#There are pros and cons to subtext

[y-rhywbeth2]

Dropping by to update the filter list/tags again:

I'm thinking of tags for separating minor lore bits by type (vampires, Faerûn, elves, Bhaalspawn, religion, etc) Most importantly, in light of discussing the horror themes inherent in the Chosen, particularly the Bhaalspawn whose lives are sort of the result of an ill advised affair between cosmic horror and gothic horror, I think I need more ways to put distance onto those heavier topics.

(Still busy rn, but if I drop that off now it gives you time to jump ship or add me or the tags to your block lists.)

Edgelord hours remains the "reader discretion advised" tag

Villainous nonsense- is going to be the firmer dead dove tag from now on. Stuff on the level of Gortash's "let's play psychological death trap games using small children" and Durge's cannibalism and necrophilia, and Orin's "art displays". Not necessarily just about the Chosen though.

The Family Circle - is for filtering out the nightmare that is Bhaal's cult and his children: including the game's themes/subtext of reproductive horror and sexual abuse on top of the indoctrination, emotional abuse, shit parenting and etc. Also a stand in if I ever mention other characters and backstories with those (potential) elements (the vampire spawn aside, there's also other deities, and I am side eyeing the House of Hope)

[thelastevilregal]

Eww does anyone even actually like the romance drama?

[oblitus-vulpes]

autism is everything you do is Bad and Wrong unless it's not. but we're never going to tell which is which

[vaguely-concerned]

Happy Grace/Pan Vibes For The Soul

"How can I, with you in the way?"/"(Laughs) The floor is yours!"

First of all I'm honestly just so charmed by how genuinely delighted Pan seems to be at watching Grace finding her voice and learning to enjoy using her power, I think that's where I started to take a shine to him. (also seems quite central to his character/romance in general because it's a thing that recurs through their relationship -- he tells her "I'm enjoying it if you're enjoying it" straight out at one point and that's definitely always there in the subtext). He buys a music studio for her just in case she ever wants to return to making music again even when she's not the muse anymore just because he loves her singing and has seen it make her happy before, how is that not the sweetest goddamn thing in the world??? Pan and Oracle in shared first place as stans for Grace musically

For real though, 'I Can Teach You' is sooo... even when you don't join forces with him Pan teaches Grace so many things in that song, it's a thematic tutorial as well as a gameplay one in many ways. For me I think the most impactful subtexts are 'This is a tricky situation, change is here and it's difficult, but you have more control and agency here than you think' ("You're in control!" "It's your song!"), and this sense that, y'know... there can be joy and playfulness and discovery in setting out into the unknown, not just fear and uncertainty.

dude... I wanna be in cahoots with & sing playful duets with you for the rest of my life bro (amorous intent)

Pros: Hell yeah look at her go! 🥰

Cons: Uh-oh look at her go! 😬

I love that Grace can bring Pan's motif into 'Challenging A Queen' and be called the fuck out by Persephone btw. why u keepin' your guard up girl uwu

'you gave up the only thing worth having -- for your little mortal friend' he says, giving up everything for his little once-again-mortal friend literally the next day fhsdkjfhsad who are you fooling buddy? not even yourself at this point surely??? (dialogue for if you save Freddie by giving up the eidolon)

my observations on the grace/pan dynamic across the different personality traits (yes I've done a run of each romancing him I am normal about it):

Clever!Grace: Pan seems to set out to be a trickster mentor of sorts, and Clever!Grace flips the uno reverse card on him and goes ‘Not if I trickster mentor you first bitch be honest about your feelings or perish challenge engage’. Probably the most birds of a feather combination (and indeed it’s the Blue version of the soundtrack that shows off his romance — also his tie and glasses are on the cover for that one :) ). 

Charming!Grace: Performative puppy dog eyes-off whenever either of them wants to get their way. 🥺4🥺. Pan is provably a soft touch from the Charming option to find Persephone before Challenging A Queen so I feel he probably tends to buckle faster but it’s a close thing. Local trickster god completely disarmed by someone being nice to him.

Kickass!Grace: “Be real with me or Imma kick your ass”/”Promise? ;)”/"...>:)"

I am always thinking about the way he steps up in The Trial when romanced (and the way it's the only one where Athena is genuinely shocked and appalled fhskadj). there is something about him that's like... he keeps protesting against 'innocent' and he's probably right haha, but there is certainly an almost fundamental lack of any active malice there that he doesn't fully admit to himself or to grace until this moment. he is doing this for grace, but it is also a confession about something really deep in himself that seems to be very vulnerable for him in its sincerity -- that he really doesn't mean to or more importantly want to cause harm (I don't wanna dance/with blood on my hands). admitting to his own basically good heart finally seems to be the bigger, scarier thing for him, more than facing the prospect of dying. he's experiencing the mortifying ordeal of being known and I for one am so proud of him

"I'm just here for the dance"

the way he sings that just to her and completely changes the meaning of it from what he said with it before, from using it to keep her out to inviting her in...

also can you imagine how badly the kill bill sirens must be going off in Grace's head in all variations of this scene no matter who steps up, considering what happened to Freddie just days before....... oof!

*incensed whisper* are you fucking kidding me with this what am I supposed to do with myself here

love these too

I really like the visual repeats of crossing the pond to the tree and back as a metaphor for them getting closer (or rather, him letting her closer, it is very much His Space). he retreats back there towards the end of 'Share This Dance', and that's the point where Grace puts her foot down and essentially says 'no. you come meet me honestly in the middle this time or this isn't happening'. and in 'The Trial' he does and then some!

I meant what I sang. I'm not a good man. If Athena had taken me up on my offer, the Idols would have been better off But I can try to be better. You make me want to try.

fun fact: if you break up with him after The Trial (YEAH you can still break off the romances at that point! it's wild honestly fsjadk), Grace tells him he should try to be better ‘for himself’ not for her... and he calls that (i.e. himself) ‘not much of an incentive’. My guy don’t make me break out the ‘Have you tried therapy’ prompt again. He takes it very calmly and gracefully under the circumstances but he's also like. quietly resigned and subdued. I tried it once for Science and never will again but there you go I bring my knowledge to this altar of sadness lol

you see the thing is I would forgive him for just about anything too I understand why so many of the characters in-game can't stay mad at him for any length of time

he starts the game by asking her to take his hand and he ends it on asking her to take his hand (and she does)...

:') let's share this dance

[amewinterswriting]

Things I've learnt from writing fanfiction

Done is better than perfect. We all love our ideas (at least at first) and want them to be as good as they can possibly be and we're brimming with excitement over the shiny new idea. But then we get bogged down in the weeds of actually writing the damn thing and practicality sets in. Fanfiction really taught me to lower my own personal standards and get the story out there. Even if that story is different to the original idea. And sometimes - not always, but often enough - it actually morphs into something I feel is better than the original idea, or at least different in a good way. All of my ideas respond to the characters and what they want to do, and that often winds up drastically different to the original expectation. Learning to embrace that and write it regardless helped me to actually make some progress in my ever expanding WIP folder.

Feedback will not always take the form you want/if you want to get a critique you're happy with, you might have to do it yourself. Fanfiction is great for getting eyes on your work - there is a pre-existing fandom waiting for content and if you throw it up online, especially on a platform like AO3, you will almost certainly have eyes on it within 24 hours. What you cannot guarantee is if someone will like it, kudos it, comment on it or give it any kind of meaningful feedback beyond "this is great, I really liked it". I know a lot of people throw fanfic up for external validation...I don't. It's always nice if I get feedback that points out an element that the reader loved, or gently points out a typo, but I don't actually expect engagement of any kind. Which makes every single kudos feel like a gift, and every single comment is a priceless treasure. If I want more detailed analysis, I purposely seek out my trusted friends in the fandom, with the idea that they know the level of feedback I'm after and know I'll take critiques in the spirit that they're intended. But that's a relationship built on trust and mutual respect and takes time to cultivate. If you want immediate analysis, you need to put on your critical hat and do it yourself. You are always going to be your own worst critic - you know what you intended and how you might have fallen short of the mark. So be kind with yourself and let yourself embrace the things you did do well, too. Look out for the happy accidents.

Taking risks and writing outside your comfort zone. When writing original fiction, you might shy away from writing styles or scenes you have never written before. Commonly, things like smut scenes, action scenes and experimental sentence structures feel too 'risky' to attempt for the first time with your own original ideas. But fanfiction can be a great vehicle for experimenting with unconventional writing choices in a lower stakes way. Fanfiction gave me the confidence to write smut (and I'm damn good at it, if I do say so myself) but also a reason to write a football match (never again, way too many moving parts and characters, would literally rather write an orgy). I wrote a first person descent into immortal madness that started eloquently and ended with the character only able to form single, simple words. I could experiment with writing in first person, in third person with an omniscient narrator and in third person with a close perspective and work out the pros and cons of each for the stories I wanted to tell.

Learning to analyse characters and subtext. One of my biggest strengths when writing preexisting characters (in my opinion) is being able to nail the character voice and motivations. I'd love to say there's a trick to it, but it's just a lot of analysis of the original media and reading between the lines. Working out what we actually know about the character, then what we can assume or guess based on the interpretation of that knowledge. An adult character who adopted a surrogate father figure in adulthood and never speaks of their birth family probably didn't have a great childhood, though the exact reason why might be conjecture (and a great idea for a fic!). A forgotten hero who willingly succumbs to a curse in order to go somewhere familiar must be quite lonely, and is simply seeking to return home, even if it destroys him. Once you understand why a character has done a thing, it's quite easy to find reasons why they might do any number of other things. As long as you can justify why, you can push a character quite a bit further than you might imagine.

Writing for an audience might surprise you. Most of my fics are in very small fandoms. Or a very small niche in a larger fandom. (I genuinely think I have one of the longest fics in a given fandom. Which admittedly only consists of about 30 people worldwide.) So I never really expect much attention and it's just a nice happy accident when I do get anything as simple as a kudos. That said, some of my fics get patterns of kudos that are really interesting. I will often get kudos out of the blue from the same person on everything I have written for a specific rare pair (so rare in fact that I believe I'm one of 2-3 people to ever publish anything for it) - likely a curiosity click that turned into 'wait, I actually ship this now, dammit'. I have a couple of stories with a specific pairing that consistently gets new attention every time there is a big bang or mini bang for that pairing, despite me not being involved in either of those events. Lately, I've had a single guest kudos per day on a little OT3 piece consistently for the last few weeks. Which probably either means someone keeps coming back with different IP addresses every day (which is really flattering) or that this fic is being shared around a friend group, one link at a time (which I love the idea of, someone reading it and then knowing exactly who else would love to read it and it continues to be passed around).

Formatting for ease of reading. Different mediums are read in different ways. Fanfiction is predominantly read on smartphone screens, in my experience. So learning best practices for formatting web text is useful: frequent line breaks, allow text to be dynamically readjusted by the web browser, if you are embedding images make sure they can also dynamically adjust otherwise readers are zoomed into the top corner of the image and have to scroll left and right to piece together the entire work, etc. But fanfiction (and web-based media as a whole) also lets you experiment with things that wouldn't be seen as acceptable in a novel. I've recently published fic that changes fonts to indicate the text written in a letter, and managed to assign different characters their own font to imply characteristics visually (if you do this, try to limit yourself to the most common webfonts around as these are only visible if the reader's browser has these fonts installed). I'm toying with the idea of a future fic - which is all entirely written via the medium of letters between characters - to be entirely visual renditions of the letters to include interesting environmental details like blood stains or scratched out words or torn edges, but I would definitely want to include image ID for people who use screenreaders or struggle with certain fonts.

Pst, if you enjoyed this and want to throw a few coins at my Ko-Fi, that would be very nice and would support me rambling on about other writing topics or getting more of the actual writing done!

[martyrbat]

ok here's the movies low-down:

Batman VS TMNT was very good. short. enjoyable. ninjas. Ra's. furries. etc. a lot of the other animated Batman flicks take heavy inspo from 2010s comics so of course they are terrible but this one was a nice departure.

the Tim Burton movies are very good and fun Tim Burton movies but they are weird/mildly frustrating Batman movies. Michael Keaton is great at making Bruce weird. turtleneck. the music. the art. Michelle Pfeiffer. (these are the pros) Bruce kills. the Joker is in it lots. kind of weird but not always good weird ? Tim Burton's blonde love interest fetish. (these are the cons)

Batman Begins ? dated. kind of a slog. but overall I liked it.

The Dark Knight + the third one of that trilogy... boring. didnt care. got rid of homoerotic bruharvey subtext. uninspired. overrated. etc. didnt even ever watch TDKR because I was so bored and didnt caresies.

I havent ever watch the Schumacher ones.. . they look camp but kind of boring. like it's a messy kind of camp. not the cunty kind of camp I've come to expect from Batman.

obsessed with this in depth run down....!! thank you!!! i would probably start with tmnt and animated because i love my silly goofy good times and i think batman 2022 will be my 'ill watch this in october maybe' movie (<- guy who hasnt sat down through a movie in over a year) and i think the only burton movie ive ever seen was the remake of charlie and the chocolate factory so i dont have much to draw on from there!

i know nothing about the plots of any of the others but i do think george clooney from the schumacher ones is so hot... i can deal with messy camp because i think that can be so fun if its a result of earnestness but if its from being boring and just poorly made out of lack of caring then all energy gets zapped out of it :(( and michael keaton is hot for forever with his cunty turtleneck but i only know him from white noise... the idea of a bruce that kills is. bad. and concerns me but also it has michelle pfeiffer which cancels out a lot of complaints i could have.... decisions decisions...

[absolutebl]

recently watched oh no! hero comes trouble and loved it. Probably my favourite show from this year so far. I was wondering if you had any input about something I was speculating about. If the show had a second season, what are the chances of it further exploring the relationship between yiyong and guangyan (pros for the idea: heavy subtext from season 1, some of the cast's history, taiwanese production. cons for the idea: action/supernatural-orientated drama).

I haven't watched it but your chances with Taiwan having a gay b-plot are pretty good. Especially if they feel like the audience is game.

What service is it on?

[spectrum-color]

Do you think it’s possible for the realm of the elderlings to be adapted for a tv show or movie ( I think between the two it could most likely be a tv if it ever were to be) idk with all these book adaptations being announced we probably aren’t too far away. Who would your preferred cast be for an adaptation? Would you like HBO, Netflix, Amazon or Apple to produce it or anyone else ?

I love you anon whoever you are because this is a topic I have many takes on!

So first off, I have mixed feelings about how RotE would work in live action.

Pros:

-We could get out of Fitz’s POV a bit and get more of what other characters are up to. This would give us a way better perspective on the political situation in the 6D, the Red Ship Wars/persecution of the Old Blood/tensions between Regal and Verity/various other plotlines that could be really compelling if we get more characters perspective. We could see different sides to the characters too. Like it would be so interesting to see Regal when he’s around useful people keeping the mask intact, or how the Fool and Shrewd interact with each other, or more about Chade and Kettricken struggling over who is really in charge of Dutifuls regency.

-The characters are all so human and complex they would be juicy opportunity for actors. Imagine someone getting the chance to play Burrich and dial up the queer subtext with his “our Wit is shameful and you need to crush it like I did” to 100, or getting to see Patience lament how Fitz pushes her away despite her best efforts to be a mother to him. We could have some truly amazing early season GoT level scenes of actors crushing it in scenes where they do nothing but talk to someone. It could pick up the mantle of intelligent fantasy for adults that was so badly dropped by GoT in later seasons.

-The Fool would be SUPER well received by 2023 audiences I think. Queer, non-binary (that would almost certainly be more explicitly stated in any modern adaptation,) a snarker on the powerful and friend of the downtrodden and crusader for a better world. I also think Fitzloved would be played up a lot.

Cons:

-Losing Fitz’s POV. This is a double edged sword. If we can’t hear his thoughts, he comes off as way less sympathetic. Things like the quarrel or the Nettle situation or his neglect of Bee would make him seem like such a dick if we aren’t hearing his thoughts and realizing how fucked up he is. The series is heavily reliant on internal narration.

-The Wit and the Skill would be really hard to portray in a visual way. They are both basically telepathy, with the Skill eventually expanding to healing as the plot requires it. The magic in general isn’t super suited to a visual format outside of the Elderlings.

-Weaving in the events of Liveship Traders and RWC would be difficult, but the story would need to basically be rewritten entirely to not include them. They run into timeline that prevent them from all being blended together like Netflix does with the Shadow and Bone show; like Amber is mutually exclusive to the Fool/Lord Golden and Kelsingra can’t happen until after everything goes down in Bingtown.

Who would I like to make it?

HBO for sure; they have a proven track record of being able to do prestigious fantasy in a way other streamers don’t. Netflix would absolutely murder it (the only reason Sandman was good was because Neil Gaiman was extremely involved.)

Dream casting?

I would prefer unknowns and stage actors for the most part. Makes it easier to see them as the characters. That said, I have a perfect Fitz and the Fool: D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai and Hunter Schaefer

[pholiabanna]

i'm trying to be normal about the millie video like it obviously doesn't confirm anything but still i can't help but be worried about it

I can see why, but let me tell you something. When watching shows and predicting what will happen next season, there's an order of reliability. The show itself is first on the list, as the most reliable source. Any interwiev or panel comes before that and is automatically less reliable (or, pre selected questions...).

Therefore, I never use interwievs or comic cons as proof. Not even when Noah says something pro byler. The reason I'm 100 % confident byler is endgame is because I've watched the show, and the narrative (not even the subtext alone, the narrative) undeniably points to byler endgame. That's the only thing you need, because the show is the product meant to be seen by the audience, and what's meant to be analyzed.

In the very unlikely case that milven turned out to be endgame, I wouldn't feel embarrassed, I would feel embarrassed of the Duffers for wasting the chance if writing a good storyline

[originalleftist]

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom mini-review (maybe minor spoilers):

Pros: Strong visuals, tension, fast-paced action, climate change as an issue is integral to the plot, good supporting characters, genuinely emotional scenes with Aquaman's family, fun references, trailers gave away little, Amber Heard had a real role that treated her character with respect, no fridging, a surprisingly decent conclusion to the series.

Cons: Rushed/choppy editing, subpar acting, low-brow humour, pro-monarchy/anti-democracy subtext in one subplot, Orm's storyline felt a bit unearned, the end felt a tad rushed, watching Momoa dudebro for two hours.

While unlikely due to controversy and the reboot, I think this is a film that would benefit from an extended edition (#ReleaseTheAmberCut).

All said, while my feelings about the behind the scenes conflict leave me highly ambivalent, as a film it was better than I expected, and better than most reviews I've seen make it out to be. I enjoyed it, I don't regret seeing it, and would see it again.

Edit: I should probably add regarding my comment that the film was respectful of Mera's character- this is relative, and based on very low expectations going in. The complaint that she has very little dialogue in the film is absolutely fair. However, she did have a role that was plot-relevant and thematically-relevant, and unlike far too many sequels in the action/superhero genres, avoided gratuitously fridging her or otherwise writing her out altogether. So that's where the positivity is coming from on my part.

[incorrectbatbquotes]

hi i’m sylvie your favorite admin in the world and i’ve been hyperfixated on batb (1991) since I was 14 so here’s my definitive (mostly spoiler free) review of every book based in the universe of batb (1991)

1. As Old As Time (alternate universe)

Like a 6.7/10. The characters were well written and I liked the imagery. Felt very reminiscent of the musical adaptation which I liked. A lot of characters to keep track of though and I don’t love the uh. “subtext”. somebody else in the fandom mentioned their issues with it and i don’t remember who it was but yeah that. I liked it but the flaws unfortunately bring it down a few notches. still a decently interesting read. mrs potts was such a fascinating character in this I really loved how braswell wrote her. sadly no name for the beast this time but that gets addressed at one point so??

PROS

It’s a neat concept

The writing is really good

Pretty and spooky imagery

The characters are well written especially Mrs Potts (beatrice my beloved)

had some genuinely dark moments that fit surprisingly well

CONS

weird subtext iykyk

too many characters. so many names

some scenes happen really fast and move on with no explanation or callback to it

2. Belle Takes Flight (sequel)

2.1/10. Its meant for a younger audience but theres really good books for younger audiences and this aint one. I liked that it kinda centered around belle’s friendship with lumi and cogs bc its a fun dynamic but the boys come off as incredibly useless and bumbling the entire time especially when theres high stakes? like are they idiots? yes (lovingly) but oh my god it was rough like you could take them out of the plot and it would still make sense. on that note i subtracted 50% of the rating right off the bat bc this book fatshamed cogs every chance it could. the dialect felt very on par with the movie which was nice but the messy plot, inconsistencies, unlikable new characters, and like the constant reminder that cogs is plus sized really almost made me dnf. also the prince still has no name. read anything else on this list unless youre that content starved like i am actively begging

PROS

the way they talked was very on par with the movie? at least the main trio. they said mrs potts was irish?? h u h?

belle and her dads-in-law(s?) goin on an adventure is such a fun concept and again i like getting to explore their dynamic when not in a “please fall in love with our son-figure boss so we can have hands again” type situation

i liked elise. i thought she was cute.

CONS

bad decisions made by the characters and by the author simultaneously

the new characters were poorly written and had the capability of being really interesting (i was hoping granny was like a mechanical engineer or something before she got introduced. like cogs breaks his leg and elise is like “oh granny t will fix him” and my immediate thought bc of the phrase “fix” was like. steampunky prothetic leg omg so cool and she’s gonna help belle fix the hot air balloon but nah)

belle is the only one out of the three who contributes anything to the story which like yeah ofc but you could switch which servants were there and nothing would change

in case you forgot how cogsworth looks as a human, worry not! because this book will remind you. at every opportunity. like two times in one paragraph on page 4 type opportunity. I physically winced. if all your development for this character boils down to “he’s fat and he’s short and did I mention he’s fat” like. you lost me so fast babe.

3. Rebel Rose (sequel)

8.5/10. If Rebel Rose has 100 fans, i’m one. If Rebel Rose has 10 fans, i’m one. if Rebel Rose has 1 fan, it’s me. If Rebel Rose has 0 fans, it’s bc i died. clearly meant for an older audience but still kept the charm of the film. loved the dynamics between the characters and making the servants feel more realistic while still keeping their personalities and quirks of their animated counterparts. also gave the beast a name thats NOT adam so bonus points. lgbtq rep thats done well too so ANOTHER bonus point. pls emma give me a sequel i’m on my hands and knees

PROS

bro i could go ON

mature but not too mature yk?

I already said everything i need to say this book slaps

CONS

I dont give any books about monarchy and government type stuff a 10/10 because there’s always some issues with that. a book set during the French Revolution will have its faults regarding that but its not the focus of the book

4. The Beast Within (prequel/alternate universe)

4.5/10. this one is. weird? like I genuinely dont know how to explain it? the writing is nice, i like how creepy the witches looked physically, and it’s a better ya batb book than BTF but those the only good thing I can think to say about it? all the characters were flat and the PACING IS SO BIZARRE? like I genuinely thought there was a point where my archive.org borrow time ran out and the pdf stopped working but nope the pacing is just so genuinely bizarre. I don’t love the involvement with Gaston, it felt super forced. apparently this book is part of an expanded universe bc ursula from the little mermaid was mentioned??? i have so many questions that I won’t get answers to. i want to dislike it but i’m just so confused. like i might just make a separate post of how much this one confused me but I cant give it a lower rating than BTF because that one just made me mad. i think the fact that i had the coraline soundtrack on in the background might’ve convinced me it was better than it was bc it was good atmosphere music. read coraline instead of this idk it’s almost 4 am.

PROS

it was better than Belle Takes Flight

I like the Prince’s inner monologues. the writing was charming at times and had moments where it was really pretty

the coraline soundtrack makes it better

the moving statues were a cool element i wished we got more of that

the curse slowly taking effect is an element from the musical i love so it was nice seeing that used in another version

CONS

really weird pacing. like we go from the servants turning to objects to IMMEDIATELY belle getting attacked by wolves

the witch sisters were weird inclusions. like at first i liked the concept and their physical descriptions are freaky and cool but after a while i got confused? this whole book confused me but maybe i’m too old at my cant-rent-a-car-in-america age.

I’m really hoping most of my confusion was bc this was out of order in a series and I didn’t know it bc why was ursula there?

the prince (who still has no name) goes from being a massive jerk to talking about how much of a family he views the servants as and i think this was supposed to show how him slowly turning into a beast was messing with his head but it didn’t come off that way (the closest things you had to a mom and dad go missing and you dont go looking for them??? like you just tell everyone else to? when you were JUST talking about how much you care about them? “where’s my not-dad go find him” AND YOU DONT SEE THAT MAN FOR MONTHS???

i dont like gaston’s inclusion. i feel like his childhood bff being another snobby rich nobility boy wouldve been better.

it starts too late for a prequel. we never get explanations for where his parents are, why he’s the way he is, etc. like the story starts just a few weeks before the night he got cursed.

a lot of things happen and dont get explained or things happen offpage and is only spoken about in reference. (gaston murders a court painter bc beasty boy told him to? beast’s fiance’s mom kills herself? ursula fucking kidnaps his fiance? the entire part where he meets belle?)

IN CONCLUSION

Stan Rebel Rose

Enjoy but be critical of As Old As Time

Acknowledge that The Beast Within exists but don’t hope for consistency

Stare angrily at Belle Takes Flight and find better books for 13 year olds. I’ll make a list and everything if you want and i’m 7+ years out of the intended audience

(also regardless of my opinions, i send all my respect to each of the authors responsible. writing is hard, writing for the mouse™️ is probably harder. there were things I enjoyed in all of these, even if I didn’t love the book overall. i’m an actor and a costume designer, not a writer. dont take the opinions of some internet neurodivergent as gospel yall)

[wilderavyn]

[kabutoraiger]

double... whatta tv show!

wowow is usually the place to go for more Artistic dramas but the vast majority of those are like. about crimes or political conspiracies. very interesting to see something like this which has no mystery to solve, no deaths, no corporate sabotage, just a slice of life about two Are They Gay Y/N theatre homies doing acting gigs,

except the presentation here actually isn’t dissimilar from a murder mystery bc the main characters are SO dramatic about their emotions and occasionally unmoored from reality. i would love to see more dramas like this get made where “will these 2 men ever fuck each other” is treated with the same sort of gravitas as finding the killer would be in another show.

i mean just on the basis of production value i’d recommend this show to most people - it’s very atmospheric, well-shot, i especially loved the music used in it which made me feel some kinda way.

it all combines together to really capture the strange mindset of these two people who exist in this like dreamy borderland between their real lives and their entwined identities and their acting. certain scenes actually reminded me of my favorite movie of all time millennium actress, so. bonus points there. i do kinda wish double had leaned into the “boundaries between reality and fiction blurring” angle a little more; i think it could’ve done some wild stuff with that. but as is i still enjoyed what it was going for.

if it has any issues i’d say... the end does feel a bit abrupt. you expect some big final confrontation about their relationship but it all happens inside takara’s weird headspace without the real yujin being present and you kinda feel like you missed a step in the finale and wish you had more of yujin’s actual perspective on all this. but perhaps it makes sense that you don’t get it. maybe even he will never know how he really feels since it’s so wrapped up under layers of Acting Hyperfocus.

i’m still not totally sold on chiba yudai in this. he’s very good as takara, especially his cuter, naive moments, and he is a good crier i’ll tell ya what, but takara is also supposed to be this like enchanting magnetic stage presence in every role he takes and. that part just doesn’t really come across in yudai’s performance. i’m not sure it ever could have come across bc that’s just not the vibe yudai conveys. it does take you out of it a bit.

the other minor problem is the fansubs which are good enough for your average jdrama but. this is not your average jdrama. it’s laden with parallels and subtext and complicated exchanges that even if i was fluent in the language might give me pause, but as someone reliant on subs there were several times when i just couldn’t really grasp what was being communicated at all. (some weird turns of phrase used by the subber too and they get one character’s name wrong every time it’s spoken which was driving me up the fucking wall.)

so maybe only really recommendable to people who don’t mind being a bit confused by media. in the end i found the nebulousness to be more of a pro than a con, honestly. it’s a fun show to sit and think about after you’ve finished an episode. like me going “damn.... being a theatre person seems exhausting”

[creativejamie]

Review of the musical cartoon Trolls World Tour / “Trolls 2: World Tour” Explained: What’s Up With the Ending?

Pros: Unusual and cute characters; a funny medley of music from different styles; bright musical numbers; technologically interesting graphics; correct subtext Cons: The unusual visual style and some sweetness of the story will not appeal to everyone Trolls World Tour / “Trolls 2: World Tour” Genre: cartoon, musical Directed by Walt Dohrn The roles were voiced by Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake,…

[denimbex1986]

'Oppenheimer” is a biographical thriller film directed by Christopher Nolan the maker behind the Dark Knight Trilogy starring Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer, the physicist known as the father of the atomic bomb. The film generated significant anticipation and has been marketed extensively. . The film might be the most interesting movie to come out during the summer

The story takes a non-chronological approach, split into two perspectives. One part is told from the viewpoint of Lewis Strauss, portrayed by Robert Downey Jr., while the other follows Oppenheimer. On multiple viewings, viewers piece together the out-of-order storytelling, connecting the ending with the beginning. The film primarily focuses on the atomic bomb but also delves into Oppenheimer’s character, exploring his political allegations, relationships, and motivations for participating in the Manhattan Project. Cillian Murphy’s portrayal captures both the internal and external facets of Oppenheimer’s character. The movie does not deify Oppenheimer but rather treats him as a flawed contradictory human being. You might find yourself agreeing or disagreeing with his actions consistently throughout the movie.

Nolan’s direction and Hoyte van Hoytema’s cinematography excel in the film. They both skillfully employ sound, imagery, and visuals to maintain audience engagement and prevent exposition from becoming burdensome. Particularly, the depiction of the atomic bomb detonation immerses the audience as if they are direct spectators. The film is loud when you expect it to be quiet and quiet when you expect it to be loud, creating a sense of unpredictability. Despite the film’s three-hour runtime, it is well-paced, and the scenes don’t feel dragged. Oppenheimer manages to avoid a common problem that plagues biopics.

The movie also delves into the subtext and philosophy of the nuclear bomb. While nuclear bombs are the most lethal weapons ever created, they have both advantages and disadvantages. The gravest concern is their potential to trigger a catastrophic chain reaction that will destroy the world. Scientific simulations and probability have stated that a war involving nuclear weapons and its consequences could kill 5 billion people over a period. The advantages of nuclear weapons are that they incentivize cooperation and collaboration between nations. Nuclear weapons greatly change the rules and costs of warfare, so we must all come together to work. World War 3 hasn’t started, most likely due to the risks involving nuclear weapons. The film delves heavily into the pros and cons. The audience, along with Oppenheimer, must wrestle with this conflict and truly reflect on whether we did the right thing. Oppenheimer deals with people constantly warning him about nuclear weapons or others dismissing his concerns. The film is thought-provoking, and you are left with numerous afterthoughts.

The film isn’t perfect; one problem with the film comes toward the ending, where Oppenheimer’s investigation takes precedence. Unfortunately, this shift didn’t engage me as effectively as the earlier parts. The pacing, initially strong, falters towards the conclusion. The film’s final act felt like it could have been a bit shorter.

In conclusion, “Oppenheimer” stands as a compelling movie achievement. Christopher Nolan’s direction, Cillian Murphy’s interesting portrayal of J. Robert Oppenheimer, and the film’s unique narrative structure combine to create an engaging exploration of the history and moral implications surrounding the development of the atomic bomb. The movie not only delves into the technical aspects of nuclear weapons but also raises profound questions about their advantages and disadvantages on a global scale. While the film’s pacing falters slightly towards the end, its overall impact on the audience’s reflection and understanding of history and ethics is undeniable. “Oppenheimer” challenges us to consider the consequences of scientific advancements and the problematic decisions made by those who shape our world. It is a film that leaves us with both lingering thoughts and a deeper appreciation.'

[felikatze]

Very important: The demon who adopted a grandson AITA, what story is this?? I need to read it. Or watch it. I need it please it's so cute---

That one's talking about Sullivan from Welcome to Demon School, Iruma-kun!

As you can tell from the AITA, the story follows fourteen year old Iruma Suzuki, after his shitty parents sell him to a demon, only for said demon to become his grandpa. Now he's going to demon school and making friends <3 It's a comedy series first and foremost, but it's got a lotof heart to it, and a lot of adorable moments.

The series has both an anime and a manga. The manga doesn't have an official english version though, so read it on mangadex

Pros of the Anime (3 seasons):

great voice acting, both sub and dub

great music

added musical numbers? (good for the idol arcs, at least)

Cons of the Anime

rather stiff animation

the battler party arc in the first season drags for SO LONG good lord

Pros of the Manga (300+ chapters)

the art gets absolutely GORGEOUS as the series goes on

extremely great expression work, great use of textures, great character design

runs longer than the anime (duh)

Cons of the Manga

rough translations until Misfit Scans take over

early art is a lil meh (but still cute!)

some lingering beta designs for some of the cast

If you read the manga on mangadex, do use Misfit Scans' translations whenever possible. They redid the first volume and take over at chapter 44, so translations from chapter 7 to 43 can get.. rough. Wicked House is not good.

Anyway, yeah! Mairuma is a super great comfort series for me. Plot kicks in later, but it's mainly about Iruma growing as a person. I'd imagine he resonates a lot with neglected or absued people - the fantasy of this poor kid getting whisked away into a new life and family that loves him. Iruma starts out as meek, as a total pushover, to his own detriment. And "Iruma can't say no to anything" is constant weakness of his, but his kindness is also his strength - his willingness to help others is what shakes the individualist society of the netherworld at its core.

The series also places a lot of focus on greed as a positive thing, which is fantastic! Iruma is confronted with his own desires, time and time again. What does he want? How will he take it? Demons are selfish creatures, and he's one of them now! So, be a demon! Fight for your desires!

It's just great okay.

We also have a canonically NB catperson (thank you Opera), the most poly subtext I've ever damn well seen in a work ever (thank you love trio), canonically lesbian pop idols (gyari my beloved).

Main downside of the cast is there is ONE obligatory pervert character but a) never actually succeeds in putting fanservice offscreen b) much less grating presence than M*neta c) at least has SOME character stuff going on outside that. My favorite arc w him has him competing with a girl to see who's the most elegant beast tamer and it's played entirely straight.

ANYWAY YEAH! Go read Welcome to Demon School, Iruma-kun! / Mairimashita, Iruma-kun!

HAVE SOME IMAGES UNDER THE CUT

Volume 23 cover art. Iruma (middle) with his grandpa Sullivan (left), and the catbutler Opera (right) playing video games together!! They're such a cute family.

Volume 25 cover art of Iruma (middle) together with his best friends Clara (left) and Azzy (right). Love trio!! (these three have so much poly subtext oh my GOD)

choice excerpt from the volume 22 evildol games arc for you yes there are TWO idol arcs where iruma crossdresses yes they are BOTH fantastic and no there is no transmisoginy and the main joke of iruma in a dress is that he makes everybody bisexual

(featuring amelie azazel who is also in the prime running for love interest next to the love trio but tbh the harem elements do not bother me at all because iruma loves all of his friends so so much)

ONE OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITE MOMENTS!!! HARVEST FESTIVAL ARC YOU WILL ALWAYS BE FAMOUS!!!!

my main complaints of the series would be that despite boys getting to be gender noncomforming a lot the girls are all very. Girls. like they are Specifically Girls you know what I mean right. also using hebrew as a basis for your demon alphabet is kind of a bad look generally.

otherwise. super cute series. traumatized kid finally gets to go out of survival mode. a lot of things abt iruma as a character are shaped by that trauma and it SHOWS and the harvest festival arc in particular is my favorite because he's forced to grapple with his lasting fear of abandonment and all that good stuff, BUT HIS FRIENDS ALWAYS COME THRUUU!!! THEY'LL STICK BY HIM FOREVER!!!

i love it a lot. i'm gonna reread it now. thank you.