Category: Arts

I completely and utterly adored Belle.

Now, I must say that I’m biased towards animated films, but Belle managed to make me cry. Any movie that brings forward emotion like that must  be doing something right. That being said, I agree with my fellow blogger Himaja’s comment about the story of this film being a “big bowl of confusion soup”.

Because this story deals with very heavy topics such as loss and abuse, there are multiple moments of necessary flashback instances where the audience is given the opportunity to better understand what certain characters were going through and how these moments impacted and reshaped them into the individuals they are today. Though the flashbacks are important, I felt their placement in the film didn’t make much sense. There wasn’t a fluid transition between the present and past. One moment I was watching the main character Suzu walking home from school and the next moment I was watching her younger self crying in the rain. It was a confusing part of the movie that had me questioning for a moment what was actually going on.

Another side effect of this movie dealing with heavy, serious topics was the need for comic relief. There were a couple of characters that served this purpose (one of whom wears a particularly gorgeous pair of orange crocs. It’s an important side note I thought you should be aware of). These characters are well written and very loveable. However, they hardly appear in the film. When they do appear, it’s almost as an afterthought, as though the scene was pushed into the story.

All that being said, the film was still phenomenal in my opinion. The animation was gorgeous, especially the virtual world of  U that Suzu becomes a part of (fun fact, U was actually designed by  an architect by the name of Eric Wong). 

The music was powerful, very well written, and tugged at my heartstrings. If you’re curious about the soundtrack, I would definitely recommend listening to Gales of Song. Both the original Japanese soundtrack and the English dubbed soundtrack are beautiful.

I think the most important thing a movie can do is send out a message of love, comfort, and friendship to an audience. And Belle did achieve that. The movie allowed you to connect with the characters and I believe everyone can see a little of themselves reflected in Suzu’s eyes. Yes, the plot was a little convoluted, but I think the most important thing is that everyone left the theater feeling a little more joyful than when they first entered.

I would definitely recommend watching the film!

Where do you go first in a museum?

This was the question behind the “Tiny Objects, Big Stories” virtual tour at the Kelsey Museum of Archaeology. I hadn’t given the question much thought until now. I realized that in all the hours I have spent wandering museum exhibits, I always began with the largest pieces, expansive paintings and statues. Naturally, these are the first things to catch my eye.

However, there’s a whole other collection of artifacts that are often overlooked. These include smaller tablets, amulets and coins that are typically protected behind glass walls. The “Tiny Objects, Big Stories” tour brings a magnifying glass to these artifacts to offer a closer look. The tour zooms in on amulets, scarabs, seals, coins and other tiny figurines and their respective histories.

I was particularly interested in the different amulets and scarabs. With detailed engravings, these amulets and scarabs were symbols of protection. Some protected one’s health and luck while others focused on navigating the afterlife. The heart scarab, for example, was inscribed with the Book of Dead spell to offer “protection of the deceased’s heart during the judgment in the afterlife.” This small scarab had a lengthy inscription of the spell that would have been difficult to spot during your average museum visit. This sparked an appreciation for the skilled craftsmanship and detail put into such artifacts. It made me wonder what spells may be hidden behind a scarab the size of my thumb.

I began to consider my own tiny objects and the stories they hold, such as an old Snapple bottle cap with a fun fact or an engraved ballpoint pen. They may not be as cool as the artifacts at the museum, but they have a lot significance in spite of their size. It just takes a bit more thought and effort to recognize these pieces.

This virtual tour allowed me to get in all the beautiful details of such tiny artifacts. The Kelsey Museum of Archaeology will continue to host such virtual tours for anyone who is interested! It is a great way to stay safe and follow along from the comfort of your home (or squishmallows). Moreover, the Zoom interface creates a close-knit space where tour guides and guests can share comments and questions easily. The museum also hosts other in-person and virtual events you can find here.