#so much beautiful nuance in the performances

[andy-clutterbuck]

Edgar Bradley Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities: The Murmuring

"I love you, crazy bird lady."

[mariocki]

What Ever Happened to Baby Jane? (1962)

"Jane, did you ever stop to think that... if anything happened to me, I mean anything bad, there wouldn't be any money for you? I wouldn't be here to sign the checks. You wouldn't even have pocket money. Did you ever think of that?"

"Yeah, I've thought about that."

[longing-for-rain]

Katara and Mutuality in Relationships

There are lots of conflicting opinions about which characters Katara felt attraction towards, which characters she didn’t, and how long she felt that attraction. I see in most cases, people point to quick clips of her faintly blushing or kissing another character on the cheek as evidence, but I think these kind of takes miss the nuance of the purpose attraction serves in a story.

Most importantly, I see these characters treated as if they are actually people capable of making their own decisions. It’s important to remember that these are fictional characters. They don’t make their own choices; the writers make their choices for them for the purpose of telling a story. From that standpoint, it’s more valuable to examine how a character’s story and narrative themes tie into their relationships with other characters. Animators can shove in a kiss or a blush wherever they want, but it’s harder to demonstrate through storytelling how and why two characters might feel attraction towards one another, and how a relationship between them would develop both characters and contribute to the overarching themes of the story.

In other words, when discussing which characters Katara is “attracted” to, I’m discussing which relationships and actions within the narrative build on her established story and arc. Romance is always integrated into a story for a reason, and considering that reason is important.

Unfortunately, ATLA is very much a product of its time in this way. It’s easy to see what romance adds to the arcs of the male characters—but not so much with the female characters. All three canon relationships (kataang, sukka, and maiko) follow this trend to some degree. The primary purpose of the woman in this narrative is to act as a prize for the man for performing some good deed. Once they’re together, she ceases having her own motivations and becomes an extension of the male character she’s dating. This is pretty blatant with Suki—she barely had a personality in that later seasons; she is there to be Sokka’s girlfriend. Similarly, Katara becomes a completely different character—she’s even animated differently—when the narrative pushes her into romantic scenes with Aang. Her character is flattened.

So what is Katara’s arc, and how do the romantic interactions she has throughout the series contribute to this?

Well, that could be a whole other essay itself, but to put it simply, Katara’s arc is one of a young girl devastated by grief at a young age clinging to hope that she has the power to fight and change the world for the better. Which she does as she gains power and confidence throughout the series—culminating in her defeating Azula in the finale.

But the part I want to focus on here is how Katara connects with other characters. She connects with them over shared experiences of grief and loss.

Take Haru, for instance.

Haru: After the attack, they rounded up my father and every other earthbender, and took them away. We haven't seen them since.

Katara: So that's why you hide your earthbending.

Haru: Yeah. Problem is…the only way I can feel close to my father now is when I practice my bending. He taught me everything I know.

Katara: See this necklace? My mother gave it to me.

Haru: It’s beautiful.

Katara: I lost my mother in a Fire Nation raid. This necklace is all I have left of her.

Haru: It’s not enough, is it?

Katara: No.

This isn’t just a throwaway moment; it’s an important character moment that leads up to growth and the progression of Katara’s overall story, both in this individual episode and in the whole series.

Katara finds her power in the connections she’s able to make with other characters. It’s a powerful driving force for her that makes her a strong character even before her bending abilities develop. Imprisoned was such an important episode to establish who Katara is and what her power is, and adds so much to her arc.

But there is one line in particular from the above exchange that also stands out: Haru says “it’s not enough, is it?” and Katara agrees. Even this early in the series, we’re establishing the fact that despite her drive and hopeful outlook, Katara feels deeply hurt, she feels a deep sense of loss that she opens up about to other characters in moments like these. But unlike Haru…Katara can’t go rescue her mother. Her mother is dead, and we see her grapple with that grief throughout the series.

Another character she reaches out to like this is Jet.

Jet: Longshot over there? His town got burned down by the Fire Nation. And we found The Duke trying to steal our food. I don't think he ever really had a home.

Katara: What about you?

Jet: The Fire Nation killed my parents. I was only eight years old. That day changed me forever.

Katara: Sokka and I lost our mother to the Fire Nation.

Jet: I’m so sorry, Katara.

Another important note about Jet is that there are explicit romantic feelings from Katara in this episode. Again, Katara empathizes with another character through a shared sense of loss. Sadly, in this case, Jet manipulated her feelings and tricked her into helping in his plot to flood the village…but those feelings were undeniably there.

That was the tragedy in this episode, but it also gives the audience so much information about Katara as a character: what motivates her, and what she wants. Katara is established as a character who wants someone who will connect with her and empathize with her over her loss—her greatest sense of trauma. She wants to help others but also receive support in return. The reason why she was smitten with Jet, beyond just initial attraction, is because he gave her a sense of that before Katara realized his true motivations.

A lot of people make the claim that Aang is good for Katara because he also feels a sense of great loss and trauma. And while on paper that’s true…does he really demonstrate that? I just gave two examples of characters Katara connected with this way, and both responded with deep empathy to what she said. Very early on in the show—the third episode—Katara attempts to connect with Aang the same way. How does he respond?

Katara: Aang, before we get to the temple, I want to talk to you about the airbenders.

Aang: What about 'em?

Katara: Well, I just want you to be prepared for what you might see. The Fire Nation is ruthless. They killed my mother, and they could have done the same to your people.

Aang: Just because no one has seen an airbender, doesn't mean the Fire Nation killed them all. They probably escaped!

Just compare this exchange to Haru and Jet. No effort to empathize, not even a “sorry for your loss” or anything. It’s a stark contrast, and the reason for that is because this narrative entirely centers Aang. Katara’s narrative always seems to be secondary to his when they’re together—which is exactly my point when I say this relationship has a fundamental lack of mutuality. It’s built that way from the beginning of the series. It does not add to Katara’s arc nor establish what about this dynamic would attract her.

And, look, before someone jumps down my throat about this…I’m not saying Aang is a horrible person for this response. I think it’s a sign that he’s immature and has a fundamentally different approach to problems than Katara. Katara is a character who has been forced to take on responsibilities beyond her years due to being a child of a war-torn world. Aang’s approach to problems is avoidance while Katara never had that luxury. It doesn’t mesh well.

This is all in Book 1. I honestly could have gotten on board with Kataang if the series meaningfully addressed these issues…but it didn’t. In fact, they actually got worse in some ways.

Back to Katara’s mother. We’ve established that this is a core part of Katara’s character and like in the scene with Haru, she indicates that this is an unresolved issue that pains her. But then, in Book 3, Katara actually does get a chance to confront this pain.

This would have been a powerful moment. Surely the character who is meant to be her partner, her equal, would have been there for her. Surely he would have understood and supported her, fulfilling her narrative and adding to her story.

But Aang didn’t do that. I won’t go into details because there are a million analyses out there on The Southern Raiders, but Aang’s response to Katara was the opposite of understanding. He got angry with her, insinuated that she was a monster for wanting revenge, and tried to dictate her behavior according to his own moral values. And importantly, from a narrative standpoint, he did not go with Katara. One of the most important events in her arc, and Aang didn’t support her—he actually tried stopping her. He didn’t contribute to her growth and development.

Also noteworthy:

Katara: But I didn’t forgive him. I’ll never forgive him.

Even at the end of the episode, Aang clearly doesn’t understand at all what Katara is feeling. This line demonstrates it perfectly. He thinks she forgave him when that wasn’t the case at all…but of course, he didn’t even accompany her, so he didn’t see what actually took place. His worldview is fundamentally different from hers, and he’s consistently too rigid in his morality and immature to center Katara’s feelings.

Throughout Katara’s whole arc, her most significant character moments, Aang’s character just doesn’t come through the way Katara’s constantly does for him. Their narrative lacks mutuality. When Katara and Aang are together, she becomes an accessory to him. The ending scene is a perfect demonstration of this.

Now, to address the elephant in the room.

Which character does actually add to Katara’s narrative and support her growth as a character?

Correct! I just talked about how important The Southern Raiders is to Katara’s character and story, how it’s a chance for her to finally address the grief she’s been carrying since Book 1. And who stood by her side throughout this pivotal moment? Right—Zuko did.

You can talk all you want about how he’s a “colonizer” while Aang’s people suffered genocide, but you’re forgetting that “show, don’t tell” is one of the most basic aspects of storytelling. The fact is, despite how it looks on paper, Zuko was the one there for Katara at her critical moments. Zuko empathized with Katara more than Aang ever did—as demonstrated in this episode. Zuko never once brought up his own cultural values. Zuko never once told Katara what to do. Zuko’s position was that Katara should be the one to decide, and that he would support any choice she made. He supported her decision to spare Yon Rha, but he would have also supported her if she decided to kill him. I actually found this episode to be a satisfying reversal to what is typically seen in TV—for once, the female character is centered while her male counterpart takes the backseat and becomes a supporting role to her narrative.

Even before this, Zuko is shown to empathize with Katara.

Zuko: I’m sorry. That’s something we have in common.

I think what gets me about this scene is the fact that he’s still Katara’s enemy, and she was just yelling about how she hates him and his people. But despite that, Zuko still empathizes with Katara. She is fundamentally human to him, and he expresses that to her in a way that allows them to connect. Zuko stands to gain nothing from this. It’s true that Azula entered the picture and twisted things around—but in this moment, Zuko’s compassion is genuine. His instinct was to respond to her grief with empathy, just like she consistently does for other characters.

And finally, how else does Zuko add to Katara’s arc?

I don’t think there is any more perfect of an example than the finale itself—the culmination of the arcs and development of all characters.

Zuko and Katara fight together. In a heartbeat, Zuko asks Katara to fight by his side against Azula, because he trusts her strength. She’s his equal—both in his mind, and in a narrative sense.

Then, this:

Both of their roles are so critical in this fight. They both save each other. The scene has such raw emotion to it. These characters were together at the conclusion of their respective arcs for a reason.

This is the perfect conclusion to Katara’s arc. She just played a critical role in ending the war that has caused her trauma her whole life. She just demonstrated her mastery of waterbending (another thing she’s dreamed of throughout the series) by defeating the world’s most powerful firebender during Sozin’s Comet. Even though she had help as all characters do, these are victories that belong to her and demonstrate the growth and power of her character. And to top it all off? She was able to save Zuko’s life. She didn’t have to endure the pain of feeling helpless to do anything while someone else died for her; this time, she had an active role, she changed her fate, and she prevailed. Zuko plays an important role in Katara’s story without dominating it. They perfectly represent mutuality. They add to each other’s stories. Their narratives become stronger when they’re together, without one diminishing or sidelining the other.

So, from that standpoint, that’s why I always see the attraction between Zuko and Katara and why I see it lacking between Aang and Katara. Zuko and Katara’s story doesn’t need some cheap little throwaway moments to shine. It’s integral to both characters’ stories. We are shown not told of the way these characters feel about each other. Given everything we know about Katara, her goals, her values, her past loves…absolutely everything points to Zuko being the true subject of her feelings.

Because let’s be honest. The ending I just described is so much more powerful and so much more Katara than seeing her being relegated back to a doe-eyed love interest for Aang to kiss. It hardly even made sense—Katara played no role at all at the culmination of Aang’s arc. She was relegated back to a love interest, rather than the powerful figure we saw fight alongside Zuko.

[jbaileyfansite]

The finale of Fellow Travelersis now streaming, ahead of its Sunday night airing on Showtime—a conclusion to one of the year’s best series that is gorgeous, devastating, and cathartic in equal measure.

The story of a tortured-yet-beautiful romance between two men over decades, the show waltzed through those emotions throughout the entire season, as Matt Bomer’s Hawk and Jonathan Bailey’s Tim weather the historical circumstances that prevented their deserved happily ever after. Bomer’s nuanced performance as an infatuated, conflicted man is the best work of his career, and, in the emotion-packed finale, Bailey is a revelation. Across multiple timelines, he showcases how intertwined grit, defiance, and joy in spite of darkness are for gay men determined to make their lives mean something in a world that actively works to strip them of dignity.

The series spans Hawk and Tim’s meet-cute during the Lavender Scare and McCarthyism-led panic of the 1950s through the AIDS crisis of the 1980s. The final scene, set at the unveiling of the AIDS Memorial Quilt at the National Mall in D.C. that might as well have been an anvil plummeting straight onto my heart, it shattered me so much.

There are two images in the final episode that have seared into my brain since I first watched, tableaus charting the arc of a doomed, yet life-changing relationship. First is Hawk and Tim slow dancing naked in the privacy of a secret apartment and, later, Tim’s head nestled on Hawk’s chest as they take a post-coital nap—moments of bliss stolen in a society that won’t allow them that pleasure. Then there’s a mirror of that position decades later, when Hawk climbs into Tim’s hospital bed to cradle him, as Tim struggles through a rough night during his last days battling AIDS.

The power of those moments is amplified by Bailey’s performance. In the earlier timeline, his wide, giddy eyes betray a man fully aware of his good fortune to be so madly in love, cognizant of how precarious and fleeting the feeling could be and determined to live in the splendor of it. Later, as he faces death, his resignation to fate is not one of defeat, but a catalyst for clarity.

So much of his life was impacted—some might say ruined—by his inability to move on from his connection to Hawk. But in a sensational monologue delivered after Hawk questions how much pain he’s caused Tim, Tim corrects the narrative: “I spent most of my life waiting for God to love me. And then I realized the only thing that matters is that I loved God. It’s the same with you. I’ve never loved anyone but you. You were my great, consuming love. Most people don’t get one of those. I do. I have no regrets.”

Bailey’s performance of this monologue stunned me. It is spoken with such certainty, an outpouring of a lifetime of emotion funneled into a searing, pointed declaration. He’s speaking to not only a complicated romance with his lover, but also on behalf of generations of gay men whose great loves were colored and, it often seemed, marred by the misfortune of the times in which they were kindled. That’s the revelation that Tim, through Bailey’s delivery, speaks to: There’s no misfortune when it comes to love; we may now be aware of the hideousness with which society treated (and still treats) the gay community, but how dare we assume that the love found was any kind of misfortune.

I’ll be thinking about this episode, that monologue, and Bailey’s performance for a long time. Do yourself a favor and watch it.

Source

[eastthewater]

I breathed A Couple of Sighs of Relief after watching The Couple Next Door (no spoilers)

I was hoping.. so hard.. that this would be a role where Sam wasn't type cast as a 'hot action guy' with not much opportunity to stretch his acting muscles... which has happened too often outside of OL.

I was truly thrilled.. and very relieved... that this show provided a vehicle for Sam to give a nuanced performance. It's still an imperfect tv show, but beautifully shot, well written and well acted -especially by the four leads. This will hopefully showcase him to a broader audience and provide opportunities for more roles with depth (Not having the OL shooting schedule will help).

Don't get me wrong, he is still beautiful to look at, but he really carries the show and has excellent and real 'relationship chemistry' with both love interests. OL purists may say it's not 'SC chemistry' .. well, nothing compares to THAT... but this was IMHO his best venture outside of OL so far. I wish him every success and, did I say...... I'M SO RELIEVED!!!!

Ok.. I also admit to buying a vpn and streaming Ch 4... too impatient to wait for it to come to the US ;)

[wordsinhaled]

so, i know this is a Take and i'm sure it may not make sense or be favorable to everyone but like, i genuinely feel that the beauty of crowley & aziraphale's relationship (including as it's depicted on screen) is in the diversity of interpretation that it is still open to even after season 2. i think (and this is my personal feeling, with which i'm sure all will not agree) there's so much nuance to What Is Romantic* that their having had an onscreen kiss can and could and should be interpreted in more than one way (which neil’s also confirmed, for what it’s worth, which with death of the author is up to each person anyway).

queerplatonic relationships can include kissing. so can explicitly romantic relationships. kisses can be sexual or nonsexual. and dedication, passion, commitment, loyalty, are not and should not belong only to romance but can and should also be found in friendship and other types of committed relationships.

and i do understand that society places a very specific definition and value on physical exchanges of affection that codes them as specifically romantic in nature, coming along with certain expectations, and it's hard to remove an onscreen kiss from that interpretation. but even so, i think the purpose and the entire point of crowley and aziraphale's entire relationship is their defying of norms, and the picking & choosing of which human social conventions they wish to act on as well as how to interpret them.

(as just some examples: crowley wears a lot of clothes from the women's section, while openly stating he isn't a "lad" and would presumably openly deny being a woman as well because he doesn't actually fit into any human conception of gender but chooses to present in very specific ways as suits him. same for aziraphale's performance of his gender. other conventions they pick and choose from as suits them: crowley introducing aziraphale to and aziraphale making an art out of enjoying food, them both enjoying different forms of human art and culture, aziraphale choosing not to use technology while crowley does use it, crowley changing his appearance tons of times while aziraphale wears the same clothes for generations and deeply values their preservation, aziraphale not actually engaging in the proper duties of a landlord while technically having maggie "rent" her shop space from him, speed limits and traffic laws are for everyone else as far as crowley is concerned, etc.)

so, like... i would hardly say that anything about their relationship and how they express their care for each other is entirely conventional, and even if it is perceived in certain ways by the humans around them, that never necessarily means that the humans have the full grasp of it or get it exactly right. crowley and aziraphale can kiss and have sex, or they can kiss and not have sex, or they can not kiss or have sex at all. crowley's kiss can mean a multitude of things. the depth and uniqueness of their relationship and their connection to each other (regardless of how that connection is interpreted) is the point. [one could argue gabe and beelzebub's relationship makes crowley and aziraphale's not unique in its angel/demon nature, but gabe and beelzebub aren't bound by the same degree of duty/responsibility/conscience/trauma/etc. which allows them to go off together while crowley and aziraphale are uniquely bound up in those things. but anyway.]

they do and have done a gazillion things for each other that could already be interpreted in multitudes of ways even before season 2, but the nonnegotiable interpretation of all of these acts is that through them, they show their undeniable importance to each other. in my opinion, their relationship IS ineffable in that it is characterized by a bond that transcends (and somehow also encompasses) all definition and classification and that is (to me! ymmv) so inherently liberating. it allows us the audience to identify with it in various ways and take whichever readings we like from it that feel most authentic to us. and it also means that even if there is a "conventional" reading to their actions it doesn't/shouldn't negate other meanings/readings/interpretations/etc.

(*what is Romance is so complicated to me and there is a lot to unpack there... may or may not try to do this in a separate post if i have the spoons at some point)

thanks for coming to my TED talk haha

[ahdriking]

Mansuang Review:

Mansuang was amazing. I was particularly impressed by Apo's performance as Khem, which was emotional and complex and deeply moving. His story was riveting to me. I personally love characters with trauma in their backgrounds, who have been beaten down by the world into a certain way of thinking and behaving, and Apo captured that experience gracefully and expertly. There is palpable pain in his performance of the darkest moments. I will say that they could have expanded upon his character development a lot more. It would have been nice to have a bit more emotional nuance in his journey towards self-love and acceptance, but I definitely didn't feel unsatisfied by where his narrative ended up. The movie was already juggling so much they clearly just didn't have the time to dedicate to expanding upon the nitty gritty aspects of his healing.

I will say that I am honestly kinda surprised this didn't have any romance in it at all, because there is such a good foundation for it that it feels like they wasted? Like, Khem feeling that no one cares about him except for his body could have been the gateway to Chatra demonstrating care and affection for him outside of sex, proving that he's capable of being loved for who he is. That jumps out at me. That might have been an opportunity for them also to have expanded on Chatra's character, and given him more presence and personality. Khem is a protector, that's clear in the way he treats Wan, but he so often has to sacrifice himself in that role that it would have been devastatingly effective if Chatra had had an opportunity to take care of him in some way instead.

I loved the *bad touch* backstory, for whumping reasons, but it did leave me a little confused. Why did Khem have to have sex with those people? Was it because he's ambitious enough that he'll sell himself to advance his position? Was it because someone was forcing him to, like a boss or person in power? Was it because he felt he had no choice, or was protecting Wan from something? I just wish we could have gotten to know him better, because we get to see the impact of the trauma but we don't really get to understand it, and that leaves me wondering. It felt like, during the dance scene where Khem goes off script, that he did that as an attempt at seduction, because seduction is what he knows and what he expects. He's used to trading in on his beauty and sex appeal to get what he wants. That suggests so many characteristics to me that just... don't quite exist in the rest of the story. And there's no real conclusion to it other than Khem, at the end of the story, choosing to be a dancer because he's at peace with his place in society. Again, lots and lots of opportunities were built up that just didn't quite manage to hit a home run.

Mile did a fucking fantastic job with what he was given, but I was a little disappointed with his role in the story. I felt like the relationship between him and Khem was half-done and underdeveloped, but it had so much potential! He put in an absolutely solid performance, and knocked the emotional scenes out of the park, but I couldn't help but feel like he wasn't given the chance to really shine.

Tong killed it. Killed it fucking dead. That man has the screen presence of a King, which surprised the fuck out of me cos I thought he was a character actor based on his performance in KinnPorsche. But no, this guy has range. I was very impressed.

Bas did a great job playing a racist sad boy. RIP Wan.

In conclusion: a flawed movie, but still so enjoyable and so, so worth watching. I cannot fucking wait for Shine, I hope that it delivers in some of the areas Mansuang wasn't able to.

[operafantomet]

I know you normally answer questions about the look of a production, but who are your favorite Christines vocally?

Kinda embarrased I've ended up as a production look reviewer... hahaha! Especially because I have strong opinions on voices, acting and direction choices.

Early in my phan days I liked the lighter bell-sounding Christines - because my initial meeting with the role was in this vein. Sarah Brightman, Susanne Elmark, Viktoria Krantz, Julia Möller, Joke de Kruijf, Rebecca Luker, Jill Washington. They were a good introduction to the role.

Gradually I was also introduced to some Christines with more oomph, bolder voices, or a little touch that made them stand out. I wasn't always ready for them, but slowly they learned me that the role could be more than "just" a bell voice. So the dramatic sound of Agnete Munk Rasmussen, the darker undertone of Elisabeth Berg and Rumi Iryo, the edgy approach of Rachel Barrell, the hidden huskyness of Kristen Hertzenberg and Elizabeth Loyacano, the operatic perfection of Rebecca Caine, Lisa Vroman and Claire Moore...

Today my preference for a Christine is very much based on their voice, as I think that's the whole point of the role and the story. But a nice voice itself is not enought. Their acting + interpretation is a "make or break" if I want to lean into their story and journey. If they manage to expand my view of what the role should be I appreciate them a lot. If they also can dance I probably love them. But: there is still room for the bell shaped beauties who "just" sings and acts well, without adding anything deeply personal. A good performance is a good performance. What I like depends on my mood, if it's long since I've seen the show, and how their chemistry is with the Phantom, Raoul and other leads.

With that said... Some Christines that has greatly impressed me through the years, be it vocally or a a total:

MIA KARLSSON: I could not get enough of her Christine. Yes, bell voice. Yes, amazing co-stars. But her acting. It was all in the little nuances, the intuitive approach to her co-stars, the inner life of Christine on display so to speak. And then topped with the most beautiful voice. I always wanted to hear more of her, I always wanted to see more of her. I mean, she ruled MOTN! Which Christine does that?! I think she remains my favourite to date - even if I've seen so many good ones after her.

INGER OLSSON MOBERG: Like a dew drop falling on a calm lake. The lightest, purest, gentlest voice. MAMA.

ISABEL SCHWARTZBACH: When I thought I would never hear anyone like Inger Olsson Moberg live... there she was. Very very light voice, mysterious AF portrayal. She was something else allright. In a good way.

SARAH BRIGHTMAN: I know. Some love her, some dislike her. But often based on the Original London Cast album. After seeing some videos I was quite floored. She has a lot more acting going on, a lighter dew-drop voice with an operatic flair when needed, and I rather enjoy her victorianesque approach to the role. And she was a trained ballerina. I think it is easy to underestimate her. I appreciate what she brought to the role - especially vocally. She has a dreamy sound that fits the "Christine represents a new sound" narrative.

KIM SO HYUN: No, but seriously. Real-life Disney princess with the most beautiful vocals. She's one of those I can't take my eyes off and I just want her to keep singing. It was also interesting to hear her very light vocals during her first South Korean run VS the somewhat darker timbre in the revival. I like both.

SIERRA BOGGESS: Whereas the hype around her - especially during her Broadway runs - drove me absolutely nuts... I do love her Christine. Gorgeous voice, gentle and passionate portrayal, dance skills, looks like a million dollars, she is one of those ultimate Christines. I also love that she tends to have good chemistry with her co-players.

EMMI CHRISTENSSON: I liked her combo of suppressed and glowing in terms of acting, combined with a super pleasant, light yet operatic voice. So... Christine.

Also adding, without elaborating on why (though I had the pleaure on seeing them live): Talia del Val, Astrid Giske, Teresia Bokor, Judith Tobella, Sofia Escobar, Sibylle Glosted, Valerie Link, Michelle van de Ven, Emilie Lynn, Gina Beck, Mira Ormala, Agnete Munk Rasmussen, Rachel Barrell.

There is alo a handful of Christines I have loved the voices of, but I have little idea of their portrayal or overall approach because I haven't seen them live. So I'll just list them here due to voice: Maria Kesselman, Anouk van Laake, Patti Cohenour, Amy Manford, Harriet Jones, Paige Blankson, Glenda Balkan, Teresia Barrientos, Ute Baum, Luzia Nistler, Rebecca Caine, Tamara Kotova, Manon Taris, Joke de Kruijf, Renée Knapp, Olivia Safe, Hye Kyoung Lee, Tamami Sai/Choi Hyun Ju, Meghan Picerno, Claire Lyon, Pan Hangwei, Sarah Lawrence, Andrea Maho, Elisabeth Berg, Rebecca Luker.

[gazeofseer]

What is your role in the world?

'Not everyone is born to war, nor to love but we all are born to live for both at times, but what is the role we play at the backstage ; when we take off the costume and keeping the scripts at the table..a courage to face the mirror and walking out in the street full of people what are you then? Is what today's reading is about, I do readings only if it is channeled so let your intuition guide you well ; )

Pick a Pile

1.Supporting Character/Audience

'Beautiful eyes keep longing for deep and endearing sights of act, efforts and play..you enjoy watching, observing, you can look at the sky for hours without getting tired, you have a tough job but you do it with so much compassion and professional touch that nothing stays in your mind, the novelty of you lies in the subtle nuances of picking up on details which satisfies your soul, you have always been second in your life, be it rank, position, or in personal life this affected you to become more resilient and follow the lead of someone to give you a better space of stage where at least your seen and being seen, heard, and felt makes you feel enough'

Signs : White clothes especially scarf makes or one scarf which you treasure a lot, seeing strangers crying and tearing, and smiling at them, seeing 6:16, 888 and 11:11

Career for you overall : Film Direction, Photography, Anything that needs minimal attention keeps you sane, manager, designer.

These careers can give you the sense of purpose in life as it is your role nobody can do it like you do.

_____________________________________________________________

2. Main Character

'Breathe, easy the world will go on if you rest and go on vacation for months, being at the spot can be heating at times that idea of being answerable to everyone gives you sleep paralysis and sleep talking is what your side effects of burning out results into, you need pause but everyone remembers about work as soon as you arrive even your family comes like 'hey I had to ask did you paid the bills? ' especially when you leave your room and come for fresh air, you feel being consumed all the time you want to shed, shed the way people perceive as it affects you mentally to keep in touch with the real you because there is very rare events to act yourself not any character filling the gaps in others life is like stopping between looking for the perfect mask for today and the kind of people you will meet'

Let me sigh, your future spouse has a message 'Calm down love, I was trying to connect with you when you skipped on your favourite love song, as you were busy I had lost my ear plug cover at my workplace and it was not the best day'

Advice : Leave everything aside and listen to the songs you love and sing your heart out especially when someone talks work sing a song

______________________________________________________________

3.Background Performer/Actor

'Struggling days are the best right? Nobody cares so do you..since you enjoy your two minute shadow appearance and celebrate as if you won an award for it, the cheerful optimism melts the moment everyone leaves, your role begins when you are alone, you act really very well, especially when nobody sees, maybe because you fear the judgement the lights, the shout pressure coming by the action, seeing the main lead being called out in insults walls your dreams under a illusion of having enough and asking for extra even in food makes you feel as if you are begging, guilt, trauma and ignorance seems to follow you'

Messages from Your Guardians : Leave your worries to us, we will ease the agony you carry, leave them to us and move forward we want to see you grow, grow out of yourself.

Signs : You have two opportunities at hand, make decision which has no regret attached, showcase your talent on social media, do not give up, people are noticing you do not leave !

______________________________________________________________

It was very personal I felt, I hope whoever it was meant for has got their messages it can be you if it is, let me know in the comments !

[vaesbian]

femme lesbians' femininity is unique and beautiful and refreshing and claiming that it conforms to heteronormativite gender roles discredits it so much. it's not a performance of femininity catering to men and it's insane to even claim that. it's a complex, nuanced identity that reclaims feminity in a way that it doesn't conform to heteronormativity. it's genuinely so sad to see people not understanding the label and misconstruing what it means

[macdenlover]

Question for ya about genderbent mac and gender/sexuality performance. Assuming she would have a similar repression then coming out experience, would you change her appearance/presentation? I feel like in recent seasons mac's changed so much so I'm curious how you'd represent that in your art!

okay so! @bitseventimes made some really good points in this post about this idea already so i’m kinda piggybacking.

short answer: not really? i’d keep her presentation pretty in line with canon mac so she’d be rockin the tommy bahamas shirts the same seasons as him. i think my version of fem mac would have always been sorta masc except for the few occasions she’s had to put on a dress. but she’d complain about it the whole time. I think her evolving relationship with gender expression and sexuality over the seasons would be less visual and more internal/behavioral.

long answer: unfortunately i don’t think it’s really possible to do a perfect 1 to 1 genderswap parallel that carries ALL the nuances of a character’s relationship queerness/gender expression while still keeping that character recognizable. so it’s okay to bend the rules a little. my headcanon is that fem mac was always a tomboy but saw femininity as a shitty obligation you have to deal with once in a while for show, similar to canon mac’s relationship with having sex with women. i think i saw someone hc that fem mac would wear dresses to church to be closer to god and like yeah. that’s exactly it. overall her demeanor and interests and style would stay pretty close to canon mac. i think early seasons mac would feel ashamed for not being as put together as other girls and especially denise who always has perfect hair and perfect makeup and mac can’t even put eyeliner on without almost blinding herself. and that combined with repressed lesbianism would manifest into this misogynistic pick me “i’m not like other girls” mentality. she’d still have just as much cognitive dissonance as canon mac—convincing herself that dudes like natural girls better anyway but also of course denise has gotten laid so many times she always looks like a whore. and then that changes when mac comes to terms with being gay. (some of the misogyny is still there though this is it’s always sunny in philadelphia). anyways she starts fully embracing the butch thing with more confidence in the later seasons because turns out bitches really dig it. but if denise wants to do her make up every once in a while she sure won’t complain. if you really want to explore queer repression in relation to hyperfemininity it’s wayyy more interesting through denise’s character and it fits really well with whats already established in canon dennis. mac’s performance of femininity would exist as this external factor but denise’s performance of femininity would be so much more internalized and rooted in her self worth. mac takes her heels off 15 minutes into the party because she’s impulsive and it’s irritating and denise bears through the pain because if she can’t be beautiful then what is she whats the point? denise would belittle mac for not putting enough effort into her appearance but deep down she wants the strap so fucking bad would be sort of jealous of the freedom mac has with her appearance and she’d grow more and more resentful toward her in the later seasons after mac comes out.

sorry this turned into a macdennis analysis post and i’ve flown way off the rails from ur ask 😭😭😭 but hopefully you get what i’m saying

[marinas-drafts]

|| Sarge & Lil Mama

|| Finishing What They Started ||

Blurb: 1k word count

Warnings: PG13 -Mentions of gun violence, assassination attempt, mentions of the murder of Sam Cooke, discussions about the real mob connections to record labels that threatened Cooke and others, Elvis being a protective husband and daddy, slightly misogynistic commands for a woman to give up her vocation??

Note: this is very much self indulgent for my own fascination with Sam Cooke and my theories regarding why he was shot dead in a Los Angeles motel while at the top of his fame, dismantling segregation with his performances, starting up a new label where artists owned their work and becoming publicly supportive of the likes of James Brown and Cassius Clay. He’s was RCA’s second most successful artist right behind Elvis Presley, a lovely human and an incredible artist, if you haven’t listened to him I throughly encourage you to, he’s groovy 💋 You may recall that in the proposal fic of Sarge, Elaine mentions having helped produce Cooke’s recent first record and Elvis urges her to marry him, there’s always time for music ventures after babies

Sarge & lil Mama Masterlist

February 1965

“Elvis, you don’t understand!” Elaine insists as if there’s nuance to the fact she’d just got shot at in broad daylight on Memphis’ Main Street with Jesse in her backseat.

“The hell I do!” He screams back, disheveled from the beating he’d administered her bought-off driver and gloriously beautiful in the greatest rage she’d ever seen take over him. Their sunny nursery on the top floor at Graceland was illuminated by a cheerful late winter’s sun and the pastel’s of the empty baby crib and curtains was in stark contrast to the dark mood hanging over the couple.

Elaine had gotten three shots into the windshield of the car that had done the drive-by and the Shelby county police were on a manhunt and giving Graceland’s phone an update call on the quarter hour.

Elvis hadn’t waited for no police when he’d heard shots outside the studio. Runnin’ out and finding no other culprit to get his hands on save the most recently inducted member of the Memphis Mafia who’d paused in a damn intersection plenty long enough to allow the hitmen to aim, fire and leave despite Elaine’s screams and threats. The man wasn’t recognizable in his mug shot, so swollen and bloodied was he from Elvis’ ire.

“Woman,” Elvis claws at his destroyed pompadour with gnarled hands, “you tell me our friend Sam Cooke didn’t die by accident, ya tell me he got taken out with two bullets in him and bled out on some seedy motel floor -not for some damn hooker but over y’all’s lil venture. You get your car windows blown out by a twelve gauge, my fanmail’s laced with love letters from the fuckin’ Chicago mob warnin’ us, sayin’ leave off the music level venture -or else. Ya tell me ya ain’t paranoid then ya ask me to let ya just keep at it? W-w-what do ya expect me to do, Tink? Huh? W—w-What?” he is bellowing at her by now, his terror coming out in anger, and Elaine just stares at his positively battered fists.

“E, your knuckle’s bleedin-“

“-don’t change the goddamn subject!”

“I’m not it’s just- it’s drippin.” she mutters meekly as the lemon yellow carpet specks from crimson drips.

He sticks the offending fist in his mouth and sucks at the cut before continuing, his voice shaking, “Ya tell me all this then ya insist on goin’ about your damn career! I don’t get ya. I really don’t get ya.”

“It’s not just my career, Elvis!” she begs, “It’s yours! It’s the future of dozens of independent record makers hinging on this. If I just lay back after this -we ain’t gonna have a free music industry where artists get their rights, own their work! We’ll always be payin’ up to the mob -and we ain’t ever gonna be free of Colonel without it! This is why they’re so damned scared, E, so scared they’d turn to murder! I’m doing this for us, keepin’ at it for you!”

“W-w-we got enough as is, Tink.” he whispers, eyes wide and scared for her as he looks down at her, pastel blue coat grimy and bloody as his hands, a mockery of their pristine little life. “We got enough as is, an’all that risk takin’ -i-it ain’t your job, sweetheart. That’s man's work.”

“They killed that man, Elvis.” she repeated disbelieving the truth that’s been haunting them these past two months. “They’ve killed Cooke. Our friend, my collaborator. Killed him dead. And they think they’ve got us all scared, ‘cept for me. And they tried to finish it today.”

“Yeah.” he agreed, eyes watering, “And I ain’t gonna let that happen to ya ever again, I just ain’t. Not even if I gotta chain ya to my bed.”

Elaine swallowed down the warmth she felt rush through her at his rampant protectiveness. “A couple more months and we’ll be set, we can switch you over, you’ll be independent.” she sniffles, “You won’t be beholden to the colonel. You’ll have options.”

“I-I-I d-don’t need rid of him, Tink?” he disagrees while his tone stays questioning, still unable to understand her icy animosity towards the man. “He done gave us all this!”

“-and to quote your mama, we don’t need all this.’ We never have.” Elaine replies, putting her hand over his fist as he’s walked closer to her seat on the edge of the nanny bed, “But it wasn’t him, it was you that gave us all this. He goes on like he’s connin’ the nation into lovin’ ya. What a fool. There’s not a soul on God’s green earth who didn’t love ya once they knew of ya.”

“I don’t need all them lovin’ me.” Elvis whispers, his eyes glued to her lips as he sits down beside her gingerly as if fearful he’ll hurt her while he’s still keyed up, “Jus’ you. Tink I can’t do nothin’ -nothin without ya.”

“Elvis, just give me a few months more,” she begs softly as they sway towards each other, “give me your men and guns and what else, but let me finish. For Sam. And for us.”

His nose brushes hers, long and elegant and nuzzling her cheek and the bridge of her own, nuzzling tears she didn’t notice she had shed, his breath ghosts over her parted lips.

“No.”

He answers as he slots his mouths over her own gasping one, dragging his lips over and up and to the side of her own, smooching her clean, savoring the softness of them like he nearly lost her.

Which he had. He almost had.

He grips her tighter and forces her to accept his terrified love, bending her backwards in his fervor, massive hand, so recently used to maul her attacker, now cradling the back of her neck tenderly, rubbing at the soft spots on either side of her skull.

“Elvis-“ she whimpers at the denial.

“No.” he mutters and shakes her by the neck like a kitten, “Lovin’ ya gives me enough right as it is, but I got more, you know I’ve got more reason. You're my children’s mother! You ain’t meant to be out there gettin’ shot at! Working nine to five like some sunnuvabitch’s damn Secretary. I married me a woman not a-a-“

“I’m doin’ this for us.” she insists weakly.

“And I’m the one who decides for us.” he reminds, his hand still firm on her neck and those lean, piano playin’ fingers span all the way to her pulse point, she thinks she feels pressure increasing there, “And I say no. Be my wife, Tink, be their mama. S’why I married ya.”

Hope y’all enjoyed! Your “bugging” and “screaming” is music to my ears, fuel to my fire and keeps me writing, please never hold back -this is a safe space for feral little Elvis loving rodents…like you and me.

If you’d like to be tagged in this particular series please drop a note below. I’ll admit I’m disorganized and have trouble keeping all the requests sorted when they’re scattered, what I do check regularly are the requests in the notes for chapters -and I do manage to get those added. So, if you’ve put in a request and I’ve failed ya, or if you’re new and would like to be added, please pop a note below. Xoxo 💋

@paradsol000

@eliseinmemphis

@prompted-wordsmith

@ab4eva

@foreverdolly

@powerofelvis

@butlersxbirdy

@crash-and-cure

@elvisabutler

@heartbrake-hotel

@stylespresleyhearted

@thatbanditqueen

@crazymadpassionatelove

@myradiaz

@ash-omalley

@arianatheangelgirl

@steph-speaks

@burningloverdoll

@angelface-555

@lookingforrainbows

@missmaywemeetagain

@coolgirl462

@kingdomforapony

@18lkpeters

@richardslady121

@from-memphis-with-love

@lillypink

@artlover8992

@pennyroyalcreep

@notstefaniepresley

@ellie-24

@renaissingle

@waiting4brucewayne2adoptme

@presleyenterprise

@marriedtopresley

@ashtag2887

@dkayfixates

@vampireindistress

@ashtag6887

@i-r-i-n-a-a

@obsessedvibee

@peskybedtime

@goth-cowgirl-03

@stephthestallion

@fav-fanficssss

@loving-elvis

@honeyorangess

@soloangel

@xenaspace3-blog

@60svintage

[thebookofanne]

Queen of Tears (2024)

This is not an average love story. This is a tearjerker or one might say an exquisite premium cliche series with a beautiful or maybe painful portrayal of romance shared between a married couple?

It’s been quite sometime since I’ve been so thoroughly engrossed in a series and got drawn with a whirlwind of excitement and sadness. I found myself deeply resonating with the characters’ struggles and it kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. The way Kim Soohyun and Kim Jiwon perfectly embodied the character of Baek Hyunwoo and Hong Haein just left me in awe. They seamlessly blended into their roles as they were tailor-made for it. I can firmly say their acting prowess was cited as the only major reason for watching this series. 

I'm genuinely grateful to whoever conceived the idea of bringing them together. Not to say, their unrivaled and uncanny chemistry conveys a lasting impact and indeed leaves us yearning for more moments shared on screen. Their incredible dynamic, the way they execute the range of emotions from anger, longing, love, happy and sorrow really create an irresistible allure. The way Kim Jiwon plays the role of emotional enigma of Hong Haein and the way Kim Soohyun captivates with myriad of nuanced expressions of Baek Hyunwoo are truly breathtaking. It makes me impossible to imagine Hong Haein and Baek Hyunwoo other than Kim Jiwon and Kim Soohyun.

Their emotions did not even wane a bit despite its messy plot and a little vapid storyline in the second half. One drawback besides its cliche moments, there is actually an abundance of side characters story where it leads to so many things in the story to unfold and that is somehow not so necessary? These subplots can sometimes lead to several episodes where it can be bit draggy and we could feel there is lacking in the screentime of Haein and Hyunwoo. How I wish they would focus more on side stories of these two main characters instead of side characters stories. Amidst these shortcomings, I am truly grateful again for Soohyun and Jiwon for saving the plot and dragging the collar of this series by keeping our immersion into the storyline.

I love how there are a lot of foreshadowing scenes woven into the narrative.

I love how they always welcome us with heart-wrenching and heartwarming hugs.

I love how they depict familial love.

I love how they suppress the very emotions to fuel this series.

Alongside these, there are also parts where some viewers may find certain moments in the cinematography to be overly prolonged, such as extended close-ups of character’s faces. However, I believe these shots essentially depict how much time the characters have wasted for not looking at their partner, so they become lost by the track of time and engrossed in their own thoughts or emotions. We actually could witness their love begins to rekindle and there’s a shift in how the characters gaze and linger at each other.

The beauty of their acting synergies carries such sincerity that I found myself irresistibly drawn in, and all I could utter was,

"Can love truly be this beautiful?”

“Can one truly love someone in such a way?”

Truly, I'm at a loss for words when it comes to expanding upon the essence of true love or perhaps even articulating the depths of emotions where one would willingly sacrifice everything when the life of the person they love was on the line. But their acting prowess and stellar performance keeps on drawing me into the moment and I could truly feel love is in the air.

This is undoubtedly an ode to the tapestry of life, love and loss. 

This series will be etched into my heart forever.

Rest in love, Hyunwoo and Haein.

Thank you, Hong Haein.

Thank you, Baek Hyunwoo.

Thank you, Queen of Tears.

What a series.

2024년 4월 29일, 0306hrs.

[ericdeggans]

Why hoping Lily Gladstone won an Oscar does not equal valuing race over talent.

Social media is never a great place to have discussions about race and culture. The real issues at hand are way too nuanced and detailed for outrage factories like X/Twitter and Instagram to handle.

Still, I was disappointed to see so many people – perhaps willfully – missing the point online when discussion rose after the Oscars about Lily Gladstone failing to win best actress honors.

No doubt, a win for Gladstone – who would have been the first Native American woman to earn a major acting Oscar – also would have felt like a serious triumph for champions touting the power of diversity in film.

Feeling the love big time today, especially from Indian Country. Kittō”kuniikaakomimmō”po’waw - seriously, I love you all ❤️ (Better believe when I was leaving the Dolby Theater and walked passed the big Oscar statue I gave that golden booty a little Coup tap - Count: one 😉)

— Lily Gladstone (@lily_gladstone) March 12, 2024

Those of us who clock these things regularly knew that Emma Stone’s turn in Poor Things was most likely to spoil that scenario. Stone offered a showy-yet-accomplished performance as a singular character in an ambitious, creatively weird production. A much-loved past winner delivering a career-best effort, she was just the kind of nominee that Oscar loves to reward. And, as Vulture pointed out, modern Oscar voters seem to enjoy turning against expectations in big moments like this.

But when I expressed those feelings online – that Stone was marvelous and more than earned the award, but the Oscar academy really missed a chance to make history by overlooking Gladstone’s more subtle, quietly powerful turn in a better movie – the knives came out.

The gist of most negative reactions was the implication that I and others lamenting her loss were insisting that ethnicity should trump talent. As if the only or most important reason that an indigenous woman could be nominated for such a lofty award, is by people trying to bring social justice to the Oscars. (I guess Gladstone’s wins as best actress at the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild awards, among others, were also nods to diversity?)

As if it couldn’t be possible that perhaps -- just perhaps -- some racial cultural preferences were mixed up in Oscar voters’ attraction to the story of a beautiful, young white woman who has loads of sex while learning to define herself in a male dominated world.

What really disappointed me, however, was reading an analysis which reached all the way back to the 2017 Oscars to imply that one reason Barry Jenkins’ masterpiece Moonlight won best picture honors over La La Land was the pressure to bring social justice to the Oscars.

Talk about missing the point by a mile. What I’m driving at, when I advocate for contenders like Gladstone, Barry Jenkins and Jeffrey Wright, isn’t a finger on the scale to make up for past exclusion.

It’s a plea for Oscar voters to see these performances the way I and so many other people actually see them.

I still remember watching last year’s version of The Color Purple in a screening alongside lots of folks from Black fraternity and sorority organizations. And when the moment arrived where Danielle Brooks’ character intoned about her husband, “I loves Harpo — God knows I do — but I’ll kill him dead before I let him or anybody beat me,” it felt like the whole theater said those words with her. That’s how iconic those lines -- first spoken on film by Oprah Winfrey in the 1985 production – have become for Black America.

That same feeling came after I first saw Cord Jefferson’s brilliant American Fiction, centered on a frustrated, floundering Black writer who creates a stereotypical parody of a Black novel as a dark joke, only to see it become a best seller. I felt as if Jefferson had pulled the same bait-and-switch with his movie that his lead character managed onscreen – using the outrageous premise to draw us all into a more subtle and deliberately powerful story of a Black man struggling to connect with his family after huge losses.

I needed three attempts to get through watching all of Gladstone’s work in Killers of the Flower Moon. Not because the movie was so long I had to “get my mail forwarded to the theater,” like Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel joked. But because it was so hard for me to watch a film centered on the historic exploitation and murder of Native American people by white men.

It sounds like a simple idea, but it’s worth repeating: evocative moments in films will speak differently to different people.

Sometimes, when I’m pushing for a win in an awards category, or championing a particular project, it’s not because I’m putting a finger on the scale for the sake of equality. It’s because I’m more invested in that story than some others because of who I am. And I’m challenging some people, who might not see their cultural preferences as preferences, to consider exactly why they love one thing over another.

In many ways, it is sad to see great artists pitted against each other in these contests. Comparing the delightful, dangerous absurdity of Poor Things to the gritty, punishing tone in Killers of the Flower Moon feels like a fool’s errand, anyway.

But with so much that comes from an Oscar win – including proof that inclusion brings success, accolades and a great argument for more equity – it is important to understand why some people value some performances.

And part of living in a diverse society means valuing the wide range of opinions and reactions, not shrugging off those that don’t fit your worldview.

[too-antigonish]

Lovely sad men being romantic...

This started out as a post about Win for Thursday Thursday--but I got sidetracked by this absolutely perfect scene between Thursday and Bright from Degüello.

Both men are on the verge of losing their wives. They can't quite bring themselves *talk* to each other about it. They can, however--while hiding in the dim light of the basement and standing in front of the vending machine for cover--work up the courage to perform side-by-side monologues:

Bright: The first time I saw her, she was 19. I was...not much more. The governor’s house. Garden party. Thursday: Me and Win, it was the Palais. Bright: Father was something in the Colonial Service. Thursday: Win’s old man worked the docks. Limehouse Basin. Thought I might not be too welcome, being a young copper, but he was a straight guy...

Bright: Sky was pink and pearl, band playing... Thursday: Geraldo, I think it was for us... Bright: The crowd parted for the briefest moment, and... Thursday: ...there she was, pretty as a picture.

Bright: Surrounded by all these dashing types, desperate to light her cigarette. Next thing I’d crossed the lawn. I was standing beside her. “Have you come to save me?” She said. “Yes,” I said, “I rather think I have.” And now I can’t.

The writing is beautiful and the actors' performances are so nuanced and agile--a perfect two-hander.

If you want to check it out it's in S6E6: Degüello starting at 52m46s in the Amz streaming version.

[anti-kawaii-daily]

J-Fashion Terms for Beginners Part 2

Guro Lolita: A substyle of Lolita fashion; this is one of the few variants to stray away from the innocence and gentleness of styles like Classic and Sweet Lolita. Unlike the more well-known Gothic Lolita, Guro Lolita ignores mysteriousness and literal darkness, and instead goes for shock horror. In it's inception, Guro Lolita coords were notorious for always fitting into one mold, a white/shiro dress splattered in fake blood. Eventually, Guro Lolita evolved into a much more complex and nuanced style. One of it's perks nowadays is that despite it's association with the strictness of Lolita fashion, it is very versatile in that the coords may range from cutesy Yami Kawaii hospital prints, to dark and dreary horror patterns. It is seldom worn as an everyday style due to how over the top it is (and it's usually worn on Halloween by more mainstream Lolita enjoyers), but exceptions exist.

So blue, so broken, paper doll decays...

Iryou Kei: Translating literally as "medical type" or "nurse type", this fashion style originated from the Visual Kei music genre. As many Vkei bands (who are famous and infamous for their elaborate costumes, outside of Casual Visual Kei of course) this style is focused on being visually shocking. Iryou Kei performers tend to dress up as either blood splattered doctors, evil nurses and any other medical staff you wouldn't want to see in a state like this. You could say that Iryou Kei takes the elegance of Lolita, the rock elements of Visual Kei and the grotesque nature of Gurokawa, and transforms it into it's own medically horrifying thing. Some known Iryou Kei bands include but are not limited to: LuLu, +ISOLATION, and Sex Android.

The doctors will see you now!

Busukawaii: Translated literally as "ugly cute", this aesthetic is also occasionally called Kimokawaii or "disgusting cute". In real life there are many animals and critters that look unpleasant but you can't help but want to squeeze them, Busukawaii is based around this principle. For a short while Busukawaii was a bit of a meme on Japanese social media websites where one would do Yume Kawaii or pastel edits of ugly, plain or strange characters and people. Then it grew it its own lesser art movement. There aren't any fashions with this style outside of prints with those adorably ugly, plain or just strange looking characters mentioned earlier.

Beauty is very much subjective