13 May 2015-19 May 2015 Part 2
Notices
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H.P. Lovecraft
Epic Cosmic Vistas and Scary Houses - Impressions So Far in the Lovecraft Reread: Ruthanna Emrys and Anne M. Pillsworth (blog) - "Today, not marking any particularly blogging milestone-the Great Race of Yith not-so-gently remind you that time is relative-we're pausing to collect our thoughts and share our impressions of Lovecraft's ouvre so far."
fandom:lovecraft
Harry Potter
The Harry Potter Reread: The Order of the Phoenix, Chapters 9 and 10: Emily Asher-Perrin (blog) - "This week we're going to find out how one is named a Hogwarts prefect and get our first glimpse of a butterbeer cap necklace. It's Chapters 9 and 10-The Woes of Mrs. Weasley and Luna Lovegood."
fandom:harrypotter
The Dursleys Were Mean to Harry Because They're Terrible, Not Because He Was a Horcrux: Emily Asher-Perrin (blog) - "It would be nicer to believe that their abuse was the result of outside sources beyond their control. That said, the theory doesn't stack up when we take a closer look."
fandom:harrypotter
Magical Mondays: When Magical Education is Lacking: MadameAce (blog) - "Yeah, looking back, Hogwarts is nowhere near as wonderful as it first seemed. In fact, it's actually a really horrible place."
fandom:harrypotter
Holy Motors
Recent Film: Holy Motors: rushthatspeaks (DW) - "This is pretty much the standard critical reaction. Everyone agrees that it's a really good movie, but beyond that, things become more difficult."
fandom:holymotors
It Happened One Night
The Push-Pull Perfection of It Happened One Night: Meredith Borders (blog) - "How Frank Capra skipped the schmaltz and delivered an all-time romantic comedy."
fandom:ithappenedonenight
iZombie
On Brains and Surviving: iZombie As An Allegory For Surviving Sexual Assault: Eli Keel (blog) - "But take all things explicitly zombie out of the formula, and you realize that Liv Moore's story is the same story thousands of women experience every year. Liv is a coded survivor of sexual assault."
fandom:izombie, warning:rape
iZombie, Season 1, Episode 9: Patriot Brains: Sparky (blog) - Episode recap followed by some meta comments.
fandom:izombie, warning:spoilers
James Bond
Bond Girl: Re-Watching and Re-Evaluating On Her Majesty's Secret Service: Zina Hutton (blog) - "Aside from a few incidences of violence towards women and racism, I found a lot to like about the film and Lazenby's Bond."
fandom:jamesbond
Jane the Virgin
How Jane the Virgin makes "OMG moments" work: Vivian Obarski (blog) - "The show is seriously filled with OMG moments - I mean, the insemination that kicks off the whole show is the original OMG moment - and it hasn't let up at all."
fandom:janethevirgin
Jem and the Holograms
Outrageous: How the Jem and the Holograms Movie Completely Misses the Point: Cat Conway (blog) - "This film presents us little more than yet another anemic tale of Girl Bands Gone Mild and completely misses the point of what made Jem so significant in the first place."
fandom:jemandtheholograms, topic:adaptations
JRR Tolkien
Tolkien would have wanted his works to inspire fanfiction: jaredmith (LJ) - He knew full well no great mythology is formed entirely from the mind of only one person. And I include in that both adding to the continuity and creating alternate continuities.
fandom:jrrtolkien, topic:fanfic
One does not simply fly into Mordor Benita J. Prins (blog) - "Sure, The Lord of the Rings is a great story, but you have to admit that it does have a huge plot hole. Why didn't they just fly on the Eagles into Mordor and drop the Ring into Mount Doom? That would've been so much easier, as well as quicker!"
fandom:jrrtolkien
From where did the dragons came in Tolkien lore?: The One Ring Forums (forum) - Discussion of dragons in Tolkien
fandom:jrrtolkien
"I sit beside the fire and think" interpretations: The One Ring Forums (forum) - "I was interested in people's interpretations and reactions to reading this poem."
fandom:jrrtolkien
Science's Love Affair with The Lord of the Rings: Julie Beck (journal) - Mostly notable for the other meta it links.
fandom:jrrtolkien, topic:science
Jupiter Ascending
Review: Jupiter Ascending: Jenny Cee (blog) - "Jupiter Ascending, you either hate it with a passion or you are love it. There is no in-between with this movie."
fandom:jupiterascending
Kingsman
Review: Kingsman: The Secret Service: Jenny Cee (blog) - "No one can quite put their finger on why Kingsmen went from a small obscure fandom, to being the next it movie fandom."
fandom:kingsman
Legend of Zelda
Gossip Stone: The Various Cultural Influences in the Zelda Series: Andrew Kiser (blog) - "Despite being created by a Japanese company, the Zelda series is predominately influenced by European medieval fantasy."
fandom:legendofzelda
Zelda Dungeon Talks: Is It Necessary For Zelda, Link and Ganondorf To Be Present In Each Zelda Game?: Josh Tasaico (blog) - "With all this being said is it really necessary to include Link, Zelda and Ganondorf in each Zelda game? Nintendo apparently didn't think so but how about you?"
fandom:legendofzelda
Mad Max
The Hype is Real. Mad Max: Fury Road is One of The Best Films of the Year: Leah Schnelbach (blog) - "The first half hour of Mad Max: Fury Road may be the greatest action movie I've ever seen. But then the film keeps going, keeps piling on more cars and more explosions and more perfectly choreographed fight scenes, and quickly becomes one of the best movies I've ever seen, period."
fandom:madmax
Untitled: lierdumoa, for-the-other-shoe, eabevella (Tumblr) - "None of the people, including the villains, call Furiosa a "bitch" for all I can remember, which is a common thing for movie villains to say to a female protagonist."
fandom:madmax, warning:spoilers
Movie Review: Mad Max Fury Road: Carrie S. (blog) - "RedheadedGirl and I saw Mad Max Fury Road and now we are all ready to storm the barricades of patriarchy with improbable vehicles."
fandom:madmax, warning:spoilers
Myth vs. Continuity In The Mad Max Series: Evan Saathoff (blog) - "Why it doesn't really matter that Mel Gibson isn't in FURY ROAD."
fandom:madmax
NOC Reviews Mad Max: Fury Road: Ren Hsieh (blog) - "Miller has taken the uncompromising arthouse nature of the original Mad Max movies, and combined it with 30 years of experience and the technology to create the fully realized, seemingly impossible world of Fury Road."
fandom:madmax
The Mad Max Trilogy: Look Back in Anger: Hubert Vigilla (blog) - "Let's look at each Mad Max film individually and figure out how they riff on and complement each other."
fandom:madmax
Oops! I Made a Feminist Manifesto: George Miller and "Mad Max": Sara Stewart (blog) - "Even more intriguing, though, is the way the director himself described how feminism apparently snuck its way into "Fury Road.""
fandom:madmax, warning:spoilers
Don't Tell Me Anything Else About Fury Road's Doof Warrior: Devin Faraci (blog) - "Knowing more about a cool character isn't always a good thing."
fandom:madmax, warning:spoilers
Episode 359: Mad Max: The Threat of Abrasion is Ever Present: The Overthinking It Podcast (podcast) - Analysis of Mad Max: Fury Road.
fandom:madmax, warning:spoilers
Mad Max: Fury Road: George Miller's Feminist Answer to His Own Franchise?: Sasha James (blog) - "Calling it "feminist propaganda," Men's Rights Activists boycotted the latest Mad Max installment in advance of its film release, citing Furiosa's apparent "replacement" of Max in his own franchise as enough justification to use the word propaganda as a descriptor for a summer blockbuster."
fandom:madmax, warning:spoilers
Review: Mad Max: Fury Road Is a Lovely Orgasm for Your Eyes: Jill Pantozzi (blog) - "You've watched the trailers. You've heard the feminist buzz and the anti-feminist cries. Now let us tell you what we thought about George Miller's Mad Max: Fury Road."
fandom:madmax, warning:spoilers
Incredibly Peeved Men's Rights Activists Call for Boycott of Mad Max, Are Unintentionally Hilarious: Carolyn Cox (blog) - "If a movie's depiction of women is upsetting to Men's Rights Activists, then said movie is probably awesome. A+ performance, Charlize Theron. Dudes are literally terrified that you'll act them all into becoming feminists."
fandom:madmax, topic:sexism
'Mad Max: Fury Road' is everything you've heard and so much more: Aja Romano (blog) - "By now, you've probably heard an incredible amount of hype for Mad Max: Fury Road: that it's a non-stop car chase, an unabashedly feminist thrill ride, the bane of misogynists, and a critic's wet dream."
fandom:madmax, warning:spoilers
'Mad Max: Fury Road' doesn't live up to the hype: Spike Friedman (blog) - "In exchange for visuals that are occasionally mind-blowing, you'll be forced to give up any sense of characterization or a coherent world."
fandom:madmax, warning:spoilers
Everything you need to know about Mad Max before 'Fury Road': David Wharton (blog) - "Well, if you're in that camp but you've been intrigued by Fury Road's bonkers-epic trailers and the solid pre-release buzz, consider this your primer for everything you need to know about Mad Max before you see Fury Road."
fandom:madmax
Wives, Warlords and Refugees: The People Economy of Mad Max: Kameron Hurley (blog) - "And this is where this film gets all the violence-against-women stuff right, because it boldly and frankly positions it for what it is, stripping it of the male gaze, of sexuality, of uncontrollable male urges."
fandom:madmax, warning:spoilers
'Mad Max: Fury Road' Review: The Ultimate Car Chase Movie: Matt Singer (blog) - "Fury Road is an incredible achievement, one that strains so hard at the leash of the possible that it eventually breaks free and barrels headlong into the realm of insane genius."
fandom:madmax, warning:spoilers
Review: Mad Max: Fury Road Is A Bonkers Masterpiece: Rebecca Pahle (blog) - "What it also is, as my friends and I marveled after seeing the movie, is a two-hour car chase that never gets boring once."
fandom:madmax, warning:spoilers
The most shocking thing about Mad Max: Fury Road is its restraint: Susana Polo (blog) - "The most surprising is the fact that in a film full of vehicular slaughter and in which the titular character is imprisoned for the value of his blood, visible gore in the film is reserved exclusively for major plot moments."
fandom:madmax, warning:spoilers
what a lovely day: ladysisyphus (LJ) - "Yes, it is as good as everyone is saying. Yes, it takes everything that doesn't pass the Bechdel test, douses it in gasoline, and sets it on fire. No, you don't have to know a single ding-dang thing about the other movies first."
fandom:madmax, warning:spoilers
Why Fury Road is most certainly feminist: yukinoko (Tumblr) - "this is a response to Feminist Frequency's (Anita Sarkeesian) slew of tweets about Mad Max: Fury Road, which I first saw here on rubycue's blog (tweet photo credit to rubycue, I tried to reblog this traditionally as a response but either i am ignorant or you just can't do it, so I am creating my own post)"
fandom:madmax, warning:spoilers
Mad Men
The Speculative Fiction of Mad Men: Gilbert Colon (blog) - "Weiner's seven-season reality-based ad-men drama is so rife with references that at times it almost threatens to rocket into realms of fantastique fiction."
fandom:madmen
The Annotated Mad Men: Don Draper Buys The World A Coke: Devin Faraci (blog) - "The final episode of Mad Men is perhaps the greatest finale in the history of television, a last episode that works on a character level - we see all these characters we love coming to a places of happiness that leave us satisfied - and that works on a thematic level, a final bit that wraps up so much of what Matthew Weiner has been saying all along… and still leaves us with deep, and sort of endless, questions."
fandom:madmen
Mad Men Series Finale Discussion: "Person to Person": Dan Van Winkle (blog) - "We don't usually cover Mad Men, but we couldn't contain our feelings about the finale, and we're guessing some of you feel the same!"
fandom:madmen
The problem with Matthew Weiner's 'Mad Men' finale: Aja Romano (blog) - "Although it was overshadowed by fan theories like the popular D.B. Cooper theory and the Megan-as-Sharon-Tate theory, last night's Mad Men series finale ended with a twist that many people have predicted over the years."
fandom:madmen, warning:spoilers
The Mad Men Finale and The Mantra Of Don Draper: Film Crit Hulk (blog) - "Hulk on how the final episode was the exact conclusion this series deserves."
fandom:madmen, warning:spoilers
On The Finale of Mad Men: Rachel A (blog) - "There is a very narrow middle ground at which a finale remains both emotionally and narratively substantive, while also providing genuine catharsis and resolution. Matthew Weiner stuck that very difficult landing last night and preserved his show's brilliant legacy with grace and poise."
fandom:madmen, warning:spoilers
Malazan
Malazan Reread of the Fallen: Orb Sceptre Throne, Book Wrap: Amanda Rutter and Bill Capossere (blog) - "In this article, we'll cover our overall responses to Ian Cameron Esslemont's Orb Sceptre Throne."
fandom:malazan
Marvel Cinematic Universe
'Avengers: Age of Ultron' Character Report Card: Andrew Wheeler (blog) - "Now millions know these characters and could probably pick them out of a line-up. But the non-comics audience knows slightly different versions of the characters than the ones we might be used to."
fandom:mcu, warning:spoilers
Marvel Cinematic Universe/DC Cinematic Universe
The Avengers vs. 'Man of Steel': Sonny Bunch (newspaper) - "All of which is to say that I think Kate Erbland is basically right when she suggests that the real foe in "Avengers: Age of Ultron" isn't a super-powered AI but 2013's "Man of Steel.""
fandom:mcu, fandom:dccu, warning:spoilers
Marvel Comics
Apologies for all the random Daredevil thoughts:__marcelo (LJ) - "I keep thinking what a great kingpin Matt could have been. Not in the sense of the comics' Daredevil-as-Kingpin storyline, which was basically "Daredevil hits people until they leave," but as a Fisk-like character. If he dedicated himself to it, he could know every secret whispered in the city."
fandom:marvelcomics
The Messengers
The Messengers, Season 1, Episode 5: Eye in the Sky: Sparky (blog) - Episode recap followed by some meta comments.
fandom:themessengers, warning:spoilers
Naruto
Birthing the Ninja Way: Motherhood, Sons, and War in Naruto: Vernieda Vergara (blog) - "I'm talking about how the world of Naruto is one characterized by war, violence, and a thirst for power, and how it is ultimately reflected in the relationships mothers have with their sons."
fandom:naruto, topic:motherhood
The Originals
Klaus And Betrayals:ineeddatkayley (tumblr) - "Betrayal is the breaking or violation of a presumptive contract, trust, or confidence that produces moral and psychological conflict within a relationship amongst individuals, between organizations or between individuals and organizations."
fandom:theoriginals
Orphan Black
Orphan Black, Season 3, Episode 5: Scarred by Many Past Frustrations: Sparky (blog) - Episode recap followed by some meta commentary.
fandom:orphanblack, warning:spoilers
Orphan Black: "Scarred by Many Past Frustrations" Review: Lady Saika (blog) - "This week's episode was titled "Scarred By Many Past Frustrations", and it's totally on point, as it seems the story is structured around how our characters are reacting to and growing from their Past Frustrations."
fandom:orphanblack, warning:spoilers
Outlander
Outlander Episode 14: The Search: Redheadedgirl (blog) - Episode recap followed by discussion among the bloggers at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books.
fandom:outlander, warning:spoilers
Penitentiary
Everyone's Into Weirdness: Penitentiary (1979): Jacob Knight (blog) - "Jamaa Fanaka's prison boxing movie packs a bigger punch than you might think."
fandom:penitentiary
Penny Dreadful
Penny Dreadful, Season 2, Episode 2: Verbis Diablo: Sparky (blog) - Episode recap followed by some meta content.
fandom:pennydreadful, warning:spoilers
Penny Dreadful, Season 2, Episode 3: The Nightcomers: Sparky (blog) - Episode recap followed by some meta comments.
fandom:pennydreadful, warning:spoilers
Five Things About Penny Dreadful Are Better Than Ever (And One's Not): Genevieve Valentine (blog) - "Last night, High Gothic returned to TV, as Penny Dreadful picked up its second season almost exactly where it left off and threw an even campier enemy at Vanessa Ives and company. Here's the five best parts, and one problem."
fandom:pennydreadful, warning:spoilers
London Throws An Amazing Date Night On Penny Dreadful: Genevieve Valentine (blog) - "In Penny Dreadful, the world's so small almost any characters work well together, and the show knows. "Verbis Diablo" turns London into a date night - by turns charming, campy, and creepy as hell."
fandom:pennydreadful, warning:spoilers
Penny Dreadful Gives Us An Amazing Superhero Origin Story: Genevieve Valentine (blog) - "So far, Penny Dreadful's flashbacks exist to be as Gothic as possible. But while "The Nightcomers" is definitely that, it's also one of the best superhero origin stories on TV this year."
fandom:pennydreadful, warning:spoilers
Phantasm
A Look Back At The Deliberate Uncertainty of The Phantasm Films: Brian Collins (blog) - "As far as unlikely franchises go, Don Coscarelli's Phantasm has to be near the top of the list, at least for horror films."
fandom:phantasm
Pitch Perfect 2
Review: Pitch Perfect 2 Is Funny, Catchy, and Aca-Uncomfortable: Carolyn Cox (blog) - "It's easier to turn off the critical part of your brain and give yourself permission to enjoy a movie despite its problematic elements when you're not going in with the intent to review it, so there's a fair chance you're going to like Pitch Perfect 2 more than I did."
fandom:pitchperfect
Pitch Perfect 2: Aca-Alright: Emi M (blog) - "With compelling characters and a promising premise, Pitch Perfect 2 had all the makings of a great film. However, half-formed plotlines and some misdirected attempts at comedy made the movie lukewarm at best."
fandom:pitchperfect
Pitch Perfect 2: Another One for the Forgettable Sequel Pile: Rebecca Pahle (blog) kind of wish I absolutely hated Pitch Perfect 2, so I could title this review "Pitch Perfect Ew" or, if I'm feeling particularly saucy, "Pitch Perfect Poo.""
fandom:pitchperfect
The Red Shoes
The Real Tragedy of The Red Shoes Is That We'll Never Have Another Blockbuster Like It: Britt Hayes (blog) - "Continuing this month's blockbuster film coverage, a look back at a masterpiece that could never be nearly as successful today."
fandom:theredshoes
Saga
Saga and Trauma: Phillip Smith (blog) - "Saga is a comic about war, not only the actuality of war but the politics, and, perhaps most profoundly, the psychological and social reverberations of conflict."
fandom:saga
Salem
Salem: The Real Problem with the Show: aelarsen (blog) - "But for all the serious errors the show makes, I think the real problem lies elsewhere, with the very concept of the show."
fandom:salem, topic:history
Shameless
Untitled: ohjafeeljadefinitelyfeel (tumblr) - "what I feel most strongly about fanfiction is its direct relation to romance writing. before I discovered fanfiction, romance fiction was my genre. there are so many parallels between romance fiction and fanfiction,"
fandom:shameless
Sherlock
On Wank: marta_bee (tumblr) - "Sometimes wank can be an artform, it can be fun if done well, and it can keep people from taking themselves too seriously."
fandom:bbcsherlock
Untitled: ivyblossom (Tumblr) - "Yeah, analysis is good. Not sure it's a duty, to be honest, but I'm in favour of close textual reading. Let's do some of that on this "queerbaiting" argument you've presented to me."
fandom:bbcsherlock, topic:queerbaiting
Untitled: ivyblossom, enjoytheelephant, mathildia (Tumblr) - "While we might be in "johnlock hell," which, I presume, is best described as the tension we feel as an audience when John and Sherlock's relationship remains unresolved, I feel compelled to point out that making characters suffer, and then suffer some more, and then making them fall apart psychologically, and then forcing them to suffer again, is one of the most enjoyable things in life for writers."
fandom:bbcsherlock
Sherlock Holmes
Canon Discussion - The Yellow Face: sherlock60 (LJ) - "This week we're having a look at The Yellow Face."
fandom:acdsherlock
Shingeki no Kyojin
SnK 69 Thoughts: ghostmartyr (Tumblr) - "This chapter fleshes out a lot of different things, but I think that Kenny being a cowboy remains a complete mystery."
fandom:shingekinokyojin
A Song of Ice and Fire
A Read of Ice and Fire: A Dance with Dragons, Part 20: Leigh Butler (blog) - "Today's entry is Part 20 of A Dance With Dragons, in which we cover Chapter 33 ("Tyrion") and Chapter 34 ("Bran")."
fandom:asoiaf
Untitled: asoiafuniversity (Tumblr) - "I do believe every single Northern Lord outside of Winterfell's walls think that Jeyne is Arya. And that includes Moors (Crowfood) Umber. Because it's clear that those on the outside are willing to wage war for her and raise an army."
fandom:asoiaf
Top Characters #13 Bran Stark: Big Little Grandpa (blog) - "He could be so many different things. And, really, he already is so many different things - we've been watching him grow and change this whole time."
fandom:asoiaf
Chapter-by-Chapter Analysis: Jon IV, ACOK: Steven Attewell (blog) - "Jon IV is a bit of an odd duck, in that it's really more about setting a mood and describing an environment rather than exploring character, and there's really only one plot point that happens."
fandom:asoiaf
On George Martin, ladies of ASOIAF, and being 'feminist writer': qvcksilver (Tumblr) - "This long-ass post was brought to you by me starting my latest ASOIAF reread focusing exclusively on the ladies, plus some acutely on-point tag meta by him-e re: Martin's approach to female characters."
fandom:asoiaf, topic:femalecharacter
Daario's Ominously Mysterious Past: madeinmyr (Tumblr) - "Daario repeatedly boasts of his physical prowess but tells no tales of his past exploits and travels, a fairly significant bit of information to withhold in light of what we know about other far ranging sell swords"
fandom:asoiaf
The Terrible Tale of Jeyne Poole: leftways (blog) - "Of all the tales told throughout the A Song of Ice & Fire series, the one that stands out as the most tragic has to be that of Jeyne Poole."
fandom:asoiaf, warning:rape
Untitled: poorquentyn (Tumblr) - "Great question; a Stark-Tyrell alliance is one of my favorite ASOIAF hypotheticals to play around with, and it's explicitly teased more than once in the text"
fandom:asoiaf
Dornish Letter Theory: amin-j (Tumblr) - "I think that there are nuggets of truth in the descriptions on what the Dornish Letter was about."
fandom:asoiaf
The Sound of Music
Episode 27: The Sound of Music: The Canon (podcast) - "Each episode of the show has found us sort of struggling with what the boundaries of the Canon are, with how much a movie needs to be important versus how much it needs to be good, and I think The Sound of Music really tests us."
fandom:thesoundofmusic
Star Wars
Rethinking The Phantom Menace:Doug (blog) - "It wasn't perfect, and there is valid criticism,2 but I genuinely enjoyed seeing the Phantom Menace. I like the movie. I said it."
fandom:starwars
Sunrise
Tribeca Film Festival Review: Sunrise: Siddhant Adlakha (blog) - "Partho Sen-Gupta's Sunrise really is a technical marvel, one that paints images that are simultaneously surreal and picturesque, while capturing the debaucherous heart of Mumbai's back alleys in the most operatic manner."
fandom:sunrise
Supernatural
Supernatural, Season 10, Episode 22: The Prisoner: Sparky (blog) - Episode recap followed by some meta comments.
fandom:supernatural, warning:spoilers
Supernatural: The Tree and The Apple: cupidsbower, pimp-shark (Tumblr) - "The question is, are they really Team Free Will, or are they actually Team Determinism?"
fandom:supernatural
Random unpredictable thoughts after seeing "Dark Dynasty.": tyrsibs(LJ) - "Another criticism of the show's storytelling is that it has become repetitive, but again, I think this is a short-sighted view. I see a cyclical pattern, a wheel of fate or destiny centering on the Winchesters that they are either unwilling or unable to stop.."
fandom:supernatural
The Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments and The Death Of Epics: Andrew Todd (blog) - "There are no epics anymore; no films that take up the entirety of your night, that span epochs in their narratives and inspire total awe in audiences."
fandom:thetencommandments, topic:movies
Tomorrowland
Tomorrowland Review: There's No Future In This Movie: Devin Faraci (blog) - "The future ain't what it used to be, says Tomorrowland, and it says it again and again."
fandom:tomorrowland, warning:spoilers
Brad Bird Fails To Take Flight With Tomorrowland [Review]: Rebecca Pahle (blog) - "Within its very first scene, Tomorrowland commits a cardinal storytelling sin: It nukes it stakes."
fandom:tomorrowland, warning:spoilers
Twin Peaks
The Twin Peaks Log: S.2 E.9: Romona Williams (blog) - "It was bittersweet watching this episode, considering the now uncertain fate of Twin Peaks season 3."
fandom:twinpeaks
Usagi Yojimbo
What's So Great About Usagi Yojimbo? Everything: Chris Sims (blog) - "But since you asked, here's the big deal with Usagi Yojimbo: Stan Sakai's been doing this comic for over thirty years, and he hasn't done a bad issue yet."
fandom:manga
The Vampire Diaries
Vampire Diaries, Season 6, Episode 22: I'm Thinking of You All The While: Sparky (blog) - Episode recap followed by some meta comments.
fandom:thevampirediaries, warning:spoilers
Untitled: lostgirltamsin (tumblr) - "SO like I am loving, loving seeing Damon and Bonnie redefine the parameters of their relationship now that they're not in 1994"
fandom:thevampirediaries
The Water Diviner
Movie Review: The Water Diviner: Redheadedgirl (blog) - "This is a WWI drama about a father who lost his three sons to the Gallipoli campaign, and goes, after the war, to find their bodies and bring them home."
fandom:thewaterdiviner
Wheel of Time
The Wheel of Time Reread Redux: The Great Hunt, Part 1: Leigh Butler (blog) - "Today's Redux post will cover the Prologue of The Great Hunt"
fandom:wheeloftime
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman and the Paternal Narrative: the Rise of Wonder Woman, the Fall of Women: Doctor Bifrost (blog) - "But it's actually a discussion of the almost-universal Paternal Narrative, the scarce-as-hen's-teeth Maternal Narrative, and the way female-centric stories are represented (or not) in DC Comics and elsewhere-all seen through the lens of Wonder Woman #1-35."
fandom:dccomics, topic:history, topic:sexism
X-Men
Why the death of Wolverine is good for 'X-Men': Dan Marcus (blog) - "As Ethan Anderson of FirstShowing.Net says, "[Jackman's departure is] the perfect way to set up the First Class franchise to continue and have plenty of mutants to keep the story going.""
fandom:x-men
Yellowbrickroad
Yellowbrickroad (2010) - Expectations and disappointments: yuuago (DW) - "This was one of those films that starts off with a great idea, but doesn't manage to pull it off. Sometimes, films like that almost succeed - they aren't as good as they could be, but they still manage to put together a coherent story. This wasn't one of those."
fandom:yellowbrickroad
Zero Motivation
Zero Motivation (2014): marina (DW) - "Because there is this huge, gaping, chasm-like lack of narrative films about women in the IDF, because essentially any movie you make on this theme is going to get recognition for being groundbreaking and will be popular simply because people hunger to see themselves represented (the same thing happened with the first movie about gay men in the IDF, which was a huge commercial success), I assumed that Talia Lavie's film would be the story of an average girl caught amidst wacky characters in the middle of nowhere. It would an uncomplicated, fairly generic, appealing-to-a-broad-audience film, it would be successful and remarkable. "
fandom:zeromotivation
If you have meta to submit or rec, please comment to this post or to the screened Submissions Post. If you'd like to give us blanket permission to link your meta please comment to the Blanket Permissions Post. If you have feedback or questions, check out our FAQ, Contact the Mods, or PM/email. If you'd like to volunteer to link-find or mod, please comment to the Volunteers Post.
H.P. Lovecraft
Epic Cosmic Vistas and Scary Houses - Impressions So Far in the Lovecraft Reread: Ruthanna Emrys and Anne M. Pillsworth (blog) - "Today, not marking any particularly blogging milestone-the Great Race of Yith not-so-gently remind you that time is relative-we're pausing to collect our thoughts and share our impressions of Lovecraft's ouvre so far."
fandom:lovecraft
Harry Potter
The Harry Potter Reread: The Order of the Phoenix, Chapters 9 and 10: Emily Asher-Perrin (blog) - "This week we're going to find out how one is named a Hogwarts prefect and get our first glimpse of a butterbeer cap necklace. It's Chapters 9 and 10-The Woes of Mrs. Weasley and Luna Lovegood."
fandom:harrypotter
The Dursleys Were Mean to Harry Because They're Terrible, Not Because He Was a Horcrux: Emily Asher-Perrin (blog) - "It would be nicer to believe that their abuse was the result of outside sources beyond their control. That said, the theory doesn't stack up when we take a closer look."
fandom:harrypotter
Magical Mondays: When Magical Education is Lacking: MadameAce (blog) - "Yeah, looking back, Hogwarts is nowhere near as wonderful as it first seemed. In fact, it's actually a really horrible place."
fandom:harrypotter
Holy Motors
Recent Film: Holy Motors: rushthatspeaks (DW) - "This is pretty much the standard critical reaction. Everyone agrees that it's a really good movie, but beyond that, things become more difficult."
fandom:holymotors
It Happened One Night
The Push-Pull Perfection of It Happened One Night: Meredith Borders (blog) - "How Frank Capra skipped the schmaltz and delivered an all-time romantic comedy."
fandom:ithappenedonenight
iZombie
On Brains and Surviving: iZombie As An Allegory For Surviving Sexual Assault: Eli Keel (blog) - "But take all things explicitly zombie out of the formula, and you realize that Liv Moore's story is the same story thousands of women experience every year. Liv is a coded survivor of sexual assault."
fandom:izombie, warning:rape
iZombie, Season 1, Episode 9: Patriot Brains: Sparky (blog) - Episode recap followed by some meta comments.
fandom:izombie, warning:spoilers
James Bond
Bond Girl: Re-Watching and Re-Evaluating On Her Majesty's Secret Service: Zina Hutton (blog) - "Aside from a few incidences of violence towards women and racism, I found a lot to like about the film and Lazenby's Bond."
fandom:jamesbond
Jane the Virgin
How Jane the Virgin makes "OMG moments" work: Vivian Obarski (blog) - "The show is seriously filled with OMG moments - I mean, the insemination that kicks off the whole show is the original OMG moment - and it hasn't let up at all."
fandom:janethevirgin
Jem and the Holograms
Outrageous: How the Jem and the Holograms Movie Completely Misses the Point: Cat Conway (blog) - "This film presents us little more than yet another anemic tale of Girl Bands Gone Mild and completely misses the point of what made Jem so significant in the first place."
fandom:jemandtheholograms, topic:adaptations
JRR Tolkien
Tolkien would have wanted his works to inspire fanfiction: jaredmith (LJ) - He knew full well no great mythology is formed entirely from the mind of only one person. And I include in that both adding to the continuity and creating alternate continuities.
fandom:jrrtolkien, topic:fanfic
One does not simply fly into Mordor Benita J. Prins (blog) - "Sure, The Lord of the Rings is a great story, but you have to admit that it does have a huge plot hole. Why didn't they just fly on the Eagles into Mordor and drop the Ring into Mount Doom? That would've been so much easier, as well as quicker!"
fandom:jrrtolkien
From where did the dragons came in Tolkien lore?: The One Ring Forums (forum) - Discussion of dragons in Tolkien
fandom:jrrtolkien
"I sit beside the fire and think" interpretations: The One Ring Forums (forum) - "I was interested in people's interpretations and reactions to reading this poem."
fandom:jrrtolkien
Science's Love Affair with The Lord of the Rings: Julie Beck (journal) - Mostly notable for the other meta it links.
fandom:jrrtolkien, topic:science
Jupiter Ascending
Review: Jupiter Ascending: Jenny Cee (blog) - "Jupiter Ascending, you either hate it with a passion or you are love it. There is no in-between with this movie."
fandom:jupiterascending
Kingsman
Review: Kingsman: The Secret Service: Jenny Cee (blog) - "No one can quite put their finger on why Kingsmen went from a small obscure fandom, to being the next it movie fandom."
fandom:kingsman
Legend of Zelda
Gossip Stone: The Various Cultural Influences in the Zelda Series: Andrew Kiser (blog) - "Despite being created by a Japanese company, the Zelda series is predominately influenced by European medieval fantasy."
fandom:legendofzelda
Zelda Dungeon Talks: Is It Necessary For Zelda, Link and Ganondorf To Be Present In Each Zelda Game?: Josh Tasaico (blog) - "With all this being said is it really necessary to include Link, Zelda and Ganondorf in each Zelda game? Nintendo apparently didn't think so but how about you?"
fandom:legendofzelda
Mad Max
The Hype is Real. Mad Max: Fury Road is One of The Best Films of the Year: Leah Schnelbach (blog) - "The first half hour of Mad Max: Fury Road may be the greatest action movie I've ever seen. But then the film keeps going, keeps piling on more cars and more explosions and more perfectly choreographed fight scenes, and quickly becomes one of the best movies I've ever seen, period."
fandom:madmax
Untitled: lierdumoa, for-the-other-shoe, eabevella (Tumblr) - "None of the people, including the villains, call Furiosa a "bitch" for all I can remember, which is a common thing for movie villains to say to a female protagonist."
fandom:madmax, warning:spoilers
Movie Review: Mad Max Fury Road: Carrie S. (blog) - "RedheadedGirl and I saw Mad Max Fury Road and now we are all ready to storm the barricades of patriarchy with improbable vehicles."
fandom:madmax, warning:spoilers
Myth vs. Continuity In The Mad Max Series: Evan Saathoff (blog) - "Why it doesn't really matter that Mel Gibson isn't in FURY ROAD."
fandom:madmax
NOC Reviews Mad Max: Fury Road: Ren Hsieh (blog) - "Miller has taken the uncompromising arthouse nature of the original Mad Max movies, and combined it with 30 years of experience and the technology to create the fully realized, seemingly impossible world of Fury Road."
fandom:madmax
The Mad Max Trilogy: Look Back in Anger: Hubert Vigilla (blog) - "Let's look at each Mad Max film individually and figure out how they riff on and complement each other."
fandom:madmax
Oops! I Made a Feminist Manifesto: George Miller and "Mad Max": Sara Stewart (blog) - "Even more intriguing, though, is the way the director himself described how feminism apparently snuck its way into "Fury Road.""
fandom:madmax, warning:spoilers
Don't Tell Me Anything Else About Fury Road's Doof Warrior: Devin Faraci (blog) - "Knowing more about a cool character isn't always a good thing."
fandom:madmax, warning:spoilers
Episode 359: Mad Max: The Threat of Abrasion is Ever Present: The Overthinking It Podcast (podcast) - Analysis of Mad Max: Fury Road.
fandom:madmax, warning:spoilers
Mad Max: Fury Road: George Miller's Feminist Answer to His Own Franchise?: Sasha James (blog) - "Calling it "feminist propaganda," Men's Rights Activists boycotted the latest Mad Max installment in advance of its film release, citing Furiosa's apparent "replacement" of Max in his own franchise as enough justification to use the word propaganda as a descriptor for a summer blockbuster."
fandom:madmax, warning:spoilers
Review: Mad Max: Fury Road Is a Lovely Orgasm for Your Eyes: Jill Pantozzi (blog) - "You've watched the trailers. You've heard the feminist buzz and the anti-feminist cries. Now let us tell you what we thought about George Miller's Mad Max: Fury Road."
fandom:madmax, warning:spoilers
Incredibly Peeved Men's Rights Activists Call for Boycott of Mad Max, Are Unintentionally Hilarious: Carolyn Cox (blog) - "If a movie's depiction of women is upsetting to Men's Rights Activists, then said movie is probably awesome. A+ performance, Charlize Theron. Dudes are literally terrified that you'll act them all into becoming feminists."
fandom:madmax, topic:sexism
'Mad Max: Fury Road' is everything you've heard and so much more: Aja Romano (blog) - "By now, you've probably heard an incredible amount of hype for Mad Max: Fury Road: that it's a non-stop car chase, an unabashedly feminist thrill ride, the bane of misogynists, and a critic's wet dream."
fandom:madmax, warning:spoilers
'Mad Max: Fury Road' doesn't live up to the hype: Spike Friedman (blog) - "In exchange for visuals that are occasionally mind-blowing, you'll be forced to give up any sense of characterization or a coherent world."
fandom:madmax, warning:spoilers
Everything you need to know about Mad Max before 'Fury Road': David Wharton (blog) - "Well, if you're in that camp but you've been intrigued by Fury Road's bonkers-epic trailers and the solid pre-release buzz, consider this your primer for everything you need to know about Mad Max before you see Fury Road."
fandom:madmax
Wives, Warlords and Refugees: The People Economy of Mad Max: Kameron Hurley (blog) - "And this is where this film gets all the violence-against-women stuff right, because it boldly and frankly positions it for what it is, stripping it of the male gaze, of sexuality, of uncontrollable male urges."
fandom:madmax, warning:spoilers
'Mad Max: Fury Road' Review: The Ultimate Car Chase Movie: Matt Singer (blog) - "Fury Road is an incredible achievement, one that strains so hard at the leash of the possible that it eventually breaks free and barrels headlong into the realm of insane genius."
fandom:madmax, warning:spoilers
Review: Mad Max: Fury Road Is A Bonkers Masterpiece: Rebecca Pahle (blog) - "What it also is, as my friends and I marveled after seeing the movie, is a two-hour car chase that never gets boring once."
fandom:madmax, warning:spoilers
The most shocking thing about Mad Max: Fury Road is its restraint: Susana Polo (blog) - "The most surprising is the fact that in a film full of vehicular slaughter and in which the titular character is imprisoned for the value of his blood, visible gore in the film is reserved exclusively for major plot moments."
fandom:madmax, warning:spoilers
what a lovely day: ladysisyphus (LJ) - "Yes, it is as good as everyone is saying. Yes, it takes everything that doesn't pass the Bechdel test, douses it in gasoline, and sets it on fire. No, you don't have to know a single ding-dang thing about the other movies first."
fandom:madmax, warning:spoilers
Why Fury Road is most certainly feminist: yukinoko (Tumblr) - "this is a response to Feminist Frequency's (Anita Sarkeesian) slew of tweets about Mad Max: Fury Road, which I first saw here on rubycue's blog (tweet photo credit to rubycue, I tried to reblog this traditionally as a response but either i am ignorant or you just can't do it, so I am creating my own post)"
fandom:madmax, warning:spoilers
Mad Men
The Speculative Fiction of Mad Men: Gilbert Colon (blog) - "Weiner's seven-season reality-based ad-men drama is so rife with references that at times it almost threatens to rocket into realms of fantastique fiction."
fandom:madmen
The Annotated Mad Men: Don Draper Buys The World A Coke: Devin Faraci (blog) - "The final episode of Mad Men is perhaps the greatest finale in the history of television, a last episode that works on a character level - we see all these characters we love coming to a places of happiness that leave us satisfied - and that works on a thematic level, a final bit that wraps up so much of what Matthew Weiner has been saying all along… and still leaves us with deep, and sort of endless, questions."
fandom:madmen
Mad Men Series Finale Discussion: "Person to Person": Dan Van Winkle (blog) - "We don't usually cover Mad Men, but we couldn't contain our feelings about the finale, and we're guessing some of you feel the same!"
fandom:madmen
The problem with Matthew Weiner's 'Mad Men' finale: Aja Romano (blog) - "Although it was overshadowed by fan theories like the popular D.B. Cooper theory and the Megan-as-Sharon-Tate theory, last night's Mad Men series finale ended with a twist that many people have predicted over the years."
fandom:madmen, warning:spoilers
The Mad Men Finale and The Mantra Of Don Draper: Film Crit Hulk (blog) - "Hulk on how the final episode was the exact conclusion this series deserves."
fandom:madmen, warning:spoilers
On The Finale of Mad Men: Rachel A (blog) - "There is a very narrow middle ground at which a finale remains both emotionally and narratively substantive, while also providing genuine catharsis and resolution. Matthew Weiner stuck that very difficult landing last night and preserved his show's brilliant legacy with grace and poise."
fandom:madmen, warning:spoilers
Malazan
Malazan Reread of the Fallen: Orb Sceptre Throne, Book Wrap: Amanda Rutter and Bill Capossere (blog) - "In this article, we'll cover our overall responses to Ian Cameron Esslemont's Orb Sceptre Throne."
fandom:malazan
Marvel Cinematic Universe
'Avengers: Age of Ultron' Character Report Card: Andrew Wheeler (blog) - "Now millions know these characters and could probably pick them out of a line-up. But the non-comics audience knows slightly different versions of the characters than the ones we might be used to."
fandom:mcu, warning:spoilers
Marvel Cinematic Universe/DC Cinematic Universe
The Avengers vs. 'Man of Steel': Sonny Bunch (newspaper) - "All of which is to say that I think Kate Erbland is basically right when she suggests that the real foe in "Avengers: Age of Ultron" isn't a super-powered AI but 2013's "Man of Steel.""
fandom:mcu, fandom:dccu, warning:spoilers
Marvel Comics
Apologies for all the random Daredevil thoughts:__marcelo (LJ) - "I keep thinking what a great kingpin Matt could have been. Not in the sense of the comics' Daredevil-as-Kingpin storyline, which was basically "Daredevil hits people until they leave," but as a Fisk-like character. If he dedicated himself to it, he could know every secret whispered in the city."
fandom:marvelcomics
The Messengers
The Messengers, Season 1, Episode 5: Eye in the Sky: Sparky (blog) - Episode recap followed by some meta comments.
fandom:themessengers, warning:spoilers
Naruto
Birthing the Ninja Way: Motherhood, Sons, and War in Naruto: Vernieda Vergara (blog) - "I'm talking about how the world of Naruto is one characterized by war, violence, and a thirst for power, and how it is ultimately reflected in the relationships mothers have with their sons."
fandom:naruto, topic:motherhood
The Originals
Klaus And Betrayals:ineeddatkayley (tumblr) - "Betrayal is the breaking or violation of a presumptive contract, trust, or confidence that produces moral and psychological conflict within a relationship amongst individuals, between organizations or between individuals and organizations."
fandom:theoriginals
Orphan Black
Orphan Black, Season 3, Episode 5: Scarred by Many Past Frustrations: Sparky (blog) - Episode recap followed by some meta commentary.
fandom:orphanblack, warning:spoilers
Orphan Black: "Scarred by Many Past Frustrations" Review: Lady Saika (blog) - "This week's episode was titled "Scarred By Many Past Frustrations", and it's totally on point, as it seems the story is structured around how our characters are reacting to and growing from their Past Frustrations."
fandom:orphanblack, warning:spoilers
Outlander
Outlander Episode 14: The Search: Redheadedgirl (blog) - Episode recap followed by discussion among the bloggers at Smart Bitches, Trashy Books.
fandom:outlander, warning:spoilers
Penitentiary
Everyone's Into Weirdness: Penitentiary (1979): Jacob Knight (blog) - "Jamaa Fanaka's prison boxing movie packs a bigger punch than you might think."
fandom:penitentiary
Penny Dreadful
Penny Dreadful, Season 2, Episode 2: Verbis Diablo: Sparky (blog) - Episode recap followed by some meta content.
fandom:pennydreadful, warning:spoilers
Penny Dreadful, Season 2, Episode 3: The Nightcomers: Sparky (blog) - Episode recap followed by some meta comments.
fandom:pennydreadful, warning:spoilers
Five Things About Penny Dreadful Are Better Than Ever (And One's Not): Genevieve Valentine (blog) - "Last night, High Gothic returned to TV, as Penny Dreadful picked up its second season almost exactly where it left off and threw an even campier enemy at Vanessa Ives and company. Here's the five best parts, and one problem."
fandom:pennydreadful, warning:spoilers
London Throws An Amazing Date Night On Penny Dreadful: Genevieve Valentine (blog) - "In Penny Dreadful, the world's so small almost any characters work well together, and the show knows. "Verbis Diablo" turns London into a date night - by turns charming, campy, and creepy as hell."
fandom:pennydreadful, warning:spoilers
Penny Dreadful Gives Us An Amazing Superhero Origin Story: Genevieve Valentine (blog) - "So far, Penny Dreadful's flashbacks exist to be as Gothic as possible. But while "The Nightcomers" is definitely that, it's also one of the best superhero origin stories on TV this year."
fandom:pennydreadful, warning:spoilers
Phantasm
A Look Back At The Deliberate Uncertainty of The Phantasm Films: Brian Collins (blog) - "As far as unlikely franchises go, Don Coscarelli's Phantasm has to be near the top of the list, at least for horror films."
fandom:phantasm
Pitch Perfect 2
Review: Pitch Perfect 2 Is Funny, Catchy, and Aca-Uncomfortable: Carolyn Cox (blog) - "It's easier to turn off the critical part of your brain and give yourself permission to enjoy a movie despite its problematic elements when you're not going in with the intent to review it, so there's a fair chance you're going to like Pitch Perfect 2 more than I did."
fandom:pitchperfect
Pitch Perfect 2: Aca-Alright: Emi M (blog) - "With compelling characters and a promising premise, Pitch Perfect 2 had all the makings of a great film. However, half-formed plotlines and some misdirected attempts at comedy made the movie lukewarm at best."
fandom:pitchperfect
Pitch Perfect 2: Another One for the Forgettable Sequel Pile: Rebecca Pahle (blog) kind of wish I absolutely hated Pitch Perfect 2, so I could title this review "Pitch Perfect Ew" or, if I'm feeling particularly saucy, "Pitch Perfect Poo.""
fandom:pitchperfect
The Red Shoes
The Real Tragedy of The Red Shoes Is That We'll Never Have Another Blockbuster Like It: Britt Hayes (blog) - "Continuing this month's blockbuster film coverage, a look back at a masterpiece that could never be nearly as successful today."
fandom:theredshoes
Saga
Saga and Trauma: Phillip Smith (blog) - "Saga is a comic about war, not only the actuality of war but the politics, and, perhaps most profoundly, the psychological and social reverberations of conflict."
fandom:saga
Salem
Salem: The Real Problem with the Show: aelarsen (blog) - "But for all the serious errors the show makes, I think the real problem lies elsewhere, with the very concept of the show."
fandom:salem, topic:history
Shameless
Untitled: ohjafeeljadefinitelyfeel (tumblr) - "what I feel most strongly about fanfiction is its direct relation to romance writing. before I discovered fanfiction, romance fiction was my genre. there are so many parallels between romance fiction and fanfiction,"
fandom:shameless
Sherlock
On Wank: marta_bee (tumblr) - "Sometimes wank can be an artform, it can be fun if done well, and it can keep people from taking themselves too seriously."
fandom:bbcsherlock
Untitled: ivyblossom (Tumblr) - "Yeah, analysis is good. Not sure it's a duty, to be honest, but I'm in favour of close textual reading. Let's do some of that on this "queerbaiting" argument you've presented to me."
fandom:bbcsherlock, topic:queerbaiting
Untitled: ivyblossom, enjoytheelephant, mathildia (Tumblr) - "While we might be in "johnlock hell," which, I presume, is best described as the tension we feel as an audience when John and Sherlock's relationship remains unresolved, I feel compelled to point out that making characters suffer, and then suffer some more, and then making them fall apart psychologically, and then forcing them to suffer again, is one of the most enjoyable things in life for writers."
fandom:bbcsherlock
Sherlock Holmes
Canon Discussion - The Yellow Face: sherlock60 (LJ) - "This week we're having a look at The Yellow Face."
fandom:acdsherlock
Shingeki no Kyojin
SnK 69 Thoughts: ghostmartyr (Tumblr) - "This chapter fleshes out a lot of different things, but I think that Kenny being a cowboy remains a complete mystery."
fandom:shingekinokyojin
A Song of Ice and Fire
A Read of Ice and Fire: A Dance with Dragons, Part 20: Leigh Butler (blog) - "Today's entry is Part 20 of A Dance With Dragons, in which we cover Chapter 33 ("Tyrion") and Chapter 34 ("Bran")."
fandom:asoiaf
Untitled: asoiafuniversity (Tumblr) - "I do believe every single Northern Lord outside of Winterfell's walls think that Jeyne is Arya. And that includes Moors (Crowfood) Umber. Because it's clear that those on the outside are willing to wage war for her and raise an army."
fandom:asoiaf
Top Characters #13 Bran Stark: Big Little Grandpa (blog) - "He could be so many different things. And, really, he already is so many different things - we've been watching him grow and change this whole time."
fandom:asoiaf
Chapter-by-Chapter Analysis: Jon IV, ACOK: Steven Attewell (blog) - "Jon IV is a bit of an odd duck, in that it's really more about setting a mood and describing an environment rather than exploring character, and there's really only one plot point that happens."
fandom:asoiaf
On George Martin, ladies of ASOIAF, and being 'feminist writer': qvcksilver (Tumblr) - "This long-ass post was brought to you by me starting my latest ASOIAF reread focusing exclusively on the ladies, plus some acutely on-point tag meta by him-e re: Martin's approach to female characters."
fandom:asoiaf, topic:femalecharacter
Daario's Ominously Mysterious Past: madeinmyr (Tumblr) - "Daario repeatedly boasts of his physical prowess but tells no tales of his past exploits and travels, a fairly significant bit of information to withhold in light of what we know about other far ranging sell swords"
fandom:asoiaf
The Terrible Tale of Jeyne Poole: leftways (blog) - "Of all the tales told throughout the A Song of Ice & Fire series, the one that stands out as the most tragic has to be that of Jeyne Poole."
fandom:asoiaf, warning:rape
Untitled: poorquentyn (Tumblr) - "Great question; a Stark-Tyrell alliance is one of my favorite ASOIAF hypotheticals to play around with, and it's explicitly teased more than once in the text"
fandom:asoiaf
Dornish Letter Theory: amin-j (Tumblr) - "I think that there are nuggets of truth in the descriptions on what the Dornish Letter was about."
fandom:asoiaf
The Sound of Music
Episode 27: The Sound of Music: The Canon (podcast) - "Each episode of the show has found us sort of struggling with what the boundaries of the Canon are, with how much a movie needs to be important versus how much it needs to be good, and I think The Sound of Music really tests us."
fandom:thesoundofmusic
Star Wars
Rethinking The Phantom Menace:Doug (blog) - "It wasn't perfect, and there is valid criticism,2 but I genuinely enjoyed seeing the Phantom Menace. I like the movie. I said it."
fandom:starwars
Sunrise
Tribeca Film Festival Review: Sunrise: Siddhant Adlakha (blog) - "Partho Sen-Gupta's Sunrise really is a technical marvel, one that paints images that are simultaneously surreal and picturesque, while capturing the debaucherous heart of Mumbai's back alleys in the most operatic manner."
fandom:sunrise
Supernatural
Supernatural, Season 10, Episode 22: The Prisoner: Sparky (blog) - Episode recap followed by some meta comments.
fandom:supernatural, warning:spoilers
Supernatural: The Tree and The Apple: cupidsbower, pimp-shark (Tumblr) - "The question is, are they really Team Free Will, or are they actually Team Determinism?"
fandom:supernatural
Random unpredictable thoughts after seeing "Dark Dynasty.": tyrsibs(LJ) - "Another criticism of the show's storytelling is that it has become repetitive, but again, I think this is a short-sighted view. I see a cyclical pattern, a wheel of fate or destiny centering on the Winchesters that they are either unwilling or unable to stop.."
fandom:supernatural
The Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments and The Death Of Epics: Andrew Todd (blog) - "There are no epics anymore; no films that take up the entirety of your night, that span epochs in their narratives and inspire total awe in audiences."
fandom:thetencommandments, topic:movies
Tomorrowland
Tomorrowland Review: There's No Future In This Movie: Devin Faraci (blog) - "The future ain't what it used to be, says Tomorrowland, and it says it again and again."
fandom:tomorrowland, warning:spoilers
Brad Bird Fails To Take Flight With Tomorrowland [Review]: Rebecca Pahle (blog) - "Within its very first scene, Tomorrowland commits a cardinal storytelling sin: It nukes it stakes."
fandom:tomorrowland, warning:spoilers
Twin Peaks
The Twin Peaks Log: S.2 E.9: Romona Williams (blog) - "It was bittersweet watching this episode, considering the now uncertain fate of Twin Peaks season 3."
fandom:twinpeaks
Usagi Yojimbo
What's So Great About Usagi Yojimbo? Everything: Chris Sims (blog) - "But since you asked, here's the big deal with Usagi Yojimbo: Stan Sakai's been doing this comic for over thirty years, and he hasn't done a bad issue yet."
fandom:manga
The Vampire Diaries
Vampire Diaries, Season 6, Episode 22: I'm Thinking of You All The While: Sparky (blog) - Episode recap followed by some meta comments.
fandom:thevampirediaries, warning:spoilers
Untitled: lostgirltamsin (tumblr) - "SO like I am loving, loving seeing Damon and Bonnie redefine the parameters of their relationship now that they're not in 1994"
fandom:thevampirediaries
The Water Diviner
Movie Review: The Water Diviner: Redheadedgirl (blog) - "This is a WWI drama about a father who lost his three sons to the Gallipoli campaign, and goes, after the war, to find their bodies and bring them home."
fandom:thewaterdiviner
Wheel of Time
The Wheel of Time Reread Redux: The Great Hunt, Part 1: Leigh Butler (blog) - "Today's Redux post will cover the Prologue of The Great Hunt"
fandom:wheeloftime
Wonder Woman
Wonder Woman and the Paternal Narrative: the Rise of Wonder Woman, the Fall of Women: Doctor Bifrost (blog) - "But it's actually a discussion of the almost-universal Paternal Narrative, the scarce-as-hen's-teeth Maternal Narrative, and the way female-centric stories are represented (or not) in DC Comics and elsewhere-all seen through the lens of Wonder Woman #1-35."
fandom:dccomics, topic:history, topic:sexism
X-Men
Why the death of Wolverine is good for 'X-Men': Dan Marcus (blog) - "As Ethan Anderson of FirstShowing.Net says, "[Jackman's departure is] the perfect way to set up the First Class franchise to continue and have plenty of mutants to keep the story going.""
fandom:x-men
Yellowbrickroad
Yellowbrickroad (2010) - Expectations and disappointments: yuuago (DW) - "This was one of those films that starts off with a great idea, but doesn't manage to pull it off. Sometimes, films like that almost succeed - they aren't as good as they could be, but they still manage to put together a coherent story. This wasn't one of those."
fandom:yellowbrickroad
Zero Motivation
Zero Motivation (2014): marina (DW) - "Because there is this huge, gaping, chasm-like lack of narrative films about women in the IDF, because essentially any movie you make on this theme is going to get recognition for being groundbreaking and will be popular simply because people hunger to see themselves represented (the same thing happened with the first movie about gay men in the IDF, which was a huge commercial success), I assumed that Talia Lavie's film would be the story of an average girl caught amidst wacky characters in the middle of nowhere. It would an uncomplicated, fairly generic, appealing-to-a-broad-audience film, it would be successful and remarkable. "
fandom:zeromotivation