Miah Learns to Write

I just recently finished binge-watching The Walking Dead’s seasons 7 and 8 after a long time of setting it aside to watch other shows. I wasn’t disappointed with how things went but I wasn’t all that excited either. However, I was saddened at the death of one of the central characters of the story, Carl Grimes because he died after getting bitten while he was trying to help a stranger, Siddiq. I think the show has touched upon the idea of having a meaningful death and the hope of a better tomorrow, especially in season 8. Due to the war that broke out between the Saviors and the other communities, people were just dying one after the other. And I believe the viewers have also felt exhausted and frustrated with how trivial the show treats these characters’ stories, ending in haphazard deaths that don’t really make much of an impact to the overall narrative except for the shock value that they bring. Although I do think it’s staying true to its uncompromising stance when it comes to...

Credits: Ramen Parados Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san brings me back to my childhood days. In this anime, Nishikata finds himself in a losing battle against Takagi, his seatmate who likes to playfully tease him to see his funny reactions. So he tries to come up with the perfect plan to win against and get back at her. However, time and again, he finds himself being outwitted and outplayed by Takagi causing her to poke fun at him even more. He also often gets in trouble at school because of Takagi’s antics. So will he succeed in his quest? There is something refreshingly nostalgic about Karakai Jouzu no Takagi-san. It makes you want to go back to your younger days and relish the sweet moments of youth. I enjoyed watching the anime and I even decided to check out the manga just because it really piqued my interest. I am very much fascinated with how the story would go even though there is a sequel manga that shows an after-story of the original. I think with this kind of manga or...

Kimi no Nawa, Your Name. It’s probably one of the most popular Japanese animated films in the last five years. Many fans waited eagerly for its release and initially, I heard rave reviews about it. Fast forward to today, the times I brought it up, people were telling me that it is an overrated film. They say the movie didn’t live up to the hype. But what should I think about that? What is it with Kimi no Nawa? So was it overrated as a lot of people say? No, I didn’t think so. For me, it was just right. I wasn’t really all that hyped about it in the first place. However I did grab a copy when it was first released because friends recommended it but I didn’t watch it until two years later. Was it sad or deeply emotional? The idea of the story was, but the execution of it made me feel like it was like a feel-good movie. It did resonate with me though because I understood the feelings that the characters were going through as they had their weird experiences with each other. But ...

Who doesn’t like a good tragedy? In my case, I love beautifully-crafted tragic endings and Your Lie in April does it quite well. What I loved about it Your Lie in April ( Shigatsu wa Kimi no Uso ) is an artistic masterpiece. I seriously don’t know how else to express how sophisticated, refined, and beautiful the cinematography was. It’s the kind of feeling that you get when you experience a picture perfect scenery. You just look at it with awe and take in its beauty. That’s how I describe the visual aesthetic of Your Lie in April. In the same way, the music speaks to our hearts and elicits communication through our feelings. The music is just as phenomenal especially the epic openings and endings. This is probably the only time when spoken dialogue didn’t play a big role in touching my emotional side. Rather what tugged at my heartstrings was the emotion evoked by the music. All technical bits are simply amazing. There are simply no words to properly describe how amazing the...

In the first part, I focused solely on Itachi because I felt that he probably had one of the worst fates throughout the story. But he handled it with courage and a lot of heart. So here are some other moments that made me cry in Naruto. Naruto and Gaara Naruto’s relationship with Gaara is probably second only to Naruto’s relationship with Sasuke. There’s a deep bond that connects the two, both being Jinchuuriki until Shukaku was extracted from Gaara. By the way, Gaara is my other favorite character. They understood each other’s pain and loneliness as they were both considered outcasts and monsters by their fellow villagers because of the power that they wielded. What the people around them didn’t understand was that they had feelings too. They were not just weapons of destruction that can be used for political gain. But they were human beings who have the same need for affection, acceptance, and love. Because of the way they were treated, they questioned whether there was e...

Review Naruto had a lot of epic action-packed fight scenes, light-hearted comedic moments, crazy nonsensical fillers, and an overall great narrative. It had complex, unassuming characters with backstories that added a layer of depth and richness that made the story compelling and gave it more personality. While I was watching it, I paid close attention to the dialogue between the characters because to me, that allowed me to peer into their hearts and minds. Their words along with their actions, body language, and expressions gave me a sense of who these characters were and what they stood for. I became attached to certain characters because of the level of intricacy that came into weaving their story and how they play into the grand scheme of things, the meta-narrative. Especially the main character, Naruto, who was unrelenting and unchanging while transforming those around him. He definitely had this ability of drawing you in toward him and liking him for who he is – the good, t...

Credits: Studio Pierrot I know I'm a bit late to the party but recently, I had just finished my Naruto marathon, both the original and Shippuuden. It took me about three months. Afterward, I kind of missed it since it felt like I was with them as they grew up and matured. So here are a few things I picked up after watching it. Pursuing Your Dreams One of the things that came up often in the anime is the idea of never giving up. Naruto knew what he wanted to be from when he was a child. He held on to that dream and worked hard to achieve it. He spent all his time and effort into getting closer to his dream. This tenacity and determination is so admirable in this character. And I think this is the reason why his story is endearing to many people. And this is why his story resonated with me. The way the character was written and animated made him an inspiration to me. That’s why after watching the anime, I became more determined to express what my dream is and to reach for ...

Yesterday I watched the film Koe no Katachi ( lit. The Shape of Voice; English title: A Silent Voice ). I cried several times throughout the film. For me, it was a sweet blend of tragic, sad episodes and uplifting, hopeful moments that make it easier for me to process without becoming an emotional wreck. After watching it, I now understand why many anime fans were outraged by the Oscar snub. The same thing could be said of many countless anime films out there but I think several bloggers and Youtubers have explained why that is the case. I like the explanations of Mother’s Basement and akidearest on the matter. Spoiler alert : If you haven’t watched the film yet, I suggest that you do. If you could get a DVD of it from your local video store, do so. It’s a wonderful film. When He Met Her The film follows the story of Shoya Ishida and his friends. One day in elementary school, their teacher introduces a new student, Shoko Nishimiya, who is revealed to be deaf. In the beginni...

In today's culture, social media is one of the biggest influences that shape the minds, attitudes, and beliefs of people especially the youth. Television shows, movies, video games, and other forms of entertainment have become infused with the daily routines of teenagers and they take up a considerable amount of our time. I am not saying that watching shows and films or playing video games or listening to music is inherently bad because they are also a good form of relaxation but only to a certain extent. The problem starts when the teenager becomes fully engrossed in these things and forgets that he has a whole other life apart from them. He starts to create a world of his own and begins to lose contact with reality. He becomes obsessed and these things which are not inherently bad become addictions and cause the teenager to lose focus, to falter in other aspects of life, and to shut himself out from the world. These things become distractions for him and he feels that his l...

The first time that I saw this painting for an art project in high school, I immediately fell in love with it and decided that I would gain inspiration from it. From the artistic perspective, I mainly liked the contrast of hues that gave me a sense of balance which appealed to my emotions and helped me to be at ease and get the general mood of the setting and the situation. As I have said, I am a romantic and I like the story that is being depicted in this painting. Basically, from the human point of view, this shows the concept of opposites attracting each other. Though this is not always true for all cases but the fact that two people who have totally contrasting views can and do fall in love with each other is truly romantic in my opinion. It shows the Biblical concept of love conquering all even against all odds since if it is God's will for two completely different and opposing characters or people to fall in love then it will happen, one way or another. Hopefully, ...

I just watched the 2006 American comedy drama film, Click, starring Adam Sandler and Christopher Walken among others. I laud the way they mixed the lightness of the comedy and the somberness of the drama. Furthermore, I liked how the message was powerfully brought across through the characters and by a single remote control. The film narrates the adventures of Michael Newman as he travels through time, skipping almost every important event in his life with the help of the 'universal' remote control given to him by Morty, a clerk from the "Beyond" section of the Big Bath & Beyond store. Due to his excessive time jumping, Michael misses almost every big moment of his life - his kids growing up, his wife divorcing him, his father's death - because his body shifts into autopilot mode in the process. While in autopilot mode, it is revealed that Michael makes decisions based on his daily attitude regarding work and family, in which case, his work comes be...

After watching a movie, it's a good practice to reflect upon it and ask yourself certain questions like: "What does the movie say about me as an individual or about human behavior in general?" or "How is society reflected in the movie?" or "What is the cultural significance of the movie?". The reason for a film's greatness may be because they can relate a certain message powerfully to its audiences and paint a picture of humanity for us. The Hunger Games series does all of the above. Quite recently, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire was released in theaters and I was shocked to find myself totally blown away by it. Aside from the wonderful acting by Jennifer Lawrence and the other actors and the crazy cinematic effects, there is a certain element of the story that appeals to my thoughts, to my heart, and to every fiber in my body. Of course, the essence of the revolution and the hunger for deep change truly captivated me emotionally becaus...

Last Monday, my friends and I went to the movies to watch Disney's newest film and the latest addition to the Disney animated features canon, Frozen, and without a doubt, it was a phenomenal movie that truly captured the essence of Disney classics. Frozen definitely deserves the right to be called a Disney film and to be part of the Disney Renaissance as it upholds and continues to further the long-lived legacy of fantasy, imagination, and the spectacle that which is Disney. Disney has yet again raised the bar in creating movie magic and surpassed my expectations. To be honest, at first, I had doubts about the films that came after Tangled but after watching Wreck-It Ralph and now, Frozen (and hopefully, Winnie the Pooh), I cannot deny that the spark of movie genius is back. Disney has made top-notch films that catered to all audiences and they never cease to amaze me with what they can do on the big screen. Disney always seems to impress a sense of joy whenever I watch the...