The List: #205- Georgia (9/50)

 So, every one of the other states has really had a plan to visit well in advance. Georgia is the exception. 

So, we did have a plan in going to Georgia, but it was like a couple of week before. Not months and months like the others. 

So, what did we do is Georgia?

My roommate and I found out that the Cosm was playing the first Harry Potter movie there! Cosm is a shared reality screening room. It's like The Sphere is Vegas but it's smaller, and there aren't any like real life things coming at you like the apples do when we saw The Wizard of Oz. 

My roommate, Sarah, liked this better than The Spere, where I liked the Sphere. They are both really fun, and worth the money to go see a something you like there.

We weren't there super long. We stayed with her sister that night and went swimming in the morning. It was a quick trip but it counts!

Until the next one!

The List: #153- Sing at The Muny

 Well, this one is pretty straight forward. However, when I wrote this I thought I would somehow be on the stage. That is no longer something I want. However, the what I wrote is what I have in the title. So, being there for a show, and singing with everyone at the venue is good enough for me. 

Yes, I do have proof!

No, I am not claiming to be a good singer. Yes, the video is very dark but it's an outdoor theater and the sun was down. Nothing I can do. Yes, I embarrassed my niece doing this. Yes, it was worth it to cross this off my list. 

Hopefully, not every time I go somewhere it will be like a million things off my list, but I think this might be the case for a little bit.  

The List: #13- See All Landmarks from Meet Me in St. Louis

 Meet Me in St. Louis was the first time that I was able to recognize Judy Garland outside of her role in The Wizard of Oz. My mom introduced me to this movie when I was younger because I love musical, and she is from St. Louis. So, it was a match made in heaven. 

So when I started making this list at 18, it was high up there to see all of the places mentioned. 

That proved to be harder that I thought. Beside the fact that the movie was filmed on a backlot of MGM, the places that are mentioned are general places, or no longer exists.

These are the places that I have been to since like 2013.

So, my mom swears that this spot near the train at the St. Louis Zoo looks likes the end of the movie were Judy Garland says "right here in St. Louis" and I don't see it. However, I'm going to count it.

 

In the film, the address of where they live is sung. However, the original house was torn down some time ago, and we didn't really know that when we went to try and see it. I took this very bad picture of the road sign, and a pic of another cute house on the road for reference of what it might have looked like. 

While the bird cage at the zoo is not actually mention in the the movie, it is an original structure that they build for the 1904 worlds fair. So, here you go!

So, other than the house, and some of the stuff at the zoo, the only two places that are really a thing or the trolley, which not longer exists, and Forest Park. While Forest Park is not mention directly in the film, the whole of Forest Park was part of the 1904 world's fair and was "shown" in the film. So, while I would have love to take a real trolley ride, I can't, and I figured the event I went to at Forest Park would be the perfect place and conclude my quest. 

The Muny was built in 1917, in Forest Park. It's been host to many shows over the years, and this year they had the play Meet Me in St. Louis. 

The play is actually based off of the 1944 Film that Star Judy Garland, and where the song "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas" originated from. The stage play came about 40 years after the movie in 1984. Which, if you have seen both, make some of the changes and songs make sense as to why that were added, and stuff like that. 

It was so hot, but it was so much fun! I got to go see the show with my Aunt, Uncle, cousin, two nieces, mom, sister-in-law, and a friend of my older niece. We had great seats, and I loved the show! 

So, while it's not a 100% accurate seeing of the landmarks, I did the best I could with what I had. 

However, being at The Muny gave me one more item crossed off the list...

The List: #205- Missouri (8/50)

 We have hit another state! I feel like I am going to several and I feel like I'm going to slow down. however, we are going to ride this out for as long as we can!

This time, I went to Missouri.

So, I didn't really get a whole lot of pictures on this trip. I went up with my parents and niece to see my family. 

We had a great time. We really hung out and stuff with my family but we did go to Grant's Farm and the Muny to see a show. 

The last time that we go to St. Louis we tired to go to Grant's Farm, but it was way to busy and we didn't get to go. However, we went this time and it was wonderful! We went with my Older brother, my sister-in-law, and my oldest niece. We all enjoyed a round at the Beer Garden they have there at Grant's Farm. I younger niece and I got to see the World Famous Budwiser Clydesdales!

One of the other things that we got to do was go see Meet Me in St. Louis at The Muny! It's an outdoor theater inside Forrest Park in St. Louis. It's where the 1904 World's Fair was held, which is the setting of the show take place. The move, which is what the show is based off of, is from 1944 and stars Judy Garland. There will be more about this show in an other post. 

I did get to go through Kentucky again, and got to stay at an amazing hotel where there was a tour being held. which was amazing! 

I had a wonderful time, and I can't wait to write about the other two things I got to check off of my list during this trip!  

 

Now Fly! Fly!: Ella Enchanted

 We FIANLLY get that chance to review Ella Enchanted!

Ella has been carrying a curse! She must obey every request anyone has ever told her. Her mother and her mother' best friend are the only two that know of this "gift" that Ella's Fairy Godmother gave her. Ella tries everything to not obey, and live her life without her body literally betraying her to make sure she does obey. After her mother dies her father brings home a step-mother and two step-sisters who make her life miserable right away. When her step-sisters find out that she has to do everything she says she starts to dismantle Ella's life. That is until she meets the Prince, and starts on an adventure to return her "gift" and possible right many wrong in the kingdom. However, more sinister characters are lurking around that is looking for way to use her obedience against her. 

I love this movie! Every year I feel like we are going to be able to use it for a theme, but there are always better movies to have for those themes. 

However, I thought that this movie was going to easy when it came to how it relates to faith, and what it means to obey.

Forced obedience is not that same as faithful obedience. 

Ella was tried in her obedience because it was forced. Like to an obscene level. An example is the Prince tell her to "wait here" and she is forced to stand in the middle of the road, and almost get hit by a carriage because he body refuses to move because of the curse she had. She is literally at the mercy of the people around her. She is basically a robot that has no control over her life.

Which is why God did not create us to be this way. God wants us to obey Him because we choose to and love Him. Listening to what He says to do is the best thing we can do for ourselves. God never wanted to force us to love Him. He wanted us to choose to love him. 

Now, I need to learn to carry this reminder with me as I go forward in life. 

Brian Tyler Takeover: Law Abiding Citizen

So, Before I get in to this movie, I will be honest. There was another movie call Middle Men that Brian Tyler did the music for. It's not a scary movie so I should have watched it, and written about it. However, I started it, and once I realized what that movie was about, I said "nope" and turned it off. So, I will not be reviewing that movie. 

Now, onto Law Abiding Citizen.

Clyde Shelton's life is turned upside sown when one night two men break into his house and kill his wife and daughter. He spend that next several year finding ways to get revenge on all of those who did wrong, including the lawyer that refused to take the case to full trial. 

It's been a little bit since I watch a thriller, and I love Mr. Tyler's music when it comes to this genre! This is the closest that I will get to watching a scary movie that he composes, but I am sure those are just as good and playing at that suspence!

As for the movie it's self, it was really good. However, it was much darker that I thought it was going to be! It's hard to not have a good movie when you have Gerard Butler and Jamie Foxx as the stars!

Brian Tyler Takeover: Fast & Furious

 So, now is the point int he series that we start getting the names of the movies confuse. Today's is the 4th in the franchise Fast & Furious. What is not only the name of this movie the the name in which everyone calls the series. 

It's also not to be confused with the the very first movie The Fast and The Furious. 

So, here is the confusing part about this movie.... it's supposed the be the 3rd in the series. Now, from my very quick google search, the did it this way because the original cast was able to get back together for this film, and everyone loved Han and wanted to make it make sense as to why they know each other? Truly, I don't get it but whatever. This movie opens with Letty dying, and Dom finding out and going on a rampage to avenge her death. Brian happens to be working with the feds, still, to find the same drug lord that Dom is hunting. They have to work together to bring down the whole operation. 

So, this movie was still fun. I am like waiting for when they aren't... even though I have already seen the 10th one and I loved it.. 

I think Mr. Tyler's music works best for this franchise, and I think other agree with me since he is the composer to most of the other ones. 

Now Fly! Fly!: Evan Almighty

Now for a rare sequel in a project like this, Evan Almighty.

 

Evan got what he waned when he wanted to become a news anchor. Now he might have gotten more than he bargained for not that he got voted in as Senator. He thinks his life is going perfect, until God calls him to do something that makes no sense. Build an ark for an upcoming flood in the middle of a drought 

This the lesson right there. God calling you to do something that makes no sense. There have been so many times in my life alone that God has asked me to do something that doesn't make any sense. My life is nothing extortionary. Like my name is not going to be in any history books anytime soon, but if my life can be called to do something that makes no sense, then those who lives that do make it into history books, I would love to see what God asked them do that made no sense. 

However, in my life, doing the things that God asked me to do, has changed my life and opened many doors that I never thought about before. 

I need to remember to trust God when he asks me to do the crazy things.  

Brian Tyler Take Over: Dragon Ball Evolution

 So, this movie...

Was TERRIBLE! 

I have never seen the the tv series, and but I have some sort of idea of how successful it is. However, movie... I feel bad for all f the fan who thought that they were getting a good film and this drivel came out.

I feel bad that Brian Tyler's name is part of this film, and I honestly have to say that he did the best he could with what he had to work with.  

Brian Tyler Takeover: The Lazarus Project

 So, let's talk about this....

A man is convicted of killing two men, and sentenced to death. After he "dies" he ends up at a facility to treats those who are mentally ill. 

So, I am so confused about this movie. I mean, with a title like The Lazarus Project I'm thinking that he would be put to death, but somehow live and all of it would be for some sort of good in the world. Or some sort of revenge for the people who died. This man goes to work at this facility, is tricked that he is actually a patient there, and then escapes. It never says why he was chose to be giving a second chance to stay at the facility?

Anyways, I truly don't remember the music. I didn't find anything to catch my attention to be anything more than background noise. 

Now Fly! Fly!: Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory

 We have come a classic movie today. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.

The mysterious Willy Wonka has made a contest to let five contestants, and one guest each, enter is highly private Chocolate Factory. Charlie is amongst on the of the winners. He is excited, but is asked by a rival candy maker to bring him on of Wonka's everlasting gobstoppers, and he will pay Charlie handsomely in exchange. Charlie is face with a choice of money or honesty.

Now I know there are some out there who hate this movie. It might have been scary when you watched when you were youngers. I enjoy this movie every time I watch it. 

However, having to watch it in the context of Obedience, I was caught off guard. This is the first time that a character had to choose between two voices. The rival candy make could give Charlie enough money to set him up for life, but in order to get what the rival wanted he had to listen to all of the rules that Willy put out. Charlie listened to all of them, but broke one rule that cost him what he thought the prize was. When Charlie realized he messed up, he gives Willy Wonka back the gobstopper because he knows that giving it to the rival would have been wrong. 

He ends up giving Willy what he thinks to going to give riches, and get so much more in return. 

It's funny that God works the same way. We think that we have to have control over our lives in order to be the best we can be. In reality to die is to gain. If we die to ourselves then we gain so much more in return.  

Now Fly! Fly!: Field of Dreams

 Ok, so we got to talk about  Field of Dreams 

When Ray Kinsella and his family move to a farm in Iowa, strange things start to happen. Ray starts to hear a voice says "if you build it they will come". Then he sees a vision of a baseball field in his yard. So, without much questioning from his wife, he builds a baseball field. Then ghosts of old baseball players start to show up. Then the voice tells him other things, and he winds up going across America in order to fulfill what the voice is telling him. he ends up back home, with two people, and his house about to be foreclosed on. 

So, here is the thing I want to harp on the most. I knew about that baseball field, but I thought most of the movie was going to be about him trying to figure out why he needed to build a field. So, when 10 minutes into the movie he just does it, I was confused! Like you're not going to struggle to about some voice coming to you out of no where? Then his was wife is just ok with it? There is never an explanation for the voice either. We, as the audience, are just told there is a voice, to trust the voice, and ask nothing about it. If this same movie was made today, it would two and half hours long because we would need to see the struggle, and the building of the field. We would nee to trust the voice for ourselves, not just be told and then move on. 

It was oddly refreshing though to be told just to trust it and go with the flow cause not everything needs a back story. 

Which is a good way to lead into my Obedience lesson for today. God does not need to give me a back story as to why He asks me to do the things he does. Ray listen to the voice, not sure it was God or not, but it did him a lot of good with trusting and healing. He got some second chances that he didn't think he was going to have. 

However, what I really loved was the story of the Doc Graham. This character got to play half an inning as a Major League pro, and we discover, he went home and became a Doctor for this small town in Minnesota. How he helped to shape the town, and help many many people long the way. Terence Mann says something like "the inning that changed the world". When Ray questions what he means Mann points out "if he had gotten a hit he wouldn't have come home to be a doctor". Which is such a wonderful thing to point out. Graham found a purpose in his life even if he didn't get the "big dream" of batting in the Major Leagues. 

Graham's life didn't turn out how he thought it would when he was young, but when it didn't he pivoted and found a totally different purpose and meaning to his life. What most people would have been bitter about, he didn't let himself to hold onto that dream slipping through his fingers, and did something else with his life. 

So, what if we always listened to God voice and just did what He said without questioning it? That is what I have to remember. Asking questions can sometimes get me more messed up than just doing what was asked in the first place. How different would life be is I stopped getting in my own head?

Brian Tyler Takeover: Eagle Eye

 Ok, finally a movie that is somewhat interesting. 

AI sees the US Congressmen a enemies of the state, and again the Constitution. Uses citizens to try and destroy the government and kill the president. 

So, this movie was actually a bit more intriguing to watch, and held my attention. It's also very timely for these days that AI is actually starting to take over everything. I won't say much else about this movie, but Shia LaBeouf was a nice addition to the movie. He remains to be a good actor, thankfully.

Now, this movie is when I really started to realize that Brian Tyler favors stings in his music. Not sure how I caught that, but it's the only tidbit I have about the music this time around. 

Brian Tyler Takeover: Bangkok Dangerous

 Another bummer.

Hired assassin kills people, then falls in love and dies.

Not even kidding this movie was awful! I mean, it was a little over an hour and half long and it took me several hours to watch because I kept pausing it out of boredom. 

Again, sorry Brian Tyler I don't remember anything.  

Brian Tyler Takeover: Rambo

 Let's just get this one over with.

A man that stayed in Vietnam after the war, decides to help rescue some missionaries. 

I was not looking forward to the movie, and I was correct in that assumption. I think this movie is very forgettable. I honestly forgot if, after renting the movie, if I finished the movie, rented it again and found out that I wasted that money for nothing, because I did. 

I don't even remember the music. Sorry, Brian Tyler. 

Brian Tyler Takeover: War

 So, let's have a little chat about this project. 

It's been too much. I have bitten off more than I can chew and I am too busy to watch like 6 plus movies a month, on top of the other movies I need to watch for other projects. So, this project is no longer going to happen in a year, it's going to happen in two years. Which I don't recall doing any other project outside of a year, except for my No Place Like Movies at Home one. Now that it's going to be two years, I will only have to watch three movies a month, and it also makes up for the two months I have totally missed so far. 

So, let's pick up where we left off and talk about War. 

When FBI Agent Crawford discovers that his best friend, and his partner in the FBI, has been killed by a Japanese gang, he becomes obsessed with taking them down. 

This movie was one of those that teetered on being an ok film or a good movie.  Not great. Just good. The cast is good, and the plot made sense, there was just something missing to push it over the edge. It's a pretty forgettable movie. 

I will say that Brian Tyler has something about movies that have Asian influence about them. There is a movie I will write about in the next couple of days that's location is in an Asian city, and Mr. Tyler also does the music for the movie Crazy Rich Asians, if I remember correctly. His music does fit in very well, so I'm interested in seeing if there is more influence that I don't know about yet.  

Now Fly! Fly!: Bruce Almighty

 Ok, so we are SO CLOSE to being caught up here. Thankfully, we have a very funny film today, Bruce Almighty!

Bruce is a average guy. He has a beautiful girlfriend, a dog, and a good job. However, Bruce suffers from what most human suffer from, feeling lesser than. Bruce wants to be anchor, he wants to be taken seriously, he wants a better car, home, and life in general. When things start going wrong, and he make some poor choices, he starts to blame God. That is until God gets his attention. God meets him and gives Bruce all of His powers and tell Bruce that if he think he would be better at being God prove it. So, Bruce starts doing things to get what he wants, but soon realizes that he is failing worse than he thought. 

It's been so long since I have seen this movie all the way through. I am so happy I got to sit down and watch it again. It's a funny movie, with a few questionable theologies thrown in. 

I love how they gave Bruce the powers to be God and showed what we all would do. Use the powers to get what we want, and say "yes" to all of the other prayers that are prayed. Which is wild because seeing everyone win the lottery and getting all the stuff they wanted just created more chaos. It just made it more insane to show how God hears all of our prayers, and knows which to answer with a no, yes, and wait. 

Which comes to the obedience part of out movie, at least for me. I could say that we need to trust God and do what he says, and do things with a good attitude. However, this one is listening to God. We have to remember to "no" is an answer. So many of us ask God for things for ourselves, and we get so made when God says "no". When we don't like the answer, we try to do everything we can to get God to change Him mind. Like we start living "holier" or serving more or going on mission trips. We try to show got that He can give us what we want and we can use it in a way that honors Him, or say we will ask for nothing ever again. Thankfully, God know our own stupidity and gives us the answer that we need, and not the on we want. 

Which is why I think "wait" is the hardest answer to get. Wait doesn't mean yes, but it also doesn't mean no. Sometime wait is for us to get to the answer that God know best rather than telling us outright what the correct answer is. God can sometimes tell us to wait so our hearts get right and prepare us for whichever the answer is. 

I have been in a waiting season on some things for a very VERY long time. I have lost count to the number of times I have asked God "Just tell me the answer is no so I can move on!". God doesn't work like that. Sometimes what feel like slow torture is actually slow construction. 

I need to remember to listening to all of the answers because He knows what best for me.  

No Place Like Movies at Home: Pillow Talk

 We have the second of three Doris Day and Rock Hudson movies that I own.

Doris Day and Rock Hudson share a party line. However, Rock Hudson is always on the phone wooing women, so day can't get a line out to anyone. In an, always, hilarious circumstance, Hudson ends up dating Day in order to get he to loosen up. However, he lies about who he is and where he lives in order to continue to date her. 

This is the movie that I always think it Sent Me No Flowers. Pillow Talk is my favorite of the thee movies. Plus, the film also has Jack Lemon in it so it's already a better film. I wish Rock Hudson and Doris Day made more than three movies together. 

Now Fly! Fly!: A Hidden Life

There is a lot to say about standing up. and standing firm. That is also something that we have to do when our faith is slandered or comes into question. 

We have a lot to learn from Franz in A Hidden Life.

Franz is a farmer in the hill of Austria. He lives a peaceful life growing, planting and planning for the future of his crops. He lives in a small village and he falls in love with a woman who bring more peace, love, and faith to his life. Everything is wonderful until World War II breaks out. Franz is drafted in the Third Reich. However, he understands that pledging to them, and Hitler, is morally wrong and refuses to do so. He is arrested, and tormented in jail for not conforming. He decides to stand up for what he believes morally and pays the ultimate sacrifice in doing so. 

This movie was very long and kind of slow. I think there could have been a lot taken out. However, I will says that is lends to how much Franz stands to loose when he decision comes to swearing the oath. Even when members of the faith were telling him to take the oath, but not really commit to it. Just say that words to survive and tell God that he really doesn't man it. He couldn't live with the lie. 

He stood in faith. 

Which is were good obedience leads and where it continues. 

Now Fly! Fly!: Mercy Rule

 Is is funny that I only did on blog post on Obedience and then got so busy that I didn't do anymore? Well, we are going to get caught up on a few of them today, and I hope to get the them all caught up by this month. 

I will say, that I have watched most of the movies for this project, and the actual obedience itself? Well, we will talk about it. 

Mercy Rule is about a family who is about to loose their business on a deal that seems too good to be true. While business might be going bust, their son is learning to be a part of the team instead of better than it.

Look I know there isn't a whole lot that is said about this movie. Kirk Cameron plays the father in this movie, and Tim Hawkins playing his cooky brother! Which that is a surprise that was well received because I love him! 

Anyways, the main take away of obedience for this movie is team work. Both the father and son in the movie have to learn to let people in to help with the situation that they get into and not do everything on their own. Letting people, people that are going to help you to be on track, you will have a high chance of succeeding.  

Which is something I really need to work on cause there are many times that I want to do things only on my own because it's "my mess" or "my problem" and I don't want to burden anyone else with it.