"when will they make the emperor's new groove into a live action movie" my opinion on this is hopefully never but they should make it into a broadway musical. and disney should release professional recordings of all of their musicals. <3

"The Need For Topical Music", written by Phil Ochs

Before the days of television and mass media, the folksinger was often a traveling newspaper spreading tales through music. 

It is somewhat ironic that in this age of forced conformity and fear of controversy the folksinger may be assuming the same role. The newspapers have unfortunately told the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the cold war truth so help them, advertisers. If a reporter breaks the "code of the West” that used to be confined to Hoot Gibson movies, he’ll find himself out on the street with a story to tell and all the rivers of mass communication damned up. 

The folksingers of today must face up to a great challenge in their music. Folk music is an idiom that deals with realities and not just realities of the past as some would assert. More than ever there is an urgent need for Americans to look deeply into themselves and their actions and musical poetry is perhaps the most effective mirror available. 

I have run into some singers who say, “Sure, I agree with most topical songs, but they're just too strong to do in public. Besides, I don't want to label myself or alienate some of my audience into thinking I'm unpatriotic.”

Yet this same person will get on the stage and dedicate a song to Woody Guthrie or Pete Seeger as if in tribute to an ideal they are afraid to reach for. Those who would compromise or avoid the truth inherent in folk music are misleading themselves and their audiences. In a world so full of lies and corruption, can we allow our own national music to go the way of Madison Avenue?

There are definite grounds for criticism of topical music, however. Much of the music has been too bitter and too negative for many audiences to appreciate, but lately there has been a strong improvement in both quantity and quality, and the commercial success of songs like “If I Had a Hammer” have made many of the profit seekers forget their prejudices.

One good song with a message can bring a point more deeply to more people than a thousand rallies. A case in point is Pete Seeger's classic “Where Have All the Flowers Gone” which brought a message of peace to millions, including many of the younger generation who do not consider themselves involved in politics.

Folk music often arises out of vital movements and struggles. When the union movement was a growing, stirring and honest force in America, it produced a wealth of material to add to the nation's musical heritage. Today, there regrettably seem to be only two causes that will arouse an appreciable amount of people from their apathetic acceptance of the world; the Negro struggle for civil rights and the peace movement. To hear a thousand people singing "We Shall Overcome" without the benefit of Hollywood's bouncing ball is to hear a power and beauty in music that has no limits in its effect.

It never ceases to amaze me how the American people allow the hit parade to hit them over the head with a parade of song after meaningless song about love. If the powers that be absolutely insist that love should control the market, at least they should be more realistic and give divorce songs an equal chance.

Topical music is often a method of keeping alive a name or event that is worth remembering. For example many people have been vividly reminded of the depression days through Woody Guthrie’s dust bowl ballads. Sometimes the songs will differ in interpretation from the textbooks as with “Pretty Boy Floyd”.

Every newspaper headline is a potential song, and it is the role of an effective songwriter to pick out the material that has the interest, significance and sometimes humor adaptable to music.

A good writer must be able to picture the structure of a song and as hundreds of minute ideas race through his head, he must reject the superfluous and trite phrases for the cogent powerful terms. Then after the first draft is completed, the writer must be his severest critic, constantly searching for a better way to express every line in his song.

I think there is a coming revolution (pardon my French) in folk music as it becomes more and more popular in the U. S., and as the search for new songs becomes more intense. The news today is the natural resource that folk music must exploit in order to have the most vigorous folk process possible.

(Broadside #22, March 1963)

Much as I hate the glut of sequels and reboots, this actually is not a new problem. Here’s a list of the highest grossing movies in North America, adjusted for inflation.

Of this list, Gone With the Wind, The Ten Commandments, Jaws, The Exorcist, Doctor Zhivago, One Hundred and One Dalmatians, Ben-Hur, and Jurassic Park were based on novels while The Sound of Music was based on a musical, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs on a fairy tale, Avengers: Endgame off of a comic, Titanic and The Sting on history (albeit loosely), and The Lion King on a play.

 Four more of these movies are sequels and (all in one franchise, at that), so we’re left with two movies (Star Wars and E.T.) that were not based on a pre-existing IP and/or history and were not part of a franchise.  Also, two of the movies on this list (The Ten Commandments and Ben-Hur) were remakes of earlier silent films.  

From the beginning of the film industry, adapting a novel or stage musical or play everyone already loves has been seen as a safer bet than an original screenplay and it’s worth noting that execs originally had little faith in the success of either Star Wars or E.T.

19, 20, 21

doug, you know me so well. this is totally my wheelhouse.

novel/play adaptations:

"who's afraid of virginia woolf," harold pinter's "homecoming." just re-watched baz luhrmann's "romeo + juliet" and i have to admit that it slaps & is a good way to get teens into shakespeare.

musicals:

underrated: "the wiz." everyone go watch the wiz.

perfectly rated: "purple rain" and "little shop of horrors"

overrated in my dad's apartment but still a major part of my psyche: "scrooge," "oliver!"

catch these on TCM: "robin and the seven hoods" and "love me or leave me"... when i bring up these movies to people irl people rarely know what i mean. but they are very fun old gangster musicals. much better than guys and dolls. the second one stars james cagney and it gets intense!

uneven but still good TO ME: "a funny thing happened on the way to the forum," "sweet charity." god i love dated 60s humor.

filmed stage productions: "sunday in the park with george," "sweeney todd," raul esparza's "company." the problem with filmed stage productions is they're definitely more static than cinematic, but if you can get yourself into a "theatre" state of mind i think these three in particular are the gold standard.

"a mighty wind": technically a musical innit. i remember watching it when it came out thinking "that was funny but idk if it will hold up." but it does!!

160+ minute movies:

clocking in at 3 hours, terrence malick's "a hidden life" is slow, slow, slow, but so worth watching. i think about it a lot. whole thing was filmed with wide angle lenses which seems to be a strange choice for a quiet intimate drama but it was very effective. really put you in that time and place.

and, in a completely different vein, "the great race" and "it's a mad mad mad mad world." whenever you see a movie with an intermission in it... those were the days. when a "family picture" meant taking the whole family out for the entire day and doing fuck all but just eating popcorn and watching antics

my school did an unrehearsed staged reading of gnomeo and juliet. i still haven’t seen the movie. as a g+j expert, do you think i should watch it?

okay first of all. scream. oh to have been a fly on the wall/audience member at your school's unrehearsed staged reading of gnomeo and juliet.

second of all. if i had a time machine i would go back to tell my 6th grade ish self and say "someday a stranger will refer to you as a gnomeo and juliet expert. and everything will have been worth it."

finally i hate to say it but it has been so long since i've seen it (though i feel a rewatch is imminent) so i can't give a fresh take on the quality. nor can i speak to its merit among shakespeare adaptations though i know it very much doesn't take itself seriously. which i like. actually the hyperfixation on g+j accompanied a very sprawling and more longlasting love of elton john which i think is the real merit. the original song is really good and the crocodile rock re-record with nelly furtado is also very catchy and fun. his music is also included in really clever and fun ways. so in that sense i think it makes a great movie musical of sorts, more comparable with a project like rocketman than a shakespeare adaptation. so unless this staged reading also incorporated some of that sweet and beautiful music i would ultimately say yes it is worth a watch. plus the character designs are very fun

Alice Creel’s Weird Age, TFS, and Interview With The Vampire

So, Interview With The Vampire is on the S4 board:

And I’m wondering if it might be connected to whatever the hell is going on with Alice Creel’s age.

After all, Alice should be 15 in 1959 according to the Weekly Watcher:

But when we see her in 1959 in the show, she’s clearly a little girl, younger than 15:

And when we see her in the TFS promo stuff, Henry appears older than he should be (as he’s supposed to be 12), but Alice is still a little girl:

But wait- what other piece of media has a blonde haired, blue-eyed little girl who doesn’t age?

Interview With The Vampire does.

Claudia from Interview With The Vampire is trapped permanently as a little girl because she was a little girl when she was turned into a vampire- and she resembles Alice with the blonde hair and blue eyes and constantly appearing as a little girl.

And to tie this even more to TFS specifically, Claudia’s appearance in the musical/stage adaptation, “Lestat,” resembles Alice even more strongly than the movie version of Claudia does- Claudia and Alice even both have very similar yellow dresses, and I won’t be surprised if Alice’s yellow dress was specifically inspired by the musical version of Claudia (keeping in mind that TFS was being written while S4 was still in production):

And it’s also worth keeping in mind that there’s constant vampire references in ST, and specifically, vampire references connected to the Creels and Brenner.

For example, Vecna is compared to a vampire by Steve:

And Brenner, like I talked about in this post, lacks a reflection at times when he should have one- much like a vampire.

And there’s also all of the references in ST to Kas from DND- Kas, who as turned into a vampire because he spent so much time close to the negative energy plane (which reminds me quite a bit of the void from ST, and has me wondering about the ways in which the void/proximity to it affects people, including Alice, but that’s a post for another time).

It’s also worth noting that “Let The Right One In” is also on the S4 board:

And it’s another movie about a young vampire girl- and that includes a blonde middle aged woman character named Virginia Lind who is attacked by said vampire and later turns into a vampire. Virginia Lind definitely reminds me of Virginia Creel:

Do I think that Alice Creel is a literal mythological blood-sucking vampire? No. But I DO think that whatever’s going on with Alice’s weird age/her perpetually appearing as a little girl is connected to the rest of the vampire imagery in ST & the ST lore reason for all of that vampire imagery (whatever that reason may be, I’m not 100% sure yet), is the same thing that’s causing the weirdness with Alice’s age.

I’ve always hated when Broadway purists disparage the film adaptation of Sweeney Todd for not being like the stage show because, well, it’s a film adaptation and not a filmed version of the stage show. Film and stage are very different art forms, and successful film adaptations of Broadway musicals must make changes (Sondheim actually typically disliked movie musicals, but not this one). I can talk for a very long time about why the changes in the film version work so well, but I was pleasantly surprised to see this video did a great job explaining a lot of them in under 10 minutes:

And this comment stood out to me, too:

Just, yes. Yes, yes, yes. I could go on for much longer than this, but I’ll leave it here lol.

The film version and stage version of Sweeney Todd are very different in a lot of respects, but those differences boil down to the differences between the art forms. Burton knew he had to make a good movie. If anyone is going to watch Sweeney for the first time, I recommend the movie first because it’s more accessible to a wider, non-theater audience, but I do think both versions are worth watching, if nothing else, to see how the same story can play out similarly and differently in two separate art forms.

Films and Books That Made 2022 Worth Living

Happy New Year's Eve! Last year, I did a Twitter thread about films, books, and TV shows that I loved in 2021. While I'm still very much active on Twitter these days, the new features are annoying me (especially that cursed "views"), so I'm not tweeting as much as I used to.

As such, I decided to post my favorite films and books on Tumblr instead. I realized I hadn't watched a lot of TV shows this year (or I hadn't watched enough shows that I like to be considered a "favorite"), so this year, I'm only posting films and books.

These films and books were not necessarily released in 2022, but 2022 is the first time I've ever watched or read them. Also, it's worth noting that there are so many 2022 films I haven't watched yet, including Women Talking, The Eternal Daughter, and more. It's either I cannot find a copy online or it didn't show in my local theatres. Maybe I can watch them next year and include them in the list then!

Now that's out of the way, let's get started! Here are 10 films and books that I loved in 2022:

FILMS

Hello, Dolly! (1969) — I've loved the stage musical for so long, especially the revival with Bette Midler, but I haven't watched the movie version of it. This film is one of the best musical adaptations I've ever seen, and it's so brilliant from start to finish. Barbra Streisand is a star, and I fell in love with all the characters, dances, and songs. It's been months since I've seen this, but I still memorize the entire "Put on Your Sunday Clothes" and "It Only Takes A Moment" sequences.

West Side Story (2021) — Another musical film made it to my top 10 list. I loved the first movie adaptation, but it had glaring issues that Steven Spielberg corrected for the most part. Everything about this movie is simply wonderful, and I rewatched this movie more than I care to admit. I love Rachel Zegler, Mike Faist, and Ariana DeBose, but it's a shame the leading man is a disgusting pig, though.

Mary and Max (2009) — I was expecting a fun, carefree animated film prior to watching this, but it broke my heart in the process. The film spoke so much about loneliness, mental health, and friendship through such tender and careful lenses. Philip Seymour Hoffman also gave a terrific performance voicing Max.

Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022) — I'm not a big fan of science fiction fantasy movies, but this one got me. Maybe because it's Michelle Yeoh's stunning performance, or the generational trauma theme. I love how this film captured a mother-and-daughter relationship uniquely and creatively. I still couldn't get through the ending without getting tears in my eyes.

Tár (2022) — I thought Women Talking would be my favorite film of the year, but I haven't watched that yet, so for now, it's this one. I love films that feature an anti-hero because it makes it easier to feel grounded in reality. It is captivating from end to finish, and I can't help but be immersed in Lydia's obsession with greatness. Cate Blanchett is a goddess.

Pride (2014) — One of the best feel-good movies I've ever seen. There are movies based on real events that get you questioning whether they're just bullshitting you, and while I did question this movie as well, it still succeeded in telling its message: the importance of unity. What more can I ask for? Also, this is going to be adapted into a musical soon, and I cannot wait!

Dancer in the Dark (2000) — This is another musical movie on this list, but it couldn't be different than the previous two. As expected from Lars von Trier, this movie is dark and twisted. The final scene took me so much by surprise that I sat there in my seat with my mouth hanging open as the credits rolled. This may seem like a "manipulative" film, but the character of Selma, superbly portrayed by Björk, saved the film for me.

Drive My Car (2021) — The first movie I've seen of the year. I wanted to start 2022 with a good one, and this one didn't fail. It's intimate and profound in a very subdued way. Although this was almost three hours long, it honestly never felt draggy. I hung on to every scene as if my life depended on it. Regret is one way to express grief, and this movie depicted it perfectly.

The Banshees of Inisherin (2022) — Another surprise of the year. I didn't expect to like this movie that much, but here we are. I should've known not to doubt Martin McDonagh, especially as a huge In Bruges fan. This film is so well-written with wonderful characters - even the animals are great! Colin Farell's Pádraic and Jenny is my favorite duo of the year.

C'mon C'mon (2021) — As for my second favorite duo of the year, it's Joaquin Phoenix and Woody Norman as uncle and nephew in this touching movie. This film made me laugh and cry and genuinely captured the complexity of family relationships. This is a very heartwarming, compelling, and human film, and I love everything about it. 

BOOKS

Pachinko by Min Jin Lee — I read this early this year, but I knew then that nothing could ever top it. It's a beautifully-written novel featuring a large set of characters with different personalities, stories, and backgrounds. This novel is also a great learning experience on Korean-Japanese culture, politics, and history. It's a completely immersive story, and it felt like I was transported back to that time. I also highly recommend the Apple TV+ adaptation of this!

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman — I've only read two novels from Backman, and yet, I can confidently say that he's my current favorite author. While some people may find his writing too quirky and over-the-top, I find the sweetness and wit just the right amount. It's the perfect read when you feel dejected and overwhelmed by the negativity of this world. The simple human interactions in this novel absolutely make you feel hopeful and loved. 

A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara — Okay, now this one... I was so scared to read this because I heard countless reviews that say this is a harrowing read. And they were right. This is a terrifying book that almost gave me a panic attack. Many people have depicted this book as "misery porn," and while the thought did cross my mind, I don't think it glamorizes misery. Instead, it sheds light on the long-term effects of trauma, showing how people handle trauma and how, sometimes, there's no light at the end of the tunnel.

Lillian Boxfish Takes a Walk by Kathleen Rooney — This feels timely. In this book, the main protagonist walks the streets of New York on the last day of 1984 while also reminiscing about days gone by. Lillian Boxfish is an astounding protagonist; she's witty and relatable, and I want to be like her someday (hopefully, minus the bad parts). It's mostly told in flashbacks, so we also got a glimpse of New York in the 20s and 50s, which is pretty interesting to me!

The Dutch House by Ann Patchett — The story had a very Cinderella-like spin, complete with a dead father, an evil stepmother, and two (though they are neither mean nor ugly) stepsisters. This novel especially enraptured me through its supporting character Maeve. I didn't care much about the protagonist, but his sister was the one that made me love this book so much. I see myself in her, but also the person I want to be.

The Sandman by Neil Gaiman — If I made a top 10 favorite TV show list, the Netflix adaptation of Gaiman's popular comic book series would be number one. The show is incredible, and now I'm making my way into the Sandman universe one graphic novel at a time. I just finished A Game of You a few weeks ago, so I'm pretty excited to read more. I love how Gaiman builds the Dreaming universe and shows the power of dreams and imagination.

The Woman at 1,000 Degrees by Hallgrímur Helgason — It took me so long to finish this one because it's super complex, especially since I am unfamiliar with Iceland's history, but it's still terrific. The quirkiness in the story and characters reminds me of Backman novels, but this one is much darker and heavier and written in a very ironic tone. I can't wait to read this again!

Tuesday Nights in 1980 by Molly Prentiss — If I'm given the choice to write a book, I just hope it's going to be something like this one. Some may call this novel slow and pretentious, but the writing is so good that I forget I'm actually reading it. The novel is able to bring me to New York and meet all these characters. It's very far from perfect, but it's one that I couldn't stop reading.

Every Note Played by Lisa Genova — I'm used to reading sad stuff, but I didn't expect this one to completely break my heart. The main character of this book follows a concert pianist who suffers from ALS. Based on that, I think you know how heavy this is going to be. One thing that struck a chord with me in this novel is how it's okay not to tie loose ends with other people, and some things are better left unsaid. 

Book Lovers by Emily Henry — It's ironic that the title had "book" on it, but it's the only one in Kindle format in the collage. Hmm, maybe I should buy a physical copy of this book. After all, Henry is my new Sophie Kinsella. I'm a huge fan of Kinsella when I was in high school, and I never thought I could feel giddy with romance novels again, but Henry was able to bring back that feeling. That's how good she is as well as this novel.

______________________________________________________________

And so there you have it: the top 10 films and books that made 2022 worth living. As someone who always uses media to distract myself from reality, I'm looking forward to more media consumption next year!

Grease Live! (2016)

In terms of the music, there’s no contest. The songs in this TV stage adaptation range from okay to atrocious, and the opening theme is unfortunately the worst by far. But “Grease Live!” makes up for that by doing so much more with the characters and story than the film version does. 

The entire cast is great, giving their own spins on the characters. My only complaint is that the T-Birds are hard to tell apart at times, due to all having such similar hair and coats in this version. 

In this version, Sandy has ultra-controlling parents. Thus, her bad-girl makeover at the end comes off more like her own choice, rather than giving into peer pressure. Danny is also considerably more likable, bar his big lie at the beach, which gives Sandy more of a reason to be upset when they reunite at Rydell. 

THAT FRIGGIN DINER ! 

Cameo! 

Marty is arguably the biggest improvement in this version. In the 1978 version I found her to be the least interesting or memorable character. Keke Palmer gives Marty her own swag. Though she also has the unfair advantage of getting to sing Marty’s one solo “Freddie My Love,” deleted from the movie version.

Vanessa Hudgens’ father died the night before “Grease Live” premiered--live--on TV. But she performed phenomenally as Rizzo.  

Eugene plays a more significant role in this version, not the least of which contributes to making Danny more likable than in the movie. 

If you’re a Rizzo/Kenickie fan, this version is definitely worth checking out. She comes to Thunder Road, this time. 

“Beauty School Dropout,” sadly, is another point against this version. Not the least because you can barely hear the singers!

Just a funny pause. Caption at your leisure. 

I love how this version ties Kenickie’s head-injury into his plotline with Rizzo. And I also love the face of that one guy on the right (Sonny I think?) 

Danny’s reaction to Sandy’s makeover. 

If you love “Grease,” give this version a shot...even if you have to skip through some of the music numbers. 

Since twitter is a mess these days due to owns it now do you have any good recommendations? Any good social platforms for theater people?

Bold of you to assume I'm on enough social media to even have recommendations.

That being said, I can give you a run-down of... some of the stuff I'm on, whether it counts as social media or not. I'll try to go in semi-chronological order. Big caveat that this is based mostly on my own experience; so much of social media is what you make of it and the niche you create for yourself, so it can be hard to determine what is the "general vibe" and what is just "my opinion". Having said all that, here we go.

Forums - Definitely not the oldest place for phans to congregate online, but it's the oldest I've been on, so I'll just start here. I honestly only know one, Deserted Phans, and it's pretty quiet. (No wait, I know another, but it's the phandom equivalent of the shadow lands and we will not speak of what goes on there.) When active, it tends to be the place for many older (or old-school) fans, people who were there when the ALW musical first opened, viewed many of the original casts, saw the changes wrought by the 2004 movie and LND first-hand, probably got into actual fistfights with ALW and CamMack. Cool people, but they've seen A Lot and are a bit tired. Nowadays, it's probably not worth it to make an account since they're so quiet, but the nature of forums is they're great archives of info, so that's a good reason to check them out.

Facebook - You can follow the official Facebook page for Phantom on here, but the closed, private groups are where most of the discussion is at. That being said, remember, it's Facebook; the people on there tend to be older, less Internet-savvy, and less connected to other parts of the phandom, so be prepared to see constant rehashes of the same old arguments, over and over again (if I see "Team Erik or Team Raoul?" or "How do you guys feel about the 2004 movie / LND?" one more time...). Occasionally yields some spectacularly funny conversations that you can pass around to your friends.

YouTube - It's YouTube, so most everything is video content and the comments are not worth reading. You'll get people of all ages and experiences here, and their commentary will reflect that. Expect a lot of "Ramin Karimloo and Sierra Boggess are the best!" or "Why do people hate Gerard Butler and Emmy Rossum so much? I love them!" type comments. Good if you want to get a bead on casual phandom. I use it mainly for bootlegs and promo footage of shows.

Reddit - There's a dedicated subreddit for Phantom, but it's pretty quiet. I don't go on there too often, but it feels like a slightly better version of the Facebook phandom - a lot of the same questions popping up over and over, but there are some oldies on there ready to give intelligent, nuanced responses if needed. If you ask the right question, good for discussion and responses as it's more text-based.

Twitter - I know you're trying to flee Twitter right now because it's a hell hole, but before you go, I really do need you to make a verified fake account of Cameron Mackintosh and announce that the original stagings of Phantom and Les Mis will be returning. In less than a year. To every country worldwide.

Tumblr - Age-wise, skews a little younger than some of the other places, more older teenager to young adult (thinking 18 to 30s, though there are many, many exceptions). Image- and text-based, so good for gifsets, art, or meta and fic. Very much what you make of it, and who you follow will probably determine what kind of fandom experience and discussion you get, but I've seen people willing to talk about fic, about shipping about meta, about the various adaptations, pretty much whatever you want. Can definitely be some discourse, though I think the phandom is comparatively quiet.

Instagram - In terms of age, I think Instaphandom tends to be a little younger than Tumblr (more teenagers IMO). Very, very picture- and video-based, but also very popular, and lot of actors and people involved in the show and various versions are on there. Didn't have that good of a reputation a few years ago, mainly because people on there kept reposting stuff, but it seems better now. Good place to get very... in-the-moment news and postings, I think. Has some drama and such, again because of how young the population is and the presence of celebrities, but can also be a great source for information that you won't get elsewhere (e.g. news updates, casting info).

Discord - Think of this as like a big group chat. If you're into that, you might have fun on Discord. What you get is very dependent on what kind of server you join, servers being the places where people congregate and talk. Some are public and so you'll have very active conversations with a wide variety of people, some are private and quiet and more like an online friend group. The group chat nature of it can make it overwhelming, but if you're okay with that, it's where a lot of phandom discussion is happening.

TikTok - I dunno, I'm not on here, but it looks like a wild place. Seems to have a lot of young people. The weirdest discourse appears to be coming from here. If you go, tell me what it's like.

(MBTI headcanon cont.) I think your observation of Will's family's interest is super spot on, because guess what? Misha from Punk 57 has very similar personality with Em. He's a geek! Movies, things, music etc. i guess it really does run in the family. I remember Ryen always making fun of him about it. And yeah i agree about your take about Nightfall in general about the side characters drama and present interaction of willemmy too.

Also i think i dont elaborate the last part of willemmy's characteristics of "finishing doing something" really well. Thats my description that were related to their P and J types. Em would have a lot of things she wants to do, and prioritise what needs to be done, but if she completely lost interest, she wouldnt bat an eye to them anymore. (The more i think abiut it, the more she sounds like INTP). As long as its done, its done. But will, the J guy, coupled with curious mind, wouldnt have a linear timeline to his growth compared to everyone else beside him, but everytime he was shown an interest and want something, he sticks to it until the end, doesnt matter how painful or less worth it seems to anyone. He's a giver and caretaker, having this passion of loving others. Big heart guy. Yeah, ENFJ really suits him.

part 2:

Adding to my two MBTI asks before and ohmygod!!! Architects are usually INTJ! Theyre usually the adventurous type too. I guess my observation from before about emmy being a P is rather more closely related to her individual personality being a P and her P nature in her most volatile personal decisions in general rather than being a J. But i can see why she would be an INTx with interchanging P or J type. And Misha is will's cousin from Punk57, forgot to mention this. And im so sorry for the spoiler if you havent read punk57 🙏🥺 And I agree about Alex, but I'm not sure myself what Alex's MBTI would be other than E and F because we werent really given much insights to her thoughts. We only see her through other characters' povs and Alex was known to be highly adaptable too so idk its because of her personality, her job, her circumstances etc. yk. But she IS adventurous, and i think thats partly why Aydin can get along with Emmy in a way, and Em with Alex, and Alex with Em, and them with Will. Because Im sure Micah's characterisation was really different than these 4, right? But i think Alex is more F than T though. Idk haha, cant say much about side characters that werent given much characterisation through their povs tbh. As for whether or not Emmy's MBTI was the product of her circumstances, that too, idk. I dont think much would change honestly. She was always a girl who loves to have fun and be adventurous, but nowhere was mentioned before that she thrives off of communication with others as much as Will. We were only told that she had no worries in the world when she was little, but no mention of with whom. So it can safe to say, she could be an E or still an I. I remember this because I noticed, she didnt have friends, not only because: she was scared that she was going to be in an abusive relationship, her brother would hurt them, the teenagers around her came from different backgrounds from her, they want different things than her at the same stage of life, so it was harder for her to relate to them, but also because she genuinely enjoy and feels recharged when she's just doing things alone. She wants to have friends, but it wasnt the utmost priority like Will or Alex. And when she wants to connect with others, she cant do casual relationships because it wasnt enough for her. As an E, thats why Will couldnt understand, but when you look at Emmys interactions, outside of what was already happening between her brother, her schoolmates and the town, she was just like that, and she loves it. She did needed a friend, but not the ones that are too invasive. So when it comes to the I E type, I dont think it would change much like her P and J functions. Her P and J functions were heavily influenced by her emotional state. And theyre turbulent. When it comes to her T function, maybe in her volatile or outburst of feeling, she couldve been an F. But that too didnt make much sense, because she was shown to actually LIKE to think, rather than just feel because p feelings didnt always give her the most thrill. We saw her having fun when she felt something intense, but there were a lot of thinking that accompanies those feelings. Even when she waned to fuck alex, or get will out of the jail, or dig out the cemetery, she was already making so much thinking in her head, and she had fun knowing the consequences or mysteries behind it. So safe to say, even when she goes over the edge, she CAN feel the most like Will, but unlike Will, that might just not be her dominant function.

__

My reply:

Haha. Yeah…in all of my excitement to talk about willemmy, I went way off topic huh? I completely forgot to connect it all back to MBTI. My bad.

(I have read Punk 57, so I’m familiar with Misha, and that all tracks.)

Don’t worry. It’s not you. I’m just overly dense sometimes. I might have unconsciously avoided it. As much as I read up on MBTI, my understanding has always been very surface level and understanding the individual functions and how they work in the stack is confusing for me, and at this point, I’m very rusty.  My explanations will be clunky, but I’ll try my best.

Architects are usually INTJ! Theyre usually the adventurous type too.

Starting off with Emory’s types, at first, I was leaning towards ISTJ, but I do see where you’re coming from with INTJ. I’m still struggling with her dominate function. Mainly because it is so difficult to tell what is the result of her abuse and what comes natural to her.

Em would have a lot of things she wants to do, and prioritise what needs to be done, but if she completely lost interest, she wouldnt bat an eye to them anymore.

When you say she would stop working on something once she lost interest, I would have to disagree with you. I see Emory as someone who follows through to complete what she’s started. I would point to her finishing the gazebo, even though she wasn’t interested in it anymore. I believe she quits things when her depression gets the best of her. She quit swimming because of the bruises, but she quit band only after her final fight with Will. I don’t remember if she gave a clear reason, or if her excuse was that she wouldn’t be getting a scholarship for it. However, I firmly believe she just couldn’t sit in the stands and watch his games anymore. She was angry and depressed, and that's what caused her to temporarily give up on things. Otherwise, even if she wasn’t going to get scholarships for swim or band, she would have completed them for the sake of it. I do believe she’s a “finish what you start” type of person.

Both ISTJs and INTJs are:

Planners/Organizers

Strong willed

Driven, with strong work ethic

Tendency towards perfectionism

Private

Struggle with emotions, theirs's and other's

Strong moral codes

To me, all of these traits match Emory pretty well. When looking at the differences between the traits, I would lean more towards INTJ. I think she has a dominate Ni. I do agree that Emory would have been an introvert either way.

As for Will, I’m still up in the air about whether he’s got a dominate Se or Ne function, though I’m leaning towards Se. Just based on surface level, I see him as an ESFP. Though I can definitely see why you’re leaning towards ENFJ.

I haven’t even begun to consider any of the other characters, but Alex is an extrovert, but whether she’s Te or Fe dominate, I’m not sure. Way out of my depth.

I wish I could go into more detail and actually narrow it down to a type for all the characters. I think that would be a fun project!

-KO

Edit: I eventually did end up doing it... here you go.

on that note. musicals that owen carvour would 100% be into (dhmu i'm right):

cabaret: it's slutty, it's bisexual, it's extremely dark and horrific in many places, it's a vibe

falsettos: will not shut up about any of bill finn's work, but the falsettos trilogy takes the cake. loves the catchy music but loves what it's saying even more- took a few friends to see a production of falsettoland (act 2 of the modern revival), whether they were into musicals or not, every single person was crying by the end. curt doesn't discuss it, but whenever owen brings up the show curt talks about it with a certain level of respect not much else gets.

assassins: mostly into it for the history but definitely sings it a little too often for others not to worry that this man is about to shoot down a president

cats: listen i don't like it anymore than you do but objectively speaking i think he would enjoy it. maybe it's ironic, maybe it's not, no one can tell. but sometimes, if you're very quiet and sneak up on him, you can hear him humming "macavity" while he washes dishes

footnote: absolutely would love cats 2019 for the sheer chaos it created alone.

bare: catholic guilt + shakespearean metaphors + homosexuality = perfect owen show.

hadestown: very intrigued by the way it twists mythology around, always up to discuss it.

great comet: big fan of war and peace because of course he is, so obviously loves this adaptation. also cannot go into any fancy restaurant without saying "now this would be a great place to stage a production of the great comet"

billy elliot: saw the show once as a child, cried, refuses to watch it again in fear of crying in front of someone else.

chicago: actually a normal level of enjoyment for this show, but has very strong opinions about the movie that no one wants to listen to him go on about

the count of monte christo: no explanation needed if you know you know

spring awakening: enjoys some parts but has too much of a personal attachment to the original play to really enjoy the adaptation

into the woods: he is so fucking abnormal about this one, do not bring it up you will unleash years worth of praise

jekyll and hyde: mixed feelings but adores "alive" and "confrontation"

sweeney todd: yeah haha the murderer likes the murder musical but listen he would love this show so much

Formal Analysis:

This is a photo taken from the wings of a Broadway stage that is putting on a production of a show called Waitress. Waitress is a musical and a stage adaptation of a 2007 movie of the same name written and directed by Adrienne Shelley. With the book written by Jessie Nelson and the music and lyrics by Sara Bareilles, it is also the first show ever on Broadway to have a creative team comprised entirely of women (writer, composer, director and choreographer). Waitress is about a woman named Jenna who's in an abusive marriage but tries to make a better life for herself after she finds out she's pregnant. She decides to enter a pie making contest with a cash prize of $25,000 that if she wins, she will use to move away and start a brand new life with her baby.

While the person who took this photo is unknown, it was most likely taken by either a cast or crew member of the show. Because the band playing the instrumentals is so small (6 people), they play all the music from a moving platform that always stays on stage during the show. This platform can be seen in the background of this photo, and judging by the fact that you can’t see anyone on it, this was probably not during a public performance, but a dress rehearsal. According to my research (that I did to the best of my ability), this photo was likely taken in 2017 during the time actress Betsy Wolfe played the starring role. Although I can't tell what specific scene is being rehearsed because there are multiple scenes that take place in this same setting, the setting itself is the kitchen of the diner Jenna works at. This is the place where some of the most heartfelt moments in the show happen, and where we get to know so much about her life through her passion for baking.

In this picture, the movement of the eye goes directly to the right side of the photo where Jenna stands. The contrast between the majority of the stage being mostly shrouded in darkness and the spotlight being within Jenna’s workshop and emphasizing the actress makes it this way. The eye is typically drawn to the places with the most light, so the next thing your eye goes to is the neon diner sign above the stage, and then you make your way through the rest of the photo. Another way the photo draws emphasis to Jenna is with the convenient framing of the set. The ingredient shelf, one of the stage's walls, and the diner counter create a line down the photo that splits the photo in 2. Having one person on either side of this “line” creates the illusion of symmetry or balance. There's not much to say about the colors; there are more cool tones than warm, and the lighting on the right side of the photo makes all the colors seem like pastel shades. The colors are pleasing to look at, though. The set itself, as well as all the things going on in the photo, like the actor waiting behind the ingredient shelf for his cue, or the stand of instruments in the back can make it seem cluttered. But, to me, that gives it a sense of unity and makes the photo what it is. It makes the photo feel busy and alive and lived in. (Also, I'm not sure if this counts for anything, but whenever I look at this image, the first thing to come to mind is sparkles. It just keeps happening, so I felt like it was worth mentioning. Do with this information what you will.)

Waitress is a gut-wrenching but beautiful story with emotionally charged songs that never fail to tug at your heartstrings, while also somehow managing to be funny at the same time. It switches between tones with such ease despite the subject matter that the serious parts of the story depict. There isn't really any sort of message this photo is trying to convey, it was simply taken out of love. It's a candid photo taken by someone who was a part of this show, loves it dearly, and wanted to encapsulate this memory forever. Even though this person was in that theater and on that stage every day for months or even years on end, they were still able to find beauty in something that was mundane and routine to them. This photo inspires me to take photos like these myself, on top of the already built in dream I've had for years of wanting to be in this production one day.

Tips On Choosing the Right Video Production Service

It is said that a picture is worth a thousand words. But what about a video? How many words can that be worth? Because videos are nowadays the best way of promoting anything, many people seek to hire a video production service to help them. What about companies that need to promote their products? That’s where a corporate video production company comes in. But choosing the right one out of the many on the market can be tricky. That’s why it is important to know what to look for when making such an important decision. 

What Does a Video Production Service Do?

When people think of movies or music videos, they usually imagine sound stages or a lot of filming equipment out in the open, with dollies and a lot of crew running around. And sometimes, that is exactly how it is. But creating a movie or a video isn’t as simple as just pointing the camera and shooting it. Nor is it all green screens and CGI. Yes, those are also important, but a production company means more than simply creating animations and using motion-tracking suits for the actors. It involves a lot of planning and a lot of know-how to get things right and to make the client happy. Also, there are other production services besides the ones one might see at the opening of a feature film.

The first thing anybody should know about a video production service is that it doesn’t only deal with full-length movies. They can work on anything from indie films to music videos and even presentations for your company for a product or service. That’s because they are usually very adaptable and can handle any client, big or small. Also, this is important for those who think they might not be able to hire such a service. Granted, you might not get a 50-person crew to shoot your debut blues video, but you will get much better quality and production value than simply using your phone and cutting the footage on a free app.

Another thing one should know about any video production service is that they don’t simply handle the video itself. Some people may think that when you hire a service like this in Los Angeles, you get a guy with a camera that hands you over what he taped. You can also ask for that, but generally, they don’t just offer filming services. Production involves a lot more than just filming. It usually starts with planning the shoot and discussing the script or the scenes that the client wants. Then, there are the technical aspects that need to be figured out. This is where things like 2D or 3D are discussed or whether to use a certain light if filming is done outdoors. After that, scheduling has to be done, as also location scouting. So there are a lot of steps until actually filming anything. Not to mention that after the actual filming is done, comes the editing part, where the scenes are cut and pasted together, details are adjusted, and corrections are made.

So How Long Does a Shoot Usually Take?

Well, there’s no easy way of answering this. There isn’t an average timeframe for a shoot, and that’s because it depends on a series of factors. Anything from weather to scheduling difficulties can prevent a shoot from happening as wanted. Not to mention that many of them get delayed because of technical issues such as budgeting or creative differences between what the client wants and what can be done.

Tips On Choosing the Right Video Production Service

When choosing the right video production service, one should know a few things to make the right decisions. For instance, if you are looking for a service in the Los Angeles Bay area, you should first not just go with the first company you see. There are a lot of such companies out there, especially in cities like L.A. and New York. So you should be careful not to pick one at random. You should first research what is on the market and check for portfolios and other things like that. Usually, companies that have been around long tended to have more extensive lists of clients posted on their websites. Also, make sure to ask about the people that work there. You don’t want to give the job to somebody without experience.

Another helpful tip for when you want to hire a service that provides video production anywhere from Los Angeles to Seattle is to check and see what they usually do. Many services may brag about being able to do any project, but that might be a lie. Some services specialize in short films, while others may work exclusively with various brands in creating commercials. You should make sure that they can handle your project and that they understand what you want. This way, you can avoid a lot of hassle once production starts.

Also, when hiring such a service, make sure they can adapt to your schedule. Some services may be in high demand, especially those in busy locations such as San Francisco or Los Angeles. So there might be scheduling issues from time to time. Make sure that the service you settle on can adapt to your schedule and that they can accommodate you more than you can accommodate it. This can also indicate how much a service values its potential clients. This way, you can figure out whether you want to work with them or not.

What Can a Corporate Video Production Company Do?

When people hear the term “corporate video production company,” they might not know what that means. That’s because many don’t necessarily associate the term corporate with video. But these companies exist, and the projects they are involved in are among the coolest. In short, these companies help other companies create video presentations of their services, promotional videos, commercials for their products, or any other type of corporate video product one might need. For example, when a company goes to an expo and needs something to draw in potential clients and partners from that specific industry, they will hire such a company to create a video for them. This video can be anything from a simple company tour to a more dynamic and engaging sales pitch.

Another thing a corporate video production company can do, whether in Los Angeles or New York, is create a company’s image. Simply put, a company can be hired to help another company brand itself. One way that branding can be done is by creating various video products that can be posted on multiple platforms or used in other promotional settings. Sure, branding does usually involve a whole lot more than some videos. Still, these are also a very important part of creating the image of a company that people will instantly recognize for years to come.

Isn’t Hiring Such a Company Expensive?

It depends on what you want this corporate video production company to do. That’s because different services have different prices. So if you want somebody to come in and do a tour video of your offices, it might not be as expensive as creating a presentation video that involves a lot of digital editing and post-production work.

𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓟𝓮𝓸𝓹𝓵𝓮 𝓦𝓱𝓸 𝓓𝓸𝓷’𝓽 𝓡𝓮𝓪𝓭 𝓑𝓸𝓸𝓴𝓼

I love reading. It’s probably the thing I’m most passionate about. But sometimes, it surprises me that every other human being on the planet isn’t just as passionate. (Who knew?)

24% of adults had not read any part of a book in the last year! This may not surprise you. The truth is, reading can be difficult. Or more accurately, wanting to read can be difficult. There are a hundred reasons why people may not read often, if at all.

As someone who loves reading, I spend a lot of time recommending books to people. I also hear a lot of reasons why they can’t read them. 

The most common reason, and the most valid. We’re all busy!

Life gets in the way of a lot of things. Between work, responsibilities, and household chores, some of us are lucky if we have time to sleep, let alone read. Reading can also take so much time, especially when some books have a thousand pages. It could take months for some of us. It’s easier not to try.

Answer: Remember, reading is for play, not work.

Think of reading as something you do to relax, at the end of a hard day. Finally, when everything’s quiet, you get to read. You might think that never happens! But think, what do you do to relax? Watch TV, scroll through Facebook, or sit still and stare into the void? Well, that’s the timeframe where reading belongs. If you have an hour of TV every day, maybe steal 10 minutes to read a chapter or two.

I hear this so much! People just want a simple, easy way to enjoy something. Yes, a movie is quicker and more engaging. Not to mention it includes a gaggle of talented professionals contributing acting, music, stage design, etc. You don’t get that in a book.

But book fans will often tell you, ‘the book was better’. Just because a book gets adapted to film or TV does not mean it tells the same story. (The Hobbit, for example.) Even putting film adaption aside, there is still a beauty in reading that you don’t see on the screen. In a book, all those extra roles are done by one author, and your imagination. There is more freedom to make the story your own.

Answer: Practice imagination.

If you take the time to read, it stimulates your creativity. This is a useful skill to have in life and business. Creative people stand out from the crowd and can come up with new solutions and ideas. It’s worth taking the time to read. TV makes you see. Reading makes you think.

Most readers swear by the benefits of reading books.

If you start reading, you will realize that every book can benefit you in more ways than one. Especially when you stick to reading in your niche or industry, you can benefit immensely as well.

Once people realize the benefits of reading, more and more people will take up reading as a hobby.

The underestimation of benefits is one of the primary reasons why people don’t read books.

Technically, it is OK not to read books. While you might miss out on benefits but in the shorter term, you will not notice any disadvantage of not reading books.

What happens when you don’t read?

Reading can improve your language skills. It also helps you expand your vocabulary.

The lack of the same reduces your language proficiency. You will not come across new words or even the existing words you might know. In that case, your attention power will decrease, and your language skills will suffer.

The more you read, the more words you know. The more words you know, the better you can communicate.

The problem is that when you do not read regularly, your communication skills suffer as well. You cannot effectively explain your point. Not only that, the chances of miscommunication increase manifold.

Reading helps you expand your knowledge in your industry. When that happens, you can easily form new ideas and execute them.

Not only that, you can improve yourself as well as your organization.

When you do not read at all, the probability of success decreases as well. It is another side effect of not reading.

As you can see, in the longer term, there are quite a few things which you can lose by not reading.

Some people see nothing to gain. Reading is just something they did in school so they could graduate and get a job; there’s no place for it now. Maybe you don’t enjoy it. Maybe there is no benefit.

Answer: Reading is good for your emotional and mental health.

Reading books, even fiction, does two things: improves your language skills, and develops empathy. Let me explain. When you read, you are practicing your language. This helps you to speak better and gives you more confidence in yourself as you communicate. Confidence can help you lower stress and improve your personal well-being.

Finally, when you read a novel, you are living through the eyes of another human being. Even though they’re fictional, they feel real. Seeing life through their perspective helps you empathize with other people. This, on top of language skills, leads to better emotional and mental health.

So don’t wait. Pick up a book today and give it a go. You can do this! I believe in you.

Finding  Emo - Film Review: The Whale ★★★1/2

How many times have you thought to yourself, “Great performance but the movie was just okay”?  Even Oscars handed to Renee Zellweger in Judy, Jim Broadbent in Iris or Jessica Lange in Blue Sky couldn’t make the films themselves stand the test of time. I’m afraid the same historical distinction may befall Brendan Fraser in The Whale, the newest film from Darren Aronofsky, and while perfectly fine, never transcends the magnificent performance at its center.  

Adapted by Samuel D. Hunter from his own play, the story centers around Charlie (Fraser), a morbidly obese gay man who appears to welcome his own imminent death. Unwilling to seek medical care, Charlie remains mostly confined to his couch as he gorges on food and ignores the words of his friend Liz (Hong Chau), a nurse, that he is experiencing congestive heart failure and will soon die if he takes no action. Why and how Charlie came to this state of being unfolds throughout, and despite melodramatic moments and often repetitive scenes, the movie works because Fraser almost rips your guts out with this ferociously passionate yet gentle giant.

When we first meet Charlie, he’s masturbating to gay porn in his small Midwestern apartment. A random visitor named Thomas (Ty Simpkins), a missionary out to save mankind one awkward  door knock at a time, enters at this vulnerable moment. Throughout, several people will come and go, such as the aforementioned Liz, who also happens to be the sister to Charlie’s late partner. We also hear from his ex-wife Mary (Samantha Morton) and most notably his daughter Ellie (Sadie Sink), an aggressively angry teen who resents that her father abandoned her while still a child. Needless to say, this film betrays its stage origins with perhaps more doors opening and being slammed shut than found in Noises Off.

Clearly a film made during COVID with its limited sets and cast, Aronofsky, collaborating with his long-time cinematographer Matthew Libatique, masterfully films what could easily have been a claustrophobic and dull story. At times, however, Charlie gets the horror movie treatment as the music and his actions can feel monstrous. Witnessing Charlie attempt to stand or watching him slather Ranch dressing all over his pizza and inhale it feels shot through with a sense of terror. Think of how Aronofsky handled Ellen Burstyn’s character in Requiem For A Dream and you’ll the point, although he doesn’t resort to fish eye lenses or rapid cutting to make his point.

Charlie knows how the world perceives him and his deep depression has brought him to simply let go of his life. He won’t allow his students to see his face, pretending his camera doesn’t work on Zoom calls, and same goes for his contactless exchanges with a man who frequently delivers him pizzas. Charlie feels worthless and seems to want to spare the world of his presence. Over the course of a week, we watch him spar with Liz over his healthcare, providing the film with some of its richest, layered moments. Chau, who never gives the same performance twice, offers a brittle, intense yet immensely moving portrayal as a friend who enables Charlie yet feels so helpless as she watches him fall apart.

His daughter, however, seemingly wants nothing to do with him, but still manages to burst into the room whenever she has a beef with him. They work out a deal which keeps her coming back, and despite Sink really delivering sparks, the character’s bottomless pit of anger sometimes feels a little one note and just a little too much. Still, it all seemed worth it for a climactic reaction which connected, however briefly. Morton, who arrives late in the film, also ramped up the intensity just when it felt like we had been covering the same ground one too many times. This felt especially true of Simpkins’ scenes. Why this character could gain access to a stranger’s life so easily, especially when he preaches gospel to a man who clearly doesn’t want to hear it, seemed like a cheap way to insert the concept of religion into the film. It doesn’t entirely work, yet Charlie’s grace, even when calling Thomas out, felt beautifully heroic. It felt, however, like one plot strand too many.

I also took issue with how certain characters reacted to Charlie’s size. The film pulls no punches when it comes to showing his body, clearly augmented by a fat suit and some CGI, but I didn’t buy some of the pearl-clutching gasps and sly iPhone photography we see from people who should know how to control themselves just a little bit better.

Still, despite a pile-on of so many soapy elements and missteps, Fraser, who has spent much of his career in fluffier projects, transcends it all as if his life depended on it. Charlie has such soulful, kind qualities and we see them in Fraser’s eyes, in a casual playfulness which peeks through in his scenes with Chau, and in those explosive moments when he struggles to find meaning in his life. Fraser turned me into a totally sobbing mess with his fantastic work. The film may stumble here and there, but you won’t want to miss The Whale for Fraser’s unforgettable performance.