K is for King's Speech

 A to Z Challenge

A Month At The Movies

Hello and welcome back to A Month at the Movies,  my contribution to the A to Z challenge for 2023.

This year I am copying from a myriad of other A to Z  challengers by reprinting the same synopsis about my theme with every letter.  You can skip over this part if you want to.  

I love movies and have decided to share with you a movie each day that I have enjoyed to one degree or another.  With each entry, I'll give a brief synopsis of the film, share a positive and negative review from Rotten Tomatoes ( a website, I didn't use much at all until preparing for the challenge), discuss its resiliency (the theme of the A to Z challenge this year), and other tidbits like whether the film may appear in my top 100 film list, which I have been revamping this year. I think that's enough in the way of introduction, considering you'll be reading it (hopefully) 15 more times this month.

Film: The King's Speech (2011)

Director: Tom Hooper

By www.lancashire.gov.uk - Flickr: Filming Colin and Helena, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32805634

Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush, and Helena Bonham Carter are all amazing in this film that celebrates growth mindset on a royal stage.  A stuttering prince becomes King and finds his voice. 

Positive Tomato: reminds us of a time - not long ago at all - when substance counted for something, and admiration, even among those born to privilege, had to be earned. Bill Newcott -  AARP Movies for Grownups. 

Negative Tomato: A wonderfully-acted, well-crafted motion picture, but one that is also brutally dull. Brent McKnight - The Last Thing I See. 

I usually don't comment on the tomatoes and just get on with my business.  Today, I'll deviate from that practice to say I did not find this movie boring at all.  It is a captivating story from beginning to end. It is an uplifting movie and in many ways a surprising one.  It's hard to be surprising in a bio-pic but I think this one pulls it off nicely.

Resiliency: It takes resiliency to overcome an impediment, It takes resiliency to restore faith in the monarchy, It takes resiliency to encourage your people on the brink of war.  Prince Albert of York later known as King George VI had to do all 3 pretty much simultaneously. 

Top 100:  I like this movie an awful lot and if you asked me I'd say I think it would be in my top 100. Then, when we counted all the films I'd think would be in my top 100, and got upwards of 165, I'd have a decision to make.  At that point, this movie's reign might be over. 

A To Z Connection: This is the 2nd film in the challenge featuring a portrayal of Prince Edward of York who for a short time was King Edward VIII (Chariots of Fire)

Next Time: Late recognition for a fallen hero. 

A Jesus Revolution Exclusive with Kelsey Grammer

Progressive Poem April 12th

 Some of my fellow poets who contribute at Poetry Friday are working on a progressive poem for April's National Poetry Month.  I signed up for today and then quickly forgot about it.  Thanks for all the reminders on my J post for the A to Z Challenge.

Here is the poem so far with my line on the bottom,

Suddenly everything fell into place

like raindrops hitting soil and sinking in

When morning first poked me, I'd wished it away

my mind in the midst, muddled, confused

Was this a dream, or reality rousing my response?

The sun surged, urging me to join in it's rising.

Rising like a crystal ball reflecting on morning dew.

I jumped out of bed, ready to explore the day

My feet pull me outside and into the garden

Where lillies and bees weave ... but wait what's that?

A bevy of bunnies jart and dart and play in the clover.  

A dog barks and flash, the bunderstorm is over. 

That's my line and I'm sticking to it.  Tomorrow, Irene Latham at Live Your Poem contributes the next line.  

The rest of the participants can be found on the sidebar of Another Year Of Reading.

We now interrupt the a to z Challenge for a poem

 My daughter Emma and I signed up for a progressive poem this month and then clean forgot about it with all the revelry brought by my 25th wedding anniversary yesterday.   On my 15 minute break from work I am catching up hers for April 11th and will have mine early this afternoon. 

A progressive poem is a poem where different poets contribute one line at a time.  Here is what we have so far including my contribution for Emma at the last line:

Suddenly everything fell into place

like raindrops hitting soil and sinking in

When morning first poked me, I'd wished it away

my mind in the midst, muddled, confused

Was this a dream, or reality rousing my response?

The sun surged, urging me to join in it's rising.

Rising like a crystal ball reflecting on morning dew.

I jumped out of bed, ready to explore the day

My feet pull me outside and into the garden

Where lillies and bees weave ... but wait what's that?

A bevy of bunnies jart and dart and play in the clover.  

I'll be back later today for my line in the poem.  

J is for Jesus Revolution

 A to Z Challenge

A Month At The Movies

Hello and welcome back to A Month at the Movies,  my contribution to the A to Z challenge for 2023.

This year I am copying from a myriad of other A to Z  challengers by reprinting the same synopsis about my theme with every letter.  You can skip over this part if you want to.  

I love movies and have decided to share with you a movie each day that I have enjoyed to one degree or another.  With each entry, I'll give a brief synopsis of the film, share a positive and negative review from Rotten Tomatoes ( a website, I didn't use much at all until preparing for the challenge), discuss its resiliency (the theme of the A to Z challenge this year), and other tidbits like whether the film may appear in my top 100 film list, which I have been revamping this year. I think that's enough in the way of introduction, considering you'll be reading it (hopefully) 16 more times this month.

Film: The Jesus Revolution (2023)

Directors: John Erwin & Brett McCorkle

Picture from Light Magazine Article Chuck Smith: Father of The Jesus Movement 

By Rev Dr. Ed & Janice Hird

The Jesus Revolution is the most recent movie included in the challenge this year.  Its story goes back more than 50 years and was inspired by the events depicted in the Time Magazine cover story shown below.  Ultimately that story is inspired by the story of Jesus told in the Gospels. 

Time Magazine June 21, 1971
Cover Credit Stan Zagorski

Positive Tomato: Intriguing and occasionally inspiring...the acting is consistently strong, especially by Jonathan Roumie. There are heroes here, but no halos as the true-life characters live through problems and flaws. Michael Medved - The Michael Medved Show

Negative Tomato: Jesus Revolution takes a fascinating period of American history - the hippie movement and its associated fallout within the Christian co
mmunity - and transforms it into a bland, TV movie-of-the-week experience. James Berardinelli - ReelViews

The movie tells the story of the Jesus movement by focusing on these  4 characters: 

Chuck Smith portrayed by Kelsey Grammar best known for his long career playing Frasier Crane on Cheers and then Frasier.  

Lonnie Frisbee played by Jonathan Roumie best now for playing Jesus in The Chosen.

Greg Laurie is played by Joel Courtney and Cathe is played by Anna Grace Barlow. 

T

Lonnie Frisbee & Chuck Smith

Kelsey Grammar & Jonathan Roumie

I liked this movie and especially liked the  warts and all approach of the characterizations.  Each of these characters is flawed.  Each of these characters makes mistakes.  Some of you who know the historry of these events know that not all the mistakes some of these characters made are mentioned in the movie.  Some have suggested that this means a white-washing of the events. I don't land that way.  If a two hour movie was made about me many of my foibles, sins, and setbacks would not be seen.  I have more than 2 hours of foibles, sins and setbacks in a day let alone a life time,  However, that each of these characters are shown as human rather than superhuman it is easier to see the divine in them,

Resiliency: The resiliency of this story flows from the title.  The actual life , death and resurrection of Jesus Christ was relevant and powerful enough to capture the attention of the Hippie movement and then the world. Easter was days ago where Christians all over the world celebrated the greatest event in history.  If that's not resiliency, I don't know what is.

Top 100: Like I said I really enjoyed this movie and would  recommend it highly. However, I doubt that it will be in my top 100.  First of all, I generally need to watch a movie at least twice before I can know for sure whether it's top 100 material.  But I usually have a better sense for when it isn't.  

A TO Z Connections: This is the second movie to depict Christian ministers (Chariots of Fire). This is the 4th movie, to depict historic events (Chariots of Fire, 42, and Hidden Figures).

Next Time: Kuh Kuh King