#featuring best bird kingsley

[heyitsrink]

Passing Notes <3

Inspired by the RotE discord prompt "Valentine." I imagine that Erek and Detozi trained the birds to pass notes to each other while they're working. Old habits die hard.

[critter-rarepair-reccs]

Hello and happy Wednesday, everyone! This week, we have nine fics that star relationships between PCs and NPCs! As always, you can find them below the cut and if you check any of them out, I encourage you to leave kudoes and comments to spread the rarepair love 💕

A Drow, A Tiefling and an Empty Closet by devil_seabird_king (1,086 words, Teen) Pairing: Kingsley Tealeaf/Verin Thelyss (Verinking) Warnings: None

Essek notices Verin is having relationship trouble and feels lonely. Shenanigans ensue to set him and Kingsley up.

Reccer Says: It’s very silly and cute! It’s the only Verin/King I’ve read but I think they’d be a fun couple.

like being a little bird by annie_blackbird (513 words, Mature) Pairing: Yussa Errenis/Caleb Widogast (Widoyussa) Warnings: None

Yussa and Caleb play with rope. Caleb needs to call a halt. They work it out.

Reccer Says: It’s very tender and very hot!

threads of fate by viciousmollymaukery (1,812 words, Teen) Pairing: Mollymauk Tealeaf/Essek Thelyss/Caleb Widogast (Shadowidomauk) Warnings: None

Essek knits gifts for his partners.

Reccer Says: It is sooooo soft and so sweet, gift giving is The wizard love language, truly. Also the Molly voice is so on point.

Fabric by the_deep_magic (62,807 words, Explicit) Pairing: Shaun Gilmore/Vax'ildan (Vaxmore) Warnings: None

Vax pays a visit to Emon’s premiere BDSM club, looking to find a dom who knows what they’re doing. By chance, he finds that, and a whirlwind romance, in the club’s owner, Shaun Gilmore.

Reccer Says: Hot, fun, heartfelt. Overall a really enjoyable read.

Grass Stains by Luddleston (3,026 words, Explicit) Pairing: Orym/Will Warnings: None

Young and in love, Orym and Will have to get creative to find ways to get alone time away from their families.

Reccer Says: Sweet, sexy, and full of emotions.

So About The Minotaur… by OkaySoWereDoinThis (3,697 words, Teen) Pairing: Yeza Brenatto/Veth Brenatto Warnings: Body Dysphoria for Goblin Reasons

Nott/Veth thinks she’s gonna get dumped but she gets kissed instead (it’s what she deserves).

Reccer Says: It's set shortly after they rescue Yeza and it's cute and angsty and funny and yeza is the best everrr

brighter than before by royalgreen (1,119 words, Teen) Pairing: Shaun Gilmore/Vax'ildan (Vaxmore) Warnings: None

Following a near-death experience and realizing he might have an 'after' in the aftermath, Vax follows his heart.

Reccer Says: A very sweet snippet of vulnerability and promise!

A Friend in Hand by Eunicorne (10,085 words, Teen) Pairing: Yeza Brenatto/Caleb Widogast Warnings: Major Character Death

After Veth's death, Yeza finds himself picking up the pieces of his life, helped by a dear family friend, Caleb Widogast. Aka, a grief stricken Caleb takes care of his dear friend's family after her death.

Reccer Says: Oh my goshhh it's so bittersweet and sweet and cute. Yeza enjoyers will love this. Grief enjoyers will love this. Caleb enjoyers will love this and honestly Veth enjoyers probably too.

Today I Love You Even More by wtgw (5,687 words, Teen) Pairings: Yeza Brenatto/Caleb Widogast, Yeza Brenatto/Veth Brenatto, Yeza Brenatto/Veth Brenatto/Caleb Widogast Warnings: None

"Yeza Brenatto is a creature of infinite anxiety, but he’s not blind. He can see how much Veth loves Caleb. He can see how much Caleb loves her back. And he can also see that Caleb is really attractive. But it’s not like he’s not going to do anything about that…"

Reccer Says: Funny and cuteee, Yeza my beloved<3<3

Thank you for joining us this week’s recc list! All the love to everyone who submitted a fic 💕 All enclosed recommendations were submitted by the community via our submissions form, which you can find here. All fic information is as it was provided by the reccer, so it may not be accurate to the author’s intent or the precise contents of the fic itself. Please assume good intent from all parties 💕

Submissions for next week’s list are already open! We’ll be featuring Proposals & Marriages. If you have any you’d like to highlight, you can send them in here. The week after that, the theme is Oneshots and the weeks after that we’re taking recommendations for Laudna Rarepairs and Grief & Mourning! Submissions for all of these themes are currently open.

If you want more rarepair fic, check out @cr-summer-wildflowers and their event collections on ao3! If you want some friendship after all this romance, take a look at @critter-genfic-events and their recc lists! And if you’re interested in everyone’s favorite wizards, you can’t go wrong with the lists at @aeor-is-for-reccing !

Thanks all and have a lovely day/night/timezone! 💕

[weclassybouquetfun]

Ending the four day convention for theater owners were studios Paramount and Lionsgate. Their slate?

Paramount: Franchise baby! Tom Cruise sent a video message and package of the stunts from MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: DEAD RECKONING PART ONE (Part Two is currently filming).

Dominique Fishback and Anthony Ramos were on hand to show the final trailer for TRANSFORMERS: RISE OF THE BEASTS.

In other TRANSFORMERS news, the voice cast of the animated film, TRANSFORMERS ONE was announced. What is it about?

The origin story is set before the events on Earth, with the Transformers in a secret world on their home planet of Cybertron, where a young Optus Prime (Chris Hemsworth) and young Megatron (Brian Tyree Henry) will go from brothers-in-arms to sworn enemies. Bots in the story include Elita (Scarlett Johansson), Bumblebee (Keegan-Michael Key), Sentinel Prime (Jon Hamm) and Alpha Trion (Laurence Fishburne).

The Rest

Also on the animated front: The announcement of a new SMURFS film with Rihanna voicing Smurfette, executive producing and providing a song for the film. There was also news of another SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS film; word that THE LAST AIRBENDER film should hit theaters i n October 2025, footage was shown from the PAW PATROL film and TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLE: MUTANT MAYHEM.

Footage was screened of A QUIET PLACE: DAY ONE starring Lupita N'yongo, Alex Wolff, Djimon Hounsou and Joseph Quinn; first footage of Martin Scorcese's western KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON.

While Leonardo DiCaprio is featured in all of the stills, its rumored that Jesse Plemons is the true lead of the film. and first footage of the Bob Marley biopic, produced by his son Ziggy, BOB MARLEY: ONE LOVE starring Kingsley Ben-Adir and Lashana Lynch.

Lionsgate: Had a spotlight on JOYRIDE as the cast was being honoured with the Best Comedy Ensemble award; The first trailer dropped for THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLADS OF SONGBIRDS AND SNAKES showing star Rachel Zegler, Jason Schwartzman, Hunter Schaffer, Peter Dinklage and Viola Davis.

As expected they teased Lionsgate’s slate for 2023 includes About My Father (May 26), The Blackening (June 16), White Bird: A Wonder Story (August 18), The Expendables 4 (September 22), Ordinary Angels (October 13), and Saw sequel, which is a co-production with Universal (October 27).

[prnanayarquah]

BOB MARLEY MOVIE ONE LOVE HITS THEATRES FEBRUARY 14TH

New Post has been published on https://plugzafrica.com/bob-marley-movie-one-love-hits-theatres-february-14th/

BOB MARLEY MOVIE ONE LOVE HITS THEATRES FEBRUARY 14TH

Bob Marley’s One Love tells the story of how reggae icon Bob Marley overcame adversity, and the journey behind his revolutionary music. The movie celebrates the life and music of an icon who inspired generations through his message of love and unity. On the big screen for the first time, Bob’s powerful story of overcoming adversity and the journey behind his revolutionary music is shared.

One of the preview’s most intense moments comes during a scene chronicling December 1976, when a crew of men attempted to assassinate Marley inside his home with his wife and children. “No guns can stop this message,” Ben-Adir’s Marley says in the trailer, accompanied by a version of “Three Little Birds.”

Along with chronicling Marley’s rise to fame, One Love also highlights his historic performance at the One Love Peace Concert in Kingston, Jamaica in April 1978, which aimed to heal the rupture between the country’s two major political parties, Jamaica Labour Party and People’s National Party.

Outside of Ben-Adir, other actors in the cast include Lashana Lynch, who plays Bob Marley’s wife, Rita, James Norton as Chris Blackwell, Anna-Sharé Blake (aka Sevana) as Judy Mowatt, Naomi Cowan as Marcia Griffiths, Umi Myers as Cindy Breakspeare, Aston Barrett Jr. as Family Man Barrett, Gawaine “J-Summa” Campbell as Antonio ‘Gillie’ Gilbert, David Kerr (aka Davo) as Junior Marvin, Hector Roots Lewis as Carlton Carly Barrett, Sheldon Shepherd (Yardie) as Neville Garrick, and Stefan A.D Wade as Seeco Patterson.

Before Ziggy Marley approached Kingsley Ben-Adir to play his late father in the film, the actor had already portrayed larger-than-life historical figures like Malcolm X (in One Night In Miami) and Barack Obama (in the miniseries The Comey Rule). But Ben-Adir had no musical experience or capabilities. “I was completely convinced that there’s no point in auditioning for this,” he told Entertainment Weekly. “I can’t sing. I can’t dance.”

However, the director was looking to cast an actor rather than a musician to play the reggae icon. “I was more interested in his acting,” Green told The Observer.  “The same way that I approached King Richard, the two young actresses that play Venus and Serena [Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singleton] had no sports capabilities whatsoever. It’s about being great actors – and then training.”

Ben-Adir learned to sing and play guitar for the role, performing all the songs with his own voice during filming, while the final film combines his voice with Marley’s archival recordings. “Bob’s not someone you can choreograph or copy,” he told EW. “His singing and dancing are from an internal experience, so you really have to find your own version of that for yourself.”

The actor went to work studying Bob and listening to over 50 rare archival Marley interviews to learn his Jamaican Patois and way of speaking.  “The more I dug into Bob,” he shared, “the more I realized that music was really everything to him. It really saved him, and he separated himself from other artists around that time.”

The film was directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, who made his studio directorial debut with King Richard, which featured Will Smith as Richard Williams, who coached his daughters Venus and Serena into becoming tennis superstars. It received six Oscar nominations, including Best Picture, with a best actor win for Smith.

The film was written by screenwriters Zach Baylin, who also worked on King Richard, The Wolf of Wall Street’s Terence Winter, and Shooting Stars’ Frank E. Flowers. The film was produced in partnership with members of the Marley family, including his wife Rita Marley, son Ziggy Marley, and daughter Cedella Marley produced.

Green also spoke on the family’s concern that Marley is portrayed “in a way that feels authentic and meaningful,” he told The Guardian.

Ziggy Marley shared a statement reflecting on the monumental biopic. He said: “Nothing happens before its time, and now is the time for the story of our father Bob Marley to be represented in a biopic theatrical release coming in 2024. You’ve heard the music, and you think you know the man but do you really understand what he went through and what moments shaped him into the person he became…this film will bring you to witness for the first time what it was like to be around the legend, to see his pain his sorrows his joys and his redemption.” He adds that “the cast and crew represent one of the most unique creations to ever come out of a Hollywood studio.”

[awardseason]

4th Hollywood Critics’ Association Awards — Nominees

BEST PICTURE “Da 5 Bloods” “Judas and the Black Messiah” “Minari” “Nomadland” “One Night in Miami” “Promising Young Woman” “Soul” “Sound of Metal” ”The Father” “The Trial of the Chicago 7”

BEST ACTOR Anthony Hopkins, “The Father” Chadwick Boseman, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” Delroy Lindo, “Da 5 Bloods” Kingsley Ben-Adir, “One Night in Miami” Riz Ahmed, “Sound of Metal”

BEST ACTRESS Carey Mulligan, “Promising Young Woman” Elisabeth Moss, “The Invisible Man” Frances McDormand, “Nomadland” Vanessa Kirby, “Pieces of a Woman” Viola Davis, “Ma Rainey's Black Bottom” Zendaya, “Malcolm & Marie”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Bo Burnham, “Promising Young Woman” Chadwick Boseman, “Da 5 Bloods” Daniel Kaluuya, “Judas and the Black Messiah” Leslie Odom Jr., “One Night in Miami” Paul Raci, “Sound of Metal”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Amanda Seyfried, “Mank” Ellen Burstyn, “Pieces of a Woman” Glenn Close, Hillbilly Elegy” Olivia Colman, “The Father” Yuh-Jung Youn, “Minari”

BEST FEMALE DIRECTOR Chloé Zhao, “Nomadland” Eliza Hittman, “Never Rarely Sometimes Always” Emerald Fennell, “Promising Young Woman” Regina King, “One Night In Miami” Sofia Coppola, “On the Rocks”

BEST MALE DIRECTOR Darius Marder, “Sound of Metal” David Fincher, “Mank” Lee Isaac Chung, “Minari” Shaka King, “Judas and the Black Messiah” Spike Lee, “Da 5 Bloods”

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY Chloé Zhao, “Nomadland” Florian Zeller, “The Father” Jonathan Raymond & Kelly Reichardt, “First Cow” Kemp Powers, “One Night in Miami” Ruben Santiago-Hudson, “Ma Rainey's Black Bottom”

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Aaron Sorkin, “Trial of The Chicago 7” Abraham Marder & Darius Marder, “Sound of Metal” Andy Siara, “Palm Springs” Emerald Fennell, “Promising Young Woman” Lee Isaac Chung, “Minari”

BEST CAST “Da 5 Bloods” “Ma Rainey's Black Bottom” “One Night in Miami” “Promising Young Woman” “The Prom” “The Trial of the Chicago 7”

BEST ANIMATED FILM “Onward” “Over The Moon” “Soul” “The Croods: A New Age” “Wolfwalkers”

BEST COMEDY OR MUSICAL “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga” “On the Rocks” “Palm Springs” “The Personal History of David Copperfield” “The Prom”

BEST ACTION FILM “Bad Boys for Life” “Birds of Prey” “Extraction” “Tenet” “The Old Guard”

BEST HORROR FILM “Freaky” “His House” “Host” “Relic” “The Invisible Man”

BEST INDIE FILM “Black Bear” “First Cow” “Minari” “Miss Juneteenth” “Palm Springs”

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM “Another Round” “Bacurau” “I'm No Longer Here” “La Llorona” “Two of Us”

BEST FIRST FEATURE Channing Godfrey Peoples, “Miss Juneteenth” Darius Marder, “Sound of Metal” Emerald Fennell, “Promising Young Woman” Radha Blank, “40-Year-Old Version” Regina King, “One Night In Miami”

BEST DOCUMENTARY “All In: The Fight For Democracy” “Boys State” “Class Action Park” “Dick Johnson is Dead” “Time”

BEST SHORT FILM “Burrow” “Canvas” “Cops And Robbers” “If Anything Happens, I Love You” “The Heart Still Hums”

BEST HAIR & MAKEUP “Birds of Prey” “Hillbilly Elegy” “Mank” “Ma Rainey's Black Bottom” “Promising Young Woman”

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS Kevin Souls & Thrain Shadbolt, “Birds of Prey” Ged Wright, “Sonic the Hedgehog” Andrew Jackson, “Tenet” Jonathan Dearing, “The Invisible Man” Matt Kasmir, Chris Lawrence, Dave Watkins, & Max Solomon - “The Midnight Sky”

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Erik Messerschmidt, “Mank” Dariusz Wolski, “News of The World” Joshua James Richards, “Nomadland” Hoyte van Hoytema, “Tenet” Martin Ruhe, “The Midnight Sky”

BEST SCORE Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, “Mank” Emile Mosseri, “Minari” James Newton Howard, “News of The World” Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, Jon Batiste, “Soul” Alexandre Desplat, “The Midnight Sky”

BEST ORIGINAL SONG ‘Husavik,’ “Eurovision Song Contest” ‘Rocket to the Moon,’ “Over the Moon” ‘Speak Now,’ “One Night in Miami” ‘Turntables,’ “All In: The Fight for Democracy ‘Wear Your Crown,’ “The Prom”

BEST EDITING Chloé Zhao - Nomadland” Frédéric Thoraval, “Promising Young Woman” Yorgos Lamprinos, “The Father” Andy Canny, “The Invisible Man” Alan Baumgarten, “The Trial of the Chicago 7”

BEST COSTUME DESIGN Erin Benach, “Birds of Prey” Alexandra Byrne, “Emma.” Trish Summerville, “Mank” Ann Roth, “Ma Rainey's Black Bottom” Suzie Harman, “The Personal History of David Copperfield”

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN Kave Quinn, “Emma.” Donald Graham Burt, “Mank” Mark Ricker, “Ma Rainey's Black Bottom” Cristina Casali, “The Personal History of David Copperfield” Jamie Walker McCall, “The Prom”

BEST ANIMATED OR VFX PERFORMANCE Ben Schwartz, “Sonic the Hedgehog” Cathy Ang, “Over the Moon” Honor Kneafsey, “Wolfwalkers” Jamie Foxx, “Soul” Tina Fey, “Soul”

BEST BLOCKBUSTER “Birds of Prey” “Sonic the Hedgehog” “Tenet” “The Old Guard” “Wonder Woman 1984”

BEST STUNT WORK “Birds of Prey” “Extraction” “Tenet” “The Old Guard” “Wonder Woman 1984”

HONORARY AWARDS Acting Achievement Award: Aubrey Plaza, “Black Bear” Artisan Achievement Award: Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, “Soul”/“Mank” Artisan on the Rise Award: Emile Mosseri, “Minari” Breakthrough Performance Actor: Paul Raci, “Sound of Metal” Breakthrough Performance Actress: Cristin Milioti, “Palm Springs” Filmmaker on the Rise Award: Emerald Fennell, “Promising Young Woman” Game-Changer Award: Nicole Beharie, “Miss Juneteenth” Inspire Award: Lin Manuel Miranda, “Hamilton”/“In the Heights” Spotlight Award: Kiera Allen, “Run” Standout Performance by an Actor/Actress 23 or Under: Sidney Flanigan, “Never Rarely Sometimes Always” Timeless Award: Dante Spinotti, “Fatale”/“Black and Blue”/“Heat”

(TBA: Trailblazer Award, Filmmaker Achievement Award) 

[mondoradiowmse]

06/03/20 Mondo Radio Playlist

Here's the playlist for this week's special double-length edition of Mondo Radio, which you can download or stream in part here. This episode: "All Night Long", featuring music about being nocturnal and more. If you are interested, be sure to also follow the show on Facebook and Twitter!

Artist - Song - Album

Whodini - Freaks Come Out At Night - Funky Beat: The Best Of Whodini

Kevie Kev (Waterbed Kev) - All Night Long (Waterbed) - Best Of Sugar Hill Records

Indeep - Last Night A D.J. Saved My Life - The Disco Years, Vol. 2: On The Beat (1978-1982)

Kevin Irving - Children Of The Night (Radio Mix) - Trax Records: The 20th Anniversary Collection

Egyptian Lover - I Cry (Night After Night) - 1983-1988

Donna Summer - Can't Get To Sleep At Night - Bad Girls

George Benson - Give Me The Night (Single Version) - Anthology

Invisible Man's Band - All Night Thing - The Last Party - Music Inspired By The Book The Last Party: Studio 54, Disco And The Culture Of The Night

ABBA - Summer Night City - The Definitive Collection

Prince - Do It All Night - Dirty Mind

Michael Jackson - Workin' Day And Night (Original Demo From 1978) - Off The Wall

Parliament - Night Of The Thumpasorus Peoples - Mothership Connection

Shakatak - Night Birds - Night Birds

The Sisterhood - Baby, It's A Cold Night In December - The American Song-Poem Christmas: Daddy, Is Santa Really Six Foot Four?

Dusty Springfield - Another Night - Dusty In London

The Rev-Lons - After Last Night - One Kiss Can Lead To Another: Girl Group Sounds Lost & Found

The Butterflys - Good Night Baby - Wonder Women: The History Of The Girl Group Sound

The Honeybees - One Wonderful Night - Growin' Up Too Fast: The Girl Group Anthology

The Supremes - A Hard Day's Night - Motown Meets The Beatles

The Palisades - Make The Night A Little Longer - One Kiss Can Lead To Another: Girl Group Sounds Lost & Found

Lee Hazlewood - My Baby Cried All Night Long - These Boots Are Made For Walkin': The Complete MGM Recordings

The Modern Folk Quartet - This Could Be The Night - Back To Mono (1958-1969)

The Strangeloves - Night Time - Nuggets: Original Artyfacts From The First Psychedelic Era 1965-1968

The Electric Prunes - I Had Too Much To Dream (Last Night) - The Complete Reprise Singles

Moving Sidewalks - Every Night A New Surprise - The Roots Of ZZ Top

The Standells - Have You Ever Spent The Night In Jail - The Best Of The Standells

Horace Andy - Night Owl - Skylarking

Orchestra Gus Brendel - Night Clipper - German Funk Fieber, Vol. 1: Infectious Rare Grooves & Krauty Schlager Wonders 1969-1977

Jimmy Smith & Wes Montgomery - Night Train - Jimmy & Wes: The Dynamic Duo

Shirley Scott With Stanley Turrentine - In The Still Of The Night - Soul Shoutin'

Lee Morgan - Boy, What A Night - The Sidewinder

Hugh Masekela - Night In Tunisia - Masekela: '66-'76

Can - One More Night - Ege Bamyasi

Raymond Scott - Don't Beat Your Wife Every Night! - Manhattan Research, Inc.

Perrey & Kingsley - Strangers In The Night - Kaleidoscopic Vibrations

Priscilla McLean - Night Images - The McLean Mix & The Golden Age Of Electronic Music

Bernard Estardy - Night Express - Electro Sounds, Vol. 2

The Jimi Hendrix Experience - Long Hot Summer Night - Electric Ladyland

Eggs Over Easy - Night Flight - Good 'N' Cheap

Billy Squier - Lonely Is The Night - Don't Say No

Poco - Heart Of The Night - The Ultimate Collection

Bob Dylan - One More Night - Nashville Skyline

The Byrds - Bad Night At The Whiskey (Live) - Live At The Fillmore, February 1969

Bill Comeau & Carmel Signa - Late Night Lonely Discovery/Jesus Wept - Fragments From An Unknown Gospel

Roxy Music - If It Takes All Night - Country Life

David Bowie - Let's Spend The Night Together - Aladdin Sane

Lou Reed - All Through The Night - The Bells

Bruce Springsteen - Night - Born To Run

Todd Rundgren - The Night The Carousel Burned Down - Something/Anything?

Nick Gilder - Here Comes The Night - City Nights

The Records - Spent A Week With You Last Night - Crashes

Shoes - Tomorrow Night - Present Tense

Nick Lowe - I Don't Want The Night To End - Jesus Of Cool

In A Hot Coma - I Wanna Stay Up All Night - History In 3 Chords: Milwaukee Alternative Bands 1973-1982

The Limit - My World At Night - Fuck Your Commercial Radio Bullshit: This Is Punk Rock (1977-1986)

The Motors - Dancing The Night Away - No Thanks!: The '70s Punk Rebellion

Elton Motello - Night Sister - Pop Art

The Waitresses - Heat Night - The Best Of The Waitresses

Chromeo - Night By Night - Business Casual

Hot Chip - Dark Night - Why Make Sense?

Chromeo - When The Night Falls - Business Casual

Air - Night Hunter - Love 2

Laika - Starry Night - Sounds Of The Satellites

Cyberchump - Sign By Night - Flutter And Flow

John Carpenter - Night - Lost Themes

Air - Night Sight - Pocket Symphony

Panda Bear - Last Night At The Jetty - Tomboy

David Lynch - The Night Bell With Lightning - Crazy Clown Time

Les Robots Musique - Good Night Little Robot - Plan 9

[kathrynalicemc]

HPHM Character Profile

General Info

Name: Kathryn Marvina Alice

Age: 16 (Year 5)

Date of Birth: December 30, 1972

Gender: Female

Nicknames: Kat, Kath, Ryn

Sign: Capricorn

Ethnicity: Caucasian

Nationality: British

Species: Human Wizard

Blood Status: Half-Blood

Appearance

Height: 5'6"

Complexion: Fair/pale

Hair colour: Ginger/copper

Hair style(s):

Year 1-4: Down and long

Year 5: Curly up in pony with side bang pieces down

Year 6: Shoulder length half up in bun with optional side pieces down

Eye colour: Stormy grey

Distinguishing Characteristics: Freckles, dark red lipstick, big hoop earrings, occasionally wears round reading glasses, black choker necklace, scar below collarbone over heart (from ice knight)

(Faceclaim listed below)

Personality

Cautious

Introvert

Creative

Kind

Loyal

Stubborn

Sarcastic

Impatient

Overthinking

Holds grudges

Only fights back when her friends are attacked. Ride or die for her friends

Family

Mother: Maizie Alice (nee Bane)

Her parents are Marvina and Mathias Bane

Born 1945

Her brother is Asmodeus Bane

She works as an Astronomer

She’s got sort of blonde/beige hair that falls to her shoulders and curls inwards at the bottom

Father: John Alice

His parents are Nola and David Alice

Born 1942

He is a muggle

He works as a surgeon at a muggle hospital

He’s got long ginger hair that is usually tied into a bun and he’s got freckles

Brother: Jacob Alice

M.I.A.

Born May 21, 1967

He looks a lot like his father John. He has long ginger hair and a beard from being trapped in the portrait. (What buzzcut?)

He is a Ravenclaw

He used to keep his hair short with some long bang parts

He is Tired™️

He works as an Auror like Kathryn

Faceclaim is Jason Momoa?

Jam city hasn’t told me if he is good or evil or if he lives so ??????

Sister: Aimee Alice

She is in the same year as Harry Potter

Born February 14, 1980

She looks like her mother with blonde/beige sandy hair. It’s pretty short and almost always in a ponytail with some long side bangs down. She also has freckles. She has piercings on her nose and eyebrow and ears

Faceclaim is Maya Hawke in Stranger Things 3

She’s a Gryffindor too and she’s Fiesty and bold

“Harry Potter is a punk ass bitch” but she low key respects him

She feels left out being the youngest because Kathryn got to go to Hogwarts to find Jacob and she couldn’t help so she constantly is trying to prove herself

She plays Quidditch

Maternal Grandparents: Marvina & Mathias Bane

They are both Pure Blood wizards

Both born 1910

They worked as Unspeakables and also liked to experiment and invent spells

Very powerful and mysterious

????

Uncle: Asmodeus Bane (deceased)

A Bitch™️

Evil, no good, death eater

Born 1940

He has a child with ??? But they aren’t married

Inspired by his parents spell inventing, he creates “Sanguis Mendax”

He casts this curse on his son Azazil so that he could control him

If Azazil tells a lie, he gets a random cut somewhere on his body and the wound forms a scar that can’t be healed.

Obsessed with Pure Bloodline, has no contact with his sister or other family because they are seen as traitors. His sister married a muggle.

He dies on October 31, 1981 when Voldemort is defeated and Aurors started hunting down and rounding up death eaters.

Cousin: Azazil Bane

Angst™️

Born October 31, 1969

Hufflepuff

Abused by father

Has the Sanguis Mendax curse

Never gave in to his father and always told lies to spite him

Body is covered in scars

He’s got nearly white blonde hair and light pale blue eyes

He’s very gentle and kind towards people and creatures

Gets bullied at school because of the scars. Bill Weasley always looked out for him. He was too scared to talk to his cousins much in case they thought he was evil like his father. Jacob didn’t pay him much attention and was busy with the vaults. Kathryn was busy too but she always would smile at him or say hi in passing.

After Hogwarts he becomes a Healer at the school

He helps tend to the injured at the Battle of Hogwarts but never once fights

Do no harm

Has a tattoo of the Rod of Asclepius (medical symbol)

His patronus takes the form of the Aesculapian snake that is featured on the rod.

Paternal Grandparents: Nola & David Alice

Both born 1920

Muggles

David Alice dies on July 19, 1945 in World War 2

Affiliations/Organizations

Ravenclaw house

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Ravenclaw Quidditch Seeker (years 3-7)

Order of the Phoenix (future)

Ministry of Magic (future)

Auror (future)

Hogwarts Info

Best Subjects: DADA, Astronomy, Charms, Flying (Seeker)

Worst Subjects: History of Magic, Potions

Favourite Teachers: Flitwick, Mcgonagall

Best Friends: Rowan, Bill, Badeea, Tonks, Liz, Barnaby, Murphy

Hobbies and Interests: 80s music (Queen, ABBA, Journey etc), Archery, Quidditch, Painting, Reading, Muggle movies (Back to the Future, Star Trek, etc), Plays Violin, Likes to cook and bake.

Magical Characteristics

1st Wand:

Hornbeam Wood

Dragon Heartstring core

11"

2nd Wand:

Ebony wood

Dragon Heartstring core

11 1/4"

Special Abilities: Legilimens, Occulmency, Animagus, Non-verbal magic, Flying, Duelling, Aparition (future)

Pets: Geordi (White long haired fluffy cat)

Mirror of Erised: She sees Jacob alive and happy with her family.

Boggart: Seeing her friends and family dead.

Patronus: Thestral (in game)

Animagus: Raven (HC), Bird (in game)

How Amortentia smells to her: Rain, new parchment, lilac, Christmas pine tree, baked goods fresh from the oven

How she smells to others: Dirt after a long rain, chocolate, clothes out of the drier, campfire

Extra Trivia

Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/user/lari-may/playlist/1GD1Pu26pfEipruNTYQ4uA?si=EPx11rK0Qp2oV_2NN_xv1w

Faceclaim: Laura Gwyneth Butler (above)

Future facts:

She works as an Auror

She joins the Order of the Phoenix

She marries Barnaby Lee on Halloween night in 1993

She helps bring Harry Potter to Grimmauld Place

She fights her way out of the Ministry with Kingsley after it falls to Voldemort

She watches as Voldemort dies

She discovers she is pregnant after the Battle

Dora Lee is born on January 10, 1999

Wyatt Lee is born on June 21, 2005

Naomi Lee is born on October 1, 2007

[kashimalin-fanfiction]

“A Midnight Meeting” (Lancelot Kingsley/Jonah Clemence)

Summary: After a Halloween Party, Jonah returns to his room, alone. ... Or so he thinks. (Based on the following dialogue prompt: "Just one bite.")

Pairing: Lancelot Kingsley/Jonah Clemence

Count: 1,011 Words

Rating: Teen

•  [Here’s where I’d put links... if Tumblr allowed them. Please click on my blog to view more of my work!!] •

A plumage of bejeweled feathers billow out behind Jonah as he walks through the darkened corridors of Headquarters. Each time he blinks, he can feel the make-up on his face, but knows it was worth the effort he put into selecting the parts of his costume. Everyone recognized what animal he was supposed to represent this year. For this party, he had selected a peacock, a rare type of bird bred in the Diamond Quarter. His preparation process had taken far longer than expected, but it was worth it to see the look on Lancelot’s face when he arrived, dressed in a royal blue and green costume to compliment his chosen accessories. And he had been grateful that he left his lips devoid of make-up, since Lancelot had bent down to kiss him a moment later.

Brushing away the memories from earlier that evening, Jonah unlocks the door to his bedroom, casting a longing glance down the hall. He knows that Lancelot will not be in his room at this hour — not when Jonah has just left a rousing Halloween party that refused to end. Just a few minutes before Jonah’s departure, Kyle had wormed his way between him and Lancelot, smelling of pumpkin spice and alcohol as he demanded Lancelot tell their best army story to the officers who had yet to hear it.

And this year, Lancelot was a willing storyteller. The small smile on his face as he started to speak charmed Jonah’s heart, but made it ache a moment later as he knew Lancelot’s company was decided for the night.

“At least he’s happy,” Jonah sighs to his empty room, discarding the ornamentation of his costume. Shrugging the blue and green feathered cloak from his shoulders, Jonah hangs it up before looking in the mirror on his wall and reaching for a cloth and water bowl. For a moment, he admires the make-up on his features, a gorgeous shade of teal with white framing his eyes. Smiling to himself, Jonah meticulously wipes every trace from his skin, removing faux rhinestones as he finds them before moving to his hair. Fingers deftly remove a feather here, a pin there. His delicate locks fall back about his face, curling softly against his cheeks. For a moment, he stares at his mirror, looking at his reflection. He can see the sorrow in his own features, missing his boyfriend as his heart stirs deep in his chest.

Until it starts beating at a rapid pace when the sensation of a cool hand runs over his shoulder. Jonah lets out a stifled scream, slapping a hand over his mouth as he continues to stare at the mirror.

There’s nobody there! The invisible fingers creep over the back of his neck, the short hairs there standing on end. As he watches in horror, his breath growing shallow and labored, Jonah recalls the beginnings of the story Edgar had been telling earlier that night.

“If you ask me, the scariest stories are about vampires. Despite all their weaknesses, they have a few advantages. You can’t see them in mirrors! Can you imagine, looking at your reflection and not knowing what’s coming up behind you?”

Jonah sucks in a harsh breath as his hair is seized tight. He can feel how each lock is being pulled from his scalp. It feels too real to be a phantom sensation. Mustering all the courage left in his body, Jonah whips around, throwing his arm back.

It makes contact — in the form of something seizing his wrist in a delicate hold.

“Jonah, don’t do anything reckless.”

A familiar voice relaxes Jonah, and slowly, a charmed smile appears in the mirror. Jonah sneers at the red eyes that accompany it, fading to a soft blue as Lancelot’s body completely forms behind him. He is dressed in a dark suit, the cloak about his shoulder lined with red. A small trickle of painted blood drips down his lip, expertly applied before the party to complete his costume.

“I can’t believe you would play such an awful prank!” Jonah says, scowling. “You’re detestable.”

“You left your door open.” Lancelot says with an affectionate lilt in his tone. “I saw the perfect opportunity.”

Jonah is about to protest when he notices Lancelot’s mouth, moving awkwardly. Spinning about, Jonah notices what is different about the man standing before him.

“Lancelot… you’re…”

“These?” Lancelot gives a wide smile, unnatural for his features. What it provides Jonah is a full view of his teeth — and the two sharpened ones within, glittering in the low light. “Magic has it’s uses, at times. The modification of them didn’t hurt.”

“Is it permanent?”

“I will change them back, if you don’t like them.”

“I don’t know—” Jonah’s breath catches as Lancelot takes a step forward. Instinctively, Jonah takes a step back — only to have Lancelot reach out. His hands are seized and lifted above his head, and Jonah is spun about to face the mirror once more.

“A yes or no will do.” Lancelot’s eyes turn red once more as he leans down, staring at Jonah in the mirror before them. Jonah swallows thickly as Lancelot bows his head, holding Jonah’s gaze as his lips press against his neck. Realizing Lancelot’s implication, Jonah sucks in a deep breath, not daring to close his eyes.

“Just one bite.”

Jonah feels the smile against his skin, and the way Lancelot’s hot breath pools over his skin as the fangs press themselves against one of the most sensitive parts of his body. They don’t break his skin, but come dangerously close as the pain bleeds into pleasurable desire.

“Lancelot…” The name falls from his lips without restraint, his need evident in every syllable.

“More?”

“More. Please, give me more.”

Lancelot wastes not a moment sweeping his boyfriend into his arms, carrying him over to the bed. As he is placed onto his sheets, Jonah meets the heated gaze reflected back at him in Lancelot’s eyes, and knows that he will not be leaving that spot for the rest of the night.

[theprophet-upinsmoke]

                 Fashion Do’s and Don’ts: Yule Ball Edition

Written by Gilderoy Lockhart

There will be two categories and six winners this year: Best Outfit and Best Mask, for witches, wizards, and wix.

Firstly, I have been told by Prophet lawyers to make it explicit that the only compensation given to winners is my high praise. Something about last year’s winners getting a bit out of hand, apparently, followed by a very boring lecture from our treasury. Secondly, in order to avoid any appearances of bias, I have been informed by several higher ups that I cannot include my fiancés in this breakdown. Honestly, this will only prove to level the field as they were far more attractive and infinitely better dressed than anyone else on the British Isle.

Let’s get to it, shall we?

There were so many wonderfully dressed witches this year, I hardly know where to start. Perhaps a color-scheme breakdown of my favorites before announcing my big winner?

Pink and flowery seemed a common theme this year, no matter the skin tone or hair color. While Lily Evan’s and Juliette Fortescue’sdresses wowed, and Camilla Fawley’s dress certainly had less train by the end of the night than it started with, I’d be wont to give the pink crown to anyone other than Aliya Shafiq.

Austen Yaxley’s nature-inspired blue number cannot go unmentioned. Nor can the flowing silver gowns worn by Carissa Flint and Pandora Kane.

Most Fluffy Gown definitely went to Maura Mulciber, though Katsiayrna Dolohov and Daisy Hookum put up quite the fight. Could Emmeline Vance even find her date through all that tulle? At least Maura pulled off the swan look effortlessly. And she left the swan-like temper at home.

The true stunner of the event, however, had to be Narcissa Black (of course) with that ruffled mermaid gown straight out of the American 20’s. What a look! Congratulations, Miss Black!

Honorable mention to Amelia Bones for Dress Most Likely to a Sibling Heart Failure. How many suitors did Edgar beat off with a stick, I wonder…

I will say, for as sleek as black remains in the fashion world, Greta Catchlove’s ball gown look felt a bit of a yawn in amongst the glamour and splendor of the others. Aurora Davis, prima ballerina and fashion queen, let us all down by sticking to black as well. Sorry gorgeous, not even sparkles can save you from blending in this time. I won’t even list the others who took the easy route. You know who you are. Try a little harder next time, darlings. Though I will say they at least showed up in actual ball-appropriate attire, looking at you Mafalda Hopkirk. Do put more effort into, well, everything I suppose. 

Pandora Kane’s gorgeous half-moon mask crested in gold certainly stood out, as did Aurora Davis’s full face black feature. However, Lily Evan’s put a whole bouquet across her face. That took some serious craftsmanship, non? Best Mask for witches will absolutely have to go to her.

Honestly, men, embrace a color other than black. As slimming as it feels, it’s nothing but the same song and dance. Live a little, won’t you? There’s a war on, try a color for a change. Asher Westenberg tried to make it better by adding a bolo tie of all things, but only succeeded in making the outfit more hideous. If you’re going to lazy about your look, at least follow Sirius Black and play off a theme.

I may have to give best dressed to Edgar Bones just for having the sense to wear blue. (Sorry, Luke Selywn, green for Slytherin simply isn’t original, especially when you’ll explain the reasoning behind your outfit to the entire room.)  Kingsley Shacklebolt showed he can do something more than paperwork, showing up in a lovely floral inspired red and black piece (still with the black, honestly, men, please). Sadly for both of them, Alaric Avery and his star-studded wonder of a suit stood him up.

The Prewett brothers Gideon and Fabian did a double-take in the exact same outfit: beautiful purple plaid with the most ostentatious masks possible. However, as they went identical and there are two of them and only one prize, I’m afraid they’re disqualified.

I do however, admire a man willing to stick to a theme. Jason Gently and his hairbows and pops of that lavender silk have taken the Best Dressed crown for the men.

Best Mask most certainly has to go to Fenrir Greyback. As much as I adored Alaric’s dedication to theme, I believe Greyback’s mask may come for my soul if I don’t tell it that’s pretty. Hello, you terrifying wonder, you’re very pretty indeed.

Blair Wood served up quite the look, didn’t they? Were we at a ball or a lingerie shop? Perhaps they’re still missing Thrilling! Sanya Dolohov wore more black, but at least had the sense to go with mostly backless. Adding street shoes made it a daring choice, that’s certainly one way to stand out in a crowd. Ari Avery certainly looked ready to commit murder or tear up the dance floor, and I’m still not sure which they ended up deciding. Still more black though—people, colors will not harm you! Sure, Cassius Mulciber looked like they rolled out of a dumpster, but at least that dumpster had hues and variety. Best Dressed most certainly goes to them.

Cassius Mulciber gets the prize for Best Mask as well- I hardly recognized the local terror behind that golden skull. Though, perhaps parading around in room full of Aurors in a skull mask wasn’t the smartest move? They best not get pulled in for questioning, as a little bird says they’ve an important part to play in some upcoming nuptials.

[o0o-chibaken-o0o]

Could you tell me some drarry fics where Draco and Harry write letters to each other anonymously

Hello, hello!!! The @hpcommentathon is happening now, so I want to broaden this list to include ALL letter-writing as well as chatting/texting fics :D. Hopefully these recs will help you fill one of your categories!! And if you’re seeing this after the comment-a-thon is over, leave these brilliant writers some feedback anyway

Epistolary Drarry (letters)

Lettered (8K), Lush Life (19.5K), & Home Again, Home Again (22K) by pir8fancier- Harry has a secret penpal, whose identity is as plain as the nose on his face. Except he’s not wearing his glasses.I’ve only just realized today that the last work in this series exists, and I’m in a panic because I must MUST read it— the first two are amazing and perfect and they have EVERYTHING. Be aware that the sequel(s) are very different from Lettered because they take place years later, but Lush Life (and probs the other one too!!) is JUST AS BRILLIANT as Lettered, which you will definitely fall in love with!!!!

Catch 22 by jad (50K)- As if NEWTS weren’t enough, Dumbledore’s gone and had another one of his ‘bright ideas.’ If all ends well, the Houses will be getting along in no time. Or according to Harry’s correspondent, an Apocalypse will be in order.Okay THIS FIC THO. It’s exactly what anon is looking for, because they are writing proper anonymous letters back and forth, trying to guess each others’ identities, and it’s an amazing read! With a very dramatic reveal :D

Dear Diary by AWickedMemory (20.5K)- // This can’t possibly go worse than the last time I kept a diary. //After the war, Harry picks up a journal to write in… and it writes back. Luckily, it’s not a Horcrux on the other end this time.OOOOOH this one is just so delicious because Harry is asking his “anonymous pen pal” what he should do about his crush on DRACO MALFOY and that is a recipe for amazingness if I ever saw one.

#switching #owling #bumping into each other by @queenofthyme (~2K)- No summary because this one’s actually a drabble here on tumblr (although you will soon be able to find it as part of qot’s drabble collection on AO3!), but I JUST LOVE IT SO MUCH and I thought of it immediately, so I couldn’t not include it! It’s beautiful and there may or may not be POETRY from one of the boys to the other!!!

I identify my star sign by asking which is least compatible with yours by Ingi (13K)- In Eighth year, Harry Potter’s new term resolution was not getting into fights with Draco Malfoy.It lasted exactly a month and two days.This is a wonderful, cute little fic with a ton of attractions!!! It seems like I’m always asking myself which fic this or that element is from, and somehow the bits I remember have turned out to be from this fic multiple times. Idk how it’s possible, but I do know you’ll enjoy it greatly

A Fluffy Little Olive Branch by @julietsemophase (5K)- Harry comes into work one day to find a box with a baby owl inside sitting on his desk, and a note from a mystery well-wisher.Just… really cute!!! ADORABLE, even. And very… fluffy *wink wink wink* (I’m hilarious shh). Featuring a very thoughtful, pining Draco and a sweet baby owl

Dear Enemy by @gingertodgers (69K)- An anonymous benefactor makes a generous donation to Harry Potter’s School for Squibs in exchange for a weekly letter from the Boy Who Lived.What begins as a chore soon becomes the only outlet Harry has to talk about the war, love, life, hope, redemption, his renewed obsession with a certain blonde nemesis and how he really, honestly, believes that this will be the year Puddlemere United reclaim the Quidditch League Cup.Okay, so my friends on the Drarry discord just told me today about this fic and about how everyone who reads it is obsessed, and I just (accidentally) read the first chapter and am already HOOKED so they were not lying!! 100% sure we will all adore it

On Our Way by Dynamic (30K)- Draco is trying to spend the summer keeping his head down, but a repair project and a certain snowy owl have other plans for him.This is an absolutely LOVELY, very touching!, not quite eighth yeah year fic that features DRACO FINDING AN OWL WHO IS HEDWIG’S CHILD AND TRYING TO GIVE HER TO HARRY WHO NEVER WANTS ANOTHER OWL!!!! Literally, how perfect???

And an Owl Named Romeo by Rickey (26.5K)- Draco breeds owls, Harry’s an Auror, and an owl named Romeo is going to bring them together.I’m noticing that a lot of these fics revolve around owls, which is amazing because I ADORE reading about them, but I must say this might possibly be my favorite Drarry owl fic!!! Harry buys an owl from Draco, then needs lots and lots of advice

Better Than an Origami Bird by @jadepresley and yours truly @o0o-chibaken-o0o (3.5K)- A series of letters in which Harry and Draco argue, play truth or dare, get kinky, and are a couple of very naughty (or very good, depending on who you ask) boys during class.This fic was literally the most fun thing ever to write, because @jadepresley and I got into a contest to see who could make the other one blush more — so if you want some very kinky epistolary smut, you will not be disappointed (hopefully!)

Starfall by Lomonaaeren (196.5K)- When the truth about a seemingly minor Dark hex Harry has suffered leads to the dissolution of his marriage with Ginny, Harry spins into a downward spiral. His private consolation is creating a fantasy life for himself in his journal as Ethan Starfall, a normal wizard with a big family. When he receives a random owl Draco Malfoy has cast into the void as a plea for help with his son Scorpius, Harry replies—as Ethan. There’s no reason, he thinks, for an epistolary friendship with Draco to go further. But Draco might have different ideas about that.This is obviously a HUGE fic full of angst and many many issues and plot devices besides letter-writing—but since the letters are pretty central to the plot, I’m including it here! This fic is a crazy ride, and you will get so invested. Great if you’re looking to read something longer :)

Chat/Texting Fics

Real Texts by @affectiionwrites and @jadepresley (2K)- Kingsley has decided all his Aurors need muggle mobile phones. Draco has finally learned how to use his, and gets a hold of Harry’s number.Drarry textiiiiing!!! And they’re so funny about it! WITH PICTURES!!! I adored the mop, and if you want to know what that means, you’ll just have to read it ;D

Howlr by @partialtopotter​ (15.5K)- Howlr is the new dating application enchanting Witches, Wizards and Everyone in between. Are you looking for the one or a one-night stand; it’s all here folks. Howlr is sponsored by Weasley Wizard Wheezes, the same team that brought us the Spellular just two years ago. Ginny Weasley, famed chaser for the Hollyhead Harpies, swears by the app, ‘guaranteed to make sparks fly,’ she says. The magic awaits you!This is actually another one I haven’t gotten to read yet, but I had to include it because I hear people gushing about it every time a new chapter is released and I am SO looking forward to reading it! Based on this amazing post

Must Love Quidditch by dracosoftie (103.5K)- Through a series of emails from an online dating site, Harry thinks he’s found his perfect match. Will the bond they’ve forged survive after their identities are revealed? This fic is a classic, and a great one for if you’re looking for a longer fic! Dating sites are just the best!!! RIGHT?? And there are some courting rituals in here that I greatly enjoyed as well ;D

Blind Date by JosephineStone (8.5K)- Draco’s been working with Harry for years when another one of his relationships goes stale. He has to be married within a year, and though the WizNet has burned him in the past, Draco finds a new possibility in man as desperate to marry as he is. Only then for Harry to see his last chance with Draco slipping away, and he refuses to let Draco ignore his advances any longer.Another dating site fic!!!! These always have me W E A K!!! And this one is especially amazing because in addition to chatting online, they work together toooooo

Group Chat by @jadepresley​ (2K)- A screenshot of a group chat conversation between Draco, Harry, Ron, Pansy, Hermione and Theo.Okay I know there are three fics by Jade on this list, but I swear I’m not (only) trying to seduce her; she’s actually just AMAZING at this format and you have to read them all because uhkdskjsaaslkdj!!! This is one of the funniest short fics I’ve ever read, NO LIE

[gwdiscotech]

Mascot Research - Japanese, Olympic and Other

Japanese Mascots:

Pop Culture in Modern Japan is all about the cute, unique and crazy. This interest is perfectly encapsulated by Japan's recent obsession of the last few years and that would be mascots. While in the West mascots would generally be reserved for sports or maybe brand promotion, the mascots known as Yuru-kyara in Japan have a much larger scope, to the point that most things have it's own mascot; Hospitals, Charities, religions and even different branches of the military have their own mascots.

Mascots in Japan are commonly very cute and simplistic, though there are some exceptions to this, there are a few that are extremely creepy and/or rather complex. A common theme amongst the mascots are food and plants that are related to Japan itself, many of them are also cutesy and stylised animals.

Notable Mascots:

Domo-kun: Domo-kun is the mascot of Japan's largest broadcasting organisation: NHK. He first appeared for the first time in 1998 in short stop-motion sketches on stations and on TV and has been popular ever since.

Kumamon: Kumamon is the primary mascot for the prefecture Kumamoto which is located in the south of Japan. Kumamon became a popular character in 2010 when promoting the Kyushu bullet train, the next year Kumamon won the yuru-grand prix and despite all of this, he is bizarrely creepy.

Fukka-chan: This is probably my favourite, they're adorable and shows one of the bizarre aspects of Japanese mascots. Fukka-chan is the symbol of Fukaya city in Saitama, representing the city's leek production.

Kanitori-kun: Kanitori-kun is a three-eyes hybrid of a bird and a king crab and a mascot of the Kaike Grand Hotel in Tottori prefecture.

2020 Olympics:

Given that the Olympics this year is taking place in Tokyo, it's fitting that the Olympics’ mascot for 2020 has a very cutesy, anime design. Thankfully the Tokyo 2020 website has a rather informative description of the mascots and their origins.

Miraitowa: The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games mascot is styled with the Ai (indigo blue) Ichimatsu pattern from the Tokyo 2020 Games emblem, a tribute to both the respected tradition and modern innovation of Japanese culture. Miraitowa has a personality inspired by the Japanese proverb, “learn from the past and develop new ideas”. Miraitowa is cheerful and remarkably athletic, and also has a very strong sense of integrity. It has a special power to instantly teleport anywhere it wants. The name MIRAITOWA is based on the Japanese words "mirai", meaning “future”, and "towa", meaning “eternity”, and represents the wish that through the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, a future of everlasting hope will carry on in the hearts of everyone around the world.

Someity: The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games mascot, with its mighty powers and cherry blossom tactile sensors, is quite a cool character. Someity can use the sensors on the sides of its head for telepathic powers, fly using its Ichimatsu-pattern cape, and even move objects without touching them. Someity has a calm and quiet presence, guided by great inner strength, but can display superpowers that embody the toughness and determination of the Paralympic athletes. Someity loves being in nature, and can communicate with natural elements, such as stones and the wind. The name SOMEITY comes from "Someiyoshino", a popular type of cherry blossom, and the phrase "so mighty". Someity can show enormous mental and physical strength and represents Paralympic athletes who overcome obstacles and redefine the boundaries of possibility.

Previous Olympics:

Most of the mascots of previous Olympics follow general rules of a mascot, like being simple and memorable. Again, being cutesy seems to be a priority in the design, with a lot of animal centric designs with large eyes and morphed body proportions.

London 2012: This guy's name is Wenlock, created by Iris design agency and he takes his name from the town of Much Wenlock in Shropshire, which hosts the traditional Much Wenlock Games. Apparently, these games awere one of Pierre de Coubertin's sources of inspiration for the modern Olympic Games. According to the story by Michael Morpurgo, Wenlocks's metallic look is explained by the fact that he was made from the last drop of steel used to build London's Olympic Stadium.

Grenoble 1968: "Shuss" was the name given to this mascot by the agency commissioned by the Organising Committee to advertise these Games. Shush is apparently a little man on skis in the position to which his name suggests, the top of his large two-coloured head, which rests on a unique zig-zag flash shaped foot generally features the Olympic rings. This interesting character was created by Aline Lafargue.

PyeongChang 2018: Soohorang is the mascot of the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games and is a stylised white tiger, mostly likely chosen because the white tiger has long been considered Korea's guardian animal. “Sooho”, meaning protection in Korean, symbolises the protection offered to the athletes, spectators and other participants of the 2018 Games. “Rang” comes from the middle letter of “Ho-rang-i”, the Korean word for “tiger,” and is also the last letter of “Jeong-seon A-ri-rang”, a cherished traditional folk song of Gangwon Province, where the Games will be held.

Beijing 2008: Beijing in fact had five mascots, all of them corresponding with the natural elements and, apart from Huanhua, with four popular animals in China. Each mascot also represents the colour of one of the five Olympic rings. Each also bears a wish, it was traditional in ancient Chinese culture to transmit wishes through signs or symbols. Each name of the mascots rhymes by repeating the same syllable: a traditional Chinese way of showing affection to children. Linking the five names forms the sentence "Welcome to Beijing" (Bei Jing Huan Ying Ni). The mascots form the "Fuwa", which translates as "good-luck dolls". Their creator is Han Meilin.

Beibei the fish is a reference to the element of water. She is blue and her wish is prosperity. The waves on her head are based on a design in traditional Chinese painting.

Jingjing the panda represents the forest. He is black and his wish is happiness. Porcelain paintings from the Song dynasty (960-1279 AD) were the inspiration for the lotus flowers on his head.

Yingying, the Tibetan antelope, represents earth. He is yellow and his wish is good health. Decorative elements from Western China appear on his head.

Nini, the swallow, represents the sky. She is green and her wish is good luck. Her design is inspired by those on Chinese kites. Swallow is pronounced “Yan” in Chinese, and an ancient name for Beijing was “Yanjing”.

Huanhuan is a child of fire. He is red and transmits the passion of sport as well as symbolises the Olympic flame and spirit. Dunhuang grotto art inspired the decoration on his head, together with certain traditional good-luck designs.

Mascots From Other Countries:

Bill the Goat: Bill is the mascot for the United States Naval Academy. The mascot exists in two forms, a live goat and represented by a costumed midshipman. There is also a bronze statue of the goat in the north end of the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. In both iterations of the mascot wears the colours of the Naval Academy which are blue and yellow, also the costumed variant of the mascot is highly characterised and the designer clearly tried their best to make it cute which is odd given that Bill is a mascot of a branch of the American Military.

Kingsley: This is the mascot for the Scottish Football Club “Partick Thistle” and was designed by a Turner Prize-nominated artist (Somehow) artist named David Shrigley. Kingsley succeeded Jaggy MacBee, a bumble bee who had been the club’s mascot from 2011 to 2015 as part of the club’s sponsorship with MacB. The creator said that he was designed to represent “the angst of football fans” and I assume therefore the mascot’s design is rather crude and “scary”.

Michelin Man: Bibendum or otherwise known as The Michelin Man is the mascot of a French tyre company Michelin and has been around since the Lyon Exhibition of 1894 where the Michelin brothers had a stand and is one of the world’s oldest trademarks. The idea for the mascots came from when the Michelin brothers noticed a stack of tyres that appeared to them like a man without arms; a few years later they met a French cartoonist that eventually brought the mascot to life. The mascot concept hasn’t changed too much, it’s still a humanoid figure made out of tyre’s, but over the years the design has lost a lot of the creepy elements that it had in the original poster and has become much more approachable with proportions closer to an actual humans as well as other small details like a cartoon face. From 1912 onward, tyre became black when they added carbon as a preservative and a strengthener, in response to this the Michelin man had a short stint of being black instead of white, though his design was quickly turned back due to printing and aesthetic issues. Despite his more modern design.

Notes:

From what I can see

[heyitsrink]

I've long considered a trip to the Rain Wilds and its wonders. I would not, of course, presume upon your family's hospitality, but I would greatly enjoy meeting you in person. Would you be amenable to this?

• • •

This is how I've always pictured Detozi and Erek because I refuse to believe that the pen-pals-to-lovers storyline does not involve queer people ✨

[wikitopx]

The largest city on the mainland in the United States.

The largest urban park system. The most coastline of any Florida city. There is so much to see and do in Jax, we want to make sure you know what our must-do attractions are, so you can plan the best visit to their very active destination. I. Here are the top 10 ranked attractions in Jax, take a look at them.

[toc]

1. Catty Shack Ranch

This tiger-focused farm has a conservation mission, often rescuing tigers and other large cats from inhumane captivity. Volunteers make field trips to the farm, provide cat history and explain their activities in detail.

Buy tickets ahead of time for a night of feeding. Watching the cats pace around their cages to tear into whole carcasses is an experience like no other.

Location: 1860 Starratt Rd, Downtown, FL 32226

2. The Cummer Museum of Art and Gardens

Indulge in European-inspired art and gardens along the St. Johns at Cummer. Originally home to art collector Ninah Mae Holden Cummer, the museum focuses on diversity, dynamic art and the beauty of nature. With an expansive, interactive children’s exhibit, the Cummer is the perfect attraction for art lovers of all ages.

Location: 829 Riverside Ave, Downtown, FL 32204

3. Little Talbot Island

Enjoy a five-mile stretch of pristine shoreline in the middle of a maritime forest. Fishing enthusiasts are likely to catch flounder, sheepshead, and more. Bring your binoculars for a chance to see predators perched on treetops or brush shore for sparkling seashells.

Location: 12157 Heckscher Dr, Downtown, FL 32226

4. Big Talbot Island

Swamps, marshes, bike paths, and secret beaches, that's the magic you'll find at Big Talbot. Blackrock Beach and Boneyard Beach are the highlights, be sure to enjoy a guided kayak tour or go for a hike.

Address: State Road A1A North, Jacksonville, FL, FL 32226

5. Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

Since 1914, the Jacksonville Zoo has supported wildlife conservation on a beautiful waterfront landscape. Grown-ups and little ones alike will love feeding the giraffes at the African Overlook and watching the otters float along in the Wild Florida exhibit.

The zoo also houses an Australian Adventure, featuring colorful birds called lorikeets. Tigers wandering over their heads at the Land of the Tiger and Jaguars shows stole the show at their award-winning show. During your visit, step onto the zoo’s scenic Trout River dock. You might even spot a manatee!

Location: 370 Zoo Pkwy, Downtown, FL 32218

6. The Florida Theatre

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Florida Theatre is one of only four remaining high-style Movie Palaces built in the state in the 1920s.

It now hosts more than 200 annual events, everything from ballet and opera to contemporary pop, jazz, rock, country, and blues concerts, this is a cultural and entertainment center in the middle of Downtown Jacksonville.

Location: 128 E Forsyth St, Jacksonville, FL 32202

7. Riverside/Avondale

Eclectic, bohemian, historical and hip, these are a few words commonly used to describe this Jacksonville county. Voted as one of the country’s Top 10 Great Neighborhoods, and listed in the National Registry of Historic Places, the Riverside/Avondale district has a unique mix of history, culture, charm and modern design.

Located just a few blocks from the St. Johns River, the district’s “Five Points” area is a bohemian neighborhood with funky coffee shops, outdoor cafés, great local dining, one-of-a-kind shopping, nightclubs, antique stores and more.

Shoppes of Avondale, another district highlight, features an eclectic mix of local-owned restaurants, clothing shops and moss-covered streets of Spain.

Beautiful historic homes and grand city parks are the norms in Riverside/Avondale. Enjoy a self-guided tour or take a guided bicycle tour of the most architecturally significant structures in the area.

8. Kingsley Plantation

Located on the Fort George Island marsh side, Kingsley Plantation plays a large role in Florida’s complicated history. The 1814 plantation house and its surrounding structures, all preserved by the National Park Service, shed light on a different era in the South. Make time to explore the unique tabby houses, built and inhabited by the Plantation’s slaves.

Location: 11676 Palmetto Ave, Jacksonville, FL 32226

9. Beaches Town Center

Located where the Atlantic Ocean and Hai Vuong Beach meet, this quaint and relaxing shopping and dining center offer some of the best shopping and dining in Jacksonville. Stroll through unique shops, beach shops, art galleries and fine dining options just steps from the ocean!

Location: 0 Atlantic Blvd, Hai Vuong Beach, FL 32266

10. St. Johns Town Center

With over 1.2 million square feet of open-air shopping and 175+ retailers and 20+ restaurants, the St. Johns Town Center is Jacksonville’s shopping mecca. There’s everything from Target to Tiffany & Co. and something for everyone - whether you're a savvy frater or a luxury lover.

There are also three hotels inside St. Town Center. Johns, so you can shop until you drop!

Location: 4663 River City Dr, Jacksonville, FL 32246

More ideals for you: Top 10 things to do in Iceland

From : https://wikitopx.com/travel/top-10-things-to-do-in-jacksonville-703835.html

[oselatra]

The Arkansas Cinema Society broadens its offerings in year two

With Filmland, the sequel.

Like its inaugural year, the Arkansas Cinema Society's annual Filmland event has just about everything an Arkansas film lover could want: drama, comedy, overlooked gems, a preview screening of a likely future Oscar contender and a large slice of the best of homegrown cinema. The event runs from Thursday, Aug. 23, to Sunday, Aug. 26, at the Central Arkansas Library System's Ron Robinson Theater. Find tickets at arkansascinemasociety.org.

To kick things off Thursday night, acclaimed director Richard Linklater will show one of his more overlooked films: 1998's "The Newton Boys," starring Matthew McConaughey, Skeet Ulrich, Ethan Hawke and Vincent D'Onofrio as bank-robbing brothers. After the screening, ACS co-founder Jeff Nichols will discuss the film with Linklater.

It's a fitting way to start the event. As a filmmaker, Linklater is who fellow filmmaker Nichols points to as his definition of success. "Success isn't necessarily box office or critical reviews — obviously those things are important — success is the impact that you have on culture and the conversation at large," Nichols said, noting the varied number of times Linklater has made that sort of impact with films like "Slacker," "Dazed and Confused," "Before Sunrise," "Bernie" and "Boyhood." "To have someone who multiple times has entered the stream of that conversation — the zeitgeist — is what I call ultimate success."

Last year, when Nichols and co-founder Kathryn Tucker announced the creation of the ACS, Nichols said he wanted to model the new venture on the Austin Film Society, founded by Linklater in 1985. The AFS hosts regular screenings, provides grants to filmmakers and teaches people how to make movies. When Nichols moved to Austin in 2002 with no money and no movies under his belt, the AFS was where he found his community. Nichols said he plans to let Linklater "talk about Austin Film Society's creation and where it's gone, so people can look into the future of what [the ACS] could be with the right kind of community and support."

Nichols and Tucker have grand visions for the ACS, but already in year two it's broadening its focus. "This is only our second August event, and I see it as a progression from the first in terms of starting to reflect the bigger, broader goals of the Arkansas Cinema Society," Nichols said. "Part of that is seeking out the work of Arkansans and providing a platform for it. It's about kicking off the idea of this Homegrown series."

That's what ACS is calling its plan to host screenings of local films throughout the year. At Filmland, four of the highest profile features will screen along with a handful of top Arkansas short films (in full disclosure, I was on a committee that selected the Arkansas films). The features screening Aug. 24 are "The Revival," the debut feature from Jennifer Gerber, the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival's executive director, about an illicit love affair between a Southern Baptist preacher and a drifter; "Dayveon," the debut feature by Amman Abbasi (see Q&A page 17), about a 13-year-old boy who falls into a rural gang; and "Antiquities," the feature adaption of Daniel Campbell's award-winning short (see page 18), featuring Mary Steenburgen. On Sunday, there'll be an encore screening of "Antiquities," an Arkansas shorts program and a showing of "All the Birds Have Flown South," the debut feature from Josh and Miles Miller, starring Joey Lauren Adams.

The Saturday slate is another change of pace for Filmland. It's all comedy during the day and documentary at night. Nichols credits Steenburgen, an ACS board member whom he describes as "a colossal figure" in the industry (see Q&A on page 16), for securing the lineup, which includes actors and writers she worked with on the acclaimed Fox comedy "The Last Man on Earth": Will Forte, Kristen Schaal, Rich Blomquist and John Solomon. Forte and his writing partner Solomon will also screen their SNL action-comedy "MacGruber," which they co-wrote with director Jorma Taccone (of "The Lonely Island" fame), who'll also be in attendance. Nichols will get a post-screening interview assist from Steenburgen and her husband, Ted Danson, after the "MacGruber" showing. Saturday night, Matthew Cooke's documentary, "Survivor's Guide to Prison" explores the U.S. prison system through the eyes of two wrongly convicted men. Cooke and producers David and Christina Arquette will talk about the film afterward (Christina Arquette's maiden name is McClarty; she's a Hope native; see Q&A on page 19).

Filmland closes Sunday with its first premiere screening. "Operation Finale," about Israel's pursuit of Adolf Eichmann (Ben Kingsley), the Nazi mastermind of the Holocaust, plays a few days before its limited release. Producers Fred Berger and Brian Kavanaugh-Jones will participate in a post-screening discussion with Nichols. Berger was a producer for "La La Land" and the one onstage at the Oscars who told the audience, "We lost, by the way." He's got a number of high-profile projects in the pipeline. Kavanaugh-Jones, along with Sarah Green, is one of Nichols' producing partners. "He's the reason 'Shotgun Stories' got finished and the reason 'Take Shelter' got off the ground," Nichols said of Kavanaugh-Jones. "To be able to hear these two guys talk, I just want people to understand, you're not talking to the producer who did amazing things in the '80s, you're talking about two guys who are going to change things now."

Nichols, who hosted a special seminar on writing for film last year for ACS and plans to host one on directing sometime in December, wants to schedule an event geared toward producers down the line.

As a bonus to eventgoers who stick around on Sunday, before "Operation Finale" Nichols will show his new short film, inspired by Lucero's "Long Way Back Home," from the band's recently released ninth album, "Among the Ghosts." Nichols' brother Ben Nichols is Lucero's lead singer. Like all of Nichols' movies, this one stars Michael Shannon, who here plays a shady, slick-haired man who returns to Memphis looking for his two ne'er-do-well brothers (played by Scoot McNairy and Garrett Hedlund). The Nichols brothers will discuss the film, too.

For an event that's all about getting people together to talk about film, the after-parties are a key element. They're all downtown and all feature music. Ticketholders get in free; each party has a $15 cover otherwise. Of special note, Ben Nichols plays a rare solo show at Stickyz on Sunday and Phoenix, which headlines the Saturday after-party at Revolution, is an in-demand classic rock cover band from Las Vegas, not the French indie pop band led by the guy who's married to Sofia Coppola.

The Arkansas Cinema Society broadens its offerings in year two

[awardseason]

4th Hollywood Critics’ Association Awards — Winners

BEST PICTURE “Da 5 Bloods” “Judas and the Black Messiah” “Minari” “Nomadland” “One Night in Miami” “Promising Young Woman” — WINNER “Soul” “Sound of Metal” ”The Father” “The Trial of the Chicago 7”

BEST ACTOR Anthony Hopkins, “The Father” Chadwick Boseman, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom” Delroy Lindo, “Da 5 Bloods” — WINNER Kingsley Ben-Adir, “One Night in Miami” Riz Ahmed, “Sound of Metal”

BEST ACTRESS Carey Mulligan, “Promising Young Woman” — WINNER Elisabeth Moss, “The Invisible Man” Frances McDormand, “Nomadland” Vanessa Kirby, “Pieces of a Woman” Viola Davis, “Ma Rainey's Black Bottom” Zendaya, “Malcolm & Marie”

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR Bo Burnham, “Promising Young Woman” Chadwick Boseman, “Da 5 Bloods” Daniel Kaluuya, “Judas and the Black Messiah” Leslie Odom Jr., “One Night in Miami” Paul Raci, “Sound of Metal” — WINNER

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS Amanda Seyfried, “Mank” Ellen Burstyn, “Pieces of a Woman” Glenn Close, Hillbilly Elegy” Olivia Colman, “The Father” Yuh-Jung Youn, “Minari” — WINNER

BEST FEMALE DIRECTOR Chloé Zhao, “Nomadland” — WINNER Eliza Hittman, “Never Rarely Sometimes Always” Emerald Fennell, “Promising Young Woman” Regina King, “One Night In Miami” Sofia Coppola, “On the Rocks”

BEST MALE DIRECTOR Darius Marder, “Sound of Metal” — WINNER David Fincher, “Mank” Lee Isaac Chung, “Minari” Shaka King, “Judas and the Black Messiah” Spike Lee, “Da 5 Bloods”

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY Chloé Zhao, “Nomadland” Florian Zeller, “The Father” Jonathan Raymond & Kelly Reichardt, “First Cow” Kemp Powers, “One Night in Miami” — WINNER Ruben Santiago-Hudson, “Ma Rainey's Black Bottom”

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY Aaron Sorkin, “Trial of The Chicago 7” Abraham Marder & Darius Marder, “Sound of Metal” Andy Siara, “Palm Springs” Emerald Fennell, “Promising Young Woman” — WINNER Lee Isaac Chung, “Minari”

BEST CAST “Da 5 Bloods” — WINNER “Ma Rainey's Black Bottom” “One Night in Miami” “Promising Young Woman” “The Prom” “The Trial of the Chicago 7”

BEST ANIMATED FILM “Onward” “Over The Moon” “Soul” “The Croods: A New Age” “Wolfwalkers” — WINNER

BEST COMEDY OR MUSICAL “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga” “On the Rocks” “Palm Springs” — WINNER “The Personal History of David Copperfield” “The Prom”

BEST ACTION FILM “Bad Boys for Life” “Birds of Prey” — WINNER “Extraction” “Tenet” “The Old Guard”

BEST HORROR FILM “Freaky” “His House” “Host” “Relic” “The Invisible Man” — WINNER

BEST INDIE FILM “Black Bear” “First Cow” “Minari” — WINNER “Miss Juneteenth” “Palm Springs”

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM “Another Round” “Bacurau” “I'm No Longer Here” “La Llorona” — WINNER “Two of Us”

BEST FIRST FEATURE Channing Godfrey Peoples, “Miss Juneteenth” Darius Marder, “Sound of Metal” Emerald Fennell, “Promising Young Woman” — WINNER Radha Blank, “40-Year-Old Version” Regina King, “One Night In Miami”

BEST DOCUMENTARY “All In: The Fight For Democracy” — WINNER (TIE) “Boys State” “Class Action Park” — WINNER (TIE) “Dick Johnson is Dead” “Time”

BEST SHORT FILM “Burrow” “Canvas” “Cops And Robbers” “If Anything Happens, I Love You” “The Heart Still Hums” — WINNER

BEST HAIR & MAKEUP “Birds of Prey” “Hillbilly Elegy” “Mank” “Ma Rainey's Black Bottom” — WINNER “Promising Young Woman”

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS Kevin Souls & Thrain Shadbolt, “Birds of Prey” Ged Wright, “Sonic the Hedgehog” Andrew Jackson, “Tenet” Jonathan Dearing, “The Invisible Man” — WINNER Matt Kasmir, Chris Lawrence, Dave Watkins, & Max Solomon - “The Midnight Sky”

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY Erik Messerschmidt, “Mank” Dariusz Wolski, “News of The World” Joshua James Richards, “Nomadland” — WINNER Hoyte van Hoytema, “Tenet” Martin Ruhe, “The Midnight Sky”

BEST SCORE Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, “Mank” Emile Mosseri, “Minari” James Newton Howard, “News of The World” Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, Jon Batiste, “Soul” — WINNER Alexandre Desplat, “The Midnight Sky”

BEST ORIGINAL SONG ‘Husavik,’ “Eurovision Song Contest” — WINNER ‘Rocket to the Moon,’ “Over the Moon” ‘Speak Now,’ “One Night in Miami” ‘Turntables,’ “All In: The Fight for Democracy ‘Wear Your Crown,’ “The Prom”

BEST EDITING Chloé Zhao, “Nomadland” Frédéric Thoraval, “Promising Young Woman” Yorgos Lamprinos, “The Father” Andy Canny, “The Invisible Man” Alan Baumgarten, “The Trial of the Chicago 7” — WINNER

BEST COSTUME DESIGN Erin Benach, “Birds of Prey” Alexandra Byrne, “Emma.” Trish Summerville, “Mank” Ann Roth, “Ma Rainey's Black Bottom” Suzie Harman, “The Personal History of David Copperfield” — WINNER

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN Kave Quinn, “Emma.” Donald Graham Burt, “Mank” — WINNER Mark Ricker, “Ma Rainey's Black Bottom” Cristina Casali, “The Personal History of David Copperfield” Jamie Walker McCall, “The Prom”

BEST ANIMATED OR VFX PERFORMANCE Ben Schwartz, “Sonic the Hedgehog” — WINNER Cathy Ang, “Over the Moon” Honor Kneafsey, “Wolfwalkers” Jamie Foxx, “Soul” Tina Fey, “Soul”

BEST BLOCKBUSTER “Birds of Prey” — WINNER “Sonic the Hedgehog” “Tenet” “The Old Guard” “Wonder Woman 1984”

BEST STUNT WORK “Birds of Prey” — WINNER “Extraction” “Tenet” “The Old Guard” “Wonder Woman 1984”

HONORARY AWARDS Acting Achievement Award: Aubrey Plaza, “Black Bear” Artisan Achievement Award: Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, “Soul”/“Mank” Artisan on the Rise Award: Emile Mosseri, “Minari” Breakthrough Performance Actor: Paul Raci, “Sound of Metal” Breakthrough Performance Actress: Cristin Milioti, “Palm Springs” Filmmaker on the Rise Award: Emerald Fennell, “Promising Young Woman” Filmmaking Achievement: Steve McQueen, “Small Axe” Game-Changer Award: Nicole Beharie, “Miss Juneteenth” Impact Award: “Judas and the Black Messiah” Inspire Award: Lin Manuel Miranda, “Hamilton”/“In the Heights” Spotlight Award: Kiera Allen, “Run” Standout Performance by an Actor/Actress 23 or Under: Sidney Flanigan, “Never Rarely Sometimes Always” Star on the Rise Award: Jo Ellen Pellman, “The Prom” Timeless Award: Dante Spinotti, “Fatale”/“Black and Blue”/“Heat” Trailblazer Award: Dwayne Johnson Valiant Award: Zack Snyder

[theconservativebrief]

The 2019 Oscars will feature the first new category since the animated feature prize joined the ceremony in 2002: Next February, the award for Best Popular Film (which is still a nebulously defined, hard-to-understand title) will join the other 24 categories for the first time ever.

But if the Academy is going to start awarding prizes in new categories, there are so many other things it could be rewarding, things that actually have something to do with the craft of making films, not just an arbitrary distinction between “popular” films and everything else.

Some of those categories are ones that Hollywood folks have been requesting for ages. Others have only recently become trendy causes. But if the Oscars want to expand, here are six categories they should prioritize over “Best Popular Film.”

Finally, an Oscar for Mission: Impossible. Paramount

If the Academy’s (dubious) goal in creating a “Best Popular Film” category of some kind is to bring more recognition to films with broader audience appeal — and to get people interested in the Oscars who gravitate toward big-budget fare — stunt coordination would be a stellar addition to the roster of categories. As with some of the other technical races, like those for Costume Design, Makeup, and Special Effects, stunts are usually the purview of films with a big enough budget to pay for them.

And as with those other technical categories, if the stunts are great, you notice them. The people who coordinate the stunts are usually seasoned stunt performers themselves, and their job is multifaceted: Often they both cast the stunt performers (which requires finding both a specific skill set and, in some cases, physical resemblance to the actor they’re doubling) and figure out how to execute the stunt safely and with maximum impact. That deserves recognition — especially since great stunts can and often do elevate a movie with otherwise predictable plotting, dialogue, and even performances into something memorably mind-blowing.

Some recent possible winners of this category: Darrin Prescott (Baby Driver, Black Panther, the John Wick movies), Wade Eastwood (Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation, Edge of Tomorrow), Sam Hargrave (Atomic Blonde, Captain America: Civil War), Glenn Suter (Mad Max: Fury Road)

Imagine Moonlight winning an Oscar for how effortlessly it found mostly unknown actors to play instantly iconic parts. A24

There’s long been a call for the Oscars to add a “Best Ensemble Cast” award, similar to the Screen Actors Guild’s ensemble prizes for the casts of films and TV shows. But ensemble awards often struggle to figure out which actors to include and which to leave behind when it’s time to hand out prizes. (The SAG Awards make incredibly arbitrary cutoffs — like if you share a billing card with another actor, you’re ineligible — because there’s basically no other way to adjudicate such a prize.)

And then there’s the problem of, if all of the actors in a cast win the ensemble prize, do they all automatically become Oscar winners? The Academy likes to make the idea of winning an acting prize somewhat selective, which would go out the window in this scenario.

But you know what a good way to reward an ensemble cast where each and every actor was perfectly chosen would be? Awarding the casting agents who selected those actors for their roles. This would help explain the process of how your favorite actors wind up in certain movies, and winners would probably alternate between movies where a bunch of famous actors were terrifically suited to their specific roles (like The Shape of Water) to movies where the casting directors had to find unknowns to perfectly inhabit the characters (like Moonlight).

There’s danger that this award would just become the “largest cast” award — something like The Post might be hard to avoid honoring — but hey, it’s not like other Oscar categories don’t occasionally award the most of something, rather than the best.

Some recent possible winners of this category: Robin D. Cook for The Shape of Water; Yesi Ramirez for Moonlight; Kerry Barden, John Buchan, Jason Knight, and Paul Schnee for Spotlight; Beth Sepko for Boyhood; Lindsay Graham and Mary Vernieu for American Hustle

Oscar! Winner! Jim! Cummings! As! Winnie! The! Pooh! Laurie Sparham/Disney

Voice acting is most frequently associated with animated movies, so there’s an argument to be made that honoring voice acting separately from the “real” acting categories further ghettoizes a medium that already has a hard time breaking into the top-tier Oscar categories. But that argument overlooks the fact that, in addition to its rich history in animation, voice acting is an increasingly important part of modern live-action film.

This is especially true as movies continue to embrace the use of computer-generated characters within a live-action environment. This year alone, a Voice Performance category would hold the potential for an ursine showdown between Ben Whishaw (for Paddington 2) and journeyman Jim Cummings (for Christopher Robin), not to mention a handful of big names who provided CGI character voices for Avengers: Infinity War (Bradley Cooper, Carrie Coon, and, erm, Vin Diesel? Maybe not that last one.)

But more crucially, this category would also be a way to honor less recognizable faces who have nonetheless been integral in the characterization of many cultural icons, like the aforementioned Cummings (who’s been voicing Winnie the Pooh since 1988, in addition to several dozen other animated characters) and puppeteering legend Frank Oz, responsible not only for most of your favorite Muppets, but Yoda himself. Hell, the opportunity to give Frank Oz an Oscar should on its own be reason enough for this category to exist.

Some recent possible winners of this category: Frank Oz (as Yoda in Star Wars Episode VII: The Last Jedi), Dwayne Johnson (as Maui in Moana), Ben Kingsley (as Archibald Snatcher in The Boxtrolls), Phyllis Smith (as Sadness in Inside Out), Scarlett Johansson (as Samantha in Her), Alan Tudyk (as King Candy in Wreck-It Ralph)

Andy Serkis should have at least an Oscar nomination by now for his groundbreaking motion-capture work. 20th Century Fox

It’s impossible to propose a motion-capture Oscar without talking about Andy Serkis, whose work as Gollum in the Lord of the Rings films helped establish the notion that a motion-capture performance could be just that — a performance — rather than a technical exercise. His subsequent mo-cap roles in King Kong and especially the excellent recent Planet of the Apes trilogy have ensured that every year in which there is an Andy Serkis mo-cap performance has been a year in which people wonder whether this is the year the Academy will deign to nominate him in the acting category.

Serkis himself has said that the Academy has been nudging its members toward recognizing motion-capture performance, so why not just cut to the chase and make it a breakout acting category?

And it wouldn’t just be the Honorary Andy Serkis award, either (though he likely would and should be a winner in this category). Motion capture — and its close cousin, motion reference, which could be folded into the same Oscar category — has become an increasingly common component of filmmaking in recent years.

Several of the most, ahem, popular films of the last decade have relied heavily on actors doing motion capture, from Lord of the Rings and Avatar to this year’s Ready Player One and Avengers: Infinity War. So if the Academy is indeed looking for ways to recognize more blockbuster films, why not honor a performance medium that’s increasingly at the heart of those very films?

Some recent possible winners of this category: Andy Serkis (as Caesar in War for the Planet of the Apes and/or as Snoke in Star Wars: The Last Jedi), Lupita Nyong’o (as Maz Kanata in Star Wars: The Force Awakens), Sean Gunn and/or Bradley Cooper (as Rocket Raccoon in Guardians of the Galaxy), Zoe Saldana (as Neytiri in Avatar)

Lady Bird was director Greta Gerwig’s solo feature film directorial debut, and she didn’t win anything for it. Let’s create a category to rectify THAT issue. A24

It’s hard enough to make a great movie, but coming right out of the gate with a stellar debut is especially difficult. Most first-time feature directors — even those who had thriving careers as actors or in television — are still relatively unknown quantities to the often risk-averse purse-string controllers, which means lower budgets, tighter timeframes, and possibly less artistic freedom.

Many first-time directors end up going the indie route with limited budgets — and when their films break through the noise, it feels like a miracle. A new director often rattles the cages, challenging conventional films in a way that audiences and critics alike respond to. And it usually takes a fresh vision and distinctive voice to pull that off.

But without the name recognition of more established directors, who command attention before their films have even been seen, a first film doesn’t always get the Oscar campaign push it might need. A Best First Film category would even the playing field, and also help bring attention to movies by a more diverse set of filmmakers than the Oscars have typically honored, setting them up for future success.

Some recent possible winners of this category: Lady Bird, Get Out, The Act of Killing, The Babadook, The Witch, Dear White People

[embedded content]

Hear us out. At this point in the zeitgeist, trailers can often have as much cultural impact as the films they are made to promote. The best of them can spawn entirely new trailer sub-genres and continue to impact the cultural conversation years later.

Don’t believe us? Look at the Ringer’s recent bracket for the greatest trailer ever made, which ended in a battle between two of the most iconic trailers in history, Inception and The Social Network. Both examples show how a trailer can shift our cultural language and our cinematic language, while still remaining relevant nearly a decade later — all thanks to powerful editing, an almighty backing track, and a spark of creative innovation. That’s the kind of feat that can get diluted over the course of two hours.

The omission of the technical awards presentation from the Oscars’ televised ceremony means there’s even more need for a Best Trailer category, since trailers are a synthesis of technical achievements, editing, sound design, and cinematic magic.

Plus, the creators of the best trailers go overlooked even as their films get love. Not many people know that the iconic Inception BWAAAAAM, which originated from its trailer, was created not by Inception composer Hans Zimmer but by the trailer composer, Zack Hemsey.

Are you outraged that this information has been kept from you for the past eight years? There’s a simple solution: Add a Best Trailer category to the Oscars and give more geniuses their due.

Some recent possible winners of this category: Skyfall, Mad Max: Fury Road, Gravity, Blade Runner: 2049, It Comes At Night, Get Out

Original Source -> Forget Best Popular Film. Here are 6 new categories the Oscars actually need.

via The Conservative Brief