Documenting Politics Al La Cinema

Do you know who the first President was to receive such harsh criticism and attack that he strongly desired to leave office? That's right, el Presidente numero uno. Washington was used to criticism as a General of the Continental Army; heck, some of his people tried to sabotage and replace him. But it wasn't until he became the first President of the United States that he really got hit in a way he never expected. It's odd to think since he is a lot of peoples favorite present today. Lincoln is the only other one that really gives him a run for his money. The funny thing is that Lincoln was even more hated while in office than Washington was. Washington at least at his supporters. Lincoln had detractors everywhere! So if you are a person who believes ludicrous, over-the-top attacks on the President are a new thing. Please try reading a Presidential biography! Any of them will do. 

As a guy with a degree in political science, I often wonder what it is about politics that causes people TO LOSE THEIR FREAKIN MINDS! There are probably several people out there who completely avoid the topic because they can't express an idea without someone jumping down their throats. It's surprising that not even religion can cause this kind of debate. I almost believe we all could search the world over and not find a single person that agrees with us on every single issue. And while some of us realize we have no right to hate someone just because of the way they look, we still haven't realized we can't hate someone because of the way they think. Unfortunately, hating the way someone thinks makes it even more contentious; there is an element of choice to our thoughts that cause us to be more defensive of them. 

Recognizing a perceived wrong is no good unless you can recommend a possible solution. Lucky for me, I have read biographies on both Washington and Lincoln in the past year, and I can offer their example as the solution. This is my challenge to you: if you come across a person that strongly differs with your political ideals, focus on the common ground! You WILL solidify a person in their ideals if you insult them for it, NOT change their mind. No one understands that better than Lincoln, and if he could have a meme to throw out into the world wide web today, I think it would be "Unite! Addition is easier than division" (That last part was all me. Pretty catchy, huh? ;) Then from a common ground, you can have an honest, respectful, intellectual conversation about your differences.

Batten down the hatches, I'm about to discuss a political documentary. Here's how this is going to work: Everyone is more than welcome to comment, but if you are one of those people incapable of civil discussion just go back to your coloring book and let the big kids talk. If anyone says anything rude, not only will I delete your comment, I will than add a comment saying "So and so was too ignorant for civilized conversation, he/she will return when he/she graduates to pull-ups. 'Mommy, wow!'" As for me, I probably won't respond beyond this post because hopefully I'll have said all I desire too. Isn't it sad I needed that long disclaimer?

I am usually pretty hesitant with documentaries in general. There are some crazy stuff people trying to prove themselves out there. My brother-in-law recently told me about one he'd watched that tried to convince people that Paul McCartney died in the '60s and the man pretending to be him now is a fake. But as a conservative guy who likes to keep up with politics, I felt kind of obligated to go see 2016: Obama's America. Going in, I was actually a little hesitant. But I was actually surprised by how reasonable the movie was. I would definitely recommend it to all my conservative readers.

For those of you who haven't heard about it, it's a film that traces Obama's history and applies his history to suggest he is anti-colonialist. In the attitude of unbiased fairness, there are three points that I scratched my head over. First of all, one of the instances that Mr. D'Sousa uses to explain Obama's actions in office is the fact that he returned a bust of Winston Churchill back to the British government. His point is that this action is proof of his anti-colonial tendency. However, after the movie I did a little research and (can I just say) it is dang hard to get to the truth of even small things in Washington. The best narrative I can give is that the Brit's offered to let Obama keep a bust they lent to Bush, but he refused and sent it back. However, the argument becomes a little weak when you realize there is almost an exact replica somewhere in the White House that's still there. Conclusions... I'm confused by the whole thing and came to the conclusion that it doesn't matter.

Second, D'Sousa visits Obama's half-brother (George) in Kenya to prove the similarities between Barrack and Barrack senior. While there, he brings up that George lives in extreme poverty and the President won't send any aid. But the thing that stood out to me here is that George doesn't blame President Obama for that. He says in essence that Barrack has his own family and nation to take care of and as a half-brother he isn't owed anything. In my mind, if George doesn't attack Obama for this, then no one else has the right to. It is interesting that with a little research I found George did ask D'Sousa for money a few months later because he was desperate.

Finally, the only idea presented in the movie that I disagree completely with is the idea that if Obama abandons Israel to the Middle East than a United Muslim Nation will arise. I'm sorry, but it's going to take A LOT longer documentary to convince me that the Sunni's and Shiite's will ever agree enough to form a joint government. One could reasonably argue an absences of U.S. influence in the Middle East would make a strong Muslim community but not that they are suddenly unite just because they get to kill of the Israelis. However, for an hour and a half of documentary, only seeing one substantive flaw is way WAY above par.

Now for the reasons you should go see it. First of all, it is so refreshing to have a critique that can't be labeled as racist. I can't stand that accusation anymore, that anytime someone says something negative about the President the accuser has to be racist. Do I really need to remind everyone that every single President has been attacked (most of them harshly) since number one and it had nothing to do with race?! The movie brings up a quote from Jesse Jackson (if I remember right) where he says that racism is still around. It's just not overt anymore and is therefore more dangerous. ..are you kidding me?! The racism that used to lynch poor innocent boys is more dangerous than the kind that allowed an African American to become the President?! So stop calling me a racist just because I disagree with the President's fiscal policy.

Furthermore, this documentary is more scholarly than most I've seen. It takes Obama's biography and applies it as an explanation for his current actions. I had to do that EXACT assignment in one of my Poli Sci classes. (Well we could do it for any President. I choose Jefferson. ;) It's hard to argue with half the things said in the film because half the movie consists of direct quotes from Obama's autobiography. It's hard to say Obama wasn't influenced by his radical left wing father when he says, "I was really influenced by my father. In fact, here are the dreams I got from my father." (No, not a direct quote.) What's more I actually felt an element of... dare I say sympathy for the President. Mr. D'Sousa shows that this poor guy was dragged all over the place and had very few consistent role models (all of them left-wingers) in his life. As a result, he idealized his father whom he never really met and later found out was not such a nice guy. Towards the end of the film D'Sousa suggests (based on Obama's on words) that he is reconciled with his father based on shared ideals. It's an extremely compelling narrative, but one that definitely makes you question the Presidents current motives. 

Another thing I liked is that the conclusions D'Sousa draws can't be argued with either. He argues three things will happen if Obama is re-elected. First, Israel will lose support from the U.S. allowing for a more dangerous Middle East (Israel has been snubbed more times than I can count by Obama.); second, our nuclear arsenal will be reduced to below average (Obama has already signed the treaty that no one else is following. At the same time there's a quote in the movie in reference to Iran where he says no country has the right to control the nuclear program of another.); and third, overwhelming debt that goes unheeded until the system fails. (Do I really need to point out that this is happening?) Furthermore, it's hard to argue with the films message that Obama will be more aggressive in his second term when: a. most Presidents are, and b. we have him on tape, when he wasn't expecting it, telling a Russian ambassador that he would have more room to do what he wants after the election. That's a little scary after we've seen what he's done with his first term.

Finally, what I actually loved most was a statement Mr. D'Sousa gives at the beginning of the film. He says when he came to America, he was excited to live in a country where you can construct your own life and not have it constructed for you. (Being from India, he knows a lot about that.) It is so true. I love this country. I love the liberty that I have here. I love that I am able to construct my life and that often means if I make a mistake I have to learn from my own consequences. I fear that ideal is slipping away. I can't one hundred percent for sure say who President Obama is but this film makes a very compelling argument that he's willing abandon people's right to construct their own lives in the attempt to make everyone in the world equal. I don't want that. But I guess everyone has a right to "construct" their desires.

The cinematography is beautiful, the music is great, and the is narrative compelling. If your interested, please go see this movie and than ask the honest questions.

The Tragedy of Trilogies

Can I get an "amen" from all the poor folks in the audience? As a young married couple expecting a baby, sometimes we just don't get everything we want. Alisa doesn't get to have all the clothes and make all the crafts she wants, and I don't get to buy all the books or go see all the movies I want. But really who needs those distractions when your so in love? ;) I wouldn't trade what I have for all the movies and books in the world! Sadly, that means I can't keep you guys as informed as I'd like in your movie choices. Alisa and I saw Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted this weekend in the cheapies, and by this point most of you don't even care. Regardless, you will still get my opinion on the movie. However, while I was watching it my thoughts also turned trilogies. Why is it so hard to make three exceptional movies in a row? Stay tuned for the answer ;)

OK, Madagascar 3. Let me explain... No time, let me sum up. ("Buttercup is set to marry Humperdink in little less than half an hour.") Overall, I was actually impressed by the film. I've said it before, Disney needs to watch their back because Dreamworks keeps coming out swinging and this movie was no exception. I liked it more than the first but not as much as the second. It was fun, light-hearted, and, well, cheesy.  There were, of course, a few things that bothered me. First of all, they don't even bother to mention any of the new characters introduced in the second movie. As a result, the four main characters only desire is to suddenly find a way back to New York. Secondly, the whole indestructible-women-as-the-bad-guy thing is getting kind of old. I thought it was a little much with the old lady in the second movie, and it was even worse in this one.

However, I did love one underlying message that they were able to bring across in the end. Throughout the whole movie, the four main character only desire was to get back to their zoo in New York. (They tie up the trilogy with this point, which would be true if the second movie didn't end the way it did.) When they finally get there, they realize they really don't want to go back. They are no longer the same and no longer satisfied with their old comfort zones. Some of you out there may be wishing you could return to something or some time from the past. But if your living life the right way, you'll never be satisfied going back. Life is an adventure, and adventures are designed to change you for the better. Don't spend your time wishing for the past. It's a lovely message. I'd recommend at least Redboxing this one. If you have kids, it's a must.

You'll notice that both my negatives and my positives deal with the movie as the end of a trilogy. I think the most difficult task in Hollywood these days is writing an effective narrative over three films. So, here are the lessons you need to learn if your planning on making one yourself anytime soon.

Rule #1

 Keep the Same Font:

It probably all started with Back to the Future... one second Marty Mcfly's girlfriend looks one way, pop in the next movie and suddenly she has transformed into Elizabeth Shue. Talk about killing the illusion! It's essential that if you want a good trilogy: LOCK YOUR FOLKS DOWN! I'm not a big Katie Holmes fan, but even I can't help feeling disillusioned when suddenly Maggie Gyllenhaal showed up in The Dark Knight. It kills the magic people. If you cast someone, keep them! Oh, and that goes for directors too! I know it's not a trilogy, but really five different directors for the Harry Potter series?! A little continuity, please ;)

Rule #2

Do No Copy/Paste:

Sometimes when a joke gets a lot of attention in the first movie, writers like to bring it back again in the next.... and again and again and again! I don't care how hard I laughed the first time, if I had heard one more "Why's the rum gone" joke in the Pirates of the Caribbean, I would have screamed! When the same elements of a movie show up over and over again, no one feels like the story is going anywhere.

Something I loved about the new Madagascar movie was the subtle hints at the first movie. Remember in the first movie when the main four characters are captured and shipped off to Africa and they wake up in their crates? In this third movie, they do the same thing with a bunch of Interpol police. I got it right away and laughed out loud; Alisa didn't remember, so it was like a special treat for me. On the other hand, here's another movie that breaks this rule. We watched the first Mission Impossible movie last night, and I realized Ethan Hunt gets disavowed in EVERY movie! I mean, the movie are still incredible (No, the second isn't included), but how much better would it be if they switched thing up? Let's stick to subtle reminiscence, not blatant copy/paste.

Rule #3

No Double Spacing (and watch your margin size ;)

This one is short and simple: if you're going to make a trilogy, don't wait ten years after the first movie and then shove two more movies down our throat in two years. I'll give you the best example why in three word; MASK, OF and ZORRO! The first movie was incredible! If they had made the sequel timely we could have gotten an incredible trilogy out of it. As it is, they waited til Antonio Banderas was old... "non-Zorro-y," the second movie tanked, and we didn't get a third. Other examples? Pirates of the Caribbean and The Matrix... and look how those ended up! The longer people have to remember how incredible the first one was, the harder it i to match it with two more films. I'm not saying Lord of the Rings is a perfect trilogy in this regard, but I would describe it as "the highest degree of proficiency, skill, or excellence, as in some art" (Yes, that is a dictionary definition of perfection.)

Rule #4

Have a Rough Draft:

There are basically three types of trilogies. The first kind is a perfect progression of narrative where the three movie move a long in seamless connection. Think of your Lord of the Rings or your original Star Wars movie. Then the three movies are completely unrelated that ensure something new and great each time. For example, the Indiana Jones trilogy (please don't ever mention the fourth one here... ever!) And finally there is your, "We made one movie and it was incredible so now that we made a lot of money lets make more and try to connect it all together." This usually results in a breaking of rule number 3. Can you guess which of the three I disapprove of? I worry because it looks like that is the way the Kung Fu Panda series is going. Either make all three movies a cliff hanger or not at all. I hate when the last two movies are perfectly connected (with a huge cliff hanger), but we didn't get that in the first. And so far I can't think of a movie where that turned out well.

Rule #5

Progression of Epic...ness

You know, I can only think of two trilogies where I liked the last movie most. (Indiana Jones and the original Star Wars... I guess that's true of the newer ones too, but in that case I refer to it a hating the least.) I either love the first movie most (i.e. Pirates, Back to the Future, new James Bond, Bourne Identity and Matrix (I watched it edited.)) or the second most (i.e. Lord of the Rings, The Dark Knight, Toy Story 2 and so on). I think it is more of a challenge to movie makers more than anything. It's hard because the first movie has to be good and each has to get progressively bigger and better. In the case of The Dark Knight, we got a great first movie, an incredible second, and then left with just a great third one when I was expecting mind-blowing. If the narrative expands in the second, the third feels small like it isn't bigger than the second. That's my challenge to you movie makers! Make me an epic trilogy of progression!

It's All In The Subtext

It seems like this year is filled with nothing but film adaptions of books. Seriously, we got The Hobbit, The Hunger Games, Les Miserable, The Great Gatsby, Life of Pi, The Lorax, John Carter, The Women in Black, Perks of Being a Wall Flower, a Diary of a Wimpy Kid sequel, another Twilight catastrophe, Abe Lincoln Vampire something or other, I'm sure there were a couple of Nicolas Sparks thrown out... What to Expect When Your Expecting... I mean, heck, even all the highest earners come from comic books (hold it 3 feet away, tilt your head and squint... it'll look like literature). It's just further proof that the greatest narratives usually start as books.

Movies from books usually go one of three ways. First, you never even knew the movie was a book in the first place so it has no effect on your viewing of it. Second, they take a classic that you love and destroy it (or in the Twilight case, take a mediocre book and make it even worse). Or third, Peter Jackson directs it and your life is never the same ;) OK not always true, he did give us The Lovely Bones... The fact is, it's impossible to interpret a book directly into a movie. That means you're bound to get a version of it you don't like at least some of the time. But sometimes, when the stars align just right, a book can be turned into a cinematic masterpiece.

So you get another top ten list. This time, the top ten books I think would make great movies. Now, I know that some of these may have been done in TV productions or in some obscure foreign film. One of the first books I planned to put on here was Ender's Game until I looked into it and saw that a movie was planned already! As for everything else, I've checked and they have been found wanting! So let's get started. Feel free to add your own suggestions to Hollywood in the comments.

Fablehaven

I was actually really surprised by how much I liked this five book series. Yes, it is written for a younger audience, and, yes, the formula is an exact replica for the first three books, but it was still highly entertaining to me. It's a story about a brother and sister who's grandparents guard a natural preserve of mythological creatures. The story gets exciting when your introduced to the Sphinx who may or may not be trying open a prison of demons that would help him rule the world. Dragons, centaurs, warrior fairies, zombies, mazes, anti-gravity fights, magical artifacts, all combined in a compelling narrative of unexpected twists and turns; Not bad for children's literature. My feelings are if The Spiderwick Chronicles got a shot, this series is more than deserving. 

The Twelve Dancing Princesses

Disney, please, please take note of this one. You really owe me after that whole Brave debacle of 2012. This is a great, classic fairytale, and I'm kind of shocked that it hasn't been touched by Disney yet. They better be careful or Dreamworks might snatch it up. In the story, a King offers a reward to whoever can discover where his 12 daughters keep running away to each night and how they are doing it. Enter the brave, dashing young man who believes he can solve the mystery with a little bit of street smarts. I see 5 maybe 6 songs that will be stuck in my head all year if Disney catches on.

The Turn of the Screw

So you know how on the night of Christmas you usually play games with your family or go see a movie or eat yourself sick? Well, there once was a time when people would tell ghost stories. That's how this whole story starts. It's incredible because it's one of the first ghost stories that was ever written. It's about a governess who takes a job watching two kids at a house in the middle of nowhere (because she falls in love with their dad in, like, a second after meeting him). The older boy has been kicked out of his boarding school and you never find out why. Then the governess starts seeing the ghost of an evil man and a terrifying women all over. The tension builds as the governess starts to suspect that not only are the kids seeing them two, but actually talking with them on occasion. Frankly, I just want a good scary movie that doesn't require a lick of gore.

Murder on the Orient Express

 Yes, I am aware this has been attempted cinematically by the British before, but has any one out there actually seen it, or cared to see it? Didn't think so. I, for one, think this would make a great modern adaptation with a Clue-esqe feel. (Just think of the cast we'd get with so many unique characters!) I can't remember the last movie I saw that was just a good, old fashion, intimate murder mystery. They might need to amp it up to make it a little more thrilling for our generation, but still the potential is great here!

Aenied

How is it that people hear so much about Troy and there's sooo many movies about it, but nobody seems to care about this one?! This story is way more epic and a lot easier to follow. Here's just a taste of what you would get in the first ten minutes or so of the movie. Aeneas, our hero, wakes up to find himself in the middle of a fallen Troy. He then battles his way through the city to save his dad. Than, carrying his dad on his back and his baby son in his arms, he battles his way to escape the city! That's just the first ten minutes! Aeneas than goes into the underworld, crosses the Mediterranean, and fights in a battle to end all battles, setting the ground for Rome to be found... Two tickets to the 7:30 showing, please!!

The Old Man and the Sea

 How has this one not been done? The story of a old fisherman that battles it out for a few days with the catch of his life and then with a few sharks. I smell drama galore. I see Antonio Banderas as the old man, a nice CGI fish as his prey, and Bruce from Finding Nemo as the lead shark. How awesome would that be! Perhaps the reason it hasn't been done is because people find Hemingway so depressing. But it's time people! The camera shots of the vast Caribbean ocean would be enough to put me in the seat.

Uncle Tom's Cabin

Oh yes, you should just expect this book to show up in every post I write from now on. You people just need to read this book! I think if Denzel is cast as the title character we might as well call this a blockbuster right now because yes! it will bust the block!! I suppose this movie hasn't been done yet because racial tensions are so hard to gauge and some people ignorantly mistake the message of this book just because the hero is a slave who actually cares about his slave holders and isn't willing to run away. But the message is beautiful and one I think our generation is in desperate need of.

Heart of Darkness

 Generally, I don't like when movie producers and directors take great liberties with their adaptations of books, but in this case I'd be all for it. The underlying message of the savagery that took place in the Congo, I feel, is to easily lost in this age, but why not hype up the book's premise--a boat traveling up the mysterious Congo river into the deep recesses of the jungle. There is a lot to work with there, and then if we make the whole "Europeans shouldn't have made themselves into disgusting animals with their actions in the Congo" theme a little more visually blatant, someone might get an Emmy out of this. Or at least a Grammy. (Yes, I know Grammys are for music.) The book is not phenomenal, but the movie could be.

The Best Christmas Pageant Ever

 Talk about a hilarious Christmas movie that has the power to move people to tears in a matter of seconds. I hope all of you have read this one. If not, find a copy! It has about 70 very short, very easy to read pages. I was able to read the whole thing on one of my flights to visit family for Christmas. It's the story of a small town church that's putting on a Christmas pageant and family of extremely rough around the edges children that bully themselves into the cast. When they start catching onto the true meaning of the play, it is truly heart-warming.

Macbeth

 Really people?! Really? We've got like forty different Hamlet and Romeo and Juliet adaptations, but we can't get one measly big screen Macbeth? What is going on in the world? I blame communism... Seriously though, enough dorking around. This movie needs to be made and made now. It's exciting, creepy, and compelling the throughout the entire story. I would further suggest we don't abandon sophisticated English, but the whole thing doesn't have to be in the Shakespearean tongue. Frankly, I can read the stuff, but I still get lost trying to hear other people speak it in plays. Make this happen Hollywood! That's not a request. ;)
_ _ _ _

Man, I have a lot of great idea's here. I knew I should have tried to get into the movie business. Oh well, these movies may never get made. That doesn't mean you have to suffer! Go find yourself a copy of these books and live the story for yourself. Enjoy!

A Literary Heritage

For those of you who don't know, Alisa and I are expecting. It's hard not to already feel emotionally attached to this child already even though we don't even know the gender yet. I mean, come on, the kid's due date is my birthday; how could I not? For a long time we've been going back and forth on what gender we're hoping for. At first Alisa wanted a boy, but now she wants a girl, and I wanted a girl at first, but now the idea of an oldest son to pass on all my lady skills is enticing ;) In all honestly, the gender doesn't matter; I already love our child more than I can express. 

It's a surreal experience to realize that your going to be a father for the first time. I'm sure some of you reading this know it better than I do. I know for a fact that Alisa is going to be the best mother any kid could ask for, but I often worry about whether I'll be a good enough father. There is so much I want for my child and really none of it is material. I want him or her to know they are loved unconditionally. I want him or her to know they can always talk to their daddy. I want him or her to be my best friend. To top it all off, I want him or her to know the difference between right and wrong. I want them to learn the little truths I have learned that make life so incredible and give it the most important kind of meaning.

I don't really care how they learn it, I just pray every night that they do. The best I can do is try to help them by starting them off the way that I learned a lot of what I know, through stories. If you haven't guessed it by now your about to get another top ten list. This time it's the top ten books I plan to read to my kids throughout their lives and the lessons that I hope they draw from them. One of the things I love about stories is that they make truths so easy to remember, that is, as long as we don't try and excuse the truth for fiction.

Harry Potter

The strongest magic is imagination:

You had better believe that my kids are going to be Potter versed from birth! I love these books. If I had the time, I'd go through all the reasons why, (expect a blog about it later) and there are a thousand other good lessons in here, but for now I'll just say that I hope my kids learn the importance of imagination from them. I hope that they learn that sometimes you have to think outside the box to make incredible things happen. I hope they learn that it's OK to pretend and play and be silly from time to time. I hope they get excited when they realize that there is still a lot of mystery in the world. Mostly, I hope that they learn that "magic" should always be used for good. Oh, and I really hope my kids make the Gryffindor Quidditch team ;)

Lord of the Rings

Never underestimate what you are capable of:

How better to teach a kid that he can do anything than by telling him a story of a tiny hobbit that is able to defeat the most evil bad guy of all time. Of course, they'll need to realize that sometimes they'll need help from a Samwise or a Gandalf to make it, and it's a good thing to ask for some. They'll need to learn that it will be hard, but that life is hard at times regardless. And of course they'll have to realized that sometimes they'll think about quitting or giving up or even giving in, but if a hairy-foot midget can make it, so can anyone. Seriously, hobbits are supposed to be the most worthless beings in Middle Earth, but they do more to save it than anyone. What an incredible testament that by small and simple means great things are brought to pass. I hope my kids realize that they can make miracles happen... and than set out to do it.

 Dracula

Love is the strongest force for good:

 I know what your thinking, this is no material for a toddler. And you would be right if you were making the assumption that I'm going to stop reading with my kids once they hit the teen years. I really hope that reading with my kids will be a lifelong tradition, not just a childhood one. Furthermore, this is a beautiful book that everyone needs to read at least once. I've already extolled the greatness of this book before (see for yourself The Greatest Book Your Never Going To Read). It's weird that so many people focus on the villain of this book and forget some of the great literary heroes ever written. Yeah, Van Helsing is there and he's the brains behind the operation, but several times he points out that whats saves the day is the love that exists between the heroes. Love conquers all, and it's not always the romantic kind. 

Sherlock Holmes

It's all about the details:

They say that the devil is in the details. (note to self: find out where the heck that term comes from!) Well, I don't know if that is true, but I assure you that the truth is in the details. My whole life I have loved learning; literally loved it! While most people are buying smart phones and new cars, I buy books (OK, you got me... I buy movies too) and half of them are non-fiction. Growing up I wanted to be as smart are Sherlock Holmes; I wanted to be able to see something and know everything about it. That is something I hope to pass on to my kids. I hope that they have a love of learning. I hope that they take the time to research the little details that may not make a world of difference to them when they learn it but could some day come in handy, even if it is just so we can crush other families at Trivial Pursuit. Let's go team Virgin!

Les Miserables

Life is a balance of justice and mercy:

Yes, I plan to read all 800 plus pages of this book to my kids, so they better batten down the hatches! I was told the basic story of Les Mis from the musical long before I read the book. If that's all you've experienced, you don't know jack! This book is beyond incredible and a billion times better than any musical There are a thousand life lessons to draw from it. The story of Jean Val-Jean is such an incredible metaphor for justice and mercy that you will never forget it. I fear that our world is starting to sacrifice justice in favor of mercy and after a light reading of this book you may assume that is desirable. But read it again. After Val-Jean is the recipient of pure mercy, he doesn't ignore the law; mercy is the reason he clings to the law with exactness for the rest of his life. There's just so much good stuff here! This is gonna need it's own blog too...

Uncle Tom's Cabin

Faith is the only answer to trials:

Again I've already extolled this book before, but a book like this can't get enough praise. It'll be hard for me to expose my kids to the idea that some people can treat one another with so much cruelty, but my hope is that they will be comforted by the more important lesson of this tale. Faith is more powerful than anything else you will experience in this world. Faith is something beyond mere belief. If Uncle Tom merely believed in God, he would have abandoned that belief in the first half of the book. Instead, Tom had faith and as a result there was nothing in this world that could make him lose hope or that could make him to something contrary to that faith. I hope that I can do better than just this book to teach my kids that lesson. I hope that I can be an example of that myself--a living legacy that faith is stronger than all trials.

Frankenstein

Sometimes all that matters is that you care: 

If you think this is a book for my kids when their older, you have clearly never read it. Somehow we have turned the story of Frankenstein's monster to a horror story when it's supposed to be a dramatic story that fills you with nothing but pity. Frankenstein ends up being hunted down by the consequences of his own actions. The story has also been twisted to make it sound like his mistake was creating the monster. It wasn't per se. The real mistake is that he abandons the monster without a word. The monster is than left to a world that reviles him because of his looks even though there is a truly beautiful spirit inside. Every time the monster helps or tries to love, people try to kill him. If just one person had showed him lasting compassion the story would have been completely different. I hope my kids know its important to care no matter how hard it is to like someone.

Chronicles of Narnia

Everything happens for a reason: 

I really love these books. Sadly, I never got around to reading them until I was in my twenties. I wish I could have grown up with the stories and lessons from one of the greatest philosophers of all time. I guess the lesson I learned most from these books is that everything has a reason, and sadly we usually have the completely wrong view of why something is happening in our life. I'll just site one example. In the Voyage of the Dawn Treader we meet the monopods who complain that they've been curse by an evil sorcerer that made them look ugly. Later you find out the sorcerer made them look less weird as punishment for not doing things that would sustain their own life! It's proof that curses are subjective and that we often don't know what's best for us. Everything in life has a reason and a lesson. I hope my kids read that in these books and love them as much as I do.

To Kill a Mockingbird

The world depends on those that fight for good: 

Talk about a good example: A girl that gets upset cause she can't read with her dad at home anymore. Daughters, take note! ;) This is another hard one for kids to grasp fully. How can there be so much hate in the world?  How can we care so little for our own brothers and sisters? Sadly the answer is because it's easy to do both. It's much harder to be an Atticus Finch in the world. Today we talk of love and tolerance while at the same time attacking and mocking each other for not being as "tolerant and loving." Atticus was incredible because he tried to do right by everyone! Unfortunately Atticus was attacked by the community because he lived by the motto of respecting everybody. I hope my kids remember is takes true courage to show everyone respect, even the person attacking you for your beliefs.

The Curious Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

You can't play in the dirt without getting filthy:

Say what you will about this story, it is above all about the battle of good and evil that exists in each of us. Dr. Jekyll's desire was to see if he could separate the one from the other in himself. The experiment was flawed from the beginning. Evil can exist in the same space as good but pure good can't exist in the same space with evil. Dr. Jekyll learned the hard way, if you allow evil to breath just a little it will choke out the good. Today we no longer fight against our dark impulses, we excuse them and ask others to love our actions the same way they love us. I hope my children know that I love them, but I won't love their impulses towards actions that cause them harm. We all make mistakes, but we should always fight them, not embrace them.

_ _ _ _ _

If my kids ever do come back and read this I hope first of all that they forgive their dad for being such a goof ball. Secondly I hope they know that I loved them before their were born and was already trying to be a good parent for them. It's such an incredible blessing and privilege to bring a child into the world that you and the person you love more than anything created together. The best I can do is teach them what I know.

The Battle of Cinematic Olympians

Sports are an interesting topic for me. I used to be obsessed as a kid. Seriously, I used to create personal baseball training camps for myself in order to be the best. I collected all the baseball cards (I still have them somewhere) and was the Orioles biggest fan. I remember getting MVP on my soccer team one year and being heart broken and ticked off.... I had no idea that MVP meant Most Valuable Player and thought it was the award you got when there was nothing left to give. Boy, did I blush when I found out what it actually meant!

The fact is (and this is a very hard personal confession) I have never forgiven myself for giving up on my potential. In high school, our soccer coach saw me run the 400 meter and asked why in the world I wasn't on a sports team. I didn't have a good reason, but my negative response was already prepared when he asked me to join the team. It's a hard lesson to learn as I look back and see that I quit on my own potential. Even worse I didn't have a good reason for it. I'm not saying I could have been great or even good, I'm just saying I could have tried. Since than sadly I've lost some of my taste for watching live sports.

Sports are more than just games. They inspire, they teach truth, they direct culture, and they are inversely shaped by culture. They push people to reach their highest ability and make you believe that anything is possible. That is why I am a huge sucker for sports movies. They are stories of pure inspiration mingled with life lessons. Now then, sports are supposed to be fun as well, so let's get away from this all this serious talk and have some!

What follows is a list of the top sports movies of all time. But there is a twist. These movies have to match up against each other (in true sport's fashion) to see who comes out a winner. Some of you may notice a large void in the fact that The Blindside is no where to be found on my list. I'm sorry! I'm apparently the only person in the world cursed to not be a fan of it. But you'll get over it... I hope. Feel free to submit your own top ten lists in the comments. And no... race car driving is not a sport! ;)


Round 1:
Cinderella Man VS. Warrior VS. Rocky Series

 This one is a three way death match between a Rookie, an All-Star, and a Legend. That's right, ladies and gentleman, we've got the Gold, Silver and Bronze right here! Some of you may disagree, but I have to give the Gold to Cinderella Man. The movie isn't just a great sports film, it's a spectacular movie! This is the movie that made me love Russell Crowe; I can only hope to be the kind of father and all-around good guy he was in this movie. If this movie doesn't move you to tears and get your heart rate jumping, you might want to make sure your not actually dead... Bruce Willis didn't know... look how that ended up for him!

I may get strung up for this one but I'm giving the Silver to Warrior. It may be the Rookie film here, but it's exceptional. Tom Hardy is beyond belief in this movie. If you think he was intimidating in The Dark Knight Rises, wait til you see him emotionlessly beat other guys to a pulp and than walk off without a backward glance. It's so emotionally charged I don't even recognize what I'm feeling at the end, but it's powerful!

Sadly, Rocky is left with the Bronze. It's an incredible series--make no mistake--but we can't just pretend that the fifth movie didn't happen. That and each movie has pretty much the same chemical make up over and over again. But those are excusable in comparison to the rest of the greatness. My goal is to make a long mix of all of Rock's training montages (minus the cheesy peep talks from Adrianna) and watch them every day before I work out to pump me up.

Round 2:

Moneyball VS. For Love of the Game

Battling for the next spot are two of my favorite baseball movies. So of you might be saying, "Hey! Field of Dreams is a way better Kevin Costner baseball movie." To which I would say, "Back off kid, this is my list!" But seriously I think I'll stick with the inspiring idea of a guy pitching a no-hitter over the crazy guy building a ball park because he sees dead people. Regardless, both movies would lose to Moneyball.

I know, I know there isn't a whole lot of baseball per se in it, but really I think it might even be better for that. Listen, I love baseball, I mean I played it for ten years dang it, but watching it can only entertain so much ;) This movie goes beyond the inning by inning break down and shows you what it actually takes to make a good ball team. Funny, intelligent, and inspiring--I will say no more!

Round 3:
Rudy VS. Remember the Titans
This match is so close, we're going to end up in overtime. On the one hand, you have the story of an incredibly dedicated man, who is willing to do anything to make his dream come true. It's a strong testament that, as Walt Disney put it, "Sometimes it's fun to do the impossible." If Samwise Gamgee can make it on the Notre Dame football team, I surely should be able to have a library like the one in Beauty and the Beast someday.... Don't judge my dreams ;)

It pains me to deny this to Rudy but I'm giving this spot to Remember the Titans. Not only is this movie made better by that fact that it's true, but to frame such a inspiring sports story with the principle of racial equality makes it destined for greatness. Not only that but you have an all-star cast! (Do people even realize that Ryan Gosling was the scrawny kid who couldn't ran fast enough?!) This is probably the best football movie of all time.

Round 4:
The Greatest Game Every Played VS. The Legend of Bagger Vance
I know what your thinking, "A golf movie?! This high on the list?!" To which I would answer this time, "Isn't it crazy how I always know what your going to say?" Anyway, I stand by my choice. Both of these movies are incredible and surprisingly riveting for their subject matter. My wife hates golf but loves both of these, so that should tell you something.

Even though the chain of events is very similar in these two films and I love the spiritual undertones of Bagger Vance, I'm calling this one in favor of The Greatest Game Ever Played. It must be that I can relate to the young, poor, underestimated golfer better than I can the drunk, war vet golfer. It's an inspiring movie (with one of the most beautiful soundtracks ever made) that puts me in the mood to go play nine holes every time!

Round 5:

Space Jam VS. The Air Up There

This match up is probably unfair. Does anyone reading this even remember The Air Up There?! Well, I do, and I loved it growing up, and I still love it today. However, nobody beats Michael Jordon at anything!... Except baseball I guess.

As I was thinking about this list I was actually surprised there weren't a lot of great basketball movies out there. My only explanation is that people would rather be watching the actual thing instead of a movie about it. These are both great because they appeal to the young athlete in all of us. If you haven't seen either of these in a while, do yourself a favor. Pull them out and bask in feeling of childhood again

Round 6:

Miracle VS. The Mighty Ducks

Sorry, everyone, but even though the last movie won because of childhood nostalgia, that isn't going to happen in this round. Plus, I really hated the third Mighty Ducks movie. I mean, come on! You have a team of national champions that have been doing nothing but play hockey since they hit puberty and they can't even beat a college hockey team?! Get out of town!

The undisputed champion here is Miracle. Plus it's nice to note this is the first time the Olympics have made the list. I am actually a huge hockey fan despite my non-Canadian birth, so this movie is very satisfying to me. Furthermore, it highlights one of the greatest lessons to learn in sports: you don't have to win every time to be a champion, you only have to win when it truly matters.

Round 7:

Invisible VS.  The Longest Yard

I'm going to try and avoid bias here as a Philadelphia Eagle's fan! I like The Longest Yard (minus the creepy inappropriateness of prison humor), but it just is no match for the power of Invincible. The Sandler flick was leaps and bounds above his last sports attempt, but it's still got his typical joke scheme. The Wahlberg flick on the other hand has some of the most intense sports actions scenes I've ever seen. When I watch, I can't help but feel cheated that I don't get to watch live games from the players perspective! Plus it's a Disney ;) Can't go wrong there.

Round 8:

The Sandlot VS. Angels in the Outfield
Unfortunately, Disney can't win them all. Angels in the Outfield is an incredible movie. Additionally, I can't lie, if you go back and watch the movie of my life you will see me at every Orioles game I ever went to flapping my arms at least once... just in case.  Plus it's a way fun movie... there's just no beating a cult classic.

Ladies, are there any of you out there that can understand why guys love The Sandlot so much! If so, you've come a long way in understanding the male psyche. This is the way all boys view their childhood. At least if you grew up in the time before baseball became unpopular for a lot of people... CURSE YOU STRIKE OF 1995!! But this movie is "the Sultan of Swat! the Colossus of Clout, (the Colossus of Clout), The Big Bambino" of baseball movies. And it's destined to stay that way... "Foorrevvver"! (close up on my lips)

 Round 9:
Seabiscuit VS. Secretariat

This battle is a shout out to a great friend of Alisa and mine, and she'll hate me forever for it ;) In all honesty, I have never seen Secretariat. I've heard nothing but good things about it, and recently I've been trying to find a copy to watch but to no avail. So this is more my explanation about why I love Seabiscuit so much.

My reaction with Seabiscuit was oddly the same as  when Secretariat came out, "Really... a movie about horse racing... I'd rather watch NASCAR..." I'm just kidding. NOBODY enjoys NASCAR ;) However, after hearing David McCullough's sweet-song-of-joy narrating, I was hooked. This is more than just a horse racing movie, it's a historical piece that I feel is directed to perfection. Plus, the score is incredible.

Mostly this movie has a special place in my heart because of one simple line, "You don't throw a whole life away just 'cause he's banged up a little" I pray for the day when the world recognizes this as a whole. This movie is the perfect analogy for that idea. The horse, the trainer, the rider, the owner, all of them have hit rock bottom and all it takes is coming together and caring enough to help others reach their full potential. No matter what you think of yourself, this movie is proof that you can be a miracle if you believe it. 

Round 10:

Cool Runnings VS. ...Are there really no other bobsled movies?!?!

So the winner by default is Cool Runnings! Man, this movie is a classic. It's made better by the fact that they don't win in the end. Oops! Sorry! I didn't warn you about that spoiler alert! This movie is just the perfect capstone to stories that inspire you to do great things. Life doesn't really have winners and losers in the way competitive sense. All it takes finishing after having given all you had. Man, I am ready to go... fight a bear with my bare hands after all this!

Wild Card

  Pixar's Short "Geri's Game" VS. Searching For Bobby Fisher

Words are not needed... this will be epic!

Wish I could take the credit here, but Alisa inspired this match up.