Category Archives: Art and film

Take in a Winter’s Tale

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Winter is the season in which people try to keep the house as warm as it was in the summer, when they complained about the heat. ~Author Unknown

Looking for a movie to take your sweetie to this Valentine’s Day? Winter’s Tale is arriving in theatres today! Some reviewers are calling the film “The best date movie.”

winters_tale_ver5Winter’s Tale is a story that takes place in New York at the end of the 20th century. The narrative involves love, miracles and destiny, between an Irish burglar Peter Lake and a young heiress, Beverly Penn, who resides in the mansion he is about to rob. The unexpected twists in the tale bring good and evil together for a fulfilling film.

Akiva Goldsman, Director of A Beautiful Mind, has written and directed this screenplay as an adaptation of Mark Helprin’s book of the same title. http://markhelprin.com/novels/winters-tale. Actors starring in the lead roles are Colin Farrell and Jessica Brown Findley. Other notables include William Hurt and Russell Crowe. To read a full summary of the movie and to see the full list of cast and crew, please visit the website www.winterstale.com.

Appreciate having the gift of having a special friend in your life this Valentines Day, even if there is no romantic attachment. Enjoy however you plan to celebrate!

Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone! Thanks for visiting this site!

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Film Friday: Tim’s Vermeer

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Attention artists of all ages!  On January 31st, Tim’s Vermeer will be hitting theatres. Rated PG-13, this movie is even suitable for young students who have an interest in the arts, history and science.

Tim's Vermeer_The documentary is based on questions brought forth by Tim Jenison, a Texas video engineer and non-painter, regarding the famous painting The Girl with a Pearl Earring. Jenison goes on an adventure to Delft, Holland, the location of where the masterpiece was painted, in search of answers to his question. How did Dutch master painter Johannes Vermeer paint with such meticulous detail 150 years before photography was discovered? Jenison’s research project spans a decade. David Hockney, a Britishman, provides speculation and insight into the tools that Vermeer may have used. Were optical devices used to help Vermeer accomplish such an astonishing result?

There have been numerous articles published about this fascinating film. Here are a few links if you are interested in reading more about the documentary Tim’s Vermeer, and Jenison’s need to find out more about the technique used to paint The Girl with the Pearl Earring.

http://bit.ly/1dtMQ1f

http://bit.ly/1jm4UCE

http://nyti.ms/1cSySWB

Click here for info & ordering Tim’s Vermeer

I look forward to seeing this movie. Sounds like a documentary with fulfilling content for art history classes. Perhaps after it’s initial run in theatres, Sony Classic Pictures will make it  available for showing in public venues  such as in classrooms or by art councils and museums.

This blog is brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com. See you on Monday. I will be featuring a woman who is a member of our We Write Steamboat group who has been making a name for herself since 1966 when she was featured on the TV show To Tell the Truth.

Film Friday: That Awkward Moment

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Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” ~ Dr. Seuss

We’ve all encountered moments in our lives where we just want to dig a hole and bury ourselves. Those times often occur as a result of misconstrued friendships, communications and relationships.

That awkward momentThat Awkward Moment, a film coming to the silver screen from Treehouse Pictures, is scheduled to be released in theatres on January 31, 2014. A romantic comedy about three best friends, played by Zac Efron, Miles Teller and Michael B Jordan, who find the dating scene confusing because first impressions sometimes change as a relationship deepens. What one says and how one acts can be two different things which can lead to hilarity leaving the involved parties scratching their heads.

This might be a particularly fulfilling movie for those who enjoy romantic comedies and stories about friendships.
Put this upcoming film on your calendar!Click for info and ordering That Awkward Moment

Have a great weekend. See you on Monday on All Things Fulfilling. This blog brought to you by www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com.

Phased by the Moon

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“Aim for the moon. If you miss, you might hit a star.” ~ W. Clement Stone

I’ve been tossing and turning for the past few nights, thinking it was anticipation of the holiday season and my preparations for it. I don’t suffer from sleep disorders except when there is a full moon. My circadian rhythm gets thrown off. This is the last full moon of the year 2013, called The Long Night’s Moon and it leads to the coming of the Winter Solstice (on Saturday, December 21).

Appropriate to the lunar cycle, let’s take a look at movies about the moon on this Film Friday. If you follow this link, there’s a list of 25 films that have celestial themes. http://bit.ly/JSRr6E.

I look forward to the coming of the Winter Soltice on Saturday! My husband will be on his way back from his travels. He’s been coaching ski racing at the World University Games in Italy.

Our son will be arriving along with his gal, a delightful guest to have over Christmas. It’s seems like it’s been a moon’s age since I’ve seen him but it’s actually been 7 full moon cycles. They’ll find fresh perspectives by taking a break from their work. http://bit.ly/QiidY4. There are all kinds of fulfilling things to do in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. They’ll be over the moon, skiing their hearts out.

Next week my blogging will be little less frequent so I can enjoy this precious time with my family. We’ll be all tucked in under one roof for the holidays. How sweet that will be.

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Do return on Monday, to the blog of www.CornerstoneFulfillmentService.com. A space where independent thoughts, words and views are all part of the business.

 

Film Friday: Frozen

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“Sometimes you just have to bow your head, say a prayer and weather the storm.” ~ Unknown

Over the past few days we received a substantial amount of snow, keeping skiers and people at the ski resort in Steamboat Springs, Colorado happy. Christmas is only a few weeks away and the much sought after fluffy, white powder is much appreciated by tourists in this town.

I awoke to thirty below zero this morning – perhaps it is a good day to go to the movies. frozen1Disney’s movie Frozen is playing at our local theatre, and in many other communities around America.Click here for info and ordering Frozen

On this Film Friday, I would like to share the film critique of Frozen by Jon Katz, a bestselling author well-known for his writing about mans’ best friends, dogs.

He has some interesting insight in his review of the movie about weathering life’s storms.  http://bit.ly/Isaow1. If you are a parent or have an interest in this rising generation of children, I’ll bet you will have some thoughts of your own on what Katz has to say.

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Have a great weekend, everybody. Treat your children to the latest Disney movie – Frozen. It is arriving in theatres just in time for the holidays.

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Film Friday: The Christmas Candle

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I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year. ~ CHARLES DICKENS, A Christmas Carol

Miracles. Do you believe in them? I do, wholeheartedly!

christmas candlejpgA movie is making its debut in time for Christmas about the godsends of good fortune that arrive in the small town of Gladbury, England every twenty-five years. The movie adaptation of Max Lucado’s novel, The Christmas Candle is from the film production company of AMC Castle Rock.

Hans Matheson stars as the Reverend David, the pastor of the village in the Cotswalds where the inspirational movie takes place. Samantha Barks, an actress in Les Miserables plays the Reverend’s dubious friend.

Some reviewers say “If you like Downtown Abbey you will like this movie.” Ok, then! I’m all in – I adore Downtown Abbey and can not wait for Season 4 to begin. Like the PBS series Downton Abbey, the era of this inspirational movie takes place in Victorian England in the 1800s.  Click for info & ordering The Christmas Candle

home for ChristmasU.K. singing sensation Susan Boyle makes her feature film debut in The Christmas Candle. Her song “Miracle Hymn” written specifically for the movie is included on her new album. Boyle blast onto the music scene in 2009 when she appeared on Britain’s Got Talent. To read more about her newly released Christmas album “Home for Christmas,” .Click here for Susan Boyles cds.

Many people in this day in age would argue that our culture seems bent on “taking the Christ out of Christmas.” I applaud AMC Castle Rock for bringing this inspirationally fulfilling holiday movie to the silver screens this season. Keep a watch-out for it. It may be coming to your community soon.

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Escaping Political Landscape with Humor

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“Happiness is like manna; it is to be gathered…and enjoyed every day. We have to go out of ourselves…to gather it, since it has rained down from a Heaven at our very door.” ~ Tryon Edwards (American theologian 1809-1894).

Yesterday’s blog about fickle Mother Nature made me think of a film that is currently playing in theatres across the country. The title of it, Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2, sounds like a description of our country’s political and economic landscape at this moment, but I assure you, the storyline is quite different.

The book Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs is manna for the soul. I must have read it to my son a hundred times or more, over the course of his growing up. It was a favorite and we returned to it time and time again, especially when we wanted to end the day on a positive note. I could probably recite the text by heart.

cloudy with a chance of meatballs2_The illustrations in the book made us laugh – images of Mother Nature releasing storms of mashed potatoes, meatballs and spaghetti. There were memorable pictures of torrential downpours of salt and pepper, people being flattened by flying hamburgers.

Despite the chaos, the governing body in the town of Chew and Swallow didn’t shut down. The plow trucks were out removing piles of peas and carrots blocking the streets and making order out of mess. They were working hard to solve the problems and change the landscape from rotten eggs clogging progress to a more sunny side up environment.

Now that I have been involved in writing and publishing, I see the book as a great example of how an author, Judi Barrett, used her imagination to create a wonderfully entertaining story for both children and adults.

Ahh… the days of reading bed time stories. My son, Marc,  is now twenty-five years old, and a filmmaker specializing in visual effects. He also works as a film colorist. A perfect way to spend a holiday evening  would be to watch this film  and escape to the fictional town of Chew and Swallow together where we can look in on his world, and he will have fun providing feedback about the movie.

I think I’ll put the DVD on my shopping list for Christmas…..sshhhhh…don’t tell Marc.

Here is where to purchase the movie if you can’t catch it at the theatre. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1985966/ .

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Gatsby Groupies

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 “Show me a hero, and I’ll write you a tragedy.” ~ F. Scott Fitzgerald

gatsbyI feel as if I am becoming a Gatsby groupie! Today I walked into the Bud Werner Library, and saw a display case announcing the next One Book Steamboat (a community read). It is The Great Gatsby. “I’m in,” I thought, as I proceeded to the DVDs and took out the 2000 production of The Great Gatsby movie by A & E Television Networks. Then I wandered over the computer and put in a reserve for a copy of the book by the same title.

I guess I haven’t had enough of the Fitzgeralds, the Jazz Age and the Long Island social elite even though last summer on my vacation, I took in the movie The Great Gatsby with my sister and I also hawked my mother’s copy of  Zelda and read it.

Truthfully, I was disappointed in the latest rendition of the movie, with Leonardo DiCaprio. The visual effects, I felt, were so over the top and frantic that it distracted me from being able to absorb the tragic tale of wealth and entitlement. The telling essence of Jay Gatsby’s character weaknesses were lost in the visual chaos of the movie, rather being told by the dialogue of the story.

The book Zelda, for me, provided much better insight into the psyche of an artist who “never wanted to give in or give up” despite failure and rejection. The narrative told an up-close and personal story of the relationship between wife and husband, Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald and it gave historical perspective into their friendships with other contemporaries (filmmakers, writers and artists) from the era.

As a lead-up to the community discussion of the novel, on October 10th, the latest Leo Dicaprio version of “Gatsby” will be aired at the Bud Werner Library. I’ll probably skip it. But then again, perhaps with a second look I might have a different opinion. But I hope not to miss what will probably be a very fulfilling discussion on Monday, October 21st.  It will be led by the English teachers of SteamboatHigh School. I hope students are required to join in and read this classic novel.  For more information, please follow this link. http://www.steamboatlibrary.org/events/one-book-steamboat

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Film Friday: Teaching Emerging Filmmakers

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new day films “One of the privileges of being a filmmaker is the opportunity to remain a kind of perpetual student.”  – Edward Zwick

Are you an educator who teaches emerging young filmmakers? The other day I came across a film distribution company that may not be known to visitors who frequent All Things Fulfilling for news about independent filmmaking.

New Day Films is a filmmaker-run distribution company providing award-winning films to educators since 1971. This on-line site “delivers over 230 titles that illuminate, challenge and inspire.”  Many of the films can be digitally streamed directly from the website or delivered in DVD or VHS format.

willard van dykeSince the genre of documentary film is particularly interesting to me, I was drawn to a film called Conversations with Willard Van Dyke. http://www.newday.com/films/Conversations_with_WVD.html. In this film, Van Dyke discusses his belief that “films have the power of film to change the world.”  The man behind his films, Willard Van Dyke, “became synonymous with social documentary in the U.S.”

During his lifetime (1906 – 1986), Van Dyke painted portraitures of Americans, through the medium of film, who made their living through hard labor everyday such as steelworkers, cottonpickers and machinists. The Depression, he said, made an everlasting impression on him.Click for info & ordering Willard Van Dyke’s film

Van Dyke was director of the Department of Film at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) from 1965 to 1974. He also began the film department at the State University of New York in Purchase.  In 1978, he received the prestigious George Eastman Award, given by George Eastman House for distinguished contribution to the art of film. 

New Day Films distributes films on many social issue topics, among them:

  • Aging & Gerontology
  • Media, Art & Culture
  • Religion & Theology
  • African-American
  • Multi-Cultural
  • Children & Family issues
  • Sociology
  • Native American Studies

Film educators and film historians may find the perfect film they are looking for to use in the classroom on the website http://www.newday.com.  Check it out.

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Treasuring Art

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 “Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.”   ~ Chinese proverb 

At a thrift store recently I came across an art print of Thomas Moran – imagine my delight! It seemed like a God thing – the image was just sitting there waiting for someone who’d appreciate it to pick it up . I gave in to my desires and purchased it – a real deal. I am very grateful to have the Moran art print hanging on my wall. He was one of the greatest illustrator and colorists of all times.

Every evening the week before last, I had been watching Ken Burns’ documentary The National Parks: America’s Best Idea.  http://bit.ly/182xh1N. Moran’s name was mentioned as one of the top landscape painters of the 19th century who ventured west. I learned he traveled to YellowstoneNational Park from the Hudson RiverSchool in New York, in the summer of 1871, to document on canvas what others described as a place where “hell bubbled up.”

Many artists traveled westward in the early days of the founding of the U.S. National Parks and they continue to be favorite places for artists who are seeking inspiration. Artists still go to paint, photograph and write about the dramatic landscapes in these protected government lands which are far more unique than many other places across the United States. Ralph Waldo Emerson described the National Parks as places where “God is more easily found in nature than in the works of man.” 

Lots of people find personal fulfillment in poking around in thrift shops. You never know what treasures you might find. I scored!

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