For a series chock full of secrets, it's no secret at all that I enjoy Gravity Falls.
Besides a great excuse to watch Disney Channel and Disney XD (not laughing), I have to admit, this animated romp from the mind of Alex Hirsch is a modern masterpiece. The show focuses on the adventures of twins Dipper and Mabel Pines, who spend the summer at their great uncle (Grunkle) Stan's tourist trap in the eponymous, mysterious town. From the first few minutes onward, it's clear something strange is going on here, and each episode is a different dive into the supernatural for Dipper and his sister.
So far, the series has been pretty spectacular. However, despite Disney's invention and mastery of the ink and paint style, the second season has been kinda slow, but enjoyable nonetheless. And that brings me to the latest episode of Season 2, "Soos and the Real Girl."
[Spoilers!]
Instead of just the twins this time, the plot of the episode focuses on Soos, one of the hired hands at Stan's Mystery Shack, as he tries to get a girlfriend before his cousin gets married. Following many failed attempts with the ladies, Soos opts for the quick and lazy path and buys a Japanese dating simulator featuring a cute anime girl named Giffany (voiced by the Flame Princess herself, Jessica DiCicco). At first, he's hooked and can't stop thinking about her, but after asking out a real flesh-and-blood woman named Melody, things get complicated for Soos when Giffany reveals an obsessive-possessive side to herself and he has to make a tough decision between real love and the alternative.
Without giving the rest away (pop culture references included), I absolutely enjoyed this episode as much as the ones before it. To be honest, though, it felt like they were drifting into South Park territory by poking fun at something wrong with society to an outlandish degree (in this case, obsession with dating simulators and videogames in general). Even so, I still found it fun to watch. The story's engaging, the characters memorable, the animation is fluid, and every scene is beautifully colored and detailed. I'm not sure how they recreated the classic 8-bit style for the episode's villain (a homicidal parody of Japanese dating sims), but give 'em points for effort.
Not sure when the next one is coming out, but I'll be waiting patiently. In the meantime, if you like mystery, adventure, and humor on the side, then Gravity Falls is one show I recommend checking out...
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Madame Butterfly
Quite recently, I had the pleasure of watching an animated short based on Puccini's popular opera, Madame Butterfly.
It should be noted that opera sometimes draws inspiration from current events, recent or not. At the time the opera and the novel it's based on were written, imperialism was at its peak, and both Japan and the US were quickly becoming major players on the world stage. The former had modernized its military and was looking to become an empire, while America had acquired Puerto Rico and the Philippines following the Spanish-American War. As if on cue, Puccini probably heard about these events and threw in his two cents on the subject, creating a dramatic but tragic tale about two different cultures coming together.
(Warning! Spoilers ahead!)
Set in Nagasaki at the turn of the last century, the story focuses on a geisha named Cio-Cio San (her name literally means "butterfly" in Japanese), who marries an American naval lieutenant named Pinkerton. Things get complicated, however, when Pinkerton leaves shortly after the ceremony and Butterfly becomes the mother of his child. About three years later, he returns with a new American wife and a kid from every continent (sound familiar?), and wants to adopt Butterfly's as his own. And so, with the only other light in her life gone, Butterfly walks off into another room and kills herself (or in this case, disassembles herself).
And that was the short in a nutshell. The story is mostly the same, but after reading the plot of the actual opera, I must confess, it's somewhat different. In the original, she gives birth to a son, not a daughter. Before offing herself, she even wishes him a heartfelt goodbye and blindfolds the boy to avoid scarring him for life. My other main complaint is the Pinkerton character. In the opera, he's a little more sympathetic, realizing the error of his ways and trying to stop Butterfly from killing herself at the last minute. In the short, however, the smiling douche (pardon) just yanks the kid away without hesitation and leaves Butterfly to her fate. Maybe the lack of sympathy has something to do with the stop-motion style (which kind of reminded me of Wallace & Gromit), but maybe that's what they intended. As I've said before, it's a very tragic tale. Perhaps the message is that love knows no boundaries, and the consequences that come with both transcending those boundaries or just being shortsighted about them.
Differences aside, I still enjoyed the adaptation. If the actual opera comes to town, I'd highly recommend Puccini's masterpiece of love and loss.
It should be noted that opera sometimes draws inspiration from current events, recent or not. At the time the opera and the novel it's based on were written, imperialism was at its peak, and both Japan and the US were quickly becoming major players on the world stage. The former had modernized its military and was looking to become an empire, while America had acquired Puerto Rico and the Philippines following the Spanish-American War. As if on cue, Puccini probably heard about these events and threw in his two cents on the subject, creating a dramatic but tragic tale about two different cultures coming together.
(Warning! Spoilers ahead!)
Set in Nagasaki at the turn of the last century, the story focuses on a geisha named Cio-Cio San (her name literally means "butterfly" in Japanese), who marries an American naval lieutenant named Pinkerton. Things get complicated, however, when Pinkerton leaves shortly after the ceremony and Butterfly becomes the mother of his child. About three years later, he returns with a new American wife and a kid from every continent (sound familiar?), and wants to adopt Butterfly's as his own. And so, with the only other light in her life gone, Butterfly walks off into another room and kills herself (or in this case, disassembles herself).
And that was the short in a nutshell. The story is mostly the same, but after reading the plot of the actual opera, I must confess, it's somewhat different. In the original, she gives birth to a son, not a daughter. Before offing herself, she even wishes him a heartfelt goodbye and blindfolds the boy to avoid scarring him for life. My other main complaint is the Pinkerton character. In the opera, he's a little more sympathetic, realizing the error of his ways and trying to stop Butterfly from killing herself at the last minute. In the short, however, the smiling douche (pardon) just yanks the kid away without hesitation and leaves Butterfly to her fate. Maybe the lack of sympathy has something to do with the stop-motion style (which kind of reminded me of Wallace & Gromit), but maybe that's what they intended. As I've said before, it's a very tragic tale. Perhaps the message is that love knows no boundaries, and the consequences that come with both transcending those boundaries or just being shortsighted about them.
Differences aside, I still enjoyed the adaptation. If the actual opera comes to town, I'd highly recommend Puccini's masterpiece of love and loss.
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
The Voice of Change
Wars are fought with deception, but also information. Our world is adrift in a sea of media, from books to nightly news, to television. However, of every form of media and information it brings, few have had a greater impact on politics and the course of history than that special blend of dialogue and song, Opera.
A staple of Western music, opera was born and raised in Renaissance Italy, as a new form of entertainment by a group of Venetian artists dubbed the Camerata. One of their members, Jacopo Peri, wrote and developed what many believe to be the first opera, Dafne, as a revival of anicent Greek drama. The word "opera" means work in Italian, yet despite all efforts, the world's first opera has been lost to history.
Since its inception, opera has not only been used as a form of entertainment, but also a vehicle of revolution, and a means of both political and social commentary. Mozart's Marriage of Figaro made fun of the nobility at a time when Europe was on the brink of violent revolt. Fidelio, Beethoven's only opera, was largely inspired by unjust imprisonment before and during the French Revolution.
Unfortunately, not all change can be good. Wagner, whose works tell great epics of Norse gods, was largely anti-semitic. As a consequence, the Nazi party chose his hit song "Ride of the Valkyries" as their theme music.
In spite of this, opera and politics are heavily intertwined, and likely bound to stay that way. If the AK is the weapon of revolution, then opera is the voice.
A staple of Western music, opera was born and raised in Renaissance Italy, as a new form of entertainment by a group of Venetian artists dubbed the Camerata. One of their members, Jacopo Peri, wrote and developed what many believe to be the first opera, Dafne, as a revival of anicent Greek drama. The word "opera" means work in Italian, yet despite all efforts, the world's first opera has been lost to history.
Since its inception, opera has not only been used as a form of entertainment, but also a vehicle of revolution, and a means of both political and social commentary. Mozart's Marriage of Figaro made fun of the nobility at a time when Europe was on the brink of violent revolt. Fidelio, Beethoven's only opera, was largely inspired by unjust imprisonment before and during the French Revolution.
Unfortunately, not all change can be good. Wagner, whose works tell great epics of Norse gods, was largely anti-semitic. As a consequence, the Nazi party chose his hit song "Ride of the Valkyries" as their theme music.
In spite of this, opera and politics are heavily intertwined, and likely bound to stay that way. If the AK is the weapon of revolution, then opera is the voice.
Thursday, September 4, 2014
Cuero on Creativity
While I may have failed to find information on Delgado, Raul Cuero was less than difficult. Cuero was born in Colombia in 1948, growing up in a largely impoverished household. Overcoming prejudice while playing basketball, he accepted an opportunity in America and is now a successful microbiologist, using intellect and creativity to invent over 9 applications, such as a product for cleaning oil spills or containing harmful bacteria.
When it comes to creativity, Dr. Cuero says that environment, ethnicity, and IQ are irrelevant. All that matters are having a universal consciousness (ignoring how others see you based on local attitudes), along with keeping an open mind about nature and the outside world. Inspiration can come from anything, not just a computer. Ideas come from conversation, and the best ones happen face-to-face, not phone-to-phone.
There is much wisdom from Dr. Cuero that can be used in the everyday. Staying true to yourself and not letting the world decide who you are is one thing. Another is keeping an open mind about one's surroundings, an appreciation for the natural world, and unending passion for what you want to get out of life.
Everything is a process. The only question is, do you have the will to do it?
When it comes to creativity, Dr. Cuero says that environment, ethnicity, and IQ are irrelevant. All that matters are having a universal consciousness (ignoring how others see you based on local attitudes), along with keeping an open mind about nature and the outside world. Inspiration can come from anything, not just a computer. Ideas come from conversation, and the best ones happen face-to-face, not phone-to-phone.
There is much wisdom from Dr. Cuero that can be used in the everyday. Staying true to yourself and not letting the world decide who you are is one thing. Another is keeping an open mind about one's surroundings, an appreciation for the natural world, and unending passion for what you want to get out of life.
Everything is a process. The only question is, do you have the will to do it?
Tuesday, September 2, 2014
Constants and Variables
I only recently started attending Art & Technology, but already, I see it as a series of Constants and Variables (Things that are similar in some ways, but different in others). Case in point? Bioshock on the iPhone and iPad.
Seven years ago, one of the greatest videogames of a generation (perhaps all time) was released for PC and console, plunging players into the failed objectivist utopia known as Rapture and forcing them to make tough decisions in order to survive and escape. Now, roughly seven years later, it's available in the App store, for the high price of $15.
I've played Bioshock more than once on two different consoles (Xbox 360 the first few rounds, and PlayStation 3 for the Ultimate Rapture Edition), but honestly, the iOS version on my new iPhone is more-or-less different. In terms of plot and gameplay, it's a faithful rendition. However, the graphics have been slightly watered down (no pun intended), and unless you have a wireless controller, the iPhone/iPad's touch controls make the game's signature combat somewhat difficult, especially on hard.
In spite of these flaws, it's still the same great game it was on console and computer. As a casual/hardcore gamer myself, it's one title I highly recommend, on the go, or at home.
Now, if only they could release the original Half-Life on iPhone/iPad (still waiting for #3)...
Seven years ago, one of the greatest videogames of a generation (perhaps all time) was released for PC and console, plunging players into the failed objectivist utopia known as Rapture and forcing them to make tough decisions in order to survive and escape. Now, roughly seven years later, it's available in the App store, for the high price of $15.
I've played Bioshock more than once on two different consoles (Xbox 360 the first few rounds, and PlayStation 3 for the Ultimate Rapture Edition), but honestly, the iOS version on my new iPhone is more-or-less different. In terms of plot and gameplay, it's a faithful rendition. However, the graphics have been slightly watered down (no pun intended), and unless you have a wireless controller, the iPhone/iPad's touch controls make the game's signature combat somewhat difficult, especially on hard.
In spite of these flaws, it's still the same great game it was on console and computer. As a casual/hardcore gamer myself, it's one title I highly recommend, on the go, or at home.
Now, if only they could release the original Half-Life on iPhone/iPad (still waiting for #3)...
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