Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Review

How many times have you seen a movie, expecting to be entertained and coming out at the end thinking, "That was a waste of my time."? During the weekend I stumbled upon a recent Pixar movie that brightened my mood, my day, and in fact I wouldn't mind seeing it again. "Up!" is the story of a 78 year-old man who ties thousands of balloons to his house and sets out for the adventure of his life. Right after he lifts off he realizes that, Russel, a wilderness explorer in training is a stowaway on the trip. This movie is filled with adventure and surprise. The only thing that was disappointing in this movie was that it didn't go longer than 90-minutes. Pixar has great music, features, timing, voices and its great for all ages. By far its the most emotionally touching, hilarious movie of any Pixar movie. It is one of those movies that you will want to tell your family, friends, and enemies. What makes a movie is the story, and "Up!" has that great story. It is also being shown in 3D but whatever one you decide to see, I guarantee that you will be satisfied with the story, the characters and the overall quality of the picture.

Summer in the Yakima Valley

The poem, "Summer in the Yakima Valley", by Ruth Roach Pierson gives great examples of contrast. In the first half of the poem the speaker talks about how everything on the farm is growing, such as the "orchard trees in even rows down the slopes and out in all directions". He is always accompanied by his cousin, and how they "plucked alfalfa shoots to stick between our teeth". In the second half of the poem, it is night and instead of having fun listening to the "sprinklers' jerky rotation hum and hiss of a low-flying spray plane", the speaker in the poem is left "to listen alone to the sounds of the night the valley now as alien as the other side of the moon-". It is obvious that in the day, everything is wonderful and during the night, things that wouldn't be as scary in the light become frightening to the speaker. Other written contrasts in the poem include, "the long-short snick snack of the sprinklers'". It is clear to see that without contrast the poem would mean nothing and the feeling of excitement and worry would disappear.