Dreams to Dream

"Dreams to dream... in the dark of the night

When the world goes wrong

I can still make it right

I can see so far in my dreams,

I'll follow my dreams

Until they come true."



Like many, I was saddened to hear about the passing of James Horner last month.  Many have noted his Titanic and Braveheart scores, but the song that's playing over and over in my mind lately has been his "Dreams to Dream," the Oscar nominated song which Horner created with Will Jennings for Fievel goes West.  This scene made a lasting impression on me as a child.  And, lately, I've found myself humming it often.

 

 



Is it just me, or is this song overdue for a modern cover?  One can dream.

 

Happy Friday!

31 Days of Books: The Princess Bride

Title: The Princess Bride, or The Princess Bride: S. Morgenstern's Classic Tale of True Love and High Adventure: The "Good Parts" Version Abridged by William Goldman.

Author: William Goldman

Published: 1973

Year I read it: 2005

One sentence summary:  In parts fairy-tale, action, comedy, adventure, and romance, this is the all around epic story of Wesley's undying love for Buttercup, told as a faux-abridgement.

Three reasons to read it:

• "Faux-abridgement" means Goldman totally made up both the tale and S. Morgenstern's longer tale - his commentary about Morgenstern's commentary is fiction!  A wonderful play on meta ;)
• You thought the film was funny?  You ain't seen nothing yet!
• Goldman's style is a delight!  The book is charming.

One reason you maybe shouldn't:

• If you think the film just can't be topped (and don't want to be proven wrong), then don't read the book.  Much of the plot and characters are the same, but there are different details.

Great quotes:

"Has it got any sports in it?"
"Fencing. Fighting. Torture. Poison. True love. Hate. Revenge. Giants. Hunters. Bad men. Good men. Beautifulest ladies. Snakes. Spiders. Beasts of all natures and descriptions. Pain. Death. Brave men. Coward men. Strongest men. Chases. Escapes. Lies. Truths. Passion. Miracles."

“There have been five great kisses since 1642 B.C. when Saul and Delilah Korn's inadvertent discovery swept across Western civilization. (Before then couples hooked thumbs.) And the precise rating of kisses is a terribly difficult thing, often leading to great controversy, because although everyone agrees with the formula of affection times purity times intensity times duration, no one has ever been completely satisfied with how much weight each element should receive. But on any system, there are five that everyone agrees deserve full marks. Well, this one left them all behind.”

"Fool!" cried the hunchback. "You fell victim to one of the classic blunders. The most famous is 'Never get involved in a land war in Asia,' but only slightly less well known is this: 'Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line.'"
He was quite cheery until the iocane powder took effect.

"I mean, I really do think that love is the best thing in the world, except for cough drops."

The Princess Bride
S. Morgenstern's
Classic Tale of True Love
and High Adventure
You had to admire a guy who called his own new book a classic before it was published and anyone had a chance to read it.”

Restraint

I just want you all to be proud of me because:

   I will be in Boston till September 3rd


   Benedict Cumberbatch is in Toronto September 5th to walk the red carpet at the opening night of TIFF.  Three of his four fall films are premiering there - including The Fifth Estate which is headlining their opener.  He is wrapping up Sherlock S3 this week (WOOT!!) and starts filming The Imitation Game right after Toronto.  But I'm glad he's sneaking a bit of red carpet action in there.  $5 says his hair is both a different cut and color.


But I'm showing restraint (major restraint).  So be proud of me ;)

Moments

Sunsets and lightning strikes,
Honey-dewed bits of time.
Friends on holiday
take advantage
of summer air, lake,
and verdes--together,
like a free orchestra
for the eyes.
The wonder-seeker
on a student's budget needs
only enough to purchase berries,
baguettes and cheese
to create delight by dusk.
Pedantic conversations
well into the night
leave my soul feeling full.
Poets, political theorists,
pinners and playful children -
I get to count them all as friends.
Reluctant to bid goodbye
to sunny, adventurous days,
no pillow-time till 1 AM.
Or later still.
The mind races, weaving
memories from experiences.
These are moments.
Composed of more than minutes.
Pauses, glances round the table,
cloud watching, walks,
giggles and sighs--
if only we could bottle up
the sensation of summer
to crack open on a grey day
or frigid night.
I cannot say I have regrets.
"What is a weekend?"
But a chance to
sieze those summery days
and make the moments
belong to us.




[pc: Becca]

August means...

... Moving into my own place and starting a new season.

... Celebrating 1 year at my job.

... Finally getting to Shakespeare in the Park this Summer.

... Family Camp [aka - 5 days of Christmas!]

... Last "hurrah's" before friends and family head back to school.

... Multiple film clubs.

... Taking advantage of summer nights by the lake :)

... Celebrating family birthdays.

... An excursion to Boston to see Kristina - complete with a trip to Fenway and a day at Cape Cod!



August means splendid things.  Have a fantastic August!




[via]

Crossed some things off the Summer bucket-list today:

• See Avengers
• Go to a movie alone
• Booked hotel for the little Frankenstein weekend with the girls next week =)

Moonrise Kingdom = funny stuff!

"Was he a good dog?"

"Who's to judge?"

"I love you... but you have no idea what you're talking about."

Wes Anderson, thank you for a night full of laughs and beautiful art =)

So, I've mentioned this film before... but now the trailer is out!!

The Words:

Eeek! The plot reminds me of one of my favorite books (I don't want to spoil it by giving the title. Ash - wink wink), but I don't mind. Anyway... this just looks lovely =)

Ok... disney character I most identify with (especially tonight):

This adorable, semi-schizoid, scene stealer. I <3 Frank!

Oh gosh... love this guy!

"keys keys get the keys!" ;)

If I haven't said so already... I'm saying it now.
I'm SO excited for this film:



=)

Which looks better?

Snow White and the Huntsman
Directed by: Rupert Sanders
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron


A bit of a darker take on the Snow White tale. We have to ask ourselves, are we ok with giving up the 7 dwarves if we get Thor??


Release Date: 6.1.2012





Directed by: Tarem Singh
Starring: Julia Roberts, Lily Collins, Armie Hammer


A bit funnier, dwarves included, and this Snow White looks remarkably like Audrey Hepburn [post forthcoming].


Release Date: 3.16.2012

Coriolanus (2011)
Directed by Ralph Fiennes
Starring:
Ralph Fiennes
Gerard Butler
Vanessa Redgrave
Jessica Chastain [a new favorite of mine]

Gotta love creative Shakespeare adaptations =)

Ummm... just discovered Mars Hill "Film & Theology." Wow! One of their pastors is a film critic and analyzes current films in a church setting. I think I may need to visit. I am currently listening to their Inception discussion and loving it! I'll post more thoughts when I've finished =)

Watched 2 incredible films on my day off.

I took my sister to see The Help. It was as wonderful as everyone told me. Teared up off. Laughed more. But I loved how the film portrayed the impact stories could make.

I do have to say it was so odd to see Jessica Chastain in the role of Celia Foote--slightly different than her character in Tree of Life ;)

The other film I watched was 84 Charing Cross Road.

[Vintage movie poster]

It's the touching, true story of playwright and avid book-lover Helene Hanff and her correspondance with London Bookshop owner, Frank Doel.

[Marks & Co. - as it was then]

A dear friend of mine told me about the film before I left for England and I bought it thinking I would watch it on the plane. That did not end up happening, but while in London, I found myself on Charing Cross Road and snapped a picture of what is left of 84 Charing Cross Road

["84 Charing Cross Road - The Booksellers Marks & Co. were on this site
 which became world renowned through the book by Helen Hanff"]

I just adored the film. I mean: London, New York, bookshops, old books, incredible authors, friends, the 1960's... what more does a girl really want??

[Came across the first edition cover and just love it!]

Enjoy the long weekend!! Let me know if you see any especially good films =)

Just saw Terrence Malick's new film Tree of Life. Breathtaking film. A good portion of the film is a series of awe-inspiring images of creation. The movie was able to create poignant albeit awkward, self-conscious moments of silence.

There were so many incredible meetings of form and content, mostly surrounding the movies themes of light and such, but also in the way it was blatantly Christian. Over half of the lines in the film were directed toward God.

"When did you first touch my heart? Where do you live? Are you watching me?"

Jessica Chastain was absolutely fabulous and definitely out-shined her higher payed co-stars. She also delivered some of the most amazing, yet convicting lines:

"There are two ways through life: the way of nature and the way of grace. Grace doesn't try to please itself. Accepts being slighted, forgotten, disliked. Accepts insults and injuries. No one who loves the way of grace ever comes to a bad end."

"Love everyone, every leaf, every ray of light. Forgive."

Ok... ok, she is very much a romanticist. Maybe that's why I love her so much. But so much of what she says is so true.

If you want a good review of the film before seeing it, you can read a good one by Christian film-critic Jeffrey Overstreet. Here it is in part 1 and part 2.

If you see it (or if you already have), I'd love to hear your thoughts. I'm still processing so much and I'd love to hear other people's ideas and interpretations of meaning.

So... I just saw Fantastic Mr. Fox for the first time. Great movie... One of those beautifully random and creatively odd movies that have way deeper meanings than all of the hollywood formula ones put together. Plus it was funny :)

Well, I just wanted to share this one part. It's a toast that George Clooney makes that I reeeally liked:

"When I look down this table, with the exquisite feast set before us, I see: two terrific lawyers, a skilled pediatrician, a wonderful chef, a savvy real estate agent, an excellent tailor, a crack accountant, a gifted musician, pretty good minnow fisherman, and possibly the best landscape painter working on the scene today. Maybe a few of you might even read my column from time to time, Who knows? I tend to doubt it. I also see a room full of wild animals. Wild animals, with true natures and pure talents. Wild animals with scientific-sounding Latin names that mean something about our DNA. Wild animals each with his own strengths and weaknesses due to his or her species. Anyway, I think it may very well be all the beautiful differences among us that might just give us the tiniest glimmer of a chance of saving my nephew, and letting me make it up to you for getting us into this, this crazy... whatever it is. I don't know. It's just a thought. Thank you for listening. Cheers, everyone."

Beautiful, isn't it? Well, I'm off to have breakfast with my little sister in downtown kirkland, and we'll probably play scrabble :)

just saw Leap Year this weekend and i just had to say how refreshingly clean it was. No, it wasn't absolutely original. It was just cute and funny and beautiful! But most importantly it was clean! I so appreciate that... after all of the junk i've been wading through for my English class it was so pleasurable to sit down and think, "see, entertainment doesn't have to be dirty!" haha... there i said it! :)

loves

so....... i'm becoming more and more aware that one of the most beautiful things in the world is adoption! Two people taking a little person who belongs to no one and creating a place for them to belong. It such a close reflection of the Father's love! When I see little boys and girls who've been adopted, I usually want to cry... it's just so beautiful.

and this weekend I watched a movie called Bella and adoption is a key part of the story. Such a beautiful movie. And here is a link to this great song that went with it, by Joey Ryan. listen and enjoy

Gifted Hands

Just watched an incredible movie with my family - Gifted Hands. Cuba Gooding Jr. plays real life neuro-surgeon Ben Carson--a man who defied all odds. The son of a single black mom in Detroit in the 1960s, he overcame prejudice, scholastic obstacles and his own vices to become head of neuro-surgery at John Hopkins University. The film, based on Ben Carson's autobiography, was an amazing testimony to perseverance and faith!

Pretty much, I recommend it!