Genesis Moments - A Writer's Journey

Blu-Ray Kids Movies in Review: Aliens in the Attic, Ice Age, Tinker Bell

Tons of movies are coming out now on Blu-Ray and we are getting a couple for our kids to review. Since we have a Blu-Ray disc player, it just makes sense since the picture and audio are so much clearer. Because of the technology, A LOT more "extras" can be offered on the disc as well. Many sets are coming out with both DVD and Blu-Ray to accommodate old and new technologies. (And, I still have a couple VCR tapes lurking around the house. Time to move on, right?!)

Here are a couple that were sent to us and one we bought at the grocery store. (Since my kids are getting old enough to understand and process what is going on in the movies, I had them write their own reviews!)

1) Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs

Summary from IMBD:

After the events of "Ice Age: The Meltdown", life begins to change for Manny and his friends: Scrat is still on the hunt to hold onto his beloved acorn, while finding a possible romance in a female sabre-toothed squirrel named Scratte. Manny and Ellie, having since become an item, are expecting a baby, which leaves Manny anxious to ensure that everything is perfect for when his baby arrives. Diego is fed up with being treated like a house-cat and ponders the notion that he is becoming too laid-back. Sid begins to wish for a family of his own, and so steals some dinosaur eggs which leads to Sid ending up in a strange underground world where his herd must rescue him, while dodging dinosaurs and facing danger left and right, and meeting up with a one-eyed weasel known as Buck who hunts dinosaurs intently. Written by Theshapeshifter

Review by Laura: "One day Sid falls into a hole and finds 3 eggs. He tries to take care of them. Meanwhile, the mom of the eggs tries to find them. When she does, she takes them and Sid. Everyone tries to find Sid and go underground into a world of adventures. The movie was really funny, hilarious, and little kids and big kids would love it."

Lindsey's favorite part:

Ellie, the Wooly Mammoth, asks a weasel: "When did you find out you were going to crazy?"

Weasel: "About three months ago when I woke up married to a pineapple . . .  an ugly pineapple."

You can read a comprehensive break-down of the elements of the movie and features in the DVD/Blu-Ray set HERE by Josh Clinton at Inside Pulse Movies.

                                2) Aliens in the Attic:

Summary from IMDB:

ALIENS IN THE ATTIC, co-scripted by one of the writers of "Madagascar" and the Academy Award®-winning "Wallace and Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit," is an adventure/comedy about kids on a family vacation who must fight off an attack by knee-high alien invaders with world-destroying ambitions. At the same time, the youngsters work hard to keep their parents in the dark about the battle upstairs.

It's the Pearsons versus the aliens who "came from upstairs," in an all-out battle that will decide the fate of the Earth - and kick-off the ultimate summer vacation.

Read HERE for the rest of the summary including spoilers.

Review by Lindsey: The Pearsons go into their summer house and find out that aliens have crashed in the attic and Jake, Hannah & the other kids have to fight against them. Aliens have mind control plugs that don't work on kids. People are controlled through small handheld devices. It was a good movie. I would recommend this movie to people of all ages.

3) TinkerBell

Summary from IMDB:

Enter the magical world of fairies and meet the enchanting creatures of Pixie Hollow, who "nurture nature" and bring about the change of the seasons. Changing the colors of the leaves, moving a sunbeam to melt snow, waking animals from their winter slumber, or giving a patch of sproutlings a sprinkle of water are all within the realm of these seasonal specialists. Tinker Bell thinks her fairy talent as a "tinker" isn't as special or important as the other fairies' talents. But when Tink tries to change who she is, she creates nothing but disaster! With encouragement from her friends Rosetta, Silvermist, Fawn and Iridessa, Tink learns the key to solving her problems lies in her unique tinker abilities and discovers that when she's true to herself, magical things can happen.

Review by Lindsey: I like EVERYTHING ABOUT IT -- it had all the elements of a great movie: action, adventure, romance, comedy, etc.

Law Abiding Citizen Movie Trailer - Updated

Beat me now for being a mom blogger and promoting a "R" movie but I am doing it THIS time because I had the fortune of being called to be an extra in this movie in the courtroom for a day. I don't know if I'll be seen in the movie BUT if you pause the trailer around minute 2:01 and look behind Jamie Foxx, THERE I am! Woohoo. Okay, it isn't very clear but I am on the left of a little cluster of people just over Jamie's shoulder.

It was a long snowy day but I enjoyed seeing the major movie in production and meeting Gerard Butler and Jamie Foxx and F. Gary Gray. Great to see them in action - in person!

The smoke machine gave just the right air of seriousness and the gray/blue lighting gave an ominous glow as we sat and waited and watched. Jamie would sing between takes, Gerard was very nice and bowed down to the dessert table at lunch even though I don't think he took any, and Director F. Gary Gray was a #1 professional who was wonderful to see directing and getting the best out of his actors. I even enjoyed seeing the woman repaint the front wall of the judge's stand with a light gray paint possibly to keep it from being so bright. For whatever good or bad, I love being a part of the whole process -- I really do. Call it an overactive imagination or whatever but I love "acting real in an unreal setting." It is amazing to see how it all comes out.

UPDATE: Oops! Forgot to tell you what the movie was about! Read below the following summaries from IMDB:

Law Abiding Citizen is a thriller about a brilliant sociopath who orchestrates a series of high-profile murders that grip the city of Philadelphia - all from inside his jail cell - and the prosecutor assigned to his case who realizes he is the only one who can end the reign of terror. Written by Overture Films

The plot focuses on a man who, ten years after his wife and daughter are brutally murdered, returns to extract justice from the assistant district attorney who prosecuted the case against their killers. His vengeance threatens not only the man who allowed mercy to supersede justice, but also the system and the city that made it so. Written by The Film Department

Christian Movie Guide: The Secrets of Jonathon Sperry

Just found this site through Twitter of all places. The Christian Movie Guide shares family friendly movies with a wholesome Christian message. Here's the preview of a new movie called The Secrets of Jonathon Sperry coming out in September.

This is so exciting to me because I am learning so much about the film industry through the background work I have been doing in local movies being filmed here. I would love to see the two come together - my passion for Christ and the fun of being on movie sets and acting. I would really like to know about Christian film companies around here. That will be next on the To-Do list!

About "The Nail: The Story of Joey Nardone"

 The tough, gritty and emotional film of "The Nail: The Story of Joey Nardone" gave its second viewing at the Philly Film Festival today. I was there, with my sister, her husband and a friend named Cheryl BECAUSE of some notice somewhere that this independent film needed volunteers last summer.

And, being the friendly soul that I am who enjoys seeing the behind-the-scenes movie life, I said yes to a hot day in a hot, closed-for-business hospital building to dress in scrubs like a nurse and be in this movie with Tony Luke, Jr. and Leo Rossi, directed by James Quatrocci. Did I know any of these people? No, but I loved meeting them because each and every one of them was incredibly personable, fun-loving and great to be around. The scene was serious that day so there wasn't too much joking around but it was fascinating nonetheless.

The movie itself was pretty good. Tony Luke Jr. did a great job. The bar room scene that landed him in jail went a little too fast. It flashed so quickly that I am going to have to see it again to see how the person died that he was sent to jail for. (I was too busy looking for my friend Cindy in the background!)

Afterward, Cheryl and I went over to Tony Luke's where we enjoyed authentic Philly sandwiches, me a cheesesteak and her a meatball sandwich. Awesome! That's a trip I would highly recommend if you ever come to town.

Without further ado, I bring you the trailer of the film about a boxer who gets out of jail after 8 years and helps a boy and his mother get away from an abusive father. I was encouraged at the end of the film when James, Tony, Leo and his wife stood in front and talked about the attention they want this film to bring to organizations working to resolve domestic abuse. I thought that was great. The other day I saw Reese Witherspoon on the TV promoting the work of the AVON foundation for the same cause. It is wonderful to see the attention brought to this issue which affects so many women who live in silent fear and suffering.

See the trailer below:

Chery, James Quatrocci, ME, Cindy, Paul ME, Tony Luke Jr., Cheryl ME, Leo Rossi, Cheryl

Things You Don't Say to Your Wife

Thank you Katrina from My Life as a Married Girl for this HILARIOUS video clip. If you don't normally watch video clips, you HAVE to watch this one.

Nancy Drew Rocks the House

I have just finished watching the movie Nancy Drew. Unrealistic, cheesey, over the top vomit worthy and aimed at elementary intelligence. I LOVEDDDDD IT right along with my girlies that I got to hug and hold in the "scary" moments which didn't last too long. Oh my word, now I know why I love adventure, love to help people and constantly get myself in over my head. I am living my lifelong dream to be Nancy Drew, outdated clothes included. I am her. I am so scared now.

You know I saved my little babysitting pennies to go get the latest version at the paperback book store in Southpark mall, back when it actually had a bookstore. Gone are the good old days. My sister has the complete collection now which my daughter has borrowed and read and now we got to see the movie together.

On this particular vacation, my mom has decided that I am now hard of hearing. It has taken her a couple of days to realize that I am deep in thought figuring out how to cleverly blog about the other half of her comments since as good old Southern gals we analyze EVERYTHING together! I would love to bring you more of our great Southern moments but you will just have to keep reading because I have a great Southern fashion bit to share with you tomorrow and no, its not just big hair and white teeth, even if my mother and I discussed these things at length today.

I am off to go make my own dress like the one Nancy was wearing in the movie. Just kidding. My mom never taught me to sew my own clothes and the one grey flannel pleated skirt in Home Ec pretty much ended that fascination. So very flattering. NOT!

Humiliation 101: Fainting on Film

Nothing prepared me for today. One of the most humiliating days of my life. Now, people faint all the time doing any number of things for any number of reasons. BUT, how many can say they fainted in the middle of filming a feature film? To faint is humiliating enough, but I am never one to stop at enough. I have always pushed things over the edge, including pulling my mom's necklaces when I was a child until they broke from the stress. Breaking from stress has been a reoccuring theme in my life and today was no exception.

I would love to say that I did it just to amuse my blogging public, to get more bloggy fodder, but today is nothing I ever want to repeat, even for you my dear readers.

The weekend before was pleasant enough. Friday night I had my second Pampered Chef show which was lots of fun. Saturday morning I went to the area presbytery meeting to announce an event I am helping organize for pastor's wives. Sunday, after church, was a political garden party fundraiser and, despite the rain, made for a nice social time. Everything seemed to be going smoothly and I was excited to go be an extra in an independent feature film, even if I was volunteering and paying the gas to get there. I even went and got jewelry to wear from a friend to match what I was wearing. I just had to be a suburban mom drinking coffee in a coffee shop - no problem, right? well. . .

The morning started off on the wrong foot when my girls learned they had to RIDE THE BUS! Heaven forbid. I have saved them from this horrific fate this year by driving them in the morning and letting them take the bus home. The trip to school is longer because they stop at a local high school and switch buses. But, on this morning the extra time they spent on the bus meant extra time for me to get where I needed to be on time. SO, off they went grumbling and glaring but none the worse for it for ONE day.

I packed up my bags of extra clothes. Suburban Neutral was the dress. Nothing black, nothing white, nothing striped, nothing glittering. Preferably pink, blue, or yellow. Fortunately I had not packed up all my old clothes for Good Will (though two bigs bags did go out last Friday) and I found some pastel shirts to pick from and selected a light pink summer sweater and tan capris.

With time to spare, I arrived at the filming location. I soon learned that along with volunteering, we would have to find parking and feed our meter all day. Using the extra time to see if I could find free parking, I drove back around to the local bank to make a deposit. I should have realized the day would go south then. I left my card in the machine which promptly ate it. By the time I could flag down an employee still opening for the day and get my card back, I realized that I had just made a deposit to our family account instead of my new business account. Feeling glum and foolish, the nice employee must have sensed my pain and was gracious enough to offer me parking behind the bank for the day so I wouldn't have to feed the meter. I explained to her my "extra" dilemma. Maybe she was starstruck - JUST KIDDING!

Walking three blocks over to the little coffee shop, I then learned that extras were to go to a church yet another three blocks down the street. I heaved my bag of things to do up on my shoulder and kept walking. Approaching the front of the church, I see a long set of stairs going up. Attempting to walk up them, I tripped. My bag then fell and being an open bag, the whole thing tipped over spilling books, papers, yarn for knitting, safety pins and everything else I forgot I had thrown in it from another trip somewhere else at some time in the past. Now I and the world knew the entire inventory and I quickly put it all back in my bag.

Now, at this point, some of you might have just realized that day was already going to hell in a hand basket (or should I say knitting bag) and just to go home but I had made it this far. How hard can it be to stand or sit and just drink coffee? At least I could manage that little task in my life without messing it up. (Can you tell my confidence is a little shot right now?)

Well, the first scene I was one of a few picked to sit at a table and got to have the only peaceful hour of my day. While the actors acted and film crew fidgeted with equipment and cameras, I got to sit and read and write notes. It was actually quite nice. I should go to coffee shops and do that more often. The only problem with being on set is that when the coffee hits bottom, you have to ask permission to use restroom and an entire room of film crew is watching as you return to your spot - kind of reminds me of the pictures my family used to take of me coming out of the woods when we had to stop by the side of the road, but moving on. . .

After several angles of the scene was shot, I believe the filming was down to one angle that included the two small twin sons of one of the producers. At this point, I was moved to standing in the coffee line. All I had to do was to receive my coffee and walk out. Yeah, that's it. As the pity for the mother and her vain attempts to reign in the adorable little terrors rose, so did a blinding cramping feeling in my inside. I could feel my legs feel weaken and the blood start to rush from my face. I bent my knees in case it was just locked knees keeping the blood from my head. I looked over the counter at the "coffee barista" and said "I am going to faint."

Looking up the crowd peering down at me, it hit. Oh, I must have really fainted. How totally mortifying. I will never live this down. I am going to be the next YOUTUBE blooper sensation. I really hope they bury this part of the tape. I did have enough wits about me to tell the director he wasn't going to get that shot again so he had better have gotten it the first time.

And then, that's when the ambulance and police arrived but to my great fortune God had already sent an angel. An woman who had never done extra work before until signing up for it today had just graduated yesterday with her PhD in nursing and knew exactly what to look for which wasn't much but it helped me knowing she was right behind me in the coffee line.

I woke quickly, assured everyone I was fine (including the EMT's and the nurse-extra person), that I could walk. I then excused myself and drove home. Probably not the smartest idea after fainting but my decisions today haven't been exactly what I want to have represent my life either. In one smart move, instead of driving home, I actually drove myself to my family doctor to get a complete medical workup. I have to go tomorrow for more blood work but the consensus seems to be low blood sugar, gastrointestinal issues, possibly fighting a virus, etc.

Wow, what a day. Time to kick back, relax and try to think of the positives God has blessed me with. Coordination not being one of them, I do have two beautiful daughters, a loving husband and wonderful friends who love me anyway! I guess when I wouldn't listen to the little cues, God had to be more drastic to get my attention. Thank you, God, I think!

Caught on Film

I was really going to take a break from blogging today but I had to get down on "paper" what happened the day I acted as a main character in a student film so I don't loose details with my failing mind. It was nuts.

Where do I begin? After getting the part in one e-mail after being told I didn't have it in the first e-mail, I was thrilled. This really sounded like it could be fun. I was just helping out a student finishing her video project for the quarter. So it was REALLY a service project (don't grimace just yet). I would be the nice hostess of a party where a gossipy obnoxious guest tries to ask me personal questions which I deflect and nicely get her out the door. Sounds easy, right? Done that plenty of times. (No, I am not talking about you, J. I always enjoy your company.)

All week, I would waft between what the "heck am I doing" and "wow, I have a real peace that God has a purpose here" and "my husband in the script had better not get too close and personal -- I am happily married after all and want to keep it that way."

Saturday morning arrived and I gathered my things. I fixed my hair and makeup thinking that there would be people on set redoing hair and makeup anyway but I would start the process.

I should have had some inkling on how the day would go by the sheer amount of traffic and difficulty I would have getting there. I get a call that they are running about an hour late and to come later. I pulled my SAHM Suburban into a very WASP Starbucks to get the classic low-fat blueberry coffee cake and a latte to kill a few minutes. Finishing up, I got back in my vehicle and headed in the direction of the house procured at the last minute by the friends of the cameraman since some girls with a house backed out at the last minute. I offered my home but the college students didn't want to go that far from school.

So, I drove into the big city, past the tall buildings, past clean gentrified rowhouses and pulled off at the exit on the map. I begin to notice warning signs that I might not be in the best neighborhood in town, verified later by sheer shock on people's faces when I said where I had been not to mention a cop asking us at the end of the day if we knew where we were. I apparently had come to the armpit of the city and just prayed that God's purpose would reveal itself without any bodily injury.

I pulled up to the address mentioned, noting the barred windows and gang-like groups down the street. I was early but after awhile a taxi pulled up and two young college girls hop out with expensive looking equipment and head towards me. This was my new director. They had not been to see the place before bringing all of us here and had that "Nothing can touch me" look on their freshman faces. Ahhh, I was worried now but I had come this far and wasn't going home. Apparently these freshmen had decided to get real actors through the public classified website I won't mention here instead of using their friends like other students had done.

We entered a renovated home after getting the key from a really very nice neighbor and found ourselves immediately in the armpit of the armpit. Someone had lovingly redone the floors and walls and old wooden touches but these absent occupants were obviously college boys with nothing better to do on the weekend than to drink beer and completely wreck the place. It was a mess and I don't know what I was even looking at in ashes on the coffee table. Yikes, forgot the Purell and Clorox wipes today and I was the "hostess" of the party in this place?  On its worst day, I have to say with some pride my house will never look like this.

Next, the girls realized they had brought the wrong kind of camera and the tripod from school was broken. They would have to go get the right items from a friend who had finished his project for the day. While we waited, I got to know the other 3 actors, never letting on my complete lack of experience. I was acting like an actor after all and fulfilling my high school dreams of being a lead in the play, which I didn't get.

One actor was a writing teacher at the school - nice guy with stories of working in Soho and serving coffee to movie stars. One woman was a "real" actress trying to get a break. She had done exciting stuff like a dead body on one of the major TV shows and regaled us with tales of complete body makeup and stopping her breathing for four long minutes to look completely gone from this world. She was doing this project to add to her demo reel to give to real producers and get her big break. Yeah, me too (haha).

The fourth actor was a fifties-something gentleman who was actually an emergency room technician and played around with bit roles while his teenage daughters had fun doing more serious stuff. As I got to know him, I became aware of at least one of the reasons God had brought me to the armpit of the city and that was to share Jesus with a hurting man who had just separated from his wife and was completely distraught over it. But we'll get to that later.

Needless to say, there was no makeup or hair person and so what we came in with is what the camera recorded. I did change once but of my own decision to do so. This was quite the grassroots effort but I applaud the girls' ingenuity (just not the location choice) and hope they got an "A." I am not sure I ever want to see the end result except through squinting eyes if at all. Improv was the name of the game and we fortunately made it through all the lines with much laughter, lines whispered off screen for us oldies to remember, lines taped to the cabinet out of view, and tripods tied with a shoestring.

But back to the older actor -- when a scene was being shot in a different room, I got a chance to hear this man's stories and he apologized for letting his dissolved marriage come up like it does everywhere he goes. I had just shared with a room of little girls the night before about sharing Jesus and being proud of it. What example was I if I didn't bring it up with this man? I asked simply, "Are you a praying man?" which led into a deeper discussion. I was able to share with him my hope as a Christian. We discussed the results of not having God front and center in one's life. He said that he watched a particular tele-evangelist on Sunday mornings whose name I did not recognize. Amazingly, I just happened to be flipping channels the next morning and there was the very man talking about fighting the Goliath in your life with faith in Jesus. I prayed that though I may not know everything about this speaker, perhaps the actor was listening and receiving more encouragement to turn to God in his troubles. I hoped that at least more seeds were planted in this man's journey who so obviously needed help.

After feeling like the best discussion of the day was over, we still had three more hours of shooting which went quickly -- fortunately. I was ready to go home. I began to think that maybe this new interest and new contacts could led to a video used in the pregnancy counseling center where I volunteer or perhaps in another ministry. Wouldn't that be cool?

After it was over, we all hugged goodbye and I hightailed it home -- back to my safe home, safe world where everything was familiar again. But, as I watched the speaker the next morning talk about David defeating Goliath and how David was not David without the Goliath he slayed, I was convicted of the Goliaths in my life. I won't go into them here (wouldn't want to scare anyone) but hearing David come up again I recalled reading Psalms 119 earlier in the week and reflecting on David's own ability in creativity and leadership and yet how Psalms 119 is mostly about meditating on God's laws. I think one of my Goliaths is flippancy and details - not focusing seriously enough on one thing and just not being serious enough at all. My prayer for this week (and today is National Prayer Day) is to take the word of God more seriously in my life and heart and walk in truth, not acting like I am living a Godly life but REALLY living it. I want to hear an AMEN on that one!

Quiet on the Set - the Great Escape contest entry

"Quiet on the Set . . . Background! Action! Cut! Reset!"

I have always been fascinated with going to the movies, how they are made and the actors behind the scenes, devouring trashy papparatzi rags in the grocery store until politely told to keep moving through the checkout line. I loved visiting MGM and feeling like you were right there in the middle of all the cinematic intricacies. Of all the Disney amusement parks, that one attracted me like a moth to a burning flame. I never really thought it could become reality someday, with everything larger than life and only as real as a cartoon in one's hand on Sunday morning.

No, I was not destined to become Minnie or Princess Cinderella, shaking the hands of sunburnt kids or signing their water ride drenched autograph books. I actually got to be an extra in a movie. For some of you, this might be a normal day or even less than normal if you are really in the entertainment business, but for me it was the chance to escape into the narcissistic unreality that fills our weekends at the movies and escape out of what might have been another day at the insane reality I know as work.

After entering our names into the pot for a movie being filmed locally, I really didn't expect much. I had been in a few high school plays but never as the main star and had done nothing locally ever.

"Hello, would you be available next Wednesday? We could use more extras on the set."
Hell, yeah. "Sure, that would be great." I'll move heaven and earth if I have to.
"Can you go to a fitting tomorrow night?"
"Fine. I'll be there." Okay, hmmm, . . . kids, husband . . . I can squeeze this in. Reality and logistics put a quick punch into my otherwise nerve-wracked stomach.

The next night, I walk past the racks of clothes in awe into a makeshift dressing room. A pert, tall, heinously skinny woman tells me she has nothing for me then proceeds to find an ugly flowered dress and a less ugly suit. And, my kids wondered why I came home in a bad mood, determined to go buy the same girdle my mom wore when she was my age.

So, the day came. Husband was traveling which meant getting one daughter to a neighbor's early, complete with everything for a band concert that evening that we may or may not make it to. The other daughter actually got called to come with me as a little person extra resulting in endless promises to daughter number one to even the score somehow.

So, we checked in. Wow. Hairstylists were busy creating hairdo's for another era. Makeup artists called "Next" to the long line of other people who seemed to think this was just another day on the job.
We get to the front of the line. "You look fine." Noooo. We want the Hollywood treatment. This is our first time. I wanted to scream all of the above but held it in as I shuffled my daughter off to "HOLDING" with a placid, robotic smile.

We proceeded to wait two hours until called to stand, walk, stop, reset until the famous director decided the scene looked just right. Next scene. Stand, walk, stop, reset -- twenty more times.

But, we were insiders for the day on the hallowed grounds others stood outside watching and waiting for a single glimpse. 

And you walk. You hope no one can tell on your face you are new. You wonder if the nano-second you might show on the screen, will anyone be able to tell that you were thinking about what the caterers would serving for lunch or making up crazy scenarios in your head to keep you from looking at the camera, the actors, the director and gawking and perhaps getting thrown off the set. Back to holding. You are only the wallpaper.

Another two hours in holding and my daughter is becoming less than appreciative of this incredible opportunity to sit within feet, through a closed door and down the hallway from potentially famous stars whom we would never be allowed to speak with and might see in the distance if at all lucky. Doesn't she understand? At any rate, isn't this a mother-daughter bonding moment?

Then, I thought the moment had come to walk past a truly famous star this time. We were called from the foreboding dungeon of "holding" to standby.

"Minors off the set." Oh, fudge brownies. You see, my daughter was a minor and by law, couldn't work more than eight hours or be in holding without me. My great escape was over. Life's pesky reality ended our unforgettable experience. My conclusion was that the magic truly is in the camera, not behind the scenes but we had fun anyway.

Flying on the wings of a large SUV, yelling at everyone to get out of my way like a crazy diva wannabe, we slide into my first daughter's band concert just in time for her to look over her trumpet and smile as she saw us sneaking in the sidedoor. Supermom rides again!

This is an entry in Scribbit's January Write-Away Contest.