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#major props to editors man
itsnicsalad · 1 year
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havent made fake screenshots in a hot minute lol,, anyway i spent way too long learning how to use capcut just to make this :")
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kingdaddydaichi · 2 years
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⚯ title: muse
⚯ pairing: k. akaashi x f!writer!reader
⚯ wc: 3333
⚯ warnings: nsfw, mdni, (mention of) nihilism, dry humping, almost no foreplay (unless, like me, you count engaging akaashi's mind), clothed sex, oral (f receiving), akaashi being charming af
⚯ notes: my first akaashi fic, y'all. feedback is greatly appreciated.
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The very first time you saw Keiji he was standing in one of the aisles at your favorite bookstore with his nose buried in Beyond Good and Evil. With one arm crossed and the opposite elbow propped against it, he pored through its pages. His lips were pursed in concentration, eyes narrowed behind black, rectangular frames. He appeared to be too young to be a professor of philosophy, but he certainly carried himself like one, unwittingly captivating you with his quiet, uncontrived confidence. So much so, in fact, that you almost didn’t hear him when he spoke to you.
Taking a step back away from the shelves, he said, “My apologies, am I in your way?”
“O-oh. No, not at all. I was just wondering…” The intensity of his dark green eyes laser-focused on you threatened to turn you into a blubbering mess, but you managed to keep it together. “...do you find it difficult to read Nietzsche?”
The corner of his mouth twitched as he pushed his glasses up to the bridge of his nose. “Sometimes. For me, a lot of it depends on the translation and the subject matter. Obviously, the more interested you are in a topic, the easier it is to read, generally speaking. What do you think?”
A nervous laugh bubbled from your lips as you averted your eyes, a bit embarrassed to admit the truth. “I haven’t tried, actually. For the last few years I’ve been sorta interested in nihilism, but I’ve always heard that his works tend to be a bit boring and dry.”
He closed the book, its pages coming together in a whisper as he tucked it under his arm. “If you’re interested in nihilism, you might try reading The Will to Power.” He reached out and pulled a book from the shelf before handing it to you. “It’s also one of his easier books to read, in my opinion, so it might be a good place for you to start.” 
You reached for the book, his warm fingers brushing against yours as he handed it over. The subtle smirk that played on his lips made you wonder if it was intentional. Smiling, you glanced at the cover before looking up at the raven-haired man. 
“Okay, I think I will. Thank you so much for the recommendation, …umm…”
“Oh.” He transferred the book under his other arm and extended his hand. “Keiji. Pleasure to meet you.”
You slipped your hand into his, noticing for the first time how long his fingers are while the softness of your skin filled his thoughts. “Nice to meet you, too, Keiji. I’m (y/n).”
He nodded and looked at his phone. “Well, (y/n), I’ve still got about half an hour to kill. Would you uh-” There was a fleeting crack in his confidence and a light dusting of pink on the apples of his cheeks. “Would you care to join me for coffee in the cafe?”
You smiled. “I’d love to. I walked by there on my way in and I’ve been craving a matcha latte ever since.”
A small smile graced his lips in return. “Let’s go get you that matcha latte, then!” he insisted, making you laugh.
He found the fact that you thought he would make an excellent philosophy professor both amusing and flattering. At the same time, you were surprised and fascinated to learn that he was in fact an editor for a major manga publisher, though he was still working towards his dream of becoming a literary editor instead. When you told him that you write fiction in your spare time, he was floored. “Shut up, no fucking way!” From that moment forward, he knew he was a goner for you. Your conversation flowed effortlessly and the half hour was tragically over much too soon. You tried to argue with Keiji when he paid for your beverage, but he was having none of it. 
“It’s the least I can do for you after allowing me to enjoy your company. A penny for your thoughts, as the saying goes.”
Your cheeks warmed at his charming words. “Thank you, Keiji, for the matcha latte and the reading material,” you said, holding up the book he’d given you. “The pleasure’s been all mine. Shame we can’t stay and talk longer.”
“Do you think maybe we can get together for coffee again another day when we both have more time?”
You tucked a strand of hair behind your ear and smiled. “Yeah, I’d like that a lot.” You were playing it nice and cool, but squealing like a schoolgirl on the inside.
As you created new contacts for yourselves in each other’s phones, Keiji said, “Tell you what. If you wanna hold off on buying The Will to Power, I have a copy at home you can borrow if you want? Like a ‘try before you buy’ type thing?”
“Oh, that’s a great idea for sure!”
“Cool. I’ll be sure to bring it with me next time we see each other.”
Less than an hour later, once he’d gotten back to his office, he texted you. “How about this weekend? Maybe dinner first, then coffee?”
You had to fight back the scream that threatened to erupt from your throat. “Absolutely, that sounds amazing!”
The text that he responded with damn near did you in. “It’s a date then.”
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A couple of weeks and a small stack of his books sitting on your coffee table later, he’d texted late one afternoon to let you know there was a deadline for a big editorial project coming up and he’d have to work late for the next few days. 
“Can you come by my place after work one night? I wanna see you…”
“As long as you’re sure it won’t be too late. I don’t want you staying up past your bedtime on my account.”
“Keiji. I’m a writer. I don’t have a bedtime lol.”
“Tsk. That’s not good for you though. We’ll have to remedy that.”
“So will you come over tonight?”
“Yeah, it’ll probably be close to nine but I’ll let you know when I’m on my way.”
“K, I’ll be here waiting for you.”
“Can’t wait to see you again.”
“Same. Miss you, Keij.”
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You sat with your knees pulled toward your chest and your face buried in your hands, watching Keiji through the slits between your fingers as he sat next to you on your sofa, reading your latest draft. You’d been too embarrassed to show him any of your writing before now. 
He’d told you on your first date that he’d love to read some of your work sometime, but he also understood better than most how apprehensive writers can be about letting people they know read their stuff. Something about the way he never pressured you though made you decide that it was probably safe to share it with him. 
So, when he came over that night, you offered it up to him and watched his eyes light up. “Really? Are you sure?”
“Yeah. I think so. Just, please…do be gentle?”
He chuckled and pecked you on the lips. “Of course, I will.”
From the first time you saw him, your soul lost its balance and fell in love with watching Keiji read - the way his eyebrow quirks when he reads something interesting or unexpected; the way a puff of air escapes his nose as a small smile plays at the corners of his lips when he finds something funny or amusing. You loved the way he’d mindlessly run a fingertip over the corners of an open book’s pages as he read. There was something soothing about watching Keiji do what he loves most. 
This time, however, you were anything but calm.
“Well,” he exhaled, pulling his glasses off.  
You watched and waited with bated breath. “Is that a good ‘well’ or a bad ‘well’?”
“Do you want my personal opinion or my professional opinion?”
“Both?”
“Professionally speaking, it’s engaging and well-written. I think your audience would definitely get sucked in. I almost forgot I was reading, which is always a good thing.”
Your hands dropped to your chest to clutch your writer heart as it leapt at his praise. “And personally?”
He opened his mouth and dragged his hand down his face as he laughed quietly. “That was fucking hot.”
Your hands flew to your mouth, muffling your voice. “Really?”
He nodded, his green irises darkened by his pupils. “Let’s just say I’m really glad I’m sitting down right now because otherwise, this would potentially be pretty awkward,” he said, glancing at his lap.
Your mouth fell open in a gasp, eyes widening. “Keiji! Did it make you…are you…hard?”
He shifted against the back of the couch, keeping his arm strategically placed over his thigh. “I can lie to you if it makes things less weird.”
“It doesn’t make things weird, but I’m not sure I believe you. How do I know you’re not lying right now?”
He raised his eyebrows at you. “You want me to prove it to you?”
You nodded. If he was lying, you were calling his bluff.
He shook his head. “All right…” He situated himself lower in his seat and leaned back, relaxing to let his long legs fall open. Sure enough, there was an unmistakable bulge at the top of his left thigh. The distinct shape of his erection pressed uncomfortably against his khaki-colored slacks. 
You mumbled the first word that came to mind: “Impressive.” Before you had a chance to think about what you were doing, your body moved on its own as if by primal drive. Keiji watched as you edged closer to him, resting his arm against the back of the sectional as a welcoming invitation. 
With your knees pressing against the same leg as his chub, his dark gaze read the flicker of fire and curiosity in your eyes. He raised his hand to cup your cheek, bringing your face ever closer, searching for any hint of hesitation on your part. 
Before he could make his move, your lips were on his, softly pressing into them. He let out a low chuckle and kissed you back, his thinner lips slotting perfectly between yours. Both of you opened your mouths at the same time, your tongues meeting halfway to push over each other. Keiji’s teeth grazed your tongue; you responded with a soft suck on his bottom lip, making both of you smile into the kiss. 
Your knees trembled beneath you, too weak to maintain your position. Just as you placed your hand on his shoulder to steady yourself, he grabbed you by the waist and pulled you onto his lap. Straddling him, you could feel his hard length pressing against the back of your thigh. 
“M’sorry,” he breathed. “Am I being too forward?”
“No.” You pressed your lips into his next kiss. “Please, Keiji. Don’t stop.”
That was all the encouragement he needed. His large hands slid down to your bottom, squeezing the flesh there between his long, slender fingers. “I’ve been meaning to tell you what a great ass you have.”
Your laugh whispered against his lips. “Yeah? Think so?”
“Oh, hell yes. Been dying to grab it like this,” he said before teasing your tongue with his teeth again.
“Grab it all you want. Mm…feels good.” Your fingers massaged the back of his neck before carding through his shaggy black locks.
“Yeah? Y’know what feels good to me?”
“Tell me, Keiji. I wanna know everything,” you moaned as he pulled you closer, creating friction against his cock and groaning as his warm pre oozed out onto his thigh.
“Mnnfuck, (y/n), that…that feels amazing,” he murmured against your lips. 
His hands slipped underneath your shirt to massage your tits through your sports bra. He was rewarded when another moan spilled from your lips, followed by a short gasp as his kisses blazed a trail along your jawline. You squirmed on his lap, craving the sensation of his hard cock against your soaking slit.
“Mm damn,” Keiji whispered, his head falling back against the couch as you rode him, his hips rolling to dry hump you right back.
“Keij? I’m sorry,” you said, raising up from his lap.
Concern began to swirl in his lustful eyes as he opened them to check on you. “(Y/n), what’s wrong? Too much?”
“No,” you breathed. “Not enough. I need-” You hesitated, worried that you were going to come across a lot sluttier than you intended.
His hands cupped your face as yours roamed his chest and shoulders. “What is it? Tell me what you need, (y/n).”
You worked your bottom down towards his knees as your fingers got to work on the buttons of his shirt. He helped, freeing you up to start on his belt as you looked him in the eye. “I don’t want you to think less of me for this, but…” His belt now undone, you worked to get his pants open, fingers shaking with anticipation and need.
“Tell me, (y/n),” Keiji said. “I won’t think any less of you for being honest with me.”
“I need you. Now, Keiji.” You reached into his pants and pulled his straining cock out, stroking it and spreading his precum along his shaft.
“Oh fuck, (y/n)...” he moaned, his mouth hanging open as he watched you pull your tiny shorts and panties to one side and position yourself at his tip.
“Need you inside me, Keij,” you whined as you started sinking down around the head of his hot cock.
His pretty eyes rolled back as your heat encased him, so tight he thought he might pass out. You cried out at the blissful agony provided by the burning stretch of his cock as you worked him in, slowly easing yourself further down his thick shaft a little at a time. You’d only taken about half of him when he felt your slick leaking down the underside of his cock.
“Ohh…mm…take what you need, baby. Fuck, you feel so good…so damn tight.”
“Oh god, Keiji, your cock feels amazing…stretching me open so perfectly.”
“That’s it, take your time…” he whispered, gritting his teeth to keep from giving you one hard thrust of his hips to wedge himself all the way inside you at once.
You bottomed out around him, his full balls twitching against the crack of your ass. He kissed you slow and deep, still feeling a little light-headed at the way your hot, gummy walls clenched around him, waiting patiently until you were ready to start moving.
You raised your hips off him, drawing a sigh from his lips as you slid up and down on his cock a little at a time. Pretty soon, you were gliding along his shaft with ease, gasping and moaning his name as your hips rocked against his. Keiji’s hands gripped your butt, pulling you along in time with your thrusts and whispering words of praise and encouragement in your ear. 
“Mmfuck, Keiji?” you whined.
Without another word he began thrusting up into you, his fingertips gripping your butt and thighs with bruising pressure as he built up his speed and intensity. Something about the way he moved hit different and you let him take control, swearing about how good his cock felt. 
“Yeah, baby,” you whimpered. “Fuck me, Keiji…”
“Shit, baby, hang on…” 
You tightened your hold around his neck as he leaned forward. It only took a beat for him to pick you up and lay you down across the couch. Without pulling out, he managed to work his pants and boxers further down his thighs but was too impatient to take them off. His now naked hips flexed between your thighs as he rutted into you with more force. Your cries became more desperate and he knew he needed to get you off soon because he was getting dangerously close.
He swore and pulled out, leaving you whining and reaching for him.
“Don’t worry, baby, I’m not done. Just need to get these fucking shorts off you…”
You eagerly lifted your hips to let him pull your shorts and panties down together. You got one leg out and he huffed, “Good enough,” before lining himself up and plunging back into your wet heat, forcing loud moans out of both of you.
He continued his ravenous pace, pushing one of your thighs back, then the other; angling his hips until he could feel himself bumping against the rough texture of your sweet spot.
“Ohfuck, Keij, ohgodfuck…” He planted his hands on either side of you, keeping your knees back with the crooks of his elbows, skin slapping against wet skin as he drove you closer to the edge. “Hmm…you’re gonna mm- gonna make me…fuck, Keiji! Gonna cum, baby!” Your whole body went rigid as your cunt convulsed around his pulsing cock.
“Shit, baby, me too,” he whispered urgently. “Where?”
“Inside me, Keiji…”
He grunted as he forced himself as deep as he could go. “Fuck, I’m cumming, (y/n)...” His hips stilled and shook. You could feel the force of his orgasm; his cock twitched inside you, releasing long ropes of his creamy, white seed against your walls until he was spent.
Neither of you wanted to move as your chests heaved together, your arms wrapped tightly around Keiji’s back as he breathed against your neck, planting lazy kisses there.
“Promise you don’t think any less of me?” you asked breathlessly, the oxytocin flooding your system putting you on the verge of tears, scared that maybe he’d be put off by your neediness and eagerness to have sex with him.
He lifted his head up to meet your eyes with his emerald hues. “I promise,” he whispered, kissing you softly while running his fingers through your hair. “You were just being honest about what you wanted. I think it’s sexy.”
You bit your lip and smiled, admiring the way his messy hair had fallen forward as he looked down at you. “I think you’re sexy, Keiji.”
He smiled one of his rare toothy smiles. “Thank you, I’m glad we were able to reach a consensus about our findings on sexiness.”
“Ohmygod, yes. Talk nerdy to me, baby,” you teased, both of you laughing. 
You both stayed like that a while longer, still mostly dressed with his softening cock nestled inside your sticky cunt, exchanging sweet proclamations of your mutual desire to be together. 
“What do you say we take this to your bedroom and get the rest of these clothes off?” He pushed himself off you and helped you up before pulling his pants up so he could walk. 
“Keiji, I swear your mind is teeming with so many great ideas,” you said, reaching for him. 
He had you jump up so he could loop his arms under your legs as you wrapped them around his waist. “Think you’ll ever write about us?” he smirked as he carried you to bed. 
You threaded your fingers into his hair and kissed him. “Who said I haven’t already?”
He hummed as he lowered you down onto the bed. “I’d love to read it sometime,” he said, lifting your shirt over your head. 
You pushed his button up off his shoulders as he let his pants fall to the floor with a clatter of his belt buckle. You eyed his slim but cut torso and licked your lips just before he kissed you. Opening your eyes to meet his, you said, “You already have.”
He groaned and smirked against your lips. “Well, as your muse,” he started, slipping his hand between your thighs as his hardening cock bounced in its freedom. “I’m honored to give you all the inspiration you need.” 
He lowered himself between your open legs and kissed your clit before licking and sucking your combined spend, cleaning your pussy with a lavish tongue bath just so he could make a mess of it all over again. 
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feedback and reblogs are greatly appreciated!
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superman86to99 · 11 months
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Superman: The Man of Steel #33 (May 1994)
An unfortunate series of events has turned Superman so grotesquely swole that he now looks like he’s, well, a character in a ‘90s superhero comic. Last issue, his rapidly growing powers simply made him slightly taller, but by now he's basically a head drowning in a mass of comically large muscles (I’m amazed his costume hasn’t burst yet; props to Ma Kent’s stitching abilities). Another unfortunate side effect of his ordeal is that he’s afraid to even breathe near Lois Lane because he thinks he might kill her.
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Superman asks his friends at Project Cadmus to come up with a way to turn him back to normal and they oblige, despite having their hands kinda full with the army of sewer mutants currently trying to invade them (more on that in the plotlines section below). Their idea is to put Superman near the Parasite, the superpower-stealing supervillain, so that he’ll absorb Superman’s excess energy. Wouldn’t that make the Parasite super-strong and stuff? No, you see, because they’ll put him near some “siphoning coils” that will drain the excess energy from him.
Within a few seconds of the experiment starting, the siphoning coils fail to siphon the excess energy (you had one job, siphoning coils) and the Parasite becomes super-strong and stuff. He immediately breaks free and starts killing Cadmus people as Superman tries to stay away from him so he doesn’t become even more powerful. Then Superman realizes “Hey, wait a minute, I’m even more ridiculously overpowered!” and does this:
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Superman pushed the Parasite into the ground so fast and with so much strength that the rock melted from the friction and crystalized, trapping him in a “glass prison,” just as Superman planned -- he may look like the Hulk now, but he’s no brute.
Since that plan to cure Superman failed, Cadmus decides to take a page from him and do what he does whenever he has a problem he doesn’t know how to solve: just chuck it into space. As in, they strap Super-Superman to a big-ass rocket and launch it to a space station orbiting the Earth’s dark side so that he won’t be able to absorb any more energy from the sun.
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For once, I sympathize with Cadmus’ Director Westfield when he asks if all that expense was really necessary (couldn’t Superman have flown himself there?). Anyway, TO BE CONTINUED!
Plotline-Watch:
As mentioned, the Clone Plague storyline escalates dramatically when the sick and dying Underworlders invade Cadmus en masse and actually manage to break in before they’re shot down by soldiers. We then see the dramatic death of Rambeau, the ram-headed Underworlder we met at the start of the “Doomsday!” storyline, who dies right in front of the (also sick) Newsboy Legion kids after warning them that they’re next. We’ll miss you, Rambeau... or maybe not so much since, according to the “Death of Superman” video game, he’s got like 40 identical cousins.
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Last issue, master hacker Lex Luthor Jr. hacked into Lois Lane’s computer to rewrite her exposé on him so that no one would believe her ever again, and now we see what he came up with: a front-page article accusing Luthor of being a “SPACE-ALIEN CLONE” who “WILL SLAY EARTH’S WOMEN.” He also bribed (and later murdered) the Daily Planet’s night editor so he’d let the article through. Everyone from Director Westfield to a random traffic cop makes fun of Lois for her story, but Don Sparrow points out: “In a world where every major American city is guarded by super-powered off-worlders, is Lois Lane’s ‘alien clone’ headline that laughable?” Yeah, perhaps the most incredible part here is that this wouldn’t really be front-page news if true.
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Luthor’s revenge on Lois doesn’t end there: throughout the issue we see that he went full Kingpin on her, ruining her credit cards, emptying her bank account, bribing that traffic officer so she’d fail a breathalyzer test, and making it look like she’s having a nervous breakdown. The credit thing is the worst part, because it embarrasses Lois as she’s paying for a meal with Mayor Berkowitz in a fancy restaurant. Don again: “I know that it’s to set up her online financial problems, but was Lois really picking up the cheque while dining with the Mayor? Or were they going Dutch?”
Speaking of Lois, this issue includes another variation of the cute scene where Superman wakes her up by lightly tapping on her window, only this one isn’t so cute because he’s so strong that his “light” taps break the window and Lois cuts her feet.
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Superman asks the Cadmus folks to meet him at the tree city of Habitat, which has been in ruins since Doomsday rampaged through it, because at least he can’t do any more damage there. I wonder if they ever explained how it went back to normal in future issues. Did the Hairies rebuild it? Did it just grow back? Zatanna?
The Parasite had been captured in S.T.A.R. Labs since way back in October 1991. In this issue we’re told that Westfield “acquired” him from S.T.A.R., and of course the first thing he does is pump him full of super-energy and let him kill an employee. He almost kills Big Words of the Newsadult Legion, too (it would have been pretty funny if he had and then suddenly started using big words).
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One thing that bugs me about this issue is how casually Lois reveals to Superman that, oh yeah, Lex Luthor Jr. is a clone of Lex Luthor Sr., meaning that his greatest enemy isn’t really dead and had been pretending to be a friend for years. That’s a big deal! Superman’s like “sorry, I’m too swole to care about this right now.” I’m also iffy about the part where she says she implicated Luthor in his trainer’s attempted murder; he DID murder her, but then aliens brought her back to life. Is “attempted” the correct legal term in that case?
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What I do like is how the creative teams have handled Lex’s slow transition from smooth Australian philanthropist to full-on supervillain as his body and mind deteriorate due to the Clone Plague. The issue ends with a frail Lex (in some sort of medical gown that looks like his Pre-Crisis mad scientist suit) meeting with Clawster of the Underworlders to give him bombs and weapons to use not just in Cadmus, but in all of Metropolis, because if he's dying from the Plague then he wants to take it with him. It’s fitting that just as he’s starting to look like the classic Lex, he suddenly has an excuse to behave like him too.
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Patreon-Watch:
This appropriately swole post was made possible (and partly previewed) by Superman ‘86 to ‘99′s Pals, Aaron, Chris “Ace” Hendrix, britneyspearsatemyshorts, Patrick D. Ryall, Bheki Latha, Mark Syp, Ryan Bush, Raphael Fischer, Kit, Sam, and Bol. Join them here if you wish: https://www.patreon.com/superman86to99
And now, more from Don after the jump!
Art-Watch (by @donsparrow​):
We start with the cover, and it’s an interesting one.  A common complaint about Jon Bogdanove’s style is that the superheroic bodies have impossibly huge muscles, with tiny little pin heads. So it’s on some level a little “meta” that we see this hulking, veiny version of Superman from this artist with a rep for exaggerated physiques.  There was also something about the pose (and slatted office window) that reminded me of Jerry Ordway’s incredible cover to an early Adventures issue, though I think the similarities are unintentional.
Once we get into the issue, we are thrown into a shooting war between Cadmus and its own creations, and no one seems to draw the  misbegotten Underworlders with as much panache as Bogdanove.  There’s an interesting thatching sort of ink technique we see on Guardian in that first page, which had previously been used only on Steel, to indicate a metallic chrome finish.  But clearly, Janke enjoys this inking style, so we see it a little more often now.
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Page 2 and 3 we’re treated to a large splash page, featuring our gargantuan Superman outside Lois’ terrace door.  Though this particular spread has a lack of comparative context for Superman’s size, apart from his swollen musculature, the pose indicates discomfort and monstrosity.  Bogdanove also excels at a very cute Lois in a Margot Tenenbaum-style nightdress. The next few pages, Superman’s bizarre physicality is even more flaring, as his limbs really do appear as though they’re inflated.
As we return to Guardian battling it out with the Underworlders, the “Thing”-like texture of Clawster’s face is well-drawn.  Then later, while Superman is himself at Cadmus, he cuts a very Conan-like figure (and in case anyone was wondering, it appears it isn’t just his limbs that have swollen—yipes!). [Max: It’s true, his neck does look pretty swollen too.] A page later, the shine on Parasite’s transparent cage is a nice touch.  A little later, as the energy transfer begins, we get some nice Kirby-crackles. 
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I like Lois’ sophisticated driving look as she’s pulled over for yet more “The Net” style persecution by Luthor.  Speaking of, his twisted and sickly pose on the last page is a really good bit of gesture, as he’s looking even rougher than the last time we saw him.
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STRAY OBSERVATIONS:
I must admit, even with how familiar I am with these stories, I find myself straining to remember just why Superman’s power level is surging like this.  I remember having a theory as a kid that the black and silver recovery suit from the Return of Superman storyline was to blame.  That it was designed to funnel as much solar energy as possible in order to restore its wearer to full strength, and it kept doing so despite Supergirl’s molecular reassembly of the suit?  Am I close?  Why is this happening? [Max: I kinda like the explanation from last issue blaming that big blast of Eradicator-filtered kryptonite at the end of ‘Reign,’ mainly because it’s such a cool moment and I like that it had consequences.]
Perry White is awfully chill about such an insane headline adorning his beloved newspaper.  I might have thought he’d be the one “apoplectic” rather than the publisher.  It does feel a little bit unlikely that the paper could get so widely printed and distributed with no one along the line raising an eyebrow at the intentionally goofy headline.
I feel like the state trooper’s assertion that Lois had been “driven to drink by people’s reactions to the article (she) wrote about Mr. Luthor” is a reach.  And a mouthful.
It’s helpful that we are reminded that Lois has an inside informant about Luthor, which will come to matter in the issues ahead. [Max: I think this might be the first mention of Lois’ current informant, which makes sense since she knows her previous one got thrown off a bridge by superpowered hitmen, so she has to be careful about this stuff.]
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measuringbliss · 11 months
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Spider-Man Read-Through 014: Let's get Morb'd! (ASM 100-102, Ann 8)
MASTERPOST
Dear readers,
as I'm writing these lines, the 13th part of this read-through (specifically, its first half) has been liked by 5 accounts. What happened? Did people like my gay jokes? Did they like the improved presentation? Did I just get lucky?
How mysterious.
What's also mysterious is the promise of a twist ending in issue 100, although if you've read the title, you probably can see where this is going.
In this set of issues, Peter gets himself in a peculiar threesome admist dubious facial surgery, improved dexterity, and a series of yeetings.
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Yeah, join in on the fun, Peter!
Gil Kane is once again the pencil artist for the issue, and it shows.
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What happened to Peter's face? What happened to his silhouette? This is truly saddening.
The issue is very simple. Peter has apparently been working on a serum for years to kill his spider powers, and he tests it on himself. Ensues a lengthy dream/hallucination about him battling his old foes...
What really matters is the final page, of course.
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You know, Stan Lee is often very fair. A few issues ago, he teased that Spidey's identity would be revealed to someone. Not only did it get revealed to most major character, but even though Peter managed to convince everyone that it was a mistake, it did have big consequences down the line. So you've got to give the man props: he's honest about it.
Kane's called "artist as usual" in issue #101, which I'm not happy about. Gwen calls Peter to invite him to watch the R-rated flick of his choice, and she name-drops Love Story and I Am Curious (Yellow). I'm actually stumped that Stan would name drop these (or accept them), but go off I guess.
I guess this is reflective of how Gwen wants their relationship to become physical.
The layout is confusing in this issue, I often read the bubbles out of order. You might consider it a testimony on Peter's state of mind, but it doesn't mean that it's fun to actually read.
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The geographical layout is just as confusing, by the way.
Peter himself is kind of annoying, actually. His self-hatred reaches new heights here.
Not far from there, Morbius is in a boat and is very thirsty. And when a vampire thirsts, he sucks.
...I wanted this to rhyme. Oh well.
So Morbius arrived at Connors's lab and established it as his new home, and I'm thoroughly confused by the total unhinged vibes from this issue. It feels like the team tried to be creative, poetic perhaps, but it's so different from what came before, that it ends up being pretty tedious.
So the girls are fighting, and Spidey says this.
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I thought this couldn't get any gayer, but then Connors arrives, sees Morbius, gets stressed, and you know what happens when he's stressed...
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So fun times ahead!
It is at this point that I notice that the reason why my scans don't include readers letters is that they're from recent reissues.
Cue me screaming at the heavens.
HOWEVER, FEAR NOT, DEAR READERS. I have Alternate Sources(TM).
The drugs storyline has been very-well received overall.
In issue #101, there's this gem:
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Honey, you've got a big storm coming :-)
The GG would yet again have a case of amnesia, and of course, we all know what happens in a few dozens issues... In the answer, Stan teases a future plot with the GG in the coming months. Color me intrigued...
Anyway, what really matters is that in issue #102, the Lizard has shojo eyes.
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So anyway, Morbius yeets himself.
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See what I mean by the confusing nature of the layout? A lot of text, and the bubbles keep going over panels. This is too much, Gil Kane. Far too much!!!
While they prepare a serum, Connors thinks that the name of Morbius reminds him of something...
Surely, it couldn't be...
But could it?
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Let's spare the thought. Connors would prefer not to remember this whole debacle.
The Marvel editors must have been really fond of flashbacks, because after #100's 90% of recollection and hallucinations, we get dreams that are in fact Morbius's past. He remembers how his colleague thought he was gay with his lab partner.
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Let it be known that Morbius hateth harlots
So Spidey's on his way to find Morbius, but Connors gets his Lizard persona back and proceeds to yeet himself off from Spidey's arms. This is becoming a thing.
On page 26 (what the hell, what's happening?), the artists suddenly remember that there's an audience for the soap part of these comics, and this part has been severely lacking in this arc, so we get one page of Gwangst (Gwen angst).
Meanwhile, J.J. Jameson declares that the Daily Bugle is in trouble. I wonder if it's reflective of the team's fear of ASM becoming obsolete. If only they knew! (Let's not tell them about Paul.)
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Roy Thomas, your urge to bask in dubious poetry doesn't make this set of issue any better.
The issue ends with Peter losing his additional arms and Morbius "dying" (hahaha).
Stan explains that the magazine became more expensive due to inflation, but that they also made it bigger to justify the price.
Well, I personally prefer a shorter format. This was far too much, far too uninteresting (not for a lack of trying!), and outright unpleasant to read.
Annual #8 is a reprint of #46 so I'm not interested in re-reading it.
The next issue... Uh. Well.
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Ka-Zar is back? Yay...?
*cries* Give me back Romita...!!!!
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techonerror · 2 years
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Cause I’m feeling miserable with some ice packs on my head to try and stop my hot flashes((Not Covid just been ignoring my medical problems that led to this)) so I’ll be ranking how likely I am to survive as an Eve to each of the Servamps.
1. Sloth-
I have snacks, a gaming problem ((that caused my hot flashes tonight by forgetting to eat)) and have created essentially a “nest” with my soft fuzzy pillows and blankets… the only issue would be my job…I guess I could hide him in my pocket on my apron? Or have him sitting on the bottom of the food cart at work? Also my close irl friends have said (from those who have read the manga and watched the anime, anime only I’m not counting but still) said that I’m the female version of Mahiru… if he was introverted with a chronic snacking problem. (10/10 would survive)
2. Pride
I’m an introvert with a savior complex and a medical issues list long enough to gain the nickname alphabet soup of problems. Self explanatory. I cant have a bat at work either. ((Food based retail)) I’m not humble. Just a bitch who gives no fucks when in pain. (-8/10)
3.envy
I know nothing about this man other then he is a snake, ex-pastor while I’m here vibing with my religious trauma in pagan vil/ex-catholic. Mans would shoot me and I’d probably thank him for putting me out of my misery when my habits backfire on me like tonight. We might be able to bond over my fake/prop weapons collection I amassed over college. I could hit him in the pocket of my apron at work for the distance limit. I would also willingly give away blood, I’m accident prone anyway so being bit is no different. (5/10)
4. Wrath.
I’m an introvert who can’t sleep at night….I once much to the fear of my direct roommate and suitemate ate slices of a apple pie ((that was too big for my college dorm fridge so I put it in the freezer) for breakfast. I feel like she would stay awake with me when my brain goes static aka “sleep what’s sleep, but you can’t pick sounds to listen too cause your being indecisive but have no thoughts head empty but no sleep”….. big wolf in my massive bed. Would probs find my amassing of fake swords and random ass weapon props ((even my broom handle trident)) amusing. (6/10)
5.Lawless(pre Licht)
I’m a crim/arts major who writes fanfic for fun, gets degraded by my editor whose decided it’s a kink I have despite being Asexual. I’m the most uninteresting person. But I’ll feed you and let you do what ever the fuck you want. Just end my suffering when body wants to crap out. ((-1000/10))
Post Licht-
Mostly yes. I’m a hopeless romantic who writes fucking fanfic to fill that romantic void. My friends say it’s a miracle I’m still kicking most days. I’m like a better version of sleepy ash. I’ll feed you, read the funniest fanfics to you at 3am and end up giving you what ever the fuck you want(intentionally or unintentionally. I could have him on my shoulder as an ESA… or have him end up working with me in the store. He would get along well with some of my co-workers.(( Note from my friend; I have witnessed this bitch plan out a whole ass murder at 6am while making herself fucking breakfast. Lawless would end up taking notes. And end out getting that stupid Bluetooth Microphone that I gave her by mistake in a moment of weakness… if I wake up to the song PHD((pretty huge dick one)) more time I’m gonna prolong that One-shot editing)) (My rating; 6/10). (Friends; 8/10)
6. Worlds end;
I need more food then a normal person to survive… and I work retail…. I need snacks and shit constantly so I don’t. Yah know. Die. Also a pig at my job… same as Lawless would need to be an ESA….would probably get me fired for eating the whole stock. (-6/10)
7. All of Love
I feel like he would fuck up my alters. ((Unintentionally of course but I’m picky about who goes near them anyway)) I KNOW this man would jokingly strip and I would just stand there blinking while my hyper sexual and lesbian friends are dying in the corner. He would be easy to hide while at work. ((Perks of always having your hair up at work)) I feel like he would also carry around some smaller snacks or something like that and remind me to actually eat during my breaks. (8/10)
8.Tsubaki
Now this is a tricky one. If it was like the manga where he’s at war with his siblings killed the second I made the contract and closed my eyes. (0/10)
If it’s in a general sense. Tsubaki would end up like Kuro under the cart at work(or I wouldn’t be working since this mans appears to be a fucking CEO. At that point I would be a stay at home eve. Me, my games, snacks and naps. The human version of ash but easier to kill. Me on my ADHD shit would bond immediately with Belkia and Higan. Who needs to leave the house? Not me. But also on the flip side I feel like he would show up once every 12 hours cause of the huge distance limit ((he appears)) to have. I feel like he would enjoy letting me drag around his subclasses for what ever snack I’m craving or need at that point. But then and again he doesn’t seem to find much amusement in anything. So just a glorified blood bag I guess? (4.1/10)
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My hero academia if it was good, you mean the one punch man manga?
Ok first of all, BNHA WISHES it was OPM in terms of quality lol
Like yes, they both include a deconstruction of superheroes (I know, I know, it's an overused term 🥺) but in the manga, Garou's the only major villain with that similar message of "we live in a society" so he gets so much more screentime compared to the wonky balancing act that is the League. Like I like series with a cast of thousands, but it has the major problem of only some characters getting actual development and screentime while the others are background-tier. But fuck it, Monoma got to be relevant again so I can't bitch too hard
OPM is iirc a seinen manga while BNHA is a shonen, meaning Murata and ONE have a lot more leeway to go as dark or gory as they wanna be. I'm honestly surprised with how much Hori convinced his editor was OK to put in Jump, and I think he mentioned his original idea was more dark than what BNHA wound up being. You also get to see pelvic veins in OPM, meaning it's got one point extra by default and it's not as awkward when some women characters are sexualized. Like I love Midnight! I like how she has like...a character and personality in Vigilantes and shit! But her bdsm aesthetic is a little off when she's a high school teacher yk? Like that sexy dominatrix monster bitch from OPM exists, but she's specifically in a setting with mostly adult characters being turned into love slaves.
And I'm not saying OPM is perfect (that would be Mob Psycho 100, but I digress). Puri Puri Prisoner is only tolerable to me in fanon, sort of like Magne lol. The pacing has been slow as fuck between Murata's countless redraws, and the changes from the webcomic counterparts makes the same characters VERY different between manga and webcomic. That isn't always bad, sometimes it's better in my opinion and sometimes I don't like it as much.
I also think Saitama's a great example of a static character. He's already hit his peak so things just tend to happen around him and he's nonplussed by a lot of it. And he's a weirdly accurate depiction of a depressed person imo. Deku's alright and I like the little guy, but he also has an abundant supply of superpowers stowed in his asshole that he just fuckin...got. And they aren't interesting either. He can punch good AND kick good now, he can float, he can use a black whip thing. Remember? He got them from those vestiges we barely saw and only got the slightest bit of backstory and personality for?
I also prefer OPM's writing because BNHA tends to do more "tell/don't show" than I can stand. That's one of my least favorite things about shonen as a whole though, so it isn't exclusive to BNHA.
I do appreciate Hori's writing for Endeavor, though. I'll give the guy shit but writing an abusive father realizing what he's done, accepting that his family has no obligation to forgive them, and wanting to change with that intrinsic goal of being better? That's very uncommon and I have to give props. For all the BNHA stans screeching about everyone condoning Endeavor's actions and him not regretting it or being selfish, the motherfucker has outright said many times "I don't expect you to forgive me, and you don't have to." And I like Hori giving each family member a different reaction to it, Dabi included. Abuse victims are not a hivemind, and all their reactions are valid and semi realistic to me.
Also the man's given us plenty of muscle mommies in this series. So his writing can't be a 0/10. Mirko, that super American beefsteak bitch, that sexy rehash of Hawks's character arc who got shafted immediately after her introductory arc...
Okay, so they're not the best written characters, but still 💪muscle mommy.
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mollytatlisu · 10 months
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Stylist Research
In order to being planning my refined trend shoots, I needed to do some stylist research to get some inspiration.
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The first stylist I looked at was named Aldene Johnson. Aldene grew up in South Africa, but moved to London in her early twenties and became vice magazines first uk fashion editor. She is now a stylist and fashion consultant who has styled for Florence Welch from Florence & the Machine since 2009, amongst many others. She explains in a magazine article that her own style is “vintage with contemporary; classically feminine with a bit of androgyny.” I think this is a very similar concept to what I am going to attempt to convey, so analysing some of her work may help me achieve that.
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What I noticed amongst her editorial work is her emphasis and attention to detail regarding how her muses pose with their hands. As you can see in these 3 images of Florence she is gently touching herself in different positions, which I think makes the whole ensemble look delicate and elegant. This combined with her eyes being either closed or only open slightly I think adds an element of tension and seriousness; creating a very atmospheric mood especially coupled with the eye contact in the middle image. Another consistent feature I noticed in this shoot is the warm editing, with it signalling something more friendly and inviting. Despite this being a huge contrast against the tension and seriousness created by the posing, I think they compliment each other well.
I think my favourite look of Johnsons is the one in the top left corner of the moodboard above. It keeps in line with the delicate elegance seen across the majority of her works, but combines it with darker garments that emulate exactly what I am striving for. This is demonstrating to me that this calm, collected, serious style of posing can be very effective when paired with gothic hints, and is something I could utilise.
The second stylist I researched was Izzy Lewin, who is a stylist for Dazed magazine and previously worked for Another Man magazine. Lewin herself has a distinct goth style, explaining on an interview with that “the fictional character i relate to most is Edward Scissorhands”, which lends a hand to her styling which mostly falls under the gothic umbrella and can be seen on her instagram account.
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The thing that interests me and I like most about this styling is the way she combines a variety of different garments and even just pieces of material to construct her ensembles, and even though they are put together from such a mixed match bunch of things, the looks appear effortlessly put together. For example, the look on the left. The combination of the sheer lace material and the fishnet tights pulled up isn’t conventional, but it looks good aswell as offering something more exciting to look at; which can be marvelled against the contrasting light grey background. Most of her work which can be seen above follows this theme and evidently makes for some very visually appealing, meticulous looks, which is something I definitely plan on trying for my shoots.
The final stylist I looked into was called Kitty Cowell, who styles fashion campaigns and editorials for the likes of urban outfitters aswell as celebrities such as Sigala and Loyle carner.
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What caught my eye about Cowells styling is her combination of authentic, gothic features like dark make up and horror inspired features such as horns made from hair using hairspray, with slicker backgrounds and poses, providing a rich contrast, as typical gothic imagrey often has busy backgrounds such as music venues or clubs. Despite some of her works carrying that same seriousness as Aldenes and Lewins, some of her looks take on a more playful aesthetic. For example, the magazine cover on the right hand side. The other stylists works feature a lack of props drawing attention to the protagonist, but here the guitars almost create a scene, a narrative, which I think without the props wouldn’t be present.
In conclusion, I think this stylist research has been very helpful in informing some photoshoot ideas, an initial one being layering different sheer and lace garments and fabrics on top of each other to create a more flamboyant look. I also didn’t realise the power props hold and how they can shape the message a photograph conveys, which is something I will definitely pay attention to.
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saifnasemfilm · 1 year
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Scene Recreation project
For our final project, we, group 12, decided to attempt a scene from the film Swiss Army Man - directed by Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert.
The link for the scene...
youtube
we aimed to end at the 2:00 minute mark.
PRE-PRODUCTION
We started off with assigning roles for the project which would make the entire process easier. I was assigned as director and producer for this project.
My role began with creating the callsheet for the day of the shoot and putting together the schedule and doing research on the weather, location, time etc. Of course, most of this relied on the recce, for which i was unable to join, but the group scouted a really good location and it worked really well for the shoot.
SHOOTING 23/11/22
In simplest form, the shoot went very well and we managed to get a lot of really good footage.
The shooting took place at Blackford Quarry. It was barren, natural and VERY cold. It worked very well for our scene and it was a very nice environment in general. Aside from the cold, it was nice.
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We began shooting pretty soon after everyone had arrived to set, there were some issues in travel which delayed the shoot by an hour or so, but it all worked in the end. The equipment was all set up and the actors worked brilliantly.
Our actors were Nina and Lachlan from the course aswell. They performed their roles incredibly and did so well to persevere through the freezing weather. They gave very genuine performances and did so well to re-animate the original film. It was great!
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Our scene consists of many shot and many props were required aswell, which Fred did amazingly to provide. They looked really cool and worked really well in terms of comparison to the actual scene.
After shoot, we had a dinner break then returned to shooting a few final shots at our accommodation. This just made it easier for us and our actors as it was getting darker and colder, and the shots were relatively simpler. During these shots, I acted as 1st AC and assisted Holly with the camera whilst also continuing directing. After an hour or so, we finished shoot for the day.
Shooting continued the next day, but at a park, closer to home, for convenience for everyone. The location still worked for the shots and didn't seem to be off-putting in comparison to the Quarry. Unfortunately i was unable to make the 2nd shoot, but i heard it went successfully despite a couple minor setbacks.
All in all. Good shoot and wrap.
POST-PRODUCTION
All that was left to do at this point was the editing, which Nick had taken charge of. We started off with an issue uploading the files onto drive which caused us to miss our deadline for returning equipment, for which we did get fined but it worked out in the end. After Fred had uploaded the files and sent them to Nick, the only thing there was left to do was the edit. During this time, we also filmed our 2nd Tableau film but this was just one day of shoot and we offered support and assistance to the editor whilst also requesting feedback, to which we received all positive notions, which was great. Unfortunately, last minute we ran into some technical errors and our files had suddenly disappeared. This was a major setback as we lost much of our scene. This resulted in a deteriorated scene-recreation, which had influences of the original and some similar shots but not enough to mimic the scene.
Despite the drawbacks, we still had a good shoot and an enjoyable experience with this project. We are grateful that there are some lessons to be learned. In the future we will definitely look towards better time management and data handling, as these were our two main issues. I think we all worked very hard and very well, but I also thing we can also look forward to being more prepared in the futured so that we can avoid problems, or handle them more efficiently as they arise through organisation.
A for effort (I hope)
This is our attempt a the scene recreation. Wavering in spite of all the complications.
vimeo
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lomoworthy · 1 year
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Ecto 1 popcorn bucket
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#ECTO 1 POPCORN BUCKET MOVIE#
#ECTO 1 POPCORN BUCKET FULL#
It just popped in there: Why didn’t the studio go back to the live feed for the final time once The Real Ghostbusters arrive? Couldn’t a producer, etc tell the reporter as the guys are running to board a charter flight?
#ECTO 1 POPCORN BUCKET FULL#
It’s technical/ It just popped in there: How long can a full Ghost Trap retain a ghost? Until its emptied into the Ecto-Containment Unit? It just popped in there: Is ECTO-1 just going to sit unlocked with the rear door open on the runway while The Real Ghostbusters are in California? I know they’re in a hurry because of Ray, why are they bringing their Proton Packs anyway? What about those full Ghost Traps that are still inside ECTO-1? The reporter looks pretty mad they’re late for a private flight that can leave when they’re ready. All 4 The Real Ghostbusters exit the rear, wearing their Proton Packs. Soon as they drive away and Janine goes back inside the phone rings.įinally The Real Ghostbusters who sorta drifted ECTO-1 onto the runway have arrived. It just popped in there: Who is going to handle possible cases (small or major) while they’re away? Hopefully they won’t be in California for too many days. Once Janine is inside the Firehouse, it looks like the Ghostbusters logo sign wasn’t drawn long enough. Sorry, I missed it: It seems like a goof, it may not be. She tries to tell them Slimer stowed away. Janine sits on the curb with Slimer floating in front of the firehouse waiting for the guys to say goodbye before going to California. They weren’t all filmed, you could imagine at times they were reported on and written about. With major bad ghosts like the Slug (its okay to laugh) Killerwatt, What, trolls, Sandman, Boogieman, and Samhain news editors certainly have plenty to choose from. It just popped in there: For the early part of the season 1, it could be highlights from previous episodes. You’ll need a reference: The history is basically Ghostbusters until the next episode can be included as well. While still waiting for The Real Ghostbusters to arrive for their charter flight, the news reporter wants to show a brief history of The Real Ghostbusters yet again to a crowd whose has repeatedly seen it and is less excited than earlier. Two people are holding different signs with the Ghostbusters logo on them. A woman is also wearing a pink Ghostbusters shirt with a “no ghost” logo on the back too. Not For Sale: In the wide shot a man is wearing a black Ghostbusters shirt with a “no ghost” logo on the back. It did turn around, wasn’t caught by the proton beams. It appears Winston didn’t exactly catch the ghost at first. More of an observation, then a second goof. Sorry, I missed it: Right before Winston is about to fire on the winged ghost, it appears Ray whose been driving isn’t animated. It’s used to accurately aim at ghosts when ghosts are flying away. It’s technical: Winston has a telescopic scope on his Nutrona Wand. Winston is the only one wearing his Proton Pack. On the long way to the airport to catch a charter flight The Real Ghostbusters are catching ghosts along the way. One young man is holding a sign with the Ghostbusters logo as well. Not For Sale: Some people in the crowd waiting are wearing white Ghostbusters shirts with “no ghost logos” on the back. A small crowd is waiting for their heroes as well, showing support with Ghostbusters t-shirts and signs. When studio employees disturb a sleeping ghost, The Real Ghostbusters spring into action with prop Proton Packs?Ī newscaster has been reporting Live on and off about The Real Ghostbusters who are leaving to help with their own movie.
#ECTO 1 POPCORN BUCKET MOVIE#
Synopsis: The Real Ghostbusters fly to Hollywood to be consultants on a movie version of their business lives.
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stormblessed95 · 2 years
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Seasons Greetings 2016
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My thoughts and commentary as I watch Seasons Greetings 2016! I asked if people wanted me to post my thoughts as I watched and the majority did, so here we are. There is only the one making DVD in this package, just 45 minutes long. The other part of this was just the photobook and extra merch. Reminder that these are just my thoughts, it's not very organized. You get me typing it out as I go like I'm reacting to a friend. Somewhat like a bullet point format in a way. Here we go!
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I'm not totally sure when this was filmed but based on their hair, I would put this probably somewhere around September or October of 2015. If anyone knows for sure, let me know!
The first teaser for SG 2016 here, posted in Nov 2015
youtube
The Second teaser video for SG16 here, again, posted in Nov 2015.
And I managed to find the full version of the making film with English subs on YouTube for you all too! So if anyone else hasn't seen it yet and wants to, here it is! Released December 9th of 2015 💜
youtube
Immediately starting out the video with Jimin introducing that they are filming for SG2016 and then introducing him and JK in matching minion fits (why though?! Lmao), saying his concept is to just be happy together with JK. Lmao and the editors the whole time under his subs "no, that is not your concept" 🤣 Jimin does what Jimin wants. I just wanna know why they were twinning, that was not your concept photo outfit Jiminie, it was Namkooks! Lmao did he steal Joons jacket orrr???? Just say you wanted to match with JK and go! (My thoughts over him saying we are a couple here)
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Lmao Jimin shoots first and his concept is ACTUALLY Romeo who lost Juliet. And while Jimin is getting his makeup done, Tae is having a photography session of his own, taking photos of JK posing and RM napping. Lol Jimin practicing his acting and flops "lovesick" onto the bed and JK just watching him going "Jimin hyungs toes are cute" and Jimin holds them up so he can see them better 😅 and while Jimin is doing his shoot, Jungkook is HANGING OFF THE ROOF?! I'm only 5 minutes in 😭🤣 Jikook even roleplaying Romeo and juliet playing hide and seek again too... lmao and when Jimin finds "Kookliet" JK says Jimin is going to pass out lovesick again. Yall, please! During his end of 2015 interview, Jimin's 10 year goal is "I'll be a man that the whole world wants." Mission accomplished! Didn't even take you 10 years!!
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Can these boys leave their leader alone and let the man nap in peace 😭 their giggles as they mess with him and around him as he is trying to sleep!
Hobi surrounded by books is a wonderful concept! Jimin taking his photos through the shoot too 🥺 lmao all the boys and the staff I think had too much fun throwing paper airplanes at him for the shoot though too 😂 Hobi's message to himself was the absolute sweetest, thanking himself for always working hard, for always taking care of the members, for being the hope of the team and helping keep everyone's spirits up. 😭😭😭
TaeJin roleplaying as an acupuncturist and client downstairs while Yoongi is shooting 😂 the facial expressions are top tier. Lmao okay then TaeJin, enjoy. Jin did look like he was getting a good massage though! Yoongi looked amazing! His first time wearing colored contacts too. The editors were teasing him! Lol his interview was so short and sweet too! Where do you want to be in 10 years? "I'll be 33." Why is he like this?! 😂
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Jin and V shooting together with a Dumb & Dumber concept 😭😂🤣 I love them. Literally trying to be the most goofy between the 2 of them with little toys and props and a little pool. They are so cute! Not the staff giving Tae scissors to pretend to cut Jins hair with! "I'll kill you if you really cut my hair!" Jins message to himself was about how he worked hard, how the only person who needs to know how hard he is working is himself too. Jin has been telling us we are only accountable to ourselves and living by example since the get go. An incredible role model. Tae is so sweet. His goals included buying a new house and new car for his parents and getting to go meet up with them for family trips. He also wanted to go on a trip with the members, no managers or staff, just the 7 of them together 🥺 I hope they got to do that
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Namkook's little photoshoot together is looking sooooo sweet. Minions and a teddy bear 🥺Namjoon is so cute. Lmao and his answers too, where do you want to be in 10 years? "I'll be 32." NamGi's red string was tied so sweetly that day clearly. Lol he also said he was going to still be doing music and be a good son and give piggyback rides to his mom, take care of her 🥺 and then he proceeds to lay on the ground and heckle JK through his goals interview 🤣 JK is so hard on himself, someone better be giving him all the praises!! All his goals have him wanting to learn more things and grow even more. He works so hard!
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After a break and having them all change, we just have Jimin snuggling into Jhope before they both give t-Rex hands and running off going "I want snacks" why are they so chaotic 😂 JK going over to tease Jimin, pulling his hair back and saying he looks like Chunhyang, laughing so hard he falls over. "You look so pretty." Silly and teasing, yet still full of compliments for his hyung. Lmao they are so cute and Jimin is such a good sport! Although he does say to Jhope that he is going to stop giving the members massages on camera because they keep teasing him 🤣 Poor Jimin, and he just ends up giving in anyways and giving his hyung the massage he wants!
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3J all sitting practically on top of each other on the couch singing harmonies together, so cute! The editors just asking why Jimin is only wearing his jacket halfway? Lol please, it's his thing, okay?? This last shoot, I have no idea what this theme was supposed to be, 4 of them in business suits, Jin in a suit and Bulletproof vest and Vhope in track suits 🤣 but man did they all look FIRE and soooo good!!
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They are so cute always when they play games, especially whenever they get things right. The celebration dances are always amazing! Lol JK won and got the title of Spring King. Hobi won and got the title of Summer King. Jin won and got the title of Fall King. And finally Tae won and got the title of Winter King. The Kings play a ladder game for prizes and Jimins super cute little "Jungkook, I support you!" 🥺 Tae and Jin win Korean Beef, poor Hobi got the burner space, JK wins the Abalone. They are all so cute with all the teasing too. Everyone saying they will share the Abalone and fruit too, prompting a "Jungkook is the best" ending mention.
Ending the video so sweetly with messages to ARMY for birthday cards and new years greetings 🥺 they are all working so hard too, even as they tease a bit about their drawings. Lmao Did RM just say "I drew my dream girl but she looks like a ghost. She doesn't look like that" ?? 😭🤣 they were all so cute. As soon as everyone finished they all started eating snacks. Jimin was working for so long though, even laying down at one point to be more comfy as he worked. JK kept reminding him that he needed to eat and to take care of himself too though 🥺 just wanted to make sure his hyung didn't overwork himself and got snacks too! So thoughtful, he does this so much through the years too!
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This was such a cute sweet video!! Only 46 minutes long and just full of sooo many moments and cuteness and such fun photos too! They were all precious. Thanks for letting me share my thoughts! 💜💜
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wasabito · 3 years
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➽ corruption collab masterlist — hosted by @ultimate-astridwriting and @bummie ♥️
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➽ note: definitely gonna come back and edit this a bit more because threesomes are hard as fuck, no pun intended lmao happy v-day everyone!
➽ word count: 3.2k
➽ cw/tags: polyamory + body worship + threesome + praise kink + public sex + choking + handjobs/fingering + vaginal sex + squirting + established relationship
➽ pairing: akaashi x fem!reader x bokuto
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💿 1. nasty — ariana grande || 2. come on — jhene aiko
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With Valentine's Day fast approaching, it becomes rather apparent that love and romance are in the air. Storefronts are decorated in bubblegum pinks and reds. Flower shops promote their special bouquet arrangements at discounted prices. Even your favorite hole in the wall coffee shop has fallen prey to the spirit of cupid as they announce their new strawberry shortcake dessert and heart-shaped scones.
In lieu of staying home for the third night this week, your boyfriends escort you to dinner at an upscale restaurant in the city. They treat you to a five-course meal and a bottle of wine even pricier than the dinner itself. One would think, after three years of dating, you would no longer be caught unawares by their spontaneity. And yet, here they are, once again pulling the rug from underneath your four-inch heels.
Your gaze flickers from Akaashi's tranquil smile to Bokuto's wide grin.
Adjusting the napkin in your lap, you open your mouth to speak, then pause as the right words fail it come. Brain short-circuiting instead, you let out a confused, "Huh?!"
"We're taking you to Italy!" Bokuto repeats, about ready to hop out of his seat with excitement. He looks to Akaashi, "Three nights in Venice, right 'Kaashi?"
"Yes, we decided on Venice after you told us you'd always wanted to visit. Remember Koutarou's birthday last year?"
"But that was like months ago! Did you two honestly hold onto that drunk little confession this entire time?"
"Of course."
"Yup!!"
It's in moments like these when you are reminded of their history together, first as teammates playing volleyball, and eventually close friends. Not much longer after that, you'd met and fallen for Akaashi, then Bokuto, and thus began the relationship of today. While you find it a little ridiculous, it seems neither of them has any qualms about this trip.
After all, you are their lovely girlfriend. Why wouldn't they want to make your wishes come true?
Bokuto claps his hands, eyes sparkling. "Everything's already planned out, babe, so don't worry your pretty little head, okay?"
You can't argue with that. Reaching over, you take Bokuto's hand in your right and Akaashi's in your left. "Alright, since you two went to all this trouble for me, I guess I'll just sit back and enjoy it."
♥️
Venice is just as beautiful as you imagined.
It looks as if it's floating upon blue-green waters with lots of sunshine, beautiful architecture, and a vibrancy that makes it feel like the city has a life of its own. You are grateful you didn't come by yourself. There is no way you would've enjoyed it without Akaashi and Bokuto at your side.
"We're about a ten-minute walk from Piazza San Marco," Akaashi says as he taps his glasses. His sharp gaze is locked on the map in his hands, likely committing most landmarks and details to memory. "Would you like to check it out?"
"Yeah! Let's do it."
"Off we go, go, go!"
Thus, a majority of your first day in Venice is spent sightseeing.
The three of you take a gondola ride through Canale Grande, then have a peek into the Gallerie Dell'Accademia at Akaashi's insistence, though naturally, you wouldn't have come all the way to Italy and not visited at least one art museum. Afterward, the three of you go to the Le Mercerie shopping district and buy gifts for your friends before finally taking a pit stop for the most delicious gelato in the city.
The sunsets sooner than expected, casting the entire block in deep red hues. Bokuto's mood is greatly influenced by it, and the jetlag certainly doesn't help. He props himself against you, nuzzling you in a way that says he's itching for a kiss.
"Tired, Kou?"
Bokuto hums. "A little... More hungry than anything."
He leans in and pecks your lips with a sated smile. "Maybe I should eat you. I mean, how is it my girl's so damn cute? Not fair, I can't resist."
You snort at Bo's silliness but can't help shivering a little at the tiny implication of his words. He always did like to lay his head on your thighs, leaving a trail of kisses and love bites where he could.
So, the thought of him eating you out made you squeeze your thighs together.
Akaashi approaches with your frozen treats held between his long fingers; having overheard Bokuto earlier, he tucks his wallet back into his pocket.
"We'll get some dinner after we drop off these shopping bags. How does that sound?"
You eagerly take your gelato from him with a smile.
"Sounds like a plan."
Akaashi nods, standing at your other side, close enough to brush elbows though not as close as Bokuto, who was nearly hovering.
The three of you are in one of the narrow, maze-like streetways, basking in the warm, early evening glow. The sweet taste of fruit and cream on your tongue fills you with so much contentment, especially while being with your favorite people. You aren't sure if anything could top the way you currently felt, and the trip has just barely started.
Upon arriving at your temporary place of residence, a quaint little villa on the waterfront just along the shore of Punta Sabbioni Beach, Bokuto immediately kicks off his sandals, dumps the bags, and promptly falls asleep on the couch.
"It's so weird seeing Kou like this." You remark. "On any normal day, he's brimming with almost too much energy, but now he's all tired."
"Well, he did stay up an entire twelve hours on the plane. It was only a matter of time before fatigue caught up to him." Akaashi picks up Bokuto's shoes with practiced ease and places them by the others.
There is a fond smile running along the edges of his mouth as he tucks a throw around the man's larger frame. You help him adjust a spare pillow under Bo's head and then set off to explore the rest of the area.
It seemed like everything about Venice was taken straight out of a romance film, with its cobblestone paths, gothic cathedral architecture, crisp ocean waters, and authentic Italian cuisine. It is no wonder the city's known to draw hapless souls together in romance. Even you fell subject to it, and by each passing moment, you crave to be with your boyfriends.
You are standing at the balcony overlooking the beach, satisfied with your inspection of the villa when Akaashi comes to stand behind you. He holds onto the railings, caging you in his arms, and rests his chin on your shoulder.
"He was right, you know." He murmurs. "You do look good enough to eat."
Blunt as ever. Apparently, something's never change.
Though one might say that Akaashi is as he's always been after high school and college, there is no denying his boost in confidence. After all, he had landed not one but two rather attractive partners.
He kisses your cheek, then your jaw, before latching onto your neck.
The sun's scenic view on the horizon, reflecting upon the beach sands of gold and shimmering orange waves, makes for an excellent backdrop.
You turn to face Akaashi and pull him into a heated kiss. His lips convey a sense of devotion to you, and with each press of them against yours, you can feel just how bad he's yearning for more.
"Kei," you whisper. "Let's go inside."
In a moment, Akaashi whisks you off your feet quite similar to how Bokuto would, though you both don't even make it to the bedroom.
Your other partner had sat up on the sofa, hair flat on one side, scrubbing his eyelids.
"Guys, I'm freaking starving!" Bokuto groans. "Let's get some food or something."
He doesn't even notice how you and Akaashi are breathing heavy or how your clothes are sporting wrinkles that were not previously there. Regardless, Akaashi has food delivered while you went ahead to shower the day's journey away. There are still two days left. You'd get your chance with them at some point.
♥️
Sadly, the entirety of day two is spent indoors. Heavy sheets of rain continue to fall, muddying the shoreline. The three of you huddle on the sofa wrapped in blankets with subtitled movies playing in the background.
Even though you would've much rather been out exploring in the city, just sharing in your boyfriend's warmth would suffice for now. Akaashi hands you a steaming cup of something rich in both color and smell.
"What's this?"
"Just espresso." He takes the empty seat beside you.
You savor the taste while leaning against his shoulder. "Mm, nice."
Bokuto keeps his head on your lap, loving how you thread your fingers into his hair.
It is a tranquil kind of peace that soon lulls you to sleep.
Later, when you finally wake up, it's dark, and you're alone. A blanket had been tucked around your shoulders to shield you from the sudden chill. At some point, the television had been shut off along with every light in the room. You might've been a little scared if not for the voices coming from the second floor. Slowly, you creep up the winding staircase, dragging along the blanket around your shoulders.
"Hey, hey, hey!" Bokuto chuckles. "You're finally up!"
His hair is down, wet from his shower, and he holds a thin towel together around his waist. In his hand is a cellphone, and he doesn't hesitate to shove the screen into your face. "Say hi, Tetsu!"
"Hi Y/N, how's it going?"
You blink slowly, still trying to wake yourself up.
"Kuroo, hey… I'm well. How are you?"
"Great, just about to head out for a late lunch. I hear it's almost ten pm over there."
"Yeah, it's an eight-hour time difference."
You and Kuroo continue to chat while Bokuto towels off his hair and puts on clothes. Afterward, you let Bokuto resume his conversation and join Akaashi on the bed. The man had gone full editor-mode with his glasses propped up in his hair as he read through some work documents.
When you approach, he greets you with a kiss on the cheek. "You look well-rested."
"Is that your way of telling me I have drool on my cheek, Keiji?"
He cracks a tiny smile, eyes taking in your features, then he pokes your cheek with his index finger. "Perhaps."
You scrub the corners of your mouth with your sleeve and drape yourself over Akaashi, work be damned. This was supposed to be a special weekend for relaxing.
"I really wanted to go to the beach today." You pout.
Akaashi interlocks his fingers with yours. "Maybe we still can. It stopped raining a few hours ago."
"Really?!"
You hop off the bed and head for the window. He's right, the rain had long stopped, and the beach lay bare, lit by only the moonlight.
Maybe a short walk to the beach would do you some good.
♥️
The grains of sand feel cold against your feet without the sun to beat down on them, but you don't complain. The air is humid enough on its own that you forgo wearing actual clothes and instead wear a swimsuit along with Bokuto's old Fukurōdani windbreaker.
You walk along the shore, toes digging into the sand, letting the ocean waves lap at your feet to wash them clean again.
At first, it's so eerily quiet without a soul around except you, but even that doesn't last long. You hear Bokuto's voice bellow into the night as he jogs towards you in nothing but swim trunks. Behind him, Akaashi trails slowly after with a blanket in hand.
"We thought you might want some company." He says and spreads the cover on the sand several feet away from the water, content with just watching.
Bokuto grabs your hand and you go running to the water with him, but a second later, you both come sprinting back.
"It's freezing!"
"S-So co-co-cold!"
You collapse on top of him, fingers splayed across his bare chest. However, when you try to sit up, Bokuto has other plans. He keeps you pressed to his chest with both arms around your waist.
"Let me keep you warm, baby!"
You know he meant it in the most innocent way, but you can't help but think other thoughts. Your nerves fray at the image that blooms in your head and spreads like wildfire.
And as Akaashi strokes your back, you know he's probably read your mind.
It's the way your eyes seem to glitter with want that gives it away. Akaashi has always been rather observant, and so your silent cues are something he's always been privy to.
His nimble fingers curve around the nape of your neck, and he tilts his head to capture your lips in a kiss. This one is unlike the one from yesterday. There is no rush, no desire to quicken his haste; instead, he savors the taste of you like it's something to be thoroughly enjoyed.
Underneath you, Bokuto stirs, growing aroused at the sight of his two lovers' kiss. He can't decide whether he wants to join in or sit back and watch. But his large hand comes down to stroke your ass, resulting in a moan you breathe directly into Akaashi's mouth.
"You're not usually so forthcoming, Keiji," you whisper against his lips. "Eager, are we?"
Akaashi pulls away just enough to pepper your face in feathery kisses. "Can you blame me? When I have such a lovely girlfriend here."
As if confirming his words, he slips a hand under your jacket and cups your breast. The pads of his thumb brush along the seams of your bathing suit, caressing your nipple.
"Kou, let's show Y/N just how much we love her, yes?"
Bokuto didn't need to be told twice. He had been in entranced by you and Akaashi, completely taken by the way your lips danced upon one another. But now, he wanted more than anything to touch you, kiss you, hold you.
Bokuto cradles you in his lap, propping your legs open with his knees so Akaashi can kneel in front of you. It didn't take much for him to relieve you of your clothing, namely your swimming bottoms. But the second the air hits your bare cunt, you feel tense.
You aren't sure what it was, but the atmosphere is different. Both Akaashi and Bokuto are so focused on you, it feels like you're under a spotlight.
"You're so pretty, so beautiful," Bokuto says while squeezing your thighs. His warm breath tickles your ear as he presses his nose into your neck. Next, his lips follow suit. "Wanna fuck you, so bad baby. You'd like that, right?"
His words earn him a chuckle from Akaashi, who merely licks two of his fingers, wetting them and sliding into you. Your mouth parts, shaky breaths barely expelled from your lungs. You're hyper-aware of the fact that you're literally being fingered on a beach in the middle of the night, and you can't bring yourself to care. It feels good to be pampered by the two men you love.
For every moan, Akaashi gives you double for your efforts, thrusting his fingers just right, curving them in such a way that has your back arching off Bokuto, who has also taken to fondling your nipples. With every roll of his hips, you feel his cock against your ass, and it pushes you further into Akaashi's fingers.
Your impending orgasm sweeps by so close and yet so far away. All you can do is rock yourself faster.
"Please," you whimper. "W-Wanna come."
Akaashi crooks his fingers, pressing into the perfect spot that sends you hurtling over the edge. Your cunt spasms around his fingers, clenching in intervals you have no control over until his hand is coated with your wet, slick juices that keep coming the more you squirt all over him.
"She's so wet 'Kaashi. Look at our pretty girl."
Akaashi places a chaste kiss on your forehead with a smile.
"She's doing well, so far. Let's see if she can keep going."
Bokuto shimmies his shorts off enough to free his hard cock. He had been uncharacteristically patient until now, but that was soon to change as he lines himself up with your cunt, teasing you with just the tip.
Your whining is unintelligible, but both men understand you more or less.
"Give the pretty girl what she wants," Akaashi says. He strokes his own hard-on at the sight of Bokuto's pushing past your wet folds. "I know she can take more than that."
Bokuto has always been girthy, and it takes you more than a few seconds to adjust to his size, but when you finally do, it feels like heaven.
The position you're in gives Bokuto all the power to thrust into you like a ragdoll. But it's only when you make eye contact with Akaashi that you realize that it's, in fact, the other way around for him in particular. From where he sits, stroking his cock with flushed cheeks and choked moans, you see just how much control you have over him.
"Kiss me." You moan.
Akaashi doesn't let you repeat yourself. He kisses you long and hard even as you grip his throat with one hand and his hair with the other. He kisses you until his lips are red and bruised.
"Good boy. Both of y-you."
Bokuto groans loudly. "Say it again. Keep saying it!"
"Y-You're both so good. I-" your hips stutter against Akaashi's fingers that are rubbing circles into your clit. "Good, so good-"
That's all it takes to take Bokuto over the edge, blowing his load. "Perfect, so fucking perfect."
You can feel another orgasm swelling up inside your belly. You try to tell them but can't, too overcome by the feeling of your body tingling with desire. It's too much, overwhelmingly so; your vision blurs with unshed tears as Bokuto continues to pound into sopping pussy. Pleasure floods every fiber of your being until you're limp and every nerve in your body is set alight.
Bokuto slips out of you easily, a string of his semen following.
You can only look on in a drowsy haze as Bokuto leans over and kisses you and then Akaashi, working him over with a tight fist.
♥️
The following morning, you’re the first to wake, but only because there’s a limb jammed into your back and a heavy weight on your chest. It takes you a moment to realize, but it’s Bokuto’s elbow poking you and Akaashi’s head resting on you.
All three of you are a tangle of limbs in bed, but you aren’t sure how you’d gotten there.
“G’mornin’” Bokuto breathes. His lips caress the column of your neck.
“Morning.”
You shift into a more comfortable position. Though doing so presses Akaashi’s morning wood against your thigh.
“Keiji, you awake yet?”
“Mmm barely.” Akaashi looks up at you through his lashes, then smiles and nuzzles closer into your chest.
Bokuto, content with being your big spoon, reaches over to touch Akaashi, hands cupping his cheek. “It’s Valentine’s Day!”
“That’s true, should we do something special.”
Thinking about the previous night, you feel desire stirring in your gut. “Could we just... do it again?”
Both men look to each other then back at you, sporting matching smiles.
“Why not?”
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786 notes · View notes
parkers-gal · 3 years
Note
idk if you are taking requests but can you do a headcanon of an ag!reader being part of the marvel cast? and being the unproblematic cast member with paul? thank you<3
my requests are closed but hc’s are fun so here you go <33
i love paul rudd but somebody told me his parents are second cousins??? anyways
also paul rudd or paul bettany ???
i feel like being a singer in the marvel cast would come with such cool lil things
chris evans just loving when you start randomly singing (is this not normal for other people? i do it all the time)
ok ok anyways
making cute + short theme songs whenever somebody enters a room or does their cute lil habits
both pauls seem so chill so i feel like they’d really take you under their wings
maybe making a soundtrack; even if it’s not official you’d still release it and maybe include some of the cuties on your tracks <3
being young so being close with letitia wright and of course tom holland and elizabeth olsen
sebastian & anthony being big brothers
asking you HOW to do whistles and them failing miserably
god but harmonizing at random moments to some old classics that all the older cast members probably know well
and them being so surprised at your voice
robert and benedict arguing on which is the better album: sweetener or dangerous woman
chris hemsworth challenging you in karaoke night
after parties/cast parties always involve karaoke let’s be real (they just want to beat you ONCE)
playing dangerous woman (the single) when you suit up because that’s some sexy power
not being able to get through scenes with anthony because the two of you make so. many. jokes. 
yelling “cut the check!” with him and the gag reel dedicating at least two minutes worth of the montage of just that
doing the lil hand motions that benedict does as doctor strange and attempting to try elizabeth’s
i see reading scripts with paul before filming
coffee with tommy <3
attempting to speak in / copy’s hemsworth’s australian accent
premieres would be so fun
being VERY MUCH behind the camera as much as you are on camera
being a major editor / producer 
those hours in the studio very much contribute to your understanding of film
imagine doing pranks with anthony and sebastian
especially during press tour
tweeting with the arianators (or whatever your fandom name would be) about marvel theories
ESPECIALLY wandavision
maybe bringing some music collaborators to the premiere for more hype
nicki minaj or victoria monet
doing your own stunts and knowing how the process works because of your music videos
going through fight choreographies, especially for civil war
falling over just a few times
always trying to high five chris hemsworth but his hand just going up so high because this boy is too tall
asking to bring home at least one prop — steve’s shield or an iron man mask
383 notes · View notes
Text
Folks, FOLKS.  Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow #7 is here and it is SO HECKIN’ GOOD. 
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And do you know what this Very Good issue of Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow is called???
CHAPTER SEVEN: “HOPE, HELP, AND COMPASSION.”
*cue happy nerd flailing set to the rad guitar version of the Supergirl TV theme*
ISSUE CREDITS: “Hope, Help, and Compassion.” written by Tom King, art by Bilquis Evely, colors by Matheus Lopes, letters by Clayton Cowles, and edited by Brittany Holzer w/ asst. editor Jillian Grant and senior editor Mike Cotton.
THE PLOT:
Having captured Krem at the end of issue six, issue seven finds Ruthye, Comet, and Kara ready and waiting for the Brigands. 
Half the issue takes place on the surface of an oceanic/aquatic planet, where Ruthye and Comet keeps tabs on Krem.
The other half of the issue is set in space, as Kara takes on the Brigands’ ship, the Bonnie Prince Charlie.
Thus we’re back in True Grit territory, as this set-up is lifted right from the novel. (Mattie is left alone with Chaney while Rooster takes on Ned Pepper’s gang.)
(I also just realized the other day that Krypto being poisoned/needing an antidote is a nice stand-in for Mattie’s encounter with the rattle snake.)
SO there’s this really great balance of the tense, character-driven drama between Ruthye and Krem, while Kara gets this sweeping, epic space battle and it is just. So. GOOD.
I figure the best way to approach this one is to break it up into those two sides so LET’S GO.
A GIRL AND HER SUPER-HORSE
Alright so before we get into like, you know, the writing and the character stuff let’s talk about that ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRT!!!!
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I kinda touched on this a little bit in a previous post re: these pages but man, THE COLORS.
By now, it should come as no surprise that Evely and Lopes are MASTERS of creating unique alien worlds and populating them with amazing detail, but I gotta say. That water? The transparency and color transitions from the shore to the sea? A truly impressive flex.
Like there is. SO MUCH that goes into coloring a page like this. For one, aquas and purples are notoriously tricky in print, as CMYK doesn’t really play nice with them. So even getting that vibrant sea green takes a significant amount of planning/work, to say nothing of the color holds and textures and whatnot.
Just absolutely gorgeous, and such a great contrast to the yellows, reds, and oranges of Kara’s portion of the book!
Again, mentioned this in my previous post but I love the way the beach environs offset the reds of the...space apples? And Comet’s cape.
Speaking of Comet and space apples, some other Very Good Panels:
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I love this one because it’s just adorable? Like, Evely is so great in this issue, reminding us that Ruthye is a very young girl who is in the midst of an emotionally trying ordeal--there’s excellent expression/character acting later on, but here? Just! A cute li’l panel of Ruthye’s physicality that emphasizes how tiny she is. And the little floating fish! 26/10.
(Ruthye’s legs dangling over the side of Comet reminds me of that great panel from issue three, where Kara’s putting her on the bench before they go flying.) 
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Another detail I loved, Ruthye’s very tiny bite compared to Comet who takes like. Half. XD
Oh, right, should just like. Give major props to Evely for all of the HORSE DRAWINGS.
Horses are hard, man. XD
Also Comet EMOTES which is even TOUGHER to pull off.
Damn this creative team for making me like Comet the Super-Horse.
DAMN THEM.
Right, sorry, okay. So. As we’ve established, the colors and art are splendid, and work in perfect tandem with the writing.
The story starts out very light and airy (just like the art!) as Ruthye casually chats with Comet, and ultimately persuades him to let her talk to Krem.
Because, see, Kara has left Comet with Ruthye so that Ruthye doesn’t just. Murder Krem. 
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There’s really great humor here, in the form of Ruthye sassing Krem. 
But while Ruthye initially seems in control, both in terms of the conversation, as well as in control of her own emotions, Krem quickly gains the upper hand, as he (also quite casually!) tells Ruthye how he came to kill her father.
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I have said it before, and I will say it again: Evely is *so good* at nailing characters’ expressions and emotions--the body language, the subtleties in eyebrows and mouth shapes--in the above page, I love how Ruthye leans into Comet, almost trying to hide from the terrible things Krem is saying. And the fact that the action is given these three huge panels to let the moment play out over a period of ‘time’ and breathe is wonderful (along with the steady push-in on her face and tears. Which are beautifully rendered, I might add.)
CONTRAST THAT with Krem’s unchanged, unfeeling face! NOT ONLY does that emphasize his cruelty, but also let’s us know that this guy? 
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We get an echo of these three panels on the next page, where Krem...kinda unknowingly makes a (potentially fatal???) error.
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Like. Krem had her on the ropes! She was beat! Emotionally devastated!
But then he went and did a sexism. XD
She’s able to refocus her anger and hurt and thus is back in control and we get that same ‘hiding’ action but in a more overtly ‘I’m plotting your downfall’ way.
I mean. LOOK AT THAT SMIRK. XD
And then it’s here, at this point, where Ruthye’s portion of the story at last directly connects to Kara’s, so let’s backtrack a bit and discuss...
THE BATTLE OF CAPES
Kara’s entire half of the book is just!!!
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It’s all caption boxes/narration, much like issue 6; however, as Ruthye reveals on the very first page, this information is not firsthand, and she had to do research in order to record what occurred in Supergirl’s showdown with the Brigands.
Ruthye also mentions that epic poems have been written about this fight which evokes a sense mythic scale/scope to what we’re about to read--this is not just Supergirl taking down a bad guy. This is The Battle of Capes. Poems have been written about it. So many poems in fact, that there are good ones and, in Ruthye’s words, ‘shoddy ones’ as well!
I. LOVE. THIS.
Like. I’ll be the first to admit that I like earthbound Supergirl stories. I think that’s an important part of her characterization, that she finds a home on Earth. (Eventually! She doesn’t have to love it at first. See: the Best Episode of Supergirl, “Midvale” XD)
But I also love the idea of the Super family just. Existing for millennia and their galaxy-spanning adventures becoming the stuff of legends. (See, the Extremely Awesome “Legion of Superheroes: Millennium” by Bendis and “House of El” comic by PKJ.)
So I love this set up, I love this mood, I love that Ruthye is like, ‘Yeah, I hate that part in that one poem, “The yellow of her hair, the red of her lip, the wreckage and ruin of every ship.” 
As I’ve said before, this book does such a great job of not only establishing all these alien worlds and cultures and whatnot but also making them feel lived-in. Like it’s cool that there are poems about this battle--it’s even cooler that a character has an opinion on a very cheesy line from one of those poems.
*Patrick Stewart voice* World building!
And, of course! The art works in perfect harmony, selling this sense of pure scale.
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PAGE ONE! RIGHT OFF THE BAT! We see Kara, larger than life, even appearing larger than the planet below, thanks to the composition of the page! Solid, strong, resolute! We can EASILY imagine Supergirl besting any foe! Weathering any attack, no matter how savage!
And then BOOM.
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HUGE DOUBLE-PAGE SPREAD OF THE REVERSE ANGLE, and Kara is now dwarfed in comparison to the Brigands’ ship--we see the literal size of the obstacle and we KNOW that Supergirl’s in for a fierce fight.
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And it’s here, in said fight, that we get some cool, vaguely meta bits.
For one, Kara facing down the Brigands’ cannon fire calls to mind the shot of Superman beating back the ray gun from the classic Fleischer cartoon
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(This isn’t the exact shot I’m thinking of, but hopefully conveys the idea. XD Like there’s a better one where Clark is actually flying and smacking the laser beams out of the way.)
ALSO Ruthye specifically muses on why a fight between Supergirl and the Brigands would be interesting, if you know Supergirl is going to beat 'em.
And this book has a pretty great answer, to the common complaint from readers that the Super characters are boring, or hard to write, because they’re too powerful, or too ‘good.’
‘You know they’re going to win, so why bother?’
As per Ruthye: “No one has a monopoly on power.”
Essentially: There are any number of threats one can simply INVENT or IMAGINE. Because this is fiction. You’re literally making stuff up, so. Make up some more stuff! XD
Again, as per Ruthye: “There are faster bullets. There are stronger locomotives. There are taller buildings. It is a universe of wonders and mysteries, and being born under one sun and raised under another does not mean you have mastered its limits.”
Brilliant. Amazing. Spectacular. Insert orsonwellesclapping.gif here. XD
Okay, time for my favorite paaaaage:
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Gonna quote the text for easier reading, as it’s small on the page: “And so with that unprecedented barrage, one that might have laid waste to any number of solar systems...Supergirl fell from the sky and toward the planet below. The heat of reentry began to warm her and, as she described it to me, there was a feeling of comfort in it. It reminded her of Krypton, of coming home after school and her father overheating the laser grill, raising the temperature in the whole apartment. She could see him dashing though the kitchen to tell her that everything was all right, he’d got it under control, just don’t tell your mother when she gets home. And Supergirl would smile knowing she’d got something from her father not many ever got, a secret. And as she continued to fall and the flames hugged her even closer she saw her house burn, she saw her parents burn, she saw her world burn. Until all she had left was that secret and no one to whom she could tell it. And knowing that, that she was the only one in the whole universe who could tell the story of her father and the laser grill, she knew she could not die that day. Her life was one of trillions. But that memory was unique and needed preserving.”
SO LET’S SEE. BEAUTIFUL SPACE IMAGERY. MEMORIES OF KRYPTON, OF HER FAMILY AND HER WORLD. THE PEACFEUL MEMORIES GIVING WAY TO THE DESTRUCTION OF HER HOME. DECIDING THAT SHE NEEDS TO KEEP LIVING. SHE WILL KEEP GOING. SHE WILL NOT DIE THIS DAY.
1000/10 S-Tier Supergirl content, Tom King, Bilquis Evely, and Mat Lopes understood the assignment.
BUT THE GOOD KARA CONTENT DOESN’T STOP THERE. OH NO.
So Kara manages to board their ship and take the Brigands on directly but they gain the upper hand--she goes down, and it’s at this point that we’re BACK to where our stories converge!
BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER:
Gosh, this part was so good.
Down on the planet, Comet gets all squirrelly; something is wrong!
Cut to the Brigands above, and we get this moment:
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The Brigands delight in Supergirl’s apparent weakness, in her BEGGING for mercy. 
And we, the reader, might even think, ‘WHOA, Kara’s in a tight spot!’
BUT THEN.
BUT THEN.
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It is revealed that Kara is NOT begging for her life, but is in fact TELLING COMET TO STAY WITH RUTHYE BECAUSE SHE NEEDS HIM.
HEROIC, SELFLESS-TO-A-FAULT KARA, USING SUPER-HEARING, IN ADDITION TO THE OTHER GOOD STUFF?!???!???!
WE LOVE TO SEE IT.
Like, if I had a bingo board of all my favorite Supergirl stuff, this issue would check off so many boxes. 
Time for another quoooooote:
“Her power was great, greater than you can imagine. But it was not just measured in terms of the pull of her muscle, the cool of her breath, and the heat of her eyes. No, her power also derived from a whole life dedicated to kindness. From day after day defending others from the wicked. And thereby earning their loyalty. So that she did not often walk alone.”
I know for a fact there are Hardcore Supergirl Fans™ who, as recently as issue six, still feel that King is doing a bad job, and fundamentally doesn’t understand Kara. 
To which I say: We’re reading different books, clearly.
BECAUSE HERE SHE IS, LADS. 
IN A COMIC TITLED: HOPE, HELP, AND COMPASSION.
King better stick the landing so that I don’t look like a dang fool again, I swear. XD
Comet continues to become agitated, to the point where Ruthye realizes that Kara needs help, and Ruthye urges him to go assist her.
She swears on her dad’s grave that she won’t kill Krem, and so, Comet takes flight!
AT WHICH POINT WE REALIZE! This whole time, as Ruthye was giving Comet the space fruit and relating the story of her ponydog, she was cleverly gaining his trust, so that she could convince him to leave her alone WITH KREM! And that her promise to Comet was a LIE!!!
GASP!
And thus issue seven ends!
SOME ADDITIONAL MISC. ART APPRECIATION:
I love the mix of close-ups on Kara as well as these wider shots of action during the Big Brawl sequence.
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And like, the shape here! Of the Brigands being pushed back by Kara, it’s immediately clear what is happening, and dynamic and oversized and super.
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And here we get an absolutely brutal bit of panel-to-panel action, as in the first, the green Brigand has his arms open wide, ready to fight Supergirl, who is being both pushed and pulled through the air by chains and laser canons...
And then WHAM, the green Brigand’s hand is wrapped around Kara’s head, forcing her into the ground, which is almost alive with movement in the form of action lines and blur and grit and crackling energy bursts, snaking across the page.
You FEEL the impact in a collection of lines and colors on a page.
And these are just! A handful of panels!
The whole book--heck, THE WHOLE SERIES is just so expertly rendered! I can��t get over it! XD 
GAAAAHHHHH It’s just so GOOD.
Also, side note: Love all of the designs for the Brigands. 
It kinda reminded me of the great space...bar? Comedy club? brawl bit from Supergirl #24, drawn by Doc Shaner:
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(And listen, I love Shaner’s art, but you can see the difference in style--there’s an inherently rigid quality in the more ‘traditional/classic’ superhero art; there’s very little fluidity and implied movement.)
(Static, I guess, whereas Evely’s inks--the heavily repeated diagonals and action lines--really get these still images to MOVE. They practically VIBRATE with potential energy!)
(Anyways!)
What else, what else.
Oh! I don’t know if it’s a deliberate nod or just a cool coincidence, but I like that Ruthye has purple eyes, because Lois Lane is typically depicted as having purple eyes as well.
(The Lois Lane image below is a Clay Mann cover, colored by Alex Sinclair. From...Action Comics, I believe?)
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AND SO, IN CONCLUSION:
I can’t get over how great this book is. XD
It reminds me a bit of Matt Fraction’s Hawkeye. There was a book that took a character who was very firmly mid-tier in terms of ‘brand recognition’, and applied a heavily stylized, almost indie sensibility to a small-scale, self-contained comic series to great effect.
And I love that we’re getting the same treatment for Kara.
Like. Do I want this book to be an ongoing so that we can get more Evely and Lopes art? Of course!
But the tight focus and pacing, as well as having a fixed ‘end-point’ is really to the book’s benefit, and, hopefully! Will mean there’s an evergreen trade that will sell really well and convince DC to make more Supergirl stuff.
(Maybe once King has more time, he can do a sequel series. XD)
 Also, as I’ve mentioned before, I get the sense that Sterling Gates doesn’t care for the direction of this book, but I’m really glad that King incorporated Supergirl’s motto. (Which was penned by Gates.) I kinda feel like...as folks have praised this book, there’s been a tendency to throw previous Supergirl comics under the bus, which is a shame. Because Gates and Igle really did so much for rehabilitating Kara’s whole deal after the garbage early 2000s books. 
We don’t gotta tear down what’s come before to praise the new stuff that we got! XD
Anyways. It’s just a nice little nod to Gates’ impact/work on the character.
SO NOW WE WAIT FOR THE FINAL ISSUE. NUMBER 8. 
I’m not...too? Concerned? King is pretty good at narratively satisfying endings.
I am worried about Krypto, though. I NEED THE GOOD BOY TO BE OKAY. XD
Until next month!
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uomo-accattivante · 4 years
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This is a great article about how The Card Counter managed to finish principal photography after getting shut down mid-March due to COVID-19.
Also, it includes this interesting description from Paul Schrader about Oscar Isaac’s character, William Tell -- “So now I have a character and he’s in his room, he’s alone. And he has a mask on. And the mask he wears is a professional poker player. And the problem that runs alongside him is that he is a former torturer for the U.S. government. So it’s a mix of the World Series of Poker and Abu Ghraib.”
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Having somehow weathered his way from enfant terrible to wizened survivor, Paul Schrader is a filmmaker who is simply not finished yet. Every time it might seem his career is on the wane, he resets, revitalizes and comes back again.
Just a few years after his 2014 film “Dying of the Light” starring Nicolas Cage was taken away from him by financiers — leading Schrader to disavow the movie — he received his first Oscar nomination (for original screenplay) after directing “First Reformed,” which was released in 2018 and starred Ethan Hawke as a troubled small-town minister.
Schrader’s work is marked by emotional intensity, intellectual vitality and an aesthete’s appreciation of style. His filmography is full of unusual corners that are still being discovered. The 1979 film “Old Boyfriends,” directed by Joan Tewkesbury with a screenplay by Schrader and his brother Leonard, was recently rereleased on home video. As was the 1990 film “The Comfort of Strangers,” directed by Schrader from a screenplay by Harold Pinter.
He’s been directing films from his own scripts since 1978’s “Blue Collar” starring Richard Pryor, Harvey Keitel and Yaphet Kotto. He went on to write and direct such films as “Hardcore,” “American Gigolo,” “Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters,” “Light Sleeper” and “Affliction.” His celebrated work as a screenwriter for director Martin Scorsese includes “Taxi Driver,” “Raging Bull,” “The Last Temptation of Christ” and “Bringing Out the Dead.”
Never one to shy from controversy onscreen or off, he directed Lindsay Lohan in the 2013 Hollywood-set thriller “The Canyons,” written by Bret Easton Ellis.
In March, Schrader was about three-quarters through the shoot for his next film, “The Card Counter,” in Mississippi — with a cast that includes Oscar Isaac, Tiffany Haddish, Tye Sheridan and Willem Dafoe — when the production was shut down due to the growing pandemic. In July, Schrader was able to shoot for an additional five days to complete production.
During the break in shooting, “The Card Counter” was picked up for distribution by Focus Features.
Schrader recently got on the phone to talk about the unusual circumstances of the film’s production and completion. A film critic before he became a filmmaker, Schrader not only had startling insights into his work, but also thoughts about what filmmaking and exhibition might be like in a post-COVID world.
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Before we start talking about the production on the movie, could you just describe the story? What is “The Card Counter” about?
Well, I don’t want to get too deeply involved in the plot, but what I will say is over the years I’ve kind of developed my own little genre of films. And they usually involve a man alone in a room, wearing a mask, and the mask is his occupation. So it could be a taxi driver, a drug dealer, a gigolo, a reverend, whatever. And I take that character and run it alongside a larger problem, personal or social. It could be debilitating loneliness like in “Taxi Driver.” It could be a midlife crisis like in “Light Sleeper.” It could be an environmental crisis like in “First Reformed.”
So now I have a character and he’s in his room, he’s alone. And he has a mask on. And the mask he wears is a professional poker player. And the problem that runs alongside him is that he is a former torturer for the U.S. government. So it’s a mix of the World Series of Poker and Abu Ghraib.
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How did you come to put those two things together?
I’m always looking for that. I’m looking for deep-seated problems, either personal or societal, and some kind of oddball metaphor. The more you get closer, you run these two wires next to each other, the more sparks you see flying across. And it’s in the sparks that the viewer comes alive. If the wires ever touch, there’s nothing left for the viewer to do. But if you keep these two wires really close to each other, the viewer will start to spark from one wire to the other. And that’s the greatest thing you can give a viewer or a reader, an opportunity to be part of the creation.
Let’s talk about the production and everything you’ve been through. Take me back to March. What was it like for you when the production had to shut down?
I have learned in my dotage how to make a quality film on a low budget. So the film I used to make in 40 days I now make in 20. And so “First Reformed” was 20. I had shot in Biloxi 15 days. Now I knew coronavirus was going to be rising, because when I heard that Macau shut down, I said, you know, it’s just a matter of time. Macau is the wealthiest gambling center in the world and I’m here in the gambling center of the Gulf. If Macau shuts down, it’ll reach Vegas, it’ll reach here. And we were doing a scene, a poker tournament with 500 extras. And I remember I said to the A.D., “We can’t put 500 people in a room without one of them being positive.” And sure enough, one of them was. Two days later, we not only closed down, all of the Gulf was closed down.
Fortunately, when I went back, I had shot my big crowd scenes. And also I had shot my sex scenes, which I would have hated to try to do under these restrictions. So all I had left when I went back was a number of scenes in the prisons, and four more scenes in the casinos, some driving scenes. So I was in pretty good shape. But I really wanted to finish the film.
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And Oscar Isaac, he was on his way to Hungary to do reshoots for “Dune.” And he wanted to put off this reshoot till after “Dune” — to do it in September because he has a big beard and he didn’t want to shave off his beard. I said to him, “Oscar, there’s a window open right now in Mississippi.” I said, “If we don’t jump into this window while it’s open, this will become one of those famous films that never got finished, and we’ve got to exploit this moment.”
So I talked him off the ledge and he agreed to do it. And we were able to put everybody back together and do our week of prep and five days of shooting. It was very strange, and in a way it was kind of fun, in a summer camp sort of way. But I would hate, hate to make a whole film this way. It was an adventure for five days, it’s a nightmare for five weeks.
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In the break from March to July, were you on high alert that you could come back at any moment? Were you editing the footage you already had?
Here’s what happened. I was editing. My editor is in New Jersey and my assistant editor is in Tennessee, so we’re all editing virtually. And I had four major dialogue scenes between my principal characters that I had not shot. Then I was able to screen virtually the film for a number of people I respect, like Scorsese, who is the executive producer, like [filmmaker and programmer] Kent Jones and other people. And what I asked them all is, “I have four more scenes to shoot. I can rewrite them. What am I missing? What do I need to add? How should I write these four scenes?”
And I started getting feedback about what they felt was missing. So I was able to rewrite these scenes and make these relationships much better. And not all productions get to do that. It’s a very expensive reshoot, but it was built-in that three-quarters of the way through, I have an opportunity to rewrite one-quarter of the meaningful character scenes. So I did, I rewrote it. And I realized what was missing. And I wouldn’t have realized that if I was shooting at the top. I would have only realized that in post. And I would have walked around the room kicking myself in the ass, saying, “I wish I had the opportunity to reshoot some scenes.”
How was getting everything back together?
As soon as Mississippi allowed us to come back, we came back. And of course nobody’s working, so everybody’s eager to come back. They are hyper-conscientious because they know they are only being allowed to work by the grace of God. And so the masks and the PPE and the hands and the distancing, you don’t need to tell any of the people this. They’re so happy to be at work. They have no problem with any of that.
You can only have one person within six feet of your actor at a time. That person could be hair, it could be makeup, it could be props, it can be the director, it could be another actor. And you kind of queue up. And a thing that I realized, we had a warehouse. So we did rehearsals for every scene in this warehouse. And I told the actors that when we get to the location, to the casino, the prop people will be in there, the lighting people will be there and then you will walk there with your mask on, and you will take the positions that you took in rehearsal. Then I will roll camera and you will take your masks off and we’ll play the scenes. So that’s how we did it.
Given everything that it takes to get to shooting, once you were back on set with the actors, did you still feel like they could give you the performances that you needed? Was it difficult to get to a place of artistic creation given all the other concerns that everyone has?
Because they had done the rehearsals, they had gone through the permutations of their performances before. So the only thing different for them was that they were in a real space rather than a fake space. As I explained to them, there would be no time for exploration on set. All the exploration you are going to do, we’re going to do here in the warehouse. I don’t want to hear one peep from you about changing anything once we get into this hothouse environment. So however many hours we have to spend in the warehouse, let’s spend it.
How close to finished are you with the movie now, considering you had a lot of it already cut together?
Basically, I’m finished, down to an hour and 49 minutes, which is where I think it should be. Obviously, I have to do the score, there’s the post-prod and the special effects, but the thing is that there’s no pressure to finish the film anymore at this time. I was talking to Focus, and I could give them the film in a month. They don’t want the film in a month because they don’t know what to do with it in a month. They said, you just take whatever time you need, which is the opposite of the way studios usually talk. I also have final cut, so it doesn’t really matter. What I deliver, I deliver.
When you made “The Canyons” you talked a lot about your feelings regarding the theatrical experience, VOD and streaming and contemporary filmmaking. What impact do you think the COVID shutdowns will have on movie theaters?
There’s a certain kind of film like “The Canyons,” which should be made for VOD, which is a kind of exploitation film. And there’s another kind of film like “First Reformed” that has to be mounted by film festivals and art-house cinemas, so that it has an identity prior to VOD. So if you’re on VOD and you see an Ethan Hawke film about a minister, you’re not going to say, “Oh, let’s watch that.” No, what you’re going to say is, “Oh, I heard about that film. I heard it was good.” Well, how did they hear it was good? They heard that from film festival reportage and they heard from their friends who have seen it at theaters. So that sets up VOD.
The opposite case is a film like “First Cow,” a film that was crushed by not having a theatrical window. And everybody is, “Should I watch ‘First Cow’?” They have no context. So what’s important for a film like “The Card Counter” is we have to give it context. We have to go to the festivals and we have to go to the art cinemas to tell people what we have in our hands. Then we can go to VOD, where the real money is. So “First Reformed” went to Telluride, Toronto, Venice and New York. That set the table. I would love to set the table for this one. I can go to all those festivals. That’s not a problem for me anymore. The problem is: Are festivals going to happen?
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Do you think theaters are going to come back?
Not in the way they did. There are only four reasons for theaters to exist anymore. And this situation has accelerated these trends. Like symphonies and operas and live theater, concerts, they need a reason to exist. One reason is family cinema, because parents love to see their kids interacting with other kids. Animation films will always have an audience. Another is extraordinary spectacle. IMAX, virtual, whatever they come up with. Something you can’t see at home. The third is date movies for high schoolers, which is horror and rom-coms. Or rather, dirty rom-coms.
And then the fourth is club cinema. Which used to be called art cinema. But with these new institutions that are a combination of social institutions and cinematic institutions. So the Metrograph in New York has one restaurants and two bars. There’s more square footage devoted to eating and drinking than there is to watching movies. And yet it’s always full because people want to be in that environment. So then alcohol’s become the new popcorn. And those club cinemas, which were pioneered by Alamo, they will continue to exist because people want to be part of the club, people want to buy a membership. They want to eat and hang out, and they want to know which films have been approved by the club. Which is something you cannot get from VOD.
When “First Reformed” was coming out, you spoke about how you had made it thinking it could be your last film. And yet you seem so reenergized over the last few years. Do you feel that way? Have you been able to hit the reset button in some way?
Oddly, yes. I’m in the middle of a new script, which is about a horticulturalist. And what has happened in my case, following the disastrous situation I went through with “Dying of the Light,” I said, I would no longer work unless I had final cut. And once I got final cut, I was free. When I began, you didn’t really need final cut. When I was working in the studio system, all those other films, you were working with people who knew movies, who liked movies. Who you can talk to, you could disagree with — things would get changed, sometimes they’d get better, sometimes for worse in your mind, but you were working with people who liked movies, who watched movies. In the last 15 years, I’m dealing mainly with financiers, who not only don’t watch movies, don’t even particularly like them. And how can you have discussions with these people? And that’s what final cut freed me from, because I realized I couldn’t talk to these people. I wasn’t talking to [studio executives like] Barry Diller and Thom Mount and Ned Tanen anymore. I was talking to Joe Schmo from some hedge fund and I couldn’t talk to Joe Schmo. The only way I could talk to him was to have final cut.
I’m certainly excited to see what becomes of “The Card Counter.”
The new one is quite good. Focus told me not to hump it too much because that’s their job down the line. But you can take my word for it, it’s quite good.
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nanso · 3 years
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What made you want to write about Elia?
This is a long and potentially winding answer, so apologies right now. 
I only started reading fanfic when a friend sent me "Robb Returns" - and I thought, "oh, that's intense that people are writing all this. Lemme continue to check this out." I enjoyed reading about Dorne and the Shy Maid crew also - so imagine my horror when I started to read more fanfic and, bit by bit, saw the way both Elia and the Dornish were portrayed by fans. It is, to be blunt, abominable and a great majority of the time, quite racist. This character suffered one of the most horrific deaths in the books - and that is saying something - and then fans proceed to demean her or use her as a prop in the most insulting of ways and they do so by leaning on tropes. It's just fanfic, of course - but at the end of the day, it also says something about the way people think more broadly (and not in a good way). I think people have more biases than they know or realize - and are a bit more racist than they would ever care to recognize or acknowledge. 
Anyhooooo - a part of me wanted to start writing about Elia and other characters of color just to cleanse my mind of that and at least put something out there that isn't racist or demeaning. The other part of it is that while I've written some stuff that is pretty fan-y and self-indulgent, I also like to try to write about her - as well as her kids - as a way of half-critiquing what we get in the books (or to a degree, the lack thereof). GRRM is obviously a really good writer, but man - the way he writes about the Dornish is often times atrocious, let's be real. For a guy who is so interested in deconstructing tropes, he really leaned into the racist exotic-erotic trope. Shame on his editors for not asking him to rethink how he's portraying characters of color - because when fans make these shitty and nonsensical claims that Elia must have supported Rhaegar's actions (or was part of it!), they usually back it up based off some of the absurd characterizations we are given, particularly when we are introduced to Oberyn. That said - fans conveniently seem to forget while Oberyn may have been sexually adventurous, he and Ellaria had a decade-plus committed relationship and four daughters together. He was a lot more than the sexual beast that people want to make him out to be. I said it once and I’ll say it again - not once have I seen anyone use Robert Baratheon’s character or behavior as the standard definition for all of the stormlands. Why is that, pray? 🤔
Anyways, I also like writing about characters that are not alive or a big part of the plot/action, it just interests me more to explore AUs like that. With characters like Sansa or Arianne for instance who are so firmly part of the unfolding action/plot, I personally can't get my brain to engage with creating AUs centered on them because I'm boring and can't think outside canon. (I am trying to write something for Arianne week but it is going slowly, partly because of this).  
TLDR - Elia is treated so horribly in canon and then fans seem to relish doing the same, so I like to write about her as a way of treating her with the respect she deserves, fictional as she is.
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daleisgreat · 3 years
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Speed
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Today’s entry will mark the first official 4K home video release I am writing about. I already own a few other 4K UHDs, and a couple of months ago, I watched my first 4K video at home with 2001’s The Fast and the Furious. However, I already covered that movie’s BluRay release here several years ago, so I will not be dedicating another entry for it, other than to say that the 4K upgrade pops and makes it look like a new release. Today’s entry is for 1994’s Speed (trailer). Before diving into this movie, I noticed one of the tracks from this film’s score repeatedly used throughout sounds awfully like one of the main themes I primarily associated with the Metal Gear Solid franchise. I have no idea if this was pointed out before, and I just overlooked it all these years, or maybe I am grasping at straws. Click or press here to take a listen and decide for yourself. 1994 was a hell of a year for Hollywood movies primarily transpiring from a highway with The Chase, Speed, and the OJ Simpson Bronco chase….oh wait (although I highly recommend the ESPN 30 for 30 on it, simply titled: June 17th 1994). The majority of Speed has a straightforward premise: serial bomber and local madman Howard Payne (Dennis Hopper) planted a bomb on a bus rigged to explode once the bus drops below 55 miles per hour. Police officer Jack Traven (Keanu Reeves) is alerted to this by the bomber himself to exact revenge on Traven after successfully rescuing hostages from an elevator Payne armed at the beginning of the film.
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From there, for the middle hour of this nearly two-hour film, the action almost entirely takes place on the bus. Traven makes a grand entrance onto the bus by commandeering a Jaguar and having its owner (Glenn Plummer) take the wheel so Traven could heroically leap onto the bus and save the day. It would not be that easy of a rescue mission as Payne has eyes on the bus, and Traven has to play by his rules and get him his $3 million ransom to disarm the bus. Without question, the middle hour on the bus is the best part of the film. The opening half-hour is an excellent appetizer with the elevator hostage crisis that Traven and his partner, Harry (Jeff Daniels), successfully foil. However, once the action shifts to the bus is when Speed takes off. Shortly after taking control of the bus, one of the passengers freaks and inadvertently shoots the bus driver, and a fellow passenger, Annie (Sandra Bullock), takes over the wheel. Throughout the film, Annie and Traven have wonderful chemistry, and I could not help but root for the duo throughout. Every couple of minutes, there is a new potential conflict to overcome to keep the bus going over 55mph. The film wisely peppers in brief dialog exchanges to let the movie breathe just enough before the next hurdle makes itself present.
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The film's standout moment is the major obstacle for the bus to overcome when it encounters a stretch of unavoidable highway under construction and missing a hearty chunk of the road. Traven’s solution is that since that stretch of a road is on an incline, they may clear that gap if they build up enough speed! That epic stunt hits all the right notes, and I got goosebumps all over again re-watching it, and odds are, I bet you did too if you have seen this movie. If you have not, then watch this scene and see for yourself by click or pressing here. A lot of the critical discussion in the aftermath of this movie was if that jump was realistically possible. The best thing I can do is to compare it to another film, Road Trip, which is likely a better indicator of what could happen when attempting such a feat. Once the middle bus portion of the film is over, there are still about 20 minutes left where Traven tracks and chases down Payne in a subway station. The movie felt over once the bus portion had such a satisfying conclusion that it almost feels wrong to keep sticking with the film by this point, but I recommend you do since there is a satisfying payoff in the form of Payne’s demise. I have to share a story now when I first saw this film at around 13 or 14 on VHS. My dad’s VCR had what seemed to me at the time was a revolutionary feature where if I kept pressing the pause button repeatedly, it would slowly, frame-by-frame, play the film in super slow-motion. At that age, I thought this was a fantastic way to get the most out of the biggest stunts in action scenes. My favorite moment exploiting this feature was seeing Traven and Payne wrestle around on the top of a subway train until Payne was not watching his field of vision, and a warning light lead to his sudden beheading. I slow-motion replayed that sequence countless times in my awkward, early teenage years. Suffice it to say, Hopper plays the out-of-his-mind bomber perfectly, going so far as to make sure he receives his appropriate cinematic comeuppance.
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The director ensures the many passengers on the bus maximized their minutes to the point I where it feels like you are right there with them!
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Two audio commentaries are the only extra features of the 4K disc in this 4K/BluRay combo pack. One is with the director, Jan de Bont, and the other is with producer Mark Gordon and writer Graham Yost. Props are to whoever decided to subtitle the commentary tracks. I very much appreciate it! I first started to bounce back and forth between the two commentary tracks, but Bont was way too relaxed and had too many pauses to hold my attention, and I finished up with his track within five minutes. However, Yost and Gordon are very much engaged from beginning to end and have fun cracking jokes and sharing memories throughout. Some quick takeaways I got from them were how they wanted to film a major scene outside of a sports arena, dealing with critics poking holes at how unrealistic their stunts were, and how watching the movie felt very different at the time of the commentary recording just two months after 9/11. The BluRay disc contains the remainder of the bonus features. Inside Speed is a four-part feature lasting just under an hour breaking down the visual effects, stunts, and location sequences, but half of it also contains an HBO First Look special hosted by Dennis Hopper that hits all the right kinds of cheesy mid-90s EPK nostalgia that it is worth checking out. Aside from 12 minutes of extended scenes and a Billy Idol music video that seems totally off base with the tempo of the film, there are a couple of Action Sequences mini-features breaking down some of the stunts. I highly recommend watching the one dissecting how they did the bus jump, as it shows raw footage of what really happened when they shot it, and showed footage of some of the specific safety measures they instilled to make that stunt as safe as possible and had some eye-opening interviews with the stunt driver before and after.
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After watching that old VHS copy nearly a dozen times, Speed wound up being one of my favorite action films I got burnt out early on and never bothered upgrading to a DVD or standalone BluRay. Watching it again in 4K all these years later breathed new life into it for me. I am not an expert at breaking down video quality by any means, but watching the 4K disc on my 4KTV gave the impression of this having far more current production values. The editors somehow managed to remove all the old film grain defects for a smooth 4K upgrade. If you have not seen Speed yet, then it has everything you could want out of a mid-90s action movie with explosions, gripping thrills and stunts, dramatic rescues, plenty of zinger one-liners…..and a Billy Idol theme song. Pardon me while I attempt my best Dennis Hopper impression here, “Pop quiz, hotshot, which 1994 blockbuster that takes place primarily on a bus is a perfect candidate for beer and popcorn movie night at home?” Other Random Backlog Movie Blogs 3 12 Angry Men (1957) 12 Rounds 3: Lockdown 21 Jump Street The Accountant Angry Video Game Nerd: The Movie Atari: Game Over The Avengers: Age of Ultron The Avengers: Endgame The Avengers: Infinity War Batman: The Dark Knight Rises Batman: The Killing Joke Batman: Mask of the Phantasm Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice Bounty Hunters Cabin in the Woods Captain America: Civil War Captain America: The First Avenger Captain America: The Winter Soldier Christmas Eve The Clapper Clash of the Titans (1981) Clint Eastwood 11-pack Special The Condemned 2 Countdown Creed I & II Deck the Halls Detroit Rock City Die Hard Dirty Work Dredd The Eliminators The Equalizer Faster Fast and Furious I-VIII Field of Dreams Fight Club The Fighter For Love of the Game Good Will Hunting Gravity Grunt: The Wrestling Movie Guardians of the Galaxy Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 Hell Comes to Frogtown Hercules: Reborn Hitman I Like to Hurt People Indiana Jones 1-4 Inglourious Basterds Ink The Interrogation Interstellar Jay and Silent Bob Reboot Jobs Joy Ride 1-3 Justice League (2017 Whedon Cut) Last Action Hero Major League Mallrats Man of Steel Man on the Moon Man vs Snake Marine 3-6 Merry Friggin Christmas Metallica: Some Kind of Monster Mortal Kombat Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpions Revenge National Treasure National Treasure: Book of Secrets Nintendo Quest Not for Resale Old Joy Payback (Director’s Cut) Pulp Fiction The Punisher (1989) The Ref The Replacements Reservoir Dogs Rocky I-VIII Running Films Part 1 Running Films Part 2 San Andreas ScoobyDoo Wrestlemania Mystery Scott Pilgrim vs the World The Secret Life of Walter Mitty Shoot em Up Slacker Skyscraper Small Town Santa Steve Jobs Source Code Star Trek I-XIII Sully Take Me Home Tonight TMNT Trauma Center The Tooth Fairy 1 & 2 UHF Veronica Mars Vision Quest The War Wild The Wizard Wonder Woman The Wrestler (2008) X-Men: Apocalypse X-Men: Days of Future Past
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