Movie Reviews – Rebecca Morgan

The Miracle at Dunkirk

Even though large tracts of Europe and many old and famous States have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of Nazi rule, we shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender, and if, which I do not for a moment believe, this island or a large part of it were subjugated and starving, then our Empire beyond the seas, armed and guarded by the British Fleet, would carry on the struggle, until, in God’s good time, the New World, with all its power and might, steps forth to the rescue and the liberation of the old. ~ Winston Churchill

This speech of Winston Churchill after the Miracle of Dunkirk has also been one that gave me chills, and even at a young age impressed on me the magnitude of what England faced. But they would never surrender.

Yesterday, I went with my family to see Dunkirk. A movie of little dialogue, the press for time is heard by a background ticking clock. As a storyteller, I loved it. I didn’t like the taking of God’s name in vain, but the movie was good overall.

But this isn’t a movie review. I wanted to tell you the true story of the Miracle at Dunkirk.

Mr. Dawson, Peter’s father, simply says, “The call went out.”

But what they didn’t tell you, is what that call was.

What made hundreds of civilian ships as far away as the Isle of Man and Glasgow come to Dunkirk?

Three simple words:

But if not.

That is the call that sent England into action, because they knew their Bible, and they knew that the passage comes from the book of Daniel.

Daniel 3:15-19 English Standard Version (ESV)

¹⁵Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good.^[a] But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”

¹⁶Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. ¹⁷If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.^[b] ¹⁸But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

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Their boys were awaiting rescue. The navy ships were being bombed by the Germans, and they couldn’t come close to the beaches because of the rough seas. All seemed hopeless.

The British army was awaiting rescue, but if not, they were willing to die to defend their island.

That is the Miracle of Dunkirk. God was there, when the Germans for an unknown reason pulled back from their attack. He was there. Always. The God whom they served was able to deliver them.

Beauty and the Beast Movie Review

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Beauty and the Beast.

My favorite fairy tale.

A story that has been near and dear to my heart since I was a young girl. The dance, the Beast saving her from the wolves, letting her go in the end. A movie that always spoke to my heart showing what true love is, that it looks beyond the scars and flaws to the person underneath. A movie that made little five- year-old me cry because it was beautiful, it was heart-rending, and my little self just couldn’t comprehend.

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I saw the new live-action remake Saturday with my mom and it was beautiful. It was enchanting. It was gorgeous. The singing, the acting, everything was perfect. Emma Watson was superb as Belle and Dan Stevens was prefect for the Beast.

I have fallen in love with the remake (I am cautious with remakes, because they are not always as good as the original) , and thought I would give y’all my honest take on it.

~ At the wedding dance, LeFou dances for all of two seconds with a man. He doesn’t seek the guy out, it was one of those spontaneous things that happens at dances.

~ LeFou sings in the tavern about how “nobody bites in a wrestling match like Gaston.” This lyric is in the animated version, and men are bitten in wrestling matches in real life. I have brothers. Professional wrestlers have done it. It happens.

~ When Gaston talks about his intention to marry Belle and LeFou asks, “What about us?” he is talking about their friendship.

~ Gaston is talking to himself in a mirror and says, “I’m not done with you yet,” and LeFou says “me neither.” Though it isn’t clear what he is talking about.

~ LeFou does hug Gaston is the tavern, but Gaston is not pleased.

~ There is a guy at the end who gets dressed like a lady and he is happy about it. I didn’t care for this part, but it lasts for only a few seconds.

My rating: 4.5 stars.

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In closing, Belle didn’t fall in love with a creature, she fell in love with the person underneath. Because looks aren’t everything. And that is the beautiful story that lies underneath.

Beauty and the Beast is a Tale as old as Time. But more so is what it represents. “That a thing must be loved before it is lovable.” –G.K. Chesterton

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In Which I Talk Brave

Ever heard about a movie that you really wanted to see, but never got the chance? Well, that was me with Tangled, Frozen, and Brave up until last year. I’ve managed to watch Frozen and Tangled (Tangled is better than Frozen by the way 🙂 ) so Brave was next on my list to see.

I had the opportunity Wednesday when I stayed home from church sick. I rented the movie from Amazon.

I want to talk about it, but I’m horrible at movie reviews. But I still want to talk about it.

So what’s Brave?

Merida has been trained by her mother her whole life to be a princess–something that Merida dosen’t like. She’d rather be out on her horse riding through the bonny glen, firing her bow and arrows.

Something her mother doesn’t like. Because Merida is a princess, and it’s high time she started acting like one.

Merida thinks her mother doesn’t understand her, and maybe even doesn’t like her.

And then one day, the last straw falls.

Merida’s mother, Elinor, is going to marry Merida off to one of the kingdom’s lords. Whoever wins the archery contest, also wins Merida’s hand.

Merida is having none of it.

She offends the other lords by sneeking onto the green, and competing in the games herself. When her mother confronts her in anger, throwing her bow into the fireplace, Merida slashes threw a tapestry depicting her family, yelling, “”You’re a beast! I’d rather die than be like you!”

She leaves in the castle in tears, and stumbles across will o’ the wisps, who lead her to a witch. In exchange for a spell, Merida gives the witch her necklace. “Change my mom,” Merida says. “That will change my fate.”

And when movie characters decide to take their fate in their own hands, things usually go wrong. And they do go wrong. The spell doesn’t do exactly what Merida was hoping for, she regrets what she did, and during the course of the movie, she tries to undo what she did. With the usually danger, giggles, and tear-filled scenes that make a movie.

Negative elements: At one point in the movie, some men have to take off their pants, and we see their backsides. Another was the witch that Merida asks for a potion to help change her fate. There is no chanting, just the witch throwing everything together in a cauldron. One of the female servants has some cleavage.

Merida has three younger brothers who run about unchecked and are not punished in anyway for misbehavior. At one point, one of her brothers takes a key from said lady’s cleavage. It is not shown, but it is implied.

Merida seems to be growing up in pre-Christian Scotland, where druidic influence is strong. A Stonehenge like circle is a present in the movie, though no incantations go on in the circle.

Positive elements: Scottish accents, Scottish accents, and more Scottish accents.The animation is beautiful, and Scotland looks as real as it can be. Both Elinor and Merida change through the course of the movie. The movie shows that when you take away the hurt and differences, the mother-daughter relationship is a magic all it’s own. And it’s a beautiful story.