#like its not worth meriting actual plot but just like.

[penny-anna]

you do not have to like fanfiction. if you think fanfiction is cringy & annoying you can just Say That. but any attempt to argue that fanfiction is inherently inferior to other types of writing falls apart under scrutiny.

'most fanfiction is badly written' sturgeon's law is an adage that states '90% of everything is crap'. this was first coined in defence of science fiction, a genre often maligned as inherently inferior to 'real literature' (sound familiar??)

'oh but most fanfiction is worse than published fiction' yes; this is because pro published books go through a heavy selection and editorial process before the public see them. when it comes to quality of writing you are not comparing like to like. the appropriate 1:1 comparison would be fanfiction & amateur original fiction.

i have hung out in multiple online writing spaces & in 'anyone welcome' RL writing groups and can say with reasonable confidence that most original fiction getting produced is just plain mediocre. there's so so much bad original fiction being produced every day. u just never see it.

'you have to wade through so much garbage to find anything worth reading' you ever hear like. a fiction magazine editor describe what their slush pile experience is like??

'ok but fanfiction is bad because it lacks originality, it's better to come up with your own story & ideas' nobody actually thinks this!! people trot this out about fanfiction but like pro published literature is full of retellings of public domain stories and no-one ever argues that they're inherently worse or less creative than works with original plots.

the dividing line between fanfiction & 'original' fiction generally isn't actually originality, it's whether or not it's transformative of a text that's currently under copyright. & i would hope it's self-evident that the copyright status of the text a work is transforming shouldn't have any bearing on its literary merit. why on earth would it??

'but most fanfiction is trope-y and formulaic' yes this is true and yes i do think there's an argument to be made that a work of fiction that's interchangeable with thousands of other works of fiction is lacking in 'literary merit'.

however this is also true of a lot of pro published literature. whole swathes of genres like eg crime & romance exist to give readers the same experience over and over again. are these books bad? maybe! does their existence mean the entire genre they belong to should be written off? obviously no.

'but fanfiction is all about shipping' yeah a lot of fanfiction belongs to the romance & erotica genres. you do not have to like this. but disparagement of romance as a genre has its roots in the fact that it's mainly written & enjoyed by women. its just sexism lads. :(

'fanfiction encourages bad habits in writers' there's some merit to this argument IMO (that's a different rant) but see above re:90% of everything is crap; the presence of bad writing in a genre doesn't mean that the whole genre should be written off.

'what so you think fanfiction is as good as *insert classic novel here*' nobody is saying this; if you see someone arguing that fanfiction is real writing and jump to 'this person thinks MCU coffee shop AUs are culturally significant works of literature', to be blunt, that is a you problem.

'fanfiction just isn't real literature' ok so fiction divides into 'real literature' and 'not real literature'. got it.

[ID: screencap of a tumblr post by user theislandofmisfittoys:

Okay… nice dichotomy, IDIOT ‼ what lies  outside it???]

(OP)

#i realise i am preaching to the choir but i wrote this out so u guys have to read it

[bigskydreaming]

Media literacy lost the war when most people stopped trying to factor in an awareness that characters are fictional and can only make the choices their writer writes them making. At a certain point, character arcs NEED the acknowledgment that some times characters make terrible choices because the writing flat out demanded they make the worst choice possible in pursuit of Maximum Drama*, and there are only so many (actually insightful) conclusions you can make about a character when you're trying to make sense of why a character with a given set of priorities & existing characterization would have done something that completely undermines or contradicts everything else they've ever done....

And you refuse to factor in even the possibility** that the 'why' of the character reasoning there was that the character DIDN'T have any actual reason for what they did beyond Their Writer Made Them Do It.

Like. I'm just saying. Sometimes Bad Writing IS the answer. There is a certain self-defeating element to only ever engaging in media analysis that leads to the conclusion 'this character is short-sighted or inherently flawed or irrational' without ever allowing for the chance your analysis might instead lead to 'the writing choices attributed to this character are short-sighted or flawed or irrational.'

Sometimes you SHOULD be more mad at the writing than you are at the fictional characters because like. Yes, the Watsonian perspective is always worth engaging in on its own merits but that doesn't ever actually make the Doylist interpretation of the media IRRELEVANT or render it a non-factor in why various characters do certain things.

Both. Both is good.

* Like I literally maintain you can take just about any primetime show that's on the cancellation bubble and CHART how OOC the main cast gets about major plot points in correlation with the studio's desire to boost ratings. A lot of media that's created by committee in the sense of how even the best written shows have network interference to deal with, as higher-ups weigh in with what they think will give shows a ratings hike, like.....shows ARE influenced by the Hollywood maxims that the most dramatic choices are the best choices, storytelling wise. You flat out CAN'T make sense of a lot of mainstream shows' character choices while ignoring that these characters just do not have the freedom that even fanfic allows for - to make the choices that make the most sense for the character rather than to make the choices that appease drama & ratings obsessed studio execs.

** And I am not saying that it is not completely normal and human for people to do things that undermine or contradict their previous priorities or choices. People are complicated and hypocritical and that shit happens all the time. What I am saying is that its not always productive to just accept at face value every instance of a character making a terrible choice that doesn't seem like them & go 'well this is just an instance of a person being self-defeating or hypocritical'.... while leapfrogging solidly over even the possibility that this is an instance of a character being fictional and written by a writer who has Narrative Plans that extend beyond any single character and thus often times supersede (in the writer's eyes) the importance of being true to any single character's characterization.

[yellowocaballero]

Styles of Storytelling Structure

OK love of God I'm so embarrassed that every post I make gets insane long. I tried to match this explanation up with the previous ask but it got so long, so this elaboration gets its own post. For reference, these tags are referencing this post. Read that one first if you want.

I hope I can find a way to explain this succinctly and non-judgmentally. I do mean it extremely nonjudgmentally. I write both kinds and they both have their own merits.

For me, there's two kinds of fanfic writing. I call 'em Fic Style and Novel Style. This isn't about tropes or content, but about how the author composes the story.

Novel style is the 'traditional' way of writing a story. It has a three act structure, rising action/climax/falling action, tight pacing, every scene does five plot/character/theme related things. It reads like a published short story or a book.

Fic style is often reliant on the source material to make complete sense, and its plot or characterization is usually scaffolded onto the main material. For many of these stories you use the pre-existing canon structure. The story isn't as structured or tightly written, scenes are more likely to be there for vibes, and there tends to be more worldbuilding and a slower pace in general. It's worth noting that fic style can often really resemble soap opera, comic books, long-running manga, Dr Who, etc. Anything serialized, meant to continue on for a long time with no definite end point.

(If you're a frequent flier, to give you some idea: New Wave and Good Luck Jake were novel style, Hope Etc and Listen 2 Ur Heart were fic style. Twilight on Owl Creek Bridge was novel/short story style, reel to reel was fic style.)

Neither is better or worse than the other. They can be both equally enjoyable. One of my favorite fics is 'a simple thing' by iridan and it's fic style. Case fics are more likely to be novel style [I suck at case fics]. Shortly, fic style is easier to write, more likely to be enjoyable, and harder to make very good. Novel style is really hard to write. Super hard.

This is because novel-style writing just requires more skills. You need to lock down story structure, plotting, tension, connecting physical/emotional/plot/theme, pairing story beats with character beats, and dealing with a lot of different plot threads at once. I think of it as braiding, kind of: weaving three character arcs, a plot arc, growth of character relationships, and development of the themes and messaging. A scene should ideally do all of these things at once. Everything needs to be perfectly matched together so it all moves as one. The longer the story is, the more content of all of this you have to deal with, and the more difficult it is to do well. You're just juggling more balls. I had to write one bad 100k story and another mediocre 100k story before I got to a kinda-good 100k story. Forget about how long it took me to get to a decent freaking 60k story. I wrote really enjoyable 60k fic style stories before an actually good 60k novel style story.

This is why skills have to scaffold. I think a lot of beginner writers are constantly trying to fight those level 60 boss fights at level 20 and they get frustrated when they lose. You have to figure out how to write decent dialogue and decent prose before putting together a good scene. Then you have to figure out how to string a series of scenes together in a way that makes sense. Then you have to figure out how to put those scenes in the right order to make some kind of coherent and interesting story with conflict and character arcs. Then you start tossing one ball in the air and figure out how to write those 20k short stories. Then you add more and more balls as your stories get longer and more complex. You have to develop a lot of different skills individually to put together a well-structured final product that's fun to read.

Stop getting so frustrated when you can't beat out a 60k story that's Barnes & Nobles worthy when you're a beginning writer! Stop dreaming big! I know how frustrating it is not being able to put what's in your head down on paper. It's not going to be perfect. Of course you're having issues writing longer things, you're still figuring out how to put longer things together.

Pick something to work on. Figure out what skills you still need to develop. Figure out how stories work and what makes a good story, and then try and build it yourself. You do not need to write a traditional novel style story to develop your skills in dialogue, prose, characterization, tone, tension, POV, etc. You can get that stuff down first. If you're interested in working on story structure and pacing you'll have to practice doing things traditionally. No, you're not going to be happy with it. Be proud of yourself that you improved and developed a skill. Be proud of yourself that you're writing. Writing is hard. It's fun, but hard. If you aren't having fun then you're just left with the hard.

Writing isn't about the finished product. It's not about if you wrote something that people enjoyed or said was good. It's about enjoying writing. Everything else happens naturally from there.

#i am kind of speaking assuming that you're really invested in skill development and not just vibing and fucking around #the ppl fucking around are more valid than i am tbh #they're the geniuses here. #writing #writing advice #I guess. #i think it's hard to understand that skills need to scaffold if you haven't sat down and parsed out how stories work #so maybe that's step 0?

[tiredspacedragon]

BIONICLE Retrospective

2002: The Bohrok Swarms

Part 1.4: What Lurks Below

*ahem*

Anyway.

What I'm learning as I go through these comics is that, unlike the novels, which are written to be satisfying reads on their own, the Bionicle comics are not meant to be looked at in isolation, one issue at a time. At least not when they are portraying the events of the main story.

See, exactly what the comics cover is never consistent. Some years, the comics stick closely to the main beats of that year's story. They'll cover all the main battles and important scenes from the books or movies, they'll have much of the same dialogue, and so on, like a visual summary of the year. But other times, the comics stray away from the main plot to tell unique stories not found anywhere else, and in my opinion that's when they're at their best. That's why I liked To Trap a Tahnok so much, while I feel I have to come down hard on What Lurks Below.

To be fair, these comics are the first depiction of the events in the Bohrok Nest. The story they tell is not adapted from any other media, it was written for this medium. So it is, technically, an original story. So maybe what I'm really getting at is that the comics aren't the ideal medium for conveying the central plot in general. There's just not enough space to pace everything properly.

Case in point, this issue has really big Part 1 Energy. It doesn't feel complete. There's no clear narrative arc to it, it's just a series of "and thens." The Toa escape the lava by passing through an illusory wall, and then Tahu joins them by blowing up the Tahnok nest he was trapped in, and then they fall into the chamber the Krana are meant to be placed in, and then that opens then door to the Exo-Toa armour, and then the battle with the Bahrag starts.

Now, it's worth noting that this kind of narrative structure is not inherently bad. In fact, it's a structure often used in myths and epic poetry. Ancient stories, particularly ones that would have been transmitted orally, of gods and heroes and monsters, didn't always have clear causal storylines, often they were just series of adventures, sometimes with clear morals, sometimes not. And given how Bionicle itself is often portrayed as a legend, this kind of structure does seem somewhat appropriate.

And if that was the point, I would say it's actually rather clever. But I don't think it is, because if it was, more of the comics would be like this, rather than just this issue. No, what I think happened here was just a case of janky pacing. This issue could have just been about the Toa's journey through the tunnels, and left the discovery of the Exo-Toa and the confrontation with the Bahrag for the next issue. Or, it could have saved time and skipped the tunnel segment completely to focus on the main conflict. As is, it's all setup and no payoff, which is what I mean by Part 1 Energy. It feels more like the first half of the issue that follows it, and less like its own entity.

On the other hand, I do suspect that's actually intentional. The point is to build suspense and keep readers excited for the next issue. And fair play to Greg, as an issue of a bi-monthly comic, I have to commend What Lurks Below for doing its job well. But as an instalment of a story, a chapter in the tale of the Bohrok invasion, I have to say it does not hold up so well upon revisiting.

Now to stop being a major downer for a moment, stepping away from the big picture and looking at the little things shows that What Lurks Below does have merit to it. We have the first appearance of Makuta's belief-based illusions, which, while they go unexplained here, have always been a plot device/mechanic I've found fascinating.

And we get some good character moments from the Toa as well. Lewa saying "There's nothing [Pohatu] and Onua can't bring down," is unbearably sweet, that unshakeable faith in his brothers only feeling more powerful in light of Lewa's own current vulnerability. Not to mention the display of cleverness from Lewa in figuring out the illusion, and from Tahu in using his power to heat the air and cause an explosion, blowing himself out of the Tahnok nest he'd been sealed in last issue. I think that moment where he explains what he did, his speech notably slowed, is the first time, and one of the only times, we've actually seen Tahu visibly weakened and exhausted. So points for expanding the Toa's characters.

...Unfortunately, looking at the little things also means seeing the little downsides, and there's plenty to nitpick here. Why is there lava out of nowhere, and where did it come from? Why are all 48 Krana required to open the doors to the Exo-Toa, which are supposed to be a failsafe? What are Cahdok and Gahdok even doing in separate rooms when they're nigh invincible together, especially since they've been together every other time we've seen them anyway? And, what stuck out to me most, why is Gali the narrator of this issue? Her specific perspective doesn't add anything to the story, and actually gets dropped around halfway through the comic anyway. It's just...odd. This whole issue is a series of odd decisions. Some understandable, some not.

Anyway, on to Part 2!

Next up: The End of the Toa?

#bionicle #bionicle retrospective #what lurks below

[tuiyla]

NATLA Ep. 4 "Into the Dark" initial thoughts

Okay wow, I think this is my fav so far in terms of changes they've made. The best ep so far is probs Warriors but this was quite bold in the changes it's made and you know what, the first episode made me fear they'd be too timid to actually lean into their changes but no. Just like Danny Pudi put his whole Pudissy into his role, this episode committed to its direction and I can respect that even in places where I don't agree with the changes. The only exception is Bumi's tests, a lot of the dialogue and other aspects lifted straight from ATLA didn't work because it felt more forced in this context than anything. And overall I think Bumi is my least favourite part of the episode and its adaptation.

I was glad to see Jet in this episode, too, even if it was brief. I'm still lacking stronger emotions and a stronger presence from Katara but I'm glad for this goodbye with Jet and how it sets up exactly what it needs to. We did lose Jet being a foil to Sokka and there was a major missed opportunity in having Jet actually interact with Sai but ah well, can't have everything.

Instead of Sokka foiling it out with Jet there's the surprise inclusion of basically Book 2 Chapter 2 which I did not expect but am pleasantly surprised by. This ep went hard on the music taken straight from ATLA between the nomads' songs and Leaves From the Vine playing over the Iroh flashback. And! And!! Oma and Shu are lesbians!!! This is not a drill, Oma and Shu are lesbians in love. If there was one thing I hoped for in terms of the live action show it was casual queer representation and I got it in the most unexpected but pleasant place. Love it.

And!! On top of the surprising but not unwelcome inclusion of The Cave of Two Lovers, the story is recentered entirely on Sokka and Katara. I'll share more thoughts on this later but suffice to say I always love me some Water Sibs appreciation and this was much needed in this version. I still take issue with essentially erasing Katara's mothering of Sokka but it's clear the impact Hakoda leaving had on them is the same and, most probably in lieu of Bato of the Water Tribe, we get this storyline with them. The fact that love being the answer was reframed as the love between these two siblings is honestly a galaxy brain change and decision and I respect the hell out of it. There's still much lacking in terms of really fleshing out our cast but I will never, ever say no to more Water Sibs content. If we were gonna spend so much time in Omashu and put so many familiar faces in there, makes sense to also do the Omashu backstory AND utilize it to shine some light on the sibling dynamic that otherwise doesn't have much room to breathe in the live action. This is the kind of bold new direction that they have to take and own to make this show work.

I also enjoyed the Zuko and Iroh stuff and that's some interesting inclusion of more Book 2 things as well. The way even their plot from the Winter Solstice part one ep was integrated here is quite clever and I enjoyed both the past and present Iroh scenes. We'll see how they handle the actual Zuko backstory and I do think this version of Iroh needs a bit more, how should I put it, softness, but there's much to like here. Especially giving Zuko the option to pursue Aang instead and having him choose to rescue Iroh. Similar to a choice he made in the above mentioned Spirit World ep but honestly, lowkey more poignant here.

That's it for me for today but I'll watch the second half of the season tomorrow. I have to say, so far it has at least provided some interesting new takes worth taking a deeper critical look at, and I don't agree with those who dismiss the show entirely. It has merit even if, halfway through the first season, it's yet to convince me it can justify its own existence.

#this sounds very positive and to note i do have major issues with the bumi stuff lol #but i really do respect the bold changes made in these two eps #feels way more cleve than just. having Kyoshi scold aang #natla #natla initial thoughts #oma and shu are lesbians 😭😭😭 #netflix avatar #the worst thing this show could have been is bland and it's not that

[buckevantommy]

Red, White & Royal Blue: comprehensive watchnotes + review

i want to start by saying we need more queer rep across all genres, especially romcoms because they're lighthearted and fun and depict (queer) relationships in a positive way and the world (especially america) is in dire need of that right now.

as someone who hasn't read the book, i've been enjoying the general hype for this movie. i'd love to know how much the movie differs from the book but for now i'm just going to judge the movie based on its own merits.

in this post i will share my thoughts for key moments (edit: actually it's a bit of a play-by-play and gets a little long, sorry!) as the narrative unfolds and progresses, and then end by highlighting the main hits and misses of the production.

runtime: 1 hr 58 mins

amazon prime content rating: mature 13+ (australia) [link]

plot score out of 6: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

production score out of 6: ⭐⭐⭐⭐   

overall score out of 6: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐  

is it worth watching? yes. is it worth rewatching? yes.

note: please read all the way through my watchnotes; my opinion changes as the movie progresses. these are first-impressions so i'm at the whim of the narrative as it plays out and my closing thoughts differ from my opening thoughts.

here we go! screencaps + thoughts below the cut.. 

we start with a reporter voiceover; it's a nice easy way to set the scene and introduce us to each character, i really like this simple but effective storytelling technique.

full disclosure: i didn't love the scene in the car; it's the first time we hear alex speak and see him up close and it reads as a little too camp for the vibe that's been set so far.

i'm surprised the lighting/filters/editing is so muted; i expected more vibrance and richness of colour to the royal setting, it all feels a bit flat.

the line greeting is a fun little scene: we get a decent intro into alex's personality and learn that he and henry aren't strangers but don't like each other - a classic trope, a fun take on enemies to lovers.

we get a peek into henry's character too: his viewpoint on royal weddings being ostentatious - soon to be echoed by alex - reflects very real concerns in present-day uk, the wasteful and luxurious lifestyles of royals while their people struggle to put food on the table.

the cake scene could've been more fun but it seems to kick off a more upbeat narrative; bad reputation is the perfect song choice and the overlay of newspaper headlines and social media snapshots in the intro credits relates well to the modern era; i'm curious whether social media posts were a significant plot-driver in the book.

president uma therman?! with a southern accent?! what a treat.

zahra and alex's dynamic is fun; shahi is perfect in this role.

as alex is sent back to the uk we're now moving away from the almost stuffy introduction scenes with more lively characters and better pacing.

the frenemies setup between alex and henry is great: we start off with them being at odds and will likely see them slowly but surely get to know and like each other (probably with a few bumps along the way). it's like watching a fanfic come to life bc these tropes and characterisations are the bread and butter of fic (and honestly media with hetero pairings don't know how to use them properly). i'm excited to watch their dynamic shift and their relationship grow. 

the photo op handshake scene, the push-pull of it all, henry calling alex 'sweetheart' in jest: the snark between them is so much fun. and this kind of faux affectionate namecalling is actually quite common in hetero romcoms and i enjoy seeing moments like these bridge the gap between hetero and queer pairings; i think if people paid more attention to the common ground of characterisation and character development we would see less worry about showcasing queer relationships, or at least see less plots that focus too much on being queer instead of focusing more on fun plot.  

the underhanded swipes and passive aggressive smiles during the interview should've been more fun than they were; i enjoyed the scene but i'm having trouble attuning to the score music - it sounds like it should be backing a fast-paced kitchen scene, it just doesn't match the vibe of what the story and the actors are trying to do and it feels like stock music (which is what you get in made-for-tv and hallmark movies, bland and interchangeable, without identity).

the children's hospital scene starts out kinda cute then jumps into a minor tense situation quite suddenly without much breathing room; they're shoved into a closet (ha) and proceed to have a heart2heart and clear the air; alex brings a little levity to the moment with his pouting, henry's eloquence is a bit stilted in the dialogue but it's helping to highlight the difference in their education/upbringing; the vulnerability they both exhibit with each other for the first time signifies a turning point in their relationship from squabbling to allies perhaps.

their parting scene (for now) hints at what's to come: a NYE party in the usa. henry gets a little flustered as he shakes alex's hand (the second show of possible attraction after the closet scene; i know nothing of their sexuality at this stage but i'm going to guess henry knows he's gay) - it's a little hard to see, and feels letdown by lack of a closeup shot (the cinematography in this movie isn't great; we should be getting lots of close-ups to get a better sense of their mindsets and to capture the emotional nuances between them; some movies do well without close-ups but this one definitely needs more of them).

we're 20mins in and I'm going to make a guess based on pacing so far: we'll see them hookup soon, then move from friends to love, or friends with benefits to love. personally i prefer stretching out the will-they-won't-they a bit, but this is a movie and a romcom not a 100k fic or a several seasons-long tv show. i'm excited to see their dynamic shift and their relationship develop no matter which route they take, and i'm pleased with the plot so far; i can see so many of these scenes on the pages of a book and being excited to see them brought to life on the big screen, i just hope fans of the book aren't disappointed by the movie. i'm looking forward to delving into their backstories a little more.

miguel is definitely flirting with alex and even hints they have a history which makes alex a little nervous; when it comes to sexuality this makes me think alex has at least experimented with guys even if he hasn't accepted that he's queer - but i don't know what his deal is yet and i appreciate the narrative leaving things open for now bc too many movies and tv shows hit their audience over the head with the (specific) queerness of their characters and reveal it too soon so there's no room to wonder or anticipate.

it's montage time: the use of a text-chain is relevant and fun (graphics) as we follow their correspondence inc. commentary on each others lives as viewed by the public. their (flirty) banter is so cute. i'm not a fan of them voicing their texts as it's mixed with voiceovers and feels a bit busy, but it is engaging; the scene melds are a little confusing at first but i appreciate the visual storytelling meant to bridge the distance between them by putting them in the same room - it's clever and feels fresh in an otherwise stale directional effort, and it means we get more scenes of our boys together despite physically being worlds apart.

it's partytime: no matter what side characters surround them, alex and henry steal every scene, as they should since we haven't established any side pairing or even friendship yet (this could be good or bad depending on how the plot progresses, but i prefer the focus to be on our boys so no complaints here). get low being the song of alex's childhood is hilarious especially as henry points out the explicit lyrics; the visual slow-mo of the crowd getting low leaving henry and alex to stare at each other is a great direction and editing choice! it's little moments like these peppered throughout a good romcom that make it memorable and worthwhile because it's not just going through the motions it's inviting you to enjoy every scene, and i'm so happy to see that in a mlm love story.

here comes the first kiss: i wasn't expecting it in this moment, i thought henry was going to storm off but this works too - unfortunately both covered angles of the kiss are obscured and once again i'm grabbing a megaphone to yell 'we need a closeup!' at the director. it's pretty disappointing to not get a better view and see their facial journeys but at least i know we'll be getting many more kisses - which is maybe why this one wasn't given Thee Big Kiss screen moment, i just hope the camera catches the next ones better.

30mins in and we're over with act 1: their dynamic has shifted.

with henry giving alex radio silence after their impromptu kiss at nye, alex confides in his friend nora - it's the first time we've seen them together in a conversation since the limo at the start and the first time we see them actually talk at length and get a sense of their dynamic and nora's personality; i like her, i want to see more of her and more of their friendship. i'd like to see more from the various supporting characters and i trust the plot can do that without taking focus off our boys, the question is: will it?

we also get more explicit talk, specifically reference to the dom/sub undertones of their kiss, and nora saying alex wants henry to 'dick him down' - outstanding; the same level of sexual chatter is seen often with hetero pairings but with queer pairings you seem to get either g-rated fluff or x-rated drama (that usually ends with them dying or breaking up). i wasn't expecting this kind of language and i'm so pleasantly surprised that they went there.

we get more info on alex's sexuality: he's cool with being 'low-level into guys' but is confounded by his apparent attraction to henry, and when nora enquires about how many male partners he's had the scene is conveniently interrupted - classic - but we get our answer: he's been with 2 guys including miguel. alex knows he's queer but is still hesitant about being with more guys and specifically what to do about henry. 

things start happening: another kiss at a fancy party, another member of their inner circle finding out, sexual banter, their first time together (bj) - a cut-scene, as is appropriate and expected. alex tells henry he's bisexual - it seems like this is the first time he's saying it out loud, perhaps even settling on the term in the moment, and while it might be nice to get a little more insight i'm glad they don't dwell on it - so many queer love stories fixate on the label thing and provide you with a sort of queer identity origin story, and while that's fine for a coming-of-age flik or something with less plot or more angst it's simply not necessary for every queer love story; every flavour of queer rep is yummy but it's a good thing to see media moving away from characters having to explain themselves instead of just being.

henry reciprocates by saying he's gay. it's nicely done, poignant but not stealing focus from the various other plot pieces at play; it's rare to see a coming out that doesn't get heavy so kudos to the writers and the boys here.

we get another insight into their private lives: alex wears the key to his austin home around his neck - texas ie. the state up for grabs in the president's reelection, which may recieve help from alex's proposal (this has been a recurring mention and i look forward to seeing what unfolds); henry has never owned a key which is so telling of a controlled life where he doesn't really own anything.

the bittersweet note of henry regrettably marking their dalliance as 'casual'; you can see they both want more but alex was not expecting nora's words of the closeted prince to thwart this thing between them; they both agree to friends with benefits but ofc they're falling for each other. the little addition of henry nervously fiddling with his ring is a nice character detail.

i like that whenever they make plans to see each other again the plot doesn't dither with B-plots - i don't think we've had a single scene where one or both of them weren't present and they've always been centre-stage. plans for another date are followed immediately by that date: the scene switches between a fast-paced polo match and a rendezvous in an equipment shed. we're getting as many stolen moments - sexy or sweet - as the runtime can fit and again that's so remeniscent of fanfic.

paris: 'prince henry belongs to britain. henry fox has to belong to himself or else he'll vanish' this tugs at my heartstrings and the light angst of it paired with denying alex the chance to comfort him in semi-public is the kind of understated writing that makes an angsty emotional impact without being loud about it.

there hasn't been many good cinematography shots but the europe settings are giving the directors (or b-roll archives?) something pretty to insert with parisian cafes and palace gardens.

henry @ alex: don't fall in love with me, we can't be together but we can have fun. also henry @ alex: 'we should make love tonight, here in paris'. the discussion of who will be doing what is handled with nuance instead of stuffed dialogue; you can do it either way depending on the story but they found the best way to touch on the topic without overdoing it. learning alex has never fully been with a guy is another moment of vulnerability and it should be said they both play these moments well, but even in intimate moments like this we see them being themselves in some measure of levity, reminding each other that they were friends first and remain friends still, that they can be themselves, that there's care and familiarity between them, they're safe. the direction improves during this sequence with close-ups of bare skin - but that intimacy is undercut by switching to mid-shots; the softness of the scene is handled well enough but the lingering mid-shots would be better as short close-ups.

one visual reminds me of that Kill Your Darlings sex scene: 

the sex scene is oddly slow, like the boys are moving in slow-motion, and the movements are a little awkward - an easy fix for this would've been to reduce the lighting in the room; it's very bright so we lose those intimate shadows and the mystery that goes with them.

the golden lit opulence is something that's been done before with gay sex scenes, notably Interview With The Vampire (2022) and True Blood. below you can see the similarities in composition and setting, and how rwrb could've used more shadow and less light for contrast to help heighten the intimacy (they could've still kept it bright if they took inspiration from the Cruel Intentions sex scene): 

as they lay together in the afterglow the wide camera angle catches two condom wrappers on the floor by the bed - a small but mighty detail in both depicting safe sex and stating in no uncertain terms that these two guys had penetrative intercourse.

it's inferred that henry doesn't want to be a royal, doesn't want to live in the spotlight. on the flipside alex loves the opportunity to help people and to be a role model for people like him to look up to.

unfortunately there's a lot of dead air in their d+m pillowtalk scene and it's not the first time this has happened; it comes down to 1 of 4 things: direction, editing, music, acting. the boys play the scene well but their emotion and vulnerability is lost in the wide angle shots - moments like this highlight how poor the direction is, but even bad direction can be helped along by editing and music, but in this scene (and many more) that's simply not what happened; the easiest post-production fix would be to add a musical score to drown out the too-long silence that just reads as awkward; adding some rainsounds and distant thunder would've also worked. but even without a soundtrack this scene could've been improved during filming: it's begging for close-ups and better contrast lighting (everything is still too bright, it looks overly lit like a soundstage not a hotel room).

we end on a hopeful but very dark scene of alex flying home: shots like this need color or light; if i saw this scene out of context i wouldn't guess it was from a happy moment in a romcom (alex's black-gray wardrobe also does nothing to highlight the hope and love he's feeling).

we're just about at the 1hr mark: i want to take a moment to highlight some important plot points about the boys' separate storylines which i'm loving not just for the depth it adds to their characters but for the important subject matter in the present-day: alex's family history, background and ethnicity and what it means both to him and to his country, as well as his passion for wanting to be more involved in politics in order to help people is uplifting. we haven't seen henry's passion explained just yet but the childrens hospital visits and condemning exorbitant royal spending show that he has a heart, conscience and sense. 

we're finally getting some politico plot: president uma, the sneaky flirty journalist miguel, alex's plan to help turn texan voters - yes this is a romcom but i've been hoping they would delve into political matters on both sides of the pond and now here we are; it doesn't come out of nowhere, these narrative threads have been woven in from the start, but it's taken an hour for us to get a dedicted scene (the partial scenes with miguel were overshadowed by his flirting and imho skeevy vibes so i'm glad we're getting other characters in on this plotline).

rather than draw out the drama of mother vs son the plot chooses to skip over the filler and go right to a resolution via mom believing in her son; alex is off to texas to implement his campaign strategy. adventures surely await.

1hr mark: we're halfway done and onto act 2 (3? we're in a new act).

points for the cinematography: the landscape shots are striking and gorgeous and they ground the visuals in a way that the fake snow (nye party), greenscreen DC skyline (white house balcony), and greenscreen paris skyline (through a hotel window) simply didn't. real locations, even pretty b-roll, have been lacking. the campaign office feels real not staged - it may seem like a small thing but it's actually crucial to aid believability, which is also helped along by a backing score and voiceovers from the boys reading their emails to each other (it's almost too busy but they forgo the graphic overlays so it works).

montage time: campaign office and real locations backed by a somewhat rousing musical score and email voiceovers - which seem to overlap towards the end but something is off with the sound layers because one is almost too soft to hear while the other one stays loud. we get a bunch more locations and scenes outside with real sky and sunshine which helps the believability; all the scenes in the white house feel fake so real locations are a win at every turn.

i don't like miguel. his first interaction with alex was kinda fun and intriguing but the more scenes he's in the more i wish screentime was being made for other characters; i don't know if it's the character or the actor or both but i'm just not digging his vibe. if he turns out to be a dbag then it works, but if the plot intends to turn him into a friend i hope his vibe is tweaked moving forward.

alex storms off and henry is suddenly there - the movie has so many shots that linger too long and feature dead air, but it also has a lot of these scenes that aren't given room to breathe; alex should've run into henry in an outer room instead of a prince walking into a crowded bar and claiming 'skullduggery' - it's poor planning and poor direction, but if it was like this in the book it definitely should've been altered slightly for believability, even if only to move them away from the main entrance and many prying eyes. alex basically whisper-shouts that he needs to get henry in his room 'right now' and whether it's sexually loaded or meant to conceal him it fails to be covert on both accounts.

another cut-off sex scene and more post-coital chatting; alex asks henry a bunch of personal things and we learn henry isn't allowed to vote - which relates to alex's campaigning and the fact he (somehow) got 1million voters to register (in an undetermined timeframe). their not-so-casual affair has reached the point of more people finding out: miguel obviously suspects, and now zahra finds herself in the know. we get a butt! and a frantic search by zahra for the 'rando girl'; fun subtext when she finds henry in the closet. there's mention of a percy and i have no idea who that is, and henry confesses he told his sister about them which gets an 'aww' from alex - which is at odds with the whole 'just casual' thing they agreed on earlier; ofc they're both developing feelings but to say them out loud (like in the emails as well) undercuts that nice little angsty moment of when the whole lust-not-love agreement was made after their first time together; did it play out this way in the book? bc right now their relationship reads like a secret romance instead of a secret fling which is fine but it contradicts what they said; pick a relationship and stick with it instead of saying one thing and doing the opposite.

oof, okay: while i love zahra's stresshead freakout i take issue with comments about who tops and bottoms - it's fine to discuss between the boys and anyone else who knows the specifics (maybe nora?) but to have a character with no proof state that she knows (by belittling alex, mind you) is not cool, not cool zahra. alex is quick to say he won't stop seeing henry and again it's playing like a romance not a fling - the least they could do here is focus on henry's reaction but we're not given the chance as the camera follows zahra as she leaves. kudos for zahra giving us 'little lord fuckleroy' and her witty rant but the scene misses several opportunities for close-ups once again.

the next scene takes place in the oval office: it feels like a scene or two are missing; alex comes out to his mom and ellen (literally just realised her name was ellen thanks to the subtitles; i thought the ellen on the posters in texas were for her representative since there were no visuals of her. she's not the only supporting character whose name i don't know) supporting alex. the couch cuddle is an awkward angle and looks more like a cougar cradling her boytoy but points for the president mentioning various queer identities as well as specific safe gay sex practice - has this ever been done? this feels groundbreaking.

it's getaway time: alex's dad, nora, henry, and henry's friend (who we met at nye and whose name i can't rememeber) make up the group. the roadtrip visuals are sad - the wideshot of the desert is drab and looks like greenscreen, there's no sunshine and no fun roadtrip vibes, then we get a road-level driving view of a dusty road with no car in sight (stock footage?) - it's mismatched especially with the greenery surrounding the modern minimalist house they arrive at. alex's email voiceovers are starting to annoy me: his tone is that of a highschool drama student or disney channel energy - it sounds fake. oh, percy is henry's friend from nye.

this is the first i'm hearing of ellen having published a book: fiction or non-fiction? autobiography? this is relevent since henry voiced wanting to be a writer so they may find some common ground when they get to know each other.

another montage: their first day inc. henry showing off his ball skills to alex's dad and them all playing volleyball - it's a pity the weather is drab because sunshine would help lift these scenes particularly bc the production crews haven't bothered adding any filters. we were robbed of alex talking henry through the family photos on display as he leans down to look and the scene cuts away - i wish we were give more of these moments. the club pop isn't what i would've chosen for the montage sequence; there's a difference between eclectic and giving a movie its own musical identity - rwrb doesn't have one, it's a bit of a mess. it is nice to see the boys sharing a hammock in their shorts with hairy legs on display - body hair is not common in young queer media.

the bar sequence has a few odd moments: their entrance vibes make them all look like vamps on the prowl and henry is the new baby vamp; alex's comment about henry being excited for karaoke has no reference point in the narrative so far - all we know is he named his dog after david bowie and now he proceeds to sing queen - and he can sing! and does alex catch a faux kiss from henry on stage? the audio fade as alex gets all mooney-eyed could do with more switches to henry, maybe with their eyes locking - there's just so many scenes that beg for better direction and editing. we get a bit of decent set dressing, blocking, lighting and symbolism - like the shot of henry singing onstage between an american flag and bull skull in blue [re:gay] lighting with shirt to match; bisexual lighting could also be argued with the pink-purple hue or it could be ascribed to love.

i like alex and his father's dynamic, i wish we'd seen more of them together before now. 'patron saint of gender-neutral bathrooms in austin' is another win for positive queer rep especially in america's political climate right now. i'm confused over his father's advice relating to his own relationship: alex hasn't told him about henry or his bisexuality yet(?) so the purpose of 'your mom and i were a stupid idea too' is unclear.

the shots of the wooden platform on the lake: reminds me of the queer coming of age movie jongens. i wonder if it's a nod:

the shot of henry escaping alex's love confession and finding solace in the lakewater is another rare, well done cinematography moment.

alex truly is smitten and it's adorable. henry is more reserved in his affections. we've seen a lot of alex's life and family and heard about his backstory and ambitions, meanwhile henry's side is all but unexplored: 'i can take you around to all the places i grew up and you can get to understand my life a little more' - two points here: 1) i think we've seen enough of alex's life and journey; i hope the narrative shifts to the uk for a bit so we can see henry's side of things but i get the feeling we're going to be focused on alex's journey and i'm worried bc atm the narrative feels unbalanced. 2) it's painfully clear that alex sees them as a couple and i think that's about to blow up in his face bc henry isn't ready for that (as he already stated).

henry cuts alex's love confession short and we finally get a moving backing score (even though it was a little late in the scene). i do love how the story has progressed: henry instigated things at nye, then told alex not to fall in love with him, and now alex is in love with henry and thinking henry loves him too. the next few scene progressions are odd bc we get henry sad alone in bed wallowing presumably about not being able to have a public relationship, then he's sneaking off with his bags in the night - alex's shirtless state suggests they were together one last time but that feels a little underhanded for alex's sake.

we're about 2/3 of the way through at 117mins: alex's personal story had a nice arc to it and now with the boys' separation we move onto henry's personal arc which will likely carry us through to the end of the movie or at least keep focus for a decent while.

we follow henry on the plane and to his home: he's trying to swallow down his pain and move on but still obviously pining for alex. i'm keen to see his side of things and his relationship with his family and royal duties. the soft bittersweet alt-folk lovesong playing in the background is a good choice for mood and lyrics and the plane is better lit than the earlier shot of alex - we even get a pretty sunset through the window; the two scenes stand in opposite: alex was in love but in the dark, and here henry is bathed in the light of riches and a setting sun and is miserable - if that was intentional then kudos bc i love visual meta, but it doesn't immediately read that way and alex's scene still deserves more lighting and colour.

more real locations and natural light: english gardens and sunshine as henry strolls and confides in his sister. alex is fun, but he's a very different vibe to henry and i prefer henry's emotional expression more. i'm glad we're finally getting henry's side, starting with not wanting to break alex's heart, not wanting the king to find out, and resenting the presence of royalty and doubting their need in the 21st century - again relating well to the times, and bringing things back to how alex has inspired him: henry doesn't believe the work royals do has meaningful impact on peoples' lives, whereas alex is out there making a real difference.

the bittersweet lovesong from before resumes over footage of henry playing the piano: missed opportunity to have henry's playing set the melancholy tone over the montage of royal meetings and tea while reading an online article about alex's bright future in politics.

we see nora comforting alex but not percy comforting henry despite mention of him; we didn't even get anything from percy during the getaway and i'm annoyed bc he's almost a non-character, a wasted supporting role.

alex flies to henry: instead of being a grand romantic gesture it's undercut by angst which is a nice change of mood - the storm outside and a rain-drenched alex are perfect.

the palace setting is opulent and looks real even if it isn't, so well done on the location scouts or set designers. the lighting is also really good here. the angsty emotional confrontation is well-scripted but again we lose so much visual impact as the camera just loiters on alex in a mid-shot instead of giving us close-ups of his face and switching over to henry's reception and back to alex. 'my life is the crown and yours is politics and i will not trade one prison for another' - this sounds like a book quote, i love it; we learn that not only does he not want to be a royal but he doesn't want to be with alex bc of the spotlight that he lives in. henry tells alex he doesn't know the real him - fitting for a narrative that has heavily favoured alex's story up til now, the audience doesn't really know henry either; we've seen glimpses but nothing substantial. this scene is a confession, confrontation, venting, resigned acceptance, and fight for love - once again a segment lifted right out of fanfic; it's a little cringey but it's heartfelt, delivered well, and for once the setting feels real - the colors are rich, the lighting contrast is spot-on, and there's a gentle hopeful musical score in the background. this is the sort of love confession scene usually reserved for near the end of movies but we have over 30mins left - i hope they fill that time with alex in henry's world.

sometimes a closeted prince sneaks off to a museum in the dead of night to take in all the naked male statues - am i the only one seeing this and trying not to laugh? it's supposed to be sombre and beautiful but they put two queer characters circling naked male statues and i can only take so much! also: does henry just have a key to the museum? they slowdance to a modern version of can't help falling in love with you - it should be melancholy and romantic but again the lighting fails the narrative, it's too well lit and lacks contrast. henry asks for patience and makes a promise to be brave - this feels like a goodbye (for now).

on the tarmac there's a trading of personal affects: we don't know what henry's ring means (maybe we'll learn?) but it's basically a promise ring in this moment and we've seen it be something of a comfort to his nerves, and we know alex's key is his home - which is where the heart is. 

1hr 30mins: we're onto the final act.

the fade to black after the boys part ways is a very odd choice considering it doesn't happen at any other point in the movie; fades are usually reserved for final scenes so it's a weird fit as we have almost 30mins left.

henry wakes to a scandal: their emails have been hacked and shared with the media, photos of their museum haunt have leaked too but are not shown. who is to blame? a montage of news segments referencing their relationship inc. an interview with miguel which insinuates his involvement - confirming suspicions of him being a dbag.

alex's press conference becomes voiceover to henry facing the music while a gentle piano music track plays - scenes like this out of context could fool viewers into thinking the production quality is better than it is. his speech is overlain with unseen moments of their romance and ends on a hopeful note despite the interspersed scenes of henry looking miserable; this is noteworthy bc while alex is allowed to speak his truth at a press conference henry is shown with people at a table speaking for him and his brother berating him, he has no chance to speak for himself, no freedom.

zahra is supportive but still a comically semi-dramatic stresshead; she's a gem that we haven't seen enough of - and is apparently in a sexual relationship with henry's not-butler; she helps put alex in contact with henry calling them 'lovesick homosexuals' (affectionate). at last we get henry playing the piano and it seems to match the score recently played, but i have a new theory of why his music wasn't used as the backing track: bc not doing so plays into his story of living a controlled life not being allowed any expression of self beit in word or song. alex calls henry 'baby' for the first time on the phone and i wish we'd gotten it sooner.

alex flies to henry to comfort him, support him: the stairwell hug is a little awkward but sweet and one of few good direction choices. henry plays piano for alex, expressing himself freely in his own home - they even play a few notes together of my country tis of thee, expressing their love freely.

king stephen fry as i live and breathe! they cast an iconic, out and proud gay man to play the king and he plays the role so well. in fact this entire scene is so well done not just in how the plot plays out but in the direction: the room is opulent and real and suits wide-shots but we also get close-ups, and switches between the various characters in ways we haven't seen for the majority of the movie; perhaps such a turnaround is a visual choice: to see people individually and up close as henry is freed - but it's a flimsy excuse for the otherwise poor direction we've been subject to. 

henry watches as alex fiddles nervously with henry's ring he now wears; it's a reminder of their shared promise and how close they are to being together no matter what happens. 

crowds gather in the streets: queer identities have gained a lot of ground on equality in the past few decades but they still experience backlash and hate both in the uk and america. to see thousands of people turn out in support of their queer prince, rainbow flags flying, as the king himself tries to bumble through the indefensible claim that only traditional values will be welcome by the people.. what a sight to behold. 'starting today the world will know me for who i am, not who you want me to be'.

back to usa: texas is the turning state that ends up winning ellen reelection. in her victory speech she talks of representing everyone from 'auto workers to transgender students', another win for queer rep. the entire election sequence is directed well and edited well - with inserts of news footage and ellen's voiceover with nothing getting muddied; production is stepping up their game for the home stretch.

alex and henry visit alex's austin home using the key henry now wears; the camera shot of the street is striking and more proof that the crew can give us decent visuals when they try. 'we won' is the shared sentiment as they enter the house - tbh i'm not clear on why: do they plan to live there? is it a matter of sharing more of alex's roots, or the simple symbolism of home is where the heart is? the key ties it together but the meaning is lost, it feels like an odd place to end. the shooting star above the house is cliche but perhaps it has a simple meaning too: wishes do come true. 

the end!

that's it for my watchnotes. below i'm going to talk a bit about plot and production highlights and drawbacks.

the trailer: i didn't watch the trailer before i watched the movie and i think doing so would've heightnened my expectations. it's really well made, sets the mood for a heartfelt romcom, and the song choice of lil nas x is perfect and the whole thing feels like a high quality fanvid - which honestly is what i want in queer trailers because it means the focus and tone is where we want it. but it does spoil a few key moments that i wish were omitted, so i'm glad they weren't ruined for me.

overall plot impressions: i've mentioned a few times that rwrb plays like a fanfic and i stand by that. i think most viewers will see the plot progression and know it's a book adaptation - it has a flow and a busyness that almost doesn't work but they handled the pacing really well. i enjoyed the story! the romance and cute humour balanced well and all the plot points were resolved. i particularly liked that the book didn't make alex a bitter politico baby but instead excited to use his platform to help people - and we see that wish reflected in henry's bitterness and misery over his royal standing bc he also wants to help people. their characterisations and relationship was engaging enough to want to know what happens next, and production failings aside, taking a step back from my messy scene-by scene commentary i think it's a story worth watching. it's not perfect (again, production issues) but it's worthwhile.

things i would change: i mention in my watchnotes that i like the focus being on the boys and not giving us filler scenes with other characters, but as the story progresses it feels like it's missing the inclusion of other characters to help round out the narrative; scenes like talking with friends and family - and not just about their relationship or sexuality but about their lives - i want to see more of the side characters bc they have potential for supportive and tangential plot and could've enriched the story a little more. 

we get barely a taste of other interpersonal relationships with alex helping with the presidential campaign, but next to nothing on henry's side; i was expecting a conversation with someone about the royals' role in modern society instead of just venting to his sister - it feels like a missed opportunity. i also would've liked to see more of henry's life. i'm glad the narrative shifted to give us his side towards the end but i would've liked to see more of his journey.

there's so many elements of henry's story we could've known more about: the hospital visit was so sweet and he usually goes without cameras so it's a personal investment - might he be interested in doing more nonprofit work? we know he can sing, play piano, loves Byron, and wants to be a writer - he's a creative boy, explore that! and what about his relationship with his mother, and when his father was alive? the plot could've switched between the boys during their correspondance showing henry's royal duties and mindset and given more insight into his character instead of focusing solely on alex. alex's story is nicely fleshed out but henry remains something of a mystery and it leaves the story feeling lopsided - time may be the issue so again, perhaps a mini series would've been better, but if it was a choice to keep henry's side unexplored compared to alex's i get it but i wanted more of him. 

i mentioned my confusion over alex's key and henry's ring. i would've liked them to be touched on a little more: is henry's ring of royal lineage significance or from his father? I think his brother was wearing the same one on his finger. on that note, i would've liked to learn more about henry's father: he was an actor, so why not tell us something about his films, have henry or alex rewatching one of his films together over the phone or at least show us a family photo.

for a minute i wished we'd gotten more international relations but that doesn't really suit for adolescent princes; if it was a king and a president or heir prince and president/senator it would've called for that. the political stuff we got was a nice enough amount and I'm glad it was part of the plot. 

more overlay graphics and social media inserts would've been fun - relatable for the modern era. i'm guessing they weren't prevalent in the book otherwise we might have gotten more, or it could've been a budget thing. they weren't necessary for the plot but the styling reminded you this movie is a romcom. 

the main characters: alex and henry are likeable in their respective senses, but it's interesting to note that while alex occupies the majority of screentime and plot, henry [nicholas] is the one who steals every scene; he's mysterious [re:reserved] and vulnerable leaving the viewer wanting to know more about him. alex is fun and charming and vibrant and he brings henry to life, while henry shines in the more tender intimate moments. the development of their relationship works for pacing and there's enough time spent together that the viewer can witness them falling in love.

from a technical standpoint: the movie is lacking. my main issue is with the direction: the lack of close-up shots makes it seem like they didn't have the equipment - but this is fucking amazon! they can afford it! so either they didn't want to spend the money on a queer romcom - which is insane considering the times we live in and how queer rep in media is gaining traction and speed - or the director was so unskilled that they didn't think to utilise close-ups. sadly, the direction is lazy and uninspired for much of the movie with far too many mid-shots when the scenes call for close-ups; it also needs more switching between characters to capture reactions rather than just focus on one person while they monolgue (this could also be a script issue). 

note: when i was skimming through a second time for screencaps i didn't have any issue with the direction; from faraway or if you're not really paying attention the direction and soundtrack are fine. it's when you're hanging on every scene that you feel letdown by the repeated missteps. 

the script was a little clunky. there's a lot of monolgues - fine for a book but they come off a little cliche on-screen and often feel like a stage production. but these instances were made worse by the poor direction and editing teams. however the boys' banter and conversations are always good. 

the overlay of graphics, the scene meldings where they're in the same room, and inset scene segments, are all visually appealing - but aren't consistent throughout the movie. i was expecting more social media and correspondance visuals but they get replaced by voiceovers and montages which don't have as much impact (although the execution of this style is done well). 

the lighting needs work: most of the night scenes feel overlit and fake, lacking shadows for intimacy and just feel all around uncaring and drab. i swear some scenes look like they didn't see the editing room - lots of dead air, which can also be attributed to a directing issue ie. not getting enough shots. high budget romcoms are brighter and have more contrast, use better lighting and filters - and sometimes are too bright and feel too fake - but the overlighting and lack of richness in rwrb leaves it feeling drab; the plot and characters are begging for more colour, more contrast! giving the story what it needs wouldn't have adversely altered the vibe, it would have elevated it to what it deserved to be.

there was a problem with the soundtrack: the score was messy when present, but absent more than present. sometimes the score was too fast or too slow and had no discernible vibe - honestly it sounds like stock music, and while i do understand that romcoms don't need a signature sound they do deserve their musical needs met. there was a lack of musical score in many scenes which resulted in dead air between dialogue; it feels like the music track is missing, and without that atmospheric element the characters are left hanging and the vibe is awkward and unfinished. and the chosen licensed songs are fine on their own but when you cobble them together you get a lack of cohesion, no unified vibe or atmospheres that compliment one another, it feels mismatched rather than eclectic.

when these seemingly small issues pile up and are recurring it affects the quality of the movie and can lower the overall reception; people can tell that it wasn't given the care or money it deserved and then they start to ask why - and you better hope you have a good answer.

the runtime is considerably long: 2hrs is long for a romcom. it makes sense given that it's a streamer debut and not in theatres, and they make good use of the time in progressing the plot and letting love bloom, but while the focus on the boys and their relationship is what audiences are tuning in for there could've been more room for the supporting characters. you don't need side characters to make a good romcom but when the production quality is lacking like it is for rwrb side characters can help add dimension and believability - it's the actors that make up for the failings of production.

i think they could've done a 3-part mini series instead: flesh out their personal arcs more - especially henry - and give the side characters more screentime - nora, percy, henry's sister, zahra, the not-butler, alex's parents; the plot calls for more of them but they're not given the chance which results in the boys feeling somewhat isolated no matter how supportive their family and friends are.

content rating: american content ratings are strange because it skips from pg-13 to 17yo with a guardian? but here in australia rwrb is rated m13+ on the amazon prime app. teens and young adults are the target audience and going by the language used and lack of nudity it makes sense it wasn't given a more mature rating because the content doesn't call for it. basically there's nothing to be censored - which is good in a way, bc it proves you can depict a queer romance with sex without it coming off like a porno. hopefully rwrb will motivate more queer productions and invite audiences to read the book and to seek out more queer fiction.

as for the actors: it's nice to see some fresh faces - i didn't recognise anyone except uma and fry. the diverse casting is also a win with most of the side characters being poc, and a biracial poc in the queer main pairing is a double win.

alex aka. taylor, is the charmer, the enigmatic one of the pair and real easy on the eyes. at times it felt like he was falling back on his good looks, and other times his line delivery was almost farcical and reads as over the top or awkward - but this is something that should've been mitigated by better directing, better editing; it takes a village, as they say. but taylor also gives more than he gets from everyone around him - with the exceptions of henry and nora - which is a shame. i can't help but think taylor would've been better suited to a brighter more energetic vibe for rwrb - the production around him falls flat including most of the side characters (with a few exceptions) who did nothing to brighten the atmosphere let alone elevate it to a standard that shows how much love and care should've gone into creating rwrb.

henry aka. nicholas, may play the more reserved character but he doesn't shy away from taking us on an emotional journey. he has greater emotional range and knows how to use his face and body to convey those emotions whether they be small and private or an outburst of passion. imho nicholas was the shining star of this movie despite getting less screentime; he brought his a-game to almost every scene and i'm sad this was a romcom not a dramedy or drama bc from what he shows us he would do wonders in genres with more angst.

other characters: hilson was great - we didn't get anywhere near enough of her and her friendship with alex; i would've loved to see her own character fleshed out a little if rwrb were a mini series, and i was actually hoping for a friendship or fling/romance between her and henry's sister. shahi's character was a well-placed addition and she tried so hard to nail the comedic timing and tone despite letdowns from the director - and again, we didn't get enough of her. uma was perfect casting in a power postion but she was a little stiff in the motherly role, namely the physical aspects - maybe she's like that in the book but for on-screen it was a little awkward. as for the other side characters we barely saw - percy, shauun, alex's bodyguard and henry's redheaded sister whose roles were so minimal i don't even remember their name - they all held potential for relationships with our boys and their own storylines and are another vote in favor of rwrb being better suited to a mini series.

overall closing thoughts: this one is a winner. is it a masterpiece? no. the biggest letdown is the production quality, but the story and leading men perservere well enough and deliver a decent, fun queer romcom. it plays out like a book in the sense that the narrative is layered and the plot is full, which makes it different to the average romcom which barely has plot let alone good plot. rwrb might not seem like groundbreaking content but a feature-length queer-focused romcom is, even in 2023 - you'd think we'd have more by now but maybe this is the start, maybe rwrb will prove to producers and streamers that the viewership is here and hungry for more. i know there are always issues with adapting books for the screen but with so many quality queer books out there we might be in for an era of queer reads making it onto the big screen and i for one am here for that, across all genres.

#rwrb #red white and royal blue #spoilers #watchnotes #review #queer characters #queer cinema #lgbtqia #mlm #gay characters #bisexual male characters #queer reads #long post

[trainingdummyrabbit]

Hey, I know you're a Projmoon fan, I guess I'm curious because I'm at an impasse on what to do rn, did you play through the entirety of Lobotomy Corporation, did you just skip it entirely for Ruina, or did you read a summary/watch a cutscene compilation or let's play/something else? And what would you recommend as an approach? I've tried playing through Lobcorp but it's just extremely tedious and I'm considering skipping it to get to something I think I'll like more (Ruina)

oh!! ok my answer is a little bit complicated tbh; bc i havent. played any of the series at all. WAHAHA

what i personally did was um. attempt to watch an incomplete lobcorp lp ==> couple months radio silence ==> watched one (1) day of gameplay from a friend (for one boss fight specifically) ==> got recc'd summaries i slowly watched thru ==> couple months radio silence. ==> watched someone else's (actually complete) lp ==> (rabbit hole'd) summaries again.

um. dont do that. JSNBGKHDBK

im not gonna act like i Know how t tackle a series like this (since it took me like 4 circles around to Actually Commit to it (and also im kind of. new. here)) BUT from my personal opinion of the series and how it carries itself, i CAN recc at least Some order of something.

TRY to play Lobcorp! which i can kinda see is already done on your end. its something i Super want to try but absolutely know i wont finish SKJFNKDJF;; the main draw of PLAYING lobcorp is the struggle. it Sucks! its Long and Tedious and the game HATES you... and that's the point! it's plot relevant. it's an experience i didnt get to feel, but can so painfully just Understand by merit of watching someone else do it, only skipping about occasionally. tl;dr: the game loop is Telling A Story, Dragging You In-- THAT is the draw in insisting folks play it. it genuinely makes the... everything... hit that much harder. Once youve given it your best, dont feel ashamed to look for someone who's Done It! (i hear a lot of folks havent completed lobcorp themselves, so ✌) DONT UM . SKIP IT COMPLETELY THOUGH ruina is literally a Direct Sequel to it. i think it does a good enough job at introducing the setting on its own, but i am GRABBING YOU this shit will hit fucking DIFFERENT if you Understand. also its a lovely game worth looking at and appreciating bc GOD what a fucking experience those last few days are. i do not cry that easily to stuff like this but OUGH. AUGH. H

Wonderlab??? its a webcomic thats heavily reccommended you read through, but due to um. circumstances . it doesnt seem t be feasible atm. however, there IS a synopsis up thats pretty darn good! wonderlab, iirc, isn't directly plot relevant, but DOES introduce certain important concepts for ruina. however, it's not Mandatory, as ruina Also explains these things. as far as i know, its just a fun lil kickass story in the universe taking place between series you can look at if you want :)

Play Ruina! or watch, i guess. again, i watched an lp and it kicked the shit out of me emotionally (affectionate) so honestly do what you will here, i suppose.

honestly though, these are both super fucking long-ass and ridiculously heavy games so you're probably gonna be here a while. it took me like two weeks of committed watch time t look into Properly, and that was even when i started skipping straight to cutscenes at the latter half. embrace that! i cant stop you, but id heavily reccommend at the very least watching through the gameplay loop for a good chunk of the time-- giving the story that space really hammers home the... Everything. heavily heavily recc letting it Have that space.

for ruina specifically though, definitely at least watch through the beginning and ending legs of every fight-- and at least a solid chunk of every boss fight. if you're intent on skipping round gameplay loops like i did, imean. watch the boss fights watch the boss fights these fuckers do NOT play around. i cannot applaud these games' soundtracks enough and i wont say anything but trust me trust me trust me.

ANYWAY. here's the stuff that was recc'd to me, personally! if you wanna give watching through the series a go! :]

Lobcorp LP: [x] (Commentated+Completed! I couldn't find any no-commentary ones that were finished, but honestly for its gameplay loop it Helps. Blind on his end, but he does genuinely really like the series so i give it a thumbs up ✌) Ruina LP: [x] (Same guy :] also completed!) Lobcorp SUMMARY: [x] (Brief, but a good opener+summary!) Wonderlab SUMMARY: [x] (It Sure Is Wonderlab!!) Ruina SUMMARY: [x] [x] (Actually incomplete, but goes pretty well in depth and is easy to watch+absorb.) Alt SUMMARY: [x] (Consists of both parts of the duology! I haven't actually watched it in a while so i don't exactly remember much t say about it, but it sure is on my list!)

#TAG ESSAY BUT ITS IMPORTANT ACTUALLY HI <33 #pikasks #long post #speaking only what i know and feel from th short amount i can speak for!!!!!! #VERY VERY good game series though when it hits it fucking HITS. #its just 'im in hell im in hell im in hell im in hell-- OH FUCK.' #transitioning to a slightly more jaded 'ah. hell. --OH FUCK.' #ANYWAY. for lobcorp; abnormality lore isnt PLOT IMPORTANT but it IS very very fun storytelling so if you like fun spooky stuff. nods. #again-- do what you will and what you think is most fun-- this is just what i think would have th most impact! #for me tho watching the summaries THEN the gameplay helped a lot bc i do Not retain info well at ALL #. i also get really stressed when characters are in danger and i dont know what will happen to them so that helped there too KSJNFKJD #again. heavy heavy series but if its your speed its SO worth it. #ALLSO THERES CONTENT WARNINGS HI YEAH theres an image available but tbh most of it isnt that bad. #EXCEPT ONE INSTANCE. if you dont wanna know when dont read ahead BUT #REALLY HEAVY BODY HORROR AND GORE WARNING for one specific part of ruina-- nothing good happens on trains. <3 #it builds up to it very well so you can see it coming p easy-- no jumpscares-- but YEA THAT BODY SURE CAN HORROR. #THATS ALL. OK. HAVE FUN <33

[wordsandrobots]

OK, I have two overall things to say about Gundam SEED: Destiny (I’ve been sick, binging this nominally staved off extreme boredom; spoilers to follow).

Number 1: Arthur Trine is doing his best, damnit, and I hope he got a cup of tea and a sit down once everything was over.

Number 2: what an incredibly frustrating show.

In many ways it is leaps and bounds ahead of its predecessor, freed from literally repeating the same set-pieces of the original Gundam to tell a story that, honestly, has something approaching a meaningful point. Chairman Durandal is a compelling antagonist and the way he and Teen!Le Cookset gradually break the series’ pseudo-protagonist to their perspective is narratively interesting. The underlying message in what he does -- about how those in power pick out enemies that will best serve their ends and present themselves as the reasonable ones -- is definitely worth exploring. And the show even manages to address the Gundam-overload issues from SEED, by more clearly delineating the point of each machine and staggering them a bit more competently.

However. It inherits the problem of its length exceeding its content, leading to more stock-footage abuse and, far less forgivably, *three* clips shows, only one of which (the last, focused on Meer) has any actual merit. It also continues SEED’s determination to screw over every single female character who isn’t Lacus. For the record, I *like* Lacus: she’s a nice execution of someone having a ‘typical’ presentation wrapped around a core of stainless steel conviction, which is something I always enjoy in fiction. However, Cagalli in particular is an utter waste of potential, not being allowed to mature, gain focus, or make a single bloody decision without Kira or Athrun’s input, to the point where it’s actively aggravating to watch.

This is where we hit the limits of the genre and demographic, of course, and once again makes me appreciate literally every female character in IBO because Gundam generally is so very *not good* at this. (Obviously G-Witch is ahead again on the score, thankfully, but IBO is probably the best-case scenario within the ‘fiction aimed at boys’ problems that plague its predecessors.)

Shinn is similarly annoying. It’s not a bad thing he’s abrasive and the endpoint was always going to be him winding up a broken, weeping wreck because he’s too stupid to recognise anything beyond his own feelings. But his trauma flashbacks hit parodic very early and he’s far too irritating to be worth sitting through his screen-time. Like Kira, only the problem is the presence of personality rather than its total fucking absence.

My biggest complaint, however, is reserved for the variety of ways SEED:Destiny buggers up its good ideas. I’d have liked it a lot more if ‘Logos’ hadn’t actually been a thing. ‘Shadowy conspiracy doing [bad thing] from the shadows in the name of profit’ is the kind of message that gets slung around a lot in real life with no justification whatsoever and it really doesn’t help counter the people who do that if you hinge your plot on ‘no the Illuminati actually do have a giant laser on the moon.’ The cleverer and more cutting twist would have been to reveal there was no actual group called Logos and while the people Durandal named might have had interests in common, he was really just lumping them together for his own convenience.

You know. As scapegoats. Like the way this goes in reality, with the matters that this show is sticking its oar in and trying to Say Something about.

But no, because once more, this is a story interested in emotional reactions and personal epiphanies over any sort of systemic question because, well . . . that’s typical, isn’t it? Frustrating but not unexpected. Eureka Seven does nearly everything SEED/SEED:Destiny attempts better and that is hardly the first case of that happening with a Gundam show. Possibly this is just galling me more than usual because there are so many [swerves around the obvious pun] traces of a more interesting story here.

Oh well. Mu steadily getting his memories back was fun and I shall be taking the final epilogue to mean he, Murrue and Andrew settled down to a life of coffee-fueled polyamory. Yzak yeeting himself on to the right side of the final battle through sheer indignation was actually kind of funny. And I will give it credit, this did feel like one of the more meaningful ‘final battles to destroy a giant super-weapon’ out of the many, many times Gundam has done that (including in SEED, for gods’ sake). If nothing else, I appreciate the chutzpah of having Durandal rock up in an off-brand Death Star, right down to a recoloured Emperor’s chair.

Whatdyouknow. I actually did have something to say about this one. I think that just leaves Victory for main series I haven’t watched (I finished G Fighter; it was joyfully ridiculous). That probably won’t be changing any time soon. Ranking wise . . . SEED:Destiny probably sits around equal with 00 for me.

#gundam seed #gundam seed destiny #more rambling #kind of a review? #mostly more snark #I didn't even rant about the combining suit did I? #it's daft #not so much the replacement parts aspect #but the combination dance #every time it heads out #JUST SHOOT IT WHILE IT'S COMING TOGETHER #even the one (1) attempt to justify its utility was stupid #since that cave was clearly big enough for a whole mobile suit despite the dialogue #anyway #look at me getting annoyed with fiction aimed a teenagers #again

[crystalelemental]

I have now cleared Fire Emblem Engage, and before I get to the cut below, I want to address something.  In the leadup to this game, a lot of reviews came back going, rather ominously, “this is not like Three Houses.”  Every scenario was about how the plot isn’t as intricate, the supports not as dynamic, and made everything about Engage sound like it was a step backwards; a regression in some way.  I want to make clear, it’s not.  It’s much more aligned with games prior to Three Houses, but its plot and characters are not lesser for having a more standard story.  At a bare minimum for discussing this game, I feel like that’s something that needs to be said, because it was a concern that almost kept my wife and I from getting it at all.

That said, in the grand scheme of the series?  This might be one of the best.

It’s been a long time since I’ve said this, and I can’t actually recall if it’s ever a thing I’ve said on the blog before, but from my younger days spending time with friends who exclusively watched bad movies for fun, I developed a hardline stance that simple is not bad, and complex is only good if it’s consistent.  Very often, stories can lead into something being incredibly strong, and then falter or trip face-first at the finish line, becoming outright terrible.  I feel like Three Hopes was a strong example.  That was a pretty fun game from an alternate events story, but the instant we start talking about Zahras, that game shits itself so hard even my wife doesn’t like talking about it, and she’s super invested in Three Houses.  If you can’t stick the landing on a complex idea, I do legitimately think it’s better to not even try.  Just aim simple.  Because if you can aim simple, and just stick to something that has an emotional impact, you can still come out as a good story.

Engage does that.  At its core, it’s a pretty simple good vs evil kind of story.  You are divine dragon, enemy is fell dragon, kill.  This never really changes, and there’s no real gray area on what’s going on broadly.  But the specifics of the story focus a lot on family, and the bonds people create to become like family.  It presents the idea that your family is more than just your blood, and that family can be unbelievably shitty but still, in some distorted way, care about each other.  It has a lot of really impactful scenes around this, with probably the best one being Zephia and Griss.  I...really like that scene.  It’s such an interesting presentation of their dynamic.  It’s too late to feel proper empathy for them, Marni and all that, but it’s such an interesting approach.

I think it’s also worth noting...there’s discussion I’ve heard through the series about how tension is built up in games, and how things like the turnwheel mechanic lessen the impact of your decisions.  But I think this game now provides a fantastic alternative perspective.  The presence of the Time Crystal, and its infinite use in Normal mode, means this is a very common tool to rely on.  Combined with the Emblem Rings that are absurdly powerful, with Celica’s Warp Ragnarok being a near-instant OHKO on bosses.  So hitting Chapter 11, and having all of your tools removed, even temporarily?  That’s the most powerless and desperate I’ve felt playing these games.  Like, that’s up there with shifting back to Dawn Brigade in Radiant Dawn, or basically anything in Thracia after Chapter 3.  It’s such an effective ploy to get you panicking.  I kinda love it.

On that note, I also kinda like infinite rewind.  I know there’s a lot of discussion about its merits, but I dunno, I kinda thought the decision to limit uses of it was...unnecessary.  Either have it or don’t.

Mechanically, I also enjoy that skills are more limited.  I think modern games tend to go overboard on skills and their acquisition, requiring you to cycle through whole classes and allowing five skills for ridiculous combinations.  I think the limitation to 2 skills is more reasonable, and I actually like that they’re inherited off the rings instead of classes.  I think that makes things more accessible, in a way.  Nothing is more frustrating about optimizing Awakening than needing to go to Dark Flier on like every unit who can access it to get Galeforce, requiring you to promote, shift class, get to level 15, then shift to a class you actually wanted, all before picking up the kids, and at that point being so wildly overpowered that the game no longer mattered.  Optimizing in that way was just frustrating.  Here it’s a lot easier to just play naturally.

But.  I hate the SP system.  It’s awful.  Characters start out with more SP the later they join, which is sensible, but it turns out you cannot possibly accrue that amount of SP without obscene levels of grinding.  Seriously, Framme starts with like 300SP, and I think she ended around 1200.  Meanwhile late-game units like Saphir step in with like 2000SP outright.  And some skills have the audacity to cost 5000.  There’s no NG+.  How in god’s name am I supposed to ever afford that?  It’s just not a well executed system.  At all.  Because you can’t really mix and match skills.  Half my army never saw 2000SP, so I just...didn’t get to test any combinations.  Which sucks.   A lot.

I do like class promotion, though.  We’re off the Echoes/Three Houses system, and back to flat stat improvements.  I like that a lot more.  I like pushing to level 20 then promoting when I can, and it always annoyed me that the base stat promotion system would give me nothing for the change.  I also like the proficiency system a bit, and I think it’s interesting how a lot of the classes are organized in a way where you can pick a combination of two skills.  Like, Wolf Knight?  You get Daggers, but you can pick sword, lance, or axe, depending on what proficiency you learn.  I think that’s really cool.  Also Wolf Knight is the coolest addition.  I love it.

Combat-wise, I really like how this game plays.  It just...feels good, in a way that I’m not quite able to describe.  I felt more like my placement mattered, and that weapon advantage mattered.  I was initially wary of the break system, but it came together incredibly well.  Chain attacks are...a bit hard for me to grasp when they happen, but are an interesting play as well.  When I’m using them.  When the enemy uses them to kill Louis, then it’s bullshit.  Random encounters for grinding in particular get really frustrating once they enter “Recommended level: Advanced Class.”  Because the enemies are a swarm.  And they’re a swarm that will all converge on you at once.  The hardest maps felt like the random encounters, because they scale to your best level, and are so aggressive, and Chain Attacks are going to blitz you regardless of defensive ability.  So I’m a bit back and forth.  It’s a cool idea, but I think any time you’re aiming to farm something, it’s more of a problem than a help.  The game feels like dodge tanking is the way to go sometimes, but even then, Chain Attacks are a flat 80% chance to land, so like...I don’t really know what the solution is there.

The rings are pretty fun, though.  Celica was fantastic early-game, but by the time I got her back, Warp Ragnarok was no longer killing everything in one shot.  Which was frustrating.  I feel like she kinda fell off.  Sigurd’s ring with Canter is fantastic, I love the nonsense you can get up to.  Lucina ring was great on Goldmary, double Chain Attacks put fantastic pressure on things.  Lyn’s special is a great way to just annihilate the first HP bar from a boss, and draw aggro without putting anyone in danger.  Byleth’s Goddess Dance was really good, and Thyrsus meant it was ideal for Celine, who now has 4-range Bolganone.  I think the rings simultaneously felt really overpowered, but not in a way I disliked.  Most of the game you don’t have many, so it doesn’t feel too bad, and once you have them all, nearly your whole team is equipped.  I did find it very funny you get 14 units, though.  Because 12 rings and the two DLC options.  They left you units to encourage use of all options, even the DLC.  I won’t complain.  I love using more units.

The last thing I’d note is supports.  Supports in this game are...really good, actually.  I was very pleased with how they came out.  They can feel a bit repetitive at times, but that’s every game.  But man, when they land on something interesting, they really shine.  I especially liked Celine, really grew to love Yunaka and Goldmary, and Hortensia was a massive surprise as well.  They did really well with crafting the characters with supports, which I always feel like is the most important part.  Not every character needs to be centrally important.  If anything, trying to make everyone centrally important bogs down the gameplay something fierce.  But the characters should matter, and that’s what supports are for.  It’s why they invented the things, I think.  So I’m glad those played out.

But oh my GOD are they hard to get.  Getting C and B aren’t too difficult, just fight in the Arena, but that requires a bit of save scumming.  Eating meals is a slow progression, but far more damning is that in-combat support only works in player phase, and doesn’t seem to confer much.  Worse, I gave everyone Corrin’s Quality Time ability, and it...did not significantly speed up access to supports.  It’s really distressing how little that skill did, actually.  I don’t necessarily mind a game where the goal is to replay things to get different supports.  But I also think this goes way, way too slow to be reasonable.  I’d like it to be a little quicker.

That said, barring the SP and support systems being a little janky...this was a really well put together game, with a simple but really effective story, and some great characters.  I had a great time with this one.  And with that out of the way, I am officially able to look through the tags here on Tumblr, where I’m sure everyone will be normal about things and nothing bad will happen.

#fire emblem engage

[spicebiter]

Okay so YEAH I watched A Serbian Film today because I saw someone say not to watch it and because I'm *guestures to all of me* I immediately watched it and fucked myself up. I'll say anything more about it under a cut because the last thing I want to do is make people read about this movie. If you don't already know I'm warning you now- Me, someone who sat through all the Human Centipede movies unbothered by much more than how shit the story of them was but still almost threw up twice while watching this movie- Don't Google it, don't look at a plot synopsis, don't for the love of God watch it unless you are soso certain you can deal with it.

First off I'm not going to beat around the bush and say I liked this movie, because I did not. I will say that despite my persisting nausea over this movie it was very good from a technical standpoint. While The Human Centipede series was an awful experience not really because the content was Nasty but rather because Tom Six is a fucking hack and the movies just generally sucked. In a very unfortunate turn for me this movie actually has some worth. Even without having read about it in advance the themes are clear, and it's acting, effects, and story are solidly made.

I say 'unfortunate turn' primarily because I am extreeeeeeemely sensitive to sound design and this movie had really, really intense sound design. Imho. There were three key points in this movie that made me persistently ill. For those that have seen the film, I'm sure you can guess what these points where because they were the most generally upsetting ones as far as I could tell. What set it apart for me was that the sound design matched horrifically well with the scenes depicted and put the scenes quickly into the realm of 'sickening'. I have strong suspicions that if I'd watched this one on mute I would've had a far easier time. A large part of what kept me OK through this one was being able to single out when effects were utilized, because even while being good for what it is I have to imagine it's difficult to get very convincing props of this ilk on a budget. Of course through clever editing this becomes a surprisingly unnoticeable facet up against the things this movie does very well.

Something else this film did that kind of took me off guard to recognize as a near 'plus' was its creativity. It is... Daring, in just how far it will take its depiction of depravity. For all of its surface ick The Human Centipede never came close to surprising me and despite at the time never having seen anything like it I still felt that it altogether came off as contrived and unimaginative. If you asked just about anyone to write a movie about sewing people ass to mouth, I have to imagine the majority would look similar to the finished product. Like yeah he actually went and made it but Tom Six certainly didn't clear any hurdles in the creativity department. Between the distinctly artistic way A Serbian Film is filmed and the intense lows it depicts it sticks as a movie that's actually saying something, not just talking at you.

For what it is... I wouldn't denounce this film completely. I will say that personally I'm not about getting points across in the fashion chosen here but I can't say that I don't see the merit of it. 'Disgust' is not a feeling that automatically makes me dismiss art in and of itself. While this isn't a film I could in good faith recommend to literally anyone that doesn't mean It's worthless.

#a serbian film #spiced #media talk

[willow-lark]

Hi Lark! You seem really cool! I was wondering, what's your favorite Pride and Prejudice adaptation, if you have one? Have a nice day!

hello hello!! how's it going?

okay. okay. honestly THANK YOU for sending this to me. p&p is my FAVORITE NOVEL and i simply do not talk about it enough on here (or at all regarding my own personal thoughts). but i also hope u understand what u have unleashed within me. bc p&p is a topic that i will not shut up about once prompted. so without further ado:

The Complete Ranking of Every Pride and Prejudice Adaptation that I Have Seen Thus Far (*not including books/written work, bc i have read far too many of those)

Pride & Prejudice (2005 film)

this one is gonna be controversial, whichever one i pick as first. you know, it's got its merits and pitfalls in comparison with the 1995 miniseries, but this film is my comfort movie. it looks pretty, and it's got a pretty soundtrack, and keira knightley is pretty, and i think it adapts the story quite well for having to fit everything into two hours. each character is done well & it artfully represents the book. i just love this film okay!!

2. Pride and Prejudice (1995 miniseries)

okay i ranked this one #2 is everyone happy now!! but yeah. i mean. no one can outdo colin firth. that's a fact of life. this one adapts the books soso faithfully, it's so amazing to see. the whole tone is so well transferred onto the screen. collins is appropriately slimy, mrs. bennet is over the top, & COLIN FIRTH!!!!

3. The Lizzie Bennet Diaries (2012-2013 webseries)

i found this one only a couple of years ago, and i was so mad to be late to the party >:( i love every single part of this adaptation. all the tongue-in-cheek references are so great and i loved how they adapted the bennet sisters, as well as the whole situation to the modern day. just spectacular.

4. Death Comes to Pemberley (2013 miniseries)

okay i will be completely fair i haven't seen this one in a while, but i did just talk to my mother, who's seen it more recently than i, and she insisted that i place this one as far as up as i could. from what i remember it was a very good story, with good acting and an interesting take on all the characters and what they would be doing years after the end of the book. definitely recommend!

5. Bridget Jones's Diary (2001 film)

another one i haven't seen in ages, and also of which my mother was very passionate about the ranking. colin firth AGAIN!! and another fantastically funny modern au that presents a new angle on it. still middle of the pack, though, since i don't have much to say about it 😭

6. Pride and Prejudice (1940 film)

ok now we're getting into territory that is just. not worth your while lmao. like this one was interesting to watch as an old movie but i was overall not impressed. like maybe there's some film buff out there who can tell me something or other about how it pioneered some technique or something, but...

7. Pride and Prejudice (1980 miniseries)

i... could not get through much of this one at all. it just seemed off? in tone, in plot, in characterization... i don't actually know that i finished it! it definitely could not compare with any of the films or miniseries that are higher up on my list.

8. Pride and Prejudice: A New Musical (2020 musical)

just... augh. when i saw that this existed i was super excited! like a p&p musical??? that sounds so cool! but i found it just to be so tedious. the characters & acting were poor, i didn't enjoy any of the musical numbers, and they styled the actor playing mr. darcy to make him look akin to a corpse. not everyone can pull off the colin firth look and you shouldn't force it!! there's this one moment about half an hour in when darcy & wickham meet for the first time that CRACKS ME UP. legitimately hysterical. i didn't make it much further than that in watching it.

/end rant. that was longer than i thought it would be & probably longer than u were asking for 😆 but THANK YOU for giving me the opportunity to talk a bit ab p&p bc i do adore it dearly and would always love to scream about it!! 💕🫂 i'm sure i've seen more adaptations than on this list, but these were the first to come to mind, lol

#angerycat!! #lark answers #pride & prejudice #pride and prejudice

[waterfall-ambience]

(rotating the perpetua characters in my brain) actually no its kinda interesting how i can feel them shift away from hermitcraft as i write out the story, and how little changes to their situations and personalities can drastically affect the plot.

more (potentially redundant) brain thoughts below

damien, at least in the first 7 chapters of the script so far, has a very different personality to evil x. i upped his braincells and introspection for narrative interest (putting him at odds with wk), but that ended up growing into a tendency to ramble and be overly concerned with the moral implications of his actions. this (and helen being a positive influence on his emotional intelligence) actively hinders his villainy, just in a different way from evil x.

as a result, a large part of damien's character is how he rationalises and tries to resolve this dissonance of him recognising that he's doing bad things for bad reasons. thematically there's potential for social commentary here but i'm deliberately not going into that.

'why people do bad things for bad reasons', in my mind, mostly boils down to coming up for justifications for it or projecting onto the 'enemy' (scapegoating, essentially), which is mostly a wither king plot beat. hardly anyone ever believes that they're the villain of the story, just the heroes of their own.

meanwhile, damien is hyper-aware of the harm he's causing. he sees himself as his own 'villain', feels bad about it, but continues on the grand quest to destroy perpetua because it's something he agreed to do, and believes that on some level, he deserves the pain that comes from this. he and captain luna both share this quality and it will inevitably come to tear them apart.

its worth mentioning that captain luna is also very different from xisuma. xisuma in the hermitclone storyline was not portrayed in a very positive light (since evil x was the protagonist) and even if i was aiming for neutrality bc 'Hey, that's a Real Person's Likeness', he was always vaguely in the realm of 'well-meaning but horribly ignorant of evil x's struggle for identity and personhood'. because luna and damien dont have an author-character relationship i have no reason to portray them like how i would x and ex. luna is very quick to accept damien as being his own person separate from himself, and being the big damn hero that he is, shows more compassion and sympathy. the bigger issue in their relationship is luna's trauma surrounding augustin.

part of the fun of perpetua is coming up with character dynamics for relationships that dont exist within the hermitclone concept. worm man basically never interacts with xisuma (and even grows to resent him a bit after what happens to evil x), but luna and avery consider each other to be family.

avery and worm man's loneliness come from very different things. worm man doesnt have people in general- he's the outsider to a group of friends and can't join them for reasons beyind his control. avery, on the other hand, feels a disconnect from being the only one who was 'born into' perpetua and hasn't joined the crew 'on his own merits'. part of the difference here is in that perpetua as a story doesnt have to justify joke weirdness and that avery is a child surrounded by acomplished and talented adults

helen is actually the mvp because her presence as a grounded, well-adjusted adult changes drastically changes damien's life on marcianus. if she hadn't chosen to work against wk, damien would've been a more archetypical 'bad but sad boy' along the lines of zuko atla or hunter toh. not like he isn't already, but it would've been a lot worse. eidolon's characterisation later down the line is informed in part by helen's absence.

genuinely i didnt expect riza to be friends with avery since badtimes and worm man didn't really interact much. but i do welcome it because she's fun to write. she's quite a simple character right now, and i dont know if i should keep it like that or not because she works well as a supporting character.

#globeland perpetua

[todayisafridaynight]

NO LISTEN. LISTEN. I CONCEALED THE TITLE ON PURPOSE BECAUSE... IDK what it is but I have a tendency to like things that would be hard to watch for one reason or another for MOST of the runtime but then by the end it's like Oh So This Was GOOD Actually? Oh So My Brain Is Rewired?

And then it just becomes IMPOSSIBLE to recommend because I have no idea if The Majority Of It would actually be worth the conclusion to anyone but me😭😭😭SP is along those lines, sort of, but I've at least seen success with that... but this is also the case for my favorite Tsutsumi movie of all time, actually... alas...

Nevertheless. The show is called After the Rain! I think it was originally a manga and it has a live-action adaptation too [criminal not to actually cast Tsutsumi in either In My Opinion but FINE I GUESS]. It's about a former track star in high school, Akira Tachibana, who works part-time at a restaurant and has the MOST EMBARRASSING crush on her manager, Masami Kondo, the character I showed you before, who is Tsutsumi But As A Middle-Aged Divorcee With A Son. They befriend each other and help each other come to grips with the future and the past, respectively.

I was afraid of the obvious because a lot of media that tries to do this ends up making it fucking weird... like, this sort of dynamic means a lot to me for personal reasons and I've been burned too many times by characters I'd come to love and trust... but naw... my man Kondo is Normal About It that's all that matters to me... I had to breathe SUCH a sigh of relief...

I really don't like that the camera is sometimes not normal about Akira, though, it undermines the actual themes of the show a bit. IDK, I'm hypersensitive, I expect it's nothing super egregious compared to a lot of other media, but it's just disappointing because SOMETIMES there's artistic merit in terms of representing what Akira's feeling and other times it's just totally unnecessary and introduces a tonal clash... SPEAKING OF THERE IS A GUY WHO IS NOT NORMAL ABOUT AKIRA AND THE ENTIRE PLOT THREAD IS BASICALLY JUST DROPPED BECAUSE HE'S HARDLY EVEN IN THE SHOW AFTER THAT... I WANTED CONSEQUENCES...

But if nothing else, that's not even exactly why I said it's a hard watch, the actual reason is the NUCLEAR levels of secondhand embarrassment for like two thirds of the show. Like GIRL he is NOT INTO YOU AND HE SHOULDN'T BE... GET A GRIP OH MY GODDDDDDDD................. but like, I was That Girl when I was her age, right, so the fact it had me imploding thinking back on everything is a testament to its accuracy overall. Probably.

And NGL that type of dynamic is basically how I conceptualize RGGJo and Arakawa when they first met... Jo and Akira may be cringe-ass teens but I got a soft spot for it I do... it can be FUNNY... it can be WHOLESOME...

All of that being said, the last third or so might as well be a different show, and it kind of blows the rest out of the water for me. Maybe because it focuses on Kondo and Akira separately? But it's free of literally anything I could possibly complain about. I ain't mad about the first two thirds, it does set up a lot of what made the last third so enjoyable... buuut...

ANYWAY that's ENOUGH OF THAT I am CUTTING MYSELF OFF THERE I've gone on for WAY TOO LONG ABOUT SHIT NOBODY ASKED ABOUT☠️Not like you can say anything to All That I just don't have anybody to talk to about it☠️and despite the fact I'm still not REALLY Recommending It and don't think it sounds appealing from my description, I feel like I probably shouldn't talk about the endgame stuff I'm obsessed with so☠️☠️☠️Anyway. If NOTHING Else. Funny as hell to have Tsutsumi as the basis for The Perfect Middle-Aged Man... SOOO true...

YAYA the DQXI demo goes like, up to just after you get the? Twins? in your party. And you can keep playing the game without progressing the story + continue your save in the full game so technically speaking I COULD grind until I'm overpowered... but I shan't... I'm not positive when I'm getting it since I still wanna play the series in order... For Ichiban... [<- see this is RGG-related now]

It is SO sick to actually get to play though, that's awesome! Toriyama's worked on some bangers what can I say... My first DQ was one of the DS remakes, probably DQV, but the only DQ game I've ever actually finished was the Rocket Slime spinoff. Very Fun By The Way genuinely one of my favorite DS titles... but THAT'S NEITHER HERE NOR THERE... regardless... Arachtagon is not in the demo but I can believe he's a bitch to fight given one of the top results is this ☠️

So I'm glad you're past it and are having fun with the game :] I loved your comic SOOO SO SO much so having that bit of background on makes it all the more enjoyable! I had my own comic about RGGJo losing his mind "babysitting" Ichi and watching him grind for hours on end which was also lowkey about my experience with DQI... lol... lmao even...

I'M SORRYYYYYY THOUGH I TOLD YOU SP WAS SLOW TO START FOR A REASON 😭😭😭😭It took me a while to notice but title sequences are always something like Episode III Part I so they're almost all multi-ep arcs... threw me for a loop... Okay that's enough from me Jesus fucking Christ I am SORRY for going on this long but just I have to say:

inoue's chara is so funny like He's Super Human um doc… i think he's just autistic lowkey….. he still a baller regardless tho

REAL AND TRUE AND REAL AND TRUE AND REAL AND

and i've already added it to the To-Watch list :) NO BUT REAL I UNDERSTAND HOW YOU FEEL- in trying to sell something but having to be like Here Me Out I Swear on it BUT I BELIEVE YOU THAT ITS GOOD. i know i can trust your word on something and i def appreciate the preemptive notes given before watching. im sure i'll enjoy it in the end: it looks cute and im glad it sounds like it's doing something better with a Touchy trope ٩(๑❛ᴗ❛๑)۶ biggest RIP to no tsutsumi in the live action but... cant be helped.....

NO BUT IT'S SO FUNNY CAUSE FOR MY COMIC I WANTED TO SEE WHAT OTHER PEOPLE'S 'HARDEST BOSSES' WERE AND I FELT SO SEEN IN SEEING ARACHTAGON AS AN OPTION..... funnily enough tho when i redid the fight it wasnt nearly as nightmarish as it was when i first did it but Again i think i was just better prepared... (also during my first attempt i had Literally the most fuck ass luck where my team kept getting stunned and dying but rab kept bringing them back to life and i Just Couldnt Die or even move so... Horrible First Experience Ruined A Game For Seven Months For Me ( ￣▽￣ ;;;;)). the first instance of DQ i remember seeing was DQIX and being liek 'hey they looks familiar :)' and ive just been watchin it since 🤭 ROCKET SLIME IS SO CUTE THOUGH if you had to finish ANY of the games im glad it was that one... i wish i got to play the series in order since I Like Doing That but im annoying about wanting to play things on The Official Console...

AH BUT IVE ALWAYS LIKED THE IDEA OF JO WATCHING ICHI PLAY A GAME i mentioned i had an abandoned comic about it but its still such a silly and cute idea.. id very much like to do something with it someday if not see others have fun with it cause i think they should have them silly family moments too..

NO IT'S OK I JUST FOUND IT FUNNY AN ARC WAS LIKE. 3-4 EPS WHEN AT MOST THEY'RE LIKE TWO i'm just about rapping up the ohashi arc and its SOOOOO good... i also love how the drama has a pretty diverse soundtrack that i notice a lot of other jdramas lack so thats DEF been a bonus plus all of the choreography (´▽`ʃ♡ƪ) and real. inoue Is Just Neurodivergent that got solidified within me after seeing him mess around with that riddle book ☠️

#long post #snap chats #but SPEAAAAKING of cutting of asks im cutting it here good GOD this is long #its accurate that tsutsumi is just Iconic for being A Middle Aged Man that's just accurate.. cant explain it but i know its true.. #i mean to save most of my chatter for the tags but. oops LMAO so i have nothing else left to say #other than im gonna start ep 8 now :) i really wanna see how this arc ends... #and then i just have three more episoes weh... but then i can start After The Rain :) #GETTING BACK TO THAT NOOOO ITS SOOO FUNNY cause i remember seeing the title of this drama #and being like 'what in the fresh hell is this' thinking itd be weird or just. What The Fuck #and i mean it WAS to an extent but no overall i left it just. ABSOLUTELY in love with it... it was really touching and light hearted #no freak shit moments either.. just ended up being a I Think This Is Whole story.. #so uh yeah. i totally get how you feel tryna talk bout this LMAOO BUT AGAIN i know not to judge quickly #i always stick out to the end of shows and movies before making an opinion and Again i trust you for it to be good.... #plus masami really is cute 😔 who am i to turn away an endearing middle aged divorced father 😔 #OK I GOTTA GO NOW IVE REALLY GON ON TOO LONG BYYYE #THANK YOU FOR THE NEW SHOW REC :)))

[weakforarwen]

The Once and Future Queen is an endlessly rewatchable episode, isn't it? It's weird how immature Arthur was in the beginning. He never stops being a brat, but his manners improve, at least. Poor Gwen had to put up with an entitled Prince staying in her home. One minute he was proving he had depth, telling Gwen the reason he was competing in the tournament anonymously was that he wanted to know he had won on his own merit, and, the next, he was having Gwen fetch him clean water in the middle of the night. Gwen was touched by his sincerity, and then annoyed; so annoyed, in fact, that the next day at the tournament, she was still angry at Arthur.

Arthur's not-so-secret masochism kink will forever be funny to me. He was taken aback by Gwen's whole rant against him, but he was never actually mad at her; he pretended to be while encouraging her to keep going. Like, for real, he wasn't exactly happy to hear he was entitled and arrogant, but he wasn't ashamed or angry. He genuinely valued Gwen's opinion and was happy that someone was showing him complete honesty for once. He was so pleased by her words he even offered to cook her dinner for the first and last time in his life.

Merlin: You're trying to impress her? Arthur: Don't be ridiculous, Merlin. And get me a decent shirt, will you? Your clothes are making me itch all over, it's like having fleas.

The biggest plot hole in this episode is how long it took Gwen to notice Arthur hadn't cooked for her. I mean, first of all, her kitchen was clean, second of all, she was missing no ingredients, third of all, Arthur can't cook and the food was "delicious", forth of all, didn't she know what her own plates looked like? Did she just wait until the end of the meal to call him out on it? But she was so nice while they were eating and thanked him for the food... She wasn't pretending...

Anyway, Arthur offering to clean up the dishes was a much bigger deal than Gwen realized. He lied to her about the food, but the mere thought that Prince Arthur wanted to cook for someone and do their dishes because he'd been treating Gwen like a servant and wanted to repay her, was already, on its own, inconceivable.

G: Because I thought you'd shown some humility! You'd done something kind for me even though I'm just a servant! A good king should respect his people, no matter who they are. A: Guinevere. I know I have much to learn. There are some things that I am terrible at - cooking being one of them. But also, knowing what to say to someone I care about.

Oh, Arthur... We know your flaws and we love you anyway.

Arthur and Gwen's first kiss was just so... ugh. I want to live in it.

I've said it before, but that kiss was the first truly impulsive decision Arthur ever made. Arthur only ever lied to or disobeyed his father to help others, like Mordred or the people of Camelot. He didn't disobey his father for selfish reasons. He lied in this episode about missing the tournament, but he wasn't truly doing anything Uther wouldn't have approved of. His father would've understood, and even admired, Arthur's wish to prove himself beyond his title. And, still, he planned his deceit. It hadn't been an impulse decision to lie to the King during dinner, he'd already had a plan.

Arthur kissing Gwen wasn't planned at all. He made a split-second decision for himself. It wasn't about proving his worth, which was as much about himself as it was about proving he could be the Prince his people deserved; Arthur had no ulterior motive, no plan, or even justification, for kissing Gwen. He just wanted to, so he did. He did it for himself, because he liked her. And it was such a big moment for Arthur, not only because his future relationship with Gwen would be so important to him on his journey to become King (and beyond), but because it showed a different side to Arthur. In that moment, Prince Arthur disappeared and Arthur really was just Arthur. He got what he wanted in the beginning of the episode: he was a normal man who had kissed a woman he liked, and that woman had kissed him back because she liked him too, not because he was the Prince.

Anyway, the music in this episode was beautiful. It wasn't just the Arwen theme. During the final match at the tournament, the music choice was utterly perfect too. But the camerawork and Gwen's reactions while watching an injured Arthur fight Myror were more than a tad dramatic. The music choice fit the match, but it was a bit much when combined with Gwen's reactions. It made her look like a damsel in distress. For that same reason, I also don't like this bit of dialogue (I highlighted the most dramatic lines):

G: You're losing too much blood. A: Do what you can. I have to be back on the course within five minutes or I forfeit the match. G: You can't possibly joust, you're too badly injured! A: I have never withdrawn from a match. I do not intend to start now. G: You would risk your life to protect your pride? You have nothing to prove. Least of all to me.

I don't get why Gwen would tell Arthur he had nothing to prove to her in particular. I don't think he'd been trying to impress her at all. Arthur would never withdraw from a match, not unless something bigger than his life was at stake. I think she said it to show Arthur he had already impressed her, because she knew he'd tried to impress her or gain her approval before. Moreover, though, she said it just so Arthur could answer: "I have everything to prove. To myself.".

Gwen was even more impressed with Arthur after that. She had a real kink for the heroic types. That bit of dialogue was on the same league as most of the dialogue in Lancelot and Guinevere, which I dislike for the same reasons: Gwen was used to prop-up the male characters, with her love and approval being a sort of trophy or reward for their good behavior. I mean, Arthur didn't even reveal his identity after winning the tournament because he wanted to show Gwen humility, and thus gain her approval.

Likewise, Lancelot realized his worth after Gwen told him he was "all that was good" in Lancelot and Guinevere, and impressed Gwen by being willing to die for her, which he considered the noblest death. Arthur proved his worth to himself by fighting in the tournament, and the fact that he didn't do it to gain Gwen's approval impressed her regardless. Either way, it was like Gwen fell under their spell after their heroics, which painted her as some damsel in distress from a fairytale. It was disservice to her character, and what caused the whole Lancelot drama.

The ending with Arthur looking back at Gwen was really touching, but I wasn't touched by Gwen's words: "Perhaps when you are King, things will be different.". Considering the Lancelot and Guinevere episode, and how Gwen was the one to pull away from Arthur for the rest of the season (and even in season 3), the writers had, again, made Gwen the princess locked in a tower waiting for her true love to come. Gwen wasn't like that. She wasn't going to wait for a man she couldn't have. But Arthur looking back at her was beautiful, because, despite his words, it didn't matter that his father didn't approve. He would always choose her. The scene was also symbolic of the inner conflict Arthur would experience for the rest of the series: Gwen/his heart or his father/tradition? Arthur's characterization was overall much better than Gwen's, though Gwen's characterization was great until the kiss.

To end things on a lighter note, how the fuck did Myror climb the castle with his bare hands? Remember Arthur and Merlin did it in Lancelot and Guinevere too? And chatted on the way up? Hilarious.

Poor Merlin and the leech tank. If Merlin could barely finish all his chores with magic, how were normal servants supposed to handle the workload?...

Anyway, great episode!

#bbc merlin #bbc gwen #bbc arwen #bbc arthur #gwen pendragon #arthur pendragon #arwen #merlin #lancelot #the once and future queen commentary #the once and future queen #lancelot and guinevere

[laurenreviewsmovies]

Creed III

Director: Michael B. Jordan

Cast: Michael B. Jordan, Jonathan Majors, Tessa Thompson

Release Date: March 3, 2023

My Rating: 7.5/10

My Review (NO SPOILERS)

Okay, so I still haven’t seen Creed I; take everything I say with a grain of salt. I did see Creed II, but I saw it opening night, four and half years ago, and haven’t ever watched it again.

Whenever a threequel comes around, I get worried that it won’t live up to its predecessors. That’s not an issue with this movie. Then again, I’ve not seen the original, so I’ve been judging these sequels solely on their own merits.

This movie had a lot of great fighting sequences, and packed a heavier emotional punch than I can remember Creed II delivering. The stakes didn’t feel quite as high, but they were certainly a lot more personal. The characters felt a bit underdeveloped and static, but I guess you could also maybe expect that with a third movie in a franchise, when the characters were already developed in the previous two movies.

The plot was coherent but felt a bit jumbled and rushed at some points. Right as the movie would started to dip into something deeper, it would change directions. It kept toeing the line of being something *more*, but it just never fully crossed that like.

Furthermore, even though I only saw it once, the final fight sequence of Creed II was so incredible. The sound mixing, the shots, the action? I was nearly standing up out of my seat cheering. I felt like I was there in the arena. The final fight in this movie…it got a little two symbolic for me. The imagery was over the top (Good guys in white, bad guys in black? Give me a break). Without spoiling too much, you’re really taken out of the boxing match atmosphere and it’s all focused on the boxers in almost a sort of dream sequence. It was interesting at the very beginning but then began to drag and went on a bit long. The fighting atmosphere only came back for the final round. The final fight just didn’t live up to the final match from Creed II in my opinion.

That being said, I really did have a great time watching this movie. It made me laugh, gasp, cry, smile, and hide behind my hands (I’m a bit squeamish, sue me). The acting was phenomenal, and the resolution was very fitting. It wrapped up the Creed trilogy nicely, and actually kinda of set up the possibility of a next generation Creed story. I found myself really hoping for that possibility.

If you liked the other Creed movies, this one is definitely worth seeing as well.

#movie review #creed #creed iii #adonis creed #creed iii review #creed review #michael b jordan #jonathan majors #tessa thompson #rocky movies #apollo creed #dame Anderson

[adamwatchesmovies]

The Giver (2014)

While I didn't enjoy this film, that doesn't mean you won't. No matter what I say, the people involved in this project did it: they actually made a movie. That's something to be applauded. With that established...

For the bulk of its running time, The Giver straddles the line between good and bad. It’s going through the same territory as Aldous Huxley’s “Brave New World” (or 2002’s Equilibrium if you’re looking for something less cerebral) but that’s fine. Then, the ending hits and it’s such a misfire it shatters all of your goodwill toward like a vase that's fallen out of an airplane.

In the future, humanity has largely forsaken emotion, resulting in a utopia that does not know war, greed or poverty. Even the concept of death is only vaguely understood. Information about our history has been scrubbed. The only one with access to information about mankind’s past is “The Giver” (Jeff Bridges), who advises the community elders when they do not know how to proceed. 16-year-old Jonas (Brenton Thwaites) is chosen to be next in line for this role but will he choose to keep the civilization as is, or will the memories of the past convince him to make changes?

An easy flaw with this film and with others like it is the way their society is portrayed. Despite the film’s best efforts we are never truly convinced that this world presented here has any true merit whatsoever. Sure they may not have wars, poverty, racism, sexism or virtually any crime but you immediately recognize that giving up all emotion and even the ability to see color is too steep a burden to pay. As Jonas receives one memory after another and explores both the good and the bad of our world, he begins reaching the same conclusion we did just a few minutes in. If he believed in this world it’d be different. There would be an actual conflict. What if he were Black and saw images of lynchings? What if the protagonist was a girl wth only the vaguest idea of what sex was like before experiencing the memories of someone who was raped? Might have been a tough sell for a film aimed at young teens but this is precisely the problem. The violence we see is never horrific enough to convince us the sacrifices the society has made to avoid it ever happening again are worth it .

In many ways, the story’s problems are compounded by the plot. You’re not going to hear this often but… this film didn’t NEED a plot. It should’ve simply been an exploration. Two characters in a room experiencing the past and a final question at the end. “What would you rather choose?” Instead, “The Giver” embarks on the lazy man’s path. We’re introduced to a villain (Meryl Streep) and a solution to the problem which is so easy, so convenient my only hope was that it would be a lie; a trap to lead unworthy receivers to their doom so they would be unable to single-handedly alter the course of human civilization. You may call this a pet peeve but it’s also frustrating to see the same kind of flashbacks we always do. We’re told Earth was devastated by “The Ruin”, a single event that propelled us toward this new society. Where’s that footage? Why are we seeing the same news clips and nature channel material we always see?

As a whole, The Giver is well directed. The cinematography is nice and attention was paid during the construction of its society. The passion is apparent. Unfortunately, it collapses in the end. I’m not even sure the last few shots make any sense. It might be due to its rushed final act but actually, the sad truth is that some books just don’t translate well to the visual medium. Either way, The Giver is destined to be forgotten. (On Blu-ray, March 7, 2019)

#The Giver #movies #films #movie reviews #film reviews #Phillip Noyce #Michael Mitnick #Robert B. Weide #Jeff Bridges #Meryl Streep #Brenton Thwaites #Alexander Skarsgard #Katie Holmes #Taylor Swift #cameron monaghan #Odeya Rush #Emma Tremblay #2014 movies #2014 films