#i have two movies on my To Watch list next Our Little Sister and Destiny: The Tale of Kamakura

[todayisafridaynight]

NGL kind of curious to know what you meant with regard to Smile being a sad kind of funny but that may be an excuse to experience the show secondhand while getting out of actually watching it...

NEVERTHELESS Garden already seemed super promising like 6 minutes in and I'm sooooo glad to hear it follows through... his character reminded me a lot of Shizuka in The Travel Nurse right off the bat (highly positive sign, that's my wife) but also Whore With A Terminal Illness is one of my favorite tropes... AND I get to see boobs... waow...

Don't Cry Mr. Ogre is def cute <3 Due to an atrocious viewing experience (as usual I guess) I do not remember much of Wish except that Tsutsumi read through some of the cookbooks they used to decorate the home set to pass the time LMAO but I hope you enjoy the rest of the movie :) See you at stream later!

LMAO if yaint plannin on watchin it then ill drop the FATTEST spoiler bombs ever. i suppose. i mean the spoilers arent anything Epic i guess but anyways. gonna put this ask under a cut since it's just turning into a review at this point LMAO

it's 'sad funny' to me because throughout the show, Our Japanese-Filipino Bestie vito constantly tells his love interest that he'll become a stronger person and he'll become better to protect her- yk that whole spiel. the problem with this is that Even Literally Hours Before He's Due To Be Executed For Murder, he's still telling her this when it's like... throughout the series Literally Every Episode or every other episode he's crying and having to rely on other people. there's nothing wrong with crying or needing help but he never sticks up for himself or does thing on his own, he ALWAYS ends up getting help or needing help.

the one time he DOES stand up for himself and protect her he's being punished for it Aka Being Put On Trial For Murder and it just leaves a really weird taste in my mouth. usually when you watch a show or movie you're waiting for some kind of character development but for our guy, it's not really there and it's just kind of sad to watch. but funny because he keeps saying he'll get better. but mostly sad.

i think i understand the angle of 'being a foreigner/perceived as a foreigner in japan is so arduous it can make someone not want to put in the effort, or theyre too scared to'- a type of Learned Helplessness right. but he's our protagonist: we're meant to see him stand up to these prejudices and want to advocate for himself, and tell us 'hey, just because things ARE this way doesn't mean they should be and it's right'. it's only because of kazuma (our Spoilers Korean-Japanese friend) that he's able to be acquitted for the death penalty- a penalty he wanted to accept because of the murder he committed (btw the guy he killed was the biggest jackass ever. like irredeemable. like he got vito in jail years ago and kidnapped him prior to his murder and wanted to put ANOTHER assault charge on him)

i get really itchy thinking about it.... korea and the philippines were both persecuted by japanese imperialism Thats A Fact, yet SEAsians are treated MUCH more differently compared to east asians. it's kind of funny (sad) how asians dont like each other and that there's almost a list of ethnicities more likely to get harsher treatment right- but i guess im getting off topic. it is something that was itching the back of my mind the entire time watching though

i'll pivot away from that Real Talk depressing-ass topic tho LMAOOOO im not the kind of guy for those discussions. 'whore with a terminal illness' is the funniest description HELP BUT IT'S TRUE THAT'S LITERALLY HIS CHARACTER i couldn't help but think of The Travel Nurse when i started watching too funnily enough... BUT YEAH I DO REC IT it's SOOOOOO good..... love it when nakai gets a terminal illness and now he has to be a family man..... it's a really specific set of circumstances but they deliver every time lol..... the show's p (✿U‿◕✿) bout the boobage i guess is a way to put it LMAO LIKE THEY NEVER LINGER AND IT'S P CASUAL but it is there and it did make me go Eyo like three times. since this ask is under a cut im at liberty to say im only asking for ONE (1) squeeze JUST ONE <- i am forcibly removed from the studio

MR OGRE WAS DEF CUTE i kept getting reminded of my old track coach lol..... im also just a baseball enjoyer so Unfortunately I Too was just sitting in my chair biting my knuckles during shit like saito bunting the ball instead of following obuchi's directions... lmao... anyways... i'm sorry to hear your Wish viewing experience wasn't good- it's cute that ttm was reading cookbooks on set tho LMAO

this ask is already nine hours long so i'll say i REALLy enjoyed wish. i already said so in my past post LOL but ill say it again in that i love crime stories, yet an aspect of crime stories that always get excluded or aren't as looked at in-depth is the family of those involved, whether they're the criminals or victims' parents. wish does a wonderful job at showing that off, and it was just a grand experience watching this family have to cope with all the bullshit goin on around them while simultaneously trying to figure out what happened to their son AND what's the right thing to believe.... was very epic to me....

[awigglycultist]

Pt 3 of The Guide: Tin Can Brothers (or Tin Can Bros or TCB) the sorta sister company of Starkid, created by three of the founding SK members (who not *actually* brothers) they started off doing skits but have also made many projects. Totally worth checking put their skits too though they're great. Fun fact all of these except Ex-Vloggers and Idol Worship canonically actually take place in the same universe. You do not at all need to watch one to understand another or anything but in WWG they made references to SIS, SAF and Flop Stoppers and then in SISBIB made another reference to SAF so its just a fun neat little thing that they all take place in the same universe.

Ex-Vloggers. It isn't like any of their other projects you'll see me list. In fact I wouldn't really call it a project. Its just a short webseries. It's much simpler and lower quality, not bad I just mean that this wouldn't have cost much to do compared to the others. It's actually really good and underappreciated in my opinion. It totally gives me nostalgia for 2015 youtube era and also it points out how fake youtubers can be putting up a front for the camera.

Summary: boyfriends Kyle and Brendan run a YouTube channel together, doing different challenges and tag videos. To their audience they seem like total love birds but behind the scenes their relationship isn't doing so well.

Spies Are Forever (SAF). This is a musical all about spies. I cannot describe how great this. It's the most loved TCB project. It's one of my fave musicals over all. There's stuff I'd love to talk about more but it'd spoil it. Just know it's great. It's really good story.

Summary: after his partner dies on a mission Curt Mega finally gets back into spying after 4 years and he ends up uncovering a super villains plot to rebuild the Nazi empire. Trailer

Choose Our Destiny: Improv Adventure. It's an improv show! Every month they had a different theme and they would do it live and do polls to let the audience choose different things to happen next. This was actually originally don't a different website that is now defunct, due to this all the episodes were luckily put on youtube by some fans but unfortunately several of them have audio issues. CHALLAHBack Girl and Murder... On The Rocks are particularly bad offenders but I promise you gets better after a while and the episodes are really great.

No summary or trailer for this one

Flop Stoppers. A short film musical with 4 songs that are all complete bops. It's a very fun little short film.

Summary: Two comic nerd YouTubers talk about their opinions on comics and movies on their channel. Until one day they're tasked with making sure one of the most hated movies by comic nerds including themselves is never made. Having to go back in time and kill the man who made it. Trailer

The Solve It Squad Returns (SIS/SISR/TSISR). A one act play that does also have two songs. It's a Sooby Doo parody and it's great the characters are so fun the jokes a fun. There's a few series moments but it's overall just really super fun and funny. Also there's only 5 actors, one for each squad member and then one that plays every single other character. And it's insane. There's literally a scene where it's just him playing every character and he has do these ridiculous quick changes and it's so funny.

Summary: The Solve It Squad is a gang of kids detectives well known throughout the world. When their dog Cluebert (Scooby) dies durning a case they whole gang breaks apart. 20 years later Scrags (Shaggy) has become apart of the FBI and his boss gives him the case that ended it all. He gathers the gang back together, Keith (Fred) who's become washed up and missing his peak in life, Gwen (Daphne) who became a self centered actor but is always stuck in a box of mystery solving, and Esther (Velma) who's became a druggie, to solve the mystery of who Cluebert's killer is once and for all. Trailer

Idol Worship. A short film about how fake YouTubers are and how much fans idolized YouTubers. It's good commentary. Pretty funny. It's not my favorite but I enjoy it for sure.

Summary: famous lifestyle youtube influencer Ashley puts on a con but it is outed for being fake from production crew. Trailer

The Wayward Guide For The Untrained Eye (TWGFTUE/WWG). This is an amazing horror comedy web series and podcast. In the webseries there's two ppl making a podcast they also released the actual podcast they made so you get to see what actually happens vs what is told to the public. If you watch this let me know before you watch it because it's suggested to watch the webseries and podcast in certain order (basically alternating every other episode) and I'll send you a playlist of it in that order. Its got a really fun cast of kooky characters. It's a mystery you can try and solve along the way yourself. I love it.

Summary: Twin siblings Artemis and Paul Schue-Horyn work at the American Podcasting Network and are trying to get the spot to the host the new season of the podcast The Wayward Guide For The Untrained Eye. When a strange man from a weird small town comes in their office to pitch the story of the corrupt mining cooperation in his town the shrug him off. Until their boss doesn't like their idea the give to him for the new season, as a last stitch effort they pitch the strange man's story and their boss loves it. When they arrive in town and their lead dies and they find out about the possible existence of werewolves the suddenly have a lot more on their hands to deal with than originally. Trailer

The Solve It Squad Back In Biz (SISBIB, or Solve It Squad the Animated but no one really calls it that). Ofc you have to watch SISR first before this. This also technically isn't fully on youtube but it is currently coming out. It's four script readings of episodes for an idea of animated series of the solve it squad, none of its actually animated (the title sequence/song is an animatic tho). It's fun getting to see these characters and it's funny. Also I'll go ahead and mention they're also currently working on a Solve It Squad musical for the holidays and the plan is too perform live and also release digital tickets for it around this upcoming Xmas and then it'll come out on youtube around the Xmas after that. I'm just mentioning this so you know that the solve it squad is like an expanding series. Anyway.

Summary: Ep 1 SIS to the (Dog) Rescue. A tiger was stolen at the zoo and the squad has to find out who stole it, Scrags is still sad about Cluebert and gets a new dog, the dog is an idiot and ruins everything they do. Ep 2 SIS Takes a Chill Pill. Gwen's life is busy with the squad, acting and her family. So her and Esther take a day off to relax. Esther gets them on drugs bc that's their idea of fun and relaxing, meanwhile Keith and Scrags take care of Gwen's kids and turns out that's not very easy. Ep 3 SIS Cashes Out. There's a certain case Keith really wants to investigate, about a cool tech billionaire, but the rest of the gang doesn't want to, so he brings back a favor from when they were kids to make them investigate it and they end uncovering the truth behind the billionaire. Ep 4 SIS Says No To Drugs. Esther tries out a new drug while the Squad follows a trail to find out more about said drug leading back to a Russian Drug Cartal while Esther has to hide that they're on this drug. It's basically a total fever dream (which make sense). I'm gonna give you two trailers for this also. First one. Second one.

[romeoandjulietyouwish]

I’ve Been Looking for the Sunshine

For @baloobird (@friendly-neighborhood-exchange)

Rating: G

Characters: Peter Parker, Tony Stark, May Parker, Ben Parker

Summary: Eleven years after the death of his parents and two years after the death of his uncle, Peter finds comfort in Tony Stark.

Prompt: Peter has a rough day at school so Tony picks him up early and finds a way to cheer him up.

Tag List: @justrepostandlove @gasplaughgasp @canonismybitch @shadedrose01 @baloobird @whatisawilltolive @a-liddell-alice @you-know-i-larb-you-3000 @hold-our-destiny @lyssismagical @spideygirl2003 @make-the-stars-stay @pj-hermes-tonystark-obsessed @iron-loyalty Read on ao3

Richard Parker was twenty four years old when his wife handed him a pregnancy test with a pink plus sign on it. He felt his face break into a wide grin and he scooped her into his arms with a laugh.

He was twenty five years old when he held his baby boy for the first time and he fell instantly in love. Up until he held his son in his arms, he had been nervous that he would be a terrible father and that he had no idea what he was doing. But looking down at little Peter, Richard knew that he’s mess up a thousand times, he would never be the perfect father, but as long as Peter knew he was safe and loved, it didn’t matter.

When a baby is born, there’s a few days before it really seems like they’ve gained consciousness. Richard got to witness that moment. He leaned over Peter’s crib and saw his boy looking back up at him. Peter’s face broke into a wide, gummy smile and blinked happily up at his dad. Richard was honest enough to say he cried and immediately called Mary into the room.

“Mom and I will just be gone for a few days, okay?” Richard asked. Peter nodded. “Remember to be good for Uncle Ben and Aunt May.” Another nod. “Good boy,” Richard patted Peter’s cheek affectionately. “We’ll be back before you know it.” 

Peter frowned, “Promise?” 

Richard smiled, “I promise.” He pulled Peter into a hug, pressing a kiss to his son’s curly mess of hair. When Peter pulled back, Richard did as well. He pressed another kiss to Peter’s forehead. “I love you, buddy. I’ll see you on Tuesday.” 

Ben Parker was twenty six years old when he got a phone call telling him his brother and his sister-in-law had died in a plane crash. He was twenty six when he became the legal guardian of his nephew, Peter. 

It was no surprise to May or Ben that Richard and Mary’s death hit Peter hard. But with a child suddenly being put into their care, they couldn’t afford to put Peter through any sort of grief counseling. Many nights a week, Ben would sit with Peter in his bed, trying desperately to get the kid to fall asleep. Often times only for Peter to wake up in the middle of the night asking for his parents through thick curtains of tears.

When Ben was thirty three, Peter turned thirteen and Ben realized that he had now been Peter’s guardian longer than Richard had been his dad. 

When Peter was fifteen years old, he watched his uncle die. He watched rain spread the blood down the pavement, making the wound almost look clean. But Peter knew better. He held his uncle’s hand while he died, ambulance sirens roaring from blocks away. 

With his last moments, Ben reached a hand up to Peter’s cheek and said painfully, “You’re going to be okay, kid.” 

Peter clutched Ben’s hand to his cheek. He wanted so desperately to apologize, to thank him, to say anything, but Peter couldn’t find the will in him to make more than a strangled sound as he desperately hugged his uncle. 

Ben was gone before the ambulance even reached them. 

Peter is seventeen years old and he doesn’t know if he can manage to pull himself out of his bed. 

But he hears May moving in the kitchen and if she can do it, so can he. She was the one that really knew them, not Peter. So with a heavy sigh, Peter sits up and pulls open his blinds. The sky is covered with a thick layer of clouds. Good, Peter thinks, he doesn’t know if he could have handled sunshine today. Peter takes his time getting ready for school, fog weighing heavily on his mind. 

When he makes his way into the kitchen for some breakfast, May stops where she’s pouring herself a glass of water and envelops Peter into a hug. On days like today, Peter wishes he hadn’t had his growth spurt so he would fit perfectly into her arms. But he settles for just putting his head on her shoulder. When they pull apart, May gives him a sad look. 

“You sure you want to go to school today?” May asks. 

“Yeah,” Peter shrugs her worries off. “It’ll be good to get out of the apartment.” 

“Okay, baby.” 

Peter walks slowly to school, barely making it to first period in time. Both Ned and MJ give him supportive smiles as he sits down. The first part of the day passes like a blur, Peter couldn’t say a single thing that happened to him. He knew that Ned was constantly a pillar at his side, squeezing his hand occasionally. And for all her snark, MJ was taking care of him too. It didn’t escape his notice that she was taking notes for him in all of their classes. 

That is until Peter finds himself alone in the hallway, Ned and MJ having split off to their respective classes, leaving Peter to find his on his own. He just ducks his head and keeps walking, muscle memory taking him to his next class. Out of nowhere, someone shoves him and slams him up against the lockers, keeping him there with their forearm. 

Flash looks at him with a smirk, “What’s wrong with you, Penis?” 

Peter sighs, “You ask me that every day. What do you want to make fun of me for this time?” Peter asks, his voice almost dead pan. “I’m scrawny? I’m smart? I’m ace? Pick your poison.” 

Flash looks at him in confusion, but before the bully can say anything, Peter shoves Flash off of him, using just enough of his super strength to make him stumble. With that Peter walks down the now empty hall. But before he can get very far, someone grabs on to his backpack, yanking him backwards. 

Peter lets out a noise of surprise as suddenly a fist collides with his cheek. Normally, Peter’s spider-sense would warn him of something like that, but not in this moment. The punch impacts Peter more than he expected and he goes crashing back into the lockers. Some sick part of Peter’s mind tells him that he deserves it. 

Peter sees the second punch coming and dodges out of the way. At this point, Peter is far too mentally exhausted to deal with any more of Flash’s shit so he jumps to his feet and runs straight out the front doors of the school. 

He thinks about calling May, but Peter decides against it and instead plops down on the cold stairs. The sting of the punch is already fading back into the dull numbness he’s been feeling all day. Peter doesn’t know how long he sits on the steps of the school. No one approaches him and no one passing on the street spares him a passing glance. 

The cloud breaks after a little bit, allowing the sun to pass over the city. Peter sags a bit further, of course the sky is taunting him. But he is pulled from his thoughts only moments later when a sleek black car rolls up in front of Midtown and from the driver’s side steps out Tony Stark. He gives Peter a wave and beckons him over. 

Peter goes eagerly and sits in the passenger seat, shoving his backpack by his feet. “What are you doing here?” Peter asks once Tony is sitting back down. 

“May called, said you were probably having a rough day and she wanted me to pick you up early.” 

“Oh.” Peter pulls his feet up onto the seat and tucks his knees to his chest. He glances over at Tony and sees an expression of pity and concern on his face. “She told you what today is, didn’t she?” 

“Yeah, kid.” Tony reaches over and squeezes Peter’s shoulder. “Do you want to talk about it?” 

Peter shakes his head and looks out the window, “All I want to do is not exist.” 

Tony sighs, “I understand the feeling, kiddo. But I’m afraid that’s not possible with our current technology. Would you settle for some ice cream and maybe a movie or two?” 

“Cookie dough?” Peter asks quietly, glancing back at Tony.

Tony smiles, “What other flavor is there?” A faint smile crossed Peter’s lips. 

Once they get to the tower and up to the living room, Tony lovingly forces Peter to sit on the couch while he goes and gets the ice cream from the freezer. Peter immediately tugs the softest blanket into his lap and toes off his shoes. When Tony sits down beside Peter, the boy instantly curls into his mentor’s side, resting his head on Tony’s shoulder and his knees against Tony’s stomach. Six months ago Peter never would have fathomed being this openly affectionate with Tony, but now Peter couldn’t imagine doing anything else. Tony wraps his arms around the boy’s shoulders and hugs him closer. 

As Peter takes his first bite of ice cream, he suddenly feels just a little bit better. The cold ice cream starts to clear some of the fog from his mind. 

While Peter eats, Tony picks a movie. It’s something animated, light and not too deep. Perfect. It doesn’t escape Peter’s notice that Tony has the volume just low enough that if Peter wanted to say something he could. 

While the opening credits roll, Tony reaches up and begins to run his fingers through Peter’s hair. Peter preens into the touch and sags further into Tony’s side. Peter says nothing for a while, but it’s clear that he’s clearly thinking deeply about something.

“Tony?” Peter asks softly when the movie’s almost over. 

“Mmhm?” 

“Do you think my parents are mad at me?” 

Tony frowns and rubs his arm, “Why would you think that, buddy?” 

Peter shugs, “Because I don’t remember them. They died eleven years ago and all I could do today was try to remember them. I only know what they look like because May shows me pictures sometimes, but I don’t remember the sounds of their voices and I don’t remember anything we did together, I-I don’t even remember the last thing they said to me. I-” 

Peter cuts himself off with a sob that tears Tony’s heart in two. Tony immediately sits up and crushes Peter to his chest. Peter clings to his mentor just as tightly, sobbing into his shirt. “I’ve got you, bambino.” Tony gently runs his fingers through Peter’s hair, rocking him slightly back and forth. Tony whispers words of comfort to the boy. 

After a few minutes, Peter lifts his head, wipes his nose on his sleeve and murmurs, “Sorry.” 

“Hey,” Tony squeezes his shoulder, “you never need to be sorry for crying, okay?” Peter nods shakily and wipes his eyes with the back of his hand. “Can I tell you something?” Peter nods. “I don’t remember much about my mother either. I have a few memories, but I know that my mother would never be upset with me for not remembering. I think she’d be happy that I’m moving on with my life. I didn’t know your parents, or your uncle, but I know that if I were to die, I wouldn’t be upset about people forgetting me. I’d be happy that they kept living.” Tony gives Peter a sad smile. 

“Listen, kid, when someone passes, the last thing they want is for the people who love them to stay in their sadness forever. I bet that your parents and your uncle are so proud of the person you’ve become.” Tony squeezes Peter’s shoulder. “It’s okay to be sad and it’s okay to still feel grief over their deaths, but it’s also okay to keep living. Because the people who’re gone aren’t really ever gone, right?” Peter nods tearfully and tucks himself back into Tony’s arms. 

Tony leans back, pulling the kid to rest more on his chest. “It’s going to be okay, bambino, even if it doesn’t feel like it right now.” 

Richard, Mary, and Ben are gone. They’re gone but they’ve never stopped loving their son and their nephew. They’ve watched Peter grow up and start to change the world around him. And though they wish they could be there with him to hug him and tell him it’ll be alright, they know that in time they’ll all be together again. And while they wait for him, they’re content to know that Tony Stark is taking good care of him. 

[artinandwritin]

Fairy Tail Next Generation (my personal view)

Yesterday, I talked about my view on the next generation of How To Train Your Dragon. Today, I do the same, but with Fairy Tail.

Some names for the kids, like Storm, Reiki, Sylvia and others are from tumblr-user kkumri, so the rights for their names go to them! Next to that, Nashi is already sorta canon, so I’m not gonna argue with that.

The Dragneel Family (Natsu and Lucy):

Nashi Luna Dragneel is their first born child and oldest daughter, born in the year X797. She uses Fire Dragon Slayer Magic, is a mage of Fairy Tail and a member of Team Nashi. She is is more mature than her siblings, but also quite violent and doesn’t think things through. Looking more like her father, people are almost forced to call her “the Second Salamander”.

Lucas Igneel Dragneel is their first son and second child, born in X799. Although he uses Celestial Spirit Magic, he also has his fair share of Heat Resistance. He is a mage of Fairy Tail and a member of Team Star-Struck. He is rambunctious and a joker, often getting attention for one or more of his actions. He shares a close bond with Charlotte Conbolt, trusting each other above anything else.

Layla Ashley Dragneel, their third child and second daughter, is born in X801 and uses Sound Magic and Thought Protection. She is, like her siblings, part of Fairy Tail, and she is a member of Team Sound. She once was close with her older brother and the daughter of Wendy and Romeo, but after an accident involving the two they grew apart. She is more like her mother, although she doesn’t forgive others as easily.

The twins, Spirit Aquarius Dragneel and Igneel Jude Dragneel are born in X816, a long time after Layla’s birth. They were unexpected, but loved by all. Spirit uses Moon Dragon Slayer Magic, while Igneel uses Sun Dragon Slayer Magic.

The Fullbuster Family (Gray and Juvia):

Storm Silver Fullbuster is born in X796, a year before Nashi. The two are close, but fight a lot. Storm uses Ice Devil Slayer Magic and Water Magic and is a member of Team Nashi. He is quite the depressed thinker, often staring into the void - and the void stares back. However, he isn’t as emo as he thinks.

Sylvia Ur Fullbuster and her twin brother, Rin Yuki Fullbuster, are born in X799, in the same year as Lucas. Sylvia uses Water Devil Slayer Magic, Rin Archive Magic and Memory Control. Both are part of Team Sound. Rin and Lucas are best friends since birth, often telling each other their secrets or having a “men’s night off” (all they do is watching sappy movies and eating ice-cream). As his best friend, Lucas is the only one who knows about Rin’s crush on Rosemary Fernandes. Sylvia, however, shares too much information. She has the habit of stripping others - mainly males - and loves to write down love stories.

The Fernandes Family (Erza and Jellal):

Reiki Simon Fernandes is born in X795 and is a former member of Crime Sorcieré, now in Fairy Tail’s Team Nashi. He uses Heaven God Slayer Magic and is, like his mother, an S-Class Mage. He is the most mature, but also the most shy member of the next generation. He is seen as one of the most powerful people in Fairy Tail, often going on dangerous missions and taking risks.

Rosemary Strawberry Fernandes is born in X800 and Sylvia’s best friend. She uses Heavenly Body Magic and is a member of Team Sound. She is a warrior by heart, but often blunt and careless about the feelings of others, what makes her seem arrogant. However, she wishes best for her friends and family.

The Redfox Family (Gajeel and Levy):

Emma Ellie Redfox is born in X794 and is a long-time S-Class mage. She uses Iron Dragon Slayer Magic and is a part of the S-Class team, Team Strike of Lightning. She is a playful, but mature person who tries to help others with all her might. She is extremely close to Nova Dreyar and her foster brother, Kurai, and has trusted them both with her crush on Reiki.

Shutora Gale Redfox and Yajeh Metalicana Redfox are born in X799 and form Team Iron Destiny. Shutora uses Solid Script Magic, while her brother uses Sandstorm Magic. Yajeh is the more calm one, while his sister is more of an emo person, often joking about dark stuff. Both were close to Sylvia, but once the girl started crushing on Yajeh, the three grew apart.

The Dreyar Family (Laxus and Mirajane):

Nova Jane Dreyar is born in X794 and is part of S-Class team, Team Iron Destiny. She uses Lightning Dragon Slayer Magic and is very close with Emma and Kurai. She is strict, sometimes scary, but as she’s often on dangerous missions with her friends, it’s not often seen as something bad. Nova has a major thing for Kurai, but is too afraid to express it.

Rai Makarov Dreyar, born in X798, is a member of Team White Destiny and the greatest confidor of Fay Strauss, his cousin. He uses Take-Over Magic and Memory Make Magic, making him one of the strongest of the next generation. However, he is clumsy, shy and a real sweetheart - causing Layla to fall for him.

The Conbolt Family (Romeo and Wendy):

Charlotte Grandeeney Conbolt is born in X801, uses Sky Dragon Slayer Magic and is a member of Team Star-Struck. She is very close with Lucas, them having been friends since her birth. Both of them share a lot with each other, trusting the other with their deepest secrets. Charlotte is one of the sarcastic members of the next generation, but also easily scared and with zero confidence. Lucas refers to her as “his girl” more than often.

Aeros Peter Conbolt is the twin brother of Grandeeney Juliet Conbolt, who died quickly after their birth in X807. Aeros is scarred by this, often hearing his sister’s voice when it’s quiet. He uses Dark Magic and is not yet in a Guild. He is a little bit dark at times, but otherwise a normal kid.

Rowan Sky Conbolt is born in X813 and is about to use Rainbow Fire Magic like his father. He is a cheerful child, in contrast to his older siblings. He absolutely adores Lucas, and wants to play with him as soon as he walks into the house when he hangs out with Charlotte. Lucas, in return, loves his girl’s baby brother and acts like a big child around him.

Kurai’s Situation (Mavis/Mio and Zeref/Arius):

Kurai Hikaru Dragneel is born in X794, to Mio and Arius, aka the reïncarnations of Mavis and Zeref. However, issues happened, and Kurai was left by the door of Fairy Tail, with the only not being: “Please take care of our little Kurai”. He was adopted by Gajeel and Levy, raised alongside Emma. He turned out to love science, having a lab of his own. He is pretty cheerful and very good at observing and taking situaties into his own hands.

Happy and Carla’s Family:

Cappy and Ami are their only children, born in X808. Cappy is best friends with Nashi and almost exactly like his father, while Ami is on Team Star-Struck with Lucas and Charlotte and is more mature.

I have other couples’ kids listed, but it would take a very long time to write down all of them. So, here’s the list of the children I skipped over:

Otoko Strauss (Elfman and Evergreen) Fay Strauss (Elfman and Evergreen) Weiss Eucliffe (Sting and Yukino) Tora Eucliffe (Sting and Yukino) Kage Skiadrum Cheney (Rogue and Minerva) Zeri Erza Cheney (Rogue and Minerva) Cornelia Yosuko Alberona (Cana and Bacchus) Hebi Kya Suru (Erik/Cobra and Kinana) Amaru Ren Suru (Erik/Cobra and Kinana) Moran Shi Akachan (Bickslow and Lisanna, deceased) April Saisho Akachan (Bickslow and Lisanna) David Banme Akachan (Bickslow and Lisanna) Ebony San Akachan (Bickslow and Lisanna) Ayame Yui Akachan (Bickslow and Lisanna) Chirasu “Chira” Justine (Freed) Isaac Connell (Alzack and Bisca) Lyre Ultear Vastia (Lyon and Meredy) Kai Gray Vastia (Lyon and Meredy) Sora Tearm (Eve and Sherria) Akio Tearm (Eve and Sherria) Miyako Tearm (Eve and Sherria) Amy Akatsuki (Ren and Sherry) Kenji Akatsuki (Ren and Sherry) Hiroki Lates (Hibiki and Jenny) Kiyoko Lates (Hibiki and Jenny) Michi Lates (Hibiki and Jenny) Haru Lates (Hibiki and Jenny) Tsuki Mayonaka (Macbeth/Midnight and Sorano/Angel) Akeno Mayonaka (Macbeth/Midnight and Sorano/Angel) Catrin (Millianna and Shô) Felina (Millianna and Shô) Hayai (Jet, adopted) Atsui (Droy, adopted) Brannie Alors (Max) Koa Rocko (Laki and Warren) Nico Gryder (Mest and Katja) Lahar Gryder (Mest and Katja) Kioku Lore (Rufus) Safaia E. Fiore (Hisui and Arcadios) Delphinus (Aquarius and Scorpio) Carina (Aries and Leo/Loki) Lupus (Aries and Leo/Loki) Orion (Aries and Leo/Loki)

[adambethyname-blog]

Complaints After Seeing “Avengers: Endgame”

We are a week removed from the release of “Avengers: Endgame.” After seeing it last Friday night, I pretty much went on a tear reading every interview, analysis, and commentary I could find all over the interwebs. I noticed that there was a commonality between a lot of the questions that people generated after a first pass through the movie. But this isn’t about questions, it’s about complaints and grievances.

First and foremost, a quick review: I absolutely loved it. It takes a lot of skill to wrap up 22 movies and that’s probably why the movie was three hours long, but the writers deserve a special pat on the back for not re-treading through old story lines in an effort to bring people up to speed. For example, Captain Marvel just shows up... no explanation. You were expected to have seen “Captain Marvel” back in March. You were required to know who she was and what she could do, and if you didn’t... well, that’s on you. 

Now, to be the prissy little diva that people expect me to be, I’m going to list my petty, whiny complaints. Why? Well they’re the most fun because I am never truly satisfied with anything. 

Thanos’ death wasn’t good enough: Honestly, he deserved worse. MUCH worse. They spent 22 movies building Thanos up to be this God-like villain who was almost invincible. When push came to shove and it was time to finish him off, he sat down and got dusted after Tony Stark/Iron-Man snapped his fingers. 

There were so many characters in the Marvel MCU that deserved to pull the trigger on Thanos. Drax’s family was murdered by Thanos. Nebula was taken apart a piece at a time for disappointing him. Thor lost half of the survivors of Asgard along with his brother, Loki, to Thanos’ genocide. Gamora deserved revenge for her mother’s death which we saw in “Infinity War.” Hawkeye saw his three children and wife disappear during a Hallmark-moment family picnic (Aside: there was a 15.6% chance of Hawkeye’s whole family being dusted with him surviving. Yikes,). So to just see him sit down, accept his fate, and turn into the contents of a 77 El Camino’s ashtray was a little anticlimactic. I actually said out loud in the theater, “That’s it?”

Really? Rats walking on the keyboard? : The big question after seeing the trailers leading up to “Endgame” had to have been “How does Ant-Man get out of the Quantum Realm since we saw Hope, Janet, and Hank get dusted on the rooftop in the “Ant-Man & the Wasp” post-credit sequence. I was thinking the surviving Avengers would get some lead about Ant-Man that would lead them to the van or something. Maybe his daughter finds the van (in the comics, she takes up the Ant-Man role) while looking for her dad. But no. Random rats just happen to stroll across the control panel and they happen to hit the “retrieve” button which just HAPPENS to bring Ant-Man back from the Quantum Realm. C’mon. That’s just lazy writing right there.

Stark’s Infinity Gauntlet Was Good Enough to House the Infinity Stones? In “Infinity War,” Thor travels to Nidavellir, a distant planet next to a dying star, to see Eitri (Peter Dinklage) about forging a new weapon to fight Thanos since Thor’s hammer was destroyed in “Thor: Ragnarok.” While conversing about the events that have gone down, we’re told that Thanos sought out Eitri about creating the Infinity Gauntlet for the express purpose of housing the six Infinity stones. We’re even shown the mold. 

It’s pretty much an understatement that to say that the Infinity Stones are powerful and I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that it would require something very special in order to harness all their power. Quite frankly, if I had to lay a bet, I’d say a molten glove forged from the heat of a dying star would do the trick. But to find out later on in the movie that Tony Stark was just able to cobble one together using old armor parts with Earth-harvested materials is a little much. Not to mention, whatever metal he used to make the Stark Gauntlet had the exact durability of the star-forged-space model. Not to mention, he was smart enough to make a gauntlet, but knowing what a snap did to monsters like the Hulk and Thanos, he couldn’t have beefed up his own version a little more to protect himself? It seems short sighted for a genius-level weapons engineer.

The Stones are still out there: “Avengers: Endgame” is supposed to mark the end of this entire storyline in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Truthfully, it was wrapped up pretty tight with major story lines closed. However, Steve Rogers aka Captain America takes the Infinity Stones back to the spots in the timeline where they “borrowed” them from. That means, quite frankly, another megalomaniac can grab a stone and start this mess all over again. As definitive as the end of “Endgame” was, there’s still an opening for the dreaded “reboot.” Oh boy, get ready for gender-flipped “Iron Man” a la “Ghostbusters” in 2025.

Nebula killing herself should have created a time paradox: If someone invents a time machine at noon, it won’t be 12:05 before someone brings up the rules of time travel established by “Back to the Future.” For some reason, we, as a society, have decided that of all of the time travel rules that we’ve learned as a result of pop culture, it’s “Back to the Future’s” rules that we are committing to the Constitution of Time Travel (I’m sure some of “Terminator” is going to be sprinkled in there as well). Even in “Endgame,” we are treated to Scott Lang, professional cat burglar, pontificating about time travel and casually dropping the rules about time travel including “no talking to our past selves, no betting on sporting events...” Professor Hulk throws cold water on the whole theory by saying, “If you travel to the past, that past becomes your FUTURE. And your former present becomes the past. Which can’t now be changed by your new FUTURE.” 

Still with me? Head explode yet?

Nebula’s case was driving me nuts for a solid week because in order for Endgame Nebula to become Endgame Nebula she had to evolve from Past Nebula. The two confront themselves toward the end of “Endgame” and EG-Nebula shoots P-Nebula. Now, P-Nebula doesn’t have the opportunity to evolve into EG-Nebula so EG-Nebula should CEASE TO EXIST because the events that turn P-Nebual into EG-Nebula will never happen and therefore EG-Nebula won’t come to be.

I get what Professor Hulk was saying, but the Nebula’s case is different because it’s literally the same person on the same timeline, just at two different points, that were brought together at a single common point in time. Quite frankly, using my time travel theory, P-Nebula COULD have killed EG-Nebula because then P-Nebula could still evolve into EG-Nebula; however the door doesn’t swing both ways since time is linear (which was confirmed by The Ancient One in another scene). 

I thought a better ending would have been for P-Nebula to kill EG-Nebula and when it looks like Thanos is about to re-snap the world again, P-Nebula turns on him and finishes him off. Why? Well you have to go back to “Guardians of the Galaxy.” 

“Guardians Vol. 1″ revolves around the acquisition of the Power Stone. Ronan the Accuser acquires the stone and wants to head to Xandar to destroy the planet. Nebula and her sister Gamora have been sub-contracted to assist Ronan in getting the Power Stone on behalf of Thanos; however, when Ronan realizes what he has, he tells Thanos to piss off and he’s keeping it for himself. Ronan is going to destroy Xandar and then come for Thanos (who at this moment is stoneless). Nebula who watches the FaceTime call Ronan has with Thanos turns on her father. She says, “You see what he’s turned me into. You kill him, I will help you destroy a thousand planets.” It’s apparent that even way back then, Nebula was harboring some awful feelings for her father who turned her into a cyborg for losing sibling fights with her sister. 

In “Endgame,” P-Nebula comes from the “Guardians Vol. 1″ spot in time, so it’s safe to say that she is still harboring these terrible feelings for her dad. It would have been poetic justice if she turns on him right when he’s about to fulfill his destiny. 

Yes. These are petty, but I have a petty mind that questions things like this. I just hope that when you commit to 22 movies, you put a LITTLE more thought into the plot. I mean, c’mon.

Oh, before I forget. “Spoiler Alert.” You probably should not have read all of the above stuff if you haven’t seen “Avengers: Endgame.” Consider yourself warned. 

[completeandrandomshit]

Linda Ronstadt on the Togetherness of Making Music With Someone Else: 'It's as Intimate as Sex'

  AUGUST 23, 2019 – 5:00 AM  – 0 COMMENTS

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By

WALTER SCOTT

(Jim Smeal/Shutterstock)

Ten-time Grammy award winner and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Linda Ronstadt, 73, is the subject of the new documentary Linda Ronstadt: The Sound of My Voice (in theaters September 6). The movie features her own recollections, archival footage and interviews with Emmylou Harris, Don Henley, J.D. Souther, Dolly Parton and others.

Related: Trisha Yearwood Says Linda Ronstadt Was One of Her Biggest Influences

Was music always your destiny?

I remember sitting in first grade having a hard time with arithmetic, thinking, I won’t have to do arithmetic when I’m big; I’ll be a singer. I didn’t think about it in terms of being a star; I just thought about it as singing and getting paid to do it.

Growing up in an isolated area, on an Arizona ranch, was music a big part of your childhood?

I think music would have been a big part of my childhood no matter, because my family is musical. It was just a part of what we did washing dishes, riding in the car or sitting at the dining room table. My father would start singing and we’d all jump in with harmony.

You were diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2012, which has affected your vocal cords. Do you miss it?

When people ask me if I miss singing—I don’t miss performing. When anybody comes over, one of my nephews or somebody from my family, we [still] sit down and put our heads together and sing. That’s fun.

From watching this film, you appear to be modest about your talent. How did the producers convince you to make this documentary about your life?

Nobody wants to be scrutinized, least of all me. But there were several offers out there and there were people that were just going to go ahead and do it anyway. [Directors] Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman­­­ sent me an email and it was so nicely written that I wrote back and said no. Usually, I just ignore it. They wrote back and said it was the nicest rejection letter they’d ever had.

Then I was watching PBS and the Harvey Milk documentary came on that I had already seen [The Times of Harvey Milk, directed by Epstein], but I watched it again, and it was so well done, and their offer had been that the documentary would be based on my book, so I figured I already had vetted the material. And they stayed true to their word. I didn’t have that much to do with it, but they wanted some current footage, so I said, “We’re going to Mexico, you have to come with us.”

It’s the little town where my grandfather was born. It’s a beautiful little town in Mexico. I went down there with 20 schoolkids and we shot footage for two different documentaries.

At the beginning of the movie, it says that you feel that there are singers that are better than you.

There are plenty of singers that are better than I am.

Why then were you such a success as opposed to other people?

The other people that were better singers were successful—Bonnie Raittand Joni Mitchell—there’s legions of them. They were very successful, and I trail in their wake, but I was more than happy to because it was inspiring to me. It took a long time to learn how to sing. It took me a good 10 years to figure out how to push phrases around. I used to get depressed and think I couldn’t sing very well, and then I’d think, Well, tonight’s the night to make it better.

You obviously did something right along the way because in this documentary there are people like Emmylou Harris, Dolly Parton, Don Henley—and the list goes on—who are all a part of this and so supportive of you. Talk about your relationships with your fellow musicians. It sounds as if you weren’t competitive, but collaborative.

Music is inherently collaborative and cooperative, and not competitive. It’s a conspiracy. José Abreu, this guy in Venezuela that started the youth orchestra that is high quality, said, “Music is a conspiracy; it’s a conspiracy to commit beauty.” The word conspiracy comes from the Greek word conspiro, which means to breathe together.

So, when you’re singing with somebody, you’re breathing with them, so you form a conspiracy. There’s a great intimacy that happens with somebody that you have successfully sung with, the music works. It’s as intimate as sex, but it’s not sex. With both men and women, there’s a closeness that you shared, a sentiment or a sorrow or a joy, and you express it in a similar enough way so that the two sounds match up and form a new thing.

When you started, there were very few women in rock and roll. Did you ever consider that you had a harder path to follow?

Nah, I just followed the music. Sure, was there sexism in the music business? You bet. But I had pretty nice people in the band, and all they cared about was whether the music was grooving or not. We had played enough to worry about that. You showed up and kept trying to make music better, that was what mattered.

Related: Why It Matters That Carrie Underwood, Dolly Parton and Reba McEntire Are Hosting the CMAs This Year

At one point, you walked away from the big arenas and you wanted to explore other aspects of music, like Pirates of Penzance. Do you see yourself as being brave or it was just something you had to do?

I was just not affected by that. I just was sick of playing sporting arenas. They were unsuitable for music, and it wasn’t very gratifying. In those great big arenas, there’s no nuance, subtlety doesn’t carry. It’s expected to be big and loud. It was hard being loud. I felt like I had a really tiny-sounding voice because the band was so loud.

But a lot of people couldn’t have walked away from the money that arena concerts earn.

I didn’t even think of the money. Duh! Forty thousand people in an arena compared to 1,500 in a small theater?

Congratulations. You’re going to be in the next group of Kennedy Center Honors recipients.

With Big Bird! I’m excited. I hope he comes. [In addition to Ronstadt, the 2019 Kennedy Center honorees—which will be inducted in a ceremony December 8 in Washington, D.C.—also include the PBS series Sesame Street, actress Sally Field, conductor Michael Tilson Thomas and the band Earth, Wind & Fire.]

What does something like that mean to you?

It means that, basically, it’s all over [laughs]. It’s very nice to be recognized. When I look back on my career, I don’t play my records for fun. I sometimes play something to check on it or to get some reference, but I don’t sit around and play my records, because they make me crazy. I hear every bad note.  If I hear something particularly awful, I think I never could sing anything, that everything was that awful. It will wreck my week. So, what I’ll do is I just won’t listen to it ever again. I’ll just go with their assessment and let the Kennedy Center assess that overall the work was sufficient. But it’s really the work that matters, not the prizes, although I’m very happy to be acknowledged.

At this point in your life, is there something that you don’t have that you want?

A pony. A goat. A couple of sheep. I love those things. I don’t live in the country anymore, so I can’t have them. A pony, a goat and a sheep and some chickens. I had that when I lived in Tucson, right in the middle of the city. I had an urban farm. It was fun. It was too hot there for goats and chickens and people. I’d spend the whole summertime cooling them off.

Who do you listen to? Any young upcoming singers that you enjoy?

I love First Aid Kit. They’re really good. They’re these two Swedish girls that are sisters, and they write and sing. They’re real good musicians and they have a really good band. They’re wonderful. They’re international stars too. I like Sia for my mainstream. She’s an interesting singer.

Do you still listen to the Frank Sinatra album every night, which was mentioned in the film?

No, I never listened to it every night, but there was a period when I studied it pretty hard. Now it’s in my brain and I can play it whenever I want.

Your career spanned rock, pop, country, Latin and opera. What do you see as your legacy?

Rampant eclecticism. Not a great career choice, but I somehow got away with a lot of it.

Any regrets? If you could have a do over, is there something that you would change?

I think I could have lived my life with more grace: grace of movement, grace of speech, grace of communicating with people, grace in living.

THANKS TO WALTER SCOTT AND PARADE.COM FOR THE ARTICLE.

[tanikawrites]

A Very Merry Bollywood Romance: My Personal Favourites

I'm not going to say 'there's nothing like it' merely on account of the fact that I grew up immersed in watching hours upon hours of Bollywood fantasies, but rather because I can say with hand on heart that there's something about Indian cinema that really knows how to make you feel. I don't whether it's the oozing charisma and genuity of the actors; how passions and flavour is woven into every detail and gesture; whether it's the fact that your screen explodes with unapologetic culture and colour, or the way the music surges through you like wine through water. True, it can be ridiculously cheesy (to the point where I've even had to leave the room for cringing), but when it comes to mixing serendipity with the sensuous to equate with an experience of heart-rendering love, then honestly; nowhere but India can do finer.

This admittedly comes a little late after Valentine's day, however I was inspired to collab together some of my favourite Bollywood romances of all time (or at least the last twenty-two years) to share in the hopes of inspiring your next Netflix binge if you feel the itch to dive into something different (and better) than your usual rom-com agenda.

Khabi Khushi Khabie Gham (Through Smiles or Through Tears, 2001)

'If you want to be something in life, want to get something in life, or want to win something in life, then listen to your heart always. And if you don’t get any answer from your heart, then close your eyes; think of your mother and father's names, and see how you will reach your destiny, overcome all your hurdles. Victory will be yours. Only yours.'

 You'd be hard pressed to find anyone in India who hasn't heard of this iconic number, this being India's answer to a cult classic like our own Bridget Jones or Notting Hill. Karan Johar's infamous blockbuster is a millennial Bollywood icon, and if you don't find yourself soaked in your own tears at least five times during the three-hour duration, then I would duly recommend getting your eye-ducts checked. And your conscience.

 Khabi Khushi Khabie Gham (or KKKG as it is also affectionately known) is first on this list as it is as quintessentially Bollywood perhaps as it gets: entourages of lavish dance sequences and ornate cinematography, all the while underlined with emotional questions surrounding obligations not only to one's culture and home but moreover to one's self. It concerns the consequences of when Rahul (Shah Rukh Khan), adopted son of wealthy businessman Yash Raichand (Amitabh Bachchan), dares to forsake the perfectly selected match his father has picked for him for that of the exuberant Anjali (Kajol) from the lower-class sphere of Chandni Chowk. His choice in prioritising love over tradition and duty creates a fracture in the family dynamic over a span of ten years, this only finally being addressed when his younger brother Rohan (Hrithik Roshan) chooses to repair his broken family and reunite a dedicated mother (Jaya Bachchan) with her favourite son.

 KKKG is one of my first choices whenever introducing newcomers to Bollywood as it would be difficult to find much to complain about with it. Yes it has its cheesy moments and a lot of the humour might require some cultural know-how, yet the comedy in question is so perfectly scripted that it doesn't detriment the moments of extreme emotionality - on the contrary, it positively amplifies it. I have additionally always had a soft spot for Anjali and Rahul as their relationship understandingly matures given the circumstances of their union, especially given Rahul's decision to move their small sect of their family out of India entirely. Regardless they still remain hilariously argumentative and flirtatious the whole way through, their more traditional relationship being paralleled through the younger and more westernised dynamic between Rohan and Anjali's younger sister, Pooja (Kareena Kapoor). The film is a package deal for all the emotions and a bonanza of some of the best acting talent in the industry, the love story being not just between one man and woman but towards one's home and family.

 BEST SONG: Title Track

Mohabbatein (Love Stories, 2000)

'Love is like life; it's not always easy and it does not always bring you happiness, but if we do not stop living, then why should we stop loving?'

Now, Mohabbatein has a far more lavish layer of cheese slathered across it than the predecessor on the list, but that may be more down to how the cast is comprised of a camaraderie of newcomers alongside more the more accomplished acting masters. Mohabbatein is the story of three students who each fall in love whilst studying at the prestigious all-male college Gurukul under the lense of the strict headmaster Narayan Shankar (Amitabh Bachchan) - his most iron-clad rule bizarrely being that no-one is to pursue romantic relationships whilst under his roof for risk of immediate expulsion. Whilst all hope seems lost then for these horny *ahem* love-struck adolescents, enter the charismatic and emphatically romantic music teacher Raj Malhotra (Shah Rukh Khan). His presence at first seems innocent enough in his encouragement for the boys to nurture their affections as Robin Williams encouraged his own students in the pursuit of poetry, especially as it soon comes to light that Raj's own great love, Megha (Aishwarya Rai), committed suicide when her father expelled Raj when he learned of their relationship; determined that the two were not allowed to be together. That same father then being the unyielding Narayan Shankar.

 Mohabbatein then makes for such brilliant cinema and engrossing romance as it combines all the freshness and innocence of young love with the intensity of passions that transcend the boundaries of life and death. The sense of pathos invoked by Chopra is interweaved into every detail of the piece, from music to performance; the preposterous and absurd. The confrontations between Bachchan and Khan in this piece are far more enigmatic than in KKKG given the different stakes between a father and son and the different types of love that two men can feel when grieving over the loss of the same woman. It proves one of my favourites time and again given how, for all the playfulness and somewhat ridiculous outlines in the plot, it is the eternalised love that is embodied by Raj and Megha, and the wondrous idea that not even mortality stands as a barrier between those that truly love each other, that will be hard pressed to feel like your heart might physically glow.

 BEST SONG: Humko Humise Churalo / Zinda Rehti Hain Mohabbatein

Hasee toh Phasee (She smiles, she's snared, 2014)

'You are the oxygen to my double hydrogen. Our chemistry flows like water.'

 This more modern film addresses far more contemporary issues than its predecessors, the complex relationship between Nikhil (Siddarth Malhotra) and Meeta (Parineeti Chopra) abandoning perhaps much of the traditional grandeur in place of what one could argue is closer to the standard quirky, slice-of-life style typical of an adolescent British rom-com. What is indisputable is that even without as much of a flair for the dramatic and the abundance of glamour, the film still radiates with a palpable sense of heart, as it invites us to explore what happens when flustered yet well-meaning Nikhil becomes saddled with looking after his fiancee, Karishma's, eccentric sister during the week before their wedding. One can't help but chuckle and squirm as we watch Nikhil's hapless attempts to pass Meeta off as a long-lost friend to his family and friends in his and Karishma's efforts to conceal her from her own family, the reasons for her freakish personality going unspoken except for the ominous pills she keeps popping on the sly.

 We soon realise the reason Meeta has been isolated from her family is due to how she chose to prioritise her academic ambitions over that of the traditional femininity and getting dolled up for the purposes of marriage and domesticity; the disappointment invested towards her paving a way for a natural connection with an equally lost Nikhil in his endless efforts to appease the incessant demands of his more materialistic fiancee. This then is what makes the film even more compelling given how it goes against the culturally ingrained stereotypes of the man managing to be the effortless, seductive hero, able to provide and fight for the woman he loves in conjunction to the beauteous and elusive heroine. Instead, it invokes a relationship about two people who feel lost in the oppression of society's expectations, the result being that despite judgemental relatives and unstable emotionality, the two are able to find something magical that can only be brought out in each other.

 BEST SONG: Ishq Bulaava / Manchala

Pardes (Foreign Land, 1997)

'You've all mistaken me for some innocent little painting that you've framed in gold, and now you want me to hang on these walls in silence and become a part of this false decor! This isn't the dream I came to this foreign land with, is it?'

Now, this is a controversial one. Pardes is probably the most politically charged movie on this list as it is famous for being an incredibly evocative piece of anti-Western propaganda. It concerns what happens when free-spirited Ganga (Mahima Chaudhary) is handed in marriage to the son of a wealthy NRI (Non-Resident Indian), however the vastness of the difference in culture on top of the distance between India and America sees to it that the outcome of such an engagement comes to some horrific consequences. Pardes is primarily then about the clash between cultures when the innocent essence of India is dragged to and exposed within the more confident and lavish shores of America. This premise in itself may seem problematic and would understandably evoke outrage as America is intentionally built up as the criminalised empire in the face of the all-pure India, however, what the viewer must remember when watching Pardes is that it is quintessentially a story about consent and respect. It's about acknowledging the difference in cultures and adhering to ways of life you may not understand, rather than trying to overwhelm and consume that sense of 'otherness' like a tyrannical Frankenstein 'penetrating into the secrets of nature' and causing chaos for everyone. It is fair to say then that Pardes is problematic and the socio-political accuracy of the piece could be spat upon until the cows come home, but it is this sense of duality and complication that makes it so interesting.

The main romantic storyline of the film then may be more of a Trojan horse for the more significant aspects for discussion, but it is more than fair to say that the political stakes are squarely matched by the passions at play. After all, when the wholly Americanised Rajiv (Apurva Agnihotri) proves to be more than a little bit of a disappointment, it is the relationship between Ganga and his adopted brother Arjun (Shah Rukh Khan) that comes to full heart-warming fruition. Arjun's role as the mediator between Ganga and Rajiv in trying to fulfil his adopted father's wish in smoothing the match over quickly escalates to into him becoming Ganga's most trusted confidante and defender. One can recognise perhaps the outdated sense of chivalry in this - especially as the inclusion of the attempted rape scene does appear to be an excuse for tensions to culminate in a traditional, Bollywood-esque full-on fist fight. However, credit has to be duly cast to the writers as they characterise Arjun as possessing a rare sense of compassion and empathy, especially given how his proclamation of love for Ganga is based not on lust but his genuine desire to trust, revere, respect and protect. In addition to this, it is easy to admire Ganga for her perseverance in trying to navigate this foreign land, she becoming all the more engaging for her burgeoning determination without the expense of her self-respect and ingrained love for her home nation. The prioritisation of one another's welfare above their own alongside becoming embroiled in their sense of duty to tradition and family is then what makes their journey towards each other so compelling and heart-wrenching. Pardes is a love story with incredibly heavy undertones that would have to be entered with a particularly open mind, but perhaps once the offences have been fully digested, one can fully appreciate why the film is so renowned; with a love that is all at once devastating as it is wonderful and profound.  

 Devdas (2002)

'Where can I find again my lost innocence? My lost dreams? My lost childhood? What happened to my home in the shade of the trees?'

 If there was ever an answer to the intensity and literary grandeur of tragic romances the like of Romeo and Juliet or Abelard and Heloise, then Devdas slaps back with unparalleled panache. If it wasn't a love story in its own right then Devdas is indisputably an affair for the senses; Sanjay Leela Bhansali's breath-taking production instilling every scene and action with such aestheticism that the Pre-Raphaelites are, no doubt, positively quaking. The story is no doubt a tragedy, following the titular character's (Shah Rukh Khan's) debilitating descent into alcoholism following his childhood sweetheart, Paro's (Aishwarya Rai), marriage after his mother ridicules her family for being descended from prostitutes a long time back down the line of their ancestry. Ironically enough, he seeks relief in leaving his home and taking shelter with a friend who works at a brothel, his emotional deterioration subject to the fruitless effortless of the heartfelt taiwaif (courtesan) Chandramukhi (Madhuri Dixit).

The relationship between Dev and Paro is continuously fraught with psychological manipulation as the two try to progress with their lives whilst undeniably in love with each other, the acting on the parts of Khan and Rai being so invigorating that it would not be surprising to find yourself holding your breath whenever the two are on screen. the interactions between Khan and Dixit are additionally moving as they have a deeper understanding of one another, their relationship perhaps being all the more rueful in the sense of it being a one-sided sense of self-sacrifice as Dev continues to ruminate over a love he can never have. Indeed, though Khan is typically praised for his rigorous performance, it has been disputed that it is perhaps the talent and dynamic between Rai and Dixit in their roles as Paro and Chandramukhi - the aristocrat and the courtesan - is the actual showstopper in this magnificent piece. It was never in the original story after all that the two women should have a relationship outside their original and comparatively brief confrontation over who loves Dev more, so that fact that Bhansali chooses to instal and flesh out the friendship between these two equally fierce and magnetic women is but one of the aspects that makes this film so essential and inspiring.

BEST SONG: All of them omg

Goliyon ki Rasleela Ram-Leela (A Play on Bullets: Ram-Leela, 2013)

'If hatred and pride can make a desert of the sea, then love can make flowers bloom here.'

 Let's establish this from the start -  Baz Luhrmann can choke.

This is how a real Rom-and Jules-adaption is done. As the most sultry addition to the list by far (seriously, phew), Ram-Leela admittedly does take a lot of liberties with the narrative. Nevertheless, any alterations or revisions that have been made are entirely for the better. In fact, even if you were to take the stance that Romeo and Juliet were as young and naive as they are in order to heighten the tragedy of violence and conflict, then it becomes more than reasonable to argue that Ram-Leela actually captures the essence of the play more than the stagnant Western replicas that have plagued us in the past. We still have the warring families, the star-crossed lovers and poetics on steroids, only that the narrative is enhanced by the rawness of rural Rajasthan to bring Shakespeare’s message to better fruition.  Indeed, if you, like me then, have always been able to appreciate the ideologies behind the original play, yet remained impatient with the immaturity and implausibility of the titular characters in spite of yourself, then Ram-Leela provides the perfect amendment to all those irritations. Instead, we see two leads who are far more enthralling and philosophical, the opposition between them being so devastating given how Bhansali interweaves dramatic irony with frustrating relish. It comes down to how the Rajadis and Saneras cause the original Montagues and Capulets to look embarrassingly spineless by comparison; their inconceivable prowess in being able to manipulate even their own playing on our expectations so much that it cements the romance firmly within the boundaries of tragedy.

 Indeed, we are not just treated to a brief separation between the two until the time of death, but rather the stage is reset so that Ram (Ranveer Singh) and Leela (Deepika Padukone) become the respective heads of their families and are forced to war against each other - and not entirely against their own wills either. The film encompasses a similar sense of passionate antagonisation that abounds in Devdas as well then, the irony being that the more fraught and frayed the relationship, the more your heart aches for want of the forsaken lovers to be able to make it. In truth, the film actually starts out ridiculously playfully with bounties of energy and innuendo, the fact that it is able to convincingly transition on its axis to become so emotionally straining being a credit to Bhansali's directorial ingenuity. Of course, the chemistry between the leads in Ranveer Singh and Deepika Padukone is near indescribable, both balancing refreshing elements of mischief and charm alongside intense vulnerability and ardour. Critics have labelled their performances as probably being still the finest of their careers (which is saying plenty, trust me), the camaraderie between the two hardly being surprising. After all, the two did just get married late last year - and on the anniversary of the film's original release date no less! So if that doesn't convince you of the quality of such a love story, then I'm afraid that you will be convinced by very little else.

 BEST SONG: Lahu Munh Lag Gaya / Nagada Sang Dohl / Laal Ishq

 Kal Ho Naa Ho (Tomorrow might not be, 2014)

'Listen - live, be happy, smile, because who knows? Tomorrow might not be.'

 Honestly, in light of all the films that have been listed before now, with their mind-blowing cinematography, incredibly moving soundtracks and ground-breaking scopes of acting, Kal Ho Naa Ho might seem to fall a little short. It's set in the dreary din of New York, the soundtrack is more constructed towards fun and contemporary glamour, yet it is undeniable that this film is my favourite of the whole bunch. The top of my list of romantic Bops then is the story of Naina (Preity Zinta) and the many complications which taint her family; the pressure being so much that she has been rendered the constant embodiment of irritability. And even forgotten how to smile. Everything turns around when Aman (Shah Rukh Khan) enters the family's life: optimistic, charismatic and caring, he literally breathes new life into Naina's existence, so that before long she finds herself completely devoted to him in place of the unspoken affections of her closest friend, Rohit (Saif Ali Khan). What pans out is that on the verge of telling Aman she loves him however is that he tells Naina that the reason he came to New York was to repair his frayed relationship with his wife, Priya (Sonali Bendre). Unbeknownst to the bereft Naina, this is, in fact, a lie. The truth is that Priya is actually Aman's doctor and he doesn't have much time left to live.

I don't know then whether it's because the characters and scenarios are so well grounded, the dynamics and difficulties within the Kapur family are more relatable, or that the relationships between and constructions of characters are perhaps the most believable, but it's one of those films that you'll agree, once you've watched it, has an inexplicable sensibility that takes the cake every time. A lot of it does seem to be grounded in the healthy and brilliant way the love triangle is handled in the film, as any sense of complication or rivalry between Rohit and Aman is evoked as comedy rather than any serious resentment or envy. It's an incredibly unique love triangle then and this is perhaps why it has garnered so much critical respect, as the love-triangle motif is such a typical motif of Bollywood cinema (with repeatedly toxic and violent confrontations like in Pardes), that it is refreshing to see a love depicted so genuinely and platonically. It's even more heart-warming to watch as Aman does his best efforts to ensure that Naina walks with Rohit down the aisle (or the Saptapadi to be precise) all the while wielding his best façade so that she never realises that he loves her too. In fact, the affections between them are so subtle and few that the effect is paradoxically more intense, as you find yourself latching onto every fleeting sign of love between them that you can. KHNH then is another one that I recommend first and foremost, though in truth it's best not to watch it too often unless you have a few days to spare in which to emotionally recover.

 BEST SONG: Titular track

 And there you have it - they may not be the best according to everyone's taste, but the romances listed above are some of the most critically acclaimed and effective Bollywood masterpieces to ever grace the silver screen. Though they may start as cliched and melodramatic, with too much dance and quirky dynamic, this is always a foil to deep-rooted passions and die-hard affections - each a romantic experience above and beyond any of your expectations.

Tanika Lane