Random Movie Question #1: A Crazy Connection Between "Annie" and "Jurassic Park"?

   Here is a new blog series: "Random Movie Questions." Each one will ask a completely random, out-of-the-blue question, concerning films. So to start it off...
 
   I just recently re-watched the movie musical Annie and the adventure film The Lost World: Jurassic Park, and I realized a similarity.
   Does anyone else think that this guy...

Albert Finney as Oliver Warbucks, "Annie"

   ...looks a lot like this guy?

Pete Postlethwaite as Roland Tembo, "The Lost World: Jurassic Park"

   Two different actors, of course, but to me, they seem incredibly similar. And I just noticed this!

2015 Academy Award Predictions

   With yet another Oscar ceremony on Sunday night, many have noticed that the Best Picture nominees are not that popular among moviegoers. And there have been quite a few surprises (The LEGO Movie not getting nominated for Best Animated Picture being just one).
   So here is how I believe the Oscars will turn out:

Best Picture
Boyhood – Richard Linklater and Cathleen Sutherland

Best Director
Richard Linklater – Boyhood

Best Actor
Michael Keaton – Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) as Riggan Thomson / Birdman
(could be Eddie Redmayne as Stephen Hawking)

Best Actress
Rosamund Pike – Gone Girl as Amy Elliott-Dunne

Best Supporting Actor
J. K. Simmons – Whiplash as Terence Fletcher

Best Supporting Actress
Patricia Arquette – Boyhood as Olivia Evans

Best Original Screenplay
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) – Alejandro González Iñárritu, Nicolás
(could be Boyhood)

Best Adapted Screenplay
American Sniper – Jason Hall from American Sniper by Chris Kyle, Scott McEwen and Jim DeFelice

Best Animated Feature Film
How to Train Your Dragon 2 – Dean DeBlois and Bonnie Arnold
(could be Big Hero 6)

Best Foreign Language Film
Ida (Poland) in Polish  – Paweł Pawlikowski

Best Documentary – Feature
Last Days in Vietnam – Rory Kennedy and Keven McAlester

Best Documentary – Short Subject
White Earth – J. Christian Jensen

Best Live Action Short Film
   I honestly have no guess as to how this category will turn out...

Best Animated Short Film
Feast – Patrick Osborne and Kristina Reed
(could be The Bigger Picture)

Best Original Score
   I think it's a toss up between:
The Grand Budapest Hotel – Alexandre Desplat
and
Interstellar – Hans Zimmer

Best Original Song
"Glory" from Selma – Music and Lyric by John Legend and Common

Best Sound Editing
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) – Martin Hernández and Aaron Glascock

Best Sound Mixing
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) – Jon Taylor, Frank A. Montaño and Thomas Varga

Best Production Design
   I think it's a toss up between
The Grand Budapest Hotel – Adam Stockhausen (Production Design); Anna Pinnock (Set Decoration)
and
Interstellar – Nathan Crowley (Production Design); Gary Fettis (Set Decoration)
and
Into the Woods – Dennis Gassner (Production Design); Anna Pinnock (Set Decoration)

Best Cinematography
Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) – Emmanuel Lubezki

Best Makeup and Hairstyling
The Grand Budapest Hotel – Frances Hannon and Mark Coulier

Best Costume Design
   I think it's a toss up between...
The Grand Budapest Hotel – Milena Canonero
and
Into the Woods – Colleen Atwood

Best Film Editing
Boyhood – Sandra Adair

Best Visual Effects
Interstellar – Paul Franklin, Andrew Lockley, Ian Hunter and Scott Fisher

   Well, that's what I think will happen at the Academy Awards this year. But who knows? Will Meryl Streep get her fourth Oscar? Will "Everything Is Awesome" actually win? Will American Sniper beat Boyhood for Best Picture? I suppose I just have to wait until Sunday night.

Fairytales Triumphed 2014

   Last year, Disney released two fairytale-based films: Maleficent and Into the Woods. The first is a twist on their classic Sleeping Beauty film, this time told from the villain's perspective. The latter is a movie version of the 1987 Broadway musical. I believe that these two films were the most important movies of 2014. Why?
   First, they both hold some valuable morals and lessons we can take from them. In Maleficent, the title character is entrapped in anger and bitterness after being betrayed by her love. The once-joyous fairy becomes the "mistress of all evil." Yet, her story doesn't end there...she grows in fondness of the Princess Aurora, whom she cursed as an infant. Through her motherly love for the girl, Maleficent is redeemed from evil. All people are sinners, but that does not necessarily have to be the end for our stories. Through the selfless love of Jesus Christ, we can be redeemed, and brought into a relationship with God.
   Maleficent also gave an example of the importance and power of motherhood. In connection with that, Into the Woods had a great emphasis on the importance of fathers (which is lacking in much of the media today).
   The Baker in the film was deserted by his father as a small boy. Many years later, he almost makes the same mistake with his own infant son. However, his father's ghost implores him to "not make the same mistake [he] did." The Baker returns to his child and decides to tell him the story that is Into the Woods. He sets about the scary, exciting, and wonderful journey of being a father.
   America is a culture where we can wish for just about anything. We can often get our wishes through hard work and perseverance, but do we ever stop to wonder the consequences of our wishes? Into the Woods uses nearly all of the two-hour screen time to answer that question. Our desires may seem good to us, but sometimes they have consequences, big and small. Achieving our dreams is not always a bad thing, but we should be aware of what will happen to those around us. To take an example from Into the Woods, Jack climbs a tall beanstalk and steals gold from a giant. He is chased, but chops down the beanstalk, killing the giant. Happy ending, right? Well, just wait: a second beanstalk is accidentally grown, and the giant's wife comes down in search of Jack. In doing so, she causes earthquakes across the kingdom and destroys much of the forest. Jack persevered to get his wishes, but it caused pain and loss for many other people (and eventually caused loss for himself).
   So, yes, Into the Woods had a number of flaws, and Maleficent did lack in a few areas, but I feel these films were the best of 2014. As a fan of J.R.R. Tolkien's books, I must say that I loved The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, but in honesty, I believe the other two films did far better in conveying morals.

You can read Family-in-Mind's reviews for the films by clicking the links below:
Maleficent
Into the Woods

The Films of 2015: A Look Ahead

 With 2014 as a "disappointing" year for Hollywood ticket collectors, there is much to look forward to in 2015. So what are my most anticipated movie moments for 2015?
   Coming out January 23 is the animated film Strange Magic. What makes me awaiting it? Two things: 1) it is inspired by Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream (a personal favorite of mine), and 2) it is the first film since 2012 that George Lucas (Star Wars series, Indiana Jones series, Red Tails) will be producing and writing the script for.
   February 20 will see the release of Disney's new sports drama McFarland, USA, about a 1980s Latino cross country team from McFarland, California. I am particularly interested in seeing Kevin Costner in the role of the coach. Last year, Costner returned to acting in sports films with Draft Day. Any fan of Field of Dreams will always connect him with a drama film that has sports themes.
   Next, March 13 is set to be when Disney's Cinderella will come to theaters. While I have never been a fan of the original cartoon, this new adaption interests me for a few reasons. One reason is that there are two actresses in the film who are also stars in the popular Downton Abbey television series. Also, this film will include the acting talents of Helena Bonham-Carter (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Les Miserables, Great Expectations), another favorite of mine, as the fairy godmother. Besides, Disney has recently made Maleficent, a live-action adaption of Sleeping Beauty, from the villain's perspective. I enjoyed that film and I hope to enjoy this one also.
   In the past decade, Marvel Comics has become immensely famous for their super hero movies. 2012's The Avengers broke box office records. On May 1, the sequel, Avengers: Age of Ultron, will likely be another box office success. This is certainly one of the most highly anticipated films of 2015 worldwide.
    A few weeks later, Disney will release Tomorrowland. To be honest, I do not know a lot about this film, but judging from the trailer, it looks like it will be decent. From what I have heard, it will be a wonderful new adventure film from Disney.
   As a huge fan of the Jurassic Park trilogy, I was wildly excited when a fourth film was announced. Jurassic World (June 12) will feature all new actors, set in a fully-operational dinosaur theme park named Jurassic World. Already I've seen the trailer, which features velociraptors, a water dinosaur, and a brachiosaurus herd.
   A week later, yet another Disney film will be released. Inside Out is an animated film about the emotions living inside a young girl. While there are lots of ways Disney could mess this up, I really am interested in what they will do with it.
   Ant-Man is Marvel's second film of 2015. Very few have heard of Ant-Man, but he is an Avenger in the comics, who has the ability to shrink and grow (not to mention control ants!). The trailer doesn't appear amazing, but I still can't wait to see the film.
   Pan will tell the "origins story" of Peter Pan and how he came to the magical Neverland. I love origin and back-story films, and this one looks like it will be relatively family-friendly. Besides, Hugh Jackman is going to play Blackbeard. How can anyone argue with that?
   On August 7, another Marvel film will be released: The Fantastic Four. I did see the original (though not the sequel), and I was largely unimpressed. I hope that Marvel does a better job on this remake than they did with the older one.
   In September, Jake Gyllenhaal and Keira Knightly will be starring in Everest. This is a true story film based on the events of a 1996 disaster in which some climbers died. I am half-expecting this to be given an R rating (primarily for language, I would assume), but I really would like it to be cleaner. If you've never heard of those actors above, just watch The Day After Tomorrow, Pride & Prejudice, and the first Pirates of the Carribbean film. Gyllenhaal and Knightly are both excellent actors.
   Moving into November, one of the films I look forward to the most is The Peanuts Movie. As an avid Peanuts fan, I am so thrilled to see a new movie. This will be the first one without involvement of creator Charles M. Schulz, though his son will work on the film.
   Finally, my most anticipated film of 2015 (and perhaps worldwide): Star Wars: The Force Awakens. In recent years, we have seen reboots of classic series from the 70s and 80s. However, the seventh Star Wars episode could very well be the most popular of the decade. It will feature the acting talents of the original actors, as well as some new faces. Also, it will include actor Andy Serkis (Gollum, from The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies).

   These are the films I look forward to the most. How would your list differ from mine?
 

Some Favorite Musical Characters, Part I: Men Stars

   When it comes to musical movies, we get a good dose of men characters. Whether they are villains or heroes, many of the men of musicals have really interesting stories and lives. Below are my favorite men characters from musicals (Part II will be the women, of course)...

   To start off, what list would be complete without Tevye from Fiddler on the Roof? As a Jew during some antisemitic times in Russia, he is merely trying to (in his own words) "scratch out a simple tune" in his life. He may often bicker with his wife, but deep down, he knows he loves her, even though they never met until the wedding day.
   But it also isn't easy with five children being daughters, all of whom he must marry off without any dowries. Marrying daughters as a poor farmer is not small task!
   Tevye dreams of having wealth to provide for his family..."if I were a rich man..."
   Yet throughout all of the cultural and family changes, Tevye never wavers from his devotion to his faith. He loves his faith and he loves the LORD of the Jews, Yahweh. And even when he is forced from his homeland, he is caring for his family and, for those who have seen the film, continues to scratch out his musical tune.

   Next on the list is Jean Valjean, the famous protagonist from the 1980's musical Les Miserables. Coming out of crime, he finds himself in a relationship with God, his Creator and Lord.
   When you first see Valjean, he is a hardened thief who has certainly not found favor with the police. He does finally leave prison and Providentially stumbles upon a Bishop who shows mercy and love to Valjean.
   After Jean Valjean converts to religion, he runs from his criminal past and becomes a respectable mayor. In otherwords, religion turned his life around, being a major turning point for him.
   But when he indirectly causes the termination of a young woman's job, he discovers this same woman sunk into the depths of the French underworld: prostitution. After realizing how he played a part in this, he takes this woman Fantine to the hospital. Upon Fantine's death, he travels to find a daughter she left behind.
   In a beautiful picture I relate to Christ's sacrificial love and salvation, Valjean rescues little Cosette from the greedy clutches of a guardian inkeeper, Thenardier. Just as Christ rescued believers from gritty sin, Valjean saved Cosette from this gritty innkeeper and his loathsome wife.
   Years later, he finds himself sympathetic with the love Cosette has for a young man named Marius. He rescues this Marius from near-death in the French Revolution. But his criminal life of the past is catching up, as he pursued by the police inspector Javert. To protect the reputation of his daughter (and soon her husband), Valjean leaves his precious adopted girl.
   And still, he finds forgiveness in his God and dies into the glory of the LORD.

   Third, there is the Beast from Disney's classic Beauty and the Beast. One may ask, "How does a monster of a beast show and gain the love of a young woman?" It isn't possible, right? Wrong!
   In the beginning, he is a prideful, arrogant prince who refuses refuge to an old woman. This woman was actually a beautiful enchantress, who curses the Prince and his castle.
   Many years later, Belle, the beautiful daughter of an inventor, comes upon the castle of the Beast. At first, she becomes his prisoner. But soon, she finds that he may not be as bad as she once believed.
   The Beast is one of my favorite Broadway men because of his conflicted nature. Most of my favorite literary characters, actually, have conflicted natures. The Beast is torn between his despair over the circumstances of his life and the love he might feel for Belle.
   You can tell he doesn't want to fall into despair, but in his song If I Can't Love Her, he realizes that the curse may be upon him for all his life.
   But at the end, he does find his dreams come true. Belle's new dreams come true and the two have a true "happily ever after."

   Ah, yes. Who has not heard of The Sound of Music? As one of the most popular plays and movies of all time, this film has great plots, music, and characters. The main man is Capt. Georg von Trapp.
   A former Austrian naval captain, this widower has the difficulty of raising seven children, ages ranging from sixteen ("going on seventeen") to five.
   Still embittered from the loss of his spouse, the Captain treats his children more like navy recruits than, well, children. Apart from his family, he does find a spark of love in Baroness Schraider, a wealthy woman of Vienna.
   On top of all this, he and his children live in Austria during the late 1930's, which is the same time Nazi Germany merged with the Austrian empire. The world he loves is falling under the power to the men whom he despises.
   And yet, despite all odds, he falls in love with the governess of his children, Maria, rather than the wealthy Baroness. The two are, as Anne of Green Gables would say, "kindred spirits."
   Georg has some bitter and grief, but he finds a way to come through. His story in The Sound of Music displays the true power God has put into love.

   Next is Oliver Warbucks from the 70s musical Annie. When one thinks of a Great Despression-era billionaire, you don't usually tend to connect that image with a scrawny little orphan girl. But still, "Daddy" Warbucks adopts "little orphan Annie."
   Warbucks is quite the match for the word "capitalist." He certainly is not in agreement with the democratic President Franklin Roosevelt. But even the love of money can change into something else. For Oliver Warbucks, he finds a fatherly love for Annie.
   Even a billionaire can break their hard exterior for the right people.

   Of course, my list does include the King of Siam from the Oscar-Hammerstein musical The King and I.
   In the words of a song from said-same play, "This is a man who thinks with his heart, his heart is not always wise. This is a man who stumbles and falls, but this is a man who tries. This is a man you'll forgive and forgive..."
   Just as with Capt. von Trapp, the King of Siam lives in a world that is falling into chaos, all around him. The British Empire is continually seeking to grab new territories, scientific progress is at a peak season, and slavery is being eliminated from most of the world. But the King is in turmoil over whether he shall hold to the old ways of Siam (the old ways of his ancestors) or if he will completely join ranks in the new and more modern world.
   Yet with all of his faults, such as a hot temper, once the King pledges his loyalty to something, he is loyal.

   Finally, there is Harold Hill, the title character of Meredith Wilson's musical The Music Man. Hill's is a classic tale of shady backgrounds, but a life that is changed through love and caring for people.
   Harold Hill comes to a smaller town in Iowa, claiming that he is going to start a boys' band for all the school boys of the town.
   Little do the residents suspect, Hill is planning to get their money and fly the coop. His plan is going without a hitch, but then something happens: he meets Marian "the librarian."
   Because of his love for Marian, and also for the rest of the citizens, Harold Hill stays and does bring the boys' band to fruition.

   And these are my favorite musical men. How does your list compare to mine? Comment below.

Robin Williams: 1951-2014

   Good Morning, Vietnam
   Aladdin
   A.I. Artificial Intelligence
   Dead Poets Society
   Hook
   Night at the Museum
   Jumanji
   The Butler

July 21, 1951 - August 11, 2014

   What do all of these films have in common? The comedian-actor Robin Williams starred in each one of them, as either leading or supporting characters. He gave the iconic voice to the Genie of Aladdin, brought Theodore Roosevelt to life, flew the skies as Peter Pan, became President Eisenhower, and escaped from a magical board game in Jumanji. Also, he made millions of Americans smile and giggle during nearly all of his film and stage performances.
   Sadly, the actor was announced dead today, at sixty-three years of age. His talent and skills will be missed, though we can still look back and smile at his comedy (and also serious) performances.
   So goodbye, Genie; Teddy Roosevelt; Peter Pan; Prof. Phillip Brainard; Dwight D. Eisenhower; Alan Parrish; John Keating; Adrian Cronauer.
   As a small homage to him, here are just two profound quotes of his:
   "No matter what people tell you, words and ideas can change the world."
   "You're only given a little spark of madness. You mustn't lose it."
   Now, of course, much can be said and discussed of his relationships, addictions, and beliefs. However much I might disagree with some aspects of his beliefs or life, just take a moment to remember an actual living being who died and to remember his accomplishments.
   Also, this is a chance to reflect on how life is but a burning straw...gone in an instant, compared to eternity. We are here on earth for a main purpose: to glorify the Creator God. Our lives are just a drop in the bucket of eternity, yet the Lord can use them in mind-blowing ways!

Flubber

Aladdin

Dead Poets Society

Jumanji

Night at the Museum

                                                 
                       

The Butler

                                                                                                                         

Hook

Revenge of the Directors

   Some of you might have noticed a "Twitter war" between director J.J. Abrams (Lost, Star Trek: Into Darkness, and the upcoming Star Wars Episode VII) and Zack Snyder (Man of Steel and the upcoming Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice).

 The whole thing began when Snyder posted a photo of Superman dressed as a Sith Lord...

...and now J.J. Abrams has recently tweeted this Bat-3PO photo:











 


 

   (Of course, there are a few other pictures that you can find on either of the directors' Twitter pages)
   So it's now Master Abrams vs. Darth Snyder. Harmless fun, of course, but now we have the Revenge of the Directors going on. Who needs a seventh Star Wars film or a Superman vs. Batman movie when we've got a great plot lined up right now?!
   The question is, when will Zack Snyder strike back? "Wonder Leia?" "I am your father" featuring Superman and his father? There are a couple of ideas. Now we just have to wonder how long this duel will last and what will come next for the directors far, far away...