How to cook a turkey...according to kids.

Time for some holiday laughter.

Kids explain how to prepare the turkey...

(beginning at approximately 2:09 in the clip)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Books-to-film.

Wednesday: Point of View

For a several weeks I consistently wrote "My Take" posts on movies I viewed, but for the past few weeks I slacked off from watching movies and read a couple novels instead. Both books would make great films…

The Time Keeper by Mitch Albom (Thought provoking, with profound insights.) Some of his books have been made into films (Tuesdays with Morrie; The Five People You Meet in Heaven; For One More Day; Have a Little Faith) so I hope The Time Keeper follows suit.

Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan (Although categorized as "youth fiction," it's an enjoyable adult read. Well-written.) According to IMDB, this one is in development! I look forward to seeing it on the big screen.

Having read The Time Keeper, I almost feel guilty saying this, but…

So many books, so little time.
So many movies, so little time.

Have you read any books you'd like to see in film?

More beautiful than expected.

Monday: Dialogue, Lines, or Quotes

The moment we cry in a film is not when things are sad but when they turn out to be more beautiful than we expected them to be. ~Alain de Botton

That was my experience while watching Life Is Beautiful (1997). Actually, first I bawled my eyes out because it was sad, then I cried because of the film's beautiful message.

What movie made you cry when it turned out more beautiful than expected?

A gentle drizzle.

Monday: Dialogue, Lines, or Quotes

Last week I posted my take on Amazing Grace (2006). That film had fantastic lines, and this one still dwells in my thoughts.

JOHN NEWTON

God sometimes does His work with gentle

drizzle, not storms. Drip. Drip. Drip.

Studio C and the Walking Dead

Friday: Comic Relief

Surviving walkers... oh my goodness... this cracks me up!

Take 29: Amazing Grace

Tuesday: My "take" on a film.

Amazing Grace (2006)

"Behind the song you love is a story you will never forget."

When I first heard about this film, I misunderstood the tagline (above) and assumed the movie was about John Newton, a former slave ship captain who became a preacher and wrote the lyrics for the stirring hymn "Amazing Grace."

The film, however, is about William Wilberforce (Ioan Gruffud) who went before the British Parliament year after year in a quest to end the slave trade.

John Newton (Albert Finney) is part of the story, as he was Wilberforce's preacher, mentor, and friend. Newton's past involvement with the slave trade haunts him...

JOHN NEWTON

I wish I could remember all their names.

My 20,000 ghosts, they all had names,

beautiful African names. We'd call them

with just grunts, noises. We were apes,

they were human.

Such sorrow and deep regret over his cruelty leads him to pen "Amazing Grace! How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me!..."

The song profoundly influences and inspires William. He, too, feels drawn to devote his life to God. Sitting in the grass, looking at a spider's web, he tells his butler...

WILLIAM WILBERFORCE

It's God. I have 10,000 engagements of state today

but I would prefer to spend the day out here getting

a wet arse, studying dandelions and marveling at...

spider's webs.

RICHARD THE BUTLER

You found God, sir?

WILLIAM WILBERFORCE

I think He found me. You have any idea how 

inconvenient that is? How idiotic it will sound?

I have a political career glittering ahead of me,

and in my heart I want spider's webs.

He struggles with a decision... devote his life to God, or continue in the political arena, alongside his friend William Pitt (Benedict Cumberbatch) who aspires to become Prime Minister.

WILLIAM WILBERFORCE

No one of our age has ever taken power.

WILLIAM PITT

Which is why we're too young realize

certain things are impossible.

Which is why we will do them anyway.

Wilberforce eventually realizes that his Divine mission is to fight for the abolition of slavery, thus both ambitions--to serve God, and continue in politics--align. His purpose and passion drive the crusade and nearly destroy his health, but his perseverance is, well...amazing. 

Amazing Grace. Produced by the same group (Walden Media) who brought us The Chronicles of Narnia movies; Holes; and The Giver, it's a quality film worth watching. 

Notes on content:

• Some references to the rape of female slaves, but no nudity or sex shown.
• Mild profanity in racial slurs and some words considered profane in Britain.
• Descriptions of slave conditions, which include violent acts, but none shown.

Video Prompt for November and December

It's the 1st of the month; time for a new video prompt. I have yet to receive any submissions for this blog's Video Challenge, but plan to continue posting monthly prompts... I have hope!

Perhaps it sounds ridiculous, but the best thing that young filmmakers should do is to get ahold of a camera and some film and make a movie of any kind at all. ~ Stanly Kubrick

Not just young filmmakers, but any novice filmmaker. And with digital, who needs film? Grab a camera, make a short video (1 to 3 minutes) then send me the youtube link.  (See guidelines here.)

The video doesn't need to be fancy or professional, just tell a story (beginning, middle, end) following the prompt.

*Video Prompt for November and December (Due December 31, 2015):

A storyline of your choice, but include gratitude either in dialogue or action. 


*Note: The end of the year gets hectic, so, I combined November and December to give more time.