#//Silly lil palate cleanser | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

zmediaoutlet · 4 years

Note

I'm really enjoying reading all your responses, so I'm double dipping, and because there's now precedence I'm sending more than one. I'm limiting myself to artists /I/ own albums of, ahem, "Send me a band/artist" Natalia Kills, Barenaked Ladies, The Monkees, and Maria Mena.

cheaterrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr but okay, why not. Just got out of a Zoom meeting and need a palate cleanser -- and I know B.L. and the Monkees, obv, but let’s just do the ‘like I don’t know them’ version anyway --

Natalia Kills

First song Youtube took me to: Problem (Explicit) [!!!! so naughty.]

First Impression: haha, fun intro! This is like--club music in a very Cool and Darkly Lit club in a movie, where the sexy sweaty people are half-lit by neon and grinding avariciously on each other.Do I like it?: haha, I do. It’s got a good beat and I dig the vibe. I’d drink a $12 cocktail to this. It’d be really good to work out to. Her voice is fine, too--it’d be easy for it to slip into annoying, but she keeps it on the right side of that, and I feel like it’s the right amount of effects to keep it fun and clubby but she’s still recognizable.Would I listen to more from them?: checking it out right now, fam--next song is Mirrors. Hm, more electronic-y--lol, I just got the strongest sensation of going to the moon in FF6. ...sigh, and now I have to skip some music video b.s. to get the song to actually start. ...and this one I do like a lot less. It’s more--er, traditionally poppy? Kinda sounds like she’s doing a Lady Gaga impression, just with a less powerful voice. Probably not going to be a go-to, but I wouldn’t mind hearing it in a bar! [I see a bunch of youtube comments about how she ‘ended her career’ though, soo maybe I won’t.]

Rate (from what I heard): 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

Barenaked Ladies

First song Youtube took me to: haha, of course it’s One Week.

First Impression: the dream of 1998 is alive on Youtube, is my first impression, haha. How can you hear this song and not be rocketed back to then? lolol--the top youtube comment is:list songs that werent on the shrek soundtrack on any physical level, but were there spiritually-- yes, that’s it exactly.Do I like it?: I never really had an opinion about the Barenaked Ladies. They were always primarily silly poppy cheer, but at the time I was listening to Pearl Jam and Tool and Ben Harper, and I didn’t really have a lot of overlap. They’re perfectly fine, though--my feeling with a lot of stuff I know from younger days, even if I didn’t really like it then, is just pleasant nostalgia. Like Bush. Didn’t love Machinehead then, but listen to it now and I’m like, d’aw. Gavin. Baby.Would I listen to more from them?: Why not, let’s have a lil nostalgia trip. It’s All Been Done Before--well, that’s appropriate. :D You know, because of this, I’m going to have to go on a little Harvey Danger binge. Stuff that could’ve been on the Clueless soundtrack. omg, what were they called--the Mighty Mighty Bosstones? Yeah, we’re stopping in there too, later.

Rate (from what I heard): 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

The Monkees

First song Youtube took me to: I’m A Believer (of course!!)

First Impression: aww, here it is. Do I like it?: Of course! How can you not? It’s like--cultural backbone music. My parents were never really into the Monkees, though. My dad liked the Beatles, obv, but he went more the psychedelia direction with the 60s, and my mom was a Joan Baez person. It has a cultural touchstone but not a personal nostalgia touchstone, for me. But even with that--it’s just so... nice. Just pleasant as hell. Would I listen to more from them?: kind of a silly question for this one. Of course, of course. Ha, I forgot they had a show. I picked out Pleasant Valley Sunday--you know, I mentioned ‘strummy harmony that all sounds the same’ as one of my playlists; I could also make a ‘pleasant 60s pop that all sounds the same’, and it would just be so... relaxing to listen to. idk what it is about that style of recording, but I miss it. Really backgrounded drums, usually a jangly keyboard, simple guitar, sweet voices. Like a sunny day in a field of flowers.

Rate (from what I heard): 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

Maria Mena

First song Youtube took me to: Just Hold Me

First Impression: oh--what an interesting voice! Got that husky slight fry thing happening, but it’s super pleasant. The music feels pretty background here, which I guess makes sense since the name of the band is her name. Do I like it?: yeah, although it feels throwback too, but to a thing that’s just out of my grasp. Like--Alanis Morissette? Hmm, not exactly that, but--prominent girlvoice, secondary music. Designed for women to sing along to while driving, maybe. It’s perfectly pleasant, though, and I really do like her voice. It’s really natural, which I appreciate.Would I listen to more from them?: curious to see if another song has the same feel; I’ve been brought to All This Time (Pick-Me-Up Song). Man. She’s really pretty, isn’t she. And this is sugary and kind--ha, and could almost be a Disney Princess repairing-your-heart montage song. Very cute. idk if I’ll listen to her whole catalogue, but I think she’s very sweet.

Rate (from what I heard): 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10

#music meme #phew #now i'm gonna blast flagpole sitta while i wash the dishes #i DO wanna publish 'zines and rage against machines #who doesn't?#also 'if you're bored then you're boring' has been Really Real during quarantine #stephanie-likes

3 notes · View notes

sophygurl · 6 years

Text

Wiscon 42 panel Lighter Side of the MCU

Okay, the rest of my panel write-ups are not going to be quite so dramatic as the Killable Bodies one thank goodness. And I’ll be typing the rest up in chronological order - excepting the ones I was on since I don’t take heavy notes for those, so will add a bit about them at the end.

The first panel I went to was Lighter Side of the MCU

Reminder that these panel notes are only my own recollections and the things I managed to write down - my notes are incomplete and likely faulty in places. Corrections and additions are always welcome. Especially please do correct me if I get names or pronouns wrong!

Also I name panelists as that’s publicly available information but not audience members unless requested by that person to have their named added.

Panel description:

In 2017, the Marvel Cinematic Universe gave us 3 movies that were lighter, funnier, and a bit different from their normal fare: Guardian of the Galaxy Vol 2, Spider-Man: Homecoming, and Thor: Ragnarok. All three of these movies felt like a year-long palate cleanser after the darker path the MCU has been on. However, with movies like Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War coming next, are we back to serious business, or is there still room to play?

Moderator was Christopher Davis. Panelists were Jess Adamas, V. Greyson, and Carrie Pruett.

Chris talked about Thor: Ragnarok as having a shift from the other Thor movies, not just due to Taika Watiti’s influence but the writing and acting as well.

Jess said people figured out that Hemsworth can do comedy and is not just ridiculously good looking, but also willing to make an ass of himself.

Jess and V. agreed that they almost can’t even remember Thor 2. Thor should be funny and silly - the comics are. There are still real feelings and relationships in there, but every scene looked like it should have been painted on the side of a van.

Carrie said the movie found the right tone for including the Led Zeppelin song. The use of Bruce/Hulk in the movie also used more comedy than earnestness. She compared it to Deadpool as far as pointing out the ridiculous parts.

She also talked about her desire for Darcy to interact with more MCU characters.

V. talked about Kenneth Branagh’s Thor 1 and that she liked how serious it was. But she enjoyed the comedy of Ragnarok even more as a contrast. She brought up an article that talked about the Maori flavor of the comedy in the movie, the deprecating aspect and poking fun at the earlier movies (example: “the sun is going down”).

Carrie liked the calling out of Loki as Odin as a reminder of how Thor 2 ended, but doing it in such a funny way.

Jess talked about Korg and the hilarity of how his revolution failed because he didn’t print enough pamphlets. She brought up the Grandmaster - Carrie asked who? - Jeff Goldblum - oh yea! (lol)

Chris discussed the heavy 80′s nostalgia and Jack Kirby aesthetic in the visuals and musical choices. For example, the Pure Imagination song while going through the tunnel.

Jess and V. joked about their husbands not getting why certain things were funny (IIRC this was because they weren’t as familiar with some of the references to earlier Marvel movies?).

Chris said that Goldblum was the perfect choice for that role. He asked the panelists what their favorite bit of his was.

V. said the meltstick part. Carrie added - accidental killing is hilarious. Jess brought up the part about Bruce looking for a button on the ship for a weapon and getting the song and lights - the discovery that it’s an orgy ship. Carrie added that Bruce’s whole life is a series of wondering how he got here.

V. talked about the deleted scene of the Grandmaster engaging in tentacle porn. Chris said in Watiti’s director’s cut, he filks the Marvel logo at the start and it just goes from there.

Chris moved on to the Guardians movies - a part of Marvel that’s not well known outside of the deep fandom. This gave them more freedom in their choices. They mostly take place outside of the MCU world, but still did well.

Carrie compared Guardians to Deadpool 2 saying that there is such a thing as too many ironic music cues and Guardians had just enough while D2 went too far.

Carrie also added that the Guardians/Thor part of Infinity War was the best part. The bit where Thor keeps calling Rocket a rabbit (I added from the audience that this somehow didn’t make Rocket mad) and Carrie agreed saying he really responded to Thor as an authority figure in ways that he usually doesn’t do with anyone.

Jess said that she has James Gunn issues and especially didn’t think Guardians 1 was that well written, but that G2 did a good job of balancing the serious with the funny. She was really resentful about crying at the end. She really bought the Peter/Yondu relationship. Jess tears up talking about the scene with Rocket at the funeral and how he noted that Yondu yelled a lot and was mean but that people still stuck with him. [I teared up a lil too, that part hit me hard]

Jess also added that the rainbow glitter aesthetic of the Guardians movies seems to be responding to the darker superhero greyscale we usually get.

Carrie said that they did good with the Ego stuff, as well. She knew that a twist was coming, but not what the twist was going to be. It called out toxic masculinity in a unique way. Kurt Russell was used well in the role. Peter has his own sexist issues, especially in G1 - which is not interrogated - but in G2 he’s clearly trying to be better than his dad.

Jess said Russell was great in the role because the audience sees him as his oeuvre.

V. didn’t like G2 as much as G1. G1 had a lot of lampshading of Peter calling himself Starlord and the group the Guardians of the Galaxy. Also - so many Groot-based tears. She didn’t like the start of G2 with the team all fighting and being mean to one another. But G2 and Thor:R both used that rainbow glitter aesthetic well and showed that you can have serious issues going on even if it’s sparkly - things don’t have to be all grey with just some blue.

Chris brought up that lighter movies can still have some very serious issues and still be funny. The characters and relationships can grow and change, for example Thor finally acknowledging that Loki is going to keep tricking him.

V. talked about how Spiderman: Homecoming’s humor is more of the #relatable type. Peter is “just like us” and we identify with him.

Carrie said she has a complicated relationship with Spiderman. She saw the Toby Maguire movies before she got into comics and didn’t realize that Spiderman was supposed to be funny. Andrew Garfield did okay but still didn’t really feel like Peter. Tom Holland does Spiderman/Peter better. But the movie changed around some of the characters from the comics. Also - why is it appropriate for Tony to have this relationship with a high school student? On the other hand, Tony’s use as a side character is funny and done well.

Jess added that Tony makes terrible decisions but doesn’t realize it until someone else points it out to him - like, maybe don’t take a minor out of the country for combat-related reasons?

Jess went on to say that all Marvel movies have some humor, and it often is that relatable kind, but it also comes from the fondness for the characters and their relationships to one another. It’s not just references (V. - like The Big Bang Theory).

Jess talked about how Thor:R addresses colonialism and anti-colonialism while being funny. Spiderman:Homecoming culminates in a homecoming dance. Jess always wanted a Marvel high school movie. Also Michael Keaton did well in the role for similar reasons as Russell in G2. Both actors bring their career history with them into the role.

V. talked about the humor of Spiderman in the pratfalls. Heroes already have such exaggerated physical movements, so this leads well to physical humor. Holland is a good physical actor in both senses.

Carrie lamented the lack of funny women in the MCU. (I spoke from the audience again pointing out MJ)

Jess said that Gamora did not get a lot of comedy - a lot of her character is wrapped up in drama with Nebula. Mantis is a character we laugh at and she is not comfortable with that. Valkyrie gets to be funny. Cate Blanchett as Hela was very campy but in a straight-faced way. She does tell jokes, but they’re terrifying.

Carrie discussed the issues with Mantis a bit more. The jokes were mostly about her fitting the submissive Asian trope. Black Panther has women who got to actively do stuff and be funny! There should be more little sisters in superhero movies. Lupita Nyong’o was used better as a funny character in BP than she was in more serious roles. Jess added that Okoyo was used in humorous ways too.

Carrie said BP was not just about found family, as many of these movies are, but is actually a family movie.

Chris said that Hela got some of the best lines in Thor. Examples: “Whoever I am?” and the bit about the executioner to execute plans ... but also people.

He added that BP did have a lot of humor. It also had a similar plot as Thor, but with a very different tone and narrative.

Carrie said BP makes you care about Wakanda. Asgard feels more distant. While watching Infinity War, her concern was for Wakanda - why are they bringing the fight there?!

Thor:R builds on the other movies for it’s worldbuilding, whereas BP is introducing us to this world for essentially the first time. There is a sense of wrestling with what is the right thing to do. An audience member added - it’s a less mythical world.

Jess talked about BP having lots of joy - you get the sense that the cast and crew just loved being there and making it what it was.

V. talked about Thor 1 having more of a fish out of water type humor. The humor in BP comes from investment in the character relationships.

An audience member brought up the M’Baku vegetarian joke. Someone (another audience member maybe?) brought up how the Grandmaster was queer-coded and a villain and funny but it was not offensive.

Jess said that was just Goldblum being Goldblum. It also works because Watiti is queer, so he’s aware of the tropes and it’s not a mean-spirited laughing - we’re not laughing at the queer-codedness of the character. Contrast this to Mantis, where we are supposed to be laughing at the racial and sexist stereotypes.

Chris brought up that Mantis literally personifies emotional labor.

An audience member said that the Grandmaster reminded them of Tim Curry’s characters - he’s using himself in the role, so we’re not laughing at someone’s depictions of an other.

V. said in Thor:R the gags are at everyone’s expense - it’s equal opportunity joking. We’re not just laughing at say, the one campy character in the entire movie.

Carrie talked about not liking Drax as much in G2 because he was so mean to Mantis - we were expected to laugh at this one character.

An audience member talked about Drax’s actor being hilarious. The MCU and DC are mostly white and male, so they appreciate when this is not the case. The Drax/Mantis issue would have been better if they’d addressed his crush on her. It felt like a third of movie was cut out because they skip right over his meanness to acceptance. Mantis is the first Asian character in the MCU.

Carrie said there is a representation problem. A friend of hers who is Asian said her kid told her she looks like Mantis, and she wasn’t sure how to deal with that. There were no other characters for the child to compare her to.

Jess said this was especially bad because outside of the Mantis thing, Drax is the best of them as far as emotional expression.

Chris said - as a white dude named Chris, I’m getting lots of representation and I’m getting tired of it. (lol)

Valkyrie came up and someone said their headcanon was that she lived and took the half of the Asgardians who live off to safety. I shouted out from the audience that this was confirmed as canon. V. said her theory is that she took the sex space ship!

An audience member brought up how some people found Asgard as a flying disc in space as being more relatable than a non-colonized African country. This is partially because you have to set up the seriousness first and then introduce humor. Thor could be funnier right away because it was the third movie.

V. said that both Thor and BP had interesting things to say about colonization and Chris laid it out as: Killmonger wants to start conquering and Hela wants to go back to doing it.

V. talked about BP as having to engage white Marvel fans, black audiences who aren’t as familiar with the comics, and of course the Venn Diagram of black fans of the MCU. Discussed the use of both Wakanda and Oakland scenes to accomplish this.

An audience member asked about the evolution of Hulk as a comedic character.

Chris said Ruffalo was able to pull off the humor well on Thor. The physical comedy of when he tried to pull the Hulk out and then splat! The movie used both Bruce and the Hulk for comedic effect.

Carrie related back to the comment about starting off with the serious backstory and then adding in the humor - Bruce himself has learned to take himself less seriously over time.

Jess said that he does get to be funny here and there in the other movies, but it’s more of humor as coping mechanism. In Thor:R he gets to do more slapstick stuff.

And that’s all I got! Overall this was a fun, funny panel which also hit on some serious themes in these lighter movies.

#wiscon #wiscon 42 #mcu lighter side #mcu #thor: ragnarok #guardians of the galaxy #spiderman: homecoming #black panther

3 notes · View notes