Luckylyn

Robin from How I Met Your Mother’s Trench Coat Villanelle from Killing Eve

Maggie Mae Fish is analyzing Zach Synder in a multi-part series. One thing I noticed about his work is that he stresses visuals over character development. She’s pointing out things I had not already considered. It’s interesting to watch. Part 1 - Superman Saves the Cat Part 2 - We’re Already Dead

I had this crazy idea that PBS would be an interesting fit for Drunk History. Maybe History Channel? Drunk History shows more history than the current version of History channel which is pretty much just reality shows these days.

I started the biography Black Gun, Sliver Star: The Life and Legend of Frontier Marshal Bass Reeves by Art T. Burton. He was the inspiration for the character the Lone Ranger but was whitewashed. Until shows like Drunk History and Watchmen included him, many people didn’t know about him or mistakenly believed he was white if they had heard of him. edited to add: So far what I am learning is interesting but the delivery is dry. At times it’s like a recitation of events. A more fluid narrative flow is needed. I like switching to listening when doing household chores but the audible narration of this book is robotic.

I’ve started the historical romance A Delicate Deception by Cat Sebastian. This is the third in her Regency Imposters series. This one focuses on the sister of the lead from the first book falling for a man who is keeping a secret. I really enjoyed the first two books in the series. She’s very inclusive and has had leading and supporting characters from the LGBTQ community in her books. I also read her Seducing the Sedgwicks series that featured M/M pairings.

I really enjoyed Wedding Every Weekend. The leads had chemistry and I’ve always liked that actor and actress. There was humor and it was nice to see the relationship progress in an engaging way. I could actually see how these characters fit together as a couple. I’m so happy that Hallmark is treating gay minor characters the same as heterosexual ones. I hope this is the end of “blink and you’d miss it” representation. Now the next hurdle is leads who are gay. I just hated Hallmarks mandatory misunderstanding in the last 15 minutes. I loved that we had a female lead who realized her boyfriend was wrong for her early in the movie and end it. Too many of these movies have the one of the leads in a relationship as if a triangle is the only conflict they can think up. Over reliance on triangles is such lazy writing. I love a lead who would rather be single than with the wrong guy. We don’t see that often enough. I didn’t spot a mannequin. I forgot to look. I have to rewatch and play “spot the mannequin.”

I really enjoyed Summer Villa and Surprised by Love. I didn’t particularly like Naughty or Nice

I know Hilarie was sexually harassed during the whole run of One Tree Hill and as a result likes to work with trusted friends or in situations where she has some sort of control. I respect that she uses her position as an actress who can pick and choose to insist on diversity. I know Brie Larson who plays Captain Marvel has a diversity clause in her contract requiring diversity among cast and crew. I hope more actors/actresses who have clout will use it to make more inclusive productions not just in front of the screen but also writers, directors, etc....

@Hater She has to be talking about Kelly Monaco, right?

I wanted to share this article that @Dani shared in the Hallmark Thread. Paul Campbell really is committed to the new direction for Hallmark. He’s been getting bigoted tweets on his twitter page and he responds with clever humor to refute the homophobia. https://twitter.com/thepaulcampbell

Why the Help?

What is Good Queer Representation in 2020?

I’m almost done with Axiom’s End by Lindsay Ellis. I feel like it takes time to really get going but then gets very engrossing. It reminded me a bit of the movie Arrival regarding the complexities of communication between humans/extraterrestrials.

Pop Culture Detective did a great video showcasing how the Jedi’s problematic approach to emotion helped lead Anakin to the Dark Side.

I never saw Ariel’s choices as sexist. “Part of Your World” establishes that Ariel’s desire to learn about the human world was about her personal interest. I never saw Ariel as giving up her voice for Eric. I saw Ariel as unhappy with her life and willing to make sacrifices to achieve her goal to experience the human world. Ariel’s motivations are more about feeling stifled by her father and her own curiosity about the human world than they are her feelings for Eric. She makes the mistake of trusting Ursula but that doesn’t invalidate Ariel’s desires. Making mistakes is part of her growth as a person independent from her father. I never saw her as giving up the sea for a man at the end. I saw her as someone who was unhappy at home, wanted to live a new life, made sacrifices to achieve that goal, and found happiness. Eric was part of it but not the whole reason for it. He’s like the icing on the cake for Ariel. I worry that the new Little Mermaid will overcorrect something that I never saw as wrong in the first place.

Film Adaptation of Once On This Island in the Works at Disney+ https://www.playbill.com/article/film-adaptation-of-once-on-this-island-in-the-works-at-disney I’m really excited about this.

Cher played Meryl Streep’s mother in Mama Mia 2 even though Cher is only 3 years older. Andy Garcia is implied to be Meryl’s Dad and he’s 7 years younger than her.

I just started Axiom’s End by Lindsay Ellis. I have been a fan of her youtube page and film/tv/pop culture analysis for a while now.

I’m reading The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory which is a fun contemporary “falling in love while pretending to be a couple” romance.

I’m flashing back to the Barroness Von Sketch scene where she finds a dress with pockets and is so thrilled about it. That’s like me when I find a dress with pockets.

Pop Culture Detective did videos on that topic.

I was so bored during Romance in the Air. The leads had no chemistry. I agree that it lacked energy. It felt like the actors were going through the motions. They really need to do better with casting. I can forgive cliches and a slow story if the leads have a big spark and bring energy to their performances. The right pair can elevate the tropes.

Satisfied vs Helpless - It really showcases the effort for the choreography to sync up for both songs

I’m reading The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare. I’m a sucker for a marriage of convenience turns to love romance. Edited to add: If you like marriage of convenience stories, The Weekday Brides Series by Catherine Bybee has some great stories set in the present.

The Good Earth (1937) The movie was based on a book about people in China. When Anna Mae Wong found out the book was becoming a movie she thought she finally was going to get a great leading role but that did not happen. The leading characters were white people in yellow face. It was disappointing that Parasite got so much acclaim and awards yet not one cast member was nominated despite some great performances. Best Actress So White From Anna Mae Wong to Awkwafina