Movie Date

Towns all over the US are revitalizing their vintage movie theaters and using them once again to show movies.

Some show vintage movies (like Casa Blanca or Gone With The Wind).  Some play foreign films (like The Music of Strangers or Our Little Sister).  Other have 'modern classics' (such as Close Encounters of the Third Kind or Saving Private Ryan).  And there are ones with family movies (such as National Velvet or Toy Story).

Many do a mix of genres.

The Roxy is doing a mix modern classics and family, alternating every other Sunday.

It's a great old theater and is also used for stage productions.

Team Red, White, & Blue took a block of tickets for one of the family showings.

Waiting for the show to start.  We were right at the end of our Whole30 program... so no refreshments for us.  Smelling that hot buttered popcorn was killer.  Box candy, popcorn, and sodas are all $1 each.

While I couldn't have any sweets... I had my Sweetie.  That was more than good enough!

Does Truth Change?

A few weeks ago we attended a special screening of a new Christian documentary movie called “Balance of Justice”, entirely created by Ben Owen.

 

 

http://www.justicedocumentary.com/ 

 

 

Why was it special to us? 

 

Well, do you see that young man standing the second from the right?  He’s the one who made the movie.  (That’s his dad in the red shirt.)  The picture was taken in Sept ’06 on a mission trip I led to Lynch, KY. 

 

 

Himself was along on that trip.  He and Ben became friends.  Himself was quite impressed with Ben.  He already had many plans for his future.

 

 

(Perhaps perfecting his marshmallow roasting technique should have been one of them?) 

 

Now fast forward almost 6.5 years later…

 

That’s Ben speaking after the screening of his movie. 

 

I was very impressed with what I saw.  The movie is informative and thought-provoking.  Quite impressively Ben was invited to screen his movie at the San Antonio Independent Christian Film Festival (SAICFF).  That is a major accomplishment for any film maker!

 

Here’s the promo for “Balance of Justice”:

 

“The film tackles sobering questions in the backdrop of today’s society. Is justice a concept relative to culture, which had one meaning when the Constitution was written, but another today.

 

What defines justice in America today?  The new documentary titled “Balance of Justice: Searching for Truth in a Relative Nation” offers a fresh look at the current state of our nation – from the perspective of justice.

 

Gain insight into current issues through interviews with:
Ben DuPré – Attorney with the Foundation for Moral Law
Col. John Eidsmoe – Author of “Christianity and the Constitution”
David Fowler – President of Family Action Council of Tennessee
Bodie Hodge, M.Sc. – Writer, Speaker & Researcher for the Creation Museum
Dr. John Laida – Pastor

 

Featuring exciting music composed by Darren Dixon, “Balance of Justice” is the first project from Border Watch Films; a recently established independent Christian production company.  The film was produced by Benjamin Owen, with narration by Mike Brooks and the acting talent of Nathan Keeler.

 

“Balance of Justice” seeks to address trends developing in America that threaten to destroy our liberty and distort justice. Concepts like: A “living constitution” approach to rights and laws.  Promotion of an undefined “social justice.”  The use of “hate crime” legislation.  Belief that truth is relative.

 

Having law and order in society depends on an absolute standard.  The question is; whose standard will that be?  This is a critical time for our nation and we need to know about these topics from a Biblical perspective.

 

Is there anything we can do to protect our liberty and ensure justice is done?   Sure, we can vote, but as Christians (and even as patriots) does our duty end at voting?  Not only can we do more, we should do more.  Because more than just freedom hangs in the balance.”

 

 

http://www.amazon.com/Balance-Justice-Searching-Relative-Nation/dp/B00ALK1A9Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1363796009&sr=8-1&keywords=balance+of+justice+dvd 

 

 

 

 

http://www.cornerstoneconfessions.com/

 

"Brave" - Merida, the Scottish Heroine

An animated movie about a capable and sassy Scottish heroine, with great animation of the Scottish Highlands – you KNOW I’m going to go see this one!

I had hoped to take Little Bird to it while I was up there last month but we decided it wasn’t appropriate for her at this time.  If you want to know why we decided some of the scenes weren’t appropriate for a sensitive child, I’ll tell you at the bottom of the post under a ‘spoiler alert’.

However, not seeing it doesn’t mean her Auntie can’t buy her a Merida and Angus!  (BTW, there ARE black clydesdales and clydesdales are used for riding.)

So many places the movie used for its drawings, I have been to.

 

Glen Coe.

 

The Standing Stones of Callanish.

 

Eilean Donan Castle.

You’ll also see the broch on Lewis Island in the ruined “castle” where Merida first meets Mor’du the evil bear. 

(My tour of Scotland was with Cameron Tours of Scotland and was a perfect trip!  I highly recommend them if you want to book your own trip to Scotland.)

 Brave is the story of a young woman who wants to control her own fate and her mother who wants the best for her in the traditional manner.  The story evolves in the usual way (more or less) a fun cast of characters and beautiful Scottish scenes. 

What I enjoyed was the amount of detail brought to the animation to make it truly Scotland.  There are Highland Coos (cows) and Scottish Blackface Sheep, the Highlands and islands, the lushness of landscape, the labyrinth of castle halls, even the Highland games.

And the accents!  Almost every character was voiced by a native Scot. 

You can be sure that when it comes out in DVD, I will be buying TWO copies – one for me and one for Little Bird to see when she grows up a wee bit more. 

I would say the movie is appropriate for ages 6 and up.  The reason I think is below this last photo… this is a spoiler alert, so stop reading here if you don’t want to know some of the plot.

OK, still with me?  The reason I think it is a bit too intense for the babies is one of the final scenes. 

In the movie, Merida’s mother Elinor gets changed to a bear.  The whole story revolves around them working together to break the spell.  They have a grand time together and the breach between them is healed during this time…

… then, they must return to the castle to break the spell.  Here the father – who has had his leg taken off by an evil bear (someone who was also turned to a bear) and justifiably doesn’t like bears anymore – sees the Elinor bear.  He and visiting clan chiefs set off to kill it.  They catch up and immobilize the Elinor bear.  Then Merida catches up and is screaming and crying for her father not to kill it – trying to explain it is really her mother. 

WAY too intense for babies. 

Then you toss in the evil bear attacking the group and singling out Merida.  As it goes in for the kill, Elinor bear breaks her bonds and defends her daughter in a huge fight scene that sees the mother getting the crud beat out of her.

Again… too intense for babies.

Of course it all works out, but the journey is pretty scary.  And in my opinion, fodder for nightmares.

I’d recommend getting the DVD when it comes out and holding onto it until they are old enough to have it explained (and comprehend) before they see it.

Movie Review: RED

While my Dad was down we saw a second movie – “RED”. We had seen the trailers before the start of “Secretariat” and thought it looked like an entertaining, ‘mindless’ movie.

The movie boils down to an “old retired dogs” CIA team is forced to get together for one more gig… to save their own hides and the United States.

 

The cast certainly was fantastic –John Malcovich, Morgan Freeman, Bruce Willis and Helen Mirren.  Bruce Willis is of course, the action hero champ and carries it well.  Morgan Freeman and Helen Mirren add a classy finesse with unexpected twists to the team.  And John Malcovich landed the sweetest roll as the paranoid but most of the time right kook… played to scene-stealing perfection.

If you like the ‘action’ film genre, especially if you’re 45 and older, I think you’ll get a kick out of this one.  Lots of chases and explosions (I commented to Dad on the way out that I’d love to have the cash they spent on the pyrotechnics on this movie). 

Be aware… it is an “action” movie with all that implies.

Movie Review: Secretariat

 1973. 5 May… 19 May… 9 June.

I can tell you exactly where I was on the afternoons of those dates. Sitting on the floor in front of our console TV with my Dad sitting on the couch behind me. Bouncing and excited, probably chattering like a monkey.

Back in those days Sports Illustrated magazine had fantastic coverage of horse racing and I would read every article on it. My 10 year old self could spout details of races and breeding as easily as ‘Jimmy the Greek’.

That year was a tough one for me. My loyalty was divided.

 Running in the Triple Crown races was a very nice colt named after a horse from one of my favorite books:  “King of the Wind”.  In the story “Sham” was the call name of the Godolphin Arabian – one of the three foundation sires of the Thoroughbred breed. 

Then there was Big Red.  Secretariat.  What wasn’t to love about him?  Probably the most perfectly built Thoroughbred to ever hit the track.  He was The Rock Star of the year.

 Thirty seven years later Disney pictures tells it again in their movie “Secretariat”. And Dad and I went to see it and relive memories.

The movie is good, fun to watch. The cast was wonderful. John Malcovich steals the show as trainer Lucien Laurin (who BTW was not as flamboyant as portrayed… some in the racing industry are joking that maybe Disney was thinking of Bob Baffert instead!). Diane Lane is lovely as owner Penny Chenery Tweedy. And the real Penny Chenery makes a cameo appearance as a race fan sitting near Diane Lane’s Penny in the stands during the Belmont.

But die-hard Secretariat and racing fans will recognize it has a lot of fantasy thrown in. So don’t expect historical accuracy. As a writer once said, “Never let the truth get in the way of a good story”.

If you are a horse lover or racing fan… see the movie and enjoy it. Then after seeing it, go to YouTube and view the real Triple Crown races of Secretariat.

 

Because he was BETTER than the movie!

(Secretariat running in the Belmont Stakes with his incredible 31 length win).

Movie Review: "Get Low"

Robert Duvall… Bill Murray… Sissy Spacek… Gerald McRainey…

Great cast that gave me hope of a great movie. And so I went.

And indeed the cast was great. Robert Duvall has old coot down pat, with that twinkle of the eye that makes you wonder just how much your chain is being pulled. No one has better comic timing than Bill Murray as that dry humor slides on in. Sissy Spacek and Gerald McRainey are almost always a pleasure to watch and they did not disappoint here.

Shot on location in beautiful Georgia towns and forests. Costumes were spot on.

Everything was in place for a really good movie.

But I left the theater feeling “meh” about it. Not bad… didn’t regret paying the money to see it. But not really good either.

“Meh”.

Movie Review: "Eat Pray Love"

Best Friend and I decided that a ‘chick day’ was much needed. And part of that day was going to be spent at the movies watching a chick flick.

We chose “Eat, Pray, Love” with Julia Roberts. I’d heard of the book but have not read it. So I had no expectations to be filled.




It’s one of those “is this all there is to life?” themes which can be thought provoking when done right. I did connect with her need to rediscover – or discover – herself. In the movie, she says “I used to have this appetite for food,… for life… and it is just gone…” That is one of my fears that I will someday feel that way.

I’m sure it was hard to cut the book down to a 2 hour, 15 minute movie. I think they did a fairly good job. The transitions weren’t jarring. The scenery was lovely. And from the credits it seems local actors might have been used in the locations.

While it goes thru a difficult life journey, the movie keeps a light side too. Particularly funny moments include the renting of her apartment in Italy… learning the ‘proper’ way to speak Italian… an attempted seduction in Bali… and her arrival in India.

After watching the movie, I pulled up info on the book and read some quotes. There are some excellent ones. "I am burdened with what the Buddhists call the 'monkey mind' -- the thoughts that swing from limb to limb, stopping only to scratch themselves, spit and howl." So I’m thinking perhaps those who have read the book might be disappointed because it seems the book may be a hard act to follow.

That being said, it’s a fun and thoughtful movie, an enjoyable matinee with your girl friends.

And you might want to hit a good Italian restaurant afterwards…

Movie Review: "Letters to Juliet"

After a cooking class on Northern Italian dishes, Best Friend and I decided a nice chick flick would be “Letters to Juliet”.

Oh boy was it appropriate! One of the characters is a chef preparing to open a restaurant, so he and his fiancée head to Verona so he can meet his suppliers. The scenes as he travels from one farm supplier to another could make a foodie’s heart sing!

Filmed on location, the landscape is incredible. I mean… Tuscany. What more needs to be said?

Vanessa Redgrave steals the show with her character of Claire and Christopher Egan is perfect as her Brit Brat grandson. “Letters to Juliet” isn’t a movie that is going to get a lot of brain cells firing – unless you’re a foodie or a photographer! But it was fun. I am glad I saw it.

Movie Review: "How To Train Your Dragon"

Last night I went to the movie with Best Friend and the Pirates. Pirate 1 and I both like dragons and we've been waiting to see "How To Train Your Dragon" -- in 3D of course!

I was a bit cautious as this is made by the same ones who made "Shreik"... and I personally think there is too base humor in the "Shreik" movies that is not appropriate for kids. So it was a pleasant surprise that there was very little off color humor in this movie. (In fact, I don't remember any.)

It was a fun movie. Animation is good, the 3D effects are quite good. There's a scene with falling ash that it looks like you could slap it away from your face! How cool is that? The one thing I thought was funny is all the Vikings have a Scottish accent!

I can recommend this one for children. It appeals to both boys and girls (the Viking woman are TOUGH). If Hanna was old enough, I would take her to see it.

Might just have to get it for her when it comes out on DVD!

Movie Review - Green Zone

While I was in Missouri, my parents and I went out for a movie. This time we saw "Green Zone". I'd had hopes for it since I really like Matt Damon. But those hopes weren't met. It wasn't bad. But it wasn't good either. Just "meh".

I found it predictable in its "there are no WMD in Iraq" theories. Five minutes into the film you can figure out where it's going and the course is straight and narrow.

If you like this sort of movie... I'd suggest waiting until it comes to the Red Box.

Movie Review: Crazy Heart

While visiting my family in Missouri we decided to see a movie. Possibilities were: "Dear John" (not this time), "From Paris with Love" (not in this lifetime!), and "Crazy Heart".

"Crazy Heart" has been cleaning up in the award circles for best music, with a lot of nominations too. And Jeff Bridges has won several awards: the Screen Actors Guild awards for best leading male, LA Film Critics best actor, Golden Globe for best actor in motion picture drama - to name a few. And he's been nominated for an Oscar.

With this kind of notice, we decided to see "Crazy Heart".

Good choice.

Jeff Bridges plays the lead roll of "Bad Blake", a country music performer/writer living on past glory in a downward spiral of hard drinking and hard living. His prodigy Tom Sweet (played surprisingly well by Colin Farrell) has hit the big time - a fact that adds to Bad's resentment of the world. But when Bad meets Jean (Maggie Gyllenhaal) and her young son, he begins to see his situation is due to his choices... and that he can chose to change.

The music of "Crazy Heart" is fantastic (as the multiple awards and nominations attest). I'm sure Nashville is prepping for a resurgence of interest in country music. Bridge's "Bad Blake" had a definite feel (and look) of Waylon Jennings, which isn't surprising since The Outlaw could have been an inspiration for the character. Both Bridges and Farrell did their own vocals and did a very nice job with them.

I like a movie that doesn't leave you feeling depressed and hopeless. If I wanted to feel cruddy, I'd just turn on CNN. I want to feel better when I leave the theater...not worse. I want a movie that moves along. A movie that I can't tell you how it's going to end after seeing the first 15 minutes. "Crazy Heart" covered all those bases.

When it comes out on DVD... I'll be buying it!

BTW - I hope that Jeff Bridges gets the Oscar for this one. He deserves it. Smashing performance!