This was a great movie. Gary Cooper did a great job, even if he isn’t your typical cowboy character. Even though the film only runs 83 minutes, they don’t waste a single second of it and executed it perfectly; we’ll definitely watch this plenty more times in the future. The Ballad of Frank Miller played throughout the film added a very nice touch.
Moral Rating: 5 of 5
We found ourselves constantly hoping that someone in the town would recognize all the good Marshal Kane had fought for and lend him a hand. Even though the climax occurs when the fight happens at the end, the crux of the movie is on the audience wondering and hoping that the Marshall is going to get someone to help him against the deadly quartet at the train depot. We found ourselves sickened by the townspeople’s lack of goodness.
We’re led to believe at the beginning when Kane gets married that the townsfolk have his best interest at heart and want him to enjoy his honeymoon. However, it turns out they were more likely tired of having to be good with him around. They missed the debauchery that existed when Frank Miller and his gang ran the town. Even though Marshal Kane helped convict a murderer and cleaned up the town so that women and children could feel safe there, the townsfolk didn’t seem to care - they almost seemed to think that Marshall Kane was the reason that Frank Miller would be coming back in the first place. (This last idea is very similar to Batman’s predicament - he gets blamed for all the crazy psychopaths that come to Gotham; if he weren’t there the Gotham citizens/PD would just have to deal with normal criminals).
While we didn’t feel happy or triumphant at the end of the show, it sure made us reflect on how much we sometimes don’t want the good around because it makes us feel guilty of the worldly pleasures we enjoy. We need to learn to give place to good and righteousness in our lives and be willing to sacrifice temporal pleasures for eternal joys.
The beginning of the movie was a bit confusing with it jumping from one moment in time to another and introducing different people left and right; as the movie progressed things made much more sense and we found it very enjoyable. If you enjoy movies like Pride and Prejudice there’s a good chance you’ll really enjoy this one. The film might be classified as a romance, but that definitely is just a small portion of the movie. It is really about Queen Victoria’s maturing from a child into an adult and learning how to balance her high position with being a wife.
Moral Rating: 5 of 5
There were a lot things we enjoyed about this movie, particularly because of its moral and educational value. The movie was mostly about Victoria’s maturing from a child to an adult and how she learned to take on her royal duties. She had to assimilate quickly to the life and responsibilities of a queen. At first she confused stubbornness with strength and used it to control her decisions by rebelling against those closest to her who tried to give her advice, fearing that they were using her as a pawn. Later, Victoria understood that being stubborn does not signify strength or wisdom, and her decisions needed purpose behind them so that the people could see that she ruled on sound principles, and not because she favored one person over another.
Through many mistakes and grievances Victoria learned who her friends really were. She was taken advantage of by the Prime Minister at first, because of her naivety; and due to her stubbornness it took a while for her to see it. Luckily the Prime Minister had a change of heart and realized his unrighteous influence and gave her some of the best advice regarding her duties as queen and wife.
Lord Wellington: My guidance has not always been faultless, and I am sorry for it. But I speak to you now truthfully. Queen: I know Lord Wellington: The prince [Albert, Queen's husband] is a good man, a better man than any of us knew. I know he does not think as well of me, but my vanity is not the issue here. He is able, he is clever, and he is faithful. Let him share your work. [Up until this point the queen had a hard time letting anyone assist in her work. She felt threatened that everyone was trying to take advantage of her and use her for their own selfish interests].
Lord Wellington then gives her one last task to help make the prince “feel truly welcome”: to get rid of the baroness who has served as somewhat of a nanny for the queen and had not treated the prince well; she was seen as somewhat of a threat to his rightful place as patriarch of his family. The queen takes the Prime Minister's advice (asked the baroness to leave) and had her husband’s desk moved in with hers, signifying to Prince Albert that she was going to accept the help that he had to offer, and would make the effort to overcome the confusion between her duties as queen and that of his wife.
Like any married couple, the film displayed some possible sources of contention between Albert and Victoria, but through them we see Albert’s good character, patience, and love for his wife, the queen.
Albert also exhibits a good work ethic and is not willing to just sit back and watch people do things for him. He had a great desire to change things (in his marriage, the palace, and the country) for the better.
This isn't a "knock-your-socks-off" film, but it is incredibly inspiring and well done. It would be well worth your time to sit through and later reflect on the important lessons presented.
It seemed that this film probably used the same script the play used, so the movie wasn’t terribly visually engaging, but the dialog was intense. I wasn’t even aware of this film (unless it’s one that I fell asleep watching for English extra credit in high school) until I read Orson Scott Card’s list of favorite movies, and this one was number one. While A Man For All Seasons still isn’t better than On the Waterfront (still my favorite), it is pretty darn good.
Moral Rating: 5 of 5
The story is supposedly a little one-sided when it comes to historical accuracy (portraying Thomas as a saint, and not displaying any of his negative attributes); even so, I think we can learn a lot by focusing on the positive and not be distracted or discouraged by any negative truths that might make the history more accurate. By trying to live our lives according to a pattern of perfection we can expect to become closer to perfect than if we attempt to live according to a skewed pattern of “less-than-perfect” truths. (For more on patterns of perfection check out this address.) The same goes with only showing the virtues of somebody, instead of revealing his faults as well. In some instances the faults make the person/hero more human, more able to relate to, while without faults or weaknesses the hero doesn't seem to be one of us or someone who we could ever dream of becoming like unto. Only focusing on positive traits is good.
I don’t know that I can adequately summarize the plethora of moral messages presented in the film. The primary one expresses the importance of having standards and not bending them for anything or anyone, no matter the cost. One of my favorite scenes occurs after Richard Rich leaves the presence of Thomas, his wife, daughter and son-in-law after the King’s “surprise” visit. Roper, Thomas’s son-in-law, asks if Thomas is not going to prevent Richard from leaving back to the scheming Cromwell. Rich could very easily cause a lot of trouble for More's family, but More doesn't have any proof that that is what will happen and so he can't really be detained legally. Roper compares letting Rich go to letting the Devil go, and mocks Thomas’s defense of doing so because of the “law” (emphasizing the fact that there is no evidence for which to detain Rich). The following dialog ensues:
William Roper: [addressing Thomas] So, now you give the Devil the benefit of law! Sir Thomas More: Yes! What would you do? Cut a great road through the law to get after the Devil? William Roper: Yes, I'd cut down every law in England to do that! Sir Thomas More: Oh? And when the last law was down, and the Devil turned 'round on you, where would you hide, Roper, the laws all being flat? This country is planted thick with laws, from coast to coast, Man's laws, not God's! And if you cut them down, and you're just the man to do it, do you really think you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then? Yes, I'd give the Devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake!
Another remarkable scene occurs earlier in the film when More tries to convince Rich (when More still had some influence over him) to become a teacher, worrying about his potential to be corrupted if he pursued a position with the State:
Sir Thomas More: Why not be a teacher? You'd be a fine teacher; perhaps a great one. Richard Rich: If I was, who would know it? Sir Thomas More: You; your pupils; your friends; God. Not a bad public, that.
Later, Thomas is approached by Norfolk, a close “friend”, who sincerely wishes Thomas to give in and accept the King’s marriage as lawful. Everyone in England has been required to sign a statement saying they support the King in his marriage or else be thrown in prison. Norfolk tries to appeal to a non-existent desire in Thomas to be accompanied by “friends” in tough situations.
Norfolk: Oh, confound all this.... I'm not a scholar, as Master Cromwell never tires of pointing out, and frankly I don't know whether the marriage was lawful or not. But damn it, Thomas, look at those names.... You know those men! Can't you do what I did, and come with us, for fellowship? More: And when we stand before God, and you are sent to Paradise for doing according to your conscience, and I am damned for not doing according to mine, will you come with me, for fellowship?
I could go on with plenty more scenes I enjoyed, but you'll just have to take my word for it and treat yourself to an educational and enlightening movie. Your local library should have a copy of it, or you can check Netflix.
This was a great movie following the life of Temple Grandin who had autism and helped the world understand how to help those with autism succeed like she did.
“Last year might have been financially good for the movies, and films like ALICE IN WONDERLAND and holdover AVATAR might rule the box office this year. Films by directors whose hands are always distractingly visible might win the accolades of the cognoscenti. But TEMPLE GRANDIN is, without pretension, the finest artistic achievement in filmmaking I've seen in years; it easily elbowed its way into my lifetime top ten movie list.
It's an emotional rollercoaster, this movie. I laughed and cried so often I thought I had lived an extra year by watching it. Yet this was not because manipulative filmmakers juiced things up; on the contrary, the writers, director, and performers used amazing restraint. This movie never bludgeons us with something that can be conveyed through nuance alone.”
Moral Rating: 5
A lot can be learned from this depiction of the life of Temple Grandin. Even though her autism made her different (not less) than the average person, she learned how to exercise self control, how to hone her skills and apply them productively, and she wasn’t afraid to share her knowledge with those around her.
Her method of giving herself a hug was rather interesting, but demonstrated her desire to exercise control over her emotions and ultimately over her autism. We should all exerted the same effort to control our own emotions, instead of looking for ways to victimize ourselves and complain to or at others.
With the help of a loving family and her school teacher, Temple was able to realize what her strengths were and actively pursued avenues that enabled her to ultimately change the world: She re-engineered the cattle industry and opened up the eyes of the world to autism.
This review is coming only after one viewing of the movie, so I'm sure I'll miss something. This is a show that has to be watched multiple times.
Synopsis
Cobb is an expert extractionist (stealing mentally kept secrets) who longs to return home to his children. He's offered a chance to return if he can perform inception (implanting an idea) on the inheritor of a large energy business and get the inheritor to dissolve the company. Cobb is one of the few who knows inception can actually work, but he has some personal issues he must overcome for the plan to get pulled off.
Entertainment Value
Rating: A
This movie was amazing. This is what all directors should aspire to. Occasionally it is nice to be able to sit back and not have to think, but this is more than just a thinking movie; you get totally immersed in the film as if you were dreaming it yourself! Nolan has created a totally unique story so complex and deep that it begs for multiple views. Hans Zimmer does a wonderful job with the score as well. You have to see this in the theater.
Moral Value - Failure to Communicate?
Rating: 5
I'll try to avoid any spoilers, though there might be some minor ones (whether the movie ends happy or sad, so read on at your own risk).
The movie does a great job of illustrating a mindset that Elder David A. Bednar related in a youth fireside that was printed in the June 2010 Ensign entitled, "Things as They Really Are." (You should read through this before you see the movie and it will really help it sink in). Basically Elder Bednar discusses his concern that we look more towards cyber experiences that distract us from real experiences; real life experiences that actually help us progress spiritually and emotionally far better than any online game or website can. In the movie we see people who choose to live their lives through dreams. Because their dreams become more interesting and exciting than their actual life, they get lost in multiple levels of subconscious dreaming, making them ultimately unable to tell what's real life any more. Elder Bednar states,
"Sadly, some young men and young women in the Church today ignore 'things as they really are' and neglect eternal relationships for digital distractions, diversions, and detours that have no lasting value. My heart aches when a young couple—sealed together in the house of the Lord for time and for all eternity by the power of the holy priesthood—experiences marital difficulties because of the addicting effect of excessive video gaming or online socializing. A young man or woman may waste countless hours, postpone or forfeit vocational or academic achievement, and ultimately sacrifice cherished human relationships because of mind- and spirit-numbing video and online games. As the Lord declared, 'Wherefore, I give unto them a commandment … : Thou shalt not idle away thy time, neither shalt thou bury thy talent that it may not be known' (D&C 60:13)."
One of Cobb's personal issues he is confronted with is a strong feeling of personal guilt for something he has done (revealed in the movie). He learns, through the help of a friend, that he has to forgive himself in order to move on. This forgiveness isn't only important to Cobb's personal progression, but for the well-being of those he's working with. As he learns to confront his fears and realize what is real and what is a distraction, he's able to continue on his mission with a brighter hope of being united with his children.
The love Cobb displays for his children (seen primarily through his dreams and discussion with others) is the love we should exhibit for our family at all times. It wouldn't hurt to imagine yourself being in such a situation to realize how much you need your family and how much they need you.
The PG-13 rating is primarily for the intense scenes of action and violence (though nothing graphic is displayed). There are some profane references to deity, but little else. No sex or nudity.
Andy's toys must try to avoid being thrown out before he goes off too college. When they end up donated to a day care, they then are faced with even more troubles from the head toys there. Through all their adventures and trials, Andy's toys do everything to watch out for each other and stick together.
Entertainment Value
Rating: A
A lot of fun. As good or better than the other 2 movies. The music was good, especially the Gypsy King's rendition of "You've Got a Friend in Me", but was a little over done in some of the intense scenes (one of the scenes was intense enough, it didn't need any further help from the music).
Moral Value - Failure to Communicate?
Rating: 5
[Spoiler Alert]
Constantly throughout the movie the toys refer to each other as family. Though the toys weren't all related, they lived and worked together as a family should, and most importantly they never left anyone behind. Woody had the chance to move on with Andy and leave everyone else behind, but in the end, he just couldn't leave them.
When Andy's toys get to Sunnyside we see how leadership through fear (Lotso) makes life miserable for everyone and only really caters to the stronger and more selfish toys. Once Lotso was gone, the toys at the day care were able to work better together and be happier overall.
One of my favorite parts of the movie was seeing Andy give all his toys to a little girl down the street and watch him show her how special they were to him. I don't know that I ever had any special affinity for any of my toys growing up, but it kind of draws a comparison to familial love again and how important making good memories is for families.
This is the story of a man who fought against the system. Lucas Jackson gets thrown into a work camp for "destroying municipal property," and even while there continues to fight against anything that gives him rules to follow. The men in the camp admire him; and even Dragline, the assumed leader of the prisoners, gives Luke his respect. Luke gets tired of being the only one who seems to care about breaking free, even God seems to have abandoned him. Read on to find out why this is one of my favorite movies.
Entertainment Value - A
For the longest time this was my absolute favorite movie and it still ranks among the top ten. Paul Newman's and George Kennedy's performances are awesome. The multiple attempts at escape from the prison never get boring. You never get tired of the constant change and rebellion Luke introduces to the prison. Some people can't seem to make it through the first part of the movie, and I can't understand why! Mostly people who have a hard time watching anything that isn't newer than the 1980's (though that's even pushing it for some!).
Moral Value - Failure to Communicate? - 5
Why is this movie the theme for our blog? For one, it was one of my favorite movies and "Cool Hand Critics" had a nice ring to it. From there, we were able to introduce other elements of the movie into our reviews (World Shakers, Nights In The Box, etc.). Here are some of the reasons why it is among my favorite movies:
Unwritten Rules
At the beginning of the film, when Luke first comes to the camp and the other prisoners are playing cards, he makes pretty clear his disdain for rule makers. Dragline and the other prisoners are explaining all the "unwritten" rules of the prison and that Dragline is basically the king of the coop. Luke just laughs and when confronted, he responds that there just seem to be "a lot of guys laying down rules and regulations."
Unwritten societal rules (e.g., might makes right, herd mentality, etc.) sometimes keep us from progressing, whereas true rules (i.e., commandments, covenants, etc.) should help us in our progression as human beings and children of God. This isn't the case for all unwritten rules (e.g., etiquette, chivalrous manners, etc.), but we need to do more than just follow someone blindly like most of the prisoners ended up doing with Dragline and later with Luke. We need to live/know for ourselves and understand what impact our decisions and actions have on our spiritual and physical well being.
"Nothing Can Be a Real Cool Hand"
Luke and Dragline had a boxing match and even though Luke was very badly beat-up, he never gave up; in fact he told Dragline, "you're gonna have to kill me." Luke later ends up winning a poker game with a hand of nothing and states that, "Sometimes nothin' can be a real cool hand." Dragline admits that he was beat in the fight with nothing just as Koko was in the poker game (meaning even though Luke didn't beat Dragline physically, Luke sure didn't lose).
Sometimes by just standing your ground, no matter what the odds are against you, you can come out on top. This constancy exhibited in one's faith and conviction of principles or standards can define a person's being.
"Get Out There Yourself!"
After one of the many times Luke escapes the prison and is brought back (bloody and beaten) all the men can do nothing but comment on what a grand ol' time he must have had while he was out (particularly because Luke had sent them a picture of himself between two attractive ladies, revealed at this time to be a phony). Exasperated he yells, "Stop feedin' off me! Get out there yourself! I can't breathe!"
How often do we live our lives through other people's experiences instead of getting up/out and doing things for ourselves?
Later on, after Luke has been "broken" by the bosses (forced to labor to the point of physical exhaustion and beaten brutally in the process) and enters the sleeping quarters where all the prisoners (who sat and watched the breaking process) are gathered, he collapses. Not a single person went to him to help him out. They were disillusioned by the breaking of the high and mighty man they once esteemed as their hero. Luke was never a real person in their eyes; they invented a person who was invulnerable, a superhero that could never break. When he broke they became the selfish, brutal, despicable creatures men tend to be when they see good men fall. They were too weak (too smart?) to try to break out of prison themselves, to push the rule makers to the limit, to discover who they really could be, making them all the more happy to see strong people fall. It makes them feel good about themselves, even if they aren't truly happy (still locked up, never having attempted to get out in the open).
Failure to Communicate
During Luke's last escape attempt, Dragline can't help but come along with him. Dragline's as giddy as a school boy to see that Luke was "never" broken. But Luke corrects him and tells him he was as broke as anybody could have been. After Dragline starts planning all the world shaking he, Luke, and Koko are gonna do when they're all out Luke says that he's "done enough world shaking for a while." At this news Dragline doesn't know how to react, he begins to regret ever leaving the camp realizing that he only had a few years left if he would have stayed put. (The disillusionment sets in again.)
Luke approaches a church and decides to enter it and that it's time he has a talk with God. He wants to blame God (not angrily but questioningly) for his situation. Luke feels that God has things "fixed" against him and at the same time made him like he was, so how was he supposed to fit in? When does it all end? What does God have in store for him? What should he do now? Luke then gets on his knees to ask and concedes that he's a hard case and ends up supposing that he'll have to find his own way (not having received any communication from God).
This failure to communicate comes up a couple of times in the film, and is up there with some of the best known lines in cinematic history. There seems to be a lot of failed communication, a lot of "unwritten rules" that seem to catch people off guard left and right. You could argue that it wasn't God that was messing up the communication, but Luke. He never wanted to submit to any kind of authority, and he was constantly running away from it or flat out pushing back. Even Luke says "there ain't a whole lot worth listening to" (specifically referring to all the rules and regulation being put out). How many times do we say we want an answer but do nothing to make sure we are prepared to hear what we need to be told?
With regards to this movie review site, I hope we can communicate some of the insights we receive on the quality and moral value of films that we see. We in no way assume our ideas and interpretations are the only way to view the content of the films, but invite others to comment and help us mold our philosophy in a non-threatening way.
This is the second remake of The Shop Around the Corner (at least that I'm aware of). A small bookstore owner, Kathleen Kelly, and a multimillion dollar discount bookstore chain owner, Joe Fox, are in love online (choosing to keep personal information unknown to each other), but enemies in the professional world. When, through email, they decide to meet, Joe discovers who his pen-pal is without her knowing. While Joe's first impulse is to throw in the towel and give up on her, he ultimately realizes that he had fallen in love with the person who wrote the emails to him, and that he needs to try and win Kathleen's affection, getting her to look past her prejudices and see him for who he really is.
Entertainment Value - A
This is my favorite version of this story and also one of my all time favorite films. Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks are perfect together in their roles. I love the soundtrack.
Moral Value - Failure to Communicate? - 4
At first sight, it might seem that displaying two relationships where neither couple is married but still live together can't be constructive. Similar to the play The Importance of Being Earnest where marriage is made light of and food is taken seriously, I think this is a commentary on the importance of marriage. We see both live-in relationships as unhappy, neither couple is in love with their significant other. As Joe and Kathleen's relationship matures (without any sexual encounters!), we see that the ultimate goal will be marriage. You don't see a marriage take place, but Joe mentions that had the issue of their professional differences not existed he would have asked her out..."for as long we both shall live", a direct reference to marriage.
Other elements that support this are that Joe's family is completely dysfunctional and is even mocked as being an "American family". Joe has a brother who is probably 30 years his junior and and an Aunt that isn't much older than his brother. Joe's father's fiancee (probably no older than Joe) hits on Joe and ends up running off with another woman, which is what his own father has done in his previous 2 or 3 relationships. These extreme relationships are exaggerated to emphasize the importance of a solid marriage between a man and a woman, the only union that can bring true happiness to the human family.
In addition to advocating marriage, the same message exists here as in it's two predecessors (Shop Around the Corner and In the Good Old Summer Time): you can't judge a book by it's cover. Judging too quickly can prevent good relationships from forming, and is ultimately breaking a commandment; Jesus commanded that we judge not unrighteous judgment.
I don't think any of these films really try to shoot for a moral message, but they are great entertainment. That being said, is it a waste of our time if there isn't some sort of moral lesson to be learned? Or is the lesson simply to take time to enjoy life and make people smile? Harpo's harp performances, Chico's piano performances, and Groucho's intelligent wit are all commendable talents and worthy pursuits.
Leaving it at that the one's we've seen recently and really enjoyed are the following:
Animal Crackers (by far the funniest, particularly Groucho's Strange Interludes)
Rocky Graziano is nothing but trouble for his family and the community, and works his way into several prisons and work camps. His future becomes brighter when he realizes (with the help of a few mentors) that he has good potential to fight professionally and legally. He straightens up his life, gets married, has a child, and eventually completely turns over a new leaf and realizes what things are most important in his life. Starring Paul Newman.
Entertainment Value - B
Great movie, probably Stallone's inspiration behind Rocky, very similar story line (shady character turns to fighting as a more legitimate profession and marries a shy girl who doesn't like to see him fighting). Paul Newman did a great job, though I like Stallone and Crowe a little better as boxers.
Moral Value - Failure to Communicate? - 5
Norma had a great role. I liked the part where she corrected his manager by telling him that he can't turn a blind eye to Rocky's past. Doing so was dishonest and in no way helping Rocky accept who he was so he could genuinely turn over a new leaf (not the leaf of some imagined self). By accepting his past, Norma was able to accept Rocky for who he really was and help him get to the point where he had nothing to worry about. (He states that he knows that he'll lose his title someday, but that doesn't bother him; what's most important is what he has right then - his family.)
The great moral dilemma comes when he's about to contact the evil..shady? replace "shady" above with "troublemaker"(need better word) Frankie Peppo to do some business with him. At a very opportune moment his friend, a soda jerk, tells him that when he orders a soda he has to pay for it, teaching him he needs to face up to the truth and take responsibility for what he's done and promised to do. He then runs into another friend who wants to start a flower shop (but really wants money to buy a gun and pay someone to hold someone up with the newly acquired gun for the money for a flower shop so he can run a bootlegging joint...). Rocky tries to talk some sense into him, but realizes he can't force the guy to change.
Rocky's reconciliation with his father was touching as well. Their frank discussion helped both realize the true state of their circumstances and allow them to finally see eye to eye. Rocky's father breaks down and says that all he wants for Rocky is to be the champ he, as a fighter/father, never was. Rocky says "Don't worry about a thing!" and the rest is history.
If you're looking for an original (in that it came out before Rocky), inspirational sports story, check this one out.
A Christian lady (Sandra Bullock) takes in a troubled youth and with the help of her husband (Tim McGraw) and children she instills in the boy courage to finish school and start a new life, full of hope.
Entertainment Value - A
This was a very well done movie. I went into the theater not terribly excited about it, thinking it was going to be just like every other inspirational sports story (good, but because there are so many of them, it's nothing new); but it wasn't. It was inspirational, but football was just a small element of the movie. The performances were great. The music was a little too contrived, I felt more emotionally driven at time because of the music instead of the actual story.
Moral Value - Failure to Communicate? - 5
The focus on the family was very strong in this film. The Tuohy's were your average TV watching family until Big Mike came into their lives. One scene in particular stands out on Thanksgiving day when Michael chooses to sit at the table instead of on the couch watching football like the rest of the family. It doesn't say why, but Michael's example helped bring the family closer that day as the mother corralled the rest of the family into the dining room to spend real family time together.
When Michael first moved in, I was wondering how the mother could do that with a teenage daughter in the home. Apparently she was oblivious to that potential danger (an issue no matter if the boy were a stranger or a good family friend), but when made aware of it by a friend, she made sure to discuss the issue with her daughter to find out her feelings on the situation. This was a good example of humility on the mother's part, realizing she hadn't consulted her daughter on the matter but quickly remedying it.
The last scene where Michael is being interrogated by the NCAA board on why he chose the college he did, was another great scene on the importance of strong family ties. The world doesn't really understand the concept of what a family is and does (as exhibited by the interrogator). She simply thought that the parents were coniving Ol' Miss alumni trying to get some extra points scored for their school; when, like any other parent, all they wanted was for their "son" to be happy, knowing that that school was where they were happy. Michael grounds the interrogator when he comes back and tells her that.
S.J. and his sister showed great initiative in going out of their way to help Michael know he was loved. The husband's support of his wife's charity was inspiring. I really can't say enough good about this show. Go out of your way to see this film, it will definitely find a place in our DVD Binder when it comes out.
Maximus, general of the Roman army, declines to serve the new Emperor and ends up a slave/gladiator fighting for his life and for the entertainment of others. When he is brought to Rome and fights before the new Caesar he eventually realizes his power, even as a slave, to turn the people against the evil emperor.
Entertainment Value
The movie was pretty violent, but the story is a lot deeper than the cool fight scenes. A very tense plot unravels as we see the good emperor overthrown by his evil son along with the possible passing of the crown to the worthy general of the Roman armies. I highly recommend this if it comes out on TV, or you happen to have a way to edit the grisly R version.
Moral Value - Failure to communicate?
[Spoiler Alert]
In the beginning, when offered the empire, Maximus declined the honors of becoming Caesar because his first priority was returning to his simple life with his family. There's a good chance he would have accepted the offer if things hadn't gone the way they did. Maximus realized the reason that the dying emperor chose him was because of his adherence to dignity and virtue - the only one who could combat the corruption that existed in the Senate.
Maximus is a man of very high morals and trades them in for nothing; he loves his country and will do anything to help keep his fellow countrymen free. Similar to Karate Kid, though Maximus's foe was much more evil, Maximus was able to challenge his enemy in an "official" or accepted arena, showing that there are appropriate ways to conquer the enemy, even to the death.
The loneliness Commodus brought on himself because of his ambition and treachery is very well portrayed.
I really enjoyed this show. Jeremiah Johnson (Redford) tries to run away from troubles in society (war, corruption, etc.) thinking he can find peace living on his own. He runs into plenty of wild animals, savage Indians, and ravaged settlers, learning different lessons throughout his journey
After leaving, Jeremiah soon finds out that there is no running from troubles, life will always bring you challenges. As Jeremiah overcame these challenges he became wiser, and he learned to love people instead of being critical of them. He was pretty much forced into marriage, and was obligated to take in a boy whose family had been ravaged and killed by the Indians. These experiences helped Jeremiah see the good in people, and particularly the love and joy that comes with being a part of a family.
[Spoiler Alert] This movie didn't end on a very happy note. Jeremiah ended up going against his understanding of the Crow Indians to help the military rescue a town under threat of Indian attack. By doing so, he ended up losing his family. He spent the rest of his days fighting off Indian challengers and became a legend in their culture.
The first 15 mintues or so of the movie really draws you into the happiness the Frederickson's had in their lives despite the inability to fulfill their dreams of exploring South America. Their hardships are what really drew them close together in their marriage. Throughout the story you see Mr. Frederickson's continued love for his wife and how her love for him encourages him to love and serve others. Ellie's enduring love for Carl helps him gain the courage to befriend and help Russell and Kevin. These concepts are very applicable to any marriage. Once either partner in the marriage starts trying to figure out "what's in it for them," they lose their focus of loving and serving their spouse and children, putting the relationship at risk.
One of my favorite parts is when the old man is flipping through his wife's scrapbook and discovers that she had filled in the Paradise pages (saved for their dream vacation that they never got to do) with pictures of their life together. To her, life with him was her paradise. *Sigh*
There is a conflict between good and evil in the film, but the real conflict is within the old man. Learning to live with the passing of his wife and living his life to the fullest, not letting his time waste away is what continues to make him happy, even in the absense of his wife. We whole-heartedly encourage you to make an effort to see this if you haven't already.
Brilliant! I wish I had watched this in the theaters, or at least with a better quality sound system. I loved every minute of the music and story. What's even more amazing to find out is that the lead actor wrote and performed all the songs himself.
This was a very simple story about characters who lead anything but simple lives. It is inspiring to see how they grow close together and decide to face their challenges instead of run from them. The girl's choice to try and repair her marriage was admirable for two reasons. First, with divorce running rampant these days, it would appear that fewer people are willing to try and make things work. Second, it is even more rare to see such a courageous decision depicted in modern film.
We whole-heartedly recommend this film if you have some way to filter out the language (which is what we understand is behind the R-rating of this film).
This was a great movie! Not well acted (for the most part) but a very powerful message on overcoming one's weaknesses, and looking past the weaknesses of your spouse to enable love to grow in that relationship.
The film starts off introducing a struggling marriage where both spouses are having problems overcoming their selfish desires. They are consistently pointing out how the other is always doing things that prevents them doing what they want/need to do or not showing enough respect. Everything is the other person's fault. We are shown the damage that comes from addiction to pornography, associating one on one with the opposite sex in inappropriate ways, not sharing the same financial goals, and a number of other issues that are commonly at the crux of rocky marriages.
Caleb takes the first big step in trying to save their marriage. At the point where both of them are considering divorce, they each go to their friends for support. When Catherine approached her friends with her marriage problems, they were overly sympathetic. Their words verified Catherine's false image of being a victim and encouraged more negative thoughts and feelings towards Caleb. Her friends surely had good intentions, but led her away from any accountability for her own actions. Caleb on the other hand, found better support in his friend who encouraged him to get help to fix the problems and better the marriage instead of running away from it. On top of that, his parents (especially his dad) gave him specific challenges and ideas to help him change and give him a desire to make things better. The best thing about the father’s advice is that it led to Christ. This also provides a very good example of how much we can be affected by those with whom we surround ourselves.
As Caleb began following his Father's advice, it took a long time for his actions to be visible to Catherine as being purely selfless. Even though the actions themselves were 100% good, Caleb's motives were probably not as pure. But with each act of kindness and selflessness his heart was softened and his actions become more and more genuine until his wife couldn't deny his humility, love, and real desire to change. It was his own fault that his wife took so long to trust him, but at the same time, if she had been working towards staying together instead of moving further away, she would have seen his intentions a lot earlier. Open, honest, and frequent communication is necessary to keep your marriage going and to see what's going on in the other person's life. At the same time we need to learn to not get offended so easily and to always assume the best of the other person. By doing so, the love we display is more Christ-like and the marriage is strengthened.
The turning point for Caleb came when he was so frustrated that all his attempts to give service and show love for Catherine were denied, disregarded, and blatantly ignored. He asked the question, “How can I love someone who rewards my good deeds by spitting in my face?” (something like that). And then it hit him as he saw a cross. He was reminded that that was exactly what happened to Christ. He realized that Christ had given His life for him and he was spitting back in His face (he didn’t want anything to do with religion). And yet Christ still loved him anyway. His attitude began to change as he began to better understand and improve his relationship with Christ. When he truly felt the love of Christ in his heart, his heart changed and he began to truly feel love for his wife, even with all her problems and insults. There was a drastic difference in the deeds he did from then on (meaning he did them with real intent and out of pure love) and instead of anger and frustration at her blatant disregard, he was sorrowful and genuinely hurt.
In any problem we are facing, if we can come to Christ and try to better understand His love for us and His sacrifice, we will then be better able to deal with whatever comes our way. The more we improve our relationship with Christ and have His love within us, the more perfectly we will be able to love others unconditionally.
I started reading the book and ended up getting about three-fourths of the way through it. I can't remember why, I just felt like it was taking an eternity to finish it, so I set it down. After watching the movie again, I think I have enough desire to pick the book up again and if nothing else, at least finish the last quarter of it.
This story has tons of lessons through it. Most of them are political, as that was Jonathan Swift's purpose in writing it (as far as we know), but I think the comparison's he made to humanity several hundred years ago are still quite applicable today. Human nature doesn't seem to change much, just the circumstances in which it exists.
After watching this I have a greater desire to be involved with what is going on in the political world, since that's the group that tends to run things in our lives. The movie accurately portrays the type of resistance that we can expect from trying to discover errors in current processes and that it really takes the faith of a child to penetrate the clouded intellect of grown men.
We watched this movie a while ago and fortunately took notes during and right after viewing it. This was a great movie! Though many of Gandhi's teachings and beliefs were good, I'm not sure I agree 100% with everything, but I'll let you decide where you stand. Plenty of lessons worth remembering were taught, and we hope this list will give you insight into a small portion of the good this movie presents.
Love and truth will always prevail
Noncooperation with evil is necessary
Gandhi fasted until noncooperation with Great Britain stopped. Gandhi realized the people weren't ready to live this "higher law", they weren't motivated by the right desires (sounds strangely familiar to multiple stories from scriptures)
No compromise, disgust for alien powers - alien powers don't know who they rule, they don't understand the culture or way of life.
Gandhi understood that to lead the people he had to understand what they did and how they lived, so he renounced the status his schooling brought him and became one of the people.
"I've traveled so far and I ended up back home." (It only matters what you become)
Gandhi was willing to stand up for what's right, was never worried about what others think
"All battles ought to be fought in our own hearts."
"Tyrants and murderers at times seem invincible, but in the end they always fall."
The Indians had to love Gandhi for his fasting to death to mean anything.
This is a long movie (about 3 hours), but I'd recommend it to anyone who hasn't seen it.
Edward was a hermit and wouldn't dare come into the town until he was shown genuine love by someone who took him in and treated him as her own son. There was no evil at all in him, even though by the looks of him you'd assume him to be a psychopath/serial killer, while paradoxically the town was painted a rainbow of pastel hues symbolizing happiness and goodness, when all that it harbored was inebriated, lustful, and evil people. The townspeople couldn't handle someone as good and innocent as Edward, they immediately started to try and bring him down to their level.
Sometimes we mistake the innocent or naive as a lower standard or less intelligent than the experienced. While to some extent the innocent doesn't know as much as the experienced, if the experienced has learned the difference between good and evil and the importance of accepting the good, but chooses to follow evil anyways, their knowledge is for naught. The ill-experienced recogonize their state of sinfulness and can't stand being around others that are "better" than them (even if naive), they try to bring them down. This is why it is so important for parents to prepare their kids to face the battles of evil they encounter as soon as they start experiencing the world.
Another illustration of the town's contempt for innocence was to use Edward as a scapegoat. He soon became the reason why the whole town was corrupt, and they really believed it. We need to focus on ourselves and, as the Savior's apostles, ask "Is it I?"
Not as good as You've Got Mail, in my opinion, but since it's the inspiration behind it, it's great. It's still very impressive to see Jimmy Stewart's character change and realize the person he really fell in love with and get over his unfounded prejudices.
Stewart really had to humble himself and put aside the things he saw in Margaret Sullivan that seemed to bug him. In marriage, I think it is important to realize what drew you into the person initially; like they say, "keep your eyes wide open during courtship [to make sure you don't overlook anything important] and half shut after marriage [being forgiving of the other persons faults]." I think that's the message I found that moved me the most.
Mr. Matuchek's lack of communication with his employees displayed another poignant lesson. It is important to be open and honest in all situation before jumping to any conclusions. You must strive to assume the best in people and try to understand as much of a situation as you can. I imagine it could be very difficult in a situation like he found himself with in the movie, losing his trust in his wife.
Back to the love story, so many times people get misled by their emotions and fail to see (or choose not to see) the shortcomings of their sweetheart. Sometimes more than just shortcomings are overlooked for the sense of belonging or being loved. It's important to view the counterpart of the relationship in an everyday setting, how they react in different situations and with different types of people. James Stewart is able to do that with Margaret Sullivan and he's willing to accept her as she is, knowing that she is capable of loving him. And of course everything works out in the end, a bit abrupt though if I might add. Meg Ryan's falling in love with Tom Hanks because of his genuine kindness was better displayed in You've Got Mail. I'll have to see In the Good Ol' Summertime again to comment on that version.
