interesting and has some great imagery but it’s Hopper in his years under the influence so you’ve got to put up with some really erratic editing.

Where did I watch it: At the cinema, the 4k restoration.

What’s it like: As I said above interesting with some great imagery but occasionally taxing.  It’s got some good scathing moments regarding the corrupting and toxic influence of American culture and insidious decadence but the highlight for me is the town that adopts the actions of the movie shoot seen at the beginning into a perverse pseudo-religious ritual

If you like ______, watch this: El Topo maybe, but don’t expect the same level of exuberant flair that that has.  Medium Cool maybe

The Lobster (2015) - 9/10 (rewatched)

Should you watch it: Definitely.  Or least start watching it.  You may hate it and if so you may want to duck out before it get’s really dark.  Personally I enjoyed it more on the second viewing and was disappointed I hadn’t returned to it sooner.

Where did I watch it: It was starting on Film4 when I got in from work.

What’s it like: Cruelly delightful.  An utterly absurd premise but within that setup it mercilessly and hilariously mocks the compromises, capitulations and deceptions we succumb to in pursuit of love or under pressure to conform and suggests the reality we inhabit to be if not equally then similarly fickle and ridiculous.

If you like ______, watch this: The work of Chris Morris, or other Jorgos Lanthimos films obviously.

Pacific Rim: Uprising (2018) - 3/10

Should you watch it: Fuck no!

Where did I watch it: NowTV.

What’s it like: Tiresome pointless bullshit.  It’s a film with giant robots fighting giant monsters that I managed to asleep during more than once.

If you like ______, watch this: The first Pacific Rim, also tiresome pointless bullshit but not to quite the same extent as this.  The Transformer films maybe, they’re also insufferably fucking awful.

Shin Godzilla (2016) - 6/10

Should you watch it: Meh, do what you like.

Where did I watch it: NowTV.

What’s it like: A Godzilla movie but taking itself more seriously than you maybe think it should but somehow being better for it.

If you like ______, watch this: It plays out a bit like a disaster movie with teams of experts earnestly theorising, but is also entirely ridiculous, so maybe shit like The Core or The Day After Tomorrow.

Sucker Punch (2011) - 2/10

Should you watch it: No-one should have ever seen this.

Where did I watch it: NowTV.

What’s it like: Like someone who really wants to direct music videos made a 2 hour showreel inspired by computer games, borrowed the plot from a women in prison film to tie it together.  It’s woefully incoherent but weirdly effective at being consistently sleazy.

Annoying they managed to waste the time of and sully the resumes of some really talented actors while doing so.

If you like ______, watch this: Babestation Daytime, youtube clips of the cut-scenes in the early Resident Evil games, the grimier depths of 70s exploitation cinema.  Basically if you're already a lost cause.

Alien³ (1992) - 6/10 (rewatched)

Should you watch it: If you feel the inclination.

Where did I watch it: Film4 I think

What’s it like: Alien, but not as good.  Decent cast.  Some fun moments

High Noon (1952) - 9/10

Should you watch it: Yeah, why not?  It’s only 85 minutes and it’s good.

Where did I watch it: NowTV

What’s it like: It’s brilliantly shot for starters; most of the shots have a crispness in the focus that you notice because you don’t see it achieved much elsewhere.  The depth of contrast is also really good.  Where this really excels though is in the pacing and editing, it plays out in near real-time and ramps up tension really effectively.  Also the story’s more cynical than you might expect and jars with heroic narratives of the times and with those traditionally seen in Westerns.  John Wayne called it “the most un-American thing I’ve seen in my whole life”, which alone should be enough to perk you interest.

If you like ______, watch this: If you like From Here to Eternity also directed by Zinnemann, you’ll certainly like the look of this at least.  Touch of Evil maybe too.  And while Hitchcock perhaps fairly complained her character is a bit mousy in this, if you’re a Grace Kelly fan she’s mesmerising whenever she’s on screen here.  And if you fancy another unusual western with a black-list connection, check out Terror in a Texas Town (written by Donald Trumbo)

Gargoyles (1972 TV Movie) - 3/10

Should you watch it: No, it’s shit.

Where did I watch it: Go Flow Streaming TV, it’s a channel you can get on Roku currently free that has a few gems available for free (Umbrellas of Cherbourg, Wages of Fear) nestled amongst shit like this.

What’s it like: Shit.

(Though it’s still only the second worst Scott Glenn film on this list)

If you like ______, watch this: Shit

The Favourite (2018)

Should you watch it: Absolutely, it’s wonderful.

Where did I watch it: At the cinema, and so should you while you still can.

What’s it like: From the trailer I was expecting a deliciously vicious mean little comedy, what you actually get is a more sophisticated tale of Machiavellian manoeuvring and some surprising tender moment.  A pristinely hilarious script, stellar performances throughout and visually beautiful.

If you like ______, watch this: Good films.  The Death of Stalin perhaps.  Also, probably goes without saying but if you like Lanthimos’ other films, more so The Lobster than Killing of a Sacred Deer.

Madhouse (1981) - 6/10

Should you watch it: Eh, probably not unless you really like this sort of thing.  

Where did I watch it: Amazon Prime

What’s it like: Pretty standard 80′s slasher fair but with a couple of decent special effects moments and a bit more visual flair than you normally get with these.  It was one of the video nasty titles on the DPP list if that interests you.

If you like ______, watch this: Crappy 80′s horror films.

The German Sisters (1981) - 8/10

Should you watch it: Yeah catch if you can.

Where did I watch it: At the cinema, part of a Margarethe von Trotta season that may still be touring.

What’s it like: Serious and engaging; if you’ve seen any other New German cinema, or other politically charge European cinema from the late 70′s/early 80′s you’ll likely have an idea of what you’re getting.

If you like ______, watch this: Reminded me generally of Antonioni and One Sings, The Other Doesn’t more specifically

Fyre (2019) - 7/10

Should you watch it: Oh yes.

Where did I watch it: Netflix

What’s it like: It’s not an exceptional documentary but it is an exceptional story.  It is the perfect antidote to the suggestion that you can achieve anything with a positive attitude and the unquestioning conflation of success with capability.  I experienced perhaps the most prolonged period of schadenfreude in my life while watching this, and I’ve been an incurable misanthrope for at least 20 years.  On another note, watching this will introduce you to Andy King, a man of such astonishing professional commitment and unassuming likability, that after this he likely became the world’s most eligible employee.

If you like ______, watch this: If you like seeing the affluent disappointed.  Documentary wise it’s pretty standard fair but Three Identical Strangers or Precinct Seven Five may also be up your street.

Roman Holiday (1953) - 9/10

Should you watch it: If you find Audrey Hepburn to be an enchanting screen presence, yes.  If you don’t, maybe not.

Where did I watch it: NowTV

What’s it like: Somewhat old-fashioned in a charming way, but also in a way that may make you a little uneasy with the exploitative manipulation of Peck’s character when viewed in a modern light.  Not to the extent it spoils the film though I’d say.  It looks great, makes superb use of its location and zips along merrily.  

If you like ______, watch this: Audrey Hepburn, Gregory Peck or the mismatched romance movies of the 40′s/50′s

Moon (2009) - 8/10

Should you watch it: Yeah, but I’m late to the party on this one so you probably already have.

Where did I watch it: Amazon Prime

What’s it like: Good.  A smart little movie that plays to its strengths and limitations.  Sam Rockwell is always watchable and is on good form here.

If you like ______, watch this: Reminded me of Outland though I’ve not seen that for ages and that might be down to a plot-point rather than anything more general.  If you liked Silent Running you may well enjoy this.

Eyes Without a Face (1960) - 7/10

Should you watch it: If it sounds up your street, yeah.  It’s good, not great.

Where did I watch it: Go Flow Streaming 

What’s it like: Good.  A bit predictable in a Hammer kind of way but, refreshingly, more callous.  The special effects while not exceptional have a mundane quality akin to actual surgical procedures that make them seem more realistic.  

If you like ______, watch this: Similar look to Les Diabolique from what I recall of that.

Funny Face (1957) - 8.5/10

Should you watch it: Again, if you especially like Audrey Hepburn and/or musicals yes, otherwise maybe not.

Where did I watch it: NowTV

What’s it like: Pleasant, but outmoded.  The celebration of the transformation from independent intellectual to model and girlfriend is a bit queasy, as is the titular song.  It’s wonderfully colourful though and decent fun; Astaire is charming as usual, Hepburn reliably delightful and Kay Thompson wittily brash. 

If you like ______, watch this: It’s Stanley Dolen so if you liked Singin’ in the Rain you may well enjoy this (though probably not as much).  Also, I haven’t seen them but Jacques Demy’s Umbrellas of Cherbourg and The Young Girls of Rochefort look to have a similar exuberance.

Destroyer (2018) - 7.5/10

Should you watch it: Yeah, but I wouldn’t worry too much if you’ve missed it at the cinema

Where did I watch it: At the cinema

What’s it like: Solid. Maybe a bit predictable but well worth a watch.  Felt a bit derivative to me, but derivative of good things; Lynne Ramsay (We Need To Talk About Kevin and You Were Never Really Here) and the first series of True Detective.  Mostly fairly low key but has one particularly invigorating scene in the middle that’ll satisfy the thrill-seekers among you.

If you like ______, watch this: As I said above, We Need To Talk About Kevin, You Were Never Really Here, True Detective.  Maybe Brick too.  If you feel like exploring Kusama’s earlier, Jennifer’s Body is good fun.

The Thomas Crown Affair (1968) - 10/10

Should you watch it: I fucking loved it but it’s up to you.  I feel mine may be an idiosyncratic assessment.

Where did I watch it: NowTV

What’s it like: Achingly cool.  McQueen and Dunaway are both effervescently alluring throughout as is their cat and mouse seduction.  The playfulness of the extensive use of split-screen adds to the fun.  This is a film that makes polo enjoyable viewing and chess sexy.

If you like ______, watch this: Steve McQueen and/or Faye Dunaway.  The films of Norman Jewison.  You may also like Out of Sight, How To Steal a Million or The Hot Rock but they’re all at best vaguely related.

A Quiet Place (2018) - 7.5/10

Should you watch it: It’s pretty good.  You choose.

Where did I watch it: NowTV

What’s it like: A pretty dumb premise but one that it commits to it and makes good use of.  It’s an endearing and well put together little movie.

If you like ______, watch this: Not sure, nothing particularly springs to mind.  Probably if you like John Krasinski and Emily Blunt.  Edge of Tomorrow is probably a good fit.  Pitch Black perhaps

Sabrina (1954) - 9/10

Should you watch it: Yeah, it’s Billy Wilder of course you should.

Where did I watch it: NowTV

What’s it like: Smart and funny but with the bittersweet touches you expect from Wilder.  Hepburn and Bogart are great while Holden and the rest offer solid support.  Like Roman Holiday and Funny Face the aspects whereby it’s just accepted that men will manipulate the lives of women as they see fit don’t really sit too comfortable nowadays within a romcom but it’s a pretty minor niggle

If you like ______, watch this: Roman Holiday, The Apartment

Burning (2018) - 9/10

Should you watch it: Yes.  I thought it was great.

Where did I watch it: At the cinema. You should too.

What’s it like: Brilliant and brilliantly unnerving.  And that’ll do for now, the less you know the better.  

If you like ______, watch this: I don’t want to say too much lest I spoil it, though I’d say it has some of the feel of Blow Up (not the pretension though)

Alison's Birthday (1981) - 3/10

Should you watch it: Nah.

Where did I watch it: Amazon Prime

What’s it like: It’s a zero-budget, bloodless Australian horror movie from 1981 and while it’s competently put together in a TV movie kinda way, it is incredibly dull.  It’s like an episode of Neighbours trying to make your afternoon especially spooky.

If you like ______, watch this: Minder is probably on a par in terms of dramatic tension.  Maybe if you have a hankering for a particularly dull episode of Tales of the Unexpected.

Roma (2018) -10/10

Should you watch it: Yes, in the cinema if you can.

Where did I watch it: I saw it at HOME and if you’re in Manchester so should you but go to a Curzon if you must.

What’s it like: Spectacular.  It’s beautifully photographed throughout but some of the shots it features are masterful.  The sound design is superb too and even though it looks stunning is probably the main reason I’d say to see it in the cinema.  And it has a deeply compassionate, complex story, that seems transparently informed by the truth of the director's life.  A majestic cinematic triumph.

If you like ______, watch this: I was reminded a bit of Andei Rublev and Altman in the camera movements, Cold War in the clean naturalism of its look and maybe Nuri Bilge Ceylan in the scope of the story, though this is a far less demanding watch.  But you don’t need any of this bullshit anyway, just go see it.

And we’re done.  Congratulations if you stuck with it.  It took fucking ages to write, hopefully it was an easier read.  Let me know if you think it’s a taxing format and I’ll maybe shift to more regular updates.  (Also I think that as it stands, this moreso serves to highlight the inadequacy of my vocabulary than it does the presence of any useful film knowledge.)

A word on ratings

I used to a movie recommendation site called JInni, now defunct, which had the a breakdown of ratings that I liked enough to keep using after it shutdown.  See below.

10 - Must watch

9 - Amazing

8 - Great

7 - Good

6 - OK

5 - So-so

4 - Disappointing

3 - Poor

2 - Bad

1- Awful

My baseline is likely a 6, if I don’t actively regret or resent watching something it’ll likely be there.  Anything 7 or above I’d say is worth seeing, 5 and below I wouldn’t necessarily bother, a 6 is up to you, it’ll pass the time.  So if you feel the inclination you can obviously treat 5 as 0, 6 as 1 and 10 as 5, for a simpler 5 star rating system; I like to distinguish the full spectrum from dogshit to sublime but what you choose to do is your business.

[mrmichaelchadler]

Home Entertainment Consumer Guide: November 29, 2018

7 NEW TO NETFLIX

"Buybust" "De Palma" "Green Room" "Into the Forest" "Jiro Dreams of Sushi" "Krisha" "The Workshop"

7 NEW TO BLU-RAY/DVD

"2001" (4K)

For a very long time, it felt like if you had a DVD player, it was required that you also owned two films, The Wachowskis' "The Matrix" and Stanley Kubrick's "2001." Now the tide is slowly shifting from standard HD Blu-rays to 4K ones and a legion of great, essential films are being remastered for the new format. Some of the 4K remasters feel almost like afterthoughts. You could barely tell the difference between an upscaled Blu-ray and the 4K release, so why bother the double dip into your wallet? However, there are some titles that simply look made for 4K, and one of those films is "2001," now available with the best technical presentation it's ever received. The depth of the field and the complexity of the audio mix have never popped quite like this, and that's coming from someone who has covered this film on DVD, Blu-ray, and seen it in a theater. This is the best it's ever looked. 

Buy it here 

Special Features Audio Commentary from Keir Dullea and Gary Lockwood Remastered Blu-ray with Commentary from Keir Dullea and Gary Lockwood The Making of a Myth Standing on the Shoulders of Kubrick: The Legacy of 2001 Vision of a Future Passed: The Prophecy of 2001 2001: A Space Odyssey – A Look Behind the Future What Is Out There? 2001: FX and Early Conceptual Artwork Look: Stanley Kubrick! 11/27/66 Interview with Stanley Kubrick [Audio Only] Original Theatrical Trailer Premium Booklet Art Cards

"The Big Lebowski"

It may not have the visual depth of field as "2001," but another one of Roger's Great Movies hit 4K this month, likely to coincide with the launch of Joel and Ethan Coen's "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs" on Netflix. And while you probably remember most of the memorable lines from the "The Big Lebowski," you might have forgotten how much this film pops visually, making it a great addition to a 4K collection. 

Buy it here

Special Features U-Control: Scene Companion U-Control: Mark It, Dude U-Control: The Music of The Big Lebowski Worthy Adversaries: What's My Line Trivia The Dude's Life The Dude Abides: The Big Lebowski Ten Years Later Making of The Big Lebowski The Lebowski Fest: An Achiever's Story Flying Carpets and Bowling Pin Dreams: The Dream Sequences of The Dude Interactive Map Jeff Bridges Photo Book Photo Gallery An Introduction No Kid Hungry PSA

"Blindspotting"

As the year comes to a close, there have been a number of Sundance hits popping up on year-end lists like "Leave No Trace" and "Sorry to Bother You," both winners at Gotham, National Board of Review, and the Independent Spirit Awards. One of the forgotten films appears to be the Opening Night film from this year's Park City event, Daveed Diggs' and Rafael Casal's excellent dramedy about a young man in Oakland who witnesses a police-involved shooting. Although that description doesn't really get at what this film accomplishes. It's smart, hysterical, and emotionally raw. A decade from now, Daveed Diggs is going to be HUGE, and people will look back at this film like they look at "Do the Right Thing" (a clear inspiration) now. And they'll wonder why more people weren't talking about it in 2018.

Buy it here 

Special Features Audio Commentary with Director Carlos López Estrada Audio Commentary with Writers/Actors Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal Deleted Scenes Straight from the Town: Making Blindspotting Featurette Carlos López Estrada: A Director's Featurette

"Candyman"

The way the internet and my odd career works, I've ended up writing about "Candyman" several times in the last few weeks, assisted by this excellent new release from Scream Factory. It's one of the best horror movie Special Editions of the year, with tons of special features, including new interviews with the cast and crew, but it's the movie itself that will startle you. I'll admit that the teenage me had kind of blown it off as just another boogeyman movie, but there's a lot going on here regarding race and urban legends, elements that I virtually guarantee you the Jordan Peele-produced sequel announced this week will emphasize. This is the best thing you could be the horror fan on your holiday list.

Buy it here 

Special Features BRAND NEW NEW 2K RESTORATION from a new 4K scan of the original negative, supervised and approve by writer/director Bernard Rose and director of photography Anthony B. Richmond NEW audio commentary with writer-director Bernard Rose and actor Tony Todd NEW audio commentary with Stephen Jones and Kim Newman Audio Commentary with director Bernard Rose, author Clive Barker, producer Alan Poul and actors Tony Todd, Virginia Madsen and Kasi Lemmons Audio Commentary with director Bernard Rose, from The Movie Crypt Podcast hosted by filmmakers Adam Green and Joe Lynch Sweets to the Sweet: The Candyman Mythos featuring interviews with director Bernard Rose, producer Alan Poul, executive producer Clive Barker, actors Virginia Madsen, Tony Todd and Kasi Lemmons Clive Barker: Raising Hell – an interview with author/artist/filmmaker Clive Barker Interview with actor Tony Todd (2014) Bernard Rose's Storyboards Theatrical Trailer TV Spots Still Gallery Screenplay (BD-Rom)

DISC TWO - UNRATED CUT BRAND NEW 2K RESTORATION from a new 4K scan of the original negative with high definition inserts for the uncut footage from an archival film print NEW Be My Victim – an interview with Tony Todd NEW It Was Always You, Helen – an interview with Virginia Madsen NEW Reflection in the Mirror – an interview with Kasi Lemmons NEW A Kid in Candyman – an interview with actor DeJuan Guy NEW The Writing on the Wall: The Production Design of Candyman – an interview with production designer Jane Ann Stewart NEW Forbidden Flesh: The Makeup FX of Candyman – including interviews with special makeup effects artists Bob Keen, Gary J. Tunnicliffe and Mark Coulier NEW A Story to Tell: Clive Barker's "The Forbidden" – writer Douglas E. Winter on Clive Barker's seminal Books of Blood and Candyman's source story, "The Forbidden" NEW "Urban Legend: Unwrapping Candyman" – A Critical Analysis Of The Film With Writers Tananarive Due And Steven Barnes

"Crazy Rich Asians"

There are scant few actual movie phenomenons any more. Most of the movies that make a fortune at the box office are more product than art. Don't get me wrong, I love "Black Panther" and "Incredibles 2" but their box office success was as guaranteed as the sun coming up tomorrow. A film that truly exceeds all pre-buzz is rare. We got "A Quiet Place" early in the year, but the real box office story of 2018 is probably "Crazy Rich Asians," a film so successful that it's even being predicted for some guild citations and maybe even an Oscar nomination or two. As if there was any question as to whether or not an Asian ensemble could anchor a blockbuster, it's been answered with over $220 million worldwide and counting. People love this movie and it's been encouraging to feel like that love is more than just a calculated response to a known commodity and more of an embracing of a previously-unheard voice reaching a mass audience.

Buy it here 

Special Features Audio Commentary by Director Jon M. Chu and Novelist Kevin Kwan Crazy Rich Fun Gag Reel Deleted Scenes

"The Meg"

Oh how I wish I could wholeheartedly recommend "The Meg." As a fan of the Statham Era of the "Fast and Furious" movies and someone who considers "Jaws" one of the best movies ever made, the idea of "Transporter vs. Shark" had me pumped from the minute I first saw the preview. But this is a half-hearted "Sure, if you have nothing else to do" more than a strong thumbs up. The more I think about it, the more stunned I am how often this movie goes wrong. First, it takes itself WAY too seriously. A movie like this needs to be tongue-in-cheek, allowing Statham to show how he can blend action and humor like has in the "Fast" movies and "Spy." There's arguably no one better than him and combining the two, and yet "The Meg" rarely allows him to do so. By the time the shark is getting to beach goers, you'll be bored. And I never thought a movie about a giant shark that starred Jason Statham could be boring. 

Buy it here 

Special Features Chomp On This: The Making Of The Meg Creating The Beast Optional English, Latin Spanish, Parisian French, and Brazilian Portuguese subtitles for the main feature

"Pixar Short Film Collection, Vol. 3"

The third edition of short films created by the geniuses at Pixar should make for a great gift this holiday season...but only for people who already have the first two. This is easily the weakest collection overall, even if it does have a few highlights like the gorgeous "Piper" and "Lou," the two best on here by some stretch. As someone who loves Pixar and short films, my family has watched all three volumes, and this is the first one that they almost checked out of. It doesn't help that a LOT of the ones included here aren't the theatrical kind (like "Bao" or the dreadful "Lava") but mini-movies included on Blu-ray releases, quick tie-ins to films like "Inside Out," "Monsters University," and "Cars 3," which Disney collectors almost certainly already own. 

Buy it here 

from All Content https://ift.tt/2KHUX4q

[damajority]

DaMajority Fresh Article https://www.damajority.com/week-iphone-x-worth-hype/

A week in with the iPhone X — Is it worth the hype?

A week in with the iPhone X — Is it worth the hype?

Before I begin, here’s a TL;DR for you if your attention span is short and you’re on the fence. The iPhone X is great. It’s a definite step up from previous iterations, and is better than the iPhone 8/8+. The screen is gorgeous, the phone feels weighty and substantial, the speakers are clearer (not louder), photos are noticeably better, and the notch should only really be annoying if you’re coming to the X from an Android device. Do you need a case and screen protector? Yes. This thing is a scratch magnet, and if you drop it, it’s game over. Do you need AppleCare+? Absolutely, because repairs will break your soul. For a more detailed review, photo comparisons, and video, keep reading.

https://www.damajority.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/video-1510711079.mp4

_________________

During my second year of undergrad, I lost a political science paper to a blue screen of death. Nine pages and two weeks of research on how Marcus Garvey’s black nationalism compared to the Nazi philosophy of lebensraum, gone. I got a matte black MacBook, and never looked back. I’m completely immersed in the Apple ecosystem—a die-hard fan. I’m also dramatic. The kind of dramatic that would make me play “Barry Bonds” as I unbox my iPhone X. Somehow, Kanyé rapping “This what y’all all been waiting for, ain’t it? What people paid paper for damn it, they can’t stand it, they want something new, so let’s get reacquainted” feels like a fitting way to introduce myself to Apple’s newest offering. This isn’t going to be one of those reviews where I talk lustfully about the iPhone’s innards and drone on about things that you couldn’t care less about. This is an everyday user review where listen to music, spend time arguing with people on social media, occasionally use the camera, and hope my battery lasts until I call it a night. Here we go.

So shiny — an introduction

I’ve been waiting for Apple to redesign the iPhone since the 6 Plus. I had hoped that the iPhone 7 would be where that redesign happened, but it was not to be. The candybar form factor with the bezels on the top and bottom is dated—like Jheri Curls and Fila gear. So, when the rumour mill started churning out news of a redesign, I was all in—when I picked up the redesigned iPhone X for the first time, I was sold.

My first thoughts were that it was the most beautiful piece of technology I’d seen in recent history. The phone feels weighty, the materials used are gorgeous, and the fit and finish is on par with what you’d expect from a $1,100 phone. My first gripe is that I wish Apple would have put AirPods in the box, but we can’t have everything. In typical Apple fashion, though, the transfer process from my 7 Plus to the X was seamless. I turned the phone on, went through some steps, and iOS 11 noticed I had an new device in close proximity to an old one, and offered to set up everything automatically over the air. When I tell people that the Apple ecosystem is incredible, these are the kinds of creature comforts I’m talking about.

Screen play

The screen on this thing is incredible—the new Samsung-made OLED blows everything I’ve ever used out of the water, perhaps with the exception of the 5K Retina iMac. The Galaxy S8+ and Note 8 are beautiful devices, with screens that would make the most loyal Apple fan jealous. But they have nothing on this. Blacks are pitch black, colours are vibrant without being oversaturated, and everything looks incredible. The notch is noticeable at first, but not in a way that I find upsetting. I may come to hate it eventually, but right now, it doesn’t matter. I will say this: if you’re coming to the X from any previous model of the iPhone, the notch likely won’t bother you much either. If you’re an Android convert, especially if you’re accustomed to Samsung’s huge, gorgeous screen real estate, then it will definitely be more visible, and probably more annoying. If I were to complain about something, I’d say that I would have preferred a wider aspect ratio, because this thing is long. Not long enough to be uncomfortable, and certainly not longer than the competition. Just long enough to make you notice.

Face ID?

With all the pre-release hype (and criticism) over the home button being gone, users needing to get used to a new gesture-based interface, and Face ID being a poor replacement for Touch ID, I was a bit apprehensive about how everything would work. After setting up Face ID, which was seamless, I started going through my usual routine of checking email, deleting old notifications, and overusing social media. This is where the X surprised and impressed me most. It’s also why I detest pre-release reviews from writers who spent 10 minutes or so with the device on launch day.

First, I never missed the home button. Swiping up felt as natural as putting my finger to the Touch ID sensor—perhaps more natural, since Face ID allowed me to glance at the phone and swipe up in one fluid motion. Second, Face ID feels like a near perfect security solution. Critics of Face ID have harped on about how it doesn’t work under all circumstances, which puzzles me because Touch ID didn’t work for me all the time either. Wearing dark sunglasses in bright light while using Face ID is the equivalent of trying to use Touch ID with wet hands—it will or won’t work. Is it mildly annoying? Sure. Is it a backward step because Touch ID was perfect and Apple ruined everything? No. I’m convinced at this point that some tech writers are luddites who loathe progress, especially when Apple’s the frontrunner. Headphone jack, anyone?

Third, the True Depth camera and Face ID work together using Attention Detection to handle notifications and prevent random unlocking for those people who prize their privacy. Messages and email, for example, show up with a name and time stamp but will not show their content until the device recognizes your face. To unlock the device, you have to be awake and looking at it, so the hypothetical situation where a jealous or nosy partner uses your face to unlock your phone while you’re sleeping is near impossible.

Fourth, and maybe most importantly, is how Face ID handles passwords. I have not needed to remember a single piece of security information since I picked up the iPhone X. Apps, website logins, shipping and billing addresses, and banking security information populate automatically once my face is recognized. If you use LastPass or 1Password to supplement Safari’s native password saving capabilities, then Face ID can authenticate those too. I’m excited for a Mac ecosystem where biometric scanning is ubiquitous, and I can sit at the computer and start working without needing to type in a password.

Housekeeping — AppleCare+, phone cases, and battery life

There is no way around it—this phone will break if you drop it. Apple claims this glass is the hardest glass it’s ever made, and the hardest ever in a phone. Cool story, but it’s still glass, and glass breaks. It’s also a scratch magnet, so especially on the space black version, scratches will ruin your vibe. If you want to protect your phone and still show it off, I recommend this Tech Armor screen protector and this transparent Otterbox Symmetry case or this one from Spigen. Otterbox is synonymous with bulletproof drop protection, Spigen’s pretty good, too, but your mileage may vary. True, AppleCare+ is an eye-watering $199US on top of your $999 or $1,149 phone, but with iPhone X screen repairs at $279 and other out of warranty damage at $549, I’d argue it’s essential.

Battery life is what you’d expect from a phone made by Apple. Long enough to get you through a day, but definitely not long enough to survive 9 cumulative hours of heavy screen use. With all-day bluetooth tethering to my Apple Watch, 3-4 hours of music, pictures of my food, the occasional social media argument, and constant texting, I can call it a night at 11pm and wake up with 20% battery the next morning. If you live on your phone all day, consider a battery case or a charge pack of some kind.

Photos & Video

I don’t have earlier models on hand currently to compare exact scenes, but I do have photos I’ve taken with various iPhone models going as far back as the 3GS. That might be overkill, so I’m going to stop the backwards comparisons at the 5S. I won’t compare the iPhone with other brands, simply because much more qualified people than me have already done so. Professional photographer Austin Mann has an exhaustive and comprehensive review on his website, and the guys over at Fstoppers compared the X to their favourite camera, the Panasonic GH5.

I’ll post a more in-depth review at a later point with photo and video comparisons, but my first thoughts are that the X is noticeably better than the 7 and 7 Plus, and much, much better than previous generations. Photos on both the front and rear cameras are crisp in good lighting, not overly saturated or washed out. In low light, there is some noise, but significantly less so than in previous generations. Throw in a camera app like ProCam or Camera+ and your DSLR is (almost) obsolete. The Portrait Lighting beta still feels like it’s, well, in beta. It doesn’t always get selfies right, and sometimes it mangles an ear or shave part of my head in real world use. Overall though, to make an Android comparison, the X is a few software updates away from the Pixel 2 XL in terms of photo perfection. Video is as detailed and rich as you’d expect from 4K, slow motion in 1080p is brilliant, and with a gimbal or tripod, you could easily shoot a movie off this thing. Again, your mileage may vary.

Augmented Reality

What’s to say about it, except that it’s really, really good? I got my hands on a Microsoft HoloLens headset a few months ago, and while I enjoyed playing with it, it felt incomplete. The iPhone is better, cheaper, and has broader application. I’ve played basketball on a table-sized half-court, measured my entire condo (at scale!) and made a 3D model of it,  and developers are still thinking of ways to get more out of this thing. Changing tires, building treehouses, rebuilding engines, interactive how-to videos, the applications are endless. I’m excited about where this technology is heading, and with Apple mainstreaming it, broad adoption is inevitable.

Final Thoughts — worth the hype?

Well, it depends. If you have $999 in disposable income and want to upgrade from any other iteration of the iPhone, you won’t be disappointed. The X is familiar enough to feel like home, but different enough to warrant the purchase. The screen alone is worth the upgrade, in my opinion. But with new technologies like TrueDepth and Face ID, the updated form factor, and that new camera, it’s a must buy. If you’re an Apple fan who jumped over to Android to escape the small screens and boring form factor, it’s a great “welcome back to the fold” moment waiting to happen. If, however, you’re looking to be completely blown away by something vastly different from anything Apple branded that you’ve used in the past, leave this one alone. It’s worth the hype for the faithful. For those on the fence, if the reviews haven’t convinced you, wait a year and buy it at a discount.

[mrmichaelchadler]

Home Entertainment Consumer Guide: October 25, 2018

9 NEW TO BLU-RAY/DVD

"Ant-Man and the Wasp"

Quick, what's the most recent Marvel movie? It feels like a lot of people would say "Avengers: Infinity War" or maybe even "Black Panther," forgetting that there was a sequel to "Ant-Man" released this Summer. Marvel has become so dominant that even one of their successful, well-liked tentpole movies can be considered relatively minor. Having said that, "Ant-Man and the Wasp" mostly works. It's under two hours (unlike a lot of MCU movies) and provides a fun diversion. In fact, it's got an element that I wish more Marvel would copy in that it's practically a one-off, tied into the rest of the MCU for sure but also working with its own mythology and characters to satisfy viewers THIS TIME instead of merely planting seeds for the future. It also has one of the best ensembles in the standalone MCU, all the way down to scene-stealers like Michael Pena and David Dastmalchian. 

Buy it here

Special Features Director's Intro by Peyton Reed  Making-of Featurettes: Back in the Ant Suit: Scott Lang A Suit of Her Own: The Wasp  Subatomic Super Heroes: Hank & Janet  Quantum Perspective: The VFX and Production Design of "Ant-Man and The Wasp"  Gag Reel and Outtakes  Deleted Scenes 

"Creepshow"

It's that wonderful time of year when Shout Factory's genre banner known as Scream Factory releases special editions of horror classics, complete with new transfers and special features. There are three such releases in this edition of the HECG, and, believe it or not, two of them are anthologies. One of the most famous such films of all time is this George A. Romero and Stephen King classic, which comes in a gorgeous box set with a booklet and a quote from Roger's review on the back. It's also LOADED with special features, including a new audio commentary, interviews, and a round table discussion, along with all of the imported archival features. "Creepshow" is an inconsistent but really fun movie. It's nice to see it get such a lavish treatment.

Buy it here 

Special Features BRAND NEW 4K REMASTER SOURCED FROM THE ORIGINAL CAMERA NEGATIVE, with color correction supervised and approved by director of photography Michael Gornick NEW Audio Commentary with director of photography Michael Gornick NEW Audio Commentary with composer/first assistant director John Harrison and construction co-ordinator Ed Fountain NEW Terror and the Three Rivers – a round table discussion on the making of CREEPSHOW with John Amplas, Tom Atkins, Tom Savini and Marty Schiff NEW The Comic Book Look – an interview with costume designer Barbara Anderson NEW Ripped From The Pages – an interview with animator Rick Catizone NEW The Colors of Creepshow – a look at the restoration of CREEPSHOW with director of photography Michael Gornick NEW Into The Mix – an interview with sound re-recordist Chris Jenkins NEW Mondo Macabre – A look at Mondo's various CREEPSHOW posters with Mondo Co-Founder Rob Jones and Mondo Gallery Events Planner Josh Curry NEW Collecting Creepshow – a look at some of the original props and collectibles from the film with collector Dave Burian Audio Commentary with Director George A. Romero and Special Make-Up Effects Creator Tom Savini Audio Interviews with director of photography Michael Gornick, actor John Amplas, property master Bruce Alan Miller, and make-up effects assistant Darryl Ferrucci Tom Savini's Behind-the-Scenes Footage Horror's Hallowed Grounds – a look at the original film locations hosted by Sean Clark Deleted Scenes Theatrical Trailers TV Spot Radio Spots Still Galleries – Posters, Lobby Cards and Movie Stills Still Galleries – Behind the Scenes photos Optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature

"Eighth Grade"

Bo Burnham's directorial debut is one of the most quietly beloved films of 2018, often appearing on lists of films from this year that you really should see before you do any year-end consideration. It really is something special, capturing what it's like to be an 8th grader in the '10s better than any film to date. Not only is Burnham's writing and directing surprisingly sensitive, he found something incredibly special in Elsie Fisher, who gives what is quite simply one of the best performances of the year. So many young actresses in movies "about teenage life" feel like they're making a statement instead of embodying a character but Fisher is always real, and inevitably heartbreaking. This is a wonderful movie. 

Buy it here 

Special Features Audio Commentary with Director Bo Burnham and Actress Elsie Fisher "You're Not Alone: Life in Eighth Grade" Featurette Music Video Deleted Scenes

"Hotel Transylvania 3"

I'm including this one for my kids and because the market is kind of dry right now for family films. Could you do worse than the latest Adam Sandler riff on the Universal monsters? Sure, but these movies started on low ground in terms of quality and have only sunk into the muck. Trust me, I've seen this one a bunch as my boys are somehow obsessed enough with this franchise for repeat viewing. Kudos, I guess, to Sony for timing this release for Halloween marathons for the little ones who can't quite do actual horror movies yet and before the superior "Teen Titans" and "Incredibles 2" hit the home market. 

Buy it here 

Special Features Three All New Scary-Oke Sing Alongs: Sing along to three Hotel Transylvania 3 inspired songs with your favorite characters! "Dennis Had a Giant Dog" – Sung by Dennis & Winnie "Monsters Like to Party Down" – Sung by Johnny "Oh These Wolf Pups" – Sung by Wanda Werewolf Plan Your Own Spook-tacular Sleepover: This feature will give you all details on how to make your own sleepover spook-tacular! From snacks to crafts to games and more, follow these steps to create a Hotel T sleep-over with your friends and family, the perfect setting to binge watch all 3 Hotel Transylvania movies. Vampire Make Over: Mavis and Drac Tutorial: Learn how to turn yourself into your favorite Hotel Transylvania 3 characters. Behind the Screams – The Voices of Hotel Transylvania 3: Step behind the "screams" with the returning stars and hilarious new cast to see how these characters are brought to life in the recording booth. Johnny's Home Movies (Franchise Recap): Johnny brings viewers up to speed on what's happened in the Hotel Transylvania franchise so far. "I See Love" Monster Dance Party Dance Along: Get up and get moving to this haunting monster mash. Drac's Zing-tastic Read Along: It's storytime with your favorite characters have a silly tale about Drac's search for a Zing! Read along or sit back and enjoy! Two Mini Movies (rated G): Two mini-features that will have you howling. Puppy Goodnight Mr. Foot

"House on Haunted Hill"

William Malone's remake of the Vincent Price classic is a mixed bag, to be kind. The 1999 launching pad for Joel Silver's Dark Castle production banner, this gory flick has some great moments, including a brilliant set-up that allows Geoffrey Rush and Famke Janssen to wonderfully chew some scenery. For about an hour, this twisted tale actually kind of works. They just forgot to write a coherent ending. Just fall asleep or turn it off before that point and you'll be happier.

Buy it here 

Special Features BRAND NEW 2K REMASTER from the original film elements NEW interview with director William Malone NEW interview with composer Don Davis NEW Interview with visual effects supervisor Robert Skotak Never-Before-Seen storyboards, concept art and behind-the-scenes photos courtesy of visual effects producer Paul Taglianetti Audio Commentary with director William Malone A Tale of Two Houses – vintage featurette Behind the Visual FX – vintage featurette Deleted Scenes Theatrical Trailer TV Spots Movie Stills and Poster Gallery Optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature

"Shampoo" (Criterion)

The best Criterion release of the month is this classic that always crosses my mind when I think about films that caught performers at their most charismatic. You know what I mean. Some movies find stars at exactly the moment it needed to find them. There's an element of this in the current success of "A Star is Born," which wouldn't work the same without Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga being exactly where they are in their careers in 2018. Same goes for Warren Beatty and Goldie Hawn in 1975's "Shampoo" (along with Julie Christie and Lee Grant, for that matter.) One of Hal Ashby's best films comes with a great 4K transfer but a relatively, for Criterion, slight collection of special features. The new conversation between Mark Harris and Frank Rich is excellent, however.

Buy it here 

Special Features New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray Alternate 5.1 surround soundtrack, presented in DTS-HD Master Audio on the Blu-ray New conversation between critics Mark Harris and Frank Rich Excerpt from a 1998 appearance by producer, cowriter, and actor Warren Beatty on The South Bank Show PLUS: An essay by Rich

"Skyscraper"

Did we get a bit too much of The Rock in too short a period of time? For a period of time there, it looked like Dwayne Johnson may be the biggest star in the world. (And he may still be). With the success of the "Furious" movies and the phenomenon that was "Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle," he entered 2018 on a high, but both of his films this year, "Rampage" and "Skyscraper," were domestic disappointments. (Both did much better overseas.) Perhaps worse than their box office fates, they just weren't very good. This one is particularly dispiriting, coming off like the bland "Die Hard" retreads we got so often in the '90s. Come on, Dwayne. If you're gonna be our #1 star than we need you to pass on junk like this.

Buy it here

Special Features Deleted Scenes with Commentary by Director Rawson Marshall Thurber – Go behind the scenes with Dwayne Johnson and the rest of the cast of Skyscraper. Extended Scenes with Commentary by Director Rawson Marshall Thurber Dwayne Johnson: Embodying a Hero – Go behind the scenes to see what it took for Dwayne Johnson to bring the intense character of Will Sawyer to life. Inspiration – Meet real life amputee and motivational speaker Jeff Glasbrenner, the inspiration for Dwayne Johnson's role of Will Sawyer. See how Jeff's consultations helped inform Dwayne's character from day one. Opposing Forces – There's no holding back as the women of Skyscraper get in on the action. Now, see first-hand what it took for Neve Campbell and Hannah Quinlivan to be fight ready. Friends No More – When Dwayne Johnson and Pablo Schreiber met face to face, they immediately knew what they were up against. Witness first-hand the making of the intense apartment fight between two former on-screen friends, Will and Ben. Kids in Action – In Skyscraper everyone gets in on the action, even the Sawyer children. Go on set with Noah Cottrell and McKenna Roberts to discover the moves behind their stunts. Pineapple Pitch – Hear first-hand from Dwayne Johnson how writer/director Rawson Marshall Thurber pitched him the idea of Skyscraper. It may be a little fruitier than you think. Feature Commentary by Director Rawson Marshall Thurber

"Sorry to Bother You"

The closer we get to the end of the year, the more I think Boots Riley's debut is one of its best films. It's certainly one of its most unforgettable. I've already written about the film twice (Sundance and theatrical) so I don't have much more to say, but let me throw in with my other Gotham Awards committee members who nominated Lakeith Stanfield for his fantastic work here, giving an incredibly physical and committed performance. So much of "Sorry to Bother You" feels like "Boots Movie" but it wouldn't work at all without someone so completely on the same page as the film's creator as Stanfield, who has quietly become one of the most interesting actors of his generation. I hope he continues to do challenging, fascinating work such as what he delivers here. 

Buy it here 

Special Features Beautiful Clutter with Director Boots Riley Audio Commentary with Director Boots Riley Gallery The Cast of Sorry to Bother You The Art of the White Voice

"Trick 'r Treat"

Horror is still the only genre that can truly produce word-of-mouth, home market hits, such as this anthology flick that never even played in movie theaters. Anywhere. And yet it became an instant hit when it was released on DVD in late 2009. So much so that Scream Factory has given it one of their most lavish Halloween season Collector's Edition treatments. It's a fantastic release for what's a really solid flick, a clear child of "Creepshow" with smart writing and direction. Hopefully it will spur enough interest to get the long-delayed sequel finally off the ground. 

Buy it here 

Special Features BRAND NEW 2K REMASTER OF THE FILM supervised and approved by director Michael Dougherty NEW Tales of Folklore & Fright: Creating Trick 'r Treat – including interviews with writer/director Michael Dougherty, conceptual artist Breehn Burns, and storyboard artist Simeon Wilkins. NEW Tales of Mischief & Mayhem: Filming Trick 'r Treat – in-depth interview with Michael Dougherty on the making of the film NEW Sounds of Shock & Superstition: Scoring Trick 'r Treat – including interviews with Michael Dougherty and composer Douglas Pipes NEW Tales of Dread and Despair: Releasing Trick 'r Treat – a look at the release and fandom with Michael Dougherty and writer Rob Galluzzo Season's Greetings – NEW 2K scan of the original 16mm elements – a short film by Michael Dougherty with optional commentary by Dougherty NEW Storyboard and Conceptual Artwork Gallery NEW Behind the Scenes Still Gallery NEW Monster Mash – a story from the TRICK 'R TREAT graphic novel NEW FEARnet.com Shorts Audio Commentary with director Michael Dougherty Trick 'R Treat: The Lore and Legends of Halloween featurette Deleted and Alternate Scenes with optional commentary by director Michael Dougherty School Bus FX Comparison Theatrical Trailer Optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature

from All Content https://ift.tt/2OPLihp

[mrmichaelchadler]

Home Entertainment Consumer Guide: July 5, 2018

10 NEW TO NETFLIX

"Certain Women" "Finding Neverland" "Happy Gilmore" "Interview with the Vampire" "Jurassic Park" "Mohawk" "Real Genius" "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" "Tarzan" "Troy"

7 NEW TO BLU-RAY/DVD

"Beirut"

The versatile Brad Anderson brings his skill with genre to what could be called the old-fashioned '80s spy drama. Movies like this Jon Hamm vehicle used to be far more common before everything was CGI-heavy and the world was ruled by franchises. There's a throwback appeal to this story of a traumatized government diplomat brought back to Beirut after the death of his wife. It's an imperfect film but its qualities were overshadowed by the controversy surrounding its preview. Overall, it's a solid rental on a hot summer night. 

Buy it here 

Special Features The Story Behind Beirut - Featurette Sandy Crowder - Behind the scenes with Rosamund Pike Optional English SDH and Spanish subtitles for the main feature

"Blockers"

SXSW audiences really took to this raunchy comedy about three parents trying to find their daughters on the Prom Night on which they're convinced their offspring are going to lose their virginity. I've rarely heard an audience laugh harder than at its world premiere. It's the kind of movie that works well with a crowd and maybe after everyone has had a few Southern craft beers. Like so many modern comedies, it's way too long, but it works because of how committed and talented its ensemble is, particularly its younger actors. Comedies and action movies always do well on DVD and I expect people to be happy when they find this one. Maybe not SXSW Happy, but happy enough.

Buy it here 

Special Features Audio commentary by director Kay Cannon Deleted Scenes Gag Reel – The entire cast contributes to these on-set flubs. Line-O-Rama – The laughs continue after the take! Rescue Mission – Being a parent isn't easy, as Leslie Mann, Ike Barinholtz, and John Cena make abundantly clear. Hear them and director Kay Cannon discuss parental mistakes and lessons learned. They even top it off with a good old-fashioned car explosion! Prom Night – Filmmakers and cast discuss how they achieved the perfect prom look and also share some of their own personal prom stories. The History of Sex with Ike Barinholtz – Ike Barinholtz explains the origins of human sexuality and its evolution through time. John Cena's Prom Survival Kit for Parents – John Cena shows off a survival kit filled with items that will help parents survive the most stressful time of year - prom season! Chug! Chug! Chug! – The film introduced the world to the concept of "butt chugging." Hear cast, crew, and butt-chugger John Cena discuss how they handled this standout scene. Puke-a-Palooza – One memorable scene involves copious amounts of projectile vomit. See what cast, filmmakers, and crew went through to make sure the puke was as authentic as possible.

"The Endless"

Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson are two of my favorite young filmmakers, finding ways to inject genre formulas with personal, human storytelling. If you haven't seen "Spring" yet, do so first, and then graduate to this fantastic movie about a pair of brothers (played by the filmmakers) returning to the doomsday cult they escaped from years earlier. To say there's more going on back where they came from would be an understatement, but the less you know about precisely where this movie is going, the better. Just trust me. You want to see this one. It's one of the best movies so far in 2018.

Buy it here 

Special Features Audio Commentary with Directors & Producer Making Of Behind the Scenes Deleted Scenes VFX Breakdown "Ridiculous Extras" Trailers Extended Bonus Features

"Female Trouble" (Criterion)

For some reason, I never though Criterion would take to John Waters. Sure, they've embraced a few counterculture filmmakers in the past, but Criterion was always the collection of renowned, household names like Kurosawa, Bergman, Renoir, Truffaut, etc. It wasn't the place for the Baltimore troublemaker who made a drag queen named Divine into a household name. And yet here we are with the still-shocking "Female Trouble," and it's a release loaded with new material, including interviews with a large number of the Waters crew. Waters was always a filmmaker that I admired more than loved. He was the guy willing to do anything to express his art, and I'm always a fan of those filmmakers, even if his brand of humor was never exactly my own. If you are a Waters fan, this is a great release for you. 

Buy it here 

Special Features New, restored 4K digital transfer, supervised by director John Waters, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray Audio commentary from 2004 featuring Waters New conversation between Waters and critic Dennis Lim New and archival interviews with cast and crew members Mink Stole, Pat Moran, Vincent Peranio, Susan Lowe, Mary Vivian Pearce, Hilary Taylor, and Van Smith Interview from 1975 featuring Waters and cast members Divine, Stole, and David Lochary Deleted scenes and alternate takes Rare on-set footage PLUS: An essay by film critic Ed Halter

"Love, Simon"

Name the last great dramedy about teenagers. Most movies about teenagers betray the fact that they were clearly written by adults who barely remember the hazy, confusing days of teenage love. There's something so refreshingly truthful about this delightful and moving story of a young man coming to terms with coming out. It's funny, sweet, and really well made, featuring a star-turn leading performance by Nick Robinson. Some of the subplots don't quite work, but the story that not everyone is exactly what even their friends think they are is timeless. And I could watch Jennifer Garner and Josh Duhamel play parents in just about any teen comedy. This is one of the most surprisingly enjoyable and moving films of 2018 so far. It's a really hard movie to hate.

Buy it here 

Special Features Deleted Scenes The Adaptation The Squad #FirstLoveStoryContest Winner Dear Georgia Dear Atlanta Audio Commentary by Director Greg Berlanti, Producer Isaac Klausner and Co-Screenwriter Isaac Aptaker Gallery

"The Virgin Spring" (Criterion)

Ang Lee, in one of the few special features on this excellent release for this wildly influential Ingmar Bergman film, says that the film changed him because it was "So quiet and so serene, and yet so violent." It sounds so simple and yet this is at the heart of why "Virgin Spring" works so well. It's an incredibly violent film, especially for 1960, but there's something hauntingly beautiful about it too. I wish the special features were a little heartier, especially the Lee interview. He speaks of how Bergman shot some of the final scenes of the film and how Lee has stolen those shots in his films. I love that kind of stuff and could listen to it all day. As for the movie itself, it will never lose its power. It's simply one of the best films ever made. 

Buy it here 

Special Features New 2K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray Audio commentary from 2005 by Ingmar Bergman scholar Birgitta Steene Interviews from 2005 with actors Gunnel Lindblom and Birgitta Pettersson Introduction by filmmaker Ang Lee from 2005 Audio recording of a 1975 American Film Institute seminar by Bergman Alternate English-dubbed soundtrack PLUS: A booklet featuring essays by film scholar Peter Cowie and screenwriter Ulla Isaksson and the medieval ballad on which the film is based

"A Wrinkle in Time"

Ava Duvernay's blockbuster became one of the talking points of cinema in 2018 for some of the wrong reasons. First, there was the story that it bombed because of its relative box office failure compared to expectations for the Disney brand. And yet I've heard from so many people for whom this was a moving, important experience. So while the box office may be disappointing, that certainly shouldn't be the end of the story. In fact, the film gained new life recently when it was used as a talking point for why we need more female and people of color voices in criticism. In all of this, I feel like I sometimes read more about the reaction to "A Wrinkle in Time" than about the film itself. For me, finally catching up with it, I was startled by how much of its emotion it wears on its sleeve. It is a deeply un-cynical film, a movie that wholeheartedly beleieves in grand emotions that tie the universe together. There are parts that don't work, but the sum is greater than those parts, and it's rare to see a filmmaker's heart in every frame of a major blockbuster. You can certainly see it here if you're willing to look. 

Buy it here 

Special Features A Journey Through Time Deleted Scenes (with optional director audio commentary) Audio Commentary Bloopers Original Songs/Music Videos

from All Content https://ift.tt/2u8Rrbd

[mrmichaelchadler]

Home Entertainment Consumer Guide: April 19, 2018

5 NEW TO NETFLIX

"Beyond Skyline" "Eddie Murphy: Delirious" "Lakeview Terrace" "Nowhere Boy" "Porto"

7 NEW TO BLU-RAY/DVD

"The Awful Truth" (Criterion)

I love when the Criterion Collection digs into the comedy archives and unleashes films like those of Preston Sturges or the prime of Cary Grant and Katherine Hepburn. And so I was ecstatic to hear they were restoring the truly phenomenal "The Awful Truth," one of the best films of its kind ever made. He made a lot of wonderful films over the course of his notable career, but if you wanted to put one movie into a capsule and shoot it into space for other worlds to know about the star power of Cary Grant, this might be the one. He's so effortlessly charming here, and his work is well analyzed by David Cairns on a special feature. As for other bonus material, this one is a little light when compared to other Criterions, but you get an amazing film and an essay by the singular Molly Haskell. That's reason enough to click on the link below.

Buy it here 

Special Features New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray New interview with critic Gary Giddins about director Leo McCarey New video essay by film critic David Cairns on Cary Grant’s performance Illustrated 1978 audio interview with actor Irene Dunne Lux Radio Theatre adaptation of the film from 1939, starring Grant and Claudette Colbert PLUS: An essay by film critic Molly Haskell

"The Commuter"

Seeing this film at Ebertfest on the same day I caught a screening of Andrew Davis' "The Fugitive," I was reminded why I like the Liam Neeson action films, especially those directed by Jaume Collet-Serra (who did this, "Unknown, "Non-Stop," and "Run All Night"). I actually think history will be kind to these movies, especially in the "watch every time they're on cable department". This one is blissfully simple as Neeson plays a man on a commuter train who is offered $100k simply to find someone. When he realizes why he has to find this person, he tries to turn the tables on the people involved and, well, things get crazy. I'm a sucker for streamlined action films and the great majority of this movie takes place on one train. It's effective and fun. Kind of like the story of Richard Kimble.

Buy it here 

Special Features End of the Line Off the Rails

"Knowing"

Alex Proyas' "Knowing" has been a fascinating film for me since it was released for one simple reason: Roger Ebert gave it four stars! It's often pointed to as one of those films that illustrates how much Roger was willing to go out on a limb. We're increasingly in a world of film criticism that often feels like it's built around consensus, in which everyone has to agree that something is fantastic or awful, but Roger never cared about that. Not once. He always went his own way, and he was willing to embrace a movie like this that spoke to him even if the rest of the critical body didn't agree. It's been re-released in a 4K Blu-ray and it's a better film than you remember (even if Roger's perfect rating may not be something I agree with) but it's a reminder that it's important to be in the minority sometimes when it comes to opinions. It's what makes us human.

Buy it here 

Special Features Audio Commentary with Director Alex Proyas Knowing All: The Making of a Futuristic Thriller Featurette Visions of the Apocalypse Featurette 5 Things Worth Knowing About Knowing Featurette (4K Blu-ray Only)

"Mohawk"

Ted Geoghegan is a long-time associate as a publicist and a friend, but I really don't think that colors my opinion of his work as a filmmaker. His startling "We Are Still Here" announced a director who was willing to do things a little differently from the rest of the indie horror scene, and this film really makes his unique voice clear in that it doesn't feel like anything else that came out last year. It's a story of Native American culture that's also a thriller and a story of empowerment, and in an era in which so many genre films look alike, it's so refreshing to see something like "Mohawk" that stands apart from the crowd. You should check it out.

Buy it here 

Special Features -None

"Molly's Game"

This column largely consists of films that I would recommend to buyers or renters, but I often extend it to include things that I realize more people like than I do, which is the case with Aaron Sorkin's directorial debut. I recognize that my opinion of this film is in the minority and that people who like it may want to know it's on Blu-ray and DVD. I will say that I still find it highly overrated, largely because of the issues I have with Sorkin's writing lately, and the deep misogyny embedded in it. Even this story that should be empowering given its protagonist culminates in a scene that fractures the entire narrative purpose of the story. I will say that the performances here are uniformly strong, including Jessica Chastain, Michael Cera, and Bill Camp, but I wish another director could have smoothed out some of Sorkin's rough edges.

Buy it here 

Special Features Building an Empire

"Phantom Thread"

There are no rough edges in P.T. Anderson's latest, a film that I'm increasingly thinking might actually be the best of 2017. Talk about a film that holds up well on repeat viewing. This movie is a masterpiece of tonal balance and production value, anchored by not just one great performance but three. I love everything about "Phantom Thread," and have written about it too many times to add anything new to the conversation, other than to mention that it's a film that has gotten better every time I see it. That's not uncommon for Anderson films. 

Buy it here 

Special Features Camera Tests – With audio commentary by Paul Thomas Anderson For the Hungry Boy – A collection of deleted scenes. Music by Jonny Greenwood House of Woodcock Fashion Show – Fashion Show narrated by Adam Buxton Behind the Scenes Photographs – Photographs from the film by Michael Bauman with demo versions of Jonny Greenwood's score

"The Post"

I am a HUGE fan of Steven Spielberg's historical dramas, going to bat for "Lincoln," "Munich," and "Bridge of Spies" as being among the best works of his career. And so I was remarkably excited for "The Post," but consider second-tier Spielberg, in the good-not-great category of his career. Sure, the film is technically unimpeachable, and it contains the most interesting Meryl Streep performance in years, but it's easy to see how rushed this production was, and I wish everyone involved had taken a little more time to round out the reasons why they were making it and imbue it with a bit more heart and soul. Still, second-tier Spielberg is well-worth seeing.

Buy it here 

Special Features Layout: Katharine Graham, Ben Bradlee & The Washington Post Editorial: The Cast and Characters of The Post The Style Section: Re-Creating an Era Stop the Presses: Filming The Post Arts and Entertainment: Music for The Post

from All Content https://ift.tt/2HMxQ7f