#she's a phenomenal actress just from this damn scene alone

[depressedstressedlemonzest]

Love how you can watch my descent into madness and hyper fixation with the clock 😂

She knows it's all an act as The Dark One. He can make himself look however he wants. He's just trying to look deranged and unapproachable for this reason.

That little snarl, calling her 'dearie' that isnt a term of endearment. That means you're just like everyone else.

No it fucking doesnt you liar.

That's right babe.

He's projecting just remember that.

She's holding back tears and so am i.

For ever rumplestiltskin. For someone immortal you'd better think about this twice.

[mylifeincinema]

My Week(s) in Reviews: February 11, 2023

Infinity Pool (Brandon Cronenberg, 2023)

Fucked up in the most magnificently fucked up way possible. Also, helloooooo Mia Goth. She is terrifying and stunning, here, and sells the final act in a way I actually have no words for. - 8/10

Knock at the Cabin (M. Night Shyamalan, 2023)

They changed what made the third act of the book such a magnificent punch in the gut. And everything that came after it, too. Now I’m not so mad they left Paul Tremblay’s name off the posters. Despite that, though, this isn’t all that bad. The pacing works, the performances are solid, and Dave Bautista’s performance is magnificent, and Shyamalan’s tight compositions trigger panic damn-near immediately. - 6.5/10

Triangle of Sadness (Ruben Östlund, 2022)

Not wild about the film as a whole, but the storm sequence on the boat and the events leading to the island are fucking magnificent. Ruben Östlund deserved the nomination just for them, alone. Except, not really... Sarah Polley definitely deserved that final slot. - 6/10

Women Talking (Sarah Polley, 2022)

Well... I think this just might be the most accurate title of all time. This was surprisingly enthralling for the type of film it is, and has a phenomenal cast. A textbook example of an actors' showcase; not a weak performance in the bunch, and the best of the best are easily among the best of the year. Polley’s direction is incredible. From the way she moves the camera around the characters and their closed-off world, to the patient way she allows the actresses to set the pace of each scene, her work is calculated and assured and makes this straight-forward, dialogue-driven film interesting for more than its ideas and performances. - 8.5/10

Enjoy!

-Timothy Patrick Boyer.

[thesecretattic]

I’m trying to cut out all the negativity from my life… and by that I mean boycotting Bollywood for my mental health, I can’t deal with more stress or depression atypical and their movies contain a lot of triggers so do their nonsensical tacky vulgar parties, they’ve literally ruined my childhood I’ve never been so disappointed in my whole life, the triggers mainly revolve around female commoditisation and all that superficiality which has ruined and taken away my youth - for which I’ll NEVER forgive them, I’ve borne the burns of their wrongdoings because the reason I’m alone today or I might die a “lip virgin” is because they have and are still shamelessly not only portraying but also promulgating women as “meat” again, without holding any qualms for it. The moment I unfollowed a few celebrities from my old ID (which I hardly use now) I received a quote which said, “Life is not about hoping and expecting, it’s about what you just did and what you are planning to do and what you are going to choose now.” Just watched two trailers back to back, both were big banner films, in one the weirdly pansy lead character of a Viking who was also paradoxically similar to Hercules, was literally acting like Raavan underwater while the actress who was only present for that “quintessential oomph factor” was reminding me of Dropadi because of the way he was unfolding her sari, it’s set in 18-something as in the 19th century and yet she can only be seen (constantly) in two piece attires. So I’m assuming we, girls are expected to be nothing more than sex objects or mindless bimbos? Just bodies, no heart, no mind… Next, another one starts with a DJ who seems to have hidden magical powers then there’s an actress who always plays this youngster/teenager/Party “gal” as usual, seriously stop overpampering people, she’s 30 now and you had me when she screamed “Shivaaaa” at the end of the trailer, didn’t sound innocent at all, same thing was shown in Badrinath, she was again treated like a kid in a lot of scenes… so basically it’s the same ol’ love story between a cute teensy and a grown up man where he protects her and she keeps calling him out - that’s the leit motif. I’m gonna speed up now as I can’t write much, so he falls in love with this “Party Gal” and chases her and she keeps running like one of those typical “silly bimbos” with her hand swaying and lots of “heee heee” and all, you can see that in one shot, next, they start prepping up all these martials with some hardcore training practice to grow their powers, I initially thought this movie would be like World War Z because of the title which speaks of a weaponised force which contains the world’s deadliest powers inspired by old scriptures, as per the Indian version of the phenomenal “Black Hole”, it is believed that there are collective forces in the universe which can cause enormous, collateral damage once they are unleashed and they are held together by Gods. That being said, the film is not at all based on mythology, they just thought Indians would want to see something like that but on the contrary people started lampooning it, honestly even if it would’ve been somewhat close to it (the actual mythological tale) or World War Z, the movie would’ve been way better… it’s just a superhero film where these group of martials possess those powers and then there are villains who are trying to steal or claim them. There are tidal waves which could engulf the entire planet and lots of fiery creatures, several booms and bangs taking place within the same world (not some parallel universe) and no one, literally no one gives a damn, it ebbs and flows just as quickly as it spawns, brilliant! No one’s bothered, no one’s talking about it, the Kardashians are still grabbing all the headlines in world news and no one even realises something like that is going on… You can watch the film on 9th Sept since the lead actors want to promote themselves as Bollywood’s new “It couple”, but honestly I’m never in favour of such PR made convenant

or contract marriages (a union of convenience more than actual feelings) … nor have I ever liked those “us against the world” kinda couples who clutch each other’s hands in such a way and so dramatically that it’s as if the whole world is trying to tear them apart, they constantly have that angsty, indignant look on their faces, people prefer “cute couples” you know… and no one’s interested in them also, they are too corny, yeah my story might intrigue people, in fact it could be the story of the century but over here, all those serendipities like they “claimed” were contrived and staged by PR agents, it was all preplanned, Alia was constantly asked about Ranbir even while he was dating Katrina and he would keep meeting her using some or the other excuse… I also believe only the saddest and most tragic love stories end up becoming an exemplary tale so mine wins, it’s real not reel but I wouldn’t expect anyone to be interested in mine either, well at least not the “love angle” like I said, people have their own lives. Bollywood tie ups and so called “moms” are just trying to do all this for endorsements and I will never support that, they’ve ruined the actual meaning and they’ve turned everything into a joke. This is where I’m gonna end my article, never thought I’ll ever boycott movies because I’ve always been a cinephile but like I said, I’ll have to get away from all the salacity and undue violence (most of them depict that and it’s just cringy/disturbing) for my own peace of mind, even their real life persona has become very flimsy and fake so there’s nothing to see there.

Xoxo 𝒞𝒵.

[jodibodie]

I Have Some Feelings

To start let me just emphasize how much I love and adore this show and always will. This was my covid show. Both of my kids loved “Lucifer” and always said I should watch so at the start of covid I binged it and when I say binged, I mean all 4 seasons in a few days and have rewatched so many times I’ve lost count. I think it is timeless, engrossing, original and all around amazing. The writing and the cast were all excellent. The writing was smart and consistently strong and that is so rare.  Funny, sad, poignant, it hit all the notes with very few plot holes or missteps. There is not one episode in the entire series that was not engaging. Even if I didn’t like an episode, it was still well done. What a rarity.

The cast is scary good. Completely underrated. Just all phenomenally talented.  I don’t remember the last time a cast was this strong.  From the core group to both reoccurring and guest stars, the cast was just fantastic.  

Tom Ellis, no words.  The man deserves to choose whatever he wants to do acting wise. He should have people breaking down his door. He can truly do it all and do it all well. He took a character that if portrayed by a lesser actor could have come off as a complete asshole and made him one of the most sympathetic and loveable characters in recent history. Ellis made a crime solving devil, a promiscuous man-child that occasionally breaks into song and the evidence room into a beloved character that has become an icon.  

Lauren German, WOW.  She is just so damn good. She can break your heart one second and have you laughing the next. She makes Chloe real, and people don’t realize how hard that is. Chloe is smart, kind, tough and gorgeous but she’s also an insecure dork.  She’s us and German just brings it.  

DB Woodside I’ve loved since “Buffy”.  He is a phenomenal actor and who knew he could bring the laughs so well? His expressions were classic. Clueless angel indeed. Amenadiel could have been very one-dimensional but because of Woodside’s talent he became fully fleshed out and full bodied.  

I have no doubt Lesley-Ann Brandt has a huge career in front of her.  She took a character that very well could have been hated, a demon and made her into one of the most human characters on the show. Kudos to her for taking a tough role and making it her own.  

Kevin Alejandro is another actor I’ve loved for a long time.  He also took a character who if we’re going to be honest here did so many unlikeable things that he should have been truly despised but because of Kevin’s portrayal he was beloved. Great actor and a terrific director.

Rachael Harris IMO is the downlow MVP.  She was literally the rock and again, with a lesser actress the role could have been a throwaway. The normal human, the sounding board but Harris imbued her with so much more.  Her spit takes, sarcasm and her obvious compassion was what made Dr. Linda an unforgettable character. Once again just perfect casting.  

Aimee Garcia was a great addition. She made Ella a fan fav and put so much heart, joy and sincerity into Ella never once did you doubt that she would prevail no matter what was thrown at her.  Garcia was just fantastic, and I want her skin care regime.  

Scarlett Estevez pulled off the one thing I thought almost impossible.  She took the role of a young child and made it so I didn’t want to cringe. She portrayed Trixie so beautifully from day one that she was a true pleasure to watch.  Even though Trixie was super precocious Estevez never made her obnoxious. I loved Trixie and I have never said that about any child character in an adult show.  She was wonderful and has an amazing career in front of her.

That said, I’ve got some feelings now that I’ve seen the finale and have had some time to digest it all.  I love that Chloe and Lucifer had eternity and I agree that they had to be separated for Chloe’s lifetime. Didn’t like it but it’s the logical path. She’s human, he’s not. The ageing thing alone necessitated them not being together long term on earth and that’s just to start the list. They had to had to be apart for the short term to get their eternity but the duality of Lucifer's ending and Amenadiel's didn't sit right. Amenadiel as God got to have it all. His calling, his family etc. while Lucifer had to give up everything.  I also don’t buy the “If he came up from hell, he could never leave them again” defense.  I call bullshit.  Amenadiel managed, plus, missing out on the day to day is a huge sacrifice and by Lucifer missing out on the day-to-day Rory could still have had the hatred she needed to drive the story.  Popping in for birthdays, graduations, weddings, etc., the big stuff does not a father make.  Not being there for skinned knees, first heartbreaks, and all the little things a daughter needs her dad for can build up tons of resentment.  Boom, absentee father, just like his dad was. That provides all the millennial angel angst you could ask for. I have a daughter; it doesn’t take much.

The Trixie issue was huge for me. Can Chloe see her in Heaven? Will she be able to travel to Heaven and visit Trixie, Penelope, Dan, her father?  Chloe hesitated leaving Heaven in 5x16 because she couldn’t bear saying good-bye to her dad again. It seems as if Chloe sacrificed everything for Rory including Trixie. I want to preface this by saying. I liked Rory and loved the actress. I didn’t however like how it was as if she were their only child.  When Lucifer spoke of family Trixie was not mentioned. Their family day, the same thing. She didn’t need to be there, I get that the explanation regarding Rory would have been way too much to get into but just a mention of her, how awesome it would have been to share this day with her would have worked. It seemed as if Lucifer went from, “I would do anything to protect that little Urchin” to “Trixie who”. Trixie was a character that we watched grow up and she meant something to us. I hate to say this, but the writers did Trixie and the viewers dirty in this regard.

This show was built around a few premises.  Free will, honesty, redemption, sacrifice and family, both blood and made. The ending completely negated almost all of these.  Chloe and their entire family were made into the one thing Lucifer abhorred the most which are liars. Their daughter was brought up surrounded by lies. What did they tell Trixie?  The poor kid just lost her dad, and she was pissed at Lucifer when he went back to hell the first time. Did she grow up hating him because as far as she knew Lucifer left her mom again without saying good-bye and this time it was even worse because Chloe was pregnant.  I get that the actress who plays Trixie had limited availability but seriously. A quick good-bye.

“Hey Urchin, you won’t understand why for a long time, but I have to leave. You know I never lie so I can’t explain why but know that I love you and your mom and one day I hope you can forgive me.”  

A 30 second scene would have worked.

As all the characters learned throughout the series, omission of the truth is just a form of lying and there are always repercussions i.e., Chloe and Father Kinley, Dan shooting Lucifer, Maze finding out about Lilith and even Ella not being told. As far as free will, both Chloe and Lucifer had their free will taken from them in the end. By Rory forcing them to abide by her wishes, their free will was forfeited. It was a huge manipulation on Rory’s part and considering how much Lucifer hated manipulations it just didn’t sit right.

Parents making huge sacrifices I get. Chloe and Lucifer sacrificed everything for their child. Unfortunately for me this sacrifice, the way it was written seemed contrived to pull out maximum and IMO unjustified angst. I love angst.  Hell, this is my favorite show.  I thrive on the angst. But as I wrote earlier, all the anger, angst and hatred towards Lucifer could have been achieved without having Lucifer completely out of the picture. I have two kids and my husband, and I have made huge life altering sacrifices for them as many parents do but being there for the day-to-day little things was what made the difference in their lives and cemented the close relationships we have with them.

“Yeah, dad you were great. Showing up for the fun stuff, always swooping in for the big finish to play the hero then ditching us when things got tough. When Grandma was dying where were you?  Nice that you showed up for the funeral but the six months leading up to it…we needed you and once again you weren’t there. When T got sick, when Jen broke my heart, blah, blah, blah…”

Even the whole Chloe dying scenario. They could have written it that rage Rory traveled minutes before Lucifer got there. Have him pop in right after Rory comes back. There were so many ways to achieve the end game they wanted other than the way they went. It seemed contrived and as if they took the easy way out to get where they needed to go. The Rory rage that was the catalyst for her traveling back in time and Lucifer finding his calling could still have been accomplished without the whole Lucifer disappearing storyline.

Now that I’ve finished my diatribe there’s a couple of additional things I would like to say.  Lucifer is and always will be one of my favorite shows of all time. There are not enough words to describe the comfort and enjoyment this show has brought me. Thank you, thank you, thank you to the producers, cast and crew. You truly created something special.

To the fandom. Please do not let a polarizing conclusion rip apart the fandom. The only other fandom I was a part of tore itself apart so badly that the FBI got involved.  Hence why I waited for 15 years to dip my toe in again. Everyone invested in this show has the right to their feelings.  Debate is fine, baiting and bullying are not. The Lucifer fandom like the show is very special. Without the fandom we wouldn’t have gotten any conclusion so don’t let opposing viewpoints tarnish what has been a magical journey.  

[mustbotherstebe]

Holy Shit - Scenes from a Marriage

So I normally don’t post reviews but maaaaaaaan Scenes from a Marriage has me spinning in circles. SO. Here we go. 

*THERE ARE A FEW SPOILERS SO READER BEWARE*

1) GODDAMN the acting is phenomenal. Like what the fuck. It makes me ashamed to say I’m an actress in any way shape or form because I don’t know know if I could EVER pull something like that out of me.  Oscar and Jessica’s chemistry is amazing, their reactions are genuine, the friggin EXPRESSIONS ON THEIR FACES are so real it’s hard to remember that this isn’t a real relationship I’m watching. 

2) The scene where Mira is in the doctor’s office with the sheet over her head and is sobbing - I’ve never been in that situation but my heart hurt for her so much and I cried for ten minutes afterwards. 

3) Jonathan looking at porn had me blushing and also his choice of porn was interesting that I couldn’t help but TEEHEE a little. 

4) I’ve seen a lot of people post that they don’t like Mira and I felt that way in Episode 2 and then I remembered...I’ve had those exact same feelings. I was married to an emotionally abusive man who was ten years older than me and I struggled for YEARS with whether I should leave or stay. We had kids together and a life and I didn’t have the means to take care of myself (not like Mira, man if I had the money she was making I would have left a long time ago!) so it was a constant back and forth between what was right for me and my kids. And if we’re gonna be on a truth trolley a little bit, I had a very brief affair so the feelings of shame, guilt and the overall NEED to get out of my house into the arms of someone who would take care of me better than my husband ever could. I felt it in my guts when she said “If I don’t get out of this house right now, I don’t think I ever will”. For anyone who has been in a long-term relationship and fell out of love...this is a very real scene. 

5) EPISODE 3 WAS SO FUCKING FRUSTRATING. The back and forth with Mira and her putting up this front of how happy she is vs. her OBVIOUS depression. It made me think that everything with Poli was not going well (which my suspicions were proven later on) and she was looking for some kind of comfort with Jonathan, hence the “lets have random sex on the carpet” part. Which I am SO GLAD he turned her down. I was verbally saying, “don’t you do it, don’t you do it” (Mira said THAT line and I was like...well damn Jonathan, I don’t blame you if you give her the peen okay). BUT, he didn’t and we are all very proud of him. 

6)  Same episode, but HOW DARE SHE GET ALL NOSEY AND UPPITY ABOUT HIM HAVING A GIRLFRIEND WHAT THE FUCK. Jonathan was waaaaay nicer about it than I would have ever been. BUT THEN, he broke up with this chick and Mira was like, “Why did you do that? Don’t throw away a potentially good relationship” like BITCH WHAT. You were JUST making out with him and laying in his bed and THEN you tell him to keep going with his girlfriend? NO MA’AM. I’m glad he called her out though. AND I’m glad he showed her to voicemail from Poli (I WAS RIGHT HA). 

7) In all honesty though, she’s confused and depressed and sad and she was grasping for some kind of stability with Jonathan. I’ve been there too so I couldn’t be too mad at her for this kind of behavior. Anyone that has been through a bad breakup and been through some trauma knows that healing isn’t linear and most times we all take BIG ASS steps backwards because we’re scared of being alone and having to face ourselves. Which is exactly where I think Mira is right now. 

8) Can’t wait for the next episode - I’m stoked to see where the story goes. 

THAT’S ALL FOR NOW CHILDREN. DM me if you want to discuss! 

[lovelylogans]

what are your favorite episodes of gilmore girls?

ooOOOOOOH GREAT QUESTION i’ll break it down season by season:

season one

pilot. i mean, obviously. it sets them all up so well, character-wise; plus, you can tell some episodes in season one that were filmed shortly after the pilot vs a while later, just bc of emily’s differing hair lengths

the lorelai’s first day at chilton: introduces such great characters (paris, madeline, louise) and also is such a great way to continue the transition into learning about this world

rory’s birthday parties: god. just. the stark difference between emily and richard’s world vs stars hollow...... the found family of practically all of stars hollow showing up to rory’s home party...... “lorelai’s right. i don’t know my daughter at all.”...... God

forgiveness and stuff: like, gOD. a masterclass of acting especially from kelly bishop and lauren graham; it hits so differently after edward hermann’s actual passing. luke and lorelai’s relationship displayed on what he’d do for her. lord!

paris is burning: paris................ the Beginning of turning from enemies to friends...... plus, like, you get to see some of lorelai’s commitment issues, which plays out throughout the entire series (sometimes To My Great Aggravation)

concert interruptus: the bangles 🥺paris and rory 🥺

christopher returns: i mean. you see the dynamic between rory and christopher, lorelai and christopher, and emily, richard, and christopher, which just paints such a clearer picture of what lorelai’s life might have been like back then. PLUS, emily being soft toward rory; it’s one of my fave relationship moments for them, and i kind of regret taking that line from her and giving it to christopher in wyliwf.

star crossed lovers and other strangers: the same way we get to see emily and rory, we get to see richard and lorelai; also, you can see how lorelai’s commitment issues might have inadvertently affected rory in this. plus i love love LOVE the backstory of the stars hollow lovers festival, i wish they’d repeated it in later seasons!

emily in wonderland: i really wish you’d gotten to see the effect of learning about lorelai and rory living in the shed play out more than a one-episode arc, i really wish we did, but like. emily bishop, once again, acting her damn heart out. phenomenal.

season two

the road trip to harvard: you get to see the beginnings of how rory leaving for college might affect lorelai, plus you get to see rory in her ivy league habitat. luke getting so suddenly, “inexplicably” cheerful when he hears that lorelai’s not marrying max. and at the very ending emily being sympathetic to max. bless it.

nick & nora/sid & nancy: first jess ep. “dodger.” what else is there to say. points off lorelai tho for immediately losing it at jess when he snarks at her, when, like, that is your move, lorelai, you should recognize that?

presenting lorelai gilmore: rory stepping more and more into her grandparents’ world in a way lorelai never wanted to; though i don’t ship christopher and lorelai, their dance scene is adorable. plus, emily and richard fighting a bit and the beginnings of richards (seasons long!) arc about his journey with his work.

the ins and oust of inns: MIA. you get to see mia for the first time! lorelai and sookie having a fight is :( but you get to see lorelai’s turmoil over actually leaving the inn. emily coming to see mia! luke yelling at the town over them being rude about luke! lorelai coming to his defense! rory telling jess off and jess wordlessly fixing luke’s toaster in silent apology!

the bracebridge dinner: GOD. love it. the horses and carriages! the absurd historical acting! emily and richard! rory and jess! luke and lorelai! it’s fantastic!

a-tisket, a-tasket: I LOVE THIS EPISODE. some of the town absurdity that was just A Plus. “it’s not like she’s shipping off to ‘nam!” is a great line. jackson proposing to sookie! and poor lane........

there’s the rub: emily and lorelai, seeing how great they could get along, but seeing how either of them wreck it just when it’s getting a-okay. god. it’s just such a great microcosm of their relationship.

dead uncles and vegetables: luke......... Luke. lorelai and rory and jess all rallying around him in their ways, and stars hollow by extension. even tho they were pretty shitty at first, they, like. managed to make it up to him in the end.

lorelai’s graduation day: GOD LAUREN GRAHAM, KELLY BISHOP, AND EDWARD HERMANN KILL IN THE GRADUATION SCENE!!!!! i ADORE that shot of the three of them, gets me every single time!!! the only thing i dislike about it is rory accidentally missing the graduation bc....... :/. like. i really like jess. but. come on.

i can’t get started: sookie’s wedding!!! her freaking out over the cake so much in her dress is So Her, she looked so pretty omg! plus, if the spa ep is a good microcosm of emily and lorelai, this is a great microcosm for christopher and lorelai. plus!!!! RORY AND JESS FIRST KISS!!!!!!

season three (look, full disclosure, seasons 3/4 are like. my faves. so)

haunted leg: gosh. lauren graham kills it in that last couple scenes. plus! kirk asking lorelai out on a date is hilarious! emily and lorelai’s lunch at luke’s going So Bad! and i know that not a ton of people like the francie chilton student politics intrigue subplot isn’t great for some people, but i do think that the potential was Great and there are definitely some really good scenes that arose from that subplot, so

take the deviled eggs... like. just. a great blend of town insanity (patty’s new boy, the town loner pitching a protest no one knows the reason behind) and lorelai and rory bonding (by deviled-egging jess’ CAR) and just!!! yes!!!!

they shoot gilmores, don’t they?: i mean. come ON. what list would be complete without this? literally every single favorites list has this episode on there. the dance marathon is the perfect example of town insanity! lane and dave getting their bonding! that little luke and lorelai moment about having kids! that scene of rory crying into lorelai’s shoulder!

a deep-fried korean thanksgiving: i love the whole “three thanksgivings” thing. Can Relate, Do Understand. i think that lorelai freaking out at rory for applying to yale is definitely a contrived subplot (i mean. she was never going to apply to only harvard. ma’am.) but i do like seeing sookie, and luke and jess, and just.... Yeah

dear emily and richard: our ONLY flashback ep! while i do think that only lauren graham can really pull lorelai off, the actress is, like, fairly decent (young christopher, however, does not really fit) and you just! yeah! you get to see them back in their youth and FINALLY get the context of how lorelai ran away!

the big one: like! yay paris! lorelai’s reaction (”i’ve got the good kid!”) is Gross, Frankly! it’s gross and bad! but also poor paris 🥺but!!! rory helping to comfort her afterwards!! richard falling asleep in the middle and having No idea of what just went down is also inexplicably hilarious to me!

those are strings, pinocchio: i mean. it’s the graduation episode. God. i just???? god. it’s such a great episode, there’s so many great moments, i just. 🥺

season four

the lorelais’ first day at yale: a great little titling parallel to chilton, but also, rory panicking when lorelai leaves is like. such a Thing ya know??? i just. yeah. i really like that ep it’s a nice introduction

the festival of living art: one, this show won its only emmy bc of the makeup, so that alone is great. uh, kirk being so adversary to the guy who plays judas is god tier humor! plus! sookie and jackson having their baby!

ted koppel’s big night out: THE FOOTBALL GAME EPISODE! i actually kind of love it, but more the first half than the latter; it’s such an emily and richard way to prepare for a football game, you know? and then meeting pennilyn lott! igniting the arc of emily and richard having doubts about their marriage which has Acting! Moments! but this also has jason and lorelai’s first date, which i Dislike, bc i Dislike Jason Very Much.

nag hammadi is where they found the gnostic gospels: seeing jess come back into town and you get to see how unfinished things are between him and rory..... the luke angst..... Yes.

the incredible sinking lorelais: a very realistic part of college, imo, in which you feel overwhelmed and anxious and EVERYTHING SUCKS NOW CAN I JUST CALL MY MOM, though i wish they’d set it up a bit more and followed it longer than an episode, and also that rory hadn’t gone to dean; but also, trix, and richard standing up to her, which!

scene in a mall: idk i just love this episode? seeing emily in her shopping element; seeing her break down in that way; seeing how shopping is like, one of her Only ways to execute power, and how she’s kind of jealous of lorelai’s career bc she was born into a generation where the only thing it was really acceptable for her to do was cultivate a husband and a nice house; plus!!! that last bit of emily and richard and the apples at the table just BREAKS your heart!!!

girls in bikinis, boys doin’ the twist: SPRING BREAAAAK which is so unexpected for paris and rory and therefore very funny. you get to see madeline and louise again—i actually really love their characters, lmao! paris and rory kiss! just! yeah!

tick, tick, tick, boom!/afterboom: another “idk i just enjoy it” episode. richard and floyd coming to a head; kirk’s easter egg hunt; seeing little davey. however i have some Words for rory because lindsay deserves better??? i understand that she could get a part time job but also MIND YOUR BUSINESS?????? dean’s the one taking classes! that’s an unnecessary expense! he has two jobs!! he’s allowed to take a pause!!! also i can’t believe i’m forced to defend dean right now!!! fuck asher, tho, but yay! breaking up with jason!!! yay breaking up with jason!!!!!!

luke can see her face/last week fights, this week tights: i can’t, okay??? i literally had to. the beginning of jess’ (admittedly mostly off-screen) development arc! luke and the self-help books! the absurdity of the renaissance wedding! the WEDDING DANCE!!! 

raincoats and recipes: truly an episode has never gone from such a “FUCK YESSSSSS FINALLY” scene to a “FUCK NOOOOOO WHAT ARE YOU DOINGGGGGG” but honestly it’s just. it’s Such a fantastic episode like i can’t

season five

written in the stars: their first date 🥺the horoscope 🥺”i am in, lorelai. i am all in.” 🥺 HER GOING DOWNSTAIRS IN JUST HIS SHIRT 🥺 HIM YELLING AT THE TOWN ABOUT HOW IT’S THEIR RELATIONSHIP AND NONE OF THEIR BUSINESS 🥺🥺🥺

we got us a pippi virgin: literally the concept alone of “nearly coming to blows via bop it” is great. also luke being like “rory is like pippi!” and showing off what a high regard he holds her in 🥺

emily says hello: LITERALLY so many great little things about this episode. emily deciding she wants to try dating! rory and christopher snapping at each other! KELLY BISHOP’S ACTING AFTER THE DATE WHEN SHE CLOSES THE DOOR ON HIM AND BURSTS INTO TEARS!!!!!!!

women of questionable morals: the dog. 

wedding bell blues: HUNDREDTH EPISODE couldn’t NOT make it on here, so here it is!!! luke and lorelai looking at each other when she’s next to the aisle! luke and christopher both yelling and logan—AcTING! also emily being so manipulative even on her second wedding day, it’s just So classically her, and kelly bishop and lauren graham in the final scene is just. Mwah!

so... good talk: rory literally stepping into lorelai’s shoes for a dinner and being the one to snap at emily and richard is Such a role reversal for her but honestly whenever it does happen i actually really enjoy seeing the dichotomy between the grandparents seeing rory as their perfect little second chance and lorelai seeing her as her mini-me and how rory walks the line between each. AND THAT ENDING KISS SCENE BETWEEN LUKE AND LORELAI????? I CAN’T?????

pulp friction: LORELAI CONTINUING TO ICE OUT EMILY AND RICHARD!!!!! the yelling scene at the diner!!!! plus seeing the chilton skirt come out again was nice imo i too have reused private schoolwear

season six (the season, admittedly, i have watched the least)

we’ve got magic to do: the outfits of the dar bash. paris’ sudden dedication to the proletariat. emily’s rant to shira. that is all

twenty-one is the loneliest number: them finally starting to talk; “this is luke, my soon-to-be-stepfather”; the pastor scene is also just. hilarious. but also so very richard and emily

let me hear your balalaikas ringing out: lorelai’s emotions toward paul anka being sick Oof and luke and the soccer team lmao but also JESS RETUUUUURNS!!!!! RORY SNAPS OUT OF IT!!!!!! FINALYYYYYYY!!!!

friday night’s alright for fighting: literally the montage of all of them intercut with fighting and them sitting in silence while the other two yell in the background to them laughing is just. Peak gilmore

this turned out..... even longer than expected lmao

[frizz22]

Holly Gibney deserved her book ending and it really bothers me that HBO didn’t give it to her.

SPOILERS for The Outsider both book and show......

Okay. I just binge read and then binge watched The Outsider and I have feelings so I’m sharing.

At the end of the book, when they’re confronting the monster/shapeshifter/El Cuco, Holly is the brains of the operation.

She’s the only one who brings the melee weapon (which is a beautiful surprise reveal), and this is vital considering the confrontation takes place in an extremely unstable underground cave where even shouting risks a cave in, let alone shooting a damn gun.

She’s the one who keeps her head about her, makes sure Ralph doesn’t try and fist fight it because it’s poisonous, she distracts the creature by getting it to talk, by riling it up, so she had time to get close and strike the killing blows—without putting anyone else’s lives on the line, I want to add.

HOLLY IS THE ONE TO KILL EL CUCO AND SAVE THE DAY!!!

Not Claude, who wasn’t even there in the book (he stayed home and didn’t shoot guns in a collapse prone cave). Not Ralph, who for some reason got an entire secondary scene with the monster.

Holly. Holly our wonderful, neurodivergent, kickass angel. The one who figured it all out to start with, who fought so hard to get people to believe her....

She was the one to end it. And HBO took that away from her and it pisses me off.

Sorry, end of rant. I love what they did with the character otherwise, the actress was phenomenal.

[sammysreelreviews]

Counting Down My Top 20 Films Of The Decade: Part 2

Here we are y’all, the last decade list. I can’t believe I actually finished this list. This list took fucking forever and I can’t believe I’m finally sharing it! All my decade lists are listed here in my intro to the first part of my top 20! Okay so some of these choices may be crazy, I know, but I picked the movies that have made me feel things and movies that I have watched over and over and over again. I’m so glad I got to reminisce on all these wonderful films and I’m so happy to share this with the world! My next post won’t be until 2020 and the topic is still to be determined but it will be a list of television shows cause I know how much y’all love that. This past year has been a roller coaster for me but one positive is that my blog really grew! I appreciate anyone who reads or shares or likes any of my posts it means the world to me. Even when I was at my absolute worst I kept up with this blog and everyone who interacts with it helps keep me going. I hope everyone has a happy and healthy New Years! Before I forget ***THERE WILL BE SPOILERS!!!*** Mwah!

10. Upgrade (2018)

This past year I realized that I may like sci-fi movies more than I thought. My friend Kelsey raved about this and after I watched I 100% saw why. This action packed film about a technophobe looking for revenge is absolutely insane!!! I don’t wanna give it away cause I highly recommend you watch this so if you wanna hear more about it click here!

9. Drive (2011)

Ugh, I don’t have much to say about this BRILLIANT film cause words are not enough but that elevator scene alone deserves an Oscar. The 80’s themed soundtrack, and neon lights started a revolution in 2010 indie cinema and I stand by that.

8. La La Land (2016)

I wrote a review on this movie that you can read here so I’ll keep this brief. When I watched this in theaters I sobbed at the end because it just reminded me of how much I loved film and writing screenplays. Anytime I feel like I can’t do anything or that I’m not progressing I put La La Land on and remember a career in film is what I’m meant to do.

7. Happy Death Day (2017)

I’m really going to try to not talk about this movie in 2020 but I can not make any promises. If you follow me I am so sorry you have to see me mention this movie for the 7000th time. If you’re new here first of all, welcome! Second of all, you can read all about it here, here, and here. I love Happy Death Day so much and the sequel is just as good so please rent it or stream it! I want a 3rd movie! I need it!!!

6. Nocturnal Animals (2016)

This is one of the most underrated films ever. Like where was the Oscar nomination?! I wrote an entire review about it so you can read more about it here! All I’m gonna say is, that scene where she’s getting an abortion and Jake Gyllenhaal is waiting outside in he fucking rain for her?!?! I literally gasped in theaters. 

5. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (2010)

Let me start by saying that this is the funniest movie ever created. I know every single line to this film and every time I watch it I still laugh which is impressive because I’ve literally been watching this movie for almost a decade now. I’m kind of out of words to say because there are so many things worth mentioning but I’ll try! Let’s start with the how insane this cast is. Can you believe that this movie has Superman, Captain America, and Captain Marvel!? The best Avengers movie is this one if you ask me! Michael Cera is always hysterical but Kieran Culkin is one of my favorite parts of this movie. When this movie came out I had a crush on Jonny Simmons so he was one of the reasons I saw it but he’s underrated as Young Neil. Anna Kendrick and Aubrey Plaza have small parts but they make quite the impact. Alison Pill deserves a damn Oscar already! She’s honestly one of the best actresses of our generation. Ellen Wong as Knives Chau kills me and I was so excited when she was a main cast member on The Carrie Diaries. Lastly, Mae Whitman says one of my favorite lines ever and although she’s in the movie for like 3 scenes she certainly makes the most of the little time she’s given. The comedic timing of this film is perfection and it’s one of the only movies where every single scene is entertaining! There are so many things I quote from this movie it’d be unfair to only pick one honestly but “Alright this next song goes out to the guy who keeps yelling from the balcony. It’s called We Hate You, Please Die.” And that song title is exactly what I think of anyone who does not enjoy this PERFECT film.

4. Like Crazy (2011)

If you know me you know how much I love this movie, movies about love, and how much I loved Anton Yelchin so this movie is a firm sucker punch to the gut. I haven’t watched it since Anton passed but it’s one of the most emotional films I’ve ever seen. A couple with an ocean between them is probably the decade’s best romance. Felicity and Anton had insane chemistry and improvised most of the movie. I would write more but I’m tearing up thinking about Anton *insert every sad and crying emoji*.

3. Call Me By Your Name (2017)

When I first saw this movie I left the theater asking myself why this movie was such a big deal. Then I got in my car and started bawling my eyes out. What I love about CMBYM is how optimistic it makes you feel about love the whole time Elio (Timothée Chalamet) and Oliver (Armie Hammer) were falling in love I had puppy dog eyes. I’m a Pisces so I’m all about deep and fleeting love and every time I watch this movie it gets me in my fucking feels! When Elio cried on the car ride home after saying bye to Oliver but they couldn’t give each other a proper goodbye cause they’re gay and it was the 80’s!!! HeartBREAKING! Not only did this movie make me wanna runaway to Italy but It’s also one of the sexiest movies of the decade and I haven’t looked at peaches the same since.

2. Gone Girl (2014)

I read Gone Girl before I saw the movie and I’ve regretted it everyday since. The book took me three days to finish, which is a lot for me, and I felt like it was too detailed. In the book you read a lot of Amy’s (Rosamund Pike) journal entries which makes it pretty obvious that she’s alive and well. I hate Ben Affleck but honestly he was the perfect choice to play Nick. This movie is one of the only movies that is better than the book. When this was on HBO I literally watched it every time it was on tv for months. The cinematography is phenomenal and the acting is even better. Fincher is a genius and in my eyes, Gone Girl is his best work.

1. Black Swan (2010)

The flavor this film has... I mean it’s immaculate. Growing up I studied at Boston Ballet School and it was very intense! Those ten years helped shape me into the woman I am today. While I did ballet I used to always go see ballets cause we got discounted tickets and my favorite was Swan Lake. The music, the story, the costumes, it’s all so beautiful and timeless. When the film came out I was so excited. I had no idea what to expect but if it’s about ballet I am in. I love this movie so much it’s dark, the acting is superb, and nothing is better than Tchaikovsky’s music blaring in the background during the most climatic scenes. Black Swan might be my third favorite movie of all time but it’s 100% my favorite movie of the 2010’s. I have no idea not know why it didn’t win best picture.

[luluvonv]

My thoughts on Tomb Raider 2018 movie

Forgive me, Lord, for I have sinned! :D

Some part of me must have gone crazy when I decided to watch the new Tomb Raider movie yesterday. I wasn’t even interested in it after I had saw its trailer and some scenes, and given my aversion to current franchise direction. Yet my curiosity was stronger. And my favourite Alicia probably did the magic.

I did not expect anything from the film. I tried to watch it without my judgemental attitude towards Laraboot. I tried to watch it as something that does not pretend to be Lara Croft or Tomb Raider.

First thing that needs to be said: it is way better than the games. The story is based on the game plot but they took, let’s say, the best from it and thus for fans that love the rebooted series it must be perfect.  After the made-upintroduction to Laraboot’s life (biking, kick-box), they follow Reboot plot quite faithfully (at least from what I remember) - the shipwreck, the island, parachutte scene, her pierced stomach, the first kill, her axe... I think Reboot fans got what was needed for a good adaptation. 

!!! SPOILERS AHEAD !!!

The film definitely has its light moments. 1) Alicia I really do think she was the right pick. She is a fantastic actress and I find her truly resembling Laraboot. She fully gave herself to the role and I enjoyed her acting very much (except for one scene which I’ll mention later). Mainly, she is not annoying as game Laraboot, there is no necesary moaning and that was very important to me - I did not have to mute or turn the movie off after 20 min. I am only sorry that somebody like her had to play such a shallow character. And yes, her sick abs were impressive as hell, she was a beast there... She was the reason that make it worth watching.

2) First kill scene Now that was a highlight of the film for me. Damn it was intense! I found this decisive moment in game very irritaiting - game Laraboot cried and had a mental breakdown when shooting the bad guy in the face. Which is understandable. If only she was not killing hundreads of men three seconds later, it would be also believable. Instead it was amusing. Not in the movie. The decision to use for this a hand-to-hand fight instead of gun was a good move. They showed movie Laraboot’s fighting skills and made it more dramatic. And Alicia’s performance in it was phenomenal. I loved her there. It made a really good impact on me and I caught myself really watching with interest. (also the fact she didn’t become a killer-machine a minute later helped a lot)

3) Soundtrack Not that it would be a masterpiece but some pieces were very nice, it underlined the movie well. Definiely better than the game soundtrack which was too simple, depressing and overly dramatic. 

4) Lu Ren He didn’t get much space in the film and I wished he got more scenes there. I don’t know what specifically drew me to him but I got hooked on him. I did not see any sexual chemistry between him and Laraboot as many other people did apparently. But they bonded over their shared clichéd ‘I-lost-my-parent-too’ past and surprisingly it was not forced but natural. I liked his character very much tho we did not get much of him. Shame.  yeah and I found him cute, I couldn’t help it

5) Main advantage? No Sam!!!! That speaks for itself.

So much for the pros of the movie. Now what I did not like at all ... 

1) Plot Generally speaking I think it is a film that one does not have to see more than once. You can’t make gold from the plot that is average even from its source. It lacks originality, there are typical hollywood whims of every action-adventure movie, e.g., diary, valuable documents that has to be destroyed in order not to be seized by the villain - ‘surprisingly’ the villain will obtain the notes very quickly and easily based on main protagonist’s decision to keep them; father figure without which the heroine could not found her true adventurous self etc. Simple and straighforward. On the other hand I ask myself what did I expect when I knew it was game-based and I knew the plot? 

2) Faaaaatheeeeer Another thing that annoyed me - they drained the father story to its maximum. He was alive. Living on the island as hairy castaway. And of course he had to die at the island. I ask why they had to give so much time for Richard. I took it they wanted to make it so dramatically emotional, a tearjerker, but for me it did not have the effect. It was too Hollywood. They so much forced the father-daughter stuff, they wanted to drain you emotinally but it appeared so plain and ordinary.

3) Stunts, Effects Also the stunts and some effects were very poor. Like the parachutte scene where Laraboot flew to the forest. Or the jumps. OMG the jumps! I lauged so hard. They should hire a better stunt director. He must have been drunk when working on the movie. The jumps Laraboot makes?!!! Ridiculous! I mean she always looked like this:

Of course Alicia was pulled by some ropes or anything for security but it appeared so absurd - it is like they dragged her earlier than she got a chance to actually take off some surface. Honestly, the directors failed big time here. 

4) Plot holes Maybe it was due to my non-full concentration but all characters claimed there is no way how to get away from the island. BUT WHY? We did not get an answer.. And what next, is it a stand-alone movie? They started the ROTTR storyline, revealed Ana to be the bad guy. Which brings me to the fact why Richard did not say anything about Ana to his daugher?

5) ‘I’ll take two.’’

Now I get to the famous ending scene of the movie. That was probably the only scene Alicia acted badly. I didn’t believe her. I didn’t belived she became badass. I didn’t believe she can wield dual pistols. I don’t know why they put this scene in the film in the first place. A bait to classic fans? Didn’t work. Just because they gave her duals does not make her to be the Lara. It takes so much more to be Croft. It was forced, useless, unnecesary. If it wasn’t there it’d be better because they mixed apples with pears and it doesn’t go well together.

In conclusion, as a common viewer it didn’t offend me as I knew what to expect knowing the Reboot series. It was better than the game and I wasn’t bored as I thought I’d have been. As a Lara Croft fan it didn’t offend me either because I don’t consider this film to have anything in common with Tomb Raider or Lara Croft so to speak. It was just another film about another very plain and ordinary girl. It just appears to have a name of a famous character.

[margridarnauds]

1789, ronan/laz, and laz | terra nova, wash/mira, mira

I bet you were wondering if this was ever getting done. Here, have some of my slightly sleep-deprived thoughts. 

1789

Favorite character: Lazare de motherfucking Peyrol, for all of his (4) scenes.

Least Favorite character: You’re probably expecting Artois or Ramard. True, Ramard is absolutely noxious in the French version and…there in the Takarazuka version, but he has his moments, and he’s pretty adorable when he tries to rescue Olympe from Artois. Artois, while being….Artois, is pretty magnetic as a villain due to being played by Miya Rurika and managing to steal the show right out from under everybody’s feet everytime he’s on stage. No. The real threat is someone far more unassuming, someone that floods every moment he’s on the screen with dread. Someone who refuses to take no for an answer. Someone who DEFINITELY DID NOT HAVE AN AFFAIR WITH THE QUEEN OF FRANCE. MOTHERFUCKING FERSEN. The actress who plays him has such a phenomenal voice in the Takarazuka version and does so well with it that it’s hard, but Axel von Fersen is a dweeb and deserves at least one Peyrol Certified Bitchslap™. (Also, in real life, HE WAS A PLAYER. AND A BIT OF AN ASSHOLE IMO IF YOU READ HIS LETTERS, BUT THAT WAS PRETTY NORMAL SO I CAN EXCUSE IT. BUT HE WAS A PLAYER.) Now, I know this is 1789 and history is dead (poor, poor historical!Artois), but Fersen just…doesn’t really add anything with his presence. He’s there, he’s bland, he ups the already unfortunate heterosexual quotient of the show, and then I try to move on. And, also, while I am a member of the Slap Ronan Mazurier Club, I also think that GOING AFTER A HUNGOVER PEASANT. ARMED WITH A STICK. WHEN YOU HAVE A RAPIER. ISN’T GOOD FORM. Oh? He insulted your girlfriend? SO’S EVERYBODY ELSE, DUMBFUCK.

5 Favorite ships (canon or non-canon): Laz/Ronan, Solene/Olympe, Olympe/Ronan/Lazare, Necker/Artois, Marie Antoinette/Olympe (in the sense of an unrequited thing that helped her to grow; not so much as an actual relationship)

Character I find most attractive: Solene. Like, was that a question? Thank you, final, ongoing proof of my bisexuality. 

Character I would marry: Olympe or Solene

Character I would be best friends with: Olympe, though I’m not sure how she’d deal with my sense of humor. I would say “Charlotte” but I’m not sure re: the age gap there, though she seems to be fine trailing along behind Danton. 

a random thought: I’ve been going over Solene’s scenes a lot for my WIP, trying to scoop out what characterization I can, and one thing that was really striking listening to the Takarazuka version is this mixture between power and insecurity. Like, she’s obviously deeply hurt by Ronan hurting her and, even though I don’t LIKE a lot of what the Zuka version did to Solene for various reasons, I do like that they have it as being DIRECTLY addressed to Ronan as a call-out. So you have her staring at him and saying she’s been abandoned and she didn’t have a choice while also talking about how Ronan’s entered her realm and how the men “submit themselves” to her. Like, I would never want to gloss over the harsh realities of a prostitute’s life at this time because it was REALLY dangerous, especially for a woman like Solene who seems to be working independently, without the (somewhat dubious) protection of a Madame or pimp, but she does seem to find a way to take some power in it that she would never have found as a farmer’s wife. I’m really glad that, despite the fact that this production really sanitized Solene (which, it’s to be expected; it’s Takarazuka), they still were able to bring in some of that grit. 

An unpopular opinion: The thing with 1789 is that opinions that are unpopular with one section of the fandom are popular with another and vice versa, as small as this fandom is. Ronan Mazurier is an idiot, but I don’t ABSOLUTELY hate him and I can actually like him, especially when I’m writing him and ESPECIALLY when I’m writing him outside of canon. “Je Veux le Monde” is interesting not just because Solene is being badass (she is!), but also because of the way the show utilizes violence even while the lyrics of the song condemn the bloodlust of revolutionaries like Ronan. Even though I can like both versions, the Takarazuka production saved the show. Peyrol’s troops on pillars during “Nous ne Sommes”>Dancing Table Robespierre. I will never understand the appeal of Salieri/Lazare as a ship. As much as I utilize Kinky!Lazare, I’m not really fond of Sadist!Lazare, since it robs him of a lot of whatever nuance the French production gave him (It’s not much, but I’ll take it). I think pretty much every production we’ve seen thus far did a cop out by not showing what really happened on July 12 instead of just “Bad Royalists attack poor protesters” (I’ll give a hint: It involved rocks. Thrown at the cavalry.) As much as I like Solene and Lucille Desmoulins as friends (WOMEN. BEING FRIENDS. IT’S A MIRACLE), it makes literally no sense why a middle class girl like Lucille, enamored with Rousseau, would casually befriend someone of such a lower class, especially when, at this point, she’s Danton’s mistress and a former (?) prostitute. Okay, I think I’ve said something to piss off every section of the fandom, Mission Accomplished. 

My Canon OTP: This comes with a CANON? Oh God, the French version more or less nixed this but Marie Antoinette/Louis were adorable historically and I will do literally everything in my power to bring that into fics. It seems like, despite being in an arranged marriage, they were deeply, passionately in love with each other and those last few years really brought them together. Also, on the other side, Lucille/Camille Desmoulins are…heartbreaking, historically. They loved each other so much and, when he died, she basically lost the will to live. Some of her last reported words before they took her to the scaffold were, “They have assassinated the best of men. If I did not hate them for that, I should bless them for the service they have done me this day.” They left behind a son, Horace, just a year old.

My Non-canon OTP: Laz/Ronan is the Ultimate OTP for this one.

Most Badass Character: French!Solene fucking shit up is my sexual orientation. In productions where she isn’t there, then Lazare, by sheer virtue of the fact that we see him most in combat situations, he seems to be the only officer in Paris who ACTUALLY DOES HIS JOB instead of dicking around in Versailles, and he climbs out of The Pit to shame revolutionaries.

Most Epic Villain: I firmly believe that one of 1789′s biggest sins in that they’ve never quite latched onto a firm villain. You’ve got Peyrol, you’ve got Ramard, and you’ve got Artois, but as far as serious, developed threats? It’s hard. But look, we all know I hate fucking Artois. I truly do loathe the little bastard. BUT. He’s also pretty damn iconic and Miya Rurika is obviously having the time of her LIFE in the role. Every single moment of “Je Suis un Dieu” is iconic because she’s finally been released into the wild. Like, the Extra Unmasking scene with a cloak, nailing that goth aesthetic? The fact that he declares himself a God IN THE CHURCH OF SAINT DENIS, the church of Paris’ PATRON SAINT? Casually using Ramard as a footstool? Putting on an ENTIRE SONG as a way of telling Ronan to shut up? The way he strides along the stage like he owns the place? Highkey flirting with Fersen? Iconic. He’s thoroughly despicable in every single way which makes the scene where Olympe points a pistol in his face so damn satisfying. And, the thing with Artois? HE WINS. The Royal Family will be killed, all of the young, idealistic revolutionaries we see here are going to turn on each other and die young, and Artois will take the throne, though he’s eventually yeeted off of it after six years during the July Revolution, with his successor, Louis Philippe, inspiring Les Miserables and Charles dying in exile. Still, for all intents and purposes, he gets exactly what he wanted, though you have to wonder if, eventually, so much loss and death of everyone around him, including his favorite mistress Louise de Polastron, won’t tear him apart. (I know, I know, Takarazuka Charles is an actual demon, but let me hope.) I’m really, really curious to see what the Toho cast is going to bring to the table, since it looks like we’re getting a VERY aggressive Laz, a slimier Artois, and a borderline heroic Ramard.

Pairing I am not a fan of: Ronan/Olympe in its pure, canon form; Danton/Solene (I have many, many issues with that one and Solene’s position in general, since we all know Danton’s a fuckboi who will eventually abandon her, hence why for once I prefer the French version where their relationship is seemingly a one-time thing); Charles/Lazare is interesting to play with as a part of Laz’s backstory but not something I’d want going forward because there’s no way that one can end well for Laz. He’s going to be stuck in the same patterns time after time again and he’ll remain loyal to a system that will eventually screw him over out of love for someone who lacks the ability to love him and who will use and manipulate him until the end. You could argue that he 100% deserves it but, tbh, my main interest in him is seeing if he can do better.

Character I feel the writers screwed up (in one way or another): I feel like every single character in 1789 (with maybe the exception of the Printing Press Bros, who work best as side characters) was screwed over. Olympe in the Forbidden Ending of the French version, shot down for Ronan’s angst (But, hey, final proof she’s a lesbian), Marie Antoinette in the French version, Louis XVI in the French version for the Throne Room Scene alone, Solene in any production not getting a really solid arc or characterization (and, in both Japanese productions, being watered down), and, tbh, I also feel like Laz really got the short end of the stick. I talk about the man a lot, but that’s mainly me filling in the blanks. It’s pretty damn obvious when you look at him as a character that he was added in at the last moment because the producers were shitting their pants over Matthieu Carnot’s contract after they wanted to stunt cast Louis Delort from the Voice. 

Favorite Friendship: The Printing Press Bros, as per history. Such a pity that one of them is going to turn on the other two... On a less tragic note, I like French!Olympe’s relationship with Charlotte and wished that it got more screentime. 

Character I most identify with: The very, very specific version of Lazare de Peyrol I’ve projected on in my mind. A lot of my character building for him comes from me more or less writing out what could have been for me and taking it up several notches. A lot of his little quirks (pacing around, for example), I take more or less directly from me (though you will notice that in the French Maniaque, even in the toned down one where he’s at the back of the stage, he’s always in motion, so I didn’t take it out of nowhere.) He and I both (according to my headcanons + the general age for a lot of officers, with could be preteen-14) were put into this position at a young age where we had to be adults, so the experience of childhood was really stunted in a way (note: This is also a BIG part of why I identify so much with Bres mac Elatha). As someone who was raised in such a conservative town and who parroted a lot of those views for years until I broke out of it, I also really get why he thinks the way he thinks and have a pretty vested interest in getting him out of it. I also really do identify quite a lot with Solene, specifically the French version where she and Ronan don’t have that reconciliation. It’s painful, but, in my experience, that’s a little more true to life in the sense that there are these family members who you never quite understand or get along with and who you think you’ll get one of these days, but that doesn’t happen and you’re left really trying to come to terms with that. That feeling of being abandoned, focusing more on the practicality of the Revolution, etc. I can definitely understand, as well as not really being able to trust anyone afterwards. 

Character I wish I could be: I mean, the problem with 1789 is that almost everyone you love is going to be dead in five years. I would normally say Solene; I do want a tenth of the badassery of “Je Veux Le Monde,” but I definitely don’t want the sheer amount of dark shit that she goes through. Olympe probably has the best chance of escaping, I like that sparkle cloak, she’s also very loyal, and and gets to slap Ronan (literally the best part of the French version), so maybe her?

Lazare/Ronan

(Note: All of the following has been done under the [correct] assumption that these two are in a full romantic relationship throughout the musical)

When I started shipping them: About a year ago, watching the Takarazuka version with subtitles

My thoughts: The OTP. They come from completely opposite experiences and completely change each other’s lives and ways of viewing the world, for the better and the worse. 

What makes me happy about them: Peyrol loves his boyfriend so much, he remembers his name after NEARLY A YEAR, he is basically completely infatuated within EIGHT DAYS of them being reunited (the length of time, roughly, between Maniaque and the comment about “The Comte de Peyrol’s affection”), he buys him coats, gets him a place to live, and lets him get away with things that no other human being could conceivably get away under his watch. Hell, in the French version, EVEN OLYMPE KNOWS, as shown by her dream and Ramard saying, “Monsieur de Peyrol, he’s yours. Do whatever you wish with him.” I think that if they’d ever had more time to be a couple, they would have really grown with each other a lot and learned to work past their quarrels, getting this really strong foundation with one another, finding a peace with each other that they would never have found in the outside world.

What makes me sad about them: Everything with this pairing is pain if you go with their canon ending. LIKE, Peyrol loves Ronan to a truly ridiculous degree, lets himself feel probably his first human emotion in possibly DECADES, and then Ronan dies. And, worse, in the Takarazuka version, he dies at Lazare’s hand. And over something that was purely because of Laz’s own pettiness and rigidity. (There was literally no reason for him to order his troops to fire on Papa du Puget, except for that he saw he was losing and decided to take one last shot at someone he deemed a traitor.) In all likelihood, since Laz is…Laz, he probably never told Ronan he loved him, thinking that everything he’d done was good enough when NO it wasn’t while simultaneously thinking that Ronan probably loves Camille and the others more than him, so Ronan probably spends his last moments thinking his boyfriend had just used and discarded him. And, the worst thing for me is that, while the French version seems to have a bit of a reconciliation in the afterlife, with the two of them embracing, in the Takarazuka version you can see Lazare looking at Ronan and then, when Ronan gets up there with him, turning his back. Which is probably just as much because the stage is actually rotating but, with a shipping lens….it’s depressing, since I tend to headcanon it as Laz being so guiltstricken by what he’s done that he can’t even look or speak with Ronan. 

Things done in fanfic that annoys me: As I talk about in more detail below, Creepy Crawly Lazare is a no. I think a lot of fics really take the power imbalance between them at face value and just go off of that, WHICH IS FAIR, given there are severe power imbalances, but such a big part of the relationship for me is also that, if we assume that Laz is willing to have an affair with a revolutionary, we have to assume that he’s completely, utterly smitten as well, and that, while Ronan’s too much of an oblivious walnut to realize it, Laz is completely emotionally compromised by him. He might have the social and economic power over Ronan, but Ronan also has him wrapped around his finger to a truly magnificent degree. (Which, if you look at Nous Ne Sommes with that lens, it becomes a matter of Laz really trying to convince himself that he’s still Old Lazare, still devoted to the Crown, that no, he’s not in love with him, and he ends up with a bodycount while still utterly failing.) And, also, I feel like Ronan post-Bastille VS Pre would take the relationship very differently. Like, in many ways, I think that if they kickstarted their relationship a year or so after the musical, you’d be looking at two very different people in a very different situation, with the scales tipped in Ronan’s favor. 

Things I look for in fanfic: LITERALLY ANYTHING INVOLVING THEM I WILL READ. 

My wishlist: Interactions? More interactions? Them to reinstate the original Maniaque? The ending to be revised so that it includes the first gay, interclass wedding while Artois throws a temper tantrum in the Church before being taken away by the Swiss Guards? Alright, in all honesty, if I can’t completely tear the original to shreds to give me the 100% gay version of 1789 I deserve, then I would like more scenes between the two of them, not even necessarily as more than rivals, but showing them as being linked to each other, like how the French version has him in the back during La Rue nous Appartient or how the Takarazuka version has him there during the Act 1 finale (which took La Rue’s place). I like the idea of Peyrol always kind of being there in Ronan’s mind as this looming threat. I would love to see Peyrol getting something more than just a couple of songs, because the fact that he’s not there for Ronan’s escape is just...odd to me. Like, is he asleep? On vacation? At Versailles? I would like to see him actually *react* to Ronan’s escape more, since that also makes him look bad. I’d like to see more of Peyrol’s concerns, seeing the mob growing, seeing Ronan getting involved in it, and having an “Oh God, What Have I Done?” moment, even if it doesn’t stick. I’d like a moment between the two of them when they realize how much they’re becoming like each other, as the Revolution takes bits out of both of them. On a noncanon level, I wish that there were more opportunities for them to work together as a pair. 

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other: Despite my general headcanon that Laz is GAY GAY GAY, I do lowkey ship L/O after the finale, mainly courtesy of The Bernese Affair. I also lowkey, lowkey ship him with the random peasant that appears on his arm during “Pour la Peine,” played by Alan Grall, who was understudy!Ronan. Generally, however, I don’t think Lazare could be with anyone after Ronan. For once, he tried to put his heart in with his duty, and it failed miserably. Tbh, in any continuity where Ronan dies, I don’t really see Laz as surviving for much longer. He could throw himself into the Princes’ Army, fighting against the Revolutionary Forces, he could face the mob and die on the lantern, or any other combination of factors (as you saw in the Solene WIP), but I really don’t see Laz lasting long after this one. I think the version we’d see of him post-finale would be broken in a way that we’ve never really seen him broken and, the worst thing is, he wouldn’t have anyone to confide in. In a world where Laz had died instead of Ronan, in theory, if Ronan would TALK to her (unrealistic), he has Solene, maybe Charlotte, Camille, and Olympe. Hell, Danton probably wouldn’t even care and would at least try to get Ronan laid, get him out of the house, etc. even if Ronan would be absolutely miserable company. Laz doesn’t have that. He has his men, and they more likely than not follow him out of a mixture of respect and fear. As a result, I see him trying to bottle his life with Ronan, trying to keep it to himself, and eventually destroying himself over it. Ronan…I have a hard time seeing with anyone else. Definitely not Olympe. Camille, maybe. Robespierre, maybe, though either one has….problems, historically. And, tbh, I think they’d be too tame for Ronan. Look at the two people he’s paired with: A Royal Officer and the Queen’s Governess. He literally can’t seem to go for a relationship where they’re on the same team. (Yet another reason to kinkshame him). I’d honestly rather have him realize the Revolution is going to shit and travel back to the country where he, idk, rolls around in dirt for a little while to forget his troubles. (Note: In the Takarazuka version, you have Ronan committing himself to a life alone without Olympe and, even if this is a moment of Ronan being Extra…I think there’s a bit of truth to it. Ronan feels things in extremes: Love, hatred, grief, and I suspect that he would be inconsolable. Like, his initial reaction to his father’s death was to IMMEDIATELY get out of the area and swear vengeance, which I have my own headcanons about BUT, the point is, he’ll want a new start, outside of Paris, and I think he would throw himself into it with the same fervor he threw himself into the Revolution. Which actually parallels nicely with Artois swearing himself to celibacy after Louis de Polastron’s death.)

My happily ever after for them: The two of them manage to convince each other to run away from the Revolution together, going to England, Italy, or literally anywhere else bordering France. They both grow as human beings, with both of them moving increasingly towards the center. Laz leaves the Army and begins the process of healing himself and getting his individuality back, with Ronan occasionally napping on his shoulder while he’s practicing on the harpsichord. They don’t have children, but do have several animals (that Laz claims are Ronan’s), including at least one black kitten that SOMEONE (Read: Ronan) names Artois for its imperious manner. Olympe and Solene occasionally stay with them, with Solene and Lazare calling a truce for Ronan’s sake. The Mazurier siblings reconcile. They all deal with the trauma of the French Revolution together, as a family. Sometime after the heat of the Revolution dies down, probably around 1804, they go back to France, where Ronan helps Laz deal with his past and the trauma associated with it. By this point, society’s more or less accepted that they’re married and, with the decriminalization of homosexuality in 1791, there’s not all that much they can do except for, like, not inviting the socially awkward aristocrat to their salons. Oh, the shame. Peyrol will have to console himself by banging his boyfriend in every room of his chateau. They all outlive Artois.

Lazare de Peyrol

How I feel about this character: He is my aristocratic gay disaster son who needs to CHILL and commit 99% fewer homicides.

Any/all the people I ship romantically with this character: Ronan, Olympe, Charles (as part of his Tragic Backstory, unrequited), Happiness, the Whip, the Coat, Marat’s Printing Press, Louis XVI (as an unrequited thing pre-Ronan, instead of Charles). I could also be persuaded to ship Robespierre/Lazare, though I don’t think it’d ever really be a major thing since, tbh, they don’t have the same kind of history/attachment that R/L do.

My favorite non-romantic relationship for this character: The sad thing with Laz is that we really don’t get any real relationships with him, besides his men and their attempts to get him to hook up with Ronan (which I read as mainly them thinking “HEY! If he gets laid, maybe he won’t have us flogged for every minor infraction!”) Charlotte as a sort of ward for Laz is a disaster waiting to happen, but it’s something that I think has a lot of potential in the sense that he’s never really HAD anyone to protect before and then there’s this street urchin who is more or less feral BUT she has her uses and eventually Laz is basically the equivalent of “I’ve only known Charlotte a day and a half but if anything happened to her I’d kill everyone in this room and then myself.” Which, Peyrol picking up ANOTHER stray. The good news is that Charlotte’s out of the danger stage as far as when i think Peyrol would have the most trouble dealing with kids, since she’s old enough that she still has a sense of independence, though I think they’d clash a lot as far as Laz wanting her to be A Proper Young Woman while Charlotte is…Charlotte. Also, on the reverse side, I like the idea of Papa du Puget (in a verse where Laz DOESN’T TRY TO KILL HIM) forming a sort of father/son bond with him.

My unpopular opinion about this character: Creepy Crawly Laz is a hard “no” for me. It’s not just that he’s more often than not portrayed as creeping on the wrong person, but it’s just…not anything in keeping with what we’ve seen of Laz thus far. I can’t see Laz as being the one who’s really forward in his relationship with Ronan, or really with anyone. I tend to headcanon him as more or less gray ace, with a strong focus on his work before he meets Ronan, which is part of why he reacts so STRONGLY to him. Like, he was minding his own business, doing his job, and then this PEASANT comes in and upsets everything and makes him feel tingly feelings that he’s really not used to. TBH I have a hard time imagining he’s even kissed someone pre-musical. (Okay, Takarazuka Laz I have an easier time with, but still.) And so he tries to put him in his proper place but…that doesn’t work well and then suddenly the peasant wants to kiss him and ABORTABORTABORT but it also feels…somewhat nice and, oh, that’s what the tingly feelings are. Consider that his opening lines to Ronan in Maniaque basically consist of, “Your father is dead and you’re an idiot. Also, do you want to betray your friends and become my trophy twink because I can arrange that?” That is not someone who’s experienced in any way. Like, he probably cries during their first time together and Ronan’s just there like “…Peyrol, Peyrol, are you alright? Did I do something wrong?” And meanwhile with Ronan we (unfortunately) know he’s very *physical* when it comes to people so, the second he realizes he’s got the hots for his father’s killer, he’s going to just…go for it. And then probably angst later. 

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: I wish we’d gotten more development with Laz in general, given that I think he has a lot of potential. Obviously, my ideal version of 1789 would be a romantic drama with Peyrol/Ronan and Solene/Olympe as our two cross-class relationships, with Ronan and Lazare potentially being the comic relief in the background. I would really like to see him go through an actual arc in the musical, with him reacting to the events of the Revolution, with Nous Ne Sommes being him having a sort of breakdown (which is how I’ve always personally interpreted the “Let it Go Lazare” video), which leads up to the Bastille. I like the idea of him gradually losing control over everything, with at least some of his men deserting, so that the position between him and Ronan gradually flips. (Personally, I’ve always liked the idea of “Nous ne Sommes” being about not just the revolutionaries, but about his own troops as they feel torn about firing on their own people and are increasingly resentful of their commander.) I would like to see some closure to Ronan’s revenge plot against him, even if it’s Laz being cornered by the mob as the Bastille falls. It’s kind of why I truly enjoy having R/L in mind for the Takarazuka version, because even though Ronan is shot down by Peyrol in the end, you know he’s probably managed to do exactly what he’d set out to do: Destroy him completely. And he did it without even really trying. There’s a sort of dark, dark irony to that one. 

My favorite friendship for this character: If I’m not going fully on poly with Ronan/Lazare/Olympe, I tend to still like Olympe and Lazare to be friends, as he probably has more in common with her than anyone else in the cast, seeing as they’re both devoted to the Royal Family, come from military backgrounds, have ties to the Bastille, and distrust the mob. I think it’s really important for Laz to keep up that relationship and to have someone like that to commiserate with. 

My crossover ship: Not a full-on ship, but I really like Wash and Laz’s friendship in the TN crossover. I like that you have these two military figures, both dedicated to their leaders, finding some common ground, I like that Laz finally has a superior who actually gives a damn about him and is supportive and encourages him to be a human being, I like how they both support each other in their disaster relationships. For the first time in his life, really, Laz has someone who is in his corner, so he doesn’t have to deal with this on his own, someone who acts as a mentor to him and really pushes him to be a better human being and a better officer (and who is willing to use the spray bottle on him when he contemplates homicide). Like, they both keep each other in check insanely well? Also, I miiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight lowkey ship Lazare/Chauvelin from the Scarlet Pimpernel, mainly because he was played by Ronan’s actress at one point and CROSSOVERS + It’s another revolutionary and Lazare has a Type. And I also lowkey support Saint Just/Lazare in the sense that I think they would have an absolutely HILARIOUS dynamic given that SJ was fantastic when it came to military stuff and had a noted love of music and Laz is….similar, but on a different side. Like, you’d have SJ complaining about the officers not doing anything and Laz would be like, “See? See? This is what I’ve been say-What do you mean ‘abolition of privileges?” And then they’d bond over, like, balloons or telegraph wires before remembering they hate each other and SJ is highkey in love with Robespierre. Also, I strongly feel like at some Laz tried to propose to Oscar de Jarjayes as a way of showing how very heterosexual he was and. She knocked him on his ass. It was probably the closest he’s ever come to being sexually attracted to a woman (Not counting the Polyamory AU where he’s bi, but still).

Terra Nova

Favorite character: Wash

Least Favorite character: Lucas Motherfucking Taylor

5 Favorite ships (canon or non-canon): Wash/Mira, Jim/Malcolm, Maddy/Skye, Mark/Josh, Lucas Taylor/A T-Rex’s Jaw...you know, the standards

Character I find most attractive: WASH. 

Character I would marry: Elizabeth, because we know her family’s rich and she’s insanely smart and caring. (Actual Josh Shannon quote: “Rachel, please don’t fuck my mom”). 

Character I would be best friends with: Maddy Shannon

a random thought: This is the kind of thing we’ve talked about, but It’s such a pity we got a conglomeration of four different scripts rather than one solid script. I can understand not going full on grimdark, but there are still so many traces of it throughout the script (the casual usage of torture, INCLUDING BY JIM), that it’s a pity they didn’t have the guts to do it. Even if they didn’t go through with the Cursed original script, they’d have done well to just stick to one coherent script with a solid idea of where they were going. Taylor: Antihero, villain, or Santa Steroids? Jim: Relatable everyman or hero? (ALSO: THEY SHOULD HAVE KEPT THE ORIGINAL REASON FOR HIM BEING ARRESTED.) It’s like everybody on the writing team had a different idea about the characters + Colony and what they were going for, with traces of that darkness edging in but never being addressed. The over-the-top dystopia of the original is, tbh, more than a little corny, but so is the “Taylor is always right! The government does surveillance on you because it loves you! You have nothing to fear if you have nothing to hide! Love Big Brother! Look, Taylor interacting with children! Have you ever heard of a dictator who hangs out with children?” thing that the final product had, especially given that this is so very clearly a post-9/11 world where questions about state authority are STILL going around and things like the Patriot Act are still deeply controversial.  Obviously, character development is a thing and I would LOVE to see a gradual slide, but looking at where they went with what they had planned, I don’t see how they were going to pull it off, especially given that all they’ve really mentioned about S2 was that Taylor was going to go insane, which doesn’t seem to take into account his pre-existing authoritarian tendencies. (Also, the fact they just brush it aside as him being “crazy” feels deeply eh to me, since it seems like such a narrative cheap shot and more than a little unfortunate from a mental health standpoint.) There was so much they should have been building up to and bringing in from episode one, and they dropped it. I think, in the end, there were a lot of things that really damned the show in the end, potentially not fatal on their own, but I think that was the original sin of it, in a sense. If I’d been an executive looking the show over and deciding whether to renew or not, I’d not have hesitated over cancelling the hot mess, as enjoyable as it is. 

An unpopular opinion: None of the canon relationships were well done and it’s better to pretend that literally everyone realized they were gay post-finale. Also, GIVE ME MY DARK VERSION OF PARADISE LOST WITH DINOS DAMMIT. 

My Canon OTP: ........................................

My Non-canon OTP: Wash/Mira, even though it’s canon in my heart. 

Most Badass Character: Uh? WASH? Now that she’s gone, the Colony is fucked, which is obv. the real reason the show was cancelled. Also, Mira, surviving in the wild for as long as she has and putting Taylor in his place when he’s like, “I WAS HERE A WHOLE MONTH WITHOUT MY X-BOX.” And Mira’s like, “Bitch, where do you think we’ve been the last few years? At the Ritz?” 

Most Epic Villain: I’m not giving Lucas Taylor the benefit of this. Mira, but I don’t really see her as a villain. If they’d ever had the guts in a later season to call out Taylor’s bullshit, I think he had the potential to be FASCINATING, as Jim comes to terms with what he is, turning against someone he considered a boyfriend, and breaking free of following orders (or, you know, just assigning his role to Wash. That would work too.) Lead the audience in with talk of Utopia, “the ends justify the means,” then steadily deconstruct it with Taylor becoming more and more paranoid after the season finale, losing faith in his dreams, committing more and more atrocities and continuing to justify them. 

Pairing I am not a fan of: Anything? In? Canon? Lucas/Skye in particular. 

Character I feel the writers screwed up (in one way or another): All of them? But also, LET ! WASH ! GET ! CHARACTER ! DEVELOPMENT ! And Skye deserved a hell of a lot more than a half-baked spy arc and romance arc with Josh, especially given her connection to Taylor (which, I’ve said this before and I’ll say this again, if anyone’s taking down Taylor and we’re forced to admit Wash is dead, IT NEEDS TO BE SKYE WHO TAKES HIM DOWN. NOT JIM. SOMEONE WHO’S KNOWN AND LOVED HIM FOR YEARS.) We needed more of her relationships with people in the colony, especially Wash since Wash doesn’t really have *connections* and, if you’re going to toss away a character like that, you need to emphasize how much is MATTERS. And calling her “Alycia” every chance you get isn’t the same. Showing Skye mourning would have been a good step. And, tbh, I will always feel like they did Mark a disservice by cutting out his role as a Sixer spy and just making him Maddy’s Bland Straight Love Interest. The actor did a pretty good job selling it, and yet, in the end, all that made it the screen was oatmeal. You could have had an opportunity for a genuinely riveting Sixer Spy plotline, tying him and Skye together as friends and (reluctant) conspirators, while also giving some solid conflict to the characters, but they tossed it away. And killing Mark off in the finale would have made a lot more of an impact than Wash because the audience has SEEN him forge that (bland) relationship with Maddy, sees him joking with her little sister, and then fridges him. Like, you want to show you’re not playing around? DO THAT. RAISE THE FUCKING STAKES. 

Favourite Friendship: Wash/Taylor. I def. tend to view them as long-time comrades who have a lot of deep respect for one another and who trust each other unconditionally. That’s why, no matter what happens, that friendship breaking is going to be so painful. They’re really one of the only solid ties that they have to the past on Ter Noa, and, eventually, the past has gotta die. 

Character I most identify with: Maddy Shannon. 

Character I wish I could be: WASH. 

Mira/Wash

When I started shipping them: During our TN streams, thank you very much. 

My thoughts: Definitely not a ship I came in with, especially since the writers seem to have a phobia over female characters talking for more than a minute at a time when absolutely necessary, but definitely one of the most interesting pairings insofar as chemistry and potential is concerned. 

What makes me happy about them: These two work so well together on every level; they really match each other well even as they have that kind of conflict that makes a ship investing. You have these two complete badasses in love, angsty, but still staying true to themselves. 

What makes me sad about them: They have so few interactions on screen; we never really get anything with them aside from the one (beautiful) interaction. Also, despite what they both might want, their loyalties for the foreseeable future are so bound up that, even if they meet up occasionally, they can’t pursue a solid relationship (WHICH. OH. IN THE CROSSOVER. RONAN FEELING BAD THAT IN A WORLD WHERE SEEMINGLY EVERYTHING’S POSSIBLE, SOME COUPLES STILL CAN’T BE TOGETHER.)

Things done in fanfic that annoys me: WHAT FANFIC? Making Wash and Mira straight is obviously a no go. 

Things I look for in fanfic: To exist someplace besides my computer hardrive. 

My wishlist: TALKING? 

Who I’d be comfortable them ending up with, if not each other: I don’t have any ships for Mira outside of Wash, tbh. If she’s with someone, it’d have to be someone who could match her and would be willing to deal with her rough edges as well as uncovering that little chink in her armor. Elizabeth Shannon would be an interesting choice there, I suppose. Wash...Reilly could work, as someone who’s military as well, though I’m not sure Wash would date someone under her command. Elizabeth Shannon’s still an option there, in the sense that I think she could get Wash to SLOW DOWN and also still has less of a tolerance for Taylor’s shit (the second he comes for her kids, it’s over.) 

My happily ever after for them: Wash eventually realizes that Taylor’s doing Some Dystopian Shit and falls to Mira’s Sixer Wiles, the two of them work together to take him down and then, using some leftover Lucas Bullshit, they re-establish contact on Earth, snatch Sienna, and then go back to Terra Nova where they reunite the Sixers and the Colony as one united group. The Sixers get a full pardon for what they’ve done, or at the very least a highly commuted sentence. They also raise Leah and Sam as their own, with Sienna thrilled to get two new siblings (they also make regular trips to Earth to see Leah and Sam’s grandparents, who are THRILLED to see them but are also mildly intimidated by Mira sharpening her knives in the dining room.)

         Mira

How I feel about this character: Very problematic but I also love her and am totally on her side VS Taylor. 

Any/all the people I ship romantically with this character: Wash, Alycia Washington, Lt. Washington

My favorite non-romantic relationship for this character: Sienna. It has to have been a pretty strong mother/daughter bond to get Mira to basically bend Heaven and Hell for her, and it’s a pity we never really got to see it in person considering it would have really helped to humanize Mira further. 

My unpopular opinion about this character: THAT FUCKING SCENE WHERE THE WRITERS IN THE COMMENTARY CALLED HER “ALMOST SYMPATHETIC.” NO, BITCH. SHE IS SYMPATHETIC. I’m really along the same lines as you where I have a really hard time viewing her as a villain. Anti-villain, maybe, but, given what goes on in the Colony (torture, martial law, etc.) I have a hard time not rooting for her. 

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon: That the episode with her and Taylor was replaced with her and Wash. That relationship has so much potential to be fascinating, not just as far as shipping but just in general. Like, even if I didn’t headcanon them as Sad Exes, that “Still doing Taylor’s dirty work?” Shows that they go way back, that there’s this connection there, and Mira offers Wash an alternative to what she’s got on the colony, even if it’s one she can’t take. They work well as rivals and foils for one another as two people who are both military, both very driven, but happened to wind up on different sides. I also really wish that we’d gotten to see more of Mira and what’s going on with her at a given point. I really would have liked to see if she has any mementos of Sienna or something like that. Flashbacks to her on Earth, maybe, or an episode from the perspective of the Sixers. Just something solid as far as establishing her and who she is outside of just “mean Sixer Lady”.  

Favorite friendship for this character: Sixers? Have? Friends? In all honesty, Mira strikes me as the type who avoids attachments, because they’re not here to make friends, they’re here for the money and then to get the Hell out. She’s pragmatic like that. I think she wants her people to respect her, but, ultimately, she’s there for the mission. (Oh, like another military idiot I have a soft spot for.)

My crossover ship: Not a full out ship, but I’m really intrigued by how her and Olympe will get along in the crossover as the Revolution has to team up with the Sixers. Because with Olympe, she’s very easy to underestimate (which is why I think Lucas Taylor is going to fail miserably). Unlike Mira, who I think projects herself as more of a hardass than she actually is as a way of keeping control, Olympe makes herself deliberately softer and more demure than I think she really is as a way of keeping control because that is how you do things in the 18th century. She keeps her head down, keeps her wits about her, smiles, and then darts away from the trouble (namely, Artois). In terms of personality, she’s very nurturing and kid-focused, whereas Mira’s more like Laz in the sense that she has a goal that she wants to achieve and she kind of goes for the throat. Her actions towards Leah show that, while she loves Sienna, when it comes to kids, she’s not above being harsh to a child if she feels it’s necessary. Again, it’s all about the mission to her, getting the money, and then going. So you have these two people with very different approaches to life from very different time periods having to get along for the greater good. 

[eyanril]

Movie Round-Up 2017

My opinions only, of course! :)

Best of 2017:

Logan - This movie is magnificent from the opening to the end credits, and if you haven’t seen it, go out and rectify that RIGHT NOW.  Hugh Jackman brings an utterly heartbreaking vulnerability to an aging Wolverine. Patrick Stewart as Charles Xavier and newcomer Dafne Keen as X-23 keep pace easily with Jackman’s fantastic performance.  The story is amazing, the acting is phenomenal, the special effects and fight choreography are stunning.  Seriously, just sit down and watch it already, even you are not a fan of the X-Men franchise.  You won’t regret it. 

Thor: Ragnarok - A delightful romp that, although it doesn’t hold up particularly well on its own, lightens up the Marvel Cinematic Universe almost as easily as a Guardians film. And despite its overall silly tone, it does a good job wrapping up the Asgardian story line and delivers some actual consequences that will reverberate in later films.

Wind River - Stunning cinematography and superb writing elevate this fairly by-the-book murder mystery above its brethren.  Jeremy Renner and Elizabeth Olson (as well as the supporting cast) are fantastic, and their performances alone make it worth watching.

Get Out - As much biting social commentary as it is thrilling horror movie, this was by far the biggest surprise of 2017 for me.  Everything about Get Out was meticulously crafted, and it deserves every bit of praise it got.  I can’t wait to see what else Jordan Peele has up his sleeve.  

Tie: Guardians of the Galaxy 2 and Spider-Man:Homecoming - Both manage to balance the humor and the gravity of their plots fairly well, giving us plenty of funny interspersed with character growth.  I have to give a slight edge to Spider-Man because of Tom Holland’s adorkable performance as Peter Parker, but I enjoyed them both a lot. 

Most Disappointing of 2017:

Ghost in the Shell - Damn, I wanted to love this, but even Scarlett Johansson wasn’t enough to make this live action adaptation of the beloved anime work. (In fact a lot of people seemed to think she was part of the problem.  I disagree).  It’s gorgeous, and it’s well acted, but at the end of the day it just felt flat and forgettable.

Alien: Covenant - Not sure what I expected, considering the let down that was 2012’s Prometheus.  A far cry from the quality of the original Alien and Aliens, it has all the shine but none of the substance that would be a good modern addition to the franchise. It goes in a direction that makes little sense, and made less of an impression on me than even the much derided Alien:Resurrection.

The Dark Tower - Ugh.  It took me months to read Stephen King’s epic fantasy/horror series in its entirety, and all my hopes and dreams for a good adaptation of the source material were dashed very quickly during The Dark Tower. Not only was it a bad adaptation, it was a bad movie in general.  I only hope that someday down the road someone can do the saga justice, even if it’s as a TV show or miniseries, because at this point anything would be better than this movie.  

Kong: Skull Island - Another one I had high hopes for, another one that let me down.  Tom Hiddleston and Brie Larson were given nothing interesting to do in a movie with a bloated run-time and little plot, which is a shame because they are both fantastic actors.  Utterly forgettable.

Beauty & the Beast - Why, Disney? Why do you have to keep making these mediocre live action adaptations of your already excellent animated films?  I don’t know exactly what I expected with this one, other than more of what made the original good.  Instead we got a charmless scene for scene rehash, with lukewarm chemistry and tepid song and dance numbers that don’t hold a candle to that of the original.

Surprises of 2017:

The Lego: Batman Movie - Having enjoyed 2014’s The Lego Movie on a very basic level, I wasn’t expecting to like this as much as I did.  Genuinely funny and heartwarming, it was a better Batman movie than Batman V. Superman and a better DCU movie than Justice League.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi - Hear me out on this one.  Going into The Force Awakens in 2015, I had seen only A New Hope and The Phantom Menace in their entirety, so I had no idea what to expect of this new iteration.  As it turned out, I was largely indifferent to The Force Awakens.  Color me shocked when I walked out of The Last Jedi very excited for Episode IX.  Was The Last Jedi flawed? Absolutely - and yet, due to a few very crucial elements (mainly any part involving Rey or Kylo Ren), I wouldn’t call it unsalvageable.  In fact, it’s one of the few movies I’d ever consider going to see in the theaters twice, just so I can have more of the good stuff.    

IT - I may have spent half the movie covering my eyes, but as far as horror movies go, that’s high praise coming from me.  While IT has a few issues, overall I found this modern adaptation of Stephen King’s classic novel to be thrilling, terrifying, and terribly beautiful.

Power Rangers - Having grown up with a cousin who spent a good chunk of time obsessed with the original Mighty Morphin version, I watched this mostly for nostalgia.  While it takes itself way too seriously for the most part, Elizabeth Banks’ campy turn as Rita Repulsa elevates the quality whenever she’s hamming it up onscreen.  Overall I enjoyed it, which was not something I expected for a movie rebooting a very bad 90s kids’ show.

Colossal - Based on the trailer, you’d think Colossal was a comedy - and you’d be completely wrong.  Hiding a slightly disturbing redemption story behind a funny facade, this one came out of left field, but managed to leave a good impression.  

Movies of 2017 that I wish I had seen:

Lady Bird - From all accounts, it’s brilliant, and I’m just upset that no theater within a reasonable driving distance is playing it. Saoirse Ronan is an amazing young actress and I’ve always enjoyed anything I’ve seen her in.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri - See above, ha.  As we both consider In Bruges to be one of the best movies ever made, my husband and I are eager to see it.

Baby Driver - For some reason my husband and I completely missed this in the theaters and we’re now regretting it, considering the amount of praise it has gotten.  Edgar Wright’s movies are always fantastically shot, and I’m sure this is no different.

[slinksterfeline]

My 2019 Oscars Picks...

It's that time of year again, and once again I attempted to watch every Oscar nominated movie before The Oscars, and once again we learned that just because a movie was released the previous autumn, that's no guarantee that you'll actually be able to view the movie before Oscar Day.

(Which just makes good business sense, why not hold back that tedious period piece and ask people to watch it AFTER The Oscars when it's far less relevant and you have considerably less motivation to slog through it.)

(No, seriously, I heard someone say A Star Is Born is indulgent film making, you sit through the long trailer for The Favourite and tell me that doesn't look like the very definition of the term "indulgent film making." Yeesh.)

Anyhoo...

Here we go:

Best Picture - Bohemian Rhapsody

* Black Panther - It's a Marvel movie so I was nearly guaranteed to love it but it's also a beautiful movie. It's also an almost entirely black ensemble telling the story of a black super hero based on the works of the Black Panthers while wearing costumes based on all the tribes of Africa WHICH SIGNALS that it's time to dial back the narrative of "no diversity in Hollywood" and replace it with honest discussions about films based on their own merits that doesn't feel like obligatory tolerance community service. After all, as Black Panther shows us, there's more than one way to advocate for your people.

* BlacKkKlansman - If Bohemian Rhapsody wasn't a nominee, BlacKkKlansman should win, they did a wonderful job with this movie. It was fun to watch, even though I was terrified someone I liked was going to die. Hell, it should win based on it's soundtrack alone, but, you know, Queen. Still, it's a damn good soundtrack. Meanwhile, John David Washington should have been nominated for Best Actor and Adam Driver should have been nominated for Best Supporting Actor. Go watch, or rewatch, the scene in which John becomes the The Black Klansman as Adam spins slowly around in his chair to confirm what he's hearing and then try to tell me I'm wrong. They play off each other beautifully.

* Bohemian Rhapsody - I loved it. I loved it so much. It's a gorgeous film that's beautifully shot and Rami Malek is absolutely brilliant. I've thought so since the first time I watched Mr. Robot. This only further confirms it. They made a spectacular movie that made a point of reminding you that a medical diagnosis was the least interesting thing about Freddie Mercury. (Something other, lesser, filmmakers would have propped the film up on like a tent pole.) The costumes are perfect, the Angry Lizard scene made me smile and it had just the right amount of kitties. In fact, other than the actress doing Nicole Kidman drag in a forced retrospective of her greatest roles *yawwwn* it's perfect. There's so many great stand alone scenes it's hard to pick the best. Just the montage of the band ducking (typo, and it stays, I'm not playing these games, Amazon Fire Autocorrect) around with their experimental sound for the first album is phenomenally entertaining. OH, and they worked in a ducking (grrr) brillant, beautiful, touching shout out to Boyz n the Hood that's so perfect, it made me happy, and if you know what I'm talking about you know how incredibly brilliant these filmmakers are...

* The Favourite - Couldn't watch it. I'm not overly concerned by this but I'm a completist so... Anyhow, long trailers have informed me that I shan't be making an effort to catch it after awards season ends. Meh.

* Green Book - I wanted to watch this but couldn't, which is a shame because it looks like a good movie.

* Roma - This looks like a very moody student film and I wasn't able to watch it, which I'm fine with because the way they promoted this nearly impossible to view film felt like obligatory community service with an emphasis on diversity and tolerance. And then, they'd trot out that actress for these "Oh my goodness, moving pictures?! In mexico we do not have these... " photo ops that felt like "Take A Picture With A Brown Person Day." Pass.

* A Star Is Born - OH MY GOD, THIS MOVIE ABSOLUTELY DEVASTATED ME. That woman used him up. I watched and Bradley Cooper is so dang (typo, and it stays, I'm folksy now) good and Lady Gaga is giving the role everything and then you begin to realize that they've been playing this thing as an epic romance and it's two maximum effort trains blowing past each other as they speed in different direction into the night. They need each other, but briefly, and I said "if they get married... He dies." And you watch and he's bad for her and she's bad for him and their moment came and it went at the speed of light and you, if you're me, are yelling " THIS IS BAD FOR YOU" at the screen and she has hangers-on bullshitting her and he's falling apart and then... He cooks the dog a steak and you die inside because he was so talented and he was recovering and they were never gonna make it and she's flying in the opposite direction having used him as a launch pad and a parasitic member of her team looking out for his bottom line crushes him. It was devastating. Now, we could talk about the fleeting nature of pop star fame and how it's fired should never be stoked at the expense of someone else's career but instead reflect on how many people needed things from him until she got where she needed to go... She used him up. And lo, a star is born.

* Vice - Wanted to see it. Could not. Should be a fucking lock for Makeup & Hairstyling.

[brotherhood-of-okay-reviews-blog]

Movie Review

Chris' Movie Review Whiplash (2014) Vs. La La Land (2016) Both are directed by Damien Chazelle. So I'm not going to break apart the movies fully. I'm not great at doing that. But I'm going to compare the two, present both sides, and ultimately pick which I think is better. Even if it's by a smidge. For starters, both movies are great and if you haven't seen either one, go pick yourself up a copy of Whiplash and check out La La Land in theaters. Story Whiplash: Andrew is a young jazz drummer, who aspires to be the best. He attends the best music school in the country, Shaffer. His teacher, Terrance, is the top notch of his profession. Andrew gets drafted by Terrence and thus begins a long road of pain, misery, and hardship. La La Land: Mia is an aspiring actress. She's auditioned hundreds of times but never gets a call back. Sebastian is a man who won't let jazz die. He's a talented pianist that just wants to open a jazz bar and play jazz all day long. The two meet up in different settings and multiple times. Eventually the two date and they begin to endure the road of love. As you can tell, two completely different stories are being presented. Which is better? I don't know if that can answered properly because it mainly just comes down to personal taste. Whiplash is intense. The movie creates an atmosphere that's similar to a summer blockbuster. You're gripping your seat because you don't know what is going to be said or done next. La La Land is more laid back. The film ranges in emotions and presents a realistic take on a possible romance. The movie dives deep into the character feelings and yours. Now, after seeing both movies twice, I have to lean towards La La Land as the better story. Reason? As I mentioned earlier, this is going to be personal taste, but La La Land is the easier plot to come back too. Whiplash is great for when you want to hear jazz at its peak of perfection, and to hold onto your seat. La La Land is more relatable to everyday life. Even though some of the scenes are blown out of proportion to enhance the movie, La La Land is a film you can look back on and not have it stress yourself out just thinking about it. Point: La La Land Lead Actors/Characters JK Simmons (Terrance) Vs. Emma Stone (Mia) I'm going to get yelled at for this but just hear me out. Now Emma is a lead actor. You guys won't get on me for that. It's JK that you'll attack me on. Because he's technically in a supporting role. But I don't look at JK that way. When I view these movies, I'm watching these two. Emma is the star by far and JK overshadows Miles Teller by a mile. They both are the two that leave the biggest impression and are the most memorable. Okay, now that I've stated that, let's get into it a bit. JK: He's flat out menacing. As a teacher, you wonder how he gets away with what he does. Simmons' character grinds his students to be the best. He doesn't give up. And JK nails every aspect of that. But it also hinders his range of emotion. JK can only show so much emotion throughout the film. Most of the time, he's throwing chairs. But there are three scenes in particular that bring Simmons' character some sympathy and development. I won't spoil either one but in these three scenes, JK really gives Terrance a side that didn't seem possible. He comes out and shows that Terrance may not be the worst thing on earth, but just merely misunderstood. Emma: It's a bit unfair because Emma has the power to go all over with wherever her character takes her. Stone gets to show a wide range of emotions throughout and she does a lot of it through her eyes. When I was watching the film the second time through, I noticed her eye work was phenomenal. And you can say, "Oh it's just the eyes. Anyone can express through them." But I don't really believe that. I think what Emma does with eyes tells all of the story that you need to know. Maybe I'm over crediting her for that but I thought it was fantastic to see the plot through her eye expressions alone. To end this segment, I'm not sure which way to lean totally but I'm rolling with Emma. I know she gets more to do, and that may seem unfair, but she edges JK just slightly. I'm not saying it's by a huge margin though. Point: Emma Supporting Actors/Characters Miles Teller (Andrew) Vs. Ryan Gosling (Sebastian) Again, you can present your displeasure in the comments below but I'm comparing these two. It's my analysis here. Go make your own. Which it'll probably be better than mine. Miles: Miles' character is a bit one dimensional. He starts off with a limited personalty and then grows into more of a robotic state. That happens to overload at times. Miles is a little harder to relate too throughout the movie. He's very quiet, doesn't have a lot of friends, and only focuses on being a great drummer. Which, we all may have one or more of those qualities but Miles' character feels distant from us from the start and we can never seem to get a full grasp on him. Ryan: His character is smooth, ambitious, annoying, charming, and so on. Ryan's character is easier on the viewers. It's really unfair because you can meet a person, like Ryan's character, and like him almost instantaneously. You may find yourself a little annoyed at first, but you can easily get over that. Miles' character is at a disadvantage from the start. With the reasons mentioned above, it's just hard to get behind him. But, that's why Miles gets the nod. Miles gets the point because he takes a character, that's not the most likable, and turns him into someone we root for. We end up feeling the character's passion and love for jazz. We get behind his hours of practice that produces blood, sweat, and tears. Miles takes someone that we may ignore on a regular basis and turns him into a subtle hero. Point: Miles Cinematography Whiplash: The scenes in this movie are so fucking intense. They never fully let go of you until you hit the credits. The shots are beautifully haunting as you watch the teacher demand more of his student and you see the downward spiral of a relationship go from "I feel you have talent" to "I own you." Or however you interrupt the ending. La La Land: This film thrives on its sets. And while that is part of cinematography, the movie just doesn't feel like it's on par with Whiplash. La La Land is in its own category compared to Whiplash because La La Land takes more chances. The scenes aren't so much an up close and personal viewing but more of a wide take on its surroundings and scenery. But it doesn't entirely forget to get in its actors' faces. Damien Chazelle likes to get into people's personal space when shooting, by the way. For this, I'm going to give a slight edge to Whiplash. La La Land is fantastic at showing off its backgrounds but Whiplash keeps it close and never lets go. It gives haunting images that don't escape your memory. And I know guys, La La Land is really gorgeous. That's why I said "Slight edge." Point: Whiplash Music I'm going to be struck down for this but here we go. Whiplash: This movie is the definition of jazz. Solos, insane time signatures, double time.... It brings back memories alright. Don't worry, it's good memories. La La Land: While it's jazz influenced, it has more singing involved and the tunes are catchy as fuck. The one issue with Whiplash is the songs aren't as memorable. And it's not because they're not good tunes, it's more because every time they go to play a song, Terrance cuts the musicians off because they're not on his time signature. La La Land allows its music to flourish and stick in your head long after viewing it. I mean, I bought the soundtrack not long after I saw the movie. Now, Whiplash shouldn't get knocked down because it's directed differently. But we have to choose a winner. Okay, I have too and La La Land is getting the nod. La La Land exceeds at bringing jazz back in a more catchy way. The film also drives it's tunes into your head until you think you're done hearing them but afterwards, you're humming the damn theme over and over because it never leaves your mind. Point: La La Land Overall Whiplash: 2 La La Land: 3 Both films are tremendous. You can't go wrong with either one. But when it comes to watching one of them, I'll pick up La La Land more times than not. It's an easier movie to settle in with your friends and family. But for those moments that I just need to hear some jazz, with more intensity thrown in, I'll grab Whiplash off my shelf. As usual, thanks for reading!