American Psycho
[Guest Post by Kissmate. Previous live-watch by Ana is
here.]
[Content Note: Racism. Murder. Stereotypical movie sociopathy. Misogyny.]
I'm attempting a live-tweet of American Psycho. First thread and first watch, so let's get a feel for it and get rolling with dead-eyed Christian Bale! All I know about this movie is nothing or everything is real, and it's up to the viewer to determine what is or isn't. I think.
Shut Up!
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[Utena Content Note: Abuse, Sexual Assault]
Links: Froborr's excellent posts and color symbolism guide are here. I'm watching the subtitled episodes contained in the blu-ray collection here.
Revolutionary Girl Utena, Episode 22-23: "Nemuro Memorial Hall" and "The Terms of a Duelist"
We open with Dios and Akio again. Akio observes they're at the last of the black roses and questions whether Mikage will fight. While Anthy tends pastel pink, orange, and yellow roses, the council members researches who these new duelists are.
Juri notes that Nanami seems especially irritated after her brother was targeted. Symbolism returns in full force, with a railroad crossing flashing as Juri observes that she'd thought Rose Crests could only be possessed by those chosen by the End of the World. Miki suggests that perhaps this is still true and the EOTW is moving in shadows; behind him, the gate arm descends to block traffic. Nanami says it's obvious that the EOTW is backing the duelists as wind from the railroad almost completely blocks out her voice. [Kissmate: "She's so childish and ill-informed that her opinion adds nothing but wind?"] Miki adds over the wind that the instigator must be on campus. The wind stops, the gate arm rises, and Juri apologizes for being unable to hear them. Not entirely sure what to make of this one: something deadly is rushing by them?
Shut Up!
The Wicker Man
[Guest Post by Kissmate]
Hey, guys! I figured I'd start a new tag, #Kissmatewatches, for live tweeting movies! Since I just finished Midsommar, I think a nice change of pace is due. Here's a shot at "The Wicker Man" from 1973! All I know of this is the premise and there's a burning man made of wicker with a man inside. That and this is NOT the Nick Cage one, so... no women-punching bears. Let's go take a look!
Shut Up!
[Utena Content Note: Abuse, Sexual Assault, Stalking]
Links: Froborr's excellent posts and color symbolism guide are here. I'm watching the subtitled episodes contained in the blu-ray collection here.
Revolutionary Girl Utena, Episode 21: "Vermin"
We open with Nanami walking in her dueling uniform. (I would love an analysis on when she wears her duelist uniform vs. her girl uniform with the skirt and tie.) Her cadre of three girlfriends appear behind her and walk in silence before effusively praising her. Kissmate points out that they're ten or even fifteen feet behind her while enthusing how happy they are to "be near" her; the juxtaposition between their words and their actions is noteworthy. Everyone else in the school gives her a wide berth--Kissmate notes that *no one* is close to her, not even the people who claim to be.
Shut Up!
Midsommar
[Content Note: Self-harm. Gore. Ableism. Incest. Rape. Drugs. Pandemic.]
I haven't had a live-watch in a while. I was getting married to Kissmate (which was very distracting), but today we're sick from some delivered food that maybe wasn't reheated enough, and the point is we have time AND stomach pains. Let's do this. I've been wanting to do MIDSOMMAR for, like, forever now and also before it stops being on Amazon Prime. "An American couple, their relationship foundering, travel to a fabled Swedish midsummer festival where they become trapped in a sinister nightmare." This is obviously the best choice for something to watch while dealing with food poisoning, as we are right now! (I do want to say that covid has entirely fucked up how I watch movies now. A fictional governor ranted about "200 Americans dead" in a movie the other day and I was like "pffft, like you'd care" because I mean. *frantic gestures at covid count*)
Shut Up!
[Utena Content Note: Abuse, Sexual Assault]
Links: Froborr's excellent posts and color symbolism guide are here. I'm watching the subtitled episodes contained in the blu-ray collection here.
Revolutionary Girl Utena, Episode 20: "Wakaba Flourishing"
School rumor has it that Saionji has been expelled, but they're not sure how or why. Wakaba hears the rumors but stays aloof from them, leaving school to shop for him. When she returns to her room, he is sitting on the floor waiting for her. He looks softer: casual clothes instead of the uniform, soft eyes, loose hair. He's wearing black as a social outcast and blue: he's staying with her out of logic (necessity) rather than love. The yellow sky behind him is her own adoration.
Shut Up!
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Just a reminder to folks that JKR's "people who menstruate are WOMEN" tweet hurts trans men and many nonbinary folks by misgendering us into women just because we menstruate. Menstruation terfery of this sort is not about trans women, though the terfs often want it to be.
A lot of folks get confused and think the "people who menstruate" language was created to appease trans women who didn't want womanhood defined by menstruation. Wrong. The "people who menstruate" language was created to talk about menstruation without misgendering non-women. I'd like it if folks could stop erasing trans men and nonbinary folks from the damage terfs do. They come after ALL of us. There is no flavor of transness which terfs won't attack.
Some folks have asked for more clarity, so let me break down the two most common terfy rhetorics surrounding menstruation:
TERF Menstruation Myth #1: "People who menstruate are women." This misgenders people who aren't women, but menstruate. This includes many trans men and nonbinary people. It also assigns "womanhood" to young cis girls who menstruate early. That in itself has a bad history.
TERF Menstruation Myth #2: "Women menstruate. If you don't menstruate, you aren't a woman." This strips womanhood from every woman who doesn't menstruate. That includes *many* trans women, intersex women, menopausal women, infertile and/or disabled women, women w/hysterectomies.
TERFs use both these myths to attack trans people, and it's important to understand which is which. And, again: using the precise and inclusive "people who menstruate" language when talking about menstruation is a good thing for EVERYONE, not least because many of us had the traumatic experience of "womanhood" thrust upon us at a very early age when we began menstruation. Being told I was "a woman now" when I was (a) a trans boy and (b) only 12 years old was not good for me. (Your mileage may vary.) "You menstruate now" would've been far more useful and factual, and less fraught with expectations of gender and maturity.
Shut Up!
[Utena Content Note: Abuse, Sexual Assault]
Links: Froborr's excellent posts and color symbolism guide are here. I'm watching the subtitled episodes contained in the blu-ray collection here.
Revolutionary Girl Utena, Episode 19: "A Song for the Kingdom Now Lost"
Just to recap, season one had the following duel schedule: Saionji, Miki, Juri, Nanami, and Touga. So far in this season we've had Kanae (no relationship to Saionji that I can fathom), Kozue (Miki), Shiori (Juri), and Tsuwabuki (Nanami). If we follow the pattern, this could be a Touga episode--and we start with red roses. A man with a red cloak holds a girl dressed in yellow adoration. She looks like Wakaba and I'm confused because I thought her episode was the next one.
Shut Up!
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I always try to write these with postitives in mind, without getting bogged down in bad news. It's not easy sometimes when you live with chronic pain to stay cheerful, but it's a big part of my mental health for me and I hope it makes these newsletters more fun to read. Yet tonight as I sit here a few minutes before our citywide curfew takes effect, listening to the latest attacks on peaceful protesters on the news, I'm struggling. Things aren't okay right now and it wouldn't make sense for me to pretend otherwise. I hope you are all safe and as happy as you can be under the circumstances, finding moments of joy within the storm.
We're doing well, physically. Kissmate is recovering from his top surgery and looking for remote work he can do from home. (If any of you have any good leads along those lines, I'd be eternally grateful if you wanted to share, drop us a link, or send me a message.) I've been picking up extra hours at my day job and trying to write in the evenings. I have another Miriam and Emil chapter almost ready for you--I wanted to have it ready for you today but it's not quite finished yet. It will be soon, though, and I'm very excited about it. In the meantime we have more Utena posts and some movie live-watches from Kissmate! So we definitely have content to, you know, distract from *waves hands* things.
As far as June plans: My own top surgery is the last week of June. (More details here!) That will be exactly 8 weeks after Kissmate's top surgery and they think he should be back to full capabilities at that point, so he should be able to take care of me and the cats. If my surgery goes anything like his, there ought to be a lot of pain for the first couple of weeks but eh, it's nothing I haven't done before at this point. I'm not worried. Actually, I'm really excited! I can't wait to let you all know how it goes. (Kissmate says I have to tell you all we're still ridiculously cute and in love, and that's exciting too, haha.)
We haven't been able to get to the post office much because of everything going on with covid and my increased work hours, but I plan to get out there this week to ship out books and bookmarks to everyone who hasn't gotten one yet. Check your messages and if you haven't heard from me, give me a ping? I don't want to miss anyone. I love you all.
Older Links
My Ramblings Deconstructions: Here.
My YouTube Let's Plays: Here.
My Favorite Tumblr Funnies: Here.
@DivorceKittens: Here.
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Please stay safe out there, friends. I can't bear to lose any of you. I love you.
Shut Up!
[Utena Content Note: Sexual Assault]
Links: Froborr's excellent posts and color symbolism guide are here. I'm watching the subtitled episodes contained in the blu-ray collection here.
Revolutionary Girl Utena, Episode 18: "Mitsuri's Impatience"
We start in a council scene where rain drenches the balcony and the members wonder if they've been abandoned. The enormous stained glass rose on the wall has changed colors: everything is darker and the yellows have turned to green. The mood is gloomy and doubtful. Nanami doesn't understand who the End of the World is and why he has any say in how the school is run. For the second time, Nanami asks a blushing council member whether the en-swordening hurt and they decline to answer; the question always reminds me of a virgin asking someone whether their first time hurt.
Shut Up!
