Shamless Self Promotion?? I think so.

So I have debated whether or not if I should post this or not for reasons that don't make much sense. 

But I am doing it anyways! ha!

So for my Senior Project in high school I wrote and illustrated a children's book titled "Better Than One". The story emphasizes the fact that people were made to have fellowship and friends to rely on and that God made us that way for a reason. I formatted it into a quirky, simple rhyme pattern and had Mrs. Johns, my mentor (who is the 4th grade teacher that I interned at for my senior project). 

The best part of making this small children's book was that I was able to connect and bond with the children because of it and inspire them. In fact, 3 boys named: Harrison, Reese, and Wyland loved to draw and Mrs. Johns suggested that they could help illustrate and ease the burden for me. And of course I said yes, because I did a quick storyboard and figured that I needed to do over 20 illustrations in just one months time! Plus, how could I have said no?! I love being with kids and I find that they are my inspiration much of the time. 

Here are some character sheets that I did and printed them out for the boys to reference off of. 

I would come into the 4th grade class every Tuesday and Thursday for about 2 hours or so and help out the Mrs. Johns and meet with my boys to spend some time and just draw with them whether it was the pages from the book or just have fun. When we first met and they saw my drawings of the characters and some of my sketchbook, their eyes were so full of awe and wonder because they thought that my art was so awesome (my art isn't though haha) but they saw that art isn't just for kids but that it is for everyone and that it has purpose. They were so inspired by me all because I like to draw and am a senior in high school. You know that feeling when you were a kid and you though high schoolers were so cool that you thought everything they did was awesome. They were so sweet and fun to be around! I love and treasure every moment that I was with them. I think they impacted me more than I did them ironically. 

Here are some excerpts from some of the pages that the boys and I did:

Artwork from left to right: Me, Wyland

 

Art from left to right: Harrison, Reese

On the day that I presented the final product to the class, my sister baked cookies for the class and the parents of the boys came by to see the finished book. Its funny because after I read the book to the class, everyone praised their classmate's talent and art and payed me no attention! It was great. haha.  In the end, this experience changed my outlook on life, motivated me to continue to pursue my dreams, and more importantly I believe that I got a glimpse of what God wants me to do with my talents and passions. For the longest time until halfway through high school I wanted to be a teacher because I loved children and helping them out. But since I discovered my love for art, I began to doubt my path to becoming a teacher. Now though, I think that God has given me a passion for children and art for this reason - to make stories/art/films for children or something similar. 

Oh, and if you were wondering, my book is free on the iBooks store and if you would like to download it for free, then just search the title "Better Than One" and it should be the first thing you see in the search engine in the iBooks store. :)

The Book Thief

On Friday, I went to the movies with my Aunts and Uncles to see "The Book Thief". I wasn't expecting much from the movie and I wasn't even sure of what it was about in the first place. But man, it was such a great movie! Apparently, it is based off of a book by Markus Zusak. It is a New York Times #1 Bestseller and outstanding reviews. I can't wait to start reading the book over Christmas Break!

I absolutely love this movie. It is beautiful, inspirational, and moving. (As I said before, I saw this movie with two sets of aunts and uncles, and lets just say that me and my aunts had the waterworks going in the theatre.) 

Here is a quick summary. . . *don't look if you don't want to be spoiled I guess*

The story is about a young girl, Liesel Memminger, who is adopted by Hans and Rosa in 1939 where Germany is on the brink of war. Hans begins to teach Liesel how to read and she soon develops a love for reading. World War II breaks out and the family must hide Max, a Jew who lives in their basement while Liesel keeps him company by reading books that she "borrows". 

*end of possible spoilers*

"If your eyes could speak, what would they say?" - Max

Anyways,  the reason why I loved watching this movie so much was because of 1) the story: it's fiction but it is told as if something like it would really have happened during this time period. It is compelling and realistic. 2) Character development: is visible and dynamic. I particularly loved Leisel's and Rosa's character development because their charcters are so full of potential and depth that makes them feel real and relatable. 3) the actors: enough said. They picked great actors for this movie! Geoffrey Rush was the only one that I had heard of and he did fantastic. Sophie Nélisse, who played Leisel Memminger, was even more fantastic! She portrayed Leisel beautifully and authentically. 4) Death's narration: Death narrates the film because he was everywhere throughout the world during this time, and especially in Germany. The way that Death was portrayed was interesting and unique at the same time because the viewers see Death in a different light than what most people portray him as (mean, destructive, etc), but in the film, he takes on this persona of being sympathetic and just there to take the souls from the dead. 

"I am haunted by humans" - Death

Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog

Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog is one of the most awesome musical-tragic-comedy-miniseries ever made! It was made in 2008 and in it stars Neil Patrick Harris, Felicia Day, and Nathan Fillion! It was created by Joss Whedon, Zack Whedon, Maurissa Tancharoen, Jed Whedon! If you did not know, Joss Wedon created the shows: Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Firefly, and Agents of Shield, and he was involved with Toy Story and the Avengers. Now, if that did not convince you to watch Dr. Horrible then I do not know what will. 

I want to talk a little about the characters in Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog. These are not you stereotypical hero or villain characters. There is so much depth and meaning in them that it makes this whole series worth while. For example, Dr. Horrible is set as the villain but he actually has a soft side that loves and cares for Penny. While Hammerman is known as the city's hero, but he is actually selfish and has no sense of honor or commitment - he is the hero for the fame, attention, and the ladies. In addition, both of these characters break down psychologically, Dr. Horrible/Billy snaps when he sees Penny's lifeless body and falls even farther off of the deep end and ends up getting exactly what he wanted in the first place - except he does not have Penny so he remains an empty shell. I feel like Billy truly embodies this verse at this point in his character development "For what shall it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his soul?"(Mark 8:36). Penny was Billy's soul and when he lost her he lost himself. Hammerman snaps when Dr. Horrible defeats him and when he is no longer the one in power. 

Another great aspect of this series is the songs guys. These songs are catchy, hilarious, and just awesome. If it wasn't for the great character development, these songs would be the highlight of the web series for me. 

Overall, this comical yet tragic web series is really worthwhile and worth watching! I highly recommend that you watch it. :)

The Reward

Above is the entire short titled "The Reward". It is made by SunCreature Studio in over in Denmark.

I really enjoyed watching this animated short! Its cute and has a great little story behind it. 

This short is about two unlikely guys who are forced to share a treasure map and go on an adventure together. They end up becoming friends and form a strong relationship. Long story short, they realize that the real treasure is the men that they have become and and see themselves grow up into warriors and as lifelong comrades. 

I just love the character design and the unique style to this short! I love how the makers emphasized their relationship and the overall character development instead of the story (which surprisingly works!). Thus, the story is simple while the characters themselves are complex and interesting. The animators, producers, and writers did an excellent job in telling this story and sharing the character's insights and development in just 10 minutes. 

"The Reward" is quirky, funny, adventurous, and all around a quality animation. I think that others in the class will like it including Professor Leeper. ;) 

 Plus, the visuals and animation is so smooth and stunning! Just look at it!

Oh and did I mention that they will be making this into a series?!? Yep, that's right we get to see more of these two awesome characters! :) On their KIKSTARTER, they update on their production and even share some of their concept art and sketches which are pretty cool. I can not wait to see what these two do in their future quests! 

What are YOU thankful for?

So first of all, how was everybody's Thanksgiving? Did you eat any pie or potatoes? Did you get a food coma or a Thanksgiving hangover? I know that I ate and fellowshipped well with my family, friends, and with people I had never met before. 

Thanksgiving for me this year was weird to say the least because this is the first Thanksgiving without my parents, siblings, and other family members back home in Northern Cali. Well, enough of that sob story! I can't complain though, I have such a loving Aunt and Uncle here locally and great friends who are so generous and make feel like a part of their own families and their traditions. Overall, I am thankful for my family, the grace that God has given me, and his perfect plan for my life.

What are you thankful for?

On a side note, to cheer you up, my Aunt Val wanted me to draw her some yoga turkeys so here you go! :) 

Oh, and to make this digital media related here is Jimmy Fallon's Thanksgiving themed "thank you notes". Its hilarious! (173)

So I hoped that you enjoyed your Thanksgiving and that you enjoy your family and the food! Also, if you shopped on Black Friday, I hope that you scored great deals and did not get killed in the great battle of the local mall! Oh and get some much needed rest guys and a Happy Thanksgiving! :)

Doctor Who - 50th Anniversary Special

If you didn't know, yesterday was Doctor Who's 50th birthday and the episode that I personally have been waiting for about 6 months. IT WAS AWESOME to say the least! In this episode Moffat (the writer) produced some answers but also even more questions. 

Okay, from here on out there are SPOILERS PEOPLE. 

"SPOILERS" - River Song :)

I was on the edge of my seat for the entire time! At the end when all 13 doctors + the War doctor came in, I totally flipped out! Especially when I saw the 9th doctor say something along the lines of "Here's another one of my tricks", I absolutely love the 9th doctor! I was so happy he was able to take part in the 50th even for only like 3 seconds. Plus PETER CAPALDI PEOPLE. I was so happy but so depressed and sad at the same time because it reminded me that in a month the 11th doctor will regenerate and Matt Smith will no longer be the doctor. ///cries morbidly/// But I know that Capaldi will make a great Doctor! (Besides it is nice that the next doctor will be older since the Doctor/companion relationships have been getting out of hand lately.) Also I really appreciate Captain Jack Harkness being mentioned in the 50th since John Borrowman couldn't because of filming Arrow (dangit!). Plus, don't forget all the feels and things that punched me in the stomach with emotions. Such as 10 saying "I don't want to go" and the War Doctor mentioning kissing Bad Wolf in front of 10 and 11. 

And while the special was great and definitely worth the wait, there were some things that bugged me or wish that would have happened or been addressed. Rose Tyler, aka the Bad Wolf aka the conscience of the "moment". I thought that this was very clever but I was so looking forward to Billie Piper actually playing Rose but alas. I was looking forward to 11's reaction to seeing Rose again! On another note, now that the Time Lords exist and the Doctor free from his guilt of being the last of his kind and genocide - this puts a whole new spin on the future of Doctor Who. Also, I feel like the Doctor's character in the revived series was born from his guilt and now that it is virtually gone, I feel as though I don't know the Doctor anymore - that guilt consumed him and made him the Time Lord that he is today. And I am not sure that I liked that it all changed. But my feelings towards that quickly faded once all 13 doctors played a roll in saving Gallifrey.  

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the 50th anniversary special and had all sorts of emotions running through me before and after. After watching it, I was so overcome by feelings and emotions (such as saying farewell to 10/David Tennant AGAIN) I expressed those feelings by literally crawling off the couch and laying face down on the lounge floor. Bless you Doctor Who. Bless you. 

Here is some quickly sketched fan art of 10 & 11. :)

Sketched this without references so 10's hair looks atrocious! sorry not sorry

Top 3 Music Videos

When I first heard that we were going to watch music videos for a whole week - I didn't know what to think at first because I didn't know how I felt about music videos. "They were mostly live-action ones so why should an animation major care?"- were kind of my thoughts on the matter. However, after watching these music videos I thoroughly enjoyed watching them! And while my top 3 are animated music videos let me say that I did enjoy watching the live-action versions just as much. So without further ado. . . 

#3 - Sometimes the Stars

One reason as to why I love this music video is because I utterly adore the art style and tight animation. I also am in love with the grayscale tones with the yellow contrast in the stars. The story is creative and it works beautifully with the song. The style is simple yet breathtaking. So all in all the visuals and the animation are absolutely stunning!

#2 - Allaxis - Kaly Live Dub

This music video won spot #2 because of its uniqueness in graphics, story, and overall meaning behind it. When the passenger began changing it was weird to say the least but as the music video progressed I discovered that the passenger embodied his guilt in a way. As for the appearances of icons and animated characters such as Hitler, Buggs Bunny, Goku, etc. I have no clue why the artist put them there but I guess it is fine not knowing. Anyway, I loved the style and the way that the animation portrayed and embodied the subject and his story. I am not one for dub but I did like this music video!

#1 - The Shins - The Rifle's Spiral

This music video won 1st place in my book for obvious reasons. There is great character design, especially the 3 creepy-magic-evil-guys and smooth stop motion animation! The camera work and the animation is stellar! I also enjoyed the rabbit's role and the story line was clever! The magician aspect was really unique - it wasn't parlor tricks but actual magic. (Can't really say too much more since everyone has already seen it.) I love stop motion animation and really enjoyed watching this story unfold in the music video. 

Mushi-Shi

Okay, I know this is a long post but I highly encourage you to read it! PLEASE.

Mushi-Shi  is one of the most beautiful animated series ever. I personally don't watch or read a lot of anime and manga but I love Mushi-shi. The art is stunning and the story/concept is so unique that you can't help but be addicted to the characters and their individual stories. Moreover, it has great character designs, breathtaking landscapes, and smooth animation. Mushi-Shi is based off of a manga that was written and illustrated by Yuki Urushibara from 1999 to August 2008. The animated series was animated by Artland and directed by Hiroshi Nagahama and consisted of 26 episodes.

Mushi-shi has a unique set up and is different than your typical manga or anime. Instead of it having an overarching plot or story line, Ginko and the mushi are the only things that tie each episode together. Basically, Mushi-shi is about Ginko, a mushi master who constantly wanders around looking to help people and mushi alike. Mushi is life in its purest form, thus few people are able to see these curious forms of pure life and energy. They can take on a form of human, animal, plant, or a mix of other living creatures. Also, they have unique abilities and characteristics as well. Ginko’s unusual white hair and green eyes are a result of coming into contact with a certain type of mushi (but that is all explained in the anime/manga). Each episode in a way stands on its own because there is no main plot, which at times is weird but believe me it works. Ginko has a unique ability to attract dangerously high amounts of mushi so he is cursed to wander from place to place and in doing so helps people in need. 

The heart of Mushi-shi is its character development and unique world and features that Ginko comes into contact with on a daily basis. While not a action packed animated tv show, Mushi-shi keeps you on the edge of your seat because of its wonderful storytelling and plot. Not to mention, the english dubbed voice of Ginko is Travis Wellington who is a boss. Oh, and did I mention that the art is stunning? Yes? Okay good.

The manga and the animated series have received a lot of good reception and awards. The manga won an Excellence Prize at the 2003 Japan Media Arts Festival and the 2006 Kodansha Manga Award. While the animated adaption won grand prizes in the categories of television series and best art direction. Because of the success and recognition in both the manga and anime, a live action adaptation was made of Mushi-shi. 

The live action version of Mushi-shi stared Joe Odagiri and retold chapters 2, 7, 9, and 15 of the manga. I did in fact watch this adaptation (I think that it is somewhere on youtube)  and I thought that it was pretty good! I definitely recommend this live action version - it is a pretty good adaptation, which is quite surprising because most live action adaptations of animes or mangas are bad or just want to make you cringe because what should stay animated should remain animated if you know what I mean. For example, the acting is good, the special effects are decent, and the actors nail the characters pretty well. In addition, the live action version can also stand alone so you do not have to watch the anime or read the manga to get what the movie is all about which is nice. 

Oh, and I thought that I should add in some fan art that I sketched of the main character, Ginko. <3

I really hope that you guys will watch this show - even if it is one episode - just to see exactly what I am talking about. I am definitely getting the box set and live action movie on amazon soon! If you guys do watch it let me know and comment! I’d love to know what you think of it. :) Oh and sorry for the long post!

Quiz - Work In Progress

The film that I chose is "Work In Progress" by ILM in 2000. 

I did a little research and this short was made to explore a Frankenstein-esque story/world and to stretch the technology/CGI techniques of that time as well. However, this short was a huge success! Not only visually but also technologically! This short was an experiment to further new in-house production pipeline software and the like. 

I don't know about you but I love the concept and story of this short - a mad scientist and his henchmen creating a shell or a skeleton of an animal or living being while the child adds life and heart into the being. 

While watching this animated short I really liked the dynamic relationship between the mad scientist, the henchman, and the child. These three characters in a sense all contribute to creating and designing a new life form. The each have their own role to play in creating life: the mad scientist = brains, the henchman = building the base/skeleton of the being, and the little girl = breath of life. Immediately, I thought of these three characters working together and coinciding as the trinity in a way. In the film the characters have the power and the freedom to create life and a world of their own and I find that beautiful and inspiring. Another thing I noticed while watching this film was when the mad scientist said this about the girl, "We don't need her or her bag of tricks." This reminded me of the attitude that people have sometimes towards God. We feel that we can do things on our own and do them better than God can. We struggle in giving God full control of our lives because we think that we have a better plan for our lives than what He has planned. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this short and found it the most relatable out of the others that Professor Leeper showed in class. This is not to say that I did not like watching Caroline Leaf or Norstein's work but I found this one not only aesthetically pleasing but also relatable on a personal level. 

Howl's Heart

Last night I introduced Howl's Moving Castle to my roomie (yeah, she hasn't seen a lot of movies). This is one of my favorite Miyazaki movies of all time -  tied with Spirited Away. I do also love Princess Mononoke, and Castle in the Sky. The movie is based off of a book by Diana Wynne Jones (I read it and I really like it a lot) and while the stories have more differences than similarities, I enjoy them both - They are both beautiful stories!

Not only is the art and animation stunning, but the heart and soul of this film is splendid! This film is just awesome on so many levels and the english dubbed version is amazing (no thanks to Christian Bale)!

I will give you a quick summary of the film:

A selfless, hard-working Sophie meets a mysterious wizard one day who turns out to be Howl, a rumored evil wizard who eats the hearts of beautiful women and in turn she is cursed by the Witch of the Waste into a 90 year old woman. She finds herself as the cleaning lady in Howl's moving castle and slowly begins to fall for him. During this time, there is a war going on and Howl finds ways to keep his freedom from the King by running away from his responsibilities and all the while Sophie is trying to find a way to cure her of the spell that the Witch of the Waste cast on her. 

I won't say too much more because 1) I do not want to spoil too much or 2) you all have seen this film and don't want to read something that you already know. ;) 

Something that I noticed and discussed with my roommate was that at some point in the film, Sophie kept changing from old to young and old to young. And Audrey, my roommate suggested:"because it was her heart for Howl." Before, Sophie was insecure and she didn't feel worthwhile or beautiful but with Howl, she felt wanted and beautiful. And you know what? She was right. I began to watch the bonus feature when Hayao Miyazaki visited Pixar Studios and when John Lasseter was talking about the reason as to why Sophie's age changes he said it was because of her newfound passions and love for Howl! Also, when Miyazaki explained it he said something along the lines of "love makes a man's heart feel young again" and he was saying this in context to how he feels towards his wife. (awww!) 

This movie isn't just about the beautiful story or animation but also the heart. The heart is not just a major symbol but it was an actual physical thing that was missing from certain characters - not just Howl. At the end of the movie, the Witch of the Waste said that "hearts change"and looking back at the story I realize that almost everyone's heart did change! Sophie's heart changed to one of passion and strength while Howl's heart changed from that of a coward and selfish gain to that of selflessness and bravery. The list goes on but I think you know what I am getting at here. I guess what you could say is that the heart of this film was quite literally in a sense the heart. This film emphasized the heart and its value and significance in people's lives - a good heart can go a long ways and these characters learn that and share that knowledge with the audience. 

Overall, this movie is beautiful and stunning and is most definitely one of my favorite animated movies of all time! If you have not seen this beautiful film then you have missed out because it has so much meaning and heart from Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli! So if you have not seen this film then I suggest you watch it ASAP.

The Mummy

As you know, Halloween was yesterday and instead of going out in the rain to trick or treat, me and my roommate and a few other lovely ladies on our floor watched The Mummy instead. I don't know about you, but I completely love this movie! I grew up watching this movie (along with some others like Indiana Jones, Star Wars, The Scorpion King, and many others) and my family and I quote it all the time! Not only is it a good story: good vs. evil, love, and comic relief, but it also has heart, adventure, and it is just one of those movies that you can watch a billion times and have fun quoting the lines such as a personal favorite of mine: "O'CONNEL, LOOKS TO ME LIKE I'VE GOT ALL THE HORSES." & "HEY BENNY, LOOKS TO ME LIKE YOU'RE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE RIVER." Its a classic guys, just trust me - even though it came out in the late 90s. 

The Mummy stars Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz, John Hannah, Arnold Vosloo, and Kevin J. O'Connor. One of the great things about this movie that I have not mentioned before is that it has an Indiana Jones feel to it which makes it fun and entertaining no less! 

I will give a short synopsis of the film and try not to give away really important plot points. The Mummy is about a young, intelligent, British woman, Evelyn who is a librarian in Egypt who has always longed for adventure and archeological discoveries. Her brother, Jonathan brings her an ancient key to something and inside they find a map to Hamunaptra, a once lost city of ancient Egypt rumored to be filled with treasure and the Book of Amun-Ra. She meets Rick O'Connell, who has actually been to Hamunaptra before and saves his life so that he can take her to the mysterious city. One thing leads to another and they eventually get to the city and Evelyn accidentally awakens a mummy who so happens to have been cursed and mummified alive and will now destroy the world it he is not stopped. The rest of the movie is about Evelyn, Rick, and the gang trying to stop the mummy and save the world. 

The Mummy has two sequels: The Mummy Returns, which is pretty decent for a sequel I must say, and The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor, is just bad. The mummy is not the same and the only two original actors from the first two are Brendan Fraser and John Hannah. The thing that kind of makes me really upset in movie sequels or prequels is when they cast a different actor or actress (for the Mummy it was Weisz who played Evelyn). It just completely destroys the connection with that character and the audience and makes the movie less relatable and entertaining when all I can think about is how much I don't like this new actress because she isn't the original. Plus, the acting was terrible. Sorry for that rant, I'll stop now. 

Overall, The Mummy is a fantastic film that I think people of all ages can enjoy and appreciate (okay maybe not the little kids because of the scenes with the mummy)! If you have not had a chance to watch this awesome film, then watch it! 

Birthday Present

So, for my 18th birthday I was able to visit Pixar Studios in Emeryville, CA! ( I live in Sacramento CA so it was only an hour and a half drive) Pixar studios does not have public tours so as you can see I was very very very shocked when I found out (and teared up a bit). I didn't believe it until I saw my parents smiling at me and that look of "no really we are serious". I was utterly speechless. Apparently, my dad has connections so that is how my dad and I were able to get a tour of Pixar. I have no intention to make this blog post about me bragging about being able to visit Pixar but I thought that I should share this awesome experience with you guys!

This was a sketch I did right before we entered the gates and I was so excited that I drew my own left hand wrong! 

When we arrived and parked one of the first things that I saw was the Monsters University gate!

Next we entered the Steve Jobs building to meet up with our tour guide and we got name tags that had the alien from Toy Story and it said "Strangers from the outside!". As we were waiting I took some pictures of myself next to some famous cars!

Once we met up with our tour guide who was a part of the security officers in Pixar. She showed us around in the Steve Jobs building and on the second floor we saw some diagrams of Pixar's story process of Monsters University. The entire studio area was themed in Monsters University, (they theme the studios when their new movie is released so the next one will be The Good Dinosaur) they had concept art of characters that did not make it in to the movie, 3D sculptures of characters including the headmaster, and they had MU flyers everywhere.

Unfortunately,  I could not take pictures of any of the art on the second level because it was employee art and not Pixar art if you know what I mean. They had storyboards from Brave that were breath-taking and inspiring. I got to take a quick look at some of the interns there who were working and I totally want to do that over a summer! They also had these life size statue things of The Incredibles' family so I did what any person would do and posed up next to them with my dad! 

We could not look into certain parts of the building because spoilers. ;)

Next she took us to another building and there was this huge fireplace and while it didn't burn wood it looked stunning. There really wasn't much else to see in there because everywhere else the employees were working on future projects. 

At the end I went to the gift shop that was only open for a short time and I bought a Pixar Studios shirt, a MU poster, and a Pixar sketchbook! :) 

Overall, this was THE BEST BIRTHDAY GIFT EVER. I hope to one day (possibly) be able to get an internship and work at Pixar! :)

La Luna

A short that we did not get to watch in class (and is one of my favorites) is "La Luna"!

This short is breathtaking to watch and tells a cute story too! The concept behind Pixar's take on how the moon's face changes is unique and really creative - it is the reason why I love this short so much. "La Luna" may not be one of Pixar's funniest or most entertaining shorts like Knick Knack or Lifted but the story and its aesthetic appeal in short stands out from the rest. Storytelling. Storytelling. Storytelling. Pixar is a master in storytelling and I think that this film is proof of that. 

This short for me takes on so much meaning and I can relate to it on so many different levels. The boy is pressured by what appears to be his father and grandfather to be like them or "do what they do" kind of thing and while the boy goes along with it he begins to discover that he has his own way of doing things. He also sees the indescribable beauty in the stars that literally light up the moon. He sees the beauty of the world through his childish eyes and he begins to act on instinct and go against the flow. Then in the end he does something incredible. Through his actions, he makes his father and grandfather remember the beauty and splendor of the stars that they had seen when it was there first time on the moon. 

La Luna is a beautiful short story and is one of my favorite Pixar shorts of all time and I hope that one day I will be a part of their story making process. 

Up and away

I absolutely loved yesterdays class! Pixar's storytelling goes beyond the realm of the stereotypical love triangle between a prince and princess and the like. Now I am not bashing Disney! I love Disney with all my heart but Pixar rises to a whole new level with their stories. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the shorts (as did many of you) and while watching them it made me reflect on how they execute a story in mere minutes and it fascinates me!

One of my favorite Pixar movies is Up but The Incredibles and Toy Story hold special places in my heart. I was able to watch Up with my dad when it was out in theaters and fell in love with it! (Oh, and I cried while watching it and was wiping my tears away with napkins.) Not only is the art and animation incredible, but the characters were well rounded and dynamic. Also, the soundtrack to Up is beautiful! (Its definitely one of my all time favorites.) The adventures that Carl, Russell, Doug, and Kevin go on is so much like a fairytale in itself - "A house is whisked away by balloons in the clouds to a foreign land all the while an elderly man learns a valuable lesson with the help of a child and his pet dog". This is one of the many elements of this film that had captured my heart. Overall, this beautiful story taught me that life goes by fast and that their is not time to waste it but instead spend every waking moment with the people that you care about. I love this movie and I hope that all of you do too.

Cloudy 2

So while on Fall Break I was able to watch this sequel with my dad <3 and even though he fell asleep during the first 15-20 minutes of the film he said that he did enjoy watching the film - which is saying something. But anyways, I posted up a review of the first film Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs sometime last week and have finally found the time to blog about my review of the sequel. 

The animation/art/concept is beautiful!

For an animated sequel I thought that Cloudy 2 did very well! Animated sequels are not known for being well written with a decent storyline and are just meant to be because of the success of the original. Now one could argue about the Shrek sequels being decent as well (which I think that they are but that argument if for another day). Not only does Cloudy 2 keep its cuteness, humor (who doesn't like food puns?), and character but the art is just as incredible as the original Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs! Sony has done a magnificent job continuing the storyline right where the last movie left off (quite literally 2 seconds after where the first movie ended) and quickly develops the new problem that is arising from what is left of Swallow Falls aka Chew and Swallow. 

Now, I do not want to give anything away so you will just have to go see it! However I will give you my initial reaction after seeing this film. As I said before, Cloudy 2 is a successful sequel in my opinion because of its consistency with the original such as its humor and overall character. And while although, some plot is predictable (I mean it is meant to be watched by children) I lost myself in watching this film - it was entertaining and engaging in every sense. The colors are radiant and the foodimals are adorable! I utterly loved watching this film, I would go and see it again in a heart beat and maybe I can drag my roommate to see it but who knows. ;) So go and see it if you have not already! 

Adam and Dog

“Adam and Dog” by Minkyu Lee is a beautiful film that is about the relationship between the first man and dog and is viewed through the dog’s point of view. This film was nominated for Best Animated Short Film (along with the infamous short “Paperman”) for the 85th Academy Awards and won Best Animated Short Subject at the 39th Annie Awards. 

I won’t summarize this film when you can just watch it right here, so watch it!

Instead, I will give my analysis/thoughts about “Adam and Dog”. 

Thoughts:

-This film is utterly breathtaking! The animation style is smooth and incredibly detailed. 

• The way that the artists used lighting and color really set the mood for what was happening.
• For example: Once Adam and Eve had sinned all the colors were less saturated. 

Analysis:

As this story is told through the dog’s point of view, the viewer is not explicitly told when Adam and Eve sinned but it is implied when the jaguar kills a rabbit and when Adam and Eve run with clothes on. 

The relationship between Adam and Dog reminds me a little of what we have with God.

Now I am not saying that God is a dog - not in the slightest! But God is similar only in that God will always love us and never forsake us - no matter what. At the end when Adam and Eve leave Eden, Dog leaves Eden as well. This paints a beautiful picture about how Jesus left paradise and came to us to save us from our sin and give us hope. I feel that this film not only tells a beautiful story but also illustrates who God is: God is just and perfect and can therefore not be associated with sin, He is also our strength and hope - much how like Dog was at the end, and God gave up his only son to live with us in an imperfect world. Overall, “Adam and Dog” is a beautiful and breathtaking film to watch not only as a non-believer but also as a Christian.

Cloudy

So cute!

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is one of my favorite animated movies of all time! It is hilarious, beautifully animated, and the characters are so cute and relatable! If you have not seen this amazing film by Sony they you should right away (I have it if you would like to borrow it!). 

 

This movie is about a town on an island in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of New York and focuses on the life of Flint Lockwood an aspiring inventor. All of his life his inventions have either been failures or humiliated him. While he is discovering his true potential, his father pushes him to help him with their Tackle Shop. Frustrated and desperate, Flint makes his F.L.I.D.S.M.F.R. or water into food machine to change the world. After Flint’s machine is shot into the sky and the town basically destroyed, the F.L.I.D.S.M.F.R begins to rain cheeseburgers. Thus, Swallow Falls is changed forever into a food paradise and the mayor changes the town’s name to “Chew and Swallow”. So long story short, the F.L.I.D.S.M.F.R, goes hay wire and Flint and the gang are forced to destroy the F.L.I.D.S.M.F.R.

"I got my eye on youuuu,"

Not only is the animation stellar but the characters are each unique and hilarious. Take for example Earl - he is an over the top cop and will tackle jay walkers. He is wary of Flint and threatens him by saying, “This contact represents you and my eye represents my eye. I’ve got my eye on you.” All of the characters have their moments like Steve, Flint’s dad, Sam, Manny, and Baby Brent. It is really hard to not laugh and enjoy this movie.

Overall, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is a wonderful and inspiring film that encourages originality and uniqueness! 

Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe

I saw the play on Friday with my Aunt and we enjoyed it! Despite it being in the Studio Theatre (which is significantly smaller than that of the main auditorium in the MCA if you did not know) I thought that they made good use of the space that they were given on stage. I utterly loved the costumes! Especially the makeup of Jadis, the White Witch.! It was stunning. I also appreciated the person who was dressed as a fox (WHAT DOES THE FOX SAY??).

The children watching the play were so into the story -  they were so cute!

Overall, I enjoyed watching the Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe in a different medium as a play and not just as a film or book! And I recommend going to see the play!

Beautiful Sadness

I cry in movies okay?! (even in books!)
 Especially when it is about the relationship
between a father and a daughter.

So you guessed it -  I balled my eyes out
while watching the film "Father and Daughter".

To the right you can see an accurate representation of me and what I was feeling while watching "Father and Daughter"

So now that I have thoroughly expressed the emotions that I felt - I'll give my thoughts/reviews on the film.

Seriously - this is just breathtaking!

I thought that this film was utterly beautiful and amazing to watch! The story/relationship between the father and the daughter is so relatable and an accurate representation of our relationship with out heavenly Father. I liked what Andrew said in his blog about the bicycles and how they are the body while the people were the souls. I watched it again but with my roommate and she asked at the end of the film: "Why did the father leave?" And I guess that one answer could be that it was their time to go home. But there are lots of other answers.

One thing that I saw was that the daughter never lost faith that she would one day see her dad again. And I think that we all feel that way too - with passed loved ones. We are desperate and we never loose faith that one day we will be able to see our loved ones again. Its that desperate longing that the daughter has is what we all have deep down. The helplessness that she felt after saying goodbye to her dad - like she could not do anything to stop him leaving her alone. I feel like this film is not just about the beautiful relationship between the father and the daughter but also a film that deals with coping with a loved ones death and the joy of finally seeing them after a lifetime of waiting. And I think that is what makes this film worthwhile.

Parallels

I can't stop thinking about our class discussion on the Biblical Parallels on It's a Wonderful Life. So I began to think about what other movies or books that are great examples of subtle Christian themes or elements (a.k.a. not Fireproof or Left Behind) much like It's a Wonderful Life.

So I immediately thought of the Lord of the Rings trilogy.

It has themes of redemption, resurrection, the use of the number 3 (Two Towers), good vs. evil, sin, and temptation. One could closely pick a part and analyze each of the characters and plot points as well to see all the possible parallels too. (But I personally don't think that J.R.R. Tolkien meant for Christians to pick a part each aspect off his books.) But as I began to think about the story and the characters as I watch the 2nd and 3rd movie with a friend on my floor I realize all these parallels and similarities that I just never thought of before.

I am going to begin by picking out a few characters, now I do not believe that each character directly represents a particular character in the Bible - that is not what I am implying at all. But anyways . . .

-Smeagol: represents the ugliness and disturbing sin and how sin can transform us and eventually damn us

-Boromir, Denethor, & Isildor: represent the powerful temptations that the ring (sin/evil) can bring even though we think it has good intentions

-Aragon, Gandalf, & Frodo: all represent the savior that everyone needs and depends upon

-Legolas, Gimli & Sam: represent that fellowship (quite literally) and community that believers need to have or you could go so far as to say that they could represent the Disciples but eh, maybe not


Next the fights/battles/situations/plot points:

-The fight between Smeagol and Deagol: represents our fight with what is right but we fight our conscience because we want to give into that temptation

-Sam & Frodo's journey to Mordor: kinda reminded me of Pilgrim's Progress but that just may be me.

-Sailing to the West: ascending to heaven (pretty obvious I think)

-Frodo: as a humble hobbit he saves all of Middle Earth just as Christ as God humbled himself to save all of mankind


Alright, I'll stop there but there are plenty more examples to list.

Overall, the Lord of the Rings are great books to read and movies to watch! If you have not read/watched the movies (um where have you been?) then I recommend reading the books first then watching the movies! (I think that the movies do the books justice and are quite accurate which is a bonus.) The books are amazing and a quick read and I personally really enjoy Tolkien's writing style.