The Last Jedi

We saw this on the afternoon of New Year's Eve and it was a great send-off to the year. I don't know how Rian Johnson (writer and director) did it but somehow he evoked the old movie while simultaneously telling us a new story. I guess that is the way with the best storytelling that is continuing a well-loved tale. At least if it is successful.

There was, it is true, one plot hole that had me indignant the second it came up. However, it wasn't enough to ruin the film. I loved Laura Dern's general, calm and cool with her purple hair, blue eyes, and evening gown. And this was a fitting last role for Carrie Fisher who I hadn't realized was in the movie so much.

Interestingly, this featured a lot of women leaders but it did it the right way — no hitting us over the head about "that's right, a woman did it!" — everyone was a person doing what they could to make things turn out right. It also featured a lot of aliens, especially in terms of indigenous life around the action. That felt right and was interesting. I especially loved the place Finn and Rose wound up which showed us another take on alien planets. A lovely twist.

The story holds true to the essence of what has always been true about the Star Wars movies. We still must make our choices and free will is a factor in all we do — that part rings very true. For my money, Rose has the best line in the movie, one that defines whether you choose the dark or the light.

Can Rian Johnson do all the Star Wars movies? Puhleez?

Weekend Joke: Boudreaux and Thibodaux

One day Boudreaux and Thibodaux were watching TV. A good commercial about a movie came on and it said, "Coming To A Theatre Near You."

Boudreaux looked at Thibodaux and said, "Thib, how they know where we live?

Bright: So an orc, an elf, and a cop walk into a bar ...

In an alternate present-day where magical creatures live among us, two L.A. cops become embroiled in a prophesied turf battle.

So an orc, an elf, and a cop walk into a bar ... hey, this thing practically writes itself. And it didn't inflict half the pain on me that a recent viewing of National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation did. I guess I'm more suited to watching mediocre action better than broad comedy.

We saw this Netflix movie had 29% of critics liking it while getting an 88% audience score. So we got curious. Which set would we agree with?

After all, it's got Will Smith and Joel Edgerton. What could go wrong? Oh, if I had a nickel for every time I asked that question.

It had all the elements it needed to be good but what it lacked was focus on whether to be a cop story with elements of fantasy or a fantasy story with elements of real world cops. That lack of focus made it a mess, especially in the middle. So we are on the critics' side for this one.

It was interesting to me, personally, to see that Will Smith has finally crossed the line to where he looked like the older experienced cop because he looked definitely middle aged in a lot of shots. Not a bad look, just a new one to me.

We've got our fingers crossed for the TV version after the guys have retired ... they're running a detective agency, The cute elf is the secretary, and the Magic Case Feds feed them cases to solve. I'd watch that.

Best of 2017 - Movies

In 10 words or less, my top picks from the movies we watched last year. As always, the movies may be old, but my viewing was brand new in 2017.

Night Train to Munich (1940)

Witty dialogue, spy suspense, and Rex Harrison as a hero. (My review here.)

The Cat People (1942)

Inherited evil, film artistry, simmering sexual tension — and cats! (My review here.)

Queen of Katwe (2016)

Family film with unusual subtlety, nuance, definite sense of place. (My review here.)

Arrival (2016)

Quietly absorbing and spectacular. (Discussed at A Good Story is Hard to Find.)

Train to Busan (2016, Korea)

Fathers, families, and more thoughtful than the average zombie movie. (My review here.)

The Founder (2016)

Leaves you pondering innovation and what "to invent" something means. (My review here.)

On Her Majesty's Secret Service (1969)

George Lazenby + Diana Rigg + director (style, wonderful shots, timing) = wonderful. 

Lion (2016)

Well told tale of Indian street urchin — blew me away. (My review here.)

Colossal (2016)

Gloria and the monster. Impossible to describe without spoiling. (My review here.)

The Women's Balcony (2016, Israel)

Witty, good humored, intelligent look at men, women, and faith. (My review here.)

Best of 2017 - Books

In 10 words or less, my top picks from the books I read last year. You may find old books here but if they're on this list, then they were new to me!

The Green Jacket

by Jennette Lee

An unusual and winning female detective in 1917 ... and knitting! (My review here.)

How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization

by Thomas E. Woods, Jr.

A terrific book, highly readable. I definitely recommend it.

Spook Street

by Mick Herron

Spy story with intricate plots, gritty settings, humor, and treachery. (My review here.)

Made in India: Recipes from an Indian Family Kitchen

by Meera Sodha

Global Indian food which works in an American kitchen — delicious!

Ender's Game

by Orson Scott Card

Engaging, easy read with beautiful ending — melancholy but hopeful.  

(Discussed on A Good Story is Hard to Find.)

Terry Pratchett Books Read in Order

New favorites: The Watch series,  Interesting Times, and The Truth.

Leviathan Wakes

by James S. A. Corey

Suspenseful space opera/noir mystery with riveting cliffhangers throughout.

(My full review here. Discussed on A Good Story is Hard to Find podcast.)

Ivanhoe

 by Sir Walter Scott

Inventive plot twists, laugh-out-loud humor, and Rebecca. Recommended! (My review here.)

Black Bottle Man

by Craig Russell

A good deal-with-the-devil tale and historical fiction. (My full review is here.)

The Little Way of Terry Pratchett

An oldie (2015) but a goodie from Leah Libresco Sargeant. Via Will Duquette.

“There’s no grays, only white that’s got grubby. I’m surprised you don’t know that. And sin, young man, is when you treat people as things. Including yourself. That’s what sin is.”

“It’s a lot more complicated than that—”

“No. It ain’t. When people say things are a lot more complicated than that, they means they are getting worried that they won’t like the truth. People as things, that’s where it starts.”

“Oh, I’m sure there are worse crimes—”

“But they starts with thinking about people as things …”

Terry Pratchett, Carpe Jugulum

Reading that as an atheist, it was the first time I’d seen a definition of sin that didn’t sound like, as Francis Spufford describes our modern use of the word in Unapologetic, a kind of “enjoyable naughtiness” that seemed mostly to do with sex or very expensive chocolates.

But the kind of sin that Granny talks about isn’t an indulgence in something harmless, luxurious and secret. And it’s not the world-shaking evil of a monster or a murderer. It’s a seemingly small rejection of creation and the particular place our fellow people have in it. It’s not always choosing hatred; it can be putting aside love for indifference.

Leah Libresco Sargeant, The Little Way of Terry Pratchett

I have long loved Granny Weatherwax for all the reasons Leah Libresco Sargeant mentions in her piece, which you should go read. In fact, I included that quote in Happy Catholic for it's solid truth.

It is interesting seeing how influential Terry Pratchett's insistence on human worth can be. Certainly it is one of the reasons I loved his stories. He doggedly and continually defends the value of each human. And the clear-sightedness of what sin really is. Whether he called it sin or not.

Listen Up: Christmas Past podcast

Christmas Past tells the stories behind your favorite holiday traditions. Each episode is 10-15 minutes long, and features interviews with experts, archival audio, and Christmas memories from listeners.

I discovered Christmas Past a couple of weeks ago and have been thoroughly enjoying them. Brian Earl has a soothing, friendly voice and gives a thorough history of topics ranging from Santa (of course) to Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer to Eggnog to Wrapping Paper.

There are still a few days left until Christmas so I wanted to give you a chance to hear them. (iTunes link, website link)

Thank you Joanna R.!

This book was indeed a long-shot when I put it on my Amazon wish list. But I really am a sucker for illustrated manuscripts and I liked the author's conceit of treating each section almost as an interview with the manuscript itself. It is costly and somewhat obscure and so mostly there as a reminder for when I could afford a splurge.

So you can imagine my surprise when I opened an Amazon box this morning, wondering what gifts I'd forgotten would need wrapping. I thought I'd gotten everything in.

This lovely book was there with an even lovelier note from Joanna. Thank you so much — this is going to provide hours of enjoyment!

“Lead us not into temptation”: Digging deeper into the Our Father (Lord's Prayer)

On a morning walk, my husband said that Pope Francis had mentioned maybe a retranslation of the Our Father was needed because the phrase "lead us not into temptation" sounded as if God would actively tempt us.

Anyone who's pondered the Our Father is familiar with this little puzzle.

My first reaction was "no way, Jose!" Then I recalled that coincidentally (or perhaps providentially!) I'd just that very morning read about that specific line in Seeking Jesus in Everyday Life. (Yes, I read my own devotional. It was, after all, compiled for me first!)

I realized that if I needed three quotes to show the complexity of the Greek verb in the original, then perhaps a retranslation might not be a bad thing.

See what you think.

Lead Us Not Into Temptation ...

It is difficult to translate the Greek verb used by a single English word: the Greek means both “do not allow us to enter into temptation” and “do not let us yield to temptation.”*

Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2846

We are helped a further step along when we recall the words of the Gospel: “Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil” (Matthew 4:1). Temptation comes from the devil, but part of Jesus’ messianic task is to withstand the great temptations that have led man away from God and continue to do so.

Joseph Ratzinger, Jesus of Nazareth:

From the Baptism in the Jordan to the Transfiguration

“Lead us not into temptation” often means among other things, “Deny me those gratifying invitations, those highly interesting contacts, that participation in the brilliant movements of our age, which I so often, at such risk, desire.”

C. S. Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms

++++

I never could understand this. I couldn’t reconcile God as “all good” with someone who would “lead me into temptation.”

Pope Benedict XVI (Ratzinger) led me to read the Book of Job where temptation is allowed on a massive scale. Those examples have helped mightily with my own trust in God when temptations arise, especially the temptations that I am not equipped to handle.

+++

Prayer: My hope is in you, dear Father.

* Cf. Mt 26:41.

There's more where that came from. Seeking Jesus in Everyday Life is about growing closer to Jesus and sometimes (as it turns out) helping figure out how I feel about the latest news from the Vatican! It makes a great Christmas gift!

Which Literary Villain Uttered Each of the Following Quotes?

"My revenge has just begun! I spread it over centuries and time is on my side."

How devious and devilish are you? Test your knowlegde of all things evil by identifying which villains spoke the literary quotes below. Be sure to read carefully—these literary villains are tricky!

I'm clearly not devilish enough. I only got 1 right and that was by a blind guess!

Take the quiz at Writer's Digest.

Well Said: When we attempt to avoid suffering, we drift into emptiness

We can try to limit suffering, to fight against it, but we cannot eliminate it. It is when we attempt to avoid suffering by withdrawing from anything that might involve hurt, when we try to spare ourselves the effort and pain of pursuing truth, love, and goodness, that we drift into a life of emptiness, in which there may be almost no pain, but the dark sensation of meaninglessness and abandonment is all the greater. It is not by sidestepping or fleeing from suffering that we are healed, but rather by our capacity for accepting it, maturing through it and finding meaning through union with Christ, who suffered with infinite love.

Pope Benedict XVI, Spe Salvi (In Hope We Were Saved)

This is a truth I know but that I forget. And then I have to be reminded when I run into that wall because I'm trying to avoid it. No one can live their lives and avoid suffering. The Catholic teachings and Christ's reality and example are what give my life (in good times and bad) full meaning.

Worth a Thousand Words: The Yard and Wash House

Carl Larsson, The Yard and Wash House, 1885
via Arts Everyday Living

Well Said: Cities crumble and people go on

"... Sentimental speeches like this ... at Balkh, of all places?"

Her words were forceful and they made me stop. I looked at the undulating graveyard of the great city and saw, in my imagination, the rise and fall of Balkh - Balkh of the Flying Pennants it had been called, as if the city were proud to advertise its accomplishments, temporary though they proved to be - and I sensed some of the meaning behind my mission. I said, "I don't accept your view of Balkh. Cities crumble and civilizations vanish, but people go on. And damn it all, they eat and make love and go to war and die according to certain hopeful rules. I accept those rules."

James A. Michener, Caravans

Well Said: What you do not need and what you do need

You do not need to know precisely what is happening, or exactly where it is all going. What you need is to recognize the possibilities and challenges offered by the present moment, and to embrace them with courage, faith and hope.

Thomas Merton

Yes, perfectly put and a good reminder. Via Scott Danielson.

Worth a Thousand Words: In Sunrise Colors

In Sunrise Colors by Remo Savisaar

Well Said: Reading and Meditating

Seek by reading and you will find by meditating.

St. John of the Cross

This has been how I have gotten a lot of my spiritual progress, for wont of a better term. So when my spiritual advisor mentioned that reading can be prayer I felt a great surge of recognition.

Yes, God reaches me in many other ways, through Nature, friendship, my family, and the liturgy. But most reliable is the "prayer" in which He surprises me through books and I meditate upon it for some time afterwards.

Nice to know I have that much in common with St. John of the Cross since his poetry leaves me cold.

Off to Florida!

Luckily I won't have to lift any couches but I will be helping my mother move ... and, more importantly, helping my sister and brother-in-law who are doing the heavy lifting (get it? heavy lifting?) on the whole thing.

They take such good care of Mom in every way and I'm so happy to be able to help, even a little.

Until then I've got a few prepared posts for the ongoing novena and suchlike but I won't be back "in person" until I get back next week.

Worth a Thousand Words: Gifts

Geschenke (Gifts) by Edward B. Gordon

Black Bottle Man by Craig Russell

Forced to move every twelve days, what would happen to your life?

It’s 1927. Rembrandt is the only child in the tiny community of Three Farms and his two aunts grow desperate for babies of their own. Hope and Hell arrive in a mysterious black bottle, and on a moonless night a dark spell is cast. The devil seeks payment, and a dangerous wager is made. Until they can defeat him, Rembrandt, Pa, and Uncle Thompson must embark on the journey of their lives, for if they stay in one place for more than twelve days terrible things happen. But where and when will they find a champion capable of defeating the Black Bottle Man?

Time ticks.

Lives change.

Every twelve days.

What a treat to be almost at the end of the year and read a book that instantly leapt to the top of my 2017 favorites list. I finished it and wanted to give a copy to everyone I knew who loves a good folk tale, a good deal-with-the-devil tale, good historical fiction, or (most of all) a story that speaks to the reader on several levels.

As we learn the story of the deal with the devil and how Rembrandt, his father, and uncle take on the task of saving souls, we are also taken on a trip through American history with special emphasis on the Great Depression. Rembrandt's voice is strong and vivid. I felt I knew this boy as we traveled together seeking redemption for those he loves. The scenes on farms, in factories, and in small town America were also vivid, as were the present day scenes when we flash to 90 year old Rembrandt.

Any story where someone is dealing with the devil opens the door to considerations of faith and that is handled both honestly and delicately in this book. The insights and observations throughout the book underlie the main story in a way that lends itself to considerations of gratitude, mercy, selfishness, sacrifice, and much more — all without being too obvious for those who just want to read a great story. There's also the fun of trying to figure out just how one can outsmart the devil in a deal that seems unbreakable.

It is is marketed to teens but I'm not the first reviewer to mention that label is too limiting because it is also a great read for adults.

I can't adequately describe this book but it is simply wonderful. Get it. Read it. And give it to those who love a wonderfully told good story.

Heroism and Genius by William J. Slattery

'But my home, such as I have, [said Aragorn] is in the North. For here the heirs of Valandil have ever dwelt in long line unbroken from father unto son for many generations. Our days have darkened, and we have dwindled; but ever the Sword has passed to a new keeper. And this I will say to you, Boromir, ere I end. Lonely men are we, Rangers of the wild, hunters — but hunters ever of the servants of the Enemy; for they are found in many places, not in Mordor only.

'If Gondor, Boromir, has been a stalwart tower, we have played another part. Many evil things there are that your strong walls and bright swords do not stay. You know little of the lands beyond your bounds. Peace and freedom, do you say? The North would have known them little but for us. Fear would have destroyed them. But when dark things come from the houseless hills, or creep from sunless woods, they fly from us. What roads would any dare to tread, what safety would there be in quiet lands, or in the homes of simple men at night, if the Dúnedain were asleep, or were all gone into the grave?

'And yet less thanks have we than you. Travellers scowl at us, and countrymen give us scornful names. "Strider" I am to one fat man who lives within a day's march of foes that would freeze his heart or lay his little town in ruin, if he were not guarded ceaselessly. Yet we would not have it otherwise. If simple folk are free from care and fear, simple they will be, and we must be secret to keep them so. That has been the task of my kindred, while the years have lengthened and the grass has grown.

'But now the world is changing once again. A new hour comes. Isildur's Bane is found. Battle is at hand. The Sword shall be reforged.'

— J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings

They had me at Aragorn. This quote launches the book's introduction and gives you a sense of the spirit of the work.

The subtitle really tells you what the book is about: How Catholic Priests Helped Build — and Can Help Rebuild — Western Civilization.

This book looks at priests' roles in building and maintaining Western civilization. The author begins with modern historians' assessments and then goes on to tell the stories of some of these remarkable men. I was impressed with the lengthy list of historians who recognize the Church's pivotal function throughout much of Western civilization.

The Catholic historian cannot empty his heart when he writes about the Church; he has the eyes of a lover, enchanted by the beauty of his bride, and they remain the eyes of a lover even when she has been dressed in rags by treacherous men; he will always chronicle as a builder who wants to learn from history how to renew the institution he loves.

I especially enjoy William Slattery's romantic style of writing, which we don't see very often any more. It conveys the passion he feels and the romance of the faith and the Church. It would seem over the top, perhaps, except that it is grounded in solid understanding of the faith and of human nature. Slattery looks at history with the eyes of a realist but also with the eyes of someone who knows we can again be great as our forefathers were. Here's just a bit more...

Hence the purpose of this book is not lionizing and nostalgia, a yearning to live in some mythical "good old days," an attempt to find excuses to handcuff progress to obsolete standards. Instead, it is a shout to contemporary priests—"Remember!"—as they stand at a crossroads of history and confront the Western civilization of the past and the dictatorship of relativism of the present: Remember who you are and what you once achieved; recall the crucially important social consequences of your priesthood; remember that the priest, by being truly teacher, sanctifier, and shepherd, changes society and builds Christian civilization—that he simply cannot fail to change the world by being an authentic priest of Jesus Christ!

The book covers the course of history in Western civilization including the Dark Ages, Chivalry, Romanticism, and Free-Market Economics, among other topics. Slattery also never lets us forget that for every important name, there were hundreds of anonymous priests laboring for their flocks. I enjoyed the heck outta this. Now go get this book and enjoy it for yourself.