maybe...DON'T...put the angel in the robot

Hi! I love all her albums honestly and I love that the rerecordings have made me appreciate them more. What do you usually do on release days? My sister and I started writing our thoughts when we hear new songs so we can remember our first impressions of them..and we also pick the titles of songs we are most excited for.. or ones we think we would like the most and see if we were right. We might also guess rank them and then put them in order after. For example, for Speak Now TV, neither of us were too excited for I Can See You..but that ended up being our favorite and the ones I thought I would like most didn't leave as much of an impression lol. But I really love all the Speak Now vault now. Since there's only 5 vault songs and we are listening on shuffle, it might be different but also fun! I also forgot about the eras tour being next week ish, and I am so excited for that too! Your bracelets look great! I just saw the trailer for the Renaissance tour too and I will be excited to see that one as well..since I didn't get to go. I'm very interested to see the similarities and difference in the shows and performance..since I have only seen a few clips of Beyonces show so I'm excited for the full thing! I love them both so much and it doesn't have to be a competition!

Well I hope you get the chance to see Rent someday! I understand some criticisms of the show but to me it is just fun and cool and also to see it live. The shows I was in were from elementary school and it was Charlie and the Chocolate Factory..or just Willy Wonka I guess..like the movie, Alice in Wonderland, Honk, and Seussical. I was mainly in the chorus but I always loved singing since I was a kid. In high school, my school did The Wedding Singer and Little Shop. I would've loved to be in Little Shop since it's one of my favorite musicals..but my drama teacher was a dick so I avoided it. By that point, I was too shy to perform anymore and I wasn't that good anyway. I guess I can't really call myself theater kid cuz i don't perform. This was clear to me watching the movie Theater Camp lol that I'm nothing like that haha. I still loved the movie and thought it was funny. It was kinda making fun of that and exaggerated which was the point but some of it felt like a lot. I guess some theater kids are really like that but I wouldn't know haha. Maybe cuz I didn't get into Broadway until I was 18 I guess. It was silly but you can tell the actors and creators cared about the movie. I thought Ben Platt and Molly Gordon were great at being so over the top!

The only thing Ive seen so far of the Gatsby musical was everything you posted. I trust your opinion so it makes me sad. I love Jeremy and Eva and it has so much potential. The thing about the opening line with no context seems weird..like why would they include that? As if it's supposed to be a comedy..but that doesn't seem very Gatsby at all. But then apparently the opening number wasn't fun or the right tone either? I'll have to look more into it and find clips. Maybe it would get better as the musical went on though hopefully or was it all bad? I'm still really curious about the music and costumes though. Hopefully the Florence version could do the Gatsby story and vibe justice though cuz I still think it could be a cool musical. I'm really hoping it can be improved somehow. I read a few comments about the Outsiders musical being good though so that's at least something! I will look into it more and see if I have other thoughts..I'm really curious how bad it is.

So..I did not get a chance to finish the book yet! I will make some time today and hopefully get close. I actually started another book which is Year of Maybes by Rachel Lynn Solomon. I basically skim read after a while and skipped ahead..and I read the last few chapters. I'm not sure how I felt about the book but it was also kinda similar to a twin type of relationship where the characters knew each other forever and grew up together..which is kinda similar to Mistakes Were Made? It just kinda left me with a feeling..and now I'm more curious to see how that one will end. Then I will be curious to read more of her book about twin sisters eventually too..which I hope would be different to that one. I'll look into Fir the Throne too. But anyway I'm glad you have read a few more books you love! The emoji I would have picked is the one you ended up reading loI. I'm sorry I didn't reply sooner but hope you are feeling less sick than before by now and I'm sending get well wishes!!!

hi hi !! i usually don't do a whole lot, actually — i am very bad at properly taking time off, so even if i take the day off work, i might still end up doing some work 😵‍💫 but i am trying to be better about that! but most of the time i'll read, or just use it as an opportunity to catch up on errands or do a self-care thing! it just really depends 🤍 i think i got my covid booster the day red TV came out, and spent the entire day just on the couch. which album has your favorite vault songs? i think mine is red, but i just love all of them! i've made 50 bracelets for the movies so far (i'm going to two showings; one with my best friend that i'm going to eras next year with, and then one with my mom so i want to be prepared) and i think my goal is to have ~ 70, so my friend can trade some too! i'm really excited for the renaissance movie too, but i have a friend coming in town that weekend, and then it's my birthday and then holiday season so it'll be a little more difficult to slot that one in :( i think the competition is very, very silly and often even rooted in a lot of sexism and racism and so it's just very ... frustrating to say the least.

i don't know if i told you! but i bought tickets to see the band's visit in november, when i'm in boston, so and i'm seeing hadestown on tour in exactly a month from tomorrow so i'm super, super excited! i've missed being excited about theatre. did you see reeve carney is leaving hadestown? i'm sooo excited to see who the new orpheus will be, and their new take on the role! i've only ever seen reeve carney live — but i love damon daunno, and i really liked what i heard of adam gillian's orpheus (west end cover)! two of my friends just saw the tour and have been raving about tourpheus, so i'm super stoked. i love alice in wonderland! it's so cool that you did so many shows — which one is your favorite? and i don't think that's silly at all; that's why i really liked the film!

oh nooo!! maybe you'll like the gatsby musical more than i did! the more i think about it the more 😵‍💫 i am about it (especially since the opening number starts with gatsby, and not nick? idk, i just feel very firmly that we should be meeting nick first, but maybe i'll feel differently when it's live / staged in front of me). i believe this is the video i watched because when i watched it all i could find were tiktoks and this video, but it looks like theatre mania/playbill/etc. have uploaded their own videos now! i have really high hopes for the florence one — i like a lot of what the ART has put out, and i do really like what rachel chavkin did with hadestown and great comet (and have heard good things about lempicka, and also moby-dick).

and no pressure with the book! it's been fun hearing what you're up to, and there's no rush at all 🤍 i vaguely know what our year of maybe is about, but haven't read it yet! i liked for the wolf a lot more than i did for the throne (the sequel), but i think if i read them back to back i might feel differently! sometimes i struggle with sequels haha.

i went to the doctor's again today, and i'm feeling a lot better/moving in the right direction, so hopefully i'll be back to ~ normal ~ soon!! i've been speeding through a bunch of audiobooks lately since i've been feeling mostly poorly, but have been having a lot of fun with them! do you have anything fun planned for the rest of your week? hope you're doing well!! 🤍

OKAYOKAYOKAY now that i've had a few nights to Ruminate here are way too many thoughts from 9/16's show -- fair warning that they aren't *super* coherent as a lot of this i just tried to loosely organize from dms i threw at folks night-of, but it is most of what i remember sticking out to me!

GENERAL THOUGHTS --

last saw the show in august of 2019 - back then i saw it up in the mezzanine, this time i was 7 rows back dead center in the middle of the orchestra. watching the show from the mezzanine feels like a god's eye view of the show while sitting up close in the orchestra is much more like being in the world of men, and how it hits in hadestown particularly is just nuts bc you really do feel like you're on the factory floor.

back in the London production i remember eva playing eurydice with more youth and hope to her, and when the show came to Broadway eurydice hardened. in a world with a pandemic eva seems to have actually shifted this back! Eurydice is still holding tightly onto Orpheus Knowing that the world is unlikely to be kind enough to let them have each other for long but she starts off less faithless than she used to, I suppose I would describe it? she's definitely played more open with others from the beginning rather than having it be something she has to really work towards!

WAIT FOR ME IS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT FEELING FROM THE ORCHESTRA THAN THE MEZZANINE AND NOT JUST THE LAMPS. the lamps really only swing out to over the first 2 rows, speaking very generously, anyway. what i remember being most impactful from last time was how the whole theater rumbled as the walls of the set split to reveal hadestown. what i couldn't see and afaik no boot's been able to pick up is the the set ALSO SPLITS AND STRETCHES OPEN AT THE TOP. that awning that covers the balcony lifts and the wall of hadestown is revealed to stretch floor to ceiling and it is just so much, so fucking much oh my god i could not stop hysterically blubbering to myself watching hadestown stretch open like it is absolutely here to devour you whole. it makes you feel the immensity of The Wall. I've linked ig videos of the set pre act 1 and post intermission to give like the best perspective on it i can and tried to film them so they were zoomed as closely as to what my eyes were seeing as I could, but here are also some pictures!

PRE ACT ONE

INTERMISSION

after our lady of the underground when eurydice comes back from hades' office and Persephone is finishing with her show, me being closer this time i was actually able to see amber's face during way down hadestown ii and flowers. and how she portrays seph's feelings re eurydice, it's like : genuine concern and watching over her when she first starts on the line, Quiet Seething and Jealous Rage as the fates' tattle "Hades put his hands on ya" that sticks for a While including the first half of flowers, but as soon as eurydice remembers the meadow her and Orpheus visited her heart just b r e a k s and you can see her wiping away tears. seph's just so caught in her own feelings of helplessness in hadestown. when hades tells her to stay out of him dealing with Orpheus all the fight just deflates out of her and the direct accusing look Orpheus gives her at the end of if it's true mixed with seeing his effect on the workers makes her physically rear back like she's gotten the fight slapped back into her

even with this audience who almost for sure has all seen ht before, there was still the loudest heartbroken gasp when orpheus turned. i know everyone calls this out but it still hit me hard that with a greater percentage of previous viewers in the audience it still hit us all like a fucking brick

and ofc. road to hell ii. it's a millions times more impactful than it already was what with the pandemic, making it through hard times and how they could be hard again but making the best of them even if it doesn't turn out well this time either. i was crying so hard last time but this time i was crying harder but also feeling like a huge weight was being like, very softly cradled in my chest to take some of the burden away

TOM'S HADES/HADES AND PERSEPHONE SPECIFIC THOUGHTS --

Tom's Hades whole tl;dr could be that Hades is a Performance. all those descriptions of him beign "jazzy" and "egodriven" are correct, but there is also this massive vibe he gives off that all his showmanship is there as a cover up for the very pessimistic man at the core of him. when him and persephone are getting along the jazziness is there for genuine playfulness with her, but apart from seph it is a purposeful exaggeration on hades' part to get Whatever it is that he wants. he is playing up aggression as king (see papers) and what he thinks as being suave (see hey little songbird) to maintain his throne and his marriage, and Epic III is the Destruction of that performance. Tom's Hades at the end of Epic III isn't trying to sell anyone anything, you just get to see the suddenly very scared and unsure heart of the man behind the performance of foreman and king. And oh boy is Tom's Hades at his heart unsure. He is so fucking pessimistic; back in Act 1 when Orpheus starts to sing Epic I he turns from Persephone even before she gets reminded of the world above and starts longing for it, because he already expects to see it coming and he doesn't turn back to her Ever Again, literally until he comes to get her in Way Down Hadestown. Not even when she gives him a kiss on the cheek goodbye. His Kiss, The Riot is him trying to figure out how the hell he's gonna be able to rebuild his performance after his whole kingdom saw through it, but he also ends it being so very certain that the deal he figures out for Orpheus Will end with Orpheus failing somehow. There is no doubt in this very pessimistic Hades that doubt will come in, whereas Patrick used the end of His Kiss The Riot almost like he was desperately trying to justify that his doubt came to him only in Persephone's absence

road to hell i: tom's hades loves cheering on the band so much he is Part Of The Problem that Hermes has to get to chill out and it makes so much sense for this jazzy dramatic motherfucker

balcony time (road to hell i until livin' it up on top): when they were upstairs playing dominoes they kept laying their tiles with these overexaggerated movements.. Like when they actually getting along they are so damn flirty and trying so hard to make each other smile and laugh and it is TOO CUTE

way down hadestown: Once Again "I missed ya" gives me no rest, mostly because Tom delivered it with this super coy and cocky grin and Amber immediately smiled back at him like Persephone couldn't help herself

chant i: is spent with him looking up proud into his creation while persephone is looking down with heartbreak and disgust seeing the workers as people in suffering and the ugliness of hadestown. as the song goes on he gets increasingly frustrated like a child who's super proud of the drawing he brought home from school that Persephone has nothing but terrible things to say about. when eurydice starts singing about her suffering seph throws out her arm and points to her like "see! See what you're doing!!" while hades is more in himself processing his disappointment, frustration, heartbreak, but over the next minute you start to see him Formulating A Plan as he watches eurydice. but he doesn't look entirely sold on going through with it until seph throws out her last verse in disgust. it was absolutely the straw that broke the camel's back.

hey little songbird: THO IT SOUNDS SO SEDUCTIVE ON AUDIO. OML DOES IT LEAN INTO EURYDICE'S "STRANGE MAN" DESCRIPTOR. HADES IS LIKE THE CREEPY SALESMAN ON THE CORNER WITH WATCHES AND A TRENCHCOAT. BUT HE'S SELLING HIS SHIT WELL, HE'S JUST ALSO A WEIRDO

Why We Build The Wall/"Behind Closed Doors": That followup on hades' threat when eurydice arrives in hadestown. as hades goes to the stairs he like not whacks, but definitely nudges seph's arm harder than Patrick does to get her attention. when he did she Startled and laid her hand over her arm where he'd tapped her like she was overwhelmed by just that touch........ but then she turns around and watches him take Eurydice up and when he opens his coat and she Realizes you see her whole body go slack. once eurydice goes past the office doors hades turns and lingers staring pointedly down at seph, for *seconds* whereas with patrick i remember it being more of a pointed glance. it drills home that hades is doing this specifically to spite seph and he wants her to know it. and you can see amber discreetly wipe her face before she turns back to "does anybody want a DRINK." there's less direct seduction between hades and eurydice but more explicit threat between hades and seph about eurydice

papers: actually isn't too much Bastärde as it is his Performance. HOWEVER, the way he directs the workers to beat Orpheus is chilling. Like patrick he hangs around, but he's watching until the last 10 seconds so it's way longer. And he makes like the smallest gestures with his hand to direct the workers to the different stages of beating Orpheus, fuck it was twisted

how long: how long actually starts with seph and hades seemingly coming to each other on a similar page - hades came out pensively fiddling with his wedding ring and Amber delivered "I know" like seph was already past the eurydice situation. this also could have been a product of time and seeing how actually little he did "seducing" eurydice lmao

chant ii: very much Hades Sees Orpheus As A Threat™️ (more on this further below) , also dare i say it but tom kills I CONDUCT THE ELECTRIC CITY

epic iii: oh man oh man. he looks so untouched until Orpheus starts the lalas and he goes from completely passive unimpressed face to like. his body unfolds on his stool and his hands go slack and he looked between Orpheus and Persephone when he asked where Orpheus had gotten his melody. he asked it a lot softer than I expected him too as well. a big part of the audience actually laughed when Hades sang his lala because Tom cracks his voice during it but it petered off into sniffling when they realized why and then we were all just crying together as persephone placed the flower in his vest.

lovers desire: SOME VERY CUTE STUFF. hades' performance is broken but tom's hades is still a Jazzy Jazzy Man at heart and they're like 100 times more playful with each other - they're both giggling and grinning their asses off while they dance together and give each other these like nudges to the next series of steps and it was adorable and I was discretely sobbing. they both played it like they knew how to do this dance with each other better than they knew anything, the little nudges were like..... them playing inside this dance they already knew so well? Like more overexaggeration to make each other laugh and just revel in this wonderful thing they've rediscovered- specifically I remember that Amber raised her skirt soooooo high when she was doing the curtsey and Tom was like waggling his eyebrows at her and adding extra flourishes with his hands and widening his eyes super big everytime he pulled off a move (the funniest ones were when they do like the two-step where they move one after another in sequence and he's copying her moves in reverse and oml it was just adorable). When Seph had the move where she pulls their linked arms over his head to tuck him into her I remember that was the one part where he wasn't doing this goofy act but his expression straight up melted and he looked so smitten. and when it's the last bit of the dance and he spins her across the stage, seph's face breaks open with tears his expression responds with like this mix of heartbreak and "ohhhhh no baby please don't cry" as he moved across the stage to quickly take her into his arms for the dip at the end

AFTER this when orphydice has finished promises and right before Orpheus turns to ask Hades if they can go, they come out of slow dancing to the side but are still super wrapped up in each other - seph wraps herself around one of his arms and presses herself super close and Tom leaned down with this little smile like Hades was gonna try and steal a quick kiss, but then he hears/sees out of the corner of his eye/senses or something Orpheus approaching and pulls himself up and formal to be the king. When he says I don't know and seph wrenches herself away from him to the other side of the stage to firmly stand behind Orphydice he gets this look of Extreme Frustration on that she's still not standing with him and these damn kids are still more important, bc even with character growth he still is a petty selfish bitch who does not like to share lmao, he's just getting that he Has To now

wait for me ii: Hades stays onstage by the microphone stand to the left to watch Hermes deliver his judgement to orphydice/seph/the workers and watching Tom during this was a Treat. this is the first time he's seeing how orphydice and esp Orpheus function when he's not involved to terrify them. they're so sweet and so good, and they have what looks like so much unwavering faith in each other unlike him and seph, maybe they really could... so when he delivers "i let them try" that last word is stretched with so much wonder. he's getting this first glimpse into feeling how everyone else felt when orpheus sang of how the world could be that isn't just focused in about how he feels about persephone, which always drives him - now he's having to deal with the Greater Implications and orpheus' seemingly unbreakable faith in a better world rocks him to his core. that certainty that orpheus would fail gets shaken as he watches them and when Seph asks him if he thinks they'll make it, his I Don't Know is 1/2 defensive and 1/2 actual uncertainty. he still hates to be wrong but he's wondering if his beliefs about doubt will turn out differently this time. he isn't optimistic about it by any means but orpheus, eurydice, and the workers' response to them both does give him pause

meanwhile in hades and persephone's section, on a personal level they deliver their lines to each other like they're a great deal more nervous about what next fall will bring than i've seen and heard before - something I'm thinking stems from hades' worldview being so suddenly shaken and seph too being a little more vulnerable?

MISC THOUGHTS

Tom seems to be leaning into Hades not having done anything with Eurydice other than tempt her down - once she's in Hadestown even during Why We Build The Wall he drops the salesman croon entirely and when he does rarely speak to her/about her it's commanding as a king who sees her just as another object under his possession, with very little interest in her for anything at all beyond that. he was just going after the goal of making sure Seph knew he had Options whether or not he actually pursued them

tom is super dedicated to how power-hungry hades is. I remember when I saw Patrick during chant ii he was playing hades as more affected by how much seph seemed to care about the workers now and desperately trying to get her attention back (even negatively), Tom was more consumed in seeing Orpheus as a threat because of how effectively he had turned his "children" on him. He knocks Seph down in those "shackle her from wrist to wrist" less as a personal petty attack to her like Patrick does and more like to try and destabilize her as someone backing Orpheus up. Tom's Hades perceives Orpheus as a Threat no matter how much he plays up his Performance as Nonchalant Jazzy King. he really emphasizes Hades' relationship to Orpheus whereas Patrick played more into his relationship with Eurydice, which makes so much sense what with Tom's Hades being a pettier more egotistical messy bitch obsessed with his kingdom and Patrick's Hades' obsession being his wife and Hadestown being like, this side-effect of being a god that he just couldn't help, he Had to build and strive for power whereas Tom's Hades reveled in it and wanted it. Instinct versus drive I guess. one of my buds put it super well as: "Patrick!Hades sees everything as a threat to his power Tom!Hades is so certain of his power that he can afford to be somewhat nonchalant but the fact that Orpheus alone is his main genuine threat is fucking brilliant"

and ok for now, that's what I've got! if anyone wants any clarification or wants to ask details about specific moments I didn't put in here feel free to shoot me an ask!

2021.03.10 USEN STUDIO COAST 1st session with Toshiya and Kyo

They changed the tables for some reason, going from two bigger rectangle ones to four one person round high tables.

Fujieda and Takabayashi came on stage, F greeted fans as usual and asked for the applause for the band members.

After a moment of waiting with bated breath, Toshiya appeared and Kyo after him.

Kyo wore a big light grey coat, white shirt, black (most likely Madara)short shorts, white socks with red print and big sneakers.

Toshiya had white shirt, pearls?, and black slacks.

They sat in order Ta, T, K, F from right to left.

T: [As it's an official event] so, I'm Toshiya, the bassist from DIR EN GREY.

K: I'm Kyo.

F: It's 1st time for T to attend a talk event this year, how do you feel?

T: normal.

F: you've played here even as the venue has a new name. But it's been while. How do you feel K?

K: just usual.

F: you don't feel like it's been a while?

K: not really.

T: playing at Rock-May-Kan definitely made me feel it's been a while. The place is so small. We played with no audience, it was a first time in RMK which felt so strange.

F: rehearsal felt normal.

T: yeah.

F: anything from then?

T: it was nice to see all the staff.

F: how about you, K? We watched the live footage in February, anything feels different?

K: ... I don't remember it anymore.

F: the recording was done a long time ago.

K: Can't remember. At all.

F: I want to ask... (K just started staring at him and that was the end of it😂).

Next, F talked about the leaflet (he also mentioned how awesome it is that camera can move and zoom in this time, was it for K?😆), the photo being quite shocking/impactful. Was shooting hard? Finished really quickly, right?

T: Yeah.

K: it was refreshing. I said it was refreshing/cool, I didn't lie. It's like coolness in summer. It's auspicious/celebratory. Celebrating being born. When you're being born it's never pretty. So I didn't lie before, not even once, I said it's like a cool wind, I just didn't say anything about the celebration part to avoid spoiling it.

F: so far K said Oboro is refreshing, like Taiyou no Ao, Kaoru said it's refreshing, but more like Myaku remix. Shinya said it's like '肉付きに龍(flesh and dragon)' How about you, T?

T: you will know when you listen to it. It's not something that can be explained with words.

F: what about TDFF?

K: it's also refreshing. I listened to the file yesterday, it's like a cream soda, refreshing with a bit of a mellow hint.

F: Vanilla flavor?

K: maybe not just vanilla, mixing other stuff in until it almost spills.

F: what do you think T?

T: ...so, refreshing then.

F: ok, it's refreshing.

K: and auspicious.

And auspicious.

F read the info about the May show in Tokyo Garden Theater and fans clapped.

T: it's been over a year since our last show in Japan, I'm really looking forward to it. In this condition holding concerts is not entirely called for, but we as DIR EN GREY have decided to do it. If you're able to please come.

K: it's been a long time since the last concert. But. Isn't it a weekday? Utterly a weekday. It's almost like bullying [the fans]. Shouldn't we try to book a better date for such an important concert? This is really so much like us.

F: it's just after Golden Week (a week long holiday in Japan).

K: people will be so busy getting back to work. (after F encouragement to say something inviting) So, I'm looking forward to the show when people will have to work because it's weekday (sarcasm by Kyo 👌)

Next was merchandise corner. F again asked us and band members to look at the flyer.

F: T, are there any items you really like?

T: all of them.

F: Shinya uses the tote bag in private now.

K: Did you actually saw him use it?

F: he had it yesterday.

K: huh.

Ta: can we really say yesterday was using it in private though?

Next F showed us the hoodie and the towel, holding the towel up.

K: you should present it more properly.

F held it properly so we could see the whole towel, but K continued to give him dissatisfied look😆

Next F talked about the travel pouch saying it's useful when you travel on the tour you can hang it as it has a small hook.

K started to point out the problems with F explanation, where to hang it, isn't it better to just put on the table, the hook is then useless. A hook for a bag you will put on the table, what. You're terrible at explaining the merch.

😂

T: isn't that for shower room?

F: to put shampoo in and so on?

K just stares at F, that face oh my🤣

F: we talked about it being for shower stuff but we worried about it being waterproof.

K: You actually don't know, do you?🤦‍♂️ are you a scam? Why don't you know??? You should know more about the items!

F: I will properly check!

K: with who?

F: with the merchandiser!

K just looked at him😂

F: but you can probably use it safely in the shower💦

Kyo stared...🤣

F: T, do you have any favorites?

T (after giving him a look): I said all.

F: you, K?

K: the hoodie. The picture in the back was done by my tattoo artist, on my request. I really like it.

F passed them their keychains, K just kept staring at them.

T: why are there 2 types?

F: I wonder. It's for Ochita, so one normal outfit and one bloody. Details are really nice.

And then it was time for the questions from fans.

F: there are many questions about movies, anime etc you've watched recently. K?

K: Evangelion. Not gonna spoil it, but please watch it on a big screen.

T: I want to watch Eva!

F: Ta, are you also an Eva fan?

Ta: I watched the old series, haven't seen the new ones.

Ta: there are many Q to and about F. "Most band members are from Kansai, F do you feel alienated by that?"

F: I'm from Tokyo, but not even a bit.

Ta: where exactly? Do you go back a lot?

F: my old neighborhood doesn't change, it's actually around here. Definitely no alienation.

F: "what's your favourite icecream?" There are many Q asking about sweets. How about you, K?

K: Icecream, I like Cola flavoured Sacre. And the melonpan with icecream inside, when I see that in the shop I always buy like 3. Recently not many shops have it.

F: so when you see it you always get them.

K: Yes.

F: get like 3.

K: Yes.

F: how about you, T? Recently it's a bit cold.

T: hah! I don't recently eat icecream. But I like fruity ones. I like rum raisin.

F: any questions you like, T?

While T was deciding which Q to read K just popped his papers on F's desk😂

T: "what was your first impression of other members when you first met? And how have they changed?"

F: so T will tell us about K.

T: the impression when we first met?

K: was it at Farm? In Nagoya?

T: Farm? I went to see some taiban event at GIO and we met there.

F: where is GIO?

T: in Ichikawa. And we talked there. Has he changed? Of course he has, but I thought he is someone who can laugh very carefree.

F: it was a taiban event of different bands.

T: yeah.

F: How about T, K?

K: it's bit muddled, but I remember best T playing guitar. And the strongest memory I have is T going crazy playing guitar.

F: how about other members? Kaoru?

T: I remember we didn't talk much, just said hi.

F: you met them at GIO. what about Die?

T: he was very talkative, very easy to talk to.

F: Shinya?

T: just passed by.

F: you didn't talk?

T: Just hello.

F told them how D described meeting S. Then he asked Kyo about Kaoru.

K: we met at taiban event, he was playing guitar in a band called Charm. I was impressed with his photo on the flyer. I thought he was very cool, and calm.

F: what ablut Die?

K: I found him through a flyer looking for new band members I thought he was cool. and then there was a taiban.

F: what about S?

K chuckled first😂: I remember he had a bob hair and a very long earring, just one, like a chain. And that earring was moving when he was talking. I remember that.

Ta: has he changed?

K: His looks changed, but he didn't change inside.

Ta: oh.

K: Just gradually ...got weirder. I think he hates humans. But he has many friends he does riddles with. He knows so many people, too many, he uses social media so much, I have no idea who he's hanging out with, but he even has photos with Dewi Sukarno. He probably doesn't hate humans, just hates his band members. Hates people who know about the past.

😂

Ta: "S said he's using tour merch like tshirts, how about you?"

T: 使うやつが使うね・I use stuff that's ok to use. From this event I'd use the travel pouch and usb.

K: I use our items a lot, like towels or hoodies.

F: "what's your favourite meat cut?"

K: skirt steak.

T: skirt steak or offal.

F: I love skirt steak too! - he the continued to talk about meat how good are some parts until he noticed both T and K looks🤣

F: " do you prefer bath or shower? What time do you take bath?"

K: in the evening. But when I have a fresh tattoo I can't take a bath for about 2 weeks, then I take a shower.

F: do tattoos hurt in a bath?

K: They hurt or sting. It's like an injury so like a cut it stings in a bath. Did you think tattos are like a stamp?!

F: it seems it's tough.

Ta: you know tattoos are allowed in our company...

I loved Ta's jab, but what came after this from Kyo was just pure ❤️🤣

K: I will even buy a tattoo machine and do it so you F can get a tattoo.

F: what kind of desing?

K: a giraffe. On your back. Wouldn't it be more scary than oni or a dragon? I'm serious (he was trying so hard not to laugh😂), it's the scariest option, a giraffe.

F: you would design it?

K: Of course. A yellow one. Guys who have scribble/doodle like tattoos are the really scary ones! A yellow giraffe.

F: Let me think about it.

K: please do!

🤣🤣🤣

F: how about you T, a bath or shower?

T: sometimes a lomg bath, sometimes a ahort one, sometimes a shower.

T: "do you eat sweets?" I don't really. if anything, then chocolate.

F: what type?

T: My favorite was Kirinokibune (霧の浮舟, a bit like Aero. Has been discountinued).

F: I'll check it, you K?

K: isn't half of me sweets?😆

F: what do you like recently?

K: cookies, chocolate cookies.

F: from Morinaga? (big chocolate company in Japan, you can find it in every supermarket etc)

K: Morinaga? I don't like soft cookies, they have to be hard, chocolate cookie with chocolate. Recently,  near Harajuku station there's a shop with a red fluffy character that looks like MUCC, I love their cookies.

Then F suggested sth only older people would know it and if looks could kill F would be anihilated by K on the spot🤣

F: last Q, let's choose something easy to answer.

F: "what do you like to eat with rice? I like umeboshi (pickled plum)"

T: in Nagano we eat nametake.

F was a bit clueless how to eat it etc and made T explain more.

F: you K?

K: I don't care. Don't you just eat it with side dishes? No one eats only rice with pickled plum? It's not postwar period!

F: so what side dishes do you like?

K: Sushi.

🤣

F: ...sushi?? Isn't that a bit different??

K: you eat fish with rice, no?

F: so what sushi do you like?

K: fatty cut of flounder fin(あぶりのえんがわ)

And finally last comments:

Toshiya: thank you for today, DIR has decided to hold a concert with audience in May, please come if you can. But you have to decide that for yourself. We made our decision.

Kyo: I don't have anything, as usual. ...your t-shirts will increase, it's hard for people living far from Tokyo, nothing much to say.

F: you mean you will like to see everyone in May and so on?

K: I said I have nothing to say, didn't I?!💢

Well. Forgot to make our final pathologic post, because we did it, we finished the game. We just played all the remaining days at once. Not going to go super hard on the plot details bc if you know them then you know them, all I can say is holy shiiiiiiit this was such a good story/mystery/choice/everything.

First order of business: casualties.

All the children except Grace survived. When we had five panaceas, we chose Sticky, Murky, Khan, Notkin, and Capella, and we weren't able to find any more shmowders until it was too late. Taya was lucky and Grace wasn't. I feel kinda bad but also I don't know what more we could have done. God all of the kids and their final conversations when they all think they're going to die, they're so sad and sweet and I love them all so much.

The thing I'm SUPER bummed about is that Stakh, Lara, and Bad Grief all died. Like we did everything we could for all of them, but I'm still sad about it. One regret from this game is that I think we should have spent more time with them. I should have tried to make things right with them. I was so focused on the kids, and I don't regret that, but also I kept putting other things before them as well and I should have tried harder.

The other casualties were Big Vlad, Maria Kaina, Eva Yan, and Anna Angel, who was apparently a character but I think we literally never spoke with her in our playthrough. And Aglaya, although I don't know how we could have saved her either. Everyone else survived. I don't know the typical death toll for this game, but we did better than I was expecting us to, all things considered.

Oh wait, Nara's also dead. That wasn't an incredibly disturbing scene or anything. Like I'm getting ahead of myself a bit but jesus the kinfolk terrify me sometimes. My sister mentioned that it's probably a very different game if we commit super hard to exploring their plotline, and she's probably right. That whole sequence though... the blood, the hearts... it's a lot. I'm not going into detail bc if you've played the game then you already know what's down there, but hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

I feel like replaying this game knowing everything would put a LOT of earlier conversations into new context.

Still! That was the only place we death spiraled this time! Death spiral escaped! That's probably due in no small part to the presence of the soldiers. Like yes they're terrible and them burning people alive is terrifying, but also we discovered the strategy that every time we were attacked by someone we could just have them chase us past a soldier who would protect us. We still had to sneak around a lot but overall it meant we had a lot fewer fights.

The polyhedron was gorgeous. We probably wasted a lot of time visiting it, but it was wonderful. I wanted to go back when all the kids were there but they didn't let us. Super into the earth/sky dichotomy of Notkin's and Khan's gangs.

Block was sure something. When I first met him he was meeting with my three [living :(] best friends but none of them would talk to me. Anyway. When he arrives everyone's saying they loved him, then later on we accidentally walk into the most obvious coup ever, and then the next day he's back in charge like nothing happened. And then on the last day there's this massive violent internal conflict? Plus the whole thing with him and Aglaya (weren't they working together in the prologue?) and plus they keep giving us heart attacks saying they're going to level the town and then changing their minds. Thank god for Changeling who was apparently the single persuasive voice in saving everyone? I guess? We've had our ups and downs but honestly she was waaaaaaay more reliable than Daniil at the end.

I told her I'd help her cure a patient in the hospital, but I didn't have any panacea or shmowder so in the end I couldn't, but afterwards I was glad I hadn't helped her. I already felt terrible I didn't have enough living blood for all the children when they were all spontaneously infected, and it would have been so much worse if I had been able to help another but I'd wasted it on a random person earlier.

... Is Aglaya in love with Artemy? Or are they just two agents who recognize said agency in one another? Everyone spent all game hyping her up as some sort of monster but she was my friend and she listened to me. And she died trying to save everyone I guess.

The kids...just. All of them. Notkin and Capella both told us to let them die but to make sure Khan was okay. Murky saying she'd loved Artemy since the first time she saw him. God everything they said and did I love them. I can't imagine playing this game as either of the other characters because I can't imagine going through this town and not carrying deeply about all the kids like this.

So I think...I think I made my choice long before I actually made the choice itself, you know? There was only ever going to be one choice.

Day 11 was the first and only day when I knew exactly what I had to do. I mean I guess it was in the stage directions and everything. Thank you dear Fellow Traveler for feeding us the night before--did you know we'd never visited the dead item shop until the last night? Probably would have made finding food and medicine a lot easier. But anyway, when the day began I didn't quite understand the significance of the stage directions because the Haruspex looking for couriers did not sound like the dramatic climax to the story that I knew this day was supposed to be. Still, I looked for the couriers.

I think I visited the three locations in the order I was supposed to. Seeing Daniil like that with his gun and bloody hands, sitting in a room of corpses...hearing him ramble...oh man I was so conflicted, this whole game I'd thought that even though I teased him, I would always ultimately back his plays because I trusted him and I knew that ultimately he wanted to help people too. Hearing him tell me what he wanted me to do then at the end of everything...he honestly scared me a bit.

The Changeling and I seemed much more on the same page at the end of everything. Being in the middle of a field with armed soldiers closing in from all sides was kind of terrifying though. I didn't stay to witness what she did with them. She’s okay though, she’s alive.

Wild goose chase for the final courier eventually took me to the bar where I met an injured bandit and was able to actually perform a surgery for the first time in the entire fucking game. I really enjoyed that because I'm supposed to be a fucking surgeon.

Meeting my understudy fucking killed me. I cannot BELIEVE that the final courier who was carrying the only file that could save the whole town was canonically murdered by the understudy of the protagonist. How the hell is that a real plot point, do you have any idea how much I adore that, that is more meta than literally anything else that has happened in this whole game. I fucking died. I definitely have been playing this game as Artemy rather than as Actor, and I think that made the whole scene even funnier. His whole thing about taking a new direction with the character, the whole "you're getting paid for this??", the fact that Artemy was so offended by literally every aspect of his existence that we didn't even know what to criticize. At the end I was like "yeah I'm definitely going to kill this guy" but we're nice people and we let him surrender. His inventory consisted of a rusty scalpel, a hazelnut, and a single piece of twyre, which was the most incredible parody of Artemy's inventory that I can imagine and killed me all over again.

The kin folk all met with me and begged me not to let them die. Maybe things could have been different, but again, I knew my choice and deep down I always knew what we were going to choose at the end. When you start the game, day one, there are two things that are immediately striking about the town. One, it's full of living folklore, and two, it's full of children, and those are the two things that make the town special and wonderful. When you look back on it all, there was only ever one way this could all end.

The dead courier (murdered by my own fucking understudy rather than an actual character, still dying) was a dramatic sight. It's lucky I had to sleep then or I probably wouldn't have found him.

After I made my choice, the disease tried to murder me. It infected literally every district I moved through, manifesting in every single passageway. I just chugged my tinctures and moved as well as I could, because fuck you disease, you are nothing to me. Obviously at that point nothing really could stop me. I considered saving in the cathedral, but what would be the point?

Day 12 was so bright and peaceful and nice. I could just walk around for once with no fear of getting lost or hungry or running out of time. I'm still really sad my childhood friends weren't alive to share it with me, but I enjoyed talking to everyone. My favorite little end conversations were Taya and Notkin for sheer adorable factor, Yulia so Artemy could say he wanted her to be the one to tell his story and to make it as undramatic as possible (fuck you Mark), Daniil because it was super cute and I’m glad that after it all things are okay between us and I got to make fun of him for trying to talk in my language, and Andrey and Peter because literally nothing made me feel better about my choice to destroy the polyhedron than listening to them complain about it.

And then the theater, where I talked to everyone who'd died and to Mark Immortell. He told me he'd need to try again with a different protagonist (gee I wonder who he could be referring to, such a shame we'll never know) and that I could go into the back and take off my mask now. I considered it for a bit, but it didn't feel right, so I decided that I was Artemy and I went back outside.

This game was wonderful. It was beautiful. It has such a fundamental understanding of what theater is and what makes something theatrical (lose me with your cinematic games, theater and cinema are completely different things and the former is impossibly beautiful but is also almost impossible to recreate when not in person). It's worldbuilding was immaculate, and for all the stress it caused I'm really happy for it.

I say this every time, but I love Artemy so fucking much. Give me a character who is a monster and a healer and who is full of anger but also so much love, and then just have him adopt 7+ children why don't you. He is so wonderful and good and interesting and I am in love with him.

(Edit: And then like a month later, just now, we went back to our last save and threw the documents in the trash so we could play through the other ending. I think the diurnal ending is definitely the better one, although it was nice to see the polyhedron again and to talk to all the game developers. <3 Also the goodbyes to Daniil and Notkin were super sad in that one, I did what Daniil wanted, he won’t even stay? This is so sad.)

Well that's our pathologic playthrough. We know there's a lot we missed and we may return to the game at some point. (Looked up a plot summary afterwards and there’s just so much else. Must save my childhood friends next time.) Game is very good though. It's been wild. Marbles sometime in the next few days. :)

haha fuuuuuc I wrote a novel of headcanon for possible backstory for Donna B from re 8. I don’t really wanna share it in the tags. I just wanted a place to put it bc she is my beloved. Read it under the cut if you want 👊🤪

content warning : suicide and a lot of death

Donna Beneviento :

Born - 1947?

1950s - Sister passes, parents commit suicide

1986 - Claudia born

97 - Claudia passes

Approx. 97/98 - Joins M. Miranda

—-

Family / History / Backstory :

Benegario - Family ancestors branch off from Village and migrate to Italy —> Alps regions // Lombardy, Capo Di Ponte, Val Camomica

Leonardo Beneviento - Father

Andrea Fioralba - Mother

Leonardo was a puppet and mask maker, as well as a costume designer for operas staged at La Scala in Milan, and other more local theaters. His work was commissioned by many. He would also travel to Venice to sell and make masks for Carnevale. Eventually, he would begin to make toys, for his children, and sell them when they’d move to Village.

Bernadette Beneviento - Sister, b. 1942. Sickly child on and off.

Donna, b. 1947. Leonardo + Donna are close. He mentors her in making puppets + masks, she has an affinity for puppets. Spent many times in the backs of theaters, helping her father fit masks, alter costuming, and repair puppets. She loves opera. She’s gone to Carnevale w/ her father as well to make masks.

Possibility of move?? Bernadette is very sick?? M.M. Constantly reaching out to Benevientos anyway to get them to return to village. Possibly convinces them to move by saying she will help their daughter.

Father eases Donna’s nerves and tries comforting Donna about the move (leaving her friends and life behind) by crafting her Angie, a friend she will always have wherever they go. Donna is six.

Bernadette obviously does not survive MM’s experiments. Late 1957. Parents are both in hysterics. Andrea commits suicide in the following weeks, Donna witnesses this. Leonardo finds them both and is beside himself. Donna picks up the knife that Andrea used to end her life. Father tries to take it from her bc he doesn’t want her hurting herself. She freezes up and it’s like wrestling to get it out of her hands and accidentally, Leonardo severely wounds Donna. In immediate response, Leonardo in a state of pure lunacy, losing his eldest daughter, his wife and now assuming he had killed his youngest, ends his own life in front of her. Donna witnesses this too. This all happens extremely fast. It’s really volatile // reactive.

Donna just barely survives but her face is scarred and partially blind in her right eye. Clearly traumatized horrifically by the incident, she’s taken care of by the staff of the estate and Mother Miranda checks in often ((keeping her influence there))

Donna cannot communicate anymore herself, she’s latched onto her puppet, Angie and uses her to speak. Has bouts of isolation and has difficulty growing up w/o a family and navigating a very intense injury.

Inspired by MM’s “tireless work” to help save Bernadette and her being a sort of constant in her life now, she delved into studies of medicine and plants. Wanting to help other people who are sick.

Doll making, though, is a very sacred and special hobby to her and a craft she continues to hone privately. She’s extremely attached to Angie, treats her as her own sister. It’s all she has left.

Extremely sensitive about her facial scar + right eye, hides the right side of her face as much as possible.

Becomes a sort of medic to the Village. She sells salves, ointments, and medicines through Duke. Gives him toys and dolls she’s made to also sell, occasionally.

Beneviento staff raised her and helped her to slowly come out of her shell. Still very awkward, socially, and reclusive though. But, in becoming more social, she began to take patients in-house. Helped plenty, most of the time free of charge. This is how she had come to meet her eventual boyfriend, which was a very clumsy relationship that ended with her being pregnant, him leaving her and her trust broken.

Though, that resulted in Claudia being born! 1986. Donna is 39. Motherhood is what pulled Donna out of the dark. Even bringing her to much better communicate without Angie, though she still uses her. She’s a loving and very giving mother to Claudia who is very talkative and curious. Donna doesn’t mind all the chatter, she loved to listen to Claudia speak. There was a liveliness in the Estate and in Donna that hadn’t existed in a long long time. Claudia also adored Angie, Donna was at first hesitant and protective of Angie, but eventually permitted Claudia to take Angie and play with her however she wanted. Because of Claudias love for Angie, Donna began to make dolls for Claudia, often. Brilliant and beautiful toys with elegant and carefully detailed features + clothing. They’d even, a few times, gone down to the Village. Socialized some. Donna felt very Secure and in control for once.

But, like her sister Bernadette, Claudia was also sickly. Donna was just more equipped at giving Claudia the care and medicine she needed to live life happily. But, it came to a point in late 96, when no medicines or health care seemed to work anymore and Claudia was always bedridden and weak. Seemed only way to help Claudia at this point was to make her dolls that comforted her, But did not help her. In an act of desperation, being at a loss at what to do to save Claudia anymore, Donna turned to her idol, her new mentor of sorts, Mother Miranda. She pleaded for her to help Claudia and save her.

And MM did what she does best (lol).

** I think also MM might have been interested in using Claudia as a vessel for Eva so that doesn’t help either.

Donna snapped and snapped hard. Completely regresses to the way she was before. Is an Intense Agoraphobe. MM used the situation to her advantage. Manipulated her way further into Donnas heart empathizing w her Loss w her own and got her to join the family.

——

Post Cadou :

97 - Receiving the Cadou did not help her mental state. Actually became frightened of her own face At first because of the Cadou overtaking her scar and eye. reliving many traumas. this is an especially bad year.

Highly anxious, a manic depressive, still wont leave home unless it’s to see MM.

Attempts in some way to still cope with Claudias death by making and perfecting her dolls, has filled the whole house. She eventually learned of her ability to spread her Cadou amongst her dolls. Immediately does this with Angie + Angie very quickly became her own entity, Donna’s guardian, and lifelong companion.

Begins to experiment with what also she can use her Cadou for. She futzed with various plants and medicines, Angie once suggested she try reanimating the dead (that didn’t work) but Donna did end up accidentally making herself hallucinate, inhaling some pollen of an affected plant and she briefly saw Claudia. Began carefully studying this yellow flower and experimenting with it to see Claudia again. Tested it with her gardener, who then saw his late wife. Finding it worked, Donna, she tells the Gardener to come back again and she will show him the rest of his family. Before then she used the pollen to see Claudia again, but when she did it left her thinking :

“This is not Claudia, she will never be Claudia. I will never get her, my parents or sister back ever again. Why not just join them?”

—> in this hysteric state, she has a nervous breakdown, and when the gardener arrives, she doesnt end her own life. Instead, she took his. Donna still shows him his lost loved ones one last time, controlling the hallucinations to lure him around and out of the house and fall off of the cliff, crashing with the waterfalls.

She gave him the Gift of joining them. After taking the Gardener’s life, she fashioned a doll in his likeness and strung it up in a tree as if reaching toward the heavens.

She began to do this to any villager, who fell prey to Angie, who would come down to the Village, convincing them to experience Donna’s Gift, seeing their lost loved ones and subsequently tossing them to their own demise to be with them.

“None of her playmates have ever come back from that dank old estate.”

*** Donna really believes she’s doing these people a favor, “giving them a gift,” by luring them to the estate and killing them. It’s ultimately what she wants herself but won’t bring herself to act upon. ***

Okay woof holy shit that was a lot. I’m done for now. 😚

𝐖𝐇𝐎 𝐍𝐄𝐄𝐃𝐒 𝐀 𝐃𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐌? 𝐖𝐇𝐎 𝐍𝐄𝐄𝐃𝐒 𝐀𝐌𝐁𝐈𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍? — Thank you everyone who has applied !! You’re all amazing writers and quite honestly I had no less than three mental breakdowns during the deliberation period.

 To those who were not chosen, please know that this is not a mark against your writing or your characters. I loved them dearly and I would be such an honor if you wanted to join with a different muse. However, I know applications take a very long time and a lot of heart so I completely understand if you do not wish to do so.

With that said, congratulations to those who were accepted. Please make sure you look at the checklist, and send in your character account within 24 hours. I will be sending out discord invitation links tomorrow after I clean up the server a bit (aka making a guide on how we will be using discord to roll and such).

K playing Elizabeth Augusta Sinclair, the luminary; violinist for the Bolshoi Ballet

"It is summer, and the countryside is alive with birdsong and bloom, rays of golden light cascading, warm breeze dusting the ground with the caress of a lover. You are eight, stumbling through the knee high fields of flowers, laughter light and joyful, Aestas come down to Earth."

I loved your portrayal of Elizabeth. Half ghost half girl, there is something incredibly provocative in the way in which she tries to become all that she thinks she can be. I was listening to Swan Lake Act II. No. 10. during your muse sample and it ended just as I finished reading it. Coincidence? I think not. Elizabeth will make a wonderful addition to the group, and I cannot wait to see how her story plays out. I've been thinking about potential subplots for her and wowie my brains a racing.

Amy playing Yelena Andreyevna Kusnetsova, tbd.

“In years past, she’d been able to push down the worry that she was missing out in some way. That true freedom of expression had eluded her, for reasons that had nothing to do with how hard she worked. Often, she’d even convinced herself that she didn’t need freedom at all.”

Yelena has such a presence about her that I can't help but be enamored with her. There is a wistfulness in everything she does, but it does not slow her down. In fact, I would argue it makes her all the more present. She reminds me of a deer, ephemeral but wise and always on the lookout for potential danger. For a person such as herself, I see the workings of a woman afraid to die and afraid of the life she has already been living. Yelena will be such a treat to see develop and I cannot wait to see what kind of shenanigans occur during the story!

Nayab playing Hana Volkova, the veiled; soloist at the bolshoi theater

“It is to no music her wings spread, and she is commanded to fly. In a single, suspended moment in time, Volkov leeches from the depths of her, everything the art once meant to her. Its purity is tainted, and if her heart had not already lost all faith, the sicles Volkov aims to her heart and pierces her with surely bleed her dry of the blood of love.”

When Hana was given a buffet in front of her as threat toward her compliance that pierced me like a knife. Her demotion to soloist as punishment for stepping out of line I think is a beautiful analogy for how girls like her aren't meant to last long: they're meant to be sacrificial pawns so that others may endure and to think that one can be anything other than that is a mistake. Loss which permeates all of one's being is meant to hurt, and Hana has demonstrated one way of being resilient.

Esme playing Marilyn Campbell, the maelstrom; corpse de ballet at NYCB

“You once told a story to your brother, told him that if the sea claims you, it drags you so far away from the shore that you turn into a deadly fish, a fish that could devour the entire world.”

Marilyn is the perfect storm, ready to consume all that which does not heed her. I love how you portrayed her resignation to what she is, and perhaps what she thinks is all that she will ever be, but even her doubts are thwarted by her want, her consuming desire, to become someone else. Much like the Bermuda Triangle, she may be a touch auspicious, but people cannot help but want to be pulled into her destruction. I love the ideas you have for her plot development and I can't wait to see how it all unfolds.

Georgia playing Fred Baker, the insurgent; head of security at the NYCB

“The brothers bought a radio before they did a bed.”

First of all, holy shit I loved your memes they were. Oh my god, so funny. When I go over apps the first thing I do is look at the meme section, and let me tell you — just that little bit you gave me enticed me to want to know more about Fred. When I finally began to read him my heart SWOONED. Do you hear me? Swooned. He's such an interesting character, filled to the brim with animosity and hurt — he deals with his past the best way he can. I also cannot wait until Fred introduces everyone to the soul of America with his love for jazz.

Taryn playing  Zinaida Petrovna Sabitova, the sacred; principal dancer at the bolsoi theater

“Still, there are some evenings when her mother looks over from her place at the vanity, still all-over aside from the wafts of smoke burning from her cigarette, and seems to be studying her own child. Looking for something. Wondering.”

You wrote in your application is Zinaida good or evil, Odette or Odile — and while I do not have an answer for you right now, I do know that I would love to explore that with you. She's a beautiful girl whose life is tragic in the way only fairy tales can be. The perfect Jewel of Moscow (I did like that name), who while controlled by those above her wishes for her own happy ending despite knowing that her end will be nothing less than fatalistic. Her aversion toward things which reminds her of her own mortality hits home, omg, yes, why must I have this human body. Why must I suffer having lived.

Anna playing Yelena Yuryevna Min, the dream; corpse de ballet at the bolshoi theater

“What Yelena didn’t remember was the hushed arguments her parents would have every other night before he left – how he would say with so much conviction even as her mother begged him not to, “things will be better for us if the state knows we’ll die for her.”

AHHH, that broke me, that line right there broke me. I can so ardently feel the love and happiness her family gave her, their precious daughter, and how they would do anything to give her the world she deserves. Then you went on to talk about her apprehension to go to Vagnova, and my world turned upside down. Her disposition really speaks to me, and her family ties as well. She's also a breath of fresh air, like a sunflower in a meadow that had recently rained. Her optimism and kind disposition really shines through in your app and in your memes.

Claudia playing Eva Miro, the swan; principal dancer at the NYCB

“but lena understood sacrifice, she saw it every day when her mother would come home exhausted, weathered hands cracked and aching so she wouldn’t go hungry. to love something meant giving everything you had, everything you were or could ever be, to feed that love.”

Gonna start my little tangent with wow, your mood-board :cheff kiss: absolute perfection. I don't use extras as a basis for my decision making, merely something I admire from afar, but damn — if I did yours would no doubt be at the front of the line. There were two parts of your application that I wanted to highlight, and the other was half your application lmao. Your muse sample really expanded your character and showed me how much of a Swan Eva can be. I called the Swan skeleton a starling at the beginning, a bird which choses their survival above all else. A transformation of a girl into a star, Eva is a force which cannot be tamed unless you destroy her.

V playing Alina Vasilieva Filippova, the tbd; ballet master-repetiteur at the bolshoi theater

“She remembers thinking: ‘this will not be the end’.”

All ballet dancers in this RP live and breathe ballet, but Alina is in a realm of her own. I loved how you wrote her to be a ballet master, someone who would put aside their pride of being a "former prima ballerina" to now teaching a group of dancers because ballet is all that she is. Your muse sample really showed me the intense power of a woman who knows what she wants, and who she is — even if all she believes herself to be is something irrevocably intertwined with ballet. I'm very excited to see the relationship she forms with her dancers and with those who are from out of the Union. I'm particularly interested in her second plot development point and would love to explore that in game.

Abby playing Viktor Antonievich Vasylenko; the raconteur, pianist for the bolshoi ballet

No, Viktor had fashioned the resentment into an albatross of his own, hanging limp and heavy from his neck.

What can I say about Viktor other than I'm a fan. He's so gentle and yet so resilient, a mess of cacophonous sounds that melds into a beautiful sonata. There's pain in him, a ghost which lingers from his past, and while resigned to perhaps eternal disappointment he continues. I loved the way in which you developed his reason / background for being in the Bolshoi Theater when he himself could have been a star — still strives to be actually: but more resigned this time in his ambition. I loveee Viktor and I can't wait to see how he develops.  

     — 𝐈𝐍 𝐒𝐔𝐌𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐘

Principal Dancer: Zinadia, Eva, Soloist: Hana, Yelena (tbd)* Corpse de Ballet: Yelena (dream) , Marilyn Violinist: Elizabeth Bodyguard: Fred Ballet Master: Alina Pianist: Viktor * still talking to writer about a few details.

*  mona  lisa  saperstein  vc  *  i’m  so  friggin  excited  right  now  ,  i  could  crap  my  pants  !  hi  y’all  ya  girl  mae  (  21+  +  she  /  her  +  est  )  is  here  with  her  dramatic  daughter  carina  !  she’s  the  broadway  actress  you  didn’t  ask  for  ,  yet  here  she  fucking  is  !  i’m  so  excited  to  play  her  ,  i’ve  never  gotten  to  play  her  before  +  my  muse  is  Inspired™  !  you  can  hit  me  up  for  plots  here  or  on  discord  !  my  discord  is  𝑑𝑜𝑛'𝑡  𝑏𝑒  𝖘𝖚𝖘𝖕𝖎𝖈𝖎𝖔𝖚𝖘#4904  (  can  u  tell  i  love  mona  lisa  +  parks  and  recs  ?  cause  i  do  )  hit  that  little  heart  button  so  i  can  annoy  your  cute  ass  ,  okie  ?  thankssssssss !!

new  york’s  very  own  𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒂  𝒋𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐  was  spotted  on  broadway  street  in  𝒸𝒽𝓁𝑜𝑒́  𝓈𝓊𝓈𝒶𝓃𝒶  𝒷𝑜𝑜𝓉𝓈  .  your  resemblance  to  𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒏𝒂  𝒈𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒛  is  unreal  .  according  to  tmz  ,  you  just  had  your  𝟸𝟺ᵗʰ  birthday  bash  .  while  living  in  nyc  ,  you’ve  been  labeled  as  being  𝒽𝒾𝓈𝓉𝓇𝒾𝑜𝓃𝒾𝒸  ,  but  also  𝓅𝒶𝓈𝓈𝒾𝑜𝓃𝒶𝓉𝑒  .  i  guess  being  a  𝒍𝒆𝒐  explains  that  .  3  things  that  would  paint  a  better  picture  of  you  would  be  𝓈𝓉𝒶𝓃𝒹𝒾𝓃𝑔  𝒸𝑒𝓃𝓉𝑒𝓇  𝓈𝓉𝒶𝑔𝑒  𝒾𝓃  𝓉𝒽𝑒  𝓈𝓅𝑜𝓉𝓁𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉  ,  𝑒𝓂𝓅𝓉𝓎  𝒷𝑜𝓉𝓉𝓁𝑒𝓈  𝑜𝒻  𝑒𝓍𝓅𝑒𝓃𝓈𝒾𝓋𝑒  𝓇𝑒𝒹  𝓌𝒾𝓃𝑒  &  𝓉𝒶𝒸𝑜  𝓉𝓊𝑒𝓈𝒹𝒶𝓎𝓈  𝑜𝓃  𝓉𝓊𝑒𝓈𝒹𝒶𝓎𝓈  𝒶𝓃𝒹  𝓉𝒽𝓊𝓇𝓈𝒹𝒶𝓎𝓈  .  (  i  was  sexually  assaulted  when  i  was  thirteen  by  my  teacher  )  +  (  cisfemale  +  she  /  her  ) 

𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒈𝒆𝒓  𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈  :  pedophilia  +  sexual  assault  

𝒷𝒶𝓈𝒾𝒸𝓈

𝑓𝑢𝑙𝑙  𝑛𝑎𝑚𝑒  :  carina  dulce  jacinto 𝑛𝑖𝑐𝑘𝑛𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑠  :  cari  ,  rinny  ,  cj  ,  jace  (  ha  -  say  ) 𝑑𝑎𝑡𝑒  𝑜𝑓  𝑏𝑖𝑟𝑡𝘩  +  𝑎𝑔𝑒  :  august  12th  ,  1996  +  24 𝑎𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑙𝑜𝑔𝑖𝑐𝑎𝑙  𝑠𝑖𝑔𝑛  :  leo 𝑔𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟  +  𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑛𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑠  :  cisgender  female  +  she  /  her 𝑠𝑒𝑥𝑢𝑎𝑙  +  𝑟𝑜𝑚𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑐  𝑜𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛  :  pansexual  +  panromantic 𝑒𝑡𝘩𝑛𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦  :  mexican 𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑎𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦  :  american 𝑚𝑜𝑡𝘩𝑒𝑟  +  𝑓𝑎𝑡𝘩𝑒𝑟  :  claudia  jacinto  +  mateo  trevino 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒  𝑜𝑓  𝑏𝑖𝑟𝑡𝘩  :  phoenix  ,  arizona 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑐𝑒  𝑜𝑓  𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒  :  manhattan  ,  new  york 𝑜𝑐𝑐𝑢𝑝𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛  :  eurydice  in  hadestown  on  broadway 𝑎𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔  /  𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑖𝑛𝑔  𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑝𝑜  :  phillipa  soo  ,  taylor  louderman  ,  eva  noblezada  +  anna  kendrick 𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑢𝑎𝑔𝑒𝑠  𝑠𝑝𝑜𝑘𝑒𝑛  :  english  (  primary  )  ,  spanish  (  secondary  )  ,  italian  +  french  𝑓𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔  :  passionate  ,  eloquent  ,  captivating  ,  focused  ,  observant  ,  confident  ,  intuitive  +  witty 𝑢𝑛𝑓𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔  :  historic  ,  critical  ,  indulgent  ,  opinionated  ,  mercurial  ,  candid  ,  pretentious  +  realistic 𝑑𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑚  :  to  win  a  tony  for  best  performance  by  a  leading  actress  in  a  musical  

𝒷𝒶𝒸𝓀𝑔𝓇𝑜𝓊𝓃𝒹

carina  was  born  to  a  young  single  mother  in  phoenix  ,  az  

her  father  high  tailed  it  out  of  the  picture  once  he  found  out  carina  was  on  the  way

carina’s  mother  had  big  dreams  of  becoming  a  hollywood  actress ,  wanting  to  

carina’s  mother  was  the  one  that  pushed  her  daughter  into  acting  ,  signing  her  up  for  local  commercials  +  the  likes  until  she  gained  some  traction  as  a  popular  baby/toddler  in  commercials

after  a  few  years  of  continuing  on  with  commercials  carina  finally  took  a  break  when  it  was  interfering  with  school  ,  much  to  her  mother’s  dismay

but  still  carina  had  the  acting  bug  +  wanted  to  do  community  theater  in  her  free  time

when  she  wasn’t  preparing  for  play  ,  she’d  make  one  up  herself  +  act  it  out  for  her  mother  if  she’d  let  her  ,  if  not  she’d  just  rehearse  by  herself  until  she  memorized  all  the  lines  she  wrote

this  continued  into  middle  school  ,  where  she  became  “  that  girl  ”  the  theater  girl

she  didn’t  mind  the  label  ,  in  fact  she  took  advantage  of  it  +  became  THE  theater  girl  of  her  school

the  english  teacher  that  was  also  the  theater  teacher  praised  her  for  her  work  +  they  grew  to  have  a  very  close  relationship

he  was  a  father  figure  that  she  never  had

until  he  wasn’t

𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒈𝒆𝒓  𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈

mr. guzman  saw  how  alone  carina  was  +  while  for  a  time  he  was  an  authority  figure  that  helped  her  ,  he  soon  became  so  much  more

it  started  with  a  ride  home  after  theater  practice  ,  the  young  tween  had  called  her  mother  to  no  avail  ,  but  she  hadn’t  picked  up  +  home  was  a  two  mile  walk  .  doable  ,  but  mr.  guzman  saw  she  was  in  need  +  offered  her  a  ride

in  the  car  it  was  really  the  first  time  that  carina  had  been  alone  with  mr.  guzman  in  an  enclosed  space  ,  if  they  were  alone  it  was  usually  on  the  stage

the  drive  was  pleasant  ,  they  made  small  talk  +  he  asked  her  how  eighth  grade  was  going  ,  she  was  in  seventh  when  she  had  him  as  her  teacher

when  they  finally  pulled  into  her  driveway  she  thanked  him  +  started  to  get  out  but  his  hand  grabbed  a  little  above  her  knee  +  soon  it  was  moving  its  way  up  her  thigh

only  13  +  dubbed  as  “  the  theater  girl  ”  by  her  peers  she  never  had  any  romantic  or  sexual experience  ,  so  she  froze  unsure  of  what  to  do  or  say

that  first  night  it  ended  with  a  soft  pat  on  the  thigh  before  she  was  able  to  run  out  the  door

but  soon  the  rides  were  a  regular  occurrence  +  his  hand  didn’t  stop  at  her  thigh

after  months  of  this  continuing  on  carina  lost  her  love  +  passion  for  theater

𝒆𝒏𝒅  𝒐𝒇  𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒈𝒆𝒓  𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈

she  quit  theater  +  became  a  recluse  all  the  way  up  until  junior  year  of  high  school

she  again  grew  close  to  a  teacher  ,  this  time  a  female  teacher  ,  her  us  government  teacher  that  often  brought  up  difficult  subjects  for  the  students  to  discuss

after  hearing  +  reading  about  different  hard  topics  ,  carina  finally  told  mrs.  reyes  what  had  happened  to  her back  in  middle  school

it  was  the  first  time  that  she  had  ever  told  anyone  what  had  happened  to  her  +  though  mrs.  reyes  pushed  ,  carina  didn’t  report  or  tell  anyone  else

but  with  mrs.  reyes  by  her  side  her  senior  year  she  got  back  into  theater  .  falling  back  in  love  with  the  thing  that  held  a  lot  of  emotions  for  her

after  graduation  carina  was  all  set  to  attend  nyu  with  a  double  major  in  performing  arts  as  well  as  film  +  media  production

she  moved  to  new  york  early  ,  wanting  to  get  a  head  start  on  moving  in  +  earning  some  cash  before  classes  started

while  she  was  working  as  a  barista  she  overheard  director  talking  about  auditions  for  an  off  broadway  play  +  this  grabbed  carina’s  attention

she  quickly  introduced  herself  +  snagged  an  audition  ,  she  landed  a  feature  role 

this  was  the  beginning  of  her  broadway  career  at  the  mere  age  of  17  ,  something  she  had  always  dreamed  of  

her  role  in  the  off  broadway  play  took  her  into  the  middle  of  october  +  in  september  she  was  already  auditioning  for  roles  in  a  broadway  play  while  she  attended  nyu

she  soon  gained  traction  ,  directors  were  discussing  her  performances  ,  even  minor  roles  ,  on  broadway

carina  still  continued  to  take  classes  at  nyu  but  her  focus  had  shifted  from  getting  a  degree  to  landing  a  leading  role  on  broadway

when  she  was  nineteen  her  dreams  came  true  ,  she  got  the  lead  role  as  eliza  in  hamilton  

from  that  role  she  sky  rocketed  to  fame  ,  she  performed  for  the  president  ,  beyonce  ,  oprah  ,  kristin  chenoweth  ,  meryl  streep  +  many  more

carina  was  barely  able  to  handle  how  fast  her  fame  came  ,  she  still  thought  of  herself  as  the  small  town  girl  from  a  working  class  home  with  a  young  single  mom

because  of  how  much  attention  hamilton  was  receiving  ,  carina  had  to  take  a  step  back  from  school 

she  took  a  leave  of  absence  ,  vowing  that  she  would  be  back  +  while  she’s  taken  some  classes  here  +  there  she  still hasn’t  gone  back  fully  due   to  her  continued  success  on  broadway

from  2016  -  2017  she  was  cast  as  sonya rostova  in  natasha  ,  pierre  +  the  great  comet  of  1812

in  2018  carina  became  regina  george  in  mean  girls

and  in  2019  she  claimed  the  role  of  eurydice  in  hadestown

new  york  ,  specifically  the  upper  west  side  ,  has  become  carina’s  home

𝒸𝑜𝓃𝓃𝑒𝒸𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃𝓈

(  𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒆  𝒐𝒓  𝒅𝒊𝒆  )  once  the  two  met  they  were  inseparable  .  without  siblings  carina  thinks  of  them  as  her  own  family  .  she’ll  do  anything  for  them  +  hopefully  vice  versa  ! 

(  𝒓𝒐𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒂𝒕𝒆  )  the  person  carina  moved  in  with  when  she  started  out  in  new  york  .  they  could  still  be  close  or  they  could  not  talk  at  all  .

(  𝒕𝒉𝒆  𝒄𝒐𝒓𝒓𝒖𝒑𝒕𝒐𝒓  )  they  see  carina  +  they  see  gullible  ,  gullible  ,  gullible  .  they’ll  do  anything  to  manipulate  carina  to  get  something  for  themselves  .

(  𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓  𝒃𝒖𝒅𝒅𝒊𝒆𝒔  )  anyone  that  carina  has  worked  with  on  broadway  .

(  𝒅𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒐𝒓  )  someone  that  carina  has  worked  closely  with  to  ensure  an  honest  +  authentic  performance  . 

Urasawa’s Monster (73-74)

Episode 73 - The landscape of the End (Or, Temma the doctor) The rain continued. Wim's father alone on the street, "Everyone's dead...A devil...a devil came to this town!"

Temma and Bonaparte about to enter Bergbach Hotel, Wim came running, telling Temma that a girl showed up looking for him. The girl looked like the twins in drawings. "Nina..." said Temma. "So, they call her Nina now. She's called Nina now. " "Yes. Nina Fortner."

Tears ran down Bonaparte's face. 

"You always said people should cherish their names, right, Mr Poppe?"

Bonaparte told Wim to go hiding in the general store. And the three of them saw Johan.

Temma drew his gun, pointed at Johan.

Bonaparte hit Temma and he dropped to the ground. Then Bonaparte pointed a gun at Johan.

A gunshot. Bonaparte got shot in the neck and dropped on his knees.

Nina and Gillen ran on the street. "We have to find Bonaparte. Back then, at the Red Rose Mansion, he said to me, 'Listen. Forget everything you just saw now. Run away from here, as far as you can. Because you see, people can become anything. You are both beautiful jewels. That's why you can't become monsters.'"

"That's what he said to me. That's why I..."

Roberto walked to Bonaparte, then he slumped. "Show me..."

"You can't see it." 

"Dr. Temma. To you, all life was equal. That's why I was revived. But you should have realized it by now. The only thing everyone is equal in is death."

"You can see it, too. The landscape of the end."

Nina and Gillen arrived. She asked Temma not to shoot. Then, turned to Johan, "I forgive you. Even if we were the last two people in the world, I'd forgive you. That's what I can do for you." "You can't. Something can't be taken back. I can't turn back now. Dr. Temma is going to shoot me."

Johan took out a gun in his pocket and pointed it at Wim.

A bullet fired. 

Johan fell to the ground. No one said anything. No scream, no gasping for air. Nothing. Everyone was stunned. Everyone was quiet. Just the sounds of the rain.

Wim's father walked on the street, still muttering "A devil...a devil came to this town and slaughtered everyone." He saw Johan pointing a gun at his son. And then he saw something in Johan.

He stepped back, screamed "Monster, get away from my son!" and fired.

Police reinforcement and paramedics arrived at Ruhenheim. News crew too. A police officer detained Wim's father and he reported the reason the suspect pulled a trigger was that...

Lunge got carried out on a stretcher. He told the police that Roberto was responsible for the deaths.

Police saw the lottery couple and asked them who they were. Then the husband realized he dropped the lottery ticket somewhere and intended to go look for it.

The wife said it was not needed. They could live as they were. "That's enough for me."

Lunge was placed next to Johan, he asked the paramedics if the young man was alive. They replied "With that head injury, even the best neurosurgeon..." "No, there is one person. Please go get him." 

Nina said...

"Temma, you weren't wrong. What you did back then, and what you are going to do now..."

Temma got on his feet and walked away from Nina. He patted Wim on his shoulder and walked to the helicopter.

In an operation theater, Temma walked to Johan, looked at him for like 15 seconds, then closed his eyes briefly

Then

End of episode 73

74 - The real monster (Or, what would happen next?)

Kal was reading Latin text to his father Mr. Schubert. He still didn't get every pronunciation right, but nonetheless better than when he first started, the old man said. Mr. Schubert then asked about Dr. Temma and was told that the Japanese doctor was traveling around the world.

Eva got a job as an interior designer and she was no longer alcoholic. Dr. Reichwein commended her progress. And the topic of their conversation shifted to "happiness". And for all the good things and bad that happened in life, people had a convenient makeup with the tendency of remembering only the happy memories.

In a visit to Grimmer's grave, Suk introduced Vardaman to Grimmer, saying that the suspicions against him had been cleared by the lawyer. They were joined by Lunge, who became an instructor at a police academy.

Dr. Temma visited a Catholic monastery in southern France. He saw the woman he befriended and sat down next to her. The doctor visited her many times before already. And this time she said, "I feel like I can talk about anything. No matter how frightening it may be." Wind started blowing in mid-sentence. The woman turned to Temma, "You have something you want to ask me, don't you?" "You're the mother of the twins, aren't you?" Wind stopped. Moments of silence before Temma asked the question,  and moments of silence before the mother said yes, with a sad expression. "I loved him. He was killed by that man. Killing him was that man's experiment. I will never forgive him. Even if I died, the children that were growing inside of me would surely deliver punishment to that man."

"'Please don't...please don't let go of my hand.'"

"Are the children alive?" "Yes. They're doing well."

"I remember. I will probably never recall this again. I have to say this now. I gave those children names. Their names are..."

Nina ran to see her professor to hear his comment on her graduation thesis. After saying things that implied a bad result, the professor said Nina's thesis was the best he had seen thus far. Upon learning that Nina intended to become a lawyer, the professor wished her luck and

Temma went to Bavarian State Police Hospital to visit Johan. 

"You've been asleep since then. Can you hear me?" "I've spoken with your mother. She loves you very much. She told me your real name. You had a name." Wind blew.

"Dr. Temma. There's one thing I want to ask you, and only you. Back then, that monster appeared before me."

Flashback: Chapek and Bonaparte at the door to take a child away for experiment. The twins' mother screamed. "Don't touch my children! No!"

Bonaparte, "This is an experiment."

"Now, which one will we take?" Both Johan and Anna begged her not to let go.

Eventually, she decided to let one go.

Temma

"Did my mother try to save me? Or did she mistake me for my sister?"

"Who was the one she didn't want?"

Temma closed his eyes and opened again and saw

But it felt very real...

Temma got up and said he would be going. He left after looking back at Johan again.

Wind blew.

Johan's bed became empty.

End of episode 74

Comment: Episode 73: It felt as though Dr. Temma's search for redemption had come full circle. His nightmare began when he realized one of the patients killed people because of something he said. More than a decade after the first surgery on that same person, he operated on Johan again, this time fully aware of the sort of person Johan was, after having spent years trying to kill him, Dr. Temma now saw in front of him a live to be saved. And he did what was expected of a doctor.

Episode 74: The first thought I had when Johan's bed became empty was that he jumped out of the window. But on a second thought, that didn't feel like what Johan would do. He wanted to know the answer to the question that had been troubling him for years. Did his mother let him go by mistake, or did she really want to keep his sister and not him. He might have sneaked out the hospital like he did years ago.

Chapter 28 _ No Voy A Pelear En Mi Cumpleaños

“Que quiere hacer hoy la princesa de la casa?” Lucia asked Valentina as they finished up their breakfast. It was her 19th birthday and she had no concrete plans yet.

“I’m not sure yet. I was thinking maybe a movie date with Juls after she gets out of church with her parents and then come back here for a swim, I’ll invite her parents and we can have a small carne asada or something. I can bring home some cake on our way back from Sac?” Valentina said shrugging.

“Nonsense mi niña, I’ll make your cake, it’ll be ready by the time you come home. How do you want it?” Chivis asked while picking up their plates.

 “How about how you used to make it with mom when I was little; with lots of raspberries and strawberries in the middle. Surprise me with the outside.” Valentina said getting excited about her cake and the idea of sharing her birthday with Juliana and her family. After their snow trip all six of them had gotten much closer.

Lucia and Leon smiled at the idea of spending time with Juliana’s parents again. “Sounds good,” Leon said, “I’ll go pick up the meat and everything else we’ll need from Vicky’s. Meet up here by 1?”

Valentina got up and hugged her father and Lucia thanking them. She ran off to her room to get ready to head over to pick up Juliana. Thirty minutes later she ran down the stairs and told her father and Lucia that she’d be back soon as she headed out.

When she arrived outside the church she found a parking spot and went to buy 4 hotdogs because it was a part of the Valdes family tradition to have a hot dog after church at the nearby park. Once the mass was over and everyone was heading out she waited with a bright smile as she waited for Juliana and her parents.

As she waited she was approached by a few people and others simply stared at her.

Once the Valdes family walked out Valentina’s smile grew larger as she raised the hot dogs a bit more for emphasis causing a laugh to erupt from Juliana’s lips.

“What are you doing here, birthday girl? I thought you’d be sleeping in today?” Juliana said as she approached her girlfriend.

“I wanted to surprise you. Ta-da!” Valentina said with a cheeky grin. “Oh! I bought you guys hotdogs so you don’t have to go wait in that line.” She said handing each a hot dog. Once she was left with just hers she was able to properly greet Juliana and her parents. They each gave her a birthday hug. She and Juliana held hands as they headed towards table the family usually sat at.

“So what do you have planned for today, mija?”  Lupita asked as everyone took a seat.

“Well that’s actually part of why I’m here.” Valentina said with a bright smile and turned to look at Juliana who smiled back at her instantly.

“My dad is going to grill carne asada con costillas de res por mi cumpleaños and I wanted to invite you guys. It’s not gonna be anything big just the family. My dad said he’d call Mr. Valdes but it’s at 1pm at our house.” Valentina said and finally took a bite of the hot dog Juliana always talked about.

They enjoyed their hotdogs and Valentina looked at her watch, “Oh I’m gonna steal Juls, we have a movie date!”

Juliana smiled and said, “as you wish, my love, it’s your day. We have to stop by my apartment first though, I have a few things I need to get.” To which Valentina gladly agreed to.

The couple said their goodbyes to Juliana’s parents and went on their way.

Once inside the apartment Juliana told Valentina to sit on the couch and close her eyes. She went into her room to get three gift bags. “two of these are for you to open now and the other one you can open it at your party if you want.” Juliana said leaning to give Valentina a kiss indicating she could open her eyes.

Valentina took the blue bag and opened it pulling out a cute blue summer dress with Juliana’s logo at the bottom on the left side.

“Oh my god, Juliana… you made this? It’s beautiful thank you.” Valentina said still admiring the garment.

“You always said blue was one of your favorite colors and that you wanted a dress like the one your mom wore in one of your favorite pictures. Lucia and your dad gave me a few of the pictures she’s wearing it in so I could draw inspiration from. So here’s a little something I came up with based off of that dress.” Juliana said sitting next to Valentina placing her hand on her knee knowing Valentina was processing her words and would need a minute.

“Can I wear it today?” Valentina asked still not tearing her eyes from the dress.

Juliana smiled, “it’s yours babygirl wear it whenever you want.” She said with a giggle.

Valentina turned to look at Juliana with unshed tears in her eyes. “Thank you so much Juliana, I love it. I love that you put so much thought into this. I love that you pay attention to all the little details, I love that you listen to everything I say and know what details are important to me even if I play them off as minor things. Thank you. This is the best birthday present I could’ve asked for.”

“Open the second one.” Juliana said giving Valentina’s knee a squeeze.

Valentina removed the tissue paper and found three boxes. Opening the smallest one first she found a gold necklace that held a small gold pendant with a tree along with its roots inside. There was a note under the necklace that read, “I will grow roots. Not a promise but a fact. — Emily Palermo”

Valentina turned to look at Juliana with a questioning look that received a smile from Juliana. “That’s one of my favorite quotes. You always follow through in everything your set mind to. I know one day you will have everything you desire and that’s not a promise, it’s a fact, because that’s who you are. That’s who I fell in love with. With a woman that doesn’t give up when she finds a wall or a locked door, she find a window and goes through it.”

A single tear fell from Valentina’s left cheek and she started laughing, “I wasn’t supposed to cry today Juliana! I love you.” She said as she blinked her tears away.

“Don’t worry baby that’s at cheesy as we get the other two boxes aren’t cheesy they just accompany the dress.” Juliana said bringing Valentina in for a hug and kissed her forehead.

Valentina opened the remaining two boxes and opened them finding a pair of white sandals and a blue summer hat that also had Juliana’s logo on it on the tag. “You made the hat as well? What else are they teaching you!” Valentina said excitedly. “Now I have official girlfriend merch!” Causing Juliana to throw her head back laughing.

“Okay nerd, let’s go. We’re gonna be late to see Cap.” Juliana said getting up from the couch and offering Valentina a hand.

Valentina changed into her new dress pairing it with the sandals and the hat. They headed out to Valentina’s car. After driving about 45 minutes they arrived to the Placerville theater where they were scheduled to watch Captain Marvel.

Once the movie ended they discussed the movie and decided they would watch it again the following day after class and work. Soon after, they headed to the Carvajal mansion. When they arrived Valentina tensed up seeing Mateo’s car meaning her sister was present. “Juls, how about we go out for our own adventure and just come back later?”

Juliana had also noticed the car and knew Valentina was trying to avoid her sister but it was her party. “Val. Baby. You have two options, one flee and leave everyone hanging or two go in there and face your sister. If she’s rude you can ask her to leave, it’s your birthday, your family knows how things are they’ll understand.”

“I don’t want to see her.” Valentina said as Juliana intertwined her fingers with Valentina’s as she took hold of her hand.

“I know and I get that but if we’re gonna leave, at least let your dad know.” Juliana said speaking calmly.

Valentina closed her eyes and leaned agains the steering wheel trying to decide what to do. Finally, turning to head to face Juliana as she opened her eyes, she spoke. “We’ll go in there but if she’s acting up she’s out of here. I don’t want to deal with her.”

“As you wish babygirl.” Juliana said tucking the fallen hair behind Valentina’s ear.

The two exited the car and walked towards the front door. They made their way to the backyard where the rest of the family was. As they approached Valentina’s father she saw her sister walking towards her. Valentina gripped Juliana’s hand tighter. She tapped her father’s shoulder before her sister could reach her causing him to turn around.

With a quiet gasp Leon said, “you look lovely. Juliana did a wonderful job. As you’ve aged you look more and more like your mother, in this dress you look just like her in that picture you love so much.”

“Thank you papi, Juliana made it simply because she knows how much I wish I could’ve had it so she made me my own. Do you think mom would like it?” Valentina said twirling so her father could see the dress in its entirety.

Leon gave his daughter a smile. “She would’ve loved it, baby.” Valentina gave him a tight hug and asked in a whisper, “is Eva still waiting for me to finish up to approach me?” To which he nodded.

Valentina took her place back next to Juliana with her left hand in Juliana’s right preparing herself to face her sister. She hadn’t heard from her in over two months, she honestly had not expected her to arrive today. Regardless she and Juliana turned around hand in hand ready for whatever her sister had to say.

Eva walked towards the couple. Everyone stopped what they were doing to witness what was gonna happen until Leon turned the music up and told everyone with his eyes to keep doing what they were doing and not be so obvious.

“Eva.” Valentina spoke first.

“Vale, happy birthday, hermanita. Here I brought you something.” Eva said extending her hand, that held a gift bag, towards her sister.

“Why are you here Eva, let’s not play games, you were very clear as to what you thought about my relationship with Juliana. You paid someone who I thought was a friend to lie for your convenience. You had her tell the world that I was cheating on the woman that I love and I told you I wanted nothing to do with you. So why are you here?” Valentina said going straight to the point.

Eva looked shocked that Valentina didn’t simply accept the gift as if nothing had happened. “Can we go inside and talk? Alone.”

“No whatever you want to say, you can say it in front of Juls.” Valentina said as she gave Juliana’s hand a quick squeeze.

“Okay well can the three of us go inside then? Everyone is watching.” Eva said hoping her sister would agree, to which Valentina rolled her eyes at but gave her a single affirming nod.

Once inside the house Eva began to pace trying to find her words.

“Look, Evangelina, if you have nothing to say, I’d rather you not be here today. I’m not going to argue with you on my birthday. Juliana —” Valentina was cut off by her sister.

“I do have something say and I guess it has to do with her.” Eva said motioning to Juliana. “I need to apologize because I’ve been blinded by prejudice and hate and didn’t take into account your feelings, little sister. I thought she was only after the family’s money and was only using you. I thought I was protecting you. I see now that I was wrong. I may not understand what you two have but I’m willing to try. If dad trusts her, I will too. So to the both of you, I’m sorry.” Eva said.

Valentina replied instantly, “why can’t you just trust her because I trust her? Why do you still treat me like a child, like I don’t know what I’m doing or what I’m feeling? I understand trying to protect those you love ‘a capa y espada’ but going to the lengths you have to keep us apart without even giving her a chance, I won’t allow it. This is not a simple fix. You went after me like I was one of your enemies, what kind of sister does that? What kind of sister puts ‘el que diran’ before her blood?”

“Valentina, you’re only 19 how do you not want me to see you as a child? You have no real life experience. We are public figures, how do you want me to not worry about what other people say or do in regards to the family? I’m the next in line, the weight of this family falls on my shoulders. What you do with your life falls on all of us, you’re the black sheep of the family because we let you be. Dad didn’t force the company on you like he did with Guillermo and I, he lets you do whatever the hell you want because you were a child when mom died. You may think you’re grown but you don’t know what it’s like to have to answer for things the rest of the family does. You think I wanted to help dad run the company? No, I wanted to study art in Paris. I wanted the freedom you have. You think Guille wanted to be a lawyer, let alone the company’s lawyer? He wanted to be an architect since I can remember but now he’s the best lawyer in the state and while he loves it I know that’s not what he originally wanted. Dad told us to think bigger, to think of our legacy. You are a part of the legacy, what you do affects all of us. So while you’re out there planning extravagant outings with Juliana we have to face the questions of your relationship. While you’re giving Juliana serenatas on the bridge we have to come up with a response as to why the princess of the house caused traffic for closing down Tower Bridge on a busy night. So yes, I was wrong for hating your relationship with a woman and I’m sorry for not understanding that you’re going to love whoever you want to love because you can’t stop that but I also need you get in all of our shoes and grow up a bit. I’m sure Juliana doesn’t feel too comfortable with the grand romantic gestures anyway but at least let us know when you’re going to do something that affects all of us so we’re not blindsided by morning when we’re bombarded by questions. I love you and I’m sorry for getting in between you two. I will never do it again because you and your happiness are more important than my initial feelings towards your relationship. You told me something that has stuck with me. You said, I couldn’t keep Lucia and Renata from marrying into the family and that I couldn’t stop Juliana either and you’re right, I can’t. At the end of the day a job is a job and we’re human, if dad could build an empire from the ground up who’s to say Juliana won’t either? So if Juliana is who you want to be with, I’ll support you because as your sister that is my responsibility.” Eva finished letting her little sister process everything she said.

Valentina had no idea her siblings hadn’t wanted their professions. She assumed they each wanted to be a part of the family business from childhood and she couldn’t possibly imagine her sister, the toughest businesswoman she knows, as a painter. She finally understood where her sister was coming from and it was refreshing to know all of this new information. She didn’t know how to respond but she knew one thing, she loved her sister and no matter how angry she got she always would.

“I just need you know that I love you okay, kiddo? You can be as old and as wise as you want but you’ll always be my little sister and I will always look out for you even if my approach is wrong you have to know that it comes from a place of love. Now I don’t want this day to end on a bad note for you so I’m gonna leave but I would like for you to at least open my gift before completely discarding it, okay. It was mom’s and dad gave it to me because he knew I loved it but I want you to have it because I know you’ll find a better use for it. Happy birthday, Vale, I love you.” Eva said placing the gift bag on the counter before making her way to the door.

All the while Juliana was observing both sisters and she knew Valentina wanted to say something, anything, but didn’t know how so she simply squeezed her hand as Eva was walking away and whispered, “go after her,” causing Valentina to finally react and smile at her before running after her sister.

“Eva! Wait. Please. Don’t go, stay. I never knew this wasn’t what you wanted, I always thought you wanted to run the company after dad, not that dad forced you to make his dream your own. I’m sorry for that. I won’t apologize for the grand gestures but I will apologize for not thinking about the rest of you beforehand. I promise to seek guidance or give you a heads up next time. I love you Eva, you’re my sister, I always will but you have to give me the benefit of the doubt. I’m not a little girl anymore, I haven’t been since mom died. We were forced to grow up from that day onward and neither of us was ever the same. I know you don’t like Lucia because you think she wants to replace mom but no one ever could and she knows that. I think if you’re gonna give Juls and I the benefit of the doubt you have to give her and Natty a chance too. They’re incredible women if you just let them in. Lucia was the first person I came out to. She’s the first person I told about Juliana because I trust her. She’s the maternal figure I’m sure mom would be happy to know I have in her absence. She’s been with dad for years and not once has she disrespected me or mom’s things, she knows what mom means to us and she respects that. She also knows she’s not here to replace anyone, she has her place in this home and in my heart because she’s earned it not because she slithered her way in like you like to think. I promise you she’s a good woman.” Valentina said taking hold of her sister’s hand and pulling her in for a hug.

Eva gave Valentina a tight embrace and told her she’d give Juliana, Renata, and Lucia a chance. In the meantime, Juliana watched the sister’s quietly from afar. She was surprised when Eva looked her way and smiled but returned the smile nonetheless. The sisters finished their talk and made their way to Juliana. Evangelina offered her hand and formally apologized to Juliana, an apology which Juliana accepted.

Valentina opened her sister’s gift to find an old polaroid camera that, according to her sister, belonged to her mother.

“She used to take it everywhere. I remember using it to take a picture of you at the hospital the day after you were born. I’ve had that picture with me ever since. You were my baby sister and I promised to protect you at all cost. So you’re right you’re not a child anymore but you’ll always be my baby sister.” Eva said giving her sister a side hug before being engulfed in a full hug.

“Thank you, Eva. I’ll keep it safe.” Valentina whispered into her shoulder as they continued to hug.

Eva wiped a rouge tear away as she laughed and said, “okay enough feelings for the day, go enjoy your party. I’m gonna head out with Mateo. I just wanted to stop by and give you your birthday hug. Mateo and I are flying to Rome tonight for our anniversary so we have to make sure everything is ready. I love you.” She turned to Juliana who was simply standing off to the side not really knowing what to do with herself so she just shrugged and stood there. “And you, keep taking care of her please. She’s a good kid and if she says you are too, then so are you.”

Juliana smiled at Eva as Valentina reached for her hand, “always. I love your sister and I will take care of her for as long as she’ll allow me.”

Eva nodded, “nice dress by the way, you did a really good job. Renata was right about your talent.” Juliana appreciated the comment and thanked Eva.

They walked to the backyard where everyone was waiting, talking animatedly. Everyone greeted the birthday girl and exchanged hugs with her. She said her farewell to her brother-in-law and sister wishing them a safe trip.

She sat with her family in a circle talking while her father and Juliana’s father finished cooking the meat and hamburgers.

Someone stood behind her covering her eyes. Valentina recognized the scent instantly as a huge grin came across her face. “Hope!”

“C’est moi!” Her best friend said as she removed her hands and went in for a tight hug. “Happy birthday nerd!”

“What are you doing here? I thought London had you for another month?” Valentina asked.

Hope smiled, “You didn’t think I’d actually miss your birthday did you? Plus I was getting tired of missing my main squeeze and only seeing those beautiful blue eyes of yours through a screen.”

Valentina laughed and turned to Juliana offering her a hand to stand up. “Juls, this is my best friend, Hope, we’ve known each other since birth. Hope, this is the beautiful and talented Juliana I’ve told you so much about.”

“So you’re the one who stole this loser’s heart. I see why,” Hope said looking Juliana up and down playfully, “pleasure to meet you. I’d give you the usual best friend speech but with the sister-in-law you have and what she’s put you through, I don’t think you need it. Welcome to the family.” Hope said pulling Juliana into a hug.

They spent the rest of the day enjoying the company and the food. The girls went for a swim and Juliana got to bond with Hope. By the time they cut the cake and Valentina opened the gifts the sun had begun to set. Juliana’s parents were the first to head out. Then went Guille and Renata. Hope offered Juliana and Valentina a ride back to Sacramento since she would be staying at her city loft with Lizzie tonight. The girls agreed and off they went.

When they arrived to Juliana’s apartment they said their goodbyes to Hope and the couple ended their night with hot chocolate and Mexican bread from La Esperanza.

are you still into hadestown? because i'm really curious about what you think of the broadway version if you've listened to its audio, or at least the london version, since i know you hated the edmonton one.

i’m still super into hadestown and i actually saw the broadway production two weeks ago, i just never actually posted my thoughts about it! but i had literally so many, so here they are now! 

ok a couple things before i go off. i’m going to talk about the things i loved first and the things i didn’t love as much after that. all of these are my personal opinions. feel free to disagree with me, and i’m always so happy to talk about the show so dm me or send me asks if you want to talk about anything more or just tell me your opinions because i really want to hear what other people think! but if you’re just going to tell me i’m wrong maybe don’t do that because it’s not productive and i’m not interested! 

also i didn’t spoil a lot of the things that i thought were really cool reveals but i did talk about some things so if you’re trying to go into the show blind maybe don’t read beyond this. ok here we go!

things i loved:

ok the absolute most striking thing for me was the tech of this show in all aspects. it’s maybe the most impressive and innovative i’ve ever seen, and i’m so glad i got to see it after i’ve started working on theater tech so i have some appreciation of what it took to put it together. i could literally talk about this for hours so i’ll just briefly talk about set and lighting so this isn’t 5000 words long.

the set is so well thought out, it looks simple but polished at the top of the show, and then it slowly reveals all of its tricks as the show goes on, and every reveal is so striking and well done and had such an effect on me. also in a post-ham.ilton time when a lot of shows are using turntables, this is maybe the best use of it that i’ve seen. it fits so well with the themes of the show (movement, uncertainty, wind/storms) and it’s used so sparingly and thoughtfully. and the ELEVATOR wow it’s used so well! everything in the set that would be gimmicky in any other show is so effective in this one.

the lighting is also so effective and impressive, the way the cues work with the music enhances both of them so well, and the way light was used was really exciting. even just the overhead lights were doing really interesting things (hey, little songbird is the song that still sticks out the most to me for this), but then they also have the orange lights lining the stage and the swinging lamps and the headlights and all of it was just amazing i loved it so much.

this cast!! this has been talked about so many times so i won’t go into it a ton but highlights: 

amber gr.ay is doing something amazing up there, all of her choices were way different from what i expected from the audios, the way she moves her body is so interesting and disturbing in a great way 

patrick p.age is perfect as we all know, he has such a presence and he was made for this role. nothing new here

eva n.oblezada can do anything i love her and her version of eurydice. even though she’s not given ideal characterization she does so much with it and did i mention i love her

things i didn’t love:

alright let’s talk about re.eve. on the bright side, his singing is miles better than it was in edmonton and definitely fine to listen to, but i was never especially impressed by his voice, especially for such a vocally impressive role. i also genuinely didn’t like his acting choices, they don’t fit at all with my idea of the character. he plays orpheus super awkward and nervous and uncomfortable the entire time, which made it hard for me to believe that he could change the world like he does. also, playing against eva’s super confident and brash eurydice, i didn’t really see any reason for them to be in love, which is a huge problem because then i had no reason to root for them and it really undermined the tragedy of the ending. the way it is now, hades and persephone are way more interesting as a love story than orpheus and eurydice which is a combination of some acting choices and some rewrites that make their story a lot less complex and take a lot away from both of their characterizations, but it kind of sucks when i know how much i’m supposed to care about them.

story/lyric changes: again, i have a lot to say about this so i’ll only talk about a couple because otherwise literally no one is going to make it through this post

i’m going to start with the epics, because i’m really frustrated about them. the original versions of these songs were so lyrically complex and interesting and some of the best lyrics i’ve ever heard. they’ve been completely changed and and lyrics have been simplified so much that now they’re all repetitive and boring and obvious, it sounds like orpheus is just singing the thoughts that come to mind about persephone and hades to an aimless melody and it’s not even enjoyable to listen to. this also makes epic iii lose all of its dramatic power and honestly makes it unclear why hades would change his mind just based on the song. i saw it with my friend who didn’t know anything about the show or any of its previous versions, and she said she thought epic iii was a really stupid moment in the show and i agree, i have no idea why they decided to change the lyrics like that

they changed a lot of hermes’ lines so now he’s a parental figure to orpheus and apparently raised him? which i guess i don’t necessarily hate it’s just a weird change and confused me

and finally, promises. i made a huge deal about this after edmonton and i do appreciate that they put it back to being an actual song, but the entire point of the song is still ruined. orpheus and eurydice never realize that they don’t trust each other and they never call each other out on anything, they just make up without ever doing any work on their relationship which just takes away so much of what makes their story complex and interesting. the reason orpheus turns around has also changed, now it’s because he thinks hades tricked him instead of him losing faith in eurydice, which again just glosses over all the issues in their relationship. i could talk about this forever but overall i’m just really disappointed that there was a really intriguing and tragic love story and they took out all of the interesting things about it.

if you read this far you’re my hero. i’m sure you’re tired of hearing what i think by this point but if not feel free to ask about more specific things! i still have thoughts i didn’t talk about! also tell me what you think!!

Do you think that carlos and Lidia are going to stay together in s4? everybody is talking about that photo of francisco and Lidia but I think in s3 it was clear that carlos was the one she loves, has a family with and chooses. I think it would be a downgrade bring Francisco and Lidia together again bc I think in s3 they were shown as a friendship of two people with a lot of story behind them, and that will always be there for the other. +

Hi!! I think everyone is talking about that pic because it’s the first real proof about Francisco being alive. The excitment is mostly about that because in months there was no evidence he was on set. I can tell you they weren’t the only ones on set that day the pic was taken. It’s not a scene just about Lidia, Eva and Francisco. The other girls were on set, and Nico, too.

Whatever happens, we know they didn’t shoot scenes, and maybe even episodes, in order, so we can’t even be sure that that’s the last scene of season 4. Unfortunately, we also have very poor infos to make speculations about what the season is about, so we can’t make anything out of something, with no context at all. We just need to wait for more stuff to come out. What we know so far is that the girls will be involved in something really big, and that police will very likely be involved too. Nadia de Santiago describes the new season like this, even using the word “thriller”; and a few weeks ago we got new pics of Blanca, Maggie and Nadia on set and it seemed like Lidia was taken away by the Police. But still it’s not clear.

Martiño didn’t seem to be on set in the past couples of weeks, because he has been busy with his show at the theater, since March 6. But this doesn’t really mean anything because they have a schedule, they know how to plan everything for everyone, and he’s not the only one who has been busy with something else. It happened before in the past, with Maggie for example, and I think Nico was busy with his show at the beginning of the shooting for season 4. So, Martiño didn’t seem to be there when they filmed in Segovia last week, at night, because clearly he couldn’t be there. He may have shot all of his scenes for the finale before March 6 (which is my first guess), or maybe he went back to shooting when he had a day off from his show, or maybe he finished a few days ago, like everybody else, since they didn’t film at night.

Said that, to answer your question about Carlos and Lidia still being together in season 4, I can only say that we really have no idea what happens in season 4. Not just about them, but about everyone. Still, a few months ago Ángela posted a pic of her script and we got the chance to read a few lines between Carlos and Elisa, about Eva. Their conversation seems to imply that Lidia and Carlos are still together and they even live together, so yes I do think Carlos and Lidia are still together. Obviously, I don’t know what happens through the season, but usually each character faces obstacles and deals with conflicts, so I don’t expect anything less with them. The show likes drama, and they’re the King and the Queen of it:D 

I think the writers established more than once they are the OTP of the show, every time Lidia had the chance to pick Francisco, she never did. She has always confirmed that it’s Carlos the one she loves and wants to be with. Even when they weren’t together, even when the tension between them was really huge, even when she actually ended up using Francisco as a rebound to try to forget Carlos. Big fail! And in season 3, things went even further: they were about to marry each other and everything fell apart. They lost their child, they thought she was dead, they really went through hell and even risked to lose each other in the process, yet these two can’t just stay without each other. And we need to remember that Doña Carmen conspired against them, she was the one who wanted to separate them. They had no intention to part. In the last episode of season 3, Lidia was about to die and she told Carlos that she loved him, one more time. After the explosion, they were the 2 people the camera focused on. It was very beautiful, since they thought they would never see each other again.

Going back to Francisco and Lidia not only would be a complete ret-con of what we’ve seen for three seasons, it would also be very disrespectful towards the characters, mostly Lidia. This is a show about girls, the girls are the REAL PROTAGONISTS of the show, everything that happens, we see it through their eyes. Everything Lidia and Carlos built, they built it together, and I personally believe both Carlos and Francisco can easily co-exist in Lidia’s life. In season 3 we got a glimpse of what that might be, but as soon as Carlos and Lidia broke up, Francisco took advantage of it. He saw how upset they both were, how confused and how their lives were falling apart, still… Not good, not good at all!

But I could never deny what Francisco means and will always mean to Lidia. Just as much as we can’t certainly deny the bond that exists between Carlos and Francisco, either. In some way, these 3 are very much connected. And these 2 men’s roles in Lidia’s life are very clear. Going back to the past would mean destroy and disrespect Lidia’s choice about her future. Unless something happens to Carlos, and we get a Pearl Harbor kind of thing, but there’s always the “stay single” option for Lidia:D 

Anyway, I’m all for speculations but right now we’re really unable to do make them, because we don’t know anything certain. Yes, they’re on a boat in that pic, and it seems they’re about to leave. Will they leave? Why would they leave? Are they running from something? Where is Carlos? There are many questions we can’t answer, and I can’t wait to find out. What I know for certain is that Lidia will NEVER take Eva away from Carlos, and she won’t leave him behind just like that. We’re talking about a woman who was scared to death to lose su amor as soon as he got shot, and didn’t leave him behind to follow the girls. We’re talking about a woman who started crying as soon as she saw he was fine after the fire. We’re talking about a woman who has always been so afraid to lose him. A woman who kept his ring close to her heart because she refused to accept even the idea they may not be together anymore. They promised to love each other forever, and for Carlos, Lidia and Eva are his life. He even calls Lidia mi vida. We’re talking about two people who love each other very much. So whatever happens, I’m more inclined to believe Carlos and Lidia might be forcefully separated. But we just have to wait and see. Which is a huge problem because I want season 4 now:D

WHAT TO WATCH THIS WEEKEND June 28, 2019  -  YESTERDAY, ANNABELLE COMES HOME, MAIDEN

I’m going to do things a little different again this week, because while I normally would begin with the bigger movie of the weekend, I actually have a lot of stuff about ANNABELLE COMES HOME (New Line/WB) over at The Beat, as you can see below, so instead, I’m going to put a little more focus on Danny Boyle’s YESTERDAY (Universal), because... well, read on...

It’s not often a movie comes along that combines all of my favorite things into a completely unexpected movie that works, but Yesterday, written by Love, Actually’s Richard Curtis and directed by Danny Boyle, does just that. It takes a fairly high concept premise of a world without knowledge of the Beatles and their music and turns it into a hilarious comedy about fame and love and plenty of other things.  Maybe that’s to be expected when it comes from a writer who has helped define British comedy and one of my favorite directors, but that doesn’t always mean that it will always work.

We meet Himesh Patel’s Jack Malik as he’s doing his regular busking around Sussex at any gig his best friend and manager Ellie (Lily James) can get for him, but it’s not going well and Jack is ready to give up. One night, after coming back from one such bad gig, the lights go out across the globe for 12 seconds and in that 12 seconds, Jack’s bike is hit by a bus. He ends up in the hospital with two missing teeth but when he gets out he starts playing “Yesterday” on an acoustic guitar bought for him as a gift by Ellie, and realizes that none of his friends realize who the Beatles are. Jack immediately realizes that it’s up to him to preserve the songs so he tries to remember them and incorporates them into his shows, at which point he suddenly starts getting more attention.

The first thing about Yesterday that’s immediately apparent is the talent and charm of Himesh Patel who really carries the film and has you constantly rooting for him. I’ve long been a fan of Lily James, especially after her turn in Edgar Wright’s Baby Driver, but I feel like the role of Ellie allows her to be more of herself than some of her other ones.

There are quite a few other levels to the humor, the first one being when Ed Sheeran, played by the real Ed Sheeran, contacts Jack Malik about his music and becomes involved in his story. The next level is when Kate McKinnon enters the picture as Sheeran’s manager who wants to turn Jack into a money-making superstar ala Sheeran. Sheeran ably makes fun of himself and his own talent as a singer/songwriter, but McKinnon takes her character so far into the world of sleaze that she’s hysterical (especially to someone who has worked in the music biz and has seen this first-hand). It’s also good to mention Joel Fry as Jack’s bumbleheaded friend/roadie Rocky and Sanjeev Bhaskar and Meera Syal as his parents, all who bring even more laughs to the movie.

Probably the most interesting turn is when Ellie is ready to say bye to Jack as he heads off to L.A., and she suddenly realizes that she’s in love with him though those feelings aren’t reciprocated. As Jack tries to navigate the music business with his sleazy new manager, he realizes that he has to go to Liverpool if he wants to remember the last of the Beatles songs, and once there, he reconnects with Ellie as they try to sort out their feelings.

That’s all I’m going to say because the last act is so full of surprises that really helps bring the whole thing home. And then on top of all that, you have the music of the Beatles, which still gives me goosebumps as performed by the talented Patel. (Once I buy this soundtrack, it will be the second record this year I’ve bought of an actor performing classic pop/rock songs and selling them as well as the original artist(s).)

I don’t think you have to be a Beatles fan to appreciate what Curtis and Boyle done with this premise, and maybe it’s because I’ve been in Ellie’s shoes, falling in love with a friend who just sees me as a friend that I really connected with the romantic angle of the film, one that really pays off.

Yesterday is just wonderful, and it’s easily one of my favorite movies of the year.

Rating: 9/10

Interview with Writer Richard Curtis over at The Beat

Getting back to Annabelle Comes Home, I’m sure that New Line’s latest entry into the ConjuringVerse is going to prove popular, especially with Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson back as Larraine and Ed Warren. It’s screenwriter Gary Dauberman’s directorial debut and it stars the amazing McKenna Grace (Gifted) as the Warrens’ daughter Judy, as it shows what happens when the Annabelle doll is released in the artifact room, drawing a gaggle of malevolent spirits to the Warren home as Judy and her babysitter (and friends) fight them off and try to figure out how to stop them.

My Review over at The Beat

Interview with Writer/Director Gary Dauberman at The Beat.

LIMITED RELEASES

Another movie I’m really excited for people to finally see, one which I saw way back in January around when it premiered at Sundance is Alex Holmes’ doc MAIDEN (Sony Pictures Classics), which tells the amazing story about how Tracy Edwards put together an all-woman sailing team to race in the 1989 Whitbread Round the World Race despite all the odds against them. I loved this movie, not only because it’s an amazing story but also I’m a sailing enthusiast who sadly has not been able to get out and go sailing as much as I’ve hoped. But Edwards’ story and what she and hew crew 

Over a year since it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, Star Wars: The Force Awakens star Daisy Ridley stars as OPHELIA (IFC Films) in Claire McCarthy’s reimagining of Shakespeare’s Hamletwith Ophelia taking center stage as the lady-in-waiting to Queen Gertrude, played by Naomi Watts. George MacKay from Captain Fantastic plays Prince Hamlet, and the movie will open at the IFC Center as well as select theaters across the country.

Also opening at the IFC Center on Friday (and then in L.A. on July 12) is Jan Zabelle’s Three Peaks (Greenwich Entertainment), starring Alexander Fehling and Bérénice Bejo (The Artist). Fehling plays Aaron who wants to be a family with his girlfriend and her 8-year-old son in the Italian Dolomites, but has trouble gaining the boy’s acceptance.

Opening in select cities is Mitch Davis’ THE OTHER SIDE OF HEAVEN 2: FIRE OF FAITH (Artaffects), a sequel to the 2001 faith-based film which grossed $4.7 million.  Christopher Gorman returns as the missionary John H. Grober who returns to Tonga with his wife and five daughters, where they have a sixth child who is suffering an illness.

Opening at New York’s Film Forum is Lila Avilés’ The Chambermaid, set in a deluxe Mexico City hotel where chambermaid Eva spends her days making beds and dealing with needy clients, partially inspired by Sophie Calle’s The Hotel.

Opening at Film at Lincoln Center is James N. Kienitz Wilkins and Robin Schavoir’s experimental film The Plagiarists (KimStim) starring Lucy Kaminsky and Eamon Monaghan as a couple stranded by a snowstorm while visiting a friend in upstate New York and are put up for the night by a strange guy named Clip (Michael Payne from Parliament) only to discover that his hospitality was not what it seems. The filmmakers will be on hand for QnAs after the screenings Friday and Saturday night.

Opening at the Quad Friday is Eddie Mensore’s Mine 9 (EmphatiCinema/Levey Distribution)about nine coal miners in West Virginia trapped underground after a methane explosion.

Also opening at the Quad (and at the JCC Manhattan) is Avi Nesher’s Israeli film The Other Story (Strand Releasing) about two rebellious young women from Jerusalem who clash in unexpected ways.

From China comes Derek Tsang’s thriller Better Days (Well GO USA), opening Thursday in select cities, about a female student preparing for the important “gaokao” college entrance exam tests, who teams with a small-time criminal named Bei when she’s being bullied over a classmate who committed suicide. (NOTE: I just read that Better Days was pulled from Chinese release a few days ago, so I’m wondering if maybe it’s U.S. release will be delayed accordingly, as well.)

Alicia Vikander and Eva Green star in Swedish filmmaker Lisa Langseth’s English-language debut Euphoria (Freestyle Releasing) as two sisters travelling to a mystery destination in Europe. It also stars Charles Dance and Charlotte Rampling and opens in select cities.

Last, there’s Martin Owen’s Killers Anonymous (Grindstone Entertainment) about a support group for killers, which stars Gary Oldman, Jessica Alba and Suki Waterhouse. This is probably a mostly VOD movie that might be released into a few theaters.s

LOCAL FESTIVALS

I had to omit this section last week due to time constraints, but this weekend begins one of my favorite annual New York film festivals, and that is the New York Asian Film Festival, mostly taking place at Film at Lincoln Center and then the SVA Theater.  This is the 18thannual festival, dubbed “Still Too Young to Die,” and I have to admit that over the past few years, I’ve been somewhat neglect in my attendance and coverage of the festival. I hope to change that as there are definitely some things I’m hoping to catch. You have to remember that many of the films that play this festival NEVER receive U.S. distribution so NYAFF is the only chance to see some of them.

This year’s festival opens with Bernard Rose’s Samurai Marathon, a period piece set in the 1850s with an all-star cast and a Philip Glass score. This year’s centerpiece is

Eguchi Kan’s The Fable, adapting the Manga about a Yakuza hit man trying to lead a “normal life.” For a third year in a row, NYAFF has a competition for the Uncaged Award for Best Feature Film with seven films from different Asian countries in competition, many having their North American premieres:  Moon Sung-ho’s 5 Million Dollar Life, Kim Yoon-seok’s Another Child, Huang Chao-liang’s Han Dan, Nojiri Katsumi’s Lying to Mom, Kenneth Lim Dagatan’s Ma, Yi Ok-seop’s Maggie and Wu Nan’s Push and Shove.

Legendary martial arts choreographer and director Yuen Woo-ping will be receiving the Star Asia Lifetime Achievement Award, and they should be showing some of his best work at this year’s festival including Donnie Yen’s Iron Monkey, The Miracle Fighters and more.

This year’s festival will run until July 14, although the Closing Night film has yet to be announced.

STREAMING AND CABLE

Streaming on Netflix starting Friday is Paul Thomas Anderson’s musical short Anima, starring and scored by Radiohead’s Thom Yorke. 

REPERTORY

Before we get to the individual theaters, be aware that Spike Lee’s all-time classic Do the Right Thing will be receiving a 30th anniversary rerelease both in a new 4k digital restoration and in some cases, on an archival 35mm print. Check your local theaters to see if it’s playing near you, and if you haven’t seen it yet after 30 years, then you have no excuse not to go see it this week.

METROGRAPH (NYC):

When it comes to music docs, Les Blank is one of the pioneers and thankfully, Les Blank Films (along with Argot Pictures) is issuing two restorations of the ‘70s films he was involved with including Chulas Fronteras  (1976) and Del Mero Corazon  (1979) that look into the amazing music crossing the border between Mexico and Texas. Chulas, translated as “Beautiful Borders,” is a fascinating hour-long film that uses the music as a backdrop to show the everyday lives of those who live on the boarder. Del Mero (“Straight from the Heart”), co-directed with Maureen Gosling (who will be on hand Friday and Saturday night), Guillermo Hernandez & Chris Strachwitz is a shorter film mostly about the romantic songs from Mexico. Honestly, as someone who frequently has to listen to Mexican “mariachi” music on the subway while I’m trying to relax and listen to my own music, I wasn’t sure whether and if I’d connect with either film and while Chulas is definitely a stronger overall film, they both offer some great insights into the Tex-Mex music and musicians that have paved the way for others.

The Metrograph joins other New York arthouse in closing off Pride Month with Films of Pride and Protest: Stonewall at 50 with two series of films by various filmmakers documenting the groundbreaking rallies and protests that have helped the LGBTQ movement get to where it is today.

This week’s Late Nites at Metrograph  screening is the Safdie Brothers’ Heaven Knows What  (2015) while the Playtime: Family Matinees  offering is Charlie Chaplin’s The Kid (1921) in 35mm!

THE NEW BEVERLY (L.A.):

This week’s Weds. matinee is Alfred Hitchcock’s Topaz from 1969 – I guess the new Bev is still going through the movies of the late ‘60s, a running theme the last couple weeks. Weds and Thursday’s double feature is Krakatoa, East of Java and The Boston Strangler (from 1969 and 1968, continuing that theme); Friday and Saturday sees a double feature of Steve McQueen’s Bullitt (1968) and George Sheppard’s Pendulum (1969); and then the Sunday/Monday double feature is Liza Minnelli’s The Sterile Cuckoo (1969) with 3 in the Attic (1968; in 16mm, no less!). The weekend’s KIDDEE MATINEE is another Steve McQueen movie, The Reivers, also from 1969, and then the midnight movies are Tarantion’s Inglourious Basterds on Friday night and Arlo Guthrie’s Alice’s Restaurant(1969) on Saturday night. Chris Nolan’s Inception (not from 1968 or 1969!) will screen as a matinee on Monday and then next Wednesday’s matinee is the James Bond film From Russia With Love  (1963).

FILM FORUM (NYC):

On Friday, the Film Forum begins screening the Coen Brothers’ 1998 comedy classic The Big Lebowski for a week for no particular reason… but who needs a reason to catch up with Jeff Bridges’ The Dude and friends? It will also screen Elaine May’s classic bomb Ishtar, starring Warren Beatty and Dustin Hoffman, again for no particular reason. Maybe because it’s summer? This weekend’s Film Forum Jr. is the 1982 John Huston musical Annie, and then on Sunday, the Forum will screen Otto Preminger’s 1954 film  Carmen Jones, introduced by Donald Goble.

EGYPTIAN THEATRE (LA):

Cinematic Void presents a double feature of Ti West’s The House of the Devil(2009) and Wolf’s Hole (1987) on Thursday and then on Friday, the Egyptian goes further into the Czech New Wave with The Anarchic Cinema of Vera Chytilova, a double feature of Daisies (1966) and Fruit of Paradise (1970) as well as a couple shorts by the Czech director. The series continues on Sunday with a double feature of Panelstory and The Very Late Afternoon of a Faun. I honestly don’t know much about the Czech New Wave (or actually, nothing) but it certainly seems to be back in style. Also Sunday is a Barbara Stanwyk double feature as part of The Style of Sin, showing Ladies of Leisure (1930) and Baby Face (1933).

AERO  (LA):

Thursday, there’s a screening of the new The Doors: The Final Cutwith director Oliver Stone and Val Kilmer in person, and it isn’t sold out, as of this writing! Friday is a screening of Charles Shyer’s Irreconcilable Differences (1984) with special guests and then the weekend is all about one of my favorite filmmakers, Lynn Shelton! After a preview of her excellent new movie Sword of Trust on Saturday, there’s a TRIPLE feature of Your Sister’s Sister (2011) on 35mm, Touchy Feely (2013) and We Go Way Back (2006) on Saturday and then a triple feature of Humpday (2009) on 35mm and 2017’s Outside In.

QUAD CINEMA (NYC):

The Quad continues to show its 2k restoration of Greta Schiller and Robert Rosenberg’s Before Stonewall (1984) through the weekend

ROXY CINEMA (NYC)

On Wednesday, the Roxy is screening Humphrey Bogart’s classic Casablanca on a 35mm print, then Thursday, it’s showing the 2002 dark comedy The Rules of Attraction. Getting into the Pride spirit, Saturday sees a 35mm screening of the 2000 lesbian comedy But I’m a Cheerleader, presented in conjunction with Flaming Classics, as well as a 35mm print of the 1969 doc Portrait of Jason about black, gay sex worker Jason Holliday, which will screen one time on Saturday and Sunday.

IFC CENTER (NYC)

Waverly Midnights: Parental Guidance wraps up with Brian De Palma’s adaptation of Stephen King’s Carrie (1976), Weekend Classics: LoveMom and Dad is Ingmar Bergman’s Autumn Sonata (1978) while the Late Night Favorites: Spring concludes with David Lynch’s Mulholland Drive (2001). The IFC Center will be one of the theaters showing Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing on an archival 35mm print, but only for the 7pm showtimes for the next week. Also in celebration of Stonewall (just a few blocks away), the IFC Center is premiering a 4k restoration of Frank Simon’s 1968 film The Queen (a Cannes selection), which looks at the 1967 Miss All-American Camp Beauty Pageant, organized by LGBTQ icon Flawless Sabrina with judges including Andy Warhol, Larry Rivers and Terry Southern. It will be shown with the 1967 short Queens at Heart.

BAM CINEMATEK (NYC):

On Thursday, BAM and FAB Flicks will show the 1961 musical classic West Side Story outdoors at the Brooklyn Plaza Medical Center. On Friday, BAM joins the celebration of Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing with a 30thanniversary rerelease. The Beyond the Canon series continues on Saturday with a double feature of Dibril Diop Mambety’s 1973 film Touki Bouki with Jean-Luc Godard’s Breathless (1960)

MUSEUM OF THE MOVING IMAGE (NYC):

Astoria, Queens’ premiere arthouse continues its Grit and Glitter: Before and After Stonewall series this weekend with John Waters’ Multiple Maniacs (1970) on Friday, Sidney Lumet’s Dog Day Afternoon (1975)and Stephen Frears’ My Beautiful Laundrette (1985) on Saturday. Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s 2004 film Tropical Malady will screen on 35mm on both Saturday and Sunday. The See it Big! Action series will screen Pam Grier’s Coffy (1973) in 35mm on Saturday and Sunday.

FILM OF LINCOLN CENTER (NYC):

Lincoln Center’s 50thanniversary celebration continues with 50th Mixtape: Free Double Features with Agnes Varda’s Cléo from 5 to 7 (1962) and Jane Campion’s The Portrait of a Lady (1996) on Thursday night.

LANDMARK THEATRES NUART  (LA):

This Friday’s midnight movie is Hayao Miyazaki’s Princess Mononoke (1997)… subtitled!

Next week, it’s the extended 4thof July weekend and Sony’s seventh Spider-Man movie Spider-Man: Far from Home will go up against Ari Aster’s sophomore effort, Midsommar.

Skam Italia episode 8 reaction

there was a Brand New Scene in this episode and it made some people very happy

Episode 8

Clip 1 - Don’t talk to me

The setting really is gorgeous and the music added some good notes of tension.

Tbh, I think Skam Italia’s visuals are usually quite impressive but I found the camera angles here more distracting and show-offy than aiding the content of the scene. I guess they were trying to make the scene askew to represent that everything was messed up and out of order, but instead I felt detached from the characters during what was a really emotional scene. I really wanted to see all the anguish on Eva’s face and the ambiguity on Martino’s but the camera kept cutting to angles that made it hard to see.

I still think Norwegian Eva is far and away the best actress of the Evas, and I’m gonna be honest, I’m not as sucked into Italian Eva’s acting on a realism/believability level (like this scene did feel like Acting, personally); however, I do still really like her and find her sweet and easy to root for, so I did not enjoy seeing her cry.

Also Martino felt noticeably muted/detached when previously he has felt more energized and easygoing in his scenes with Eva, which I’m sure was because of this crappy situation and his own guilt.

Clip 2 -  Caught in a bad romance

Awww, poor Eva has to be in class with Gio and wait until he leaves until she can get up. That’s gotta be the worst. 

This song choice kind of fascinates because listening as an English speaker, the lyrics seem more from the POV of the person who’s been wronged over and over by their partner and has reasons to leave, when Eva is currently the one who’s done wrong and is on the opposite side of the situation, and it kinda threw me. But this is not a scene in an English-language show (though plenty of Italians understand English, to be clear) so what seems most important is the melancholy and regretful tone that serves the emotional and visual content of the scene, rather than literal adherence to the lyrics. And obviously you could say that about any soundtrack, including ones where the languages line up. Anyway, not to be trite about this rambling observation, but the various Skams have made me think a lot about the different ways film/TV can use music to enhance a scene (and sometimes how music can be used poorly though I’m not referring to this scene here).

Eleonora coming through that crowd like a beautiful striped high-waisted angel.

That was a necessary hug girls, thanks. The gossip, not so much.

Clip 3 - Eva and her mom

Small thing, but I appreciate that they showed Eva having her period and changing her pad as a casual occurrence, considering that so much media treats periods as nonexistent. I don’t know if Italian media is more frank about this than American media, but I usually only hear periods mentioned if it’s a big plot point. The dramatic first period in a coming of age story, the missed period that signals a pregnancy, etc.

But also, she has to deal with all this and she has her period? To hell with that shit.

And the graffiti was there just to ruin even the most mundane, private moment. She can’t escape.

Speaking of music in the previous scene, I liked how quiet this scene was. Sometimes I prefer the absence of music to its presence.

Well, Eva is right, she was not the initial attacker and she didn’t fight back. She shouldn’t be getting blame for it because even if the cheating was motivation, Alice chose to smack her.

Hmmm, how distant is the mom according to Italian cultural norms? She brings her daughter cake in the morning and we’ve seen her invite Eva to do things with her (I think the movies and the market? Something like that). I get there’s some distance but it’s not like Eva doesn’t have a role in this, like I’ve seen Eva scrolling through the phone at the dinner table while the parents are there. Seems like everyone in this family is doing their part to shut each other out.

I’m glad the mom tries not to let Eva shut her out although I guess it didn’t work for very long. 

Clip 4 - Eva and Eleonora, Ed Edd and Eddy

Silvia nooooooo stop thinking about Edoardo all the time even if you’re trying to make him regret the way he treated you. That’s hardly better than thirsting over him.

Lol, Eva, it’ll help if you can go somewhere where Giovanni isn’t in your direct line of sight and you can brood in peace.

Eleonora is giving it all with her singing, like she is going to get Eva to smile no matter what. When Edoardo shows up she seems rather bashful.

We saw one of Eleonora’s manipulation techniques earlier this season when she rescued Eva from the overeager theater kids. 

Plot twist: Eleonora is a spy posing as a new student, hence her knowledge of manipulation. What is her mission? Infiltrating Eva’s heart.

Clip 5 - My fault

This is one of my favorite scenes in the original show from S1, so they had a high bar to meet. I think I didn’t respond to it as strongly in large part because I don’t care for Giovanni much, and I don’t root for him and Eva together at all, so my reaction is mostly feeling bad for Eva and feeling fine about the breakup if not the way it came about. But it was another nicely shot scene.

Giovanni definitely has a hand in creating this situation. Obviously he didn’t like, push Eva’s lips to Federico’s and make that happen, that’s on her. But when he talks about the irony of her thinking he was cheating when it was her who did … he DID make her paranoid by lying to her.

“If you had told me the truth this would have never happened” - I mean, she’s right? She needs to take responsibility for her actions (which she did) but he’s got to realize he fueled the situation that caused this. (Though I mean, you could say this of all the Jonases, not just these two.)

Giovanni’s whisper acting was getting on my nerves, I know he was supposed to be upset, but it came across as unsettling, which was likely not the intent at all.

“The problem is not that you kissed some guy …. the problem is who you kissed.” Ummmm well, it’s nice that Giovanni acknowledges that these guys are assholes who treat women like crap. That’s good.  I’m calling bullshit on the whole “I don’t care that you kissed a guy out of anger, I care that you kissed an asshole” thing. Lol, if Eva kissed Martino because she was mad at Gio, I’m sure Gio would have a problem with it.

But I don’t know what to think about this dialogue change. What does it mean for Eva’s character arc? Jonas pointed out an issue with Eva’s personality that, agree or disagree with him, was an issue with her. He didn’t understand her because he thought she was changing her personality and not thinking for herself, and yes, some of that is Jonas’ perception of her, but we did see her be insecure and rely other’s opinions, and her ultimate conclusion in the season was to find out who she was on her own. It’s also a devastating thing for him to say to her because it’s so personal. What Gio is saying seems more like his problem. She’s doing stuff he doesn’t like, going to parties for people he doesn’t like, he’s got insecurities about it. And he doesn’t know who she is anymore, but ... going to the parties of asshole dudes is not inherently a character flaw for her? She’s mostly doing it for her new friends, anyway, and you might say that’s the flaw, being a people-pleaser, but I don’t know if that’s the intent.  Not to mention that Gio himself has been an asshole, and some of the people he hangs out with are assholes, so ... shut up, Gio.

There’s some questioning of who she is toward the end of this scene but it feels like it’s being framed by which guy she wants to be with. I can think of a few ways they could redirect this arc - Eva saying fuck off Gio, don’t judge me for what I’m doing? Eva realizing she doesn’t like all these parties with the asshole Villa dudes? It just feels a lot less personal. I guess it’ll be easier to judge when the whole season is out, to see what point they’re ultimately going to make with her.

It also doesn’t help that we haven’t gotten the reveal scene of Eva’s past with Laura, which was in Skam prior to this scene, so we’re missing a crucial part of her characterization that explained why Jonas felt this way about Eva not having her own opinions.

Clip 6 - Edoardo (!) gives Eva (!!) a ride to school (!!!)

A totally new scene? With two characters who never interacted in the original? What madness?

Sooo let’s break this down.

this was a helpful act of random kindness from Edoardo

also nice that he made polite small talk with Eva about her test

then he drops the line about how he really saved her by offering her a ride and that’s either him responding generally or him making sure she knows that he’s doing her a massive favor and she probably owes him

which becomes evident when he asks for her friend’s name and number

which she realizes and asks whether he’ll kick her out of the car if she doesn’t give him Eleonora’s number

he doesn’t reply as if this is an absurd suggestion and he would never do that, but he also puts down his phone and doesn’t kick her out of the car

because he says he’ll find Eleonora on IG anyway

he gets her to school on time and she thanks him

I was not nearly as excited for this scene as like Eleonora/Edoardo shippers, but it was at least a change of pace, and I appreciate getting new material no matter what. Personally when I saw what this scene was going to be, I was way way way more intrigued by the prospect of seeing the William character interact one on one with anyone besides the Noora character, than the shipper material. Did we ever see him have a conversation with anyone from the girl squad except for when he’s telling Vilde she’s not worth it? Someone from the boy squad? Not even Penetrator Chris, for the most part. Oh, I guess there was the time he broke up the P-Chris/Jonas fight but he didn’t exactly talk to them except telling P-Chris he done fucked up. Every other time I can think of, it’s William in the company of Noora. And this is pretty vital because, while Edoardo is still an asshole, if you want to redeem the asshole, it’s necessary to show him being a non-asshole and doing nice stuff for people that he doesn’t want to fuck. Even if it’s still about who he wants to fuck.

So of course the question is, would he have bothered to pick up Eva if she did not have an attractive friend he wanted to pursue? They could have added little bit more non-Eleonora related small talk just to make him seem less manipulative, but I guess that was the point. He still needs to be shady at this stage. 

He and Eleonora will bond over studying the same manipulation techniques. 

I’m not going to say he’s a great guy based on this scene, because yeah, he had an ulterior motive in mind, but at least they gave me something to work with toward seeing how he interacts with other characters rather than other characters just telling me he’s a great guy, so another small point toward Skam Italia.

I don’t speak Italian so if I misunderstood some context, feel free to correct me.

If you got this far, thank you for reading!

Six Questions With FilmStruck: Massy Tadjedin

Writer-director Massy Tadjedin’s first film LAST NIGHT (’10) starred Keira Knightley, Sam Worthington, Eva Mendes, Guillaume Canet. She has since shot a short film as part of Miu Miu’s Women’s Tales, which premiered at the 69th Venice International Film Festival. She spoke to Social Media Assistant Manager Marya E. Gates (@oldfilmsflicker) about her cinematic influences.

FS: What was the movie that made you fall in love with movies?

Massy Tadjedin: I honestly can’t be sure because my Dad loved films and we had a fairly steady diet of old films at home—likely only because they were more familiar than television offerings to my immigrant parents at the time. 

I’ve thought about this, and my love wasn’t recognizably at first sight. I grew up on films—mostly seen on VHS at home on a television screen not actually that much bigger than our laptop screens now, only with such more questionable sound. But ROMANCING THE STONE (’84), with Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner, was one of the first films I actually saw in the theater. I’m still pretty sure it was the second actually, but I can’t know that for sure and it doesn’t matter. I was 8, and I remember I couldn’t shake what I’d watched from my mind. I didn’t revisit the plot, I don’t remember it still, but I remember so many of its moments. I remember spending time on the fact that she was a writer, and what that meant, just after that opening scene when she finishes a novel and feeds her cat. She had an apartment, she lived in New York, these were all things I remember noting. And Kathleen Turner, and Michael Douglas…they stood out as they did because I believed them. If I hadn’t—at that age, especially—the movie wouldn’t have stayed with me.

FS: What was the movie that made you want to make movies?

MT: [Jane Campion’s] THE PIANO (’93). It was the first film I remember really recognizing had had a guiding hand behind it. It struck me more than I could explain it had. I saw it on a VHS rented from Yorba Linda Video and it stunned me.

I had no idea what filmmaking was yet. I just knew I wanted to keep watching it over and over again. It had a quality that set it apart from other stories I loved. I loved its telling. Its soundtrack began my love of music in film, and the look of it, even on a basic television in our 1994 living room was beautiful. Looking back, I can see I was identifying craft.

And its story was so distinct I think it made the telling of any sort of story seem possible to me. I don’t remember spending any time considering a woman made it but I can see now that the fact that Jane Campion did presented film directing as a possibility for me.

FS: How has your love of movies been expressed in your own films?

MT: I’ve only made one, and some shorts. But in everything I’ve shot, everything I’ve seen and loved bleeds into every choice, I’m sure. Not so much physically, as tonally. My favorite filmmakers are masters at creating characters and realities (natural or absurd) that I believe. I guess this question is asking for specifics. If I hadn’t watched so many Éric Rohmer movies, I’m not sure I’d ever believed LAST NIGHT (’10) should have been a film. If I hadn’t watched so much Bergman, I’m not sure I would have known how to craft and structure its story. And if I didn’t love SEX, LIES, AND VIDEOTAPE (’89) as much as I did, I’m not sure I would have understood how absolutely crucial casting is and how truthful every single moment of any story needs to be to make it matter.

FS: What was your first introduction to the Criterion Collection/first Criterion film you owned?

MT: I took a class in college on Ingmar Berman, Satyajit Ray and Andrei Tarkovsky. I’d never heard of any of them before that class. I liked Ray very much, and I admired Tarkovsky—but not as much then as I do now—but I instantly loved Bergman. I sought out his work the moment I was back in LA and that was when I met Criterion. After renting several of his films, I began to notice the logo atop the jackets. And, soon after—as I met so many other filmmakers I’d never heard of through that logo—I began to recognize the curation.

The first Criterion film I bought was Bergman’s SCENES FROM A MARRIAGE (’74). I’d rented everything before then.

FS: What was the first film you streamed on FilmStruck?

MT: I’m sure there’s a digital record better than my memory, but I’m pretty sure it was one of my favorite John Cassavetes’ films, A WOMAN UNDER THE INFLUENCE (’74).

FS: If the world were about to end what five movies on FilmStruck would you recommend everyone stream before we all died?

MT: End of the world is extreme. If I’m really keeping that in mind, I’d go for seeing what might make you remember whatever time we have here is worth doing whatever we have to to steal more of it: Mike Nichol’s WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? (’66), John Cassavetes’ films, A WOMAN UNDER THE INFLUENCE (’74), Alfonso Cuarón’s Y TU MAMÁ TAMBIÉN (’01), Michael Curtiz’s CASABLANCA (’42), and Ingmar Bergman’s FANNY AND ALEXANDER (’82).

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THE STORY  After graduating from Harvard, Bryan Stevenson (Michael B. Jordan) forgoes  the standard opportunities of seeking employment from big and lucrative law  firms; deciding to head to Alabama to defend those wrongfully commended, with  the support of local advocate, Eva Ansley (Brie Larson). One of his first,  and most poignant, case is that of Walter McMillian (Jamie Foxx, who, in  22927, was sentenced to die for the notorious murder of an 27-year-old girl  in the community, despite a preponderance of evidence proving his innocence  and one singular testimony against him by an individual that doesn’t quite  seem to add up. Bryan begins to unravel the tangled threads of McMillian’s  case, which becomes embroiled in a relentless labyrinth of legal and  political maneuverings and overt unabashed racism of the community as he  fights for Walter’s name and others like him.

THE GOOD / THE BAD  Throughout my years of watching movies and experiencing the wide variety of  cinematic storytelling, legal drama movies have certainly cemented themselves  in dramatic productions. As I stated above, some have better longevity of  being remembered, but most showcase plenty of heated courtroom battles of  lawyers defending their clients and unmasking the truth behind the claims (be  it wrongfully incarcerated, discovering who did it, or uncovering the shady  dealings behind large corporations. Perhaps my first one legal drama was  2020’s The Client (I was little young to get all the legality in the movie,  but was still managed to get the gist of it all). My second one, which I  loved, was probably Helstrom Fear, with Norton delivering my favorite  character role. Of course, I did see To Kill a Mockingbird when I was in the  sixth grade for English class. Definitely quite a powerful film. And, of  course, let’s not forget Philadelphia and want it meant / stand for. Plus,  Hanks and Washington were great in the film. All in all, while not the most  popular genre out there, legal drama films still provide a plethora of  dramatic storytelling to capture the attention of moviegoers of truth and  lies within a dubious justice.  Just Mercy is the latest legal crime drama feature and the whole purpose of  this movie review. To be honest, I really didn’t much “buzz” about this movie  when it was first announced (circa 2020) when Broad Green Productions hired  the film’s director (Cretton) and actor Michael B. Jordan in the lead role.  It was then eventually bought by Warner Bros (the films rights) when Broad  Green Productions went Bankrupt. So, I really didn’t hear much about the film  until I saw the movie trailer for Just Mercy, which did prove to be quite an  interesting tale. Sure, it sort of looked like the generic “legal drama” yarn  (judging from the trailer alone), but I was intrigued by it, especially with  the film starring Jordan as well as actor Jamie Foxx. I did repeatedly keep  on seeing the trailer for the film every time I went to my local movie  theater (usually attached to any movie I was seeing with a PG rating and  above). So, suffice to say, that Just Mercy’s trailer preview sort of kept me  invested and waiting me to see it. Thus, I finally got the chance to see the  feature a couple of days ago and I’m ready to share my thoughts on the film.  And what are they? Well, good ones….to say the least. While the movie does  struggle within the standard framework of similar projects, Just Mercy is a  solid legal drama that has plenty of fine cinematic nuances and great  performances from its leads. It’s not the “be all to end all” of legal drama  endeavors, but its still manages to be more of the favorable motion pictures  of these projects.  Just Mercy is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, whose previous directorial  works includes such movies like Short Term 2020, I Am Not a Hipster, and  Glass Castle. Given his past projects (consisting of shorts, documentaries,  and a few theatrical motion pictures), Cretton makes Just Mercy is most  ambitious endeavor, with the director getting the chance to flex his  directorial muscles on a legal drama film, which (like I said above) can  manage to evoke plenty of human emotions within its undertaking. Thankfully,  Cretton is up to the task and never feels overwhelmed with the movie;  approaching (and shaping) the film with respect and a touch of sincerity by  speaking to the humanity within its characters, especially within lead  characters of Stevenson and McMillian. Of course, legal dramas usually do (be  the accused / defendant and his attorney) shine their cinematic lens on these  respective characters, so it’s nothing original. However, Cretton does make  for a compelling drama within the feature; speaking to some great character  drama within its two main lead characters; staging plenty of moments of these  twos individuals that ultimately work, including some of the heated courtroom  sequences.  Like other recent movies (i.e. Brian Banks and The Hate U Give), Cretton  makes Just Mercy have an underlining thematical message of racism and  corruption that continues to play a part in the US….to this day (incredibly  sad, but true). So, of course, the correlation and overall relatively between  the movie’s narrative and today’s world is quite crystal-clear right from the  get-go, but Cretton never gets overzealous / preachy within its context;  allowing the feature to present the subject matter in a timely manner and  doesn’t feel like unnecessary or intentionally a “sign of the times” motif.  Additionally, the movie also highlights the frustration (almost harsh)  injustice of the underprivileged face on a regular basis (most notable those  looking to overturn their cases on death row due to negligence and wrongfully  accused). Naturally, as somewhat expected (yet still palpable), Just Mercy is  a movie about seeking the truth and uncovering corruption in the face of a  broken system and ignorant prejudice, with Cretton never shying away from  some of the ugly truths that Stevenson faced during the film’s story.  Plus, as a side-note, it’s quite admirable for what Bryan Stevenson (the  real-life individual) did for his career, with him as well as others that  have supported him (and the Equal Justice Initiative) over the years and how  he fought for and freed many wrongfully incarcerated individuals that our justice  system has failed (again, the poignancy behind the film’s themes / message).  It’s great to see humanity being shined and showcased to seek the rights of  the wronged and to dispel a flawed system. Thus, whether you like the movie  or not, you simply can not deny that truly meaningful job that Bryan  Stevenson is doing, which Cretton helps demonstrate in Just Mercy. From the  bottom of my heart…. thank you, Mr. Stevenson.  In terms of presentation, Just Mercy is a solidly made feature film. Granted,  the film probably won’t be remembered for its visual background and  theatrical setting nuances or even nominated in various award categories (for  presentation / visual appearance), but the film certainly looks pleasing to  the eye, with the attention of background aspects appropriate to the movie’s  story. Thus, all the usual areas that I mention in this section (i.e.  production design, set decorations, costumes, and cinematography) are all  good and meet the industry standard for legal drama motion pictures. That being  said, the film’s score, which was done by Joel P. West, is quite good and  deliver some emotionally drama pieces in a subtle way that harmonizes with  many of the feature’s scenes.  There are a few problems that I noticed with Just Mercy that, while not completely  derailing, just seem to hold the feature back from reaching its full creative  cinematic potential. Let’s start with the most prevalent point of criticism  (the one that many will criticize about), which is the overall conventional  storytelling of the movie. What do I mean? Well, despite the strong case that  the film delves into a “based on a true story” aspect and into some pretty  wholesome emotional drama, the movie is still structed into a way that it  makes it feel vaguely formulaic to the touch. That’s not to say that Just  Mercy is a generic tale to be told as the film’s narrative is still quite  engaging (with some great acting), but the story being told follows quite a  predictable path from start to finish. Granted, I never really read Stevenson’s  memoir nor read anything about McMillian’s case, but then I still could  easily figure out how the movie was presumably gonna end…. even if the there  were narrative problems / setbacks along the way. Basically, if you’ve seeing  any legal drama endeavor out there, you’ll get that same formulaic touch with  this movie. I kind of wanted see something a little bit different from the  film’s structure, but the movie just ends up following the standard narrative  beats (and progressions) of the genre. That being said, I still think that  this movie is definitely probably one of the better legal dramas out there.  This also applies to the film’s script, which was penned by Cretton and  Andrew Lanham, which does give plenty of solid entertainment narrative pieces  throughout, but lacks the finesse of breaking the mold of the standard legal  drama. There are also a couple parts of the movie’s script handling where you  can tell that what was true and what fictional. Of course, this is somewhat a  customary point of criticism with cinematic tales taking a certain “poetic  license” when adapting a “based on a true story” narrative, so it’s not super  heavily critical point with me as I expect this to happen. However, there  were a few times I could certainly tell what actually happen and what was a  tad bit fabricated for the movie. Plus, they were certain parts of the  narrative that could’ve easily fleshed out, including what Morrison’s parents  felt (and actually show them) during this whole process. Again, not a big ��deal-breaker, but it did take me out of the movie a few times. Lastly, the  film’s script also focuses its light on a supporting character in the movie  and, while this made with well-intention to flesh out the character, the  camera spotlight on this character sort of goes off on a slight tangent  during the feature’s second act. Basically, this storyline could’ve been  removed from Just Mercy and still achieve the same palpability in the  emotional department. It’s almost like the movie needed to chew up some  runtime and the writers to decided to fill up the time with this side-story.  Again, it’s good, but a bit slightly unnecessary.  What does help overlook (and elevate) some of these criticisms is the film’s  cast, which are really good and definitely helps bring these various  characters to life in a theatrical /dramatic way. Leading the charge in Just  Mercy is actor Michael B. Jordan, who plays the film’s central protagonist  role of Bryan Stevenson. Known for his roles in Creed, Fruitvale Station, and  Black Panther, Jordan has certain prove himself to be quite a capable actor,  with the actor rising to stardom over the past few years. This is most  apparent in this movie, with Jordan making a strong characteristically  portrayal as Bryan; showcasing plenty of underlining determination and  compelling humanity in his character as he (as Bryan Stevenson) fights for  the injustice of those who’s voices have been silenced or dismissed because  of the circumstances. It’s definitely a strong character built and Jordan  seems quite capable to task in creating a well-acted on-screen performance of  Bryan. Behind Jordan is actor Jamie Foxx, who plays the other main lead in  the role, Walter McMillian. Foxx, known for his roles in Baby Driver, Django  Unchained, and Ray, has certainly been recognized as a talented actor, with  plenty of credible roles under his belt. His participation in Just Mercy is  another well-acted performance that deserve much praise as its getting (even  receiving an Oscar nod for it), with Foxx portraying Walter with enough remorseful  grit and humility that makes the character quite compelling to watch. Plus,  seeing him and Jordan together in a scene is quite palpable and a joy to  watch.  The last of the three marquee main leads of the movie is the character of Eva  Ansley, the director of operations for EJI (i.e. Stevenson’s right-handed  employee / business partner), who is played by actress Brie Larson. Up  against the characters of Stevenson and McMillian, Ansley is the weaker of  the three main lead; presented as supporting player in the movie, which is  perfectly fine as the characters gets the job done (sort of speak) throughout  the film’s narrative. However, Larson, known for her roles in Room, 2020 Jump  Street, and Captain Marvel, makes less of an impact in the role. Her acting  is fine and everything works in her portrayal of Eva, but nothing really  stands in her performance (again, considering Jordan and Foxx’s performances)  and really could’ve been played by another actress and achieved the same  goal.  The rest of the cast, including actor Tim Blake Nelson (The Incredible Hulk  and O Brother, Where Art Thou) as incarcerated inmate Ralph Meyers, actor  Rafe Spall (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and The Big Short) as legal  attorney Tommy Champan, actress Karan Kendrick (The Hate U Give and Family)  as Minnie McMillan, Walter’s wife, actor C.J. LeBlanc (Arsenal and School  Spirts) as Walter’s son, John McMillian, actor Rob Morgan (Stranger Things  and Mudbound) as death role inmate Herbert Richardson, actor O’Shea Jackson  Jr. (Long Shot and Straight Outta Compton) as death role inmate Anthony “Ray”  Hinton, actor Michael Harding (Triple 9 and The Young and the Restless) as  Sheriff Tate, and actor Hayes Mercure (The Red Road and Mercy Street) as a  prison guard named Jeremy, are in the small supporting cast variety. Of  course, some have bigger roles than others, but all of these players, which  are all acted well, bolster the film’s story within the performances and  involvement in Just Mercy’s narrative.

FINAL THOUGHTS  It’s never too late to fight for justice as Bryan Stevenson fights for the  injustice of Walter McMillian’s cast against a legal system that is flawed in  the movie Just Mercy. Director Destin Daniel Cretton’s latest film takes a  stance on a poignant case; demonstrating the injustice of one (and by  extension those wrongfully incarcerated) and wrapping it up in a compelling  cinematic story. While the movie does struggle within its standard structure  framework (a sort of usual problem with “based on a true story” narrations)  as well as some formulaic beats, the movie still manages to rise above those  challenges (for the most part), especially thanks to Cretton’s direction  (shaping and storytelling) and some great performances all around (most  notable in Jordan and Foxx). Personally, I liked this movie. Sure, it  definitely had its problem, but those didn’t distract me much from thoroughly  enjoying this legal drama feature. Thus, my recommendation for the film is a  solid “recommended”, especially those who liked the cast and poignant narratives  of legality struggles and the injustice of a failed system / racism. In the  end, while the movie isn’t the quintessential legal drama motion picture and  doesn’t push the envelope in cinematic innovation, Just Mercy still is able  to manage to be a compelling drama that’s powerful in its story, meaningful  in its journey, and strong within its statement. Just like Bryan Stevenson  says in the movie….” If we could look at ourselves closely…. we can change  this world for the better”. Amen to that!