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. 

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.  

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?

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.  

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. 

Now Fly! Fly!: Marry Poppins

 So, Obedience only works when you actually listen and follow through on the actions. Sometime the rules don't make sense, or the things asked of you make less sense. Like snapping you fingers and it cleans your room. 

Marry Poppins is a 1964 film about a seemingly magical Nanny that comes the Banks House to take care of Jane and Michael. She expect everything to be "spit spot" and for the children to listen to her when asks them to do something. She seems rather stern with the kids, but really she cares for them and know that sometimes following rules can actually make your life better, even when not listening seems like more fun. Really, she is there to make the Bank's family closer, since Mr. Banks and Mrs. Banks seem to not see much past the end of their own nose. 

This, or course, is a classic film that I have seen many times in my life. I have quoted it, and wished that I could laugh to hard that I could float. Every time I hear someone with a unique laugh, I always hear the different ways Marry Poppins and Bert laugh to show how many different types there are. 

However, asked myself what is the lesson about obedience should I take away from this movie? Well thankfully, the movie gave me  direct quote.

"In every job that must be done, there is an element of fun. You find the fun, and snap, the job's a game."

In reality when it comes to my faith, there have been times where I am getting up in the morning and follow a schedule. It allows for time for me to read my Bible, Pray, and spend some very much needed time with God. When I do follow it I feel so at peace, and like walking into the world focused and not stressed. It's not a game but there is an element of fun when I am obedient in my walk. 

Like I have said, this last year has been heartbreaking and I  can't get myself to do much more than what I need to do. However, here is the truth. I need to have that time more than I need anything else. I am not just now sure why I mentally dread it now. 

I know that that was in issue before last year's drama started, but it's only escalated. The times in the last year that I have made myself get up and do everything I feel so much better! Then something happen and I skip and it all goes down hill. 

I know that consistency is something that I need to really focus on this coming month.  

Welcome To 2026!!!

 HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

What a crazy ride that 2025 was, but it's honestly the first time in a long time that I have been happy to see a year go! It's been crazy but I now that this year has to be better than last. I don't know how but I think it will be.

This year I do have some cool projects that I will be doing, and I already have plans that I have coming that I know are going to be so much fun! However, This year marks 10 years since my first successful project My Year Of Review. It's been 10 years since I watched 100 movies in the theaters! I can't believe that it' been that long! So many changes have happened not only in Movies in general but in my life. Would I love to watch 100 movies in the theater again? Yes, but I am not going to because I have so much going on already. However, I am so thankful for that year because it's one of the best years of my life, but it's also lead me here. I never thought I would try, and experience, so many wonderful things just because movies inspired me to do it. 

So, what are this year's project? 

Well, we are talking Obedience and... music?

So, I have done several projects over the years that have dealt with my faith. However, it's just part of it. In the last few years I have struggled with Obedience, and this year that is going to be my focus. Now, I am not going to like do a whole big excel sheet, or a step by step process of what I need to do. I already know what I need to do, I have just not been doing it. Whether that is out of laziness, heartbreak, or any excuse that I can come up with, it needs to change. I need to change. So, I will be starting my normal mourning routine again, and I am sure when I start being obedient in the everyday then I am sure God will ask me to do something I find CRAZY! 

If/when God asks me to do something crazy, I will write about it here through that year as it happens. If nothing else, I will be writing how I am feeling and if I have been keeping up with talking to God on the daily. I will be continuing the Bible Recap with Tara-Light Cobble and I have another year long bible reading plan that looks really good that I will try to get through as well. I have spent all of last year listening to books written by R.C. Sproul and I have enjoyed them. However, listening to a book doesn't stick to me like reading it with my eyes does. So, this year I want to start my way through the Bible Recap's study books. They are like 10 week long courses so I hope to start that in the next few months, because I have a Bible study I have been neglecting called Braved and Beloved by Meredith Storrs. I have done the first two lessons and I really want to see that through before in over my head. 

This project is still based in a character from The Wizard of Oz and that would be the Flying Monkeys. They do not speak in the film, but The Wicked Witch of the West tells them "Now Fly! Fly!". In the book the monkey are controlled by a golden helmet that I forget how the Wicked Witch attains. They Monkeys are forced to be Obedient. Now, this year is not meant to see if being Obedient to God is good or bad, because I already know that it's good. I have walked long enough with the Lord to know that. However, sometimes we are obedient to the wrong person, and that's bad. Sometimes we can't help it, because of a curse, we are scared not to be, or because we tricked. The Devil doesn't want us to be obedient to anyone, so we can unknowingly follow him to our death without knowing Jesus. What I want to explore is what does the obedience that character are follow, or forced to follow, looks like and how we can be tricked that it's a good or a bad thing. 

The next project is going with a theme I didn't plan for this year but it's falling into place on it's own. 

The Brian Tyler Takeover. 

So what is this all about? Well, Brian Tyler is a composer to has TAKEN OVER MY HEAD! 

Back in like 2018, I was at work watching a movie on my phone listening to it with my headphones. The movie was Now You See Me 2. It was where Morgan Freeman is on the plan with Mark Ruffalo going to China to get the Horseman. Now, I turned my head and I heard fives notes. Just five. The scene that was now in my head from these five notes is not what is playing on the phone. It was a scene Thor: The Dark World. This Thor movie is my all time favorite stand alone Marvel film of all time. I love the soundtrack to that film. The violins when Frigga is sent off for her burial at sea and her soul float ups to the stars pinches my heart ever single time I hear it. Finding out he did both of these movies was shocking. I have never been able to pick out a composer of a film before. There was something about this fact that altered my brain.

Little did I know just how much until 2023. 

Picture it.. April 2023, me sitting in the movie theater watching Super Mario Bros. and the last battle scene is coming on, it just hits me out no where that the musical score of this film is brilliant! I didn't play many Mario games when I was young but I have played enough to know what the video game sounds are like. I can recognize sounds from the game even if I don't know what sound means what. However, this music that was so wonderfully epic fit so well into the film. It incorporated the video game sounds and the insane adventure of the world in a way I didn't know that any could. It was like the music was not just there to help you feel what you needed to feel in the moments that you needed to feel it, but it was there as part of the world building. 

It was Brian Tyler. 

May 2023... Fast X.... same thing happens

June 2024... Transformers One... THE SAME THING HAPPENS.

I tell my best friend Alaina about this craziness in 2025. I tell her that I have this weird ear to pick up on Brian Tyler's compositions and I don't know why. She laughs and agrees that it's weird. 

We are currently watching all of the Marvel films in release order. We get to Thor: The Dark World and I tell her like what I love about the music and tell her again on this weird thing. Fast forward a few months and are watching Avengers: Age of Ultron....

I tell Alaina the music is really good..... 

BRIAN FREAKING TYLER!!!! 

You think 2025 I would be left alone cause there is no way that this is happening. Then Now You See Me Now You Don't comes out and I figured that Mr. Tyler has done the other two films it's very possible that he is doing this one as well. He is.... no big deal I saw it coming. 

Then my roommate and I go and see Nuremberg. It was during the part where the Nazi general is about to take his own life, because he was found guilty during the trials, that there was something about the moment where just a few notes his and the Brian Tyler bell went off in the back of my head. I tried to deny it. I really did because I have not known Mr. Tyler to do a film that was historically based. It was just odd to me..... 

The credits rolled... as did my eyes.... Brian Tyler. 

I thought I was done till I started watching Yellowstone for the first time a few weeks ago, and yet again Brian Tyler is now following me to the small screen as well. 

So, I give up. I am goin to watch this man's filmography. Now, I know that there seem to be a good number of scary films under his belt so I am not sure what to do about that. However, I will watch all of the other movies that he has done. I will say where I thought that music was just perfect and why, and then we will see if I can still pick him out of a random movie I see during the week still. 

The other reason that I love that I am doing something with music this year is because I just signed up for a Music for the Movies class at the University of Tennessee. It a just for fun class but I think everything is aligning for me to to do something with music and why not the man whose music has been surprising me for the past seven years?

So, there we are. We have the year set up and ready to go... Well at least the plan, I still need to hammer some stuff out but we are getting there. 

I am looking forward to all the things that this year has coming up and I can't wait to see what God has in store!