God's Not Dead

Mike and I just returned from the movie, God's Not Dead. We had a lot of people recommend to us that we go see it and I'm very glad that we did. I really enjoyed myself!

This movie certainly isn't the run-of-the-mill Hollywood production.  Let's be honest, Hollywood isn't much enamored with the Christian Faith. In fact, my experience has been many people are ok with a person being a Christian but they don't want us to much talk about it.

I'm not going to tell you much about the movie but at the end, everyone is encouraged to text everyone they know with these words, "God's Not Dead".  Have any of you received such a text?  Or maybe seen it on Facebook? Now you know where that came from. It's Christians letting you know they have faith in God the Father.

I am sure everyone who goes to this movie is not a Christian. If you are not a Christian, I'd encourage you to see it. I don't know that seeing the movie is going to convert a non-believer, but it may help them better understand the Christians in their life.

I really enjoyed Kevin Sorbo in this movie. Remember him, Hercules? I'm currently reading a book written by Kevin Sorbo. I'll do a book report later...stay tuned.

Newsboys are featured in this movie as well.  In honor of their part in the movie, I'm going to leave you with this...

Fee Fye Foe Fumm

(photo from http://jackthegiantslayer.warnerbros.com/gallery.php)

I am putting on my Movie Review Hat again today.  No, I have no special credentials qualifying me to do movie reviews. But, I do see movies sometimes. Maybe that is all you need to qualify for this job.

Last night Mike and I went to see Jack the Giant Slayer. It is the "real" story behind Jack and the Beanstalk. Does that sound like a dumb idea for a movie? I don't think it is doing that well nationwide, maybe because people pre-judge it. I don't know but I thought it was an excellent movie! I gave it a 4.5 out of 5. I judge movies, not against each other, but against what I presumed they meant to be. I presume this movie meant to be adventuresome, with some sweet romance stirred in. Like all fairy tales, it is meant to have really, really bad guys and really, really good guys. It does just that. I don't really even have a reason for holding back that .5 as I can't think of how I would want this movie to improve.  I just don't give out perfect scores I guess. 

One thing I have to tell you about Jack the Giant Slayer is that it is a magnificent piece of cinematography! I'm not kidding! The giants were very detailed and believable. The scenery was stunning! The action was astonishing! In this day and age of digital photography and all that entails, it must be hard to do anything new with cinematography. I think this movie incorporated the work of some very talented artists to get the effects they managed. They managed to give the feel of dirty, dark giant abodes to magnificent royal palace scenes. Most of the movie takes place outdoors, though, and it is so, so beautiful! You have to see it to know what I mean. I think you will be impressed!

And the characters... this movie is packed full of them! There are good guys and bad guys and subdivisions among them. Do you know what I mean? For example, obviously the giants are the bad guys. Even among the giants, though, you get to see some character development. They are all gross but some are more so than others. I have to say, seeing a giant pick his nose and eat it while preparing his meal (pigs-in-a-blanket as well as human-in-a-blanket) was almost more than I could handle!

The princess was, of course, beautiful and kind. That is exactly how a fairy tale princess must be, you know. The main hero is, naturally, Jack. You'll like him. He has his weaknesses but of course finds courage from deep within, born of his love for the princess. There are other good guys in this piece as well. Some are very brave, putting the needs of others above their own. Some are quirky and funny. I like funny the best!

This is NOT a movie for little kids. I was horrified as we left to see that a couple brought their preschoolers. It is too realistic and scary in a lot of places. It's not really grown-up scary...well, maybe it is. I did cringe a lot and hide my eyes quite a few times. You know what I mean, though, it isn't real-life kind of scary. With little kids, though, real-life is all too close to make-believe-life and the lines get blurred. It could definitely be nightmare-inducing. Just don't risk it with the little children.

Excluding little impressionable children, though, this movie is one that can entertain a wide variety of folks. Old children and teenagers would likely enjoy it... although the teens may have to hide their enjoyment as it may not be considered cool to like a fairy tale movie. I think a lot of men would like it for its grittiness and action. They'd likely enjoy the funnier moments as well. Deep down they will like the romance but like the teens, they'd have to hide that enjoyment.  Sometimes it is hard to find a movie that a couple will enjoy but this one fits that calling. It has a little something for everyone. So, if you are looking for a bit of entertainment, something that turns out well in the end, give this movie a chance. I really don't think you will regret it.

Click right here to see a trailer.

A SUPER Evening

I don't care about football. 

There. 

I said it. 

I just don't. 

Maria doesn't care about football either. As a matter of fact, Cordelia, Elise and Bumblebee don't seem interested at all. So, we had a girls' night last night. I went to their house and enjoyed a very girly evening. As you can clearly see in that first photo, I can still multi-task.

We watched a nice movie, "The Little Engine That Could".

OK, I really didn't remain that fascinated with the movie but Cordelia, luckily, was not bothered by her mother and grandmother chattering all through the movie.

I received a lot of sweet Elise hugs.

It was a really, really SUPER evening and nobody suffered any injuries.

We had no power outages.

Nobody even had to take a time-out.

Everybody was a winner.

How was your Sunday?

Parental Guidance Movie Review

Mike has been more busy than normal during the week between Christmas and New Year's Day.  Often that week is a lot less busy, no committee meetings and such.  This year he had two funerals added to the mix. You can't help but feel more compassion and empathy when someone has to deal with the death of a loved one on Christmas Day.

People always tell me how much comfort Mike delivers with his funeral sermons.  I've long told him that was something he's really good at. He seems to know the right things to say, or not say, in each situation. It takes a lot out of him, though. He'll probably shake his head when he reads this post but the truth is, he picks up the burdens of others and helps carry it for awhile. He lightens their load a bit, but it increases his load.  That is his job and he didn't complain, but I noticed.

After such a week, though, I think it is my duty to help lighten HIS load.  Sometimes he just needs to get out of his own head.  He needs to laugh. So.... we went to see Parental Guidance.

On our way home from a movie Mike and I often rate them.  This time, he asked me to rate the movie on the way there.  This seemed like a movie where there would be no big surprises.  I gave it a 3 I think (on a scale of 1-5), before I saw it.  After the movie, though, I had to up my vote to something over a 4.  Why? Did this movie have delightful surprises or a deeper hidden message than expected?  Nope, not really.

I think I gave this movie a high score because it "hit the spot".  You know, when you are craving a potato chip, a candy bar does not hit the spot. Well, I think we were craving light-hearted fun and this movie hit that spot.  Bette Midler and Billy Crystal seemed to be having fun filming this movie and that fun spirit leaked right off the screen and oozed onto us.  That was just what we needed!

So, yes, I am recommending this movie, but only if you are in the mood for such a thing. It isn't life-changing or deep but it will make you smile and on your way home, you will feel a little less burdened.  That was worth the cost of the ticket!

Trouble With the Curve - Movie Review

Mike and I like to go to the movies but sometimes a lot of time passes before we find a movie that sounds good to us.  Yesterday, when reading the morning paper, Mike mentioned there was finally a movie he wanted to see.  I agreed with his choice so last night we went to see Trouble With the Curve.  I decided it was time for me to give another movie review!  Here goes...

Trouble With the Curve will not change your life.  Trouble With the Curve will not give you many surprises. Trouble With the Curve will not likely give you any great insight into the mysteries of the universe.  Trouble With the Curve, though, may give you a couple hours of easy-going entertainment.

Clint Eastwood plays a crusty, cranky guy that deep down is lovable.  I know... big surprise.  But know this, surprises are not always necessary for movie-going enjoyment.  Sometimes it is pleasant to be able to settle in and relax with the knowledge that all is as it should be.  For this movie the crusty, cranky guy is a baseball scout.  There's quite a bit of baseball thrown (pun intended) into this movie, making it quite easy for the manly men to enjoy the movie.  It may fool them into thinking it is a sports movie, rather than a movie about relationships.  It's not.

Amy Adams plays Clint Eastwood's emotionally messed up daughter.  It turns out that she is quite a baseball lover as well.  She knows as much baseball trivia as my husband, Mike!  There are some issues between father and daughter that will tug at your heartstrings.  Throw Justin Timberlake in to portray the man who can break through the barrier Amy's character has around her heart and you've got the recipe for a dandy good movie!  Yes, I used the word "dandy".   It's my blog and I'll say dandy if I want to.

There you have it.  I've not got any qualifications to review movies... well, none besides the fact that I sometimes go to them and I happen to have a blog.  So, I'm recommending this movie to anyone who has a few hours and wants to feel good afterward.  That alone has value, don't you think?  Go ahead and enjoy yourself.   You deserve a few hours of pleasant entertainment.

Hugo and My Sewing Machine

I delayed posting this review but I didn't want to forgot to tell you, Mike and I went to see Hugo last week-end.  Have you seen it?  It is a Martin Scorsese film but absolutely family friendly.  I know! Who would've thought?  It is high tech and very cool.  It is touching and sweet.  It is exciting and action-packed.  Mike and I both really liked it.

The premise is a young boy becomes orphaned but manages to live in a Paris train station.  He takes over taking care of the giant clocks when his drunk uncle doesn't come back to work.  Hugo is very good at fixing broken mechanical things and gets satisfaction from having a purpose in life.  That lesson, a reminder that having a purpose brings joy, is worth the price of a movie ticket!

During the course of the film you will learn things about Paris, train stations, people, and early movies.  You may also become more fascinated with mechanics.  That sounds weird, I know, but this movie will make you really respect all that goes into the making of machines.

I happened to need to oil my sewing machine the day after I saw this movie.  I started really noticing all the parts and pieces that work together to help me sew a seam!

 This particular sewing machine was my Mom's before it became mine.  All those parts have been working together for about 40 years!

My Mom sewed professionally so many, many people wore clothes prepared on this machine.   I've often thought of my Mom's skills and creative talents that went into all those clothes, including men's tailored suits, lingerie, formals and even my own wedding dress.  I don't believe I've ever pondered all the parts of the sewing machine, though.

Of course the movie isn't really just about machines.  It is about our need for one another, the strength of the human spirit, the creative drive and so much more!  I hope you will get a chance to see it and if you do, let me know what you think.

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Have you seen Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close?  Mike and I went on Saturday afternoon, even though the reviews in the paper weren't all that great.  Because of that, I wasn't expecting much.  I do usually enjoy Sandra Bullock's movies, though, and Tom Hanks is probably my favorite male actor.  That seemed like a good start.  As it turned out, right from the start I was fascinated.

I highly recommend this movie if you find people interesting at all!  Yes, it is about a boy who loses his dad on 9/11 so a box of tissue is a good idea.  I used up the only tissue I could find and the napkin I'd picked up with my popcorn wasn't really up to the task.  At the very least, stuff several in your pockets.  I cry easily at movies so I used my trick of letting my hair swing forward to cover my face.  Soon, though, I was sure no one would be noticing my tears as everyone else was busy sopping up their own.  Not to worry, though, there are also moments that will make you laugh or at least smile.  This movie certainly covers the painful aspect of separation from loved ones, but it deals with a lot of reconciliation as well.

Having said all that, I also want to tell you that this movie was about much more than 9/11.  Also, Tom Hanks and Sandra Bullock were most definitely not the lead characters.  They were great but this movie is about the boy.  The young actor, Thomas Horn, carried most of the movie and he carried it well as a young boy for whom social connections are particularly difficult.  Part of the reason this boy is so close to his Dad is because the boy has a "clinically inconclusive" case of Asperger's.  Because of this, the boy has a difficult time making satisfying connections with other people.  His Dad "gets" him and is ingenious is devising adventures that require his son to speak with others and to face some of his fears.

Throughout the movie this young boy, who feels so "different", discovers that everyone has a story, everyone is somewhat broken and everyone is lovable.  Although the boy does not believe in God or miracles, at the end of the movie I believe he questioned his original beliefs.  Maybe I just read that into it because I wanted to, I'm not sure.

If you want to see a movie that will keep you thinking about it, this may be a good choice for you.  I am planning to take a friend to it this week as I think I need to see it again!

So, there you have it.  That's my review of Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.  Now I am off to make some pancakes!

Movie Matinee

I've been wanting to see "The Help" for awhile now.

When Mike and I were on our little vacation in Montana we had planned to go to two movies.  I voted to see the one he wanted first, thinking we'd save my choice for the last day.  It all goes along with one of my life-long plans of "saving the best for the last".  I don't know why I keep planning my life that way.  Religiously speaking, it is what I expect of course, saving heaven for last.  However, in this world it has not worked out the best for me.  Remember the underwear story?  In Montana we saw Apollo 18, which was rather forgettable, and had something else going on and did not go back to see "The Help".

I also try the "saving the best for the last" all too often when eating potato chips.
In case you aren't aware of this, some potato chips are better than others.  It is such a joy to eat a chip that isn't already broken!  I especially like large chips that are folded over.  They crunch the best.  Equally good are the ones with just a gentle curl to them that kind of fits right over your tongue.  Saving those for the last is a great plan when I am eating alone.  However, when Mike is nearby it is risky.  He thinks it is pretty funny to come by and snatch one of those dandies just before I get to it!

Oh man, I've gone off-track, huh?

....so my friend, Donna, asked if I'd want to go see "The Help" with her yesterday.  I was excited!  I was waiting out front when Donna arrived.  She graciously allowed me to take a picture of her sweet face.  I just think she has a great smile and a face that really lets her beautiful sense of joy shine out.

The movie was wonderful.  You've probably already seen it, huh?

It was a story that needed to be written.  Having said  that, I'd have to agree with reviewers I'd read who said it kind of wrapped everything up in a pleasant kind of package to achieve a happy ending.  I didn't care about that so much; I actually appreciated it a bit.  I also appreciate any movie that reminds us where we've been in this country regarding racial issues.  Hopefully in the remembering we can better avoid going down that horrible road again.  In fact, I wonder why we even use the term "race".  Aren't we the human race?  Maybe we should just say "ethnicity issues" or  "skin tone" issues.  I just don't think "race" is quite the right word when what we are really talking about is the amount of melanin present. 

It did seem that there were some parts of "The Help" that didn't really contribute much to the movie, such as the main character's Mom making reference to new treatments for girls who have unatural attractions to other girls.  I kind of got the feeling they were making fun of Biblical references and making some sort of comparison to bigotry based on skin color.  I'm not sure about that and since it was just a blip in the plot I'll move on.

The movie somehow managed to make us laugh and cry, all while considering one of the darkest stains on our country.  The acting was great!  I particularly enjoyed watching Ron Howard's daughter, Bryce Howard, play the part of the person you most want to dislike.  She's a pretty versatile actress!

The thing that made me most happy, though, were the previews.  I'm not kidding!  I don't know that I've EVER watched previews and wanted to attend ALL of them.  Did you all see Fireproof?  Well, the makers of Fireproof have another one coming out.  I've forgotten the name but it is about Dads becoming better fathers.  All of the previews were about movies that seemed to have something important and good to say.

Maybe there is hope for the film industry after all.

And on to another issue...

Maria (daughter) and I have been busy preparing for Fall at our Etsy shop, Wyoming Rose Boutique.  Also, we are going to do our first craft sale on September 24!  We're kind of excited about that.  We've decided to discontinue our shop blog, though.  Our plan is to just occasionally give shop info on our personal blogs.  Maria had the idea of doing some tutorials also.  I think that will be fun!  In fact, Maria 

posted a great tutorial yesterday.  Check it out!  And while you are there, browse around.  She has the greatest blog EVER!  She loves new followers as well!

Have a great week-end!