Pride and Prejudice

Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite stories. I own the book, and I love watching retellings of the story, such as:

I may have also seen the 1980 BBC version, but I can't remember. This week, I watched yet another adaptation known as "The Lizzie Bennet Diaries" on Youtube. This series was published on a weekly basis from 2012-2013. There are 100 episodes (not including episodes with side characters) that are each 3-7 minutes long. So it ends up being the length of a BBC series, and a pretty thorough retelling of the story. 

Of all the retellings of Pride and Prejudice, this one made me see things in a clearer light. Because this is set in modern day, there were certain things Lizzie did that made me question how prejudiced I may inadvertently act. Her prejudice almost got overbearing at times, but luckily other characters helped me through those parts. I loved the adaptations they made for her to be more relatable and realistic. I also liked the theme of well-intentioned advice. From Darcy to Bingly, Lizzie to Lydia, or Darcy to Georgiana, although the advice was well-meaning, a lot of times it ended up hurting the recipient more than helping. (It could also be the way in which they gave their advice.) Anyway, the series left me with a lot to analyze about my own personal interactions. I would definitely recommend it. Rating disclaimer for my mother: There is language and innuendo, mostly referring to events off screen. 

Rhetorically,
Rebekah

Movies

Matt and I have watched a variety of movies this summer, and I thought I'd post about the one's I've liked.

 The BoxTrolls- I wasn't sure what to think of this movie at first, and I was kind of worried that it would give me nightmares. But it was completely different than what I expected. I really liked the social message of this movie, and felt like it comically taught several different principles, including the importance of fatherhood, the willingness not to believe every rumor you hear, and accepting those who may look and act differently than you. 

Hugo- an visually artistic movie, I really felt the message hit home with this quote: "I'd imagine the whole world was one big machine. Machines never come with any extra parts, you know. They always come with the exact amount they need. So I figured, if the entire world was one big machine, I couldn't be an extra part. I had to be here for some reason. And that means you have to be here for some reason, too." Hugo has a great message of healing, and I loved the imagery and foreshadowing throughout.




Penguins- Other than being a "valued and important member of the team" message (and I suppose the message that revenge doesn't make you feel better), I mostly liked this movie for the classic penguin comedy. I also loved how the script writers worked in famous actor's names into the dialogue. Examples: "Nicholas! Cage them!" or  "Kevin! Bake on!"

Mall Cop 2- Admittedly not my favorite of the summer, but I did appreciate how clean it was- very little swearing or sexual scenes.

I loved Inside Out! It had some characters I wasn't expecting, and a great message about valuing all feelings. As far as criticism for the movie goes, I'll let this clip speak for me. 

Rhetorically,
Rebekah

Movie Review: Cinderella

Thanks to my cousin for babysitting, we went on our first "extravagant" date (lunch and a movie) since Dash was born. The movie was the live-action Cinderella. I liked the movie a lot more than I was expecting. I was pretty annoyed when I first saw the trailers because I feel like there are so many Cinderella remakes already. However, I think they did a really good job staying true to the animated version while deepening the characters of Ella, the Prince, and the Evil Stepmother. These additions answer questions like:

Why is the evil stepmother so evil?

Why does Ella stay with her step-family?

Shouldn't you get to know someone before you marry them?

I noticed other pieces of fairy tales in the movie, like the fairy in disguise asking for a drink of water.

I also liked how they explored the relationship between the King and the Prince.

Hopefully I didn't spoil anything for those who haven't seen it. I sure hope Disney keeps up the character development in live action remakes, especially since Beauty and the Beast will be coming out in 2017. I'd love to learn more about Belle's past, see a deepening of Gaston's character, and gain a new perspective on the Beast.

Rhetorically,
Rebekah

What I've Been Up To

I swore I'd never be one of those bloggers that let my baby take over my blog, but...(see January). However, I thought last month's blog posts were a pretty accurate description of how my life has been. Nevertheless, I thought I'd give an update of the non-baby things I've been doing.

SCHOOL: I'm in two classes this semester- Trusts and Directed Research. I'm being lazy and including generic course descriptions below: 

• Trusts examines the legal framework of private and charitable trusts as vehicles for the donative disposition and management of personal wealth, both inter vivos and testamentary, with emphasis on the nature of the fiduciary obligations of trustees and the rights and obligations of trust grantors and beneficiaries.
• Directed Research requires that a student submit to their faculty supervisor a completed draft of a research paper or memorandum of law containing either criticism of the law relating to the topic area. I'm required to do 100 hours of work in researching and writing the paper- the area I'm focusing on is the Indian Civil Rights Act. 

BOOKS: Matt and I have been reading "Tuesdays with Morrie" this month. I've read the book before, but it's interesting reading it again because Morrie was a psychology professor, just like Matt wants to be. It's also an interesting read now that I'm married, as many of the topics in the book have new meaning now. I'm also looking forward to the sequel of "To Kill a Mockingbird"



MOVIES: We recently rewatched the 90's classic, "Cool Runnings."Here are some of my favorite quotes:

• A gold medal is a wonderful thing. But if you're not enough without one, you'll never be enough with one.
• When you need something from me, you don't have to hand me a bunch of lines. All you have to do is look at me in the eye and say, "Sanka, you are my best friend, we've been through a whole heap together, and I really, really need you."
• Feel the rhythm! Feel the rhyme! Get on up, its bobsled time! Cool Runnings!

DATES: My mom has been helping out a lot with the baby, which has given Matt and I the opportunity to get out a few times! We did sealings at the temple and I cheered Matt on during one of the Stake Basketball tournament games (he's #5).

GAMES: I've played Risk before, but it's been years, so we pulled it out this month and did the two player version. Unfortunately, Matt forgot to tell me all of the rules, so we had to have a rematch later on. 




Rhetorically,
Rebekah

Life of Pi

After almost four months, we've finally finished reading Life of Pi! We also watched the movie for the first time last night. So, here's my movie/book review:

I thought they did a really good job with the movie. Obviously they couldn't put everything in there, so I think they made the best decisions on what to include and what to leave out. After having read the book and knowing all of the details, I felt like the movie packed in as much information as it could and it seemed like it was over before I knew it!

Another thing I appreciated about the movie is that it was only rated PG. It could have easily been a higher rating had they chosen to include all the gory details from the book. But they didn't, and I'm glad. They still got the message across without having to be graphic.

Moving on to the actual book, I definitely did not see the end coming. Perhaps I should have expected a surprise, as the author already set a precedent by waiting until the second part to reveal that Richard Parker is actually a Tiger. After finishing the book I was initially dissatisfied, but after talking over the themes and symbolism with Matt and watching the movie, I concede that it was a good writing tactic. A good book leaves you wanting to re-read it. One way of accomplishing this is by changing your perspective in the last few pages.

Anyway, the biggest theme we noticed was "opposition in all things." Pi talks about how in times of rain, he wanted sunlight; and in times of heat, he wanted rain. While he realized the benefits that each brought, he also noticed the drawbacks. As far as the symbolism of the island is concerned, I think it is a representation of Pi's lifestyle on the boat and a personification of his realization that he needed to get back to civilization and shouldn't acquiesce to a life at sea.

Rhetorically,
Rebekah

Maleficent

Yes, it's taken us that long to finally see the movie Maleficent. Overall, I really enjoyed the creativity of the writers in explaining a plausible back story while still weaving in elements of the original disney movie. I especially enjoyed the portrayal of the three fairies as inept, and the twist where Maleficent ends up taking care of Aurora and raising her from afar. While I did predict several of the "plot twists" I enjoyed the movie overall.

Rhetorically,
Rebekah

Big Hero 6

This year's Thanksgiving Movie was Big Hero 6. Besides the message about forgiveness and healing, I also loved all of the quotable lines, like the one from this scene.

Also, a few other quotes I liked-

• Fred: If I could have any superpower right now, it would be to be able to go through that phone and give you a big hug.
• Baymax: This may undermine my non-threatening, huggable design.
• GoGo: There's no red lights in a car chase!

I also appreciate that they have started doing shorts before all disney movies, instead of just pixar movies.

Rhetorically,
Rebekah

I Can't Let It Go

I feel like you all would benefit from these Frozen parodies.

This post is the product of studying-avoidance virus, commonly caught during the months of December and April. 

Rhetorically,
Rebekah

Full Frozen Review

A little late? Probably. But I had to wait until my husband saw it before I could write a review with possible spoilers. For my first review, click here.

First up, a tribute to the spectacular soundtrack. Below are a few of my favorite renditions of the Frozen songs:

(Doesn't Olaf just steal the show? What a great side character!)

Also, the animation was fabulous. I especially appreciated the Rosemaling details (for an explanation of what this is, see: Rosemaling is So Hot Right Now).

While a lot of people made a big deal about seeing Rapunzel and Flynn in the movie, I feel like there was an overlooked gem in the credits:

• "The views and opinions expressed by Kristoff in the film that all men eat their own boogers are solely his own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of The Walt Disney Company or the filmmakers. Neither The Walt Disney Company nor the filmmakers make any representation of the accuracy of any such views and opinions."

(The lawyer in me loved this disclaimer.)

And now, my review of the plot. Since there's been so many reviews about this already, I'd just like to make a few brief comments:

1. The twist with Hans: I went to a writing conference last month where they used Frozen as an example of subtly hinting at the ulterior motives of a character who turns bad. While the twist with Hans was definitely a surprise to me, I learned at the conference that Disney dropped a few warning flags along the way. First,  in "Love is an Open Door" Hans sings about how he has found his "place" instead of how he has found true love. Secondly, who lets their fiancee go out into a blizzard by themselves? This definitely reflects shifty motives. Regardless of your fiancee's request that you take care at the castle, let us consider: who's taken care of the castle this whole time? Elsa? She's been holed out in her room and wasn't even the official queen for the last three years. Someone had to be running the country this whole time. And with Anna's decision making abilities, I doubt she was the one in charge. Therefore, there should have been someone else she could have left in charge, while she and Hans left to find her sister. Lastly, both Elsa and Kristoff cast doubt on a one-day engagement, hinting to the viewers that it might not work out in the end. 
2. The Problem with False Feminism. While I don't agree with everything in this article, I do share the author's dislike for the trolls. I'm sorry, but I think the advice from Poppy troll at the beginning was unhelpful and should have been clarified. However, if it wasn't like that, there really wouldn't be a movie. So I'll forgive the initial troll scene as an acknowledgement that even in real life, sometimes you get really crummy advice from a supposed "expert." Learn from Frozen, and don't follow that dumb advice. However, the second troll scene was inexcusably obnoxious. I can see how they were trying to show the theme about how love can fix anything, but I didn't like the "fixer-upper" label. 
3. Frozen's Flawed Females. I really appreciated the tone of this post, especially because I don't think the main characters in Frozen were all that bad. Yes, Elsa runs away from her problems and doesn't take responsibility. Yes, Anna doesn't think any of her decisions through and gets into a lot of trouble. However, these are flaws that exist in real life. Frozen at least highlighted that there are consequences for your actions. 

While I could go on, I think I'll stop there. However, if your Frozen thirst has not been quenched, I recommend reading these blog posts. 

What did you like/dislike about Frozen?

Rhetorically,
Rebekah

White Day

For those of you who don't know what White Day is, read this post from last year. 

I gave Matt a few ideas of presents he could get me for White Day, and he totally outdid himself. Not only did he buy cute matching shirts, but he wore his shirt--all day. Voluntarily. What a guy.

Randomly, these shirts were made in the Dominican Republic. 

One of the best benefits of White Day is that I get twice as many presents because Matt can get everything on sale the day after Valentine's Day. Below are two boxes of chocolate, a photo frame, and a cute picture book about Charlie Brown's Valentine's Day (complete with sound effects)!

It was a well-deserved break from working on my 30 page paper (although I still did go to work and I also did a few hours of homework). 

We topped off the day with "The Lego Movie"

Which was a cute show. Be warned: the song "Everything is Awesome" will be stuck in your head afterward. And possibly the song Batman wrote about being an orphan.

And we also had dinner with some of the Lund cousins at: 

It was great to catch up with family. My cousin Cami reminded me that the last time we ate at Macaroni Grill was at our graduation from BYU. (We graduated the same year in the same major). Good times! 

Rhetorically,

Rebekah

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty

It's been a while since I've seen a movie in theaters (since November). Granted, we went to a dollar theater to watch "Walter Mitty" but I think it still counts.

I've always liked the short story about Walter Mitty. So much, in fact, that I submitted a short story about "teenage Walter Mitty" in a Reflections contest during high school. I really can relate to Walter both in the story and the movie because I tend to daydream a lot. That's one of the reasons I like exercising- it gives my mind a chance to have awesome daydreams like Walter does in the movie.

Overall, I thought the movie was great, clean, and thought-provoking. I really liked how the movie made Walter a more dimensional character, who was still aware of his surroundings and a hard worker, even though he zoned out every once in a while. They did a really good job making the daydream scenes ridiculous yet true to what someone might really think about. My only problem was that when Walter actually went out on an adventure, I thought it was a dream at first. And then some of the things he did in real life were kind of unbelievable, but I guess that's the point they were trying to make- why daydream when you have the potential to do great things?

It reminds me of a quote I read recently: "Either write something worth reading, or do something worth writing." Walter Mitty does both through his daydreams and later adventures.

Rhetorically,
Rebekah

Frozen Review

So our family has the tradition of going to the movie theater on Thanksgiving morning to watch a new movie. This year, we split up and saw "Frozen" and "Ender's Game."

I saw Frozen, and it was...unexpected. I thought I had figured the whole plot out from the trailers, but there were a few twists thrown in that I wasn't expecting. Props to Disney for that! (I'll refrain from spoilers, because I really want you to see it!)

I especially liked the soundtrack. My favorite songs were: Love is an Open Door, Let it Go, In Summer, and For the First Time. (So basically all of them). All of the voices were exceptional.

We saw the movie in 3D, which was cool, but I think I would have liked it just as well in 2D. The animation was great, and I could really see the influence from the animators of Wreck it Ralph and Tangled. It was one of those movies that reminds you about all the fun things you can do in winter, and the beauty there is in the snow.

Rhetorically,
Rebekah

A Laugh a Day Keeps the Troubles Away

At the first devotional of the year:

Sister Samuelson talked about the value of laughter. “The ability to not take one too seriously and use humor in times of mistakes, small and accidental incidents, and stressful situations can help alleviate embarrassment, fear and even discouragement in circumstances."

This devotional was well-timed, given the experience I had later on in the day. I was going to get a new driver's license (since my name changed and all). I figured out where to go, and drove there straight from school as to not waste time. I got there in record time. There was no wait, and I filled out my paperwork quickly. I was feeling quite cheerful for getting all this done in less than a half hour, until I noticed the following sign: "Before you come to the desk, you need: your birth certificate, old driver's license, new social security card, and two proofs of your current address." Since I didn't need to bring my birth certificate to get a social security card, I has assumed that I also didn't need to bring it to get my license. Angry at myself, (as I had thought to bring all the documents that morning but had to decided not to) I had to take an hour long detour through Provo construction to pick up something that would have taken seconds if I had been prepared.

Have you seen the movie Despicable Me 2? There's this great scene where Gru is feeling happy and he skips to work, pausing to play in street band, participate in yoga at the park, throw a wayward frisbee back to its owners, etc. 

Then he finds out some terrible news that ruins his mood and he ends up walking back with storm clouds over his head, kicking instruments from the street band aside, pushing yoga women out of his way, and throwing a wayward frisbee down the gutter drain. 

While I did not do any of those things, I did have to laugh at the similarity of my mood swing with Gru's. And then I remembered the devotional earlier that day. Even though I was annoyed, I couldn't help but see the humor of the situation. 

Everything worked out (as it usually does) and I thankfully did not have to travel across town again for another forgotten item. 

Rhetorically,

Rebekah

Christmas Movies

I've seen two new Christmas movies this month: Rise of the Guardians and Arthur Christmas. (Yes, I realize I'm a year behind for the latter.) Of the two, I'd have to say I liked Rise of the Guardians best. I could just relate more to Jack better than I could relate to any of the characters in Arthur. Speaking of, have you ever noticed that Jack is usually the name of a mischievous character who usually only looks out for themselves? There's Jack Sparrow from Pirates, Jack the Giant Killer, Jack-O-Lanterns, etc. 

Oh, and the best part of Rise of the Guardians? The bunny (He's so cute and fluffy I think I'm gonna die!!!):

Anyway, in the spirit of the season I thought I'd include my Christmas movie 'must sees':

1. While You Were Sleeping
2. Elf
3. Home Alone 1
4. Prep and Landing

I could go on, and I'm sure many would argue that other movies should be on the list, but I never claimed it was the ultimate list. Besides, this way you might actually be able to see all of them before Christmas. 

Rhetorically,
Rebekah

Love Surreal

So there's this movie called "Everything You Want" (aka Love Surreal) that is one of my favorites. Number one, it was filmed in Utah (although they never mention it). Number two, it's got one of the quirkiest side characters ever named Cal (who is also Eric from Boy Meets World). Number three, it discusses how most people have an idealized standard of their 'soul mate' and how it never really works out like that. 

My favorite quotes:

Cal (sidekick)- "Take it from somebody who's been committed. You gotta let love take care of itself."

Quinn (male lead)- "That makes about as much sense as a kamakazi pilot wearing a helmet"

Cal- "Just because someone is a practicing kamakazi pilot does not mean that they shouldn't follow basic safety measures"

Quinn- "Kamakazis commit suicide, Cal"

Cal- "Yeah, they understand commitment!"

Rhetorically,
Rebekah