There They Are and There They'll Stay: Wreck-It Ralph

 So, we are just going to keep rolling right along into the next movie from Jesus Loves Movies and that would be the 2012 movie Wreck-It Ralph

Ralph is the bad guy in the game Fix-it Felix. Day in and day out he has to go up and down a building and destroy all of the things that he touches. That is until all the arcade shuts down for the night and then he gets to be a normal guys. Well, that's what he hopes for. None of the people in his game like him cause he is the "bad guy" and they think there is nothing more to him than that. In reality Ralph is lonely and really wants seme friends. He gets an idea that in order to make friends that he has to get a medal and everyone will accept him! He goes to Game Central Station to hope into a new game and start making he journey to find a medal. He succeeds quickly but only for the victory to be short lived. He end up in a racing game called Sugar Rush and meet Vanellope Von Schweetz. She too is ostracized in her own game because she is a glitch and they will not allow her to do the one things she wants, and that's race. She ends up taking Ralph's medal (which is also a gold coin) and buy her way in to the race so she can have a chance to be on the lineup! In order to get his medal back Ralph has to help her build a car and win the race. 

"The stone that the builder rejected has become the cornerstone." Psalm 118: 22

How fitting is that verse to the movie? 

When you walk with God you are guaranteed to be rejected at some point in your life. I don't say that to scare anyone off. However, it's the truth. There will be many people that will not like you because you love God. They don't know His Power and Glory, His mercy and Grace, and His love and provision! It's worth being rejected for, but it's still hurts sometimes. That was what I love about this movie (my first time watching it surprisingly)! Ralph had a community that he was in that rejected him, and he was talking with other "bad guys" in a group that he found not meaning in personally. Yet, when he went out seeking what he thought he wanted he found what he needed instead. Another person who knew what if felt like to be rejected. They ended up creating a foundation of a great friendship in that same hurt that they experienced by their world. 

I am so glad the Jesus knows what it feels like to be really rejected. He died because of it. He never sinned in his life, he was perfect in every way, and he was rejected for being him. He knows what the feeling feels like and knows how to heal our broken hearts when we experience the same thing. 

There They Are And There They'll Stay: Toy Story

So, because I have to fit all of these movies in, I have to watch like 5 movies a month, and write about them, for the first several months. So, there is a lot going on. However, I am up for the task and looking forward to it. 

The first movie up the the book Jesus Loves Movies is Toy Story! 

 Woody is Andy's most beloved toy. Woody is always there ready to be apart of Andy's life no matter what is happening. He also keeps all of the other toy in shape, and ready to go a a moments notice. He organizes them and keeps them in working order. All of this come crashing down when a new toy in town, Buzz Lightyear, shows up on the scene! Buzz has a hard time accepting his new life, because he doesn't think that he is a toy. He thinks that he is a real space ranger researching a different planet. He is trying to get back to his home. Woody is trying to convince Buzz of his true purpose, while also dealing with the fact that Andy has replaced him as his favorite. All of this come to a head when, right Andy and his family are about to movie, Buzz and Woody fall out of a window and are considered lost. They have to learn to accept their new roles in life, and work together to get back home. 

The scripture that was used to accompany this movie is James 2:23 NIV:

"And the scripture was fulfilled that says, 'Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,' and he was called God's friend. 

To be called God's friend is a huge honor, and one that everyone who accepts Him can be honored with. A lot of the time I think people think that being saved is complicated, and also so much work. In reality it's a huge relief! You get someone who you can constantly talk to whenever you want! You have someone the knows you matter than you know yourself. You get to share him to other or share your secrets with Him. He is the best friends that anyone can ever ask for. 

It's also crazy because this movie does talk about feeling like you being replaced. We have all felt like that at one time or another, whether is really happening or not. However, God is going to to replace you! He will never get rid of me! He loves me and always has the time for me whenever I ask for it! I do have a friend in Him and I'm Honored to call Him one. 

Shawn Levy Shuffle: Address Unknown

 Ok, so I would like to formally apologize as I realized that I am really doing two projects but the coincide with each other. So, I would like to formally introduce to you the Shawn Levy Shuffle! 

I have been wanting to do another study of one person for several years. Usually it comes down to if I wanted to do an Actress, if so which one. Do I want to do a classic Actor? However, when I realized the Shawn Levy did the Night at the Museum series I knew I had to see what else he has done. He as done a lot of movies that I have really loved, and found so entertaining to not only watch but rewatch. 

So, when I knew that I was going to do my year on Faith I knew that I needed to do a Director, a total change in the direction that I was originally thinking, and picked Mr. Levy. 

Now, like I said in the last post, he has only done 16 theatrical release movies, so we are only focusing on those. He does have several TV credit as well, some of which I have seen with Stranger Things. I'm looking forward to what we are going to see this year. 

 

Address Unknown is a movie that came out in 1997. It's about a teenage friends who are trying to solve a mystery about how their dad's died. During the last 80s a new stamp was release that had a misprint on it, because of this it was worth a lot of money. The government was able to get all buy four stamps back. Three were sold and recovered on the black market but the other one went missing. The stamp that were sold made hundreds of thousands of dollars, make the missing one even more desirable. However, when their father's die in a chase from their mail car, a mail bag with the stamp disappears. 10 year later one of the kids finds that mail bag, and starts the bad guys on the search again. 

So, everyone has to start somewhere. This movie was fine, but there is a reason that's it's not real well known. I literally watched the movie yesterday and have already forgotten what has happened in the film. The only thing that I really found remarkable is tat the roll top desk that I am currently using, is the same on that is in the house as one of characters. Other than that there is much there. I have this move a 3 out of 10. Knowing where he goes in his career I can't wait to see how he improves. 

What I really hope is that by watching these movies I find somethings that are truly the mark of Shawn Levy. I want to be able to watcha movie and now know who the director is and go "Oh, that's his movie". 

Happy 2025!

 

Happy 2025! I am so glad that we made it to the New Year! I think 2025 will be great! 

So, let's talk about how I have already bit off a little bit more than I can chew. 

I am only doing on project again this year, but I will be doing it in many parts. This year big theme is Faith. 

This is not something that  I have hidden before in the past. One part of a former project I was trying to incorporate my faither into one of many parts. This time I am going to make it the whole part. 

So, How do I make movies play into this? Well, There are two ways. The first is that one of this big things that a movie need is a director. God is the Director of my life. He can give suggestions, and I can choose to listen to them or not. That what a director of movie does, well at least the good ones. They guide the actors, and everyone else, to be the best that they can be, and give suggestions to do something one way or another. 

So, I am going to watch the whole works of one director this year, and that man is Shawn Levy. The reason that I picked him is that he seems so nice, and supportive, and I don't think I have ever heard a bad thing about him, so I would like to support what he does. He also directed Deadpool and Wolverine which was one of the best movies last year, and he did the Night at the Museum series, which I loved! Plus, he has a long career working in movies but only 16 theatrical releases as a director. 

The other things that I am going to do if follow this great little Bible Study guild called Jesus Loves Movies  By Phil Strangolagalli. This has 30 different movies that he uses to show God's love, grace, and mercy to use through this art of storytelling. They are not Christian movies, they are all types! Animated, action, drama, and even scary! I'm going to divvy these out to the to make them fit into the year. 

  

The other thing I will be doing is finding a book, or study guide, on one book of the Bible every month and reading that to help understand the Bible better. I don't need to be an expert but I would like to learn more. 

This project is going to be called "There They Are And There They'll Stay" as said my Glinda in The Wizard of Oz to Dorothy when the Ruby Red Slippers appear on her feet after the death of the Wicked Witch of the East. 

Now, why the Ruby Slippers and not the great and powerful Oz himself? Oz is only proven to be a mere moral after the whole journey that the gang sets on. That he had not real power, and while he helped them to feel better about themselves, he did it with no magic, and not power. He just saw the best in them and did the best that they could. 

The Slippers where always lying in wait to be used. Glinda tells Dorothy at the end of the movie that she had the power to go home the whole time, she just had to believe (or have faith) in them to get her home. That is much like God. He is always waiting to help, heal, provide, and care for you if only you had the faith to reach out and ask. Dorothy traveled with and was always in the presence of the slippers from the moment that she arrived in Oz. She didn't know if for the first few minutes until it was pointed out to her. Like use growing up and learning about the world. Then the show were one her feet when the Enemy, the Wicked Witch of the West, tried to take them for herself. The devil wants all of the power! He wants all of the control and will try and steal you faith if you aren't careful! 

She walked for miles, and day in the slippers know, for whatever reason, that they were special and that they would protect her, even thought she was being attacked by WWW the whole time. They led her to great friends that love and care for her, and kept her from being harmed and killed. 

The Ruby Red Slippers were the only real thing that Dorothy knew that she had to protect and trust no matter what it cost her.

That is what faith in God should look like and I want my faith to look like that! 

So, I'm going to make sure that I put God first this year, and then follow his word, and really try to study it this year too.