#media recommendation

[capricorn-0mnikorn]

I saw your tags on the frodo and chilchuck post, and if you were refering to dunmeshi, I think it'd be really worth your time!

My favorite character in the story, Mithrun, fails your 1001 problems test on multiple accounts (motivated by revenge, antagonist in the story), but he's still one of the more nuanced, respectful, and hopeful portrayals of disability I've seen in fiction, as well as being one of the first times I've seen a character need an almost constant caretaker because he can't handle his own ADLs, while also being portrayed as competent, respectable, and cool.

I'd be really interested in what you think of him, and if you find the ending of his story as deeply (positively) affecting as I do. He's only barely been introduced in the anime, so if you want his full story you've gotta read the manga.

Thank you for the recommendation!

For those who don't know what Anon, here, means by "your 1001 problems test" (though I prefer 'template' to 'test'),* it's what I came up with for Disability Representation (inspired by the "you're just describing what's in a story" vibe of the Bechdel-Wallace Test):

There's a disabled character (does not have to be the "Good Guy," or even a Primary Side, character -- might even be an NPC)** ✔

Who wants something for themselves ✔

Beyond just Revenge, Cure, or Death ❓ [Does Mithrun want something more than just revenge -- a second goal, perhaps?]

And tries to get it (as opposed to being how the nondisabled hero proves their saintliness, by getting it for them). ✔

*A template is a tool for giving something the shape you want -- it's not something you pass or fail.

**Why NPCs count: Back when I owned a TV, and channel surfed, I could tell in a fraction of a second if a crowd in the background was a news report or fiction. The nonfiction crowds always had a disabled person somewhere. The fictional crowds, even big city ones, never do. And in episodic TV shows, if a random disabled person is in an early background crowd scene, they're gonna turn out to be Plot Relevant™ by the end of Act Three -- Chekhov's Crip, if you will.

Disabled people deserve to be represented as an ordinary part of Human Diversity.

[thefrogprinceofbellair]

again happy anniversary!!! and just out of curiosity have you seen the movie repo! the genetic opera

Thank you!! We had a really great anniversary weekend together. I can’t believe I’ve had this man in my life for five years now! (Even though it’s our first wedding anniversary)

I have not. In fact I had not heard of it until now but it looks right up my alley! I’ll have to watch it sometime soon and let you know what I think. Thanks for the recommendation!

I’m always excited for new media recommendations, if you ever think of a movie or book or anything you think I might like, medical or otherwise, send a suggestion my way.

[katiebug586]

Honestly, it's criminal how underrated Pelswick is. As a cartoon created by a disabled cartoonist, it's incredible how pro-disability and anti-ableist it is. The entire moral of Pelswick is essentially 'Treat me like you would a normal person, you weirdos', with it not afraid to delve into the inherent issue with infantilizing disabled people and how some people act all righteous but are really just being performative.

I re-watched "Hear No Evil, PC No Evil" last night (Yes, the PC does indeed stand for 'politically correct') and I don't think it stuck with me that much when I first watched it a couple years ago, but wow. The plot is basically that Pelswick's dad is seeing a supposedly multi-ethnic woman named "Spagna", who turns out to be one of the most infantilizing characters I think I've ever seen on TV. She refuses to see Pelswick as a kid who happens to use a wheelchair, instead acting as if he's helpless and needs everything done for him because he's such a 'poor, helpless' boy. She ends up accidentally 'Sigmund Freuding' herself into calling Pelswick the C-word when he rightfully tells her off for treating him like he's some kind of fucking charity case, then loses her shit because how dare she say the c-word, (like yeah, you shouldn't, but there's a couple of other things you need to work on first, lady) and scrubs her mouth with a soap she conveniently has on hand and leaves the house sobbing. Pelswick's dad immediately says he's breaking up with her after she leaves. Not for the c-word comment, I don't think, but "have you ever seen somebody so PC in all your life?".

I vaguely remember there being another episode where Pelswick got suspended because he refused to make his ventriloquist dummy or whatever they were with a wheelchair because gasp! he sees himself as himself, and doesn't base his whole character and personality on being paralyzed. There was another where he couldn't go on a school field trip to go camping because of his wheelchair, even though Pelswick does snidely remark that he's the only kid who couldn't accidentally get paralyzed.

Not ALL of the episodes involve Pelswick being infantilized though, there's plenty of episodes that revolve around him being a kid and doing dumb kid shit without his wheelchair being brought into question other than it just being there, which I think adds to the point I was trying to make with the three episodes I mention. However, when the subject/issue DOES come up, Pelswick doesn't just nod his head and take it, he ends up giving out various clapbacks (sometimes with the help/vague advice of his guardian angel, Mr. Jimmy) to them. And more likely than not, these people end up outing themselves as being ableist shitheads anyway.

Pelswick does need some aid/help, his house has an elevator installed so he can get to the second floor, and a ramp he can use instead of steps, but that's miles better than just assuming he needs everything done for him.

Anyway, if you enjoy good disabled representation and want a recommendation, watch Pelswick.

[red-rax]

Really great interview with Stu Mackenzie of King Gizzard where he goes over all the stems one of his songs piece by piece and explaining how it all came together

[lierdumoa]

Thoughts on Warrior Nun

I really enjoyed Warrior Nun and I haven’t seen anyone talking about it on tumblr. For one thing, it’s full of lesbians.

Spoilers ahead:

I also found it intriguing from an media analysis standpoint. It essentially gave Christianity, and specifically Catholicism, the Stargate treatment, which was a trope subversion I haven’t seen before.

It’s such an overused and tired Western media trope -- what if the Egyptian gods were aliens? What if the pyramids were built by aliens? What if there were science fiction rationalizations for ancient religions? But it’s always an non-Christian religion that becomes the subject of this particular thought experiment. It’s the unspoken rule of Hollywood that Christianity’s off limits. 

You can make a fantasy/sci-fi movie with a Christian mystery at the center, but the mysticism has to be preserved. The movie/tv show can’t just say “there’s a science-fiction explanation for this.” The movie has to be just open ended and mysterious enough about the subject matter to not be considered overtly blasphemous.

So it was interesting to see a show not shy away from the premise “imagine if all the angels and demons in the Christian bible were aliens from a parallel dimension.”

And did I mention all the lesbians?

[lgunity]

Claws is a really good show about five women who run a nail salon and launder money through it for the mafia, and Quiet Ann is a butch lesbian who is treated very well by her friends, who really respect her and her butchness, which she utilizes to protect them. She even gets a cute romance story line. There is a lot of het romance/sex as well as sexual and other violence, but it's a very good drama and my current favorite show, with Ann as my current favorite character.

Thanks for the recommendation!

-Mod Noel

[why-animals-do-the-thing]

BBC’s Wild Alaska: Spring

If you’re looking for a gorgeous and informative way to kill an hour, I definitely recommend checking out this first episode of the Wild Alaska triad on Netflix. Incredible shots, accurate information, only informed anthropomorphism - it’s pretty much perfect. Plus, whiny bear cubs, a screaming newborn sea otter, and sperm whales stealing cod from fishermen.