There are many great things I like about the early Spring.  The beginning of baseball season,  gearing up for the Blackhawks (and sometimes the  Bulls) playoff runs,  my wedding anniversary, and Easter Sunday are just a few of them.

For the past 3 years Judson University's Imago Film Festival   has become one of those great things I associate with the beginning of Spring.  I came home  just a few hours ago from the fifth and final evening of the 12th annual festival and want to relate my experience of the event.

The Mission statement for the festival states that  they showcase independent films that deals with faith issues that emphasize image and story. I attended each night of the festival this year and the 15  

official selections that were screened certainly met the missions statements criteria.  

Terrence Wandtke stated several times in festival literature and at the festival itself, that many of the years selections dealt with themes of love and loss.  He was certainly correct in that assertion, and the 4 winning films all dealt with that topic in one way or another.

My favorite film of the 4 winners,  Not the End,  won the Audience Choice award.  

The 2nd runner up as decided by the Judges was Speed Dating.

The 1st runner up was Persimmon.

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Best in Show was the Oscar Nominated short, We can't live Without Cosmos.

$2,000.00 was divided unevenly between the winning 4 films.

I am sure you will be able to find all 4 movies on line at some point, if you have interest in viewing them - perhaps even at Imago's You Tube Channel.  However, my week at Imago reinforced my belief in the importance of the communal experience of watching movies.  I encourage any of you in the Chicago area to come to Elgin next year to experience Imago 2017 with me.  

If any of you were wondering why it took me 2 hours after coming home before I wrote this review, It is because after all that film watching I wanted to do some more.  I just finished watching my first full length feature on someone else's blog post.  From time to time someone will put a link to an entire movie from you tube on their blog. On Friday I saw a link to the movie Angel and the Badman, a 1947 John Wayne film.  I had not seen it before so have been watching it after the festival for the past 2 nights.  It is a film that deals with faith issues and emphasized image and story.  So it was a perfect post Imago activity.  Perhaps soon, I'll review it here.   Before that happens, I plan to screen the film for an audience, my family.

A to Z Challenge Simulpost B

Superheroes A to Z
B is for Beast

Full Name Hank McCoy

First Appearance X-Men #1 1963

Notable team affiliations: X-men,Avengers and Defenders

As I mentioned yesterday, I did not choose the obvious choice for a superhero that begins with the letter b.  To show how obvious it is I filmed this impromptu piece with my family.

   

Bisquick Man notwithstanding, Batman seems to be the obvious choice for superhero today.  If you know anything about me, know this - my choices are not obvious.


I like Beast because he brings humor and pathos to situations sorely in need of it.  Besides that "Oh my stars and garters" is one of the best superhero catchphrases ever.

But wait a second did my wife really guess Barney b4  she guessed man.  Let's see about that ...


nd
For more A to Z blogging click here.

B is for Billy

Cubs Home run hitters from Aramis to Zimmerman

B is for Billy

Billy  Leo Williams (HOF)

Cubs, A's

Billy Williams made his d ebut with the Chicago Cubs on August 6, 1959 at the age of 21.  He was Rookie of the  year in 1961  and  a six time all star.  He played for the Cubs through the 1974 season He hit 392 of his 426  homers for the Cubs which is 3rd  all time.    He was inducted into the baseball hall of fame in 1986.

For More A to Z Blogging click here.  

Playoff Beard Day 7

Crazy Uncle Dave "Pretend" voics of the Black Hawks dispenses his Hawks Nuggets

Hawks Nugget1 :  On this day in 1972 Bobby Hull scored his 604th goal as a blackhawk

Hawks Nugget 2 :  Thanks to NHL tie breaking procedures the Hawks only need 1 point to stay out of the 1st wild card spot now held by the Nashville Predators.  The only way the Preds can overtake the Hawks for the 3rd spot in the central is if they win their remaining 3 games in regulation and the Hawks drop their last 4 in regulation.  The Hawks cannot overtake Dallas  (the best they could do is lose the tie breaker) for 1st in the Central but can still catch St. Louis for 2nd in the Central.

B is for Buehrle

You Tube A TO Z

B is for Buehrle

One thing you see lots of on you tube is sports plays and commercials.    This post includes one of each.


In 2010 one of my favorite White Sox Players, Mark Buehrle  started off the season with this  phenomenal play
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 The next year the White Sox made this epic commercial as an homage to the fantastic play using Buehrle and Sox Announcer Hawk Harrelson in cameos.



 

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A to Z Challenge Simulpost A

Today is the beginning of A to Z challenge 2016.  This is the first time I am participating from YBD as YBD hardly existed last April.  My theme is the one I planned to use at HSD this year.  The theme is comic book characters.

A is for Alfred

Full Name:  Alfred Pennyworth

Occupation:  Wayne Family Butler and aide to Batman

First Appearance:  Batman #16 (1943)

Cover from first appearance of Alfred

I chose Alfred rather than a hero for several reasons.  Antman and Atom kind of cancel each other out and I have never been a big fan of aquaman.  Alfred is what my Father-in-law used to call a secret hero, the character in a show that is the glue that holds everything together.  I am also including him here as I am not including his employer tomorrow.  Batman is one of the mainstays of comicbook lore and since I am not featuring him tomorrow, I am going out of my way to make room for other members of the "Batman Family" in my list.

For more A to Z blogging click here.

ADDED BONUS.

A few years ago my kids absolutely fell in love with the book Super Hero ABC by Bob
McLeod

Click on the image to get the book from Amazon.

As I run through the letter of the alphabet I will try to show pages from this fine book as well

A is for Aramis

Cubs Home run hitters from Aramis to Zimmerman

It is time once again for the A to Z challenge.  Last year, I went from A to Z with White Sox Home run hitters.  This year, I turn my attention to my 2nd favorite ball club, The Chicago Cubs.

Everyday in April with the exception of Sundays, I will be featuring a different Cubs player.  
All homerun info is through the 2015 season.

A is for Aramis

Aramis Ramirez

Cubs, Pirates, Brewers

Aramis Ramirez came to the Cubs from the Pirates during the 2003 season and played for the Cubs through the 2011 season.  Ramirez has hit 239 of his so far 386 homers for the Cubs.  This is 6th all time for the Cubs.  

For More A to Z Blogging click here. 

Playoff Beard Day 6 

For those of you stopping in from a to z blogging you may not know that I am posting daily pics of my playoff  beard as well as a staus on the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Blackhawks beat  the WInnipeg Jets 5-4 in OT this evening.  The Hawks have 4 games remaining.  The St.  Louis Blues remain their probable 1st round playoff match up.