movie | NovelSisters

X-Men Days of Future Past

by lydiamhill

Besides having a long title that almost made me laugh, I actually really liked this film. I haven’t seen all of the X-Men movies, but I have seen quite a few of them and this one is one of the best.

The story is set up with Wolverine traveling to the past and getting a chance to change the future. I really like going back to the time period of the 1970s and getting to see this new set of actors portraying the classic characters. They do a really good job with it and I especially liked the introduction of Quicksilver into the mix.

The story was a compelling one and I loved seeing how people were given second chances even after they’d made mistakes. Raven, Magneto, and even Professor X are all given a chance to change. It was a story of grace overcoming. And even though it’s a bit of a spoiler, I loved that in the end Professor X lets Raven choose what she will do. He didn’t try to control her any longer, but trusted her. And because he showed that faith in her, it resulted in the salvation of all the characters.

I also thought it was hilarious that when the film ends, the only person who remembers any of this is Wolverine.

So, anyway, that’s my last review for awhile, or at least till I have time to see another movie. Hope you enjoyed them.

Movies

2 Comments »

Captain America in the 21st Century

by lydiamhill

I got to see Captain America: The Winter Soldier this past week. I’ve been holding off writing a post about it, since my sister doesn’t want me to spoil the movie for her. But I think I’ve thought about the movie long enough, that now I want to say something. Hopefully it doesn’t spoil anything for her or anyone else…

First off, this was a great movie. If you enjoyed any of the other Avenger movies, you’ll enjoy this one too. There’s plenty of action, intrigue, and still a few laughable moments that make it a classic Marvel movie.

However, what interested me the most in this movie, was how a person born in the early 20th century viewed all of the changes to the world. I think since we live in it and have grown up in it, the way the world works just feels normal to us. But to this character, several things popped out as strange or even wrong.

Some of the biggest wrongs had to do with national security, freedom, and protection. When Cap finds out that SHIELD is preventing threats by killing terrorists before they act he points out, “I thought the punishment was supposed to come after the crime.” He also states quite harshly, “This isn’t freedom, it’s fear!” when he finds out the extent that SHIELD will go to keep order and protect people.

I think if we took a step back and looked at what’s going on in the world, we’d also notice some things to be concerned about. I for one was quite surprised when I went to a college seminar about privacy in the 21st century and realized just how little of my life is really private. Advertisers can learn so much about me just from information found on the internet, that they can personalize all of the adds I see. Even doing a Google search of myself can result in some surprising finds.

Recently I’ve become more aware of the negative consequences of our digital age and how much time is spent interacting with screens. So many things are on screens now; TV, phone, computer, and tablets, just to name a few, that it can be hard to get away from the digital world and engage in real face-to-face conversation. Even if I do get some actual human contact, it can oftentimes be interrupted by texts, updates, or some other kind of message.

It can be a bit overwhelming when I really sit down and think about it, but most of the time I think this is just “normal,” and go on with life. But even if there’s nothing I can really do to change how the world works nowadays, I can still be more aware of what’s going on, and maybe more careful about what I post on Facebook, or how much time I spend with a screen.

So I know this was a bit of a rabbit trail, but it’s what I started thinking about after I saw this movie. If you haven’t seen it, go check it out, and if you have, let me know your thoughts.

Movies

Mr. Peabody and Sherman

by lydiamhill

Image Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Mr._Peabody_and_Sherman_logo.svg

I wasn’t sure if I would like Mr. Peabody and Sherman when I first saw the commercial for it. But one of my friends really wanted to see it, and as I saw more and more previews I became more intrigued with the storyline. I discovered that the movie was based on an old cartoon that used to show with Rocky and Bullwinkle. I never saw the show, but it sounded interesting, with each week going back to a different time in history.

But what interested me the most was the thought of a dog raising a boy. And I think this is what the movie centers around as well. At first Mr. Peabody assumes that raising a child won’t be too difficult. He’s accomplished so many other things that this task seems simple enough. And it’s funny how the classic boy and dog pairing switches so that Sherman feels like he is being treated like the dog in the relationship.

In the end however, each character learns something new, not just about history, but relationships with people. Sherman learns that it’s not the label that matters but the character of a person. He sees Mr. Peabody as loyal, courageous, and smart, and decides that even if he’s labeled as a ‘dog’ too, he doesn’t want to lose that relationship. Mr. Peabody learns that raising a child is difficult and is less about attaining a goal for the child, or providing for it’s basic needs and more about the close relationship that occurs. This can be seen as his terms of affection towards Sherman change from “I have a deep affection for you as well,” to “I love you.” Penny too learns that comparing herself to others is not what really matters, and that where she falls in the social ladder is less important than the presence of real relationships.

All in all this was an enjoyable movie that I’d recommend to anyone who likes a good family film.

Movies

The Son of God

by lydiamhill

Image Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Son_of_God_(film)

Recently a new movie about Jesus was released into the theaters. When I saw the preview I was intrigued. I’ve grown up as a Christian, and let me tell you, I’ve seen my fair share of religious films, documentaries and other such media.

Usually the quality was a little underwhelming, even if the content was pretty good. The only movie I remembered that had actually made it to theaters and done well was The Passion of the Christ.

But this new film looked different, it reminded me a lot of a book I read a couple of years ago: “The Jesus I Never Knew” by Philip Yancey. The book tried to take an honest look at the gospels and get an idea of what Jesus was really like, not all the things we’ve been told about him from media.

When I read the book, I discovered a Jesus with a personality, one who really cared about people, wasn’t afraid to offend people with the truth, and really enjoyed getting to the heart of an issue. He wasn’t distant and superior, talking in an elevated tone, he was down to earth, making complex things simple, and taking time to talk to anyone, no matter what society said about them.

So when I saw the preview for Son of God, I was intrigued, and wondered if this film actually would give a clear picture of who Jesus is?

Here’s a link to the preview in case you’re interested as well.

I finally made it to the theaters this past week to find the answer. And I can say that I was not disappointed. I really enjoyed the film, and the message it tried to get across that Jesus really is the Son of God. I was glad to see how closely the script stuck to the gospel accounts, even though a few changes were made.

I didn’t mind the changes because they often helped save time, and create a better story arc for a film version, and I didn’t see them as vital to the message. But if you want an exact replication of the Biblical text, you will be disappointed and will be able to spot some errors.

All in all, I loved the way this movie was set up. The filmmakers used some scenes from the Bible Series that showed on TV this past year, which was pretty cool. They also set up a good background of the events surrounding Jesus’s life, showing what was happening in Israel at this time in history.

In conclusion, I would encourage anyone interested in Jesus to see this film. I think it was well done, and showed a fuller picture of who Jesus is, what He did, and why He did it.

Christian Movies

Saving Mr. Banks: A Father’s Importance

by lydiamhill

I finally got to see Saving Mr. Banks, and it was a great movie. I loved seeing how Mrs. Travers’ life was wrapped up in the real story of Mary Poppins, and how the film was actually made. But as I thought about the movie more, I kept coming back to the importance of a father. Throughout the movie, we are shown how a father influences his family. Not only was the portrayal of the character Mr. Banks explored, but also the effect of both Walt Disney’s father on his life, and Mrs. Travers’ father on her life. It made me think about the importance of father’s in our present day life as well.

Image Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Tomlinson

With so many families splitting up, and dads that aren’t around for their kids, it makes me wonder what kind of impact this will have on the next generation. A father and a mother both influence a child’s worldview and experience significantly. And being shown love from both parents, is so important for a child’s development.

It just makes me wonder what a difference it would make if more families stayed together, if more dads spent time with their kids, and if more kids didn’t have to experience a divorce.

I know the world will never be perfect, and some things we can’t prevent, but it seems like we should strive for stronger families that can show their children a deep and lasting love and prepare them for the future.

Well that’s my random thoughts for the day. If you haven’t seen the movie, I highly recommend it, and if you have, let me know what you thought of it.

Movies

2 Comments »

Why I Love Frozen

by lydiamhill

Alright, I admit it, I’m a sucker for kid’s movies. I’ve grown up watching Pixar classics and that animated real world just attracts me. I think the scenery is gorgeous and I love being able to step into this “perfect” world and enjoy a good story.

But the real reason that I enjoyed Frozen is because of its use of “love.”

I’ve seen countless movies, and read plenty of books that deal with the love story. Meeting a prince, falling head over heals, overcoming obstacles, and usually “true love’s first kiss” ends up saving the day. But Frozen takes a different spin on the word love.

In English we only have one word for this strong emotion, but really there are several types of love and they all can be very strong. There’s a parent’s love for their child, a sister’s love for a sister, a woman’s love for a man, and a friend’s love for another friend. All of these loves can make a sacrifice for another person. But usually we are made to believe that the love between a man and a woman is the greatest kind of love.

And as the movie begins, we might think that this is true in Frozen, we are soon pulled into a quick romance between the younger princess Anna, and her perfect prince Hans. Even as the movie progresses, we are encouraged to think that his love for her can be the solution to her problem.

Then we come to the plot twist, the perfect prince’s love was not real love, it is a selfish love, or lust really, that was only seeking power. So we turn our attention to Kristoff, the friend who has sacrificed so much to help Anna. Surely he can save Anna with his truer love.

But Frozen takes yet another twist and takes the definition of love even further. At the last second Anna abandons her hope of being rescued by her friend Kristoff and instead thrusts herself in front of her sister, to save her from the now villainous prince. Her sacrifice ends up saving her, and we can see that it doesn’t matter who the love is directed towards; a man, a sister, a friend, if it is true sacrificial love, then it can break any curse.

Image Source: http://www.frozengamesfree.com/wallpapers/

Throughout the movie, we are shown that genuine love is not the romanticized story of a girl and boy falling for each other, it’s about putting another person’s needs before your own, even if they don’t deserve it. This is real sacrificial love.

Both the trolls who sing about falling in love with a fixer upper and the snowman that suggests “some people are worth melting for,” show us that love is real when you stop focusing on yourself and what you want and put your focus on what’s best for the other person.

And that’s why I love Frozen, it gives us a truer look at what love is.

Movies

Comments Off

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

by lydiamhill

This past weekend I went to see the new Hunger Games movie in theaters. A couple of years ago I started hearing about the Hunger Games series and when the movie came out I was very excited to see it. I really enjoyed the first movie and the sacrifice Katniss was willing to make for her younger sister Prim. At the end of the movie I was very intrigued by what would happen in the capital now that the Games were over. I had a feeling this corrupt system was heading towards destruction and our heroine had a part to play in the outcome.

I couldn’t wait for the next movie, so I read the books. And I’m happy to say this next movie follows the book really well. Now it didn’t include every single detail of the book, and a few parts felt rushed, but that tends to happen when you turn a full length novel into a 2 hour movie. Some things just don’t fit.

I was very intrigued with the view into President Snow’s life that we are given in the movie. Since the book is written form Katniss’s perspective, we are only given little tidbits about the President’s life. But the movie takes this a bit further; revealing his relationship with a granddaughter at home, and his reasoning behind the actions that he takes.

The only thing I have to complain about was a scene in Quarter Quell Hunger Games. At one point the group of victors that we are following gets attacked by some savage monkeys and the camera effects and lighting goes a little over the top. There are so many cuts and different angles that I lost track of which character I was watching and because everything was so dimly lighted, I could barely tell what was going on. The filmmaker might have intended this “shaky” cam filming to make the danger and confusion more real to the audience, but it had the opposite affect on me. I found myself thrown out of the movie and realizing that I was in a theater after all. I remained “outside” the movie experience until the action calmed down and the fight was over. Then I was able to reenter the story.

Other than that, I can’t complain too much. The storyline followed the book very well and all of the characters seemed appropriate to me. Of course I haven’t read the books in over a year, so that probably helped. See my other post about not watching movies in close proximity to reading the book: https://lydiamhill.wordpress.com/2013/09/24/the-hobbit-and-movie-adaptations-2/

In conclusion, if you are a fan of the first movie, or the book series, I’d say you’ll most likely be satisfied with this movie’s performance.

NovelSisters

watching, reading, and writing stories

X-Men Days of Future Past

Captain America in the 21st Century

Mr. Peabody and Sherman

The Son of God

Saving Mr. Banks: A Father’s Importance

Why I Love Frozen

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Purchase Book

Purchase Sequel

Authors

Schedule an Author Visit

Recent Posts

Blog Archive

Categories

Follow Us

Like Us On Facebook