November 2010 Archives

Top Four Disney Movies of the 90's

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Imagine this.  It is January 1st, 1990.  You have survived the 80's and big hair.  The good news is that Disney has recently released The Little Mermaid.  It was great.  You are expecting another masterpiece from Disney.  Unfortunately, Disney starts the decade with The Rescuers Down Under.  It was alright, but it was a sequel and therefore mildly disappointing.  And then Disney makes an amazing comeback when, one year later, Beauty and the Beast hits theaters, thus starting a string of four AWESOME movies.

Now, I could very well be biased, as these are the movies I grew up with.  But think about it-- Disney had FOUR hits in a row.  Chances are at least one of these movies is at the top of your 'Favorite Disney Movies' list. Disclaimer: the following order is my opinion; the number 1 movie being my absolute favorite.



4. The Lion King-- 1994
 

The Lion King is one of the most notable Disney movies.  It became a Broadway show, for goodness sake.  Did you know that Matthew Broderick voices adult Simba?  I never knew that!

The one thing that every person who has ever watched this movie will remember is Mufasa and his untimely death.  As a kid, it was traumatizing-- all of those wildebeest stampeding as Simba runs!  Then he finds his dad, then...it's just heartbreaking.

And we thank this movie for Hakuna Matata.  A word of wisdom every person, young and old, should take away from this movie.  It's so simple and can be turned into such an awesome song.

While there is humor through Timon and Pumba, this movie is rather grim.  It demonstrates the lengths to while people/lions will go to achieve power--even if it involves murdering family members. 

As a kid, it is exciting to watch the lion drama.  But after being exposed to civilization as well as Hamlet, there is a lot more to be taken out of this movie than just a neat story about lions.
 

3. Aladdin--1992


Aladdin starts out awesome.  Jafar is an insanely scary bad guy.  His thin mustache, spindly figure, and eyeliner contribute greatly to his creepiness.  It is Jafar and his quest for the 'diamond in the ruff' that has the viewer hooked from the beginning.  And it is Jafar that keeps the viewer on the edge of their seats during the epic fight at the end.  Jafar is the source of this movie's awesomeness.

Aladdin has its funny moments--thank you Abu.  And perhaps the Genie should get some credit too.  But there is something about the Genie that bothers me.  I'm not sure if that is because I am fed up with his great number of irritating impersonations, or if it's because he is voiced by Robin Williams.

Despite my dislike for the Genie, the relationship between him and Aladdin is a highlight of the movie.  It is an excellent example of friendship.  Aladdin sacrificed his chance to marry Jasmine so that the Genie could be set free. The world should take a lesson from their friendship.

The songs are addicting.  They are very upbeat, and it is very tempting to sing along with each of the songs. 

Finally, Jasmine should be socially inept.  After sixteen years, she has never left the palace, and her only friend is a tiger.  Really now?


2. Pocahontas--1995
                                                                 

Pocahontas is the most serious of these four Disney movies.  Yes, The Lion King had some pretty grim moments, but it also had quirky characters to serve as the comic relief.  With Pocahontas, there is Meeko and Flit, but they play small roles.

The characters are all like-able.  John Smith, first of all, is the most attractive cartoon character out there.  Voiced by Mel Gibson (pre-creeper days, of course), John Smith is a great character.  Yes, he is arrogant and has his faults, but he changes by the end of the movie.  He is smooth and charming, but genuine. 

What's more, Pocahontas is a strong female character (compared to some helpless ones like Snow White).  She is willing to risk her life to save John Smith (and who could blame her?) and to stop the hatred and war.  Plus, she dives from cliffs and canoes down waterfalls.  That's pretty awesome.

And what ten-year-old girl was not jealous of Pocahontas' hair?  It waved so perfectly in the wind.  Needless to say, I wanted to be Pocahontas.  Canoeing, great hair, and John Smith.

Also, the music in this movie fits it so well.  Sometimes, Disney movies use too many sing-songy songs.  But the music in Pocahontas captures the tone of the movie so perfectly.  I have these songs on my iTunes, of course. 

And the ending, *sigh* if only they could be together....


1. Beauty and the Beast--1991


Beauty and the Beast is without a doubt my number one movie and has been since I can remember.  My dad would watch it with me, and when it was over, I would insist upon watching it again.  He might not have appreciated watching the same movie four times in one afternoon with me, but I sure did.

Because Belle is a bookworm and reads the same books more than once, she is naturally my favorite Disney princess.  She is also a good role model for young girls.  She stands up for herself when she rejects Gaston (sending him into a mud puddle), she cares for her father and ignores the townspeople's taunts, and she sees past the Beast's ugly exterior and loves him for who he is.

The characters of the castle really all are quite characters.  Each one is unique and quirky.  They add comic relied to the beginning, when Belle and the Beast clash.

Who else is jealous of the library the Beast builds for Belle?

And the ballroom scene is amazing.  The animation is beautiful.  The entire ballroom is beautiful.  And the music is beautiful.  It sends chills down my spine.

The music in a lot of the Disney movies is great, and Beauty and the Beast is no exception.  I also have each song from this movie on my iTunes.

I do wish the Beast had a real name.  I'm sure his parents didn't say, "Beast would be a lovely name for our son."  And then when he transformed?  It was pretty intense when light beams shot from his finger tips and toes.  But when he finally faces Belle and she sees him as a human, the Beast is creepy.  There is something about the way he turns his head to face Belle and the music that plays in the background.



Beauty and the Beast is the Disney movie that ensnared me, causing me to waste many days as I watched it repeatedly.  It was the Disney movie that I related to the best, and it was the story that captured my attention the most.  But each movie appeals to each of us in different ways.  So please feel free to share your favorite Disney movies!

Writing rhymes the fun way!

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I found the perfect tool to create nonsensical, rhyming poetry!  It helps you to write rhymes.  And it's an exciting way to spend ten minutes.

The following poem is a product of this wonderful tool.  It's a beauty if I do say so myself.


Ants Enchant my Aunt's Transplants

Yogurt, turnips, and pickles
cost thirteen dimes and eighteen nickles.

Cats breed with flying squirrels
to receive free epidurals.

Flying cat-squirrels soar across the sky
working as private-eyes.

They visit the market with a pocket full of nickles
to buy their yogurt, turnips and pickles.



What are you waiting for?  Write your rhyming bundle of awesomeness now!  And share it, if you wish!

I probably shouldn't allow myself to blog when I'm sleepy because there is a high chance that none of this makes sense and is most likely rather embarrassing.

I've been there!

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Have you ever watched a movie and been able to say "I've been there!"?  It's exciting, right?  Well, have you ever been able to say that about a book?

I have, and let me tell you, it's pretty exciting too.

My grandparents and extended family live across Pittsburgh, so on holidays or family gatherings, my family has a way to drive back home to a small town which is 30 minutes outside of Pittsburgh.  As long as I could remember, I would anticipate the drive back home at night.  The best part is driving through the first tunnel towards home and coming out onto one of the many bridges of Pittsburgh (if you're familiar with the city, it's the Fort Pitt tunnel and the Fort Pitt Bridge).  Everything is dark before entering the tunnel.  Coming out at the other end, Pittsburgh's city lights are the first thing to greet you.  The river is below, reflecting even more of the city lights. This experience has always been something I loved to see. 

Returning to my initial question, my beloved experience was put into words and, even better, into a story.  The Perks of Being a Wallflower is the book that has done this.  Stephen Chbosky, the author, a Pittsburgh native.  The following passage describes every bit of the experience to a tee:

"As you enter the tunnel, the wind gets sucked away, and you squint from the lights overhead. When you adjust to the lights, you can see the other side in the distance just as the sound of the radio fades to nothing because the waves just can't reach. Then, you're in the middle of the tunnel, and everything becomes a calm dream. As you see the opening get closer, you just can't get there fast enough. And finally, just when you think you'll never get there, you see the opening right in front of you. And the radio comes back even louder than you remember it. And the wind is waiting. And you fly out of the tunnel onto the bridge. And there it is. The city. A million lights and buildings and everything seems as exciting as the first time you saw it."

-Stephen Chbosky, The Perks of Being a Wallflower



There is just something awesome about your favorite specific experiences becoming part of a story.

Am I making sense, or am I totally crazy?  Comment if you've been through Fort Pitt tunnel at night to experience this!
And have you ever had a favorite setting become part of a story or poem or even a movie?

Site Map

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It isn't very detailed and I may have used too many colors while creating it, but here it is.  Introducing my site map:



What have I learned since my first and second portfolios?
+ The complexities of linking multiple entries together
+ How to create a movie with accompanying writing for the internet through Griff's Challenge
+ Twitter can be used to create a support community while doing such activities as NaNoWriMo


Interaction:
Classmates commented on my sunrise entry and my 'choose your own ending' story.
And interacting with Tweeter's outside of class, in this case about NaNoWriMo

I kind of wrote in depth...
About StumbleUpon

Discussing...
Creative writing as therapy on Kayla's blog
Scheduling on Jenni's blog
And student athletes on Beth Anne's blog

Outside material
Sharing my appreciation of StumbleUpon
A tweet about an interesting Wikipedia article
Introducing Glogs

Ethos
I included a bit of my creative writing in my 'choose your own ending' story
The tweet that inspired my sunrise blog entry

Using conventions through...
Linking blogs together to create a story
Limiting these two tweets to 140 character about childhood (which also uses a hashtag) and villains


The story begins....

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Remember those straight up awesome 'choose your own ending' books?  Yeah, they're pretty darn exciting.  I thought I would take a stab at creating my own 'choose your own ending' very short story.  Just click the links below each section for whichever course you choose to take.  If you ever want to return to the beginning, click the 'beginning' link that is on every page.  Enjoy!


There is a giant oatmeal raisin cookie attacking the city!  You are in middle of your morning commute and are totally not in the mood for this right now.  You stop your car immediately and get out of it, trying to get a better view of this cookie.  It seems to have taken the form of Godzilla and is tearing the buildings apart.

The cookie lets out a loud roar that resembles a very loud kitten's meow.  Everyone on the streets covers their ears and cringes.  You aren't going to take this.  You decide to run.  Do you:

Run with everyone else away from the monster and risk being trampled to death?
Or slip into the sewer?  The cookie can't possibly fit underground, right?

Griff's Hazard Yet Forward

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Jenni's and my multimedia project final draft!!






Griffin Sightings

The infamous Griff Hill has been spotted on Seton Hill University’s campus many times within the past two weeks.  Sources are unsure of how long he will be staying or why he is here.

 

10/22: During the Friday night campfire, Griff was spotted hiding behind a group of students, trembling, as ghost stories were told.

 

10/23: Griff’s notable laugh could be heard booming off the walls during the comedian's act on Saturday evening.  Guffaw!  Guffaw!

 

10/25: One student claimed that Griff will not stop raving about Spring Thing, the annual spring carnival.  And circulating rumors say that Griff has already bought his ticket for the spring play.

 

10/28: Griff was seen at the football game, cheering on the Griffins and enjoying the game from the sidelines.

 

10/29: Griff has been hitting the McKenna gym much more often this year, he must be training for a 5K or something!

 

11/1: It has been reported that Griff likes to enjoy a late night snack in the Griffin’s Cove on campus.

  

11/2: A close friend of Griff disclosed that he cannot put down his iPad.  He downloads apps daily, his favorite being the Seton Hill University app.


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