#the homoerotic tension is just a bonus that makes it fun for me to watch

[strange-daughter]

essentials of a german coming-of-age movie

1. set in the summer

2. unrequited crush to kick-start the plot

3. a new unconventional friend/friend group

4. said teenage friends going somewhat feral over the course of a few weeks and causing general havoc and headaches for adults

5. main character has an unexplainably large, nice bedroom

6. (related to 5) neglectful parents or parents who try way to hard, no in-between

optional:

1. homoerotic tension

[accidentalrabbit]

CHERRY MAGIC

(series + bonus ep. "Valentine's Day / Rokkaku")

Japan 2020

RANK: A

A-pairing: Adachi x Kurosawa

B-pairing: eh, we’ll get to this one

Other character(s) i enjoyed: Fujisaki, Rokkaku

Overall review:

"What if turning thirty years old without having sex gave you the power to read minds?" I'm hooked. Please tell me more.

Cherry Magic is a chaste (ha!) little series with solid production value and a fun story that doesn't take itself too seriously but does try its best to be earnest and consistent, and if nothing else, i respect a show that does a good job being exactly what it is. The mind-reading virgin premise adds a unique supernatural element to the narrative without wasting screentime trying to explain itself. Sometimes weird things are just weird! The series also gets points for being an office rom-com without a boss-employee tryst or anyone getting fired because of a relationship, two of my LEAST favorite office romance tropes. Instead, Cherry Magic takes the popular kid/wallflower nerd high school dynamic, ages it up a decade and a half, and captures something magical about the banalities of adulthood and the timeless feeling of falling in love.

From the moment Kurosawa's hand first brushes Adachi's cheek, revealing his crush, i was riveted, and my enjoyment of their relationship only escalated from there. Wallflower nerd virgin Adachi and popular kid adult taxpayer Kurosawa are an excellent lead pairing, and the conceit of Adachi having to touch people to read their minds introduces an incredible amount of homoerotic tension between them despite the low levels of conventional heat. The fact that Adachi and (especially) Kurosawa both want badly to touch and be touched is played against Adachi's attempts not to take advantage of his new power, to great effect. I like the way both of them try to respect each other's boundaries but struggle deeply with their own repressed desires, which is far more effective and thematically resonant in this story than an external conflict.

Kurosawa's outer confidence and popular appeal belie his deep-seated self-doubt, and his actor gives an excellent performance full of half-hesitations and dazzling smiles whenever Adachi validates him. Adachi is a ball of self-deprecating neurosis who clings to routine for comfort. He doesn't realize his greatest strengths lie outside of his new powers, and it's nice to watch how his kindness to Kurosawa and his other coworkers ultimately forces his character to grow. They take care of each other, they listen to each other, they encourage each other, they remember each other's food preferences, they have wacky but temporary misunderstandings. Their domestic scenes are especially good, and i would pay real money to watch two hours of Kurosawa doing nothing but cooking for Adachi throughout the day.

The side characters of Fujisaki and Rokkaku are fun to have around. Fujisaki gets a whole subplot about how she wishes she didn't face so much familial pressure for being single, and the way Adachi handles discovering this information really rounds out both of their characters. It's nice when less prominent characters get thoughtful treatment in service of interesting themes. Rokkaku, who is hard-working and productive, but not always very perceptive, is a nice little comic relief character and helps advance or connect plot threads between our lead couples. Speaking of whom: Tsuge and Minato also exist. We'll get there soon. Both Fujisaki and Rokkaku come in clutch in the finale to make Kurosawa's Christmas fireworks date come true after some last-minute angst, and i love an ally moment.

Overall the writing for the show is fairly tight, and none of the characters end up feeling totally extraneous to its plot or themes. And there are a few interesting messages to look at. First, communication is key. (Adachi can read minds so it would be hard to avoid this takeaway, but it also gets a little spin when Adachi realizes he has to confess his power to Kurosawa.) Second, having a gift is not the same as knowing what to do with it. There are monents when Adachi thinks his power is an unfair advantage, but ultimately it's his strengths as a ~*natural empath*~ that inform his character, compared to Tsuge who is much less graceful with the same ability. Adachi chooses to use his power for compassion in a hundred tiny ways for several other characters, which ties into a third major theme: Never underestimate the impact your actions will have on others. Kurosawa loved Adachi because of a few moments of thoughtless kindness long before the events of the main timeline, and throughout the series small gestures of love or carelessness create opportunities for relationships to grow and strain.

Finally, Cherry Magic cares a lot about the idea that a person's thoughts and desires should only ever be their own. Fujisaki unpacks her desire to be partnered and rejects the notion that she has to find a relationship to please her family. Kurosawa has a massive crush on Adachi but never pressures him into going further, keeping his thoughts to himself (he thinks). Minato really likes to dance. And Adachi is terrified beyond reason that somehow he has abused his power to manipulate Kurosawa into a relationship in a massive breach of trust. (Which it kind of is, but he's fine with it.) So communication is important, but so are self-reflection, and boundaries, and trust, and kindness.

I had a good time, but:

The B-couple, but specifically Tsuge? Hands down the least pleasant part of my viewing experience. I understand how Japanese comedic acting can be very over-the-top, but this guy is doing way too much for the show he's in, and it's very grating. He never looks like anything other than a middle-aged man yelling in his 'funny' scenes, and his character is fairly demure otherwise so it tonally doesn't mesh with the rest of the series. Minato, who is inexplicably attracted to this behavior, has a bulletpoint of a personality that never really comes through, and an arc about following his dreams as a freestyle dancer that falls flat. His actor, and i'm trying to be charitable, never demonstrates any of this character's talent for dance, and the wig(? i hope) they put him in is a trip.

Unfortunately, you have been chopped: Bonus Episode "Tsuge & Minato."

Hope this wasn't too much of a shock! This episode is short and benign enough that i'm actually on the fence about axing it entirely, but it's just a whole episode of B-plot. I watched it specifically as filler between episodes 11 and 12 to build anticipation for the resolution between the characters i, uh, cared about. If you like Tsuge and Minato, this is probably fun and don't let the haters get you down. If you're in a time crunch because there are 50 other shows you're trying to watch and you need to cut corners somewhere, this corner is very cuttable.

Character(s) entitled to financial compensation: N/A. I think everyone here does just fine.

Conclusion: Cherry Magic is a sweet little series that is, with the exception of its second couple, difficult not to enjoy. The central conceit is unique and its impact on the world of the story is written well without being overthought. It's fun to get inside the lead characters' heads and watch them develop, and the minor characters nudge the plot in interesting ways every now and then. This is a show that finds magic in a sea of adult drudgery, wearing its heart firmly on its sleeve. I love it very much. (Also there's a sequel coming. Might be fun?)

In the next installment, hear me gush effusively about possibly my favorite BL i've seen so far, the INIMITABLE, the GOAT, Gaya Sa Pelikula (2020).

[smugraccoon137]

Supergirl Season 2 episode 8 Medusa review part 2

If your curious part 1 was just my breakdown of Kara and Mon-els relationship that got way too long. But as always SPOILERS AND GAY THOUGHTS AHEAD

Me and kel get so excited when Lenas in an episode. Like practically giddy. I can’t help smiling when shes on screen honestly. And yes Katie McGrath is beautiful, but beyond that such a pretty smile and lovely voice. I’m sure ratings started to spike when she joined the cast. Okay enough about pretty girls on to the review 

Tipsy fucking Alex though guys I can’t get over this mess of a person. 

Alex: if I have to come out to my mom then I choose to do it drunk

Kara: no your not *yoinks beer*

Alex: wait no my coming out juice

Kara Danvers sneaky sneaker extraordinaire can totally interview Lena and find out Cadmus things without anyone knowing. The confidence this goofball has is top tier

Underrated relationship: Alex and Winn though. I really really love Winn and honestly Alex is such big sister energy to both him and Kara. 

wow Lenas pretty in the interview scene. A touch of auburn hair from the sunlight really makes this shot and we never get to see her with her hair down. Fan service honestly, or maybe she heard a certain beef cake reporter was gonna come by and wanted to dazzel her.

Lena: hair up is for business. Hair down is for flirting friendship time with Kara

Poor baby thinks she falls short nooooo. Your doing your best godamn your only like 25 jesus. Kara give her a hug she needs love and affection

Kara thinks shes being so sneaky in this interview. Such a golden retriever, bad at sneakin. As soon as she toes the line Lena catches on and kicks her out. Really good acting in the scene, the subtle change in expression to show Lenas guard raising. Good job Katie.

Real quick Lena why is your office so ugly? How do you keep it clean? You spend 99% of your days in this place and its whiter than a hospital room. I hate it. Why is your desk an oval? and why does it have a hole in it? Kara cant eat you out in secret anymore damn. 

OOHHHhhhh noooo the fucking gas bomb in the bar what the fuck. EVERYBODIES DEAD JESUS WHAT WAS THAT

Poor Mon-el. What happened at the bar was fucked up, and he feels like its fault when its obviously not.

Love that he and Kara are having bro time playing some Monopoly. Oh no not Kara asking if he likes her. Honestly thought these two had good chemistry in this scene. Im a sucker for dumbass not understanding certain words and phrases. So Kara having to reiterate her questions and finally being like “You don’t want to mate with me do you?” was super fun. Omegaverse vibes mfs. Although I am confused by mon-els reaction “I mean have you seen the kind of women I’ve been attracting?” I honestly don’t know what this means.

Kara internal reaction though: Oh thank god

Wow Kara really just has no regard for her own life, huh? she just opens the door and possibly contaminates herself. It’s good to want to help people, but love you gotta care about yourself too

Good reveal with the fortress of solitude. Oof Kara gonna feel like its her fault all those aliens died and mon-els sick. They do a really good job of showing Karas relationship with her parents through their holograms. She wants so badly to see them again, to talk to them. And she can, but not really. They just aren’t real.

Lena cattily to her mother: im used to celebrating holiday weekends alone at my desk

me to Kara: please invite her to thanksgiving

Okay so Lena being adopted is another interesting parallel to Kara. Also the fact that both Kara and Lena fall into there families shadows, and are left behhind or forgotten. Really interesting how Lena and Karas relationship is so similar to Clark and Lex’s for obvious purposes. Though the CW queer coding the fuck out of their relationship in Smallville really only adds to Supercorp fever. Its always been Homoerotic subtext Harold!

Me watching Lena and Lillian trade verbal blows: Wow ya’lls relationship is fucked up. Lex and Lionelle would spar and fence but you two are on another level jesus

oooooof that last line. 

Lena: I know your lying

Lillian: and how could you possibly know that?

Lena: because you told me you loved me. And we both know thats not true

Who wrote this jesus fuck my heart. The PAIN.

Bonus thought Lena thinks Karas smart. Goofball beefcake sneaky sneakster who doesnt know the difference between flirting and friendship is smart she thinks. I love these idiots

Wow Kara just doesn’t wait huh? Oh cadmus is going to be at LCorp? Not on my watch. Lena’s there. I know this because I tune into her heart beat just to check on her cus she likes to work late. Don’t worry Alex it’s for friendship reasons.

That LCorp security guard got princess carried for .2 seconds. Best moment of his life.

God its like dark out. Lenas working on a holiday weekend into the night. I hate this, give her friends.

Lena looks so scared when Kara gets thrown into the giant LCorp sign

And then hurt Kara looking up at her with dread.

Kara internal: fuck don’t come out now. I came here to save you

God I love the protectiveness. Its *chefs kiss*. Hank throwing the beam at Lena and Kara even in her hurt state throwing herself in front of it. Sometimes self sacrifice is gay. But how Lena looks at her after wards like “I can’t believe I’m alive. I can’t believe she chose to save me”. Met with a gruff “Get out of here!”. mm yes this is my kind of content. Fight for me.

I was robbed an aftercare scene but I doubt it will be the last time. (*COUGHS* the “im leaving” phone call *COUGHS*)

Talking about the virus Eliza: what about Lena Luthor?

Kara: What about her?! (super defensive is also a super power maam)

Winn: Luthors can be pretty good actors

Kara: No, I looked into LENAS EYES. She doesn’t know anything about cadmus or her mother

J’onzz: Would you stake Mon-els life on that?

well I guess that really puts Lena and Mon-el right next to each other in priorities huh? Which one is more important? 

Wow Lena totally has a crush on Supergirl after that. Flustered dork. 

Lena: *laughs nervously* you know that doors not really an entrance

Kara: *upsettit stone face pupper*

Lena: :,) 

Okay but the way Lena just says “Anything” all breathless and helpful when Kara says she needs her help. Shes crushin hard

Kara tells Lena her mother is in charge of Cadmus. 

Lena: >:(

Annnd the crush is dead. That did not last long. Really love that Lena has such a different relationship with Kara vs Supergirl though, good dynamic having her reactions so different. Which I believe actually relates as a Clark and Lois parallel? Seeing as how Lois has two separate relationships with Clark and Superman. 

OOf the way Lenas throat bobs with genuine sadness because who she thought Supergirl was is wrong. Shes just like the rest of them. Thinks Lena is just another crazy Luthor. It hurts

Kara: I know what its like to be disillusioned by our parents, but Im a pretty good judge of character, and you are not like your mother. She is cold and dangerous. And you are too good and too smart to follow in her path. Be your own Hero.

Wow just what a good line. They are capable of some things here and there arent they? Melissa's delivery on this is excellent. And the way Katie McGrath is able to show such depth of sadness and bitterness even from a shot of her BACK is really cool. Great acting in this scene in particular. And I can see why the “desperation to be good” is such a highlighted part of these two relationship. Its the one thing in common between Lena and Supergirl, the place where they can meet in the middle. And the way Lena looks after her as she leaves! AHHH thats the good shit, the pining

Okay big Mon-el scene in coming so if you dont want to hear my ranting skip over this part. 

Funny how as soon as Kara has this big impactful scene with Lena full of tension and emotion the writers were like: shit we almost forgot Mon-els dying. 

Kara: *staring sadly back into Lenas office kind of wanting to go back in*

Writers: *cough cough* KARA He’s DYINGGGG

Kara: Oh shit right. Mon-el Oh no. My *looks at poorly written handwriting on her palm* romantic interest?

Wow Mon-el looks like shit, poor guy. Someone swaddle this pillow princess and get him some soup.

Heres a question. Kara is visibly upset that Mon-el is dying. Is it because she’s sad that the guy shes likes is dying. Because her friend is dying? Because her father created the virus thats killing him (what the writers want us to think)? Or because no matter what Kara does the people she loves keep falling through the cracks and shes helpless to stop it?

Her parents. Clark. Her adoptive father. Now Lena. Now Mon-el. Why can’t she ever do anything? Why is it always her fault? This poor kid has some deep seeded abandonment issues

Mon-el: you know you look beautiful with the weight of all these worlds on your shoulders.

I do remember my reaction here, cus I thought this was a weird line. A line that was obviously meant to be romantic and complimentary, but it felt unsettled in my stomach. Coming back and watching the scene it sits even more uncomfortably there. He obviously means well, but this line is kind of just shitty. Its a very selfish and unthoughtful thing to say to someone. 

Kara’s entire fucking life has revolved around other people and making sure they are happy and taken care of. But having “failed” at such a young age to do the impossible things asked of her (carrying on Kryptons legacy, raising Clark) she overcompensates. Any normal person would just make their life revolve around their family and friends, not healthy but it works. But Kara feels responsibility over an entire world of lost people and lives. So the amount she overcompensates is ungodly. She does have the weight of worlds on her shoulders. This is not a joke or hyperbole. Its just her life. And thats so fucking shitty. And to have someone actually see that and acknowledge it. To make it a reality so to speak. Then to have them say “yeah you look good like this” while you’re a shaking Atlas being crushed. It is just a little too much isn’t it? That pain to have someone see you finally, and then completely miss the point. For them to go “oh wow your so strong. your so brave” instead of “let me help you. you shouldn’t have to do this at all, forget by yourself. But now I am here”. 

I imagine this was the scene that crowned my darling himbo boy Mon-Hell? Which is so unfortunate. I hope Im wrong, but I feel that his character might just end up a big missed opportunity

I want everyone to know that me and Kel screamed through the entire enxt few seconds of the scene. We knew the kiss was coming from how they were building it up. But god was it painful, especially for it to be delivered after a line like THAT. But yeah very loud angry screaming

Also not to be that bitch but Kara and Mon-els scene was a total of 1:53 RT, and Kara and Lenas ran at a 1:57 RT. Just sayin...

No Lena don’t be evil thats too sexy...

Okay but the way that Lena just tricks Lillian is so good. Shes so clever. And added bonus she makes her ask for her help, which is nice actually. Lillian's obvious vice is weakness and that is often shown in embarrassment. A woman like this asking for help borders that line of weakness and its nice to see on such a dislikable character. Lena didn’t just get what she wanted she got a point over her mother.

Lena looks good in the purple coat. Repeat she is pretty

Love the mental chess game between Lena and Lillian. Lena offering help right off the bat and giving her the isotope free of charge. And then Lillian making Lena launch the virus to prove herself. Good stuff.

Kara appears: don’t do it Lena!

Lena: why not? im a luthor

Okay so obviously Lena switched the Isotope and the Virus won’t work. But thats what makes this line so perfect. Throwing it back in Supergirls face. Like “Yeah, Im a luthor. And Ill show you what im capable of.” But instead of mass death and destruction Lena saves the day. She saved thousands of lives, and its because shes a Luthor that she was able to do that. Really nice way to full circle that 

Wow Lillian really just starts booking it without Lena, huh? bitch

I really love the scene of the virus falling all around National City. The choice of an orangish snow falling was a really really good one. Paired with some excellent music for the mid season finale.

Its sad but I do love Hank just being ready and at peace with death. Im sure he misses his wife and daughters. 

Okay but Lena calling the cops is tea. Send your mom to jail honey. 

So we’re really not gonna talk about how Lena saved everyones asses? Like don’t you think Supergirl would want to talk to the woman that A) kind of tricked her, and B) saved National City. Thats just what makes sense??? But no we’re going to ignore that the DEO is a kind of shit at their job sometimes. And that the woman that they were accusing of having a part to play in all the xenophobic shit is the one who did their job. BY HER SELF. 

Okay rant over. This was a long one review dear god. Really really good episode though. I enjoyed rewatching all the scenes even if it was a mixed bag of feelings. Thanks for reading hope you enjoyed all the screaming!

[allthefilmsiveseenforfree]

Thoroughbreds

Additional bonus of seeing free movies is that I get to see a lot of the teeny tiny indie movies that I WANT to see but don’t stick around in theaters long enough for me to fit them into my superhero-movie-watching schedule. Thoroughbreds is one such movie. Its biggest claim to fame is that it is Anton Yelchin’s final film (I’m not kidding when I say let’s all take a moment of silence for this beautiful soul. ........ Ugh. Rest in peace, Anton). However, it definitely deserves to be known for more than that. It’s hard to pin this one down, genre-wise, but if I had to classify it, I’d say it’s a black comedy/suspense/buddy movie gone awry. How well does that combo work? Well...

Does a mixture of Heathers and Fargo sound like a fun time to you? If so, you’re going to love this. Thoroughbreds is the story of Amanda (Olivia Cooke), a girl who feels nothing, and Lily (Anya Taylor-Joy), a girl who feels too much. Amanda is, essentially, a sociopath, and she decides to help Lily who is trapped in her rich girl life with a stepfather who is a total dick and verges on legitimately creepy. Help Lily by coming up with a plan to kill said stepfather, that is. Anton Yelchin is the bumbling drug dealer they blackmail into helping them, and you might be shocked to learn their plan doesn’t quite go according to plan. 

The film definitely stays more in the unsettling portion of the Venn diagram, but there’s quite a bit of dark comedy here too. The really interesting thing stems from one scene about 3/4 of the way through the movie. Evil stepdad confronts Lily about her behavior. We’ve seen stepdad blow up at Lily’s mom, and we’ve seen him be kind of a dick to Lily, but in this tense confrontation, he calmly tells her that her behavior affects other people besides herself, and that she is being a selfish, entitled brat. This rattles her to her core, and she resolves more than ever to kill him but here’s the thing...he’s not wrong? We’ve only seen this conflict from Lily’s point of view, and everything the stepdad does can be chalked up to a bad day or a response to, let’s face it, a shitty teenager being shitty. By the end of the film, I don’t really know who I’m rooting for anymore and the ambiguity of Lily’s character is driven home in the last lines of the movie. It’s a little like Inception but with teen girls. 

Some thoughts:

Anya Taylor-Joy is the most captivating actress working today. Her face is so beautiful but also strange - she’s like a wide-eyed ingenue straight out of the 30s. She was great in The Witch and greater in Split. This might be my favorite performance of hers though, simply because she gets to do so many things, and play off the fantastic blankness of Olivia Cooke. 

I would have been even more captivated if I weren’t seated next to a couple who were literally SHOUTING AT THE SCREEN? Like we were in their fucking living room?? Anya Taylor-Joy appeared onscreen and the man just shouted, “It’s Morgan!” as if he were pointing out his second cousin while standing in line at a theme park. Later, a character is holding a knife and he felt the need to exclaim “Ooh, scary!” Um, sir? Cou ld you fuc king N OT? This was 10,000 times worse than the Uncomfortable Chuckler during Call Me By Your Name. 

The music in this movie is super unsettling. It’s all bass drums and bongos and dissonant plinky triangle noises, and I think it’s meant to make you feel the way Amanda makes people feel, but as the movie continues it seems to align more and more with how Lily is feeling. It’s very effective and unnerving.

Speaking of unsettling, Olivia Cooke does a fantastic job as Amanda, mainly because I can’t imagine how difficult it must be for an actress to maintain such an emotionless canvas. It must be great fun and a great challenge to play a sociopath, and even though she’s not emoting or reacting to things, she’s almost like a black hole on screen - you get sucked into her presence whether you want to or not.

There’s also a crazy amount of homoerotic tension between Amanda and Lily, which may just be regular tension because Lily can’t really predict what Amanda is going to say or do, but I choose to read it as gay because...gay.

Evil stepdad plays the crotchety journalist in The Greatest Showman and all that really makes me want to do is see The Greatest Showman again. Zac Efron would NEVER plot to murder his stepdad.

I’m very glad I didn’t let this little gem slip through the cracks in the midst of a very busy month. Thoroughbreds is wicked sharp and darkly funny, and I like that I don’t quite know who wins in the end.