#all we remember are the ken songs all we remember is how funny ken was

[bunniepaws]

the longer time gets from when i saw the barbie movie the more upset i get abt it……………….

[adamwatchesmovies]

Barbie (2023)

2023’s Barbie turned out to be a pretty big deal. Not only is it Warner Bros. Studios’ highest-grossing film ever, it also received rave reviews and was directed by Greta Gerwig, who co-wrote it with Noah Baumbach. Some say it proves that art is dead, that the bad guys have won, that even the artists with the most pristine integrity can be bought and sold like plastic dolls by soulless corporations. I say it proves there are no bad premises, only bad executions. When someone talented really cares about a project, they can turn even what some might call a commercial into a great, memorable, stylish and surprisingly thoughtful piece of art.

In Barbieland, all of the Barbies, Kens, and other Mattel dolls live in harmony - playing at the beach, working at their prestigious jobs and doing everything the children in the real world have them do. When Stereotypical Barbie (Margot Robbie as “Barbie”) suddenly develops bad breath, and flat feet, then begins thinking about death, she travels to the real world to confront the child who’s been playing with her. Along for the ride is Beach Ken (Ryan Gosling as “Ken”). While Barbie is horrified to discover that the real world is not the ideal matriarchy she imagined, Ken is fascinated.

The movie Barbie most resembles is 2014’s The Lego Movie. Like it, Barbie is a frequently goofy and surreal comedy featuring a beloved children’s brand. It is also colorful, with many stylish visual flares that prove the people in charge have a deep and loving appreciation for the property. When Barbie leaves her bedroom to eat breakfast, she doesn’t take the stairs; she floats down to the ground floor. It’s because that's the way the dolls move when little girls play with them. If you look at the movie, you’ll see many of the various Barbies Mattel has sold over the years appear in cameo roles or roles you think are cameos (but turn out to be much more). Some of the Kens and Barbies we see aren’t even official Barbies but are part of the doll’s history, such as Kate McKinnon's “Weird Barbie” - the Barbie whose hair got cut up, has broken hips and weird “makeup” applied all over her face. Like The Lego Movie, Barbie has the occasional musical number and eventually leaves the made-up play world to visit the real world - a way for it to become more than just an ultra-colorful, super stylish adventure with costumes that are sure to win it awards.

There’s a lot to unpack in this film. Some of it you might anticipate from Barbie's trip to our world. Every 10 years or so, a mob with torches and pitchforks rises up to condemn Barbie for projecting unrealistic beauty standards upon little girls but never before has the character of Barbie actually been confronted with those criticisms; it’s always been the people at Mattel who’ve been on the receiving end. Obviously, in reality, it’s because Barbie isn’t real, but this movie asks “What if she WAS real? How would she take these criticisms? What would she say about them?” I don’t know how Greta Gerwig and Noah Baumbach did it but they convinced Mattel to all sorts of things I would’ve never expected. The movie also makes some strong points - all while being funny and going in unexpected directions.

Barbie is one of the most memorable movies in recent years. Even if you don’t remember the exact song that played during the Beach Battle, you’ll remember what the choreography was like while it played. You’ll remember Margot Robbie’s outfits, the visuals showing how her and Ryan Gosling’s characters travel from Barbieworld to our world, what the offices at Mattel look like, the wonderfully bizarre interpretation of its board of directors, the sets, Barbie's interactions with Gloria (America Ferrera) & her daughter Sasha (Ariana Greenblatt) and the way it made you laugh. It’s got so much going on you could rewatch it several times and find something new in the visuals or the dialogue. There’s a point made about what role the Kens have in society, particularly at the end regarding how much Mattel/the rest of the world cares about them that still has me smiling long after the movie is over.

My only criticisms towards Barbie are that a) it probably could’ve been slimmed by about 10 minutes and b) it’s so successful that we’re all but guaranteed to have a sequel and I can’t imagine a follow-up being as fresh and satisfying as this original. I know there are people who will not be interested despite all the positive word of mouth. To them, I say you’re missing out. This is a great film that just happens to be about a plastic doll made by a giant corporation. It does so much with its premise, that I'm still in shock. (Theatrical version on the big screen, August 11, 2023)

[twilightknight17]

P3R while I was gone, part 1:

Featuring my very first reversed social link ever, delicious pancakes, and a marriage proposal!

But first, yet another cat on floor 100-whatever of Tartarus.

...you and me both, kitty. Still don’t know how the fuck you got here.

My next outing with Elizabeth takes us to school, which… maybe we should have done at a different time.

Oh man, wait, can you change your clothes? Liz in a Gekkoukan uniform would be--

……..nevermind. God. X’D

So we’re off into the school. Apologies in advance for my weird cousin, everyone. She’s, uh, from abroad.

The school store only sells bread. Which… I don’t actually know if school lunch is a thing in Japan. Gekkoukan doesn’t seem to have a cafeteria or anything.

Jesus christ there are people in here.

Huh. Never seen Liz “unsettled” before. Interesting. Add some more points to the “the Velvet attendants are pretty human after all” column.

After some other activities, we end up in the music room!

I am, actually! But it was the Long-Nose Song before. Although, I guess I don’t remember that, since it was in the Abyss of Time. Liz is good at piano, though, which… I would hope so, considering she lives with Nameless. He’s probably given all the siblings at least a few lessons.

Elizabeth enjoyed her trip to school, and it’s… really nice to get to see mundane things through the eyes of someone who has never experienced them.

Awwwwww. I really hope that at some point she changes her mind about going out at night, so we can visit Escapade.

Anyway, all of my social links are not ready to rank up, except the Gourmet King, so I guess we’ll go spend time with him.

...great.

The guy who walks up is the thug from the previous rank, who the guy hired to, presumably, beat Suemitsu up. Minato tries to tell him to just stop, and honestly, both dialogue options were pretty blunt and probably rude. But I don’t even feel bad.

……….you know what, yes. I’m hotter than you. Lots of people are. You didn’t have to join a cult over it.

FINE. Whatever. I’ll get you next time. I don’t think you’d have responded any better to the other dialogue option, but whatever.

Suemitsu leaves with the thugs, and Minato, because he’s too good of a person, goes after them.

Honestly, I don’t know what I’m doing here. I really don’t care about you, tbh. But my Moon link un-reversed, so I guess that was a scripted thing.

...maybe I can do a “reverse all links” run at some point. That might be funny, to see how fast I can piss off everyone I know. XDDDD

The thugs decided this wasn’t worth it, so after leaving Suemitsu to sort himself out, I head home to study for my midterms.

“Fun”. Akihiko, you think all the weirdest things are fun.

But the next day, he wants to hang out, so let’s have some more fun!

...oh. Oh.

He wanted to make them for everyone in the dorm, to cheer people up.

I guess this is where my Minato learned that making pancakes is the ideal food after a rough time. P3 retroactively justifying parts of Hours for me is absolutely incredible.

I mean, yeah. You shouldn’t.

He says that this is all he can do right now, but… it’s enough, Akihiko. It’s enough.

Anyway, time passes, midterms start tomorrow, and everyone I live with continues to be weird.

You wanted to watch us study. Ken, please. God. Just go get your books and come study with us.

...hehehehe

This is a new episode, I think. I’m delighted. <3

And, finally, it’s time to wrap up Maiko’s social link, so I can have two that are properly maxed out!

Of course we will. You’re not getting rid of me that easily.

We spend her last rank-up running around the playground, before finally climbing up to just hang out and sit.

Maiko has important things on her mind, though.

I’ll think about it, munchkin.

She gives you a bead ring, which, I dunno. Is Maiko seven? I didn’t give her a treasure in return, so I think I’m safe from being trapped in a childhood marriage promise.

...it’s really cute, though. I… Well. There’s no way to see what would happen if they met again. But I think it would be funny to remind her of this when she’s a teenager. ^_^

Next time: the last Full Moon

[nessa007]

ppl who said Ryan was "too old" are about to be proved wrong by that box office $$$$$ he's about to rake in. he's hilarious and perfect for this role. and also gorgeous??? A TRUE BEAUTY KEN. "I saw a ken face down in the mud and texted Greta a pic with I must tell this man's tale" xD also there's never a person (until RECENTLY) saying the female actors aren't cast old enough (I'm not taking about Margo). The viral moment a little while ago was when Emmy Rossum was cast as Tom Holland's mom (and it's only because it's Tom hype it was noticed, I love him but still this has been happening since cinema has existed) she's only ten years older than him. That just happened in a Jessica Chastain movie like two years ago and no one said anything. My neices were watching a utube soap and I kid you not the "mom" was the SAME AGE. It's every movie; every show. I'm so happy Halle was cast as Ariel - appropriate age!!! I understand productions cast older teens/young adults rather than kids because then they can cut corners with union rights/demands like kids needing more breaks and parents on sets and like... basic human decency. also shows like R!verdale have teens sleeping together every weeek and sexy shots yada yada that actual teens WOULD NOT be permitted to do in filming (thank god they have intimacy coordinators now FINALLY). I forget who pointed it out, but you never see a news woman with grey hair. On a man it's distinguished on a woman it's ugly or she's a crone. I'll watch movies where they cast a 30 something woman and make her 50 by graying her hair. Like wtf? Anytime I'm watching a high school scene with a friend I say "none of those people are high schoolers". I'm an actor who's repeatedly told I AM LUCKY MY FACE LOOKS YOUNGER THAN I AM. This is going to last me about what 3 years? 2? I was just basically let go from a gig because FB feedback on photos were I looked "too old" for a character and it was because our boss was casting TEENAGERS illegally so yeah, of course I'm going to look about 80 years old (at 31) next to a 13 year old. She said "we're going to cast you as older roles" yeah we NEVER get requests for those. I wonder why. Okay, sorry for the rant... These reasons are why I'm so happy for Ryan. Prove the haters wrong and hopefully more light is shed on this too old/too young/ageism issue as a whole. Perfect moments and the movie hasn't even come out: THE JUST KEN SONG I DIDN'T KNOW WOULD HAPPEN JUST DROPPED?!

He thought of the KEN underwear!!

he's not afraid to poke fun at himself, wear pink a whole movie and funny outfits and dye his hair - so many "action movie" macho men actors would NEVER. this is the same guy from Blade Runner, Drive, The Gray Man (lol for their shoutout to his Ken)

the tassel shaking, "I'll need clicky pen", the changing scenery and outfits montage, rock paper scissors, crossing his fingers when he asks barbie if he can come over xD EVERY MOMENT IS PERFECT.

yeah, sadly ageism is always gonna be a thing with hollywood and especially for women.

i don’t care how old ryan is, he is PERFECT in this role and that’s just judging from the few clips and trailers released. i love seeing all the early reviews saying this will be the role he is remembered for and he steals every scene he’s in 👏👏👏 i’m so excited to see the movie, especially for ryan !!!

[wanderingandfound]

Went with my coworkers to watch the Barbie movie. Mega spoilers below. What I can say without spoilers is that this is a movie you should watch with friends/acquaintances, but a full theater could substitute. I had fun.

The good:

I was laughing so much and so was our teen intern and a lot of other people in the theater.

The props and costumes!

Margo Robbie!!!!!

The... disappointing? The negative criticisms:

So many truths were dropped as jokes and it was funny and well-paced but for a movie that is constantly talking about how bad the patriarchy is... it doesn't grapple with it or seem to have anything to say? Which isn't surprising because I knew going into it it was basically an ad for a toyline, but I didn't expect so many explicit call outs of systemic and structural misogyny, which is why I'm left wishing there had been a point the film was trying to make. It's like everything was lampshaded and never analyzed.

The set up, given by a voice-of-god narrator, is that in Barbieland the Barbies think misogyny is solved in the real world because of them. And then the ending has the protagonist, Stereotypical Barbie, saying she wants to be one of the people shaping the ideas, not one of the dolls shaped by those ideas. It turns out Gloria had been shaping her, by dreaming up Cellulite Barbie and Constantly Thinking About Death Barbie (I forget the exact phrase the movie used) and Sad Barbie. You would think this would be the plot of the movie. This is what caused Stereotypical Barbie's malfunctioning, what ignited the call to adventure. This is what Barbie's last big decision was about. You would be wrong (we'll get there). Maybe I'm just spoiled by Discworld (and something else did this too... ugh I can't remember) but like, the interplay of belief between humans and their gods? How they both shape and form each other? That is my absolute jam and they could have done so much with it and they seemed like they were going to! And they technically did something with it but like, I dunno, to me it felt like the something they did do was deserving of a 22 minute episode in a 26 episode season, not a full theatrical movie with a star-studded cast. Oh no, in the real world the toys got weird. The plot in the toy world wasn't even caused directly by human beliefs but rather by a toy's belief.

Okay there's nothing in the movie to contradict asexual!Barbie so that's great but uh, now that it's out I don't want to keep seeing ace!Ken jokes/implications that this is actual real representation because uh...

...the plot is that Ken is an incel.

Seriously.

He has a song about how it sucks to be in the Friendzone.

He brings patriarchy to Barbieland and brainwashes all the other Barbies to be subservient to Kens because he loved that in the real world he was finally given the time of day.

For a bit I was worried that the movie would try and pull a "misandry is just as bad as misogyny" thing because he did kinda have 1 valid complaint in the beginning, but thankfully it didn't.

Anyways I know there are ace people who genuinely like kissing, but I don't think a character who makes multiple unwanted advances to the same character is like, innately representation. Even if he does lack genitalia.

On a related note, with spoilers for the very last moment pre-credits, I don't know how I feel about the only action we see Barbie take as a human rather than a doll is attending a gynecologist appointment. Like on one hand it was funny, and gynecologists are treated as women's doctors by society. On the other hand, the implication that being a Real Woman means having a vagina is bad. Like yes one of the Barbies is played by a trans actress, but I didn't catch anything in the movie to imply that she's a trans Barbie, you know? Like if I was watching this unaware of the internet hullabaloo, nothing in the movie would have clued me into the creators knowing that gender isn't something fixed and predetermined. Which I feel is relevant when they made a move all about gender, the patriarchy, and how humans imagine and conceptualize the world!

Related to the second bullet, Gloria has a proto-goth daughter (who unfortunately does get pinkafied) and it is absolutely clear said daughter gets some of her rage at the unfairness of the world from Gloria. And Gloria has been drawing all these Sad Barbies, which Sasha thinks is actually cool and dark. But when Sasha pushes Gloria to present her ideas to her boss, what comes out it Ordinary Barbie, who could or could not be a mom and could or could not be the president. Like I get that the point is that sadness, overwhelming thoughts of death, and cellulite are all normal, but the way Ordinary Barbie was pitched makes it really easy for the doll to be identical to Stereotypical Barbie as a toy.

They didn't deal with death at all! Like, they acknowledged that humans die and barbies don't but this was all undermined by having a human ghost in multiple emotional scenes! They dealt neither with actual death, nor how unfounded fears of others' death can make people scared and sad (huge root of my depression) or how fears of one's own death can make someone obsessed with legacy and leaving a mark (seems rather relevant for a Barbie movie with many explicit call backs to the entire history of Barbie, and for a movie that says it's about imagination and conceptualization).

I don't really know what the Executives were supposed to bring to the movie. Like, soon enough the pacing absolutely removed them from feeling like an actual threat. And they were.... cartoonish is the wrong word. They felt like they were from Barbieland, not from the Real World. I feel like they were useful for one joke about how lol, Barbie is about girlpower but all the people in charge are cis white men.

The movie makes gay men the butt of jokes and nothing more, and absolutely nothing indicated to me that they know gay women exist.

This should be higher up but like starting a few weeks (months?) ago the press for the movie made me worry that it was going to be too much about Ken and like, yeah, I was right. The plot isn't Barbie vs. The Real World. The plot is Barbie vs. Ken.

Well this wasn't supposed to get so long and I fell asleep while writing it but uh, ¯\_(ツ)_/¯, yeah. This movie is like the opposite of Nope in the way that when I left that theater with my siblings and dad and cousins we were analyzing nonstop about what things meant and symbolized and all that, and then the next day we had even more to say. Since then I think the only other movie I've seen in theaters has been SM:AtSV with my dad and siblings and like, okay we didn't leave the theaters theorizing but we did leave talking about how good it was (and then my siblings started talking about MCU's Spider-Man and Doctor Strange and I kinda tuned out). Vs when I left the theaters with four of my coworkers, we clearly had fun but like, there wasn't much more to say.

Like I watched Nimona by myself the other week, yeah? (Well okay, my parents came home three quarters of the way through but even though my mom was in the living room she wasn't watching the movie.) And I think that was a good use of my time and I enjoyed it, as evidenced by going through the tags on Tumblr and reblogging art and analysis. But if I had watched the Barbie movie by myself, and not in a half-full theater eager to laugh with my coworkers including one making a bunch of comments to me and some guy behind me making a bunch of comments to his friend, I think I might have felt a little emoty at the end. Like, the experience was fun but I don't think I got anything from the movie. Metaphorical potato chips/sugar candy if you will, where it tastes nice in your mouth but doesn't fuel you in either the short term or the long term.

I did have fun! But if you were expecting something more than an ad and a laugh, this is not it.

[mermaidsirennikita]

could be that that i'm getting a bit of a skewed perspective because of how my social media is curated but i'm seeing as much if not more hype around margot than ryan at this point? especially now that promo has kicked off and margot has some of the best red carpet promo styling that i've seen in recent memory.

Yeah, idk. I've seen a lot of hype around her outfits, and to be clear, these aren't just great promo outfits, but the BEST styling choices Margot has selected in basically her entire career. She is NOTORIOUS for having horrid style, lol, which I think is more noticeable because she's obviously a gorgeous, very conventionally attractive woman. Who should be easy to dress! But Kate Young is, frankly, super bad at her job and somehow botched it constantly (and not just with Margot). Andrew Mukamal started styling her more this year, and while I wouldn't say he's like... Law level, he really seems to have shown out for the Barbie press tour.

But, idk--Ken is having so much official promo dedicated to him. There's the "I'm Just Ken" song/promo tour. He's got the memorable parts of the teasers--the cheesing for the camera, the moment with the doctor, the sleepover. And the thing is, lol, Barbie is just as bland as Ken in doll form; she has more going for her, really, in that she has all the jobs. Ken just tends to get bumped up a lot in terms of being the Fun One, and to be fair that was a thing before this movie (Life in the Dreamhouse is another time I can remember Ken being the "meme worthy" one) but here it's even bigger.

I really do tend to wonder if some of it does have to do with Margot's career and rep kind of taking several hits before this. Although I loved Birds of Prey, it got zero support from DC and came out at a pretty unfortunate time; Amsterdam not only bombed, but made her look bad/hypocritical; she's gotten slammed a lot for not only the Russell association, but fawning over Brad Pitt in the press when backlash against him is rising; the 1920s movie was, I'll be honest, not only one of the worst movies I've seen in my life, but like... the pinnacle of an actress going so hard for an actor and ending up looking cringe as hell. You saw the attempt at rallying around her performance in online spaces, but she was never in serious contention because the truth was that the movie did laughably bad and her role was also really, really bad.

Whereas Ryan has been at this shit forever and had every form of image he could have without ever getting too bad. He was a teenybopper, he was a Rising Serious Star, he was a heartthrob, he was a part of a major tabloid relationship, he stepped back and settled down and became known as a wife and kids guy, he's done action, he's done comedy, he's tried real hard for an Oscar but, and this may be crucial lol, took time off after that didn't work. I'm not a stan, but I think he's been pretty smart about his career (and of course, had the benefit of being a cis white dude).

Idk. Margot just had a lot of bombs in a row for an actress in this stage of her career, in one case a LEGENDARILY major bomb; and we all know how harsh execs can be. But all of it could be my social media feed as well, where I think a lot of my mutuals are kind of over her. And part of it could also be the execs not knowing how to sell this movie and using Ken to be like "look how funny it is" because feminism is scary, even when it's the most basic, simplistic feminism on earth as Greta movies tend to specialize in.

[zalrb]

SKINS REWATCH - CASSIE

1. I will never get tired of this theme song.

2. And again, Cassie waking up in a gross room with a bunch of passed out teens would be a “statement” in Euphoria, in Skins, this is just the lifestyle for these teens. The reason why Cassie is feeling a type of way right now isn’t because they partied but because it involved food.

3. But seriously, this is really gross, lmao.

4. “Michelle, it’s me, Cas.” “Crazy bitch. Never fucking eats.” Yep, I’m leaving your ass to sleep in so your mother comes home and freaks the fuck out.

5. I said that if Jal were with them last episode, they would never get into a brawl with posh kids and then drive a stolen car into the river but I mean, she was there for this disgusting food party and now they’re all jumping out of Michelle’s house in their underwear, so.

6. Cassie’s episode is actually pretty dark/sad considering that no one is actually leaving her notes to eat but she manifests that Sid is sending her texts/leaving her notes in her mind because a) she knows she needs help and she wants to eat b) she wants someone to actually see her/care about her enough to notice that she isn’t eating and she wants it to be Sid.

7. Also Cassie’s parents

would be Delena as parents

But actually, they leave Cassie to feed her infant brother so they can go upstairs and have sex

which Cassie can hear

8. Lol there are no responsible adults in this world.

9. I also love that the woman checking Cassie out of the institution is the mother of Abigail who’s the posh girl’s party they went to in the first episode, such a great callback “Carpets were ruined!”

10. And the Mad Twatter being in Group. Great tie-ins.

11. POSH KEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MY LOVE

12. Lol it’s funny how I did an essay on feeling represented in Skins because Jal code switches when she’s at home with her brothers and when she’s at school and the slang the Black kids use is patois (Jamaican) and it’s the same in Toronto.

13. Sid, that looks like a truly disgusting lunch.

14. I would not continue eating my fries if someone reached over and rearranged them.

15. And Cassie showing how she gets away with not eating is always a really good scene, a really heartbreaking scene and it’s also a part of the flow of the show without it being like AND WE ARE MAKING A STATEMENT HERE.

16. Sid’s vague protection of Cassie when Tony is a complete dick is sweet. But also, lol, Sid. I remember a friend who LOVED Sid and I was like ............ OK. I don’t hate him, just, bold choice.

17. Lmao Chris yelling THAT’S ANGIE is just lol. Obviously that relationship is entirely problematic and should not have happened but Chris is sweet. Which is WHY he shouldn’t have fucking DIED.

18. I like how no one just thinks to ask for a bit of money from their parents and pool it but it’s also just very teen. We’ll think of a solution to keep you from being worked over by an unhinged drug dealer ............................... well I have sociology.

19. Nice ending. I’ve watched Skins a few times over the years but I think this is the first time I’ve ever thought that Alan was a figment of Cassie’s imagination.

[the-firebird69]

The coolest life is never smooth sailing, but turbulent waves. As long a...

We have this huge discussion about what you're saying really so I don't know how it really went. It goes like this. We made Pontiac it's been around for years everybody had one the thing came out with the empire ships in the seventies and the only s*** almost. All these Max. There are different groups really that's two. So they both wanted it and they're fighting over these Pontiacs and they saw you had one so they had to try and get rid of it from you and that's all John remillard needs so that's one side point but the other one is they're fighting over it for years and it was over 40 years before it came to fruition but the car was symbolic and there were a lot of fights and these guys think that it helps now they're fighting overused ones and what we say is and you did his they're making new ones they're bigger better faster with the new armor and they work real well so Pontiac is probably going to be a go and yeah don't talk about this stupid crap in that way you're an idiot just what if I get the firebird I'll be going to date yeah okay we'll see how it goes then that's enough

Hera

Zues

We've actually had enough for you I don't want to hear this talk but you're probably the only compatible one on earth so I have to put up with it. I know I'm not compatible I heard it doesn't do anything and not from her and ever shut up and Carmen is probably having to send back to the computer so she cares about and could be true yeah but really yeah and this is how it goes I remember those days a lot will and it's true

Ken

I certainly got this you're saying over in code it says no it's the white man noise that's very funny it's not really a white man but here it goes to our people you're all bunch of idiots you clones who are made by Dave or something really is probably the max that's fun the max they do good we'll see what they really think. The last firebird he had went flying on the beach and it's symbolic and they want to grab ones from them probably that they make to do that with to his or bases so we don't have any cars they made and there's the key there's the math and yeah he's supposed to get a firebird and he designed one he designed several but we know he designs

Trump

I don't want to talk while this enderman in songs on Eminem Jesus Christ so here we go we have a car and an analogy to the sand into the accident and he says I can just drive on sand and it doesn't do to me but really these days it's kind of weak but with the company up and running it would be real

Timmy d

Where are they making cars and how we supposed to get them to make cars that's ridiculous and they say You're supposed to make an offer or something instead of these huge b****

Trump

I got to tell you it's going on for way too long

Sarah

Have to get something done this is such a pain in the ass

Jason

Well we have the idea of the concept the analogy the code all that stuff we're just sitting here doing nothing yeah you would have a firebird eventually yippee who cares that s*** says he's growing out of it no more flying cars for him then fly too much it was too heavy

Mac daddy

Olympus

[cosettepontmercys]

Hi!!! I totally missed talking to you too! I would love to hear about the performance or festival! It sounds super cool and I've never been to one. I hope it was amazing. I totally agree that the surprise songs are a nice bonus and how it makes every show different and special no matter what. I totally agree about the Folklore dresses..they are my favorite next to Speak Now. Unfortunately I didn't get to go to the Paramore show the other night which is a huge bummer. It just didn't work out at the last minute. But I finally saw the Barbie movie last night! It was pretty good. There were some things that surprised me still even if I got stuff spoiled. I loved all the pink stuff and the Ken stuff. It managed to be funny but also kinda heartfelt and real. Like even America's speech..even though it felt on the nose at times, it was kinda nice to hear her say it in a simple relatable way and it did make me think about being a woman. It had a lot of good themes and ideas but almost felt like two different movies...and I guess because of the two settings. It made it a little different than what I expected though and I don't even know what I was expecting either. I loved the I'm Just Ken song and scene! It makes me happy that he got to sing in another movie again haha. I guess they are still working on a La La Land stage version but I haven't heard anything else about it. I'm curious what other kinda songs could be in your musical version. I could definitely see a welcome to Barbie land song and maybe a song for Weird Barbie. I could see it being similar to Mamma Mia I guess. I love Megan Fahy as a choice and I loved her in the Bold Type and then I found out she was in Next to Normal. I'll watch the videos you posted too. Gavin Creel and Jen Coella seem perfect haha. I was lucky to see Gavin as Cinderellas prince/wolf in Into the Woods last month and he was funny so he'd be great in this. That's so awesome about getting Hadestown tickets! I'd definitely say it was one of my favorites in the last few years and to see live. I haven't actually listened to the new Sweeney Todd yet but I guess I'd recommend the original cast with Angela Lansbury as Mrs Lovett, but I've also seen Patti Lupone. For Rent, sometimes I just like hearing the songs compared to watching the show..like you can get most of the plot from the cast recording even if you're unfamiliar. That is sooo cool about Newsies!!! Did you get to see Jeremy Jordan? I've seen the proshot a ton of times anyway but I'm so curious. I also enjoyed and would recommend SMASH since we are talking about musical shows lol. But Schmigadoon was the same way with all of the references and stuff. Also who did you see in Waitress? I still watch the Tony's and try to keep up with it but I feel like the revivals were better than new musicals this year or that's what I was familiar with and I didn't listen to any cast recordings. I used to always do that before the Tony's with any new show but I didn't this year..but I will eventually. It's really hard for me to know who should win Tony's since I usually like most musicals. The only ones that I don't really like are the bio ones that's also jukebox cuz they all seem similar to me. I have a musical sideblog so I do try to keep up with it and I love all your gifs. You have great taste in musicals. I love anything Sondheim and those are great picks. Spring Awakening is also a favorite of mine! I forgot the rest of your list but I think I'm familiar with most of them. Also that's pretty cool about the Notebook musical and I'm sorry it wasn't good. Maybe some things shouldn't be a musical and I can't really imagine the songs translating well or how many songs it would be but at least you liked the actors. I'd be curious to hear more about it if you wanna share! I thought it could have potential with Ingrid Michaelson. I think I saw a clip of Joy Woods singing Suddenly Seymour from Little Shop if I'm remembering correctly and her voice is so good!

hellooooo friend!! i went to lollapalooza last week, which was my first music festival and it was a lot, but also really fun! i definitely am not an outdoorsy girl, and i was not as prepared for chicago summer heat as i should've been. i lowkey had more fun at the aftershows (for sabrina carpenter, and maisie peters), and i think if i was to do lollapalooza again, i'd probably just do aftershows and maybe not do GA for all 4 days, but just one day? there were a few sets where i was like "... i probably would have a better view and have more fun watching this on the hulu livestream", which is a little bit unfortunate, but you live, you learn! it was actually kind of scary watching so many people around me pass out, and i just ... do not think i am a festival girlie! which is fun because i have bumbershoot coming up, but it's not really a big music festival, just a very small one in seattle and i'll probably just hang out with the crafty things instead (unless the people i'm going with really want to listen to the music)! i got to see some of my favorite artists though, and it was just really, really lovely — especially holly humberstone, because i don't think i'll get the chance to see her for a while (unless she tours to seattle with her new album)! i don't think i've asked you this, but aside from paramore and taylor swift, who else do you like to listen to? 🤍 i'm sorry about paramore :( i thought of you earlier! i got a notification on my phone about cheap paramore tickets in seattle tonight and i was like oh .....! i almost caved and got tickets but i am 1) still run down from chicago/lolla + 2) i spent money on tickets this morning! but eeeee i'm glad you got the chance to see barbie!! i do agree about it feeling a little clunky / like two separate movies! i don't know what i had expected from the barbie movie, but i definitely didn't expect that! ugh i'm already thinking about how beautiful a barbie musical set would be (can you imagine the barbie house?) maybe something by jason sherwood or beowulf boritt? i just think it would be so fun!! and yes — love love love meghann fahy! she also sang a bunch of kerrigan-lowdermilk (who wrote sam brown) songs back in the day that i really like, like say the word i'm so jealous you got to see gavin in into the woods! the tour didn't come to seattle :( i've only heard the best things about gavin, and one of my close friends loves gavin creel so i was like "oh he'd be a perfect ken!" i think they finally announced the sweeney todd revival cast recording release date, so i mightttt hold off and wait till then, and then go backwards and listen to angela lansbury! i did not get to see jeremy jordan in newsies, but i have seen him live — he came to seattle with betsy wolfe to sing with the seattle symphony a couple years ago! i saw newsies on august 9th, 2014, actually (what are the odds), with corey cott, liana hunt, and ben fankhauser! i like the proshot, but i think i'm more partial to the casts i saw (and i think that jeremy and kara and ben and akb were all a little too old to play teenagers at that point)! although my favorite cast is probably actually an amalgamation of the first national tour cast — stephanie styles as katherine, joey barreiro as jack (i've actually seen him as jack twice; once on tour and once regionally), and i think i've just loved every davey i've seen! i love smash! i was talking to someone in chicago about it, actually — they were sitting at the table next to ours and i just struck up a conversation about lolla since they mentioned someone i really love and we ended up talking about broadway / smash and it was really fun! i always say i'll do a smash rewatch and then i never do, but the music is just so good! i'm super curious to see what happens with the smash musical (bombshell musical?) they're supposedly working on.

with waitress, i saw betsy wolfe & drew gehling twice on broadway, desi oakley twice on tour, and i saw alison luff & mark evans on broadway three times! my jenna ranking is probably alison then desi then betsy, and i just really liked how alison and mark played off each other (i have a soft spot for mark from when he was in the play that goes wrong). but i think my favorite jenna overall would be nicolette! i kind of stopped paying a ton of attention to waitress after it closed on broadway though! i also feel that way with this last tony season! i feel like everything now is just either a revival (no shade to revivals), or an adaptation, or a jukebox and it is very rare that an adaptation feels ... complete to me now rather than just a cash grab. it's just very disheartening, as someone who loves theatre! if/when you feel comfortable coming off anon, i'd love to follow your sideblog (and/or your main blog), but that's totally up to you! always happy to chat with you on anon 🤍 i got to see a sunday afternoon on the island of la grande jatte again in chicago, and i had a good little cry! i'm such a sondheim girlie. and that's okay; not all musicals are winners/will speak to me! i think the notebook musical just felt very ... cashgrabb-y? it did make me cry though, so there's that (not that it takes much to make me cry)! i think the songs were just kind of ... forgettable, which really sucks because i like a lot of ingrid michaelson's songs! joy woods' voice is BEAUTIFUL, and john cardoza really just stood out to me! i remember sitting in the theatre and thinking to myself "this man needs to be orpheus someday" and then went to look at his insta and realized he covered epic II from it! i was so so happy when he was cast in moulin rouge as christian; i've heard some clips of his christian and i really like him too! i think the set was beautiful too; i remember being really impressed by the rain scene! i wonder if they've reworked it for broadway, and what will be the same!

[lazysublimeengineer]

i tasted life

Title: i tasted life

Summary: He could say thousands of words laced in silky threads of affection and sweet encouragement. But he wasn’t made that way. Words were not his forte.

Character/s: Ryuuguugi "Draken" Ken, Hanagaki "Takemitchy" Takemichi, Kawaragi Senju

I tasted life

- Emily Dickinson

His jet-black jacket glistened sharply under the moonlight as they traversed back to their residences after that meeting with the Brahman. Takemichi was uncharacteristically silent as he stared straight ahead on the road. The normally bubbly and boisterous blond was reticent as he walked beside Draken who had his hands in both of his pockets. Takemichi was still processing the earlier events that had happened at that meeting which frankly looked like an underground fighting ground that reminded him of that unsanctioned street fighting led by Kiyomasa during their middle school years.

After the official announcement made by Senju about him now being a member of the Brahman, that’s when it finally hit him. He really was risking everything on the line including his life again to make Mikey’s future great and peaceful along with them. Nevertheless, Takemichi didn’t feel any anxiety or doubt within himself. He felt that he was doing the right thing and everything was falling into the right pieces.

Nevertheless, he couldn’t shake off the nagging feeling that wanted to crawl outside of his being.

“Oi. Takemitchy.”

Draken’s familiar deep and baritone voice jolted him out of his thoughts and looked up at him. Those sharp yet concerned obsidian irises were trained on him as if trying to decipher his innermost feelings and thoughts with that single gaze alone.

A warm feeling started to creep inside his chest and Takemichi resisted the urge to smile like an idiot in front of him.

“Yeah Draken-kun?” Takemichi gazed back at him curiously.

“You okay there? I can almost hear your loud, running thoughts you know.” He commented noncommittally but there was a tinge of concern beneath his nonchalant tone.

It made Takemichi chuckled slightly, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. “Ah, sorry about that Draken-kun. I got lost in my head again. Sometimes.” He smiled sheepishly at him.

It made Draken paused and just stared at Takemichi’s figure who was now walking past him. But the blond had noticed that he stopped walking and turned back to him.

“Draken-kun?”

Draken didn’t know what kind of face he was making but Takemichi looked at him with his tender, blue eyes that were devoid of malice and were just watching in genuine predilection and goodwill.

It made something inside of him break. He could say thousands of words laced in silky threads of affection and sweet encouragement. But he wasn’t made that way. Words were not his forte.

But what he lacked in words made up for the simplicity of his actions and for him that was enough.

He walked quietly towards Takemichi and stopped right in front of him. Before the other could react, his arms enveloped him in a firm yet gentle hug.

“You’re wearing that kind of face once again Takemitchy. For once, I gotta tell you to stop looking like that cause you’re not alone in this fight. Not anymore. We’ll save and bring Mikey back together. Understood?” His whisper was a gentle caress around Takemichi’s being that promised a brighter future and a dazzling ray of hope.

However, why did it feel different for Takemichi?

Why did it feel like a veil of a passing bell under the gloomy skies hung around them?

“Yeah…” Takemichi choked out a response, trying to swallow back his tears but his eyes glistened slowly. He could only return back his hug tightly as if he was afraid to let him go.

Takemichi couldn’t afford to break down and cry now even if he was on the verge of wailing like a lost kid. He promised himself that he wouldn’t lose his resolve and would just keep on fighting to make things better for all of them. Although he felt like his entire being was drowning away in quicksand, just being in Draken’s arms and firm grip seemed like a strong foundation that he can lean on.

“Thank you Draken-kun…” He whispered back and the other could only hug him back tighter in response.

“No. Thank you Takemitchy. For saving me and everyone. I’ll make sure that this will be your last mission for us.”

Takemichi’s heart quavered loudly inside his chest at his response and he wasn’t sure if it’s a good or a bad thing.

Takemichi inserted his keys into the keyhole of the front door of his house and turned on the knob. After his brief but lingering moment of respite with Draken on the road, exhaustion finally crept inside of him. All he wanted to do was to fall back on his bed and sleep the night away since he knew that he had to be prepared for the next day to come. He went inside and turned on the lights, flooding the living room with a brilliant spark of the white light.

The silence was deafening inside his house but it was nothing new.

He got used to living alone and greeting no one since his parents were busy with their own careers and lives to pay attention to him anyway.

The numbness inside his heart was growing but he chose to ignore it and just headed straight to his room upstairs when he paused all of a sudden, blinking a few times when he heard a noise.

A shiver ran down Takemichi’s spine before he steeled himself and continued making his way upstairs cautiously.

As he got nearer, he could hear someone singing. It’s like a song being played. Was the radio on?

A long, long time ago

I can still remember how that music

Used to make me smile

And I knew if I had my chance

That I could make those people dance

And maybe they'd be happy for a while

It was a smooth voice of a male singing an English song that Takemichi knew nothing about. But the tone of the song had a funny yet melancholic vibe to him for some strange reason.

He was now standing in front of his doorstep to his room.

But February made me shiver

With every paper I'd deliver

Bad news on the doorstep

I couldn't take one more step

I can't remember if I cried

When I read about his widowed bride

Something touched me deep inside

The day the music died

Takemichi swallowed thickly. His heart was hammering wildly inside his chest as his hand reached out to turn the knob of the door to open it and what greeted his line of sight made him froze and mind blanked out for a second.

So, bye-bye, Miss American Pie

Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry

And them good ol' boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye

Singin', "This'll be the day that I die

This'll be the day that I die"

In front of him was a phonograph, playing a vinyl.

And a blond male sitting in a chair with his wide eyes open and his mouth dripping with blood that went through his shirt and painted it a dark shade of crimson.

It was him.

He screamed and shot up from the bed all of a sudden. Takemichi looked around. He’s inside his own room and in his pajamas. There’s no phonograph that sounded like a death knell.

And there’s no dead doppelganger in front of him.

He was awakened from his nightmare which was dressed like a daydream.

“Hanagaki!” Senju hollered at him when he successfully tackled her on the ground and shielded her away from the bullets that the masked man shot in front of them.

“Are you alright Senju?” He asked worriedly.

“Eh?” Senju could only look up at him, still taken aback by what he did.

“I can’t let you die.” Takemichi said determinedly, staring at her intently which made the other gawk at him in silence, a slight blush marring her cheeks.

“Die Hanagaki!” The masked man screamed at them and shot at them again with his gun.

Takemichi could only close his eyes tightly as he waited for the bullets to land on his body.

But it never came.

“You good Takemitchy?” Draken drawled out as he glanced at him before approaching the masked men who grew fearful of him and dropped their guns, running away.

It made Takemichi opened his eyes and stared at Draken with wide eyes.

“Thank you so much Draken-kun…” There was gratefulness behind his voice.

Draken smiled wryly before he kicked the gun away. “They got the nerve to attack with such dangerous weapons.”

After Takemichi made sure that Senju’s completely okay, he went towards Draken’s spot and quickly leaned closer to his ear to whisper something.

“Let’s keep us it between us, but… Just now, I was able to foresee the future.”

It made Draken’s eyes wide for a fraction of a second.

“In that future, I saw Senju protecting me. I’ve prevented that outcome.” Takemichi continued to whisper seriously to him.

Meanwhile, Senju was looking at both of them with a curious yet perplexed expression on her face.

“What are you guys whispering about?” She asked.

“It’s all thanks to you Draken-kun. We’ve successfully changed one future!”

“Is that so…” Draken had a wistful smile on his face afterward. “Then I’m glad.”

“Hey, I think we gotta go! We’ll be in trouble if someone gets here!” Senju cut off their whisperings towards each other with a worried reminder.

Takemichi immediately sprang into action. “Ah, you’re right!”

They’re both running now when Takemichi noticed that Draken was just standing there and not doing anything.

“Draken-kun?” He paused and called out hesitantly.

His back was still turned to him when Draken spoke his words. “Takemichi… Please tell this to Mikey…”

“Huh?”

“Don’t cause too much trouble…”

“What are you talking about?! You tell him yourse-.”

He stopped midsentence when Draken crumpled down to the ground like a ragdoll.

Takemichi felt like a cold bucket of water was spilled on him as his eyes grew wide as saucers and stood frozen for a moment.

“I’ve done all I can do.” Draken murmured with a peaceful smile on his lips as his eyes watched dazedly on the raindrops that pelted on his body.

I started singin', bye-bye, Miss American Pie

Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry

Them good ol' boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye

Singin', "This'll be the day that I die

This'll be the day that I die"

(A/N: The day I own these characters is the day that my fanfic is the bestselling novel on the market which will never happen. Inspired by the events from chapter 221 of the manga. Senju lived. Mikey finally appeared. But at what cost? Also, I was listening to the song American Pie by Don Mclean when I was writing this fic and it fits since behind that upbeat yet lazy tone of the singer, the lyrics and the message of the song are quite tragic. Which honestly fits into the latest chapter of the manga. Lastly, where the hell is Wakasa? He only appeared for 2 chapters and I missed him already. I need to see him in the next chapter to free me from the angsty land of the latest chapter. Reviews are entertaining. So, let me hear them from you.)

[tigris-types]

How to fix Barbie: Big City Big Dreams

Give it more screen time.

And I have some ideas how to fill up that screen time, spoilers below.

So this movie was only an hour and I feel the story was trying be similar to Rockn Royals with spotlight solo at the end, but it didn't have as strong of a story as Rockn Royals. More screen time could help with this, but I think changing the conflict a little would work too. Here is how I see my "rewrite" going:

Movie opens up the same with the daydream and meeting Brooklyn. They still arrive a day early, but they don't become best friends right away. They figure out nicknames and start to unpack. They sing about what their goals are for the program. Brooklyn sees this as a stepping stone to Broadway, Malibu sees this as an opportunity to extend her viewership by gaining more skills (continuing the goal from princess adventure). Both want the spotlight solo and know of it beforehand. This song sets up their motivations and our expectations for the plot.

They finish unpacking, still have time left in the day, and even though they are competitors, and Brooklyn has lost friends over competition before (as mentioned in the song), she agrees to show Malibu around New York. They become friendlier towards each others, but idk if I would want to use Before US here or not. (I think I have a better place for it)

The conversation happens on the subway as it does, they make their pact. And Barbie doesn't fall asleep, she is on California time, and shouldn't get tired until after Brooklyn who is on NY time. Brooklyn however mentions jet lag and how her mom is a pilot so she knows if they don't return now, Malibu will regret it the next day.

This is where we get Malibu sleeping in as they attend the first day. They have the announcement for the spotlight solo and the hint that Lee is more than she seems. Malibu is falling behind and they sing Work It. Ken calls, Barbie mentions how she doesn't know how Brooklyn does it, and he suggests she asks her. Ken also says, "I believe you can be anything" because I think it would be a funny way to bring in the tag line for Barbie dolls.

Anyways, she she ends up asking Brooklyn, and even though they are competitors, Malibu says competition is about bringing out the best in each other. So Brooklyn helps, they become better friends and then you have Before Us, but more focused on surviving class than exploring New York.

The song ends with one of the teachers praising Malibu and Brooklyn is just a twinge jealous. As they leave class, they run into Gato and meet Rafa. Now that classes have begun, it makes since he would already have dresses prepared (instead of on the first day, cause that made no sense to me).

Brooklyn and Malibu go the park, try on the dresses, they work with spinning, maybe we should mention this to Rafa. Same as movie.

They return to class and reminders for auditions for the spotlight solo are either heard or seen in posters. Malibu and Brooklyn comment on how they both want it, but it would be even better if they could win it together. (This line is a set up for later)

They meet Lee at the cafeteria and her identity is revealed, same as the movie. And idk, I feel like there should be another song here, maybe about Brooklyn's and Lee's past and how fame isn't all that great. This is a musical, and there could have been more songs.

The day next Lee's dad comes and they have their confrontation. Rafa films class and the accident. Malibu assures Brooklyn it is an accident and while she mostly believes her, Brooklyn does know competition can do crazy things to people. She suspious, but brushes it off.

In this version, I'm not sure how Good Vibes would work. Maybe the lyrics are rewritten and its about lifting each other up instead. It's a call back to how Malibu asked Brooklyn for help, and now Malibu can help Brooklyn. Both girls help Rafa with the spinning-shimmer dresses, and Malibu helps Brooklyn with cruth choreography for the spotlight solo audition.

When they return to school, the Barbies are called into the dean's office. Malibu is expelled for sabotage and is told she will be on the 7pm flight out of New York (idk times, it just needs to be dramatic) Malibu walks out sadly as Brooklyn walks in. Malibu is too sad to say a word to her and walks off screen to her dorm. Rafa tries to call out but doesn't follow. Brooklyn talks to the Dean, and as she leaves the office Lee walks up and says she just saw Malibu packing her things, whats going on? Brooklyn explains and exclaims how she knew it all along that Malibu was out to get her. Rafa and Lee try to comfort her and Lee tries to say how maybe it's like her situation and things aren't what they seem. Brooklyn doesn't want to hear her it and sings Playground of Our Dreams.

Rafa and Lee talk, they remember the video, Rafa goes to the Dean as Lee tries to find Brooklyn (gotta repair that friendship). The Dean is shocked at the video and agrees to reenroll Malibu but her flight is about to take off soon. But luckily, someone knows a pilot!

Brooklyn calls her mom to stall the flight and she meets up with Malibu at the airport. She interrupts a phone call between Malibu and her parents as Malibu tells them the bad news. Brooklyn explains, and then Malibu tells her parents the good news. Her parents also decide to fly out to New York to support both of them in the spotlight solo auditions. (Basically Malibu stays in New York and doesn't return home because that made no sense.)

They return to school, and we see Lee confronting her dad. As it turns out, after Brooklyn went to get Malibu, Lee confronted her dad about it like in the movie. Expect this takes place at night instead during the day. She also now has audio evidence to her dad admitting what he did (a nod to spy tech from Spy Squad but this time its from Rafa).

The next scene is Malibu and Brooklyn practicing for the spotlight solo. It's a montages and they sing See You at the Finish Line. They are competing against on another, but together at the same time. The song ends with them preforming on the audition stage. The Dean commends them on their effort but says only one can have the spotlight and results will be posted tomorrow.

It says Barbie Roberts. But the girls have an idea, since it's both their names, both of them should get the spotlight. Lee says she might be able to make that work and Rafa says he has the perfect costumes for them.

Lee goes to her Dad who is talking with the Dean and is in the process of trying to cancel the spotlight since his daughter didn't get it (or try to change the candidate to someone more worthy, like his daughter! He says as she walks up to him). As Lee walks up,, the Dean gets a call and excuses herself. Lee then threatens to release the audio of her Dad admitting his interference if he doesn't back down. He back downs and then complains about business and how he was "only" trying to help "his little girl shine". The Dean returns and say their MC of the even just got sick and they need a replacement or Lee's Dad might get his wish.

Lee then steps up and says she could MC, she does know Emmie Lee after all. *wink wink nudge nudge*

Lee makes it possible for both Barbies to have the spotlight, and she introduces them like in cannon. This time, it makes sense why she is hosting. They sing Big City Big Dreams, and when the camera pans to both their families it's also makes sense they are there.

Movie ends, curtains draw, and that's how I would fix this movie.

[letterboxd]

Wigging Out.

Choreographer and director Jonathan Butterell tells Gemma Gracewood about stepping behind the camera for Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, his love for Sheffield, and making sure queer history is kept alive. Richard E. Grant weighs in on tolerance and Thatcher.

Of 2021’s many conundrums, one for musical lovers is why the narratively problematic Dear Evan Hansen gets a TIFF premiere and theatrical release this month, while the joyously awaited Everybody’s Talking About Jamie went straight to Amazon Prime.

And yet, as the show’s lyrics go, life keeps you guessing, along came a blessing. There’s something about the film streaming onto young people’s home screens, with its moments of fourth-wall breaking where Jamie speaks straight to the viewer, that feels so important, given the content: a gay teen whose drag-queen destiny sits at odds with the less ambitious expectations of his working-class town.

Director and choreographer Jonathan Butterell, who also helmed the stage production (itself inspired by Jenny Popplewell’s 2011 BBC documentary, Jamie: Drag Queen at 16) agrees that the worldwide Amazon release is a very good silver lining. “I made the film for the cinema but, in 250 territories across the world, this is going to have a reach that—don’t get me wrong, cinema, cinema, cinema, collective experience, collective experience, collective experience—but it will get to people that it might not have got to before.

Jonathan Butterell on set with star Max Harwood, as Jamie.

“It feels as niche a story as you could possibly be. But also for me, I wanted it to feel like a universal story, that it didn’t matter where on any spectrum you found yourself, you could understand a young person wanting to take their place in the world freely, openly and safely.”

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, with screenplay and lyrics by Tom MacRae and songs by Dan Gillespie Sells, sits neatly among a series of very specific feel-good British films about the working class experience, such as Billy Elliot, Kinky Boots and Pride. The film adds some historical weight to the story with a new song, ‘This Was Me’, which allows Jamie’s mentor, Hugo (played by Richard E. Grant), to take us into England’s recent past—the dark days of the discriminatory Section 28 laws, at a time when the HIV/AIDS epidemic was still ravaging the community.

Hugo’s drag persona Loco Chanelle (played in the flashback by the stage musical’s original Jamie—John McCrea from Cruella and God’s Own Country), sports a wig that looks suspiciously like the Iron Lady’s unmistakable head of hair. Grant confirms that was Hugo’s intention. “His heyday was in the 1980s, so as a ‘fuck you’ to Mrs Thatcher, what better than to be dressed up like that, at six-foot-eight, with a wig that could bring down the Taj Mahal!”

Richard E. Grant as Hugo, getting to work on Jamie’s contours.

In light of the current pandemic, and the fact that the 1967 legalization of homosexuality in Britain is only “an historical blink away”, Grant’s hope is for more tolerance in the world. “Maybe Covid gives people some sense of what that was like, but with Covid there’s not the prejudice against you, whereas AIDS, for the most part in my understanding, was [seen as] a ‘gay disease’, and there were many people across the globe who thought that this was, you know, whatever god they believe in, was their way of punishing something that they thought was unacceptable.

“The message of this movie is of inclusivity, diversity, and more than ever, tolerance. My god, we could do with a dose of that right now.”

Read on for our Q&A with Jonathan Butterell about the filmic influences behind Everybody’s Talking About Jamie.

Hugo in a reverie, surrounded by his drag menagerie.

Can we talk about the new song, ‘This Was Me’, and the way you directed it in the film? It’s a show-stopper, with Richard E. Grant singing in that beautiful high register, and then moving into Holly Johnson’s singing, as you go back in time to show that deeply devastating and important history. Jonathan Butterell: It felt inevitable, the shift, and necessary. Myself, Dan Gillespie Sells, the composer, and Tom MacRae, the screenwriter, we created this piece together, the three of us, and it’s a film by the three of us. We lived through that time, we went on those marches. Actually, in one of those marches [shown in flashback], Dan’s mum—actual mum—is in a wheelchair, by a young boy who was holding a plaque saying “my mum’s a lesbian and I love her”.

That is Dan with his mum back in the day, and it all speaks to our stories and it moves me, I can see it’s moving you. It moves me because I lived through that time, and it was a complex time for a young person. It was a time that you felt you had to be empowered in order to fight, and you felt very vulnerable because of the need to fight. And because of that disease, because HIV was prevalent and we lost people—we lost close people—it was a difficult time. I wanted to make sure that that story kept being told and was passed on to the next generation.

It’s so important isn’t it, to walk into the future facing backwards? It still exists, that need to fight still exists. The conversation, yes, has moved on, has changed, but not for all people and not in all communities.

What would be your go-to movie musical song at a karaoke night? My goodness. There’d be so many.

I mean, is it going to be a Cabaret, a Chicago showstopper, or something more Mary Poppins, something from Rent? I think what I would go to, which is what I remember as a little boy, is Curly singing ‘Oh, What A Beautiful Mornin’. It’s such a kind of perfect, beautiful, simple song. That, and ‘The Lonely Goatherd’, because I just want to yodel. It would be epic. Trust me.

What is the best film featuring posing and why is it Paris Is Burning? It’s always Paris Is Burning. Back in the day, I was obsessed with Paris Is Burning, I was obsessed with that world. In fact, at one moment I even met [director] Jennie Livingston in trying to make a theater piece inspired by that. I lived in New York for eleven years and I met Willi Ninja. I just adored everything about him, and he would tell me stories. And again, it was so removed from the boy from Sheffield, I mean so far. That New York ballroom scene was so removed from my world, but I got it. Those two boys at the top of the film, I just wanted to be one of those boys who just hung out outside the club.

Harwood and Butterell on set, with Lauren Patel (right) as Jamie’s bestie Pritti Pasha.

What films did you and Tom and Dan look at to get a feeling for how to present the musical numbers? Actually, a lot of pop videos, from present day to past. There’s an homage, in the black-and-white sequences, to a little ‘Vogue’ Madonna moment. Pop is very central to me in this story because pop is what a working-class kid from a working-class community will be listening to. That’s in his phone, that’s in his ears. Not that many young people listen to much radio at this moment in time, but that’s what will be on Margaret’s radio, that’s what’s coming into the kitchen. And that was central to the storytelling for me.

Bob Fosse also really influenced me, and particularly All That Jazz and where his flights of imagination take him. I felt that was so appropriate for Jamie, and again in a very, very different way, but I could see how Jamie’s imagination could spark something so fantastical that would lead him to dance, lead him to walk on the most amazing catwalk, lead into being in the most fabulous, fabulous nightclub with the most amazing creatures you’ve ever met in your life.

For me personally, the film that most inspired me was Ken Loach’s Kes, because that is my community. Both the world in which Jamie exists—Parsons Cross council estate, is my world, is my community—and the world of that young boy, finding his place in the world with his kestrel friend, I remember identifying with that boy so clearly. He was very different from me, very different. But I got him, and I felt like Ken Loach got me through him.

Ken Loach made a few films set in Sheffield, didn’t he? But also, Sheffield is a setting and an influence on The Full Monty, The History Boys, Funny Cow and that brilliant Pulp documentary. So Jamie feels like a natural successor. It absolutely does. Sheffield’s where I grew up, it’s my hometown. Although I moved away from it, I always return. To have a chance to celebrate my community, and particularly that community in Parsons Cross council estate. If you’re in Sheffield and you’re in a taxi and you said, “Take me to Parsons Cross,” they’d say, “Well, I’ll drop you there, but I’m not staying.” Because again there’s a blinkered view of that community. And I know that community to be proud, glorious and beautiful.

And yes, that community, particularly through the ’80s, really suffered because some of that community would serve the steelworks and had three generations of unemployment, so they became disenfranchised because of that. But the community I grew up in, my Auntie Joan, who lived on that road, literally on that road, was a proud, working class, glorious woman who served chips at school.

Aside from Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, what would be the most important queer British cinematic story to you? (And how do you choose between My Beautiful Laundrette and God’s Own Country?!) You can’t. My Beautiful Laundrette influenced me so much because, one, Daniel Day Lewis was extraordinary in that film, and two, because of the cross-cultural aspect of it. I went, “I know this world”, because again I grew up in that world. And it affirmed something in me, which is the power and the radicalness of who I could be and what I could be.

With God’s Own Country, when I saw that film—and that was Francis’ first film, which I thought was extraordinary for a first-time filmmaker—I knew he knew that world from the inside, from the absolute inside. And I know what that rural community was like. I read that script, because we share agents, and I was blown away by it—again, because of the two cultures coming together.

Jamie Campbell, the film’s real-life inspiration, with screen-Jamie Max Harwood.

Richard E. Grant’s character, Hugo, is such a pivotal mentor for Jamie. What did you need to hear from a mentor when you were sixteen? Don’t let yourself hold yourself back, because I think it was me who put some limitations on myself. And of course I came from a working-class community. I was a queer kid in a tough British comprehensive school. And did I experience tough times? Yes I did. And did I deal with those tough times? Yes I did. But the song that speaks to me mostly in this is ‘Wall in my Head’, in which Jamie takes some responsibility for the continuation of those thoughts, continuations of the sorts of shame, and that’s a sophisticated thing for a sixteen-year-old boy to tackle.

I also was lucky enough to have a mother like Margaret—and a dad like Margaret as well, just to be clear! And I remember my mum, at seventeen when I left home, just leaving a little note on my bed. It was quite a long letter. She said, Jonathan, you’ve probably chosen to walk a rocky path, but don’t stray from it, don’t steer away from it. That’s the path you've chosen, there may be rock-throwers along the way, but you’ll find your way through it. That stayed with me and I think that’s what resonates with me. And when I saw that documentary, Jamie: Drag Queen at 16, I felt that that sparked the need for me to tell that story.

Sarah Lancashire as Jamie’s mum, Margaret New.

We need more mums and dads like Margaret, don’t we? We do, we do. And the wonderful thing is, Margaret Campbell will say it and I think Margaret New in the film will say it: she’s not a Saint, she’s an ordinary mum. And she has to play catch up and she doesn’t understand in many ways, and she gets things wrong and she overprotects. But she comes from one place and that is a mum’s love of her child and wanting them to take their place safely in the world and to be fully and totally themselves.

Related content

Eternal Alien’s list of films Made in Sheffield

Letterboxd’s Camp Showdown

Persephon’s list of films recommended by drag queens

Passion’s list of films mentioned by Jaymes Mansfield in her Drag Herstory YouTube series

Follow Gemma on Letterboxd

‘Everybody’s Talking About Jamie’ is streaming now on Amazon Prime Video.

[kornito]

SOURCE: https://korngiant.tripod.com/kornisgoodforu/id10.html

Dead

Song Meaning, Jonathan:

All I want in life is to be happy", it's that simple. People say that it's become their own anthem. It's like whenever I start to feel good, something comes and takes it away and I feel like I'm nothing again, like I'm dead.

Falling Away From Me

Song Meaning, Jonathan:

The song is about domestic abuse and that there ways to get help whether it's telling someone or calling a help line, there are ways to get out of those situations. Noone has to be treated like that.

Trash

Song Meaning, Jonathan:

"Trash" is about how I threw my world and everything out. I threw her away. I threw my old self away. It basically comes back down to the sex thing. The battles I did on the road, this whole album is what I went through because I was on the road and I went crazy.

Beg for Me

Song Meaning, Jonathan:

"Beg For Me" is more of an angry thing because the whole thing for "Beg For Me" is the crowd. The only time I was good on tour was when I walked up onstage and that's what the song is about. Feeling wanted is something one thing I've always needed. I was shuffled around so much when I was a kid...Being up onstage was the only point was the only time when my anxiety would go away for an hour.

Make Me Bad

Song Meaning, Jonathan:

I need to feel the sickness in you" ... It's spawned from f**kin', basically, from having sex. That's where that line comes from, but it means a whole bunch of things to me. "Make Me Bad" was about the battles I had being on the road, being married and being with other women. I'm not married anymore... beause of my lifestlyle, and I just couldnt do that to my wife anymore. So that ended. But does it make me bad that I have a dick and I have f**ken other feelings to be with other people? Why should I be with just one? It seems like human beings are genetically engineered to procreate. Thats what we do, f**k everything, and that's what our natural insides want to do. It is hard to find someone like that. But she was a good woman and I didnt want to keep on... I did the right thing, I was a man about it. It was better for me to tell her and let her go on with her life and find someone who could help her and be like that. So that song was spawned by that, does it make me bad to want to be with other women? In a sence it was my only drug, why... because I dont drink anymore, I cant drink. I've been sober for a year. I dont have any other vices. So at least doing that could be something.

Hey Daddy

Song Meaning, Jonathan:

"Hey Daddy" where I was schizophrenic and there were these voices telling me to do sh*t... To kill myself, basically. Daddy is one of my nicknames, so its like I'm talking to myself the whole time. It's hard to explain.

Dirty

Song Meaning: Jonathan

"I feel like a fucking whore to record companies." "You know how it is...the way we are used and marketed." "How they make all the money off us and we don't make shit!" "The only way we make money is to go out on tour and sell merchandise" "Basiclly we write all the music and turn in and they make all the money." "So I feel like that and also I feel like a slut cuz I'd go out at night and fucking girls and so I said fuck it, I'm going to do it. The only way to escape is to have sex." "Its all kind of different issues."

Its On!

Song Meaning, Jonathan:

It's On is my sh*t peer pressure song. Me being so stressed out going out and partying. Everybody's just going 'Come on dude, it's on.' That's partying, it's alcohol, cocaine, women. All that wrapped into one. I wrote a song about it. And the chorus I talked about Why am I really doing this? It's all my fault that I'm doing this because all the alcohol, the booze an the chicks do is just make it worse. They just rearrange all the problems in a different order that I can deal with at that moment.

Freak on a Leash

Song Meaning, Jonathan:

One of the best titles I've heard ever for a song. That's my song against the music industry. Like me feeling like I'm f**kin' a pimp, a prostitute. Like I'm paraded around. I'm this freak paraded around but I got corporate America f**kin' making all the money while it's taking a part of me. It's like they stole something from me, they stole my innocence and I'm not calm anymore. I worry constantly.

Got the Life

Song Meaning, Jonathan:

That's a song baggin' on myself. How everything's always handed to me. How I look up to God and don't want this anymore. Like I want something more out of life than all this. And I've got everything I really need but I sometimes don't like. I don't know how to explain it. I have to let it sit through the songs more to actually get into what I write. I truly know, really, the meanings of the songs almost. That's what I'm getting out of it right now.

Dead Bodies Everywhere

Song Meaning, Jonathan:

That was the song about my parents trying to keep me out of the music business. My father was in it and he knew how it was and I totally understand now that I have a son. I want Nathan to be a musician but I him don't want him to go through the hell I went through. That's the same thing my Dad was doing. A lot of people can relate to it, because it's like the Dad's wanting their sons to be football players and their sons want to be doctors or something. That peer pressure its like trying to make them something they're really not. And the Dead Bodies thing is like so I did it and all I got out of it was dead bodies everywhere and got all traumatized. Thanks a lot Dad, Mom.

Children of the Korn

Song Meaning, Jonathan:

That's the song that Ice Cube is on Cube came up with the title. I fed off of what he wrote, he was talking about growing up and puberty. Dictating what he can do, like how you gonna tell me how to live and who to f**k? And all this stuff. And I took that and in my stuff I was talking about being a kid always known as the f**kin' town faggot. It's funny how things change. That some of these people picked on me and all of a sudden look who's laughing now. Also in another of the verse I talked about all these parents f**kin hating me for what I do, saying I'm corrupting their children, but in turn these parents need to step outside of themselves and really listen to what I'm talking about. Then I think they can understand that they were kids before. They're just really quick to judge me. All the Children of The Korn are all our Korn fans. All those kids going through that sh*t and feeling what I feel.

B.B.K.

Song Meaning, Jonathan:

Big black cock! That's what I call a jack and coke. Those little glasses they serve in Europe and everything. That's what I named it, big black cock. And that's another song about me dealing with the pressures of this album and how I, you know, I'm trying to kill myself, but you know? Do I really want to kill myself? Things I'm just questioning myself. Most of this is self-structured.

Pretty

Song Meaning, Jonathan:

It's a story about this little girl that came into the coroner's office when I was working there and she was f**ked by her dad. She was an 11 month old little baby girl. Her legs were broken back behind her and he just f**ked her like a toy doll and chucked her in the bathroom. It was the most heinous thing I've ever seen in my life and I still have nightmares about it.

All in the Family

Song Meaning, Jonathan:

Fred was there after Korn TV and we said, 'Let's do a song together, Hey, man, let's go back and forth and rip on each other like an old school battle.' I don't know who's idea it was, I can't remember if it was mine or Fieldy's or Fred's but we came up with the idea and we started writing and we worked on it together. I came up with some bags on myself for Fred to say. It was all in good natured fun.

Reclaim My Place

Song Meaning, Jonathan:

This one is about the whole band and about all my life being called a homosexual. And then I became this big rock star in a band and I'm still called a fag even by my own band. So it's like I was f**kin' pissed off at them. It's like erase them all because I'm gonna reclaim my place and say hey, they owe a lot to me for what I did, and I owe a lot to them back. But, it still kinda sucks. I've never ever gotten away from that fag f**kin' title. Just because I'm a sensitive kinda guy. Kinda feminine it really sucks.

Justin

Song Meaning, Jonathan:

Justin, that was the kid dying terminally with intestinal cancer. His last dying wish was to meet us and it really freaked me out. That threw a whole bunch of new kind of pressures on my head. That's really intense. Someone's gonna die and his last thing he wants to do is come hang out with us. So I truly just freaked out. It's like why would you want to meet me? What makes me so special? And in turn I talk about how I admire his strength and his life. I couldn't stare at him because he was so content he was gonna die. No one could look him in the eyes. And I totally admire his strength. I wish I had it.

Seed

Song Meaning, Jonathan:

Seed. That's all about the same thing again. I laying in bed in my hotel room, thinking about do I really need all this stuff? All this pressure on me? Because I'm a stressed out freak. It's about Nathan, it's about every time that I look into his eyes, I see myself how I used to be, innocent and stress free. I'm kind of jealous of it. It really sucks, I used to be that way. It's like I have to work so hard at this thing in my life. I have to become a stressed out freak. I put food on the table for my child. Every time I look in his eyes, I just see myself staring right back at my @ss laughing. I was like care free, innocent as a child. It's really weird and I'm really jealous of it.

Cameltosis

Song Meaning, Jonathan:

That's a love song. It's about women in general, women who hurt me. It's Tre's lyrics. He's going on about chicks and my chorus is like I'm so scared to love anyone and really let them in after I got hurt really really bad by a girl. I've let Renee in a little bit, to be honest, but I'll never be that in love ever again. That's what I'm saying, if you've loved twice, you're gonna get f**ked, 'cause you usually do.

My Gift to You

Song Meaning, Jonathan:

Renee always wanted me to write her a love song and that's why I called it My Gift To You. It's my gift to her, you know how I get sick. I always had a fantasy of f**king her and choking her to death. I fantasize about what it would look like me in her body and watching me do it. So it's like a really sick f**ked up song. I did it totally like, I love her so much, I want to take her out of this world. It's really strange. She used to leave notes on my pillow like 25 ways she'd like to kill me. She's got this weird death fetish. We're kinda f**kin' freaky. She got it. She's all 'Thank you that's kinda f**ked up. I was expecting a f**kin' I love you, baby kinda song.' I'm all, 'No, you know me.' I mean I can't do that.

Chi

Song Meaning, Jonathan:

Chi is about a lot of alcohol and drug abuse. People turn to that when they have problems so that they won't have to feel their pain. The song was named after Chi Cheng from the Deftones. We named it after him because he used to call it reggae, and he loves reggae music.

Lost

Song Meaning, Jonathan:

It's the sterotypical thing about your best friend meeting a chick, and then you're nothing

Swallow

Song Meaning, Jonathan:

That's about being paranoid. Drug-induced paranoia.

Good God

Song Meaning, Jonathan:

It's about a guy I knew in school who I thought was a my friend, but who f**ked me. He came into my life with nothing, hung out at my house, lived off me, and made me do sh*t I didn't really wanna do." "I was into new romantic music and he was a mod, and he'd tell me if I didn't dress like a mod he wouldn't be my friend anymore."

"Whenever I had plans to go on a date with a chick he'd sabotage it, because he didn't have a date or nothing. He was a gutless f**king nothing. I haven't talked to him for years.

Mr. Rogers

Song Meaning, Jonathan:

Back in the day when I was a speed freak, um... even further back when I was a little kid watchin' Mr. Rogers, that sh*t was scary. He was a freaky old man... Land of Makebelieve and Mr. f**kinMcFeely and sh*t... made me sick. So back when I was doing speed, like for 5 or 6 days I'd be trippin out and my brain would start to get freaky and get schizophrenic and stuff, and I'd tape it and watch it everyday over and over... I don't know, I was sick in the head. As a kid he told me to be polite and all it did was get me picked on. I f**king hate that man. Thanks for making me polite and trusting everyone, and easy to take advantage of. So I spent 3 months on that one song, just tweakin' on it, and it was totally just my Mr. Rogers obsession, about how evil I thought he was. Pretty much drug induced.

K @ # Ø % (Kunt)

Song Meaning, Jonathan:

People think it's sexist but it isn't. It's more subconcious b*tching at all the women who've been with me in my life. It's not about women in feneral, just those women who hurt me." "Initially, we wrote it to send to American radio for a joke, because they always chop up all the other songs. So we were going to send a 'real' single seven days later."

A.D.I.D.A.S.

Song Meaning, Jonathan:

It stands for all day I dream about sex. It's about how much of a pervert my ass is, and how I daydream about what a stud I am. But when it comes down to it, I'm a f**king pussy and I'm in there jacking off.

a** Itch

Song Meaning, Jonathan:

That was the last song I wrote, and I was so burned at writing out lyrics because everytime I write I get depressed because I start thinking about things, you know? So the whole song is about that. In the chorus it says, 'Before day, my sun will be dying'. It's because I put myself on the line all the time and for what? Because people aren't going to be listening to it anyway.

Kill You

Song Meaning, Jonathan:

It's about a relative I first met when I was 12. I f**king hate that b*tch. She's the most evil, f**ked up person I've met in my whole life. She hated my guts. She did everything she could to make my life hell. Like, when I was sick she'd feed me tea with Tabasco, which is really hot pepper oil. She'd make me drink it and say, 'You have to burn that cold out, boy'. f**ked up sh*t like that. So every night when I'd go to sleep, I'd dream of killing that b*tch. In some sick way I had a sexual fantasy about her, and I don't know what that stems from or why, but I always dreamt about f**king her and killing her

Ball Tongue

Song Meaning, Jonathan:

The meaning of ball tongue is simple. Some thought it had to do with oral sex, but in fact its about a guy we had to work with on a t-shirt (Jeff Creath). He either had a pierced tongue or a wart or something on his tongue and he was a dick to us.

Different live: Jonathan goes into a Rap (by Coolio) Called "Loddi Doddi" in the middle of the song.

Clown

Song Meaning, Jonathan:

Korn was playing a show in San Diego for a clothing card. This skinhead guy came up and started flippin' me off. When we started, I bent down and the guy took a swing at me. Our tour manager, Jeff, got into it and knocked the guy out. I wrote this song about him: 'Scared to be honest with yourself/you're a cowardly man.

Faget

Song Meaning, Jonathan:

Everyone thinks I'm bashing gay people in this song, and I'm not. It's really about me going through high school being called 'pussy,' 'queer' and all that stuff, about getting picked on by all these jocks.

Shoots and Ladders

Song Meaning, Jonathan:

It was written because all these little kids sing these nursery rhymes and they don't know what they originally meant. Everyone is so happy when singing but 'London Bridge' is about the Black Plague. All of them have these evil stories behind them." "The lyrics are all from nursery rhymes, and a lot of nursery rhymes go back to the Middle Ages. They're actually pretty twisted if you know the stories behind them, like about Black Death and stuff.

Helmet in the Bush

Song Meaning, Jonathan:

It's about a speed problem that I had. You know, you do a lot of speed and -- if you're a male -- your penis retracts severly. The guy heard at the beginning of the song is La Caco, a friend of the band. His real name is Michael and likes taco bell. He's a really Nice Guy and he has been friends with the band for years

Daddy

Song Meaning, Jonathan:

People think daddy' was writen because my dad f**ked me up the ass,thats not what the song's about. It wasn't about my dad or my mum. When I was a kid I was being abused by someone else and I went to my parents and told them about it. and they thought I was lying and joking around, they never did sh*t about it. They didn't belive it was happening to their son. I don't like to talk about that song, this is the most I've ever talked about it...

[fullmusicbardsquared]

Ranking JoJo Minor Antagonists, 1-4

Shamelessly inspired by @uppertwist, this'll be long, so be warned

I'll rank other things if asked :3

Phantom Blood

Bruford: Doesn't do all that much honestly, but his design's pretty funky and in retrospect I'm like 75% sure he's got a stand. 7/10

Tarkus: His size is even stranger than Polpo honestly, but I guess it fits with the song being 20 MINUTES LONG. 4/10

Dario: Does he even count? Anyway he was an asshole, & main reason I liked Dio in part 1. 1/10

Wang Chan: My mom burst out laughing when she heard his name so he gets bumped up. 2/10

Random Led Zeppelin Zombies: These guys got their names changed??? 3/10 for comedy

Doobie: 10/10 Doobie is perfect in every way. Snake.

Battle Tendency

Str*heim: die die die die die die die die die get killed by fish die negative infinity/10

Santana: Wonderful guy. We barely learned shit about him but his episodes are so fun. I both wish he'd come back and hope he stays petrified forever. 8/10

Donovan: First dude to really fit into the "worse than the reference" category. Also they changed it to Donobang??? Ew. 4/10

Straizo: Him ranting about Dio vampiring wrong is funny I guess. 6/10

Stardust Crusaders

Gray Fly: Legitimately forgot this lame old man. 2/10

Imposter Captain Tennille: He drove, a boat? Honestly Captain Dragon was a way cooler name. 3/10

Forever: Please just, no. -10/10

Devo the Cursed: ARE WE NOT MEN? WE ARE DEVO. ARE WE NOT MEN? D-E-V-O. (Araki please reference DEVO again) 8/10

Rubber Soul: I like him on principle BUT he created that stupid cherry meme. 6/10

J. Ge*l: Read Forever's entry. -100/10

Hol Horse: This man is genuinely amazing. The instant I saw him my Trigun brain went batshit. Everything about him just makes him funnier. 10/10

Nena: Uhhhh she's a girlboss? I don't remember much about her to be honest. 5/10

ZZ: Car. 3/10

Enya the Hag: Way too funny for a murderous old lady who supports her serial killer son. 6/10

Steely Dan: He's a Kevin. 9/10

Arabia Fats: Amazing. 7/10

Mannish Boy: Is it even legal to rank an infant?? Also if JoJo used literary refs instead he'd probably be called "The Small Assassin" (Ray Bradbury story) 7/10

Cameo: He's okay I guess. 5/10

Midler: Her stand's funky but she's just eh. 5/10

N'Doul: He's the vibe check, he's cool. 8.5/10, too much water

OINGO BOINGO BROTHERS: DO I EVEN NEED TO EXPLAIN??? IF I DO, I FEEL BAD FOR YOU, POOR SOUL. INFINITY/10

Chaka + Khan: They're nice :) 6/10

Mariah: Wish she had more personality traits besides literally being attractive. 7/10

Al*ssi: He looks like Spinel from Steven Universe. Don't lie, you know I'm right. 0/10

Daniel J. D'arby: He has a first name??? Anyways, he's pretty cool. His arc's really fun, and his stand is green. An ugly green, but he's Osiris, so at least it's green. 7.5/10

Pet Shop: Murderous falcon. How could you hate him? 9/10

Telence T. D'arby: Gamer with a weird barn owl stand. 7/10

Kenny G: Loser. Also, Tenor Sax? You can't have an instrument as your stand, bitca. 2/10

Nukesaku: Why is he the loser when Kenny G is right there???? 4/10

Vanilla Ice: I heard his name before I got to the fight and I laughed my ass off. Now I know better. Also his leotard looks stupid. 3/10

Diamond is Unbreakable

"Angelo": Re. J. Geil. -20/10

Keicho Nijimura: I mean, he was an asshole for sure, but you can understand why. He's good. Also, in his three episodes, he doesn't leave his house??? Ahead of the time. 7/10 (bc Okuyasu)

Tamami: He's there? 5/10

Hazamada: Xander Harris But Worse. And with belts. 5.5/10

Akira Otoishi: He's trash, but like, a really fun trash. And his design is sick. RHCP is ugly, but we aren't talking about stands, now are we? 7/10

Bug-Eaten & Not Bug-Eaten: ṛ̶̫͔̝͈͕̟̠͖͙̅̌͒̍̄̉̈̕̕a̶̡̨̧̨̫̰̹̝̘͇̩̩͇̍̂͐̍͐̂̏̈́̐̐̈́͜͝͠ͅţ̸̨͎̥͇͔͕̣̘̜̍̿̔͌͒́́̍̂̅̎̄̓̓͘͜͝.̶̡̧̼͇̬̤̳̹̺̪̟̺͈̣̭̣̞͈͈͕̳̆͒͋͋̈́̔͌̎̉͋͆͑̊̋̈͒̒͘͝ 7/10

Yoshihiro Kira: Enya but not funny. 5/10

Ken Oyanagi (Janken Kid): He's literally a dumbass middle schooler. I'm half-convinced he only fought Rohan because they both had silly headbands and they needed to figure out who was superior. 7/10

Yuya Fungami: He's funky honestly. That stupid bowtie is amazing. (This is a Yoshie, Reiko, & Akemi stan account btw) 8/10

Toyohiro: I was worried when I saw the butterfly and spider pins, but he's fun. I wish we got to see him more. 6/10

Masazo Kinoto (Cheap Trick's user): Sorry you died?? 2/10

Terunosuke Miyamoto: LOOK AT HIS COAT IT'S SO AMAZING 10/10

(Bonus) Yukako Yamagishi: You had so much potential Araki >:( 9/10

[sanzu-sanzu-sanzu]

Hiiiii.🙈

Just came here to say that I love your Songs About Toxic People so much.❤️ I've been obsessed about the Bonten Executives ever since I caught up with the manga and it's just so sad how we don't have enough content about them yet.🤧

I love all the Bonten Executives and my favorites are Sanzu and the Haitanis.🥺🤧💕

It's funny because I don't even know how that happened and I didn't notice it right away but the next thing I know I'm simping after the three of them so hard and for days my mind has been filled with nothing but thoughts of them ever since. Oh, the struggle. (😂)

The lack of content about them almost turned me into a fanfic writer right then and there (🤣) because I seriously wanted to read something about an OC who's also the only female executive in Bonten and I almost wrote it down myself, I swear.😆 I have never written something before in my life. Never. That's why I am soooo glad to find Songs About Toxic People. You have no idea how you saved me from the thirst I've been having ever since I got introduced to Bonten!Sanzu and Bonten!Haitanis and how you silenced the raging thoughts in my head about them if only for a little while, may God help me.

Now. About your absolutely beautiful and wonderfully written fic. Let me just say that I love everything about it.✨ The characterization, the little details about OC, their interactions, the dialogue, everything, is chef's kiss in my opinion. English is not my first language and (I'm guessing your's isn't as well? If I'm wrong, please ignore this but if I'm right then) I admire how beautiful your narration is. The words you use and the way you can create an image in your readers' minds using your descriptions is amazing.❤️

Your "show, don't tell" skills in writing is very beautiful, very admirable, and it's also my most favorite part of your story. I love it very much, seriously. That skill is the one thing I lack that made me give up in being able to write something of my own.😌 I realized that when it comes to writing, there are so many factors to remember and consider in order to make it interesting and engaging for your readers. Worldbuilding, character development, pacing, to name a few. But the hardest for me to master is the one thing you're so amazingly good at. And I admire you for that. That's why whenever I come across a writer like you with such excellent "show, don't tell" skills, I always make sure to make my appreciation shown. ❤️

Another thing I love about your story is the OC.😭 God, I love her so much. She is everything I've wanted to see in a fic that involves the Bonten Executives. She's a badass, she's feisty, and she perfectly fits right in with the other characters. I could just cry with how perfect she is in my opinion and you made that happen.😭❤️ I'm very satisfied with her character and I want to thank you again because I just know that if I did followed up on my need to write my own fic despite my inexperience, I just know that I'll end up disappointing myself and possibly even hate the plot idea because I was not able to meet my own expectations so thank you, thank you, thank you.❤️

She is amazing. You are amazing. Your whole fic is super amazing. I am glad and relieved that I don't have to write my own because yours already exists and it's so perfect.🤧

A female Bonten Executive, and the only female one at that.🥺🤧😭 I am so incredibly happy that the idea is finally out there and someone finally wrote it and that someone is also such a good writer. 🙌🏼

Kudos to you and I hope I can do more than just read and then say thanks. I believe you deserve more than that because I've been looking for this exact content you made and I've been looking for days. And now that I found one, even just the one, I'm relieved because it's already perfect on its own.😌

It's possible that it would take a long time for other writers to write something like this: a female OC that involves the Bonten Executives, my favorite flavor.🤧 It makes me sad, but no matter. I don't mind if I have to reread Songs About Toxic People again and again and again like how Sanzu takes drugs I'M SORRY for a long while because it's enough to satisfy my hunger and my thirst for the time being.❤️

Wow. This got super long. My bad. 😅 I did not mean for this to happen. I hope you don't mind this long ass appreciation message. I love leaving this kind of messages to writers like you.😊

Anyways, yeah. I just came here to tell you that. I hope you're having an amazing day and that you're safe wherever you are. Please take care of yourself. I'm looking forward to more of your works and what you can come up with. I am super excited! 😁

Best of luck and God bless.

- ✨

helloooo :”( this one took me a quite a while to answer because i just couldn’t stop gushing whenever i’d open my inbox huhuhu but you have no idea how much this truly means to me and i wish i can write better words at explaining how this made me feel. <3

first of all, your obsession with the bonten executives is COMPLETELY understandable i’m literally on the same boat as you my friend hahaha with sanzu being my main guy <3 they’re just so hot and dangerous but i also think there’s something kinda funny with all those guys being together LMAO (especially sanzu and the haitanis…add in a dead-eyed manjiro omg..)

just like you i am quite sad about the lack of content on them hahahaha it’s the main reason why i started writing about them in the first place, actually! (also because i'm just obsessed with sanzu) but that was more at the beginning when i still mostly relied on ao3, and then i got more active on tumblr and now literally everyday there’s new fics about them and that makes me extremely happy 🥺 i always did think that the bonten executive OC would make for such a nice flavor so i just latched on to the idea, and i also wanted to keep it a little more casual because i’m not the best with dark themes hahaha but it also helps me imagine the bonten execs in friendlier, more human, more everyday settings—a very fun exercise when you can’t stop thinking about them!

i am beyond happy knowing that you’re enjoying my fic to the point of sending me this lengthy message (whose length i don’t mind at all!!!) 😭 painting a picture with words is one of my favorite things ever when it comes to writing and i just…tear up when people enjoy my descriptions and the interactions and the little details huhuhuhu you have no idea. i didn’t even know i was doing a ‘show, don’t tell’ manner of writing until you pointed it out, so i gotta thank you for this cause it made me think more about how i write (in a good way!), so thank you, i super appreciate it.

i also hope you do get to write if ever you wanna! manifest the things you’d like to see in the world—something like that! hahahaha but also yeah, it can be fun and the possibilities are endless and it’s fanfiction so you can always do you <3

again, this really just made my day and i’ve saved it to my notes to read for when i’m feeling meh hahaha. i gotta say in advance tho that my updates might not come as regularly as before cus (1) life and also (2) need ken wakui to reveal more about my favorite bad boy sanzu LOL so we get to know him better.

and here’s to hoping more people write about oc’s that are bonten execs! so you’d get to have your share of this genre of bonten fic! hehehe you deserve it <3

THANK YOU SO MUCH, i hope you’ll have a nice day too 🥺 and take caaaaare. MWAH.

ps. oh yes, you’re right! english is not my first language hahaha.

[wild-battlebond]

Digimon Xros Wars: Hunters Ep24 liveblog

The final battle has begun! The past protagonists are here! Wow!

and now Another guy has come out of the thing

they're going to use Bagramon's corpse to get rid of Quartzmon???

i like the song so i always watch the op & i just realized that there's probably not gonna be an explanation for who the sillouette hunter with the big bird thing is. that's too bad.

interesting, given that the conventional way of thinking about is that the Digimon were protecting the kids. in the end, perhaps they were protecting each other... because they're partners :)

also, this background kid's necklace...

one last instance of Taiki being treated as a hero who's larger-than-life, put on a pedestal with a legendary destiny, whether he likes it or not

also if i get what the old man was saying it sounds like he's trying to find an ultimate hunter that can be a 7th hero

YAAAAAAY XROS LOADERS FOR ZENJIROU AND AKARI!!!

and they get the digimon they were closest with while traveling :)

YESSS OMEGASHOUTMON DX

that entire scene was so cool... and they didn't even have to fight or anything for it to be cool.. the power of a bunch of evolutions and we are xros heart really can't be underestimated

there was a bunch of battling & it was pretty cool but not a lot to say about it.

tagiru lost to ryouma... and took it pretty well, too! it seems like he had fun more than anything! i fully expect that he'll still fulfil the role of best Hunter in some way tho

hiiiiiiii past protagonists

it is cool to see them all, esp since im familiar with all of them except marcus-- masaru. well even then im still kinda familiar with masaru, like i remember how he likes to punch digimon, his is just the only series i haven't watched in some form in the past 5 years

guilmon's va wasn't here for this were they

YAAAY KEN so now they can jogress!!

it is kinda funny that this is Past Protagonist Moments but most of their series had themes of Human Feelings and Connections and whatever frontier was about so they still need their friends to be at their strongest!

even Grani is here

aw man Ryouma started having problems again

oh he's the traitor. that's why be brought up the possibility of a traitor in the first place. so im guessing Tagiru will have to take Taiki's place, then,... surpassing him and becoming a super-star like he'd always dreamed, but at what cost?