The Story Line.The Whos are preparing for their Christmas celebration.They're obsessed with buying, giving, getting and decorating.Right from the start Cindy Lou, about 8 years old, observes all this activity and asks her father if it's"right." He brushes her off and says that this is how Whoville celebrates Christmas.During all these busy preparations, the Grinch comes down disguised as one of the Whos.Cindy Lou meets him.When everyone realizes he's been there, they act terrified.Cindy Lou begins to feel sorry for the Grinch; she's determined to learn more about him.She interviews the two older ladies who adopted him when he was a baby.She interviews the Mayor of Whoville.And, she interviews Martha Mae, the girl he liked in grade school.Cindy Lou comes to realize that the other kids at school mocked him, made fun of him and ridiculed him.And, so the Grinch left.He went up the mountain, outfitted a cave and has been there all these years.Every year Whoville elects a Cheermeister to lead the Christmas Whobilation.The mayor wants that honor but Cindy Lou nominates the Grinch.Everyone agrees.She goes up the mountain to invite him.He decides to accept the honor and goes down to the celebration.Once there, the Whoville people are so over-excited, they frantically dress him, feed him, pull, push and shove him.He tries to stop them and actually says, "Stop, too much, too soon." They pay no attention; he becomes angry and destroys the whole town's Christmas.Little did he know that they had "spares" of everything, which they quickly brought out and put up.The Grinch cannot stand the situation.He goes down again secretly on Christmas Eve night and steals everything; he wants to "teach them a lesson." He takes everything back up to his mountain and is going to destroy it when he suddenly hears singing."What?" he thinks.And, shock of shocks.The Grinch realizes that the people of Whoville now know that Christmas is not about buying, getting, giving or decorating.It's about family and friends gathering together and loving each other.It's about feeling content and grateful for what they each have.It's about peace and true "good will" among all.When the Grinch realizes what has happened, he decides to return all of the things he stole to the Whoville people.He does that and finds, a real bonus, that Martha Mae is in love with him.They all have a huge Christmas meal and everything ends happily.Definitely my kind of movie.Now, A Deeper Look.There are quite a few deeper ideas in this movie.But here, we'll deal with the three most important ones.1.The Grinch withdrew from Whoville because his feelings were hurt.Why? His classmates made fun of him.Instead of accepting and including the Grinch even though he was different, the other kids at school mocked and humiliated him.He was so hurt that he shut down his feelings and decided never to feel them again; he thought, forevermore.He withdrew from the town, built his home in a cave on the mountain and he stayed there alone.The Grinch has been angry and bitter ever since.We see him now as the adult Grinch.He's in such a rage and so distrusts anyone from Whoville that he not only shields himself in his cave, but he also scares anyone from Whoville whenever he can.The Grinch is a master at revenge; he has everything it takes. motivation, energy, help (from his dog) and best of all, he's smart!Gosh, we see that bullying the weaker or different ones in Whoville was a common thing back then, just like it is today in our schools and businesses.Nothing much has changed because people who are bullied today feel the same way the Grinch did. they hurt, they don't understand why they're treated badly but they're very clear that they're different, don't fit in and are purposely being shut out.Cindy Lou first meets the Grinch when he comes down to Whoville to cause some trouble.Again, why would he do that, she wonders.He's really disgusted with the Whoville people precisely because they emphasize the craziness of the holiday season. they shop, shop and decorate, decorate.He just wants to wipe out the whole thing.In fact, he says, "Avarice, the avarice never ends.That's what it's all about.The Christmas season is stupid." He goes absolutely crazy and ruins Christmas all over town.2.Enter Cindy Lou, a Pleasing personality, is great at caring for others.She has deep feelings, like the Grinch, and also, like him, she's troubled by all the commercialism about Christmas in Whoville.By now she also realizes that long ago the Grinch was treated badly.So, hoping to cheer him up, she nominates him for the Whoville Cheermeister; he's elected.(One of the great moments in the story is when Cindy Lou nominates the Grinch, she is challenged not only by the mayor but also by other Whos in high power.She stands up to them, showing a lot of courage).Cindy Lou is delighted and hopeful that the Grinch will want to join the community again.She goes up the mountain to ask him to come to the Christmas Whobilation and be the Cheermaster.Even though the Grinch is not kind to her, her caring for him never wavers.Later, even as the Grinch is stealing all of her family's Christmas, Cindy Lou's Pleasing care-taking continues.She mistakenly thinks the Grinch is Santa Claus and she urges him to remember to leave a gift for her friend, the Grinch.*** People who have the Pleasing personality always feel sorry for those who are being mistreated and are hurting.People who have the Pleasing personality always take care of those they care about.And, people with the Pleasing personality never want to believe that others are bad.Cindy Lou certainly fits this description.3.On Christmas morning when the Grinch hears the singing from the town, he says, shocked, "It came; it came! Maybe Christmas means a little bit more." As he says the words, he's realizing that the Whos are having Christmas as they should without all the "stuff." They realize that having each other is more than enough.Then something truly wonderful happens to the Grinch.His heart, which had shrunk to practically nothing, grew and grew and grew in those moments; it grew three sizes right then.Right then, the Grinch had an attack of "feeling." And, he cried.It's such a sweet moment when the Grinch says to Max, "I'm all toasty inside and I'm leaking." The Grinch tells Max that he loves him; Max goes nuts and overwhelms the Grinch with kisses.To which the Grinch says, "That's enough, that's enough, one step at a time." He's still not quite ready for intimate expression.After he realizes that Cindy Lou has come up the mountain to get him, saying, "No one should be alone on Christmas," the Grinch returns everything to Whoville, joins in the celebration.His small heart is not only "not dead," but re-blooms that day.Yes, the Grinch's outer world changed radically Christmas day; the Whoville people welcomed him and he rejoined them.But, the Grinch's inner world, which is by far the more important, changes radically as well.He understands that hearts can soften and hurts can heal.If you're looking for a good, light Christmas movie choose The Grinch.If you're looking for a "great" movie, choose The Grinch.Just be sure to take The Deeper Look.Thanks for stopping by in this busy, busy season, and.I hope you and yours have a wonderful holiday season.Warmest regards until next time,.Joan.
Wednesday, July 11, 2012
A Deeper Look at "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"
The Story Line.The Whos are preparing for their Christmas celebration.They're obsessed with buying, giving, getting and decorating.Right from the start Cindy Lou, about 8 years old, observes all this activity and asks her father if it's"right." He brushes her off and says that this is how Whoville celebrates Christmas.During all these busy preparations, the Grinch comes down disguised as one of the Whos.Cindy Lou meets him.When everyone realizes he's been there, they act terrified.Cindy Lou begins to feel sorry for the Grinch; she's determined to learn more about him.She interviews the two older ladies who adopted him when he was a baby.She interviews the Mayor of Whoville.And, she interviews Martha Mae, the girl he liked in grade school.Cindy Lou comes to realize that the other kids at school mocked him, made fun of him and ridiculed him.And, so the Grinch left.He went up the mountain, outfitted a cave and has been there all these years.Every year Whoville elects a Cheermeister to lead the Christmas Whobilation.The mayor wants that honor but Cindy Lou nominates the Grinch.Everyone agrees.She goes up the mountain to invite him.He decides to accept the honor and goes down to the celebration.Once there, the Whoville people are so over-excited, they frantically dress him, feed him, pull, push and shove him.He tries to stop them and actually says, "Stop, too much, too soon." They pay no attention; he becomes angry and destroys the whole town's Christmas.Little did he know that they had "spares" of everything, which they quickly brought out and put up.The Grinch cannot stand the situation.He goes down again secretly on Christmas Eve night and steals everything; he wants to "teach them a lesson." He takes everything back up to his mountain and is going to destroy it when he suddenly hears singing."What?" he thinks.And, shock of shocks.The Grinch realizes that the people of Whoville now know that Christmas is not about buying, getting, giving or decorating.It's about family and friends gathering together and loving each other.It's about feeling content and grateful for what they each have.It's about peace and true "good will" among all.When the Grinch realizes what has happened, he decides to return all of the things he stole to the Whoville people.He does that and finds, a real bonus, that Martha Mae is in love with him.They all have a huge Christmas meal and everything ends happily.Definitely my kind of movie.Now, A Deeper Look.There are quite a few deeper ideas in this movie.But here, we'll deal with the three most important ones.1.The Grinch withdrew from Whoville because his feelings were hurt.Why? His classmates made fun of him.Instead of accepting and including the Grinch even though he was different, the other kids at school mocked and humiliated him.He was so hurt that he shut down his feelings and decided never to feel them again; he thought, forevermore.He withdrew from the town, built his home in a cave on the mountain and he stayed there alone.The Grinch has been angry and bitter ever since.We see him now as the adult Grinch.He's in such a rage and so distrusts anyone from Whoville that he not only shields himself in his cave, but he also scares anyone from Whoville whenever he can.The Grinch is a master at revenge; he has everything it takes. motivation, energy, help (from his dog) and best of all, he's smart!Gosh, we see that bullying the weaker or different ones in Whoville was a common thing back then, just like it is today in our schools and businesses.Nothing much has changed because people who are bullied today feel the same way the Grinch did. they hurt, they don't understand why they're treated badly but they're very clear that they're different, don't fit in and are purposely being shut out.Cindy Lou first meets the Grinch when he comes down to Whoville to cause some trouble.Again, why would he do that, she wonders.He's really disgusted with the Whoville people precisely because they emphasize the craziness of the holiday season. they shop, shop and decorate, decorate.He just wants to wipe out the whole thing.In fact, he says, "Avarice, the avarice never ends.That's what it's all about.The Christmas season is stupid." He goes absolutely crazy and ruins Christmas all over town.2.Enter Cindy Lou, a Pleasing personality, is great at caring for others.She has deep feelings, like the Grinch, and also, like him, she's troubled by all the commercialism about Christmas in Whoville.By now she also realizes that long ago the Grinch was treated badly.So, hoping to cheer him up, she nominates him for the Whoville Cheermeister; he's elected.(One of the great moments in the story is when Cindy Lou nominates the Grinch, she is challenged not only by the mayor but also by other Whos in high power.She stands up to them, showing a lot of courage).Cindy Lou is delighted and hopeful that the Grinch will want to join the community again.She goes up the mountain to ask him to come to the Christmas Whobilation and be the Cheermaster.Even though the Grinch is not kind to her, her caring for him never wavers.Later, even as the Grinch is stealing all of her family's Christmas, Cindy Lou's Pleasing care-taking continues.She mistakenly thinks the Grinch is Santa Claus and she urges him to remember to leave a gift for her friend, the Grinch.*** People who have the Pleasing personality always feel sorry for those who are being mistreated and are hurting.People who have the Pleasing personality always take care of those they care about.And, people with the Pleasing personality never want to believe that others are bad.Cindy Lou certainly fits this description.3.On Christmas morning when the Grinch hears the singing from the town, he says, shocked, "It came; it came! Maybe Christmas means a little bit more." As he says the words, he's realizing that the Whos are having Christmas as they should without all the "stuff." They realize that having each other is more than enough.Then something truly wonderful happens to the Grinch.His heart, which had shrunk to practically nothing, grew and grew and grew in those moments; it grew three sizes right then.Right then, the Grinch had an attack of "feeling." And, he cried.It's such a sweet moment when the Grinch says to Max, "I'm all toasty inside and I'm leaking." The Grinch tells Max that he loves him; Max goes nuts and overwhelms the Grinch with kisses.To which the Grinch says, "That's enough, that's enough, one step at a time." He's still not quite ready for intimate expression.After he realizes that Cindy Lou has come up the mountain to get him, saying, "No one should be alone on Christmas," the Grinch returns everything to Whoville, joins in the celebration.His small heart is not only "not dead," but re-blooms that day.Yes, the Grinch's outer world changed radically Christmas day; the Whoville people welcomed him and he rejoined them.But, the Grinch's inner world, which is by far the more important, changes radically as well.He understands that hearts can soften and hurts can heal.If you're looking for a good, light Christmas movie choose The Grinch.If you're looking for a "great" movie, choose The Grinch.Just be sure to take The Deeper Look.Thanks for stopping by in this busy, busy season, and.I hope you and yours have a wonderful holiday season.Warmest regards until next time,.Joan.
American Candy - Celebrate Halloween the American Way
The Halloween tradition of costumed children knocking on neighbours' doors and calling out "trick or treat?" is relatively new to the UK.Until a couple of decades ago, at the end of every October and beginning of November British children were more likely to be found on busy high streets with a home-made life-sized dummy of a man - often stuffed into a pram or a trolley - asking shoppers for "a penny for the Guy" (Guy, of course, being Guy Fawkes, whose effigy is traditionally burnt on bonfires on 5th November, as a punishment for almost blowing up the Houses of Parliament in the 17th century).The pennies collected would usually be given to parents who would buy fireworks, to be set off on Bonfire Night.However, in recent years the Halloween festival, celebrated the American way, has become increasingly popular in Britain, and 'penny for the Guy' has all but disappeared.Halloween parties and evening door-knocking by miniature witches, goblins and vampires have become norms that give children something to look forward to when the nights start drawing in, and which give supermarkets an excuse to stock up on bumper packs of sweets for 'victims' to hand out to trick-or-treaters.But with British children having such fun with a very American tradition, we think it would be a lovely idea to give trick-or-treaters American candy, helping children to have an authentic American Halloween.Here's a selection of our favourite American candy which would be perfect for handing out to trick-or-treaters.Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.Fondant chocolate cups filled with peanut butter, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are an all-American classic.There are three Reese's Peanut Butter Cups in each pack.Reese's Pieces.Tasty peanut butter in crispy, crunchy candy shells - absolutely delicious, Reese's Pieces come in 43g bags and are perfect for handing out to trick-or-treaters, though you may be tempted to eat a few yourself!Hershey's.Hershey's Cookies n Creme is a white chocolate bar which contains chocolate cookie bits - so it's crunchy and chocolatey at the same time.Alternatively, there's Hershey's Chocolate n Creme, which is made of milk chocolate instead of white chocolate.Hershey's Whatchamacallit is a peanut flavoured crisp candy topped with a layer of caramel and dipped in chocolate - and its name is pretty unforgettable! Or if you're expecting a lot of little horrors knocking on your door, there's Hershey's Miniatures.In this 150g bag you'll find a bite sized selection of classic American chocolate, including Hershey's Milk Chocolate, Hershey's Krackel with milk chocolate and crisped rice, Hershey's Special Dark and Hershey's Mr Goodbar with creamy chocolate and crunchy peanuts.Other classic Hershey's products include Milk Duds - delicious milk chocolate covered caramel candies - and Hershey's Kisses, which have an unusual shape and come in individually foil wrapped pieces, so they're perfect for trick-or-treaters.Oreo Cookies.Oreo cookies are the classic American sandwich biscuit, and the 'proper' way to eat them is to twist, lick and dunk - apparently! Oreo Cookies are two chocolate flavoured biscuits sandwiched together with a delicious vanilla flavoured filling.One box of Oreo Cookies contains 16 biscuits - so there's plenty to go round, even if you get a huge troupe of little horrors knocking on your door!Oreo's also come in bags of miniature-sized pieces, which are the perfect size for smaller mouths.Cracker Jacks.Cracker Jacks are little boxes of caramel coated popcorn and peanuts, and they're a true American classic which have been around for over a hundred years.Cracker Jacks are famous for the tiny prizes concealed in each box, and for appearing in the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's.Each pack contains three 28g boxes of Cracker Jacks.Fruit Gushers.A box of Fruit Gushers contains six 25g pouches of these delicious little chewy sweets that ooze a watermelon flavoured liquid when you bite into them.Is your mouth watering yet?Candy Corn.If you're only going to give out one type of American candy to your trick-or-treaters, then it has to be Candy Corn - it's the traditional American Halloween treat.These little bite-sized pieces of candy are shaped to resemble corn kernels, and no Halloween candy collection would be complete without them!
Movie Review - Meet Joe Black
With an all-star cast including Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins, and Claire Forlani, Meet Joe Black is a movie about death and the value of life.The film is approximately three hours and fifteen minutes long, is fairly slow at times, but has an excellent plot.Filming is done in the big business hub of New York City where Anthony Hopkins plays a character named Bill Parrish who is a billion-dollar CEO of a news company.The story begins in Bill Parrish's lavish New York City apartment, where he wakes up at night with pain in his chest and arm.He goes to the restroom where he splashes water on his face and wonders what is happening, meanwhile hearing a voice that simply says, "Yes." Bill does not recognize that he may be having heart problems and continues with his daily life as chairman of the board at his news corporation.Next, we see Bill's two daughters enter the picture.Susan, Bill's favored daughter, stops by for breakfast before leaving for the hospital where she is a resident in internal medicine.Bill's other daughter, Allison, does not appear to have a job but stays busy planning Bill's sixtieth birthday party on Bill's estate.She is planning an extraordinary party including flaming archers, large band ensembles, well-known vocalists, and politicians of all types.Bill makes it clear that he could care less about the party and several times in the movie makes Allison upset about his lack of interest.On Susan's way to work, she stops by a coffee shop near the hospital where she runs into a nameless young man played by Brad Pitt.The young man strikes up a conversation with Susan since he is new in the city, and they end up having coffee together and telling one another how they like each other.They regretfully walk away and do not get each other's contact information.While the young man is crossing a busy intersection on his way to work, he turns around while thinking about Susan and is killed when he is struck by two cars.This part of the movie is extremely well-done and is certain to take the viewer by surprise.Meanwhile, Bill is planning on selling his company to a media mogul.He is uncomfortable with the idea of selling his life's work to a man whose intentions are unclear, and he becomes even more uncomfortable when he realizes that he is dying.While at his office the next day, the voice he hears causes him to drop to his knees and clutch his chest while sweating, at the mercy of the voice.The voice tells him that the "yes" he has been hearing is the answer to Bill's question, "Am I dying?".That same night, Bill Parrish, his two daughters, Allison's husband Quince, and Susan's boyfriend Drew meet for dinner at Bill's home.Drew is Bill's right hand man and it is believed that when Bill is gone one day, Drew will be taking over Parrish Communications.Dinner is just getting started when Bill hears the voice again, saying that he is at the front door and wants to be let in.Bill's maid lets the man behind the voice into Bill's home and meets Bill in his library.This part of the movie is full of tension and awkwardness, and the viewer realizes that as powerful as Bill Parrish is in the real world, there is still an ultimate power ruling his life.Parrish talks to the voice, which is standing behind a bookcase in his large library, and the voice tells him to quiet down and listen to what he has to say.Eventually, the voice reveals himself as the young man that Susan liked from the coffee shop, but with a completely different personality.It is not completely obvious at this point, but "Death" has taken over the body of the young man from the coffee shop in order to enter Bill Parrish's life.Parrish is in fact having heart problems and is set to die in the near future, and "Death" has taken the young man's body so he can learn about life from a man who lives life to the fullest."Death" wants to take a vacation from helping people die and wants to see what life is like from one of the best humans alive.Bill Parrish asks what they should do about "Death" being in his life, and the young man says that he will be staying at Bill's home, eating dinner with his family, and going to work with him every day.Basically, he wants to do everything Bill does so he can see how an exceptional human lives.It becomes obvious at dinner that the young man does not understand how humans live as he is overwhelmed by the maids bringing him food and by the comments Parrish's family makes to him.Bill must introduce the young, nameless man to his family, and comes up with a name of Joe Black, a fitting name for "Death".When Susan arrives at dinner and realizes that the young man from the coffee shop has returned to her life, she is blown away, and so is her boyfriend, Drew.Joe Black realizes that she knew the young man from the coffee shop who is now dead, and that he is not the same person she was hoping for.She becomes frustrated and does not understand why he is acting differently, but Joe manages to conceal his true identity.Drew makes the comment that he does not like how Susan and Joe look at each other and breaks off his relationship with Susan.Joe tells Susan that he does not like how Drew talked to her in a rude way, and the two end up kissing in Bill's entry room.At this point, Bill realizes that Susan is falling for Joe Black and gives a warning to his daughter that Joe is not who she thinks he is.Susan listens but does not seem to care, as she makes love to Joe several days later near Bill's indoor swimming pool.Not only does Bill have major concerns about his daughter falling in love with Death, but now he has retracted his willingness to sell his company.He tells his board of directors, with Joe by his side, that his company is not for sale.Parrish does not give any concrete reasons for his decision and does not leave it open for discussion.Drew, is extremely suspicious of Joe at this point, and Joe and Drew start an unpleasant relationship with each other.Drew does not know that Joe is an all-knowing being and his wit will never match up to Joe's personality and knowledge of everything in the world.Drew becomes so suspicious of Bill Parrish and his reliance on Joe that he holds a secret meeting with the board of directors.Allison's husband, Quince, who is also on the board, reveals that Bill has left some of his decision making up to Joe since there is so much on his mind.Knowing that Bill is letting a stranger make decisions for him, the board votes to give Bill an astounding amount of money to resign after his sixtieth birthday party.Bill has no choice in the matter and leaves the boardroom distraught and completely saddened.The story now focuses on Bill's lavish birthday party.All of his closest friends are there in their tuxedos and gowns and spirits are very high.However, Bill has had an argument with Joe and now knows that his life will end after the party.The argument was about Joe falling in love with Susan.Bill says that Joe is an awful attempt at being a person and does not want Joe to bring Susan with them to the dark side.Bill says that if Joe has a heart and is actually a decent person, Joe will go and reveal to Susan who he really is and see what she thinks.Joe walk out of Bill's office where we assume Bill is finishing up his will and testament, and goes straight for Susan.She is scared by what Joe reveals to her and Joe begins to see that he has been selfish and Susan should stay alive.The last few hours of Bill's life are sad yet well-spent.He is forced on stage at his own party to make a speech and tells his crowd that he has a special memory with everyone there.The speech is short and very melancholy since Bill is too preoccupied to deliver a moving speech.After the speech he kisses Allison and Susan and returns to his home office.He asks his son-in-law, Quince, to invite Drew over for a last-minute talk.Drew is flattered by the invitation, but when he arrives to the office, he sees Bill and Joe and knows that he has entered a bad situation.Bill curses at him and tells Drew that he knows how Drew was planning a secret partnership with the man buying Bill's company.Drew was going to break up Bill's company piece-by-piece and ruin his life's work in order to make himself and the board of directors truly rich.Bill gives Drew the option of resigning and never showing his face again, or hiring lawyers and forcing Drew to go to prison.Drew wisely decides to resign and begins to wonder how Bill and Joe knew so much about his immoral plans.The last part of the movie takes the viewer through every emotion.First, Joe tells Drew that he is from the IRS and had a bad feeling that Drew was striking up a bad business deal.Through research, Joe says that he figured out Drew's plans, which is why Drew decided to resign and avoid prison.He realized that the battle of wit and intelligence between himself and Joe was over, and Drew had been defeated badly by an IRS agent.With Bill's company safe and back in the board of directors' hands, he feels comfortable enough to return to the party and say his final goodbyes.Joe says goodbye to Susan and tells her that he will always love her.Susan and Joe both become very emotional as Joe walks away.Bill kisses Allison and then finds Susan and asks her for a dance.They have a beautiful time together in Bill's last moments, and Bill tells her that no matter what happens, not to worry.Susan seems to understand that her father may be dying and starts to cry even more.She leaves to watch the fireworks spectacle and Bill leaves to catch his breath.Bill Parrish climbs a bridge and a grassy hill to meet Joe and get the process of dying underway.Bill has said goodbye to the two most important people in his life, Allison and Susan, and can now die in peace.Bill tells Joe that he admires how Susan showed a kind of love toward Joe that Bill had always dreamed of.He saw that Susan was truly in love and happy and that made Bill happy.Joe tells Bill that he admires Bill as a person and is thankful for his time on Earth.They walk casually over the hill into darkness where Bill dies, but Joe does not.Susan sees the two most important men in her life walk over the hill and starts up the hill herself.She sees Joe come back up the hill and start walking towards her.Susan is not sure what is going on, but when Joe approaches her, she see that the young man from the coffee shop is back.Joe ended up taking Bill's life, but he also gave life back to the young man's body who he took in the beginning of the film.To show that he is reasonable and actually has a good heart, Joe feels that making Susan happy for the rest of her life would be a fair trade off for taking Bill's life.The movie ends with Susan and the man from the coffee shop walking hand-in-hand toward the fireworks which are bursting dramatically over Parrish's estate.The plot of this movie is incredibly in-depth and interesting.The idea that "Death" comes to Earth to experience life in a young man's body is truly unique.Martin Brest does a fantastic job directing this high-budget movie with his all-star cast.The movie will make you laugh with Joe's innocent antics, cry at the end when everyone must say goodbye as Bill heads toward his death, and even become angry at Drew for attempting to destroy Bill's billion-dollar corporation.This move is a must-see, and due to the complexity of the story and the emotional plot, it is rated a 5 out of 5.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
A Deeper Look at "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"
The Story Line.The Whos are preparing for their Christmas celebration.They're obsessed with buying, giving, getting and decorating.Right from the start Cindy Lou, about 8 years old, observes all this activity and asks her father if it's"right." He brushes her off and says that this is how Whoville celebrates Christmas.During all these busy preparations, the Grinch comes down disguised as one of the Whos.Cindy Lou meets him.When everyone realizes he's been there, they act terrified.Cindy Lou begins to feel sorry for the Grinch; she's determined to learn more about him.She interviews the two older ladies who adopted him when he was a baby.She interviews the Mayor of Whoville.And, she interviews Martha Mae, the girl he liked in grade school.Cindy Lou comes to realize that the other kids at school mocked him, made fun of him and ridiculed him.And, so the Grinch left.He went up the mountain, outfitted a cave and has been there all these years.Every year Whoville elects a Cheermeister to lead the Christmas Whobilation.The mayor wants that honor but Cindy Lou nominates the Grinch.Everyone agrees.She goes up the mountain to invite him.He decides to accept the honor and goes down to the celebration.Once there, the Whoville people are so over-excited, they frantically dress him, feed him, pull, push and shove him.He tries to stop them and actually says, "Stop, too much, too soon." They pay no attention; he becomes angry and destroys the whole town's Christmas.Little did he know that they had "spares" of everything, which they quickly brought out and put up.The Grinch cannot stand the situation.He goes down again secretly on Christmas Eve night and steals everything; he wants to "teach them a lesson." He takes everything back up to his mountain and is going to destroy it when he suddenly hears singing."What?" he thinks.And, shock of shocks.The Grinch realizes that the people of Whoville now know that Christmas is not about buying, getting, giving or decorating.It's about family and friends gathering together and loving each other.It's about feeling content and grateful for what they each have.It's about peace and true "good will" among all.When the Grinch realizes what has happened, he decides to return all of the things he stole to the Whoville people.He does that and finds, a real bonus, that Martha Mae is in love with him.They all have a huge Christmas meal and everything ends happily.Definitely my kind of movie.Now, A Deeper Look.There are quite a few deeper ideas in this movie.But here, we'll deal with the three most important ones.1.The Grinch withdrew from Whoville because his feelings were hurt.Why? His classmates made fun of him.Instead of accepting and including the Grinch even though he was different, the other kids at school mocked and humiliated him.He was so hurt that he shut down his feelings and decided never to feel them again; he thought, forevermore.He withdrew from the town, built his home in a cave on the mountain and he stayed there alone.The Grinch has been angry and bitter ever since.We see him now as the adult Grinch.He's in such a rage and so distrusts anyone from Whoville that he not only shields himself in his cave, but he also scares anyone from Whoville whenever he can.The Grinch is a master at revenge; he has everything it takes. motivation, energy, help (from his dog) and best of all, he's smart!Gosh, we see that bullying the weaker or different ones in Whoville was a common thing back then, just like it is today in our schools and businesses.Nothing much has changed because people who are bullied today feel the same way the Grinch did. they hurt, they don't understand why they're treated badly but they're very clear that they're different, don't fit in and are purposely being shut out.Cindy Lou first meets the Grinch when he comes down to Whoville to cause some trouble.Again, why would he do that, she wonders.He's really disgusted with the Whoville people precisely because they emphasize the craziness of the holiday season. they shop, shop and decorate, decorate.He just wants to wipe out the whole thing.In fact, he says, "Avarice, the avarice never ends.That's what it's all about.The Christmas season is stupid." He goes absolutely crazy and ruins Christmas all over town.2.Enter Cindy Lou, a Pleasing personality, is great at caring for others.She has deep feelings, like the Grinch, and also, like him, she's troubled by all the commercialism about Christmas in Whoville.By now she also realizes that long ago the Grinch was treated badly.So, hoping to cheer him up, she nominates him for the Whoville Cheermeister; he's elected.(One of the great moments in the story is when Cindy Lou nominates the Grinch, she is challenged not only by the mayor but also by other Whos in high power.She stands up to them, showing a lot of courage).Cindy Lou is delighted and hopeful that the Grinch will want to join the community again.She goes up the mountain to ask him to come to the Christmas Whobilation and be the Cheermaster.Even though the Grinch is not kind to her, her caring for him never wavers.Later, even as the Grinch is stealing all of her family's Christmas, Cindy Lou's Pleasing care-taking continues.She mistakenly thinks the Grinch is Santa Claus and she urges him to remember to leave a gift for her friend, the Grinch.*** People who have the Pleasing personality always feel sorry for those who are being mistreated and are hurting.People who have the Pleasing personality always take care of those they care about.And, people with the Pleasing personality never want to believe that others are bad.Cindy Lou certainly fits this description.3.On Christmas morning when the Grinch hears the singing from the town, he says, shocked, "It came; it came! Maybe Christmas means a little bit more." As he says the words, he's realizing that the Whos are having Christmas as they should without all the "stuff." They realize that having each other is more than enough.Then something truly wonderful happens to the Grinch.His heart, which had shrunk to practically nothing, grew and grew and grew in those moments; it grew three sizes right then.Right then, the Grinch had an attack of "feeling." And, he cried.It's such a sweet moment when the Grinch says to Max, "I'm all toasty inside and I'm leaking." The Grinch tells Max that he loves him; Max goes nuts and overwhelms the Grinch with kisses.To which the Grinch says, "That's enough, that's enough, one step at a time." He's still not quite ready for intimate expression.After he realizes that Cindy Lou has come up the mountain to get him, saying, "No one should be alone on Christmas," the Grinch returns everything to Whoville, joins in the celebration.His small heart is not only "not dead," but re-blooms that day.Yes, the Grinch's outer world changed radically Christmas day; the Whoville people welcomed him and he rejoined them.But, the Grinch's inner world, which is by far the more important, changes radically as well.He understands that hearts can soften and hurts can heal.If you're looking for a good, light Christmas movie choose The Grinch.If you're looking for a "great" movie, choose The Grinch.Just be sure to take The Deeper Look.Thanks for stopping by in this busy, busy season, and.I hope you and yours have a wonderful holiday season.Warmest regards until next time,.Joan.
Twilight Book Review
Seventeen year old Bella moves from sunny Phoenix to rainy Forks, Washington, but the new school is the least of her troubles.She soon finds herself attracted to a mysterious boy who seems to be infuriated by her mere presence.Soon, however, the truth comes out and the two become inseparable.Bella never dreamed she'd fall in love, let alone with a vampire named Edward.Throughout the novel, he fights to save her, from himself and from others.Those who will enjoy this novel most are teens and adults looking for a good fantasy and adolescent romance.This is the novel that took Harry Potter's place on the best seller's list.The world of magic and wizards may very well be replaced with the world of vampires created by Stephenie Meyer in her Twilight Saga.In this first novel of the trilogy, named after the saga, the world of vampires is introduced.I personally enjoyed the fantasy elements and the world of vampires.Meyer creates a few new ideas around the myth of the vampire that stray from the traditional.My only problem was with the pacing of the novel.I waited through the entire thing for something to happen.The first 500 pages or so is a nearly day-to-day account of Bella's teenage life, and that got a bit repetitive and boring to me.The last 50 pages, though, were intense and suspenseful.Yet when I finished reading "Twilight," I wanted to continue on to the next in the series.The end of the novel made me want to continue reading to find out what happens with the characters I came to know well in the first novel.I think fans of Young Adult novels or adolescent romances will enjoy this, particularly if they like a bit of fantasy.Meyer manages to create a fantastical world in a very real way.It's a YA novel first, and a fantasy second.If you're a fan of adult romance, you may find yourself disappointed by this novel.The characters are teenagers (the human ones, anyway), so the romance is more one of discovery and first kisses.For me, the novel didn't seem to be written particularly well.The plot is simple, characters are predictable and static, and it takes forever for the action to start.That all being said, I think the novel was at least average and worth a read.I will continue to read the rest in the series, but I doubt I'll re-read them once I'm done.
The Ten Best Romance eBooks of 2009
Of all the GLBT romance and erotica e-books I read in 2009, these were my favorites.Please note that this list reflects my own, highly subjective opinion and is not an official list from any website or organization.10.Nights in Pink Satin by Sharon Maria Bidwell.In another lifetime, Vincent was known as Count Dracula.In modern London, as he prepares for his annual vampire cotillion, Vincent becomes intrigued by a bolt of fuscia-pink satin, and obsessed with finding out who would want to line a coffin with such an extravagant fabric.The answer leads him to some surprising truths about himself in this offbeat paranormal romance.9.Queer Hauntings by Ken Summers.In my hometown is the Truman's Entertainment Complex, consisting of two linked GLBT bars, one a sports bar and one a dance club.Did you ever stop to consider there may be gay, lesbian, bisexual and transsexual spirits, as well as the heterosexual ghosts we typically hear about from the ghost hunters? That is the topic of the nonfiction book Queer Hauntings.If you love ghost stories at all, you'll find it fascinating, from the famous ghosts (Liberace is said to haunt the restaurant he once owned, for example) to ordinary people and couples whose lives were cut tragically short.8.The Dandelion Clock by Jay Mandel.The Dandelion Clock by Jay Mandal is a sweet romance novel.Its main characters just happen to be two men, David and Rob, English guys in the 1980s.In this very realistic character study, 20-something David pines for 19-year-old Rob, but will Rob ever even notice?7.Agency of Extraordinary Mates. Finding Magic by Kate Douglas.I've enjoyed Kate Douglas's spicy novels for years, and this book was no exception.It's fun, and the reader will certainly find magic!6.I Kissed a Girl, edited by Regina Perry.Inspired by Katy Perry's pop tune, the twelve short stories in this anthology crackle with tension.In each tale, a woman kisses another woman for the first time.Sometimes, her boyfriend doesn't mind it.Others are purely Sapphic imaginings, with nary a Y-chromosome in sight.All are passion-inspiring; some are beautifully told stories in their own "write.".5.Secretly Bound by Jade.Jade and her wife Jessica live in the Netherlands with their young son.Jessica desperately wants to have another child, but she's having trouble getting pregnant again.Jessica's increasing disappoint creates a rift between them, leading Jade down a dangerous path.She seeks to ease her loneliness by flirting with a woman she meets on an online social network.What follows is a tense blend of romance, sensuality, and action.Fans of Anais Nin will appreciate the way Jade (the author) weaves the story of Henry and June into her narrative.4.Other Magical Creatures, edited by M.Rode.OMC is a collection of steamy, long short stories/short novellas with paranormal characters.There's a weretiger, an artist who sells his soul to a demon, a couple of witches, a handful of werewolves, an ancient Greek god reincarnated as a bartender!3.Samhain's Embrace by Jesse Fox.If you have any interest in Celtic mythology, you will find it a fascinating little volume.It's a contemporary story, set in modern times.Bran has lost the love of his life to a brutal murder.And only a shadowy figure from the world of ancient gods and goddesses can make him feel alive again.2.Up For Grabs, edited by Lauren P.Burka.If your reading tastes are a bit quirky, if you're an open-minded reader, and if you enjoy the premise of "What if?".Then Up For Grabs, edited by Lauren P.Burka (Circlet Press) is just the book for you.In these five delicious tales, gender is up for grabs, and science pushes the boundaries between male and female, natural and unnatural.1.Sappho Sings by Peggy Ullman Bell.I rarely give a novel five stars, but I was tremendously impressed with the quality of storytelling in Sappho Sings, a fictionalized biography of the ancient Greek poet by Peggy Ullman Bell.Whether or not you are familiar with Sappho's timeless verse, this book brings history to life, and is a rolicking good romance as well!
Monday, July 9, 2012
Movie Review - Meet Joe Black
With an all-star cast including Brad Pitt, Anthony Hopkins, and Claire Forlani, Meet Joe Black is a movie about death and the value of life.The film is approximately three hours and fifteen minutes long, is fairly slow at times, but has an excellent plot.Filming is done in the big business hub of New York City where Anthony Hopkins plays a character named Bill Parrish who is a billion-dollar CEO of a news company.The story begins in Bill Parrish's lavish New York City apartment, where he wakes up at night with pain in his chest and arm.He goes to the restroom where he splashes water on his face and wonders what is happening, meanwhile hearing a voice that simply says, "Yes." Bill does not recognize that he may be having heart problems and continues with his daily life as chairman of the board at his news corporation.Next, we see Bill's two daughters enter the picture.Susan, Bill's favored daughter, stops by for breakfast before leaving for the hospital where she is a resident in internal medicine.Bill's other daughter, Allison, does not appear to have a job but stays busy planning Bill's sixtieth birthday party on Bill's estate.She is planning an extraordinary party including flaming archers, large band ensembles, well-known vocalists, and politicians of all types.Bill makes it clear that he could care less about the party and several times in the movie makes Allison upset about his lack of interest.On Susan's way to work, she stops by a coffee shop near the hospital where she runs into a nameless young man played by Brad Pitt.The young man strikes up a conversation with Susan since he is new in the city, and they end up having coffee together and telling one another how they like each other.They regretfully walk away and do not get each other's contact information.While the young man is crossing a busy intersection on his way to work, he turns around while thinking about Susan and is killed when he is struck by two cars.This part of the movie is extremely well-done and is certain to take the viewer by surprise.Meanwhile, Bill is planning on selling his company to a media mogul.He is uncomfortable with the idea of selling his life's work to a man whose intentions are unclear, and he becomes even more uncomfortable when he realizes that he is dying.While at his office the next day, the voice he hears causes him to drop to his knees and clutch his chest while sweating, at the mercy of the voice.The voice tells him that the "yes" he has been hearing is the answer to Bill's question, "Am I dying?".That same night, Bill Parrish, his two daughters, Allison's husband Quince, and Susan's boyfriend Drew meet for dinner at Bill's home.Drew is Bill's right hand man and it is believed that when Bill is gone one day, Drew will be taking over Parrish Communications.Dinner is just getting started when Bill hears the voice again, saying that he is at the front door and wants to be let in.Bill's maid lets the man behind the voice into Bill's home and meets Bill in his library.This part of the movie is full of tension and awkwardness, and the viewer realizes that as powerful as Bill Parrish is in the real world, there is still an ultimate power ruling his life.Parrish talks to the voice, which is standing behind a bookcase in his large library, and the voice tells him to quiet down and listen to what he has to say.Eventually, the voice reveals himself as the young man that Susan liked from the coffee shop, but with a completely different personality.It is not completely obvious at this point, but "Death" has taken over the body of the young man from the coffee shop in order to enter Bill Parrish's life.Parrish is in fact having heart problems and is set to die in the near future, and "Death" has taken the young man's body so he can learn about life from a man who lives life to the fullest."Death" wants to take a vacation from helping people die and wants to see what life is like from one of the best humans alive.Bill Parrish asks what they should do about "Death" being in his life, and the young man says that he will be staying at Bill's home, eating dinner with his family, and going to work with him every day.Basically, he wants to do everything Bill does so he can see how an exceptional human lives.It becomes obvious at dinner that the young man does not understand how humans live as he is overwhelmed by the maids bringing him food and by the comments Parrish's family makes to him.Bill must introduce the young, nameless man to his family, and comes up with a name of Joe Black, a fitting name for "Death".When Susan arrives at dinner and realizes that the young man from the coffee shop has returned to her life, she is blown away, and so is her boyfriend, Drew.Joe Black realizes that she knew the young man from the coffee shop who is now dead, and that he is not the same person she was hoping for.She becomes frustrated and does not understand why he is acting differently, but Joe manages to conceal his true identity.Drew makes the comment that he does not like how Susan and Joe look at each other and breaks off his relationship with Susan.Joe tells Susan that he does not like how Drew talked to her in a rude way, and the two end up kissing in Bill's entry room.At this point, Bill realizes that Susan is falling for Joe Black and gives a warning to his daughter that Joe is not who she thinks he is.Susan listens but does not seem to care, as she makes love to Joe several days later near Bill's indoor swimming pool.Not only does Bill have major concerns about his daughter falling in love with Death, but now he has retracted his willingness to sell his company.He tells his board of directors, with Joe by his side, that his company is not for sale.Parrish does not give any concrete reasons for his decision and does not leave it open for discussion.Drew, is extremely suspicious of Joe at this point, and Joe and Drew start an unpleasant relationship with each other.Drew does not know that Joe is an all-knowing being and his wit will never match up to Joe's personality and knowledge of everything in the world.Drew becomes so suspicious of Bill Parrish and his reliance on Joe that he holds a secret meeting with the board of directors.Allison's husband, Quince, who is also on the board, reveals that Bill has left some of his decision making up to Joe since there is so much on his mind.Knowing that Bill is letting a stranger make decisions for him, the board votes to give Bill an astounding amount of money to resign after his sixtieth birthday party.Bill has no choice in the matter and leaves the boardroom distraught and completely saddened.The story now focuses on Bill's lavish birthday party.All of his closest friends are there in their tuxedos and gowns and spirits are very high.However, Bill has had an argument with Joe and now knows that his life will end after the party.The argument was about Joe falling in love with Susan.Bill says that Joe is an awful attempt at being a person and does not want Joe to bring Susan with them to the dark side.Bill says that if Joe has a heart and is actually a decent person, Joe will go and reveal to Susan who he really is and see what she thinks.Joe walk out of Bill's office where we assume Bill is finishing up his will and testament, and goes straight for Susan.She is scared by what Joe reveals to her and Joe begins to see that he has been selfish and Susan should stay alive.The last few hours of Bill's life are sad yet well-spent.He is forced on stage at his own party to make a speech and tells his crowd that he has a special memory with everyone there.The speech is short and very melancholy since Bill is too preoccupied to deliver a moving speech.After the speech he kisses Allison and Susan and returns to his home office.He asks his son-in-law, Quince, to invite Drew over for a last-minute talk.Drew is flattered by the invitation, but when he arrives to the office, he sees Bill and Joe and knows that he has entered a bad situation.Bill curses at him and tells Drew that he knows how Drew was planning a secret partnership with the man buying Bill's company.Drew was going to break up Bill's company piece-by-piece and ruin his life's work in order to make himself and the board of directors truly rich.Bill gives Drew the option of resigning and never showing his face again, or hiring lawyers and forcing Drew to go to prison.Drew wisely decides to resign and begins to wonder how Bill and Joe knew so much about his immoral plans.The last part of the movie takes the viewer through every emotion.First, Joe tells Drew that he is from the IRS and had a bad feeling that Drew was striking up a bad business deal.Through research, Joe says that he figured out Drew's plans, which is why Drew decided to resign and avoid prison.He realized that the battle of wit and intelligence between himself and Joe was over, and Drew had been defeated badly by an IRS agent.With Bill's company safe and back in the board of directors' hands, he feels comfortable enough to return to the party and say his final goodbyes.Joe says goodbye to Susan and tells her that he will always love her.Susan and Joe both become very emotional as Joe walks away.Bill kisses Allison and then finds Susan and asks her for a dance.They have a beautiful time together in Bill's last moments, and Bill tells her that no matter what happens, not to worry.Susan seems to understand that her father may be dying and starts to cry even more.She leaves to watch the fireworks spectacle and Bill leaves to catch his breath.Bill Parrish climbs a bridge and a grassy hill to meet Joe and get the process of dying underway.Bill has said goodbye to the two most important people in his life, Allison and Susan, and can now die in peace.Bill tells Joe that he admires how Susan showed a kind of love toward Joe that Bill had always dreamed of.He saw that Susan was truly in love and happy and that made Bill happy.Joe tells Bill that he admires Bill as a person and is thankful for his time on Earth.They walk casually over the hill into darkness where Bill dies, but Joe does not.Susan sees the two most important men in her life walk over the hill and starts up the hill herself.She sees Joe come back up the hill and start walking towards her.Susan is not sure what is going on, but when Joe approaches her, she see that the young man from the coffee shop is back.Joe ended up taking Bill's life, but he also gave life back to the young man's body who he took in the beginning of the film.To show that he is reasonable and actually has a good heart, Joe feels that making Susan happy for the rest of her life would be a fair trade off for taking Bill's life.The movie ends with Susan and the man from the coffee shop walking hand-in-hand toward the fireworks which are bursting dramatically over Parrish's estate.The plot of this movie is incredibly in-depth and interesting.The idea that "Death" comes to Earth to experience life in a young man's body is truly unique.Martin Brest does a fantastic job directing this high-budget movie with his all-star cast.The movie will make you laugh with Joe's innocent antics, cry at the end when everyone must say goodbye as Bill heads toward his death, and even become angry at Drew for attempting to destroy Bill's billion-dollar corporation.This move is a must-see, and due to the complexity of the story and the emotional plot, it is rated a 5 out of 5.
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