#the fighting scenes are impeccable without equal

[fuckyeahchinesefashion]

NeZha 2: Mo Tong Nao Hai （Nezha 2: The Demon Child's Havoc in the Sea）(cr 丝鸣.东城张三爷）

[darkmaga-returns]

Wokeness is clearly causing much of the military’s recruiting problems, despite Pentagon true woke believer’s protestations to the contrary. But suppose, just suppose the military wasn’t feeding troops?  Might that also discourage the best and brightest from choosing the military? Might it also discourage people, regardless of how good and bright they are, who prefer to avoid starvation from choosing the military? 

A venerable aphorism is “an army marches on its stomach.” An equally valuable observation is that amateurs talk tactics, but professionals talk logistics. A military that can’t get its troops where it they need to be on time, and that can’t provide them with the food, water, munitions and other gear they need to fight is going to lose. 

A year ago, I went ballistic about reports coming out of the former Ft Hood (now Ft Cavasos) in Texas that soldiers weren't being fed. Now, the distances on that massive base are enormous, particularly for soldiers on maneuvers in the back hills or in the remote camps dotting the installation. ...But I’ve gotten my independent confirmation from impeccable, on the scene sources, and I am snorting fire. This is – and has been – happening at Fort Cavazos, the former Fort Hood in Texas, and is unconscionable. Fort Cavazos Soldiers Have Been Without Proper Access to Food for Months One of the Army’s largest bases has been barely able to keep its food services up and running for months, according to soldiers stationed there and dining facility schedules reviewed by Military.com.

[kittleimp]

The Marvel Cinematic Universe is a perfect case study of destroying your audience's trust.

In 2012, The Avengers was released. It did an incredible job of bringing the characters together without requiring that you watch their individual films. In fact, I watched it without having seen a single Marvel film before and enjoyed it a lot. It had an interesting story, clever dialogue, gave each character time in the spotlight, and balanced perfectly between funny and serious.

In 2014, Captain America: The Winter Soldier came out. Again, they hit a perfect balance between funny and serious. It brought in other characters, but it was unmistakably about Captain America (and the Winter Soldier). Excellent dialogue, great acting, and impeccably choreographed fight scenes make it one of the best movies in the MCU. It advanced the characters and left threads that made fans eager for more.

Later that year, Guardians of the Galaxy came out. It had an entirely different tone, but people generally loved it. Great soundtrack, great vibes, and you didn't need to know anything about the MCU. It hit a different feeling than CATWS, but that's not a bad thing at all.

Then, in 2015, Avengers: Age of Ultron came out. It was a train wreck. For the first time, it also fully expected that you'd seen films from multiple franchises, so it didn't take the time to explain anything. You need to know what's up with Tony Stark and what happened with HYDRA in the new Captain America, at a bare minimum. That requires watching at least six movies (Iron Man 1-3, Captain America 1-2, and The Avengers) to watch Age of Ultron.

It also completely walked back character development from multiple previous films. Equally infuriating, it killed off a character it didn't need to for no specific reason (actually I think it had something to do with who owned the rights, which is stupid). Many fans were disappointed. This was the true start of the downfall, in my opinion.

In 2016, Captain America: Civil War came out. This expected that you'd seen Age of Ultron, bringing us to a minimum of seven films to watch before it. Additionally, Captain America fans (myself included) were generally displeased to realize that this was more of an ensemble movie than a Captain America movie. This was also the beginning of the unsatisfying endings. Not a single plotline was concluded by the end of the film.

2017 had FOUR MOVIES. FOUR. Black Panther was absolutely a masterpiece, and Thor: Ragnarok was a delight, but that's so many for one year.

Then 2018 brought Avengers: Infinity War. You need to have seen at least ten films for this one to make sense and they aren't even pretending otherwise. It was mostly... decent, I guess. It also ends in such an upsetting manner that when I saw the midnight premiere, staff stood by the exit offering tissues and saying "I'm sorry for your loss."

That part in the hero's journey where everything looks hopeless and there's no possibility of winning, right before they turn things around for a satisfying and meaningful victory? That's where it ended. No victory. Just hopelessness.

Like many others I knew, I was willing to give them one last shot. 2019's Avengers: Endgame (aka Infinity War Part 2). Last chance. Do better.

The film was actually pretty enjoyable, I'll admit that much. But I struggled to properly enjoy those parts because I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. I had already lost my trust in the creators.

Then, at the end, they did something so egregious that I haven't watched another MCU film since.

They had a character who had gone through so much development, had reunited with his oldest best friend and made new ones, had started accepting his place in the world... just abandon all of that. To use time travel to go marry a woman he almost had a romance with 80 years before. A woman who, by the way, already had a husband, children, grandchildren, lived a full life, and passed away peacefully at an old age. To do this, he left behind his two best friends. One of which just came back to life after being killed shortly after breaking his mind control programming.

Let me say it more bluntly: they made Captain America, who spent the last two films of his franchise trying to protect and save Bucky Barnes, abandon him. Suddenly Bucky Barnes has lost not only the world he knew, his mind, his agency, and his life, but also the only person he had left, his closest friend.

I've never touched MCU since then. Neither have any of the people I used to talk to about it. I haven't bought any merch. I won't give them another dollar. I don't trust them to make a good, satisfying movie or TV show.

This is how you break trust. This is how you end up with an audience that won't watch anything you make until it's done and they can read reviews, because they don't trust it to be worth their time. You put shock factor and headlines over audience satisfaction. You throw away character development again and again and again. You kill off popular characters.

You can't expect the audience to keep taking the bait when they don't get anything in return.

I see posts go by periodically about how modern audiences are impatient or unwilling to trust the creator. And I agree that that's true. What the posts almost never mention, though, is that this didn't happen in a vacuum. Audiences have had their patience and trust beaten out of them by the popular media of the past few decades.

J J Abrams is famous for making stories that raise questions he never figures out how to answer. He's also the guy with some weird story about a present he never opened and how that's better than presents you open--failing to see that there's a difference between choosing not to open a present and being forbidden from opening one.

You've got lengthy media franchises where installments undo character development or satisfying resolutions from previous installments. Worse, there are media franchises with "trilogies" that are weird slap fights between the makers of each installment.

You've got wildly popular TV shows that end so poorly and unsatisfyingly that no one speaks of them again.

On top of that, a lot of the media actively punishes people for engaging thoughtfully with it. Creators panic and change their stories if the audience properly reacts to foreshadowing. Emotional parts of storytelling are trampled by jokes. Shocking the audience has become the go to, rather than providing a solid story.

Of course audiences have gotten cynical and untrusting! Of course they're unwilling to form their own expectations of what's coming! Of course they make the worst assumptions based on what's in front of them! The media they've been consuming has trained them well.

[scribble-dribble-writes]

Just a couple observations after I watched the film for the third time (help I can't stop 😭😭),

He definitely looks at her when she says he's covered in vibranium

He's down bad from then on

In the very last scene in the Talokan journey, I see him reach for her hand

He listens to her and tries to reason with her, which I haven't seen him do with anyone else before.

He never reasons with Ramonda. When she asks him what she could give him in exchange for Shuri, he says 'Nothing' with a damn smile.

He tells Ramonda that he'll kill Shuri if his request isn't met, but he says it in the most unconvincing manner possible, this man who dressed her up with the finest clothes is not going to do that when he had so many opportunities to do so before.

He jives his spear into the hull of the ship when he could have easily killed her there, it's like he didn't want her to interfere.

He's reevaluating his choices as he sees her break when Ramonda dies, but true to his character being 'a kid without love' he moves on in the way he knows, by following duty.

He's stroking the little sea shell telephone before their war like a miserable longing ex boyfriend 🤣 was he waiting for her to ring him up and call it off?

He looks up at her when she leads the ship and then reluctantly starts fighting?

He's alone in the ship with her and he's probably thinking things were about to go differently.

"It could have been different", is etched in my mind the way he says it.

The score "Con la brisa", "it could have been different" and "Vengeance has consumed us" are for scenes with only Namor and Shuri. Tell me why its like it has been taken out of an enemies to lovers booktok playlist? (LUDWIG does his research impeccably well, I will trust this man's music like it's the absolute truth, the strings in that section is romantic)

Also in Shuri's recollection of events, she sees Namor smiling. You don't think of your villains like that.

He yields. And yes people may think he's waiting to exact his revenge but I interpret that scene as someone having met their equal.

He goes home to heal him self, draw fan art of him and Shuri and then fangirl about the black panther. His cousin's like bruh what are you on about.

Sidenote: when books exist with vampires, faes, elves, Greek gods, other immortal beings and Game of thrones couples, Shuri is an adult in the movie. The age gap doesn't matter in a fictional world but, Shuri's got it under control guys.

So anyway, I love this man

[alethiometry]

Rules: list eight shows for your followers to get to know you better.

Tagged by @aeide!

1. black sails. OBVIOUSLY. it's got everything. drama, intrigue, ocean gays, lying little wet rat twinks, anti-colonialist uprisings, caribbean history, grimy period-appropriate costumes, heartbreak, monologues, toby "saturday chillin don't fuckin @ me i'm chillin" schmitz calling himself daddy. everybody slays absolute cunt. it is THEEEE most perfect show ever created.

2. parks and recreation. rewatching p&r is an interesting experience because it was such a product of obama-era liberal america and the optimism just oozes out of every scene. also we don't like crisp ratt anymore. but it's also so genuinely funny and heartfelt and comforting! this show had a massive impact on my sense of humor, as well as i think framed failure in such a positive light: every character failed drastically at something over the course of the show, but through caring for each other were able to pick themselves back up and never let their shortcomings define them. i first watched it at a point in my life where i really needed that, so it has always stuck with me.

3. leverage. my comfort show to turn to when living in a post-capitalist hellscape that continues to reward billionaires for their moral bankruptcy while shitting on everybody else gets too depressing (so… like every day). is it campy and unrealistic? yes. do i care? no. sometimes you need escapism via direct action, heist hijinks, and extreme displays of bisexuality. also aldis hodge is one of the most beautiful human beings on planet earth.

4. supernatural. yeah yeah it's the hehe destiel meme show. but it was also tons of fun to watch every week, the worldbuilding started out fantastic (and then got progressively more and more insane), i think it's really the epitome of "really cool ideas with mostly lackluster execution". the bloody mary episode remains one of my favorite episodes of tv ever, and the fandom drama just keeps giving! i also met some of my dearest friends through the fandom, so maybe the real destiel love memes were the friends we made along the way.

5. twin peaks. the only show that made me so insane i went and got a tattoo of it. impeccable vibes, the experience of watching s3 and then memeing about it on reddit with everyone else who were all equally confused is an experience that will never be replicated.

6. love island uk. listen. fucking listen. i don't want this show to be listed here any more than any of you do, i'm sure. absolute bottom of the barrel brain rot that consumes my life and brings my workday to a grinding halt (thank you timezones) for the 2 months that each season is running. i absolutely have nothing good to say about love island uk other than it's sometimes really funny, usually unintentionally. but iain stirling's voice and those stupid neon pillows/beanbags and atrocious cursive font and catchphrases have wormed their way into my brain and nothing short of a complete lobotomy can remove it.

7. how to get away with murder. this wouldn't even be on here if saff and i didn't go on an insane binge of all six seasons last fall. but since we did… here we are. michaela pratt is an icon and has never done anything wrong ever in her life and i will die on this hill.

8. cunk on earth. this is probably recency bias speaking but oh my god i adore this show. it is exactly my brand of humor and i have so much respect for all the experts and miss diane morgan herself for making it through those interviews without breaking, because i would be fighting for my fucking life. this is the show that i will henceforth be recommending like a madwoman to all my friends.

honorable mentions: american vandal, derry girls, naruto, south park, dexter, elementary, orphan black.

i'm tagging: @winedark @seance @assassiyun @thatsouthernanthem @potsticker1234 @ciaramedba @doomcountry @thychesters <3

[sirius-black-killed-god]

Can we get a small sneak-peak of what's to come in TBWKG? I know you mentioned you were busy, so no worries if you can't share anything at the moment! <3

Yeah, why not. Here’s part of the first scene. My goal is to have the whole chapter up in the next two weeks. :)

The Boy Who Killed God: A Certain Number of Regrets

JANUARY 3, 1972

Remus looked slightly less green when he helped Madam Pomfrey change Sirius’s bandages the next morning. 

It was funny, really. Sirius had seen Remus nearly torn to ribbons himself, but Remus seemed incredibly squeamish around Sirius’s injuries; so much so, in fact, that Sirius would have teased him relentlessly for it, had he not been gritting his teeth and cursing his way through the various Aguamenti’s and levitation spells.  

Merlin, he thought, when Remus finally let out a relieved sigh and Madam Pomfrey finally retreated to her office. Malfoy really did a number on me.

Really, it wasn’t the equal-and-opposite sort of retribution that was generally expected of these sort of pure-blood grudge matches. Sirius had aimed his curse at Malfoy’s face. It had been severe enough to scar, yes, but the scar was no longer than the palm of Sirius’s hand. And he’d struck Malfoy on the side of his face, eyebrow to chin, an area that could easily be covered by Malfoy’s stupid white-blonde hair. 

Malfoy had…

Well, Malfoy had nearly carved Sirius in two, hadn’t he? There was an X etched into Sirius’s chest, from collarbone to hip. 

No one could reasonably say that that had been a proportional response. 

No one had decried this grave injustice and breach of pureblood traditions, either.

Sirius hadn’t been lying, when he’d told Remus he remembered almost nothing after Christmas day. He knew he must have woken up at some point, because when his father had barged into his room yesterday morning—furious at what he’d deigned to perceive as laziness on the part of his eldest son and heir—Sirius had reached for the inkwells Alphard had given him. 

They’d been empty. 

All of them. 

Which either meant Sirius had, in his delirious fever-dream, somehow managed to choke them down in the days he’d lost, or…

Or, someone had dumped them out. 

Utilising his impeccable deductive reasoning skills, Sirius figured it was the latter. His chest certainly didn’t look like anyone had applied dittany before Madam Pomfrey got her hands on him. 

At half past eight, a house-elf popped in, bearing two steaming trays of food. Sirius’s mouth watered on sight, and, with a little strategic manoeuvring so as to avoid re-opening his scars, Sirius managed to sit up. Remus muttered a, “Thanks, Speckles,” as the house-elf set the trays on the pillow-wall between them, then disapparated. 

They ate in relative silence. Sirius studiously sipped on his piping hot broth—this time containing small bits of beef—as Remus devoured his bacon and eggs. As he finished his soup, and sparing a glance to make sure Madam Pomfrey wasn’t watching, Sirius snatched the last piece of bacon from Remus’s fingers and more or less swallowed it whole. 

Remus glared at him, but then sighed. He stood, slid out of bed, and placed the empty trays on the cabinet, before stretching his arms over his head. His neck and shoulders popped, and Sirius tried not to cringe at the sound.

“How are you feeling?” Remus asked, through a mostly-stifled yawn, and really, Remus looked terrible. His curly hair stuck out in every direction imaginable. His eyes were red-rimmed and opened way too wide in an apparent attempt to fight off exhaustion. His uniform was rumpled and untucked, but that wasn’t all surprising given he’d slept in it. The scar across the bridge of his nose was a darker shade of pink, starkly contrasted against Remus’s pale skin and freckles, almost as if—

As if…

Sirius counted the scars. Then, he counted them again. 

No. No. 

There was no way those were new. 

Remus had stayed at Hogwarts over the holidays. He couldn’t possibly—

“Sirius?”

“Hm? Yeah, sorry. I’m fine.”

Remus frowned and raised a disbelieving eyebrow at him.

Sirius huffed. “Fine. I feel like shit, but considerably less shitty than yesterday. Not going to pass out any time soon, anyway. Hopefully. Most likely.”

Remus didn’t look particularly convinced. 

Sirius pushed his luck anyway. “What are the chances of you helping me break out of here before Madam Pomfrey comes to check on me?”

“Not fucking likely.”

“But—“

“Sirius, you almost fucking died.”

“I did not!” 

Piercing, half-golden eyes tracked down to Sirius’s chest, over the bandages, then back up to the tattoo, and—

“Fine! Fine!” Sirius crossed his arms over his chest, trying to block it from view. Slightly mortified, he felt himself flush red. He wasn’t used to anyone looking at his chest, his fucking tattoo, least of all Remus Lupin. It… It was unnerving. “Can you at least get me a shirt?”

He wasn’t exactly sure when he’d taken off his own shirt—the exact events of yesterday were more than a little hazy in his mind—but he was certainly tired of not wearing one. It brought unnecessary attention to things he’d rather keep secret. 

Remus nodded, then gave him a small reassuring smile. “Yeah, I think I can do that.”

Remus made his way to the opposite end of the hospital wing, crouched by a small, bedside cupboard, rooted a round for a minute, then made a vaguely triumphant noise as he pulled out not just a shirt, but a pair of soft, Muggle trousers as well.

“Here,” Remus said, handing over the clothes. “These should do.”

Sirius eyed the clothes, subconsciously wiggling a little in his own, now-ruined designer trousers. The waistband and front part of his trousers were crusted with quite a bit of dried blood, Dittany, and other unmentionable, yet equally disgusting bodily fluids he’d rather not think too hard about. The trousers were about as far from salvageable as humanly possible. 

“Thanks.” Sirius took the proffered clothes and ever-so-slowly swung his legs over the side of the bed. He took a long moment just to breathe. 

“Do… Do you need help?”

“No.” Sirius tried not to snap, but he still managed to answer far too quickly and with far too much conviction. 

Remus clearly didn’t share any of his false bravado, but he turned his back all the same to allow Sirius the dignity of changing on his own. 

Sirius shucked his trousers in one go—they were so caked with filth that they kept their shape, much to his disgust—but kept his pants. His silk pants were equally ruined, but Sirius Black had just enough pureblood formality beaten into him that he wasn’t about to go pantsless in borrowed trousers.

Said borrowed trousers were rather large on him—so much so that Sirius muttered a quick spell to cinch them at his waist. The trousers hung well past his feet, the knees were rather worn, and never had such pedestrian fabric been used to clothe a member of the Noble and Most Pretentious House of Black, but they were incredibly comfortable. Absently, Sirius found himself wondering as to where one might acquire a pair and just what the consequences might be if his mother found out he’d gone to a Muggle tailor. 

Sirius shook his head and reached for the shirt. It was an equally worn button-up, with a patch on one elbow and ridiculously long sleeves, but it was made of thick, pliable material that smelled of… starlight and piping hot tea. Right beneath the collar—

No. That couldn’t be right. 

Right beneath the collar, stitched ever so carefully, were the initials R.J.L.

“Remus, are these yours?” Sirius asked, before he could think too much of it.

Because if Remus had a spare set of clothes in the hospital wing, that might lead one to believe that not only had Remus been a recent resident of said hospital wing, but the injuries he’d hypothetically sustained had also been grave enough to either warrant a change of clothes or an extended stay in the hospital wing that would consequently necessitate a change of clothes, eventually. Which, really, could not be possible because Remus hadn’t gone home for the holidays, so there was no logical reason for Remus to have been in the hospital wing at all.

Right?

Except the back of Remus’s neck flushed red and Sirius felt his heart stop. 

Because Remus had a new scar on his face that Sirius was now fairly certain hadn’t been there when Sirius left. 

Oh, how he’d wanted to believe that it was nothing.

Nothing, as it turned out, hardly ever worked in his favour.

“Where’d you get that scar on your face, Remus?”

“Siri—“

“No!” Sirius had half a mind to throw the shirt at the back of Remus’s head.

Slowly, ever so slowly, Remus turned to face him, and Merlin, how had Sirius missed it? The scar across the bridge of Remus’s nose was a pale pink, not faded silver. New. Raw. Fresh. 

The fight drained out of Sirius, as though he’d been punched in the throat.

“You were supposed to be safe, Re,” Sirius croaked. 

“So were you.” Remus’s jaw tightened, but this time, he didn’t turn away. “Our monsters will always find us, Sirius.”

For a moment, Remus looked as though he wanted to say more, wanted to explain, anything. He opened and closed his mouth, his fingers fidgeting all over the place. Sirius waited.

And waited.

Then, suddenly, Remus froze. Every muscle in his body went rigid. Sirius watched, confused and mildly alarmed, as Remus tilted his head up and turned towards the—

The giant door to the hospital wing was open, just a crack. When and how that had happened without them noticing, Sirius couldn’t be sure. 

Remus frowned and… sniffed? Whatever he was doing, it was beyond strange. Sirius watched Remus’s eyes dart around the room, seemingly unable to settle on anything in particular, always on the move, always searching for… something.

“Remus, what—“

Sirius heard the faint shuffle, the soft whisper of fabric, the slightly too-loud breathing. 

Except there was no one there.

Readying himself for a fight with whatever ghost or shadowy figure that may or may not have infiltrated Hogwarts, Sirius tugged on Remus’s shirt as quickly as he dared without risking reopening his wounds. He shoved the ridiculously long sleeves up past his elbows, called his magic to the tips of his fingers, and took a defensive stance next to Remus.

Someone—something?—hissed out a faint curse. Then:

“Ow!”

“That’s my foot!”

“Potter, if that’s your fucking hand on my arse, so help me God, I will—“

Sirius and Remus exchanged a startled glance.

“Evans?” Sirius called, to the otherwise empty hospital wing.

“Shit.” That certainly sounded like James.

“Weren’t they s’posed to see us eventually?” Peter, maybe?

“Yes, but not until after we scared the shit out of them.”

“That doesn’t seem very nice.”

“It’s supposed to cheer them up. All they need is a good bit of mischief and—“

“Oh, for Christ’s sake!”

With a sudden whoosh of fabric, James, Lily, and Peter materialised out of nowhere, not five feet from them.

“What the fuck,” Remus deadpanned, at the exact same moment Sirius gasped, “Is that a fucking invisibility cloak?!”

[nightswithkookmin]

JIKOOK: SOMETHING HAS CHANGED-Jikook Shading Eachother pt2

Disclaimer:

This is for entertainment purposes. Nothing expressed in here is to be taken seriously. Everything expressed in here is my opinion and is not intended to be malicious or disrespectful to any of the parties involved.

So what's tea....

I stated in my previous post on how Jikook aren't always-Jikooking. There's been fights, breakups, make ups, tensions and a whole lot of crazy going on with those two over the past couple of years. Some of course you know of- because they are blatantly obvious like Manila etc; some you'd have to be a bit of an inquisitive, highly OCD, nerdish to a fault, have a long history of anxiety disorder and lack any form of social life to catch- not saying I am any of these things... I AM. SEND HELP!

Following the theme of my previous post, today I want to discuss some of the things I believe have changed within BTS in general in regards to how they behave or have behaved towards Jikook. This discussion is relevant because it will help you understand the changing dynamics of Jikook's relationship and why I think they are at where they are now: subtly throwing shade at each other in 2020. Bless them.

In a recent interview during this Japan comeback, JK openly admitted to how the members of BTS aren't the same as when they started out 7 years ago and he wasn't wrong. Things have changed. I just don't know if this change is necessarily good- in Jikook dynamics I mean.

For one, RM used to treat Jikook's relationship with some level of reverence. Especially in regards to how he acted around Jimin. He seemed to subconsciously acknowledge an unspoken rule that Jk had some sort of autonomy over Jimin and he had to respect that even as an elder and leader.

It was one of the early clues that gave Jikook away.

Remember this moment?

JK got mad, angry and couldn't even hide his emotions when he noticed RM doing- whatever that was- with Jimin.

What's interesting to me was how RM behaved in the moments after that incident. He touched his chest, almost like he was hurt by JK's reaction to his little minimoni moment with Jimin and then turned to Jin to explain what had just happened.

Jin looked equally surprised by JK's behavior. Surprised, not mad. They both should have been angry enough to scold JK given as they had said openly how they disapproved of JK's possessiveness and greediness. It was expected of them at least.

Sure, perhaps they didn't want to cause a scene but still, they are the hyungs not the other way round. And given how age difference is such a big deal in South Korea they should have exerted their superiority over JK in this instance and put him in his place even if they should about it playfully like we've seen some of them do when a younger drops honorifics etc. After all JK doesn't own Jimin... or don't he? *Wink.

If you fail to see my point, here. This moment should clarify things better.

This is RM patting Jk on the shoulder a few moments after he had wrapped his hands around JM and saw JK's shook face in the view finder.

He patted Jk immediately as if to say sorry I didn't mean to dude and JK just nodded. He nodded people! He fucking nodded!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That nod was him giving his approval to- whatever that was RM did to Jimin. He was a little pissed following that and went on to do his tongue in cheek thingy but it still doesn't take away from what that moment signified.

There are many moments like these where RM and even some of the other members have been seen to bow figuratively to JK when they had had to interact with Jimin in a way that may come across as offensive to Jimin's intimate partner if he had one.

This act of acknowledging JK's authority over Jimin is part of their culture. It is expected of Koreans to respect the sanctity of another's relationship. It is why JK received a ton of backlash from K-army and antis when he was seen back hugging that tattoo girl in September 2019. They even went as far as to 'report' JK to the guy the girl was believed to be allegedly dating at the time.

And the guy's response was equally telling. Even though he denied he was in a relationship with the said girl, he did acknowledge the disrespectfulness of JK's conduct and said JK was grown enough and should know better. (The emphasis is mine)

Thats their culture. You just don't touch other people's girlfriends or boyfriends, hug them, act affectionate with them without their permission. It is seen as disrespectful in the and would explain why RM and the others have acted that way towards JK in the past and most importantly it explains why JK acts or has acted like he owns JM most times. He do. Bless him.

Sisters and brothers, aliens and Lizards; JIKOOK IS REAL. Praise the Lord!

But don't get excited just yet. All that was before and during 2015/2018. Flash forward to 2019/2020 and that dynamic is almost extinct. Almost.

Now we have moments like these where RM 'feels' Jimin up with no apprehension what so ever. This man be feeling ghetto around Jikook lately. Always moving like he about to let lose some nuke codes on them.

EXHIBIT A:

This is their 2020 VLive reaction video to their debut video. JM made a negative comment about his body and RM and JHope immediately 'felt' JM's body up complimenting him for still having an impeccable body.

Jk glanced at them briefly, his nostrils flared a bit and he had a look of disdain on his face. He sort of rolled his head in a way only a scorned woman would understand and then remembers there's a camera watching him so he tries to tone it down immediately.

But still you could tell he wasn't ok with what had happened as he began fidgeting around a lot, smacking his lips together and touching his clothes impulsively.

EXHIBIT B:

This was during their Grammy VLive, when RM felt up JMs thighs and JK had to side eye the moment and smack his lips again. At this point I won't lie I feel sorry for JK. It hurts me to see him go through all this.

So the question remains, WHAT HAPPENED in 2018 to cause this drastic shift in the way RM behaves towards Jikook?? TEA: it's not just RM!

Why are they all of a sudden not giving JK his due respect like we've seen them do in the past? Why is RM suddenly feeling so confident in interfering with Jikook moments, separating them and what not?

This is where I insert his legendary standoff moment with JK at the MMA 2019 but I think I've made my point. No?

FINE. HERE:

So there you have it. Something has definitely changed in Jikook dynamics and I'm gonna tell you what just stay with me a little longer alright? It's gonna be a slowburn.

MUHAHAHAHAHA. Sorry.

Signed,

Goldy

[januarywren]

I’ve been reading jonsa fics like crazy lately, and wrote a little drabble of my own. I posted it on ao3 (here’s a link!) and thought that I would share it here too (sfw!). 💙💙

-

“Are you happy, Sansa?”

Jon cursed himself as the question fell from his lips and rolled across the stone floor between them. It was a question that haunted him often, as he remembered the wild fear in her eyes, and how she would jolt at the slightest noise for months, after reclaiming their home.

Sansa was silent as she played with the puppy in her lap, the latest gift from Jon. He found that he wanted to make her smile, and often sent her things he thought would please her; a platter of lemon cakes, fine bolts of fabric for a new dress, and had even sent for a pair of singing birds that could withstand the bitter winters of the North. When they welcomed a traveling bard, Jon invited the man to stay, after his song of Tyrion and his new marriage made Sansa laugh, as sweetly as if she were a girl again.

Yet Jon wanted more –

He always wanted more when it came to Sansa.

She was his cousin, his lover, and his friend, as no one else had ever been. She had bled for the North and was tortured in its name, and Jon felt the lingering scars she endured, the same as if they were carved into his own skin. He wanted to give her the world, even though he knew she wished only for the North, and the safety of their home.

Jon was careless of his furred robe as he knelt beside his wife and watched as the cream-colored puppy thumped its tail against her knee, and made small, shrill noises of excitement. It was more energetic than Lady had been, though Jon stilled his tongue.

He knew how his wife missed her dire wolf, desperately so.

Sansa had named the squirming pup ‘Grace,’ and stroked her furry ears, while the puppy chewed on her long sleeve. Jon’s lips curved into a smile at the sight, knowing that his wife would train the dog well. Lady had carried herself impeccably, never dashing through the halls and howling, as the other dire wolves did. She had lived up to her name, as Jon thought Grace would.

His wife drew the world and its creatures to her, regardless of whether they walked on two feet or four. Jon felt his heart ache at this thought, as he wondered – not for the first time – what would have happened, had the world known his true legacy from the beginning.

Would Catelyn Stark have taken to him? Surely, she would have accepted him into the very halls of Winterfell, without bitterness in her heart. The very sight of his dark eyes and curls wouldn’t have made her imagine her husband laying with another woman, no.

Would Arya still have been his favorite? She was like a sister to him, and always had been even the day that she'd kissed his cheek as it bled from their swordplay. Would he consider Robb and Bran and Rickon his brothers still? Jon knew with every fiber of his being that he would have always considered Robb as his brother; the son of the North, while he was a child of the South. They would have fought together, traded, and remained loyal to one another; seeing prosperity grace King's Landing and Winterfell alike.

And Sansa –

Jon swallowed at the thought of her as she had once been; a beautiful girl on the eve of blooming, one who was as lovely as the maidens immortalized in stories and songs, while her devotion would have laid entirely in his hands. He never forgot the sight of her with flushed cheeks and her sweet laughter, as she danced with a young lord, and excelled at running Winterfell, alongside her mother. He remembered her dreams, for she’d often said that she wanted to marry a prince and bear his children, and how she believed life was a song.

And as Jon remembered, he knew that he would always love Sansa, regardless of what his name was, or his place. He would have loved her in ways that he had never loved Arya, in a softer, sweeter form that bound him to her, even if that meant kneeling at her feet. It wasn’t a love that siblings bore for another; it was something twisted and pulsing inside of him, as he ached for the very essence of her.

Atop their bed, Ghost watched the scene with half-open eyes.

"After Joffrey and father," Sansa hesitated for a moment, before holding her head high. They knew countless the names between them, the ones they had lost, and the ones they had never wished to be part of their lives, "after the Boltons, I never thought I would be happy again."

Sansa’s gaze met his, Tully blue meeting violet.

“Safe, yes, as long as I was with you,” Sansa said, and Jon recalled how she’d thrown herself into his arms at Castle Black. She’d clung to him, the same as he’d pressed himself against her as if their hearts could forge into one. “I felt whole with you. Alive.”

Not even the Dragon Queen, the Mad Queen, had been able to tear them apart. “But happiness,” Sansa’s lips curved into a small, rueful smile. “I knew more than to wish for it.”

It had been ripped from her arms, like a squalling, newborn babe too many times.

"You're my equal," Jon murmured, the crown that rested upon his dark curls nothing if his wife wasn't beside him. They had married in the Godswood the night before he left to fight the Night King, the same night that his seed had taken root inside her. "I'll never let you feel powerless again."

"I know," Sansa said, leaning forward to press a kiss upon his cheek. "I trust you, Jon, as I've never trusted anyone before. Still I…I never asked to be happy, nor whole," he stilled as she spoke, his heart aching for her.

How he wanted everything for her –

"Yet I am," she said as if she were a shy and hesitating girl once again. "I feel safe and happy, and utterly whole with you, Jon, and our family.”

Gods –

“That’s all that I want for you,” Jon said, the lie as sweet as honey on his lips. He wished that she would ask him for the world, for he would give it to her; or its very ashes, if she wished.

Winterfell was only the start.

There were little words between them then, as Jon found himself with a lap full of Sansa, and Grace clambering over them. He buried his face against his wife’s fire kissed hair, and breathed in the gentle scent of her, roses and jasmine entwined.

They were there in her parent’s rooms, ones that had been reclaimed for them; and where they often stayed. There were Starks in Winterfell once more, with the ghosts of those they once knew surrounding them.

[kendrixtermina]

Assorted House of Feanor Thoughts

I wrote this as a reply to someone, but then realized that this should be a post of its own. 

Line between extrapolation, interpretation & headcanon is going to be fluid here

Long post under cut

The seven sons in general:

all moody, fierce, intense and brilliant, each in various different ways

none of them can really stand to be cooped up in one place for long

F R E C K L E S you will not convince me otherwise

Apart from the ones explicitly described as pretty (ie, Maedhros and Celegorm) they’re actually relatively plain by elf standards, or at least sort of rugged-looking, especially compared to their part-Vanyar cousins - I mean, figures that some would turn out more like Miriel or Nerdanel both of which were supposedly more average.

all are very resourceful having spent most of their lives helping out with their parent’s projects, exploring the wilderness, or (save for Celegorm) hanging out in Aule’s halls. Most can probably whip up a steampunk or magitech solution to basic war-related problems

Because of this they’re a very tight-knit group

growing up, they did not know many children their age; Ironically the most contact they had was with their cousins because Feanor paid semi-regular visits to Finwe. Apart from Turgon (and Orodreth if you place him in the second rather than the third post-journey generation) the cousins really dug the adventure stories. (Galadriel pretended not to be interested and offered plenty of critiques, but listened anyways)

more survival skills and just a lot more casual than your average princes

They’d all been adults for a good while by the time of the rebellion; the twins are a tad older than Aredhel, Galadriel and Argon; Caranthir and Angrod are about the same age. Curufin is younger than Aegnor.

They all look back at that trip to the lightless shore of the outer sea as a cherished family memory

Also I don’t think Feanor disciplined his sons very much after all his own father let him get away with everything. In his eyes the brats can do no wrong especially not Curufin and to a lesser extent Amrod Nerdanel tried her best to counterbalance this and it kind of worked on some of them, but the three middle ones were a lost cause

I think a lot of the weight behind the oath comes from how Feanor made them promise him to see it through on his deathbed. It was his literal last wish.

Maedhros:

The Leader™, the most strong-willed and the deadliest fighter by a huge margin. What the orc under your bed has nightmares about.

Obviously a very competent diplomat, strategist, and the sort to put constructive results over personal glory; resilient, formidable, unpretentious and tough as leather

but not at all overconfident, and the type who is not blind to the flaws of the people he loves. He knows very well that Feanor wasn’t perfect and does many things that his father would not have agreed with - at the same time he has a strong sense of obligation, honor and loyalty which turns out to be his fatal flaw in the end when being loyal and keeping his word  increasingly requires him to do dishonorable things

if there was a definite breaking point it was the fiasco with Dior’s sons

Stoic but courteous and eloquent; From Finwe’s death onwards increasingly grim, grizzled and not very hopeful, though he’s the sort to give his all and try to be noble even when there’s no reward or even thanks or respect.

Despite this, he has as a dry sense of humor and at times uses it to defuse tense situations or disarm people he’s negotiating with (see the scene with Thingol’s message) - does have a streak of gallows humor to him especially after the Thangorodrim incident

As the heir Feanor actually let him in on trade secrets and scientific speculation; Their relationship is probably the most equal; I do think Feanor was capable of actually appreciating that Maedhros got a mind of his own and isn’t afraid to stand up for himself. Feanor values independent thought, even if he’s not always good at really living that value with his tendency to take things personally and see others as taking sides for or against him.  

Can’t really craft stuff to the same degree without his right hand. He then focussed on more abstract/mental pursuits which were perhaps his forte, to begin with but it still bothers him more than he lets on, especially since he still retains, or swiftly regained, his skill at making things dead. 

He may or may not qualify as a cinnamon roll but he definitely looks like could kill you

Maglor:

Maedhros might have been the token responsible sibling, but Maglor was the understanding, comforting one and always had a nurturing streak - hence why he was the one to take in the kids.

Sensitive Artistic Type™ - goes from quirky and passionate back in Valinor to melancholy & tormented as the war drags on

one of those people who despair over & get self-critical over their work even when it’s regarded as masterpieces

Like Feanor and Miriel before him, he tends to get super absorbed in his work/art and just plain disappears for days

Now some ppl hold that he didn’t start having second thoughts until near the end, but judging from how he comes along to Fingolfin’s party or to hang out with Finrod, I’d hold that he was always ‘the nice/gentle one’, but not solely in a positive way; Unlike Maedhros he did not stand up to Feanor about the thing with the ships and indeed lets Maedhros talk him out of turning himself in at the very end, so he’s probably somewhat lacking in assertiveness

Even so, he’s probably one of the better fighters, given the difficult territory he gets, that he’s the one to kill Ulfang, and how long he survives. He probably feels ambivalent about this. 

I imagine him having an agility-based fighting style

Probably codified the heroic epos as a specifically Noldorin art form

Celegorm:

A lot of ppl focus on the barbarian aspect, but I’d say he actually has some degree of ‘subverted prince charming’ going on, with how he sweet-talks Luthien at first before throwing her in the dungeon, and how he seems to have been one of the more accomplished ones, joining a respected order and all

He’s actually pretty elegant and perhaps playfully gallant, but it’s a facade; He’s an animal underneath; though his instincts are probably somewhat nobler than what ends up happening when he gets roped into Curufin’s schemes

usually, the first to react and leap into action when something happens.

Herculean strength, daunting presence

also a fairly efficient general, if a bit of a glory hound and pretty fearless in the pursuit of victory

very much has an ego and doesn’t like being humbled at all

Strikes me as the sort of person who would take badly to the realization that they can no longer return to the glory of the past or being judged unworthy, not that he’d respond with anything but defiance

Wrestles giant monsters barehanded

Always low-key wished to fight creatures of darkness before the rebellion to test his might against them; Orome and the Maiar members of the hunt would have told stories of them

though he gets his pretty face from Daddy, his strong build comes from Nerdanel, possibly somewhat accentuated by his being a dude

Caranthir:

grumpy, moody, no filter, likes his alone time, shows his feelings mostly through actions, also somewhat pragmatic

the quartermaster; Actually one of the smarter ones, if not outright the second smartest after Curufin, though he has more a logistic/administrative sort of intelligence

generally one of the more prosaic, practical family members, or maybe he’s just more subtle about his dramatic side or has a harder time expressing it. Definitely has Hidden Dephts™

I mean, putting your hideout on the slope of a mountain near a deep, dark lake circled by mountains? Goth AF. A+ aesthetic there.

Hosts the family get-togethers at his fortress. Has most certainly shoved Celegorm and Curufin in the lake at some point

has a certain respect for strength, valor and skill even in ppl he doesn’t necessarily like; Not at all diplomatic or polite, but also not finicky or fastidious, so actually forged a whole lot of alliances on a “everyone’s money/swords are equally good and we don’t have to set conditions” basis and seems to have been pretty successful at this

started out haughty but definitely learned to be more open-minded/ broaden his horizon over his time in Beleriand - but as no good deed goes unpunished, Ulfang happens

Whereas Curufin and Celegorm can put up a noble veneer but will totally stab you in the back if provoked, Caranthir’s sort of the opposite, in that he’s rude and quarrelsome on first contact but has a good heart deep down (see the Haladin incident) and doesn’t keep grudges long term once he’s done grumbling where Celegorm is sore loser and Curufin a spiteful twerp.

though personally, I don’t see Caranthir as trying to reign himself in. He wouldn’t really be known as “the harshest” in that case. Who was gonna teach him to behave himself, Feanor maybe? kek. 

Curufin:

We have a lot of actual dialogue & description for him - he has this characteristic little defiant smile, is often coldly contemptuous in tone, some level of ruthless pragmatism

has mild/vague foresight - nothing as impressive as what Finrod and Galadriel have, but he has it more or less to the degree that Feanor did.

actually pretty insightful, thought-through and political-minded in some ways, too bad he shares Feanor’s tendency for unwarranted suspicion and factionalism, as well as a tendency to just act on his own without checking with anyone

always either filthy from work or fully blinged-out and impeccably groomed, no in-between

more calculated and subtle than Feanor - not that Feanor ever needed calculation or subtlety since he could get by on sheer awe or intimidation. Celegorm and Maedhros have that same quality in spades and Curufin’s a little bit jealous

Not actually that much older than the twins, but always acted older than his age, especially once he heard that Feanor was the same

collects weapons, loves fancy horses, the most traditionally aristocratic of the seven

Got married relatively young; saw it as a matter of honor to further his family’s line

continued his scholarly pursuits in Beleriand; this is part of why he elected to share a territory with Celegorm

The last Celebrimbor ever heard of him was a magically sealed box filled with research notes he sent out in case he didn’t make it out alive

Did not take his parents’ estrangement well and is stubbornly salty toward Nerdanel (though deep down he misses her as much as his brothers if not more)

Frequently the Bad Influence/ Shoulder Devil to his brothers.

But when he gets excited about his research/craft he’s got this “exited cocky little boy” side to him that’s surprisingly pure. 

Only Nerdanel and possibly Celebrimbor’s mom are allowed to call him ‘Atarinke.’ His brothers might still use it when they’re teasing or scolding him. 

The Twins:

Every time a fic does something else with them than “generic prankster redheads” I cry with joy

We don’t have that many data points on them, but most of them suggest they’re every bit as fierce as their brothers

they’re somewhat aloof & mostly do their own thing;

As kids they’d mostly sit in a corner and play with each other. Possibly deliberately played up their identicalness as a kind of emo fashion statement / to fuck with people (”Should we do this Ambarussa?” - ”I don’t know, what do you think, Ambarussa?”)

never really gave up their semi-nomadic ways

Compared to Celegorm they probably more on stealth and precision than strength and bravado. They suddenly appear in front of you, and bam! You’ve got an arrow poking out of your face. Probably the ones scouting the perimeter of the camp.

Amras is a bit sassier, but it’s actually Amrod who’s a little bit braver.

Hardly ever argued until their parents’ estrangement; That led to quite a few quarrels between them.

For all his faults, Feanor made a point of doing things with each of them individually.

quietly nursing some level of pent-up despair and frustration until they push for the assault on Sirion

In the version where one of them dies, and then no one ever talks about it, - I imagine that the remaining one ended up cynical in a “let’s just get it ever with we’re already doomed after all’ kind of way

Bonus:

Celebrimbor

“Curiosity killed the cat but the second mouse gets the cheese” incarnate. He’s a sweet, excitable,  deeply good guy, but Curiosity is the strongest force within him, besides maybe “think of the potential”

very bold in his thinking, not held back by any conventional boundaries. This is partially why he ended up more independent than his father and uncles but ironically that might in a sense make him more similar to grandpa than any of them

Really looks like Feanor. Like, Arwen and Luthien level of resemblance. It takes ppl a bit to notice because of how different his general demeanor and surface-level personality is. 

Very scattered and absent-minded, prone to sudden flashes of inspiration, often shows up in some form of disarray

spent his adolescence at Formenos. Retained a certain affinity for wintery places ever since

He sensed something fishy about Sauron before long, but between wanting to avoid the family propensity for unwarranted suspicion and being tempted by all the possibilities of what he could do with that power/knowledge even if it did come from a fishy source, he didn’t act before it was too late - he can't have been fully clueless since he hid the three; There was definitely just a bit of actual seduction/forbidden fruit appeal in place there, whether to use the word “hubris” probably depends on your philosophy. 

He drops the ‘th’ once he renounces Curufin, but slips right back into the old habit when excited or exasperating. At some point during his rule of Eregion, he stops bothering to hide it - A similar thing happens when he’s talking Sindarin with his northeast Beleriand accent. 

I know this is a very popular old hat headcanon, but... His other name is also “Curufinwe”. Everyone called him Telperinquar from the start, lest all three come running and grumble about being distracted from work, but after the Nargothrond debacle, he had other reasons for not using it. But really, Telperinquar/Celebrimbor is just another more metaphorical way to say “this baby shall be good at working with his hands” so yeah

My HC for where he was between the Finrod incident and the second age is as follows: He departed for war with Gwindor’s troupe (this is someone who tried to engineer a way around entropy - not a “do nothing” sort of guy) and fled the battlefield with Turgon. (hence some of the passages that place him in Gondolin can still be made to work. He totally made Earendil’s baby-sized mail coat) He fled with Idril’s party. Had she not tipped him off somehow he would probably have died with the rest of the smith’s guild. Or perhaps he grabbed all the valuable records he could find and ran for it because someone needed to preserve them. As living surrounded by the survivors of Doriath would have been awkward to say the least, he went to the isle of Balar to offer his skills and service to Gil-Galad. This is where he befriended/ reconnected with Galadriel and Celeborn. 

Finrod once told him the “faithful stone” legend from Brethil. It would be an inspiration to him much later. Generally credits Finrod with being a good influence on him. 

Judging by the stars on the doors of Durin his stance on his family probably softened over the years. He essentially attained their original new dream of exploring distant lands and building unparalleled new realms, at least for a while - also definitely has a similar “screw destiny!”/ “I defy you stars!” attitude. Perhaps he wanted to see their vision done right. 

But on some level, I think he also wanted to associate himself with their fame eventually especially once his own accomplishments grew. His feelings were probably always very ambiguous because he must have admired and envied their great works but also lived getting weird looks whenever he did what he’s best at and loves doing most in the world because it associates him with these very ambiguous people whom many hated... at one point in the past he must have really admired his father and grandfather, I mean, he came with them across the sea. 

Nerdanel

She got Feanor the apprenticeship / gave him the idea after they met on their travels. 

Were seen as something of an eccentric hippie/ hipster couple in the early days

She’s tough, confident and definitely quipped/ yelled back at times. Definitely described as ‘strong-willed’ and individual. Like this was a ‘kindred spirits’ thing before everything went to hell

it counts for something that even during the ugly bitter parting scene the worst Feanor could say was “someone must’ve turned you against me because you definitely cared once” rather than “you’re a traitor” for all that everything else in that scene made him very punchable

Their relationship dynamic, as I see it, is that she’s the one person who just sees and treats him like a normal dude. No apprehension, no fawning. He’s not “the greatest” or a tainted aberration to her, he’s simply a like-minded friend. So she’s pretty chill about his idiosyncrasies and doesn’t see them as a big deal, but on the other hand, she’s not overawed and will not take bullshit

Since she is good at understanding people she probably usually gets where he’s coming from even when he’s not being reasonable

possibly invented abstract art; was most certainly influential. 

the elves who serve Aule probably have their own little traditions. She might’ve imparted some of those on her descendants

Also ppl tend to forget that she also does metalwork. Again, it’s quite possible that she got him into it and that if they’d never met, he might have landed in a completely different discipline

I think it says a lot about Feanor that he chose her for being smart, creative and independent-minded. It shows that he actually values these things and that it’s not just a rhetorical device;  he’s not a hypocrite, he failed at what he was genuinely trying to aim for. 

She had Finwe won over the moment she mentioned that she likes children. To Feanor’s chagrin, she proclaimed that his then-tiny half-siblings were the cutest thing ever but since he was trying to impress Nerdanel, he actually kept his composure there. 

She was totally buds with Earwen and Anaire. 

I really like those fics where she played some part in the reconstruction efforts. She’s already renowned for her wisdom and has some familiarity with the court, so why wouldn’t Finarfin make her an advisor? 

Miriel

She was described as having “silver” hair like what the teleri sometimes have, but that was for lack of a better world. It’s actually pretty close to pure white. It was an unprecedented anomaly. Celegorm got it. Though overall Maglor might be the one who most looks like her. Or maybe Caranthir. 

Well, her tendency to refuse to eat her words no matter what has certainly proven highly heritable

Canonically one of those ppl who talks very fast 

Feanor doesn’t look very much like her at all, but he talks like her and is similar in his body language etc. The shape of her hands, however, has made it all the way to Celebrimbor in an unbroken line. Maglor’s got em too. 

She was the only one of her family to make the great journey. That’s why “the names of her kin are not recorded”. You see, they tried to convince her not to go, and that only made her more determined. 

Miriel and Indis used to have this thing where Miriel would sing while Indis plays the instrument. First time Indis caught Maedhros and Fingon doing something similar she got very emotional about it. She told them how she and Miriel also used to have a sort of odd friendship despite their opposite looks and personalities. Maedhros had at this point never even heard that they used to be friends. She proceeded to tell him some fun stories from Miriel’s youth and encouraged the two to spend time together. 

We’re told that Miriel and Finwe only got together in Valinor; Since Indis had a thing for him since before the Vanyar moved out of Tirion it’s fully possible that Indis actually liked him first. Maybe she actually introduced them to each other, like she wasn't confident enough to ask him on a date so she brought her friend, only for the two to be immediately smitten with each other. Poor Indis decided that she had no chance and moved out of town when Ingwe did. 

Miriel definitely expresses her love/admiration in the way of “You! You’re perf! I must make art of you!”

Since his arrival in the halls of Mandos, Feanor has made several of Vaire’s Maiar cry with his critique of their tapestries, but he holds that his mom’s are best. 

Feanor himself

In general, I hold that while he said many things that were not right, there’s a lot of what he prophecied that was not quite wrong and does come true in a kind of way, even if not necessarily for himself and his family. They sort of pave the way as Promethean figures. The second mouse gets the cheese (it’s usually some Nolofinwean)

Though he’s also the ultimate example of “you are not immune to propaganda”. Literally the smartest man in the world; Still touchy enough to be an easy mark for emotional manipulation. 

I think a lot of ff undersells what a polymath he must’ve been and that part where he worked on many different topics and was “the most learned”. 

You know the type of author who has a bazillion unfinished wips going and jumps wildly from topic to topic? Feanor’s research notes are exactly like that, especially the tendency to disintegrate into cryptic jottings and notes right before the most interesting part.  Just like the unfinished texts from HoMe Just like Gauss or Euler, having invented everything a hundred years ahead and 40% more discoveries buried that he never felt ready to publish. (I can also definitely see the sons – especially Maedhros and Curufin – spending the better part of the siege of Angband compiling some of it into a presentable format. Celebrimbor would then be the one to stumble upon implications /corollaries that had somehow been missed for thousands of years. 

For all that I enjoy fics where they’re all smoll and adorable as much as the next person, canonically we’re given every indication that he was an adolescent or young adult by the time the remarriage occurred. The published silm has him “well-nigh full-grown” by the time Indis started having kids; In the HoME passage detailing the romantic meeting on the mountain it’s said that he was “wandering in the mountains” (ie, old enough to do so on his own) at the time. He moved out as soon as he could, so he and his half-siblings never actually spent any significant time in the same household

I mean, he reacted like a teenager would, and IMHO neither his character nor Finwe’s make any sense if this wasn’t a single parent situation early on. 

Personally, I really don’t like that headcanon that he was nicer to the sisters for no reason. I don’t think his relationship with Fingolfin was ever much better than the sort of “awkwardly tolerating” we saw at the reconciliation scene; At the same time, I don’t think things would ever have escalated to that degree if Melkor hadn’t gone mucking things up. 

In the same vein, I don’t think he always had beef with the Valar. He used to hang out in Aule’s halls and let Celegorm study with Orome after all and studied their language. - he certainly seems to have had some romanticism for the Hither Lands evident in his speeches, he traveled far past the well-lit areas, made crystals that shine in starlight etc. so he was probably always somewhat independent-minded and he certainly knew, better than anyone, that the Valar are imperfect and can’t fix everything (they couldn’t heal Miriel after all) - but it’s a long way from healthy skepticism and understandable disappointment to asserting bad intentions where there are none. 

There’s a long way between not wanting a relationship with someone, and pointing stabby objects at them. Feanor was always difficult and never the type of person to be easily satisfied but at the same time, he clearly had his “delight” in his work and life as it was pre-Melkor. He could’ve gone on as an inventor and author of strongly worded opinion pieces; perhaps the elves were even “meant” to go back & come into contact with the Edain for a brief while, just without all the murder. 

The thing about Melkor’s lies is that they made a complicated situation conveniently easy in a way that he (and Fingolfin!) would want to believe. It’s not really either of their fault that they both exist, but if your rival is actually out to get you then suddenly all your negative feelings are justified 

Personally, I don’t think it the remarriage made that much of a difference - Miriel would still be dead. What Feanor’s really mad at is the inherent unfairness of the world. But he can’t fix or fight that, so in a misfire of his engineer’s mindset that thinks in terms of simple cause and effect and wants the world to be logical and controllable, he blamed something tangible (Indis.)

I think Melkor hates him so much because he’s kinda what Melkor wishes he was or likes to think he is. They’re both the mightiest of their respective kinds and don’t really fit in, but Feanor’s actually extremely creative. He goes and does his own thing, and maybe errs in overlooking that no man is an island and that all works are built on those of others, but, look at Melkor who wants all the scale of a group project but none of the “cooperation” part and basically can’t make anything of his own. “You’re like me, yet you’re successful? I cannot allow it!” 

In a sense you have classic Satan and Miltonian satan in the same setting, and they can’t stand each other

[stripyhorse23]

Films of the Year 2020

1) A Beautiful Day In The Neighbourhood

I re-watched this to make sure I wasn’t overrating it, but found myself every bit as moved, almost overwhelmed, as the first time I saw it.  The confidence of Marielle Heller’s filmmaking is such that nothing ever feels forced, her themes never have to be underlined, nor does she ever have to draw attention to the quietly excellent below-the-line elements.  Tom Hanks exudes warmth and compassion as Mr. Rogers, matched step for step by Matthew Rhys as the guarded, cynical journalist who resists the possibility of goodness and comfort with every fibre of his being.  Some of the most masterfully filmed conversation scenes of the year - the diner sequence alone is extraordinary.

2) Parasite

Hugely good fun, wildly unexpected, handles its tonal shifts fantastically with an ensemble cast that’s totally in tune to one another, and slickly channels the capitalist satire of Bong Joon-ho’s earlier films.  It’s not that Parasite is saying anything that different or original necessarily, but it feels utterly of its moment and despite its anarchic energy is never glib or peevish.  I squealed several times, laughed even more, and the film left me with a weird, immovable sense of melancholy.  Deeply impressive.

3) Portrait Of A Lady On Fire

The range that Céline Sciamma has shown over just four films!  Deliberately paced without ever feeling slow, I loved how invested this was in portraiture as an art form and how that folded into Marianne’s burgeoning feelings for Héloïse.  Unlike a lot of other love stories, and by nature of its subject matter, Portrait is interested not just in how its two protagonists make one another feel but how they perceive one another.  The ghostly apparitions that Marianne witnesses feel at first like a false note only for that to pay off beautifully in the final act.  Héloïse’s final words are up there with The Lives of Others in terms of last lines that make you break out in goosebumps.

4) And Then We Danced

For a film that’s so concerned with the hard lines of its dance movements, it’s appropriate how tuned-in the screenplay is to when it needs to puncture its atmosphere of repressive masculinity with compassion and tenderness.  Each relationship in the story is replete with texture and feeling, not just Merab’s rambunctious, chaotic home life, but also his dance partner / best friend.  What really made the movie for me was how focused it was on Merab’s own journey, outside of and alongside his relationship with another male dancer.

5) A Hidden Life

Malick is back, baby!  Doesn't quite reach the giddy heights of his filmography up to and including The Tree of Life and the three-hour runtime is a little punishing, but Malick is clearly working with a renewed sense of focus and purpose. Tracking the life of Franz Jägerstätter, a conscientious objector who was executed by the Nazis in 1943, I was unexpectedly and profoundly moved by A Hidden Life’s spiritual curiosity.  Franz's commitment to his faith might seem alien, but it becomes clear that it's the only thread he has to hold onto in order to see him through; even his relationship with his steadfast wife is defined by their shared religion.  The roving camera and Jörg Widmer's stunning depictions of bucolic life turned sour, as the small village community become spiteful and cruel, also feel like some sort of spiritual rebuke (and it's notable that we're kept closely within Franz's POV rather than venturing out into the atrocities that lie on the margins of the film).  I fully lost it when I realised that the title is taken from the monumental final paragraph of Middlemarch.

6) Never Rarely Sometimes Always

Eliza Hittman’s new film is definitely going where you think it’s going, but that hardly matters when the filmmaking and performances are this strong.  Whilst it’s concerned with the difficulties of obtaining an abortion for vulnerable young women, that’s not all that’s on its mind, and I was struck by how well it draws the patriarchal society these two teenagers have to manoeuvre through every day.  Hittman’s New York is a nightmare landscape, with Hélène Louvert’s cinematography expressively capturing the sense of oppressiveness and isolation that big cities can have on a person.  Like with Beach Rats, Hittman draws fine performances from her leads, ones that say a lot with very little dialogue, and of course the scene that gives the film its name is just fantastic.

7) Corpus Christi

Somehow manages to overcome its reliance on coincidences in the early going to become an exhilarating, deeply-felt film about the failures of organised religion and the limits of faith.  Bartosz Bielena could take me to church any day of the week, and he's truly electric as the ex-con who masquerades as the priest of a small town recently rocked by tragedy.  The plot could easily be that of a Hollywood rom-com, and it's to the film's credit that, aforementioned coincidences aside, it's always interested in digging deeper.  It's incredibly powerful as a testament to how difficult it is to confront the most difficult truths about ourselves and how grief is turned outwards.  The visceral, upsetting fight scene that closes the film is memorable, sure, but it’s the troubled character study at its centre that ensures Corpus Christi lingers.

8) Boys State

I suppose you might argue that finding a microcosm of American politics at an annual event where a group of 17-year-old boys are asked to form their own government is a little like shooting fish in a barrel, but directors Jesse Moss and Amanda McBaine mine their subject matter for much more than simple prescience.  Impeccably cast and edited, it manages to be simultaneously hugely entertaining (with true heroes and villains) and also an insightful, terrifying window into the glibness with which white American men treat both real world issues and anyone on the other side of the argument.  There were other, perhaps more accomplished documentaries released in 2020, but Boys State was so irresistibly of its time and so gripping because of that it kept creeping up in my estimation as the year wore on.

9) The Forty-Year-Old Version

What a fun, smart screenplay this is.  Which isn't to say there isn't plenty of other things that impress about this debut feature focused on an almost-forty-year-old Black woman who, frustrated with the dead end her career as a playwright seems to be facing, turns to rap as an alternative means of expression.  It's incredibly astute on the ways in which Black artists are forced to compromise to appease white gatekeepers and perceived audiences, a topic that it handles with equal parts anger and wry humour.  The film isn't blind, either, to the ways in which Radha's frustrations impact her relationships (particularly with her loyal agent/best friend).  When the only complaint you have about a film is that it suffers from a surfeit of ideas, it’s indicative of what a special, unique voice it possesses.

10) Rocks

A huge step up from the stolid, dishwater-y Suffragette.  The film’s deceptive simplicity in its depiction of a teenage girl and her younger brother who suddenly find themselves having to navigate an adult world they’re not ready for allows for the performances and screenplay to fill in the bustling, often joyful elements of Rocks’ life.  Cast perfectly top to bottom, some of the film’s best scenes are where Rocks and her mates are just hanging out, shooting the shit with one another.  And whilst there’s a heart-breaking centre to this particular story, it never feels reliant on pulling your heart strings, or leaning too heavily into the more troubling aspects of Rocks’ life.

Ten performances that I loved this year: Cosmo Jarvis in Calm With Horses, Joe Keery in Spree, Radha Blank in The Forty-Year-Old Version, Delroy Lindo in Da 5 Bloods, Bartosz Bielena in Corpus Christi, Cho Yeo-jeong in Parasite, Hugh Jackman in Bad Education, Alfre Woodard in Clemency, Johnny Flynn in Emma and Haley Bennett in Swallow.

[monotonous-minutia]

Third question: pick an opera you’ve seen several productions of and compare/contrast those productions in as many or few ways as you wish

So, Zauberflöte is one of my favorite operas, but I don’t talk about it too much. I think it might be because it’s honestly hard to find a decent production of this one. Like, yes, the opera itself is super whack, but I don’t understand the need to make it even more ridiculous with bizarre sets/costumes/staging/etc. So most of the time I don’t even finish them. My method is usually this: 1) See if the overture is staged and how. 2) Check out the set and costumes and see how bizarre/distracting they are. 3) Watch Papageno’s first aria to see how they handle him. 4) Watch Monostatos’s first scene to see how they handle him. 5) If the first Monostatos scene is questionable watch his aria. If all of this is passable, I’ll start over and watch the whole thing. A lot of times, productions don’t pass the test. However, there are four that I have seen that I really enjoyed.

Drottingholm Court Theater, 1989

The first Zauberflote I ever saw was also the first opera I ever saw, so it’s very special to me. The production is glorious; lush sets and costumes set in the time it was written; intricate staging that really brings out the character’s personalities and motivations; an excellent cast with an especially expressive Pamina who most of the time isn’t there for Sarastro’s BS. Papageno is adorable and hilarious and the production does NOT make fun of him, which is refreshing. This is my favorite Sarastro; the actor (Lazlo Polgar) is so phenomenal that I can actually see Sarastro as the kind, wise, loving figure he’s supposed to be (but the misogyny is still there because it’s unavoidable). The Queen of the Night is regal, majestic, and terrifying. During her second aria she spends a lot of the coloratura staring manically into the audience. Two of my favorite bits of staging: At the end of Act I, when the villagers start to arrive to greet Sarastro, Papageno notices a cute girl in the crowd and starts flirting with her. Later we find out that she’s Papagena, and it’s simply adorable and makes their reunion all the more genuine. The other is at the very end during the Act II finale. They stage it as if Sarastro is performing a wedding ceremony for Pamina and Tamino and in the last moment Papageno and Papagena run in holding hands and go stand next to them so it becomes a double wedding and Sarastro gives them this huge smile and my heart just melts. An interesting choice they make is that the Pamina-Tamino duet where they’re saying their “final farewell” (“Soll ich dich teurer nicht mehr sehn?”) is at the beginning of Act II before Tamino leaves for his trials, which makes more sense because he is talking to Pamina and if it happens after Pamina’s aria it doesn’t make sense because he just listened to her say she was going to kill herself without responding and now all of a sudden he’s talking to her. So I like that they put it here because it makes their conversation more believable. The only thing I don’t like about it is the way they handle Monostatos; it’s not unique to this production, but that obviously doesn’t excuse it. A sad mark on an otherwise impeccable production. Unfortunately I can’t find this anywhere online; I just own the DVD, so while I’d recommend it highly, I doubt people will be able to find it.

Convent Garden, 2003

The second one I ever saw. Delightful in so many ways. I LOVE this Papageno and Pamina and the production really highlights the fact that they’re a team in the second part of Act I and it’s so stinking cute. The costumes don’t have a specific theme going on as far as I can tell, but I’m also not great with recognizing stuff like that. The set is relatively simple and doesn’t go out of its way to be flashy or outstanding. We get the cutest Pamina in existence, Dorothea Röschmann, who also isn’t there for Sarastro’s BS and frankly not Tamino’s either but there’s not a lot she can do about any of that. Damrau is the Queen of the Night and she is a QUEEN. Eek. This Tamino is VERY annoyed with Papageno to the point of being almost mean but Papageno eventually starts fighting back which is heartening. His line about being able to be a man too by not saying anything during Pamina’s suicidal aria is clearly a burn and after that he takes his stuff and goes offstage, instead of following Tamino like he does in every other production I’ve seen, as if he’s just done with him. They actually don’t interact again after that so I can imagine they just go their separate ways, which is kind of sad, but this production really doesn’t portray the bromance between them that others do. I do hope he gets to see Pamina again though. Papageno’s duet with Papagena is the cutest thing in the world and Papagena herself is illegally adorable. Also Pamina deserves much more than what these men give her. I hope either Tamino shapes up or she leaves him eventually. This one also remedies some of the racism by having Monostatos and his minions be zombies, which looks odd compared to the rest of the set and costumes but is appreciated. They also fix some of the wording in his aria (which I caught with my limited German skills) which also helps. This Sarastro is pretty nice too but not as expressive as Polgar and his staging isn’t as intricate. Overall though I love this one primarily for Keenlyside’s Papageno, Damrau’s Queen, and Röschmann’s Pamina.

Bronx (can’t find a date)

This one is in English and the translation is really good and best of all gets rid of some of the racism/misogyny so yay! The cast is really good at portraying the characters, and they embrace the comic and dramatic elements with equal weight, and there’s more diversity than is often seen. This Queen freaking SLAYS. And Pamina makes me cry. A lot. We get a lot of the missing dialogue here which helps flesh out the story and which I really appreciate because I’m kind of tired of people bashing the libretto when a lot of the confusion comes from bad translations and the fact that huge chunks of the dialogue are taken out because conductors want to get to the music faster. Like there is SO MUCH banter between Tamino and Papageno that’s freaking hilarious but we hardly ever get to hear it. And there’s a lot more exposition in the Papageno-Pamina conversation at the top of Act I Scene II that clarifies a lot of what people complain is so confusing, as well as a longer conversation between Pamina and her mother in Act II that explains more of her backstory and the significance of the flute. So I love that this production keeps a lot of it in. The set and costumes are detailed and very pretty. Papageno’s feathers and green wig are kind of Extra but he’s so funny I can forgive it. Papagena is TINY and adorable. We actually get some genuine chemistry between Tamino and Pamina which is a rare treat. At the very end Papageno and Papagena run onstage and Papageno goes to hug Tamino which is very sweet, and Papagena goes to Pamina, which makes me wonder if maybe they knew each other before. After all, they’ve both been hanging out at Sarastro’s place for some time waiting for their men to get it together.

Loyola University New Orleans, 2014

This one also gets rid of a lot of the racism/misogyny through another great English translation and taking out the entire duet with the Two Priests where they’re basically just saying women are terrible and making changes to the portrayal of Monostatos and his lines. The cast is more diverse too which helps. It’s set in what looks like maybe Egypt, which kind of makes sense given the whole Isis/Osiris thing. However, Sarastro is obviously imitating Zeus with a huge white beard, white robe, and he carries a giant lightning bolt in some scenes, which makes for an odd juxtaposition. This Tamino is less Stand There and Look Handsome and more Let’s Get This Over With which is refreshing. Monostatos is hilarious and I kind of feel sorry for him. We get an extra sassy Papagena and it’s a joy. The Three Spirits are actually portrayed as women in this one instead of boys which also helps with diversity and lessening misogyny. It also keeps a lot of the missing dialogue which is appreciated. The interactions between the characters are detailed and genuine and make for a heartfelt production overall.

so there’s that. Thanks for the ask; I especially love ranting/rambling about opera productions!!

[theixanne]

Exceeds Expectations

Better late than never... Heneral Luna opens claiming that this is a fictionalized biopic of one of Philippine's most important historical figures, Antonio Luna, for the sake of getting the modern audience into the history's bigger picture. In spite of being more intense and surprisingly humorous, the movie stays loyal to what this figure truly stands for. The war is brutal, over-the-top to bring up for visual flare, and their serious situations being often treated as sincere satires. How the film executed these ideas are just brilliant, it gets larger-than-life without feeling outlandish, towards the heart of defending the nation worth fighting for. The film is all about justifying their quote about the real enemy of this war is themselves. Although we see warfare with both the Philippine and American army attacking each other, this battle is basically the secondary concern here. The real detail of this war is how many soldiers chickening out from the battlefield and some officials wanted to work with the Americans. But of course, their real goal is independence; the movie makes a punchline out of those who aren't helping out, those who are just running away and those who are just isn't fond of Luna's aggressiveness. The film doesn't glamorize the character of Luna, either. Though his intentions are right, his rage could get out of hand which puts most of them off. But that also indicate that winning this revolution deserves more discipline than what they got. Back to the fact that this is taken a lot out of creative liberties, the movie fills this history with vast amount of sense of humor and violent panache. The violence is, again, over-the-top. At times it gets pretty symbolical, specifically the climax. The humor is clearly just satirizing to those characters who aren't being helpful and those who are afraid of facing Luna's rage once more. And when it's not trying to pull off any sense of levity, we just get to see the story flesh itself out more in the sidelines of its history and other characters. The filmmaking is stunning, slick and stylish. The production looks pretty neat. The movie is paced nicely even at times it's layered to different events, but puts itself together consistently. The acting is beyond impressive; specifically John Arcilla as Antonio Luna. He brings a genuine humanity, and at the same time, a really compelling sense of madness, which terrifically lives up to the complexity of its subject. The supporting also lends real gravity and even delight on screen, but it's Arcilla's show and that's more than enough of a worth seeing performance through out. Maybe some quibbles I could point out; maybe how the enemies are portrayed felt like they're written to be campy villains and maybe just one punchline in the film that felt like it belongs to a comedy skit. But again, these are quibbles and they can be debunked, even by myself. The former can be forgiven since they're technically not the main villains of this ordeal, while the latter is just a single scene and obviously designed to keep shaming the cowards at the battlefield. Anything else, there is so much to love in Heneral Luna. It's great, not only because it's humorous and visually interesting, but it's also a two-sided argument towards its history, not based on praising, but actually by criticism. Yes, this is a war movie that gets brutal, but the movie focuses on a meatier and more challenging side of the ordeal. And it pokes fun at some unwise decisions the people behind this war make, but what matters is the intention of its subject unable to die while he's still standing. Otherwise, it's just an ultimately entertaining film that exceeds expectations. Truly recommended.15 out of 20 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote. Permalink 9/10Hot-Headed Heroics!3xHCCH15 September 2015"Heneral Luna" tells us a more detailed account of the life of one of the revolutionary heroes we learn about in school, yet know practically nothing about -- Gen. Antonio Luna. Practically all we know about him is that he had a very bad temper which gained him a lot of enemies, eventually leading to his assassination. Aside from telling us specific situations where this legendary temper flared up, we also get to meet him more intimately as a leader, a soldier, as a son and as a man. Even from his intense penetrating gaze and formidable mustache in the poster alone, you already know John Arcilla will be excellent in this film. His comic timing was impeccable. It was a most vibrant performance of a most vivid man, making him really loom larger than life. He was over-the-top in his explosiveness, just the way Tarog wanted him to be. The way he was built up, we were ready for that climactic assassination scene, however outrageous the savagery. Mon Confiado was a picture of ironic calm as President Emilio Aguinaldo. The more movies we watch about the revolution certainly brings up more and more questions about the controversial Aguinaldo. Nonie Buencamino was so slimy as his treacherous surname-sake Felipe Buencamino. That nonchalant look on Lorenz Martinez face was so hateful as he essayed the role of the equally haughty Gen. Tomas Mascardo. It was also such a casting risk and surprise to put known comedians in such key roles, like Epy Quizon as Apolinario Mabini, Leo Martinez as Pedro Paterno and Ketchup Eusebio as the vengeful Capt. Pedro Janolino. I must admit their presence can be distracting in certain dramatic moments, particularly Eusebio. Or maybe that was their purpose -- to balance out the severe seriousness of those scenes. You immediately upfront that the filmmakers were aiming high for this film. The initial introductory texts were written in English, signifying intentions for this film to make the rounds of foreign film festivals. (I read that there were even certain reels with English subtitles shown in some more upscale cinemas.) The presence of disclaimers stating that this is a work of fiction inspired by fact could somehow raise an uneasy question as to how much fiction was in there mixed among the facts. This film will also grab you with its gorgeous cinematography. The images on the big screen had such vivid colors and innovative camera angles. The period production design and the costume design were meticulous in detail. During a beautifully-edited flashback sequence, there was a stylized scene about Rizal's execution that was so uniquely and hauntingly rendered. There are most gruesome and graphic special effects showing the violent brutality of warfare which will shock you. The historical storytelling was very clear, exciting and engaging from beginning to end, with a fresh graphic novel feel to it. Humor was such an unexpected yet integral element of the script, from those crisp off- color expletives of Luna to those sarcastic side comments of Lt. Rusca (Archie Alemania) and many more in between of different shades. The patriotic sentiments were very poetically-written, but the way they were delivered here felt sincere. They did not sound preachy or cheesy, like when such lines were mouthed by Robin Padilla in "Bonifacio" or Jeorge E.R. Ejército in "El Presidente". Just like a Marvel film, there was an extra scene in the middle of the closing credits, suggesting a next film featuring Paulo Avelino as Gen. Gregorio del Pilar. There was also a brief cameo appearance of Benjamin Alves as a young Manuel L. Quezon, hinting at a possible trilogy. This is a very exciting plan indeed which we all hope will materialize given the success of "Heneral Luna". I hear this is also under consideration of being submitted for Oscar consideration, and I support that campaign. The screening I caught today was a full-house despite being 1:30 in the afternoon on a weekday. It was really gratifying to see a quality Filipino film have commercial success even if it was not an inane comedy or "kilig" teen flick with box-office stars in the cast. Kudos to Artikulo Uno Productions and director-film editor-musical scorer Jerrold Tarog for coming up with what may just be the best, certainly the most audacious, Filipino film released this year to date. Like Gen. Luna, this film leads a mad charge on horseback with a raised fist against Filipinos who say they love their country yet look out for their personal interests first. Let's hope this strong message hits its targets.

[feminisminfilms]

Hidden Figures and Feminism

The movie Hidden Figures truly is inspiring in the sense where women of color fight for who they are, and stand up for themselves in a world that doesn’t always stand up for them in return. Black women are consistently underrepresented within films and media, so a film such as Hidden Figures, which embraces the story and contributions of real black women in STEM is a phenomenal step towards inclusivity. 

In the U.S, women in STEM are highly overlooked and under-appreciated, never mind black and POC women in STEM. This film, Hidden Figures, allows a peek into the careers of three black women at NASA in the 1960s. It shows how they face issues derived from intersectionality, and how they manage to overcome these social barriers. The characters are strong women, who stand up for themselves and work hard in their careers. One thing that is fascinating about these characters in contrast with many other female characters in film, is that their journey is not centered around pleasing a man. Yes, there are men in their lives, but they are not central to their success and motivation. They work for themselves, and for themselves only. They know when they’re not being treated with respect and stand up for who they are and the people who surround them. 

The concept of intersectionality when it comes to feminism is heavily overlooked, yet it is one of the most important topics to acknowledge when addressing gender equality. Women, in general, face discrimination and objectification on a daily basis when it comes to every day things and careers. Black women, however, face a type of double discrimination, based not only on their gender or race, but both. In the opening scene of Hidden Figures the three main female characters (Mary, Katherine, and Dorothy) have car trouble on their way to their work at NASA. A white male policeman pulls them over and asks for their identification. They then go on to explain that they were just on their way to work at NASA. The policeman was surprised and exclaimed that he “had no idea they hired... '', and stopped his sentence to look at the women. This action lets the audience know that he was taken back and surprised that a place like NASA would hire three black women. The cop knowing this now treats the women with respect and offers to escort them to work. The officer should’ve treated them with respect from the beginning, without having to know what they do for a living. Someone's gender, the color of their skin, or their profession shouldn’t affect how you treat someone. 

Katherine, Dorothy, and Mary were very intelligent women that worked hard and pursued their goals. As African American women, they started working in the West Area Computing section for NASA. Here, all three women were “computers,” which meant that they were involved with wind tunnels, flight experiments, and astrophysics. As time went on, they continued to show their determination, strength, and ambition, and most importantly, worked up to the top. Katherine Johnson became one of the first women at NASA to co-author a research paper. Dorothy Vaughan became NASA’s first African American supervisor in history, and worked in all wings, not just the segregated one as where she worked before. Vaughan worked with both white and African American computers and went into the desegregated Analysis and Computation Division soon after. Mary Jackson became NASA’s first African American female engineer and studied the behavior of the layer of air around airplanes. In the 60’s where mostly everything was run by white men, these three strong African American women took it upon themselves to break the norm, and become the firsts for influential positions. 

Today women can have any job they work hard for, yet during the 60s jobs were often categorized as male or female dominant. Katherine was thrown into a whole new work environment as she left her previous workplace with other women of color and started to compute for the orbital mechanics. She saw how different those two worlds were and how the only other woman was a white receptionist. Mary also experienced this as she became an engineer for NASA, even though she was put down and belittled by a white woman who told her it was not her place to be. Mary Jackson was the first black woman to graduate the night classes from the University of Virginia after she fought in court for her dream, and Dorothy after working for many years at NASA being a computer, taught herself how to work the new computing machines. All of these women along with many others had to fight for their right and respect in their workplace, being an inspiration for many generations to come. 

Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson and Dorothy Vaughan were inspirational and very important women for American history, yet it took over 50 years for a work of media to tell their stories. Media representation of their stories are inspirational to all people, but especially for young women of color. Their impact on NASA was for so long unseen, but without them our American space history would have been different. The movie Hidden Figures was a positive representation of feminism and told the impeccable story of three Black women who fought for their rights and held themselves high in their workplace during a time of racism.

[animebw]

Vinland Saga: Series Reflection

Every once in a while, there comes a show where you can tell from the very first moment you’re in for something special. Sometimes it’s thanks to an incredible action scene, sometimes it’s stunning use of cinematography, sometimes it’s not even clear what’s causing you to sit up and take notice, but whatever the case, you can tell you’re about to embark upon a journey that will stick with you long after it’s done. Some anime take time and patience to truly work their way into your soul, but it’s clear from the very first scene of Vinland Saga that it’s going to be a genuine masterpiece. Few anime are so instantly powerful and richly textured, bearing the weight of meaning like a cross and hinting at untold depths of meaning to unravel. Few anime so instantly reach such profoundly realized drama, mature and contemplative without sacrificing the aching humanity that makes this medium so special. You just don’t get many anime that even try to achieve what Vinland Saga makes look so effortless. And it deserves to be cherished for being one of those rare gems capable of weaving such awe-inspiring threads of drama and pathos.

Above all else, Vinland Saga is a story about war, and it’s easily one of my new favorite examples of the form. It tells a tale not just of the horrors of war itself, but the complex ambiguities of humanity that get dashed against the rocks of violence. It effortlessly explores how bloodshed and brutality turn us into our worst selves, how easy it can be for our worst instincts to take over when our lives are on the line. But it never loses sight of the humanity we still fight to maintain, the hopes and dreams that carry us through the carnage and encourage us to seek better, less violent paths. It draws a picture of a world gasping its last breaths, drowning in misery and pettiness and human fallibility, but its characters refuse to let the light die. They struggle and rage, trying to carve out better paths, trying to escape the comforting fantasies that bind them and seize reality with their own hands to keep the twilight from falling. It’s a riveting, achingly human narrative that deftly weaves countless characters together, all striving to be better than the broken world they’re wallowing in.

Of course, a great story is only half of the equation; great presentation is equally necessary to bring this narrative’s soul to life. And truth be told, Vinland Saga is not the most consistent in that regard. Studio Wit is still hamstrung by abysmal management and awful deadlines, and it’s painfully obvious whenever there wasn’t enough time to really polish a scene or moment. To be frank, some of thi show looks flat-out ugly. But far more often than the crude CG and distracting off-model characters are moments where everything just clicks perfectly, where the haunting score and lush visuals and stunning depiction of turn-of-the-millenium Brittania evoke such staggering beauty I could barely even process it. This show is capable of the kind of sensory experience you can only dream of, an audiovisual tapestry of genuine awe and wonder. Credit must be given to series director Shuuhei Yabuta, whose masterful touches and impeccable eye for majesty bring Vinland Saga’s greatest moments to magnificent life. I will always remember the quiet splendor of Iceland at night, the savagery of the most brutal duels, the gut-wrenching horror of the village slaughter, the warm grace of Thors’ pacifism hanging over Thorfinn all his life. The most beautiful moments of this show are among the most beautiful moments I’ve ever seen in anime, and no amount of butchered scheduling can take that away.

And then there’s Askeladd. Holy hopscotching Christ, there’s Askeladd. You were all so right to hype him up this much; Askeladd isn’t just an all-time great villain, he’s one of the most compelling characters I’ve ever seen in anime. He’s both hero and villain, paragon and scoundrel, a man of inestimable honor who will take any dishonorable action to achieve his goals. He’s the protagonist of his own story and the antagonist of our nominal protagonists’, earning our sympathies and disgust in equal measure. And all of it remains tied together by his incredible, undying determination, his desire to strike against the dying world and seize a better life with his own hands, no matter what sacrifices must be made for the world to start breathing easy again. He’s impossible not to love, impossible not to hate, and impossible not to get swept up in as you find yourself cheering his mission on, even as he never stops reminding you of the destruction he leaves in his wake. There are few characters quite like Askeladd, either in anime or anywhere else, and the path Brittania’s true king carves through this show will stick with me until my dying days.

Vinland Saga is the kind of masterpiece you don’t get that often. Few anime are this damn good at being this damn dark, at digging into the heart of gristly human misery without forgetting how hard we fight to be better than that. Yes, the uneven production is unfortunately distracting, and someone seriously needs to fire George Wada before he drives this incredible studio into the ground. But for its staggering depth and beauty, for its endlessly compelling narrative of violence and redemption, and for one of anime’s all-time best characters, I give Vinland Saga’s first season a score of:

9/10

And now we wait with baited breath for the sequel announcement. Until then, thank you all for joining me on this incredible journey, and I hope you stick around for the show that’ll take its place! I’m still working my way through the remnants of 2019 anime, and after something so dark and depressing, I think we all deserve a real feel-good show:

Carole and Tuesday

Let’s see if Shinichiro Watanabe can win me over again, shall we? See you all next time for the start of a new adventure!

[truthbeetoldmedia]

The 100 6x06 “Memento Mori” Review

Along with its impeccable world building, what Season 6 of The 100 has done so well is remind us that no matter how strong one’s moral compass is, every action has a reaction. Monty’s words to “do better” may be lingering in the minds of all of our heroes, but then again, they weren’t exactly expecting to encounter body snatchers in their new world.

Episode 6x06 of The 100, “Memento Mori,” written by newcomer Alyssa Clark and directed by P.J. Pesce is reminiscent of the “old” The 100 in more ways than one, but with a Sanctum twist. There are equal parts lore and moral conflict, and a pinch of backstabbing thrown in for good measure.

Heart Over Head

Try as he might to remain rational and think with his head, Bellamy was certainly not expecting this curveball: Clarke is dead. Josephine restrains Bellamy in her bedroom, and we can tell once she’s thrown Murphy in there with him that it’s been torn apart. While Murphy attempts to subtly convince Bellamy to stay and take the mind drives for the rest of their people, Bellamy has a one track mind. Clarke is gone, and there’s no bringing her back. (Or is there?)

It’s heartbreaking to see Bellamy mourn Clarke in such an outward way. We missed this in the years lost on the ring, and even in the brief moments we did see him grapple with her death, it was clear he was going about it logically. After all, Clarke had just told him to use his head. Now though, after Jordan has reminded him that his heart is what allowed him to be such a heroic and inspiring person, his head seems to have taken a back seat in his processing.

Though Bellamy tells the rest of Spacekru at the end of the episode that they must do what Clarke would want and survive, it’s likely he won’t be able to stick to that for long, at least I hope not. Murder is wrong, kids, but this has been a long time coming. Bellamy’s passion is what makes him such a standout character. That version of him resurfacing would be the cherry on top of such a good season.

Once a Cockroach, Always a Cockroach

The tagline of the season is “Face your demons”. While for Madi this is the Dark Commander and for Diyoza it may be her likeness to Hitler, for Murphy it’s what he’s seen in the afterlife and his unwillingness to go back. This is a character that has cheated death so many times that’s he’s never perhaps grappled with the thought of his own mortality. Now that he knows there’s a way to cheat death forever, he must decide whether to be the hero or slay his demon.

It isn’t surprising in the least that Murphy has taken a deal to save himself. After all, this is his trademark. Even he knows it. However, it’s difficult to tell if his motives will change at any point in the season. What does Josephine have to do to lose him? Though Murphy acts in this episode like he can deal with losing Bellamy, we’ve seen just how ferociously loyal he is to those he loves.

When Clarke, Abby and co. threatened to test the nightblood solution on Emori back in Season 4, Murphy literally had to be restrained. He promised he’d kill Clarke if anything happened to her. Now more than ever, Murphy has a family. Something tells me that as much as he refuses that fact sometimes, he won’t let the Primes harm them — especially since he’s witnessed death firsthand.

Murphy has always been an unpredictable character though. Just when he seems the most bastardly and selfish, he bends and does something to save someone. I wouldn’t be surprised if Murphy turned into the hero of the season.

Echo, Emori and Raven

When Josephine tells an oblivious Echo that Bellamy has gone into the forest on a scouting mission, she’s suspicious but she takes the bait. Josephine figures this will buy her enough time to sway Abby and get the nightblood solution, but she still sends Jade to follow Echo.

While Echo is ultimately looking for Bellamy, she finds herself mercy killing someone who’s quite literally being eaten alive by a tree and learns about Josephine/Clarke from Jade. While it’s nice to see Echo go off on her own and have an independent storyline, it’s short-lived when she returns to the compound and reunites with her friends.

However, we still got a brief taste of a possible new pairing: Echo and Jade. Both spies, they have the potential to either grow closer as they empathize with one another, or play a very entertaining game to see who can gather more intel. Either way, I’m seriously hoping we get more of these two.

Meanwhile, Raven and Emori help Ryker, a Prime, work on the radiation problem. However, once Raven knows about the body snatching, there isn’t much working at all. While it’s understandable that Raven would question the morality of this all, the argument seems to go in circles. Ryker defends the way of the Primes as a significant aspect of Sanctum culture, and Raven argues its immorality.  

Raven doesn’t seem to persuade Ryker, but it’s possible that his mind may change later on and he may become a key ally in helping our heroes to defeat the Primes and get Clarke back. He seems the most willing of the Primes we’ve met to break, anyway.

The issue here is that Raven continues to argue that she’s done nothing wrong, she’s innocent, and she has no demons. She can’t realistically keep up this facade forever, no matter how much she projects onto other people. Raven is a character that needs a serious reality check, and soon. She was once one of my favorites, but I’m beginning to lose hope that Raven can redeem herself from all the bitterness and egotism.

The Mysterious Spiral

Also in the forest are Octavia, Diyoza and their new friend Xavier. Octavia has been exposed to flares that rapidly aged her hand, and the aging is rapidly spreading. Xavier fears she may only have hours before the aging spreads to her mind, killing her. So, the three unlikely confidants search for a possible cure. It turns out that Xavier is a fan of homeopathic medicine. He collects the sap from a tree to apply to Octavia’s wrinkled skin, and while it doesn’t exactly help, her hand does begin to twitch uncontrollably.

The gang soon discover that her tremors aren’t random at all. In fact, they’re forming a spiral that shows up elsewhere in nature, and inked on Xavier’s skin. He says this anomaly called him and it is calling Octavia now.

While it’s unknown what exactly the anomaly is, it’s likely that it will give Octavia some kind of purpose she didn’t have before. Maybe it will even encourage her to live. Octavia’s demons are arguably the most difficult to face of any character on the show, so she likely needs some strong ammo to fight back.

I have to note that watching Octavia and Diyoza’s unlikely friendship blossom has been nothing short of a treat. This is a pair so many were hoping for at the end of Season 5 when they had a brief interaction in the Eligius ship, and one that is definitely not disappointing now. Diyoza and Octavia both have a lot to regret, so it only makes sense that they help each other get their humanity back.

Befriending the Dark Commander

Not knowing that Clarke is dead, Madi struggles in this episode with a commander who won’t let up taunting her. Gaia calls him Sheidheda, the Dark Commander. While in a deep meditative state, Madi speaks to Sheidheda and attempts to reason with him. However, he acts as the metaphorical devil on one’s shoulder, encouraging Madi to kill Gaia before she herself is harmed. Madi questions his words, but once she wakes up in chains, she seems to second guess herself. And when Madi learns that Clarke is dead (in the most heartbreaking scene, might I add), something clicks.

Madi banishes Gaia, and with Sheidheda now by her side, plans to kill everyone in order to avenge Clarke. While half of me was jumping for joy at this new heart-heavy side to Madi, the other half of me was frozen in place, worried about what may become of her without Gaia to guide her, and with this new, evil spirit guide.

Lola Flannery’s performance as Madi in this episode was magnetizing. My eyes were completely glued to the screen during her scenes. Even the most innocent of characters like Madi and Jordan have been forced to face their demons in Sanctum, which means that Lola has had to show a whole different part of her range. It’s always exciting to watch actors explore different sides of their characters, like Marie Avgeropoulos with her rendition of Blodreina last year.  I’m anticipating many more Madi scenes worth singing praises about in the near future.

Mother Knows Best?

Still in the dark about Clarke death is her own mother, Abby. Abby has been so preoccupied with finding a way to save Kane that she’s ignored every suspicious thing Josephine has said to her. While Josephine originally believed that Abby would be her most difficult challenge, she’s actually been the opposite. Josephine takes Murphy’s advice and uses all of Abby’s demons against her, bringing up her addiction and her questionable decision to sell out her husband on the Ark.

Josephine doesn’t just taunt her with her past actions though. She tells Abby that she fears what will become of her if she loses Kane too and reminds her that she needs her mom. Abby falls for this hook, line and sinker. I have a theory that once Abby finds out about Josephine and learns she was the last to know, her priorities will shift. Her real demon should be what she’s done to her daughter. She can probably live without Kane, but can she live without Clarke, knowing she’s, at times, been an arguably bad mother?

Can’t Get You Out of My Head

When Murphy tells Josephine’s dad on her, she’s forced to bargain with him and give him the mind drives. Instead of dwelling on the impending shitstorm coming her way, Josephine ends her day by telling herself tomorrow will be better, taking a mystery pill, and laying her head on her pillow. When she closes her eyes though, Clarke is alive inside her mind! And then: boom, out.

I never had a doubt in my mind that Clarke would be alive somewhere, somehow. After all, she’s a fighter. This could be of course because Clarke is a synthetic nightblood and this may not pair with the memory drive as well as a natural born nightblood would. If this is the case, it would certainly spoil Josephine’s plan.

So there’s a way out of this for Clarke. Now the rest of our heroes just need to figure that out and hurry up!

Once again, this episode left me speechless in a way that only The 100 can. Right now, there are a bunch of unconnected storylines all taking up equal parts of screen time. I’m eager for that moment when they start to intertwine. I suspect that Gabriel may be the missing link in all of this. Perhaps he’ll have a way to save Octavia and even get Clarke back.

Stray Thoughts:

I miss Jordan. I can only suspect that given his situation with Delilah, he won’t want to just try to survive. Maybe he’ll even team up with Bellamy and Madi to get Clarke back (wishful thinking?).

Bellamy sitting outside by himself crying was so heart wrenching but so, so telling. That’s all I’ll say about that.

Josephine and Bellamy saying “Shut up Murphy” at the same time was excellent.

Where is Indra this season? I miss her and her words of wisdom dearly.

Jessica’s episode rating: 🐝🐝🐝🐝

The 100 airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on the CW.

[rankakiu]

Thoughts of the Droid: Alita Battle Angel (2019)

Hello, people of Tumblr! How life treats you? As always, I hope very well. Finally, I had the opportunity to see the movie I most expected from this 2019: Alita Battle Angel

It is another Hollywood effort to adapt a Japanese franchise, being the turn of the series "Hyper Future Vision GUNNM" by the author Yukito Kishiro, which has become over time a reference and classic of the genre of science fiction and Cyberpunk, at the same time having gained the status of cult work. And this time, Hollywood, with the help of James Cameron and Robert Rodriguez have brought us their live-action version, which has given to talk in the middle of the cinema and among fans of anime/manga.

WARNING: NOT SPOILER-FREE. Read at your own risk

Entering already in the review, what did I think about the movie? Short answer: Entertaining, but could give a little more of itself. Now let's analyze the movie in more detail.

Characters: In my opinion, the strongest point of the movie. The interpretations of the actors could not be more accurate and you can see the effort they have put into playing their respective roles. I particularly emphasize the actress Rosa Salazar in her role as Alita and Christoph Waltz as Dr. Dyson Ido. Salazar has done an impeccable job and I, as a spectator, felt that I saw Alita in all her personality and glory. A kind and innocent girl who discovers and marvels at a world that is unknown to her. In this part, they knew how to perfectly balance her surprise and innocence, without Alita looking ignorant or silly. We also have her other side represented perfectly: a lethal soldier who possesses the soul of an entire warrior, with touches of arrogance, whose combat techniques make her a formidable adversary. And whose memories are unlocked little by little making use of their main weapon: the martial art of the Panzer Kunst.

Christoph Waltz, on the other hand, makes a very solid interpretation of Daisuke Ido ... sorry, Dyson Ido, a father figure for Alita. In fact, that aspect pleased me a lot about the movie, which at all times shows an authentic relationship between father and daughter that gets stronger as the story progresses. We see a Dyson Ido, who despite not agreeing with Alita in some circumstances, supports his adopted daughter unconditionally.

I also highlight the actors Keean Johnson and Ed Skrein in their roles of Hugo and Zapan, respectively. They also show that they studied their characters and represented them quite well. We have a Hugo here, who, like his previous incarnations, has the dream of going to Zalem in search of a better life. On behalf of Ed Skrein, he gives us an arrogant and vengeful Zapan, ready to defeat and humiliate Alita.

In general, the rest of the cast works pretty well inside the movie. (By the way, very good detail of those involved in keeping the surprise of Edward Norton as Desty Nova, since seeing him there in the film was a real surprise, and a nice to finish XD).

History: Ironically, this was the weakest point I found in this movie. At first, the story progresses well, but after a few minutes, the story feels rushed, presenting a huge number of characters in a very short period of time, apart from that they explain their characteristics, instead of showing them in the scene on the big screen.

However, I firmly believe that what it plays against was that they tried to make a perfect amalgamation between the first three volumes of the Japanese comic and the two existing OVA’s of the franchise. I recognize that there are scenes of this style that really work, but a good part of them feels that they pass too quickly and does not allow a real conflict between the characters to be generated. In addition, I also believe that Cameron and Rodriguez did such a good job of pleasing the fans, that they almost completely forgot to include more people, that their adaptation was more universal for the entire audience. I understand that in a movie the time is quite limited, but they could make an effort to deliver a more cohesive story. By the way, the violence in the film, although very reduced and soft compared to the original material, is appreciated to see it.

Something that seemed unjustifiable to me in the movie was that they removed all the history of Hugo's past, is essential to understanding his motivations. They kept his dream of wanting to go to Zalem, but you never understand why he wants to go to Zalem. Of course, long before the premiere, I read the volumes of the original Japanese comic, so, even when they missed that part, I understood the reason for Hugo's dream. But someone who approaches the franchise for the first time with this movie will never understand why. Also, you have the scene where Hugo climbs up one of the cables that hold the floating city of Zalem. In the Japanese comic and OVA, you understand that he climbs as a last and desperate alternative to fulfill his dream of belonging to that city. On the other hand, the movie goes up because the hunter-warriors know that he is still alive. Partly it is justified, but it feels forced and taken out of nothing.

As I said above, the story feels rushed and this is more noticeable in the inclusion of Motorball sports scenes, which I would have preferred to have been in the final part of the film and the other two rooms focusing on Alita in her role as hunter-warrior. We have another case, where the final confrontation between Alita and Zapan is hurried and one can barely enjoy the scenes. Almost has no impact on the viewer and to top it off, the change of heart of Chiren, now determined to help Alita feels too forced. It also happens in the case when Zapan loses his face at the hands of Alita, where the scene does not have enough impact to astonish the spectator.

But what intrigues me the most is: how in the end, Alita stays as a Motorball player if practically scenes ago she made rebellious acts against the Factory? Practically entering, dismantling machines, destroying facilities and killing a person (Vector) is enough to put a price on the head of our protagonist. And yet, there you see her at the end very removed from grief and the Factory does not put any reward for her.

But not everything is bad. In favor of the film, I will say that the inclusion of Hugo at the beginning of the story was a success since it allows the romance between Alita and Hugo to unfold naturally. You also feel that in truth chemistry between the actors, which makes their romance more tender and therefore more credible. I highlight two scenes in particular: the first where Hugo teaches Alita to play Motorball and the second where he gives her chocolate to taste for the first time. In the first, they spend more time together and therefore you can feel that their romance is born little by little. It is in the second scene where you see more the innocence of Alita that causes you to die (not literally XD) of tenderness, without forgetting that also this scene has its comic touches well achieved.

It is also fair to mention that the scene of Hugo's death is very emotional and finally we see how Alita is affected by that event. We see her mourn, her sadness, anguish, and despair to witness the death of the man she loved. As a spectator, it moved me a lot.

On the other hand, the justification of Dr. Ido to be a Hunter-Warrior is perfectly raised, since the loss of his biological daughter affected him so much that he decided to make his own justice. In general, it is a very valid reason and the proposal of the film goes further, by presenting an Ido, who after achieving his revenge, did not leave him satisfied, but even worsened his feeling of emptiness. It is quite similar to what the Japanese comic raises originally where Daisuke Ido, to prove the experience of killing, could not leave that profession, being a declared murderer. Something similar also happens with the end of this movie. I will also mention that here it makes more sense that Ido and Chiren have been a couple and their subsequent separation is equally well justified. Here Ido, with Alita, has again the opportunity to return to be a father, and the viewer sympathizes with Ido in that aspect. In general, the scenes that narrate the good doctor Ido's past are brilliantly realized.

If I had to highlight a scene that combines the Japanese comic and the OVA and if it works to perfection, without a doubt it would be the scene of the Bar Kansas and the subsequent fight between Alita and Grewishka. Interestingly, here if you feel a perfect amalgam between both formats and brought to life for the big screen. We have Alita who goes to the Bar Kansas for two reasons: one, seek to prove herself as a warrior hunter, and two get help to stop the evil Grewishka. It turns out to be an impeccable scene, where in spite of giving some events in a different way, it also preserves the essence of both previously mentioned formats (especially the japanese comic). It is here that the arrogant, but charismatic part of Alita is observed, humiliating the other hunter-warriors by telling them the painful truth, accompanied by a beating of epic proportions. On the other hand the sequence of the fight in the bar is very well achieved, reminding us of the fights that occur in the bars of our world XD.

The fight between Alita and Grewishka is the best achieved, having a great intensity in action. It is here where they also took many scenes from the Japanese comic and knew how to transfer them to the film. Here we see an Alita whose inner warrior reappears with more strength than ever, and despite the difference of powers and abilities, she knew how to stand up to her opponent, even when, in a peak scene, her Doll Body is destroyed, Alita never surrendered in the fight. Fortunately she was saved by the help of Hugo, Dr. Ido and the hunter-warrior McTeague. Particularly the scene where Dr. Ido carries the battered body of Alita is moving to see, as one as a spectator feels the affection and paternal care that Ido shows at that time with his adopted daughter, in addition to recalling a classic scene of the Japanese comic . Certainly a maximum point is reached when Dr. Ido rebuilds Alita with the Berserker Body, where he understands and accepts the warrior soul that is inside Alita.

To finish this point, I will say that the scene that I liked the most was precisely the one at the end, where Alita unsheathes her Damascus Blade and points to the sky. We also see Edward Norton in his role as Desty Nova, accepting the challenge of his enemy, a sublimely performed scene, where Alita accepts herself as a warrior, promising the destruction of Nova with a will of steel. Extra points for the design of Nova, where it really looks like its Japanese comic counterpart, without looking like a bad cosplay. In general, Nova's dialogues, along with his brief appearance, left me asking for more of this iconic character.

Visuals and special effects: Simply great. In truth here I recognize the effort they made to present the world of Alita. We see the floating city Zalem in all its corruptive glory, and the Iron City, with its people living as pleasantly as possible, but also presenting their constant problems to survive in an environment too hostile, full of poverty and murder.

The strongest point is the design of Alita and her cybernetic bodies. I still remember the controversy (which fortunately did not happen to major) that generated the fact that Rosa Salazar made her interpretation with the Capture Performance technique and above all, the decision to make the eyes of Alita enormous. To the relief of the majority, that was only a minor detail, since, in the final product, Alita looks pretty good. In all the scenes It looks totally beautiful, besides that, in spite of being a Cyborg, its movements are quite natural and fluid, like those of any other human. The designs of the cyborg bodies are really beautiful, in addition to offering some contrast to differentiate them. We have the Doll Body, whose design is simple, but close up it has ornaments that make it feel empty, in addition to its color palette is warm, ideal to represent the innocence and kindness of Alita. On the other side, we have the Berserker Body, whose design is more elaborate, but not saturated. And their colors are quite indicated to represent their warrior side.

Action: There is not much I can say, except that it is really very good and very well done. It's a frenetic action, but you can clearly see the fast movements of the characters. Once again I highlight Alita, whose movements are not only fluid, but also note that these movements, when attacking, dodging, pirouetting in the air, kicking and punching, you notice a huge physical force in her attacks and above all, her movements are more by instinct, as would be expected of her character, who instinctively recalls her training in the Panzer Kunst. The Motorball scenes are fast, you feel the intensity of the sport and in general, it feels like in its counterpart of the Japanese comic: a sport full of adrenaline and without mercy. The action does not disappoint.

In conclusion, Alita Battle Angel is a decent and acceptable film and adaptation. It is entertaining to watch and one can get to enjoy the experience. However, one also feels that the film had more potential, which unfortunately did not come to fruition at all. This film would recommend it more to Die-Hard fans of Alita or as a way to have a good time to get rid of boredom. For my part, I will say that this movie has become a guilty pleasure. No doubt I would see it again, but with certain reservations. For now, I give this movie 2.5 out of 5 Damascus Blades.

I'll finish my review by saying this: In part, I'm glad to see Hollywood keep trying to make adaptations of foreign franchises. As far as I can see, this industry is taking more seriously to rely on the source material and represent it in the best way they can, in addition to dealing with more some respect to the franchises. In fact, they still have a way to go, but I feel that they have already taken the right path. It is only a matter of time before they finally deliver an adaptation that is universally acclaimed. I count that it will be like this in the future.

Greetings

Rankakiu

Edit: I added my thoughts on two more scenes of the movie. So, I feel that my review is at last complete.