Tumgik
#honestly it should have been flopsy
isogenderskitty · 17 days
Text
i still haven't quite recovered from realising a couple months ago that i fully mandela-effected myself for over a decade to think that the ending of mamd was the old snatch & flopsy running off to venice together. no. that doesn't happen. the old snatch & big T go to venice together. the reason i thought that it was flopsy is because the same fucking thing happens with lupin & sirius (also played by brian & nick) at the end of avps.
0 notes
Highlights of the 10umentary for me:
Brian’s special boy song
Everyone hugging. Most precious thing in the world! (I also wish I could hug everyone in Starkid)
Brian’s commentary about hugging. Actually Brian’s commentary in general is amazing.
Joey, Darren and Dylan hugging “combine your bodies to become one”
Nick trying to pretend like he’s not stressed is me always.
Brian talking to the guy in the next car who thinks he’s talking about Star Wars. “People in LA are so nice”
“Here’s Diane. Diiiiannne. She doesn’t care” a queen.
“Well I’m not finding a DAMN thing at forever 21” 😂
“Yeeah baby” - Nick is so precious I cannot.
Nick and Jon dancing at 9:42-9:45
Darren is such a sweetheart
Classic Darren missing his line 😂
“I haven’t seen a lot of people in a long time” Same Joe. Same.
Omg Britney on FaceTime 🥰
Bonnie gushing about seeing everyone again. Ahhh 🥰
Everyone jamming to “make the most of it”
Omg Carlos I forgot about he was here for this. How dare I? Ahhh 🥰
Carlos: “I decided to come incognito. You know I didn’t want anyone to recognise me on the street so um you know I tried not to advertise myself or what I do”
Also Carlos: drinks from a The Flash water bottle as he says this.
The chaoticness of Carlos and Britney trying to sing together on time on FaceTime
“Is this unusual for Starkid” “no this is how we do all our shows”. At least they’re aware on how chaotic they are.
Darren is literally seems like one of the most confident people ever so hearing him talk about how he’s intimidated by AJ and Clark is crazy to me but I love it. Again, he’s such a sweetheart.
DARREN AND DYLAN HAVE KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR 20 YEARS? HOW DID I NOT KNOW THIS? I live for this friendship.
Jaime crushing them vocals 😍 not that she ever doesn’t bc she’s a literal queen!
“That’s what happens when you lock a bunch of people in a rehearsal room and sing about bugs and... Batman”
Everyone gushing about Jim Povolo. As they should.
Just a random side point but Brian’s editing skills really don’t get enough credit. All of his bts videos have done consist of him picking one thing to just continuously play throughout the whole video which is probably just from his love of repeating any bit for as long as possible until he exhausts it. Like Nick going “I don’t have time for that”. My favourite instance of this is the AVSR bts with joe saying “it’s a funny scene” and the sunglasses over Corey. Anyway, excuse my rambling. I love Brian, okay.
Nick’s dancing montage is cinematic perfection. 24:30-25:20
Richard, lily and Jim forgetting to come in for going back to Hogwarts 😂
“We just have to make sure we know what we’re doing”. Has Starkid ever known what the hell they’re doing?
Tyler fucking up his line 😂🥰
“They’re doing Voldemort is going down? Nobody likes that song” 😂
“Did you guys hear it’s the 10 year reunion” “yeah Liam”
Joe having no fucking clue what his lines are and people just assuming he’s doing a bit is just classic Joe Walker.
“This feels like an awful fever dream. A nightmare” - Also known as the year 2020.
“For those that know me, I think I and other people make fun of me for being verbose but I’m very particular... especially when dealing with Starkid. I want it to be concise and genuine.... I haven’t been in a Starkid show in a long time so it’s nice to be able to be back” I stan a man whose aware of how extra he can be. Also have I mentioned he’s a sweetheart?
“Darren’s speech was too verbose. It has been cut down for time” Brian cutting like half the speech is so savage and I love it.
Everyone jamming out to tgwdlm is a mood
“Honestly, the Brant Chant is one of the most humiliating things that will and continues to happen in my life and the fact I already had to experience it once in this run is uh-” “I MISSED THE BRANT CHANT!?!” “It already happened” “FUCK”
“It’s consistently traumatising and a highlight for everyone else except me” poor Brant! 😂
“I think everyone just loves Brant and it happens naturally”. Same.
I saw Joe Walker Interlude come up on the screen and my first thought was “I don’t know what’s about to happen but I just know it’s gonna be great”
“Horrified audience members”
Darren recording and high-fiving everyone 🥰
“I remember very distinct first impressions of people and it’s mainly by what they eat” y’know, I might start doing this.
“Joey Richter showed up with a subway pizza and I was like you don’t do that”
Lauren Lopez pulled out over her purse just a sweet potato that was pre-cooked with no toppings. Just a shriveled pre-cooked potato” - she honestly sounds so traumatised from this 😂
Nick’s bee sting story 😂
Everyone else: admiring the fan art. Brian: “What the fuck?Where’s Superman/Junior/Flopsy?”
“YOU CANT PUT LUPIN IN IT!?” I’m sorry Brian, we all know that you’re characters are iconic.
“WHAT THE FUCK!? Oh I wasn’t in this one”
I don’t know why I laughed so hard at Darren in the background of Joey talking about his drink but it’s hilarious.
Joe having a five minute warm up song that no one else is allowed to participate in is just peak Joe.
“I cried last night but I won’t do it again” - aww I love you Nick 🥰
Meredith really is just a ball of sunshine isn’t she? I love her. I feel like I don’t talk about her enough.
“It’s been ten years and we finally learnt how to put on a show”
“What’s weird about how it’s been is how not weird it’s been. If that makes any sense” no it doesn’t Nick but we love you anyway.
This video is really just an AJ and Clark appreciation video and I am here for it.
The SKH version of to have a home is my fav version of it so I’m crying a little.
BONNNIIEEE!!! 🥰🥰🥰🥰
“Who knows, if America survives and the world is still habitable in the year 2029, maybe we’ll see you for the 20th” this made me laugh and cry
Liam’s got a phone call is such a bop honestly.
Also I love all the new starkids having no fucking clue about this song but just vibing with it anyway.
I literally love Starkid with my entire heart and I am so thankful for them releasing this bts finally because I needed it big time.
321 notes · View notes
demonbanisher · 3 years
Text
Of Fish and Feelings
I just lost our pet fish and it brought up feelings cause I felt like I was failing my friends. Anyways writing is how I cope with things so I have a little slice of hurt/comfort. Warnings for pet fish death.
“Hello,” Sirius called out as he stepped in the doorway and shook snow off his hat and coat. Remus was always getting mad at him that he did that inside the house and not before he came home.
“Hey babe,” Remus said as he stumbled into the front entryway. His eyes were a little puffy and he was playing with the loose strings on the sleeves of his jumper.
Sirius hurriedly stripped out of the rest of his winter attire and made his way over to Remus.
“What’s wrong?” He said coiling himself around Remus who let out another sniffle.
Remus murmured something into his chest that Sirius couldn’t hear.
“What?” He asked as he stepped back, holding Remus out from him so he could hear him better.
“I killed Nessie.”
“Oh,” Sirius said. Nessie was their fish that they’d gotten over a year and a half ago when they moved in together. Honestly, it had gotten to the point where sometimes half a day would pass before one of them realized they hadn’t given him breakfast. He knew Remus was sensitive, especially when it came to animals, but this seemed like a strong reaction, even for a well-loved fish.
“I went to clean his tank and I got everything rinsed off and filled it with new water. I put him back in, but he brushed my hand. I don’t know if I hit something I shouldn’t have… b… but he was flailing for a little bit and then he just stopped moving. I’m so sorry.”
Sirius pulled him into his chest. He wasn’t overly attached to the fish but even he wouldn’t have wanted to watch him die while feeling helpless.
“Did you take him out already?”
Remus nodded against him.
Sirius gave Remus another tight squeeze, trying to channel all his love into that moment before he spoke again. “Remus, is this really about the fish?”
Remus stepped back a bit and seemed to look a little surprised before hurriedly casting his eyes to the ground.
“I just… I feel like I let you down. You trusted me to take care of him and I failed.”
“Where is this coming from love?” Sirius said as he guided Remus to the couch and sat down beside him, taking his hands into his lap as he rubbed warmth into them.
“Did you know I wanted to be a vet?”
Sirius shook his head softly, leaving space for Remus to continue speaking.
“Yeah, when I was little. I fell in love with animals really young. First was that pet lizard I had, then my bunny Flopsy.”
Sirius nodded again; he had met Flopsy on multiple occasion when they were still in school together.
“I loved them all, but sometimes I wouldn’t take Flopsy out as often as I should or my parents would have complain that they were always the one refilling his water bottle. My mom got in a really bad fight with me once. I know she angry and upset and just wanted to give me a sense of responsibility, but she told me if I was a vet, she would never bring her pets to me.”
Sirius squeezed his hands tighter.
“And that dream just kind of died out after that. I mean I don’t think I could have become a vet anyways. I don’t know how they do it, god, I think I’d cry every time I had to put an animal down even if I knew it was the right thing to do.
“But, when Flopsy had that cyst and had to go for surgery, those words just kept haunting me over and over again. I couldn’t stop thinking of how much of an awful pet owner I was and that I should have noticed it sooner and I should have pushed harder to get him checked up, and I just felt so guilty. I felt like I let everyone down, including Flopsy.”
“But he was okay after the surgery, right?”
“Oh yeah,” Remus said smiling now slightly at the memory. “The vet was blown away with how well he did despite his age.”
Sirius smiled too and let silence fall between them. He just let them both sit in that warm memory for a moment while he thought about what to say.
“Rems, how old were you when your mom told you that?”
He chewed on his lip in thought. “It was before we moved so I must have been nine or ten.”
Sirius tried not to wince at the image of a baby Remus having his dreams wrecked in a single blow. He knew Remus was right, that his mother never would have meant to hurt him that way. It was just sometimes parents don’t realize the weight of the things they say until it’s too late.
“I just worry I’m not enough for you,” Remus’ voice came out again as almost a whisper. His head hung low, unable to look at Sirius. “I worry I’m going to mess it all up.”
“Come here,” Sirius said, holding one arm out so that Remus could tuck his feet up on the couch and snuggle close to him. He planted a kiss into his curls as he rubbed up and down his arm soothingly. “You’ll always be enough for me, Remus. You could never let me down. Not when I see how hard you try every single day, okay?”
Remus nodded and pulled himself closer into the comfort of Sirius’ smell. He knew it was silly. He knew it was all in his head. But some days he couldn’t help feeling this overwhelming fear that he was going to lose this, ruin this beautiful, amazing thing that he had, and then he’d be all alone.
“I’m not leaving you love,” Sirius said, as if reading his mind. “I’m not going anywhere.”
And Remus held him tighter and let himself be blanketed in the warmth of that promise.
10 notes · View notes
etherealwaifgoddess · 4 years
Text
Tea For Two
Characters: dad!Bucky x reader
Summary: You come home from grocery shopping to find Bucky having a tea party with your daughter.
Content Warning: tooth rotting fluff, a smidge of first base at the very end.
Word Count: 1.4k
Author’s Note: Hi lovelies. I know I have my Loki fic going on right now but I couldn’t wait to share this with ya’ll. This little fic popped into my head earlier today and I just couldn’t shake it loose. And honestly, we all need a little extra sweet fluff in our lives right now. XOXO - Ash
Tea For Two
The house is quiet as you lug your groceries in from the car. It’s suspicious at first, but short lived. Peals of laughter echo down the backstairs and into the kitchen. 
“No, daddy! Bubby-bear can’t drink tea!” you hear your four year old daughter shrieking with laughter. 
“What?!” your husband gasps dramatically, “Are you sure? ‘Cause I think he would love his own cup.” 
“No, daddy. It’s tea for TWO.” 
“Okay, princess. Tea for two.” 
You put the groceries away quickly, wanting to get a glimpse of the tea party before it’s over. Your daughter usually cons her daddy into wearing his own tiara and sometimes even some glitter. It’s worth shoving everything in the fridge to deal with later to see what was once the world's deadliest assassin sporting purple glitter and an Elsa crown. Even after four and a half years of parenthood, it still melts your heart to see Bucky be so soft with your daughter. 
Bucky had been terrified for most of your pregnancy. Scared he would lose you or the baby. Scared one of his old enemies would resurface and come after you. Scared he wouldn’t be a good father. It was a very long nine months but you had managed with lots of patience, love, and therapy. Bucky had taken to parenthood like a fish to water. He loved Rebecca Sara Barnes more than anything else in the world from the moment she took her first breath. It was almost annoying some days how all the little things that should have been annoying he seemed to love. He didn’t get upset when she woke up in the middle of the night, or when she got super whiny when she was tired. Those were the times Bucky shined. He was endlessly patient and loving, swooping in to fix whatever was wrong. You didn’t think you could love him more when you had married him, but after Becca, you learned your love for him was infinite. 
You slip upstairs quietly, padding down the carpeted hall without a sound. Well, at least none that your daughter would hear. There was no way to out-stealth a former assassin. You peek around the door frame to see your daughter’s back, your husband facing you from across the Disney Princess table. He dwarfs the pink chair he’s sitting on but he’s perched on it all the same. As expected, Becca had conned him into wearing a crown and there’s a smear of glitter on each of his cheeks. He hates getting the glitter out of his beard and long hair, but he loves his little girl more. A small shiny blue cape is hanging from his neck, barely draping down past his broad shoulders. A matching pink cape hangs from your daughter’s shoulders, fitting her like it should. Her little Anna crown is lopsided and she pushes it back with a huff of exasperation. It’s hard not to laugh, that expression is one she definitely gets from you. 
Bucky looks up at you, giving you a lopsided smile and a shrug. He should have started her bedtime routine fifteen minutes ago and he knows it. You can’t be upset though. It’s a weekend and they both live for these little quiet moments together. You shoot him a smile and lean back against the door frame to watch their party. It’s quite a spread tonight. Bucky had set up her Frozen tea set and they’re drinking strawberry tea and have plates of goldfish and fruit gummies on the table too. Becca’s stuffed bunny is one chair, and her favorite bear is in the other, both with their own empty cups in front of them. The bear was a gift from Steve when you’d announced your pregnancy. It was weird how the world had monetized the likenesses of the Avengers. Some things the team agreed they wished they’d never seen, but when Steve found a Bucky Barnes teddy bear, complete with a silver arm, he couldn’t resist. It had ended up being Becca’s favorite toy and she never slept without it. As she learned to speak, the Bucky-bear became her Bubby-bear and the name had stuck. 
Your daughter is chattering happily to her bear and bunny, making sure they’re having a nice time at her party. You know what’s coming next when she asks Mr. Flopsy if he would like to listen to some music. It’s not a tea party if she doesn’t get Bucky to sing. You had stopped dead in your tracks the first time you’d heard Bucky sing. It was shortly after Becca was born and he was lulling her to sleep, crooning some old song from his childhood. His voice was dark and smooth like good whiskey, and you’d thanked god for bringing this amazing man into your life. 
“Daddy, can you sing us the song?” Becca asks, looking sweet as can be.
Bucky smiles at her indulgently, but mischief sparks in his grey-blue eyes, “What song, princess?” 
“Daddy!” she scolds him, her chocolate brown curls flying as she shakes her head, “The tea party song!” 
“Oh!” Bucky acts surprised, “Of course I can sing the tea party song.” he takes a sip of his tea and then the old song spills from his lips, “Tea for two, and two for tea. Me for you, and you for me…” 
You head down the hall, giving them their peace. The parties normally wrap up soon after she gets Bucky to sing. You’re still tired from chasing her around all day, Friday is playgroup meetup after preschool, and then running errands once Bucky got home from work. You never expected Bucky to be able to work a nine to five job, not even when you’d found out you were pregnant. It was a bombshell on everyone when Bucky had handed in a formal resignation letter, apologizing to the team but making it crystal clear where his priorities lied. They had compromised with him working normal business hours, helping to chase leads and decrypt files from the office instead of the field. It had worked out for everyone and while you sometimes wondered if Bucky missed being in the field with the team, he insisted he wouldn’t have it any other way. 
An hour later you were relaxing in bed with your newest Nora Roberts book when Bucky appeared in your doorway. “Hey mama.” he called to you.
“Hey you.” you set your book down on the nightstand when you see he’s carrying two cups. They’re the oversized china teacups you had bought a few years ago at an estate sale. You love them despite how completely over the top they are.
“You up to an adult tea party?” he motions with the cups in his hands.
“What kind of tea do we have?” 
Bucky hands you a cup, “I managed to snag a bottle of the good champagne they had for that diplomats dinner going on tonight.” 
“Champagne in tea cups?” you giggle, sipping the bubbly golden drink. It was the good kind; slightly sweet with sharp bubbles bursting on your tongue. 
“Gotta take care of both my girls, don’t I?” Bucky presses a kiss to your forehead before going around to his side of the bed. 
“You do.” you agree, knowing full well Bucky is the best partner anyone could ever ask for. “But the real question is, will you sing the tea party song?” You bite the inside of your cheek to keep from laughing, feeling playful and wanting to be a little needy like you know Bucky loves.
“Oh darlin’,” Bucky sets his cup down and slides over so he can lean over you, “All you had to do was ask.” he kisses you firmly for a moment before his lips slide to the edge of your jaw by your ear, “Tea for two” he sings in a low whisper, “Two for tea.” he trails kisses in between notes along your jaw and down the column of your neck “Me for you.” Bucky grinds gently against you as his kisses trail further down your chest, “And you for me.” Bucky stops singing as he buries his face between your breasts. You never do get to hear him sing the whole song, but in that moment you can’t seem to mind at all. 
159 notes · View notes
embrassemoi · 3 years
Note
(1/8) *inhales* *starts screaming like a howler* IT'S HAPPENING OH MY GOD IT'S HAPPENING! Honestly, you have no idea after how many times I checked tumblr after your sbtmas update post. I don't even know where to begin. Probably I should start with moony, right! When he took her flying and asked her to let go of her hands, it kind of reminded me of *that* scene from titanic but with stars and actual flying (sorry jack dawson but remus lupin is and always will be superior). It was just so, so
*inhales too and starts screaming back* HOLY - IT'S HAPPENING! AHHHHHH! REMUSSSSS! AHHHHHHHH - KEEP CALM !!!!!
Ah! now that you mention it, it also reminds me of that 'I'm flying' from titanic!
(2/8) beautiful. I cannot even begin listing everything I loved about that scene or else I would have to copy and paste the entire thing here. "But now, watching her glow, it dawned on Remus that he was holding the golden beam that threatened to paint the midnight sky gold." I mean- I probably read this three times because *screaming* HE'S IN LOVE, YOUR HONOR!!! Also I love, love, love the sun, moon and stars being used to represent mc, remus and sirius. It's kind of interesting sun is actually
I WANT YOU TO KNOW I WAS 100% SCREAMING WHILE WRITING THAT ENTIRE SCENE LMFAO! I'm glad you liked it! It was definitely *so far* one of my favourite scenes to write
(3/8) a star so they are similar and belong together, but also the moon and sun are kind of opposites and opposites attract and complete each other. So both sirius and remus are good matches for her but have very diffrent dynamics... I don't know, I am probably overthinking again. But I just don't know who to ship her with at this point. And I don't think you are going to fast with their relationship, their relationship progressed so naturally and beautifully, especially since the beginning
Well when I was in the planning stages of figuring out what I wanted to really add in this fic, one of the first things that came to mind was taking advantage of the moon and star metaphors. it makes things so much more romantic / angsty and plus - they're there. what am I supposed to do - not use the absolute gold I have at my finger tips? (see what I did there)
and no! I always encourage predictions being made. some of my readers have been scarily accurate and it scares the fuck outta me but they're hilarious to read! Like I had one clever reader send in a prediction of what was going to happen and my jaw dropped. Spot on!
also for the MC and remus' relationship progressing - I had to cut out so m u c h because it really was too rushed. But don't worry, it'll be moved to other upcoming chapters!
(4/8) of the sixth year. Okay, I know this chapter was remus' time to shine but can we talk about sirius for a minute? The way he looked at with so much vulnerability in front of everyone. Couple of chapters ago he didn't even cast a spell at her during their duel and bowed in front of her. Considering how romantic feelings are foreign to him, it's crazy to see how much he grown to care for her in a short amount of time. I can't help but love their chemisty, even after everything that happend.
SIRIUS! darling... I feel awful. I can't wait to write his POV of how he's feeling sometime in the near future.
yeah, I was also trying to go for the intense guilt he feels about everything so :p I love torturing characters, don’t I?
(5/8) And there were so many little things in this chapter that made me so happy. McLaggen already started causing drama and I'm so here for it. Sybill celebrating her birthday. Matthew being the best friend ever (When gaplin family owl arrived, i though something happend to him and I was terrified). Lily finally talking to mc again! Regulus' extravagant gift! But being dramatic must be a Black family thing. I can't belive he got her a ring that practically screams "the noble and most ancient
McLaggen - stirring the pot. sly mother fucker haha!
Matthew made a little cameo! I love writing him :D!!!! I have a few things in store for his arch and ughhhh ahahahahah. and omg! no! If I was going to hurt Matthew, I wouldn't do It this early. (That sounds like a threat haha)
(6/8) house of black" while hiding their friendship. Somebody bound to connect the dots (sirius maybe?), right? And he's with his parents for "an event"? Very suspicious. P.S. Bc I'm not creative with names (like remus' parents) I was calling the bunny furry little problem the second or moony jr. in my head. And as for name... flopsy could be cute. I know it's very stereotypical but there was a children's book called "the tale of flopsy bunnies" and I feel like remus might have been familiar
Lmfao fucking Regulus - or really the black family - always one for the dramatic. I can't wait to *eventually* write more of dramatic ass Sirius.
I've also been referring to the bunny as 'furry little problem' in my head haha!
(7/8) with muggle children's books because of his mother and idk, naming a pet after a book character feels like something he would do. Also floppy and flops were some of the nicknames james used to call mc, so it could be cute (But owl bait is also a brilliant name as well). P.P.S. Can we talk about how after mc comes to his dorm for the "bunny time" (very cute btw) remus said something like "i feel like you're using me for my pet" and in one of the previous chapters mc told him he was using
- also I'm surprised you remember that part about James calling her 'Flops' ETC considering I only mentioned it briefly. Wow! And you're absolutely right, it would be such a cute call back to the MC!
I'm going to be running a 'poll' (idk if I should call it that) sometime within the next few days of a list of name suggestions I've gotten and let readers choose the name! and I'll totally add your suggestion to the list. love it!
(8/8) her for the casette player. I don't know if it was intentional but for some reason that made me laugh so hard. And seems like I talked way too much again thank you for this chapter and thank you for listening/reading my ramblings, I guess. *screaming stops* *howler rips itself into pieces* -🌸
It was intentional! I'm glad you caught on!
and thank you for rambling, as always I loved reading it! Made my week :D xx I wish you a wonderful day/evening 😊
4 notes · View notes
rhosyn-du · 4 years
Text
Title: A Wonderful Institution Artist: @bidnezz​​ Pairings: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood, various background pairings Word Count: ~53k Warnings: graphic depictions of violence, discrimination against Downworlders, reference to rape, Clave-typical homophobia, implied character death, minor character death Summary: Magnus doesn’t have time for this bullshit. Warlocks are disappearing in New York City—five people in less than three months—and Magnus is determined to find them and protect the rest of his people from whatever took them. He doesn’t have time for politics, and he certainly doesn’t have time for whatever nonsense the Clave is proposing about marrying a Shadowhunter to a Downworlder as part of the new Accords. He doesn’t really have time for a pretty Shadowhunter who’s surprisingly kind to warlock children, either, but, well, he’s always been good at multitasking.
Alec always knew he couldn’t have what he wanted, but he’s spent the nearly four years since the newly-appointed Consul recalled his parents to Idris without explanation making the best of what he can have. When life suddenly offers up almost everything Alec actually wants on a silver platter, he can’t quite bring himself to trust it, especially when it comes with a million caveats and a side of impending disaster. But he knows how to handle disasters, even if the return of the Circle on top of Clave secrets that could destroy the Accords is way beyond the disasters he’s used to fielding. Hope, on the other hand? He doesn’t know what to do with that.
This fic was created for the @malecdiscordserver​​ Mini Bang 2020.
Chapter Two
Tumblr media
There were too many Shadowhunters in Magnus’s loft. It had probably been a mistake to invite Alec in the first place, but Magnus had let his judgment be swayed by a pretty face and a frightened child, and now he was stuck with the man’s sister and parabatai, too.
Magnus thought that perhaps, had they met under different circumstances, he might have enjoyed Isabelle’s company. Jace, on the other hand, managed to perfectly embody the condescending arrogance that so annoyed Magnus about Shadowhunters.
“Help him up into a sitting position,” Magnus instructed. “It will help the potion go down easier.” He spared a reassuring smile for Madzie, who sat curled up in a chair with Mr. Flopsy, watching the proceedings with worried eyes that nonetheless kept blinking toward sleep.
Isabelle and Jace did as instructed, maneuvering an unconscious Alec from his sprawl across Magnus’s couch into something that resembled an upright position.
Magnus leaned over Alec’s head, where it lolled against the back of the couch, hand resting against Alec’s cheek to hold him steady.
“Alexander,” he said softly. “if you can hear me, I need you to swallow the potion I’m going to give you.”
There was no response. Magnus hadn’t really expected one, but thought it was worth saying in case some part of Alec’s unconscious mind heard him.
Slowly, Magnus poured the potion into Alec’s open mouth, stroking a hand down Alec’s neck to encourage swallowing. He breathed a sigh of relief when he felt the movement of Alec’s throat beneath his fingers.
“He should be awake in a few minutes,” Magnus said.
“Thank you,” Isabelle said with an air of genuine gratitude that Magnus had rarely heard from a Shadowhunter.
“It was no problem, my dear,” Magnus said, and was surprised to realize he meant it.
As soon as Alec woke, the Shadowhunters would be out of his hair, and he could deal with every other disaster the evening had presented him with. Like the mundane woman and infant warlock currently asleep in his guest room, under Catarina’s watchful eye.
As if his thoughts had summoned her, Catarina stepped out of the guest room, closing the door softly behind her. She motioned to Magnus, who joined her in the corner of the room. As he’d suspected would happen, Madzie had fallen asleep in her chair.
“The mundane is under a whole tangle of memory spells,” Catarina said quietly. “Too many for me to untangle in one evening, and honestly, after hearing the little she did remember, I don’t know if it would be good for her to remember the rest of it.”
“That bad?” Magnus asked, frowning.
“I can’t be entirely sure, but I think…” Catarina let out a tired breath. “I think Iris has been luring or kidnapping mundane women and forcing them to bear warlock children.”
Magnus took a deep breath to rein in the fury that suddenly flared through him. Deal with the practicalities first.
“Does she remember if there were other mundane women living at the house?”
Catarina shook her head. “One of the few things Leigh is very clear on is that she and Iris were the only ones caring for the children. And she remembers that she’s Noah’s mother, although thankfully for her sanity, she doesn’t remember anything about how she came to be pregnant.”
“Lucky for her, certainly,” Magnus said, “but that leaves us not knowing where Iris was getting the demons.”
“Actually,” Catarina said, “she also mentioned something about the basement of the house being dangerous. It could be nothing, but…”
“But it could be that Iris was keeping a captive demon in the basement for her disgusting breeding program,” Magnus finished for her.
“We can go check it out after your guests leave and we get Madzie into an actual bed,” Catarina offered.
“I have a better idea,” Magnus said, glancing over his shoulder to where Jace and Isabelle were conferring quietly on the couch beside a still-unconscious Alec. “Shadowhunter!”
“Warlock,” Jace responded, sounding bored, but he and Isabelle rose to join Magnus and Catarina.
Magnus rolled his eyes. “I have reason to believe a missing warlock might have been keeping one or more demons captive in her basement. I thought perhaps you might want to look into it, since dealing with demons is kind of your whole,” he waved a hand, “Shadowhunter thing.”
Jace and Isabelle exchanged a quick look, then Isabelle said, “We will look into it. If you give me the address, I’ll make sure someone checks it out.”
“While you’re at it,” Alec muttered from the couch, eyes blinking open, “could you look into being a little less loud?”
Isabelle was the first to reach his side, with Jace close behind. Magnus took his time joining them.
“You had us worried for a minute there, big brother,” Isabelle said.
“How are you feeling?” Jace asked, and the concern was so evident in his tone that Magnus could almost forgive him for being such a complete pain in his ass. Almost.
“Headache,” Alec answered. “No serious damage except maybe my pride. Did I really get taken down by a Ravener demon?”
“You did,” Magnus answered, “but given that there were at least two dozen of them, I think your pride will recover.”
Alec looked up at him then, and Magnus was caught once again in those startling hazel eyes. He wondered how it was possible for a man he’d only just met to have such an effect on him.
“Thank you,” Alec said. “For healing me. You didn’t have to.”
“Nonsense,” Magnus said. “If I’d been faster, you might not have been hurt in the first place. Although,” he added with a flirtatious smile, “if you really wanted to thank me, you could buy me a drink sometime.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Magnus saw Isabelle cover a smile with her hand and decided that, yes, she could also have an exemption to his one Shadowhunter in the loft is too many rule.
“Uh,” Alec said, looking bemused, “you can bill the Institute for your time. How long was I out?”
“About fifteen minutes,” Jace told him.
“And the demons?”
“All of the trails converged on the alley where we found you,” Isabelle said. “We got there just in time for your dramatic collapse,” she added, grinning.
Alec winced. “Ouch. Wounded pride, remember?”
“I suspect the demons were tracking Madzie,” Magnus said. “I followed their trail from the house where she was staying with several other warlocks. It’s not the first attack of this kind I’ve seen in recent months, although it is the largest.”
“This got something to do with the missing warlock you mentioned?” Alec wanted to know.
Magnus nodded. “One of several, I’m afraid.” Although he couldn’t quite bring himself to feel too bad that Iris had been taken, not if Catarina’s suspicions proved true.
“And this has been going on for months.” It wasn’t a question. Alec looked at Jace. “Why is this the first I’m hearing about this?”
“It’s the first I’ve heard of it too,” Jace answered, shaking his head.
“We haven’t exactly been advertising the disappearances,” Magnus said. “And to be honest, I don’t think anyone expected Shadowhunters to care about a few missing warlocks.”
“Well, I do,” Alec said, annoyance clear in his voice. “We do.” He sighed, running a hand over his face. “We should get back to the Institute,” he said, standing. “Thank you, again. For healing me, and for having my back.”
“It was my pleasure, Alexander,” Magnus answered. “It is, tragically, not every day I have handsome men swooning in my arms.”
Magnus thought he caught the tiniest hint of a smile as Alec rose from the couch.
“I’ll let you know if I hear anything about those missing warlocks,” Alec promised.
“Please contact me if you do,” Magnus told him. “Or if there’s anything else you think we might be able to help each other out with.”
Magnus saw the Shadowhunters out, then returned to the living room, where Catarina was watching him with amusement.
“Oh, he’s too pretty not to flirt with and you know it,” Magnus told her.
“I said nothing,” she said, shaking her head but still smiling.
Magnus flopped theatrically onto his finally empty couch and closed his eyes. He thought perhaps one was the right number of Shadowhunters to have in his loft, so long as it was the right one.
Tumblr media
Alec managed to get a full five hours of sleep before a pounding on his door woke him. He’d meant to go straight to bed when they’d returned to the Institute, but his curiosity had gotten the better of him, and instead he’d spent nearly an hour reading everything in the Clave database about Magnus Bane, and then another two lying awake in the dark, trying to reconcile any of it with the man who’d fought at his side and saved him from demon venom. Who’d caught him when he fell.
Before Alec could shake the cobwebs of dream and the vague impression of kohl-rimmed eyes from his mind and answer, his sister was opening the door and barging right in.
“Come right in, Iz,” Alec muttered into his pillow.
“Sorry, hermano,” Izzy said, perching on the side of his bed, “but I thought you’d want to know that Mom’s here.”
That woke him right up.
“Did she say why she’s here?”
Izzy shook her head. “Just that she wanted to see you when you were up. She said she’d be in her office.”
Her office. Of course. Never mind that his parents had been in Idris for most of the past four years, or that neither of them had even set foot in the New York Institute in over six months, they were still technically Heads of the Institute. Alec just hoped she didn’t move anything important on his desk. Her desk. Fuck.
Alec tried not to be bitter about it, he really did, but some days it was harder than others, and today was apparently one of those days.
“Thanks for letting me know. Can you tell her I’ll be there in twenty minutes?”
“Can do, big brother.” She leaned in to give him a hug. “I’ll be training if you need a sparring partner to blow off some steam with after.”
It took exactly ten seconds in his mother’s presence for Alec to know he would most definitely want to hit things after this meeting. There was a brittle edge to her perfunctory smile that managed to convey all of the same disappointment evident in her recent letters while not quite hiding a bone-deep exhaustion. Not for the first time, Alec wondered what exactly his parents were doing in Idris.
“Mother,” Alec said, stepping into the office and falling instinctively into parade rest. “This is unexpected. If I’d known you were coming, I would have been awake to welcome you.”
“It was a last-minute decision,” Maryse answered. “I finished what I was working on earlier than expected, and Consul Penhallow suggested I come and ensure everything is set for next week’s negotiations.”
It made sense that the Clave would send someone to oversee preparations for the final round of negotiations over the revised Accords, since those negotiations were to be held at the New York Institute. It even made sense that the Clave would send Maryse, as one of the official Heads of Institute. But Alec couldn’t quite shake the suspicion that his mother was here for more personal reasons.
“I’m sure you’ll find everything in order,” Alec said. “Will Father be joining you?”
Maryse’s answering smile was tight. “Your father will be here in time for the negotiations. He still has some things to take care of in Idris.”
Her smile sharpened, and Alec knew he’d been right about why she was here.
“Besides,” she continued, “I thought you and I could take this opportunity to discuss your future, just the two of us.”
Alec shook his head, suddenly feeling as though he’d gotten no sleep at all. “There’s nothing to discuss. I volunteered, the Council chose me, end of discussion.”
“There’s still time to change your mind,” Maryse said with a carefully controlled calm. “The negotiations aren’t until next week. The Council will choose someone else, and the Downworlders will never know the difference. If you’d bothered to consult me about this in the first place, or even your father—”
“I consulted with Consul Penhallow,” Alec interrupted.
“Jia Penhallow doesn’t give a damn about what your decision means for this family,” Maryse snapped. “Or what it means for you.”
Alec looked away, choosing his words carefully. “What it means for this family is that the revised Accords—the ones that you support— will be signed, and they won’t be put in jeopardy by someone who resents marrying a Downworlder for political reasons. When the Clave first announced this marriage was going to be a part of the revised Accords, you and Dad are the ones who convinced me it was necessary. I’m doing what I can to make sure it goes smoothly.
“Besides,” he continued, finally meeting his mother’s eyes again, “you’re the one who suggested I start looking for a wife.”
“I meant you should find a Shadowhunter wife, Alec!” Maryse said, throwing up her hands. “Yes, the revised Accords are important, and yes, someone needs to do this, but that person doesn’t have to be you.”
Alec regarded his mother for a long moment. “What aren’t you telling me?” he asked finally. “The Council thinks I’m the right person to do this, and so do I. If you have a reason for disagreeing that goes beyond distaste over the idea of your son marrying a Downworlder, then tell me what it is.”
For just an instant, Maryse seemed to hang on the precipice of speaking, but then her shoulders slumped, and she sighed. “I’m doing what’s best for our family, Alec.”
Alec knew his mother well enough to know that there was no point in asking again.
“So am I,” he said instead. “Is there anything else? I told Izzy I’d train with her this morning.”
Maryse shook her head. “We can discuss preparations for the negotiations when you’re feeling less recalcitrant.”
He found Izzy in the training room, practicing forms with a staff, right where she’d promised to be.
“That bad?” she asked, grabbing a second staff from the rack on the wall and tossing it to him. “Want to talk about it?”
“Nope,” he told her, feinting high, then moving to sweep her left leg.
Izzy danced out of the way, laughing. “Come on, Alec. If you’re not going to keep me up to date on family gossip, at least give me a decent fight.”
She moved toward him, throwing out three jabs in quick succession, all of which he blocked.
“Now who’s not giving a decent fight?” he taunted. “I was getting a better workout arguing with Mom.”
“You’re still recovering from last night,” she said, rolling the staff lazily across her shoulders as they circled each other. “I wouldn’t want to further damage your ego.”
“Cute,” Alec said before launching another attack, this time at Izzy’s midsection, which she blocked and rolled into her own attack.
They kept on like that for several minutes, attack and parry, back and forth, neither managing to land a blow. It was exactly what Alec needed to ease the frustration of his earlier meeting.
“Speaking of last night,” Izzy said just as Alec felt the last of the frustrated tension loose from his shoulders, “have you heard from Magnus?”
Alec felt a tiny frisson of…something deep in his belly at mention of the warlock. It distracted him enough that he didn’t quite block Izzy’s next attack, and his shoulder caught a glancing blow. It wasn’t nearly as uncomfortable as Izzy’s smug grin.
“Why would I hear from Magnus?” Alec asked, rolling out his shoulder with an intentional casualness.
Izzy gave him a pointed look. “About the missing warlocks? You did promise to share information, remember?” Her grin widened as she bounced from foot to foot, looking for a hole in his defenses. “Or maybe he thinks you’d have a different answer for him if he asked you out without so many people around.”
“He didn’t— That’s not what that was,” Alec insisted. He could admit, at least to himself, that he’d been just a tiny bit flattered at Magnus’s flirting, but he wasn’t foolish enough to take it seriously.
And even if Magnus had been serious, it wouldn’t matter. Alec was getting married.
Izzy gave him her most disbelieving smirk, then added insult to injury by blocking his next attack seemingly without effort.
“Then maybe you should ask him out,” Izzy suggested. “You can’t tell me you don’t want to.”
“Izzy,” Alec said warningly, “drop it.”
“For now,” she agreed, once again darting out of range of his staff. “But don’t think this conversation is over, big brother.”
Alec was saved from answering by the arrival of a fire message. It was entirely Izzy’s fault that he let himself wonder, for those few seconds before he read it, if it might be from Magnus.
“Everything okay?” Izzy asked, lowering her staff.
“Yeah,” Alec said, frowning faintly. The message was from a warlock, just not the one he’d been hoping to hear from. “Yeah, I just gotta take care of something real quick.”
“Guess I’ll just have to kick your ass later then,” Izzy said with a shrug.
Alec decided that one wasn’t worth answering.
Tumblr media
“Thank you again for coming,” Catarina said, leaning back against the park bench. A few feet away, Madzie was pushing Mr. Flopsy on the swing set. “She just wouldn’t believe you were really okay until she could see it for herself. And with Iris gone, she doesn’t have a whole lot of stability in her world right now.”
“I get it,” Alec said. Shadowhunters didn’t exactly tend to live long and full lives, and this wasn’t the first time he’d seen a kid who’d lost a parent figure panic over other people getting hurt. “And I don’t mind. If seeing me alive and well is what it takes to make Madzie feel safe again, that’s something I’m happy to do.”
“You’re her hero, you know,” Catarina told him. “You and Magnus. She doesn’t talk much, but when she does? It’s about how the two of you saved her. I think I’ve heard the story five times already this morning.”
“I don’t feel like much of a hero,” Alec said. “I was just doing my job.”
“Maybe,” Catarina said, watching him carefully, “but you do it a lot better than most Shadowhunters. At least where warlocks are concerned.”
Alec shrugged uncomfortably. This was not a conversation he wanted to have on a sunny morning in the park with a near-stranger.
“How are the others you rescued, the mother and baby?” he asked instead. Izzy had filled him in on the details he’d missed while he was unconscious.
“As well as they can be under the circumstances, Catarina answered. “Safe. It’s not as common that a warlock child and his mother need shelter as it is for a warlock child alone, but it’s common enough that we have safe places for them.”
“That’s—” Alec didn’t know what to say to that. He’d never really had reason to think about what life was like for warlock children, but it made sense they wouldn’t exactly have a stable home life with one mundane parent and one demon. “I’m glad they have somewhere to go.”
Alec’s phone beeped, the tone he used for alerts from the Institute, and he sighed. “Duty calls.”
Catarina gave him a tired smile. “It always does.”
At Madzie’s insistence, Alec gave Mr. Flopsy a hug before heading back to the Institute, and whatever his mother needed from him now.
Tumblr media
For the second evening in a row, Magnus found himself with a splitting headache and in desperate need of a stiff drink. He’d spent the day speaking to Iris Rouse’s few friends in the hopes of finding something that might lead him to her or the missing children. Instead, he’d merely found that Iris’s friends were no more pleasant than the woman herself.
He was just about to open a portal back to his loft—and his plethora of whiskey—when he sensed the demonic energy. He was being followed. Very sloppily.
Instead of opening the portal, he crossed the street and headed east. If someone was stupid enough to send demons to follow him, he was damn well going to find out who and why.
The demons kept themselves well back as Magnus wove his way through crowded streets, and he began to think they were merely tracking his movements. Which was good, because he didn’t think there were more than three following him, and if these demons were sent to track him by the same person who sent the horde of Raveners after Madzie, Magnus would be very insulted that they’d sent fewer demons for him than for a six-year-old.
But if it was the same person, Magnus didn’t want these demons reporting back to the person who summoned them. Even though his investigation into the disappearance of Iris Rouse and the warlock children living with her had yielded basically nothing, he didn’t want to give the person who took them even that much information about what he did and did not know.
Decision made, he turned another corner, leading his pursuers toward an area likely to be a bit less crowded. Glamour could hide what he was doing from passersby but fighting demons in the middle of a crowded street in Midtown wasn’t exactly safe for innocent bystanders, even if it was going to be a very short fight.
It was another ten minutes before he found a short side street deserted enough Magnus wasn’t worried about some mundane accidentally stumbling into his fight. With an air of nonchalance, he stopped and pretended to examine a particularly large crack in the sidewalk.
As Magnus had hoped, the demons followed him onto the street, although they kept to the shadows. He’d been right: there were three of them. Shax demons, and almost certainly sent to spy on him. It took less than ten seconds to take them down, a blast of magic in the thorax of each.
“Well done,” came a voice from over his right shoulder.
“More like medium-rare,” Magnus said with a smirk as he spun around to face Alec. “You know, if I’d realized you were going to come dashing to my rescue, I would have left one of them for you.”
Alec raised his eyebrows in skepticism, but Magnus could see the hint of a smile underneath, and it was breathtaking. “You don’t really strike me as the type to need rescuing.”
“Oh, I’m not,” Magnus agreed. “But I wouldn’t want you to feel like I don’t appreciate the attempt.”
“That’s not— I mean, I wasn’t—” Alec blew out a long breath. “I was following up on a possible demon sighting, not trying to rescue you.”
“I suppose that’s a relief,” Magnus said, ignoring the slight twinge of disappointment that Alec was looking for demons and not for him. “It wouldn’t do for Shadowhunters to think the High Warlock of Brooklyn can’t take care of himself.”
Alec snorted. “I don’t think there’s any danger of that. ” Magnus quirked an intrigued eyebrow, and Alec hurried to add, “I just mean, the Clave’s file on you is pretty clear on your ability to take care of yourself.”
“I would question the accuracy of anything the Clave has to say about me,” Magnus said, “but I’m glad to hear they got one part right, at least.” And he was more than a little pleased that Alec had been reading up on him, even if his choice of source material was questionable.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” Alec said. “Do you know what those demons were after?”
“Following me,” Magnus told him. “I spent my day investigating the latest warlock disappearances, and I suspect the person responsible sent those Shax demons to follow me and report back on my activities. Not that I’ve had much luck in finding anything.”
“Are you sure you’re safe?” Alec asked with a frown. “If the person kidnapping warlocks is tracking you, you could be their next target.”
“I appreciate your concern, Alexander,” Magnus answered sincerely, “but I assure you I’ve taken plenty of precautions. As we just covered, I’m more than capable of handling myself in a fight, and my loft is quite well warded.”
Alec’s frown lessened, but didn’t disappear entirely, and Magnus couldn’t help but be touched by his concern. “And is that where you’re headed now? Back to your loft?”
Magnus nodded. “I was thinking I could use a drink after the day I’ve had.” He paused, debating internally, then added, “Would you care to join me?”
Emotions flickered across Alec’s face like frames in an old-time film: surprise followed by delight, which was quickly doused by regret.
“Magnus, I wish— I just—”
Magnus held up a finger to silence him. “I understand.”
And he did, much as he wished he didn’t. Shadowhunters weren’t exactly accepting of same-sex relationships, nor relationships between Shadowhunters and Downworlders. Whatever attraction there might be between the two of them, Alec was obviously unwilling to pursue it. Maybe even unwilling to acknowledge it. Really, it was what Magnus should have expected, and he hated that he’d let some small part of himself hope.
Alec huffed out a frustrated breath. “You don’t,” he said, but offered no further explanation.
“Well,” Magnus said, letting his own regret show through a tiny smile, “it was a nice thought. Goodnight, Alexander.”
He couldn’t be certain, but he thought he heard a faint “goodnight,” follow him through the portal back to his loft.
5 notes · View notes
swanqueeneverafter · 5 years
Text
What Dreams May Come, Pt.31
Tumblr media
Henry’s Dreamscape. Kingdom Of Valencia. (Having revealed his true face and identity, Morpheus consults Madelena and Gareth over the battle plans.) Morpheus: “So, we take your army onto the great Plain of Endor and take the enemy by surprise. Ha ha! (Playing with figurines:) Valencians! Die! Off with his head! (Laughs:) Whoo! Oh... sorry. So excited. Y... you don't seem excited. (Reading their expressions:) You're not. You're not excited.” Gareth: “I am excited. I'm very excited. This is my excited voice.” Queen Madelena: “And can you confirm that, um... (Picks up Ella’s figurine:) Ella will definitely be there? No reason. Just asking. Just kidding. There's a reason.” Morpheus: “Oh, yes, she'll be there. Sadly, with no plus one. Isn't that just the pits?” Queen Madelena: “So sad.” (Drops the figurine carelessly.) Gareth: “And don't worry. I've told my men to take Ella alive so you can do the honors.” Queen Madelena: “Oh, my God, I love you so much right now.” Morpheus: “Love. I smell a wedding! (Squeals excitedly:) I'm seeing hydrangeas. Everywhere. And a cranky poet who can write custom poems for the guests. Oh, she's such a bitch, but it's great, great. Trust me. What do you think? Hmm?” Queen Madelena: “Um...” (Madelena quickly runs from the room.) Morpheus: (To Gareth:) “Nerves.”
Tumblr media
Gareth: “She said ‘I love you.’ No one's ever said that to me. It's like the world looks different. I'm seeing things I never noticed before.” (Gareth slips into a daydream where he walks through the castle gardens:) (Birds chirping:) ♪ The skyball’s doing its shine-thing ♪ ♪ The moving air is so sweet ♪ (Sniffs a flower:) ♪ This flopsy colourful vine-thing ♪ ♪ Smells as pretty as meat ♪ ♪ And those wingy-beasts with their feathers ♪ ♪ They make a squeaky-like sound ♪ (Birds chirp around him:) ♪ And I’d never have guessed ♪ ♪ What I’m trying to say ♪ ♪ Frankly I hadn’t a clue ♪ ♪ Now this chunk of my chest ♪ ♪ Keeps flump-flumpin' away ♪ ♪ Love makes the world brand new! ♪ Back In The Room. Morpheus: “Oh, Gareth, you're smiling. Sorry, could you stop it? I just find it deeply unsettling.” Storybrooke. Present. (Watching as Alice and Robin say their goodbyes for the time being, Emma turns to see only her family remains in the cave.) Emma: "Well, I guess that's everyone." Maleficent: (Walking towards them:) "Not quite." Snow White: "What are you doing here?" Maleficent: "Seeing as you Charmings only look out for yourselves, I've come to save Killian." David: "He was last seen entering Henry's dreamscape. When we find Henry he can lead us to Hook." Maleficent: "Yes, but once you learn what I've discovered, you so-called heroes may not feel like bringing Killian back."
Tumblr media
Regina: "Mal, what are you talking about?" (Wordlessly, Maleficent pulls out the missing pages of the storybook.) David: (Points:) "Are those what I think they are?" Maleficent: "I found these on the Jolly Roger beside a half written confession, which was addressed to you." David: "Confession? Hook killed my father? He's the one responsible for tearing my family apart!" Maleficent: "You and your sickening spouse are guilty of the exact same thing! You ripped my child from my arms, causing me to live for decades without her. So spare me your self-righteous anger and get out of my way." Zelena: (Stepping forward:) "Here. (Hands Maleficent a bean:) You may need this." Maleficent: "Thank you. (Walking towards the portal, turns back to the Charmings:) There’s so much pain and suffering between our families. All because you trusted the visions of a damn unicorn." (Without another word, Maleficent enters the portal.) Henry's Dreamscape. Night. (As Ella, Richard and Roberta make camp for the night, they are followed by a unicorn, much to Richard's dismay.) Richard: "Shoo." Roberta: "Unicorns are only attracted by those untouched by..." Richard: "Get away." Roberta: (Realising, pulls Richard aside:) "Hey, you don't have to be embarrassed.” Richard: “Honestly, Bobby, I... I've just always felt that something that special should be shared with someone you love, and... I've never been in love.” Roberta: “Well, not yet. There's still time. There’s me.” Richard: “You?” Roberta: “Richard, you're the reason I came on this journey to begin with. It's always been you. I guess what I'm trying to say is when all's said and done... I'm just a girl standing in front of a boy, asking him to like her.”
Tumblr media
(Unsure what to do next, Richard panics and rushes over to Ella.) Richard: “Hey, Ella, quick story I want to tell you. (Quietly:) I need your advice. I really want to kiss Roberta, and stuff, and I think the timing is right. But did she say she likes me?” Ella: “Get to the point.” Richard: “Do... do I ask her? Do I just grab her and kiss her? Sneak up behind her in dark clothing, shout ‘boo’ and kiss her when she's screaming? What?” Ella: “Look, I would love to help you, but I don’t want to. But, no, definitely don't do the ‘boo’ version. It's sort of frowned upon, okay? I've got to get some sleep.” Richard: “No ‘boo’ version. Good to know. (Walking back to Roberta:) So... Uh, Bobby, I meant to ask you... Hey, what's your favorite tree? Because kids these days are all into oaks, but I like a spruce, and... Mmm! (Roberta grabs him and they kiss:) Oh, my God. That was wonderful.” (Roberta laughs and together, they run behind some tall bushes, out of sight.) Ella: (Laying on her bedroll:) “So, I'll just lie here and listen to this happen, then, I guess.” (More giggling can be heard and Ella rolls over onto her side to see a woman in a dress standing over her.) Tiana: “Hey there.”
Tumblr media
Rumplestiltskin’s Dreamscape. (An adult Gideon stands beside his father at Belle’s grave.) Gideon: “I can't believe she's gone. Every time I'd come and visit, time here seemed frozen.” Rumplestiltskin: “Time was. But she wasn't. When you go on for too long, you forget what really matters. I never want to forget.” Gideon: “Give me the dagger, Papa. Let me unburden you so you can be with Mother. I can bear it.” Rumplestiltskin: “I took the dagger for one son. I'm not gonna give it to the other. That’s what Morpheus would want me to do. To use my grief over losing Belle to destroy my family completely. In this world I am still the Dark One, destined to watch the ones I love die as I live on, immortal. Back home I have been freed of such a fate, and that is why it’s time for me to leave this place. To travel to a dreamscape which will ultimately lead me to be reunited with you and Belle. (At these words, the adult Gideon fades from sight:) It's time for me to go to a place where my shame first began, the battlefield. Only this time, I shall not run. This time, I will make my family proud.” Henry’s Dreamscape. (Rumplestiltskin walks through a portal into Henry’s dream world, where he bumps into Alice.) Alice: “Welcome, glad you could make it.” Rumplestiltskin: “Have I missed it? Have I missed the battle?” Alice: “No, you haven’t been gone that long. Head back long that way and you’ll find some familiar faces.” Rumplestiltskin: “Well wait a minute, where are you going?” Alice: “Will and I have a plan, and if it works, we’ll be able to find Henry before the battle even begins.”
Tumblr media
Storybrooke. Cave. (With only Regina, Emma, the Charmings, Zelena and Robin remaining, they are finally ready to enter the Dream World.) Emma: "So everyone knows what they're doing, right? Mom, Dad, you're with me. Zelena, Robin, you're with Regina. (There is a general murmur of agreement:) All right, here we go." (Walking towards the portal together, Emma and her parents fail to notice when Tinker Bell steps out from the shadows.) Robin: "Wait, what-" Zelena: "Shh. Trust us, sweetheart, it's all for the best." (Watching as the Charmings enter the portal and disappear, with a final nod to Regina, the fairy steps forward, pointing her wand at Emma's back. Shooting a jet of light at Emma, Tinker Bell turns and immediately draws the light back towards Regina so that it connects the two women.) Tinker Bell: "You two, be ready to catch Regina. (Stalking over to Emma while Zelena and Robin stand either side of Regina:) Three, two, one... now! (Tinker Bell catches a stunned Emma as she stumbles, before gently guiding her into the portal. Turning to the others:) Quickly, get her through the portal before she comes to her senses." Robin: (Running with the semi conscious pregnant woman between them:) "I assume you're gonna explain what the hell just happened?" Zelena: "Yes, darling." (Tinker Bell watches the three figures disappear through the portal, before returning to her fairy form and flying out of the cave.)
5 notes · View notes
blumenwrites · 7 years
Text
Erejean Week 2k17-Apocalypse
so usually I don’t join in for these ship weeks but the erejean tag is so dead nowadays and I haven’t written nearly enough for these two a03 link should be up later when the site is working again :(( nevertheless I actually???? met???? a deadline???? wild
Out of the many things Eren missed one of them was the birds. Growing up in the countryside had meant that every morning he would wake to their screeching as they prattled about the trees right next to Eren's window. Even in the evening they would carry on shrieking as if they weren't already being annoying enough. Once, a bird had miraculously flow into his room (to this day he still had no clue how since all the windows were sealed shut) and he had yell at it and direct it towards the open window with pool noodles before it took the hint. At least there aren't any pigeons Jean had said and added besides aren't birds chirping supposed to be sweet? before moving on to complain about how he didn't appreciate Shiganshina for the great place it was and why city life was objectively The Worst. Although he still didn't quite see the charm in those flappy fucks, whilst lying in bed with only the static air to keep him company he had to admit that maybe there was a novelty in the twittering and tweeting of sparrows in the morning.
Eren shifted his head when he heard the door open to reveal Jean walking over towards the bed with a plate of scrambled eggs and a crooked grin.
“Get back in bed,” Eren groaned through a slow yawn, holding open the duvet in invitation and really, how was Jean to resist? He placed the plate on the bedside table and pulled Eren by the waist closer to place a kiss on his forehead. Eren mourned the loss of Jean's stubble from last night but appreciated the scent of lemon soap lingering on his throat and chin. He ran a hand through Jean's thick hair and hummed.
“You need to cut your hair,” Eren mumbled, voice still thick with sleep.
“Hm, only if you do it for me,” Jean replied. “Come on, Eren, you need to get up,” he coaxed as he played with the straps of Eren's tank-top that needed washing. Later. Everything could wait until later.
“No,” Eren whined as if he were a petulant child, burying his head into Jean's shoulder.
“I milked the cows for you but the stables aren't gonna clean themselves.”
“You're not selling this very well.”
“Eren. Get up.”
Eren burrowed himself under the sheets, encasing himself in a protective cocoon. That was until Jean cruelling ripped the covers away, exposing him to the comparatively frigid temperature of the room.
“Ugh, fine! By the way, I'm breaking up with you,” Eren scowled, ripping off his pajamas to change into his usual flannel shirt and jeans.
“Love you too,” Jean beamed and god, Eren hated how cheesy it felt to say it, but it felt like stepping into the sun for the first time after a long winter.
Staggering into their shared bathroom, Eren frowned at the flecks of shaving foam that Jean hadn't cleaned off the mirror and the toothpaste growing crusty in the sink. He never was particularly fussy about cleanliness but then he had met Levi and ever since even seeing a speck of dust made him recoil. Unfortunately, Levi's wrath hadn't had the same effect on Jean, meaning their bedroom floor was normally scattered with yesterday's clothes before Eren could pick them up, leading to a lot of raised eyebrows and muffled laughter from their friends.
Although Eren missed commercial toothpaste their own-brand baking soda concoction did the job well enough. It wouldn't be uncommon for them to just forego a typical cleanliness regime but basic hygiene was one of the few things keeping Eren on the borderline of sanity. Plus, morning breath was something no one wanted to deal with.
Eren finished his plate that Jean had prepared and made a mental note to thank him once his fury at that morning's betrayal had simmered down. He trudged down the aching stairs and cursed the sun that blinded him the moment he stepped outside. It was an irritatingly bright, cheerful day and Eren just wanted to crawl back to bed.
“Afternoon, Eren,” Armin greeted with a wide smile.
“I've just woken up, therefore, it's morning,” Eren grumbled, feeling far too much like an old man for someone who was only twenty-five. “Do you need any help?” Eren nudged his head towards the weeds Armin was pulling up.
“Don't worry, I've got this for now. Some of the carrots are already prepared for harvest though so if you could get around to that later that'd be great.”
“Okay, I'll do it soon.”
They departed with mutual waves and continued to their respective jobs. When Eren wandered into the stables he spotted Jean brushing off the amounting dust on Julius' flank, face sour but his shoulders relaxed. Eren picked up a stray comb and began picking out straw from his mane.
“This little shit, honestly, I swear he was rolling in his hay for the fun of it. And he knocked over his water on purpose too,” Jean grumbled, brows creasing in a way that never ceased to make Eren snigger.
“I understand where he's coming from. Pissing you off is incredibly fun,” Eren laughed as he tugged at a particularly intricate knot.
“I hate you both,” Jean scowled like a wet cat. Eren blew a kiss that was not received kindly.
Even so, they worked comfortably in silence for the rest of the afternoon, tending to the stables, checking the water supply, harvesting early food, and salting the meat for storage. When the sundial indicated that it was nearing seven, Eren and Jean walked down together towards the perimeter to greet a tired looking Mikasa and Annie. Eren's nose twitched at the scent of decay and ash.
“One zombie in the morning neared the fence and we burned the body as protocol,” Annie explained as Mikasa swung off her crossbow to hand it to Eren. “Other than that, no activity like normal. There's six arrows and two rounds left for the rifle.”
“Anything else to report?” Jean prompted whilst positioning himself on his usual branch of the thick oak tree that was probably older than earth itself.
“No. As always, be careful,” Mikasa said before turning to join the others for dinner. Eren would be bitter he was missing roast night but he had already made Mikasa take his shift the night before so it was only fair.
Staying on watch was a painfully dreary job that included a whole lot of doing nothing but they had learned to appreciate the quiet after months of running from shack to shack with danger waiting to pounce around every corner. Making it to Armin's grandfather's farmhouse had been a massive risk and yes, they complained and about the back-breaking upkeep but everyday Eren was grateful for their safe haven in what would otherwise be hell on earth.
“Eren, look!” Jean stage-whispered, jerking his head over the fence. Eren searched the green but empty terrain beyond and located what Jean was staring at. What looked to be a small ball of fluff that could easily fit within one's hand was sniffing around, padding around to twitch its nose at the strands of overgrown grass.
“Wow, when was the last time we saw an animal outside the gates?” Eren mused aloud. Even without the buzzing of the electric wired fence and the scavenged barricade of rusted materials and pikes to ward off predators, most animals had been infected or eaten at this point.
“It must have been a year ago with the dear Connie spotted,” Jean answered. Eren had felt guilty for having to shoot it but it had provided a week's worth of food for the entire group. Besides, even if they had let it go, eventually it would have been bitten but this, a small, harmless rabbit, this they could appreciate.
“Mikasa and I used to have a rabbit when we were younger,” Eren reminisced, the sudden memory of begging his mother to allow him to get a pet gracing a smile to his lips.
“What was its name?” Jean asked, beaming at Eren in a way he never would've imagined anyone to look at him. The sun caught the flecks of gold in his eyes and Eren was momentarily stunned.
“She was called Flopsy,” Eren replied, turning his head slightly to hide his blush. Jean snorted, causing Eren to chuck a pebble at him.
“I'm sorry, I just didn't expect you to be so predictable. What else, did you have a black and white dog called Oreo?” Jean snickered.
“God, I want Oreos again,” Eren groaned. They shared a moment of silence for all the junk food that was no longer a ten-minute walk away. At least they would never have to relive that month on canned runner beans again. Now even looking at peas made him flinch.
“I think Sasha was mentioning that she was working on a doughnut recipe,” Jean offered in reassurance.
“If this ever blows over the first thing I'm doing is going to McDonalds and ordering six Big Macs, five Oreo McFlurry's, and three chocolate milkshakes to go with it.”
“Eren, don't; we haven't eaten yet.”
“What would you go for?”
“I'd go to Krispy Kreme and eat an entire Premium Dozen for myself and no one could stop me.”
“Same. Sometimes it's just the pointless shit I miss, you know? Family and security in knowing I have the next day in front of me aside sometimes I just miss ordering Dominos at 11 p.m. for my hangover the next day.”
“Yeah.”
The sun was beginning to sink and the rabbit had gone. Eren glanced at Jean and smiled softly with a gentle sigh, taking his offered palm in his, stroking his fingers along the callouses and scrapes.
“When society gets its shit back together again we're gonna go on one of those food tours around America and eat twice our weight in greasy food,” Jean promised with a grin that made Eren's heartbeat stutter.
Eren squeezed his palm and leaned against his bony yet comforting shoulder.
“I'd like that.”
31 notes · View notes
weekendwarriorblog · 3 years
Text
The Weekend Warrior 6/11/21 - IN THE HEIGHTS, PETER RABBIT: THE RUNAWAY, INFINITE, UNDINE, HOLLER and More
This is going to be a tough week to deliver a full column just because I’ve been so insanely busy doing other things for my real job. More on that below, but first, I totally screwed up last week. I totally left out a movie I had been looking forward to, without realizing it was released last Friday, since I didn’t have it on my release list. I ended up inadvertantly leaving it completely out of my column. Bad Ed. (This week's column is brought to you by Ian McNabb's new album "Utopian" -- a fantastic new extra-length offering from the former Icicle Works frontman -- that just means that I was listening to it while writing this week's column. No $$$ was exchanged.)
Tumblr media
That movie I missed last week was UNDINE (IFC Films), the new film from German filmmaker Christian Petzold, who has made some fantastic films, including Phoenix and Barbara. It reunites Petzold with the stars of his last movie, Transit, Paula Beer and Franz Rogowski. It’s a fairly bizarre film that plays around with myths about water nymphs, but it takes some time before you realize that’s what it’s about since it follows Beer’s Undine, as one of her relationships ends and another begins with an underwater diver. After winning the FIPRESCI Prize and the Silver Bear for Ms. Beer at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival, it’s now playing in select theaters, including the IFC Center and Film at LIncoln Center as well as on digital and VOD platforms.
The film starts with a conversation between a man and a woman, Undine and Johannes, the latter who is breaking up with the former. From there, we watch a rather strange relationship build between Undine and a diver who she meets when a fish tank explodes all over them in a coffee shop. Yeah, it’s one of those kinds of movies. But Undine is one of Petzold’s more romantic films even if it takes an artier and dreamlike approach to show this romance unfold, and then it just gets weirder and weirder and more enigmatic. Water is definitely a recurring theme in what I could only really call a female power fantasy, but you know what? We’ve seen so many male power fantasies, it’s kind of nice seeing this sort of thing from a female viewpoint, and Beer is quite amazing -- well worthy of the accolades she’s been receiving. Undine is a fine addition to Poltzold’s growing filmography, although it didn’t hit me quite like Phoenix did, and I’m not sure I’d race out to see it a second time.
Before we get to this week’s new wide releases, this week also begins the 20th Anniversary Tribeca Festival -- note the absence of the word "Film" -- which as luck would have it opens on Wednesday with the World Premiere of the biggest and widest release of the weekend, the Jon M. Chu-directed musical, IN THE HEIGHTS (Warner Bros.)! I really haven’t seen much from it yet, so I have very little to say at this time. Hopefully, I’ll have time to watch more over the next week and a half.
Tumblr media
In case you haven’t heard, In the Heights is based on the Lin-Manuel Miranda musical that preceded Hamilton, and it focuses on the Washington Heights area of NYC, primarily the LatinX community that has lived and thrived there but is dealing with things like gentrification destroying it. The movie stars Anthony Ramos (from Hamilton and A Star is Born) playing Usnavy, a bodega shop owner who dreams of returning to the Dominican Republic and reopening his father’s snack bar. He also has eyes on the beautiful Vanessa (Melissa Barrera), who wants to move downtown and get into fashion. Meanwhile, Nina (Leslie Grace) has returned to the neighborhood from college and she reunites with her ex Benny (Corey Hawkins) and that relationship is rekindled. Nina’s father (Jimmy Smits) is a big shot in the neighborhood, running the car service, but he’s been selling it off to pay for Nina’s school.
I already reviewed the movie here, but reviews are generally great with 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, and people have been chomping at the bit for this movie to be released after it was delayed nearly a year from 2020 due to COVID. Although Lin-Manuel Miranda only has a small role in the movie, he’s probably going to be the film’s biggest selling point, especially considering how many people watched Hamilton when it was released on Disney+ last summer -- that, too, was originally intended for a theatrical release.
For director Jon M. Chu, this is his first feature film since Crazy Rich Asians, which was a huge box office hit, but it also had a similar cultural impact of what is expected from In the Heights. It opened with $26.5 million in 3,384 theaters in August, 2018, but then it had massive legs over the course of the summer to gross $174.5 million total. While it didn’t end up getting the awards love many expected, it did help to make the likes of Constance Wu, Akwafina, and Henry Golding bigger stars, as well as boosting the careers of Gemma Chan, Jimmy O. Yang and other Asian-American actors. One can presume that In the Heights will do the same for Ramos and a few others, although it’s still too early to see if it will have legs when it’s so easy to rewatch on HBO Max.
The movie is one of the summer’s big buzz movies that should continue to bring people back to theaters with the positive reviews leading to inevitable positive word-of-mouth among a moviegoing audience that for a long time brought a ton of business into theaters.
I feel like In the Heights could make a play for $30 million this weekend even with the knowledge that it’s also playing on HBO Max. It just seems like a lot of people are going to want to see this in a theater with other people, and frankly, it’s been so hot outside, especially in New York, that it’s going to be a great option to see in theaters in order to get some much-needed air conditioning, if nothing else. But expect it to do well enough among audiences to have some significant legs, although I’m a little hesitant at calling it to make $100 million even with restrictions being reduced and more theaters opening every weekend. I’d love to see it happen but for now, I’ll stick with around $80 million for its domestic gross.
Tumblr media
Also opening wide this week is the family sequel, PETER RABBIT 2: THE RUNAWAY (Sony Pictures), which has also been delayed a number of times since COVID hit. Once again directed by Will Gluck (Easy A), the sequel had a plum Easter release last year or maybe that was this year. Honestly, I don’t remember. In the sequel, Beatrix Potter’s popular literary character Peter Rabbit (voiced by James Corden) has to contend with the couple from the first movie, played by Rose Byrne and Domhnall Gleeson, are getting married, and Peter’s feeling a bit put-out, because he’s considered the “troublemaker” among the bunny family of Flopsy, Mopsy, Cottontail and Benjamin (voiced by Margot Robbie, Elizabeth Debicki, Aimee Horne and Colin Moody). He ends up running away (duh) and getting in with a group of London animal crooks, including the rabbit Barnabas (voiced by Lennie James from Fear the Walking Dead), who may have been friends with Peter’s father.
I only first watched the first Peter Rabbit movie, originally released on February 9, 2018, earlier this week before watching the sequel, and honestly, that first movie was much better than I expected and better than it should have been, and I probably could say the same for the sequel. I generally love Rose Byrne, and oddly, I like James Corden voicing Peter Rabbit more than I have other things he’s done. Maybe it’s just that Beatrix Potter’s character works even when put into a modern setting where Byrne seems to be playing a version of Potter who ends up getting a big publishing deal with David Oyelowo (another actor I like) playing the publishing big wig who wants Bea to change things. It’s just as funny seeing Peter fighting with Gleeson’s McGregor for the film’s physical humor to help sustain a second movie.
Actually, I kind of liked that Gluck’s movie is kind of wholesome rarely going for the easy laughs or things we’ve seen in far too many animated movies (slow-motion and bathroom humor, for instance), and also having jokes that only the parents will laugh at. The film is also quite a technical marvel because mixing CG characters with live action ones is something that rarely turns out well (see Sony’s Smurfs movies, for instance) but CG production house Animal Logic, who also did Happy Feet and The LEGO Movie, really now how to give these furry, cuddly creatures real physical attributes that makes even cynical adults like myself completely believe in them.
Let’s get to some box office thoughts. The original Peter Rabbit movie opened with $25 million, which is pretty good for a family film from the before times. More importantly, it made $115 million in domestic theaters as it lasted through the summer, which shows that kids and families really loved Corden’s take on the popular children’s book character. Even though these are different times, and we are not seeing that many movies opening with more than $25 million, the success of the first movie means that kids will probably not be too old to want to see Peter Rabbit’s new adventures.
I think this one can probably open with $14 to 16 million when you realize there isn’t very much competition for family audiences, at least nothing PG, because even DIsney’s Raya and the Last Dragon is now on DIsney+. (Okay, there's also Spirit Untamed, but that proved to be quite a non-starter, and this seems like an easier sell to a wider group of kids and even adults.) That and the fact that Peter Rabbit 2 isn’t simultaneously on streaming should give it a strong play for second place this weekend, and don’t be surprised if it has similar legs to make $60 million plus just in theaters alone.
Tumblr media
Also being released fairly wide is the Deon Taylor-directed horror comedy sequel, THE HOUSE NEXT DOOR: MEET THE BLACKS 2 (Lionsgate), which probably wasn’t screened for critics in advance. I’m not quite sure how wide Lionsgate is planning to go with this, but the original movie opened in over 1,000 theaters in April 2016 and made $4 million its opening weekend and $9 million total. One can assume that the first movie was popular enough to create an audience for the second movie that hasn’t really had what we used to call an “urban comedy” in quite some time, particularly since Paramount’s Coming 2 America ended up streaming on Amazon. Since audiences are generally trying to get back out to theaters, it’s safe to assume that the audience for this kind of comedy feels the same. I probably could see this opening with around $3 million, but it’s hard to say without having a definite theater count. I’ve become quite a big fan of Taylor in the years since the first movie, so I might even venture out to see this if I have the time.
Tumblr media
Directed by Antoine Fuqua and starring Mark Wahlberg, the sci-fi action movie INFINITE (Paramount+) was supposed to get a theatrical release but is instead being dumped to Paramount+, and sadly, dumped is the operative word here, because it pains me to say that the duo behind Shooter and other cool movies I’ve enjoyed have made a very, very, very, very, very bad movie.
The fairly ridiculous premise -- which to be fair is based on a book called “The Reincarnationist Papers” by D. Eric Maikranz -- involves a cadre of people known as Infinites who can remember everything from their past lives. There are “good Infinites” called Believers, and “bad Infinites” called Nihilists who are sick of living through their pasts so they just want to make the whole world burn.
Wahlberg plays Evan McCauley, a good “Infinite” even though he only remembers part of things from the past, and he’s thought to be the reincarnation of one of the Believers’ leaders named “Heinrich Treadway,” who we see die in a car chase through Mexico City in the film’s opening. Treadaway’s mortal enemy is Bathurst, played by Chiewetel Ejiofor, who wouldn’t mind finding and killing Treadaway first because he has an “Egg” with great power that can help end the world.
Okay, the premise could definitely be interesting, despite being an obvious Highlander rip-off, but unfortunately, it becomes very obvious that a movie like this constantly needs to explain to the viewer why this premise is “so cool,” and whenever anyone does try to explain anything, it just sounds incredibly stupid. We’ve seen so many sci-fi action movies like this one, and frankly, I was a little surprised that this one didn’t star Bruce Willis, because it definitely seemed like his thing. (Anyone remember Surrogates? That movie’s director, Jonathan Mostow, is STILL in directors’ jail!!) But more importantly, it reminds me of a much better version of the same idea that was just released, called The Old Guard, which … what the fuck?!? … also starred Chiwetel Ejiofor!! (At least in that one, he doesn't have a ridiculous accent and isn't chewing up every single bit of scenery.)
Yeah, it’s hard to forget that you’re watching an inferior version of The Old Guard when Ejiofor is RIGHT THERE, but this one combines a lame attempt at world-building with some surprisingly decent action scenes, but it’s also hard not to think that Fuqua -- and I say this as one of the director’s biggest fans -- was trying to do his own version of The Matrix. But any opportunity to do something cool in the action realm is destroyed as soon as we get more “splaining” about this world, a lot of it done by Jason Mantzoukas as the Artisan, a mad surgeon who also explains things in a confusing way that it never helps. He’s also the film’s only attempt at humor, and he’s done far better in other things. The film’s only real female character, Sophie Cookson’s Norah, is so bland and generic that you quickly forget what she’s bringing to the movie, if anything. (As you watch the movie, you realize how smart it was for Chris Evans to get out while the gettin' was good.)
By the time it gets to the final climax, we get a somewhat decent final battle on an airplane between Treadway and Bathurst, but by then it’s too late. We get some horrible narration before the movie ends with a set-up for a possible sequel will not make ANYONE (particularly critics) happy if that sequel does indeed happen.
Infinite makes it obvious that remembering one’s past lives could only be made much worse by having watched this movie in one of them. This is horrendously bad, awful crap.
A big release on the streaming series side of things is Marvel Studios’ LOKI (Disney+), the first episode of which is on the streamer now. I’ve actually seen the first two episodes and they’re interesting. Essentially, Loki has been captured by the Time Variance Authority (TVA), an organization that exists outside time and is charged with making sure that variant timelines and people aren’t created by things like Loki’s stunt in Avengers: Endgame where he got out of the Avengers’ grip using the tesseract, essentially changing his own timeline. I watched the first two episodes and thought they were pretty good but not the OMG THIS IS THE GREATEST THING EVER!!! that everything Marvel does seems to get from the rubes calling themselves “film critics.” I liked seeing Hiddleton returning as the characters, because he’s quite good as Loki, although Owen Wilson (as TVA agent Mobius) basically seems to be playing himself and not really doing anything particularly memorable. Because of that, Loki comes off as a buddy comedy with a lot of conversations between Loki and Owen Wilson, so if that’s your thing, then maybe you’ll like Loki, but maybe it’ll also get better over the next few episodes as WandaVision did. (I mean, one thing I can say as a positive is that the Marvel Studios/Disney+ series have been much more watchable than the Netflix/Marvel series, because I didn’t get through a single one of those.)
Tumblr media
Chris Appelhans’ animated WISH DRAGON (Netflix) was originally going to be released by Sony Pictures since it was produced by Sony Pictures Animation as a Chinese co-production, but for whatever reason, it’s now going to be on Netflix. I haven’t had a chance to watch it yet but hope to get to it soon.
Also now on Netflix is Mark Raso’s thriller AWAKE, starring Gina Rodriguez as Jill, a former soldier in a world that’s been hit by a catastrophe that wipes out all electronics and eliminates humanity’s ability to sleep. Jill realizes that her daughter may be the key to salvation but isn’t sure if she wants to sacrifice her to save the world. Again, another movie that I just couldn’t find the time to watch if I wanted to get my work done for Below the Line. (Things are very busy right now because Emmy nominations take place over the next couple weeks.)
Tumblr media
Jessica Barden (The End of the F*** World) stars in Nicole Riegel’s indie drama, HOLLER (IFC FIlms), playing Ruth Avery, a young woman who sees her acceptance into college as a way to get out of her dreary Southern Ohio town. She decides to take a job on a dangerous scrap metal crew with her older brother (Gus Halper) while stealing metal at night in order to pay her way to college, and she finds herself torn between her future and her family. The movie also stars Pamela Adlon as their mother. After premiering at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival, Holler will be released in theaters and digitally and On Demand this Friday.
I actually thought this one wasn’t bad even though it treads on rather familiar indie drama territory of wanting to get out of one’s town and get out into the world. Obviously, Barden’s presence is what really drives the film, because she is such a fantastic presence. I especially liked her in Jungleland, but this shows what she can do in a full-on leading role. While I wouldn’t urge anyone to race out to their local cinema to see Holler, it’s not a bad debut feature from Riegel, who built it out from a previous short, which feels somewhat obvious.
I was able to see Prano Bailey-Bond’s CENSOR (Magnet) at Sundance earlier this year and found it to be a nice creepy video nasty. It stars Niah Algar as Enid Barnes, a film censor who watches and rates horrible low-budget horror videos but who is also obsessed with finding her missing sister and seemingly finding a clue in a particularly strange horror film. Censor will hit theaters Friday and then be on digital on June 18, but I’ll have to watch it again to remember if I liked it for more than Niah Algar’s performance.
Starting on Friday up at Film at Lincoln Center is a special “Big Screen Summer: NYFF58 Redux” which is basically showcasing a bunch of movies from last year’s New York Film Festival, which was mainly held virtually, but now you can finally see many of them in the FilmLinc theaters, running from June 11 through August 26, and it includes things like Steve McQueen’s “Small Axe Anthology” (which haven’t been screened theatrically in New York other than at drive-ins). Click on the link above to see when any of your favorites or ones you missed will be screening.
I didn’t get a chance to watch Ty Roberts’ adaptation of Jim Dent’s novel, 12 MIGHTY ORPHANS (Sony Pictures Classics), but it opens in Texas this Friday and then nationwide on June 18. Starring Luke Wilson, Martin Sheen, Robert Duvall, Wayne Knight and Vinessa Shaw, it tells the story of the Mighty Mites football team of Fort Worth, made up of orphans during the Great Depression who barely had shoes or football but with the help of legendary high school coach Rusty Russell (Wilson), gave up a lucrative position to teach and coach the orphanage team. Rusty developed strategies that would allow the scrawny team to beat much bigger players on the football field. I’ll probably try to write something more about this next week.
Some of the movies I just didn’t have time to write about include:
QUEEN OF SPADES (Dread) SUBLET (Greenwich) ASIA (Mnemsha Films) UPHEAVAL (Abramorama) THE MISFITS (Highland Film Group, The Avenue) QUEEN BEES (Gravitas Ventures)
Next week’s big release is another sequel, THE HITMAN’S WIFE’S BODYGUARD (Lionsgate), but also Edgar Wright’s documentary, THE SPARKS BROTHERS (Focus Features), will be released after its festival run.
1 note · View note