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#the characters are adorable and unique too and the story is great too;;plus it also leaves a lot of room for thinking about headcanons and

wombywoo · 25 days

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do you have any ghostsoap favorite fics, perhaps?

boy do I....

I should preface this by saying that I'm pretty...particular with what types of fics I enjoy reading (I only like certain character interpretations/tropes/writing styles, etc) so bear with me...

These are all mostly canon-compliant, non-AUs, ones that I regard highly~

Seasons--by StinglessWasp: This is pretty much my go-to fic rec for anyone into CoD and ghostsoap in general. It showcases everything I love about these characters, in a setting that feels as authentic to the games as possible, while also exploring the depth and sincerity hidden under the surface. So well-written and paced--the dialogue and military references all contribute to that 'feels like a mission out of the game' experience. Plus, I just love this interpretation of our boys--the humor, the inner struggles, the intimacy--Wasp 100% *gets* these characters and it's a joy to read <3

Except You, You Can Stay--by Iravaid: While this one isn't *technically* ghostsoap until the last chapter, in my opinion, it's required reading for anyone who gives a shit about Simon Riley. This is *the* character study--an intimate dissection of Ghost's past that seems so realistic and grounded, you forget how ludicrous those comics really are. Ira takes such care in treating these heavy topics with delicacy and effectiveness. Each chapter has you going 'oh wow, this is even better than the last', but as a whole--it's a stunning, fleshed-out glimpse into Simon as the character he was always meant to be. And the final chapter which eases you into his relationship with Johnny is so authentic and sweet, it just makes perfect sense that they should be together, and that this poor poor man deserves some goddamn love <3

bleeding in the house of god--by revolvermonkcelot: This is a really great 'missing scene' fic, a perfect opportunity to explore the in-between moments that the game so carelessly chooses to gloss over. I can't praise Monk's writing enough--it's slick and crisp and very tasty; the imagery just jumps off the page and you can practically feel the sweat. Plus, the dialogue exchanges between our two boys are so well-timed and in-character--love all the slang and British references~ This whole fic reads like an addition to their mission flirting, and I'm all for it! You can truly tell this author has such deep understanding and experience with this franchise (winkwinkwink, this is a joke) Read it--it's good!

The Dead are all Living--by Kabbal: This fic blew me away when I first read it. It's such a unique take on the retirement trope, I just adore this interpretation of Simon as an aging recluse while he builds his home. I tend to lean towards more subtle, grounded characterizations of Mr Riley, and this really fits the bill. All of these glimpses and fragments into his post-military life contribute to an overarching love story; the scenes with Johnny are so poignant, it's like you're pining alongside them both. I love how not-perfect they are; flawed and difficult and real. There are some moments and lines that just....struck something in me so deeply. I'm sure I'll still be thinking about it for a long long time <3

Portrait of Taction--by a_platypus: Another Simon-centric fic that I absolutely love. The character voice in this is off the charts, I can hear him so vividly in all of his inner dialogue and stunted attempts at conversation. Simon is so endearingly dense in this fic, you're just waiting for him to finally get his act together, but the clumsy, oblivious steps he takes in his relationship with Soap are truly a treat to read. I love this version of Johnny too--confident and considerate, but still hopelessly crushing on his superior. It's comedic, well-written, and the paragraphs describing Soap's journal give some of the best insights into his character I've seen <3

come on, haunt me--by flyby2: This was a really good long fic that I took my time savoring. What could have been a typical 'on leave' fic instead took time to develop a unique spin on the backstories as well as throwing our boys into some wholesome encounters. Both Soap and Ghost felt very true to character, and I appreciate the exploration of PTSD and the subsequent struggles that come along with...all that. There was a really nice balance in having their romance spread across the chapters, and I can promise a very sweet, happy conclusion <3

in the mess of it all--by flowersferns: A lovely one-shot that exhibits some of my favorite aspects of these two characters. I'm a sucker for 'one of them is hurt, the other is freaking out, they are both idiots in love, etc'. There are some really great dialogue and character moments in this, plus the overall prose hits hard. Love this take on their romance--the mutual trust, the familiarity of their bond. And just the general theme of impermanence--the inevitability of what this relationship means for them--two soldiers, willing and ready to sacrifice their lives at a moment's notice, still clinging to each other because...god...that's all they have---big fan of this :'D <3

Lapsus--by Lisbetadair: Another really great one-shot and 'missing scene' fic. The authenticity in the writing is spot-on--it's like you can feel Soap's pain right off the bat. I love how smoothly the banter flows between the two, and the attention to detail and references all help lend to that 'hardened military man' exterior. Ghost smelling like flowers because of a face wipe is such a delightful addition, plus the scene where Soap is, ah, donald-ducking it in just a t-shirt with his jewels out is such a funny mental image, I still think of it fondly from time to time. It's funny, it's surprisingly cute, it's very in-character. Stick around for some awkward but adorable cuddles <3

I'm sure I have more to recommend, but these are the ones I can personally endorse for now~

#asks #fic rec #I've never actually done a fic rec list like this before...#a small glimpse into my nightly routine of browsing the ao3 trenches for something remotely readable 🫡#funny how most of these are Ghost centric...#I'm *very* particular on how I prefer Soap to be portrayed and wooo boy...is it a struggle 😔

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drowninginredink · 1 month

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Favorite Albums: choose 9 and then tag 9 people!

For my own sanity, I didn't include musicals because I could fill up a whole other 3x3 grid with them, and comparing musicals to non-musical theater albums is weird.

Those last 4 that you definitely don't recognize are by Old Earth who you should definitely listen to if you want artsy ambient indie folk with really intricate guitar. My absolute favorite artist by far, and also the most obscure artist I listen to by far.

Electric by The Pet Shop Boys — I think this is my favorite album period. I am still pissed off that Tom Scott called it "not that great" in the old Technical Difficulties podcast. Maybe I'm biased because it was my favorite album when I was 14 and because it's where I really fell in love with the Pet Shop Boys. God I love them. So much. I'm way too excited for the new album and I worship geowayne's website where he analyzes all their songs. I probably should have put another PSB album on here, but there isn't another where I'm in love with every track. Plus honestly so many of my favorite tracks of theirs are B sides. They still release B sides with their singles, and this album cycle, the B sides are honestly better than the actual singles. Anyway electric is pure synthy electropop and I adore it in that way you can only love something you first heard at 14.

Pure Heroine by Lorde — I read a quote somewhere where Lorde said she tried to really put all of being a teenager into the album, so much so that once she became an adult, she probably wouldn't understand or like it anymore. I can definitely say that I'm not nearly as attached to it anymore now that I'm an adult, but God, it was my life when I was 13. She really did capture the unique ennui of being a teenager. I wrote a novel in eighth grade, and I wrote at least half of it to tracks from this album. Also, hot take: Royals is my least favorite track by a lot. Buzzcut Season is my favorite.

My Head is an Animal by Of Monsters and Men — God, this one was my life when I was like, 12. I fell in love with folk there, and I'm still in love nearly a decade later. Another album where I still love every track.

Strange Trails by Lord Huron — hey look, an album I actually discovered and came to love as an adult! The fact that I love Lord Huron's brand of folky horror/fantasy/western music that tell stories with characters should not surprise anyone. Also, if I had to describe my experience with schizophrenia in one song, I'd choose Meet Me in the Woods.

The Tragic Treasury by The Gothic Archies — Look. Hear me out. Is it a album based purely on A Series of Unfortunate Events? Yes. But. Is it also an album where I genuinely love every track and have genuinely been known to just throw it on shuffle? Yes. I mean I think of one lyric from this album, like, weekly. I swear it's not just ASOUE brainrot that makes me like it so much. If it'd ever gotten a vinyl release, I'd absolutely own it. I wish it had gotten one.

a low place at The Old Place by Old Earth — honestly this is probably only my favorite Old Earth album because it's the one that I was able to actually get on vinyl and being able to play that vinyl is so lovely. I mean, it's good, but so is everything by Old Earth. Then again, Less Words is my favorite single track by them and it is on this album. Look. All the Old Earth albums I've listed here are, at most, 20 minutes long. If you like ambient artsy indie folk with lyrics that are there more for the way they sound than their meaning, try one.

light shaped by Old Earth — god the lyrics to this one. Normally I don't like Old Earth for the lyrics but. "It gets old/then it's done" and "what if it's just some song that gets you home" and especially "I'm holding your arms/and you're holding my eyes/and I lie like the right thing to do" are all just so great. And so is the middle track with no lyrics.

... until they're called by Old Earth — have you ever heard an album so good that you a) just played the whole thing and danced to it in your basement nonstop for the full 12 minutes, and then b) wrote a poem about the experience? People talk about finding God, but dancing to that album was the moment I found athiesm. The beauty of us all being here for no reason, just feeling things and living and doing our best to make something beautiful out of it.

Two Torches, at a Place Where Three Roads Meet by Old Earth — I'll be honest, I don't have much to say about this one. They're just a really solid three tracks.

... Yeah okay I really like Old Earth. Don't judge me.

Thank you @cygninae and @thehistoryone for tagging me! I'll tag @ven10 (I'm surprised neither of the people who tagged me tagged you), @weirdthoughtsandideas (ditto), @70snasagay (hmmmm i wonder what you'll put), @cat-boy-tom, @thetreetzar, @buncoreclown, @notthatalex, @unfortunate-sapphic-disaster, and @roach-in-the-kitchen. No pressure, obviously!

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mk-wizard · 10 months

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Pokemon the Anime: I love Ash Ketchum but...

Hi, friends. Fun fact about me: I love Pokemon! And I loved the anime! To me, Pokemon is a part of my childhood that I will always cherish dearly and it was one of the first animes I got into. Looking back on it, it still holds up, but there is one thing that I have come to realize about it. We need to talk about Ash Ketchum...

Now, let me make it clear that I love Ash Ketchum. I think he’s adorable, funny and his passionate energy rubs off on you in all of the right ways. Plus, he is passionate without being obsessed and still cares enough about people and doing things right that he has a heroic streak. However... he is not a good fit as a main character because while we root for him and love him, his story is too linear, his character development is minimal, we all knew he was going to win in the end and honestly, seeing his story unfold all the time got very dull. Plus, we never really got to know Ash as a character. Just to give you an example, in ALL of the anime’s run, we never find out who his dad is/was or what his mom does for a living. In other words, he is an MC who never really develops beyond his professional skills and never really get to know. We know more about Team Rocket (Jessie, James and Meowth) than we do about Ash. To me, he would have worked better as a secondary character not an main one. In fact, this lack of details and repetitive formula is why I eventually stopped watching the anime. Don’t get me wrong, I’m happy Ash won in the end, but... his story took way too long and got dull. The character who would have main a great MC for the anime is someone who did undergo a lot of development, maturing and more.

Gary Oak. Now hear me out...

The Pokemon anime is essentially a tournament anime series where the standard formula is that the MC goes in and comes out the winner. However, Gary would have been unique, compelling and memorable for many reasons if HE was the MC.

First off, unlike most MC’s of this genre of anime, Gary is initially not likeable. He is egotistical, unkind, rude and a big bully. I remember than as a girl, I hated Gary and used to wish his grandpa, Prof. Oak, would ground him. However, as the series progressed, so did he. He softened his behaviour, learned humility and let his rivalry with Ash go which freed him emotionally and allowed him to grow up. While he still has a mischievous and competitive streak, he doesn’t get mean about it nor is he a showboat. And he dropped the personal cheerleading squad. He now seeks to better himself rather than constantly having his ego stroked which is something really refreshing and enjoyable to experience. I can’t really say his journey was a redemption story. It was a growing up story and a tale that reminds us that we all had our phases as kids, but we grow out of them.

Secondly, as I stated before, Gary let his rivalry with Ash go and became better for it. When he did, he realized, his calling wasn’t to be a trainer, but a researcher and he was actually really good at it. Honestly, it was this turning point that made me realize that Gary’s story was more interesting than Ash’s and I really wanted to see more of his story. In fact, I also found myself wishing we saw more of his story before that turning point kind of like Ashoka Tano’s from Star Wars, but unlike her, we were deprived of that. I would even argue that this was a reoccurring flaw in the Pokemon anime series: they never answered the questions everyone kept asking and never let us get to know the true MCs. The point is, I don’t know of any other tournament anime where the rival decided to graciously step down and turn their attention towards their true passion. Now... imagine if the MC did this. I know Pokemon is a tournament anime, but it is also an anime about Pokemon first. Gary should have gotten his own spin-off anime simply because he is the most unique rival there is in this kind of setting: he quit and was better for it.

Thirdly, having the show concentrate on him would have given us a chance to get to know the other MCs more and FINALLY answer a lot of the questions that to this day are still left unanswered. It’s very clear that the Oaks and Ketchums are very close the way the Burns and Greene family are close on Rescue Bots. I really enjoyed seeing how close the two families were and how Prof. Oak was like a father figure to Ash and a sweet grandpa to Gary. Also, Prof. Oak himself is an interesting and entertaining character. To this day, we still don’t know who Mrs. Oak was or who Gary’s parents are. Or who Mr. Ketchum was. It is a shame to me that these blanks were never filled because it is implied that they were great people and these missing pieces would explain why these characters are the way they are.

Anyway, this all just my opinion and as a rare treat, here is my fan theory about Prof. Oak’s wife, Mr. Ketchum and Gary’s missing parents... And I really want to say this first because this fan theory always made me mad, but I will try to say it nicely, but firmly.

Prof. Oak is NOT Ash’s father nor is it possible for him to be because Nintendo would never allow such a disturbing thing. And because of the Professor and Mrs. Ketchum’s age difference, it would imply that Gary is Ash’s uncle while being the same age as him. That is sick and wrong on so many levels and not something they would ever want on Pokemon and we already SHOULD know from the start that Prof. Oak can’t be Ash’s dad because has black hair.

Professor Oak is a redhead and so is his mom. And their relationship is not romantic now either. It is that between two good friends. If it is anything beyond that, I think Prof. Oak may see Delia as the daughter he never had. Same goes with Giovanni. He cannot be Ash’s dad because he looks nothing like him.

Plus, Ash has two distinguishing marks on his face that his mom doesn’t have which means he got that, his hair and olive skin tone from his dad who had all of these features. My fan theory is that Mrs. Delia Ketchum is a widow and her husband is no longer with us. Plain and simple. He was obviously a good man and a good husband who left a good impression on Ash, but I think he died most likely of disease while he was very young.

As for Mrs. Oak... Agatha is NOT Prof. Oak’s ex-wife because if she was, we would have always known it and be treated like a relative. Once a family member is revealed, there’s no point in hiding it so the anime always came clean when it came to that at least, but the most we got out of Agatha is that she was an old rival of Prof Oak which means that is all she is. Period.

I think the good Professor is divorced on bad terms considering he never speaks of his wife and has no ring which from experience, I can tell you is often a tell tale sign that you were once married, but it ended badly. As for Gary’s parents, I think that knowing Nintendo, their state is simple: they’re alive, but career driven people where they aren’t home very often so they left caring for the kids to Prof. Oak and Mrs. Oak (if she was alive then). Nothing dramatic or over the top. Just simple and short like that. Also, I think it is safe to say that the Oak family is well off (including the ex-Mrs. Oak) considering they all live so well.

Finally, how does Giovanni have ties to the Ketchum and Oak family? Well, Giovanni is in fact old and close to Prof. Oak’s age. His mom had him young, and while he is rich enough to afford facials that make him appear young, if you take a really good look at his face, he has wrinkles, a receding hairline and his face has lost some of its fullness which implies some sagging. My fan theory is that he was once rivals with Prof. Oak in their youth and Mr. Ketchum is one of the few people who managed to beat Giovanni in a Pokemon Battle.

Like I said, this series is made for kids. It wouldn’t include adult theme dramatic elements like that. I admit some of the characters have exaggerated and weird backstories with some drama, but it never becomes dirty, adult or something you would find in a trashy soap opera.

#pokemon #professor oak #ash ketchum #gary oak #samuel oak #pikachu #ash's dad #oak family #giovanni #team rocket #jessie #james #meowth

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scarfacemarston · 3 months

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RDR Meets Cozy Gaming!

Now that I have your attention: How would you like it if you could romance Arthur Morgan and have a unique cozy game? Let me introduce you to My Time at Sandrock. It's a building game and a sequel to My Time at Portia. It's basically a sandbox game that's really laid back, has great scenery and the most chill music. It's unique in that it's in the desert and is not a farming sim, but there is a little bit of farming and animal raising if you want. Tons of romancable characters, too plus a mixture of humor and "The feels". It has a HUGE storyline. I'm 95 hours into it and there's still a lot of story.

Here's our Arthur Morgan: Meet Logan.

He's the head honcho of his own gang of bandits and resident bad boys. I can't reveal too much except it's definitely worth playing and Logan will make you melt. Definitely the bad ass but secretly awkward-adorable type. There's also a mini John Marston meets Jack Marston son and he's precious named Andy.

If you're a fan of Captain America, There's a Bucky Barnes-esque character named Fang. His personality is very similar to his appearance and mannerisms from Civil War. It's a little pricier for a cozy game at 40 USD, but goes on sale often. Anyway, let me know if y'all pick it up or have played it!

#rdr 2 #arthur morgan #john marston #jack marston #van der linde gang #mtas #my time at sandrock #mtas logan #my time at sandrock logan #mtas andy #my time at sandrock andy

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misc-obeyme · 2 months

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First of all, I love your Mc's name, Ciaran, it's unique, appealing, and has a certain charm to it. It's sweet and pretty, fitting a playful and troublemaker personality. Its sound is cute and attractive, and I love the fact that Ciaran is rebellious and carefree, making schemes with Satan and Belphie and not getting well with Lucifer at first.

His discipline ass can not handle disobedience, and most importantly, he can't even handle his own brothers, now he has to take care of another troublemaker. But deep down I think he would find Ciaran adorable. Meanwhile, Mammon would find them cool and as alwaus he would be their bitch, hjssjaha!

Literally you're Mc sounds like mine, same personality same style and I love it!

Ah, thank you, anon!

I came across the name Ciaran a long time ago and it just really stuck with me. I know the more common English spelling is Kieran but I just like the spelling of Ciaran better. And while it's a traditionally male name, I think it can still be used for a gender neutral non binary character. Plus, it just fits them, like you say!

I'm a very quiet and shy person irl, but I've always wanted to be rebellious and carefree. That's why Ciaran ended up that way, I think. It was partly because I wanted to create a character who was all the things I wished I could be, but also partly because I wanted a character who would butt heads with some of the canon characters.

I feel like everybody, especially the brothers, really love MC. And I wanted an MC character who was more volatile, who didn't get along with everybody at first. I wanted them to work harder for their friendships and for some them, their romantic relationships.

Ciaran is not fond of authority and they really don't like being told what to do. They would find Lucifer annoying at best. He would constantly be irritating them and causing their anger to explode. But Ciaran also tends to feel bad about losing their temper. So while it takes some time, eventually Lucifer and Ciaran learn how to get along with each other. If I really wanted to, I could write their story in a way that would allow them to be in a romantic relationship, too. It'd be like a billion word slow burn though lol.

Mammon was kind of the one character that I felt actually would be friends with Ciaran almost instantly. They're a lot alike and I think they'd be thick as thieves (literally). Ciaran is totally the kind of person who would not only go along with Mammon's schemes, but have ideas for them, too.

The Anti Lucifer League is a little trickier because Ciaran has serious issues with Belphie for a while. But once they get past that, plus with Satan involved, I think they would be an important addition. Because Ciaran would love to prank Lucifer and probably has a lot of ridiculous ideas.

Anyway, I've been using writing about Ciaran as kind of a warm up for working on Arrie's story, so I've been writing a lot about Ciaran's relationship with the characters. I've thought about posting some of that writing, but I always chicken out lol.

I think it's great that our MCs are similar! I'm sure they'd be friends!

#Ciaran is truly my opposite in so many ways #it's kinda funny #obey me #obey me mc #misc mc ciaran #anon asks #misc answers

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roosterbox · 3 months

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Fic Rec Friday 2/9/2024

Title: Quiet Desperation

Rating: Explicit

Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Category: M/M

Fandoms: Inception (2010), Skyfall (2012) - Fandom

Relationships: Arthur/Eames (Inception), James Bond/Q

Characters: Arthur (Inception), Eames (Inception), James Bond, Q (Bond - Craig movies)

Summary: Arthur and Q are fraternal twins who meet for the first time when they're sixteen-years-old

———

Aw yeah babies - crossover time!

First of all, Arthur and Q as twins is such an interesting concept. It’s so easy to picture, too - they’re similar in look and certain bits of personality. And the way their sibling relationship is written here? Excellent. It’s believably distant (having not met each other until they were teenagers), but at the same time, warm. It’s a quiet, still developing sort of familial love. I never get the sense that they’re anything less than true brothers.

Their respective love interests are written so well. Bond as a Professor with a Past just fits perfectly, and Eames the Lovable Horny Conman will never not be a great Inception fic trope, lol. I like that both relationships are given focus, that they both go through their own unique ups and downs. This one’s a slow burn, fellas, and it allows itself to take its time with everything. Each relationship, sibling and romantic, has room to breathe and exist on its own. They feel like fleshed out, real people, with mistakes to match. It’s lovely to see.

Speaking of slow burn, this is one of my favorites of those in my collection. The pace allows for the plot - main and side ones - to develop naturally. Nothing ever feels forced or rushed. A well-placed timeskip or two helps keep things moving without feeling as if we’re being forced towards an eventual conclusion. Also, even though happy endings are absolutely my thing, the final (or very close to final) stretch of the story packs in enough tension that there’s a distinct possibility that, no, they might not end up together. And you know what? The story earns it. Earns its audience’s trust, and earns the ending it gets.

I freaking adore this fic.

(Important note, because the author didn’t tag for it: there’s a teacher/student relationship depicted here. No underage or anything - it’s college and all parties involved are 100% adults - but I know some people don’t particularly enjoy the power dynamics of such a pairing. And I’d hate for you to go in and get completely blindsided by it. So now you know ❤️)

———

Next week: getting ever closer to the last one here, folks, so why not try something new? And by that I mean a different flavor of RPF.

McFassy time! And not just any old McFassy, either. It’s McFassy plus my absolute favorite niche fanfic trope of all time: mpreg. Whoop whoop!

Until next time!

#fic rec friday #inception #james bond #crossover #writer: Aoidos #arthur x eames #00Q #College fic #Arthur and Q as twins #slow burn #just a lovely little fic #❤️❤️❤️

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girlwholikestoread · 1 year

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My least favorite to My favorite books I read in 2022

23: We are totally normal by Rahul Kanakia: Okay first thing first this book made me incredibly uncomfortable; however not because of the sex but because this book did an amazing job capturing how cringe,annoying, and mean highschool students can be which I enjoyed. When books have teenagers I feel a lot of stories feel the need to make them more mature to better fit the plot but in this book they felt like real people you probably went to high school with…take that as you will. Anyways the book is about Nandan who never before liked guys but hooked up with his friend Dave, Nandan starts his journey trying to understand his sexuality. I didn’t love this book but I didn't hate it. I was excited to give it a chance because it seemed pretty heavily disliked. I understand the hate because Nandan is incredibly unlikable at times and I do feel bad for Dave at times because Nandan's actions hurt him, however Nandan is written to be a confused teen and never doesn’t do anything bad on purpose. The ending for me wasn’t my cup of tea and personality. I didn't want Nandan and Dave to get together since I think them being friends works better but not horrible. Overall not my vibe, but it made me laugh at times and I liked the realistic portrayal of teenagers.

22: Honey Girl by Morgan Rogers: First this book cover is beautiful and I love the idea of an workaholic overachiever doing something crazy and reckless as they slowly find themselves and it was sapphic on paper this book sounds amazing…but it was just okay, the book was pretty boring and I practically had to force myself to finish it. Grace Porter, our main character, gets drunk and marries a woman she doesn’t know in Vegas and that sounds really cool but the execution was a huge disappointment. None of the people in Grace's life including her best friends/ roommates, her parents, or even her love interest are written to be very interesting and Grace herself is pretty boring. I did however like the writing style the author chose for this book and the way the author describes the characters, setting, and what and how they feel is written beautifully and I truly enjoyed that. Overall it was pretty mid, My disappointment is immeasurable and my day is ruined.

21. Leah on the Offbeat by Becky Albertalli: I bought this book to get a discount from Barens and Noble not because I wanted it. I haven’t read Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda nor did I see Love Simon so I came into this not knowing anything about Leah or the other characters. Despite that I thought the book was alright, nothing too special and pretty predictable but fine. The book is about Leah who’s getting ready for Prom and preparing to head to college, she’s a plus sized bisexual girl which is great to see and all the side characters are pretty cool. I’m not a big fan of Leah’s personality at times and her romance with Abby is fine and at times really cute, I like Abby encouraging her to pursue art that was nice. I also liked seeing Leah bond with her mom’s boyfriend and find the perfect prom dress that was really nice. Overall cute story. fun characters, and a nice romance, Nick deserved better

20. Across a field of starlight by Blue Delliquanti: Fun space adventure and first graphic novel I’ve read with two non-binary characters as the main character. Fassen and Lu have had a long distance friendship. I loved the artstyle and the diversity but I found the storyline super hard to follow to the point I can’t even give a real description. Fassen and Lu are both cool and I liked the characters but the storyline wasn’t for me. Overall beautiful art but hectic plot.

19. The Prince and the Dressmaker by Jen Wang: Adorable and charming. I really liked the unique art style in this book and the relationship between Prince Sebastian and Frances is very sweet. The graphic novel is about Frances who is a talented seamstress who is secretly hired to make dresses for Prince Sebastian who enjoys wearing beautiful dresses but can’t let anyone including his parents know because of his royal status. Sebastian and Frances' friendship is sweet and I love how they treat each other. I felt like their falling out was forced and I didn’t really understand why Frances was upset, but the last two chapters made me so happy. Overall I loved the artstyle, loved Sebastian and Frances friendship, and loved chapter 11 & 12.

18: The girl from the sea by Molly Knox Ostertag: Morgan and Keltie are adorable and the art style was gorgeous. This sapphic graphic novel is about Morgan who lives on a small island with her mom, little brother, and has friends. After accidentally falling in the ocean she's met by a fish girl named Keltie who she once met when they were both children, after saving her they share a kiss, Keltie then comes into her life saying her love transformed her from a seal to a human girl. It’s cute, it’s silly, and it's sweet. Bittersweet ending but a fun read. Overall sweet sapphic love story, seal girls are better than mermaids.

17. The Gravity of us by Phil Stamper:It’s basically what would happen if the moon landing happened in modern day. We follow Cal, a 17 year old journalist who has to leave his life in Brooklyn to move to Houston when his dad gets a job working as an astronaut at NASA. Cal is probably the most unlikable protagonist I’ve read so far but he gets better as you read the book . The romance between Cal and Leon was really nice and I really like Leon as a character and found him the most relatable. Overall fun read, Leon should have his own book.

16. Conventionally Yours by Annabeth Albert: I love Geeks falling in love. It's my favorite holiday. This book is a duo POV with Alden and Conrad, while I didn’t see it as enemies to lovers as the book is advertised I still really enjoyed it regardless. We follow Alden and Conrad as they go on a road trip together to make content for a YouTube channel they both make appearances on called “Gamer Grandpa” which they play a card game named Odyssey also plan on playing at an tournament to win money and an opportunity to play the game professionally. Learning about both the characters' struggles, family lifes, and why they need to win the tournament all while becoming closer and closer was so fun to read. I really like Alden and Conrad and think they made a cute couple. I'll admit I knew who was gonna win barely half way through the story but that doesn’t matter to me. I liked the romance and where the characters ended up at the end. Overall this book was adorkable and I wished Odyssey was a real game.

15. Out of Characters by Annabeth Albert: More Geeks falling in love but now ex-friends to lovers version. This book is also a duo POV with Jasper and Milo, Jasper was a minor character in Conventionally Yours and in this one he gets his own story where his old childhood friend Milo comes to him needing help after he lost his older brother expensive Odyssey cards in a game. Seeing Jasper and Milo reconnect was adorable and their adventure was so much fun to read. I also loved reading about Milo getting out of his comfort zone, making new friends, and better coming to terms with his sexuality. It was so great and he and Jasper have amazing chemistry. Overall friends to lovers is underrated and I need more books with the characters cosplaying.

14. The darkness outside us by Eliot Schrefer: This book was a mindfuck and I loved every single page. This was one of my first Sci-fi books and it is amazing! Ambrose and Kodiak are both sent into space on a mission, they have no memory of the launch and the only company they have is each other and the ship’s operating system which tells them to do their tasks and encourages them to follow their mission to get on Titian. Since the book is mostly building suspense and leaving small clues leading to the plot twist the romance isn’t that developed but I still think Ambrose and Kodiak are good together and I really liked them. Overall a great book and the ending is so satisfying.

13. You should see me in a crown by Leah Johnson: This book makes me so happy! We follow Liz an black gay teenage girl living in a primarily white and rich neighborhood. She has no interest in popularity but when she finds out the winner of prom queen gets scholarship money that can help her pay for her dream school she starts running and works hard to get votes. I related to Liz so much when it came to friends, her family, and feeling like she needs to protect the people around her. Seeing Liz reconnect with her old friend, make new friends, and her relationship with Mack is just so wholesome. Overall great book and I wish Liz was real so we could be friends.

12. Infinity Reaper by Adam Silvera: This seems hit or miss with some people but I loved it! This is the second book in the Infinity series. It’s hard to explain the plot without spoiling anything from the first book but I really enjoyed it and can’t wait for the next one. Overall Ness is my favorite character and I hope Adam Silvera doesn't kill him.

11. Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller: The Hype is real. It’s the story of Achilles' life Achilles told by his lover Patroclus. The two meet after Patroclus accidentally kills another boy over dice and his father Menoetius banishes him away. The two become friends and later start a romantic relationship. We see Achilles' life from childhood to when he fights in the Trojan war. It's written beautifully and it’s truly heartbreaking. Overall terrific book, Achilles and Patroculs are the best historical gays.

Honorable mention. Rogue Sun volume one: Cataclysm: Okay so this was a book my brother really wanted me to read so I gave it a chance and it was really good. We follow Dylan who is a regular highschool student who recently finds out his father passed away, when going to the reading of his fathers will he finds out his dad was the town's hero named Rogue Sun and he passed down his powers to him. I liked it, I thought it was a good mix of action and real life emotions and Dylan was a great main character and really grew on me, I also thought it had a nice twist. Overall not my usual vibe but I enjoyed it nonetheless

10. I kissed Sara Wheeler by Casey McQuiston: Casey McQuiston has never written a bad book in their life and I kissed Sara Wheeler is great, We follow Chloe green who goes on an adventure to find her academic rival and most popular girl in school Sara Wheeler after she kissed her on prom night then completely disappeared she has the help of Sara’s boyfriend Smith, and another character named Rory who Sara also kissed on prom night. Sara leaves small clues for them to follow to help find where she is. My only real issues is while I like Sara and Chloe I liked the side characters even more and wanted to see more of them, I wanted to see more of Smith’s exploring his identity and his relationship with Rory, other characters like Ash, Benjy, Georgia, and more seem like interesting characters who could’ve been so fun to read if given more attention. Overall fun mystery and I need a second book about Smith and Rory.

9. Red, White, and Royal blue by Casey McQuiston: I’m a basic bitch I know but I really did love this book.This book is about the first son Alex falling in love with the Prince of Wales Prince Henry. I really don’t know what to say about this book that hasn’t already been said but I loved it. This book is super funny and Alex and Henry had immediate chemistry which was so much fun to read. I wish the side characters like Pez, Nora, and June got more attention but since this is a romance I understand why they were sidelined. Overall sweet political romance and obtuse fucking asshole is the most romatic line in any book ever.

8. One last stop by Casey McQuiston: It’s probably slightly controversial having One Last Stop ranked higher than Red, White, and Royal blue but the main reason I ranked it higher is because I loved every single character and felt like everyone one had a nice conclusion unlike Red, white, and Royal blue and I kissed Sara Wheeler where I wanted more attention on the side characters. I also loved seeing August and Jane's relationship build while also trying to help Jane understand what happened to her and seeing August find herself on the way was great. Overall another great mystery by Casey MCQuiston, I’m a sucker for sapphic romances

7. Extraordinaries by T.J.Klune: This book is the reason I downloaded back Tumblr it fucking amazing! Gay superheroes, fanfiction, and a main protagonist who is hilarious and relatable this book is fucking awsome. We follow Nick Bell who is the biggest fan of a neighborhood superhero named Shadow Storm who fights his arch rival Pyro Storm. In this world people who have super powers are called Extraordinaries and Nick desperately wants to be extraordinary and to make his fanfiction come true by being with the super hero of his dreams. I’ll admit I didn’t love Nick much at first but she really grew on me. Not only is the book great but it also has great ADHD rep and LGBTQ rep. Overall my favorite superhero novel better than marvel movies

6. Every word you never said by Jordon Greene: This wins for having the prettiest cover I currently own. This book is also a duo POV following Skyler Grey an nonverbal boy who was just recently adopted and enjoys wearing skirts and dresses and Jacob Walters who recently came out and dealing with shitheads because of it including his own father. The book is about Skyler fighting for his right to express himself when Jacbo’s own father tries to make rules to stop him from doing so. Skyler and Jacob are adorable and seeing them get closer and closer was heartwarming. However the book does talk a lot about politics and the ugly side of christianity which made me feel uneasy at times but the romance and message was so strong I couldn’t help but love it. Overall clothes have no gender!

5. Winter Orbit by Everina Maxwell: To be completely honest this is probably the best written book I’ve read all year. The writing, story building, character building, and explaining of the politics of the world was written, in my opinion of course almost perfectly.The book is about Kiem and Jainan who are forced to marry to seal an alliance between their respective empires after Jainan pervouse partener was killed suddenly. However it becomes more complicated when a Jainan becomes a person in interest in his death. Admittedly the romance in this book is pretty secondary in the story and is mostly about Jainan and Kiem trying to prove Jainan is innocent, I still liked the romance tho and seeing Kiem being sweet and patient with Jainan who has a lot of unresolved trauma was nice. My only issue is that the book felt kinda slow at times but the end result is totally worth it. Overall I felt smart reading this book. Kiem is a sweet cinnamon roll who deserves the world.

4. Delilah Green Doesn’t Care by Ashley Herring Blake: I don’t usually like adult books but this is a huge expectation. This book is a romance between Claire Sutherland who is a single mom with an eleven-year-old daughter dealing with an undependable ex-boyfriend and Delilah Green who is hired to be her estranged step sister Astrid photographer at her wedding. Delilah had it tough growing up with losing her mom, dad, and living with her uncaring step mother and Claire had her own issues with being a single mom and dating. Delilah and Claire are sweet together and I really liked their relationship and it was a nice story. My only issues is that there is a side plot where Claire and another mutual friend of her and Astrid wants to stop her from marrying her dick head fiance and that pretty much goes nowhere in favor of the romance, I love Delilah and Claire’s romance but I would’ve liked to see more of then trying to talk sense into Astrid. Overall Cute and spicy sapphic romance can’t wait to read Astrid Parker doesn’t fail next year.

3. Heat Wave by T.J. Klune: FAN-FUCKING-TASTIC ending to the extraordinaries, The dad squad had my entire heart, seeing everyone work together to stop Simion evil plan of taking over Nova city was epic and the epilogue at the end its probably the best epilogue I’ve ever read in a book. However I wasn’t a big fan of the ending and what they decided to do to Owen and I hated how they kept talking about how “You shouldn’t see things as Evil vs. Good because things are more complicated than that” when Simion was very clearly evil and had only bad intentions but with the great plot twist, sweet moments, and of course the amazing epilogue I was able to get past it and enjoy a great conclusion to a great series. Overall this series was extraordinary and Jazz is a badass.

2. Flash Fire by T.J. Klune: This is more just me. I tend to like the second book in trilogies the most and this wasn’t any different. Seth is my favorite character and in Flash fire he gets more attention and I loved that. This is also when we learn more about Nick’s mom Jenny who passed away 3 years ago and Nick learns more about himself, in this we learn more about Simion’s plans, we also meet new characters like Mateo/ Miss Conduct, Jerry the burrito guy, and T.K who are all introduced in a cool and funny way. Overall Second time is always the best and Pyro Storm is bae.

1. Cinderella is dead by Kalynn Bayron: Words can’t describe how much I love this book but I will try. This new dark retelling of Cinderella's story takes an unique and cool spin on a classic. We follow Sophia who lives in a world 200 years after Cinderella found her prince charming and “Lived happily ever after” Ever since the king forces the people in the village to live their lives following Cinderall’s story. Sophia has no interest in marrying a man and would rather marry her childhood friend Erin but is forced to go to an annual ball and find a husband or else. I love this fast paced story about fighting the patriarchy and learning the real story of Cinderella. Sophia and Constance bounce off each other perfectly and I love their chemistry, not much romance but the book was so good it honestly doesn’t bother me. I loved this book so much and it’s my absolutely favorite book in 2022. Overall I loved a dark retelling and Sophia is a girlboss.

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prancingnougat · 10 months

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(Cheery) Games for Combating the Post Final Fantasy XVI Blues

After beating FFXVI, I got super down - not because I disliked the game, quite the opposite. I loved it so much that now the experience was over, I felt that all-too-familiar void, and I suspect that I'm not alone in that.

So I went back to play some of the more recently released games that I bought (from the past 5 years or so), a few of which I never beat. As much as I loved and appreciate 16 for everything it is, I really wanted something lighter in terms of themes. I figure this could be a decent list for people who might want another RPG-like experience. These are very different, however - I'm focusing on games that are available for purchase right now, and games that are a little on the brighter side, thematically. Your mileage will totally vary, but some of these are fun games that appealed to me and they might appeal to you too!

Bravely Default 2

Play me if you like: job systems, rewarding level grinding, sidequests galore

The original Bravely Default 1+2 are Nintendo 3DS classics that absolutely stand the test of time, but can be a little expensive/hard to find. BD2, on the other hand, is available on the Nintendo eShop and for PC. It is great if you're looking to get back to basics in regard to story and RPG mechanics - but that's not to say the gameplay is lacking. Far from it, BD2 has one of the most fun job systems I've ever encountered. The cast of characters is charming, the graphics are lovely, and I've found it relaxing after the intensity of FFXVI. Plus, all the job outfits are outright adorable (especially Beastmaster, my beloved)

Harvestella

Play me if you like: unexpectedly good stories, loads of character depth, farming simulation, light-but-fun action RPGs

If you liked FFXVI for its story, I think you might appreciate Harvestella's strange but wonderful sci-fi fantasy narrative/world. While it's much lighter on the action, and its job system isn't quite as involved as the Bravely Default series, it's still a completely unique experience that blends light farming sim elements with classic RPG fun. It's similarly relaxing as BD2 in the sense that you're encouraged to take it at your own pace and focus on your own favored play style. It completely took me by surprise with it's story, and I tend to be pretty picky about that sort of thing. It's also available on Switch and PC!

Sakuna: Of Rice and Ruin

Play me if you like: action sidescrollers, more in-depth farming elements, mythological settings

This is definitely one of the most unique games I've ever played, and while it's completely different from FFXVI, it can potentially serve as something of a palate cleanser after going through such a dark story. Sakuna has one of the most complex farming systems, one that is impacted by your exploration. It also helps determine your character's stats. You explore the wilderness as a little goddess who lives away from her celestial home, opting for the life of a common rice farmer. While the focus is on rice farming as opposed to many crops like other farming sims, it's a fun way of centering yourself in between your more wilder adventures. It's on Switch, PS4, and PC!

Rune Factory 4 Special

Play me if you like: much lighter humor, light crafting systems, loooong stories, farming and marriage mechanics

You can probably tell that I have a thing for action games with farming elements. RF4 is my favorite in the Rune Factory series, and though there's a newer title with RF5, I found myself consistently enjoying this one a lot more. It's a humorous story that knows when it hit the right beats with it's sincerity, all while being just the right amount of challenging in regards to the action, with its pacing also controlled by your own gameplay style. It's wildly different from FFXVI, but it's one of my go-to games for cheering myself up after something heavy. And now that it's available on multiple platforms, more people can enjoy it too!

Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age

Play me if you like: strong ensemble casts, FFXVI's hunts, flexible job systems, MMO-style combat, challenging sidequests and superbosses

While this is easily the "darkest" game on this list, I still find its story very hopeful while balancing more serious themes. It is the culmination of everything good about Final Fantasy from the PS2 era; a long and interesting story that remains engaging throughout, phenomenal monster hunts that will push you to really engage with the job system, and satisfying sidequests with lots of loot. Plus, it's another Final Fantasy! I could suggest just about any game in the series, but since this one is a redone version that is now available on a ton of platforms, it's easily my biggest recommendation for anyone who wants a longer game in a similar vein as FFXVI.

Those are just a few games out there that might help itch some very specific scratches you've still got after playing 16. While I absolutely LOVE FFXVI's story - heaviness and all - I know I needed a big break before going and replaying it. Hopefully they bring someone as much cheer as they've brought me!

#ff16 #final fantasy 16 #bravely default #harvestella #rune factory #sakuna of rice and ruin #final fantasy xii: the zodiac age #rpg #farming simulator #video games #final fantasy #nintendo switch #pc #playstation

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vergilsama922 · 1 year

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My completely unnecessary Marvel Phase 4 Review

Right so I been spending the past 2 weeks thinking about the MCU phase 4 and my thoughts on all the projects and also perceptions towards it. Is it worth writing out a college-level essay? Nope. But hey I'm a super fan so here we are XP I don't expect this to get more than 2-3 likes anyhow :P Let's begin. I'll even throw in pictures since I'm so nice ;D

WandaVision (8/10):

A really great, unique piece of subtle and poignant storytelling with great writing, acting, and directing.. until the final episode which felt rushed, and formulaic and didn't utilize Agatha to her full potential compared to the mystery that surrounded her the entire series. Also rushed Wanda's journey into acceptance when instead, that should have been saved for MoM with WV setting up the Darkhold and its corruption better to lead into MoM more smoothly. Still, I absolutely adored the sitcom aspects of the show and the ongoing week-to-week mystery. Mephisto memes were born here!

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier (8.75/10):

What this series does well, it does extremely well, but what it also suffers from some severe problems. Thankfully the good things are more than the bad and that makes the series enjoyable. The racism aspect, Sam's arc, Isaiah's story, and the symbolism and subtext about the faults of America were all done amazingly! Bucky and John Walker felt a tiny bit underused and not as developed as they could have been, but still were incredible. The Flag-smashers and Sharon needed a lot more time and better writing to make the audience care about them. In general, the series tried to do A LOT with little time, which also made the finale a bit underwhelming. It needed at least 2 more episodes and better pacing/editing to make it feel more serialized rather than a movie sliced in parts, as well as some better writing for its villains and it could have been one of Marvel's best projects yet. Still, it's easily my favorite Disney plus show and let's not forget how incredible Zemo is and his awesome dance skills

Loki (9/10):

One of Marvel Studios' best storytelling endeavours yet. Amazing character development, some of the most philosophical themes that Marvel has touched on, and a very well-built world that feels both grounded and fantastical at the same time. Also some of the most visually beautiful cinematography, production design, and directing as well Marvel's best original score. This series truly felt and was epic and still stands as Marvel Studios' best D+ show. That said, it needed a bit tighter pacing and a meatier, less lenient story with more layers. Episodes 3, 4, and especially 5 felt quite empty and repetitive from a story and character progression standpoint and could have been compressed in 1.5/2 episodes. But I love the overall tone of it feeling like a Doctor Who show and the aesthetics of the TVA. And let's not forget Jonathan Majors insane performance as He Who Remains. Not to mention Loki falling in love with Loki, Our Loki getting a ton of character development, and Sylvie effectively ruining the multiverse. Thanks, Sylvie. (人◕ω◕)******

Black Widow (7.25/10):

The movie was just fine. Nothing more than that. It also came out too late (Thanks Perlmutter) and that coupled with its flat storytelling, especially surrounding the Red Room, and the truly unnecessarily extreme action made the movie feel like it had zero stakes and it ended up being forgettable and uninteresting. I have rewatched it since it first came out though and I actually enjoyed it more the second time around. I especially loved the first half with Natasha and Yelena. Unfortunately, the second half struggles to balance the Red Room threat and the family arc, making the catharsis and arc completion in the final act lacking and not-as-climactic. But at least we got Yelena who is one of my favorite new characters introduced!

What if...? (6.5/10):

A great concept with some great ideas, but it ultimately felt like 20 minutes to each episode wasn't nearly enough to properly tell most of these stories. That said, the animation was amazing and for an MCU fan, the series is still enjoyable enough to get through once. I mean there were some bangers like the zombies episode (@pyropsychiccollector loves it alot (人◕ω◕) ) and the Ultron episode at the very end. I also enjoyed the Captain Carter stuff and when Killmonger betrayed Iron-man but it definitely was the studio's first step into animation so they're going to be unrefined. Hopefully, by season 2 they have a better idea of what to work with.

Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (8.5/10):

A good, but rather formulaic origin story that was elevated to a great movie due to its strong lead, its beautiful and smooth cinematography and action choreography, its culturally unique story, and its great use of flashbacks that made for very compelling storytelling, tied to the cultural themes of memory that the film so gracefully explores. Not to mention that Wenwu is INCREDIBLE! One of the best MCU villains so far and his love/grief is strong storytelling. Honorable mentions of Katie and Xialing as well. Definitely, a strong start for a new character on the big screens even though it has issues to iron out

Eternals (7.75/10):

Much like TFATWS, this is a movie that tried to do too much. Too many characters, too many plotlines, and too many themes. And its runtime didn't allow it to reach the great potential that it had, making the ending fall flat and not really all that satisfying, especially with its cliffhanger, making this feel like a part 1 to a 2-part story narrative that may not even get concluded in this saga. That said, even with the time they had, Zhao and the Firpos made almost all the characters really well-rounded and realized and each with their own unique personality, struggles, and character arc, making them instantly iconic and likable, investing the audience in an otherwise quite long-winded story. But I will say the cinematography is absolutely stunning and Ikarus's dilemma at the end was textbook Shakespearean. And yes Tiamut WILL be a core thing moving forward in Phase 5, don't you worry. Also, Black Knight and Blade tease at the end~

Hawkeye (8.5/10):

A really fun, entertaining, heartfelt, emotional, and genuine Christmas action/adventure that knows what it is and doesn't try to outdo itself. My only complaint is that, like Eternals and TFATWS, they tried to do a lot and failed to give the appropriate weight to all of it. Yelena and Kingpin needed to appear earlier and they needed to better establish Kingpin's character and his relationships with Maya and Eleanor. Other than that, the show is the project that made me tear up the third most and it is a testament to Renner and Steinfeld's outstanding acting and the writers' simple, yet incredible exploration of their characters and their relationships with their families. It's funny though because originally I would've rated this a 6/10 when I first went through it but on the rewatch it was a lot stronger than I gave it credit. Also, Jack is a treat. And that damn musical LMAO

Spider-Man: No Way Home (9.25/10):

An almost perfect movie all around. Great writing, direction, cinematography, action, plot, structure, pacing, and a satisfying and very emotional conclusion to decades of storytelling. That said, the plot during the first half of the first act felt very convenient and sloppily-written, and was there just for the film to happen. It is completely understandable due to COVID reshuffling the release dates of this and Dr. Strange: In The Multiverse of Madness, but it still takes you a bit out of the narrative HOWEVER let's be fair. We ALL lost our shit when we saw Tobey and Andrew show up again! Even William as Green Goblin and Jamie Foxx as a MUCH better Electro. And Aunt May's death was the second movie in Phase 4 that made me cry like a baby. This movie was simply the perfect way to end Peter's prequel trilogy and now he will truly be Spider-Man moving forward.

Moon Knight (8.5/10):

An amazing, refreshing character piece with some of the best acting the MCU has seen with Oscar Isaac and Ethan Hawke. Really interesting and compelling storytelling, but with a mediocre and rehashed story. Also the different tones: the horror mystery of Episodes 1 and 2 and the adventure of episodes 3 and 4, the more serious psychological deep dive of episode 5, and the over-the-top super-hero action of episode 6 felt like they were colliding with each other, often making the series feel a little unfocused and not knowing what it wanted to do. That said, the plotting and structure were actually really good and they utilized the 6-episode structure really well unlike most of the shows. The pacing felt great and the slow character exploration of both Marc and Steven until the climax of their story in episodes 5 and 6 was remarkable. And I won't be remiss to bring up "It's your turn to lose". @pyropsychiccollector won't let that go XDD But seriously, Oscar Isaac absolutely gave an Oscar-level performance as Marc, Steven, and Jake. Check out Assembled: Moon Knight on Disney plus to see the insane work put into this show!

Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (8/10):

A very good story with great themes, ideas, and character arcs with.. some problems admittedly. Michael Waldron's slow, character-focused, introspective script and thematical ideas are jumbled and don't get as much focus and gravitas in Sam Raimi's unnecessarily frantically-paced, intense, action-packed, slasher horror. The writer and director are both amazing on their own, but they didn't work well together. That said, they each held each other back too. Without Waldron's interesting and nuanced script, Sam would have a made semi-mindless slasher, and without Raimi, Michael would have made a very long and potentially boring and slow-paced movie. With that out the way, I REALLY enjoy Strange character arc and realization that he had to be the one to not hold the knife, unlike his variants. Wanda was also brilliant and her descent into madness made perfect sense if you've seen WandaVision but also how Wanda had a moment of clarity at the end and did the right thing. Of course, there's the Illuminati with Patrick Stewart back as Professor Xavier, Anson Mount as Black Bolt, and John Krasinski as Reed Richards. And of course, those death scenes were freaking brutal! Also honorable mention to America Chavez, yes I can hear some of you moan about another mentor relationship but I really did enjoy her energy on screen.

Ms. Marvel (7.25/10):

Just like Hawkeye, this is a more low-stakes, slice-of-life, fun, and genuine piece that showcases teenage struggle and Muslim and Desi culture in a realistic, down-to-earth and authentic, albeit sometimes simplistic way. It doesn't try to be more than that and it does really well with what it is. It is elevated A LOT by the unique and beautiful direction and art direction, especially in episodes 1,2,3, and 6 as well as the great and vibrant cast, particularly the passionate newcomer, Iman Velani who brought Kamala Khan to life better than anyone else could and is a bigger MCU nerd than me! But it is also severely brought down by the VERY underdeveloped and rushed villains and the odd pacing of episodes 4 and 5. That said, the series is good enough to be entertaining, even with its mishaps, and its surface-level "for kids/teens" aesthetic betrays the amount of passion and subtext put into the show. Also, I personally learned a little about the partition from this wonderful series.

Thor: Love and Thunder (7.5/10):

Despite the hate this has gotten online, I genuinely believe that this film is great, but definitely not perfect. The movie knows what it is and what it wants to do and spends no minute wasted. It is slow, ponderous, serious, mature, and emotional when it needs to be and that is not undercut by humor, unlike Ragnarok, but it's also funny, passionate, genuine, heartfelt, and tender when it needs to be and it nails both tones perfectly with a great balance between the 2, again unlike Ragnarok.

The somber and serious moments in Love and Thunder (every scene with Gorr, the entire Shadow Realm sequence, Thor and Jane's relationship building and flashbacks, Jane's scene at the hospital and then her death, the last scene with "Love and Thunder") were executed much better than Ragnarok's (there's no somber moment after Odin dies as Hela immediately comes and throws Thor into the zany Sakaar, and we barely see Thor mourne as Loki immediately appears and ruins Thor's prayer, Surtur is treated like a complete joke, 2 of the warriors 3 die a "non-warrior-y" death, Asgard's destruction is literally made into one of the worst jokes in the MCU).

In my opinion, Ragnarok treats itself much less seriously when its stakes feel much larger and more daunting and depressing, causing a tonal divide, while Love and Thunder are supposed to be a fun adventure because Jane is hiding her pain and suffering as she is TRYING to spend the last few days of her life on a crazy, fun, zany adventure on purpose. Jane is being silly because she CHOOSES to be silly and have fun in her last moments and Thor feels silly because he is falling in love all over again and is at a point in his character arc where he feels comfortable to let himself be silly and mess around.

On the other hand, Ragnarok makes its characters silly for no apparent reason, making that movie more like a stand-up comedy than an actual story unfolding in front of our eyes. That said, most of Ragnarok's jokes are better and feel more organically inserted in the dialogue, while most of Love and Thunder's jokes don't land as well and sometimes may even feel SNL-level, taking you away from the story. Once the rate of jokes significantly decreases and their quality increases in the second half of the movie, the story really shines and gets you much more invested.

Cast was all at the top of their game and holy shit Bale just poured his heart and soul so much into this, although he did need quite more time, both to live up to his name, but also to be established as a serious and multi-layered threat and make the plot meatier. The opening and the ending were so, so, so well done! Soundtrack and cinematography were top notch, it elevated the movie so much! If someone asks me what the meaning of life is, I will show them this movie. Find love and do what makes you happy every single day like it's the last. Don't wait, don't sit around and ponder what the meaning of life is, just go out there and live it with the people you love the most! The ending was so good and solidified this theme so well, that any flaws mostly go away for me, because of how much it hit me emotionally.

She-Hulk (8/10):

Let's start with what this show ISN'T.

Despite it seeming like a superhero show, it is not. It is a comic book show and it definitely has a lot of comic-bookiness and weirdness, but it doesn't really belong in the super-hero genre (even Jen herself doesn't want to be a hero until near the end) and it definitely doesn't belong in the action genre that Marvel Studios is known for. And I like that it actively turns the superhero genre on its head at the end and subverts people's expectations of the Marvel formula.

It is also not a show with a big, twisty, overarching story or deep characters. That's not what She-Hulk ever was or what it was striving to be. Both in the comics and in the MCU, She-Hulk was a silly, completely episodic, slice-of-life sitcom/courtroom comedy that tries to showcase and embrace the absurdity, weirdness, vibrance, and flamboyance of comic books, but also make fun of the flaws, repetitiveness and general silliness of the medium through meta-commentary.

It was also a progressive comic book that contrasted the timid life that a female lawyer lives, being unnoticed by her male counterparts and society in general, and her suppressing those problems to appease to societal norms, with the exuberant and confident She-Hulk that empowered Jen Walters to be the person she wants to be.

And Jessica Gao along with the whole team of writers and the 2 directors, Kat Coiro and Anu Valia, truly understood that and did an absolutely amazing job of translating it to screen in the best way possible.

What makes the show stand out is Tatiana Maslany's irresistible charm and great comedic performance along with the funny, witty and meta writing which allows the show to fully embrace its absurd and weird setting as well as expand the MCU's lore and world-building through the POV of semi-regular MCU citizens as well as the eyes of the law, but also the unique, quirky supporting characters and cameos (Hulk, Pug, Nikki, Madisynn, Wong, Abomination and his crew and of course Daredevil) and their relationship with each other and with Jen.

On the other hand, Titania, despite being marketed as the main villain, felt like a nothing character. Especially in the wedding episode which was a weak episode in general. She was just a nuisance and it was frustrating that the show made her feel like a bigger deal than she was. Much of it though definitely came from the promotional. Jameela Jamil had second billing and was often called the primary antagonist of the series and there was a whole Titania marketing campaign with her getting her own Twitter account.

Most of the stories (apart from the wedding) were really interesting and, as I have said above, really expanded the world of the MCU and showed us another side of it that I personally have always wanted to see. The finale was the boldest, most inventive, most insane thing Marvel Studios has done and I don't think it can be topped. It was just the number 1 "WTF" moment by a mile!

Werewolf by Night (8.5/10):

A short, great piece of storytelling and action with its own unique style. Where this 54-minute film really excels is in its stellar production design. First-time director Michael Giacchino makes this project in a throwback to the classic '30s horror films that first put Universal on the map. And the film takes advantage of it. Everything from its black-and-white aesthetic to its clever use of lighting and camera angles makes it one of the best singular-produced projects Marvel has done in all of Phase Four so far.

Werewolf By Night’s use of violence and horror also proves to be a standout. While not the most violent or bloody thing in the world, it’s definitely heavier than most of Marvel’s more family-friendly fare. And it bares its teeth (literally in this case) with a brutal final act that will leave unaccustomed viewers in shock.

Lastly, the film takes full advantage of its two lead actors. Gael Garcia Bernal is brilliant as the titular character and once his ferocious transformation occurs he physically owns every scene. Laura Donnelly as Elsa Bloodstone also contributes a stellar performance in her limited screen time but she chews up the scenery.

For all its greatness, and there is quite a bit, there is still one glaring problem that left me dissatisfied at the end of it. Clocking in at 54 minutes, it tells a lot of story for such a short period of time. It’s a blessing considering the previous 15 minutes shorts we used to get in the MCU, but I still wish with this level of a concept and high of production quality, we could have spent a little more time in this new corner of the Marvel Multiverse. And of course, as with every aspect of the MCU, this film does mostly stand out on its own without much, if any, connecting tissue. While that is a negative to some, I was glad we were able to focus on these characters instead of constantly trying to focus on where this short places in the wider universe. Ted is also one of the greatest new characters introduced in the MCU. Easily top 3 for me.

Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (10/10):

Easily my most favorite MCU movie of all time. My definition of what I consider a "Perfect" movie. An outstanding movie from whatever aspect you look at it. Writing, directing, cinematography, music, costume design, production design, cast performances, story, plot, pacing, editing, and storytelling. It just felt like the Phase 4 project with the most love and passion poured into it. So much so that Ryan Coogler didn't let one aspect of the movie be "mediocre" and didn't let one moment of screen time go to waste. It felt genuine, serious, mature, deep and it succeeded in the monumental task of continuing the narrative of the Black Panther franchise without its lead character, while also giving its ensemble cast the time to shine and develop other corners of Wakanda.

What was particularly strong apart from Shuri's acting and character arc was the villain, Tenoch Huerta's Namor, and the worldbuilding of Talokan as well as the geopolitical worldbuilding of the film that sets up the future of the MCU. As a sucker for the geopolitical and sociopolitical aspects of the MCU, this was the movie that fully met my needs and expectations. And the last point I'll make here is that this movie made me cry 5 times when I first watched and three times on the rewatch. The amount of emotion poured into this movie and it's themes and trauma that black people experience daily and generationally means this film has a very special place in my heart. This movie taught me it's okay to be angry and in pain but also taught me *HOW* to heal and move on. For this reason and the others I listed above easily makes this the best MCU movie for me. Honorable mention also goes to Riri who was incredibly charismatic and energetic from her first shot. Some people may see Riri as unnecessary but these people fail to recognize how Riri serves as an allegory to black americans and the energy/personality we have. And on top of just being a very likable person, she's also a super-genius? Let's gooooo~ Can't wait for her show and separating her from Tony Stark was a genius idea for the MCU.

Guardians of the Galaxy: A Holiday Special (8.75/10):

Just pure, unfiltered fun with great music and finally a good character arc for Mantis who had been left to the side in the previous MCU installments. Nothing more else I have to say other than watching this will become a Holiday tradition for me, just like Hawkeye became last year. Actually no. I do have to say that I was originally planning on skipping this but I'm SO SO glad I didn't. All I'll say is this. "YOU'LL NEVER ESCAPE ME BACON!!!!"

I would also like to talk a little bit about the Phase 4 unnecessary overhating and the toxic nitpicking.

Partially, it is definitely caused by nostalgia clouding the flaws of the Infinity Saga and thus making the flaws of Phase 4 stand out more.Another part is also the desensitization to the genre and the formula and that is even more amplified by 2 bonus facts:

the audience that grew up with the MCU and felt that magic that it brought in their pre-teen/teen/young adult years has grown up now and that same magic will never be brought back.

The age you experience a stimulus plays a VERY important role about whether that becomes a positive or negative stimulus, not only because of the difference in your comprehensive capacity, but also because young brains experience things under a completely different light. What might seem magical, world-shattering and insane to a young brain might seem pretty neutral and dull by an adult mind.

2. Marvel Studios has oversaturated the market with superhero stuff and Disney's other company, Lucasfilm, is also oversaturating the sci-fi/fantasy/action/adventure megagenre that most blockbusters belong into as well. And because there's this notion that's been ingrained in MCU fans' brains that they NEED to watch everything Marvel Studios puts out otherwise they will be lost in the next installment, people have gotten tired of trying to catch up with the MCU and to some it may seem more like a chore or homework.

Back on the nostalgia bit, Phase 3 also imbued people with this emotion that comes with finality and with culmination. Marvel Studios offered its fans a drug that's called hype and build-up and during IW and EG, everybody got so high on it that people feel the need for an overarching threat and plot to be established right away and for every project to lead into the next event.

They can't wait for Marvel Studios to take a breath, rebuild and expand the universe, deal with the consequences of IW and EG and slowly set up all the new players, the new threats, the new corners, the new teams and the new rules that will be important in building up the next event properly.

That's why cameos and post-credits scenes and spoilers and connections have become so important now. Sometimes so much so that some fans forget to see the projects for what they are.

However Marvel Studios themselves are not completely hands-off on this turn-off for the MCU. They have made many flaws this Phase, many of them attributed to COVID changing the filming schedules and the release dates and thus the stories to some extent and how these are told, but also many of them attributed to Marvel Studios not choosing the right people for some projects or not giving them enough time to tell the stories they wanted to tell. And when there are many consecutive projects that didn't live up to their own potentials as stories, there's this sour aftertaste that's left in people's mouths. And of course, Bob Chapek being an absolutely AWFUL leader and restricting/overworking Feige.

On top of that, toxicity and negativity has gotten off the charts in the world the last couple of years, and especially on the internet of course. COVID created and gave light to many conspiracy nuts and made people angry at each other and I'm not even gonna mention how the political state of the world deteriorating every moment is contributing to that as well as to people's edginess. So these flaws and mistakes get more amplified on the internet now than they were before.

I also think the fans amplify them on purpose, because the lack of an overarching plot made them less and less interested in these projects, so the general lack of interest in the MCU made them see some of the projects with a more negative bias.

For example, Thor: The Dark World was a meh movie but it introduce the reality stone and the Collector, all stuff that people knew were gonna play a bigger role in the future and that made them see the movie under a different light because they were interested in the universe that it was part of and how it's going to affect it. That's also why the reception to AoU has changed over the years once more and more of its world-building and set-ups started paying off and proved really important.

But the MCU is different now. It's not following that same structure where each movie is a very important episode with all the episodes following the same story that leads to the finale. Before, the MCU felt like an Avengers TV show with 2-hour episodes. It legitimately felt very, very similar to Avengers: Earth's Mightiest Heroes and I think Feige took a lot of inspiration from that show and still is considering The Kang Dynasty was literally the name of one of its episode.

Now, we've entered the era of the actual Marvel Cinematic UNIVERSE. A web of stories with an insane amount of characters doing very different things in their own little corners of the universe with some of these corners occasionally overalapping and interacting. That's the structure of storytelling that the comics followed from the 60s till the early 00s.

It was only after ca. 2005 that Marvel Comics started its obsession with events that brought literally the entire universe together every few months with all solo runs in-between acting as pre-ludes and interludes for these events. And that's what the MCU fans have come to know now, which makes this new structure of individual, self-contained, "filler" stories something odd and unnatural for MCU fans.

And of course, since all these "episodes" of the Infinity Saga TV show were part of the same story, they also felt much more cut of the same cloth. Similar tone and style, similar stories. And that tone and style was designed to appeal to the widest audience possible. The MCU has diversified its style, tone, types of stories and the target audiences for each of its projects are now very, very different.

Finally, there are some people who saw the MCU as "Cap and Tony". They were the much of the audiences' anchors in this universe and without them, it just feels like all these are side-stories. For these people, the MCU ended with Endgame. For these people, the MCU was a TV-show with 22 2-hour episodes and now everything post-Phase 3 is just spin-offs; post-game campaigns.

And they are the players who close the game once the main story is done.

All in all, it was a good, enjoyable, fun, but also heartbreaking and emotional 2 years and while nowhere near perfect, Phase 4 introduced some great characters, had some great stories and some great threads for Phase 5 and 6 to explore. Will definitely look back with fond memories and nostalgia when the Multiverse Saga eventually comes to a close and I beliebe some stories will become retroactively better.

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ordinaryschmuck · 1 year

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Quick Thoughts on Strange World

Looks like I got some more quick thoughts for ya.

So, Strange World is...pretty good, actually. Not outstanding, though.

The story makes a big mistake in spelling out what it is to the audience. Most people could pick up what was going on, and we didn't really need it said to us halfway through the film. The writers try to make it clever foreshadowing, but it's not. It's also poorly paced, feeling like we're fast-forwarding through events, rarely taking a moment to slow down, breathe, and let the characters steal the show. Although, that last part might be a plus because the characters aren't the best either. They're not awful, but most aren't really anything new or inspired...Except for the Meridian and Ethan. Meridian is a badass mom and wife, and Ethan lives up to the hype as an explicitly gay character. The marketing department is jumping the gun in saying he's the first (there's been several at this point), but it's pretty cool of Disney to have Ethan be as gay as possible, even if there's not much to be done...Though, it doesn't paint a pretty picture for Disney when there's so little marketing towards this movie. Gee, I wonder why...?

Going back to characters that suck, however, I did not like Searcher. First of all, dumb name. Second, and more seriously, the guy is either whiney or incompetent, neither in a particularly funny way. It doesn't help, either, that Jake Gyllenhaal gives a performance that does not land. He sounds like a discount Paul Rudd, and every time he spoke, it made me realize how much I wish he was replaced with Paul Rudd. It's the Chris Pratt vs. Jack Black voicing Barley in Onward ALL OVER AGAIN!

Searcher's also way too ok with doing this pretty messed up thing. He doesn't go through with it, which I guess is a plus, but he's still the one to come up with the idea, which does not sit right with me.

So, the story is lacking, and the main protagonist is not the best. Is there any upside? Well, yes, actually: The animation and the world.

I adore how this movie looks. The character models and how they move are entertaining, emulating classic cartoons of the past while also giving Strange World a more unique look compared to other Disney properties in the last decade or so. Their world is also pretty creative and imaginative, resulting in a twist that I genuinely didn't see coming and making this movie much more engaging than it was in the first and second acts. Now, it could be a little strange to some people...but look at the title. That should be a key giveaway.

In the end, Strange World is not perfect. There are more negatives than positives, but the positives make up for anything wrong. I won't doubt why some people might not get into this one, but for me, it was a visually fun adventure that I wouldn't mind coming back to.

(Also, if you’re wondering where I’d put it in my Walt Disney Animated Pictures Studios ranking...Let’s say it’s #22. Right between The Great Mouse Detective and Robin Hood. Don’t hold me to that. It might change.)

#strange world #walt disney animated pictures studios

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em-writes-stuff-sometimes · 2 years

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I truly adore the fact that while Deamon is seen (and, I mean honestly is) the most wild, reckless Targaryen that steamrolls over people (unlike Rhaenyra and Viserys who have the parental roles in this fic) he is actually the one that has given her true freedom and is helping her bloom into her own agency. In the most depraved, delicious way cuz… c’mon it’s Daemon, he can’t help being a nasty meow meow. Costume was beyond hot (PUSSY SPANKING??? 🥵🫠) and while I am still panting in excitement for the possibility of her fully taking the reins and making that boy cry from pleasure, I love love love the fact that yes, these are fun one shots of their married life, but you’ve still put so much care and thought in showing a gradual development in their bond and in her as a person.

I’m also so happy to see the little glimpses of their family and how they’re interacting as a whole, it make it so much more immersive than just having the main characters existing in a bubble. Plus I really appreciate how Rhaenyra was never used as a throw away character to cause some drama, she’s still here, present and very much disgusted and I’m LIVING FOR IT 😂 I can only imagine the misery she will have to go through once Reader is preggo and Daemon has *questions* 🤣

Beyond amazing chapter as always, can’t wait for the filth that’s coming !!

Smooches,

🍑

Hey, 🍑! I’m so glad you enjoyed this update - a whole bunch that I didn’t have planned ended up sneaking it’s way in there (hello asshole touching). I’ve honestly been letting them do what they want, picture me as the reluctant writer in the corner watching them fuck haha. I’m also shocked that the pregnancy thing has been so delayed, given that that’s one of my ultimate favourite tropes (and kinks) to read in fanfics; I can only hope the anticipation doesn’t make it impossible to live up to the hype 🥺

Reader is slowly blossoming under Daemon’s… unique brand of ✨care✨ 😈 and it’s been a real joy to map out her gradual development; she’s now asking him for outrageous little things like at the end of Costume, and I reckon a time will be coming where Reader gets to take the reins a bit 😉. Not for long, though - uncle is in control, after all. And yeah, I wasn’t expecting this anthology to include genuine character development, but it’s been really cool so far; it’s been great to spotlight some of the less-developed characters like Viserys and Otto, and even introduce some new ones like Rodrick and Gita and Milla. Just fun side-character shenanigans! Introducing them here means that if I end up using them later on, there’s less work needed to develop their purpose.

I knew when beginning this story that Rhaenyra was never going to be the villain; she’s too swag for that and I LOVE HER. There was a bit of necessary angst to start with, but I never wanted to use her as a love rival because that’s a trope I enjoy but can’t be bothered writing. Most of the drama was in silly Reader’s head, poor thing, and it was just noice to deal with and resolve that narrative arc as expediently as possible. Rhaenyra’s got her own life now - an awesome sidekick hubby, her excellent lover Harwin (and Laena, RIP), her three boys and de-facto son and twin daughters (I mean, baby Corwyn and Baela and Rhaena are all technically half-sibling with her own kids, and my head canon is that they were pretty much team-raised by Rhae, Laena and Harwin so), a lovely little sis and a cushy position as Princess of Dragonstone. Point is, in this AU she doesn’t need Daemon - but I liked the inclusion of the idea that ‘if events had unfolded differently [i.e. like canon] she would have married him’. It’s not completely removing what they were to each other, but at the same time it’s not a declaration of longing or anything. She is suffering dealing with how obnoxious a happy and in-love uncle Daemon is, though, especially seeing as how he’s not shy in smugly reminding people that he gets good pussy on the regular (from her innocent little sister, fucking Christ she’s done).

Everyone’s gonna be so tense when Reader gets pregnant - Daemon’s gonna be the ultimate dadzilla like you wouldn’t believe!

Thank you so much as always for reading 😘❤️❤️❤️

#fanfiction comments #ferals

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miharuhebinata · 1 year

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monthly game tag time!

january

1. Fayburrow

i contemplated not even including this one on this list, as it was incredibly short, but i figured i should. story was interesting & the graphics were pretty, but the controls weren't great & again, it is fairly short (half-an-hour at most), but it's completely free & overall a nice experience.

2. Heaven's Vault

honestly i have mixed feelings about this game. the story was really good, but in the end it just felt way too damn long. still, the main game mechanic of translating a language (which was specifically made for this game!!) was super cool to me, i had so much fun with it even though it could be pretty challenging lol so overall i do recommend it! besides the length, probably my biggest issue was how slow the main character moved, but still, if it sounds like something you'd be interested in then overall i definitely recommend it :)

3. Chicken Police - Paint it RED!

this was my personal favorite of the games i played in january. the art style was so unique & the mystery was fairly good, though i'd be remiss if i didn't admit it played into some harmful ableist tropes, which was disappointing. imo where the game truly shined, though, was the world-building. like i literally felt compelled to gather each & every piece of information i could, not just because i'm a completionist, but because i genuinely enjoyed learning more about the fictional world, so i definitely recommend it based on that alone lol

february

1. Bugsnax

if you've been paying attention lately then you probably already know i absolutely adored this game! literally my only criticism was the loading times, everything else was a 10/10 🥰🥰🥰 ...well, actually i do have one more very slight criticism but that would be getting into spoiler territory & i don't want to spoil anything in case someone does decide to pick it up :3

2. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order

tbh the controls felt super wonky the first time i tried playing this (which i actually made a post about) but upon retrying it they weren't so bad? i mean i actually managed to finish the game this time lol

but anyway, on to my actual thoughts. i thought this game was pretty good! the story was kind of hard to follow at times, but i think that's probably due to me not being super into star wars lore. also ngl cal was kind of boring to me, like i was much more invested in cere, greez, bd-1, & merrin than i ever was in cal. not that i disliked him or anything, just overall his character arc was the least interesting to me (although i do think it got better in the second half of the game). & speaking of the second half, the final fight? EASILY the best part of the entire game 🤯🤯 like honestly i have to recommend the game based on that alone LOL

3. Hitman GO

having played Lara Croft GO a couple years ago, i decided to give this one a try. honestly there's not much to say about it except that it was fun! you don't have to be super into the Hitman series to play this (i'm certainly not lol), it's really just a fun little strategy game more than anything. plus the graphics & sound design are really nice! i played it on the computer but it's made for mobile & it's only $6, so definitely check it out if you're looking for a good mobile game to play :)

#fayburrow #heaven's vault #chicken police #bugsnax #star wars jedi: fallen order #hitman go #🎮 tag #monthly game tag #send tweet

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camazofenwa · 1 year

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I have finished The Owl House. I burden you with my thoughts.

Pretty much binged all of Owl House last week. I knew it was probably something good when it kept breaking into my orbit when it was airing, and I was super not disappointed. Fuck an actual review though, Ima talk about the characters. Also spoilers rampant.

Adorable weird child. Optimistic without being insufferable, eccentric without being annoying. One of the most likable MCs I've seen in a minute. Loved seeing her whole journey, felt believable the whole time and I was rarely, if ever, questioning why she was doing something. The absolute worst thing I could say about her is that her palisman reveal was... I mean, I'm willing to admit that if they ever mentioned a snake shifter before that moment, I forgot. But even still, the whole "be anything you want to be" idea was kind of already communicated with the fact that it was an egg. It doesn't really really matter all that much, the thing's only around for like 10 minutes maybe, it just stuck out.

Outside of that, love Luz. Stuff with her mom, her being critically gay with Amity, fun character. One of the best things about her is that she doesn't have to be a part of every single plot for the show to carry on. The cast and setting is strong enough to survive without Luz's involvement, and it gets stronger as the show goes. Great character.

Never have I seen squalor and hobo-esque behavior look so appealing. I don't think it's making waves to say she's the best character in the show. If "fuck it, we ball" was a person, they'd be shaped like Eda. I think it's sometimes hard for writers to make a character who's pretty much got it all while still being sympathetic, but they hit it out of the park with Eda. Strong, funny, likable, all wrapped up in a blanket of painful regret and an uncontrollable condition. That's why I wanna be when I leave my 20s and finally grow up.

I'll leave certain parts of her deal for another character later, but Eda just consistently gets the best stuff in the show. Her background, her VA, her character design ESPECIALLY Harpy Eda, aces. The only thing she's really outdone in is her romance subplot, and that's just because I actually got to see Luz and Amity's evolve. Love me some Eda.

There are two characters in this show that I predicted I would not care about in the slightest and would groan whenever they were on screen, only to grow to love them and enjoy their presence. This is the first.

King's deal about being small and cute while wanting to be big and bad inevitably gets old, but luckily the show knows that and pivots enough away from that at a certain point to keep in line with his own development. He has an ego and can be a dick, but it never feels like he's an irredeemable dick. I can tell he loves his family, and not knowing what or who he is becomes a very sympathetic plotline for him. Bro just wants a padre. Plus, he does have some other good comedic bits. There's hardly anything too bad to say about King, even if the big ego schtick isn't for you.

Him, Luz, and Eda all having their own unique but connected stories throughout the show helped me endear them to me a lot. Incredibly fleshed out characters that have arcs that go beyond just having emotional trauma or something like that. Great trio of main characters. Well. "Trio."

This is the second.

Fuckin' hated Hooty at first. Even if he was meant to be annoying, that didn't stop me from not wanting him on screen. I think him being this eldritch abomination canonically, combined with him being like an actually competent character helped to move him away from unlovable to me. Love me a dumb idiot who's good at their job, and damn if Hooty isn't a great owl house.

I think another thing that helped him out was his friendship with Lilith. They play off of each other fantastically, and you get to see a lot more of Hooty when he's paired with someone who appreciates him than you do just when he's a nuisance. Love a Hooty.

It's the biggest bitch in the uuuuniveeerrrrse!

Okay not really. Lilith in S1 was definitely on the top of the shit list for the whole "curse mah sister" deal, and I was of the opinion she couldn't fall far enough. But the show treats what she did with an appropriate amount of weight and she puts in the work to make up for what she did, even at several costs to herself. Whether or not that makes up for 30 years of suffering she caused Eda is... ya know, up for debate. She tries, though.

Once S2 kicks in and we get lame dork Lilith, I was all in. She's such a fuckin' nerd, it's almost impossible not to love her. Her dynamic with Eda is also a treat, one of the best duos in the show. Her being Hooty's best friend also does a hell of a lot to kick her into the good graces.

The worst thing that happens to Lulu is the fact that fucking what, four or five episodes into S2 they put her on a bus?! Like, okay, go spend time with your mom I guess, but we barely get any Lilith! Why are we forcing THIS one out of the house, she's wonderful! It kind of stays that way for the rest of the series, too. She doesn't get a lot of play near the end, and is definitely a character that says lines in S3.

Ah well. Still a treat.

#the owl house #owl house #ramblings #i'll probably do more of these for other groups of characters #there's a lot of fuckin characters in this show

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444lpblue · 1 year

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Oshi No Ko #1 - Mother and Childern

Screenplay: Jin Tanaka Storyboard: Daisuke Hiramaki, Saori Tachibana, Asami Nakatani Episode Director: Daisuke Hiramaki, Saori Tachibana, Asami Nakatani, Ryota Ito, Chengmin Jin Chief Animation Director: Kanna Hirayama Animation Director: Kanna Hirayama, Shun Sawai, Masaaki Yamano, Takeshi Osame, Maho Yoshikawa, Shuuta Sato, Manato Onishi, Tomoko Uno, Tomoya Atsumi, Asami Hayakawa, TOMATO, Miki Matsumoto, Honoka Yokoyama, Honoka Hada

To be honest, I didn't really know what to expect from the show. I am not a big fan of idol culture in general, and I typically find it quite toxic based on what I've seen. Also, I had no knowledge of the plot of this series at all aside from that aspect. Plus, completely unrelated to my thoughts on idols, the sheer size of the first episode was quite intimidating for me. It's not extremely hard to find time for a 20-minute episode and write about it, yet I've already missed many episodes this season. Will I have time to watch a show like this and still have time to write about it? With all those thoughts floating around in my head, I decided to watch it.

And what are my thoughts? I actually loved it. It's definitely floating near the top of the season for me and I can say that as the first episode was equivalent to 4 episodes of most other shows.

Somehow, I managed to steer clear of most of the trailers, so this is my real first time seeing the character designs of Hirayama Kanna. Honestly, they are very pretty. I'm not familiar with the manga, but the faces of the characters are extremely expressive, and the eyes are gorgeous and very unique. There are literal stars in some of the character's eyes that on paper feel ridiculous but it's extremely charming. The idols they want you to fawn over, like Ai, look irresistible in terms of design.

The story itself is very hard to describe without just spoiling it in its entirety, but I think the story functions well due to the self-awareness of the toxicity that lies within the idol industry. Unlike shows like Heroines Run the Show, they don't try to convince us to like this industry or applaud the toxicity within idol culture.

There are a lot of lies, there are toxic fans, and people you like as idols might be forced to upkeep appearances, or they might not be telling their fans anything. How should fans react to lies? The show doesn't seem to tell us how; it simply shows how people might react to it. And I do appreciate that respect for the viewer's own mindset on idol culture.

The show is about two idol fans who are reincarnated as babies to the idol they adored. As babies, they are named Ruby and Aquamarine.

Is it weird? It's a bit weird, but this whole plot point was definitely the reason the show was 90 minutes for its first episode. It's a lot of things to set up, including introducing idol culture to those unfamiliar, introducing our characters in their past lives and their lives as babies, Ai's idol path, and Ruby and Aqua's own path. And I found it all very entertaining and became more engaged in the story as I watched. The hype for this show is very large, and at first, I wasn't completely buying it as it wasn't even really available to watch till yesterday. Yet, it already had a rating on MAL from the theatrical release in Japan, but I'm sold. So far this season, my top shows have been "Heavenly Delusion," "The Ancient Magus' Bride," "Skip and Loafers" and this is right up there with them. The one hour and thirty minutes never felt too long, and believe me, I watched this at a very inconvenient time for me. Right till the end the comedy hit me, the wholesome scenes hit me, and the emotional ones hit me. I had a great time.

We don't know who directed what part, as this is a movie-length production and there are multiple episode directors listed here, but the direction/storyboard took a noticeable improvement and I really enjoyed it. I'll leave off with some images from the 2nd half of the episode. There were some shots I wanted to include, but those ones are spoilers even at a glance.

#oshi no ko #spring 2023 #Spring 2023 anime

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being-of-rain · 2 years

Text

Some random thoughts from my Classic Who watch, season 14.

I was making Assassin's Creed jokes with a friend for an episode of two of The Masque of Mandragora. They looked like they had a lot of fun with the location shooting and the costumes for this one. And it was fun to watch too! The astrology aspect creates a cool aesthetic, and I love a masquerade. Oh, and the new gothic Tardis console room is very neat too! Lots to enjoy looking at with this one. I'm not 100% certain what happened at the end though. I should probably rewatch this one sometime and pay more attention to the final episode because the villains looked like they were achieving their goal and then all of a sudden it was over and the Doctor had won. Good for him though.

The visual effect of the titular Hand of Fear moving was really good for Classic Who, I wonder how they did that. Anyway, Sarah is just so delightful, her relationship with the Doctor is so cute. A standout scene was the short one where she runs into the power plant after the Doctor when he tells her to stay put, and when he looks at her she just says "I worry about you," then after a short conversation he says the same thing back. Speaking of cute, I've seen clips of Sarah Jane leaving the Doctor before, but I've never seen the aftermath when Sarah immediately starts baby-talking to an adorable dog that's sitting nearby. Why do people cut out the most important part!! The actual plot of the story was interesting. Sarah and the Doctor forming an unsteady alliance with Eldrad and learning to trust each other and learn each other's ethics felt like a unique dynamic in Classic Who. It was a real shame when the plot reverted back to Eldrad Evil at the end. I think it would've been cool if Eldrad was still some kind of enemy of their people in the final episode, but ends up getting convinced by their new associates to have a second go at life somewhere else. Idk. That's probably not the action adventure that the show was looking for. They could've still included all the traps though. Oh well. Oh and my brother and I laughed at the air force planning to launch a nuclear strike on the power station. Just because it's a nuclear power station doesn't mean it needs to be nuked to be destroyed... talk about fighting fire with fire.

The Deadly Assassin must be one of my most-watched Classic Who stories, maybe number 1, because it's one of my oldest Classic Who DVDs. I've always loved its tense political thriller-turned-murder mystery-turned-sci fi simulated reality-turned-old fashioned good vs evil world saving punch em up, all wrapped up with Gallifrey lore and political jokes. Plus the Master's skeleton face, Borusa being aggressively pragmatic, and two of my favourite one off characters. My brother and I agree that all future Gallifrey stories need Engin and Spandrall as Waldorf and Statler: sitting in the top floor of the Panopticon, making jokes and criticising everyone.

The Face of Evil is great. The Face of Evil slaps. There's some top-notch dialogue and the Doctor is spouting quotable epigrams left and right. The directing and acting are great. And so is the sci-fi premise of communities descended from a survey spaceship, guided and shaped by the ship computer who had gone insane (the episode 3 cliffhanger fucking rocks, I get chills watching it). It's a great setting to take a companion from... except of course for the uncomfortable directions of treating Leela like a primitive who needs to be looked down on and taught that the show inevitably takes. But I think Leela works very well in her first story especially. Forget the Doctor Who Lands In A Soap Opera that New Who likes to do, this is Doctor Who Lands In A 2010s YA Dystopia Novel, of which Leela is the main character. My brother rightfully pointed out that the very start of episode 1, which jumps in mid-conversation, very much feels like the recap of a cliffhanger from the previous episode of The Leela Show. I also adore how quickly the Doctor cares about Leela, and vice versa. They immediately start rescuing each other from Leela's former tribe, and the Doctor's anger when someone puts Leela on the brink of death is stronger than we usually see it. I have more thoughts about the two of them but I'll leave that to another time. For now I'll just say... why is Leela so clean-shaved. I couldn't help noticing how smooth her armpits are. Is that really a habit that the Sevateem would've kept? Let Leela be hairy.

The Robots of Death is a pretty good murder mystery with a claustrophobic tension and some compelling (and delightfully awful) characters. But I think it runs out of steam as it goes on- it's pretty hard to keep a murder mystery interesting for 4 episodes I think. And one of the characters dies off-screen, but all of the references to it makes it feels like it was a pretty important scene that was supposed to be filmed. Also, why was Poul assigned to work with D84 if he has robophobia? Anyway. The main attraction, the robots themselves, are really great. Their design and their voices are just iconic. Someday I'm going to do what I did with Sutekh a while back and do a binge of all recorded media with the Kaldor robots, because I want to get round to listening to both the Kaldor City audio series and The Robots audio series.

It's so easy to sum up the pros and cons of The Talons of Weng-Chiang. Pros: Jago & Litefoot, also the gothic atmosphere and Victorian setting. Cons: the racism. So much racism. Did orientalism have to play such a core part of the story. This sucks, gang. I guess thank goodness for the Jago & Litefoot spin-off for giving us the pros without the cons baked in.

#my thoughts #four #sarah #leela #master #I don't have much a lot to say on the ones I've seen a few times before

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