#the themes of unconventional families and gaining new perspectives

[improbabledreamgirl]

if i had a nickel for every time a Disney animated film explored the relationship between humans and wildlife set to a banger soundtrack by Phil Collins, i’d have 2 nickels, which isn’t a lot but it’s REALLY FUCKING COOL that it happened twice.

[filmmakersvision]

Oscars 2022: Best Feature Film Nominees Ranked

April 12, 2022

by Inakshi Chandra-Mohanty

1. Drive My Car

Despite being in a language I don’t understand and set in a culture I know little about, this film felt the most personal out of all the nominations. It’s an engrossing tale of a man struggling with grief and forgiveness. Through his interactions with the various people around him and his deep involvement in the play he’s directing, he gains a different perspective to life. Of those, the most unconventional relationship he forms, is with his driver, as they bond over their respective griefs. Though there is nothing exceptional about the storyline, Drive My Car excels due to the deeply etched out characters and the emotion driven scenes. The film builds an experience revolving around the world of the main character whose grief is personally captivating. His screen presence and the growth in his character are endearing. The film also consists of beautifully framed shots that it even more profound. Overall, it is an enjoyable and powerful film that I will love watching again.

2. CODA

The film that won the title of best picture is the one of the most deserving. A remake of French-Belgian film, La Famille Bélier, with story elements similar to Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s classic Hindi film, Khamoshi: The Musical, CODA follows a child of deaf parents who wishes to pursue a career in music. It is an engaging storyline, with strong buildup, and emotionally intimate characters. We are drawn into the main character’s struggles with her identity and at the same time enlightened about the deaf community. It is an overall package with a combination of drama, comedy, and romance, behind a powerful journey.

3. West Side Story

When a classic is remade it struggles to live up to the original and endless comparisons cause it to lose significance. However, as someone who has not seen the original film adaptation or theatre play, and has little knowledge of the plot, I was able to view this film with a fresh outlook. West Side Story is a ridiculously outdated story of love at first sight but Steven Spielberg’s direction makes even the absurd believable, romantic, and passionate. He creates a unique world full of artistic brilliance. The amazing set design and detailed lighting and cinematography are used in a metaphorical sense, a style which is rare in recent films that focus on realism. The use of the visual medium to convey emotions adds much more depth to an otherwise superficial plot and creates an entertaining output. West Side Story is cinema in its purest form.

4. Dune

Dune is a visually stunning masterpiece that serves as a powerful origin story for a hero in a science fiction universe of emperors, houses, and outcasts. The film is about the power struggle between outsiders over a land of spices, as the original inhabitants of the planet continuously suffer. This intriguing storyline of a new world has multiple references to real world colonialism. Alongside the symbolism, it also provides identifiable characters, whose mental struggles are not much different from ours. The hero is struggling between two different identities and family histories. His father’s title and his mother’s power clash ultimately leading to an identity crisis within. The film is symbolically, visually, and personally powerful. However, while it is captivating, it isn’t entirely satisfying. The development is extremely slow with focus on pulling us into this world rather than into action. Yet, it achieves its intention and provides a great setup for a sequel.

5. Don’t Look Up

Don’t Look Up is a hilarious satire that uses the arrival of a deadly comet as a metaphor for current real-life issues that can lead to the end of the world. This black comedy portrays “comedic dread” as it transitions constantly and abruptly between comic leisure and resonating themes. It is hilariously depressing which shows how effective it is. While the script is brilliant, the execution veers between a powerful satire and a lengthy comedy sketch, sometimes coming off as a bit too amateurish. The topic is important but the filmmaking could have been better. However, the grand cast, with their brilliant comic timing keep the film engaging as the crisis in the narrative ripples out of control.

6. King Richard

A heartwarming biopic on the growing years of tennis players Serena and Venus Williams, King Richard beautifully shows the contrast between the taste of success and the struggles of being a person of color in America. As these two youngsters rise, they also confront the racism and dangers around them both from outside their community and within. The focus of the story is on their father and his guidance in their journey, giving it a unique perspective in comparison to the typical biopic. But the arc of the narrative is conventional. It has a predictable layout with an obvious conclusion. The journey isn’t unique enough for the film to be too different. However, it is engaging and focuses on important issues making it a worthwhile watch.

7. Belfast

The life of a young boy is transformed overnight as he is confronted with religious divides and cultural disparities in 1960s Ireland. A semi-autobiographical story set in a tumultuous period, Belfast follows a family that grapples with the changing political climate and economic struggles within their community. The themes are relevant to children today who struggle with understanding the difference between “good” and “bad’ as adults around them propagate religious extremism and racial divides. Filmed in black and white, the film is artistically brilliant using the most powerful aspects of non-color storytelling (lights, shadows, and framing). But the story and characters are not impactful enough for the cinematic techniques to have a strong effect. The plot is slightly engaging and enlightening, but not as personal as other critics deem it to be. And there is very little to connect to in the characters, making it an emotionally weak narrative. However, it is a meaningful film, making it worth a one time watch.

8. Nightmare Alley

In a neo-noir remake of the 1947 film of the same name, Guillermo del Toro’s Nightmare Alley follows a young man’s rise and fall in his ambitious drive to boost his psychic career. Though the overall story arc is powerful, the progression is weak. It takes time to develop, focusing instead on visual storytelling. For a majority of the first half, there is no clear direction. Much of the development seems pointless with no proper end in sight. Despite a weak buildup, the film has all the makings of a noir. An ambitious, yet foolish male character, is enchanted by a femme fatale, leading to his ultimate destruction. The camerawork and editing also take the essence of the noir style, with unique framings and contrasting greens and yellows. But the aesthetic visuals are not enough to support the weak script.

9. The Power of the Dog

Based on a 1967 novel of the same name, The Power of the Dog, is about a rancher who resorts to intimidation when his brother brings home a new wife and her son. As time passes, however, he slowly discovers and understands parts of himself that he had repressed for years. The film subverts the cliches of a typical Western by questioning the very ideal on which it is built, the idea of masculinity. As the characters struggle with their sense of self, their relationships with one another change, leading to an interesting climax. Thematically and visually the film is powerful, but the metaphors are not worthwhile if the film is not engaging enough. It is extremely slow in the first half only picking up pace as the narrative begins to unravel. The context for that narrative is important but requires much patience and full attention. It includes many scenes of solitude which can be unnerving when there is little emotional attachment to the characters. While the film is certainly impactful in parts, the themes aren’t powerful enough to carry the two hour long film.

10. Licorice Pizza

Licorice Pizza is the weakest of the Oscar nominations this year. It is a coming of age drama about two youngsters who grow, find themselves, and fall in love in 1970s California. While the film is slightly fun and cute, there is nothing spectacular about it. It has a positive start with a unique ‘first meeting’ between two prospective lovers but quickly begins to meander. There is no defined concept which makes it essential for character development to drive plot. However, from the onset there is a disconnect from the two main characters and the period in which it is set. Maybe it is the cultural context, but many dialogues, jokes, and references were confusing to me and is possibly why I personally had difficulty connecting to the film. But, despite its flaws, the film was a decent watch.

[astroseri]

New Moon in Scorpio ♏️

November 15th (2-4 week Horoscope)

Through the Signs (Ascendant & Moon):

New moons periods are good for planting seeds 🌱 The seeds usually sprout/manifest in subsequent full moons (can be multiple).

Aries ♈️

Your seeds and actions will manifest transformations & breakthroughs. Starting new things with your actions or changing old ways of doing things will be successful. Also, Aries may be indulging in sex with someone in their community or who lives from a short distance from them. The thought will weigh on your mind 👀 Anyway, you will feel extremely productive during this time. Mars is finally direct so you will feel relieved as you begin to make progress that wasn’t possible before. You will make changes to your routine or work that allow you more freedom and efficiency. You will feel powerful/unstoppable right now.  You could make transformations to your status. Overall you could experience more harmony in relationships or be meeting a new partner (Venus is in your 7th house). They may be clashing or be in the way of your drive to get things done though. (Venus opposite mars) You could be changing your perspective or your physique/appearance🦵 during this time. 👁👃👁  You could also be doing work in your community or neighborhood (it could be going through transformations). Mars (your planet) is going direct  in Aries and the New Moon is powering it up in Scorpio (the other sign of mars). Accomplishing your desires is a breeze for you during this time.

Taurus ♉️ 

 Your shadow side is likely to come out regarding your desire to break free from the manipulative nature of people or siblings 😒😡. It will come out unconsciously (unless you are an early degree Taurus 0-2°) -- because lilith is in the early degrees of Taurus. You will feel inwardly rebellious, but breaking free may feel difficult (it’s your fear of losing stability, of course). On a positive note you can manifest transformative relationships or partnerships that will push you forward. People you know will be trying to support you subconsciously and transform your perspective during this time. You could feel highly creative or artistic during this time and be socializing more than usual, especially on the internet 🌐

Your partners may change their appearance or presentation. Or you may meet a powerful new partner during this time. Likely a foreigner or someone from a different culture. In general am seeing that your relationships during this time will go through new beginnings and you will experience powerful new adventures and revelations. fun fact: Despite their immobility, Tauruses secretly crave adventure, knowledge and fulfilling their spontaneous explorative and sexual desires.

Gemini ♊️ 

You will probably be transforming your routine drastically and on a whim. To something much better. Aunts/Uncles, Distant family and daughters could play a role in your next weeks. You could encounter a sexy or powerful foreigner (pluto is conjunct jupiter in your 8th) and start a partnership. Whether you end up meeting someone like this or not, you will notice someone like this. It will be in your daily routine or job. Either sexy or powerful. In the case you are starting a new relationship during this time I am betting they are likely to be from a past life or be someone highly spiritual (south node in your 7th). Right now it’s all about you though (N. Node in 1st). I feel like Gemini’s may be diving deep into conspiracies or taboo subjects during this time as well.

Cancer ♋️ 

 You could be transforming the way you present yourself to others during this time 💁🏾‍♀️. You may be receiving groundbreaking information from others especially sisters during the next month. A son may decide to “leave the house.” But you may be doing so too; you may feel a need to get out more. Similar to gemini you will be capable of encountering a sexy or powerful foreigner during the coming weeks. Instead of being from work though, it will be from your neighborhood/city. Likely while having fun, going shopping, or going out, you will enable this encounter (it’s in your 5th house). Like I said with gemini, if you’re not meeting this foreigner, you may at least catch a glimpse of one.

Leo ♌️ 

 You may feel a need to express yourself more harmoniously 🕊. You may have reflected on wounds to your ego (☀️💔😔)  recently or you will be . You will set new emotional beginnings and family beginnings. You could be conceiving this month (especially if you want a child). It’s more likely going to be a son—less likely it could be daughter (mercury is in your 4th). Mercury is usually boys, 4th is womb. If it is a girl she could be intelligent and energetic like a boy. I’m seeing that some really blessed/powerful kids will be conceived by Leos this month (Jupiter conjunct Pluto). Other than kids this is basically about blessed/powerful expressions. They will make an impact. You will be planting powerful creative seeds. Others may transform your beliefs during this time with their unconventional thoughts. You may make powerful transformations at work or with your routine.

Virgo ♍️

Virgo, you will be moving full throttle the next 2 weeks. You’re channeling Aries energy during this time. You could find yourself transforming your physique/appearance --> 💇🏻‍♂️. In general you will be planting a lot of intellectual seeds and acquiring knowledge from your investigations. You will be tempted to dig up a lot of dirt during this time. You are the king/queen of thinking about dark and negative topics. As well as investigating corruption and manipulation 🔍.. You will likely express yourself effectively at work during this month. You will be innovative and a high achiever at work. But an individual may misconstrue your rebelliousness and powerful expressions as you being toxic or full of yourself 😒 (you are simply stepping into your power).

---==☯︎☯︎☯︎==---

Libra thru Pisces.

Libra ♎️ - Libra, you will be making a transformation in your values, appearance or possessions. Manifesting a new appearance will be highly effective during this time. You could be making drastic transformations in your home and your emotional comfort zone. You also may be starting a new financial venture with someone, especially through a deal or contract. You have a lot of value right now (venus is in your 1st house). You are an attractive prospect. Be careful, others could be a little unfair in the financial agreement, be gaining more from you, or have an unspoken desire to be free. You are valuable. You will have a tendency to be self-sacrificing and easygoing during this time so set firm boundaries and be clear with others about what you can tolerate.

Scorpio ♏️ - Scorpio, this is your time. You will have no trouble changing your appearance or even perspective right now. Your routine, diet or workout regiment could be the source of the transformation. You will be going hard at your routine and at work. Partners may be trying to break free from your grip during this time or be seeming to act toxic but it’s because they are analyzing all the power people like you have over them. Try to give them space and step back for a while before resuming your grip lol. On the other hand, you may find yourself to be more communicative and expressive during this time. Your deep thoughts will be well received right now and will influence others. Others understand you abnormally well. People may share your passion about a subject and be supporting your point of view, which may feel strange and out of the norm as a Scorpio. Enjoy it.

Sagittarius ��️ - You will be highly creative during this time 👨🏽‍🎨. And you will feel an unnatural insight into your emotions 🌙. Out of all the signs, you are the most likely to be receiving gains in capital during this time. These could be enormous (you have Jupiter and Pluto conjunct in your natural 2nd house and Venus in your natural 11th house.) —bill gates has this in his chart, except venus in 5th (i’m not saying your going to become bill gates rich tho lol but you can on the INSIDE at least). Remember new moons are seeds, so more than likely this will be a very lucrative idea (seed) coming to mind. It’s up to you to put your inspirations to action. This is a great time for you to meditate and quiet your mind so you can be open to receiving random ideas throughout the day. Partnerships are favored during this time 🤝. You could have a breakthrough at work or have a need to break free (get some space).

Capricorn ♑️ - Other people’s expressions will inspire transformations in your perception and actions 🤔💡. You may consume or receive some information online that changes your perspective on life and makes you see things through a deeper lens. You could make improvements to your physique, routine and workout regiment. You may also feel a desire to change the way you present yourself to others. Capricorns may want to express their unconventional beliefs and ideas. This may feel disorienting to others (who know you for your practicality), who are used to your practical side. They may be critical of your expressions (out of fear or discomfort). Make sure you are being concise in your presentation of information, and paying attention to details. Your unconventional ideas are actually very appealing to others once you present them well (Venus is in your 10th). On a side note, transformations to your appearance or public image will be highly supported during this time 🤩

Aquarius ♒️ - Along with many other signs, there the theme of transforming appearance or presentation for Aquarius (this will be supported during this time). It could either be your outlook or your physical appearance that you are positively transforming by planting manifestation, actions and intentions. You may decide to release a lot of subconscious junk 🧠 🚮 Emotional transformations and purges 😭 are possible. This could also manifest as making changes in your home (a complete revamp) or maybe moving.  Also, the New Moon is taking place in Aquarius’ 10th house. New beginnings in status, career or public image. These changes will be powerful. The outcome could be massive increases in value and achievement. During this time you may come up with groundbreaking inventions, but probably ones that you have trouble putting into physical matter (they have never been done before). Also you could be creating deeply creative art or expressing enlightening ideas 🗣💡  right now.

Pisces ♓️ - New beginnings in learning and education. These personal studies and knowledge will spark ideas for inventions and unconventional creations. Your below-the-surface perception makes you highly creative, pisces 🐳.! The positive seeds that others plant in your mind during this time will manifest through your actions later 🗣  --> 💡. You are likely to be creating a lot of art or inventions during this time. In general, you could be focused on your finances, building wealth at work or sharing value through your own expression to others. In any case you will certainly reap financial gains from the actions you take right now. 

*Pisces, whenever you take action it tends to increase your self-worth and value (your actions and wealth are very interlinked). Perhaps it is because you are so creative. Whenever you do practical things, the outcome is very beautiful to others (they are like --> 😮)

Thanks for reading!

@astroseri

[riverrootstarot]

🐀🐾🐈Wednesday Pick-A-Card Reveals🐈🐾🐀

If you haven't had a chance to yet, take a moment to quiet your mind, maybe make some tea, take a breath, and choose a card that calls to you. (Original post is linked here.)

[ Image Description: Three tarot cards laid facedown on a grey cloth with a feather pattern. The card backs are a gradient of dark blue and spots of white like a night sky, with two opposing paw print emblems surrounded by sprigs of pussy willow and catnip on either side of each card, the Mystical Cats tarot. A plush cat toy rests beneath each card. The cards are labeled 1, 2, and 3 from left to right and the toys are a very round mouse, a giraffe, and a feathered ball, respectively. End ID. ]

And when you're ready...

🐈

🐾

🐀

🌕

♉

🌕

🐀

🐾

🐈

Here are your messages...

1 | 5 of Earth, reversed: You're so fixated on feeling shut out in the cold that you've forgotten all you need to do to gain access to the warmth inside is to knock. Your needs aren't being met right now but some of them only need to be asked for. Don't allow self pity and despair to create more obstacles than are already in your path. Feel like you deserve a raise? Ask for it! Needing some support? Reach out to a friend! It's not easy to assert yourself when you're feeling low, but you won't know if solutions are available if you don't make strides to access them. Things might seem unstable right now but the best thing you can do for yourself is to appreciate what you do have and ask for what you still need. And don't worry about what others have that you lack. It doesn't matter if the grass is greener on the other side. Water your own grass. 

[ Image Description: A tarot card laid on a grey cloth with a feather pattern. A cat toy shaped like a very round mouse sits next to it. The card is upside down and depicts a cat sitting outside a house in the snow, looking in through the window at two other cats curled up by a fire next to a full bowl of food. End ID. ]

2  | 9 of Fire: You've nearly reached a goal and are needing to pull through that last hurdle to complete it. Hold onto what you've gained and ask for help if needed. If you feel like something is just out of reach, review your steps so far and see what's worked and what hasn't, then adjust accordingly. What you're working toward can be meaningful to others, too, so if you've been playing it close to the chest, share your project with a trusted companion or two. Their new perspective might be the answer you need to finally complete this project. The Fire Cat Clan of this deck is a spiritual community, so if you're struggling with losing focus on the purpose and passion that got you this far, take stock of the journey and how it began to see it through to the end.  Reminding yourself of what inspired you in the first place will give new meaning to the work and a better vision on what it needs and what it means to be brought to a close. 

[ Image Description: A tarot card laid on a grey cloth with a feather pattern. A cat toy shaped like a giraffe sits next to it. The card depicts a council of nine cats sitting around a fire pit in a temple, gazing into the flames. End ID. ]

3 | 10 of Seas: Your heart's desire is yours. You might not be rich in wealth, but you've found your fortune in what really matters. For some of you this could mean starting a family or finding a long term partner to share your life with. Others may have carved out time for hobbies, or scheduled in regular time with loved ones. You are emotionally content right now and while there may be other things going on in your life that need work, you have a strong and stable network of support that makes any struggle seem small. Maybe what brings you joy is unconventional; are you an adult who loves kids movies or collecting toys? Maybe your art has dark or strange themes, but making it gives you a therapeutic outlet and a sense of peace. Our emotions are fulfilled when we feel that we are able to be our true selves, there's no right way to fill your cup. Everyone's idea of emotional satisfaction looks different, embrace yours! Without it, all the money and success in the world are just stats.

[ Image Description: A tarot card laid on a grey cloth with a feather pattern. A plush ball cat toy with blue and green feathers sits next to it. The card depicts two cats with a litter of kittens lounging under a tent on the beach. One kitten plays with a crab and a shining orb of water floats above the cats, resembling the full moon. End ID. ]

.

I hope this finds whoever needs it. 🔮🖤

.

🚫 this post, blog, and message are not for transphobes, homophobes, or racists 🚫

[glassy-star]

Eighth house;

Once we have learned, in the 7th house, how to build alliances, how to be aware of other people’s universe and how to discover traits of ourselves we didn’t know existed, it’s time to gather all of these precious lessons and dive into the 8th house: a dark, humid and fertile place, where all things are destroyed and given a purpose anew.

The 8th house is a treasure box, locked and sealed with our most deadly secrets. Unlike those of the 4th and the 12th, which are fellow water houses, 8th house matters are more easily available to conscious access, and its contents are there, floating on the water’s cold surface like a trunk after a shipwreck. The energies of this house are kept away by us from the reach of other people, but we know exactly what is actually going on. And it is when we have an intimate relationship with somebody that the secrets of this house break free and become harder and harder to conceal.

The 8th house, then, is where people actually begin to know who we truly are and where our sincerest intentions towards our close relationships are finally revealed to our partner. At the same time, we use this house to discover our partner’s secrets too and, as intimacy grows, digging deeper and deeper into their self, we become able to see past their beautiful mask, learning that they are not so perfect or divine as we might once have thought. These investigative works towards discovering the ugly truth are the consolidation of Scorpio’s energy, and this is also behind this house’s association to sex and mysticism: the profound movements of the soul towards communion with another being.

The opposition to the 2nd house also describes this house’s association to other people’s values, so this is where we’ll find matters regarding inheritance, financial gains through others, genetic heritage, psychic skills unique to a family or even personal values that are acquired from relationships of any kind. The trine to the 4th house, in turn, depicts the origins of this house’s traumas and secrets, which are often found in the first interactions between the child and its environment and family, with an especial focus on the maternal figure. It is in the 8th house that these “bad” feelings, secrets, traumas and coping mechanisms can be transformed by the individual, which then learns, through the 12th house, how to let go of them to be finally reborn to something new.

Sun in the 8th house: in slow autumn day, a long sheet of clouds covers the heavens; light is grey, cloudy and dispersed. Private and concealed, the Sun in the 8th house shines rather discreetly. He doesn’t feel comfortable shining in full, in fear that he might reveal the secrets of his watery mind. People born under a star like this understand the sentimental complexity of their own selves, because they’re in constant contact with their deepest secrets and their ugliest emotions, too. They have become so used to this, that they are often masters of all mysteries; interpreting people and discovering facts is easy, rather intuitive. And because of this they hold the sunny power to transform all things into their purer forms for a price. Because the Sun here is veiled, the individual might find difficult to keep having a positive outlook on life.

Moon in the 8th house: like scythe, a yellow Moon cuts the sky, alluring and distant. The clouds make way for her light, dancing around in a longstanding waltz. There’s something graceful, but terribly powerful about this Moon. The river of emotions runs deep and troubled, disturbed by the desires of the soul to fuse with something else. People with this Moon have an intuitive understanding of what it takes to build an intimate and true relationship, and they can also interpret symbols of any kind with ease, even though the understanding is not completely clear, as if they spoke directly with their soul. This Moon also suggests a strong family inheritance of some sort, depending on the sign she’s in. Because there is so much going on in the emotional realm, the individual can be extremely private of their own feelings, looking at their own intensity from a distance.

Mercury in the 8th house: a curious wanderer reads a witch’s book; the absorption of ancient knowledge feels thrilling and strangely powerful. Smart and intuitive, Mercury in the 8th house is a trickster with a very dark humour. Here, he excels at putting the darkest and purest feelings of humanity into words. People with this placement are usually very aware of what lies beneath all things, and they can easily tell when something’s being hidden. They’re usually quite curious about the world’s nature and people’s functioning, and this Mercury guides them, decoding their otherworldly experiences with accuracy.

Venus in the 8th house: Juliet, having found her lord, kisses his warm, dead lips, then stabs herself to join him. Venus in the 8th weaves strong, powerful ties between her and the objects of her affection. People with this placement are constantly contemplating their love, and their soul burns with a striking wish to merge with the outside world. Relationships with people and objects are intense, sincere and never shallow, and this attitude towards others often stirs the secrets that lurk within. Venus here will run miles to find her star-crossed lover, or die trying, and be inevitably transformed a thousand times in this painful, but divine process. Moreover, Venus in the 8th people are often attracted to dark and mystical auras and themes, because they love this reflection of themselves.

Mars in the 8th house: an ancient knight lifts up their torch, illuminating the black, endless pool in front of them. A lover of danger, Mars is excited to unveil secrets and plunges himself courageously into darkness itself. People with this placement are passionate towards their supernatural interests, and their desire often transcends the physical plane. The 8th house lake, here, is agitated and stirred, so secrets of the emotional realm are constantly revealing themselves and disturbing the personality’s surface. When getting what they want, individuals with this placement are often strategical, making their way in silence.

Jupiter in the 8th house: a mysterious wizard blesses a wanderer with a dark spell, muttering words of death and betrayal. The world may seem like very dark place with this placement, but people with Jupiter in the 8th are exceptional survivors. There’s usually a wise understanding of darkness here, and the individual accepts the transformations they suffer rather naturally. The intimate life with others can be rich and fulfilling, protecting the individual from the monsters they see passing by at night. This may also be a symbol for the inheritance of large amounts of money, values or knowledge of some sort after marriage or from a family member.

Saturn in the 8th house: a figure stands firmly on top of a lonely tower, contemplating the night that surrounds them from all sides. Saturn here is a symbol for a fear of abandonment and letting go of this life’s conditions. The individual knows that something else beyond the life they know exists, but is fearful to approach it, thus becoming attached to either a physical or spiritual perspective on life. The lesson is often understanding that abandonment and the transformation that follows are inherent aspects of a natural cycle, and this understanding can unlock an enormous pool of magical wisdom. This fear might be reflected on the individual’s issues with intimacy, money and psychic powers.

Uranus in the 8th house: a young traveler is seen in the distance, crying and praying at the foot of a dead, leafless tree. Here, Uranus infuses his unorthodox methods into the supernatural, emotional realm. The individual with this placement usually has an unconventional approach to the concepts of mysticism, life and death, and deals very uniquely with their own religion. People with this placement can receive striking, sudden visions from a world unseen, and may often catch spiritual messages in the everyday world. There seems to be this inexplicable expectation that they life is going to change radically in a second, and so they are always prepared for the worst. Uranus in this house teaches how to let go of material attachments, pointing with a smile to that which is most essential.

Neptune in the 8th house: as mermaids sing and emerge beautifully from between the waves, a ship collapses against a cemetery of black rocks. Neptune, here, is about the idealization of the 8th house concepts of loss, transformation and death. People with this placement often present themselves with a distant longing for stepping into another world, far more beautiful and deadly than this one, and this is Neptune’s deception. They can be fairly detached from this world’s matters, and there’s usually a lack of discipline or boundary when dealing with mystical affairs as well as other people’s money and values.

Pluto in the 8th house: comfortable and warm, a child lays on her bed, listening carefully to the night’s terrors .People with this placement have a lot to hide and a lot to discover. Pluto’s the natural ruler of this house, and so relationships here are strong and intense, because of how much is at stake. Those born with this placement have usually been through a lot, and they know just how ugly and dark this world can get behind the curtains, through which they now see so clearly. A lot depends, of course, on the individual deals with this fact; a lot goes on between self-destructing or self-sabotaging and self-transforming or self-healing. But here it’s as if the soul, or the unconscious, is very close to the surface, and the consciousness is able see right through the veil of reality.

Detail: Gustave Doré, “Andromède”; 1869.

[rodpupo2]

Research: Draw Draw Draw Project.

Mike Parr Mark making artist

Parr's performances explore physical limits, memory and subjectivity. They often depict self mutilation or extreme physical feats.

Parr spent his childhood in rural Queensland, Australia. He was born with a deformed arm, and this physical feature is prominent within his art work.

Parr’s impression taking is a striking contrast, both emotionally and visually to his video/ installation work, composed of beautiful engravings featuring many different types of lines, using the mark making technique. Parr was fascinated with observation and the possibilities and responses of memory distortions.

Parr’s early work was designed to get a reaction from the audience, although he also focused on exploring issues of identity, memory and states of being. He particularly used his body as a performative tool, often using his prosthetic arm and testing his body’s physical limits through resistance challenges.

In the early 1980s he started a collection called “the self portrait project”, Parr’s self portrait studies first took the form of painstakingly hand drawn copies of performance photographs. Subsequent drawings acknowledge accidental blurs and smudges, with parr generating purposeful distortions through the introduction of a mirror and manipulating the grid.

Life after death collection, combines charcoal, pastel and acrylic on paper; it depicts the artist’s face over and over, in varying states of distortion, as though disappearing or disintegrating.

Paul Verdell

Is an American artist, who is specialized in drawing portraits of many different people that he can find as reference, by using different kinds of colors and lines with his crayons.

Verdell was born in Long Beach, California. At the age 13, his family moved to Fremont, Ohio.

Paul Verdell paints and draws a variety of people with plenty of personality. Like most artists, he has drawn since he was little, but didn’t make a real go of the medium until he was in his mid 20s. That he was decided to go back to school, enrolled in Bowling Green State university, and took a painting class when the first semester came around. Paul eventually developed his unique artistic style, by doing drawings, that him doesn’t consider that good, but he is comfortable with that style. His mark making technique is assertive, created with force and with energy. Paul’s work may seem as if it has loss control imbued within the lines, but his artworks are also vividly representative of the person or object he’s depicting; it’s delicate balance that he’s mastered without purposely pushing his style in a certain direction.

What I like most about his work, is his use of colors, with oil pastels , where he creates different tones on the skin of his characters, using the technique of mark making, which is perhaps more impressive, since it is a very different or unconventional technique for making portraits, that’s why it’s so interesting.

With time, he realized how much colour and expressiveness the textured medium adds to the canvas, and started to experimenting with more and more different types of colors.

The artist isn’t trying to make a statement with his work. In his words, “I’m just here to paint. The viewer can take whatever that want to take out of it”.

Saul Steinberg

Romanian artist by birth was one of the most important artists of 20th century. A designer and cartoonist in the publishing industry from 1936 to 1999, he spent a considerable part of the 20th century publishing in prominent magazines on the world stage, specially in the New York. The famous cover for the New Yorker that showed the view of the world according to the average American.

In his drawings, Steinberg’s lines seem to reinvent themselves as they progress, creating different kinds of shapes and sizes, sometimes using one single line.

Steinberg’s greatest contribution was his demonstration that the drawn lines is equivalent to thought. Indeed, Steinberg is rarely concerned with outward physical appearance and is much more interested in what and how people perceive what they see. His interest in the human psyche isn’t academic. His playful, childlike doodle quality maintains an elegant deftness that succinctly describes a wide range of subjects. His quirky way to draw, sometimes reminiscent of Dada art, also crossed over into the fine arts world.

much of the humor and mystery in his work occurs in the way he relates humanity’s lack of understanding.

Urban Sketching

The drawings of urban spaces are gaining more and more admires, and this work certainly has a good baggage to please this audience, as it addresses a range of drawing techniques, which ranges from elementary theory to the more specific technique used by illustrators this modality.

Techniques and perspective tips combined with the composition tips presented in the work, are a combination that certainly makes all the difference when choosing and enhancing the scene that we will sketch, whether it be designing buildings, mansions, parks, people, animals, etc. the inclusion of the curved perspective is also another highlight, as it goes beyond the usual three vanishing points that the author usually address. The techniques, in this sense, are not many, but the author certainly selected those that generate the most impact. The watercolor for example, is his primarily tool, where he uses for the most of his drawings.

This book has been very useful for me for a long time, even today I use it as a reference. I always preferred to draw on my desk, with a reference photo. But I know that I need to let go, and learn to draw outside, just by watching, and trying to finish quickly.

I live in São Paulo for a while, and sometimes when I walk I always have a small sketchbook in my pocket and a watercolor kit. Sometimes I paint trees, sometimes buildings with interesting shapes and colors, from time to time some birds. Anyway, I learned a few things from this book, although I still prefer to draw in my studio, calm and do the drawing with all the time in the world, it is very important that I draw what is around me, so that I learn to train my eyes, in addition to drawing totally random things, which sometimes the internet cannot provide.

Alexander Calder Animal Sketching

Alexander Calder is a renowned sculptor and inventor of mobiles, and here he brings the simplicity of lines and spirit of movement to the art of animal sketching.

The purpose of the book is to help people like me to draw animals as we can see them.

Calder captures the emotions and attitudes of animals in a few quick lines, the person can quickly obtain a lasting groundwork in animal sketching.

This book really helped me, because I drew animal few times, and I was always thinking in the proportions and finalizing the drawing, but I learned that before doing that perfect drawing, I have to understand the movement and the poses, not necessarily making a masterpiece right in the begging, but train and have some fun on doing it.

This book contain several animal sketches, like cats, dogs, deers, cows, horses. All this animals doing different poses and actions for training.

Juan Linares

Juan Linares is a Spanish illustrator and painter, who specializes in drawing mainly different environments (Urban sketching), from streets to buildings with a different style of architecture. He mainly understands the perspective and depth of the environment. Uses various types of materials, such as acrylic markers, even alcohol-based pens. But his preferred tool, of course, is watercolor, which he always uses, when walking in the streets of his city Barcelona, ​​where he paints narrow streets, with the small bistros, from the famous  La Sagrada Familia church made by Gaudi.

Linares says, that he’s been drawing professionally since 1984. Starting his architecture studies. He drew in sketchbooks, notebooks, and in blackboards. He has a preference in drawing food and buildings.

What I like about Linares's drawings, is the way he can put light and shadows, besides the buildings being magnificently well done, very carefully and calmly (he explains that if you are drawing in some environment it is good to be calm, and patience without feeling the need to finish quickly).

He has traveled to some places in the world, including Brazil itself, where he sketched the museum of Niterói, designed by the architect Oscar Niemeyer, besides the Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro.

Juan Linares is a great artist, and I really admire the passion he puts in each of his drawings. And I wish to see more of his works, of famous architectures of the world.

Laura Carlin

Laura Carlin was born is Glastonbury, England. She studied at Buckinghamshire university, followed by The Royal College of Art.

Laura has illustrated many children’s books for Walker Books Ltd, including The Iron Man by Ted Hughes which won many awards, specially praising for Laura’s illustrations.

She has also drawn for a whole host of publications including The New Yorker, The Guardian and Vogue, among many others.

Laura’s works frequently touches on emotionally complex subjects and adult themes of loss , social injustice and environmental change.

As an illustrator Carlin has worked with several contemporary children’s authors including Nicholas Davies for her book The Promise about a young thief whose life has changed after stealing a bag of acorns and Michael Morpurgo’s book The Kites are Flying ! , a story centered on the conflict between Israel and Palestine.

One of the reasons why, I like so much her work, it’s because she has the ability to convey a plethora of emotions through the smallest details on the pages, combining with childlike drawing style and with a sentimental narrative, it’s very brave of her, to do books for children, with such difficult themes to explore.

Research: Show and Tell Project

Frank Frazetta

Frank Frazetta was an American illustrator and painter, who became extremely well known for having defined the look, of the character Conan the Barbaro, created by Robert. E.Howard in the 1930s.

Frank was born in Brooklyn, New York, and from an early age he showed his skills as an artist. As a child, at the age of 8, he studied at a small art school called Brooklyn Academy of Fine Arts.

His illustrations are inspired by the great painters of the late 18th and 19th centuries, who portrayed mythological legends.

For me it’s not just the wonderful color palette he used, the wild and original streak or the phenomenal technique he developed. Of course, these things are fundamental, but in my understanding, the most important thing is that he defined practically everything we know in terms of visuals, mainly in the fields of fantasy, witchcraft, barbarism and even a little bit of science fiction.

His paintings defined some characters that we know today, like Tarzan and John carter, that he brought a new life to the characters of Burroughs, not to mention the images of Conan, who made the illustrator famous. Imagine that before him, the Sword and Sorcery look did not exist. The Conan that appeared on the covers of books since the 30s of the last century gets to laugh today. Frazetta was the first to understand the world created by Robert E. Howard.

The reason I chose frazetta as a reference is because I like fantastical worlds so much, and I love to learn anatomy, and frazzetta understood a lot of that, with his extremely vibrant colors, and extremely strong characters, who faced terrible monsters, who disturbed the peace.

Claude Monet

Claude Monet is the main and most dedicated representative of the impressionist movement. He always preferred paintings outdoors, regardless of weather conditions,in order to capture all the effects of nature. Early in his career he was misunderstood, especially by his family, resulting in financial difficulties for years. Only around the age of 40 did he start selling his paintings, he died as a rich and well known artist.

He started to paint from a very young age which earned him some money, selling caricatures, with the money he bought painting materials. In 1858 he met Eugene Boudin, a landscape painter who encouraged him to paint outdoors. The following year he moved to Paris to specialize his techniques. At that time Paris attracted the most varied artists in the world and there Monet met Camille Pissarro and Manet among other avant-garde artists.

In 1874, the first impressionists exhibition was held in Paris, featuring works by Monet, Renoir, Degas and Cezanne. The term Impressionism, derives from Monet’s painting called Impression, Sunrise (1872).

It was the art critic Louis Leroy to call the artistic movement: Impressionism. It was a way of understanding this type of painting that did not follow the standards established by the academy and its realistic paintings.

When looking closely at an impressionist work, you see only separate brushstrokes that look like blotches without contour. Seen from afar, the brushstrokes organize for our eyes creating shapes and luminosity.

His works of art followed, as a main theme, the landscape of nature.

He worked harmoniously with colors and lights, creating beautiful and strong images. In the artistic context, is good to mention the series of paintings that he made on the Cathedral of Rouen (1892-1894), where the artist portrayed the constructions at different times of the day, with variations in brightness.

Monet and the impressionist artists, were no longer interested in themes related to the nobility, to the church, or to producing portraits that were true to reality. They wanted to see the painting as work in itself.

Ridley Scott

Ridley Scott is one of the most well-known film directors of all time. He made several films of different genres, but his most well-known genre is science fiction, making films like Alien, Blade Runner, The Martian and Prometheus.

But before before of being a director, Scott was applying to the Royal College of Art, one the most acclaimed art colleges at the time, to be a designer.

Scott always liked drawing , but he saw that he had no way of being a painter. His teachers always argued that his paintings were more illustrations than paintings.

So he saw that the Royal College of Art, had a particularly strong Graphic Design Department, which would give him a more specific creative target and a broader canvas. He was accepted by the college, and started his studies in 1958 and finished in 1961.

In his words, he considered design college to be extremely competitive, everyone in his class tried to compete with each other to see who was better. And Scott realized that he needed to fight hard to be among the best. “It could be very competitive, with no much being given away and everything kept close to you chest. You observed all the time, watched everyone else did and tried to do better and be the most original”.

Since graduating, Scott has said that he has become extremely perfectionist, and has tried to do as much of his work as a designer and a filmmaker in the best possible way.

After working as a set designer, and director in British television, he began in 1967 to direct commercials, eventually numbering more than 2,000 for his own company. His attention to visual stylization in his commercials, including distinctive atmospheric lighting effects, continued into the feature films that he began to directing in 1977.

In 1979 Ridley Scott releases what is considered his debut film and his masterpiece, the movie Alien. Starring Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley, Scott is credited with having a heroine take point in the ensuing hunt aboard the Nostromo spaceship. Scott’s paintings and illustrations are close to pointillism with tiny points that result in images of high definition and extreme detail.

A highly detailed approach marks his style. His eye for composition, lighting, and design seems to explain his ability to visualize a movie in his mind. He claims to have and eidetic memory and the ability to recall images with high precision.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tjD82nKybUA

Roxie Vizcarra

Roxie Vizcarra is an artist, who worked as the senior illustrator of Rockstar Games, who worked closely on the iconic Grand Theft Auto v and Red Dead Redemption 2 marketing campaigns.

The Peruvian-American artist was just out of college- she earned her bachelor’s degree from the Parsons School of Design in New York- when she was approached by Rockstar games in 2009.

Vizcarra was Rockstar game’s first female illustrator. The first project she worked on was Grand Theft Auto IV: Liberty City.

The first game Vizcarra worked on since its inception was the original Red Dead Redemption, released in 2010.

Vizcarra draws her art from spaghetti western movies and holds the work of “Golden age” illustrators such as Bob Peak and Robert McGinnis in high regard.

For most of her career, Vizcarra’s process began by drawing in sketchbooks (she’s a fan of traditional ink), which she then uploads and adds digital colors through Photoshop.

However, for a year or two she has been using Procreate on the IPad, which is very flexible for her purposes. She also takes references photos when she doesn’t have a clear idea of what the illustration should look like, either of others or of herself, in the desired pose.

Vizcarra shows unusual humility; she insists on not taking credit for herself and repeatedly refuses to attribute specific drawings to one person or another, or to go into the why’s and how’s of illustrations.

Vizcarra’s work is really interesting, and it explores the more of the side of markenting. In making covers and posters extremely flashy for the public, and in addition to using references to posters from old western movies, maybe that is what attracts me the most. I really like the western theme, and I always liked the way she created the poster for games like red dead redmeption 2 and GTA, with extremely warm colors, with references of very old artists, who perhaps few remember, but she always tries to put some of them into her work.

Show and Tell Digital Collage research

Terry Gilliam

Is a famous American-British director, screenwriter, animator, artist and comedian, and who is known for directing and acting in some of the films of the English comedy group Monthy Python, in addition to making films that are extremely difficult to understand, as if madness were the main character in all his films.

Terry Gilliam began his career as an animator and photographic cartoonist; one his first jobs was for the Help ! Magazine.

Gilliam preferred cut-out animation, which involved pushing bits of paper in front of camera instead of photographing pre-drawn cels. The process allows for more spontaneity than traditional animation along with being comparatively cheaper and easier to do. He also preferred to use old photographs and illustrations to create sketches that were surreal and hilarious.

Gilliam was one of the founders of Monty Python. At first, he was accredited as an animator ( his name appeared separate from the remaining 5 members in the credits), later he also joined the series as an actor. Their animations linked the sketches of the program and defined the group’s look in other types of media ( such as Vinyl discs, book covers and the opening sequence in the films).

Gilliam polished a unique style, created fantastic worlds, worked with great stars for the biggest studios, and sweated tight budgets to execute his vision, not always sharp but always brilliant.

Caco Neves

Caco Neves uses digital collage as a platform, he created, for the past 10 years, illustrations for zines, magazines, advertising pieces, vignettes for TV and the web and, more recently, he was summoned by the Vogue art team to create the cover for the Vogue Experience 2017.

After spending a season in London, where he learned to give movement to his creations with the techniques calls Motion Collage, Caco returned to Brazil and, in a moment of creative rest, when he was creating for himself and not for a client, worked on a psychedelic vignette, then he sent it to MTV, to see if they liked the style, and they asked to use this commercial but to make some adjustments.

For Caco, the success of digital collage in the last decade is a reflection of the time we live in. “ The internet brought access to images- digital collections became public- and photoshop became popular.”

He has worked for several national and international companies, and his work is very dear to his collaborators, very much for his creativity, and for the choice of technique.

[rplayford02]

Unconventional Protagonists: Nightcrawler, and The Hurt Locker

Our main idea for the ‘Narrative 2’ Fiction Project centralises around a down-on-his-luck salesman. The breadwinner for his struggling family, he feels pressure to make a deal at all costs and is driven to immoral tactics in his desperation. 

Nightcrawler: Jake Gyllenhaal leads as Lou Bloom, the emotionally unstable and morally dubious cameraman, who gains a reputation for selling footage of violent crime to news stations. Within the first few scenes, it’s immediately established that he has no problem breaking the law but despite this, initially the audience feels as though they can empathise with him. He seems like an underdog, mistreated and overlooked by society, but as the film goes on he begins to take inexcusably drastic measures to achieve success. His inhumane, cold, distanced approach as he films people dying for his own monetary gain is truly shocking. As he crosses line after line, eventually culminating in the murder of his colleague, the audience finds themselves unable to root for him, in fact, they find themselves actively rooting against him. And so it makes the ending all the more enraging when he walks free.

In my opinion, our character shouldn’t be as sociopathic as Lou Bloom. From my perspective at least our character has empathy, he’s just desperate. He’s similarly driven by a need to succeed, but unlike Lou it’s not for his own personal gain, it’s because he has a family to support which hopefully means the audience should always be able to sympathise with him. 

The Hurt Locker: I decided to watch The Hurt Locker because I knew it was the only film that had ever won a woman ‘Best Director’ at the Oscars. Kathryn Bigelow’s outside perspective on the male psyche is certainly interesting but also reminded me of everything I hate about hyper-masculinity. The characters left me feeling kind of alienated, as there was no-one I could even remotely relate to in terms of behaviour or attitudes. I guess I had expected more than one woman to feature in the entire film, although it’s typical that this was the film to win her the Oscar - it’s perhaps the most masculine thing I’ve ever seen.

Fatherhood is probably quite an important theme of this film. For instance, The Hurt Locker deals with men’s perceived responsibility to protect and care for their children, seen in the relationship between the protagonist, Sgt James, and a young boy he calls ‘Beckham’. When he believes Beckham has been murdered he goes to extreme lengths to check if he might be alive, holding several people at gun point. Additionally, the lead characters discuss what it means to be ‘ready’ to have kids, especially when you’re risking you life, defusing bombs everyday. Towards the end of the film, Sgt James fails to defuse a bomb in time which subsequently kills an innocent man, a father. It was at these moments in the film that I actually felt some form of empathy for these characters.  

Our film will hopefully deal with the idea of fatherhood. As the breadwinner for his family, our protagonist will feel a similar pressure to protect and care for his family to that felt by Sgt James, however I would hope that he would be easier to sympathise with than any of the characters in The Hurt Locker. Like Sgt James, he needs to be led by good motives but on the other hand, also needs to maintain a high level of vulnerability and urgency throughout the film. 

[dailybollywoodqueens]

what films would you rec for a bollywood begginer?

Oh gosh. There are so many good ones, but let me see.

Here are some films I would consider watching. 

Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge - When Raj and Simran first met on an inter-rail holiday in Europe, it wasn’t exactly love at first sight.

Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara - Three friends decide to turn their fantasy vacation into reality after one of their number becomes engaged.

Jab We Met - A depressed wealthy businessman finds his life changing after he meets a spunky and care-free young woman. 

Swades - A successful Indian scientist returns to an Indian village to take his nanny to America with him and in the process rediscovers his roots.

Dil Chanta Hai - Three inseparable childhood friends are just out of college. Nothing comes between them - until they each fall in love, and their wildly different approaches to relationships creates tension. 

Lagaan: Once Upon  Time in  India - The people of a small village in Victorian India stake their future on a game of cricket against their ruthless British rulers.

Highway - Right before her wedding, a young woman finds herself abducted and held for ransom. As the initial days pass, she begins to develop a strange bond with her kidnapper.

Kahaani - A pregnant woman’s search for her missing husband takes her from London to Kolkata, but everyone she questions denies having ever met him.

Kai Po Che -Three friends growing up in India at the turn of the millennium set out to open a training academy to produce the country’s next cricket stars. 

The Lunchbox - A mistaken delivery in Mumbai’s famously efficient lunchbox delivery system connects a young housewife to an older man in the dusk of his life as they build a fantasy world together through notes in the lunchbox. 

English Vinglish - A quiet, sweet tempered housewife endures small slights from her well-educated husband and daughter everyday because of her inability to speak and understand English. 

Lootera - An aristocrat’s daughter falls in love with a visiting archaeologist, but he holds a secret that could drive them apart.

Fitoor - Modern adaptation of Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations; a poor but talented boy falls in love with a girl from an affluent family.

Queen - A Delhi girl from a traditional family sets out on a solo honeymoon after her marriage gets canceled.

Rustom - In 1959, a decorated naval officer is accused of murdering his wife’s lover. 

Dangal - Former wrestler Mahavir Singh Phogat and his two wrestler daughters struggle towards glory at the Commonwealth Games in the face of societal oppression.

Pink - When three young women are implicated in a crime, a retired lawyer steps forward to help them clear their names. (Warning: rape/assault)

Hindi Medium - A couple from Chandni Chowk aspire to give their daughter the best education and thus be a part of and accepted by the elite of Delhi.

Trapped - A man gets stuck in an empty high rise without food, water or electricity.

Badrinath Ki Dulhania - Badrinath Bansal from Jhansi and Vaidehi Trivedi from Kota belong to small towns but have diametrically opposite opinions on everything. This leads to a clash of ideologies, despite both of them recognizing the goodness in each other. (Although I would caution watching due to sensitive topics discussed in the movie).

Dear Zindagi - Kaira is a budding cinematographer in search of a perfect life. Her encounter with Jug, an unconventional thinker, helps her gain a new perspective on life. She discovers that happiness is all about finding comfort in life’s imperfections.

Raees -Criticizing the prohibition of alcohol in Gujarat, this film unfolds the story of a clever bootlegger, whose business is challenged by a tough cop.

Lipstick Under My Burqa - Set in the crowded lanes of small town India, a burkha-clad college girl struggles with issues of cultural identity and her aspirations to be a pop singer. A young two-timing beautician, seeks to escape the claustrophobia of her small town. An oppressed housewife and mother of three, lives the alternate life of an enterprising saleswoman. And a 55 year old widow rediscovers her sexuality through a phone romance. Trapped in their worlds, they claim their desires through secret acts of rebellion.

Neerja - The story of the courageous Neerja Bhanot, who sacrificed her life while protecting the lives of 359 passengers on the Pan Am flight 73 in 1986. The flight was hijacked by a terrorist organization.

Namastey London - A man takes his thoroughly-British daughter to his home country, India. There, he arranges her marriage to someone she considers a fool. The daughter attempts to outwit them, but the groom quietly and patiently hatches his own plan.

Kapoor and Sons - A story revolving around a dysfunctional family of 2 brothers who visit their family and discover that their parents marriage is on the verge of collapse,the family is undergoing a financial crunch and much more as the drama unfolds.

Taare Zameen Paar - An eight-year-old boy is thought to be a lazy trouble-maker until the new art teacher has the patience and compassion to discover the real problem behind his struggles in school.

Piku - A quirky comedy about the relationship between a daughter and her aging father, whose eccentricities drive everyone crazy.

Barfi! - A charming deaf-mute prankster’s  bittersweet relationship with two women, one is autistic, turns his life upside-down. 

Omkara - A politically-minded enforcer’s misguided trust in his lieutenant leads him to suspect his wife of infidelity in this adaptation of Shakespeare’s ‘Othello’.

Wake Up SId - Sid Mehra (Ranbir Kapoor) is a young man living in Mumbai who benefits from the indulgence of his parents. After graduating from university, he makes a stab at working in his father’s business, but lasts only a week. He then meets Aisha (Konkona Sen Sharma), an aspiring writer from Calcutta. Sid helps her get settled in the city and then wants to take things further – but Aisha isn’t interested because of Sid’s slacker personality. Will her rejection serve as a wake-up call for Sid?

Jodhaa Akbar - Epic romance, set in 16th-century India, about the love story between Jalaluddin Mohammad Akbar, the Mughal Emperor of Hindustan, and Rajput princess Jodhaa. In order to extend his empire, Akbar agrees to a marriage of alliance to young and fiery Jodhaa but soon realizes he has to defend his choice of bride as his courtiers voice their displeasure at the idea of their Muslim Emperor marrying a Hindu.

Devdas - After his wealthy family prohibits him from marrying the woman he is in love with, Devdas Mukherjee’s life spirals further and further out of control as he takes up alcohol and a life of vice to numb the pain.

Bajirao Mastani - In 16th century India, undefeated warrior Bajirao was bestowed with the title of Prime Minister, and became the greatest weapon of his Empire. Bajirao recieves a rider with an urgent request to save a fort under siege by the Moguls, Bajirao’s greatest opponents. He refuses initially, but is mesmerized by the rider, a beautiful Rajput princess who rode for days to seek him out. Despite Bajirao’s best efforts, he cannot deny his love for Princess Mastani. She pursued him to Pune, where Bajirao’s family promptly sent her away. Bajirao faced great opposition from his family, his people, and his priests. Every attempt is made to separate them, but they always find their way to each other, finally paying the ultimate price in the name of love.

Kabhi Kushi Kabhi Gham - Rahul, the adoptive son of business magnate Yash Raichand, feels eternal gratitude to his father for rescuing him from a life of poverty. Yet, when Yash forbids his love of poor Anjali, Rahul marries her and moves to London with new wife and sister-in-law, Pooja, breaking the heart of his mother. Ten years later, Rahul’s younger brother comes to London intent on brokering peace between father and son.

Dil Se - The clash between love and ideology is portrayed in this love story between a radio executive and a beautiful revolutionary

Damini - The theme revolves around the character Damini who represents truth and innocence. After her marriage in renowned wealthy family, Damini happens to see a cruel act done by her brother-in-law. She wants the victim to get justice, but the family including her husband oppose her, which leads her to leave the house. Soon she is helped by a drunkard, an ex-advocate, who helps her in all respect to reach to her aim and therefore justice.

Mrityudand: The Death Sentence - Mrityudand is a film commentary on the social and the gender injustice. A woman (Madhuri Dixit), her sister-in-law (Shabana Azmi) a laborer (Om Puri) and others unite to stand up against a hard-nosed businessman.

Sadma (stars Sridevi) - One night, Sadma is in a car accident, which leaves her with amnesia. She runs away from the hospital but ends up in a brothel, where she meets a friendly schoolteacher.

Rangeela - A middle class young woman, who dreams of Bollywood fame, is caught in a love triangle between her childhood friend and a famous actor.

Ek Hasina The - A woman falls for a charming and mysterious businessman. The whirlwind romance turns sour when she is framed for his underworld crimes. Now, finally out of prison she is ready for sweet revenge.

Anand - The story of a terminally ill man who wishes to live life to the full before the inevitable occurs, as told by his best friend.

Mere Brother Ki Dulhan - A quirky rom-com where Kush finds the ideal Indian bride Dimple for his brother Luv and a series of comical and unpredictable events follow.

I know that the question is asking for Bollywood films, but I need to go ahead and include two of Indian Cinema’s post popular films ever released. 

Bahubali - In ancient India, an adventurous and daring man becomes involved in a decade’s old feud between two warring people.

Bahubali 2 - When Shiva, the son of Bahubali, learns about his heritage, he begins to look for answers. His story is juxtaposed with past events that unfolded in the Mahishmati Kingdom.

Not Bollywood films, but these are recommended by our followers:

Ok Kamani (Similar to Ok Jaanu) - Two young lovers are compatible in every way - they even agree that marriage is futile. However, their emotions are not so easily managed, especially when they witness the unconditional love of the older couple with whom they live.

Alaipayuthey - A computer expert and a crusading doctor marry in secret, then deal with death and trauma.

If you ever need more recommendations. Just shoot a message at our inbox. And I will update the list as they come.

- Sonia

[geekysweetie]

This Is US - Season 1 and 2 Review

It’s not often that I choose to write about (or really even choose to watch) American television. That’s because in my opinion, the writing in American drama is often inferior and the characters not as emotionally engaging as Asian dramas. Season 2 had already started when I finally got around to watching Season 1 of This Is Us, the show that would change my opinion of American Dramas. – Don’t get me wrong. I love me some drama regardless of what country it originates from.. but I distinctively recall for example, when “Fault of Our Stars” came out, how much praise it was being given, as being the saddest movie of all time, ever, by radio and TV critics and movie-goers across our nation. I watched the film and was left feeling, mostly, nothing at all. That’s IT?! I thought to myself as I contemplated the movie for the next few hours. Sure it was “sad” – but these people (who praised the film so heavily) have clearly no idea what a “sad” movie even is. Go watch a Kdrama, and then come back and tell me “Fault of Our Stars” is still the saddest thing you’ve ever watched. When it came to American dramas, they seemed to fall into one of 2 categories, smut filled soap operas that never end (versus the concise, beginning, middle, end, 24 episode formula of most Kdrama), or into a predictable, but enjoyable, feel good romantic comedy chick flick (where a happy ending was almost guaranteed). It’s rare to find a “serious” American drama that can evoke the same empathy and sympathy and devastation and heart ache that most Kdramas can cause the audience to feel. “Fault of Our Stars” (as well as “The Notebook” and other similar films) attempt to create a sad love story, but still I’m often left feeling less emotion than I expected (although admittedly, “The Notebook” did have both myself and my best friend running to the restroom to grab tissues as we started sobbing at the ending).

Anyways, this post is not about Kdrama, nor is it about “Fault of Our Stars” or everything that American TV / Cinema does “wrong” when it comes to writing an emotionally moving film…

This post is about “This is Us”, the drama that would change my opinion of everything that American TV / Cinema does “wrong”. I remember for months seeing previews, and being like oh yeah, I want to watch that, but pushing it off on the back burner as my back log of things to watch, games to play, and things to do IRL grew longer and longer. Over the next several months, “This is Us” was often discussed in the office where I work. This increased my curiosity and desire to sit down and binge watch it.

And from the first episode, I was not disappointed. It grabs you in. It had twists and turns and unconventionality. It took place in Pittsburgh (being an hour north of there (and soon to move within minutes of the city, this made it even more relateable to me). It was not the typical white-wash American sitcom family. Here was a family of mixed races, tackling some serious dark and depressing issues. Alcoholism, Drug Addiction, Infertility, Adoption, Weight Loss, and a very dysfunctional family. A family with real problems, problems with their marriage, problems with their careers, problems with their kids, problems with their family members.

It was raw, it was personal, it was unlike anything I had ever seen on American TV.

I binged through the first two seasons over Christmas break.

And the series returns tonight 01/09/18 with new episodes.

I won’t reveal much in this review about the story thus far in the first 2 seasons. I think that part of the success of this drama is how it throws some amazing curve balls at you and completely blindsides the heck out of you, which heightens the emotional impact so much more. In fact, the first episode might be quite confusing at first. The entire series is told through jumping here and there from past and present, including different periods in the past, and different families and perspectives and characters and it gets complicated fast. Everything is connected. It’s one of those shows you can only really appreciate and enjoy by watching from the very first episode, and never skipping a single show. The more you watch, the more everything begins to make sense, and the more invested you become in continuing to watch what happens next.

Anyways I’m obviously a fan of this series. It is with love and respect for the amazing writing (and music score, and acting, and pretty much everything) that I write this review.

Title: This is Us

Network: NBC

Length: 43 Minutes per Episode, Currently 2 Seasons with new episodes airing tonight 01/09/18.

Genre: Drama

Where to Watch: This is Us Seasons 1 and 2 are available on Hulu

Geeky: 3/5 This drama is likely to appeal more to girls than guys, due to the fact that it is not an “easy” show to watch. It’s not the type of show you come home to, put on, and mindlessly just enjoy. It requires critical thinking and piecing together the puzzle pieces from episode to episode as complexity grows each week. There are conflicts, but they are matters of the heart, struggles of human kind, and society as a whole. You will not find action and excitement here; however, Pittsburgh locals, and Steelers fans, or anyone dealing with dysfunctional family problems will relate easily to this series.

Sweetie: 5/5

Overall: 72/80 90% A- “Excellent Drama for Girls”

Concept: 10/10 The concept of the story, the way everything is interconnected and woven together, the excellent writing, acting, music, and execution, the loveable but flawed characters, and how relatable it all is makes the concept and overview of this series easily a 10 out of 10.

Story: 8/10 – The story can be confusing if you jump in mid-season, and it can even be confusing for long time fans. There are many questions left unanswered, and to find those answers, the story skips and hops all over in piece meal fashion. One moment, the big 3 have not even been born, you’re watching their parents in their early 20s, the next moment, the big 3 are about 10 years old, then the next moment they are days old, then the next moment, the big 3 are in their 30s. This would be the only complaint I could give as to the story.

Now for what the story does right, it tells us a story about a middle class northeastern family from Pittsburgh PA. They love the Steelers, they love going out to the bars in downtown Pittsburgh, taking their kids camping in the woods, fishing, hiking, celebrating the holidays Christmas, Halloween, Birthdays, and all, and the realities that come with life in Pittsburgh, PA such as shoveling their cars out from 6 feet of snow, the attitudes regarding racism and the roles of gender etc in the workplace back in the 70s and 80s in Pittsburgh’s prime.

But this isn’t just any other American family. This family is different.  A white family raising a black kid, a black kid searching for his birth parents, a community that judges the family from all angles. A family that lost a child, but gained a child. And a family raising 2 remaining white babies along side the black baby. The saying “Love Makes a Family” has never been more true than it is in this drama.

But even parents with the best intentions and pure love for each other and for their children still make mistakes. Some of those mistakes we can never recover from. Some of those mistakes will cost some members of this family their lives. And other mistakes will cause members of this family to spend the rest of their lives searching for answers.

With each surprising plot twist and turn, we learn more about this unconventional American family. What mistakes did they make, what secrets do they hide, what went wrong? And above all, the love the family has for each other, the love that exists despite all of these devastating mistakes, the love that exists even beyond death. Love, self love, self identity, sacrifice, marriage, careers, raising a family, the struggle is real. We feel their struggle, that’s why we keep watching. We want to see how they overcome the pitfalls of life that so many of us face also in our own lives.

Characters: 9/10 Dysfunctional is the word I would use to describe this family, or in fact every single character within this drama. That’s part of what makes this series work so well. It plays on our sympathies, it makes the characters raw, real and relateable.  Addiction is also a central theme. Whether it’s Jack and Kev’s alcoholism, Randall’s Obsessive Compulsion and Anxiety, or Kate’s weight problems. These characters are flawed. Sometimes those flaws can be presented a bit heavy handedly and repetitively, which is the only flaw I could give to the unique cast of characters.

It’s also interesting how the characters cannot “escape the sins of their fathers”. Just as Jack resented his father, he turns out to be the same in many ways, and Kevin realizes he too is exactly like them. And even though Beca hates her mother, thinks she expects too much and is controlling, Beca turns out to have the same expectations and behaviors towards her own daughter.

In this way we are shown, no one is perfect. Parenting is not easy. It’s easy to judge what our parents do wrong. It’s easy to blame them for messing up our own lives. But in the end, we control how our future looks.

The big 3 are at different stages in their lives. Randall is married with 2 beautiful children and a loving wife. A successful career and big house. Kate is slowly climbing out of her past problems, she finds a new man, which brings new challenges, but she also finds confidence in herself and realizes her dream to pursue her career and goals despite her age and appearance. Kevin is perhaps the most flawed of the big 3. He is unable to handle relationships, unable to feel anything, he has burred his emotions for so long concerning tragic events in his past. He has messed up his career, and now has to start over from nothing. He will try desperately to cling to the past, and still not acknowledge his problems. Those problems will grow when addiction enters the picture, and just when things seem to be going well for Kevin they will all fall apart again. Similarly, Kate in season 2 is going to have a huge upswing of luck, prosperity, and achievement, only to lose it all again.

Life is full of ups and downs. It’s this roller coaster ride that keeps us watching each episode. We begin to care more and more about the Pearsons because of how raw and real and flawed the characters are.

There’s much more to it than I have revealed here. Like I said, the best part is to watch and be shocked by each new rise and fall.

Casting: 9/10 – I think the show is well cast. My only small critique, and coming at it from the angle of my blog being for young teen/young adult women, is I would have liked Kate’s love interest to have been more handsome. I feel like in American film/TV it is really common to see a fat male character with a beautiful wife, but it’s far less common to see a fat female character with a fit husband. It’s almost taboo in American society to see this combination. And as a fat girl myself in real life, dating currently a fit guy, it’s a match I would like to see depicted more on American TV. Stop perpetuating the misconceived notion that a girl is only as good as her weight. Stop perpetuating that a fat girl can only ever be worthy of being with a fat guy. This isn’t true. Slender guys, Muscular guys, all different types of guys, like fat girls too.

Yes, being fat is unhealthy, and seeing Kate’s struggles with her weight, infertility, and struggles with her pregnancy, all hit very close to home for me as well, since I also have fertility issues due to PCOS.

Anyways, you can hate on me, and call me out and say by my criticizing Kate’s love interest simply because he’s bald and fat, that I’m a hypocrite, because I’m saying then a Man is only as good as his weight – and that’s not really true. that’s not my point or what I’m trying to say, but I think many readers may view these comments as such attacks. I think the character that Kate’s husband plays is smart, funny, and genuinely sweet and a great person. Kate is lucky to have him. Kate would STILL be lucky to have him even if Kate was a size zero and he remained overweight. The scene in the coffee shop where he gets to announce their pregnancy is maybe my favorite scene in the entire series. His love and devotion for Kate is demonstrated time and time again. They are possibly “America’s Sweethearts”.

People like him are hard to find in ANY shape size color or whatever. And the actor playing him does fantastic so this isn’t about his ability as an actor either.

But in a show that CONSTANTLY pushes the envelope on touchy sensitive issues such as alcoholism, domestic abuse, drug addiction, homosexuality, racism, discrimination, etc, It seems like a missed opportunity to push another issue, by giving Kate a partner that would be unconventionally acceptable by society’s standards for a “fat girl”.

As a fat girl myself, and now recently dating a fit and active guy, I am well aware of society’s view of what is “acceptable” for a “fat girl” when it comes to dating. 9 times out of 10 when we go out, the waitress assumes it’s separate checks, even if we go there often, even if I’m cuddling, rubbing his back, flirting, or etc, obviously we are together and out on a date. I’m well aware too of the looks and stares we get when we go out. And probably of the whispers and other comments made behind our backs. And this is in part shaped by what we see on TV. Society doesn’t hold those same misconceptions for an overweight man with an attractive female.

We laugh it off, because who are they to judge us, our happiness, our relationship, our compatibility. But still, Hollywood could be doing more to break down these stereotypes and barriers. They could pair a fat girl with a hot husband. They could cast a fat girl in a main role, and NOT make it about her eating addiction and weight loss, they could, but they don’t, and This is Us is no exception to this.

What we see in the media, also shapes our realities. Hollywood should have a responsibility to do more to stop sexism, racism, and stop hate against people on their weight, religion, sexual orientation, or any other “less desirable” (as perceived by society “norms”) traits.

Randall and Kevin would both be considered hot or attractive, and what do they get, hot wives/girlfriends (although Kevin’s relationships are a hot hot mess).

And yes, Kate does have a wonderful happy loving awesome relationship. That’s wonderful, but why pair the only fat chick in the sitcom, with an equally fat guy? Also why make Kate’s who character so obsessed with her weight. Calling attention to how it’s such a huge negative thing. Meanwhile in countless other sitcoms we see fat or ugly men with smoking hot wives. Let’s reverse that stereotype just one time. I want to see a serious tv series like this, with a very overweight actress such as Kate, with a happy, healthy relationship, with a man that society would deem to be “above her station” and a character who is confident, happy, and content with her body size/shape and just owns it. Yes, we all know that being fat is not healthy, it affects your life in numerous negative ways, from fertility issues such as what Kate has, to heart disease, diabetes, and just lack of energy/stamina. We don’t need a TV show to remind us of this (because society reminds us of this every day). Instead what we NEED is a TV show to show us some kindness, some hope, some ray of light, in a world with very few “role models for fat girls”.

I am here to tell you, that even though TV will never show you that “ray of light” it exists. It’s real. There are REAL men, fit, athletic, muscular, handsome, sexy men, who love big girls. Who love and RESPECT big girls, who love you for you, for the person you are inside. Your heart, your mind, your unique wonderful qualities that make you you. As well as loving you for your curvy body. Loving, loyal, devoted to you.

Do you know what my boyfriend told me on our very first date? He told me all of the reasons why he liked me / was interested in getting to meet me / know me better. Because I’m different from other girls, because I’m real and genuine, and loving, and kind hearted. Because I’m myself, I’m not fake, I’m not shallow, I never judge others. I accept and love and support him. But also he genuinely likes and is attracted to big girls. I’ve seen photos of his exes, and they were even bigger than me. So it’s not just him saying that to please me. As unbelievable as it may be, there are fit guys who love big girls. And not only because they are big. But for all of the reasons that make them a wonderful person. Relationships shouldn’t be superficial. (so once again you might be calling me out here with my critique of Kate’s boyfriend in This is Us because he DOES treat Kate like the queen she is no matter how big he or she are.) But so could any man, regardless of his weight. Why only show fat actresses with fat men? When will hollywood realize that a woman’s value is more than her dress size. I have a wonderful relationship with a fit muscular guy and I’m a 200 lb girl. We share some things in common, but we also show each other new and interesting things, and take interest in each other’s interests. We have never spent a weekend apart ever since we first met, almost 6 months ago now.

I still think every time I go out with my boyfriend that I have the best looking guy in the room, or even in the world. And I find it unbelievable. Why? Why am I always so surprised and thankful and feel so shocked? Because of society’s norms, society’s expectations, society’s judgements. And what forms and shapes those judgements is the media. Magazines, movies, TV shows. We grow up looking to those. It’s a subconscious thing. You can deny it all you want and say you’re not superficial, but the truth is, you don’t even realize how it is shaping your judgement and notions.

Fat women often cast as sidekicks, comic relief, never taken seriously, never in a lead role, never in a “fairytale” type romance with a “prince charming”. If anything at all, paired with a man who society would equally judge and find fault with (at least their outer appearance).

I guess my bottom line is this… They could have written the character of Kate’s husband the EXACT same way, kept ALL of the scenes exactly the same, showing his silly side, his love for Kate, his willingness to let go of any pride or the lengths he would go to to publicly display his love for Kate, Kept all of that, and just cast someone better looking in the role – he still would have had the same qualities that make us love their relationship so much. While no longer perpetuating the stereotype of a fat girl not being able to have a happy relationship like this with an average or even handsome guy. Cast her with someone like Kev or Randall and then we’d REALLY have a show that pushes the envelope.

Acting: 10/10 – The show is emotionally engaging because not only of the excellent writing but the equally believable and convincing acting.

Music: 10/10 – I love the ending theme as well as many of the other tracks used throughout this drama. Many fans have asked repeatedly for Jack’s theme to be released on itunes store. As of yet it does not appear to be available for purchase. Take a listen below to Jack’s Theme.

Visuals: 8/10 – The nostalgia of the 70s 80s, and 90s are depicted through the different time skips back through the story. Although the show is a drama with no special effects or big budget visuals, the show does an excellent job of depicting life in western Pennsylvania. I would know since it is also my home.

Overall: 72/80 90% A- “Excellent Drama for Girls”

This Is US – Season 1 and 2 Review was originally published on GeekySweetie.com - Geeky & Kawaii Anime, Tech, Toys, & Game Reviews & News

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f-the-wall project, and the public was thrilled that we wanted to share our ideas. In addition there was great excitement over what might happen down on the waterfront.” While not responsible for the ultimate decision, attendees were queried on their thoughts through a survey with questions that included: What did you like about the work presented? What do you think are some of the most important design opportunities provided by the waterfront site? Do you find any of the architects’ design philosophies to be particularly responsive to the institutional mission of the ICA?19 Of the four presenters, Peter Zumthor and Diller + Scofidio stood out as much for their work as for their general philosophy towards architecture. 19 Robert Campbell, “Designers Vie for a Shot at the ICA,” The Boston Globe, March 22, 2001. TURNAROUND AND TRANSFORMATION: LEADERSHIP AND RISK AT BOSTON’S INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART Cate Reavis NOVEMBER 9, 2010 12 Diller + Scofidio Winners of the MacArthur Foundation “genius” grant in 1999—marking the first time architects had been awarded the grant—the husband and wife team of Richard Scofidio and Elizabeth Diller was known for integrating media and architecture. As Diller stated during their presentation, “Architecture and new technologies need not be adversaries. The union can actually be quite fertile.” Diller + Scofidio’s resume was quite deep when it came to the work they had done on the inside of museum walls. They had worked with many visual and performing artists and had completed numerous art installations. Their most well known indoor architectural work was the renovation of the Brasserie restaurant located in the Seagram building in New York. As Diller explained, one of their goals in redesigning the space was to find ways to connect the restaurant, which was below ground and without natural light, back to the street. They accomplished this by getting a blurred video snapshot of every person as they came through the revolving door. The image was displayed above the bar, with every new entrance image pushing the previous 15 to the right. (See Exhibit 3.) When it came to building, however, their resume was quite thin; in fact they had never built a building in the United States. Their most renowned work was the Blur Building, a media pavilion built for the 2002 Swiss Expo in Neuchatal, which was less a building and more a suspended platform enveloped by a man-made cloud of fog. (See Exhibit 4.) Blur, which was a temporary structure where no one lived or worked, showcased Diller + Scofidio’s belief that “architecture must always question material and spatial conventions.” Peter Zumthor Of the four finalists, Peter Zumthor was the best known and the most experienced architect, with the art museum in Bregenz, Austria (Kunsthaus Bregenz) and the thermal baths (Therme Vals) in Switzerland being two of his most famous works. (See Exhibits 5 and 6.) As one journalist wrote, “Although [Zumthor] cultivates the disarming role of simple artisan-architect, he is responsible for some of the most radical buildings of our time. His sophisticated, demanding, exquisite structures of rigidly reductive minimalism, in which every detail has enormous aesthetic and emotional power, create their own world of Zen-like, concentrated beauty – an immutable perfectionism that probably scares off as many clients as it attracts.”20 Zumthor was not known for a particular style, but, as one observer noted, a number of themes were interwoven throughout much of his work: celebration of place, engagement of all the human senses, deep understanding of space, light and materiality.21 For Zumthor, architecture “[had] it’s own realm. 20 Ada Louise Huxtable, “Architecture’s Best Kept Secrets,” Wall Street Journal, May 15, 2001. 21 Peter Davey, “Zumthor the Shaman,” Architectrual Review, October 1, 1998. TURNAROUND AND TRANSFORMATION: LEADERSHIP AND RISK AT BOSTON’S INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART Cate Reavis NOVEMBER 9, 2010 13 It has a special physical relationship with life. I do not think of it primarily as either a message or a symbol, but as an envelope and background for life which goes on in and around it…”22 While his work was renowned, so was his need to control. “I like to control the buildings I do,” he admitted to the crowd gathered in the Copley Theater. During his presentation Zumthor recounted his frustration towards a project he was awarded in Berlin that was never complete: “This was eight damned years ago and for eight years these people wanted me to make compromises and compromises,” he explained showing great frustration, and giving members of the Architect Selection Committee some pause.23 Decision In April 2001, the ICA announced that Diller + Scofidio had been chosen to build the new building. Liz Diller believed they were tapped because of their belief that there needed to be a partnership between the new building and the art it would house: “From the beginning we said neither would play a supporting role for the other.” From Medvedow’s perspective, while the choice of Diller + Scofidio was motivated largely by their “sheer brilliance,” there was another important reason: “Because they didn’t have a lot of experience they had as much to gain as we did, and consequently as much to lose as we did. So we all had as much at stake to make it work.” By the time the ICA broke ground in September 2004, half of the $62 million had been committed, the majority coming from the ICA’s board of trustees and corporate donors. Once again, the ICA was relying on an unconventional and risky development strategy. As Bessire explained, “Development people always say the minute you break ground, people assume it’s a done deal and will be reluctant to give money. We broke ground and people started believing in us.” Stumbling Blocks The ICA faced several major challenges in its effort to erect a new home on Fan Pier. As Medvedow explained, building a new waterfront property in Boston was an “arduous” task when it came to obtaining all the required state and city approvals. In fact the ICA had to get dozens of approvals, worth millions of dollars in legal fees, between the time it was granted the land and when it opened its doors in 2006. As Medvedow noted, the ICA’s ability to navigate these waters was surprising to many: “A lot of people thought that even though we had gotten the land, the process of getting all the approvals would end up killing us. We learned quickly who we needed to talk to and convince to grant us the approvals we needed.” Just months away from breaking ground on the building, the Pritzker family’s development plans for the 21 acre lot surrounding the ICA were aborted. The family announced in late 2003 that it would be putting the land up for sale. Honoring the commitments they made to the city of Boston, the Pritzkers 22 Peter Davey, “Zumthor the Shaman,” Architectrual Review, October 1, 1998. 23 Geoff Edgers, “How They Did It,” The Boston Globe, December 6, 2006. TURNAROUND AND TRANSFORMATION: LEADERSHIP AND RISK AT BOSTON’S INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART Cate Reavis NOVEMBER 9, 2010 14 let it be known publicly that the new buyer would have to agree to the building commitments they made to the city of Boston, including setting aside the .75 acre parcel for the ICA.24 The Pritzker’s decision was a big disappointment for the ICA. As Medvedow noted, “We lost a partner that recognized the ICA as an asset.” Finally, in April 2006, just five months before the new building was scheduled to open, the ICA faced another major change. Macomber, a 100-year old construction firm that was considered one of Boston’s leading builders, had fallen months behind schedule and was dealing with the legal aftermath of a recent accident on one of its construction sites which claimed three lives. The ICA responded by bringing in another firm to complete the work. In August, Medvedow announced that because of construction delays the ICA would have to delay its September opening. In explaining the postponement, Medvedow told The Boston Globe, “Our building is beautiful, it’s close to completion, and it works. But you only get one chance to make a first impression. When we open, we are going to hit the ground running. In the long life of this building, this is a very insignificant and brief hiccup.”25 On December 10, 2006, the new ICA opened to more than 8,000 visitors. (See Exhibit 7.) If They Build It, Will They Come? The ICA’s ability to oversee the construction of a new building on Boston’s waterfront by an architecture firm that had never built a building in the United States, raise over $75 million— surpassing the capital campaign goal of $62 million—and welcome over 280,000 visitors in its first year—well over the 200,000 that was needed to break even—was, in most people’s minds, miraculous. The question posed by one museum director a year before the new ICA opened its doors, “Do you really think there are five times the market for the ICA’s program than there is right now and that the only reason they’re not getting them now is building size?”26 had been answered “yes”. But sustaining the attendance level would be the main challenge going forward. New museums tended to attract huge crowds in their first year of operation only to see attendance taper off. San Francisco’s Museum of Modern Art, which opened its new building in 1995 saw its attendance soar from 250,000 to 800,000 in its first year, and then come back down to 600,000 in its second year. The Peabody Essex Museum in Massachusetts more than doubled its attendance in year one only to see it decline in year two. As that museum’s deputy director stated, “The first year [attendance] doesn’t matter. It’s everybody looking at it because it’s there. The ‘lookyloos,’ I like to call them.”27 But in the case of the ICA, the ‘lookyloos’ seemed to be holding their gaze. In 2008 and 2009, the ICA had a combined attendance record of well over 450,000. 24 Thomas Palmer, “Fan Pier Site up for Sale,” The Boston Globe, December 19. 2003. 25 Geoff Edgers, “Museum Sees Weeks-Long Construction Delay,” The Boston Globe, August 4, 2006. 26 Geoff Edgers, “Under Construction: An Arts Renaissance,” The Boston Globe, April 10, 2005. 27 Ibid. TURNAROUND AND TRANSFORMATION: LEADERSHIP AND RISK AT BOSTON’S INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART Cate Reavis NOVEMBER 9, 2010 15 Exhibit 1 New Additions to the ICA Board (1998-2001) Pat Stavaridis, Art Collector Sheryl Marshall, Vice President, Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette Vivien Hassenfeld, Designer, Hasbro Mary Schneider Enriquez, art critic and independent curator Henrique de Campos Meirelles, President and Chief Operating Officer, Bank of Boston Robert Davoli, Sigma Partners Charles Rodgers, Chairman, WFD Consulting Andrew Goldfarb, Managing Director, JAFCO America Ventures Anthony Terrana, oral surgeon Tim Ferguson, Senior Managing Partner, Putnam Investments Jonathan Seelig, Co-Founder, Akamai Nicholas Adams, Senior Vice President, Partner and Equity Portfolio Manager, Wellington Management Jean-Francois Formela, Investment Principal, Atlas Venture Capital Source: ICA. TURNAROUND AND TRANSFORMATION: LEADERSHIP AND RISK AT BOSTON’S INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART Cate Reavis NOVEMBER 9, 2010 16 Exhibit 2 Goals and Criteria for New ICA Goals Architectural Advancement For almost 65 years, the Institute of Contemporary Art has played a pivotal international role as a vanguard institution by championing new artistic practice and delivering innovative programming. The ICA’s new building should advance architectural thought and practice, reflecting the artistic mission of the ICA. A Powerful Visitor Experience The architect selected to design the new ICA should demonstrate a sensitivity to the exhibition and interpretation of contemporary art and to providing a powerful visitor experience. Through programs, architecture, education and technology, the new ICA should provide future generations with access to the finest examples of creativity, learning and inspiration. Civic Responsibility The new ICA will be a visual and physical destination for Bostonians and visitors alike, and a cornerstone of the new Fan Pier. It will relate to the intimate scale of individual human beings while responding to the unique character of its urban context and waterfront location. The chosen architect should have a sense of responsibility to the public realm and a capacity to create a building with international public significance for Boston’s 21st century. Criteria Advances an architectural vision for the future Creates a building whose presence can shape the waterfront Innovates spatially Scales building to human proportions Shapes and uses natural light well Attends to detail and construction Possesses a vision of the museum’s public role in the city Focuses on only a few, important projects Respects the ICA’s professional and financial resources Has a career trajectory where a breakthrough building is likely Source: ICA. TURNAROUND AND TRANSFORMATION: LEADERSHIP AND RISK AT BOSTON’S INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART Cate Reavis NOVEMBER 9, 2010 17 Exhibit 3 The Brasserie Source: Diller + Scofidio TURNAROUND AND TRANSFORMATION: LEADERSHIP AND RISK AT BOSTON’S INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART Cate Reavis NOVEMBER 9, 2010 18 Exhibit 4 Blur Building, Swiss Expo Source: Diller + Scofidio TURNAROUND AND TRANSFORMATION: LEADERSHIP AND RISK AT BOSTON’S INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART Cate Reavis NOVEMBER 9, 2010 19 Exhibit 5 Kunsthaus Bregenz Source: Hans Peter Schaefer. TURNAROUND AND TRANSFORMATION: LEADERSHIP AND RISK AT BOSTON’S INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART Cate Reavis NOVEMBER 9, 2010 20 Exhibit 6 Therme Vals (Thermal Baths) Source: Roland Zumbüh. TURNAROUND AND TRANSFORMATION: LEADERSHIP AND RISK AT BOSTON’S INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART Cate Reavis NOVEMBER 9, 2010 21 Exhibit 7 The New ICA Source: Christopher Peterson.

f-the-wall project, and the public was thrilled that we wanted to share our ideas. In addition there was great excitement over what might happen down on the waterfront.” While not responsible for the ultimate decision, attendees were queried on their thoughts through a survey with questions that included: What did you like about the work presented? What do you think are some of the most important design opportunities provided by the waterfront site? Do you find any of the architects’ design philosophies to be particularly responsive to the institutional mission of the ICA?19 Of the four presenters, Peter Zumthor and Diller + Scofidio stood out as much for their work as for their general philosophy towards architecture. 19 Robert Campbell, “Designers Vie for a Shot at the ICA,” The Boston Globe, March 22, 2001. TURNAROUND AND TRANSFORMATION: LEADERSHIP AND RISK AT BOSTON’S INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART Cate Reavis NOVEMBER 9, 2010 12 Diller + Scofidio Winners of the MacArthur Foundation “genius” grant in 1999—marking the first time architects had been awarded the grant—the husband and wife team of Richard Scofidio and Elizabeth Diller was known for integrating media and architecture. As Diller stated during their presentation, “Architecture and new technologies need not be adversaries. The union can actually be quite fertile.” Diller + Scofidio’s resume was quite deep when it came to the work they had done on the inside of museum walls. They had worked with many visual and performing artists and had completed numerous art installations. Their most well known indoor architectural work was the renovation of the Brasserie restaurant located in the Seagram building in New York. As Diller explained, one of their goals in redesigning the space was to find ways to connect the restaurant, which was below ground and without natural light, back to the street. They accomplished this by getting a blurred video snapshot of every person as they came through the revolving door. The image was displayed above the bar, with every new entrance image pushing the previous 15 to the right. (See Exhibit 3.) When it came to building, however, their resume was quite thin; in fact they had never built a building in the United States. Their most renowned work was the Blur Building, a media pavilion built for the 2002 Swiss Expo in Neuchatal, which was less a building and more a suspended platform enveloped by a man-made cloud of fog. (See Exhibit 4.) Blur, which was a temporary structure where no one lived or worked, showcased Diller + Scofidio’s belief that “architecture must always question material and spatial conventions.” Peter Zumthor Of the four finalists, Peter Zumthor was the best known and the most experienced architect, with the art museum in Bregenz, Austria (Kunsthaus Bregenz) and the thermal baths (Therme Vals) in Switzerland being two of his most famous works. (See Exhibits 5 and 6.) As one journalist wrote, “Although [Zumthor] cultivates the disarming role of simple artisan-architect, he is responsible for some of the most radical buildings of our time. His sophisticated, demanding, exquisite structures of rigidly reductive minimalism, in which every detail has enormous aesthetic and emotional power, create their own world of Zen-like, concentrated beauty – an immutable perfectionism that probably scares off as many clients as it attracts.”20 Zumthor was not known for a particular style, but, as one observer noted, a number of themes were interwoven throughout much of his work: celebration of place, engagement of all the human senses, deep understanding of space, light and materiality.21 For Zumthor, architecture “[had] it’s own realm. 20 Ada Louise Huxtable, “Architecture’s Best Kept Secrets,” Wall Street Journal, May 15, 2001. 21 Peter Davey, “Zumthor the Shaman,” Architectrual Review, October 1, 1998. TURNAROUND AND TRANSFORMATION: LEADERSHIP AND RISK AT BOSTON’S INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART Cate Reavis NOVEMBER 9, 2010 13 It has a special physical relationship with life. I do not think of it primarily as either a message or a symbol, but as an envelope and background for life which goes on in and around it…”22 While his work was renowned, so was his need to control. “I like to control the buildings I do,” he admitted to the crowd gathered in the Copley Theater. During his presentation Zumthor recounted his frustration towards a project he was awarded in Berlin that was never complete: “This was eight damned years ago and for eight years these people wanted me to make compromises and compromises,” he explained showing great frustration, and giving members of the Architect Selection Committee some pause.23 Decision In April 2001, the ICA announced that Diller + Scofidio had been chosen to build the new building. Liz Diller believed they were tapped because of their belief that there needed to be a partnership between the new building and the art it would house: “From the beginning we said neither would play a supporting role for the other.” From Medvedow’s perspective, while the choice of Diller + Scofidio was motivated largely by their “sheer brilliance,” there was another important reason: “Because they didn’t have a lot of experience they had as much to gain as we did, and consequently as much to lose as we did. So we all had as much at stake to make it work.” By the time the ICA broke ground in September 2004, half of the $62 million had been committed, the majority coming from the ICA’s board of trustees and corporate donors. Once again, the ICA was relying on an unconventional and risky development strategy. As Bessire explained, “Development people always say the minute you break ground, people assume it’s a done deal and will be reluctant to give money. We broke ground and people started believing in us.” Stumbling Blocks The ICA faced several major challenges in its effort to erect a new home on Fan Pier. As Medvedow explained, building a new waterfront property in Boston was an “arduous” task when it came to obtaining all the required state and city approvals. In fact the ICA had to get dozens of approvals, worth millions of dollars in legal fees, between the time it was granted the land and when it opened its doors in 2006. As Medvedow noted, the ICA’s ability to navigate these waters was surprising to many: “A lot of people thought that even though we had gotten the land, the process of getting all the approvals would end up killing us. We learned quickly who we needed to talk to and convince to grant us the approvals we needed.” Just months away from breaking ground on the building, the Pritzker family’s development plans for the 21 acre lot surrounding the ICA were aborted. The family announced in late 2003 that it would be putting the land up for sale. Honoring the commitments they made to the city of Boston, the Pritzkers 22 Peter Davey, “Zumthor the Shaman,” Architectrual Review, October 1, 1998. 23 Geoff Edgers, “How They Did It,” The Boston Globe, December 6, 2006. TURNAROUND AND TRANSFORMATION: LEADERSHIP AND RISK AT BOSTON’S INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART Cate Reavis NOVEMBER 9, 2010 14 let it be known publicly that the new buyer would have to agree to the building commitments they made to the city of Boston, including setting aside the .75 acre parcel for the ICA.24 The Pritzker’s decision was a big disappointment for the ICA. As Medvedow noted, “We lost a partner that recognized the ICA as an asset.” Finally, in April 2006, just five months before the new building was scheduled to open, the ICA faced another major change. Macomber, a 100-year old construction firm that was considered one of Boston’s leading builders, had fallen months behind schedule and was dealing with the legal aftermath of a recent accident on one of its construction sites which claimed three lives. The ICA responded by bringing in another firm to complete the work. In August, Medvedow announced that because of construction delays the ICA would have to delay its September opening. In explaining the postponement, Medvedow told The Boston Globe, “Our building is beautiful, it’s close to completion, and it works. But you only get one chance to make a first impression. When we open, we are going to hit the ground running. In the long life of this building, this is a very insignificant and brief hiccup.”25 On December 10, 2006, the new ICA opened to more than 8,000 visitors. (See Exhibit 7.) If They Build It, Will They Come? The ICA’s ability to oversee the construction of a new building on Boston’s waterfront by an architecture firm that had never built a building in the United States, raise over $75 million— surpassing the capital campaign goal of $62 million—and welcome over 280,000 visitors in its first year—well over the 200,000 that was needed to break even—was, in most people’s minds, miraculous. The question posed by one museum director a year before the new ICA opened its doors, “Do you really think there are five times the market for the ICA’s program than there is right now and that the only reason they’re not getting them now is building size?”26 had been answered “yes”. But sustaining the attendance level would be the main challenge going forward. New museums tended to attract huge crowds in their first year of operation only to see attendance taper off. San Francisco’s Museum of Modern Art, which opened its new building in 1995 saw its attendance soar from 250,000 to 800,000 in its first year, and then come back down to 600,000 in its second year. The Peabody Essex Museum in Massachusetts more than doubled its attendance in year one only to see it decline in year two. As that museum’s deputy director stated, “The first year [attendance] doesn’t matter. It’s everybody looking at it because it’s there. The ‘lookyloos,’ I like to call them.”27 But in the case of the ICA, the ‘lookyloos’ seemed to be holding their gaze. In 2008 and 2009, the ICA had a combined attendance record of well over 450,000. 24 Thomas Palmer, “Fan Pier Site up for Sale,” The Boston Globe, December 19. 2003. 25 Geoff Edgers, “Museum Sees Weeks-Long Construction Delay,” The Boston Globe, August 4, 2006. 26 Geoff Edgers, “Under Construction: An Arts Renaissance,” The Boston Globe, April 10, 2005. 27 Ibid. TURNAROUND AND TRANSFORMATION: LEADERSHIP AND RISK AT BOSTON’S INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART Cate Reavis NOVEMBER 9, 2010 15 Exhibit 1 New Additions to the ICA Board (1998-2001) Pat Stavaridis, Art Collector Sheryl Marshall, Vice President, Donaldson, Lufkin and Jenrette Vivien Hassenfeld, Designer, Hasbro Mary Schneider Enriquez, art critic and independent curator Henrique de Campos Meirelles, President and Chief Operating Officer, Bank of Boston Robert Davoli, Sigma Partners Charles Rodgers, Chairman, WFD Consulting Andrew Goldfarb, Managing Director, JAFCO America Ventures Anthony Terrana, oral surgeon Tim Ferguson, Senior Managing Partner, Putnam Investments Jonathan Seelig, Co-Founder, Akamai Nicholas Adams, Senior Vice President, Partner and Equity Portfolio Manager, Wellington Management Jean-Francois Formela, Investment Principal, Atlas Venture Capital Source: ICA. TURNAROUND AND TRANSFORMATION: LEADERSHIP AND RISK AT BOSTON’S INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART Cate Reavis NOVEMBER 9, 2010 16 Exhibit 2 Goals and Criteria for New ICA Goals Architectural Advancement For almost 65 years, the Institute of Contemporary Art has played a pivotal international role as a vanguard institution by championing new artistic practice and delivering innovative programming. The ICA’s new building should advance architectural thought and practice, reflecting the artistic mission of the ICA. A Powerful Visitor Experience The architect selected to design the new ICA should demonstrate a sensitivity to the exhibition and interpretation of contemporary art and to providing a powerful visitor experience. Through programs, architecture, education and technology, the new ICA should provide future generations with access to the finest examples of creativity, learning and inspiration. Civic Responsibility The new ICA will be a visual and physical destination for Bostonians and visitors alike, and a cornerstone of the new Fan Pier. It will relate to the intimate scale of individual human beings while responding to the unique character of its urban context and waterfront location. The chosen architect should have a sense of responsibility to the public realm and a capacity to create a building with international public significance for Boston’s 21st century. Criteria Advances an architectural vision for the future Creates a building whose presence can shape the waterfront Innovates spatially Scales building to human proportions Shapes and uses natural light well Attends to detail and construction Possesses a vision of the museum’s public role in the city Focuses on only a few, important projects Respects the ICA’s professional and financial resources Has a career trajectory where a breakthrough building is likely Source: ICA. TURNAROUND AND TRANSFORMATION: LEADERSHIP AND RISK AT BOSTON’S INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART Cate Reavis NOVEMBER 9, 2010 17 Exhibit 3 The Brasserie Source: Diller + Scofidio TURNAROUND AND TRANSFORMATION: LEADERSHIP AND RISK AT BOSTON’S INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART Cate Reavis NOVEMBER 9, 2010 18 Exhibit 4 Blur Building, Swiss Expo Source: Diller + Scofidio TURNAROUND AND TRANSFORMATION: LEADERSHIP AND RISK AT BOSTON’S INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART Cate Reavis NOVEMBER 9, 2010 19 Exhibit 5 Kunsthaus Bregenz Source: Hans Peter Schaefer. TURNAROUND AND TRANSFORMATION: LEADERSHIP AND RISK AT BOSTON’S INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART Cate Reavis NOVEMBER 9, 2010 20 Exhibit 6 Therme Vals (Thermal Baths) Source: Roland Zumbüh. TURNAROUND AND TRANSFORMATION: LEADERSHIP AND RISK AT BOSTON’S INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART Cate Reavis NOVEMBER 9, 2010 21 Exhibit 7 The New ICA Source: Christopher Peterson.

f-the-wall project, and the public was thrilled that we wanted to share our ideas. In addition there was great excitement over what might happen down on the waterfront.” While not responsible for the ultimate decision, attendees were queried on their thoughts through a survey with questions that included: What did you like about the work presented? What do you think are some of the most important…

[artsmaus]

ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHIES

Berenbaum, M. (2017, April 3). Holocaust. Retrieved from Encyclopedia Britannica: https://www.britannica.com/event/Holocaust

This source provides background information on the Holocaust in order to strengthen and solidify the understanding of the historical events (timeline wise) and better understand the emotions experienced by the Jewish population and the psychological aftermath of the survivors (Auschwitz or Holocaust in total). Some important topics that were covered in this source are Nazi Anti-Semitism, the Origins of the Holocaust and The Extermination Camps. The hundreds and thousands of Jewish people killed were over something simple such as prejudice against race and cost so much trauma to any survivors as well as their families: as it is passed down from generation to generation. This article will assist in quoting or referencing any historical events that actually happened as well as any statistics needed to support any claims made in the blogs. The biggest weakness of this article is that it does not directly relate to Maus. The biggest strength is the background knowledge gained about the Holocaust and its historical link to Art Spiegelman’s graphic memoir, Maus. This source is relevant because it addresses the main themes of Power, Race, and Welfare.

Posted by ALDAIR

Budick, Emily Miller. "Forced confessions: the case of Art Spiegelman's Maus." Prooftexts: A Journal of Jewish Literary History, vol. 21, no. 3, 2001, p. 379+. Academic OneFile, go.galegroup.com.library.sheridanc.on.ca/ps/i.do?p=AONE&sw=w&u=ko_acd_shc&v=2.1&it=r&id=GALE%7CA86386340&sid=summon&asid=31dd8e9c5b1116b7d8138f28c0df9aa6. Accessed 28 July 2017.

This is another source of heavy criticism of Art Spiegelman’s Maus. However, the author Emily Budick is focusing on the ethical perspective of Spiegelman’s work. As she states in her thesis that the reader does not get past chapter one and Art Spiegelman already breaks his promise to his father a countless amount of times. The promise was not sharing any private parts of his father’s (Vladek) life in the book that Art writes about him. She also mentions how the transitional parts of the memoir are the true focus as opposed to telling his father’s story about the Holocaust. Emily considers this focus to be unconventional and not an effective method to tell a story. Throughout the source, Emily finds many “flaws” in the memoir that she points out, and claims them to be not historically accurate or have broken the promise that Art made to his father. The single and only strength of this source is to expose oneself to the negative or opposing view’s argument. This provides an opportunity to observe, analyze, and evaluate the arguments made against Spiegelman’s work. Although these are valid flaws, this might not have been the focus of Spiegelman when writing this story about his father Vladek. The significant weakness of this article would be the pure denial or ignorance of the positive aspects of Spiegelman’s work. This article is still relevant because it explores more of the criticisms that Spiegelman’s work has encountered after its success. This provides an opportunity to build a stronger, more developed post to demonstrate how Spiegelman actually wrote a great piece of work!

Posted by ALDAIR

Chute, H. (2006). "The Shadow of a past Time": History and Graphic Representation in "Maus". Twentieth Century Literature, 52(2), 199-230. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/20479765

This source extensively analyzes Maus as it describes how the theme of history or “Memory and the Past” is linked to the graphic representation. In Maus, graphic representation is demonstrated through the drawing as well as its style. There are excerpts of comic strips extracted from the book and inserted into this source as a method of providing evidence to support the claims made for the visual representation of the historic scenery that was used in Maus. Visuals such as old-fashioned houses, mass-produced furniture (basic looking), and the Lada like cars which immerse the reader into Vladek’s world of fear and financial struggles. This source also examines the close relationship that Art and his father Vladek share. The comic relief (funny) transitions with their family dynamic disputes demonstrate the theme of “Memory and the Past” as seen in the simple arguments that Art has with his father about hoarding garbage from the street or convincing Vladek to tell him the story about the struggles faced during World War II. The biggest strength that this article has is the narrow focus and in-depth analysis of small details where certain examples can be used when describing elements such as setting and plot.  One weakness would be the extensiveness of the source that only focuses on the theme of “Memory and the Past” and how it is portrayed through visual representation. This source is relevant as it is directly analyzing Maus and symbolic aspects of the memoir that are advantageous to understand when analyzing literary elements of the graphic memoir. It will allow one to analyze and then evaluate these elements as opposed to just applying what was learned in class (blooms taxonomy).

Posted by ALDAIR

Lawrence, J. (2014, Oct). Art spiegelman  Retrieved from http://www.julianlawrence.net/blog/art-spiegelman

This blog posting is of relevance to the assignment at hand because the writer had a deep understanding of Art’s use of a metaphor in MAUS. Being a highly educated person himself, Lawrence was able to dissect the true meaning of Spiegelman’s use of anthropomorphic mice and cat characters shedding light of how the combination of a comic style and writing can tell a story in a way that could never have been imagined. The point of Lawrence’s article was to help readers understand how Spiegelman was able to transform the world of comics giving us a background on classic comic book styles versus Spiegelman’s take. What I found the most interesting of Lawrence’s article was his ability to breakdown certain scenes of the book in a way that the average person would be able to. I would have liked to have more evidence in Lawrence’s piece, however as this is a subjective blog post, I expected more opinion than fact.  

Posted by PAMELA

McCloud, S. (1993). Understanding comics. (). New York:

The online book made available to the class was very useful for its purpose in learning to understand the use of images in graphic novels. The book details the misunderstood practice of comic book writing and how it has evolved over the years. McCloud goes into detail how to maximize each panel in a comic that would evoke the most emotion of send the message to the reader clearly. With comics, aspects such as colour, time, use of lines and white space, wording and vocabulary have to be strategically used in order to reflect the message to the readers I the most effective way given the space constraints of a comic. McCloud used a lot of past experiences and knowledge to describe the important elements of comics but as graphic memoirs are a blend of art and writing, it can be left open to interpretation by the reader.

Posted by PAMELA

Samuels, D. (2013, November 13). Q&A with Art Spiegelman, Creator of 'Maus'. Retrieved from Tablet Mag: http://www.tabletmag.com/jewish-arts-and-culture/152310/art-spiegelman-jewish-museum

This article covers an interview with Art Spiegelman and his take on his own book as well as some ‘behind the scenes’ like questions. Some question topics or themes covered in this discussion includes how Spiegelman’s opinion about the Holocaust as well as his political stance on Anti-Semitism during World War II. There was a lot of exchange of conversation about the main themes of the book including power, welfare, race, memory and the past, family, guilt and blame, as well as morality and ethics.  These themes are the focus of the conversation as the interviewer extracts these details with his thorough questions. One of the biggest weaknesses of this article is that the conversation was often sidetracked by personal questions, which sometimes strayed from the main objective of the interview: to talk about Maus the graphic memoir. However, the biggest strength of this article is that it covered many relevant themes, emotions, and really got Art Spiegelman to open up and share his views on a wide spectrum of topics. The article is still relevant because there is a lot of critical thinking (deeper knowledge/understanding) demonstrated throughout the conversation that would otherwise be difficult to acquire through secondary research.

Posted by ALDAIR

Smith, P. (2015) Spiegelman Studies Part 1 of 2: Maus. Literature Compass, 12: 499–508. doi: 10.1111/lic3.12262.

This article begins by recognizing Art Spiegelman’s success and popularity in the Comic Book industry. However, this success comes with the inevitable criticism. One of the biggest criticisms of Art’s work focuses around his style of drawing in his memoir Maus. Spiegelman portrays different races using an animal other than mice (as the Jewish people are the mice running away from their predators the cats, Nazis) and essentially divides the people into two racial groups Jewish and Non-Jewish. This devalues the other ethnic groups and is not fair in this situation because of not only the use of discrimination in visual form, but also the homogenization of Non-Jewish ethnic groups, as the Nazis victimized them during World War II as well. Although, the Non-Jewish ethnic groups were not the focus of the Holocaust, the fact still remains that the Jewish population was not the only one that was treated unfairly. The article then continues to explain how Holocaust survivors to this day experience a lot of trauma caused by these horrid events and how this trauma and pain is passed on to the younger generation (kids). The article then finishes off with an analysis of Anja and the significant symbolism associated with her death as she was the most realistic portrayal of the trauma caused by the Holocaust, and was made a martyr when she decided to take her own life. The biggest strength of this article is that it covers both the positive and the negative aspects of Art Spiegelman’s Maus and allows the reader to form an opinion based on the fair ‘weight’ to both sides. This article is relevant because it analyzes Maus from an objective point of view while addressing the abundance of the themes and symbolism found in this graphic memoir.

Posted by ALDAIR

United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. (2004). Life in shadows hidden children in the holocaust  Retrieved from https://www.ushmm.org/exhibition/hidden-children/insideX/

This source focuses mainly on the impact that the Holocaust had on Jewish children during and after the war citing that the mortality rate among children was especially high for the amount of murders that took place. The article also highlights the pain that families suffered from being separated from their children and the hardships that they would endure throughout the war if they were kept in hiding. As the war came to an end, many Jewish children were left abandoned by their protector’s and were forced to find a living of their own at a young age with no family. The evidence in the source come from thousands of documented testimonies, preserved diaries, and different pieces of art such as drawing and sketches of children’s living standards. This article demonstrates a strong factual evidence of the events that took place, however, I believe it needs more description in regards to where and how the evidence was collected. The source itself is useful for it’s purpose as it makes Art Spiegelman’s storyline more factual and realistic.

Posted by PAMELA