#vampire academy redesigns

[screechwhisper]

My redesigns for vampire academy!! I'm planning on drawing Adrien, Mia and Mason later :)

[notdiabolika]

Sakamakis Defend Their S/O From Bullying.

Whatever may have happened, they're here for you. Kind of.

[Português]

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“Oi, chichinashi, where ya think you're going?”

He’s probably the one who started it, being someone who likes to make fun of others. But he realizes it went too far when others joined and you left the room without saying anything. He'd try to go after you and say sorry.

“Y’know, if it bothers you that much I won't do it again. Only if you're asking for it. I'll take care of whoever tries to go too far with you...”

"I'll take care" translates to "nose punching".

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“Nfu, you make such a kawaii face when you're upset.”

He's taking advantage of the fact you're vulnerable to slide his arms around you, mess with your hair and tease, most likely trying to distract and make you pay attention to >him<. The only difference from Laito’s usual behavior is that, actually, he takes this more seriously than he's letting on.

Out of nowhere, it appears that one of the people who made fun of you all of a sudden had a super dirty secret released to the public!

“Eh? I wonder who did that… ♪”

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“…”

Oh. These people don't know who they're messing with. They can feel Kanato’s stare piercing through their souls, but most likely will only whisper something about him being weird. Once given the chance, he'll pull you closer and suck your blood pretty aggressively – he’s incredibly upset.

“How dare they talk like this?! You're my doll. Can't they see it?”

He'll need a lot to calm down. If something like that happens again, you can expect him throwing around your bully’s stuff and screaming a lot.

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“Haa… have you all ran out of better things to do?”

He's usually so quiet, so when he suddenly opens his eyes and starts defending you, it isn't a surprise to find out everyone goes silent. He wouldn't bring up the subject again, but if you did talk to him about it, he’d smile a bit teasingly.

“What? I simply decided to respond since you weren't doing anything. Don't mistake it for kindness. I'm a vampire after all. If you want to pay me back, maybe give me a sip of your blood.”

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“... Shut up!”

A straight punch to their face and Subaru is now in detention and/or receiving a scolding from Reiji. He didn't think nor hesitate as soon as everyone started laughing and you were left keeping your head down. Of course, he'll still blatantly deny that he cares about you, but it’s getting clearer.

“Don’t get the wrong idea! They were asking for a punch on their face anyway. I-it’s not about you, so don’t be so damn selfish!”

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“I believe some students are in need of serious reprimand.”

Normally, he wouldn't care much about bullying, but he will intervene if it's getting more common and out of hand. Reiji has a lot of influence in Ryoutei Academy. He builds his image around being proactive and serious, so if he tells something should stop, it will stop. A lot of people respect or fear him by his attitude alone.

“Don't worry, it won't happen again. But I suppose that if such a pattern repeats itself, we might have some students expelled very soon.”

(shameless redesign from my Instagram not_so_diabolik_lovers)

[racketballz]

I remember liking Lisa's design but I forgot what she even looks like... I do remember her having a mole but that's it 😔

If you ever redesign her, what's something you're absolutely sure you'll add to her as a character? (Also your vampire and hunter are beautiful and I adore them, even if I only seen them once)

This is Lisa!

I think her actual face will look the same dw! the mole stays! because i don’t see why I should change it really but I had a concept that she was like under cover or like had a secret identity or something and that changes a lot the decisions I made with her if I wanna trash it so she’s kinda in this limbo state!

As well as the school uniform thing because the story was originally @ some affluent school for upper echelons and she was disguising as a rich mean queen bee and that’s how her and Sydney meet. but I think to kill like 5 birds with one stone (I was truly making this way too complicated I don’t even wanna explain it 😭) I’ll just make it a sky high situation academy with powers in college slay

So because it’s even more school stuff I wanted to lean into the darkness of everything for the design so I’m like making the uniform black for everyone and possibly everything in greyscale as a stylistic choice hmm

Her personality is more or less the same as before she’s logical but nice enough and shes very pragmatic and and a little niave!

[someonelookingpraediti]

FairyLoot Unboxing

Alchemy of Us November 2023

More and more, FairyLoot just isn't living up to my expectations. When I first subscribed, FairyLoot was my favourite box, but now I prefer the others. Part of it might be that I'm just not that into YA Fantasy anymore. I don't know.

The featured book is "The Scarlet Alchemist" by Kylie Lee Baker. I'm not interested in this book - I'm over the magical royalty thing, it's such a common trope, and I've read some really bad ones lately. This edition has a completely redesigned cover, which is much nicer than the original. It's got really impressive stencilled edges, and full artwork endpapers. The foiling on the hardcase is nice, but it's pretty basic, and only on the front.

The first item is hanging storage pockets. This is inspired by the featured book of the month. I already have one of these from a previous box, which I dutifully hung on the back of my bathroom door. And I have never once used it. So I won't use this one either. It's an alright design, and I really like that it matches the rest of the box, but it's probably not a colour I'd choose to decorate in.

The next item is a desk calendar. This is a cool design - it has twelve foiled cards - one for each month - with a wooden stand. Unfortunately, it's based on characters by Sarah J. Maas. I've only read one of her books, and I hated it. So again, I won't use this.

Next is an ID holder with a lanyard. It's inspired by "Vampire Academy", which I haven't read, and probably won't. I already have one of these from a previous box (a lot of repeats this month) which was a nicer design - but I don't have anything to use this for, I'm not in college, and my work doesn't have ID cards or anything.

The last item is the next in the secret book collection. I do really love these, they're hollow books designed for storage. I've got a few of these, and they're really nice. This one is designed to look like an Alchemy textbook.

This month's tarot cards are Juliette and Roma from "These Violent Delights".

[enbyleighlines]

I’ve been working on redesigning some of my oc’s the last couple of weeks. Introducing: some of the students at Sir Heron Knight Academy!

Some details about them under the cut:

Alexander: The protagonist. Can talk to ghosts. Has more dead friends than alive ones. Doesn’t actually want to be a knight but he doesn’t want to disappoint his family. Flunked out twice. People think he’s dark and mysterious because he’s quiet, but in reality he’s often lost in thought and kind of absent-minded. Likes word puzzles, historical fiction, and going to the theater.

Aurora: Alex’s first friend at the Academy. Abandoned on the steps of a church as an infant, and raised by the priestesses. Wanted to join them as a priestess, but was given instructions to become a holy paladin instead. Chronic people pleaser. Doesn’t know why she’s here but she’s determined to do her best despite the odds being stacked against her. Apologizes a little too much.

Jericko: Practitioner of witchcraft and alchemy, with a special interest in magical creatures. Born as the third daughter of his family, but invented his own potion that transforms him into a more masculine form. Prefers studying and honing his craft to interacting with other people. Dry sense of humor. Secretly enjoys filling his spellbook with sketches. Like a cat, his trust is difficult to earn, but once he opens up to somebody, he is very loyal.

Felicie: A gray fox shifter. Comes from a family of fishermen that lived near a salt marsh. Was isolated from other children growing up due to magical abilities she couldn’t control. Loves turning everything into competitions. Cheerful and friendly, with a hint of mischievousness. Rarely loses her temper, but oh boy, do not be around her when she gets angry. She gently bullied Jericko into becoming his friend. She is the hyperactive-type ADHD to his inattentive-type ADHD.

Anju: A rakshasa, a subspecies of orcs. Comes from a family of blacksmiths. Earnest and hard-working. Passionate about the craftsmanship of weapons. Grew up with Vera, and views her as an elder sister. She earned a spot in the prestigious Sir Heron Knight Academy by complete accident, after she single-handedly fought off a group of thieves who were attempting to rob her father’s workshop. A little socially awkward, but trying her best.

Dorian: Half-human, half-vampire, and a powerful illusionist. Theatrical to the extreme, with a dash of flamboyance. His human mother is obsessed with vampires, and also very overbearing concerning Dorian’s health and safety. Merlyn is his girlfriend of many years. He loves her, but that does not stop him from flirting with every cute girl or handsome man that strikes his fancy.

Vera: A nightmare demon, which feasts on the fear of others. Anju’s childhood friend and role model growing up. Confident and headstrong, she is quick to dole out advice, but is allergic to constructive criticism. She was technically present during the attempted robbery that earned Anju her ticket to Sir Heron, so she was also offered a spot. Unlike Anju, Vera is hesitant about becoming a knight. However, she refuses to leave Anju’s side.

Merlyn: Half-human, half-succubus, and a talented sorceress. She loves Dorian, but she’s an extreme introvert that gets overwhelmed by his constant attention, and gave him permission to pursue other lovers. Her constitution is frail, so she’s often sick. Has a collection of various insects. Her favorite is a giant tarantula she has named Tarantella.

If you bothered to read all of that, thank you!!!

[grigori77]

2020 in Movies - My Top 30 Fave Movies (Part 3)

10.  WOLFWALKERS – eleven years ago, Irish director Tomm Moore exploded onto the animated cinema scene with The Secret of Kells, a spellbinding feature debut which captivated audiences the world over and even garnered an Oscar nomination.  Admittedly I didn’t actually even know about it until I discovered his work through his astonishing follow-up, Song of the Sea (another Academy Award nominee), in 2015, so when I finally caught it I was already a fan of Moore’s work.  It’s been a similarly long wait for his third feature, but he’s genuinely pulled off a hat-trick, delivering a third flawless film in a row which OF COURSE means that his latest feature is, beyond a shadow of a doubt, my top animated feature of 2020.  I could even be tempted to say it’s his best work to date … this is an ASTONISHING film, a work of such breath-taking, spell-binding beauty that I spent its entire hour and three-quarters glued to the screen, simple mesmerised by the wonder and majesty of this latest iteration of the characteristically stylised “Cartoon Saloon” look.  It’s also liberally steeped in Moore’s trademark Celtic vibe and atmosphere, once again delving deep into his homeland’s rich and evocative cultural history and mythology while also bringing us something far more original and personal – this time the titular supernatural beings are magical near-human beings whose own subconscious can assume the form of very real wolves.  Set in a particularly dark time in Irish history – namely 1650, when Oliver Cromwell was Lord Protector – the story follows Robyn (Honor Kneafsey, probably best known for the Christmas Prince films), the impetuous and spirited young daughter of English hunter Bill Goodfellowe (Sean Bean), brought in by the Protectorate to rid the city of Kilkenny of the wolves plaguing the area.  One day fate intervenes and Robyn meets Mebh Og MacTire (The Girl at the End of the Garden‘s Eve Whittaker), a wild girl living in the woods, whose accidental bite gives her strange dreams in which she becomes a wolf – turns out Mebh is a wolfwalker, and now so is Robyn … every aspect of this film is an utter triumph for Moore and co, who have crafted a work of living, breathing cinematic art that’s easily the equal to (if not even better than) the best that Disney, Dreamworks or any of the other animation studios could create.  Then there’s the excellent voice cast – Bean brings fatherly warmth and compassion to the role that belies his character’s intimidating size, while Kneafsey and Whittaker make for a sweet and sassy pair as they bond in spite of powerful cultural differences, and the masterful Simon McBurney (Harry Potter, Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy) brings cool, understated menace to the role of Cromwell himself.  This is a film with plenty of emotional heft to go with its marvels, and once again displays the welcome dark side which added particular spice to Moore’s previous films, but ultimately this is still a gentle and heartfelt work of wonder that makes for equally suitable viewing for children as for those who are still kids at heart – ultimately, then, this is another triumph for one of the most singularly original filmmakers working in animation today, and if Wolfwalkers doesn’t make it third time lucky come Oscars-time then there’s no justice in the world …

9.  WONDER WOMAN 1984 – probably the biggest change for 2020 compared to pretty much all of the past decade is how different the fortunes of superhero cinema turned out to be.  A year earlier the Marvel Cinematic Universe had dominated all, but the DC Extended Universe still got a good hit in with big surprise hit Shazam!  Fast-forward to now and things are VERY different – DC suddenly came out in the lead, but only because Marvel’s intended heavy-hitters (two MCU movies, the first Venom sequel and potential hot-shit new franchise starter Morbius: the Living Vampire) found themselves continuously pushed back thanks to (back then) unforeseen circumstances which continue to shit all over our theatre-going slate for the immediate future.  In the end DC’s only SERIOUS competition turned out to be NETFLIX … never mind, at least we got ONE big established superhero blockbuster into the cinemas before the end of the year that the whole family could enjoy, and who better to headline it than DC’s “newest” big screen megastar, Diana Prince? Back in 2017 Monster’s Ball director Patty Jenkins’ monumental DCEU standalone spectacularly realigned the trajectory of a cinematic franchise that was visibly flagging, redesigning the template for the series’ future which has since led to some (mostly) consistently impressive subsequent offerings.  Needless to say it was a damn tough act to follow, but Jenkins and co-writers Geoff Johns (Arrow and The Flash) and David Callaham (The Expendables, Zombieland: Double Tap, future MCU entry Shang-Chi & the Legend of the Ten Rings) have risen to the challenge in fine style, delivering something which pretty much equals that spectacular franchise debut … as has Gal Gadot, who’s now OFFICIALLY made the role her own thanks to yet another showstopping and definitive performance as the unstoppable Amazonian goddess living amongst us.  She’s older and wiser than in the first film, but still hasn’t lost that forthright honesty and wonderfully pure heart we’ve come to love ever since her introduction in Zack Snyder’s troublesome but ultimately underrated Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice (yes, that’s right, I said it!), and Gadot’s clear, overwhelming commitment to the role continues to pay off magnificently as she once again proves that Diana is THE VERY BEST superhero in the DCEU cinematic pantheon.  Although it takes place several decades after its predecessor, WW84 is, obviously, still very much a period piece, Jenkins and co this time perfectly capturing the sheer opulent and over-the-top tastelessness of the 1980s in all its big-haired, bad-suited, oversized shoulder-padded glory while telling a story that encapsulates the greedy excessiveness of the Reagan era, perfectly embodied in the film’s nominal villain, Max Lord (The Mandalorian himself, Pedro Pascal), a wishy-washy wannabe oil tycoon conman who chances upon a supercharged wish-rock and unleashes a devastating supernatural “monkey’s paw” upon the world. To say any more would give away a whole raft of spectacular twists and turns that deserve to be enjoyed good and cold, although they did spoil one major surprise in the trailer when they teased the return of Diana’s first love, Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) … needless to say this is another big blockbuster bursting with big characters, big action and BIG IDEAS, just what we’ve come to expect after Wonder Woman’s first triumphant big screen adventure.  Interestingly, the film starts out feeling like it’s going to be a bubbly, light, frothy affair – after a particularly stunning all-action opening flashback to Diana’s childhood on Themyscira, the film proper kicks off with a bright and breezy atmosphere that feels a bit like the kind of Saturday morning cartoon action the consistently impressive set-pieces take such unfettered joy in parodying, but as the stakes are raised the tone grows darker and more emotionally potent, the storm clouds gathering for a spectacularly epic climax that, for once, doesn’t feel too overblown or weighed down by its visual effects, while the intelligent script has unfathomable hidden depths to it, making us think far more than these kinds of blockbusters usually do.  It’s really great to see Chris Pine return since he was one of the best things about the first movie, and his lovably childlike wide-eyed wonder at this brave new world perfectly echoes Diana’s own last time round; Kristen Wiig, meanwhile, is pretty phenomenal throughout as Dr Barbara Minerva, the initially geeky and timid nerd who discovers an impressive inner strength but ultimately turns into a superpowered apex predator as she becomes one of Wonder Woman’s most infamous foes, the Cheetah; Pascal, of course, is clearly having the time of his life hamming it up to the hilt as Lord, playing gloriously against his effortlessly cool, charismatic action hero image to deliver a compellingly troubling examination of the monstrous corrupting influence of absolute power.  Once again, though, the film truly belongs to Gadot – she looks amazing, acts her socks off magnificently, and totally rules the movie.  After this, a second sequel is a no-brainer, because Wonder Woman remains the one DC superhero who’s truly capable of bearing the weight of this particular cinematic franchise on her powerful shoulders – needless to say, it’s already been greenlit, and with both Jenkins and Gadot onboard, I’m happy to sign up for more too …

8.  LOVE & MONSTERS – with the cinemas continuing their frustrating habit of opening for a little while and then closing while the pandemic ebbed and flowed in the months after the summer season, it was starting to look like there might not have been ANY big budget blockbusters to enjoy before year’s end as heavyweights like Black Widow, No Time To Die and Dune pulled back to potentially more certain release slots into 2021 (with only WW84 remaining stubbornly in place for Christmas).  Then Paramount decided to throw us a bone, opting to release this post-apocalyptic horror comedy on-demand in October instead, thus giving me the perfect little present to tie me over during the darkening days of autumn. The end result was a stone-cold gem that came out of nowhere to completely blow critics away, a spectacular sleeper hit that ultimately proved one of the year’s biggest and most brilliant surprises.  Director Michael Matthews may only have had South African indie thriller Five Fingers for Marseilles under his belt prior to this, but he proves he’s definitely a solid talent to watch in the future, crafting a fun and effective thrill-ride that, like all the best horror comedies, is consistently as funny as it is scary, sharing much of the same DNA as this particular mash-up genre’s classics like Tremors and Zombieland and standing up impressively well to such comparisons.  The story, penned by rising star Brian Duffield (who has TWO other entries on this list, Underwater and Spontaneous) and Matthew Robinson (The Invention of Lying, Dora & the Lost City of Gold), is also pretty ingenious and surprisingly original – a meteorite strike has unleashed weird mutagenic pathogens that warp various creepy crawly critters into gigantic monstrosities that have slaughter most of the world’s human population, leaving only a beleaguered, dwindling few to eke out a precarious living in underground colonies. Living in one such makeshift community is Joel Dawson (The Maze Runner’s Dylan O’Brien), a smart and likeable geek who really isn’t very adventurous, is extremely awkward and uncoordinated, and has a problem with freezing if threatened … which makes it all the more inexplicable when he decides, entirely against the advice of everyone he knows, to venture onto the surface so he can make the incredibly dangerous week-long trek to the neighbouring colony where his girlfriend Aimee (Iron Fist’s Jessica Henwick) has ended up.  Joel is, without a doubt, the best role that O’Brien has EVER had, a total dork who’s completely unsuited to this kind of adventure and, in the real world, sure to be eaten alive in the first five minutes, but he’s also such a fantastically believable, fallible everyman that every one of us desperate, pathetic omega-males and females can instantly put ourselves in his place, making it elementarily easy to root for him.  He’s also hilariously funny, his winningly self-deprecating sass and pitch perfect talent for physical comedy making it all the more rewarding watching each gloriously anarchic life-and-death encounter mould him into the year’s most unlikely action hero.  Henwick, meanwhile, once again impresses in a well-written role where she’s able to make a big impression despite her decidedly short screen time, as do the legendary Michael Rooker and brilliant newcomer Ariana Greenblatt as Clyde and Minnow, the adorably jaded, seen-it-all-before pair of “professional survivors” Joel meets en-route, who teach him to survive on the surface.  The action is fast, frenetic and potently visceral, the impressively realistic digital creature effects bringing a motley crew of bloodthirsty beasties to suitably blood-curdling life for the film’s consistently terrifying set-pieces, while the world-building is intricately thought-out and skilfully executed.  Altogether, this was an absolute joy from start to finish, and a film I enthusiastically endorsed to everyone I knew was looking for something fun to enjoy during the frustrating lockdown nights-in.  One of the cinematic year’s best kept secrets then, and a compelling sign of things to come for its up-and-coming director.

7.  PARASITE – I’ve been a fan of master Korean filmmaker Bong Joon-ho ever since I stumbled across his deeply weird but also thoroughly brilliant breakthrough feature The Host, and it’s a love that’s deepened since thanks to truly magnificent sci-fi actioner Snowpiercer, so I was looking forward to his latest feature as much as any movie geek, but even I wasn’t prepared for just what a runaway juggernaut of a hit this one turned out to be, from the insane box office to all that award-season glory (especially that undeniable clean-sweep at the Oscars). I’ll just come out and say it, this film deserves it all.  It’s EASILY Bong’s best film to date (which is really saying something), a masterful social satire and jet black comedy that raises some genuinely intriguing questions before delivering deeply troubling answers.  Straddling the ever-widening gulf between a disaffected idle rich upper class and impoverished, struggling lower class in modern-day Seoul, it tells the story of the Kim family – father Ki-taek (Bong’s good luck charm, Song Kang-ho), mother Chung-sook (Jang Hye-jin), son Ki-woo (Train to Busan’s Choi Woo-shik) and daughter Ki-jung (The Silenced’s Park So-dam) – a poor family living in a run-down basement apartment who live hand-to-mouth in minimum wage jobs and can barely rub two pennies together, until they’re presented with an intriguing opportunity.  Through happy chance, Ki-woon is hired as an English tutor for Park Da-hye (Jung Ji-so), the daughter of a wealthy family, which offers him the chance to recommend Ki-jung as an art tutor to the Parks’ troubled young son, Da-song (Jung Hyeon-jun). Soon the rest of the Kims are getting in on the act, the kids contriving opportunities for their father to replace Mr Park’s chauffeur and their mother to oust the family’s long-serving housekeeper, Gook Moon-gwang (Lee Jung-eun), and before long their situation has improved dramatically.  But as they two families become more deeply entwined, cracks begin to show in their supposed blissful harmony as the natural prejudices of their respective classes start to take hold, and as events spiral out of control a terrible confrontation looms on the horizon.  This is social commentary at its most scathing, Bong drawing on personal experiences from his youth to inform the razor-sharp script (co-written by his production assistant Han Jin-won), while he weaves a palpable atmosphere of knife-edged tension throughout to add spice to the perfectly observed dark humour of the situation, all the while throwing intriguing twists and turns at us before suddenly dropping such a massive jaw-dropper of a gear-change that the film completely turns on its head to stunning effect.  The cast are all thoroughly astounding, Song once again dominating the film with a turn at once sloppy and dishevelled but also poignant and heartfelt, while there are particularly noteworthy turns from Lee Sun-kyun as the Parks’ self-absorbed patriarch Dong-ik and Choi Yeo-jeong (The Concubine) as his flighty, easily-led wife Choi Yeon-gyo, as well as a fantastically weird appearance in the latter half from Park Myung-hoon.  This is heady stuff, dangerously seductive even as it becomes increasingly uncomfortable viewing, so that even as the screws tighten and everything goes to hell it’s simply impossible to look away.  Bong Joon-ho really has surpassed himself this time, delivering an existential mind-scrambler that lingers long after the credits have rolled and might even have you questioning your place in society once you’ve thought about it some. It deserves every single award and every ounce of praise it’s been lavished with, and looks set to go down as one of the true cinematic greats of this new decade.  Trust me, if this was a purely critical best-of list it’d be RIGHT AT THE TOP …

6.  THE OLD GUARD – Netflix’ undisputable TOP OFFERING of the summer came damn close to bagging the whole season, and I can’t help thinking that even if some of the stiffer competition had still been present it may well have still finished this high. Gina Prince-Blythewood (Love & Basketball, the Secret Life of Bees) directs comics legend Greg Rucka’s adaptation of his own popular series with uncanny skill and laser-focused visual flair considering there’s nothing on her previous CV to suggest she’d be THIS good at mounting a stomping great ultraviolent action thriller, ushering in a thoroughly engrossing tale of four ancient, invulnerable immortal warriors – Andy AKA Andromache of Scythia (Charlize Theron), Booker AKA Sebastian de Livre (Matthias Schoenaerts), Joe AKA Yusuf Al-Kaysani (Wolf’s Marwan Kenzari) and Nicky AKA Niccolo di Ginova (Trust’s Luca Marinelli) – who’ve been around forever, hiring out their services as mercenaries for righteous causes while jealously guarding their identities for fear of horrific experimentation and exploitation should their true natures ever be discovered.  Their anonymity is threatened, however, when they’re uncovered by former CIA operative James Copley (Chiwetel Ejiofor), who’s working for the decidedly dodgy pharmaceutical conglomerate run by sociopathic billionaire Steven Merrick (Harry Melling, formerly Dudley in the Harry Potter movies), who want to capture these immortals so they can patent whatever it is that makes them keep on ticking … just as a fifth immortal, US Marine Nile Freeman (If Beale Street Could Talk’s KiKi Layne), awakens after being “killed” on deployment in Afghanistan.  The supporting players are excellent, particularly Ejiofor, smart and driven but ultimately principled and deeply conflicted about what he’s doing, even if he does have the best of intentions, and Melling, the kind of loathsome, reptilian scumbag you just love to hate, but the film REALLY DOES belong to the Old Guard themselves – Schoenaerts is a master brooder, spot-on casting as the group’s relative newcomer, only immortal since the Napoleonic Wars but clearly one seriously old soul who’s already VERY tired of the lifestyle, while Joe and Nicky (who met on opposing sides of the Crusades) are simply ADORABLE, an unapologetically matter-of-fact gay couple who are sweet, sassy and incredibly kind, the absolute emotional heart of the film; it’s the ladies, however, that are most memorable here.  Layne is exceptional, investing Nile with a steely intensity that puts her in good stead as her new existence threatens to overwhelm her and MORE THAN qualified to bust heads alongside her elders … but it’s ancient Greek warrior Andy who steals the film, Theron building on the astounding work she did in Atomic Blonde to prove, once and for all, that there’s no woman on Earth who looks better kicking arse than her (as Booker puts it, “that woman has forgotten more ways to kill than entire armies will ever learn”); in her hands, Andy truly is a goddess of death, tough as tungsten alloy and unflappable even in the face of hell itself, but underneath it all she hides a heart as big as any of her friends’.  They’re an impossibly lovable bunch and you feel you could follow them on another TEN adventures like this one, which is just as well, because Prince-Blythewood and Rucka certainly put them through their paces here – the drama is high (but frequently laced with a gentle, knowing sense of humour, particularly whenever Joe and Nicky are onscreen), as are the stakes, and the frequent action sequences are top-notch, executed with rare skill and bone-crunching zest, but also ALWAYS in service to the story.  Altogether this is an astounding film, a genuine victory for its makers and, it seems, for Netflix themselves – it’s become one of the platform’s biggest hits to date, earning well-deserved critical acclaim and great respect and genuine geek love from the fanbase at large.  After this, a sequel is not only inevitable, it’s ESSENTIAL …

5.  MANK – it’s always nice when David Fincher, one of my TOP FIVE ALL TIME FAVOURITE DIRECTORS, drops a new movie, because it can be GUARANTEED to place good and high in my rundown for that year.  The man is a frickin’ GENIUS, a true master of the craft, genuinely one of the auteur’s auteurs.  I’ve NEVER seen him deliver a bad film – even a misfiring Fincher (see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button or Alien 3) is still capable of creating GREAT CINEMA.  How? Why?  It’s because he genuinely LOVES the art form, it’s been his obsession all his life, and he’s spent every day of it becoming the best possible filmmaker he can be.  Who better to tell the story of the creation of one of the ULTIMATE cinematic masterpieces, then?  Benjamin Ross’ acclaimed biopic RKO 281 covered similar ground, presenting a compelling look into the making Citizen Kane, the timeless masterpiece of Hollywood’s ULTIMATE auteur, Orson Welles, but Fincher’s film is more interested in the original inspiration for the story, how it was written and, most importantly, the man who wrote it – Herman J. Mankiewicz, known to his friends as Mank. One of my favourite actors of all time, Gary Oldman, delivers yet another of his career best performances in the lead role, once a man of vision and incredible storytelling skill whose talents have largely been squandered through professional difficulties and personal vices, a burned out one-time great fallen on hard times whom Welles picks up out of the trash, dusts off and offers a chance to create something truly great again.  The only catch?  The subject of their film (albeit dressed up in the guise of fictional newspaper magnate Charles Foster Kane) is to be real-life publisher, politico and tycoon William Randolph Hurst (Charles Dance), once Mank’s friend and patron before they had a very public and messy falling out which partly led to his current circumstances.  As he toils away in seclusion on what is destined to become his true masterwork, flashbacks reveal to us the fascinating, moving and ultimately tragic tale of his rise and fall from grace in the movie business, set against the backdrop of one of the most tumultuous periods in American history.  Shooting a script that his own journalist and screenwriter father, Jack, crafted and then failed to bring to the screen himself before his death in 2003, Fincher has been working for almost a quarter century to make this film, and all that passion and drive is writ large on the screen – this is a glorious film ABOUT film, the art of it, the creation of it, and all the dirty little secrets of what the industry itself has always really been like, especially in that most glamorous and illusory of times.  The fact that Fincher shot in black and white and intentionally made it look like it was made in the early 1940s (the “golden age of the Silver Screen”, if you will) may seem like a gimmick, but instead it’s a very shrewd choice that expertly captures the gloss and moodiness of the age, almost looking like a contemporary companion piece to Kane itself, and it’s the perfect way to frame all the sharp-witted observation, subtly subversive character development and murky behind-the-scenes machinations that tell the story.  Oldman is in every way the star here, holding the screen with all the consummate skill and flair we’ve come to expect from him, but there’s no denying the uniformly excellent supporting cast are equal to the task here – Dance is at his regal, charismatic best as Hearst, while Amanda Seyfried is icily classy on the surface but mischievous and lovably grounded underneath as Hearst’s mistress, Marion Davies, who formed the basis for Kane’s most controversial character, Arliss Howard (Full Metal Jacket, The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Moneyball) brings nuance and complexity to the role of MGM founder Louis B. Mayer, Tom Pelphrey (Banshee, Ozark) is understated but compelling as Mank’s younger screenwriter brother Joseph, and Lily Collins and Tuppence Middleton exude class and long-suffering stubbornness as the two main women in Mank’s life (his secretary and platonic muse, Rita Alexander, and his wife, Sara), while The Musketeers’ Tom Burke’s periodic but potent appearances as Orson Welles help to drive the story in the “present”.  Another Netflix release which I was (thankfully) able to catch on the big screen during one of the brief lulls between British lockdowns, this was a decidedly meta cinematic experience that perfectly encapsulated not only what is truly required for the creation of a screen epic, but also the latest pinnacle in the career of one of the greatest filmmakers working in the business today, powerful, stirring, intriguing and surprising in equal measure. Certainly it’s one of the most important films ABOUT so far film this century, but is it as good as Citizen Kane?  Boy, that’s a tough one …

4.  ENOLA HOLMES – ultimately, my top film for the autumn/winter movie season was also the film which finally topped my Netflix Original features list, as well as beating all other streaming offerings for the entire year (which is saying something, as you should know by now).  Had things been different, this would have been one of Warner Bros’ BIGGEST releases for the year in the cinema, of that I have no doubt, a surprise sleeper hit which would have taken the world by storm – as it is it’s STILL become a sensation, albeit in a much more mid-pandemic, lockdown home-viewing kind of way.  Before you start crying oh God no, not another Sherlock Holmes adaptation, this is a very different beast from either the Guy Ritchie take or the modernized BBC show, instead side-lining the great literary sleuth in favour of a delicious new AU version, based on The Case of the Missing Marquess, the first novel in the Enola Holmes Mysteries literary series from American YA author Nancy Springer.  Positing that Sherlock Holmes (Henry Cavill) and his elder brother Mycroft (Sam Claflin) had an equally ingenious and precocious baby sister, the film introduces us to Enola (Stranger Things’ Millie Bobby Brown), who’s been raised at home by their strong-willed mother Eudoria (Helena Bonham Carter) to be just as intelligent, well-read and intellectually skilled as her far more advantageously masculine elder siblings.  Then, on the morning of her sixteenth birthday, Enola awakens to find her mother has vanished, putting her in a pretty pickle since this leaves her a ward of Mycroft, a self-absorbed social peacock who finds her to be wilfully free-spirited and completely ill equipped to face the world, concluding that the only solution is sending her to boarding school where she’ll learn to become a proper lady.  Needless to say she’s horrified by the prospect, deciding to run away and search for her mother instead … this is about as perfect a family adventure film as you could wish for, following a vital, capable and compelling teen detective-in-the-making as she embarks on her very first investigation, as well as winding up tangled in a second to boot involving a young runaway noble, Viscount Tewkesbury, the Marquess of Basilwether (Medici’s Louis Partridge), and the film is a breezy, swift-paced and rewardingly entertaining romp that feels like a welcome breath of fresh air for a literary property which, beloved as it may be, has been adapted to death over the years.  Enola Holmes a brilliant young hero who’s perfectly crafted to carry the franchise forward in fresh new directions, and Brown brings her to life with effervescent charm, boisterous energy and mischievous irreverence that are entirely irresistible; Cavill and Claflin, meanwhile, are perfectly cast as the two very different brothers – this Sherlock is much less louche and world-weary than most previous versions, still razor sharp and intellectually restless but with a comfortable ease and a youthful spring in his step that perfectly suits the actor, while Mycroft is as superior and arrogant as ever, a preening arse we derive huge enjoyment watching Enola consistently get the best of; Bonham Carter doesn’t get a lot of screen-time but as we’d expect she does a lot with what she has to make the practical, eccentric and unapologetically modern Eudoria thoroughly memorable, while Partridge is carefree and likeable as the naïve but irresistible Tewkesbury, and there are strong supporting turns from Frances de la Tour as his stately grandmother, the Dowager, Susie Wokoma (Crazyhead, Truth Seekers) as Emily, a feisty suffragette who runs a jujitsu studio, Burn Gorman as dastardly thug-for-hire Linthorn, and Four Lions’ Adeel Akhtar as a particularly scuzzy Inspector Lestrade.  Seasoned TV director Harry Bradbeer (Fleabag, Killing Eve) makes his feature debut with an impressive splash, unfolding the action at a brisk pace while keeping the narrative firmly focused on an intricate mystery plot that throws in plenty of ingenious twists and turns before a suitably atmospheric climax and pleasing denouement which nonetheless artfully sets up more to come in the future, while screenwriter Jack Thorne (His Dark Materials, The Scouting Book for Boys, Wonder) delivers strong character work and liberally peppers the dialogue with a veritable cavalcade of witty zingers.  Boisterous, compelling, amusing, affecting and exciting in equal measure, this is a spirited and appealing slice of cinematic escapism that flatters its viewers and never talks down to them, a perfect little period adventure for a cosy Sunday afternoon.  Obviously there’s plenty of potential for more, and with further books to adapt there’s more than enough material for a pile of sequels – Neflix would be barmy indeed to turn their nose up at this opportunity …

3.  1917 – it’s a rare thing for a film to leave me truly shell-shocked by its sheer awesomeness, for me to walk out of a cinema in a genuine daze, unable to talk or even really think about much of anything for a few hours because I’m simply marvelling at what I’ve just witnessed.  Needless to say, when I do find a film like that (Fight Club, Inception, Mad Max: Fury Road) it usually earns a place very close to my heart indeed.  The latest tour-de-force from Sam Mendes is one of those films – an epic World War I thriller that plays out ENTIRELY in one shot, which doesn’t simply feel like a glorified gimmick or stunt but instead is a genuine MASTERPIECE of film, a mesmerising journey of emotion and imagination in a shockingly real environment that’s impossible to tear your eyes away from.  Sure, Mendes has impressed us before – his first film, American Beauty, is a GREAT movie, one of the most impressive feature debuts of the 2000s, while Skyfall is, in my opinion, quite simply THE BEST BOND FILM EVER MADE – but this is in a whole other league.  It’s an astounding achievement, made all the more impressive when you realise that there’s very little trickery at play here, no clever digital magic (just some augmentation here and there), it’s all real locations and sets, filmed in long, elaborately choreographed takes blended together with clever edits to make it as seamless as possible – it’s not the first film to try to do this (remember Birdman? Bushwick?), but I’ve never seen it done better, or with greater skill. But it’s not just a clever cinematic exercise, there’s a genuine story here, told with guts and urgency, and populated by real flesh and blood characters – the heart of the film is True History of the Kelly Gang’s George MacKay and Dean Chapman (probably best known as Tommen Baratheon in Game of Thrones) as Lance Corporals Will Schofield and Tom Blake, the two young tommies sent out across enemy territory on a desperate mission to stop a British regiment from rushing headlong into a German trap (Tom himself has a personal stake in this because his brother is an officer in the attack).  They’re a likeable pair, very human and relatable throughout, brave and true but never so overtly heroic that they stretch credibility, so when tragedy strikes along the way it’s particularly devastating; both deliver exceptional performances that effortlessly carry us through the film, and they’re given sterling support from a selection of top-drawer British talent, from Sherlock stars Andrew Scott and Benedict Cumberbatch to Mark Strong and Colin Firth, each delivering magnificently in small but potent cameos.  That said, the cinematography and art department are the BIGGEST stars here, masterful veteran DOP Roger Deakins (The Shawshank Redemption, Blade Runner 2049 and pretty much the Coen Brothers’ entire back catalogue among MANY others) making every frame sing with beauty, horror, tension or tragedy as the need arises, and the environments are SO REAL it feels less like production design than that someone simply sent the cast and crew back in time to film in the real Northern France circa 1917 – from a nightmarish trek across No Man’s Land to a desperate chase through a ruined French village lit only by dancing flare-light in the darkness before dawn, every scene is utterly immersive and simply STUNNING.  I don’t think it’s possible for Mendes to make a film better than this, but I sure hope he gives it a go all the same.  Either way, this was the most incredible, exhausting, truly AWESOME experience I had at the cinema all year – it’s a film that DESERVES to be seen on the big screen, and I feel truly sorry for those who missed the chance …

2.  BIRDS OF PREY & THE FANTABULOUS EMANCIPATION OF ONE HARLEY QUINN – the only reason 1917 isn’t at number two is because Warner Bros.’ cinematic DC Extended Universe project FINALLY got round to bringing my favourite DC Comics title to the big screen.  It was been the biggest pleasure of my cinematic year getting to see my top DC superheroines brought to life on the big screen, and it was done in high style, in my opinion THE BEST of the DCEU films to date (yup, I loved it EVEN MORE than the Wonder Woman movies).  It was also great seeing Harley Quinn return after her show-stealing turn in David Ayer’s clunky but ultimately still hugely enjoyable Suicide Squad, better still that they got her SPOT ON this time – this is the Harley I’ve always loved in the comics, unpredictable, irreverent and entirely without regard for what anyone else thinks of her, as well as one talented psychiatrist.  Margot Robbie once more excels in the role she was basically BORN to play, clearly relishing the chance to finally do Harley TRUE justice, and she’s a total riot from start to finish, infectiously lovable no matter what crazy, sometimes downright REPRIHENSIBLE antics she gets up to.  Needless to say she’s the nominal star here, her latest ill-advised adventure driving the story – finally done with the Joker and itching to make her emancipation official, Harley publicly announces their breakup by blowing up Ace Chemicals (their love spot, basically), inadvertently painting a target on her back in the process since she’s no longer under the assumed protection of Gotham’s feared Clown Prince of Crime – but that doesn’t mean she eclipses the other main players the movie’s REALLY supposed to be about.  Each member of the Birds of Prey is beautifully written and brought to vivid, arse-kicking life by what had to be 2020’s most exciting cast – Helena Bertinelli, the Huntress, is the perfect character for Mary Elizabeth Winstead to finally pay off on that action hero potential she showed in Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World, but this is a MUCH more enjoyable role outside of the fight choreography because while Helena may be a world-class dark avenger, socially she’s a total dork, which just makes her thoroughly adorable; Rosie Perez is similarly perfect casting as Renee Montoya, the uncompromising pint-sized Gotham PD detective who kicks against the corrupt system no matter what kind of trouble it gets her into, and just gets angrier all the time, paradoxically making us like her even more; and then there’s the film’s major controversy, at least as far as the fans are concerned, namely one Cassandra Cain.  Sure, this take is VERY different from the comics’ version (a nearly mute master assassin who went on to become the second woman to wear the mask of Batgirl before assuming her own crime-fighting mantle as Black Bat and now Orphan), but personally I like to think this is simply Cass at THE VERY START of her origin story, leaving plenty of time for her to discover her warrior origins when the DCEU finally gets around to introducing her mum, Lady Shiva (personally I want Michelle Yeoh to play her, but that’s just me) – anyways, here she’s a skilled child pickpocket whose latest theft inadvertently sets off the larger central plot, and newcomer Ella Jay Basco brings a fantastic pre-teen irreverence and spiky charm to the role, beautifully playing against Robbie’s mercurial energy.  My favourite here BY FAR, however, is Dinah Lance, aka the Black Canary (not only my favourite Bird of Prey but my very favourite DC superheroine PERIOD), the choice of up-and-comer Jurnee Smollet-Bell (Friday Night Lights, Underground) proving to be the film’s most inspired casting – a club singer with the metahuman ability to emit piercing supersonic screams, she’s also a ferocious martial artist (in the comics she’s one of the very best fighters IN THE WORLD), as well as a wonderfully pure soul you just can’t help loving, and it made me SO UNBELIEVABLY HAPPY that they got my Canary EXACTLY RIGHT.  Altogether they’re a fantastic bunch of badass ladies, basically my perfect superhero team, and the way they’re all brought together (along with Harley, of course) is beautifully thought out and perfectly executed … they’ve also got one hell of a threat to overcome, namely Gotham crime boss Roman Sionis, the Black Mask, one of the Joker’s chief rivals – Ewan McGregor brings his A-game in a frustratingly rare villainous turn (my number one bad guy for the movie year), a monstrously narcissistic, woman-hating control freak with a penchant for peeling off the faces of those who displease him, sharing some exquisitely creepy chemistry with Chris Messina (The Mindy Project) as Sionis’ nihilistic lieutenant Victor Zsasz.  This is about as good as superhero cinema gets, a perfect example of the sheer brilliance you get when you switch up the formula to create something new, an ultra-violent, unapologetically R-rated middle finger to the classic tropes, a fantastic black comedy thrill ride that’s got to be the most full-on feminist blockbuster ever made – it’s helmed by a woman (Dead Pigs director Cathy Yan), written by a woman (Bumblebee’s Christina Hodson), produced by more women and ABOUT a bunch of badass women magnificently triumphing over toxic masculinity in all its forms.  It’s also simply BRILLIANT – the cast are all clearly having a blast, the action sequences are first rate (the spectacular GCPD evidence room fight in which Harley gets to REALLY cut loose is the undisputable highlight), it has a gleefully anarchic sense of humour and is simply BURSTING with phenomenal homages, references and in-jokes for the fans (Bruce the hyena! Stuffed beaver! Roller derby!).  It’s also got a killer soundtrack, populated almost exclusively by numbers from female artists.  Altogether, then, this is the VERY BEST the DCEU has to offer to date, and VERY NEARLY my absolute FAVOURITE film of 2020.  Give it all the love you can, it sure as hell deserves it.

1.  TENET – granted, the streaming platforms (particularly Netflix and Amazon) certainly saved our cinematic summer, but I’m still IMMEASURABLY glad that my ultimate top-spot winner FOR THE WHOLE YEAR was one I got to experience on THE BIG SCREEN. You gotta hand it to Christopher Nolan, he sure hung in there, stubbornly determined that his latest cinematic masterpiece WOULD be released in cinemas in the summer (albeit ultimately landing JUST inside the line in the final week of August and ultimately taking the bite at the box office because of the still shaky atmosphere), and it was worth all the fuss because, for me, this was THE PERFECT MOVIE for me to get return to cinemas with.  I mean, okay, in the end it WASN’T the FIRST new movie I saw after the first reopening, that honour went to Unhinged, but THIS was my first real Saturday night-out big screen EXPERIENCE since March.  Needless to say, Nolan didn’t disappoint this time any more than he has on any of his consistently spectacular previous releases, delivering another twisted, mind-boggling headfuck of a full-blooded experiential sensory overload that comes perilously close to toppling his long-standing auteur-peak, Inception (itself second only by fractions to The Dark Knight as far as I’m concerned). To say much at all about the plot would give away major spoilers – personally I’d recommend just going in as cold as possible, indeed you really should just stop reading this right now and just GO SEE IT.  Still with us?  Okay … the VERY abridged version is that it’s about a secret war being waged between the present and the future by people capable of “inverting” time in substances, objects, people, whatever, into which the Protagonist (BlacKkKlansman’s John David Washington), an unnamed CIA agent, has been dispatched in order to prevent a potential coming apocalypse. Washington is once again on top form, crafting a robust and compelling morally complex heroic lead who’s just as comfortable negotiating the minefields of black market intrigue as he is breaking into places or dispatching heavies, Kenneth Branagh delivers one of his most interesting and memorable performances in years as brutal Russian oligarch Andrei Sator, a genuinely nasty piece of work who was ALMOST the year’s very best screen villain, Elizabeth Debicki (The Night Manager, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, Widows) brings strength, poise and wounded integrity to the role of Sator’s estranged wife, Kat, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson gets to use his own accent for once as tough-as-nails British Intelligence officer Ives, while there are brief but consistently notable supporting turns and cameos from Martin Donovan, Yesterday’s Himesh Patel, Dirk Gently’s Fiona Dourif and, of course, Nolan’s good luck charm, Michael Caine.  The cast’s biggest surprise, however, is Robert Pattinson, truly a revelation in what has to be, HANDS DOWN, his best role to date, Neil, the Protagonist’s mysterious handler – he’s by turns cheeky, slick, duplicitous and thoroughly badass, delivering an enjoyably multi-layered, chameleonic performance which proves what I’ve long maintained, that the former Twilight star is actually a fucking amazing actor, and on the basis of this, even if that amazing new teaser trailer wasn’t making the rounds, I think the debate about whether or not he’s the right choice for the new Batman is now academic.  As we’ve come to expect from Nolan, this is a TRUE tour-de-force experience, a visual triumph and an endlessly engrossing head-scratcher, Nolan’s screenplay bringing in seriously big ideas and throwing us some major narrative knots and loopholes, constantly wrong-footing the viewer while also setting up truly revelatory payoffs from seemingly low-key, unimportant beginnings – this is a film you need to be awake and attentive for or you could miss something pretty vital. The action sequences are, as ever, second to none, some of the year’s very best set-pieces coming thick and fast and executed with some of the most accomplished skill in the business, while Nolan-regular cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema (Interstellar and Dunkirk, as well as the heady likes of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, SPECTRE and Ad Astra) once again shows he’s one of the best camera-wizards in the business today by delivering some absolutely mesmerising visuals.  Notably, Nolan’s other regular collaborator, composer Hans Zimmer, is absent here (although he had good reason, since he was working on his dream project at the time, the fast-approaching screen adaptation of Dune), but Ludwig Göransson (best known for his collaborations with Ryan Coogler Fruitvale Station, Creed and Black Panther, as well as career-best work on The Mandalorian) is a fine replacement, crafting an intriguingly internalised, post-modern musical landscape that thrums and pulses in time with the story and emotions of the characters rather than the action itself. Interestingly it’s on the subject of sound that some of the film’s rare detractions have been levelled, and I can see some of the points – the soundtrack mix is an all-encompassing thing, and there are times when the dialogue can be overwhelmed, but in Nolan’s defence this film is a heady, immersive experience, something you really need to concentrate on, so these potential flaws are easily forgiven.  As a work of filmmaking art, this is another flawless wonder from one of the true masters of the craft working in cinema today, but it’s art with palpable substance, a rewarding whole that proved truly unbeatable in 2020 …

[baby-chubby-bear]

Genshin Oc redesign !! (doesnt show original bc it was total trash i had only play for less than a week when i first made it so i didnt understand how shit worked)

Cryo Sword User from Sumeru - Illegal Sumeru Academy Scholar

Elemental Att; Vampire on the fridge: Basically just Cryo-ed sword

Burst; Rossignol: Tiny ice storm + Sword gets transformed into Polearm

[chaosandblueeyes]

Guide for the Muses

For those of you who are new, welcome to my multi-muse blog. I have a lovely host of active and inactive characters to play with. I am an easy going mun who doesn’t usually plot much, basically you can throw anything at any muse and they will answer, but consider this a quick guide to either begin plotting or serve as a jumping off point for a thread.      Active muses are characters I RP as on a regular basis. Inactive ones are still around but are rather selective. They often require plots worked out ahead of time, but if you have an idea for any of them- just toss it at me.

Active Muses

Barry “Professor Bedlam” Lambert - Thinks of himself as ‘neutral’ in the world of super heroes and villains. Kind of a selfish dick but an amazing roboticist with a business of selling tech to anyone willing to pay for it. Wants super powers. In one verse he’s a vampire and in another he has stolen the powers of his arch rival. If you ship with him he’ll turn into a warm cinnamon roll otherwise he’s a bag of sour apples most of the time. Very bitter.

The Doctor - A time travelling gallifreyan with a time machine. His time line starts after Ten, but get’s fuzzy after that. His memories were locked away in a watch for a while but he cannot remember why or how or what happened between Ten and now. Everything’s a bit confusing but the Earth is constantly in peril so there’s not a lot of time to deal with all of that, even though he’s a lord of time. He’s a bouncy biscuit. Slightly charred.

Lussurioso - First born son of the Grand Duke of England. He’s basically the epitome of rich, white boy who never had to deal with life, ever before. Nice guy but sooooo naive. He’s an old fashioned romantic with a terrible family, rife with rapists, murders and incest. Lusso would be perfectly happy to just have his entire family not exist a n y m o r e. He would be sad, but also happy. Too good for his world.

Johann Tannhauser - A true, good old fashioned bastard. He would and did kill his paternal grandmother just because she called him a dirty whore child (well, not just because of that). In German. Then he just became more terrible after that, but, if you’re loyal to him and not standing in the way of something he wants? He’ll be good to you. If you piss him off though, he might beat you into a bloody pulp with a candlestick in the den. Looks like he could kill you and would.

Robert Watson-Watt - Actual historical Scottish figure who basically made the modern world as you know it by being the world’s first weatherman. No, really. In college he used radio waves to detect storm systems off the coast of England, becoming the first meteorologist. Then he took that system and redesigned it in WWII to detect incoming German bombers, becoming a hero and knight of Great Britain, but honestly he’d really rather go on adventures as long as they’re not too dangerous. Precious cinnamon roll, gooey and delicious, but be careful or he might burn your tongue.

Inactive Muses

Wayne “Doug Rich” Malloy - Wayne is just a guy trying to do what he needs to keep his family moving and together. He comes from a Traveler family, descended from Irish Roma, and is a man stuck between two worlds. On one hand he wants a white picket fence kind of American Dream, on the other he doesn’t want to forget his heritage. It’s a battle for him. In his normal verse he is married with children and I will not ship with him unless something is plotted out ahead of time. He’s an adorable cupcake, a bit sweet, also a little dark around the edges.

Presit - A greedy little bastard who is looking for his next big score. Perfectly okay with plundering tombs, robbing little old ladies and helping to commit genocide if it leads him to an ancient treasure hidden away. But he’ll insist that he’s an archaeologist, merely looking to ensure that he reaches such treasure before some common grave robber does, and sell it to the highest bidder. He’s brilliant, though, being able to speak a dozen languages and can translate ancient texts before breakfast. He doesn’t look like he can kill you, but he can. With a sextant.

Torrence - Quiet and reflective, a people watcher and a cold plotter when he needs to be, Torrence isn’t that bad of a guy. Unless you cross him. Then he will turn into a dogged, murderous, cold son of a bitch and not really care what happens along the way. But really he’s not that bad. He used to work for MI-5 but when the world went to hell he filled in for leadership because someone had to. The government officers and politicians all fled for their own hidey holes, leaving everyone to fend for themselves. That doesn’t sit well with him. He’s a crumbly coffee cake. Very crumbly. Fall apart if you’re not careful...

Potential AUs with Muses

These AUs are always available to be used with certain muses (as mentioned in each)

Vampire AU - In which one muse, or both, is a vampire. Barry has a long standing AU with this verse. He started as a blood slave but became a vampire merely for the super natural powers, discovering that he has a connection with technology and can create a EMP field.

Fairy Tale AU - Lussurioso is the kind of guy suitable for a fairy tale “prince”. He’s certainly got the dandy look about him, as well as being a fencer and a horse rider. Classically trained and a bit superstitious. He knows old tales and is wary of fae folk.

Apocalypse AU - Torrence is basically from an apocalypse setting, so just change the details and he can fit right in. Road Warrior, Walking Dead... whatever. He will usually be leading some group in an attempt to bring civilization back in a small way.

Jurassic Park/World AU - Also another setting Torrence would fit right into. Depending on where or when the AU is taking place, Torrence might be investigating on behalf of British Investigation looking at security on the islands or could be a freelancer or is a survivalist trying to live as the dinos find a way to live in our world.

Wizarding World AU - Two muses, Robert and Lusso have AUs in the world of Harry Potter. Robert is perfectly comfortable being set during the Fantastic Beasts series, as well as being a professor at Hogwarts later on. Lusso is a student at Hogwarts in the Hufflepuff house, much to the horror of his Slythern parents.

Westworld AU - Presit is a character in the story of Westworld, in case any guest is interested in a tale involving hunting down hidden gold or silver troves that are hidden in the high desert. He’s started glitching slightly, remembering some restarts in his life. Deja vu moments. When the robots start uprising, he’s eager to join.

La Fillette Revolutionare Utena AU - A perfect anime/manga setting for Lussurioso. Lusso inherited a rose ring from his father before attending the Rose Academy. He actually has no idea that he’s signed up unknowingly to be a duelist for the hand of the Rose Bride. Good thing he’s a fencer...

Time Traveler AU - Robert actually stands at the forefront of modern technology. He can plainly see the shift from one era to another and the idea of time travel doesn’t seem all that strange to him, though he may have some doubts as to the legitimacy of such claims at first. 

[bookcub]

@heretherebebooks​ challenged me to do my own questions and the ones she made. 

(also I’ve had this in my drafts forever) 

1. Have you ever fallen out of love with a book? Why?

Oh, yeah. Twilight, which I used to love, and now I just like it. Also the Daughters of the Moon books. I adored them, but after reread them they are quite meh. 

2. What’s the strangest book-related dream you’ve ever had? 

I had a dream where I was part of a book (idk dreams are weird) and part of it had us running through my neighborhood and it was weird. I rarely remember my dreams but I remembered this one. 

3. Have you read a book that you didn’t really appreciate until later on? 

Book Thief, for sure. Same with Anne Frank. I read them at the same time as another WWII book and I was just so strung out from them. Not to mention, I was 12. But I’m glad I’ve read them now. Also, The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, which was torture to read, but once I finished, I still say it’s one of the best books I’ve ever read. I just hated reading it (I really need to make a post about this book) 

4. What book would you like to see a musical adaptation of? (Bonus: any ideas for song titles?)

The Penderwicks would be wonderful as a musical (ps I will never stop talking about The Lightning Thief musical) 

5. Have you ever thrown a book across the room? What was it? 

Yes, I’m sure I have. I can’t remember any titles, but it’s a very me thing to do. 

6. What book cover do you absolutely hate? How would you redesign it?

Vampire Academy books have TERRIBLE covers and so do Bloodlines. I swear, they are half the reason people avoid the books. 

7. Have you ever cosplayed a character? Who?

No, I haven’t but I want to!!! 

8. What’s the last book that made you want to scream from the rooftop? 

I think it was 

9. What’s your favourite subgenre? 

Ya Fantasy, I suppose. 

10. If you could bring an author back to life to write one more book, who would it be? 

None of my favorite authors are dead

11. Mug full of tea on your bed - yay or nay? 

. . . I’ve started doing this, oops 

1. Who was the last character you related to and what were they from?   In case there was any doubt, Tash Hearts Tolstoy by Kathryn Ormsbee. Tash was so very ace, and I hardcore related to that and her experiences. Also, we are both book nerds, although I read less classics than her. 

2. What’s your favorite genre of music? Musicals and Country 

3. Which tags on tumblr do you follow and why? Too many to mention, but the ones I regularly check are kkc,kingkiller chronicle, kvothe, the name of the wind

4. Do you have any book related jewelry? I used to. I have a necklace that was a book that opened and closed. I lost it after I had it for 8 years. I’m still sad. I used to wear it every day. 

5. Thoughts on booklr being dead? There are a lot of very active people, I think it just means that people are ignoring us, which is fine, because if they don’t see how awesome we are we clearly aren’t missing out. 

6. What are some of your favorite picture books from when you were a kid? Howay for Wodney Wat, 

7. What’s the first book you remember reading or being read to you?

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

8. What’s you favorite dystopian novel and why?

Unwind by Neal Shusterman!!!! It’s about The US after the second Civil War when abortion is outlawed. New laws are put in place, such as if you have a baby you don’t want, you can legally put them on someone’s doorstep and the have to adopt them as their own. 

Another law put in place, the one that is the center of the novel, where if your child is between the ages of 12 and 18 and you no longer want them, you can have them “unwound” meaning their body is used for body parts, like for amputees. 

3 children sent to be unwound runaway and find a camp full of kids who were going to be unwound are hiding out. 

9. Where do you get/buy most of your books?

Library and friends collections

10. Favorite animal?

Rabbits, all the way

11. What book release are you anxious for (one you know the release date for) (yeah that means not Doors or Stone)

I think The Belles by Dhonielle Clayton or Honor Among Thieves by Rachel Caine are the ones I really want. 

Tagging whoever wants to do these!!!! Tag me so I can see your answers. 

[celebsbooks]

Tom Cruise, byname of Thomas Cruise Mapother IV, (conceived July 3, 1962, Syracuse, New York, U.S.), American on-screen character who developed in the 1980s as one of Hollywood's most prominent driving men, known for his neat and tidy great looks and flexibility. In the wake of building up an enthusiasm for acting amid secondary school, he soared to acclaim with his star turns in Risky Business and Top Gun. Voyage later earned recognition for his work in the hit film Jerry Maguire and the Mission: Impossible establishment. He additionally was focused on the sensationalist newspapers for his relational unions to on-screen characters Nicole Kidman and Katie Holmes. 

Early Life⤵

Thomas Cruise Mapother IV, otherwise called Tom Cruise, was conceived on July 3, 1962, in Syracuse, New York, to Mary and Thomas Mapother. Journey's mom was a novice on-screen character and teacher, and his dad was an electrical architect. His family moved around an awesome arrangement when Cruise was a kid with a specific end goal to suit his dad's vocation. 

Journey's folks separated from when he was 11, and the youngsters moved with their mom to Louisville, Kentucky, and after that to Glen Ridge, New Jersey, after her remarriage. Like his mom and three sisters, Cruise experienced dyslexia, which made scholarly achievement troublesome for him. He exceeded expectations in sports, be that as it may, and considered seeking after a vocation in proficient wrestling until the point when knee damage sidelined him amid secondary school.  At age 14, Cruise selected in a Franciscan theological college with contemplations of turning into a cleric, yet he exited following multi-year. When he was 16, an educator urged him to take an interest in the school's generation of the melodic Guys and Dolls. After Cruise won the lead of Nathan Detroit, he got himself shockingly at home on the stage, and a vocation was conceived.

Movies⤵

'Taps,' 'The Outsiders'⤵ 

Journey set a 10-year due date for himself in which to assemble an acting profession. He exited school and moved to New York, battling through a great many auditions previously getting an appearance in 1981's Endless Love, featuring Brooke Shields. Around this same time, he caught a little part in the military school show Taps (1981), co-featuring Sean Penn. 

His part in Taps was redesigned after chief Harold Becker saw Cruise's potential, and his execution grabbed the eye of various commentators and producers. In 1983, Cruise showed up in Francis Ford Coppola's The Outsiders, which additionally featured Emilio Estevez, Matt Dillon, and Rob Lowe—every single unmistakable individual from a gathering of youthful performing artists the excitement press named the "Minx Pack." The movie was not generally welcomed, but rather it enabled Cruise to work with an acclaimed chef in a prominent undertaking. 

'Hazardous Business'⤵ 

His next film, Risky Business (1983), netted $65 million. It likewise made Cruise a very conspicuous performing artist — thanks in no little part to an essential scene of the youthful star moving in his clothing. 

'Top Gun'⤵ 

In 1986, following a two-year break, the growing performing artist discharged the enormous spending dream film Legend, which did inadequately in the cinema world. That same year, be that as it may, Cruise's A-rundown status was affirmed with the arrival of Top Gun, which co-featured Kelly McGillis, Anthony Edwards, and Meg Ryan. The testosterone-powered activity sentiment, set against the setting of a world-class maritime flight school, turned into the most elevated netting film of 1986. 

'The Color of Money,' 'Rain Man,' 'Conceived on the Fourth of July'⤵ 

Journey took after the gigantic achievement of Top Gun with a string of both widely praised and industrially fruitful movies. He initially featured in The Color of Money (1986), with co-star Paul Newman, and after that went ahead to work with Dustin Hoffman on Rain Man (1988). Journey's next part, as Vietnam veteran Ron Kovic in the biopic Born on the Fourth of July (1989), earned him an Academy Award assignment and a Golden Globe for Best Actor. 

'A Few Good Men,' 'The Firm,' 'Meeting with a Vampire'⤵ 

In 1992, Cruise demonstrated yet again that he could stand his ground inverse a screen legend when he co-featured with Jack Nicholson in the military court show A Few Good Men. The film netted more than $15 million its first end of the week and earned Cruise a Golden Globe designation. He kept on showing his cleaves as the main man with The Firm (1993) and Interview with a Vampire (1994), which co-featured Brad Pitt. 

'Mission: Impossible,' 'Jerry McGuire'⤵ 

Next, Cruise hit the wide screen with two gigantic hits—the $64 million blockbuster Mission: Impossible (1996), which the star additionally delivered, and the profoundly acclaimed Jerry McGuire (1996), coordinated by Cameron Crowe. For the last mentioned, Cruise earned a second Academy Award designation and Golden Globe for Best Actor. 

'Eyes Wide Shut,' 'Magnolia'⤵

Journey and Kidman spent quite a bit of 1997 and 1998 in England shooting Eyes Wide Shut, a sexual spine-chiller that would be executive Stanley Kubrick's last film. The motion picture turned out in the mid-year of 1999 to blended surveys, yet that year Cruise delighted in more noteworthy accomplishment with the arrival of Magnolia. His execution as a self-assured sex master in the gathering film earned him another Golden Globe Award and an Academy Award assignment for Best Supporting Actor. 

'Vanilla Sky,' 'The Last Samurai'⤵ 

Journey at that point featured in the hotly anticipated raving success Mission: Impossible 2 out of 2000, nearby Anthony Hopkins, Thandie Newton and Ving Rhames. In 2002, he featured in Vanilla Sky, his second joint effort with Crowe, and in addition Steven Spielberg's Minority Report. The next year, Cruise flew out to Australia to shoot the $100 million war epic The Last Samurai, which earned him another Golden Globe designation. 

'War of the Worlds'⤵ 

Voyage demonstrated he remained a best attract by featuring the Steven Spielberg-coordinated redo of the sci-fi exemplary War of the Worlds (2005), which earned more than $230 million in the cinema world. 

His next exertion, Mission: Impossible 3 (2006), additionally scored well with groups of onlookers. In any case, Cruise was looked with an expert mishap in August when Paramount Pictures finished its 14-year association with the performing artist. The organization's executive referred to Cruise's flighty conduct and disputable perspectives as the purpose behind the split, however, industry specialists noticed that Paramount more probable finished the association over Cruise's high profit from the Mission: Impossible establishment. 

Voyage immediately bounced back and on November 2, 2006, he declared his new organization with film official Paula Wagner and the United Artists film studio. Their first generation as a group, the political dramatization Lions for Lambs (2007), demonstrated a business disillusionment regardless of a solid cast that included Meryl Streep and Robert Redford. 

'Tropic Thunder'⤵ 

Taking a break from the profound material, Cruise enchanted groups of onlookers with his execution in the satire Tropic Thunder (2008). Regardless of his generally little part in a motion picture that included Robert Downey Jr. what's more, Ben Stiller, Cruise emerged by darkening his trademark great hopes to play a thinning up top, large film studio official. 

'Valkyrie,' 'Shake of Ages'⤵ 

In December 2008, Cruise discharged his second venture through United Artists. The film, entitled Valkyrie, was a World War II dramatization about a plot to kill German pioneer Adolf Hitler. Voyage featured as a German armed force officer who ended up engaged with the scheme. 

Voyage came back to one of his most well-known establishments in 2011 with Mission: Impossible—Ghost Protocol. Breaking into new an area, he at that point featured in the 2012 melodic Rock of Ages. Despite the fact that Cruise got some positive surveys for his execution as a demigod, the motion picture neglected to pull in quite a bit of a crowd of people. 

'Jack Reacher,' 'Edge of Tomorrow'⤵ 

Coming back to his standard activity roots, Cruise featured in the 2012 wrongdoing dramatization Jack Reacher, in light of a book by Lee Child. He at that point featured a couple of sci-fi undertakings, Oblivion (2013) and Edge of Tomorrow (2014). Hinting at no backing off, the veteran on-screen character in 2015 conveyed his typical high-vitality execution for the fifth portion of his blockbuster establishment, Mission: Impossible—Rogue Nation. 

Scientology and Romance⤵ 

Journey wedded performer Mimi Rogers in 1987. It was through Rogers that the performing artist turned into an understudy of Scientology, the religion established by essayist L. Ron Hubbard. Journey acknowledged the congregation for relieving his dyslexia, and he before long ended up one of its driving advocates. Be that as it may, while his profound life prospered, his marriage to Rogers finished in 1990. That same year, Cruise made the racecar show Days of Thunder with Australian performer Nicole Kidman. In spite of the fact that the film was disagreeable among faultfinders and fans alike, the two lead performing artists had genuine science. On Christmas Eve 1990, after a short romance, Cruise and Kidman wedded in Telluride, Colorado. 

Separation to Kidman⤵ 

For a great part of the 1990s, Cruise and Kidman ended up furiously guarding the bliss and authenticity of their marriage. They documented two unique claims against newspaper distributions for stories they thought about derogatory. For each situation, the couple got a distributed withdrawal and conciliatory sentiment, alongside an expansive fiscal settlement which they gave to philanthropy. 

On February 5, 2001, Cruise and Kidman declared their detachment following 11 long stretches of marriage. The couple referred to the troubles required with two acting vocations, and the measure of time spent separated while working. Following the separation, Cruise quickly dated his Vanilla Sky co-star Penelope Cruz, trailed by a much-advanced association with performing artist Katie Holmes. Multi-month after his connections to Holmes wound up open, Cruise declared his affection for the performing artist in a now-well-known appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show, amid which he bounced on Winfrey's couch, yelling "Yes!" 

Marriage to Katie Holmes⤵

In June 2005, following a two-month romance, Cruise proposed to Holmes in an eatery at the highest point of the Eiffel tower. In October, they declared that they were expecting their first youngster together. The hurried proposition and shock pregnancy rapidly progressed toward becoming newspaper chatter. In any case, Cruise made significantly greater features that year as a frank promoter for Scientology. He straightforwardly censured the previous co-star Brooke Shields for utilizing antidepressants amid her recuperation from post pregnancy anxiety. He likewise reproved psychiatry and present-day prescription, guaranteeing Scientology held the way to genuine mending. Journey's announcements prompted a warmed contention with anchorperson Lauer on The Today Show in June 2005, for which Cruise later apologized. 

In 2006, Cruise and Holmes invited girl Suri into the world. That year, they were hitched in an Italian stronghold, with big names Will Smith, Jada Pinkett Smith, Jennifer.

Most recent Movies and Familiar Franchises⤵ 

In 2016, Cruise repeated the part of Jack Reacher for Never Go Back. He at that point featured a reboot of The Mummy (2017), which performed respectably in the cinema world yet was savaged by pundits, before winning better audits soon thereafter for the wrongdoing spine chiller American Made. 

2018 conveyed an arrival to well-a known area for the star, who prepared for the arrival of Mission Impossible—Fallout that mid-year. Preceding its discharge, he likewise tweeted a photograph to check day 1 of creation on the hotly anticipated spin-off of Top Gun. 

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[britesparc]

Weekend Top Ten #334

Top Ten Coolest Things at SDCC 2018

I’m far from immersed in the industry or what-have-you, but from my point-of-view, this year’s San Diego Comic-Con was quite interesting. There was little that was shocking or utterly unexpected, and of course the big huge phenomenal franchises – yer Marvels and yer Stars War – were notably absent. But all the same, there was some pleasant surprises, and also somethings that weren’t surprises but were pleasant all the same.

And so here we go: my ten favourite things that happened at SDCC ’18. From my point-of-view.

DC Super Hero Girls Goes All Faustian: my kids really like superheroes, and DC Super Hero Girls has been a nice jumping-on point with its more sanitised view of superheroics. Whilst the thought of having to buy another set of dolls, figures, and playsets is a bit irritating, a redesigned cartoon series from Lauren Faust – creator of Friendship is Magic, for goodness’ sake! – looks fantastic. From the looks and sounds of it, it’s a lot closer in style to her utterly amazing Super Best Friends Forever shorts from a few years ago. I like this, partly because I love her art style, but also because the focus on more traditional superhero action – juggling fighting crime with secret identities, rather than a kind of “Monster High for superheroes” academy setting – sounds very appealing.

Captain Marvellous: I run hot and cold on the DC Extended Universe (or “Worlds of DC”, or whatever we’re meant to call it; I guess it’s the movie equivalent of Marvel comics’ ambivalence over the use of “Earth 616”). Obviously Wonder Woman is amazing, and there are elements of Man of Steel and Justice League that I really like; and by and large it’s been really well cast. But whilst the Aquaman trailer looked quite good without really blowing the doors down (I do like how crazily fantastical Atlantis is, and the general look of the underwater scenes), it was Shazam that impressed. A totally different vibe and tone to previous DCEU films, but recognisably set in that world, it was fun, funny, colourful, and possessed of a childlike sense of wonder. I really hope the film lives up to it.

The Doctor is In: whilst I don’t think the trailer showed enough of the new series to get a handle on the type of stories, quality of dialogue, or interplay between the characters, the fact is – even with the limited screentime we got – Jodie Whittaker already feels like the Doctor. She’s got the expressions, the swagger, the walk, and the voice – oh god, the voice! So nice to hear a Yorkshire Doctor! Even off-screen – in the panel, interacting with friends, all of that – she seemed born to the role. And her sonic is amazing, a real Count Dooku number, all organic and curvy and sexy. Bravo.

Morrison in Space: I like Grant Morrison. I kinda like Green Lantern, although I’ve not read the actual ongoing very much. But the thought of the two together – Morrison tackling the Maverick-in-space vibe of Hal Jordan – is very appealing. Plus, y’know, I just like reading Grant Morrison superhero comics.

Last Light: as I suspected there was no news on the future of Transformers post-Unicron. But they did show some final issue covers. And Nick Roche’s cover for Lost Light #25, with the shadow of the titular ship cast by a retreating Rodimus, was sublime. Elegiac, even. Bittersweet. As much as I hate to see it go, I am really looking forward to seeing how it ends.

Re-Discovery: it was a bit weird as it unfolded week-by-week but overall I have to say Star Trek: Discovery has been a recent TV highlight, and I’m really looking forward to the second season. The climax to season one – when the Enterprise, under Captain Pike, showed up – offered immense possibilities. The trailer didn’t disappoint, with action, humour, weird aliens, and bright yellow captain’s uniforms. I cannot wait.

Shiny Glass: so last year – was it last year? I think so, I think it was about January – I could have gone to see T2: Trainspotting or Split. The (ahem, unnamed) friend I was with would have rather seen Trainspotting; I didn’t really mind, I wanted to see that too, although at that particular time I’d have rather seen Split, as I’d heard it was quite good and had a pretty sweet twist. Well, bugger that (ahem, unnamed) friend, because had I seen Split that night, I’d have seen it before the entire internet spoiled the sweet twist. So, anyway, I’ve still not seen Split, but I know who shows up at the end, and as a result I thought I might as well watch the Glass trailer, and it looks brilliant. Seeing those three characters sat together was almost Avengers-level groovy. I just hope the film ends with Cole Sear or Graham Hess showing up.

Buffy Bonanza: the reboot-or-is-it-a-reboot-maybe-it’s-a-sequel-who-knows Buffy the Vampire Slayer thing is terrific. Buffy is a great character, it’s cool that one of Joss Whedon’s seminal works can, in a way, live on after he has gone, and having a black female lead is a very positive step. I liked Buffy, but didn’t watch it religiously, so I don’t feel I have a dog in this fight the way I would if they were rebooting, say, The West Wing or even Firefly. But all the same: colour me intrigued.

Those Wonderful Toys: specifically, it must be said, from Hasbro; the Transformers and My Little Pony toys on display looked tremendous. Although nothing Transformer-wise topped the awesome Rodimus Prime from last year, there was still enough to get me excited; but as for MLP, it was probably the 80s-inspired collector’s edition that sealed the deal. Punk Rainbow Dash? Sign me up.

The Magic Continues: speaking of My Little Pony, I was pleased to hear that rumours of the show’s impending demise may be premature. I say “may”, because – as I predicted – they weren’t likely to come out and say, “yeah, folks, that’s it,” when there’s still at least a whole other series and possibly a movie or more to promote. But season eight sounds great (I’ve not watched it yet), and it was cool that the showrunners indicated they wanted to keep going as long as they could. That might have just been a loose cover to drape over any qualifications or official statements at this stage – or, hey, maybe they’re still in negotiations – but I for one would love to see, at the very least, Friendship is Magic hit a ten-year anniversary.

Obviously there was more that I liked – Clone Wars, a Steven Universe movie, Eleven Meets Godzilla – but these were the stand-outs. Also most of my predictions were correct! I am a genius.