#overweight characters exist for comedy first

[has-brain-rot]

I finally began watching voltron

OKAY SO at the recommendation of a super cool person (@imperfection-you-will-find (sorry if you don’t want to be tagged) ) I got into watching Voltron: Legendary Defenders and I just finished the first season AND IT IS A REALLY COOL SHOW. I know I’m like 5 years late to the party but the animation! Characters! World building! All very interesting!! Love how smoothly they blend those 3D models into the show, it’s barely noticeable

Here’s a few thoughts (before I go binge the next season)

- first off it is BOLD that the first episode is an hour+ long. like damn they didn’t have to do that but they did and the pacing is surprisingly good for what they had to do, though I lowkey wish there was more adventuring-to-find-the-rest-of-the-lions because that part was pretty interesting, especially when they talked about having to form a bond with the lions first

- Hunk is a cool guy and I really like how he develops and ends up being one of the more serious characters (when, unfortunately, he isn’t the but of the joke. He’s neat but they make fun of his weight a fair bit and that’s not fun). Love how he has a good sus-detector, also he was SLAYING when he saved people during the season 1 finale

- Pidge is REALLY COOL and I personally (so far at least) headcanon them as enby. they also give off transman vibes and honestly that’s what I thought they were going to do with the character until the reveal. It’s cool how they handled it, and I love that the show didn’t go for an all-boy cast because that’d be disappointing.

- Lance is kinda annoying but he’s growing on me. I’m not the biggest fan but I like how he’s developing. Blue colour scheme is cool, but damn he really put everyone and an entire planet in danger just because he crushed briefly on a girl. Shame.

- Shiro is COOL. We don’t know much about him and the portrayal of his trauma is a really good thing to add. I do find it mildly funny (in a dark way? funny might not be the right word) that like. Lance and Hunk are there because vibes, Pidge is there for vibes but also they were on a mission of their own, Keith right now is very mysterious and gives off many vibes, but Shiro’s backstory is that he was tortured for a year, forced to fight, there’s the implication that his body was forcefully modified as he was trained to be a weapon, and also he’s probably killed quite a few people and he’s trying to deal with that and everything while like, they’re vibing

- Keith is COOL. Red lion swag. Love his somewhat morally ambiguous vibes, also I feel like he’s going to be a big projection character. They haven’t really covered his background other than he dropped out, but I bet there’s a lot more going on. I can DEFINITELY see he is liked. ALSO I feel like the whole “you fight like a Galra soldier” is more than just a one off line. I sense it. Plus the whole “you have to earn the trust of the red lion, you can’t just befriend it right away” gives off big flags of “HEY PAY ATTENTION”. I could write so much about this but I wanna go binge the second season xD

- THE CLIFFHANGER OF A FINAL EPISODE. There is so much I could talk about (the character development, the battle scenes, everything is so cool. It’s like seeing all the things I wish we could’ve seen in steven universe and also I think belos would be proud of the general genocide even if it isn’t religion based). I’ll keep it short and just say that DAMN SO MUCH HAPPENS AND IT IS VERY COOL

I’m going in spoiler free and it’s quite fun! Thanks for the recommendation @imperfection-you-will-find, can’t wait to watch more so I can fully appreciate your super cool edits and posts xD

[eggman91]

ok so I haven’t been posting a lot sorry and work on the Mordecai voodoo au is slow because work and me getting back into asoiaf and getting on that Jamie pill(God best arc fight me) so here helluva my random opinions and ideas on boss/ hazbin hotel

helluva boss

so yeah the pilot was good and the show was a mix of man I like the ideas and characters /man I’m very disappointed and not laughing

Like there some direction they took they made it to quickly into serious stuff a should keep comedy for like 2 seasons or something like my biggest things was

Stolas like i don’t if I get crucified now but keep more evil looking or like he was In the pilot this castist aristocratic, bird prick who didn’t really care for biltzo but over time fell for him and stuff. (Or just make him a fallen I would like that ) but the funny good dad Stolas is nice too

Stella ok,I mean I understand it fine to have a villain who doesn’t need a reason to be evil they just like hell I do that and they definitely exist in but I like Stella design and form the second episode it was more interesting to me if Stella and Stolas wasn’t in a good marriage but like they didn’t hate eachother like arranged and stuff but they both love Octavia like when I first watch the episode i thought (all in my head and I know it was canon) like she was promise to Stolas arranged marriage so imagine getting married to this ancient demon one of the fallen… but im actully ok how she is in the show right now

Ok random take but Beelzebub I really like that episode (all the hellhounds 😊) and her design but really that Beelzebub ? The sin of gluttony the fly really? Like yeah the embodiment of gluttony doesn’t need to fat and stuff but like ok but why make her into sparkledog but like the idea I had like that just a front (oh no she doing dogface )like to get people to party and indulge and bee was better then a fly but I didn’t think she was a villain she didn’t really care for hellhounds and stuff but she trying to do better because she genuinely love vortex there art by drunk ferret that I really like

(Also I wish there was more overweight hellhounds at the party i admit that )

as for the imps meh they fine as they are moxxie x Mille is best ship

so that was my helluva boss opinions (wow so original I bet he a Stella Stan) and now the hazbin hotel

I actually like it more helluva boss and stuff like I thought I dislike Alsator but no I like him like there was so many opinions, and what people thought it was going to happen in the show and I did have that too I meant and I finally watch it and well yeah meh but I was pleasantly surprised at times

(said for the whole val thing what the fuck viz I know hell and shit but fuck) yeah but Charlie and vaggie best ship fight me and nifty is best little gremlin and I like Lucifer but yeah he too goofy for the prince of darkness but I like him too and more then anything was a very emotional and etc but there one thing

god if he show up I hope they won’t make Jesus a bad guy or a hypocrite like Adam and stuff like dude Jesus died for our sins and etc but like I hope he give Charlie hope not everybody deserves to be in hell but a lot do but like,Jesus did descend into hell to save the righteous and Adam and Eve 1 Peter:4:6 acts 2:27-37 and revelation 1:7 but yeah I’m a degenerate but I still stand by Jesus (also I hope they don’t make him dress like the rest of heaven like you get and see what they all wearing and you see this dark skinned dirty white robe and red Jesus)

Yeah this was a random post I made when I woke up randomly

[project1939]

Day 33- Film: Skirts Ahoy! 

Release date: May 28th, 1952. 

Studio: MGM 

Genre: Musical 

Director: Sidney Lanfield 

Producer: Joe Pasternak 

Actors: Esther Williams, Joan Evans, Vivian Blaine 

Plot Summary: Three women at various dead ends with men decide to join the WAVES (Women’s US Navy). Mary Kate is jilted on her wedding day, Una hasn’t seen her supposed fiancé in months, and rich girl Whitney is the one who did the jilting on her own wedding day. We follow the exploits of these three and their prospective beaus as they try to survive basic training. 

My Rating (out of five stars): *** on merit, ****½ for how much I enjoyed watching it! 

I needed a movie like this today! Something colorful, silly, cheery, campy... and full of lots of stunning '50s women bonding with each other. First things first, this is not a great film. If it’s in your wheelhouse, you’ll probably get a kick out of it, if not, you’ll probably hate it. But I adored it for the most part. So... 

The Good: 

Esther Williams! Oh my god, Esther Williams! Before today, I had only seen clips of her swimming, never an entire film of hers. She’s so charming and exquisitely beautiful, I was instantly smitten!

The comradery between the three female leads. They were cute and sweet together, and there was no unnecessary conflict added in for drama. 

The Technicolor. It was the vibrant 1950s MGM Technicolor you imagine. 

Just getting a movie with lots of women in it! Hollywood at this time seemed especially allergic to movies like this, so I always love them when they do exist. 

The campy corniness of it was good fun. 

Esther just being her drop dead gorgeous normal-bodied self! She’s got thighs! Her waist is on the thicker side, proportionally... she was an athlete in real life, before being an athlete meant you had to be rock-hard. She’s not overweight by any stretch, but in today’s Hollywood she would probably stupidly be considered so. All I know is, she makes my knees turn to jelly! 

The title. The title. The gloriously silly title! 

Whoever dreamed up the movie poster above? What were they smoking? “More floating heads! We need more!” “But there’s no room!” “Put them on her arm! Her arm!” 

The Bad: 

The music in it wasn’t the greatest. You’re not going to find any classics or standards here. Besides “Anchors Away,” of course! 

The musical numbers were also not very well integrated into the plot. Pretty much every time, the plot had to come to a stop to “put on a show.” Some of the musical numbers were pretty random as well, like when Debbie Reynolds and Bobby Van performed a racially insensitive (?) comedy song, and another where a guy in a nightclub sang a love song. (Although sadly, I understood why that one felt so random- the singer was a black artist. Musicals like this would often put in a number with a black singer who had no connection to the plot, so that it could be edited out of the prints for theaters in the South. And that’s the absolute disgusting truth.) 

The men! Couldn’t they give any of these beautiful women any half-decent men? The girl who got jilted at the altar took the schmuck back! The girl who never saw her suspicious fiancé was still tagging along after him. And Esther William’s character for some reason fell in love with a 50 year old. Who wasn’t all that attractive. He had to have been 20 years older than she, and it just didn’t work for me at all. 

Lots of emphasis on the fact that what women really need above all else is a man. One of the big songs is “What Good is a Gal? (Without a Guy)” So even though it promotes female bonding, it has to undercut it a little. Or a lot! 

I wanted more swimming numbers with Esther. 

[ys405-mdx3writing]

Identity - Artist Research: Andy Ivanov - May Mermaid of the Lily Lake.

The artist I have chosen is an Ukrainian, concept digital and story artist, Andy Ivanov who remade the tale of Disney’s animation The Little Mermaid 1989 or possibly the Hans Christian Andersen version. Also, a peculiar theory, combined with the old 1980s romantic-comedy and fantasy film, Splash 1984, starring: Daryl Hannah, Tom Hanks, Eugene Levy and the late John Candy. About a mermaid who rescued a young man from drowning after a boat accident, then goes to New York City to be with him and explore the things she has never done outside. Unfortunately, an ambitious scientist is after her since witnessing her swimming in the ocean and is determined to get what it takes to track her down so the world of public will know as a result of the government to get their hands on.

“Disney’s The Little Mermaid meets Splash.” Both films were made around in the 1980s.

No spoilers

In Ivanov’s version a young mermaid, May develops an attraction of a young man after seeing somewhere out in a forest lake so she meets him but accidentally scares him by falling into the river, then rescues him until May encounters a group of intruders who were after her and was instantly captured. The young man whom she saved was part of the them had tricked her into being captured and took her into an amusement park. Since the mermaid was held in captivity for show, the young man realises what he is doing is wrong and she will never survive far away from home. The two made their escape but are chased by the men who captured her so they have to get away before it is too late.

I would rather not spoil it for anyone in case if they might be interested to have a look through on Webtoon because it presents the whole story a lot better than social media, amongst the artist’s websites and portfolio. All I can say is that it is lot better than the Disney version. It is beautifully well done and sad in places.

It happens to be one of my favourite stories I may not be into fairy tales but I have an interest in mermaids. They are the most fascinating creatures in the world, not that we know they exist.

However, it was not the only reason I chose it for my my project but it did had something to do with Identity. Andy Ivanov did recreate the story but he also, changed one of the characters’ appearance. The real reason I have selected it because four or five years ago, an American actress, songwriter and singer, Halle Bailey has been cast as the new role of Ariel for live-action remake of the original Disney’s animation The Little Mermaid 1989. The actress was proud to have the role but has been getting tons of criticism reviews for being the first black female actress to play the role of the main character. Despite of all the judgements she gets it never stops her, also the actress and voice actress, Jodi Benson who originally played the voice role of Ariel from the animated Disney’s version of The Little Mermaid came for her defence.

A quote from the article, IndieWire of star actress, Jodi Benson:

“And no matter what we look like on the outside, no matter our race, our nation, the colour of our skin, our dialect, whether I’m tall or thin, whether I’m overweight or underweight, or my hair is whatever colour, we really need to tell the story.”

I never thought the Benson would stood up for Bailey for the first time and I was impressed. Therefore she did made a clear point of what she said in the article it does not matter which race, nation, weight or sexuality is. But what does matter of we are now and we deserve equality.

Since there had been decisions on the new cast members for the live-action remake and criticism reviews, Ivanov took the inspiration as he retold the story and created the mermaid’s appearance in green instead of black or white. He thought green would suit for the character as it would match the story’s background. Finally, it worked as it became a success.

It was the real reason I chose the Ivanov because of my inspiration of his work and relating to my project of Identity. That he would be the answer to help me find some ideas to create the poster relating to what people are going through with prejudice views of discrimination and sexism since he recreated the story of The Little Mermaid as a result of the young actress being discriminated because of her race.

References:

1) Ivanov, A . (2019) May Mermaid of Lily Lake, n.d. pp.1-41 [online] Webtoon. Available at: https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/may-the-mermaid-of-lily-lake/list?title_no=321303 Accessed: 18/02/2022

2) Artist Shares The Sequel Of The Green Mermaid Story That Hit People In The Feels,(2020), n.d. [online] Bored Panda. Available at:

https://www.boredpanda.com/may-the-mermaid-of-lily-lake-illustrated-story-andy-ivanov/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic Accessed: 20/02/2022

3) Ivanov, A n.d. Andy Ivanov, Art Director, Story Artist. [online] ArtStation Available at: https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjw39Hd85H2AhWCnVwKHZVRAuUQFnoECBcQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.artstation.com%2Fandivart&usg=AOvVaw2HQkmN7aJO_z5pxqdbMeND Accessed: 21/02/2022

4) Sharf, Z. (2019) Original 'Little Mermaid' Actress Defends Halle Bailey Against Racist Casting Backlash [online] IndieWire. Available at: https://www.indiewire.com/2019/07/little-mermaid-jodi-benson-defends-halle-bailey-casting-backlash-1202156519/ Accessed: 21/02/2022

5) Rendon, C (2021) EXCLUSIVE: Halle Bailey is seen for the first time as Ariel (complete with tail!) while filming The Little Mermaid with Jonah Hauer-King in Italy - after she detailed being cast as first black incarnationof the Disney character. [online] MailOnline. Available at:

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwiAiZnJ2pH2AhUResAKHf6QDX8QFnoECBgQAQ&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailymail.co.uk%2Ftvshowbiz%2Farticle-9670389%2FHalle-Bailey-pictured-time-Ariel-films-Little-Mermaid.html&usg=AOvVaw1FgqR9EcSr_wYTl_Q8WmTk Accessed: 21/02/2022

[somegirlsnerdywords2]

Anime i’ve Watched

That begin with a W!

Yep this is how i’m going to bring over all the anime and manga i’ve watched and posted about on the old blog. It’s not so detailed but it will have to do. Anything new I watch or read from this point on will have their own posts.

Watashi ga Motete Dousunda (Kiss Him, Not Me!):

Genres: Reverse Harem, Comedy, Romance, School, Shoujo

Synopsis: Kae Serinuma is a very kind second-year high school student and a devoted otaku. A little known fact about her, though, is that she's obsessed with BL, or Boy's Love. Serinuma can't help but to fantasize about her male classmates falling for each other and enjoys imagining them together. A more known fact about Serinuma, however, is that she’s noticeably overweight. While watching her favorite show one day, Serinuma witnesses the death of her most beloved character. Utterly depressed, she can't muster up the energy to eat her meals, let alone attend school. After an entire week, she finally recovers. But now there's something unusual about her—during the time she refused to leave her room, she ended up losing a large amount of weight and has somehow become strikingly beautiful! Now catching the eye of everyone who sees her, she finds herself at the center of attention of four boys she has always known at her school. Though they all wish to spend time with her, Serinuma would much rather they spend time falling in love with one another. How will Serinuma deal with the four boys pursuing her BL-obsessed self? [Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 9.5 /10

Finished airing in 2016 with a total of 12 episodes. 

My Thoughts: Love it! Love the art, characters, story, comedy, all of it. Also a big fan of the manga (which is finished btw)... now if only they’d release a second season and finish the story off. 

Wolf’s Rain:

Genres: Action, Adventure, Drama, Fantasy, Mystery, Sci-fi

Synopsis:  In a dying world, there exists an ancient legend: when the world ends, the gateway to paradise will be opened. This utopia is the sole salvation for the remnants of life in this barren land, but the legend also dictates that only wolves can find their way to this mythical realm. Though long thought to be extinct, wolves still exist and live amongst humans, disguising themselves through elaborate illusions. A lone wolf named Kiba finds himself drawn by an intoxicating scent to Freeze City, an impoverished town under the rule of the callous Lord Orkham. Here, Kiba discovers that wolves Hige, Tsume, and Toboe have been drawn in by the same aroma. By following the fragrance of "Lunar Flowers," said to be the key to opening the door to their ideal world, the wolves set off on a journey across desolate landscapes and crumbling cities to find their legendary promised land. However, they are not the only ones seeking paradise, and those with more sinister intentions will do anything in their power to reach it first. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 7.5/10

Finished airing in 2003 with a total of 26 episodes. 

My Thoughts: That animation/ artwork is dated and I have trouble ignoring that fact. The soundtrack is also dated but in a delightful sort of way unlike the artwork. I don’t know... I just wasn’t that into this series but i’ve heard from plenty of folks who were so don’t just take my word for it and give it a try if you’re interested! 

Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii:

Genres: Comedy, Romance, Slice of Life

Synopsis:  Having slept through all four of her alarms, the energetic Narumi Momose finds herself running late for her first day of work at a new office. As she races to catch her train, she makes a promise to herself that none of her coworkers will find out about her dark secret: that she is an otaku and a fujoshi. Her plan goes instantly awry, though, when she runs into Hirotaka Nifuji, an old friend from middle school. Although she tries to keep her secret by inviting him out for drinks after work, her cover is blown when he casually asks her whether or not she will be attending the upcoming Summer Comiket. Luckily for her, the only witnesses—Hanako Koyanagi and Tarou Kabakura—are otaku as well. Later that night, the pair go out for drinks so that they can catch up after all the years apart. After Narumi complains about her previous boyfriend breaking up with her because he refused to date a fujoshi, Hirotaka suggests that she try dating a fellow otaku, specifically himself. He makes a solemn promise to always be there for her, to support her, and to help her farm for rare drops in Monster Hunter. Blown away by the proposal, Narumi agrees immediately. Thus the two otaku start dating, and their adorably awkward romance begins. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

My Rating: 8.5/10

Finished airing in 2018 with a total of 11 episodes. 

My Thoughts: An extremely enjoyable series that I really hope gets a second season! Highly recommend for anyone looking for a romance that isn’t between teenagers... and really anyone who enjoys some good slice of life comedy about nerds. 

[introvertguide]

Some Like It Hot (1959); AFI #22

The current movie under review is the romantic comedy that is occasionally interrupted by a violent gangster film, Some Like It Hot (1959). Directed by Billy Wilder, this films stars Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, and Marylin Monroe. The movie was nominated for 5 Academy Awards including Best Director and Best Actor, but ended up with only one trophy for Costume Design. It faired much better at the Golden Globes where it took home wins for Best Actor for Jack Lemmon, Best Actress for Marylin Monroe, and Best Picture - Musical or Comedy. This film is an interesting one as far as plot and tone since it incorporates a Chicago mafia massacre with men cross dressing. It points out how women have to deal with constant excepted sexism followed by a cross dressing Jack Lemmon forgetting to allow his sugar daddy to lead when they salsa. I really enjoy Billy Wilder films, especially with a great cast, because he takes scenes that should not go together and weaves them around a plot and it generally comes out amazing. Lets me do the plot summary and you will see what I mean:

SPOILER ALERT!!! NOT AS BAD AS NORMAL BUT THIS STILL GIVES A LOT AWAY SO CHECK OUT THE MOVIE FIRST!

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The movie starts in Prohibition Era Chicago, specifically in February 1929. Some members of the mafia have a secret speaking easy that is fronted by a funeral parlor. Somebody rats them out to the police and the place gets raided. During the raid, we are introduced to Joe (Tony Curtis) and Jerry (Jack Lemmon) who play in the band. They see the police coming and run away which means they don’t get paid and need to find another gig. 

Joe tricks a secretary that is sweet on him into using her car and they have to go to a garage to pick up. Wrong place and wrong time. They walk in on the mobsters killing the guy that ratted them out and are witnesses. They need to get out of Chicago and hide or they will be assassinated. The killing is based on the Valentine’s Day Massacre and it is in all the papers. Joe and Jerry take a job with an all women’s band since the group is going on the train to perform in Florida. This means that they will have to dress as women to blend in.

Once on board the train, Joe and Jerry (now going by Josephine and Daphne) mingle with all the pretty girls and both take a liking to a particular ukulele player named Sugar Kane (Marylin Monroe). It turns out that she drinks and has issues with her family as well as having problems with men always using her for her body. The guys need to stay in character and not get fired so they behave until they get to their hotel in Miami.

Once there, Joe and Jerry try to make moves on Sugar, however, Joe is the winner when he shows up at the beach dressed like a millionaire and claims he is the heir to Shell Oil. Jerry, on the hand, runs into an actual millionaire named Osgood Fielding III who has a yacht called the New Caledonia. Jerry keeps the millionaire busy dancing all night while Joe takes Sugar over to the empty yacht and sleeps with her.

The next day, it turns out that the mobsters that are looking for Joe and Jerry are at the hotel for a “Friends of Italian Opera” convention. It turns out to be a meeting place for a national crime syndicate and the protagonists need to flee. The bigger syndicate murder the mobsters that want to kill Joe and Jerry...but once again the two witness the assassination and are desperate to escape. Jerry calls his millionaire “boyfriend” and Osgood picks up Joe, Jerry, and Sugar to help them escape on his yacht. As they leave, Jerry reveals that he is actually a man and instead of rejecting him, Osgood simply says “Nobody’s perfect.”

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Watching this film and knowing the history of Marylin Monroe makes me a little sad because she comes across as the this vivacious (but a little dumb) powerhouse but was actually drunk, out of her mind on barbiturates, pregnant with a stillborn, and deeply depressed. She is some kind of actress to have her screen presence mismatch her actual feelings so greatly. This is one of the few movies that I wish I knew a little less because I spent a lot of time while she was on screen trying to tell if she was lucid or not (hint: if you look close, you can tell that she wasn’t).

This film is actually a remake of a 1935 French comedy, which explains some of random situations, and I have to director Billy Wilder because American audiences have generally had difficulty with French comedy. People in the US don’t tend to mix their serious violence into their comic set pieces, but Wilder made it work. If you think about it, there were a lot of comic chase scenes in which men who have just demonstrated their ability to commit cold blooded murder are running after a couple of men in drag. We shouldn’t laugh at a woman with such an alcohol problem that she can’t hold a job and is too stupid to even be able to hide it better. And yet I found myself smiling through the whole movie. 

My favorite thing about this film is actually Jack Lemmon. This is the earliest film of his that I have seen and I think he is fantastic. One of my very favorite actors, his work in this film and The Apartment (1960) made me a fan for life. He is actually third billed in Some Like It Hot, but I feel like he steals the show. 

This film flew right in the face of the Hays Code, since it showed two on-screen group assassinations, a busty Marilyn Monroe barely staying in her clothes, a one night stand in which a man tricks a helpless woman, homosexual undertones, and featured cross dressing. A film with all these aspects should not have existed in America under the code, but this one was nominated for five Academy Awards. None of these things seem like that big of a deal anymore, and the film laughably made the BFI list for Films for Children Up to the Age of 14. It’s now though of as a good kids movie.

Marilyn Monroe exudes confidence and sexuality in her role despite all of her problems. She also is kind of a hero for many in that she embodies that curvy women can be knockouts when they express that confidence. She never had a flat stomach and was quite overweight due to her pregnancy. She had measurements of 36-22-36 but was only 5′5″ meaning she was very chesty with very wide hips. She was quite the opposite of other beauties like Twiggy, Kate Moss, or Olivia Newton-John, and for this Marilyn basically stands alone. She was one-of-a-kind and I wish she would have had a happier life.

So does this film belong on the AFI top 100? Absolutely. It is nothing but star power in a crazy movie that helped take down the Hays Code and won a bunch of awards in the attempt. It is a great piece of Americana that deserves to be scene. Would I recommend it? Yes and I would say it is best enjoyed without doing any research beforehand. It is quite the ride in that so many things happen to the point that you wonder if it will end well for all the characters. That is the work of Billy Wilder and it is well worth watching.

[extraneousdominomask]

Ratchet & Clank?

Thank you!

Favorite character

I like both our leads, who are charming in different ways - Ratchet feels very believable as a mechanic who just happens to violently save the galaxy every few years, and Clank is a little metallic gentleman. Their friendship brings out good things in each other, too - real satisfying to watch

Second favorite character

“LAWRENCE! NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE ARE APPRECIATING ME ON THIS PLANET’S PRIMITIVE INTERNET”

Least favorite character

Surprisingly, not Qwark! He’s entertaining in his own way

I think I said this before, but in the third game, when they Gotta Assemble A Badass Crew........... it’s Ratchet, Clank, Qwark, Sasha, Nerd Stereotype, Surfer Stereotype, Overweight Germanic Woman Who Demands You Exercise Stereotype (which is so specific, and yet, I feel I’ve seen it before??), and a literal, feral monkey. Insomniac was writing a comedy first and a universe of deep lore second, and that’s valid, but it does mean there are fewer characters one can get genuinely invested in relative to something like SC

The character I’m most like

I’d like to say Clank, but for the parallels to be complete I’ll need a much cuter laugh

Favorite pairing

If platonic stuff counts, Ratchet and Clank’s friendship is easily one of the best buddy dynamics in all of gaming. If not, uhhhhhh... maybe Angela and Sasha could meet... and........ kiss.......?

Least favorite pairing

Ratchet and Sasha didn’t have all that much in the way of chemistry, and I worry that the trend of introducing a new female character to the exclusion of the previous one was basically the gaming equivalent of having a “Bond girl”

Favorite moment

I don’t know if I’ve told this anecdote before, but even as a little kid, it was very rare for a game to make me laugh. Don’t get me wrong, I love the comedic writing of SC, but for me it’s more of an Oscar Wilde vibe where you’re sitting there with a constant lowkey smile rather than straight-up guffawing at stuff.

I laughed

SO HARD

at the cutscene in R&C2 that’s just an in-universe ad for the Protopet going horrifically, horrifically wrong. I chuckled about just there, remembering it exists! Good, good times. For everyone except Billy

Rating out of 10

Fully-upgraded RYNO out of wrench

[takaraphoenix]

Review: Hustle

I finally got around to watch this movie!

Gotta admit, when I put it on my list of movies I anticipate this year, I knew literally nothing about it aside from the title and cast. And I am weak to Anne Hathaway and to con artists, so that combo was enough to get me hooked.

First things first: This was a really funny movie. It was a comedy and I laughed a lot, it was a funny, clever movie. I liked it it a lot.

Now, I have a two dimensional opinion on the movie and there will be spoilers in this review! So, if you don’t want the twist spoilered for you, quit here.

What I liked - no, actually loved - about this movie was that it felt like... like a female Ocean’s 11. Which, yes I know that exists and also features Anne Hathaway, but... but that’s a spin-off soft-reboot thing so it is very deeply tied to the all-male original. And when I say female Ocean’s 11, I mean a female answer to that movie. Something own, something that could be a franchise, something female-led and fresh that doesn’t rely on a male-led predecessor.

I would love for this to become maybe a trilogy, because we need more female-led franchises, more original female-led franchises. Not always just slap a “what if they were women instead of men?!” in front of a property that already exists. I want something new for women. I want this.

Anne was amazing in it, she was an absolute delight! I liked her small team, the token man had such a fun role too since he was just the old butler guy and I love the dynamic between Josephine and Brigitte (they married. You can’t convince me otherwise, seriously they planned their date while Penny was in a prison cell, argue whatever you want. Also, let Anne Hathaway play the lesbian con artist she CLEARLY wants to play, between this and Ocean’s 8).

I admit, Rebel Wilson was a huge argument against this movie for me. I just... really... don’t... like... her. She’s cringey and a shitty actress, because she doesn’t act. She created this one persona and she plays it in every movie - Hustle, Pitch Perfect 1-3, Night at the Museum 3, every single role she plays is the exact same personality, the same manerisms, the same jokes. It’s stale, it’s boring and for me, as an overweight woman, it’s incredibly cringey to see this overweight woman who reduces every single character of hers to “I’m fat but I make the jokes about myself so it’s okay to laugh about it! Also have some gross humor! Because it’s fun!”... not good...

So, that was a bit of a problem for me, because I just find no joy in these type of characters. Granted, this was relatively dialed back, compared to Pitch Perfect, so that was appreciated. I think that Rebel and Anne also had great chemistry and played off each other very well!

I will have to rewatch the movie in English at one point, because I am curious to hear if Anne Hathaway could pull off the Austrian accent as well as her VA, because admittedly it is obviously easier for a German to pull off an Austrian accident than it is for an American.

Now, to the part I didn’t enjoy. The twist.

As mentioned above, I absolutely love a female-led franchise. I was so hyped watching this movie, watching women be smart, watching them be what Anne’s character said - the better con-artists.

And then they’re outsmarted by a dude.

And it felt honestly kind of crushing. He outsmarts them both. And fucks off with their money. And then returns to rub in how much money he made this year and Josephine acknowledges it’s more than she made. And. No.

Don’t give me a female-led con-artist movie that banks on the gullible straight sexist guy being easily conned by hot women and then take it all away by making the nerdy guy outsmart the women. It was such a good movie until that point.

And, in my opinion, it was wildly OoC on Josephine to fall for this shit. “I am gathering investors for My Grand New Project” is LITERALLY the oldest pyramid scheme in the books, come on she is better than that. Why would she have given him any money at all? She is apparently a clever investor. What about an awkward, weird random kid giving you a power-point presentation is a clever investment? It was incredibly forced and unrealistic.

That they had to have him come back and him suggest for them to form a team... I just... I would have preferred, even including the twist, that Medusa herself would seek them out and suggest for the two women to form a team under Medusa’s guidance. That would have been cool.

But the dude coming in to teach the girls how it’s done is so damn stupid and outdated and I could not roll my eyes as hard as I wanted to at that, to be quite frank.

I could have done without the twist in the end, would have even liked the more direct ending of Rebel’s character getting together with the dumbass inventor boy who is Just That and not a con-artist himself. But if you have to have a guy come into your female-led movie and have him stand the women up, then at the very least don’t put him in like some grand uniting force there at the end...

Look, I don’t mind mixed team-ups. I think that’s more healthy than the all-male or all-female line-ups in general. But if I am promised an all-female line-up (and “all” here really only came down to two so... like... not really a lot to go on with) I kind of don’t want them to be bested by a guy at the end of it...? That’s bad in any relation; you make a movie about female athletes and in the end you have a man come in and win against them... not good.

On the overall, I really enjoyed the movie. The main part of it was great, loved the story and dynamic and Anne Hathaway’s performance, the twist and ending just soured it a bit for me personally.

[recentanimenews]

Memoirs Most Charming, Part 1

I’ve read a handful of charming memoirs lately, and more are on the way!

I’m a Lucky Guy by Frank B. Gilbreth, Jr. This was a reader suggestion from Anne!

Here, Frank B. Gilbreth, Jr. (writing without sister Ernestine, his sometime collaborator) recounts various happenings and misadventures from his early adulthood, beginning in 1929 when he’s headed off to college and ending somewhere around 1946, when he has returned from serving in the Navy and resumed his career as a newspaperman. These include things like going out for football whilst scrawny, being mistaken for a gun-toting gangster whilst attempting to hide booze (prohibition was still on) from the cops, pranking an odious professor (and, later, an odious superior officer), and repeatedly failing to live up to the standards of a demanding admiral to whom he has been assigned as aide.

On the whole, I found all of these stories entertaining, though the sole moment that made me laugh out loud was when Frank’s soon-to-be wife and mother-in-law completely excused the lascivious behavior of his friend, which a moment before had scandalized them, upon learning he was Methodist (their preferred denomination).

“You don’t think he’s a Ten Commandment breaker?” I asked. “Why, I’d trust him any place,” Liz said indignantly. “So would I,” said her mother. “I’ve always said that people shouldn’t be judged by circumstantial evidence.” “You’re so right,” I assured her. “Probably,” she continued, fishing around for a likely excuse, “probably—well, probably the doctor sent that girl over to your apartment to change the boy’s bandage, again, before he went to bed.” I was tempted to break into a high-pitched giggle, but I looked at Liz and caught a warning. “That’s probably just the way it happened,” I nodded gravely.

Unfortunately, it does seem Frank shares a little of the antipathy toward overweight people that his sister possesses. I don’t mind when he accurately describes a person’s physical characteristics—if a bosom is ample and an abdomen abundant, there’s really no getting around that—but when he makes comments about fellow student Sallye—whom he later proclaims to be “a real friend”—like no “male student in his right mind” would give her their fraternity pen, it’s just unnecessarily mean. True, Sallye has a tendency to be loud and overbearing, and I’m fairly sure that’s part of what he meant, but not the whole of it.

That criticism aside, I did enjoy this book and I’m glad I read it. Thanks, Anne!

Always Look on the Bright Side of Life: A Sortabiography by Eric Idle Initially, although it was an enjoyable read, I wouldn’t have classified this “sortabiography” from the Monty Python co-founder as charming. Idle recounts his childhood, school days, introduction to the world of comedy, the formation of Monty Python, the run of the original series, and the Python movies without a tremendous amount of detail. He does elaborate more about his independent endeavors, and I especially appreciated learning more about the creation of The Rutles. Using the song “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” as a sort of framework, Idle chronicles the various circumstances after The Life of Brian where he was called upon to sing it, ranging from Graham Chapman’s funeral to the Royal Variety Performance to the closing ceremony of the 2012 Summer Olympics.

As is common for a book of this type, there is a lot of name-dropping, but in this case a lot of the names were people I genuinely like, like Harry Nilsson, George Harrison, David Bowie, Stephen Fry, Peter Cook, Robin Williams, and Eddie Izzard. And, too, Idle toots his own horn rather frequently, which is admittedly justified when you’ve accomplished as much as he has, and makes sure readers know there were times in his life when he was having loads of sex.

Where he really shines, though, is penning touching tributes to friends who are no longer with us. My husband and I listened to Idle read the unabridged audiobook version together, and by the end of the chapter entitled “George,” we were both in tears. The chapter about Robin Williams is no less lovely. I cannot stress enough how wonderful these two chapters are; they alone are worth the price of admission. It does make one wonder why he doesn’t delve so deeply into the character of his comedy partners, and only makes a few mentions of Terry Jones’ dementia, but perhaps it is because they were all still living in 2018, when the book was published. I shall have to find out whether Idle penned any tributes to Jones on the sad occasion of his passing last year.

Life Among the Savages and Raising Demons by Shirley Jackson I’d heard such good things about these books, but my reaction to Life Among the Savages wasn’t what I expected. True, some of the “lightly fictionalized” anecdotes Jackson relates are somewhat amusing, like the family’s struggle to find a house to rent in Vermont, or insisting to the hospital intake person that her occupation is “writer” as opposed to “housewife,” or her son’s fascination with all the gory details after he gets hit by a car. But the vast majority of the stories involve her children behaving badly, and I had very little patience with these at all.

I imagine that other mothers sympathize with these episodes. Perhaps they see their own experience reflected, and so they laugh but also feel all warm inside, in a loving, maternal way. Not so me, I’m afraid. No, whenever the son showed arrogant condescension toward his mother, or her daughter became intolerably fixated on proper decorum, or one kid or the other was insolent and disrespectful, it just made me angry. In fact, I might have said “Shut the fuck up!” aloud a time or two. This is why it is probably a very good thing that I am not a parent.

Thankfully, Raising Demons contains less of that sort of thing (though significantly more than none). I really loved the section in which Jackson waxes nostalgic about her adolescent obsession with making clothespin dolls and her snarky description of life as a faculty wife (who is expected to have “hemming dishtowels” among her hobbies). The story of how she got a new refrigerator was a highlight, as well.

You’ll Never Believe What Happened to Lacey: Crazy Stories About Racism by Amber Ruffin & Lacey Lamar Having seen and adored whimsical clips from The Amber Ruffin Show, I was very excited to see that Amber Ruffin and her older sister Lacey Lamar had written a book together. Although the topic is racist incidents the sisters have endured (mostly Lacey, who lives and works in Omaha), the approach at least attempts to be light-hearted. These aren’t stories where someone gets hurt or dies; instead, they elucidate the kind of crap Black people are just expected to swallow or forget.

I did laugh a few times, particularly at Ruffin’s effervescent line delivery—I listened to the unabridged audiobook read by the authors—but after a while, the unrelenting wave of absolutely flagrant ignorance and hate becomes overwhelming. The commentary on the stories is funny, but the situations themselves are stressful and horrible and eye-opening in the most abject, despair-inducing kind of way. I have never been one to deny that racism exists, but I admit to being surprised and horrified by a lot of these stories, espcially the awful things done to kids. A beautiful drawing torn to shreds, a group of teens accused of stealing car keys when none of them is old enough to drive, kids threatened at gunpoint by a crazy neighbor but nobody calls the cops because who will the cops believe… I also feel terribly naive for being surprised.

I’m glad I read this.

Our Hearts Were Young and Gay and Nuts in May by Cornelia Otis Skinner Note: The former was co-written with Emily Kimbrough.

Our Hearts Were Young and Gay recounts the three months in the early 1920s that two young American women spend abroad in Europe, written when they are older (“Emily and I have now reached the time in life when not only do we lie about our ages, we forget what we’ve said they are.”) and nostalgic for more innocent days. It’s written in Cornelia’s voice, though Emily provides many of the details, and tells of the time their ship ran aground, the time Cornelia caught the measles and evaded quarantine, the time they met H. G. Wells and Emily made an embarrassing first impression, the time they mistook a brothel for a boarding house, the time bedbugs gave Cornelia a swollen lip “shining like a polished tomato,” the time their dogs piddled in a swanky Parisian restaurant, etc. For the most part, it’s quite amusing, but there are a few comments that expose the girls’ ignorant attitudes regarding people of other races and sexual preferences.

Rather than focusing on one particular adventure, Nuts in May is a collection of humorous yet unrelated anecdotes Skinner wrote for publications like The New Yorker. Topics include but are not limited to: actors being asked to lend their talents in aid of charitable organizations, a Protestant family’s audience with the Pope, people who laugh at anything, dizzying real estate transactions, and being interviewed by Dr. Kinsey. Occasionally, the tone turns more domestic and reminds me some of Shirley Jackson, such as in “Bag of Bones,” when Skinner’s son insists that the bones they find on a Colorado trail belong to a dinosaur, or “Those Friends of His,” about her son’s reticence on the origins of his friends who come to visit. The latter also makes reference to a car “teeming with hamsters,” which is a phrase and a visual that I adore. Indeed, there were quite a few giggles to be had, and I reckon I might seek out more of Skinner’s work in the future.

By: Michelle Smith

[hunnybadgerv]

About My OC

Tagged by @alyssalenko for my doc-mancer, AKA Amaryn Rha

@joufancyhuh for her Mayson Shepard, @natsora, @inuy21 for her Trevelyan (I adore her)

Feel free to tag me again for another character!

Amaryn Caralotta Rha

GENERAL

Name: Amaryn Caralotta Rha

Alias(es): None

Gender: Female

Age: 25

Place of birth: Space

Spoken languages: English

Sexual orientation: Heterosexual

Occupation: Jedi Knight

APPEARANCE

Eye colour: Red

Hair colour: Reddish Black

Height: 5’8″

Scars: A few on her legs, arms, and torso.

Burns: A few on her forearms.

Overweight: No

Underweight: No

FAVOURITE

Color: Blue

Hair colour: No preference

Eye colour: With heat in her cheeks, Amaryn would say she was partial to soulful brown eyes (though she might not readily admit that she only prefers a single set). 

Music genre: Classical, it helps her focus and she enjoys the patterns and playfulness in the music. 

Movie genre: Movies that are light and playful. The kind that can give a person just a few hours relief from the stress and weight of their stresses.

TV show: (I think she would be a fan of light comedy. But I couldn’t name a specific one.)

Food: Savory vegetable dishes and sweet, fruity pastries

Drink: Fruited teas

Book: Amaryn reads a great deal of philosophy, but has a secret love of poetry.

HAVE THEY

Passed university: No. She was educated primarily by her father and close family friends.

Had sex: Not before Doc.

Had sex in public: *Gasp* No.

Gotten pregnant: Not until after Marriage

Kissed a boy: Two boys

Kissed a girl: No

Gotten tattoos: No

Gotten piercings: No, she has no piercings or jewelry of any kind.

Had a broken heart: Not yet.

Been in love: Yes

Stayed up for more than 24 hours: More than once.

ARE THEY

A virgin: Yes

A cuddler: She gradually becomes a great cuddler.

A kisser: Practice makes perfect.

Scared easily: No.

Jealous easily: No. How could she be when she’s fallen for the most voracious flirt in all the galaxy.

Trustworthy: Very.

Dominant: Not at first, but I think maybe she could grow into it, at least from time to time.

Submissive: Usually.

In love: with Doc (Archiban Frodrick Kimble)

Single: eventually not

RANDOM QUESTIONS

Have they harmed themselves: No

Thought of suicide: No

Attempted suicide: No

Wanted to kill someone: Rarely. Though typically she tends to be more willing to 

Riden a horse:  No, though she has ridden multiple other creatures.

Have/had a job: Amaryn would say she has a calling. And no, she’s never had a “proper” job.

Have any fears: At this she would quote the Jedi Code. Though later in her life she would realize that fear and courage share the same side of a coin and that courage can only exist in the presence of fear. Her greatest fear is probably failure, and the costs that would come with it--the loss of people she has come to allow herself to love.

FAMILY

Sibling(s): Twin sister: Astyrr (no last name of her own)

Parents: Vrhys Rha (Miraluka Jedi Counselor) and Kanti Nikal (Pureblood Sith Juggernaut)

Children: Eventually. At least one, possibly more. After all, Doc would be an amazing father.

Pets: Possibly. 

Apologies for the lack of detail in some places. I’m still fleshing her out in some places. 

[bambihanson]

Magicians Fan Questionnaire

Don’t mind me, just casually answering questions that I asked about other people; it got long so I’m putting it under a cut for the sake of everyone:

1) What’s your name/nickname? Tessa

2) When did you start watching The Magicians? I actually started watching the show the night it premiered; I was pretty pumped for it and even got my parents to watch (they didn’t enjoy it as much as I did)

3) Who’s your favorite character? Margo owns my heart right now, but Eliot is a close second (he actually used to be my #1 favorite)

4) What’s your favorite season? Call me cliche, but... 3

5) What’s your favorite episode? You’d expect me to say Life In A Day, but it’s actually The Fillorian Candidate.

6) Any ships? I ship pretty much everything but my main ships are Queliot, Wickoff, and whatever EliotxQuentinxMargo is called (I also like EliotxMargo sue me)

7) Favorite plot line? Goddess Julia Wicker (which is ironic because I hated that in the books)

8) Have you read the books? Yes; I actually read them in high school and finished all of them before the show even premiered. My knowledge of them is not nearly as good as my knowledge of the show though because my memory is crap

9) If yes, did you read the books or watch the show first? Read the books

10) What made you start watching the show? I saw that a book series I liked was getting a TV adaptation and I was like “HELL YEAH”

11) What would you like to see in season 4 and what are your predictions? Okay first of all, we all know that the cliffhanger is gonna be resolved in 4x1, let’s be real. The cliffhangers always get resolved like, immediately, and are just there to make you wanna tune in next week (which is how cliffhangers work obviously). As for what I’d like to see... please please PLEASE let them sing some Rocky Horror. I’m imagining it and my little nerd heart can’t TAKE it. Also Margo and Marina falling in love and being gfs

12) How old are you? (if you feel comfortable sharing) 20

13) Do you have any pets? I have a 19 year old Bengal cat with executive dysfunction named Sweet Pea/Potato, a VERY NAUGHTY CAT WHO JUST KNOCKED OVER AN ENTIRE VASE OF FLOWERS AND SPILLED WATER EVERYWHERE named Patches, and a neurotic asshole midi dachshund with alopecia named Schatzi.

14) What’s the weirdest thing you own? I have a lot of random shit in my bedroom but off the top of my head, this crime magazine from the 1940s that I got at an antique store for like a dollar. 

15) How long have you been on Tumblr? Since 2012. Like Sisyphus I am bound to hell. (at least The Magicians fandom exists to make the site more bearable, if you’ve seen my main blog that’s where the real meaning of the word “hellsite” is apparent) 

16) What are you studying in college? (alternatively: what did you study or what are you planning on studying?) I am currently studying veterinary technology and if all goes well, I should be licensed by the end of 2019. But this program is brand new and we’re still jumping through hoops with the USDA so we can hold animals in our building and it’s just A MESS so I don’t know.

17) Favorite band/artist? The National. Not to be dramatic, but that band is my soul. 

18) Are you more of a fantasy, horror, or science fiction person? Horror... but I also do like fantasy and science fiction (my dad passed his nerdiness down onto me and I wear it with pride). 

19) What’s your favorite thing to do in your free time? Okay, so I’m a very boring and laid back person so I like to do puzzles, match 3 games, and anti-stress coloring (I actually have the Pixel Art app right now it’s pretty good). While I’m doing these things I’ll also be either listening to music, watching TV, or listening to horror narration/a true crime show (likely one narrated by Bill Kurtis)

20) Do you prefer cooking, baking, or eating? Baking is fun, but eating is really good. I had this orange french toast muffin on Wednesday and I can’t stop fucking thinking about it, it was so good; it was cinnamony and citrusy and literally tasted like I was eating french toast and drinking orange juice. GOD. I had to wait like 15 minutes because they forgot it in the microwave and I’m very non-confrontational but it was WORTH IT. I just... love food???  Annnd this is why I’m overweight

21) What other TV shows do you love? Okay listen... I’m trash, so I’ve watched The Vampire Diaries. And I love Damon Salvatore so much. I also enjoy animation so yeah I watch cartoons (both aimed at adults and children); my favorite right now is Star vs the Forces of Evil. And then there’s comedies like Brooklyn 99 and Parks and Recreation. I have a Netflix watch list like a mile long so check back with me in like a month since this might change.

22) What else would you like the fandom to know about you? I have clinical depression, but watching this show and reacting to it/posting about it really helps me, so thank you 💖

[bookishlife]

"She just smiles, said that she loved books more than anything, and started telling him excitedly what each of the ones in her lap was about. And Ove realized that he wanted to hear her talking about the things she loved for the rest of his life." 

"'Loving someone is like moving into a house,' Sonja used to say. 'At first you fall in love with all the new things, amazed every morning that all this belongs to you, as if fearing that someone would suddenly come rushing in through the door to explain that a terrible mistake had been made, you weren't actually supposed to live in a wonderful place like this. Then over the years the walls become weathered, the wood splinters here and there, and you start to love that house not so much because of all its perfection, but rather for its imperfections. You get to know all the nooks and crannies. How to avoid getting the key caught in the lock when it's cold outside. Which of the floorboards flex slightly when one steps on them or exactly how to open the wardrobe doors without them creaking. These are the little secrets that make it your home.'"

"Death is a strange thing. People live their whole lives as if it does not exist, and yet it's often one of the great motivations for living. Some of us, in time, become so conscious of it that we live harder, more obstinately, with more fury. Some need its constant presence to even be aware of its antithesis. Others become so preoccupied with it that they go into the waiting room long before it has announced its arrival. We fear it, yet most of us fear more than anything that it may take someone other than ourselves. For the greatest fear of death is always that it will pass us by. And leave us there alone." 

Book: A Man Called Ove Author: Fredrik Backman Published: Washington Square Press (2012)

My Review: This is a sweet book. It has a very 'It's a Wonderful Life' flavor to it, only with a bit more comedy and a dash of crude humor that kept it from coming off as saccharine or cliche.

Much like 'It's a Wonderful Life,' this book introduces us to a man (called Ove, obviously) who's contemplating the meaning of life, and the prospect of death. Unlike 'It's a Wonderful Life,' our protagonist is an excessively grumpy, mostly anti-social, Saab-obsessed Swede. He lives alone in a row house, is a stickler for rules, and doesn't care one iota for social norms.

In this book, we follow Ove as he tries to navigate a world he doesn't understand or like very much after experiencing a relatively traumatic childhood, as well as the more recent death of his beloved wife. We meet a number of quirky characters who slowly but surely bring him back to life.

The one thing I found problematic was the treatment of Jimmy; an 'overweight' character who lives in the neighborhood. There are constant references to his weight, some of them unnecessary, some just plain cruel. Yes, this kind of mean social commentary is consistent with Ove's character, and in that sense I'm actually okay with it. BUT, I do feel like the literary treatment of Jimmy perpetuates fat phobia and could have easily been replaced with something less damaging.

Fat phobia aside, this book overall is pleasantly simple, easy to read, with a wonderful balance of emotion and humor. 

[aion-rsa]

WandaVision: The Sitcom Influences of Episode 3

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J

This article contains spoilers for WandaVision episode 3.

In case you thought WandaVision’s sitcom homages were a passing fad, episode 3 “Now in Color” makes clear that the influences are here to stay…for now at least. Just as episodes 1 and 2 drew inspiration from The Dick Van Dyke Show, Bewitched, and I Dream of Jeannie, so too does this third installment honor some classic TV series. Rather than hanging around the ‘50s or ‘60s, however, this episode bumps WandaVision up to gorgeous ‘70s technicolor.

In speaking to reporters prior to the series premiere, director Matt Shakman revealed that the show fully intended on progressing through decades of sitcoms, saying:

“We wanted to be as authentic as possible – production design, cinematography, costuming, everything was about going on this deep dive and with the actors we all wanted to do the same thing. We watched a ton of old television episodes, talked about how comedy changes, you know, because it really does. The approach to comedy in the 50s, 60s, 70s is really different.”

Now that we’re officially the ‘70s era, let’s look into what sitcoms WandaVision is honoring. 

The Brady Bunch 

You may notice WandaVision is missing one very important element of The Brady Bunch…and that’s the aforementioned “Bunch” in the title. Much of the appeal of Sherwood Schwartz’s classic sitcom was the size of its cast and their chemistry with one another. As anyone who has listened to the show’s catchy theme song can tell you, The Brady Bunch is the story of a lovely lady who was bringing up three very lovely girls and also of a man named Brady who was busy with three boys of his own. When Mike and Carol Brady combine their households, their iconic ranch style home houses nine residents (including the much-needed maid, Alice). 

Even with the addition of newborns Billy and Tommy, Wanda and Vision are well short of the Bradys’ brood. Still, despite the Maximoff-Vision’s smaller family, this episode is positively steeped in Brady Bunch imagery. That’s likely because it was time for WandaVision to present a ‘70s sitcom aesthetic and there is quite simply no more iconic ‘70s sitcom than The Brady Bunch. Wanda and Vision’s new house is distinctly Brady Brunch, right down to the iconic wide wooden staircase. Wanda’s groovy dress is reminiscent of some Marcia Brady fits in the latter years of the show. Then there’s the fact that this episode even gets a Brady style theme song all about family from composers Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Bobby Lopez. The lyrics to which are:

“Buh buh buh buh WandaVision. / We got something cooking and it’s looking good! We got something cooking like we knew we could. / All great expectations lead to complications. / That’s goofy and fun (EDITOR’S NOTE: Actual lyrics unclear) it’s me and it’s you. / Together one plus one is more than two./  Some sudden surprises come in all shapes and sizes. / But it’s rainbow and sun. It’s you and it’s me. / One plus one is family.”

This episode’s opening credits title card arranges images of Wanda and Vision in a 3×3 grid, just like the Bradys.

Sitcom Pregnancies

The main thrust of this episode is the very rapid progression of Wanda’s pregnancy with little Billy and Tommy. It’s a good thing then that WandaVision moves the setting to the ‘70s, as such a plotline would not have fit in with the ‘50s sitcom aesthetic. 

Believe it or not, television sitcoms tried not to acknowledge the existence of pregnancy until 1952 when Lucille Ball’s I Love Lucy character Lucy Arnaz became the most notable depiction of pregnancy on television yet. (1948’s shockingly progressive for its time Mary Kay and Johnny was both the first show to depict a woman’s pregnancy and even feature a married couple sharing a bed). 

Ball was noticeably pregnant during portions of the show’s first season but her character was, ridiculously, not acknowledged to be with child. When Ball was pregnant during filming of the second season, she and the producers decided to write her experience in. Even then, however, CBS executives balked at the idea of the word “pregnant” even being uttered during the episode. You see, the concept of pregnancy hints at the concept of sexual intercourse, and if such a thing had made it to network television, then the Communists would have won.

Since then, sitcoms have obviously had no problem writing real life actress’s pregnancies into their characters’ arcs. Occasionally though, shows will try to go the I Love Lucy season 1 route and white knuckle their way through an actress’s pregnancy while maintaining that her character is not. The “Hide Your Pregnancy” TV trope has turned up on series like 24, The Big Bang Theory, Friends, and more. Characters hiding an actress’s pregnancy will often be depicted wearing loose, baggy clothing, or even having their stomachs positioned behind countertops, chairs, or other scenery censors. When January Jones was pregnant during season 5 of Mad Men, the writers decided to just give her character a food addiction and become overweight. 

It’s very possible that WandaVision could be acknowledging this strange television tradition when Wanda attempts to hide her pregnancy from Geraldine merely by holding a bowl of fruit in front of her stomach. That act of scenery censorship is no less ridiculous than Betty Draper’s sudden gluttony. 

The Monkees

At the conclusion of this episode, the camera aspect ratio moves from fullscreen to widescreen as Geraldine exits Wanda and Vision’s artificial world and enters into what appears to be the real one. The song playing during this moment is a hauntingly echoey rendition of The Monkees “Daydream Believer.” 

Not only are the song’s vibe and lyrics apt for this unmooring moment, but so is its origin. The Brady Bunch may be the main aesthetic inspiration for this episode, but the use of a Monkees song at its conclusion is a nod to this era of television as well. Much of what we aesthetically view as the ‘70s could be more accurately be stated as “the mid ‘60s through the mid ‘70s.” Airing from 1966-1968, The Monkees was still very much an era contemporary of The Brady Bunch’s 1969 – 1974 run.

cnx.cmd.push(function() { cnx({ playerId: "106e33c0-3911-473c-b599-b1426db57530", }).render("0270c398a82f44f49c23c16122516796"); });

The Monkees was also an unusually ambitious endeavor for its time of television. The story of four young men trying to make a name for themselves in the rock game would only work if said four young men actually had the talent to do so both on and off camera. The Monkees, the band, and The Monkees, the TV show, almost operated within a grey area between cultural realities. How fitting it is then for them to score WandaVision’s transition from fullscreen to widescreen.

The post WandaVision: The Sitcom Influences of Episode 3 appeared first on Den of Geek.

from Den of Geek https://ift.tt/3qI8ug0

[somegirlsnerdywords2]

Manga/ Manhwa/ Webtoons i’ve Read

Completed titles starting with the letter S, T, or W!

I remember most manga even less than the oldest anime i’ve watched unless it was properly amazing so i’m not even going to bother attempting a review of any sort for these guys. In this posts i’ll simply be sharing with you any titles i’ve given a 9 or 10 rating to... as you can imagine some were read quite a few years ago so who’s to say i’d give all of them the same rating today! Let’s go!

Seven Days - 10/10 - 13 Chapters

Genres: Romance, School, Shounen ai, Slice of Life

Synopsis:  Third year high school student, Shino Yuzuru, is a boy with a beautiful face and an undesirable personality; he is laid back, impolite, and blunt. Soon after he goes out with someone, they dump him once his true personality starts to surface. His junior in the archery club, Seryou Touji, is a well-known ladies' man. A rumor about him circulates in school, stating that Seryou will agree to go out with the first person to ask him out on Monday, before promptly dumping that person on Sunday. Despite the school knowing this, Seryou remains popular with girls because, for the seven days he dates them, Seryou will make his partner feel absolutely special. Hearing the rumor, Shino becomes curious about Seryou. One Monday morning, he greets Seryou outside of the school's entrance and jokingly asks him out. However, Seryou takes him seriously, and so begins Shino's seven days with him.

Shingeki no Kyojin: Kuinaki Sentaku (Attack on Titan: No Regrets) - 9/10 - 8 Chapters

Genres: Action, Fantasy, Supernatural

Synopsis:  A spin-off shoujo manga that centers around Levi's and Erwin's past.The young Erwin Smith is a rising star in the Survey Corps, humanity's only hope of defeating the man-eating monsters known as Titans. Ruthless and dispassionate, Erwin's mind is devoted to strategies and intrigue. But beneath Erwin's feet is another world, the "Underground," where humans are born and die surrounded by the garbage the Capital throws away. Here, the criminal Levi survives on his wits and agility. But when these two ambitious men cross paths, who will prove himself stronger?(Source: MU)

Tokyo Ghoul - 9/10 - 144 Chapters

Genres: Action, Mystery, Drama, Horror, Supernatural, Psychological, Seinen

Synopsis:  Lurking within the shadows of Tokyo are frightening beings known as "ghouls," who satisfy their hunger by feeding on humans once night falls. An organization known as the Commission of Counter Ghoul (CCG) has been established in response to the constant attacks on citizens and as a means of purging these creatures. However, the problem lies in identifying ghouls as they disguise themselves as humans, living amongst the masses so that hunting prey will be easier. Ken Kaneki, an unsuspecting university freshman, finds himself caught in a world between humans and ghouls when his date turns out to be a ghoul after his flesh. Barely surviving this encounter after being taken to a hospital, he discovers that he has turned into a half-ghoul as a result of the surgery he received. Unable to satisfy his intense craving for human meat through conventional means, Kaneki is taken in by friendly ghouls who run a coffee shop in order to help him with his transition. As he begins what he thinks will be a peaceful new life, little does he know that he is about to find himself at the center of a war between his new comrades and the forces of the CCG, and that his new existence has caught the attention of ghouls all over Tokyo. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

Tonari no Kaibutsu-kun (My Little Monster) - 9/10 - 55 Chapters

Genres: Comedy, Romance, School, Shoujo

Synopsis: Shizuku Mizutani is a so-called "study bug" who cares little about her classmates and instead strives to become a successful working person like her mother. However, her world changes when she is bribed into bringing notes to the class delinquent, Yoshida Haru, who had quit school after a violent fight got him suspended. Despite his abrasive introduction, Haru soon becomes convinced that they are friends, even going as far as confessing his love for her. As she spends more time with Haru, Shizuku learns that beneath his rough exterior he has a kind and honest spirit. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

Watashi ga Motete Dousunda (Kiss Him, Not Me!) - 9/10 - 60 Chapters

Genres: Comedy, Romance, School, Reverse Harem, Shoujo

Synopsis:  Rather than a prince and a princess living happily ever after together, it is much more appealing to see a prince and a prince fall in love. Believing in this wholeheartedly, Kae Serinuma is an overweight second-year high school girl who spends her days obsessing over fictional boys and fantasizing about men being in love with each other. In particular, she ships her male classmates Nozomu Nanashima and Yuusuke Igarashi—in her mind, every interaction they have hints at their romance. However, Kae's entire world is turned upside down when her favorite anime character dies. Heartbroken, she locks herself in her room and cuts off all contact from society. When she finally emerges a week later, she has slimmed down to have become a radiant beauty! Now, all the boys that Kae was content with watching from afar are suddenly pursuing her—the only problem is, Kae wants no part in it! She would much rather they kiss each other, not her. In the battle for her heart, Kae ensnares the boys in her wild fantasies and exposes them to the true nature of a fujoshi's world. [Written by MAL Rewrite]

[mikeyhatesit113]

forever and never: Chapter 1

I write a line.

Backspace, backspace, backspace.

Blank page.

I try another line.

Nope.

Backspace, backspace, backspace, backspace.

I rub my forehead, hoping it will come to me.

And then it does.

You’re reading it right now.

Because, the truth is, I have no idea how to start this story.

Years later, even after everything is said and done...ancient history!...still, it’s hard to know where to begin.

Does it begin the day I met her?

Or does it begin with the months leading up to that very moment where our paths crossed, danced, and performed a wicked waltz that would forever stomp its footprints into the darkest corners of my conscience?

Dramatic. I guess so. But what else would I call this?

I’m not proud of what you’re about to read. You’re going to read things that I regret till this very day. True enough, I have not forgiven myself for many of these events.

Don’t know if I ever will.

But alas, I feel it’s a story that needs to be told. Someone out there could benefit from this cautionary tale that came at a hefty price. The cost? Years of my youth.

Years I’ll never get back, but does that mean the time was wasted?

With a story and a message like this, I would think not.

Let’s begin.

--------------------

Chapter 1

---------------------

It was a raw, cold January day in 2007. Snow covered the ground and the wind whipped mercilessly, but my trusty ‘94 Cavalier trudged on through the slushy roads. I had somewhere important to be.

My morale at Blockbuster Video had reached an all-time low, thanks to an overweight, balding new store manager named Brady. For all of his love for Chinese food that he sat in the back room and ate, he had no care for movies whatsoever. This offended the 19 year old me, who might have had his dream job working at a video store.

Blockbuster Video. Make it a Blockbuster night!

But since Brady’s arrival just two months prior, the atmosphere in the store had changed drastically.

I no longer liked coming to work. For whatever reason, he didn’t like me. And the feeling was more than mutual.

Can’t we just talk about our favorite parts of Lion King and get along?

I’m not the type of person to stay in a place where I’m unhappy, and true to that note, I was looking for employment elsewhere.

I had tried retail, but I didn’t like it.

I even had a brief stint in physical manufacturing. No bueno.

So on this blustery January day, I was pursuing a brand new field altogether.

Child Care.

I had found out about a small center through my sister, who had previously worked there. And though she quit only after a few days, she swore that it was a nice place to work.

I was 19. I didn’t have college plans, and I had virtually no skills. But, I did have a love for kids. I was often the guy at parties who had 5 toddlers hanging all over him, though they did not know me an hour prior.

The parents didn’t seem to mind. I was the perfect babysitter/jungle gym extraordinaire.

And why not? Maybe daycare would become the perfect launch pad to a luxurious career in wiping snotty noses and changing diapers.

I pulled into the parking lot outside the daycare. It was a modest center. It was the bottom level of a two-story building. A complete stranger lived in the upstairs apartment.

I put on my best professional smile and got out of my car into the cold air. I walked up the icy wooden ramp that led to the door and knocked.

A young lady answered, and I informed her that I was there for an interview.

She led me inside and I sat down in a miniature chair as I waited. On the other side of the room, a rather grumpy looking woman was conducting a job interview with another woman.

Sheila was the interviewer’s name, and she was the owner of the center.

“What would you do if you saw one child bite another child?” asked Sheila.

“Well, first I’d check to make sure it didn’t draw blood!” laughed the interviewee.

Sheila didn’t even crack a smile. In fact, she frowned and checked something off on her paper.

The lady, picking up on Sheila’s stern manner, stopped laughing abruptly and gave a quick answer on administering first-aid.

The interview was lost. And I knew it.

Minutes later, Sheila ushered the lady out of the door. The door closed as Sheila turned to face me. “Mike?” she asked. “That’s me,” I replied. We shook hands and our own interview commenced.

It’s funny what time does to one’s memory. I can’t remember what questions she asked me. I’m sure she asked me the question about biting, but everything else is a blur. I just remember that I answered every question light-heartedly and professionally.

The interview was won, and I knew it.

Sheila finished her questions and asked me to wait patiently while she went and grabbed the daycare director for further consultation. I smiled as she excused herself.

The door closed behind her, and I was alone. Looking back, that moment is more surreal than I ever could have guessed.

They would be my final moments of never knowing her. The last moments of never laying eyes on her. Of not knowing who she was, or that she even existed.

When that door opened again, it would be a departure from one reality, and a crash landing into a complete other world.

And sure enough, that door did reopen. Fate would have it no other way.

The events, and future cast of characters, were waiting.

Sheila walked through the doorway, this time followed by another woman dressed in a smock.

I could already tell that she had a youthful appeal surrounding her composure. Her face, enclosed by curtains of long brown hair, broke into a wide grin as she held out her hand.

“Hi, Michael. I’m Janie, the director of the daycare.”

I shook her hand and introduced myself. For the next 5 minutes, the three of us made small talk. Janie seemed really excited for the prospect of having a male teacher in the daycare, as there aren’t too many in the childcare field altogether.

For the final test, they wanted me to come back for a trial run with the school age children. As much as they liked me, they had to make sure I was somewhat competent with children.

Days later, I returned, but this time I was armed with a failproof plan.

A pillowcase full of Halloween candy.

And sure enough, between jokes and laughs, I played simple games with the kids and rewarded them with lollipops. They loved me instantly.

The daycare center hired me officially that day, and I was all set to give Blockbuster Video my 2-week notice. Just days later, Brady refused to work with me scheduling-wise, as I would be starting at the daycare before officially leaving Blockbuster. Plus, he abruptly fired my shift manager.

So I walked out. Hopefully him and General Tso are happy together.

I know he’s not at Blockbuster anymore. Just a hunch, I guess.

I began working at the daycare center, and I immediately loved my job.

The kids were awesome, and most of the staff were great. We’d have daycare parties and gather at Janie’s house that she shared with her husband and 2 little boys.

These daycare parties were very enlightening experiences, as I did not know “daycare teachers” could party like they did. It was a hell of a good time.

In fact, 2007 would be one of my favorite years ever. I had a job I enjoyed, my friends and I had never been closer, and I was able to perform standup comedy on the side at local clubs.

My buddies and I took a trip down to the beach in July, and I met a woman named Dayna. She was from Kentucky, and we made plans for me to fly down there and visit her at a later time.

At this point, Janie and I had become great friends at the daycare. Her personality was infectious in it’s youthful appeal. Even though she was 8 years older than me, plus being a wife and mom, she had no problem blending in with people my age.

We’d go on lunch breaks together and I even went with her to watch her get her nose pierced, but I swear to God, it was totally innocent during that Summer.

I honestly just never looked at Janie as more than a friend, because to my knowledge, she was happily married and heavily involved with her children. I admired her for that.

Looking back, I didn’t find it odd that Janie had taken a keen interest in my communication with Dayna from the beach. But as I’m also in the future now with you, I can acknowledge her daily inquiry about how things were developing was out of the ordinary.

But she was a good friend, so I shrugged it off.

In October of 2007, I arranged a trip to fly down to Kentucky to visit Dayna and stay with her a few days at her apartment.

It was the first time I had ever flown (not counting when I was a baby), and it was quite the trip to make all by myself.

I arrived in Kentucky on Thursday morning, and Dayna greeted me at the gate.

The few days I spent down there weren’t anything extraordinary, but I did receive a curious text during my trip.

Janie texted me on Saturday morning. “Hey, I hope you’re having good time.”

It was yet another instance that I shrugged off, but sure enough, Janie wanted to know all the details when I returned the following Monday morning.

I filled her in, including the part where things fell apart with Dayna when I got back home.

Long distance just doesn’t cut it sometimes.

Janie was interested nonetheless, and she insisted that Dayna was indeed “crazy” and I didn’t need that in my life.

October closed out as our friendship continued.

When the clock struck midnight on Halloween Night, I did not realize that I had exited another reality, and entered another realm.

October 31st, 2007 would be the last day of my youth as I knew it. I was 19 years old, and I was about to become something else entirely.

On the night of November 1st, 2007, my cell phone lit up in the darkness.

I adjusted my eyes, squinting.

Text.

Text.

Text.

Text.

Text.

I couldn’t believe my eyes.

Text.

Text.

Text.

To be continued...

Waking up from myself To a life outside this hell No more lies, no more pain You can’t fight the war we made The war we made. - Red “The War We Made”

NOTE: Though this is my side of the story, including my own personal recollections and opinions, the reader should not consider this note anything other than a work of literature. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.