...Completely Random

It would be disgustingly emo of me to let this ruin my mood...

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 18:15:33 GMT

A backhanded 'thank you' is worse than none. That's all I have to say.

...

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 22:44:32 GMT

Whatever I did, I guess I'm sorry.

I can't fix anything by being angry at you, trying to find ways to convince myself that it's all your fault and not mine, that you're the selfish one. It won't make me feel any better. I'm better off just getting over it; trying to figure out what I did wrong and take responsibility, learn something from it... and just let go of whatever anger I might feel.

I wish you had said something to me sooner, given me a chance to make it right — or at least try — before you decided to cut me out of your life with no warning. But I guess I get it. No one likes confrontations. If you thought it was easier, better, to just forget about me and give up on our friendship... then that's your choice. And it's your right.

I know there's nothing I can do about it. I know it's dumb to try. The best thing I can do is try to forgive the hurt, and hope that one day you'll forgive me as well.

I mean, what else would I break my latest posting hiatus with?

Mon, 30 May 2011 23:29:53 GMT

Okay, is it random fan rant time?

(Let me preface this by saying that, as a fan and a fellow fanartist, I respect other artists. By criticizing or admitting that something about your work bugs me, I do not mean anything against you personally; nor am I trying to say that your art sucks. Just letting off steam. No hard feelings, yeah?)

I gotta say, though... man, I hate it when people draw the Monarch's henchmen from The Venture Brothers (or for that matter, any masked character) with their masks on, and have the eyes of the mask be closed or half-closed. THAT IS NOT HOW A MASK WORKS. It's not that complicated a concept that solid objects cannot magically change shape to match a facial expression underneath them, is it?

I mean, okay, I know. Unless it's drawn in an ultra-realistic style, all art exaggerates. Nobody's as tall as we draw them, no one's hair is that naturally shiny, you don't see that many teeth when people smile... But at least these common exaggerations are far less ridiculous. The whole "the mask is a part of your face" thing? Just takes me completely out of it.

It appears the Internet knows me better than I know myself...

Fri, 18 Mar 2011 19:55:25 GMT

Fuck Yeah! Roleplaying Rabbit

O_O Guys... THIS. This is my life.

Summarized perfectly by a Tumblr meme.

Man. Man oh man. Do I really need another new OTP?

Fri, 11 Mar 2011 01:42:51 GMT

Well... OT3, rather.

(Dude, I'm all kinds of inspired to post, now... I don't even know, man. I just hope this lasts a bit. lol.)

But anyway: who else out there is watching V? And please tell me I'm not the only one who thinks Jack/Hobbes/Erica would be the hottest thing evar?* I mean, truth be told, I've been torn between Jack/Erica and Hobbes/Erica for quite some time, now; so, it's hard to believe I didn't think of this sooner! (Considering how obviously slashy Jack and Hobbes are, with all that wonderful tension between them.)

In fact, if anyone has ANY fic recs — and I mean, any possible combination of these three characters — you would be forever my hero. Tru fax.

* Admittedly, I feel a tad guilty about this because Jack is Catholic. But at least he's no longer a priest? I don't know. I'm a little bit torn, here... but if I'm honest, I have been shipping him and Erica for months (even before he lost the collar). So, I guess, if nothing else... this isn't much worse.

Besides— he's fictional. I'm not saying real Catholics should go have threesomes with other dudes. So, you know. >_>

Hmm...

Fri, 14 Jan 2011 16:13:58 GMT

I wonder why people never just post short, random things on LJ like you might on Twitter or Tumblr or Facebook. Or... maybe they do?

Anyway. Anybody wondering what's been going on with me lately? No?

Oh well, I'll tell you anyway.

I'm sick with a cold. For like, the fourth or fifth day now, I think. I can't remember for sure. I hope to get better soon... but I'm not doing much to speed it along. :\

I've been working on hearts_and_guts stuff. I mean, duh. If you know me at all, you probably already know that. For anyone who cares: the submissions we've received so far have been pretty stellar, and I honestly think that everyone's gonna love their gifts. That being said... I'm up to my elbows in pinch-hitters and dropped assignments right now. I wish I knew how to do this faster.

I met a cute, very charming guy on New Year's Eve, who gave me a ride home from the subway. I know, I know... don't take rides from strangers in the middle of the night... but I did, and I haven't been axe-murdered. Don't worry, I'm not going to make a habit of it; and no one else should, either. Anyway... as I was saying, met a cute guy. Seemed like he was flirting, and he asked me to go get a drink after, but it was late, so instead I gave him my number (like a genius, did not think to ask for his). Long story short, he hasn't called. Maybe I imagined the whole flirting thing; or maybe he was only interested in a quick hook-up, so since that didn't happen, he was never planning to follow up. I dunno. Who knows, maybe I'm better off. Still sucks, though.

And this is getting a lot ramblier than I thought it would. Moving on...

I've read some very good fic in the last day or two. Fic I should probably rec — but I'm too lazy to go looking for links right now. If you want recs, I guess, then just ask me. Or I may post them later. (They're all Metalocalypse, I'm afraid; sorry non-MTL fans.)

Speaking or recs, I've somehow managed to convince my friend Sheila to check out Men of a Certain Age, which I must say is a proud moment for me. I love getting people into things; but more than that, I really think this is a show that she specifically would enjoy. I don't know how many more of you might like it or not, but I would certainly recommend checking it out, if you have the time.

On a related note: thanks to tiktaalikroseae, my interest in Supernatural has been mildly resparked. Mildly. No, no... I really do want to watch it again some day, and see all that new stuff that's going on, because it does sound good. But it would take a lot more time and effort than I've got right now. Oh, for a good friend with Netflix.

Okay, random update over. Anybody out there got anything to say? ask? shout at me? I dunno, I'm bored. But busy. I crave human interaction, yet, like a true hypocrite, I can't promise I'll respond right away. Or, ever. No, that's a stretch... I do make an effort to respond to comments eventually, I swear. Regardless, do talk to me if you're so inclined.

Enough stream of consciousness... back to work.

A Thanksgiving meme? Well, sort of.

Thu, 25 Nov 2010 20:14:32 GMT

It's Thanksgiving, and I thought that I should really try to post something in honor of the holiday... especially since I haven't updated in a while. Now, I could do something mushy, maybe a list of all the people I'm thankful for in my life, like I did a few years back. But I don't really feel like it. So instead, I thought I would try to start a meme.

Step 1: Comment here with any 3 fictional characters, from any fandom(s), as long as they are characters/fandoms I know.

Step 2: Below the cut, I will put what I think each character would be most thankful for this holiday. It might be just a simple response, or it might be a picture or even a drabble... pretty much anything, as long as it answers the question.

Step 3: Repost this in your own journal (IF YOU WANT TO), with the same instructions.

None yet. :(

Uhh... if you're not sure which fandoms I'm familiar with, just gimme some characters, and if I don't know them I'll tell you so. But for the record, my main fandoms right now are Glee, Metalocalypse, and Harry Potter.

Anyway, I'm really hoping at least one or two people do repost this. I've never started a meme before... but I think it would be pretty awesome if this thing actually took off. lol.

Also! If you know of any existing memes that are Thanksgiving-related, I'd love some links, because I think I might like to do a couple. Or you can just comment and tell me how your holiday is going (or just how your day is going, if you're not American/don't celebrate Thanksgiving).

The point is, I miss talking to you guys. <3

I had a clever title for this post... BUT I EATED IT.

Wed, 03 Nov 2010 02:24:33 GMT

So, like the flake that I usually am, I completely forgot to pimp this in my own lj. But! Here goes, you guys:

One last day left to sign up for hearts_and_guts!

Yup, there's still time... but sign-ups close tomorrow at midnight. Now I KNOW there's at least one or two of you dudes on my f'list who'd love to participate. Here's your chance, guys. It's gonna be a heck of a lot of fun; so, go sign up while you still can!

</shameless pimping>

House 7x05: Unplanned Parenthood

Tue, 19 Oct 2010 03:45:44 GMT

Way too busy/sleepy/overwhelmed by other thoughts to say everything I might otherwise like to say — other than that it was a pretty great episode. But I do have a couple quick comments, and a question:

1) Am I the only one who was SO TOTALLY feeling the House/Foreman/Cuddy vibes in this one? I'm not usually one for OT3s, as some of you may know... but dude. I could so get into that. Fo' srs. (Somebody gimme some H/F/C fic recs, plz? *makes eyes*)

2) Vintage House/Wilson, ftw! \o/ (And I don't mean that in an overtly slashy way... because, believe it or not, I do not ship those two. I know; I'm like the only person in the world who doesn't, right? But! I love their friendship. And I love it when they have those moments like they did at Cuddy's. That's truly what makes them great.)

3) RACHEL CUDDY IS THE CUTEST THING THAT EVER EXISTED. THAT IS ALL.

4) Really sucks about Dr. Chang. I liked her so much. :(:(:(

Thoughts? Responses? Impassioned arguments? If you watch House, I'd love to know your take on this one.

Back to Dethklok masterlist delay

Thu, 14 Oct 2010 15:35:40 GMT

If anybody's paying attention, you might have noticed that the Back to Klok masterlist of fic and art was scheduled to go up over a week ago, and that sort of never happened. I apologize. The truth is, time got away from me and I ended up pretty behind on BTK stuff toward the end, and now it's time for the new round of hearts_and_guts.

Unfortunately, what this means is that I'm going to have to put Back to Klok on the backburner for a bit, and focus on time-sensitive H&G stuff. I'm sure nobody is waiting for this masterlist with bated breath or anything, so it shouldn't be too big of a deal... still, I'm sorry for the inconvenience, and for not being able to stick to my word on this one. All I can tell you is: life happens. But please know that I will still get it up, as soon as I'm able.

Those who still have outstanding Back to Klok claims, do feel free to look at this as an extra chance to get your stuff in and have it be included on the masterlist. ;)

...In the mean time, I hope you guys will all join JediPirate and me for Round III of Hearts and Guts! \o/

Back to Klok: EXTENDED! 8D

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 22:40:49 GMT

Well, I really should've posted about this earlier in the week; but I didn't. Then again, I don't know if anyone is actually following the back to klok tag in this journal...

But, long story short: the people have spoken! \o/

Back to Klok is extended another week!

There's been a pretty clear consensus from the good folks at capslokdethklok, with nearly 75% voting to extend (most others neutral, not against it), and I am more than happy to keep this thing going. Especially if it will get more prompts filled; so guys, please do CHECK THEM OUT consider snagging one! Please don't worry about submitting a perfect masterpiece... this thing is just about having fun wid' den rarepairs. ;)

Also: please, please, if you know a Metalocalypse writer or artist with some time on their hands, who likes rarepairs (or just happens to be open-minded), do point them this way! BTK needs more word-of-mouth promotion, you guys.

PS: Has anyone ever noticed how the "hopeful" icon in my mood theme kinda looks more constipated than hopeful?

The Venture Brothers 4x09 - "The Diving Bell vs. the Butter-Glider"

Tue, 14 Sep 2010 21:38:20 GMT

Just saw the Venture mid-season premiere.

Wasn't as fantastically epic as some of the other episodes... but was still pretty great. I think the butter-glider song was probably my favorite part, followed by 21's interaction with 24 (hopefully that alone is not a spoiler for anybody). Also: Sergeant Hatred continues to be made of win.

I did sort of miss what the heck "the diving bell" in the title is referring to, though. Was that the name of the Sphinx submarine, or something? Well, anyway.

The rest of this season is looking to be pretty awesome as well, I'd say...

I don't have an in-depth, play-by-play episode review — but who else watches the show/has seen this? Any thoughts?

I should stop overthinking things. And yet...

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 16:14:28 GMT

Okay, I feel kind of sad and pathetic about this, but here it is: Back to Klok still has a lot more prompts to be claimed... and there are a few specific people I would really like to make aware of this ficathon, in hopes that they may consider participating.

The thing is, most of them I either don't know or barely know. So I have no greater advantage over anyone else. Now me, while I am quite shy IRL, I have no problem talking to someone I've barely met online as long as I have an excuse (e.g. finding out whether they'd like to participate in something). Why I haven't done this yet is simply that I haven't had time. So I am going to do the desperate thing and beg you guys for your help.

If anyone would like to BE MY HERO and lend a hand getting the word out, please comment here and I'll tell you who all I'd like to nudge about this thing. I'm not going to offer bribes, because that would be a little too pitiful... but just know that you will WIN MY ETERNAL GRATITUDE.

The End.

For those who haven't seen this yet... (regarding the Twitter/Facebook ticky boxes)

Wed, 08 Sep 2010 16:09:56 GMT

If you're annoyed by these new crosspost comment options and you don't want them in your journal, here is a quick and painless way to get rid of them, posted by tod_hollykim (who apparently got the code from delaese; not sure of the original source).

After that, you can go fill out this poll (which is being monitored by LJ staff) to let them know how you feel about the new feature. There is also another, similar poll over here.

Heads up, guys...

Wed, 01 Sep 2010 22:53:59 GMT

For anyone paying attention:

Back to Klok is now open for prompt claiming! \o/

You can go HERE to check out the prompts, or over HERE to snag a keyword instead (for those who'd rather write/draw their own idea). If you don't know what Back to Klok is yet, all the info is over yonder.

And I could still use your help spreading the word! In fact, anyone who is cool enough to post a BTK banner in their own journal (or a relevant community) and encourage others to come claim something will OFFICIALLY WIN THE INTERNET. Yup.

Yo, where ma' peeps at?

Fri, 27 Aug 2010 15:10:33 GMT

Okay, I know there are Metalocalypse people on my f'list. C'mon, dudes, lend a hand...

Help me pimp this!

I even made new banners, but nobody's using them. So far, the_ginga is the only person (that I know of) who's bothered to post a link in her lj. You guys are making me have a sad face. :(

What's this? Why, it's a Metalocalypse ficathon!

Tue, 24 Aug 2010 20:55:47 GMT

Guys, first of all... I am not dead, despite evidence to the contrary. And to prove it, I've got something here for all you MTL folks — a ficathon! As for the rest of my f'list: I'll have something for you guys, soon, too. I promise.

Has the end of summer got you down?
Well, there's one thing to look forward to: new Metalocalypse!
So don't despair, come and celebrate the return of Season 3. It's...
The Back to ~~School~~ Dethklok
Mini Rareathon

information | ~~submit a prompt~~ | claim a prompt

Seen the flashy banners? Wondering what this thing is all about?
Well, here's the skinny...

What is it?
It's a ficathon. A fic and art fest, where traditionally people submit prompts, then other people claim them (like a kink meme, but a little more formal). And at the end a masterlist will go up, to preserve the results for future generations to enjoy.

But this fest has a twist: it's a rareathon! That means it's all about rarepairs; so if you've never tried writing/drawing one before, here's your chance. ;)

What's the occasion?
To ring in the return of new episodes, of course! Hence the name: The Back to Dethklok Mini Rareathon (or "Back to Klok" for short). But truth be told, I've wanted to do a rarepair ficathon for a long time... this just proved the perfect excuse.

Why call it a "mini" ficathon?
Because you only get about a month to write and draw your submissions; that way, the masterlist can go up on ~~September 27th, the day after~~ October 4th, the week after new episodes premiere. Sorry folks, but them's the breaks. If I ever do this again, I'll try to give you more time.

And what the heck is a rarepair, anyway?
A pairing that's rare, duh. For the purposes of this fest, a rarepair is anything other than:

Toki/Skwisgaar
Nathan/Toki
Nathan/Toki/Skwisgaar
Charles/Pickles
Charles/Nathan
Nathan/Pickles
Charles/Nathan/Pickles
Pickles/Tony

Everything else is fair game (including canon pairings like Nathan/Rebecca), as long as you use characters from the show. I have nothing against OCs... but OC pairings are not what this particular fest is all about, sorry.

Do you just hate popular pairings?
Not at all! In fact, Toki/Skwisgaar and Charles/Pickles are two of my OTPs. But I believe that rarepairs are just as deserving of being recognized and celebrated — and that's what this fest is all about.

So, I'm not allowed to use ANY of the above pairings, or pairings with OCs?
You can still have them as side pairings, or as part of a threesome/moresome. Just don't let them steal focus.

What will you do if I break the rules? Or if I sign up but never submit anything?
Nothing. This isn't a formal gift exchange, so I'm not going make you edit your submission if it doesn't meet the requirements, or chase you down if you're a no-show. I'm just providing the idea for this thing, but the rest is up to you guys.

If you completely ignore the rules, though, then your submission probably won't appear on the masterlist. That's only fair.

Okay, this sounds fun. How do I play?
You can either submit a prompt, or claim one... or both! Here's how:

Step 1: If you have an awesome idea for a rarepair fic or fanart, go HERE and submit it as a prompt (ETA: prompt submissions are now closed). You can submit a prompt even if you don't plan on claiming one — in fact, I highly encourage it! The more prompts, the better. 8D

Step 2: If you'd like to write or draw something for this fest, go HERE to check out the prompts and claim one. You may only claim one prompt at a time; but once you're done, (if there are any more prompts left) feel free to claim another.

Step 3: When you finish, simply post your fic or art anywhere you want, then come back to the claim post and comment with a link to your submission. Please don't forget! Doing this is the only way to ensure your fic or art is included in the masterlist.

But why can't I just use my own idea?
You can. I do hope you'll check out the prompts first; but if you don't find one you like, or if we simply run out of them, then you can go HERE and choose from a list of keywords instead. That way the plot and pairing are up to you.

When are submissions due?
Feel free to post your work as soon as you're finished. But if you want it included on the BTK Epic Masterlist of Awesome, try to have it posted by Monday, ~~September 27th~~ October 4th, because that's when said masterlist is going up. Think of it as a challenge; getting it done in under a month is part of the fun!

What if I'm late?
Things happen, and you might not be able to finish in time... that's understandable. If you're late, you can (and should!) still link me to your submission, and I will add it to the masterlist. WIPs (e.g. part 1 of a multi-part fic) are okay, too.

Are there any requirements or restrictions?
Not really. Any rating, any genre, any kink you might want... it's all welcome! Pretty much the only requirements are: a) that it features a rarepair, and b) if you claim a prompt, try to follow it. Obviously.

Of course, it's recommended that you use a beta reader for fic. But it's your call.

What about minimums?
Fic should be at least 500 words, and art should be more than a quick doodle; beyond that, it's all good. And of course, if you don't quite make it to 500, don't worry. No one's gonna come after you with a nail bat.

Do I have to have a title?
You don't have to, but keep in mind that if you don't, you fic or art will be listed as "Untitled" on the masterlist.

Do I have to link back here when I post my Back to Klok submission?
Please do. That way more people can participate — and later, your readers can find the masterlist and check out everyone else's submissions as well. If you don't know how to link back, or if you're just lazy, you can copy one of the following codes:

Written for Back to Klok.

Drawn for Back to Klok.

Written for the Back to Dethklok Mini Rareathon.

Drawn for the Back to Dethklok Mini Rareathon.

I want to help spread the joy of Back to Klok! What can I do?
You can tell all your friends and neighbors to haul ass down here and claim some prompts! Try doing it with one of these spiffy banners:

I still have questions you haven't answered!
By all means, comment here with any of your questions or concerns, and I'll get right back to you. :)

Random Update is Random

Thu, 08 Jul 2010 00:51:14 GMT

Okay, who's seen this new Toyota Avalon "red carpet" commercial? I tried to find a video of it online, but couldn't; the point, though, is that this part right here? Made me want to smack somebody.

Announcer: What is it like to finally be on the A-list?
New Car Owner: *as some random fashion model walks over to take his arm* Feels really good.
Car Owner's Kid: Hey Dad, that's not Mom!
Announcer: *to the audience, suggestively* That is so not Mom.

So I guess the message here is: YAY CHEATING! \o/

Ugh.

Way to go, modern media. Classy stuff.

In other news... how is everyone else doing out there? Any fun summer plans? ...Infinitus is getting scary close now Show of hands: who else is going?

It's SCIENCE!

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 01:14:38 GMT

This is the kind of thing that might be more fitting as a tweet than an lj entry... but dude, I had to share.

Here's what I just heard as part of an evening news promo:

Female Newscaster: Shaking what they've got — to prove a theory wrong...
Male Newscaster: Why supporters say scantily-clothed women do not cause earthquakes.

O.o

*cracks up laughing*

In Which Supes is Bad at Being Subtle (...plus a movie review)

Fri, 16 Apr 2010 23:18:39 GMT

I just wanted to sort of remind everyone that it's my birthday in less than a week — next Wednesday, to be precise. So if anyone wants to make me REALLY happy, I would adore some birthday fic (or art, if you don't write). I don't know, it's probably uncouth and makes me sound greedy to just put it out there like that... but, well. I rarely get what I want for my birthdays.

(And if you want to but you don't know what I might like, just ask. *cough*)

I keep meaning to mention this on the heals of another post, so as to be more "subtle" about it. But that keeps not happening. So there you go: blatant, shameless solicitation. Because subtlety is overrated, anyway. :P

But to make this post not completely gratuitous...

I just saw Say Uncle.

It... was good. Probably not among my favorite movies of all time, because like many indie films, it's one of those quiet little slice-of-life pictures that you might be glad you saw, but most likely won't be rewatching. At least, that's how I feel about those kinds of movies. (Plus, I was a little disappointed that a couple of the side storylines never really got resolved: like Paul not having job, or the fact that his best friend is in love with him.)

That said, I love Peter Paige beyond what words can reasonably express. And Lisa Edelstein — though her role was smaller than I had hoped — is pretty amazing as well. For them alone, I would totally recommend seeing this movie.

You don't do that to a friend. (10 Things I Hate About You 1x12: "Don't Trust Me")

Tue, 13 Apr 2010 21:43:49 GMT

Another great show that is not a big headliner, so I doubt many of you (if any at all) are watching it. I won't recommend it to those who want deep emotional issues and profound social commentary, complex plots, or outstanding acting (let me be clear: I'm not saying the acting is bad. I'm just saying it's not outright Oscar-worthy). But if you like cute, fun, lighthearted comedy-drama with a nostalgically 90s feel, then this is definitely a show you will enjoy.

Anyway...

One thing that really bothered me about this episode is how black & white it was (er... bad pun definitely not intended) in terms of the Joey/Bianca/Chastity triangle. I mean, I get it: Bianca is the protagonist. She's the one we're supposed to root for. But guess what? For once, Chastity is not the bad guy here. When Bianca told Joey, "Chastity has convinced all the other cheerleaders that I'm breaking the Girl Code," as if said accusation were some heinous lie, I physically cringed. Because you know what, Bianca? You are breaking the Girl Code. And shame on you for not seeing it!

I'll be the first to admit that Chastity is kind of a bitch. She was a terrible girlfriend to Joey, and not a very good friend to Bianca, either. But nonetheless, it was Bianca's choice whether or not to be friends with Chastity. Nobody forced her. And if she truly did/does consider Chastity a friend, then what she did was a clear violation of that. Pure and simple.

The writing in this episode makes it out as if it's ridiculous to fault someone for dating a friend's ex, as long as the couple has clearly broken up. But I disagree, strongly. An ex dating your friend is not the same as dating a stranger. It's awkward, painful, often even humiliating. I'm not saying you can never date anyone who has dated someone you know; and sometimes, you end up choosing love over friendship. But if you care about the friendship at all, if you want to be a decent person, then you at least try to MAKE SURE YOUR FRIEND IS OKAY WITH IT before you start dating their ex. And you sure as heck don't start going out with them mere days after the couple has broken up. Even if it's your friend who initiated the breakup... you respect the relationship that has ended, and you give them time to move on, before you pounce on their leftovers like a piece of meat.

What's worse is: Bianca knew that Chastity wasn't over Joey. She didn't want to get back together, but she wasn't ready to see him dating someone new; and she told Bianca this, in no uncertain terms. If Bianca were a real friend to Chastity, she wouldn't have just kept the relationship a secret (which still would've been better) — she would've told Joey that they need to cool it until Chastity has moved on. If she and Joey really care about each other, they could have waited to be together.

Instead, Bianca plays the innocent victim in all this while practically rubbing her new relationship with Joey in Chastity's face, and Chastity is the one who gets painted as the villain (along with anyone who's being a real friend and standing by her, instead of taking Bianca's side). I ask you: how is this fair?

Other random thoughts:

✖ How does Patrick being an ass only make him hotter? Seriously... how?

✖ Cameron is tall. Boy-howdy! He needs to stop trying to date short girls, maybe. (Which makes shipping Cameron/Chastity really hard, let me tell you. >_>)

✖ Oh yeah, I ship Cameron/Chastity. Come on, don't tell me you guys don't see it! True, they've barely said a word to each other all season... but still, how awesome would it be if they hooked up? Queen Bitch and the Geek: it's classic, man. (I blame Freaks and Geeks for this. And Buffy to a lesser extent.)

✖ I'm realizing: Joey is kinda shallow. I still like him... but I would like him more if he understood that having the "whitest teeth" is not the most important characteristic in a boyfriend. And that whole "I'm Joey Donner" argument? I mean, he's a nice guy, but he needs to get over himself.

✖ I love smug!Kat. So, so much.

✖ I'm a little annoyed that it's been so long since the first half of the season, I can't remember if we already knew Mandela was gay. But! How cute is it that she has a girlfriend now? I love how Kat just assumed "when you're in a new relationship" was about her and Patrick, and then was proven wrong. ...I totally called that, by the way. :P

✖ Ack. Is everybody going to start saying "Katrick" now? Please, no.

PS: I know I'm an episode behind here; but I haven't seen the new one yet. So if you have, no spoilers, please.

I feel like the fantasy genre has gone downhill...

Tue, 13 Apr 2010 16:35:59 GMT

More and more lately, I notice that the advancement of special effects and the general growth of Hollywood budgets has taken a negative toll on the fantasy/adventure genre in modern film (animated movies notwithstanding). Studios are shelling out big bucks to make a picture visually impressive, create eye-catching trailers to try to outdo each other at the box office... but in the process they seem to be neglecting to worry about plot, so in the end the overall quality truly suffers.

Don't get me wrong, I love fantasy with all my heart. It's probably my favorite subject in both film and literature. But for a movie (as much as a book; even though the mediums are pretty different), what matters to me most is substance. I want to watch films that focus on telling a rich and engaging story more than they do on supplying stunning effects and breathtaking battle scenes, on life-like computer animation, or on fancy sets and costumes.¹

I saw Alice in Wonderland recently, a movie I've been hearing I must see. I definitely didn't hate it... but I'm sad to say I didn't love it, either. It wasn't nearly as bad as some of the others that had let me down; and I wasn't really disappointed, because my expectations hadn't been that high. But I would've liked it a lot more if it included more of the original story — or at least more of the same themes (I understand that since Alice is older and its meant to be sort of a sequel, it couldn't have been exactly like the book).

They could have put in more about Alice as a character, and about her childhood friendship with Lewis Carrol;² more about the overall strangeness of Wonderland and her trying to make sense of it; more of the characters' backstories that are present in the book, like why the Mad Hatter and March Hare are stuck in a never-ending loop of a tea party... But even the interesting bits of new plot that were hinted at (for example: what happened between the Red and White Queens) were never really explained. They were left to the viewer's imagination in favor high-budget computer animation and action sequences. :\

I know, I know. A standard film has only so much running time to work with, so you can't expect as rich and complex a story as you might get from a book. But you should be able to expect some story that amounts to more than the average plot of a single TV show episode (and in some cases even less than that). I mean, movies haven't gotten that much shorter, have they? Yet this never used to be a problem in the past. Not until expensive visual effects came into play.

I miss the old fantasy movies, like The Princess Bride, Willow, The Dark Crystal... Movies that told tales. Movies where the characters were engaging and got to grow and develop throughout the film, where mysteries unfolded and relationships formed, where the plots had twists and turns instead of everything building up to one big battle scene or the like, and then it's over. Where's the fun in that?

I'll admit, it's not all bad. Some of more recent films in the fantasy/adventure genre — films such as Stardust, V for Vendetta, The Prestige, or Where the Wild Things Are — do still hold water (there's probably more examples, I just haven't seen them all). But many others, like The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Sweeney Todd,³ and the latest Harry Potters all seem to fall short. They have beautiful sets, thrilling visual effects, fantastic animated creatures... sometimes even singing! Yet sadly, a distinct deficit of plot.

I do not think that fantasy as a film genre is completely doomed. Since some quality pictures are still being made, clearly there is hope. But I do think the high-scale production that has become a Hollywood benchmark is slowly choking the life out what was once a small but amazing part of the movie industry: spawning more and more big-budget hype films, and leaving fewer and fewer ones with any real substance.

Filmmakers need to realize what's happening before it's too late, before we've all forgotten what a good fantasy movie is supposed to look like. They need to scale down on the special effects and get back to the roots of what makes this genre great...

If you're wondering how this post got so long? It's because this is something I feel pretty strongly about. It's not religion or politics, but fiction is a big part of my life; heck, if you're in fandom, it's probably a big part of your lives as well. So yes, fiction (be it movies, books, or television) is something I'm passionate about.

I'd love to hear what the rest you guys have to say on the subject. I hope I'm not the only one who feels the way I do... but if you disagree, by all means, don't be afraid to argue your point.

¹ Which, admittedly, I do appreciate. I mean, I'm a real costume junkie. But they still don't make a movie for me, when there's nothing else to hang your hat on.

² Who, much to my chagrin, wasn't even mentioned — save for a brief appearance by the Dodo Bird.

³ I mention both Alice and Sweeney Todd, so it might seem that I'm ragging on Tim Burton. Let me say, for the record, that I love him as a filmmaker: his movies have absolutely gorgeous sets and costumes and all-around fantastic visuals, a vintage-gothic style that really captures the imagination... and as a director he definitely knows how to make a scene pop. That said, I have noticed that lately his films (at least, his live-action ones) tend to fall into that pretty-but-disappointing category for me.

*shrug* What can I say. If Tim doesn't write the screenplays, then it's not entirely his fault, is it? Maybe he should just try to work with better writers. ...On the other hand, he did Big Fish in 2003, which I loved. So there is that.

Some things even Disney can't explain

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 22:51:44 GMT

So, listening to my iPod on shuffle, "Be Our Guest" came up; and now I have a question...

If pretty much all the furniture and dinnerware in the Beast's castle are his transformed servants (which, honestly, doesn't make that much sense to begin with: I mean, how is it their fault that their boss/master was an egotistical, shallow jerk?), then what ever happened to the REAL furniture and dinnerware? Did it magically disappear? Did he have to throw it all out so he wouldn't have doubles? Was the essence of his servants somehow fused with the existing inanimate objects in his possession?

Most importantly: when they revert back to their human forms once the spell is broken, does this mean the Prince and Belle totally have to refurnish that whole castle?

O.o

Anyone else ever wonder about this stuff?

Taking Icon Requests... (sort of)

Sun, 11 Apr 2010 21:20:41 GMT

I've been in a very icon-making mood lately (mostly because I've been downloading some awesome textures by piemin). In particular, I've recently discovered the very fun icon challenge community tvpassiton. I've had some good times there already, and made ~~two~~ three icons so far (five if you count variations). ...But I want to keep participating!

So here's where you can help. I need inspiration — suggestions, to be more precise.

The current tvpassiton challenge is called OMGWTFBBQ, and its concept is pretty simple. Your icon has to fit one of three themes: OMG!, WTF?, or BBQ. The first two are hopefully self-explanatory; for BBQ the icon needs to feature food, eating, or drinking in any literal or figurative way. And of course, since the community is all about TV shows, each icon has to be from something on TV. Duh.

So, guys, do you have any ideas for me? I've made one BBQ icon [Psych] already, and a one for WTF? [Metalocalypse], and ~~I'm working on~~ just finished an OMG! icon for the show Caprica. But if any of you have other suggestions for these three themes, by all means, lay 'em on me! And if I feel inspired, I'll make the icon. :)

Suggesting a specific image (or at least linking me to where I could find some screencaps) is very much appreciated, though not strictly necessary.

However, I should probably say I'll only icon shows I'm familiar with. So, in lieu of typing up a gigantic list... please tell me what the show is before you make your suggestion, and I will tell you if I've seen it. This will also help avert accidental spoilers, which are never ever fun. >_>