#waiting for reivews

[wellappointeddesk]

Fountain Pen Reivew: Benu Skull & Roses Crow Fountain Pen

Inside me there is still a 16-year-old goth girl. There. I’ve said it. I outed myself. So, when I saw the Benu Skull & Roses Crow Fountain Pen ($163) I knew I had to have it. I first saw the Skull & Roses pens at the LA Pen Show at the  Dromgoole’s tables where Jesi and I were working. We both debated buying the pens on the table but we had so many people checking them out that we both waited to…

[scary-hoe]

Hey Slasher Sisters! Another movie review is coming in hot this Friday! This week I tuned into some Italian horror (aka, the horror of my people ❤) with this Giallo cult classic by Lucio Fulci -- Zombie. This film had a lot of positives to it, but wait until you hear about the moment that it absolutely blew my mind! Read below to find out what scene made me drop my jaw 👻

[kagero]

arceus legends gameplay-wise looks fun but HOO does it look rough in terms of textures and lighting. it needs more time which is why no delay is honestly a shame

[foxstens]

a psp otome game with readable text 😱😱😱

[popculturebuffet]

Wallace and Gromit Retrospective: A Close Shave: Come and Meet Shaun the Sheep (Comission for WeirdKev27)

Hello alll you happy people and welcome back to my Wallace and Gromit retrospective, as comissioned by WeirdKev27. If you’d like to comission your own reviews of animated episodes or short subjects, feel free to do so via my asks or join my patreon for a guaranteed reivew a month. 

And this is the one i’ve been waiting for. As I mentioned last time A Close Shave was my favorite of the original Wallace and Gromit trilogy as a kid, the one that stood out the most in my mind and the one I was most delighed to see when it came on. And whiel I went into this one with a critical eye and won’t hestiate to point out it’s faults, I couldnt’ help but throughly enjoy myself with this one. It was as good as I remembered

Before I get into why some background stuff. Unlike the last short, which he considers his best, director Nick Park wasn’t satsified with this one due to having to cut out most of Wendolyne’s backstory, cut a 12 minute horror homage scene to make the 30 some minute run time alotted to the short, and in general just having to compromise his vision. I don’t agree but I do understand, even if I do think Aardman was ultimately right in cutting it down. 

I also found an amusing bit of history: Turns out this short is the one that lead to the series popularity in america. Animator Nick Park accidently left two models from this one in a cab, which caused a huge fuss in the UK. The US ended up wondering “Okay but why is this story a deal for them”, which lead to more people looking into the shorts, word of mouth spread and by the end of the year the shorts vhs’s were through the roof and the rest is history> To this day the shorts are a valued and iconic part of animation history in both countries. 

So with all that out of the way join me under the cut as I dive into this short and just why I love it so dang much. 

So as we open...

And outside Wallace and Gromit’s place, a mysterious van accidently looses a small cuddly sheep soon to be named Shawn.  It’s driver, a bulldog with a face only a food processor could love wants to go after it but his cloaked companion tells him to let it go.  I love this opening. It sets the mood, hints at the dynamic between our two mystery folks here, and hooks you in from the word go while also putting extra emphasis on Shawn, who naturally is super important to the short. More on him in a bit. 

The next morning we get a slight remix of a scene from last time: Gromit reads the paper, and Wallace presses his button for breakfast. It still works though both because the putting on clothes effect is amazing, and because they switched up the breakfast so we get a fresh gag: this time it’s a poordige shooting turret.. and with this being wallace it naturally goes haywire and shoots way too much at him till gromit can turn it off, covering him all over in white sticky stuff. 

Much like the Jam last time the effect here is stupedndous and I still wonder how they managed to do this in stop motion, making it look like Wallace is covered in a realistic but still enjoyably cartoony fashion. 

The two soon have bigger problems as they find a bunch of stuff chewed up, from the paper to a plant to furniture, though we get a great gag here as while Gromit tries to track their mystery sheep, Wallace ends up putting his feet up on shaun without realizing it while Shaun happily munches on his stool. And i’ve already used goodnight everybody so..

But Wallace decides to ignore the property damage as he gets a call to wash some windows as that’s apparently what he and gromit do now. It’s also the start of a trope for the rest of the franchise: each instalment the boys will have some new buisness venture that helps set off the plot. In “Grand Day Out” we didn’t know what they did only that they were going on Holiday from it, and in “The Wrong Trousers” we still didn’t know, just that Walllace needed to bring in a lodger because it clearly wasn’t enough for their expenses. 

Here they start a pattern of using Wallace’s inventions for odd jobs and I geneinly love this: It’s a great way to bring in other characters and leads to some fun new inventions, in this case a harness thing for Gromit to watch with. 

It’s here we’re properly introduced to the woman in the cloak, Wendolyne, who Wallace is instantly smitten with and strikes up a conversation and some chemstry with and Preston, who gromit’s instantly suspcious of. 

Wallace and Wendolyne are cute enough. Not really enough time in the picture to really INVEST in them as a couple, but Peter Sallis and Anne Reid give them enough life and chmestry for me to invest JUST enough for the picture to work.  Basically not a MAJOR ship for me but cute enough that it dosen’t hamper the film as a whole and you belivie they have honest feelings for another in the brief time we see them together on screen. 

At home, said home has been wrecked.... whose responsible?

Close but no it was Shaun. Wallace being Wallace naturally looks past the hurriacane of distuction and instead sees a cute sheep covered in ketchup and mustard and instantly adopts him to Gromit’s mild annoyance, which lets be fair even if a sheep stabbed my dad in the kidney i’d still adopt it, so fair enough. 

Before our heroes clean our new little friend up, Shawn brings up the second of those tropes I mentioned: from here on out each instalment has our heroes pick up a fun new animal sidekick. This SORTA started with “A grand day out” as the parking robot fufilled the function, both being the star of the second act and not reall malevolent despite being the only antagonistic force in the short. Here though each short will have a guest main character that’s just as vital to the plot as our main characters. This trend likely continuned for one of the oldest reasons in the book. 

See being a cuddly loveable sheep, Shaun merch sold like gangbusters. So the rabbit in the movie was likely an attempt to imitate said boom, while giving gromit a love intrest was likely similar.. but by then they’d realized it was easier to just cut out the middle man, gave Shaun his own series and 6 seasons (including a revivial season on netflix last year), 2 movies and an upcoming christmas special later, it’s clearly worked out for them and our sheepy pall. 

I can see why Shaun broke out though: he makes a great addition to the main duo with his adorable laughing bleat and, at least for this short, being more of a regular animal (if still far more intellegent than one would expect), in contrast to Gromit basically being human despite being treated like a dog, and he’s just enjoyable to watch. Granted he’d become more anthormphized like Gromit for his spinoff, but that’s understandable and he still has the parts people love enough to still feel like himself. 

Back with the plot, Wallace helps Shaun out with his Knit o Matic, a device designed to wash sheep, shave them and knit their wool into a sweater on the fly. I do love the device, it’s expertly animated, looks fun and the shenaigans of poor shaun accidently getting sheard into his iconic look, before dawning an adorable sweater, is fun. 

My issue is that unlike Wallace’s other inventions it’s just sorta there. When you look at the projects before and after this, while Wallace loves making contraptions and i’ts not at all out of character he’d create a knitting machine and just happen to hit a wool shortage, the other things he’s made all had a practical purpose and a definite reason for existing. The Rocket was to get cheese during a holiday, The Wrong Trousers were to walk gromit, the wake up chute is to dress him, the breakfast thing to feed him, the bunny vac to scoop up wabbits, and the baking stuff he uses in the next short for well baking. Thus when some of them like the breakfast machines or his wake up chute ended up playing into the plot, it was a clever suprise. Here it’s just a big “THIS WILL BE IMPORTANT LATER” machine Wallace has. I’m only so annoyed by this.. because the franchise does better and it woudl’ve been so easy to have Wallace explain it given how much the guy talks. 

So with a new sidekick in tow, our heroes head out for their next job the next day a Wendolyne’s shop. While Wallace flirts again, Gromit notices something weird, and being the world’s greatest detective, suck it bruce, looks into it. 

Unfortunately for our hero.. Preston already got that Gromit was supscious of him and Gwendolyn and prepared, making it look like Gromit’s eating the sheep via a carboard cutout which is just.. objectively funny as it is rediculous, then capturing Shaun and chaining hi mup. While Gromit ends up costing Preston his sheep and Wallace ends up getting swept away in a sheep tsumai while finding out Gwenny’s father was an inventor himself, a clever setup for later, Preston gets what he wanted: a patsy, capturing gromit

Back at home things.. arne’t good as we get a time lapse montage of headlines. Also Wallace has an army of sheep now just .. keeping them in his house. I’d ask why but if I suddenly got a flock of sheep with no questions asked, i’d just accept the miracle and begin my fluffy takeover of the contienetal united states. 

This scene fixes one of the biggest issues with the Wrong Trousers. In that one Wallace just kinda forgot Gromit existed half the time and never dealt with his pain. Here Wallace at first buys into Gromit being the culprit which annoyed me slightly.. but his tears as things get worse and our hero is unfairly imprisoned and sentenced to death for something he didn’t do, Wallace bursts into tears. It’s clear that he KNOWS his best friend did’nt do this, but he also has no way to clear him or fix this in sight and has to watch as his dog is about to be put down. It’s genuinely heartwrenching and Sallis impecable acting only makes it that much harder to watch in the best way possible. And just to prove god hates Wallace, Gwen breaks up with him.. though it’ very clear SOMETHING worse is going on and she feels tremendous guilt for what’s happened. 

Thankfully salvation is at hand as like any good buddies whose friend is falsely accused, Wallace and Shaun break Gromit out of jail with the help of their new sheep army. The how they announce this is also clever as Wallace sends gromit a 1000 piece sheep puzzle (which sends the poor doggo to tears).. which then reveals their coming for him at midnight that night.. thigngs Gromit only realizes just before it happens. 

A fun escape ensues though Wallace points out the obvious once they get clear of the city: “Your going to have go on the run eh old boy?”. 

Soon our heroes duck away and our real culprits stand revealed as they reclaim the sheep: Gwen and Preston!

The mystery here is less “Who dunnit” as with only five main characters for this short, it had to be them and Preston spends every scene looking at someone like...

So it’s not a huge shock it’s them. The question was motive, which was hinted at in the beining, with Gwen easing Preston off going after Shaun, but that was nicely vauge: it woudln’t be clear to a first time watcher if she was having him stay back out of guilt.. or out of pragmatisim. Turns out it was a little of both. 

Gwen however isn’t happy with it as it turns out Preston has much darker plans, relcutantly having gone along with the rustling scheme, but whatever he’s about to do is too far. So Preston naturally just throws her in with the sheep, leaving our heroes to rescue her. 

What follows is a hell of a climax, something as technically impressive as the train chase from last time but upping the scope a bit as instead of in a small location, if still damn impressive with the track laying scnee, we now have a full on motorcycle/car chase as Wallace and Gromit chase after them, Gromit of course in the sidecar, using Wallace as as man bridge to bring the sheep into their motorcycle. Finally found his calling I suppose. 

So we end up with a PYRAMID OF SHEEP. Dreams do come true. Sadly preston ends up not only detaching the sidecar but getting the sheep back and getting wallace. Naturally though given at this point in the franchise Gromit’s been to the moon and back, been edged out of his house, had to fight and then use robotic kick pants, and just broke ou tof prison after being falsely accused, this dosen’t slow him down and it tuns out the sidecar.. TURNS INTO A MOTHERFUCKING PLANE. How did this work effects wise?

But my god it’s cool. Winston looses them.. and reveals he has the knit o matic..... 

It’s a legit question: he never saw it, and while he heard Wallace was an inventor and Wallace might of mentioned it and I missed it, he had ZERO way of stealing it. Gwendolyne’s suprised by it meaning he didn’t get her help and it’s not like this is a small thing either. Look at it!

Even with his super fighting robot strength, the sheer size of it makes it impossibel for one person to carry. And I know i’m being a tad pandatic in a franchise which started with a quest for moon cheese, but thi sis a series that normally doe shave an actual explination for things, even if it’s rediculous and usually tries to follow it’s own internal logic> This is just.. why. 

UPDATE: Yeah turns out i’m an idiot: I missed the scene with Preston taking the blueprints, hence he didn’t take the knit o matic he just built his own, which given he built his own meat machine, is throughly plasuable. I left this embarassing rant in here because I’d rather not just flat out erase my mistakes, but I still felt I could at least own up to them. Back to the review.

Turns out Preston’s big plan is to make the sheep, and now humans, into dog food, since apparently Wallace and Gromit’s world runs on 1930′s “eh if it dosen’t kill people you can sel lit” standards of food quality. Shaun end sup foiling this though hitting a bunch of buttons and thus allerting Gromit, whose stucfk outside not sure where Preston went, where they are. Two things to note here. One Preston opened his own dog food factory which means dogs can own property in this unvierse which begs the question why Gromit still lives with wallace, and two, Gwen calls Shaun by his name.... a name she hasn’t heard before this scene

So just as preston gets the sheeps and humans on a conveor to meat town, Gromit makes an entrance. While he looses his wings in the process his response to that is to simply fly at Preston, shooting him with the pooridge shooter from earlier, a great setup and then slamming him into the trimming part of the knit o matic, with Shawn cheekly turning it on.

So with that the day is saved and.. wait what’s that banging sound? Oh right, yeah as i’ve mentioned before and you know if you’ve seen it.. preston’s not maimed or dead or defeated just yet.. .because Preston is a robot!

Yeah turns out Gwen’s father built him.. and someone clearly flipped his setting ot evil because he just snapped. Gwen helped him with his scheme because

Always pays to have a backup for when you’ve already used Daffy.... man i’m just running through my running gags today. 

Yeah her motivatoins really aren’t explained enough, at best Preston bullied her into it. This is forgivable though: Nick Park INTENDED to explain it and the original flim was about 50 minutes.. but for it to qualify for short length, and likely also for budget reasons Aardman had him cut it down. And honestly.. it was the right call. The intended scene at Gwen’s place was supposed to be TEN MINUTES LONG. IN a 30 minute film. I sympathize with Nick having to compromise his vision.. but sometimes your vision outstrips what you can actually do, as it did with the first wallace and gromit short, or what people want to see. This is why i’m not AGAINST executives on prinicpal: sometimes you need someone to step in, tell you it’s not working. There’s no shame in it. 

Robo Preston only lasts about two minutes, gets taken down again by Gromit and Shaun and ground up into robot dog food.. a mild disapointment but the short was almost over at this point and it’s clear this was less some big bad guy reveal and more like the end of child’s play where a chared and nearly dead chucky is STILL going till he’s shot in the heart because they also needed to wrap that movie up. 

Before we wrap this up, I will say Preston.. is my faviorite of teh antagonists. Feathers McGraw isn’t bad at all and I thourghly enjoyed him, I simply liked Preston better. You just get a sense everytime you see him something’s wrong, and he serves as the perfect counter to gromit: both are inventive, intellegent dogs who are clever.. but one clearly is only using his master and the other is loyal to him for reasons i’ll never understand. He also just has a nice intimidating quality, being terrifying in any situation. He’s not expressive like Gromit.. and that works in his favor as he instead just has the same horrifying “i’m going to kill you and no one will find the body stare”.. and is later fully justified by the fact he’s a robot and thus that’s not his real face. A true legend. 

So back to that wrap up: Wallace and Gwen end up on good terms, but not together as she mentions she dosen’t like cheese which is a dealbreaker.. which would be Jerry Seinfield levels of petty in anyone else but this is a man who flew all the way to the moon for some cheadder. I can respect him needing somene who also would do that in his life. He still sits down to enjoy some as Gromit reads about his own aquittal. We end on a great bit as Wallace finds Shaun eating his cheese adn Gromit just sighbrows with his eyebrow and leaves the sheepy to chow down. Given Shaun just saved their lives, he earned it. You go buddy. 

Final Thoughts:

As I made clear a Close Shave is my faviorite. It’s a flawed film, important stuff was cut out and not properly replaced, and there’s still no understandable reason why Preston has the knit o matic. But those are just minor problems: The short has easily the most jokes of the 3, some fairly inventive ones (thoguh none topping the box gag crom a close shave), the best antagonist in the franchise, and a throughly memorable and thrilling climax. It also builds tension perfectly, using the fact we can clearly tell gwen and preston are the rustlers to have us wonder just how safe Wallace is with her, and a true sense of dread and danger whenever Preston’s around period, if not so much that it clashes with the tone. It was a good note for the franchise to go out on for some time. Of course.. that’s not the end... is it? Not by a long shot

Next Time: We jump ahead slightly to the FINAL short, as Wallace and Gromit’s baking buisness leads to attempted murder and pov dog abuse. Don’t worry i’m still getting to the movie, I just figure their feature film is a better finale. 

[noctilucentstorm]

Digimon Adventure: Reivew

Episode 12: Lilimon Blooms

Separated from the others, Mimi and Palmon stumble across an ancient weapons factory.  There they meet Andromon, who is being controlled by the Soundbirdmon, and Guardromon.

This episode starts where we left off.  The hole Mimi and Palmon fall through is deep enough they are unable to get back up, so they decide to try and find another way. Meanwhile, Taichi and Koushiro discover they are unable to use their digivices to communicate within the ruin.  Even Koushiro’s laptop seems to be struggling.

The girls find a large room with a scrapheap that turns out to be made up of discarded machine digimon parts, which is a little creepy.  They soon stumble upon Andromon, who identifies them as a target to be eliminated.

Luckily, the bit of scrap metal that Mimi wiped the dirt from turns out the be Guardromon, who ends up taking its name very seriously and decides to save Mimi and Palmon just as Andromon gets the better of them.  

I do find myself questioning how much Taichi has thought through this plan.  Trying to scale a shaft that they’ve determined is probably deep enough Mimi can’t hear them seems a little dangerous, particularly when Tentomon could’ve just scouted ahead.  Also, if Koushiro could figure out the ruins are a weapons factory, can’t he also find a map of the place? Maybe this has all been discussed between them off screen, but it seems a shame to leave out.

Others have mentioned the parallels with Castle in the Sky and this episode really does have a different feel to it.  The balance between the action (which has been this series’ main strength so far) and the quieter moments is really nicely done.

I know the robot with a flower has probably been done loads of times, but it’s really sweet and gives Guardromon and Mimi a really sentimental moment without much speaking.  Most of the digimon we see bonding with humans in a meaningful way are able to talk, so it’s a nice change from the usual formula.

This scene also does a lovely job of showcasing Mimi’s ‘pure heart.’ By not making assumptions she’s made a friend, and found a way to get back to Taichi and Koushiro without waiting for them to come and find her.  It’s a good contrast to her introduction episode, when she was much more reliant on Taichi and Sora protecting her and the Tanemon.

We have a very brief interlude where we check up on the other group.  Apparently flying by log isn’t as stable as the basket, because Jou is struggling a little.  Sora is still worried for Neamon and the others, but Yamato tries to make up for being a bit of a jerk in the last episode and reassures her that by reaching their goal they’ll likely end up keeping the digimon safe as well.  Sora clearly appreciates the gesture.  

Seems like Jou really looks up to Yamato, which is interesting given his reaction to Koushiro a few episodes ago.  I’m wondering if he realises that Yamato is in the year below him. Yamato didn’t realise Jou was older than him in the original series, so it would be a nice parallel.  The whole scene is a cute moment and shows how much these three have already bonded just in the short time they’ve been travelling – it’s lovely to see!

Taichi and Koushiro manage to catch up to Mimi just at the right time and surprisingly, Greymon evolves to MetalGreymon.  Doesn’t seem like there’s a limitation on how many times they can evolve in this series.

Also, are we just going to ignore that Mugendramon appears in MetalGreymon’s evolution sequence?!  He is the strongest of the Metal Empire digimon, but the red feels a little ominous, plus it’s Mugendramon!

I thought with the music that MetalGreymon would end up being the one to finish Andromon off, but instead he doesn’t seem to do much damage and ends up becoming incapacitated trying to protect the Chosen.  It’s a good way of keeping him out of the battle without feeling too forced.  In Adventure, Andromon was classed as a Data-type, but also seems to be Vaccine in other media.  Either way, type advantage would go to Lilimon over MetalGreymon since the fight favours a Data type over a Vaccine in both situations.

Plus, Lilimon is a cute fighter.

I admit I was a little surprised that they ended up killing Andromon.  I mean, the poor thing was being controlled and manages to gain back his senses only to end up dead.  It left me with a bit of a weird feeling, maybe in part because the original Mimi was so adverse to fighting and killing.  This’ll definitely be something to get used to.

Mimi does seem upset by the results, although I admit I’m not 100% sure whether she’s only crying over Guardromon or whether she is sad about Andromon as well.  

Final Thoughts:

I really loved this episode. Mimi is my favourite character in the series so far, so it was nice having most of the episode dedicated to her. In fact, the bits with Taichi and Koushiro felt a little clunky in places, particularly when Koushiro was giving the extra information.  I liked that we learn more about Mimi’s character and get a chance to see both her and Palmon shine.  After episode 8, this is probably my next favourite so far!

[daviddrills]

Can You Remove A Tripadvisor-Review?

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[scottishhighlandtraditions]

The Dead Day - December 22nd

Over time and place, the various Celtic peoples have had a number of calendars and ways to shape into human terms the solar year.  Today, the calendar used across the western world and for the world wide web and space exploration is Roman.  It has had a few changes from Pope Gregory to the current Pope Julian's calendar, but it's a weird political hash of 12 unequal divisions which they still call "moonths" even though they don't adhere to their namesake of the moon cycle of 28 days.

In the ancient Celtic and Scandinavian areas (to give them useful but inaccurate labels) the people had various ways of dividing the year.  There is the agricultural calendar with its pivot points close to May 1 and October 31, these being the start of the planting season and the end of the harvest.  Vestiges of this calendar are found in our modern one as May Day and Hallowe'en.

The druidical priest class perhaps measured the year from winter and summer solstices.  It's hard to tell: the Romans did a really good job of exterminating that branch of thought.  From this priestly calendar comes a tradition that I still celebrate.  I may be the only one and may have made up half of the tradition myself, but I call it the Dead Day.  It is the day after the winter solstice, usually December 22nd or 23rd.

       ~~ Dawn of the Dead (Day) from our house, 2009

What is the Dead Day?  It is what Robert Graves the poet described as "an intercalery day" where the solar year has ended and we must wait to see if the days begin to lengthen again.  That happens TWO days later.  There were 364 days in the druid calendar and one intercalery day that is, as the name suggests, outside of, between calendar years. To the Celts, anything that exists between being one thing and another is a place of the Wee Folk, of spirit, of magic.

The day is one of holding one's breath, not literally, but in emotion or spirit.  It is a day of introspection, of expectation, of observance in the truest sense of the word: to watch, to observe to await the outcome.  Perhaps it is a day to pray that the sun will return tomorrow, for there is some doubt about that.

It is an appropriate day for things which in the self need a lack of noise so that they can bubble up and be heard. It is a time to reivew the year, one's past trajectory, and because there is no expectation of accomplishing anything on this day, to throw away any parts of the master plan and redirect our focus a little into the coming year which will hopefully begin on the following day.  Perhaps another vestige of this tradition is making New Year's resolutions.

For many years I have marked this day, usually beginning before dawn.  I recall hosting a day in one large beautiful room of an Irish retreat centre with half a dozen friends.  It was a confined day of silence, of undertaking simple, contemplative activities: journalling, sleeping, dreaming, drawing out symbols of focus. So attuned did I become to the movement of the sun that I swear I could feel (although could not see) the moment the sun set. I broke silence to complete the ceremony with the words "A few moments ago, the sun set and something new began".

A few years later I felt the need to return to the practice of clearing the spirit, so it was a day spent sat alone in a forest in contemplation with a only campfire to keep me company until the sun set and I could return to a warm house and waiting wife.

    ~~ A day of contemplation, Dead Day 2003

Three winters later was a time of "big decisions" in our life and we spent two days in a neighbour's empty house making ceremony using tools for decision-making.  From that, we moved from the West Coast and came to live in central Scotland, changed how we express our working life and let go a few norms of our previous 'habit'.

    ~~ A Wisdom Council, Solstice 2006

Seven years ago we had a gathering of friends at our home, told stories and one of our guests piped the sun down while we all stood in the snow watching and listening.

~~  Piping out the old and in the new as the sun sets

This year, to mark the Dead Day I am writing this article, looking out on the brightest, clearest sky we have had for at least a month.  Perhaps as the new year for me begins tomorrow, the sun is saying that 2021 will be brighter than 2020.  But that is as far as I am prepared to go in offering some bon-mot with which to end this article.  Is there some grand generalisation I am going to extrapolate from the Dead Day to illuminate our current times?  No.  It's for you to decide if the Dead Day has any relevance in your year.

    ~~ Dead Day 2020, our garden

[themarketess]

Coffee and a Classic May 2019 Reivew

Hello Everyone!

Who else is ready to sit down with a good book? It’s been raining here like CRAZY, which means I actually have some downtime to enjoy my next box from Coffee and a Classic.

This is another PACKED box, and the theme this time around is Jane Eyre.

So, let’s start with the main focus! This is another gorgeous book with beautiful pages and it even has a ribbon bookmark built into the book.

This month’s bookmark is magnetic so I can stick it on my fridge between books so I can always keep track of where it is!

Check out the chocolate for this month! It is lavender chocolate - I LOVE lavender. I’ve had it in tea, but I’ve never tried it in other foods so I’m excited to combine it with my FAVORITE dessert of all time: CHOCOLATE.

I’m in love with this coffee mug. It’s white with a raised pattern of lines and dots, and the quote on the front reads, “The shadows are as important as the light.”

There is also this handy Jane Eyre themed journal complete with the logo on the cover of the book lightly printed on all the inside pages.

I really can’t get over how detailed their packing slips are - I’m very grateful! Everything is explained well.

This gorgeous blue colored cold pressed soap smells AMAZING - it reminds me of those little blue suckers we used to get as kids.

I’M SO EXCITED! THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE TEAS!!! (It’s earl grey lavender).

I’m very excited about this amazing box. I’ve never read Jane Eyre, and I have always wanted to! I love all the products, and I can’t wait to see what comes next month.

~The Marketess

*Disclaimer: I am no way affiliate with this company. This is not a professional recommendation but rather a personal opinion.

[darkeraven22]

VIZ Fly Me To The Moon Volume 11 Review Chapter One Hundred & Seven

VIZ Fly Me To The Moon Volume 11 Review Chapter One Hundred & Seven

The Reivew Relents! In Hugs? Everyone Is Eventually The LuLu/LaLa! So we start off with Kaname finally realizing that Nasa and Tsukasa are moving out of the bath house… wait didn’t they already talk about this way back when they first moved in? That this will only be until they can return to their newly rebuilt apartments and be on their own again? Also Tsukasa takes yuou through the science of…

[astudyinsarcasm9]

Coco (Pixar) - Moive Reivew - Spoilers ahead! GO SEE IT!

I adored this movie! 

I went to see it knowing next to nothing about it. I knew its name and that Miguel was the main character but I avoided spoilers like the plague. So much so, I had no idea what the other characters looked like.

I recommend to see it. It is such a lovely and heartwarming story about family, what it means to be part of one and how you should follow your dreams despite the odds and if your loved ones agree or not, while not forgetting to still care about your family even if they don’t agree with you. 

Ok, maybe I didn’t use the right words but it has been two weeks since I saw the movie and I am still not over it. I want to see it again but I am waiting to have enough money to go to the cinema again.

Before I continue I have to address something that I’ve seen debated on this site:

DO NOT COMPARE THE BOOK OF LIFE AND COCO. THEY ARE BOTH AWESOME AND AMAZING MOVIES. Bonus: The producer of Book of Life fully supports Coco so shut up! 

IF WE HAVE 200000000 MOVIES ABOUT CHRISTMAS THEN WE CAN SURVIVE 2 MOVIES ABOUT DIA DE LOS MUERTOS. GET YOUR SHIT TOGETHER PEOPLE! 

REPRESENTATION MATTERS! I AM NOT MEXICAN BUT I SUPPORT MOVIES WHICH ARE ABOUT A DIFFERENT CULTURE THAN MY OWN. 

On with the review. 

The plot

Miguel Rivera is a 12-year old mexican boy who lives with his family made up entirely of shoemakers. He wants to be a musician but his family is opposed to it because his great-great grandfather left to pursue a career in music and never came back and thus, his wife put a ban on music in the Rivera family. She started a shoe making business which got passed on until it reached Miguel’s parents. 

Miguel wants to prove to his family that he is made for singing and and so settles to take part in the music show that will take place in their village. In the meantime, he discovers that famous musician Ernesto de la Cruz is his great-great grandfather and goes ahead and steals his guitar from his crypt in the cemetery. Only, when he does so he unleashes a curse and gets transported into the Land of the Dead. 

To get out, Miguel has to get his great-great grandfather’s blessing, but this will prove a very hard thing to do. 

Along the way Miguel makes friends with a con man named Hector who just wants to get his photos on an ofrenda so he can cross the marigold bridge to see his daughter. As it turns out later in the story, Hector is actually the great-great grandfather and not Ernesto. And so, from that revelation the movie takes a bit of a different turn but I’ll let you discover it. 

At first, the plot might seem complicated, but that’s because I may have not explained it all that better. But it flows and at no point does it feel cluttered and cumbersome. 

The Characters

The best aspect of the movie is the characters. Especially the dead ones. 

It is fair to say, we don’t spend enough time with Miguel’s relatives who are alive so we’re not gonna compare much. 

Though, I have to say that my favorite character is by far: 

Abuelita! She was hillarious. Every scene with her in it cracked me up. Aside from obviously, the handful of scenes where she was interacting with her mother, Coco. 

The other characters are Miguel’s parents and grandad, and some uncles and aunts who, honestly, I didn’t care for because they had little screen time. 

The dead characters were really entertaining. Mama Imelda,  Miguel’s great-great grandmother, Papa Julio Rivera, Coco’s husband, Tia Rosita, Julio’s sister, Tia Victoria, Abuelita’s sister, Tio Felipe and Tio Oscar, identical uncles to Miguel,  and Hector Rivera, Miguel’s actual great-great grandfather. 

Starting off, the characters really interact well with one another and you can tell they are a family. They have colorful personality, especially mama Imelda who is the most developed along with Hector. 

Hector is the con man. He has been trying to pass the marigold bridge for decades, always coming up with more creative ways to do so. When we, as an audience, meet him he dresses up as Frida Khalo to fool the security into letting him cross. But Hector can’t cross because his photo is not on any ofrendas anywhere. 

Miguel is a great protagonist. He really acts and feels like a genuine kid. He is a bit selfish but he is also kindhearted and caring. 

The voice acting was also incredible. From the singing to the talking, everything was spot on. My jaw dropped when I heard Miguel sing and it happened again when Hector sang. 

The Animation

Needless to say that the animation was breathtaking. Especially the character animation. Everyone moved so smoothly and so natural that, at points, you’d forget you were watching an animated movie. 

The colors were amazing and the Land of the Dead is truly creative. 

This is the best animation Pixar has put out so far. 

What I thought of the movie

Definitely worth more than one watch. This movie is proof that an original story, done with heart and passion can really sell well and bring audiences together. 

In a world were sequels have become the norm we need more movies like Coco, which tell an original story that manages to tug at our heart strings and stay with us long after we leave the movie theaters. 

Again, I am not mexican but watching the movie I felt as If I was closer to their culture. I was introduced to more mexican customs and traditions and I got to see just how beautiful their culture and their language is. 

We should be more open to movies like this. After all, there are so many beautiful cultures out there that could have a great movie like Coco. We just have to show movie makers that we like these kind of movies and that they sell.

Speaking of movies representing cultures I have to say that Coco is miles better than Moana. I mean, sure Moana was nice, the animation was great but, essentially it was a buddy-buddy comedy with some twists. I like that Moana does not want love and wants to carry on her ancestors’ customs and traditions but, at no point during the movie, did I feel transported there. All I felt was Disney trying to make money off of a culture. And while many aspects of that movie were cool and I learnt a great deal about polynesian culture I didn’t feel as invested in it and I gues this has to do with the stakes set up and with the link formed with the main character as well as with the story itself. 

Coco’s story is simply close to home to many many people because it talks about family and family values and about following your dream despite your family but also to remember to still respect your relatives and your customs and traditions in the process. Make no mistake, Moana si also about following your dreams but I felt less connected to her, for some reason. 

Pixar’s Coco is simply different and it shows. Disney is afraid to go in too deep because it does not want to alienate its audiences. I mean sure they have their fair share of dark stuff but it is mostly light stuff. (Except from the Bambi stuff). 

Pixar takes the cake for simply showing Hector’s death on screen and for also saying directly that HIS BEST FRIEND KILLED HIM. I remember that I was sitting next to two girls in the theater and they were blown away when that happened. I don’t think  they fully registered the implications of what they saw but they were taken aback by it. 

Go see Coco because it is a wonderful movie but also to show it support and to show movie makers and Hollywood and everyone that movies with characters from different cultures can sell well.

Even “The Book of Life” director Jorge Gutierrez supports Coco because if Coco does well he, and others like him, can go on to make more movies about different cultures. 

So please do not go around saying Coco is ripping off Book of Life because it is not. 

Yes, both movies have a guy with a guitar but that’s about it. 

[writerdaniellemichael-blog]

Keeper Reivew

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of Keeper by Kim Chance. I have been patiently waiting for this book's release, and even though I was able to read it early, I can say it was worth the wait. The characters truly do make the story come to life. First off we have Lainey our protagonist. She is a relatable 17-year-old who is focused on passing the SATs and getting into a good school. Throughout the book, we follow her on her journey to understand and accept who she really is. The emotions she feels are incredibly real and well written. Her fears and anxieties are palpable throughout the story. She is the hero you can't help but cheer for, and a girl who's not afraid to stand up for what she believes in. Next, we have Maggie, one of my favorite characters. She is funny and forever an optimist. She is a loyal best friend and always has a nerdy comeback for everything. I want her to be my best friend! Then there is Ty, oh Ty. Forever playing with my heart. Handsome and mysterious Ty may be the obvious love interest but he will keep you guessing the entire time. With a slew of supporting characters that I could go on and on about, Keeper's characters really do deliver. The story kept me on the edge of my seat and I was finished with the book in just a few days. Reading this book in the middle of the night when I was the only one awake in the house terrified me a to a point that I am embarrassed to admit. It really was the perfect fall read. Debut author Kim Chance lets her voice shine in Keeper. She has created a world you can fall in love with and leaves you wanting more. I can't wait for the sequel to see where the story goes.

[lauradonohoe-josephprenderg-blog]

Project Reivew

Today we are going over our project with Dr. Jackson. Waiting for feedback hopefully, things will go well! 

[jessicabielcom]

Ahhhh! It’s the day we’ve all be waiting for, “The Sinner” is premiering on the USA Network.

“The Sinner” follows the story of a young woman who commits horrific acts of violence and rage, and to her surprise, has no idea why. And the investigator who becomes obsessed with the case and is determined to dig into her past and figure out “why” this is happening.

Epsisode one currently has a 94% on Rotten Tomatoes, check out some of the great reviews:

Collider: ��The Sinner’ Review: Jessica Biel & Bill Pullman Elevate USA’s Grim Limited Series

New York Times: Review, Jessica Biel in ‘The Sinner,’ a Whydunit

TV Insider: USA’s ‘The Sinner’ Is Dark, Disturbing and Unsettling

Los Angeles Times: Jessica Biel offers down-to-earth performance in USA thriller ‘The Sinner,’ with help from Bill Pullman

TV Line: Jessica Biel Goes Dark in USA’s Haunting ‘Whydunit’

Cinema Blend: USA’s New Murder Mystery Will Leave You Wanting More

New York Post: Excellent Jessica Biel twists ‘The Sinner’ into bloody good thriller

CNN: ‘The Sinner’ showcases Jessica Biel in ‘whydunit’ mystery

Lincoln Journal Star: Biel a revelation in USA’s ‘The Sinner’

Roger Ebert: ‘The Sinner’ is a Fantastic Summer Series

Uncle Barky: ‘The Sinner’ Reivew

Indie Wire: Jessica Biel Is More Than a Mom and a Murderer in USA’s Intriguing Limited Series

Here are the stills that have released for Season 1 Episode one thus far:

Are you going to be tuning in? We are going to do a round table with TV After Dark so be sure to submit any questions you may have!

“The Sinner” premieres TONIGHT on the USA Network at 10/9c!

#TheSinner Starring #JessicaBiel Premieres on the USA Network Tonight! Ahhhh! It's the day we've all be waiting for, "The Sinner" is premiering on the USA Network.

[popculturebuffet]

Amphibia Weekly Reviews: Thai Feud/Adventures in Catsitting

Hello all you hoppy people! And welcome back to my weekly coverage of Amphibia. As usual time for a quick recap of what’s happened since the last week before we jump into the full reivew with spoilers under the cut. 

So.. nothing Amphibia related..... I saw Let There Be Carnage, which was insane and sloppy as it was fun, and finally started the Fear Street Trilogy. Chucky started airing but I haven’t got around starting it. So basically as far as your concerned...

So feel free to join me under the cut wontcha as Sprig tries to get a mom by stealing a truck, we’re blessed with the gift of Wayne Knight, and the Plantars throw someone out a window, try to take a cat to the vet and adopt a possum. All this and more under the cut!

Thai Feud:

It’s time for something we all knew was coming and knew would hurt when it did: the “Sprig wants Anne’s parents to be his parents” episode. 

It’s breakfast times and the Plantars have settled in nicely, with the Boonchuy’s treating them as welcome guests now they’ve fully accepted the situation and the Plantars are no longer nearly dying every five minutes so things are good.  For about five minutes before sprig storms in, riffles through the fridge and is generally a nusance. Sprig is under the mistake impression he’s family to the Boonchuys, something that crushes him when Anne has to break it to him he isn’t. And it DOES make sense: The Boonchuy’s have accepted the situatioun, accepted what happened with Anne wasn’t their fault, and are more than happy to welcome them with all they’ve done, something we’ll get into more in a minute with the next episode. But you simply don’t become family to someone overnight. It takes time, in the real world and in this very show. Anne wasn’t a Plantar from minute one, she was a guest, accepted by Hop Pop out of circumstance and her noble actions  much like Hop Pop himself now is with the Plantars. It took time, hard work, and a LOT of episodes for Anne to go from barely wanted guest, to welcome farmhand, to one of the family. The Boonchuy’s will likely see them as full family eventually, and already probably do at least a LITTLE, but it’s going to take said time for them to actually get to know the plantars. 

Naturally though Sprig isn’t willing to wait and isn’t taking it well either. He wants what Anne has: a set of parents, something he’s never really gotten to have, his own dying when he was young and his memories of them slowly fading. It’s understandable why he DOSEN’T want to wait on this and does the rash and impulsive shit he does this episode: he just wants a mom and the Boonchuy’s, mostly Mrs. Boonchuy, keeping him at arms length as he joins them for the day at the resteraunt is crushing for him. Hop Pop and Polly, who stayed behind to watch this world’s version of Quantum Leap, fair enough, have no real need for it: Hop Pop had many wonderful years with his son or daughter before they and their spouse got ate and has their kids to fill the void inside, while Polly is young enough the need for parents hasn’t really hit her like a truck yet, and she’s satisfied with hop pop. Their good. 

Opportunity knocks though.. or rather barges in as we meet the Boonchuy’s best customer. Ned! Why am I celebrating? Simple, he’s played by Wayne Knight!

Wayne has had a long, storied career in both live acting and voice acting and is generally just awesome. He’s done tons of work for Disney and elsewhere, and is always a treat when he shows up, so having him show up here as Ned was an utterly delightful suprise, especially since I don’t remember his name being announced in the “what’s coming to disney channel” thing released last month like most guest stars. Not upset or anything though as it let this be a VERY nice suprise to suddenly here his wonderful voice

So Ned is the restraunt’s best customer. He also blatantly says he thought Anne was dead, which kind of explains why Mrs. Boonchuy is annoyed by him a bit. The rest of the explanation is that Ned wants to do a food truck for the business, but Mrs. B understandably wants to keep the recipes in the family... and that Ned being as tone deaf as you’ve probably figured by now, has parked his food truck right outside the restraunt, creating tons of confusion since i’ts mocked up to be for the Boonchuy’s Restraunt. 

Where most would see an annoying clueless white guy they can’t legally remove, Sprig sees an opportunity to get adopted. So he tries some sabotage by taking some take out then having an over reactoin.. that in classic sitcom logic, instead backfires horribly and results in Sprig just calling everyone morons and getting dragged inside. In a bit that does frustrate me ANNE gets punished for this, as he’s her guest.. even though she told him not to, can’t watch him every second and most glaringly HE HAS A PARENT. Hop Pop is back at the house. Just send him home and let Hop Pop deal with him. He’d understand. I get not wanting to overstep her boundires as a parent or as their host, but come on. 

That said Anne’s handling of things.. makes more sense: She’s mad at sprig for her mom suddenly running on Goosebumps Parent Logic, but she outright says she gets WHY he’s doing this.. she just dosen’t want him to keep doing this shit and getting her in trouble which is fair. 

So natural sprig’s next course of action is obvious...

But he dosen’t have a gun or his slingshot so he ops to just carjack Bruce by luring him out of the car with a note to talk to Mrs. Boonchuy. That cunning son of a bitch. Anne spots this and not wanting to get banished to the attic where they keep the living dummies and such, goes after Sprig. Sprig ends up starting the car and Mrs. Boonchuy notices. 

Cue a rather awesome car sequence as we get too many great gags to mention and the truck FUCKING RAIL GRINDING. Should this be possible? Nope.  Does what’s possible matter in a talking frog cartoon. NOPE! God that was cool. Our heroes successfully land.. and find an incredibly pissed off Mrs. Boonchuy and a confused Ned who thinks Mrs. Boonchuy is kinda nuts for having him car jacked. Sprig takes full responsibility and admits he just wanted to be family and what not and throughly apologizes, while Mrs. B apologizes too, realizing that she was probably a bit hard on the kid who clearly just wants a mom and that he DOES mean a lot to Anne. Also she should stop Goosebumping her kids but she should've known that already. Ned breaks down over this realizing that’s just what he wanted to, to be part of the family and the restraunt and that instead he partook in cultural apporiative baffonery. Taking pity on this sad shell of a man, which could really describe about 50% of my life, she offers him a job as delivery driver, he accepts, and their cool. Once he’s gone Mrs. Boonchuy dosen’t let sprig off easily, laying into him for his bullcrap. Just because he had sympathetic motives .. dosen’t mean he still didn’t do a grand theft auto or nearly get her daughter hurt. He hugs her, realizing he’s now family because she scolded him and as for Mrs. Boonchuy...

Thai Fued was excellent. Other than the questionable parenting, it’s a solid ep that gives Sprig more character work, following up from the reveals about his parents last season, and has some really good gags. And Ned is a delightful addition to the cast, a loveable doofus who clearly dosen’t realize he was a fucking idiot and just wants to be loved. Given that description also applies to me most of the time, you can kinda see why I like the guy Wayne Knight or no. 

Adventures in Catsitting:

It’s another day as the Plantars enjoy lounging in the Boonchuy’s back yard, being waited on by Mr. Boonchuy (Please show name them already this is really awkward and if your going ot cater to someone cater to the fat jackass on the internet who constantly roasts you for your poor decisions), and enjoying their day. Anne’s trying to find interdimensonal travel in science mags but can’t find bupkis. What are they doing really?

.... oh well fair. God I wish we had a cure for Diarrehea. I mean world hunger too obviously, but that’s a bigger, far more thorny issue that also involves a LOT of big companies that wouldn’t want hunger to be cured. Diarrehea also funds some industries, but they could simply move to selling the cure or get paid off or thrown in a ditch. 

Hop Pop tells the kids to enjoy things now as their in the phase of being guests where their fine and welcome and get to just relax. When they pass three days then it’ll be an issue. Polly then informs Hop Pop i’ts been a week which timeline wise tracks perfectly. Nice on the show for keeping a far easier to track timeline this season than the past two. I’m also fairly certain if I did the hard work and tried to map the season 1 and 2 timeline it’d also bear out just fine, I just don’t have time for that.. though I probably will try it if someone dosen’t beat me too it. And if someone already has, please tell me I want to sees it. 

Hop Panic insues as HP dosen’t want to be seen as a freeloader like Cousin Fred. After the kids gasp collectively, Anne and the audience get filled in on who Fred is. He was a relative of the plantars who moved in, wouldn’t leave, used Polly’s bucket for a foot bath, and may not have even been a plantar to begin with..

On the bright side they have their own paint color. I miss mine but they discontinued Pasty Goblin. It is a nice subtle bit of lore building as it means Sprig and Polly’s pink colors come from their non plantar parent. And said parent is likely the descendant of Andrias’ frog former friend who looked an awful lot like sprig. The plot thickens.

The Plantars grew to resent and resent the guy, being nice because hospitality... until eventually throwing him out a window , as he deserved. Now Hop Pop’s worried the Boonchuy’s have worse in mind for him. One can only imagine. 

Opprtunity soon knocks though. Mrs. B is taking Anne to the dentist as she’s been gone 5 months, hasn’t brushed and has eaten a LOT of insects. As someone who has to go to the dentist on a regular basis as i’ve been having cavity’s filled, I understand her fear. Problem is she was going to take Domino to the vet, and Mr. B has to go run the restraunt. So Hop Pop gladly volunteers to take them, something they gladly trust our heroes with, with Mr. B giving them an old non-smart cellphone to call him on just in case. It’s nice character progression: they’ve accepted the plantars and now all three trust them enough to go out on their own without getting killed. 

So phase one is getting the cat in the carrier. Which as you’d expect... ends in bloodshed and our heroes barely surviving the carnage. Our heroes then get on the bus, with Hop Pop faking the card read thing that busses apparently have now because my town dosen’t have public transit because why should I have nice things. Unfortunately Hop Pop ends up licking everyone.

So their thrown off. So you CAN’T lick someone on a public bus anymore. Huh, what a changing world. So our heroes are forced to make the long ardious treck there dealing with e-scoots, sidewalks and herons, which while not giant, are still the dicks of the sky and thus one bites sprig. 

Our heroes make it to the Vet, singed but triumphant, freaked out by all the animals. Sprig is mesmerized by meeting an earth frog while hop pop...

Nearly has his face devoured by spuds mckenzie. 

Side note I have a dog JUST like that on my desk now that I got yesterday, down tot he collar. but he’s a good boy. He only eats faces when I tell him to, like a proper dog. Remember kids, train your dogs to eat faces only on command. Be responsible as a pet owner. 

So our heroes take Domino in and the visit is fine, she’s normal for a cat: coat’s a good color, dazed expression, dank stygian void where her heart should be. Usual kitty things. After badgering the Vet with frog questions, which is just amazing, our heroes run out.. and accidently leave the kitty. Naturally they don’t notice this for a bit and when they do Sprig tries to do the sensible thing and call Mr. B for help but Hop Pop, afraid of being a freeloader shuts that shit down on sight. However the hunt on their own dosen’t go well: they can’t find the kitty, thougH Polly does find a possum to bring to it’s new forever home.. in the Bonchuy’s trash. Awwww. Despite being told to drop it later (”But it’s face is locked in a horrifying smile!”) i’m convinced she just later snuck out, came back for it and it now lives, again in it’s new home in the garbage, forever more. 

Eventually though it’s clear they can’t find the cat and with Hop Pop not being resonable, the kids have to be and stuff him in the cat carrier while they call Mr. B. He gladly tells them where to find her, anywhere with Schwarma it’s her faviorite, and Hop Pop now wants to rescue her before Mr. B comes to pick them up. 

They find the kitty eating on a giant meat, and unlike Scooby doo she’s both not shooed away and dosen’t have to go on to star in Scoob!. So in other words she lives a good life, but since the owner wants to keep her for publicity health violations be dammned, our heroes have to clear the place out. Thankfully Hop Pop can immitate an alarm, we get a good karen joke, and everyone clears out, with Polly going into spin and win mode, using a thread on her coat as string to lure domino out. Our heroes when and Mr. B gets them out of there before the Firefighters arrive. 

We get an incredibly nice moment on the drive home where Hop Pop genuinely thanks Mr. B for his help and admits he didn’t want to be a burdern or make them feel like he wasn’t pulling his weight. Mr. B explains that they already have and wil lnever be a burden: When his daughter was lost in a strange, dangerous world they took her in, gave her a home and protected her. They could never impose after all they’ve done. I like this because it’s growth: at first it was clear the Boonchuy’s saw the plantars more as a reason their daughter got taken away than as the people who made her a better person and kept her safe. But with a week to process, to see what Anne’s become and to get to know them... they now accept the truth: These are good honest people who helped their daughter and kept her alive so she COUDL get home in the first place. Their family. And they deserve their help and home. It’s incredibly sweet. 

At home Anne comes home having had 8 cavities and some cricket legs removed, and is naturally high as balls. Sensing the opportunity to go have married sex while wearing spider-man and venom masks, the Boonchuy’s have the plantar’s watch anne and we end with Domino back in his happy place.. knocking shit over. 

This episode was fun. It wasn’t the deepest aside from that one scene, but it was packed full of amazing jokes, was incredibly well paced, and just in general was a joy to watch. Together both episodes help show why this is on track to be the best season of the show period: it combines the show’s deft character work and continuity with it’s slice of life feel. Unlike the last two seasons, every episode so far has felt important and touches on some new aspect of the new status quo.  In sharp contrast to the start of last season i’m not twiddling my thumbs waiting for the plot to pick back up as we get random retreads with only one or two clever episodes, but instead enjoying every moment And that’s how a show like this SHOULD function: allow their to be downtime to simply enjoy the new status quo and have fun with it, but still feeling necessary and enjoyable. The show is at it’s best and I can only see it climbing higher as the season goes on. And hope to god those words don’t backfire horribly

Next Week: The Plantars do a crime and visit a holy place. Thankfully not at the same time. 

If you enjoyed this review, follow for more as I have at least 4 reviews a week including these Amphibia reviews, and consider joining my Patreon to help me keep making awesome reviews like this. 

PATREON IS RIGHT HERE

Thanks for reading

[yoyoplisetsky]

I decided that in order to put a little more positivity and love in this fandom, I wanted to do a fic rec list every week of every fic that I read and write. It’s a long post, but I’m not sorry. They’re organized in the order that I read them or wrote them, from least recent to most recent. Got suggestions for me, or want to scream about some on this list? Come talk to me, I want them all!

THINGS I READ THIS WEEK (~5/20-5/27):

come on baby, let’s do the twist! - renaissance - The year is 1964, the Winter Olympics are in full swing, and Yakov is determined to win gold and be himself—and, of course, show his beautiful and perfect girlfriend Lilia how much he loves her. (My review: look i super love yakov, and this fic is a very cute taste of past!yakov. loved it.)

somewhere in your shadow i - seventhstar - four times yuuri used the internet to secretly love viktor nikiforov and one time he proclaimed it to the whole world (My review: this was adorable, i loved it. awesome story about yuuri on the internet and in love with viktor <33)

set sail from sense (ch. 1) - spookyfoot - Dancer/Choreographer Katsuki Yuuri and Singer/Songwriter Victor Nikiforov are finally Twitter official. The catch? It's for the "fake" role-play accounts they use to escape the pressure of their official images — and neither of them know that the "fake" celebrity they're talking to is actually the real deal. (My review: Have I mentioned I love social media fics? I love social media fics. This was very cute, and I can’t wait for spooky’s update <3)

Mine (Ch 1-3) - JMonCheri - Wherein famous actors Yuuri Katsuki and Viktor Nikiforov are forced to fake a relationship for mere reasons such as fame, money, and for teenage girls to make thesis long rants about them on Tumblr. A pact is made, then things snowball into a complete mess, and ya'll already get the idea where this is going... (My review: I love actor aus, and this one is written very charmingly, I love it)

The Bulge (Don’t Bring a Weapon to a Public Beach) - nagoyadelay - Victor posts a photo of Yuuri on instagram without realizing that it’s somewhat suggestive.A thirsty skating fandom collectively loses their shit. (My review: This fic is hilarious. Would recommend).

Kiss for The Greater Cause - Verudaru (veldygee) - Yuuri somehow managed to crack the dance studio's mirror wall. Phichit came up with an idea to come up with quick money. (My review: Also adorable and very funny. Loved it!)

Baby, I’m Preying on You Tonight (Ch. 5) - cuttlemefish - Yuuri and Phichit registered and named the pet shop when they were drunk. They didn’t exactly expect it to become the most popular pet shop in Seattle. (It was only supposed to be a front to fund Phichit’s (undercover) animal rescue missions.) Enter Viktor Nikiforov, the man with the pink Cadillac and the giant brown poodle (that's stolen Yuuri's heart), and Yuuri might have lost his mind, because apparently he keeps flirting with a client – and he never even notices. (My review: THIS FIC IS REALLY CUTE would recommend)

Espresso - withoutwingsx -  Prompt- You kicked two guys out for being rude but turns out they were a couple and now everyone including your crush thinks you're homophobic but you're actually 100% homosexual aka  Yuuri was not dealing with this shit today. (My review: Ahh, this was very well characterized, I adored it)

Pop Culture 101 - katsukiy - Yuuri makes Viktor sit through the entirety of The Star Wars series for a set of mostly selfish reasons. (My review: Yuuri and Viktor “”””””watch””””” Star Wars. A+)

whatever the mess you are, you’re mine (Ch. 1) - spookyfoot - Yuuri Katsuki's treading water after a humiliating failed audition for Megalopolis's premier ballet company, the Stammi Vicino Ballet. Meanwhile, 5 years post-forced retirement from a career ending injury, former SVB premier danseur Victor Nikiforov has established the city's hottest party planning company — but no one in his life seems to realize he's stuck in a holding pattern.When their paths cross at the annual Yu-topia Akatsuki friends and family banquet Victor's standard booking becomes anything but as shift the tides of one another's lives.  (My reivew: VikNik’s PikNiks was just as cute as I expected and I can’t wait for more)

Giacometti & Co. - Anna (artic_grey) - Against his shoulder and into the fabric of his t-shirt, Yuuri mumbled, “HaveyoueversleptwithChris?”He choked on his breath. Oh. Uh. “Errrr…” His mind raced. “A little?” aka the fic where both Viktor and Yuuri have slept with Chris. (My review: I love past Viktor/Chris, and I love past Yuuri/Chris, so this was awesome)

you can have my everything - spookyfoot - 3 times Yuuri strips out of self interest and 1 time he strips out of love.Featuring: high-stakes Monopoly, novelty aprons, aborted role-play, and a lot of banter. It's approximately 80% banter. (My review: a very cute story about yuuri stripping for himself, and then for viktor ;) )

#LoveHotelsAreAwesome - lucycamui - After the Grand Prix, Victor drags Yuuri to go sightseeing in Tokyo and stumbles onto an interesting aspect of Japanese culture... “Yuuri, what are all those?” Yuuri looked down the street that Victor indicated, as first seeing nothing out of the ordinary, but then realized that it was the buildings themselves that had caught his coach’s attention. “Well, uhh…” His heart sank a little when Victor started down the street, examinging blown-up display photos, with one of a room made up to look like the stereotypical image of a tropical resort. “They’re… love hotels.” (My Review: Ahh, this is adorable. Viktor Nikiforov is a ridiculous dork and I love him)

The one where Viktor Nikiforov is Gordon Ramsay - Eriskay - “Remember how I have a primetime show where I insult professional chefs for any dish that’s mediocre or worse? Forgive me if I’m reluctant to assume that your boyfriend’s friends will be okay with me crashing their potluck dinner.” In the end, Viktor does end up coming along for dinner. There, he meets Yuuri Katsuki, a man with a special talent for finding just the right balance between different flavours, and a smile as sweet as meringue. (My review: ahhh, this was super cute!)

Accidentally in marriage (Ch 4) - totaldislocation - Yuuri Katsuki, one of the dime-a-dozen top figure skaters certified by the JSF, ends in last place at his first Grand Prix Final after bombing his performance. When he thinks things couldn't get worse, he wakes up absolutely hangovered in an unknown hotel room with no recollection of what happened the previous night. Next to him is his idol Victor Nikiforov, now legally his husband. (My review: I love fake/accidentally dating/marriage, so this is right up my alley and super well written and adorable)

The Genevan Paso Doble - FullmetalChords - Insurance investigator Victor Nikiforov's world is turned upside down one night in Geneva, when he comes face to face for the first time with the thief he comes to call "Eros". Little does he know that their chance encounter will change the course of his life forever. (My review: this fic is so incredibly sweet and also nicely written wow i loved it)

THINGS I WROTE THIS WEEK (~5/20-5/27):

the “real” viktor nikiforov (Ch. 8) - So, fine, maybe Yuuri's a little bored and lonely when he likes a dating profile claiming to be Viktor Nikiforov. And, maybe, he's a little pathetic when he gets excited when the account messages him almost immediately after. And, he's definitely stupid for falling in love with someone pretending to be his idol, but he can't help it. It's not like it's the real Viktor Nikiforov, anyway. He knows someone is catfishing him, but he still falls ridiculously in love. (Or: The catfish au where they’re really sappily in love and I can’t stop them)

how to steal a gold medal stealthily - Viktor probably shouldn't have made the rule that they couldn't get married until Yuuri had a gold medal with so few major competitions left that season. It was a mistake that led to a series of very strange Google searches in the Katuski-Nikiforov household. Or, well, they weren't married, were they? So the household in which Viktor Nikiforov and Katsuki Yuuri lived, in love, but not married. Because Yuuri didn't have a gold medal. Yet. (Or: Viktor was an idiot, and Yuuri understands how to work Google)

deal or no deal? - Viktor Nikiforov would literally sell his soul to marry the love of his life, Yuuri Katsuki. Literally. (Or: Cary, I cannot believe you started a Supernatural au)

a kiss for a dish - Yuuri was sick of Viktor continuously leaving dishes in his and Phichit's apartment, and was going to do something about it. For a week, Viktor only got as many kisses as dishes he cleaned, unless he did them all. Also, they're in college, and three of them are strippers. (Or: The soft strippers college au fic feat. dishcourse)