Frozen

So, we should probably talk about Frozen.

I'd been looking forward to this movie for a very long time, so I am happy to say that it didn't disappoint--at least not much.

Here's the gist with no spoilers. The story is loosely based on Hans Christian Anderson's The Snow Queen. Elsa and her little sister Anna are princesses and best friends, but Elsa has magical-ice powers that are becoming harder and harder to control. After accidentally hurting Anna, Elsa isolates herself in the hopes that she will someday learn to control her powers. She attempts to do this by controlling her emotions ("conceal, don't feel").

Unfortunately, Elsa and Anna's parents die (I promise this isn't a spoiler) leaving Elsa to become queen. At Elsa's coronation, Elsa isn't able to control her emotions and reveals her magical-ice-powers to everyone. The kingdom is shocked; Elsa runs away and isolates herself on the top of a mountain, leaving the kingdom in an eternal winter. The story picks up when Anna follows her, hoping to save the kingdom from the snowstorm with the help of a talking snowman named Olaf, a "rugged mountain man" named Kristoff, and a reindeer named Sven.

Here they all are! Plus Hans (a visiting prince Anna's got her eye on)

One of the things that Frozen does extremely well is it's show-stopping song "Let It Go" sung by Idina Menzel as Elsa. You can watch the whole sequence online here and just be in awe at the beauty. The lyrics are all poignant and appropriate to the situation, the animation flows nicely and only augments the viewers emotive response, and Menzel's iconic voice brings the song remarkable power. While there was certainly nothing wrong with the other songs in the movie, they all do pale in comparison to this one. I read one YouTube comment that described "Let It Go" as "the best three minutes in the film," and that may very well be true.

I'm also a huge fan of the animation in the recent animated films (I'm thinking Tangled and Rise of the Guardians), which I know isn't a popular opinion. There are those Disney purists who long for the days of yore when everything was hand drawn. I feel that; I get it--really, I do. But I don't think the beauty of hand drawn animation discredits that of CGI. But this is off topic. The point is, I thought the animation in Frozen was gorgeous. The characters were fine, but the scenery is what really blue me away (especially in "Let It Go" sequence. I promise I'll stop mentioning this scene soon).

I'd been hearing complaints for months about how the female characters in Disney CGI films were all looking the same. And I can see their point, but it's not making my feminism senses tingle, and I'll tell you why. Here is a picture of Anna and Rapunzel side by side.

Please ignore that it says French_Disney_Princess

They do look pretty similar, don't they? Same big eyes, same button nose, thing lips, white skin, light colored eyes and hair. However, I agree with this dude that, if you're going to criticize these two particular characters for looking alike, then you have to criticize a lot farther than that. One of the points that Erlandson makes is that Disney has a particular "look" for its female characters that includes big eyes, thin lips, and a button nose. Erlandson cites Ariel as the character that popularized this model, and I can see what he means.

Big eyes, button nose, thin lips. Sounds familiar. So as you can see, the problem of Disney's female characters all looking pretty much the same is hardly unique to Frozen and Tangled. It is a wider problem that can only be addressed with time and more culturally diverse movies. Because Disney only recently made The Princess and the Frog, we probably won't see another African American protagonist for a while, but I would be interested to see if a South American princess joins the line up in the coming years. To sum up, the fact that Disney's female characters follow an archetype doesn't bother me from a feminist perspective, but I agree that Frozen hardly adds any diversity (yes, it's the first film set in Sweden, but it's still Europe) to Disney's princess cast.

As for the people complaining that Elsa and Anna look too much alike...they're sisters. It's okay.

Moving on. The storyline was comfortable--good, but not groundbreaking. There was, however, a twist on the "true love's power" trope at the end, which was refreshing. I don't want to give too much away about the storyline, but I will say that my only disappointment was that I wish Hans had been handled differently. That's all I'm saying.

The characters were lovable and charming. Elsa was much more mature than Anna, which showed because of the more complex struggles she had to face and her more practical personality compared to Anna's carefree and "looking for love" mentality. What this means is that while Anna is probably who you would consider the traditional protagonist (she's got a lot of screen time, she's a heroine, and she's got the romantic subplot), Elsa is even more compelling a character.

I heard someone say that Elsa's character and the plot were basically just a revamped "Wicked." The fact that Idina Menzel voices Elsa corroborates this statement, as do several elements of Elsa's character, but I prefer to think Disney didn't just rip off "Wicked"...is that too idealistic? I've never seen "Wicked," but from what I know of it Elsa's story is very similar to Elphaba's, but I think the addition of Anna sends the story in a different direction.

Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf were the other three main characters in Frozen. Kristoff is an antisocial ice-seller who thinks the only friend he needs is his reindeer. He's funny and lovable, but, while the movie definitely has romance, he isn't the main focus or goal at the end of the movie. Instead, Frozen focuses on the relationship between Elsa and Anna. Sounds great to me!

Sven would not make it on my Top Ten Disney Animal Sidekicks list. He's fine, but not given much screen time and I found him much less expressive than Maximus from Tangled. Olaf is the main source of comedy in the film, and his humor can be a bit low-brow sometimes, but the story of the snowman who longs for summer is endearing so I'll forgive him that.

Overall, I really enjoyed Frozen and I can't wait to see it again. I think it did a great job of still having romance, but not having it be the focus of the film. The film even makes fun of the "love at first sight" mentality, which shows a lot of progress from Cinderella and Snow White. Like Brave, the crux of the film is on familial relationships and being comfortable with who you are, showing that true love comes in many forms. I also liked that one of the protagonists (Elsa) has to deal with mature problems, responsibilities, and consequences. 

Go see it! Procrastinate whatever you're supposed to be doing and get yourself to a theater!

Holding Hands

Holding hands is nice, when you think about it.
It's someone saying, "I want to touch you.
I want to be connected to you.
I want to feel the thump thump of your blood pumping
In the places where we are joined."
Because maybe their blood will pump in time,
and the connection becomes something more.

Holding hands is validation.
You are clean. You are good.
And even if you're not, someone thinks you are
because someone is willingly touching you,
touching the soft heart of their palm to yours.
You cannot hold hands with someone disgusting.
You could not stand the thought of their essence,
the filth of bad personality and worse character
that clings to their skin and is transferred to yours
like whispering spiders.

But what of those times when the grip is too tight,
when fingers like vices squeeze your hand and your wrist?
It makes the blood pump faster,
but is that worth the bruises it leaves behind?
You shake this hand off.
You try and wriggle free.
You push and you pull,
or maybe you don't,
because the hand's grip has made you numb.
You no longer feel the pain of that too-tight grasp.
You only feel the thump thump of their blood
as your own is trapped, fingers turning blue.

Fear of the Unknown

I was watching television the other day when a commercial for Purell hand sanitizer came on. In the commercial, the soothing female voiceover informed the audience that Purell was the most trusted brand of hand sanitizer because it was proven to kill more germs than their competitors. I'm on the couch with a look on my face that is the physical embodiment of "Whaaaaat?"

I'm not so good at science. I'm sure there are lots of scientific ways to test exactly how many germs are killed by a dollop of hand sanitizer, but all I could think while watching this commercial was that it might all just be a big hoax. Maybe, just maybe, hand sanitizer doesn't do anything at all; it's just another way we are being convinced to spend our money. Because how do we, the consumers, really know if it's working? We don't. We have to trust that someone with microscopes or something sciencey has done the research to prove that Purell really does get rid of the most germs. But we can't tell this just by looking at our hands. You can't see germs. All we get are damp hands and that pungent, yet satisfying, clean smell.

More than any of that, this commercial made me think about how we, as humans, are so often terrified by invisible predators. We can't see germs, but we do everything we can to protect our homes and bodies from them. We are terrified that these unknowable germs could harm us in some way. Just look at some of the movies involving disease and infection epidemics. There's Contagion (2011), I Am Legend (2007), and 28 Days Later (2002). And those are only the one's I've heard of! There are plenty more.

We are obsessed with the invisible predator, but what other kinds are there, besides germs? What about a different kind of germ--a virus. Every time a friend posts a strange link on my Facebook timeline I hesitate to open it because I'm afraid it will give me a virus, destroying my computer (and therefore my life) with one ill-advised click. We're afraid of virus', those mysterious hackers who can wipe out our bank accounts from across the globe with complete anonymity, identity theft, and sexual predators. The online world, unique in the fact that it does not physically exist even though we spend so much of our time there, brings about a special kind of fear that is very similar to being wary of germs.

What else? I would say, the government. It's no new thing for people to be afraid that Big Brother is watching them, but I've been seeing this fear show up more and more in mainstream media. The invisible, judging eyes of the government, Big Brother, terrorists, God, Dr. Eckleburg--whoever, strike fear into our hearts.

The idea of being watched without knowing it and not being able to watch in return is frightening, and reminded me of the fear of aliens--extraterrestrial creatures that we did not know about or understand, but who knew all about us and were bent on our destruction. You don't have to think too hard to come up with an exhaustive list of books and movies covering this topic.

Thinking about aliens made me realize that we might not be afraid of the unseen so much as the unknown. While not knowing can create a healthy curiosity and thirst for life, it can also breed terror. Think about it. Why are you afraid of the future? Because you don't know what will happen. Why are you afraid of death? Because the afterlife (if it exists) is unknowable. Why are you afraid of the dark? Because you can't see what's there.

I should probably end this by saying something philosophical, but instead I'll just advise you to embrace the germs. Try not to worry about the aliens. And, if you must, put on some night vision goggles--though you'll probably sleep better without them.

Stiffness

There's a stiffness in my joints

That comes from running too far

Running for miles, dawn to dusk, again

There is sweat and ache

And a stiffness

Or maybe it's from thinking about running

There's a stiffness in my joints

That comes from walking too long

Waling everywhere, without care,

Direction, and purpose

With a stiffness

Or maybe it's from thinking about walking.

There's a stiffness in my joints

That comes from standing all day

Standing straight and firm much too long

The work is never done 

It brings stiffness 

Or maybe it's from thinking about standing

There's a stiffness in my joints

That comes from sitting at least

Sitting through old and hard and sad

Why did I ever stand?

There is a stiffness

Or maybe it's from thinking about sitting.

There is a stiffness in my joints

That comes from flying at night

Flying up to places unreal

For they are too perfect

For the stiffness

Or maybe it's from dreaming about flying.

Updated Bucket List

1. Play a really good prank on someone

2. Run a 10k

3. Go zip-lining through the rainforest

4. Read Le Petit Prince and understand it

5. Watch all the Harry Potter films in a row without stopping

6. Meet... 

-Hank Green

-Neil Gaiman

-JK Rowling

7. Knit a blanket

8. Learn to crochet

9. Hike the Appalachian Trail

10. Grow a vegetable garden

11.  Go to...

- Italy

-Paris

-The Great Wall of China

-The gum wall in Seattle

-Disneyland

-Japan

-Antartica

-Yellowstone Park

-King's Cross Station

-India

-Australian Outback

-London

-Belgium

-Greece

-New Zealand

-Prague

-Istanbul

-The Grand Canyon
-Asheville

12. Sing kareoke

13. Hike El Camino De Santiago again

14. Marry someone I love

15. Go skinny dipping

16. Finish writing a novel

17. Have someone recognize me on the street from something I've done

18. Voice a character in a Disney animated film

19. Learn to ice skate backwards

20. Memorize the song "The Nations of the World" from the Animaniacs

21. Graduate cum laude

22. Appear on a game show

23. Have my palm read

24. Stop biting my nails

25. Ride on the back of a motorcycle

26. See a Ringling Brothers circus

27. Drink Champagne in Champagne, France

28. See the Yi Peng lantern festival in Thailand

29. Go skydiving (with a buddy)

30. Learn how to french braid

31. Win a short story contest

32. Give blood

Whelp, I haven't actually done much to cross off my bucket list yet...but that's okay! That's what dreams and goals are for, right? Right?

The Odd Sea

The Odd Sea by Frederick Reiken is the story of a family coping with the disappearance of one of their own: a son and brother named Ethan. The Odd Sea is narrated by Ethan's younger brother, Philip, an observant young man who, maybe even more than anyone else, is having trouble accepting that Ethan won't be returning and that there aren't any answers to explain his disappearance.

To be honest, I wasn't expecting much from The Odd Sea. It's Reiken's debut novel, and I bought it at a library sale for $2.00 with a green "mystery" label on the side in goosebumps handwriting--not exactly a stellar recommendation. So, I've been putting off reading it for a while, letting it get lost in the back of my bookshelf while I read more well-known novels. However, I was pleasantly surprised when I finally got around to reading it.

The "mystery" label the library stuck to the spine is really a misnomer, more of an indication of the story's compelling narrative and the drive the reader feels to know and to understand than because of any actual mystery plot or tropes. Like Ethan's family and friends, the reader desperately wants to know what happened to Ethan. Reiken tantalizes the reader several times throughout the novel with possible solutions, each time hammering home the point that there is no solution. The mystery in The Odd Sea then isn't some formulaic story with all the facts outlined neatly at the end (as much as I love Agatha Christie, it does get a bit old sometimes), but an acknowledgement that life's questions about loss, death, and absence in all forms cannot be explained or made better, but must be accepted as part of life in order to move on.

Watching the characters deal with Ethan's disappearance was one of the most touching parts of the novel for me. I found especially heartbreaking the way Phillip and his older sister Halley had to assume the role of a comforter and almost parental figure while their mother was being treated for depression and their father was feverishly working to build a timber house. There were numerous touching scenes showing a broken family working to heal together in whatever way they can, which rang true to me.

I suppose one of my only faults with the book is with Ethan's characterization, though I'm not entirely sure whether to hate or love it. Ethan is inhuman in The Odd Sea, both in his ghostly presence weaving through the pages and the characters' lives, but also in the way his actions are so...contrived might be the right word. There was one scene in particular in which Ethan suddenly smashes a perfectly good guitar against a tree. It's a beautiful, startling moment, but it feels a little forced in that Reiken is trying to make Ethan appear mysterious. This could also just be a side-effect of Phillip, the narrator, idealizing and de-humanizing (forgetting about his "living, breathing, visible human body") Ethan, which is valid, but I also find characters like Victoria and Melissa to be equally contrivedly-unique.

Overall, The Odd Sea was an enjoyable and very fast read. I would recommend it, though if you're easy to cry have a box of tissues ready. Also, there are some...questionable sexy-times scenes, so anyone who finds cheating or large age-gaps between partners to be icky might want to steer clear.

MERLIN

I mentioned in a post (that was, admittedly, quite a while ago) that I'd started watching BBC's Merlin. Well, I am proud to announce that after a whirlwind couple months spent huddled in front of watchseries and trying to avoid seeing too many spoilers on my tumblr dash I have finally finished Merlin! It was announced shortly after I started watching that the current series airing (series 5) would be the last. This almost made me stop watching because I knew that when/if I ever caught up the show would be over completely. I'm slightly heartbroken, but I'm glad I continued watching til the end regardless.

Excuse me for a moment.

Okay. I'm ready.

There will be NO SPOILERS in this blog post. At least not anything from the last season, but I consider the others fair game, though I'm going try and be very general about it all because it aired so recently and I know people may only now be starting to watch.

Merlin is a show about a young warlock--you guessed it--Merlin. Merlin is the same Merlin you're thinking of, though much younger, sassier, and ganglier than you probably had in mind. He leaves his mother and small village life to go to Camelot and apprentice for his mother's friend, Gaius, the court physician, despite magic being outlawed there by King Uther Pendragon. Almost immediately upon arriving, Merlin saves Gaius' life but reveals his magic in the process. Lucky for him, Gaius used to dabble in magic as well and promises not only not to hand him over for execution, but to guide him magically.

Merlin then accidentally gets on Prince Arthur's badside (the handsome prat) and then even more accidentally becomes his manservant, which is both the best and worst thing that ever happens to him. You might ask why he doesn't just leave, but a great dragon living under the castle told him it was his destiny to be by Arthur's side to protect him and help Arthur bring about the glorious days of Albion united. Seriously, I can't make this stuff up.

From there on out Merlin and Arthur gradually develop from mutual hatred to tolerance to friendship to full out bromance--which could be seen as less BRO and more just ROMANCE if you look closely (and by that I mean if you look at all). Seriously, browse the merthur tag on tumblr and you'll have gay feels comin out the wazoo.

Anyway. The show covers five series in which we follow Arthur on his journey to kinghood and Merlin on his journey of saving Arthur from every magical beast, spell, and ailment known to mankind. We meet several characters that you might recognize from the original legends including Morgana, Morderd, Guinevere, Lancelot, and Gwaine, though they are all adaptations. 

My favorite is Gwaine.

I don't remember why. Maybe it has something to do with how he's such a good friend to Merlin, or how he doesn't fit into the nobility stereotype, or how he is very brave and courageous--no, no, that's not it. I'm sure it'll come to me later.

In all seriousness, I've really enjoyed watching Merlin. It is in turns hilarious, touching, and soul-wrenching. My absolute favorite aspect of the show is just watching the friendship between Arthur and Merlin, and watching them grow up. The show covers a good deal of time with them, and we see them struggle each in their own turns. Merlin struggles with the obvious problem of needing to hide his magic, but also with the guilt he feels lying to his friends and the conflict over whether he should reveal himself to them or not--whether he'll ever be able to. Arthur too struggles to redefine what it means to be a king through his friendship with Merlin, marriage to Guinevere, relationship with the commoners (especially in regards to the knights), and his stance on magic. Laughs and Guinevere's heaving breasts are all well and good, but as a reader I can't love anything more than seeing characters develop, and Merlin provided me with that.

If you needed any more encouragement to watch the show, there's always this:

If that doesn't convince you, nothing will.

In other news:

• I'm back in America. More specifically, I'm back in Clemson, SC getting ready to start school on the 9th. I've moved into my house, which is fantastic because I have my own bedroom and bathroom. yessssss
• I told y'all that I was doing Nanowrimo this year, but I neglected to mention that I WON! I completed 50,000 words on my WIP novel The Island. The book is nowhere near done yet (I would say I'm about 1/3 of the way through) and I haven't touched it since then, but my new year's resolution is to finish it, so there should be more to come. 
• I'm currently reading Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Practchett, which is delightfully naughty. My other new year's resolution is to complete a challenge my mother has been doing for several years now to read one book for each letter of the alphabet. Of course I'll read more than that, naturally, but I wouldn't normally seek out books that start with the letter X, so it should be a nice challenge.
• Tumblr convinced me to watch Teen Wolf, so I'm in the second season of that now. I can't say I'm too thrilled (I want to shave Allison's hair off and make Scott eat it) but there's only two seasons so nbd
• ONCE UPON A TIME COMES BACK ON TONIGHT AND I'LL GET TO SEE MORE OF HOOK MY BABYYY!!! He and Emma totes belong together. OTP don't bash it.