It seems as if everyone in Los Angeles came or stayed in the area because of their dream to be in the industry. One of my colleagues at the gym is an actor and screenwriter, but when I told him that I was going to see April and the Twisted World, he claimed that animated films aren’t really his thing. Well, Hungry & Fit are fascinated with animated films, but our fascination rocketed to a whole new level with this somewhat dark and comical animated treasure.
We worked hard on waking up early and kicking butt!
The Greyjoys.
Recently, as I was driving through LA, I saw this apple TV banner. While I haven’t watched Game of Thrones since the end of the first season came out live, I’ve heard a lot about it from others. Since we read the books before the TV series was out, we were shocked to find out they were making a series in the first place. No one else knew what A Song of Ice and Fire was since it came out in the early 90s. I can’t imagine there were too many people out there that were more excited about this show than us.
Mr. Lucas gets a lot of hate ever since he created the subpar Star Wars prequels (in my humble opinion). Sometimes, I feel the same hatred when I see some of the writing and lack of direction and think about how they kind of tainted the backstory of the originals. Yet…we must remember that he is the Master of this universe, despite how some of us think he spun some of it into garbage. George Lucas has seen so much scorn it is said that he avoids the internet where trolls await. He has also turned somewhat bitter in the process, but can you blame him? However, at the end of the day, George Lucas should be proud.
*Spoilers about Creed coming up*
Creed was extremely predictable, as it followed the patterns set forth in the original Rocky movie. By doing so, it was a successful film and almost unarguably the best since the first two. (I know some of you, myself included, have a certain love for the fourth.) Before the final match even began, we all knew that Pretty Ricky was going to secure a victory by decision, but Adonis would earn his respect and give him the fight of his life in the process. Rocky himself foreshadowed it by saying that Apollo was the better boxer during his lone victory over the GOAT, but his heart pulled him through.
It’s that time of the year and at this point, you’re already three weeks into ABC Family’s 25 Days of Christmas. There are the classics like A Christmas Story, Home Alone, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas, and A Miracle on 34th Street. There are amazing animations including The Polar Express and The Year Without a Santa Clause. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation is a staple in almost every home and some people even share a laugh over Jingle All the Way and Fred Claus. Then you have those people whose favorite Christmas movie is Batman Returns or Harry Potter just because of the short scenes that time of the year in Gotham or at Hogwarts. Let’s not forget about Die Hard either.
As I sit in bed at 1:30 am after watching the new Star Wars: The Force Awakens, I am filled with many different thoughts, feelings, and emotions. As you know, I did my best to avoid trailers, billboards, or spoilers of any kind. Star Wars is a universe near and dear to my heart. I was very excited to see the movie (hype that was dramatized even more so due to our theater sucking and delaying the screening) and definitely want to see it again. Here I will share my very first, brief thoughts and feelings regarding the new film. There will be no spoilers beyond things you have already seen in trailers. My apologies for the disorganized scatter of thoughts below.
Even if you’re not a Star Wars fan, you KNOW that the new Star Wars movie is coming out this week. It’s all over the news, the face of any possible medium of advertisement, and if you have any friends, they’ve probably mentioned it. The world is buzzing. It’s a monumental week.
Got our tree!
Have you ever seen Secret of Kells? It’s a wonderful story told through brilliant animation unfolding Irish mythology. Its animation, graphics, music draw you in like little other animations do. Its rich story is told through an enchanting way that makes you love the characters and simply get lost in the “scenery.” The creators of Secret of Kells recently came out with a new movie: Song of the Sea, another story concerning Irish mythology, this time of a selky. As soon as I saw that GKIDS (the movie company) was coming out with another movie, I jumped on the opportunity to see it. With the same rich animation, I knew it would be worth seeing on the big screen. Luckily we have the Nuart theatre who is playing the movie all week. We ate at the Red Tiger and went to the theatre early for good seats and some popcorn.
Our dinner and a movie!
For me, the entertainment value was high. The animation, again like in Secret of Kells, was magical and enchanting. The voice actors and actresses were spot on in capturing a small family in a remote part of Ireland. I particularly loved Saoirse, the little girl who the movie focuses on. Her sweetness and pure wonder makes the world blossom for you as it does for her. You didn’t get to know the characters very well, but that is also how Secret of Kells is. It doesn’t draw too much away from the movie, but it would be nice to have a morsel more of information. However, the characters all have their quirks that make you smile because they are simply them. I didn’t like it as much as Secret of Kells, but I still thoroughly enjoyed the movie.
This movie deserves some Oscars. The layers and depths of the animation in this movie is hard to wrap the mind around, let alone describe in words. As the journey unfolds, there are multiple patterns of animation going on all around the screen. The animators use the graphics and drawings to reveal more about the story and the world without using characters to tell it. I find it absolutely remarkable. It is transfixing and your breath catches when you watch it.
If there were two “X-Factors” of this movie, it would be the animation and the music. You know about the animation, seeing as I have gone on and on about it, but the music is also part of the enchantment. With the music and animation partnered hand-in-hand, you are transported into another world of mythology and wonder. The animation is incredibly unique in style. The music has roots in the Irish culture (which is already a winner for me). The music is full of song, melody, and rhythm. It sways you and brings you along for the journey.
Hungry and Fit gives this movie a big thumbs up. If you’re in the Los Angeles area or in an area playing this movie, go see it on the big screen. The music and animation are worth it enough. Get ready to be transported into a world of Irish mythology and a child’s journey to discovering who she truly is. Enjoy Song of the Sea and prepare to have your breath taken away. And as always, stay hungry and fit!
