I am still not here, and also life has been very very very hard.

However, there is a new Fast and the Furious movie and of course I have to react to the trailers.

Way back in 2020, which was clearly thirty years ago, I recapped my reaction to the first Fast and Furious 9 trailer, because it made me cackle and gave me all the feelings.

I watched the three main US trailers in reverse order today (though I'd seen the first one before, because I remember desperately wanting more genetically modified supersoldier storyline a la Hobbs & Shaw), so my individual responses aren't clear, but I can tell you that one of my favorite moments in any Fast and Furious trailer ever comes from the third trailer: If it violates the laws of god and gravity, they did it twice.

I. AM. CACKLING.

I love when a franchise embraces its own ridiculousness.

A few other thoughts scattered across the trailers and the trailers themselves behind the cut.

( Fast X )

Saw it last night, would have seen it again tonight except bipolar crashed over me, will probably see it again tomorrow or Sunday (OR BOTH MAYBE BOTH). IT IS SO GOOD AND I LOVE IT SO MUCH AND I WANT TO WATCH IT A BILLION TIMES.

I never really watched the Power Rangers when I was younger (though I once had a smoking hot dream about one of the Red Rangers that I still remember to this day because it was so great), but I caught the teaser trailer for the new movie awhile back, and I hope I get the chance to see it in the theater, because it gave me chills.

Watch on YouTube

Especially love the use of the Halsey cover of "Walk the Line." (The full trailer is not nearly as intriguing, but I still think it will be a rollicking good time.)

Meanwhile, the Fate of the Furious trailers just keep getting even more ridiculous (I know! How is that even possible?! But it is!), and I am so fucking there. Going to be damn pissed off if Ramsey doesn't get to out hack someone, though. They'd better not lose her badassery. (I'm still mourning the fact Mia won't be around anymore. I love her so.)

Watch on YouTube

I was already completely sold on the Wonder Woman movie, but the origins trailer completely overwhelmed me. Wonder Woman is not even one of my favorite characters (I don't much like DC, though the Supergirl tv show is working hard to change my mind), but I am so verklempt that we're getting this movie in this world of ours.

Watch on YouTube

Also, "she must never know the truth about what she is" -- YOU GUYS, I DON'T ACTUALLY KNOW THE TRUTH! I'm so used to having a solid understanding of the comics history behind the movies I watch that it is such a weird (and great) feeling to not know a damn thing other than the truth lasso.

(Who's writing the Fast and the Furious/Wonder Woman crossover? Because surely someone is writing it!)

( 31 Days )

Day 3: talk about movies this year

I did not get out to see many movies this year, in part because I'm trying to spend as little money as possible and in part because the local theater is a four screen theater that doesn't even have stadium seating. It is old and terrible. There is a much nicer theater that opened in a nearby town (it has my beloved red leather recliners and a 21-and-up section with a bar); I introduced J to the nicer theater concept, and he loves it, but it's a pretty good drive (probably an hour and a half round trip) on top of the time spent watching the movie itself, so we often can't go because of his schedule.

I did manage to watch some of the movies released this year, though. Not always in the bar section of the theater, much to J's chagrin.

Jupiter Ascending: I loved the hell out of this movie, had an absolute blast watching it, and can't wait for some sort of group viewing here at the house with alcohol and all the laughter. J wishes he'd had alcohol for this one.

Furious 7: The only movie in the franchise I don't like is 2 Fast 2 Furious, and they just keep getting better. Bigger and more ridiculous, too. The stunts are absolutely unbelievable, the storyline has hit the part of things I hate (Haaaaaaaaaaan, and poor Giselle), but it remains the story of family at its heart, with all the flashy cars and hot people on top of it. It's even more a story of family now than it was back when Fast and the Furious first came out, and I never thought that would be possible. This franchise goes straight to my heart and my love of chosen family, and I'll be along for the ride until the end.

J wishes he'd had alcohol for this one, too.

Unfriended: Ridiculous horror that wasn't terrible, but also wasn't scary or atmospheric and did little for me beyond light entertainment. J hated it, and Nephew thought it was absolutely stupid. (BFF's husband recommended it to us, even though he's not a big horror fan, so I think J had higher expectations than he should have. It was basically a live action Point Horror.)

Avengers: Age of Ultron: Not my favorite in the series, but no worse than I expected, really. It was a big let down after the joy of Captain America: Winter Soldier, but I kept reminding myself it was a follow-up to Avengers, not to any of the individual movies, because Whedon's being Whedon. There are moments I absolutely loved.

Mad Max: Fury Road: Ridiculous road trip adventures with fire and stupid weapons and amazing, over the top everything. I loved it. J had alcohol for this one, and says it wasn't enough.

Jurassic World: Simultaneously wonderful and the biggest disappointment. Amazingly, the most nostalgic thing I watched this year, despite it being a year with a new Fast and the Furious movie. Raptors. Every time the score calls back to Jurassic Park, I tear up. Jurassic Park has meant so much to me for so long, and Jurassic World could have been the greatest thing ever. Unfortunately, nope. Still, I love it even as I rage at it.

J had alcohol for this one, too. He also bought a giant bucket of popcorn, even though neither of us like popcorn, so I could have a dinosaur bucket. A+ job of upselling that, woman at the counter. She saw me and my "clever girl" shirt coming.

Inside Out: We only recently watched this, so I missed a lot of the meta (if there was any, but I bet it exists) about the emotions. I'd like to find some, because I have thoughts about what it says (or doesn't say) about mental illness, but it was super heartbreaking at times, and absolutely delightful. J loved it, and has already watched it multiple times.

Magic Mike XXL: GREATEST CINEMA EXPERIENCE OF THE YEAR. I went with J and my grad school bffs during one of our many reunions this year, and it was the best. time. ever. Mostly because of the people, but I did like some of the things the movie said about a specific type of women's sexuality and desires.

Amazingly, I have not yet seen the Last Witch Hunter (the second Vin Diesel movie of the year), but that will happen soon. (J's movie agreement this year was that he would watch anything except superhero movies with me. Little did he know it was a double Vin Diesel kind of year.) We'll also see the last Hunger Games, the Good Dinosaur, and, if I have my way, Krampus. I'm not sure if I want to see the new Star Wars right away or not. Certainly not the first few weekends, when the theater will be packed.

AWESOME Christmas Eve bonus.

I'm wrapping presents for my parents (I mean, I'm wrapping the presents they have for people) and decide to take a break. I come in to check my email, and not only is Dad watching The Pacifier but it's at the part where Vin Diesel is taking a shower and then running around in a towel.

I have great joy on this Christmas Eve!

Yay Vin Diesel and my awesome parents.

I'm trying to watch Fringe. I've been trying to watch the first episode ever since it aired, and have yet to make it all the way through. Today I finally managed to make it to Josh Jackson's introduction, which is farther than ever before. Maybe I'll actually finish it. I'm not sure why I am so determined to watch this show, except that it seems like it should be right up my alley and I don't understand why I haven't been able to get into it at all.

Plus, though The Mighty Ducks fandom and then Dawsons Creek people coming into the fandom kind of ruined JJack for me, I do like some of his work, and think this could be fun.

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As for the Twilight girl slash percolating in my brain, the biggest down side to watching it is that I would really need to go see the movie again, and even though I had fun, I'm not interested in paying more money to see it again. Now, I could wait until it was available from Netflix, but that means sitting on these stories for a long time. I will have to consider this. Of course, I'm pretty busy the next couple weeks, so I shouldn't be writing fic anyway, except for Yuletide.

So I'm watching Rogue and wasn't sure at first (and it could still go super wrong later, a la Wolf Creek), but I like the characters so far, in particular Kate, played by Radha Mitchell. I love when I'm surprised by people in movies; I didn't expect her. She leads boat tours of crocodiles and is pretty awesome. Her accent is gorgeous, too.

(I just finished watching The Ruins which was so much better than I expected.)

( spoilers )

I purchased both The Ruins and Rogue together on a whim (and on deep discount) and I love both of them. That was a good movie buying day, apparently. Now I'm going to watch Can't Hardly Wait because I've been craving Seth Green. I watched part of season three of BtVS the other day, just for him.

I'm working on today's Nano writing, and watching Scooby Doo in the background. I own the second one (because of Seth Green, of course, plus the motorcycle jousting scene), but dvred this one. It's been a long time since I saw it, and it's kind of cute so far. I really like Shaggy and Scooby, and Velma is still my favorite. I'll watch the second one next, if I'm still writing. I just had lunch (black beans and a turkey burger), I have diet Dr. Pepper (since I bought a bunch for Dad when he was in town), and Halloween candy for dessert.

So what are you guys writing these days, for Nano or for whatever else?

ETA: Ha! I'd forgotten about this song. "You remind me of the man. What man? The man with the power. What power? The power of voodoo. Who do? You do, you do. Do what? Remind me of the man."

It's an awesome remix (variation?) on the version from The Labyrinth. Very swingy and fun.

ETA2: I love that Velma is the one who keeps picking up guys in both the movies. She's kind of a geeky rockstar, yeah?

So apparently On Demand has Midnight Meat Train available, and for free. I didn't realize it would be available so soon, but hello Fearnet Special Presentation, I love you. Of course, I still need to sort laundry, since I managed to do nothing but sit here and moan about how icky I feel - yes, to myself, such is the joy of living alone - and so that still needs to be done.

Good times.

For some reason, I thought this was only coming out in theaters and that I wouldn't be able to convince nikitangel to go see it with me because it's not really her type of movie. Huh. I suppose watching it on my own on my little television is fine, too, though my tv makes watching dark things slightly difficult because it's very dark. I probably need a new one, but that will, I hope, wait until after graduation.

Is there a ten step program for Jurassic Park addictions? I knew it was bad (I quite often have movie marathons with all three movies) but I'm now watching Jurassic Park III for the second time TODAY. In fact, it's for the second time in less than six hours.

Hi, my name is Carla, and I have a problem.

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Not to mention, that silly, fluffy fic I just wrote for nikitangel? I've already started a sequel, and it is angsty. WHY? Why can't I leave the fluff alone? I amuse myself.

I believe it is the velociraptors I love most about these films. Well, and hotass Malcolm, but he's not in this one. Though the Billy/Alan is pretty fabulous. Billy's kind of a badass.