The Travel Bug

Family Movie Night

by Karyn Bowman

This past weekend I finally finished a project I have been working on for about six months.

I know some of you are scoffing because you might have some project that has taken much longer to not be completed. Well, I have done that as well.

Lately, I have wanted to start finishing projects. Last year I finally put the final stitches into a needlecraft scene. Then I began cleaning out various hot spots of clutter in my house. But this project was something special.

It is a post with signs of various destinations. One of my friends said it looked exactly like something I would do. Last fall, I found various reclaimed reclaimed wood. Once they were sanded and cleaned of the dust, each one was painted on one side, and a name was written on top. Each sign has a slightly distressed look to it and I cannot wait to see how any of it stands up to a real winter.

While it reminds me of the sign post from the old TV show, M*A*S*H, the idea came from a craft suggestion pasted on Facebook. I choose places that reflect series that I am reading or my children are reading. Two of the signs are of places we have actually visited or lived.

If I had more money, traveling would be my joy. There is too much of the U.S. I have not seen and a part of me wishes to see Australia and/or the continent of Africa. Another part of my heart wishes to see the city of Petra that was carved into the mountain so many years ago.

Movies help aid my wandering desires.

Image from IMDb com

We recently watched Life of Pi and while I have no desire to share a boat with a tiger, I would like to see India. I would like to visit the set of a Bollywood movie just to see one of the spectacular song and dance scenes actually performed. Until then, I will have to settle for the excellent Bride and Prejudice starring  Aishwarya Rai in the Elizabeth Bennett role.

Movies about New York City increase my curiosity about the Big Apple. There is a part of me that wants to walk the Brooklyn Bridge as Miranda did in Sex and the City. I would love to go to the top of the Empire State building but leave the big ape from King Kong behind in the jungle. I would not mind taking in the Museum of Natural History just like in Night at the Museum or strolling through Central Park as happens in countless movies.

Image from IMDb.com

Until I can go, these movies and so many more will have to be my ticket to see lands far away – be it Taiwan in Eat, Drink, Man, Woman or Paris in Hugo or The Adventures of Tin-Tin. As for Africa, perhaps Humphrey Bogart and Kathrine Hepburn will allow me to join them on The African Queen once more. 

Where would you like to travel?

Until next week, see you in the rental aisle

Iron Man 3 – Dealing

Family Movie Night

 

by Karyn Bowman

 

Our family weekend consisted of plans that ended up getting squashed and re-configured.

 

We started with a plan to see Iron Man 3 at the drive-in theater in Gibson City. The Harvest Moon is our favorite for the great green spaces as well as the fine concession stand food.

 

If you have never had a Funnel Cake Sundae, you are missing out.

 

However, six people in a minivan trying to watch a movie while it is cold and rainy is not my idea of a good time. So instead we packed up the family and a friend to head over to Movies 10.

 

What we found was a Tony Stark trying to deal with everything he saw during the fight with the Avengers in New York. And he is not succeeding at it. Tony is up for days at a time and when he sleeps, all he can dream about is New York.

 

But when an explosion at the Chinese Theater injures his friend, Tony sends out a message to the man claiming responsibility, the Mandarin, that he will find him and bring him down. Meanwhile, we learn about an experiment to create super humans that has one fatal flaw.

 

Poster Image from IMDb.com

If anything, this movie is about masks. The masks men like Tony Stark and the Mandarin use in order to complete their objectives. It is also about masks that some of us wear while appearing to be a normal person. What heroics or villainy lies in our hearts is not always reflected in the clothing we wear. The most deceitful character, in my mind, is one you did not expect at all.

 

The action was incredible, as always. A full-fledged attack on Tony Stark’s Malibu home is devastatingly great. But the scenes of previous terrorist attacks by the Mandarin are perhaps the most profound. They are gripping in the sadness of loss of life for those people who were not a target per say but merely collateral damage.

Now, I know there are fans of the comic book that are going to be disappointed. They are not going to like how the Mandarin is portrayed, how it leans far away from the original story. But trust me when I say that this reveal of the Mandarin is everything we might want to believe of current figures that use/used televised messages. It is a dirty move and it is brilliant.

For our family, it was a good movie. Our eight-year-old watched it although if you think your child is more sensitive, I would recommend skipping it. I would have done that when my oldest was this age but now my youngest watches these movies with the older kids. It makes him feel as if he is just like them.

While I put my foot down for R-rated horror or intense action movies, Iron Man and the Marvel comic movies manage to keep the blood and gore to the imagination. That I can live with.

 

Until next week, see you in the rental aisle

Going through a change with The Croods

Family Movie Night

 

by Karyn Bowman

 

This past weekend I put out the wind chimes out on my porch. When the winter winds are finished, I usually put them out and finally it seems the winter winds are done.

 

Image by nasir khan

While walking yesterday, I noticed a broken robin blue egg shell on the sidewalk. Such a pretty color and that is a sure sign that spring is here to stay since the Robins are starting to have babies. Finally, the husband showed me a picture he had taken this morning of goslings in the water being protected by the parents.

 

Finally, spring is here. But then news reports talk about 80 degree weather coming. We will get our one week of spring before it hits summer. So this week, I am hitting the garden and getting the mulch and weeds out as quick as possible. Wasn’t it just two weeks ago snow was flying?

 

Change is a hard thing for us humans. We like our routines, and that some people are always going to be there for us. When those routines are upset, we are off kilter until we get use to the new routine.

 

I think about this when I hear people talk about their new diet or exercise routine. I have a friend who recently quit smoking and that is one difficult habit to give up. But I know in the long run she will be happier for it.

 

I am on the change kick not just because of the season but because of some of the movies we have seen recently. Over the weekend, the family went to see The Croods at the theater. Probably its last week but we were not in the mood for death and destruction.

 

It is a tale about a stone age family whose life is about to change as their world goes through land mass upheaval. Talk about having your routine upset.

 

Image from Movies4Kids.wordpress.com

The Croods think they are the last of the humans until they meet Guy. Guy agrees to help the family find a safe place after their cave is destroyed by falling boulders.

 

It is fun, action packed, and has many interesting creatures. But what struck me was the scene in which it is explained how new ideas are frowned upon because that can get you killed. Curiosity can get you killed. Stick with the old ways that you know and hide in a cave when danger comes around.

 

It seemed to me that this theme was also central to Frankenweenie and ParaNorman. Stick with the old ideas, beat out or destroy anything that is different. New ideas or discoveries are bad.

 

All movies are about the journey a person or a group of people take during a particular episode of life. Most of the time, it is an episode that changes or transforms us or allows us to deal with life as it is right at that moment.

 

Sometimes, the journey is about accepting a new idea or being open to the wonders of the world without falling prey to the dangerous parts. That might be the hardest one of all. It will not always be successful but I can say that you will not fail to learn something.

 

Until next week, see you in the rental aisle.

The One About Poetry in Movies

Family Movie Night

 

By Karyn Bowman

 

When I think of poetry, I often marvel at the way older people still remember passages that they had to memorize during the school days.

 

I studied many works, traveled through Dante, Plutarch, and, of course, Shakespeare. But I have retained little of it.

 

I might remember a line from Byron, the opening line from Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and the awful ‘tree’ poem. I can recite some biblical verses because they are rhymed or have a nice flair to them.

 

My favorite will always be “I am a stranger in a strange land” stated by Moses when he arrives in Midian.

 

Some poets like to be purposefully obscure in their writings while others lay out their feelings so that they reader can easily pick up on the emotions and physical scene surrounding the writer. Sometimes that comma that might seem like a distraction was actually purposely placed to make us slow down and feel the heart ache of the writer.

 

Image from thefamouspeople.com

One of my favorite poets is e.e. cummings who turned phrases inside out while ignoring all rules of punctuation. I am not always sure what he is saying but it sounds lovely as he tries to find new ways to describe how he feels about his love.

 

No one, not even the rain, has such small hands.

 

I first heard this line in a Woody Allen movie, Hannah and Her Sisters. The movie is about three sisters who are at different stages of life. The incredibly capable Mia Farrow believes she is happily married to Michael Caine. Barbra Hershey is living with a man who does not want any children. Actress and caterer Diane Weist is searching for something. And Mia’s ex-husband, Allen, is flitting around in the belief he is dying from something.

 

Poetry is used to seduce one sister, death knocks at the door and changes it mind while true love blossoms unexpectedly. Set in the upper middle class of NYC, it is a movie about the bond of sisters, the ability to forgive, and the fear of moving on.

 

While this movie came out in 1987, I find very few movies use poetry unless it is a historical movie. After all, nothing sets a historical scene like a good epic poem. One movie that I remember from recent years takes an old rhyme about a treasonous group.

 

Remember, Remember the Fifth of November, The Gunpowder Treason and Plot

II know of no reason, why the Gunpowder Treason, should ever be forgot.

 

Poster Image from IMDb.com

In V for Vendetta, England is now ruled by a man who looks and acts like Hitler. Anyone who defies him or stands against him disappears and will eventually be put to death. The small group of rebels disappear, are tortured, and killed. While all of this goes on, there is one man who is willing to get the revenge while we learn his story and that of the young woman he chooses as a partner after saving her from the secret police.

 

It is a movie that talks about the price of freedom, moving poetry and culture into the mix so that it is almost natural. And let’s not forget the spectacular explosion at the end of the movie. Are either of these movies family friendly? Well, they are if you have teenagers but the smaller members might have to be satisfied with a Dr. Suess movie.

 

Until next week, see you in the rental aisle.

 

Just Another Paranormal Evening

Family Movie Night

 

by Karyn Bowman

 

Recently at a job interview, I learned an interesting tidbit of information.

 

At stores that sell DVDs and BluRAY, it is horror movies that are flying off the shelves. And then the interviewer told me that horror movies sell in greater volume in rural areas than in urban areas.

 

Image from Fishmuffinsofdoom.blogspot.com

I thought about that when I was picking out a movie the other week for our movie night at home. The racks were filled with horror movies. Even a lot of the family movies had a horror element to them. ParaNorman, Hotel Transylvania, Frankenweenie. Each one of these movies involve ghosts, zombies, vampires or some other element that we might expect from some old campy horror movie from the 30s or 40s.

 

It makes me wonder what are we so afraid that we have to explore it in our entertainment. I understand why zombie movies might be so popular. With the sluggish economy, people with jobs are being asked to do the work of three people and are so tired they might wish they were dead. Or people are afraid that they will become shells of the people they once were.

 

While that might be a mid-life crisis issue, I can see how people would think that. They wonder what happened to their passion for life, their joy in the everyday when it has been beaten down by the routine of daily life of going to work and coming home to deal with the family only to do it again the next day.

 

How can one find a passion for life when they are eating the same fried eggs (over easy) with the same raisin toast and the same green tea that they have had for breakfast for the last 20 years. Where is the joy when you are yelling at the kids or the husband for the clothes that hit the bathroom floor but not the hamper less than a foot away for umpteen years?

 

We need to see how to fight against it, how to rage against the dying of the light. No matter what our age, people want to see how a person fights against demons and other evil entities in order to survive. We want that secret.

 

Or maybe people just like watching gory movies and getting scared silly. I like my explanation better but I am sure some one out there reading this is saying “that chick thinks too much.”

 

Now this weekend, we did watch ParaNorman.

 

Poster Image from IMDb.com

The story is about an 11-year-old boy who sees ghosts everywhere. Even his grandmother visits with him because she promised to always watch over him. He is seen as weird and different, including by his own family although his mother tries to make life easier for her son.

 

Unfortunately, the anniversary of the witch approaches. The undead bodies of the seven men who tried and sentenced the witch will roam the town until the sun rises. To make things more tense, it has been left to Norman to settle the witch and help her find peace for one more year.

 

It is a family movie with some PG swearing that is dark and brooding. Norman is relentlessly bullied and tries to keep a low profile in order to be a part of the scene and not the center. When another bullied kid tries to befriend him, he brushes off the other kid, choosing to remain alone to protect himself.

 

I find it is a movie about regrets, of a past that needs to be fixed to solve the present.

 

The kids like it and I found it interesting to watch. I might watch it again just to see the little bits of good stop-action animation that I missed. Are there greater lessons to be taken away from this movie for the kids? Well, yes there are. But I will leave that to you to ponder.

 

Until next week, see you in the rental aisle.

Remembering Roger Ebert

Family Movie Night

 

by Karyn Bowman

 

What is a sure sign of spring at my house?

 

When the weather is warm enough that I feel okay removing last year’s perennial stems. Usually I leave the stalks from the peonies and mums up over the winter. It gives the snow someplace to land that is not flat – and therefore – a little interesting.

 

Image of Roger Ebert from IMDb.com

This year as I cut away last year’s peonies stems, I thought about Roger Ebert who passed away last week. I grew up on Ebert’s and Siskel’s review show. I read his columns to find out how to write a proper review and to learn how to be better. But I also read his work because I enjoyed his writing style.

 

I had the pleasure of meeting Ebert and he was always gracious to me, especially when I was hugely pregnant with our last child and wanted an easy exit to the bathroom – just in case.  That spot was right in front of him which most people never do.

 

More than that, Roger was always interested in what other people thought and asked questions to the room at large in between screenings.  He believed everyone read as much as he did and was interested in what the rest of the room was thinking. For a man at his level of brilliance, it was humbling to know he wanted our thoughts.

 

If there was one thing that Ebert hope to inspire in people, it was to try a movie that may not have seemed like your cup of tea. He encouraged his readers to get out of their comfort zone, not only with his columns but with his Overlooked Film Festival, now known as Ebertfest,  in Champaign, Illinois every April. While the festival started as one thing, it became a chance to Ebert and friends to pick out movies that were not seen for a variety of reasons.

 

Poster Image from IMDb.com

One movie that was out of my comfort zone was the family friendly My Neighbor Totoro. This Japanese Anime movie tells the story of a family who moves out to a house in the Japanese countryside. It is filled with soot sprites that need to be scared away.

 

But more than that, it is near the home of a giant Totoro – king of the forest. However, the young girls are also dealing with an ill mother who cannot leave the hospital no matter how much they miss her. Hayao Miyazaki directs what I  call a near perfect movie that explores Japanese folk tales and the emotions of two girls dealing with fear and grief.

 

I was blown away by the detail of the hand-drawn animation and the joyousness of the story despite the heavy shadow of the sick mother.  It sent our family on a journey to find more anime movies by this director and we have never been disappointed.

 

While I may not have Ebert to thank for discovering this movie, I do thank him for the wonderful writing he produced that was always, always, thought-provoking and moving.

 

Until next week, see you in the rental aisle.

Family Movie Night – Oz: The Great and Powerful

Family Movie Night

 

By Karyn Bowman

 

Have you ever been anticipating a new movie but then the critics rip it apart, making you doubt if that movie is worth your time?

 

I was feeling that way about Oz: The Great and Powerful. This prequel to The Wizard of Oz received some incredibly bad reviews. It took a while for positive reviews to trickle out.

 

Poster image from IMDb.com

In the case of this movie, I was not finding anyone who liked it before hand. Only after the movie opened did friends start telling me what they thought. This was combined with the incredible box office numbers the movie was pulling in. It made me wonder if the critics knew what they were talking about or if families were hungry for a good movie.

 

Now that our family has seen the movie, I want to say it is a little of both.

 

The story is about how the Wizard comes to the Land of Oz, how his arrival was foretold by the late king and that his arrival would mean freedom for the people of Oz. But the man who arrives is perhaps not the one who was expected.

 

This was a beautifully photographed movie. The colors are rich, deep, enthralling. I was drawn in to the movie and did not realize time had passed.

 

Yet, it takes something more than rich backgrounds and incredible sets. It takes more than groups of people similar to the movie we remember that this one is connected.

 

After all, there are many details that foreshadow the movie we remember. The yellow brick road is there along with flying monkeys and munchkins. The poppy fields and straw men and a lion all make their appearance.

 

That is when James Franco must step up to make this story his and not a remembrance piece. He must play this con man with truth and conviction along with something up the sleeve that will trick even those he is working to save.

 

Then there are the three witches: Michelle Williams, Mila Kunis, and Rachel Weisz. These women are at odds with each other in regards to the king’s death – who was poisoned. When this mysterious person comes to their land, he has to figure out who is evil and who is good. And he has to figure out which of these women know the truth about him.

 

As for the critics, I realize some of what they said was true, that some of the performances were bland. However, one should never mistake bland with simple because there are some deep thoughts in this movie. Some also stated that Franco was terribly miscast but I thought he was perfect as the con man looking for something more.

 

I know that I want to see this movie again. I want to watch for the things I missed. I know my kids loved the movie and barely made a peep because they were so enthralled. If there was a moment that might have been too scary, it was when the evil flying monkeys made their appearance. That said, I thought it was one of those few good family movies that all ages could enjoy with tidbits for the adults and bits for the kids.

 

 

Until next week, see you in the rental aisle.

Getting Ready for Easter

Family Movie Night

 

By Karyn Bowman

 

I have to admit I am a big Facebook fan.

 

I have connected with former classmates and friends with whom I have lost contact. I stay in touch with former co-workers and fellow writers.

 

Image from Everything Holiday Facebook page

But I also get to see great room designs and recipes. In fact, this past weekend I saw a recipe for colored cookie-dough Easter baskets.  You take small scoops of the dough, dye it the colors you want and shape it into a basket that fits in a mini-muffin tins. Later you fill the baskets with jelly beans and other good stuff.

 

I saw another recipe for a ring bread that was covered with sprinkles. I am sure there will be plenty of recipes that look fun to try, and I cannot wait to see them all.

 

Poster Image from IMDb.com

 

One of the programs I have been hearing about is The Bible on The History Channel. This is a five-part mini-series produced by Roma Downey (Touched by An Angel) and her husband Mark Burnett. I was able to see one 2-hour episode and enjoyed the story of Jesus’ birth.

 

Roma Downey played Mary as a 20-something. She was very beautiful and appropriate. The scene in which she gives birth to the baby is outstanding and heart warming as people came to the young couple’s aid. But nor did the producers shy away from the violence of the time period. Harrod’s demand that all baby boys be put to death and the very narrow escape of Mary and Joseph.

 

Sadly, I missed the final episode as I was in bed sick. But as of April 2^nd, the series will be available on DVD. I am willing to bet that this will be a hot item since the show has been wildly popular on the History Channel. I do not know what that says to you but to me it shows a country that is wildly curious about the good book. People want to know.

 

Poster Image from IMDb.com

Now when it comes to this time of year there are lots of religious movies from the past. I think about The Robe starring Richard Burton as a drunken tribune who wins Jesus’ robe during the crucifixion. He does his duty and takes the robe with him. But Marcellus is plagued by nightmares and visions, causing him to return to learn more about the last owner of the robe.

 

This 1953 movie won two Oscar awards for set design and costume design. It was also nominated for best actor in a leading role, best cinematography and best picture. It also won a Best Picture award from the Golden Globes. Now you are probably wondering who should see this movie. Because of the censorship laws at the time, there is not much that is objectionable but the context is meant for teens and adults.

 

Finally, I feel the need to mention The Passion of the Christ. This ‘R’ rated movie directed by Mel Gibson is a puzzle to me. It is incredibly violent and harsh. It is also filled with some beautiful re-enactments of famous art pieces.  I can only recommend it if you are fully aware that this movie is rated ‘R’ for prolonged violence and torture. I do not recommend this movie for children under the age of 10.

 

Until next week, see you in the rental aisle.

The Start of Indoor Soccer

Family Movie Night

 

By Karyn Bowman

 

This past weekend saw the first games of the new indoor soccer league for St. Anne. It comes at the perfect time of the year when it is too cold to stay outside without snow to play in. Kids get to learn new skills and have a great time while beating end-of-winter doldums.

 

Image by karpati

I saw kids having fun, kids kicking and passing and getting the game, even at the youngest levels. I loved sitting in the stands and watching the kids have a good time. The parents, grandparents, and friends seemed to get it as well, learning to clap at the appropriate moments and cheer for good plays.

 

While only a couple of kids forgot not to use their hands, others demonstrated their ability to do a header – using their head to correct the direction of an airborne ball – that made people gasp.

 

I know there are experienced players and newbies all mixed together. I would hope that kids new to the sport learn something from the kids with more experience. I hope that those new kids have something to give the more experienced ones.

 

But let me warn parents, grandparents and spectators on one thing. This could develop into a wonderful new addiction if you only let it.

 

This weekend, we made the effort to see a new movie on DVD and luck was with us when the kids found Wreck-it Ralph on the shelf at the grocery store. We have been waiting for weeks to see this movie because every time I went in, the movie was out.

 

Continuing the trying something new theme, I made calzones instead of pizza. It is good to mix things up every now and again.

 

Poster image from IMDb.com

The story is about a character in a video game who has come to the conclusion that he no longer wants to be the ‘bad guy.’ He has come to realize that the bad guy is never revered, he is only reviled. And so Ralph begins a journey to become a ‘hero.’

 

We parents know how that journey may end, especially after Ralph finds himself helping a little girl in a race game set in a land made from candy. But there is a bigger danger than Ralph even knows about, and it will take an outside force in the form of sexy warrior, Calhoun, and Fix-it Felix in order to get rid of that problem.

 

I am not sure what I loved more – the various color schemes and character styles mixed together, the pace of the movie, or the sincere angst of the lead character. It all worked well together, creating believable character development.

Granted, you have to believe that characters from one video game can move into another game with minimal problems. You have to believe that people can change, grow, and learn that maybe the skills they have can be used for good or bad.

 

The biggest test for me with any movie is would I watch it again. The immediate answer to that is a big yes. And let’s just say, I might have a little crush on Ralph.

 

Who wouldn’t want to spend more time with a character you really like, especially when they are a new discovery?

 

Until next week, see you in the rental aisle.

Getting Ready for St. Patty’s Day

Family Movie Night

 

By Karyn Bowman

 

One of the things I hate about St. Patrick’s Day week is the food.

 

When one of my friends wanted to do a get-together involving Irish food, my heart sank because I thought the next thing that was going to be suggested was corned beef and cabbage. Cabbage is so slimy when it is boiled in big pieces.

 

Give it to me in cole slaw or egg roles. But to eat it straight or in cabbage soup is something I have no interest in doing.

 

Thanks to the magic of google image search I found this picture at sheknows.com.

Thankfully, my friend suggested a potato party instead. We had baked potatoes with all sorts of toppings that included bacon, sour cream, and butter. People made their own potatoes and this way those people who have to have cheddar and sour cream did not have to fight with those who think green onion is a must.

 

On the side were all sorts of green appetizers, dips, and desserts. I made green cupcakes from yellow cake mix. It was amazing that there were anything left, especially after the Mint Oreo Torte came out of the freezer.

 

If there is a movie about the ‘Irish Experience’ in America I would most want to see, it is In America that was written and directed by Jim Sheridan who, himself, an Irish playwright immigrant to America.  This movie is somewhat autobiographical but set in the time period in which the movie was made. The story focuses on a family that illegally enters our country and struggle to stay ahead financially. They are also dealing with the death of their two-year-son.

 

Another modern Irish movie I enjoy is Once which won an Academy Award for Best Song a few years ago. The movie is about a musician who meets a Slovakian woman in the city of Dublin. She plays piano and he has a guitar with a hole in it. For one week they create music for a demo tape along with other street performers. It is fantastic and they realize they might have something more.

 

Both of these movies are meant for adults with content and context.

 

Image from IMDb.com

For family movies, I always have two selections. And both are derived from folktales of Ireland.

 

This first is The Secret of Roan Inish in which a young girl discovers the secret of her family. In the last century, one member married a selkie, a seal who can turn into a beautiful woman. She finds out why this makes certain members of her family special and why the forced desertion of the family island caused a deeper tragedy.

 

The other movie is Into The West featuring a magical horse called Tir Na Nog who adopt an old Traveller and his grandsons in Dublin. The boys try to keep the horse in the public housing of the city but soon the police catch wind and take the horse away. But then the boys steal their horse back and begin an adventure in the West Country from Dublin with their depressed father and the police following.

 

While both of these are slow moving, I love each story that is being told. The right age group for these two is 4^th grade and above as both movies are a little long in spots.

 

Until next week, see you in the rental aisle.