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fandumbstuff · 3 years

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The Star Wars Saga, ranked best to worst.

1. The Empire Strikes Back Directed by Irvin Kershner

Upon close consideration, I’ve come to the shocking conclusion that Empire is the best Star Wars film. There’s a wealth of world-building and character development here that in many ways makes Star Wars the living breathing universe it is now. A richly complex melodrama lies at the heart of Empire, giving a whole new meaning to the term “space opera”. The performances here are some of the strongest in the entire franchise. Mark Hamill not only fleshes out Luke’s character, but in his training with Yoda and his duel with Vader he establishes the profound nature of the force, and how every future character interacts with it. As Han and Leia, Harrison Ford and Carrie Fisher create authenticity to their characters’ relationship. Often misinterpreted as playfully hostile or sassy, there’s a real and endearing sense of affection between them, particularly in the infamous “I love you”/”I know” line- shedding their previously petty flirtation and affirming their true feelings. The emotional crux of Empire lies not in the most memorable twist, but in the moments immediately following it - In Luke and Leia reaching out to each other, reconnecting a relationship that was lost, rekindling hope in the force after we thought it was lost.

2. A New Hope Directed by George Lucas

I’ll be the first in line to make fun of dorky George Lucas and his woeful attempts at writing dialogue or romance. However, it’s pretty damn impossible to ignore what he achieved with Star Wars in 1977. The sheer audacity of his vision and his determination in executing it despite the naysaying from producers and supposed friends. Lucas had the bold idea of using cinema for it’s absolute worth- more than just a storytelling medium but a theatrical one. A cacaphony of sight and sound that could draw mass audiences and create a lasting impression. It’s a formula that every Hollywood and Bollywood blockbuster strives and more often than not fails to follow. It’s hard to dissociate A New Hope from the cultural phenomenon it helped create, but when you do, it stands as an impressive film on it’s own. Groundbreaking in terms of it’s visual effects and nostalgic in the simplicity of it’s sci-fi serial story, Star Wars ticked all the right boxes for so many people. If I was to boil Star Wars down to an essence, i think it lies in 2 scenes: Luke looking out at the binary sunset on Tattooine, and Han Solo yahooing after the Falcon saves Luke in the Death Star trenches. Those two scenes, Wistfulness and Exuberance, are the two sides of one concept- Adventure. Star Wars ignited those emotions in every child’s imagination, and it’s a flame that’s likely to never go out.

3. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story Directed by Gareth Evans

Hard to believe this is a Disney movie. While the house of mouse may have a reputation for emotional gut punches in kids movies, it’s never felt quite so... permanent. Rogue One is an unrelenting emotional journey barelling towards surefire tragedy. We spend moments with characters that seem to be carrying the weight of the world on their shoulders. The sense of desperation that permeates the movie almost overpowers any sense of heroism. It’s so unlike anything we’ve seen in a Star Wars movie. Their courage comes from a place that is wholly genuine and believable. We see the rebellion for the despondent group that they are. Sorely outnumbered by the Empire, their actions in this movie show a reckless, darker side to them and makes the morality of Star Wars so much more complex. The first time we meet Cassian Andor- the stand out performace of the film by Diego Luna- we see him kill another rebel to protect their secrets. It’s a movie that reframes the original Star Wars trilogy, making it a richer, complex universe and more intriguing as a result. Also, the last five minutes might be the best five minutes in any Star Wars movie.

4. Return of the Jedi Directed by Richard Marquand

The one sore spot in the original trilogy for me are the Ewoks. I realise it's ridiculous for me to complain about kid-friendly creatures in a kid's movie, but Star Wars has done this a lot more tolerably in the form of Porgs and Baby Yoda. Just something about these furry, Tibetan speaking monsters who somehow have the wherewithal to defeat an elite and well equipped empire rubs me the long way. Anyway, other than that, the movie's pretty fantastic. The culmination of Luke's journey comes to a head in an extremely emotional and effective climax. John Williams score crescendos to operatic heights and Mark Hamill's stellar performance sells Luke’s torment. It’s also worth noting that in those final moments of moral dilemma, Darth Vader is silent- it’s David Prowse’s performance entirely that sells this. His incredible presence throughout the trilogy builds to this moment and you can feel the weight of it in those closeups on Vader. Every other cast member rounds the story out perfectly- from Lando and Han’s playful rapport to Leia’s more militaristic side in planning the rebellions final moves. I still bemoan the fact that they changed the final song- an opinion that I’m apparently a minority on- but it’s a pretty incredible ending altogether and wonderfully cathartic to watch over and over again.

5. The Last Jedi Directed by Rian Johnson

With Last Jedi, Rian Johnson analyzed the universe Star Wars inhabits, and what drives it’s characters. The characters that we love are pushed to their limits, struggle against insurmountable odds and their own innate flaws. And we see all of them fail in turn. It is remarkably bleak, but not without purpose. It is out of this failure that the Resistance needs to recoup and come back stronger. The performances here, are arguably the best you’ll find in the entire franchise. Daisy Ridley has to break down Rey’s naivete and find a deeper sense of self actualization. Adam Driver hands in some of his best work, by swerving the audience into believing Kylo Ren and then creating a desperate plea in THAT throne room scene, and eventually turning him into a snivelling villain, all in the same movie. Mark Hamill’s performance here is heartbreaking- revealing the bleakest version of Luke, and struggling to find his redemption. Last Jedi is a bold deconstuction of these characters, of what they stand for, and what makes Star Wars beautiful.

6. The Force Awakens Directed by J. J. Abrams

In many ways, a safe movie to announce the return of Star Wars. But it’s hard to fault this. Disney’s decision making was shrewd here, bringing on J. J. Abrams to pay homage to George Lucas’ original vision, returning the franchise to it’s roots of practical effects and shooting on film. There was something truly special about experiencing this film in theatres, so much so that I did it eleven times. It captured a sense of wonder for fans new and old- hearing the scream of Tie Fighters, John Williams herald the return of the Millenium Falcon, and the look of awe on Rey’s face as she clutches her destiny in her hand. I’ll be honest, the film loses some of this magic without the shared experience of an audience, and it’s flaws are more noticeable. But being swept up in the excitement of adventure felt so darn good in 2015, and that’s so key to this franchise.

7. Revenge of the Sith Directed by George Lucas

This movie has risen so much in my opinion, entirely due to the animated Clone Wars series. Revenge of the Sith depicts the overwhelming tragedy that frames the original Star Wars. Watching Clone Wars explains explicitly what makes this film so tragic. But it’s more than that- it’s a catastrophic failure on behalf of the Jedi Order. Ignorance and pride allow evil to fester and grow. George Lucas took the simplicity of the moral struggle he established in 1977 and tried to give it depth and complexity with the prequels, and it pays off in Revenge of the Sith. It leads into the original trilogy quite brilliantly, with a promise of hope and resilience.

8. The Phantom Menace Directed by George Lucas

It has not aged well. While the advent of CGI I’m sure felt exciting at the time, and you almost can’t fault George Lucas for his insistence on staying at the forefront of VFX innovation as he has always done, it’s his reliance on so much of it that fails horribly. Like a kid in a candy store, Lucas stuffs the pockets of this film with so many bizarre effects for absolutely no reason. That sea monster scene is one of the worst displays I’ve ever seen and it’s absurd that it sits in a Star Wars film. Add to that the boring political plotline and ridiculous midichlorian dilemma and there’s very little redemptive about this film. However, it does have podracing, and Duel of the Fates, and it’s remarkable how much that salves the wound.

9. The Rise of Skywalker Directed by J. J. Abrams

Alright, well obviously this film has been problematic. However, I’m not about to bemoan the idea that Disney has ruined Star Wars and I have nothing left to live for. So let’s all just calm down. Ultimately J. J. Abrams was faced with the impossible task of wrapping up the Skywalker saga, with very few Skywalkers to work with. I firmly believe this would have been a very different film if Carrie Fisher was around to complete her performance. But left with nothing but the new cast, Abrams is caught between summing up the past while also looking to the future. It forces an awkward plotline with Palpatine- despite Ian McDiarmid's solid performance, the writing here seems wildly derivative of the franchise. There are some truly beautiful scenes, most notably the chemistry that Adam Driver gets to share with Harrison Ford, and Joonas Suotamo’s critically emotional outburst as Chewbacca. Some of the production design and score is so entirely different from the rest of the franchise it's inherently intriguing. But there’s very little here to save some of the poorer choices the film makes: the open plot hole with Finn, the derailing of Rey’s character development, and most crucially, the deeply perturbing culmination of Rey and Kylo’s relationship. The audience literally went “ew”.

10. Solo: A Star Wars Story Directed by Ron Howard

The biggest problem with Solo is that it operates under the presumption that people will be enamoured and invested in it. Not just in one movie, but in an entire series of movies. Solo clearly operates as a setup for further sequels. As a result, many plot lines remain unresolved, and Qi’ra winds up being a completely under-baked character. Her motivations make no sense, and a twist ending that I assume was supposed to be exciting is instead downright confusing. There’s a lot of unnecessary exposition into Han’s past too. As an origin story, I don’t need to know every aspect of Han’s past- especially not cute winks at inane things like “Why’s he called Solo?”. All this being said, The movie features some solid performances- Donald Glover is expectedly phenomenal as Lando, and Alden Ehrenreich excels as Solo, adding some welcome flavour to the character- particularly his friendship with Chewbacca, and a brilliantly executed final scene between him and Woody Harrelson’s Beckett.

11. Attack of the Clones Directed by George Lucas

How in the world this film made it all the way to production and into filming, with no one pulling Lucas aside and saying “Hey George, those kids have no chemistry” is beyond me. And I’m not going to blame Hayden Christensen or Natalie Portman on this one, because the whole damn love story makes no sense. Maybe falling for a dude who admits he murdered women and children isn’t such a great idea? Then there’s the increasingly convoluted political climate set up in Phantom Menace, and the machinations of the dark side that would take the entire Clone Wars series to fully explain. All this being said, Temuera Morrison, Samuel L. Jackson, Ewan MacGregor AND Christopher Lee are all in this movie. And they’re pretty damn fantastic.

12. The Clone Wars Directed by Dave Filoni

It’s inexplicable that Dave Filoni would go on to have a hand in some of the best Star Wars content ever made in Clone Wars, Rebels and the Mandalorian. And yet he got his start in the franchise by putting up this piece of junk. And junk is being a little generous. The humour is so juvenile it’s insulting to even the youngest of audiences it’s intended for. The plotline feels way to thin to warrant a feature film, and if this was in fact intended as a pilot for the TV series, they sure picked to most uninteresting story to pique our interest. Skip the movie, watch the show.

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oosteven-universe · 5 years

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Zorro in Rise of the Old Gods #1

Zorro in Rise of the Old Gods #1 American Mythology Productions 2019 Written by Jason Pell Illustrated by Puis Calzada Coloured by Christopher Hall Lettered by Natalie Jane Horror rises from the deep as the denizens of dread Cthulhu herald the return of the old gods! Antiguo Camino is a small fishing town, nondescript and quiet. But when the horrors of the depths begin to crawl from the muck and terrorize the pueblo, Zorro must save the unsuspecting townsfolk and uncover the insidious force behind the monstrous uprising. This series celebrates the swashbuckling heroics of Zorro and the impending dread of H.P. Lovecraft in a unique and terrifying tale! This continues to show why the time Zorro is spending at American Mythology is fun, interesting and evolving in these new and interesting ways. I mean the original never met any of these thing but to see Zorro going up against some of the more unusual foes ever. I like the opening for this one and the character that we see, after all this is one of regions most underrated of the old ones, though I am wondering if they are older than, well them. I do like the way that this is being told and how the story is structured. The story & plot development and the character development that we are seeing here as they weave through each other and play off each other in some truly marvellous ways. With the pacing moving everything ever forward the story takes on some wicked twists, turns and paths that to be honest I had no idea were even possible to take. I like how we are introduced to group of what I think of at first as bandito's but as we learn more I begin to wonder if that's really the case. What Jason does here is introduce us to a part of the story, not the whole thing and basically what this does is engage the reader so they have to make those on the fly judgement calls with what little information we have. So we think upon what we know, what we see and try to find that happy place where it all works. Not that we do because there's too little information but there's just enough for us to get involved and become invested and want to see to much more. Puis' interior artwork is interesting to say the least. The opening page feels primordial to me as the detail that we see is gorgeously rendered. Then we see the people and the extremely pale man, he verges on albino but not quite there, who's chin work makes him look like a puppet a ventriloquists doll. So it kind of is a mixed bag for me. Plus try and keep up the background work, once it's started and we know it's there and you omit, I feel like that's being lazy. Meanwhile at the Hall of Justice, no serious while everyone is off chasing the bandito's en la hacienda of Alvara de la Mora we see some darn good attention to detail in the creativity and imagination being brought to life. The utilisation of the page layouts and how we see the angles and perspective in the panels show a nice eye for storytelling. The colour work I like a lot. The evening tones, the various hues and tones in the red, there is definitely some stellar moments throughout colour wise. All hell breaks loose here and I mean that literally the only real question is who's trying to stop it and who's trying to ensure it happens? I don't want to say I am confused or anything because again the information Jason supplies us with could be interpreted any number of ways. The way that this is done extremely impressive because I see how it is, I see what he intends and I applaud not only his execution but his skill and talent in storytelling. Once again we are treated to a Zorro tale that is anything but ordinary and I wouldn't want it any other way!

#comic books #comics reviews #American Mythology Productions

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forkanna · 5 years

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WARNING: This story will contain coarse language, incestuous romance between a mother and daughter (even if they are the same age), and some brief smut. If you have a problem with any of those things, DO NOT READ.

NOTE: Special thanks to Azimov, T43 and @pankite for their contributions to the early chapters!

Here's a red-letter date in the history of science: November 5th, 1955. -Doctor Emmett Brown

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This has been a loooooooooong time in production. In fact, it's technically still in production, BUT we're coming close enough to having the entire fic ready that we felt confident enough to post the first chapter on the most important date in Back To The Future history - even surpassing October 22nd, 2015 (the day Marty arrived in the future in Part II). You have no idea how bad I've always wanted to do something in the BTTF verse - and combining it with these silly sisters (even if they aren't sisters in this fic) is like a dream come true.

Fractal The Future is going to be released in three parts, like the original trilogy, and altogether will be pretty long - even if each part will be a more manageable "paperback novel" length. There may also be some spinoffs, but we'll get to those when we get to them.

Hope you're ready! Where we're going, we don't need roads!

- @fruipit and Jess

CHAPTER 1

For the first time in months, Anna McFly felt like she was on top of the world. Weeks of practice and gruelling training had led her to this moment. After weeks of sleepless nights and stress and worry, listening to her parents gripe at her for making so much "racket" in the garage, this was it. The moment of truth.

With a "ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR!", they were cranking out the sweet sounds of the Eighties. Her throat was almost raw from practicing this cover night and day, but she thought that only helped "The Power Of Love" sound even more authentic. Well, as authentic as it could when it was coming out of the mouth of a teenage girl.

They were playing for the judges – assessors of their talent or some such – but Anna only had eyes for one person. Her friend and strongest supporter, Jennifer Punzel, was watching from the sidelines of the gymnasium and biting her lip in excitement.

On top of the world.

But, like everything in her life, it wasn't destined to last. "Thank you!" the teacher said into the megaphone as the last strain faded out. "Thanks, that's all we need. We'll be in touch."

"What, Mr Lewis?" Anna yelled out as the feedback squealed. She glanced over at Merida, who shrugged helplessly as she tried to turn off her amp.

"I'm afraid it's just too darn dated. Can't you play anything from this millennium? It's a good song but the other kids at the dance won't know it."

Frowning, she grumbled under her breath, "It's younger than you are, you old coot." Running a hand through her fiery red bangs, she called out to him. "You said anything goes – within reason. This is within reason!"

Still, he shook his head and repeated, "Thank you, Ms McFly. We'll be in touch."

Rolling her eyes, she pulled the guitar strap up and over her head as Mr Lewis went off to chat with the other teachers. "If it was good enough for my parents, it's good enough for these jerks."

"Told you we should do something by Panic or Florence," Merida hissed at her as they started packing up their gear. "People act like they want retro but they don't really."

"Well, I think you sounded great." It was Punz, her rock, her BFF. Always positive even when nobody else was.

Anna gave her a grateful smile, her cheeks perhaps a little pinker than she wanted them to be. There was silence for a few moments before Punz gave a little jerk, eyes widening as she tore them away. "So, uh. They finally reopened that café. How about we go and get a celebratory pick-me-up? My treat." She smiled and Anna couldn't help but return it.

Of course Merida ruined the moment. Anna hadn't even noticed that she'd left to put away her instrument and grab her bag.

"Oi, you two still here? Hurry up or get a room, I don't really care which. I just wanna eat."

This time, Anna was positive her cheeks were basically on fire, and she scowled in a dismal attempt to hide it. Punz looked a little mortified.

"Merida!" Anna hissed. "We're not- we don't- we're just friends."

Merida rolled her eyes. "Easy choice then, eh? Hurry up!"

Grumbling yet again, Anna stalked off, taking the strap off her guitar as she walked. There was no reason to get so upset at Merida for coming up to them – and telling them to get a room meant nothing. This was high school, after all. Everything was about dating and sex, and teasing your friends about it. And it was always funnier when it had no basis in fact.

If she didn't want to get teased, then she shouldn't have taken so long. Simple.

Still, she found herself glancing up at her friends a few more times as she put away her guitar, watching Punz say something to Merida and Jane that had them snorting, grinning and arguing. Even though she couldn't hear what was being said, it still brought a smile to her own lips.

Of course, it was impossible to miss Merida's eye-roll when she looked to see what was taking so long. Shaking herself, Anna quickened her pace, and within a few minutes had returned to her friends.

"Finally ready to go?" Merida's voice contained only a little bit of snark and a whole lot of 'I'm going to give you so much shit later'.

"Sure," Anna replied with a grumpy expression, more a 'don't say a fucking word' than anything else.

When Punz noticed her suddenly sullen mood, she did the only thing a best friend could do and linked arms with Anna, beginning to lead their small group towards the door.

Ah, to hell with Merida. This was worth it.

~ o ~

The Café 80s was one of those abysmal joints that banked heavily on nostalgia to bring in customers. Neon lights, vintage movie posters, New Coke on tap, Michael Jackson pumping out of the jukebox. There were even a few old-school arcade cabinets in the corner, like Centipede or Wild Gunman. It was ridiculously over-the-top.

Anna loved it. Jennifer liked what Anna liked, and the rest of the band tolerated it because they were all into retro music and it sort of went with the territory.

"I could eat a fecking ostrich," Merida groaned, almost knocking Jane over in her haste to grab a booth and order.

Anna just rolled her eyes, following behind her friend. "Yeah, you always say that, but who ends up finishing your fries half the time?"

"Not today!"

Out of the way and in the corner, the booth was the perfect place to watch the comings-and-goings of the restaurant. Anna always sat against the wall. It gave her a perfect view of a faded poster of some eighties band with a bangin' hot chick, and it never failed to cheer her up; Aimee Mann was life.

Or, it would have had Anna actually been able to concentrate on anything other than their less-than-stellar performance – not even that. The reaction to their performance. They sounded great, she knew it. Too bad the stupid teachers had no clue.

"Aww, don't mope," Punz said when the other two girls went to order. "You were fantastic today, and I bet you're only going to get better. Still think you guys should cut a demo."

Anna quirked a small small, head coming to rest on her friend's shoulder. "Thanks. It just… I was really looking forward to playing at the dance."

"Guess you'll have to find an actual date like the rest of us plebs," Punz commented airily.

Wait, was that…? Did Punz want to go with her? She lifted her head and opened her mouth to ask if perhaps Jennifer didn't have a date already, and would she maybe like to go with Anna – just as friends, if that was what she wanted! But then her eyes met Punz's, and she couldn't finish her question. They were so intense, flicking between her own. Even if Anna's mind hadn't completely emptied at their faces being so close together, she doubted she'd have the voice to ask anyway.

'I'm such a chicken,' she admonished herself as she took in the couple of freckles on Punz's nose, her sparkling green eyes. The very slight buck teeth that people made fun of her for back in junior high – earning them a punch to the face from a very overprotective Anna. Because she thought they were adorable. Everything about Jennifer Punzel was adorable and should be protected at all costs.

It was just when Anna started wondering if Punz was going to lean over and finally – finally make a move – that an unhinged looking woman in frumpy old clothes came up to them to shake a can in their face. "Donate to the 'Dell Valley Clocktower Preservation Society'? Any amount you could give would go to opposing the Mayor, that so-called 'progressive' Tiana Rose-Wilson, and her initiative to desecrate a piece of history! We believe it should-"

"Um, listen," Anna chuckled a little awkwardly, finally finding her voice. It was still a little weak, and she coughed before continuing. "I feel for you, I do, but… we're kind of in the middle of something?"

"Don't be mean," Punz hissed under her breath. Then she reached into her purse and rummaged around for her spare change. "Will this help?"

"Of course," the woman said, beaming at the both of them as though Anna had never tried to shoo her away. "Here, don't forget to take a flyer."

Nodding, Anna took it while Punz put the coins in her collection jar and the woman left. Then she folded the flyer and flicked it over to Punz.

"Phew," she muttered, "You know, sometimes I wonder why a marshmallow like you wants to hang around an asshole like me."

"Huh," Punz commented. When Anna lifted an eyebrow in confusion, she continued, "Why does a marshmallow like me want to hang around with an asshole like you?"

Anna's mouth opened in mock-offense, and Punz giggled and poked her in the cheek. "I'm sure there's a reason," she said, leaving little doubt that there was. Anna felt a red flush creeping up her neck and she looked away.

"W-well maybe I could try and be a little less, y'know…"

"Rude?"

"Hey!"

But Punz was still smiling, and maybe she was a little pink, too. Anna bit her lip. Maybe the moment was right, and this was no time to be a coward. Sucking in a breath, she leaned forward, just a little bit.

"Hey…" she repeated, more softly. It was Punz's turn to lift an eyebrow. "Do you…" she trailed off. She'd lost her nerve, as she knew she would, but that was okay. She just had to find it again. Punz didn't try and speak, even as the words died on Anna's tongue –hell, she didn't even ask what Anna had wanted to say. She just kept looking at her with those same round eyes, open and encouraging.

"Yes?"

Sucking in a breath, Anna bit her lip and moved her hand. It came to rest atop Punz's where it sat on the table. She got to rub at the soft skin, using the distraction to lean a little closer. A blonde eyebrow lifted in a question, but still Punz didn't interrupt. Her face was flawless, and the only thing that seemed to exist were the two of them. Anna felt her heart beating like a drum in her chest. "Do you, uhh, maybe…" she tried again, finding her courage—

—before Merida and Jane dropped into the opposite booth bench, setting a basket of fries down in the middle of the table. Anna jerked her hand away and leaned back, heart thundering in her chest. Goddammit!

Jane was clearly focused on her stomach, because she was already grabbing for the ketchup bottle, but Merida looked highly suspicious.

"Did we come back too early?"

"Wh-what?" Anna asked, trying to look like she had done nothing weirder than ask Punz what time it was. Probably failing because her hand had jerked back and both had shot away like they'd been shoved in opposite directions. "I mean, yeah, if you were getting more food than fries." Merida looked at her. "We were just talking!"

"They're going to bring out the rest," Jane said, oblivious. "Apparently, on a skateboard. It's really very fascinating, they seem to want to cram as much nostalgia in as is humanly possible."

The remainder of lunch was absolute torture. Punz was perfectly happy to discuss Mr Beaker's art assignment, leaving Anna to studiously ignore the stares from Merida. It was almost commendable how cool and composed Jennifer could remain under pressure or when in uncomfortable situations. This time, it simply fed into the insecurity that perhaps she was imagining things and Punz simply wanted to be her friend.

Not even the arrival of heaps of fast food delivered by high speed skateboarding waitress brought relief from Merida's interrogative gaze; Anna's hopes of talking to Punz about anything of consequence were dashed. Halfway through the lunch, she excused herself from the table to go to the bathroom, feeling a little more dejected than she knew she had any right to. Even if they hadn't been interrupted, chances were that she would have chickened out anyway.

Just as she had entered the short hall to the facilities, a welcome voice rang out behind her.

"Hey Anna, wait up!" Punzie looked… different when she approached. There was a spark in her eyes that was a little bit excited; perhaps hopeful. "You wanted to ask me something earlier?"

"N-no. Well yes. Maybe."

When Punz simply looked at her, expectant, Anna caved. Biting her lip, she dragged a hand through her hair.

"So, um, here's the thing. Dancing. It's happening, a-and since they probably won't let us play, I kinda need someone to go with. Like you said! Well, I mean, not that you… uhh…"

Punzie had closed the distance between them while Anna was busy trying to wrangle her unruly thoughts. She leaned forwards with a small, soft grin before reaching her hand around behind Anna's back. The redhead let out a whimper as she felt Punzie's hand trace a pattern on her back jean pocket before being very disappointed with its sudden withdrawal.

"Grandma's address and number. My phone's being fixed by the Geniuses at the mall right now, and we're staying there while they finish renovating my bathroom so we have to go back to the stone ages and use a landline. Pick me up at seven. Dress nice!"

When Anna's brain refocused on the present, she discovered that Punzie had scrawled a series of lines on the back of the Clocktower flyer, each as precious as gold dust to a horny teen. Her putting it in Anna's pocket was just a very nice icing on an even nicer cake.

"O-kay," she managed to sputter as she slipped it back into her pocket. Funny how she could normally be so confident – even "a cocky slacker" according to Vice-Principal Weselton – but Punz could turn her into a jellyfish with an almost-butt grab, soft words and a smile. "And did you think about… you know, the plans for after?"

"Driving up to North Lake?" Punz bit her lip, finally looking a little less than completely sure of herself. "We'll see if I'm ready. But I'm leaning toward 'hell yes'."

Anna's grin could have lit up the dark side of the moon. "Great! I mean… yes, that's… yes. Hope you feel ready when the time comes. Might even uh, have a little surprise for you…"

"Even if I don't, it's not because I don't like you," she reassured her, that same soft smile on her face. "It's just new. You and me, we've been friends forever, so changes are… weird." Then she nudged Anna and tacked on, "But this change… I don't think I'm gonna have a problem with. Also, nipple piercings aren't a surprise when you take me to get them because you're too chicken to go on your own."

And with that parting remark, the smirking girl backed away, returning to their table. Anna gazed after her for a moment.

"'M not a chicken…" she mumbled to herself.

It was only when Punz glanced back over to her that Anna remembered why she'd gotten up in the first place. Right, yes. Things to do. Ogling could wait until after. But she was on top of the world and nothing was going to knock her off that perch. Nothing but a nuclear explosion.

To Be Continued…

#Fractal The Future #back to the future #elsanna fanfiction #forkanna writes #fruipit #elsanna #forkanna the writer #incest fanfiction

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juunshua · 6 years

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Same love I'm still into never from broduce but prefer hands on me. Idk what to think about woojin's raps. Sometimes they fit into the song, sometimes the instrumental or lyrics makes it seems like it was haphazardly written to give the dancer oriented members something to vocalize. Energetic remains the only w1 song i can listen to without getting bored. No matter how much I'm into yoon jisung, jaehwan, or minhyun I can't seem to listen to their eps without my mind wandering elsewhere (1/).

If youre looking for a good tropical I would suggest Hollands Im afraid. He isnt the best singer but the songs arrangement and production is stellar. I know it's from last year but kards Hola Hola, even if i prefer ohnana, is also a stand out. Whats funny is that your criticisms of tropical house is exactly what I have been hearing other people say about oh my, how it's low energy and not engaging, esp for svt. It definitely took me a couple of listens to appreciate its place on the mini. (2/)Tbh exos Kokobop is the closest kpop has come to producing dancehall rather than tropical, even if the chorus is so much musically interesting than the verses. Hello texture! Idk about semina i feel like it falls flat but that may be because I was expecting something similar to their produce audition. I was really into chunghas debut song but her nasality turned me off so much. Please mh give her something lower so that she can sing well and have interesting choreo bc she has the talent (3/)I guess Im less harsh on songs released in summer because theyre supposed to be light and airy, hence the myriad of comebacks/debuts experienced/about to experience. (Hyorin and triple h has my heart though.) It's a lot of misses for me too so don't feel bad about not enjoying the majority. I guess thats the good thing about saturation. Sorry if this part feels disjointed from the previous messages as tumblr seems to be in the habit of eating transitional ones as seen in previous threads. (4)

omg jisung was my 1-pick from ep 1 i was so happy to see him make the final lineup laksdjf broduce was actually one of the reasons i got into svt. i got tired of poor vocals and i remembered that svt has boo? who is pretty darn good at singing? so i went to listen to him after listening to the mansae performances and ladjkf somehow i ended up where i am today. but hmm really? actually someone i know said something similar ahaha. i wouldnt know about rap flow or lyrics or anything, but he remains the only person in w1 that id consider a rapper. the rest of the ‘rappers’ are baritones and are rappers for the sole reason that they are baritones. not everyone could have pulled off ‘d i double f e r e n t’ ksjdfl like idk. i personally enjoy his execution of raps ahaha like in light, he raps the word ‘벅차올라’ in a way thats really reflective of the imagery of the word itself? to me he really brought that word to life and laskdjf i think thats the only reason i gave light a second try but to each their own^^. ahaha i think ive gotten used to most of w1s title track though (at least they dont have a tropical house title track). some of their none title tracks though are good! wannabe, even if the lyrics are a bit cringy, musically i really like! it was composed by the same people who wrote air for infinite and twinkle for lovelyz, both songs i adoreim afraid? hmm for me personally the chorus was kinda overwhelming i wasnt the biggest fan of that instrument (it kinda hurt my ear actually). i feel like the verses had something going for them but then the chorus hit and i just kinda idk lakdjf. also kard i know i tried listening to their music but really couldnt get into it. i think i prefer oh nana as well after listening to both songs but still not something thatd end up in my music library.hmm really? tropical house i think in general with the instruments as a genre really isnt my thing so idk if im really criticizing tropical house as much as im stating why i personally am not a fan of it? the genre as a whole really turns me off and ahaha im a simple person if a song isnt tropical house i will honestly give it more listens and more tries to get into it. gfriends sunny summer is gradually getting stuck in my head as summer ends for instance ahaha i might be jamming to it come december ahaha. all of w1s title tracks are another example. there are times though where ive gone back to a trop house song and ended up realllllyy liking it. actually thats literally the case with all trop house songs that i like ahah aksdjf but yeah its really hard to get it to me on first impression i think idk what it is about the genre but its not my thing. ahaha im not a professional musician at all so idk but i thought the drum line was pretty neat in oh my? some of the vocal melodic lines were super pretty to listen to. and with a lot of svt songs too, like the verses in oh my were not the same copy and paste sort of thing. it could have been low energy and not engaging, to me it really felt like the summer afternoon heat that kind of vibe, but still i think i could get some musical things from it? or smth idk what is dancehall? and ahaha semina actually reminded me of their produce audition a lot alkjsdf and hmm yeah it did fall a bit flat but hey its not trop house ahaha i think i was super excited about hearing that sort of genre again after such a long time the last people i can think of who were close to that genre was mamamoo back in like 2014/2015. semina does get catchy after u listen to it after a couple of times? or at least thats the way i felt it was to me personally (or maybe nayoung hypnotized me with whatever magic she usually does on me). chungha? nasally?? the only song i liked that she released was why dont you know but i didnt know she had a nasal voice? at least an obvious one at that? i think she has her nasal moments but ? has she gotten progressively more nasal after debut? i know she has a suPER heady mix is that whats clouding my hearing ahaha. oh actually now that i think about it, her voice always used to remind me of some mix between sica and taeyeon ahaha so i think i just got used to her voice and her nasality over the years. but honestly i dont think her nasality is that consistent? i think she should work on bringing her chest into her mix first ahaha thats her biggest problem as of rn for me. and tbh i dont mind her voice and her tone too much! but there are def songs where i just wished the singer was a stronger vocalist so then id enjoy the song akdjf bc thats happened where i like the song but the singer just kinda detracts from it so i think i get where ur coming from...ahh i feel u in her debut song i was so disappointed by the rap alsdkjf i was like ‘wow this could have been a neat dance break for her’ but nah we got a rap ahaha. shes a soprano though so idk if she should sing any lower as much as she should start challenging her technique with the range she sings in.hmm yeah i think as pop music progresses in general, for me its just going to be a majority of misses ahaha personally speaking from a personal enjoyment standpoint. im sure a lot of the songs i dont like have a lot of musical credibility to them (ie triple h and hyorin lksdjfl rip like i dont even know what music i like these days from kpop groups minus svt honestly. select songs will stand out to me sure but nothing as consistent as svt. my go to girl groups also released trop house this summer i was so sad :((( )

#technique anon #replies #anon

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dipulb3 · 3 years

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2021 Audi RS Q8 provides supercar thrills for the whole family

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2021 Audi RS Q8 provides supercar thrills for the whole family

High-performance SUVs with coupe-like rooflines are definitely a fully fledged class of their own, with the BMW X6 M Competition, Mercedes-AMG GLE63 and Porsche Cayenne Turbo available today. All boast a dash of additional style over traditionally shaped SUVs, not to mention heaps of power and punched-up handling capabilities. The newcomer in this class is the Audi RS Q8, a performance CUV so well-honed it now holds the production SUV lap record of 7 minutes and 42.2 seconds around Germany’s Nürburgring.

Big performance and daily comfort

Sleek looks inside and out

Excellent cabin tech

Don’t Like

Lacks drama

Light steering

Can get real pricey fast

Lower-key performer

What does the Audi’s Nürburgring lap record mean? To car dorks it means bragging rights. For everyone else, not much. But this basic tale of the tape is something people of all automotive knowledge bases will likely understand. The heart and soul of this achievement is the RS Q8’s engine: a 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 shoving out 591 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque with the latter having your back from 2,200 to 4,500 rpm.

Channeling power to all of the RS Q8’s wheels is an eight-speed automatic transmission, allowing this SUV to reach 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds, on its way to a top speed of 190 mph. (Note: This top speed is only unlocked if you spring for the upgraded carbon ceramic brakes.) All things considered, those are bonkers stats. But you know what? The BMW, Mercedes and Porsche all replicate that 0-to-60-mph time.

2021 Audi RS Q8 review: Fast, fashionable and practical

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In the real world, the Audi’s drivetrain surprisingly doesn’t behave like an angry, hyperactive brute. From a dig, the RS Q8 doesn’t launch with crazy gusto. Instead, it smoothly gets out of the hole, pulls strong to the engine’s 6,750-rpm redline and rattles off seamless, well-timed gear changes. If you aren’t paying close attention, it’s easy to get well past posted speed limits on surface streets, thanks to the progressive throttle tuning and low gurgle from the exhaust. You get civilized aggression from the powertrain. The RS Q8 is never loud, shouty or harsh when going about its business, though I wish it were a bit more raw and loud in Dynamic mode.

Continuing the smooth theme, technological bits like a 48-volt mild-hybrid system and cylinder deactivation go unnoticed. There’s no wonkiness in the brake pedal and you’d be hard pressed to tell when the V8 is running on some or all of its cylinders. Those efforts contribute to EPA-estimated 13 mpg city and 19 mpg highway ratings, putting the RS Q8 on par with the rest of its competitive set. I observed 13.1 mpg during a week of testing.

Dialed-up dynamics

From a performance standpoint, the RS Q8’s handling chops are its most impressive attribute. To help this 5,490-pounder hustler harder it’s got a rear-biased all-wheel-drive system, torque-vectoring rear differential, air suspension, all-wheel steering, active anti-roll bars and upgraded 23-inch Y-spoke wheels with 295/35 series tires (22-inchers come standard).

A higher handling IQ comes courtesy in part from some massive 23-inch Continental tires.

Jon Wong/Roadshow

Put the Audi Drive Select system into its Dynamic setting and the RS Q8 hunkers down and hangs on tight around cloverleaf on-ramps. Credit the tires’ big ol’ contact patches and all the performance features’ technological wizardry for all the grip and composure this crossover exhibits when driven hard. Getting the RS Q8 sloppy on the street requires caning it way harder than you responsibly should.

Instilling even more confidence behind the wheel are the aforementioned carbon ceramic brakes. The $9,000 option means there are 10-piston calipers clamping down on monstrous 17.3-inch rotors up front and still-darn-big 14.6-inch rotors with single-piston calipers around back. Like everything else, pressing down on the left pedal doesn’t yield crazy initial bite, allowing for smooth brake applications. A little more pressure unlocks the big stopping muscle when you want to go deeper into brake zones or perform panic stops.

In normal Audi fashion, lightly weighted steering is a sticking point in Dynamic. I prefer having a touch more heft in the wheel, but I have no complaints about the steering’s responses. That’s not to say there aren’t times when the light steering is beneficial — when you put the car in Comfort mode for normal commuting, for example. Speaking of commuting, the RS Q8 does fine here, with the adaptive dampers taking the edge off all but the biggest roadway hazards. In addition to the great grip they provide, the big Continental tires deserve kudos for their lack of noise rolling down the road.

Weightier steering feel for the RS Q8 is on the wish list.

Jon Wong/Roadshow

RS style and tech

This RS Q8 painted Daytona Grey Pearl with its extra optional styling goodies is certainly a looker. The changes to the RS over standard Q8 models aren’t super drastic, with more aggressive bumpers, honeycomb grille inserts, oval exhaust tips and slicker wheels. Add in a generous carbon fiber diet on the front lip, grille surround, mirror caps, tailgate trim and rear bumper valance, and blacked-out details sprinkled about give the RS Q8 a low-key, but still sinister vibe.

Head inside the RS Q8 and the design is simplistic with lots of straight lines. The front seats offer lots of support to hold riders in place with RS honeycomb accent stitching on the inserts. These chairs offer a massage function with seven different kneading patterns that I love.

Build quality in this Audi is first-rate with lots of high-end materials placed throughout the cabin, like Alcantara on the headliner and door panels, matte carbon fiber dash trim and leather-wrapped and stitched surfaces for most of the big panels. If you’re worried about the faster roofline cutting into second-row headroom, don’t be, because there’s still sufficient space for normal adults. Cargo room also isn’t too shabby with a healthy 30.5 cubic feet on offer that grows to 60.7 cubic feet with the back seats folded.

A simple design and fantastic build quality highlight the RS Q8’s interior.

Jon Wong/Roadshow

Taking care of infotainment in the RS Q8 is Audi’s MMI Touch Response system that is simply stellar. The dual-touchscreen setup has an 8.6-inch display on the bottom for climate function controls and a 10.1-inch display up top for things like the rockin’ 17-speaker Bang & Olufsen audio setup, navigation with Google Maps imagery, phone functions and a Wi-Fi hotspot. It’s all intuitive to work through, offering quick responses to inputs and haptic feedback to let you know a command has been entered. The clean center console layout is void of many hard controls, but it does retain a traditional volume knob, which is a very good thing.

On the driver-assist technology front, all RS Q8s get standard forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear-cross traffic alert, a 360-degree camera and auto high beams. A $1,750 Driver Assistance Package adds a few more tricks to this Audi’s arsenal like a great adaptive cruise control system, lane-keep assist, traffic sign recognition and a head-up display.

The MMI Touch Response system is a Roadshow favorite.

Jon Wong/Roadshow

How I’d spec it

This test car is a well-kitted-out RS Q8. It’s got the aforementioned $9,000 carbon ceramic brakes, $4,500 carbon fiber exterior bits, $2,950 black outside trim and bigger wheels, $1,750 Driver Assistance Package, $595 paint job and $4,800 worth of interior extras. On top of all that, it also has a $750 Towing Package enabling it to pull 7,700 pounds. Add in a $1,095 destination charge and you get the not-so-unsubstantial $140,590 as-tested price of this car.

For my ideal spec, I’d spring for the $595 Daytona Gray paint job and the $3,250 Black Optic Package. On the inside I need the massaging seats that are part of the $3,150 Luxury package that also requires you to equip the $2,000 Executive Package that gets me soft-close doors, the head-up display and acoustic glass. This pushes my Audi to a cool $124,590, which is expensive, but certainly more palatable.

The 2021 Audi RS Q8 starts at $115,595, including $1,095 for destination.

Jon Wong/Roadshow

Radical family wagon

Of the swoopy midsize performance SUVs available today, the Audi RS Q8 is a standout in several categories. I think exterior styling trumps the BMW X6 M, Mercedes-AMG GLE63 Coupe and the Porsche Cayenne Coupe. The Audi also gets my vote for cabin design and technology over the BMW, Mercedes and Porsche. It isn’t, however, my winner in the performance column; the Cayenne Turbo Coupe is a bit more involving from behind the wheel.

In the end, though, the RS Q8 my top pick. It’s a head-turner with a great cabin, best-in-class tech and offers all the space and comfort a family should reasonably need. That’s enough to outweigh the less emotional drive experience, considering this car’s main goal is to be daily-driven. But really, none of these performance SUV-coupes are bad, all offering sub-4-second 0-to-60-mph times and physics-defying handling. Pick the one you like best, and if it isn’t the Audi, I’ll be here to remind you that yours doesn’t hold the Nürburgring record.

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shrinkingwmn · 6 years

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A cat in a booster seat.

A playboy bunny image made out of snow.

A lot of Tim Hortons.

A carnival in transport.

A couple stops at Peter’s Drive In.

A best friend’s wedding.

And of course…food. Lots and lots of yummy food.

Those are but a glimpse of what made up my little May vacation.

I drove one province over to attend, and take part in!, my best friend’s wedding. I say “I” but it was really “we” since I go nowhere without the cat. He spent his 13 hours in a booster seat designed for dogs (don’t tell him that!) because there is a serious lack of travel items designed for cats.

Silent protest – something he is very very good at!

Sidenote: if anybody has start up money and wants to invest, I have some great ideas for a range of products to make travelling with your cat easier, lol.

Back to the trip!

On the way there we saw pieces of a carnival being transported who knows where, a muffin disaster at a Tim Hortons in Golden BC, a Playboy Bunny logo made out of snow on a mountain, oh, and there were a couple escape attempts by the cat when silent protest was deemed too calm of a way to show his displeasure.

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I have been trying oh so hard for six months or so to not screw up so I would be able to fit in my bridesmaids dress and yay me, I fit! I did however get so caught up in the day I forgot to get a full length picture of me in the dress, sigh. So the best you’re gonna get is this selfie…

Gratuitous selfie.

I’m not going to share pics of the wedding, because well, that would be a lot of people to track down to ask if they are ok with their pics going on this blog and ain’t nobody got time for that! 😉 Rest assured, it was beautiful. It was an outdoor ceremony at a mansion, pictures were done on location and also in an area with a great city view as the background. The reception was in a hall that I and others helped decorate the day prior. I gotta say, my friend is quite the savvy shopper. She got the place looking exactly how she wanted without breaking the bank.

Instead of a wedding cake there were doughnuts from some fancy bakery. Brilliant idea if you ask me!

I didn’t actually get to eat my doughnut, *pout*, as a drunk groomsman took it out of my hand as I was about to take a bite and ate it. Ate my doughnut. The doughnut that belonged to a lady who’d be dieting for 6 months. I’m impressed I didn’t jump him like a crazed animal.

Instead I ate a slice of pizza, that was second dinner, and oh my god was it goooood! Handmade crust by the caterer that was hired, seriously best crust I’ve ever had. I ended up eating a couple bites from three different slices, which makes me sound like a jerk but it is actually that the servers were just too darn efficient.

See, I had a slice, took one bite, someone was all “you’ve got to come dance!”, so I put the pizza down (on a plate I mean), went and danced, and when I came back it was gone. So like any normal person I used this as an opportunity to try a different kind of pizza, grabbed a new slice, took a bite, and basically the same thing happened, except I think it was me that was all “I love this song, I must dance!”, and yeah, when I got back the rest of my slice was gone. Not to be thwarted I grabbed a third slice, ate the crust first (the crust is the best part and I’d not managed to eat any of it yet lol), had a couple bites of the part of the slice that had toppings, and then threw it out so I could go dance.

Have you figured out yet that I like to dance? 😉

I decided in total that equals to me eating one full slice, right?

I spent the day after the wedding wanting to die lol Hung over and sun stroked, my poor body was having none of it and I basically slept the day away on my parent’s couch. Aren’t I such a stellar example of being a grown-up! lol

Once I was feeling better things were pretty normal for one of my trips there. Visited with friends. Did some shopping. Chilled with the parents.

Granted, there was the day where a slice of cheesecake was both my breakfast and lunch which was pretty awesome…

From the Spinelli Italian Centre Shop. Go there. It’s worth it!

But ya know, other than cheesecake overload things were pretty normal.

The return trip was fairly uneventful. The cat and I finished our audio book, he didn’t seem at all surprised by the ending. 😉 We got a milkshake at Peter’s Drive In, which if you are ever in the vicinity of Calgary AB you must must must go to Peter’s.

Best. Milkshakes. Ever.

And no, I didn’t get a picture, I was too busy driving and drinking the milkshake to take one. 😛

We got home super late, I took care of essentials – like putting the milk and wine in the fridge and having a shower, then we crawled in to bed where we both slept the way only travel weary people and cats can. I woke up briefly around 10 am (we went to bed at 4am so no judging!), looked at the time, said “nope”, rolled back over and went back to sleep. The cat didn’t even bother to wake up, he just stayed asleep until I got up at 3pm. Neither of us care for the whole waking up part of our day, we are well matched like that lol 😛

We wake up under protest, daily.

There ya have it! Our little road trip sadly is over, but we have memories and pictures, and a little more body fat, to remind us of all the fun we had. We are both back to routine, me with my two jobs and dragon boat practices, he with all his cat chores. The only big thing that is a constant reminder of the trip is the suitcase I still haven’t put away but I’m determined to do that tomorrow!…says the woman who has been putting it off for 6 days…ah well, it’ll get done eventually! 🙂

The May Vacation A cat in a booster seat. A playboy bunny image made out of snow. A lot of Tim Hortons.

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mercurygray · 7 years

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So, I hear you liked TURN.

Apres the Season 4 finale, I know there’s going to be a lot of crying, and hand-wringing, and rewatching, and these are all good and proper things to do in the wake of a TV show you’ve enjoyed.

But after the smoke clears from all of that, you’re maybe going to go looking for your next 18th century fix, just something in between rewatches or while you’re trying to flesh out your next story idea. (Hey, now that we have our canon, go hog-wild on story ideas, guys, seriously.)

So I’ve saved you some trouble and made you all a helpful list.

Obviously there are a lot of movies and TV shows out there - this is just a selection that I wish more people knew about.

Note: Everyone enjoys a show or movie for different reasons. These shows are on this list because of the time period they depict, not because of the quality of their writing, the accuracy of their history or the political nature of their content. Where I’m able to, I’ve mentioned if a book is available if you’d like to read more.

Before we get to the rest of the list, there are three excellent shows that are either currently on television or about to be very soon:

Poldark (BBC/PBS) is based on a series of books by an author named Winston Graham. It was made into a PBS series in the 70s starring Robin Ellis as the handsome Captain Poldark, who returns from the American Revolution to find his family farm in tatters and his long-time love interest married to his cousin. Drama ensues. The 70s series is worth your time, and the recent remake with Aidan Turner in the title role is also definitely worth a go. (If you like leading men who make terrible life decisions and the women who put up with them, this is totally your show.)

Harlots (Hulu) - If you really loved the TURN ladies, thought Lola and Philomena deserved more than they got, or are just interested to learn more about what life might have been like for the lower classes in London in the 1750s, have we got a deal for you. Harlots follows the lives of 18th century sex workers in this new drama, which was just recently renewed for a totally deserved second season. Female-lead ensemble drama. A little violent at points and deals with some pretty heavy-duty topics like rape, murder, and bastardy, but in a humane and understanding way. Totally bingeable.

Outlander (Starz) - Based on the wildly popular series of books by Diana Gabaldon, this time traveling drama jumps between a couple of different centuries and follows the story of Jamie and Claire, two very strong personalities trying to literally find their place in history. (Hewlett talks about the blade his grandfather picked up at Culloden; that battle forms a critical part of this show’s storyline.) It’s a real pretty show with very high production values.

And, without further ado, the rest of the list!

John Adams: If you haven’t watched this already, do yourself a favor and go pick it up from the library. Starring Paul Giametti in the title role, this HBO miniseries follows John Adams’ role in the formation of America, through his early days in Congress up through his own presidency. As with any biographical show, characters that we know and love from other media (Rufus Sewell’s Hamilton comes to mind, but see what you think of David Morse’s Washington, too) are presented in a slightly different light and provide some food for thought about how history can be selective in how it remembers us. The costuming is great, the sets are fantastic, and the acting is first-rate.

The Patriot: An oldie but a goodie. Mel Gibson plays a highly fictionalized version of Francis Marion, the Swamp Fox while Jason Isaacs turns in a really stellar hottie we love to hate in Colonel Tavington. A little heavy-handed at times, this is a good movie to laugh over with friends.

Sons of Liberty: I’ll be really honest - for a show from the History Channel, the history on this show is pretty awful. But the cast is pretty. This one’s up to you, really. It fills a hole.

Garrow’s Law: William Garrow was a barrister and a pioneering legal mind in the 18th century, and this show (which ran for 3 seasons) is based on real Old Bailey cases and Garrow’s defenses, while also working in his fraught social life. Were you interested in learning a little more about Abe Woodhull’s erstwhile legal training? This is the show for you.

City of Vice: A miniseries that explains the origins and work of the Bow Street Runners, one of London’s first police forces. Does a great job of opening up some of the early 18th century underside of London including a smidge of 18th century gay culture.

A Harlot’s Progress: William Hogarth was an 18th century artist, printmaker and social commentator whose “A Harlot’s Progress” famously depicts the downfall of a woman who goes into prostitution. This 2006 series explores the relationship that inspired the ‘Harlot’ piece.

The Incredible Journey of Mary Bryant: At around the same time America was busy trying to figure itself out, halfway around the world another one of Britain’s colonial possessions - Australia - was just getting started. Hundreds of convicts found themselves stuffed in ships and sent to the other side of the world - a sentence deemed almost more humane. This 2005 series with Romala Garai follows a very famous convict, Mary Bryant, and her experiences.

Banished: Another take on penal colonies in Australia. Currently available on Hulu.

Black Sails: A more recent offering from Starz, this show explores the backstory of the pirates in Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island. Lots of great representation issues, a whole lot of ‘how does your story get told’ - and there’s a real big community on Tumblr who loves it and very actively produces all kinds of fic.

Clarissa - Simcoe fans, this one is totally for you. Based on the epistolary novel by Samuel Richardson, Clarissa follows a girl of the same name as the infamous rake Lovelace tries to seduce her. Another look at what how women can be corrupted. Also, for you fandom nerds in the crowd, Lovelace was one of the first characters to inspire fix-it fic. Yes, really! Fix-it fic in the late 1700s. Lovelace is one of the original men for whom the ‘No, really, I can reform him’ trope was created. (Richardson, his creator, was so horrified by this reaction by his fans that he actually revised the book several times to try and make Lovelace even more villainous and irredeemable, with little success. Then as now, women apparently love the idea of a bad boy.)

Amazing Grace - The history of slavery in England and its colonies is complicated and nuanced; this story deals with one of the more famous names from that story, William Wilberforce, and his contribution.

Belle - Based on the true story of Dido Elizabeth Belle, the mixed race daughter of a Royal Navy Admiral. Another look at racial politics in England.

The Aristocrats - One of my all-time favorite TV miniseries and based on the nonfiction book by Stella Tilyard, this show follows the (actual, nonfictional) Lennox sisters, daughters of the Duke of Richmond as they grow up, marry, and adjust to rapid social change from the early 1700s into the 1790s.

The Duchess - About the same time the Lennox sisters were out in society, so was Georgiana, the Duchess of Devonshire. This is based on (I’m not sure how closely) Amanda Foreman’s biography of Georgiana, one of the leading ladies of her day.

Dangerous Liasons - Another story about corruptible young women, this one has 3 very well deserved Oscars to its name and an absolutely stunning Glenn Close.

Barry Lyndon - a very evocative, sumptuous film by Stanley Kubrick. Short on action, but very, very Aesthetic, as only Kubrick can do.

The Scarlet Pimpernel - Based on the book by Baroness Orczy, The Scarlet Pimpernel is largely considered to be one of the world’s first ‘superhero with a secret identity’ stories. Sir Percy Blakeney uses his identity as a dim-witted fop to provide cover for his activities rescuing French aristocrats from the guillotine during the French Revolution. The 1982 version with Anthony Andrews and the 1999 version with Richard Grant are both a lot of fun.

Speaking of the French, where would we be without them? Our small domestic dust-up with Britain has far-reaching international consequences, setting in motion so many other social movements in Europe. The French, for instance, will have their own revolution several years after ours, which, of course, will lead to a total political shakeup ending with an artillery officer named Napoleon Bonaparte on the throne as Emperor. (You may have heard of him. He goes on to have his own series of large wars and, you know, completely changes the geo-political landscape of Europe. Like you do.)

La Revolution Francaise, filmed for the 200th anniversary of the Revolution, is available on YouTube in it’s entirety with English subtitles! Starts in 1774 and goes through the 1800s. C’est merveilleux.

Marie Antoinette - Sofia Coppola’s wild, modern romp through the life of one of the 18th century’s most notorious women. It may not be great history, but darn me if it isn’t fun to watch.

Farewell, My Queen - Another story about Marie Antoinette - this one is in French.

Nicolas Le Floch: An 18th century crime procedural set at the court of Louis XVI. The whole show is in French, so watch with subtitles, but the costumes are a lot of fun and it gives an interesting picture of the life a character like Lafayette would have left behind when he came to America. (He gets name dropped a few times, actually, though he never actually appears.)

Ekaterina: A 2014 miniseries from Russia discussing the rise of Catherine the Great, the Empress of Russia from 1762 to 1796, contemporaneous to the Revolution. The 18th century is a fascinating time in Russian history and Catherine is a really, really interesting lady. Totally go and read about her.

Anno 1790: A Swedish crime procedural set in 1790s Sweden and following Johann Däadh, a doctor recently roped into the police force. Däadh is a bit of a reformer, interested in the rights of man and giving everyone a chance to be heard. Costumes are fun, and there’s a really great slow-burn romance between two of the characters, one of whom is (gasp) married. This show only ran for one season, but it was a really, really good season.

If you’re still jonesing for period dramas after the rest of this list, here’s a lot of shows and tv series set during the Napoleonic Wars that are also totally worth your time - the Richard Sharpe miniseries, the Horatio Hornblower miniseries, the BBC’s War and Peace, Master and Commander, and then, of course, anything based on a Jane Austen novel.

Have fun!

#turn amc #so i hear you liked

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gothify1 · 5 years

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It's no secret Glossier is über-talented when it comes to making waves, influencing trends, and setting refreshing diversity precedents within the beauty industry. So it's not surprising that when the cult-loved brand announces a new product launch, people go bananas . Of course, some launches have gone over better than others—Glossier Play is still a controversial topic among beauty editors—and some of the brand's beloved signatures (Milky Jelly Cleanser , Balm Dotcom , Cloud Paint , Generation G ...etc.) will likely never be dethroned from their pedestal. Which brings us to today's major news—the launch of Glossier's newest product called Brow Flick ($18)—the only brow product the brand has debuted since the 2015 arrival of Boy Brow ($16). (Which, if you didn't know, is the brand's #1 selling product and one of the most iconic brow products, well, ever. ) In fact, as the brand stated in a press release, last year, a tube of Boy Brow sold every 32 seconds. To which we say damn . Alas, we digress—back to the task at hand! The exciting and surprising (unless you're a beauty editor who received the exciting news last week) arrival of Brow Flick ($18), a sleek brush-tip detailing pen that's intended to groom and touch up your arches with the perfect amount of pigment and texture. With Brow Flick, it's all about definition, not necessarily color or fluff; the product aims to give Glossier's loyal community the option to add "more brow to their brow" for a full, polished, ultra-natural-looking finish. So what makes Brow Flick ($18) different than the gel, powder, or pencil you already love? For starters, it comes in just three sheer, (surprisingly) versatile shades, Black, Brown, and Blond, which pair beautifully with their corresponding shades of Boy Brow. Second, the formula is water-resistant and creates easy, natural-looking strokes that look significantly less artificial and "drawn" than the results stencils and pencils can yield. You can use the pen anywhere you feel you want or need more definition or depth—be it the tails or arches—and thanks to the malleable, super-fine brush tip, the final aesthetic is designed to look pretty darn seamless. (Spoiler: It does!) Composition- and ingredient-wise, the formula is ophthalmologist tested, dermatologist tested, vegan, dairy-free, soy-free, gluten-free, grain-protein-free, nut-free, and hypoallergenic (woo!), and other notable features include copolymers (for enduring wear), superfine pigments (for detection-free believability), and, of course, the flow-through brush applicator tip (for fine lines, precise application, and a natural finish). For A+ application, the brand suggests starting with clean skin, which will help ensure the formula adheres how it's intended. Then, holding the pen at a downward angle, lightly etch and feather your strokes anywhere you want some improvement. Let the application dry for at least 15 seconds, and then feel free to brush and fluff your hairs up with Boy Brow to enhance your work with a little more hold and definition. Et voila! Brow Flick in a nutshell. Of course, there's the whole issue of whether or not the newest Glossier baby lives up to all the inevitable hype, so I asked a few of my fellow Who What Wear co-workers to weigh in with before-and-after photos coupled with unbiased reviews. Keep scrolling for our honest thoughts! Wearing: Brow Flick in Blond & Boy Brow in Clear. "I'm notoriously anxious when it comes to brow products. Due to how fair my skin and hair is (and how sparse-ish my brows are), it's easy for brow products to go haywire fast. So I generally stick to pencils, which yield more control and precision than goopy gels. Thus, when I heard that Glossier's latest brow launch was a pen—which sounds rather intense—I was concerned. I had scary visions of an application that looked more like a paint job than a natural-looking brow boost. . "That said, as soon as I unpackaged Brow Flick, my stress level dropped; the brush tip is super fine and soft, and as I began stroking it through the sparse areas of my brows, I could barely detect the product—in a good way. (I literally had a Britney Spears moment; like, Is this thing on?). However, despite how subtle the application was, I did notice a slow, steady, user-friendly build in the oomph and precision of my brows. "The job was done in about 30 seconds, and the product was completely undetectable (no telltale trace of pencil left behind!). Brow Flick truly delivers on the "your brows, but better" front, which is my personal vibe when it comes to enhancing my brows. I didn't feel like I needed more pigment, so I simply brushed them into place with the clear Boy Brow formula, but honestly, I probably wouldn't even do that on a daily basis; I generally like to keep my brow M.O. as minimal as possible. "Overall, I'd give Brow Flick five stars and might actually love it just as much as I love Lash Slick, my favorite mascara. However, I do worry the effect won't be dramatic enough for those who love a brow look that packs a lot of punch (although you can always add extra definition with a second coat of Boy Brow), and am also slightly worried the pen might dry out in about two seconds flat. All in all, though, my first impression is stellar, and I'd definitely recommend it for the person who loves a natural and super-low-maintenance brow look." The 12-hours-later update: "I applied Brow Flick at the office around 8 a.m. in the morning and then went to a 6 p.m. spin class where I literally produced buckets of sweat. After the class, my brows looked like they hadn't even been touched and were still perfectly intact! Glossier, you weren't playing when you said the formula was water-resistant!" Wearing: Brow Flick in Brown; Boy Brow in Brown. "This decade's brow trends have been kind to those with thick, straight-across caterpillars like mine (thank goddess the early 2000s are long gone!), and I've been leaning into any product that helps me achieve my Burt-and-Ernie brow aesthetic. My go-to brow products are either gels formulated with fibers and a lot of hold (like boy brow!), which allow me to achieve the full, bushy vibe I like, or super skinny-tipped pencils that let me fill in sparse bits as well as create the look of individual brow hairs. "My first impression of Glossier's (very appropriately named) Brow Flick is very positive—I love how the flexible tip and inky (though light) liquid product allows you to very precisely stroke hair-like lines into the sprout of your brows or fill in the arch/tail. Bumped up and locked in by a coat or two of boy brow, I love the full, feathered effect. My only suspicion of the product is that it deposits pigment so lightly (admittedly great for not overdoing your brows) that I'm afraid the applicator would dry out after five or so uses. Only more experimentation will tell. But for the time being, I'm digging my *brows on flick* (sorry for the pun... had to)." Wearing: Brow Flick in Black & Boy Brow in Black. "Right off the bat, I was impressed by how easy it was to apply. The brush literally flicks on a sheer stroke of color, leaving my brows looking fuller, darker, and more even. Being the novice that I am at all brow products under the sun (save for my beloved Boy Brow, naturally), I applied it all over my brows just to see how it would look. I quickly discovered that the formula doesn't easily smudge off, though, which is great if you apply it where you want, but not so great if you paint outside the lines, which I definitely did a few times. I finished with Bow Brow for a full statement brow moment I'm excited to re-create for my next event. For more of a natural everyday look, though, I'll probably limit the Brow Flick to my arches and finish with the Boy Brow in clear instead." Wearing: Brow Flick in Black & Boy Brow in Black. "Rarely do I wear makeup; most days I roll out of bed and decide to dedicate my morning routine to my curly hair. But I definitely could be down to incorporate Glossier's Brow Flick pencil in when I'm feeling extra spicy. I have to say that Brow Flick was a little lighter in effect versus the Boy Brow, which felt like the type of product you put on to have a bold brow. Overall, both products looked great, but Brow Flick gave off a more natural, non-filled in look, while Boy Brow screams brows on fleek." Wearing: Brow Flick in Brown. "I love the subtle difference the pen makes to my brows. It enhances and shapes my brows without looking like I've actually got brow product on. The pen itself has a light-as-air texture—almost like a brown watercolor." Next Up, My Eyebrows Doubled in Size After Making These 6 Sneaky Changes.

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samanthasmeyers · 5 years

Text

13 Great Landing Page Examples You Gotta Save for Your Swipe File

Here’s our starting principle:

A polished, professional landing page can improve your conversion rates. (And a messy one can hurt them.)

Pretty simple, right? You’ve probably heard something similar before. But what the heck does it mean to be “polished” and “professional” on a landing page, anyway? And when it comes to conversions, what’s the magical x-factor that sets exceptional marketers apart?

With these questions in mind, we want to show off some fresh landing page examples to inspire your next creation. Go ahead and save their smartest, slickest, and snappiest elements for your swipe file.

Throughout, we’ll offer an Unbounce-certified perspective on what makes each page so darn good—and, occasionally, how each could be improved. (Incidentally, all of ’em show off what you can do with the Unbounce Builder.) Let’s go.

What makes a landing page effective?

Before looking at the examples, it’s worth highlighting some of the qualities that most great landing pages share. (Ain’t got time for that? Jump ahead for the top landing page examples.)

Here are a few fundamental practices of high-converting landing pages:

Use a clear and concise value statement (above the fold) so visitors understand the purpose of your page immediately.

Match your primary headline to the ad your visitor clicked to land on the page in the first place (or the button of the email CTA, for example).

Include social proof and testimonials to back up your claims.

Focus the whole page on a single offer, with just one primary call to action (CTA).

Use a conversion-centered layout to make your CTA stand out (think about whitespace, color, contrast, and directional cues).

Test new ideas using A/B testing. Sometimes what works will surprise you.

Not sure your own landing pages are hitting the mark? Try out Unbounce’s Landing Page Analyzer to get a personalized checklist of tactics that can kick your conversions up a notch.

The Best Landing Page Examples of 2019 [Updated!]

1. Athabasca University

Image courtesy of Athabasca University. (Click to see the whole thing.)

Athabasca University pioneered distance education in Canada in the 1970s. Today, it uses landing pages to boost its online enrolment initiatives, including this example representing its 14 certificate programs. It’s a smart choice since landing pages allow AU to focus a visitor’s attention on a particular slice of its many online program offerings.

Industry: Education

Why it inspires…

Smart copy: It might be worth testing out a more direct headline, but the copy here matches the school’s other branding initiatives elsewhere. It’s also very sharp. The target is clear: people who might further their education but don’t feel they have time to pursue it. This landing page says otherwise (in words and in its hero image).

You-oriented copy: This page is all about me (or, uh, “you”) and not about the “Great and Powerful” Athabasca University. Marketers working in education understand the need to appeal to self-interest better than many of their counterparts in other industries, who can slip into bragging. I’m not sure what part of Maslow’s hierarchy of needs calls for tech bro flexing, but AU does better by appealing to a desire for self-actualization.

Testimonials: A little bit of inspiration never hurts. Here, the social proof shows pathways to personal success before people make a significant investment. I’d test to see if doubling down doesn’t produce even better results here. Giving each testimonial more visibility and offering a smidge more biography—along with portraits to humanize them—might provide a little boost. (Of course, it might not. But that’s why we test!)

Z-pattern: This page is a classic example of a Z-pattern at work. That is—its visual hierarchy takes advantage of the way people typically scan a webpage. In this case, the eye is encouraged to travel from the Athabasca University logo to their tagline (“Open. Flexible. Everywhere.”), then diagonally across the heading to the supporting copy, and then finally right to the call to action. (Pow!) Other visual queues also encourage the eye to move down (including, cleverly, the pointed tip of Athabasca crest).

2. blow LTD.

Image courtesy of blow LTD.. (Click to see the whole thing.)

If you look past the buzzy “Uber for beauty” thing, UK brand blow LTD. solves a genuine problem in a genius way. They offer affordable, professional beauty services that come to you, and—more importantly—you can book an appointment with one of their pros straight from their app. Smartly, landing pages are a big part of their campaign strategy. The example, for instance, promotes in-home eyelash extensions in clever ways.

Industry: Beauty

Why it inspires…

Crystal-clear value statement: This landing page doesn’t mess around with cute copy (e.g., “Eyes That Amaze”). Instead, it clearly states the offer and relies on value (and maybe a little bit of novelty) to win over prospective customers. A promise doesn’t get more unambiguous than “Eyelash Extensions At Home,” and that’s precisely why this headline is so effective.

Promo code: Providing a promo code to visitors sweetens the pot, but it’s also doing something more. The call to action (“Book Eyelash Extensions”) redirects to their main website, where they might get distracted or frustrated. The promo provides extra motivation to carry visitors through to complete a booking. Want these savings? Then ya’d best use that code before you forget.

Social proof: People are understandably picky about who does their hair and makeup, so providing social proof is a must. The testimonials here have been selected to highlight the personalized nature of the experience too. Since blow LTD. only works if prospects feel they can trust their professionals, providing social proof helps humanize the service and start building relationships.

Simple steps: Looking further down the page, we might pause over the “How It Works” section. In this post-Uber world, the service offered by blow LTD. is pretty easy to understand, so why bother including a three-step breakdown of it? That’s just the point, though. This landing page includes these steps to highlight this simplicity. I mean, come on—step three is “Sit Back & Relax.” That’s something I can get behind.

Subtle app promotion: Rather than aggressively funneling visitors into an app, the landing page ends with a gentle reminder that you can download the app on your iPhone or Android. (I’d test a mobile variant of the CTA that goes straight to the app.) Some people will certainly get excited about booking with blow LTD. on the go, but visitors don’t feel too pressured to whip out their smartphone. Once a visitor has converted, there’ll be plenty of other opportunities to onboard them to the app.

3. Blue Forest Farms (Agency: Champ/Cannabis Creative)

Image courtesy of Blue Forest Farms. (Click to see the whole thing.)

We love this incredible design for Blue Forest Farms by Champ and Cannabis Creative. Hemp farmers sometimes have trouble disassociating themselves from cannabis culture. (Tie-dye colors, bong water, and that funky smell coming from your older brother’s van.) But this stellar B2B landing page takes modernized and, dare we say, adult approach to wholesale hemp oil extracts. From its clean design to persuasive copy, it makes a strong case that this is an industry that demands to be taken seriously.

Industry: Hemp

Why it inspires…

Expert copy: Unlike B2C landing pages, this page speaks to a professional crowd. By which I mean, people who know what it means when plant extract contains “natural terpenes” and has been “decarboxylated.” We might suggest going with a more impactful headline, but wholesalers are likely very aware of the benefits. Cutting to the chase can’t be a bad thing.

A ‘refined’ approach: Blue Forest Farms market hemp oil in several states, from crude oil to white label products ready for the market. Beyond just listing these options, this landing page lays out the process through which their hemp is refined, emphasizing the care and craft that go into it.

Low-intensity lead gen: I’ve seen shorter forms, but the lead gen here is relatively straightforward for B2B. (They could test including first and last name in the same field and change some of the language.) It’s smart to leave an optional field for additional notes since wholesale deals are far more complex than most.

Simple design: The kind of conversation that needs to happen in wholesale will stretch beyond a single landing page. Instead of cramming too much information onto the page, Blue Forest Farms keep it short and sweet to encourage contact as soon as possible.

4. Border Buddy

Image courtesy of Border Buddy. (Click to see the whole thing.)

Ever try to cross the border with a 10-pound wheel of Wisconsin cheddar strapped into the passenger seat (and disguised as your wife)? Me neither. But if I did, I’d want Border Buddy behind me. This landing page works by evoking common anxieties and then offering to solve them without fuss.

Industry: Customs

Why it works…

Presenting the problem: The headline starts with the pain and insecurity (“Importing and Exporting Is Hard”) that any visitor who hits this landing page from a PPC campaign is likely to be feeling. Crucially, though, the promise of a solution appears with equal clarity above the fold: “We do the hard part for you,” says Border Buddy. Perfect.

Simplicity: Bringing your purchases across the border can get very messy, so keeping this landing page clean is essential. There’s no more information here than what you need to know. No legalese either. You’ll have a customs broker worrying about all those small details for you.

Speed: At Unbounce, we have a lot to say about the impact that page speed can have on your conversion rates. But Border Buddy is already ahead of the curve on this one. On mobile, this landing page takes less than three seconds to hit first meaningful paint. Border Buddy avoids weighing down the page with unnecessary media or scripts, ensuring immediate visitor engagement. (Prepping an SVG version of their logo could shave a few kilobytes off of what’s already a very lean page.)

Unexpected vibrancy: Sometimes marketers associate the push for faster speeds with a need to sacrifice the visual appeal of a landing page. This example from Border Buddy shows it that doesn’t have to be the case. They’ve made careful choices in terms of font, layout, and visuals to maximize impact and reinforce branding (without distracting the visitor).

F-pattern: Like the Z-pattern, the F-pattern layout mimics the way our eyes move across the screen when we look at content. It reduces cognitive load and ensures that the key pieces of the message (including the call to action) are located in the places that they’ll most noticeable.

Slow-loading pages can cost you conversions. Find out more about optimizing your landing page for speed, like Border Buddy did, with Unbounce’s Speed Boost and AMP support.

5. Bouquet Bar (Agency: Power Digital Marketing)

Image courtesy of Bouquet Bar. (Click to see the whole thing.)

Power Digital Marketing created this gorgeous landing page for Bouquet Bar. Though other landing pages target specific holidays, this one says that you don’t need an excuse to treat someone you love (or, y’know, need to impress) to a bouquet. You can do it “Just Because.” Ryan Picardal, the designer who worked on it, describes their goals:

For a fairly new brand, our team realized that we needed to capitalize on not only driving sales from these landing pages, but also expanding their audience. In order to achieve that, we needed to focus on putting enticing messaging and imagery at the forefront, and ensure that all key benefits Bouquet Bar provides are clearly visible and eye-catching.

Industry: Florist/Gifts

Why it works…

Choose your own adventure: While maintaining focus is important, sometimes a single call to action doesn’t quite capture the types of visitors your landing page receives. In these cases, it can be quite effective to provide multiple options. For buyers who want to craft something personal, the first call to action invites you to create your own bouquet. But for those short on time or imagination, “curated selections” provide a shortcut to celebrating an important person or occasion.

Just Because: 75% of roses sold in the US are purchased by men for Valentine’s Day. And 25% of all adults report buying flowers as gifts on Mother’s Day. It’s likely Bouquet Bar does a significant amount of business around these two days, but the “just because” messaging here invites business during the other 363 days of the year.

The right color palette: This point touches on Bouquet Bar’s overall branding, but it’s worth pointing out in the context of the “Just Because” page. Orange, particularly the deep shade they’ve chosen, aligns with the brand’s warm, sophisticated personality. A lot of what gets labeled as the psychology of color is fairly dubious—using pink won’t suddenly make your funeral home appear more cheerful—but the accents here definitely support the identity that Bouquet Bar wants to establish.

Evocative photography: The gallery helps contextualize the product as an “expression of love, gratitude and friendship” by showcasing people receiving the gift. Images of people can be more effective at evoking emotions than words, so a company like Bouquet Bar is wise to employ them here. The photos also, much more practically, show scale. This can be a real concern when purchasing products sight unseen. It’s an excellent lesson for anyone practicing ecommerce.

6. Class Creator

Image courtesy of Class Creator. (Click to see the whole thing.)

Australia-based Class Creator uses this Unbounce landing page to make inroads in the US market (and, hopefully, help the company secure US partners) when school’s between sessions in their home country. The page showcases many of the product’s features as well as the primary benefits. It targets high-level decision makers who need as much information as possible before they buy.

Industry: Education/SaaS

Why it works..

Breakin’ the rules: I know what you’re going to say. “That’s not a landing page. It’s a homepage. It breaks all the rules. Just look at that navigation bar! Look at all those different links. The Attention Ratio is out of control!” Grumble, grumble, grumble. But there’s a lesson here for anyone looking for landing page inspiration: stay flexible. Tim Bowman, Class Creator’s CEO, told me they’ve found it more success with this homepage than a traditional conversion-focused landing page. I wanted to include it here as an example of just what you can do.

Floating navigation bar: If you must include a navigation bar, it’s best to keep it in view at all times. This also lets Class Creator keep the primary call to action (“Demo School”) at the top of the page so that no scrolling is necessary for their visitors to find it.

The numbers don’t lie: Above the fold Class Creator marshals some pretty serious numbers as a form of social proof. They leverage the 10,000+ educators in 13 countries who’re already using their software as a powerful persuasive device.

Easy access to a product demo: In the SaaS space, it’s remarkably common to see companies throw up too many barriers between potential customers and demoing their product. (“Submit your firstborn for access to our 5-minute free trial.”) Class Creator knows that it’s essential for prospects to get their hands dirty with a demo or trial version of the software. This ensures that they get to evaluate the product in action, generating qualified leads (with a simple email form) and carrying them further down the funnel.

Smart use of lightboxes: This landing page (acting as a homepage) already has a ton to say about Class Creator. Relegating any additional information to lightboxes works to keep it out of the way. It’d certainly be worth their while testing different versions of this page that swap out features for benefits or put the testimonials in a more prevalent place.

Editor’s Note. If you’re looking for the creative freedom to make whatever you want, the Unbounce Builder offers that flexibility, whether you want to make a popup or sticky bar, a long-form landing page, or an SEO-optimized page. Learn more here.

7. Good Eggs

Image courtesy of Good Eggs. (Click to see the whole thing.)

The good people at Good Eggs know how to use slick marketing (just look at their rockin’ homepage!). In fact, I think a lot of their landing pages would be a great fit for this post about about landing page design. This particular example, which promotes free coconut water, is no exception, but it also offers a masterclass in restraint. It shows how to use a promo to score conversions without becoming overbearing.

Industry: Grocery Delivery

Why it inspires…

Freebies: Free seems universally good. But in this case, the promise of free is doing more than appealing to our instinctual love of not paying for stuff. It builds good will, provides a sample of a product that Good Egg carries, and quickly establishes a lifestyle match between the service and the visitor. What do I mean by lifestyle match? Well, if you’re thrilled by the getting free coconut water from Harmless Harvest, you already know Good Eggs will be a great fit for you.

Added value: At first, I was taken aback by the headline here because I thought you’d hit harder with the whole free thing (like, I dunno, “Free Coconut Water” could work?). But it’s likely the average Good Eggs customer has more on their mind just getting a deal. Here, the promotion helps show off brand values of wellness, sustainability, and ethical labor practices. So it’s not just free, it’s also a good thing.

Testimonials: It can be a little risky to mention your competitors, but Good Eggs gets around this problem by letting a customer do it for them. Sometimes testimonials can get a little samey, repeating the same point in different voices. (That’s not always a bad thing.) Here, though, they’ve been carefully selected to reinforce the three value propositions listed above.

8. Jet Pet

Image courtesy of Jet Pet. (Click to see the whole thing.)

For every person living in Vancouver, there must be at least six dogs. Jet Pet understands this city’s love of pooches, and they’re big fans of using the Unbounce Builder to advertise their premium dog boarding service and three locations to locals. We’ve included it here because this landing page is an inspiration for anyone targeting a select geographic area.

Industry: Pet Care/Boarding

Why it works…

Clear value statement: A simple heading (“Dog Boarding Vancouver”) lets the searcher know they’ve hit the jackpot. For paid campaigns, Jet Pet can also use Unbounce’s Dynamic Keyword Replacement (DTR) to swap in a search keyword (“Dog Kennels Vancouver”) for improved message match. Then, when a prospect clicks on an ad in Google, they’re brought to a page with a headline that matches their expectations.

Two-stage form: Typically, using multi-step forms can lead to higher conversion rates than a single long form. Here, a two-stage form reduces psychological friction in two ways. First, it minimizes the perceived effort in signing up for the service. (And even if the second form proves frustrating, someone who’s already filled out the first form is invested and more likely to continue onward. Sunk cost fallacy FTW.) Second, a two-stage form can delay asking for more “sensitive” questions until later.

Friendliness: Speaking of the form, I love that the first thing they ask you (and the only required field on the first page) is your dog’s name. I’d expect this question if I walked into one of their locations with my pup on a leash, but seeing the same question here made me smile. Jet Pet’s page is full of friendly gestures like this one that make them memorable.

Trust building: Trusting somebody else with your dog requires significant peace of mind. So it’s important that Jet Pet uses copy that builds that trust and leaves their customers feeling secure that they’ve left Fido with ”loving experts” who have his best interest in mind. The reassuring language that Jet Pet uses across the page reinforces this message, including emotionally loaded terms like “care,” “safe,” and “love.”

Video testimonials: You don’t always need a video to have an effective testimonial, but in Jet Pet’s case, I think this is a smart move. There’s a lot of questionable testimony out there, so showing actual dog owners speaking to the camera helps build further credibility. (I’d love to see the dogs in these videos too.)

9. Mooala (Agency: BuzzShift)

Image courtesy of Mooala.. (Click to see the whole thing.)

So it turns out you can milk a banana. Who knew? (Mooala Organic, that’s who.) Created by BuzzShift, the landing page reflects the brand’s playfulness and sense of fun embodied by their mascot. It’s also straightforward in a way that inspires a lot of confidence in their product. Cameron Gawley, BuzzShift’s co-founder and CEO, puts the choices here in a whole-funnel context:

This specific page worked well in the consideration phase of our social ads. Our goal was to add value via a coupon, by capturing an email as a soft conversion and then nurture them forward in the rest of the journey. Most brands have a huge opportunity to grow lower their CPA and increase conversions by focusing more on awareness and consideration.

Industry: Beverages/Dairy Alternatives

Why it inspires…

From landing page to offline purchase: As Gawley points out, the promise of a coupon does double duty as a soft conversion. It builds an email nurture track and encourages an in-store purchase. Since tasting is believing, this is a crucial component of Mooala’s digital marketing strategy.

Meeting objections head-on: Banana haters gonna banana hate. But Mooala should be commended for immediately kicking one possible objection to the curb: “What is Bananamilk, you ask? It’s not a sugary-sweet banana smoothie, as you might think.” By boldly tackling this concern, the copy helps reset expectations and promote the product as “a light, dairy alternative that you can enjoy guilt-free.”

A smartly placed animation: Videos and animations can be extraordinarily useful, but they can also serve as a distraction if not positioned correctly. I love the inclusion of animation at the bottom of the page, where it’ll draw the eye toward the CTA instead of distracting from Mooala’s primary messaging.

Social queues: Encouraging visitors to follow the brand’s social media accounts increases the opportunities to be delightful and stay top of mind.

10. Pared

Image courtesy of Pared. (Click to see the whole thing.)

We’re happy to show off this slick landing page from Pared, an app that matches (or, ahem, pairs) restaurants to pre-qualified kitchen staff. Like the example from Class Creator, Pared doesn’t need a complicated website to get their message out there. Unbounce’s drag-and-drop builder gives them the ability to make changes and track conversions. According to Dave Lu, Pared’s president and co-founder, it’s been effective, even three years later:

From day one, I was able to quickly pull together a website and landing page for my startup. Because of Unbounce, I can iterate and A/B test changes without needing to involve a designer or developer. This is tremendously liberating and powerful for any marketer.

Industry: Restaurants/Staffing

Why it inspires…

Speaks to its niche: Pared isn’t a service for everyone and they know it. Instead, they have a specific clientele whose needs they match in a big way. This landing page starts with one particular problem these people encounter: “Never be short-staffed again,” and goes from there. (They use other web assets for recruiting Pared Pros.)

Explainer video: The landing page includes a short explainer that runs viewers through the problem and their solution to it in simple, approachable language. App landing pages, in particular, benefit from these types of videos.

Big names and logos: The page includes logos from a wide variety of recognizable eateries and restaurants who use the service. It also includes killer testimonials from chef-owners at San Francisco institutions like Little Gem, Octavia, and Jaridiniere (now sadly gone).

11. Twinwoods Adventure (Agency: Bluespark Digital)

Image courtesy of Twinwoods Adventure. (Click to see the whole thing.)

You need to see the real page for the full effect. This landing page for Twinwoods Adventure captures the thrill of indoor skydiving through a captivating (and humorous) hero animation and tons of incredible action shots. Bluespark Digital created a page that buzzes with energy and excitement while staying focused on the conversion.

Industry: Adventure

Why it inspires…

Capturing the experience: Twinwoods Adventure sell an experience, so social proof is critical in carrying visitors over the golden line from curiosity to conversion. (You can return a lousy product, after all, but bad experiences will be with you for life.) The page hits you with the double whammy of testimonials and review scores from Google, Facebook, and TripAdvisor.

Hype video: Some concepts demand video. Indoor skydiving is one of them. The mid-page video here does an incredible job of creating hype for the experience by showing off a range of skill levels. If you thought the wind tunnel was nothing but an oversized hairdryer, boy, you were wrong.

Keep the number handy: Like many of the pages we’ve featured, the design encourages scrolling downwards (clicking the arrow below the CTA carries you to the benefits). But Twinwoods likely do a lot of booking over the phone, so a floating phone number keeps that particular call-to-action visible no matter where people end up on the page.

Additional info: Before you get me into a jumpsuit, I’ve got more questions. (Like, where’d you guys get the wind tunnel anyway?) That’s why it’s a relief to find the info I need tucked away on the page. Arguably, these sections could be a little more evident as buttons, but Twinwoods Adventure smartly includes this additional info without stretching the page.

12. Wavehuggers (Agency: Everett Andrew Marketing)

Image courtesy of Wavehuggers. (Click to see the whole thing.)

Created by Everett Andrew Marketing, this brilliant landing page connects safety and fun together through carefully selected visuals and clear, concise messaging. According to Mark Chapman, Founder and President of Everett Andrew, this design was all about standing out:

Our goal in creating the page was to cut through the clutter and crowded market of businesses here in southern California offering surf lessons—both on Google and Facebook. Getting each important conversion component (i.e. social proof, urgency, hero shot, CTA, etc.) into the page, mostly above the fold, was tricky but in the end we found a way to segment these out so each part catches the eye.

Industry: Surf Lessons

Why it inspires…

Yelp score: Even the crummiest of products or services can gather together a few positive testimonials. (“The CEO’s mom thinks we’re cool.”) That’s why high scores from Yelp, TripAdvisor, Amazon, or Google can complement testimonials, as they do here. It’s much more challenging to maintain strong scores on these sites. (Just remember that visitors can always verify your score for themselves.)

Timed special offer: Like many of the examples here, Wavehuggers add urgency to the landing page with a limited time promotion. It may not seem like much—this kind of thing is almost a marketing cliche at this point—but even small tweaks like adding “for a limited time only” to a promo code can affect your conversion rates.

Safety, comfort, fun: Prospects are likely seeking out lessons to feel more comfortable on the water. Everything on this landing page focuses on the promise of a positive experience. The copy on this landing page reassures them throughout that surfing is “not as scary as you might think.”

Real customers: The photographs here don’t have the polish of some of the others on this list (see Western Rise below), but guess what? They shouldn’t. A stunning stock photograph of a professional surfer hanging ten would be far less effective than these visuals of kids having fun on their boards. From the cursive fonts to the hand-drawn arrows, Wavehuggers’ style reflects the relaxed vibes of surfer culture.

13. Western Rise

Image courtesy of Western Rise. (Click to see the whole thing.)

Sometimes when prepping a piece like this one, you end up buying the product. I’m very, very close to pulling the trigger on a pair of Western Rise’s AT Slim Rivet Pants. And why not? This sharp landing page quickly establishes the appeal of the product through visuals and copy that stresses the benefits of these “elevated” pants. It may be time to give up on my ratty jeans altogether.

Industry: Clothier

Why it works…

Bold visuals: These pants may be handmade in Los Angeles, but many of the photos here (including the hero shot) scream Brooklyn. It’s easy to imagine wearing the AT Slim Rivet Pants as you peddle your fixie through traffic, balancing a latte on your handlebars on the way to a chic rooftop cocktail party.

Stressing the benefits: I never thought I’d be writing about the common pain points associated with wearing pants, but here we are. On this landing page, Western Rise addresses them all. Jeans are prone to tearing and tend to overheat. Chinos get dirty and wrinkled. Dress pants are for squares, man. By promising versatility (“pants for all day, every day”) and keeping the benefits up front, Western Rise offers a solution to a problem you didn’t know you had.

“Tech specs”: Though there’s some clever copy on display here, Western Rise is extremely straightforward about the features of the AT Slim Rivet Pants in the “Tech specs” section on the page. They provide precise details about materials (“Durable Nylon Canvas” and “Gusseted Crotch”) and design (“Media Pocket” and “Extendable Hem”) in a clear, concise way.

ABT: Always Be Testing

There you have it. These are some of the best landing page examples I’ve come across here at Unbounce, selected to represent a wide swath of industries with many different conversion goals. I hope you’ve found some qualities to inspire you.

But I have one final piece of advice for you: no page is ever perfect—or, more to the point, every page can be better. And what works for one page (with one target market) won’t necessarily work for you. With this in mind, you should always be testing your landing pages. If you’ve got a page you’re already planning to tinker with, try running it through our Landing Page Analyzer for some actionable steps you can take.

Be the Michael Jordan of landing pages

When I was in middle school, I had a friend who gave up playing basketball after watching Michael Jordan in the NBA Finals. “I’ll never get anywhere near his level,” he told me, “so what’s the point?”

Great landing page examples like the ones above should inspire you. But sometimes seeing other people’s awesomeness can have the opposite effect.

But don’t give up!

The good news is that everything you see here was built with Unbounce’s drag-and-drop builder. Though many take advantage of custom scripts to kick it up a notch, all these examples started in the same place as you will—with a brand, a blank page, and a big idea. Heck, some of these inspiring landing pages even started as Unbounce templates, though you’d never know it by looking at them. And we’re not tellin’.

So swipe a few ideas from these examples, load up your favorite template, and, yeah… be the Michael Jordan of landing pages.

If you’ve got a landing page you’d like to show off—yours or even somebody else’s—please share below.

from Marketing https://unbounce.com/landing-page-examples/best-landing-page-examples/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

#Digital Marketing

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annaxkeating · 5 years