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.

I threw this playlist together last summer in advance of a wedding day I figured I'd have a lot of downtime around since I wasn't in the wedding party; the wedding was great but the downtime didn't happen so much.

01. Wonder Woman (2017) | Titanium by Anoel | 2:50
You shoot me down, but I won't fall.
Wonder Woman as the indestructible warrior, who made herself into a blade and then chose how to wield that power. This feels like something to dance to, full of furious confidence and so many goddamned feelings about Diana of Themiscrya.

02. Pride (2014) | This Sullen Welsh Heart by futuransky | 3:49
You can't keep on struggling when you're alone.
A vid about helping your fellow man and victory amidst defeat, maybe. It reminds me of that Margaret Mead quote ("Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed, citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.") and is full of feeling and how the small things matter and can be great. Unions, allies, friendship, love, and oppression. It's like a beautiful dream that everything would be alright if we could all just hold hands.

03. Imagine Me & You (2005) | Come and Find Me by chaila | 2:51
I would guess that you put something up my sleeve.
Luce and Rachel's love story, distilled, sweet and lovely, set to a kind of hopeful longing Josh Ritter song, and more syrupy than the film itself - a glorious wallow.

04. Yuri!!! on Ice | Never Look Away by helcinda | 3:37
Some nights we're choking on the words / But some we light on fire
A devastating combination of physical and emotional beats with an intro like a dance, spliced skating synced to music like a good routine and transitioning to a profusion of feelings and events. Yuuri and Victor are excellent and so damn human and so in love and it's that - lovely and joyful and utterly, utterly human.

05. Hamilton RPF | I Gotta Feeling by elipie | 4:07
Go out and smash it!
The experience of being a Hamilton fan unfolded a lot like this for me; there's a sense of discovery and excitement and possibility, footage of the stage and backstage and actors and all of the same types of clips I was plowing through - a sense of excitement not just for what was on the stage but the process of getting it on the stage and what it meant for the people involved in that and what the production and the process and its success meant for the players and the audience. (Like, yeah, tonight's gonna be a good good night.)

06. Space RPF | Going through space with the world by bironic | 2:08
From "day in the life of an astronaut" videos to international stardom; or, Chris Hadfield and his adorable mustache.
This vid does exactly what it says in the summary and is this quiet lovely utterly captivating build of science communication and music and laughter and space and learning and dreams and this man who captured our hearts. Well-structured and completely charming.

07. Pacific Rim (2013) | The Breaking Light by such_heights | 4:22
Let your lion heart cleave the waves.
This vid renders fight scenes delicate. It's about loss and hope and kinship and is a really great reading of the film. The Vienna Teng song it's set to does a good a good job of helping to strip the source down and exhibit all of this physical and emotional vulnerability; this vid draws on the source's themes and makes everything feel very real and emotionally proximate while also sustaining this strong atmospheric mood. I'm gibbering, basically, but this vid does all kinds of cool things and is just lovely.

08. The Martian (2015) | Pompeii by milly | 2:47
"In the face of overwhelming odds, I'm left with only one option, I'm gonna have to science the shit out of this."
This is another vid that captures the meaning of its film source - this is The Martian's survival story, science and flailing and ridiculous victories and the terrible shit that just happens. It's a story of triumph and humans human-ing. There are some neat beats with light in this that I've stared at a lot but mostly when I watch this vid what goes through my head is how am I going to be an optimist about this?; it drives that message through. I love it.

09. Hidden Figures (2016) | Phenomenal Woman by odessie | 2:33
Breaking boundaries and chasing fire
If Laura Mvula had done the film's soundtrack I imagine the experience would have felt like this, that is- glorious. The three leads fly.

10. Black Panther (2018) | Shrimp by such_heights | 0:45
"Just because something works doesn't mean it can't be improved." A Shuri vidlet.
This vidlet does an excellent job of showing just why Shuri is so many people's favourite; she's the best. This thing is fun and kind of adorable.

11. Star Wars | Desperado by fightingarrival | 3:06
There ain’t nothing here for me anymore, but I don’t want to be alone. (A WisCon 41 premiere)
Finn's relationships with Poe and Rey - that joy and optimism and hand-holding - set against what they're fighting against. This vid feels sexy the way noir films are, like something balanced on an edge about to fall over.

12. A Dorothy L. Sayers Mystery (1987) | Heroes by starlady | 3:19
We can be us, just for one day
When Peter and Harriet first meet in the series he falls in love, instantly, and she likes him well enough but is going through an ordeal, just got out of a serious relationship, and there's an unequal power dynamic between them, so she turns him down and it is absolutely the right thing to do. Harriet works on recovering and Peter tries to be there for her without getting in the way or hurting her in the process. There's all of this delicious pining and working on their relationship and doing work so that they can be in a relationship before they get together, and that's what this vid is - that striving, and that dream. It made me go seek out this adaptation and then, when I was trying to write this, go watch it again.

13. Elementary | Puncture Repair by purplefringe | 1:48
I leaned on you today (and I have promises to keep)
Pain and tragedy and need countered by support and companionship and friendship. Quiet and gorgeous.

14. Multifandom | Stand By You by thingswithwings | 4:01
Male privilege is a shield; you can choose what you use that shield for.
Watching this vid without crying has been an effort. There's a kind of purity to it - that it's all of these moments of true partnership and teamwork and respect and trust and friendship and support; it's beautiful and it makes me cry. It's probably why this playlist exists and is basically my wish for my friend and each one of us, that we have this, but with less peril. (Goals, cultural.)

So, another fandom tab dump:

the dogfather by hollimichele
Harry Potter | PG-13 | 47,681 words | Harry, Sirius/Remus
“I’m not a reverse werewolf either,” says the man. “I’m your godfather.”
+ I enjoyed this. I remember it as, like, soft gen fuckyoucurtain!fic. (Fuckyoucurtain!fic is an HP genre, clearly; I don't remember what it's actually called, okay.) This is like a gentle AU, nestled up alongside the books, featuring a better way to live. I really liked how Harry constructed his identity as an adoptee.

Bidirectional Interpolations of Newly Emergent Thirst Traps: A Study by Siria
Buzzfeed RPF | PG-13 | 2,276 words | Ryan/Shane
Summary: Shane's got a problem.
+ I am about this title and this was a fun read.

been a forest burning by oflights
Hockey RPF | NC-17 | 53,932 words | Barrie/Landeskog
Summary: Omegas have to be bonded by 25 to keep playing in the NHL; either they have someone they've chosen themselves, or the league makes them pick from an anonymous pool of alphas. Tyson turns 24 with no prospects and no real plans for any just yet, and Gabe knows that as his captain and friend, he has to help him out. So he does.
+ I still have no idea who these people are and was in it for the tropes. Good trope exploration. Reads like a solid forced marriage fic with interesting layers.

the gift we cannot destroy by susiecarter
Star Trek | PG-13 | 5,793 words | Bashir/Garak
Summary: Julian has no soulmark. He knows what that must mean, and he's learned to accept it. Meeting Garak, getting to know him, is almost enough to make him think—but it's not possible. Garak must have a soulmate, and there's simply no way it could be Julian. Right? (Or: five times Julian thought he was alone, plus the time he realized he'd been wrong all along.)
+ I loved this? Soulbonding with twisty people and kind of slow burn-type feel.

I Only Have Pies for You by RabbitRunnah
Check Please! | G | 2,959 words | Jack/Eric
Summary: Jack Zimmermann keeps up with his neighborhood's Facebook group only so he can keep an eye out for lost dogs during his morning run. Until the day one of his neighbors starts giving away pies.
+ Some days all I want is fic about pies and people falling in love to pies. Accidental romance and mixed media.

all our plans are useless indeed by hazel
Rivers of London | R | 6,511 words | Grant/Nightingale
Summary: Thomas’s back and knees creak alarmingly when he gets out of bed these days. He’s still an early riser, up with the birds, but it’s getting more and more tempting to stay in bed where it’s warm and comfortable, to perhaps hint to Molly that she could bring him breakfast on a tray and he could rise afterwards, perhaps even start work at a later hour.
He doesn’t. He is the last wizard of London and he doesn’t know what will happen when he dies.
(Thomas Nightingale, 1900-, wizard.)
+ I love this Thomas through time stuff and the moments sketched out here and the picture that they build of his present.

Something Smart to Do by kianspo
Star Trek | R | 21,322 words | Jim/Spock
Summary: In which Jim finds himself fake-married to his first officer every other month. It's not his fault. Mostly. Dowries and Klingons are involved. Starfleet is decidedly not amused.
+ Fake married and Winona is in this, also there are various missions and Pike.

Into You Like a Train by hannasus
DCU | R | 54,472 words | Oliver/Felicity
Summary: Felicity Smoak’s only reservation about taking a job as script supervisor on John Diggle’s latest film is the lead actor: Oliver Queen. He’s a former teen heartthrob with a reputation for bad behavior and a messy drug habit that tanked his once-promising career. Now, five years after he disappeared off the Hollywood radar, Queen’s looking to make a comeback. But has he really cleaned up his act, or will his attitude problem make Felicity’s life a living hell for the nine-week shoot in New Orleans?
+ Basically exactly how I would like my 50K+ het AUs in fandoms I do not follow. Solid with slow relationship development and some mild pining.

Five Soda Maximum by chaya
Critical Role | PG-13 | 36,832 words | Mollymauk/Caleb
Summary: Someone asked for: High school AU with Molly and Caleb, each wishing they had the guts to ask the other to prom.
And you know what? Sometimes I'm going to write perfectly canon things, and sometimes I'm going to write the ridiculous things that make people happy. So here we are.
+ Summary's accurate. There's a lot of friendship development stuff and a good chunk of the characters live in a foster home. There are fuzzy animals, also.

Single Ladies by AbsoluteDestiny
The Young Girls of Rochefort | G | 3:11
Music: Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It) by Beyoncé
+ Bright and colourful with dancing. \o/

100 ½ by Franzeska
Multifandom | - | 3:33
Music: Emily by Mika
Summary: Is this more or less self-indulgent than crawling under the table and shooting myself in the head?
+ I'd never heard the English version of this song before and there's a line in there that sank its claws into me, because I know those words, and there's all this source material I don't know, from vids I haven't seen, edited into a cohesive whole, and I am not done staring at this.

Anywhere Is by Settiai
Tin Man | G | 3:20 | DG
Music: Anywhere Is by Enya
Summary: "I walk the maze of moments / But everywhere I turn to / Begins a new beginning / But never finds a finish."
+ This is something that goes in a rec set I started mentally compiling in '10 or '11.

I Don't Feel Like Dancin' by JetpackMonkey
Multifandom | G | 2:59 | Jackie Chan
Music: I Don't Feel Like Dancin' by Scissor Sisters
Summary: Jackie Chan and the Art of the Flailing Fight
+ I was watching this as a pick-me-up a few months ago. Flailing, fighting, dancing, physical comedy; this is great.

Ave Que Emigra by fiercynn
Multifandom | G | 3:32
Music: Ave Que Emigra by Gaby Moreno
Summary: Vengo desde muy lejos. [A vid about immigrant families.]
+ I have a lot of feelings about this.

This is Us by dkwilliams
Yuri!!! on Ice | G | 3:54
Music: This is Me by Keala Settle and The Greatest Showman Cast
Summary: We are brave, we are bruised, and this is who we're meant to be.
+ Falling and climatic victory skating and feelings and split screens. Ensemble.

Instruction by winterevanesce
Multifandom | G | 3:02
Music: Instruction by Jax Jones ft. Demi Lovato
Summary: "All my ladies, report to the dance floor."
+ Pop ladies, dancing. I really liked the Lovato editing choices. This was fun. (Also: so many different videos united here.)

Closing Time by Trelkez
Multifandom | PG-13 | 4:35
Music: Closing Time by Semisonic
Summary: The vid that closed VividCon. "You don't have to go home, but you can't stay here."
+ I have never been to VividCon and this made me cry I am pretty sure? Finales and that Semisonic song that is written on my heart and the trip to Chicago that I am never going to take.