#but now its like. constant books shows constant talk of movies

[clonehub]

"why does the fandom complain so much!!" do you see what we've been getting

[kaiser1ns]

𝘃𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘅 𝗳𝗲𝗺!𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿

╹synopsis :: it doesn't take much to say or show you love someone even with the simplest of actions.

╹contents :: can be read as fem/gn reader; characters from blue lock, jjk and honkai star rail, FLUFF, ooc maybe?

╹notes :: as i was walking to go home at like 10pm i thought of this, hope you enjoy! added hsr specially for @okkalo ♡

ITOSHI SAE immediately takes you out to visit the sea when he gets some days off. The sounds of the waves, the relaxing atmosphere and you in his arms calm him down causing him to flashback to his childhood memories of when he was just a small and carefree child wanting nothing more but to play football with his little brother and personal cheerleader.

Not only he is known as the strongest but GOJO SATORU is also known for having a very strong sweet tooth. So what does he do to reduce the sugar? He shares it with you because there is nothing better than sharing his favourite thing with his lover, so let's say he gets a double dose of chocolate and candy from just seeing you and that's enough.

AVENTURINE is not afraid to take the risk and his constant smile makes it difficult for people to guess his true intentions. Not with you though, he lets his guard down, your voice soothing him to help him relax and as he gets lost in your touch. He is not Aventurine of the IPC or the Ten Stonehearts, he is just Kakavasha the little boy who once dreamed of love and now he won the biggest treasure in his life — you.

ITOSHI RIN knows how much you don't like scary movies, and that's why when you come over for the weekends you watch movies or series of your choice, be it Barbie or The Lion King. He will swallow his ego and stop watching the weekly uploads of his favourite scary games just so you can't fall asleep on purpose because of the horror films.

GETO SUGURU can't stop talking about how beautiful, amazing, and kind you are. Mimiko and Nanako are tired because they are the only ones who get to hear all his murmuring when you are away even for only 5 minutes. But they know how much he loves you and how you breathe life into him, and he wishes that someday they will become like you — strong and good-hearted.

ARGENTI thanks and prays to Idrila every moment of his life for obtaining the biggest blessing to ever exist and that is meeting you. The Knight of Beauty makes sure to give you one red rose every day to express his profound love and admiration, it's a small gesture that symbolizes his devotion to the relationship. He should protect his lover and like flowers, the tender petals are directed to you, with the thorns to the cosmic and its danger protecting you

It may seem that he is spoiled, but in fact, NAGI SEISHIRO is not, well not that much. Sometimes he takes charge of the household chores, giving you, a well-deserved break. He washed the dishes, cooked you a meal (instant noodles), and even tried to fold the laundry. And you, pleasantly surprised, sank into the couch, embracing the rare luxury of relaxation as familiar songs from your shared playlist were playing on the TV. Even if it doesn't happen often you are forever grateful for your lazy boyfriend to do something like that.

ITADORI YUJI shows genuine interest and actively listens to you talking about your current obsession be it a series, celebrity, book, food, or anything. He loves your voice, seeing your beautiful smile, and how your eyes seem to sparkle as you talk, he is so lovestruck that he sometimes just stares at you with the most soft and genuine look. Just don't be surprised when you find some merchandise on your desk with a little love note, okay?

Engaging in meaningful conversations and connecting on a deeper level with DR. RATIO seems like every other normal day for him. He approaches every interaction with a thirst for knowledge. And you take him by surprise every time and he doesn't know what to do, the great genius suddenly stops functioning. The way you hold his hand, kiss his cheek, make him stutter — he goes crazy and questions himself about how there is no logical explanation for this, but there is, it is called love.

SHIDOU RYUSEI doesn't like to share his material possessions with anyone, he worked so hard to get the last volumes of Chainsaw Man as they are now put on the shelf in his bedroom. And imagine his reaction when he sees you reading volume 10 which has Makina on the cover, cuddled nicely with his blanket on the bed. How dare you read it without him? And so he jumps onto the mattress, squishing you because that's your punishment for not telling him. You apologized to him of course but for him to fully forgive you, next time you will be on anicon cosplaying Makima and Denji.

FUSHIGURO MEGUMI remembers the small details about you and your preferences. If you don't like a certain ingredient in the food, he will order the dish without it. You like to sleep on this side of the bed, no problem he will sleep on the other side as you both cuddle and drift to Dreamland. He will immediately notice the change in your mood and even if he is not so good with words, he will always be there for you offering his warm embrace.

As a Galaxy Ranger BOOTHILL tends to travel around the cosmos a lot and sadly he can't spend time with you. But when he's with you, one of the things you do is his hair and to put cute stickers on his metal hands or guns. The scary cyborg cowboy is now a pretty princess with pigtails, heart stickers and with a very happy lover. He watches you having fun with his makeover — and will do everything possible to spend more time with you.

©2024 kaiser1ns do not copy, repost or modify my work.

[spookberry]

Shadow High series 3 my new beloved

I didnt even like most of em until i saw them in person, but the knowledge that they'll probably never be in the show has my brain in a "well its free realestate" kinda mood

Random list of information cuz ive been plotting out friend dynamics and background lore

-i like to pretend Rainbow High/Shadow High are actually Rainbow University/Shadow University cuz im in art college Right Now and i think it makes more sense with the whole dorm room situation. And also major makes more sense than focus IMO

-I changed Pinkie's major from film to just undeclared. I think she eventually does land on Film. She just has a lot of interests! Her dream has always been to one day direct films, and I think she comes to love them even more while developing ideas her with the group as she winds up in a Director/Producer position for most of them. BUT also every time she takes a class in a different program she cant help but fall in love with that way of making art too. So she has a hard time picking for a while and changed her major a couple times before landing on Film.

-Pinkie and Berrie bond a lot over a shared interest in vocal synths (tho Berrie knows more about them than her).

-The two made Pinkie's vtuber model together!

-the fandom wiki says PJ is from germany?? Idk how canon that is tbh but ive decided to embrace it i guess

-Rooney's canon name is Scarlet Rose, but i thought it was kinda lame especially when Rosie Redwood is also in this line sooo I renamed her! Stuck to the color name puns tho. Mar Rooney. Maroon. Haha

-Speaking on her though i love that shes from texas and likes writing scifi mystery type stuff and that being said i just Know deep in my bones that she was a Voltron Legendary Defender fan and Keith was/is 100% her favorite. She has a continued fondness for mothman specifically cuz of this.

-PJ and Rooney actually talk about fandom and shows/movies ALL the time. They dont have a ton of overlapping interests, but where they do? The two literally never shut up.

-Rosie is such a random character, like outside of her design she feels very poorly considered. So I scrapped the cosmetology thing and made her an illustrator instead! I think it works better with her love of making art in nature. I can see her being really into illustrated guide books. I think shes a bit snooty when it comes to art too. It takes being friends with other artists to become more open minded.

-I like the idea that Rosie is mainly friends with Rooney and Berrie ontop of that. The three of them often tag team storylines and how theyd interpret them into different mediums. Rosie will draw up a bunch of concept stuff while Rooney writes up a pitch bible and Berrie will start making shit move and throwing in her own ideas on camera angles and character designs.

-as an animation major Berrie was required to take a sound design class early on, which is where she met Oliver! Hes very laid back, and likes to go with the flow, but functions a little like the "mom" of the group. Often reminding the girls to take breaks, drink water, stop looking at their screens lest they get eye strain etc. He's multi-talented tbh but Music is his one true passion and he likes how the girls are always giving him collaboration opportunities.

-Oliver and Rosie like to talk sports a lot, both having played a bunch when they were younger and throughout high school.

-Lavender Lynn is Oliver's number one "person who needs constant reminders to settle down" she is in a constant buzz of trying to get the best shots and is utterly obsessed with the process of artistic documentation. Everything must be documented.

-the whole school loves her for this actually, she has a whole side gig where other students hire her to help photograph their projects. She saves everything she earns from this for her future dream plans to visit paris. She has it set really, many of the artists who she helps photograph now will remain steadfast clients of hers forever onward.

-PJ and Lynn actually took a print media class together at one point. Which didnt at the time spark an everlasting friendship. But it did give PJ an easier in to ask for Lynn's help documenting a project the group was working on. One of Lynn's first times photographing them work happened to fall on a day where Rosie had planned to trick everyone into going on a nature walk sans devices... Lynn wound up really appreciating this outing and decided to continue hanging around the group even after that project had ended.

[nowimyurdaisy]

Dating Jeremiah Fisher

pairing: i think its obvious but jeremiah fisher x reader

warnings: jeremiah being a simp

requested/not requested

a/n: i miss writing for my favorite book boyfriend 🤭

not gonna lie he is a total simp for you

such a gentlemen on dates, first date he showed up to your house, knocked on the door, flowers💐in hand. making you blush like crazy when you answered the door

dates with jere involve picnics on the beach, midnight swims, dancing at parties, bonfires on beaches, movie nights in watching old classics

for your second date you went to the boardwalk and jeremiah insisted on winning you a prize "jere it really is ok, I don't need that stuffed bear" "y/n/n I told you I was gonna get it, so I'm going to get it"

he got you the cutest Teddy Bear, he had a little bow tie and you didn't let go of him for the entire date. "why hell mr. teddy" "mr. teddy?" jere asks and laughs. "hey don't be mean" Now mr. teddy sits on your bed.

he waits to kiss you because he doesn't want to screw it up

the first kiss is perfect tho, you were over at his house, a late night swim

nights normally ended with you in his bed or on the couch, watching a movie, your hands running thru his hair

he smelled so good too, a mix of chlorine and his cologne - musky, a campfire, a hint of cherry

of course there is constant teasing from Conrad and Steven, about how Jere is a "simp"

dinners at the Fisher's became a refular, ending in night swims with the Fishers + Conklins

you and Belly instantly clicked, always giggling during group events, constant girl talk

you told him you loved him a few months into the relationship. he told you he loved you too

Jeremiah says he's not the jealous type, but he's lying. One time this guy was flirting with you and jere wrapped his arm around you, pulled you closer, and basically told the guy to fuck off with the look he gave him.

you love him to the moon and saturn and he loves you to the moon and saturn

summers are the highlight of your year, it is when you get to sunbathe on the beach of Cousins with the boy who loves you

taglist: @http.ily @http-ilysm @peneluvsprongs @xtom-darling-x17 @crazylokonugget @almostcontentcreator @savagemickey03

2nd a/n: sorry this was so short and maybe bad...

[ceruleanserendipity]

The Magnus Protocol, Horror, and the Ouroborous of Love and Obsession

Buckle up.

Also known as "Goose is Very, Very Normal About How Love, Obsession, and Consumption (no, not that kind) Are Prevalent in Horror Media."

ALSO known as "I Can't Stop Thinking About The Magnus Protocol and the Running Theme, So You Get to Suffer With Me!"

Okay. Hi, hello, I'm Goose, and I needed to write about this before I annoy all of my friends too much about it. Horror is one of my favorite genres in any medium, and I love literary analysis. I've been listening to The Magnus Protocol (an excellent podcast) like my life depends on it, so I of course have thoughts.

Let's talk love. Love is an amazing theme in any medium, and personally one of my favorite things to look for. Like, romance movies are incredibly popular for a reason right? I will never dog on a good romcom or fairytale. HOWEVER. Something I appreciate about horror, specifically film and TV, is how love is an underlying theme. There are so many ways to portray love as a persisting force in horror; one of my favorite examples of this is The Haunting of Bly Manor (and like, everything Mike Flanagan does, honestly). The driving force of this show lies in Dani and her relationships, the way she deals with an ex-love, the way she comes to terms with a new one, and most importantly, in how her love continues throughout the horror of the series and even after, a persevering thing that makes me swoon more than a Nicholas Sparks book. I don't want to get too detailed, because, well, spoilers, but I wanted to give you my baseline idea on love as a thematic element.

Obsession. A word that tends to be thrown around rather lightly, and I am guilty! "Oh I'm obsessed," "latest obsession," etc. etc. etc.. Obsession in its barest form though is something that is constant preoccupation, invading daily life. All-consuming passion, something you can't get rid of easily. Love can devolve into obsession if one isn't careful, which is why the inherent horror of love and obsession go hand in hand, a snake eating its own tail and never letting go, because what would one abstract be without the other?

Now, let's talk Magnus!

In The Magnus Archives, there is a very clear love in a very twisted sense (mm my favorite). Who's the first person that comes to mind? Jane Prentiss, of course! She succumbs to the Corruption. The Corruption itself preys on those who are susceptible to toxicity, who have trouble with boundaries in relationships. Something I've always found terribly interesting is that desire to be consumed by something you adore so much. I understand it. In fact, many of the Fears in Archives are tied to some form of love, adoration, even worship.

This isn't exactly the case in The Magnus Protocol, at least, not the way I see it.

Thus far, Protocol has been distinctly more focused on body horror (another rant about my love for that another day) but something I've noticed since the first episode is that love, specifically obsession with something the subject loves, is prevalent throughout each "statement," as I've been calling them. While I'm aware they aren't true statements, but rather case files, in a sense, I'm attached to the term, so I'm sticking with it. Argue with the wall.

Episode one, we see two instances of love— first in a woman searching so desperately for her husband that she's willing to risk her safety for love. Secondly, we see a person so obsessed with exploration that he spirals into mania. Is it a passion? Yes. Hobbies, like urban exploration, are inherently something to be loved.

Episode two, the search for perfection is deeply tied to obsession. To mania. Daria is entrenched in the idea of loving oneself to the extent that she is willing to mutilate herself for it. Again, obsession. Devotion.

Episode three, the doctor is so in love with his wife (toxic love is, unfortunately, still a form of love. Infatuation perhaps, but a form of love nonetheless.), that he kills her. His later fixation after her death, causing that spiral into madness, is the product of going "further," as I mentioned earlier.

Episode four. Perfection is holding hands with obsession. Wanting to be perfect at something you adore is relatable, isn't it? There is so much inherent terror in adoration, and that's the real crux of this episode, at least in my personal opinion.

EP FIVE SPOILERS BELOW!!!

In episode five, it took me a moment to really jive with the story, but our narrator's love of horror itself is his downfall. His desensitization, his familiarity, it makes him foolhardy. Hasn't that happened to you? Being blindsided by the thing you treasure most, the thing that brings you comfort?

At its core, horror is hungry and consumptive. Most, if not all, horror will have something that requires a "sacrifice," or something of the sort. A slasher needs a victim, a demon needs a body, a knife needs blood, a voyeur needs a subject. Love and obsession are separated by the thinnest air; infatuation and love are so quick to consume a person that it is one of the more dangerous experiences. Love drives a person to fear, whether that's losing oneself or the object of affection. We fear what we love. We become addicted to that exhilaration of heightened fear response.

At the present moment, Protocol has been hitting it out of the park when weaving love into its stories, and I, for one, can't wait for more.

If you have complaints, leave them in the box.

Kisses!!!! Love from,

Goose <3

[mercy-misrule]

I wanted to briefly elaborate on why I'm pro Louis being a brothel and casino owner in the new series vs a plantation owner in the book.

there's the obvs, i don't want to see slavery in my vampire series, and like i said in my original post, once we move past them living there, its just not relevant or even spoken about in the series again, and I think that's a big failing of the narrative, because something so huge should be relevant! shouldn't just be flavour text! especially when every other focus character has their human life be relevant.

so why do i think this particular switch up is better? because no matter what, Louis money should come from the exploitation of others.

It is a cornerstone of Louis' character that he's a hypocrite. Just like it is for Lestat. They aren't good people, these aren't stories about good people. If that's what you need from your fiction you won't find it here.

The vampire as a drain on life, on converting suffering to power, the power imbalance is replicated over and over in different ways in the VC books

It's both metaphor and reality.

But also, the series is fallible, of course, huge flaws and missteps. The point of a good adaptation is to see the skeleton of a text, to see the broad themes and see how they can be represented in a different medium, how the same fundamental story can be told, even with huge changes.

Take my favourite show of all time, Hannibal. Huge departures from the original text, but it takes its source material and elevates and innovates.

Or my current obsession, Kinnporsche. It takes story beats but the characters were hugely altered and fleshed out and the story now plays out around these new interpretations and its wonderful.

And I could see people being like oh hannibal and kinnporsche's source material had some truly gross stuff, the adaptations not including it or altering it was a great idea!

You think that the vamp chrons are free of that? I'm not talking about the existence of slavery being in the books, that's real history.

But there's shitty stuff about rape apologism, ableism, the way Anne describes any person of colour, the truly dumb 'vampires get whiter as they are older and more powerful'. Anne that's truly a garbage piece of world building. Anne, you didn't need to do that.

The best thing the movie of queen of the damned did was cast Aaliyah and not whiten her. It was right, she was magnificent.

I think good adaptations should be brave, should make changes. It should challenge the audience, it should be accessible for new fans, it should surprise long term fans.

This is why I am pro the proffesion change in the amc iwtv series. This, and the interviews (lol) that i have seen and read from the cast and writers make me believe they will present a story true to the core of the narrative even as they are re-interpreting it.

Also, and this is just me swinging for the rafters but I hope they wildly vary from the story in any potential new series after this, and add a lot more Louis content. My constant gripe with the series, since 1997, when i first read the books, is that Louis gets sidelined and without him Lestat doesn't have a strong narrative foil. Please. I'm craving that epic divorce guys energy

[jennaissantes]

the cut that always bleeds — p.js [teaser!]

PAIRING: besf!jay x fem!reader

sypnosis: maybe it wasnt always like the books. life was definitely not a movie. even if it were, youre sure yours would be the saddest. now add park jongseong to the equation.

GENRE: heavy angst, little fluff. friends to strangers to best friends , bittersweet ending [kind of]

WARNINGS: a lot of heavily angst scenes, a lot of talk about mental health, depression and anxiety [su!c!de is also mentioned at places], mentions toxic family household, and some really just sad stuff man ; some abuse, quite a lot of bullying [nothing physical just a lot of mental bullying and manipulation]. this is in general just a very sad story. jay and reader dont end up together but reader is quite content. will add more in the actual fic i promise.

teaser doesnt rlly depict much of the story lol but idw make it super sad in the teaser so i will give u guys what i have.

RELEASE DATE: april 18th

EST WC: i think 10k [im hoping lol]

AUTHORS NOTE: hello everyone!!! so… this might just be like the saddest most gruesome fic ive written. except its mainly based on my life. surprise? im actl rlly scared no one will want to read it haha. im fr hoping im able to include some happy scenes in it so you guys dont end up crying. story of my life in short words basically. it took me a lot of courage to write about this because i go pretty deep into the problems ive had in my life. so this is kind of my way of telling you guys this is my life. please seek help if any of the given stances apply to you. like genuinely. if any of you are facing any mental health issues or any sort of problems in your life, please dont hesitate to talk to someone about it. my inbox and dms are also always open if youd like to chat with me ❤️

TAGLIST: please send in an ask to be added to the taglist! permanent taglist need not ask

TEASER:

Love is a ship which at a distance has every man's wish on board.

Or womens. Didn't matter, really.

But that's all it was now. Love was beautiful, you had learnt, from a distance. Quite ugly from up close, once you found out that love isn't for everyone, not even those who had faced some of the worst struggles.

Okay so maybe you were pushing it a bit with the whole ‘Love’ thing, but you needed some way to express yourself.

Your entire life, you were told that you were a golden child, a prodigy. As a kid, you loved the praise.

Singing was not a talent many possessed, at least not singing worthy of a broadway star. You took pride in your talent. Most kids being jealous of you was really cool, you could always show off your voice to them. At the age, it didn't matter to you, or any of the kids in fact.

Your mother too, took much pride in your talent. Although your sister, who was 8 years older to you, was also a singer, she loved that the younger child was also a singer, if not a better one than the first child.

Growing up in the same small state for your entire life, and going to the same school throughout the years had its ups and downs. There were always a bunch of people who were constant in your life. Even if they didn't play a big part in it.

Including him.

The first time you met Park Jongseong was in preschool. He was the epitome of trouble, for a 3 year old at least.

You had always been very outgoing, from your tender age. That bubbly, genuine personality which present you so selfishly wish for. You were always good at making friends. You wish you weren't.

He was a troublemaker. You being a child, attracted by his stubbornness for not following rules, decided to become his friend.

And thats how your friendship with Park Jay began, only blooming as the years went by.

He was a troublemaker. You being a child, attracted by his stubbornness for not following rules, decided to become his friend.

And thats how your friendship with Park Jay began, only blooming as the years went by.

[lycanlovingvampyre]

MAG 133 Relisten

Activity on my first listen: putting up a new fence.

Dead Horse - aside from the Dead Horse Camp that comes up in the statement, could this somehow be meant to reference the idiom “beating a dead horse”? That phrase basically means “to waste effort on something when there is no chance of succeeding”, so it would actually work for the Everchase.

JON: "No, I-I understand. Ho-Honestly, uh, I’d actually appreciate your insight, uh, for this one. Just – you know. Keep quiet during the statement and that." Always in the pursuit (ha!) of new knowledge^^

DAISY: "I’m trying to get my legs right again." Actually, how did the coffin work? Apparantly muscle atrophy was something that happened in there. What about hair growth? Finger nails? Any kind of serious dehydration or starvation happening?

"All I ask is that I be allowed to live what life I have remaining in obscurity and anonymity. I will not allow myself to be found." Shouldn't have walked into the hands of It Knows You then...

Ngl, before TMA I have never heard of the Lost City of Z. Dunno if you learn that in History in the UK or it's something rather known in adventurer circles than the general population. Also haven't heard of the book or the movie.

"I believed myself prepared, but the realities of that jungle were more than I could have foreseen, and when it finally ended, my fever-addled mind named that spot, the furthest we could reach into the jungle, ‘Dead Horse Camp,’ because that is where my horse finally fell." Thinking if the jungle itself could be kind of amplifying the Hunt? It's a constant race of which tree grows the fastest and the highest to get sunlight.

"But over in Raleigh’s tent I kept hearing a sporadic thumping, or clapping sound, as if he were killing them with his bare hands. When I asked him about it the next day, he simply told me he had inside him a strong and enduring hatred of bloodsuckers." Something something bloodsucking mosquitoes XD

"And then I thought I saw his tongue shoot out, just for a moment, and taste the air around it." Oh, that reminds me of that thing that sat next to Calvin Benchley and flicked its tongue into his ear in MAG 82. Also Hunt.

"The leader of the second expedition, a man in a thick seal-skin coat, was talking excitedly about their progress, about their hunt for the Northwest Passage, and I realized with a start that this man was John Franklin, famed polar explorer, whose ships, the Terror and the Erebus, had been trapped in the ice and lost in northern Canada." Oh, the Terror makes another appearance! It was also in MAG 98! (Now that I think of it, who called a ship the Terror?? What could possibly go wrong?? xD)

"We found Eduard von Toll a few days later. I recognized him immediately, as he had always been an inspiration of mine, right up until he and his ship, the Zarya, had vanished while hunting for the mysterious polar island Zemlya Sannikova" Oh, there's Sannikov Land again!

"Now, he and his crew were pinning the things that looked like men to trees, with long, iron spikes. They thrashed, and struggled, and a long, bulbous tongue hung from their throats, pinned by the iron of von Toll’s men." Something something bloodsucking vampires XD

DAISY: "Don’t know. Maybe? Sometimes I lost purpose because I let myself get too into it. Gave them openings just because I wanted to keep chasing. Like with you." The reason it took Daisy so long to finally catch Jon. 

BASIRA: (surprised) "Hey. There you are. You’re meant to be doing your exercises." DAISY: "You were out." BASIRA: "You could have done them alone." [A SLIGHT PAUSE.] DAISY: "Sure." Basira is totally at a loss to show sympathy and compassion. It's only practicality for her now...

BASIRA: "I want it to be her." JON: "Do you?" BASIRA: "’s that supposed to mean?" JON: (sighs) "She’s.. trying to keep a clear head. Stay away from the Hunt as much as possible. You… valued her purpose. Her resolve." Yeah, thanks Jon for calling her out.

JON: "You’re not happy she’s back." I've seen people say that Georgie totally meant that she rather wanted Jon dead or brain-damaged. But actually that's what Jon's interpretation of her reaction was. She didn't deny it, yeah, but in the end Jon put those words in her mouth because he was upset of waking up, hearing he was in a coma for 6 months and Tim and Daisy gone and the two people who are there are not really reacting in a caring way. And then Basira also didn't answer him to the question, if she was disappointed, he internalized this mindset. It's all his fault and nobody likes to see him alive. And that's exactly the mindset he applies here again. Just because people are not bursting with joy - what is probably really hard considering their overall situation - he immediately jumps to the worst.

JON: "Look, I’ve been where you are." BASIRA: "Have you?" JON: (with vigor) "Yes, I have. You’re the only one responsible for everyone, the weight of all their lives on your shoulders – it leads to bad decisions." BASIRA: "Yeah, well, when I get myself kidnapped three times in a row, maybe I’ll look to you for advice." JON: "Bad decisions, like wasting three weeks chasing dead-ends and false leads rather than talking to us about the plan." Actually very well said here by Jon, he remained level-headed here.

@a-mag-a-day

[uhohbestie]

hey besties i have fanfic-themed but not directly plot-related questions! well, mostly

question 1) do yall have any favorite zombie media? was there anything in particular that yall are drawing on for your fic?

personally i've been scared of zombie movies all my life lol but because of tamn i've finally been trying to finish the world war z audiobook? (the last time i tried getting thru it was pre covid which has been. a weird experience) it's fully voice acted and i like it so far! super different from the 2013 movie with brad pitt

question 2) :3 do you guys think you'd be up to talk about the no-apocalypse au where scarian get to have a normal breakup someday? :3 it doesn't have to be now or anytime soon but i'd be into hearing about it!

anyways hope yall are having a good day lock and key ^_^

These are some really REALLY good questions!!!

for starters! for me (Lock) I actually didn't start watching zombie media until Key introduced me to it! We watched the Korean series All Of Us Are Dead together, and then followed it with Last Of Us (the tv adaptation) and the first seasons of The Walking Dead, so I've have a very curated window into zombie media (actually! We watched Walking Dead as research for TAMN, because Key wanted to make sure I understood what hordes of zombies in cities look like!)

As for Key's zombie exposure (lol): I (Key) WAS BIG INTO ZOMBIES GROWING UP!! Constant zombie media consumption--probably one of my earliest hyperfixations ngl I feel like what we're drawing on while we write TAMN is an amalgamation of all our favourite bits from the things we've seen together, as well as some of my favourite formative zombie medias while growing up.

The Walking Dead Season 1 remains like, one of my all-time favourite seasons of any television show ever, so that's definitely a big influence. (Some of the later seasons get a lot less of my love LOL) The Korean movie Train to Busan is also a popular one you may have heard of--I'd definitely recommend giving that a go if you're okay with zombie media that veer on the side of tragic. When The Last of Us (Part One) came out, it quickly became my favourite zombie-oriented video game, though a lot of its predecessors (Resident Evil series esp.) really gripped me (even though it took me ages to play-through cuz they would scare the shit out of me LMAO) Its TV show is also an excellent adaptation, so if you're not into playing it or watching a Let's Play, the show is a good bet! The UK series In the Flesh was also an interesting look into After™ the apocalypse, and though it was cancelled after it's second season, it's also worth a watch for a fresh perspective on zombie media. 28 Days Later was an excellent movie and ofc Dawn of the Dead is a classic. And then the usual comedies like Shaun of the Dead, Zombieland, etc.

I saw World War Z as a movie but never read the book! I should def give it a try--idk why I never did! God, honestly I could ramble about zombie media forever if given the chance 😂 None of this even begins to cover the sheer amount of zombie comics I read. I was very much a "webcomic" era kid, so a lot of my favourite old original zombie comics are either offline now or I simply don't remember what they were called anymore, so I have no way to track them down :( I did recently enjoy the webtoon Boyfriend of the Dead as a light-hearted, humourous read, but there were a lot of gripping, nuanced, plot-heavy original comics like a decade ago that I loved and I wish I could link. ANYWAYS. I'LL STOP MYSELF HERE AND LET LOCK ANSWER QUESTION NUMBER 2 LMAO

HI IT'S LOCK. I'M BACK. Now, as for a non-apocalypse Scarian scenario, we've actually thought about this a LOT! One of our favourite things to do is make an AU, and then multiple "what if one key things was different" spinoffs of the same AU.

We're gonna put this under a read-more, in case you'd like to keep the "what if" a mystery forever, but to sum up:

In an alternate reality where Scar and Grian break up and then the zombie apocalypse doesn't happen........ they stay broken up! Scar gets what he longs for in the fic: time away from Grian to hurt and grieve and heal with the support of his close friends who care about him.

It takes him a while until he feels ready to date again, but Scar does eventually start a new relationship with someone he knows really well, and has loved and trusted for a long time. They get engaged and start planning their wedding..............

............. and then Grian comes back and says he's sorry, that he misses Scar, that he was wrong, and that he doesn't want to be without him. And Scar................... takes him back.

It's-- listen, it's not the best possible outcome! But we're basing heavily on the Life Series Scarian dynamic, which is itself incredibly nuanced and complicated and tragic and a little bit "you're both bad for each other." It's part soulmates, and it's part codependence, and it's partly killing the person you love with your bare hands alone in the desert, and how that guilt ends up haunting you into every other subsequent timeline. Grian's not the best person for Scar as he is, and Scar's not the best person for Grian, but they want to be with each other, and unfortunately that desire often overrides common sense.

As for what happens after that.... we don't know yet! It was a thought experiment we worked through and ultimately realised "oh, it's WAY better for them that the zombies DID happen in the long run, 'cause without them this would be awful." (Not that the zombies are great, but woof......... Scarian, c'mon.) In this version of events, they lose a lot of friends when Scar takes Grian back, and the isolation suits Scar poorly. It takes them a much longer time to work through how to be good for one another. If the zombie apocalypse was good for anything, it was forcing a reckoning of what they wanted and how to get it--the only other option was death. Without that hanging over their heads, it takes Scarian years to reach any sort of resolution, which (no spoilers but) takes TAMN!Scarian a much shorter amount of time to get to.

Hope that answers your question! The 'what ifs' are our favourite, so we love to ramble about them hahaha <3

[sokkastyles]

On some level, I can understand where Azula stans are coming from, and I mainly blame the recent shows and movies that have been released. For a long time villains have just been evil with no remorse as presented in media, but recently we have seen movies that are like "hey actually this guy isn't that bad and they are a prodict of their surroundings and its not their fault they are evil" like the movie malefecent or alice into the looking glass. Not to mention, redemption arcs are super popular like Loki, kylo Ren, catra, and the diamonds from Steven Universe. I specifically named these character because i feel like they have done so much bad that it will take a lot more than just a sorry and a tragic backstory to make up for all the bad they did. Maybe Loki is okay, but he did some really terrible things, and i am on the fence about him. Not to mention the joker sympathy that has been rampant for a while because of the movie blaming society, and that is someone completely irredeemable except for the Harley Quinn show, apparently, but that is a comedy.

What im trying to say though is that there doesnt seem to be just straight up villains now and consatnt blaming of outside forces for a the bad villains do saying it's not there fault because they only blew up a children's hospital because they were hurting, not to mention medias constant depiction of toxic relationships and friendships that keep getting talked about like they are completely normal. I know some Azula stans are just kike that but some i fell are misinformed and seem to surround themselves with so many like minded individuals that they truly believe what they think is true and are hard pressed to change their opinion. (Also, pretty privilege exists)

Well, redemption arcs and villains with complex stories are hardly new. I haven't seen the most recent MCU stuff but has Loki been redeemed? In the comics, and in Norse mythology, he has always been something of an antihero, a character who would be good or bad depending on the occasion. I grew up on comic books and those kinds of characters frequently occur there. Magneto is another example of a character who would sometimes side with the good guys but also inevitably go back to being a villain. They're complicated characters with sympathetic pasts, but their pasts don't excuse their actions. And there's an important distinction there that I think is lost on a lot of people. Another example that comes to mind is Billy from Stranger Things, who I often see idolized on tumblr as if he had become a hero by the end of the story, or should have, just because he had a sad background and then sacrificed himself for the heroes. His death, and life, were tragic, and we understand by the end why he was the way he was, but he was still an awful, unpleasant person, and the show never suggests that we should see him as good now, nor should it.

A lot of the examples you mention with female villains I blame on the rise of liberal "girlboss" feminism. That goes with what you say about pretty privilege. Pop culture "feminism" wants to convince you that being pretty is empowering, the weaponized femininity thing, eyeliner so sharp you can kill a man, etc. When in reality, we're still catering to patriarchal ideas of desirability. And what's especially insidious about this kind of feminism is that it's often other women or other marginalized groups who are the targets of it. Pop culture puts this stuff out to pander to women by presenting a "feminist" ideal that is still non-threatening to the status quo. The idea that Azula or Harley Quinn, who in her first appearance in BTAS was a character who became a villain due to being manipulated and abused by a man, are empowering female characters is bananas. That's not to say they are bad female characters, and Harley is another comic book character who has always been likeable for her propensity to gleefully straddle the line between hero and villain, but I despise the girlbossification of these kinds of characters the same way I despise people making them into poor widdle innocent victims.

The heroization of the joker comes from red pill weirdos primarily, and those have also existed for a long time. See Fight Club for another example, but anyone with a brain knows that Tyler Durden is the bad guy, and that the stuff he's spewing about being woke and masculine is all just nonsense in the end. So I don't necessarily buy that it's all media's fault that people don't understand the point of these characters.

And there are absolutely still just "straight up villains." The obvious answer just by looking at ATLA is Ozai, but even then, the show still does a lot to tell us why he is the way he is, and implies he was once a victim of his family not unlike Zuko or Azula. People often ignore that, especially Azula stans who make such a distinction between Ozai and Azula in order to prove that Azula deserves redemption. I'm not saying that Azula and Ozai are the same in terms of how much sympathy the narrative gives them, by the way, just that I think it's odd that one is seen as so much more redeemable than the other, when their backstories are so similar. Ozai often gets labeled as one dimensional not because he is less complex than Azula, but because people don't want to see him redeemed and are uncomfortable with the idea, so they want to see him as less complex and more villainous. Which to me misses the point of the fire family dynamic and how the cycle of violence was perpetuated in that family.

[tentative-wanderer]

Reviews: Homophobic Cop Marries Gay Ghost, President’s Son Gets Together with Prince

Recently watched 2 movies with gay main characters in different genres. One was Red, White & Royal Blue (available on Amazon), one was 🌟 Marry My Dead Body 关于我和鬼变成家人的那件事 (available on Netflix). Spoiler-free thoughts below ��:

❤️🤍💙 Red, White & Royal Blue is an American romcom. It has a 10/10 trailer—incredibly inviting. The movie depicts many women in power, I love that! Many witty jokes, nice! The movie might be better if it were a drama series instead; to save time, it zoomed through the falling-in-love part with the use of text messages—the production team packaged that as well as they could, but it was still too rushed. The ending left me wondering if there could’ve been a tiny bit more to make it feel more complete. Though the movie doesn’t score as highly as its trailer in my opinion, it’s still a decent movie.

(That reminds me of how That Musical Montage in episode 1 of the Heaven Official’s Blessing donghua made me super keen to watch the rest of the series, but it turns out that that was the best part. Quality-wise, Red, White & Royal Blue is overall better than the TGCF donghua though.)

👻👮‍♂️💓 Marry My Dead Body is a Taiwanese mystery + comedy + supernatural movie. Let me copy the blurb from Google: “Wu Ming-Han, a straight policeman who is homophobic and ghost-phobic, accidentally picks up a red wedding envelope while collecting evidence. He finds himself betrothed to the envelope's owner Mao Pang-Yu, a gay man who died under mysterious circumstances. The duo must work through their differences and join forces to solve the case, seeking justice for Mao.” (Real-life context: marriages between dead people and live ones are/were an actual thing in Chinese culture.)

I’ve just finished watching this movie, love it! Let me get the “con” out of the way first: I wish the movie ended differently! The ending was not unsatisfying, it’s just that I personally could have been more satisfied.

Okay, now I am free to gush.

This movie is HILARIOUS. Won’t describe the humour here, you can see it in the trailers on YouTube.

I love the unravelling of the mysteries (police cases). The feelings would not have hit half as hard without them and the exploration of Maomao’s non-romantic relationships (formed during his life) after his death. Even though I highly value a good plot apart from the romance when I read/watch something, I like talking about feelings more, so that’s what I’ll do.

I have Intense Feelings about these guys. They went from being Not Keen about getting stuck with each other to being really cute together—I notice that the movie managed to do this EVEN WITHOUT having them hold hands or do anything physical beyond that. That is crazy. Romantic physical contact is great, but if you can show chemistry without it, and with minimal flirting—that is exceptional.

(Side note: I think it would be harder to convincingly depict a heterosexual pair arriving at romantic feelings the way Wu Ming-Han and Maomao did: (partly) through constant banter and trading barbs. A man looking down on a woman would have come across as a lot meaner because the threat that poses is larger in the patriarchal society we live in.)

Wu Minghan went from casually homophobic to being on track for bisexuality for a ghost, such character development. The scene where Wu Minghan genuinely calls Maomao “my husband” for the first time is AMAZING, unexpected. At that moment I was like, oh my god, he loves him. Or at the very least, he has good potential. It had taken a series of hilarious strong-arming, including a close call with the loss of Wu Minghan’s family jewels, to make this dude marry Maomao, but now he’s calling Maomao husband—in that particular state, at that timing. I cried. I was smiling at many points throughout the movie, I also cried at some points. I said something similar when I wrote my review for Merman’s Fall: a book/movie that makes me laugh and cry will go at the top of my favourites list. Unlike my danmei list, my favourite movies list is too short for me to put Marry My Dead Body at the top or bottom, but it’s definitely in there.

[letsberealgenz]

look mom, i can fly high too.

Will you believe if I told you this? Just a couple of days ago, I participated in a competition where the results shocked me more than anything else. It felt so surreal and to be honest it felt like a movie scene that played way too fast for me to even grasp the meaning behind of it.

But there was this one moment, just a day before the competition, I felt I couldn’t do it. I know I was being a coward at that very moment because part of me felt like pulling out of a battle that haven’t even begin yet. You wouldn’t believe what kept me going. It was a book that I read a couple of days ago, Shoe Dog by Phil Knight, where there’s one specific line I believe would trigger many of us. It goes like this:

“The cowards never started and the weak died along the way — that leaves us.”

Ouchh! When this sentence triggered my emotion, I felt like a bird whom had an eagle as its opponent but this very bird knows it’s the same skill that keeps both of the species battling in the same space. The only difference was the altitude. The bird took the challenge and there she goes trying to fly as high as it can.

But as she was approaching the altitude of an eagle, self-doubt starts crippling in. Panic attack and anxiety rushed like a tsunami. Do you know why? Because now the bird was out of its comfort zone. Her wings shivered as the altitude rise. But then something happened!

Whether you call it an intuition or a message from the Universe, whatever was it, the bird knew she had to take a swirl around the battle field to have a moment of solitude despite the constant voices that were being whispered into her ears. She knew in every creature, the voice of a demon often being disguised as self-doubt, would often be way louder as the creature steps out of its own bubble!

This means whenever you’re trying to be 1% better in life, you’d be challenged in the most terrifying manner where giving up feels like the only option left.

But there comes a moment of breakthrough when the bird decided to fuel herself with highly enthusiastic chemical known as dopamine. She knew she just needed that pep talk. She knew she just needed a little dose of motivation. She knew she just needed someone to affirm “Hey look! You’ve came this far. It’s show time. It’s now or never. Go out there, do your best and the rest is history.”

There she goes wings widely being spread, venturing into different levels of foreign altitude, flying towards that eagle with such high confidence where winning became her only option. As the finishing line came closer, she began suffocating yet she didn’t give up.

She kept flying because she knew she would never allow a specific parameter of altitude to decide whether she can or cannot. She knew it is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.

She knew she was out of her comfort zone and she’s doing everything to thrive through the changes she’s making. She looked below and said “Look mom, I can fly high too” and moments later she fell onto the ground.

She opened her eyes and tries to fly but little did she knew she had already won the battle. This time it wasn’t the demon that was whispering into her ears but it was the cheers from the spectators that was banging her ear drums. She found herself flying back home with a golden trophy all the way from the United States of America.

And ladies and gentleman, the bird was none other than the girl who’s typing this right now. If you’ve read till here, thank you. I hope you found some sort of value from this!

Yours, Asrajjit Kaur

[insilentmagic]

After Amazon announced the release of "Red, White and Royal Blue", given the excitement with which the announcement of the film was immediately gotten, it seemed right to me, first of all, reading the book from which it was based.

I was amazed to learn that it was a best seller, but not so much. The "Young adult" genre is now consolidated and not only for works such as "Twiligth" but also for real “web phenomena” as "After", which was born as a fanfiction.

And actually the book - nice, flowing, well written - seems in its entirety a fanfiction too, in the Modern AU style where Alex and Henry - the protagonist pairing - have not one, but several parallels with Merthur, aka Merlin and Arthur of “Merlin BBC”.

I can't know how aware there is in these parallels since I don't know well the author of Red, White and Royal Blue, but the fact is that anyone who has hung out in the Merlin fandom or has watch the series, cannot help but grasping the references to the unforgettable characters of the BBC show, starting with the difference in between the introverted and (fake) icy Henry and the exuberant and talkative Alex.

References that in the movie are clearly underlined and even more evident, so much so that some scenes seem, I could say, photocopied (shameless - euphemism - especially the one in the hospital closet - which exactly follows the one between Merlin and Arthur trapped in the net). But also the absolutely irreverent way in which Alex constantly addresses Henry (how can we not immediately return to the nicknames reserved by Merlin for Arthur?), and various and eventual shots, expressions and ways of looking at each other that tastes of Merthur miles away.

Alex even says that between him and Henry there’ s a "rope under the chest". Clearly a reference to Jane Eyre and Rochester, kindred souls – soulmates indeed - in the famous novel by Charlotte Brönte, just like Merlin and Arthur (two sides of the same coin) are soulmates.

What is totally missing in the film is the "correspondence" by email between the two boys, which represents the most sentimental and we could say spiritual sphere of their relationship, also the way they question each other, support each other, get to know each other in their interiority. It is, in my opinion, the most beautiful part of the book, through which Henry and Alex have access to each other's souls as well as bodies.

It is the closest part - although still far away, excuse the oxymoron - to Merlin and Arthur (and not to Merthur). Because Merlin and Arthur are above all a spiritual thing, they are two halves of a whole that never truly come together, unlike Alex and Henry.

If you then read the book carefully, the character similarities gradually give way to differences. Yes, because – of course we are in a very different context - Alex has none of Merlin's inner turmoil and constant fear of not being accepted, just as Henry has none of the undying love for his kingdom and where Henry would almost give up with relief to the Crown I would say that Arthur would die without the Crown.

So what excites, about Red, White and Royal Blue, is the happy ending: not only that of the novel/film obviously, but also for what the "Merlin BBC" fandom would have wanted for its heroes.

Which is definitely pleasant, because it is clear that we all need lightness and joy at certain moments in life.

What is lost - at least for me - is the magic of once-in-a-lifetime story, between a pair who have never even been, between two souls who have loved each other desperately without knowing it, between two intimacies that watching them on the screen seemed to violate their own privacy. The tragedy is lost, which is essentially what made Merlin and Arthur (and not Merthur) immortal and capable of inspiring 15 years after the first airing.

In short, the gap between the original and the photocopy is lost.

Which doesn't make photocopying a necessarily bad thing, mind you. It's just that it's still a copy.

[jerseygirllll]

bittersweet cherries I e.m  CHAPTER 1

previous chapter

couple: eddie munson x aurora henderson (oc)

word count: 1.2 k

summary: aurora remembers things about the past, making her nostalgic and a little sad. Dustin coaxed her into driving him and Mike to hellfire. She finally sees one of her old friends since she hasn't left the house yet. Avoids running into eddie

a/n: this ended up being longer than I expected. But its not too bad. I hope you all enjoy it! :)

________

Being back in Hawkins was surreal to you, considering how abruptly you left a year ago. Only two bags and a small backpack traveled with you to New York to live with an aunt of yours.  

But now, you’re back in your old bedroom, which held all the memories you tried so hard to remember while you’d been away. 

All the converse you collected over time was still in a large pile in the corner, looking like it was about to topple over. The top shelves of your bookcase are lined with cherry coke cans, and the middle shelves overflow with books. A single touch to one of them and the whole thing would fall. Posters and notes cluttered the wall, showing an array of movies, bands, and jokes Eddie left for you in your locker. Some of them had little doodles on them you had drawn on them. Plushies stuffed into the bottom of the closet and your old clothes your mother never let you get rid of. 

You sat on the beaten-up wicker chair in the corner next to your shoes facing the window. You often sat here reading or doing schoolwork while in high school. The molding paint was chipped, showing the true wood color that matched the trim against the floorboards. 

Eventually, at night, Eddie would crawl through the window and give you a rundown of his day. Everything he did within the five hours after you saw each other in school. He always came prepared with a bag of cherries you’d share with him or a cherry coke for you. 

He was a constant presence in your house, whether he had snuck in or entered with the guidance of Dustin after a miscommunication between him and your mother. He was scared to be near her without a buffer after that incident. Eddie never liked to talk about it. It was very embarrassing for him. He always told you off when you teased him about it. 

You didn’t realize how loud the sigh you let out was or that Dustin was standing in your doorframe. “How long have you been standing there?” 

“Since the first tear fell down your face.” He explained. You hadn’t realized you started crying, quickly whipping away the wetness on your cheek. “Why are you crying?”

“No reason. I just am, I guess.”

“People cry for a reason, Rory.” He moved to sit across from you on the bed. 

“People cry just to feel something sometimes, Dustin. Maybe that’s what I’m doing. I’m not sure.” 

“Rory.” His voice was sincere and quiet. Using the nickname that almost everyone called you by made you want to cry more. You hadn’t been called that in a while. 

“Coming back was a good thing, I know that. It’s just- there are a lot of emotions with returning. It’s slowly catching up with me. That's all.” Finally, giving in to him. 

“Have you talked with anyone since you got back? You haven’t really left the house.”

“I’m afraid to, Dustin. I left without warning. I-I’m not sure if I’m ready to see certain people.” You sniffled and wiped a rouge tear that had escaped. Dustin knew exactly who you were talking about. Hell, Eddie is one of his best friends and sees him most days. You’re still unsure what you want to do, so you decided not to see anyone yet. 

“I think if you saw someone else other than Mom or me, you would feel better. Even if it was just Mike or Nancy.” He offered with his gummy smile. “Come on, I need someone to drive me to Hellfire anyways. We gotta pick up Mike on the way.” Dustin swiftly left the room after throwing the keys he had in his hand at you. 

“You little shit.” You let out another sigh, grabbed a hoodie from your floor, and made your way to the car in which Dustin was already sitting. 

“Your plan was just to get me to drive you, not to be a nice, concerned brother?” You gave him a dirty look. 

“I gotta say, you know me better than I do.” He started laughing, but it stopped once you flicked him on the forehead. “Ow! Rory, that hurt.”

“Oh, it did not.” The both of you bickered all the way to the Wheeler's house. 

_______

The familiar shape of the Wheeler’s filled your vision as you turned around in the cul-de-sac. All the memories rushed to you of spending Halloween with Nancy as the boys trick-or-treated or sleepovers that included doing each other nails and watching whatever Tome Cruise movie had just released. 

“I’m not going inside. Go get Mike.” Putting the car in park and sitting back. 

“Uh, no way. You’re coming with me. Come on.” He opened the car door and walked around to open yours. “Let’s go, milady!” Showing off is smiling one more time before you exit the car. 

“Fine,” you let out with a huff. “Let’s go.”

Dustin knocked on the door just for his favorite person to open the door, Mr. Wheeler. “Oh, hello. Here to take more of our food, I presume?” He mocked. 

“No, sir. Here with my sister,” motioned towards you, “to pick up Mike for Hellfire.”

“MIKE! Your friend is here for your club of high school dropouts.” He left the door open for you and Dustin to walk in. 

“Aurora, is that you?” Mrs. Wheeler walked into the foyer, wiping her hands with a dish towel. “You’re back, sweetie?” 

“Oh, yes. I got back this week. It’s nice to see you.” The two of you exchanged a small hug when you noticed Nancy and Mike standing on the staircase's landing. 

“Holy shit.” They both said in unison. 

“Hey, what did I tell you about that language?” Mrs. Wheeler walked off back into the kitchen, shooting them both a glare. 

Nancy ran up to you, immediately engulfing you into a hug, squeezing a bit too tight. “Oh, my gosh. I missed you so much. I cannot believe you’re back.” She finally stepped back. 

“Yeah, I know. Neither can I, honestly. It’s a little freaky.” The two of you continued a bit more before Dustin and Mike started bickering about something in D&D. 

“Okay, well, I have to drop them off to be someone else's problem or a while. I’ll see you soon, Nance.” You joked a bit while ushering the boys out the door towards the car. 

“Bye, Rory!”

________

The one thing you tried to avoid thinking about while driving was where you were going. Which isn’t necessarily the safest thing. But you couldn’t help yourself. You start to panic the closer you get to the school. 

You also pulled your hood up over your head as you pulled in. Attempting to cover up as much as possible. If anyone saw you, you might have a heart attack. 

“Okay, here ya go, boys. What time do you need to be picked up?” 

“We don’t, uh,” Dustin looked over to Mike, “ You don’t have to pick us up.” They both left too fast, almost tripping on the ground and slamming the doors behind them. 

Ignoring what just happened, you also left very fast. The car skidded across the pavement for a moment before leveling out. 

You can see Eddies van pull into the school's entrance in your rearview mirror. “That was close.”

[feathersandthorns]

SGE Movie Thoughts

I've been avoiding tumblr since Wednesday morning to avoid spoilers, but I finally finished the movie! Now I'm not a movie critic or even a huge contributor to this fandom other than an occasional crappy fanfic, but I thought I'd share some thoughts before looking at anyone else's, starting with some positives.

I must admit that despite being hyped for the movie to come out, I was fully prepared to be disappointed. I've seen some terrible adaptations in the past (specifically the Percy Jackson one but there are others), and paired with the constant negative comments I was seeing, I was hopeful but skeptical. But in a lot of ways, I was pleasantly surprised. The visuals were absolutely AMAZING, from the attention to detail in the costumes and makeup to the CGI of the mythical creatures. The humor and cheesiness from the book was definitely portrayed well, but not overdone. I also feel like all of the characters, even ones who were more of background characters in the movie, really embodied their characters in the way they talked and acted, but also in their general presence. Sophie was dramatic and vain, Agatha was sarcastic and obsessively wanted to find Sophie and get home near the beginning (I'll take a step further and say that I enjoyed her character arc a little bit more in the movie as it was kind of convoluted in its message in the book), Tedros was egotistical for show but was actually just trying to find someone genuine in the hellhole that is the school for good... And I could continue. Overall, despite a couple of plot changes, the air and characters of the movie really matched the book well.

This is not to say that the movie didn't have flaws. There were two things that really bothered me about it, the first being that it was incredibly fast paced. I feel like the plot was constantly turning on its head as it tried to fit in all of the important plot points, making some character interations seem a bit forced and didn't make much sense with the character; for example, Tedros deciding to be with Sophie like a day after he had that moment with Agatha, and Hester choosing to ally with Sophie after Sophie nearly killed her a few weeks before. The explanations for these things didn't make much sense in the book, but at least there was explanations. And this issue brings me to the second one, which is more of a me problem than an actual problem with the movie. I feel like side characters like Beatrix, Kiko, and Hester didn't really get a lot of time to develop. Now this particularly stood out to me because I have the most interest in the side characters, which is why I wish they had more screen time. But in trying to fit so much plot into a 2 and 1/2 hour long movie, some good character moments were lost for the sake of moving the plot along. I really hope the movie is successful so we can possibly see more development for these characters in the second installment. I almost feel like it would have been better as a show, but that probably would've been at the cost of the awesome special effects and sets, so I suppose there are pros and cons either way.

Overall, however, I think it was executed well in many ways, and I'm excited for the second movie! (And did anyone else notice the Soman cameo in the bit before the Trial XD)

[monstraduplicia]

tagged by @fleshandgirlbones sorry this is days late but tysm for tagging me!!!!

favorite color: black red and pink. also adore a good brown

currently reading: ive been reading [REDACTED] for nearly a week now but we're not going to talk about that. ive also been reading this book called the legend of holly claus bc it was one of my gfs favorite books as a child. im planning on reading kafka's short stories next though bc i have a book of them and ive only ever read the metamorphosis by him

last song: ive been obsessively listening to harry styles' discography on constant repeat for like five??? days now. last song to come up on the shuffle is matilda :) which is good bc i love that song and the guitar riff at the start scratches a very particular itch in my brain

last show: surface!!! ive been watching the eps with my gf and wow its it better than i thought it would be i cant wait to watch the next ep

last movie: i barely watch movies currently bc my gf uses my computer all day but like. a week ago now i watched angela (bc of you maud <3) and i really really loved it. exactly my kind of strange film

tagging: @emiliosandozsequence @creaturecomplex @ambergreyowl <333333