wanderings

dates for iftar by eruthros
Breaking Fast | 2:37 | G | Mo/Kal, Mo & Sam
Summary: Food and love and friendship during Ramadan.
Music: Leila by Clarissa Bitar feat Abby Abdel-Khalek
     + So one of the things that this vid has gifted me is the knowledge that this film exists: it's a film about a queer Muslim man, set during Ramadan, who brings a boy home, and there's a HEA. There are some great shots of food, and people enjoying food. There's also a wonderful tension in this vid: there's music and feelings and mistakes and ridiculous gestures and the best *chinhands*-inducing ending scene.

The Phoenix by thingswithwings
The Expanse | 3:10 | R | Camina Drummer
Summary: tryna see my descent?
you're gonna have to play the tape backwards
Music: 5 out of 6 by Dessa
     + I continue to not watch The Expanse but deeply enjoy it in vid format. This is great. One of the tags is "polyamorous cyborg space queer" and the vid appears to be about Drummer being a badass action hero, leveling up their competency, and building connections.

Long Way to Come Here by absternr
Fast Color | 2:37 | G | Ruth, Lila, Bo
Summary: take your heart back from where you left it
Music: Get Up by Caitlin Canty
     + More source material I haven't seen - this one or its vidder does that cinematography thing where every frame is like a picture - strikingly and functionally composed. So that's a delight and there's this lovely slow unfurling of the film's narrative over a country song that's a satisfying match to its rural setting and has a king of hopeful yearning upward thrust to it.

WORK THIS BODY by Katie K
Haikyuu!! | 2:57 | G
I will work this body
Music: Work this Body by WALK THE MOON
     + Have I seen any of the source material on this list? Yes, but not this. Sports anime dance vid. The sport is volleyball. They are probably in high school and as the vid unfolds the cuts get faster and hit the beat more. It's ridiculous (because sports anime) and I love it. Team-building and friends and rivals and training sequences and over-the-top effects. It's a joy.

Math by Rhea and sandalwoodbox
The King: Eternal Monarch | 2:04 | G |Jeong Tae Eul/Jo Yeong/Lee Gon
Summary: It may be a nerdy way to flirt, but Lee Gon's love is like the square root of two.
Music: The Square Root of Two by Countercurrent
     + There's so much math and OT3 and comedy and drama in this. Jaunty and adorable.

Go High, Go Low by eruthros
Lil Nas X RPF | 2:44 | PG-13 | Lil Nas X
We go high / we go low
Music: Go High, Go Low by Dope Saint Jude
     + A fuck-the-haters celebrity dance vid, heavily enriched by Lil Nas X's fuck-the-haters social media presence. There's a lot of text - largely tweets - integrated into this and if you're like me you'll be watching this multiple times so that you can pause and read all the things, and also revel in the continually A+ aesthetic choices.

Bang! by teyla
The Lost Tomb | 2:51 | G | Wang Pangzi & Wu Xie & Zhang Qiling
Summary: All the best faces of Wu Xie.
Music: Bang! by AJR
     + Another vid whose source material I don't know at all: this vid pulls from six different sources with six different actors playing the same character, so I have no idea what is happening, but it's action-adventure-comedy full of clip transitions on the beat and split screens to the lyrics "bang, bang, bang" with some solid visual lyric matches, so it's a solidly good time.

1941 by rhoboat
Marvel | 3:01 | G | Peggy Carter
Summary: Follow the beat and let it ring.
Music: 1941 by Klaypex feat. Virian
     + A Club Vivid vid tagged "Electro Swing", this vid does just about exactly what you'd expect. Lots of punching, power-walking, and action scenes.

Flyweight Love by such_heights
Marvel | 3:22 | PG-13 | Jane/Thor
Summary: "She likens it to a kite; it flies higher when a longer length of string is unleashed."
Music: Flyweight Love by Vienna Teng
     + Airy and romantic. Full of stars, the mysteries of the universe, adventure, separation, longing, and dorks in love being charmed by each other.

My Strongest Suit by periru3 & Tafadhali
M*A*S*H | 4:07 | G | Klinger
Summary: In negligée or formal, Klinger's anything but normal.
Music: My Strongest Suit from Aida
     + A celebration of Klinger and Klinger's many outfits to a musical theatre song.

Dance Apocalyptic by eruthros and thingswithwings
Multifandom | 3:38 | G
Summary: I really really wanna thank you for dancing to the end.
Music: Dance Apocalyptic by Janelle Monáe
     + Multifandom dance vid of the end of times. I'm always really impressed when vidders manage to integrate drastically different footage - live action with animated, different animation styles, and black-and-white with colour; there's some spot-on transition work in this and it's a great dance vid for these times. I'm especially fond of the repeated "smash, smash" motif.

No Place Like Home by thingswithwings
Multifandom | 4:13 | G
Summary: A multivid of queer people living and thriving in rural spaces and small towns.
Music: Glasgow (No Place Like Home) by Jessie Buckley
     + Queers in rural environs being and finding themselves and their people. This vid is schmaltz and also like being punched in the face with fix-it-fic for my youth.

Nice Don't Make No Money by hartknyx
Ocean's Eight | 3:25 | PG-13
Summary: Sugar and spice makes everything nice but nice don't make no money
Music: In Women We Trust by Tanerélle
     + This is so smooth and hits so much of the criminal joy of the film - I just want to watch these women commit crimes and get what they want, forever. I really love the cheers moment about halfway through this and just the extent to which this vid picks a vibe and commits to it. Glorious revelry.

Ne Me Quitte Pas by purplefringe
Pushing Daisies | 3:39 | G
Summary: The truth is that there are a lot of people like you, us, with strange hobbies or talents or gifts and we try to hide it because we’re afraid that it makes us seem weird or turn people off, but that’s a mistake. What makes me unique has bought every person I love into my life.
An ensemble vid for Pushing Daisies, to Ne Me Quitte Pas by Regina Spektor.
Music: Ne Me Quitte Pas by Regina Spektor
     + Spektor's beat structure is such a great match to the series' comedic rhythm. An excellent ensemble vid that's chock full of colourful joy.

Shots by mithborien
Robin Hood: Men in Tights | 3:40 | G
Summary: "Because, unlike some other Robin Hoods, I can speak with an English accent." Made for Club Vivid 2017.
Music: Shots by LMFAO ft. Lil Jon
     + There's something about an incredibly stupid dance tune - there's so much possibility for vidded delight. The source material's a good tonal match for the song and, yeah, there's something about sardonic masculinity here in paticular. All of the shots with the arrows are also great: excellent recurring bit.

Odds Are by Nestra
Schitt's Creek | 3:02 | G
Summary: We're gonna be all right.
Music: Odds Are by Barenaked Ladies
     + Schitt's Creek, BNL, and character development. Emotional journeys, comedy, positivity, things falling apart and getting put back together, better. Sweet.

Blindfold by littleheaven70
Secretary | 4:37 | NC-17 | Lee/Edward
Summary: "Put both your hands on the desk palms down."
Music: Blindfold by Morcheeba
     + Tension, kink, and the plot of the film, basically (so there's self harm and domestic violence in another of Lee's relationships). The song's a great temporal fit for the film and a smoky delight.

Wait for It by RhaegalKS
Star Trek | 2:18 | G | Kirk/Spock
Summary: Between Generations and the events that triggered the Reboot, Spock is alone for nearly 100 years. Fortunately, Vulcans are very patient.
Music: Wait for It by Leslie Odom Jr.
     + Hamilton and Star Trek are another great tonal match, in a *chinhands* kind of way, and then it's this amazing tragic space opera. The beginning is in black and white and then there is colour and we are moving through space and everything is excellent. Dramatic and satisfying.

Gasoline by melodytree
Yuri!!! on Ice | 2:41 | G | Victor
Summary: Victor's pre-canon depression
well my heart is gold but my hands are cold
Music: Gasoline by Halsey
     + This entire vid is edited like a fabulous skating routine, which is to say with dead-on physical and emotional beats.

Born Free by cndnsdmlk
Belle | 3:27 | G | Dido Elizabeth Belle/John Davinier
Music: Be About It by Lira
Summary: If you don't like how it is, what you gonna do to change it?
     + Belle's journey, her place in the world, and fight. Tense and triumphant and emotional.

an idea whose time has come by beethechange
Buzzfeed RPF | 12,931 words | PG-13 | Ryan/Shane
Summary: Or: 5 times Ryan Bergara sort of joked that they should blow this popsicle stand,
+1 time he definitely didn’t joke about it.
     + It's a love story, slow, and with long term planning.

want you in my room by beethechange
Buzzfeed RPF | 13,425 words | NC-17 | Ryan/Shane
As they watch, Tall Guy takes his beanie off, revealing a mess of thick, shiny brown hair. He runs his hand through it to shake out the hat hair and Ryan feels like he’s stuck in an Herbal Essences commercial, except he’s the one making inappropriate lustful noises.
Ryan adjusts his snapback, determined. He is, after all, wearing his very finest basketball shorts, without even a single hole at the hem, and the knowledge puts an extra spring in his step.
“I’m gonna climb that dude like a tree,” he tells Curly.
     + Wherein Ryan flirts and woos and Shane is oblivious, but also into it, sometimes in spite of himself. A bit charming and funny.

An Arranged Marriage by Josselin
Captive Prince | 17,785 words | NC-17 | Damen/Laurent
Afterwards his father only remarked, “His features are very fine.”
“I am not marrying him for his features,” said Damen.
“No, you are marrying him for his dowry,” said Theomedes.
     + A what-if AU, where Laurent fixes everything, basically. It's been a while since I read this, but I remember lots of plotting and untangling along with a slow-blooming romance.

Hold It All At Bay by psocoptera
Check Please! | 49,957 words | NC-17 | Jack/Bitty
Summary: The theory of extrapolative synchronization of the mirror neurons was debunked back when he was still in his teens, so Jack is reluctant to mention that he can smell Bitty's pies baking from across campus.
     + Different take on the soulbonding thing. Angst, how the things you get taught as a kid can mess with you, and overcoming that. Possibly my favourite thing about this fic is actually Jack's anxiety crocodile metaphor. (I didn't watch the video linked in the authors notes until long after I read the fic and was trying to re-find it, but it's a super cute animated French short with English subtitles.)

Bones by mithborien
Crimson Peak | 4:15 | PG-13 | Edith Cushing
Music: Bones by MSMR
Summary: "Ghosts are real, this much I know." An Edith Cushing fanvid.
     + This vid is beautiful and absorbing in a way that made me feel like I hadn't seen the film. (Not the case.) Ghosts and monsters and fantastic pacing.

In Geneva by copperbadge
Doctor Who | 9,398 words | PG-13 | The Doctor/Lethebridge Stewart
Summary: The Brigadier was always a companion on his own terms.
     + The Doctor pops in on Lethebridge Stewart, and stays. Domestic and satisfying.

Soldier by runawaynun
The Expanse | 2:56 | G | Chrisjen Avasarala/Bobbie Draper
Music: Soldier by Ingrid Michaelson
Summary: The battle with the heart isn't easily won.
     + Learning to put your trust in someone and fighting by their side. I haven't seen this source material but their story is clearly epic - politics and space walks and gun fights and fleeing in space.

The Unexpected Legacy by FayJay
Guardian | 84,339 words | NC-17 | Shen Wei/Zhao Yunlan
Summary: Bonibaru said: "I woke up with the hazy image of a Regency AU where Zhao Yunlan comes of age and goes to take over his dead mother's crumbling estate home to escape his domineering father. There he meets a very attractive person - I couldn't choose between a butler or a librarian, but there are so many other choices - but it was very dark and gloomy on the moors and Shen Wei looked amazing, so. Also, there was a ghost, or is really a dark energy creature? Shen Wei has all his powers. Zhao Yunlan has many suspicions but also many inappropriate thoughts."
So - I'm not promising that this will be a full length story, but we're going to have a crack at a bit of Gothic nonsense, Guardian-style. Although I've already taken liberties with her concept, and will doubtless take more...
     + Basically: England, 1813, and fairies instead of Dixing. Zhao Yunlan comes into his inheritance, thrice. (If you wanted an 80K Regency nonsense AU for this fandom, here it is. It's probably also pretty accessible without any canon knowledge.)

Catch Your Voice by lavvyan
Marvel | 14,180 words | PG-13 | Clint/Phil
Summary: Clint keeps telling himself he's not obsessed with Coulson. From the way Natasha keeps laughing at him, she's not buying it either. But it's only a crush if you know what the other guy actually looks like, right?
     + Clint totally has a crush, and he flirts, and pines, also.

Problem by CherryIce
Marvel | 3:18 | G | Carol Danvers
Music: Problem by Natalia Killa
Summary: That girl is a problem. A Carol Danvers vid.
     + Punching and explosions, flights, fights, the anatomy of a woman, friendship, family, and maybe true love. (I haven't seen this source.)

You Are My Baby by hexenmeister
Marvel | 2:46 | G | Gen
Music: You Are My Baby by Kimya Dawson
"you are my baby, but you don't belong to me / what you become, that is up to you."
     + Feelings. Family, parenting, growing up, and grieving. Miles and his father and Uncle Aaron and the spider-verse.

Love You Like That by smilebackwards
Multifandom | 1:27 | G | Gen
Music: Love You Like That by Dagny
Summary: You've got the real thing.
     + This is such a great little shot of happy. There's friendship and dancing. (It's also a bit of a different source mix than I tend to see in multifandom vids, temporally, and that was kind of delightful.)

in the hack by thingswithwings
Schitt's Creek | 2,718 words | G | Alexis/Twyla
Summary: After Ted, and before the Next Thing, Alexis joins a curling team. She's great at it, because, what, like it's hard?
     + I really enjoy Alexis and her competence and the slow unfurling thing with Twyla.

Protein Crystals and Other Precious Stones by CherryIce
Schitt's Creek | 8,240 words | G | David and Alexis
Summary: It’s been at least six months since David’s had to emergency courier Alexis a passport, and it’s great. It really is. It’s what he’s always wanted, David reminds himself, trying not to scratch at what definitely aren’t stress hives on his arms.
OR: Alexis Rose finds something unexpected that she's good at. (She's probably not running a cartel.)
     + AU, captures the whole David-Alexis vibe and had me wheezing with laughter.

High Mountain, How I Long by Minimalistless
The Scum Villain's Self-Saving System | 14,019 words | NC-17 | Luò Bīnghé/Shěn Yuán;Shěn Qīngqiū
Summary: Shen Qingqiu, after enduring his trial, is placed into Luo Binghe’s custody at Huan Hua Palace.
     + So one of the author tags is melodrama? ...and Shen Qingqiu and Luo Binghe are ridiculous people. There's strategic dramatic suffering in the rain to gain sympathy and identity stuff and plot device tea and multiple levels of power differentials and angsty history between them and an incredibly saccharine happy ending. *hands*