This animated short is a blast from start to finish… it could
easily form the basis of an excellent video game. It tells the story of Bob and Pasha (the
apocalypse dog of the title), who go about their business scavenging a living,
with everything they own tottering and teetering on top of their rusty,
dilapidated old car. Bob does, frankly,
look a little too well-fed for someone living after the end of the world as we
know it, but perhaps the wasteland is full of calories as well as dangers. His companion Pasha, who I think might be a
miniature Doberman (definitely as wilful as some I have met!), is the more gregarious of the two – and it is his
inclination to go in search of the source of a tantalising aroma that causes a
rift in their relationship… and exposes both to great danger.
Told at breakneck speed, Apocalypse Dog
successfully uses a number of cunning structural devices to tell its story - right up to the end - as
well as changes in animation style.It’s
a fantastic piece of animation from a group of students at Rubika (in Valenciennes,
France) which would be great as a supporting feature at the movies.I particularly like the facial expressions
that both Bob and Pasha use to communicate their thoughts and feelings.All told, this is an animated short brimming
with vitality and humour. It is quite amazing to think that this is an undergraduate project, given the high quality of both the animation and storyline.
Apocalypse Dog was directed by Aziliz Le Clainche, Camille
Nasarre, Jing Qian, Juliette Barraux, Emma Plumey, Lucile Arnaud and Solène
Cauchie. The music was composed by Cyrille Marchesseau, with sound design by
Valentin Petiteau, and features voice work from Michel Elias (shout out here – great
emotional communication using little more than grunts!).
Phosphorus is underestimated. We don’t talk about it enough - so here are some very cool facts about phosphorus. It is a finite resource and there is
no point looking for it elsewhere as it is very rare in the universe (not all
stars create it and that’s why, some say, that alien life is proving
elusive). Phosphorus is the “unsung hero”
in all life itself – it’s even in our DNA.
We get it from the food we eat, and the plants get it from the soil – it’s
a cycle – but one which we managed to inhibit once we started living in cities
and developed sanitation.
Many scientists
believe that we are going to run out of it this century. It’s a crisis that will happen but what will
we do about it? Find out much more about
this fascinating element than you probably ever wanted to, what happened when
we discovered it and what the future might like without it in this fascinating
short by BBC Earth Science.
I do love a cautionary tale about ducks. And, as luck would
have it, this very funny animated short has just come up on my radar. A number of people, looking for a little
recreation, visit their local park. They hope, of course, to do the normal “parky”
things, stroll around, take in the scenery, feed the ducks a little bread –
that kind of thing. Something of a shock
waits in store for them – some of the local ducks have worryingly changed…
The animated short – entitled “Ducks” (well it would be,
wouldn’t it?), is self-funded, and written, directed, designed and animated by one
person - AJ Jefferies.Music and sound design
is by Megalithic Sound.It was very well
received on the festival circuit, reaping a number of awards. This includes the
audience choice award at the Sweaty Eyeballs International Shorts Competition
and it won the Best Short Film for Children award at the Kuki Festival in
Berlin.As Kuriositas is, after all, a
place for grow-up children who want to keep learning, it’s quite fitting and
appropriate that we feature it here.Watch “Ducks” below…
Bird’s Nest Fungi are tiny – not much bigger than a
fingernail.Yet if noticed, they are
rarely forgotten as they appear like eggs, laid somewhat haphazardly in a nest
by what would most definitely be the smallest, klutziest bird in the
world.
As a cosmopolitan species – in
other words one which is found across most parts of the world – you would
probably not have to go far from your house in order to find them either. If
you have a garden, they may even already be there waiting for you to discover
them. Image
As long as you live close to somewhere that plant matter is
breaking down – rotting wood, fallen logs, woodland floors, bark mulch,
woodchip beds, compost heaps or even rich soil – you will likely find bird’s
nest fungi.That’s because it is a
saprobic family of species; they thrive where organic material is decomposing,
feeding on the nutrients released as plant matter breaks down into simpler compounds.
Altogether, there are roughly 60–70 described bird's nest species (so you will see a variety here), though the exact number shifts a little depending on how mycologists classify and split them - fungal taxonomy is still being refined with genetic data. To give you a better idea of their size, here are some examples next to coins.
In the far future, water has become scarce in the universe,
leading inevitably to war. On the planet
Airon, a unit of mechas of the intergalactic corporation S.O.U.R.C.E. has been
assigned to take over the last oasis, but met fierce resistance. Finally, there are only two left – and this is
their last battle. Whoever wins will gain the only remaining pure source of
water in the galaxy…
This animated short by a group of ESMA students is, effectively,
one long battle sequence and as such shows off their animation skills with
panache. It’s breath-taking, non-stop and ingenious.Yet there is also a poignant story at the
heart of all this sound and fury, which you only appreciate right at the
end.Hats off to these students for
telling this story – a visual metaphor for how our own planet is going frankly!
The short was directed by Alexandre André, Louis Bonnaud,
Adrien Gouloubi, Mathieu Hebrard, Pierre Lopez, Anton Markov, Evana
Mingsisouphanh, Maxence Porelli, and Ludovic Vacher with music by Seiji
Champollion. Sound was by Guilhem Favard, José Vicente and Yoann Poncet with
the voices provided by José Vicente.
Bette Midler may be 80, but she can still belt out a good
number. There are few better (or
timelier) than Woody Guthrie’s All You Fascists (Bound to Lose). The lyrics have been updated a little (with
permission from Guthrie’s family) and is an exhortation to voters to get to the
polls and vote. It’s definitely a
toe-tapper and Midler delivers it with her usual gusto. Not only that, it has a stellar supporting cast
of backing singers, too.
You may be able to spot one or more of the following… Barbara
Hershey (co-starred with Bette Midler in Beaches), David Hyde Pierce
(appeared with Bette Midler in Down and Out in Beverly Hills), Brian
Hargrove (married to David Hyde Pierce, linking him to Bette Midler), Shoshana
Bean (Wicked), Marisha Wallace (Dreamgirls), Jennifer Lewis (The
Preacher’s Wife), Christian Dante White (Ain’t Too Proud), Sara
Edwards Butler (Sister Act), Ari Butler (Les Misérables), Matthew
Mucha (Save Rock and Roll), Jaime Bartolett (The Phantom of the Opera),
Aron Kaburick (Jersey Boys), Amanda LaMotte (Wicked), Elaine
Caswell (Cats), Kristen Beth Williams (Wicked), James Ludwig (Law
& Order), Cayden Smaka (The Voice), Corban Belle (Hamilton),
and finally Don’Tae Mitchell (Dreamgirls).Phew – that’s quite a cast.
Guthrie himself wrote the song in the early 1940s as a
response to the fascist threat of Hitler, Mussolini and the likes.Midler, who is concerned about the way that
politics is going in her own home country, has sent out this message to her
fans: “I hope you'll sing it when you are marching. Because sometimes people,
sometimes you just gotta SING OUT!”.Indeed.Take a look at the video
below.
Want to spread gossip? Then tell a teen. The very worst age group with which to share a secret – or even
something you don’t want spread about – is to spill the beans to a teenager. These days, emails,
text messages, social media and apps of varying degree of iniquity – all
combine to ensure that when Kim and Hugo get together, and Kim texts Kathy to
tell her – that the entire world will know within approximately thirty
seconds. It may seem like a modern phenomenon,
but it is only the methods of communication that have changed. And this clip from 1963 proves it more than adequately but with a lot of charm.
Back then, it was all about the spoken word but way, way
more importantly, it was about the telephone.I used to continually astonish my parents that after seeing my friends
all day in school, I would find the need (let alone the things to say) to phone
them in the evening.Not for a few minutes,
of course. We would natter on about pretty much anything and everything, anyone
and everyone, until I was told (in no uncertain terms) to put the phone down
(usually by my mother who wanted to do some nattering of her own.
This clip from the 1963 movie Bye Bye Birdie shows us the
teenage Pony Express at full throttle.When
Kim McAfee (Ann-Margret) is “pinned” by Hugo Peabody (Bobby Rydell) – an American
teenage tradition where a boy gives his girlfriend his school pin to show
they’re officially a couple - the news spreads at lightning speed. The
neighbourhood telephone chain erupts, with calls, gossip, and teenage hysteria
bouncing from house to house in minutes. It all unfolds in one of the most
energetic and memorable musical sequences directed by George Sidney.It’s something of a joy to behold. Watch it
below.
Painted almost 180 years ago in 1847, The Fallen Angel, created by Alexandre
Cabanel when he was just 24 years old, still has the power to engage, to captivate,
to horrify – you name the emotion, people will experience it when they see this
painting for the first time.When I
first saw it in my teenage years, I was amazed that Cabanel got away with
something so daring, so risqué, so controversial at such a young age.The truth is – he didn’t get away with it.Like the Lucifer of Liege, which we covered
several years ago, the story of both Cabanel and his painting of the devil is a
little more complex.
The picture could have been career-ending for a young artist
at this particular point of time. Cabanel was not expected to take on such challenging subjects at such a young age – and
not only that, he presents Satan as an astonishingly beautiful young man.The painting’s reception was scathing,
something which (rightly) incensed the young painter.I will leave the bulk of the story to the
great video by Inspiraggio (great name for a YouTube channel) below, but I’m happy
to say that Cabanel went on to a long and illustrious career – his most praised
work, ironically, would be the Death of Moses, painted in 1851.
Like Cabanel, The Fallen Angel we see here is down but
certainly not out.The eyes are perhaps the
most remarkable part of the composition.Look at them – is it anger, resentment, regret, or hatred we can see?Ultimately, it’s up to you. However, this
painting has had a host of earthly admirers and detractors in its long history.If you are a science-fiction fan, you may
look at the expression in the eyes, the way that the arms are held, and wonder
where you have seen that before.It is
believed that George Lucas was inspired by the painting when filming the final
showdown between Anakin Skywalker and his old Jedi master, Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star
Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith.
How true or not this is, I cannot say, not having a direct
line to Mr Lucas.However, for this
history of The Fallen Angel and its reception, take a look at the fascinating
video below.
If you fancy an extended visual metaphor, you’ve come to the
right place. This heartfelt and very
touching animated short tells the story of Finn, a young boy who has stains on
his skin. He has met up with a trio of other
kids that have similar stains, and together they form a community – one which helps
them put up with the prejudice they encounter about their condition every
day. I guess that doesn’t sound too
cheerful – and it isn’t – but I was left at the end with a sense of optimism.
This animated short was created by a group of students at
Rubika.It has taken quite a while for
this to make it onto the schools YouTube channel, but it won the prestigious
"Jury's Choice" award at SIGGRAPH 2019.The Stained Group was created by a talented
bunch of students – directed by Mélanie Lopez, Chan Stéphie Peang, Alice
Jaunet, Simon Boucly, Marie Ciesielski, and Béatrice Viguier.Music is by Valentin Lafort and sound design
by Henri Petitprez and Kamal Ouazène.Watch The Stained Group below – and I am pretty sure you will know
why I love this animated short so much by the time you get to the end!
Card games remain one of the most
adaptable forms of play. A single deck can support quiet solo sessions or
lively social gatherings without requiring a complex setup. For players, the
appeal lies in variety. Some games offer structure and focus, while others
encourage interaction and quick thinking.
This article explores five popular
card games that work well across different settings. Each section focuses on
one game, with clear details to help players understand how and when to play
it.
Solitaire for Focused Solo
Play
Solitaire stands as the most
recognized solo card game. It’s designed for one player and emphasizes
sequencing, planning, and attention to detail. The most common version is
Klondike, where players build foundation piles in ascending order by suit.
The gameplay begins with a tableau of
cards arranged in columns. Players reveal hidden cards while moving them
between columns in alternating colors. The goal is to organize all cards into
the foundation piles.
Solitaire works well because it allows
full control. Players can move at their own pace, restart when needed, and
gradually improve their approach. Variations like Spider and FreeCell add
different levels of complexity, offering new challenges without changing the
core idea.
This game suits quiet environments and
helps build patience. Over time, players become more efficient at recognizing
patterns and planning several moves.
Baccarat for Structured Table
Play
Baccarat offers a clear and structured
format that appeals to players who prefer simple rules and an orderly pace. The
game centers on comparing two hands, known as the player’s and the banker’s.
Because each hand follows fixed drawing rules, the experience feels easy to
follow and free from unnecessary complexity.
That simplicity becomes even clearer
once players understand how card values work. The aim is to reach a total
closest to nine, which gives each round a clean and consistent objective. After
a few hands, the rhythm of the game starts to feel natural.
Baccarat’s appeal lies in its
structured play, where each round follows a consistent flow. Players who prefer
a controlled pace often choose to play
baccarat in a casino platform, where the environment mirrors that
same steady rhythm.
Each round follows a familiar
sequence, which makes it easy to stay engaged without needing to track too many
moving parts. The game doesn’t require extensive memorization, yet it maintains
interest through its balance and predictable structure.
You would reasonably expect a monastery to have frescoes - inside. Yet a number of monasteries in the Romanian region of Moldavia have centuries old frescoes on the exterior of their katholikon (main church) which have, incredibly, survived the years and the elements. Perhaps the most famous, which you can see here, is the Voronet Monastery with its bright azurite background – known to Romanians as Voronet blue - but it is not alone in this remarkable tradition.
Now, there’s a question and
although many will agree on some included on the list that Christina of Facethe Barre has compiled, it may be down to your own particular tastes when you
draw up your own! Christina used to
dance for the Estonian National Ballet, so she certainly knows her dancers (and
she pronounces their names beautifully and authentically) – she will have
studied their moves since she was a child.
So, I think her list is excellent (although she includes just four
ballet power couples!). I would probably
included Giorgi Potskhishvili, with his most high-profile stage partnership at
the Dutch National Ballet being Anna Tsygankova, but I am a bit of a Giorgi
fan.
The four couples that
Christina focuses on are Natalia Osipova and Ivan Vasiliev, Ekaterina Maximova and
Vladimir Vasiliev, Margot Fonteyn and Rudolf Nureyev, Gelsey Kirkland and
Mikhail Baryshnikov.I particularly like
the way that she describes the partnerships, really showing her in-depth
understanding and knowledge of why these partnerships are obsessed over by
somany.Ivan Vasiliev and Natalia Osipova are my favorite choice of hers (we featured Ivan on Kuriositas back in 2011).Once
engaged in real life, their on-stage chemistry was always palpable, especially
in their supreme performances in Romeo and Juliet.Their infamous decision to leave the Bolshoi is also something which Christina covers here.
As for the other couples – so
many of these names are well-known outside of ballet circles and if you were
asked on the street to name some amazing partnerships in the ballet world, I would
expect you to come up with one or two of these!Take a look at her video below –
I must say that I haven’t seen many ballet videos on YouTube that are presented
by someone with such an extensive knowledge of the form as Christina.
There are 34 Michael Jackson hits featured in
this medley of his hits by the King's Returna capella group of singers. So, the chances are that your favorite Michael
Jackson songs are in here somewhere!It
starts off gently with Human Nature, and transitions from there into so many different
Michael Jackson hits that you might have difficulty keeping up with them all as they speed by.The transitions are pretty amazing – and I
wouldnot like to imagine how long it
must have taken to first of all put this together (hats off to whoever did it)
not to mention rehearsal time to come up with this pitch-perfect rendition of
so many of Jackson’s hits.The harmonies
are incredible.
So, who are King’s Return? They’re a Dallas-based a cappella
quartet whose sound feels far bigger than four voices ought to allow. First
gaining attention through viral stairwell performances, they’ve built a
reputation for rich, soothing harmonies that blend R&B, gospel, jazz and
classical influences into something seamless and distinctive. Formed in 2016
and finalised in 2020, the group - Vaughn Faison, Gabe Kunda, JE McKissic and
Jamall Williams - quickly found a global audience. Their debut work and viral
videos brought critical acclaim, even Grammy recognition, but it’s their
warmth, versatility and understated virtuosity that make them truly compelling.King’s Return created this video in honor of
the upcoming Michael Jackson movie starring Jaafar Jackson (Michael’s real-life
nephew).
When I was a kid, I thought that rainforests were only
located in more exotic parts of the world (I grew up in the UK, which can be
called many things, but exotic isn’t one of them!).I associated rainforests with places like
Africa, India and even Australia – with huge trees and ferns, and animals like
tigers and elephants living in them. It wasn’t till much later that I learned
that the UK itself had rainforests – but temperate ones – and that,
unfortunately, where they once spread across the land, especially the east
coast of the UK (even on the Isle of Man), what was left were just fragments of
the grandeur that was, before we came along and pretty much ruined it!
Of course, this degradation panned out over a couple of
thousand years, speeding up once the Industrial Revolution too hold of the UK
(which may not even have been called that at the time) and it is going to take a hundred years to renew them. Where once extended rainforests flourished,
land was cleared for growing populations and for the food which was needed to
sustain them. This was done methodically
but without any particular care and forethought – it was done in response to
demand and without any real conservation laws in place, it was open
season. Just look at the wildlands of
Scotland – their bareness is so embedded within the Scottish and British
psyches that we can easily believe that was how they have always been. But the Roman name for Scotland was Caledonia,
derived from Celtic origins and thought to mean “land of the hard woods”.
But how do we recover our British rainforests? Over a long period of time is the
answer. Over at least a century. We can’t just plant trees and walk away – it’s
much more complex than this. So, step
forward the Wildlife Trusts, with their ambitious plan to join up many of the
remnants of the rainforest on the east coast of the UK (Wales gets a great
mention!). It isn’t going to be ready by
next summer, unfortunately, but as smaller programmes that have already started have shown, this kind
of venture starts generating jobs and visitors much more quickly than you might
imagine - because recovery itself can surprise us all with its speed if it is properly planned and managed. This beautifully animated video
explains the rainforests, how they came to shrink and what is proposed to do
about restoring them (or perhaps renewing them) to at least some of their
former glory. It’s ambitious – and it’s going to take a century. Watch the video below.
It doesn't say which animation house created this, but hats off to them - gorgeous work!
In the not too distant future, we reach out beyond our own
solar system in search of a new home. To do this, space ships are launched, “manned” by our closest relative – chimpanzees. Specially trained, they must ascertain
whether or not our exodus may begin, giving us a new home full of natural
resources to claim as our own. One of
these chimpanzee explorers is Hope-65, one of a long line of her kind to go
into space on our behalf. She eventually
arrives at a planet which fulfils all the necessary criteria to sustain us into
the future. It’s time to let us know, so
we can journey to our new home…
This beautifully made animated short was created as a
graduation project over a two-year period by students at Ecole Brassart, a
French school of the creative professions. The character animation of Hope-65 herself is expert, belying the fact that this is a student made film. The new planet is gorgeous - realised with great care and attention - I think anyone might wish to live there! Although one does have to suspend disbelief around a chimp being allowed to make such a final final decision, that's not too much to ask!
Hope-65 was created by Eliott Curaba, Louis Grand, Nolan Vercasson, Alicia
Serra, Mathilde Peis, Evan Mastropietro, Tonin Molina and Léo Soler with music
and sound design by Görkem Agar, Eliott Manche-Gentelet, Hugo Bressaud and Ayden
Heurtevent.I think this is probably the
first time we have featured something by Brassart students on Kuriositas, and
from the quality of this, I very much doubt it will be the last.A huge congratulations to all the students
(and their teachers) involved in this animated short – it really is something
to be proud of.
You may
remember the irrepressible dance film of Stromae’s “Mauvaise Journée” by
Zas Dance Platform, featured on Kuriositas last August.Well, they have delivered another
blinder.This time, it’s an
interpretation of Nemesis by Benjamin Clementine.Directed by Zaslavskyi Yevhenii and
Bazela Oleksii (who also dances), the 2014 track, from Clementine’s debut album
At Least for Now, is a great choice and complements the ZAS dancers’ elegant
urgency perfectly.
Nemesis is one of Benjamin Clementine’s best-known tracks
and is emotionally very intense and as such, the backdrop here is dark, the
movements exploring the themes of consequence and karma.The song tells the story of a relationship
where the betrayers becomes the betrayed and the Zas trademark jerky movements
and a hundred emotions expressed in a few seconds reflects the message of the
song – that if we don’t treat people with fairness and integrity, there will always
be consequences.You know what karma is,
after all…
A little about ZAS Dance Platform – it is a creative
initiative showcasing innovative contemporary dance from emerging and
established choreographers. The platform provides a space for artists to
experiment, collaborate, and bring new perspectives to the stage, highlighting
both technical skill and artistic expression. Through this performance, Bazela
and his fellow dancers explore movement and storytelling in a dynamic and
engaging way. As ever, the dancers are also quite pleasing to the eye…
Watch Zas
Dance Platform’s interpretation of Nemesis by Benjamin Clementine below.
Yallah! is an Arabic term and can mean anything from “Let’s
go!” or “Come on!” or “Hurry up!”.I
guess it could be any of the three in the context of this animated short from
students at Rubika.Set in the middle of
the Lebanon war of 1982, we meet Nicolas, a man about to flee his virtually destroyed
city, Beirut.However, before too long
he encounters Naji, a teenager who lands abruptly on the bonnet of his car.Despite the chaos
and destruction of war (or perhaps because of it), he has become determined to
go swimming – and the pool is only a few blocks away.Ignoring Nicolas’ warnings and protestations,
Naji is determined to swim – and Nicolas feels the need to try and somehow
protect him as he makes his way there.
This is a beautifully made film, and you may find yourself
disbelieving that it is a student film, such is its exceptionally high standard
of animation. Exploring identity and movement through powerful visual
storytelling, It has a certain lyrical quality to it, despite the backdrop and is much more fun than you might expect, given the time and place in which it is set. Yallah! was directed by Nayla Nassar, Edouard Pitula, Renaud De
Saint Albin, Cécile Adant, Anaïs Sassatelli, and Candice Behague. This animated
short won "Best Student Project" at SIGGRAPH 2022 (prestigious
because it showcases world-leading innovation in computer graphics, judged by
experts, and launches careers in film, gaming, and technology). It has only
just become available to stream and I’m really pleased to be able to share it with
you on Kuriositas.
Travellers journeying through the desolate landscape of the unforgiving Thar desert in the Indian state of Rajasthan would know when they had reached their destination. The sky would fall to the ground and everything would become a single color – blue. Jodhpur would lie before them, opening up like a blue treasure in the desert.
The historic observatory at Greenwich is now a museum, but how
did it get to be the historic Prime Meridian (the zero longitude line that
divides the Earth into eastern and western hemispheres for navigation) of the
world? Why a relatively obscure place in
South London? This animated short,
created by the Royal Observatory, delves into its history and explains these
and other questions getting a little existential – why does it even exist at
all? It all boils down to longitude – the measurement of position east or west
of the Prime Meridian, used to locate places on Earth accurately - and the need
to calculate it using the moon and the stars.
There was a very good reason for this - accurate navigation at sea and
preventing ships from getting lost, not to mention speeding up journey time.
This depended on knowing precise longitude for safe global trade and travel.
As a quick aside, many people assume that the Royal
Observatory in Greenwich is still an active astronomical research site, but
this isn’t the case. The Observatory stopped being a working research facility
in Greenwich in the mid-20th century, when its scientific work was moved
elsewhere in the UK, including to Herstmonceux in Sussex and later into
institutions connected with Cambridge. Today, the Greenwich site mainly serves
as a museum and public attraction.
Modern UK-based observational astronomy often makes use of
large international observatories in places such as the Canary Islands, where
conditions are much better for stargazing, but these facilities are not a
continuation of the Royal Observatory itself. Aside over (not as quick as I anticipated), watch the fascinating video below.
Sometimes, weird synchronicity happens. So, today, I came across this very funny pastiche
of Cell Block Tango, starring six of your favorite Disney Princesses. I suppose it answers any questions I might
have once had about what happens to a Disney Princess (or at least these six) after the credits roll
and she settles down with her Prince.
Frankly, each one of them did not get the happy ever after that they envisioned
– and I must admit that - if the princesses are telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth - one or two of the princes might have got what they
deserved (best line: “some guys just can’t hold their pufferfish…”). Yet, to put
the Beast down simply because he stomps all over the palace… is that fair?
After all, it is his palace.
Regardless
of where I stand on the fates of these princes, this very clever and funny parody is brought
to us by the super-talented Just Josie.
Take a look at the video below and ask yourself – did he really have it
coming? Did he only have himself to blame?
Wait… now we really must hear from the Disney Princes.Right? Right!
As luck would have it, the very same day my YouTube feed
presented me with Charming (starring Jordan Litz who is probably best known for performing in Phantom of the Opera on Broadway and featuring Steven Moeslein and Justin Beard).Also a delight, this (original) musical number has Prince Charming
bemoaning his name (he compares it to a perfume), his habit of losing girls at balls and life in general. No one bothers to ask him about the war, or taxes - they just want to see him grin and twirl girls around the dancefloor.
Then add Prince Philip and Prince Florian (best line: "you find a princess that you love and then, you find out there are seven other men") into the
mix. They are also pretty cheesed off with the roles that they have in their respective fairy tale stories and you end up with a trio of heirs to the throne who are really quite fed up.This fantastic musical number was created by
Pattycake Productions.Watch and enjoy below.
So, members of the jury, now all you have to do is choose your side.Who do you really sympathise with here? Most importantly, who do you believe? The stories of infidelity and fishing that the princesses are telling are radically different to the princes' plaintive cries for more of a say in their lives... Or all they all just a bunch of self-entitled whingers?
Answers on a postcard, but before that a word
or two of gratitude to the makers of both videos.What perverse algorithm led to them both being
in my feed, I know and care not; I am eternally grateful to it.Both videos were an absolute joy to watch - playful,
inventive, and lyrically very, very clever - they had me chuckling from start to finish. I did end up wondering why it was just the princesses who became homicidal - call me old-fashioned - the guys want to be more than just a charming prince for a girl but they end up as the murder victims of those very (naughty) girls. Yes, they did bad things, yes they cheated. But maybe they just wanted to drive the plot for once?
This is elegance incarnate. Led by Artistic Director Karen
Gevorgyan, the Berd Dance Company of Armenia have come up with the dance
production Armenian Queens to highlight the pivotal role by three women (who
just happened to be queens) to Armenian culture and history. The dance communicates themes of elegance,
authority, and unity, using costume, symmetry, and restrained movement to
create a powerful visual impact. Almost
a thousand years separates these queens – the most recent being from the
1200s. However, what unites them is the endurance
and continuity of Armenian culture.
On the right hand side in purple we have Queen Parandzem
from the 4th century.To
Armenians she embodies strength and devotion and defended the country against
invading Persians till her gruesome death at their hands. On the left in green
we have Katranide I from the 9th century, symbolizing spiritual, Christian
values.Then in the middle in Burgundy
we have Zabel from the 13th century who symbolizes statehood and
dynastic continuity. She opened hospitals, shelters for the needy, and
supported the education of young people .I hope I have got them in the right order!
Two girls meet in their youth and become inseparable, even
though there are obstacles. This short summary doesn’t do Red Moon justice. It tells a coming-of-age story about two girls
who move through life side by side, sharing its highs and lows as they grow,
change, and learn what it means to step into womanhood together. Red Moon is an
animated poem (metaphorically) to female friendship and the bond between women
and girls that cannot be broken. It’s a
quietly crafted film, which doesn’t preach and doesn’t give answers – it just
presents things as they are, as they should be – and it does this with subtlety.
As well as the story – so brief but with such depth – I was
particularly drawn to the way that the characters have been drawn and also the
backgrounds (particularly towards the end) which are just beautiful.Red Moon was directed and animated by
Katherine Yuan during her time at RMIT.The fact that this is an undergraduate film
makes it all the more impressive, demonstrating a level of creativity,
emotional depth, and technical skill that feels far beyond what one might
expect at this stage of study.Watch Red
Moon below:
What would happen if Miranda Priestly met Anna Wintour? At
first glance from this video, not very much at all. There is no explosion, no
visible drama, no theatrical collapse beneath the weight of mutual frostiness. But there is Dancing Queen by Abba playing in
the elevator that they share (a lovely nod to another of Meryl Streep’s roles).Miranda Priestly is, of course, a fictional
character. Anna Wintour is the woman that said fictional character is based on.So, it’s all getting a little meta in the
elevator, frankly - and quite cleverly the short film is called Do We Know Each Other?
Why now? You may have been blissfully unaware, but The Devil
Wears Prada 2 is officially on its way and in a stroke of marketing genius, the
people at Vogue managed to get Meryl Streep and Anna Wintour to collaborate on
this short, chance meeting between the two icons of fashion. And if you still read magazine printed on paper, you will soon notice that the May 2026 issue of Vogue features the editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, with Meryl Streep on the cover... Whoever did the marketing for this deserves a medal.
Nearly twenty years after the original first snapped its
fingers at an unsuspecting world, The Devil Wears Prada 2 is set to arrive in
cinemas on 1 May 2026, with Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and
Stanley Tucci all returning, alongside director David Frankel and writer Aline
Brosh McKenna. In other words, this is not some flimsy, bargain-bin
resurrection, but a properly assembled return to the polished battlefield of
fashion, publishing and exquisitely delivered contempt.
But I expect you really want to know what they’re wearing…
and, naturally, this super-short film doesn’t disappoint. Miranda Priestly (played by Meryl Streep) is dressed in a sharply tailored Givenchy suit, finished with
sunglasses, shoes and a bag by Prada, while Anna Wintour (played by, erm, Anna Wintour) appears in a Chanel
dress pretty much hidden an Alexander McQueen coat, accessorised with Manolo
Blahnik boots and jewellery by S.J. Phillips - a line-up so extravagantly
curated it practically announces itself before either woman says a word.
The Guinness World Records people have recently announced on their YouTube channel that the record for the most drones simultaneously airborne has been broken
again – inevitably by a Chinese company.
On 3 February, the Guangdong EHang Egret Media Technology Co., Ltd
(couldn’t they have come up with a shorter name) set aloft 22,580 drones in the
city of Hefei (the capital of China’s Anhui province). If I caught it properly, about 25 failed to
set sail into the sky. It beats the
previous record by something of a margin – 15,847 had been the previous record
(which was only set a few months ago – it’s getting difficult to keep up with
this particular record).
The sight is beautiful – with lots of Chinese cultural motifs
coming to life in the night sky.There
are lanterns, cityscapes and beautiful patterns, filmed by some of the drones
themselves (I don’t know if they participated as well as filmed), so you get
some interesting camera angles, both from below and above the display.What I found fascinating, too, was seeing all
of the drones lined up and being checked before the event began.The only downside to this video is that the
narration is mostly AI-driven, which could be argued as appropriate for this
kind of technological achievement, I guess.Regardless, I will stop droning on and allow you to enjoy the
spectacle.Enjoy!
Meanwhile, our sibling site, the Ark in Space, has a new feature
on the above – possibly the cutest, most adorable looking wild animal on the
planet. It is called the Greater Glider,
and as a marsupial you would not be wrong if you guessed that its home was
Australia. A nocturnal animal, the
greater glider was thought to be just one species, but all of that changed a few years ago, and
now we get three for the price of one.
Read much more about this fascinating – and super cute – animal over at
the Ark in Space, which also has an extensive gallery of beautiful pictures of
this irredeemably adorable creature. And yes, you will also get to see the greater glider glide! Image
Have you ever taken a photograph that seems to have a magical quality to it, because of the way in which the light has been captured in the shot? The chances are that you took the picture during the two times of day that photographers know as the golden hour.
The first hour of sunlight of the day makes the first golden hour. As the sun rises the light is softer than later in the day when the full and harsh rays of the sun shine down upon us. Likewise at the end of the day in the hour before sunset, the sun is close to the horizon again. As in the morning, the light travel in an oblique manner and so, instead of hitting objects straight down, hits them at an angle.
Despite numerous visits to the French capital over the
years, there is one place I have never really wished to visit – the famous
catacombs of Paris - even though it's in the dead centre of town. It’s not so much an
aversion to deathly things, but, OK, definitely an aversion to the quantity on
display. So, fortunately, this TED
lesson comes along, enabling me to take a quick tour of the Paris catacombs and
discover, thanks to some animated grisliness, how the people of Paris took
action in the 18th century. I
wonder if they realised that what they were creating would become a tourist
attraction a few hundred years down the line.
It could all have been avoided, of course, had the good
people of the 9th century not thought it a great idea to bury their
dead in the grounds of Les Innocents – and then carry on doing it for 800
years.A little bit of town planning may
not have gone amiss!Just as well there
was an abandoned network of quarries underneath the city, which themselves were causing the city a problem or two.The solution must have been obvious!
The lesson is by Stephanie H. Smith, directed by Laura
Jayne Hodkin and narrated by Adrian Dannatt. Watch it below.
I’ve been waiting for this to be unleashed… and here it is. The 2026 winner of the Best Animation
at the National Student Emmys is Love & Gold, written and directed by Connor
VanDyke and produced by Jaysen Duckworth.
Representing BYU, it’s the university’s fifth consecutive win in this
category and has now been released in full on YouTube. Watching it in full for the first time today,
this animated short certainly does have winner written all over it –
from start to finish.
Before I take a look at the film, I would like to add a note
of praise and thanks to the host of talent BYU pulled together to create this
film. This was the university’s Center for Animation’s short film project for
2025 and from the credits, it looked like the whole department worked “in the
trenches” for this short. What better
way to learn one’s craft than to be involved in a project of this size and ambition? Little wonder that BYU’s graduates almost
inevitably turn up in the credits for major animation projects. So, hat’s off to this splendid team – too many
to mention here, but thank you.
The plot is quite straightforward – the audience rocks up at
the end of two separate quests for the same thing: the treasure left behind by a
king and queen hundreds, perhaps thousands of years before. So, tension is immediately created because
the young explorer/adventurers (OK, thieves) have no intention of sharing the
booty (they are both seeking a huge gem).
Yet they soon discover that the old king and queen had no intention of
allowing someone with purely selfish motives to claim their treasure and that
teamwork will be necessary if they are to survive their ordeals inside the
castle.
You might be thinking “so far so tropey” and you would be
right. I don’t often spot in-movie
references to other movies, but I think writer VanDyke may have watched the Indiana
Jones series on repeat when he was a kid! Yet, take into consideration that
people have been recycling basic plot patterns for thousands of years, picking
over the skeletons of old stories and revivifying them for contemporary times
and audiences. Of course stories – truly
successful stories – are more than simply plots.
Much more important is who it happens to and how it’s told,
as well as what the audience now understands that older audiences didn’t (and
there are a few gleefully placed anachronisms in this dungeons and
drangons-esque setting). The
references to the undying love of the previous king and queen, and how it
impacts on the dual quest presented in this story are subtly and quickly disclosed
to the audience. The nature of the
characters, likewise, are revealed through the narrative, which bops along at
quite a speed (but not too fast to confuse the audience – it’s all there for
us). The writing is deft and tight, the
structure almost perfect. So, certainly, all the right boxes are ticked for how
it’s told.
So, on to who it happens to. Although the characters
are not named during the film, I discovered in the credits that they are Rayden
and Robin (voiced by Parley Lambert and Darci Ramirez – not that they say an
awful lot!). So, that’s how I will refer
to them from now on. The characters are particularly
well-formed, something vital in such a short film. Rayden seems like the kind of young man who
has, perhaps, walked somewhat effortlessly through life, a sort of cross
between Phoebus in Hunchback and Kristoff in Frozen. Yet there’s no swagger – he’s quite a sweetheart
which makes him immensely likable.
Robin is more difficult to pin down. She is the most complex but least trusting of
the pair – and at the same time the least trustworthy too – her selfish acts put
the couple into danger more than once. Perhaps she has been betrayed in the past? Yet like every good character arc, hers
is offered the chance of redemption. I won’t reveal any spoilers, here – it’s
up to you to watch the film and find out for yourself whether she gives in to
avarice or not. Hang around for the end
credits sequence, too – it reveals what might be in store for Rayden and
Robin in the future.
Once again, thank you students (and staff) of BYU for bringing
Love & Gold to the world. Some of
the commenters on YouTube have said, this would make a great feature-length
movie. It’s pretty much perfect as it is
– so, maybe, a sequel? Please?
Watch Love & Gold below:
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