Heart Of Darkness: A quick, yet confusing read.

If you didn't get my hint, that was a photo still from the movie Apocalypse Now.  I had to watch that movie back in my senior year, and while there are parts I wish I could forget, I remember enough of that movie to be able to compare it to the book upon which it is based:  Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad.

The book and the movie are not very similar.  Even the very settings in which they are placed are strikingly different.  Heart of Darkness is set in Imperialist-era Africa, while Apocalypse Now takes place in Vietnam during America's controversial involvement there back in the 70's.  The character Marlow remains the ultimate perspective for both stories, but Apocalypse Now seemed like a more life-altering and disillusioning experience than what Marlow saw in the novel.  Heart of Darkness was rather dry.  Most of it was talking and observing simple natural phenomenon as Marlow travels to meet the man named Kurtz, who is present in both stories.  There were some parts where I wondered exactly who was speaking at one time.  Very few characters are brought into the limelight enough for me to recognize them as they perform various plot tasks. Perhaps this was what Conrad's intention, but it was difficult for me to follow the different personalities and to gauge their importance in the entire plot.

Simply put, this book probably was made cooler by the movie.  This doesn't make my favorites list, but maybe if I read it again, it would make more sense.

Listening to:  Big Bang Theory
Blessings:  Blankets, Saturdays.
Learned:  That there is more than one day to fix an 80's speaker system.
Things Going On Today:  Work.  Tried to try out for Staheli's choir, but he never opened his door.

MY favorite Disney Songs

Okay... So one of my fellow bloggers put up his "Top" 30 Animated Disney Movie Songs, and I thought I'd create my rebuttal.  I love almost all the Disney songs, but I'm a Johnson, you see, and Johnsons rank EVERYTHING.
Proceed with caution.  A lot of these songs have meaning to ME.  I know "Hakuna Matata" and "Bare Necessities" are Disney classics, but they don't speak to ME as a musician, woman, Disney lover, etc. So here we are, MY favorite Disney songs, regardless of what anyone says, and why they are my favorite:

#30:  "Work Song" from Cinderella

Cinderella is a classic.  One song needs to make the list.  My favorite part of Cinderella is of course the mice, so this song makes the board as my 30th favorite song.  It's catchy, no?

"We can do it, we can do it!

We can help our Cinderelly!

We can make her dress so pretty!

There's nothing to it really!"

#29:  "Bella Notte" from Lady and The Tramp

This is one of those romantic classics that's used and re-used again and again.  I've seen so many re-hashings of this famous "Spaghetti Pooch Smooch," I think it's worth being dubbed an iconic moment in Disney history, with an iconic song to match.
"Side by side with your loved one
You'll find enchantment here.
The night will weave its magic spell,
When the one you love is near."

#28:  "Cruella De Vil" from 101 Dalmatians

The only song in the movie, and it is a jazzy, groovy classic!  Never to be forgotten as the best villain song in Disney history, "Cruella De Vil" is also a compositional masterpiece.  I've learned a lot about blues notes and chromatic harmonies....  Here ya go.  Perfect exhibition of such techniques.  Not your normal four-chord pop Disney tune.
"This vampire bat, this inhuman beast!
She ought to be locked up, and never released!"

#27: "One Jump Ahead" from Aladdin

I love the rhythmic and melodic complexity of this song, first of all.  It's very different from other Disney songs -- unpredictable and helter-skelter, just like the scenes and characters it's portraying.  What a great way to meet Aladdin!  But my favorite part of this song is the reprise.  If there is one theme that many of these songs I've chosen have in common, it's the idea of being misunderstood and different from other people.  Aladdin is a social outcast.  As are Hercules, Tarzan, Ariel, Mulan, and other Disney heroes.  If we ever feel alone or left out or misunderstood, we can look to Disney and take heart in the fact that all of these heroes rose above their lot, and they didn't ever have to change who they were on the inside.  That's the ultimate lesson:  Never change the person you are.  Be yourself.
"'Riffraff,' 'street rat,' I don't buy that.
If only they'd look closer!
Would they see a poor boy?
No, sirree!
They'll find out there's so much more to me."

#26:  "Zero to Hero" from Hercules

I love it when Disney takes a musical genre and exploits it to its fullest within one movie.  In Hercules, the writers have (ironically) combined Greek myth with Gospel soul.  And this is the crown gem of that style.  There is so much pizzazz in this song!  It's unforgettably catchy and it alludes to time passing without boring us all.  The muses are played by some amazing singers, as well.
"He was a nothing,
(Zero, zero!)
No he's a honcho!
(Hero, hero!)
He hit the heights at breakneck speed!
From zero to hero!
Now he's a hero!
Herc is a hero!"

#25: "Belle" from Beauty and the Beast

Because Beauty and the Beast is such a critically-acclaimed and well-loved movie, I feel it only right to include several of its songs on the list.  This song is one of the better character introductions in Disney history.  The cool thing is if you put this and the song "Gaston" side by side, you can not only get a good idea about who these two people are, but how society feels about them.  This movie can be a great reminder that we need to watch our judgments of people who are different from us.  They may be the ones who save us and bring us to a better understanding.
"Now it's no wonder that her name means 'beauty,'
Her looks have got no parallel.
But behind that fair facade, I'm afraid she's rather odd.
Very different from the rest of us.
She's nothing like the rest of us!
Yes, different from the rest of us is Belle!"

#24: "Your Mother And Mine" from Peter Pan

This song makes me think about my mother, and that thought makes me very happy.  I love it when Disney reminds us about the importance of families.
"What makes mothers all that they are?
Might as well ask what makes a star!"

#23:  "With a Smile and a Song" from Snow White

No one likes Snow White and it's kind of sad.  This is the first one!  The ultimate classic Disney animated movie!  And while the voice of Snow White, played by Adriana Caselotti, is very different from what our standard of beautiful voices is, I think this song is so happy and true to our life and times! Snow White has a GREAT attitude! Check out these lyrics:

"There's no use in grumbling

When raindrops come tumbling!

Remember, you're the one

Who can fill the world with sunshine!"

#22: "Heaven's Light/Hellfire" from Hunchback of Notre Dame

Hunchback of Notre Dame is my favorite Disney movie, so of course I include a plethora of them on this list. These two songs go together.  They are beautifully linked by a gorgeous modern adaptation of Gregorian Chant.  I love "Hellfire" quite a bit.  It's powerful and... spooky.  One of Disney's few legitimately spooky songs.  But I'd like to focus more on the awesomeness that is "Heaven's Light."  It's a beautiful, beautiful love song.  Have you ever met someone who understands you better than anyone else, and it's like that person becomes a miracle in your life?  That's what this song is about.  Poor Quasi finally found someone who understands him.  It's such a beautiful story.  

"Then suddenly, an angel has smiled at me

And kissed my cheek without a trace of fright.

I never thought I'd know that warm and loving glow

Though I might wish with all my might.

No face as hideous as my face.

Was ever meant for heaven's light."

#21: "You'll Be In My Heart" from Tarzan

As you look at this list, you'll quickly realize that I love mom songs.  Like this one!  One of the sweetest stories about identity, belonging, and unconditional love.  I've tried not to include too many songs that are sung by celebrity artists during the credits, but this is an exception.  Phil Collins is awesome and you can hear love as he sings it.  

#20:  "Gaston" from Beauty and the Beast

This song is so much fun, I can't ignore it on my list.  It's the kind of song that people will sing along to as they watch the movie, even when no one's around to hear them.  The rhyming is clever, and of course Lefou's character is hilarious.
"When I was a lad, I ate four dozen eggs
Every morning to help me get large.
And now that I'm grown, I eat five dozen eggs,
So I'm roughly the size of a barge!"

#19:  "Just Around the Riverbend" from Pocahontas

I include a lot of Pocahontas songs on this list, because I think each one is crafted to fit the movie so well!  This one I post because it really brings out the amazing talent of Ms. Judy Kuhn, who plays Pocahontas in this movie.  It also teaches us about freedom, decisions, and duty.  What a great song!
"I feel it there beyond those trees,
Or right behind these waterfalls.
Can I ignore the sound of distant drumming
For a handsome sturdy husband
Who builds handsome, sturdy walls,
And never dreams that something might be coming
Just around the riverbend?"

#18:  "Arabian Nights" from Aladdin

What a great way to open a movie!!  I love how they've used the "Arabian" harmonics to set the scene.  I can almost feel my mouth dry up as I listen to it.
"Oh, I come from a land, from a faraway place
Where the caravan camels roam.
Where it's flat and immense
And the heat is intense,
It's barbaric!  But hey, it's home!"

#17:  "Little April Shower" from Bambi

I include this song because of its amazing musical painting.  It actually sounds like a rainstorm!!  A placid beginning, a roaring middle, and a hopeful, peaceful end.  Amazing!!!
"Drip, drip, drop, little April shower,
Beating a tune as you fall to the ground."

#16:  "Very Good Advice" from Alice in Wonderland

An underappreciated song from Disney Culture if I've ever seen one.  Just listen to these lyrics.  They're so profound, yet so simple!  I'm reminded so much of myself when I read them!
"'Be patient' is very good advice,
But the waiting makes me curious...
And I'd love the change,
Should something strange begin."

#15:  "I Won't Say I'm in Love" from Hercules

There are some songs I include on this list because they are well-loved by others.  Others I include because I, personally, love them.  This is one of the latter.  When I was a kid, I wanted to be Meg.  I'd watch this VHS every day and I'd rewind this part over and over and over again, dancing with the muses and singing with Greece's favorite heroine.  It's such a cute premise, too.  Even the most proud women can fall for the hot guy.  :)
"I thought my heart had learned its lesson.
It feels so good when you start out.
My head is screaming, 'Get a grip, girl!
Unless you're dying to cry your heart out.'"

#14: "Savages" from Pocahontas

Again, a Pocahontas song.  This movie changed my life.  This was my first experience with intolerance and hate between different cultures.  I think Disney introduces these controversial topics so well for children to understand.  And the music behind it...  wow.  Alan Menkin and Stephen Schwartz are geniuses.
"They're different from us,
Which means they can't be trusted.
We must sound the drums of war!"

#13:  "Steady as the Beating Drum" from Pocahontas

As Disney grew, they're musical messages became more mature and profound.  The songs began to not only pass time and be entertaining, but to send profound messages and play very significant roles in the film. This culminated in the later '90s with movies like Pocahontas, Hercules, Hunchback of Notre Dame, and Mulan.  The purpose of this song is to introduce the Native American lifestyle to the audience, and it does so very respectfully. Compare this to, say, "What makes the Red Man Red" from Peter Pan, and you can see the maturity that I'm talking about.  So I put this song on the list because of its incredible, colorful, musical homage to native cultures.  

"Seasons go and seasons come,
Steady as the beating drum.
Plum to seed to bud to blum,
Steady as the beating drum."

#12: "Be Our Guest" from Beauty and the Beast

This song is oh, so iconic.  There are just so many facets to it, I can hardly begin to explain its richness.  I love how it pays homage to variety shows that we don't see as much any more.  I was in this musical, and this was the best part of the whole show.  

"While the candlelight's still glowing, 

Let us help you!  We'll keep going

Course by course, one by one,

'Til you shout, 'Enough! I'm done!'

Then we'll sing you off to sleep as you digest.

Tonight, you'll prop your feet up,

But for now, let's eat up.

Be our guest!"

#11: "Bells of Notre Dame" from Hunchback of Notre Dame

Can you tell yet that I LOVE this movie?  All of the songs are so fantastic!  This is by far the best exposition of any Disney movie.  It tells this awesome back story about pride and love and judgment.  And then we've got the music at the end which is so triumphant... So epic.  Love love love.
"Morning in Paris!  The city awakes
To the bells of Notre Dame.
The fisherman fishes, the bakerman bakes,
To the bells of Notre Dame.
To the bells as loud as the thunder,
To the bells as soft as a psalm.
And some say the soul of the city's the toll of the bells...
The bells of Notre Dame!"

#10:  "Beauty and the Beast" from Beauty and the Beast

This song is the Academy Award-winning song of one of the greatest movies of all time.  SO CLASSIC.  And of course Angela Landsbury KILLS on this song.

"Tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme,

Beauty and the Beast!"

#9:  "I'll Make a Man Out of You" from Mulan

Everyone loves this song.  Why?  Well it's powerful, funny, and... well... manly.  And it's got Donny Osmond!  That's kick-butt awesome!  I can't not include it on my list.
"Tranquil as a forest, But a fire within.
Once you find your center, you are sure to win."

#8: "Mine, Mine, Mine" from Pocahontas

I love this song.  The wordplay, the music, the thematic juxtapositions... Only one of the greatest songs ever written.  Go Alan and Stephen.  This is awesome.
"This land we behold!
This beauty untold!
A man can be bold!
It all can be SOLD!"

#7: "Baby of Mine" from Dumbo

Dumbo is one of Disney's LEAST appreciated movies.  This scene, depicting the love of a mother for her child, is so sad.  Motherhood...  Such a beautiful thing.
"You are so precious to me, cute as can be, baby of mine."

#6:  "Go the Distance" from Hercules

This song is so great.  It's triumphant.  It's inspiring.  It's about discovery and finding who you are.  Ain't that what we're all doing here?

"I have often dreamed of a far-off place

Where a great warm welcome will be waiting for me.

Where the crowds will cheer when they see my face,

And a voice keeps saying this is where I'm meant to be."

#5: "When You Wish Upon a Star" from Pinocchio

A classic, first off.  But also a beautiful, comforting message.  Stars are a big theme in Disney culture.  We've got the second star to the right from Peter Pan, the image of Hercules painted in the stars...  Here, the star is a symbol of hope -- a desire that burns in the darkness.  It's wonderful.  And the melody is so complex.

"When your heart is in your dreams,

No request is too extreme.

When you wish upon a star,

Your dreams come true."

#4:  "Love is a Song" from Bambi

Just a beautiful simple song, applicable to so many parts of our lives.  Love is the most powerful and beautiful emotion of the human experience.  

"Hope may die, but love's beautiful music comes each day, like the dawn."

#3:  "Colors of the Wind" from Pocahontas

Music can be a powerful tool to send a message to the world.  Here, Disney presents us with an Anthem of Understanding.  Let's remember the beauty of nature and the significant things we can learn from people who may be different than us. 

"You think the only people who are people

Are people who look and think like you.

But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger,

You'll learn things you never knew you never knew."

#2: "Out There" from The Hunchback of Notre Dame

This song is epic.  I had a lot of trouble not making this number one.  Tom Hulce's voice is spectacular, and I get chills EVERY TIME I hear this song.  I feel for Quasi's character so much.  He's lonely and lost, but he has a clear dream and an understanding about how precious life is.
"Out there among the millers and the weavers and their wives!
Through the roofs and gables I can see them.
Every day they shout and scold and go about their lives.
Heedless of the gift it is to be them.
If I was in their skin, I'd treasure every instant!"


#1:  "Part of Your World" from The Little Mermaid

This song is allegedly the first one I've ever sung. Ever. I have ALWAYS loved this movie and I always will. That aside, this song takes the #1 spot because it's so iconic and singable, as well as well-written.
What this song and song #2 have in common is this theme of wishing to be somewhere you're not.  Both Quasi Moto and Ariel wish to have their dreams come true.  I think we all have dreams and wishes, and sometimes achieving those dreams can be challenging.  But Disney tells us that the best things in life are worth fighting for.  You cannot succeed if you don't try.
"I don't know when,
I don't know how,
But I know something's starting right now.
Watch and you'll see!
Someday I'll be
Part of your world."


Listening to:  "Kiss the Girl" from Little Mermaid.  Also a great song!
Learned:  There's cycling during the Summer Olympics!  It's on at like 4 in the morning.
Blessings:  Not that much homework.  Plane tickets home.
Things Going On Today: Go out to eat... on a Sunday!

Happy Happy Easter!!

First of all:  Happy Easter, everyone!  

One of my favorite Easter traditions of all time involves watching Easter Parade (starring the dashing Fred Astaire and Judy Garland) with my mother and sister after dinner on Easter Sunday. (Dad hates movies, so he'd never join in.)  Being the fashionista that I am, I always loved looking at all of the hats and dresses that were worn throughout the movie.  And of course, the music is so much fun.  

This was arguably my favorite scene from the movie growing up.  What a great dancer, that Fred!

Anyway, I thought I'd do a little bit of research about the Easter Parade that happens every year on 5th Avenue in New York.  Apparently it began sometime in the 1800s when all the aristocrats of Manhattan would parade the latest fashions after they went to church.  Apparently flamboyant bonnets were in style back then, and the fad never really died each Easter season.  

Nowadays it's a lot like Halloween, where people have yet another excuse to make all-out spectacles out of themselves and get away with it.  It would be a dream come true to celebrate Easter in one of those amazing hats someday.  To the drawing board!  I'm off to design the best Easter Bonnet ever!!

Listening to:  "Shaking the Blues Away" performed by Ann Miller on Easter Parade.

Things Going On Today:  A light Easter Dinner with my aunt and grandparents.  Also, I sang a solo today in sacrament meeting. 

Blessings:  Not as much homework as you think you have. 

Learned:  Easter Parades have religious significance; they were used a long time ago to represent the processional triumphant entry of Christ into Jerusalem the week before his crucifixion.  Apparently it is also a tradition to wear new clothing on Easter.  

Whale of a Tale

AUGH!  I never geeked out about Moby Dick!!

It is an INCREDIBLE book, overall.  Herman Melville has created an iconic book -- from the first words, "Call Me Ishmael," to the intense and quite forbidding epilogue.  I don't want to give anything away, if you haven't heard the ending already, but I find the whole work to be incredibly allegorical and filled with symbolism.
I also have a word of advice for anyone who reads anything.  READ THE INTRODUCTION before you start and READ THE AFTERWORD when you finish.  It might also be a good idea to read the introduction AGAIN after you've finished, as well.  You just understand the book so much more with an outsider's perspective.  It gives you things that the author doesn't explicitly say, things you wouldn't otherwise catch within the work.  I learned from the introduction not only things about the book, but things about the author.  Did you know that Herman Melville was a sailor himself?  Did you know he got kidnapped and marooned on islands infested with cannibals?  And he survived!  Did you know his works were considered pop fiction back when they were first published?  These little tidbits about Melville help me more appreciate the parts of the book that get a little verbose.  It's obvious that he loves whaling and sailing, and he likes to talk about how cool it is by explaining every little detail you can experience on a whaling voyage.
The way Melville creates his characters is also ingenious.  While most of the perspective comes from the character Ishmael, he uses context and dialogue to create these intense characters.  Ahab?  Intense.  Full of wrath and vengeance that looks contained from the outside, but inside, he's a raging volcano.  Starbuck?  Probably the least noticed character.  Most people don't pay attention to him in the movies.  But he learns quite a bit about morality and duty in the book. Don't forget Starbuck.
There's also so much irony in the book.  Irony and symbolism.  Ahab's coin.  Queequeg's coffin.  The whiteness of Moby Dick.  And then there's this biblical allegory.  Good versus evil.  God versus Man.  Fate verses free choice.  You can approach this book from so many angles, and the ending is EPIC.
The ending can't be epic, however, if you don't read through all of the book.  All of Ishmael's (Melville's?) monologues about whaling lead up to the climax.  You have to learn what being a whaler is like before you can truly empathize with the characters and understand the importance of events that occur.  Plus, it's fun, learning so much about whales and how to hunt them.  You even learn about man's understanding of whales through the centuries, and how they were perceived.  It's quite fascinating, if you allow yourself to get into it.
Also, watch the movie after you're done.  I would suggest the one made back in 1956.  You'll find some famous names were involved in its creation.  Ray Bradbury (the famous author of books like Farenheit 451) was one of the screenplay writers for the film.  The cast includes Gregory Peck (who also played Atticus in To Kill a Mockingbird and Joe Bradley in Audrey Hepburn's movie premiere Roman Holiday) and Orson Welles (who plays the foreshadowing Father Mapple and gives a rousing narrative of the story of Jonah in this film).  These actors are pretty amazing.  I mean, word's can't quite describe the eeriness of this face:

 

Clockwork Orange, anybody?

I was able to watch the entire movie (no commercials or anything!) on Youtube for free.  I would highly suggest it to anyone who appreciates old movies.  Of course the whale isn't too realistic, but it was made in the '50s...

Another version was made for TV in 1998, and another feature film was released in 2010.  I had never heard about the 2010 version before I researched it, so it must not have been very good.  It's set in the 1950's, during the Red Scare.  An American ship has crossed into Soviet waters, and a white whale looms beneath the ocean's surface.  I wonder how they would portray that.

Anyway... If you're up to it, you should read this book.  I was obsessed with it for a few days after I finished it.  It just leaves you with so much to think about. 


Listening to:  A telephone ring.
Things going on today:  Went to Deseret Book and JoAnn fabrics.
Blessings: Hospitals and cellphones.
Learned:  Gregory Peck won an Oscar in To Kill a Mockingbird for his performance as Atticus Finch.  He died in 2003 at age 87, and was an advocate for worker's rights.  His imposing stature often caused him to be type-casted in roles that involved leadership or authority.

May Your Days be Merry and Bright

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE.

With Love,

Hannah

Listening to:  "It's Christmas (And I Like You) by Elephant Finger

Things Going on Today: Sitting around, doing laundry with my mom.

Blessings:  Sunshine, brown Christmases

Learned:  That center slot in the washer?  For fabric softener!  NOT SOAP.  :D  I love my mom.

It's HARRY FREAKING POTTER

I must write a post about this....

All I really gotta say is this:  If you have read all the books or seen all the movies, you need to see this one.  It's a masterpiece, a crowning achievement that lived up to its hype, and a glorious final act in the Harry Potter saga.  Well done, Harry.  Well done.  

On a similar note, I'd like to tip my hat to J.K. Rowling, for she has successfully changed the world through these books.  Harry Potter is a social phenomenon. What American child doesn't know who Harry Potter is?  Who doesn't recognize the iconic round glasses or the lightning bolt scar?  Even if you haven't read the books or seen the movies, you know who Harry Potter is!  You recognize the characters, the spells, the costumes, the magic!

Harry Potter will never be last year's fad.  I'm sure generations to come will read the books and watch the movies and regard them as classics.  But they are not going to remember the series as a great technical achievement or as a great example of cinematic or literary prowess.  People will continue to read this series because the story is such an important chapter in pop culture history.  People will remember it as the series that swept all of the Western masses off its feet into a new world of whimsy. Harry Potter has become an eternal part of our culture. And the magic will never die.

Listening to:  Nothing at the moment.
Things Going On Today:  Friday, Friday...
Blessings:  Midnight Premieres with short lines
Learned:  You can easily get past a ticket-taker at a movie theater if you just go in a big enough crowd.

Speaking of men... Did I just feel a raindrop?

I just about died when I saw this.  For anyone who likes Jane Austin books/movies, this is for you.

I do believe in Fairies...

I saw BYU's version of the musical Peter Pan last night and it was pretty incredible...

Never before have I witnessed so much pure, raw ENERGY in such a short given time.  Seriously.  There wasn't a moment of rest during this show.  Someone was always jumping, tumbling, screaming, laughing, flying, dancing, or posing in some wacky position.  How do MDT majors do it?

I especially was impressed with this little lady here -- Bronwyn Tarbaton.  She completely stole the show.  She had the cutest little accent and was always so alive!  I was just about convinced she actually was a little boy for a while, she played the part so well.  Probably the most moving part was that classic scene when Tinkerbell's light is about to go out for good.  Tarbaton stood up, turned to the audience, and after a pregnant pause, she whispered, "Do you believe in fairies?"  All the children in the audience -- and my friend Courtney, who accompanied me -- screamed YES!!!!  And then we all clapped our hands.  For a moment, I actually did believe in fairies.  I think deep down I always have.

I also was very impressed by Captain Hook....

He's the one who reminded me most of the Mary Martin film version (the Hook played by Cyril Ritchard) that I grew up watching... Ours was a little more flamboyant, but definitely a pleasure to watch.  Captain Hook is always the favorite character.



My favorite part of that 1960 NBC version was the Indians...



Which reminds me, in a weird way, of the Najinsky Revival of Stravinsky's Rite of Spring...



...which has a very high billing on my "Things that Are Creepy" list.  Watch Part 3 as well, if you dare.  Seriously, that's worse than any modern horror movie I have ever seen.

But anyway, back to Peter Pan...  Yeah, I've grown up with this musical.  I think Mary Martin is a great Peter Pan (not as crazy as Tarbaton, but very youthful and a great voice!) and the music is whimsical and carefree.

In our Program, there was a little snippet about Neverland that I found rather interesting.  It said Neverland was like the Garden of Eden, and Peter Pan and Wendy were like Adam and Eve.  I don't see the story of a boy who never grew up as biblical allegory at all, like it said, but I do sort of see a moral application to the play.  Yes, we'd all like to stay young forever, with little care or worry about the future and about death and responsibility.  But we, like Wendy, must grow up.  It's part of our eternal plan for happiness.  This doesn't mean, however, that we can't enjoy ourselves while doing it!  I think all of us need a break once in a while -- a vacation to Neverland, you might say.  We need a chance to bring out the kid in all of us.  Play with our children, dance when no one's watching, eat candy, and let out a good laugh. After all, didn't God tell us to become as little children?
Most of all, we need to simply think more happy thoughts.  We don't need the extra Pixie Dust to send us off into a world of magic and music and joy.  We just need a happy thought, and the world around us becomes a Neverland.   This production was surely a vacation to Neverland for me.  It was a blast of music, color, and fun.  

It might be miles beyond the moon

Or right there where you stand!

Just keep an open mind

And then suddenly you'll find

Never-Neverland!

Listening to:  "I'm Flying!"
Things Going On Today:  100% on Book of Mormon quiz, I stabbed one of my bosses in the hand with my fingernail during a game of Egyptian Rat Screw and drew blood.
Blessings:  Mary Martin's voice, free food at Dinner Group.  I'm off!!

TEN THINGS TO LOOK FORWARD TO IN 2011

2011 is upon us. You know what that means? NEW STUFF:

1. Lady Gaga's Newest Album

Born this Way. Just last night Lady Gaga announced the release dates of both her first single and the record itself. The song "Born this Way" will premiere on Grammy night, (February 13, 2011) and the Album itself will come out May 23rd. Also, keep your ears open for her duet with Elton John for the movie Gnomeo and Juliet, "Hello, Hello," which comes out February 11th.

2. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

The fourth Pirates movie is coming out May 20. Whether you like it or you hate it, you're gonna have to at least see it, right? Johnny Depp and Geoffrey Rush reunite in the film, along with Penelope Cruz and some other great stars. Sadly, the Will Turner/Elizabeth Swann story has come to an end, and some say the series has gone too long anyway. But this is still another anticipated chapter of Bruckheimer Pirate lore. Stay tuned.

3. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II

Yep. Probably the most-anticipated movie of the year. The END of Harry Potter happens July 15. This is the second chapter of the seventh book, which was divided into two movies. The first Deathly Hallows got excellent reviews. Let's see just how epic the end of this fantastic movie series can get!! Midnight premiere, anyone??

4. The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn

Yet another if-you-love-it-or-you-hate-it-you-gotta-know-about-it movie. The end of this saga comes out November 18. There have been rumors about breaking this movie up into two parts as well, but as far as I can see, there ain't much for two movies in this final book. I saw Eclipse when it came out last summer, and I must say it was quite the eye-candy fest. And for that, I love it. Let's see just how amazing these attractive men look in the final chapter.

5. Rango

Johnny Depp stars in a western-esque animated movie about the troubles of a Chameleon sheriff. Apparently the animation for this movie uses the same technology as the character Golum in Lord of the Rings. Johnny Depp NOT in a Tim Burton film is always something to look forward to in my book. Keep March 4 in mind, people.

6. New Grayson Chance album

Remember that kid who got famous because of his cover of Paparazzi that was posted on YouTube? Well Ellen Degeneres took that kid under her wing and now he's got an album coming out sometime this year. This kid could be the new Justin Bieber. Maybe.

7. New Within Temptation album

Called The Unforgiving, the album is set to release March 2011. This album is a concept based on a comic book series by Steven O'Connell. If you love Within Temptation like I do, you will keep your ears open for more.

8. ROB THOMAS REJOINS MATCHBOX TWENTY!!

It has been announced on his website that Rob Thomas will be going on tour once again with Matchbox Twenty, starting January first. A new album is also somewhere in the works, though no specific date has been announced.

9. Glee Season 3

Yep. There will be a third season of Glee. Not quite sure when it will start but I'm guessing Fall 2011. Yippeeeee!!!!

10. Justin Bieber's voice change.

It's gonna happen. It's gonna happen.

My Christmas Wish List: Movies, Music, and Media List

1. Albums, in no particular order:
-- Danger Days: The True Lives of The Fabulous Killjoys -- Clean Version
My Chemical Romance
-- Flamingo
Brandon Flowers
-- Dear Agony
Breaking Benjamin
-- Ocean Eyes
Owl City
-- Number Ones
Michael Jackson

2. Movies, in order of how much I want them:
-- Sherlock Holmes
-- Enchanted
-- Jane Eyre
-- Dead Poet's Society
-- Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen
-- Finding Neverland
-- Newsies

3. Sheet Music I Want:
-- Jon Schmidt's Christmas Songbook

4. GLEE Season 1

Never Been Kissed

What a cheesy movie. But it was a good cheesey movie.
Drew Barrymore is a funny actress. She's not that cute, but she plays such cute characters with tons of quirks. This movie, no different.

The worst/best part about this movie (worst or best depending on how you look at it) was the fact that it stirred up all these old teacher crushes I had back in high school. There was Mr. C, the calculus teacher who was the cutest nerd you'd ever meet with two daughters. I used to stay after class and ask him questions about derivatives even though I already knew all the answers. Then there was Mr. F, who was not only married, but his wife also was a teacher at the school. I remember leaving my books there on purpose just so I could go back in his room. Then there's Dr. H, one of my professors here, who is Australian and hilarious and I find opportunities to send him emails as often as I can.
... And then of course, there's David the Deaf TA, who's not quite a teacher per se but is still amazing.

But anyway, back to the movie. What I don't like about high school chick flick movies is how extreme all the stereotypes get. I know high school can be rough, but people just AREN'T LIKE THAT. Most of the popular kids are actually really smart, and the nerds never identify themselves as nerds that way. I guess in Junior High you get these cliques breaking off, but in High School? People stop caring. Kids grow more mature. People like you for your personality, not what you wear or what you like to do.
But I guess the movie was still plenty entertaining.

More PETER PAN

Ok. So I watched 2 Peter Pan-inspired movies this weekend with my roommates:

1. HOOK

I got this movie for my twentieth birthday. Apparently it was sitting in the bottom of a box in my mother's closet for months but she never thought about giving it to me until now. Which is quite unfortunate, because I really like this movie and had I owned it for a long time I would have it memorized by now, like my cousin Aubrey. Her younger brother, my cousin Taggart, is obsessed with this movie. Exactly why he loves THIS movie over any other is still unknown to me, but I also think it is an excellent family film.
Robin Williams is one of my favorite actors, and Dustin Hoffman portrays the infamous Captain Hook very well. The plot is also quite clever. I wonder how many of us wonder what would have happened if Peter Pan ever DID leave Neverland and what kind of a man he would be.
Favorite Parts: Rufio, Robin Williams, Maggie Smith (the ultimate Old Lady), Hook's Costume, "Firefly from Hell," and the incredibly elaborate sets.
Least Favorite Parts: The cheesey song the girl sings, Julia Roberts as Tinkerbell, the corny "family values" message, and the silly 90's clothes and technology.

2. FINDING NEVERLAND

This movie is my second favorite Johnny Depp movie, aside from the POTC series, of course. I love him when he's cleanshaven and speaking in a Scottish accent. I remember seeing this movie and loving it when I was very young but I forgot most of it, so watching it now was like watching it for the first time. This movie is bittersweet, for sure, but the thing that is most depressing for me is the fact that I have completely lost the childlike whimsy this film portrays. I used to have an imagination just as powerful as Barry's and the children's, but I have long since lost it. Watching films like these makes me want to be a kid again.
Favorite Parts: Johnny Depp, of course. Peter Ostrum, the child actor, is incredible. I wish he would never grow old. The death of Sylvia is also very moving, as well as the end of the entire movie.
Least Favorite Parts: The wife, and the frustrations about childhood fantasy that I have already mentioned earlier.

How to Train Your Dragon

I finally saw the movie How to Train your Dragon, although I was hesitant. If it wasn't at the dollar theater, I wouldn't have gone with my cousin and her friend Spencer to see it. When I first saw previews for it, I thought it would be just another animated Dreamworks knock-off. I didn't like Shrek all that much, and Madagascar was only funny once (and don't get me started on the sequels!).
But when these two people were over at my house, they told me OVER and OVER again that it was one of the best movies of the year. Spencer had seen it TEN TIMES already. Who sees a movie ten times? That's like fifty bucks! So I figured it must be good so I went.
It was a good movie. Of course it wasn't the greatest movie ever, but there were definitely some moments that had me completely awestruck. The 3D animation was so real!! I didn't even see the actual "3D" version (I am avoiding that at all costs), but the beards, the scales, the water, the grass... it looked almost too real for comfort. And of course I liked the movie a lot better when I found out GERARD BUTLER played the voice of Hiccup's father. Hiccup himself was a very believable teenager. I haven't quite seen one with such dry humor and awkward behavior yet in an animated movie. He sort of reminded me of my cousin Taggart, which was really cool.
What I didn't like about the movie sort of makes me sound like a killjoy. Vikings never fought dragons. Dragons don't exist. They never did exist. Maybe I'm missing some mythological background, but why Vikings and Dragons? Perhaps I need to do some research before I go straight to this judgement.

Helena's Movie Rating: 3/4

Good for: families, goofy friend movies, a pick-me-up

PS Doesn't Toothless look like a cat??

INCEPTION

So I FINALLY saw Inception a few days ago with a bunch of church friends.

First off, I'd like to just point out that YES, the movie was very good and YES it will probably go down in history as one of those movies that just bends your brain like no other. Christopher Nolan is a fantastic director... only the best can make up a plot so complex and so intricate as that one. The acting was great, mostly. Leo DiCaprio has his dry moments and Marion Cotillard has never been my favorite, but you lose sight of that by the great looking Joseph Gordon Levitt and CILLIAN MURPHY (*gusssssh*), the intense Zimmer music, and the brilliant plotline that just blows your mind.

HOWEVER...
It is not all it's cracked up to be.
I don't mean to say it wasn't good!!! I just get really critical when I go in expecting the forth of july and all I get is a few fire-crackers. People would talk and talk and talk about the movie... All they said was that my mind would be blown and my life would be changed and I may have a near-death experience. Yet when I left the movie, I was definitely thinking (good movies make you think), but this movie was in no way as phenomenal as it was made out to be. I was more impressed with Dark Knight than this movie. I really had no desire to tell the world how amazing it was. I didn't even post it on facebook until a few days later.
So word to the wise... this is a movie that you should know as little about as possible in order to fully appreciate it. Don't take others' words for it. Go see it yourself and like it for what it is, not what others say about it. You will appreciate it more.