Jeannie Marie – Page 11

The Heart of Frozen

January 7, 2014September 26, 2016 Jeannie Marie 1 Comment

Like many people my age, I am in love with Disney. I’ve been in love with Disney movies ever since I could sit up long enough to watch one. I even got to sit on Cinderella’s lap when I was three years old because she was at the castle while everyone was watching the fireworks at Disney World. And that little three year old in me has never grown up.

So anytime Disney puts out a new movie, I am always beyond thrilled. And as many people know, they delivered a fresh new animated movie over the holidays for Disney fans to enjoy.

However, I wouldn’t say “enjoy” was how I felt about Frozen.

Set in a fictional land named Arendelle meant to resemble Northern Europe, Frozen is a retelling of Hans Christian Anderson’s “The Snow Queen.” The last time we got an Anderson story was in 1989 with one of my favorite movies The Little Mermaid, and as many know it was vastly changed from the original, since Anderson is known for his, ah, gruesome endings. And as a Disney fan, I’ve grown used to the fluff they add to make their movies age appropriate. I didn’t even protest when they took E. D. Baker’s fantastic fairy tale The Frog Princess and turned it into the vastly different The Princess and the Frog.

But as far as Frozen is concerned, I was massively disappointed. I have never read “The Snow Queen” before, but I know that Frozen has greatly disrespected it. I don’t mind when Disney puts out an adaptation that misses the mark. I do mind when they put out a movie that misses the mark.

The beginning of the movie started off strong, and I immediately loved the feel of it – the sisters in the castle, the playfulness with the snow, and the mistake that sets the narration in motion. I was ready to love this movie and put it in my favorite;s collection forever.

But as the movie wore on, it started going downhill. The songs, while cute and relevant at the beginning, started getting pointless, adding nothing to the movie nor advancing the plot. The characters were being left undeveloped. And the lines started getting cheesier as the plot started to get unbelievable.

In a word, Frozen, in all of its praise and glory, is a very sloppy movie.

Now I’ve voiced this opinion to many of my friends and family members, thinking that this is a valid complaint. It’s not like I didn’t like Anna’s hair, it’s that the movie was poor in quality. But instead I’ve gotten shot down. The main counter argument? It’s a kids movie, you’re being too critical.

As I’ve thought of this, I’ve come to a realization. Why can’t I be unbiasedly critical of a children’s movie? Why can’t I mention what aspects were weak and needed to be fixed? Disney not only has a reputation of making over 50 solid if not good movies, but they also are marketed as a family brand. When you go to a Disney park, rides, activities, and games are all made for a family to enjoy. Granted, they understand that a child will get the most enjoyment out of a Peter Pan ride, but they also strive to include the things that families can enjoy together, without feeling like they will die of boredom. The same goes for their movies; when I saw Brave with my mom, me and her were the only ones that laughed at the jokes that were supposedly for the kids that were in the theatre with us.

So with that in mind, seeing that Frozen has flaws in its writing and story, the fundamentals of what makes a movie, isn’t being critical. It’s pointing out that a company is getting sloppy and lazy in order to put out movies that will make money. If they truly want a family to enjoy their movies, they must make a quality movie that someone like my mom can enjoy along with me and my little cousins. I have no doubt that children loved the talking snowman included in the movie, but frankly, Olaf got on my nerves, mostly because he added nothing to Anna’s character or the plot, and had the most horribly written lines and jokes I’ve ever seen in a Disney side character.

And honestly, I know that Disney can make better movies, and those movies, the ones that are top notch and are made with love, those are the ones I want to show my kids. Not the ones that have a frozen heart.

Scheherazade

November 20, 2013July 1, 2016 Jeannie Marie Leave a comment

Ever since I can remember, my mom has been one of the primary influences when it comes to things I like. Now that I’m older, I see it’s because I’m basically her when she was a teenager, just in a different era (and maybe a little bit nerdier). But when I was younger, she definitely molded my interests through the things she took me to do and see.

If it hasn’t become clear yet, I’m not from Michigan, but from the mysterious land far, far away known as Houston, Texas. And as most people don’t know, Houston has a thriving and honestly quite amazing arts community.

So this environment, paired with the ingenuity of my mom, you get me: by all accounts, a child hipster. She took me to the children’s museum, to the ballet, she even bought a season at the Hobby Theatre so I could see Cinderella and The Lion King (both amazing performances, by the way). I participated in church choir, and had a strict music program in school that included mandatory extracurricular activities. I still remember going to see Wizard of Oz when I was maybe 4 or 5 years old at the Miller Outdoor Theatre, and being amazed (and slightly scared) as the munchkins came out during intermission to talk to the children and interact with them in their brightly colored costumes.

But out of all those experiences, this weekend, one appeared vividly in my mind.

My mom took me to see the Houston Symphony at Jones Hall one time when I was very little, maybe 6 or 7 years old. I absolutely loved it, and after that time I started listening to the classical channel on my little radio before I went to bed, because the music was so calming. So when my school announced a field trip to go see the Symphony, I was thrilled, because I actually enjoyed this music, not to mention by this time I was probably taking piano lessons.

But that’s not the response I got from my friends.

“Why do we have to go to the symphony?”

“This music is so boring.”

“Everyone’s going to fall asleep.”

I tried to tell them otherwise. “I listen to this music every night” I said. “It helps me get to sleep.”

“Yeah because it’s so boring.”

So while, truthfully, most of my friends fell asleep, I sat, pretending to be bored, but actually engaged in everything that was going on.

This particular instance stands out to me because it was one of the last times I’ve seen a symphony. I’ve been to plenty of plays since that had an orchestra, and I listen to movie scores all the time to help me concentrate on my homework, but it’s not quite the same.

So a few weeks ago, when I found out my friend had a concert with Michigan Pops, I knew I had to go. This weekend, I attended AquaPops, the water-themed musical experience. And I was put right back into my memories. I felt like I was back in Houston, in Jones Hall, where I first heard what music could actually sound like when it came from such beautiful and ancient instruments.

Adam Young, the real name of the ever-famous (or infamous) Owl City, once had a blog that has since been taken down, where he would muse about life, love, and his own music. On this blog one night, he talked about music without words. Specifically, he was referring to electronic, the genre he’s most commonly associated with, which quite often is just a composition of notes rather than an actual song with lyrics. But generally, it applies to all music without words. He said “I find that by listening to material that neither suggests nor blatantly tells me how to think or feel…well, suddenly I can go anywhere, do anything, be anyone. In that moment, dreams are no longer hovering discouragingly out of reach, but instead are made real and vivid, floating right above my head. That’s an invigorating feeling.”

And honestly, I couldn’t have summed up that entire concert any better myself. I found myself lost within the music, finding my way through the notes that were being played. With every pluck of the cello, with every movement of the bow, I was wandering, collecting the pieces of a story that was waiting to be told by me. And yet that story was so completely different from the stories of my friends next to me.

That story is beautiful, and that story that I heard Sunday night is the reason why I will take any opportunity to go to the symphony again.

Notes: Shout out to Arts at Michigan for getting me into the Pops concert for free through their Passport to the Arts (okay, that was a shameless plug, I admit).

Also, shout out to the 1^st Chair Violinist and Concertmaster who probably won’t read this but nevertheless had an absolutely stunning solo in one of the best songs of the night, “Scheherazade.”

Functionality Over Taste

November 13, 2013July 1, 2016 Jeannie Marie Leave a comment

This weekend, I attended a conference with a group called InterVarsity, which took place in enemy territory. That’s right, I went to East Lansing, home of MSU. Besides the fact that I was unable to wear anything from the maize side of my closet and I saw a LOT of green, I noticed a few things about the hotel I stayed in.

Pointed out to me by my (new) friend Mary, art student extraordinaire, the conference center and hotel was beautiful. From the way the sinks were designed, to the calming waterfall welcoming guests into what will hopefully be a home away from home, the layout was appealing, stylish, and modern. I noticed small touches, such as the way the comfortable chairs were placed near large windows, were the sunlight could filter in and provide a pleasant atmosphere when having a chat with friends. I enjoyed the placement of a revolving door, optional next to the regular door yet still an instillation that made the institution feel like a hotel. Yes, as Mary said, the architecture was great.

So that makes it artful, right?

When going to wash my hands, I had no idea where to place the complimentary bar of soap. When I found it could be tucked between the faucet handle and the raised edge of the sink, I felt proud…until it slipped of back into the sink.

Put on, slip off.

The fountain, while gorgeous, spanned two stories. The water fell from the main lobby into the garage floor, into a pool with…what kind of sculpture? Really, what is that supposed to be? Did they actually pay money for that?

And why in the world would I want to look at a bale of hay right before I’m supposed to slip into pleasant dreams filled with friendship, laughter and rainbows? Hay is not particularly calming to me. In fact, I really don’t like hay (too many encounters on Rodeo Day. This is what I get for growing up in Texas).

All of these things culminated into a single question that both my friend Mary and another friend of mine Dean posed: Does art HAVE to have a reason?

In this case, I would solidly argue with yes, since a hotel is primarily functional rather than artful. I’m not sure if I necessarily agree all the time, but every time I’ve encountered art, either in audio or visual form, it’s made a clear statement. Deep? Maybe not. But a clear idea, theme, statement, whatever you have it? Yeah.

So I’m not sure what statement the bale of hay was trying to make. But hopefully, it was making a statement, and I just happened to miss it.

Community and V for Vendetta: My First Viewing

November 5, 2013June 28, 2016 Jeannie Marie Leave a comment

So I’ve had a busy few days, mostly because of my procrastination, but luckily I got everything done pretty early tonight.

Unluckily, I almost forgot about my blog post. I’ve had a topic in mind for the past few days, but I’ve been working on an English assignment due tomorrow, so I’ve been avoiding the actual writing part. So here I am, sitting in the South Lounge at Markley, writing my post at the last minute.

I was going to talk about fall and how pretty the trees are, and although that is my new favorite thing to talk about since this is my first “real” fall (Houston, where I’m from, really doesn’t have a fall), my friend suggested a new topic as I rushed to get my laptop.

I’m in the south lounge because I’m about to watch V for Vendetta with some girls from my hall. I know about this movie, I’ve seen the clip of a speech from it as well as analyzed it, but I’ve never actually gotten the chance to watch it, nor do I really know what it’s exactly about.

I’m honestly a bit ashamed to say this, since I claim to be such a movie buff (seriously, if you don’t remember an actor’s name, I’m the one to ask). But that also means I get a unique experience. Not knowing much about this movie, I’m going to see it with an open mind, and with my friends, something I probably wouldn’t get if I was watching it alone in my dorm.

However, that also means I don’t have much to say about it. So as the movie is about to start, I am talking with my friends, just enjoying the community we have here, and wondering what I’ll think after I see it. But I’m also thankful – I really love getting to know everyone, and I feel like this is the way movies are meant to be seen, with friends, in a community.

Hopefully I’ll enjoy it. I think I will, seeing as it’s considered such a classic. Only time will tell. So as this night comes to a close, I have only one more thing to say:

Remember, Remember the 5^th of November.

The Creative Writer

October 29, 2013June 28, 2016 Jeannie Marie Leave a comment

The species that is known as the “creative writer” is one that has baffled me for centuries. Ranging from the hipster elite to that kid buried deep in Lord of the Rings lore, the creative writer takes all shapes and forms.

But really, can I criticize?

The creative writer (aka, me) just encountered her first workshop today. Terrified, she walked into class, prepared for the worst. They hated it, they didn’t understand the point, they wanted to burn the very words off the page. The creative writer had to sit, never explaining her decisions or why the poems were written that specific way, only drinking in the criticisms.

She dismissed the praise. They were lying, they only wanted a good thing to say so the bad things didn’t sound so bad. The things they liked were meaningless.

She rifled through the letters they gave her, reading every word for its double meaning. She wanted an excuse to rip up the pages and never look at them again. She searched, finding the critiques and holding them tight.

This is the life of a creative writer, the life I’ve chosen. Sometimes, I am happy with my choice. I love writing, I love reading, I love words. But most of the time, I am looking for that one glitch that is telling me that I’m not good enough to get published.

But now, I’m sitting in Hatcher. There’s nothing but me and my laptop. And so, to take a break from work, I pulled up Spotify, and decided to listen to one of my favorite albums from last year.

There are two versions of “The North” by Stars from their album of the same name. One is the normal version, the other, a bonus track, eloquently named “Breakglass Version.” This acoustic song has always been something that touched me, so as I sat, I thought of my piece, my classmates, and my future. But then I listened to the original track, and I realized that this version was sung by a different (male) member of the band. There’s always two ways to look at something, and one isn’t necessarily as bad as the other. It sounds (and probably is) very cliché, but just remembering that one simple fact helped me to breathe a little bit easier as I realized not everyone had to love my writing, and not everyone hated it. And that was okay.

The 2013 Orientation: The Art of YouTube

October 22, 2013December 14, 2016 Jeannie Marie 1 Comment

I just read an article on CNN about something most everyone knows about YouTube. In my column last week, I talked about YouTube briefly, in the form of the Vlogbrothers, who have attained internet stardom.

They aren’t the only ones. As CNN points out, YouTube is a giant community that, within itself, breeds smaller communities based off of people – vloggers – who have somehow cracked the code and gotten millions of people to watch them – myself included.

On my YouTube, I currently have 46 subscriptions, though I’d be lying if I said that I only watch those channels. My YouTube preference ranges from the comedic (charlieissocoollike, Dave Days, nigahiga) to the oddly specific (BookTube, Feast of Fiction, hankgames). Each day, all the people I mentioned and thousands more get billions of hits, but they don’t do anything but sit at home and make movies.

And yet, I can spend hours on YouTube finding yet another video I have never seen before. Normally, this would seem to make the market saturated – why would I want to listen to Sam Tsui, a musician who gets his income primarily from YouTube using home recordings, when I can go watch the newest Panic! At The Disco music video?

But I think that’s what makes it work so well. YouTube has an audience of the world, and it caters to every single aspect of that audience. Not only that, it caters towards the mood of the audience. I’m bored, so I watch someone parody the life of a college student; I need a break from studying, I look up a new artist I’ve never heard of; I need inspiration for my history paper, so I look up an action video created without the help of Hollywood. The options are limitless, and it makes YouTube one of the most innovative and artistic tools of my generation.

But it also makes me wonder. Where will the next generation fit in? Will they just feed into the YouTube mantra, giving advertisers even more money with every click? Or will YouTube slowly fade into oblivion, just a social network that will be remembered only in name (R.I.P., MySpace)?

I love YouTube, I love the D.I.Y. feel, and I love that it isn’t someone I can’t relate to that is talking to me. I love that they are able to interact, reply to comments, and make videos that relate to the everyday, mundane problems I go through. I love this community, but I think that as both an artistic medium and a creative outlet, it is only the starting point for the internet.