Ballet is one of the most elegant art forms of entertainment since the 1500s, being one of the most graceful and popular genres of dance throughout the centuries. However, its unfortunate association with prostitution is often swept under the rug…
Flesh (Carne) is a Brazilian animated documentary directed by Camila Kater in 2019. Flesh follows the story of five women in different phases of life as they speak about their ambiguous relationship with their own bodies, as well as their…
Renee Zhan’s 2018 2D animated short film Reneepoptosis is inspired by Chinese ink wash painting and follows a trio of her alter ego Renees who embark on a treacherous journey of self-exploration while seeking out God—the animator herself. The trio,…
Many films claim to be the “Family movie of the year”, but so few match this description. Traditionally, a family movie needs to appeal not only to children, but also to their parents, siblings, and anyone else who might be…
As the development of technology grows, so does the dependency on technology in everyday life. We create new products that improve our lifestyle, but how does this affect us when we are without those technologies? The 2018 graduate student short…
It is an understatement to say dealing with death is a difficult thing. The 2017 short film Negative Space by Max Porter and Ru Kuwahata is reminiscent of the mental headspace where one may try to recall the rose-tinted memories…
The Tale of the Princess Kaguya is a film directed by Isao Takahata in 2013, and it is based on a Japanese folktale called “The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter.” Commenting on the consequences of prioritizing wealth, the film portrays…
The final assignment in my undergraduate Animation Studies course is film analysis. The students use an animation of their choice as a primary source to analyze and draw connections with the content studied in class. Throughout the semester, students read,…
In the first part of this two-part blog post, the chronological and the spirit timelines of Grave of the Fireflies were located and defined, with the aim of showcasing how Plantinga’s concept of the spillover effect is found and works…
A graveyard: autumn fireflies, two or three Gensho, 1742 In this two-part blog post, I will use the story structure of Hotaru no Haka (Grave of the Fireflies, Isao Takahata, 1988) to highlight how in the two identifiable story timelines…
