#a GOOD MOVIE??? in the year 2022?????? it's possible. what's more it's probable. what's more it's real likely

[thebirdandhersong]

I know a movie's good when I have to pause the movie for a WHILE because I'm bawling too hard to hear the dialogue

[weheartchrisevans]

Chris Evans Is PEOPLE's 2022 Sexiest Man Alive: 'My Mom Will Be So Happy'

If you were to tell a middle school-aged Chris Evans that he would one day be named PEOPLE's Sexiest Man Alive, "he'd be pumped!" the star tells the magazine in this week's cover story. "This would probably be the road to the cool table which I was not at."

Present-day Evans, 41, is still adjusting to the new title of PEOPLE's 2022 Sexiest Man Alive and having to talk about it, but he knows this news will delight at least one person: "My mom will be so happy," he says. "She's proud of everything I do but this is something she can really brag about."

It's a sunny fall day on a farm outside of Atlanta, Ga. where Evans is sitting in front of the fireplace in a quaint farmhouse. Although he appears to have fully understood this particular assignment, dressed in a cozy knit sweater and jeans, the Boston native would probably rather jump into said fireplace than talk about being sexy.

"This whole thing is tough to be interviewed about," he says with a laugh. "It feels like a weird form of humble bragging."

The Gray Man star is also bracing for some good-natured ribbing from his close friends.

"Really this will just be a point of bullying," he jokes. "It's ripe for harassment."

Regardless, his mom Lisa is delighted by the news. "I am not surprised at all," she tells PEOPLE. "Our family will be beside themselves."

Best known for playing the altruistic, self-sacrificing superhero Captain America in Marvel's multi-billion-dollar Avengers franchise, and as a devoted, photo-happy dog dad to Dodger, his boxer mix, on social media, Evans is far more comfortable talking about his career, which has been on fire for the last decade. This year alone, he starred in Pixar's Lightyear, Netflix's Gray Man and filmed three new movies, including 2023's Ghosted for AppleTV+ which he is also producing, and also still co-runs A Starting Point, the civic engagement platform he launched in 2020.

Now in his 40s, Evans is trying to prioritize a healthy work-life balance and spending as much time as possible at home and with his family in Boston.

"When it comes to seeking out the people I play it's more of an issue of where the movie shoots," he says. "I'm too old to be living out of a suitcase for six months and I've settled into a nicer phase where I'm just happy being at home."

He's also thinking a lot more about his future outside of acting — one that includes marriage and fatherhood.

"That's absolutely something I want," he says. Just don't expect him to talk much about that when it happens: "Some things you want just for you, or just for my family and my friends."

Twenty-two years into his career, Evans admits he's ready to slow down a bit.

"The most enjoyable aspect of my career right now is feeling secure enough to take my foot off the gas," he says. "I feel like I have a bit more freedom to take time away from the industry and still find projects that will satisfy my creative appetite when I return."

​And given all the time he's been spending in and around his hometown, what does he think is the sexiest thing about Boston?

"So much history there! I love the accent. To me, the accent is home," he says. "I love the weather. The seasons, the sports teams. But the sexiest thing about Boston... maybe our universities. We've got a lot of good schools. Let's give education a plug, that's damn sexy."

Just don't ask him to use the word "sexy" in a sentence about himself. And although he's not quite comfortable with it yet, years from now he'll look back on the title fondly.

"It's something that as I become old and saggy I can look back on and say 'I remember then…' " he says. "I'm lucky to be in the discussion in any capacity."

[starboysbrainrot]

got a few asks in the last days asking me what ships I liked in atla, and so let’s do a quick recap here of what ship I like and why. (no proshit stuff on my blog dw) reminder that I am a multishipper so yes you should see fan arts of all these knuckleheads at least 1 time on my blog if atla keeps inspiring me to draw.

let’s start with the canon ones !

kataang : when platonic very sweet, i just think that their development in season 3 is a bit wacky, but i enjoy them nevertheless, ESPECIALLY in fanfics (i spend my summer in 2022 reading kataang fics, that was my personal therapy for a bit lol). my only problem is that i have a lot of issues with some kataang fans, and that made me loose interest in the ship in 2020-2021. (before getting back on board) + I’m a platonic kataang stan

sukka : an all time favorite of mine ! absolutely love their development in the series. I hope to see more of them in the movies (if we get to see Suki !)

jetara : ooooh my, as a kid i hated that ship but in late teen years i started really liking the conflicting feelings such a ship holds. the few fics I’ve read about them made me sob like a baby lol

jinko : one word : adorable

non-canon ones :

zutara : that ship has been a fundamental part of my teenage years and even now it holds a special place in my heart. I read many good fics about them, and the special bond they share in the series still makes me emotional after all those years. I personally enjoy the ship platonically but also romantically. I just have a lot of issues with some zutarians.

zukka : a ship that I personally had never considered (and seriously idk why cuz they’re such a fun ship) before gaining back my atla hyperfixation in 2023. lots of very sweet fan arts and the fics !! absolutely adore them

jetko : another personal favourite of mine. I just adore the dynamic, the angst, and the gut wrenching thought that the canon gave us a doomed relationship between them from the beginning. the potential such a ship holds is what made me liked them in the first place.

taang : ooooh the sillies !!! I love them so much. they’re I think my favourite platonic ship. I usually read about them when I feel down. I just like how they’re complete each others and the special bond they share in canon.

sutara : probably my fav wlw ship in atla after mailee. they have so much potential, and the “badass duo” dynamic has always been a favorite of mine haha.

azulee : toxic doomed Yuri, but if we’re speaking seriously, I really think that their dynamic is very interesting. not my fav ship for ty Lee but it’s still a very cool ship if you ask me.

mailee : these two <3 idk i just love the grumpy x sunshine when it’s done right and for me they are the only ship in atla that can do that dynamic correctly.

azutara : another ship I discovered recently but damn is it interesting. the possibilities !! there is so much to explore here and i absolutely love that

zuki : as much as i despise the comics… that’s one good thing that came out of it !! they have a very interesting relationship and there’s something especially sweet with these two that i really like.

harutara : a ship i don’t see very often in the fandom but they’re cute !! like that’s legit why i like them. no drama, no hard feelings, just fluff

jetkotara : is it possible to have a more angst-concentrated ship ? I don’t think so. on a more lighthearted note, the idea of zuatara sharing the same ex makes me wheeze. also it’s might just be my fav polyship in atla

suki/sokka/zuko : do they have a ship name ?? idk but I love that dynamic. again it’s a rare treat in that fandom but I love it nonetheless.

I think that’s all. the only ship that I don’t really like is maiko, but that’s purely personal. I thought that their relationship was rocky at best and toxic at worst in the series. but absolutely no hate to the maiko shippers ! y’all have are some really skilled artists and I’m always in awe of your fan arts.

so anyways. if you have others ships that you like, feel free to share it here under that post. my blog will always be a safe space for shipping.

[wanderersrest]

An Abbreviated History of Mecha Part 7: The Witching Hour Is Here!

Spoiler Warning: This post contains spoilers for one Brave Bang Bravern. I'd recommend watching at least the first episode of Bravern before continuing.

Welcome to the final installment of An Abbreviated History of Mecha! Last time, we had some technical difficulties due to the Lich screwing things up with its time shenanigans covered what many would consider to be mecha's "Dark Age." Now, we will see how the genre has recovered. It remains to be seen how this decade will go down in history, but so far mecha shows have had a minor bit of a rebound. Though that insipid line of thinking (you've probably heard it at one point: "mecha shows are about the robots, not the characters") is still doing a bit of harm to the general reception of mecha shows, the canon is doing better than before. Not well, like it was in the 90's, but it's not in dire straits.

Victory is never decided by mobile suit performance alone.

Nor by the skill of the pilot, alone.

The result itself is the only proof!

Kyoukai Senki/AMAIM: Warrior At the Borderline (2021)

Kicking off the decade, 2021 would give us a new franchise in the form of the former Xebec, now Sunrise Beyond series AMAIM: Warrior At the Borderline. Sporting smaller robots in a setting similar to Code Geass but Japan was split into three by three world superpowers like it was Post-World War II Germany, AMAIM would be one of the few new mecha shows to come out that would be animated entirely in 2D.

Megaton Musashi (2021)

Developed by Level-5 Studios, Megaton Musashi is a game series that pays homage to the mecha stories of old, particularly that of Getter Robo. The game itself would suffer in terms of marketing, as Level-5 would end up shuttering their US studio in this decade. Which is wild, because this series would also get an anime adaptation that's only started airing this year.

Also, Megaton Musashi has a lot of crossovers with older mecha shows like Getter Robo and Combattler V.

SSSS.Dynazenon (2021) & Gridman Universe (2023)

Returning in 2021 would be Studio Trigger with the follow-up to SSSS.Gridman, SSSS.Dynazenon. Based off of the Dyna Dragon from the original Gridman the Hyper Agent, SSSS.Dynazenon would carry on the energy from its predecessor in terms of energy and heart.

2023 would also see the worlds of SSSS.Gridman and SSSS.Dynazenon collide with the movie finale Gridman Universe, bringing the casts of both shows together for one last hurrah for Trigger's Gridman trilogy.

Back Arrow (2021)

While 2021 was a good year for mecha in general, one show that doesn't get talked about more is Goro Taniguchi's Back Arrow. Set in the walled world of Lingalind, Back Arrow would give us a story where the mecha are powered by a character's convictions.

That's right! Back Arrow is quite possibly the single greatest series in terms of highlighting what piloted giant robots are all about. These stories were never about the giant robot itself; the giant robots were living extensions of the pilots who controlled them. Hence why the breiheights of Back Arrow are based purely on a character's core beliefs.

Getter Robo Arc (2021)

2020 would also see the surprise announcement of an adaptation of the unfortunately unfinished Getter Robo Arc. With the goal of wrapping up the story as best as possible without the guiding hand of series creator Ken Ishikawa, Getter Robo Arc's anime adaptation would finally release in 2021. With this, the Getter Robo saga can finally come to an end.

If you've already watched his video on Getter Robo, Cheese GX also has a follow-up covering Getter Robo Arc specifically.

Mobile Suit Gundam: Hathaway's Flash (2021) & Cucuruz Doan's Island (2022)

And in case you didn't believe me when I said 2021 was a good year for mecha, let me remind you of something: Gundam was featured as part of the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Gundam would see the creation of the now-disassembled RX-78-2 Gundam in Yokohama as part of the celebration of the games. The RX-0 Gundam Unicorn would also make a cameo in the background during the Olympic Rock Climbing event, as Gundam Front Tokyo was the venue.

Most important of all for us, is that 2021 would see the release of part one of a trilogy of movies based on the Hathaway's Flash novel. And as if that wasn't enough, 2022 would also see the release of a movie based on the infamous episode of the original series known as Cucuruz Doan's Island. And as a reminder: Gundam's not done yet. I haven't even gotten to the other big Gundam series yet. These were just the two major series released for the Universal Century in this decade.

Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury (2022)

Where Gundam made really big news in this decade was with the release of Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch From Mercury. Set in the Ad Stella timeline, G-Witch would bring awareness to the franchise that hadn't really been seen since it's heyday in the 90's. G-Witch would also differentiate itself from the rest of the Gundam series by presenting us with Gundam's first female main protagonist, the very tanuki-coded Suletta Mercury (and that depends, because if we're saying Gundam protagonist, then I'd argue technically War in the Pocket's Christina McKenzie has Suletta beat by a couple decades; this isn't even getting into Ecoile du Ciel). And not only is she the first female protagonist, Suletta is also Gundam's first queer protagonist!

Bullbuster (2023)

If there is any series that I wish I had caught while it was airing last year, it would definitely be Bullbuster. Cut from the same cloth as Patlabor and Dai-Guard, Bullbuster presents to us a construction robot is used to fight... aliens?

LEGO movie, is that you?

Okay, seriously though, I do think Bullbuster got drowned out due to being in a year that also included The Witch From Mercury.

Brave Bang Bravern (2024)

Man, if you thought The Witch From Mecury was gay...

2024 would open with Cygames Studio's Brave Bang Bravern. Directed by Masami Obari (a man who I have somehow failed to mention until now), Bravern would manage to capture the joy of the Brave franchise of old (and really mecha shows on the whole), all while making it very gay.

And I mean it. Bravern is quite possibly the single gayest show to come out in the 2020's. Maybe even of all time.

And that's really a wrap on pretty much everything that's come out, but there is one upcoming series set to come out next month...

Grendizer U (Airs July 2024)

Not seeming to want to be left out, the Mazinger saga would also get a surprise announcement in 2023 with a teaser for Grendizer U. Set to air in 2024, Grendizer U is going to be a reboot of the original UFO Robot Grendizer series, though some changes have been made (namely, Kouji has now brought along both Sayaka and Professor Yumi; more importantly, Kouji will now be piloting Mazinger Z instead of playing a support role like he did in the original Grendizer).

You can bet that I will be covering this series, especially if it's picked up by Crunchyroll this coming summer.

Looking Beyond Grendizer U & 2024: Live-action Gundam, Hathaway Parts 2 & 3, Gunbuster 3, and Patlabor EZY

Going beyond 2024, there are also other series that are set to be released some time in this decade. 2016 saw the release of the Patlabor Reboot promo, which is supposedly a test run for a new Patlabor series: Patlabor EZY. Supposedly set to air sometime in 2026 (at least last I saw), I'm as excited about this as Isao Ohta is about any type of gun that comes across his path.

Studio Gaina (again, not to be confused with the now-closed Gainax) also has plans to release Gunbuster 3, though that will probably be on the shelves for now until Grendizer U wraps up.

And of course, Gundam still has two more parts of the Hathaway movies to work on. There's also a live-action Gundam series that is also in the works at Legendary.

Conclusion

And that's a wrap, folks. Finally, after ten whole posts, I've covered an incomplete history of mecha! Yes that's right! Incomplete! Why did you think it was called abbreviated?

Jokes aside, I thought this would be a relatively simple project. Just cover a handful of mecha shows from the decades since their inception, say a thing or two about them, and move on. It turns out that, even when I cherry-picked the shows to talk about, there were still a lot of them.

Do I regret doing it, though? No. Well, maybe that bit about Valvrave specifically. Outside of that, I think it is important that this series of posts still exist. I tried my best to be as impartial as possible, and hopefully you, dear reader, have caught that. I really don't want this project to turn out to be identical in tone to Professor Otaku's Complete History of Mecha video series. Man literally cannot hide his disdain for shows he doesn't like very well, and I think it does a massive disservice to both his series and himself.

What I want you to take away from this series of posts is: every show I covered on here is someone's favorite. I've seen at least one person go to bat for every series I named here. I've done it for G Gundam and Patlabor, and I plan on doing it for a couple more series on here. The real important thing here is that this post helps in dismissing that wrong-headed claim of "mecha shows are just about the robots and not the characters." Which is a thing I will talk about soon.

But not right now. Now I want to rest. And by rest, I mean throwing my wrist out while playing The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword.

God Groose is such a great character.

[berzahoes]

directors on directors | spike jonze

summary: reader and spike are paired up for directors on directors (director!wife!reader)

an: because i love actors on actors, this was born lol (takes place during 2022 when jackass forever comes out) also i’m literally reading an article about spike and jackass forever for this 😭 is the reader the director of the batman instead of matt reeves for this? yes because i love that movie and batman <3

“how was it to be back with the jackass crew?” you asked spike. you and your husband were paired together for directors on directors by variety. you honestly didn’t even know what to talk about since you and spike had been together for a long time. you didn’t think it was possible to run out of things to talk about, but you and spike did.

“it was fun, i did miss the guys a lot. but, you know this, i was the most skeptical because we’re all like fifty, but as soon as we shot that first day, everyone was happy.” he said. he remembers the day he told you that another jackass movie was being made. you were happy for the reunion, but at the same time you were worried for all of them.

“what was your reaction to johnny’s hair? because he starts the movie with brown hair then ends it with silver.” spike asked. you were on set when johnny debuted his new hair.

“oh god, i liked it. i thought he was some random guy at first, but then i realized it was him,” you laughed along with spike. “it’s a good look for him.”

“what about me?” he asked.

“i see you every day,” you teased. “you know i love your hair.”

“you’re obsessed with it ever since we were teenagers. i remember you overreacted when i told you i was going to cut it all of.” spike said.

“i think that’s a reasonable response.”

“it was a joke!”

moving on from the hair talk, spike asked you about your film, the batman. he was surprised when you revealed to him that you were going to work on a superhero film. he remembers years ago that you said you would never direct a superhero film yet here you were talking about your batman film.

“what made you say yes to batman?” your husband asked.

“other than layne begging me to do it,” you chuckled. when you told your kids, phoebe and layne, that you were considering directing the new batman film, your oldest and only boy, layne, begged you nonstop to make it. phoebe didn’t really care until she learned that robert pattinson was casted then she would often visit the set. “i know i said i would never do a superhero film, but when layne started reading comic books and watching the animated series, i started to actually get into the world of comics. i guess it’s because i never picked up a comic book before, but i enjoyed making it. so all of you batman enjoyers, you have our son to thank for the batman.”

“i think he spent more time with you than with me on set of jackass,” spike pointed out. it wasn’t often that layne was on set of jackass, but he did visit. “phoebe too, she probably just wanted to watch robert pattinson on a motorcycle.”

“she’s going to freak out when she sees that you’re embarrassing her. i can already hear it.”

[emeraldcitynerdfighter]

"I am drowning, there is no sign of land...you are coming down with me..."

//

"So…what happens next?"

It was a relief, oddly, that Carson had wondered aloud what nagged Greta all evening. In some ways, it made it easier to answer.

"My mom has a job lined up for me," Greta said, trying to keep her voice even. "Nicest thing's she's ever done. She and a friend of hers run this skin care company. They've been doing the farmer's market and craft fair circuit for years, but they finally want a storefront of their own just outside of Chicago."

Carson's eyebrows raised. "You'll still be around here?" Greta tried not to hear the optimism laced in Carson's voice.

Greta gave a noncommittal shrug. "My mom'll probably have me working obscene hours when we're not taking care of my dad. I don't think I'll have time for…much else."

"But how busy can a small town boutique be?" Carson asked flippantly. "I'm sure you'll have lots of time to daydream and, hey, maybe you can finish your degree online or something, so you can study in your downtime and --"

…God, she loved Carson's brain. Her lofty dreams and hopes for Greta…

"…and, when you're off taking over the world of cancer research and saving lives…" Carson's words evaporated. She blinked, and Greta caught the shine in her eyes, picking up more of the stars than before. Carson leaned forward, elbows on her knees. She flexed her toes in her sneakers. "Maybe once in a while…you'll think about me."

What remained of Greta's heart shattered.

Yeah, maybe.

They walked wordlessly the remainder of the way back to campus. Carson followed Greta up to her floor. They paused at the landing, where they both had a decision to make. Greta could turn right and trudge down the darkened hallway, alone. Or pull Carson along with her. Or continue up the stairs to Carson's room.

Something flickered across Carson's face as they stared at one another, hugged by the darkness in the quiet hours-dimmed lights of the hallway. She saw a whisper of possibility. Almost like she was ruminating over the same decisions. Like she wanted to do something…

And Greta would've let her.

If her life was a movie, they would've kissed. Everything solved in an impulsive expression of love and hope and reckless optimism.

Ultimately, Carson decided for her. For them.

She took half a step back, her face shrouded in the shadows of the night and hope and disappointment.

"Good night, Greta."

Greta's stomach dropped, and with it fell away the nagging ache of hope that accompanied her the whole night. She clenched her fist, aching for a companion. She gave her a weak smile before retreating back to her room.

"Good night, Car."

//

New chapter is finally up! Let me know what you think!

[matan4il]

Hi, I’ve seen some gifs of that Thai show, but are those two actors together in real life too?

Hi lovely Nonnie!

Oh wow, I did not expect an ask about Kinnporsche The Series / Mileapo, but I probably should have since I went off a bit in the tags of that gifset reblog, didn't I? XD Please never take me too seriously whenever I claim two specific individuals have invented love, I'm just joking around. Unless I'm talking about David and Jonathan, because they totally did. ;p

But if I'm to try and answer seriously, I would say that officially, the last time either Mile or Apo have addressed the issue of their romantic status, they both said they're single (Mile in Aug 2022, Apo in July 2021 if I'm not mistaken). Of course, that's also the response I would expect from them if they were together. Because just like there are opposite sex couples who meet on the sets of movies and TV shows, and fall in love or just have an affair, there are same sex couples who go through the same thing. The difference is that society (and the entertainment business even more so) is still so homophobic, that these same sex couples often can't come out. I mean, if opposite sex couples sometimes feel they need to keep it to themselves, and we only find out about their romances decades later, like in the case of Jane Seymour and Christopher Reeve (if we find out about them at all), then imagine how much harder it is for same sex couples who fall in love as co-stars... (or even when there's a same sex celebrity couple, period)

Other than Mile, Apo and the people they trust, no one really knows if Mileapo actually are a couple and have to be closeted, or if they're just truly the best of friends who bonded so much as co-stars on the set of KPTS that their behavior is hard to distinguish from the way lovers act towards each other. We also have to take into account that they're from Thailand, and the cultural norms for how men are allowed to interact can be very different. Especially when we remember that they starred in a BL (gay themed show) together, and the norm for that is heavy fan service. I AM convinced that even then, their bond runs deeper than fan service, especially since the original production of KPTS was canceled, and the production company that was set up instead explicitly said it would not require fan service. Plus, this company was co-founded by Mile to save KPTS and give Apo his second chance to shine as an actor, after he had been previously bullied by homophobes into leaving the acting world. So yeah, I have every reason to believe their connection is real.

And the fact that this is a part of their unhinged story (that they met briefly as models 7 years before they auditioned for KPTS, that they obviously thought the other one is an attractive man and remembered each other all of these years, that Mile watched Apo's shows, that they re-connected at the auditions and seem to have been inseparable since, for over 2.5 years now, that they fought together for KPTS to be made and then gave us on screen an astounding love story, that they chose to go on working together on their next projects, including the upcoming queer film Man Suang, and continue to hang out even outside of their busy schedule together) brings us to what is most meaningful to me about them. Whether their bond is romantic or platonic, it's clearly so deep that I wouldn't hesitate to call them soulmates. They love and care for each other, support one another, and I think they healed each other in ways that make me feel soft and happy to know that such love exists in the world. So I'm going to continue rooting for them, and possibly joke about it like I know that they're a couple, because in a very profound sense of the word, even if it's not romantic, they are.

This was probably way too long, my apologies. Okay, have a Mileapo being in sync gif just to make it a bit better...

Have a good day! As always, my ask tag. xoxox

[agentnico]

Top 10 BEST Movies of 2023

Happy New Year everyone! Hope you all partied hard and are now surviving a dreadful hangover by sitting with your family or friends and enjoying a well deserved marathon of Lord of the Rings. 2023 - what a year! In the movie biz alone there were those little minor events known as the strikes of the actors and writers. Just when we thought COVID was over and stopped affecting releases, these strikes were like “errr no, actually..!”. To be fair, the way the streaming services were underpaying their actors and the studios enforcing AI so much into the media, it was good that these artists stood up for themselves and showed it to the man so to speak! Anyway, we’re not here to talk Hollywood politics, but to celebrate all the quality filmmaking that was exhibited this past year. I’d say in all honesty this year felt weaker compared to 2022. To be fair last year gave us Everything Everywhere All at Once, Top Gun: Maverick and of course the legendary RRR, so the bar was high for 2023. That being said, I still enjoyed some solid films, so let’s rank my Top 10 favourite movies of 2023, but first some honourable mentions…

HONOURABLE MENTIONS:

Evil Dead Rise - one heck of a gore fest, and the best opening title card of the year hands down!

Past Lives - a simple yet brutally honest love story.

The Boy and the Heron - Wanna hear Robert Pattinson sound like not Robert Pattinson?!

Guy Richie’s The Covenant - The least Guy Ritchie film Guy Ritchie directed.

The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar - Wes Anderson and Roald Dahl are a match made in heaven.

Barbie - I’m Just Ken…need I say more??

Wonka - Timmy makes for a good Willy.

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 - A solid Marvel entry - a rarity these days.

Tetris - Gosh those tetrominos really get ya!

Right, with that, let’s get into the actual fun stuff - The Top 10 Best Movies of 2023!…

10) MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: DEAD RECKONING - PART ONE - Tom Cruise - what a guy! I mean yes he’s a Scientologist, has a constant death wish by breaking his ankles on film sets and also guilty of jumping on Oprah’s sofa like a monkey, but my my is he a charmer! You guys know the drill with these Mission Impossible movies - Tom Cruise throws his body around like a potato fearing not for his life nor broken limbs, but you have to respect the man for wanting to give the audience their tickets’ worth of entertainment, and Dead Reckoning not disappoint! There’s never a dull moment, the action is constantly inventive and exciting, and honestly with how consistent the quality of these films are, I say keep ‘em coming, Cruise-man!

9) DREAM SCENARIO - Anyone who knows me knows how much I love me some Nicolas Cage! The guy’s an acting legend, and he’s had it rough a decade ago when he got stuck paying off hi tax money and starring in crappy B-movies, but recently he’s been on a hot streak of great original content, and Dream Scenario adds to that. I love this idea of a random dude suddenly appearing in people’s dreams for absolutely no reason. It’s so rare to have a new original conception in a film in our day and age, and the execution here is great. As a bonus, the movie features possibly the best fart joke in the history of the cinema.

8) FALLEN LEAVES - This features the deadest karaoke ever - the Finns sure know how to party!! Also bonus points for featuring an out-of-left-field reference to Jim Jarmusch’s zombie flick The Dead Don’t Die, which by no means is a great film, but the fact that the director of Fallen Leaves knows about such obscure pieces of cinema only reiterates the fact that he gets cinema. Which in this case is a straightforward romantic love story, but one that I instantly connected with. Reminded me of Compartment No. 6.

7) OPPENHEIMER - On one had this is probably the most “well-made” movie of 2023 cinematically speaking. Christopher Nolan does not hold back in using his typical non-linear way of storytelling, with the film weaving narratives and different time periods seamlessly as it explores the profound depths of a man who’s actions altered the world’s trajectory forever, for better or worse. It’s an incredible historical piece of cinema, and the movie gets extra points for the whole ‘Barbenheimer’ phenomenon, but the reason this film is not higher on the list is due to the fact that I believe it is overrated. Cause every single person raved about how bloody amazing this thing was, I became tired of the positivity. Yeah, I know, I’m being a Scrooge but what you gonna do about it?? Oppenheimer is stuck at No. 5!

6) ROBOT DREAMS - I’m sorry to go vulgar on this occasion, but my-my was I shipping this dog and it’s robot to absolutely fudge each others brains out!! Yet the movie happens to do the funny thing of being the biggest cockblock ever….. and that’s the best thing it could have done. Simplistic cartoon-network style animation made beautiful by an earnest story, accompanied by the delightful sounds of Earth, Wind & Fire.

5) KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON - When a movie forces you to stay in the cinema for over 3 hours, it better be one epic film, as your man here was straining his bladder to health threatening levels. However this is a Martin Scorsese picture, as such this is event cinema! And this one may be up there with one of his best. Killers of the Flower Moon is a major saga of greed, murder, corruption and despair, told through the eyes of a filmmaker who somehow is still managing to mature more as a director even though he’s already over 80 years of age.

4) THE HOLDOVERS - The Holdovers is very much a vibes movie. It has that old-timey retro feel to it from how it is shot to make it look like it’s from the 70s (reminiscent of John Hughes films and Dead Poets Society). You also have the constant snow falling and the Christmas music just really delivers that cozy winter feel. It’s a wholesome Christmas movie through and through. Paul Giamatti gives a career-best performance and the writing is absolutely stellar, as such The Holdovers is destined to become a holiday classic.

3) BEAU IS AFRAID - A 3-hour long anxiety attack that A24 spent $30 million to produce. For a movie studio to spill out such a massive amount of cash on a completely original IP that is divisively out-there and wild is such a unique thing to happen in Hollywood in this day and age, that like the film or not this act needs to be applauded. It just so happens that Beau Is Afraid is batshit bonkers and truly an act of madness, yet one that I will forever cherish. I bet David Lynch had the biggest hard-on when he watched this movie - you betcha!

2) PERFECT DAYS - Essentially plays out like a live-action remake of WALL-E from the director of Paris, Texas. Honestly this is such a sweet and delightful film about a toilet cleaner doing his thang, and somehow inspired me to want to clean toilets myself. A beautiful piece of independent cinema that appreciates the little things, and truly embraces the ideology of stopping to smell the roses.

1) SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE - Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is, put simply, brilliant! It’s everything that made Into the Spider-Verse great dialled up to 1000%, and the result is honestly fantastic. Look, I watch a lot of movies. And yeah, movies are great and I love them deeply. But in watching so many films I have in a way lost that magic of being in awe every time I go to the cinema. Cliches and repetitiveness in films stick out like sore thumbs. However with Across the Spider-Verse I felt like a kid again, purely stunned in amazement at every single frame, engaged with the characters and story-line, not knowing where it will go next. Like I cannot reiterate how much fun I had watching this movie! The animation is phenomenal, the narrative so rich, a pulse-throbbing music score (I even have Pemberton’s score on vinyl now just cause I love it so much!) superb character development and so many fun and unexpected twists and turns. Across the Spider-Verse is THE movie of 2023 for me and I believe this is the first time ever an animation took a top spot on my list. Here’s hoping Part 3 of the Spider-Verse saga will play out like The Return of the King!

There you have it - my favourite films of 2023. Naturally I don’t expect my list to be the same as yours, so don’t go throwing a tantrum if I missed out a movie you loved. Or do throw a tantrum, see if I care. But also don’t, cause like we’re all friends here, right? Right??!

[daffodilsonaprettystring]

Ok so my sister helped me come to a major realization just now and I’m gonna rant so bear with me here—

the ONLY reason I read Red White and Royal blue back in 2022 after months of hearing about it on TikTok and going “Ehhh I’ll get to that later” is because Heartstopper season 1 dropped and I watched it all in one night because NICK NELSON. THE BISEXUAL AWAKENING. THE PANIC REALIZING oh Shit well that’s not a Straight thing to do AND THEN REALIZING oh Shit well I guess that means IM not straight and having to rethink your whole existence because god if you didn’t notice this about yourself what else haven’t you noticed?? And the like thought process you go through learning to accept that part of yourself because ultimately it’s always been there and why should it be any different now just because of who you love and all of that (And of course the absolutely heart-exploding wonderfullness that is Nick and Charlie❤️❤️❤️)—

I needed more of all of that, because it felt so much like what I went thru realizing I was bi and god it felt like a miracle to see it represented so well?? On screen and in the comic. So yeah I finally turned to this other book I’d been hearing about for AGES because I was told Alex was also bi and had a bi awakening and that Henry and Alex’s love story was to DIE FOR And like… GOOD GOD. PEOPLE WERE RIGHT.

“Straight people probably don’t spend this much time convincing themselves they’re straight” “See this means I can’t possibly be into guys” “in an instant of sudden vivid clarity, he can’t beleive he ever thought he was straight”

Excuse me Casey McQuiston who gave you permission to invade my brain like wtf like you really just took my entire thought process and just splatted it into Alex’s brain like that wasn’t gonna kick me in the chest??

Anyway all this to say— holy SHIT. it’s come full circle for me all over again this year. Heartstopper season two comes out in like less than 48 hours, and I’m going to fall in love with it all over again. And then a little over a week later, the RWRB movie will drop and I’ll fall in love with THAT all over again!!

I’m feeling very emotional and sentimental about all my favorite characters being brought to life either again or for the first time and god these adaptations mean so much to me I can’t wait to absorb them into my fucking soul😭😭😭😭 THIS is why we need things like these THIS is why we need joyful stories that we can see ourselves in

I’ll stop being sappy now but good GOD I love August this year

[nanowrimo]

Four Traps that can Kill your NaNoWriMo Novel

Every year, we’re lucky to have great sponsors for our nonprofit events. Dabble, a 2022 NaNoWriMo sponsor, is an easy-to-use writing tool that lets you organize, plot, and create amazing stories. Today, Dabbler Robert Smith shares some tips on how to avoid some common writing pitfalls:

Writing a novel is a journey that can be fraught with peril, challenges, and obstacles. Like any good adventurer, it’s best to be prepared for the traps that lay ahead.

1. Distractions

We’ve all been there: we planned out time to write, but then macaroni explodes in the microwave and all that time is suddenly gone. Or maybe that’s just me.

Regardless of the pyrotechnic capabilities or your cheesy pasta, you’ve probably found yourself distracted from writing before.

There are tons of studies proving how distractions tear down our ability to perform. The best thing you can do is remove as many distractions from your environment as possible. Here’s how to do it:

Set up your writing space to be boring (but not uninspiring!).

You can’t write effectively with a movie on.

You can’t write effectively while talking to someone.

You can’t write effectively while cleaning up macaroni.

Leave tech elsewhere.

You don’t need your phone while writing (unless you’re writing on it).

Hide your most distracting items far away from your writing space.

Turn off pop-up notifications on your laptop, especially email.

Set your writing app to focus mode.

You just need to be alone with your words and notes.

Dabble automatically fades to focus mode when you write.

2. Perfectionism

This one can get the best of even the most experienced writers. When you’re writing a draft, let it be a draft. 

Some people will have a higher tolerance for their own grammar mistakes than others. But, if you find yourself grinding to a halt each writing session just so you can rephrase each sentence to achieve beautiful prose, you’re probably letting perfectionism kill your novel. Here are some tips to get past perfectionism:

Turn off grammar and spell check.

I know that this sounds blasphemous, but it really can help with momentum.

You can toggle these on and off super quickly in Dabble.

Set some “no backspace” time.

This one can be even scarier than the last.

This strategy also gets easier with practice.

3. Imposter Syndrome

So you’re all set for those words to flow and that book to come to life. Then even more macaroni erupts in the microwave. You don’t know where all this pasta keeps coming from, and suddenly you’re convinced you’ll never be a writer.

Okay that might just be me again, but you know what I’m talking about. Especially with creative endeavors, imposter syndrome plagues our minds. Here are some tips to get past it:

Read more drafts.

You are probably comparing your work in draft form to completed novels.

Find a writing group to read more drafts and gain community support.

Look up what your favorite authors have said about the drafting process.

Edit your work.

If you’re having trouble believing you’re a good writer, take some time to polish your writing.

This might help you prove to yourself that you’re better than you think.

Be careful not to let this kill your writing momentum.

4. Messy Process

We’ve all been there: notes, pages, and ideas all spread between desks, journals, and apps. It can get messier than a (two-time) macaroni-covered microwave.

Have you ever had an amazing idea, written it down, and then never found that note again? I know I have.

It’s worth taking the time to consider the time cost of each step in your process, from generating ideas to editing your manuscript. Here are some tips:

Write down each step in your process.

Look for steps that can be condensed

Look for better processes

Keep everything in one place.

The best way to make sure you always have what you need is to keep it all together.

Dabble is organized into projects where you can store images, links, notes, plot points, and your manuscript all together.

Make sure it’s a place you can access anywhere (like Dabble). You don’t want to lose ideas.

Now go forth and conquer! May your words be plenty and your stories ring true.

Robert Smith is a Dabbling Writer, and a Writing Dabbler. 

All NaNoWriMo participants can use the discount code NANOWRIMO22 for 20% off 1 year of Dabble!

Top photo by Thomas Franke on Unsplash.

[heavyhitterheaux]

Ok first of all I LOVE the new theme bb ❤️

And I have many things about Jackman I wanna discuss and debate. Such as:

How many kids he would ACTUALLY want to have

If he’d live in Kentucky for the rest of his life

The fucking name of that damn puppy 🥺

If he’s seen or read ANY fanfics

How dominant/rough/gentle/etc. he is in bed

What the man’s kinks and fetishes are

If he still has nightmares

If he’d do more acting because he’s way too good an actor

And most of all…

When the next album and tour will happen

Thank youuuu bby! 😘💕

1. Maybe 3? That seems like a good number. We know for a fact that 8 is not happening lmao

2. I think that Kentucky serves as his safe space so I can definitely see it. He has mentioned not wanting to raise a family in l.a. and I can understand why. He would want for them to grow up as normal as possible I think

3. I knowwww because why is he gatekeeping?!? Just tell us already!

4. At this point I know he has and the thought TERRIFIES me but if he wants to make one of my smut fics one true with me and him, I’m all for it lol

5. A little bit of all of the above! I need to be dominated by him lmao

6. Why do I get daddy kink vibes? And maybe a pregnancy kink

7. I think he does. The pressures of being in the industry and the public eye probably do not help. I just want to wrap him in a hug and let him lay on me 🥹

8. He was on the set of some movie not too long ago that I forgot the name of. But you can tell music is his first love. He probably will, but music will be his first priority. Now I have to go watch WMCJ again lmao he did so good and I was so so proud when it came out. I literally watched it everyday lol

9. I feel that 2024 will be huge for him and us! I think he’ll do a bigger tour than just the one in Kentucky and an album is definitely happening. It’s giving me 2022 vibes and that year was amazing for him. I’m just so proud of him and can’t wait to see what he does next.

[tartrat]

Lights out drop 2 review I guess

Im not good at giving reviews but here are my thoughts on paparazzi and the legacy songs because I don't own JD3 or 4 as well as other general thoughts i might have. Spoilers for paparazzi i guess.

Paparazzi: I always forget how slow this song is and i was listening to it this morning before the drop went live. Anyway I actually really like it, the outfits remind me a lot of Gaga especially the hero/villain costume from the movie part. Moves were a bit confusing at first (I only got superstar on my first try there.) but theres this sort of elegance and class to them during the red carpet section and then the sort of monstrous movements during the movie section were fun, although a bit hard to get down at first.

Hot For Me: The dance is great, i was hoping for the song to be a bit better. I don't really have much else to say.

Dance All Nite: Out of the three legacy songs in this drop, this is the best and fits the theme of the season better with all the neon in the background. I did mess up the second last gold move on my first attempt though. All around a solid map.

We R Who we R: I never knew that this was the "Hot and Dangerous" song, like i knew that it was Kesha who said it but didn't know the song lol. Its sort of lost on me like i don't know what the map is trying to say or what the general theming is. The coach is obviously a punk but then the people in the back at the rave section are normal, I think. Then there is the random fire that happens in the background. Its fun but i wouldn't go out of my way to do it often

My ranking for the new songs is:

1 Todo de ti

2 Paparazzi

3 Don't Rush

and for the legacy songs

1 Circus (Extreme)

2 Dance All Nite

3 Part of Me

4 Hot For Me

5 We R Who We R

I wouldn't necessarily say that wrwwr is the worst legacy song just more that its the weakest. I think that JD 4 has some of the worst or weakest maps in the series, i really only care about So what and Gold Dust from that game. In general JD4 is overated.

I also want to know who is stalking Eva Chase and the other Lady Gaga Coaches who are seen on the cork board. Initially i thought that Louise Dials would be the coach you could see her in the top right corner of the background in the season rewards. It could be Night Swan after the events of the escape in telephone or someone else whos hunting them down in relation to the event and noticed how Eva, and possibly Felicia evaded capture.

I think after Poker Face releases in JD2025 thats the majority of Gaga's hits covered in the series. I think what remains is Edge of glory, Perfect Illusion, and i guess Shallow (though that might be awkward), before they go for her other popular songs that aren't as big. I really hope they do Americano or Replay at some point even if its just during a season.

I'm now excited for the next event. then after that it'll probably be another celebration event akin to last year's 2024 event. I can see Night Swan being the legendary avatar for that. Its so funny because i believe that a majority of the fandom who came in from JD 2023 wouldn't have survived prior as the seasons from 2019 - 2022 were just the three new songs and legacies and then radio silence for a month an a half, with the only rewards being from the world dance floor which were always kind of weird I don't know how we managed with those basic avatars for so long, much prefer the new avatars). and then 2022 only had 2 seasons but at least they got 8 songs each. I can't really remember but i think back during the 2018 era the exclusives and legacies were just dropped at random times, like i even remember when Sax and Mi Gente leaked and was left wondering when those would release and it wasn't until like January and April respectively or something like that.

Side note its so funny how you can see some leakers complain about fans complaining about leaks. Like obviously people are going to be upset that you've been parading around leaks, people want to be surprised and make their own theories and not just be told what exactly is going down. Like all the games from JD2021-2024 have been leaked so far and i think as a direct result of that the previews have been shortened down to 30 seconds, or songs getting cut or replaced (Darkest hour still fits better than Eurythmics because it feels more like Leda's thoughts, I'll defend darkest hour and the Night Swan Prologue until i die). I think at this point the leakers are just getting off of the reactions of those who are annoyed, and we can't ignore them as it feels like they are purposely making themselves known. Best thing i can akin the leakers to is Trisha Paytas, like we all try our best to ignore her then she does something insanely weird to draw our attention back to her. I know that the leakers have had their own fair share of respective drama as it comes up on my YouTube home feed from time to time and i try to ignore it. its been going on for years i don't think it'll stop any time soon as they just find new ways to get info.

Anyway the seasons have been great this year (minus Don't rush) and im excited to see what comes next, lets just try to be positive.

[kylesvariouslistsandstuff]

The forecast indicates an opening well over $100m for INSIDE OUT 2, which is really no surprise to me. Animated movies, even sequels to beloved favorites, tend to be underestimated before opening. They don't make huge bucks right out of the gate like frontloaded fan-driven things like MCU movies and the like. Their business is more in the walk-ups at the theaters, and make those big totals on Saturdays and Sundays. Hence why projections can be quite low. MARIO is a good example, some analysts had that at $70-90m for its opening.

That looks to be the case with INSIDE OUT 2, a sequel to a movie that made $90m on its opening weekend unadjusted... 9 years ago. Of course it was gonna stay flat at the very least, but some projections are suggesting it could cruise past $120m.

The all-timer opening weekends for animated movies:

$191m - THE LION KING (2019)

$182m - INCREDIBLES 2 (2018)

$146m - THE SUPER MARIO BROS. MOVIE (2023)

$135m - FINDING DORY (2016)

$130m - FROZEN II (2019)

$121m - SHREK THE THIRD (2007)

$120m - TOY STORY 4 (2019)

$120m - SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE (2023)

$115m - MINIONS (2015)

$110m - TOY STORY 3 (2010)

$108m - SHREK 2 (2004)

$107m - MINIONS: THE RISE OF GRU (2022)

$104m - THE SECRET LIFE OF PETS (2016)

$103m - THE JUNGLE BOOK (2016)

So, it'll be with the big leagues either way, but I'll be curious to see how high it goes.

Of course, some of the trades are seemingly celebrating this win for all the wrong reasons... And I'm sure Disney execs will use it as some sort of justification for something regarding their original movies. Don't be surprised if another sequel gets slotted before D23 this year, or some time thereafter. But the good news is, people get to keep their jobs once more.

I think $300-400m domestic is also pretty much a lock, could even challenge $1 billion worldwide. For Disney, this is their biggest animated release since FROZEN II, nearly five years ago. In terms of animated movies in general released after March 2020, this may share the top spots with Mario and the Minions.

On the one hand, I'm happy to see Disney finally get some BIG animation box office cake after years of movies either having to release elsewhere for the safety of audiences (SOUL, LUCA, TURNING RED) or outright flopping (LIGHTYEAR, STRANGE WORLD, WISH), and they're sure to get some more with MOANA 2, and possibly MUFASA at the end of the year... But, at the same time, there's all the corporate nonsense. I keep thinking, what are they going to say if ELIO and such perform more like ELEMENTAL?: "Uhhh, uhhh? I guess trying to do this 'general appeal' thing didn't work either??"

INSIDE OUT 2, coupled with MOANA 2, ZOOTOPIA 2, TOY STORY 5, FROZEN III & IV, etc. should make back what was "lost" on the other movies. I'm not against sequels funding the originals, that's the way it has been with many studios since the 2000s, I'm just more concerned about how Disney will go about the originals being made at both studios. If INSIDE OUT 2 holds on at the box office in the coming weeks, it'll just tell me that audiences liked the new story, and that there doesn't need to be any of this needless meddling of Pixar's filmmaking processes. INSIDE OUT 2 was approached the same way ELEMENTAL, TURNING RED, etc. were - so if it has great legs after an expectedly big opening, then that just proves my point. And vindicates those so-called audience-unfriendly movies.

But yeah, I expect a big sequel drop from Pixar by the end of the year. Something that'll come out probably 2-3 years after TOY STORY 5.

SUNDAY UPDATE: Estimates have it at $155m. Could go higher when tomorrow rolls around... Big doins'.

MONDAY UPDATE: $154m. Great CinemaScore grade. This thing's smashing $400m domestic, maybe even makes a play for $500m. $1 billion worldwide locked, too?

[moonleeai]

🎄 A Christmas Favor ▻ pairing:  Seokjin x f reader x Taehyung ▻ genre/au: Cabin Getaway au, holiday traditions, Smut with a side of Christmas ▻ Rating: MA 🔞 ▻ WC: 3,395 ▻ Summary: You and Jin were in a pickle with your son but Uncle Tae came to the rescue. Jin wants to repay him with a big favor. ▻ an: thank you to @queentiti72 and @downbad4yoongi​ for betaing

▻ Tags: Hot chocolate, snowball fight, kissing, oral, biting, hint of dom/sub, puns!

Part of the @bangtanwritershq 2022  Bangsmas - A “banging” Holiday Writing Event.

It’s the last day of school before Christmas break and you’re waiting in the pickup line for your five year old son, Uju, to be brought to your car. You take a quick look at the to-do list for this week’s events, quadruple checking that you’re not missing anything. In just a few hours, your family will be headed to the cabin to spend Christmas with Seokjin’s best friends. You look up from your completed checklist and see Uju and his teacher coming your way. The teacher opens the back door and Uju climbs in, wishing his teacher a Happy Christmas and buckling himself into the seat. As you pull out of the school parking lot, he begins to chat away.

“And you know what else mama? Haeun said Santa isn’t real.”

You knew this would eventually happen but you were hoping Uju would at least have a few more years before breaking the sad news to him. Both him and his father love Christmas and all the festivities that come with it. You already knew how you would tell him; Christmas is about the spirit of making others feel good and bringing joy to all. You just didn’t think it’d happen at five years old.

“Oh, nae adeul, I’m sure she meant the mall Santas. You know the ones who are elves in disguise that get your message to the North Pole Santa.” 

“Maybe…” Uju hastily replies. He’s smart— too smart— and luckily before more questions arise he spots the donut shop and asks for a treat. You happily oblige. While sitting at the donut shop table, you send a quick message to Seokjin.

You: Problem. One of the kids in Uju’s class told them Santa isn’t real. I told him she was probably talking about the mall Santas. I’m not ready for the innocence to fade away.

Hubby💋: I have an idea. I know someone who can pull something off while we’re at the cabin. I’ll ask for a favor. See you at home.

Seokjin always has a solution for every problem and handles it in the calmest way possible. Admirable at the least.  When you walk into your home, all the suitcases and bags are by the door, ready to be loaded into the family van. After a few quick trips between the house and van, your little family is ready for the week away to begin Christmas traditions, this year with one bonus surprise for Uju.

🎄

Your family arrives at the cabin second, behind Taehyung and Yoongi, who come out and immediately steal Uju away, leaving all the bags for you and Seokjin.

As you're placing the last bag into the room, you feel hands grip the sides of your waist. Seokjin walks you to the bed and bends your hips over the edge, pressing your body into the mattress and his firmly against your backside.

“Jin! The door is open!” He pushes himself off and smacks your ass.

“This is mine…all night.” He winks at you and walks out the door, leaving you a hot, bothered mess. That man’s desire for you always feels good and never leaves you guessing. 

All the other guys trickle in over the next few hours, and over dinner you go over the activities for the week. Tonight will simply be Christmas movies so everyone can settle in and unpack. Everyday there is also a scheduled naptime with Uncle Yoongi and a bedtime story by Uncle Namjoon. Being the first nephew of a big family, with uncles of very different personalities, sure has its perks.

On day two, some will get groceries and everyone will make their annual ornaments and decorate the tree. Day three is for making gingerbread houses with Uncle Hoseok, a campfire, and s’mores. Day four is the snow day where Uncle Jimin and Jeongguk will take Uju out to tube, sleigh, and anything else that keeps him busy so mom and dad can wrap his presents. Day five, everyone will explore the town and see all the decorations, then you and Jin will drive Uju around at night to see all the lights. On day six, Christmas Eve, you will bake cookies for Santa and Uju will get a surprise from Uncle Taehyung. 

The first night comes to an end and you and Seokjin tuck Uju in bed while Namjoon reads him a story. Seokjin closes your bedroom door and locks it behind him. You turn and see the smirk on his face as he walks toward you. You haven’t had alone time in weeks but you can’t help but make him work for it.

“I’m ready for bed, it’s been such a long day.”

“Oh no, no, no. November was hell. We hardly saw each other and now we finally have time to release all the pent up stress.” Jin’s hands wrap around you loosely and you wiggle away from him. 

“Isn’t it good sometimes not to release? I thought it helped with raising energy levels and better stamina. I don’t think one more week will hurt you.” You can tell he’s not sure if he should keep pressing the obvious or let it go. “I just need to shower, then I can sleep really well.”

“That’s it? Just a shower?” he pouts.

“Did you have something else in mind?”

“I have a lot of things in mind…”

“Hmm…well you know what you have to do,” you taunt. 

Seokjin’s eyes widen as he watches you turn on the shower and take all of your clothes off. He quickly does the same and joins you in the bathroom. He grabs your arms sliding them up to his shoulders and picks you up, placing your bare ass on the counter. His teeth nip at the skin on your clavicle then his tongue draws faint squiggles up to your throat. You lean your head away, allowing more room for him to work. He gently bites the side of your neck and brings his lips to your ear. 

“Please let me at this pussy. I want to fill you up until my cum is leaking down your legs.”

You smile at his eagerness and nod your head toward the shower. Seokjin lifts you off the counter and the two of you step into the steamy shower. He slides an arm around your waist and the other to the side of your neck, bringing you in for a kiss. You quietly whimper against his lips and pull him closer. He pushes you gently back, trapping you between the wall and himself and slips his thigh between your legs. You breakaway from the kiss to catch your breath and he finds your nipple to take the place of your lips. As he sucks your nipple into his mouth your hands fly to his hair, pulling just a little while you moan low in your throat so as not to be too loud. Your hips gently rock against his thigh creating friction against your clit. He looks up at you coming undone then pulls his thigh away before plunging two fingers inside you. Your grip on his hair gets tighter and he grins against your chest. 

“Mmm you just wanted me to beg huh?” He pulls his fingers out and pushes back in, curling them. Your head thumps back onto the tile wall as expletives leave your mouth. You clench around his fingers with every movement and Seokjin is desperate to make you fall apart all over him. He pulls his fingers out causing you to whimper. He kisses you hard and bites your bottom lip before saying, “Turn around for me.” 

You want to obey, but before he can dive in you grab his cock and give it a little squeeze, eliciting a hiss from him. “Hmm, did someone forget their manners?” you tease. 

“Please…please YN I–I need to feel you right now,” he whimpers in your ear while thrusting in your hand. You continue pumping him and biting at the skin on his shoulder followed by soothing kisses. He shutters and nibbles your earlobe, “Please, Jagi. I need to coat your walls. All this cum has been waiting to be released.”

You turn around, jut your ass toward his hips, and place your hands on the wall. He slowly guides his tip in and then deeply buries himself inside you. You gasp in pleasure as he stills, allowing you to adjust. Your walls throb around him and now he’s the one cursing under his breath. He slowly begins to roll his hips, feeling your walls swallow him whole. He brings one hand to your clit and rubs generously to match his thrusts, his other hand wrapping carefully around your throat, bringing you into him. The constant pressure on your nub and the drags against your walls send you into an orgasm so good, your legs nearly buckle. Seokjin bends you forward and continues pistoning in and out of you until he succumbs to his own pleasure. You feel the warm spurts filling you and his hips stutter until he halts his movements. He reluctantly pulls out and watches the cum slowly run down your leg before mixing with the water.

“Fuck that’s hot. You’re definitely pregnant with all that cum.”

You roll your eyes and bring him in for a deep kiss before getting on with your initial plans of showering and sleep. 

🎄

So far, all the traditional activities have been a hit. The tree is decorated with past and present homemade ornaments and the gingerbread houses are on full display in the bay window. 

It’s the fourth day and Uju is ready to play with his uncles in the snow. The others are following their own agenda as the only request for today was for you and Seokjin to get a few hours alone to wrap presents. Before you begin, you look out the window to watch your son and his child-like uncles play. You notice Jeongguk making snowballs lightning fast and sneaking them to Uju to pelt at Jimin who is trying to build a snowman. All of them have bright smiles on their faces.

You sit on the floor surrounded by toys, clothes, and enough wrapping supplies to have your own store. There’s a system; Seokjin hands you a gift, you wrap it then he tags it, repeat. As you're finishing the last gift, Seokjin realizes you’re both way ahead of schedule.  He helps you clean up and hide the gifts, then disappears into the closet. He comes out wearing a different outfit then earlier, gray sweats and t-shirt with mistletoe on it. There are obnoxiously large letters spelling out ‘I didn’t make the rules” with an arrow pointing down.

“Jin, your humor really is–”

“Top tier?” You push air out through your nose and shake your head, getting up to stretch.

“Let’s go play with Uju in the snow.”

“So is that a ‘no’ or ‘maybe later’?”

“Jin.”

“I haven’t had your pretty lips wrapped around my cock for months, back when you wore that sexy black lingerie for me. Fuck, just thinking about that–” he grunts while using one hand to tighten the fabric at his groin, showing off his bulge. Your lips part and eyes fixate on his fingers tracing his dick-print which seems to be getting longer by the second. You draw your bottom lip into your mouth to stop the drool from seeping out. 

You come back to your senses as you hear commotion downstairs. Seokjin sprints to the closet to change his shirt when the sound of little feet and giggles are heard running up the stairs. You open the door, ready to embrace Uju and take him back downstairs for some hot chocolate and to give Seokjin some… time. 

🎄

It’s finally Christmas eve and the cookies are ready. Seokjin grabs the carrots and a glass of milk while you help Uju put cookies on a plate. You all walk over to the small side table by the Christmas tree and leave everything for Santa and his reindeer. You tell Uju it’s time for his bedtime story so he could get to sleep for Santa to come when suddenly, there's a loud thump outside and the sound of bells. Then the front door opens and there stands Santa, well Taehyung, in a Santa suit using his best acting skills for his nephew. 

This was the favor Seokjin had asked from Taehyung. He hadn’t told you either, knowing you’d trust whatever it was he had in mind. He knew getting a suit would be easy and Taehyung was a great actor and a great uncle. He also wanted Uju to get just a little more time to believe in everything magical that surrounds Santa and Christmas.

Uju’s eyes are wide as he runs toward Santa, speechless. He reaches his tiny hand up and grabs Santa’s, pulling him to the plate of cookies. Taehyung sits in a chair and pulls Uju into his lap where they eat the cookies and drink the milk together. He tells Uju how when children get older, Santa becomes more about love and less about actually seeing him in person. Anyone can keep the magic of Santa alive and be a kind, generous, good human being. He points to Uju’s heart and says everyone has a little Santa magic that lives in their heart, ready to help and give to others around them. Taehyung comes up with some other clever fib about the reindeer and stuffs the carrots into his pocket for later. He tells Uju to get ready for bed because he can’t see how Santa gets the presents inside and he needs to go visit other children too. 

Uju dashes for the stairs, telling everyone to hurry and get ready for bed. Namjoon and Seokjin follow behind, while the others giggle from the couch at his cuteness. When Uju is out of sight, you thank Taehyung and promise to return the favor in the future for him. Taehyung simply says he’d do anything for his hyung’s family. 

The rest of the house is fast asleep as you and Seokjin tiptoe quietly down the steps with the presents. You perfectly place them around the tree and step back to make sure it’s to your liking. Seokjin back hugs you as you both bask in the lights reflecting off the shiny packages. Everything about this cabin and time spent with Seokjin’s brothers is magical in itself; adding Christmas makes it a thousand times more special. 

Back in the bedroom, you collapse onto the bed on your back, your lower half still hanging off. Seokjin grabs your legs and puts them on his shoulders. He pushes your pants up, exposing your calves, then kisses each one.

“Say your left leg was Thanksgiving and your right leg was Christmas…Can I visit between the holidays?” You throw your hand onto your forehead with a loud smack which is drowned out by his wiper blade laugh. 

“You gotta stop reading dad jokes, Jin.” 

“But they’re the best,” he whines.

“Only to you.” You sit up on the edge of the bed with him standing between your legs. 

“Sooo…you know how Tae did us that favor.” He places the palm of his hand on the side of your face and rubs his thumb along your cheekbone. 

“Mmhhmm,” you respond, leaning into his touch.

“Well I was kind of thinking we should do him a favor too…” 

“We absolutely should. What do you want to do for him?”

“I was hoping you’d be into having him as a guest tonight.” You search his eyes for a more detailed answer when you notice they have gone darker. The left corner of your mouth raises and you nod your head. Seokjin grabs his phone, within seconds there’s a faint knock on the door and Seokjin is welcoming Taehyung.

“Jagi, I know usually you like to be in charge, but tonight– tonight I want you to take care of Tae. I want to watch you blow him. There’s a position I think we all would love. Can we try it?” 

You raise an eyebrow to which he quickly responds ‘please’ with a smirk on his lips. You nod ‘yes’ and he positions you lying horizontally on the bed with your back against the mattress. 

“Trust us, okay?”  

You barely get a sound out before Taehyung pulls you from under your arms, resting your neck against the edge of the bed. Seokjin removes your clothes, exposing your bare body to both of them. Then he follow suit with his own clothes.

Taehyung grabs your wrist and places your hand against his rock hard cock, pushing against your hand. His other hand grazes your neck, his thumb pushing through your lips onto your tongue. 

“Hyung told me how sinful your mouth is. I’m leaking just thinking about it.” Taehyung pulls his pants off, his crotch just above your head. You run your tongue along the inside of your cheek, reaching up. All three of you watch your fingers loosely wrap around his shaft and your thumb swipe over his slit, spreading the cum over the thick protruding vein. He drops his head back and sucks in a deep breath.

“Do you want me to suck it or do you want to fuck my mouth?” you ask, already guessing what he will choose.

His eyes grow wide and he looks at Seokjin, “Whatever you want, Jagi, whatever you allow him.” 

“Mmm, you want my tongue on that big cock of yours, huh?”

“Yes, so bad,” Taehyung says with shaky breath.

He jerks into your hand as you bring his cock to your mouth, gliding the head over your lips, the sticky precum spreading like lip gloss. You run your tongue over the sticky mess left on your lips and let out a moan, sending his body into a shiver.

“Fuck, you tease so fucking good.”

“Do as you please, handsome.” Both of their cocks twitch as you open your mouth and push your tongue out. Taehyung steps forward and you wrap your lips around him. The sound he releases seems like he is almost done; he is already coming undone at your hollowed cheeks as he moves down steadily. You moan and force down more until you gag just a little and spit drips from the corners of your mouth. 

Taehyung groans and Seokjin moves between your legs, grabbing your thighs and throwing them over his shoulders. “He can’t have all the fun, Jagi.” He spreads your lower lips and admires the glisten before his tongue draws sloppy shapes around your clit. 

Your back arches as you let out a muffled cry, one hand grips the back of Taehyung’s thigh while the other grabs Seokjin’s hair.  Taehyung slowly moves in your mouth as you dig your nails into his skin and moan more. He can’t hold back, moving faster and harder, hitting the back of your throat. 

“Noona, I’m–” You press your tongue flat along the underside of his cock, he pushes in and stills while his cum paints your throat. As he pulls out, your body trembles uncontrollably. Seokjin stills your hips and as you reach your climax, he feasts making sure to swallow every last drop.

Too tired to possibly think anymore, the guys move you to the middle of the bed. Facing Seokjin, he kisses your forehead and the tip of your nose, while Taehyung grazes his teeth against your shoulder. 

“One more, Jagi?” Your body trembles and they grins. Seokjin tilts your chin up with his finger and crashes his lips into yours. While your tongues slide over one another, Taehyung’s hand slips down your thighs between your legs. Both men’s fingers alternate from rubbing your bundle of nerves and pushing inside you. 

“Is your name Jingle Bells?” Seokjin quips.

“Please don’t,” you moan while Taehyung nibbles your earlobe, sending electricity through your bones.

“Cause you feel ready to go all the way.”

“I can’t believe she married you,” Taehyung sasses.

Seokjin chuckles as he pushes himself slowly into you. Taehyung lifts your leg slightly and pushes himself in as well. The fullness of them both dragging against your walls has you mewling between them.

You decide to take a page from Seokjin’s pun book, pulling his lips toward yours and cradling Taehyung’s nape.

“Merry Christmas, ya filthy animals.”

[yagamisdiary]

I have a love hate relationship with the fact that you enjoy making us suffer throughout the entirety of your books and making us think they will have a bad ending just to give us the best possible endings ever 🥲 ugh i love you so much youre my favorite author ever, while im here i apologize for the incoming paragraphs but i just need to say it:

1. Idk how you do it but the book covers you choose are always so perfect like?? Idk if im explaining myself but i feel like they capture the vibes of the books perfectly

2. Ok now this is kinda personal and i dont mean to sound like im venting, but have you ever read a fic that impacted you so much to the point where you find yourself still thinking about it to this day 😭 bc that's how i feel about both of ur books, they're so beautifully written and i'm always thinking about the characters or going back to read random parts of the books (edit: i had this paragraph written way before parasite was removed okay but i started rereading eldia yesterday because im truly heartbroken, devastated, downcast, miserable, dejected and inconsolable by the fact that its finished)

I discovered you in july-ish 2021 during parasite era but didnt actually read it until june 2022, i was devastated when i finished it but also had to cleanse my soul cause i accidentally burnt my self out during the last few chapters (i mean it in a good way lol, it was rlly hard to read the last 2 chapters 🙇‍♀️ they were written really well and i felt unsettled while reading the beginning of y/ns whole breakdown, i could feel the gloomy depressed vibe it had if you get what i mean), so anyway i moved on to Eldia. At that time, it was fairly new so there were only like 10 or 11 chapters, ive been keeping up with Eldia ever since and its truly bittersweet to see it end like i was literally full on sobbing for no reason 🥲 probably the sentiment of being a reader for 2 years idk lol. Anyway what im trying to say is that your books were one of the only things that helped me escape reality in 2022, i didnt really find joy in anything and hated my life, however ive definitely improved ever since, so im honestly rlly thankful for you Amara 💕

Edit: i just know it sounds stupid and youre probably tired of hearing the same thing over and over, but i've had this written out for like 5 months and was kinda scared to send it because i felt like it was corny, but with Eldia's resolution i felt encouraged seeing all these people tell you what they think :P so sorry for the long ass paragraph lmao, i just needed to say it because i know in 10 years ill be a grown ass woman and still thinking about these books, theyre attached to my brain forever (like a parasite, ironic)

Ok so i doubt ppl will read this (or that you'll even read all of it) so if you reached the end i must say that you actually ate with the baby names in Eldia 🤭 im saying it here to avoid accidentally spoiling anyone but Andromeda 😪 i remember in early july i sent you an anon ask saying that i pictured you as a girl mom and even listed a few names, i was gonna list Andromeda so its kinda funny to me 😭 and Elrose?? Andromeda is my fav name but Elrose grew on me and i actually rlly like it, idk why it just sounds and looks so satisfying OMG DAMN I JUST SCROLLED UP AND DID I REALLY WRITE ALL OF THAT?? IM SO SORRY AMARA 😭😭 i definitely had way more to say but i feel bad now, it was gonna be an anonymous ask but atp i'll just let it be public

to conclude i must say that whenever someone asks me what my favorite books are, i hate that im not able to say "Oh my favorite books are parasite and eldia" because they're considered fanfics and not 'real books', i think thats really stupid, not only because fanfiction is just as valid as what ppl consider 'real books' but because there are so many fanfictions turned into real books or movies?? Ok im done (for now) but as you can tell im not really good at going straight to the point sorry for writing about 10 paragraphs love you queen vivan las escritoras latinas 🤞

1. honestly i find a pic that fits the vibe i want the book to give before i even write the story then i just somehow find a way to incorporate the cover

ex) eldia’s cover is jean with wine all over him, iykyk there’s an exact scene in eldia that references the cover

2. thank u so much 🥲 the ppl who have stuck around the longest always say the most sweet stuff bc yall really have been alongside me for so many years now and were like growing together which is kinda cool

3. i wanted a name that had ambrose and elijah both in it and it was either elrose or embrose but i ended up liking elrose more, embrose was too similar to ambrose

4. i don’t mind the length of the message at all! i love love love reading all the stuff i receive and the ones that are the longest stick with me the most. 🫶🏼

[kittycatpopprincess]

One thing I've noticed, generally speaking, when witnessing, or even participating in, discussions about trans narratives in media where cis people are involved is the willful refusal of any possible trans perspective in media

This is something that obviously happens a lot in discussions about anime, which has a rich history of gender non-conforming and straight up canonically LGBT characters. While I will not pretend to be an expert on Japanese culture and politics regarding LGBT topics and representation, it's clear that there is a genealogy to be made, dating back from Osamu Tezuka's Princess Knight to the character of Hideri in Blend S or Astolfo in the Fate series, while including a number of works like The Rose of Versailles and its protagonist Oscar or Utena Tenjou from Revolutionary Girl Utena, or even Ryuunosuke Fujinami from Urusei Yatsura.

Ryuunosuke particularly came as a surprise to me. Watching the 2022 version of the Urusei Yatsura series, I went in blind, not knowing much about the series, and was struck by how her entire arc and narrative, despite her being a cis woman, is overwhelmingly transgender. Her longing to be understood and recognised by her father as who she is rather than who the father in question perceives her to be, the maladroit yet sympathetic way she experiences her first moments of feeling affirmed in her gender identity; Ryuunosuke is a trans women in every way shy of birth and name.

There's the rub however. It's difficult to say what defines a character, and this is something that probably shifts from case to case. It also depends heavily on the type of story being told. There is something to be said, however, about good characters being more than their words. Essentially, what will often define a character is not just what they say/do, and what is said of them, but it's how they do it, how they interact with the world around them, how they fit into this world or how they sometimes don't. In this sense, Ryuunosuke is a transgender woman, because the way she interacts with the world is an overtly trans one.

This is something that becomes more complicated when narratives become open to interpretation. Yume Nikki, an independent video game which has, over time, become a cult classic, is often noted as being a very disarming and confusing experience. Some themes seem clear and reoccuring throughout the game, where the purpose it to walk through the main character's dreams. Of course, many people have since then tried to draw meaning from the game, and to piece together a meanng from the dreams of this woman named Madotsuki. Particularly, a lot of those themes have to do with bodies, both yonic and phallic imagery seeming present throughout the game, and at times being an apparent source of detress for Madotsuki. From there, one of the theories that has emerged from the game is that Madotsuki might be transgender. It should be noted that, due to the open ended nature of the game, nothing has ever been confirmed as far as I'm aware, and though this theory is not necessarily the most popular one, it's not without arguments or pertinence. Sadly, as I have witnessed myself, it seems to be often met with absolute vitriol, with claims that the people recognising themselves in Madotsuki and their dreams are inserting themes of gender identity where there's none, and citing the lack of explicit references to a potential trans identity in a game where any kind of explicit reference to anything is almost non-existant.

Another work in which I have seen the trans narratives be rejected is The Matrix. Written and directed by two trans women, this is a movie that has, over the years, been subject to many analyses and theories regarding its meaning. From Plato to New Age spiritualities, the many interpretations are a testament to the richness and depth of the themes developped in the movie hereas well. The trans interpretation, one of many in this instance, (And one that Lana Wachowski has admitted was, though unintended at first, very true and related to her own experiences as a then-closeted trans woman) is one that deserves just as much regard as any other, and yet I've seen shut down immediately for lack of literal proof. Essentially, The Matrix can never be a trans allegory because Neo doesn't come into the Neb's kitchen one morning to announce he is coming out as trans to the whole crew.

So we end up with a question that seems, to me, important. What makes a transgender character trans? Ironically enough, trans characters in media are finding themselves with the burden to prove their transness. Declared cis until otherwise proven, the question remains of how to prove a character is trans. The answer, I think, lies in the function of coming out in many works of fiction. It is, on the one hand, didactic. It reassures the cis viewer that this trans character is not hostile, that they are willing to take the time and be patient enough to explain their identity as well as answer any question the cis characters, and through them the viewer, might have. On the other hand, it is othering. The character's transness becomes a thing they explain, rather than something they live. They are trans, yes, but not in the way cis characters are cis. They stop being who they are and become who they say they are, which is to say that their character is no longer defined through their themes and narratives, but has to apologetically present themselves as trans so the cis viewer might not accidentally perceive them as deeply human as any other cisgender character. For many people, what makes a character trans is how to offer themselves to the voyeuristic cis gaze.