DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
Award Films Need More Hope. It’s Christmas!
© NaimaLett.com/blog

© Oscar Nomination Voting started Monday

Boy, we’ve seen some films!

In the last 30 days, I’ve screened almost 20 of this season’s award-seeking films.
That’s 1/3 of the total contenders listed in The Hollywood Reporter’s online Voter’s Guide.

Of what I screened, I reviewed 8 for you:

Denzel Washington’s “Flight” Takes Off
Les Misérables: Best Musical, Full of Faith
Rise of the Guardians: Two Thumbs Up
Django Unchained: Blame Game?
ARGO: Political Thriller, Dose of Fun
Silver Linings Playbook: Funny Spin on Illness
Middle of Nowhere: My Friends’ Film
Beasts of the Southern Wild: Fantasies Come True

How do you choose?

My oldest brother asked me this morning, “How do you choose which films to write about?”

Great question!

I wrote about the films that either:
1) you specifically asked me about,
2) had lots of Hollywood buzz, and/or
3) had hope.

We need more hope.

I could’ve reviewed Zero Dark Thirty, The Master, Anna Karenina, Celeste & Jesse Forever, Rust and Bone, Brave, Snow White and the Huntsman, The Sessions, The Dark Knight Rises, The Intouchables and This is 40, but I really would’ve been saying the same thing over and over:

“Where’s the hope?”

If I left the movie theatre in a sad funk, I figured you wouldn’t want to do the same. And I saw screenings for free. I assume you don’t want to pay $13.50 per ticket for a downer.

At the end of Zero Dark Thirty, I asked my husband, “Why was this movie made?”

I had no desire to write about it whatsoever, which is really disappointing because I usually make it a point to support female filmmakers.

The film Quartet was actually refreshing, and the final 2 films I have to see are Lincoln and The Hobbit. Folks seem to really love what Steven Spielberg did with Lincoln, so I look forward to it. Maybe it’ll have more hope.

But much of what I have seen of our award films are deep explorations of how dark, twisted and hopeless we are as human beings. We torture one another. We commit suicide. We’re perverted in really sick ways. We hurt each other. We kill each other. We exploit our women. We hate each other. We fight and do really bad things. On and on and on.

I could probably digest one or two such dark films per month, but not a dozen or so back to back. After awhile, it’s like enough already. I get it. We’re really messed up. Geezzz!!!!

There’s hope!

I’m beginning to understand more and more why Kevin and I, along with a wonderful young team of dream chasers and dream makers, have been called to plant H0PE IN THE HILLS in Beverly Hills, the Mecca of Hollywood’s decisions.

We have hope! We know that things will get better. And we know that even though we, as human beings, are really messed up and we live in a dark, angry world, we have a Messiah and “…In his name, the nations will put their hope.” (Matthew 12:15-21 & Isaiah 42:1-4)

Christmas Hope!

One of our Christmas classics, O Holy Night, puts it this way:

“A thrill of hope! The weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn…”

Do you remember it? I can still hear my Uncle Hawthorne’s clear tenor soaring each year:
A thrill of hope; the weary world rejoices,
For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
Fall on your knees! O hear the angel voices!
O night divine, the night when Christ was Born;
O night, O holy night, O night divine!

We have hope that came the night when Christ was born.

It’s Christmas, doggone it!
And I’m going to celebrate.
Join me, why don’t you?
Naima

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A thrill of hope! The weary world rejoices, for yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.
-O Holy Night

© 2012 Naima Lett. All Rights Reserved

DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
Beasts of the Southern Wild
© NaimaLett.com/blog




© Fox Searchlight, Beasts of the Southern Wild

Thanks for the lively discussion yesterday re: Django Unchained. Your interaction is refreshing.

Today, we’re back on BEASTS. I blogged about Beasts of the Southern Wild when it was first released. Recently, I was asked about it again with respect to my recent film reviews. So, here’s an updated review.

In light of the Newtown, CT shootings of twenty children, numerous 6 and 7 year olds, I am so proud of the performance that Quvenzhané Wallis (pictured above) gave as a 6-year old. The innocence of the little ones lost is forever captured on screen through this brave, new actress.

BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD

It’s a looonnnngggg shot (based on the Academy Award® voting block described by the LA Times as 94% Caucasian, 77% male, 62 median age), but the award-winning fantasy drama, Beasts of the Southern Wild, could be this year’s Oscar® underdog.

Film critic Roger Ebert writes “Sometimes miraculous films come into being, made by people you’ve never heard of, starring unknown faces, blindsiding you with creative genius. Beasts of the Southern Wild is one of the year’s best films.”

Fox Searchlight describes its Rocky-esque contender with the following:
“Benh Zeitlin’s BEASTS OF THE SOUTHERN WILD whisks you to a surreal realm, where little girls and mythical animals coexist in a bayou called The Bathtub, all intertwined in the cosmic mesh of the universe. Hushpuppy (stunning newcomer Quvenzhané Wallis) relentlessly explores her world for answers, to satisfy her curiosity, and to make her budding mark on a world she’s only beginning to comprehend.”

1ST TIME ACTORS

Quvenzhané Wallis portrays Hushpuppy. When she auditioned, she was only 5 years old and could barely read. She had never acted before, yet she landed the role over 4,000 little actresses who auditioned. Quvenzhané filmed the movie when she was 6, just turned 9, and recently won the first major trophy of the Oscar® season: Hollywood Film Award’s New Hollywood Award. Past recipients of this ‘new talent’ award have been Robert Pattinson (Twilight), Gabourey Sidibe (Precious), and Jennifer Lawrence (Hunger Games).

Quvenzhané isn’t the only new actor. The other star of the film, Dwight Henry (who portrays her onscreen father Wink), also had never acted before this film. He’s the Hurricane Katrina survivor who owned the bakery across from Beast’s casting office in Louisiana. He even turned down the role of Wink several times before the writer/director’s persistence persuaded him to do it. He’s now filming a new movie with Brad Pitt.

1ST TIME WRITER/DIRECTOR

That writer/director who wouldn’t take “NO” for an answer from his leading man is Ben Zeitlin. This is his very first full-length feature film, or that’s the story that is being released. Ben didn’t have lots of money where he could hire lots of professional crew. He used friends and family.

He told Oprah, “I want to fill my life and my films with wild, brave, goodhearted people, and whatever amount of chaos and disaster that leads too, it doesn’t matter because you’re going through it with the people you love and in the end, no matter what, the movies come out wild, brave and good hearted.”

WOW!
1st time lead actor and actress.
1st time writer/director.
1st time filmmakers/crew.
And its a fantasy story well told with a message of courage and heart. Wow!

One Caution, Maybe Two

Beasts of the Southern Wild is Rated PG-13 for “thematic material including child imperilment, some disturbing images, language and brief sensuality”.

Please note, before you rent the newly released DVD or Blue Ray disc, that the language is rough for children, even though the film stars a 6-year old. Don’t sit your little Sharon or Khalil on the couch and get mad when Wink starts cursing everybody out, OK?

Also, the underlying message is more naturalistic than monotheistic. In other words, Hushpuppy learns that all of nature is connected as one – humans, animals, water, fire, etc. That’s naturalism. Biblically-speaking, I can’t back that up. While I appreciate nature as God’s creation, I am not one with nature.

Genesis 1-3 clearly describes how God created nature, then He created man in His image and instructed man to subdue nature. As are result of sin and the curse, man will “return to the ground because from it you were taken; For you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” 3:19

Death and our current earthly bodies returning to dust comes as a direct result of sin. But each one of us lives eternally. There is life beyond earthly death. We can choose to spend that eternity in paradise with God when we accept His Son Jesus as Lord, or choose to spend that eternity disconnected from God in a world of perpetual pain and suffering. Our choice. But either way, while we’re on this earth, we are made in God’s image redeeming a fallen world, not made as one with His trees or oceans or chickens. Does that make sense?

The film doesn’t explicitly address these theological paths, but I noticed a recurring theme of Hushpuppy’s oneness with her surroundings, and I feel responsible to create dialogue about elements that agree and disagree with the Christian worldview.

FANTASIES COME TRUE

When you get a chance, get lost in this fantasy. It’s a tear-jerker. And for many involved in the film, it’s a fantasy-come-true. We cheer for the underdogs during the film and we’re cheering for the underdogs who made the film.

And I’m definitely cheering for little Quvenzhané, who at 6 years old, held her own on that big screen. I cheer as she walks the red carpet and pray that more doors open for her to hone her craft and carve a career with roles that bring truth and hope in our world.

Onward & Upward,
Naima

Have you seen the film?What did you think?
RESPOND ON BLOG
Comment below, or
Facebook or
Twitter – @naimalett

My Recent Blog Reviews:
Django Unchained: Blame Game?
Denzel Washington’s “Flight” Takes Off
Les Misérables: Best Musical, Full of Faith
ARGO: Political Thriller, Dose of Fun
Silver Linings Playbook: Funny Spin on Illness
Rise of the Guardians: Two Thumbs Up
Middle of Nowhere: My Friends’ Film

© 2012 Naima Lett. All Rights Reserved

DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
Django Unchained: Blame Game?
© NaimaLett.com/blog



© Django Unchained starring Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio

Django Unchained is many things…
But is it to blame for shootings like Newtown, CT?

“No,” says its Academy Award®-winning writer-director, Quentin Tarantino.

BBC News reports that Tarantino responded at a Django New York press event on Saturday that he was “tired of defending his films each time the US is shocked by gun violence” saying “I just think you know there’s violence in the world, tragedies happen, blame the playmakers…It’s a western. Give me a break…Violence should fall on those guilty of the crimes…”

Lead actor, Jamie Foxx had a different view, “We cannot turn our back and say that violence in films or anything that we do doesn’t have a sort of influence. It does.”

Hollywood Split

This is indicative of the split that runs deep in Hollywood. We saw it also with The Dark Knight Rises and the movie theater shooting in Colorado. On the one side, artists say, “Don’t blame us.” On the other end, they say, “We do influence.”

Which is it? One way? The other? Both?

Can we blame our filmmakers when a 20-year old takes 3 assault weapons from his mother’s gun collection, shoots her and then kills 20 six to seven year old children at their elementary school? Is Django Unchained and films like it responsible?

Django Unchained

Django Unchained has been nominated for five Golden Globe awards including Best Film, Best Director and Best Screenplay. It stars Academy Award®-winner Jamie Foxx, Academy Award®-winner Christoph Waltz, Academy Award®-nominee Leonardo DiCaprio, NAACP Image Award-winner Kerry Washington and the world’s highest grossing actor Samuel L. Jackson (Guinness Book World Record, 2009; 68 films which grossed over $7.81 billion total).

The official film synopsis reads as follows:
With the help of his mentor, a slave-turned-bounty hunter sets out to rescue his wife from a brutal Mississippi plantation owner.

Django Unchained is…

Violent.
But you knew that. Everyone knows. Why?
It’s classic Quentin Tarantino, which means it is Violent with a capitol V. One review called it a “brutal, obscenity-laced Spaghetti Western about slavery” that is “spectacularly violent” in which “the body count approaches the triple-digits by the end of the film”. Guns, whips, explosives. Lots of blood. Lots and lots of death. I don’t do so well with ultra-violent films, but the Tarantino fans in the theater seemed to enjoy, laugh and applaud at all the clever ways he chose to off people. I buried my head in my husband’s shoulder a lot and exclaimed, “Oh, Lord!” a’plenty.

Classic western.
Think Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven meets Richard Roundtree’s Shaft. The good guys do bad things to get the bad guys because they were wronged and seek to right their wrong in their own way. No such thing as “Vengeance is mine… saith the Lord” (Romans 12:19). This is more like Revenge 2.0. meets Blaxploitation 3.0 during slavery times.

Lengthy.
Tarantino gives his fans their money’s worth. The film is 2 hours and 46 minutes. Yep! It’s almost 3 hours long. Eat hearty before you go or get that really BIG tub of popcorn.

Fictional.
This ain’t Alex Hailey’s Roots in which an author/historian is trying to tell the story of his family. This is a fantasy. If Django or any person of color had used the type of attitude and language that Jamie Foxx or Samuel Jackson used during slavery times, they’d be dead, dead, dead. Think Nat Turner and Denmark Vessey.

Dude Flick.
This is the epitome of the dude-flick-western-get-the-bad-guy-save-the-girl-fantasy.
Opposite of chic-flick-rom-com-save-the-girl-fantasy. Guess the girl always needs a’saving?
My husband, a dude’s dude, called the film “better than expected”, when it was over; but he approaches films with low expectations. I usually have high expectations. This means I’m often disappointed, and he’s often pleasantly surprised. Perhaps I should try his method. :=)

One Caution, Maybe Two

Django is Rated R: “strong graphic violence, a vicious fight, language and nudity.” Tarantino told the LA Times, “If we could get a triple R rating, we would have had a triple R.”

Believe him. Tarantino means that thing. Fam, this is not for the weak-hearted. My spirit was vexed. I can get down with a dude-mentality with the best of them (having grown up with 3 brothers and lots of guy friends); but it’s difficult for me to digest that much violence and sleep at night. That’s why I didn’t make it through Kill Bill or Inglorious Bastards.

Whose to Blame?

So, back to our original question: Are our films to blame for the horrific violence in our society?

I personally think that sin is to blame. Folks were being ripped apart for sport and entertainment in large arenas 2000 years before film ever existed. Violence pre-dates film.

In the very first family on earth, when Cain plotted to kill his brother Abel, God said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.” Genesis 4:6-7

Sin is at the core of our violent natures. And when we see the type of senseless violence acted out against innocent children, we see firsthand why Jesus submitted to such horrific violence against Himself to take on the penalty of our sin and free us.

Now, that being said, my opinion is that our glorification of violence through our films, media and games can desensitize us and create a culture in which young people think that it’s acceptable to murder our children. It’s NOT OK. It’s never OK. It wasn’t OK for Cain. It wasn’t OK in the Roman arenas. It’s not OK in Newtown, CT.

Isn’t violence violence?

Tarantino fans are enjoying Django Unchained. They, like him, will not see a connection between violent films and violent society. They might even ask me how I can cheer for Optimus Prime to get Megatron in Transformers or for Iron Man to get the aliens in The Avengers, but gasp when Django mows down slave owners? Isn’t that hypocritical? Isn’t violence violence?

Robots taking out robots doesn’t affect me the same way. Maybe that is hypocritical. Or maybe I’m just more sensitive to human life because I’m charged as a pastor to care for human souls.

What do you think? I’d love to hear your thoughts on the film and the subject.

Onward & upward,
Naima

What did you think?
RESPOND ON BLOG
Comment below, or
Facebook or
Twitter – @naimalett

My Recent Blog Reviews:
Denzel Washington’s “Flight” Takes Off
Les Misérables: Best Musical, Full of Faith
ARGO: Political Thriller, Dose of Fun
Silver Linings Playbook: Funny Spin on Illness
Rise of the Guardians: Two Thumbs Up
Middle of Nowhere: My Friends’ Film

© 2012 Naima Lett. All Rights Reserved

DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
Praying for our Children
© NaimaLett.com/blog



School shooting in Newtown, Connecticut © source

If there is any doubt, beyond our own daily shortcomings, that we still live in a fallen, twisted world, just turn on CNN or FOX or wherever you get your news and see the report of today’s Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, CT.

Who shoots our babies???
Unloading up to 100 rounds
from a Glock and Sig Sauer
into a sea of 5 – 9 year old kindergartners thru 4th graders?

Who does such a thing?

Law enforcement is still trying to figure out what happened. Initial reports say that there are almost 30 deaths, with 18-20 of those being children. The exact number of fatalities is not being released until all parents can be notified if their child is one of the tragic victims.

Our hearts break.

Our hearts are broken for each parent and child in this horrific situation. Losing a child is said to be one of the most unnatural things in this world. I can’t even imagine.

And just 11 days before Christmas? Devastating.

I think of how Joseph and Mary felt when Jesus’ life as a child was in danger. They had to flee and escape in the night to Egypt. Matthew 2:13-23 recounts the story of the hit King Herod put out on the baby Messiah as he tried to trick the Magi into disclosing Jesus’ location.

“When Herod realized that he had been outwitted by the Magi, he was furious, and he gave orders to kill all the boys in Bethlehem and its vicinity who were two years old and under, in accordance with the time he had learned from the Magi. Then what was said through the prophet Jeremiah was fulfilled: “A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.”

Again, who kills our babies?
Who orders all kids to be murdered?
This assault on our children’s lives is not new.

Praying for our Children

Let’s pray, Fam.
Let’s pray for our children.
That these senseless assaults on their lives will cease!

We pray for all the families who have lost children and loved ones today, that the God of all Comfort who comforts us all in our troubles, will comfort every family. We pray for healing for all the children and teachers and school officials who have been injured and are still in the hospital. We pray for life. We pray for the family of the shooter, who looks to have shot himself as well. We pray for the entire community of Newtown. Their lives will never be the same. We ask that there will be a healing balm to soothe all broken hearts, especially during this holiday season. May families know that we have a savior who has felt every pain that we feel, including death, and He is near. We pray that each heart will lean into His presence during this very difficult time.

God help us.
God help us,
Naima

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© 2012 Naima Lett. All Rights Reserved

DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
ARGO: Political Thriller with Dose of Fun
© NaimaLett.com/blog

© Warner Brothers, ARGO

Back to the film reviews! So glad they’ve been helpful to you. Receiving lots of feedback and doing my best to write ’em up for you before the holidays.

Have you seen the award-winning film ARGO?

Because it’s “based on a declassified true story”, we know the end of the story. Yet, while screening the film, at one point, my heart was thumping so loud I thought surely my husband was going to lean over and say, “Shhhhhh!”

There’s plenty of suspense in this political thriller. But it also manages to have fun poking fun at Hollywood along the way. The heart-racing happens across the water. The ha-ha happens in Hollywood; but not in a hilarity kind of way. It’s more like making fun of the nonsense that is our industry. You gotta laugh (especially if you work and live in the LaLa).

ARGO

ARGO is directed by and stars Academy Award® winner Ben Affleck and is produced by Affleck, Academy Award® winning actor/director George Clooney and Academy Award® nominated producer/writer Grant Heslov.

The official film synopsis reads as follows:
Based on real events, the dramatic thriller “ARGO” chronicles the life-or-death covert operation to rescue six Americans, which unfolded behind the scenes of the Iran hostage crisis, focusing on the little-known role that the CIA and Hollywood played—information that was not declassified until many years after the event.

Not to give too much of the story away, (nothing more than what’s in the trailer), CIA specialist Tony Mendez devises an unbelievable plan to try and rescue six Americans during the Iran hostage crisis of 1979-80. He’d creates a movie. The rest is history, (as they say)!

Elephant in the Room

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: Ben Affleck.

Is it just me or do you still think “Bennifer” when his name comes up? And not for his wonderful marriage with actress Jennifer Garner since 2005, of which he has three beautiful children. But for the publicity-crazed, international circus that was his engagement to Jennifer Lopez from 2002-2004. By the time those two called it quits, we were all exhausted.

There is such a thing as over-exposure. And Ben got a backlash after “Bennifer”. Think Kim Kardashian and that 72-day marriage facade. Rejected! Such was life for Ben. Folks couldn’t take him seriously. He went from Oscar wonder-kid® who wrote Good Will Hunting with best friend Matt Damon to J.Lo’s music-video-player-relationship-road kill. His films suffered.

Ben had to slowly and meticulously work his way back through his directorial efforts. ARGO marks his third go in the director’s chair, and it looks like the third time’s the charm. If magazine covers are any indicator, it looks like he’s being dubbed as the hottest director since sliced bread. My latest Entertainment Weekly marks him as “Entertainer of the Year”. Not bad, huh?

Call It A Comeback

Hollywood loves a comeback, the underdog, someone who has to face insurmountable odds and overcome. That’s what ARGO is about. That’s the turn Ben’s life took after Bennifer. Folks look for, root for, yearn for redemption. Where is there life after death?

As Christians, we know redemption. We know life after death. We’re the comeback kids. In Romans 8, Paul describes the new life that we live through God’s Spirit, “And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of His Spirit who lives in you…” Vs 11. We definitely identify.

One Caution, Maybe Two

Argo is Rated R for language and violent imagery. What film re: the government, military or Hollywood is made without F bombs? Is that true in reality? Do our military and government officials use more profanity than most? What about Hollywood producers? Good question.

Also, this film is based on a true story. The real CIA operative that Ben Affleck plays is Antonio “Tony” Mendez, whose memoir, Master of Disguise, is a basis for the film. Tony Mendez is of Mexican ancestry. (Tony’s interview: The Fascinating Story Behind Argo)

Was there no talented Hispanic/Latino actor available to portray the leading man? Javier Bardem, Benicio Del Toro, Andy Garcia, Benjamin Bratt, Michael Peña? Not one? Why did Ben Affleck (English, Irish, Scottish, German) feel the need to cast himself in the leading role in a story about a Mexican American?

People of color ask these questions because we know firsthand how few stories actually make it to the big screen about people of color. But when one such story does make it, it’s absurd to us that the person’s color is erased. It’s like Angelina Jolie being cast in A Mighty Heart as real-life Mariane Pearl, who is biracial and looks black. When I saw the kinky wig they put on Angelina to try to make her appear more ethnic, I was done. But, I digress.

ARGO Thrills

If you can look past reality and go on the journey with this dynamic cast that also stars Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad), Oscar® winner Alan Arkin (Little Miss Sunshine), and John Goodman (Roseanne), then it’s a thrill ride with a dose of laughs along the way. Let me know what you think.

Onward & upward,
Naima

What did you think?
RESPOND ON BLOG
Comment below, or
Facebook or
Twitter – @naimalett

My Recent Blog Reviews:
Les Misérables: Best Musical, Full of Faith
Denzel Washington’s “Flight” Takes Off
Silver Linings Playbook: Funny Spin on Illness
Rise of the Guardians: Two Thumbs Up
Middle of Nowhere: My Friends’ Film

© 2012 Naima Lett. All Rights Reserved

DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
The Perfect Gift
© NaimaLett.com/blog



© source


The Perfect Gift…
Is there such a thing?

Are you having a hard time finding it?
And having an even harder time defining it?

Honestly, I think that “perfect” part is overrated… and I love gifts.

Here’s Why

The reason I think trying to find the “perfect” gift is so daunting is because it’s fluid. It changes every year. What was perfect last year may not be perfect this year. Otherwise, we’d give the same gifts over and over, right?

Our gifts to one another change as often as we do. Our needs shift. Our desires change. Everything in life is a constant ebb and flow and very little remains constant.

Worry-free Christmas

So, back to this worry-free Christmas idea that we started in yesterday’s blog, I’d like to encourage each one of us to let go of the pressure of finding, giving or receiving that perfect gift. Just let go.

If the person we gift loses love for us based on a material product, could the love actually be that authentic? Aren’t the gifts simple expressions of what’s deeper anyhow?

Perfect Gifts

If we really want to get technical, when James writes to believers about enduring trials and temptations, he actually says that, “Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows…” James 1:17. It can be argued that the gift he refers to is spiritual, of our new birth in our faith.

What really matters, at the end of the day, is that the gifts that will last come down from our heavenly Father. No need in stressing over trying to give the moon and the stars this Christmas. Give a gift from your heart and call it a day!

Lots of love from LaLa Land,
Naima

RESPOND ON BLOG
Comment below, or
Facebook or
Twitter – @naimalett

My Recent Blog Reviews:
Les Misérables: Best Musical, Full of Faith
Denzel Washington’s “Flight” Takes Off
Silver Linings Playbook: Funny Spin on Illness
Rise of the Guardians: Two Thumbs Up
Middle of Nowhere: My Friends’ Film

© 2012 Naima Lett. All Rights Reserved

DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
Ready for Christmas?
© NaimaLett.com/blog



© 2012 Hollywood Christmas Parade, source



You ready for Christmas?
Hollywood sure is.

Parades, Santas, décor galore!

Folks are excited. And I don’t blame them. Christmas has always been special.
And we know how to celebrate!

Stress Time Out

The holidays can also be stressful for some – dealing with family, gifts, financial woes – but how about we choose to take a stress time out? Honestly, will worrying cause things to change?

“Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?” Jesus asks. (Matt 6:27)
“Do not worry”, He concludes. Matthew 6:25-34

Worry-free Christmas

What could a worry-free Christmas look like?
Choosing to be grateful
Choosing to be gracious
Choosing to be present
Choosing to love

None of these have to involve over-stretching financially or adding on more debt or screaming at family members or getting smashed at the Christmas party and embarrassing one’s significant other. Just saying.

It’s the time of year that we celebrate Jesus’ advent. Joy to the world! Peace on earth. Good will to men. Let’s celebrate!

You ready for Christmas?
I am. :=)

Putting the merry back in Merry,
Naima

You ready?
Comment below, or
Facebook or
Twitter – @naimalett

My Recent Blog Reviews:
Les Misérables: Best Musical, Full of Faith
Denzel Washington’s “Flight” Takes Off
Silver Linings Playbook: Funny Spin on Illness
Rise of the Guardians: Two Thumbs Up
Middle of Nowhere: My Friends’ Film

© 2012 Naima Lett. All Rights Reserved

DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
Middle of Nowhere: My Friends’ Film
© NaimaLett.com/blog




© Middle of Nowhere starring David Oyelowo and Edwina Findley

I’m having a ball reviewing this Academy season’s films for you.

And today, I’m really excited because I get to tell you about indie darling, award-winning film Middle of Nowhere, that stars two of my friends: David Oyelowo and Edwina Findley (above).

Introducing David

You’ve seen David, an Oxford-born, classically-trained, award-winning actor, in the films Lincoln, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, The Help, Red Tails, The Paperboy, A Raisin in the Sun, and The Last King of Scotland. His next releases are Jack Reacher, Nina and The Butler. David stars as Brian, a ray of hope for main character Ruby, in Middle of Nowhere. We met filming an indie several years ago. He has a beautiful family, wife Jessica and 4 children.

David’s faith grounds him. He’s quoted as saying, “I think it’s vital to have something outside your acting to keep you rooted in the real world, and help you fill the vacuum… For me being a Christian has been invaluable: it simply means acting isn’t the centre of my life.”

Introducing Edwina

You know Edwina, a Washington, D.C.-born, New York University Tisch alumnus & award-winning actress, from her recurring roles on Treme, The Wire, and Brothers and Sisters. She’s also appeared on Law and Order, One Life to Live and Blue Bloods. In Middle of Nowhere, Edwina is Ruby’s lovable sister. When she isn’t jet-setting from set to set, Edwina finds time to give motivational workshops through her company, Abundant Life.

Edwina just married her best friend, Kelvin Dickerson, in a movie-themed wedding in New York. They shared their amazing Christ-filled story with the New York Times, including their decision to wait for sex until marriage.

Middle of Nowhere

Winner of the 2012 Sundance Film Festival Best Director Prize and an official selection for the 2012 Toronto International Film Festival, Middle of Nowhere is causing buzz.

Oprah called the film “powerful and poetic… I was so moved by it. I think you will be too.”
The New York Times said, “a soul-stirring drama.”
And the Los Angeles Times described it as “moving and accomplished.”

The official film synopsis reads as follows:
What happens when love takes you places you never thought you’d go? MIDDLE OF NOWHERE chronicles a young woman caught between two worlds and two men in the search for herself. Ruby, a bright medical student, sets aside her dreams when her husband is incarcerated. This new life challenges her to the very core, and her turbulent path propels her in new, often frightening directions of self-discovery.

Ruby is played by Panama-American actress Emayatzy Corinealdi (The Young And The Restless, The Nanny Express). And Ruby’s incarcerated husband, Derek, is brought to life by Omari Hardwick (Miracle at St. Anna, The Guardian, Saved, Next Day Air, I Will Follow).

Slice of Life

The best way I can describe this film is ‘slice of life’. Film-publicist-turned-filmmaker Ava DuVernay, the first African American woman to win a Sundance Award for Best Director of a Drama, said “I wanted to write about the sisters I saw. Everybody knows somebody who knows somebody who’s locked up.”

Born and raised near Compton, Ava writes this very real story about a young woman torn between her relationships. Ava earned her BA from UCLA and built the successful DuVernay Agency whose mission is “to create connections to African-American audiences”. Yet she connects across audiences with this film because everyone knows what it is to struggle with your past and future.

Life’s about choices.

I’m reminded of God’s word to His people before they crossed into their promised land. In Deuteronomy 30:19-20, God says, “This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life…”

God’s people had a choice. They could choose life or death. He said, “Choose life.”
In the film, Ruby has a life-altering choice to make.
You and I have choices all the time. What will you choose? Life or death?

One Caution, Maybe Two

Middle of Nowhere is Rated R for drug content, some teen drinking and sexual material. I don’t recall there being nudity, but this is adult subject matter. Not so much for the kiddies.

At first glance, you may be thinking like I did when I first read about the film, “Not another movie about black people in jail! When are we going to get out of prison?!” LOL! But when I saw what Ava did with her screenplay (which she filmed in an insane 19 days with only $500,000), I was pleasantly surprised that this isn’t just another jail tale. It’s a complicated love story about family and choices. You’ll be talking about it long after you leave the theatre.

Go see the film and let me know what you think. And send up some prayers for David and Edwina. While the Lord is blessing their acting careers, they remain faithful to Him and sharing His love with our wonderful colleagues in Hollywood. Lift them up as they shine for Him.

Onward & upward,
Naima

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My Recent Blog Reviews:
Les Misérables: Best Musical, Full of Faith
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© 2012 Naima Lett. All Rights Reserved

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Silver Linings Playbook: Funny Spin on Illness
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©Silver Linings Playbook starring Bradley Cooper & Jennifer Lawrence

Mental illness isn’t usually funny.
Yet, Silver Linings Playbook tries to find the funny in mental illness and picks up several awards along the way.

This romantic comedy-drama has already earned the People’s Choice Audience Award at the Toronto Film Festival where it premiered, the Best Director, Actor and Supporting Actor Awards at the Hollywood Film Festival, and has five Independent Spirit Award nominations including Best Screenplay.

It’s Different

We’ve all been taught not to laugh at folks who are sick, especially those of us who serve in ministry. Sickness is no joke. So who goes and makes a film to get audiences to laugh at folks who are sick? Mind you, they are folks who are trying to get better through treatment and therapy, but still, the main character is bi-polar and is trying to cope without his meds.

It’s different storytelling though, if you think about it. Because the filmmakers know that laughter enables us to let our guards down. If we laugh and enter into the world of these characters, we’re no longer laughing at them, but identifying with them and rooting for them.

Silver Linings Playbook

The official film synopsis reads as follows:
Life doesn’t always go according to plan. Pat Solatano (Bradley Cooper) has lost everything — his house, his job, and his wife. He now finds himself living back with his father (Robert DeNiro) and mother (Jacki Weaver) after spending eight months is a state institution on a plea bargain. Pat is determined to rebuild his life, remain positive and reunite with his wife, despite the challenging circumstances of their separation. All Pat’s parents want is for him to get back on his feet-and to share their family’s obsession with the Philadelphia Eagles football team. When Pat meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence), a mysterious girl with problems of her own, things get complicated.

The film stars sidekick-turned-leading-man Bradley Cooper (The Hangover, Wedding Crashers, & 2011’s People Magazine Sexiest Man Alive), Academy Award nominee Jennifer Lawrence (Hunger Games, Winter’s Bone, X-Men: First Class), Academy Award winning actor and director Robert De Niro (Godfather II, Raging Bull, Taxi Driver), and comedian-turned-actor Chris Tucker (Rush Hour trilogy, Friday, Dead Presidents) whose talent could’ve been used more.

Twists and Turns

Making the film reportedly had just as many twists and turns as the film itself.

According to director David O. Russell (The Fighter, Three Kings), who reportedly once tried to choke George Clooney, he wrote the film for Vince Vaughn (Wedding Crashers) and Zooey Deschanel (New Girl). However, A-Listers Angelina Jolie and Mark Wahlberg wanted the parts, but ran into conflicts. Then, Jennifer Lawrence won the lead role off a video audition via SKYPE while filming her breakout blockbuster Hunger Games. And that’s just on the acting side.

On the production side, sadly, two producers passed away within month of each other after optioning the original novel in 2008. Academy Award winner Sydney Pollack (Out of Africa, Tootsie) and Academy Award winner Anthony Minghella (The English Patient, The Talented Mr. Ripley), both died of cancer. Goodness!

A Father’s Love

The director, David, picked up the pieces and pressed forward, even writing a role in the film for his own teenage son Matthew who was originally diagnosed with autism as a child, but has since been diagnosed with a “bipolar-obsessive compulsive disorder hybrid”. David told The Hollywood Reporter that his son’s condition is “always a moving target and a challenge, but he’s doing great… I thought it would be nice for him — for both of us and the family — to have a movie that his stuff was a part of.”

What a father would do for his son. I thought about when Jesus teaches his disciples to be persistent in their prayers to their heavenly Father in Matthew 7:7-12, 9“Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!

If David O. Russell can give his son a role to help normalize his condition, how much more does our Father in heaven give to His children whom He loves?

One Caution, Maybe Two

Silver Linings Playbook is Rated R for language and some sexual content/nudity. Like much modern comedy, the language is definitely dicey. If profanity offends, this will offend you. This is not the Brady Bunch or the Cosby family. This is dysfunction at its peak.

Look at the trailer above and read a few reviews to figure out if this is your brand of comedy. Personally, I found the film lighthearted, but comedy is a very personal thing. What some people find funny, others do not.

For example, we recently screened the comedy This is 40 and did not laugh one time. My husband leaned over to me about 1/2 way through it and asked, how much longer? It was a whopping, abnormal 2 hours and 14 minutes. That’s a long time not to laugh at a comedy. But we talked to another couple who found the movie hilarious. They loved it. Go figure.

Please keep this in mind before you send me lots of emails questioning my funny meter or ask ‘how dare I suggest that laughing at mental illness is appropriate’. I promised you I would review the films we’ve screened and give you my opinion. I’d love to hear yours. Let me know what you think.

Onward & upward,
Naima

What did you think?
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Les Misérables: Best Musical, Full of Faith
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Denzel Washington’s “Flight” Takes Off

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DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
Les Misérables: Best Musical, Full of Faith
© NaimaLett.com/blog

©Universal, Les Misérables: Fight. Dream. Hope. Love. (source)

My husband doesn’t really like musicals…
but he loved Les Misérables!

Not just because Tony/Emmy Award winner Hugh Jackman aka The Wolverine rocks!

But because unlike most movie musicals, Academy Award®-winning director Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech) filmed Les Misérables where “over 90 percent of the singing was shot ‘live’ and not prerecorded, many of the songs done in one take. I didn’t want any barriers between emotion and realism and truth, so for me it was very important that the actors playing these characters were producing these songs out of the depths of their souls in that moment.”

Brilliant idea! It worked.
They sang from the depths of their souls and we felt it.

Les Misérables

Les Misérables started as one of the greatest epic novels in history. Written by French poet and playwright Victor Hugo in several volumes and originally published in 1862, it became an international commercial success, even though it boasted over 1400 pages (1900 in French).

The stage musical version of Les Misérables is touted as the “world’s longest running musical” seen by over 60 million people in 42 countries in 21 languages. It first opened in Paris in 1980 and ran on Broadway from 1987-2003, winning 8 of 12 Tony Awards it was nominated for including Best Musical & Best Original Score. It also won a Grammy for Best Musical Album.

The Story

Les Misérables focuses on the struggles of ex-convict Jean Valjean and his experience of redemption.

The official film synopsis reads:
Set against the backdrop of 19th-century France, Les Misérables tells an enthralling story of broken dreams and unrequited love, passion, sacrifice and redemption—a timeless testament to the survival of the human spirit. Hugh Jackman plays ex-prisoner Jean Valjean, hunted for decades by the ruthless policeman Javert (Oscar® winner Russell Crowe) after he breaks parole. When Valjean agrees to care for factory worker Fantine’s (Anne Hathaway) young daughter, Cosette, their lives change forever.

Best Musical, Full of Faith

This is, hands down, the BEST musical I have seen that exemplifies the story of our faith and what it means to be redeemed by God, changed, and set apart to do good works.

The most powerful theme is the examination of the nature of law versus the nature of grace and the juxtaposition of the two. Romans 5-7 is clearly personified between the two main characters and we see the struggle of following the law and living by grace.

I don’t ever want to hear another Christian say that Hollywood does not distribute “faith-based” films. Universal is not only distributing a spectacular faith-based film, but it’s one with:
– A-List Academy Award caliber actors
– an Academy Award winning director
– a top-notch production company: Working Title (Anna Karenina, The Tudors) and
– a boisterous $61 million budget.

This is film-making and storytelling at its best and Hollywood does not dumb down the faith element. Folks are praying. People of God are actually people of God. The story of redemption is the backbone of this entire shindig. Time after time we see John 15:13 personified: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

One Caution, Maybe Two

Les Misérables is Rated PG-13 for “suggestive and sexual material, violence and thematic elements”. I’d hesitate to take young children.

Also, please know that every single word is sung. If you are not a fan of singing, take note. But if you are a fan of some of the most beloved songs in musical history – “I Dreamed a Dream,” “Bring Him Home,” “One Day More” and “On My Own” – this is your show!

Bring Tissue

You’ll likely need it. It takes a lot for me to cry in a film, yet I found myself misty-eyed more than once. If you allow yourself to go on this fascinating cinematic journey, you’ll find that a tear or two is actually cathartic.

Onward & Upward,
Naima

Have you ever seen Les Mis?
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My Recent Blog Reviews:
Rise of the Guardians: Two Thumbs Up
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