I was thoroughly impressed and engrossed by the Apollo 13 (1995) movie that was screened on Friday evening. I thought that director Ron Howard did an excellent job building tension, especially through his attention to detail, use of music (the score was beautiful!), and character arcs. I especially liked how the scene of Marilyn, protagonist Jim Lovell’s wife, losing her wedding ring in the shower drain the night before the launch foreshadowed rising tensions and the actual mission setback. I found myself quite emotionally invested in the movie’s plot despite the fact that I already had previous knowledge regarding the real-life outcome of the unfortunate Apollo 13 mission. Overall, I thought the film was incredibly inspirational; it gave me a greater appreciation for all the lesser-seen and under-credited NASA employees who, although not physically in outer space with the three astronauts, were equally as important as the astronauts themselves in preventing any further catastrophes and tragedies. Apollo 13 is definitely a film that I would watch again!
Author Archives: nih22
Important Exposure to LGBTQ+
Friday movie nights have introduced me to many new films and film genres thus far; this past week’s screening of Jongens (2014) is no exception. It is the first film I have watched that is presented in Dutch-language, as well as the first I have watched whose central conflict surrounds an LGBTQ+ couple. Although it was one of the shorter films shown this semester, I still noticed that the director used a lot of symbolism and manipulation of camera techniques to convey different messages about Sieger’s relationship with Marc. For example, the shot of Sieger and Marc through the gridded the trampoline material, staring at each other in silence, symbolises how their relationship is not completely in the clear yet and foreshadows the tension between them that has yet to come. Additionally, Sieger’s failure to properly acquire the baton from Marc during track relay practice implies that the lack of honesty and open communication between the two boys is contributing to the breakdown of their relationship. Overall, I enjoyed the film and think that its plot and screening on Friday night mark very important steps in working towards the proper acceptance and normalisation of LGBTQ+ relationships.
First Immersion into Indian Culture
Saturday marked the first time I had ever seen a show like Diya Jale. I had no idea what to expect, but I was not disappointed! Although I admit that some of the Hindi jokes flew over my head, since I do not speak the language, I still very much appreciated Omi Vaidya’s set and the marriage of traditional style and contemporary flair in the various Indian dance performances throughout the night. Most of all, however, I enjoyed Cornell Tarana’s performance! This is was my first experience hearing an a cappella group sing live; the only previous exposure I had was through Anna Kendrick’s Barden Bellas in the Pitch Perfect film series. It still amazes me to think that the students could produce such beautiful harmonies and unique sounds using only their voices. Every singer—especially the soloists—seemed wonderfully talented, and the beatboxing in the background was the cherry on top! Overall, after a stressful couple of weeks consisting of endless studying and countless prelims, Diya Jale was a great way for me to wind down, meet new people, and learn more about a new culture. Cornell’s Society for India did an excellent job arranging this event, and I am very thankful and grateful that the Rose Scholars program provided me the opportunity to attend. I am definitely already looking forward to next fall’s edition!
Miyazaki In A New Light
As a huge Hayao Miyazaki enthusiast growing up, I was more excited for this particular film screening than any other event this semester so far. Before last week, however, it had been many years since I last saw Spirited Away (2001). Now that I am old enough to come into a screening with a mature understanding and more experience, I see Spirited Away in a completely different light. I walk away with a new appreciation for elements in the film I had never noticed before: the brilliant, detailed animation; creative, fantastical storyline; and appropriate, time-relevant underlying message that conveys the importance of generosity, open-mindedness, and kindheartedness. I greatly enjoyed how Miyazaki used the literal transformation of the protagonist’s parents into pigs to illustrate the unattractiveness of greed and how such qualities only serve to reduce people into lowly creatures in the long run. The movie is definitely already chock-full of symbolism, but I can only wonder how much more meaningful and mind-blowing it would be if I knew more about the Japanese religious background that served as inspiration for Miyazaki’s ideas.
Social Commentary in a Horror Film
After watching Jordan Peele’s Us (2019), I can say that it is one of my favourites (even if, in my opinion, it does not quite live up to his 2017 movie, Get Out). I was particularly impressed by his brilliant use of symbolism, camera angles and techniques, and attention to detail in the film. In traditional Peele fashion, everything down to the shirt young protagonist Addy Wilson wears at the beginning is on purpose (I think that the “Thriller” reference to Michael Jackson represents the theme of division, as he was controversial and both admired and hated by many). At first, I was confused by what Peele was trying to convey with the idea of everyone having a doppelgänger from the suffering community called the Tethered. However, the more I thought about it, the more I realised just how genius and necessary the metaphor is; I believe that Peele uses this light-versus-shadow persona concept to illustrate and criticise class divisions and inequality in the United States today. The people on the surface—the privileged—enjoy happy lives, while the Tethered—members of the lower classes—are forced underground, abandoned, and soulless. The director hammers this message home most notably at two different times: the first time when Addy’s doppelgänger, Red, says of the Tethered, “we’re Americans” (implying that even those who are less fortunate should not be neglected); and the second time with the ending dolly of the Tethered joining hands across hills serving as a twenty-first century version of the 1986 Hands Across America event that fought hunger and homelessness. Overall, I think that the movie was very well written and shot in terms of its surface enjoyability, acting performances, and underlying themes. As someone who loves to analyse films in detail, I will definitely be watching Us and its terrifying jump-scares again to catch anything that I missed the first time! I wonder what the significance of Jason, as opposed to Zora or Gabe, being the one to suspect that Addy is the true doppelgänger is.
The Whole Universe Before Our Eyes
Compared to the clean lines and red brick of the other North Campus buildings, the white exterior of the Fuertes Observatory looked ancient. Regardless, walking up the dirt path to the entrance under the cover of night, I felt anxious to step inside. I was eager to escape the frigid air, see the one-hundred-year-old telescope for the first time, and zoom in two hundred times to glimpse celestial bodies over one billion miles away. Although this was not the first observatory I have ever visited in my life, it was the first opportunity I had to use such a large and powerful telescope; as a result, I was the most excited for (and slightly apprehensive about) the climb up the steep, narrow wooden ladder leading to the instrument. Saturn appeared a lot smaller in the lens than I had originally expected! I was also surprised by the clarity and brightness of the image since it was already quite dark outside. Overall, I enjoyed the experience very much because it was very educational and brought to life Saturn’s vivid colours and impressive ring system, when I had only previously seen it as a tiny speck in the vast sky. Most importantly, Friday’s outing was a much-needed break from the stress of classwork and exams. There was something strangely calming and uniquely relaxing about isolating oneself in a place without light, save for the shimmer of the planets and stars above. Especially with the extreme light pollution in society today, the stargazing excursion yesterday represented a necessary return to the past and embrace of nature in its purest, most beautiful form. This is a memory that will stay with me forever.
Two Enjoyable Hours of Horror and Comedy
Before Friday night, I had only successfully sat through one entire horror flick in my life: Jordan Peele’s Academy Award-winning Get Out (2017). Fully expecting to absolutely dislike Housebound (2014), I was pleasantly surprised that I managed to keep my eyes open for long enough to laugh at the funny scenes and freak out at the jump-scares. I never thought that it would be possible for a horror-comedy film to truly live up to its genre and be both funny and terrifying at the same time! I am particularly impressed by the director’s use of sound effects and background music to set the ominous mood, foreshadow essential plot elements, and generate suspense leading up to particularly climactic, tense moments. Merely hearing the crescendoing orchestral soundtrack caused an intense feeling of dread to build inside me, despite the fact that I turned away from the screen out of fear. I also enjoy how the director manipulated camera angles to trick the audience; for example, his decision to focus the shot on the unidentified shadow in the doorway as the protagonist attempts to evade capture caused me to mistake the creepy neighbour for the harmless step-father. However, I found the irony of Dennis’ character arc to be the greatest highlight of the film: as a psychologist, he is supposed to help people cope with and/or recover from their mental illnesses, although he is the one to eventually lose his mind and embark on a vengeful murdering spree, only to have his head (of all body parts) exploded in the end.