The Octopus Adventure

The octopus is quite possibly the most self-sufficient creature that has ever been designed on planet Earth. Octopuses have evolved over millions of years to become impossible to find. With all of its unique abilities and problem-solving intelligence, no lifetime of any octopus will ever be uneventful, even in a lifespan of only a year.

Paving Your Own Path

Addiction and repetition are both plagues that can’t be faced alone. Many of us amount to living predictable lives because it’s not easy to pave our own paths. The truth is, there are no external sources in the world that are going to make you feel fulfilled in life. That person you like is not

Let the Voice of Love Take You Higher

This tea is my own special blend. I can’t guarantee the taste every time. Yoshihiko Hakamada as Baron Humbert von Gikkingen – The Cat Returns (2002) Sharing your happiness with others is what makes the world a better place. Happiness shouldn’t be viewed as an emotion that’s exclusive to yourself. If you see happiness as

The Cat Returns: Becoming Independent

….That pain that I’m feeling has to work its way into the story, or else what am I doing? Quinten Tarantino, interviewed by Charlie Rose The Cat Returns is a “sequel” to Whisper of the Heart, acting as a representation of Shizuku’s story that we never had the opportunity to read. In Whisper of the

Ohana Means Family

This is my family. I found it all on my own. It’s little, and broken, but still good. Yeah, still good. Chris Sanders as Stitch – Lilo and Stitch (2002) When talking about film history, one cannot discuss the topic without mentioning the impacts animated films have had on the industry. Due to the lighthearted

Why Do We Fear Death?

O’ Death, O’ Death, won’t you spare me over ’til another year? John Cygan as Silas Greaves (Call of Juarez: Gunslinger – 2013) Humans have coping mechanisms for pretty much everything. When it comes to traumatic experiences, these coping mechanisms can unfortunately prove to be counterproductive. For most of us, we are rarely ever prepared

A Monster Calls: Chaos in Acceptance

A Monster Calls is a 2016 film about a boy named Connor, who’s mother is slowly dying of cancer. To cope with this tragedy, he imagines a monster made from a tree who tells him three stories. Each of these stories teaches him about the uncertainty and unpredictability of life and teaches him how to

Planet of the Apes: Lesson in Character Development – Dawn

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is the second installment in the Planet of the Apes trilogy. Picking up in the future after the events of Rise of the Planet of the Apes, we see the aftermath of the simian flu. The same drug that increased ape intelligence was incredibly lethal for humans. The

Planet of the Apes: Lesson in Character Development – Rise

The Planet of the Apes trilogy started with Rise of the Planet of the Apes in 2011 and ended with War for the Planet of the Apes in 2017. It starts with the human race testing a drug on apes that can supposedly cure Alzheimer’s disease, going horribly wrong when humans start to kill over

The Dark Valley: The Gift of Free Will

The Dark Valley is a 2014 Western set in the unforgiving terrain of the Alps, specifically in Austria. Unlike other westerns that are dripping with action and tall men with sandpaper for vocal chords, this one is vastly different. So what makes this film so special? The Dark Valley features Sam Riley as Greider, a