Mother of Mine

This weekend we celebrated our independence here in Finland. With the Movie Buff Sisterhood we watched a Finnish movie called Mother of Mine.

It was really interesting to hear Ashley and Claudia's thoughts about the movie, because they don't share the emotional bond with me. (They're cultural and historical background is different.)

"During World War II, more than 70,000 Finnish children were evacuated to neutral Sweden to avoid the conflict. "Mother of Mine", the latest from the award-winning Klaus Härö (Näkymätön Elina (2002)), tackles that painful patch of history in a tale of 9-year-old Eero, a child who increasingly feels abandoned by his biological Finnish mother and yet not attached to his Swedish surrogate mom. When he is returned to Finland, his confusion intensifies." Imdb

This movie...

Made us feel

Claudia: I was particularly moved to anger though, in seeing Kirsti engulfed in a trance of grief after the death of her husband. More than anything, I sympathized deeper for Eero. Even more upsetting to me, was when Kirsti completely surrendered Eero all for the sake of fear and wanting to seal her safety by marrying the German solider. Still and all, I was pleased with how each character grew and how their lives exuded integrity and resolve. 

Ashley: I really felt the most emotion because of the things that Eero had to go through. I always enjoy watching movies that involve any of the wars because it allows us to have a feel on what the families went through! 

Me: I was shocked how blind people were to see the needs of children. I was quite heart broken, actually. I also felt quite hopeless about the numbness that great losses cause.

The Characters

Mother of Mine is full of great characters. Ashley, who was your favorite?

Ashley: The most interesting character had to be Eero to me. To be sent from the only family you know to a completely distance family is scary enough! Then you pack on the war that's going on. He completely had to adjust to everything all over again. I really feel that with his mother(biological) going into that deep depression it made it hard for him to accept love from his foster mom. They both had to learn to accept and love each other. 

What about you Claudia?

Claudia: Most interesting to me was Mother Signe. She was untouchable and the most enjoyable character, in that it took a great deal of time to uncover the mysteries surrounding her personality and emotions. I couldn't understand why she rebuked Eero so harshly, but when we came to identify the reasoning behind her pain, it all made perfect sense and I immediately fell in love with her courage and decision to love Eero. Did you cry when she was separated from Eero!? Oh my word, such a gripping movie!

Did I cry? I was sobbing when she ran after the car. But I have to agree with both of you. Eero and Signe were the most interesting characters.

What is war like in this movie? How is it discussed and described?

Claudia: The ambiance of war is inescapable, right from the opening sequence. We see the disarray and fear that WWII evoked; it was overwhelming and at times, difficult to watch. I was heartbroken for both Kristi and Mother Signe, having lost a child each in their own way, and the children! Oh my gosh, I was completely undone when I saw the children separated from their mother's. I honestly do not know what I would do given the circumstances. I want to say that I would hold on to my babies, and avoid giving them up all together, but then again, would that be selfish in my part?

Ashley:  Watching the horrors of the war is always difficult to watch. The pain of losing a loved one, getting uprooted from your family, losing your way of life, and your town being destroyed!! I think we need these types of things because it allows us to grow from them and learn them. It lets you appreciate what you have now!

I think that Mother of Mine talked about war in a refreshing way. We couldn't see it, but we could hear and feel it. We were able to see that war follows a human being for the rest of his or her life.

Have you seen Mother of Mine? We'd love to hear your thoughts!


Our next Movie Buff Sisterhood movie is Miracle on the 34th Street December 15. 

Maleficent - Movie Buff Sisterhood

Last week the Movie Buff Sisterhood watched Disney's Maleficent, which is a story of the bad guy (or gal) from Sleeping Beauty. It was lovely to experience my childhood memories again, because Sleeping Beauty was one of my favourite movies when I was a kid. Some of the scenes brought goosebumps, because those childhood dream-like scenes came to life. I think Angeline Jolie was brilliant and she looked stunning in her costumes.

But what about other Movie Buff sisters? Ashley and Claudia, any thoughts about the movie?

Ashley: I'm just glad that they finally made a movie about the bad guy. We actually got to see the history of Maleficient and what actually made her bad. It's a very enjoyable movie! 

Claudia: Firstly, the story line took me by surprise, it was not what I was expecting, BUT it entertained! The story line was believable and one that almost anyone can relate to; like, finding beauty and value in the sufferings inflicted by those we love and trust most, and resisting the urge to embrace our resentment and our unwillingness to forgive those people, because deep inside we know that embracing evil only lowers us to a dark level. 

The story line was deeply affecting and gripping in so many ways; needless to say, it posed some really good questions and focused on essential themes like: compassion, mercy, redemption, love, forgiveness, betrayal, loyalty.  I was fully engrossed and immediately engaged; I absolutely enjoyed it! 

What about Angelina Jolie? Did you like her?

Claudia: Goodness yes! She did a fantastic job! She made me love this story line despite how far removed it is from Disney's story line. Also, I ended up discovering, after watching the film, that this film's plot line is in actuality the true origin story! In other words, what Disney fed us through our childhood in Sleeping Beauty was a modified version of the original folklore; my mind was blown to say the least. 

But more to Angelina! I truly felt like she reclaimed her pedestal. :)

Ashley: Yessss, I LOVE Angie! She's an amazing actress and every role she's in she takes over. 

Now that it's been Maleficent's turn, who's the next baddie that  deserves a movie of his/her own?

Ashley: I'll be open to any bad guy getting their own movie. Not every story has a happy ending so we should be able to see all of it! 

Claudia: 

• Captain James Hook
• Ursula 
• The Wicked Queen (Snow White)
• The Queen of Hearts

I would love to see Ursula's story. Plus "under the sea" would make a great movie location ;D

Have you seen Maleficent yet? Did you like the movie and what about Angelina's performance?

Our next movie will be Gandhi (11/24), and Claudia will be hosting.

Beauty and the Beast - Movie Buff Sisterhood

Tale as old as time

This time Movie Buff Sisterhood watched Disney's Beauty and the Beast. (Happy Bday, Ashley!)

I love Disney movies, because they are so innocent and the music is amazing. I hadn't watch Beauty and the Beast in 15 years so it was lovely to go back to my childhood memories. 

Why this story is special?

It was fun watching this movie, because so many things spoke to me now that I'm an adult. I got little emotional watching Belle save her father by becoming Beast's prisoner. Also when the Beast let her go because he loved her was pretty nice. He realized that if you love a woman, you're not suppose to control and dominate her. 

On the other hand it felt like a film adaptation of a romantic chic lit novel: a girl feels she doesn't belong, she ends up being a prisoner of a dangerous and bad tempered beast, she makes him fall in love with her, they almost loose each other but in the end love wins aka she fixes him. But I don't want to be cynical. I choose to believe this is a story of courage and learning the meaning of love.

What about you guys, my Movie Buff Sisterhood sisters, why is this story special? 

Ashley: It tells us a multi-fold story. A story on friendship, love, trust, being an outcast, & coming together. Beauty & the Beast is an all time favorite. 

Claudia: There are so many themes that this story explores, but two that really stand out to me are

a. Overcoming your worst fears

b. Finding the treasure others fail to see in others 

c. Sacrifice! She willingly placed herself in the hands of a "savage" beast in order to rescue her father! Wow! To me, there is no greater love than to lay down your life for someone else. I only hope I brave up the courage to not love my life, even unto death!

Belle 

Disney princesses are often little girls' role models. How would you describe Belle as a woman?

Claudia: To me, Belle is a woman who embraces adventure and simplicity. I love this so much! She is not focused on her status quo or the approval of the men and women in her town; she is confident and sure about who she is and what she believes in. She is one who cares about the well-being of her family and household, giving very little attention to herself; this to me is selfless love. Also, she is a dreamer and an avid reader, something I can greatly identify with.

Ashley: I would describe Belle as a strong yet yielded character. She had love for all of her friends & not one was left out. She was willing to overlook the Beast appearance & not too many people are willing to do so in real life. It takes a very strong person to be able to handle challenges thrown at them but still come out fine! 

You might say, Belle is a great role model. 

Our first Disney memories

My first Disney memory is me watching Peter Pan from our tiny TV screen. This happened when I was 4 and we lived in Thailand. I accidentally recorded Thai programs on that VHS and it ruined my life. My heart was broken. I could feel my world collapse when dad told me it was impossible to fix it. I am still traumatized! :D 

Ashley: My first Disney memory is watching "Bambi". As a young child it was quite interesting to watch & of course I can still watch it to this day! Those "older" Disney movies are timeless & something I would want my future children to be able to watch

Claudia: My family would visit Disneyland often, but only when distant family members would come to stay with us. One distinct memory that I have, was when I was around six years old, my whole family took a trip together; there must've been 26 of us all together! It was the happiest of times, because there weren't any quarrels or tensions, everyone was enjoying each other's company; it was a taste of paradise for me. Another sweet memory I can recall, was when my husband and I took our oldest daughter (who was two at the time) to Disneyland for her birthday; we dressed her up in her favorite Cinderella dress. It was very strenuous to get on any rides, because a.she was too small and b. the park was insanely crowded.  Still and all, our little girl had the honor of meeting Cinderella, this to her was unthinkable, so to see her tiny face light up, made the entire trip worth it.

What is your first Disney memory? What do you think, are Disney princesses great role models?

(Next Movie Buff Sisterhood movie: To Kill a Mockingbird 11/3, host: Ashley)

My blog mentor:

Movie Buff Sisterhood - Little Miss Sunshine

Little Miss Sunshine is the first Movie Buff Sisterhood movie. 

The Plot

"Little Miss Sunshine" tells the story of the Hoovers, one of the most endearingly fractured families ever seen on motion picture screens. Together, the motley six-member family treks from Albuquerque to the Little Miss Sunshine pageant in Redondo Beach, California, to fulfill the deepest wish of 7-year-old Olive, an ordinary little girl with big dreams. Along the way the family must deal with crushed dreams, heartbreak, and a broken-down VW bus, leading up to the surreal Little Miss Sunshine competition itself. On their travels through this bizarrely funny landscape, the Hoovers learn to trust and support each other along the path of life, no matter what the challenge." comingsoon.net

I loved this movie, because there were so many interesting themes: dysfunctional family, dealing with disappointments and crushed dreams, defining oneself, how the the world around us defines us... 

But the biggest theme, that combines all the things mentioned  above is:  

  

"Life is a journey, not a destination" is a cliché but still true. In Little Miss Sunshine the characters went trough their own life journeys. Their destination weren't what they had planned, but still during their journeys they learned something important - something that made them stronger and more free. They needed these journeys to learn and grow.

Our life journeys

Ashley: 

"I'm currently on a journey in life where I'm trying to figure out exactly what I want to do with my life and feeling incomplete. I'm keeping my faith strong and acting out on my beliefs to get where I'm trying to go. Of course, it's hard but I will continue keeping on!"

We are all on a journey to somewhere or something. I guess we should  stop for minute and reflect what we've learned on our journey.

Mrs K:

"Looking back, I now understand there's been many journeys in my life. One of the biggest journeys has been my journey as a wife. I've learned so much about myself during the last 4 years."

Have you seen Little Miss Sunshine? We'd love to hear your thoughts about the movie!  

Our next movie is Grease (9/29)! Oh, I love musicals :) Ashley will be hosting so check out her blog next Monday! 

Super exciting movie news!

I am part of a Movie Buff Sisterhood with Ashley and Claudia! We'll be watching great movies and write about them on our blogs. We'd love you to join us! Here's a list of movies and post dates!

September
Little Miss Sunshine, 9/22
Grease, 9/29

October
The Shawshank Redemption, 10/13
Beauty And The Beast, 10/27

November
To Kill a Mockingbird, 11/3
Maleficient, 11/17
Gandhi, 11/24

December
Mother of Mine (by Härö), 12/6
Miracle on the 34th street, 12/15
The Time Traveler’s Wife, 12/29

Movie Buff Sisterhood

Do you love movies and blogging?

If your answer is yes, join the Movie Buff Sisterhood. The idea of this sisterhood is to watch movies and talk about them together on our blogs. Read more HERE.

Check out my post about 

Movies that make me want to change the world.

Movie Buff Sisterhood

Do you love movies and blogging?

If your answer is yes, join the Movie Buff Sisterhood. The idea of this sisterhood is to watch movies and talk about them together on our blogs. Read more HERE.