There They Are And There They'll Stay: Zootopia

 We get to talk about one of the coolest stories in the Bible along with one of the best Disney movies to be made in recent years, Zootopia (2016).

Judy Hopps has had a dream since she was a child to become a police officer. However, lots of people don't think she has what it takes because she is a rabbit, and all of the officers on the force are predator animals (think Lion and Tigers and Bears). 

She takes all of the tests and passes them. She graduates just like everyone else, but she is stull thought of a lesser than because of this. She doesn't let those who doubt her get her down. She does her job and does it well. In doing her job so well she meets Nick Wilde, who is a fox that is slick and sneaky. However, she needs his help with a missing animal case. 

What they don't know yet is the underestimated rabbit is going to discover a huge crime spree run buy a trusted advisor. 

Can you believe how much Disney movies have changed (aka gotten worse) in the last nine years? Actually can you believe how much worse movies in general have gotten worse? Like 2016 was the last great year of movies. I know that Covid really did some damage to the movie industry, but really it's like Hollywood is trying to cater to such a small group of people, because they are screaming and carrying on so much, that they don't seem to realize that most of the rest of the country is not part of that demographic. 

I will get off my high horse for right now at least and talk about why I am writing about Zootopia again. 

So, the verse that is used in Jesus Loves Movies is:

"When Joseph's brothers saw him coming they recognized him in the distance. As he approached, they made plans to kill him. 'here comes the dream!' they said. 'Come on, let's kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns. We can tell our father 'A wild animal has eaten him'. Then we'll se what becomes of his dreams!" Genesis 37: 18-20

I love the story of Joseph. It's not my favorite Bible story, but its in the top three. I love Joseph's attitude during all of the times he is betrayed. From when his brother's sold him into slavery, and even when they didn't believe in his dreams. 

This is like the other movie, I didn't think of a way for the film to connect to my faith. However, I think it is a great message to connect with a movie in this way. Follow the dreams that God gives you and keep following and God will reward you. 

There They Are And There They'll Stay: The Sandlot

 We are on to another classic from the early 90s, The Sandlot!

Smalls is the new kid in ton that is adjusting to life in more ways than one. His mom has been married to his step dad for just about a year (they are still getting sed to each other), he had to move right before the end of the school year, and his mom wants him to go outside and find friends. The last on is hard for him because he is a self proclaimed nerd. He goes out and see a group of kid that are playing baseball in the sandlot in the neighborhood. After a couple of days, he gets the courage to go out and try and told to them. It doesn't go well. 

Until Benny takes him under his wing. Benny is kind and does everything he can to help Smalls learn how to play the game, and about the new place that he has moved to. That include knowing about "the beast" the lives on the other side of the fence. There have been legends about this animal and how it's dangerous, and eat everything that comes into it's yard. They loose a ball they don't try and get it because the beast the will eat them. They have lost any balls over the years. '

One day, the kids are playing and they loose their ball and are starting to break up the game that they just started. Then Smalls saves the day and says that he has a ball and goes home to go and get it. When he comes up he is up to bat and hits his first ever homer! Everyone is excited for him, even though they lost another ball, but Small is distraught. 

The ball he took was his step dad's and it was signed by Babe Ruth. 

Since Smalls didn't know who that was, he didn't know how bad he messed up until he told the other kids and they start to yell at him for his mistake. They start to make a crazy plan in order to get the ball back before it's totally destroyed. 

Well, every plan fails until Benny says that he is going to over the fence grab it and run. That leads to everything breaking down, and them coming to the door of the owner of the beast and learn the truth about who he is. 

This movie has always been one that I loved. It such a funny film, and as much as it is about baseball, I always remember the stuff that had nothing to do with the sport. I think that it's another well balanced movie where all of the kids got their time to shine, and are able to show off who they all are, without loosing the plot. I also love that the plot is not all about baseball, it about life and how kids tend to deal with what they are faced with. 

"On hearing the Philistine's words, Saul and all the Israelites were dismayed and terrified." 1 Samuel 17:11    

When I was watching this movies that I was having so much fun that I didn't even think about the faith part of this movie. However, Mr. Strangolagalli did! 

The point that he made that Small was facing a giant like the Israelites were. The Philistine's were tall and mean and were a force. When David came to defeat Goliath no one believed him. They all said that he was too shot, too small, and not ready. However, in reality, God was calling him to do so, and if they listen to His plan and not their own they would do good. Sometimes, do the one simple thing that God asks is all you need in order to get what needs to be done done. Just like if the kids had gone to The Beasts owner and asked to get the ball back the whole mess they got themselves into would have been avoided. 

There They Are And There They'll Stay: The Rookie

 I believe that I have said it several times that my experience in movie watching is not as strong in certain decades. Usually, it's starting in the 60 my interest in films starts to slide. I have found over the year that there are lots of movie that I do like from the 60s but it's usually the musical that start to become a little hard to watch, not all movies in general. 

Because of this, and because of my and and not being able to take myself to the movies, I missing lots of movies from the early 2000s, including The Rookie. 

Jim Morris had big dreams of becoming a MLB playing from when he was a young kid. He loved throwing a baseball to his brother, and only ever wanted to play the game his whole life. However, life had other plans. After some very serious injuries to his arm, he promise his wife, and several doctors, that he would never throw a baseball to the extent that he did again. 

That is until the high school team that he was coaching convinced him to throw a few, and not to pull any punches. He gets a taste of something that he had lived without for a very long time, and realized how much his missed it. 

When the team is loosing, because they aren't inspired by anything to keep winning, the team cuts him a deal. They win state, he has to try out for the majors again. The problem that Jim has with this is that he is twice the age of the other guys that are also going to be trying out. He think that he lost his chance and doesn't want to make a fool of himself. A deal is made anyways, thinking that nothing will come from it. 

Then the team wins state.

He goes to the tryout and is shocked to find out that not only is he is good, but he is throwing the ball at 98mph! He is signed onto the minors. He has a few problems at first, not making enough money, leaving his family, and then the team is not a big fan of him at first, but he is called up to the major leagues.

What I loved about this film is that it's the classic hopeful feeling that we got when we used to watch Disney films. I won't go on a tangent about my current thoughts of what Disney is doing, but this film makes me mourn what they have become. However, this film is based off of a true story, and I am so happy that it was a great story to tell. It's so full of hope and not giving up on your dreams, and that it's also ok for your dreams to take longer, or ever change.

When watching the movie, and thinking about how it might relate to God and faith, I thought that the relationship the Jim has with his father was something to make note of. Jim and his dad love each other but did not have much in common. No matter what Jim was always looking to his dad for direction and also acceptance. 

What I love is the Phil Strangoagalli had a different approach to the film.

"Abraham fell facedown; he laughed and said to himself, 'Will a son be born to a man a hundred years old? Will Sarah bare a child at the ago of ninety?'" Genesis 17:17

He talks about having a dream. Abraham and Sarah want children of their own but they were not able to have them. When an angel came and told them that it was going to happen they didn't believe it, so much so they mocked them. 

However, the dream did come true! He said that it was never too old and too impossible to dream. Dreams don't have to die, when they are in alignment with God's will. 

No Place Like Movies At Home: Guys and Dolls

 We are back to a Frank Sinatra movie, but this time it's really good and fun! 1955's Guys and Dolls is a classic film that I have loved many many years. 

It's also a movie that I can't wait to talk about because.. I have thoughts. 

Gambling is against the law, but that matter for a precious few in the the city of New York. Everyone is out to either spend a buck or make a buck. Nathan Detroit is trying to find a way to continue his floating crap game, while trying to satisfy it's fiancé's, Adelaide, desire to get married since they have been engaged for 14 years. He is also looking for $1000 to pay someone to be able to hold his secret game. Sky Masterson has come to town looking for a place to place his bets, being one of the highest rollers in the game. Nathan comes up with a sure file plan to make a quick $1000 off of Sky when Sky says that he can get "any girl he wants to come have dinner with him in Cuba". When Nathan picks the girl, a Missionary named Sarah Brown, Nathan finds that he might have lost more than a bet in the game of life. 

So, Guys and Dolls has some of the best music in all of any of the music I have ever seen. 

When first watched the movie when I was younger, I had a hard time connecting with it. I didn't fully understand what I was watching. Now that I know that is going on, I have fallen more in love with this movie because I understand the whit and the charm much more. 

However, I will say after watching my High School put on this show when I was a junior, and since seeing the Broadway version of this show. I now know why the movie was a bit hard to follow. There a few small, but very key elements, that wasn't put into the movie from the Broadway show. Those things were enough for me to not understand what was going on at some points of the movie when I was young. Now that I have the full context of the movie I know what happening and am able to make the logical jumps that the writers wanted me to make. 

I love this movie and I encourage everyone to see it, if they love a good musical. 

Shawn Levy Shuffle: Cheaper By The Dozen

 No we are at another movie that was one I remember fondly from childhood. This is right when I was in that age were seeing people I knew from Disney shows and seeing them in movies was really cool. 

Cheaper By The Dozen is from 2003 and I loved it!

Tom and Kate Baker move themselves, and the 11 out of 12 kids, to a new city when Tom get's an offer for his dream job. When Kate finds out that her book is being published at about this same time, the family dynamic drastically changes and become more stressful for everyone. 

Now, I am not going to name every person I recognize from this movie but I know Allison Stoner, Hilary Duff, Ashton Kutcher and several others. I honestly forgot that this movie had so many stars! I LOVE this movie. It was always one of my favorites to watch when it came on TV and I slowly remembered what was coming next as the movie went on. 

What I love about this movie is that at the end there are a few blooper reels that really show how well Shawn Levy worked with some of the younger kids. Like he was so sweet and patient an it made me love the movie more. This I also think is were he was starting to be trusted with a lot more budget and bigger names. I mean Big Fat Liar has some big names now, but Frankie Munoz and Amanda Bynes were well established TV actors that were also starting to break out in movies. Here you have a lot of TV actors in a kids movie with the huge start power Steve Martin. I loved how this movie keeps you entertained while pushing forward without being rushed. I got how all the kids were feeling while they were dealing with the move and trying to figure out their new life. With that big of an ensemble, it's hard to connect with all of the characters on some level, but they all got their moment to shine, and show off their personalities. 

Also, the move is over 20 years old (holy cow) and I don't think I had one real moment of this movie feeling "dated" or really stuck in one time period. Like Yet, some of the style has changed, but like I feel like this movie could be made today and have the same wonderful feeling of what I saw here. 

Shawn Levy Shuffle: Just Married

 We are back at another round of the shuffle this month with two fairly well well liked, and well reviewed movies. The first one being from 2003 Just Married

After a relatively short romance, Tom and Sarah get married and are excited to start their lives together with a great European honeymoon. Problems arise when they realize that being married can not longer be about them individually and has to be about them together. 

This movie is yet another one that I have seen some of until I started doing this project. It's also one that I had no clue that Shawn Levy directed. I loved seeing Brittany Murphy and Ashton Kutcher together. It's also another movie where there is something very light and loving about the film. Like you truly feel good watching this movie. 

Since I know what some of the movies that are coming up by him I am wondering if this alone his touch as a director. Like I am not use how you can bring the same kind of special happy feeling you get watching his movie as I have had so far. We shall see as we go on.    

There They Are And There They'll Stay: The Count of Monte Cristo

 This is one of those titles that I have heard a million times in my life, but I have never read the book or watched the film before today. 

Edmond Dantes' life is about to take off. After he did what was right is in trying to save a man's life abord a ship, he gets a promotion and that means that he can marry the love of his life, Mercedes. His so called best friend, Fernand Mondago, has other plans. Fernand has been jealous of Edmond his whole life. He is in love with Mercedes, he wants the joy that Edmond feels, and he wants to be him. He things that if Edmond was gone, then his feelings would also vanish. When it's discovered that Edmond carried a letter from the banned Napoleon, Fernand uses this information to get Edmond arrest and thrown into a horrible prison in 13 years. 

During that time, Edmond befriends a imprisoned Priest Abbe Faria. Over the years they are working on a way to escape the prison. However, Abbe dies in a tunnel collapse before he get the chance. With his last breath, Abbe tells Edmond that he knows where a treasure is buried and revenge belongs to God and that he need to forgive and move forward with his life. Edmond does not heed these words.

Abbe's death provide enough of a distraction for Edmond to escape the prison and start a new life. However, his fresh start leads him to smugglers, and a duel for his own life against a man who is sentenced to die. Jacopo is so thankful that Edmon spares his life, he tells him that her will be his man for the rest of his life. He proves right and becomes a real friend to Edmond over the next few years as they use the treasure to build a new life for Edmond to get revenge. 

He takes down everyone that through him into prison and trades lies for his life. He makes it all the way back to his former friend Fernand. Fernand married Mercedes, and due to the death of some family members, and now a Count. Disguised as as Count himself, Edmond comes into their lives starts to take everything apart. Until. Mercedes realizes who he is and tells him that the son she has is his and that she has always loved him. 

Edmond still tries to take his revenge on Fernand. He is consumed by anger and thinks that the only way for the pain to stop is when he revenge is satisfied. 

I loved this movie!

I am still shocked that I have not seen this movie before and I really want to watch it again. I think thought that is was going to long an boring but I didn't know that it was going to be such a beautiful story.

The picture of God I got from this film was obvious, Revenge belongs to God. Which is so hard because we as humans want to wrong the person that has wronged us so much! The author of Jesus Loves Movies also agrees with this picture. The verse he chose was:

"Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: 'It is min to avenge; I will repay,' says the Lord." Romans 12:19

My favorite part about this movie is at the end when Edmond says to God, after telling Him that he doesn't believe in Him anymore for most of the movie, that he will use everything that he got from to take revenge and start using it for good. 

I hope that we learn that God will uphold all justice to those who were wronged. That we learn to walk in forgiveness.