City of Ember Trailer

Now this also looks interesting ... kind of a family movie set in an environment that feels like an old-time sci-fi movie set. Also, it's the last place I'd expect to see Bill Murray.

Check out the trailer at Ain't It Cool.

There's Many a Slip Twixt the Book and the Movie

Lars at Brandywine Books points out a major flaw he noticed in the adaptation of Prince Caspian for the movie world ... and why it matters.

[...] What set me off was a statement that director Andrew Adamson decided to make Susan Pevensey a warrior in the battle (in the film), though Lewis had made it a point to keep her out of it (in the book).

The more I think about this, the more it bothers me. I understand that I’m touchy and obsessive on the subject, but there are times when madmen (like me) can see the truth that sane people can’t, because we look where nobody else is looking. If it’s true that the truths that are most important to defend in any age are precisely those that are most despised, then madmen are sometimes the bloodhounds who smell out what the truth-hunters don’t see.

The decision to kick aside a plot point that mattered to Lewis, just because it’s unfashionable, is not a minor matter (or so it seems to me). In this situation it’s a declaration that there is no special calling for a man to be warrior and protector in the world. Nobody seems to see this, but to me it’s obvious—such a view has dangerous, catastrophic consequences, not only for boys and men but for society as a whole. It’s an assertion (one at which Lewis would have snorted in contempt) that there is no essential difference between men and women; that there are only interchangeable hominid units. [...]

Read it all here.

Superhero Highlight: Halfsies

Continuing the stories of superheroes devised by Hannah and Jenny (more about that can be found here as well as the first description)

Halfsies

Power: Ability to walk half way into a wall

Back-story: As a matter transistor repair man, Halfsies spent much of his time repairing matter transistors. As a result, his days were usually quite mundane. Little did he know, however, that once he entered THIS matter transistor, he would never be the same again. Halfsies began his day, like so many others, with a visit to a mad scientist’s humble, unstable technology-filled abode. He began his routine inspection of machine, screwing in this, unscrewing that, etc. When he entered the matter transistor to investigate its inner workings, however, he heard an ominous humming begin to emanate from the machine. He whirled around to see the mad scientist cackling maniacally and pulling numerous sinister levers. Realizing that the transistor was not broken at all and that the scientist merely wanted a test subject, Halfsies leapt heroically out of the transistor, but not before being struck with its power. Because he was not fully exposed to its influences, Halfsies was only partially affected, leaving him with the ability to walk into walls, but only halfway. Realizing the amount of crazy wackjobs that infested his fair city, Halfsies dedicated himself to the defense of repairmen everywhere.

Cover: Mild-mannered matter transistor repairman (and a handsome matter transistor repairman at that)

Cover name: Malachai Montgomery

Partners: The Scrabbler, The Lincolnator

Introduction to partners: After a successful day of foiling mad scientists, Halfsies decided to relax at a local soda shoppe. He was sitting at the counter, enjoying his strawberry malt, and thoroughly minding his own business, when he felt a shower of copper raining down on him. He turned to see a young lass with a crazed look in her eyes pelting him with pennies for no reason he could discern. Halfsies leapt into action, and did what he did best: ran into the walls to hide. This tactic was more effective when the person being hid from was not already staring at him, though, so it didn’t help a lot. If anything, it lessened his mobility and retreat options, cornering him halfway in the wall. Luckily, the young lady eventually realized her mistake and ceased her attempts to knock Halfsies unconscious with pennies. The two laughed about the hilarious misunderstanding for quite some time, and Halfsies readily joined The Lincolnator, as he learned the young miss was called, and her partner, The Scrabbler, to become a fabulous trio, defending all that is just and right. Upon meeting The Scrabbler, Halfsies discovered that they had served jury duty together some months ago. As the only jurors dedicated to justice and not spellbound by room service, Halfsies and The Scrabbler formed a firm friendship, after they went jogging. So it was a pleasant surprise to both that they were now partners in fighting crime.

Arch-nemesis: Mad scientists
==========
Next superhero feature coming: Ramen Girl

Worth a Thousand Words

Two Headed Toffee Coo

Found at Flickr Scotland.
Check out the fantastic photos they have there.

Worth a Thousand Words

Sir Joshua Reynolds. Lucy, Lady Strange. 1755.
From Olga's Art Gallery.

Superhero Highlight: The Lincolnator

Continuing the stories of superheroes devised by Hannah and Jenny (more about that can be found here as well as the first description)

The Lincolnator

Power: Can turn any form of currency into pennies

Back-story: As an adamant coin collector, she was demanding specialty coins from a nearby antique shop. She was so adamant that the shop owners pulled out all the stops and bestowed upon her their rarest of coins. Little did The Lincolnator realize that this PARTICULAR coin had been recovered on an archaeological dig in the cursed temples of the ancient Incan civilization. This coin, created by an extremely visionary shaman (and a handsome shaman at that) gave its owner the power to alter currency. At first, the coin possessed great power, enabling the owner to make change in whatever manner they wish, providing them with the best currency for a given situation. Over time, however, the coin has lost some of its power; now, it enables the owner to change any type of currency into pennies and pennies alone, which is odd, considering that the Incans did not use pennies. Upon discovering this new ability of hers, she set about to annoy all of her least favorite friends, acquaintances, and business associates by turning all of their currency into pennies. One day, when The Lincolnator went to a vending machine and was unable to purchase anything because it would not take pennies, she realized the error of her ways and set about using her power for good from then on.

Cover: Mild-mannered magician (and a gorgeous magician at that)

Cover name: Melinda Minkfoot

Partners: The Scrabbler, Halfsies

Introduction to partners: After joining forces with The Scrabbler, having met in an intense game of Scrabble, The Lincolnator rejoiced at her luck and walked into a nearby soda shoppe. There she saw a man she thought she knew, quickly recognized him as the Masked Marauder, and devised a plan to foil his crime. The plan was simple, so simple it was genius: pelt him with pennies until he surrenders. She quickly set her plan into action, sending wave after wave of pennies hurtling towards the man. She was then ASTOUNDED to see the man retreat back into the wall, not all the way through the wall, but about halfway into it. “The Masked Marauder can’t walk into walls,” she thought quite cleverly to herself. On closer inspection of this supposed villain, she realized he was no villain at all, but none other than Halfies, a beloved hero famous for his ability to walk halfway into a wall. Needless to say, The Lincolnator’s cheeks turned bright red with embarrassment, a cute bright red, though, endearing her forever to Halfies. At that moment, Halfies joined forces with The Lincolnator and The Scrabbler to become a terrific triad of heroes.

Arch-nemesis: Carmen Caldwell, the city’s most prominent coin collector
==========
Next superhero feature coming: Halfsies

10 Prayers God Always Says Yes To: a touching review

Y'all may remember that I was quite surprised to find myself a big fan of this book.

Ma Beck over at WardWideWeb also gives it a thumbs up.

Her review is the prelude to an endorsement of the book that is both touching (yes, I cried) and a testimony to God's persistence and goodness in giving us what He knows we need. Do go read it ...

Worth a Thousand Words

Pen Drawing by Charles Maginnis
Via Lines and Colors
Click on drawing to see larger, click through art title link for the free ebook from Gutenberg.

Like ... tragically inarticulate, you know?

The Anchoress thought I'd like this. She was right. I say that with complete conviction.

Worth a Thousand Words

Gebera Daisy
by Hey Jules who recently was awarded Image of the Week by Bird Photographers.net. And well deserved too!

Iron Man ... the Catholic Batman?

Or so Enbrethiliel's pal points out ...

"I guess I was never interested," my friend continued," because he has no innate superpowers. I read a description of him somewhere that fits perfectly: the Catholic Batman. I mean, like Bruce Wayne, he just built everyth--"

I practically knocked Skairuz's glass over in my excitement. "The Catholic Batman??? Why? How? Speak!"

"Well . . . his motivation to fight crime is based on his discovery of how his past actions have caused others, including innocents, to suffer. He's trying to atone for his sins, do penance, as it were."

As you can see, Skairuz got the best out of fifteen years of Jesuit education. ...

She's not alone. Well, The American Culture doesn't go so far as to call Iron Man a Catholic Batman, but it does a very nice piece on the redemptive quality of the movie and concludes:

It's no surprise that Iron Man benefits from impressive special effects and action sequences, but it is somewhat surprisng and pleasing that it has some truly serious ideas and characterizations and explores them with sincerity, wit, and sophistication.

Decent Films concurs:

... Here is a popcorn movie with a will to entertain, at turns evoking James Bond, Batman Begins and Transformers; if it’s not in the same league as Batman Begins, it’s better (and shorter) than Transformers, with a redemptive angle foreign to James Bond.

Directed by Jon Favreau (Zathura), Iron Man is a rare superhero origin story that is also a conversion story. ...

I have been trying not to read reviews because I really want to see this in the movies and not know every turn of the plot. However, even a cursory scan of these reviews shows that this is a superhero movie with a lot of heart. Do go read them all for a good look behind the standard superhero story.

Oh, and to answer Enbrethiliel's question ...

Is there anything more embarrassing than having Barb Nicolosi beat me to posting about a superhero movie?

No, no there isn't. As I can say from experience right now.

The Crystal Skull in Indiana Jones

For anyone worrying that the crystal skull in Indiana Jones might be based on something real ... check out one of my favorite podcasters, Skeptoid, who gives us the whole scoop.

Yep, you're right. They are fakes and they were never Mayan. But listen or read it anyway. Then you'll have the facts when someone starts worrying about ancient Mayan religions.

Opening the Scriptures: A series that lives up to its name

Bringing the Gospel of Matthew to Life:
Insight and Inspiration
(Opening the Scriptures series)
by George Martin

"Were not our hearts burning [within us] while he spoke to us on the way and opened the scriptures to us?"

Luke 24:32

"Bringing the Gospel of Matthew to Life" is a commentary that made the above verse from Luke occur to me again and again. George Martin has given us a thorough and fascinating yet highly accessible scriptural commentary that truly does let us see the Gospel of Matthew with new eyes.

The structure of the book follows this outline as Matthew is covered, section by section:

• An orientation, if needed, of the scriptural passage.


• The scriptural passage in its entirety


• Listing of Gospel parallels, Old Testament related passages, and New Testament related passages


• Verse-by-verse explanation of the text. Occasionally this is a phrase-by-phrase explanation when necessary for clarity. The Gospel phrase or verse is always bolded within these so that one can see easily what is being explicated. The explanation will often reflect a connection to the present day life in the Church. If an explanation has not been agreed upon by scholars, Martin may offer his own possible explanation or clarification but this is always within Church teachings.
  
  
  • Full quotations of related Old Testament passages within the explanations when they are necessary
  • Cross-references to Old and New Testament passages that are related to each explanation
  • Listing and page numbers of related background information that might be in other sections
    


• Reflection questions that provide opportunities to relate the scripture to one's own life


• Boxed-in background information which provides contextual information on such varied subjects as farming life in Palestine, the meaning that the word messiah had for Jews at the time of Jesus, how cosmic signs were interpreted, and what the roles of servants and slaves were in that time.

Over the years I have used many scriptural commentaries, some Catholic and some Protestant. Each has their advantages but this is the first I have encountered that has gripped me with such interest that I read it to the exclusion of all else. After perusing so many commentaries, I thought that I had a grasp of the basic considerations for many of the most commonly quoted gospel passages. Although Martin definitely covers what I already might have known from other sources, he does so with many citations to Old Testament passages that other sources have not necessarily included. As well, he is continually surprising me with a consideration that I had not thought of before. It may be a subtle point but is usually a telling one and has given me much food for thought already. I am positive that Tom already is tired of me piping up with, "Hey, listen to this!" after only reading 80 pages so far. For example:

[The Homage of the Magi
1 When Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, in the days of King Herod, behold, a magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, 2 saying, "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage." ...]

2 The magi come to Jerusalem saying, "Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star at its rising and have come to do him homage." They observe a star at its rising--at its first appearance in the sky. What might they have seen (a supernova? a conjunction of planets? a comet?) is a matter of conjecture, but Matthew's concern is the significance of what the magi saw, not its nature. The magi interpret the rising of the star as signaling the birth of a king of the Jews. There was ancient belief that heavenly signs marked the birth of great men. Some Jews applied the Scripture passage, "A star shall advance from Jacob" (Num 24:17), to the coming of the Messiah, and the magi may have known of this. The magi come to Jerusalem and ask about the newborn king of the Jews so that they may do him homage. The star alerted them to his birth, but Matthew does not portray it guiding them on their journey. The magi simply come to the Jewish capital city -- Jerusalem -- looking for its newborn king.

This may seem obvious to everyone else but it simply never occurred to me that the star was what began the magi on their journey but that they simply had to apply their own logic after that in going to Jerusalem since that would be a good place to begin looking for the king of the Jews. Later in the commentary, Martin points out that Herod hears about the magi, calls the priests and scribes to him to ask where the messiah was to be born, and then calls the magi to tell them to look in Bethlehem. Now, he is doing all this for his own reasons, which we know through hindsight are nefarious. I had never caught that sequence of events so clearly ... that Herod ascertained the location and then summoned the magi. I just never read the text that clearly.

Then Martin sums it up for us in another connection that I'd never made, and couldn't have made without having the previous sequence pointed out to me.

9 After their audience with the king they set out. The magi begin their quest for Jesus because of a star, a revelation through nature. (Paul writes that God reveals himself through his creation: Rom 1:19-20.) Natural revelation goes only so far: it leads the magi to Jerusalem, but not yet to Jesus. God's revelation through nature must be completed by God's revelation to his people and through their writings, the Scriptures. The prophet Micah [quoted to Herod by the scribes and Pharisees] provided the link that leads the magi on their next step toward Jesus. ...

Could you hear my mind blowing? That made such sense, clicked into place so perfectly, yet I had never come across that before.

It is not a slender book, clocking in at 668 pages, however not one page has been wasted. As you can see from above, the care which Martin gives to the commentary requires length in order to be easily understood. His thoroughness also can be appreciated when one considers that the selected bibliography contains 89 books. This book also has both a Nihil Obstat and Imprimatur which are like a Catholic Church seal of approval on the accuracy with which the facts reflect Church teachings.

Word Among Us and George Martin are to be lauded for this series which I hope will continue at least through the Acts of the Apostles. I especially appreciate having relevant Old Testament passages quoted in their entirety so that the flow is not interrupted while I dash to the Bible to see the related text. Let's face it, few of us go to the actual trouble of doing that, although we should, so this is doubly welcome. As well, I like having the background information reference given wherever it might come up as a question. It is wonderful not having to thumb to end notes or search the index to find extra information.

It is still true that no one commentary covers every aspect of scriptural commentary. Others have a more specific focus on Church fathers or archaeology for example. I will still be using them. However, this is probably the most complete I have come across yet and will be the one I recommend for anyone who is interested in really learning what scripture can show us when we take the time to read through it slowly, with attention, and with prayer.

Word Among Us also generously sent Bringing the Gospel of Mark to Life, mentioning that they had heard some comments that the books were "too scholarly" and this concerned them as the books are specifically meant to be easily accessible to any level of knowledge from beginner to scholar. After reading some from both books, the only explanation I can imagine for those comments are that perhaps the purchasers expected the commentary to be similar to that of Word Among Us devotional magazine. You can see, by clicking through on the link, that the commentary in that publication is entirely personal and designed for reflection on relationship. Martin's commentary, although based on explaining the scripture verses, is no less accessible and no less suited for personal reflection. In fact, in the introduction he says that his "fondest wish" is that readers will be able to use these books for lectio divina (sacred reading) and prayer. I believe this is an entirely valid use and, in fact, am planning on this use myself.

I do have one criticism. The scripture passages from Matthew quoted in their entirety at the beginning of each discussion need to be visually delineated more clearly. Currently these sections simply blend into the overall pages which makes it very difficult to pick out where a section begins or ends. As I begin each chapter, I have been using a red pencil to box in the scripture. This has made a big difference in helping to organize the page visually, for me at any rate. Certainly it makes each chapter less intimidating when one can leaf through and see the many "sections" into which it is actually divided. Although this quibble would seem minor, I hope that the publishers of future editions would consider it.

Highly recommended.

I will be including nuggets on this blog as I continue reading through Matthew. For those who wish to begin with Mark, I leave you with this background information which, again, blew my mind, as I hadn't ever considered what he says about John the Baptist. I also appreciate the fact that Martin spends almost as much time reminding us not to read into Mark what we know from other sources as he does in other commentary. This section also gives an excellent example of Martin's extension of his commentary to an idea for our personal reflections.

COMMENT: TO READ MARK We will be most sensitive to the message Mark wishes to proclaim in his gospel if we read it as a Gospel in itself. We bring a great deal of knowledge to our reading of Mark, including what the Gospel of John tells us about John the Baptist. In the fourth Gospel, the Baptist recognizes and proclaims Jesus as the one who comes after him (John 1:26-34). In arriving at a final assessment of John the Baptist, we need to take into account all that is said about him in all four Gospels. But reading Mark's Gospel for the message it proclaims is a different matter. To do so we need to pay attention to what Mark says--and doesn't say-- and not automatically import information into Mark's Gospel from the other Gospels.

There is a second, related requirement. In reading Mark's Gospel we need to distinguish between what we know because Mark tells us and what the characters in Mark's Gospel know or do not know. Mark has told us that John the Baptist is the one sent to prepare the way for Jesus (1:1-3). But John the Baptist has not read Mark's Gospel and might not know what we know. Mark has told us from the very beginning that Jesus is the Christ (1:1), but those Jesus meets in the course of his ministry will be slow to recognize who Jesus is.

If John did not recognize Jesus, what does that tell us about the Baptist's call? Perhaps it tells us that God asked John to play a particular role but did not inform him of the full implications of his role. Something similar may well be true for many of us. We have been given certain responsibilities by God, perhaps even a clearly defined mission in life. But we may be in the dark about the ultimate outcome of our actions. We know what to do but not what it will accomplish in God's perspective.

Happy Birthday, Rose!

Dearest Rose, for your eighteenth birthday I'd love to make you an elegant cake featuring two of your favorite things ...



... however, we both know that isn't going to happen. That is for people lucky enough to live near this bakery which I would surely shop at if it weren't in New Jersey and we were in Dallas.

It will be homemade and made with love ... but will be more of a basic cake ... a chocolate cake with vanilla frosting per your request.

Have a wonderful birthday and may the cake be the least part of your blessings today.

There's No Fool Like an Old Fool ... or Seeing Through Jesus' Eyes

My father is a difficult man to love.

I will not bore you with details. Suffice it to say that he is not a violent man but in other ways he gave all his children considerable reason to struggle with forgiving him over the years.

I believe that the fact that we all became Christians gave us reason to continue struggling until we, in fact, were able to forgive him and move on. Certainly in my case the Holy Spirit's intervention was key in allowing me to realize just how much of my "forgiveness" up to that time had been lip service and how easy it could be to let go of past hurts with His help if I would let it happen.

However, as is often the case when illness strikes, one's worst character flaws come forth. In my father's recent extended illness this has been the case. Once again we found ourselves struggling, not with the past, but with the present examples of behavior that is completely and unrepentantly unlovable, quite often directed at our mother.

A week ago, after a call from my sister telling me of behavior so outrageous that we could hardly believe it (as we kept saying to each other), I found myself so angry that I could hardly focus enough to speak to people in the video rental store or grocery store. I always say that I don't give up on anyone until they die ... and then I'll still pray for their soul. However, at that moment I was ready to turn my back on him forever. Period.

After a short time of indulging in composing remarks to cut him to the quick (which I knew full well that he would ignore or hang up on), I began to remember that I really should be able to take a larger view ... a Christian view.

I thought of Mother Teresa and how she could see Jesus in any soul. I thought of my father and tried to see where Jesus was in him. It was an extremely brief attempt as I quickly realized that I am no Mother Teresa and it was impossible for me to make that stretch. Sad but true.

I then thought of Jesus and how he sees our true selves, not the often unlovable exterior we show the world. I thought of Anne Rice's book and her examples of Jesus' ability to do that very thing. Heaven only knew that I wasn't going to be able to do this on my own. So there, in the prepared foods section of the Central Market, I told Jesus, "Help me see my father through your eyes. It's the only way I can get through this."

I'd like to say that I had an epiphany ... angels sang ... golden light illuminated everything ... but no. I left it with Jesus and then went back to struggling with myself to stop indulging my own temper in this matter. That struggle lasted, off and on, until I went to bed.

However, in the morning I woke up with a phrase in my mind, "There's no fool like an old fool."

You wouldn't think that would be a calming thought but somehow it removed the personal element and put my father into a category that was so common there was a folk saying about him. I remembered my friend, L, nodding wisely when listening to each tale of my father's outrageous behavior. Her grandfather was much the same and it drove his family to distraction. It really was so helpful. I wasn't angry any more.

And then, a bit later in the morning, I was thinking over the parable of the Prodigal Son. In my mind's eye my father was the one in the pig sty, but when people came to help him out of it, he would turn his head and plunge straight back in ... stubbornly ignoring everyone's best efforts to show him a better world, a better life, if only he would take a little advice.

I was able to feel pity and sorrow for him. This may be a very Catholic point of view, I don't know. He has had great opportunities given to him in his illness. And he has wasted them. Completely. He could have been restored to much greater health than he has enjoyed for about a year. He could have opened his eyes to see what a faithful and loving wife he has been given. This could have been a chance to broaden his world far beyond the ever-shrinking boundaries he has been settling for in the past years. But he has chosen to ignore it all.

This all passed through my mind in the space of a few minutes. Then I realized that my prayer had indeed been answered. I had been shown how Jesus sees my father ... with love, and pity, and sorrow ... for all the times he has been given a chance and turned away.

What a boon, a blessing, a gift ... and how it made me love and thank Jesus yet again for all that he has given to me. And for not giving up on me when I indulge in tantrums like I had the day before.

So I do not give up on my father. Not now. Not ever. He may not enjoy the fact that I do not give up on him as he will be hearing a bit more of the truth than he cares to whenever he gives me an opening. That's the price he pays for having people who love him anyway.

My father is a difficult man to love ... but I will never give up.

Worth a Thousand Words

Sun and Bird

Found at Flickr's Cream of the Crop.
Click through title link to see more of this photographer's photos.

Maybe It's About the Tow Truck Driver.

Ah yes. Words of wisdom again from Jen at "Et Tu?". A very good catch phrase to remind us that it is not about us. It is about serving God ... go read it all.

Worth a Thousand Words

Assisi taken by My Roman Adventures

Click through the title link to see more photos and also to read a charming blog.

Not Quite Such Recent News, But Also Surprising

Y'all know that I am second to none in my admiration for The Anchoress.

Now we all can know just who it is that we have been admiring under that alias. Yep, she's out. And isn't that a wonderful photo? Just brimming with personality.

Sheez, You Go Out of Town for One Day ...

... and when you come back you see that the Internet Monk's wife is converting to Catholicism.

Now, how's that for surprising news?

This is, understandably, a struggle for the Internet Monk and he is open about it. I have this couple in my prayers as they undergo this test of their relationship ... and also offer a warm welcome to Mrs. Spencer as she goes through RCIA classes.

Why One Should Always Take the Time to Read the Article

Otherwise one displays one's complete lack of thoroughness to the world when linking a passionate article about The Adverse Effects of Infidelity on Society to an article like Ivy's post I can't even be faithful to infidelity.

Without realizing that Ivy is talking about things like this in the post:

Instead, I started cheating on the sweater (bad monogamous knitter) with a pair of socks. I had been loyal to the socks at least until…

Truly this is a problem of knitting discipline, however, hardly dangerous to society. And that is the second paragraph ... not that one couldn't have told it by merely clicking through and reading the first paragraph.

As Ivy points out here with her display of those she has been unfaithful to ... yarn and knitting projects.

I am dying laughing over this y'all.

Talk about egg on your face!

Some Art for Siggy

Ten Miles to a Garage by Cassius Coolidge

Click through on the title link to see more of Mr. Coolidge's art.

Because he's a tad quick to claim that people who are not fond of modern art only like art that makes them feel "comfortable." (Not that I'm bitter or anything ... ha!)

Oho, Now Here's an Interesting Question ...

... from the comments boxes. Was Bathsheba a pagan?

If you have the scoop, go let them know.

So That's What's Wrong with the American Church

A good article from Russell Shaw about the problem of clericalism in the Church. He does define it partway into the article, but for those who, like me, haven't got a clue I will provide the definition that broke the article open for me:

Main Entry:
cler·i·cal·ism
Pronunciation:
\ˈkler-i-kə-ˌli-zəm, ˈkle-ri-\
Function:
noun
Date:
1864
: a policy of maintaining or increasing the power of a religious hierarchy

I just love Merriam-Webster online don't you?

Now go check out that article!

Ever Seen the Message in a Movie? – New Catholic Website Launches

This new site is just my cup of tea. Mark has thoughtful essays that look below the surface of movies to give us insights into the bigger picture. Y'all know that I love that because it is what makes movies into art that stretches our souls instead of simply entertaining us.

A new Catholic website, SoulFoodCinema, launches today with the aim of educating and evangelising through the medium of the movies.

Soulfoodcinema differs from other faith and film websites, in that the focus is on providing education and insights for those that are curious after having watched a film, rather than providing extensive ratings and reviews for those that are curious before watching a film.

Managing Editor Mark Banks is keen to remind people that the worldwide film industry now produces hundreds of films each year that can primarily be described as ‘character studies’, and says that these films, whether we are aware of it or not, are all communicating a message to us, either implicitly or explicitly, on how to lead our lives. In such a world Mark believes it important that Catholics filled with the Holy Spirit and a love for Jesus Christ, use their wisdom, knowledge and discernment to understand these messages and to communicate them to as wide an audience as possible; especially amongst young people. For this reason Soulfoodcinema enables readers to contribute essays on one of over 700 films already viewed by the Managing Editor, which can then be published on the internet.

Soulfoodcinema also features weekly updates of links to news stories in the field of faith and film, as well as a community chat room dedicated to discussing all aspects of the movies from a Catholic-Christian point of view.

Through his letter to the Romans Saint Paul reminds us "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is - His good, pleasing and perfect will" (12:2). Mark asks that Catholics pray Soulfoodcinema will assist the Church in doing just that.

Worth a Thousand Words

Indian Blanket

Shown by permission. For more of Qiang-Huang's art, click on the title link.

"We shouldn't be asking, 'Why us?' We should be saying, 'Well, why not us?'"

The results of Gov. Sarah Palin's prenatal testing were in, and the doctor's tone was ominous: "You need to come to the office so we can talk about it."

Palin, known for a resolve that quickly launched her from suburban hockey mom to a player on the national political stage, said, "No, go ahead and tell me over the phone."

The physician replied, Down syndrome," stunning the Republican governor, who had just completed what many political analysts called a startling first year in office.

[...]

The doctor's announcement in December, when Palin was four months pregnant, presented her with a possible life- and career-changing development.

"I've never had problems with my other pregnancies, so I was shocked," said Palin, a mother of four other children.

"It took a while to open up the book that the doctor gave me about children with Down syndrome, and a while to log on to the Web site and start reading facts about the situation."

The 44-year-old governor waited a few days before telling her husband, Todd, who was out of town, so she could understand what was ahead for them.

Once her husband got the news, he told her: "We shouldn't be asking, 'Why us?' We should be saying, 'Well, why not us?'"

There was never any doubt the Palins would have the child, and on April 18 she gave birth to Trig Paxon Van Palin.

[...]

Read the entire AP Press story here

An inspirational story that I have been meaning to mention. Kudos to the Palins.

Thank You Blogger for the "Scheduled" Feature

Blogger has added a feature that I have long desired. Until now, if you wanted to set up a post ahead of time, it had to stay in "draft" mode and be manually published. Meaning that you had to remember to go and make it show up on your blog at the right time.

However, this weekend I was prepping the remaining Holy Spirit Novena posts and inadvertently pushed "publish post" instead of "save" for something later in the week. Imagine my delight when I hastily went to unpublish it and found instead that it was listed as "scheduled."

Ahhhh, it's the little things in life that make it wonderful sometimes.

Thank you Blogger!

I'll be on Fausta's blog talk radio next Tuesday ...

... chatting with her and Siggy about a subject I know nothing about but have strong opinions about (so what else is new?). Art.

Wow, am I busy right now!

So I'll leave you with three fun things I found at Mental Floss blog a while ago but never had time to post ... a little something for everyone.

Five Superhero and Supervillain Origins ... including my favorite superhero, Batman.

Canaletto's Entrance to the Arsenal ... six interesting pieces of information about the painting and the artist.

What's the Connection Between Dalmatians and Firehouses? ... I'll give you a hint. It's immensely practical.

Thank You Anne Rice

Christ the Lord: The Road to Cana
by Anne Rice

[Jesus speaking to the devil in the desert]

"Those aren't your nations," I said. "The kingdoms of this world aren't yours. They never were."

"Of course they're mine," he said. It was almost a hiss. "I am the ruler of this world and I always have been. I am its Prince."

"No," I said. "None of it belongs to you. It never has."

"Worship me," he said gently, beguilingly, "and I will show you what is mine. I will give you the victory of which your prophets sang."

"The Lord on High is the One whom I worship, and no one else," I said. "You know this, you know it with every lie you speak. And you, you rule nothing and you never have." I pointed. "Look down, yourself on this perspective that is so dear to you. Think of the thousands upon thousands who rise each day and go to sleep without ever thinking evil or doing evil, whose hearts are set upon their wives, their husbands, their fathers and mothers, their children, upon the harvest and the spring rain and the new wine and the new moon. Think of them in every land and every language, think of them as they hunger for the Word of God even where there is no one to give it to them, how they reach out for it, and how they turn from pain and misery and injustice, no matter what you would have them do!"

"Liar!" he said. He spit the word at me.

"Look at them, use your powerful eyes to see them everywhere around you," I said. "Use your powerful ears to hear their cheerful laughter, their natural songs. Look far and wide to find them coming together to celebrate the simple feasts of life from the deepest jungle to the great snowbound heights. What makes you think you rule these people! What, that one may falter, and another stumble, and someone in confusion fail to love as he has striven to do, or that some evil minion of yours can convulse the masses for a month of riot and ruin? Prince of this world!"

"I'd laugh at you if you weren't unspeakable. You're the Prince of the Lie. And this is the lie: that you and the Lord God are equal, locked in combat with one another. That has never been so!"

He was near petrified with fury.

"You stupid, miserable little village prophet!" he said. "They'll laugh you out of Nazareth."

"It is the Lord God who rules," I said, "and He always has. You are nothing, and you have nothing and rule nothing. Not even your minions share with you in your emptiness and in your rage."

He was red faced, and speechless.

If I were to excerpt all the sections that presented new, stirring, and inspiring ways to consider Jesus as fully human and fully God, I would have to include about two-thirds of this book. Time and again I was astounded at Anne Rice's mastery of delicate subtlety in conveying a truth in her meditation of Christ among us as he comes to his ministry.

Some reviewers have mentioned their difficulties with various aspects of events portrays in village life such as a stoning or of Jesus' attraction to a local maiden. However, for me these were believable incidents. Perhaps that is because I was prepared by having read Two From Galilee by Marjorie Holmes long ago in my truth-seeking days. I enjoyed that book, and the sequel as well, but those books contain nothing near the power and insight that Rice has when conveying Jesus to us in everyday life. I especially enjoyed the contrast between his tendency to "hang back," as his relatives termed it, while still being able to love and appreciate the people around him. Even when being chewed out by a fellow villager, Jesus can still appreciate the beauty with which the enraged fellow gesture. This gives us the feeling that he can always find something to love in his fellow man, even when we would not under similar circumstances.

The vivid contrast between "hanging back" and his sudden assertive command after baptism is definite and startling. We see this emerge in the way Jesus speaks with the devil in the desert and then later when he is asserting that the Messiah is working in time to bring God to everyone. One gets a sense that in Jesus' complete trust and willingness to do God's will, that he is becoming fully "himself" and all is becoming clear to him on the journey.

Rice's writing is so masterful that readers may need to remind themselves that these are personal meditations of Jesus' life. She makes remarkably few false steps and these are not a matter of lacking adherence to the truth as much as when her personal meditation may not match step with those of the reader.

It is no secret that I did not enjoy the first book in this series (Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt), as the midrash felt false and forced to me. Therefore, I was stunned but quite pleased to find this book such a personal revelation of inspiration for my own meditations on Jesus. Anne rice has given us a treasure if we use it wisely. Personally I can tell you that it will be going into my regular rotation of meditative reading to provide ongoing food for thought.

I wish I could write as good a review as this book deserves. I cannot. All I can do is to exhort you to read it for yourself. And, of course, to thank Anne Rice for sharing her talent in this area.

Highest recommendation.

Superhero Highlight: Backwards Man

Continuing the stories of superheroes devised by Hannah and Jenny (more about that can be found here as well as the first description)

Backwards Man

Power: Ability to do anything backwards

Backstory: As a teenager, Backwards Man was quite the ladies’ man. He was always out on the town, looking for a good time. Backwards Man was rather reckless in his youth, and, more than once, was known to keep a lass out past curfew, sometimes by a whole fifteen minutes. One day, however, he trifled with the wrong ethnicity. Backwards Man became enamored with Gina Gerina, the daughter of local gypsy family, so he took her out on a date, which was the style at the time. Wild and irresponsible as ever, Backwards Man took no notice of the time until it was TOO LATE. They arrived back at her caravan at 9:13, a whole THIRTEEN MINUTES past curfew! The gypsies, notorious for their family loyalties and wrathful curses, bestowed one of their most feared curses upon him: he was fated to do all things BACKWARDS. Thus was Backwards Man created! Having been forcibly shown the error of his ways, Backwards Man decided to give up his life of foolishness and began to use his powers to help those less fortunate.

Cover: Mild-mannered racecar driver (and a handsome racecar driver at that)

Cover name: Roger Richardson

Partner: The Queen Bee

Introduction to partner: One day when Backwards Man was minding his own business, walking backwards in the park, he noticed an inordinate amount of bees in the vicinity. He chalked up this odd situation to the blooming of the wildflowers. Had he been more concerned with his surroundings, he may have actually tried looking around for a source of the bees and seen The Queen Bee watching him. Because Backwards Man is pretty dense, he did not actually notice that he was being followed for a large number of weeks. It seemed as though he would never figure out that The Queen Bee ever existed. One day, however, he decided foolishly to mix things up and actually try walking forwards. This proved impossible, and he fell immediately. The Queen Bee helped him onto his feet, and the rest is history. However, since it is not the history that is widely known, I’ll let you know that they got married and started fighting crime together.

Archnemesis: The police, since they do not appreciate people driving backwards.
==========
Next superhero feature coming: The Lincolnator

Worth a Thousand Words

"The Ermine Portrait" of Elizabeth I, 1585, by Nicholas Hilliard

Happy Birthday, Dear Tom!

That is not a photo of my cake but it looks as if chocoholic Tom would like it ... so we'll see how close I can get to reproducing it with Chocolate Buttermilk Cake and Chocolate Malt Frosting.

Happy Birthday to my dear and darling husband!

Thank You St. Francis and St. Anthony!

For your intercessory prayers ...

Unto us a prodigal daughter has been returned ... after over 24 hours disappearance in the wilds of outdoors, after Rose walked the streets for over an hour yesterday seeking and not finding ...

... this morning she opened the door to the garage and in bounded our wayward cat, Truffles, with her tail held high.

As if we hadn't each looked in that garage many times!

However, no matter where that silly cat was, she is home and all is forgiven. Whew!

Superhero Highlight: The Candy Man

Continuing the stories of superheroes devised by Hannah and Jenny (more about that can be found here as well as the first description)

The Candy Man

Power: Causing candy to explode at the touch of his hand
Back-story: As a child, The Candy Man was never allowed to partake in the delectable confections more commonly known as candy (and handsome candy at that). The inner angst caused by the deprivation of such treats caused anger to fester inside of him for years. The Candy Man committed a youthful indiscretion, however, when he gave into a whimsical lark, deciding to finally have his fill of confectionery delights. However, when his hand first touched the colored, candy-coating of a peanut M&M, all the pent up anger of his childhood years surged through him, causing the small, chocolate-covered peanut to explode. After being released from the emergency room, where his third degree hand burns were treated, he realized the awesome power that was now his and committed the next fourteen years to the honing of his skills. Now that his anger had a productive outlet, he was able to finally hold down a day job, but spent his nights as THE CANDY MAN, serving up sweet justice to the city’s most dastardly of villains.

Cover: Overenthusiastic bathroom attendant (and a handsome bathroom attendant at that)

Cover name: Brett Bretterson

Partner: The String

Introduction to partner: After hearing the distressed calls of those that would soon be deprived of *awful candy* The Candy Man entered a neighborhood candy shoppe to foil the thievery attempts of a dangerous pack of sugar-crazed miscreants. The Candy Man threw wave after wave of jelly beans and sour worms at the hooligans until he heard their cowardly cries of retreat. Upon leaving the now charred and battered candy shoppe, a young dentist, picket sign in hand and floss at his side, began to follow him. After countless attempts to rid himself of this young oral hygiene activist, whom he learned was called The String, proved fruitless, The Candy Man decided to use this nuisance to his advantage. After receiving many a free dental checkup, a dynamic duo was formed, and they have been ridding their fair town of evil and plaque ever since.

Archnemesis: Mortimer Matlock, his number one competition in the world of bathroom attending
==========
Next superhero feature coming: Backwards Man.

Worth a Thousand Words

'Chin Chin Kobakama'
Published by Takezirou Hasegawa in 1925.

Just a couple of the many delightful samples of Japanese Crepe Paper Fairy Tales found at BibliOdyssey.

Watch the Skies...

... or more accurately your in-box. Tor Books is promoting their new website with a free audiobook download a week as well as some other nice things. Via Sci Fi Catholic.

Something new is coming.

A science fiction and fantasy site not quite like any you’ve seen before, mixing news, commentary, original stories and art, your own comments and conversations, and more. A place on the net you may find yourself wanting to visit—and participate in—every day.

Once you register, you’ll receive our newsletter and a link to download a digital book, as well as free wallpapers from bestselling and award-winning SF and fantasy authors and artists. And you’ll receive a link to another new book, and new wallpapers, every week. Additionally, you’ll be entered in our Watch The Skies Sweepstakes to win the very cool Asus Galaxy EEE mobile PC.*

Our current free book is Sun of Suns by Karl Schroeder. Next week’s book will be Four and Twenty Blackbirds by Cherie Priest.

So sign up. Stay in touch. And watch the skies.

Worth a Thousand Words

From Flickr Doors Pool. Originally uploaded by dicktay2000

Doesn't this look like a storybook doorway?

Nick, I lost your email ...

Someone named Nick sent me an email about priests and a prolife site ... and I have lost it.

Please email me again!

More Annhiliation Reviews

March Hare gives it 4 out of 5 golden bookmarks over at Catholic Media Review.

My pal Owen sent an email with his wife's review:

I really enjoyed the book - it was well written, I enjoyed the humour, lots of twists, a good attempt at making the angelic relationships and characters strong... I would rate it as very, very good but not exceptional - as in, I was able to put it down without feeling like I had to tear myself apart.

I concur. If you missed my review, you can read it here.

Juno: The "Indie" Movie for People Who Never Watch Indie Movies

We saw Juno this weekend. It was ok.

Like Little Miss Sunshine (which I enjoyed more than I did Juno) it was a "mainstream" indie-style movie that I imagine seemed unique and fresh to people who don't venture beyond regular Hollywood movies.

The acting was great. The directing was great.

It was the screenplay I objected to ... that Oscar winning screenplay. As Tom pointed out, there were no real conflicts. Everything was solved too easily. Juno spent more time being flip and glib than anything and I found it profoundly annoying until the last third of the movie, when we were finally allowed some sort of insight into various characters.

Yes, it was pro-life. Go team. However, the baby essentially acts as a catalyst to get everyone to examine their relationships.

If you want a better movie, a real indie movie that makes points about people and relationships in a much more real way (albeit without any impending baby), rent Eagle vs. Shark.

Worth a Thousand Words

The Sari by Karin Jurick

Click through on the title link to see more of her work.

Worth a Thousand Words

Young Britt Williams from the Library of Congress Photos on Flickr.

Click through on the title link to see more.

Superhero Highlight: The Scrabbler

I love all of these stories but anything that includes the words: "...keeping them preoccupied with her own brand of justice, one that would have made William F. Buckley cry like a little girl" sends it whooshing to the top of my list.

Continuing the stories of superheroes devised by Hannah and Jenny (more about that can be found here as well as the first description)

The Scrabbler

Power: Can make really good words out of leftover Scrabble tiles

Back-story: As a child, The Scrabbler was grossly mistreated at the hands of her evil stepmother, Stella Stairbottom. As the queen of their village, Stella Stairbottom feared that The Scrabbler would one day usurp her power and steal the throne. In order to prevent this, Stella Stairbottom employed the only logical solution: she locked away her not-evil stepdaughter in a tower, with the sparse provisions of Scrabble and a set of dictionaries, and sometimes food. Unbeknownst to the evil stepmother, but knownst to us, The Scrabbler had a fairy godmother. She wasn’t a very good fairy godmother, but she wanted to help The Scrabbler. So after seeing The Scrabbler’s prowess on that rickety old Scrabble board, the fairy godmother bestowed upon her a set of magical Scrabble tiles with the power to draw anyone into a game of Scrabble by entrancing them with their beauty. Unfortunately for her evil stepmother, but fortunately for The Scrabbler, Stella Stairbottom used REALLY old locks, and after eighteen years they fell apart, freeing The Scrabbler. Unsure what to do with her newfound freedom, The Scrabbler decided to use her powers to ensure that no one like Stella Stairbottom ever terrorized the populace again. She spent her days luring criminals into Scrabble games until the local police forces arrived to serve them justice, keeping them preoccupied with her own brand of justice, one that would have made William F. Buckley cry like a little girl.

Cover: Mild-mannered English teacher (and a gorgeous English teacher at that)

Cover name: Ingram Inglebaum

Partners: The Lincolnator, Halfsies

Introduction to partner: Fighting crime is expensive work, so in order to make some cash, (some easy cash, might I add) The Scrabbler would sometimes place a wager on a Scrabble game. In one such instance, The Scrabbler happened to be playing The Lincolnator, who, although a formidable contender in the world of crime-fighting, was no match for The Scrabbler’s skills on the Scrabbler board. As is customary when betting, the Lincolnator began to hand over the agreed-upon sum: a crisp new Hamilton. But the moment the ten-dollar bill touched The Scrabbler’s HAND, a thousand pennies exploded into the air (but didn’t hurt anyone). Upon realizing each other’s awesome power, The Scrabbler and The Lincolnator joined forces, to become a powerful crime-fighting pair, serving justice to the city’s most evil jerkfaces.

Archnemesis: The winner of the national spelling bee, she’s just so darn good at vocabulary
==========
Next superhero feature coming: The Candy Man.

No Coleslaw?

From Engrish.com where you can enjoy all the wacky ways English is misunderstood.

The Endearing Story of Sam the Goose

Sam the goose helps crossing guards shepherd children across the busy intersection of Liberty Grove and Princeton in Rowlett.

Once upon a time, down a two-lane road, past a field with horses and near an elementary school, a big ol' goose lived in a sparkling, blue pond.

Each morning, the goose saw children laughing and talking while walking to school. Two friendly crossing guards helped the children cross a busy intersection to get to class.

He was intrigued, this curious goose. One day in February he left his pond pals, a duck and a swan, and waddled through the grass, past the large rocks, onto the sidewalk, to the intersection. ...

Who would not love this story? Read it all The Dallas Morning News where you can also see the video of Sam working.

Oh the Movies I've Seen

Watched in 2008.

1. The Village***...quiet and different from Shamyalan's other movies but still a very good look at our connectedness to each other, the importance of each individual's finding their own purpose, and also at how we cannot avoid violence in our lives.
   


2. Lady in the Water***...also very different from Shamyalan's other movies but we enjoyed it quite a bit. A fairy story in modern times is how it has been labeled by some but we realized early on that it is urban fantasy a la Neil Gaiman's style of story telling. Again we see the director's common themes of our connectedness to each other and the importance of finding our own purpose in life. This is set against the theme of how it is important to leave behind preconceptions so we can see things for what they really are, as well as conquering fear and self doubt in order to do what we must.
   


3. Helvetica***** ... are you a "typomaniac?" If you come out of this movie with a crush on Helvetica, as Hannah's friend Jenny did, then you know that the answer to that question should be yes! This documentary, done on the typeface Helvetica's 50th birthday, manages not only to tell us about this particular typeface but to remind the general viewer that type is now a design element that is all around us. In the various attitudes and feuds of the type designers that are interviewed, one also gets a glimpse of the passion that art arouses. Yes, even those who practice the art of graphic design. We had to wait for over a month to rent this documentary as it was always out every weekend. Which just goes to show how quirky our neighborhood is, full of designers and advertising people.
   


4. Moliere**** ... a la Shakespeare in Love but much better done. On the point of his triumphant return to Paris, Moliere flashes back thirteen years to remember a pivotal time in his life. This is a very funny movie on several levels and if one knows his plays it is undoubtedly even funnier. As someone who does not know Moliere's work, I can recommend the movie anyway.
   


5. 30Rock - The first season**** ... not a movie but surely logging in all these hours counts for something! Absolutely hilarious and we could kick ourselves for not having watched sooner. Set behind the scenes of a variety show a la Saturday Night Live, this focuses on the writers, actors, and management.


6. Extras - The first season**** ... again not a movie but a truly funny and sometimes poignant British television series. Focusing on an actor who seems doomed to always be an extra and desperately wants to get a line in a production, this character-driven comedy is funny on many levels. Not the least of that comedy is that each episode features a well-known actor who is shown "behind scenes" with humor deriving from the fact that they are playing against type of their well known public personas. This is when you realize what good sports Kate Winslet, Patrick Stewart, and Ben Stiller really are. Doubtless I would realize that about British actors Ross Kemp and Les Dennis except I never heard of them before.


7. Extras Finale movie***-essentially took longer and darker look at the last episode of season 2. A good and thoughtful look at the effects of fame versus standing up for what we believe ... but the funny moments are few and far between.
   


8. Avenue Montaigne**** ... subtitled in French ... light comedy about a young waitress, Jessica, seeking her fortune in Paris. This is an area where the elite work and play. She comes into contact with a concert pianist, an actress, and a widower who is selling his art collection in a nearby gallery. Each character has a primary motivation behind their story which we see developed as the waitress carries trays across the street to where they live and work. Although this movie is handled quite differently from Amelie, the main message is quite similar; one must take a risk to gain what one needs from life. My favorite moments, and those which communicate the movie's sweet heart best, is watching Jessica's love for her grandmother shown through her patience. When her grandmother inevitably asks, "Did I ever tell you how I worked at the Ritz?" Jessica always says no and settles back to listen to the story again. Highly enjoyed by the whole family.
   
   
9. Bourne Ultimatum****-finally another movie trilogy with three good movies to its name (Lord of the Rings being the other). This actually is the second half of the second movie. Well done and clever in the way it overlaps with parts from the second movie. An action thriller with "everyman" Matt Damon playing perfectly to the part of self realization at what he has become and what he wants to be instead.
   
   
10. Once**** - quiet little movie about two musicians who meet and inspire each other. Probably gives the best authentic feel for what it is like to musically create something for those of us who never will.
    
    
11. Death at a Funeral** - a so-so movie that has some very funny moments but that probably isn't enough to make you want to watch it.
    
    
12. Across the Universe****-very good interpretations of over 30 Beatles' songs loosely strung together to tell the musical story of the rebellious Sixties nad an American girl and English boy who fall in love. Think "Shakespeare in Love" a la The Beatles, psychedelic scenes, Vietnam war protest and the like. Much more of a plot than I expected and the choreography for the dance scenes was fantastic. I especially enjoyed the Janis Joplin/Jimi Hendrix subplot. A bit long in places and the war scenes could have been trimmed considerably. However, recommended overall.
    
    
13. No Reservations***-American remake of Mostly Martha (my review) is fairly good for the first two-thirds of the movie. However, due to their dropping an essential plot point from the original screenplay, the last third of the movie is left with nowhere original to go and, thus, "goes Hollywood" with a predictable ending. Not a bad movie, just not equal to the original.
    
    
14. Second-Hand Lions****-a much better movie than the trailers would have had us believe. This successfully pulls off what Big Fish left unfinished ... characters that not only tell a very good story, but do so with a sense of growth and development, as well as closure.


15. Juno*** -my review is here


16. The Sons of Katie Elder** - this western has the star power but not the script or director to make it a great movie. It is really, really long though ... or maybe it just felt that way.


17. The Bone Collector****-Denzel Washington is the forensics investigator who is paralyzed and wants to die. Angelina Jolie is the rookie cop with a natural eye for forensics who he pushes into helping investigate serial murders happening around NYC. Yes, there are some plot holes but I liked it anyway.


18. Sweeney Todd****-The tale of the grief-crazed barber whose insanity turns him to murder. As well as his deluded partner from the pie shop downstairs whose insanity matches that of Todd as she merrily bakes the human remains into pies. This is Tim Burton so the blood is everywhere but this is quite an effective film. Revenge begets nothing but more revenge while redemption comes at the hands of a child.
    


19. Guys & Dolls****-from when musicals were really musicals, this Damon Runyan story adaptation about gamblers hits some very high notes especially with Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra as the main two characters. Brando can sing much more than you'd think and he adds an edge of evil to the cynical character he plays. Choreography was done by the same person who did it for Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. 'Nuff said.
    
    
20. Iron Man****-Really great look at a comic book character who must reform his dissolute, uncaring life and take responsibility for having had his head in the sand while his company has actively hurt others. Robert Downey Jr. is perfect in this dual role of the rakish, devil-may-care playboy and reformed savior of the people.
    
    
21. Lawrence of Arabia****--much better than I thought it'd be. I imagined something like Dr. Zhivago, long and boring and instead of ice ... lots of sand everywhere. There was sand with fantastically beautiful shots of the desert. This was a surprisingly compelling look at the life of an extraordinary man in extraordinary times. O'Toole did a fantastic job of portraying innocence and enthusiasm with a strange twist (how about that lit match thing?) which then turns into an intermittant Messiah-complex. It was sheer pleasure to watch so many great actors portraying the different roles ... especially young Omar Sharif. What a looker!
    
    
22. Lars and the Real Girl****-my review is here.
    
    
23. Wall-E*****--my review is here.
    

This list doesn't included movies that were rewatched.

Worth a Thousand Words

Lemon Wheel by Duane Keiser

Click the title link to see more of his work.

Approaching Atheists: What Can Christians Do?

This is an interesting project from The Cynical Christian and Jen from "Et Tu?." They very kindly invited me to participate but I have to honestly say that the two sorts of atheists I have encountered have been open-minded (like my friend Toby) or not wanted to talk at all (AT ALL) about God (that would be my mother).

Most of the heavy-duty flack I get comes from those who already are Christian.

The series can be found here at The Cynical Christian. I haven't had a chance to read through everything yet but will be doing so. They may be addressing exactly the sorts of atheists I know.

C'mon and read along with me!

I Just Can't Get Away from Apologetics

Or so it would seem.

I had these thoughts.

Which were responded to by the original thought-provoker in this post.

Which in turn made me notice the definition you see in this book review.

It came up in our scripture study last night. Again. I meant to review a book that I mentioned at that time and that I think is an interesting approach but see that I left it at home. Probably just as well. I need to be working!

For now, I will leave this apologetics advice out there for us to ponder.

Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame.

1 Peter, 3:16-17

The Divine Protection Racket?

God may be in control, but I don’t think my prayers providing him with lists of things that need to be prevented and rescued really gets his attention.

So I’m having trouble joining in with prayers for God to protect various people from various things, or prayers asking God to straighten out all kinds of problems which I suppose he could have stopped from happening anyway.

In my desire to have a Christ-shaped spirituality, I’m convinced that Jesus didn’t offer his services to “protect” his disciples from bad things. He seems pretty clear that all kinds of bad things are going to happen to them, and he’ll work with whatever comes along.

This article from The Internet Monk could have been written by Tom. He comments to me often about people's expectations in prayer not matching what Jesus said about it in the Bible. We discuss time and again that prayer is about bringing ourselves internally more in line with God and relationship with Jesus than about changing the externals of our situations. Yes miracles happen, but as with Jesus' example, they act as signs of God's power and presence ... Check out the post. It's a good 'un.

The Shepherd Who Is Led

Who would have thought it? After the glamor and punched-up charisma of John Paul II, many in America had set low expectations for this man who was known mostly by his media caricature, that of “hard-line enforcer.” For six days we watched and listened; we came to know Benedict as a cerebral and soft-spoken man whose body language was endearingly awkward and whose pen seemingly never rested. He is warmer than we expected, and he is braver than we knew. Overwhelmingly, though, Benedict is gentle and exceedingly, edifyingly humble. He is a “Supreme Shepherd” but one who allows himself to be led, and ever led, by the Divine one.

Read all of The Anchoress' wonderful article at Pajamas Media.