It's The End....

I'm so happy! Life in 2016 is dragging to a close and with that rewinds are coming out. Youtube has done it's official rewind video for 2016 and with it came the beauty of all that has happened this year.

The bottle flip that took over the world. The dances that still appear at weddings and parties. Everything about this year was historical as it was election year. The video included many Youtube stars that we all know and love, such as Pointless Blog, Bethany Mota, Connor Franta, JennXPenn.

The whole video just encompassed the beauty and weirdness that came from the past year. Hopefully 2017 will be just as interesting if not better.

CHEERS TO THE NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!!

https://youtu.be/_GuOjXYl5ew

I'm Dreaming Of....

I'm dreaming. I'm dreaming of family and friends. I'm dreaming of happiness and serenity. More than anything else, I'm dreaming of a White Christmas to come home to.

Being from Minnesota, a white Christmas is sort of expected, but it's a dream and a beauty to see the snow and trees after a fresh snowfall. When we celebrated Christmas in my family, we watch White Christmas about ten times. It's my favorite movie and it was my grandmother's favorite movie as well. The movie is a tradition in our family. It's the thing that brings us all together. I love watching it and singing the songs with Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye. I don't think I will ever dislike this movie. It's so elegant and glorious, especially being made in the 1950s. Nothing beats a shared memory with family. That is what a White Christmas is all about.

https://youtu.be/gjnZyuFKH0k

Life After This

If something happened to you and you no longer wanted to live your life, would you end it all? If you decided to take the quick way out, would you care what happened to your friends and family because of your choice?

In Me Before You, Will Traynor gets into an accident and is paralyzed from about mid-chest down. He is unable to do most things and decides to take the route of assisted suicide. In deciding to do this, he agrees to give his parents six more months. His parents then hire Lou Clark to be his helper. She strives in those six months to change his mind and instead they fall in love. However, even in love, he still commits to the assisted suicide and he tells her to go live her life to the fullest.

The movie is so beautiful and the actors portray the characters of Will and Lou with beautiful ease. This movie is a "chick-flick" but it's also about life.

Many say that love changes everything but in reality, love is only a small part of the life that we live in. It doesn't change everything but it can influence us to make different decisions and strive to be the best of ourselves.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=video&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwiD_u_u6OzQAhWLrFQKHRAIDkoQtwIIHDAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DEh993__rOxA&usg=AFQjCNEn7VVoyZ99pfq5ucR3Qi4b0rDewQ&sig2=m67RdoBRUB8m2YaM25Rjcg

A Life Worth Living

What would you do if you all of a sudden stopped aging? What would you do if you got to live through centuries of people's live and you never changed your face?

In The Age of Adaline, a young woman gets in a car accident in the early 1900s and she is struck by lightening and brought back to life. After this accident, Adaline never ages again. She goes through decades moving every ten years so as to not be caught in her unchanging age. In all this time, she avoids making close connections or having photos taken to keep her secret safe.

As time goes on, she falls in love with a man named Ellis. When she meets his family, she finds out that she had actually dated his father at one point in her time on this earth. In realizing this, she bolts away trying to cut off the connection. On the road of leaving, however, she gets into an accident and she regains the ability to age and thus, she is able to be with Ellis.

The movie is quite beautiful. It involves a lot of flashbacks to her time on the earth and what experiences she has gone through. It also includes a narrator at certain points which gives the film a sort of storybook feel. Blake Lively plays Adaline, the woman who never ages and she does a marvelous job of bringing to life not only the character but the hurt and terror that runs through Adaline's mind throughout the entire movie.

Overall, I very much enjoyed every second and would count this movie as one of my favorite movies of all time.

From Behind the Camera

Since I was a junior in high school I have filmed sporting events. I've been to the games; I've seen the late nights. I've watched the different shots that went into making each game unique.

Coming to college, my plan was always Sports Broadcaster. I loved the thrill of the games and seeing the action and the improvisation that comes across. It's the greatest feeling in the world capturing the little pieces of history that a school will relish in forever.

Films are amazing, but they, in my opinion, hold nothing to capturing footage of a game. It's such a satisfying feeling. You get to know the players and you get to learn how to adapt real quick to problems right before a game starts. Satisfaction is the best feeling after a game when you know you did well.

To Edit or Naw?

As a DMA major, editing is a huge part of the life. We lose ours sleeping because we freak out about the shots that go into making a video the story that we want it to be.

I never truly understood the anxiety and happiness that I get from working on footage. I found myself losing track of time as I edited footage over the weekend. It was amazing to crawl through shots to see how I wanted things to be portrayed.

I know after this weekend that I love the major I have chosen and I would never go back.

Finals

It's that time of year again when finals are looming over our heads and professors are giving out homework like candy. It's a rough time to say the least but that doesn't keep any of us down.

This is the time when students have to push themselves to stay awake to study for the exams that are arising slowly. We look to the heavens constantly thinking of how bad it could possibly be up until the moment we walk into the classroom with a mind scattered and worried. We crawl through the motions of eating, and hanging out with friends because we are stressed by what the next couple of weeks entail.

We pray heavily to God and hope that he answers us with a sense of calm and peace.

Music Video Galore

Some of my favorite music videos are by the artist Thomas Rhett. His music videos are so sweet. He almost always includes his wife, but that isn't the most beautiful part. In his music videos, it's almost like a freeze frame. You can see where he or another character in the video will be in the next five seconds by a frozen shot left in the frame that they walk into.

I also love how he involves his wife in his videos. I think it is a great way for him to show a personal side of his life without being too personal. It shows just enough. They are artfully done videos. My personal favorites of his are, Star of the Show, Make Me Wanna, Vacation, and T-Shirt.

All in all, I just enjoy seeing his videos and the interesting perspective that he takes into making them his own.

Faith Builds

Faith, trust, and a little bit of basketball can go a long way in making someone's life better. Faith in God is a fundamental part of most people's lives. You have to trust in the Lord to work his miracles.

In the movie, Hoovey, Erik is a star basketball player ready to take his team to a national championship when an accident happens. He hits the floor and is rushed to the hospital only to find out that he has a major brain tumor. After having the surgery he and his family must push themselves to get back to the point he was before so he can play basketball again. His family starts to suffer financially but they remain in their faith.

Overall, I thought that the movie was beautifully written and artfully shot. It showed the real emotion of the actual family that went through the ringer when this happened to their son. The true family is now happy and tumor free!

Growing Up

How do each of us grow up? Is there really a set plan by our parents on how we should be raised? Everyday we face new challenges just like life intended and we grow in them. In the movie, Boyhood, a young man is followed for twelve years to capture the truth of what it is like to grow up.

The movie follows Mason as he starts as a first grader and into his first day at college. The movie itself took twelve years as the director filmed little snippets from his daily so as to keep the same child and to make real the production.

The movie was beautifully done with a lot of truth hidden inside. I found myself wondering what would I be like if I had grown up in the life of Mason. I think we all try to imagine what life would be like if we were born into a different world.

Too Strange to Not be a Doctor

Marvel has brought to life another comic in the adventure to give the nerdier side of the world a little more love. The newest addition, Doctor Strange, brings to life the character of Stephen Strange.

Dr. Strange was one of the best surgeons in the world until an extreme car accident sent his life into downward spiral. He travels to temple to find someone who can fix him and in doing so, stumbles upon a world he had never seen before.

The movies escalates the special effects to an almost shocking point of beauty. The screen twists and turns as the world is flipped upside down and inside of itself. The visible magic that is brought to life out does what imagination could possibly conjure up. The planets created are by far expanding to the possibilities of what is beyond our world.

The movie and actors sell the parts they play with excellent skill and flawless morphing. Marvel, in my opinion, out did themselves with this movie. It's beautifully done and artfully created.

Where to Find the Beasts

It's unimaginable, the mind of J.K. Rowling. How she comes up with such mystical and magical stories is beyond comprehension of most people. Her novel, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, is the newest addition to the Harry Potter series.

The Fantastic Beasts novel has been made into a movie and it is supremely magical. It follows Newt Scammander and his trip to New York City in 1926. Newt comes to America to return a beast to Arizona but that plan goes askew when terror starts to roll through the city.

Besides just a beautiful story line, Fantastic Beasts as a movie is, without a doubt, a beautiful piece of cinematography. From the costumes to the set, from the musical score to the special effects, this movie knocks it out of the park. The animators did a fabulous job bringing to life the beasts that Scammander looks after.

Overall, I absolutely loved the movie and encourage others to go see it, even if they haven't seen any of the other Harry Potter movies.

13 Going on 30 - Society's Rush

The movie 13 Going on 30 is a film about a young girl who wishes so hard to be "Thirty, Flirty, and Thriving". Her wish comes and all of a sudden she is a thirty year old woman, thriving as a magazine editor who is dating a famous athlete. She is missing things though. She is missing friends, she is missing family, she is missing purpose. The main character sees that the wish she made was a brash choice made in anger and sadness when emotions were high and self control was out the window.

This movie has such an understated message. Sometimes what you wish for isn't what you truly need. You can jump to being someone you're not but that will only hurt you. It speaks to young girls who want to be older, who want to be "prettier", like the woman in the magazine. Young girls look to be that model in magazine, the one that probably starved herself for weeks just to get one shot. This isn't what we should strive to be. We need to strive and push each other to be who God made us to be. He didn't make us to be starved animals who hurt others. God made us to rulers and leaders, to be powerful and kind, to be his children.

This movie made me remember that we don't need to be a woman in a magazine. We are unique and precious because God made each of us important and different.

Colorforms, Quiz #2

I really want to blog about this film that we watched when we first seen it but I did not get to it. Luckily, I now get to write about it.

This film was probably one of the cutest things I had ever seen. A young girl colors everywhere and colors and gets everything messy. Her parents get angry and upset. They say that she needs to learn and grow up. It sounds a lot like society and the way it diminishes creativity and uniqueness.

The parents send her off to her grandfather is hopes of her learning some manners. Her grandfather has other ideas. He takes her to a world in which color, creativity, and differences are celebrated. The little girl gets to dance and sing and be herself. People didn't try to squash her down, but instead, they pushed her up and made her realize that it is okay to be different.

Today's society shames creativity to a certain extent. They wish for everyone to be the same. They push for girls to be the same shape and size. The world isn't suppose to be perfect and everything isn't suppose to be the same. That is why I liked this film so much. It showed that life is messy and being different can and is embraced.

Women in the Media Industry

Too many emotions and too much care are something easily associated with women. We are not expected to be serious and take control of a situation. We are thought of as weak and insecure to the point where men will assume we are clingy and annoying.

Media portrays women as either too fat or too skinny. We are pushed to conform to the social norm of wearing makeup instead of showing our natural beauty. It is because of this that the mindset of young girls has changed to wear they believe that is a requirement in order to be liked by anyone.

Only women understand the construction of other women. We are the only ones who can portray to the media how things should actually be. Makeup is not a social norm; it doesn't matter what your body shape or build is. None of that matters because, what the media doesn't tell you is, you are beautiful just the way you are. Your freckles, your hair, your eyes, your smile, your body, your mind, everything about you is beautiful and God only made one you.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower

What is a Wallflower? It's someone who stands off to the side and notices everything. They see the sadness, happiness, anger, and disappointment in people's eyes. They watch as drama unfolds.

In the movie, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Charlie befriends some seniors who show him a different side to high school. He watches as his friends party and act in shows. Charlie falls in love with a girl who doesn't see his love, but instead only sees the love she thinks she deserves.

Charlie is also somewhat of a troubled child. His best friend had committed suicide and his aunt had sexually abused him. Charlie didn't ever say anything and would black out at times when things went bad.

Overall, the movie it self was very good, but the message is what matters more. You don't have to fit everyone else's standards and you can still be you. The people who truly care are the ones we never really think to look to.

Middletown

Middletown. A world where everything is just as it seems, but isn't. People are average, but extraordinary. The lives in Middletown are crossed and strangely entwined. Everything seems so perfectly imperfect.

Sitting as an audience member watching this play, not once, but twice, I was resoundingly confused as to what was going on the first time I seen it. The main characters are neighbors and friends but then somehow no longer friends. My favorite character realizes he is beautiful after being told he is shamed and horrible his entire life. It was a beautiful play of life in town where everyone seems to know everything about everyone, but doesn't truly know anyone.

I will be honest, I was very much confused by this play. It reminded me of the town I lived in Nebraska. People seemed to know everything about everyone. However, friendships would dissipate and suddenly no one really knew anyone. It's reality in today's world. We act like we are friends and we truly aren't. It's a pessimistic view to take but it's the truth. Finding genuine people is very difficult to do. Finding people who will be there for you takes a lifetime.

Clowns, clowns, Everywhere

Clowns are sighted everywhere right now. They are friendly. They are playful. They are sweet and kind. At least that is how we used to consider them to be.

Nowadays, clowns are a frightening monster lurking in the night. They have been running around causing a ruckus. Clowns are kidnapping children and chasing people with knives. It is genuinely scary to be in a world where what was a child's friend is now one of our biggest nightmares.

Just recently, clowns have been sighted here on campus at HU. People have gone "Clown Hunting" trying to figure out who is playing such a strange hoax on all of us here. At first it was thought that it was just a sports team trying to get some kicks and giggles out scaring people, but that opinion has changed rapidly since the start of the situation.

The clowns have supposedly chasing students on campus and carrying knives in preparation for an attack against a student.

It has come to the point where my roommate and I are sleeping with our lights on to make sure nothing comes in our room in the dead of the night.

Debate or Debaucle

September 26, 2016

It's a simple Monday like it normally would be any other week, but there is something different added to this day. This day, Donald Trump of the Republican side and Hillary Clinton of the Democratic side, will debate for the presidency.

On any other day, students would walk to and fro from classes without a care in the world, but on this day students talk a little of the conundrum that is the Presidential Elections of 2016. Who will win? Who will lead into a brighter future or a darker destruction?

The debate itself was mostly normal given the way it was imagined to go. Clinton came out with more facts and smirks on her face. Trump was the man we were use to seeing, a ranting businessman who has ideas of where he wants the world to go if we allow it.

To watch the debate was comical. We sat around, snapchatting pictures to make fun of the candidates and "faceswap" to no end. It was more about who could make them look more like fools than how it was actually going.

Who won? Honestly, the people who watched because we got to laugh at the jokes that will arise because of this debate.

The Mysterious Wise One Sighting

The wise one is a knowledgeable person who wanders our campus in the beauty of the day. You can see her walking to and fro on the Mall. She walks with purpose and with confidence.

The wise one is a girl in the HU Honors Program. She knows how the world works and what to expect that the teachers are expecting in class. You can see her shooting film for her Production 1 class. She beams with pride over a compliment of her success and beauty.

The Wise One is magnificent and funny. The Wise One is a good friend. She is the person you want to go to when you need help. She is a person you know who sits in the classes and absorbs everything piece of information from the people around her.

The Wise One is among us. Who do you think she is?