Raul Pantojas

Professor Bomboy

Arts and Humanities 101

December 03, 2015

Disney’s Frozen Critique

            The film I chose to critique is the highly regarded Disney film Frozen, which was written and directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee. I chose to critique this film on the sole content and the message it delivers to children, which is the films target audience.

            As little girls in the palace of Arendelle, princesses Anna and Elsa were inseparable. But Elsa was born with the power to manipulate and command ice and snow that have always been out of her control; as a result, her parents’ kept their daughter and kingdom isolated from the rest of the world. The powers would eventually result in the accidental injuring of her sister Anna. With the help of magical rock trolls, Anna is saved. The king and queen insist that Elsa’s abilities must be kept hidden, outside contact remain limited, and the staff is drastically reduced. Anna and Elsa than lose both parents in a tragic ship wreck. When their parents drown at sea, the siblings continue their quarantine until, three years later, it is time for Elsa’s coronation. After the tragic death of her parents, Elsa inherits the title of being the queen of her parents’ kingdom. While Elsa deals with the complications of ruling her kingdom while trying to hide her powers from the public, her sister Anna is overly obsessed with finding her “true love”. During Elsa’s coronation, Anna and Elsa come to a disagreement and Elsa loses control of her magical ice powers in front of all her subjects attending the coronation. Shortly after Elsa runs away from the kingdom and inadvertently brings a snowy and cold curse on her kingdom.

            I believe that the purpose behind this film was to inform the viewer on the real struggles and difficulties that those we deem as different have to deal with. I also believe that the creators wanted to demonstrate the importance of teamwork in order to overcome challenges. The story is a touching tale about the bond between two sisters who have to set aside their differences in order to overcome challenges bestowed upon them in order to regain control of their kingdom and their lives.

            There is one scene that in my opinion that really delivers and demonstrates how strong of a bond both sisters maintain with each other. The scene occurs during one of the final moments of the film when Anna becomes completely frozen due to being struck by her sister in the heart during an earlier disagreement. Throughout the film, it is believed that Anna can only be cured by receiving an “act of true love”, which Anna interprets as being a kiss from a man who loves her. After realizing that her “true love” is only interested in her royalty and not her, princess Anna is locked away by her once “true love”, Prince Hans, of the Southern Isles. The prince than attempts to kill Queen Elsa but his plot is thwarted by Princess Anna who sacrifices herself in order to save her sister, Queen Elsa. Apparently this constitutes an “act of true love” and the curse is lifted from Princess Anna who begins to thaw.

 In “Frozen,” the heroes are heroic and the villains are refreshingly villainous. There is plenty of adventures that work its way into the picture, along with heartfelt moments of sacrifice, stirring compassion, and unexpected deviousness from ambiguously motivated characters. While most of the roles are coordinated around singing, the purely comic relief, waddling, buck-toothed snowman Olaf is exceptionally funny, never delivering a dull line and capable of inspiring laughs based entirely on visual gags. I believe that the character Olaf also serves as a constant remainder of the necessity to have a positive outlook on the future no matter what the conditions are at the present time.

The story occasionally transforms around the musical numbers, though the transitions aren’t always natural, choruses are booming while dialogue shifts into melodic verses. Spontaneous singing can feel disruptive when conversations are weighty for example in the middle of an argument a song breaks out; but the pieces conducted in solitude are especially moving. Overall the music greatly aides in the demonstration and deliverance on the message of the importance of being yourself and having great teamwork skills.

When compared to other great animated Disney films such as the Lion King, Finding Nemo, or The Incredibles, Frozen definitely continues the trend of greatness. The music is inspiring, the graphics are amazing and the overall message that it delivers to children is incredible and easily appreciated. The voice acting of the characters is extraordinary and the performances are genuinely positive. In an industry that tends to hide adult content throughout children’s films, Frozen meanwhile tends to refrain from this, and focus on its main audience, which are the children.

Art Critique from 1500's-1900

Raul Pantojas

Professor Bomboy

HUM. 101

Writing Assignment 2

10/30/2015

“The Mourning of Icarus”

Narrative painting is an excellent form of art, used to tell great stories of epic battles, or important histories of ancient lands and civilizations. When I think of a narrative painting the first pictures that come to mind are great canvases depicting some sort of Greek history, which is why I choose to do this critique based on Herbert James Drapers “The Mourning of Icarus”. Draper’s use of the principles of design are expertly used, and give the viewer a better and vivid experience of the scene being excellently recreated using the elements and standards of art. The story that inspires this painting is based on the Greek myth of Icarus and his faithful flight, and depicts the outcome at his attempt to find freedom. This beautiful painting causes a very strong sense of mourning and emotions from within me. With its beautiful and symmetrical design, and its use of contrasting colors to easily differentiate the characters and tones, it is no wonder why this piece is one of James Drapers most notorious pieces.

            “The Mourning of Icarus” shows a flock of nymphs gathered around the lifeless body of Icarus, which is laying on a huge rock in the middle of what appears to be a river. There is one nymph that is holding Icarus’s dead body, with another standing directly behind the corpse holding a shimmering, golden harp. The elements of art and the principles of design were used powerfully and very effectively in this work of art to enhance it. The colors blend seamlessly to add effects from the sky and surrounding forestry.  The colors chosen are of the softer variety offering a deep yet feminine point of view. The outstretched motionless wings of Icarus add greatly to this feminist feeling. The look of concern on the face of the nymph holding the harp greatly increases the sense of sadness caused by this death. The contrast of skin tones between the nymphs and Icarus are quite distinguishable.The nymphs, pale and radiant skin tone that reflects an almost holy aura, while the body of Icarus is more of a humanoid-olive complexion. The painter choose darker colors for the surrounding environment with a sliver of sunlight shining down on Icarus and the group of mourning nymphs. The use of detail and use of lines in the water give the impression of “lapping waters” hitting the rock that Icarus lays upon, while the third nymph looks over the rock in a concerned fashion. The canvas is used in a very effective and efficient manner with the painter placing all the action directly in the middle. By placing multiple characters in different layers and levels, the painter allows the viewer to be easily immersed and encapsulated in the painting, all the while creating a sense of openness. Overall the principles of art and design work wondrously together to bring to life a beautiful scene that evokes a sense sadness and mourning over the loss of Icarus.

            The story behind “The Mourning of Icarus” is based upon the ancient Greek myth of Icarus and his father Daedalus. Daedalus and his son, Icarus, spent most of their lives locked away in a tower by King Minos, unable to ever escape. All ships leaving the island were carefully monitored by the king, who was determined to not let Daedalus escape. According to the myth, “the inventor decided that if he could not escape by sea, then he would escape the island of Crete by riding on the winds” (classical wisdom). Daedalus collected the feathers of many birds that had also made a home in his tower prison. Then, He constructed a set of wings that would be worn his son by using candlewax and thread to fix the feathers and hold them in place. He then constructed wings for his son Icarus. After the wings were completed the father and son duo prepared to jump from the tower and fly away to find new freedom. Before they jumped from the tower, Daedalus warned his son “not to fly too low to the sea, as the mist would dampen his wings and cause him to fall” (Classical wisdom). He also made sure to warn the young boy not to “fly too high as the warmth from the sun would melt the wax that held the feathers and cause him to fall to earth” (classical wisdom).  The father’s invention would work better than expected, Icarus would eventually defy his father’s warning and rise above the clouds, and true to his father’s prediction would come tumbling back down from the heavens to the earth.

            This beautiful painting can be interpreted as a warning of what will occur when a child defies his parents’ wishes or demands. It could also be interpreted as a direct consequence received from the Gods due to Icarus’s disobedience. When I first saw this painting I immediately felt a sense of mourning and compassion for the young Icarus. He had been locked away for most of his life and the moment he discovers his freedom, it leads to his demise.  The painting depicts what happens when a person becomes too self-involved and believes they can actually take on nature, the gods, or some other form of higher power and be victorious. The artist is attempting to depict the lack of power that both Icarus and his father hold over their own fate and life in general. From being locked up for most of their life, to Icarus’s disaster of a flight, the artist wants to show that neither have any power, yet both are at the mercy of a powerful force.

            “The Mourning of Icarus” by Herbert James Drapers is an amazing and well painted example of a narrative piece of art. This piece successfully conveys its message of despair and powerlessness that at some point in time we all must face as human beings.

Sources:

"The Myth of Daedalus and Icarus." Classical Wisdom Weekly. 28 May 2013. Web. 30 Oct. 2015.

Non-Western Art Critique

Raul Pantojas

October 3, 2015,

Professor Bomboy

HUM 101

Non-Western Art Critique

           

Ancient art from non-western origins was distinct in how there was no discrepancies or differences between the sciences and the arts. Meaning that Ancient Non-western art was usually a useful or dedicated tool of everyday life or social importance. Modern art is typically viewed as a luxury or a hobby, in the ancient times art was a scientific necessity. A way to convey an intelligent idea or concept. One piece of non-western art that exemplifies this is the Aztec sun stone.

The Aztec Sun Stone is a 24-ton sculpture honoring the sun god Tonatiuh. It was discovered in Mexico City in 1790. This artifact was carved in the 15th century shortly after the year 1502. It is perhaps the most significant relic of Pre-Columbian culture in Mexico. This object made of basaltic porphyry, measures thirteen feet in diameter, and is a time tested link to Mexico's extensive and fascinating past. It is also a combination of Aztec sciences and mythology. It depicts Tonatiuh, the four previous sun gods, and the 20 days of the Aztec calendar, among many other symbols. The stone was discovered in the middle of the seventeenth century around to 1790, at the “Zocalo or Central Plaza of Mexico City” (arana). The Zocalo marks the ancient capital of the loosely associated Aztec "empire," a place the Aztecs called Tenochtitlan. According to a legend, ”the Aztec people were to found their capital when they came across the precise spot being marked by an eagle sitting on a prickly-pear cactus and devouring a snake” (Cartwright).The Aztecs later decided to change the name of their capital from Tenochtitlan to Mexico, in honor of their war god, Mexitli.

When deciphered the sun calendar, revealed a sophisticated and unprecedented knowledge of astronomy. Aztec astronomy, based heavily upon astrology, “divided the solar year into 18 months of 20 days each with 5 intercalaries - days inserted into the calendar to make it correspond to the solar year” (ARANA). The days were labeled by consecutive hieroglyphics. The Aztec priests used the stone calendar to monitor and keep track of important festivals and sacrificial seasons. With the assistance of the calendar, the priest could track the hours of the day, the periods of equinoxes, solstices, and the changing path of the sun.

The face of the stone contains various mythological and astrological figures and signs in geometrical patterns:

“The outer border contains two serpents which represent time and the chief Aztec gods. Within this border are the rays emanating from the central figure which represents "Tonatiuh’s," the Sun god. Again, according to legend, Tonatituh's heaven was the highest place attainable by those who had reached fulfillment here on earth. Surrounding the central sun figure are seven rings of varying dimensions. Above the face of the Sun god is an arrowhead symbolizing the wind. In the rectangles above and below the eagle's claws, at the right and left of the sun's face, are symbolic representations of the four elements, air, fire, water, and earth. An interesting legend surrounds these four symbols. It is called the legend "del Quinto Sol." The legend of the Fifth Sun” (ARANA).

Each part of the Aztec calendar correlates to a different season, planet, or label for a calendar year. Each symbol, groove, and tiny detail serves a given purpose that archeologist are still trying to decipher.

The Aztec calendar has emerged as a remarkable instrument of science and religion, a lasting tribute to the Aztec culture and impressive knowledge. I am very impressed by the details and astrological details and accuracy that the Aztecs were able to encompass. What makes this feat even more remarkable and spectacular, is the lack of scientific instruments available to the Aztecs during this time. This is implies that the Aztecs were able to accurately track the movement of the sun, stars, and other celestial formations with their naked eye. Another fascinating fact is how they were able to create this geometric patterns that are all consistent and symmetrical of each other. When one thinks of these ancient civilizations we usually don’t associate them with astrological discoveries or advances, but usually with architectural feats such as pyramids or other monuments.

The Aztecs had their own major advancements and a well-established culture prior to the old world’s involvement in the new world. Not only was the scientific aspect of their culture extremely accurate and detailed, but they also used art in order to express their scientific and astrological discoveries.

Work Cited:

Arana, Louis. ""Aztec Calendar Stone." "Aztec Calendar Stone" Griffith Obersver.            Web. 4 Oct. 2015.

Cartwright, Mark. “Sun Stone,” Ancient History Encyclopedia. September 04,        2013. http://www.ancient.eu /Sun_Stone/. Web. 01 Oct. 2015

Cartwright, Mark. “Tenochtitlán,” Ancient History Encyclopedia. September 25,     2013. http://www.ancient.eu /Tenochtitlán/. Web. 01 Oct. 2015

"National Geographic Society." Aztec Sun Stone Photo, Download, Photos.         2008. Web. 4 Oct. 2015.

The United States Capitol Building

Raul Pantojas

Professor Bomboy

HUM. 101

Writing Assignment 1

09/12/15

The United States Capitol Building

When you think of our Capitol building in Washington D.C. what comes to mind? Does the style and layout remind you of something familiar? I would expect so, seeing as how our Capitol building takes many inspirations from ancient Greek classical designs. As one of the most celebrated and recognizable Greek Revival-style buildings in the United States, the Capitol Building is the home of Congress, the US Senate and House of Representatives. It was designed by William Thornton, Benjamin Latrobe and Charles Bulfinch. With countless columns, the way it sits on a plateaus above the Potomac, and maybe most importantly its symmetrical dimensions, it is quite simple to see how our founding fathers wanted to pay homage to the founders of democracy.

Modeled on the Greek Corinthian order, the most ornate Greek style, (Esperdy and Kingsley) complete with slender columns decorated with acanthus leaves and scrolls. The columns seem to remain the same size vertically, and the columns of the other two orders appear to get fatter at the bottoms (Fiero 123). The exterior of the Capitol Building contains examples of a modified Corinthian column style, including the East Front center portico and the West Front (Architect of the capitol). On the first floor of the Capitol’s House wing is the elegant high ceilinged Hall of Columns, which takes its name from the 28 fluted, white marble columns that line the corridor. The column capitals are a variation on the Corinthian order, incorporating not only classical acanthus leaves (a common plant found in the Mediterranean), but also thistles and Native American tobacco plants. Earlier uses of American vegetation in the building's capitals include Benjamin Henry Latrobe's corncob capitals in a first-floor vestibule and his tobacco-leaf capitals in the Small Senate Rotunda (Architect of the capitol). The Corinthian order was employed because the Capitol was perceived as the most important building in the federal city and therefore merited the most lavish ornamentation.

Looking at the Capitol building gives me a sense of familiarity and a spike in Patriotic pride. The Corinthian order that was used as a model for this building, greatly increases the sense of democracy that radiates from its architectural design. Its elegant and symmetrical layout gives off a sense of order and formality that reflects the buildings use as our Country’s central hub.

The Capitol's architecture displays the broad American aspirations and rich history. It also stands as a symbol of the American spirit and tenacity of us as a whole nation.  Since the completion of its construction, the capitol has been burned down by the British during the war of 1812, and has been consistently under renovations. Conceived in the spirit of ancient republics, slowly built to embody the political and social values of the Constitution and nurtured by the continuous unfolding of national events.

Many architects continue to admire and attempt to recreate Palladio's style. This revival of Palladianism eventually becomes a popular trend during the 17th, 18th and early 19th century in Europe and the United States of America. Thomas Jefferson was a notable supporter as were Benjamin Latrobe and presented the United States Capitol building (1793-1829) as a version of Palladianism (Visual Arts Cork).

The influence of the ancients is extremely prevalent throughout America, but the Capitol building in Washington D.C. may be one of the best examples of the Corinthian order and Palladianism. I truly believe that the architects of the Capitol building wanted to convey a sense of democracy. I also believe that they wanted to pay homage to the elder architects and inspire future architects and citizens of this great nation to always strive for their best.

Work Cited

09/12/15

"United States Capitol" in SAH Archipedia, eds. Gabrielle Esperdy and Karen Kingsley.             Charlottesville: UVaP, 2012—, http://sah-archipedia.org/buildings/DC-01-CH01   Accessed 2015-09-12.

Scott, Pamela. "'Temple of Liberty Building a Capitol for a New Nation." 'Temple of          Liberty' (March 20, 1995). 10 Mar. 1995. Web. 13 Sept. 2015.   http://www.loc.gov/loc/lcib/9506/capitol.html

Fiero, Gloria K. The Humanistic Tradition. 6th ed. Vol. 1. New York: McGraw-Hill,

2011. Print.

"Explore Capitol Hill." Corinthian Columns. Web. 13 Sept. 2015.      http://www.aoc.gov/capitol-hill/architecture-elements/corinthian-columns.