Beauty Around Us: Part 6, Japanese Animated Backgrounds II

Though it took awhile, here is the second part of my Japanese film section. Most of these are from Hayao Miyazaki, but all these films have beautiful imagery.

I Satoshi Kon

1. Millennium Actress (2001)

2. Tokyo Godfathers (2003)

3. Paprika (2006)

He will take a LONG time. His films are visually gorgeous.

II. Hayao Miyazaki

1. Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (1984)

2. Castle in the Sky (1986)

3. My Neighbor Totoro (1988)

4. Kiki’s Delivery Service (1989)

5. Porco Rosso (1992)

6. Princess Mononoke (1997)

7. Spirited Away (2001)

8. Howl’s Moving Castle (2004)

9. Ponyo (2008)

10. The Wind Rises (2013)

III. Various Others

1. Metropolis (2001)

2. Hotarubi No Mori E (2011)

3. In This Corner of the World (2016)

4. Redline (2009)

Beauty Around Us: Part 3, European and Chinese Animated Backgrounds

“Dwell on the beauty of life. Watch the stars, and see yourself running with them.”
― Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

Continuing on, these are beautiful backgrounds from European and Chinese animation.

I. European Animation

1. French, Danish Long Way North (2015)

2. French, The Illusionist (2010)

3. French Ernest and Celestine (2014)

4. Dutch, Japanese The Red Turtle (2017)

5. French, Italian The Little Prince (2015)

6. French Tales of the Night (2011)

7. English Watership Down (1978)

8. French The King and the Mockingbird (Officially 1980)

II. Chinese Animated Films

1. Big Fish and Begonia (2016)

Beauty Around Us: Part 2, American and Irish Animated Backgrounds

“Youth is happy because it has the capacity to see beauty. Anyone who keeps the ability to see beauty never grows old.”
― Franz Kafka

Continuing on, the theme for this section is beautiful backgrounds from animated films in America and Ireland.

I. Disney Animated Films

1. Sleeping Beauty (1959)

2. Tarzan (1999)

3. Pocahontas (1995)

4.The Rescuers Down Under (1990)

5. Frozen (2013)

6. The Princess and the Frog (2009)

7. The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1996)

II. Pixar Animated Films

1. Coco (2018)

2. Wall-e (2008)

III. Dreamworks Animation

1. How to Train Your Dragon 1-3

2. Prince of Egypt (1998)

3. Kung Fu Panda 1-3

IV. Laika Studios

1. Coraline (2009)

2. ParaNorman (2012)

3. Kubo and the Two Strings (2015)

V. Cartoon Saloon

1. The Secret of Kells (2009)

2. The Breadwinner (2017)

3. The Song of the Sea (2014)

VI. Various Other American Animated Films

1. Anastasia (1997)

2. The Thief and the Cobbler (?)

3. The Secret of Nimh (1982)

4. Klaus (2019)

DAY 12- Month of Movie Quotes: Judgment at Nuremburg (1961)

Ernst Janning: There was a fever over the land. A fever of disgrace, of indignity, of hunger. We had a democracy, yes, but it was torn by elements within. Above all, there was fear. Fear of today, fear of tomorrow, fear of our neighbors, and fear of ourselves.

Only when you understand that – can you understand what Hitler meant to us. Because he said to us: ‘Lift your heads! Be proud to be German! There are devils among us. Communists, Liberals, Jews, Gypsies! Once these devils will be destroyed, your misery will be destroyed.’

It was the old, old story of the sacrificial lamb. . . What difference does it make if a few racial minorities lose their rights? It is only a passing phase. . . The very elements of hate and power about Hitler that mesmerized Germany, mesmerized the world! We found ourselves with sudden powerful allies.

Things that had been denied to us as a democracy were open to us now. The world said ‘go ahead, take it, take it! . . . And then one day we looked around and found that we were in an even more terrible danger. The ritual began in this courtroom swept over the land like a raging, roaring disease.

What was going to be a passing phase had become the way of life. Your honor, I was content to sit silent during this trial. I was content to tend my roses. I was even content to let counsel try to save my name, until I realized that in order to save it, he would have to raise the specter again.

You have seen him do it – he has done it here in this courtroom. He has suggested that the Third Reich worked for the benefit of people. He has suggested that we sterilized men for the welfare of the country. He has suggested that perhaps the old Jew did sleep with the sixteen year old girl, after all. Once more it is being done for love of country. It is not easy to tell the truth; but if there is to be any salvation for Germany, we who know our guilt must admit it… whatever the pain and humiliation.

I add this quote today because I have been thinking a lot lately about our world. More specifically, I have been thinking a lot about individuals and the battle going on in each of us. This quote makes it very clear that FEAR leaves us open for takeover. It is the destroyer of hope and faith. Truth can be distorted and men made to do the most horrendous things if fear creeps into our lives.

I think we would all be wise to study history. For, as George Santayana said, “Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it.”

DAY 11- Month of Movie Quotes: Rigoletto (1993)

Ribaldi: There is nothing more mean and ugly in this world than to have a beautiful gift, a loving spirit, and a desire to give and share these things, when there is nobody to share them with. You know what I mean, don’t you, Porter? Is it your father?

Porter: I hate. I hate my d-dad.

Ribaldi: Do you know what I think?

Porter: W-what?

Ribaldi: I think that you love your father. And you hate the way you feel. Change the way you feel.

Porter: He doesn’t deserve love! He’s mean and selfish. He doesn’t care about us! He only cares about himself. I hate him! He should love us! He should take us hiking, fishing, teach us how to play ball.

Ribaldi: Sometimes it takes hard times to make us gentle and strong.

Porter: How can it do both? It just makes my dad mean.

Ribaldi: Meanness isn’t strength. Your father is not a strong man. Not yet anyway. But who knows what tomorrow brings?

You mustn’t give up on him. He needs the love of his family now just as you need his love, and someday you’ll both get what you need.

This is not from an award winning film by any means. But I do love this scene. Rigoletto, or Ribaldi, has a disfigured face and lives in a mansion far from a small town. He is viewed as monstrous and cruel but slowly over time he helps the town and its inhabitants.

In this case he talks to a boy Porter, whose father has no job and takes out his frustrations on his family. A little broken hearted , Porter goes out one particular evening when his father’s yelling is too much to bear. That is when he speaks to Ribaldi.

I love this scene because it deals with forgiveness and charitable love. There are so many hurts inside us which can be healed through letting go and loving, regardless of circumstances with others. So much can change from simply loving.

DAY 10- Month of Movie Quotes: The Lion King (1994)

Mufasa’s Ghost: [He appears in the sky as a group of stars] Simba, you have forgotten me.

Adult Simba: No. How could I?

Mufasa’s Ghost: You have forgotten who you are and so have forgotten me. Look inside yourself Simba. You are more than what you have become. You must take your place in the Circle of life.

Adult Simba: How can I go back? I’m not who I used to be.

Mufasa’s Ghost: [Now fully formed in the sky] Remember who you are. You are my son and the one true king. Remember who you are.

Adult Simba: [Mufasa’s ghost begins to disappear] No! Please! Don’t leave me!

Mufasa’s Ghost: Remember.

One of the tragic scenes in The Lion King is Mufasa’s untimely murder. I remember it from my childhood and it hurt to see such a strong father figure die. But recently I visited my sister Jessica and watched the film again. This time, I watched my nephew Henry along with the movie. My sister explained how it is hard for him to see any films where the parents die. In fact he will cry because it upsets him so. But with The Lion King he didn’t. I thought about it and realized it is because Simba sees his father again. He wasn’t really gone. In his little mind he had connected the two scenes.

My little nephew understood something so beautiful I myself subconsciously believed when I was a child. Death is not the end. The true tragedy is not living our lives to our true potential. We truly all must remember who we are.

DAY 9- Month of Movie Quotes: The Man Who Laughs (1928)

The Man Who Laughs   See my original review. 

1.God closed my eyes so I could see the real Gywplaine.

2.A king made me a clown, a queen made me a lord, but God made me first a man!

I decided to write to quotes because I believe they are connected. The first is the moment when Gwyplaine realizes Dea, despite his fears of losing her, loves him even knowing his face is deformed.

The second is the moment he proclaims from the depths of his soul the essence of who he really is. There is power knowing who we really are. And there is power in truly living and being loved by others.

DAY 8- Month of Movie Quotes: Mulan (1998)

Fa Zhou: Mulan.

[Mulan quickly moves in front of her father and kneels causing him to sit back down]

Mulan: Father, I brought you the sword of Shan-Yu [hands the sword to Fa Zhou] and the crest of the Emperor [hands the crest to Fa Zhou]. [with head bowed] They’re gifts to honor the Fa Family.

[Fa Zhou takes the gifts and throws them down to the ground beside him to the surprise of Mulan. He bends down and holds her arms outstretched]

Fa Zhou: The greatest gift and honor, is having you for a daughter. [Fa Zhou wipes away Mulan’s tear then hugs Mulan] I’ve missed you so.

Mulan: I’ve missed you too Baba.

This scene always reminds me of my father. When I was a child I was incredibly shy, but I loved to sing. The second solo I ever did was “Reflection” from this movie. But because I was so shy, especially the older I became, my dad would have me sing this song to him. Sometimes I still do.

I love the relationship between Mulan and her father. It reminds me of my life and how grateful I am to have such a loving father as well. This quote always chokes me up for this reason. Honestly, this is one of my favorite scenes in all film.

DAY 7-Month of Movie Quotes: The Usual Suspects (1995)

Verbal: The greatest trick the devil ever pulled was convincing the world he did not exist. And like that… he is gone.

I have never actually seen this movie but am well aware of its iconic ending and this quote which it embodies.

We must be so careful not to let ourselves forget there is great evil in this world. Moral ambiguity is a fancy way of saying there is no good and evil or right and wrong.

In 2 Nephi from the Book of Mormon Nephi states, “And behold others he flattereth away, and telleth them there is no hell: and he saith unto them: I am no devil, for there is none- and thus he whispered in their ears, until he grasps them with his awful chains from whence there is no deliverance.”

I like this quote because it makes it very clear how important it is not to let evil into our lives unwittingly. I think it is also a call to recognize that where there is evil there is also love and goodness.

DAY 6- Month of Movie Quotes: McLintock (1967)

McLintock: Becky! Come here. Somethin’ I ought to tell you. Guess now’s as good a time as any. You’re going to have every young buck west of the Missouri around here tryin’ to marry you – mostly because you’re a handsome filly, but partly because I own everything in this country from here to there. They’ll think you’re going to inherit it.

Well, you’re not. I’m going to leave most of it to, well, to the nation really, for a park where no lumbermen’ll cut down all the trees for houses with leaky roofs. Nobody’ll kill all the beaver for hats for dudes nor murder .

What I’m going to give you is a 500 cow spread on the Upper Green River. Now that may not seem like much, but it’s more than we had, your mother and I. Some folks are gonna say I’m doin’ all this so I can sit up in the hereafter and look down on a park named after me, or that I was disappointed in you – didn’t want you to get all that money.

But the real reason, Becky, is because I love you, and I want you and some young man to have what I had, because all the gold in the United States Treasury and all the harp music in heaven can’t equal what happens between a man and a woman with all that growin’ together. I can’t explain it any better than that.

My mother often tells me that true love comes through growing and laboring together. I believe we come to understand love in many stages of our lives. It truly is something we must all experience.