#and if there are any bollywood classics or just general favorites you guys have

[fromzeepewithlife]

does anyone have any classic tollywood recommendations?? i’ve watched a Ton of bollywood movies and my favorites are the classic srk ones like mohabbatein, main hoon na, om shanti om, veer zaara,, yknow. the works. (i like others too tho!) but i cannot go on without at least a few tollywood faves! any like.. super good classics everyone’s seen? fun romances or adjacent to fun romances? i need south india in my life too haha

[alienahellsparkle]

❦ List fandoms of my heart: №3 (the last).

✯ Kuroshitsuji (Dark Butler)

This anime is my guide to the world of anime, my first of all, and the first that I liked. In addition, I have been watching it since I was 13 (omg, how old I am..).

I can say, from it I learned what anime is. It is one of my favorites and one of those that I can revisit (P.S .: And I'm still waiting for the new season or new full-length films, although no one said anything or promised anything about it).

The advantages of this anime are - interesting plots, 19th century setting mixed with the supernatural, soundtracks and a huge number of different characters for every taste. As I can tell, everyone will find their ideal 2D kun or chan here.

I could single out a lot of cool characters, but I'm afraid they could be spoilers too, so I'll just mention a few of my personal favorites.

Sebastian is a demon butler and another protagonist besides Ciel. A jack of all trades, a cool killer and one of the most real handsome men who stole many hearts from the female audience, who is in many similar tops and sometimes even has leading positions. I can say that he was my very first anime - love.

Prince Soma is an Indian prince. I don't know how many fans he has, but I think not as many as Sebastian and Ciel. Actually, Soma is the one who attracted me much more and my love for Sebastian did not last forever. This is because Soma, in addition to being beautiful and Indian (which was important to me as a lover of Bollywood films and music, and also interested in Indian culture), has a sweet and good personality. Three combos!

Madame Red is a bright woman with a difficult fate. I guess there isn't much more to say here (spoilers, spoilers, damn it).

Pluto is a devilish dog. Cutie, charming, with one cool ability and mine another anime-love (those who know this character and his unusual ability - yes - yes, I know it's weird to fall in love with characters like him).

As I said, the soundtracks are wonderful - some of the tunes have some classic notes in them, and also, the opening can be recognized from a thousand and it is easy to remember which anime it belongs to.

Also, there are elements of detective and crime, which also adds its own special shades and makes this anime even more interesting and aesthetically pleasing.

I look forward to continuing with it and begin to show interest in anime of a similar genre and setting in one (I found something similar, for example, as "House of Shadows").

✯ Dame x Prince 

Another anime that became my find and I can watch it many times. I liked it so much that after I found it (in 2018 it was a spring novelty), I watched almost all the episodes in one gulp and only later realized that it ends too quickly, because I could not stop in time.

This anime contains everything that I love about the reverse - harems - beautiful drawing, bright colors, romance, elements of comedy and fantasy, attractive male characters and not a stupid main character who can be respected.

We can say that Ani is one of the few normal owners of a harem, but she can be considered a diamond among them. She is encouraged by her courage and the fact that she is not embarrassed when guys compliment her or try to flirt (I could say more about her, but these will be spoilers).

Despite the fact that here the male characters are clichéd, for example - a kind cutie, handsome womanizer, narcissistic rude and so on, they look cool and interesting to watch, it's a pity that we will never know which of them Ani chose in the end.

In addition, there is one more plus in the form of a good plot, after which it helps some characters to reveal themselves.

Even if many people do not always take girly harem animes well and consider them worthless and empty, just to please teenage girls with cute romance in a colorful wrapper, this anime genre also deserves a place to be. Who knows, maybe soon the reverse - harems will evolve even more, at least there are already some anime-worthy options. Everything has its fans..

In general, this is a good and positive anime that can bring more colors to life. And I still hope for season 2.. 

✯ Nanbaka

When you watch a video on the topic: "Guess the gender of anime characters", you will not think that in this way you will be able to discover a new anime. That's how I found out about Nanbaka, after which I watched the first season in a couple of days.

I associate this anime with the beginning of July 2018 and the dairy drinks Twix, Milky Way and Snickers, which at that time I was finally able to taste.

Nanbaka has several advantages - a cool variety of characters, an element of comedy, and an equally vibrant color scheme. Also, I noticed that all characters have their own special difference - they all have nails painted in a different color and have small fangs.

Despite the fact that there is no romance here and the plot is built around a prison theme, Nanbaka is quite interesting to watch, and in some episodes there are elements of drama and seriousness. However, if the first season is more comical situations, then the second season is a little more serious, at least there are more problems that the heroes solve.

Of the characters, there are not only bisonens and heroes with simple qualities including kindness, cuteness, foolishness, signs of a womanizer, hot temper and severity, but there are also unexpected specimens, such as several LGBTQ characters and even antagonists.

Unfortunately, Nanbaka is not a very popular fandom and most likely there will never be a third season... But this is another solid anime that can be endlessly watched and is one of those that drags on from the first episodes.

✯ Romance Club

This visual novel often came across to me in YouTube recommendations, in the form of walkthroughs and analysis of Easter eggs from it.

At first, I was not very interested in this, and from the video, my first impression was that this is just an incomprehensible game with characters similar to cardboard figures, but for some reason it became very popular and discussed on social networks.

After some time, I still began to watch the walkthroughs and more or less began to understand what the whole highlight of the game is, and after that, I began to play myself, though at the beginning, then, I had only a plan to while away the rest of summer time until autumn, but I didn’t notice how I began to be drawn into the RC and it became not just a game for one time, it became a habit that is difficult to get rid of.

Now, it's not just a bunch of pretty cardboard character figurines and a joke that RC is a mix of films like "50 Shades of Gray" and "Twilight", made for teenage girls.

Romance Club is - characters for every taste, from whites and Europeans, to Hispanics and Asians, both boys and girls. LGBTQ relationships have not been forgotten here either.

Various stories with any setting - vampires + werewolves, pirates, aliens, 19th-18th century, royal setting, movie stars and fame, Scandinavian mythology, ancient Greek mythology, sea and beach setting, detectives and crime, ancient Japan (geisha and samurai) , angels and demons, everyday life and much more, but the creators continue to delight us with new stories to this day, and I think we still have a lot to see.

Beautiful graphics and drawing of characters, cool design of clothes, and also, here you can learn how to beautifully compose texts and sentences (let's say this can be useful for the writing sphere), since some stories contain wonderful descriptions of some scenes and comparisons of concepts (example. "Stars as luminous points," and the like).

But besides romance, other important topics can be revealed here, such as the concept of friendship, a hard life due to many problems, courage and self-confidence, and sometimes even 18+ topics can be touched upon. In addition, some stories have instructive facts, for example, something about the history of Turkey during the Ottoman Empire. 

Romance Club is scientifically enlightening!

Despite the fact that I refused to play games, since they take a lot of time, during which you can do a bunch of other useful things, RC is the only game (besides the Sims) on which I do not regret wasting my time and it is always interesting to watch new stories and how the old ones will end.

(P.S.: 

here is part 1 https://lenahellsparkle.tumblr.com/post/650656683336548352/list-fandoms-of-my-heart-1

part 2 https://lenahellsparkle.tumblr.com/post/655103141583470593/list-fandoms-of-my-heart-2)

[aftaabmagazine]

Kabul Dreams – Rock ‘n’ Rolling from Kabul

By Roya Aziz Published on March 12, 2010, on Afghan Magazine | Lemar - Aftaab

[caption: Kabul Dreams performing at the American University of Afghanistan in Kabul in 2010. Photo by H. David Shaw]

KABUL  |  Perhaps nothing best describes youth angst like a song entitled I Wanna Run Away, one of several original numbers performed by Kabul Dreams in a live concert held last week at the American University of Afghanistan. With no other lyrics except the title refrain, lead singer and guitarist Sulyman Qardash alternately sang and screamed into the microphone a sentence that probably resonates even more so with Afghanistan's youth.

Some people will tell you that Afghans don't live in a context where they can act like "teenagers" and rebel against their families and society ("Do they even want to?" some have wondered), but of course, they certainly feel the same emotions. Who better to express it than a rock band? Standing there and watching the crowd of enthusiastic AUA students, it struck me that the song was also apropos of so much more. When Qardash sings about running away, you're reminded that scores of young Afghans do run away to Europe or elsewhere every day in search of education or decent jobs.

A crowd of about 200 people cheered on Afghanistan's newest rock band, which was established a year ago. Qardash's mic was low, and there was too much feedback from the amplifiers at times, but that didn't ruin their performance or diminish their individual talents. Drummer Mujtaba Habibi showed off his skills in a couple sets with solo routines and bassist Siddique Ahmed, who is sometimes called Sid, definitely held his own too. As for Qardash, the frontman appeared to be having fun while impressing with his guitar riffs and vocals.

All three band members were born in Afghanistan but lived in neighboring countries for several years. Habibi was in Iran, while Ahmed lived in Pakistan. Qardash grew up in Uzbekistan and was a relative latecomer returning to Afghanistan in 2008. All three came from musical backgrounds, with Habibi, for example, playing in a band that was into pop rock and pop Latin music. "When I came to Kabul, I was looking for people who were into music, and I was introduced to Mujtaba through a friend," Ahmed said in an interview with AfghanMagazine.

"We got together and started working in a small studio where we practiced on our own and recorded and produced songs for some new artists.

Sulyman was introduced to us through another friend by chance, and when we got to know each other, we thought, why not start a band, so the triangle was completed and Kabul Dreams was [born]."

While the band's logo is similar to the Dead Kennedys', their sound is indie rock, inspired by British bands. Like "I Wanna Run Away," the band's other songs, with topics like love and failed romance, have bittersweet overtones.

"This next song is called Julie," Ahmed said. "I think everyone has had Julie in their lives." The crowd roared their agreement.

It being Afghanistan, the girls sat demurely on the sidelines while a large group of young men stood center stage waving their hands, jumping and dancing.

"I'm part of the first mosh pit in Afghanistan," one concert-goer was heard saying.

The university's faculty acted as cheerleaders and chaperones, some dancing to the music and reminding you of how you used to giggle uncomfortably when your teachers tried to look cool at your high school dances, which is what the whole event felt like even though the crowd was a bit older. The band performed several covers, including an endearing rendition of "Wonderwall" by Oasis and "Knockin'On Heaven's Door" by Bob Dylan with Ahmed encouraging everyone to sing along to the latter. No one really did, of course, because Bollywood, not rock'n'roll, is on most people's playlists still.

A few people around me, namely other Afghan-Americans, wondered how soon these guys would receive death threats from the Taliban. Whatever else, everything in Afghanistan is intensely political. It's never easy to forget where you are, like a nice gym paid for by U.S. taxpayers at an institution that's intended to educate an elite set. Beyond the post-9/11 black and white world view (the Taliban vs. rock'n'roll), I wondered if people regarded a band's artistic dreams and ability to express itself as solemnly as let's say poverty.

It's too soon to claim that Kabul Dreams echoes the voice of a generation, but one thing that was clear that night is the energy of Afghanistan's young people (68% the population is under the age of 25).

Maybe another Dylan classic would have said it better: Times they are a-changin'.

Interview with Kabul Dream's bassist Sid Ahmad

We asked Kabul Dreams a few questions. The responses came from band bassist Sid Ahmed.

Roya Aziz: So Sid, is there a Nancy? Sid: There's always Nancys, Julies, Jessicas, and so on! However, this is Afghanistan, so; basically, you know what I'm saying!

Roya Aziz: We are Old School. What do you think of Stars, the Ahmad Zahir rock band? Do you consider them an influence? Sid: Stars were probably one of the best bands we ever had in Afghanistan. Although they were influenced by the classic rock bands of the time, the music they played was not rock, it was a kind of fusion played with drums and guitars at which they were pretty good. Our influences are mostly British Indie rock bands, mostly new ones.

Roya Aziz: Your peers download Bollywood ringtones at an alarming rate. Do you think English rock will find a place amid these types of traditional preferences? Sid: Even Bollywood is now influenced by rock! It's just a matter of time, very soon the most popular ring tone will be "Knockin' on Heaven's Door"!

Roya Aziz: Who's your favorite rock'n'roll personality, and why? Sid: We all have our favorites. Mine is Paul McCartney because he's one of the best songwriters of all time.

Roya Aziz: Do you guys play Guitar Hero? Sid: We play guitars, so there's hardly time for any guitar hero!

Roya Aziz: What about your female fans? They seemed a bit restrained at your AUA show. Do you think the type of songs you write resonates with them? Sid: They like our songs, that is what all matters to us. Girls are restrained not only at AUA show but all over Afghanistan for many reasons. Our songs are mostly about love, relationships, friendship, peace, etc.. so I think they do resonate with them.

Roya Aziz: Do you foresee any competition from an Afghan all-girl rock band in the near future? Sid: We definitely foresee a competition from an Afghan rock band, but an all-girl rock band would definitely be hard to compete with!

Roya Aziz: What was your reaction to the overwhelming support from the audience at the South Asia Bands Festival in India? Sid: It was an exciting experience! The fact that they appreciated our music and were thrilled by it was a sign that what we started was something that we could be proud of. And what matters most to us is that we tried so hard to get there, on our own, without any support, facing difficulties on some basic things like lack of electricity, a place to practice … And now all our efforts were yielding the fruit!

Roya Aziz: What I love about Afghanistan is …. Sid: The fact that in spite of the problems and issues it has, you can't be away from it for too long!

Roya Aziz: What I don't like about Afghanistan is … Sid: The suicide attacks!

Roya Aziz: Where do you see your band in 10 years from now? Sid: At the Grammy award show, or probably a celebration after we have won [an award]!

Roya Aziz: Where do you see the country in 10 years from now? Sid: The country will probably have figured out a better security system by then. Wearing a life vest and traveling with armored vehicles might be part of the visa requirements!

Roya Aziz: I used to play a short-scale bass. Think we can jam sometime? Just kidding. I haven't played in 12 years. Rock on, Kabul Dreams. Sid: We can play guitar hero together sometimes and don't worry, I suck at it!

Roya Aziz: Any last words to our readers? Sid: Stay tuned for our first album coming up soon! And one more thing: RoCk oN!!!

Notes

Currently, the three original band members reside outside of Afghanistan. Mojtaba Habibi Shandiz lives in France. Sulyman Qardash and Sid Ahmad reside in the San Francisco Bay Area along with Raby Adib (joined in 2013).

On June 21, 2019, Kabul Dreams released a new EP With Love from Kabul:

[caption: Cover of their 2019 EP "With Love from Kabul" Photo by Fatimah Hossaini ]

Kabul Dreams 2016 live rendition of the late Baaz Gul Badakhshi's بازگل بدخشی folk song Ay Shokh  ای شوخ (O' Naughty One):

Kabul Dreams Links

Website Instagram

About Roya Aziz

Roya Aziz was born in Kabul, Afghanistan. She lived in Kabul and worked in media and communications. She has a master’s degrees in journalism from UC Berkeley. 

[weekendwarriorblog]

WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEKEND April 19, 2019  - THE CURSE OF LA LLORONA, BREAKTHROUGH, PENGUINS

Yay! Another week where I haven’t seen any of the new releases! This is what happens when studios offer a single press screening rather than a few options, I guess.

After a rather dismal weekend, this weekend sees the release of a mixed bag of movies that will wrap-up the winter/spring movie season before Avengers: Endgame comes along and just destroys everything else in theaters. This is also Easter weekend and with no schools and many being off work for Good Friday, we’ll see a large bump with most movies being frontloaded for the weekend. (Easter Sunday is usually reserved for family meals, Easter egg hunts, etc, so not as much movie business.)

Beginning on Wednesday, we have two relatively family-friendly films in Fox 2000’s faith-based BREAKTHROUGH  (20thCentury Fox) and DisneyNature’s PENGUINS  (Walt Disney Pictures), again, neither which I’ve seen. The first is a higher-profile faith-based drama that’s being released in perfect timing with Easter, but unlike the movies of PureFlix, I feel that the marketing campaign could bring in a wider audience, especially with popular actors like Chrissy Metz, Topher Grace, Mike Colter and Dennis Haysbert.  Penguinsis another Disney nature doc, this one a cute story about a penguin named Steve, voiced by Ed Helms, and its G-rating will help make it a choice for family with young kids over the holiday weekend.

Then on Friday (or rather, Thursday night) comes the latest horror film from producer James Wan, THE CURSE OF LA LLORONA (New Line/WB), which looks like another solid scare-fest even if the reviews out of SXSW weren’t as strong as the ones for Pet Sematary (which I still haven’t seen!) and Us (which I’ve seen twice). I’m definitely interested in checking it out, especially the work of director Michael Chaves, who has already been attached to direct the next Conjuring movie (although this one is not related).

Opening in 300 theaters Wednesday is the Bollywood release KALANK (FIP), directed by Abhishek Varman, a romantic drama about six characters looking for love in the town of Husnabad, North India.

Also opening fairly wide this weekend is Michael Berry’s adaptation of Riley Thomas’ stage musical Stuck (Eammon Films), starring Giancarlo Esposito, Amy Madigan, Omar Chaparroand Ashanti as four of six New York commuters stuck on a subway car, as they sing their stories to each other. Sounds more fun than what normally happens in New York when the subway car stops between stations.

Apparently, Bleecker Street plans on expanding Max Minghella’s Teen Spirit, starring Elle Fanning, wider, although I don’t have a theater count at this point in time, so I’m not sure if it’s expanding enough to get into the top 10 or how many areas it will be in.

LIMITED RELEASES

My favorite movie of the weekend is Pamela Green’s doc BE NATURAL: THE UNTOLD STORY OF ALICE GUY-BLACHÉ (Zeitgeist), which will open in L.A.  at the Laemmle Monica Film Center then move to NYC on April 26. If you don’t know who Alice Guy-Blaché is then you really need to see this movie, since she was such an important part of cinema history. She was there from the very gestation of cinema in France as the first female director who was making so many inroads into various filmmaking techniques while being mostly ignored by the men in the industry, including those who documented the history of cinema. This is an amazing film to see all of Ms. Guy’s accomplishments, while also being demeaned by a philandering husband who took credit for much of her accomplishments. I was also amazed to learn while watching this film that Fort Lee, New Jersey used to be the hub of cinema in the early 20thCentury before Guy’s husband and others moved to California and set up Hollywood, mainly to get away from paying fees to Tom Edison. This is an amazing doc that I recommend highly if you consider yourself a film buff on any level.

Another great doc opening this week – New York on Weds and in L.A. Friday – is Penny Lane’s new one HAIL SATAN? (Magnolia), which explores the Satanic Temple and its leader Lucien Greaves, who have created a political movement around the ideas that church and state should be kept separate. They do this by raising funds to set-up statues of Baphomet on the same capital grounds where governments have set-up statues of the Ten Commandments. They also do this with a sense of humor that reminds me of The Yes Men, whose own pranks have been documented well in film. Either way, this movie is not what you might think i.e. it’s not a commercial for Satanism as in the type that sacrifices babies. It’s just a group that uses the name of Satan to fight for religious freedom.

Gugu Mbatha-Raw plays a woman who goes on the run after her superpowers are discovered in Julia Hart’s FAST COLOR (Codeblack Films). This opens in select cities this week, and I’ve reviewed it over at The Beat.

It Follows director David Robert Mitchell’s new noir thriller UNDER THE SILVER LAKE (A24) seems to be getting dumped with a quick release in New York and L.A. on Friday before debuting for streaming on Amazon Monday.  I guess the mixed reviews it got at its premiere at Cannes last year didn’t help matters.  It stars Andrew Garfield as 33-year-old Sam who discovers the mysterious Sarah (Riley Kough) in his apartment swimming pool, but when she vanishes, he goes looking through L.A. to find what happened to her. I haven’t seen the movie yet, but it’s looking unlikely I’ll see it in theaters now.

Dame Judi Dench stars in Trevor Nunn’s RED JOAN (IFC Films), playing Joan Stanley, a widow living in retirement when the British Secret Service arrests her for giving classified information to the Soviets for decades. Based on a true story, it will open at the Landmark 57 and IFC Center in New York as well as other theaters and On Demand.

Tessa Thompson and Lilly James star in Nia DaCosta’s feature film directorial debut LITTLE WOODS (NEON), which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival last year, at which DaCosta won the Nora Ephron award. Thompson plays Ollie, a North Dakota woman who was once arrested for smuggling prescription drugs across the border, something she gives up until her pregnant sister Deb (James) shows up needing $3,000 to save their family home. I’m hoping to catch it again sometime this week, since I want to give it another chance.

Currently playing on DirecTV and opening in select theaters and On Demand Friday is Fred Wolf’s DRUNK PARENTS (Vertical Entertainment), starring Alec Baldwin and Salma Hayek. Semi-wealthy Frank and Nancy Teagarten are dropping their daughter off at college just before the repo man shows up at their door, so they do some drinking and hold a yard sale as to hide their deteriorating wealth.

Orange is the New Black star Taylor Schilling stars in Laura Steinel’s Family  (The Film Arcade) as career-focused Kate Stone, who is asked by her estranged brother to babysit her ‘tween niece Maddie, as one night turns into a week.

Prolific Korean auteur Hong Sang-soo’s new movie Grass  (Cinema Guild), will open at the Metrograph in New York. It’s a rather talkie piece that involves a bunch of people talking to each other in a café where a young woman (Kim Min-hee) eavesdrops and adds their characters to her story.  I’m generally mixed on Hong Sang-soo, and this one seems a bit more artsy with less of a narrative, but I assume diehard fans will enjoy it.

Wanuri Kahui’s Kenyan coming-of-age drama Rafiki (Film Movement), the first Kenyan film to show at Cannes, will open at BAM on Friday. It follows the journey of Kena and Ziki, two young woman whose fathers are rival political candidates but who have formed a bond of friendship.

Just in time for 4/20 comes Robert Ryan’s doc Breaking Habits (Good Deed Entertainment) about Christine Meeusen’s decision to leave her cheating husband of 17 years with her three kids, reinventing herself as Sister Kate and setting up a cannabis farming business that would become the Sisters of the Valley medicinal marijuana empire.

Also, a reminder that Terry Gilliam’s The Man Who Killed Don Quixote, starring Adam Driver and Jonathan Pryce, is supposed to get a limited release this weekend after its Fathom Events “one night only,” although I have no idea of number of theaters or locations or anything.

LOCAL FESTIVALS

As with every weekend, there’s a lot going on, and in New York, up at the Film Society of Lincoln Center, they’re kicking off this year’s ART OF THE REAL on Thursday and running through April 28. The Opening Night film is Frank Beauvais’ Just Don’t Think I’ll Scream, compiling the thoughts and revelations of the filmmaker. I haven’t been able to get to any of the press screenings, but it usually has an interesting and diverse line-up which you can read more about at the link.

REPERTORY

METROGRAPH (NYC):

Fans of Brazilian cinema will want to check out some of the Metrograph’s new series about Brazilian filmmaker Nelson Pereira dos Santos, which runs from Friday through April 28. The movies range from his groundbreaking 1955 doc Rio, 40º to 2011’s The Music According to Tom Jobim with nine films, few of which have received distribution in North America. This week’s Late Nites at Metrographinclude Sion Sono’s Anti-Porno and Bertrando Bonello’s 2011 film L’Appollonide (House of Tolerance), neither which I’ve seen, but the weekend’s  Playtime: Family Matineesis Disney’s The Love Bug, one of my absolute favorite films from childhood.

THE NEW BEVERLY  (L.A.):

Besides showing Henri-Georges Clouzet’s murder-mystery Quai Des Orfevres on Wednesday afternoon, Tarantino’s rep theater is showing double features of Hitchcock’s Family Plot  (1976) and the thriller Black Sunday  (1977) on Weds. and Thurs, the classic Jack Lemmon-Walter Matthau The Odd Couple (1968) and Robert Redford/Jane Fonda’s Barefoot in the Park (1967) on Friday, then Cheech and Chong’s Next Movie (1980) and Ice Cube’s Friday (1995) on Saturday. This weekend’s KIDDEE MATINEE is a surprisingly recent movie in Universal’s Hop – cause it’s Easter weekend, get it? – and the midnight movies are The Hateful Eight on Friday night and the 1981 John Belushi-Dan Aykroyd movie Neighbors on Saturday. Sunday and Monday are double features of Only When I Laugh (1981) and I Oughtta Be in Pictures (1982). Monday afternoon is a screening of Martin Scorsese’s 1999 film Bringing Out the Dead, starring Nicolas Cage and Patricia Arquette.

FILM FORUM (NYC):

One of the repertory series I’m most excited about since first hearing about it is the Film Forum’s latest series “Trilogies,” which this weekend will show all three of Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather trilogy, and Sergio Leone’s Western trilogy with Clint Eastwood: A Fistful of Dollars (1964), For a Few Dollars More (1966) and The Good, The Bad and the Ugly (1966). This weekend is also the start of Masaki Kobayashi’s The Human Condition, while Monday is a trilogy of films by Jacques Beckere called his “Paris Youth Trilogy,” including Antoine and Antoinette.  Sadly, they don’t seem to be showing Edgar Wright’s Three Cornetto Trilogy as part of the series. :( This weekend’s Film Forum Jr. is the 1985 crime-comedy Clue, based on the board game.

EGYPTIAN THEATRE (LA):

Word came out last week that Netflix is looking to buy the Egyptian, so hope they retain the repertory programming. Thursday is the new restoration of Bjork’s 1990 movie The Juniper Tree, Friday night there is a Brian Yuzna double feature of Society and Bride of Re-Animator, both from 1989 with Yuzna in attendance. Saturday sees a TRIPLE feature of Sam Raimi’s Army of Darkness (1992), Waxwork  (1988) and Fulci’s The Beyond (1985), all in 35mm!

AERO  (LA):

The Aero’s “Classic Movie Clowns” series begins Thursday with a Harold Lloyd-Buster Keaton double feature of Safety Last! (1923) and The Navigator (1924), Charlie Chaplin’s The Great Dictator (1940) plays on Friday, as well as a series of Silent Comedy Shorts (with live music!) on Saturday, as well as Laurel and Hardy’s Sons of the Desert (1933) along with their shorts Brats and Helpmates. Easter Sunday sees a collection of Bugs Bunny and Friends animated shorts and a double feature of Richard Kelly’s Donnie Darko (2001) and Sam Raimi’s The Evil Dead  (1981).

IFC CENTER (NYC)

The IFC Center started its spring series last weekend, but I received the info too late to include. This weekend’s Waverly Midnights: ParentalGuidance is Hitchcock’s Psycho, while the Weekend Classics: LoveMom and Dad is Terms of Endearment and Late Night Favorites: Springis David Fincher’s Fight Club.

MOMA (NYC):

Modern Matinees: B is for Bacall this week shows the 1947 film Dark Passage on Weds, Howard Hawk’s To Have and Have Not  (1944) Thurs, and The Big Sleep  (1946) on Friday. Also the What Price Hollywood series continues with Clarence Brown’s 1931 film A Free Soul and Josef von Sternberg’s 1934 film The Scarlet Empress on Weds, the 1939 film Midnight and 1935’s Sylvia Scarlett on Thursday and more. They’re also showing Franco Rosso’s Babylonover the weekend.

MUSEUM OF THE MOVING IMAGE (NYC):

This week’s series is See it Big! Action with screenings of Raiders of the Lost Ark, Seven Samurai, Anne of the Indiesand The Adventures of Robin Hood. On Good Friday, the family program is the animated Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit.

QUAD CINEMA (NYC):

The Quad continues its Wild Things: The Ferocious Films of Nelly Kaplan this weekend with Charles and Lucie, Néa, The Pleasure of Love and more.

BAM CINEMATEK (NYC):

Thursday ends the The Anarchic Cinema of Věra Chytilováseries of the Czech film star.

LANDMARK THEATRES NUART  (LA):

This Friday’s midnight offering is Panos Costamos’ too recent to be repertory Mandy, starring Nicolas Cage.

STREAMING AND CABLE

Streaming on Netflix this week is Jennifer Kaytin Robinson’s SOMEONE GREAT, starring Jane the Virgin’s Gina Rodriguez as an aspiring music journalst trying to get her dream job at a magazine, even though that would mean moving to San Francisco. Her boyfriend of nine years (Lakeith Stanfield) decides to break up so she and her two best friends (DeWanda Wise, Brittany Snow) decide to go out for one last adventure in New York City.

[dailykpopmeme]

//92 Truths

I’ve been tagged by @featureless-spy​ the sexy and wild mothafucka. Thanks for the tag, i guess you guys will know a bit more of me.

THE LAST…

1.Drink: Tea

2.Phone call: My dad.

3.Text message: BFF <3

4.Song you listened to: Lemaitre - Closer.

5.Time you cried: omg good question, probably a week ago.

HAVE YOU EVER…

6.Dated someone twice: Nope, who do that ?

7.Been cheated on: No

8.Kissed someone and regretted it: Hum well yeah, shit happens.

9.Lost someone special: Yes

10.Been depressed: Yes, i’ve been but not anymore.

11.Gotten drunk and thrown up: it happened once and not that long ago.

LIST 3 FAVORITE COLORS:

-Yellow

-Pink

-Red

IN THE LAST YEAR HAVE YOU…

15.Made new friends: Maybe too much.

16.Fallen out of love: Yes.

17.Laughed until you cried: Yes like everyday.

18.Found out someone was talking about you: Yes, thoses bitches.

19.Met someone who changed you: Not really, i change by my own.

20.Found out who your true friends are: Yes, but it’s been a long time.

21.Kissed someone on your Facebook list: Yes.

GENERAL…

22.How many of your Facebook friends do you know in real life: Basically everyone, but there are some of them that i didn’t see since a long time.

23.Do you have any pets: Yes i have a dog, his name is Charly but he lives at my parent’s.

24.Do you want to change your name: Nope, i kinda like it.

25.What did you do for your last birthday: I party super hard with my friends, the theme of the night was Bollywood, we danced our ass off and drank a bit too much.

26.What time did you wake up: 08:00 am.

27.What were you doing at midnight last night: Watching Love Rain.

28.Name something you cannot wait for: Being independant and having money.

29.When was the last time you saw your mother: Two weeks ago, when i came back home. I don’t live in the same city as my parents. (i’m a student)

30.What is one thing you wish you could change about your life: Maybe being a man, i’ve always wanted to be a guy idkw. Or being closer to my family.

31.What are you listening to right now: Jay Park - Aquaman.

32.Have you ever talked to a person named Tom: Oh probably when i went to London many times, but i don’t remember i was drunk.

33.Something that is getting on your nerves: People being racist, disrespectful, selfish, homophobic. Hate in general. Having no money. Water on my computer. “20% of battery left”. People saying “why are you so much in your chinese shit ?” when i talk about Kpop. No more toilet paper. The light of my bathroom dying. Being lazy. Donald trump. Fuck boys. No more tea left.

34.Most visited website: Tumblr, Youtube, twitter, instagram.

35.Elementary:  ✔

36. High School: ✔

37.College: I didn’t do college but i went to a private art school. I’m still in.

38.Hair color: Blonde and light pink. (all of the pink is gone*sad emoji*)

39.Long or short hair: Mid-long.

40.Do you have a crush on someone: Currently, nope.

41.What do you like about yourself: I like my dumb humour, my eyes, my craziness. And my talent to make anything look stupid.

42.Piercings: My ears

43.Blood type: i have no idea lol

44.Nickname: omg this is gonna be long : Agathe feeling, Agathe the power, Agathe You, Agathe 99 dollars but i can’t spend one. Gagathe, Gagathosaure. (my name is Agathe, and french people love puns)

45.Relationship status: I’m sexy free and single.

46.Zodiac sign: Libra

47.Pronouns: She/her

48.Favorite tv show: Breaking Bad.

49.Tattoos: I got my first one two weeks ago. You can see it right here.

50.Right or left hand: Right.

FIRST…

51.Surgery: I didn’t got surgery. For the moment.

52.Piercing: My ears, i was 14.

54.Sport: Classical dance, i was 8 or 9, really young. As long as i can remember that’s the first sport i did.

55.Vacation: Moutain, skiing with my family !

57.Eating: milk lol ?

58.Drinking: Red wine.

59.I’m about to: be lazy, because it’s the end of the day.

60.Listening to: Super Junior - Sorry Sorry, i have no idea why.

61.Waiting for: WEEK-END AND PARTYYYY

62.Want: I want to see GD this year, going to festival, dying my hair, but we can’t have what we want wan’t we ?

63.Get married: maybe one day but not for the moment, you have to meet someone for that lol.

64.Career: Being rich obviously. No but seriously i want to work as a graphic designer, being able to live from my passion would be great.

WHICH IS BETTER…

65.Hugs or kisses: Both ?

66.Lips or eyes: Eyes

67.Shorter or taller: Well i’m tall as fuck, so taller, but i don’t care really.

68.Older or younger: Age is just a number you know

70.Nice arms or nice stomach: idk, i’m more into butts.

71.Sensitive or loud: Sensitive.

72.Hook up or relationship: Relationship

73.Troublemaker or hesitant: Hesitant

HAVE YOU EVER…

74.Kissed a stranger?: Yes

75.Drank hard liquor?:  omg yes

76.Lost glasses contact/lenses?: Yes

77.Turned someone down?: Yes, many times.

78.Sex on first date?: Never.

79.Broken someone’s heart?: Nope.

80.Had your heart broken?: Yes

81.Been arrested?: No lol

82.Cried when someone died?: Yes

83.Fallen for a friend?: Yes.

DO YOU BELIEVE IN…

84.Yourself?: Yes, i’d say 80%.

85.Miracles?: No, only hard work.

86.Love at first sight?: Yes, but it doesn’t last.

87.Santa Claus?: Yes of course.

88.Kiss on the first date?: No.

89.Angels?: Nope.

OTHER…

90.Current best friend’s name: Marcie, Manon, Cindy.

91.Eye color: Green.

92.Favorite movie: Bily Eliott.

VOILÀ, the tag is over that was soooo long omg. I’m gonna tag @just-urgh , @cursed-kpop-images, @thequeenshady, @tabi87, @indigyu, @fyminsuga, @kpopmemesnvines,@brooklyntwixx, @kawaii-desu-my-niggaa, @heyitszul​

[american-in-abidjan]

Restaurant Recommendations

Norima American Deux Plateaux Norima is a quintessential expat hang out that serves up burgers, fries, and fajitas. The friendly English speaking staff is very attentive. Normally for lunch there aren’t many patrons, but come around the dinner rush and you’ll be joined with a ton of international patrons! At night they also have a DJ who plays some music for the restaurant. This place is popular enough that, at the time of writing, they are in the process of expanding! Norima is an easy place to escape when you’ve had enough of the poulet braisé. They also have a fairly extensive drink menu! Price: 5000 – 7000 FCFA without drinks What to get: Anything off the burger menu, wings What to skip: The tacos, salads Bushman Café Ivorian/French Riviéra 3 When you’re going out with your American friends in Abidjan, Bushman Café is the go-to for a fun open-air dinner. Converted from an old hotel, this restaurant has been revamped and decked out with local flare, even selling some of the artwork on display. Enjoy the night time breeze while you wait for your food to be prepared in the exposed kitchen. This place is incredibly accommodating for vegetarians and offers your usual verity of Ivorian classics. Bushman Café takes it up a notch, providing fast (a relative term here) service and expert presentation. Admittedly the beer and wine selection here is slim, but that shouldn’t deter you from enjoying a bottle or two. A favourite among the expat community, you’ll be sure to bump into the international community on a Friday night out! Price: 5000 – 7000 FCFA without drinks What to get: Poisson braise, brochettes Au Bord Du Lac du Tiberade Ivorian Village Abata This is where the locals come to sit lagoon side and enjoy the breeze over a classic meal. Private bungalows sit right on top of the water furnished with tables, chairs, and couches. Though this place is about 30 minutes from the centre of Abidjan, it is slowly becoming known amongst the tourists. Hopefully this destination for the true Abidjanais doesn’t lose its charm as it becomes more well-known… and hopefully they keep their prices low! Expect deep bowls of attiéké and aloko to accompany the large plate of chicken or fish you settle on. But be prepared to spend the entire afternoon or evening here. With slow service and made to order food, you will have a while to enjoy a conversation and long meal out on the water. Price: 3000-6000 FCFA What to get: Poulet braise, attiéké, aloko La Pagode Vietnamise Marcory/Zone 4 Recognized by many as one of, if not the, best restaurant in Abidjan, La Pagode offers amazing food with exceptional service. A relatively large space and plenty of tables are filled on weekend nights. This is a fantastic place to treat yourself to a nice, upper-scale night out. This place offers a wide variety of Vietnamese and Asian food. The group that I went with had a ritual of starting with the plat royal that comes as a platter of various little appetizers. Then followed up with rice and generous plates of meat. Price: 8000-10000 FCFA What to get: Porc caramel, riz cantonais, boeuf citronelle, poulet au bamboo, plat royal, jus de gingimbre Kool Zone Dessert Marcory/Zone 4 Teleportation truly does exist as this frozen yogurt shop seems to have fallen through a worm hole that connects Hollywood to downtown Abidjan. The owner is a Lebanese, born in Abidjan, then a resident in Los Angeles for 20+ years. After visiting his family in Abidjan after his time in America, he got the idea to bring frozen yogurt, boba (bubble tea), and Thai ice cream to the Côte d’Ivoire. As an American from LA walking into this place, I legitimately thought I had hit my head and was having a hallucination. He’s imported all of his machines, blenders, flavorings, and materials from the US to make it a truly authentic experience. Though admittedly he said it’s been a bit of a challenge to take on a campaign to introduce frozen yogurt to Abidjan, he’s had sure success (even besting a competitor who tried to copy his idea). He’s bringing the newest American dessert trends to Abidjan. We sat on chairs with a fun modern design as we drank green milk tea boba, and cups of red velvet and caramel frozen yogurt. The staff is incredibly attentive and focused, the owner has personally trained his staff members to give American-grade service. I can’t say enough nice things about this guy and this place, it’s a true gem in Marcory. Price: 2000-5000 What to get: Boba (they have every flavor you’d find in a boba bar back in LA), frozen yogurt, and Thai ice-cream. Restaurant Le Paon African Riviéra 4 Welcome to the best restaurant in Abidjan. The combination of a romantic atmosphere, mouthwatering food, and impeccable service. Tucked behind a local car wash, walk over the red carpeted bridge and into an oasis. Outside seating in your own private cabana that can easily seat six that comes with a fan and a TV. Your server will leave you will a calling button so you can get his attention without leaving your seat. The menu is extensive but not overwhelming, offering a wide arrange of meat dishes (chicken, fish, steak, and rabbit) and a multitude of sides. While you wait for your food, which won’t be long, listen to the live music that plays nightly and enjoy the ambiance. The food is by far the best I’ve had in Abidjan. We ordered the poulet au gingimbre, a huge plates of chicken bathed in a creamy ginger sauce that is incredibly tasty. I mixed the sauce in with my side orders of rice, aloco, and green beans because it was so good! Everything was done to perfection, even the aloco which they do in the oven to avoid making it too oily. With that main plate and three sides, my friend and I were truly stuffed. The owner is an incredibly kind French woman from Normandy. She made sure to come around and check on us multiple times to make sure everything was to our liking. We established a bit of a rapport with her and she told us how much she loves Americans (her parents are American and growing up a short car ride from Omaha Beach instilled a great respect for the US). And she loves California! She’s truly a great host and has made the top spot to go to in Abidjan. On Friday and Saturday nights there is a large open barbeque of South African meats that is also very popular. As we were there on a Wednesday night it was more quiet, but that didn’t take away from the experience. Price: 6500 – 10000 What to get: poulet au gingimbre, aloco, rice, green beans, any of the steaks Delhi Darbar Indian Marcory/Zone 4 Get your Indian food fix at this authentic restaurant. Run by an incredibly kind Indian family and frequented by patrons of all backgrounds, Delhi Darbar is the spot in Abidjan for Indian food. The large seating area is matched with a TV screen playing any given Bollywood film. Bollywood music plays softly in the background as the classic smells of turmeric and curry surround you. We opted to get a few dishes and share amongst us. Portions aren’t necessarily large but by the end we had a little left over that we took home. We each ordered a gravy with some rice and naan. It admittedly isn’t the best Indian food I’ve ever had, but it’s incredibly decent and middle of the road, truly hits the spot after having been in a curry drought since my arrival to Abidjan. Price: 5000 – 10000 What to get: garlic naan, biryani, onion kutcha, chicken Chana Dahl, Chana curry, palak paneer, chicken tikka masala Des Gatueax et du pain French Bakery Rivièra 3 This bakery is nicer than the local ones I was going to in Brussels. This bakery is efficient, clean, well-managed, and has the tastiest treats. A favorite amongst the teachers at the international school, designer cakes and fancy whole wheat bread sits aside fancy desserts and piles of all of your favorites. Sit for a while and get a coffee or take it on the road with you. If you’re looking for a bakery this is your spot. Price: 500 – 1000 What to get: Get your pain au chocolat and chausson au pomme with some mille feuille and a coffee to go! Restaurant Seoul Korean Rivièra Golf, near the American Embassy If you’re itching for some Korean BBQ, this is going to be the place that does it’s best to scratch it. Sadly, in 2017 the grill top tables haven’t yet made their way to Abidjan. But delicious kimchi and heaping bowls of Bibimbap sure have! Though it isn’t a large venue, the service is incredibly fast and wait staff is moderately attentive. We had a fantastic meal with large portions, perfect fopr sharing amongst the group if you wish! Note: If you have a peanut allergy like a certain American, then be sure to triple check. Some items on the menu that don’t list that they have peanuts still come with peanuts. So bring up your allergy with the waiter before you order! Price: 4000-9000 What to get: Tteok bok gi, Calamars frits, Dak gangjeong (surprise nuts), Bulgogi, Dak galbi What to skip: Chicken teriyaki Garden Lounge European, African Attoban A quite night out at an upscale restaurant that isn’t pretentious? Garden lounge is one of the top restaurants in Abidjan but also easily the most popular. Cab drivers will know exactly where to go just by mentioning the name. Sit back, relax, and draw the curtains in your own private gazeebo that is furnished with plush chairs and sofas. The food is incredibly tasty and can be enjoyed slowly over a nice conversation. Service is on the slower side, but what are you going to do? Enjoy the music and privacy as you sip on some Flag, Castel, or any of the tens of different drink options this place offers (the bar is very extensive). Price: 6000-8000 What to get: Steak, Sole de Garden Quick Burger American Rivièra 3 If you find yourself at Rivièra 3 by The International Community School of Abidjan and you need a far cry of a burger, or some food to pad your stomach before a night out, Quick Burger will be just that. Although the adjective in its name is the king of misnomers, when your food comes out it will be incredibly middle of the road. Ask for the garlic sauce (a mayo aioli, sort of), that helps add flavor. No frills, no promises made nor kept, Quick Burger is what you want out of a cheap Abidjan burger joint. Price: 3000-4000 What to get: Burgers, fries, and beer

[hermanwatts]

Sensor Sweep: Space 1889, Barry Windsor Smith, Tokien, Prydain

Popular Culture (DVS Press): If you needed more proof that the obsession with fictional corporate franchises has a religious overtone to it, here is a major filmmaker advertising just that. When my viewers were upset about the corporate destruction of Star Wars, calling the franchise a cultural institution, I thought it a bit hyperbolic – after all, these are just stories, and you can’t uncreate what George Lucas did. I see things better now. Star Wars is part of the religious reverence for popular franchises.

RPG (Matthew J. Constantine): Way back in the 80s when I was a wee lad and just getting into tabletop RPGs, I used to see Space 1889 on the shelf at a local game store and I thought it looked pretty cool. Somewhere around there, my father picked up a copy, and I used to thumb through it a bunch.  There was something in the setting that really hit a lot of my buttons. I was an Edgar Rice Burroughs, H.G. Wells, and Jules Verne fan, so that was probably enough. But the setting had something that drew me in.

Comic Books (ICV2): Marvel Comics announced Conan the Barbarian: Coming of Conan, the first volume of collected Conan books restored for The Original Marvel Years Epic Collection, for release into trade in June 2020. Conan’s adventures would become legend, but before he became king, he was Conan the Barbarian. In this new trade paperback, Roy Thomas and Barry Windsor-Smith bring Robert E. Howard’s barbarian to four-color life, and have restored the art to match the epic majesty of their original editions.

Cinema (Amatopia): So this Birds of Prey movie didn’t do so hot. The usual suspects are blaming misogyny among the movie-going public. The other usual suspects are blaming a marketing campaign that specifically told men that this movie was not for them. Now, both are apocryphal, as I have not found men telling other men not to see this movie because it features women, and I have also not found people involved with the making of the movie telling men “This movie is not for you.”

Tolkien (Sacnoth’s Scriptorium): we now know that Tolkien was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature at least three times: in 1961, when he was nominated by C. S. Lewis. in 1967, when his name appeared on the (alphabetical) long list as #58 of 70 nominees. In 1969, when he was #90 on the long list of 103 names. So far as I know he did not make the short list any of these times.

Weird Fiction & Appendix N (Goodman Games): Without August Derleth (1909-1971), you probably wouldn’t have that Cthulhu bumper sticker on your car, that Cthulhu for President poster, and certainly not that Plushie Cthulhu you have staring down at you from your geek-memorabilia shelf.  Not that Cthulhu would not exist, but he (it?) would be just one more forgotten character in a series of stories by an author unknown except to the most ardent of horror literati. Howard Philip Lovecraft’s greatest creation and most if not all of his fiction would have passed into obscurity if not for August Derleth’s founding of Arkham House publishing.

Fiction (DMR Books): These are stories of Jean Ray, who was known as “The Belgian Poe.” Other writers he was similar to are H. P. Lovecraft, William Hope Hodgson, and Guy de Maussapant. I first read Ray’s fiction in the doorstopper anthology The Weird by Jeff and Anne VanderMeer which reprinted his stories “The Mainz Psalter” and “The Shadowy Street.” Reading these stories, I felt like I did when I first read Lovecraft. They were tales of cosmic horror of immense power and imagination. I decided I would seek out more of his fiction.

RPG (Black Gate): For twenty years, the folks at Privateer Press have been creating games, primarily set in their Iron Kingdoms steampunk fantasy setting. They began with a series of RPG volumes, including an award-winning trilogy of adventures from 2001. These adventures, later collected into The Witchfire Trilogy, was built on the D20 System from Dungeons and Dragons 3E. Then Privateer Press really came into their own with the introduction of the Warmachine miniature wargame, focusing on armies that control massive metallic warjacks, one of the iconic creatures from their Iron Kingdoms setting.

T.V. (Dark Worlds Quarterly): When I was in graduate school, one of my

favorite television shows was Highlander.  I’d seen the first and second movies, and while I’d enjoyed them, it was the TV show that really captured my imagination and made me think about immortals and immortality. A movie is limited to approximately two hours. By contrast, a weekly show has a lot more time to develop characters, backstory, plots and subplots, and story-arcs that can last for months or even years.

Fiction (Epoch Times): In 1907, the man who composed these verses won the Noble Prize for Literature at the remarkably young age of 41. He also wrote hundreds of short stories and several novels. Many of these were made into films in the 20th century, among which were “The Jungle Book,” “Kim,” “Gunga Din,” “Wee Willie Winkie,” “Captains Courageous,” “Soldiers Three,” and “The Man Who Would Be King.” (Reader, if you haven’t seen this last film, starring Sean Connery, Michael Caine, and Christopher Plummer, treat yourself to a great movie this winter.)

Fiction (Wasteland & Sky): A couple of years ago, Superversive Press announced a series of 12 volumes each containing short stories based on the classic planetary system. 9 were based on the planets, and two were based on the sides of the moon. Each volume would contain stories science fiction, fantasy, horror, and weird fiction, with everything in between. No genre style was off limits. All that mattered was matching tone and theme. As a themed series of short story anthologies, it was quite ambitious.

Retro-Science Fiction (25 Years Later): There are two closely-knit, though not necessarily always interchangeable, subgenres of the Golden Age of Science Fiction. Raypunk, or in architectural design circles referred to as Raygun Gothic, is the retrofuture with an eye for a bright future. Atompunk generates dystopian vibes and warns of a dreaded future in which the atomic bomb desecrated all humankind. Atompunk is bleak and afraid. Raypunk is quite excited for what tomorrow has in store.

Cinema (Jon Mollison): Bollywood often gets bandied about as an alternative to Hollywood fare by those cut back on consumption of it’s anti-American resentment.  Taken in by the flashy colors, the obvious national pride of the productions, and for some strange reason the song and dance numbers that break out on the regular, they seek solace in alien spectacle.  Personally, I find the sheer foreign-ness of Bollywood off-putting in much the same way I find anime incomprehensible. . . Enter Furious, the Russian made story of 17 brave warriors who stood up to a full Mongol horde.

Art (Down the Tubes): The Windsor-Smith Studio announced the completion of Monsters, the long awaited graphic novel by Barry, last December, and that the project is on track for a mid-2020 release, but a publisher was not revealed. Assuming it will be launched through traditional distribution routes and not solely through the Windsor-Smith Studio official web site, you’d expect a solicitation through Diamond Previews might soon be in the offing.

Fantasy Fiction (Superversive SF): To both spend time with my children and give them literary food to build their minds, I recently read to them THE CHRONICLES OF PRYDAIN. For them, it was the second reading, but they were too young to remember the first. This time, they were begging for me to read more each night. The stories of Taran and the companions, Fflewddur Fflam, Gurgi, and Eilonwy not only filled their imaginations with adventure but taught them how dragons can be slain (paraphrasing of G.K. Chesterton).

Tolkien (Tentaculii): In August 1955 L. Sprague de Camp reviewed new Conan books and The Fellowship of the Ring, in Science Fiction Quarterly, August 1955. Worth reading right across the spread, as it’s ‘all of a piece’. For those who have somehow not yet enjoyed The Lord of the Rings, note that his review has plot spoilers for the first volume. At that time the second volume was not yet published. Camp must surely have here been the first to draw the comparison between the modus operandi of the ring in the Conan novelette “The Phoenix on the Sword” (1932) and The Lord of the Rings.

Sensor Sweep: Space 1889, Barry Windsor Smith, Tokien, Prydain published first on https://sixchexus.weebly.com/