Regina caeli, laetare, alleluia.
Quia quem meruisti portare, alleluia.
Resurrexit, sicut dixit, alleluia.
Ora pro nobis Deum, alleluia.
Queen of Heaven, rejoice, alleluia.
For He whom you did merit to bear, alleluia.
Has risen, as he said, alleluia.
Pray for us to God, alleluia.
A happy and blessed Easter to you all.
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
On Dear Frankie
Frankie (Jack McElhone), a nine-year-old deaf boy, has been writing letters to his absent father for years. Except that his father hasn't received any of the letters, much less written any replies. Actually, Frankie's mother Lizzie has been the one corresponding with him under the guise of his father's name. Lizzie has told her son that his father is a sailor on board the Accra. But when the ship, which Lizzie thought existed only in her imagination, comes to town, Lizzie finds herself in a tight spot. She does what any mother would do - she hires a total stranger to play her husband for a day.
Putting aside some moral issues, Dear Frankie uses wonderful acting, a stream-lined script, and lovely Scottish accents to make a sweet little tale. Slow-paced, relaxed, and gentle, it paints a beautiful picture of a woman and her son struggling with their troubles. Frankie doesn't seem too bothered by his deafness, but he won't even speak to his mother, much less anyone else. Lizzie is struggling with single motherhood and the tragedies that have befallen her and her loved ones, and at times it seems like her mother's feistiness and her son's fragility are the only things that keep her afloat.
At the same time, Dear Frankie doesn't resort to too much drama. There are several scenes that are entirely without dialogue, and many others where the dialogue is very simple. That isn't to say the filmmakers wrote a boring or amateurish script. In fact, the script uses impressively few words to convey major parts of the story. Instead, it just means that the movie is about simple people with complicated problems.
One of the simplest characters in the movie is the man Lizzie hires to play her husband. The credits identify him merely as "The Stranger" (Gerard Butler). He has "no past, no present, and no future," but he has a very good heart. All it takes to talk him into helping Lizzie protect her son from the truth is a picture of Frankie taken just before his father disappeared. As the movie goes on, it becomes increasingly clear that he will do almost anything to make Frankie feel like his father truly loves him.
When tragedy hits, many people are prompted to ask "why?" Dear Frankie shows that it is not only possible to survive tragedy, it is possible that tragedy can lead directly to things that are more wonderful than anything that happened before tragedy struck.
My Rating: MT (language, sexual references - two made by children)
Putting aside some moral issues, Dear Frankie uses wonderful acting, a stream-lined script, and lovely Scottish accents to make a sweet little tale. Slow-paced, relaxed, and gentle, it paints a beautiful picture of a woman and her son struggling with their troubles. Frankie doesn't seem too bothered by his deafness, but he won't even speak to his mother, much less anyone else. Lizzie is struggling with single motherhood and the tragedies that have befallen her and her loved ones, and at times it seems like her mother's feistiness and her son's fragility are the only things that keep her afloat.
At the same time, Dear Frankie doesn't resort to too much drama. There are several scenes that are entirely without dialogue, and many others where the dialogue is very simple. That isn't to say the filmmakers wrote a boring or amateurish script. In fact, the script uses impressively few words to convey major parts of the story. Instead, it just means that the movie is about simple people with complicated problems.
One of the simplest characters in the movie is the man Lizzie hires to play her husband. The credits identify him merely as "The Stranger" (Gerard Butler). He has "no past, no present, and no future," but he has a very good heart. All it takes to talk him into helping Lizzie protect her son from the truth is a picture of Frankie taken just before his father disappeared. As the movie goes on, it becomes increasingly clear that he will do almost anything to make Frankie feel like his father truly loves him.
When tragedy hits, many people are prompted to ask "why?" Dear Frankie shows that it is not only possible to survive tragedy, it is possible that tragedy can lead directly to things that are more wonderful than anything that happened before tragedy struck.
My Rating: MT (language, sexual references - two made by children)
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Pertaining To Exam
Eight candidates. Eighty minutes. One question. The person who gives the right answer will receive a highly sought-after job. The others will go home disappointed. Unfortunately, the candidates are faced with a bit of a quandary from the get-go - they don't know what the question is.
I wasn't sure what to expect from this movie. It's 101 minutes long, and I had heard that very nearly all of it takes place in one room. That didn't sound like a winning formula. But the movie ended up as refreshing just because of its simplicity. Some movies rely on jumping around to different locations in an attempt to create a fast-paced tone. Most movies tend to skip over annoying elements like traveling, time spent eating or sleeping, and other boring, time-consuming things. Exam doesn't skip a minute from the time the candidates enter the room to the time the exam is over.
While going over eighty minutes spent in a single room might seem very boring, suspense and puzzlement grow gradually and then by leaps and bounds as the exam nears its end. Unexpected developments pop up occasionally, and the mystery of where the question is hidden kept me on the edge of my seat.
Another interesting thing is the time and effort the filmmakers obviously put into forming characters. Each of the candidates has his or her own motives and personality, with no real stereotypes. The closest to a stereotypical character is probably the psychologist, who is an exceedingly annoying woman. Surprisingly enough, the devout Christian character nicknamed Black (Chukwudi Iwuji) is pretty realistic. He has flaws, but there are lines that he is simply unwilling to cross. Such a positive portrayal of a Christian in a secular movie is very unusual.
That brings me to the symbolism near the end of the movie. *Spoiler Warning* After Black gets shot, he falls to the floor and remains there. But, contrary to what the final candidate believes, he is not dead. From what I understand, he was shot with a pill that will cure him of the disease that threatens to take his life. Black wakes up and, as he tries to understand what happened, a man speaks very nearly the last line in the movie (if not the last; I don't exactly remember): "He is risen." This is clearly a reference to Christ's resurrection. Interestingly enough, it is the Christian character who, so to speak, rises from the dead. I don't know whether the filmmakers intended viewers to draw the parallel between faithful Christians reaching heaven and Black's healing, but it seems like a logical connection to make.
My Rating: MT (almost constant language, sexual references)
I wasn't sure what to expect from this movie. It's 101 minutes long, and I had heard that very nearly all of it takes place in one room. That didn't sound like a winning formula. But the movie ended up as refreshing just because of its simplicity. Some movies rely on jumping around to different locations in an attempt to create a fast-paced tone. Most movies tend to skip over annoying elements like traveling, time spent eating or sleeping, and other boring, time-consuming things. Exam doesn't skip a minute from the time the candidates enter the room to the time the exam is over.
While going over eighty minutes spent in a single room might seem very boring, suspense and puzzlement grow gradually and then by leaps and bounds as the exam nears its end. Unexpected developments pop up occasionally, and the mystery of where the question is hidden kept me on the edge of my seat.
Another interesting thing is the time and effort the filmmakers obviously put into forming characters. Each of the candidates has his or her own motives and personality, with no real stereotypes. The closest to a stereotypical character is probably the psychologist, who is an exceedingly annoying woman. Surprisingly enough, the devout Christian character nicknamed Black (Chukwudi Iwuji) is pretty realistic. He has flaws, but there are lines that he is simply unwilling to cross. Such a positive portrayal of a Christian in a secular movie is very unusual.
That brings me to the symbolism near the end of the movie. *Spoiler Warning* After Black gets shot, he falls to the floor and remains there. But, contrary to what the final candidate believes, he is not dead. From what I understand, he was shot with a pill that will cure him of the disease that threatens to take his life. Black wakes up and, as he tries to understand what happened, a man speaks very nearly the last line in the movie (if not the last; I don't exactly remember): "He is risen." This is clearly a reference to Christ's resurrection. Interestingly enough, it is the Christian character who, so to speak, rises from the dead. I don't know whether the filmmakers intended viewers to draw the parallel between faithful Christians reaching heaven and Black's healing, but it seems like a logical connection to make.
My Rating: MT (almost constant language, sexual references)
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
Regarding Rachel's Contrition
(Written by Michelle Buckman.) Rachel is only twenty-five, but her life is a mess. She is separated from her husband. She sees her son just every other weekend. Her beautiful baby girl is dead. Drowning in a mist of prescription pain-killers and anti-depressants, her memory alternately fails her and hits her in the face with scenes from her past that she would rather forget. It seems that nothing will pull her out of her despair. Then she becomes friends with Lilly, a teenager who is struggling through her own problems. Lilly gives her a book about Saint Therese of Lisieux, and Rachel begins to see a tiny crack of light in the darkness.
It seems trite to sum up an entire book with one word, especially a book as complex as this one, but I think an appropriate word to use in describing this book would be Love. On second thought, "Love" is correct, but "word" does not fit - "name" is better. Throughout the whole story, Rachel is searching for love, but not just everyday, happily-ever-after love; she's searching for Love, another name for God.
I didn't know quite what to expect from this book. In my experience, there are very few really Catholic novels out there. I knew authoress Michelle Buckman was Catholic before I started reading, but I thought perhaps she had diluted some of the Catholic elements she might have put in. I was wrong. While I don't think the Catholicism in this book would offend non-Catholics, Catholic teaching on suffering, love, healing, and many other things are woven into the story.
A particularly beautiful part is the St. Therese book that Rachel reads. Little snippets from St. Therese's autobiography are included in the story, and Rachel finds the Little Flower's reflections on Love, love, the dark night of the soul, and suffering to be comforting at the very least. Through St. Therese's gentle words and the kind friendship of a priest, Rachel finds the courage to open herself to Love.
Common misconceptions about Catholicism, specifically about statues and saints, are neatly explained in a few words by Rachel's priest friend. As a cradle Catholic, I found that short exchange to be pretty boring, but I'm glad Michelle Buckman took the time to show that Catholics really don't worship saints or statues in any sense of the word.
Despite and partly because of the rich Catholicism in this book, it is by no means family-friendly. Dark subject material is dealt with, from drugs (both prescription and recreational) and murder to extra-marital affairs and sexual abuse of minors. While everything is handled with delicacy and there isn't any truly explicit material, I would definitely recommend an older person pre-read this for any young teenager.
The dark is illuminated by some bright spots and moments, however. Characters like Ricky and Father Jacobsen show Rachel true compassion and love, helping her through the darkest period in her already dark life. A few beautiful moments like one in the hospital and another in the library are touching, and serve to lighten the book with little glimmers of hope.
Unfortunately, I guessed the murderer. However, since that isn't a huge part of the book, I can overlook that. Ultimately, the book is about Rachel discovering what - and Who - love really is. When she does this, she's able to accept love - and Love - in her life. In the end, that's what everyone needs.
My Rating: MT (sexual content and references, thematic elements, drug abuse, severe family problems)
It seems trite to sum up an entire book with one word, especially a book as complex as this one, but I think an appropriate word to use in describing this book would be Love. On second thought, "Love" is correct, but "word" does not fit - "name" is better. Throughout the whole story, Rachel is searching for love, but not just everyday, happily-ever-after love; she's searching for Love, another name for God.
I didn't know quite what to expect from this book. In my experience, there are very few really Catholic novels out there. I knew authoress Michelle Buckman was Catholic before I started reading, but I thought perhaps she had diluted some of the Catholic elements she might have put in. I was wrong. While I don't think the Catholicism in this book would offend non-Catholics, Catholic teaching on suffering, love, healing, and many other things are woven into the story.
A particularly beautiful part is the St. Therese book that Rachel reads. Little snippets from St. Therese's autobiography are included in the story, and Rachel finds the Little Flower's reflections on Love, love, the dark night of the soul, and suffering to be comforting at the very least. Through St. Therese's gentle words and the kind friendship of a priest, Rachel finds the courage to open herself to Love.
Common misconceptions about Catholicism, specifically about statues and saints, are neatly explained in a few words by Rachel's priest friend. As a cradle Catholic, I found that short exchange to be pretty boring, but I'm glad Michelle Buckman took the time to show that Catholics really don't worship saints or statues in any sense of the word.
Despite and partly because of the rich Catholicism in this book, it is by no means family-friendly. Dark subject material is dealt with, from drugs (both prescription and recreational) and murder to extra-marital affairs and sexual abuse of minors. While everything is handled with delicacy and there isn't any truly explicit material, I would definitely recommend an older person pre-read this for any young teenager.
The dark is illuminated by some bright spots and moments, however. Characters like Ricky and Father Jacobsen show Rachel true compassion and love, helping her through the darkest period in her already dark life. A few beautiful moments like one in the hospital and another in the library are touching, and serve to lighten the book with little glimmers of hope.
Unfortunately, I guessed the murderer. However, since that isn't a huge part of the book, I can overlook that. Ultimately, the book is about Rachel discovering what - and Who - love really is. When she does this, she's able to accept love - and Love - in her life. In the end, that's what everyone needs.
My Rating: MT (sexual content and references, thematic elements, drug abuse, severe family problems)
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