The Hunger Games. Book? Movie? Yes? No? What?

This might be the first post I've written in which Ink will disagree with me. It's ok. Our relationship is very solid and can take it, though you probably would have loved to been in our living room watching the volley of debate during and after the movie. And I promise you this post won't make it to his Flotsam and Jetsam. :)

When dear Claire and I arrived at the hospital last week, I had nothing with me, so my Beloved brought up a small bag of some essentials. What did I find tucked away in that bag but a copy of The Hunger Games.

I smiled big at my son's hint to just read the book. You see, he plows through lots of books a year, and while I'm a big reader, too, my books often take detours among diaper changes and sibling quarrels and meal planning and house cleaning and discipleship, etc. But here it was 3 in the morning, my ankles were as big as an elephant's from such stellar hospital sleeping accommodations, and I decided to just plunge into this very controversial book.

I finished it five days later and was impressed by Collins style of writing, which I though well-suited the main character and the story itself. This is not Dickens here, nor should it be. I was drawn into the story and even found myself attached to some of the characters. I was most annoyed with the constant kissing in the latter part of the book, mainly because I had already gotten the point, and found Collins' descriptions to be overkill.

That said. Would I recommend the book? Yes. (And no, I'm not going to write an essay justifying that recommendation. Search the internet, and you'll find plenty of others who have taken the time to do that as well as those who will tell you it's a vile sin to visit the pages of this book.)

Of course, my finishing the book was part of my preparation for watching the movie. And that we did last night. I braced myself for a cry-fest since the book really did move me. Instead of crying, though, I found myself slightly frustrated and wanting to cry, "Foul!" more times than not.

Here are my observations about the book and the movie:

1) If you read this book and watch the movie just a couple of days later, you might be frustrated at the significant details that were left out, details that I think affected character development and the entire tone of the story.

2) If you watch this movie with others who read the book MONTHS ago, they will wonder why you're annoyed. They've forgotten many of the details, but you haven't, and it might be wise to keep your objections to yourself. I think my fellow viewers might have been calling me "killjoy", in their heads, of course.

3) If you're wondering if you should watch the movie or read the book first, this is one story I'd tell you to watch first. Then, you won't be so angry during the movie and you'll end up pleasantly surprised at what a different story it really is after you read the book.

4) I'm 38 weeks pregnant. You can just poke me, like the Pillsbury Doughboy, and tears will flow. But, the only time I cried during this movie was when Katniss volunteered for Prim. Even the scene with Rue, which they didn't get right, didn't move me like it did in the book.

5) If you've only watched the movie, you don't really know the story. You don't know enough to even have an opinion on the story, I'd say. (Ink is bristling at this point. Sorry, son.) You don't know Katniss and her thoughts through this disgusting ordeal, you don't even know the other characters, and you've missed out on so many essential details.

Details like Rue's arm reaching out to Katniss from the net, the crown being broken in two, Cato dying a slow death, the bread from District 11 being given to Katniss, Cato's coming at Katniss first instead of the mutant dogs, how Katniss got the mockingjay pin, the amazing feast delivered to Katniss and Peeta in the cave, Katniss and Peeta actually putting the berries in their mouths, etc.

6) This is one case in which I think the book and movie tell different stories. Of course, it's the SAME story, but reading the one will make a strong impression and bring many questions and reflections, while watching the other will leave you a bit entertained, disturbed, and somewhat indifferent.

With love,
Trisha

Homecoming, Our New Good Friend, The Most Depressing Children's Movie, His Plans Instead of Our Plans, and Weekend Happenings

Yes, that's the longest blog title I've ever posted.  That one's worth a week of posts, don't you think?

Luke arrived home late Wednesday afternoon after quite the adventure from just trying to get his prescriptions filled.  Everyone was so excited to see him, and Whistler spent part of the morning making him a sweet welcome home sign.  Scribe graciously added balloons.

Luke has busy days ahead of him just taking his medications.  After a staph bacteria grew on the culture a couple days ago, the doctors have added another antibiotic since MRSA is resistant to the antibiotic he's currently taking.  Only one colony of MRSA grew (which makes it suspect as coming from cross-contamination...in other words from someone handling the culture) but in light of how sick he was when he first came in to the hospital, the doctors feel that the benefits outweigh any risks. 

So, Luke is on two antibiotics taken twice daily, a nasal spray used twice daily, and twice daily sinus rinses.

I know that might not sound like much to an adult, but it's quite a bit for a seven-year old, and we're so proud of Luke for being such a trooper even though he dreads all of it.

Speaking of sinus rinses.....let me introduce you to our new good friend.

Luke uses the pediatric version of this twice a day, and Mountain Man and I have already joined the many fans of this product.  The ENT who assisted with the surgery on Luke chuckled after recommending this, saying that people even give them as gifts.  I can see why.  If this helps prevent what Luke went through or even diminish the severity, it's so worth every penny.  Another nurse who took care of Luke uses this daily, too, to manage her allergies and said that studies had shown that saline rinses and salt water gargling were effective in lowering one's susceptibility to the swine flu. 

It's initially "different," but you do get used to it, and Luke is able to prepare his own solution and do this completely on his own now.  My boys told me I sound like an infomercial about this......oh well.  Mountain Man can't believe I'd ever try it, but I knew I had to for Luke's sake, and now I just think it's great. :)  You can order two of these from Amazon here or find them at Target or Wal-Mart.

****

I thought it would be a treat to watch a movie together the night Luke came home, so I rented Where the Wild Things Are.  Silly me.  I should have remembered that it was never one of my favorite books to read to the children, but I couldn't have imagined that it would be made into a most depressing children's movie.  It would have been better named "Where the Ungrateful and Self-Absorbed Brat and His Mostly Rude, Human Eating Monster Friends Are."

My instincts told me to shut it off after the first 20 minutes, and I shamefully didn't listen.  Aargh! 

Scribe is working on a movie review blog (it's looking so great, and I'm hoping he'll share it soon.:), and I convinced him to let me quote his review.

Any deeper themes in this film will be lost on younger audiences. All they end up seeing are temper tantrums, disrespect and rebellion, and selfish childhood angst. It's utterly ridiculous to market this as a children's film. A complete waste of time, especially for Christians.

Christian children raised in covenant homes won't get this film at all.  And, it's really nothing they need to see.  Don't waste an hour and a half of your life just to see a boy smile at his mother in the end, perhaps appreciating his life just a bit more.

****

My Mom and Aunt were visiting during the time Luke was in the hospital, so our anticipation for literally months over their visit evolved into slight disappointment over changed plans.  We had mapped

out such great plans for the time they were here....Scribe's birthday scavenger hunt, a birthday dinner for them at the Melting Pot, lots of homecooked meals, a trip to the zoo if the weather permitted, and just the joy of all of us being together.

But God had better plans, and so we adjusted as best we could.  The children did such a great job of taking care of things at home while I was at the hospital during the day.  Scribe managed to feed my Mom and Aunt well, even making this nice dessert of mixed berries with Starbucks wonderful vanilla bean scones.

They played games and helped minimize the Mama-guilt I was feeling by being so cheerful when I came home.  Knowing my love for pictures, Scribe even did a photo shoot the night before they had to leave, and my Mom managed to finish up Little Big Man's scarf while she was here.

****

This weekend you'll find us remembering Christ's death and resurrection, celebrating Scribe's birthday with a scavenger hunt tomorrow, making a long list of blessings as well as "thank you" notes, and uncovering our laundry room floor. :)

Much love to you as you celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Scribe and I watched this together last night.  It's not a family movie, and I wouldn't recommend it for anyone under 12.

All I can say is this....

Oh my.  Watch this movie.  Period.

"God Grew Tired Of Us": a Movie Review

God Grew Tired Of Us (2006)

Setting: Sudan, Kenya, and U.S.A.
Rating: PG - Thematic Elements and Disturbing Images
Star Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5

If I could describe "God Grew Tired of Us" in a single phrase, I would call it thought-provoking. Once you're done watching this documentary, you will (hopefully) have an even greater sense of gratitude for the everyday things in life, from potato chips, to running water, to the shirt on your back and the bed you sleep in.

In the 1950's, as the British abandoned the colonization of Northern Africa, they hastily combined two separate territories into one Sudan. Religion and oil ignited a civil war, pitting the Muslim North against the Black Christian and Animist South.

In 1987, the Northern Sudanese Government declared that all males in South Sudan, regardless of age, were to be killed (sounds strikingly reminiscent of Pharaoh and the enslaved Israelites, doesn't it?). Muslim soldiers and raiders enacted terrible acts of brutality and violence against the South Sudanese, burning, killing, enslaving, and abusing. Males were especially targeted. As one South Sudan refugee said, "If you are found and you are a boy... they (Muslim troops) can shoot you." It was Hell on Earth.

It is into this atmosphere that the documentary takes the viewer. You catch a glimpse of life in the "lost boys" refugee camp in Kakuma, Kenya.

You also follow three patricular boys, as they journey to America to start anew. While in the U.S., they encounter things like apartments, running water, electricity, escalators and television for the first time. The simple blessings which we Americans too often take for granted amaze and astonish them.

While it is a fascinating film, I would not reccomend it for young children. There are mature themes discussed concerning the brutal treatment dealt out by the Muslim troops, and images of starving, wretched children which might be unsettling to a younger audience. There is no objectionable content save one brief scene of immodest dress, which is actually from a commercial on American television.

One of the first things that struck me as I watched this film was the conduct of the Muslims. They deny the accusation that their religion is one of hate. What a lie. Think of the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Think of the countless numbers (particularly Christians) who have been murdered, beaten, and cruelly treated because they did not conform to Islam. Does that sound like a religion of love and peace to you? Not unless love means hate and peace means war. Islam, for all that it claims to serve God, is Satanic to the core.

Another thing this film brought to mind is this: how often do we thank God for the little things in our everyday lives, the things we take for granted? How often do we praise God that we can openly go to Church every Sunday and worship Him without being assaulted or killed? How often do we thank God that we have electricity, parents, siblings, hot meals, access to clean, running water, and Salvation through Christ Jesus?

Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, "In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." Are we doing that? Are we truly giving thanks to the Creator for the great and small, for the blessings and the trials - for everything? Notice that Paul isn't asking us to do this - he's giving us a divine command from God.

And that's not the only Scripture reference on this subject. See Psalm 50:14; 68:14; 92:1; 100:4; 105:1; 106:1; 107:1; 118:1; Col. 1:12; 2:7; 3:15; 4:2; Heb. 13:15. All of these are just a few of the many places in God's Word that instruct us to praise our Heavenly Father.

As for the title... it's not quite what you think it is. You're probably thinking, "'God Grew Tired of Us'? What kind of movie title is that?" That's exactly the same thought that ran through my head when I first heard it, too.

As you watch the movie, however, the meaning of the title becomes a bit clearer. In an interview, John (one of the three Sudanese boys who relocated to America) talks about some of his experiences on the hard treks with his fellow refugees. He says, "I thought that God felt tired of people on Earth here - felt tired of the bad deeds, the bad things that we are doing... I thought God got tired of us and He wanted to finish us."

Simply witnessing the tragedy of life in Sudan makes one understand the despair behind such a statement. Nonetheless, despite these terrible memories, John's love for God and his desire to fulfill the Lord's purposes in his life thankfully remain strong.

In closing, I would like to share a line of one of my favorite hymns with you, reminding us to always give thanks:

"How good it is to thank the Lord,

And praise to Thee, Most High, accord,

To show Thy love with morning light,

And tell Thy faithfulness each night;

Yea, good it is Thy praise to sing,

And all our sweetest music bring."

Praise to God should be on our lips day and night for everything, great and small, which He has blessed us with. Thanks be to God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit now and forever more!

Persevero,

Scribe

WALL-E: a Movie Review

~WALL-E~

Setting: 2815 A.D.
Rated: G
Star Rating: 4 1/2 out of 5

~~~ ~~~ ~~~

A couple weeks ago, my family and I watched the Pixar film WALL-E. I think we were a little skeptical about it at first, but when we had finished it, we all agreed that it was a surprisingly good movie, full of many twists and portrayals which reflect the present state of the masses in this age of entertainment and electronics.

The setting for this movie is over 800 years into the future. Garbage has basically covered the entire planet, and humans evacuate, living in giant spaceships which contained all the necessities for life. Originally, the plan was for humans to take a sort of vacation for a little bit, while specially designed robots cleaned up the trash and attempted to make earth inhabitable again. As it turns out, the clean up failed, earth remained void of life, and people continued to remain in space for hundreds of years.

By some mishap or other, the dutiful WALL-E (Waste Allocation Load Lifter Earth-Class) is the only robot left on the earth. His existence is somewhat monotonous until one day a rocket from outerspace drops off EVE (Extra-Terrestrial Vegetation Evaluator). From then on come adventures which I will leave you to find out for yourself.

There was no objectionable material apart from one brief scene (which many children won't even pick up on, but you know your children better than I do), where Wall-e finds a piece of ladies' undergarments in the refuse he is cleaning up.

I read an article in World magazine in which director of WALL-E, Andrew Stanton (who also did Finding Nemo and professes to be a Christian), was being interviewed. He said that people were misunderstanding the film's purpose, saying it was a commentary on environmentalism or obesity. Stanton says that this was not the movie's purpose at all. It is about relationships. (Please read the whole article at www.Worldmag.com. It is extremely interesting and thought provoking. Search under Andrew Stanton.)

But I want to address the dominant theme of what humanity is becoming. When WALL-E visits the spaceship Axiom, what does he find? He finds humans in a sickening state of laziness, leisure, and ignorance. They have robots who do literally everything for them except sleeping and eating. It is disgusting. But the humans have sunk down so far that they don't even see it that way. They have become fat, slovenly, and unable to do anything for themselves. They don't even walk anymore! Instead, they have special robotic chairs that transport them wherever they wish to go. They eat meals in liquid form from cups like big babies. They have television screens which are in front of them literally all the time. They are so caught up in being entertained that they don't even notice the things going on around them.

How are we like that today? We live in an age where people don't want to think. They want to be entertained. People pathetically abuse electronic devices like TV's, iPods, video games, etc, etc. They have become lazy and ignorant, their minds dumbed down by so much thoughtless entertainment. I'll bet you if you approached the average American today and asked him when he last read a good book, he'd look at you as though you had come from Mars. Or if he had read a book, it was most likely something so dumbed down that he didn't need to think about what he was reading. Perhaps that's why books by authors like G.A. Henty, Daniel Defoe, or Jules Verne aren't read much anymore these days! People refuse to think! God gave us brains: we just need to actually use them!

Sadly, even many "Christians" have fallen into this pit. Many of them only open their Bibles once a week on Sunday, because throughout the rest of the week they just don't want to take the time to read God's word and think about what it says. Many so called 'church services' have become intent on entertaining people or catering to their whims and leisures, instead of discipling them.

There is one particularly disturbing scene in WALL-E, which reflects the dumbing down of people in this day and age. The captain is in the process of figuring out how to return to earth after EVE finds a little green plant growing among the refuse. One of the things given to him is a control manual in book form. When given this, the captain doesn't even know what it is! He can't even figure out how to open it!

Another point of this movie is that technology and things can never replace our needs for love, relationships and interaction between human beings. Stuff cannot replace those needs because they are essential to living the life God gave you.

I guess I'll wrap up by saying that if you do watch WALL-E (and I highly recommend you do so), then don't get stuck on the 'humans have destroyed earth' theme. Remember that this was not the intent of the film. If you focus on that too much, then you will miss all the other good stuff in WALL-E. Andrew Stanton said that he "was just using the circumstances of people abandoning Earth because its filled with garbage as a way to tell my story."

"The hand of the diligent shall bear rule: but the slothful man shall be under tribute." Prov. 12:24

"He that is slothful in his work is brother to him that is a great waster." Prov. 18:9

"The desire of the slothful killeth him; for his hands refuse to labor." Prov. 21:25

Persevero,

Scribe

The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938)

Setting: Medieval England, during the reign of King Richard the Lionhearted
Rating: PG
Star Rating: 4 out of 5

~ ~ ~

I have to say that I was pleasantly suprised when I watched this last night. This 1938 rendition of the classic tale of Robin Hood was actually pretty well done for its time and stayed primarily true to the story. It did help, though, to have had Mom read Howard Pyle's version to us, for it was rather neat to watch a scene and remember it from the actual book.

~ ~ ~

There are several moments of inappropriate romance (that is, if you're courtship-minded) between Robin Hood and Maid Marian, but besides this, there isn't any objectionable content.

~ ~ ~

The movie mainly focuses on the exploits of Robin Hood against his Norman rival, Sir Guy of Gisbourne. Robin, made an outlaw by his enemies, gathers about his person a band of followers who aid him him in his endeavors to "steal from the rich to give to the poor".

~ ~ ~

The scenes of swordplay, though not very realistic, were fun to watch (what do you expect? I'm a young man!). The movie is rated PG, but really the fighting is no more graphic or violent than in a movie like Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier.

~ ~ ~

Another thing that might be noted is that Maid Marian, like all the other women in the film, actually wears something modest, unlike in so many of today's films, where the women decide to wear their bathing suits on set!

~ ~ ~

One thing we might consider, though, is the godliness of Robin Hood's tactics as the hero of the poor. Is it right to steal from someone, even if they did take the wealth they have wrongfully? Is it right to repay evil with evil? God tells us that vengence belongs to Him, and to Him alone, and that we are not to take revenge into our own hands (Rom. 12:19). I think that it is an interesting topic to discuss, because it seems that Robin Hood is no longer thought of as as being wrong in his actions. Is he to be excused from obeying the seventh commandment? We need to call sin by its true name: SIN. It is wrong to excuse or glorify it. There is no getting around it, and so, whether we like it or not, we must recognize Robin and his merry men for what they were: thieves, plain and simple. Even if the Normans extorted money wrongfully from the poor, was it Robin's duty to take vengence and reccompence into his own hands? I'd really like to hear your thoughts on this. There's much more to discuss than is possible in this review.

Persevero,

Scribe