Tolkien, Jackson and Hope

I am late to this party, I know, but I just saw the Battle of the Five Armies yesterday and it was such a good movie. It's been our tradition for the other two Hobbit films to let Sean take the three big kids to the movie theater and let me have a "date" with BigBoy watching them when they came out on DVD. This year, BigBoy thought he was ready to see it on the big screen with the teens and since we surprised everyone with a Hobbit Movie Marathon of all three movies back to back to back, he got to see the first two in the movie theater too! Not being one for battle scenes, I was content to stay home with Cupcake. But the four who made it through the marathon (with the company and moral support of some dear friends) really wanted to get to see it again and they wanted me to go with them. It was very important to them and I was so honored that they wanted to include me, I couldn't say no. I did make them promise to cover my eyes or at least warn me when any severed heads went flying.

So, that is what we did yesterday afternoon and I am so glad that I went! Not only was it a great time to get to spend with my big kids without any toddler tantrums, it was also an exceptional movie that I enjoyed discussing with them on the way home.

They asked me when I started to cry because, of course, I blubbered like a baby. For the record…it was when Bard was seeing his children being attacked in Dale and he couldn't defend them right away. That combination of a father not being able to reach his children coupled with the son who was trying to man-up and protect his sisters just did me in. Bard is my hero! He was always the first to lead but never gave in to the power that he could have wielded and his family always came first. I really loved the character and checked with The Professor many times to make sure he didn't ever die on screen (because I don't think I could handle seeing that).

Such a good leader, such a good daddy… except maybe that using your son as an arrow rest
and sight window thing, but I'll forgive you.

We talked about the instances and examples of fatherly love in the movie which led us to discuss Thranduil and Legolas' relationship. I know that Peter Jackson made more of that relationship than Tolkien ever did and that the character of Tauriel was completely made up, but I have to wonder if Tolkien wouldn't approve of the intimations Jackson made, given the chance, because here is what I got from them…

Thranduil's wife was killed in battle and you get the impression from his son, Legolas, that he never discusses it because he's kind of cold and aloof, being a snooty tooty Elf King. But when Tauriel says, "If this is love, I don't want it. Take it away from me, please! Why does it hurt so much?" and Thranduil responds, "Because it was real." I really got the sense that he actually loved his wife so much that losing her hurt him more than he could bear so he shut the door on his pain and all emotion, thereby shutting out his son too.

Kind of cold and seemingly aloof.

This led us to compare and contrast Thranduil and Elrond (who is a favorite character of The Professor's). I didn't know this, but my Tolkien scholar told me that Elrond's wife is still alive. I assumed that she was dead since we never see her. They said that she had been wounded and went to live in the West. So, Elrond knew he would see her again. He had the hope that people of faith have that someone who is gone is not gone for good and forever. Sometimes, that hope of seeing our loved ones again is what gets us through the unbearable pain of losing them. The power of hope...

Elrond was a more feeling father. OK… he didn't love the idea of his daughter marrying a mortal, but he still gave his consent. They had a closer, more loving relationship. I would even argue that Elrond's ability to love and care made him the wiser leader, too.

See! So much warmer and fuzzier.

Thranduil certainly felt for his people and tried to make decisions that protected and benefitted them, but Elrond was a leader who choose to see how the Elves fit into the grand scheme of the whole world and made decisions that benefitted everyone, not just his own kind. (Plus, there is that whole "lowly Silvan Elf" thing which makes me think that Thranduil had some issues or at the very least a serious class/rank thing which isn't the best quality in a leader.)

So, I'm not sure Peter Jackson intended to put all of that in there, but it really struck me as a striking contrast and was the beginning of a great conversation.

If you've seen the movie, what did you think? Anything you want to talk about even though the party is over and they're turning out the lights? Let's clean up some empty cups together and chat!

Summer Shakespeare Chat :: Macbeth :: Next Friday

From comedy to tragedy... so goes life and so goes our little summer Shakespeare excursion. I really enjoyed our last conversation and can't wait to see what you guys think of this next choice...

...mostly because there is the potential for y'all to hate it with the white hot intensity of a thousand suns. (If you do... blame Cari! I'm kidding. Maybe not.)

This is part of the ShakespeaRe-told series from the BBC. They took four of Shakespeare's beloved stories and gave them completely modern makeovers (including language) and aired them in mini-series format. This adaptation of The Scottish Play takes place in a high profile celebrity chef's restaurant in Glasgow. You can find it in 10 minute chunks on YouTube or purchase the DVD at Amazon or maybe check your local library. I have been pleasantly surprised at what I've been able to find at our library.

Again, let me point out that this version is not true to the language of the Bard. But before anyone beats their breast in angst, know that our purpose for these little get togethers is discussion and there is soooooo much here to discuss!

What makes Shakespeare Shakespeare? Is it the language? Is it the timeless themes? Is it the narrative? Do you mind some experimentation? How far is too far in your opinion? Are classically trained actors the only ones who are up to the challenge of Shakespeare's words? And should they ever, ever, ever be turned into a musical? (No. Just. No.)

In other words, give it a try and if you still don't like it, please come tell us why. Offer your opinion as a joke or a fancy if you want, no one will cry blasphemy or treason, and let's get to the discussion! (Just a little George Bernard Shaw paraphrasing to start your day off.)

So, again… figure out how you want to watch this version. Savor it or rail against it. Then either blog about it and link up here next Friday or just come join us in the combox next Friday to chat.

Did I mention the link up is next Friday? :)

Summer Shakespeare Chat :: Much Ado About Nothing

Most larger cities offer a summer Shakespeare program. Does yours have one? Are you planning to attend? If not, why not join us here while we watch some Shakespeare in the comfort of our home and discuss it in the combox. First up… Joss Whedon's Much Ado About Nothing.

Yes… you read that right. The Man They Call "Joss" of Buffy, Angel, Firefly, Serenity, Dollhouse, Toy Story (did you know that?) and Dr. Horrible fame filmed a version of Much Ado About Nothing set in the present day but in black and white and mostly at his house! I must admit… I have a few quibbles with some of the choices he made but I always find Shakespeare in a different time and place fascinating. I'd love to talk to you about it! Let's have a summer Shakespeare chat. Right now, it's on Netflix streaming and Amazon Prime Instant Video. So, get thee to your Roku or computer or whatever, watch the show and then come back and tell us what you thought or write about it on your blog and then link to it in the combox. (Or maybe I can figure out how to do one of those linky things if you want to write a blog post too.)  I'm going to write up my thoughts and put them in the combox.

CAVEAT: This is not a version for younger children to see and I think teens even need to be cautioned. Whedon's interpretation of Beatrice's "I know you of old" line means "in the Biblical sense" and then there is always the wooing Margaret scene that goes about the same way as the Branagh version. If you want more specific info, you can email me.

UPDATED TO ADD: Haley mentioned something over on Cari's blog that made me think I needed to add another sort of caveat… if you Luh-uh-uhved the Branagh version and you aren't into experimental theater, you probably aren't going to like this version. It's not the emotionally full version that Branagh's is. Haley said that it felt like a bad student film. Now, I wouldn't go that far, but it definitely had an experimental vibe to it, not a polished one. If that bothers you, then I'm sorry. Like I've said before… ever since I saw an adaptation of The Merry Wives of Windsor set in the Roaring 20's and Sir Ian McKellen's Richard III, I've been fascinated with Shakespeare set in a different time and place. I don't mind experimental. I'm more than willing to suspend my disbelief just to see how they pull it off.

An InLinkz Link-up

Cute Movie

With all the movie buzz surrounding the Oscars, are you looking for a cute romantic flick to enjoy at the end of a day of spring cleaning... or distract you from the giant mound of frozen water sitting on your lawn that might be there until summer? My Girlfriend's Boyfriend is a cute film with a little something extra that made it very enjoyable. I know some would call it a chick flick. Most husbands would call it a chick flick, and maybe it is, but I have pretty low expectations for chick flicks and this movie surpassed all of them! I think it was a little smarter, a little wittier and much better acted than most chick flicks I've seen. Or at least the ones I've seen lately.

While I am most definitely a child of the 80's, I wasn't a crazy Alyssa Milano fan or anything. I've seen her recently on a few shows here and there and have come to better appreciate her style. She has some amazing chemistry with both male leads, but especially with Christopher Gorham (who plays adorable without even really trying). And the character of her brother, played by Tom Lenk, was a really nice choice of comic relief.

I read an interview with the writer/director, Daryn Tufts, and knew from the beginning that there was going to be something different about this film. He said he didn't want to do a typical romantic comedy. Just when I thought I had figured out the twist, I was surprised. (Maybe you are more astute than I, my brain is a little fuzzy right now with pollen and hormones.) It's on Netflix Instant Watch and it's rated PG. It's definitely a grown-up movie, not for kids, but other than a couple of mild instances of romantic innuendo, it had nothing objectionable on screen or language-wise.

Let me know if you enjoy it, too!

Hijacking? Really?

Rating some films on Netflix to get more specific-to-our-taste recommendations and this pops up...

Out of all the adjectives that could describe the original, animated version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, "hijacking" wouldn't be on my list.

Another movie suggestion...

Can you guess how we cope with temperatures like these?

When it gets cold like this (don't laugh Minnesota!), we don't want to go anywhere if it feels like a chore. Not even the library! That explains the extra online educational exploration and embracing the afternoon movie!

If you are a dog loving family, you might like Nova: Dogs Decoded. It's on Netflix Instant Watch right now and we found it really fascinating. Especially the eye tracking technology they used to determine a dog's visual focus and the domestication experiment they did with foxes! Wow!

So, how are you surviving these winter doldrums? Movies? Chocolate? Warm beverages?

A Bear Named Winnie

If you are looking for a sweet family flick for movie night and subscribe to Netflix, on Instant Watch right now is an endearing little film called A Bear Named Winnie. It's based on the true story of the real bear that inspired A. A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh stories.

Stephen Fry is adorable as always in the role of the head zoo keeper. I didn't recognize too many of the other actors, but they all did a fine job. In the interest of full disclosure, this movie is set during WWI and there is one battle scene towards the end that might be difficult for sensitive or young children to watch. It's not gory, just sad. And the ending might make sensitive mommies a little teary-eyed.

I am no bird...

Mrs. Darwin is my new favorite person today! I had no idea a new Jane Eyre movie was in the works. I freely admit that I have a deep fondness for the classic Clarke & Dalton version that Morton and Gainsbourg just couldn't shake but I am also more than willing to try something new!

Dame Judi plays Mrs. Fairfax which you just know is going to be a wonderful thing to behold! I am unabashed in my love for all things Jane. It is one of those books that I just have to pick up and reread every so often. In fact, I'm thinking I just might head to that bookshelf right now...

Movie Review

Are you looking for a Friday Night Date Movie? Are you a Netflix member? Right now, in their "Watch Instantly" section is a delightful movie called Arranged.

When Rochel and Nasira-- an Orthodox Jew and a Muslim, respectively -- meet as new teachers at a Brooklyn school, co-workers and students expect friction. But the women discover they have a shared expectation of entering into arranged marriages. As they experience tension between their traditional cultures and life in contemporary America, Rochel and Nasira form a special bond.

I am not quite sure what we watched that prompted Netflix to recommend this movie to us but I am glad they did. As a Catholic who has rediscovered many of the traditions of her faith, this movie spoke to me. I thought it was extremely well acted and very well done for an independent film on a low budget that was shot in 17 days.

Anyway, your husband might balk at this very obvious "indie chick flick", but mine enjoyed it. He especially liked the conversation about men who have older sisters making the best husbands! I liked the messages this movie sent not just about friendship but mostly about holding onto your traditions even though the world around you sees them as old fashioned and out dated. Both women are seeking and praying to do God's will even though it is difficult and they are tempted to despair. These women are ridiculed for being weak and dominated by their fathers and their faith but in the end, they are rewarded with fulfilling marriages and loving husbands who appreciate them for their strength of faith. Those who wanted to empower them don't see how truly liberated they are.

Re: Fiddler on the Roof

In the combox, Ouiz said:

I tend to look at it more from the angle of "what did Chava do?" rather than "why is Tevye being so mean?" He is willing to bend in those areas where the normal response is merely cultural, but when Chava does something that hits him deep within his soul, he says no.

I hope I'll be able to watch it with my children as they get older, and have these conversations with them...

I wanted to continue this conversation but was (happily) side tracked for the past couple of days. I agree with you Ouiz and in fact this is what I was referring to when I mentioned the valuable lessons that could be learned from this beautiful movie. Here is the problem I had when I was watching it with my daughters (age 9 and 7)... in the eyes of the children, the three oldest daughters were the sympathetic characters; not Tevye. Tevye yelled. Tevye ranted. Tevye turned his back on Chava and Fyedka. He was sometimes the comic relief, but altogether, not a very likable character. They were already, without seeing the end of the movie choosing which daughter they liked the best (and yes, one of them chose Chava).

I have not read the original stories in their entirety but I have read the play, Tevya and His Daughters, and one of the most noticeable differences is that in the play, Tevya is most definitely the sympathetic character. So the messages that the play sends are related through him.

Some other differences include:
1. The play only covers the marriages of the first two daughters.
2. Hodel and Perchik are married before he leaves. She stays with her parents until she goes to join him in Siberia.
3. Chava is not dealt with in the play at all. It is alluded at the end of the play that she has an interest in a writer who doesn't exactly have a very Jewish sounding name. Tevya simply says, "So what will happen there, I leave to your tender mercies." In the original stories, She does marry a Russian but later returns home after he beats her.

I studied Theater in college and the one thing that I always find very interesting are the changes that are made to a movie or play if the story is adapted form an original source because in the world of drama, be it the stage or film... EVERYTHING is a choice. Nothing happens by accident. Sometimes by examining the changes, the motivations behind the choices are revealed. Sometimes I am intrigued by what I find and sometimes I'm just sad.

Update from below

Confession time: Yesterday, I made a big mistake. Number 3 on my list turned out to be a great big bad idea for a couple of different reasons. First, I loved that movie. As a girl, I remember dancing around and singing the songs and just delighting in the characters and their stories. I remember thinking it was incredibly romantic when Hodel leaves for Siberia to marry Perchik with some vague feelings of "well that's sweet that she is going to miss her papa". But there are significant differences between my daughters and myself that I should have thought about. Maybe those three days of songs in my head were God's way of telling me to think it over. Obviously, I missed the message.

My daughters still cry when they think about growing up and leaving someday. Sunshine, not as much, but Shortcake is my sensitive little one who says that if she has to move out then she wants to live right next door and come visit us with her twelve children every day. I am totally in favor of the idea! But you see, I never felt that way about my family. Life wasn't always pretty there (as some of you know) and from my earliest memories, I dreamed of leaving. I tolerated high school always with an eye to college and getting out. I cried when I thought that I would have to go to school in town because that meant living at home. I know I am not the only one, but it never occurred to me that these experiences might have colored my perception of the things I enjoyed.

Also, for the first time, I watched this movie that was such an important part of my childhood, through the eyes of someone who truly loves and (mostly) understands her faith. I started thinking about half way through what if this was a story about a Catholic family? Slowly, each of the three daughters starts breaking away from the traditions of their family. Tzeitel and Motel gave each other a pledge, Perchik and Hodel dance together in the wedding scene inspiring others to as well after the Rabbi confirms it isn't a sin and then go on to engage themselves to each other without asking Tevye's permission to marry. But then there's Chava. She marries outside of her faith and Tevye draws the line. That is until their world is torn apart and they all have to leave. Acceptance is offered under his breath and everyone is satisfied. (Aside...if you are interested in the real story of Tevye the milk man, read Tevye and His Daughters. Chava returns to the family after her Russian husband beats her.)

The lessons here are valuable ones and even ones that I don't think the director necessarily intended (it was 1971 after all) but not ones that my daughters are ready for. When I heard Sunshine say, "but why can't he change his traditions for just one time" I realized it was time to turn it off. They wanted to know why Hodel left and what happened to Chava. We talked. They wept. We hugged.

We might be able to watch it together someday. The characters are still very rich and the music still makes me smile. The movie is the same, but I am changed. I don't know that I will be able to enjoy it with them the way I did as a child. And I'm OK with that. I kind of don't want to now.

Walking away from my past and the lessons I was taught was what I needed to do to become the person I am today. My children don't know that world and I thank God daily for the goodness of that gift!

Speaking of...

...supporting worthwhile causes... go check out Ben Stein's new movie! Don't be put off by the crazy costume he is sporting; this is a documentary! Watch the Super Trailer! Check out the O'Reilly interview! At the Big Science Academy page you can go on a field trip and read about what happened to some of the people who questioned Darwin's theory.Then, pop around the website and blog and read some of the things that opponents of this movie are saying. Scary. Really.

As Mark Shea would say...reason number 12,457 to homeschool!

Mansfield Park on PBS

If by chance you missed it last night, never fear...I'll send you my copy. All I could think of by the end of the movie was...STOP THE RIDE!!! I WANT TO GET OFF!!!

A quick search informs me that I have never seen any other production done by director Ian MacDonald or director of photography Nick Dance and that is a good thing considering it took a while for the merry go round to stop in my brain after watching this one. At times the camera looked like it was being carried on the burly shoulder of someone who was clearly walking in high heels for the first time in his life!

I am sorry to be so harsh, but I was really looking forward to enjoying this movie adapted from a novel that I knew nothing about. That doesn't happen very often for me. Usually it is the other way around and no matter how good the movie adaption is, it's always going to be inferior to the book even if only slightly. So imagine my disappointment when half way through this production I hit the pause button to switch the laundry, clean the sink and tidy up my desk. Sigh.

Before I ruffle any more Janeite feathers, let me just say that I enjoyed the story and look forward to reading the novel to find out more about those intimate details that intrigued me and I thought Jemma Redgrave as Lady Bertram shined as the most captivating star in the cast. I was delighted every time the camera stumbled (and I do mean stumbled!) towards her.

I didn't like the character of Mrs. Norris (as I suspect I wasn't supposed to) and did wonder for a bit if the book would prove her to be more feline like her namesake. The actress played her as almost "breathy" in some scenes instead of like the tigress I suspect she is.

The other disappointment came in form of costume and hair choices. Billie Piper's (Fanny) hair was such a mess it covered her eyes and just about every other part of her face except her mouth which happened to be her least attractive feature. Everyone else seemed to have tamed tresses which made Fanny look like a ragamuffin or street urchin... except the men, who were the most mussed save Blake Ritson as Edmund who looked like he emptied the bottle of gel before the rest of the gentleman arrived at the make-up trailer. As far as the costumes go, they looked just like that... costumes. I don't think they were very period (although I admit I am no expert) and they really did look like costumes, not clothes to fit the characters.

I have told you before that I studied theater in college but I really don't think I have elitist standards when it comes to movies or plays. I love this quote which I have shared here before:

Theater is life.
Film is art.
Television is furniture.
~on a t-shirt that belonged to a college friend

And while some people might say that it expresses some sort of snobbery or condescension towards television, I say...hey, I love furniture! Furniture can be useful, pretty and entertaining. I'll take a soft, comfy couch in my living room over the sticky floor of an auditorium any day.

Giddy up!

Guess what Shortcake's birthday theme was?Horses! Why yes, she is 7. How did you know?
On the table was a homemade corral for the (not yet) painted ponies and a "table cloth" with lots of coloring opportunities.

The girls got right down to business. Yeah... we make the birthday girl decorate her own party!
When she said she wanted a horse cake, I googled the phrase to get some inspiration. I found this one from Family Fun and showed it to Shortcake. She opted for one more like this one instead. I thought the first one was cute and would have been excited to try it, but Husband thinks we dodged a bullet when she didn't choose the Corleon Cake. She was pleased with mommy's version although when I was decorating it late Monday night it started to look less like a horse and more like an alien to me.

It was very late.

Her birthday saint is St. Frances Cabrini, so to honor her Italian heritage, we had pasta for lunch and my famous garlic chicken pizza for dinner. So I used a pre-made crust and sauce from a jar... I told you I was up late!

Yesterday was pretty low key. The ponies got painted. We watched two movies; National Velvet and the 1994 version of Black Beauty with David Thewlis (love him!) which was excellent and very true to the book. This Saturday is part 2 of her birthday celebration and involves the only thing she has been asking to do for the past year... the girls and I are going horseback riding. Stay tuned for more details.

Phoning it in

Confession time... my heart's just not in it right now. It might have something to do with the fact that we have a little virus working its way through our house. Nothing terrible, just annoying. My anxiety level has been at an increased level and I'm not sure why. Do I have stress in my life? Who doesn't? But this came from out of the blue and hit hard.

About the only thing I have to offer right now is that due to a glitch in my Blockbuster online Q management (and not my fascination, promise!), I can say with absolute certainty that Zelah Clarke is my favorite Jane Eyre. My apologies to Samantha Morton and Charlotte Gainsbourg but they just can't compare! While Gainsbourg came closest to rivaling Clarke, William Hurt lived up to his name in the role of Mr. Rochester (painful!). And as much as I loved Ciaran Hinds in Persuasion where he makes a perfect Captain Wentworth and matches Amanda Root glance for glance and restrained emotion for emotion, his Rochester was more crazed than tortured. So there you go.

Maybe I should try a few other versions before declaring Clarke & Dalton my favorites. Orson Welles deserves a glance just on reputation alone and this Masterpiece Theater version intrigues me too.

The Flying Scotsman

This movie was intense. Tears flowed freely many times throughout. Not a chick flick, not a sports flick, there is no category for this movie. "Biopic" might be a statement of fact, but not good enough. I had never heard of it until I was in the rental store and the television in the corner, which I usually try to avoid, was playing the trailer. So I picked it up on a whim.

SO not a whimsical movie! It's just... so very... seriously at a loss for words here... it will captivate you. It will move you. Some parts will confuse you. A true Scottish brogue is lovely, but at times, sounds nothing even akin to Standard English. There is enough sports in it to keep any grumpy husbands happy but enough romance to keep the girls from tuning out. It's a story about a man and the people in his life who help him battle his demons.

My only caveat. As I said above, it was intense. It is not for children and I would preview it before showing it to any teenagers. I don't want to give away too many spoilers, but if you are the kind of person who wants to know exactly what a movie has in it before watching, I kept a running list of "possible offenses". Let me just say that I have very picky tastes when it comes to movies and while there were a few times I wanted to turn it off because of the raw emotion and drama on the screen, there was nothing so offensive to my sensibilities to make me hit the off button.

Email me if you want specifics, but I do recommend this movie especially for anyone interested in understanding the mental health issues that can drive a person to succeed and can send them crashing to the depths of despair even when they do.

Truly, Madly, Deeply

Theater is life.
Film is art.
Television is furniture.
~on a t-shirt that belonged to a college friend

Thank you, thank you, thank you Karen for this wonderful recommendation. Not only did I get to see a truly amazing film with a deeply moving story but also so many of my favorite British actors looking much younger than I have ever seen them and who I am madly in love with.

Alan Rickman (with a silly moustache or greasy black hair, I don't care... he captivates you with his voice even when he's wearing a goofy looking alien head!)

Juliet Stevenson (the perfectly persnickety Mrs. Elton, horribly hateful Mrs. Squeers, and deliciously delightful as Juliette's mum)

Bill Paterson (from Wives and Daughters and Miss Potter, love him and his lovely Scottish brogue!)

Deborah Findlay (also from Wives and Daughters! She played the darling Miss Phoebe although most people probably won't recognize her, only those of us who have watched it 1,000 times)

It was terrific! I do agree with Karen that the threat of wild, zany comedy that is perceived from the cover art of the DVD has probably kept most people from seeing this movie (that and the fact that Patrick Swayze has ruined every hope of success any movie that deals with "ghosts" has although Just Like Heaven did a bang up job trying to rectify that).

Anyway... forget Patrick Swayze, forget the DVD cover... do yourself a favor and enjoy this work of art.

You'll laugh, you'll cry... it will move you!

*Sensitivity alert:

This is a British movie. I don't recall any four letter words, but then again, they seem to slip past my ear when they are said with a lilting accent.

Bill Paterson's character questions the legitimacy of his ex-wife's new husband's parents' marriage (too confusing?) repeatedly in one scene (if you know what I mean) and of course, it is just assumed that pre-marital relations are OK although it never actually shows you more than a man and a woman sleeping in the same bed after a romantic dinner. The events of the evening are implied when Nina (Juliet Stevenson) buys her own toothbrush before the date begins. That being said, this is not one of those movies that forces it down your throat by mentioning it at every turn. I give them credit for their subtlety.

The only flesh you will see is when Stevenson's bathrobe opens a bit on top which is about as revealing as some of the low cut gowns all the Hollywood starlets are wearing these days. Not that I think those outfits are acceptable. Just trying to give you a good idea of what you will see... you can decide if it might offend you.

Birthday Recap

I had a terrible headache yesterday which prevented me from posting more about the wonderful birthday celebrations that my family planned. We started our day with Mass which was great. The story of St. John's birth is one of my favorites. My father was raised Southern Baptist. His father, grandfather and great grandfather were all Baptist preachers. I know that (other than the name) there is no connection between St. John the Baptists and Southern Baptists, but whenever I hear the stories of St. John, I can't help thinking of my beloved grandfather (called "Pawpaw") whose memory always makes me smile and tear up a little.

So after Mass, we picked up some breakfast treats and a yummy dessert for later. Husband doesn't let me cook on my birthday although I think I might consider the grasshopper pie for next year (in honor of St. John) since it is supposed to be made the day before. Then again, he has always offered to make anything I want, so maybe I will give him the recipe to try. : )

After breakfast, we headed to the movie theater and enjoyed too many belly laughs to count. Let me just say, we almost never go to the movies! The last movie we saw with the children was Cars and before that, it was Jonah. I prefer to watch movies in the comfort of my home where I can hit the pause button for a potty break or the scan button if I missed something which seems to happen a lot, plus... I am a "special features" nut. Love them!!!. I think what made this birthday outing so enjoyable was the uniqueness of the experience. We had it on excellent authority that this movie would not offend our sensibilities, could be enjoyed by all members of the family and treated the subject of religion with complete respect. What's not to like?

After the movie we headed home where I was showered with the best homemade cards ever and more thoughtful gifts than I deserve. One item I specifically requested was absent but only because the postal service didn't want to cooperate but it arrived yesterday (yeah!). I love my new calendar and can't wait until August to begin using it. It sounds odd, but this calendar begins with August 2007 and has lots of room for writing notes each day. I write everything on my calendar-- freakish, really. Husband had picked out some unusual kitchen gadgets which are always fun but I was most excited about this special gift:Can't wait to savor it and enjoy it as I know I will. Thank you for all your birthday wishes. It was a lovely day!

Evan help us...

... we couldn't stop laughing. Wow! When Margaret recommends a movie... you better run, don't walk to the theater especially if it is your birthday and you want to have fun with the family. (Yes, today is my birthday. No, Red, I wasn't hiding it. Yes, Margaret, I am 23 (+10) and I love sharing it with St. John the Baptist but, no, we won't be having grasshopper pie for dessert.)

This is a great movie! This is a family movie. This is a... dare I say it? Yes, I will... a Catholic movie although I am not sure they did it on purpose.

There were paraphrases of St. Teresa of Avila (God, love me a little less!) and Mother Teresa of Calcutta (You know how to make Him laugh, right?) scattered here and there. The kids laughed and cried (more about that later) and did a little dancing at the end. They all agreed that they enjoyed it even though some scenes were a little intense for them (again... later).

Now, I agree with Margaret... I can't stand crude humor. I don't like Jim Carrey unless it's the Truman Show or Will Farrell except for Stranger Than Fiction. We haven't seen any of the Shreks or Ace Venturas and a Sandler/Schneider team will make me nauseous just thinking about it. I do not stand in judgment of anyone who has seen these movies. They just aren't my cup of tea.

The only scatological humor in this movie came from the animals doing what animals do. Lots of bird doo and some dog doo. The word "feces" is used by a reporter because it rhymes with species and... just to be totally up front... so is the biological term for a part of the male anatomy, but only in reference to a specific kind of duck. (One of the sons is really into Animal Planet.) Oh, and one hyphenated reference to a donkey.

All of these terms sailed over my kids' heads. The messages that didn't though... were about family togetherness, trusting God, the importance of prayer, asking God for help when things get tough, and cooperating with the Divine Plan even if the rest of the world thinks you're crazy.

My only real caution is about the previews. Go when it isn't crowded and have someone save your seats so that you can sneak the kids in right before the movie starts. I had some issues with the first two movies that were previewed (especially the first one... Robin Williams in clerics should have been a clue!). You can see most of them here, here, here and here to decide for yourself.

So now, that it is "later" I will tell you about the other areas that my children were more sensitive to but these areas might be specific to our family and my kiddos.

* * * * * * * * * SPOILER ALERT * * * * * * * * * *

In one scene, the mother (Lauren Graham) takes the 3 sons to her mother's house because she believes that her husband is having mid-life crisis of biblical proportions. At no time is the word divorce talked about and they do eventually return to support him and help his efforts to finish the ark. My daughters were sobbing during the departure scene, but that might be because the concept of divorce/annulment is very real to them. My parents are divorced, annulled and both remarried in the church. They have contact with these grandparents and understand the situation but they also know how painful it was for mommy. Plus, I think children just have a natural sense that families should be indissoluble. We had a good discussion in the car afterwards about how God would never ask us to do something that would break apart our family and that the mom learned to have more faith and trust in God's plan.

The ending is also thematically dramatic (and very loud!!!) which was disturbing to BigBoy. Shortcake was very concerned that the Daddy would never recover from his total Noah makeover and both girls were frightened that the people wouldn't get on the ark in time to escape the flood. But...as I have said before... my kids are very sensitive to perilous situations. Having now seen the movie, they would have no problem watching it over and over again... in fact, as we were walking to the car, BigBoy was pulling Husband's hand saying, "Want to see it again?"

Image from www.cinoche.com

Book and Movie Meme

Barbara tagged me for this Book and Movie Meme that I have seen going around (and have been secretly avoiding). I, like Barbara, am not a great reader of classic literature. But if she is brave enough to admit it, I guess I am too!

I read quite a bit when I was younger but I am afraid most of it was trash fluff. (Ex... Sweet ______ High ~ Anyone dare to fill in the blank?) My one saving grace it seems, as far as this list is concerned, was the AP English program I took in high school. Thank you Mrs. Griffith, for introducing me to my favorite Gothic romance, but not for making us listen to you read the whole thing out loud with painful British accents. Not when there was such a performance as this to be found!

Books I have read are in green (they are supposed to be in bold) and movies I have seen have an asterisk.

1. Heidi (Johanna Spyri)* ~ long, long ago

2. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)* ~ of course! Multiple movie versions! I must confess though that I am a late blooming Janeite.

3. To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee)* ~ AP English...Hey, Boo.

4. Gone With the Wind (Margaret Mitchell)* ~ Frankly my dear...I loved them both.

5. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkien)* ~ all.

6. The Lord of the Rings :Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien) * ~ at.

7. The Lord of the Rings : Two Towers (Tolkien) * ~ once.

8. Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery) ~ the movie is on our Blockbuster list

9. Jane Erye (Charlotte Bronte)* ~ AP English ~ I watch the BBC version and read the book at least once a year if not more.

10. Anne of Avonlea (L.M. Montgomery)

11. The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger) ~ I read it in Europe so I don't remember much of it.

12. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)* ~ I like the Gillian Armstrong version even though I didn't expect to.

13. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)* ~ AP English Thank you Mr. Sullivan...no accents!

14. The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe (C.S. Lewis)*

15. Chariots of Fire (MacArtney) ~ but I used to be able to play the tune on the piano.

16. 1984 (Orwell) ~ AP English

17. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexander Dumas)* ~ with James Caviezel

18. The Grapes of Wrath (Steinbeck)* ~ AP English

19. The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald)* ~ AP English ~ I remembered Robert Redford but had no idea that was Mia Farrow!

20. War and Peace (Tolstoy) ~ started it once, never finished...big surprise.

21. Quo Vadis (Sienkiewicz)

22. The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Victor Hugo)

23. The Robe (Douglas)

24. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith)

25. The Story of a Soul (St. Therese)* ~ I have read The Story of a Family and saw the movie Therese.

I am not sure who has done this one and who hasn't. I know Nutmeg is a big reader and Red Cardigan is too, but consider yourself tagged only if you want to be!