Letter to my grandmother

Cháu chào bà ạ,
Bà vẫn khỏe chứ ạ? Cháu ở bên này vẫn khỏe bà ạ. Cháu làm quen được nhiều bạn mới và đã dần quen với cách học tập ở bên này rồi nên bà đừng lo bà nhé. Về ăn uống, thức ăn bên dù hơi khó ăn mấy hôm đầu nhưng cháu cx bắt đầu cảm thấy là mình có thể ăn được nó trong vòng 4 năm tới rồi ạ (thực ra cháu thèm đồ Việt Nam lắm rồi bà ạ). Bà ơi, cháu biết là hơi đường đột, vì so với ở nhà mình, bên này có nhiều cái mới lắm ạ, nhưng hôm nay cháu sẽ viết cho bà một bài blog về một bộ phim trên một trang web tên là Netflix bà nhé. Vì hồi xưa cháu rất thích xem phim hoạt hình với bà nên hôm nay cháu sẽ viết về một bộ phim hoạt hình để so sánh sự khác biệt giữa phim của mình và phim của Mỹ bà nhé.

Hôm nay, cháu sẽ chọn viết về bộ phim “How to train your dragon” bà nhé. Điều khác biệt thứ nhất giữa bộ phim này với hầu hết tất cả các bộ phim hoạt hình ở Việt Nam đó là hiệu ứng hình ảnh bà ạ. Cháu phải nói là dù là phim hoạt hình nhưng cái cách mà các nhà làm phim tạo hình các nhân vật thì không khác gì người thật bà ạ. So với phim Việt Nam, vẫn còn gượng gạo ở những nét vẽ góc cạnh và không lột tả hết được cảm xúc của khuôn mặt, thì đúng là phim Mỹ đã tiến bộ vượt bậc bà ạ. Thêm nữa, cháu phải công nhận là họ rất giỏi trong việc dùng máy tính để tạo nên các cử động của các nhân vật bà ạ. Các nhân vật cử động không khác gì người thật luôn ạ: động tác uyển chuyển, nét mặt thể hiện rõ từng cảm xúc. Trong khi hoạt hình hồi xưa cháu với bà hay xem thì cử động của các nhân vật rất thô cứng, cứ như là các nhà làm phim vẽ từng hành động ra những tờ giấy rồi lật từng trang với một tốc độ rất nhanh. Ngoài ra cảm xúc của các nhân vật hoạt hình hồi xưa cháu xem nhiều cháu chả biết là họ vui hay họ buồn nữa ạ. Cháu chỉ có thể nhận ra khi những cảm xúc ấy kết hợp cùng với âm thanh như là buồn sẽ có tiếng khóc hoặc là vui sẽ có tiếng cười ý ạ.

Cái thứ hai đó chính là hiệu ứng âm thanh bà ạ. Nhớ cái thời mà hồi xưa hai bà cháu ngồi xem phim hoạt hình với nhau, điều cháu thấy đặc biệt, ngoài hiệu ứng hình ảnh như cháu nói ở trên, ở tất cả các phim hoạt hình hồi đó đều chỉ có một bài nhạc xuyên suốt cả bộ phim. Ngoài một bản nhạc ấy ra, thì phim hoạt hình thời ấy còn có cả những hiệu ứng âm thanh hỗ trợ cho hành động của các nhân vật, nhưng những âm thanh ấy bây giờ cháu xem lại thì quá thật nó hơi đơn giản và không thể hấp dẫn được người xem. Trong phim “How to train your dragon”, cháu chỉ có thể nói một điều là tuyệt vời. Bộ phim ấy không chỉ dùng một bài nhạc mà nó có rất nhiều bài hát dùng trong các hoàn cảnh khác nhau. Ví dụ như trong những cảnh huyền ảo và ma mị, một bài nhạc mang tính chất rùng rợn, sợ hãi sẽ đc nổi lên khiến cho người xem cảm thấy hơi rợn tóc gáy. Hơn thế nữa, xuyên suốt trong cảnh đánh nhau, một bản nhạc hùng tráng, dồn dập, và sôi động sẽ đi kèm để tăng thêm tính kịch tính cho các pha hành động trong phim. Nếu mà cháu được xem những bộ phim kiểu như thế khi cháu còn bé thì chắc chắn là cháu sẽ rất háo hức khi xem những đoạn có hành động bà ạ.

Bà ơi, cháu sẽ kết bài ở đây thôi ạ. Cuối cùng thì, phim hoạt hình ở nước mình có lẽ phải học tập rất nhiều ở phim hoạt hình của Mỹ ạ. Chỉ có như vậy thì hoạt hình ở nước mình mới có thể phát triển và thu hút được nhiều người xem bà ạ. Bà đừng lo cho cháu bà nhé vì ở bên này cháu đang sống rất tốt bà ạ. Cháu chúc bà luôn mạnh khỏe và luôn sống vui vẻ bà nhé. Đến hè năm sau cháu sẽ lại về chơi với bà ạ. Cháu chào bà.

Lesson from cartoon

Nowadays, movie is one of the best ways which people choose to entertain when they are bored. With awesome visual effect, catchy music, and attractive plot, movies can easily have an attention of the audience. Most of the people watch the movie for the amusement, but there is one sentence from my dad which I always remember: "There is always a lesson from what you do every day". Therefore, besides watching a movie for pleasure, we can learn many useful things through every scene of the movie. To make this blog more outstanding, this week I will choose to write about a cartoon movie because many people think that we cannot learn anything from kid movie but they are wrong. Two lessons which I am going to discuss are the ethical lesson and cinematic lesson.
This week The adventures of Puss in Boots is my primary choice for the blog. Firstly, I want to mention about the sound effect of the movie. Only listening to the music, the audience can easily understand what the scene wants to talk about; furthermore, maybe they can figure out why the filmmakers use that sound in particular scene. The opening music knows how to follow the spirit of the movie. Start with the flamenco music which is played by the guitar, the audience can right away recognize that this series follows the spirit of Spain, the country which famous with guitar's performance. The fast and lively flamenco can light the fire inside every audience, especially kid under ten years old. This is a small trick which the filmmakers use to increase the view of the series. Because the purpose of this movie is to focus on children who are under ten years old, so they cleverly use the music which has vibrant tone. Moreover, because children are easily attracted every time they hear the vibrant music, so after watching the opening, they will get excited and want to watch the entire show. Therefore, the view will increase which can benefit to the filmmakers. Furthermore, during the fight scene, the viewer can quickly notice that the drum and the horn will be raised. Because this movie is made based on Spanish spirit, so Puss will be built following the el matador. In every fight with the bull, the horn and drum will be played to encourage the spirit of the fighter, so in every fight scene, combining with the sound of the hitting swords and scream of the people, these sound will form a dramatic scene which the audience will be interested.
Secondly, we also can learn some important lessons which connect to our life. In the first episode of the series, after stealing a coin from a secret temple, which causes a serious trouble for the hidden city, Puss tried to escape from what he has done. However, at the end, he decided to stay and solved his own problem. Through his action, we can learn one thing that we cannot run forever from what we have done. We have to face it and solve it. It is okay to run away if you can live the rest of your life in regret. Furthermore, this cartoon may reshape our perspective about the outlaw person. Although criminals usually do crazy stuff and break the law, they sometimes help others get out of the deadly situation. Like in the movie, Puss might be an outlaw, but he always helps children and poor people from the tyrants.
In conclusion, besides watching a movie for enjoyment and entertainment, we can learn many things from it. All we have to do it paying attention to every detail in the movie and related it to our daily life.

Scary for Halloween

Hi Mom and Dad! How are you guys? I think this is very weird, but I just want to say that your son is still fine. Half of the semester has passed, and I somehow still doing okay, and have not been kicked out of the school. I am just kidding because when I write these words to you guys, I really miss you. This week, I have a requirement to write a blog about Netflix's movie to my parents.  I know that this month is an important month for you, Dad; your birthday is on this month. Coincidentally, your birthday is matched with the Halloween, and it gives me an idea for my blog. I decide to write a blog about a Halloween's cartoon because you know that your son still loves cartoon.

 Because, when I was a kid, you and I used to watch Shrek with each other, so I chose to write about scary factors in the movie The Ghost of Lord Farquaad. This movie is from the series DreamWorks Spooky Stories which has three different scary cartoons. At the beginning, the filmmakers start with the sunny scene with a lot of light. How brilliant is that when you start a scary movie with a peaceful, lovely scene. When the audiences watch this scene, their feeling will be steady and enjoyable. Watching a romantic background with some hilarious action of Shrek and Donkey finding the way to the Honeymoon Hotel, the viewer cannot predict what will happen next. Then suddenly, the camera turns quickly to the completely contrasting scene. Shrek finds a shortcut to the Hotel; the way with spooky trees on the two sides of the way and absolutely dark at the end of the road. Have you ever seen a tree with the red devil eyes on it? If an adult has never seen it, how does a child supposed to see it?  Even a teenager like me also feel startled, so this quickly turn must scare the children to death.

            After a breathtaking chasing to recapture Fiona from a kidnapping, Shrek and Donkey enter a deadly graveyard. What is better than a graveyard for a scary Halloween night? Furthermore, this is a graveyard with fog floating around with free-flying ghost. This scene may not scary for a teenager like me, but with the kids, they have to sleep with their parents for a few days. Imagine you are going to the graveyard with your friend in the Halloween. You do not have any equipment to light thing up, and the only light resource which you have is the moonlight. The filmmakers understand the audiences' psychology very well. When people enter the place surrounds with mysterious creatures, they begin to visualize them with their imagination, especially for the kids who have an unlimited creativity. Importantly, the more they imagined the scary creatures, the more frightened they were. Psychology has pointed out that we actually do not afraid anything. The thing we are anxious the most is our imagination.

            When I watch this movie, I really missed you, Dad. Now, I have grown up, gone to the university, suddenly I realize that the time I spend with you and family is one of the best time I have ever had. I know your birthday is coming, and I cannot be there to celebrate with you. However, I still want to tell you: "Happy Birthday, Dad! I love you!"

Seeking for Advanture or Living a leisurely life?

Another week to choose an episode to write my blog. This week, unlike other blogs which I have written before, I am going to write a blog about a specific scene in the movie which contains two different opinions. Everybody will think that cartoon cannot have any two opposite viewpoints because it only focuses on one typical aspect. However, if the viewer only pays attention to a general plot of the episode without focusing on every detail, he or she cannot recognize a hidden angle which a cartoon has. In this blog, Dragons: Race to the Edge episode 4 season 1 will be my primary choice because in overall, people will think that this cartoon does not have anything to mention, but actually it does. This scene may not play a role in conveying the main plot of the episode, but it is a highlight of the whole movie. When Hiccup figures out a dragon eye is a new map which leads his gang to a new adventure of finding a new land and new dragon species, he right away goes to the Council asking for a permission. However, the Council does not allow him to seek an adventure because they are afraid that he will bring trouble to Berk. Three years living in peace, the Council does not want to relate to any problem. I think the Council's decision is acceptable to adults who want to stay out of the mess. Adventuring the whole life, fighting bad guys, killing many dragons, they have the right choosing retirement. Avoiding the danger and enjoying the peaceful life are the wonderful reward for the bravery and dedicated warrior just like the members of the Council. However, the Council is all Vikings, and the Viking is not an ordinary warrior. They are more than that. They are all sons of Odin, a mighty and powerful god in the Norse Myths, and the sons of Odin never stop seeking an adventure for any reason. Therefore, it is not right, on the other words not acceptable for the Viking to rest and live a leisurely life. Based on the spirit of the Viking, the chief of Berk, Hiccup's dad, gives an example of his and all the members of the Council's adventures to persuade the Council allowing his son to discover a new land. At the end, the Council has to agree with the chief's decision and approves Hiccup to go. The opposite opinions in this scene are one chooses to live in leisurely life and one wants to seek adventure. However, we have to look at the reality that the Council cannot apply their thought to a young person who wants to explore new things like Hiccup. A young person is similar to a baby bird. They only grow up when they leave their home to seek for adventure. At that time they will gain more experience and will grow up day by day. I think both options all have an acceptable purpose. The Council wants Berk to be safe and peaceful. Hiccup also wants good things to happen to Berk by finding a new frontier and new dragons. Because I also a young teenager who love travel and explore mysterious things, I will approve Hiccup to pursue his dream. Furthermore, if anyone wants to reject my judgment, they have to prove that the map is totally fake and there is no such thing called new continent and new dragon species.

Shrek's Swamp Stories

This week, I have met an awesome guy Nick Toti who was a graduate student at Truman State University and now has a wonderful job in the film industry in LA. Throughout his discussion, he has mentioned one statement which I impressed the most: “Horror is an accessible form of surrealism.” This week, I decided to watch the first episode of Sherk’s Swamp Stories. At first, people will think that what is the connection between a cartoon movie and element of horror which I referred above. Do not underestimate a movie through it outlook until you actually experience it. Like me, when I choose this series, I did not imagine that I would pick Nick’s statement about horror. However, when I saw it, this episode had changed my perspective. Although this is cartoon movie, they all include horror materials in a well organized.

The first element in every scary movie is sound effect. With the support of enigmatic music, the audience can easily understand the main theme of the movie. Introduce the movie with the wind whistled and the wolf howled, the movie seems to create a door which leads the audience to the world of mystery. Nothing is more effective in panic the people than the wind whistled and the wolf howled. By watching a movie in a dark room or watching alone, these elements bring to the viewer the image of he or she is standing in the open area with no human activities. All he or she can hear is the sound of the animal which is represented by the night and the scary sound of nature. This will bring a slightly cold feeling along the back of the audience. Another sound which is very useful in getting people attention is thunder sound. Noisy, combined with lightning, and happened after the silent scene, thunder sound brings to the audience the surprise element. Similar to jump scare, the thunder is a wonderful tool which may cause people a heart attack. 

Besides the sound effect, the visual image is a magnificent material which is also crucial in conveying the horror movie. Furthermore, by associating with the sound effect, the frightening scene at that time can convey its full potential. In every horror movie, especially cartoon (I think), mysterious jungle and haunted castle are very useful. In the magnetic jungle, there will be many unexpected things which the audience cannot predict, and that is the most interesting part in horror movie. People’s imagination is magnificent. The more they want to know something, the more they will imagine it in an ugliest and scariest image. Moreover, combine the scene with the thunder sound, it will be scarier. Similar to the jungle is a haunted castle which also contains many scary elements. Another detail in the movie which is also adequate is the torch when Sherk and his friend enter the castle. The light from the torch is very weak and can only illuminate a narrow area. To the audience, it pretty normal, but if you imagine you are the character in the movie it is another story. Visualize you are entering the haunted castle, and the only thing you can use to see things around is the torch. You cannot see everything clearly, and you will imagine that there will be something come out of nowhere. The filmmakers are very intelligent when using this material because they understand the audience’s psychology: they scare what they do not know.

BoJack for All

Cartoons may have typically been geared towards children in the past, but considering the adult content inside of BoJack Horseman, it’s not hard to see why it premieres on Adult Swim and has a more mature rating. While the animation is nothing particularly special, the mass appeal is in the wide relatability to the characters and the problems they face. Despite the fact that not a lot of people can relate to the specific life BoJack leads, there are a few issues that people can relate to on an individual basis and that helps to expand the viewership of the show.

Following the mid-life crisis of an alcoholic Hollywood has-been horse, we open to find our main character, BoJack, in the midst of his old TV show. We travel through a small conversation and a terrible joke within the show and then we pan out into an interview that he is a part of, and very drunk at as well. As the questions continue on in this interview, we find BoJack unable to answer the final, simple question of “What have you done since the show was cancelled 18 years ago?” This brings us into the electric and jazzy introduction, which features a detailed idea of how BoJack’s life has been since the cancelation of his old sitcom. In just a few cut scenes, we see his life spiral out of control as he gets drunker throughout the opening. By the time the opening credits finish, you almost feel sorry for BoJack for the things he goes through up through that point and every day included.

The specific type of humor employed in the show helps to break down some of the politically correct speech we are faced with in our society. By disregarding those walls of what is “okay” or “not okay” to say, you can almost forget the rules of society. There are multiple scenes that address binge-drinking, alcoholism, anxiety, financial situations, and the sense of confusion many actors feel when they have stalled out. While it can address some historically hot-button issues, it still manages to go about them in a way that isn’t particularly heavy and dark, but not entirely light-hearted and lackadaisical. This is a good way to approach these topics from a production standpoint because you don’t run the risk of scaring your customer base off, but you also don’t face the complete demise of your show by being insensitive to the issues in our world.

Overall, BoJack Horseman is a unique TV show in that it uses itself as a platform to address some of the harder-hitting social problems that many people face today. Its specific type of humor is employed to attract a wide variety of viewers as well, which makes it diverse in that it can bring about a connecting point for many different people. While it takes some getting used to at first, it slowly becomes a favorite in the arsenal of comedic television shows that many adults choose to watch.