#the song was meant for her. she was meant for the edgy 2000s songs.

[cycle-hit]

by unpopular request. the monster skillet video of kotoko i frantically put together when deep cover came out instead of writing.

[theygotlost]

angela cross and/or francis ^_^

ANGELA!

favorite thing about them: that she was a genetic scientist #womeninstem AND ALSO THAT SHES LIKE TWICE AS TALL AS RATCHET #girlboss #feminism least favorite thing about them: that she disappeared without a trace and was never mentioned again!!! that insomniac tried to sweep her very existence under the rug when reestablishing the lore! angela I will #neverforget you favorite line: the post credits scene where ratchet's like "whatever happened to qwark?" and angela says smugly "I heard he got a new job at megacorp 😏" smash cut to qwark getting his balls exploded in a saw trap. LOL! brOTP: I liked her partnership with ratchet and clank and I liked that she wasn't really portrayed as a love interest. I think they would hang out as friends OTP: some people ship her romantically with ratchet and thats fine i guess but idc.... angela and RIVET though......

nOTP: I think ratchet and rivet and maybe sasha are the only people I've seen shipped with angela and I don't really hate any of those. love and light random headcanon: This only makes sense if you're obsessed with rac lore but I think the reason rivet knew angela is cause she's originally from rivet's dimension. For some reason she made her way to ratchet's dimension for the events of going commando but probably returned shortly after, which is why everyone acts like she doesn't exist. This would at least reconcile the fact that she was there in gc but then a few years later ratchet is now "the only lombax left in the universe". um.... except for azimuth. the ratchet and clank lore is hot garbage. unpopular opinion: for some reason angela didn't have a tail which everyone immediately assumed meant that female lombaxes don't have tails and males do. but thats stupid. maybe she was just fucked up? maybe she lost her tail in the yuri war??? ever think of that? this is not to discredit the trans rivet headcanon I still think that's real. but not because of the tail thing. she simply has transfem swag. song i associate with them: idk any kind of girlboss song. sorry i havent really thought about it favorite picture of them: this is a fan rendering but i really like it cause it's a more high def version of her ps2 model that's not absolutely horny like all other angela fanart and fan models. this is how I would want her to look if she ever makes another appearance

FRANCIS

favorite thing about them: HES SO FAIL. he's supposed to be "cool older brother who's awesome" BUT HE SUCKS SO MUCH. least favorite thing about them: i won't lie i don't think his actor is very good. obviously francis is my favorite character in the show but he's one of the weakest actors his performance can just be really awkward sometimes favorite line: I can't think of any specific line but it's always funny when spangler creates some new rule or punishment and he turns tot he other cadets and is like JOIN ME IN THE FIGHT AGAINST TYRANNY AND OPPRESSION! WORKERS OF THE WORLD UNITE WE HAVE NOTHING TO LOSE BUT OUR CHAINS! brOTP: not exactly what this question is asking but I love the episodes where he gets to come home and hang out with his brothers!! Usually the 90s/2000s character archetype of "edgy mean older brother" will ruthlessly torment their younger siblings for no reason and just be really cruel so I like that he genuinely cares about his younger brothers and tries to protect them from bullies and stuff. and I like that malcolm reese and dewey really miss him when he's away and get excited when he calls or visits. reminds me of when I came home from college for christmas break and my little brother hugged me so aggressively I toppled over. OTP/NOTP: I don't have many thoughts here so im just combining these questions. so far there's not really anyone to ship him with since any girl he likes is a one off character who ends up hating him by the end of the episode. i guess if you're desperate enough for malcolm in the middle yaoi you could pair him with one of the other cadets or with richie but i dont feel that vibe. random headcanon: in that gay francis dream i had it was an episode where its revealed the whole family has making bets for years as to when francis will come out. he kisses a guy and then reese punches malcolm and is like "lol you owe be 5 bucks doofus 😆" unpopular opinion: im not super involved in the mitm+ community yet so idk if this is unpopular but I don't think francis needs a subplot in every single episode (im halfway through season 2 so idk how the writing will change over the course of the show). If it ties into the A plot or if he's home from military school then I think it's fine but a lot of episodes will have perfectly fine sitcom-standard A plot and B plot with the rest of the family and still try to squeeze in a C plot for francis that will have a screentime of like, 2 MINUTES. and is it really worth it? most of the time it would have been better if they just padded out the other 2 plots and gave francis more screentime in a different episode instead of giving me whiplash from transitioning between scenes that are like 5 seconds long. song i associate with them: im trying to not listen to songs and think "this is for my blorbo francis XD" so if i ever make a francis playlist i need you to shoot me im too far gone man. but lately ive been listening to a lot of beck which i think is the quintessential vibe for 90s/2000s edgy teen guys. im a loser baby why dont you kill me ❤ favorite picture of them: i like this one where he is on the phone and scared. me when im on the phone and scared

[thisselflovecamebacktome]

Dancing With The Devil…The Art of Starting Over first listen thoughts:

General album thoughts:

As a whole I enjoyed this album. In fact, there were aspects, most notably the collaborations, that I enjoyed far more than I expected to. It was definitely different sonically than I was expected it to be with mixed results. I do also wish that Still Have Me, Commander In Chief and I Love Me made it onto the album, even as deluxe tracks. As it stands, I think I’d place it 3rd in my subjective Demi Lovato album rankings behind Tell Me You Love Me and DEMI, and 2nd behind Tell Me You Love Me for a more objectively better put together album. In saying that, I could definitely see that changing as I have more time with these songs.

Individual song thoughts:

Anyone: I’m going to be honest, I feel like I have not liked this song as much as the rest of the fandom from day one. Not to say it’s a bad song, but I just have not fallen in love with it like the fandom seemed to and like I have with other songs. In saying that, I’ve found it has somewhat grown on me, especially when I’m in the right (or wrong I guess seeing as I have to relate to it) mood. Today is not one of those days. I will however say that I think it was the right choice for the opening track, especially with how well it contrasts the closing track Good Place.

Dancing With The Devil: It’s kinda funny, I love the production to the album version of this song better than the live one but there’s something about the way Demi sings the live version that makes it flow better in my opinion. Like especially the “but I was lying” lyrics. I don’t know if that makes sense, but yeah, hopefully one day we get the best of both worlds. Either way this is definitely a top half track for me and I think it’s probably my favourite vocal performance on the album at this point.

ICU (Madison’s Lullaby): I thought I was going to cry on my first listen when I first found out this was going to be a track. I barely did not, but it was very close. Honestly, I don’t know how often if at all that I will listen to this song because it reminds me of my estranged sister and is just generally painful. But, in saying that, I think it’s potentially the most important track on this album and I can completely understand if it becomes a fan favourite because it is a fundamental Demi song.

Intro: I’m gonna be honest, I feel like this was a bit unnecessary. Like I get that it’s meant to be the breaking point/clear indication of where her ‘old life’ ended and ‘new life’ began but yeah, it just feels like it repeats ICU and The Art Of Starting Over.

The Art Of Starting Over: This is one of the tracks I didn’t love as much as I expected to. It has a good meaning behind it and like in theory I should love it, but sonically it isn’t my favourite and lyrically I guess I just expected more.

Lonely People: This is another track I’m not really feeling at the moment. To be honest, lyrically it just sounds like an edgy teenage song up until the outro and sonically it’s just not my thing.

The Way You Don’t Look At Me: The fact Julia Michaels worked on this song should surprise no one. It is very Julia Michaels. Thematically it kinda reminds me of Tolerate It by Taylor Swift. I can thankfully say that while this is something I’ve related to in the past, I no longer do, but that past experience has definitely made it one of my favourites on the album at this point.

Melon Cake: This song is one I feel will grow on me. Like I wasn’t immediately drawn to it but it has sonic aspects that I liked and could see growing even more on me and lyrically it’s relatable. So yeah, I guess we’ll see how it goes but don’t be surprised if you see this jumping up my song rankings in the next few weeks.

Met Him Last Night: When I heard we were getting an Ariana collaboration, I was kinda nervous. It would have been so easy to place Demi and Ariana on a pop track and tried to make it a number one hit when both their voices are more suited to this kind of sound. So I’m glad they went the direction they did. Though I’m not a big Ariana fan, and realistically think that collaborations usually take away more than they add, this one really works. Vocally, Demi and Ariana support each other really well and I love its production. It is currently my favourite collaboration and one of my favourite overall tracks of the album.

What Other People Say: This is another track which is good, but I feel like I’d enjoy more if I related to it more. I mean I can definitely relate to the idea of not being who I wanted/thought I’d be as a kid, but honestly? For me that’s more to do with societal things outside of my control (the economy, job market, my family falling apart, mental healthy etc) not because of other people’s opinions. If anything, I feel like I care far less what people think of me now than when I was younger. So yeah, there’s a bit of a disconnect on that front, but like I said, it’s a decent enough song nonetheless and I probably wouldn’t skip it if it came on shuffle.

Carefully: This is definitely a top track for me. There’s nothing in particular that makes it that way, I just love the production, Demi’s vocals and the lyrics and think they go really well together. It’s also super relatable.

The Kind Of Lover I Am: Again, I am unsurprised Julia Michaels worked on this. This is a track that I could either see growing on me or getting old very easily with no in between. Like it feels similar to Melon Cake in that the production feels it could grow on me but lyrically it’s not my favourite and I really am not feeling the outro voice audio at this point. It is nice to get an explicitly queer song though.

Easy: This is another collaboration that worked better than I was expecting. Lyrically, I feel like this was one of the simpler songs, but it really works not just for the production and vocals, but given the song is about something seeming easy when in reality, there’s so many pieces that makes it harder/bigger than it actually is. It is also really relatable and I can see myself listening to it for years to come.

15 Minutes: This song encompasses the meaning of an ‘okay’ track. Like it’s not the worst thing I’ve ever heard and the general meaning is relatable, but I just don’t really see myself going back to it and honestly? I think it’s by far the weakest track of the album. And maybe that’s somewhat the point, to acknowledge someone, but not give them the energy they crave past that. Either way, it’s personally not for me.

My Girlfriends Are Boyfriends: This is probably my least favourite of the collaborations, but that doesn’t make it a bad song. It feels very 2000s throwback to me and I could see myself listening to it when I’m in the mood, but I’ll have to be in the mood. One of my first thoughts was I do hope that Little Mix covers it at some point though because it feels very much their style and I’d love to hear the differences.

California Sober: To be honest, I had the feeling when this song was announced that it wasn’t going to be a favourite, and it isn’t. The verses and bridge are good lyrically, but production wise and chorus I just found myself bored if I’m honest.

Mad World: I wasn’t expecting this to be a cover, even when I saw this title in the tracklist. I find it interesting that Demi placed it here and not earlier in the album. Either way, as per usual, Demi vocally slayed it.

Butterfly: This song is another track that I feel is good and cute but I think I will truly love when I relate to it. Though I was expecting a song about her father in the album and perhaps some talk about the ways she is alike to him, this is definitely a lot simpler/happier/at peace than I was expecting. And obviously that’s a good thing and feels very right coming after Father. But yeah, like I said, I am definitely not at that point myself and don’t feel like I will fully appreciate this song until I am.

Good Place: As I said, this song is such a good contrast for Anyone and works extremely well as a closer for the standard version of the album. It is very relatable and honestly a vibe. Again, there’s not one particular part of this song that stands out to me, the production, lyrics and vocals all just work together really nicely.

I’m Sorry: I haven’t listened to the deluxe album yet so I can’t talk about Change You yet, but I did hear I’m Sorry when it leaked a few months back. Personally it’s one of my favourites of the unreleased Demi tracks I’ve heard and while I no longer relate to it in a way I have in the past, I’m really glad it made it onto an album because I could see it helping a lot of people getting out of toxic relationships of all kinds.

[coffeesandfilm]

See you at the Crossroads, Crossroads, Crossroads

DISCLAIMER: I know Crossroads (dir. Tamra Davis, 2002) is iconic and Britney is an icon, and while I can appreciate its place in pop culture, I thought it would be interesting to analyse, and also to see what is says about American attitudes in the early 2000s. 

Now even though this is a fictional story with fictional characters, Lucy Wagner (played by Miss Spears) is clearly meant to represent Britney herself. First we have to look back to the hazy days of 2002, when Britney had sexed up her image with the release of her third album, Britney (2001), featuring classics such as, “I’m a Slave 4 U”, “Overprotected”, and “I’m Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman”. Despite its success, a lot of the public and media were unhappy with her pull from the ‘virginal, teen-idol’ image she originally embodied. She famously claimed at the start of her career that she wished to remain a virgin until marriage, and boy, was she ever allowed to forget it. Subsequently, she was constantly hounded by the press to see whether there was any update on this front, and if not it meant people could continue their creepy Lolita-esque fetishisation of her. I suppose this film was Britney’s way of breaking free, and telling the world that she was not that girl in the school uniform anymore, but becoming a young woman in her own right (hence the song title) without being too direct and completely alienating her audience.

To briefly summarise the plot, Lucy (Britney), Kit (Zoe Saldana) and Mimi (Taryn Manning), are three former best friends who now move around in completely different social circles, and are on the verge of graduating high school. As children they buried a chest which featured a treasured belonging from each of them, with the promise that they would meet up and re-claim these tokens after graduation. When the time comes, they begrudgingly agree to meet up once more and do what they promised, with the nostalgia fuelled by re-claiming these belongings inspiring Kit and Lucy to join Mimi (and some random guy) on a road trip to California. Mimi wanted to go to an audition in L.A, Kit wished to go to visit her fiancé, and Lucy wished to be dropped off in Arizona to meet her mother, who walked out on her family when she was young. The random guy who gives them a ride is Ben (Anson Mount), who later becomes a love interest to Lucy, and who she eventually loses her virginity to. As expected the girls have their ups and downs, but ultimately bond becoming closer than ever by the end of their trip, realising how important their friendship is. There are other themes and side storylines included, but more on that later.

You simply cannot watch Crossroads today without appreciating how of its time it is, the 2000s fashion trends, the clichéd high school dynamics, and of course, prime Britney. The three girls are American high school caricatures of sort, Kit is the bitchy but beautiful Queen Bee, Mimi is the edgy bad girl, who is also 5 months pregnant, and Lucy is the sweet, nerdy girl that most of the boys do not notice (yeah right Brit). Lucy’s father (played by Dan Aykroyd, which was a choice) is the stereotypical firm but loving single-dad who works a blue-collar job as a mechanic and has no time for 'anybody's nonsense’. I also enjoyed how Britney possessed the knowledge of a professional mechanic simply through her father being one, pretty standard teen movie logic of course. The girls jamming along to N*SYNC’s “Bye, Bye, Bye” in the car was pretty on the nose too, especially as Britney was still dating Justin Timberlake during this period, but ultimately this is what makes the movie so fun and nostalgic.  

In spite of this, I cannot deny there were certain elements of the film that rubbed me the wrong way. Mimi reveals that she became pregnant through the result of rape by a man who took advantage of her when she was drunk, which in itself I believe was a very brave and progressive plot line to include in the film, and the scene itself was heartbreaking and very well done. What I thought was ridiculous was the fact that this was apparently the first and only time Mimi had been drunk, and of course she had to get punished for it, resulting in her rape and pregnancy, a questionable lesson to teach young girls I think. It is a not so subtle way of saying that, girls partying = bad, I am not denying that safety concerns surrounding partying exist, but there were other ways they could go about it. Of course the question of abortion never even arose within the film as that would be too controversial, the closest we got to her giving up her baby was adoption, and she did not even want to do that. The worrying fact is, is that Mimi being raped is less controversial and more digestible than the concept of abortion, which in my opinion, are some very backwards and conservative priorities to preach. Ultimately as the baby was a product of rape, and Mimi was a teenager, she was never going to be able to keep it in teen movie world, and I was waiting to see how she would lose it. Whilst fleeing a confrontation from her rapist (who turned out to be Kit’s fiancé in a shocking twist of events) she trips down a block of stairs, resulting in her admittance to hospital and miscarries. Whilst still under care, she confides to Lucy that she “decided to keep her” baby before the accident, solidifying the film’s pro-life stance and the idea that she was conforming to motherhood. Everything concerning Mimi’s situation is completely violent and horrific, and to be honest, pretty downright cruel to her character, but ultimately this was still seen as a more acceptable option to abortion. I think this period of time represented a more Conservative America, with post- 911 sentiment resulting in more traditional, Christian values being re-introduced. Even though this film may seem somewhat boundary pushing initially (when dealing with topics such as rape and sex), its whole direction and morals are drenched in Conservatism, which are quite prominent tropes in the American media. 

If I had to do a rundown of the three most ridiculous parts of the movie it would be:

1. Ben having a mini fit because the girls kindly decide to drive his car when he falls asleep at the petrol station. He makes them pull over and starts shouting at some rocks, proclaiming how his car is “the only thing that hasn’t been taken over by chicks”, one of the most fragile things I have ever heard, and one of the most unwarranted reactions ever. 

2. When Lucy’s father confronts her about running away from home, going on a road trip across the country with basically no communication, no money, and with a random stranger, all she has to do is say ‘sorry’ and he forgives her immediately, saying “you made a mistake, everyone makes mistakes, you’re forgiven”. Yes he literally says “you’re forgiven”, a shockingly quick resolution and not the greatest writing in the world.

3. The most cringe-inducing part of the film would be the climactic romance scene between Ben and Lucy. In a heartwarming moment Lucy reads Ben a very personal poem she wrote, which ends up being the lyrics to the song “I’m Not a Girl, Not Yet a Woman” in spoken word form. It is pretty difficult to take seriously, but then again the whole film is difficult to watch if you take it too seriously.  

On a more positive note, I thought Lucy losing her virginity was pretty tastefully done. I mean, it was a fairly standard teen movie scene, but I liked how it was not with some random guy who she had met 30 minutes earlier, or with some ex-boyfriend who she was secretly still harbouring feelings for. She lost it to some guy who she met on a road trip who she gradually developed a crush on, sure they were probably not going to get married and be together forever, but that is standard teenage life. I also appreciated how her deadbeat mum who ran out of the family when Lucy was young (played by Kim Cattrall), remained her deadbeat mum. There was no magical reunion, no moment of enlightenment, her mum was just weak and undeserving of Lucy’s love, which in itself is a difficult pill to swallow. In a way, I thought this was even more progressive than the inclusion of rape, teen media usually preaches Conservative values and the glorification of the nuclear family to its audience. Lucy attempted to reunite her nuclear family, but the film dismissed this notion, and she learnt that the family she already had: her, her father, and her friends, were just as much a family without a mother figure. 

All in all, yeah the film is far from perfect, it was never going to be a an Oscar contender, though I doubt that it was ever its intention. Sometimes a silly fun movie is just a silly fun movie. Britney proves her star power once again, and I was very impressed by her acting, going so far to say that she was the best part of the film. I cannot deny that watching the film makes me feel a ping of sadness, especially as we know what happened to her a few years later, but this film helps keep her legacy alive, and as someone who grew up idolising her, seeing happy Britney will have a special place in my heart.  

[somethingusefulfromflorida]

So, I learned something recently...

Mary Kate Olsen (the top billed twin; I feel kinda bad for Ashley) is married to a man 17 years her senior, who also happens to be the half brother to the former President of France.

That sounds like the plot to one of their movies! Like, there’s a foreign exchange student at their school and they discover that he’s secretly foreign royalty.  I can picture the whole thing in my head, I’ve thought about this a lot:

It has a late 90s/early 2000s aesthetic; kinda grungey and “totally radical, dude!”

Twins Mary Jane and Kelsey are just your average upper middle class teenagers living in multi-million dollar beachfront property with their widower dad, a security guard with dreams of being a detective.  His firm just got a big contract to provide security for the visiting diplomats of the vaguely Eastern European kingdom of Slovotia (it’s generically foreign; funny accents, weird customs, offensive Slavic stereotypes, the works. The writers based it on Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, Austria-Hungary, Ruritania, Backwardistan, etc)

At school, the girls are introduced to hunky Slovotian exchange student Nico.  He’s, like, SO cool, but he doesn’t flaunt it.  He’s quiet, tries not to make waves, and sneaks away at lunch to be by himself; the girls follow him and find him talking to a a burly bodyguard.  Turns out, he’s the Crown Prince of Slovotia!  His uncle, Count Bartok (who is clearly the antagonist but SHHH don’t tell anyone, we don’t know that yet) is visiting America as part of the Slovotian delegation; his brother, the King, wants to normalize relations with the west, but the Count doesn’t really like America.

Nico and his bodyguard Dolf (a hulking man of few words) ask the girls not to reveal his secret; he just wants to live a normal life, and be a normal teenager.  The girls decide to show him around town and introduce him to hip American concepts like the mall and beaches and fast food.

They buy a hot dog from a street vendor, and Nico looks appalled.  “My uncle, he say Americans, they are dogs, but I did not know they were to be eating them, yes?”

“They’re not really made out of dog, Nico!  Try it, you’ll like it.”

He takes one bite, and is enraptured.  “This is best thing I have ever to be eating!”  He walks over to the vendor and offers to buy him out.  “You there, meat monger. This dog that is hot, it is food fit for king!  I buy your shop, I pay ten million Slovotian Kronle, good price yes?”

“Sure thing, whatever you say boss!  Good price!  Great price!  My ticket’s finally come it, it’s easy street from here on out!”

They show him around “the city.”  It’s never specified which city that is though; they live on a beach and go surfing, so it might be LA, but there are hotdog vendors and people with Brooklyn accents, so it could just as well be New York.  Maybe there’s a shot in the middle of the film where the bad guys are looking at a satellite map of the USA, and the camera zooms into the center of the country, or there’s a blinking red dot somewhere on a random coast.  The point is that there is no definitive location; it’s just meant to represent whatever city is closest to the viewer’s hometown (the writers didn’t put that much effort into it because this is a no budget direct-to-VHS Mary Kate and Ashley movie.  What did you expect?)

Dolf follows them everywhere they go, and Nico complains that he wants to have some privacy.  “You do not be seeing other kids with bodyguards, yes?”  Wacky hijinks ensue as the trio try to evade him; there’s definitely a chase scene set to a punk rock song like SR-17′s ‘Right Now’ or something by Bowling For Soup.  They sit on a park bench reading newspapers as Dolf runs by, then hightail it in the opposite direction.  They casually steal hats and sunglasses from passersby to blend into the crowd.  They walk in line behind a couple buys carrying a sofa.  The chase ends with them hopping into a taxi and laughing with one another as we see Dolf give chase for a second before giving up in frustration.

Nico confides in the girls that life as a prince is not easy.  His father, King Vladimyr XVI, is always telling him how big a responsibility he has, how important he is to Slovotia’s future.  “My father, he tell me, Nico, you will one day be King, so you must to be acting like one, yes?”  It’s so hard to be royal, he can never just be himself, he has to act a certain way to make his parents happy.  The girls tell him that they know exactly what he means; high school isn’t all it’s cracked up to be either.  They have homework and chores, and they too have to act a certain way or the cool kids will think they’re a couple of losers with a capital L (Nico doesn’t understand what the word cool means, “what does temperature have to be doing with this?”)

Suddenly, the trio is attacked by some dude in a track suit and gold chains with a jersey accent; he tries to kidnap Nico, and just when all hope seems lost Dolf appears from nowhere and lifts the would-be abductor up by the collar.

They interrogate him; Dolf holds him by the ankles from a second story window.  “I ain’t sayins nothin, youse will never get a word outta me.”

Dolf says that if he doesn’t start talking he will disappear.  “Maybe you wake up in gulag, yes?”

He sings like a canary.  He was hired by Count Bartok to kidnap Nico.  Bartok hates America and thinks his older brother Vladimyr is foolish for trying to normalize relations with them.  He hoped that by having Nico kidnapped, he could blame the American government and end the diplomatic mission early.  If anything were to happen to the boy, Bartok would become next in line to be king!  He’s going to blame the girls’ father for Nico’s disappearance because he was supposed to be head of security.

“That’s everything I know. Hey, I’m sorry, okays?  I just needed the money, ya know? I ain’t a bad guy, I’m just in a bad sitchy-ation.”  The girls tell Dolf that he can let the kidnapper go, but he takes this literally and drops him out of the window (onto a bush! He’s fine)

They have to race to city hall to meet the Slovotian delegation and stop Bartok from doing anything drastic.  Mary Kate plays the edgy tomboy, so she teaches Nico and Dolf how to skateboard so they can get across town super fast.  This sequence is filmed with a fish eye lens so it looks “totally bodacious.” As the group barrels down the crowded sidewalk, pedestrians leap out of their way.

They make it just in time to be locked out of the ceremony.  Bartok is giving a big speech condemning the Americans for kidnapping his poor nephew, and the girls have to watch helplessly as their dad is taken away in handcuffs.  Dolf uses his espionage training to break into city hall and get the trio into the sound booth undetected.

“Hey Dolf, where’d you learn to do all this stuff?”

“I have many skills” (he is implied to be ex-KGB and it’s played for laughs)

The girls interrupt Bartok’s speech with video they took of the kidnapper revealing his entire plan.  Bartok denies it, but the girls’ dad pulls some as-yet-unseen sleuthing skills out of his ass to prove that Bartok is lying, finally living his dream of being a detective.  Nico bursts into the room and orders the Slovotian guards to arrest his uncle, but Bartok pulls a pistol and holds one of the twins hostage.  Nico uses some of the American skills he learned to free her (he kicks his skateboard towards Bartok’s feet, and he slips on it)

Bartok is taken away, screaming that he would have gotten away with it were it not for those meddling twins, and the girls break the fourth wall by making a Scooby-Doo joke to the camera.  Nico delivers a heartfelt speech to the gathered crowd at city hall about how much he has come to love America and how he’s proud to be representing Slovotia and normalizing relations with the west.  He wants to open malls and hot dog stands and skateboard parks in Slovotia, and he gets a standing ovation as the mayor awards him the key to the city.

The girls are so proud of their dad, and he is just as proud of them.  Just then, King Vladimyr and Queen Anastasia themselves make a live appearance, apparently having flown all the way from Slovotia (it’s never explained how they got there so fast).  They thank the girls for helping their son, and award their father their kingdom’s highest honor. They even offer him a job as Dolf’s second in command, but he declines, saying he’d rather remain at his humble career and raise his family in the states.

The girls encourage Nico to tell his father how he feels.  He knows he will be king someday, but that is very far off, and he would like some time to just be a kid instead of a prince all the time.  The King decrees that Nico may stay in the United States and have a normal high school experience, “you are to be having twelve bodyguards instead of twenty now, good compromise, yes?”  The girls roll their eyes and laugh; Nico’s dad still has a lot to learn!

Nico tells the girls that they are “very cold” (he meant “cool,” but it’s the thought that counts)  He and Mary Kate kiss, and Ashley jokingly asks if he has a brother.  As it turns out, there’s a nerdy kid at school who is played by the same actor as Nico who’s had a crush on her for years, so she gets with him instead (once he takes off his glasses)

Freeze frame

THE END

Roll credits

80 minute run time

Return the tape to Blockbuster and never watch it again

[libraford]

ALL THE ROSE PROFILES (so far) 

Tag yourself at your own risk, there’s a lot of them. 

First photo: Coffee Break (brown, top) and Cherry Brandy (amber-pink, bottom)

Second photo:  Jade (green), Sonrisa (yellow on top), Pink Mondial (pink), Tara (yellow-green on right), Tibet (white), blueberry (purple), Neena (orange red)

Third photo:  Nina (light pink), Carpe Diem (peach)

Fourth photo: Iguana (coral, bottom left), Brighton (yellow), Ocean Song(lavendar), Black Magic (dark red), Atomic (red tipped yellow, bottom right.)

Fifth photo:  Tycoon (yellow orange) and Tiffany (peach) roses 

Sixth photo:  Shogun (purple) Brave (deep magenta) Amnesia (purple gray) and Tabasco (pink tip yellow)

Cherry Brandy is an ART MOM, even if they’re not a mom and even if they’re not related to you- if you call them ‘mom’ they will respond. Folk art, goes to craft shows and sells painted chairs. Buys way more art than they sell. Too many necklaces and rings, many layers of clothes. Stylish yet comfy. Coffee Break is Farmer’s Market Dad, despite being no one’s father and also bearing no relation to you. If there is a space in their home that has room for a bookshelf, there is a bookshelf there and by golly- there are books. The occasional cigar. It’s uncertain whether they were in the Navy, but the stories they tell certainly would imply it. Blazers and loafers.

Jade- Is all about the chill. Listens to vaporwave and trance music. Has been to at least one silent disco and would definitely go back if they could remember where it was. Manages to both never sleep and also sleep all the time. Can never find them when you need them. Sonrisa- Calls you ‘sweet pea’ and means it. Lemonade, jean shorts, and a toolbox. Knows how to carry a tune and give your truck a tune-up. Sneaks out at night even though they don’t have a curfew, no one knows where they go. Pink Mondial- is going to have the fairytale wedding that they imagined when they were six, despite not having a significant other yet. Still waiting for 'the one.’ Attempted online dating at one point but got a little freaked out by it. Prefers cake over ice cream. Tara- The party don’t start til they walk in! A real night-owl. Neon signs and headlights, cover charges and cutting in line. Always hungry, trying to fill a void. Doesn’t remember what daylight looks like. Sarcastic sense of humor to cover up low self-esteem. Tibet- T I R E D. So tired. Please just let them sleep. They are tired. Makes jokes that they don’t realize that are morbid until they tell it to the wrong person and then they feel bad about it for the next four years. Curious about death and dying, but not in a goth way- more in a science and philosophy way. But still… just… so… tired. Go to bed, Tibet. Blueberry- Will never graduate from their Emo Phase. If it’s black with a neon accent, they will buy it, wear it, and when the thing is worn into torn rags they will sew it into something else. Tries really hard to be edgy but comes off as… trying REALLY hard to be edgy. Resurrects memes from the early 2000’s as a coping mechanism. Striped socks. Invader Zim. Made you a cookie, but they eated it. Neena- The kind of artist that other artists HATE. Uses unconventional materials- melted crayons, tar paper, house paint, scrap metal. Has an entire shed dedicated to the accumulation of this stuff and even actually uses it. Knows how to weld. If you’ve got some junk you want gone, they’ll make something out of it and what’s worse? They’ll sell it for a dollar with a smug smile on their face. Youtube personality.

Nina- Shy. A popular person, but they have no idea why. Everyone wants them to become a model or actor but they get stage fright too easily and aren’t likely to change that about themselves. Prefers numbers to people, but can be coerced out to social places provided it isn’t too loud there. Carpe Diem- Just let them be a mermaid. It’s all they want. They wanted to be a marine biologist because they thought it meant they could swim with dolphins but it turns out you have to memorize a bunch of names. Hair goes down to their butt and proud of it. Flower crowns. Seashells in their jewelry. Saw Aquaman four times in theaters.

Iguana is a Crafter with a capital C. If there’s a Pinterest tutorial on it, they’ve tried to make it at least once (to the result of many failures.) Their business model is ‘nothing ventured, nothing gained.’ There is glitter. Everywhere. Their house is a mess and there’s nothing that can stop it from getting bigger. Fabric hoarder. Tends to say things like 'I’ll use it in /something/.’ Brighton used to play the flute in high school, but the competitive nature of music school has burned them out on instruments that aren’t fun. Now plays the ukelele on Youtube. Sundresses, short hair, winged eyeliner. Attempted unicycle. Has had many, many different jobs. None of them stuck. Emotional support extrovert. Ocean Song is The Sad Friend. Gets their hopes up easy and just as easily gets their feelings hurt. Just wants to stay at home and curl up in a blanket for the next century but /noooooo./ Listens to binaural beats and ASMR videos. Forgets to eat. Often. Needs someone to check on them. Black Magic is Old School Goth. Remembers when Hot Topic wasn’t a thing and is kind of glad it’s not 'the goth store’ anymore because it kind of wasn’t goth enough for them anyway (but they still shopped there. Has at least two keychains from The Old Days). Coffee. Unabashedly Bad Poetry. Despite all this? Probably the most genuinely optimistic people you’ve ever met. Atomic has spent more than one summer working for a traveling circus. Has tattoos they don’t remember getting but figures 'it’s all good.’ Rides a motorcycle and keeps a journal of their travels across the states- but it’s mostly a record of places where they’ve seen cool dogs. Tells excellent stories- who gives a crap if they’re true or not? Has been craving venison for like four years now.

Tycoon is TOTALLY RAD and knows all the best spots for surfing, snowboarding, and mountain biking. Drinks like four Monsters a day, but won’t touch alcohol after that one night they played Thumper and got too messed up over it and they swear they’re clean now. Misses Ska. Tiffany has a really, really, really strong urge to find a spot on the beach, set up an umbrella and blanket, and spend the rest of their life reading trashy romance novels there. Has at least one piece of art that says ‘live laugh love’ and it’s probably in their living room. Breakfast consists of coffee and biscotti.

Shogun is a hopeless romantic that handwrites all their letters. She loves wine a little too much, and sings ‘Total Eclipse if the Heart’ at karaoke. Brave is a woman working her way to the top of the corporate ladder and specifically asks for every Wednesday off- not because she has a prior engagement on that day but just to make herself seem like a desireable candidate by appearing to have other commitments. She spends this day at a Mexican restaurant eating bottomless tortilla chips and salsa. Amnesia has a finely-curated Instagram with a penchant for beautifully ugly things, such as graffiti or rusting structures. They carry a camera with them everywhere and think of themselves as an observer of humanity rather than a participant. Tabasco has driven the entire length of the US twice and would do it again in a heartbeat if someone told them there was a burger joint they just had to try. Unironically idolizes Guy Fieri.

[jorja58144741646-blog]

Known Ways Music Affects The Mind

I really like pop music. J-pop is probably the hardest genre of Japanese music to categorize or describe. As is the case for "pop music" in the United States, a great deal of totally different sounds are likely to fall beneath this label. Numerous the bands tend to have a cutesy, "bubble-gum" pop sound whereas others are likely to exhibit a extra edgy dance, r&b, or funk sound. The teenager idols of Japan are just as big (if not larger) because the Britney Spears and Nsync's of the U.S. The members of bands comparable to Morning Musume, Tanpopo, Luna Sea, and Da Pump are worshiped as popular culture icons. The love for these icons is so nice that the loss of life of certain Japanese pop and rock stars in recent years reportedly devestated some younger fans so much that they took their own lives out of despair. In highschool, an in depth friend laid her hand on my shoulder and informed me that my style in music was just like that of a trashy, 12-yr-old girl who lived behind a mall. It used to truly be a supply of embarrassment for me, especially when I got here to NYU, which is basically populated by individuals who satisfaction themselves in having by no means heard the songs on pop radio (how anybody prevented hearing "See You Again" or "Uptown Funk" last yr, I am going to never know). But then I came to phrases with my taste in music, and now I realize that pop music is nowhere close to as dangerous as folks make it out to be.

Russians have all the time loved track contests, so it was no surprise that in 1977 the Soviet Union launched Intervision - a competition broadcast throughout the bloc and meant to rival Eurovision The primary winner was Helena Vondráčková 's Painted Jug - a song that sounds remarkably like an oompah band covering ABBA , showing there was little cultural divide between East and West back then. But the perfect thing about Intervision was its scoring system. If you happen to preferred a music, you turned all of your lights on, in keeping with Chris West's e-book Eurovision! A Historical past of Modern Europe Via the World's Best Track Contest. For those who hated a track, you turned all of your lights off. The winner was the one which precipitated the best electricity surge. The late 90s to early 2000s was when pop-punk completely hit the floor, becoming absolutely huge. Bands corresponding to Sum forty one, New Discovered Glory, and Simple Plan were among the many most performed artists on the radio, and Blink-182 was a serious success and extremely revered with their breakthrough album Enema of the State (1999). Even Avril Lavigne discovered success in the scene, often called the "pop-punk princess" (although lately, she's completely modified her sound and is not considered as such anymore, however it's acknowledged that at one point she was). It was round this time when the theme of friendship started to indicate up increasingly more ceaselessly, but not a lot as it will later on. K-pop is never artist generated. It is dreamed up in board rooms filled with dudes in fits who reek of garlic and soju. The songwriting is farmed out to individuals whose job it is to shit sugary gold. The casting call goes out and the teams are formed based on looks alone. Dancing will be taught; singing will be dubbed or auto-tuned. These children aren't artists, they're barely even performers. They're circus animals who do as they're instructed. Any hassle, any hint of insurrection, and it is the door, kid. The look of the music - particularly for the girls - is sexed-up, but in reality Ok-pop is as conservative because it will get. It dares not offend anybody, and in the process proves itself to be the unoriginal, uninspired, company produced SHIT that it is. Hosted by songwriter Ross Golan, who has penned hits for Ariana Grande, Selana Gomez, Flo Rida and Justin Bieber, And The Writer Is… is a podcast that is all about songwriters. Each episode, Golan, along with one visitor magicaudiotools.com songwriter, talk about what goes on behind the scenes within the music trade and the way each guest made their name in music. It is a candid, insightful and often very revealing look into the people behind the most important hits. Now in its third season, visitors previously have included Nick Jonas, Ryan Tedder, Julia Michaels and Justin Tranter.When asked which decade has the worst music, their responses fanned out in broadly chronological order, with the 2010s getting forty two% of the vote, the 2000s getting 15%, and the Nineteen Nineties, Nineteen Eighties and Seventies coming in pretty equally with 13%, 14% and 12%. This may lead an informal reader to conclude that the individuals polled were all of a sure age, however it appears to be an evenly held opinion. Of individuals aged 18-29, 39% voted for the 2010s, whereas the determine for the over 30s was forty three%, which signifies most of the fun is in digging up outdated songs, slightly than maintaining with the brand new.To the diploma that radio stations would concentrate on playing a certain type of music that appealed to a certain narrow demographic of listeners, the report labels and publishing corporations would oblige by intentionally in search of out and financing musicians who may create music tailored to the needs of those specific radio stations. Thus the assorted sub-genres of pop music, in all places on the earth, had been created in a type of feedback loop between broadcast radio and the file labels. Types and genres of pop music all the time changed and developed, but all the time in response to the market pressures of selling recordings and being profitable.The extra you listen to one thing, the extra tightly connected you might be to what's about to occur subsequent," she says. So you get immersed in it differently than you probably did the first time. You've got this sense of virtual participation, which is what individuals report once they try to describe a strong piece of music. They're going to discuss how the boundaries between themselves and the music seem to dissolve. So by listening to music again and again, you may accelerate that orientation to sound."Rockabilly" often (but not completely) refers to the kind of rock and roll music which was performed and recorded within the mid-Fifties primarily by white singers reminiscent of Elvis Presley , Carl Perkins , Johnny Money , and Jerry Lee Lewis , who drew primarily on the country roots of the music. fifty three fifty four Elvis Presley was vastly influenced and integrated his type of music with some of the greatest African American musicians like BB King, Chuck Berry and Fat Domino. His type of music mixed with black influences created controversy throughout a turbulent time in history however that didn't cease them from creating what we name Rock n Roll. fifty four Many different fashionable rock and roll singers of the time, akin to Fat Domino and Little Richard , fifty five came out of the black rhythm and blues tradition, making the music attractive to white audiences, and will not be often classed as "rockabilly".

[lunapaper]

Album Review: 'Unwanted' - Pale Waves

I don’t know why I bother reviewing Pale Waves’ albums at this point.  

Their latest, Unwanted, sounds almost the same as 2021’s Who Am I?, like a pastiche or even an outright facsimile of every pop punk and female rock record of the 2000s, only soaked in more distortion.  

The title track fuses early-era Avril with the snarling riffs of Sum 41, which is super hilarious in hindsight. ‘Clean’ and ‘Act My Age’ Sound like tracks straight of Michelle Branch’s The Spirit Room. I know Gen Z has really come to love that album as of late, but why can’t they give her other record, 2003’s Hotel Paper, a spin as well? That has some pretty good tracks on it (‘Are You Happy Now?’ ‘Desperately’?) 

Lavigne’s influence, of course, still looms heavy over the British band. It’s frightening just how much frontwoman Heather Baron-Gracie sounds like the Canadian icon, right down the yodel-like wailing and vocal cracks, like she followed a step-by-step tutorial on YouTube. 

Pale Waves have also gone through a Paramorification of sorts, building tracks like ‘Lies’ and ‘Jealousy’ around hi-energy power pop riffs, strong, raspy vocals and scream-along choruses.  

But Riot! this is not. Baron-Gracie's songwriting is still as generic as ever, relying on the same cliched platitudes and teenage angst despite nearing 30. There are only so many times and in so many ways that the frontwoman can tell us that someone she thought she loved sucks/is mean/is a narcissist/that she can’t live without them.  

‘Jealousy,’ meanwhile, sort of clashes with her well-established feminist ethos. While tracks like ‘You Don’t Own Me’ and ‘Tomorrow’ from Who Am I? promoted empowerment and sexual freedom, this number comes off rather pathetic and needy as Baron-Gracie declares: ‘I don't ever wanna know/Who you've been with before/Burn all your old photos/They don't exist anymore,’ the kind of words that would probably get a less popular (or male) artist relentlessly mocked for being a yandere. 

Later, she’s hitting rock bottom, standing in the rain and being the joke of the party. And that’s all on the one track! If Baron-Gracie mentions something about hating her hometown, then she’ll truly hit the emo jackpot. One-word titles like ‘Lies,’ ‘Alone,’ ‘Numb,’ ‘Unwanted’ and ‘Jealousy’ are meant to feel dark and edgy, but end up evoking the feel of bad teenage poetry in an old and tattered Hot Topic diary. Even ‘The Hard Way,’ a tender acoustic ode to an anonymous girl’s suicide, feels rather superficial and vague, lacking the emotional punch to truly make its anti-bullying statement work. 

That’s not to say the songs are bad, per se – they're ably produced, with occasionally catchy hooks. ‘You’re So Vain’ (not a cover) is a particular standout. The band couldn’t quite decide whether to rip off Avril’s ‘Girlfriend’ or ‘My Happy Ending,’ so they went with both, yet there’s something about the sassy, sugary, nah-nah-nah-like taunting that’s hard to resist. It might be a rip off, but it’s a good one, I guess. And yet, Unwanted is just such a dull and repetitive record, it feels almost impossible to review. What’s the point?? 

To think Pale Waves had the gall, the guile, the gumption, the sheer audacity to proclaim in a recent interview with Kerrang!: ‘If you try to be someone else, you’re just going to fuck up.’ 

With all due respect, piss off. You guys listened to Avril’s Let Go once, and now you wanna wear her goddamn skin. Even Olivia Rodrigo isn’t this shameless, and she had to give Hayley Williams a writing credit on ‘good 4 u.’  

That album name was just asking for trouble... 

- Bianca B. 

[sugatt]

another tag

i was also tagged by my bb @gummyjimin to do this tag too so here goes

how tall are you?

5′3 ish

what color are your eyes?

brown (they used to be black when i was a kid)

do you wear glasses or contacts?

i wear glasses rarely but i dont really need to

do you wear braces?

i was meant to but never did and prolly never will

what is your fashion style?

 depends on my mood. sometimes im pastel cutes things, other times edgy as fuck. sometimes i wanna look girly as fuck, other times i wanna look like a boy. slut for hoodies though.

when were you born? 

16th of November 2000 my kid

how old are you?

16

do you have any siblings?

younger brother

what school/college do you go to?

ha funny if you think im answering that

what kind of student are you?

 the one that scares all of the teachers bc she just cries and teachers are scared of making her cry (literally theyre scared of me bc i cry too much)

what are your favorite subjects?

english & art i guess although my teacher is a bitch

what are your favorite movies?

any harry potter one

what are your favorite past times?

writing, crying, dancing & watching kdramas

do you have any regrets?

too many to list kid

what is your dream job?

primary school teaching (those lil bundles of annoying are fucking cute sometimes)

would you like to get married?

someone propose to me right now plz

do you want kids? how many?

im not giving birth to my own kidz but ill probably adopt one or two (ill work with them i dont wanna come home to more)

how many countries have you visited?

8 i think???? 

what was your scariest dream?

oh man... i have nightmares a lot so i have so many i cant remember

do you have a boyfriend or girlfriend?

nah im single as fuck boiii (sorry). but fr no hmu ;))))))

put your phone on shuffle. without skipping post the first 15 songs that play

im scared 

Hurry, Starfish - Clannad ost

Uwa!! So HEATS!! ♫ - Undertale (wtf is this so far)

Children’s Corner: ||| Serenade The Doll - Claude Debussy

온몸이 반응해 (My Whole Body is Reacting) - GOT7

140503 at Dawn - Agust D

Waldszenen Op.82: V||. Vogel als Prophet - Robert Schumann

sans - Undertale

Where You From - BTS (finally they make an appearance)

Simple - Seventeen - Woozi Solo

12 Etudes, Op. 25: No.1 in A Flat Major, “Aeolian Harp” - Frederic Chopin

Palace In Flames - Fearless Vampire Killers

His Theme - Undertale

팔도강산 - BTS

보름달이 뜨기 전에 (Before the Full Moon Rises) - GOT7

Here - Pristin - Kyla Predebut Practice Solo

(that was a mess the amount of foreign words i had to type jfc)

THANK S FOR THE TAG BB!!!! I tag my babe @softyfor-sweaterpaws bc she’s pretty much my only friend that hasn’t been tagged and i love her a lott <333

[uniquepuppytrash]

MOST POPULAR FASHION  BRAND  - VERSACE

Gianni Versace S.r.l. (Italian pronunciation: [ˈdʒanni verˈsaːtʃe]), usually referred to simply as Versace, is an Italian luxury fashion company and trade name founded by Gianni Versace in 1978. The main collection of the brand is Versace, which produces upmarket Italian-made ready-to-wear and leather accessories.

In the fashion world, Gianni Versace is credited with being the first to blend fashion and Rock & Roll, influencing pop culture with a force never seen before. Having been a costume designer for many years, Versace dressed top celebrity artists for stage, including Tina Turner, Elton John, and Madonna.

The merging of fashion and music cultures quickly translated into the now common practice of seating celebrities in the front row of fashion shows, giving credibility to the fashion labels in the minds of consumers. Becoming a celebrity himself through this practice, Gianni Versace went on to dress some of the world’s most distinguished people of his time, including Princess Diana of Wales.

Versace’s celebrity also helped to establish the celebrity of others, launching the careers of “supermodels” like Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, and Christy Turlington. Actress Elizabeth Hurley was virtually unknown before wearing the now famous “Safety Pin Dress” when she accompanied Hugh Grant at the premiere of Four Weddings and a Funeral in 1994.

Gianni Versace was a highly decorated designer, with truly award-winning style. He received an American Fashion Oscar in 1993, as well as theater’s Maschera D’Argento prize for his achievements in theatrical costume design. Versace’s designs have also been featured around the world in prestigious museums, such as Chicago’s National Field Museum, London’s Royal College of Art, Japan’s Kobe City Museum and Germany’s Kunstgewerbem

After having influenced the world through fashion culture, the House of Versace experienced a nearly fatal blow when founder and visionary, Gianni Versace, was murdered in front of his Miami home in 1997 by serial killer Andrew Cunanan. Versace’s killer would later commit suicide with the same gun, leaving officials and the family no answers concerning the reason why Versace was targeted and killed. Cunanan senselessly murdered at least five people including Versace on a killing spree that lasted three months.

Donatella Versace – A New Vision

Credited by her late brother, Gianni Versace, as his muse, Donatella Versace has risen to power in the fashion world by revitalizing and redefining Versace style for modern times. Having worked as a stylist for her brother Gianni and being a designer in her own right, Donatella was the clear choice to continue the line.  Through hard work and innovation, Donatella Versace has become notorious for rebellious but elegant sensuality in her designs, and her connection to some of today’s most bold and outrageous music artists, including Lady Gaga and Nicki Minaj.

Although the death of Gianni Versace rocked both the fashion world and the House of Versace with an impact that would be felt for years to come, Donatella Versace successfully rose from the ashes. She continued to influence popular culture through music with the donning of Jennifer Lopez in the now famous “Green Versace Dress” she wore when she accompanied Sean “P Diddy” Combs to the Grammy Awards in 2000. Versace would officially enter the 21st Century with a fresh interpretation of celebrity style, and go on to become an illustrious symbol of American affluence and influence.  

Today, Versace is a household name. The star power of both Gianni and Donatella Versace has translated into infusion of the Versace brand and style into music and entertainment media, appealing especially to young and urban audiences.

Lady Gaga, an admitted muse of Donatella Versace, modeled for the brand in spring of 2014, and released an upbeat song called, “Donatella”, homage to the fashion icon and style mentor.

The rap group Migos expresses the urban connection to the brand in a song called, “Versace”, in which the remix by Canadian rap star Drake instantly went viral.

The fame of the House of Versace has even been expressed on screen, in the made-for-TV movie, The House of Versace, by the Lifetime network. Supposing to be a biographical account of the events surrounding the untimely death of Gianni Versace and Donatella’s rise to power, Donatella Versace calls the film “a work of fiction” and refuses to endorse it.

Now recognized worldwide, Versace is best known for the Medusa head, Greek key, and gold chain design elements. These quintessential features were made popular by the brand and have been essential to the Versace fashion line since its inception. Of the Medusa head logo, Donatella Versace says, “In mythology, the Medusa can petrify people with a look — which is a good thing, I think. But the Medusa is a unique symbol — something strong. It’s about going all the way.” Connecting their Italian roots to the strength of Medusa, the House of Versace seeks to make women and men feel bold, strong, and empowered through beauty and expressive personal style.

The Versace ready-to-wear brand aesthetic is an evolution of edgy, modern chic, meant for men and women who use their look to turn heads and express power. Versace haute couture embodies sensual elegance, yet uses strong lines and colors to contrast hard and soft in a way that causes classical glamour to evolve into a new look that is modern and relevant. The Versace brand is iconic for intense, sleek, fashion forward style.

The name Versace now covers a wide range of fashion offerings, from haute couture to retail fashion, making the luxury of Versace available to everyone. The Atelier Versace line is a custom, handmade, one-of-a-kind haute couture line that is responsible for dressing international celebrities such as Jennifer Lopez, Claudia Schiffer, and Angelina Jolie.

Versace Shoes

Versace is also known for their super sexy shoes, handbags, and sunglasses. Inspired by classic Greek footwear and designed with a modern twist, Versace shoes are always an indication of where fashion is headed. Made with the richest materials, Versace shoes are indulgent and bold, with a style signature that is highly recognizable by the fashion elite.

Perfectly complementing the shoes are Versace handbags, which often feature oversized classic Versace design elements, like the Medusa head, Greek key, or gold studs and safety pins. A favorite of celebrities, Versace eyewear is glamorous and ostentatious, yet sleek in execution. The often oversized sunglasses demand attention, and have become an important fashion accessory.

In addition to clothing and accessories, Versace produces many fragrances for men and women. Versace also offers luxury home furnishings, including furniture and tableware. The brand will no doubt continue to grow under the design leadership of Donatella Versace, introducing new products and lines as the demand for Versace style in every area of life continues to grow.

Today, Versace is currently valued at $5.8 billion. The success of the brand over the past three decades has caused the net worth of the company to continue to rise, despite the brief period of decline after Gianni Versace’s untimely death.

Gianni and Donatella Versace With Elton John

Versace Home Collection

Versace  Perfumes

Versus Versace

Lady Gaga For Versace

Jennifer Lopez In Versace Grammy’s Dress

Versace Heels

Versace Women’s Accessories

Versace Palazzo Bag

Versace Greek Key Medusa Logo

Versace Sunglasses Collection

Gianni Versace Fashion Show

Princess Diana and Elton John By Gianni’s Funeral

Donatella With Nicki Minaj in Versace For H&M

Angelina Jolie In

Versace Wedding Dress

[musicdeejaysorceress]

Sensual Woman Music Playlist April 2019

Sensual Woman Music Playlist iheartradio edition-The music playlist was last updated on iheartradio by April 2019 and I am following my creative intuition to post the song listing today including when I first heard some of these songs. Additional note-Some of these songs may overlap from previous music playlists postings though I am grateful for all take the time out of their schedules to look at this playlist. Additionally, I wanted to follow my creative intuition to share this music playlist while I have an abundance of courage within me to do so. Talking Body by Tove Lo-I am so glad to have first heard this song by the autumn 2014 timeframe, the bold energy to this dance/club song gives Talking Body some added energy.

I have multiple good memories with this amusing song that is Turn Me On by David Guetta feat. Nicki Minaj, I am fortunate to have first heard this song by the August 2011 timeframe from one of David Guetta’s music collections that this song is featured on. The collaboration between David Guetta and Nicki Minaj on Turn Me On is musically electric.

I Really LikeYou by Carly Rae Jepsen-It was either Amazon music andor iheartradio where I first heard this bright energy type of love song by around the 2015 timeframe. This song has a pop synth and indie dance feel that also gives it a lively quality.

Love Affair by Kylie Minogue-I have to credit my heavenly husband for indirectly influencing one of the multiple reasons why I still enjoy a multiple number of her songs multiple years later (because he had introduced me to more of her music in the early 2000s. For whatever reason, I noticed and listened more often to this vivid song more frequently after the April 2011 timeframe, this was around the same month that I enjoyed the good fortune of being able to attend one of her concerts. One of the reasons why this song stays in my mind multiple years later is because of the daring energy of the song.

I Surrender by Kate Ryan-I actually got the opportunity to hear a variation/version of this fun song via what I think was a music import collection from Germany titled Best of Dance 2008 and fast forward around the March and/or April 2011 I heard song version of I Surrender by Kate Ryan via a music collection I got from Amazon. I have to say that this song and music video version via the April 18 2011 youtube date showcases Kate Ryan in a self confident light.

National Anthem by Lana Del Rey-I confess that I happen to have some previous familiarity with this song both because I had purchased her Born To Die The Paradise Edition music collection by around the November 2012 timeframe and because around less than 4 years ago sometimes this song would sometimes play on my iheartradio account. Despite the controversial nature of this song, Lana Del Rey’s magnetic voice in this song transforms National Anthem into a sultry type of music story.

Feel Your Love by Kim Sozzi-I am very lucky to have first heard this original dance/club love song that is Feel Your Love by around the March 2011 to July 2011 timeframe. Even multiple years after enjoying it I still have yet to make out the full meaning of this song, I am wondering if this song symbolizes either expectedly andor reuniting with someone after a long time span- 5 years andor longer-and pretty much telling them that you are ready to start anew with forgiveness. Regardless of the Feel Your Love meaning, the vocals are astonishing and the music and the music video have a vibrant energy even with the element of the night time lights in the music video. Gods and Monsters by Lana Del Rey-This is a music gem that I have to admit that I am previously familiar with after first hearing it via Lana Del Rey’s Born To Die Paradise Edition by around the November 2012 timeframe. Her soulful vocals and passionate energy in this song creatively transform Gods and Monsters into a song that could appear to have multiple meanings because of the abstract yet make a music listener think type of lyrics. Rock Me In by Britney Spears-I had the opportunity to purchase and enjoy the standard version Circus music collection by Britney Spears by December 2008 when I was residing in Norfolk Virginia and then unexpectedly by around the March 2011 to May 2011 timeframe I unexpectedly discovered the Rock Me In song that comes with some of her other Circus music collections via Amazon. The Womanizer and Circus tracks from her Circus collection are entertaining though this Rock Me In music track is in a class of its own creatively speaking.

Dressin Up by Katy Perry-I admit that I was only previously more familiar with Katy Perry’s music after I had moved to the Washington D.C. area post 2010. There are a multiple number of her songs that I enjoy by Katy Perry and I admit that this song next to Teenage Dream are some of my illicit pleasure songs by Katy Perry, this song I had unexpectedly came across online by around the 2012 to 2016 timeframe.

Fever by Madonna-I started to more frequently listen to this song by the early 2000s when I was stationed in Yokosuka Japan (through the U.S. Navy) and her music relates to multiple happy memories during my time there including the connection with this smoldering and memorable song. The Edge of Glory by Lady Gaga-I am very lucky to have purchased the music collection that has this innovative song on it by the May/June 2011 timeframe and I confess that this song grew on me the more that I heard it by around the August/September 2011 timeframe.

Adore You by Miley Cyrus-I am very lucky to have first heard this happy and meaningful love song definitely by around the April 2014 to July 2014 timeframe. This song definitely makes me think of my heavenly husband in a spiritually healing and euphoric way.

I am lucky to be previously familiar with Wildest Dreams by Taylor Swift because I had purchased her 1989 music collection by around the December 2014 timeframe. This creative song leaves it open-ended in a clever way why the romantic partnership was meant to be temporary from the start because at the beginning of the song the lyrics suggest/implied that the music/song narrator already saw the temporary vibe of the love affair even before it began though it leaves it open why this was known ahead of time. However the lyrics no one has to know what we do definitely seems to hint at some taboo, controversial andor forbidden partnership with some rebel person type of character maybe/possibly similar to in Taylor Swift’s Ready For It song from her Reputation music collection.

I’m So Excited by the Pointer Sisters-For whatever reason, I started to get into this entertaining song a lot more after the summer 2010 timeframe, and both the festive music and profound vocals make this song a classic still multiple years later. Work (Freemasons Radio Edit) by Kelly Rowland, I confess that I actually became aware of this exhilarating club song after hearing this song via a UK music import of the Now 69 music collection that I purchased by the 2008 timeframe.

Skin by Rihanna-I first heard this imaginative/push the envelope song by the early 2011 timeframe (sometime by the March to June 2011 timeframe). The way she sings this song makes it easy to easily visualize what she is talking about regardless if your visualization skills are that of a novice or expert.

Because The Night by Cascada-I am both very comfortable and happy to admit that I unexpectedly discovered this dazzling electronic/dance/trance love song by around the 2012 to 2013 timeframe. This is a fantastic music tribute to the Patti Smith and the Natalie Merchant vocal versions.

Secrets by Tiesto KSHMR Vassy-I am glad to have definitely heard this edgy club song by the summer 2015 timeframe.

Rapture by iio featuring Nadia Ali-Luckily, I unexpectedly first heard this superb dance/club love song around autumn 2003 (October 2003) from a music cd that I was listening to when I was on a flight headed into California. Why Can’t I by Liz Phair-I would pinpoint the timeframe of around late 2003/early 2004 when I first heard this catchy yet also push the envelope type of rock love song via a Now music collection. Strangely enough, I had also heard this song play on an aircraft carrier in the area I was residing in at that time.

Circle in the Sand Belinda Carlisle-I am very lucky to have actually heard this song by the time I was 7 years old on local radio around the time I had heard her Heaven on Earth song. I then started to get into this song much more after the late 2007 timeframe after purchasing one of her greatest hit music collections that contained this Circle in the Sand song. One of the reasons why I enjoy this remarkable song is because this song makes me think of a connection to a destiny andor mystical type of situation that appears to be implied in a creative way with this song.

Chocolate by Kylie Minogue-I’m fortunate to have seen a music video to Chocolate by Kylie Minogue online by around the January 2004 to June 2004 timeframe and I have enjoyed this captivating song every since.

Hideaway by Kiesza-This song is thrilling to me and I am glad to have unexpectedly discovered this song online by the April/May 2014 timeframe. Magic Man by Heart-I am very lucky to have first heard this enthralling song as a teenager though for some reason this classic rock song has grown on me more since 2015 and I keep liking this song each time I listen to it, an interesting song about meeting someone who has made a memorable mark on a person’s soul in their sleeptime dreams and then actually meeting them in real-life some time later.

Dangerous Cascada Dangerous by Cascada-I luckily heard this song by the 2011/2012 timeframe via one of her music collections. The music story of how one person can have such a strong effect on the heart despite being very “dangerous” makes for enthralling music.

Sledgehammer by Fifth Harmony-Definitely around the late 2014/early 2015 timeframe that I first heard this enchanting song, a charismatic song about someone who gives a person butterflies in their heart metaphorically speaking.

Blue Jeans by Lana Del Rey-I have to concur with others who imply that this song expresses timeless love, am fortunate to have first heard this meaningful song by the 2012/2013/2014 timeframe.

Point of No Return Expose-I am fortunate to have first unexpectedly heard this intense love song by the time I was between 8 to 10 years old.

Be My Lover La Bouche-Lively dance energy and a memorable song that I first heard during the 1990s. High On Life by DJ Encore-A beautiful dance song that appears to be about being around someone who has a healing andor creative inspiring effect on someone’s spirit. I feel lucky that I had the opportunity to obtain the music collection containing this during when I was in my 20s.

Volcano Girls Veruca Salt

Ride It by Geri Halliwell-A Quirky song that I unexpectedly discovered online by my mid-20s

All Night Steve Aoki Lauren Jauregui-I’m very lucky to have unexpectedly heard this gleeful electronic dance love song by the March/April/May 2018 timeframe both from Amazon music.

Teenage Dream Katy Perry-Yes I admit that I started to enjoy this summery and fun song that can also be enjoyed year round more often after the autumn 2010 timeframe either from radio, online, andor tv.

Body Work by Morgan Page feat. Tegan and Sara-The terrific dance energy and the vocals coupled with the lighthearted gym themed/workout themed music video make a superb mix. I unexpectedly heard this song via iheartradion by spring 2015/summer 2015.

Revolver by Madonna feat. Lil Wayne Revolver by Madonna feat. Lil Wayne-I have definitely been familiar with this song since at least January 2011 after listening to one of the music collections by Madonna that contains this song. This music collaboration of Madonna with Lil Wayne in the Revolver song definitely gives this song a distinctive and one of a kind type of dance club music energy.

Catch Me by Pretty

Only U by Ashanti-I am happy to admit that I first enjoyed this melodic and exciting song around the 2004 timeframe after hearing the song online. The lyrics and music are distinctive.

Secret Rendezvous Karyn White

Slide In Goldfrapp Previous comments on youtube From 8 months ago I unexpectedly heard this atmospheric/dance mashup of Slide In by Goldfrapp around the summer of 2009. The vocals and electronic music pair very well together From 2 months ago Slide In by Goldfrapp is a one of a kind tune that I unexpectedly heard around the summer of 2009 by the time I was living in Orlando Florida when I was listening to it on what I think was from one of my mp3 players maybe itunes, regardless the dreamy electro beats and the exquisite vocals create a song that I still find fun to listen to multiple years later.

Falling Into You Celine Dion-I am always going to have happy memories of this song because I first heard this song via a music cd less than 2 years before unexpectedly meeting my husband and parts of the song remind me of my husband.

Whine Up Kat de Luna feat. Elephant Man

Irresistible by the Corrs

Like a Prayer Madonna Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover Sophie B Hawkins

Birthday Katy Perry

I Would Like Zara Larsson I Would Like by Zara Larsson-I happened to have unintentionally discovered this exciting song after seeing it featured on an electronic dance music themed website and enjoying this daring melody on the first listen. Zara Larsson’s powerful vocals and self confident energy really bring this song to life in a vibrant way.

Number 1 Goldfrapp From a youtube comment 11 months ago I like the electro and club vibe energy in this song Number 1 by Goldfrapp. I luckily first heard this song around the 2005/2006 via online. Get Together Madonna-I luckily heard this dynamic song that is Get Together by Madonna by around the 2005 to 2007 timeframe because my heavenly husband had purchased the Confessions On A Dance Floor music collection by Madonna that has this song. The music fits well/excellently with Madonna’s singing in Get Together.

Sensitized Kylie Minogue Comment from 3 months ago via youtube I reluctantly confess that Sensitized by Kylie Minogue is one of my favorite songs from her X music collection because there is something distinctive about both the music and lyrics to this bold song. I remember getting the X music collection around the late winter 2007 timeframe and playing this song multiple times in the earliest days after I obtained the X cd. There are other multiple entertaining songs on the X cd such as Heart Beat Rock, 2 Hearts, Like a Drug. However, Sensitized is still one of those songs that I could listen to multiple times a day still to this day and still enjoy.

[kaiserdingus]

The Return of Classic Sonic - Part 4 - Sonic Mania/Sonic Forces

Over the past couple of years, and especially recently with the release of Sonic Mania, we’ve seen a resurgence in media depicting the classic version of Sonic the Hedgehog from the 1990’s. He’s shorter, he’s voiceless, and he represents a simpler time in video games from before voice acting and cinematic cutscenes.

In recent games he’s been offered as an alternative to the modern aesthetic and play-style that’s been the standard since Sonic Adventure. How did we get to this point? How has Sonic changed over the years, and why are there now two Sonics?

In this series I plan to observe the time period in Sonic history where SEGA decided to shake things up and make what was once old new again. This is The Return of Classic Sonic.

Sonic Mania

After the release of Sonic Generations, things seemed to be going well for Sonic Team. In 2013 they announced an exclusivity deal with Nintendo for their recently released Wii U. The deal was that the next three Sonic the Hedgehog titles would be exclusive to the Wii U. Sonic Lost World, Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, and Sonic Boom were the three Nintendo exclusive titles as part of the deal. After how good Generations was, things were not looking good for Sonic the Hedgehog fans who weren’t fond of Lost World or Boom.

Things felt dark at the time, but then in July 2016 Sega held a big Sonic-themed fan event where they announced two new titles. The first was a new collaboration with Christian Whitehead, Headcannon, and PagodaWest Games called “Sonic Mania”, a true return to the classic 2D gameplay that Sega and Sonic Team tried to achieve with Sonic the Hedgehog 4.

The second game was an untitled 3D game introduced with a pre-rendered trailer showing Sonic in a dystopian wasteland, and joining him yet again would be Classic Sonic. The trailer looked drove home the idea that this was a new modern-style Sonic game that followed the style of Sonic Colors and Sonic Generations, except now with a darker, more serious story. Even though the trailer featured Classic Sonic, the producers were quick to express that this wasn’t a sequel to Sonic Generations. Eventually, the title would be revealed as Sonic Forces, and we’ll talk about that a little later.

Despite Sonic Forces raising a ton of questions, the real show-stealer that night was Sonic Mania. An officially sanctioned new title in the classic Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, one that compiled new, original stages with stages from older titles that were remixed for a new generation of fans.

The game launched in August 2017 and was a smash hit, having the highest score for a Sonic the Hedgehog title on review sites in years. Previous Whitehead produced Sonic titles include Sonic CD, Sonic 1, and Sonic 2 which were remakes of classic titles with some enhancements. Now, his team were able to fill it with not just new enhancements, but completely new features. Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles are all playable with their own moves and character-specific paths, but now Sonic has a new “Drop Dash” that allows him to charge a spindash while in mid-air.

Similarly to Sonic CD, Sonic Mania opens with an animated full-motion video. Animated by Tyson Hesse, a comic book illustrator who previously worked on Archie’s Sonic comics as well as having done Sonic fan comics online, it’s the perfect cherry on top to complete a wonderful game. Hesse’s art has been celebrated in the Sonic fan community, from his parody comic “Sonic’s Big Fat Adventure”, to his Sonic CD/Sonic OVA style designs in the Archie mini-series Sonic Mega Drive.

Something that’s usually considered taboo when adapting another’s work is adding new elements, but that taboo has been successfully broken with the addition of the Hard Boiled Heavies as antagonists assisting Dr. Eggman this time around.

Originally Egg-Robos from Sonic & Knuckles, they’ve been corrupted by the Phantom Ruby which is given each of them individual personalities. The boss fights against the Hard Boiled Heavies are some of the best in the entire game, and I would not be opposed to seeing more of them in future titles.

The marketing for Sonic Mania disguised one of the bigger plot points to the game, and the game itself doesn’t make it clear, but Sonic Mania cleverly ties into Sonic Forces which was released 3 months later. The Phantom Ruby, Eggman’s world-altering MacGuffin, appears in Sonic Mania and is the force that transports Sonic to Modern Sonic’s world in Forces. They even snuck Sonic Forces’ theme song “Fist Bump” into the final boss battle.

When Mania came out I played the hell out of it and cleared each of the 8 save files. The special stages from Sonic 3 and Sonic & Knuckles return, but now they replace the pinball bonus stages. They quickly become irritating as you find yourself entering nearly 3 special stages per level. It’s not that they’re not fun to play, but rather that they take longer than standard bonus stages so they break up the pace of the game.

I loved Sonic Mania, I thought it filled a much needed desire in me to play a game that really understood what makes Sonic great. The way Sega released Sonic Forces following Mania made Mania seem like an appetizer, but one that’s infinitely better than the perfectly acceptable main course.

Sonic Forces

Originally announced alongside Sonic Mania in June of 2016, Sonic Forces was released in November 2017 and landed with an unfortunate thud. Dr. Eggman has taken over the world and now it’s up to Sonic to save the day, only this time he’s joined by a new friend - YOU. Oh, and also Classic Sonic returns from Sonic Generations for no clear reason. This game isn’t bad by any means, but it certainly isn’t seen very positively within some parts of the fan community? The fans celebrated Sonic Generations, how did Forces go so wrong?

When planning this game simultaneously with Sonic Mania, it’s assumed that the producers wanted to cater to two very specific audiences: people who grew up with and prefer the style of the classic Sonic games, or people who prefer the more story driven modern titles. Mania was meant to be for the fans of the classic games, while Forces would be aimed at those who liked Sonic Colors and Sonic Generations.

The only problem with basing this game off of Generations is that by the time this game would come out, that game would already be 6 years old. For some perspective, that’s the same amount of time between Sonic the Hedgehog 2 and Sonic Adventure. With that big of a time gap, it was assumed Sonic Team would be able to make a game that would surpass the quality of the ones that came before it. Instead, we got a game that feels more or less like Generations 2 (more like Generations 2 Late).

This isn’t to say the game is bad, it just feels dated, ironically its biggest competition is a game that’s entire gimmick is how dated it is. The game follows an edgy storyline about Dr. Eggman capturing Sonic and taking over the world, and the resistance group that forms to stop Dr. Eggman and liberate the world. Typical for a Sonic game post-1992, Dr. Eggman has a new friend with him, a jackal named Infinite who’s been made incredibly powerful with the strength of a magical MacGuffin known as the Phantom Ruby.

The story wouldn’t be an issue if it weren’t for the fact that none of the characters develop or grow, aside from the player’s Avatar character. The avatar is the last of their people after Infinite showed up and killed them all for no apparent reason, and now they’ve teamed up with Sonic and the resistance to stop Eggman from… keeping control of the world.

That’s right, besides the lack of character development or growth there’s also a lack of motivation for the villains. Dr. Eggman beats Sonic with the help of Infinite at the beginning of the game, Sonic gets captured and taken to the Death Egg, and his friends break him out.

Sonic Adventure 2’s edgy storyline worked because characters had motivation and they grew as the story went. Shadow wanted to avenge the death of his friend, but eventually discovered that vengeance wouldn’t be what she wanted. Rouge offers her skills as a jewel thief to help Dr. Eggman, only to double cross him when it’s revealed she’s a spy working for the President. Tails, having overcome his fears in the previous Sonic Adventure games, asserts himself as a competent mechanic and hero. Even Eggman realizes the error of his ways near the end of the game and helps the heroes stop the destruction he caused.

Gameplay wise, the game plays just as good as Sonic Generations did, and it even looks better. Sonic Lost World and Sonic Boom, the two titles to come out in the years between Generations and Forces, were too radically different and didn’t work. Sonic Forces might feel like too little too late, it its very playable. The levels are more cinematic this time around, but they’re also a lot shorter. While Generations had 9 different areas with two stages each, Forces only has 6 areas with a combined 24 action stages. A casual Sonic player can easily clear the game in under 4 hours.

The game has a lot of replay value, though. Especially in regards to the Avatar, who can equip clothing and accessories that you gain by clearing stages and missions. The Wispons act as different equippables for your character’s grappling hook, giving them new abilities that can help them reach different pathways.

Classic Sonic, honestly, feels a little tacked on in this game. Like I said previously, Classic Sonic felt integral to Generations, but this time he feels like Werehog-esque filler. I love the gameplay and the dedicated 2D levels, but you they didn’t need to shoe-horn Classic Sonic into the game. It feels like a cheap gimmick to bring in people coming down from the high of Sonic Mania, rather than something that’s important to the story.

Sonic Forces really isn’t a bad game, it feels like a love letter to the fans of the 2000’s era Sonic games. It’s cheesy, with the grim-dark story, the DeviantArt-esque character creator, the butt rock theme song featuring Hoobastank singer Doug Robb, and the incredibly edgy Infinite who automatically replaces Shadow as “most cringey Sonic character”. It probably won’t ever be seen in the same light as it’s companion game, but I enjoyed it for what it was.

After 9 years of attempts by Sega, prompted by the passion and dedication of the Sonic the Hedgehog fan base, we’re finally seeing a resurgence of classic Sonic. Sonic 4 was a shallow attempt, Sonic Generations was an honest try, but Sonic Mania nailed it completely. A team of fans have done the impossible and have used their skills from making fan games to make a perfect Sonic game. Something any Nintendo fans would’ve been shut down for, Sega allowed to happen and are now benefiting from it.

It’s an exciting time for fans of Classic Sonic, as this July Sega are releasing a definitive edition of Sonic Mania called Sonic Mania Plus. The new content will be available as DLC for players who already own Mania. Alongside Sonic Mania Plus is a new animated series directed by Tyson Hesse. Five short episodes released in the weeks leading up to the release of Sonic Mania Plus.

What’s next for Sonic fans? Beyond Sonic Mania Plus, not much. If fans respond to Sonic Mania Plus well and it sells enough copies, I’m sure Sega will produce more games in the classic style. Hopefully using Christian Whitehead’s Retro Engine and with the same love the team put into Sonic Mania.

Where to Buy

Sonic Mania  (PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC)

Sonic Mania Plus  (PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch)

Sonic Forces (PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC)

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