I made this video back in 2009 just a few years after becoming Catholic.
Song: "Were You There When They Crucified My Lord" Song by: Tatiana (I Thirst)-album Movie Scenes: "The Passion of The Christ" Directed by: Mel Gibson
As has become my custom, today for Good Friday I will re-watch "The Passion of the Christ" movie. I think its the best movie ever made on the life and crucifixion of Christ. God bless you all. In Christ, Julie
Warning: PG-13 — Some Bloody Images, Brief Suggestive Content, Sexual Assault, Disturbing Thematic Material
Quote: Warsaw, December 1945: the second World War is finally over and French Red Cross doctor Mathilde (Lou de Laage) is treating the last of the French survivors of the German camps. When a panicked Benedictine nun appears at the clinic begging Mathilde to follow her back to the convent, what she finds there is shocking: a holy sister about to give birth and several more in advanced stages of pregnancy. A non-believer, Mathilde enters the sisters’ fiercely private world, dictated by the rituals of their order and the strict Rev. Mother (Agata Kulesza, Ida). Fearing the shame of exposure, the hostility of the occupying Soviet troops and local Polish communists and while facing an unprecedented crisis of faith, the nuns increasingly turn to Mathilde as their beliefs and traditions clash with harsh realities.
Cast: Mathilde: Lou de Laâge Sister Maria: Agata Buzek Mother Abbess: Agata Kulesza Samuel: Vincent Macaigne Irena: Joanna Kulig Teresa: Eliza Rycembel Zofia: Anna Prochniak Anna: Katarzyna Dabrowska
Playing in Connecticut: Madison Art Cinemas- Madison Connecticut 7/8/16 Avon Theatre- Stamford Connecticut 7/8/16 Bantam Cinema- Bantam Connecticut 7/8/16 Garden Norwalk- Norwalk Connecticut 7/8/16 Criterion New Haven- New Haven Connecticut 7/8/16 Other states & theaters: HERE. Source: http://www.musicboxfilms.com/the-innocents-movies-138.php **Nun Blog discusses the film: HERE. In Christ, Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner Nun blog: http://romans8v29.blogspot.com/2016/07/holy-innocents.html
Boy, you just never know what you're going to get when you sit down with family to watch a G-rated Christmas cartoon. I see a cartoon reindeer, some snow and Santa waving and think the family and I are in for a holiday treat of cuteness. Taking a break from all the horrible news to just enjoy a cute Christmas cartoon movie. The movie I watched with my teen+ kids this weekend was no Frosty the Snowman. Had my children been young I would have been upset to sit them down to watch it thinking I was getting a cute family friendly G-rated movie. That is not what the movie "The Flight Before Christmas" delivered. I had never heard of this movie before, so I had no idea what it was about- I was just going by the cute cover image. Looks cute right? As the saying goes, looks can be deceiving. I am still rather shocked by the basis of the story. And while I was watching it, I wondered how some parents dealt with the story line, so after the movie my oldest daughter looked up some reviews for me on Amazon. More on those later... The story is about Niko, a little reindeer boy who doesn't have a father in his life. The reason he doesn't have a father in his life is because his mother had a one night stand (honest, its in the movie), got knocked up by one of Santa's reindeer (she never got his name so she can't even tell her son the name of his father) and had little Niko the following spring unknown to the reindeer she had sex with. Here is the scene of little Niko hearing his mother tell the story of how he was conceived when one of Santa's "Flying Forces" reindeer "took her for a spin" one day resulting in her pregnancy - no really watch the video clip she really says that:
Nice kids Christmas story eh? There's more. Niko wants to fly to prove to other little reindeer (who are teasing him) that his father really is one of Santa's "Flying Forces" reindeer -you see the flying gene gets passed from father to son, so if little Niko can fly he can prove his father is one of Santa's flying reindeer. After putting the herd in danger from vicious wolves, little Niko decides its time to find his father. A little flying squirrel has been a step father to little Niko his whole life, but Niko doesn't want a step father, he wants his biological father, so off Niko goes on an adventure to find his biological father. The step-father squirrel goes with him and along the way, they meet up with Wilma the weasel. They flee numerous times from a pack of horrible wolves who want to eat them.
(According to some reviews on Amazon, this wolf terrorized more than one child.)
Niko and friends overhear the black wolf's plan for his pack to eat all the flying reindeer to gain their power of flight for themselves and then to eat Santa, thus taking Santa's place on Christmas eve. The plan finishes with the wolves going home to home eating all the little children sleeping in their beds waiting for Christmas morning. Did I mention this was rated "G" for little children?? Niko and friends make it to where Santa and his reindeer live only to get in the way of the drunken reindeer (they drink a lot) making a trial flight. The "santa" falls out of the sleigh, plummets to the ground then bursts into flames. There is no indication that this is a stuffed or dummy Santa- so children everywhere (read the Amazon comments) were greatly disturbed to see Santa plummet to his death and go up in flames. This movie's holiday cheer continues with a lovely DNA song to finger who is Niko's father- all the reindeer admit to taking the ladies out for spins, but none of them will fess up to fathering Niko.
Nice song for the kids to learn and sing for Christmas eh? The reindeer all deny being Niko's father, breaking his heart. Then they decide to test him- by making him jump off their landing strip into oblivian. If he flies, one of the reindeer is lying and really did father Niko. If he plummets to his death the Flying Force are in the clear. The story goes on...blah, blah, blah, until Niko shows some spunk, believes he can fly and does. There is a battle against the wolves- all the adult drunken reindeer run for their lives leaving little Niko, the squirrel and the Wilma the weasel to fend for themselves. Zero moral fiber in these flying reindeer. Long story short, they do all manage to survive- even the evil wolves. Prancer fesses up to hooking up with Niko's mother and Santa talks to Niko thrilling him by giving him a place on the team to pull the sleigh. When Niko tries to talk to his father about coming home and seeing Niko's mother again so they can be a happy family together, Prancer stammers and makes excuses about being really busy with fly practice. The perfect Christmas cartoon version of a deadbeat father. Niko returns home and declares his real father (the squirrel) had been right there with him all along. The end. Now for the customer reviews on Amazon: The Maury Povich review:
The "hussy" review:
The kill and eat Santa review:
In Christ and sticking to the Charlie Brown Christmas movie,
Watched the (based on the true story) movie"The Monuments Men" today and really enjoyed it.
Didn't know it had a bit of a Catholic theme to it before I sat down to watch it.
One of my favorite parts...one of the Monuments Men walks into a Catholic Church and stares at a beautiful statue of Mary and the Holy Infant... (one of the items the men are willing to die for in order to save from Hitler)
...and a priest says to him "Are you Catholic?" and he answers while staring at the Madonna and infant..."I am today." :) Really enjoyed this movie and I recommend it - even if you don't like George Clooney or Matt Damon, they are good in this film. For more on the true story of the Monuments Men: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/true-story-monuments-men-180949569/?no-ist In Christ, Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner
...the continuing story of Jesus Christ after he was placed in the tomb. The movie is "Risen"...
Whatever you think of Mel Gibson, his "The Passion of the Christ" movie was spectacular...at least in my opinion. I wish Gibson had done this movie and continued the story. This looks good...but I just don't know if it will hold up to "The Passion of the Christ". More about "Risen" here: http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/mark-judge/risen-next-passion-christ In Christ, Julie @ Connecticut Catholic Corner
EWTN Exclusive: Behind-the-Scenes of The New
Blockbuster Film ‘Son of God’
Plus, LIVE Coverage of the
Installation of New Cardinals, The History of Our Lady of Fatima &
More
Irondale, AL – If you’re planning on seeing “Son of God”
when it opens in theatres on February 28, you won’t want to miss this! EWTN
Host Raymond Arroyo interviews a host of prominent people about how screening
the film impacted their lives. See what Rwandan Genocide Survivor Immaculee
LLibagiza, Father Barron’s “Word on Fire Ministries (“Catholicism”), Washington
Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Los Angeles Archbishop José Gómez , Pittsburgh Bishop
David Zubik, Bloggers Lisa Hendey & Brandon Vogt and many more have to say
about the movie when “Faithful Reflections On Son of God” airs at 9 p.m. ET,
Thursday, Feb 23. Find EWTN on a channel near you: www.ewtn.com/channelfinder
There’s a Fee to join the Catholic Church?—Convert Rick Fee that is! Find
out how this former Lutheran discovered the spiritual wealth of Catholicism
while on his “Journey Home! Join Host Marcus Grodi and Fee for a discussion of
his conversion when “The Journey Home” airs at 8 p.m. ET, Monday
Feb.25—exclusively on EWTN! Find EWTN on a channel near you: www.ewtn.com/channelfinder
Quiet on the set! Abbot Fr. Philip Anderson of Our Lady of Clear Creek
Abbey joins the set of “EWTN Live” and Host Fr. Mitch Pacwa to discuss the
contemplative life of the Benedictine Order, and how silence is essential to a
person’s prayer life. Request some quiet time and tune in when “EWTN Live” airs
at 8 p.m. ET, Wednesday Feb 19—exclusively on EWTN! Find EWTN on a channel near
you: www.ewtn.com/channelfinder
He’s working day and Knights for Catholic youth! “Life on the Rock”
Co-hosts Fr. Mark and Doug Barry welcome Fr. John Kalisch, Director of Chaplain
& Spiritual Developers for the Knights of Columbus, to discuss his work with
young adults and teens throughout the United States. Join us for “Life on the
Rock,” LIVE at 10 p.m. ET, Thursday, Feb. 20—exclusively on EWTN! Find EWTN on
a channel near you: www.ewtn.com/channelfinder
Were you “lucky” enough to catch the first part of “Bakhita?” The thrilling
second part of the story of Sudan’s Patron Saint airs at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday,
Feb. 22—exclusively on EWTN! (Not available via Livestream or Roku) Missed the
first part? “Bakhita” (whose name means “lucky) is now available through EWTN
Religious Catalogue here:http://bit.ly/18QdSQn
Our Lady of Fatima, Pray for us: From the Blessed Mother’s first appearance
to three shepherd children to Blessed Pope John Paul II’s visit in 1982, follow
the history and miracles associated with this sacred site. Witness “Fatima, Our
Hope” when it airs at 5:30 p.m. ET, Thursday, Feb 20—exclusively on EWTN! Find
EWTN on a channel near you: www.ewtn.com/channelfinder
EWTN is seeing red—but it’s a good thing this time! Join Pope Francis at
St. Peter’s Basilica as he celebrates Mass and the installation of new
Cardinals! Early birds can catch this Mass LIVE at 5 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 23—or
watch the encore later that day at 12 p.m. ET—exclusively on EWTN! Find EWTN on
a channel near you: www.ewtn.com/channelfinder
Embark on a holy pilgrimage from home! Traverse the Holy Land with Dianna
von Glahn in her six-part miniseries as she goes from Mount Carmel to the Dead
Sea and beyond. Journey with the “Faithful Traveler” every day this week at 6:30
p.m. ET—only on EWTN! Find EWTN on a channel near you: www.ewtn.com/channelfinder
What does man’s best friend have to do with our relationship with Our
Heavenly Father? Fr. James Mallon and his faithful canine Monzi have some pretty
good ideas as to how we can better understand our relationships with each Person
of the Trinity. There’s no need to beg—“Dogmatic Theology” airs 10 p.m. ET,
Sunday, Feb. 23—exclusively on EWTN! Find EWTN on a channel near you: www.ewtn.com/channelfinder
