The Art of Retelling
Thoughts about retelling classic legends: Don't get too hung up on details from other versions. Take the grounding, universal aspects that are laced through all of them, the spirit that makes it worth telling yet…
Category: Literary & Media Analysis
Middle-earth Virtues in Research – Part 3: Wisdom
The scholars who researched the virtue of wisdom in Tolkien’s work most extensively are Smith, Dickerson, Markos, and Walsh. They all agree in the understanding of wisdom as an ability to discern between various choices…
A Review of Hugh Lofting’s Victory for the Slain
“Perhaps my very thinking’s out of step.” - Hugh Lofting This month is the 100th anniversary of Hugh Lofting’s Doctor Doolittle yarns, which I have never read. When it comes to talking animals, I prefer Donald…
Middle-earth Virtues in Research – Part 2: Pity and Mercy
Pity and mercy are virtues that, plot-wise, play a crucial role in The Lord of the Rings, and in the conception of which Christian morality is the most evident. The terms are occasionally used interchangeably.…
Middle-earth Virtues in Research – Part 1: Courage
Courage is the virtue of which Tolkien most markedly juxtaposed the ancient (pagan) world understanding with the Christian. By courage, most people understand the habit of not being afraid to face danger and do heroic…
Movie Review: Rise of the Guardians 2012
Rise of the Guardians is a brilliant little film which most definitely has a Disney feel about it – this is surprising, as it is, in fact, a DreamWorks production. I love the characters and…
A Review of The Lion King: Live-Action Remake
Last month, our local public library was having a Family Movie Matinee; they were showing the live-action remake of the popular Disney movie, The Lion King. I went to go see it, and although I…
My Heart is Frozen: What Disney’s Frozen Means to Me
It’s just about the time of year when Christmas music becomes ubiquitous, to the joy of some and the chagrin of others. Whether one finds that Christmas tunes in public places contribute to the holiday…
What I Learned from the Great Mouse Detective
I'm slowly working my way through our VHS collection of the Disney classics. The other day my daughter and I snuggled on the couch with a bowl of frozen cherries (those were, in hindsight, a…
Naughty or Nice Movie Review
The 2012 film production of Naughty or Nice, starring Matt Dallas and Hilarie Burton (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naughty_or_Nice_(2012_film)), is a great little film that we discovered a couple of years ago. This film follows the escapades of a…