Favorite Movies

Now I am terrible at picking favorites. Those people who know me are well aware of this. I don't have a favorite anything. Favorite type of food, favorite type of music, favorite books, favorite anything. If I like the song, I like the song. It doesn't matter if it's pop, country, hip-hop, rap, jazz, or whatever. It just depends on the song. This goes for anything. If I like the book, I like the book. If I like the food, I like the food. I don't have a favorite type of anything (TV shows are the only exception). This includes movies.

So what's with the title, you ask? Yes, it's true, I don't have favorite movies. Well, I will have favorites, but they'll constantly change. I'll be obsessed with one movie one week and another the next. However, the point of this post is because there are exactly three movies that may not always be in the top spot, but I will never, ever be sick of watching and will probably almost always say yes to watching one of them.

They are as follows:
--The Scarlet Pimpernel (1982)
--While You Were Sleeping
--The Mask of Zorro

I'm not sure what is about these three films, but they are just forever endearing to me. I say, time and time again that the plot is what always brings me back. (If it weren't for While You Were Sleeping, I would say that my favorite film genre is somewhere in the swashbuckler category or the secret identity category.)

THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL

TRAILER

PLOT: Sir Percy Blakeney is a typical fop, surrounded by adoring ladies and clueless gentry. However, he is also a master of disguise and bears an infamous secret identity: the Scarlet Pimpernel, dashing and fearless rescuer of victims of the French Revolution! Sir Percy also falls head over heels for the beautiful Marguerite who is also wooed by Chauvelin, Robespierre's Chief Agent for the Committee of National Security.

Also one of my favorite books of all time (actually, probably my only other exception to my "no favorites" rule are books). Of course the book is better, but this movie version is very good as well. I will never get tired of it. The actors play their characters so spot on! Especially the main characters. The guy that plays Sir Percy is just so spot on with all the characters he portrays when he's posing as the Scarlet Pimpernel. And then his foppish Sir Percy is so hilarious and believable, I love it. I love the whole mystery of the plot, the "secret identity", and so on.

WHILE YOU WERE SLEEPING

TRAILER

PLOT: Lucy is a lonely fare collector on the Chicago elevated railway who has a secret crush on a handsome commuter named Peter Callaghan. On Christmas day, Lucy rescues Peter from an oncoming train after a mugger pushes him onto the tracks. Peter falls into a coma, and Lucy accompanies him to the hospital, where a nurse overhears her fantasizing aloud, "I was going to marry him." Misinterpreting her, the nurse tells Peter's family that Lucy is his fiancée. The mayhem escalates, when Lucy meets Peter's suspicious yet charming brother.

I love everything about this movie! Even though it's such a ridiculous and unlikely situation, the way it plays out and the way it's written just kind of makes it seem like it could happen. The writing is brilliant, the characters are hilarious, and the plot is fantastic. This movie is so quotable, it's one of my favorites to quote. Lots of people say they always watch this around Christmas time. Please. I watch this year round! I wouldn't exactly say that this is one of the prettiest movies I've ever seen, but I always say that the plot is what always brings me back for round 2, 3, 4, etc.

THE MASK OF ZORRO

TRAILER

PLOT: The original Zorro, Don Diego de la Vega, is captured and imprisoned just as Spain concedes California to Santa Anna. 20 years go by and his mortal enemy, Don Rafael Montero, returns to California with a plan to become wealthy at the expense of the peasants. The original Zorro escapes from prison and trains a new Zorro to take his place.

There's just something about this movie in comparison to other sword-slashing, horse-chasing, swashbuckling, adventure films. This one is just so good! The main plot is excellent, and the subplots are just as entertaining and not at all confusing and/or pointless like subplots sometimes are. All the actors play their characters extremely well and are very entertaining to watch. The costumes are gorgeous and the sets are stunning (since most of them are on location). Plus, I just absolutely love superhero-esque/secret identity stories.

Moroni

This is the devotional I gave in my Book of Mormon class based on the reading assignment of Moroni 7-10 (NOTE: "moonwalking bear" is referencing this video).


I think that the obvious can be moonwalking bears within itself sometimes.

People always looks for the lessons and morals in the actual words of the scriptures. And I’m not saying that’s bad. No, that’s great! That’s spectacular! I’m not discouraging it in any way. By all means, study the doctrine taught there. But a lot of people tend to overlook the actual stories and the people or characters in them. We can learn a lot from them.

So I wanted to focus on Moroni himself.

Personally, as I read the scriptures, I think about who is writing it and what situations they are in. As I was reading these last few chapters, I began thinking about Moroni. What an amazing man he was!

He had everything taken from him. His family, his possessions, his country, and his freedom. He had to flee and hide for his life from the Lamanites. He writes in Mormon 8:1, “I, Moroni, do finish the record of my father, Mormon. Behold, I have but few things to write, which things I have been commanded by my father.” This makes it seem that he thoughts that he would only live for a few days or weeks and would only finish the history with a few comments. Of course, he lives for several more years, constantly being hunted.

I’ve got this fantastic book called DEFENDERS OF FAITH by Douglas J. Bell. It talks about the heros of the Book of Mormon from a modern day soldier’s perspective. It’s a really good book, I highly recommend it. Anyways, there’s a chapter dedicated to Moroni and it talks about how soldiers today are given specific training for if they are separated from their troops, or if they’re captured. Like if an Air Force pilot is shot down over enemy territory, this special training is put into play to evade the enemy until they could be rescued or until they could find their way back to their own forces. (The book goes into more detail).

But think about Moroni’s evasion of the enemy for a moment. He didn’t have anywhere to go. South was the Lamanites, the Gadianton robbers controlled the northern wilderness, and (modern knowledge tells us) the Aztecs controlled the rest of the north. The Aztecs were a rather bloodthirsty people who probably wouldn’t have accepted him.

Mormon 8:3-4, 8-9 gives us some insight into his thoughts, “And my father also was killed by them, and I even remain alone to write the sad tale of the destruction of my people. But behold, they are gone, and I fulfill the commandment of my father. And whether they will slay me, I know not. Therefore I will write and hide up the records in the earth; and whither I go it mattereth not... And behold, it is the hand of the Lord which hath done it. And behold also, the Lamanites are at war one with another; and the whole face of this land is one continual round of murder and bloodshed; and no one knoweth the end of the war. And now, behold, I say no more concerning them, for there are none save it be the Lamanites and robbers that do exist upon the face of the land.”

Super sad commentary there. See, by reading between the lines, you can see how lost and without purpose he feels. He thinks it is the end.

Have you ever felt lonely? Without friends or someone to care about you? Try multiplying that by like a thousand and then put your life on the line on top of that. That is how Moroni felt.

When he comes back with his own book, he has more energy and confidence than before. (He’s ONE of the few writers in the Book of Mormon who seems to feel a bit inadequate about his writing). Because previously in Mormon 8:12-13 he says, “And whoso receiveth this record, and shall not condemn it because of the imperfections which are in it, the same shall know of greater things than these. Behold, I am Moroni; and were it possible, I would make all things known unto you. Behold, I make an end of speaking concerning this people. I am the son of Mormon, and my father was a descendant of Nephi.”

At the very beginning of his own book he says (Moroni 1:1-3): “Now I, Moroni, after having made an end of abridging the account of the people of Jared, I had supposed not to have written more, but I have not as yet perished; and I make not myself known to the Lamanites lest they should destroy me. For behold, their wars are exceedingly fierce among themselves; and because of their hatred they put to death every Nephite that will not deny the Christ. And I, Moroni, will not deny the Christ; wherefore, I wander whithersoever I can for the safety of mine own life.”

Even in the middle of his horrible situation, he still held onto his firm faith and testimony. Of course, we all know about his final testimony in chapter 10. He thought himself lacking eloquence before, but chapter 10 is just so straight forward, and beautifully written.

Moroni 10:2-5 says, “And I seal up these records, after I have spoken a few words by way of exhortation unto you. Behold, I would exhort you that when ye shall read these things, if it be wisdom in God that ye should read them, that ye would remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts. And when ye shall receive these things, I would exhort you that ye would ask God, the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true; and if ye shall ask with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, he will manifest the truth of it unto you, by the power of the Holy Ghost. And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.”

We think our trials are bad? We think finals are hard? Pfft! This guy had it hard. We can learn a lot from his example.