Doing my best

A collection of things that pleased me :)

[clytemnestraaa]

one of my creative writing professors once said that to evaluate a work as good or not, first you ask what the work is attempting to do, and then you evaluate how well it does it. and this is how to judge everything from critical essays to romance novels to snack packaging to theory tracts.

[lazzarella]

Potentially overlooked or underwatched queer films I think are worth watching: a list by me

A very succinct title for this post, I know! lol TAG

My 'methodology' for this was just to sort my Letterboxd list of all the queer films I've seen by popularity, so it's clearly not foolproof and people are welcome to disagree with me about whether any of these films are overlooked or underwatched XD it's really more just films I don't see talked about often when queer cinema comes up, or films that may be more overlooked by casual watchers, so if you're steeped in the history of queer cinema you'll probably be like 'wtf, these aren't overlooked at all, you fool!' But, yeah, that's my little disclaimer because I am an anxious person

I've grouped some of the films by theme to make it a little easier for me and I've also linked to the Letterboxd page for each film so you can see the summary so this post doesn't get TOO long

One more note: as I was compiling this list, I realised basically all these films are about cis men. I think this is a combination of those making up the bulk of queer films I've seen + the ones that aren't either being better known or just really not good (or I don't remember them well). But, yeah, it really showed up the blind spots in my viewing! Feel free to leave recs too fill in those blind spots (or any other recs)

I think I'm probably going to do separate lists of Australian queer films and one for 90s/00s queer rom coms? Yes, no, maybe, I don't know? So there aren't many of those on here for that reason

ANYway! For anyone who doesn't want to read more of my ramblings, here's just a list:

Desecration, 2024

Kapana, 2020

Dakan, 1997

The Donald Strachey movies 2004-2008

Riot, 2018

That Certain Summer, 1972

An Early Frost, 1985

The Burying Party, 2018

Benediction, 2020

Brother to Brother, 2004

Wildhood, 2021

When I'm Sixty-Four, 2004

Hard Paint, 2018

DESECRATION 2024 // KAPANA 2020 // DAKAN (DESTINY) 1997

All three of these films were made in countries where homosexuality was illegal at the time the films were made (and I believe still is in two of them). They're also, as far as I'm aware, the first queer film produced in each country

Desecration (Nigeria) has been watched by 5 entire people on Letterboxd! It is not what I would call a 'good' film and the sound mixing is so poor I missed a lot of the dialogue, but I have SO much respect for not just independent filmmakers telling their stories with whatever means they have, but for people telling stories like this in particular. As I said, I would not call it a 'good' film, but I think it's worth watching if you have any interest in queer stories, especially from people and countries that may not often get to tell their stories, let alone on a more global scale

You can watch it on YouTube

Kapana (Namibia) is another independent film but I'd consider it 'better' than Desecration (and happier). While it's a romance, it also explores the reality of people living with HIV/AIDS in Namibia and, again, it's the kind of film I think is 'important' to watch for the same reasons as Desecration

You can watch it on YouTube

Dakan/Destiny (Guinea) is the most watched and probably better known, but I wanted to add it in here too. It's also probably the 'best' of the three and a film I can see myself revisiting. Like the others, it's the first queer film out of its country, but this was made in the 90s! And, from memory, there is a frankness to it that was sometimes elided in western media at the time. It's a brave film that was also clearly made with love

THIRD MAN OUT 2005 // SHOCK TO THE SYSTEM 2006 // ON THE OTHER HAND, DEATH 2008 // ICE BLUES 2008

I already did an entire post on the Donald Strachey films, so I won't repeat myself, but go watch these movies if you like hardboiled detective stories/noir pastiche and cute husbands, I highly recommend

Oh, and they're very different, but two other queer films in the murder mystery genre I'd recommend are The Last of Sheila (which Rian Johnson was inspired heavily by for Glass Onion) and Deathtrap

RIOT 2018

Riot is a fictionalised look at the gay rights movement in 1970s Australia. People are SO harsh on Australian films and it makes me sad, but I remember thinking this was not only genuinely good with some very solid performances, but it's so rare to get films about Australia's queer history. (If you want more on that, the docuseries Queerstralia is well worth a look as well)

I could probably do a post just on Australian queer cinema if anyone wants me to (or even if you don't :P)

THAT CERTAIN SUMMER 1972 // AN EARLY FROST 1985

The only thing these have in common is being TV movies, but I'm putting them together anyway

That Certain Summer is a lot better and more engrossing than I was expecting a TV movie to be (which I think shows my own bias more than anything) and is one of the earlier films I've seen that deals with a father/son relationship. It's a sensitive and empathetic portrayal

Plus, you get to see a young Martin Sheen (with, I might add, magnificent hair, say 'militant straights').

An Early Frost is a TV movie about a lawyer who discovers he has AIDS and this was shown on network TV at the height of the epidemic. It was actually number one in the Nielsen ratings the night it aired and was nominated for 14 Emmys (winning 3) but I rarely see people talk about it these days. (That could just be that I'm somewhat reclusive, even online lol) And it was really good imho!

Oh, and the screenplay is written by Ron Cowen and Daniel Lipman who also wrote/produced the US version of Queer as Folk

If you're looking for other 80s films about HIV/AIDS, I'd also recommend Buddies (which was devastating) and Parting Glances (I think this is pretty well known for starring a young, beautiful Steve Buscemi), which was actually lighter than I'd remembered it being when revisiting it

THE BURYING PARTY 2018 // BENEDICTION

The Burying Party is a crowdfunded film about Wilfred Owen, who has been one of my favourite poets since high school. (If you've not read any of his poems, at least read his most well known Dulce et decorum est, which doesn't shy away from the horrors of war.) It's obviously low budget, and less than an hour long, but made with a lot of care and love. I actually backed the kickstarter, or whatever it was, and I'm currently trying to figure out if I'm able to download the film from Vimeo where I 'own' it. But, yes, I think it's very good for what it is!

Benediction is far better known, being a Terence Davies (RIP) film that got cinema and festival screenings, but as it's about Siegfried Sassoon (Owen's mentor - afaik they never had a physical relationship, but they seemed to have loved each other dearly), I just wanted to note it.

BROTHER TO BROTHER 2004

Brother to Brother is one I don't remember super well, but it stars Anthony Mackie as a young gay man who befriends an older gay man who was a writer during the Harlem Renaissance. I pretty much never see anyone talking about this film, but I'm a sucker for an intergenerational friendship, especially with queer stories or stories about other marginalised people sharing their history

(Also of note, but far better known, is Looking for Langston. And, while we're talking about Isaac Julien, Young Soul Rebels is brilliant! And Mike from Heartbeat is in it haha)

WILDHOOD 2021

Wildhood is an incredibly tender and special film (though with a brutal start) about the main character finding himself and reconnecting with his heritage (his maternal lineage is Mi'kmaq) and is also essentially kind of a road trip movie, too, which I'm a sucker for. Really, really beautiful film!

The only other queer film I've seen with Aboriginal Canadian* characters is Fire Song, but I don't remember it well

*sorry if that's not the right term

WHEN I'M SIXTY-FOUR 2004

When I'm Sixty-Four is the film for you if you want some ~old man yaoi. It's soooooooo beautiful! I don't have anything else to say about it, but it was just so lovely and moving and ugh. I need everyone to watch it!!

HARD PAINT 2018

Hard Paint is another somewhat difficult watch with a cathartic ending. I just adore films about loneliness and lonely characters. Beautiful film, visually and otherwise, and I remember it having a cracking soundtrack too

A few others I'd like to mention that I don't remember well enough to write about (and, also, I'm tired and just want to post this): A Date for Mad Mary ; Alice Junior ; Cop Secret ; Golden Delicious ; The Leather Boys ; A Very Natural Thing ; Naz & Maalik ; Princess Cyd ; Coming Out 1989 ; O Fantasma ; Winter Kept Us Warm 1965 ; Some Nights I Feel Like Walking and I could keep going foreverrrrr. Might have to do a second part to this post one day?

And I'm planning on doing a post just on Marco Berger's films one day, but for now, I'll say, Plan B, Hawaii, Taekwondo and The Astronaut Lovers are all gorgeous!

MY OTHER REC POSTS // LIST OF ALL QUEER FILMS I'VE SEEN

Also, I never usually do this, but I'm going to be cheeky and tag anyone who liked and/or commented on my post about whether or not I should make this post. Feel free to scroll on by and ignore it though! Or tell me to never do this again. Or even block me if it's really annoying and/or inappropriate!!

@soiledtaste @gotmehookedonthekpop @icouldshowyoumyscar @lillisfandomcorner @befuddledcinnamonroll @jennaflare @purplelilies @moonlightchickpea @department-of-expired-sounds @wondersofwhump @manogirl @vital-information @berestweys @lookmhees @subtextsays @sillycatsofanime @claudiasharon @wispraus

[gaslit-dipshits]

[appalachian-werewolf]

PoweredByWho — Who's Building Data Centers in Your Backyard?

Follow the money behind America's data center boom. Track 2,300+ projects, PAC spending, and the politicians who sign off on it.

[reasonsforhope]

Reasons for hope: Lots of amazing people did a ton of work to make this fantastic, fully interactive resource available - because no matter how bleak things seem, there are millions, and millions of people doing everything they can to protect both the world and their own communities.

You can use this to view and subscribe to updates, project statuses, and for at least some of them even whole dossiers. This is an amazing resource, I highly recommend checking it out

[fishing-princess]

I Defeated the Demon Lord but it Turns Out the Demon Army was Largely Unaffected and I Fell Victim to a Flawed Belief in Great Man Theory

[leftcosine]

I Executed The Demon Lord With One Flawless Strike And After A Brief Power Struggle The New Demon Government Is Substantially More Committed To The War Because Of Some Reason I Don't Know

[humanfist]

I Successfully Overthrew The Demon Lord And Instituted Demon Democracy But They Voted For A Commie So The CIA Not Some Fantasy Equivalent The Actual CIA Who Have Known About Magic And Alternate Realms The Whole Damn Time But Won't Just Unisekai Me Launched A Counter Coup And That's When Things Really Went To Shit

[lupusbaby]

Say it with me! Wheelchairs aren’t sad! Mobility aids aren’t sad! Mobility aids are instruments of freedom!

[goth-princess-gwennie]

Forgive me if this is inappropriate but

So are

colostomy bags

Diapers

insulin pumps

Oxygen systems

Braces

[cuntpunkop-ed]

catheters

rollators

hearing aids

compression garments

prosthetics

FREEDOM AIDS

[seraph1c-mo0n]

- canes

- service animals

- noise cancelling headphones/ear defenders

- wheelchair attachments

- fidgets

IT’S DISABILITY PRIDE MONTH YALL

BE UNAPOLOGETICALLY DISABLED AND TAKE UP ALL THE SPACE AND TIME YOU NEED!!!!!

[telomeke]

[ID–

Image posted by Tumblr user @‌‌‌‌‌cuntpunkop-ed is the Disability Pride Flag, created by disabled activist Ann Magill. The flag is made up of diagonal stripes in muted colors on a medium gray background (the strong colors of the original lightning bolt flag were triggering for some with visual disabilities). The diagonal stripes are:

muted red;

pale gold;

a very light gray (almost white);

light blue;

soft green.

End ID.]

‌

[blckgirlacid]

I need my weird alone time or I will explode

[victusinveritas]

There's worse to come, folks. Strap in and stay strapped.

[keyara-nyasha]

[mini-wrants]

Outdoor in sun perfec t place for president to do speech! Outdoor very warm very soft put old man on green lawn under sun. Put old man in warm sun. no problem ever in warm sun because good view and audience can see long speech. Nice podium outdoor sunny perfect place for old president can trust warm sun to give nice view to President good luck to President. friend sun.

[paper--machete]

it bothers me that you often don't really hear about people having a "favorite album" the way they might have a favorite movie or favorite video game

[paper--machete]

fuck it. reblog this and tell me in the tags what your favorite album is

[flowerbeasblog]

Melodrama in Moonlight Chicken

“You can’t make films about things, you can only make films with things, with people, with light, with flowers, with mirrors, with blood.” - Haynes, Fassbender, and Sirk

Back when I was in uni, for one of my classes I ended up reading a piece of film theory called "Tales of Sound and Fury: Observations on the Family Melodrama" by Thomas Elsaesser.

What Elsaesser is really interested in discussing is the American family dramas and brightly-colored romances of the 50s and 60s, but, for me, something that stood out is the way that he wrote about the concept of "melodrama," and how that it manifest itself in works such as Moonlight Chicken.

So I wanted to write sort of a cross-film, cross-genre analysis that works its way through examples of classic melodramas (All that Heaven Allows, Ali: Fear Eats the Soul, and Far From Heaven) into Thai shows such as Moonlight Chicken and Ticket to Heaven to discuss common threads and themes.

I also want to highlight why Moonlight Chicken's status a queer drama is so powerful, and how Aof Noppharnach's (the show's director's) focus on the visual language of the series culminates in one of my favorite scenes of all time.

(Post continues under the cut below- brief heads up that it's a little long!)

Melodrama

I.

Elsaesser touches on a couple different definitions of melodrama, so let's start with the first: a more classic understanding of the word.

He writes that,

In its dictionary sense, melodrama is a dramatic narrative in which musical accompaniment marks the emotional effects. This is still perhaps the most useful definition, because it allows melodramatic elements to be seen as constituents of a system of punctuation, giving expressive colour and chromatic contrast to the storyline, by orchestrating the emotional ups and downs of the intrigue." (pg. 172)

In terms of an example of this, we might think about about "melodramatic" moments in soap operas or maybe even lakorns, where dramatic scenes are paired with intense music.

If you've even seen To Sir, With Love or a number of other Thai lakorns, you know exactly what I'm talking about- there's so many moments through out the show that are key examples of this.

It might seem counterintuitive to think about the word "melodrama" paired with the word "music," but this actually comes from the original definition of the word.

Historically, in the eighteenth century, melodramas referred to "Victorian dramas in which orchestral music or song was used to accompany the action." However, the definition of the word has expanded since then.

II.

Thinking about how the film industry has changed over time, Elsaesser proposes a second way to define the term:

Considered as an expressive code, melodrama might therefore be described as a particular form of dramatic mise-en-scène, characterized by a dynamic use of spatial and musical categories... [that] allow for complex aesthetic patterns. (pg. 173)

He notes that with the advent of sound, films switched from having a live piano accompaniment as the only thing punctuating the emotional highs-and-lows of the story to spoken words/dialogue.

Elsaesser theorizes that because early directors had to develop "an extremely subtle and yet precise language...of lighting, staging, decor, [etc]" (pg. 173) to compensate for things (i.e. tension, tonality) that could only be expressed through words, a switch was made when sound was introduced.

He argues that, just as speech in the modern film world "loses some of its semantic importance in favor of its material aspects as sound [i.e. diction]," then conversely "lighting, composition, and decor increase their semantic and syntactic contributions to the aesthetic effect. They become fundamental and integral elements in the construction of meaning. This is the justification for giving critical importance to the mise-en-scène over intellectual content or story value" (pg. 173-4).

Thanks for staying with me, because I know that these pieces of theory might seem a little overwhelming.

But essentially, what Elsaesser is trying to say is that around the 50s-60s, key aspects of the American family melodrama were not only expressed through dialogue/sound, but also through stuff such as set design, color, and frame composition. Minor elements of a film were used to call attention to a character's mental and emotional state of mind.

All that Heaven Allows, Ali: Fear Eats the Soul, and Far From Heaven

Source: Criterion

Douglas Sirk was a famous director of melodramas, including well-known works such as Written on the Wind (1956) and Imitation of Life (1959) I'll use one of his films, All that Heaven Allows- as well as its various adaptions (Ali: Fear Eats the Soul and Far From Heaven)- to provide examples of Elsaesser's theory.

All that Heaven Allows (1955) follows the story of Cary, a widow who falls in love with her much younger arborist, Ron. Their relationship very much is a forbidden romance, especially since the two have an age gap and come from different social classes (coupled by the fact that Ron was previously a contractor that Cary hired).

Members of Cary's community- including her friends and her adult children- disapprove of their relationship, which is met with a lot of backlash. In the end, however, Cary decides not to let other people determine how she lives her life- choosing to end up with Ron.

Stills that highlight Sirk's use of color (Source: film_magic)

Sirk's directorial style is characterized by an extreme attention to aspects of filmmaking such as color theory and mise-en-scène. All that Heaven Allows is not an exception- like Elsaesser suggests, the film translates melodrama and emotional tension into even the smallest details.

For instance, during one seemingly minor scene, Cary's children gift her a TV, intending for it to keep her "company" instead of Ron. As the gift is revealed, the camera zooms closer and closer to the screen, eventually focusing on Cary's distorted reflection.

Daniel Lehman has a much more extensive deep-dive into this scene, but I'll touch on some of his key ideas here.

The particular framing of the shot, with "the placement of Ned and the TV man on either side of the television, while Cary is seen only as a reflection within, suggests her removal from their world as a whole. She does not fit in with them anymore; it seems as if she no longer cares to, either. She is observing her own detachment from the socialite crowd that she was once so content to be a part of."

Even smaller aspects of the scene, such as the colors used in the background and the movement of the camera (which creates a "revelatory" shot), add to its impact.

Lehman notes that,

"This is not because of some technical trickery by the filmmaker. Rather, the scene is shot in such a way to earn this response from the viewer all on its own. We know Cary’s character well enough to know what she is thinking and what her next action will be, all without any verbal hints, and are enraptured by her inner turmoil displaying itself onscreen."

This fits closely with Elsaesser's idea that a melodrama's mise-en-scène (lighting, montage, visual rhythm, decor, style of acting, and music) help "translate...character into action" and "action into gesture and dynamic space" (pg. 176)

The television scene- although a minor moment- becomes almost the turning point of the film as it prompts Cary to reflect on her decision to leave Ron behind. Later, it helps spur her to give their relationship another try (thus moving character into action).

Before I move on from All that Heaven Allows, I think one other interesting observation is that this focus on mise-en-scène may (in part) be due to the Hays Code.

The Hays Code, which lasted in the US from 1934 to 1968, imposted self-censorship regulations over major motion pictures. Under the code, everything from profanity to showing a man and a woman sleeping in the same bed could be cut from a film.

Source: Margaret Herrick Library Digital Collections

Correspondence between the film's team and the Motion Picture Association of America shows the extent of which aspects of All that Heaven Allows were picked over.

Contrary to what you might expect, Elsaesser actually argues that (at times) restraints on what directors could talk about or cover actually allowed for more sophisticated melodramas. Directors began to explore a "conscious use of style-as-meaning" (pg. 175), which was a distinct improvement.

After All that Heaven Allow's release, the film was adapted two more times- once in 1974 by German director Rainer Werner Fassbinder, and again in 2002 by Todd Haynes.

Posters for Ali: Fear Eats the Soul and Far From Heaven

Fassbinder's adaption, Ali: Fear Eats the Soul, increases the age gap between the characters and changes several other factors. By having Emmi, a 60 year old German woman, fall in love with a much younger Moroccan migrant worker, Ali, Fassbinder is able to ruminate on differences such as race and immigration status.

Emmi's friends, co-workers, and neighbors all discriminate against Ali, and disapprove of their relationship.

However, Emmi isn't the most accepting person herself. On the wall of her apartment hangs an entire rack of medals earned by her deceased husband, who was a soldier in the Nazi military.

The presence of these medals constantly looms over the film as a whole. It seems almost inevitable that, since Emmi still supports some Nazi ideals, their relationship is already doomed to last.

Like with the TV, the appearance of one piece of decor and/or mise-en-scène is highly revealing of characters' "emotional and psychological predicaments" (pg. 174).

Similarly to Fassbinder, Haynes' 2002 film Far from Heaven, expands on the melodramatic potential of All that Heaven Allows- this time exploring topics related to sexuality, class, and gender roles.

While working on the movie, Haynes noted that,

"While the look and style of those '50s melodramas are anything but realistic, there's something almost spookily accurate about the emotional truths of those films. They are hyperreal, that's why we call them melodramas. Because they are about the kinds of things that are close to our private, personal lives, like falling out of love with somebody.” 

Melodramas may get a bad rep as "over-the-top" or "unrealistic," but, as a genre, it's more than that. It's fundamentally centered around these inner truths- characters' thoughts, feelings, and experiences.

Melodramatic Potential

It might not be surprising to hear that all three films I've discussed above were either produced by queer directors (Fassbender, Haynes) and/or starred queer actors (Rock Hudson as Ron All that Heaven Allows, although the extent to which he was "out" at the time is complicated).

I think that as almost a sub-genre, queer melodrama (or really any melodrama connected to or about a marginalized group) is particularly strong.

These types of films have something to say. Actors and directors who have already experienced discrimination can tell some of the most powerful stories- they already know what it's like to live through some of these moments, or to exist on the margins. And melodramas are the perfect format- they often comment on or are critical of social, cultural, and political issues.

Thus, it's not a coincidence that the Thai films and shows I'll talk about next also position queerness next to the intersection of class, poverty, and disability.

These works, which take on the "roughness" of life compared to the more smooth, glassy world of most BLs, are uniquely suited to analyzing using this theory.

Moonlight Chicken

Moonlight Chicken has two qualities that make it ideal for looking at it through the lens of melodrama.

According to Elsaesser, in order to create "style-as-meaning," the best melodramas require "a highly self-conscious stylist" (pg. 175).

Compared to other directors in the industry, P'Aof has sometimes been cited as an "auteur" filmmaker, one who has a specific sort of "style, vision, and thematic focus" across his body of work.

I should note that I think some credit is also due here to the show's cinematographer, Rath Roongrueangtantisook, who had a massive impact on the show's lighting. P'Aof and Rath have collaborated on almost all of P'Aofs most well-known works (Ticket to Heaven, Last Twilight, etc), and they really compliment each other in terms of visual style and environmental storytelling.

Based on attention to color that P'Aof has paid in other works where he hasn't collaborated with Rath (such as Bad Buddy), as well as different connections between color and politics (as observed by @telomeke), it's likely that he had specific involvement in and intent behind choosing the color scheme that he did for the series. So I'll mainly move forward with P'Aof's collection of work and vision as the focus, but I'll credit/include Rath whenever possible.

(I should note that although Elsaesser's paper relies on the concept of auteur theory, I'm not always the biggest fan of it. I think often in filmmaking it's more collaborative than that- for instance, P'Aof and Rath could have brainstormed ideas together, and that's where the idea for the color scheme could've come from. It's possible that Rath and/or other people involved in the production could've had a significant impact on some of things discussed below. I think it's important to acknowledge that as well, since determining who did what and if auteur theory fits can be kind of tricky).

Like Sirk, the use of color throughout Moonlight Chicken becomes particularly important. P'Aof extends color not only into the character's outfits and surroundings, but also into lighting- including when the characters step outside the realm of the restaurant. The streets at night are constantly awash in colors of reddish-orange and blue.

In general, directors and filmmakers do pay a lot of attention to aspects of color and mise-en-scène- the set designers in The Next Prince, for instance, subtly alter the color scheme and design of Khanin's bedroom after he returns back home from Emmaly in order to indicate how although he's grown, some parts of his life are still the same.

But I typically find P'Aof's work to be more highly stylized than that of most other BL directors. A few other examples of (similarly) highly stylized Thai queer works include Flat Girls, Gelboys, and Clairebell.

I think another component of Moonlight Chicken- as well as the works listed above- is that they aren't afraid to extensively touch on topics such as poverty, injustice, and disability.

Something that I've noticed about a subset of BLs/GLs (and really various romance shows/films in general) is that they sometimes dilute extreme angst and/or hardship in shows. Conflicts are resolved easier, without the messiness and angstiness of what would happen in real life. In addition, sometimes works choose not to cover certain "messy" topics- instead smoothing things over (i.e. the wealth gap between rich and poor characters, and how that would substantially impact a relationship- rather than just one or two scenes that showcase it).

I don't mean to be too hard on media like this, as I know many people (including me) watch shows as an escape, so a complex breakdown of the systemic issues linked to poverty isn't always a good fit in shows (especially in what's supposed to be a lighthearted romantic drama). Rather, I think what I'm trying to say is that when the main focus of the story is on romance, aspects of the plot that would provide the most melodrama are occasionally toned down (or result a positive outcome, such as the villain apologizing and being forgiven). And since melodramas often have things to say about social, cultural, and political issues, this is an area may get "cut."

On the contrary, I feel like P'Aof isn't afraid to touch on these topics. I think this willingness to embrace serious issues (i.e. homophobia and religion in Ticket to Heaven), speaks to how his dramas always seem to carry with them unique "emotional truths"- they have something to say about intergenerational relationships, economic policy, disability, etc.

For me, this melodramatic potential- which is at the heart of P'Aof's work- translates into everything, including aspects of mise-en-scène. For P'Aof, "color, lighting, and decor...[become] absolutely "fundamental and integral elements in the construction of meaning" (pg. 173).

To return to discussing Moonlight Chicken more in-depth, one example of this idea is the collage of pictures hanging on the back wall of Wen's apartment. Like with the medals in Ali: Fear that Heaven Allows, it looms in the background far before being acknowledged by the main characters. Once you realize that Wen is still hanging onto photos of his ex, conflict between Wen and Jim seems inevitable.

This brings me to one of my favorite shots from the show, and possibly one of my favorite reveals of all time.

In episode 5, Li Ming heads into Heart's room to help comfort him after a particularly upsetting argument with his parents.

As Li Ming hugs him, the camera mostly faces the characters' front or side profiles, but then a switch happens. The camera suddenly begins to shoot from behind them, altering the viewers' point-of-view. Now we can see what P'Aof was so careful to have hidden from us- a mound of sticky notes covering the wall of Heart's room.

They're notes from his parents, who refuse to learn sign language. Writing is one of the only ways that he can communicate with them.

There's some other telling aspects of mise-en-scène, too. Against the back wall is a picture of himself as a kid, alone. There's a keyboard that he is either is no longer able to use, or that he might have trouble using.

Attached to the wall is a sign-language poster, and a word cloud filled with words such as "interaction," "language," "body," "people," "social." From looking at this side of his room, it's clear how isolated Heart feels, and how desperately he wants to connect with his parents.

P'Aof was careful not to reveal this part of Heart's room until after this particular moment- he wanted to underscore the severity of the divide between Heart and his parents. If it wasn't clear earlier, it becomes clear now that the conflict between them can't easily be solved.

In this scene, the only warm light comes from Li Ming's corner. In the mirror shot, it's revealed that the light forms a line that connects to Heart's head, visually representing the relationship between the both of them.

On top of that, Rath and P'Aof switch from a more balanced color palette to one drenched in shades of blue.

Rath is really fantastic at things like this- as @respectthepetty notes, he often uses lighting to hint at the emotional atmosphere of the scene, rather than just the characters' wardrobe. This is something that's characteristic of his work- you can see more examples of this in non-P'Aof productions here.

This use of color extends into the argument scene. Heart's mother's face is constantly shaded in darkness, as blue turns into black. One of the only light sources in the room comes from the staircase- Heart's only method of escape.

There's a lot more to say about lighting and framing in this scene- @telomeke notes that by using isolated close-ups of Heart and his parents, P'Aof almost makes it feel like they're talking into the void.

When we finally get a wide shot, it reveals that there's a blue accent wall next to the staircase, which stands in direct contrast to the white colors of the kitchen. By positioning Heart's parents on one half of the divide (and/or only slightly past it), P'Aof emphasizes the separation between all of the family members.

Something else of note is how in episode 1, when we visited Heart's family's house for the second time, the environment was lit completely differently. It still has a blue tinge, which speaks to Heart's feelings of sadness, but the color isn't quite as intense. There's a gloominess, a seriousness to this conversation that's reflected in the lighting- the atmosphere in the room feels depressing.

There's a lot of ways to interpret this color change. First, it allows the viewers to possibly come to conclusions about Heart- that because he isn't able to speak up and because he's sitting next to his parents (thus seeming like a unit), he agrees with their views and is similarly mean. These expectations are subverted when we learn more about Heart and his family's situation.

Second, when Li Ming visits the house for the first time, we return back to the blue/yellow color scheme. Throughout the show, one of the core themes is opposites- characters like Jim and Wen as well as Jim and Li Ming are positioned as direct opposites from each other (@respectthepetty). Thus, contrasting colors like blue and yellow/orange often stand in for or represent different characters.

When Li Ming first enters the house and tries to drop off the delivery at night, these blue/yellow colors are prominent. In the morning, they're suppressed by Heart's parents. Night is a freeing time for so many of the characters in the series- Heart and Li Ming, for instance, are only able to venture out on the motorcycle to explore at night.

In the morning during the argument scene, Jim is the only "warmth" in the room- the only one wearing a brightly colored shirt. Jim attempts to support Li Ming's side of the story, but ultimately fails to exonerate him since there's no evidence. The power imbalance between Jim and Heart's family means that Li Ming will never be able to "win"- he'll always have to give into their demands. This overbearing, oppressive feeling strips the room of almost any warmth.

In contrast, at night (and while the parents aren't home), Heart and Li Ming feel more free- they're more able to show aspects of their personality and be themselves.

Lastly, one could argue that this difference in lighting indicates how the show's domestic conflict hasn't quite reached its peak. There's a growing feeling of tension, as well as a sense of distance between the characters- almost like a facade of a "perfect family" that Heart's parents are trying to put on. We often get more saturated colors such as blue and yellow during moments of proximity or extreme melodrama (I'll come back to this idea later).

In comparison to Heart's house, Jim's house is more brightly lit and warm. It has less of an oppressive, overbearing feel. The blue/yellow colors here (as well as framing), are used to represent the "oppositeness" of the characters, as well as the divide between them.

So much could be said about color in P'Aof's and Rath's work(s)- enough for another extensive post- but I wanted to point this out because these examples are somewhat similar to how Sirk utilizes color in his films.

During the television scene in All that Heaven Allows, Sirk brings back the color red to indicate themes of conflict and desire. For both directors, color takes on additional social-political meaning within the context of the story- @telomeke touches on how the yellow/red colors in Moonlight Chicken can be connected to the ideology of different political parties, as well as issues related to class.

In addition, you might notice that Sirk plays with lighting a little; twisting the color of Cary's reflection in the tv screen. The golden glow of the family gathering fades when she studies herself in the reflection, which is such a beautiful detail.

Haynes once observed that,

"What’s beautiful about Sirk['s work] is that every frame is a complementary palette. Every single scene, regardless if it’s happy or sad, plays with an interaction of warm and cool colors. It’s so powerful."

Similarly, aside from conflict-driven scenes, P'Aof consistently embraces a warm-cool color palette. Like with Sirk, this allows the feeling of melodrama to linger within the visual language of the work itself- a constant reminder of how everything within the series is bittersweet. Just as the color scheme of the series is in flux, so too is its "emotional temperature" (pg. 181).

Aside from color, another similarity between All that Heaven Allows and Moonlight Chicken the "revelatory" nature of certain scenes. Like the television scene, the sticky-note scene is a revelatory moment that allows us to gain more insight into the characters' minds (and thus imagine what Li Ming and Heart might be thinking and feeling).

The notes on the wall also translate character into action, as they're both the explanation and the impetus for what Heart has done (and what he might do next). In this way, objects are given additional, more complex meanings.

This is one of P'Aof's strengths as a director. @waitmyturtles observes that P'Aof has "a genius of showing many facets to the same [person]...he [often] critically shies away from singular or dualistic interpretations of his dear characters." So many moments throughout Moonlight Chicken are key examples of this- they prompt different reevaluations of the same characters.

For instance, the presence of the keyboard in Heart's room raises questions- why does he have it? Is he hanging onto something that he already had before he became deaf? (I can relate, as although I'm not deaf, I too hold onto things that I used to be able to use pre-disability lol.) Was music previously one of his passions, making dealing with aspects of disability even more challenging?

Or is it more likely that he acquired it more recently? During episode 4, when Heart and Li Ming visited the church, a piano player was present. Is it possible that Heart bought the keyboard after the visit, in order to see if he could similarly sense/feel the vibrations produced by playing music- this time experimenting on his own?

Or did P'Aof intend it as more of a callback/reference to the visit itself (and the impact that it, as well as his relationship with Li Ming, has had on him)?

Since the keyboard isn't revealed until episode 5, any of these interpretations are possible. Such an object refuses only one specific perspective.

Before I move on to covering some of P'Aof's other works, one last thing of note is how the sticky note scene happens towards the end of episode 5. At the beginning of the episode, we spent some time with Wen, exploring his past relationship as well as re-living moments where he put photos of him and his ex up on the wall.

By bookending the episode between these two scenes, P'Aof is also drawing parallels between Wen and Heart, and the way they feel stuck in both relationships. It's a clever use of storytelling that, on top of all of these smaller details, makes me love this episode even more.

P'Aof and the Family Melodrama

Less so with A Tale of Thousand Stars, but more so with Bad Buddy, Last Twilight, and Ticket to Heaven, a recurring theme in P'Aof's work has been conflict within families.

Elsaesser writes that the family melodrama:

"more often records the failure of the protagonist to act in a way that could shape events and influence the emotional environment, let alone change the stifling social milieu. The world is closed, and the characters are acted upon. Melodrama confers on them a negative identity through suffering... (pg. 177)

Characters like Jim and Heart are shaped by their experiences with disability and poverty. The systemic nature of so many problems discussed in the show, such the impact of economic policies on restaurant owners (see @waitmyturtles' amazing post for more details), means that the main characters will "fail" to fully solve these issues.

In addition, Elsaesser observes that, in the domestic melodrama,

"the social pressures are such, the frame of respectability so sharply defined that the range of 'strong' actions is limited. The tellingly impotent gesture, the social gaffe, the hysterical outburst replaces any more directly liberating or self-annihilating action... The dramatic configuration, the pattern of the plot, makes [the characters]...constantly look inwards, at themselves and others...In Sirk, of course, they are locked into a universe of real and metaphoric mirrors" (pg. 177)

We can see these patterns play out in P'Aof's work, as well. In Last Twilight and Moonlight Chicken, the characters are so boxed-in and restricted that even leaving the house becomes an act of resistance. (Note how, post-argument, Heart runs back up to his room instead of exiting the house/going out the front door).

The face-to-face confrontations in Moonlight Chicken evoke introspection- when is it time to move on? Can generational differences and/or differences in wealth stand in the way of a relationship? Are Jim and Wen fundamentally "too different" to be together?

Aside from the sticky note scene, mirrors also surface in episode two of Ticket to Heaven during a moment where the main character, Tanrak, feels stuck and detached from the rest of his community. As much as mirrors are revealing in P'Aof's work, they can also feel endlessly restrictive.

This mirror scene also fits in with what Elsaesser calls the "intensified symbolism of everyday actions" (pg. 178). This is where the significance of an ordinary gesture, such as Jim and Li Ming both tickling their partners' chin (observed by @telomeke), becomes heightened (thus signifying the similarities between both of them in an intergenerational gesture).

In addition, aspects of a melodrama's setting and decor help reveal characters' emotional and psychological turmoil, as I've touched on earlier.

As much as Moonlight Chicken really maps onto the way Elsaesser conceptualizes the category of a melodrama, there's one interesting way it does not.

Some directors, such as Fassbinder, embrace plots which have almost circular endings and/or pattern(s). For instance, at the end of Ali: Fear Eats the Soul, we discover that Ali has been sent to the hospital. The doctor diagnoses him with a stomach ulcer, which he notes is common among foreign workers due to the high levels of stress that they experience.

The ulcer can be removed, but because Ali must continue working (both him and Emmi are working class- not rich by any means), it seems inevitable that the ulcer will return, and Ali will have to go through the same thing over and over again.

If not cyclical, sometimes melodramas have neutral or slightly negative endings, mimicking the reality of life.

P'Aof's works, on the other hand, pretty much always have happy endings where the characters end up together. Aside from embracing aspects of queer joy/perseverance, this is one way that his series borrow from the anti-melodramatic format of some BLs.

Curiously, though, one could also observe that the predicament P'Aof in is very similar to Sirk's.

In the past, Sirk talked about being constrained by the Hays Code and the studio system, noting that:

“At least I was allowed to work on the material—so that I restructured to some extent some of the rather impossible scripts of the films I had to direct. Of course, I had to go by the rules, avoid experiments, stick to family fare, have ‘happy endings,’ and so on. Universal didn’t interfere with either my camera work or my cutting—which meant a lot to me.”

One could argue that, to a certain extent, GMMTV works and BLs/GLs are also limited by the need for a happy ending. Series require funding, so it's more ideal for the company if the characters end up together. Thus, Moonlight Chicken ends optimistically, even if a slightly different ending might've been more "realistic."

However, film scholar Laura Mulvey also observes that, although "All That Heaven Allows...[has] a happy ending, its 'happiness' is twisted with more than a touch of Sirkian irony."

Somewhat similarly, throughout his works P'Aof sometimes avoids a truly "perfect" ending. For instance, Jim still perseveres by starting a food truck business, but he loses his restaurant. In the final episode of many of his shows, his characters often initially don't get everything they want.

I think Moonlight Chicken, as well as other works such as Gelboys and Clairebell, are so fascinating for this reason- they straddle different genres, conventions, and expectations. In some ways, Moonlight Chicken has more in common to 50s melodramas such as All that Heaven Allows than it does to shows like My Love Mix-Up!, which is kind of crazy to think about.

Before I end the post, there's one more observation about melodramas that I think might be interesting to bring up.

For Haynes,

"the most amazing melodramas are the ones where when a person makes a tiny step toward fulfilling a desire that their social role is built to discourage, they end up hurting everybody else. It’s like a chess game of pain, a ricochet effect where everybody gets hurt but there’s nobody to blame.”

In P'Aof's works, these bullets frequently ricochet, impacting everyone- Heart receiving a minor injury after leaving the house becomes a slight against his parents for "not asking for permission," Tanrak accidentally being locked outside with Barth becomes inexcusable for "not calling for help" and "not following the rules." A minor act of rebellion unintentionally hurts everyone around them, as "family members" (parents, church leaders) are filled with stress and concern.

In these types of melodramas, the smallest actions and the tiniest objects- sticky notes, pressed flowers, a keyboard, a bag of roti- become stand-ins for larger, more all-consuming problems.

If, as Sirk, Fassbender, and Haynes all note, “You can’t make films about things, you can only make films with things," then objects have the potential to become deeply revealing elements of a story.

End Notes

Thanks for reading! This post was super film-theory driven, so it was kind of fun to write- it was nice to revisit stuff that I learned a while ago when I was in uni.

Hopefully I explained Elsaesser's ideas well- I tried to make them as easy to understand as possible, but since I don't have a proofreader I have no one to cross-check that with lol.

Elsaesser is really coming at this from an American '50s and '60s media perspective, but I thought that his ideas were unexpectedly a good fit for P'Aof's works- it maps onto them super well. Because I'm extending his theory a bit not everything might fit/be applicable (he's thinking mostly about Western media), but I thought that it might be interesting to try since cross-cultural connections have happened.

In addition, there's an interesting connection between lakorns and the idea of melodrama. The Drama Wiki notes lakorns' similarities to Hispanic telenovelas in that they prioritize emotional involvement over "following the story rationally." I feel like some of these older American melodramas are the same in that emotions become a key component (almost the purpose) of the story. This is another reason why I feel like it might be applicable to extend Elsaesser's theory, as P'Aof is probably familiar with different elements/structural patterns of lakorns and lakorn-series hybrids.

Aside from other aspects of production, I would be curious to learn more about Rath's background, too, as well as what inspired his distinct style. There's also such a big change in his usage of colored lighting between A Tale of Thousand Stars (2021) and Never Let Me Go (2023). I couldn't find any English interviews with him about his work, so please let me know if I missed something!

[themaniacisinthemailbox]

[themaniacisinthemailbox]

still thinking about how perfect a flag this is for human space exploration. Shapes and symbols can change meanings between people and cultures currently, let alone hundreds or even thousands of years into the future.

And what is the purpose of placing a flag on a foreign planet? It’s a way to say “we were here.” And the one, immediate symbol that any other human who came to the same spot any number of years later would be able to recognize a human hand. Even if governments change and collapse, we all understand a handprint.

and if you found yourself somewhere where you wanted to mark humanity’s presence, but didn’t have a flag with you? Well, you have your own hand.

[dreaminghour]

The short in question

[telomeke]

This is a delightful interview with Director Aof Noppharnach Chaiyahwimhon, providing some scintillating insights into his process, his inspirations, and some background to Ticket to Heaven (and also A Tale of Thousand Stars and Moonlight Chicken, to an extent).

Of special interest was his revelations about the acting methods of Gemini Norawit and Fourth Nattawat, and how they hold an object or concept as a psychological and emotional anchor for their characters, making me think very much that he must have some background in theater.

And also Director Aof's constant and generous framing of his work within the Death of the Author mindset, encouraging us to form our own opinions about motivations, metaphors and symbols, even while revealing that there was much thought that goes into crafting what we get to see and experience.

A gift, really–

[katal0gue]

The way that we learn about Helen Keller in school is an absolute outrage. We read “The Miracle Worker”- the miracle worker referring to her teacher; she’s not even the title character in her own story. The narrative about disabled people that we are comfortable with follows this format- “overcoming” disability. Disabled people as children. Helen Keller as an adult, though? She was a radical socialist, a fierce disability advocate, and a suffragette. There’s no reason she should not be considered a feminist icon, btw, and the fact that she isn’t is pure ableism- while other white feminists of that time were blatent racists, she was speaking out against Woodrew Wilson because of his vehement racism. She supported woman’s suffrage and birth control. She was an anti-war speaker. She was an initial donor to the NAACP. She spoke out about the causes of blindness- often disease caused by poverty and poor working conditions. She was so brave and outspoken that the FBI had a file on her because of all the trouble she caused.

Yet when we talk about her, it’s either the boring, inspiration porn story of her as a child and her heroic teacher, or as the punchline of ableist, misogynistic jokes. It’s not just offensive, it’s downright disgusting.

[roachpatrol]

the reason the story stops once hellen keller learns to talk is no one wanted to listen to what she had to say

how’s that for a fucking punchline

[cookinguptales]

Another part of the story that is often conveniently omitted is that Anne Sullivan, the “miracle worker” in question, was also a visually impaired woman (and abolitionist) who faced her own struggles finding accessible education. That was why she was able to teach Helen Keller and connect her with resources that would allow her to flourish in academia. When Helen Keller was railing against poverty-induced diseases that caused blindness, she was talking about things like trachoma which was what had caused her friend’s vision loss.

The fact that Sullivan is often portrayed as able-bodied in retellings of their story is indicative of the narrative that is most comfortable for an ableist society: that accessibility and equality are gifts bestowed upon the disabled by able-bodied heroes. Disabled children are never taught that they have the power to lift each other up, and that’s a crying shame.

[musashi]

Hey can you guys reblog Cheeseburger so he can take a sunbeam nap on lots of blogs. No other reason I just want you guys to see him.

[musashi]

So, Cheeseburger died on November 21st after an unfairly short battle with an unfairly rare cancer that is rarely seen in cats. I only got to spend a month with him after his diagnosis, and losing him has been the greatest heartbreak of my entire life so far. He was my best friend and my soul cat, and he was there for me when I was completely alone, for twelve long years.

I made this transparent PNG the night he died in preparation for one of the many ways I was going to memorialize him--a surface rug in his likeness that I planned on laying directly in the line of his favourite sunbeam. And I uploaded that PNG here, because this is the website where people post their cats.

I was not expecting the reception I got. Many people have pointed out that this post has more reblogs than likes, and how insane that is in 2025 when reblog culture is at an all time low. I didn't even talk about the fact that Burger passed away in the original post, it wasn't a tearjerker reblog bait or anything like that. People just loved Burger that much, in the same way I fell in love with him at first sight. He was such an ugly kitten.

Anyways, it's really special to me that so many people have reblogged my best friend. I made this PNG to memorialize him in a completely different way, and you all wound up doing just that in ways I never even imagined.

Thank you. Wherever he is, I know the sun is shining.

[depsidase]

Positive climate change news — just gonna share some recent and recent-ish news stories about climate change that are mostly not doom and gloom. i pay a lot of attention to this stuff for work so i am inundated with these stories. i would like to post this stuff more often so if you’re into this, let me know and i will try to do so.

most of these stories are positive, some of them kinda straddle the middle, and towards the bottom i have some stories that are not as positive but i still think people should know about. balance is needed. we can’t become doomers leading us to apathy or being paralyzed by anxiety. but we also can’t become complacent as if this isn’t something we still need to care about. it's all hands on deck!

Renewable energy

In a First, Renewables Beat Natural Gas on U.S. Grid Last Month

Solar to overtake coal on Texas grid for the first time ever this year

Seven countries now generate 100% of their electricity from renewable energy

Trillions Of Dollars Committed To Fossil Fuel Divestment

Clean energy saved EU €51 billion in 2025 by cutting fossil fuel imports - as solar leads the way

US renewables boom despite Trump attacks

Blowin’ in the Wind: How Nordic Countries Made Electricity Free

How Pakistan’s people-led solar boom is easing impact of Middle East energy crisis

Clean power scale-up moves the global electricity sector past fossil growth

Spain just became one of Europe's cheapest power markets. Here is how.

Solar energy is taking off across Africa

Asia Races Ahead on Clean Growth While the West Idles: Polman

A new economic superpower could spark a global retreat from fossil fuels

The case for co-locating offshore wind parks and nature reserves

Spotlight On Texas As Trump Makes Solar Power Great Again

Solar, Wind Emerge as Canada’s Cheapest New Power as Prices Fall by Half

California’s Battery Array Is as Powerful as 12 Nuclear Power Plants. Here’s What’s on the Horizon.

Global Energy Transition Investment Grew in 2025 Despite Major Obstacles; Here Are the Numbers

Inside the world’s largest renewable energy park – proof the green transition isn’t dead

Uruguay’s Renewable Charge: A Small Nation, A Big Lesson For The World

Solar keeps the lights on in Jamaica

Bhutan PM on leading the first carbon-negative nation: ‘The wellbeing of our people is at the centre of our agenda’

Australia has so much solar that it’s offering everyone free electricity

4.6 Billion Years On, the Sun Is Having a Moment

International cooperation

Countries pledge €3.4bn for climate adaptation, biodiversity protection and water security

UN votes to support strong action on climate change despite US efforts to thwart the effort

International treaty protecting world's oceans to take effect

Electric vehicles — i know, EVs are not the solution. disclosure: i don't drive and have never owned a car. i do think we should be working towards cities that don’t require vehicles at all—focusing on active transit, public transit, and cities designed to be walkable. we should focus the transport of goods to trains and not big clumsy dirty loud diesel smoke spewing trucks. and the suburbs—which were developed around the automobile—really shouldn’t exist at all and we do have to find a way to transition out of that way of doing things over time. of course, outside of cities, people are still very much going to need vehicles still. but the transition is going to require both.

and we have to stop burning gasoline and diesel fuel yesterday. it's bad for the climate. it's bad for our health. it's bad for our wallets. there's literally nothing good that comes from it. it's just bad things all the way down.

Close to 30% of cars sold this year are set to be electric as countries and consumers respond to energy crisis

EVs Offset 70% of Iran Oil Exports as Crisis Speeds Up Energy Transition

Most EV batteries outlast their cars, real-world data shows

Used EV sales jump in Europe as Iran war drives up petrol prices

The first country to BAN the sale of new gas cars is doing just fine, actually

Soaring electric truck sales deal new blow to diesel use in China

EV sales are up everywhere in the world — except North America

Consumption, etc

EU ban on the destruction of unsold clothes marks a turning point for fashion waste

South Koreans shift from plastic to aluminium as recycling awareness grows: survey

Repair Manifesto

Scientists Create Biodegradable Packaging Film That Matches Plastic Performance

Toronto slashes single-use waste by third, plans to expand bylaw

Not-so-positive climate stories that you should still absolutely be paying attention to cuz c’mon it’s your world too

‘Point of no return’: New Orleans relocation must start now due to sea level, study finds

Extreme heat threatens global food systems, UN agencies warn

Paths carved into boreal peatlands for oil and gas exploration could be speeding up climate change: study

Experts Failing to Account for Ripple Effects from Extreme Weather, Paper Warns

US data shows Arctic winter sea ice could break last year's record low

Pace of Global Warming Nearly Double Since 2015 While Heat and Drought Combine More Often

Western Canada glaciers suffered 2nd-greatest ice loss on record in 2025 — i don't think people in north america realize how critical this is, that these glaciers supply water to major rivers that go to three separate oceans, they literally supply freshwater to the continent and they are projected to be gone by the end of the century. that's water necessary for ecosystems, agriculture, drinking water, everything.

How microplastics are chipping away at Earth’s ‘natural shield’ against climate change

Other stuff — assorted stuff, mostly good news

‘Stop Creating Climate Risk,’ Survey of Global Business Execs Urges Governments — even shithead capitalists want climate action as its actually better for business. imagine that! a habitable planet is better for business! also, and maybe this is more of a thing in countries dying of terminal neoliberalism, but can we just take a moment to laugh at the idea of business execs urging governments to do something about climate change when they've been the ones fighting tooth and nail to not pay taxes or strengthen environmental regulations or tax carbon emissions?

London, San Francisco and Beijing achieve ‘remarkable reductions’ in air pollution

Mangroves are making a comeback. It’s a rare climate success story.

Climate Change Responsible for Half of Insurance Premium Increases Since 2008

U.S.-Owned Oil Sands Giants Send Profits Out of Canada Despite Public Support for Resource Sovereignty

60 Orgs Reject Public Subsidies for LNG

New national law will turn large parking lots into solar power farms — cool idea coming out of south korea. we should be doing this everywhere along with green roofs on buildings.

‘We’ve done it before’: how not to lose hope in the fight against ecological disaster

Climate action can feel slow – but the fastest energy leap in history has begun

[snommelp]

So, I’ve been pulled over a few times in my life. Not many, but a few. And I’ve also been in a couple of cars that got pulled over. And let me tell you, if you were actually doing something wrong, the officer doesn’t make any small talk, just straight into “I clocked you doing 70 in a 55.” The only time I’ve ever gotten the “do you know why I pulled you over?” was the time when I wasn’t doing anything wrong, and I got let go even though he insisted to the end that I was doing 87 in a 70 (white privilege at work).

“Do you know why I pulled you over?” is a trap. It means there’s a good chance the officer doesn’t actually have a good reason to ticket you, and is trying to get you to waive your 5th Amendment rights and incriminate yourself. If you make a guess, that’s a confession of guilt.

But there’s another trap, that I’ve heard of but haven’t yet experienced. It’s “do you know how fast you were going?” With that one, they’re hoping you’ll say no, because then they can name whatever speed they want – you just said you didn’t know how fast you were going, if you deny the speed they name then you’re lying to them.

[themightytej]

Oh, I’ve had that one. Go with “yes.” Don’t give them a number, just say “Yes.” Then they still have to offer a number and you can deny it without contradicting yourself. They could just ask you, at that point, but that’s suspiciously similar to saying they don’t know, and they tend to avoid doing that.

[fattyatomicmutant-deactivated20]

Reblog to save a life

[suspiciouslysharklike-deactivat]

if you scroll past this just because it doesn’t affect you personally, i see you.

[dovewithscales]

Also, you can always go to court and contest a ticket, and a lot of times you’ll win. Or if the cop thinks you’ll win they won’t even show up and you’ll win by default.

They like to target out of state plates because anyone who would be majorly inconvenienced by a court date two months away is a lot more likely to just pay it.

[prismatic-bell]

Also READ YOUR TICKET

I had a cop try to claim I’d turned left on red on an unprotected light while texting and that was why I got T-boned.

I had my dad drive me through the intersection where I got hit and took photos of the (very much protected) light, then got them printed.

When the judge asked me to plead I said not guilty and that I’d like to present evidence, if I could come up to the bench. He agreed.

I walked up, set down my photos, put my flip phone on top of them, and said “Your Honor, I’ll plead guilty as soon as the officer can explain how I was texting on this.”

(Note for younger folks, this was 2010. Some flip phones and phone plans supported texting. Mine was not one of them.)

The whole ticket was a lie. I was in fact considered at fault for the wreck–if you’re turning left in Arizona you’re automatically at fault–but the ticket was dismissed because it was a protected light and I had a phone that physically could not text.

Cops lie on tickets. All the time.

Read the whole thing. Don’t dispute it with the cop. Dispute it in court.