Fyre

It's been a while since I've posted anything here and with various social media places imploding all over the place, I'm realising how much I've been missing having somewhere to put my thoughts and words and things without some oddball billionaire napalming it.

Since the last time I posted, we've had a plague and life has been very weird. Turns out you leave me in a flat alone for months at a time I get a bit carried away with crafting and arting and learning new skills and now I can make clothes, do leather work, make stained-glass windows, build dioramas, make puppets...

Needless to say when I was diagnosed with ADHD in 2021, it did not come as a massive shock :D

I'm going to try and update this spot more often, but we'll see how successful I am :)

Hello all and sundry.

As has been plastered all over the interwebs of late, Tumblr has decided to try and shoot itself in the face to see what happens.

As per everyone else, this is my back-up of choice, so if tumblr and/or my amuseoffyre account go sliding into hell (which - tbh - is more than likely at this juncture), this is where I can be found :)

Yay! Welcome to my little letter! I hope you're as excited by this as I am! And I hope I don't scare you off with my babble :)

Here's a little more detail for you, in case you would like some more specific things.

( Behind the cut to protect the innocent. )

#5 - The Muppets

This film, I was going to see no matter what the reviewers said about it. I love the Muppets. I own all the films, and can recite them by heart. So yes. I love the Muppets, which is very peculiar, since puppets on the whole scare the seven hells out of me. Muppets are an exception.

( Spoilers Ahead. )
#6 - The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

This is the film I went to just because of the cast. To be honest, I didn't care if it sucked or not. It had Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson and Celia Imrie all together on the screen at the same time. I would have seen it if it was just a film about them sitting in an airport lounge.

( Spoilers ahead. )

#7 - In Darkness

For something completely different, I wanted to see this film after seeing the trailer just before Marigold Hotel. This is not a film for easy viewing or a casual afternoon at the cinema. It's heavy and dark and claustrophobic, as you might expect with the subject matter.

( Spoilers ahead. )
#8 - The Hunger Games

I went into this blind. No idea what it was about. Never read the books. Didn't even know there were books until they started putting posters up in the shops, after the film started to do well.

( Spoilers ahead. )

#9 - Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists

I love Aardman Studios. I will watch pretty mcuh anything they do, just because it's them. I love them for their little details, their sly wordplays, their background jokes, their ridiculous characters. And on this occasion, they gave me pirates. In case it has not been mentioned, I also love pirates.

( Spoilers ahead. )

#3 The Artist

I only found out that it was an almost entirely silent film the same day as I was going. I'm really not up to date with current films and what they're about. Still, as a film about the rise of the Talkies, done in the style of a black and white silent picture, this was a treat.

( Spoilers Ahead. )

While I'm not sure if I'll get it on DVD, it was a lovely piece of nostalgic escapism, and definitely worth at least one viewing.

#1 - Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows.

I'm a little undecided about it, on the whole. I like it as an over-the-top action film, but I'm not sure I like it as a Holmes film. RDJ was immensely watchable as always, and I'm never going to say no to Noomi Rapace, but I found my attention wandering at points.

( Spoilers ahead. )

So, in summary, it's a decent action film, but on the whole, it doesn't really feel like a Holmes film to me.

So, you got stuck with my requests, eh? Well, hopefully it won't be too terrible for you and you might even enjoy it a little. That's the main thing I ask: have some fun :)

Now, ( to the specifics: Elisabeth, Downton Abbey and Some Like It Hot )

This year, in the spirit of maturity and ripe old age, I'm having a Disney-themed birthday party. Of course, this means lots and lots of research into Disney. I think that watching the films in rapid succession is what made me notice certain recurring traits.

The main thing that now is actually starting to annoy me quite a bit is the passivity of the Disney heroines, even when they're the lead. I could do a whole rant on the colour-assignment of Disney villains or even the death-by-falling syndrome many of them are afflicted by, but will avoid that one now, but yes. ( The ladies. )

Thus endeth the rant.

So it is the day of the Yuletide reveal, and I can finally name the fics I am to blame for in Yuletide 2010.

My actual recipient was my partner-in-crime Beth Winter, which is only problematical when you think of the fact that she test-reads everything I write and we chat about plans and plot developments and what we're working on. I was horribly worried I would let slip something about being her Santa. But I didn't. Technically. Except in fic ;)

( My eleven fics in 4 fandoms. )

Firstly, thank you for choosing my little fandoms :) I have my basic two fandoms I use every year, but I also try and use two new ones was well, just for some variety. And generally, all the details of what I would like are in my requests, so you don't need to worry about that.

Just to be on the safe side, though: I don't like incest/necrophialia/chan etc. But given the fandoms, this isn't really necessary. Dubious consent is not something I would like to see either. But that aside, almost anything goes. I'll take any rating from G to X, and I'm both intrigued and excited to see what I will receive come the day :)

( Specifics for Elisabeth, the Alexandriad, Discworld and Coldfire Trilogy )

I hope this gives you enough to work with. If you need or want to ask anything through an intermediary, please drop Beth Winter a line.