Loralee Evans's Blog: Loralee Evans, page 15
December 4, 2022
It's a Wonderful Life-Movie Review
It's a Wonderful Life, directed by Frank Capra, and produced in 1946, is one of my favorite Christmas movies. It stars Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed.
Jimmy Stewart's character, George Bailey, is at a crisis in his life, and is thinking about dying by suicide. As the audience, and George's guardian angel Clarence, follow him through his life, we learn that he is an extraordinary man, unselfish and giving since he was a little boy. Even his thoughts about suicide are based only on how other people will benefit. Will Clarence be able to convince him that his life is worth living? Will all the people he's helped from childhood step forward to help him? Watch this extraordinary movie to find out!
Jimmy Stewart's character, George Bailey, is at a crisis in his life, and is thinking about dying by suicide. As the audience, and George's guardian angel Clarence, follow him through his life, we learn that he is an extraordinary man, unselfish and giving since he was a little boy. Even his thoughts about suicide are based only on how other people will benefit. Will Clarence be able to convince him that his life is worth living? Will all the people he's helped from childhood step forward to help him? Watch this extraordinary movie to find out!
How the Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Suess
How The Grinch Stole Christmas by Dr. Suess is a delightful children's book that I have enjoyed since I was a child. I also enjoy the animated version of How The Grinch Stole Christmas, produced in 1966 and directed by .
The Grinch is a sour hearted soul who does not the Whos because of their cheerfulness and merriment, especially at Christmas. He thinks all their happiness originates from their things, so he thinks he can get them to be glum by stealing all their material possessions! Will it work? The ending of the story is a lovely lesson for both children and adults, and I highly recommend the book and the 1966 animated movie for both children and adults! I liked another animated version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, produced in 2018 and directed by and . I recommend both movies I mentioned, and the book, to children and adults! The book was first published in 1957.
The Grinch is a sour hearted soul who does not the Whos because of their cheerfulness and merriment, especially at Christmas. He thinks all their happiness originates from their things, so he thinks he can get them to be glum by stealing all their material possessions! Will it work? The ending of the story is a lovely lesson for both children and adults, and I highly recommend the book and the 1966 animated movie for both children and adults! I liked another animated version of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, produced in 2018 and directed by and . I recommend both movies I mentioned, and the book, to children and adults! The book was first published in 1957.
Danny the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl
I was very delighted to find Danny the Champion of the World by Roald Dahl in my local library. I had not heard of it before. It is as delightful as Roald Dahl's other works of which I am very happily familiar.
Danny, a little boy, is being raised by his widowed father. His mother died when he was a baby, and Danny does not remember her. One night, his is surprised to discover that his dad is an expert poacher of pheasants. Pheasants who are raised on the property of Mr. Victor Hazel, a very disagreeable rich person whose property is extensive and who likes to host a pheasant shoot every year to impress his wealthy and titled associates. Danny is further surprised to discover that almost everyone in the village is in on the poaching. Even the vicar and his wife! No one likes Mr. Hazel, after all because Mr. Hazel is so mean and disagreeable to everyone. As Danny's father points out, pheasants are actually wild birds, and if they leave your property, they are no more your pheasants than a fish who swims along a river that runs through your property. And this gets Danny to thinking. What could he do to get all the pheasants off Mr. Hazel's property? Will he find a way? Read the book and find out!
Danny, a little boy, is being raised by his widowed father. His mother died when he was a baby, and Danny does not remember her. One night, his is surprised to discover that his dad is an expert poacher of pheasants. Pheasants who are raised on the property of Mr. Victor Hazel, a very disagreeable rich person whose property is extensive and who likes to host a pheasant shoot every year to impress his wealthy and titled associates. Danny is further surprised to discover that almost everyone in the village is in on the poaching. Even the vicar and his wife! No one likes Mr. Hazel, after all because Mr. Hazel is so mean and disagreeable to everyone. As Danny's father points out, pheasants are actually wild birds, and if they leave your property, they are no more your pheasants than a fish who swims along a river that runs through your property. And this gets Danny to thinking. What could he do to get all the pheasants off Mr. Hazel's property? Will he find a way? Read the book and find out!
Slumberland-Movie Review
Slumberland, available on Netflix, is a movie for kids, but I think many adults would enjoy it as well.
It was directed by and produced in 2022. Slumberland follows the story of a little girl, Nemo, who loses her beloved dad in a boating tragedy. She goes to live with her uncle in the city, and her uncle, Phillip, is as different from his brother as she can imagine. To Nemo's surprise, her first night in her new home she dreams of going back to the lighthouse where she lived with her dad. But instead of seeing her dad in her dream, she meets a strange character named Flip. It turns out, Flip is not just a creation of her mind, but a sentient being who exists in Slumberland and was a friend of her dad. He did once have an identity in the waking world, but was somehow disconnected from his conscious self and has not connected with his waking self in years. Nemo and Flip decide to go on an adventure together through Slumberland to find some magic pearls that will help Nemo see her dad in her dreams. But they are hounded the entire way by a shadowy nightmare squid. And as Flip tells Nemo, while you can't die in your own dreams, you can when you travel through someone else's, as they have to do to get to the sea of nightmares where the pearls are. After this, Nemo does everything she can to find opportunities to fall asleep and continue her adventure to find the pearls. But when this lands her in trouble with her school and her uncle, what is Nemo to do? And how can she and her uncle find ways to connect and be a family? Watch the movie and find out! Slumberland is rated PG.
It was directed by and produced in 2022. Slumberland follows the story of a little girl, Nemo, who loses her beloved dad in a boating tragedy. She goes to live with her uncle in the city, and her uncle, Phillip, is as different from his brother as she can imagine. To Nemo's surprise, her first night in her new home she dreams of going back to the lighthouse where she lived with her dad. But instead of seeing her dad in her dream, she meets a strange character named Flip. It turns out, Flip is not just a creation of her mind, but a sentient being who exists in Slumberland and was a friend of her dad. He did once have an identity in the waking world, but was somehow disconnected from his conscious self and has not connected with his waking self in years. Nemo and Flip decide to go on an adventure together through Slumberland to find some magic pearls that will help Nemo see her dad in her dreams. But they are hounded the entire way by a shadowy nightmare squid. And as Flip tells Nemo, while you can't die in your own dreams, you can when you travel through someone else's, as they have to do to get to the sea of nightmares where the pearls are. After this, Nemo does everything she can to find opportunities to fall asleep and continue her adventure to find the pearls. But when this lands her in trouble with her school and her uncle, what is Nemo to do? And how can she and her uncle find ways to connect and be a family? Watch the movie and find out! Slumberland is rated PG.
November 20, 2022
Annie: The Musical, Performed by Duchesne High School
Duchesne High School's Drama department has completed 2 performances of Annie: The Musical on Friday evening, and Saturday evening. I attended the Saturday evening performance and enjoyed it very much. Annie is a spunky, redheaded orphan growing up under the critical eye of Miss Hannigan in a New York City orphanage. Despite her difficult situation, Annie is brave and resilient, as well as supportive to her fellow orphans. One thing she really believes is that her parents will one day come for her.
She was left on the step of Miss Hannigan's orphanage as a baby with a note that her parents would come back for her someday. She was also left with a broken locket, with a promise that when her parents returned, they would bring the other piece with them, to prove that they are her parents. But Annie is 11 years old, and her parents still have not shown up yet. And Miss Hannigan is mean! But then one day, Grace, the secretary of wealthy Mr. Warbucks shows up at the orphanage and says that Mr. Warbucks would like an orphan to stay at his house for two weeks. And Grace picks Annie to stay. But what happens when Miss Hannigan, her brother Rooster, and Rooster's girlfriend hatch a plan to trick Mr. Warbucks out of some of his money? Come to the play on Monday the 21st or Tuesday the 22nd at 7:30 pm (preshow starts at 7 pm) to find out! Tickets at the door are $7.00 for kids 11 and under, and $9.00 for everyone 12 and older.
She was left on the step of Miss Hannigan's orphanage as a baby with a note that her parents would come back for her someday. She was also left with a broken locket, with a promise that when her parents returned, they would bring the other piece with them, to prove that they are her parents. But Annie is 11 years old, and her parents still have not shown up yet. And Miss Hannigan is mean! But then one day, Grace, the secretary of wealthy Mr. Warbucks shows up at the orphanage and says that Mr. Warbucks would like an orphan to stay at his house for two weeks. And Grace picks Annie to stay. But what happens when Miss Hannigan, her brother Rooster, and Rooster's girlfriend hatch a plan to trick Mr. Warbucks out of some of his money? Come to the play on Monday the 21st or Tuesday the 22nd at 7:30 pm (preshow starts at 7 pm) to find out! Tickets at the door are $7.00 for kids 11 and under, and $9.00 for everyone 12 and older.
November 1, 2022
Swiss Family Robinson- Movie Review
Swiss Family Robinson, first released in 1960 by Disney, is a fun classic movie about a family, a mom, dad, and three boys ranging from their early twenties, to pre-teen. After being abandoned by the crew of the ship they were sailing on, the family barely make it to an island where they bring as much ashore as they can, including the animals. There is an exciting scene where the dad and older sons have tied all the animals that can swim in a line behind the raft their on, and are trying to get them to shore when sharks start to circle. They're able to fight off the sharks without anything bad happening, and continue to make the best of things on the island. Some conflict enters in when the older boys, on a trip to explore around the island, rescue someone from some pirates, and realize later that they've rescued a young woman! They thought at first from the way she was dressed, that she was a boy. And then the two brothers start to compete for her attention. But then their problems only worsen when the same pirates that captured the young woman come after the family as well! Will the six of them be able to fight off a whole boatload of pirates? Watch the movie and find out!
Encanto- Movie Review
Encanto is a delightful story about a family where each member has marvelous powers. Except for Mirabel. The grandmother, Alma, subtly looks down on her granddaughter because of this, but Mirabel has an amazingly bright outlook on life despite the inner struggle she has with not having a power of her own. At least until she starts to realize, and helps her family members start to realize that their worth is not defined by what they can do, but simply by their being themselves. Will Abuela start to see her children and grandchildren as worthwhile people with or without magical powers? Watch the exciting movie to find out! Encanto was directed by Jared Bush and Bryon Howard, and was first released in 2021.
Jumanji- Movie Review
Jumanji, starring , , , and , is an exciting, family friendly movie about a dangerous board came that two children and adults are forced to play to the end to make the bad things that come out of it, go away! But will they be able to get to the end of the game before the dangerous animals, plants, and a human hunting hunter get them? Watch the exciting movie to find out! Jumanji was first produced in 1995.
October 1, 2022
Daniel and Nephi by Chris Heimerdinger
Daniel and Nephi by Chris Heimerdinger is a book about two eleven year old boys around 600 b.c. in Jerusalem and the nearby lands.
Heimerdinger explores the possibility of the historical figures Daniel (from the Bible) and Nephi (from the Book of Mormon) meeting as children and the danger and adventures they go on. After Daniel's father is murdered, and he is kidnapped, he's rescued in the desert by Ishmael, a family friend of Nephi's family and the adventure goes from there. What happens when the murderers of Daniel's father realize he's alive and decide to come after him? Read the book and find out! Daniel and Nephi was first published in 1993.
Heimerdinger explores the possibility of the historical figures Daniel (from the Bible) and Nephi (from the Book of Mormon) meeting as children and the danger and adventures they go on. After Daniel's father is murdered, and he is kidnapped, he's rescued in the desert by Ishmael, a family friend of Nephi's family and the adventure goes from there. What happens when the murderers of Daniel's father realize he's alive and decide to come after him? Read the book and find out! Daniel and Nephi was first published in 1993.
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien is about a small Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins. He is about half the size of an average human.
He loves being at home, safe, and comfortable. But despite all this, he is recruited by a wizard and thirteen dwarves to help them out on a quest to get their home and their treasure back. The problem is that there are orcs and spiders on the way there, and a big dragon who has taken over the dwarves' home! Will Bilbo be successful? Read the book and find out. The Hobbit was first published in 1937.
He loves being at home, safe, and comfortable. But despite all this, he is recruited by a wizard and thirteen dwarves to help them out on a quest to get their home and their treasure back. The problem is that there are orcs and spiders on the way there, and a big dragon who has taken over the dwarves' home! Will Bilbo be successful? Read the book and find out. The Hobbit was first published in 1937.
Loralee Evans
Hello, I am the author of The King's Heir, and The Birthright, both published by Cedar Fort. They are based on stories from the Book of Mormon, and both have similar characters in them, though either
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