Modern Family TV Show Log Message Received
By Sarah McKenzie
Message Received is the 22nd episode of the 5th season in the sitcom Modern Family. This episode was written by Steven Levitan and directed by Jeffrey Walker. This episode aired on May 7 2014, and I have watched it many times, most recently on October 29th 2016.
This episode has three different plot lines, each following the Dunphys, the Tucker-Pritchetts and the Pritchett-Delgados. Manny, Jay and Gloria all try something new and are surprised at their results, the Dunphy kids trick Phil into thinking Claire is pregnant, and Jay struggles with the idea of Mitchell and Cameron getting married.
The Jay, Gloria and Manny Story
Jay forces his stepson Manny into eating a pickle, which he had refused. This leads to Jay and Gloria also doing something out of their comforts zones- Jay eating a blood sausage and Gloria rubbing their dog (Stella)'s belly. In the end Gloria finds herself rubbing Stella's stomach for enjoyment and then hears a noise which turns out to be Manny in the pantry eating a pickle secretly.
This plot, even though very funny and lighthearted, also taught me a lesson about trying new things. Manny is reluctant to try his pickle and Jay and Gloria don't see why, until they get confronted by their own dislikes and realise how hard it is to actually try these things. By working as a team and all trying out their new things, the family gets through it and in the case of Manny and Gloria, actually enjoy themselves. This idea of attempting to eat or do something that you are afraid of is very prevalent in our lives, because it is so easy just to give up and move onto something else, that we find ourselves settling into a routine and not challenging ourselves to do new things.
The Mitchell and Jay Story
After failing to raise some funds for their evergrowing wedding by selling prized possessions, Gloria suggests to Mitch and Cam that they should just ask Jay, Mitchell's wealthy father and Gloria's husband to lend them some money. Jay and Mitchell argue over this and it ends up leading to the rather taboo subject in the series which is Jay's discomfort over Mitch's sexuality and his and Cam's relationship. Mitch storms out after suggesting that Jay should just not come to their wedding.
This is such an emotional part of the episode, but also such a big issue in our world. Jay has had to accept Mitch from when he came out as gay, and through the whole series he seems perfectly comfortable with Mitch's relationship with Cam, and even the adoption of their daughter Lily.
There are so many people, especially parents, out there who are unsupportive of their queer children or friends and with more and more people coming out it is really unacceptable. These people were (although many may argue) born this way and honestly, if they can't accept LGBT+ people for who they are, I really don't think there's much point in having that person in their lives. Although it's sometimes okay to voice your feelings, sometimes it is better to just take some time to deal with it and once you've accepted the truth, move on.
I would definitely recommend watching both this episode and the whole series. It's so inspiring to see a gay couple living their lives normally, and although in this episode there are mishaps, maybe some young people might watch and know that there are other people going through the same struggles as them.
Friday, 28 October 2016
Since You've Been Gone Reading Log
Since You've Been Gone Reading Log
By Sarah McKenzie
Since You've Been Gone is a 2014 YA novel by Morgan Matson. I read this text from 18-22nd October, and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Since You've Been Gone is a heartwarming novel about a teenager Emily's summer. Her best friend Sloane disappears, only leaving a list of thirteen tasks to complete, many that wallflower Emily would never dream of. Along her puzzling journey, she meets new friends, learns life lessons and even finds love.
Plotline
This book captured my attention from the get-go. The plot and direction of the story interested me because for Emily, it was a bit of a blind mission, as she didn't even know what would happen when she completed the list. Through each of the tasks, including 'skinny-dipping,' 'dancing until dawn,' and 'riding a dern horse, ya cowpoke!' Emily discovered something new about herself and about others. The plot, although centred around the completion of this list, ended up taking the route of Emily's mission to search for herself without her best friend by her side.
The plot and structure had a very good flow, and there were definitely high and low points in the book as well as good smooth and fast development in the plot i.e. it didn't get boring, which I found to be a real treat as the book is over 400 pages long. Matson did a good job of keeping the story running, what may have helped this is the chapters each focusing on one thing on the list. The ending was also satisfying, if a little bittersweet and the book tied up really well.
Characters
The characters in this book were pretty average, but interesting at the same time. The book takes place over the course of one summer, so there is only so much character development that can be done, however I found that some characters lacked structure and explanation.
Emily starts out as a shy outsider of a girl who is alone without her best friend by her side. She meets Frank and makes friends with him, as well as Collins and Dawn. She becomes more confident over the summer, and falls for Frank in the end, which is lovely, although she seems to lack any kind of interest. She is into running but we don't really find out much about her character at all. I guess that this is kind of the purpose of her as a person (being alone and lost without Sloane by her side), but still, I would have liked some more to be revealed about her character, especially as the book is written in first person. She is a really likable character though, and probably has the most character development out of all of them.
Frank is an amazing character, well-rounded, smart and athletic, I even had a little crush on him. If anything, he is a bit too perfect, I thought during the book that he had a distinct lack of flaws. His flaws were revealed through his parents' divorce and his vulnerability when he split from his long term girlfriend. I did think it was rather too obvious that he and Emily would fall in love.
The other characters worked in well together, we didn't even meet Sloane (except in occasional flashbacks) until the end of the book, which I think was interesting because we got to know Emily in a different way to what she was before. I thought the use of flashbacks was an interesting way to incorporate a different storyline, although the incorporation Gideon and Sam who were Emily and Sloane's ex-boyfriends, was a waste of time and didn't add much to the plot.
Themes
One dominant theme in the book that I learned from was that if you just step out of your comfort zone then life will be better basically. "I was still a little amazed that this was happening. That this, the thing that had seemed so impossible, so terrifying, so utterly beyond me, was happening. I was having fun."
The purpose of the list of things for Emily to do over the summer really had nothing to do with her finding Sloane, it was just so that Emily could realise that she was much smarter and braver than she thought she was. In completing the tasks, Emily made lots of really good friends, and overcame fears, without even knowing it. Stepping out of your comfort zone is so important, and even if you're scared, it'll always be worth it.
I would definitely recommend this book to other YA readers. It was a fun read, the characters were relatable, and it certainly taught me some lessons.
The plot and structure had a very good flow, and there were definitely high and low points in the book as well as good smooth and fast development in the plot i.e. it didn't get boring, which I found to be a real treat as the book is over 400 pages long. Matson did a good job of keeping the story running, what may have helped this is the chapters each focusing on one thing on the list. The ending was also satisfying, if a little bittersweet and the book tied up really well.
Characters
The characters in this book were pretty average, but interesting at the same time. The book takes place over the course of one summer, so there is only so much character development that can be done, however I found that some characters lacked structure and explanation.
Emily starts out as a shy outsider of a girl who is alone without her best friend by her side. She meets Frank and makes friends with him, as well as Collins and Dawn. She becomes more confident over the summer, and falls for Frank in the end, which is lovely, although she seems to lack any kind of interest. She is into running but we don't really find out much about her character at all. I guess that this is kind of the purpose of her as a person (being alone and lost without Sloane by her side), but still, I would have liked some more to be revealed about her character, especially as the book is written in first person. She is a really likable character though, and probably has the most character development out of all of them.
Frank is an amazing character, well-rounded, smart and athletic, I even had a little crush on him. If anything, he is a bit too perfect, I thought during the book that he had a distinct lack of flaws. His flaws were revealed through his parents' divorce and his vulnerability when he split from his long term girlfriend. I did think it was rather too obvious that he and Emily would fall in love.
The other characters worked in well together, we didn't even meet Sloane (except in occasional flashbacks) until the end of the book, which I think was interesting because we got to know Emily in a different way to what she was before. I thought the use of flashbacks was an interesting way to incorporate a different storyline, although the incorporation Gideon and Sam who were Emily and Sloane's ex-boyfriends, was a waste of time and didn't add much to the plot.
Themes
One dominant theme in the book that I learned from was that if you just step out of your comfort zone then life will be better basically. "I was still a little amazed that this was happening. That this, the thing that had seemed so impossible, so terrifying, so utterly beyond me, was happening. I was having fun."
The purpose of the list of things for Emily to do over the summer really had nothing to do with her finding Sloane, it was just so that Emily could realise that she was much smarter and braver than she thought she was. In completing the tasks, Emily made lots of really good friends, and overcame fears, without even knowing it. Stepping out of your comfort zone is so important, and even if you're scared, it'll always be worth it.
I would definitely recommend this book to other YA readers. It was a fun read, the characters were relatable, and it certainly taught me some lessons.
Saturday, 30 April 2016
Let Your Heart Hold Fast Reading Log
Let Your Heart Hold Fast Reading Log
By Sarah McKenzie
A slightly different reading log based on the lyrics of a song and their relationship with an episode of a TV show.
Song written and performed by Fort Atlantic and featured in How I Met Your Mother (2012) in the USA. Listened to on 22/4/16 and log written on 1/5/16.
Main Summary
Let Your Heart Hold Fast is a song about someone who feels lost and trapped in his world and in himself and eventually survives. The song tells us to 'hold fast' and 'never fear' and that all will soon be OK.
Personal Response A- A Verse that Stood Out
The final verse (and altered chorus): 'So let your heart hold fast / For this soon shall pass / There's another hill ahead' confused me at first. I understood the first two lines because they are reoccurring and they are the main message of the song - hold on and stay put because everything bad will eventually pass; however I was puzzled by 'there's another hill ahead'. I thought it may mean that yet another bad thing will come soon, but that did not make sense in terms of the message of the song. I then noticed the relationship between the depth sung in verse 2 (oceans deep / canyons steep) and the height referred to in this line, and how those differences relate to life. To me, the final line means that life still goes on after depression and you might encounter 'hills' in the form of hardships, but that will always be better than being stuck in the bottom of the ocean - meaning being trapped or depressed.
Personal Response B- The Text in Correspondence with an Episode of TV
I first heard this song in the Season 8 episode of How I Met Your Mother. The song plays at the end of The Final Page after two main characters get engaged. This leaves Ted (The I in HIMYM) without whom he believes is 'The One'. This song conveys the message of his emotions, in his unhappiness but also that it will soon pass and that he should believe in himself and hold on. It is a turning point in the series and is shortly before Ted meets the titular Mother. 'To believe I walk alone / Is a lie that I've been told' is a very meaningful line and shows us that everything will soon be alright and there are people around who can support him, no matter what.
Personal Response C- The Lyrics' Meaning and Relation to Real Life
In entirety, the lyrics tell a story of a man who feels like his life is lost and that he is completely alone and desolate, then his final journey for a sense of safety comes to an end and he survives and pulls himself out of his hole with the help of others. The chorus and specific lines such as 'Never fear! No! Never fear!' are aimed towards listeners and convince us that our story will not end up being bad. I think that these lyrics would really help somebody who feels like they might be surrounded by 'oceans deep' or 'canyons steep' and would help them realise that they don't 'walk alone' and can ask for help.
I would recommend this song to anyone who wants some deeper meaning to the music they listen to, or anyone (like I mentioned above) who feels sad or depressed. The song does sound quite melancholy but does have a positive message.
Complete Lyrics:
All my days are spent
All my cards are dealt
Oh, the desolation grows!
Every inch revealed
As my heart is pierced
Oh, my soul is now exposed!
In the oceans deep;
In the canyons steep
Walls of granite here I stand
All my desperate calls
Echo off the walls
Back and forth; then back again
To believe I walk alone
Is a lie that I've been told
So let your heart hold fast
For this soon shall pass
Like the high tide takes the sand
Oh, oh, oh, oh!
Oh, oh, oh, oh!
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh!
Oh, oh, oh, oh!
Oh, oh, oh, oh!
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh!
At the bitter end
Salt and liquid blend
From the corner of my eyes
All the miles wrecked
Every broken step
Always searching, always blind
Never fear! No! Never fear!
Never fear! No! Never fear!
So let your heart hold fast
For this soon shall pass
There's another hill ahead
By Sarah McKenzie
A slightly different reading log based on the lyrics of a song and their relationship with an episode of a TV show.
Song written and performed by Fort Atlantic and featured in How I Met Your Mother (2012) in the USA. Listened to on 22/4/16 and log written on 1/5/16.
Main Summary
Let Your Heart Hold Fast is a song about someone who feels lost and trapped in his world and in himself and eventually survives. The song tells us to 'hold fast' and 'never fear' and that all will soon be OK.
Personal Response A- A Verse that Stood Out
The final verse (and altered chorus): 'So let your heart hold fast / For this soon shall pass / There's another hill ahead' confused me at first. I understood the first two lines because they are reoccurring and they are the main message of the song - hold on and stay put because everything bad will eventually pass; however I was puzzled by 'there's another hill ahead'. I thought it may mean that yet another bad thing will come soon, but that did not make sense in terms of the message of the song. I then noticed the relationship between the depth sung in verse 2 (oceans deep / canyons steep) and the height referred to in this line, and how those differences relate to life. To me, the final line means that life still goes on after depression and you might encounter 'hills' in the form of hardships, but that will always be better than being stuck in the bottom of the ocean - meaning being trapped or depressed.
Personal Response B- The Text in Correspondence with an Episode of TV
I first heard this song in the Season 8 episode of How I Met Your Mother. The song plays at the end of The Final Page after two main characters get engaged. This leaves Ted (The I in HIMYM) without whom he believes is 'The One'. This song conveys the message of his emotions, in his unhappiness but also that it will soon pass and that he should believe in himself and hold on. It is a turning point in the series and is shortly before Ted meets the titular Mother. 'To believe I walk alone / Is a lie that I've been told' is a very meaningful line and shows us that everything will soon be alright and there are people around who can support him, no matter what.
Personal Response C- The Lyrics' Meaning and Relation to Real Life
In entirety, the lyrics tell a story of a man who feels like his life is lost and that he is completely alone and desolate, then his final journey for a sense of safety comes to an end and he survives and pulls himself out of his hole with the help of others. The chorus and specific lines such as 'Never fear! No! Never fear!' are aimed towards listeners and convince us that our story will not end up being bad. I think that these lyrics would really help somebody who feels like they might be surrounded by 'oceans deep' or 'canyons steep' and would help them realise that they don't 'walk alone' and can ask for help.
I would recommend this song to anyone who wants some deeper meaning to the music they listen to, or anyone (like I mentioned above) who feels sad or depressed. The song does sound quite melancholy but does have a positive message.
Complete Lyrics:
All my days are spent
All my cards are dealt
Oh, the desolation grows!
Every inch revealed
As my heart is pierced
Oh, my soul is now exposed!
In the oceans deep;
In the canyons steep
Walls of granite here I stand
All my desperate calls
Echo off the walls
Back and forth; then back again
To believe I walk alone
Is a lie that I've been told
So let your heart hold fast
For this soon shall pass
Like the high tide takes the sand
Oh, oh, oh, oh!
Oh, oh, oh, oh!
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh!
Oh, oh, oh, oh!
Oh, oh, oh, oh!
Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh!
At the bitter end
Salt and liquid blend
From the corner of my eyes
All the miles wrecked
Every broken step
Always searching, always blind
Never fear! No! Never fear!
Never fear! No! Never fear!
So let your heart hold fast
For this soon shall pass
There's another hill ahead
Wednesday, 16 March 2016
The Blue Umbrella Reading Log
The Blue Umbrella Reading Log
By Sarah McKenzie
Short Film written and directed by Sanchez Unseld (2013) in the USA. Watched on Thursday 3rd March and log written Friday 4 March- Thursday 17 March.
Plot Summary
A blue umbrella with feelings is brought out on a rainy New York day. Falls for a red umbrella but then gets blown away from his owner. Gets hit by a truck but owner finds him. Ends with red and blue umbrella in La Parapluie (The Umbrella) cafe.
Personal Response A- Sounds and Music
The sounds and soundtrack in the Blue Umbrella are very dynamic. The diagetic sounds of footsteps, rain and general bustle builds to the start of a soundtrack that is very fitting for the film. These sounds set up the mood of the whole video and I think that the type of instruments and tone of he music helps to guide the video through the Blue Umbrella's journey. The absence of dialogue throughout the whole film almost forces us to watch the character's actions and feelings than we would if they were talking. For example: instead of the Blue Umbrella announcing to everyone that he is happy at the start of the film, we infer his hopefulness and happiness through colour, facial expression and the mood of the music.
Person Response B- Characterisation
The characters in The Blue Umbrella and the makers' personification of them is very effective and clever. In particular, the colours and style of the animation rally gives life to the umbrellas as well as the other objects with faces (traffic lights, post box etc.). The blue represents the main umbrella's masculinity as well as his hopefulness in comparison to the red umbrella's femininity and attractiveness; and all of the black and darker-toned umbrellas show dullness and the gloominess of the setting. The cute animation and style of the film helps to give expressions to the characters, the simply made city objects with just two eyes and a mouth make them likeable yet still realistic and the absence of humans helps us to focus on the personified features of the characters and the realism of the story.
Personal Response C- Editing and Cinematography
I think that the way that the film has been put together, with long, romantic shots in the lovey-dovey scenes and fast-pasted choppy shots in the action scenes is very fitting. The fast cuts and varied angles at the start of the movie show the busyness and bustle of the city. Slow scenes and lots of two shots convey love and romance. The editors also use features such as fade to black for specific purposes- e.g. to show when the umbrella is unconscious. The shots and angles used by the animators are effective, and despite the fact that the film is not acted by real people, the cinematography still plays a part in the film.
In conclusion, I would definitely recommend The Blue Umbrella to students my age because it has a great soundtrack and sound effects and the characterisation of inanimate objects makes the movie interesting and easy to imagine in real life. The film is cute and I could recommend it to any lovers of a fun, romantic story.
Person Response B- Characterisation
The characters in The Blue Umbrella and the makers' personification of them is very effective and clever. In particular, the colours and style of the animation rally gives life to the umbrellas as well as the other objects with faces (traffic lights, post box etc.). The blue represents the main umbrella's masculinity as well as his hopefulness in comparison to the red umbrella's femininity and attractiveness; and all of the black and darker-toned umbrellas show dullness and the gloominess of the setting. The cute animation and style of the film helps to give expressions to the characters, the simply made city objects with just two eyes and a mouth make them likeable yet still realistic and the absence of humans helps us to focus on the personified features of the characters and the realism of the story.
Personal Response C- Editing and Cinematography
I think that the way that the film has been put together, with long, romantic shots in the lovey-dovey scenes and fast-pasted choppy shots in the action scenes is very fitting. The fast cuts and varied angles at the start of the movie show the busyness and bustle of the city. Slow scenes and lots of two shots convey love and romance. The editors also use features such as fade to black for specific purposes- e.g. to show when the umbrella is unconscious. The shots and angles used by the animators are effective, and despite the fact that the film is not acted by real people, the cinematography still plays a part in the film.
In conclusion, I would definitely recommend The Blue Umbrella to students my age because it has a great soundtrack and sound effects and the characterisation of inanimate objects makes the movie interesting and easy to imagine in real life. The film is cute and I could recommend it to any lovers of a fun, romantic story.
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