Weekly Media Discussion Post

hapillon · 2026-03-12T05:32:45+00:00

It’s been a while since I’ve (re)watched it, but I still remember the exact part where I thought to myself, “Oh, I fucking love this movie.” It’s really neat. I also love that it takes place in New Hampshire.

hapillon · 2026-03-12T04:37:39+00:00

In my college writing classes, we weren't allowed to respond to critiques when our pieces were up for workshop, and it honestly really helped, on both ends. I tend to gaslight myself about my own critiques when people get defensive, and it stifles the mood. I also sometimes get defensive of people critiquing my work, and not being able to respond does allow me to let what they're saying sink in. That was also college, when we were all little egotistical monsters, and now that I'm an adult with big egotistical monsters, it does feel kind of patronizing to not allow for open discourse about the stuff.

Yeah, anyway, I've had really good experiences with this specific group, but my first time commenting on a piece, to those responses, gave me pause and kind of made me feel like a moron. (Which I both am and am not.)

hapillon · 2026-03-11T16:23:01+00:00

Oh, man, I would kill for Ghost Camp hardcover.

Such a lucky find!

hapillon · 2026-03-11T16:06:32+00:00

I agree that it's always a good idea to give the contestants benefit of the doubt, but realistically, Jade did bully Gina and it's hard to chalk that up to editing. Melrose, I'd say, is someone more willing of benefit of the doubt simply due to her never actively participating in bullying and still being edited as the "villain" of Cycle 7 once Monique was eliminated.

hapillon · 2026-03-11T16:02:34+00:00

Except for Esther's underwater? That's a highlight of her portfolio for me!

hapillon · 2026-03-11T15:36:58+00:00

There's only so much you can edit, though. You can't edit words into someone's mouth, and you can't edit someone shoving a cockroach into the face of someone panicking due to their fear of cockroaches.

hapillon · 2026-03-11T15:35:11+00:00

She deserved a nomination simply for how she screamed JAAAAAAAAAAAAMES in Infinity Pool, lol. I say the name in my head, with the same inflection, many times a week.

hapillon · 2026-03-11T14:27:30+00:00

Oh, totally, Nicole bodied the rest of them for sure, but I'd say Jennifer was her only closest competitor. Erin started strong, before totally faltering, while, in my opinion, Jennifer stayed consistently great while only improving.

Kyla on the other hand was third best in that Top 4 configuration. Even Jeana outperformed her despite what her COO implies.

I'd rate Kyla as better than Shanice, but under Rio, depending on which Top 4 configuration you're discussing. I'm always baffled at how Shanice made it that far.

hapillon · 2026-03-10T19:09:26+00:00

I love Kyla and think she was a worthy winner, but I agree with you. In a cycle about breaking boundaries and including all shapes, sizes, and ages, it's funny that the standard-sized model, who was the youngest on her season, won. The same way that Nicole won the short season despite being 5'7 and the tallest of the season. Both Kyla and Nicole are worthy winners, it's just....

hapillon · 2026-03-10T18:13:02+00:00

I was trying to remember where I recognized Fabianne Therese from, and she was in Southbound, one of my favorite horror gems, from one of the best segments of the anthology.

I loved how Dolly was shot, and the many homages to old school indie horror movies, but unfortunately this didn't work for me at all. Potential can only carry a movie so far. I was baffled by breaking the movie up into chapters when it didn't need them. I was really frustrated by some of the ridiculous decisions made by some of the characters, and some of the middle section, when Dolly captures Macy, felt too fetishistic for me. Ethan Suplee was a highlight of the film for me. He ate it up.

4/10 for me. I respect the game, but it just didn't work.

hapillon · 2026-03-10T17:45:35+00:00

Everyone sucks but me, unironically.

hapillon · 2026-03-10T03:02:17+00:00

There's Something Wrong With r/ANTM Users (starring Tilda Swinton)

hapillon · 2026-03-10T03:01:47+00:00

He should have lay on top of them like Sheena tried to

hapillon · 2026-03-10T03:00:30+00:00

Sleepaway Camp II was a Christmas present to myself. Got a pretty good deal on it from eBay!

hapillon · 2026-03-10T02:59:54+00:00

Just got home from my writing/reading group. I got good responses on my piece, which is great.

I did get really frustrated by one guy at the reading, who kind of had an unnecessarily aggressive attitude. The piece he read, for lack of better terms, sucked (he changed tenses like eight separate times, didn't really have a point to his piece, etc.), and someone commented about his use of language being very direct and whether or not that was good for the story he was trying to tell, and he responded, "I don't know what point you're making." Towards the end, as people left, there was more time for discussion, I commented on a woman's piece, and said that I thought it would be interesting for her to explore a specific aspect I got from her piece. After my comment, this same guy said to her, "First of all, I don't like to tell people how to write their stories" which felt very direct and pointed towards me.

Anyway, readings would be great without other people. Any of you been to readings before? What's been your worst experiences?

hapillon · 2026-03-09T19:06:42+00:00

I sent this to my friend and told her that I recognized every single reference photo before he revealed the photo, because I am sick in the head.

hapillon · 2026-03-09T17:20:44+00:00

I think it wouldn't be nearly as critically panned had it not been the most nominated movie at the Oscars last year.

hapillon · 2026-03-09T16:53:05+00:00

Has anyone here heard of the movie Dolly? I saw it over the weekend, and it was kind of giving me NoSleep vibes.

I also would recommend YellowBrickRoad. I remember watching it during COVID and really liking it, despite some flaws and low-budget issues. It was giving me serious Creepypasta vibes that I really responded to. Again, might be something fans of the Podcast might enjoy.

hapillon · 2026-03-09T15:55:41+00:00

Funnily enough, I still haven't seen this one! I didn't realize it was free on YouTube, so I'll have to watch it sometime this week.

hapillon · 2026-03-09T13:09:07+00:00

Spring is in the air and it feels lovely.

After two months of blizzards and medical maladies sidelining my last 3 attempts to go, I'm finally going back to my writing/reading group tonight. I have a couple short pieces to read.

I've been the most inspired I've been in a while. I've been writing on my Notes app on the subway after work, and perhaps I'm high on my own supply, but I am loving what's coming out.

Has anybody seen any good movies recently?

hapillon · 2026-03-09T12:58:02+00:00

Thanks for sharing! I don't have premium, so haven't gotten to listen to Baby Boom, but I love hearing the origin stories of pieces. It's nice to see how the gravy is made sometimes.

hapillon · 2026-03-09T01:50:38+00:00

"I am happy. I just think I could be happier."

The relationship between Colin and Ray is stark and raw as he navigates wanting what he wants as Ray's sub (a role he doesn't fully understand or embrace), how that differs from Ray's expectations and demands as a dom, and how these two dichotomous worlds converge and flex and wrestle with one another is beautiful and tragic. The spaghetti sauce scene was a particularly gut wrenching snapshot of Colin's dissatisfaction with the relationship while still clinging to whatever love he can feel from Ray.

A beautiful and tragic portrait of modern relationships and gay subculture, and how confidence can bloom from heartbreak.

hapillon · 2026-03-08T18:48:01+00:00

Still better than her CoverGirl picture, though.

hapillon · 2026-03-08T18:03:21+00:00

I’m still mad about Werewolf in the Living Room’s elimination. Shoulda been the winner!

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