The Hidden Gem of 2010

In the year two thousand and ten many great films were released. With many great mainstream films that were released like Inception, Toy Story 3, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows pt 1, one could understand why some smaller films just skated below the surface. This fantastic tale full of romance and adventure more so than in its original. I know in most cases the original film is much better than the sequel, but this sequel blows the original out of the water. Titanic II is this film. Its creators knew that if it were to be shown in theaters that it wouldn't be fair to the other films being released at that time. So out of common courtesy they had decided to release their masterpiece straight to home video. In conclusion, this film should be a part of every movie lovers collection. Personally, I am can not wait until the 4K Blu-ray special edition version is released here soon. It has interviews with the cast, Directors, and Patrick O'Keefe who was the grip intern on the film. 

The Tree of Life

As many of you know recently in intro to DMA we have watched a brief segment of the feature film The Tree of Life. I was hooked after watching those few minutes. After watching the film all I have to say is wow. The cinematography was stunning as was the actual story that was told. There were very few lines of dialogue and most of the story was told with visuals. What was really amazing is how they used footage of the wonders of our planet and even photos from space to show the wonder of our Gods creation. One of my favorite movies is Interstellar, because of both the visuals and the story told. Interstellar special effects were truly breathtaking and put the audience in a place of wonder and awe. The same feeling is given by the visuals of this film. But the best part is that these shots are from our real world, not something crafted by a computer program. It was crafted by an artistic creator who's sheer splendor and glory are revealed through his creation.

Where were you?

Watching that clip from the film "The Tree of Life" in class the other day really got me thinking. This past summer I discovered a song titled "Where were you?". The song begins with a cry out to the Lord from the songwriter. He says that he sees nothing good in his current situation. The writer sees that sin has taken root in the earth. Then God replies. 

He said where were you the day that I measured

sunk the banks and stretched the line over 

all the earth and carved out its cornerstone?

Where were you the day that I spoke and 

told the sun to split the night open 

caused the morning dark with its light to show

Who shut in the ocean with stone doors

marked the reach of tides on those new shores

hung the day the waves rose and first broke forth

Have you seen the springs of that great sea

walked the caverns carved in the black deep

through the gates of darkness there on its floor

Have you seen the armoury i hold

snow and hail are stacked up in silos

for the times of trouble and war and strife

Can you raise your voice to the storm cloud

would the thunder answer and ring out

does the lightning ask you where it should strike

Who has cleft the channels for torrents

rain to sprout the desert with forest

in the wilderness that my hand has built

Can you hunt the prey for your lions

can you use the cords of orion

is this whole world bending beneath your will?

Let's take a moment to let these lyrics sink in. Our heavenly father not only set the foundation for the Earth but spoke the sun into existence. HE SPOKE IT! When we take a look at creation we see the majesty of our Father! The verse that really strikes a chord with me is sixth one. Personally, I love storms, I love seeing lightning arch across the sky and feeling the rumble of thunder in my chest. Knowing that the lightning asks for his permission where it can strike blows my mind. Finally, the songwriter replies back to God seeing the error of his thinking.  

I spoke of things I did not understand

things too wonderful for me

although I had no right to ask

my God knelt and answered me

How often do we question God and his plans for us? I know we are all guilty of this and that we all wonder from time to time where is God in this? But when we look at the world around us, his creation, this should help put our doubts to rest. God is in control and he has a plan. What is most important though is that even though he has split the sky open with his words, marked where the tide could reach on the shore, and he can raise his voice to the storm clouds and they obey him, he loves us. He will kneel down and answer us. Below is a link to the song on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLf_Nlukra0

Kingdom Hearts: The struggle between light and dark

I grew up playing and loving the Kingdom Hearts games. The first game came out in 2003 and the series has continued to expand the story over the years. The whole premise of the game is there have been a select few warriors chosen to wield a mystical the mystical Keyblade.

Those chosen have the strongest heart and are the most capable to repel the darkness in their own world and the worlds that they traveled to. Recently I have purchased the HD remix's of six of the games (they come in a bundle calm down). Playing them again there are only two things that I wish would be different about the games. Number one is that all the worlds that they travel to were not related directly to Disney characters or movies.

As an early teen, that was what was cool about it, that you get to fight alongside Aladin and the Gene or Captain Jack Sparrow. Now I just want the same story without all the Disney comic relief. Another thing that I would ask to be changed is the whole "ya friendship" reaction to things. Far too often do the main characters say something along the lines of "I have friends and we love each other so that means  we can beat you...". Just tweaking the dialogue and making it more realistic about self-sacrifice or inner struggles about the dark and the light would greatly improve the game's marketability.

Regardless of these two things I am still hooked and invested in the characters enough to be excited about the newest games coming out. Personally, at the age, I am at now I wouldn't pick up the game unless you are a huge Disney fan. If not then these games, despite the beautiful story, probably aren't for you.

The Americans

As I have earlier stated that I have a huge love for historical fiction. Recently I have begun to watch the series The Americans. The FX original series first aired in 2013. It is the story of two KGB spy's that have been planted in the United States, how long they have been there we are not told but it is long enough to have successfully created an upstart business and have two children. So approximately 15 years of deep cover in the D.C. area. Our story takes place right after Reagan is elected into office. He then signs Executive Order 12333 giving the USA intelligence divisions more freedom and specifically allowed the NSA to collect unencrypted data online without needing special permission. This show does a very good job of showing us what it was like being on the other side of the Red scare. Seeing how the main characters struggle with staying loyal to the motherland or giving in and becoming rich and traitors. Seeing how well these spies blended in with the American people really sheds light on how afraid we were back in 1981. So far I am pleased with the show and I can't wait to see where the story takes us!

Infamous: Choose Wisely

I do not consider myself to be a hardcore gamer, but I do enjoy playing video games on occasion. One of the main criteria a game must have for me to consider playing it is a compelling story. To date one of the best storylines I have ever played belongs to the game series Infamous. Infamous is the story of a man (Cole), through unfortunate circumstances receives  special abilities. He becomes a human conductor, he is given the abilities to absorb electricity and release it from his hands. He is left with a choice, will he help the citizens of Empire City or will he use his powers to help himself and his own desires. Cole isn't the only one who was affected by the unfortunate event, the city is full freaks of nature like himself but they have their own agendas.

Not to mention the gang war for territory within the city. What is fantastic about the story established is that as the player/audience have to make decisions that not only affect them but the people surrounding them. The reaction of the public changes as weather you chose to become famous or Infamous. Coles journey is full of twists and turns and though the series is only two games you feel so emotionally invested in both Cole and his allies that you hate to see them go.

Historical Fiction

Recently I have begun to watch the History Channel series "Vikings". I am a huge fan of historical fiction novels and now seeing it reenacted on the silver screen is fantastic! I understand that some things are altered to make the story stronger and more enticing. Through the first season of this show, we see the brutality of the Viking culture. We see how harsh and demanding of each other the members of that culture were. Seeing them interact with their gods and how the lived in fear of them was very interesting. As an audience, we are also introduced to how fierce of lovers they are. They really care for each other and for their families. Bonds of friendship were not easily broken. Then we get introduced to a Christian monk who is captured by these "barbarians". (Later we see that the Vikings are just as barbaric as the Christians of that time period).

We learn so much because of the Monks entrance to the show. It was a very creative way to give some exposition and history of their culture and why they make different sacrifices to their gods. I will say that this series is quite violent just like history. It also can be quite steamy sometimes between husbands and wives. All in all, it is a compelling story with great acting and a historical draw.

No Country For Old Men

This weekend I had the opportunity to sit down and watch a great film. It was released in 2007 and was directed by Joel Coen and Ethan Coen. These same directing/writing duo brought us "O Brother Where Art Thou","The Big Lebowski", and "Fargo". Not only did the film have great leadership but its cast, though it was small in number, was large in name power. With Tommy Lee Jones playing a wise and weathered sheriff along with Javier Bardem who plays a sociopathic killer, the story is driven to a whole new level. What really stood out to me was silence the film provided. Many times we as an audience is flooded with all kinds of sounds and stimulus. No Country for Old Men gives us the audience an opportunity to listen to what is being said by the actors and the director. We get to truly experience the emotion poured out in the performance in front of us. Music has its place in a film but when it begins to take away from the story should it be omitted. The carefully crafted lines delivered in this film could have easily been overpowered by the presence of a powerful score. It just reminded me that music is a tool to add to a scene, it can easily detract from it as well. As we go on making short films we should not be afraid to let our audience sit in silence.

The Flash: Season 2

Recently I have finished the second season of CW’s The Flash. This season was full of ups and downs but more importantly character development. During the last five episodes, we see Barry Allen struggle with his place in the world. A specific chain of events occur and we get to take a step back along with Barry and see what is really important. Cisco’s role was dramatically increased from the previous season. Taking a deeper look into what drives Cisco and his relationship with his brother. Not only do we see the development of characters we know and love already but we get introduced to some new ones as well. I will say that the casting department did a fantastic job and that the writers allow our favorite heroes and villains to keep making appearances.

The Main antagonist of the season is the all powerful Zoom. He made a fantastic villain. All through the season, he seemed to be either one step ahead or just a little bit faster than our team at star labs. (See what I did there? Faster… cause it is the Flash…they both are speedsters…anyway). The season was fantastic and I can not wait to dive right into season three and see what the creators have in store for us!

Reading Quiz Two Blog : For the Birds

One of the biggest lessons I have learned from reading the material from Pixar is the importance of surrounding yourself with a great team. Seeing the beauty of the computer generated animation come together with a great story was incredible. From a very young age, Pixar had drawn me in with their fantastic tales. Watching some of these films brought back a nostalgic feeling. Knowing that the creation of the beloved Toy Story took 36 months to write and hone is astounding. Even having the large number of individuals on board for a short film, For the birds. I can only imagine the collaboration that was needed to work on these. The textures on the birds must have been a nightmare to animate. Just like another article talks about man hours, this project would be nearly impossible to do on your own. Again the importance of working with people who are driven just as much as you are is emphasized so much in this article. Even to the extent of the CEO saying that he prefers to hire people who are smarter than he is. I would love to sit in on one of their brainstorming sessions. To be able to see these storytellers at work would be incredible. 

What is you peculiarity?

Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children was not what I was anticipating. Seeing the previews for this film I was expecting a K-Mart version of the X-Men. With children having special abilities and seeking shelter from the oppressive world and being sheltered under the wing of a teacher who has strange abilities as well. I was pleasantly surprised to see that they created their own mythos for the film. The creative villains and the use of history to create their mythos. The acting was very good. They scored Samuel L. Jackson as the main antagonist for the film his villain was interesting but with better writing could have really stolen the show. Along with Samuel L. Jackson, the casting was very well done. Each character played their part the best way that they could with what was given to them. The visuals of the film were astounding. Visual effects were very much above what I was expecting. Hollows that hunt the peculiars were terrifying and beautifully crafted. Their presence on the screen was felt and they added a bit of mystery and horror to the story. Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children is a diamond in the rough of some of Hollywoods garbage that it cranked out this summer. It is not Oscar worthy but it is worth your time.

The End of Wolverine.

Hugh Jackman's Wolverine has been one reliable element in 20th Century FOX's X-men franchise. He has been a member of the team since the release of the first X-men movie in 2000. Though the franchise has had its ups and downs over the years Hugh Jackman has been there to play his role very well. With his retirement of the role fast approaching his last hurrah as the metal-clawed, nearly impossible to kill, government experiment gone wrong or right depending on how you look at it. The only way to send off such an influential is a conclusion of Epic proportions. As seen in the trailer of "Logan" both he and Charles are the only mutants left in that timeline, thus killing off that disappointing timeline. With the introduction of his daughter, X-23, we get to see Logan fight for the one thing he has left. He is no longer the mutant he once was in the first X-men movie, he is getting older and is slowly losing his healing factor that has kept him young sense the civil war. This film promises to be grittier and harsher than the others in its series. Let's just hope they keep us engaged with great storytelling and interesting characters. Hugh Jackman deserves no less. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Div0iP65aZo

This is the link to the trailer for "Logan".

Luke Cage

Last week Netflix released its new addition to its Marvel Universe. Luke Cage follows the story of a man who's skin seems to be impenetrable. Bullets and fits the like just bounce off of him. Currently, I am about two-thirds of the way into the first season. What has been one of the most enjoyable parts of this series is its connection to not only the other Netflix shows, such as Daredevil and Jesica Jones, but it also connects to the Marvel cinematic universe. One of Marvels issues in the area of movies is its villains, this is not the case for these series. Luke Cage's adversary is a powerful man. He himself is not gifted with super abilities but he is powerful none the less. Controlling most of Harlem with fear tactics and ruling with an Iron fist has granted him this. The Side characters that are aiding  Luke are funny and successfully lighten the mood of a very serious tale. So far there have been some powerful lines and I am excited to hear more from our beloved Luke and his adversary Cottonmouth. Earlier this week Netflix released the trailer for their final “Defender” Iron Fist. Let's just hope that they continue to keep the bar high. 

Beauty

Seeing the works of Co Hoedeman today in class reminded me of the lecture that Professor Leeper did titled "Art in motion: the Aesthetics of Animation". Looking back one quote really stuck with me from that night. It was by Martin Buber, "Creation is not a hurdle on the road to God, it is the road itself". Another comment was made either that night or the next day in class about how the only denial of God is not creating anything. I spent many hours the next few days thinking about how true this statement was. Our creations are sacrifices and point to a creator. Scripture says that we are made in his image and because of that there is a creator in all of us. Granted that some of us are more creative gifted that others in actual art. I believe that no matter what your occupation is there is some sort of creation element to it. Mathematicians create and find solutions to problems that relate to everyday life around us! Lawyers create a convincing case for their defendant. Janitors take what is gross and unappealing to others and clean it up to create a pleasant space for others to enjoy. We all are creators and we are all artists. 

Middletown

Last week I went a saw HU's rendition of the play Middletown. The set was very minimalist but worked in favor with the writing. The Dialogue was phenomenally and many of the characters made you laugh and others made you cry. What I found truly fascinating was that it the story is one of balance. Where there is joy in life for one, another can be found depressed. Where there is love there also hate. Where there is life...you get the idea. The play takes place in small town USA where not much really happens, much like my hometown. People move in and people move out that never changed. What was interesting about these individuals were that they all had something deep down that was driving them. I believe that it was hope. Just as the woman who has just moved into town has hope that her baby will have a great life. So does the man who repairs her sink. He hopes that life has something more for him to hold onto than just doing odd jobs. Both are driven to find something to fulfill that need for more, the desire to live life to its fullest.  At the end of the play I was left with the question "Am I living life to the fullest?". Middletown has impacted me to make the most of each day and not waste any opportunity. 

Childlike Lens

Today I was sitting in the Science hall waiting on my psychology class to begin. Today was also the Walk into my Future event with the local elementary schools. One class came into the science hall to use the restroom. As they slowly trickled out of the restroom they became fascinated with the fountain at the base of the elevator. The sound of their laughter was full of pure joy as they played with the water, despite their teacher's efforts to keep them dry. As an artist, I believe that we see the world much differently than others. We keep ahold of a part of that childlike lens. That perspective that we peer through and see the world is what makes our art great. Finding the joy in the simple man made little fountain as a child would. should be our goal. I don’t know how many times I have sat in the science hall and viewed the fountain as just a decoration. I was unable to see how the water danced, how it moved gracefully and naturally. Our duty as artists is to bring to light the simple pleasures of life. To bring back a childlike worldview. 

Destino - Walt Disney & Salvador Dali

I stumbled across this one day looking through the endless media provider of the internet. I am very much a live action kind of viewer. I prefer this medium of storytelling over animation. Though that may be true this short caught my eye and I fell in love with it from the first frame. The visuals are astounding! Seeing the style of Salvador Dali brought to life by one of the founding fathers of animation, Walt Disney, was incredible. Destino is a short film that Disney and Dali began work on in 1947, but because of funding issues, production was stopped on it. It wasn’t until 2003 that it was finished. The Director used Dali’s original paintings, storyboards, and Sketches to finish the project. Seeing how two forms of art came together to create this masterpiece is incredible. I think there should be more crossovers between the arts. We could learn so much from each other. The perspective that we could gain would be invaluable. Painters, animators, and filmmakers all see the world is different ways. Being able to glean from others would help make our works more well rounded. Below is a link to it on YouTube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1GFkN4deuZU

Binge Watching Epics?

I recently have just finished viewing the second season of the television series "Gotham". Over the course of a few episodes, we fall back in love with the same characters all over again. Jim Gordon still has the moral compass that seems to be set in stone, though it will be tested later on. While watching an episode I began to wonder why as a culture we are drawn to shows that take up so much time. The total season lasted for 22 episodes, each lingering for 45-minutes. That brings the total screen time to around 16 and a half hours! The longer I think about it the more I realize that long stories are part of our history as a race. The Greeks and Romans told lengthy tales of mighty heroes and diabolical monsters. Considering that these stories were told orally they must have taken many evenings around a fire to tell in in whole.  These tales had natural breaks in them allowing for the tale to end for that evening and it could be easily be picked back up the next day. Just like television shows today. They have episodes that contribute to a story much larger than the ones individually told in the 45-minute time frame. I am not comparing the quality to what we watch on TV now to be equal with great epics of Homer, I am just saying that they are similar in structure. 

World of Glory?

I recently finished watching the short film by Roy Andersson "World of Glory". Throughout the whole film, something inside of me was stirring, I could tell something was off. Then as the closing scene appeared it hit me. If you have not finished watching it now is the time to do it. This man is a representation of the unproductive Christian. The beginning of the film displays the demise of a truckload of women by the hands of our main character and his colleagues. This is a direct parallel to our faith. We as Christians are many times unwilling to share our faith and by doing so we condemn those who don't believe as we do to a worse fate than the women in the truck. The next following scenes are also relatable to our faith. When our main character goes through a mental breakdown when he believes that he has lost his sight. When in reality he has. He has lost his ability to see those who are hurting and are in need of aid. His blindness is no one's fault but his own. His fancy coat that he hides behind, like the mask of perfection we hide behind, hinders him from helping those who really need it. The scene with the church is already in a context for our faith. When offered the blood of Christ the main character drinks more than his fair share. It takes several men and the priest to make him stop. Just like he drinks all the wine in the cup so does he keep the salvation story to himself. He is unwilling to share with those around him who are in desperate need to hear it. The final scene speaks the loudest. Our main character standing in front of his bed covering his ears while screaming is heard. There is a noticeable change in the character and he is afraid that he is only one hearing the screaming. Finally, his wife sits up in bed and calls him back to bed to get some sleep because “the next day will be hard if he doesn’t”. Our character is left with a decision, does he help the child screaming and get out of his comfort zone or will he crawl back into bed where he is comfortable? He gazes into the camera along with his wife one last time as if to say “what are you going to do about it”? So I must ask, in the face of adversity or lack of comfort, when someone needs to see the light of Jesus, are you going to ignore the screaming? Or will you do something about it?

Kubo and the Two Strings

Kubo and the two strings will be one of the most successful stop-motion films this year. The story was compelling full of twists and turns. It draws in its audience with a lovable main character of Kubo whose past is full of mystery. Kubo keeps you planted on the edge of your seat until the final credits pass on the screen. The visuals were breathtaking. The animators are true masters of their craft. The stop motions flow was near perfect and bursting with color. What really impressed me was the scale of the sets and the amount of detail put into them. One would think that as the set would increase in size the focus of details would diminish. That couldn't be further from the truth in Kubo. The larger than life Skelton monster took my breath away. Seeing the individual bones work together to make this monster move was incredible. This film was Directed by Travis Knight who seems to have struck gold with his third stop motion feature. His earlier works, The Boxtrolls and ParaNorman, lacks the story and stunning visuals that Kubo has. Overall it is a great stop motion film. It has a compelling story that will entertain an audience of all ages.