The Bedtime Movie Tag

First, I love my new Game of Thrones inspired layout and header!!!

    

  Thank you Jamie nominated me for this tag!!

Originally this was The Bedtime Book Tag, but Jamie switched it to a movie tag instead : )

1.) A movie that kept you up all night

Downton Abbey: Season 1

I watched the whole season in one night!

2.) A movie that made you scared to sleep

Left Behind: World at War

Nicolae is at his most terrifying! 

3.) A movie that made you go to sleep

WALL.E

I fell asleep in the theater and when I woke up, I felt like I didn't miss a thing. The same thing with UP, I found both movies incredibly boring.

 4.) A movie that left you tossing and turning all night in anticipation of its release

Avengers: Age of Ultron

I wanted to see this movie on opening weekend so badly (and I did)!!

5.) A movie that has your dream boyfriend/girlfriend ship of two separate movies

????????????

6.) A movie that would be your worst nightmare to live in

Hannah Montana: The Movie

This was actually a good movie, but the idea of having Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus as your neighbors makes me glad it's a fictional story in a fictional Tennessee town!

 7.) A movie that reminds you of nighttime

The Exorcism of Emily Rose

About 75% of this movie took place at night, but it really added to the horror element, 

(Normally I don't like horror films, but this one was fantastic!)

 8.) A movie that has a nightmarish cliffhanger

Sherlock: Season 2

I thought he died! I was right there in my living room and he jumped off a building and now he's at his own graveside! WHAT????

 9.) A move you actually dreamed about

Hook

Dustin Hoffman's portrayal as Captain Hook terrified me as a child and growing up I had constant nightmares of him coming to my house and kidnapping me (I'm not kidding).

 10.) A movie monster you would not want to find under your bed

The Lord of The Rings: 

The Return of The King

The orcs, Shelob, the Uruk-Hai. the mouth of Sauron...basically every monster in this film!

Thank you Jamie for the tag!

 Tagging:

 Olivia

 Sarah

 Hamlette

Little Things #3

 1.) Yellow: My favorite color : )

 2.) Acing a test: It is one of the best feelings in the world.

 3.) Romantic comedies: A genre about life as it can be.

 4.) The Hemsworth brothers: I mean seriously, do I honestly have to explain??

 5.) I have brown eyes: Brown with a little green. I've always loved my eyes : )

 6.) I avoid crowds: Nothing scares me more, than being in a crowd where no one notices me. 

He Is No Fool

This great video celebrates the lives of the five missionaries Jim Elliot, Pete Fleming, Ed McCulley, Roger Youdarian & Nate Saint who were massacred in Ecuador by the Auca Indians on January 8, 1956 and of the noble Olympic runner Eric Liddell who made headlines at the 1924 Olympics in Paris, France when he refused to run on a Sunday.

Video clips from: Through Gates of Splendor (2005), Chariots of Fire (1981) and At The End of The Spear (2005)

Another video that celebrates great missionaries.

British Drama Appreciation Post

     I love a lot of genres, but I believe that British television should be genre of its own. I really had no interest in British television until I saw Downton Abbey, but then again, Downton Abbey was almost the beginning of a British drama renaissance, at least for me it was. What I love the most about British television is really the diversity, history, sci-fi, murder mystery (a lot of that) and fantasy. Everytime I find a good British drama show, I immediately say, "That is my favorite!" Then about 3 months down the line, I find one that ends up taking its place.

      Although, I really can't nail down exactly what it is I like about British drama, I would have to say that it all comes down to the writing. If you have exceptional writers who know how to weave a good story into history, sci-fi, murder mystery and fantasy, then you may already have a successful hit on your hands. The eight shows pictured in the graphic are my all time favorites with hopefully more to come!

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1.) Downton Abbey

     Of all shows represented, Downton Abbey still reigns supreme with its incredible writing of historical events, personable characters, beautiful music and a balanced blend of comedy and drama. You live in this household for almost 15 years and the characters almost become like family to you.  Downton Abbey has had a wonderful six year run and I think it will be a while until another show will be able to compete for top British drama.  

2.) Call The Midwife

  

   . We live in a time where motherhood is severely looked down upon and unplanned pregnancies are considered the ultimate evil, but Call The Midwife celebrates the joys of motherhood and children. It also brings to light the realities and hard expectations of women, when they lived in a time where they were solely dependent on men. Heartwarming as well as heartbreaking, Call The Midwife is more than a medical drama, it's a historic representation of basic human life. 

3.) Poldark (2015)

      The remake of the 1975 BBC series and based on novels by Winston Graham, Poldark took summer 2015 by storm with its brilliant casting of Aidan Turner as the broody, but kindhearted veteran soldier Ross Poldark. Similar to a 18th century Robin Hood, Ross Poldark and his small community of Cornwall on the coast of England go through trials and triumphs of trying to survive in a failing economy. In the midst of their strife though, there are moments of happiness that makes this drama all the more endearing. 

4.) Merlin

      I started watching this show after it had ended, but I can understand why it had such a successful 5 season run. Growing up with Arthurian legends, I was immediately interested and it wasn't long before I became ingrained with Albion and all its residents including awkward (but brilliant) wizard apprentice Merlin (Emrys), honorable king in training, Prince Arthur, noble future queen, Guinevere and mysterious secret sorceress, Lady Morgana. In spite of its terrible ending, Merlin is the ultimate feel good television series. 

5.) Upstairs, Downstairs (2010)

     Like Poldark, Upstairs, Downstairs is based on the original series from 1971. Sadly, the show was overshadowed by the immense popularity of Downton Abbey, but it doesn't negate the fact that is was  very well done. The show is done as a continuation of the original broadcast series while maintaining its own independent and original story. It only ran two season and despite mixed reviews, I greatly enjoyed Upstairs, Downstairs as it represents the English high life of the late 1930s and on the eve of WWII.

6.) Robin Hood

      Robin Hood can be hit or miss depending on who is telling the story, but BBC's 2006 success got it absolutely right. The original legend, with a delightful modern day mix in its costuming and attitudes, brought the adventure, the romance and comedy into one great story of a man and his friends who refused to back down from tyranny. Utterly bipolar at times and even thought-provoking, Robin Hood, despite its short television run, will make you laugh and cry, but also give you a hero that the world desperately needs today. 

7.) The Crimson Field

      I was excited to see another Edwardian drama about WWI come to television, but The Crimson Field is hardly Downton Abbey. Showing the grisly realities of the warfront and the physical and mental damage that comes from service, the  characters take a while to grown into. As the story continues real heroes begin to emerge in both soldiers and civilians, and the shades of grey areas that are revealed in one of the world's most horrific wars.

8.) Sherlock

      Although I've always enjoyed the Sherlock Holmes stories as told through many interpretations on television, I was never a big Holmes fan, but my family was and were quite skeptical about this up-dated version. They (like everyone else) were completely won over by Benedict Cumberbatch's portrayal of the legendary detective and Martin Freeman's spot on performance as Dr. John Watson. Turning the turn of the century sleuth into a 20th century scientist and detective was a risky move, but it was a risk worth taking in the creation of the new modern Sherlock Holmes. 

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      While it's only been five years since I've discovered this British drama craze, I have to say that I feel no shame at all. Before, I found most British television to be boring and really have no life at all, but BBC and ITV have stepped up their game every single year and the stories just keep getting better and better, and not just their shows, but their movies and mini-series as well. From Downton Abbey, which has now had its finale season, to Sherlock and who knows when the next season is going to be, thank you for making my Sunday nights so memorable, exciting and just all out fun! 

The Untouchables

    Have you ever watched a movie that when you get to the end you think, "How have I never seen this before??" I came across The Untouchables one boring afternoon and saw that it was a mobster movie that had a decent all star cast of Sean Connery, Andy Garcia and Robert De Niro (all favorites of mine). The movie was just fun and exciting. A total story of good v. evil, inspired (or based on) by actual events, and brings to light the darkness and the depravity of the Mafia by bringing no glory to it all. 

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The Untouchables

Top: Eliot Ness (Kevin Costner) and Jimmy Malone (Sean Connery)
Bottom: Oscar Wallace (Charles Martin Smith) and George Stone (Andy Garcia)

      In the 1930s, at beginning of Prohibition, Al Capone (Robert De Niro) has become the Kingpin of all illegal activity. Charismatic, charming and arrogant, Capone has all of America in his pocket while living large in upscale Chicago. However, Federal Agent Eliot Ness refuses to give in to the gangster and his racketeering and publicly announces that he will take down Capone. After a humiliating liquor raid, Eliot gets unexpected help from an old school Irish-American cop, Jimmy Malone who helps him improve his raid game, but first they need to get the right men.

      So they recruit brainy federal accountant Oscar Wallace who believes that they can nail Capone on tax evasion and George Stone or Giuseppe Petri, a crack-shot rookie cop who is trying to hide his Italian-American heritage to avoid prejudice. Together these four very different, but equally determine men slowly begin to uncover Capone's underworld with intelligence, courage and guile which eventually leads the press to name them 'The Untouchables' because they can't be bought by anyone. 

     Just as life is looking promising, Capone strikes back and he strikes back hard, by brutally murdering two of the Untouchables in gruesome public deaths. Still the American government refuses to give in and Capone is finally brought down by the justice he thought he could control and by four men who could never be touched by dishonesty, greed or injustice. 

The Untouchables of Chicago and Al Capone

     Just a great film that combines all the elements of history, action and no small amount of charm that gets you from one scene to the next. All of the acting was fantastic and the story had some great characters, but my favorite was definitely George Stone. His character really brought a great deal of decency to all Italian-Americans who simply wanted quiet normal lives and he was just a genuinely kind and generous man (and it's Andy Garcia). 

     The music really adds to the excitement of the story and the beautiful period costumes....all done by George Armani! Has that ever been done before or since?? Being a mobster film it is violent, but not over the top, just a lot of blood with no slow torture, thankfully. So, call it a mob movie, an action flick, a period piece or just a great watch, The Untouchables boasts a well written story that portrays good men who become everyday heroes when they take down the bad for the good of all people. 

I wish I this much of a bad-ass when it comes to helping my friends 

Character Perception Confusion

     People who are doing my 5 Male Characters Tag are having difficulty understanding what character perception is and I probably should have explained it more (or people have just never seen Top Gun).

People think that character perception is how the actors portray the character, but it's nothing to do with the actor/character relationship. It's a completely character/viewer relationship. 

Here's an explanation that I gave to someone I tagged

     Character perception is how the audience views the character from the beginning of the story to the end. Basically a 'first impressions are not always the correct impressions.' It's when a character is portrayed in a certain way and you think that's who they really are. Then as the story progresses you begin to see why they are that way and the first impressions view changes and you suddenly accept them as they have always been. It's not character development though, because the character never changes and they're the same person that they were in the beginning.

     Snape from "Harry Potter" is a classic example of character perception. Throughout the series we think he's a villain and then when the story shifts in his favor, we see that he was a good man all along, but that is not who he was perceived to be in the beginning. He was made to look like the villain at Harry's first impression and as the story progressed, Snape himself never changed, but the story's perception of him did.

     J.K. Rowling is the master of character perception as well as Jane Austen (Mr. Darcy as a classic example) and Suzanne Collins with Finnick Odair.

     Hopefully this might clear some confusion. 

Vlog #9 - September (5 Male Characters Tag)

I decided to do my 5 Male Characters Tag for my September vlog and it came out great!

 (scroll down to see rules)

 I'm working more and more with Windows Movie Maker and teaching myself how to edit videos. This is the first time I've been able to incorporate movie clips into my videos (it took forever to figure it out!), but I just hope YouTube doesn't take it down for copyright infringement.

 If they do, I can make another just without the video clips.

I hope you enjoy!!!

Rules:

1.) List 5 of you favorite male characters (book or screen)

2.) Tagging other people is optional

3.) If you are tagged link back to the person that tagged you

4.) Link back to Revealed In Time (preferably using the link to this post)

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Choose one from each category.

1.) Hero

2.) Villain

3.) Anti-hero

4.) Best book-to-screen adaption

5.) Best character perception