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28 Thursday May 2015
Posted Movie/TV, Out and About, Sports
in28 Thursday May 2015
Posted Movie/TV, Out and About, Sports
inNotice: Off the Syllabus OBU is no longer active.
04 Monday May 2015
Posted Movie/TV
inTags
An Unexpected Journey, Dr. Kerry Chadwick, Hobbit, J. R. R. Tolkien, Lord of the Rings, The Battle of the Five Armies, The Desolation of Smaug, There and Back Again
An Unexpected Party
(Photo Courtesy of Jeff Hitchcock on Flickr)
By Dr. Kerry Chadwick
Edited by Abigail Chadwick
Editor’s note: This article covers The Hobbit and some of the ways that the book is similar to and different from the movies. This article also covers some of the lessons that we can learn from The Hobbit about life, death, and our journey through life. This article is written from a Christian perspective on life after death. (For the few people who are out of the loop – as I sometimes find myself – The Hobbit was originally published in 1937 by J. R. R. Tolkien and when they finally decided to make a movie of it in the early 2000s, as a prequel to the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the film was broken into two parts and then, (after many, many, many delays in production) into three parts: An Unexpected Journey released in 2012, The Desolation of Smaug released in 2013, and The Battle of the Five Armies released in 2014).
The Hobbit, the book, is about a hobbit. One might argue that the book is so much more than just about a hobbit and, when one sees the depth of the story, this is hard to dispute, after all life is more than one individual. Indeed the book itself ends with, “You are a very fine person, Mr. Baggins, and I am very fond of you; but you are only quite a little fellow in a wide world after all!” And yet, you only have to read the first paragraph in the book to understand that the book is merely about the life of one hobbit and what he experienced on a remarkable journey. The book is descriptive of who this hobbit, Bilbo Baggins, is and does not present the big picture of middle earth. Everything is about him, and how he leaves comfort for the “nasty disturbing uncomfortable” adventure. Forsaking his home which was “Not a nasty, dirt, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms . . . it was a hobbit-hole, and that means comfort.”
The movies on the other hand are not simply about the life of one hobbit. The movies are concerned with the grand overview of the story. In particular, the producers wanted to tie up all the loose ends so that the viewer sees The Hobbit’s connections to the Lord of the Rings trilogy. In fact if the viewer had not seen the Lord of the Rings first, they would find the extra information superfluous. The added information lacks meaning outside of the overarching story and does little to advance the plot of The Hobbit.
Now, another difference between the book and the films that comes perhaps as a result of the attempt to tie up all the loose ends is in the reader/viewer’s understanding of the purpose of the adventure. For the reader, the reason for the adventure is not understood right away. Like Bilbo, the reader discovers the depths of what is happening as the story unfolds. However, in the movies the viewer is given an overview of the reasons for going to the Mountain before they really know anything else, things are relatively understood right from the beginning.
In addition to the different perspective (a single character vs. an overarching view), the movies add some detail and artistic license that is not present in any of the books. For instance Azog, the pale orc, and his history with Thorin. In the movies he is one of the primary antagonists, but in the books mention of him is brief. The primary reason for this discrepancy occurs during the Battle of Azanulbizar (also called the Battle of Nanduhirion), an event which serves as backstory for both the book and the movies. In the book Azog is killed in this battle. In the movies however he survives the battle, having only lost an arm, and goes on to relentlessly pursue the protagonists throughout their journey.
Nonetheless, with very few exceptions the story line in the movies follows the story line in the book. The big difference is in the perspective. The book is from Bilbo’s perspective and the movies are from the perspective of one looking over the scene as it happens. Given the uniquely difficult challenge of presenting a movie from the perspective of an individual, it is no wonder that it was done this way.
Even so, in the book we do not see the grand scheme, instead we see the story from Bilbo’s view. His view is one that grows and expands as the story unfolds. Much like the life of a teenager who is moving out into the world and beginning to see life for the first time. At first it is all about them, but as time marches on they begin to see more of the bigger picture in life. The Hobbit embodies life and death. We see life celebrated throughout it. The master story-teller Tolkien presents this life to us.
Life, in fiction or reality, is a journey full of detours and dangers. Life is precious, fragile, and easily comes to an end. Life in an earthly body always comes to an end. Hebrews 9:27 says, “In as must as it is appointed unto men to die once, after this comes the judgment.” But even though there is a finality to death, hope is found in the continued journey beyond death. We can have hope because we know there is an afterlife. It is that which lies beyond death that gives life meaning. Life is important, and we can do a lot, but our purpose comes from beyond this life. Because, life is more than us. Our journey is not just a walk through life but is part of a grander walk. It is the walk of creation moving through time.
In The Hobbit, we see Bilbo moving along in the journey of life and with age and experience Bilbo begins to see the importance of life. Would Bilbo have started his journey if he had known the trials along the way? How many of us would continue forward if we knew the suffering we would have to go through? The Bilbo of the movies would have gone forward and the Bilbo of the book would have stayed behind. Looking back on the struggles, he sees that they have made him into who he is. If he had known ahead of time what he knows at the end, it would have been too scary for him to move forward, but looking back on it he is thankful and at peace with what his experiences have made him out to be.
Overall, the impression that the movies leave with the viewer is quite different from what a first time reader (with no prior exposure to the story) would experience. Although both experiences are unique and vastly different, neither the journey for the reader nor the journey for the viewer are unpleasant. To the contrary both the book and the movies are worth the time, money, and effort of experiencing them. Few books or movies are equal to The Hobbit, and the experience is made even better by completing the story by reading (or watching) the Lord of the Rings trilogy (comprised of The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King).
Featured Image: Courtesy of cafuego on Flickr)
(Photo27 Monday Apr 2015
Posted Movie/TV
inTags
(Photo Courtesy of chop1n on Flickr)
By Abigail Chadwick
Edited by Bethany Blue
Editor’s Note: Spoiler Alert: this article covers The Flash through episode 19.
CW’s new show The Flash premiered on October 7, 2014. In it, we follow the Flash (aka Barry Allen, a character introduced in Arrow season 2 episode 8-9, another series on CW) and his journey to becoming a hero after being stuck by lighting. Starting in Arrow, the mysteries of Barry Allen are introduced. In solving these mysteries, the plot is progressing slowly. Like many action/superhero TV shows, every episode has a villain/problem that must be conquered, and like any mystery, we get another breadcrumb.
The primary mystery is the true murderer of Nora Allen (Barry’s mother). Henry Allen (Barry’s father) was imprisoned for the crime and Barry has devoted his life to freeing and exonerating Henry. After 19 episodes they finally figured out who killed Nora, sort-of. Since episode 9 they have known that the perpetrator was the reverse flash and since episode 17 they have known that their “ally” Harrison Wells is the reverse flash. However, in the most recent episode (Who Is Harrison Wells?) they learn what we as viewers found out in episode 17, that Harrison Wells has been dead for fifteen years.
Now we have known since the first episode that the fake Harrison Wells was from the future. We also know that he came back to kill Barry as a child (episode 15) and that he is trapped in the past without Barry’s speed (episode 17). However, while the viewer knows more than the characters, every new piece of information answers some questions and asks many more.
This slow progression of suspenseful breadcrumbs can be very frustrating, but it is also why The Flash stays so engaging. Like any good TV show, the need for answers keeps viewers coming back week after week. The visual effects, casting, succession of new meta-humans, and constant connections to the rest of the DC universe make The Flash good, but the suspense and mystery are what make it irresistible.
13 Monday Apr 2015
Posted Movie/TV
inWatching…
(Photo Courtesy of Patrishe)
By Abigail Chadwick
Edited by Bethany Blue
Editor’s Note: This article advocates the benefit and “point” of pointless and mindless entertainment. Particularly with regards to college students who are ideally spending most of their time doing mentally strenuous activities and have limited spare time for other things.
I believe that there is a point to “pointless” (or “mindless”) entertainment. That is not to say that all entertainment should be that way, certainly people today, more than ever, need to think more and expand their brain power, exploring the capacities of their mind. However, in today’s non-stop going, going, going environment it is all too easy for unhealthy amounts of stress to build up inside a person. There is a great benefit to taking some down-time to relax and unwind every once in a while. I think that the some of the most effective activities to engage in during such down-time are activities in which you don’t really have to think. I also agree with the old saying that laughter is the best medicine (or one of the best medicines) especially for dealing with stress. Thus I hold that one of the best ways of unwinding and dealing with stress involves engaging in activities that do not require you to think, and that have a good probability of inducing laughter. “Pointless” entertainment often meets both these qualifications. Thus, “pointless” entertainment is one of the best ways to unwind and rid yourself of stress.
They say that laughter is the best medicine. While some would try to argue that this is merely a myth, an old wives tale, a superstition, it is actually a scientific fact – laughing improves your overall health (to qualify we are referring to laughter that occurs on a regular basis, not laugher that happens once every 10 years). There are many documented health benefits to laughter including, most notably for our purposes, reducing stress. This occurs regardless of whether the laugher is induced by crude humor or not, but it is my opinion that avoidance of crude humor would be prudent. Regardless, “pointless” humorous entertainment materials abound in our society, particularly due to the wonders of the internet and having the world at our fingertips. Our current state of society makes finding a few chuckles a day fairly easy. Many of these funny moments, quotes, pictures, etc. are either from a “pointless” source and/or are themselves considered pointless. However, this negative view of them does not negate their ability to benefit us.
It is not difficult to find people who stand against “pointless” entertainment and they have some valid points. They recognize that “pointless” entertainment doesn’t have a point that one has to think through and discover, it doesn’t really engage the mind, and it is often full of crude and unhelpful materials (garbage some would say). However, for the most part these opponents avoid recognizing the benefits of “pointless” entertainment. While I certainly agree that it is a worthwhile pursuit to try and do everything in life with meaning, I still feel there is a place for things that are not necessarily meaningful on a deep level (or rather, the lack of deep meaning behind pointless entertainment gives it a deeper meaning and value with regards to relaxation).
To be clear I highly value thinking and pursuing excellence in the various matters of the mind. I think this is a value that we are losing in modern society. However, I firmly believe that the mind, like the body needs periodic rest to avoid over-stressing it, particularly for college students. While some may scoff at the idea of a brain – a super computer in its own right – being over stressed, the brain is like a muscle and while yes it can be trained and toned to accomplish amazing feats, it also needs to have periods of rest, something fairly easily accomplished by sleeping. However, most people can’t just go around taking naps willy-nilly; even when a person doesn’t have anything to do at the moment, they are often still “on-call” as it were, to other tasks or responsibilities. Also even if that is not the case in a particular instance, in my experience most people tend to look down on sleeping for great chunks of the day.
This is where the so-called “mindless” entertainment comes in. By definition mindless entertainment is entertainment that doesn’t really engage the mind, doesn’t force it to work to understand or figure out things. This could take the form of staring at a wall, or at anything really (people, buildings, the ocean, a light fixture, etc.), but most would not consider such an activity to be entertainment. Which is why people generally associate “mindless entertainment” with certain TV shows and/or movies. However, as I stated before I feel that there is not only a place for, but also a benefit to “mindless” entertainment. Watching a show that doesn’t engage your mind – that isn’t some documentary, or news piece, or really deep show – can give the mind a small break from its workload, while still being active enough to be ready for tasks that may come up. Watching such a show can also be a low-pressure social activity, a way to spend time with people without the pressures of having to make good conversation.
My point is that there are benefits to that which people often consider “mindless” entertainment. People may call it “pointless,” but I feel that these benefits (unwinding, mental break, laughter) are the point. Thus, there is a point to “pointless” entertainment.
30 Monday Mar 2015
Posted Movie/TV
inTags
Cate Blanchett, Cinderella, Cinderella 2015, Ella, fairy tale, Lady Tremaine, Lily James, Richard Madden
Cinderella Glass Slipper
(Photo Courtesy of TSTS Sheng)
By Abigail Chadwick
Edited by Bethany Blue
The much anticipated 2015 Cinderella was released March 15, and it didn’t disappoint. The movie offered a fresh look at a much loved classic fairy tale. As expected from a life action adaptation the plot was developed a bit more complexly than the familiar 1950 cartoon version. In addition to a more complex plot the 2015 Cinderella brought us more developed characters; specifically Cinderella, the stepmother, and Prince Charming.
Cinderella has always represented a mature and strong character, and Ella (played by Lily James) brings this out well. This strength and maturity comes out especially in her relationship to paternal figures, obviously seen most frequently in her interactions with her stepmother.
The stepmother, Lady Tremaine (played by Cate Blanchett) was also more developed. Rather than representing her as a stereotypical cruel stepmother, this rendition let us see more into her thoughts as a woman struggling through her circumstances. We saw more of the reasons behind her progression to her cruel treatment of Ella. This rendition brings out more clearly her jealousy of Ella, jealousy of Ella’s beauty and her relationship with her father. There is even a scene towards the end of the film where she discusses this with Ella and explains her struggles and jealousy. Fortunately, though she is a much more developed character, she is still strongly portrayed as an antagonist in the story. It was quite satisfying to gain more development without sacrificing the essence of her role in the story.
The character that experience the most development from the 1950 version was Prince Charming, Kit (played by Richard Madden). In the 1950 Cinderella, Prince Charming was little more than a generic placeholder, but in the 2015 version he has a much more active role. Not only do we see more of him (in his interactions with Ella and members of the court), but his actions are given more meaning and depth than in the 1950 version.
This new version of Cinderella brought in wonderful casting, beautiful costumes and sets, a strong plot, more developed characters, and a little bit of the story magic that brings fairy tales to life. It was undoubtedly a success.
02 Monday Mar 2015
Posted Movie/TV
inTags
By Annika Tolley
Edited by Abigail Chadwick
My roommate and I have recently gotten into the show Once Upon a Time (OUAT). I love fairy tales, so when our friend introduced us to Snow White, Prince Charming, the Evil Queen, and Rumpelstiltskin, I was amazed at the show’s creativity. I find it fascinating how they have connected and developed the characters from the Disney stories into real, deep, complex people that you can’t help loving – or hating, depending on the episode.
The story begins in two realms: a small town in Maine, called Storybrooke, and a wondrous land by the name of the Enchanted Forest. A boy named Henry travels to Boston to find Emma, his birth mother, and convinces her to journey back to Storybrooke with him. According to a book of fairytales Henry has, all the inhabitants of the town are actually fairytale characters who once lived in the Enchanted Forest; because of a curse, they were sent to the real world, a world with no happy endings. Emma is the key to undoing the curse and returning the real memories of the townspeople. In every episode, the characters develop and change, and we – the audience – come to understand and sympathize with them in ways I never thought were possible.
(Photo Courtesy of Sarah Roth on Flickr)
We don’t usually watch a whole lot of TV, but we’re hooked on this show. We make references to it all the time, and each have the characters that are most like us picked out. I’ve never really watched complete TV shows, but I’ve really enjoyed how much longer than a movie OUAT is. There’s a twist or cliffhanger in every single episode, which keeps it so exciting and engaging. One thing I really like is that the actors aren’t regular movie stars, which really helps me not have any preconceived ideas about the characters and their personalities based on who plays them.
The ideas the writers come up with for each and every episode are incredible. I would highly recommend this show to anyone. Even my roommate, who doesn’t like fantasy or fairytales, loves OUAT just as much as I do. I seriously can’t wait for the next episode to come out, so we can cheer on Emma, Henry, the Charmings, and the villains as they take on the world again.
Updated: May 4, 2015 – photo attribution
12 Thursday Feb 2015
Posted Movie/TV
inTags
(Photo Courtesy of Miguel Angel Aranda (Viper) on Flickr)
By Abigail Chadwick
Edited by Bethany Blue
Released by The Wachowskis, best know for the Matrix franchise, Jupiter Ascending has been anticipated for quite some time, particularly since its release was delayed by nine months. However, Jupiter Ascending in general has received fairly poor reviews since last Friday’s release. Most reviewers acknowledge that the movie was entertaining and had a good premise, but ultimately it failed to create a deep connection with viewers.
The movie follows the classic journey structure. A character starts off in their ordinary world, they receive a call to adventure, they go through a series of trials and tests, they gain something, and then they finally return to their ordinary world, changed.
Jupiter Jones starts off as a young cleaning lady on Earth who often says “I hate my life.” Through a bizarre turn of events she is targeted by aliens and discovers that she is in fact royalty, the reincarnation of the former matriarch of the House of Abrasax. She flees Earth and is drawn into an inheritance fight between three Abrasax heirs – each of whom has been alive for thousands of years. She learns that the Earth will eventually be “harvested” and the humans used to create a serum that maintains youth. She then sets out to try to protect her home by whatever means she can. At the end of the movie she has had a taste of adventure and has grown more appreciative of her own life, gaining a sense of fulfillment.
Telescope
(Photo Courtesy of Paul L on Flickr)
While Jupiter Ascending certainly follows this basic journey structure, many of the deeper elements and character changes of the story are not presented clearly enough to be understood, or they are presented so blatantly that their significance is lost. While the settings and scenery are wonderfully done they are often exaggerated to unnecessary proportions. With the action and dialogue so blatantly telling what is happening, little is left for the viewer to guess. Also, most of the minor conflicts in the story are not satisfactorily explained nor are they resolved. Most criticized, is that there is not sufficient build-up in the character’s relationships. We do not see the complexity of the characters’ inner struggles and emotions. We do however, see changes in their opinions towards each other, but really don’t know why those changes happened. This is especially true in the relationship between Jupiter and Caine, which while truly compelling and beautiful becomes flat, confusing, and unrealistic as a result of this lack of development.
These problems make distinguishing the deeper elements of the story nearly impossible. In order to even perceive the weighty parts in the story line, the viewer must not get solely distracted by the glaring visual effects and explosions. Conversely, there are truly deep elements being revealed, but are not adequately explored or explained. So while there are many wonderful aspects to the movie, they don’t strike a strong enough balance to fully engage the viewer. Instead, these aspects often leave the viewer confused, or worse, bored.
All in all the movie was interesting and had a good core, but there was too much distraction from that core. Leaving the viewer with the sense that they have just watched an entertaining, but relatively pointless movie.