The Life of Death

It must be a lonely existence, being death – and although this topic has been covered in numerous films and TV shows, I really think it’s worth your while watching this touching animated short by Marsha Onderstijn.  Death is ever-present in the forest but he is halted in his tracks by the exquisite beauty of a young deer.  A tentative friendship ensues but can death ever escape his nature?

The Temples of Angkor: A Glidecam Tour

New York based videographer, cinematographer, photographer and editor Tyler Fairbank shot this over three days during a trip to Siem Reap, Cambodia. He and his companions visited the temples and ruins of Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Bayon, Preah Khan, Ta Prohm, Banteay Kdei, Ta Keo, Banteay Srey, and Thommanom. Thanks to glidecam technology he was able to shoot and edict this visually stunning piece of film.  Enjoy!

Alberobello – Hobbiton on the Mediterranean

One glance at the Italian village of Alberobello and you know that you have stumbled across something unique.

Neat rows of whitewashed dwellings like something out of a fairy-tale.

It is almost as if the Hobbits of Middle-earth had set up a Mediterranean colony.

Image Credit Flickr User Loriszec

Image Credit Flickr User Cinzia A Rizzo

These strange but charming dwellings are known as trulli.  They are built without using mortar, part of a drywall culture of construction which predates written history in this part of Italy.  Many of the trulli pictured here are around six hundred years ago – the large slabs of limestone from which they are built was gathered from fields in the area.

The Old New World

Take a trip to times past in a steampunk time machine.  This amazing animation has been created with Camera projection based on photos.  The result is something wonderful – if eerie – as the past comes to life in front of your eyes.

A number of the large cities of the New World are included here, including New York, Washington and Boston.  Just wonderful!

My Stuffed Granny

Little Sofía loves her grumpy granny: even though she is always hungry and eats what little food they can buy. Her pension is the only thing keeping her and her father alive. To what extremes will they go to once granny is no more?

My Stuffed Granny is based on a story by Nina Kouletakis and directed and narrated by the wonderfully named Effie Pappa.

FACTORY293

The Second World War is raging and in the blizzard struck hinterlands of the USSR Factory 293 is in trouble.  An inspection is due and the power has just gone out but that is just the start of the day’s difficulties for war-hero Grigori and his female workforce.

Written and directed by Roderick Mackay for Meaning Maker and Digital Media Arts, you may not believe this but FACTORY293 was filmed entirely in the much sunnier climes of Perth, Western Australia.  Yet although this is surprising in itself the strength of the film lies in its direction and the wonderful performances of the actors, particularly its stand-out leads Lizzie Schebesta and Myles Pollard.

Metrolapse: The Beautiful Metro Stations of Naples

Naples is associated, primarily, with things other than its metro stations.  This is hardly surprising when you consider that this city of almost a million people has an almost 3,000 year history.  Yet they should not go unremarked and neither are they.  Here, Andrea Buonocore takes us on a tour of these architecturally rich stations which put those of much more populous cities somewhat to shame!

Monkey Symphony

Planet of the Apes this ain’t.  Or maybe it is – it’s all about timelines, after all.  Two talented chimpanzee pianists are forced to go their separate ways but years later their paths cross again.

This enjoyable animated short was created by a group of very talented students at ESMA, the world renowned graduate art school in Montpelier, France.

Baxter

Baxter likes candy.  No wait.  Baxter loves candy.  So when he sees Granny’s Candy Shop one evening he can’t resist going in.

Yet once in a while a stronger obsession of his takes over from his desire for candy.  Written and directed by Ty Coyle, Baxter was a collaborative project created at the Savannah College of Art and Design. 

Paper Marbling: This is How to Do It

Filmmaker Oguz Uygur is a very lucky man.  He has incredibly talented parents who practice the art of paper marbling. This is a method of aqueous surface design, which can produce patterns similar to smooth marble or other stone.  It is intricate work and is simply fascinating to watch from beginning to end.  Watching this does not make me want to rush out and start studying the ancient art of Ebru, however, as it just looks horribly difficult and I do not have the patience of a saint!

The Kalash – The White Tribe of Pakistan

In the mountains of the Hindu Kush in Pakistan, six thousand or so people live who look and sound very different from their neighbors.  They claim to have lived in the area for thousands of years and they look to all intents and purposes, European. 

Image Credit Saad Sarfraz

Image Credit Flickr User Manalahmadkhan

Star Stuff – Inspired by the Life of Carl Sagan

This is really something rather special and will give you goosebumps if like me you have only fond memories for the work of Carl Sagan and his great contribution to humanity.  Here you get the opportunity to watch Sagan as a child, developing his curious mind and the questions he would ask throughout his life.  

Star Stuff was written and directed by Ratimir Rakuljic.

Woody

Have you ever wanted to be something but know it will never happen no matter how hard you try?  Well, spare a thought for Woody.  He has always wanted to be an acclaimed pianist.  There’s just one thing holding him back – he has wooden panels for hands. This makes him ideal for one certain job but it doesn’t stop him from dreaming. Unfortunately, as he discovers in this wonderful animated short by Stuart Bowen, dreams can quickly turn to nightmares.

The Uses of Envy

Were you ever told off as a child for being envious of someone else? Whether you coveted their wealth, good looks or animal magnetism, envy is something that is generally frowned upon.  In fact a certain book places it in the top seven of sins which might prove fatal.  Yet Alan de Botton has a little something to add to the debate and together with great animation from Lara Lee and Hannah Jacobs and narration from Anna Martine you have to admit one thing – he has a point.

Meenakshi Amman Temple – India’s Dazzling Shrine Saturated with Statues

The city of Madurai in the South Eastern Indian state of Tamil Nadu is one of the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world and has been a functioning metropolis for over two thousand years.

At its heart lies something extraordinary – a temple to the Hindu Goddess Parvati and her husband consort, Shiva. 

Image Credit Flickr User WarpEd

The Story of Zero

Is zero a number or not? Yes it is but the debate has raged for centuries. This very educational and informative (as well as entertaining – a hard trick to pull off) video by the Royal Institution gives us a potted history of zero from the times it eluded capture (metaphorically) up to today where it is pivotal in most if not all of the mathematical breakthroughs of the last 50 years.  It was animated by Andrew Khosravani.

The Beauty of Lofoten

If you are a regular reader of Kuriositas then you will already know that Lofoten is one of our favorite places in the entire universe not only because of its outstanding beauty but because it really shouldn’t be there.  However, thanks to a weather anomaly it is and Dennis Schmelz was lucky enough to visit northern Norway to capture its almost unspeakable beauty from the air. The result is jaw-slackingly gorgeous.

The Honduran White Bat

No, they’re not mutant hamsters although you might (just might) be forgiven for thinking that. It’s a rare beasty called the Honduran White Bat and is found only in handful of Central American countries.  It’s not albinism either; the species has evolved its white fur as a form of camouflage. You may think that would warrant inclusion in this year’s Darwin Awards, rainforests being predominantly green, but the Ark in Space website has the answers.

Image Credit Flickr User Wanjah Krah

Beyond – Action Adventure Short

Fancy a Spielbergian adventure movie but only have ten minutes to spare? Then try Beyond – it has all the required elements but has the additional attraction of being quite brief on its side too.  Written and directed by Jeremy Haccoun, the short film centers on young Leo. When a rock fall traps his parents inside a burning car, he must find the hero within him in order to save their lives...

Fact about the Flu Vaccine you Need to Know

Are you thinking of having a flu jab?  There are many myths around the flu vaccine and the side effects it can cause – in fact around its efficacy in general.  Questions like whether the vaccine damages your immune system or even gives you the flu, how long the virus is effective for, what age groups are affected by flu and whether antibiotics can treat the flu are answered in this short video created by We Are Formation.

Jabuticaba – The Tree that Fruits on its Trunk

No, this is not a belated April Fool’s prank. They look as if they may have been pinned there by an over enthusiastic gardener to impress the neighbors but the fruit of the Jabuticaba really does grow off the trunk of the tree.

Image Credit Flickr User Pedro Bezerra

Otherwise known as the Brazilian Grape Tree (Plinia cauliflora), this plant is native to South America, notably Paraguay, Argentina and (obviously from its name) mostly from Brazil.  The fruit, a succulent looking purple color can be plucked and eaten straight from the tree.

Dancing on Air: When Indoor-Skydiving becomes Ballet

This is quite incredible to watch.  Professional dancer Inka Tiitto just happens to be a champion indoor skydiver too.  However, at some point she decided that to combine the two was a great idea.

She is right – it is – and she is something to behold as she seemingly effortlessly counters high speeds of up to 180mph.  However, when you watch this you realise that her hope – that indoor skydiving can evolve in to a performing art – is not unrealistic.  Can you imagine Swan Lake being recreated like this?  This video was created by Great Big Story.