The Illusionist (2006)

I first saw the illusionist at the movies after reading a review of it and thinking it sounded interesting. The reviewer at the time said it could be ‘a bit slow.’ I’m not a fan of slow movies. When I saw The Illusionist, I could not believe anyone had ever made this comment. This film set in the 19th century captivated me from start to finish. A young boy played by Aaron Johnson encounters a magician, who sparks his interest in magic and illusion. While he is practicing a trick with an egg, comes to the attention of Sophie. Despite … Continue reading

Media Week in Review – April 21st-25th

We sure had a lot of fun this week in Media Reviews. Well, we always have fun, and this week was no exception. We started off with a review of “Embittered Justice,” the story of a woman who was accused of a crime she did not commit and could not get anyone to believe her. She was finally set free, but only after time in jail and in court. This is a story of how the justice system can sometimes fail. A fiction novel, it is based on a true story. What is America reading this month? Take a look … Continue reading

Movies Week in Review – April 21st-25th

We had some fun here in Movies this week. In case you weren’t able to join us, here’s a recap of reviews to help you decide which films you might like to watch. We started the week with “Glory Road,” the story of a high school basketball team that won the NCAA championship with an entire starting lineup comprised of black players – the first team in history to ever break through that racial barrier. Their path was not easy. Many of the players suffered abuse and violence, the coach’s family was threatened, and everyone had to put aside their … Continue reading

LDS Week in Review – April 21st-25th

In case you were too busy this week to join us in LDS, here is a summary so you can get caught up. We began the week with a continuation of the Scripture Study Series, 1 Nephi 16:1-6. Tristi reminds us that her thoughts as she reads the scriptures aren’t meant to be the definitive answer, but rather, a jumping-off point for our own thoughts and our own personal revelation. Miriam reminds us to “Focus on the Scriptures with Your Family.” She loved reading Old Testament stories as a child, and now shares scriptures with her own young ones. She … Continue reading

Tristi’s Favorite Musicals

I grew up watching musicals. I love Doris Day, Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire – in fact, there are very few movie stars from Hollywood’s golden era that I don’t like. There’s just nothing like a man and woman gazing into each other’s eyes and then breaking into song. Some of my all-time favorite musicals are, in no particular order: “Oklahoma!” Who could forget Shirley Jones in her first role as shy and idealistic Laurie, caught up in her feelings for that rascally cowboy, Curly? “Show Boat” took on a tough topic – that of race discrimination – and brought us … Continue reading

Movies Week in Review – April 14th-19th

Thanks for joining us for our Movies Week in Review! We may just be able to steer you toward a film you’ll really enjoy. We began the week with a guest blog by Dale Harcombe, our Christian blogger. She shared with us one of her favorite films, “A Man Called Peter,” the story of Peter Marshall. He was an immigrant from Scotland who came to America and started his own small church, eventually becoming Chaplain of the United States Senate, but his way was not always easy. The movie is based on the book written by his wife – Catherine … Continue reading

LDS Week in Review – April 14th – 19th

We had a wonderful week here in LDS. In case you missed it, here’s a summary. We began with a review of Elder Russell M. Nelson’s conference address, “Salvation and Exaltation.” He explains that Christ saved us from physical death through the resurrection, but we must choose whether or not we want to be saved from a spiritual death, the overcoming of which is also made possible through Christ. We are kept on track with our weekly lessons in “Dinner Discussions,” then Miriam begins a series based on Elder M. Russell Ballard’s talk “Daughters of God.” The first blog in … Continue reading

Media Week in Review – April 7th – 12th

Welcome to our week in review for Media! We had a fun week – let’s see what we were up to. We started with a joyful children’s book, “And Here’s to You” by David Elliot. This book looks at the good in different types of animals and people, and celebrates it all. Then Lauri told us about one of her favorite television shows, “Mission Organization.” If you need ideas for how to organize, this show is the one for you. Did you know that “What Not to Wear” has a video podcast? Well, it does, and you can read all … Continue reading

Movies Week in Review – April 7th – 12th

I found some fun movies this week. Would you like to hear about them? First was the new DVD release, “Alvin and the Chipmunks.” These little guys have been around for a long time, but they’ve never had their own full-length movie before. When Alvin, Theodore, and Simon are brought from the forest in a Christmas tree, they find themselves being taken home in a food basket. Dave Seville, wannabe songwriter, is the owner of that basket and the house they proceed to trash. When he discovers they can sing, he writes a song for them which launches them all … Continue reading

LDS Week in Review – April 7th-12th

Life just keeps getting busier! If you weren’t able to join us here throughout the week, we have a way for you to catch up. Here is the week in review. We began the week with a review of “The Crayon Messages,” a cute LDS novel about a woman who learns the true meaning of service by carrying out her visiting teaching assignment. We then continued the Scripture Study series with 1 Nephi 15:20-25. The sixth lesson in our Joseph Smith manual teaches us about “The Mission of John the Baptist,” who was sent to prepare the way of Jesus … Continue reading