The Shack is not a book I would normally buy because it confronts the grief of a father (Mack) after the brutal murder of his young daughter. Having daughters it is a subject matter that I would normally back away from. I was with Haley at her School Book Fair and something drew me to it. I picked it up and put it down several times before deciding to take it home and spend an evening curled up reading.
The Shack confronts grief and heartache in a very real and relatable way. It explores the power of forgiveness, faith, hope, grace and love. It asks questions, it helps you seek and find answers, it shows you beauty and truth and for me reinforced some things that I believed to be true.
The Shack wrestles with the timeless question “Where is God in a world so filled with unspeakable pain?”
I became absorbed in this book and I found that the answers that Mack was seeking were often to questions I had asked myself. It took me on a brilliant journey, both compelling and daring, shining a spotlight on things we all struggle with, our faith, our beliefs, our shortcomings…
From beginning to end it painted a vivid picture of human emotion. Sometimes wonderfully eloquent and others deceptive and ugly.
I was captivated, I cried, I was angry, I was justified, I was redeemed, I passed judgment in haste, and I was enlightened.
It is a book that will weave it’s way into your heart and fill up all the cold and empty spaces. I believe in one way or another it will have an impact on you. Powerfully clarifying and gracefully simple, if you read it, you will be changed.
I felt compelled to join the Missy Project to get the word out about this fascinating tale. If you have read let me know what you thought or give it a read and let me know.
These are in no particular order and I just picked the first ten that popped in my head, plus one more for good measure . These are some of my all time favorite movies, movie quotes and movie clips. I don’t consider myself a Movie buff but if I like a movie I will watch it over and over and over…
P.S. Guys, they are not all Chick flicks I promise!
DIRTY DANCING
“Nobody puts baby in a corner” Johnny Castle
Summer of 1963, first love, Patrick Swayze as the steamy, unforgettable Johnny Castle. Fabulous music playing on every turn table. I have watched this movie so many times I can’t count. I especially like to watch it when it is raining outside. I adore this coming of age classic drama and if you don’t have anything good to say about it just get off my blog! Kidding, We are all entitled to our own opinions but if you can’t find anything to like about this movie I will be shocked. I am a sucker for “The lift” scene!
Crazy Stupid Love
A guy actually told me to watch this movie. I watched it every single day the following week. Emma Stone is such a talented and likable young actress and Ryan Gosling owns the part of Jacob. Julianne Moore and Steve Carrell are so beautifully flawed and remarkably endearing!
Emma Stone as Hannah ” I’m here to bang the hot guy who hit on me at the bar”
and
“FUCK!, Seriously? it’s like you’re Photoshopped!”
Ryan Gosling as Jacob “The war between the sexes is over. We won the second women started doing pole dancing for exercise”
Then there is the LIFT!! The Dirty Dancing LIFT again!
YOUR WELCOME 😉
Grand Torino
I am a big Clint Eastwood fan “Make my Day!” is history! He plays all of his characters so well but I fell in love with him as Walt in Gran Torino. He used every known racial slur and even ones we couldn’t imagine but deep down he had such an amazing heart. (But still a BAD ASS!)
Clint Eastwood as Walt “I used to stack fucks likes you five feet high in Korea… use ya for sand bags”
PSYCHO
The original because remaking this movie was ridiculous! Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates was one of the most memorable characters ever portrayed. Alfred Hitchcock’s brilliance can not and should not be messed with!
Ten to Midnight
My favorite Vigilante ever, Charles Bronson as LA PD/Vigilante Leo Kessler in one of my favorite Police Drama, Slasher film.
Carlitos Way
Al Pacino, Sean Penn, Penelope ann Miller and Viggo Mortenson finely portray their characters in this gangster drama set in the Bronx in 1975. Al Pacinos “Carlito” is a character in my heart forever.
Carlito “There is a line you cross, you don’t never come back from. Point of no return. Dave crossed it. I’m here with him. That’s means I am going along for the ride. The whole ride. All the way to the end of the line, wherever that is”
The Beach
It all starts when Richard (Leonardo DeCaprio) finds himself in Thailand and in possession of a secret map leading to a solitary beach paradise! Is Paradise all it is cracked up to be.
The Departed
Leonardo, Matt Damon, Jack Nicholson, Mark Wahlberg, several good reasons to watch this mob drama. Plot twists and turns, family, love, betrayal. A must see!!
Donnie Brasco
A true crime/mob movie with Al Pacino and Johnny Depp. That is reason enough. I think I like mob movies. It is not normally my genre but the few I have listed I have watched over and over. The characters draw me in and make all the shooting bearable. Joseph Pistone is an undercover FBI agent who infiltrates the mob as Donnie Brasco and finds his two lives colliding.
Joseph Pistone “All my life I’ve tried to be the good guy, the guy in the white fucking hat. And for what? For nothing. I’m not becoming like them; I am them”
The Notebook
Nicholas Sparks Romance novel come to brilliant life because of the glowing character portrayal of Noah and Ally by Ryan Gosling, James Garner, Rachel McAdam and Gena Rowland, Has anyone out there not seen this movie? Love and all the angst to go with it!!
Fight Scene
Kiss In the rain
If you’re a bird, I’m a bird!
Friday
It wouldn’t be right if I didn’t include this movie because I have watched it so many times I have the lines memorized. It a silly stoner movie about scheming neighborhood crackheads. Smoky and Craig played by Chris Tucker and Ice Cube are so enjoyable to watch. A laugh out loud movie but don’t bother with part two. Great soundtrack too.
Craig Jones: We ain’t got no sugar. Smokey: No sugar? Damn. Y’all ain’t never got two things that match. Either y’all got Kool-aid, no sugar. Peanut butter, no jelly. Ham, no burger. Daaamn.
EDIT
For those of you reading this late you are getting two bonus movies, my favorite fantasy Films…
Spirited Away
This Japanese animated movie scared the shit out of my daughter but she just asked to watch it now, she is 13 now and not afraid of a damn thing. I loved it, found it magical. A sullen ten year old girl moving to a new neighborhood enters an alternate reality.
Pan’s Labyrinth
This movie is subtitled but give it a couple of minutes and you will forget.
Pan’s Labyrinth takes place in Spain in May–June 1944, five years after the Spanish Civil War, during the early Francoist period. The narrative of the film interweaves this real world with a fantasy world centered around an overgrown abandoned labyrinth and a mysterious faun creature, with which the main character, Ofelia, interacts. Ofelia’s stepfather, the Falangist Captain Vidal, hunts the Spanish Maquis who fight against the Francoist regime in the region, while Ofelia’s pregnant mother grows increasingly ill. Ofelia meets several strange and magical creatures who become central to her story, leading her through the trials of the old labyrinth garden.
A while back my husband and I met friends in the dingy basement of the North Edmonton Strip Club Eden known to locals as the Dungeon. Unbeknownst to me at the time it was a music venue and this was their final night, a goodbye bash. Eying the dark, unpleasing surroundings I could only guess why. We were there to see a local Edmonton band that our friends supported but there were some opening bands first so I grabbed a couple of Vodka & Crans and took the seat that was saved for me near the stage.
To be honest I was excited, because I love nothing more than a great rock band playing their hearts out in a Sleazy bar! A couple of doubles in and the Edmonton Quartet known as Heaviside took the stage. Within mere minutes I was a fan. I felt transported back to a time when Rock and Roll was just that, pure and simple with no flashing signs, no girls dancing in cages just an electric mix of guitar, bass, drums and powerhouse vocals that was nothing short of combustible.
I said to Kirk, “they are very Led Zepplinish, the singer reminds me of a young Robert Plant, his voice is commanding and he has an undeniable swagger! “ My husband disagreed with me and likened his stage presence to that of the late Jim Morrison who is regarded by critics and fans as one of the most iconic, charismatic and pioneering front men in rock music history. I felt by this point we had gotten our money’s worth and this wasn`t even the opening act. The lead singer we were arguing about was vocalist and Guitarist Mitchell Reynaud who formed Heaviside along with high school friend and magnetic bassist Kyle Green. Adding Mitchell’s younger brother Spenny on drums and lead guitarist Johno Hermary, they began earning a reputation in the local rock scene.
We went home that night knowing nothing about this band except for what they left on the stage and that was significant but we wondered why this band was playing in this tattered basement bar. Like any good rock performance you leave wanting more and we did. They had won us over.
I have followed Heaviside ever since, even getting to know a little bit about the band members, their families and the loves of their lives. They are a very likeable, diverse, smart group of young men. I have never seen Kyle without a smile, his talent and his delight in the life he leads is undeniable. Johno is a seriously captivating guitarist and a funny and engaging young man. Mitchell has the flair and swagger of some of the most famous lead vocalists I have ever seen but seems to be void of all arrogance in regards. Spenny is the shy younger brother of Mitchell. I love to watch Spenny, the sound he produces by pounding on his drum set is staggering and I believe he is surprised by it himself every time. It is almost as if he is not aware the magnitude of the genius sound he creates. I am not certain that any of them do, but they know the value of hard work and though humble in regards to their talents everything they have goes into their live performances.
Recently Heaviside released their second CD Wasted Generation. In May their first single Lady debuted on the Canadian Active Rock Charts. Both my children have it on their iPods and I guarantee you, listen once and you will listen again, and sing along. Lady only left me over anxious to hear the rest of the CD and I was so excited to have been invited to the pre listening party before the release. Listening to the CD in great company was fantastic but I was sad that I could not get my hands on a physical copy and even more excited to hear the new songs performed live. This is a band that you listen to in your car, on your iPod, while you do housework but you make an effort to see them live at every opportunity. The true test of a band for me is if they can perform as well or better live and Heaviside truly delivers!
The wait is finally over and the after the unforgettable live show at the release party I decided to get serious on my long drive to Saskatoon last weekend and instead of listening to War Machine super loud four times in a row I was going to impartially listen to the CD in its entirety from beginning to end and give you my honest opinion.
So thank God the drive from Edmonton to Saskatoon is flat and my truck has cruise control because seconds into the CD I had mastered the air guitar, air bass, air drums and I was even able mimic some of Mitchells on stage moves albeit sitting down (with my seat belt on Mom!) and I was also eating cherries.
The bands musical influences are many and they are indisputably classic rock fans. The CD starts out with the lively War Machine which starts out thunderous and builds into a full blown storm. The rest of the album follows suit with steady bass grooves, ear candy guitar riffs, roaring drum beats and vocal magic.
The CD is as smooth as butter, best listened to loud and very engaging. I dare you to not sing and perform along with it. It is brilliant unadulterated ROCK and fkn ROLL!! Listen loud, listen often and do your friends a favor and tell them. This band is going places and I cannot help but feeling when I listen to BRING IT ON that they are more than ready for whatever the future holds. My only complaint is that I wanted more but that is what the repeat button is for.
Come along for the ride friends as this group of enterprising young musicians navigates their way in the world of Rock N Roll because it is sure to be one hell of a trip!
Heaviside will storm into the Calgary music scene for the first time ever on Saturday June 23 at Shooters Bar and Grill! No Cover Charge!
Dancing in the rain! 