There are certainly a lot of channels on YouTube, and while they are diverse and random, there is a community of animation-obssesed vloggers (video bloggers) that provide things like theories, reviews, recommendations, facts, and more.
SuperCarlinBrothers
This channel is great for people who like Pixar movies. They have theories and facts related to the Pixar movies, and are always extremely enthusiastic about Pixar in general. Their videos and theories will make you think and want to watch the movies in a way you have never watched before. The one bad thing is that the only animation-related thing they really do is about Pixar, but they do that one thing really well. Also, they have other interesting videos, such as their Google auto-fill videos, which are always hilarious, and they have the best socks ever.
This channel has a lot of theories about dinosaurs and other science-related videos, but there are also a couple really good videos about cartoons, particularly Over the Garden Wall and Gravity Falls. Those videos he has about them are very-well done and interesting, and include things that you might have missed while watching them as well as compelling theories about a mysterious thing within the show. So for those of you that like science and theories, this channel is for you.
This channel has everything you would ever want about cartoons, including a host that absolutely loves cartoons as well. A lot of the show is countdowns, all focusing on cartoons, but the channel also has videos about theories and facts as well. The best thing about the channel is that you can tell the host is passionate about what they are talking about, so it makes it more fun to listen to him and geek-out with him as well.
This channel has a lot of stuff on My Little Pony but is more well-known- and well-liked, for the two series he has called "Animated Atrocities" and "Admirable Animation", in which he reviews various episodes, and sometimes movies, that he considers to either be amazing or really bad. He points out those cartoons, and either shuns them or praises them appropiately. The thing that makes this channel good is that the episodes/movies that he has in either catergory almost always fit their respective catergory. This channel is great for those who like to take animated movies/cartoons episodes critically.
This channel is very large and has a wide variety of videos that are all pretty good. Their videos about animation include 107 facts videos, cartoon conspiracies, and various other videos. This channel is good because of the interesting ideas they bring up and little facts to watch for that they feature in the 107 facts videos. All in all, this channel is great for people who love to learn random and totally useless facts.
This channel is the go-to for the Gravity Falls fandom when they want their various questions answered about the cryptic and puzzling show. The fandom for Gravity Falls loves decoding the show and theorizing about it, so what better than a channel entirely devoted to it? For all Gravity Falls fans out there that like to over-analyze and geek out, this is the perfect channel for you.
This post will contain spoilers for the episode "Good Wilt Hunting" of Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends.
Wilt is a central character on Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends, a cartoon show that aired on Cartoon Network in the early 21st century. He is tall, red, and missing his left arm, yet still extremely apologetic, caring, and helpful. He is easily my favorite character in this show.
This character was obviously designed to make him a sympathetic character, and it is very well done in that regard. His back story is purposely sad and depressing- making us feel bad for him when he loses that basketball game. We see him reach the very lowest; running away from his creator Jordan Michaels (obviously Michael Jordan) after being injured- the same injuries that will later cost him the use of his left eye and most of his left am. It is due to this depressing back story that he is secretive and aversive when it comes to talking about his creator- he believes he let him down, and that make him such a good subject for hurt/comfort fanfiction.
Yet this bad back story doesn't interfere with his personality, and he faces each day with a smile on his face and a kind, open heart. It is this infectious, lovable personality, coupled with his trauma and the fact that he is adorkable that make Wilt my favorite character. I mean, he was going to get revenge but just got sidetracked doing good deeds for others, showing that he is super selfless and helpful, even when it does no good to him.
Even more amazing is his sacrifice for Jordan, he creator. When Jordan was about to be crushed by Foul Larry, a gargantuan, basketball themed imaginary friend, he jumped into action and pushed Jordan out of the way, resulting in his arm being crushed and his eye destroyed- causing the aforementioned physical ailments.
Compared to the rest of the characters, Wilt is the most complex and likable. Bloo can be too much of a jerk, Eduardo is not the most complex character, Coco is impossible to understand, Cheese is just plain annoying, and Mac is a bit too generic of a character. Meanwhile, Wilt is sane, helpful, and athletic (he was created to teach, and is ridiculously good at, basketball). Plus, he is one of the only cartoon (not anime or movie) characters I can think of who is missing a limb- which just makes him more compelling. All in all, he is a kind soul.
Also, I ship him with Frankie so hard! (They are so cute together!)
This will contain spoilers for the movies/shows being discussed, since most of these will be character deaths.
There are some people who claim that popular culture isn't sad because it isn't real, and there are even more people who claim that to be more true of animation. I don't believe that to be the case. Instead, I find that movies and t.v. shows (curiously not books) tend to make me cry more than anything else, and that is especially true of animation. Animated t.v. shows, and especially movies, have always been, in my opinion, the saddest creations in popular culture. Thus, I give you the saddest, most depressing, and most heartbreaking scenes of all cinema.
Anime
Anime, or Japanese animation, comes in many genres and styles, and while some of these feature kick-butt action or adorable romance, nearly all have at least one depressing scene. These usually involve a character death or sad premise.
Both Fullmetal Alchemist and Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood are sad (especially the former), due to their premises of moral sin, death, and body dismemberment. While the shows as a whole are sad, there is one scene that is the same in both version; and possibly the saddest scene in all of anime. Fans of FMA know what I am talking about- the death of the beloved character Maes Hughes. What makes his death so heart-wrenching is how likable and relatable the character was, as well as his undying devotion to his beloved wife Gracia and their little girl Elicia. His death was sudden and changed the direction of the story, as well as the motivation for Roy Mustang, one of the central characters and best friend of Hughes. To see Mustang shed a tear, and utter "It's a terrible day for rain" just shows how much he cared for him and the effect he had on others. Equally sad is his daughter's naïve reaction, and the genuine tears shed by Armstrong, who is usually over dramatic. To see them cry like they did just breaks my heart.
Cartoons
It's hard to find sad moments in western animated shows, since they are very hesitant to kill a character. But, there are multiple other smaller scenes that are tug at your heartstrings. One of the shows that does this the most is Steven Universe. Within this show, there are many sad moments due to the characters and their confessions to each other. It does a really good job portraying their characters as humane and vulnerable, and that applies to just about every character. The character where this is especially true is Pearl. Pearl, who was basically Rose's bodyguard, is very insecure about her death and Steven's creation- although it is clear she loves Steven. This leads to complicated emotions and touching scenes between her and Steven.
The nature of the relationship between Steven and Rose is equally bittersweet. Rose, a benevolent and loving Crystal Gem, gave her life to create Steven. As a result, they have never met, and Steven only knows of her through other's descriptions and memories. That is, until he finds a video tape that Rose made recording how she fell in love with Greg (Steven's father) and the two had a child. It is a touching scene- it is Steven basically "meeting" his mom. The scene is personal, and it helps illustrate the innocence of Steven and the message of the show; love.
Animated Movies
There are so many sad animated movies, we'd be here all day if I listed them all. Instead, I will sort this into Disney/Pixar and movies not made by Disney/Pixar.
Movies not made by Disney or Pixar
The saddest movies in this category would have to be Grave of the Fireflies, How to Train Your Dragon 2, The Iron Giant, and The Land Before Time. Grave of the Fireflies was a movie about WWII that was just depressing the entire time. The Iron Giant and The Land Before Time have shocking and sad deaths that have really defined their respective movies, but besides for those deaths (The Giant's sacrifice and the death of Littlefoot's mother) the rest of the movies are fairly light-hearted. This is bias speaking, but of those movies, How to Train Your Dragon 2 is the saddest.
This might just be my complete obsession with the franchise, but I bawled like a baby when I saw How to Train Your Dragon 2. There is one scene (sort of two) that clearly stands out as being the saddest, and that would be the death of Stoick the Vast- Chief of Berk, wife of Valka, and father of Hiccup. What makes this death so unbearably sad is the circumstances under which Stoick died. We had spent the entirety of the first movie and t.v. show watching Stoick change his heart about dragons, and go from actively killing them to trusting and befriending them. To then watch this trust unravel as he is killed by none other than Toothless is really shocking. Toothless, who was being brainwashed by the alpha, actually at first attempts to kill Hiccup, his best friend. Stoick then saves Hiccup's life by taking a bullet for him and sacrificing himself to save him. What's worse, it was when we had just seen the long-lost family reunite. The movie itself really helps make this scene even worse by showing Toothless as unknowing of the sorrow he had caused, and Hiccup push him away. We then get the Viking ship burial, set to an absolutely gorgeous piece of music, "Stoick's Ship", as Hiccup fires the arrow and burns the ship. It is heartfelt and shows that this death is permanent.
Disney/Pixar Movies
These two companies just may be the kings of tear-your-heart-out-unbearably-sad movie moments.
Disney
The Lion King- Mufasa's Death. This scene is so recognizable and known for its profound impact on moviegoers, and is still considered to be one of, if not the saddest death in all of Disney. What really makes it sad is Simba's desperate plea for help and not even the chance to say goodbye.
Dumbo- "Baby Mine". While it's true his mom doesn't die, this scene is heartbreaking due to the fact that they are being separated- especially when you consider she was protecting Dumbo and Dumbo is so young.
Big Hero 6- Too many scenes to count! This newer movie has at least three separate moments that will get the waterworks started- Tadashi's death,the videos Tadashi made when prototyping Baymax, and Baymax's Iron Giant-esque sacrifice at the end of the movie. The reason these scenes are so sad is because Tadashi and Hiro are parent less, so when Tadashi dies, Hiro essentially has no immediate family left. This extends into his research, which is why Hiro is so upset when Baymax dies- Baymax was a little part of Tadashi he still had. This same reason is why the video scene is so emotional- much like the video of Steven's mother, it shows the relationship in a different fashion.
The Hunchback of Notre Dame is another really sad movie that is sad due to the premise of the movie. This is especially true during "God Help the Outcasts"- a scene that is sad due to its beautiful message about helping those less fortunate than you.
Pixar
Inside Out- THE ENTIRE MOVIE. This whole movie was just an emotional roller coaster that I counted crying four different times for. The biggest ones come at the end of the movie; when Joyis viewing the memory orbs, Bing Bong's death, and when Riley returns after running away. These scenes are so sad because they show the boundaries of the human personalities and what it is like when your entire world comes crashing down. It also reminds us how fragile we and are childhoods are; teaching us that they will inevitably end.
Up- Ah, the infamous opening scene. This scene is known for being just utterly heartbreaking and tear-jerking. The reason why would be is that we rarely ever see old age in animation, so when it is explored like it is in "Married Life", especially when you consider Carl and Ellie never got to live out their childhood dream, you get a memorable, sad scene, Not to be overlooked, the rest of the movie has merit in terms of making you cry as well; in the scenes "Stuff We Did" and "The Ellie Badge"- really any scene in the movie that involves Ellie. In my opinion, "Stuff We Did" is the saddest, since we get to see more of their life through Ellie's lens, which adds a layer of emotion to the already emotional core.
Monsters, Inc.- This movie, while nobody dies, is still famous for its ending, in which Sulley must say goodbye to Boo, and we see the relationship end. It is particularly bad when Boo opens back up the door only to find her closet, and learns that goodbyes will be forever.
Toy Story 3 is mostly famous for its sad ending, when Andy gives his toys to Bonnie, but I believe that an earlier scene is sadder- the trash incinerator scene. There is no dialogue needed- the music and the toys' expressions say it all: that they know their time has come, and there is no way out. So, in an action that always makes me cry, they join hands and accept their fate together.
Anybody who has seen a cartoon knows that they tend to break the laws of physics quite a bit. They tend to follow the same pattern of what impossibilities they use, as such, a system has been devised according to these tendencies, which has been dubbed 'cartoon physics'. The overlying difference between normal physics and cartoon physics is that cartoon physics are subjective and preferential- they change depending on the circumstances or the person creating the cartoon, meanwhile, normal physics are objective and referential- they can't be changed from thing to thing. Cartoon physics are applied as an artistic license, and are most commonly used for comedic effect. There are some aspects that are extremely common and absolutely hilarious, and that is what I will be discussing.
One of the most frequently-seen properties of cartoon physics is that a character can only be affected by gravity after they notice they should be subject to it. In other words, a character can only fall after they see that the ground isn't under their feet. This is seen a lot in chase scenes, especially with the "bad guy", and is always played for slapstick purposes. The champion of this law, as well as a few others, are Wille E. Coyote and Roadrunner, whose creator even has a set of these "laws" that the animation has to follow. This famous duo is well-known for their antics involving Coyote's consistent failed attempts to catch Roadrunner. These misdoings almost always involve Coyote running off a cliff after Roadrunner, being suspended in air, then falling after he realizes it. This cliche also applies in the sense that a character is able to move midair and grab a much higher ledge. This application was seen in Disney's Peter Pan, when Hook realizes he is midair then moves upward while midair to hook onto the ledge.
Another common law of cartoons is that a street will be totally void of traffic until they step out onto it. This is similar to something that affects, or won't work, for only one character; every other character can use it or is unaffected. This will often be in the form of a running gag. These include the fat man from Lilo and Stich who just can't seem to eat his mint-chip ice cream and George from Monsters, Inc., the orange, fuzzy one-horned monster who always comes into contact with human artifacts. There are also common tendencies in anime that are different from western animation. The most common, and one of the main defining features of the art form, include over-the-top facial expressions and a different, cuter form of character design all together, known as chibi, whenever it is trying to be funny. The characters will become grossly simplified and adorable, and their faces will include certain mood-specific qualities, such as a single tear of sweat for nervousness, sharp teeth for anger/insanity, and a nosebleed for guys who find a girl attractive or occasionally when they are shocked. (If you want an example of this, just watch Soul Eater, that anime goes particularly over-the-top and at some point or another captures all of the expressions anime is known for). A common tendency that is seen in western and eastern animation, as well as in live-action, is the fact that the "bad guys" will have the absolute worse aim. This has been affectionately named "The Stormtrooper Effect", due to the Stormtroopers in the Star Wars franchise being completely incompetent and unable to accurately hit anything, meanwhile the "good guys", even if they have never fired a gun before, will be able to hit everything perfectly. The main reason these tendencies occur is that they are found to be funny and have sort of become a key feature of either western or eastern animation. It is part of the fun of watching a cartoon- since those things can't happen in real life. videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mB8pCopxGXo
Every little girl loves princesses, and none are more famous than those from Disney. What little girl hasn't heard of Cinderella? While society may dismiss Disney princess movies as childish and not-serious, I believe that there are some underlying themes regarding feminism that should be addressed.
There are currently eleven members of the official Disney princess lineup, including Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Pocahontas, Mulan, Tiana, Rapunzel, and Merida. For this post, I will also be including Anna and Elsa of Disney's Frozen.
In the very beginning, during the times of "classic" Disney, the Disney princesses included Snow White, Cinderella, and Aurora. This is where I have the most issue regarding femininity. In their respective movies, especially Snow White and Aurora, these princesses are portrayed as motherly and fragile; almost waiting for the prince to save them. Instead of taking initiative, Snow White and Aurora are unconscious and completely depend on the men to save them. This shows young girls that they need a man to save them- that they are unable to save themselves. Cinderella improves this by actually having her take the action and be developed as a character; but she is still shown as the 'ideal' woman- a housewife.
Moving on to the Disney Renaissance, we have Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Pocahontas, and Mulan. This is where we see Disney try to fix what was clearly wrong with the previous films; they actually flesh out these characters and turn them into the heroines of their respective movies- becoming more empowering as the films advance in time (they are listed in order of the release of their movies), eventually leading to Mulan, who may be one of the most empowered young women of all pop culture.
Mulan was special in that she was the first Disney princess to challenge the gender roles and break that stereotype. She dresses as a man, fights for the men she cares about (her father, but later Shang), and perseveres to accomplish anything, even if the odds are stacked against her. She continues the 'saving the man' idea that Pocahontas started (props for Pocahontas) and all-in-all shows society what a women can do.
The most recent Disney princesses, using Pocahontasand Mulan as examples, are excellent role models; a huge step up from their classic predecessors. Rapunzel from Tangled is brimming with personality and energy- in a way that makes her a lot like young girls. She is also creative and outgoing, both excellent traits to possess, and she won't let Mother Gothel control her- taking action against her and standing up for Flynn and herself. She even gets the benefit of saving the man.
Tiana, the protagonist of "The Princess and the Frog", is possibly the best role model of all of the Disney princesses. She, unlike the other princesses, believes that the only way to accomplish your dreams is through hard work and perseverance. Her dreams of opening a flourishing restaurant are only realized after she works hard for them. She even criticizes Naveen for not working, and inspires him to do so. She shows that through hard work, even the poorest of the poor can achieve their dreams.
Merida is about the most stubborn character I have ever seen in a movie. She won't let people tell her what to do, or how to act, or who to marry. One might say her life motto is 'I'm an independent women who don't need no man'. In fact, she is one of the only Disney princesses who aren't married. Instead, she lives life as she sees fit and marches to the beat of her own drum. She is a great influence on young girls, teaching them to be strong and independent.
Lastly, Anna and Elsa of Frozen are also good characters. Anna is very similar to Rapunzel, but gets props for punching Hans in the face when he was a jerk. Elsa, on the other hand, is very unique and realistic in her portrayal of insecurity. Everyone has their fears, their insecurities, their battles- but it is those that overcome them that are truly strong. Elsa shows this in Frozen. Also, she has no plot involving a romantic relationship with a man, and she even prevents Anna from marrying too early. While Frozen may not directly be testing cultural limits like Pocahontas, Mulan, or Brave did, it did portray women in a position of strength and independence, and that is what little girls need to see.
The reason why the movies are like this most likely stems from the time at which they were released. Women in history were almost always inferior to men, and as the years go on, that has changed, even in the smaller year differences, like the hundred-year time frame these Disney movies are situated in. As society changed, the movies changed, so as women became more independent and empowered, Disney princesses did the same.
Watch the video before you read the post; that way the post will make a lot more sense and there
won't be any spoilers.
"Missing Halloween" is a short animation I found on YouTube. It is about a young boy who goes out trick-or-treating with a young girl. As the story progresses, we learn that nobody but the boy can see the girl, and this makes him confused. When he returns home, he is given the diagnosis of an imaginary friend. This seems innocent enough, but at one point the boy follows the girl past a fence labeled "danger", where we see a multitude of animal traps scattered about a forest. The boy, trying to keep up with his 'friend', missteps and the screen goes white. It then cuts to a scene where the boy finds the girl sitting beneath a tree in a clearing, and sits down beside her. When the animation resumes, a police squadron is looking for the boy and they come across him. What's creepy is he is found sitting next to a decaying corpse- the corpse of the girl he 'befriended', who had gone missing.
This animation is both charming and disturbing. When it begins, the audience is drawn into the simplistic, adorable character designs and black-and-white coloration, as well as the warm, inviting feel of the animation style. It feels almost like watching a memory or silent film. Speaking of silent, the entire film, up until the ending, is silent, with only the calming, hypnotic background music filling the silence. The ending, though, has speaking, albeit very little and not entirely comprehensible. It also has sound effects but lacks the soundtrack used earlier. In my opinion, this was done intentionally. As the entire story except the ending is seen through the point of view of an imaginative, energy, and lonely young boy, the beginning is done so we feel like we are watching a memory or a story that perhaps the boy himself came up with. It feels very much nostalgic and hazy, as if it were meant to be up to various interpretations. The ending, on the other hand, plays out as we would see it in real life; with sound effects, speech, and without background music. It is told from the point of view of adults. By portraying the ending in such a manner, they contrast the difference between the two and label the beginning as a fantasy and the ending as the unwanted reality.
My personal interpretation of the animation is that the girl is dead and that the boy is dying. Since nobody can see the girl, she must be a ghost, but the boy can still see and interact with her, so he isn't entirely human (or he has some unseen ability to interact with the dead). Plus, throughout the animation, he has a mobile devil tail, but only in the present Halloween, so his current state is only recent. Devils are usually interpreted as a symbol or beacon of death, so the boy is dying. But because he is still seen by everybody else, and still shows up on film, he is not dead yet. The girl is shown to be dead; her corpse is rotting and only the boy can see her ghost.
I believe that the girl is lonely and wants a friend, so she tries to lead the boy into the traps in hopes he dies- the same way she died. The candy wrappers that are shared between the two always read 'you found me' for the girl, which means that she was waiting a while for a friend, and her corpse shows this as well- it has begun to decompose and has maggots and flies. The boy, who is oblivious to the fact she is dead, is also lonely, so a friend, even if nobody else can see them, is very appreciated. In the end, when he catches up with the girl and sits down beside her beneath the tree, his candy wrapper reads 'I found you' and hers, like always, reads 'you found me'. Even though these actions ultimately killed him, the boy found a friend in the girl and the girl found a friend in the boy.
Overall, this is a very well-done and thought-provoking animated gem, and despite its bittersweet ending, you will fall in love with it.
"Dumb Ways to Die" is an Australian PSA (Public Safety Announcement) for train safety that was popular a couple years ago after the animation was made and it went viral on various forms of social media. It gained massive popularity due to its uniqueness; no one had and probably ever will again see a PSA of this nature.
This video was so popular it spawned an app version, where you have to try and successfully do things that the characters in the video died from. It is addictive and entertaining, albeit simplistic, and was downloaded by millions. There were even spoofs of "Dumb Ways to Die" made (most of them inappropriate) as well as followups by the original company, most of them themed around holidays. It even has an online store!
Why did this video grow as popular as it did? I believe it was due to its 'cute' portrayal of death and catchy song. All of the characters are strangely adorable and the ways they die are just so, shall I say, dumb, that it is almost laughable. It is so happy and upbeat for a song about dying, and that is charming and disturbing. It is something that you feel guilty about liking so much. You feel that you should hate it, but you can't.
The fact that it is animated also helps achieve its horrific charming quality. When something is animated, society generally tends to think of it as meant for children and less serious than something live action. While I would usually disagree with that, it is true in this case. Because the video is basically an adorable animated song, we can't help but love it, even if it is about death.
This post will contain spoilers for Over the Garden Wall. Over the Garden Wall is a Cartoon Network miniseries about two brothers, Wirt and Gregory, who are lost in a forest known as The Unknown and are trying to get back home. It is short; with only ten chapters- each chapter timing in at eleven minutes long. This is a dark and eerie show that keeps you guessing, has plot twists that truly surprise the audience, mature underlying themes, and metaphorical aspects. It is a work of art. The show also has a strange narrative that starts off in the middle of the story then works forwards and backwards as we simultaneously learn the ending and the beginning of the story, the motivations behind characters, and how the strange world that Over the Garden Wall sets up for us operates. Similarly, it has an ending that ends once it tells the story; leaving some material and unanswered questions up to the audience's interpretation and debate. It leaves the audience wanting more. While that is annoying, it is interesting and helps to fully immerse the audience in the universe. My interpretation is a metaphorical one. The Unknown I believe represents a transitional state between life and death, where the individual's actions determine whether or not they return to life or go to Heaven or Hell (death). The closest thing to describe this would be Bardo, which can be learned about here. It could also be a form of Purgatory or Limbo. There is a plethora of evidence to support this interpretation. For starters, there are the final two episodes, which show the start (episode 9) and the ending (episode 10) of the story. The story starts on Halloween night, and at one point, Wirt and Greg end up jumping over the garden wall (hence the title) in the cemetery to avoid getting caught by a policeman, who was really just playing a joke on them. Over the wall, Greg and Wirt are arguing when they see an approaching light and hear a whistle. Realizing they are on a train track, they narrowly escape the train and tumble down the surrounding hill into a lake. It is heavily implied that they drown; this scene ends with them sinking deeper and blacking out. In the next scene, the brothers awaken in the Unknown. Then, in the last episode, the story is resumed and we see Wirt awaken in the water and pull Greg out of the lake, then both of them collapse. Later, they awaken in a hospital. This underlying story implies that everything took place while Greg and Wirt were unconscious or in a coma. But, the frog's belly glows when Greg shakes him, just like it did in episode 7 "The Ringing of the Bell", due to him eating the bell. This means that everything that happened in the Unknown was real; that it wasn't just a coma or a hallucination. Meanwhile, the theory that they are stuck between Life and Death works with this. Also, when Greg and Wirt are in the Unknown, they are lost; which is another way of saying they need to find the correct way, which would be Life. The Beast would represent Death or the Devil. His goal throughout the series is to draw children in to turn them into edelwood trees, which he needs to fuel the Dark Lantern, which contains his soul. He sings the song "Come Wayward Songs" (video) to help draw them in. These are the lyrics:
Come wayward Souls, Who wander through the darkness, There is a light for the lost and the meek. Sorrow and fear, Are easily forgotten, When you submit to the soil of the earth. This song supports that the Beast is the Devil or Death. The line "When you submit to the soil of the earth" is a reference to dying, and since it is in the context that doing so will bring salvation and relief, the Beast is literally attempting to make them die, and not just die, go to Hell. If the Beast is Hell, then the Unknown would be Heaven after the Beast is defeated. When the Beast dies in the series, it seems as if instantly the characters that Greg and Wirt meet in the Unknown are relieved of their problems and are at peace (seen in the ending, which is the video). The Woodsman, who was under the belief that the Dark Lantern contains his daughter's soul, no longer has to keep the lantern burning and is reunited with his daughter. Beatrice, who was responsible for turning her entire family and herself into bluebirds, is turned back into a human along with her family, and is shown to be infinitely happier. Before the Beast is defeated, they are living in a state of unrest and after he is defeated, their worries are gone and they are living happily without a worry. This is similar to the classic interpretation of Heaven and Hell, where in Hell Souls are unhappy and seem to be awaiting something, and in Heaven, are happy and care-free. Another important thing to note is that when Greg and Wirt are there, it is autumn, and when they leave, it is winter. Autumn is seen as a season of unrest and change, a sort of in-between stage, meanwhile winter is peaceful, serene, and often happy. Winter represents Heaven, and Fall is the stage in between Life and Death. Finally, while this may be really exact, at one point in episode 9, Wirt and Beatrice have a conversation. Beatrice says to Wirt "You'll be no good to your brother dead". Wirt then replies and says "I was never any good to him alive, either". By using the word was, which is past tense, Wirt directly states that he is not living. But, Beatrice states he isn't dead. If Wirt can't be living, and isn't dead, what is he? He is in between the two, where depending on his actions he either dies or goes back to the living. Plus, the creators originally planned to have the Unknown be named 'the In-Between'. In conclusion, Wirt and Greg are in between Life and Death, and since they choose to not submit to the Beast, are sent back to the world of the living, and the characters in the Unknown are transported to Heaven since the Beast, which is Hell, perishes.
An easter egg is a reference to another work, a hidden message, or an inside joke that appears in a movie or show. They can also occur in video games, and Google has been known to incorporate them as well (try searching 'zerg rush' on Google). While these can occur in live action, they are much more numerous and well-known for their occurrences in animation.
One of the most famous studios for easter eggs is Pixar. In every single one of their movies, they leave hints, allusions, objects, and references to their other movies or to a gag that appears throughout all or most of their movies. There are so many of them in Pixar's movies that a fan formulated a theory where all the Pixar movies take place on the same timeline, and that they are all intertwined together through the same overlapping plot. They use these easter eggs as evidence to support this theory.
The scene that is perhaps the easiest to see these easter eggs in is in the movie Monsters, Inc., near the end when Sulley is saying goodbye to Boo. In Boo's room, we can see multiple easter eggs in the toys that she owns. Take a look at the video around 1:15-1:20. She owns three toys that may look familiar; a certain clown fish, a cowgirl doll, and a ball (more on that later). It's Nemo from Finding Nemo and Jessie from the Toy Story franchise! Monsters, Inc. came out in 2001, while Finding Nemo was released in 2003. Nemo was seen two years before Finding Nemo! This reveals a couple things about Pixar; one, their movies take a long time to make, and two, they like to put references to future movies in their movies.
Another instance of a Pixar movie foreshadowing a future movie is in Finding Nemo. In the scene when Darla is getting her dentist appointment, a young boy can be seen outside in the waiting area, reading a comic book. That comic book, while it is hard to see, is of Mr, Incredible, the protagonist of The Incredibles. As mentioned earlier, Finding Nemo came out in 2003. The Incredibles came out a year later in 2004. There are other easter eggs in Finding Nemo, especially in the dentist's office. We can see Buzz Lightyear from the Toy Story franchise in the toy box when Nemo is first put in the tank.
Inside Out, Pixar's newest released film, is no exception. Their short films aren't either. When Riley and her family are driving to San Fransisco, you can see the birds from the short film "For the Birds" perched on the phone line (these can also be seen during the "Life is a Highway" scene in Pixar's Cars). On the way there, the family stops at a dinosaur sculpture, which could possibly be a reference to Pixar's upcoming film, The Good Dinosaur. When the family first arrives at their new home they find a rat. Look closely at the rat- it looks an awfully lot like Remy, the protagonist of Ratatouille. When Riley goes to school, we can see a girl that is wearing a skull shirt that looks a lot like Sid's from the Toy Story franchise. Inside Riley's head, check her memory orbs- they contain a lot of references. One of them includes a playground that looks very similar to the one at Sunnyside Daycare in Toy Story 3. Also, one of my personal favorite easter eggs, one of the orbs contains clips from the "Married Life" scene in Up. Another one of my favorites, check the games in Imagination Land- one of them has a picture of a clown fish that says 'Find Me'- a reference to Finding Nemo.
Secret numbers, pizza trucks, and yellow balls?
Every avid Pixar fan knows of three things that appear in almost every single Pixar movie: A113, the Pizza Planet truck, and the Luxo ball.
The Pizza Planet truck is an actual part of the Toy Story franchise, but it appears in every single other Pixar movie except for The Incredibles.
In A Bug's Life and Monsters, Inc. it appears alongside another easter egg. In both movies, there are mobile trailer homes, and this trailer is the same in both movies. Parked beside both of these trailers is the Pizza Planet truck.
In Finding Nemo it drives by as Gill is explaining his escape plan. It's quick and easy to miss.
In the Cars franchise, it appears in anthropomorphic form, like the rest of the cars. In the first movie, it appears at the Los Angeles International Speedway, where the final race takes place. In the sequel, it is spotted at the Radiator Springs Grand Prix.
It is particularly hard to notice in Ratatouille, where it briefly makes an appearance on the bridge in the scooter chase scene.
It appears three times in Up, two of the three when Carl is traveling to Paradise Falls and the last when he and Russell are eating ice cream at the end of the movie.
Eve scans under its hood in WALL-E when she is searching for life at beginning of the movie.
The creators of Inside Out have stated it makes an appearance three times, though it is very hard to see. I have yet to find it.
In Monsters University it is parked by the Jaws Theta Chi fraternity house during the party.
The trailer and truck in A Bug's Life
My personal favorite, in Brave it appears as a wood carving in the witch's cottage. (Sulley also appears as a carving there as well!)
The trailer and truck in Monsters, Inc.
The iconic toy Luxo ball first appeared in the short film "Luxo Jr.", and since then has made appearances in many of Pixar's movies and short films It is considered to be one of the symbols of Pixar, and has even been Incorporated into their logo. I mentioned early that it appears in Monsters, Inc. as one of Boo's toys, but it also appears in Andy's (the owner of the toys) room in the Toy Story movies. It also makes appearances in Up, Finding Nemo, and other full-length movies, as well as the short films "Jack Jack Attacks" and "Red's Dream".
The Luxo ball
Room A113 at Calarts
My all-time favorite easter egg is actually a number, A113, which appears in nearly every Pixar movie, and even some Disney movies and live action movies. This message is an inside joke of sorts among Pixar employees, and represents a room at the California Institute of the Arts, or Calarts, which is a college that was founded by Disney that nearly all, if not all, of Pixar's animators attended.
In the Toy Story franchise, it is Andy's mom's license plate number.
It is written on the side of a box in the city in A Bug's Life.
I have yet to find it in Monsters, Inc.
In The Incredibles it is the holding cell of Mr. Incredible. While not directly stated together, he is shown to be on level A1, cell 13. You can see this when Helen infiltrates the base to find Mr. Incredible.
It's the model number of the diver's camera in Finding Nemo. You can see this when Nemo is kidnapped by the divers.
The train that Lightning McQueen outruns in Cars has A113 written on the side. This is seen when McQueen gets lost at night, just before he first arrives at Radiator Springs.
In Ratatouille, one of the rats has a yellow tag on his ear that reads A113.
It is very easily seen in WALL-E; it is the alert code that Earth is too contaminated to return to, and is portrayed on Auto. This is also the first instance to date that the code has plot significance.
It is the number of the courtroom that Carl has his court summons to after he injures the construction worker in the beginning of Up.
A113 is the number of the lecture hall in Monsters University where Mike and Sulley have their first class.
In Cars 2, it is on Mater's license plate.
It is written in Roman numerals above the witch's door inside the cottage in Brave.
In Inside Out, when Riley is running away and just about to board the bus towards the end of the movie, A113 can be seen in graffiti on the side of a building.
There are many more easter eggs in the Pixar movies that I didn't talk about; see if you can spot them all! (A hint; there are a lot in the Toy Story franchise). While these don't serve any significance in the movies' plots (except for A113 in WALL-E), they are fun to search for. Animators are creative people, and they like to show that in their movies, and one of the ways they do this is through easter eggs.
People love carving various characters into their jack-o-lanterns. I know this is a little late for this Halloween, but I will be teaching you how to carve the beloved Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland.
For this design, you should pick a pumpkin that is wider and shorter with smooth skin. Beyond that, there isn't any specific pumpkin that you need.
Step 2: Getting supplies/preparing the pumpkin
pumpkin carving kit
For this carving, you will need a serrated knife or pumpkin carving knife, a smooth, non-serrated knife, a black marker, a pumpkin scraper (this can be found in pumpkin carving kits), an ice cream scooper, and a good couple hours of patience.
Prepare this pumpkin just like you would any other carving pumpkin; by gutting the pumpkin and scraping it clean. Use a scraper and ice cream scoop to do this, removing the large inner clumps first then scraping the sides of the inside of the pumpkin with a scraper. Wipe off the pumpkin to get any seeds and innards off and clear your slate.
At this point, you will need the stencil I have pictured. Use an exact-o knife to cut out the black parts on the stencil. DON'T CUT THE GREY. If you cut the grey, the entire tail will fall apart. I recommend putting the paper on a cutting board to avoid damaging the surface of whatever you are placing the stencil on top of.
Once you have the stencil prepared, place it on the pumpkin and color in the stuff that was cut out with the black marker. You are now ready to carve.
Step 4: Carving
The easiest part to start carving is the tail. When you cut out the black marked chunks, be sure to cut them fully and smoothly, using a serrated knife or pumpkin carving knife to do so. Work your way down the tail, carving out each and every black chunk. Once the tail is done, start the face; I started with the ears and eyes since they are easier. When carving them, use smaller cuts and make sure to get all the way through the pumpkin, or they won't be seen. After that, carve the mouth, using even smaller, shorter cuts, one for each line. It is extremely crucial to make sure the cut goes all the way through and is clean, otherwise the mouth, which is arguably the most important part of the Cheshire Cat, will be invisible.
Step 5: Finishing the tail*
*This step is more complicated and can be skipped if needed.
The finished tail
After all of the black patches are cut out, switch to the smooth-bladed, non-serrated knife. At this point you will be removing small patches of the pumpkin's skin and not actually carving into it. I highly recommend testing it out on the other side of the pumpkin. Turn the pumpkin around so the design is away from you. Hold the knife so it is lying flat against the pumpkin on its side, angled slightly upwards. Then, pull the knife towards you. BE CAREFUL. If you pull too hard, you could cut through the pumpkin or hurt yourself. Once you are able to successfully able to remove the skin, turn the pumpkin back around so the design is facing you.
You are now going to remove the skin on the grey colored patches in the tail, in between the black, cut-out patches. Using the same technique as before, carefully scrap off the skin using the smooth knife in those patches. It was easier for me to start on the edges of the carved parts; it provides a nice, easy starting point. When you are done, there should be an alternating pattern of lightly-colored and cut out patches forming the tail.
Step 6: Finishing the pumpkin
My pumpkin
At this point, you should test the pumpkin to make sure the carving is complete. To do so, turn off the lights and shine a flashlight from the middle. If you have done the carving correctly, all of the cuts should appear clean and, if you scrapped the skin off the tail, the tail should be lighter colored then the rest of the pumpkin. If any part of the carving appears dirty or ragged, use the non-serrated knife to smooth out the insides of the cut.
Once you are satisfied, remove the flashlight and place the candle inside, like you would with a normal jack-o-lantern. Turn off the lights, and admire your Cheshire Cat pumpkin!
