Film Review: Veggietales "The Star of Christmas"

**Spoilers**

If you have not yet seen this, please go and do so before proceeding.

        Sooo...who remembers the time we were given a Victorian steampunk musical Christmas special, entirely acted out by vegetables? Seriously, this special had everything. It had Dickens puns, catchy ditties, an epic aria about plumbing explosions, witty dialogue, great characters, beautiful animation, and a powerful lesson about how love is sacrifice and a choice rather than a feeling.

        If you were old enough to be watching television in the 90's and early 2000's, probably you either watched the direct-to-video animated series, Veggietales, or you saw advertisements/merchandise for it somewhere because those were the days of the Veggiemania.

     Veggietales was created by best friends Phil Vischer and Mike Nawrocki as a clean, wholesome alternative to a lot of the violence-filled, adult-joke-oriented media that younger and younger children were being saturated in. The idea was to create a series that would be both clever and entertaining while also teaching important lessons about life. In this, they certainly succeeded, as Bob the Tomato and Larry the Cucumber rose to extreme popularity with their funny parodies, good morals, and memorable personalities. At the end of every episode, Bob and Larry would wrap up everything by extracting the lesson from the story and tying it up to make it easy to remember. They would also end by saying "God made you special, and He loves you very much." 

       This was a carefully-made writing choice by creators Phil and Mike because they knew that children grow up. They didn't want Bob and Larry to end up like so many other childhood imaginary friends and heroes. They didn't want children to rely on Bob and Larry for emotional support. Because they knew that the day would come when they couldn't create new episodes with the characters. They knew that kids grow up and discover that their beloved animated icons aren't real. So they NEVER wanted to tell children that Bob and Larry would love them forever. They did, however, want to stress that the children were created unique and special and that, no matter what, God would love them.

       I personally feel that they probably drew a lot of inspiration from Mr. Rogers (for those of you who remember the show/recorded series Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood) in that they never talked down to kids. They treated their audience with respect and always tried to tell the best stories in the way that would be best for the lives that those stories would touch. It was truly an extraordinary thing.

       That is where The Star of Christmas comes in. It is the second Christmas special that Veggietales produced and is, by far, one of the best episodes they ever produced.

       It's 1880's London, and Cavis Appythart and Milward Phelps (Bob and Larry) are putting the finishing touches on their first Christmas musical - 'The Princess and the Plumber'. Filled with spectacle and more electric lights than London has ever seen, Cavis is convinced his impressive show will "teach London to love!" Unfortunately, a church Christmas pageant staged by little Edmund Gilbert (Junior Asparagus) is opening the same night, right down the street, and features the "Star of Christmas" - a priceless artifact that hasn't been seen in 80 years! Just how far will Cavis go to make sure his show opens on top?

      Veggietales has been described as what would happen if a train carrying the Monty Python team collided with a vegetable cart. And, aside from the nudity and shock humor, that is pretty accurate. Which is probably why I love them so much. In this special (set, need I remind you, in Victorian London) there is a rocket car built for the Queen's Horseless Carriage Competition that serves as the facilitator of the climax and the entire third act of the film. The rest of it is taken up with musical theater references/puns, a scene where the two lead characters rob a church and get arrested, and a chase scene that will leave you convulsing with helpless laughter.

       The message of this one is not only the real star of Christmas and the original Christmas story, but also the concept of love. In our society, we overuse the word 'love' until it has come to mean anything and nothing. You're marrying someone? You love them. Those pancakes were good? You love them. 'Love' is abstract and has been used and abused so much that it means just about whatever you want it to mean. The Star of Christmas takes the term and defines it as doing something for someone without expecting anything in return. That love is a CHOICE you have to make, rather than a FEELING.

       See what I mean about them not talking down to kids? That's a very adult concept right there, but an important one. And it's packaged in with jokes and colorful sets and great characters and some music that you can really tap your toes to. There's literally something for everyone in this film. I first saw it when I was just a kid and I'm STILL discovering new things hidden in the scripts and in the backgrounds.



          Veggietales had a gift for keeping it clean without making it boring, with including the morals without being preachy, and with inserting jokes and slapstick without beating you over the head with it. The timing of the animation was always spot-on, the characters were few but multi-faceted and interesting, and the scripts contained very tight, witty writing that continues to reveal more layers the older I get. This film has fun animation, witty writing, and a wonderful message for kids and adults alike to be reminded of around Christmastime. The Star of Christmas is a 5/5.



What do you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?

Dear Lord of the Rings...

Thank you for being a big part of my childhood...

Thank you for inspiring three live action films that can, to this day, give me chills and make me cry like a little baby...

Thank you for your diverse fanbase, made up of everything from the 12-year-old Mary-Sue writer to the 40+ Quenya & Sindarin scholar...

Thank you for the years of laughter and tears...

Thank you for the late-night movie marathons with friends & family...

Thank you for the 'father-daughter' nights out at the cinema with my Dad...

Thank you for the times my mother read The Hobbit to me when I was a kid...

Thank you for being the story to bring fantasy back and make it popular, thus inspiring many other authors and filmmakers to try their hand at it...

Thank you for getting me into poetry with your unfinished 'Fall of Gil-Galad'...

Thank you for three awkwardly-animated-but-still-utterly-charming films, four radio adaptations, and a stage musical that each give a different view and flavor to your world...

Thank you for interesting me in the movie making process...

Thank you for teaching me that a book adaptation doesn't have to be exact to be good...

Thank you for showing me that even epic, high fantasy doesn't have to take itself too seriously to be good...

Thank you for influencing the person I am today...

Thank you for being my friend for many years...

Lord of the Rings Parody

Supernatural Review: Season 5 Episode 5 "Fallen Idols

By: Julie Siege

**Spoilers**

If you have not yet seen this episode, please go and do so before proceeding.

         I want to thank this episode for making me afraid of convertible cars. Did they really have to show us multiple close-ups of the guy's ruined face? Really?!

It's funny because Jared was in House of Wax.

        Sam and Dean take a break from cleaning up Zachariah's mess in order to go on a hunt where idols come to life and kill their worshipers. And we're not talking old god Dagon idols, no, we're talking James Dean's car and Abe Lincoln and Paris Hilton herself.

      You have to have a good sense of humor to be a celebrity and cameo on this show as yourself because they make fun of EVERYTHING. Hilton rose to the challenge, though, and - in the process - gave us a very funny, very interesting MotW. Nothing like Dean Winchester getting whaled on by Paris Hilton, after all.

      The rest of the episode was quite enjoyable too. There were some legitimate jump scares (not to mention the very tense scene where Dean is under what they think is James Dean's haunted car to check an engine number) and a lot of the angles and lighting gave it a really gloomy, surreal atmosphere that just added to the intrigue.

     But this episode wasn't all gloom and doom. Unlike last week's dive into Walking Dead territory, the story focuses a lot on black humor and some truly outrageous social commentary.

    
Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

- "I'm sure the Apocalpyse will still be there whenever we get back." Only on this show could a statement like that be made and be both entirely serious and a joke.

- I really love the way that the teaser for this episode was shot using 1st Person through the hand held camera. Obviously by this point on the show, we KNEW that something bad had happened to Cal...but that technique just added a bit of suspense and interest back in.

- And, again, that close-up of the guy's ruined face? SO unnecessary! I think they're trying to make me lose my lunch.

- "You think I need training wheels?" "No. 'We' need training wheels." Yes indeedy you do, Dean. Really the case in this episode played second fiddle to putting the shards of the Winchester brotherly relationship back together again. Sam is still feeling guilty and jumpy after the events of Lucifer Rising and all that has happened since then. And Dean is still touchy and feeling like he can't trust Sam. They're trying, but something is definitely broken between them and it's going to be a long road back.

-  Sam and Dean used the names 'Agents Bonham and Copeland' this time. Interesting...

- The sheriff that the boys encounter never fails to make me laugh. He's just so DESPERATELY trying to explain away the things he is seeing that I half wonder if it wouldn't be kinder to give him the old "The truth is out there!" speech and put him out of his misery.

- Dean talking to 'Little Bastard' and calling it 'baby' is hilarious. I wonder if Baby was jealous?

- Also? Whoa. Both of them were down to one layer in this episode. I usually don't make a point of pointing out objectification of hot male leads but, considering what show this is, that one deserves a mention. So...

- ONE LAYER ALERT! ONE LAYER ALERT!

- Dean accuses Sam of playing the world's smallest violin. Heh. Really, I think Sam had every reason to be irritated. Dean did sneak off to a bar and leave him with the work. Bad Dean!

- I still want to how how Abraham Lincoln strangling that professor would require a spurt of blood like that. Did he tear the guy's throat out with his teeth? Or was that all from the gunshot? And where on EARTH did ol' Abe get a gun? Was he carrying one? Questions, questions...

- Sam speaks rudimentary Spanish.

- "Actually, uh, there is a lot of lore on famous ghosts. More than, you know, the non-famous kinds. I'm actually surprised we haven't run into one before."

- I love how Sam Winchester, the Boy King, favored child of Azazel, destined bringer of the Apocalypse, and the vessel of the Devil considers Gandhi his personal hero. His idol, even, considering that Ghandi attacks him and tries to gnaw off his ear.

- Wax museums are just creepy anyway. Even with the 'I'm going to make wax museums hip again' guy standing about making things hilariously awkward.

- I choked with laughter whenever Sam and Dean were questioning those girls who said that Paris Hilton took their best friend. What even is this show?!

- Leshi is such an interesting villain (take note, current writers...THIS is the ONLY thing on SPN that shapeshifts without shedding its skin) and I really find it fascinating that she/he/whatever was going to turn into John. Even after all these years, it would seem that Dean's hero is his father.

- She also had an excellent point about celebrity culture being crazy.

- Sam almost looked offended whenever Dean said he hadn't seen House of Wax. Ha!

         This episode is a roller coaster of feels and laughs that ends with the brothers taking the first steps towards getting their relationship back on track. It's also an excellent example of how a MotW plot can drive the story line forward without overshadowing the main characters or feeling weak and underdone. Paris Hilton was a riot and a very good sport and the episode has good re-watchability factor. Fallen Idols is a 4/5.

What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?

Castle Review Season 1 Episode 8 "Ghosts"

By Moira Kirkland

***Spoilers! If you haven't watched this episode, please go and do so before continuing!***

Kudos to the creative team behind Castle for coming up with so many unique ways for a person to die in just the first season--which had such a quick run, it couldn't even be termed a full season! Here we are, already at the eighth episode, and today's crime scene features a woman drowned in a tub full of motor oil. Seriously, nothing is quite so creepy as a face that appears in what you thought was a black screen.... Stolen identities, ghostwriters, bombs on an oil tanker, environmental activists... and a past that hasn't quite let go like people always assumed.

The "Good Parts" Version:

-Castle's got a new poker crowd! This time, it's the gang from the 12th Precinct who are fast becoming best buds with the "ruggedly handsome" mystery writer--and also getting a dose of Martha! "When he blinks too much, he's bluffing.... Oh, now he's tapping, that means he's got a good hand..." Nobody calls tells like a mother, which is why Susan Sullivan is quite possibly the best actress to ever play the mother figure for somebody like Nathan Fillion; the pair are wonderful, and the wits are perfectly matched, one can't help but sense the fictional genetics in the chemistry.

-Speaking of chemistry, what better way for a guy to show he likes a girl than to fold on a perfectly good hand just so she can win the pot? Things are looking good for the Caskett ship!

-I'll admit, Castle had me hooked with his "soccer mom lover's liaison" angle as to why a woman like the unfortunate victim would be in a sleazy hotel like that one in the first place! It was fun, though, to see that, gradually, Castle is winning the guys--they're not writing him off (no pun intended) as just a crackpot tag-along anymore. Trading theories with Espo--how fun!

-So the identity was stolen--but the layers lead back to a true crime writer that I recognized: Joanne Kelly from Warehouse 13! Joanne doesn't quite pass off the writer-vibe as well as Nathan Fillion does, but that's okay, because she's just a ghostwriter who has been recording the story from the victim's past that she had been running from her entire life, which may have been the thing that caught up with her.

-The woman, Cynthia, had teamed up with two others to plant a bomb on an oil tanker, which blew too soon and injured the captain who was still on board, and killed one of the others. The fact that the killer drowned Cynthia in motor oil was more than just poetic justice--it was personal. So the question becomes: who else knew about the bomb plot and would have the motive and means to kill Cynthia?

-After a brief interview with the one surviving member (and the guy who built the bomb and blames himself for the faulty fuse that caused the early explosion), Castle notices that his account diverges from the story Cynthia wanted to publish. Being a writer, he knows something about how and when to reveal key information, depending on the kind of message the writer wants to send--so why would Cynthia be giving her ghostwriter false information? Or perhaps the ghostwriter is taking creative liberties? If so, why?

-The more leads they find because of the ghostwriter, the more people they encounter who know about the book that Cynthia was going to publish, which gives rise to a new motive--true crime novels are one thing when published under the watchful eye of the perpetrator--but now that Cynthia is dead, the ghostwriter could be sitting on a bestseller, with very few people who would care if she sensationalized the story. Of course, the airtight alibi exonerates the writer--but if she didn't, who did? A connection is coming--but what could it be?

-In talking with the family of the captain who had been on the oil tanker, Castle and Beckett discover that the son had been trying to hunt Cynthia down--but it turns out that was only to find out why she'd been sending regular checks to his mom, accompanied by a note that said "I'm sorry." The trouble is, the ghostwriter--who should have known about it, since it would have aided casting Cynthia in a more favorable light--knew nothing. So if Cynthia didn't send the money, who did?

-Can I just point out how much I miss these poker games scenes? I can't recall exactly when they were phased out, but one just doesn't see them much anymore on the show! It takes a poker game with the "Gotham crew" (the judge, the mayor, and the police chief) to figure out this new twist in the mystery. Plus, Beckett demands in because she is mad at Castle for "throwing" the last game... and yet, when given the chance, Beckett "throws" it right back! Who says romance has to involve kissing and bedroom scenes?

-A well-placed comment in the middle of a flurry of contemplation prompts Castle to come up with another wild theory: what if the conspirator everyone thought was dead, really wasn't? And what if she was the one who murdered Cynthia, after living all this time under a false identity, just like Cynthia had?

-And BOOM. Turns out the writers have one more twist for us: Cynthia had discovered this woman was alive... and Cynthia had invited Susan over to kill her in the motor oil and so the story could be told however Cynthia liked... but Susan figured it out and turned the tables on her.

-As a final wrap-up for the case, Castle figures out the ghostwriter's slimy ploy to publicize the fact that she was in contact with Cynthia, which would only invite more publicity for her book if Cynthia were actually arrested and placed on trial. (And yes, I do believe there is a sleazy "tabloid reporter" based on the ghostwriter as a character in Castle's books!) Lesson learned: don't mess with a writer. Even if you "succeed" in hoodwinking them, you'll more than likely end up as material, and the portrayal will not be flattering.

-Finally, Castle and Beckett confront each other about intentionally throwing the poker games... and decide on a rematch. The pot? Gummy bears.

On the whole, I think this episode was on the weirder side, as far as the mystery goes. There weren't any intensely action-packed chases, a lot of it was subtle, mess-with-your-mind-and-emotions kind of stuff. I liked seeing the relationship between Castle and Beckett develop further, as everyone in the Precinct begins to welcome him more as one of them instead of passing him off. I'd give this episode a 4/5.

Supernatural Review: Season 10 Episode 9 "The Things We Left Behind"

By: Andrew Dabb

               

**SPOILERS**

If you have not yet seen this episode, please go and do so before proceeding.

        I've seen a few people talking and saying about how this was a good episode but not a good mid season finale. I respectfully disagree. What is Supernatural about? C'mon, guys, what is it about? SPN is about family. And what did we get in this episode? Castiel facing up to what he did to Jimmy Novak's family. We got a Crowley - Rowena family reunion. We got Sam and Dean trying to hold on to what they've built together and reminiscing about rare family holidays with John. We got a blatant emphasis on FAMILY.

    And that's pretty much all that needs to be said. On with the moment-by-moment analysis!

Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

- IT'S ABOUT TIME THEY DID SOMETHING ABOUT JIMMY AND HIS FAMILY! Ahem...

Thank you, Claire.

- That being said, Jimmy is dead? I thought angels couldn't possess empty vessels. That's why Lucifer and Michael wouldn't just kill Sam and Dean and bypass their need to say 'Yes'. I'm confused...

- I officially think I like Claire. ESPECIALLY because she called Cas out on some of the terrible things he's done through the years and then didn't just forgive him right off the bat. That was good character development.

- "You know, I think I might have bedbugs. Any tips?" "You should sleep tight and not let them bite." Did...did Castiel just make a Dad Joke? 

- Dean's table manners are deplorable. Close your mouth when you chew, dude!

- I do love how they've exaggerated all of Dean's personality traits recently...eating too much, laughing at stupid videos on the internet, making immature jokes, driving out of his way to hook up with a girl...it's like Dean knows the Mark is starting to change him again and he's stubbornly hanging on to every scrap of humanity he's got.

- "And now you're just, I dunno, nicer. Kind of a doof, no offence." Have you been reading this blog, Claire? Because I seem to remember saying similar things about post-Season 7 Cas too...yet we still love him.

- Claire stole his wallet. I like her.

- Oh, Dean, talk to Sam already! It is interesting that he asked Cas to smite him or throw him into the sun because he knows that Sam will try anything to save him again and he doesn't want to hurt Sam. Last time was too close. He almost smashed Sam's brains in. 

- Rowena was a horrible mother. You know? I am actually enjoying the Crowley Family Reunion quite a bit. We'll see how I feel a bit further along in the season, but for now it's a lot of fun.

- And is it just me or is Crowley a bit...off this season? I mean, he hasn't exactly been his normal terrible self ever since getting a cocktail of Sam's blood and probably Trial magic shot into his veins, but he just seems off.

- The guy Claire runs off to who had her steal from that store reminds me of a better written and better cast Freaks & Geeks guy from Season 8. Like, that guy was obviously a snake. I smelled a rat the minute I saw him. This guy...it's obvious why Claire keeps going back to him as a father figure. 

- Cas' attempts at being a father were certainly interesting. But Claire needs somebody who can actually help her and love her. Can I suggest that maybe she could go to Jody? Jody and Donna could start a home for 'A Monster Killed My Parents' kids.

- "You killed my dad, is that enough for you?" You go, girl!

- Rowena is the saving light and grace of this season and I will hear no words against her. She is a new female character who is multi-faceted, interesting, and a lot of fun. She also knows exactly how to get under Crowley's skin. The scene where she calls him 'Fergus' and then cheekily asks him how he died is just beautiful. If this season features Rowena and Crowley (mother and son duo from Hell) as the villains along with the MoC, I think it will shape up to be a good season.

- "You know John Winchester isn't going to win any #1 Dad Awards, but whenever we really needed him...he'd be there." 

- I love the story of how Sam and Dean talked John into taking them into NYC for a day on the town despite the fact that John hated the city (and how Dean got himself sloshed and possibly drugged in a bar because of a group of girls). "Son, you don't like me, that's fine. It's not my job to make you like me...it's my job to raise you right." Hehehe...now THAT sounds like something my parents would say whenever I started whining.

- Personally I don't see how Dean killing all those guys was all that bad, in the context of the show. Sure they were human, but just barely. They were going to rape a 17-year-old girl. They had it coming. And Dean did try to warn them. Not to mention the fact that Sam and Dean regularly hack their way through possessed meatsuits and witches without a twinge of regret. 

- But then, I suppose the point was that, even though he might have been acting at first with good intentions, that was still no excuse. It's about TIME we got that again! 

          We've desperately needed some story line for Castiel like this. I enjoyed the parts with him tonight (maybe what I've been itching for was for someone to hold him accountable for his actions) and at no point in this episode did I roll my eyes and look at the time because I was bored. It sparkled with wit and heart the whole way through and the ending, while not surprising, certainly left a cold feeling in the pit of my stomach that'll make waiting until January for the rest all the harder. The focus of the episode was where it should have been - on family - and everything tied together in a nice story line that worked on storytelling and emotion rather than shocking reveals and melodrama. I give The Things We Left Behind a 4/5.

What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?

Supernatural Review: Season 10 Episode 8 "Hibbing 911"

By: Jenny Klein

**Spoilers**

If you have not yet seen this episode, please go and do so before proceeding.

          This was supposed to be Supernatural's version of The Heat. Well I don't know how much it succeeded in that regard, but it teamed up Sheriff Jody and Sheriff Donna...so I am all on board. (Pssst, CW? The Jody & Donna Show is a much better idea for a spin-off than Bloodlines.) 

      It is a good thing that Donna and Jody worked so well together, because this episode was incredibly boring. I know that it's hard to make familiar monsters still seem formidable this far into the show (vamps this week) but it feels like they weren't even really trying. It would have been better to have a new kind of scavengers entirely rather than inventing a new behavior for a vamp nest. Maybe it could have been a twisted, cannibalistic family like from The Benders?

    As it stands, though the actual plot was quite weak, the episode was still fairly enjoyable if only for the character interactions. Donna and Jody were wonderful together and getting to watch Jody and Sam work as a team is always a pleasure. The fact that Sam called her while he was searching for Dean is certainly interesting because he wouldn't have been calling to warn her, he would have just been calling for support. Sam needs friends that he can do that with. The episode was a prime example of how, when plot and story fails, characters can carry you through. Because the only thing worth watching here was the little character moments where they were all bantering and talking and just working together. Honestly it's the only thing that got me through the tedious, no-tension climax with the villain monologue and the boring-as-anything vampires that were defeated WAY TOO easily.

    Oh well. At least Jody and Donna were interesting...

Favorite Moments & Random Thoughts:

-  Everybody silently groaning whenever the sheriff retreat leader declares a 'mixer ice-breaker' game just cracks me up. I always have the same reaction whenever I'm told to 'find a partner' at an event. It's ever so awkward.

- At least Dean and Sam are finally researching that foreboding tattoo on Dean's arm.

- The relationship between Jody and Sam never fails to make me smile. Just the grin of utter fondness and joy he cracks whenever she talks to him - dimples and all!

- Smoker Dude who got sucked into a dumpster (in a scene that reminded me eerily of a more bloody version of Mickey's mishap in Rose) got a scene that reminded me a bit of stuff from early Supernatural. Remember whenever it was more urban horror tributes? If this season is blending in tropes from the early show with the more fantastical elements of the post-Kripke era, then I'm all the more excited about it.

- Jody being a mother to Alex is something I never knew I needed until now. If you'll remember, I wasn't particularly fond of the vampire-raised girl in her introductory episode last season...but now with her just existing off camera and through Jody's exasperated phone calls, I think I actually really like her. Huh.

- "This badge means something." "I made it at Kinko's." "Yes you did. Be proud of that." 

- Oh gosh...I was getting hives from that incredibly sexist gun dealer Jody and Donna had to deal with. "Do you think you can handle a big one?" "Perfect for going and getting your nails done." Oh Balthazar, smite me now! Donna and Jody handled him well.

- Jody shutting Doug (Donna's husband who divorced her because of her weight) down is now officially my favorite thing ever. You go, girl!

- All of the Lion King quotes in this episode were just great too. And am I the only one who thinks that Donna might be based off of someone from Fargo?

- But did they have to give us a flashback to the scene where Jody's zombified son killed her husband? Really?! I was traumatized enough the first time around, thanks. I didn't need a reminder.

- Dean's attempts to sweet-talk the deputy he alienated earlier and bring him around to being a helper are both pathetic and hilarious (more so because they actually kind of worked). Leave the diplomacy to Sam, Dean.

- Oh. My. Gosh. Donna is ADORABLE! But she's also a tough and no-nonsense lady like Jody when push comes to shove.

- "Stuff you, Dean...or whatever your real name is!" Hahahaha!

- The vampire girl called Sam 'Sunflower'. Interesting comparison. Is that because he's so tall?

- I think Sam and Dean were taken out WAY TOO EASILY by a blow to the head. Are vamps stronger than humans or something? 

- Somehow I feel like all of the jokes about vamps drinking animal/bagged blood being equivalent to a tiger eating salad were yet another jab at Stephanie Meyer and her 'vegetarian vampires'. But that could just be me...

- Okay. Sheriff Donna is officially hardcore. She took out her reading glasses behind her back, pulled out one of the lenses, snapped the lens in half with her bare hands, and proceeded to saw through her bonds. Can she and Jody move in together and, with Alex, have a little spin-off of their own? Please? Even if it's just a miniseries?

       So, yeah. This episode was an extraordinarily dull plot that is only saved by the established personalities of the characters. Watching sunny, happy-go-lucky Donna and tough, no-nonsense Jody interact was a lot of fun and Sam and Dean slotted in nicely too. I'm starting to get REALLY worried about Dean, though. Judging by the promo, the mid-season finale is going to kill us all with feels. To be honest, I'm a little bit torn about a rating for this episode. The sheriff vampire subplot (and I call it a subplot because it wasn't as interesting as the Jody - Donna story line) was frightfully boring and under-written, but I don't really think it actually detracted from anything. No. That would imply that it was actually interesting enough to impact me in some way. Based on the charm of Jody and Donna, I'm going to give this episode a 3/5. We need more of these two! 

What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?

Film Review: The Chronicles of Narnia "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe"

"This is an awfully big wardrobe." You don't say...!

         I am always a little leery whenever I hear that Hollywood is getting its hooks into one of my favorite books series'. I've been burnt so many times in the past that I automatically cringe whenever I hear that there is going to be a new adaptation. So when I heard that Walt Disney was going to take on the book series that was an integral part of my childhood and my introduction to great literature and fantasy in general...I shuddered and was instantly torn between terror and ecstasy.

     It's not that I am a staunch book purist or anything like that. I used to be, way back in the day, but I have since learned that sometimes adaptations do have to make changes and cuts and, if they are done correctly and with love, they can actually enhance the storytelling and keep the original themes and messages of the book while beautifully changing the medium from book to screen. Sometimes changes have to be made. I get that and I'm not one of the people who rant and rave about Tom Bombadil being cut out of The Fellowship of the Ring. (Or at least I don't any-more...)

     But I am always nervous whenever a part of my childhood is going to be given an adaptation. Whenever I think about all the horrible misinterpretations that have been made of The Secret Garden, I still break out in hives. So was The Chronicles of Narnia: LWW as bad as I feared it would be?

     NO! As a matter of fact, I think that this is by far my favorite film adaptation of C.S. Lewis' Narnia tales out of all of them. And, trust me, I've seen 'em all.

    It got the emotion and the raw humanity of the story in a way that no adaptation since has been able to capture. They had Douglas Gresham (C.S. Lewis' stepson) on the board as a consultant and it really shows through the attention to theme and detail that shines in this film. They even got the bluebottle fly that was buzzing on the windowsill of the spare room, and if you look at the carvings on the wardrobe you can see that there is a panel for each of the other Narnia books.

    Whenever the film started out with the bombers, I honestly thought that either the projectionist was drunk or that I had walked into the wrong theater. Then it dawned on me...DUH! The story is set during WWII, of course there's going to be the Blitz going on! I love that they included this in the film because it not only sets up the family situation, but it also adds some gritty reality into this fantasy film to help ground it in some semblance of reality and make it easier to relate to.

     This film really nails the sibling dynamic between Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy. I like how the introduction with the Blitz and then the evacuation set up each of their characters and the situation they were living in without the need for a lot of exposition. It helps that all four siblings are perfectly cast and really work together well. William Mosely is the perfect big brother - supportive and protective while Anna Popplewell balances him out as the logical, caring older sister. Skandar Keynes and Georgie Henley play the younger siblings very well and help to flesh out the family dynamic and bond. Because the children auditioned together and were given time to become friends and get to know each other before filming started, the chemistry and rapport between them is spot on and really translates over to their characters.

     And can we talk about how perfect James McAvoy was as Mr. Tumnus? I haven't seen him in many things (I think the only other big role was in the X-Men franchise) but I feel that he is a vastly underrated actor. Certainly he embodied what I had always visualized when I thought about Tumnus and he just threw his heart into the project and acted his hooves off. (Haha.)

     Something needs to be said about the musical score too. From the use of 'Oh, Johnny' to the darkly haunting 'Narnian Lullaby', this is a score that takes me right back to childhood every time I hear it. It is beautiful and wondrous and extremely well-blended in to all of the themes.

    Looking back, that scene where Mr. Tumnus lures Lucy back to his cave and lulls her to sleep with tea and music is slightly disturbing...anyway! Moving on!

     I feel like this film really handled the more religious undertones of the story too. There is no getting around it - the Narnia tales are essentially allegories. Lewis himself described them as 'what if' stories detailing what the Christian faith would look like if it took place in another world. So in order to tell the story right, you really have to include those elements. The trick is to do it without being heavy-handed and letting those tones bog down the story and ram things down viewer's throats. That is not easy to do, but I think they handled it all with grace and respect. The themes are there, but they're never overdone or oversimplified. They don't attempt to explain them away, but instead let the viewer interpret them as they will and, really, the events speak for themselves. Aslan is as much a wise mentor as he is a Christ figure - so, depending on your beliefs, you can look up to him either way. The same goes for Edmund, the traitor, and The White Witch. All of the original elements from Lewis' mythos and stories are presented utterly unapologetically and just as they are. And, as a result, the message and feel of the original shine through despite the minor tweaking.

     A lot in this story is devoted to the relationship between the four children and the severing/healing of their bond as they go through the trials and battles of Narnia. It is a learning experience for them and one that they come out the other side of stronger for it. This film portrayed that beautifully. The visuals were stunning and the music perfectly complimented each scene so that I was swept up in the emotion of it every time. The characters were all perfectly cast and were true to their book selves even while they were expanded on. Really it remains one of the best book-to-film adaptations that I have EVER seen. Every time I watch it I am transported back to whenever I was a kid and my mother was reading these books to me and every time I watch it I get that same magical feeling of discovering the land at the back of the wardrobe for the first time. It really is a wonderful film that any fan of fantasy should check out and it is a shame that it is so overlooked. The Chronicles of Narnia: LWW is a 5/5. But the less said about the sequels the better...



What did you think? Do you agree with my rating? If not - what would you say differently?