Tuesday, 28 October 2014

Cartoon shows that changed our lives (part 2)

As promised, here is my list of amazing shows aired on Pogo. Let's go down the memory lane another time and cherish those moments. These four shows were my all-time favourite.

MIFFY AND FRIENDS-
Miffy was the cutest animal ever! She made cooking and baking look so easy, she made studying look like the most interesting thing ever done and she had such amazing friends. The adventures they went through are still missed by all her viewers I'm sure. The narrator was probably the reason we even understood Miffy. She gave life to the whole story! Without her, it wouldn't have been the same.






OSWALD-
The best person to be with when you need to cheer up, when you need a friend, when you're bored or when you need just about anything to turn that frown upside down is Oswald. His character was built to help everyone and he did a marvelous job of it. Winnie, his dog loved him! Henry, his penguin friend was also fond of him, but never showed it much. Daisy, the flower was always happy to have Oswald as a friend. He helped out everyone in town one way or another.



BOB THE BUILDER-
Need any help with that water leak? Or fixing the roof after a storm? Well, Bob the Builder can fix anything for sure! With an elite team of cute appliances and machines, Bob is the best builder. He has Scoop, Muck, Dizzy, Rolley, Lofty and his lovely wife Wendy. Working togther they always get the job done. Although a few troublemakers get in the way, Bob does his job with complete dedication and doesn't leave until all the problems are not solved.




NODDY-
Toytown's boy and everyone's darling, Noddy was best driver. He'd help all the townsfolk by delivering things to the railway station, getting things from the railway station. Big Ears, Mr. Plod and Martha the Monkey were my favourite characters and from all these shows I remember only Noddy's theme song completely.












Cartoons have made our lives so much more better. They've helped us live our childhood to the fullest, taught us our values like friendship, bravery, love and loyalty. They have shaped us into the wonderful people we are today and we were definitely lucky to be born in the era of some of the best cartoons. Only if we'd be able to see them today, have a last glance at them and remember the good old days, life would be bliss.



Sunday, 26 October 2014

Cartoon shows that changed our lives

In the morning from about seven to twelve, Cartoon Network and Pogo aired some of the best cartoons the world ever saw! Powerpuff girls, Jonny Bravo, Popeye, Oswald, Baby Looney Tunes, Tom and Jerry, Noddy, Bob the Builder! If you're a twentieth century kid, you know exactly what I'm talking about. So I'm here to take you down the memory lane and revisit those spectacular mornings all over again.

THE POWERPUFF GIRLS-
Aired on 25th March 2005, Powerpuff girls was an inspiration to all the girls out there. With just a dab of sugar, spice and everything nice, the girls saved Townsville from the evil Mojo Jojo and his minions. Bubbles was my personal favourite. People often tend to get her image wrong. She's seen as a naive little girl, whereas when the right time comes, she unleashes her inner strength to save the world!





JOHNNY BRAVO-
The ladies man and a complete charmer, Johnny Bravo had six year olds swooning for him at that age! Released on July 7th 1997, this cartoon was a hit right away. Well, you can't expect anything less from Elvis Presley inspired character, with a dazzling smirk and perfectly set hair.




DEXTER'S LABORATORY-
Dexter. Now if there was a cartoon version of Sheldon Cooper (Big bang theory) as a child, it's dexter alright! That kid knows how to invent. He has a secret lab behind his bookshelf which no one else knows about...except his sister Dee Dee. Once she's in the lab, all hell breaks loose as she goes around playing with all kinds of devices and machines! The pilot was aired in 1995 which explains why I don't recall seeing very many episodes of this cartoon.





SCOOBY DOO-

Scooby Doo was one of the reasons I always wanted a dog. Right from 1969 to present day, Scooby Doo has been created as a cartoon and several movies! But I always preferred the cartoon more than the movie. Solving mysteries and searching for clues, it was the ultimate kid detective show! And always the actual monsters turned out to be humans, which teaches us something so deep and valuable, that the real monsters are always the bad guys.




POPEYE-
This guy was the reason I ate my spinach on a regular basis. I mean really, mother used to use him as a role model and tell me that if I had to be as strong as Popeye, I had to eat spinach. So Popeye really saved a lot of kids from anemia right? Well, he was loved so much by all his viewers. He was always there for his sweetheart, Olive Oyl and protected her against the big villian Bluto. One can of spinach and Bluto was ready to see stars in daylight. Released in 1933, Popeye was probably the oldest cartoon I've ever seen.




TOM AND JERRY-
This post would be incomplete without this duo! They were the only reason I woke up at seven in the morning everyday. Their endless chasing and occasional teaming up against a common foe would make my day! They've been bringing laughter in the house since 1940 and you can still catch a glimpse of them on Cartoon Network sometimes.






Cartoon Network gave us so many more shows, but these were my favorites. Another post on the shows of Pogo are to follow. Until then, keep that child in you awake!














Saturday, 25 October 2014

Percy Jackson and the Greek Gods- Your one-stop godly info line

Ok let's take it from the top. Zeus, Poseidon and Hades are the three brothers. Zeus marries Hera and has occasional affairs with quarter of a bajillion other women. Poseidon's a bit better with just a million affairs. Hades marries Persephone. Now, Athena is Zeus' daughter and Hephaestus is Hera's son, which makes them step siblings, yet Hephaestus asks Athena's hand in marriage!

I know, Greek gods and their stories! Knowing all the tales is a monumental task, even if you're Ella the Harpie (Percy Jackson followers, you know exactly what I'm talking about). So, our myth master, Rick Riordan, has written yet another fascinating novel about the Greek gods. All information one needs to know about them, in one book. How cool is that?

Our encyclopedia starts with the time before the gods, when Gaia and Ouranos ruled the world. Slowly and steadily we move towards the Titan Age and then finally to our Olympian God age. One complete chapter is dedicated to each of the gods (because we don't want to be hurting their ego. You never know who might decide to take revenge on you). In those chapters, we have a complete detailed analysis of the God. Right from the how they came to the world, which is usually quite disturbing, to who asks them out and what were their hobbies. Basically all the deep, dirty secrets of any God.

So, if you're into Greek gods and can go through bloodshed, backstabbing, cheating and an occasional happy ending, this book is for you.  

Looking for Alaska- Debut novel by John Green

Are you depressed? Do cynical thoughts haunt you day and night? Does death feel like a better option than going through life? Then this is the book you've been waiting for! Ok yeah I know, how can a depressing, suicidal book be good for anyone right? That's what I thought first before reading this mind-blowing novel. But there's more to it than what meets the eye.

Miles Halter is a high school student who shifts from Florida to Alabama to attend his Junior year at Culver Creek High. He was never a standout and always stayed in the shadows with even less than a handful friends. He expects the same at his new boarding school, but things change after he meets his roommate, Chip. Now Chip here is the ideal bad boy. Getting in trouble, pulling off pranks and some how always managing to slip away in the end, that's his daily routine. So Chip introduces Miles to his friends. At Culver Creek there was a tradition to pick nicknames. Chip was also known as the Colonel and he decided that Miles would be called "Pudge". That reassures Miles physical qualities  now doesn't it. Miles is introduced to Alaska Young...and that my friends is where our story begins. Alaska Young. Free-spirited, volatile and unpredictable as ever, Alaska is the heart and soul of the school. Her amazing prank-planning, execution and timing, her obsession with books and her unbelievable good looks. Isn't she the perfect girl time bomb ever made? One wrong move and she'll burst, but one right move and she'll be swooning on you. But Alaska is much more complicated than that. She has a boyfriend she really loves, but has her occasional, I wouldn't call it flings, but yes definitely something more than just friendship.

So when Miles sees her, he instantly falls for her. She thinks he's cute and leaves it at that. Here, I'd like to give a moment of silence for all those boys stuck in the friend zone. Don't worry, you'll get there eventually. Getting back to novel, a series of events leads to a total mess up which involves the Colonel, Alaska and Pudge. Alcohol after school hours in the forest has got suspension written all over it no doubt. But they were proven innocent before the school jury. Things started getting back to normal. I'll just skip a few more incidents that took place (not very interesting to put forward in a review, just your everyday drinking, smoking that's about it). Up until this point, the story moves in sloth pace, just enough to make you read on. Things change drastically after an incident which leads to Pudge kissing Alaska. In the middle of this, she gets a call and promises to be back. But when she comes back, she's shaken and in a bad mess. She asks the Colonel and Pudge to cover for her, said that she had to go somewhere really urgently. They did as instructed, but that led to something unexpected and something Miles couldn't remove from his conscience.

This novel is the definition of a changeover. The first half isn't that great, but the second half really gets you going and makes you want to read more. But as a diehard John Green fan, I can tell you that this isn't the exact style of the author as we know him today. So all TFIOS fans, be ready for a let down. In saying that, Looking for Alaska isn't a bad novel, it's just one of those novels you don't expect from John Green.









Thursday, 23 October 2014

Diwali- The festival of lights

India is known for its festivals. The sheer colour, atmosphere and the delicacies are all to die for. But nothing can match the festivities of Diwali. Being a South Indian brought up in North India, I have seen both the sides of this wonderful festival. The festival is celebrated on different days because they have different stories in north and south.

In south India, Diwali is celebrated on Naraka Chaturdashi, the day Lord Krishna slayed Narakasur. Legend has it that Narakasur was a demon who wanted to control the three worlds, underworld, earth and heaven. Drunk with power, he waged a war against all the three world. Where there is no hope, Lord Vishnu gives the beacon of light. He incarnated himself as Krishna and slayed Narakasur. Before dying, Narakasur's wish was that everyone in the world should celebrate his death. And so, most (maybe not all) south Indians celebrate Diwali on Naraka Chaturdashi.

North India has a slightly varied tale behind the festival. Here, Diwali is celebrated as a welcoming ceremony. Lord Ram, another incarnation of Lord Vishnu, comes back to Ayodhya after a fourteen year long exile. During this, his wife, Sita is kidnapped by the evil Ravan. Ram, his brother Lakshman and his mighty army of monkeys defeat Ravan and bring Sita back home. Everyone welcomes the heroes with lit diyas and crackers. Sweet and savory delicacies are made and everyone has a marvelous time.

Diwali is one of the few festivals celebrated not only by Hindus but by people of all religions. Around the country, the night sky is lit by thousands of diyas and crackers. It is definitely a sight for sore eyes. But with the increased problem of global warming, crackers are just one more step towards it. Things this year are slightly different. Over the past few days, lesser and lesser crackers have been bursted in my locality. Classmates and teachers have also pledged to celebrate a green Diwali. Although Diwali is not Diwali until we light a few crackers, I think we can let go this much for the environment. All in all, it's a festival which brings families and friends together. So here's wishing all of you a very happy Diwali!




Saturday, 18 October 2014

Hakuna Matata- A motto that never fails

When life gives you lemons, make lemonade! You can't change the past, so just as our wise friend Timon says, "When the world turns its back on you, you turn your back on the world! Put your past behind you and life will never be complicated.

I always believed this motto was the perfect one for any person. At some point in our lives we all went through our "Hakuna Matata" phase. Be it because of an exam, a relationship, a job or anything for that matter, this motto saved many of us. If it wasn't for this, we'd be stuck up in our past and we would go through depression. We'd have to spend hours of therapy to get back to our normal lives. So, if we look at the large picture, we've saved ourselves, our time and our money! Who knew that two words can cause such a huge impact, right? And undoubtedly, the result was always positive. Once you've accepted the past, you get the courage to move on in life and learn from your mistakes. If we take Simba's example, he goes through his "Hakuna Matata" phase during his childhood. When Nala finds him and asks him to come back home, he refuses because he's scared to face his past. That was the mistake he did. Then Rafiki puts some sense into him and he goes back to Pride Rock and reclaims his land!

In my life, Hakuna Matata never existed because I never went through anything in my past that I would want to forget...up until now. Grades and fathers. It sometimes feels as though they've got a deal! "Ok remember this time you're supposed to be good. I need my son to pass his language with a decent score. In return I'll make him do an hour extra for maths. Do we have a deal?" And if you plummet down once, that's the last straw! No explanation can get you out of this! So, I recently went through this and now my "Hakuna Matata" phase has just sprouted. I've taken the bold risk to forget the past and move on with my life and ignore what my grades are shouting at me. I'll work hard no doubt, but not to redeem myself but just to get a good score.

So there you have it, Hakuna Matata. It really is a wonderful phrase and it's certainly not a passing craze (see what I just did there!)






Wednesday, 15 October 2014

Story of the tree- My prize winning composition

Hello readers! I recently won the first place in a self-composition competition. So, I thought why not share it with my viewers. A note before we begin, this poem is a lot like another one I had written. It's actually a modification of that. So, here it is!

Story of a tree

I was a seed locked away,
Waiting for my future to blossom.
Then one fine day, soil found me where I lay,
And started changing my form.

She said she was my mentor,
And guided me to be a sapling.
She then said it was time for me to enter,
The next phase of my learning.

When the time came, water, air and sunlight found me,
Shaped me to be who I am today.
They said that nature had written my destiny,
And that I would be cherished everyday.

I saw how I helped everyone,
How I changed everyone's lives.
The health and happiness I gave them had no bounds,
And I was proud of my form.

Then one day someone cut me,
Tore me from my root.
I was scared and wondered who would do this to me,
Then I saw it was man who had come to loot.

With my destruction, he sealed his fate,
For without me, he would perish.
Filled with sorrow and hate,
I left this world searching for a better place. 

Monday, 13 October 2014

13 going on 30- For all girls out there

When a girl enters her teens, she not only goes through physical change but also mental change. She starts looking at things in different perspectives, starts becoming rebellious and most often goes through peer pressure. If you're a queen bee or a cheer leader, you'd probably find your ground but if you're a normal school-going girl, not very popular in class with only a handful of friends, then trust me, you're in for trouble. All the pressure around you starts building up! You need to look perfect, be popular and have good social connections at all times.

Jenna Tink was going through pretty much the same thing. For her thirteenth birthday, she called all the popular kids for her party and her best friend Matt helped her set up the place and be ready for everyone. Matt makes a special gift for Jenna. A house crafted by him, with "wishing dust" sprinkled all over it! Things turned ugly after a game of "seven minutes in heaven". Everyone leaves without saying anything and Jeena held Matt responsible. She locked herself in her closet and wished she would be thirty years old. Just as she wished for it, a speck of wishing dust fell on her and she falls asleep only to wake up in her apartment at 5th Avenue, New York, seventeen years later! Amazing right? Wishing dust needs to come out in all retail stores, don't you think. Anyway, it took a lot of time for Jeena to understand what had happened to her. She learned about her life and saw what kind of a woman she had become. She never dreamt she'd be an editor at "Poise", the one fashion magazine she wanted to work in since she was thirteen! But also, she couldn't believe that she lost all contact with Matt and didn't want to see her parents! She felt let down by herself and didn't know what to do.

Things got real after the magazine started working for a make-over. Jeena decided to be the woman she dreamed she would be and undid all her wrongs. She got in contact with Matt and hired him for a photoshoot, talked to her parents and visited her house. Just as everything was coming back to normal, Matt threw a huge bomb on Jeena that he was engaged and was to get married in a week. Jeena was almost certain that she loved him and even Matt had the same feelings. But things didn't go as planned. On Matt's wedding, Jeena went to his place and got the house he had made for her on her thirteenth birthday. Just as the wishing dust fell on her again, she wished that she would be thirteen again and never let all these mistakes happen in the first place.

This movie is a really different movie. I mean you have others like this, but at the smarmy time it's unique. As a girl and a writer, I believe that every girl goes through something like this in her life and probably is going through right now. But popularity or beauty never crafted who you are today! Be yourself, and that's all anyone could ask for.

Sunday, 12 October 2014

The Sound of Music- A melodious story

In the criteria of musicals, Sound of Music is the only musical I can recall. I still remember the first time I saw it at home. I was seven years old and my father had recently brought the movie home. So, that night, we all sat in front of our television and watched the movie. All the songs with their lilting tunes and meaning full lyrics brought me to a whole new world of music I never knew! Within days I knew most of the songs and I still remember them. The movie teaches us many things that one goes through life, like love, heartbreak, responsibility, childishness, bravery and rejection. The story begins with the mountains. Maria is a mischievous and naughty girl. She's kind of a rebel and loves wandering in the woods or running off to the mountains and sing to them. What's the problem with this? Nothing really, it's just that she's a nun! These trips to the mountains always make her late for singing in the abbey. So, Mother Abbess decides to send her as a nanny to the seven children of the von Trapp family. At first Maria is scared of leaving the church. But after much persuasion, she agrees to go.

After seeing the children, she quickly understands each one of them but the children are always upto mischief and try to get Maria in trouble. Their father is a navy officer and expects discipline and order at home. Maria is bewildered as to how the children are treated at such young ages. Soon the children start liking Maria and she teaches them a few songs from the abbey. All this while the captain is out of town and he returns with Baroness Schraeder, the woman he wants to marry. The children try bonding with her, but they never click. Eventually, both the Captain and Maria fall in love with each other, but because she's a nun, she cannot admit it. She then decides to leave them and goes back to the church. After she's back, everyone notices that she's not the same Maria who was there before. Mother Abbess asks her to go back and tell Captain about her secret love and if he also accepts it, then she is allowed to stop her practice of being a nun and can marry him. Maria gathers the courage, asks the Captain and soon the two get married. The story doesn't end here. With the rise of Nazism and political conflict, the Captain gets involved and the family has to flee. In the end do they reach their happily ever after?

The songs in this movie are to die for! The kind of music, the quality of singing, everything is spot on! It's a movie which has a balanced amount of humour, love and sorrow. It's one of those movies that one can watch over a hearty brunch with the family.




Toy Story series- a complete guide to toys

Toys and childhood always go hand in hand. One cannot imagine a perfect childhood without toys! They're the only ones who understand you, support you, be with you whenever you need them. And the best part is that they don't expect anything from you except playing with them and never getting bored of them. But what if there's a whole new side to toys that we owners never got to see. What if they are living and talk and act as normal people when we're not around! This would be a nasty shock to any kid. This series is all about the fact that toys can talk!

This story is about a boy, Andy and his toys. Just as every other kid, Andy has a favourite toy, Woody. On his birthday his mother gets him a new space toy, Buzz Lightyear. This new toy now becomes Andy's favourite and Woody gets extremely jealous. On the other hand, Buzz thinks he's a real space ranger and doesn't believe that he's a toy! Buzz and Woody go through a lot in the movie and finally accept each other as friends.






In the second part, we focus more on Woody. During a yard sale, Andy's mother accidentally puts Woody in the sale box. A toy designer who has been searching for Woody for ages sees him and tries to talk Andy's mom into selling it to him. On refusing, he steals Woody and takes him to his place. Buzz sees all this and goes on a journey to find Woody and get him back home. He is accompanied by Ham, Mr. Potato, Rex and Slinky. On the flip side, Woody encounters a few more toys And finds out more about his past. Buzz successfully rescues Woody and his friends, though there were many pit stops and break downs.



The third part is a straight leap to the time when Andy has to go to college. He doesn't use his toys anymore, but he doesn't have the heart to throw them away. So he decides to put them in the attic. But things go haywire after Andy decides to take Woody to college and the rest are put in trash bags to be kept
in the attic! Andy's mom mistakes the toys for trash and leaves them at the curb. The toys escape and go into the box for donation at Sunny Side, a daycare. Once they reach, they are welcomed whole-heartedly by the toys there and are very happy to see new faces. Little do they know that beneath all the happiness and joy lies a terrible, dark and deceitful toy who changes the daycare into a prison for all the toys..

Do they get back home? Does Woody go with Andy to college? What happens to the daycare? Well, all your questions can be answered only by watching the movie. This series particularly is very touching and relatable because we've all had toys and thrown a few of them too. But you always remember them no matter what.














Thursday, 9 October 2014

Masterchef Australia- Paradise for all foodies

Food is something that transcends all boundaries and brings people of different regions together. It is something that is seen in every household, three times a day and brings joy around the table. In the past decade the new fad of cooking competitions has gained much popularity. As a foodie myself, I can say that one of the best shows so far is Masterchef Austarlia. Masterchef has a wide reach and has an Indian, UK and an American chapter as well, though my personal favourite has always been Australia.

Masterchef Australia has its own charm and warmth. Right from the word go, contestants and judges are pally with each other and through the competition form strong friendships even though they know its a competition and they have to beat the other person. This is where Austarlia is unique. Instead of cut-throat competition, there is a positive energy in the Masterchef kitchen and things never turn ugly. Getting straight into it, Masterchef Australia is judged by three of the most world-renounced people, the chefs, George Columbaris and Gary Mehigan and the food critic, Matt Preston. Together they judge all dishes that the contestants make. Usually on Mondays, they have a mystery box and an invention test. So, the mystery box is the tricky one. Contestants are given a box with the most bizarre ingredients with which they need to create a cohesive dish. The winner of this round gets a crucial advantage in the next round, the invention test. Mid-week, they have team challenges. As we go deeper into the competition, team challenges become more and more difficult. In between all this, usually on Saturdays, a Masterclass is held where all contestants and judges get to sit back and relax for one day. During these sessions, guest chefs come and teach different techniques that can be of useful to the contestants in the future. In the end, the finale is usually held in three rounds between the top two and the winner is declared Masterchef Austalia. Masterchef Australia has had six amazing seasons so far.The new series of a children's cooking competition has also come up recently, Junior Masetrchef Australia. It is a platform where children showcase their culinary talents. The same concepts applied in the same kitchen but only with children! This show has had two spectacular seasons.

So if you are into cooking you must already be following this series. If you are not, then you know what you're missing. But, Masterchef is not only a reality show. It's also the one-stop place for all culinary knowledge. As a sixteen year old, it has got me from making sunny-side up for breakfast, to making my own pasta and cooking a brilliant red sauce pasta for my family!




Wednesday, 8 October 2014

A series of unfortunate events- Not for the faint hearted

Up until now, I've reviewed only happy novels and movies that have a positive outlook. But this time, I've decided to write a review on an amazing novel, written by Daniel Handler a.k.a Lemony Snicket, which is not so positive. It starts with the Baudelaire family and the three siblings. Violet the eldest was fourteen and a budding inventor. Klaus, the middle child, was twelve and an avid reader who spent most of his time in his library. Sunny was the youngest and had a keen sense of biting things and could use her teeth for almost anything. Their series of unfortunate events began with a fire in their mansion that killed their parents. This takes place in the first chapter of the first novel, so you can expect things to be worse if you continue reading.

Now that they were orphans, they were sent to live with a distant relative, Count Olaf. Let's start by describing him. Cunning, deceitful, rude and zero sense of hygiene. Count Olaf was shaping to be a bad guardian right? Well, actually he was much worse than that. This was where the children's troubles actually began! The Baudelaire's were a very rich family. Violet, being the eldest would inherit her share of the savings when she turned eighteen. Count Olaf's only motive was to get that fortune in his hands by hook or crook. He was ready to do anything. Even marry Violet just to get her share of the fortune! But Violet being very smart, cheated Count Olaf and the three of them made a run for it.

In the following twelve novels, the author tells us how the Count disguised himself to get into the siblings lives and try to get that fortune. In this journey, murder, committing arson and many other crimes were taken up by Count Olaf as desperate measures to reach the money. The novel leaves you wanting to read more and find out the cause of the fire that killed the sibling's parents, what happens to the children in the end and does Count Olaf succeed in his ultimate goal.

The thirteen novels were combined and made into a movie "Lemony Snicket's- The series of Unfortunate Events" which was released in 2004. As a writer, I prefer reading the novel first and then seeing the movie because the novel gives you a better picture of the story. But as a reminder, this series may not be appreciated by all, especially those who crave for happily ever afters.



Tuesday, 7 October 2014

A father's reaction changes everything- a daughter's point of view

I'm my father's pet. I always strive to be in his good books and almost always acheive this goal. But sometimes I miss it by that much! And because I miss it by "that much" it's harder to accept the fact that my father is unhappy with me. This time my results weren't exactly up to mark. I missed an A grade in two of my favourite subjects by less than a mark. Coincidentally, or more appropriate would be, unfortunately, I'm taking those two subjects next year. Now the pact with my dad is that I have to get an A grade in English and Social Science which will compensate for my downfall in Maths and Science. I didn't live up to that expectation by just one mark! When you miss impressing your father by just one mark, trust me, being a girl, it's your worst nightmare come to life.

We've always heard the term "father's daughter". Being a girl, your one and only purpose in life is to make your father feel proud of you, be able to get his words of praise and encouragement. Mother will always be there to make you feel better, but for a girl, a father's remark changes everything. For instance, you'll be jumping around, in a new dress, admiring yourself in it. But then, when your dad sees it and doesn't approve of it, all the excitement is drained out. When you are happy you got a decent grade and come home and tell your parents, your mom is happy with it, but your dad expects you to go higher and reach for a better score. This, again inevitably, lowers your happiness and you end up crying, thinking where you went wrong, what could you have done better just to get that smile of approval from him.

But, I believe in going forward and not wasting time trying to change the past, because what's done is done. Now my only chance to impress my father by doing what I'm good at and try to be the best in it. Nothing is more important for a girl than to amaze her father by proving him wrong, by making him feel, that yes, my daughter can do it! When a girl decides that she has to do it right, she will leave no stone unturned, she will go through anything just to reach that height. In the end, when she sees her father smiling at her, with a tear of joy in his eye, she'll know that all her efforts have finally given her a result. In Jim Valdano's words, "My father gave the greatest gift anyone could ever give another person, he believed in me". Fathers always believe in your capability. It is because they see your potential that they want you to reach higher. They push you and finally in the end, stumbling and falling on your path, you reach there. And trust me, the view is indescribable!





Saturday, 4 October 2014

Disney- The creation and evolution of a child's fantasy (part 2)

This next part of my post talks about the change in Disney movies in the twenty first century. It talks about the change in animation, plots, characters, and many other factors. Let's take a closer look at some of the best Disney movies of the twenty first century.

BOLT-

Bolt was the 48th Animated film released by Disney, released in 2008. It was the first hit which was a computer-animated movie, and also the first to have an animal as a protagonist. Bolt got good reviews from critics and got a 3/4 rating.








UP-

Released in 2009, Up was the first 3D animated movie made by Disney in collaboration with Pixar. When the movie was shown in El Captain Theatre, Calafornia, it was accompanied by "Lighten Up!", a show featuring many Disney characters. The story line of Up was appreciated and the music was also one of the highlights.







TANGLED-

This movie is the modern version of Rapunzel. Released in 2010, this is an adventure-comedy movie and a must watch.
This time, toys featuring Rapunzel's hair and video games were also released to increase the demand for the movie. A short movie, or the sequel of Tangled was released in 2012 which featured Rapunzel's wedding!







WRECK-IT RALPH-



Wreck-it Ralph is a 2012 Computer animated fantasy-adventure movie. It got
positive response and was nominated for many awards and even won a few.
While interviewing the directors it was heard that a sequel of the movie is in the process of making.







FROZEN-

Frozen is the latest Disney movie released in 2013 and is also the 53rd animated movie by Disney. Viewers were more interested in the songs sung in the movie, like "Let it go". Overall the Disny experience was out of the world as usual.







And yet again, Disney continues to thrill us, enchant us and make us believe in fairy tales and "happily ever afters". With more movies like Big Hero 6 on the way, to be released in 2014 November, one can only hope that the magic created by Disney is enjoyed by all children of the future generations to come.















Disney- The creation and evolution of a child's fantasy

The one word any child associates to when he thinks of his childhood has always been Disney. Walt Disney's animated movies really keep the younger audiences engaged and have been loved by them from generations. But the whole story of Disney is still a mystery to some kids out there who don't know much about the person who makes such wonderful movies for them! That is why I am here, to uncover the mysteries of Disney, or in simple terms give you a clear sight on Disney's creation and evolution.

Walter Elias Disney was an American cartoonist, film maker and voice actor. He was the founder of Disney as we know it! The classic Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy were his creations which are still remembered by children of all ages. Another interesting fact is that Mickey Mouse's voice is actually Walt Disney's. He even set up theme parks around the globe in America, Japan, China and France. On 15 December, 1996, the legend passed away, leaving behind his legacy to be continued. Disney has given us the best animated movies right from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs to Frozen. Let's take a trip down the memory lane and revisit some of the evergreen Disney movies of all time.

SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARFS-

 Released in 1937, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was the first animated movie made by Disney. It was premiered in Carthay Circle Theatre, Calafornia where it received a standing ovation. It was re-released in 1944 as a comeback. 
















BEAUTY AND THE BEAST-

Jumping straight to 1991, Beauty and the Beast was an animated musical romantic fantasy produced by Walt Disney Pictures. 
For the first time ever, an unfinished version of the movie was shown in the New York Film Festival in 1991 where it received a ten minute long standing ovation!














ALADDIN-
The world saw another hit with the release of Aladdin in 1992. It was the 31st film released by Disney.
The main attraction were the songs in the movie, like "A whole new world", "You never had a friend like me".














LION KING-
The Lion King was an animated musical adventure film released in 1994. It took relationships and throne descendants to a whole new level.
The audience, as expected, was ecstatic about its release and the movie deserved the praise it got. It was the first time the trailer of a movie had been a song rather than a dialogue. The famous song "Circle of life" was made the trailer of the movie.










Disney continues to surprise us with many more animated movies in the twentieth century. More on that in my next post.