Pineapple Fields Forever

The pineapple: we eat them fresh, cooked, juiced, and preserved but probably with little thought about where they come from or how, in fact, they grow.  So, the often vast plantations on which the fruit is propagated can be something of a revelation. Welcome to the world of the pineapple.

Image Credit jpphoto

Cosmic Fling: A Charming Animated Short About a Lonely Space Garbage Man

Cosmic Fling is an unexpected delight.  We don't often get to see new animated stories told with marionettes. It tells the story of an average down-to-earth garbage man. Well, not quite. Stan works in outer space – and it’s his job to clear up the mess that humans (inevitably) leave behind. If you think that’s far fetched, read our article about lunar leftovers to see how the moon became a trash can (and why the future might see jobs like this created).  Poor old Stan ekes out his existence harpooning space debris – and that’s what he uses for sustenance too.  Whether he has done something heinous to deserver this, we are never told, but I think that Stan simply thought the job seemed like a good idea at the time…

Regardless of how Stan ended up on his lonely satellite, what he really misses is company – and what he longs for is love.  So, when Beatrice turns up on a comet, he is smitten.  Yet all too soon, she is whisked away and Stan must wait until she returns to try and win her heart. Comets always come back, don’t they?  You have probably guessed the answer to that (if you didn’t already know), but this lovely animated short, directed by Jonathan Langager and written in partnership with Ali Scher, shows that if nothing else, love springs eternal.

Cosmic Fling won the Bruce Corwin Award for Best Animated Short Film at the 35th Santa Barbara International Film Festival, which took place in 2020.  And here it is finally on YouTube. Watch it below.

The War Drums Have Begun: Fans Love House of the Dragon's New Season 3 Opening Title Sequence

If the comments beneath HBO Max's newly released House of the Dragon Season 3 opening credits are anything to go by, viewers are more excited than ever to return to Westeros. The overwhelming reaction? Those drums.

Hundreds of fans singled out the newly enhanced opening theme, with its thunderous percussion giving the familiar melody a much darker, more militaristic feel. "The drums of war" became the phrase repeated, with many commenters saying the change perfectly signals that the long-awaited Dance of the Dragons has finally erupted into full-scale conflict.

One fan joked that the composer must have been asked, "How many drums do we need?" before replying with a single word: "Dracarys." The updated music has also stirred quite a bit of nostalgia – if that’s quite the right word; I suppose it is, considering Game of Thrones was first shown in 2011. For many, hearing the iconic theme instantly transported them back a decade to the original, proving that Ramin Djawadi's unforgettable score still packs an emotional punch.

The visuals received almost as much praise. Viewers admired the animated tapestry, describing it as a striking retelling of the rise and fall of House Targaryen. Several commented that the opening sequence feels less like television credits and more like a living history book charting the destruction of an empire.  It's all very Bayeux on acid,

Of course, eagle-eyed fans also spotted a few details that sparked debate. The appearance of the Blackfyre sigil prompted plenty of speculation about its symbolic meaning, while others questioned whether it was an intentional piece of foreshadowing or simply a production mistake.

Despite a handful of criticisms - including complaints from some book readers about changes from George R. R. Martin's source material - the mood about these titles is overwhelmingly positive. Many called the premiere "epic", "brutal" and "visually arresting", while others declared, "We're so back."

If fan reactions are any indication, Season 3 has struck exactly the right note: louder, darker and ready for war.  Watch House of the Dragon's new Season 3 opening below.

The Proclaimers - You May Offend - A Blunt Conversation Under a Spotlight

The Proclaimers’ new single “You May Offend” arrives like a blunt conversation held under a spotlight.  It is part protest song, part philosophical provocation – and it’s aimed squarely at… all of us. Delivered with the duo’s unmistakable vocal delivery (and a beautiful arrangement), it’s a song that wants to be heard clearly, even when what it is saying might make the listener uncomfortable. This is songwriting of the highest quality - it gets in, delivers its message, and gets out.  The message is one designed to make us all reflect - this is grown-up pop music.

Lyrically, it sketches a world where expression is both inevitable and dangerous. The repeated idea that “as you breathe, as you grow… you may offend” frames speech as something that cannot be neatly sanitised without consequence – as, perhaps it always has been. Set against the accompanying visual concept of omnipresent “listening machines” and anonymous operators scanning for “dangerous thoughts,” the song extends its argument into a broader dystopian allegory: a society where tolerance becomes conditional and surveillance extends beyond behaviour into intent. The chorus, invoking tolerance as a “street that runs both ways,” captures the song’s central tension.  It is a demand for reciprocal openness that sits uneasily alongside its own awareness of social friction.  But it tells us to prepare ourselves to offend – and infers that it is even a necessary part of personal growth.  It's almost like a father telling a child don't suffer fools gladly, just for the sake of being nice.  Who the fools are - well that's up to you to decide.

Ultimately, “You May Offend” feels like The Proclaimers leaning into confrontation as an artistic choice. It is not interested in neutrality; it is interested in the uneasy space where speech, interpretation, and consequence collide. Whether you agree with its premise or not, it is difficult to ignore - and that, perhaps, is exactly the point.  Watch the video for "You May Offend" below.

Lisbon's Legendary Tram 28. No brakes. A baby. One wild ride - Animated Short

Lisbon is a beautiful city but comes with its own peculiar dangers – as you are about to discover through the eyes of a pair of hapless German tourists.  We can see that Helga is the one in charge – or certainly the one who is invested in the holiday a little more than Hans, who is more interested in his car magazine than taking in the scenery. And it is some scenery.  Their chosen vehicle to see the sites is Tram 28 (known locally as Eléctrico 28E), probably the Portuguese capital's most famous form of transport. More than just a tram, it's a moving piece of history that rattles through some of the city's oldest and most picturesque neighbourhoods.  Little do the tourists know that they are about to participate in a history update (as it were), as the tram is about to embark on its most infamous journey - and it's going to take them along for the ride..

I won’t tell you how the tram becomes driverless. I won’t tell you how the brakes fail. I won’t tell you how the tourists suddenly find themselves responsible for a mono-browed pequeno lisboeta. I kid you not.

What I will tell you is that Helga and Hans (sorry, made these names up!) are about to have the ride of their life – and perhaps, in doing so, might rekindle the flames of their relationship.  o28 is a thrill a minute – in some ways reminiscent of cartoons of yore where vehicles suddenly lose control and the laws of physics are completely and utterly ignored until things – one way or another – resolve themselves.  In this instance, we’re taken on what can only be described as a roller coaster ride through the picturesque streets of Lisbon, with danger lurking at every corner (literally).

There are some lovely touches here – I loved the “World’s Greatest Driver” mug in the cab, the little heart-shaped contrail a plane makes, and the fact that the beautiful red Ferrari(esque) sportscar the tram looks like it will hit at one point is exactly the same as the one on the cover of Hans’ car magazine.  I also loved the way that o bebé lisboeta blithely enjoys the whole experience, even turning momentarily into Cupid at one point..

This is an animation that you will want to see through the end (and into the credits where we’re given some little Easter eggs too).  Well done to the Rubika students who produced this magnificent, thrilling and very funny animated short.  They are Otalia Causse, Geoffroy Collin, Louise Grardel, Antoine Marchand, Robin Merle, and Fabien Meyran (direction), Cyrille Marchesseau and David Gana (music) with sound and mixing by Alexandre Jaclain and Kamal Ouazène.  What a spectacular showcase for their professional strengths.  I have enjoyed all of this year's Rubika thesis films, especially Yalla, Apocalypse Dog and Sur Mesure, but if I had to stand up and be counted, I would have to say that this was my favorite so far.  Watch o28 below.

Cruz Beckham's Wear You Down Review: I Love the Song, But What Is It About?

I will give Cruz Beckham 6 out of 10 for his attempt at moonwalking in this video for his latest single Wear & Tear.  It was a brave decision but didn’t quite hit the heights. However, I will give the song itself a healthy 9 out of 10.  So, there’s my jukebox jury for the song – even though his legion of fans would probably be indignant at the fact that I haven’t awarded it the perfect ten.

I must admit that Cruz Beckham's Wear You Down leaves me completely bewildered. I've listened to it more than once, but I'm still none the wiser as to what it's about. Is it describing a toxic relationship, addiction, fame, an intrusive inner voice, or something else entirely? One moment the narrator is offering someone the world in exchange for their name, the next claiming to be "the blood in your veins" before repeatedly declaring, "I wanna wear you down." It's certainly atmospheric and undeniably dramatic, but whether there's a hidden meaning or simply a collection of evocative phrases is anyone's guess. Perhaps I'm missing something obvious. Or perhaps the beauty of the song lies in the fact that everyone can interpret it differently. Either way, I'm left with more questions than answers - and a sneaking suspicion that I'm not the only one.

What I can get my head around is the music itself. It's an intriguing hybrid that somehow manages to bridge two very different decades. There's a definite whiff of the late 1960s in its hazy psychedelia and melodic sensibility, with echoes of the later Beatles, while the jangling guitars and laid-back groove transported me straight back to the indie scene of the 1990s. Imagine the Stone Roses borrowing a few pages from the Beatles' Magical Mystery Tour notebook, then asking Kula Shaker to sprinkle a little extra psychedelic dust over the finished product. It shouldn't really work, but somehow it does. Whatever else Wear You Down may or may not be about, it has a sound that's oddly familiar without ever feeling like a straightforward imitation.

Judging by the comments on YouTube, I don't seem to be alone in hearing those influences. Listeners have described the song as having "very Stone Roses" and "90s vibes", while others picked up on distinctly Beatlesque touches, with one even hearing a Lennon vibe and another comparing it to George Harrison's If I Needed Someone. There were also mentions of early Pink Floyd and plenty of appreciation for its retro feel, with one fan saying it was "like traveling to the past". Nostalgia seems to be a recurring theme: "I feel 23 all over again," wrote one commenter, while another said, "Those vibes are reminding me of my youth." Others were more succinct but no less enthusiastic: "Absolutely brilliant," "F**king love it," "Finally an authentic band," and perhaps most tellingly, "It's actually not bad. It grows on me." That last comment may prove prophetic, because this is exactly the sort of song that reveals a little more of itself with each listen.

Quick question though – why is it that in some parts of the video one of The Breakers is doing an Invisible Man impression?  There doesn’t seem to be a reveal? Is it because there had to be a stand-in for some parts of the video and this seemed liked a neat way of doing it? Answers on a postcard, please!  Watch and listen below...

The Leaning Tower of Toruń: Medieval Mystery, Myth and History in Poland

In the thirteenth century, what is now the Polish city of Toruń was controlled by the Teutonic Order, a German-speaking Catholic religious order founded a century before in Acre which by the 1200s had evolved into a military power in the Baltic region.  Crusades were conducted against pagan peoples in Prussia and Lithuania, and a powerful territorial state governed directly by the Order had been established.  To defend the town against Prussian tribes, Lithuanian raids and even potential threats from local Polish and Pomeranian rulers (note – these threats did not present simultaneously), the Order built and maintained walls and a series of towers around Toruń.  There was just one problem... Image

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Two of the towers leaned. Although only one remains, it still somehow manages to stand. Historians believe the other was demolished sometime in the second half of the 19th century, when many sections of Toruń's medieval fortifications were removed as they were no longer needed for defence and the city expanded – and not because it leaned too far one day.  If built today, rather than Prussian tribes, they would no doubt be surrounded by an army of health and safety inspectors demanding their removal.  Back in the thirteenth century, it was considered expeditious to keep one’s fingers crossed and hope for the best. Medieval engineers, although highly skilled, had failed to realise how much the loamy ground would settle after construction. They had little choice but to accept the lean, keep a wary eye on it and hope the tower stayed upright.

Monty Python's Nude Pianist Honoured with Terry Jones Statue in Colwyn Bay

Or should that be the other way around?  Probably, but I think Jones may have liked it this way!

Here's the story. In the winter of 1970, British television viewers were given thirteen new episodes of Monty Python’s Flying Circus, with a host of new secondary characters to help while away the winter nights.  By far the most talked about was The Nude Pianist played (mostly) by the late, great Terry Jones.  The pianist (who wasn’t always naked to start with) proved so popular that he became slightly more of a fixture in the third series in 1972-3.  

Why?  The character perfectly captured the programme's surreal, subversive humour. His calm indifference to his own nudity made the joke even funnier. At a time when British television was still relatively conservative, the sight of a naked pianist popping up unexpectedly between sketches was both shocking and irresistibly absurd, ensuring audiences eagerly anticipated his return.

Now, the sea front of Jones’ home town of Colwyn Bay on the North Wales Coast has a permanent commemoration of this cheeky little character in the form of a sculpture by Nick Elphick.  

Sir Michael Palin has apparently described the statue as a fitting tribute, joking that commemorating a comedian with a monument might seem a little absurd. However, he added that Terry Jones would have appreciated the irony of such a playful, slightly subversive memorial, making him especially pleased with the idea.

Subversive? Well, if you are reading this from our home page, click “read article” below to get a better idea of why what Palin said got to the bottom of this particular piece of art in an instant.  Thank you to Kuriositas reader Sonny Chapman for taking the pictures.

ATEEZ (에이티즈) Turn Being 'BAD' into an Art Form

If you've ever wondered what would happen if a nightclub, a telenovela, a dance battle and a blockbuster action film all arrived at the same party, then ATEEZ's 'BAD' is here to answer your oddly specific question. The title track from GOLDEN HOUR: Part.5 swaps the group's usual apocalyptic intensity for something hotter, bolder and thoroughly danceable, with Brazilian funk rhythms driving an irresistibly swaggering chorus. The video, meanwhile, gleefully throws subtlety out of the nearest window, serving up flirtation, jealousy, spectacular choreography and enough visual flair to keep freeze-frame enthusiasts occupied for days. It's loud, stylish and gloriously over the top – exactly the sort of music video that reminds you K-pop often treats "less is more" as a quaint historical curiosity.

Some K-pop groups become famous for catchy songs, some for impressive choreography, and some for looking impossibly cool while standing perfectly still. ATEEZ somehow managed all three at once. Since debuting in 2018, the eight-member South Korean group has built a global following through performances so energetic that they occasionally give the impression that the laws of physics are merely polite suggestions. Their music videos feature pirates, rebels, alternate realities and enough dramatic symbolism to keep internet theorists occupied for years. Meanwhile, fans – known as ATINY – enthusiastically piece together the group's sprawling fictional universe, proving that a catchy chorus and a mystery are a powerful combination. Whether storming festival stages or collecting international awards, ATEEZ continue to demonstrate that if you're going to take over the world, it helps to do so while executing perfectly synchronised dance moves.  Of course, on the other hand if my (long departed) grandmother was to watch this, she would come out with one of her favorite phrases: "No wonder kids are daft".

Watch BAD below:

The Fire Rainbow: Beautiful and Rare Circumhorizontal Arc

If you are very lucky you may see a fire rainbow once or twice in your life. It sounds almost as if it could be the title of one of a series of children’s books – Harry Potter and the Fire Rainbow has a certain ring to it: but this phenomenon is not fiction. If you are in the right place and at the right time then a fire rainbow is something that you will remember.

Image Credit Flickr User Emerging Birder

Image Credit Flickr User PhillipC

To name it properly, a fire rainbow is a circumhorizontal arc. It is also known as a circumhorizon arc but whichever you chose, scientists (and aficionados) call it a CHA. It is given its name because it looks as if a rainbow has spontaneously combusted as it made its way across the sky. One might even suspect that some malign fairy or goblin has blown the rainbow up to stop some errant human discovering that elusive pot of gold at its end...

Gravy Train Review: An Enjoyable North London Crime Comedy Caper

If you like Guy Ritchie TV shows and movies, you are probably going to enjoy this.  Gravy Train tells the story of a twenty pound note – or rather the people through whose hands it passes on one day in North London.  There’s a diverse cast of characters including the prerequisite number of villains and the obligatory slightly bent copper - it wouldn't be a crime comedy-drama otherwise, now, would it? There’s even a London Geezer voiceover at the beginning and the end to contain the somewhat preposterous goings on in Arsenal and its environs.  Don’t be put off by any of that, though – this is a hugely enjoyable watch with high production values (despite what I imagine was quite a low budget), a great cast, some very deft direction by Benny Slater and great production by Izzy Sexty.  This is their final major project (FMP) at the London Screen Academy (LSA). 

Part of the film's appeal lies in the strength of its ensemble. Rather than relying on a single star turn, Gravy Train succeeds because each performer brings something distinctive to the screen, creating a vivid gallery of characters who are by turns funny, exasperating, sympathetic and alarming – but mostly not quite who they might appear to be at first glance.  It’s well-paced – very little time to get bored with a character before we move on. I laughed out loud at the kid asking for money for a hospice (“Every pound saves lives!” which shows he hasn’t quite grasped what they’re for (but I think you will find he wouldn’t care). Oh, did I say it has a great soundtrack, too? It has a great soundtrack, too.

Give it a watch below.  And next time you come across a twenty pound note, spend a moment reflecting on all the lives it has previously touched…

Custom Made

Everyone is nervous, at least to some extent, on their first day at a new job.  Yet spare a thought for young Pierre (as I have called him).  He is the only human living in a world of animals and even his recent couture diploma isn’t going to get him very far when it comes to competing with his colleague, whose eight legs put her at a distinct advantage to him when it comes to completing new dresses on time. So, his first day is going to be challenging, to say the least. Regardless, plucky Pierre decides to give it his best job, even if it comes to some unfortunate improvisation…

This charming animated short was directed by Léa Cousty, Chloé Astier, Hugo Bourriez, Victoire Le Dourner, Raphaël Guez, and Mélanie Fourgeaud during their studies at Rubika in Valenciennes, France.  Music is by Valentin Lafort and sound design by Henri Petitprez.  The French title Sur Mesure means Custom Made in English (I hope no one minds me using the translation as the title to this post!). This is an incredibly accomplished animation for a group of students (however talented).  It features a simple but very well-told plot, and is a visual treat for the eyes. I was particularly struck both by the character and background design.  Bravo to all involved.   

NuxGame And The Hidden Architecture Of A Crypto Casino Provider

A casino once announced itself with chandeliers, carpets, marble, and a door that felt slightly too important for a normal Tuesday. Online, the doorway is quieter. A player taps a screen, opens a wallet, waits for a balance, and expects the magic to behave. That is where a crypto casino provider becomes part architect, part mechanic, and part stagehand.

The Lobby Is No Longer A Room

The old casino lobby had one job before anything else happened: make people feel they had entered a designed world. The digital lobby has the same job, but its bricks are menus, wallet flows, game thumbnails, bonus prompts, and loading states. If one of those pieces feels uncertain, the spell breaks before the first game opens.

That is why crypto support should not sit in a lonely payment corner. It touches registration, limits, player records, fraud review, withdrawals, and support conversations. The player sees a simple deposit. The operator sees a wallet ledger, exchange-rate handling, transaction confirmations, risk flags, and a support ticket when something looks slower than expected.

I Identify as a Surfboard: Last Words of a London Shelf

Walking through Brockley in South East London this morning, my eyes were drawn to the rubbish that was collecting - but not being collected - near the station.  However, this wasn’t what grabbed my attention – it was the street art (graffiti, vandalism – what you will) that adorned the remnants of a piece of shelving that had been unceremoniously bound and dumped by the bins.  It must have looked so forlorn that a would-be Banksy took (no more than a few seconds, in my judgement) the time to spray a pithy little message in the words of the abandoned shelf itself.   The message? “I identify as a surfboard”.

Now it was early in the morning, but I was struck by the sheer pathos of this plaintive proclamation.  What also hit me was the angsty anthropomorphism of the face painted atop of the message.  The existential distress bore all the hallmarks of Munchian despair. What hopes had been dashed? What dreams of sun and sea-spray had been denied?  Here was a humble shelving unit, condemned by society to a life holding tins of baked beans and chopped tomatoes, finally finding the courage to articulate its authentic self in its last gasps of existence before its inevitable appointment with the crusher at the recycling plant.

"I identify as a surfboard" it declared, with a spartacan (have I just invented a new adjective?) confidence that reality stubbornly refused to endorse. As commuters hurried past towards the station, I wondered how many had paused to consider the shelf's predicament. Had any offered words of encouragement? Had anyone suggested Brighton or Bognor or even Bondi? Or was this yet another example of modern society's inability to listen to the voices of the marginalised supermarket shelving community?

Eventually I moved on, leaving the shelf to contemplate its fate alone. Yet its message lingered with me all day – perhaps because I had nothing better to do… But perhaps we are all, in our own way, shelves identifying as surfboards: yearning for adventure while being fundamentally designed for storage. Or, maybe, I should try harder to stop overthinking in the mornings.

Must-Have Art History Coffee Table Books in 2026

When you look for art history coffee table books, people generally look for home library books that offer museum-quality reproductions alongside clear introductions to major art movements. Actually, the market for printed art books remains remarkably durable, and it continues to play an important role in museum retail and art publishing. For example, the book market reached a record €24.9 billion in turnover in 2024, according to the Federation of European Publishers. Despite the growth of digital media, print books continue to account for the majority of book sales.

Physical books also offer a tangible experience that many readers value when engaging with visual culture. Some readers look for coffee table books that combine visual appeal with historical context. Therefore, to help you choose, we reviewed frequently recommended art history titles from museum publishers and major book retailers. We also compared digital learning apps that offer summaries of foundational educational texts when reading a detailed Bookey app review, and reviewed books that appear repeatedly in trusted art history recommendations!

Ukraine's Tunnel of Love: Nature's Romantic Railway

Hidden in the forests of north-western Ukraine lies a place that seems less like a real location and more like a setting from a fairy tale (at least at first sight). Near the small town of Klevan, in Rivne Oblast, a leafy green corridor stretches into the distance, its walls and ceiling formed entirely by living trees. It is known simply as the Tunnel of Love - "Тунель кохання" (Tunel Kokhannia).  Ask anyone in Kievan for The Green Mile Tunnel as it is sometimes referred to on the internet, and they will look at you blankly.  Ask for The Tunnel of Love and a local will immediately know where you want to go.  They might even give you a knowing wink if you are with your loved one. Image

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At first glance, you can see exactly why the place acquired the name. The word кохання (kokhannia) means romantic love, rather than the broader word for affection or liking. So, the name carries a distinctly amorous meaning, and you might assume the tunnel was deliberately designed as a place for lovers.   If I was a filmmaker, I would want to shoot my happy ending here.

Timelapse of the Universe – A Spectacular Journey Through the History of Everything

As you may know, we feature a lot of timelapses (and sometimes even hyperlapses) here on Kuriositas.  They all have one thing in common – they are all earthbound, very much the representation of people and places under the Earth’s atmosphere. Plus, of course, they represent a certain time – quite recent!  This timelapse is slightly different – it covers the entire history of the universe from its big bang beginnings 13 billion years ago, right up to the present day.

So, obviously, this is a peculiar hobby of a particular Timelord – one who found Gallifrey a little boring and decided that instead of fighting monsters (on a weekly basis) that they would simply record what happened in time and space.  Ah, well not quite.  This is the work of Melodysheep, ala John D. Boswell, a Washington State based musician and filmmaker.  I suppose he could still be a Timelord in disguise, but unfortunately, he admits that his own timelapse of the universe was created by his imagination (and some software).  It is narrated by his friend Toby, aka EpicSpaceMan

Every second in this video represents 23 million years and so I am not exaggerating when I say that the scale is epic.  In the first minute, you’re watching the first stars being born (great to see them twinkle into existence), and before you know it we’re watching proto-galaxies form and then spectacularly collide with each other. All of that happens in the first two minutes.  So, although you may feel you have enough time to put the kettle on and have a cuppa in the middle of the ten minutes below, you will have missed so much of the universe’s history in that time, that it would be difficult to pick it all up again.  At least there’s a timeline at the bottom of the screen so you can see how much you have missed.  However, go and make that coffee, tea or other hot beverage now, sit down and enjoy the timelapse of the universe which, in its last nanosecond includes the history of you, me and everyone else ever born on Earth.

From supermassive black holes to supernovas, everything about this video is… super.  It’s no wonder that it is soon to become a planetarium show.

Gondar: The Camelot of Africa

When pre-twentieth century Africa is studied in schools it is the slave trade, its awful consequences and the later colonial Scramble for Africa of the nineteenth century which tend to attract the focus of both teachers and students.

Often overlooked is the only country which successfully resisted European incursion and retained its own sovereignty: perhaps its late twentieth century tragedies of famine and attendant local and civil wars do little to persuade the casual historian to look further in to its past.

Image Credit 10b Travelling

The Nymph: Greenpeace's Enchanting and Heartbreaking Eco-Fable

If you like an extended visual metaphor, then you will love The Nymph, written and directed by Vanessa Stachel at Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg, one of the internationally most acclaimed film and media schools.  Together with a team of producers, editors, VFX creators – basically a whole film crew made up of fellow students, she has created a branded short for Greenpeace Germany – and a tale of love and woe it is indeed.

The story is deceptively simple.  A young knight, defeated and injured, flees the battlefield.  Nicholas (played with equal charm and menace by Jacob Haw-Wells) finds himself by a beautiful pool in secluded woodland.  There he encounters the nymph Ilo (played subtly by Peter Todd, who also narrates the story) who heals his wounds.  Yet this healing comes at a price – part of the natural world around them dies with this act of generosity.  Sir Nicholas can rejoin the fight and claim victory. Yet he returns to his healer and a friendship, then a romance blossoms. 

Combining animation and live action is always something of a risk, but this short film segues beautifully between the two.  The direction is absolutely spot on throughout and the leads are both compelling and charming (well, one is remarkably like a Disney prince!).  The fact that this is, essentially, a student film is astonishing - this is very high-quality film-making.

So, you can probably see where this is going in terms of the visual metaphor - it's about the environment, conservation and sustainability.  As the relationship between human and nymph (well, nature effectively) develops, Sir Nicholas begins to demand more and ore from Ilo (the name means joy in both Finnish and Igbo!).  Before long the natural world is laid waste as Nicholas’ demands stretch Ilo to his very limits.  Can Nicholas see sense before his Ilo and his world are destroyed forever?  You will have to watch this short film to find out, but as a fitting end to this particular fairy tale, there is a message directed at us saying “Nature deserves a happily ever after. It’s up to us.”  Of course, Nicholas has been us from the very beginning, taking what we want when we want from the natural world – and Ilo represents nature.  The message – unless we work together, disaster is inevitable.   And although there is some optimism at the end of this remarkable short film, what a price tag it has come with…

Roger Taylor and Ndlovu Youth Choir - Come On Summer (It’s Party Time) Video - This Year's Feel-Good Summer Anthem

I probably don’t keep up with things properly, but the last thing I expected to see today was a new single by Queen’s Roger Taylor.  And featured on Come On Summer (It’s Party Time) is none other than the Ndlovu Youth Choir from South Africa who did such a brilliant job on their cover of Bohemian Rhapsody, which we featured on Kuriositas last August.   This song is not as complex (by something of a margin) but restricts itself to simple lyrics yet gloriously summery rhythms.

There is something of a contrast to the performances on Come On Summer, too.  While the youth choir seem intent on celebrating the warmth of the sun as it beats down on them, Roger Taylor seems to be stuck in a rainy field somewhere in the UK, muttering Come On Summer under his breath every now and again.  It’s quite a neat juxtaposition – and I do hope it was purposeful because otherwise I’m getting the wrong end of completely the wrong stick.

Regardless, this song is a wonderful preview of what Taylor has in store for us when his new album, Violence Insane In A Beautiful World, comes out on September 18th, just ahead of Taylor’s UK tour which kicks off three days later.  In the meantime, I imagine that this song will do very well on the radio – we only have a lyric video at the moment (even thought it’s gorgeous – a lot of time and pennies have been spent on it) – its very upbeat mood is infectious – and I have already caught myself singing bits of it a few times.  So, come on, summer, do your best or your worst – we don’t care.  We have the track of the season anyway!

2001: A Tap Odyssey – Swinging Through the Greatest Sci-Fi Soundtracks

Ask anyone and they will tell you that two things that are featured heavily on Kuriositas are science fiction and dance – and never the twain shall meet.  However, it is with unspeakable joy that I can feature a combination of the two.  World-renowned tap dancer Demi Remick in cahoots with Postmodern Jukebox have created this wonderful dance feature where we can watch Remick go through her paces to the tune of ten of our favorite sci-fi themes – all to a jazzy swing beat. Starting with Spielberg’s Close Encounters,  we move quickly on to Doctor Who and next to Battlestar Galactica.  Next to The X-Files (and Demi knows the truth is out there somewhere).

Did I mention that she does this all in a shiny space suit tap dancing outfit? I have now.  We then get to Star Wars, with the (now not so menacing) Imperial March, swifty followed by the theme to 2001: A Space Odyssey.  The dance climaxes with a section dedicated to – what else – Star Trek.  Both the Original Series and The Next Generation are represented here – I a wonderful medley that may well have you tapping your feet to the beat.  All the way through Demi looks like she’s having the time of your life – and I must say this is some performance is fantastic. Sshe doesn’t look even vaguely out of breath at the end and this attempting this would kill a few people, including me.

It’s the sci-fi tap-dance video we didn’t know we wanted until it was put before our eyes.  Go on, dance along!

Shibuya Meltdown - 渋谷メルトダウン

We have all had them – those interminably dull, incredibly long and impossibly tedious days at the office.  And so has the hero of this animated short – Shibuya Meltdown.  However, he has an imagination – at first a creature he draws on his notepad comes to life.  However, his boss soon presents him with enough work to keep his imagination at bay.  Yet eventually the working day comes to an end and as he plods home, crushed after what seems like the millionth day in a row at the office, he is drawn to a magical food stand, and soon he sets his mind – and everything in it – free, to roam the city in ways he only ever dreamed.  If he is having a meltdown, it’s my kind of meltdown!

Shibuya Meltdown  is a wonderful animated short – heartfelt and joyful at its core. It is so lovely to see a graduation project that isn’t full of blood and guts (of course, as you know, they have their place on Kuriositas!) but instead opts for something so vibrantly optimistic (even though it may be an extended metaphor for a complete nervous breakdown). I hope its creators never experience the boredom that their young protagonist did.  It was created by the master’s students in Animation Cinema at ECV Lille as their final-year graduation project. The film was directed by Marine Dufosse, Manon Casmarec, Marius Faraci and Victor Paris.

Wherefore art thou Ro-meow? Cat Upstages the Star-Crossed Lovers

Romeo, Juliet and Ginger? Somehow it doesn’t have the same ring to it, but theatre-goers in Turkey were offered the chance to witness a quick feline rewrite of possibly the most famous death scene of all time. Romeo and Juliet may be the tale of star-crossed lovers, but on this occasion the stars were eclipsed by a four-legged scene-stealer - perhaps we could even call him Shakespurr. Regardless, there is Romeo, prone on the floor, having killed himself believing that Juliet was already dead. Juliet, too, is in position - seemingly dead but soon to awake. Then a ginger cat wanders on to the stage and decides that he (most likely, most ginger cats are) is going to change Shakespeare’s most famous play to suit himself. To paraphrase the Bard, “Though this be madness, yet there is meowthod in’t.”

Walking nonchalantly from the wings, he headed straight towards Romeo. Perhaps there was something in Romeo’s hair that fascinated him, but the cat settled to play with Romeo’s mop as if he had discovered a new toy. It was a case of paws before cause, and the feline seemed determined that all the world’s a stage - and all the men and women merely cat toys. Juliet felt obliged to intervene, but each time Romeo was moved, the cat duly followed. Like a furry Mercutio, he refused to exit, proving that discretion is not always the better part of valour.

How the actor playing Romeo kept a straight face, I do not know, let alone stay “dead” on the floor of the Capulet tomb. One can only imagine him thinking, “To purr, or not to purr, that is the question.” Meanwhile, Ginger appeared convinced that “a plague o’ both your cathouses” was less important than investigating a particularly interesting hairstyle. Had Shakespeare foreseen such a moment, perhaps he would have written, “Parting is such sweet sorrow - but not as sweet as chasing a dangling lock of hair.”

At least they saw the funny side of it all - the cat was carried on to the stage afterwards to greet his audience. He received a warmer reception than many leading actors, proving that some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust a-paw them. I do not know the exact whereabouts in Turkey of this particular performance, but I suspect it was Istanbul. The city has so many cats that live on the streets that it is sometimes called Catstanbul. Perhaps Ginger heard that there was going to be fish for supper. Or perhaps, like Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, he simply wanted a larger role. Either way, while Romeo and Juliet may have been doomed by fate, this particular performance was delightfully interrupted by a cat who clearly believed that brevity is the soul of wit - and that every tragedy deserves a little comic relief. After all, what's in a meow? That which we call a cat would steal the show by any other name.  I'm really sorry for all the poor cat puns.  Watch below.

 Images have been enhanced for clarity.

The Lupine Invasion of Iceland

It must have seemed like a good idea at the time… In 1945, the Icelandic Forest Service took seeds of the Nootka Lupine (Lupinus nootkatensis) from its Alaskan home and introduced it to the island’s most eroded areas in the hope it would help to replenish the soil.  Seen as a bridging tool to hold back erosion until trees could be re-established, the lupine had other ideas.  It quickly spread, and is now classified by Iceland’s environment agency as an invasive species. Soon, it could cover up to ten percent of the country.  On the upside, it is very, very pretty. Image Credit

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This story began over a thousand years ago. Iceland was first permanently settled in 874 AD and for many centuries, life was hard for its inhabitants.  Dense birchwood forest covered about a quarter of the island – and being stuck on the North-Atlantic Ridge, the settlers did the obvious thing – they cut the forest down. It was cleared to graze sheep, to build houses, to warm the growing population through.  After three centuries of human activity, the island was bare, the forest cover effectively gone except in a few isolated places.  95% of its forests had vanished.  Perhaps the settlers can be forgiven for their lack of foresight – how were they to know that Iceland’s soil takes longer to form but erodes much more quickly than European soil?

Emmy Noether's Theorem Discovered? A Beautiful Animated Short Explores the Legend

After her death in 1935, Einstein wrote that Emmy Noether (left) was "the most significant creative mathematical genius thus far produced since the higher education of women began."  This delightful animated short tells the story of a train journey she took, usually told as a moment when she suddenly realised the connection between symmetries and conservation laws while travelling, even though - alas - historians have found little contemporary evidence for the story. 

Like the tales of Newton and the apple or Archimedes and the bath, it may contain a some truth but has probably been embellished over time.  Or perhaps not - maybe it really happened as we see in the animation below. Let’s just say that the story is not as firmly established as her actual mathematical achievements. What is definitely true is that her theorem had enormous consequences for modern physics.

Emmy Noether discovered a hidden rule of the universe: whenever nature treats different situations as equivalent, something must be conserved. If the laws of physics don't change over time, energy cannot simply disappear. If they don't change from place to place, momentum is preserved. Her insight revealed that the universe's most important conservation laws are not arbitrary rules - they are consequences of symmetry.

The film was created by Laura Carpentier, Emma Bouchon, Soline Augris and Mila Mersch as a Pivaut School graduation film – and thank you very much for creating this.  The story is skillfully told - I particularly enjoyed the moments when we saw Emmy work out her theorem - such a wonderful visual metaphor for her discovery. I honestly never thought I would be writing about an animated Emmy Noether film on Kuriositas! Yet, in a nod to Noether herself - while some things appear to be conserved, my ability to be pleasantly surprised remains intact.

Sea of Leaves: A Stunning Animated Pirate Tale of Regret, Revenge and Redemption

 

A tale of regret and revenge – two great staples of a pirate adventure.  So, Sea of Leaves is not unusual in that respect.  What does make it different, however, is the setting.  The pirate ship, with the remnants of its crew = the captain Viktor and his first-mate Bill, glides through the air towards a huge, forested area – in which lurks their destiny.  For they have been there before and the captain, wracked with guilt because his avarice cost so many lives, is determined to get his revenge on the one thing he blames.  What that is and whether Victor gets his revenge is up to you to discover…

This hugely enjoyable animated short was created by students at ESMA in France as their graduation project. It was directed by Vincent Bohnert, Margaux Bontron, Anaë Duquenne, Juliette Gilles-Payart, Veronika Nikulina, Romain Paillet, Yoann Paquet, Quentin Thisse and Maxime Verclytte. The music was composed by Matei Pouzet, while the sound design was created by Mickaël Merrheim, José Vicente and Yoann Poncet. The voice cast features Mark Kaczmarek, Robert Laborde, Vincent Bohnert and Quentin Thisse.  Bravo to everyone involved in the making of this beautifully crafted short.

The Boy Jones – The Kid Who Stalked Queen Victoria

Stalkers are never fun – but they are nothing new, either.  Even Queen Victoria was stalked a number of times during her long reign, most notably by Edward Jones – who became known in the nineteenth century media as The Boy Jones.  And he has something of a strange story, to say the least.

Jones became infamous (much to his family’s chagrin) for breaking into Buckingham Palace when he was just 14 years old.  That was in 1838 and despite being discovered with various stolen items on him, he was acquitted at trial.  He decided to do it again in1840, just ten days after the queen had given birth to Princess Vicoria.  This time, he was given to months hard labour but never one to allow a punishment to act as a deterrent, he broke in once more, two weeks after his release from prison.  This time he was found in the larders of the palace, stealing food.  He was given a further three months for that.  On all occasions, he would not give away his route into the palace.  Here's a contemporary cartoon (Old Harry is a common Victorian nickname used in humor or caricature.

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Now, three strikes and you’re out didn’t exist back in Victorian times, and these punishments were lenient for the time.  In a desperate attempt to ensure he wouldn’t break into Buckingham Palace again, the authorities persuaded him to become a sailor, and he made a journey to Brazil – and back. Although he never again bothered the queen, he deserted the navy twice and was arrested for burglary in Lewisham (now a borough in South East London).  He was transported to Australia in 1849, came back to the UK in 1855 to rob a few more houses, and then went back to Australia (apparently of his own accord).  He died there at some point between 1893 and 1896 – records are sketchy.  Below, he is pictured as a sailor - taken from an edition of Punch.

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Although we would probably not consider him a stalker in the modern sense, his Victorian exploits ensured his infamy at the time, with numerous reports of his exploits reported in the press. Not only that, songs, ballads, poems and cartoons were created celebrating his exploits. So he was, I suppose, generally looked upon a harmless nuisance, although there are reports that his parents were at their wit’s end with his exploits.  Even in modern times, his infamy ensured a fictionalised appearance in the TV series Victoria played with great charm by Tommy Roger.

Below you can find another fictionalised account of his life – this time animated – created by Haimeric Pays at Ecole Emile Cohl. It does get the year wrong by about fifty years, but my guess is the animator wished to show Queen Victoria as most people think of her – short, old and very, very plump.  Jones almost certainly never formally (or informally over a cake or two) met Queen Victoria, but he got alarmingly close to her private apartments and may have caught glimpses of her during his palace intrusions. Regardless, this is a very well done graduation project and as such the historical liberties it takes can be forgiven!