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karin-ko · 2 months

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Cruel Story of Youth by Nagisa Oshima

In 1960, Nagisa Oshima directed "Cruel Story of Youth," depicting the youth of two young men and women. It was the first color film we watched in this class, and its visuals were remarkably clear even though it was taken more than 60 years ago, with red elements like umbrellas, clothes, and telephones vividly standing out. The content, in a word, was shocking.

This movie tells us that youth, throughout time, must surely be fleeting, beautiful, and cruel. Youths overestimate themselves, misunderstand themselves as special, and rush towards their dreams without a plan. They indulge in desires, believing fervently that intense romantic feelings will last forever. They struggle desperately to obtain something, yet looking back, even that struggle seems beautiful and dazzling. In the movie, the elder sister, seeing the struggles of Makoto and Kiyoshi, feels this way, portrayed as striving. Perhaps even adults today have trodden similar paths, and when they look back, they might nostalgically think how childish but beautiful they were at that time. Youth must surely be like that. But honestly, my impression of this movie was that it depicted a woman seriously involved with a casual lover and a self-assured man who treats her casually and selfishly. Did such men really attract women back then? To be honest, I do not understand the appeal at all. He resorts to violence, sleeps with other women, plays the badger game by using his girlfriend, and manipulates situations to his advantage under the guise of doing it for her sake. Where is Makoto drawn to such a guy? Ultimately, he chooses to break up (presumably) to protect her, and he was beaten to death, so he must have grown, and his feelings for her must have become genuine. But honestly, I could not see the appeal until the end. She is responsible too. I cannot empathize at all with expecting something from such a man, being emotionally manipulated, sleeping with an older man who she does not like to catch Kiyoshi's attention, having an abortion, being sent to a reformatory, and still loving him. Also, if she really wants to give birth, she should not drink, engage in sexual intercourse, or be with someone who smokes… Basically, I could not relate much because all the characters seemed either too childish or weird.

However, it was very nice to see many depictions that evoke the time. The retro American-like feel of the characters' clothing, hairstyles, cars, etc., was very cute. Riding a motorcycle recklessly on a deserted road at night and plunging into the sea, though stupid, felt like Showa-era romance, which was kind of nice. Also, something I have noticed in other movies too, that there were a lot of depictions of smoking cigarettes. Everyone smokes everywhere, even at school. In today's Japan, you cannot see that which made watching it feel enjoyable, sensing the era.

In terms of direction, there were many long shots used throughout, with the camera following the characters' movements or changing the characters being filmed, which was interesting to watch. There were several other intriguing directing choices. For example, deliberately capturing the blurred faces of the people at the bar while Makoto is dancing, or focusing only on the hands during sexual scenes. Particularly memorable scenes include the shot from the back seat of a car, capturing two people and the scenery, and the scene at the hospital where despite the camera focusing on Kiyoshi and Mokoto, the story progresses through the voices of the doctor and her sister through the door. Also, the transition from the lights in Kiyoshi's room going out to depicting the corridor, leading to the scene with Mokoto's sister and a friend, was nice. Additionally, the sound of heels during Makoto's walking scene towards the end, alternating between her sensing Kiyoshi's danger and his situation, was effective. However, I cannot understand jumping out of a moving car, and the scene at the end with the two bodies captured together seemed to evoke laughter rather than any other emotion.

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animechick2015 · 4 years

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My Hero Academia- My Unwanted, Long Ass Ramble That Absolutely No One Asked For......

So being at home 🏡 due to mostly COVID-19 and a crumbling economy, I decided to rewatch all of my favorite animes, from Bungou Stray Dogs, Inuyasha, Demon Slayer, Fairy Tail and finally My Hero Academia. Once again I was entranced by the bright colors, spectacular animation and lovable characters that Kōhei Horikoshi-Sensei created. But coming to the end of the recent Season 4 a revelation came to me: I just don’t like Deku as the main character 😱.

I know. I know. I must be certifiably insane not to love such a cinnamon roll, with his cute freckles, messy green hair and 1,000,000 megawatt smile. But it’s true. I have no interest with him as the main character. After this new discovery I decided to think why I didn’t like him and the reason was simple: he’s predictable or rather his story is.

From the on set we were told that he’s going to be the greatest hero ever. Every arc that he’s been in he comes out on top with a new increase usage of his power. After finishing Eri’s arc I was just like ‘huh, is it going to be more seasons of this?’ Now for those of you thinking well you just watched the anime, you should read the manga.....I read it religiously every week. It doesn’t matter where I am or what I’m doing you can bet I’ll drop everything I’m doing just to read and re-read that chapter; find myself on tumblr and read all the fan theories and musings about said chapter. So i know what’s going on in the manga and once again I just like meh he’s going to be on top anyways why should I bother getting invested 🤷🏽‍♀️

Dammit Deku don’t look at me like that 🥺.

I still love him and I am proud of how far he’s come but I just can’t find it in myself to get hyped up for him.

So who do I get hyped up for? Well I’m glad you asked ( I know you didn’t but here it is anyway hehe)

Bakugo Katsuki

The gremlin of Class 1-A. King Explosion Murder. Future Number 1 Hero (I wish). Before anyone can finish asking who my favorite character is in MHA I’ll blurt this angry boi’s name. There’s just something about that drew me in from the very first episode/chapter. Yes he was a JERK, bully and ok he was an absolute asshole to Deku but there was something that kept me thinking I want to see more of this asshole. In the beginning, I thought he was going to be another Sasuke type character: join an evil group at the first chance, battle the main character throughout and eventually find his way back to being good and I was like meh. But then the Sports Festival arc happened and I was oh, this boy’s got potential so I took off my Naruto googles and started to really looking at him. If I’m honest, the first time I saw him as a hero was during his fight with Uraraka. I got so hyped during that match that I was standing and cheering, tears in my eyes for the both of them! When the spectators started to complain about Bakugou being too rough with Uraraka I was about to throw hands with fictional characters. Then when Aizawa gave his speech about Bakugo giving his all and respecting Uraraka and I was sold.

Since then I’ve been an avid supporter of his. During the Kamino arc I was worried but also impressed that he was able to go up again members of the League of Villains and was smart enough to realize that he was holding All Might back from going all out again AFO. His fight with Deku was emotional and I was a sobbing mess. Him going through the Hero License arc with all that guilt showed me his determination to being a hero. Even though he wants to portray that he doesn’t care about anyone but himself, he shows time and time again that he cares about Kirishima, Kaminari and Sero. He’s observant with Todoroki and Endevour during the Support Courses. He pushes Deku. He has so many layers as a character that I want to know more about him. Do I think that maybe he should’ve been the main character, yes I do. But I’m ok with him being a support character as well. I can’t wait to learn more about him and to see him be the amazing hero I know he’ll be.

Uraraka Ochako

Ok this girl right here 👆that’s my sunshine girl and no one is allowed to mess with her. Got it?? Seriously, I love this girl. She radiates warmth, hugs and pure unadulterated happiness. Just something about her face just makes me happy and I just wanna squish her round cheeks. Ok ok I’ll stop.

But seriously she is such an underrated character. I know for a fact she gets a lot of unnecessary hate because one: for being Deku’s love interest (I’m not really invested in their relationship tbh but if it happens I’ll be cool with it) and two: her reason for being a hero is to make money. Funnily enough the reason why she’s most hated by fans is the reason why I love her so much. She’s a young girl from a poor family who just wants to make her parents happy and I relate to that so much it made me want to cry when I first learned of her reasoning. Out of all the characters in the MHA world I connected with her the most. In addition, what I admired about her is that yes, she does have feelings for Deku but she’s able to put them aside and follow her goals. Like damn it who wouldn’t admire that? Who can’t relate to pushing their feelings aside to accomplish their goals? I seriously love this girl. Also, I love that she doesn’t limit hereself. When she started U.A. she wanted to be a support hero because of her quirk but after her fight with Bakugo she saw the potential to be more and she took it, trained and made herself better. She really is an inspiration. I hope we get to see more of her in action and maybe even lead a fight instead of being support. I can’t wait to see her grow and blossom into a badass ass woman who kick your ass while looking like an angel sent from above.

Shigaraki Tomura

Finally, this crusty boi gets me so hyped whenever he’s on screen or in a manga chapter that it’s probably unhealthy. From the very first time I saw him at that bar with those creepy ass hands covering his body I was intrigued to say the least. Every time I see him, I’m silently (not really) begging Horikoshi-Sensei to give me more of him. There was just something about him that screams more.

Fast forward to the Villain arc (one of my favorites tbh) and we learn more about his history and what he had to endure and dammit I just wanted to hug him. It’s so easy to hate the bad guys for hurting people but do we stop to think about who hurt them? And my boy was hurt a lot.....from his family (the ones who were supposed to protect him), the heroes (whose literal JOB IS TO PROTECT PEOPLE!), AFO (don’t get me started on that creepy bastard). And then suddenly I was supporting the villain. A part of me wants Shigaraki to succeed because if he does the hero society will admit their many flaws and idk maybe get rid of the hero vs villain Society that caused problems for generations 🤷🏽‍♀️ just a thought. Honestly if Shigaraki was the main character of this story I think it would’ve been much more interesting. I would definitely like to see more of him and I really want him to shake the hero society to the core.

So there it is.... my unwanted, unnecessary (if we’re being honest here) ramble about MHA. What started as a post about not liking Deku as the MC turned into......this. I’m sorry 😭. But once again I’m not hating on Deku. I love my little broccoli boi and I’ll be supporting him until the time he does indeed become Number One (maybe I’ll get myself a pair of red sneakers to match Deku’s before that happens), but there’s so many more characters that hold my interest other than him. I wish I could’ve listed them all but frankly I’m tired and hungry and I need to take a shot of something after this week’s chapter because Oh My God!!

Anyways, if anyone made it this far down my post, thank you for reading, please don’t be mean and have a great week!

#my hero academia #boku no hero academia #deku #bnha uraraka #urakara ochako #bakugou katsuki #king explosion murder #shigaraki tomura #shimura tenko #my ramblings #please dont bully me #my thoughts #long ass post #sorry lmao

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hellzyeahthewebwieldingavenger · 5 years

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Spider-Man: Fake Red Chapters 1-3 Thoughts

Well this is new, in more ways than one.

I don’t think I’ve ever posted thoughts on a manga before, Spider-Man or otherwise.

I’ve read precious little of the medium so I’m not overly familiar with a lot of it’s tropes and mannerisms, thus my post here is coming at it from a mostly Western perspective. For instance I can’t honestly say if the art is good or bad or mediocre. It seemed fine to me. Apart from one action scene I could always tell what was going on and even in the action scene in question I simply might not have been experienced enough reading right to left to follow it all.

And of course we need to account for stuff being lost in translation. I am uncertain if the intention was truly to have as many F-bombs in this manga as wound up being there.

The highly serialized nature of manga can make doing posts like this difficult as you are so often seeing a tiny slice of the story. Truth be told I’m not sure if I will be doing more posts like this in the future at all, though I do intend to keep up with this manga when I get the chance, but it’s lower on the reading list after current 616 stuff.

Anyway how about the story.

The story is interesting.

Basically rather than being about Peter Parker it’s about this teenager called Yuu. He got into a good school but struggles to keep up with the work and also has no friends, as such he skips school at times to hang out at a bouldering gym where he can practice climbing which makes him feel like Spider-Man. One day after refraining from helping a fellow student getting beaten up in an alley he finds a discarded Spider-Man costume and upon examining it at home learns it is the real Spider-Man’s costume complete with web-shooters.

Whilst wearing it in public one time citizens mistake him for the real thing and direct him towards a burning building where he helps save a young boy. Later on after seeing a classmate called Emma (whom he has a crush on) perform a particularly difficult climb at his gym (and crashing hard when talking to her) Yuu again dons the costume when Emma is kidnapped by a group of criminals. He barely survives and the next day at school Emma notices Yuu has cuts on his arm just like Spider-Man did.

Whilst all this is going on Yuu is wondering where Spider-Man has gone and Mary Jane is doing the same about Peter Parker. Her worries are alleviated after getting a phone call from a mysterious individual who seems to be pretending to Peter whilst watching the real McCoy on a video screen. Peter is in fact wandering the sewers as Venom!

I found the story pretty interesting as an AU goes. A lot of that has to do with seeing a Japanese spin on Spider-Man but one that isn’t really reinventing the wheel for the character.

Spider-Man of course has a history of Japanese interpretations. The most famous is the 1970s TV version (referred to as Supaidāman) who beyond the suit and powers bore little resemblance to the canon character. But there was also Spider-Man from the Mangaverse (a 2000s imprint that tried to capitalize on the anime and manga boom of the early-mid 2000s) and even an older 1970s Spider-Man manga which I hear was pretty bad.

I’m only vaguely familiar with all three I must admit, but from what little I know what makes Spidey Fake Red stand out is that it is not attempting to portray the world of Spider-Man from Spider-Man’s own POV and reinventing who he is as a result.

Instead by having the protagonist be an original character (with certain vague similarities to early days 616 Spider-Man) the author Yusuke Osawa can present for us a version of Spider-Man that cuts closer to the 616 version whilst still allowing himself the freedom of embellishing the story however he wants.

In a sense Fake Red is more about the broad idea of Spider-Man as opposed to specific nuances of Peter Parker but it still uses those elements to add some sparkle and intrigue to the story.

This makes a lot of sense as, and maybe I’m wrong on this, the primary audience for this manga is Japanese people and their access to translated Spider-Man comic stories I imagine isn’t that great. I mean even in America and other primarily English speaking territories we don’t have legal access to the majority of Spider-Man issues, whether they be in trade or digital format. So I’d guess the average person likely to check out this comic in Japan probably doesn’t have just general knowledge about stuff like One More Day or Superior Spider-Man.

Jump back to the 1970s though and that state of affairs would be even worse. No internet, probably no translated Marvel comics at all and with Spidey being less than 20 years old and not yet the icon he is today you can see why the original manga and TV show opted to make something mostly different from the canon to essentially introduce the character to Japanese audiences.

In 2019 though that’s not the case. Thanks chiefly to the movies Spidey is a global icon to the degree that everyone has SOME knowledge about his lore even if it is via osmosis alone.

That’s the smart thing about how the manga plays with Spider-Man lore, it has some subtle winks to deeper lore for fans but mostly it uses stuff that just about everyone knows.

Peter Parker, Aunt May, her house, Mary Jane, Jameson, the Bugle, Venom. There is even a reference to the Life Foundation and the first shot seems to be evoking the famous Spider-Man 3 image of Spidey crying on the church.

All that stuff is either present in the majority of Spider-Man media, present in recent Spidey media (the Life Foundation was in Venom 2018) or present in famous enough Spidey media. The latter would be the Spider-Man 3 reference and not for nothing but Spider-Man 3 both broke box office records and had it’s premiere in Japan so maybe it was something Japanese audiences could be relied upon to remember well enough.

In a sense by being about the idea of being Spider-Man this manga is sort of similar to Into the Spider-Verse but still very, very distinct. Yuu lacks powers, Peter Parker isn’t dead but rather missing and is set up as at least one of the major antagonists of the story.

It’s all quite different and very interesting to most AUs...and it bears mentioning much more interesting than Abramazing Spider-Man has been thus far.

I think what’s most compelling to me is that we’re seeing in a sense a typical Spider-Man status quo but with the focus shifted onto a stranger. This isn’t reinventing Spider-Man as having a giant robot or as a kind of douchebag or as a sort of ninja. Spider-Man is mostly Spider-Man, he might not live in New York (it’s unclear where this is set) and the city might generally love him (which is a situation more to make Yuu’s journey dramatic) but it’s really not a million miles away from current Spidey or 1970s Spidey or Raimi movie Spidey even.

As such the drama I think lies less in just enjoying the insanity of something so far away from canon Spider-Man or seeing how the canon will be reinterpreted and more in the tension of knowing what Yuu is going to go up against.

And I don’t just mean Venom, because there is that mysterious guy impersonating Peter. I suspect it’s Mysterio, not just because he was in FFH but also because a street sign referenced ASM 13 which was his first appearance. And this would fit in with his abilities and M.O.

So yeah this was fun and I’d recommend checking it out.

#Spider-Man #Spider-Man: Fake Red #Peter Parker #venom #venom symbiote #venom 2018 #mjwatsonedit #Mary Jane Watson #Mary Jane Watson Parker #aunt may #may parker #mj watson #Mysterio #Spider-man 3 #Sam Raimi #Raimi Spider-Man

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bollywoodconfessions · 5 years

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sanjay dutt?

Why I like them: This is a bit tough, not because there are no reasons to like him lol, but because there are multiple reasons to like him. Actually, what I feel for this guy is immense love, the kind of love that I cannot explain, just something that I feel very strongly, but anyway let me put this into words.

Sanjay Dutt is someone who has a very endearing inner core. He basically seems like a child underneath a big 6 feet body, and this much I can decipher just by watching him perform or watching him offscreen. His eyes are the windows to his soul, and they reflect nothing but beauty, his smile is one of the most cute, genuine and childlike smile I have ever seen.

God bless this laughter!

Another trait that I admire about him is his honesty, he is not afraid of judgement, he says it like it is, and says it like a boss. Openly confessing to doing all the drugs in the book or confessing to sleeping with 308 women are not at all easy things to confess.

And might I add that most people I know are forgiving towards all these confessions, because at the end of the day he is Sanjay Dutt, and he will be loved, regardless of what he says, he has a hypnotising charm, once you love him you cannot stop.

Sanjay Dutt is not politically correct, he never has been, and he never can be, that is why his interviews are intriguing and fun. We are all like Anushka’s character in Sanju, intrigued with the honesty and impressed with the personality.

Sanjay Dutt is someone who has amazing amount of mental strength. If anyone else was in his position he would probably be in deep post-traumatic stress. However this guy is made out of steel, in spite of it all he managed to have a good career and a good life. Kudos to the resilience. Kudos to the person.

Instead of crying about all the trauma, he bounced back, he forgave people, and continued to be the loving and jovial person he is. There is nothing that can ever stop his zest for life.

He is a brilliant actor! And I love the kind of cinema he stands for! I cannot stress this point enough! I don’t know if my words will be able to do justice to his talent! But hey let me give it a shot!

Sanjay Dutt is truly a natural actor, he feels his character, nothing about his acting is ever “put on” that is exactly why all his characters, whether good or bad, are so impactful to the audience, like Hrithik once rightfully said:

“There are a very few actors who seem like they are feeling their character, and Sanjay Dutt is one of them. He scared me while we were shooting for Agneepath. I was like do you actually really hate me?”

I think Sanjay Dutt is the kind of actor who puts his soul in the character he plays, that is exactly why people like me are able to form a great connect with all his characters, you are able to feel for them deeply, because it is portrayed with a lot of soul. Like the great Nasseerudin Shah once said:

“Sanjay’s eyes can reflect real pain, unlike any other young actor. This is because Sanjay has already gone through so many experiences in life, experiences which have contributed to him being a good actor already. A good actor is one who can add to his range as he goes through various personal experiences in life. This look of pain endows Sanjay with both vulnerability and raw power on the screen.’‘

Some of his fans also do a rather amazing job at describing the vulnerability that Sanjay brings to all his roles. Exhibit this:

“The more I watch Saajan the more I am struck by how deep an insight into his soul Sanju gives us in his (at times heartbreaking) portrait of a sensitive poet. How much suffering, despair and loneliness can be seen in his eyes when he is overcome by mental anguish! In my opinion, for the understanding of Sanjay Dutt as a human being, Saajan is as important as Naam.”

I don’t think any amount of quotes can do full justice to the talent this man has, but let me just put it this way, I honestly feel every emotion he goes through in almost every performance of his, he is able to communicate so much even without saying a word, he is one of those very rare actors who does not have to overdo their performance to be effective. I think he is damn underrated, and so are some of his movies, some of them are legit masterpieces. Although, a lot of his characters do have a cult following, especially the characters Raghu (Vaastav) and Munna Bhai.

However my favourite performance of his is quite underrated, and that would be of Inayat Khan from Mission Kashmir.

This movie is amazing and deserves a lot more credit then it gets. Sanjay Dutt’s acting in it is terrific, his performance in this movie always moves me to tears. Not once does Sanjay Dutt’s acting gets “dramatic” but it is still so impactful. He doesn’t say much yet his eyes have so much to say. His random outbursts of sadness, anger and anguish is something that is to watch out for. And like his every performance he puts a lot of himself in the character. Inayat Khan is not perfect, but he has a good soul, a heart that is in the right place. Inayat Khan is most of the time full of strength and is the protector, however that does not mean he is not capable of crying like a baby when it hurts way too much. Honestly I see a lot of Sanjay Dutt in this character, it is a character that was meant to be played by him. Sanjay Dutt is a potent mixture of vulnerability and strength and so is Inayat Khan, and that is exactly why the character comes alive, the character feels very real and it moves you at every moment. The character is portrayed brilliantly, and even though Sanjay Dutt did win some awards for it, I do not think this movie and his acting in it got it’s credit. This movie is ahead of it’s time and is an underrated gem. It makes for a splendid watch. Too bad it came at a time when romances and comedies were the “in thing.”

He is extremely Humble and Passionate:

Sanjay Dutt was no.1 in Bollywood when he got arrested in a very controversial case, just when everything was finally looking up for him it all went completely downhill. After showing support, many producers and directors decided against casting Sanjay Dutt in their movies. From being no.1 and to having all the success that he deserved, his career went to a minus due to a huge controversy.

Not only this, but for 1.5 years he stayed locked up in terrible conditions. If this happened to any other actor they would have collapsed, nothing is more important to a Bollywood actor than success and their ego, this sudden rejection after massive success is not an easy pill to swallow, especially not for a narcissist. Thankfully Sanjay Dutt is not one. He came out, did whatever work he got and made his way up again.

And he did not work hard or work in a zillion movies afterwards to prove a point, but just because he believed in doing his work with love and dedication, nothing less and nothing more. He did his karma and didn’t care for the results, and that is the kind of passion for work and humbleness that everyone should aspire to have.

as Mahesh Bhatt once said:“One of the things I loved about working with him was the relief of finding an actor who is not narcissistic. I remember thinking during Naam: This guy doesn’t give a damn about how he looks on screen, he leaves it to the cameraman and just goes and does what he’s supposed to. And this in an industry where men (and macho men, not just the pretty boys) go to huge lengths to control how they look on screen — lighting, best profile, best angle — spend hours, like women, in front of their mirrors before they give a shot. Not Sanju. It was a relief to find a male who was not in awe of his own physical form. I don’t think I’ve found an actor who fits that bill in all my life.”

Why I don’t: He doesn’t know how to sell himself.

Favorite film/scene:

If I have to choose one scene, it would be the scene in Mission Kashmir in which Inayat khan gets furious with his wife. Inayat Khan is a person who has always been extremely supportive towards his wife and clearly loves her a lot. Hence the anger that he has towards his wife in that scene is more about the hurt he feels, as he feels betrayed by someone who is very close to him. I think after suffering so much in life, this angry outburst sums up the hurt and despair he has been going through for so many years. Even though he may be in the wrong here, the outburst seems so straight from the heart, and is so raw that you cannot help but feel bad for him. I think that is a mark of a great performance. Sanjay Dutt’s characters are never politically correct, but because his emotions are so raw and are so honest, you cannot help but just root for him, and see things from his perspective. I mean he even made one feel bad for his character in Khalnayak, even though he was completely in the wrong throughout, again I empathised the most with his character in that film when he has an angry outburst regarding his Mother. Sanjay Dutt’s angry outburst in most movies are about him portraying an explicable amount of sadness and frustration, and I look forward to such scenes of his. His anger displays his vulnerability, and that makes for a great watch.

Favourite line: “Mujhe jo iys desh se mohabbat hai, woh kisi IS officer ki mothaj nahin” (Mission Kashmir). I also love the song he has sung for his movie ZINDA. The song is called “Kabhi Muskurake” and that song kind of sums up his life.

Favourite outfit: He looks hot in everything he wears, I am quite a fan of his late 80s and 90s fashion though, the beautiful long hair, a nice white shirt, and a nice pair of jeans on his tall legs is always a winner!

OTP:Non-romantic definitely him and Govinda. They are a laugh riot, they have created some of the most epic comedies together!

OTP: Sanju has shared great chemistry with everyone, but I think I will only ship him with me! LOL

Unpopular opinion: Sanju is mainly known for his intense action dramas or comedies, however I feel he is extremely underrated as a romantic hero. I think Sanjay Dutt always shares amazing chemistry with his female costars. I think his height and big broad shoulders make him look very attractive, and to add to that he has this cute child like innocent face to go with it. He is like every woman’s dream man. I think he is very underused as a romantic hero. Great love stories could be made with the intensity he has. I love when he hugs his heroines, he always closes his eyes while doing so, it is very cute.

A wish for them: Do more great movies

An oh-god-please-don’t-ever-happen for them: Don’t get caught in any controversy again. Please stay safe and happy. I cannot see you suffer anymore.

5 words to best describe them: Honest, Passionate, Innocent, Sexy and Beautiful.

My nickname for them: Sanju

#sanjay dutt #bollywood #sanju #happy 60th sanju

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a-splash-of-stucky · 6 years

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my thoughts on: I, Tonya

So ya girl finally got the chance to watch I, Tonya and ooooh damn, I’ve got some things to say about it. Spoilers and general ramblings under the cut.

So first and foremost, I’m gonna be straight with y’all and say that my opinions on I, Tonya are probably biased, because Seb is in it. Bear this in mind, as it’s a point I’ll return to later on. Also, I’m not the most knowledgeable person when it comes to acting technique and etc, so like…I don’t really know what I’m talking about here.

I’m gonna say this first, because it doesn’t really fit in with the rest of the ramble: the music had me living y’all. It wasn’t really my usual ‘taste’, but it was well-suited to the film, in my opinion. Also, I liked the structure of the film, the way they shot it as if it were multiple interviews. I’ve never seen that done before and to me, it was novel and well executed.

Every single member of this cast was OUTSTANDING. Yes, I’m probably biased, as I’ve been rooting for this film ever since TIFF, but nonetheless, I had high expectations for this movie and they were EXCEEDED™. Before I talk about the main cast, let me kick things off with a short spiel about—

McKenna. She made me tear up. She has a rather minor part in all this, but the few minutes she has on screen are BRILLIANT. Truly, honestly, impactful. The part when she cried as her dad was leaving? Lord help me, I wanted to give that little girl a hug. I feel that this is a significant moment in the movie, because…I get the sense that Tonya’s been abandoned. She’s alone. And no child should ever have to feel that way.

Jeff Gillooly (Sebastian Stan)

Now. Sebastian. Y’all know that he’s 80% of the reason why I wanted to see this movie so bad. Warning: this part basically consists of me gushing over him. No, not in that way. If you’re not interested in reading about that, skip ahead, y’all.

Seb was funny and cute and an asshole, all at the same time. I kinda loved the moustache (le gasp). Also: HIS VOICE. It was…fucking hell, the accent and the way he speaks (when he’s not shouting) was so cute, I think my heart stopped a couple of times. And you know how Seb’s really good at being kinda bashful and dorky in interviews? Well, that comes across here, too. He pulls off that side of his character really well.

He was also really good at being a controlling, selfish maniac. Seb’s rage reminded me of a lion. Also, he says ‘fuck’ a lot, and for whatever reason, I have a thing for hearing him swear, so that part of me was satisfied.

Seb looked good. I, like most people, wasn’t a fan of the ‘stache when I first saw pics of it. But…it grew on me, over the course of the movie. Seb makes it work. There’s something about it that I kinda like. I was also impressed by the extent to which he transformed himself physically for this role. Like, there was no Beef™ in sight.

I will admit, my first thought when I saw Seb playing young Jeff was: damn he’s cute.

I think this is important, because I, as an audience member, could empathise with Tonya - like I can see how she could have fallen for Jeff. As the viewer, you (or at least, I) experience the same emotions that she does. But then again, that’s just my personal experience and could be due to the fact that I already have a deep-rooted love for Seb in general.

Now, I’m not gonna deny it - his character was a fucked-up asshole. But, if we separate Seb and Jeff for a moment, I think that Seb portrayed Jeff in a conscientious manner. Obviously, I don’t know Jeff personally, but you’d have to be blind to not notice the little mannerisms that Seb throws in. He’s so damn good at conveying emotions through body language and through nothing but his expression alone. I know that Seb will forever be known for his role as Bucky, but I think this film (and some of his other works, I’m sure), truly capture his capabilities as an actor.

Also - did we get a flash of the booty? For like, 0.3 seconds? I mean, I ain’t complaining about it, if we did — but the situation in which we got the booty flash wasn’t the nicest, I agree.

Having gushed about Seb - let’s now move onto the star of the show.

Tonya Harding (Margot Robbie)

Margot was PHENOMENAL™

‘nuff said.

Seriously. How did she not get any nominations from this? She was robbed. Cheated, I tell you — just like the character she was playing, funnily enough.

She made me cry, which is saying a lot because I don’t usually cry when watching movies. Now, I will admit: Tonya isn’t the most likeable person. Like, she isn’t the kind of person that I would necessarily want as a friend — but that’s kinda the point of the film, I think. To show you that she never quite fit in, that she was always kinda going on her own, isolated from people her age. It was hard on her.

That being said, there are qualities about Tonya that I loved. Her stubbornness, her fierceness of character, her ‘I take no bullshit’ attitude. Was she rough around the edges, untactful and crass at times? Yes. I do think that’s a product of her upbringing, however.

Margot played her beautifully. You see her grow up in the film, really see it. Tonya is a complicated character to play — she’s vulnerable and strong, weak and empowered, and the fact that Margot was able to tread the balance between the two amazes me.

At the end, when Tonya was told that she could no longer skate? My cheeks were wet, man. Margot should have been nominated on the basis of that alone.

Her character’s entire life revolved around skating. All the sacrifices she had to make to live her dream! When she said that not being able to skate would be “like a life sentence”? Augh, my heart broke. I wholeheartedly agree with her. Whether she was responsible, or had part in, the assault or not, I do believe that that was a harsh verdict.

LaVona (Allison Janney)

Imma quickly talk about Allison, before I delve back into Seb and Margot.

I hated LaVona. Like, I disliked Jeff and Tonya at times, but I truly Hated™ LaVona. I think that’s the point, though. She was, to me, the true villain in all this (no matter what she says about making ‘sacrifices’ for her daughter). Do I think that she was a villain born out of a particular context? Definitely. She’s unstable, but that instability and questionable parenting method is, I believe, a symptom of some underlying issue.

Is she a monster?

Meh. I honestly can’t tell you.

Allison was fabulous. She won an award and she deserved it. She deserves a million awards. Like I said, I hated LaVona, but I would not feel this strongly opinionated about this particular character if Allison hadn’t played her so well.

A short spiel on the Jeff/Tonya chemistry

So: Seb and Margot, Jeff and Tonya.

I can’t even imagine the amount of trust that was involved in filming those domestic violence scenes. Like, they were intense. There was no fucking around with the fighting, man — like, the hits and punches looked authentic. Though they were portraying a dysfunctional couple, I think that as a pair, Seb and Margot really worked well together.

That scene where Tonya was making her costume and Jeff was telling her his Wizard of Oz story? I loved that scene. The little neck kisses melted my heart. I loved that scene because it was them being playful and happy — and it really serves a purpose. Because both of them fell in love with a version of the other person. But the thing with love is that — you have to take it all. You want the good? You gotta take some of the bad. Sometimes, it gets to a point where you wonder if the good really is worth all this bad.

You wonder why she came back to him. Tonya, I mean. She came back to him after the divorce because her career meant that much to her. She was willing to risk her life so that she could skate. She came back for love — not her love for Jeff, obviously, but for her career. The sacrifices she made were unreal. I don’t necessarily agree with her decision, but I am impressed by the fact that she had the balls to go through with it.

My point is: their relationship was not simple. There is no good guy, there is no bad guy. Partly, I think this is because each person has their version of the truth. But also, I think this is a relationship where both individuals fluctuate between good and bad, on a ‘continuum’ of sorts. I…felt for them. I truly wanted them to be happy.

fuck, I’m rambling. Let’s wrap it up with a few more bits and bobs.

Some profound thoughts:

The story is still unsolved, at the end of it (or maybe…I was just too spaced out to truly understand it???). You’re still not exactly sure who was behind the incident. You don’t know who knew what info, because the facts keep changing. Everyone’s tryna sell someone else out and pin the blame on another person and I’m just like ??? But, I will say that I didn’t know anything about the Harding/Kerrigan incident, but having watched this movie — I am very intrigued.

I also find it interesting that they didn’t include Nancy’s views on her supposed friendship with Tonya. There could’ve been any number of reasons why this wasn’t done, but I think that that would’ve added another element to the story.

As I left the cinema, my thoughts turned to a lecture I had recently. My lecturer (I love him, btw, great guy), said something that I thought was pretty funny, at the time. Now, in hindsight, and especially after watching this movie, I do believe that his statement is SO FUCKING TRUE.

He said: Objectivity is in the eye of the beholder.

And that’s basically what this movie is trying to get at. “There’s no such thing as truth.”

Everyone has their own version of the events that happened, and everyone is influenced by their own unconscious bias. Out histories, our social context, our economic situations — so many things influence how we perceive the world. That doesn’t mean that our perception or interpretation is wrong, however. Each one of us is probably right, to some degree, but the important thing is that “true facts” should never be taken at face value.

I think that that’s a message that is really central to the entire film.

Remember what I said at the start? My opinions on this film are heavily influenced by the fact that I love Seb, and I’ve been hyped up by the positive reviews I’ve seen floating around the internet. You’ll notice that there’s barely any negativity in this piece, which in itself says something. Don’t take my “facts” at face value. Sprinkle on a pinch of salt.

So should you watch it?

Like I said, this film extensively features (kinda graphic) scenes of domestic violence. I, as someone who has been fortunate enough to never experience any of that sort of thin, found the movie uncomfortable, but watchable. I also don’t have any triggers or mental health issues, so that’s something to bear in mind.

If the domestic violence has been something that’s been putting you off, I say…it’s worth your time. I wouldn’t say I enjoyed myself, as I feel that’s inappropriate, given the context of the film, but I think that it was a couple of hours well spent. I don’t think you will be disappointed.

#i tonya #i tonya spoilers #sebastian stan #margot robbie #allison janney #mckenna grace #seb #elsa rambles #long post #my thoughts #i loved this film

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escapeinpapers · 4 years

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MAY WRAP-UP

This month, I think I spent way too much time in booktube that my attention for a certain book quickly goes to another one. I’m quite mad at myself because I had not been consistent of my May TBR. Even so, I’m still pretty proud of myself because I’ve read more than what I expected to read. Also, I would say there were books that disappointed me this month but there were some that I quickly rated as 5 stars and made me so emotional.

So here are the books that I’ve read for the month of May.

NEW ADULT/ADULT ROMANCE

To Love Jason Thorn by Ella Maise (2/5)

The story is told by POV’s main characters, Olive and Jason. Olive is an indie author whose book will be adapted into a movie. She then finds out that the actor who will be playing the male protagonist is her brother’s childhood bestfriend/ her childhood crush and first love, Jason.

I honestly love the childhood crush and second chance romance trope on this book but it was getting bad and bad as I continue to read. I even prepared myself to be ready for a major twist or revelation but I was just disappointed. It felt like there was no real and impressive conflict on their relationship. I enjoyed the first few chapters and maybe towards the first half but it just got really crappy. There were cringey love scenes and sometimes the characters were being dumb that it is so frustrating.

(P.s. Every time Jason calls Olive “little one”, I cringe and I remember Thanos from Avengers lol.)

The Guy on the Right by Kate Stewart (3.5/5)

This is a friends to lovers novel. Main characters are Theo and Laney. Theo is quite shy and a reserved person. He lives in a house with Troy, the popular playboy roommate. He calls himself as “the guy on the right” because Troy always takes the spotlight and many girls go after him. He met Laney on a party. She, on the other hand is the quirky, outspoken and hardworking country girl. They became close, started a social media page and they eventually fell in love with each other.

This is my first new adult book ever. I’m usually into young adult and adult books so it was a huge step for me to explore this genre and gladly I enjoyed this book and now I’m more interested to read other new adult books. The storyline was good. I gave it only 3.5 stars because it was just an okay read for me. I love the elements of music and social media. The characters were also charming in their own ways. And you’ll get quotations called Grannism every end of a chapter. Some were really relatable.

Read my full review:

The Naked Truth by Vi Keeland (4/5)

The book is all about a second chance romance. Layla, a lawyer, was asked to do the pitch for a prospect client to their law firm. She didn’t know that the client she’s gonna impress was Gray, her ex who just got out of prison. Gray want Layla back and he wants to clear all the misunderstanding and explain to her why he had to lie to her.

I didn’t expect to love this book. I love the shift of timelines from present to the past. I thought that it will be just full of steamy scenes but the plot was amazing. The twists and turns were impressive. There’s one that really struck me and I literally screamed with that revelation. It was a major drama I didn’t see coming. I think people who love K-Drama (like me) would like this book. I also love how the author portrayed the aspects of family, marriage as well as death. The lawyer-prisoner romance was also interesting. It is my first time reading that kind of trope. My only issue with this book is Layla being sometimes annoying with her petty arguments.

The Unhoneymooners by Christina Lauren (5/5)

Due to food poisoning, Olive’s twin sister and Ethan’s brother can’t make it to their honeymoon in Maui. Thus, Olive and Ethan were asked to take their places. The problem is, Olive and Ethan do not get along very well. They pretty much hate each other’s guts but the two need to work together and act as newly married couple. Only, they didn’t realize that this free vacation is changing their lives.

This was an easy 5 stars for me. I enjoyed this book so much because it was atmospheric. It felt like I was on the beach myself because of how engaging the story was. The enemy to lovers and fake marriage/relationship tropes were done beautifully. I was easily hooked into the story and the twists were just freaking good. Olive and Ethan’s chemistry is so strong. Their banters were very fun. I just love love love this book.

Read my full review:

Ugly Love by Colleen Hoover (5/5)

The story revolves around Tate and Miles. Tate is a nurse who has no time for love and Miles is a pilot who doesn’t want to love again. Their first meeting was not great but their paths always cross because he’s her new neighbor and he’s her brother’s friend and co-pilot. Physical attraction grew between them and they can’t put aside their desires so they had some sort of friends with benefits relationship. But things get really bad because they are slowly breaking their own rules.

This is officially one of my favorite books of all time. Everything in this book is just perfect. I kind of judged this book very wrongly 2 years ago when I first tried to read this because I thought it will be just about sex and at that time my smut level on books was really low. But, I decided to read it again out of a whim at freaking midnight. I looked past through the love scenes (though idk I find it dreamy and romantic now) and focused on the story, and swear, I was blown away. I never thought that I would cry so badly again over a book.

Read my full review:

FANTASY

A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas (2/5)

This is somewhat a Beauty and the Beast retelling. Feyre, a normal mortal girl, killed a Faerie (a magical creature) while she was hunting for food. She was punished to live in a High Fae’s manor to pay for the life she had taken and she ends up falling in love with Tamlin, her captor who can shapeshift and who wears a crappy mask.

I really want to love this book. Some people told me to don’t stop reading because it will get good. But sadly, I just did not like it (Sorry! ). The writing is atmospheric though, I admired it at first. However, as I go on, the description of the settings or for the other things were too much and I think did not necessarily affect the situation at hand. Sometimes, it was just too flowery and over with metaphors. Feyre and Tamlin as characters were not effective, their chemistry is “meh”. There were cringey lines especially on the love scenes. The plot twists were not hard for me to predict. I think this book was not just for me to read. Though, I’ve been told that the sequel is the best among the series so I might give it a shot soon.

The Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo

Shadow & Bone (3/5)

Siege & Storm (3/5)

Ruin & Rising (2/5)

Alina had discovered her unique powers to summon light when they were assigned to cross the Shadow Fold. It’s a forsaken place of impenetrable darkness with flesh eating monsters. Leaving Mal, her childhood bestfriend and the guy that she also likes, she was sent to the Little Palace to work with the magical elites called Grisha in hopes that she could destroy the fold and unite Ravka. While working to hone her powers, she finds herself developing feelings for The Darkling, the mysterious and attractive as hell leader of Grisha. On her journey to destroy the Shadow Fold, she encountered many challenges, revelations and truth about the people around her.

I really had high expectations for this series because I love the author and her Six of Crows duology. But I was again, disappointed. It’s not that it was that bad, it was not just as great as I expected it to be. I have a love and hate relationship with this series. The first book was good. The build up of the story was beautifully done. I love the magical system and the characters were intriguing, but only at first. I understand why the Darkling is hyped up till now because he is absolutely mysterious and hot (plus Ben Barnes will be playing the role for the Netflix adaptation). Revealing Alina’s power as well as the Darkling’s was very cool. The second book is where the Darkling gets literally dark. Even though this was more tensed because of the twists, I enjoyed and laughed many times than the first book because of Nikolai. He’s not the main character of this series but its funny because I like him the most. Scratch that. I love him. The third book was just so disappointing. I enjoyed the side characters’ romance more and the twists were not that impressive. And the ending? Worst. I think there’s one common denominator of all the things that I didn’t like in this series, and that is Alina being a typical weak female protagonist. She is just annoying sometimes, too dependent of the other characters and does weak and petty arguments.

Crooked Kingdom by Leigh Bardugo (5/5)

This is the sequel of the Six of Crows duology. Kaz and his crew did the heist they were asked to do but they had to face their consequences and take down the real enemy. As much as I’m excited to tell you more about the plot, I won’t go any further because I don’t want to spoil anything.

I absolutely love the first book and I was not disappointed with this one. This is my best fantasy reads so far. I fell in love more with Kaz, Inej, Matthias, Niña, Wylan and Jesper. They are just freaking amazing. The character development was done so good. The plot twists are super amazing and I got fooled many times. Also, the ending is so satisfying. I have to admit, I enjoyed this duology more than The Grisha Trilogy.

Read my full review:

YOUNG ADULT CONTEMPORARY

10 Blind Dates by Ashley Elston (4/5)

We follow Sophie’s journey towards healing her broken heart. Her Grandma decided to set up her in blind dates and the guys he’ll be dating are chosen by some of her family members. So, she went onto these days, in hopes to forget her ex-boyfriend. But things get complicated. Her ex wants her back but the feelings she had for an old friend is growing back.

If you’re looking for something that is light, cute and a quick read, this is the book for you. The blind dating thing was just very cute. I never expected to like it, but it was just interesting and each date was fun in their own ways. I also love the essence of family and friendship on this book. As a person who grew up in a family-oriented household, I can relate so much of the main character.

Read my full review:

They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera (5/5)

In this world, there’s this system called Death Cast. They call people to give them an alert that they’re gonna die on that day. No when and how but only the information that on that day that you are called, it’s your time to say goodbye to the world. Mateo had been always paranoid about the time that he will receive the call. So, when Death Cast called him, he had been more paranoid than ever. Then, he met Rufus, who’s also gonna die that day, through The Last Friend app. Despite the two having very different attitude towards accepting their death, they decided to spend their last day together.

This is the kind of book that is very hard to put down. The title itself is already very intriguing. All the time I was reading this, I can’t help but to be anxious because knowing anytime soon, Rufus and Mateo are gonna die. I had a lot of theories on how they would die but it was no where near. The narration is very deceiving which I love. The message of this book is also very touching plus the characters are very relatable and I can’t help to put myself in their shoes. I know it is unpleasant to think about death especially these times but this book just made me realize things about life and it made me reflect and ask myself on how I’ve been living my life so far. I love this book so much that it is one of my best reads for this year and I might make a full review for this one.

So those were all the books that I've read for the month of May. For June, I've been thinking to read genres that I don't usually read such as msytery and thrillers. I hope I would be consistent on my next month's TBR.

Thank you for reading. I hope some of the books caught your interest. Till my next post ❤

#may wrap up #book review

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mysteryspot-duhh · 6 years

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Star Wars: The Last Jedi - a bad good movie

I had the opportunity to watch the movie last Sunday. I left the theatre feeling quite confused, not disappointed but a little unsatisfied and feeling that TFA is a much better movie than TLJ. Bear in mind that the new trilogy are the ones that i see in theatre but i’ve seen the OT and the prequels multiple times.

Coming home, in the spirit of wanting to know what others think about the movie, i logged in on tumblr, and i saw all this hate towards it. I thought- this can’t be right, the movie is flawed but it still is a decent movie. I read the points from both sides of the arguments and it has taken me up a whole week to collect my thoughts and evaluate the movie by myself. I conclude, yes, the movie is heavily problematic and yes, I liked it.

The problem lies in the execution.

Yes, Rian! Execution. I still love you for giving me this movie though.

Here I’m gonna addressed some complains and how I think it can be made better. Or not. Depends. I’m just letting out my own frustration.

1. Leia Organa is force sensitive and this has been established since the OT. But, the execution for the scene is quite ridiculous hence, the phrase Mary Poppins in Space. Some people may have liked it and I have no problem with it BUT the scene did take me out of the moment. I’m fine when Leia opens her eyes, her fingers start twitching and she’s reaching out. It’s great!!! I got excited and i realized- yeah queen! Use the Force!!! Use the Force that I knew you have and go back to safety. The moment the scene shows the wide shot, that’s when the magic dies. The scene could just cuts to Poe and the crew looking bewildered, mouth gaping and all. Because the next thing we see is Leia already resting and what happened could easily being told to the viewer by the characters when they discussed the vacuum in the ranks. Just like how they said about admiral ackbar’s death. IT’S JUST A MEME PEOPLE! Mourn him in your sleep.

2. Poe has the most intriguing storyline in this movie. A young hotshot thinking the rebels should fight back, guns blazing. Wants to be a hero but fails to be a leader. I know as I’m watching, that Leia is grooming him to be the next leader showing him what happens when you do thing recklessly. People die, Poe! He got demoted, yes, but the execution of him being demoted is not enough. Leia just slap him and said, you’re demoted. And that’s it. For viewers, hell yes of course it feels just like a slap to the wrist. Poe needed a good ‘getting demoted scene’. Not saying that Poe should be slapped harder. The slap is not needed at all in my opinion. Show Leia’s frustration to a high level. Show that Leia herself have high expectations for him, emphasize that he let her down and him being demoted as he is not yet ready. Use dialog that viewer would know instantly, she’s not angry, just disappointed. Heh. As it turns out, Poe still don’t understand this and still want to be a hero, show a Poe scene which he resents Leia’s decision, maybe have him yells out his frustration. I mean if my boy Kylo Ren got to smash his mask, why can’t Poe throws his helmet?

3. Rose tasing Finn when she thought he wanted to run away IS NOT ABUSE!!! It’s the same thing as people smacking other people on the head for doing something stupid. Finn was NOT INJURED!!! The hate for this particular scene is ridiculous.

4. Complains about Canto Bight storyline being useless has some truth to it. I know the storyline wants to show Finn’s character development from someone who only cares about himself and those close to him to someone who cares about the world, why the rebels are needed. But again man, execution. Sorry Maz Kanata’s fans, her cameo is not needed. The scene before Maz’s scene, I was lead to believe- yeah, they gonna meet the person who can sneak them into Snoke’s ship. But nooo~ you have to have Maz’s telling you to find a person with red thing on his lapel and then bring him to break the code and all. Urgh. It’s a side quest to a main quest. It’s frustrating. I would cut that scene and just have Rose or Billie Lourd’s character to just say 'i know someone from Canto Bight who could break codes that could help us, but with a price’.

When they go to Canto Bight, instead of failing to find the codebreaker- yes, I know the whole thing is about failure- Finn and Rose would have to convince DJ who they found successfully to join them but DJ don’t want to help them. DJ is in the casino, not in an unnecessary prison, enjoying his life reaping benefits. Their failure is not being able to convince DJ to help them. They would have this debate on benefits of war, resistance is futile, that’s just how the world works. DJ only helps them once Rose herself said 'what if i give u this? My necklace blah,blah and such’. I know in the movie Rose gave him the necklace, but it would be better if she OFFERED the necklace showing she’s willing to sacrifice a precious thing for the cause. Mirroring Paige’s sacrifice for the rebels.

DJ’s character is great and I love how Benicio Del Toro portrays him although would be great without the stutters.

The fathiers and the slave kids is significant, I know. But what if, this is pointed out by DJ and Rose. Like Rose would say 'yeah, i grew up like this, i want to end this’ and DJ being the cynical he is 'yeah, but that’s pointless’ and Rose just heads over there and release the stampede just to prove a point. Hahha. THAT WOULD BE WILD, RIGHT? Then she proceed to inspire the kids in her own words right then and there. Oh, since the pointless prison thing didn’t happen, BB-8 would not be separated and just be happy to tag along and see Rose being a bad ass REBEL.

Finn’s development would be significant this way as he sees an embodiment of his problem and who he needs to be. DJ who only cares about himself and Rose who joins the Rebel for a cause. Then, the line between him and Phasma 'you’re scum’ 'REBEL SCUM’ has more impact as Finn chose the Rebellion.

5. Captain Phasma is this generation’s Boba Fett. That’s all I have to say. Rian! Why???!

Yes. I do think 'it’s salt’ is this generation’s 'it’s a trap’

6. I like Rey’s parents to be nobodies and Snoke dies, but POOR EXECUTION. It’s almost like an afterthought. I partially blame JJ Abrams for setting these up. I honestly don’t care during TFA about these, but I understand fans’ frustration. Just make the scene stands on its own. I don’t care you subvert expectations, just do it right. Let your fans down, respectfully. You could just insert a little backstory on Snoke like maybe in the scene when Snoke says Kylo 'still has his father’s heart’. Because that’s the first scene viewers saw Snoke in person instead of hologram. Hell, Snoke could be just a passerby at the Jedi Temple who coincidentally met Ben Solo who happens to train with his lightsaber ALONE and sense this boy IS ALONE and that he could be 'more than he is now’. It makes sense, Rian!

Rey random could be visually shown instead of that Twilight-esque moment. 'Say it! Say it’. I don’t watch twilight, Rian! but I know memes, Rian! Use the footage from TFA if you don’t want reshoots. It adds weight to the revelation, Rian!

I really hope JJ don’t backtrack this revelation in ep IX. Just add weight to it. Please.

7. Admiral Holdo withholding information. Yes I understand she has a higher rank she gets to do that. But, just to create tension for plot to progress is just baaaaad. The movie played with the notion of 'huh, there’s a spy in the Rebels’ as Poe accused her of being the bad guy. This point should be explored more, for example, the bad ass Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo withhold the information as she’s afraid the escape plan leaks. This could be shown as little as she discussing it with the lady- i don’t know her name, sorry- who introduce her in the first place. Or any other explanation?? I don’t care?? But explain why she withhold the information with more weight.

8. The moment when Poe realized Finn and Rose failed just fell short. A passing moment that is. Add more weight to it. Show the viewer the moment Poe realizes his mistake and regrets it. Not just the word 'they failed’. Maybe add, 'i sent them to their death, same as the bombers before. I made the same mistake.’ It’s not up to the viewer to analyze what’s going on in the scene. It’s the movie’s job to do it.

9. I don’t have problem with Luke’s storyline. I LOVED IT THE MOST. There. I said it. He’s a grumpy hermit and I loved it. I’m living for this storyline. He’s more a human as he live and become more a legend as he dies. The force projection is the best. It reminds me of Avatar: The Last Airbender. If Luke went there by himself, he would feel forced to ~maybe~ kill his nephew. He didn’t want to do that. AS YOU ALL SAID BEFORE, MY LUKE WOULD NEVER KILL HIS NEPHEW #NOTMYLUKE #JAKESKYWALKER. So the whole point is to give what’s left of the Rebellion to run away and spark the fire. It achieved that. Plus, my boy Kylo Ren looked like a fool. That dumb ass dork.

10. I love my girl Rey, but her storyline did fell short. The scene when she lifts the rocks didn’t affect me as much as the moment first she took the lightsaber in TFA. This is why people been calling her Mary Sue- although I can defend her in TFA. The scene cuts to Rey already lifting the rocks, not shown how hard it is to lift the rocks.

Ultimately, I like the movie even maybe will grow to love it, given time. This is the first Star Wars movie that makes me think and write all of this. I’m not a huge fan of writing, mind you. Sure it has HUGE problem with the execution, but the theme and complexity of the characters make it up to me.

#star wars #the last jedi #luke skywalker #general leia #rey #finn #rose tico #poe dameron #kylo ren #it's salt #admiral holdo

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itslucyluna · 6 years

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Fic Writers Week 2017 - Day 1

I know this started yesterday, but I only heard about it this morning as I was taking a browse around on Tumblr…

So without further ado, Day 1: Words Of Validation.

Fic Writers, share some of the comments that stuck with you the most.

I’ve given some thought how to do this. While there are certainly some reviews/comments that have stuck with me (and I’ll be sharing them in a moment), there are some particular reviewers/commenters I’d rather thank first.

Sunsethill on FF.net for her faithfulness as a reviewer of TDKWWS, it’s companion pieces, and sequels from nearly it’s beginning.

Kiger-neko on FF.net, who has not only given some very lovely reviews, but has also created some amazing fanart for TDKWWS.

AntiSocialBookWorm on AO3 who’s very thoughtful and fleshed-out comments on TDKWWS are always a pleasure to receive.

221b_ee, Nyx_Ro, Sue_Clover on AO3 who’s kind comments I look forward to reading when I update TDKWWS.

And now, some of my favorite reviews/comments :)

Cross-Pollination on FF.net:

i read this earlier and i went through a horrible phase of being SO MAD at james like lmao i was totally on board with james/tuney when i thought snily was gonna be a thing (even tho i don't ship them go figure) but as soon as i realized it WASN'T i felt this unearthly rage overcome me like... i don't even know why. i was just so offended. i related a lot to harry's thoughts on the matter here.

but now i'm totally down for whatever happens in the future... i just can't think about james too long looool...

such a tuney move though, to prefer henry over harry. she would! she really would. you've got such a firm grasp on all of the characters, and i admire your ability to portray young characters realistically in tdkwws - so many people fail to grasp accurate childlike behavior and mannerisms and struggle to convey their age through their dialogue and small actions but you handle it all flawlessly without making anyone lose their core values and what makes them them.

i'm gonna be on the lookout for any guys with brown/blond hair and moms named francine now haha! i gotta figure out who lily's gonna marry! i have a sneaking suspicion that sev's gonna get with clara and that lewis is her and benjy's son, since he dies in canon and lewis has that cleft chin and stocky build your benjy's got... clara's also caught sev's eye in the most recent chap and she's been appearing a lot more recently! she's growing on me, so maybe i'm just looking for clues where there aren't any just cuz i really like her, but... :) here's to hoping!

i'm glad that "all was well" for everyone in both universes, anyway. of course sev would figure out a way to check on the other universe - lily probably desperately needed reassurance harry was okay after all that time. makes me wonder why she didn't come along. it was good for sev, too, i think, to hear that harry thought he did the right thing in the end.

AND HARRY DIED WITH A SMILE ON HIS FACE GOD THAT GOT ME SO GOOD

AAggh i love this i love your writing i love this series i can't wait for more updates to tdkwws!

TDKWWS on FF.net:

And I've finally caught up to the latest chapter! I really enjoy how you're writing this. Even though Lily and Severus start from first year, there are mysteries/plots for each "year." I also appreciate your OCs, they each have their own motivations and personality. What I like most is that even if this is "just another time travel," you are very creative with plot and I'm usually guessing what happens next. I'm curious as to who the Hufflepuff could be.

Also, Gwendolyn Jones reminded me of the canon Gwenog Jones!

Famous Last Words on FF.net:

Ok, first of allMAJOR PLOT TWIST

your interpretation of Albus. S. Potter is ridiculously creative, although, I suppose it’s quite plausible (and also reminding me of some DarkLord! Harry fics)

this thing is quite short but so succinct at revealing years and years of Albus’ storyl honestly can’t fathom how you do it

but your take on this nextgen character (who I often see is the sarcastic Slytherin at Hogwarts, which is also who you made him out to be) and twisting the common interpretation of him is just amazing.

hopefully you write more about ‘controversial’ characters (IMO, like Ron Weasley, Albus Dumbledore, Percy Weasley, Severus Snape, and just a sudden idea, maybe you can expand on Aunt Muriel’s character?) Cheers

TDKWWS on AO3:

Oh boy oh boy oh boy. I did not see Dimitri Prince coming back as the DADA professor. I especially enjoyed the goodbye scene with the Jones children at the Platform 9 3/4. It felt almost like a GIF in a way. I could see the scene very well in my mind from the details given, and it was a languid exploration of a fairly mundane (and HP traditional) scene. Adding the warning by Eileen Snape bothered my curiosity and made me pause, and set the tone for something-not-quite-right during the Sorting Ceremony. Thumbs up! I'm finding that your original characters fit very well into the world of Harry Potter. I think it is because you've explored some of the background characters like Narcissa Malfoy well enough for me to accept them easily. When I see a familiar name be humanized and fleshed out, the work you put into your original characters is more appreciated. I utterly accept Sage as belonging in the time period. Of course, dealing with a non-Harry-Potter time period necessitates some original characters but I felt it necessary to mention how well they fit in to the story. :)

TDKWWS on AO3:

Just spent the last three days or so reading through this story and the two related one shots, and what you did is just amazing.

You know, before this, I was opposed to time-travel HP fix-it fics on principle. I just didn't read them, didn't like the concept and couldn't see how one could work. You managed to prove me wrong with how well-drafted this is, though, and boy am I glad you did it.

I think what I like best about everything is the way you expanded and built upon what little we know about the Marauder era, especially in regard to Slytherin House, giving a taste of the wider world beyond. Your original characters are well-rounded and believable, and the changes you made to the canon ones are very interesting as well (I miss warm and caring Narcissa!). I believe a common pitfall, especially in the HP fandom, is to write off characters who are bigots as a bundle of negative tropes and go from there. It's easy to forget that they can be people like any other, with their own loves, hopes and fears, and not just "the villains". So, I really appreciate what you did, especially with Vesta and Boyd Montague and Demitri Prince. A pureblood who disowned his daughter for marrying a Muggle, on one side, but is horrified by and opposed to Voldemort, on the other... It's this kind of depth that I sometimes think is unfortunately lacking in the original work. So kudos!

I'll be waiting anxiously to see where it'll be taking you next :)

I Wish You Well (No More Bad Blood) on AO3:

He looked at her. His blacks eyes held an inscrutable emotion as he said, "Things are, and never were, black and white."

Lily didn't understand. It frustrated her. She'd gotten used to straightforward people like James, Sirius, and her mates in the Order over this crypticness Severus always liked. Taking back her arm, she flashed a quick smile at the sales associate behind the counter. "I'd like to buy these, please."

This is well stated, and I thought the rest of the story enhanced it artfully.

The Snape/Evans dynamic is one of the most intriguing in the HP universe, and I enjoyed reading your insights on it. Thank you so much for writing and sharing this.

#ficwritersweek #ficwritersweek2017 #Harry Potter #TDKWWS

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theatlantafans-blog · 6 years

Text

BITE THE SANDWICH. A conversation with Emmett Hunter of FX’s Atlanta.

Even if you live under a rock you’ve probably heard of FX’s hit show ATLANTA. Donald Glover is perhaps the hottest thing in Hollywood at the moment, and anticipation for season two of the series has been building for some time now. Though there were several moments in the debut season that stood out, one in particular stuck with me. Glover’s character, Earn, sits on the bus with his young daughter. This scene, following a stressful day for the series’ protagonist, culminates with a man who appears to be in the Nation of Islam, sitting down near Earn and offering him a bite of a [freshly made] Nutella sandwich. Following Earn’s rejection of the snack, the man exits the bus and disappears into the woods with a dog. Strange to say the least, huh? My friends and I have gone back and forth on what this scene means for nearly a year. We haven’t really gotten anywhere. Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with the actor who portrays the now infamous character that is Ahmad White, AKA “The Notorious Nutella-Offerer.” His name is Emmett Hunter.

So first and foremost, for the people who don't know, who are you? What's a bit of your background?

First off I appreciate you reaching out to interview me, brother. My name is Emmett Hunter. I am originally from the Tampa Bay area, specifically the Clearwater/Largo, Fl area. I went to Jacksonville University where I met my wife of fifteen years and we have three beautiful kids together. I also played college football as well. But deep down inside I've always had a passion for the arts. Believe it or not, I was even part of a rap group called the “Juda Knights” from around 9th grade to my junior year of college. I'm also a huge fan of African-American literature as well as a low-key poet. (Laughs.)

Of course the reason we're speaking right now is because you obviously were on Season one of ATLANTA. On FX. Your character was a character who many people seemed to be intrigued with. The scene on the bus where you offered Donald Glover's character a sandwich, which he rejected, (laughs) was a scene that got a lot of people talking. Talk a little bit about your character on the show and the role he played in season one.

I played a character named Ahmad White in season one of ATLANTA. My character appeared in the first episode as well as the Emmy Award winning “B.A.N.” episode which was written and directed by Donald. I knew the bus scene with Donald and I would go down as one of the most memorable scenes of season one. I remember right before we shot the scene the director, Hiro Murai, told me this was his favorite scene and that he was excited to finally shoot it, which made me really nervous! (Laughs.)As crazy as the bus scene was, the conversation Donald and my character had was really powerful to me. I think Ahmad was trying to tell Earn to trust this process we call life and it will take you where you're destined to go.... I believe Ahmad's role on the show was a bit of “semi-crazy philosopher” that actually presented the world with truth mixed with a little “off-the-wallness! I'm sure that's not a word. (Laughs.) In my mind, Ahmad White was that weird guy that you find in every hood, on every block, and on every subway or bus. The weird “wino” like guy that roamed the streets [and] always had something valuable to say, but that could also snap on you at any moment. I knew plenty of guys like Ahmad growing up. They would talk a bunch of craziness to you, but in the mist of the ramblings would say some thoughtful truths.

My friend Tyler and I are always discussing the significance of you offering the sandwich to Donald. We still don't really understand what that fully meant. Can you help us out?

I've been asked to explain the significance of the sandwich probably a thousand times. Honestly my take on it is that when you're creating these scenes, [it’s] essentially art…and when it comes to art, some things are left up to the viewer or listener’s interpretation. The reasoning for Ahmad wanting Earn to bite the sandwich could mean different things to different people.

What was it like working on the show? Set life, table reads, the filming process, etc. And of course, everyone wants to know what Donald is like. It's not like you filmed in another state or whatever and it was edited in, you filmed a very intimate scene with him. Can you talk about that?

Working on the set of Atlanta was surreal. It is truly one of the highlights of my life. I had the opportunity to meet Donald... Lakeith [Stanfield] and Brian Tyree Henry. All of those guys were so laid back and down to earth. The Atlanta set was such a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere. I didn't feel like I was working at all. As far as working with Donald, I don't know if I've ever met a superstar that was so humble. In between takes we shared some small conversation, but honestly I didn't say much because I knew we were there to get the scene done. When I came back to shoot the B.A.N. episode he was behind the camera directing. He smiled and embraced me and said "Thank you for coming back." I thought to myself "[How] am I supposed to turn an opportunity like this down?" (Laughs) I knew after reading the script for the B.A.N. episode that it would be a classic. To this day I still pop that script [out] and read it just for the fun of it. It's one of the most brilliantly written pieces in all of television. A lot of people don't know that a lot of what Ahmad White said during the B.A.N. episode wasn't originally in the script. As I was doing my takes he would just throw extra stuff in there. I would say my lines and out of nowhere he would say, "Now say, “If you'd like to be smart as a baby dolphin call now.”” Everyone in the room would just bust out laughing.

That’s hilarious. How did you land the role?

My agent sent me the script for ATLANTA when it was initially a pilot and told me I had an audition. After I read the script for the role I immediately connected with the character. As I was doing the audition I genuinely felt every one of those words. The moment was like magic. I had done over 100 auditions before that, but I knew that role was mine. It really felt like it was meant to be. I sent the audition to my agent and waited for what seemed like an eternity for a reply. My agent contacted me about a month later and told me production wanted me to audition again, but with a few more directions. I did the audition and sent it to them and they finally offered me the role. Man, I was so excited I just can't really put it into words.

With Season two now here, can we expect another appearance from you?

As far as season two is concerned, unfortunately my character will not be returning. I honestly thought my character would return for sure, so needless to say I was a little shook. But at the same time it's not over until it’s over. Donald if you're reading this, pencil ya boy in somewhere in season three! (Laughs) On the real though I'm grateful to Donald, Hiro [Murai], and the whole FX crew. They gave me the platform to showcase my talent and I will forever be thankful for the opportunity.

Shifting gears now, I feel like recently people who look like "us" in the industry are finally starting to get some notoriety. (Laughs) You know, brown skin. From ATLANTA, to “Get Out” and “Black Panther” is obviously red hot right now. What have been some of your favorite films and shows recently?

I feel like it's our time now, brother. There is so much greatness out there that’s being created by black people. Shows Like Atlanta, Blackish, Luke Cage, Power, The Chi, Insecure, and so many others. My favorite show right now is “The Chi.” I love that show, man. It's absolute magic from top to bottom. Of course my favorite movie right now is Black Panther. I've actually seen it twice and I have to admit, it brought a brother to tears. In all honesty Black Panther had the greatest exhibition of acting I've ever seen in an action movie. Chadwick [Boseman]... Lupita [Nyong’o]... Winston [Duke]... they all killed it. Black people are finally getting the opportunity to tell our stories from our perspective and it is beautiful to watch.

Black Panther is amazing. I should check out The Chi, I’ve heard great things. Who's someone you'd like to work with that you have not already?

My dying wish is to work with Ryan Coogler. That brother is a freaking genius! I've been following his work since Fruitvale Station.

I saw you were on an episode of South Beach Tow. That was dope. What's next for you? More roles coming soon?

As far new roles go, you can catch me in season seven of Homeland which airs on Showtime.

I’ll check that out. What something about the entertainment industry that you think people should know? Primarily pertaining to people of color.

I think our people should know that we have now. It's our time. There are so many ways for us to get our stories out to the world. From YouTube, to Netflix, short films, indie films, or however you decide. People like Donald and Issa [Rae] have paved the way. They've shown us that you don't have to be one-dimensional. You can write, create, direct and star in your own projects and there is an audience out there that looks like you that can't wait to see it.

Any advice for a kid who wants to act and/or direct?

The advice I would give to kids out there is [to] use all the tools available to you to tell your story. From your cell phone, to social media, your friends, etc. Don't sit around and wait for someone to give you an opportunity. Create your own! As an actor I can tell you, you will audition a lot, and face a lot of rejection. You have stay positive and keep pushing until your time comes. Just trust the process.

This interview has been condensed from its original version. Catch Emmett Hunter on HOMELAND Season seven on SHOWTIME now. Season two of ATLANTA premieres March 1st, 2018.

Courtesy: Christopher Charleston. @ChristophEaston

#atlanta #fx #donald glover #gambino #atlantafx #robbinseason #atlantaonfx #emmett hunter #childish gambino

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bollywoodconfessions · 5 years

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Sanjay Dutt?

God bless this laughter!

Instead of crying about all the trauma, he bounced back, he forgave people, and continued to be the loving and jovial person he is. There is nothing that can ever stop his zest for life.

Some of his fans also do a rather amazing job at describing the vulnerability that Sanjay brings to all his roles. Exhibit this:

However my favourite performance of his is quite underrated, and that would be of Inayat Khan from Mission Kashmir.

He is extremely Humble and Passionate:

Why I don’t: He doesn’t know how to sell himself.

Favorite film/scene:

OTP:Non-romantic definitely him and Govinda. They are a laugh riot, they have created some of the most epic comedies together!

OTP: Sanju has shared great chemistry with everyone, but I think I will only ship him with me! LOL

A wish for them: Do more great movies

An oh-god-please-don’t-ever-happen for them: Don’t get caught in any controversy again. Please stay safe and happy. I cannot see you suffer anymore.

5 words to best describe them: Honest, Passionate, Innocent, Sexy and Beautiful.

My nickname for them: Sanju

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