I thoroughly enjoyed watching this movie. I’ve always loved Tom Hanks and Forest Gump, but this was my first time watching Apollo 13. What’s crazy is that despite how “out of the ordinary” or absurd the series of events that led to the mission failure are, these are actually true things that happened. Throughout the entire film, I was on the edge of my seat, completely drawn into the plot of the story and the actors’ amazing acting chops. I also thought that the soundtrack of the entire movie was amazing. The music captured the entire mood and gravity of the situation that Jim and his crew were in. The movie does have a very strong element of foreshadowing. It seems like the entire movie revolves around the foreboding fate that the mission would have so many problems. I guess in a way, the movie does reflect the cliche movie narrative–that no matter how bad things are in the moment, there will always be a “happy ending.” Which, I think, isn’t exactly reflective of society in general. I know that this ending and the narrative told within Apollo 13 is an extraordinary one, but I do believe that it paints a one-sided portrait of what humanity and fate is like in general.
Author Archives: al2473
Dancing the Night Away
This concert was set right after I got back from Thanksgiving Break, and to be honest, this is when the “Thanksgiving Slump” hit pretty hard for me–especially since this event was on a weekend at night. Initially, as I was climbing the icy Libe Slope and making my way to Bailey, I wasn’t too hyped or excited for this performance at all. Yet, now looking back, I can proudly say that I am so glad I pushed myself to attend the Sabor concert. I would even say that this was probably one of the highlights of my week back from Thanksgiving break! I had previously attended the Diya Jale concert a month back, and it was so interesting to see how the different Latino and Indian cultures can be translated in such beautifully different ways when it comes to the realm of dance. The different styles and nuances of each choreographed dance reflect something so intrinsic about the culture itself. Additionally, all of the beautiful outfits that the students wore shimmered and glistened under the bright stage lights. I also think the MCs did a great job at keeping the audience entertained and laughing the entire time throughout the entire show. All in all, I really admire all of the students who performed on the stage, and it was so visible how much energy and passion each student has for dance, music, and performing arts. I definitely will be going to the Sabor Latino’s 28th Annual concert next time, and I will be asking more of my friends who haven’t been to the show yet to come and join me!
Diya Jale Performance
Tonight, I watched the Diwali show organized by the Society of India, and I was just blown away by every single persons’ talent. This is the largest cultural show of the fall semester and the Diwali show has been happening for 57 years at Cornell already!
It was so nice being able to see all of the performances and the students showcase their amazing talents and represent their cultures. I can’t even begin to imagine the amount of effort and time they spent rehearsing all of the acts and making sure everything is amazing. There was this air of unity, friendship, and compassion that filled the entire auditorium. The performers put so much energy and life into each and every act, and the crowd reciprocated and amplified that energy by cheering, clapping, and laughing. I definitely enjoyed the performances very much, and it definitely gave me this new insight into the different expressions of art and beauty within Indian culture.
Star Gazing at Fuertes
This was the first time I ever went to an observatory. It’s so gratifying seeing the beautiful stars shimmering in the night sky and really reminds me of the things you can do at Cornell. I was able to see the constellations, and I even got to see Saturn, its ring, and two of its moons through the telescope at Fuertes! It’s amazing how the telescope, which was invented in the 1600s, allows us to visualize so deep into space. I have always been fascinated by space and planets, but it was truly an experience being able to see a “live” planet instead of just a photo from google.
I am also very appreciative of this Rose Scholar’s event because it gave me time to relax and just breathe the cold, crisp air nestling in the sky. During this week, I was flooded with exams and assignments, and I didn’t have time to slow down and enjoy the beautiful campus around me. This event definitely gave me time to stand still for a moment and appreciate where I am.
Feeding My Starving Children – Embracing Kindness, Empathy, and Love
At least 6,200 children die of hunger or hunger-related causes every single day. To put that number into perspective, that’s around half the number of Cornell undergraduates currently enrolled. Having that many children writhing in pain and suffering through the terrors of death is absolutely horrifying, shocking, and nonetheless saddening. But, it is also something that people, like you and me, can change.
Just an hour ago, I was in the St. Catherine of Siena Church packing food for starving children. By the end of the two hours, everybody packed a total of 167 boxes full of meals for malnourished children, which would then be shipped to food distribution partners around the world. To be completely honest, going into this service, I wasn’t exactly “ecstatic” or “overjoyed.” I wanted to hang out with my friends or potentially study for the looming prelims that are coming up very soon. Yet, I realized halfway through packing, that by even dedicating 1 hour of my life focused on the simple task of pouring cups of rice and soy or spoonfuls of vitamins and dried vegetables into these meal packs is saving a life and providing a malnourished child with the opportunity for a better tomorrow. Too many times, we can unconsciously develop tunnel-vision, where the only things we care about and focus on are our own goals. However, this Rose Scholars event really allowed me to think beyond the world I have constructed for myself, and remember how significant one act of love can be.
A Deeper Look at Commercials
Despite how short commercials may seem, there is actually a lot of different film mechanisms that go behind creating a commercial, specifically in the categories of mise-en-scène, sound, cinematography, and cuts.
I have always viewed commercials as simple thirty-second videos that revolve around a cheesy plot-line, ultimately, with the goal of trying to subconsciously sell the audience on the “experience” a particular product could bring that person. Yet, in today’s mini-seminar, I realized that commercials are deceptively simple from the outside. In actuality, they are very complex.
Here’s an example: My group was given the role of analyzing the background sound in a Subaru commercial. Once the commercial started, I noticed that the background sound had three layers: the narrator’s voice, sound effects (to give contextualization of what’s happening at a given time), and music. When all of these layers are presented together, they harmoniously intertwine and are able to strongly add to the commercial’s goal of promoting the Subaru vehicle. The sound effects all go along with the narrative, and many times add to the emotional aspect of the commercial as well. The chiming of church bells within the commercial allows the audience members to feel joyful, while the whining of ambulance sirens conveys to the audience that something tragic has happened. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed taking a deeper look at the amount of detail that goes behind creating commercials, which is something I never thought about before. This event that HF Zach and GRF Seema led definitely leaves me feeling an immense amount of appreciation for film and commercial-makers.
(And relatively less annoyance when commercials play before my youtube videos.)