#i feel like the internet is literally seeing its downfall in real time

[fortunately-bi]

God after that rant in the tags I really do miss old Tumblr. Like not just for the nsfw stuff but also like, I miss all of the people I used to follow who disappeared and I never found. I miss the stuff I can't find anymore because it got unfairly nuked during the ban, I miss not having ads, I miss not having weird layouts and random blogs pushed on me and Tumblr live giving me heart attacks every time I think I accidentally clicked one. Like for a long while this site was just left alone with the occasional update and different color of blue and we all just kinda existed(at least that's how my dash looked). Tumblr feels like walking into a house I used to live in but now someone else lives there and they painted the walls a different color they changed a bunch of things. Like it's still the same layout, there's still things that pop up sometimes that poke at the nostalgia but it just feels weird.

[thisismeracing]

Your time | LH44

― Pairing: Lewis Hamilton x singer!reader ― Warnings: mentions of cheating; lots of rumors about lewis being an a*hole; mentions of juliana nalu and shakira, but all fictional. ― Summary: A couple months after the biggest breakup in the F1 paddock, your song gets leaked and the internet uproars about your relationship again. This time they have more ammunition than ever to feed the narrative that Lewis Hamilton cheated on you. Are they right though? (based on this request).

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September, 2023

paddockgossip

liked by ynfan, haileybieber, and others

paddockgossip how would you guys feel if your man goes out with another singer and looks this cozy while you’re out there on tour working your ass off? 👀

view all comments

sunshineyn you know shits real when her friend hailey likes the post…

⤷ pinterestyln I thought the same

leclercnation you guys forgot to add that yn and shakira aren’t friends, were never seem together, couldnt bother to talk about one another, yet this is the second time we see her around lewis this week…

randuser @ yourusername bestie come get your man!

schumakatchau this looks oddly like a double date

raintyres GUYS HIS HAND PLACEMENT!!! HES HOLDING SHAKIRAS WAIST 😭😭😭😭

tomdayastan my girl Yn doesn’t deserve this

evansnature are you guys really that surprised? He’s a man, I expect anything from a man

January, 2024

February, 2024

f1wagsupdate

liked by pierregasly, mbappeworld, and others

f1wagsupdate According to our sources Yn Yln and Lewis Hamilton broke up ealier this month. There is not an official reason yet, but most fans believe that cheating was the cause of the downfall of the four-years-long relationship.

view all comments

user44 is true love even real?

gomezracing I hate it in here

drugobitch what if its because of the cheating rumors?

⤷ rand32 but why would she wait weeks after it?

likedbypgasly and so it goes the best wag of the paddock :(

mclarenmason did you guys see that thread someone made about Yn's looks on the paddock and her cheering for lew, and them matching sometimes *sobs into my hands*

yourusername

liked by roscoelovescoco, k.mbappe, and others

yourusername making music and enjoying some free time after touring 💞

view all comments

mbappeworld I wish Lewis and Kyllian weren’t friends bc I kinda ship him with Yn 😭

hailyebieber 😍😍😍😍

sza waiting for our collabbbbb! ❤️

⤷ ynfan the day these two write a song together is the day I’ll be stuck in my room crying for a week straight

ynnation She looks so relaxed, more than when she was with Lewis

hardtyres_ I wish I could be like this after being cheated on, when my ex did this to me I had to go to therapy for at least a year before going back on social media

⤷ agoradoja there’s no proof he cheated on her

⤷ winteryln sure, except for the hundreds of pics of him with singers and models 😍 but y’all taking it too serious, he was just friendly with them

⤷ agoradoja maybe he was just friendly, Lewis is famous, dare I say even more than Yn, so being friends with different famous people is part of his life.

⤷ bonoschumi I’ll have to agree with agoradoja, there’s nothing too incriminatinf, maybe we’re just trying to find a reason because we don’t accept that they fell out of love

⤷ leclercmcqueen she literally wrote “its just us against the world” for him, wdym they fell out of love????

bieberfantasy yeah but how about roscoe liking the post????? It's making me hopeful

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[ratingtheframe]

10 Films to watch this Valentine’s Day if you’re single as hell.

If anyone or anything is making you feel worthless on the Capitalist Holiday that is Valentine’s Day because you’re single AF, then don’t fret because it means one of two things;

You’re happy enough with yourself to not need anyone else.

You’re allergic to people.

Though mine is both the former and the latter, I can still get down to a good romance movie now and again. Now I’m not talking about those horrendous rom coms that Netflix seems to be churning out every damn minute, but those emotionally invested, earthy and well written dramas that has you ugly crying into your bathrobe for 17 minutes straight (me at the end of Her.). Here is a compiled list of some of the best romance films I’ve seen over the years and how each one doesn’t showcase an abundance of clichés and brands them as “acts of love”.

A Star is Born (2018 or 1953, take your pick)

I’ve found that both the 1953 version of A Star is Born with Judy Garland and the 2018 newer version to be a perfect and well rounded love story. What makes this love story so fierce is the vulnerabilities and downfall of its characters, which even though there are many sad moments, it perpetuates and strengthens the acts of love shown in the film. Both versions are similar in that they follow a woman who’s rise to fame as a performer becomes overshadowed by her jealous partner, who is also a notable celebrity. In the 2018 version starring Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, Gaga’s character Ally is helped by a country singer, Jackson Maine to become a successful singer and icon amongst the music industry. As she rises, Jackson falls and the character dynamics and intensity between them is a fitting love story. I was thoroughly bawling at the end and I guarantee you will too as Lady Gaga’s rendition of Love Again was the true scene stealer of the film. 

Call me by your name (2017)

I have an incredible bias towards this film and it has nothing to do with the film’s context or characters or even Timothée Chalamet The reason why I feel so connected to this film and proclaim it as my favourite film of all time is because of when I watched the film. It’s almost like seeing a film about a political event right after it's happened; you have this rush and connection towards something that’s actually affected you in the real world. I had the same feeling with Call me by your name after going through a rough and confusing patch whilst trying to get over someone I thought I truly loved. Turns out I didn’t (thank god) and yet Call me your name was almost like a shoulder to cry on. It’s a film that’s taught me to love and love hard but most importantly, not beat yourself up or try to distinguish the pain felt by true love. If you haven’t been fortunate to catch this beauty of a film, it follows two men, Elio (Timothée Chalamet) and Oliver (Armie Hammer) and their brief relationship in the summer of 1983 in Northern Italy. 17 year old Elio lives with his parents and his father (Michael Stuhlbarg) is a scholar who invites students from outside the country for the summer in hope of passing on his wisdom to them. This is when Oliver arrives, a handsome twenty something American who becomes the infatuation of Elio. 

I’ll never forget the first time I heard the monologue that Elio’s father gave his son at the end, explaining to Elio why he shouldn’t feel embarrassed by the pain he felt after loving Oliver:

“We rip out so much of ourselves to be cured of things faster, that we go bankrupt by the age of thirty and have less to offer each time we start with someone new. But to make yourself feel nothing so as not to feel anything - what a waste”

That, ladies and gentlemen and all in between, is what love is.

Her. (2013)

Once again, another film about love that had a profound effect on me because of when I watched it. Her. follows the story of Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix) and his search for a story using an A.I to help him write. However, after getting to know this A.I named Samantha (Scarlett Johansson) and hearing the way she adapts and shows emotions, he soon falls in love with it. Some may deem this as rather sad (which it is) but I think it speaks to bigger constructs like internet dating and letting go of people you loved thus diminishing the fantasy and world you created for the two of you. This part of the film got to me a stark way as I felt the pain of letting go of not only a person, but a fantasy, just like Theodore had to do in letting his past partners go. Her. is truly beautiful, with some great production design, cinematography and acting.

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)

The absolute queen of love stories would be Céline Sciamma’s Portrait of a Lady on Fire, a film about the romance between two women in the late 18th Century. Definitely not a narrative you see every day or one that’s been painted in such a way (pun intended). Marianne (Noémie Merlant) is commissioned to paint the beautiful and stubborn Héloïse (Adèle Haenel) and the portrait is to be gifted to a suitor of Héloïse’s from Milan. But instead of getting the painting done and sending it off, Marianne and Héloïse unexpectedly fall for one another at a subtle and well timed pace that had me gawping at the screen the entire way through. Slow, sensual and moving is Portrait of a Lady on Fire and I would definitely say is one of the best LGBTQ plus films ever made to date.

Broke Back Mountain (2005)

Ang Lee scooped up a BAFTA, Golden Globe and Oscar for his direction on his adapted screenplay of Brokeback Mountain. Ennis Del Mar (Heath Ledger) and Jack Twist (Jake Gyllenhaal) form a romantic bond after shepherding alone together on the side of a mountain. Once their time herding sheep comes to a close and they return back to their respective lives, it's clear that their bond is stronger than they had anticipated. They live in constant fear of their relationship becoming apparent to those around them, which leaves one of them taking matters into their own hands. A controversial yet extremely successful film of its time, Brokeback Mountain does a fabulous job of showcasing the consequences and despair of love using two of Hollywood’s finest actors.

Carol (2013)

It’s difficult to fully appreciate LGBTQ plus films set in the past as they mostly focus on the persecution of homosexuals as opposed to the love they wish to express. However, this was pretty accurate of the time and it's only very recently that we have begun to accept one another’s sexualities and genders fully so much that we play these stories out on screen without the persecution part. Carol is a film directed by Todd Haynes and stars Rooney Mara and Cate Blanchett. I found them to be an extremely intense pairing whilst they unravelled as their characters on screen. Therese (Rooney Mara) works in the toy department of a department store when one day she lays eyes upon Carol Aird, a beautiful and elegant married woman who becomes the infatuation of Therese. Therese throws all caution to the wind in order to be closer to Carol and because of this and the 1950s society they live in, their relationship is doomed from the beginning. I was in complete awe of the way Carol had been shot and created into this sensual and rich drama set in the 1950s. From the costumes, to the lighting to the acting, everything about Carol held weight to it showcasing the devotion of a truly talented director.

Eternal Sunshine of a Spotless Mind (2004)

Usually I’d pass on a Charlie Kaufman film, seeing as they make no sense, however I felt that it was time I delved into this cult classic starring Kate Winslet, Jim Carrey, Kirsten Dunst, Mark Ruffalo and Elijah Wood. It’s a really well made film with a clear and distinct message to it that’s represented in some phenomenal filmmaking techniques. The plot line of this film follows a man trying to erase a past lover and his memories of her get wiped away physically before your eyes on screen. It made me wish that I could do the same with people I’ve liked in the past, but the contradictory of this would be the trauma of eventually ending up with someone you had already met in another life. I haven’t experienced a break up nor felt the pain of one, though I could judge that this film tells that experience really well.

Moonlight (2016)

Moonlight is one of few films that I would genuinely worship if it were a religion. It's also one of the films that I outwardly shame people for not having seen, as it is truly a masterpiece and film lover’s film. Deep, emotionally connected, colourful, harsh, moving and eye opening, this film takes you on an emotional rollercoaster through the eyes of Chiron and the three stages of his life that have carved out his essence as a human being. Not only that, but he falls in love with another boy at his school, and when he does, he’s hurt rather badly. Literally. Moonlight is the definition of profundity and was awarded the top prize of Best Picture at the 2017 Academy Awards. 

Loving (2016)

When I think of a truthful and honest testament of love, the film Loving comes to mind which is a fitting title for such a delicate yet strong story. The film is based on a true story of an interracial couple, Richard and Mildred (Joel Edgerton and Ruth Negga) being banned from Virginia in the 1950s for choosing to be together. If that ain’t a true sacrifice of love, then I don’t know what is. Choosing someone you love over your own home is an unfathomable thing and certainly shows the strength that this couple had in facing the judgements of others whilst remaining emotionally truthful to themselves. 

The Shape of Water (2017)

The Shape of Water is a strange yet enlightening love story between Eliza, a deaf woman (Sally Hawkins) and a creature being tested on in a laboratory. Awards season went mental for this back in 2018, winning four of the THIRTEEN Oscars it was nominated for. I would categorize it as quite the niche film and wouldn’t usually think that such a film could be garnered with Oscar success. However everyone who worked on this film really pulled out the stops in creating an entire new world and perspective that has many layers to it, as well as an abundance of conflict and dynamics for audiences to lull over. The relationship between Eliza and the feared swamp monster that’s being cruelly tested in the laboratories where she works, is heartfelt and honest, which is strange seeing as Eliza’s virtually in love with a monster. The casting in this was outlandish yet it really worked as all actors in this melded well into the story as their prospective characters. It also has one of the most touching endings to a film I’ve ever seen.

And there you have it, ten Romance films for you to enjoy this Valentine’s Day. Watch them all at once, or maybe just watch one. Whether you watch it alone or with someone, it doesn’t really matter!

Lots of love

Ang x

[cornfedcryptid]

This will quite literally be the only post I make in terms of the current fandom drama in DA, that only came to be after seeing this post @kunstpause posted as well as what @wardenari tagged me in and the mass of new followers I have gained from it. I only know bits and pieces of what's going on, only by those I know who are directly effected by it...so what I'm about to say may be the wrong thing to say or fall short of my intended plan.

I'm conflicted as to whether or not I should put all of this under a 'Read More' or not...or even if I should post this...or even if I should add my voice to the sea of voices, inevitably shining the light on me as well. Ah well.

Regardless what I'm about to say may be triggering to some people as it involves suicidal thoughts.

Dragon Age was first introduced to me by my 'ex' a number of years ago. During this time I was at the lowest point of my life, off and on anti depressants and ADHD meds left at right, in the vain hope that my 'ex' and I would become more than what we were. Those that are on the types of medications that alter the state of your mind know that shit ain't something you go off and on of at whatever whim strikes your fancy. To this day I can't remember 99% of what happened between when I was 24-28ish. But I digress.

At that time, I had no access to internet and only had the DA games on PS3. In them I was able to escape from the nagging voice in my head that told me everything would be so much easier if I killed myself. It's been a voice that's been following me around for over 15 years. But when I played Dragon Age it was quiet. I was able to pretend I was someone I wasn't. Happy. Whole. Not a waste of space. Loved unconditionally. It was a stark contrast to the life and relationships around me.

Once I had some semblance of internet access, I had come back to tumblr after being away a few years and fell into the fandom. It was my first ever experience in a fandom, and I had so much fun hanging out in the fringes reading what people wrote, seeing what they drew, the meta posts...all of it. It was as if I had found a safe haven from the bullshit of my life. Even met some amazing people whom I still cherish to this day, regardless of whether not if I still talk them.

Dragon Age became my oasis in the shitstorm of mental health that is the fall/winter months for me. It's become an oasis for many people, young and old. Telling someone what they can and can't do in terms of self-care is no different than any person who's offered unsolicited advice on how to deal with your mental health. It's lowkey downright insulting.

The whole reason why I'm making this post is because I am a 30 year old woman who has ADHD, and upon seeing the post while I was initially angry at the utter shittiness of the asks and disregard towards those of us with ADHD, Aspergers, and those of us that are older, I am more disappointed and sad for the person who felt the need to send them...and every other person involved in spreading the hate. I'm saddened because life, the world, those who raised them, etc. have been so unkind as to teach them that this is okay to do for whatever reason and/or the only response to something they don't agree with. The world's already a fucked up place. The pandemic only compounding it...and I understand the need to direct that feeling of hopelessness, stress, etc. upon something. But not like this. This is just hateful, toxic, and solves nothing. I understand it is easier to go this route...to direct the negative shit in/around you at someone else. It can feel cathartic. But all this does it help keep the ball of negative emotions, thoughts, whatever you want to call it within you where it grows like a cancer.

I should know...I did it in the past. I had left the fandom for the most part a couple years ago, and when I came back I saw the person who was a source of my anxiety, reason for leaving out of fear, self-doubt, and things I do not wish to divulge was still around and a prominent face. I was angry that this person got to continue doing what they were doing while I and others dealt with the effects of their insecurities. And I was scared because I feared them sending a witch hunt after me because they didn't want to see me in their space. I helped feed into the idea of calling this person out and exposing them for what they were because they had their claws in someone else. To this day it is still something I deeply regret. Not only for the stress it caused on those associated with that person, but because it marked the beginning of the end of a friendship with a person I dearly love. Because by feeding into it we let the tumor that was our anger and insecurities grow to the point it consumed us.

We were fortunate this never gained any real traction and therefore we didn't suffer any outward consequences of it. But just because it didn't go anywhere/had no real effect, doesn't mean there weren't prices that were paid.

But let me also be very clear this does not mean I do not think any of the people spreading the hate and anything else in The Mess(in all its variations) shouldn't be held accountable. We are all responsible for our actions and must hold accountability for ourselves. We must also each be aware that just because something someone has made or thinks doesn't agree with our beliefs, religion, etc. does not mean they are inherently wrong(with a few exceptions. But that is besides the point)...as well as if something goes against any of the stated above and is therefore something we can't or won't interact with doesn't mean that is universal. That type of thought is no different than...well, the Trump supporters a majority of tumblr makes fun of.

And I know taking accountability is hard. No one wants to admit they're at fault, and that it's easier to come up with a continuous list of reasons why we're right and they're wrong, even if they're ludicrous. We have been taught that in doing that it is no different than signing your own death warrant, that there is no chance at redemption. It took me a long time to realize that I played a part in the cancer that infected my friend and I. Even typing this out I feel at unease writing this on the off chance they see this and have all of that shit brought back to the forefront.

But from the sea of voices that are speaking, I do not think there is one that is speaking to you that was in a similar situation. That knows how hard it can be to just be 'Yup, I fucked up. I see that now and I'm sorry. I will try harder in the future. Please bear with me because this isn't easy for me.'

But it's okay to admit when you're at fault, because you'd be surprised at the number of people that are forgiving and understanding once you do. It's okay to let go of the negativity and anger. Don't use it as a shield, you'll only burn yourself in the long run. Don't let your ego control you. It'll only be your downfall.

And to the person I have mentioned in the paragraphs above: If you see this, I am sorry. I see now that I let my anger and fear feed into the cancer that fucked us both, and helped ruin our friendship.

[insanityclause]

We few, we happy few who have somehow been granted this ridiculous power by our editors, have a most pressing question to examine: Which internet boyfriend, in all their regal glory, makes a hotter King Henry V of England?

Is it Timothée Chalamet’s boyish, bowl-cut king? Or Tom Hiddleston’s goatee-sporting, speech-spouting monarch?

There have been plenty of King Henrys (Hal, to his friends) before them — and there will undoubtedly be many after. But men like Kenneth Branagh and Laurence Olivier have never inspired the level of internet hysteria our beloved Timmy and Hiddles have — mostly by virtue of the fact that the height of their stardom came in a pre-Tumblr and Twitter age.  So, which Hal will it be?

Hiddleston has the benefit of running time – he portrayed Henry across BBC productions of Henry IV, Parts One and Two and Henry V back in 2012. Chalamet offers up his version of Hal in the nearly two-and-a-half-hour Netflix film The King, which debuted Nov. 1 on Netflix.

The King is not a Shakespeare adaptation, while Hiddleston’s turns as Henry are – but the Chalamet vehicle owes a heavy debt to the works of the Bard in both story structure and its central relationship between Hal and John Falstaff (an invention of Shakespeare’s based on a real historical figure, Sir John Oldcastle). But setting aside the stark differences in linguistic approach to storytelling, these two skinny snacks offer up distinctly different interpretations of the iconic English monarch — one sullen and introspective, the other more brash and showy.

The real Henry V was 27 when he ascended the English throne – Chalamet is now 23, while Hiddleston took on the part in his early thirties, so they split the difference on age proximity. The real Henry was, well, decidedly not hot. Unless you’re into bowl cuts and pencil-thin eyebrows. See: Exhibit A, below.                                                                                                                                                   This haircut is perhaps Chalamet’s downfall. The King strives for more historical accuracy than William Shakespeare (shocking, I know). About 40 minutes into the movie, they cut off all of his beautiful, overly mussed hair and leave him with a bowl cut. Such a hirsute crime has not been committed onscreen since Chris Evans shaved off his beard in Avengers: Endgame. Chalamet, admittedly, rocks it as best he can — and it suits his boyish face better than most, but it’s still not a good look. Plus, it’s particularly despair-inducing to watch him go from little grunge prince to Friar Tuck in the space of seconds.

In contrast, Hiddleston models his natural nearly ginger locks — and, post-coronation, grows a goatee to boot. If you like your monarchs a little more disheveled, their curly hair flying free on the field of Agincourt, accompanied by well-groomed facial hair, Hiddleston wins. No question. Sure, they’re both king — but does their hair look like you can run your fingers through it with the unbridled glee of a romance heroine? Being royal is great and all, but if your coat of hair can’t match your coat of arms, what is even the point?

Hal, after all, is meant to be a romantic hero by the story’s end, wooing his new French bride, Catherine of Valois — and if you were meeting your new husband with whom you did not share a common language, presumably a luscious head of flowing locks would be a great starting point. Meanwhile, a bowl cut is just gonna leave you questioning his taste and if he might be under the undue influence of his hairdresser.

Costumes further this point and grant Hiddleston another point in his favor. One word: leather.

Hiddleston sports a lot of it — from some body-hugging breeches to an assortment of doublets with v-necks deep enough to leave room for someone to draw a map of England on his chest. Chalamet wears darker colors throughout, and enough velvet to outfit several years’ worth of Christmas card looks. He drowns in his clothes, the weight of his kingly duties enhanced through over-sized looks that make him look overwhelmed.

Both Henrys are most appealing in their churlish, bad boy days, their collars hanging open as they carouse with women and drink at the tavern. Anyone who ever had a soft spot for our contemporary Prince Harry understands the appeal of a devilishly roguish prince who just can’t seem to keep himself out of trouble. Chalamet makes the most of his brief moments of bedroom eyes (and hair) before becoming more buttoned-up (literally). Their battle garb, chain-mail overlaid with plates of armor, is remarkably similar, but while Chalamet wears his reluctantly, the weight of war visible in his carriage, Hiddleston sports it like a fairy-tale prince, ready to slay a dragon.

The King grants us a portrait of a reluctant monarch, a young man who suddenly finds a nation’s fate resting on his shoulders. In many ways, Hal’s journey through Shakespeare’s Henriad is a similar tale, a coming-of-age story about a boy become king. But Shakespeare was celebrating (and in some ways creating) a national icon — as a result, while the Bard’s Henry leaves space for guilt, indecision, and more, he’s ultimately a figure of patriotic heroism. Just listen to the St. Crispin’s day speech and try to not feel like getting off your couch and taking a spear to the French.

It’s this that makes Hiddleston’s Hal the bigger thirst trap. Chalamet has a particular gift for playing emotionally wounded young men, but he wraps that behind a sullen stoicism in The King. Even when he’s supposedly having fun, he feels more like he’s drinking himself into a haze of wine and women than actively taking pleasure in any moment of his life. And even that hurt is kept behind a wall. The camera lingers lovingly on his brooding face, but he never lets us in enough to aspire any deeply felt empathy. The internet’s favorite sad boy is somehow inexplicably just too damn sad.

In contrast, Hiddleston delivers a boisterous, joyous performance. It’s one that knows when to ruminate in quieter moments (he gives great pretty sad face too, let’s be honest), but one that also relishes the flourishes of Shakespeare’s language. His Hal lets you in on everything he’s feeling — whether it’s the breathless enthusiasm and sense of honor as he rallies his troops, his face smeared with blood and sweat; or the ungodly amounts of charm, oozing out of every pore as he romances his new fiancée. Even in more solemn moments of contemplation, when he’s mourning his father and feeling the literal weight of his crown, we’re privy to all of his grief and apprehension as it flickers across his face.

In a sense, The King tries to make Henry V more human, casting a sense of existential dread across the age-old themes of war and peace, fathers and sons. Shakespeare’s history plays are notably larger-than-life, a task that Hiddleston rises up to and even exceeds. He takes the outsized, flowery language and extraordinary circumstances and humanizes the proceedings. While Chalamet’s Henry keeps his hurt bottled up, occasionally spilling out of his endlessly expressive eyes, Hiddleston’s Hal is a living, breathing man who seems to take exceeding care with his feelings and all those who surround him.

We stan a king in touch with his feelings and capable of expressing them in poetical language, one who can rock some leather and facial hair while he’s at it. The battle between Chalamet and Hiddleston’s Henry is ultimately as much of a rout as the Battle of Agincourt — and we know which one we’d follow once more unto the breach, dear friends.

[metalgearkong]

Joker - Review

10/11/19

Directed by Todd Phillips (Warner Bros.)

Comic book movies have truly evolved. Growing up with only Tim Burton’s Batman and Richard Donner’s Superman, I was amazed once Sam Raimi’s Spider-Man came out in 2002, and witnessing the booming of superhero movies that followed. With so many comic book movies in existence these days, they’re beginning to have more freedom and diversity in terms of tone and genre. Comic book movies have been adult for a long time, but are especially becoming for mature audiences lately. Joker may be one of the most distinct comic book movies of all time, if you can even call it that. This is a gritty and disturbing character study of a man with severe mental illness falling deeper into the abyss of madness. Masterfully executed in nearly every single aspect, this is one of the best movies of the year, and easily one of the best performances I can ever remember seeing.

Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) is a disturbed, but kind middle-aged man who lives in poverty, and aspires to be a stand up comedian (playing a clown as his current gig). He takes care of his mother (Frances Conroy) in their dingy apartment in the equally dingy and gritty Gotham City. After being fired from his job, lied to by his friends, assaulted and mugged on more than one occasion, and a series of other unfortunate events, we see him slowly start to break, and its tragic to see. Phoenix absolutely disappears in this role, and I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to see him as anyone else again. The variety of personality quirks and the way he speaks and laugh are all disturbing, but at the same time, very sad because much of his behavior is not only based on real tendencies, but we see how a society with no compassion affects someone like this.

Joker is really about the consequence of a lack of empathy for people with physical and mental problems, and a society that doesn’t properly care for those people as a whole. We see funding cut from social services, and Arthur is no longer able to attend therapy or receive the medications he desperately needs. It appalls me that most of the headlines about this movie, other than it being spectacular, is how this movie could incite violence. Truth be told, this actually isn’t a very violent movie, it’s just that the violence that we do see is brutal, realistic, and intimate. But all of it serves the story and Arthur’s descent to pure psychosis. Every step of his journey is empathetic and you couldn’t blame anyone like Arthur for doing what he does with the world and circumstances he finds himself in. The fact that the real world media wants to blame the film for inspiring violence, and not shining a light on mental illness, proves Arthur’s point in a very real way.

In particular, Arthur’s tendency to laugh uncontrollably not only fits the Joker character, but gets him into all sorts of awkward and dangerous situations. You really feel bad for him, and much of that has to do with Phoenix’s amazing performance. Every single line of dialog and expression feels genuine. What we find out eventually, is that Arthur is not necessarily a reliable narrator. Some scenes that I thought were a weaker element of the film, turn out to be in Arthur’s head, making me want to see the movie again with fresh eyes. Most of the film could be interpreted as literal, but some scenes are up for debate if they even occurred outside of Arthur’s head. This is doubly true for the very end of the film.

Part of my suspension of disbelief was affected when I thought in one or two scenarios, Arthur should have been caught by police. The movie takes place in the late 70′s / early 80′s, so I get that not having cell phones and internet might slow investigators down a bit (compared to contemporary times), but occasionally I thought Arthur wasn’t stopped or caught soon enough, allowing the plot to continue. I also thought there was just a tiny bit too much reference to Batman and potential sequels. I don’t want this movie to be the start of another cinematic universe. You simply can’t get a series of movies that are this deep, this intimate, this disturbing, and turn it into a serial film series with costumed heroes and villains. Or at least, I don’t think you can. Bruce Wayne is in a couple of scenes, but just one scene too many, especially at the end. I do, however, like the added element of Thomas Wayne into Arthur’s story, and thought he was integrated well, having a lot to do with Arthur’s downfall.

There are two scenes near the end that had me on the edge of my seat as much, or even more so, than the best scenes by Quentin Tarantino. The writing, acting, and unpredictability of the scenes had me so on edge, I knew I was witnessing a modern classic. This movie ends on a very satisfying note, and completely works as its own stand-alone film that happens to take place in the DC Universe. Phoenix turns in one of the most jaw dropping performances I have ever seen in my entire life. This is certainly a comic book movie not for kids, and honestly, not for a lot of adults either. Joker is a tragic, and very modern take on what drives a person to madness, especially when people around them, and society as a whole, lack empathy and care for those who need it the most. I’m sure many movies will try to recapture the magic of this film, but I doubt anyone will be able to do it nearly as well and not anytime soon.

9/10

[greekbros]

My current thoughts on Boruto. It's long and hard please be patient.

(please note, this is MY personal opinion, it doesn't matter and it will effect nothing in your life, we're all mature rational people. If you plan on sending me death threats over an anime, you really shouldn't be on the internet. This is an extremely long post, don't try to be a smartass and say "lol too long not going to read" in the comment section, you're not proving that you're more smarter than me or have a better argument, you're just kind of proving that you're not intellectually stimulated enough to have a decent conversation or discuss about the issue oh, it's also not a good way to win an argument because that just kind of makes you out to look like an idiot. And the last thing you need when making an argument is look like an idiot of yourself.)

So, as the Boruto series progresses...it's...not... improving....and I'm now starting to realize that there was a reason why nobody actually talked about the written novelisation of Gai, Kakashi and Asuma's daughter's mission.... because it was balls.

The shows development at this point is now solely depending on filling up a quota of episodes before they can officially start making episodes based on the manga, as a result, the show is now purely just filler and arguably filled with unnecessary development. The issue is that this development should be coming in at a gradual and moderate pace. Unfortunately most of the development is going towards characters that may not actually affect the series as a whole, unlike in the Naruto and Naruto Shippuden series, the development of the characters went directly towards individuals that were affecting the story at the moment. I'm starting to realize that this type of development in Access can create and effect I like to call "the procrastinated essay" effective writing.

It just basically means that they're just throwing in pointless character, World, and story development that may be harmful to the end result of the story. Character development isn't bad, the problem is when it's starting to become so vapid and it starts to pollute the basic plot of the story. If all of these filler episodes were appearing sometime in the middle of the initial manga story, this wouldn't be a problem. In fact this may be a reason as to why some of the filler episodes in the original Naruto series may have been more enjoyable and bearable than it was now. This is a real shame because this is also in invertedly ruining the development of the characters, we have an entirely new cast of characters but it seems that the entire show is depending on rehashing the characters Andre casting them as old characters from the series. Basically giving the newest characters the same kind of silly issues that were originally resolved in the original series, bringing in villain characters that are practically identical to the original villain characters we were presented, and even presenting the same issues there were in the original series but in a different guise. so what were actually seeing is a very poorly written in poorly constructed version of the original series in the end, which is why everything feels so boring, cringy and arguably comes off as repetitive. We have four arcs that are completely dedicated to the same issues we were given in the original series but given to us any vapid and somewhat disjointed manner. It also presents the characters as far too developed for their age, I understand that the constant argument people have given me for this is that they're supposed to be the children of the main characters those they're supposed to surpass them, but that just makes the newest cast of characters to be overpowered and also present the question of "if they're the newest generation and they have to surpass the eldest generation, why are they so powerful if they grew up in a time of Peace, why did they surpass their parents without any real effort and why do they need it even surprised their parents if they don't even need to fight".... This ultimately creates a situation where it is extremely unrealistic that an individual will surpass a previous generation if they have no need to surpass them.

This brings up the type of theme, growing up in a time of peace, instead of focusing on issues that may stem from this kind of theme, we're focusing on basically stuff that may not be even that important rivers ends or maybe it doesn't even happen in a situation like this. There are characters who literally do not know what a Jutsu is and yet for some strange reason it's still being taught, there are characters who don't even do anything yet there in ninja teams and they are expected to perform ninja duties. Instead of a look into a world where now basically becoming a ninja isn't a necessity, we're being treated to the same type of story that we previously had but now we're put into a situation that this would have never happened in the first place.

As for both the story itself, it's clearly going on solutely nowhere, the manga itself does have a plot and I will acknowledge that there is something going on. However, seeing how the series is just going off on a filler tangent, I'm wondering if all this unnecessary story development will affect the primary plot. the original reason why the Naruto series was so good was because that it began with a very basic quest based plot and gradually started to present itself with a deeper story, The fillers were just a break from that and also to create a breath within story writing. this is going to be extremely important for the readers to remember, the fillers aren't meant to waste time, they're meant to create enough time for the writer to create Amore organized story.

boruto is heading towards a wall with all of these fillers and I'm pretty certain that it's going to be its downfall, as for animating the novels, this should have been something they've done at the end of Shippuden and not within more than a hundred episodes of boruto. At first I thought it was going to actually enjoy the animated novels, however I'm starting to realize how extremely pointless and they are. I don't really have any gripes or ill contempt towards any of the characters, I just find it that there is a lot of unnecessary pieces of information that the series is trying to peddle towards the audience.

This brings me to my next point, the whole purpose of all these pointless filler episodes is purely to fill in for time for the manga to start having some growth to it. Which kind of bothers me because Naruto in the original since never actually had the luxury of having a bunch of filler episodes before Kishimoto could come up with a few novels. In fact which brings me to another detail of my point, Kishimoto had to write new chapters almost every two weeks or less in order to keep up with scheduling. Towards the end of the series this may have affected the quality of the story to a very small extent but overall it never truly affected the series as a whole, in fact it may have helped it. Ikemoto is going on the same route as the Steven universe writers, they're taking way too much time to come up with a story those creating a really poorly constructed in poorly organized story.

So for those were reading the manga, you all are obligated to wait for new information for the manga by having to succumb to watching really poor quality writing for the anime, which goes back to the manga itself as it can also suffer from poor writing.

do not get me wrong, I really wanted to like the series, I really wanted it to be the next step in my life as a fan of the show, unfortunately it is starting to kind of proved to me that it's not only not up to the same quality as the original series and Shippuden but it is also going through basically what creates a mundane and mediocre anime. Instead of coming up with an animated boruto series so early on in its development, it should have waited for a few volumes to come out before I could even come up with a fully-fledged anime. Will we have currently now is basically an entire anime consisting of fillers that are not only ruining the Canon of the series but are sort of a massive waste of time.

To make a long story short and I deeply apologize for such an unnecessarily long post, but my point is that the series is going to crash and by the time it's getting to its primary plot, it's going to lose a lot of popularity, and it's ultimately going to fail. it's depending way too much on the previous material to even focus on its own story and it is simultaneously ruining the previous series by presenting information that is contradictory to what the original rules were. unfortunately, there is a chance that the boruto series may never improve, it is just going to continue driving itself into the mud until nobody watches it anymore. There is a chance for it to improve by ceasing these endless filler episodes and just start getting on with the original plot of the series, they may lose a few people waiting, but at least it'll get to its points and I'll get to actually tell the story has been meaning to tell for a while. what they should probably do is stop now, reorganize the story with what ridiculous information they've already given us, and maybe even focus on making an animated series on the other novels. Now I understand that a previous point I made in this post was what was going wrong with this idea, however there could be some form of benefit to go back into the series and answer a few questions before going on to boruto. Basically, what I'm trying to say is maybe even doing this will lighten the amount of information the series is giving us by presenting us with a proper transitioning explanation. You can't give us a character like Hidan, then at one point in the novel say that he just made up the religion on his own accord then give us an entirely new character to replace him but at the same time using the aspects that made Hidan so unique. That's called character recycling, that's not introducing us to a new villain, that's just pissing everyone off. Especially me because I've taken enough writing classes to smell a bad plot of mile away.

P.s) I'm just extremely tired of really inappropriately annoying people tell me that I'm too stupid to understand boruto and that I need a 300-point IQ to like it. seriously this isn't Rick and Morty, it's a spin-off of Naruto for fucksake it's supposed to be a little more of a higher standard

[kae-karo]

Hi I used to be into the phandom so much but fell out in like??? 2017??? Maybe??? Has anything big happened at all? Has anyone died/caught on fire ( ;) )??

oh dear god where do i begin??? well fortunately both our lads are still alive. let me just start with saying 2018 has been like. probably the best year for dnp to date? i’ll try to go in some kind of order here but bear with me i’ll touch on a bit of 2017 stuff and then go into 2018 for ya

so first of all i’m not sure when you left the phandom in 2017 but the lads moved out of their previous flat in april of last year (x) (april-ish it was def before they posted the vid)

also our dear lil dani snot on fire is no longer not on fire (x) so uhh is he on fire now ig? i mean yeah that’s arguably true

*insert phil’s badaladala sound bc on the scale of Significant Things i don’t think anything else massive happened*

day one of demon month, we got this amazing vid from phil wherein viewers (aka dan) picked his outfits n he looked like a snacc and a half (would’ve been 2 snaccs if he’d embraced the quiff sooner but that’s getting ahead of things) (x)

!!!! then a week or so later dan posted his vid ‘daniel and depression’ where he opened up abt his struggle with depression (x) which was imo the start of him just being more open about himself in general. he also started working with young minds (a mental health org for young people in the uk) and shortly thereafter with prince william’s program to help prevent cyberbullying

then! on the day love was invented! dnp released their board game, truth bombs (x - yeah i linked the second vid and not the first, and wot) which u can buy if you’d like but it’s a lot of fun (x)

then these idiots did a conjoined jumper baking challenge and didn’t fucking wear shirts under the jumper like what dumb gays idk (x) but it was real funny and Good Content

then early nov dnp announced the interactive introverts tour (x) and then uhhh it happened (like 80+ shows??? in a ton of countries???) (x) and they’re releasing the filming of it along with some bonus content like a director’s commentary and u can preorder it (x)

also pinof 9 happened which as a legacy phan u know is always a Thing but this year it was especially a Thing so i recommend catching up (x, and the bloops - x)

and phew okay that’s the majority of 2017 Important Events but before i go on to 2018 i’ll just recap a few important events from dapg (basically just some gamingmas stuff):

wherein dan smacked phil in the face

and phil crushed the presents but dan helped him up

where phil pretended not to remember gamingmas was happening, leading to the most iconic simultaneous heart eyes howell/love eyes lester to date

dnp singing baby it’s cold outside together whilst playing yasuhati

iconic pinof 9 moment

dnp play charades but it’s phil’s turn, and he’s touchy

the not my arms challenge!!! playing mario kart

okay! and before anyone starts yelling i know there’s more but god if i put every iconic thing in this post would break there’s Too Much so let’s hop into 2018 bc it’s gonna be a long one

first i cannot believe dan fucking gave phil a philussy cake and phil’s parents asked phil what it meant jfc dan (x)

THE EARRING!!! dan’s first selfie with the lil hoop and it never leaves and we love it (x)

phil is just trying to take a selfie and dan ruins it (x) spoiler alert: phil gets him back in colorado (x)

okay big sigh two large events happen in march: the first, dan’s ‘trying to live my truth’ vid (x) it basically dan saying ‘i’m still figuring things out but i want to be more authentic and true to myself, and also authenticity is important for some people to feel happy in life’ vid that a lot of people hyperfixated on the end line of, where he said he would go ‘laugh at a joke with a chocolate bar and...something else in my mouth’ which people assumed meant a dick and therefore it was a subtle coming out vid, dan did a liveshow afterward (x) wherein he said that wasn’t the point of the vid and people got mad at him for ‘backtracking’ (if u want more of my Opinions on this feel free to check em out - x)

the second v v big event happened at the end of march when phil posted this iconic selfie that would be the downfall of the fringe (x) this has been titled the quiffening by some

shortly after that he began styling his hair in a quiff permanently which was probably the best decision he’s made since responding to one of his obsessed fans back in 2009

quick detour dan’s proud of his hubby (x) for winning fortnite and ‘fuxkung’ is now what ‘fucking’ autocorrects to in my phone

we also had dan releasing his merch (x) which is basically all black and themed around the eclipse logo and ‘don’t talk to me’, though he just released the exist line for world mental health day which has his quote ‘have the courage to exist’. he’s also mentioned possibly wanting to do more creative things like wide-necked or asymmetrical shirts dan just do a fashion line pls oh and he mentioned in a recent ls he might do an internet support group mug sometime soon

and then,,,,,pigeonfest. we watched. five hours. of phil livestreaming their patio. and literally nothing happened bc someone was like down on the street feeding pigeons so there weren’t even any pigeons for like 90% of the liveshow. but he literally didn’t talk it was just five hours of their patio and we all watched it. we all just watched it like the whipped phannies we are (x)

and then we got a brief but overwhelming dose of,,,,,,something from the easter baking vid (x) phil was hopped up on sugar and also confidence from his quiff and probably smth else as well

everything just blows up from there we have giving the people what they want (x) where, in preparation for ii (for which the underlying theme was ‘giving people what they want’), dnp reacted to pinof 1, swapped clothes, did the ‘yoga challenge’, recreated ditl manchester, ‘got a dog’, and made phil say fuck. honestly it shook the entire phandom to its core at the time but like. i’m less shooketh now? it’s sort of just fallen by the wayside in terms of how unpredictable dnp have been this year

then phil drops week in the life of dnp shortly thereafter which is just very very domestic even for them and their ditl style vids??? (x) phil filming dan in bed being one of the big demon highlights at the time

it’s right around this time too that insta stories start and my god it just goes jfc like i don’t even have the mental capacity to recall all the Iconic ones but i recommend checking out this playlist (x) which has all the ii tour stories goddamn there were a lot though they really put out that content didn’t they

in early may we get phil talking about why he changed his emo hair (x) and arguably the first official vid of the casual rebrand - phil’s more open and genuinely vulnerable about his fears about making a change to his hair, and i don’t think we’ve ever seen him that open before. the vids don’t stop being open though, with what dnp text each other (x) giving us coop and doop along with other iconic stories, dnp basically sitting on top of each other in that and other gaming vids on the tour bus, phil being very open abt his attraction to men (x) and the iconic final google feud vid with way too much of a specific kind of Energy (x) (ofc again there are More Vids but i don’t have the time/mental capacity to recap them all so i’m pickin the Big Ones)

monochrome mates (x)

phew okay so the tour in general as well - like if u don’t mind spoilers, i did a big ol analysis of what that was all about (x) but one of many many highlights is dan calling he and phil “best friends and soulmates” 

finally finally finally after months of waiting we also get some phil merch! (x) plant and animal themed, and he even released a lion plushie which sold out like instantly and he claimed he’d do more of but we have yet to see that. he says he’s got more ideas for other merch as well

now okay fast forward to october after the tour’s over bc i think the insta stories and the analysis cover it but then. then. then we get the pizza mukbang (x) thirty three minutes of dnp being more open and honest and casual than literally they’ve ever been on camera maybe ever, and i’m including liveshows in this statement. no holds barred, authentic vulnerable dnp. a religious experience

end of october spooky week hits us and i think the key vid to call out here is the creepy mind of phil lester bc i think it was another open honest authentic vid (x) where they talked a lot, casual domestic w.e got some insight into phil’s mind it was v good

and then they carve pumpkins jfc which was an experience (x) there were a lot of innuendos but also one of the first years they didn’t do a halloween baking in a while (though they have hinted at possibly doing christmas baking) idk i’m fully overwhelmed at this point lmao like a Lot happened this year

phew okay and Then just yesterday philly dropped his vid on why he went to (the) hospital (x) idk soz that’s a british thing i think like we say ‘the’ anyway. which i’ve been talking abt quite a lot lately but it was another very open and honest vid in which he expressed a lot of vulnerability and fear and perceived flaws and it was just a quality like. open vid.

jfc okay hope that helps obviously there’s a lot i didn’t mention, but this should at least get you caught up on some of the big stuff!! and while i’m at it have a few more Important Gifs from this year

a very important moment of communication whilst on tour, deciding whether or not they’re okay with doing a ‘third wheel’ pose

dan flinging himself off the chair in anger whilst playing getting over it

nose boop from phil’s instagram explore pages vid

subsequent nose boop from the extreme tetris vid

and a cheek boop from the overcooked 2 vid

dan pulling phil’s hand off the mouse in fear during spooky week, swamp simulator (shrek slender)

touchy!dan during pizza mukbang

oh god. okay. again, this is not everything, just a big list of some big events over the past year-ish. i’m sure i’ve missed some important stuff but i think i covered most of it! hope this helps ya get caught up dear!

[vanimy]

What a clusterfuck

Coming out of my self imposed exile because I had to get this off my chest. Beware. Rant ahead. Spoilers abound. You’ve been warned. 

Forget how I met your mother. Game of thrones takes the cake for Worst. Ending. Ever. 

I’m cackling at how everything was basically spoiled for weeks. I was hoping against hope the spoilers were deceiving, that maybe they shot several endings or there would be a last minute twist in the finale. At this point I would’ve rejoiced at Jon and Dany becoming Night King and Queen. 

But nope... the leaks were all true.

And I can’t even. 

I’m not even going to talk about the previous episode which was full of stupid clichés and featured a complete 180 for Daenerys, or the gigantic plot holes (like Drogon not even attacking anyone after his mother got killed) or the fact that Bran of all people is on the throne at the end. 

I’m going to focus on Jon and Dany because THIS is the hardest pill to swallow and one of the worst pieces of writing I’ve ever seen. 

I’ll start by saying that unlike other people I wasn’t opposed to angsty endings or tragic endings per se. I mean, Hamlet is my favorite Shakespeare play, I love Greek tragedies and I could go on and on. 

Heck, my OTP is Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader and Padmé Amidala and the guy choked his wife in their last scene together so... 

I’ll also mention I’m not opposed to powerful women being corrupted by power either. Heck I wrote an entire AU Star Wars fic with the woman in my OTP becoming a dark Empress. 

But you know what’s the difference here? 

Everything I just wrote about before, yep even my stupid little AU fic made for free in one corner of the Internet, MADE FUCKING SENSE. 

Everything was written to get to those points. Darth Vader’s downfall had been a long time coming, it was the whole damn point of the prequels in the first place and the older trilogy was about to give him a redemption arc. So when Anakin snapped and harmed the love of his life, the woman he had been doing everything for in the first place, it didn’t feel wrong. It hurt but it was logical, it MADE SENSE. Watching the guy I was rooting for become evil felt horrible but I actually empathized with both sides, the good guy who wanted to bring him down because he’d gone off the rails and the good guy turned bad guy.

And you know why I still empathized with the good guy turned bad guy? Because he still felt REAL. He cried after killing people, he showed remorse, he screamed in agony when he’d thought he’d killed his wife. He had a redemption arc later on. 

Here, NOTHING made sense. Daenerys’ fall wasn’t a long time coming contrary to what the writers want us to believe retroactively, especially in a world where EVERYONE has killed and executed left and right. There was NO sign of madness before the last two episodes. NONE.

Am I suddenly supposed to believe that Daenerys, who lived through tons of horrible things, who remained compassionate, who sacrificed her dragons and her people for a cause she believed in, who cried when Jon Snow deemed her his Queen, hoping she deserved it, whose good heart was what made Jon Snow fall for her, who was praised by Davos just in the premiere of this very season was a villain all along?? 

There was no reason for her to burn King’s Landing. No inner conflict was shown. Nothing. By then you could see Dany had ceased to be a full fledged character, she was written entirely from an outsider’s POV. She becomes mad because Jon rejects her (why BTW, we never get inside his head but that’s for later). And then after she snaps, there’s absolutely no remorse from Dany. We never get to witness remorse or sadness or conflict. Which goes to show how much this is badly written. Because you could get the exact same result but it would’ve been slightly better if only they showed Dany as a regular human being instead of an EVIL!QUEEN. 

And how about Jon? Am I supposed to believe that Jon Snow, HONORABLE Jon Snow, who never could harm the chick he barely knew when he was with the Wildlings, could suddenly kill the woman he loved all in the space of literally two minutes ? His family? While she’s open to him and trusts him? While he kisses her? 

KILLING HER THE EXACT SAME WAY HE WAS KILLED HIMSELF? BETRAYING HER IN THE EXACT SAME WAY HE WAS BETRAYED? 

Again, they could’ve written a scene with Jon killing her after IDK, telling her he couldn’t stay with her after what she’d done, Dany going crazy, him defending himself or having to kill her because she was literally killing Arya or Bran or whomever? It could’ve been written in a way that stayed true to the characters. Not that I would’ve loved it but it would’ve made a little more sense. 

See where I’m getting at? 

Shit writing. 

This show is so full of misogyny I can’t even. My sister is all like “but see Sansa’s Queen in the North so they can’t be misogynistic” and I want to rip my hair out. I’m so MAD. This show has been called out on its misogyny countless times from the  very beginning (one of the reasons I wasn’t watching in the first place) for glorifying rape. Here we have two main female characters being BOTH mad queens. The end features a male king and a council full of white men. Dany becomes EVIL with no self awareness, no redemption, nothing. Because her character doesn’t matter in the end. When I wrote my AU fic with my female character going dark, it wasn’t just about the man (it triggered in part his own redemption but that wasn’t the whole point), my character didn’t stop being a character because she was going dark, she had feelings still, agency, self awareness and then a redemption arc. Where is it for Dany? Heck, I disliked the way the X men movies depicted Jean Grey and Wolverine’s relationship and how they destroyed Jean in the X3 movie but AT LEAST she had a little agency when she died, she was given 2 seconds to beg for her death, 2 seconds for us to know she knew how far she’d fallen. Dany didn’t get to have that. She got nothing. After 8 fucking seasons. She got nothing. Only Jon and Tyrion are considered tragic heroes who had to do what needed to be done. She ceased to be a human being. She died in the first 30 minutes of the finale and didn’t even get a funeral. How can you not see this as misogynistic? How?

I’m going to talk about Jon Snow now. Because sure Dany got dirty but Jon sure did too despite what some fans might think. He was given literally NOTHING to do all season long, the whole twist of the whole saga with him being a secret Targaryen didn’t amount to anything, he wasn’t even given ONE scene to reflect on what it meant to him to be a Targaryen or the fact Ned wasn’t his father, HIS story conclusion, the Night King saga, was given to Arya, he came off as weak all season with two recycled lines of dialogue, he had no moment of bad assery in battle, he was made a fool  in the end since everyone and their dog were telling him Dany was eviiil and he didn’t believe them and he was wrong. He killed Dany in a cowardly way, betraying her and his oath, doing a 180 in the space of two minutes. He ends up being exiled going back to where he started. He was done dirty too. They betrayed everything about Jon. His loyalty, his need to do the right thing, the love he supposedly had for Dany. Everything. 

What I thought was constructed writing wasn’t there either. And that’s also a bitter pill to swallow. What was the point of foreshadowing a wedding between Jon and Dany the whole of season 7 and the premiere of this season? What was the point of foreshadowing a child? What was the point of bringing fire and ice together? Of the prince who was promised prophecy? What was the point of Jon (Jon who used to be the moral compass the same way Ned was) defending Dany constantly throughout the season? 

WHAT WAS THE POINT OF NED STARK DOING LITERALLY EVERYTHING HE DID? Like hiding Jon and defending Dany against Robert Baratheon ?

Was the moral of the story “Robert Baratheon was fucking right all along”? 

WHAT WAS THE POINT OF JON BEING A TARGARYEN? 

Remove that and you could’ve basically had the same fucking story. Jon could’ve rejected Dany because she was becoming cray-cray or because he couldn’t marry her or whatever. If he’d stayed a Snow it wouldn’t have changed anything. 

The only good thing I can see after this shitfest is how much I don’t regret never bothering watching the earlier seasons and removing myself a little from GOT before season 8 came out. Oh and the enraged reactions all over the world. That too. 

I’m still mad though. I can’t even picture what some of you might be going through after 8 seasons.  I’m sorry for you guys who spent years watching this shitshow. *hugs* 

[dukeofriven]

Hussie, Hitler, And Boy I’m Tired

I said earlier that I didn’t want to put on my hip waders and muck about in the Homestuck tags. *pulls off hip waders* I went anyways. I went even though I was feeling pretty good because I had a nice dinner and got to watch the New Years Bake-Off special. I went anyways, and I did it for you, my eight followers who aren’t pornbots. It turns out the Homestuck fandom of Tumblr is as scary and hyperbolic as ever, and has taken one lousy bit of badly written crap and extrapolated that backwards into ‘Homestuck has always been a racist anti-semetic pile of garbage and everything about it is terrible and Andrew Hussie needs to die.” I’m not paraphrasing, by the way. Someone out there is chanting ‘die Andrew Hussie die,’ because he had the gall to... clumsily dunk on Hitler like a fifteen year old trying to impress his English teacher with edgy comedy? This new stuff is too dumb to be offensive, especially in an era with, y’know, Hitler-praising alt-right Neo Nazis actually being mainstream media figures.  Hey Tumblr fandom? Can you... mm not chill, chill’s not the word I’m looking for what is it... oh yes. Can y’all fuck off for once?

Tumblr doesn’t deserve to enjoy things because it doesn’t know how to enjoy things responsibly. It lurches from adoration to hatred without pause, and as a writer it gives me nothing but an anxiety. I cannot produce anything imperfect, I cannot ever write crap because if I do then all my work will be tainted by it forever. On Tumblr you are always judged by your worst effort, which is a fucking god-awful standard for large media franchises of any kind. You know who one of the greatest, most thoughtful, socially-driven authors of the twentieth century was? Terry Pratchett. You know what’s kind of sexist and lazy and awful? The Colour of Magic. You know what’s weirdly colonialist and smug and all-around shit? Snuff! Neither of those shitty books invalidate the forty other Discworld novels. The existence of Anchorman’s bloviating nothingness doesn’t erase Will Ferrel’s warm and desperately human performance in Stranger Than Fiction. The Forced Kiss Equal Romance kiss in Blade Runner doesn’t erase the rest of the movie piercing question on the nature of what it means to be human. And on and on and on. Andrew Hussie’s sneeze-shart dogshit history rewrite that was so embarrassingly bad it got pulled from the internet didn’t erase Rose/Kanaya, or gay Dave, or Joey Claire tap-dancing her little heart out to try and defeat a monster. And even if Andrew Hussie does a JK Rowling and produces nothing but ill-thought-out crap from here until the day we all die in the great Disney Final Merger of 2023, it still won’t invalidate the good moments that made you happy. I mean if Andrew Hussie toddles out of retirement onto a talk show in a bathrobe to discuss his new revelations on the Puppetgrandmasters of Scion who all have worryingly Semetic names, I’m not going to be so naive as to pretend that his earlier media can be consumed in some kind of vacuum, that the future cannot affect the past. but I am saying that the good that happened in it - the things that affected you in positive ways - are not ethereal. It mattered to you then, and that’s okay. Tumblr’s hyperbolic responses seem to be rooted in embarrassment and self-flagellation. People seem so terrified by the thought that anyone might associate them as a fan of something - gasp - linked to controversy that they... well, they say shit like “die andrew hussie die.” Hey dude. Hey. You need to redirect that anger, my friend. There’s actual Neo-Nazis in the streets. On the TV. In the US government. I guess what I’m trying to say is... Woof. Okay. You know, to give Andrew Hussie partial credit here, its nice to see someone actually write Adolf Hitler the way he really was - a pant-shitting constantly whiny toddler of a human being who endlessly threw tantrums and got to where he was largely on the strength of other people’s bad decisions. Remember kids: the biggest myth Neo-Nazis have ever perpetrated is that Germany under Hitler was well-run, well-organized, and anything other than a collection of squabbling dysfunctional fiefdoms run by party hacks propped up by a bureaucracy and military too bound by inertia, ego, and cultural racism to do anything to stop a lunatic from ripping their country to shreds. That whole ‘trains running on time’ thing? It’s nonsense. Go study the conduct of the war once Germany had exhausted all its pre-war stockpiled resources and ran out of useful shit to loot, once it had to start relying on its leadership for the things that make wars winnable - supplies, reinforcements, fuel, winter clothing. Watch the way from 1942 onwards Germany stumbled from one disaster to the next, as Hitler fired more and more generals and drew more and more authority to himself and his fellow party cronies. Hitler should not be feared as a man of competence or skill - he was a buffoon, a clown of a human being fuelled entirely by petty, vindictive spite and an unlimited capacity for cruelty. And before anyone goes ‘well if he was so objectively pathetic how the fuck did he take over Germany’ I direct you to google the last two years of American politics and the words ‘Donald Fucking Trump.’ [I recommend, on these war subjects particularly, Sir Antony Beevor’s bleak and sobering works, particularly Stalingrad, Berlin: The Downfall 1945, and Ardennes 1944: Hitler's Last Gamble.]  Sorry this... kind of got away from me somewhat, but I really hate it when people get mad that someone didn’t take Hitler seriously (and, to be strictly fair, this is not what everyone is mad about in regards to Andrew Hussie, either). You should never take Hitler seriously. Take hate seriously - take violent words, and calls for purity, take his ideas of superiority and racial preeminence and anti-semitism seriously as the evils, the horrors as they are. But the man himself? He literally stank - a combination of his halitosis, chronic flatulence, and was constant diarrhea. [I am not exaggerating] He was a sad pathetic clown, and Andrew Hussie chose to write him as such. He just... went too far. It happens. It’s not good writing. It’s fucking shit, to be honest. Boring shit. The Minions movie decided to have the Minions sit out the entirety of WWII by having them get stuck in a cave or some such. Honestly that’s a better option than what Andrew Hussie went with - and ‘be more like the Minions movie’ isn’t advice I give that often. You want to be disgruntled that an author wrote something this bafflingly tone deaf and tedious? Sure. I know I am. But to chant for his death? Are you fucking kidding me? Look! Look out your window at those marching Neo-Nazis trying to establish a white supremacist state? What the ever-loving fuck are you people doing in here getting ready to string-up a man whose crime was making Adolf Friggen Hitler too petty???????? Tumblr. Tumblr, for the love of god this has to stop. This ‘Ceasar’s wife must be above reproach’ shit has to stop - it’s killing fandom, it’s killing good media critique, it’s burying proportional fan response, and its just exhausting. Why can’t you ever just let something be lousy without it being literal death warrant? There’s real demons out there - I can see them out the window, and every time I turn on the TV. Maybe - just bloody maybe - not every single crime deserves the exact same level of disapprobation and punishment? Maybe we could read some content and say “boy that sure had some lousy implications and also was just really poorly written” and then... stop there? Wouldn’t that be nice, for a change? We could dislike something without feeling like it required activism on our part. We could say ‘this piece of media was shit, but it didn’t advocate for a white ethno-state, so I will continue to think of it only until the end of this sentence.’ I am not advocating for an end to media criticism for anything that isn’t openly hate speech (but if you think that I am I am going to assume you’re already so needlessly enraged about this whole matter that I’m a bit puzzled why you’ve bothered to read this far since its obvious we don’t agree on many fundamental issues.) What I am calling for is the end to death threats against people who don’t mean you harm. Because that’s lunacy. That’s beyond the pale, actually, that’s really disturbing and sickening and you should seriously reconsider your relationship with media. Because there are people out there who do want to hurt you. Their lives are fuelled by hate, their philosophies are driven by it, as are their politics. I assure you that when a time traveller steps through a portal trying to prevent the rise of ‘the great Trump War of 2020′ the inciting incident will not be ‘Andrew Hussie trivialized the holocaust by citing its origins as a grudge Adolf Hitler bore Albert Einstein over a rivalry in secret clown ninja school before being taken on as an agent of a baking-obsessed alien space witch and bumped into power by the Peters principle.’ Because just by writing that sentence I have already reaffirmed a very simple truth: this is way, way too stupid to give the slightest shit about. So let’s tell Andrew Hussie that his new work is... mmm.... kind of like a shit if a shit had a shit that was itself shat out by a shit and then vomited on by another shit who had eaten nothing but shit since Sunday. Let’s tel lhim “hey dude, your clownish work summoned the spectre of anti-semetism, and you can do better.” Frankly, I think that message was already sent, since in the two hours between me going to make and eat dinner and then coming back to my computer, the new material was discovered, read, disseminated, and removed. Two hours. Sure, maybe a bit of lag due to what does and does not hit my feed but come on - this all took place in an afternoon. It’s already down. Our voices were heard - we didn’t think this was very good, and apparently Whatpumpkin agrees enough that they didn’t mount a defence of it. Rather than take the next logical step, though - which seems to be calling for the death of Andrew Hussie and removing all of Homestuck from the internet and maybe nuking Toby Fox from orbit just to be extra-sure? - we could do... something else. Talk about the release date for Stranger Things, maybe. Track down some local Neo-Nazis and punch them. Read some Antony Beevor books and really educate ourselves on what a smelly fuck-up Hitler was so we can chant that at Neo Nazis at their next rally. Or you could watch the New Years Bake-Off special. It was pretty good.

[thisisnothingthisisone-blog]

rurouni kenshin ova: trust & betrayal (tsuiokuhen)

spoilers!! major spoilers!! if u watch it before u read this it’ll probably be better. but it’s up to u.

i first watched this series of four half-hour OVAs about 3 weeks ago, and i’m really still heartbroken. i’ve watched it another 2 times since, alone, in the dark, with good audio setups to honor its quality, and it’s lost none of its grace, beauty, or emotional impact. it’s easily one of my favorite anime works ever at this point, and i can confidently say that i think pretty much everything about it is perfect.

first, a short evaluation of the artistic quality of the piece. it’s phenomenal, imo. the visuals and animation are beautiful, lush, with a high degree of hand drawn craftsmanship. colors are used symbolically and strikingly, and the visual metaphors are rich- even techniques common to film, like expressing high emotion through scenes in nature, are used effectively and elegantly. the music is absolutely gorgeous, grand, majestic, orchestral; but so incredibly tender and sorrowful as well. it’s reminiscent of illustrative impressionist composers, ravel, debussy, and has the intensity of romantic ones, rachmaninov; or at least, those are the composers i found myself listening to as offshoots of the OST. i’m no expert on narrative techniques, but i found the pacing, characterization and development, everything about the storytelling to be fitting, effective, and impactful. the mood and tone are somber, but not necessarily bitter; it is dark, and depicts the brutal truth of war, killing, murder, death, and justice; but so, too, does it depict the humility with which ordinary people live their lives despite the suffering abundant in their world. it’s even structured a little similarly to a symphony, i think; the first movement is striking, and sets the tone for what is to come; the second movement extrapolates what is set in the first, and introduces tension, and promise; the third movement is romantic, and moving, the heart of the whole thing; and the fourth, the climax and the ensuing aftermath, the penance. i would definitely recommend this movie based on overall quality alone.

that said, several things in particular pique my interest in this film and the ways that they relate to patterns in my life: the concept of the supremely idealistic hero, who believes in justice but who is utterly gentle and naive; the similarities to the story of inuyasha and kikyo; and the intense appeal of romantic tragedy for me (and, maybe, you).

the idealistic hero. there’s a line in the film where kenshin’s mentor is thinking to himself about kenshin’s potential, and he thinks, (not verbatim, just what i remember) “he is pure. and because he is pure, he will continue to improve, as he is driven by the desire to become strong, to the point where i would consider him a simpleton.” and later, kenshin quarrels with his master about the morality of ignoring conflict and the suffering of the masses, when the principles that come with his strength dictate the a responsibility to protect the weak. i often find myself identifying with characters like this — characters who are idealistic and naive, who desperately believe in abstract justice, without any knowledge of the many gray areas in human morality and behavior, who ultimately wish to use their strength for the benefit of the anonymous “people.” i mean, pragmatically, it’s a ridiculous notion. how can one person decide what justice is for those he has the power to kill? who is he really protecting by doing so? and tomoe does a good job of pointing out the hypocrisy in his actions.

a bit on tomoe — she is a really interesting character to me. i’ve always had a fascination with the “tragic cold beauty” type that develops a warmer side to her, but for whom this warmer side is the cause of her tragedy. there are some quiet, subtle scenes where she looks at reflections of herself, which belie the undertow of her being at war with herself in those moments, where her intentions and desires are confused. she’s a powerful character, her power stemming from her contradiction. their relationship is built up over spare, poetic moments that belie a subtle, but intertwining chemistry, that is delicate and poignant as it is framed by the political instability and widespread turmoil of the times. she recognizes kenshin to be a child in his naivety regarding his ideals. her sorrow over the crops that die in the rain is just as palpable as kenshin’s despair over the antithetical nature of his killing. though her taking on the role of being a “sheathe” for the “brandished sword” of kenshin’s rage and anguish is founded on sexist expectations (that are still common today), she is not depicted as a weaker character by any means. different, and subordinate; but just as necessary, valuable and significant as kenshin, though ultimately she dies as a lesson to him- she serves her purpose beautifully, and then is burned away. they are brought together by death and lost love, and as the iris flower dies without the rain, and only her memory is left after the fighting dies down. she is a character trope that isn’t meant to live, as things that are too beautiful always wither away; she is meant to remain a memory, a reminder, a metaphorical and literal scar.

back to the idealistic hero. i think what attracts me so much to kenshin’s character in particular is the same as what makes tomoe fall in love with him: the so, so incredibly gentle nature of his spirit lying beneath his intense desire to do good in the world. a scene where kenshin and tomoe are together in the house they’ve escaped to, eating the vegetables they planted and harvested together, and tomoe mentions that kenshin’s everday could have been like this, if different things had happened in his life. the contrast between the peaceful life full of small happinesses that he could have had, and the brutal, violent, soul-crushing life he leads then — and the yearning i feel for the life he didn’t have, was very real. his “justice that seems like insanity” is haunting and beautiful, but i also want him to be happy. but his “justice” is detrimental to the gentle, kind person he truly is and wants to be. the idealistic hero can’t exist in the real world the way he thought he could; his shedding of naivety and realization than his only real strength is in protecting the people he cares about is sobering. ideals are abstract, but we live in a constantly shifting, unpredictable world that constantly changes like rippling water, and if we wish to live any semblance of a fulfilling life, we have to learn to not be a stone, which is eroded; but to flow along, carving out a space for ourselves within the tide.

these ideas are explored similarly in the manga series “Azumi,” wherein ax extremely strong, quick, genius assassin is a cheerful and loving girl at heart, who forms quick connections with people and only wants to be kind and have true friends. in this manga there is a theme of comparing her to a bodhisattva — a theme that i think is implied in the rurouni kenshin OVA as well. a bodhisattva is a figure from mahayana buddhism, a religion popular in east asia for a period of time (sorry i haven’t taken art history in a while!!), that has reached enlightenment but delays transcendence out of compassion to save other suffering beings. azumi and kenshin share the characteristic of being extremely powerful assassins, to the point of being like gods of war, or gods of death, who, because they are enlightened in their arts of fighting, cannot be allowed to form lasting connections with people they care about. anything they do form a connection with is killed and taken away from them, keeping them on the path of deified violence that they don’t really want (until, for kenshin at least, the war dies down and he swears to never kill again. i haven’t finished azumi so i don’t know what happens). (if any of this inaccurate please lmk, i’m not that knowledgeable about buddhism;;;)

inuyasha and kikyo. inuyasha was a big part of my adolescence, and i think one of the series that really got me into anime in the first place. it’s not a great series honestly, in terms of artistic merit, but it’s plenty fun and full of surprises despite all its shortcomings. but i remember really liking the story of inuyasha and kikyo, and i see kenshin and tomoe’s story being compared to this in other places on the internet as well. the similarities are certainly there — the cold, long black haired conventional beauty meets violent demon, together they learn to be human and to love, which ultimately causes their downfall and the false betrayal and tragedy of the love that never was, which makes it all the more romantic.

the intense appeal of romantic tragedy — i want so desperately for them to be able to continue their lives happily together, yet at the same time i know that that would make for a bland ending (or maybe not. but,). the moment that breaks me isn’t the climactic moment of tomoe’s death, but the way that her spirit still comforts kenshin as he finishes the job started during the war, and carries his will to never kill again once it is over. the tragedy is what makes the love story so good; it wouldn’t be half as appealing without it, but it’s also what makes it painful. pain and sweetness, together, suffering and love, to feel pain is to feel love and that’s how you know, this is a theme in my life too though in different ways. maybe i just savor the feeling of being heartbroken, but not for myself. i want to feel tragic. i want to be saved. no one can save me in real life, but at least i can dream, project onto this immaculate story. there’s something really feminine about tragedy, for me. (i don’t consider myself a femme, necessarily, but if i had to choose i would lean femme, i think femininity of any kind is a thing to be treasured.) it’s something i felt when i was in the throes of identifying with mitski — she’s such a tragic character, branded in such earnest, genuine sadness and controlled despair. to hold the sorrow without the visceral pain, and peek into a feeling that’s meant to be desired. do i wax poetic? i can’t help it. i’m a romantic, through and through.

also, just another thing. i think another thing that makes the whole deal extra sweet for me is the effeminate appearance and nature of kenshin, haha. it’s certainly not trying to be ~queer~ or anything but it’s one of those things that, i feel like, resonate somewhere innately for those of us who seek out representations of people outside the cis/het norm. i’ve heard that fans of yuri tend to enjoy this series lol.

i honestly can’t think of anything this OVA could have done better. i think there might have been something but i can’t remember it anymore. if you have any thoughts, feel free to reach out~

[devastation101]

My Problems With: Darling in the FranXX

Dear fuckin lord where do I begin?

Hello internet. Welcome to the post where I discuss in detail the problems I have with Darling in the FranXX, specifically around its ending.

Spoilers ahead, you have been warned.

Honestly, the first 18 episodes are really, really good. Fucking fantastic even. The character writing and world building is insanely well done, the romance between Hiro and Zero Two is developed really well, and the character drama really drives the story along. I really have nothing bad to say about the first 3/4 of the show. Especially given episodes 13 and 15 are the literal best in the series.

However... 19 is where the downfall happens. It is this episode where we finally receive a full, detailed explanation as to why the world is the way it is. That would be fine if it didn’t also shove in Dr. Franxx’s backstory to drive that forward. While I don’t have a problem with his backstory per se, it’s more the fact that this should have been two episodes so there was more time to develop him as a human being as well as make his romance with... I forgot her name honestly. She only appears in this episode and is killed off relatively quickly. Either way, making this story arc a two parter would’ve made their relationship feel more real, and would’ve made us care about it more than the 24 minutes we got managed to do.

Of course, this episode wasn’t the only one affected by time constraints...

Episode 20 is easily the worst in the series, as it ditches the hints of a rebellion against Papa and APE for a Gurren Lagann-esque aliens plot twist. While on paper this isn’t ENTIRELY a bad idea, the way it was handled as well as the way it completely fucked with the story absolutely ruins every episode from this point forward.

See, the show was clearly setting up a fight between Squad 13 and the Nines as they started to abandon Papa and fight for their freedom. This would have been fucking amazing, and a brilliant climax to the tension between the squad and the Nines that had been building up since episode 12, and was really highlighted in episode 17. A clear climax was set up for the end of the show, yet it was shoved aside because Nishigori (if I’m spelling that wrong I apologize) was reminded that they didn’t have time to do the rest of what he wanted. See, it’s clear that he had always WANTED to do the aliens plot twist, otherwise it wouldn’t even be in the show, but it was handled in such a way that had no buildup and completely siderailed us out of the blue. If they had even three more episodes, the pacing likely could have been fixed. They could’ve started dropping hints in episode 20, built it up through 21 while the squad finally had their showdown with the Nines, and then ended on the reveal. 22-27 focuses on actually developing that plot twist and gives enough time for the audience to stay invested and see where it goes. You know another show that had that reveal in like episode 21/27? Gurren Lagann.

I’m not going to call it a Gurren clone, because it’s not. I’m just noting how one show handled their space plot a lot better than the other. I wish Darling handled the ending better, but it didn’t...

Either way, I don’t hate the show. As I said, the first 18 episodes are fucking fantastic. While 16-18 are a little slow, they develop two minor characters and make them into the most well developed characters in the entire series. It’s sad that such high potential was shit on by time constraints and admittedly lazy writing towards the end.

[therealdragonnerdagain]

Dear Fellow Black People

Life is too short and being angry about white supremacy is a waste of energy.

I'm writing this because I'm tired of watching black people trying to reason with delusional white racists on the internet.

I'm writing this because -- for the sake of our own sanity -- black people need to stop giving a shit about white people and just make the best of our lives. I'm about to tell you why it will benefit you mentally and spiritually to focus on living your life the best you can and just ignore white people. True to Universe 25, white people are kicking and thrashing against their own crumbling empire. They knew this was coming because it happened to black people first -- In fact, it's how they took over the world from us. We don't have to do shit but watch their downfall.

This is why you should stop giving a shit:

White people enjoy having white privilege and are never going to give it up. Never. Yes, even the "good liberals." Some of them virtue signal because they are ashamed of the overt racists among them (Nazis, KKK, etc) but are in reality complacent with subtle racism (Look at their reaction to Get Out) and try to normalize shitty thoughts and behaviors by saying things like "everyone is racist" (no, everyone isn't) and "humanity in general is evil" (no, humanity is not generally evil). It's an attempt to make us all as bad as they are so they can continue to be crappy people without question.

Stop explaining racism to white people. They don't understand it and/or pretend not to understand it just to exhaust you, and the ones who do understand do not give a shit. We know that racism is an IRRATIONAL hatred of an entire group of people (what have black people as a group really ever done to white people?), but white people will never see our resentment against them and all the shit they’ve done to us as rational. They will always be forever enraged that we dare to not complacently enjoy oppression even while they deny us employment, healthcare, nutrition, decency, respect, and continue to demonize us in the media.

White people are angry about Black Panther because the movie didn’t just troll us: it trolled white people too. Most white people are aware that black people (the moor) originally ruled the world and that white people were once at the bottom of the social hierarchy. They do not like being reminded of that. Black Panther acknowledges that white supremacy is coming to an end and that white people are losing everything they unapologetically slaughtered other people for. At the same time, the movie demonizes black Americans and mocks Africans by reminding us of what was lost and what we can never get back. Because clearly, China is the next world power.

White people are on a mission to take us out with them as they die, and they can not be reasoned with. They are rabid dogs so focused on subjugating and oppressing us scary, threatening black people that they can’t even see how China is the real threat. China has been slowly placing price tags on white asses for years now. Before long, they will run everything. Their population is exploding, while white people are disappearing. It would be in their best interest to kiss China’s ass, but they are too busy shitting on black people, making racist jokes about Latinos, fighting Arabs, and fighting each other.  

You can't get through to white people because they actually believe everyone else is as bad as they are. They actually, truly believe this. They lack any and all ability to empathize with people who are not white (this is why they don't care about police brutality, why they don’t understand Black Lives Matter, why the #MeToo movement was seen as “aggressive” by them because it was black-led, and why they are always "blind" to systemic racism), and the vast majority of them can't even empathize with animals. They are the only people who enjoy killing things for sport and taking pictures with the corpses. They are the only people who disrespect nature and don’t have an issue raping it dry. They are 10% of the world's population and have managed to remain statistically the most violent. They can not be reasoned with. People who see you as less than a person will NEVER listen to a thing you say.

They constantly project, and this is why they continue to brutalize, murder, and rape us with the belief that we are like them and will do it to them. This is also why they fear black people gaining true wealth and power: they think all the hate they gave will come back on them. For this reason, weed will always be illegal in most predominantly white states, and even in the states where it becomes legal, its distribution (and therefore its wealth) will still be monitored closely so that it only monetarily benefits white people: no one will be allowed to grow pot in their house.

White people are literally a different species to us. This is why they don't see us as human, when ironically, they are the ones who aren't human. White people are the only "humans" who can't trace their evolution back to Africa. This is why they are so against teaching evolution in schools but mask it behind a Christian agenda. Yet they pretend that "we are all African" to get away with the shit they do. They are not African. They are not human. They are a different species entirely, which is why they refer to our blood as "monkey blood" because it’s primate blood and theirs is not. When two people get married, they have to get a blood test to see if their child will survive. Otherwise, the fetus will be rejected by the mother's womb as if it is a disease or a foreign object. Why? Because two different species have mixed over the years that should not be mixing.

White people are a different species entirely and it's been widely believed for years that they are actually hybrid descendants of the violent and savage Neanderthals that slaughtered their way from cave to cave (Sound familiar? That's basically white history in a nutshell). They even have fairy tales of how they came here from another planet. They rationalize their existence by saying they are descendants of angels and Tall White Aliens. Even white people don't believe they are human.

What kind of race hasn’t evolved to survive their own planet’s sun? If white people were from Earth, they would not crumble in the sunlight. They would not have stories about vampires and subterranean Martians. They would not be so diseased and frail. Because they would have evolved – as we did – to survive this planet.

The fact that we are a different species has been used to justify white people’s shitty treatment of us. Bio warfare (the invention of an AIDs virus whose origins they conveniently can’t trace and/or blame on black people), discrimination, brutalization, lynching, raping, slavery. The appropriation of our culture for their monetary gain. Constantly dictating what “human” is and telling us how to dress, think, and feel. Holding us back from our dreams. Stealing our genetics like accessories but shaming us for naturally having them. You can’t wear natural hairstyles to work or school and are expected to torture yourself with chemicals (perms) to appease them, so it’s literally illegal to be black. Brainwashing our community with Christianity. Dividing us with colorism. Keeping us poor, uneducated, and desperate. Distributing drugs among our people. Murdering every. Single. Civil rights leader. We. Ever. Had. Then having the gall to use MLK to lecture us about peaceful protests that they always slaughter our people for anyway. Then at the end of it all acting innocently appalled by our anger when we don’t quietly accept being treated like shit.

Four hundred years of consistently pulling devious shit against black people have proven their hatred for us is very real and is not going to change. It doesn't matter how "progressive" some white people appear. Most are doing it for political reasons, to sooth their own egos or to separate themselves from extremists like the KKK. White civil rights activism isn't about black people at all. It's about white people and their politics. The easiest way to look good is to pretend to give a shit about black people, right NatGeo?

White people are disappearing. They are 10% of the world's population and only maintain control because they control all the wealth. We could rise and kill them all (but we won't) which is why they are so terrified. Again, they are projecting. They think we are as bad as them, that we'll rise up and kill them all when their numbers are low, so their police brutalize us, and they encourage interracial dating in an attempt to survive through our genes, and they SUDDENLY give a shit about the environment because they won't be able to survive it in about 200 years the way our melanin-induced skin can. This is another reason why they want to get melanin in their genes.

Universe 25.

White people know they are on their way out. They have known a long time. Like I said on another post, they love writing stories about their white nightmares.

The Planet of the Apes was about a world ruled by apes (black people) and the horrified white man (Heston) who finds himself a slave there.

The Dragon Age franchise talks about Universe 25 in Inquisition. Solas is an ancient elf who watched elven civilization crumble due to wars over resources and imbalances in the social hierarchy. He foresees it all happening again to humans and it’s painfully obvious in his conversations with Varric and Sera. At first, Solas encourages Sera to actually do something to fight the system, then he quickly realizes that Universe 25 – the collapse of a system built on social inequality and/or experiencing a population explosion that divides resources – is inevitable and agrees that Sera is “fine as she is.”

Black Panther is just the latest version of these white nightmares, only white people have it wrong. When white people finally succumb to Universe 25, it is not black Africans who they need look to for salvation. The end of Black Panther preaches peace between the races and uses MLK to try and brainwash us into being kind to white people when Universe 25 finally happens to them (it’s sad that they think we’re so stupid that we can’t see through that shit) but in reality, it is not black people on whose mercy white lives will depend. That’s what the racists (some of them anyway) don’t get.

White survival is about to depend entirely on the Chinese.

White people will not be able to stand up to the Chinese, which is why they are pushing interracial dating. They want to elevate biracials to white status – just as they did with the Irish and the Scots – to improve their numbers, but it won’t be enough. So they are probably going to turn to Latin people next, who already consider themselves white and white adjacent. If they stopped being dicks to Latin people, Latin people might save them. Most Latinos are so anti-black and so thirsty for white status, you bet your ass they would do it.

 The reality is, white power has lasted this long because white people have done this before. They bred with the original indigenous black people across the globe to create most of the beige races that exist today, to survive, to continue to rule us. They will continue to do it in desperation but are slowly coming to the realization that their genes are actually weak and that they are, in fact, helping to create a world full of brown people. This is why some of them – the extremists -- are actually against interracial dating.

This is also why they won’t legalize abortion: they desperately want white women to keep having white babies and they desperately want black women to keep having black babies they can use as canon fodder in their wars.

But Universe 25 is inevitable for any civilization that experiences a population boom and starts fighting for resources. White people literally caused this population boom by raping black people to create new races.

It was already predicted long ago that white people would only rule for 600 years. They have 200 years left, and if they aren’t killed by Global Warming, they will still eventually fade away because they were never meant to survive this environment.  

White people can’t be saved from themselves. Just let them slowly die out. Let them fall in the grave they dug for themselves.

Black people are dying out too. We are the originators, the indigenous people of Earth who once populated and ruled the ancient planet, but before long, we will be gone, and it will be a planet of beige-colored people, a genetic mush of multicolored eyes and hair.

I pity that future generation, the people who will descend from us and who have to clean up our mess. Everyone will probably look the same at that point, so there will be no racism. But there will still be sexism, religion, pedophilia, terrorism, war, disease, social inequality, and poverty, because the white gene and its thirst to dominate and control will survive inside the black one.

You think I’m joking or that I’m being “racist” when I say this, but it is the reality. Black people originated true equalitarianism, a concept most white people can not even begin to grasp because their culture revolves around patriarchal power structures (in direct opposition to black matriarchal power structures), competition, selfishness, greed, “might is right,” and rewarding predators.

White people are doomed to be ruled by China. And even if white people all disappeared as they fear, we would still have to live with anti-black Chinese, Latinos, Indians, Arabs, and basically anyone who isn’t black because basically anyone who isn’t black hates us.

White people can not save themselves and are determined to take us down with them.

Let white people be. Let them be. Eat popcorn. Watch their turn at Universe 25. Watch. File your nails. Laugh. Stop stressing out over shit that’s about to be over anyway.

What can black people do in the meantime? Rediscover our spirituality. Communicate with the Source. Take care of ourselves and our communities. Be good to each other (end colorism). Practice LoA to enrich our personal lives. Move forward. Don’t look back. Detach. Observe the changing world powers from a safe distance.

Nytimes and other assbackwards websites will tell you not to ignore white people. Those are the sunken black people who can’t be saved, who have no idea what’s going on, who their ancestors were, or what happened in the past. Ignore them too.

Let them go. It is not worth the stress and life is too short to spend wringing our hands over racism.

It is out of our hands.

[pokefan531]

A Year of Sword and Shield Overview - Part 1

Sword and Shield Overview

So today, I will be doing an overview of one of the infamous Pokemon games up to date, Sword and Shield. Reason why it’s infamous is its history behind it. I will go over the very first announcement from Feb. 2019 reveal, the National Dex problem, the animations and datamine that happened last year, the reputation, the DLCs, and the redemption. I wanted to do a balanced review of the game and seeing how the game evolved a year later, it is pretty interesting how it went from disappointing to a fine Pokemon game. I do want to address a couple of things going on to the game and stuff.

The beginning.

Well, Sword and Shield reveal got its positive reaction since Pokemon Day 2019. It was the main Pokemon Switch game that everyone wanted. For couple of months, all of the game trailers were all positive at this point. Let’s Go Pikachu and Eevee weren’t as great as we hoped for, since it was a second remake of Kanto, and also removed most of the new mechanics, and much less connections with Pokemon GO. With Sword and Shield at the moment, it was a game that can open up more doors to see its potentials.

The first downfall of Sword and Shield.

June 5th was the last reveal trailer that got its positive reputation. Nearly a week later, we got an E3 presentation. We thought it’s gonna be the best representation of the game, but we were WRONG! They announced the cut on National Dex and half Pokemon will not make it to the game, and it got everyone to ruin their excitement. The E3 announcement on June 11th was when Sword and Shield started to get its bad reputation. Me, personally, was disappointed, as we didn’t get much answers. We only hear that they had to cut the pokemon out to do “Best Animation Quality” in time for release, which was a big no. We also saw the tree with bad texture quality and even for a beta presentation, it was a bad look. We all saw they’re rushing the game for the Holidays for Christmas, which really kills many company’s reputation and game’s quality. At the time, we all blamed Game Freak for their decision before more evidence of The Pokemon Company. I was disappointed like them and wished they delayed the game to 2020. I would think it wouldn’t be as bad if they mentioned that they would add more Pokemon later on by game updates. Still, it was a disappointment of how the game got this treatment. I wanted the game to do well. With High Quality Animation in the game, that’s what made us pay more attention to the game’s graphics and animation. It was a real bad case and we would’ve not care about the graphics or the animation as much if that wasn’t said. However, in retrospect, they had to complete the game to not have game breaking bugs, which it didn’t have. Game Freak had no choice but to admit the quality of the game, and it was sad to hear this. Generally, many of us don’t want our good games to be rushed at all, especially if it has to be on a holiday. Guess what? Video Games don’t sell very high on the Holiday season, the Hardware does. None of us want to see a game getting rushed, after No Man’s Sky, the PS1 Classic, Sonic 06 and Sonic Boom from 2014, and Battlefield V (Which the game itself is much worse) and we are afraid to see this for Sword and Shield.

The Harassment to Game Freak and my thoughts

For the first few weeks after the E3 Presentation, Game Freak's employer, Masuda, came and said he and the company got threats and stuff for lack of Pokemon for Sword and Shield. Well, I could ignore really bad fans, I could never accept the fact that they give them death threats. Whenever something happens to any innocent actor, game devs, or writers, it is not acceptable. I could go on and discuss the bad side of the fans and everything, but I decide to not pay much attention to them. We got BringBackNationalDex hashtag on twitter, and while I agree with the idea and all, I don’t agree with what anyone at social media platform treats real people with threats and stuff. We live in an age where many people use social media like Twitter, and Twitter is the most toxic social media platform in existence. I’ve seen this happen before. What happened to Masuda and Game Freak isn’t a new thing to social media, as I've seen this happen to many movies or games that turn out worse. An actress of one character from TLOU 2 got threats for playing a horrible character. Kelly Marie Tran got bullied on Instagram for playing a badly written character. THere are more examples. While I do see the toxic side of any fandoms literally, anyone on the internet will do those things and think it’s okay to do this online when this shouldn’t really be done. I don’t think Sword and Shield’s dexit has the very huge split of the fandom in half that badly due to the brand not having its damage or seeing toys and stuff fall off sales. It did get bad attention as we all saw, I’ve been in much worse situations outside of Sword and Shield backlash, like The Last Jedi debacle. It was two straight years of worse, it had a huge split in the fandom and the director of the movie wanted it that way, brand lost so much money, and it was a war between fans and the studio, and it’s such a huge mess during entire 2018-2019, and I still was involved with the Star Wars Sequel Trilogy backlash during the Sword and Shield stuff so I had a harder time with the former than dexit situation. I can thank Game Freak and Masuda for understanding the frustrations and not teasing the fans. I understand and agree with the disappointments, but no harassment. It’s worse if the people who worked on the game or movie ever do any harassment to the fans like what I saw with TLJ, TLOU2, or Battlefield V. I don’t doubt that the hatred of SwSh was a bit too far, and I can make a paragraph about it, but I would like to ignore a great amount of the bad side. Still, what could’ve been done was if GF were allowed to say they will eventually add more Pokemon by updates, and not having to focus on graphics and animation, of possible, or admit more content will be available, we would’ve got a shorter and small backlash so we would’ve seen the games in better spot.

The release and another disappointment

In August, I really liked Wheezing’s new form that got jokes for Doug Dimmadome from Fairly Oddparents. The backlash was calmed down. In November, we got ThankYouGameFreak hashtag to show how important GameFreak is to us, and to give them warm thanks after what happened in summer. Well, it didn’t last, because a few days later, everyone saw the datamines and it went the opposite to GF, and we saw no improved animation or graphics on the game as they had to say in E3. It was sad, and it was when the game was about to be released. I know the month of November last year was not really good. We got Coppa for Youtube, and it was worse, but thankfully Youtube listened to our voices so our channels are safe. I had more focus on it than SwSh. However, the problems became apparent, and it made me not want to get it. Seeing how it was rushed and saw the mess again, it was not really good. I thought it was better to wait for the game to have updates and have more content until it became more satisfying to get the game. I thought the backlash had got more quiet since summer, but after the reveal, it was back. I know there’s a phrase like “You can’t judge a book by its cover” and while true, the “High Quality Animation” they promised (or had to promise) didn’t come true, and they reuse models and animation from the 3DS games. The game I heard was all right on its own, but I feel like it’s best to wait until more announcements afterwards. Also those games were priced $60 and it was overpriced as the game has less content. Pokemon is Nintendo’s first party game, so they pretty much decided the price for the game. While the game was disappointing, which was rightfully so, the hatred and not focusing on the great side of the game was kinda put aside back then. To be honest, even if I was disappointed of the game, I never thought it was a terrible game or as bad as 2018’s Battlefield V. I was not having a bad gut feeling about it, so I didn’t really have a huge problem with the game as I could see it being more content like I said.

DLC Announcement and Redemption

Well on January 9th of this year, an announcement of Sword and Shield DLC came in! To see how more content they will bring, it opens up a redemption for the game and so my assumptions for new content was right. I could see the game improve, and so I would wait for the DLC to come out. The DLC pass is priced at $30, which seemed overpriced for two of them, like SwSh, but that’s Nintendo or The Pokemon Company’s decision of the price, mostly the former. Still, this shows up a good potential of extending the games. While it is a different approach than third pillar or sequel like Yellow, Crystal, Emerald, or B2W2, it is pretty interesting. Battling more legendaries and catching them is gonna be the most exciting thing for a Pokemon game. With more Pokemon returning, this shows a good redeeming quality of the game finally. In my opinion of the first DLC, when it came out, I thought it was okay, and while it has less problems than the main game in quality, I did wish it had more content. It was better enough to get me to play the game with an emulator, and later, getting a real Nintendo Switch. The second DLC has more content than the first one, and seeing more Legendaries added, this second part is the best DLC of the two. Well, it did being more fanservice and content, it really paid off. The overall game became more tolerable a year later, and I was happy to see this game evolve. Yes, intended to label it that. XD

Tune in for part 2 to see my review of the game itself. Also will mention the Beta leak there too. Stay tuned!

[rivier]

so yeah 2017

here’s the thing.  

This time last year, pretty much everyone was throwing up their hands in horror: Brexit, Trump, rise of the Alt-right everywhere, and famous death after famous death, not just the usual 80-something novelists and politicians, suddenly it was a whole armful of people many of us have loved deeply, gone way too early - from Bowie to Carrie via Prince and George Michael and Alan Rickman, Gene Wilder, lovely Anton Yelchin.  So everyone was big on “roll on 2017!” and it duly rolled on and for many, many people I know, 2017 was even more craptacular and despair-inducing, and now it’s “thank god that shithole of a year is done, let’s drink to 2018!″ 

Which I understand.  But for me the truth is 2017, compared to 2016 and indeed at least four or five years before it, this has been a pretty damned good year for me, all told.  

Oh, it started terrible: work, that had been hard and grisly but was at least intellectually satisfying, work flipped on its end and by the end of my first week in January I was abruptly, utterly demoralised, destabilised, facing a real battle for the next few months.  It was as shitty and enervating as anything I’ve ever done, right up to 31 March, in fact (the day I escaped from Terrible Job).  Boy, there are people I worked for - because in no way was it ‘with’ - during those three months and the year or so before, that I hate now with cool, diamond-hard marrow-deep irrevocable and absolute conviction.  In both career and personal senses, I sincerely hope to live to see their coffins walk, every last one, and when they do I’ll raise a glass of champagne every damned time.  They did me quite deliberate harm, at a dreadful period of my life, and I’m a West Ham girl at heart, we hold our wrongs close and we are short on forgiveness, huge on vengeance.

At about the same time things happened in my personal life that no-one outside my close family knows anything about, and it’s staying that way but they were truly horrible and almost totally out of the blue.  If nothing else, they prove that depression for me is a chemical thing not circumstantial, because I got through those first few months of 2017 without going mad, breaking down or killing myself and no word of a lie, if I’d been clinically depressed at the same time, I doubt I’d have been here now.  It was all too much to bear with wonky brain chemicals on top.  As it was, my brain was stressed but fighting hard every which way, my body wasn’t pissing all its serotonin up the walls: we all survived.  Though again, one person in particular caused so much hurt for me and mine that I would literally and eagerly beat this individual to death if the chance fell my way, without hesitation or scruple, if I had the slightest chance of getting away with it.  Sorry to be so nasty but it is the truth.  They’ve sowed so much deliberate harm... well, their day in the dark will come, that much I do know.

That’s really the point of this post - not that I’m an axe murderer, but that things do change.  When you’re at your worst you don’t stay there forever, not in all things.  After April my life (my luck?) started to turn.  I moved jobs, then moved again, and each time I’ve been very fortunate in having supportive managers who give a shit about all their staff, and work I seem to have an aptitude for.  The domestic badness hasn’t really been resolved, but we’ve learned to reshape ourselves around it, we’re all getting in with things anyway.  

But here I am, end of 2017, in a better place all round than I’ve been for several years.  I’m reasonably healthy, as are most of the people I care about (and the Overlords).  I’m reasonably solvent, albeit with a fair bit more debt than my family has any idea about, but if the worst happens my house will more than cover all that and then some.  I like my job - actually I really love it right now, even when it’s running me into the ground (mostly).  I’m happier in fandom terms than I’ve been in years, maybe even the best part of a decade?  I’m writing again too, when I can tear myself away from the terrible procrastination. I’ve met people whose company (online and off) I really enjoy, which for a bad-tempered misanthropic old fucker like me is not to be sneered at.

Compared to 2016, the Grim Reaper has had a piss-poor year in terms of people whose deaths mean something to me personally.  Politically - well, I’m a hateful Tory cunt who voted Remain, but who has been so repulsed by the bullying politics of most of the EU bigmouths I’m now not just willing to accept democracy’s decision, I positively champion it: ready to pull up the drawbridge tightly and take our chances, that’s me now.

And what Rose McGowan and the NYT kicked off in October has turned out to be seismic in terms of exposing the endemic, entrenched omnipotent sexism that rules every single part of our world.  I’ve used the mantra ‘miles to go’ for years now, blogging about anything feminist / equality-oriented, because I think it’s true.  We have so far to go before gender equality is any kind of reality, it might as well be infinity.  Not in my lifetime, not in yours, not in any children you have or may have, that is a certainty.  Half the population hold implicit power over the other half - in work, at home, in public and private and in every single sphere of social existence, and don’t kid yourselves they've got the slightest understanding of what it’s like to be on the non-dominant side, let alone the slightest appetite for evening things out, for handing over one molecule of their power.  

But Weinstein’s downfall and the ripples from that turd sinking in the lake - they have started to change perception in a way nothing else maybe even in my lifetime has.  It’s the good fortune of this happening in the internet’s era of editorial-free transparency.  #MeToo wouldn’t have stood a chance in male-oriented mainstream media - but here, on online social media platforms, finally we started to see that the sexist oppression and hatred and casual, barely-worth-mentioning everyday abuse isn’t unique to me, or you or you or you, sisters.  We have all been there on the receiving end, all our lives to date - we’ll continue to be, but knowing we aren’t in any way outliers, odd or unusual in that respect is one big fucking beautiful, powerful stride down that infinite road.  

So the point of this big screed is - if you’ve had a shitty 2017, no matter how bad it is or where you’re at now, it WILL change for the better.  Nature, karma, balance, the roll of time - all require that anything that is how it is now will change. At some point, the things that are panning out well for me will stop - I’m hoping not for a while, because the last few years have been enough of a shit-parade for me to feel I’m owed a little bit more of an easy path, or so I hope.  

But things change, everything changes.  If you’ve had a good 2017, I hope it continues as long as possible, or that the roundabouts and swings don’t dip too much in 2018.  If you’ve hated this year with the pure indecent spleen of my ancestors - I hope you’ll see things changing to better times, and soon.

Happy 2018 peeps.

[specsnsarcasm]

My Review of... ‘Passengers’

I finally got around to seeing the movie Passengers (2016) and umm… what the hecking heck was that?!?!

[Warning: SPOILERS AHEAD!]

CASTING PROBLEMS:

First of all, I know it’s supposed to be everybody’s cinematic wet dream, putting Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt together (the way people wanted to see what the offspring of the two so-called “most beautiful people in the world” - Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt - would look like). It was the people’s experiment! Put these two “likeable”, “relatable”, “funny”, good-looking people together, and watch the movie magic unfold! So riddle me this: why put these two in a sci-fi drama of all things, when a simple rom-com would have sufficed!?

Second, I don’t think these two had much chemistry. Sure, they don’t do anything empirically wrong (save a little overacting here and there), but I just didn’t believe them as a couple. I was very aware that I was watching two people acting the way you think two people should when they’re in love. You can practically see the weight of everyone’s expectations on their shoulders. Be sexy! Be charming! Be perfect! I wondered if they had any fun making this movie at all!

I also found something very odd about this pairing. Maybe it’s the age difference (25, at the time, to his 36)? I find that Lawrence tends to play too mature for her real age, playing a lot of late-20′s or 30-something characters. She has lots of time for that, but I guess she’s highly bankable right now and can physically play a wide range? Hollywood is not kind to women. They cast a 25 year old as a 35 year old, and a 35 year old as dust (but that’s another story). Or maybe it’s the imbalance of star power? She is arguably the bigger star. Either way, something was off. 

I maintain that Pratt’s best work is as a comedic actor. I know he’s trying to branch out or whatever, but I just don’t buy him as a “leading man”. Not in an all-out, dramatic role. Not yet, anyway. He was good in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) as the wise-cracking, cocksure rebel. And in Jurassic World (2015) as a more rugged, wise-cracking, cocksure rebel. And in The Magnificent Seven (2016) as an EVEN MORE rugged, wise-cracking, cocksure rebel. He just didn’t quite fit the bill here for me. Although he plays it straight, he kept making me laugh unintentionally (that’s the problem with getting typecast). Especially with three, count em’, one, two, THREE gratuitous butt shots. (We get it!!! BUTTS!). Anyway, dozens of other, half-decent “name” actors could have done a perfectly serviceable job in this role, so by casting Pratt, you’re asking for something that only Pratt can do well. Let him do his thing if that’s why you like him so much!

CHARACTER/STORY PROBLEMS:

Right away, the movie has parallels to the extremely hard-to-top The Martian (2015). But this film has neither the charm, humour, or the gravitas. I found myself comparing Jim to Mark Watney. Both are stranded and alone, both have technical skills. However, unlike Jim, Mark has the mental fortitude NOT to crack almost immediately under pressure. Not that I judge Jim, but the emotional progression in The Martian seems more steady and realistic than in this, which dealt with its characters' emotional journeys very superficially. I didn’t feel that the movie did a good enough job of tapping into Jim’s early despair, psychology, or the agoraphobia of space. At one point when things start to go wrong with the ship, Lawrence’s character says that she was trapped in her room for days. Show me, don’t tell me! That would have been interesting to see! Just as it would have been interesting to see (not just glean) how Jim and Aurora live out the remainder of their years. I thought the movie would eventually get to it. They don’t. Superficiality was a running theme.   

Another one of the film’s downfalls is the lack of curiosity about its own premise: the science fiction of it all! I wondered about their training on Earth beforehand, and why Jim doesn’t scan through the other bios to find a doctor, biologist, or another engineer - someone with whom he can work the problem! I want so badly for Jim to “science the shit” out of something, as Watney does. Instead, he opts for the company of the aptly named (if not a little on-the-nose) sleeping beauty, Aurora; a writer, who isn’t very helpful in that regard. For such a futuristic premise, the story is disappointingly regressive. (i.e. a love interest with nothing to offer but being pretty? Okay). 

The two of them experience no real sense of existential wonder/dread, curiosity about the ship, about the technology, about space. It's all restaurants and fucking on cafeteria tables! They might as well have been at an Earth resort! At one point, they are literally standing up close to a Red Giant, but they look at it for all of two seconds before they’re like “OK cool. Welp! Let’s go have sex now!” This isn’t so much a science fiction movie as it is a 'bottle' drama, that happens to be set on a space ship. The location is completely secondary, and the beautiful visuals of space and the ship are just convenient backdrops to the “will they or won’t they?” romance. *Sigh*.

One of the most interesting parts of the story, I found, which they don't even discuss, is the nebulous “Homestead Corporation”. It manufactures faulty pods, and even in the future on other planets, it treats passengers by class. I wonder what sort of civilization they hope to create on a new planet by doing this. Is this the reality that people have accepted in the future? Is there any opposition to this? By whom? They mention other colonies: what do they look like? How do they function politically? Do other countries or competing companies possess these technologies too? Is it completely private, non-governmental or governmental? If so, do countries own planets, or is it just corporations? They could make a whole movie out of this! (Copyright: Specsnsarcasm, 2017. haha)! In essence, it’s similar to the Weyland Corporation in Alien (1979) & Prometheus (2012).

MAJOR PROBLEMS

Arthur and its whole vibe. I was instantly creeped out by Arthur the android (played by the delightful Martin Sheen). It operates a bar that is decorated in 70′s decor that is reminiscent of The Shining (1980). The reason for this retro aesthetic is kind of confusing and jarring on such a futuristic vessel (but sure!). But it also primed me to think that, like the bartender in The Shining, there was something amiss about Arthur. It befriends (as much as an android can) Jim first, then Aurora. Early on, Jim entrusts it not to divulge his terrible secret to Aurora. A promise which Arthur makes, yet readily betrays. But why would Arthur tell her? It’s an android, it has no moral imperative to divulge the truth. Nor does it have any reason to show loyalty to Aurora over Jim or betray an expressed request. This tricked me into thinking there was an Alien/Prometheus situation going on with Arthur, in that it was secretly behind some of the mischief that was going on aboard the ship. But OF COURSE that turned out to be a red herring (because that would be TOO interesting). The reason for Arthur’s slip is NEVER explained, nor is it ever addressed. Jim isn’t even mad! He doesn’t even find it strange that he was outed by the machine, and they literally never mention it again. WTF?  

Laurence Fishburne is utterly wasted in this film! Practically blink-and-you’ll-miss-him (rude)! He only wakes up so that the two protagonist can have a mind-boggling, deus ex machina way of saving themselves with his security clearance bracelet thingie. And why was his pod the only faulty pod to cause terminal illness? (THAT'S RACIST! Jk. lol). Shouldn’t Jim have also had some health problems, though less severe? (Sometimes I wonder why Larry and Sam Jackson put up with this shit, but ANYway...👀). Also embarrassingly wasted in his role is Andy Garcia there at the end. Poor, poor Andy. Such disrespect! He grew that great big beautiful bushy beard for nothing! lol.

Also, why is there only ONE medical pod on a ship with 5000 ppl and 258 crew? That ratio seems dangerously low and irresponsible to me, even if they were only intended to survive on the ship out of suspension for 4 months before reaching the planet.

CONCLUSION

In the end, I’m not upset because this was a romance posing as sci-fi film. I would have loved to see a good sci-fi OR a good romance movie. Unfortunately, this rather middling on both fronts. It had boundless potential, and I guess I just expected more. With the quality of TV shows these days (as well as the price of a movie), you’re going to have to do a lot more than toss two good looking people on screen with some candy coloured effects to get people interested.  

I suspect this film started out as an entirely different movie than the one we ended up with (judging from the big name actors in almost cameo roles). Perhaps it had more of a sci-fi story, but it was changed to feature the love story more heavily?

On the pairing: as much as the internet likes to get its way and see the fruits of its fan pairings come to life on screen, I think this is a cautionary tale about how real life sometimes falls short of our imagination (see: the Veronica Mars movie). It’s also yet another cautionary tale for Hollywood about why they need to re-evaluate their strategy of big budget SFX movies with paltry scripts. The ability to develop interesting, in-depth characters is why cable television and streaming services are eclipsing movies, who routinely struggle to meet box-office expectations. 

[Note: These are just my opinions. I’m not a professional critic, I just like to watch movies and write about them!].