Big Red Pandas

During the worst of Covid, theaters were closed. A number of movies were released straight to streaming services, including a few of the new Pixar films. Disney decided to bring those movies to the big screen for the first time. I was mad at myself for missing Elemental on the big screen, so I thought I should at least see Turning Red in theaters (I want to see Luca too, when it's turn comes). 

To my surprise, the short that proceeded Turning Red was one of my favorite Disney shorts: Kitbull. It's so good. But it had me crying before the movie even started. Yeesh. 

Speaking of tears, Turning Red animates their tears in a cool way. They're really shiny, almost with a pearly quality. And for some reason, this time I actually cried while watching Turning Red. I don't even remember which scene. I just felt Mei's sense of isolation, I suppose.

As I mentioned in my previous post about this movie, Mei and her friends remind me of my group of high school friends. At the end of college, that group pretty much went up in flames. And now the cynical part of me is looking at Mei being comforted by her friends and thinking, "how will she control her panda when her friends break her heart?"

But no. I'll insist that Mei and her friends always stay friends! 

At the zoo, I talked to a lot of guests about Turning Red, since the filmmakers studied our pandas to make the movie. You know how cats rub their cheeks on things to mark their territory? Well, red pandas do that too. Except their scent glands aren't on their cheeks. They're on their butts. I kid you not. So you'll see the red pandas going around, rubbing their bums on things. I explain this to people, who are wondering what the hell is going on. And one guy said that the panda was gyrating, as Mei does in the movie. We had a good laugh about that. Another time, there was this little little girl that liked the movie. Particularly the "gyrating." She started shaking her butt to demonstrate. Once she started, it seemed like she wouldn't stop.

 

In unrelated news, I finally re-watched Strange World. It's about as subtle as a sledge hammer, but I still like it. It's so creative, and I'm a sucker for the whole analogy it represents.

Lyric Loops

 Here's another video about words!

Plots and Themes, Hand in Hand

I often have ideas for characters, themes, or concepts. But it's harder to find an overarching plot to set these ideas on. So many plots have been done to death. Or they're bland. Or don't really fit the characters or themes.

I've seen many movies and books like this. The new Disney movie Wish has an amazing premise. There's a kingdom where everyone gives their greatest wish to the king, with the chance that the wish will be granted. The catch is that they forget their wish. And yet the movie fell flat on its face for so many reasons. (Partially because it didn't really have any depth. The big central song said "I wish for more!" How vague and bland can you get?)

Then there's the Wax and Wayne series. I loved those books, because the characters were so great. But the plots for most of the books were pretty standard. "Find the magical artifact." Or, "find the weapon before it goes off." 

 

I've been trying to think of an overall plot for my Beauty and the Beast. Beast and Beauty need something to work together for, where Beast can prove himself. I thought about how nicely the Disney version does this. It got me thinking - some of the best plots reflect the themes and concepts through the story. Beauty and the Beast is about looking past appearances. You have this monster who seems like a beast. But if you want the real beast, you're looking in the wrong direction.

 

After many months, I think I finally have an overall plot for my Beauty and the Beast. I'd spent a long time thinking about it. And then the plot points dropped out of the sky. I was watching a Youtube video. Actually two videos, which I saw at different times and ended up being about the same subject: how much textiles pollute the water. It was only after I saw the second video that it started to process in my mind. That could be a good thing to echo the beauty and vanity parts of the story. Soon after I had this idea, I read an article in the Sierra Club Magazine. It was about American Indians trying to save two species of fish that are sacred to their people. Part of the problems these fish are facing is water pollution. That might tie in with some ideas I had for Beauty's arc. 

 

Sometimes, even if you spend months trying to think of a plot, you just have to wait until it falls in your lap.