#i really loved the film he was just the weakest link for me

[riosnecktattoo]

why don't you like spider from avatar the way of water :(

(spoilers obvs)

Firstly I would say that aspect of the plot was utterly uninteresting to me and every time it cut back to it I was kinda bored. I didn't mind him so much when he was with the Sully's at the start. Who we are sold as his family unit along with all the Na’Vi who he views as his people.

This was then the cornerstone for my dislike of him as the film progressed.

I went with my best friend and there were MULTIPLE times, in Spider’s scenes, where we turned to eachother with a wtf stink face that conveyed fuck this guy lol

He’s horribly unevenly written. From scene to scene his loyalties and affections change and that’s very hard to warm to. Especially since we are obviously Team Jake and his family and the Na’Vi.

Spider had one moment where he seems (rightly) sad over who his biological father is and then.......he’s captured by him and they become best buds. He really seems more fascinated than disgusted.

He is fully aware that Quarritch is a genocidal evil man and he’s literally actively hunting down with a view to murder Jake and his family. And Spider’s......chuckling and laughing with him? Having a good old father-son bond while they laugh about how he’s pronouncing I see you wrong. Just sweet little father-son things.

I feel like those scenes are written and performed so oddly that it’s hard to know what the film wants me to think about that character. And he is a perspective character, so how he engages with things is how we engage. In some ways he’s meant to be the audience surrogate, since he’s the only human lead. But Spider was all over the place. And not in an intersting ooooh where do his loyalties lie way because.......they should fuckin be with his people! Jake! Not helping his would-be murderer find him!?!

He’s literally smiling and laughing with Quarritch for the whole film and then just....present for a lot of war crimes that at best he’s overwhelmed by and at worst he’s....kind of interested in. And it made me (and most of my screen judging by the chorus of do it’s that sounded out when Neytiri had him under her knife) dislike him intensely.

This quote from an article - -  “Those scenes just don’t have enough emotion from Spider to really communicate the depths of his identity struggles, so he just seems weirdly interested — even complicit! — in harming these sick-ass majestic animals.” - - Like....exactly!

There’s definitely an argument that he doesn’t know where he fits in and Qaurritch obviously cares for him when Neytiri was calling his bluff but..........no? fuck that guy? 

Your ‘brother’ died saving you. They were all safe and away and they came back for you. And you save the man responsible for his death. Cool.

oh ALSO the two scenes where he’s.....scared of Neytiri cause he saw the video of her killing his dad? He should be fuckin impressed not having evil little thoughts which he so obviously was. Like....woman kills the evil man who is about to murder Jake, the man she loves. The evil man who also nuked her home and murdered thousands of her people and destroyed sacred sites with glee. That’s applause only!

ANYWAY.

Lastly just in general, in such a creative and visually stunning film I thought his character design was......bad, bland and thoughtless. And there were many times when I don't think the acting performance was very good. Like Zoe Saldana out-acted him (and everyone else) and she was a CGI cat. He often took me out of the world and in the worst spots I had to suppress a laugh.

[absolutebl]

This Week in BL - 2 GREAT Shows but everything else is kinda blah

Organized, in each category, with ones I'm enjoying most at the top. Happy new year, BLabies!

Jan 2024 Wk 1

Ongoing Series - Thai

Last Twilight (Fri YT) ep 9 of 12 - This show is really earning its chops, and these actors are executing beautifully. I think this is a great BL, and it reminds me quite a bit of ATOTS, only the physical comfort between the actors is more genuine and easy to watch. Unfortunately a guitar came out. Nice communication tho.

That was a very lovely romantic sex scene. Very prettily done. Classy boys, very classy.

Gah what a beautiful final scene with Day saying the last thing he wants to see is Mhork. Pure unadulterated romance of the highest order.

The Sign (Sat YT) ep 7 of 12 - If killer, why hot? Poor Tarn compelled to try to rescue everyone else from their fate, because he cannot save himself from his.

Meanwhile Phaya is finally learning that you catch more water snakes with honey lube than vinegar.

Stellar confession from Phaya brutally honest and very fated mates.

And another lovely sex scene, so I guess that was a vision and not a fantasy Tharn had.

Lets be clear those two shows were GREAT everything else this week was kinda blah.  

For Him (Thurs iQIYI) ep 6 of 12 - I find the backstory very odd. Are they twins? What happened to Blue? Am I meant to care? Do I care? 

Twins the series (Fri GaGa) ep 10 of 12 - I mostly just feel sorry for First. He’s so rightfully confused. Zee/Sprite keeps blowing hot and cold because they two different people! The after sex cuddle was cute. 

Pit Babe (Fri iQIYI) ep 8 of 14 - Love getting more JeffAlan. Also I switch favorite character allegiances in the trash watch happening here.

Cooking Crush (Sun YT) ep 6 of 12 - Didn’t air this week and I hardly noticed. 

You and My Stars YT 1 of 2(?) - school kids, love triangle, it’s cute enough.

My Universe (Sun iQIYI) 1626 ep 20 of 24 - Just so boring. 3/10 

Ongoing Series - Not Thai

VIP Only (Taiwan Fri Gaga) ep 8 of 10 - I’m not into the love triangle. Although I kind of like the new suitor, he’s honest and a good communicator. I appreciate these things in a BL boy. But I begin to wonder if triangles should be left for KBL. Also, this should have been an 8 epper, 10 is too long.

Sahara-sensei to Toki-kun (Japan Fri Gaga) ep 5 of 8 - No ep until Jan 12 

I Became the Main Role of a BL (Japan Sun Gaga) ep 1-3 - AKA BL Drama no Shuen ni Narimashita: Crank Up Hen - A rising star is paired with an (older) former child actor (doesn’t think he’s good enough) in a BL series. It’s fun, built on a dynamic of off screen paralleling the on screen, so near constantly meta. All the tropes are there but are as a result of the filming process. The star turns out to be obsessed with the former actor and very dorky about it. In fact, everyone in this show is a little gremlin weirdo (affectionate). There’s tons of scenery chewing miscommunication drama, slapstick, voice over head hopping, and eccentric sides characters. “And he comes with feathers” applies to a number of my friends. You know I don’t like stories around fan obsession, but otherwise this was enjoyable. 8/10

A nice start to the JBL year. Keep em coming, Japan.  

It's done I Need to Catch up

What Did You Eat Yesterday Season 2 AKA Kinou Nani Tabeta? Season 2 (Japan Gaga) 10 eps - will binge when I have a spare day.

It's Airing But...

[INTERNATIONAL] Cherry Magic (Sat YouTube) ep 3 of 12 - yeah Japan put the smack down on our boys. Sadness. You can use a VPN if you like. Read all about it here.

Playboyy (Thurs Gaga) 14 eps - Dear Playboyy, it's not you, it’s me… I hate you. You’re about as deep (and as palatable) as a shot glass of cum. While I'm sure you’re someone’s kink, you're my weakest link. Goodbye. I DNFed this at ep 5. Frankly I'm impressed with myself for getting that far.

Night Dream (Sat YT) 6 eps - It’s a pain to track down and I really didn’t like the first episode so… DNF  

The Whisperer (Sun ????) 10 eps - Thai horror BL that ALSO involves cheating (what joy is mine). I don't think even the perfect single dimple can motivate me to watch. Word is... it's terrible.

7 Days Before Valentine (Weds WeTV) 10 eps - Giving me Luminous Solution vibes. I'm waiting to binge if safe.

Dead Friend Forever (Thai Sat iQIYI) - horror, meh, tell me if it's worth my time?

In Case You Missed it

All my year end round ups (so far) are as follows:

TOP 10 BL Trends of 2023

Top 10 BL Secondary Pairs of 2023

2023 BLs Best Trope Execution Awards! TOP 10

Best Back Hugs Thailand & Elsewhere

BL 2023 - Cute Bits of Domesticity

BL 2023 - Boys Feeding Boys

BL 2023 - BOOP!

All the BLs Announced for 2023 that didn't happen

Next Week Looks Like This

Starting This Week:

1/9 Time the series (Thai Gaga, WeTV, Channel 3) 10 eps - MFlow Entertainment brings us yet another "fix the past" narrative. After witnessing the gunning down of his beloved, a heartbroken actor uses a magic pocket watch to go back in time and discover the truth and maybe fix it.

1/11 Although I Love You and You AKA Sukiyanen Kedo Do Yaro ka (Japan Gaga) - Soga, who, after a divorce and relocation to Osaka, seeks solace in dining at 26-year-old Sakae's restaurant. Unbeknownst to Soga, Sakae sees him as more than just a regular customer.

More Coming Jan 2024

Beside You (Thai YouTube)

Love For Love's Sake (Korea ????)- based on the Manhwa ‘Love Supremacy Zone’ by Hwacha. A young man is dropped into a game based off a novel he loves. His mission is to make another player, YeoWoon happy. But then the game starts unfolding completely different from the novel.

Ossans Love Season 2 (Japan ????) - five years later, will anything have changed? This is Japan so... probubly not. I won't be watching this.

Upcoming BLs for 2024 are listed here. This list is not kept updated, so please leave a comment if you know something new or RP with additions.

THIS WEEK’S BEST MOMENTS

Yes, you SHOULD apologize!

This was a FANTASTIC moment! Last Twilight

Night Dream referencing the Shrimp Trope.

Some didn't like this bit BUT I love a claiming moment, even in a briefing room... especially there.

I ALSO love a good Grandma Moment in a BL.

Such a good sex scene. The Sign

(Last week)

[minijenn]

Jen Tortures Herself With Every Dreamworks Animated Movie Ever: How to Train Your Dragon 2

(*screams in insanely high frequencies*) HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2 IS ONE OF THE GREATEST THINGS DREAMWORKS HAS EVER MADE AND SOMEHOW EVEN BETTER THAN THE FIRST AND I AM IN SHAMBLES EMOTIONALLY AFTER WATCHING IT BUT I NEED YA'LL TO LISTEN TO ME AS I SCREAM ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT THIS FILM IS TO ME OK?

Woo, ok, calming down a bit. But can you really blame my excitement? How to Train Your Dragon 2 is just... so damn good, it is so damn good ya'll. It takes everything the first movie did, the characters, the story, the animation, the music, and just... perfects it. It is an utterly fantastic ride from beginning to end and it is one of the main factors as to why I am so utterly head over heels for this franchise (well, it and Race to the Edge, again go watch it, its good).

We return to Berk five years after the first movie, with Hiccup under pressure from his father to take on the mantle of chief. However, danger soon arrives in the form of Drago Bludvist, who is amassing a dragon army. While searching for Drago to try and reason with him, Hiccup reunites with his estranged mother, Valka, who, much like him, has a deep affinity and respect for all dragons. From there, well, damn a bunch of stuff happens, in a story that just flows so well and just... slams you with so many emotions, from sheer joy and wonder to crushing despair and grief. It's a roller coaster, to say the least, one that is utterly captivating and at times, utterly heartbreaking. And I adore every last second of it.

Our returning characters are all fantastic, as usual. I especially love the arc Hiccup goes through here, because while the first movie was in ways, a coming of age story for him, this one truly is, with him struggling to figure out who he really is and who he's meant to be. It's a beautiful narrative about responsibility and leadership, one that Hiccup and Toothless experience together in such a beautiful, parallel way. As for our new cast, we have Valka (who I'm in love with btw) and she's just delightful. The way we get to see her bond with Hiccup and rekindle her relationship with Stoick is absolutely beautiful (AT LEAST UNTIL THE DAMN MOVIE TEARS THIS BEAUTIFUL FAMILY APART WHY CANT THEY HAVE ANYTHING NICE FUCK).

However, I do have to say that the weakest link in both this movie, as well as the next installment in this series... is its villain. The first movie didn't have much in the way of an antagonist, and I think it worked well in its favor. Because HTTYD antagonists... are kind of mid to lame. Drago Bludvist is certainly on the more mid side; he's just... ya know, a bad guy. He isn't really a compelling foil to Hiccup, just some crazy guy who wants to use dragons to conquer people and uses violence to get his way. He's not especially interesting, despite his rather cool design. He's just... there.

But that one minor point aside, everything else about this movie is utterly fantastic. The animation is somehow even more stunning than the first, with so many new dragon designs to see and an even wider world to explore. The flying and fight scenes are so mezmerising to watch, and the music FUCKING GOD don't get me started on this score. It is utterly HEAVENLY, just like the first movie's (also For the Dancing and the Dreaming has me in shambles, I'm still crying, don't look at me). What kind of insane magic Dreamworks used to make this movie look and sound as good as it does? The world may never know.

So yeah, this movie clearly has a major soft spot in my heart. I watched it when it first came out in theaters and absolutely loved it then, just like I do now. Every time I review it, I fall more in love, especially now that I've seen the tie in shows, I can appreciate how they led up to this movie and what details were thrown in that to make them serve as something of a prologue to 2.

As for the movie itself, its such a masterful work of art, one that I'll gladly return to over and over again. Aside from Prince of Egypt, it's probably my second favorite Dreamworks movie overall. And considering some of the other contenders on this list, that's saying something. I love it to pieces, always have, always will. It's wonderful.

Overall Rating: 10/10

Verdict: Hiccup's Mom has got it going on

Previous Review (Mr. Peabody and Sherman)

Next Review (The Penguins of Madagascar)

[hammah-head-shark]

Idk if anyone will care because this is very niche BUT

Here is my interpretation of "Foreign Language" by Nothing But Thieves from a Jearmin POV <3

If you have any alternative interpretations, I would love to hear them!!! (Plus if there are any other AoT fans who love NBT I would be so happy lmfaooo)

DISCLAIMER: This is all just my own thoughts and headcanons, a lot of the analysis I have isn't necessarily keeping to the canon story, and has a lot of assumptions based on things we don't see in the anime/read in the manga! It's all silly fun because I love Jearmin, and I feel like this song fits them :) <3

Sometimes I don't understand you Same road, just different direction Same note, but different vibration I've gotta admit, you're not all it seems You've got planets in your eyes Guess it's not my thing But you make it look alright

From the perspective of Jean

“Same road, different direction / Same note, different vibration” -> Jean and Armin work really well together as co-leaders of the Paradis team during season 4. But sometimes Armin says/does things that Jean doesn’t understand/agree with at first, but he trusts Armin enough to go along with it. This could also be interpreted as the fact that Jean and Armin were originally meant to be one character, but Isayama decided to separate the personalities into two separate characters. So whilst they are in sync a lot of the time, there will be moments where they differ from each other.

“I’ve gotta admit, you’re not all it seems” -> Armin is stereotyped as the weakest link, and is treated like an underdog (he himself has very little confidence in himself), he’s not physically strong, but he proves that his intelligence and ability to come up with good plans is incredibly useful. And Jean misjudges him at first.

“You’ve got planets in your eyes” -> Armin’s ambition and dream to see the ocean. The childlike wonder and fascination, he can’t just stay behind the walls forever. He is his parents’ son, after all.

“Guess it’s not my thing / But you make it look alright” -> Jean doesn’t have the same fascination as Armin does. He only became a scout to make a difference, to help people and further humanity, not necessarily to explore outside the walls. However, seeing Armin’s absolute bliss when they reach the ocean makes Jean much more interested in the world outside the walls.

And I know that we've been so tired lately Want a change and like those movies from the old days You've been making us watch Well, it's a foreign language to me, baby But I love hearing you talk

“And I know that we’ve been so tired lately” -> In season 4, the Paradis squad have been too busy trying to stop the Rumbling and everyone is exhausted. Jean and Armin haven’t had a chance to talk about their relationship?

“Well, it’s a foreign language to me, baby / But I love hearing you talk” -> Reiterates that Jean and Armin don’t always understand one another, but Jean loves hearing Armin talking about whatever it is - whether it’s his theories (like when they were talking about the female titan in season 1), his dreams (seeing the ocean), or leading the scouts like a true commander. ("Foreign language" is also a reference to a previous lyric "those movies from the old days you've been making us watch", and also a later lyric, which mentions an Italian film which is *obviously* in Italian, and therefore, a foreign language)

I'm intoxicated by you Day drunk, hit the double feature A "life sucks then you die" t-shirt And a stolen kiss That's not all you need I've seen the look in your eye L'Avventura dream (L'Avventura dream) I hear it call you in the night

“I’m intoxicated by you” -> Reference to when they were drinking with the refugees. Armin and Jean spent a lot of time together in Marley during their undercover mission, and this moment in the tent is symbolic of their evolving relationship. Jean’s initial impression of Armin was that he found his friendship/obsession with Eren creepy, but now Jean and Armin have a closer bond than ever before.

"A "life sucks then you die" t-shirt -> Jean is a pessimist, and has a dry sense of humour. Armin isn't, he's just tired of his current life.

"And a stolen kiss / That's not all you need" -> a reference to the film mentioned on the next line. Maybe Jean and Armin's relationship starts out as a kiss that was an 'in the moment' type of kiss, maybe after a near death experience? Armin isn't that kind of person, he can't just kiss someone for the hell of it. It has to mean something. And maybe Jean also realises that when he kissed Armin, it wasn't just an adrenaline-led moment, but it had deeper undertones to it.

“L’Avventura dream (L’Avventura dream)” -> this references an Italian film from the 1960s (‘L’Avventura’, or ‘The Adventure’), and is described as a film where events happen with very little explanation or signals. This idea that things just happen and you should just go with the flow. This could relate to Jean and Armin’s relationship, as there’s no big gesture that shows a shift in their relationship. One day they were just a lot closer than before. This theme of “going with the flow” could also be a call for spontaneity, doing things just because. Living through a war could make someone want to do something they wouldn’t normally do, because they don’t know if they’ll live through it. For example, Jean and Armin getting together?

[Chorus repeated x2] And I know that we've been so tired lately And I know that you've been looking for a new way to, to make the world stop Well, it's a foreign language to me, baby But I love hearing you talk

“And I know that you've been looking for a new way to, to make the world stop” -> Throughout season 4, Armin didn’t want to resort to violence to stop Eren and the Rumbling - he was sick of the fighting and bloodshed. He wanted to talk to Eren and sort things out peacefully. Jean (and the other Paradis members) wanted the same, but deep down, they all knew that they wouldn’t be able to get through to Eren. Jean just had sympathy for Armin and his useless hope.

Essentially, this song talks mostly about their relationship throughout season 4, and the shift from small moments they have together pre-season 4, to their relationship (/friendship, you can interpret this however you want, I suppose!) being more focal and obvious to the audience.

I had so much fun doing this analysis, and I have a couple of songs in mind for other ships (currently have 2 contenders for Eremin..👀) so if you liked my analysis, feel free to suggest other ships/songs that you’d like me to interpret for aot ships!! :)

(I probably won’t analyse for Eremika or Aruani, because I’m not a huge fan of those ships- but anything else lemme hear them!!)

[princess-ibri]

How would you have written the Princess and the Pea film?

Honestly I think there is some solid stuff already there, it just needs some tightening storywise/a bigger budget for better animation/song writing. So I'd more tweak it then anything.

1. Fix the songs.

I, for the life of me, can not tell what people are even saying half the time in that first song. Laird's song, Daria's ballad in the castle and the song with all the princesses arnt too bad but my gosh, Daria's intro and Sebastian's song makes me grind my teeth. The rythem and rhyme scheme are all over the place. (Also better voice actors for some of the actors/singers)

2. Tighten the world building. Honestly the movies weakest point imo

Like, why is Sebastian the only animal that can talk? Why does he have access to these ancient tomes and seem to be part of the castle court? Honestly, I would love it if he was the court wizard who accidentally turned himself into a raven and can't figure out how to change back but just keeps coming to work anyway. I think that would hilarious and give him more reason to be interested in the prophecy of the pea

Also--MAKE THE PROPHECY MATTER MORE. They set it up like its this huge deal but then really dont do much after they trick Laird into giving up the kingship? (The whole loophole how that works is insane but perfect for a fairytale and set up well with Laird's vanity foiling himself)

Not to mention, maybe explain more about this mysterious past princess, why she was so important, how she was "discovered by a pea" and what happened to her? We see that her castle is now in ruins in the forest and the scroll telling about her/her prophecy had been lost and buried till Rollo's dog dug it up but like--why??? What the heck happened? Explain how the golden age of Corazion rose and fell and then link that all into what will happen if they don't get the next proper pea princess on the throne

It doesn't have to make Real World sense but it does have to make sense internally

Also change the whole Pig Kingdom thing. Maybe just make it some random provence and have Heath banish Laird there after he tries to stage a coup isntead of just throwing a fit. Like, dude I'd be pissed too if you stole my crown and then banished me when I complained. At least give me chance to kill you first before banishing me so I look like proper villain and you can look like a somewhat competent king for stopping me. (Also, why is there just a whole kingdom for Laird to rule that's economy is appentirely based totally on pigs and yet we only see three? )

3. Build on Character Development/Storylines

Everyone's pretty archtype-y here and thats not necessarily a bad thing, this is a fairytale after all, but there are hints at deeper character development that don't get carried after introduction

Like Helsa'a bonding/guilt over baby Daria. Bring that back when she sees grown up Daria. Have her recognize her and show some more conflict over Laird's determination to ruin her life even more

Have a more balanced relationship between Heath and Hildegard. They thought they were father and daughter for years and even if they didnt get along Heath at least must have loved her a little, good dude that he's meant to be. Maybe have her still be her wonderfully rude confident self but she has a soft spot for her dad? Maybe have what Laird says about her feeling she can never measure up to her "mother's" memoru be true, and then have her act out of that frustration and anger when she finds out het life is a lie and team up with her birth parents--but ultimately she can't bring herself to actually harm Heath? And this could work in well with Helsa's guilt and they could both turn against Laird later and help Daria.

Like, Hildegard can still be a spoiled brat, (cuz she's hilarous that way, I unironcally enjoy her scenery eating performances and how proud Laird is of how awful she is) but like--Heath seems to have had no role in her upbringing at all for her to turn out to be such a big one? Though honestly, he does seem to be a pretty big pushover of a king tbh. Like, he's not a tyrant, but he doesn't seem to be much of a leader either. If this were a deeper show, I'd say lean into that and have Daria be the balance between fairness and firmness needed to rule, gained from her harsh upbringing. It gave sensitivity to the plight of others but also showed her that sometimes you need to stand up for yourself, ect.

Give Rollo needing to marry a rich princess some more weight to it. Like, nothing major, just any little line to show his kingdom really, really needs an alliance to give him more reason to agree to marry Hildegard while still mourning Daria. Show more that he doesn't at all want to marry her even if she does seem to have a better attitude and he's being polite to her. But he's still very mucb mourning Dahlia

And finally--Have Laird keep his vow he wont take off his golden shoes till he actually gets the crown!

That's hilarious!! It's great! It shows his fanatical obession with his need for revenge ans is so over the top and camp and fairytale like and he could be dressed to the 9s but in this incrediblely ruined shoes to remind you just how ridcoulsly vain he is but how seriously he's taking this vengeance plot--but no they just have him kick them off two minutes after saying that >:[

So yeah, there's the changes I'd make to The Princess and the Pea. I could probably think of a few more but those are what stood out to me

[beefrobeefcal]

hi beefro

i have a question about on the water front

are all the titles of the chapters songs and if so what's the meaning behind them? also who sings them?

💝

To Nonnie, Love Beefro

Thank you for your question, Nonnie! I was planning on doing an On the Waterfront playlist at the end, but I'm happy to get it started. Happy listening, Nonnie!

Smuttiest regards,

Beefro 👌🥩💜

1. Signed and Sealed [In Blood] - Dropkick Murphys

This is not a song, it's an album! My main inspo for OTWF is not just Triple Frontier (2019), it's also The Departed (2006). Given that Boston is the city where it all happens, it seemed fitting to give homage to the band with the opening song to the latter film. This album alone could have been the entire soundtrack for this series.

2. Nobody but Me - The Human Beinz

It's a fun, upbeat song that has no right to be that way. Again, featured on The Departed soundtrack, this is Benny's theme song. The high energy, the catchy tune, the simple and repeatable lyrics... it just screams Benny.

3. Sweet Dreams - The Eurhythmics

This is the chapter where Honey has her first real interaction with BigFish. The lyrics 'Some of them want to use you / Some of them want to get used by you / Some of them want to abuse you / Some of them want to be abused' speaks to Honey not being sure what he wants from her, let alone what anyone else wants her for, either. This song has always felt like a surreal dream in it of itself and seems fitting for Honey's trekking deeper into BigFish's world.

4. Going Out in Style - Dropkick Murphys

Being the chapter that Will really throws Honey into the tiger pit, this song could be one that he recommends she listen to to hype herself up: You may bury me with an enemy in Mount Calvary / You can stack me on a pyre and soak me down with whiskey / Roast me to a blackened crisp and throw me in a pile / I could really give a shit - I'm going out in style.

5. Skin and Bones - Foo Fighters

One of the saddest songs I have ever heard. Written by Dave Grohl, it talks about the internal struggle of watching yourself waste away. Given that we learn about Frankie before he became BigFish, and the addiction that was a constant struggle for him, Skin and Bones could play over a montage of his early years.

6. Bangarang - Skrillex

This song was chosen specifically because of its name; I already had the name of the bowling alley picked and googled Bangarang lyrics and this song popped up. I listening to it once. Might be the weakest link between chapter and song on this list, but here it is and here we are.

7. Bring It Home [Bring It On Home To Me] - Sam Cooke

After the passionate time shared at the bowling alley cut short by BigFish's insecurities and short falls, this could be the song he plays to get her back. After Benny's outburst, the lyrics are a siren song for Honey: I'll give you jewellery and money, too / That ain't all, that ain't all I'll do for you / Oh, if you bring it to me / Bring your sweet loving / Bring it on home to me Too bad BigFish is an ass.

8. Linger - The Cranberries

I love this song, and not only that, it's one of my personal favourites on this list. It speaks to the back and forth Honey has about BigFish and how she knows he's so bad for her... but she just keeps falling for him. But I'm in so deep / You know I'm such a fool for you / You got me wrapped around your finger / Do you have to let it linger? / Do you have to, do you have to, do you have to let it linger?

[itwas50yearsagotoday]

8/3/23: It was 50 years ago today, August 3rd, 1973, Stevie Wonder would release his sixteenth (!!) album Innervisions. Here is where I'm hooked... finally, a Stevie Wonder album completely without any filler... even the songs that are just okay are pretty good here. Rolling Stone magazine says Marvin Gaye's What's Goin' On is the best album ever?? Dare I say that this album beats it and is the best Motown record ever, and is up there for best record too (RS ranked at 34)? I really can't because I've not quite digested Wonder's other mid-70s purported masterpiece Songs In the Key of Life, but I'll get to it on my own (I know the hits at least). Starts off with 'Too High', a song about drug and drink excess and at first seems a bit to on-the-nose, but the more I hear it the more I love it... like it's got this fast shuffle, and Wonder's voice is all distorted... you can't help but sing along to the 'doo-doo-doo-doos' before each verse. Before I go any further, I have to inform that I cannot say much about 'Higher Ground' and 'Living For the City' as they will get their own posts as singles BUT they really are integral parts of this album. Let's talk about the lesser songs that are still good: 'Visions' sounds like it could have been sung by Jim Croce or Danny O'Keefe (and I mean that in a good way) because it is much less about the music for once and more about Wonder's vocal talents that carry this downbeat tune. 'Golden Lady' sounds very much like then-contemporary Santana (actually we'll get to that)… this laid-back tune (albeit felt with some urgency) feels like it could be part of a movie soundtrack about an action film that takes place somewhere on a 1970s California town. 'Jesus Children of America' is seriously funky, perhaps more even than 'Higher Ground' (patience!), despite its kind of off-putting religious title… like when I saw that title I was like uh-oh, is going to be like a Marvin Gaye spoken word thing? Nope… just another quality Wonder tune. Probably 'All In Love Is Fair' is the weakest tune on the record, although if you like proto-Quiet Storm music it may do something for you, but not for me really. But then we get to the BIG two album-ending whoppers. First, 'Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing'… here's a tune that sometimes is my favorite Stevie tune. It actually was released as a single but not until after this blog is finished, so I'm talking about it here. It's got this weird spoken conversation intro where (presumably) Wonder is speaking Spanish to some woman and then he starts talking about Iraq and Iran, all in front of this kind Latin-style piano and backbeat… OMFG it's sooooo good, and fun! He then slips into singing… I love that the first chorus is a bit lighter than later choruses because at each later chorus every long 'o' becomes ohhh-ohhhh-ohhh-ohhh-ohhh-ohhhh-ohhhh, sort of this slowly falling melody. And you just can't help but shake your head to it, it's so infectious. Lastly then we hit 'He's Misstra Know-It-All'… which also sometimes is my favorite Stevie song because even though it's supposedly about President Nixon (ha!) it's just so damn lovely, goosebumps man! Especially towards the end where Stevie brings out the 'shouty Stevie' voice… you know, the 'BUH-BAY-BAY-BAY-BAAAAAAA'… fucking love it. So yeah, really... REALLY... if you haven't heard this record, I mean stop reading and go to it. I know I say that a lot, but this record really is timeless. Simply excellent.

(also... PS... if you load Tumblr from Microsoft Edge the Spotify links work... like, if you really need them... for me it's just more aesthetically pleasing)

[feelingofcontent]

DNP Rewatch: The Making Of 'The Amazing Book is Not on Fire'

Date video was published: 10/08/2015 (X)

DNP Main Channel Rewatch: 283

The release of TABINOF! I already know I’m going to write way too much about this video...

0:00 - filming this intro from a hotel in Glasgow (1, 2), because the tour also started there on this day

0:08 - that’s a lot longer to work on something than they had ever done before for anything they made

0:28 - Phil is just fond smiling in the background so much. The trailer was released back in March of 2015. The explanation video is no longer public.

0:48 - back almost a whole year! To sometime after they had put their tree up while filming A Festive Day in the Life of Dan and Phil! apparently. Why did they film this with Dan on a chair and Phil on the floor? The angle is so weird.

1:00 - the “something made of metal” Dan got Phil for Christmas 2014 is the “tin for my random crap” Phil shows in I'M IN A MOVIE!

1:13 - I love when Phil catches himself staring at Dan for too long and jerks back to face the camera and always looks a little sheepish

1:20 - every time Dan talks about TABINOF you can tell it means so much to him

1:35 - I mean...they do know how to keep a secret or two

1:44 - it is cheesy but they don’t care

1:51 - I hope Dan is exaggerating or 10 hours seems like a long time for that.

1:57 - fuck Dan with the soft voice describing the book again 🥺 Of course, Phil breaks the seriousness with a joke.

2:20 - this was from Phil’s homemade Weakest Link that he had their friends play at a New Year’s party

2:28 - they really planned every detail out, together, didn’t they? Also love the fringes in the drawing. 😂

2:42 - oh my god his posture is terrible. Intense writing their with the double screens.

2:53 - love the reflection of Phil filming in the mirror along with all of the plushies on top of Dan’s wardrobe

3:04 - I love the writing montages in this video. They always seem to be writing when it’s completely dark outside.

3:05 - DAN’S HAIR 😂

3:09 - Dan panicking about literally everything that might be on camera

3:16 - I bet Phil does need the lightest possible shade

3:26 - “massive improvement” ...burn

3:30 - Phil gets to get him back though

3:38 - most of this is very “on brand” for the time, but the inclusion of Dan’s fluffy hat and Phil’s old camera is sweet. They apparently had over 700 photos from this photo shoot to choose from.

3:45 - again I will say...I hate those paper masks.

4:03 - “do I look like a baby’s butt” I don’t think that is the saying there, Dan, lol

4:06 - Dan trying to be much more perfect with the whiskers than usual here

4:12 - this is when they were in Orlando for Playlist Live! in February. Even writing when they were at a convention, yikes.

4:15 - same hotel room but different clothes, so a different day in Orlando. Personal space does not exist.

4:29 - from these glimpses, I do think they chose the right one!

4:42 - almost-quiff Phil

4:44 - wow that corner of the gaming room is a mess. This is a creative idea that they did. Again, the posture scares me.

5:17 - they are so fond during in these clips. They love to make each other laugh.

5:33 - so many drafts! so many markers on the table. Phil is taking the quiz development very seriously.

5:51 - totally normal, lol. I love that Phil knows this is ridiculous but is making it hilarious with the “work the camera” and such

6:03 - Phil was not prepared at all. And then Dan was laughing too hard to keep the camera steady. Poor Phil with a headache but trying to make light of it. And Dan’s slightly concerned face. 🥺

6:10 - airplane writing. Not sure which flight this was.

6:15 - the manically laughter is something...the part of the writing process where they’ve apparently gone insane.

6:17 - this writing clip is from one of the Playlist Live! flights, as it’s the same outfits/setup from the clip Phil shows in THE NOT-MILK CHALLENGE. So not everything in here is in chronological order.

6:26 - again, they made every single decision themselves

6:47 - I don’t care about the paper conversation I only care about Phil knocking something over (of course) and Dan’s fond little smirk

6:55 - Dan was doing a lot of sniffing of the book at the end of TUMBLR TAG 3!

6:59 - such a random clip to include! I love it so much! It’s so casual. Phil lounging on the bed. Dan with his hair pushed back. The sneaky filming. The giggling. 😭 He was apparently seeing which noises would reverb in his piano.

7:33 - Dan is so excited about this part. Also, either that paper is smaller than normal paper or his hands are actually huge

7:55 - I really wonder what they consider “early” lol

7:58 - love supportive-Phil prompting and giving Dan a chance to talk about. Clearly the trailer was a lot of Dan’s ideas and Dan’s thing. He’s taking charge during this whole trailer-filming part.

8:30 - I love finding out that Phil wrote those fake headlines in the trailer. of course he did!

8:36 - ahahaha, them having to show a makeup artist the whiskers 😂 And the horrified glance at “sharpie.”

8:52 - well that some foreshadowing of DAN CURLS MY HAIR! Why does Phil lean into it though...

8:59 - that was a great idea! So many details.

9:03 - help, I can’t handle the window talk...”maybe one day” PLEASE. 😭 Because now they do have huge windows in the forever home.

9:29 - Phil just quietly filming Dan leading this.

9:40 - “serious director Dan” I CAN’T with supportive Phil 😭😭😭

9:53 - Dan cares so much

10:26 - Dan really was the leader of this part and Phil’s just keep quietly filming him from the corner

10:47 - the trailer release day in March! I wonder who all is there with them.

11:17 - I wish Dan wouldn’t have cut Phil’s head off here but he’s fond smiling yet again

11:21 - they are intensely prepared. They did tweet at almost exactly the same time that evening (1, 2), and it was the only thing they tweeted that day.

11:47 - I’m glad they had some immediate excited reactions since some people ended up being very skeptical/cynical about it

11:59 - now the clips are from post-Japan-trip as you can see the Mt. Fuji air can in the background

12:10 - they were doing SO MUCH work in 2015

12:30 - Phil was unprepared. Love the 2 mugs + 1 glass + scattered candy wrappers. That seems about right.

13:09 - what the fuck did Dan mumble here...I heard “that’s one of the hamsters on the radiator.” Is that actually what he said?

13:11 - well this is confusing as heck if you haven’t read the finished TABINOF, lol

13:33 - important content of course. “I love working by pressing my face against a floor” 😂

13:44 - Phil was very enthusiastic there. Always asking each other for suggestions.

14:00 - Dan with a huge grin. An exciting moment with the final pages! They are so casual here. Also so many background things...is Phil drinking out of that giant cup on the sofa arm?! ahahaha.

14:21 - love that Phil felt the need to clarify that he’s wearing shorts as Dan just looks mildly amused

14:33 - pajama Dan! I love that this is the method Dan thought was reasonable. And horrified at the amount of printer ink that must have used.

14:41 - the golden pig!!! This is the first shot we ever see of it, so they must have acquired it sometime in early-2015.

14:59 - Dan still wears that t-shirt

15:11 - the first copy! They got it at the end of September and posted an Instagram photo from that day too.

15:13 - Phil adorably hiding behind it 🥺

15:19 - another ‘oops-I’ve-been-staring-too-long-jerk-back-to-the-camera’ moment there. For about two seconds before he starts staring again.

15:35 - they are so giddy. and proud.

16:02 - DNP plushies on the mantle! 👀

16:19 - they’re really pleased with the paper they chose

16:31 - Phil does not care about spoiling things

16:44 - “probably going to cry or something” and then Phil’s little nod 😭

17:17 - “we can be proud” 😭😭 This video is so much.

17:36 - guessing that had most of this already edited together and then just added the intro and this outro

17:55 - awww at them thanking their audience

I love this video. I love that they filmed all these moments and shared them. If you count this as a DITL video, it might be my second favorite one of those. This was again on Dan’s channel, as most of the TABINOF-related content was.

As a countdown in the days leading up to the release, they shared little snippets on Instagram and Twitter each day - Dan (5, 4, 3, 2, 1); Phil (5, 4, 3, 2, 1).

[staczak91]

Any Dune fans on here??

Ok so I’ve never read any of the books. I tried reading the original Dune in middle school or high school years ago but couldn’t get past the first couple pages. I just watched the movie on Sunday and now I want to read the book! Really, this time. Actually, sit down and read the whole book. 

So, I have a few questions. I’ve been reading some tips on how to read Dune. Since it’s such a big undertaking. One tip said to reread different passages if I have to and to go through the appendices as I read. So...I kind of bought the ebook on a whim for my Kindle and now I’m wondering if I should have bought the physical book in order to do this. Would you Dune fans recommend the physical book or ebook to read through it? I want to make sure I do this right. This will be my first time reading it and I want to understand as much as possible. And with an ebook it’s difficult to go back and forth, and reread passages and all that jazz. So, definitely tell me which is better and if worse comes to worse, I can save the ebook for later.

Also, are the other 5 novels by Frank Herbert worth reading? I’ve heard mixed reviews. That some of them are, and some people say it’s better to stick with the first novel and that’s it. My TBR is long, so if it’s just the first book, I’d be ok with that. 

And onto the movie now!

I was originally worried about Timothee Chalamet’s casting in this, as I’ve only seen him in small Indie movies and this was a big budget extravaganza. But he definitely did a great job and I can’t believe I ever doubted him. He was fantastic as Paul Atreides, even though, to be honest, as a newbie with this franchise, I still don’t really know who this guy is. 

More Zendaya please!! I love this girl! From The Greatest Showman to Spider-Man and now Dune, she always hits it out of the park. Like Paul Atreides, I still don’t know who her character is in this story, but I’m excited to read the book and find out, 

Jason Momoa! You’ve come so far from your days on Stargate Atlantis. Still, though, even though he was one of the weakest links in the movie, he still fit right in with the core cast. (And I hope I never see him clean-shaven again...)

Oscar Isaac was so different from the likes of Poe Dameron in this, that it took some snooping for me to realize he was the same actor. Still, though, he was great as well and really pulled the film together.

Cinematography was beautiful and the dialogue, although I didn’t understand some of it, really sparked. I can’t wait for Part 2, and hope to watch this again when I finish the book and can understand the movie more. 

So, what will it be guys? Physical book or ebook? Just book one or the whole original six?

I’d love to hear if there are any longtime Dune fans here on Tumblr.

(Edit: Also if I get the physical copy, which book should I buy? The movie tie-in cover or the regular cover? Thanks in advance! I simply can’t decide.)

Feel free to inbox or message me about this topic as well if you don’t want to write it out on the actual post. :)

[adamrevi3ws]

West Side Story

Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story is the second time in a row I’ve went to see something infinitely praised by Film Twitter and have been blown away as a result. This is Spielberg’s Return of the King or “who’s your daddy?” moment, directing one of his best films in ages to remind us who’s boss. I’m not really one for musicals – I burnt out of my high school theater kid phase a while back – but I’ll be damned if every second there wasn’t a music number I was internally begging for another one to come up as soon as possible. The movie is so visually striking, dynamic, and gorgeous. The choreography and staging look like they should be taught in school, and Spielberg’s camera zooms around in the cleverest ways, embodying the “every frame a painting” ethos. Many of the musical numbers are so animated and intensely full of life that it almost gives you chills. For me, the clear highlights were America, Cool, and Gee, Officer Krupke. Finally, from the second the film starts, Spielberg adds in a new level of political awareness to the text acknowledging that the West Side is fundamentally threatened by demolition and gentrification to make way for the elitist neighborhood it’d soon become. Throughout the film the West Side doesn’t only look poor, it actually looks post-apocalyptic with the constant ruin and demolition in the backdrop of every outdoor scene. If anything, the tragedy of this take of West Side Story isn’t just the violence of a gang war triumphing over love – it’s also the fact that the Jets can’t overcome their racism to unite with the Sharks against their true enemy: Robert Moses. While it unfortunately slows down in terms of musical numbers and visuals near the end, West Side Story is still a massive flex and tour de force from Spielberg.

As many already know, one of the biggest points of contention for this adaptation was that Ansel Elgort, playing the main role of Tony, got outed as a sexual predator shortly after it finished shooting. Does that make this otherwise amazing film much harder to watch? Definitely. That being said, even without the sexual assault allegations Elgort is clearly one of the weakest links of the cast. He can barely sing, and his acting only goes as far as being able to do a pretty solid New York accent. Elgort (and to a lesser extent his costar Rachel Zegler) are often overshadowed by their supporting cast, more specifically Mike Faist as Riff and Ariana DeBose as Anita. These two absolutely steal the scene and step on necks every time the camera is on them. I can’t say I’m too surprised since they’re both Broadway regulars, but damn, the sheer charisma their roles really get me every time. Faist is considered to be one of the biggest snubs for this year’s Best Supporting Actor Oscar nominees, and I look forward to see how DeBose fares this Sunday (although I also wouldn’t be mad if Kirsten Dunst got the same award). It’s very clear that Spielberg places a lot of trust on the abilities of his cast. This especially rings true for the Hispanic cast, where much of their scenes are spoken in Spanish with no subtitles, expecting non Spanish speakers to just kind of get the emotional resonance behind their words. And you know what, like so many other things in this film, it just kinda works!

I’ll say it – West Side Story is probably one of the best movie musicals I’ve seen. Spielberg takes a lot of the energy and excitement we feel when watching stage musicals and brings it to another level onscreen. Even when they’re not the most consistent, at its highs, West Side Story is a testament to how an overwhelming amount of love behind the camera can really show in the final product and the power of a great cast can help bring that love to live. Watch it in theaters while you still can. 8.1 stars out of 10.

[kpoptrashlord-007]

I'm actually quite surprised that you're not into romance!!! I mean, considering you write x reader fanfics, i thought you would like it 😅

But!!! Since you like The Guest, i was wondering if you can recommend me kdramas like it?? The only one i've seen is Daebak Real Estate which is pretty similar but just less scary (in my opinion)

Or you can just recommend me any kdramas you like!!! The current on-going ones doesn't pique my interest that much, except for Yumi's Cells, it looks very cute!!!

-Qtie anon ●v●

Qtie Anon, my lovely ♡ so glad to hear from you once more!

Yes, it's kind of an odd thing to not like. It makes watching shows with my sister really difficult 😅 but I'm not 100% opposed to romance, I just don't want it pushing the plot. Romance in life is inevitable so of course shows will have it, but I don't want my horror or thriller or sci-fi show to focus on a romance plot, y'know?

I'm not really good at romantic / fluffy fics, though. It's definitely my weakest point! That and dialogue haha.

Kdramas like The Guest 🤔 well... I don't watch too many kdramas 😅 but I think The Divine Fury will be an amazing watch! It's a movie with Park Seo Joon and Woo Do Hwan and the clips I've seen look quite fun! Svaha: The Sixth Finger is a movie too, and it was pretty good. Also OCN shows in general. A lot of them have that grittier feel to them.

I haven't seen Daebak Real Estate. Is it good? I'd love to watch another show like The Guest!

One of my all time favourite shows right now (kdrama or otherwise) is Strangers From Hell!! I've watched it 3x and am on another watch-through right now. Absolutely love, love, love it. I even made a post about why people should watch it on my main! I'll try to find the link.

I'm not very good at finishing shows... but the notable kdramas I've actually finished are Save Me (spoiler alert: I'm obsessed with cults), Sweet Home, Alice In Borderland (jdrama), Kingdom (I'm obsessed!!), and the first season of Voice.

Save Me and Strangers From Hell are both OCN shows like The Guest, and I'd recommend them both! Save Me is about a family that, after facing tragedy, gets lured into a cult. It's such a ride from start to finish and the more I think about it, the more I enjoy it.

You might have heard about Sweet Home and Alice In Borderland. They're both based off mangas/webtoons and they became quite popular on here! AIB's premise has a sliver of similarity to Squid Game, which I just finished a few days ago. I preferred AIB but Squid Game was also really fun and I rec them both! The ending of both Squid Game and Sweet Home disappointed me (don't hate me y'all) but I'm holding out hope for the next seasons to make up for it! Plus Song Kang is my son so he can do no wrong. Seriously though, Sweet Home is absolutely amazing and I plan to rewatch it even if the ending wasn't my cup of tea.

Kingdom... oh wow 😍 Kingdom, The Witcher, and Strangers From Hell are rare because I actually binged the shows. I recommend all 3!

I know you asked for kdramas, but Animal World is a Chinese film I've watched multiple times. It's like AIB and Squid Game in that you have to play games to survive. It's also like AIB in that it's based off a manga (Kaiji).

And if you like depressing films about nuclear disasters (I LOVE disaster films, especially nuclear / radiation-based), then I highly recommend Pandora! And speaking of disaster films, The Wandering Earth is a Chinese film that I've rewatched a few times. I lovelovelove sci-fi so this one is an absolute hit with me.

And to lighten the mood... Secrets in the Hot Spring is a hilarious Taiwanese film! I've watched it so many times and it's never not funny. And I also wanna throw Pee Mak in as it's a fun Thai comedy.

As for shows I'm currently watching... I feel pretty confident that Life (medical kdrama with the loml, Lee Dong Wook) and Psychopath Diary (pretty light-hearted dark comedy) will be shows I end up recommending. The endings would have to be really bad for me to suddenly stop liking them 😂

. . .

WOW. I am SO sorry!! I didn't mean to make this post so long 😭

Anyway... these are my recommendations 😱💕 hope you are well, qtie, and have a blessed weekend! ♡

[rhi1980]

Many Saints of Newark was a thoroughly enjoyable film. I don't know how much people who have never watched The Sopranos would enjoy it tbh, there were a lot of awesome callbacks (from moments talked about during the shows run to certain phrases that certain characters used in the show) that made me giddy with delight when they happened.

Almost all of the acting was A+. Alessandro Nivola was great as Dickie, even if the character himself was slightly dull imo. Leslie Odom Jr was fantastic as Harold and I would have liked to have seen more of his story. Michaela De Rossi was excellent. All of the Soprano family were wonderful, Michael Gandofini as Tony made me very emotional, Jon Bernthal was great as Johnny and again, I wish we could have seen more of him (fingers crossed that there's a next time), we didn't see nearly enough of Janice either. Corey Stoll was amazing as Corado 'Junior' Soprano and well, what can I say, Vera Farmiga was incredible as Livia (something I'm not even slightly surprised about, she's always incredible) and has one of the most emotional moments of the whole film (of course she does). We didn't really see enough of Paulie to see if Billy Magnussen did a great job or not tbh, Samson Moeakiola was great as Pussy and Ray Liotta was also fantastic. John Magaro sadly was the weakest link of the cast for me, that's not to say he did a terrible job, there was a moment when he was uncanny as Silvio, unfortunately, for the most part, he got the voice all wrong. Silvio is one of my favourite characters from the show and given how perfect the rest of the cast were at portraying existing characters, it was just a little jarring. Sorry John, like I said, there was one moment where it genuinely looked and sounded like they had de-aged Steven Van Zandt.

There has already been talk of a sequel to this prequel and imo, not only should there be a follow up to this film but I honestly think that there should be two more films as this one absolutely feels like the first part of a trilogy to me, there feels like there is a lot more to be explored.

There have been a few negative reviews and imo, I feel like the people who have criticised it were expecting either a film all about Tony's rise to being a mob boss or they were expecting something that was like non stop action. This film, much like the show has slower moments in it, it's about the characters, not big explosive set pieces, maybe if people went in realising that, they wouldn't feel so disappointed. I do however understand the criticism that says that it could and probably would have worked better as a mini series so that all the story lines could have been explored better but that's not really criticism as it just means that people loved what was done but wanted more.

Loved the film and can't wait to see it again.

[ayoalex]

Why is Team RWBY since the beginning present as a dangerous team?

Ok, before I begin this post I have to warn that:

1- I'm not an expert, this is based on my basic knowledge as someone that used to do martial arts as a kid, play a lot of video games and watch a bunch of anime/cartoon or read manga

2- This is going to be a long post, sorry 😞

3- You are always welcome to discuss in the replies or to correct in whatever I could get wrong, again I'm not an expert so don't be shy to call me out. Btw, English is not my first language so it's possible I could have some grammar mistakes.

4- Do not want to see any type of hate for any character 🤨

5- And last, decided to post this here because I prefer RWBY Tumblr community than Reddit one 💀

Let's begin!

When they present RWBY at the beginning of the project we got a glimpse of what they can do individually in the short films know as Red, White, Black and Yellow as well as some aspects of their character, backstory, etc.

As RWBY continued their journey we could see they seem as a force to be reckoned with when together but seem to be lacking in some aspects when they were alone.

The ones that didn't do better alone was mostly Ruby and Weiss while Blake and Yang seems to be able to hold their own alone (tho Blake seems to be in her flop era in the last volumes 💀).

So, let's talk about them as individual first.

Ruby: we all know her, leader of the team and the youngest of them all.

Ruby do pretty well alone when she's fighting Grimms, specially those that aren't that hard to go against. She's basically a prodigy and for that she got into Beacon earlier (and the fact she has silver eyes 😬).

She's the few people in Remnant that use a scythe as a weapon and she's pretty damn good with it; as told by a lot of character using that weapon is hard af so probs for her to be able to be so fucking smooth and amazing with Crescent Rose.

As told by Ruby herself in V1 while talking with Jaune, she did her weapon and here comes her first problem.

Not practical. Crescent Rose is a bad ass weapon and I absolutely love it but it's heavy and takes a lot to use it. It's a rifle as well so Ruby basically has to be a sniper to be able to go well with it.

It's a weapon that doesn't goes well with a team as can get in the way unless the user becomes a support for the team instead of being at front.

This is basically a metaphor of how Ruby is kinda a lone wolf at the beginning and awkward af with people.

But! She later gives some upgrades to Crescent Rose that helps her change the direction of scythe which give her adaptability! Which is completely important!

Now, if I take Crescent Rose away of Ruby what happens?

She's dead bro

Ruby is useless in close range combat, specifically physically one. We can see that in a lot of moments through the volumes.

She usually use her semblance as an advantage, which with her weapon works perfectly but without it is... Meh. It only helps her to speed up.

In Volume 5 Ozpin calls her out for that and then trains her, we then see Ruby being able to actually block and evade attacks without the use of her semblance... Until Ozpin took control of Oscar 💀

She knows basic stuffs, mostly with her defense but she lacks attack.

We don't actively see an improvement of this part in the future as she's seen to struggle keeping up with Harriet. Tho I'm going to give Ruby the fact that Harriet was being emotional and "aaahhh go crazy go stupid" In there.

Tho, Ruby lacks in this she make up by being a quick thinker and strategic.

She's the one that comes up with the plans and she's fast on her feet as well, she knows how to use her teammates perfectly to the point on coming up with duo attacks for them. She use her creativity to be able to defeat enemies as we can see at the end of V6 against the crazy old lady.

In general Ruby lacks close range fighting skills as well hand to hand combat + she can be really reckless and not actually think stuffs through it at first which can lead to disaster (she's getting better tho!)

Weiss: so... Oh boy, the ice queen comes next.

Her first actual win in a solo combat was Marrow if I remember correctly.

So here's the thing, as a solo fighter Weiss is the weakest link because she relies heavily in her semblance, get her someone that can break her aura fast and that's it, she loses.

But her semblance is really REALLY good.

Like she could stand in one place, do her thing and that's it but there's a thing... Weiss is too logical and sometimes narrow minded, her winning against Marrow was amazing and made me proud because she used EVERYTHING in that damn room to her favor. She was creative!

For her type of semblance that's important!

At the beginning she was too STIFF with her semblance but it got to the point where she has learned to be fast on her feet. Use her semblance in a better, creative way AND be a support in the team.

But now, without her semblance Weiss is a good fighter, being a mix of ballet with fencing/swordplay. Really pretty to see and then take off the damn weapon and she's pretty useless.

See a pattern here? Team Whiterose are completely useless without their weapons and semblance, mmmm

Overall Weiss is a freaking monster thanks to her semblance. She has gotten better to it, to control it and stuff, became more creative and less stiff as well as quick thinker but she needs to get better in hand to hand combat... Please, I'm begging.

Blake: ah yeah, our favorite emo cat girl.

So, Blake is crazy. That's it, that's everything I'm going to say about her.

Ok no, but seriously her fighting style is chef kiss

Blake use of her semblance is amazing, like this girl knows what she's doing when fighting.

Her weapons are great as well, like they are sword, a gun, then that freaking ribbon where she goes all Spiderman with everyone. Amazing!

Tho, she comes with an advantage that no other in her team has.

As explained by different characters in the series, Faunus has physical advantage over humans, not only some of them can see in the dark, but they seem to get some characteristics of the animal they are based off.

A good example is how agile Velvet is thanks to the fact she's a rabbit faunus or the way Sun jumps because of being a monkey faunus.

Blake being a cat faunus gives her ton of advantage, she's stealthy, agile, fast, listen better than the average human, etc

Combine that with her semblance, weapon and fighting style and you have an amazing fighter.

But Blake is reckless and that have cost her in the past. Not only that but while she seems to know only basic stuff in hand to hand combat, relies a lot in her semblance and lately she use her ribbon way too much.

That gives an opportunity to the enemy to take her out easily as we saw in her fight against Vine.

I'm going to say that Blake is generally a good fighter and probably one of the best in Team RWBY in general words but lately she seems to focus a lot in her ribbon which makes her an easy target, idk if this on purpose because Blake have always dislike her semblance or it just they don't know how to make Blake fighting style anymore but it kinda annoys me how she has been reduced to a damsel in distress in some fighting scenes.

Overall Blake is a top notch fighter and her weakness are small details that she slowly overcoming.

Yang: ah yeah, here comes my girl (stupid Tumblr mobile isn't letting me putting her name in yellow 😡)

As you guys know I'm a hoe for this girl so I will try to be objective here.

Yang is the strongest member of the team, not only physically but mentally as well.

So, by far she has my favorite fighting style of all the damn characters, I just love watching Yang fight. I think is because I did martial arts as a kid and then some kick boxing in college so idk.

Listen, this girl is so damn practical, her weapons are absolutely genius.

She's probably the few (maybe only one?) Character that actually took an existing fighting style and did her weapon around it + uses her semblance around it which is practical and smart af

Which comes to one of my favorite things of Yang, how tactical she is. Like Yang is what Ruby could be if it wasn't because of the damn weapon.

Like you guys don't get, Ruby weakness is Yang strength.

Yang since the very beginning showed us how of an amazing fighter she is. You thought Ruby is a prodigy? That Weiss is a monster? Blake is out of this world? Well Yang is fucking God.

I know I KNOW, I said I was going to be objective but it just MISS YANG XIAO LONG IS WHAT CINDER WISH SHE COULD BE, I SWEAR TO GOD, THIS GIRL IS BETTER THAN SOME OF THE ADULTS IN THE SHOW.

Ok ok ok

Yang is emotional tho, which cost her a lot (like A LOT, she lost her arm), in the past she was angry 24/7 (still is but baby got it under control 🥰). People are going to say "well not in v1, 2 and 3!".

I'm sorry but that girl has angry issues and the only moment she gets to be angry is when fighting so yeah, she would angry fight everyone and you know what? She still was an amazing fighter while doing so cuz she would kick everyone ass, being tactical about it, find her opponent weakness and absolutely looking hot while doing so.

Anyway, Yang doesn't have like a huge weakness like Ruby or Weiss, literally are small details. She's pretty much versatile as Ember Celica give her the option of shooting at her opponent. Since the beginning she was pretty much one of the best fighters of all the kids, probably coming second after Phyrra.

Her semblance use is pretty good as well, she seems to have a better grasp of it than some of the other kids and know how to manipulate it without overusing it.

Which btw is what made me have like a huge problem with V4 with the whole Taiyang stuff cuz Yang already knew how to fight like he was telling her, so idk I feel that was an insult to Yang as a character because the reason she lost her arm was because of stress, tired, being in battlefield and hello her partner is in danger.

RWBY

Now that I finished with them individually we can see that RWBY has 2 support fighters, 1 versatile and the other one a basically upfront fighter. Which comes in handy a lot of fights.

But it isn't this what makes them a formidable team but it's their chemistry.

Since the very beginning we see they do the most important thing in any type of relationship, communication.

As Weiss has her problem with Ruby at the beginning she end up talking with an adult about it and then getting call out for her poor behavior, that makes her change her approach to Ruby but before all that she did communicate Ruby what her problem was with her which made Ruby to talk with Ozpin and change her approach to study and her team as well.

We see that Yang and Blake goes well since the beginning as well, and they communicate a lot better than Ruby and Weiss at the beginning. To the point that we can see it in their teamwork.

When it comes to Weiss racism the rest of the team communicate her to stop it and then you have Blake and Weiss discussion about it where we got a glimpse of Weiss life in Atlas as well the revelation of Blake being a faunus and an ex member of the White Fang. This makes Blake run away which later Weiss criticized while telling her that they should talk first and communicate better.

The priority of RWBY as a team is communication. Ruby communicate her plans to the rest of the teams, Weiss her feelings, Blake her knowledge and Yang... Ok maybe Yang needs to work in this department.

This makes their teamwork really strong and their bond just continues getting deeper.

Add to this the fact they learn to use each other in a better way, as having both Weiss and Ruby as support helps a ton, Blake to distract their opponents and Yang to finish them off.

A good example of this is probably the train part in V6, where Yang fights all of the Grimms closely, Blake tends to fight them at some distance while helping out and Ruby with Weiss combination of support make the job hard for the Grimms.

This is exactly why JOYR had such a problem with a new Grimm, Yang needs someone to catch her back while she finds a way to destroy the Grimm which is usually provided by her teammates meanwhile RWB didn't had the boost of strength that Yang gives them in battle to be able to finish off the Hound.

Even in duos RWBY are a hard opponent to go against, probably the duo that would have a hard time is Freezerburn as we see in V3 and still I think if you put them fight together currently they would be a duo you wouldn't want to cross lol

They shouldn't have a problem with trios either but usually Yang is the strength of the group and basically the tank so is understandable that RWB had a hard time adapting without her there.

There's a part in the book Before the Dawn where Coco talks about RWBY and how they are a really strong team and even say that while JNPR aren't bad, they were basically carrying on with Phyrra since Jaune wasn't the fighter he is today. (Plus other problems that Renora have as fighters but this is something for other day).

RWBY in general has a great communication between the members, a great leadership, strong bonds and amazing fighters. They know how to adapt to each other styles and some members even complement each other (Yang and Blake).

Other thing that should be talk about its how basically Ruby and Weiss are too similar and too different at the same time to the point that they should clash a lot (which they used to do) but thanks to the fact they communicate their teamwork is amazing and in their own way they make it work.

It really helps that Ruby with Weiss can have the luxury to go upfront against an enemy while having Weiss to back her up which is something she can't do with Yang or Blake.

That's mostly because their teamwork is a metaphor of their own relationship as well as Yang and Blake teamwork is a metaphor of their own relationship.

Usually Weiss is the main support of her team since she's a large range fighter thanks to her semblance which is basically what she gives to her teammates outside of the battle.

RWBY basically fight is how they are with each other outside of the battle as we can see in multiple instances.

Yang being the tank and strength in their fighting style is exactly what Yang is to RWB, she's basically the heart and soul of the team and without her a lot of their attacks doesn't have the strength necessary for it to work as well as we can in V8 how long it took to RWB to know what to do while Yang already knew what she had to do with JOYR. She's the action.

While Ruby is the leader and sometimes call the shoot, she guide the girls through battle and help both with support and action. She usually starts the fight as a sniper until she sees an opening to fight up close which is a thing she actually do with her team. She takes a step back before talking with any of them and helps them navigate through situation in their lifes like promising Weiss to being on her side at Atlas to sometimes intervening between Weiss and her family.

Blake in the other hand is more of a wild card, she's usually Yang personal support as their styles complement each other but in most situations she does it on her own, unlike Ruby, Blake usually is more of an upfront fighter and only being support when Yang needs her which is a thing outside of battle. She usually does her own way, and while she support both Weiss and Ruby is with Yang where we see a more intimate support.

This is what makes RWBY dangerous, their bond and chemistry is something they worked hard to have as they started with difficulties, is a thing the 4 of them appreciate and love, it really helps they know how to communicate and do so to be able to have a healthy relationship between each other.

Right now we are finally seeing a lack of communication between RWBY, specially between Yang and Ruby.

As we all know RWBY is a direct parallel of STRQ which means this miscommunication between Yang and Ruby is important for their future as a team. Is implied that they still have each other back but it's necessary for Yang to open up to Ruby about what's going since this could create a breach if not treated.

Conclusion: stan RWBY and stan LOONA 😌

[smokeybrandreviews]

Smokey brand Movie Reviews: A Dead Polar Bear

I am a pretty big fan of Ghostbusters. Being an Eighties kid, that sh*t was a big deal for me. I loved the first film, like the second, and am okay with the “third” I say that hesitantly because the 2016 one doesn’t feel like a proper Ghostbusters flick. When Afterlife was announced, i lost my sh*t. The more i saw of it, the more i got that nostalgic feeling. Unfortunately, i missed it in theaters because, you know, the plague but it’s available for purchase. I for sure pulled the trigger on that sh*t! Finally, i can sit down and see why Ghostbusters: Afterlife has so much buzz.

The Outstanding

I am immediately hit with how homey this movie feels. That opening sequence is everything! It rivals the ghost librarian from the first and really feels like it belongs in this world. I mean, that sh*t hits you in the gut, don’t misunderstand, but it’s a fantastic opening that really captures the feel of the franchise.

The writing is really f*cking good in this. It’s smart, witty, and genuinely funny. This movie doesn’t have to try and be, it just is. It’s just Ghostbusters. Hell, I'd argue that the writing in this one, is better than the second and I'd have a strong f*cking case. I have to give credit to Jason Reitman and Gil Kenan for this. I am pretty sure Jason wrote the initial script and Gil just punched it up because this thing fits the previous two films perfectly and the Senior Reitman had a whole hand in making that thing become a thing.

The direction is on point. Jason Reitman did an exceptional job emulating his father’s style. Dude is an exceptional talent in his own right, mans gave us Juno, Thank You For Smoking, and Young Adult, but Afterlife is easily one of his best.

I love the effects, both practical and CG. It was nothing like 206 which, by comparison, is kind of just a bunch of neon colored vomit everywhere. No, Afterlife stays true to keeping the spectacle relatively grounded, only going bombastic toward the end but never cheaping out along the way.

This cast is solid as f*ck. There are no bad performances, for the most part. Thee are a few times where i was left wanting but the overwhelming majority of the acting is spot on. Carrie Coon continues to impress me and Paul Rudd never disappoints. Finn Wolfhard is arguably the weakest link in this cast but he still does a decent job with what he is given. Celeste O'Connor and Logan Kim are great editions and i look forward to what they do in the inevitable sequel. Of course, the original cast is as charming as they were thirty f*cking years ago. Bill Murray, Dan Akroyd, Ernie Hudson, Annie Potts and Sigourney Weaver slide right back into the roles they originated all those decades ago. That mid credits scene, specifically, was a real treat. All that said, this movie lives and dies by the grace of Mckenna Grace.

I don’t know who the f*ck Mckenna Grace is. I’m approaching middle age and she’s less than, like, half my current age. I think she’s a Disney kid? Like, two generations removed from Zendaya and Hannah Montana? Which makes her three generations removed from that sh*t being appealing to me. That aid, she’s f*cking great in this role. She plays Phoebe with such believability, i was sure that Grace, herself, is on the spectrum. F*cking outstanding job.

Also, JK Simmons and Olivia Wilde are in this thing! They play Ivo Shandor and Gozer the Gozerian, respectively. Ivo was around for literally seconds but Wilde’s Gozer was amazing. She did way more than Slavitza Jovan in the first Bustin’ outing but, somehow, left me wanting. That h*t sucks because her Gozer is f*cking amazing.

I cannot stress how much this feels like a proper Ghostbusters entry. This thing has the heart of the franchise and really puts into perspective everything 2016 got wrong. You can literally watch the first two films and then this one, and there is barely a difference in tone and style, no break in continuity. It’s kind of amazing considering how far apart this thing is from the first two.

Seriously, watching this movie really puts into perspective why the 2016 attempt was so bad. That movie was not a Ghostbusters movie. It is devoid of the soul that made these films what they are. Sh*t is tonally and aesthetically wrong. The jokes don’t land and it relies to heavily on juvenile, slapstick, comedy. I mean, it’s funny to someone but to a fan of the franchise? Not so much. A fan would definitely watch that movie and be offended, especially when Afterlife executed so goddamn well. And I ain't even hate 2016 like the rest of the fandom. Watching Afterlife, though? I definitely get the hate. Its really bad how off the mark that movie turned out.

The Meh

The climax felt kind of rushed. From the second Gozer shows up, it’s like a slalom to the credits. It doesn’t feel as consequential as the first clash and just kind of jump cuts to the end. I mean, they wasted JK Simmons, man. How do you waste JK Simmons like that?? Sh*t is literally my only grievance with this movie. Everything else is brilliant.

The Verdict

Of course i f*cking loved this movie, are you kidding me? I love Ghostbusters! I’ve loved this franchise since i was a kid and always wanted a proper three-quel. Ghostbusters: Afterlife feels like the third movie we should have gotten decades ago if Bill Murray wasn’t such a f*cking dick. This movie does everything right. It does what these other “passing of the torch” films like The Force Awakens or Terminator: Dark Fate, botch so badly. Mckenna Grace is a fantastic protagonist for the future of the franchise and she has a strong supporting crew in Finn Wolfhard, Celeste O'Connor, and Logan Kim. The OGs really come through and add just enough nostalgia to really drive home that this is the third film, that this is the bookend to their trilogy but, at the same time, the start of something new. As a film, it’s very well made. Great pacing, fantastic directing, absolutely inspired script, and it’s genuinely hilarious. There is so much love and passion put into this thing, it’s hard to imagine it being anything less that exceptional. It fumbles a little bit at the finish line but recovered enough to really stick the landing and, hopefully, sets up for another sequel. Ghostbusters: Afterlife is everything 2016 isn’t and really deserve all of the accolade and hype it’s garnered. It’s a great film on it’s own but it’s a near perfect Ghostbusters movie.

[faakeid]

Let’s enjoy the album instead of nitpicking. I’m so proud of him; the way he curated his songs and how much he involved himself with the concept and the visuals is so great. He’s showing something he waited years to show and I was so excited about his music without really knowing what to expect. His voice is like whaaaaa haha bc we had never really listened him sing for full 6 songs! It shows his vocal progress and I’m really looking forward to what more he will show us. I’m just really happy and sometimes seeing people in your asks reducing all his work to his personal life is like why? I love ka*soo but I think it’s kind of nonsense to just look at it like that... is like why are you looking for more proof? I mean I don’t even question their rs anymore, probably bc I’m old af haha and after all that’s happened I don’t think we’ll see anything similar to their slips like yagi or their early debut photos or interviews 🤷🏽‍♀️ (and for their well being I hope the never get outed). Now that you’ve listened to the album has your song ranking changed? I was also wondering haha mine did. Hope you’re doing great 💕

I hope you’re doing great too, baby. I’m definitely on the edge this week 🔥.

It was bizarre that when the pics started to come out I saw dozens of asks complaining about this solo, saying it would be bad, that would suck and flop, etc. I posted some because it’s hard to just stay silent but there were others I simply deleted because it was too much.

Meanwhile, when he did things good, or in a way he was praised, I barely saw asks recognizing it and praising him. Like, what the fuck?

The problem with some shippers is that they idolize the ship but tend to hate one of the people if they don’t fit the narrative. And for them JI is the weakest link. So, they feel the need for saying shit about him anonymously because they’re not brave to appear but when he does well, to buy his album or stream songs, they disappear. They vanish in thin air. And complaining because he says girl twice on a song while his explanations are always gender neutral, wtf?????

For me there’s nothing to discuss and to expect to confirm their condition. It was in the open years ago and it’s obvious how nothing changed between them. So I feel like people simply love being cruel to him.

When I watched his live, I felt tears across my face. Imagined how this dude suffered from all the times he was thrown under the bus for things he didn’t do and to push an agenda and all the conditions he had to endure to debut solo and make his dream come true. He’s such a hardworking and tender person, it’s nice to see him being recognized as a good performer. And, keep in mind: Kyungsoo warned all along how his vocal improved and how his singing voice is gorgeous. He wasn’t wrong.

I kind of dumped the mood but replying your question. My top 6 now that the album came out:

6. Reason: it reminded me of something SuperM would sing. But it’s listenable. Just not my style;

From then onwards it’s just so FUCKING HARD!!! I can’t choose the middle positions. Ride or die is my first tho, it’s better than I expected. The melody, how Jongin’s voice is like honey and melted butter I can’t. But also, Nothing on Me growed when the full song came out. The full piece harmonizes so well!

Mmmh is delicious and extremely addictive and also grew on me to the point I can’t select from it, Amnesia and Nothing on me to get the 5, 4 and 3 positions in my faves. Hello Stranger is still on second place, is so enjoyable! I just think ride or die should be the song to end the album. Idk if it was because of the film, but it gave the feeling of closure better like a final performance, a final breath and curtains closing. But I’m loving this era a lot.

Thank you, Kim Jongin, for saving my 2020 ❤️

[photolover82]

The Masked Singer Season 6 Episode 3: Time to meet Group B! (Commentary & Guesses)

Hello fellow humans! Welcome (or welcome back) to Ana’s Masked Singer recap, where I recap and talk about this show called The Masked Singer if you wanna stick around for that. So, this time around, we get to meet the other group, Group B, who we might not see again for 2 weeks, since we are going to see group A perform again this upcoming week with a new wildcard, Pepper. Anyways, let’s get started with the recap:

Group B was introduced and they consisted of Dalmatian 🐶, Queen of Hearts 🫀, Mallard 🦆, Cupcake 🧁, and Banana Split 🍌🍦. They performed, and one was eliminated unfortunately, let’s start with that…

So the contestant that was eliminated/revealed first in Group B was:

Dalmatian 🐶

Performance Commentary: ok, so I wasn’t super surprised by this elimination honestly, I expected it since he was the weakest vocally of this group. He sang Beautiful by Snoop Dogg ft Pharrell Williams and I gotta give him props for actually singing when most rappers just decide to only rap and not sing at all on this show. However, he did sound a bit like they put way too much of that auto tune stuff on his voice so it sounded like a robot him singing, which kinda made him the weakest link. However, his rapping was awesome (duh because that’s what he does professionally… and btw not spoiling who he is with that comment because when you hear the performance, you’ll know 100% it’s a rapper)

And he was revealed to be…

*DRUMROLL PLEASE*

Tyga

Omg I knew it!! Thank you Twitter for helping me out, y’all are the best. I thought at first it might have been Chance the Rapper but then people started saying Tyga and I was like hmmm lemme see the clues, yup makes sense, well great segue (segway) Ana because imma show you some of the clues you might have missed:

Scream Poster= he was in the Scream series

Cat Doll= play on words because his name is Tyga (like Tiger… man these producers are really into puns, it’s kinda clever tho)

Was discovered by a big player= in 2007, he started doing mixtapes and he was discovered by Travie McCoy who offered him a record deal

Now, that we have that out of the way, let’s get into our remaining contestants (big warning: this group has left me all types of confused when it comes to guesses so I apologize if my arguments aren’t perfect with some of these):

1. Cupcake 🧁

Performance: This performance is so confusing to me. Idk if this is a man or woman, sometimes I think woman with deep voice and other times I am like no that’s a man. So I don’t know about this one, it’s a very good performance of Heat Wave by Martha and the Vandellas but I need to hear more because I am confused. I am in between a specific man or a specific woman but I am not sure so unfortunately for this one I don’t have a guess

Sorry y’all no guess for this one :(… hopefully, next time they perform I will have a better idea*

*(I will say the guess I am leaning towards that a few people have said *just in case the cupcake leaves next* is Ruth Pointer from the Pointer Sisters because there were supposed to be multiple cupcakes and not just one, and in the PKG, cupcake said they were used to being in a group)

2. Banana Split 🍌🍦

Performance: They were 1000% my favorite performance of the night even though only Split/Ice Cream sang A Million Dreams from the Greatest Showman. She is amazing, I absolutely love her, she has that iconic Broadway sound that I absolutely adore. Just her singing this makes me so confident on who she is omg I’m stoked!

Having said that, I am so positive, like way too certain none of y’all will convince me otherwise like Todrick level confidence they are…

Katherine McPhee and David Foster

Ok, so you guys are probably like “Ana, how can you be so sure if the damn banana didn’t even sing a note, he just played the piano?!” Well, my friends, you have a point, but I know who she is and honestly I don’t even care if I am wrong ab him (I won’t know for sure until he sings a note) but HER I am absolutely positive….and they are a married couple and the banana has heart eyes so in my head it makes sense with the clues too, but before I go to the clues, I have a funny story on how I know who Ms. Katherine McPhee is… so like I was watching this performance and was like omg her voice Sound so familiar! Where have I heard her before?! This is driving me nuts… And then I saw people on YouTube saying that it’s them and I was like wait Katherine McPhee that name sounds so familiar. Then I looked her up and I found out that I knew who she was because I randomly watched a show on Netflix called Country Comfort (which side note: LeAnn Rimes or the Sun from Season 4 guest starred on that show and LeAnn’s husband stars in it… so connection there?), which to explain the show briefly it’s literally the Nanny but with country music and in Tennessee instead of NY. Anyways, she sang a lot on that show and it clicked, I was like BINGO OMG THAT IS HER IT CANNOT BE ANYONE ELSE (similar to how I felt about Todrick being the bull when I saw that damn sneak peak performance). Anyway ya, that was unnecessarily long, now onto the clues:

She left school to move to the city= she attended Boston Conservatory for 3 semesters and left to move to LA to try out for TV pilots

Thought she got her big break, but it wasn’t it= she got an MTV soap opera plot but it never made it to air

Collaborator who sticks with me through sweet and sour= they have known each other ever since she was on the 5th season of American Idol in 2006 and their collaboration is that he is a music producer and she sings (on American Idol, he would play the piano while she sang… does this sound familiar to you guys yet? Ringing any bells? If not, rewatch the performance Banana Split did)

3. Queen of Hearts 🫀

Performance: She sang Born This Way by Lady Gaga and I already knew she was going to be good, but this was like Black Swan all over again. This beginning song wasn’t the best for her voice, but she had fun and she did the damn thing. Closest Lady Gaga singing impression I’ve seen, but I am positive it ain’t Lady Gaga. Also, she slayed that ending.

Ok, so I am not too sure about this guess but after a bit of research and voice matching, I think it might be…

Jewel (the singer, not an actual jewel)

Again I say, with a bit of research, I feel like she’s the closest guess I can give you guys especially matching the singing voices, but let’s look at the clues:

Grew up in a house that lacked warmth= she grew up in Alaska (born in Utah)

Tin man from Wizard of Oz= she played Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz in Concert: Dreams Come True in 1995

Hilary Swank photo= Swank has a dog named Jewel (when I read this I laughed, wow Masked Singer really?! 😂😂)

4. Mallard 🦆

Performance: This performance was not my cup of tea tbh, it was real deep country which is not my jam at all. The song title says it all: Save a Horse (Ride a Cowboy) by Big & Rich. Like it was great no lie, but like I just don’t really enjoy that kinda music so it wasn’t for me.

Again, this one is a shot in the dark guess but I am gonna stick with it and it is the one I am leaning towards voice wise:

Willie Robinson (yes the guy from Duck Dynasty)

Ok, so again hear me out, this might sound stupid (and half of me thinks it is) but it kinda makes sense in a strange way especially looking at the clues:

Surrounded by dollar bills= Duck Dynasty merch raised a ton of bills

Photo of Chris Pratt= they worked together and became friends filming Jurassic World in 2014

Platinum Album= Has a certified platinum album “Duck the Halls: A Robertson Family Christmas” (I can’t believe this one, I was pretty surprised)

Anyways, that’s it! I can’t wait to see Group A next week.. again yeah but with Pepper this time so woohoo another Wildcard. I just hope we can see more of Group B too because it feels like too much of Group A is being seen. Anyways, see y’all next week with the recap for tomorrow’s episode! Bye guys! Remember to do all the social media things! Like, comment, follow me for more, all of that 👋🏼