Imagine a 16-year-old high-school junior from Minnesota learning in the fall of the school year that a single intimate encounter has left her pregnant. Imagine then, at the abortion clinic, that the girl decides to take the baby to term and offer the baby up for adoption. The Jason Reitman directed coming-of-age story that we look at today is Juno (2007), which was first released fifteen years ago.
(From left, Olivia Thirlby as Leah, and Elliot Page as Juno MacGuff in the Jason Reitman movie Juno).
Elliot Page portrayed the title character of Juno MacGuff, the birth mother and girlfriend to Paulie Bleeker, the father of Juno’s child. When Juno learns of her pregnancy, she and Paulie have not yet formalized their notion of being a couple. Contemplating what to do with the pregnancy in the face of this, Juno turns to her friend, Leah, to help consider her next course of action. Olivia Thirlby portrayed Leah. The initial options struck upon do include abortion and adoption, with sharpness of teenage perspective in the title character seizing the day.
(Michael Cera as Paulie Bleeker, the father of Juno’s child, in the Jason Reitman movie Juno).
Michael Cera portrayed Paulie Bleeker, the biological father of Juno’s child. It is following the decision to seek an adoption for the child that Juno and Leah decide upon to seek a couple to adopt Juno’s child through the newspaper. The explicit emotional support beyond Leah that Juno seeks comes from her father Mac and her stepmother, Bren. J.K. Simmons portrayed Mac MacGuff as Allison Janney portrayed Bren MacGuff; both parents offer understanding and emotional support.
(From left, J.K. Simmons as Mac MacGuff, Juno’s father and Allison Janney as Bren MacGuff, Juno’s stepmother, in the Jason Reitman movie Juno).
Juno establishes contact with Vanessa and Mark Loring, who are looking to adopt a child. Juno agrees to a closed adoption with the Lorings, bolstered in part by a shared interest in punk rock and horror movies with Mark. Juno and Leah later see Vanessa being completely at ease with a child at a shopping mall, which points to the notion of this particular couple as the future mother of the child made by Paulie and Juno.
(From left, Jason Bateman as Mark Loring and Jennifer Garner as Vanessa Loring in the Jason Reitman movie Juno).
Mark and Vanessa were portrayed by Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner, respectively. When the visits Juno makes through her pregnancy to continue bonding with the prospective parents of her child, Mark confesses first to Juno and then to Vanessa that he is not ready to be a father. As the Loring marriage seems to be heading to divorce, Juno struggles with her emotions for Paulie Beeker. With guidance from her own father in reconciling her feelings, Beeker and the young MacGuff realize genuine love for each other. This is put to the test later in the movie as the pangs of labor occur within the context of the Loring divorce, a track meet for Paul Beeker, and confusion over what comes next.
(From left, director Jason Reitman, actor Elliot Page and actor Jason Bateman at an event for the Jason Reitman movie Juno).
The movie Juno does bring the question of what comes next, as evidenced by the Academy Award win for original screenplay by Diablo Cody. The facing of unplanned pregnancy at multiple levels combined with a healthy sense of engaging with significant people in her life that mostly acquitted themselves well emotionally, with relevant complexities for a comedy drama made for uplifting entertainment. The messaging in the film largely attempts to speak to the better instincts for how to engage in the subject matter around choices being available and chosen. I grant Juno as directed by Jason Reitman 3.75-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.
In entering the world of a five-book series by David Baldacci, available as the Camel Club series of books, it feels good to begin a series featuring the notion that begins with presidential protection, those that seek to protect and serve, and finally the notion of mixing in an element that is introduced as existing outside the chain of command. We look today at the book titled The Camel Club.
(David Baldacci‘s book The Camel Club was first published October 25, 2005).
The story of The Camel Club as a book begins with us being introduced to a group of conspiracy theorists with the fictitiously named yet mysterious Oliver Stone. The name is picked provocatively and with purpose to identify the man to those in the so call Camel Club as how he wants to be known, as somebody that pursues conspiracy theories. Think of the movies of the director and screenwriter Oliver Stone to get the idea. The notion of the group with the character of Stone at its lead is to expose corruption atop the federal government of the United States.
(Alternative covers for The Camel Club as written by David Baldacci).
The murder of an intelligence officer outside of Washington DC is witnessed by members of the Camel Club. Secret Service Agent Alex Ford has suspicions over the incident himself, which initial investigators seemingly think of as a suicide rather than a murder. Intrigue among members of both parties leads to intrigue for people working apart yet taking initiatives against the wishes of people established in power.
(David Baldacci wrote a handful of books in the Camel Club Series. The first of these books was The Camel Club).
The fact of the murder and the attempt to understand what lies beneath reflects at least two parallel threads of the larger narrative for The Camel Club. Other threads also tug at something larger. That something might include America’s clandestine services, the president’s helpers in the executive branch of government, and those with agendas for the presidency and thoughts for how foreign and domestic power should be wielded.
(David Baldacci‘s thriller The Camel Club makes for a fast-paced, page-turner of a read).
That the book The Camel Club raises questions of truth and justice without getting bogged down with small details or heavy nuance made for a needed reading experience. The story offers compelling action while resolving the questions itself raises. I was interested in the possibilities of a love interest for Alex Ford, as well as the eccentric older helper that we meet with that timeline. Overall, I grant The Camel Club by David Baldacci 3.75-stars on a scale of 1-to-5 for its quality.
(From left, Tippi Hedren as Margaret ‘Marnie’ Edgar Rutland and Sean Connery as Mark Rutland in the Alfred Hitchcock movie Marnie).
The story of Marnie begins with Margaret ‘Marnie’ Edgar, a single woman portrayed by Tippi Hedren and as the character passing herself off under a different name, convincing the head of a tax consulting company to hire her without references. After stealing nearly $10,000 from the company safe and changing her appearance, Marnie flees. After stabling her horse in Virginia, Marnie visits in invalid mother Bernice. Marnie visits her mother, whom she supports financially, in Baltimore, Maryland.
(Louise Latham as Bernice Edgar, Marnie’s mother in the Alfred Hitchcock movie Marnie).
Louise Latham portrayed Bernice Edgar. Sean Connery portrays Mark Rutland, who as a wealthy widower and owner of a publishing company in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania had become aware of the theft after meeting with the owner of the tax consulting company on business. Several months later, Marnie applies to Rutland’s company under a third name. Rutland hires Marnie, having recognized her from the tax consultancy. Circumstances take off from there, allowing Rutland to comfort Marnie to the level knowing personal emotional information.
(From left, Diane Baker as Lil Mainwaring, Mark’s former sister-in-law and Sean Connery as Mark Rutland in the Alfred Hitchcock movie Marnie).
Marnie steals money from Rutland’s company, with Rutland’s awareness. Mark follows the fleeing Marnie to the farm in Virginia where Marnie’s horse is boarded. Rutland blackmails Marnie into marrying him. Meanwhile, Mark’s former sister-in-law, Lil Mainwaring, feels romantic love for her former brother-in-law. Mainwaring, as portrayed by Diane Baker, suspects something improper after discovering Rutland’s extravagant spending following the marriage between Marnie and Mark. There are marital difficulties between the newlyweds from the start, with the fact of Marnie’s mother being alive becoming common knowledge only after the difficulties had presented themselves.
(From left, director Alfred Hitchcock in cameo as Man Leaving Hotel Room, an unidentified hotel worker and Tippi Hedren as Margaret ‘Marnie’ Edgar Rutland in the Alfred Hitchcock movie Marnie).
A significant bit of storytelling follows from there, with intrigue aplenty offered by Mr. Hitchcock. Even in cameo, it feels to me like the fair director offers a knowing look about the quality of the tale that is offered with Marnie. I grant Marnie as directed by Alfred Hitchcock 3.5-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.
(From left, Logan Marshall-Green as Charlie Holloway, Noomi Rapace as Elizabeth Shaw and Michael Fassbender as David in the Ridley Scott movie Prometheus).
The movie Prometheus begins with a notion of a humanoid alien drinking an iridescent liquid. The humanoid seemingly dies, dissolves, and cascades into a waterfall that later recombines. Archaeologists Elizabeth Shaw and Charlie Holloway, as portrayed by Noomi Rapace and Logan Marshall-Green, discover an ancient star chart in Scotland in the year 2089. This map matches star charts from other ancient civilizations in geographically dispersed, suggesting that the opening scene was part of an engineered DNA planting of humanity on Earth in the distant past by a pre-existing alien race.
(Guy Pearce as Peter Weyland in the Ridley Scott movie Prometheus).
Shaw and Holloway consider the star maps to be evidence of an invitation from humanity’s forerunners to visit the point in space where the maps align. Peter Weyland, the elderly CEO of Weyland Corporation, funds an expedition to follow the map to the distant moon LV-223. The trip to the distant moon takes four years, with the humans aboard traveling in stasis with the android named David monitoring the well-being of the journey. Michael Fassbender portrays David. Guy Pearce portrays Peter Wayland.
(From left, Charlize Theron as Meredith Vickers and Idris Elba as Janek in the Ridley Scott movie Prometheus).
The vessel that Elizabeth Shaw, Charlie Holloway, Peter Wayland and David travel on includes Weyland Corporation employee Meredith Vickers to monitor the expedition. Janek serves as the captain of the vessel flying the crew, which carries the name Prometheus. A geologist named Fifield and a geologist named Millburn add depth to the crew. Charlize Theron, Idris Elba, Sean Harris and Rafe Spall portray Vickers, Janek, Fifield and Millburn, respectively.
(From left, Kate Dickie as Ford, Sean Harris as Fifield and Rafe Spall as Millburn in the Ridley Scott movie Prometheus).
Kate Dickie as Ford, the ship’s medic joins Emun Elliott and Benedict Wong as ship pilots Chance and Ravel, respectively. Ian Whyte and Daniel James portray members of the origin race of so-called “Engineers” that sparks the religious curiosity of Elizabeth Shaw and Charlie Holloway, in addition to some wonderful questions of adventure and mystery when landing on the surface of the LV-223 moon. Patrick Wilson portrayed Elizabeth Shaw’s father.
(From left, director Ridley Scott and actress Noomi Rapace in the Ridley Scott movie Prometheus).
The storytelling of Prometheus does wonders for planting many curiosities for the origin of the alien creatures that simply were in the movies Alien, Aliens (1986), Alien 3 (1992) and Alien: Resurrection (1997). The choice of questions addressed with Prometheus were really interesting, as was the strength of the role within the narrative offered with the character portraits of Michael Fassbender and Noomi Rapace. Given the creative direction taken by Ridley Scott with the film, I grant the movie Prometheus 4.25-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.
Continuing with the final part of our year in review, Matt Lynn Digital invites you to look back at the last year in reviews of books, movies, music and television. We look at these with individual categories, one per day through today. Today we share the sixty-eight (68) movies reviewed across ten (10) decades by Matt Lynn Digital in 2021.
(The 1941 movie Citizen Kane is one of seven movies that Matt Lynn Digital gave 4.5-stars on a scale of 1-to-5).
(Several films by Alfred Hitchcock made their way into the Matt Lynn Digital reviews in 2021. North by Northwest and Strangers on a Train were a couple of favorites).
(The clean-cut reputation of the actor James Stewart is put to the test in his portrayal of Paul Biegler is the 1959 Otto Preminger movie Anatomy of a Murder).
(The adventure of The Polar Express centers around the experience of finding joy in the notion of Christmas. Matt Lynn Digital granted the movie 4-stars).
Matt Lynn Digital appreciates your continued interest in the content we offer. Should you have albums that you’d like us to review, or similar work to that mentioned above, please be sure to let us know.
Continuing with our year in review, Matt Lynn Digital invites you to look back at the last year in reviews of books, movies, music and television. We look at these with individual categories, one per day through Friday. Today we share book reviews offered by Matt Lynn Digital in 2021.
(The 2020 Pulitzer Prize winner for Fiction winner, The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead, tops our list of 27 books reviewed in 2021 when it comes to our assessment of quality).
Colson Whitehead‘s book 2019 novel The Nickel Boys received the highest rating of all books that we read and rated in 2021, having received 4.25-stars on a scale of one-to-five. The book is historical fiction based on uncovered horrors of the Dozier School for Boys, addressing specific race-based systemic inequities in the 20th century.
(Daniel Kahneman, Olivier Sibony and Cass R. Sunstein wrote Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgment).
(Another book receiving 4-stars was The Great Glorious Goddamn of it All by Josh Ritter).
The Great Glorious Goddamn of it AllbyJosh Ritter is a coming-of-age novel of a young boy’s experience during the last days of the lumberjacks looking back as an elderly man at his life, specifically that period as a young man following his father’s death. The Pulitzer Prize winner for fiction in 2019, The OverstorybyRichard Powers, reflects a direct push against the notion of the work of lumberjacks and other efforts against nature in an impassioned work advocating environmentalism. The Pulitzer Prize winner for fiction in 2018, LessbyAndrew Sean Greer, aims to see the world through the lens of awkward romantic entanglements filled with humorous situations, unexpected consolation and discovery, and, ultimately, a better sense of the experience of love for the older gay man aiming to make his way in the world.
(The Light Between Oceans by M. L. Stedman begins another trio of three books earning 4-stars by Matt Lynn Digital).
The Light Between OceansbyM. L. Stedman begins with an emotionally heart wrenching decision around kids from the beginning of the story that throws much of the lives of the central characters into chaos. The moral struggles blur lines of love and loyalty to shocking degrees that lead to deeply resonant places. The dark corners of motivation in All Things Cease to AppearbyElizabeth Brundage, with the underlying motivation for the relevant action within the book operating from a completely different emotional and broken place. The notion of brokenness melts into class and racially based ugliness with The Bonfire of the VanitiesbyTom Wolfe.
(The Joseph Conrad book Heart of Darkness pairs two books that ask the reader to consider motivation and belief within the book’s characters).
The Joseph ConradbookHeart of Darkness indirectly speaks of imperialism and racism. Diverse audiences debate whether the message Joseph Conrad aimed to offer was indeed itself racist; the question of moral superiority is raised through the eyes of Charles Marlow and his obsessive, perhaps mentally ill view of the arguably successful ivory trader Mr. Kurtz. The SurvivorbyKyle Mills places the notion of country, loyalty and motivation based in part on notions of tribal instinct to the test. The questions are couched differently between Mills as inherited from Vince Flynn and Conrad, yet the questions do address questions of values and value in a specific view of life.
(Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson is one of a pair of relatively contemporary political books looking at the sociology of race in the United States that Matt Lynn Digital has rated as 4-stars).
Caste: The Origins of Our DiscontentsbyIsabel Wilkerson makes an affirmative case for systems of caste existing on skin color in the United States. Equivalents are reviewed against the caste systems of India and NaziGermany. The book Race MattersbyCornel West takes critical looks at eight essay length racial subjects that seemingly aim to promote thinking on race beyond the superficial; this aim is one that I see West sharing with Wilkerson.
(Wes Moore and Erica L. Green wrote Five Days: The Fiery Reckoning of an American City, which is one of two books about social unrest in the streets of America that Matt Lynn Digital gave 4-stars in 2021).
(The Cider House Rules by John Irving is one of eight books to receive 3.75-stars on a scale of 1-to-5).
The Cider House RulesbyJohn Irving uses historical fiction along with the notion of orphanages, abortion and the personal lives of people behaving poorly to see people as they are, arguably as broken people sometimes doing things against decent standards. A portion of the book is tedious before becoming more interpersonally engaging. Cloud Cuckoo Land: A NovelbyAnthony Doerr uses parallel narratives bound together in a unique manner to cope with realities that tie to common narratives across distinct circumstances of tragedy, grief and loss. A Gentleman in MoscowbyAmor Towles approaches the depths of human feeling, diminishing distinctions of social class and the aftermath of the Russian Revolution with his book. The notion of punishment is captivity through confinement in a hotel in Moscow, Russia where, in confinement, the central character faces moral ambiguity in family life.
(Ill Will by Dan Chaon enters a psychological mystery territory with this work of fiction that earned 3.75-stars).
Ill WillbyDan Chaon connects parts of people’s past and present in showing tricky ways that the mind works to protect itself in the moment. The story takes some dark turns through external manipulations, leading to exceptionally scaring outcomes in the present. Pursuit of HonorbyVince Flynn is the third Mitch Rapp book to land in our review this year. The counterterrorism sensibility coupled with the meddling congress angles remain as strong as ever. Like with Ill Will, I found Pursuit of Honor entertaining.
(Thunderstruck by Erik Larson brings the string of fiction books reviewed in 2021 by Matt Lynn Digital to a close).
(George Vecsey wrote Stan Musial: An American Life, a biography awarded 3.5-stars by Matt Lynn Digital).
Stan Musial: An American LifebyGeorge Vecsey earned 3.5-stars on a scale of 1-to-5. The biography tells an interesting base narrative of the man without firsthand interviews with the man. That the story included a bit of a heavy regional slant could have worked better for me, though the information in telling me about the man was helpful.
Matt Lynn Digital appreciates your continued interest in the content we offer. Should you have albums that you’d like us to review, or similar work to that mentioned above, please be sure to let us know.
Continuing with our year in review, Matt Lynn Digital invites you to look back at the last year in reviews of books, movies, music and television. We look at these with individual categories, one per day through Friday. Today we share music reviews offered by Matt Lynn Digital in 2021.
(The 2006 album The Open Door by Evanescence opens our look in 2021 album reviews).
We looked into the Evanescence album The Open Door in September, marking an anniversary for the second studio album for the band. Amy Lee leads the vocals for Evanescence, looking into the connection Lee had with a former love interest as well as the fans of the band. The album looks further into early life experiences, loss and the finding of meaning through the course of life that the band explores with us through the experience.
(We reviewed the 1996 album Recovering the Satellites by Counting Crows in October).
The Recovering the Satellites album by Counting Crowsresponds to unexpected success and the adulation that, like with Evanescence in dealing with their debut album, offered some emotional feedback to the fanbase. The interpersonal for the Counting Crows and their lead singer and lyricist Adam Duritz, after acknowledging the fans appreciation, tends less with a romantic relationship lost than to an eagerness to connect on an individual level. Recovering the Satellites, like with The Open Door, seeks direction in the emotional realm.
(August brought us the review of the 1996 album Dust by Screaming Trees).
The 1996 albumDust followed 1992’s Sweet Oblivion for Screaming Trees, a band that in my humble opinion deserves a higher level of acclaim than they physically achieved. The thematic references to biblical passages in speaking to contemplations of death. Whether the band was thinking of directing their aspirational reach personally, within the genre of grunge music they played, or the death of Kurt Cobain as with the song Dying Days, there is a gloom that pervades the album. That experience, in all its depth, feels like the point of the album Dust.
(Matt Lynn Digital shared the David Foster produced album The Christmas Album, from 1993, in December of 2021).
(March brought the Matt Lynn Digital sharing of the album Ten by Pearl Jam).
A hit album of the grunge genre characteristic of the early 1990s is Pearl Jam‘s 1991 albumTen. Grunge was the style of the day, as was a confessional storytelling notion that included homelessness, divorce, remarriage, stepparents and emotional health concerns for school age kids. Coping with notions of bullying or scorn, the song Jeremy takes perhaps the harshest response to the trauma of any song on the album.
(The post-punk, alternative stylings of R.E.M. with the 1991 album Out of Time).
The post-punk, alternative sound of the band R.E.M. were permitted a spotlight with the album Out of Time in February of 2021. The composition and sequencing of the songs with Out of Time were artfully done to offer the careful listener a crafted argument against themes strictly of sex and violence. The album speaks to notions of self-defining depth in love, political awareness, relationships with parents and other intimates, and differing perspectives on pregnancy.
(The 1986 album Licensed to Ill by Beastie Boys was reviewed by Matt Lynn Digital in November of 2021).
The debut album Licensed to Ill for Beastie Boys fused hip hop and hard rock when created in advanced of the album’s November of 1986 release. The incorporation of the hard rock influence with sampling conventions in hip hop made for a successful launching of a sounds that already existed separately, broadening an appeal for audiences that sensed they wanted a sound while waiting for the proper audio clues. Licensed to Ill would become the first #1 album that also was in the hip hop genre.
(Matt Lynn Digital offered a look into the 1985 album Scarecrow by John Mellencamp in July of 2021).
John Mellencamp offered a look into small town America with the 1985 albumScarecrow. The social concern that came through for Mellencamp with this album looked into taking advantage of farmers making a living on their land, modest living outside of steel mills, and the strong connection Mellencamp himself felt for the heartland of the United States.
(The 1982 self-titled album Asia by Asia earned a look by Matt Lynn Digital in March of 2021).
Asia formed as a super band formed from parts of King Crimson, Emerson, Lake & Palmer, Yes and Buggles to create an album named after the new band itself, namely Asia. The interplay of Heat of the Moment and Only Time Will Tell in offering an apology for poor behavior and a realization of lost love announce a thematic direction for the 1982 album. The notion of love’s sting later drifts into questions of class in military service, feeling seen in professional and relationship pursuits, and finally growing through experience to see life more fully.
(Matt Lynn Digital offered a look into the 1971 James Taylor album Mud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon in January of 2021).
A calm, understated style greeted our ears with the 1971 albumMud Slide Slim and the Blue Horizon by James Taylor. You’ve Got a Friend remains a meaningful song for me from the album, with the song itself originally being written and recorded by Carole King. The song reflects on the practical quality nature of friendship, trust and the permission to be vulnerable in a safe space. This album resonates for me on these terms.
(The 1971 album Aqualung by Jethro Tull was reviewed by Matt Lynn Digital in May of 2021).
The albumAqualung by Jethro Tull was released in March of 1971. The album itself questions the orthodoxy of formal religion while maintaining a belief in God. Notions of justice are questioned through the music, as well as the role of humanity in the conduct of those purposes. The questions raised in this album are quite relevant to the human experience.
(The 1968 album Now He Sings, Now He Sobs by Chick Corea was reviewed shortly after the musician’s death in February of 2021).
Matt Lynn Digital appreciates your continued interest in the content we offer. Should you have albums that you’d like us to review, or similar work to that mentioned above, please be sure to let us know.
Matt Lynn Digital is taking this opportunity of the year end to look back at the last year in book reviews, movie reviews, music reviews and television reviews. We will look at these individual categories, one per day through Friday. We begin today by looking into the television reviews offered by Matt Lynn Digital in 2021.
(The series Manifest experienced a third season in 2021. The series starring Melissa Roxburgh and Josh Dallas tells the story of an airliner that suddenly reappears after five years missing).
Manifest (2018- ) starred Josh Dallas and Melissa Roxburgh as a brother and sister among many onboard an airliner that disappeared for five years, reappearing after those five years with the passengers and crew having aged not at all during their time away. Matt Lynn Digitalreviewed the third season for the show in June, offering the experience 3.75-stars on a scale of one-to-five. While the show was cancelled by NBC after three seasons, the series will continue on Netflix for an anticipated fourth season.
(The Christmas Album by David Foster and friends was released as an album and television special in 1993).
Matt Lynn Digital appreciates your continued interest in the content we offer. Should you have programs that you’d like us to review, or similar work to that mentioned above, please be sure to let us know.
It is with a touch of historical fiction based in the notion of orphanages, abortion and the personal lives of people behaving poorly that John Irving offers the book The Cider House Rules. The book was published in 1985, after abortion was legalized in the United States. The book looks back to a time before legalization was made the law of the land.
(John Irving wrote The Cider House Rules, which was released on May 10th, 1985).
The man narrative of The Cider House Rules begins in an orphanage that adopted the name St. Cloud’s in the northeast United States region, in Maine. We get to know Dr. Wilbur Larch, who runs the orphanage after some personally unpleasant experiences after World War Two with a prostitute and the prostitute‘s daughter. Larch decided to offer the practice of delivering orphans or offering abortions at St. Cloud’s. The history of how Larch came to this practice, and kept an emotional distance from orphans to ease the transition to adoption, was the early story of the novel.
(Four alternative book covers to The Cider House Rules by John Irving).
The story transitions from this to the way Dr. Wilbur Larch, primarily Homer Wells, in subplot Melony and the staff of nurses at St. Cloud’s would grow up to not be adopted and gained prominence among the staff at St. Cloud’s. The time spent offering the back story of this group, along with the education of Homer in obstetrics and abortion, to be useful, was at times tedious. The story of The Cider House Rules gained legs for me when this laying of the land for the coming-of-age stories for Homer and Melony gave way to their leaving the orphanage.
(The Cider House Rules by John Irving has had multiple reprintings since being released on May 10th, 1985).
The stories of Homer and Melony led to South Carolina, which is where the notion of their being rules for a cider house came into play. This mixing in of Southern United States offered insight into people working at an apple grove, along with Homer and Melony starting families, such as that goes. The stories of Candy Kendall and Wally Worthington, and the Ocean View Orchards in Maine, offers interpersonal intrigue when Wally’s plane is shot down in Burma (also known as Myanmar) during World War Two. Homer’s fathering Angel with Candy, who had a preexisting relationship with Wally, offers intrigue when Wally comes back from the war.
(Another four alternative book covers to The Cider House Rules by John Irving).
Years later, as Angel is old enough to love, further intrigue arises between Angel and Rose Rose to boot. Rose has the same first and last name, and some personal secrets involving her father that Rose aims to keep from Angel and Homer. Melony resurfaces in Homer’s life about the time of the revelation of the Rose and Angel storyline, as well as with the considerations back at St. Cloud’s for how the orphanage will continue when the aging staff of the orphanage cannot continue. The personal intrigue among the characters, and how things will work themselves out in the various strings of narrative, is the emotional part that works best for The Cider House Rules.
(The Cider House Rules by John Irving has sold well since being released on May 10th, 1985).
While the beginning narrative for The Cider House Rules moved a bit slowly for me, the story did come together to offer a story with depth, compassion and stories that I will retain well beyond this reading. Given the depth and complexities of conscience and feeling involved that also allowed me to care for characters on differing levels, I grant The Cider House Rules by John Irving 3.75-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.
It was almost a week before Thanksgiving in the United States when A Christmas Story (1983) was released on Friday, November 18, 1983. Christmas day would come in approximately five weeks, with the day of holiday being the day we review and remember the movie with those who found us on Matt Lynn Digital.
(Peter Billingsley as Ralphie Parker in the Bob Clark movie A Christmas Story).
(From left, Melinda Dillon as Mrs. Parker, Darren McGavin as Mr. Parker and The Old Man, Ian Petrella as Randy Parker and Peter Billingsley as Ralphie Parker in the Bob Clark movie A Christmas Story).
We are introduced to the Ralphie’s fantastic daydreams associated with receiving a Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model air rifle for Christmas. We meet Ralphie, his brother Randy, some of Ralphie’s friends, and Ralphie’s parents in the opening scenes of the movie. Ian Petrella portrayed Randy Parker, Ralphie’s younger brother. Darren McGavin and Melinda Dillon portrayed the mother and father of the Parker children.
(From left, Scott Schwartz as Flick, Peter Billingsley as Ralphie Parker and R.D. Robb as Schwartz in the Bob Clark movie A Christmas Story).
The vignettes contained with The Christmas Story offer some delightfully engaging notions of what life was like growing up in a North American factory town in 1940. Others offer glimpses of poor taste bordering on garish. Others engage the audience with a realistic sense of time and place, referencing old fashioned means of transportation, communication, electric power and living. The drive for Ralphie’s toy rifle intermixed with traditions of Christmas and growing up in the neighborhood.
(From left, Yano Anaya as Grover Dill and Zack Ward as Scut Farkus in the Bob Clark movie A Christmas Story).
The neighborhood and schoolyard were the sources of many of the neighborhood storytelling. There were the stories with Ralphie Parker, Flick and Schwartz in the class of Miss Shields that included classroom shenanigans as well as a metal pole in the winter cold of the school yard. There was bullying in the schoolyard and along the path home of bullying by Scut Farkus and Grover Dill. R.D. Robb and Scott Schwartz portrayed Schwartz and Flick, respectively. Zack Ward and Yano Anaya portrayed Scut Farkus and Grover Dill, respectively.
(From left, Tedde Moore as Miss Shields and Leslie Carlson as Christmas Tree Salesman in the Bob Clark movie A Christmas Story).
Miss Shields, as portrayed by Tedde Moore, transitioned between the vignettes for Ralphie’s home life and school life. Beyond the school yard and classroom specifics offered in The Christmas Story, there is a very clear theme from the adults to Ralphie regarding the safety concerns related to the safe operation of Ralphie’s desired air rifle. Would Ralphie get the gun? Could Ralphie handle the gun without hurting himself? Would the adults speak past Ralphie’s wishes to the safety concerns, in essence dashing his hopes? This recurring plot point worked quite well for the movie, even with repeated viewings of the film. The multiple storylines related to getting the family Christmas tree, in addition to a lamp won as an award, hit different people different ways on the engaging and garish question.
(From left, Drew Hocevar as Male Elf, Jeff Gillen as Santa Claus, Ian Petrella as Randy Parker and Patty Johnson as Lead Elf in the Bob Clark movie A Christmas Story).
My intention here has been to give you some glimpses at a high level of some plot points that were engaging to me for this movie, while touching others in glancing form. There are vignettes that were not discussed, and the engaging quality of them get into the humor and sentiment related to time, specific subject matter, the fantasy with humor interspersed throughout, along with other points. There is plenty to enjoy with A Christmas Story as directed by Bob Clark, which I give 4.25-stars on a scale of 1-to-5.
Matt Lynn Digital 