Resisting Everything but Temptation

For annavere, a vid about a rarepair:

Day 13 - Rec at least three fanworks.

I'd really like to get back to regular recs, and this day's challenge helped, as I just went down the rabbit hole of my Pinboard links for several hours. I went from almost 500 untagged links down to 159 108, so, progress? Still a lot to read, though. But here, have some recs!

Become You by frayadjacent
Fandom: Xena: Warrior Princess
Type: music vid
Artist: the Indigo Girls

What I love about it: What don't I love about this vid? On a purely aesthetic level, I'm in awe of how confidently rhythmic it is, and how the vidder makes the most of a 4:3 source, using the juxtaposition of camera angles, framing, and flawless timing of internal action together with all the beautiful color palettes of the show (and the instrumentation of the song) to make a coherent whole out of episodes that were quite visually dissimilar. But more than that, the structural clarity takes my breath away, and fuses the many possible meanings of the song into a coherent and rich story of the three most important f/f relationships in Xena's history. I've never before seen or read a fanwork that weaves these three stories together so powerfully, and I can't imagine one that could. It makes me want to watch the whole show over again, yesterday.

Wake Up Next to You by maichan-art
Fandom: Supernatural
Type: art
Pairing: Sam/Dean

What I love about it: I think this is my very favorite of this wonderful artist's Supernatural pieces. While I particularly love the highlights on Sam's neck and shoulder and Dean's cheekbone contrasted with the soft shadows on Dean's face, it's the expression on Dean's face that does me in. Rendered with such tender skill and understated detail (the freckles! The uneven spiky eyelashes!), a wonderful and convincing likeness (so difficult!), and most of all, the beautiful expression of that quirking left eyebrow together with the relaxed evenness of his features. I could stare at him like this, so vulnerable and loved and knowing it, all freaking day.

A Failure of Gravity by ameliacareful
Fandom: Supernatural
Type: fic
Pairing: Gen

What I love about it: This is a S11 hiatus fic, and it worked for me in a way that few others have. I discovered this author thanks to a recent rec on spn_littlebro, and while I also loved the longer story they recced, this one really hit me hard. It plays on the theme of "only one of us is allowed to fall apart at a time." The dialogue is great, and one thing I particularly enjoy about this author's works is that both brothers are rendered with equal care and sympathy. I'm a Sam girl and always will be, but I love me some Dean, and there's not much I love better than a Sam-sympathetic author who also does right by Dean. This story also hits just the right balance of bleak and hopeful—a perfect mix for hiatus fic.

The Beginning of Always by hafital
Fandom: Highlander
Type: fic
Pairing: Duncan/Methos

What I love about it: Where do I begin? It's no secret to anyone that hafital hung the moon as far as I'm concerned—yet after all these years, she continues to astonish me with her gorgeous, emotional writing. This is probably my favorite perfect storm of tropes (amnesia! last chances! I thought you were dead! friendship turns to passion! trust issues!) with an added found family dynamic and subtlety of character exploration that makes it an all-time favorite. This story brings all the joy and pure pleasure of reading fanfiction by someone who knows the characters inside and out, and who strikes the perfect balance between heartfelt emotion and quirky, thorny relationships that must be handled and teased out with care.

This vid was originally made in... 2003? Maybe? Don't hold me to that. But it was definitely made for sockkpuppett, because this was her song.

Fandom: Xena: Warrior Princess
Song: Salome
Artist: Cousteau
Pairing: Xena/Ares (with a touch of Xena/Gabrielle)

Summary: It's good to want things.

Sendspace download link | Permanent link at my site

Kevin Smith, you are missed.

Apparently this has been in the works for a while, and they ran the trailer for it at the 2008 Comic Con, but it only released to the web yesterday (this week)? My husband found it on Hulu.

The Ark, starring Renee O'Connor (Gabrielle from Xena)

This is only viewable in the U.S. (I'm sorry!) and only on broadband, since it's streaming. There are 9 (4 minute) episodes up so far. It's really good. I would love to see it become a TV show -- it's awesome to see Renee again, and the actor they have playing opposite her is good, too.

An article about the series.

Day 29 - Current TV show obsession

I don't have one of these at the moment, unless you count Highlander — which after twelve + years has probably moved beyond both current and obsession. Also, as halcyon_shift noted, Day 30 (Saddest character death) is too much of a bummer to end on. So, I'm switching things up. :)

Day 29 - Saddest character death

( Spoilers for various shows behind the cut. )

Day 15 - Favorite female character

This wasn't honestly any harder than Favorite male character, but I did make a token effort to at least consider the possibilities.

( Awesome women being awesome )