#reminder: i am here because they cast a woman in a previously-male role and SHE'S NOT EVEN IN THIS FILM. OR ANY OF THEM. D:

[nostalgia-tblr]

For anyone keeping track (no one), I have started watching the first Avengers film (MCU not the 60s TV show) but only while eating lunch so it's gonna take a while. So far Nick Fury has been assembling the Avengers (the film was initially released in the UK as Avengers Assemble - because of that 60s TV show - but it's not called that on D+ so I'm calling it what the Americans called it, just FYI) even though there's not yet anything for them to avenge as That Suit Guy (j/k I know his name too!!) isn't dead yet, and now they're on THE FUCKING VALIANT FROM DR WHO and I assume we're gonna continue assembling for a while as they're not all there yet.

MEANWHILE Loki (who is neither an alligator nor a woman in this???) is in a SECRET UNDERGROUND LAIR with a bunch of his stans who are... idk something technobabble that involves irridium and anti-protons. He is there looking for the tesseract on behalf of ???? who I know will be revealed 47 films from now as... no, wait, it wasn't, was it? That was just announced on a website or something? So it could be LITERALLY ANYONE. The Avengers (in-progress) also seem to be after that thing, but I have already forgotten why everyone is wanting it, assuming it was mentioned (it probably was).

Thor hasn't shown up yet, but Arrows Hawkeye is working as a Loki Stan and there's Steve Rogers and THE HULK and The Only Woman One, whose power is that she's a Cold War assassin (??) and I think this one is the film where she gets called a cunt (!) and honestly I am not sure which of the men she's getting officially shipped with, I think Arrows Hawkeye though? Fairly sure, as the alternative is that a man and a woman like each other as people but not in a lusty way, which would never happen obviously. (Hey I may ship mostly het* pairings but I don't always like it!)

Based on the Valiant (if u don't know who she is get da hell out of here!) I am guessing that the film ends with Loki dying in Thor's arms romantically but then I remembered that I know it can't because one of Loki got kidnapped from... either the end of this film or the start of the next one or POSSIBLY just from a later film's time-travel bit (???) but like... maybe they've edited this film secretly and I was right after all? But nobody else has watched it on Disney + recently so nobody knows yet? IT COULD HAPPEN.

Not sure what to make of this film so far, a lot's been going on yet also not much has been going on, and the one I like best so far (Suit Guy) is gonna die (NOT EVEN IN THOR'S ARMS ROMANTICALLY) and god Iron Man really hasn't aged well now that we have that one tech billionaire being a twat in public all the time to remind us what such people tend to be like. WHERE IS THOR????

*I say het but everyone in everything is bisexual, I know this because I thought of it and announced it on tumblr and will now say "I don't make the rules" to make it an objective FACT. I don't make the rules!!!

#the avengers (mcu edition not the 60s one) #(though if u close one eye and tilt ur head the black widow looks a wee bit like emma peel maybe?) #i like to think the lair of loki stans exists after this to post angrily on social media about how actually he did nothing wrong etc etc #let me know if loki's just working from a subway station that's still in use in this that'd be hilarious he'd be so annoyed by it all #torn on the tortured-by-thanos issue so far he does look messy but he might just have the flu and didn't want to back out #a lot of people are depending on him to jumpstart a movie superhero franchise he can't just take the day off can he #if loki took care of himself thor would be LITERALLY UNEMPLOYED how could he? how could YOU? #(the 'god of thunder' thing isn't a job he doesn't get paid for it so it's just a hobby) #(he doesn't even monetise that hobby! you think iron man would give you storms for free? EXACTLY. he'd have a patreon AT LEAST) #(“if you enjoyed this torrential rain pls tip me on ko-fi which is not pronounced like you think it is because it's a really BAD pun”) #mcu tag i guess #and whatever the fuck my loki character tag was #like i said i really do need to categorise my lokis more it's been bothering me for a while #reminder: i am here because they cast a woman in a previously-male role and SHE'S NOT EVEN IN THIS FILM. OR ANY OF THEM. D: #don't think the alligator's gonna turn up here either :( :( :( #otherwise it's just kind of fascinating what this film assumes i do and don't know about these characters #nick fury's a goth right?

[sadviper]

Confessions of a Seducer: Woo Do Hwan Interview with Hong Kong Esquire, July 2018

The time is 9:21 PM. Like any other city, New York is vibrant and teeming with activity after dark. Lights glisten throughout Manhattan. This reporter, Patrick Soon, has an appointment to interview Woo Do Hwan at this time. It feels right to interview him late at night. This year, Woo Do Hwan is still only 25 years old. His drama, “The Great Seducer” is the reason for his recent rise in popularity. In it, he acts as a 2nd generation chaebol who deliberately gets close to an honors student named Eun Tae-hee with the intention to get revenge for his friend. However, he unconsciously becomes attracted to her without realizing it.

Seduction is the theme of this drama series. Woo Do Hwan is its living embodiment.

The night is dark. He arrives on set where the photoshoot is taking place, enveloped with a mysterious aura. The amazing seductive power that he exhibited in the drama is present here, demonstrated to all as he appears in the midst of “Quiet Nights”, a soft jazz melody that permeates the air.

He has a quality that is different from others

We never deviate from the topic of seduction for the purpose of the interview. In Korea, there was a strong reaction to the drama series after it aired. Typically in Korean dramas, the male lead is either entirely warm and loving, or the type of guy who is very strong but is still full of love and righteousness. The type of role that Woo Do Hwan plays in “The Great Seducer” is rare: he’s edgy, defiant, a little bit dangerous, wrapped in an aura that might very well kill you. 

This series focuses on the classic kdrama subject matter of upper class angst. Within this structure, he sets new goalposts that redefine the image of a male lead actor--simultaneously cool and fragile, conflicted and gentle.

Following the broadcast of the drama, the positive feedback went far beyond Woo Do Hwan’s expectations. I paid him high compliments, telling him he was the breakout male lead character of the new generation, that this series placed him into the public consciousness of Hong Kong audiences. His expression clearly showed his astonishment.

WDH: “You said that I became an Adonis through this drama. I’m pretty embarrassed--I don’t really know how to respond. Maybe I should just accept your compliments and thank you.”

He humbly smiled and laughed after he said those words. It was like being with two different people; the feeling of someone fresh out of school versus a man with dark powers of attraction.

The drama is full of seduction, danger, and excitement, so I asked Woo Do Hwan if he ever encountered any kind of temptations in his own life. He took the question seriously, and fell deep in thought. Then he replied with a hint of embarrassment, “I have to give it some thought, if you want me to tell you what are the most difficult things to resist. That’s because at different points in your life, different things will tempt you. Lately, the greatest temptation for me is sleep. I was very tired during filming and kept wanting to just pass out. I have to sleep; so more than once, I would skip meals and go straight to bed. I want to perform well, so I try to grab every chance I can get to sleep. That way, I can stay focused and not wander off while filming.”

He likes women who are straight-shooters

In “The Great Seducer”, Woo Do Hwan plays a chaebol heir who at first treats love like a game. But once he starts dating Tae-hee, without realizing it, he becomes deeply attracted to her, only to discover after the fact that he has fallen in love. Not just love; through her, he rediscovers meaning in life. 

WDH: “I feel that the character I play is very similar to who I am as a person. When I find my true love, I will give my all for the other’s sake, just like him. I can walk through fire and do anything for her. The most important thing is giving her happiness.”

There is an unspoken rule that women do not like men who are perfect, pure, goody-two-shoes. Woo Do Hwan’s role in the drama, with his aura of mystery and soul-slaying power to captivate, confirms that unspoken rule that men can’t just be normal if they want to appeal to women.

Woo Do Hwan couldn’t help but laugh when I shared my thoughts. 

WDH: “Sometimes I wonder whether I’d be attracted to someone mysterious or to someone happy, upbeat, and straight-forward. Personally, if a woman can talk to me about anything and everything under the sun, then I will find her attractive. That’s because heart-to-heart communication is important to me. If she is too mysterious, then I won’t know what to do. She’d give me the feeling of being hard to get close to. So if I were to date, I would definitely choose someone who makes me feel relaxed and comfortable. Any important relationship should have no reservations, pressure, or secrets. There should be no need to hide anything. That’s what I believe.”

Noona romances

Woo Do Hwan’s focus and involvement with only one person is a testimony to how seriously he treats romantic relationships. I listed five qualities that could be used as a new definition for masculinity: Seriousness; the ability to mesmerize; manliness; mystery; and lastly, being easy-going or easy to get close to. 

Many kdramas have been using noona romances for their thematic material. As the trend increased in popularity, it caused an upswell in discussions in Korea, opening up a new possibility of redefining masculinity.

WDH: “I also recently found out that noona romances are very popular in both dramas and movies. It’s an interesting phenomena. I don’t think love has anything to do with age. As I previously said, the most important things in any kind of relationship are honesty, communication, and trust. If each party thinks of the other as The One, then age shouldn’t be a factor.”

The father as the role model for your life

Woo Do Hwan’s career is only just starting to rise. He spoke frankly that he didn’t have time for romance at this stage of his life.

There is a movie called “The Divine Fury” that he is about to film. He was cast to play a completely different role from “The Great Seducer”, and will go head-to-head in direct confrontation against Park Seo-joon. In this movie, he plays a Machiavellian character who manipulates and betrays others without hesitation.

WDH: “I’m looking forward to acting this role. I’m so grateful to my family who helped and encouraged me after I entered this career field. My father is the person I admire the most, and my family are the most important people in my life. Since I was young, I already respected my father. Now that I’m an adult, I keep reminding myself to learn from him, and hope that I will become somebody like him.”

The interview is drawing to a close. I said, “You’re absolutely a rising star.” He immediately responded with a humble smile, “If you want to talk about what’s fashionable, let’s talk about local hotspots. If I don’t need to work, I’d ask my friend to join me at the Nanji Hangang Park (a resort area for picnicking and camping near the Han River?). I feel very relaxed in those kinds of places. After camping, then along the way, I’ll visit rooftop bars and cafes in the ___ area (in Cantonese, sounds like “Lee Tai Yuen”). I like to enjoy my coffee or handcrafted beer, and just relax and talk until nightfall. That’s the kind of life that I like.”

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Notes: Not my translation, I just bothered someone to give me the rough idea, and I cleaned up the aftermath, chortling over the endless amounts of “amazing seductive power” that Woo Do Hwan was overwhelming this Patrick Soon guy with. Apparently the interviewer was being excessively roundabout in his writing, so I just...made stuff up since I couldn’t verify accuracy, ahaha. I’m irked that this article isn’t on the HK Esquire website, so this is for internet posterity I guess?

Finally, I seriously hope WDH got paid beaucoup bucks for sitting on dumpster lids and bare doorsteps in NYC, my god. ;__;

#woo do hwan #Chinese translation #Chinese interview #Hong Kong Esquire #The Great Seducer #Tempted #The Divine Fury #touching NYC grunge with bare hands and expensive duds #brave man #it said Manhattan #it feels like Brooklyn #interview

[pass-the-bechdel]

Stargate SG1 s10e12 ‘Line in the Sand’

Does it pass the Bechdel Test?

Yes, twice.

How many female characters (with names and lines) are there?

Three (33.33% of cast).

How many male characters (with names and lines) are there?

Six.

Positive Content Rating:

Three.

General Episode Quality:

The goods.

MORE INFO (and potential spoilers) UNDER THE CUT:

Passing the Bechdel:

Carter and Vala talk about using Merlin’s device. Carter explains the device’s functions to Thilana.

Female characters:

Samantha Carter.

Vala Mal Doran.

Thilana.

Male characters:

Hank Landry.

Cameron Mitchell.

Teal’c.

Reynolds.

Matar.

Tomin.

OTHER NOTES:

Aisha Hinds is such a great-looking person.

Tomin smacks Vala in the face for talking back to him because he’s...a great guy. He apologises to her later, and Vala doesn’t exactly accept the apology, but she also doesn’t not accept; she makes an equivocating statement about how hitting her is nothing compared to the genocide Tomin has been engaging in on the Ori’s crusade, and I’m not sure what point that’s trying to make, actually. I mean, yeah, on the no-no scale of actions, knocking someone down is quite a few notches below mass murder, but the inherent wrongness of one action doesn’t cancel out the wrongness of another, and altogether I’m not sure what narrative function Tomin hitting Vala is supposed to perform, I’m not sure what the equivocation is supposed to convey. Did we need Tomin to violently lose his temper and then be contrite in order to demonstrate that he doesn’t like what he’s become? Because - as Vala points out to him and us - it’s the genociding that Tomin should really be worried about, compared to which a smack in the head is inconsequential. So, why is it there? Why did the writers decide that this cute little piece of violence was plot-necessary, when they were just gonna turn around and label it meaningless in-story and then have Tomin start ‘redeeming’ himself by episode’s end? I tend to think they had him hit Vala for the sheer drama of it, just to spice things up, and that’s not a good reason to beat a woman. I know. Shocking take.

Carter has a letter for Cassandra in her personal messages, for dissemination in the event of her death. This is the good shit.

Tomin protests the Prior’s interpretation of the positive messages in the book of Origin, and how they are being “twisted into a hammer, and used to beat people down”. It’s a great delivery, and I really dig the exploration of how fundamentalists can re-define the same text that comforts and inspires others to peace, making it into a justification for their atrocities instead. THIS, this is the top-shelf stuff.

Frankly, I think they’ve kinda bungled their handling of Tomin. Not just because of the above-noted hitting incident; Tim Guinee is great, he’s doing strong work in giving Tomin as much nuance and believability as possible, and Tomin is an essential character to have around in terms of giving the injustice of the Ori’s manipulation a sympathetic human face (such as it is). The problem is, this is only Tomin’s third episode. 

His introductory episode was ‘Crusade’, the penultimate episode last season, and I noted in that review the importance of the function the episode was performing: that it reminded the audience of what was truly sinister about the Ori, what our characters were really fighting against: subjugation and indoctrination. Tomin is the character who embodies those evils, as Vala watches him in that episode changing from the kind man who took her in, to a soldier ready to kill without mercy in the name of his misguided beliefs. Unfortunately, the second episode Tomin appeared in (this season’s premiere) didn’t use him to very particular effect, nor did it really reinforce his role in the story, focusing more on the introduction of Adria as the new Big Bad and the face of the Ori threat. Thus, we come to this episode, Tomin’s third, and it’s easy to have forgotten that he existed while he was gone. The episode does do a solid job of getting back to what Tomin’s function in the narrative is, and his argument with the Prior about the abuse of his faith is an excellent portrayal of that function. But it’s also kinda too little, too late: we’ve had too much other plot happening in the meantime, and putting a sympathetic human face back on the Ori’s subjugated-and-indoctrinated followers doesn’t really fly after having the battle represented by the not-at-all-sympathetic Adria all season and especially recently (she was in three of the last five episodes). And when you’re bringing Tomin back in so we can talk about all the killing he’s done and also have him knock his wife around a bit before he up and declares he’s had enough of being a bad guy, it’s really hard to still be conveying that original sweet-but-misguided concept. 

Tomin is, essentially, the Teal’c of this plot - raised in an oppressive regime and made into a warrior by his poser-God(s), and representing a race of people forced into the same who just need to be shown the light and given a way out of their toxic situation - but where Teal’c became a member of the main cast of the show and therefore had his process of personal redemption and of rescuing his people from the clutches of their false Gods happening right there in front of the audience episode by episode, Tomin has...appeared three times, and only twice in a meaningful way. And there are no other sympathetic Ori followers for him to bounce off or work with or try to save, it’s just him, and a bunch of faceless randos that no one has really expressed any concern for. By under-using Tomin, the show has never really anchored itself around the idea of rescuing the Ori’s followers the way that Teal’c hoped to liberate the Jaffa, it’s just a concept that is occasionally referenced and has no real representation to make it feel important. Additionally, the multiple tiers of villainy in the Ori plot are working against presenting a cohesive vision of the problem they present: the Ori themselves are a threat to the Ancients (WHO CARES??), and they’re the ‘real’ bad guys, but they also have zero (0) plot presence, we never actually face them at all, they’re just the idea of a villain. Adria, thus, is performing the function of villainous figurehead, even though she’s not the actual problem and it’s not clear what difference it would make if she wasn’t around, since she’s basically just a Prior who is complicit in the Ori’s evil. The Priors, previously, were the ones who represented the evil of the Ori despite being apparently unaware they were being misled, which actually puts them in the ‘innocent’ column in the same sense as the Jaffa, AND YET they are also treated as being worse than the Ori foot-soldiers, the poor regular schmoes who apparently just need to have their not-Gods killed so that they can...magically not be religious anymore? Like I said back in ‘Crusade’, this is the show’s problem with the Ori plot: they can’t keep track of their own motives.

The Goa’uld were not complicated, they were bad guys in a really clean and clear way, and the fact that the Ori situation is more complicated does not make it better. The reality is, being ‘false Gods’ is a false problem - the Asgard were false Gods too, but they were benevolent so no one cared - the problem is (say it with me now) SUBJUGATION AND INDOCTRINATION. It’s what made the Jaffa, it’s what made the Ori’s followers, and it’s what makes any religious fundamentalist sect that exists right here in the real world. The evil is in taking over control of people’s free will, limiting their worldview and their ability to even understand that they have other options in life than what is prescribed for them, and it’s about abuse of power: demanding that people do as you say because you have the power to punish them if they don’t. The Ori aren’t evil because they pretend to be Gods, or because they interfere with the ‘lower planes’, or because they oppose the ideals of those useless Ancient pricks. They’re evil because they usurp the free will of others, and respond with violence if their supremacy is challenged. That’s simple, and it’s what Tomin is meant to embody. The show just keeps on forgetting that, because having Adria and the Priors around to do mind tricks is more fun, and having faceless Ori armies and their ships slaughter everything in their path is more daunting, and addressing the idea of de-programming people who have been SUBJUGATED AND INDOCTRINATED is way trickier, especially if you’re not gonna keep a character around long-term in order to do the work. As usual, I am left pining for the slightly-more-serious and slightly-more-serialised version of this show, the one that doesn’t exist. Yet.

#Stargate SG1 #Stargate SG1 season ten #Bechdel Test #female representation #Line in the Sand