Stockholm Syndrome?

With the release of this new Beauty and the Beast movie, there has been a lot of attention on not only the new movie, but also the original. I swear, I have seen so many memes, videos, articles, etc. about the original Disney animated movie. So many conflicting views, so many arguments, so many nit-picks. I see them every time I get online. What is really bothering me is that people are tearing it apart in an effort to justify the new movie. Why? Why do we need to pull down either movie? 1) The new movie has not even been released yet, so why are we hating it before even seeing it? 2) The old movie was not perfect (though in my opinion, it was pretty close), but it was still really, really good. Why do we have to fault it in order to justify the new one?

Anyways, I am here to address an argument/issue that I consistently hear in reference to original story: Belle has Stockholm Syndrome. 

Now, I can see why people would think this because Stockholm Syndrome by definition is “the psychological tendency of a hostage to bond with, identify with, or sympathize with his or her captor” (Merriam-Webster). By that simplistic definition, that does sound like Belle’s situation. She is held as a prisoner and then she falls in love with her captor. However, there is more to it than that. I am going to list out the reasons why Belle contradicts the symptoms of Stockholm Syndrome.

To understand why Belle does not exhibit the symptoms, we must first understand the syndrome. Stockholm Syndrome is a defense mechanism, a “complex reaction” (Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine) put on by the brain in order to protect itself from any potentially harmful feelings or situations. 

SYMPTOMS OF THE SYNDROME (according to the Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine):

1) “The crisis situation lasts for several days or longer.”

 This is true in Belle’s case, but there are some problems with the other symptoms and requirements.

2) “The hostage takers remain in contact with the hostages; that is, the hostages are not placed in a separate room.”

This obviously does not happen in Beauty and the Beast. Belle is given her own room and is free to wander about the castle as she wishes (except for the West Wing). She also interacts with more people other than the Beast. His servants wait on her and she is treated kindly. She is given the title of “prisoner”, but is hardly treated as such. The point is that she does not FEEL like she is in harm’s way, which leads me to the next symptom.

3) “A self-preservation instinct on the part of the prisoner.” (Layton)

People who feel helpless in any life threatening situations are willing to do anything to survive. In the case of Stockholm Syndrome, it is the prisoner’s belief that he/she cannot escape which means that their survival depends on the “all-powerful captor” (Layton). 

Belle is doing more than simply surviving. She is an outcast in her town who yearns for a life of adventure: “ I want much more than this provincial life!/ I want adventure in the great wide somewhere/ I want it more than I can tell/ And for once it might be grand/ to have someone understand/ I want so much more than they’ve got planned” (“Belle (Reprise)”). Some people might interpret this as her being pompous and looking down on the town, but this is not the case. She simply wants to escape the townspeople who are always sneering at her for educating herself and not being married. She is simply an outcast.

She is actually a very strong person who volunteers herself in her father’s place when he is captured by the Beast. Once she is there, she DOES want to survive, but instead of believing she is helpless and submitting to her situation, she constantly pushes back and attempts to leave. In fact she does so, twice.

The first time is when she runs away when the Beast erupts at her for coming into the West Wing. However, she returns after he rescues her from the wolves and almost dies in the process. This is because his actions suddenly changed Belle’s perception of him.

Originally, she saw him as a terrifying monster who could hurt, maybe even kill her during his tantrums (which was why she ran when he exploded at her in the West Wing). However, now she saw that he actually did not want to see her hurt or put in harm’s way. So, even though she did not want to go back to the castle at that time, she also did not want to leave the Beast to die in the forest after he had saved her life. She does have a conscience after all.

The second time she leaves is when the Beast actually releases her. After she leaves, she talks about how “kind and gentle” the Beast is, but does not express any plans of returning; that is, until Gaston begins to rouse the townspeople to go and kill the Beast. She cannot stand by and watch the kind, intelligent, caring person who let her go get killed. 

Therefore, Belle does go back to the castle of her own free will, but not because she suffers from a mental disorder where she sympathizes with her captor, but because she desires to protect the passive Beast and his servants who were kind to her from the malicious townspeople. 

4) “The hostage takers show some kindness toward the hostages or at least refrain from harming them.”

In a captor/captive situation, the tiniest glimpse of compassion (even the lack of abuse) can be perceived as extreme kindness in the case of Stockholm Syndrome. 

While the Beast does actually make an effort to be nice, Belle constantly tells him off: (“Will you come down to dinner?” “No!” “It would give me great pleasure if you would join me for dinner... please.” “NO THANK YOU!”) She pushes back and actively argues and disagrees with him. She even openly and knowingly disobeys his one rule of not entering the West Wing. This shows that she is doing more than simply surviving; she is making an effort to enjoy herself and satisfy her wants/needs/desires.

But, Belle does still stay at the castle for an undisclosed amount of time and does “fall in love” with the Beast while he is her captor. Does she eventually succumb to Stockholm Syndrome after the wolf attack when she stops defying him and pushing back? I say no!

Stockholm Syndrome is related to an abusive relationship where the victim consistently returns to their abuser with the mindset, “I know what he/she did to me, but I still love them. He/she didn’t mean it.” However, there is one key difference between these relationships; Stockholm Syndrome occurs without the victim realizing it whereas “love” is a conscious occurrence (Carver).

In Beauty and the Beast, Belle is fully aware of her changing feelings for the Beast when she returns to the castle after the wolf attack. She puzzles over and evaluates them in the song “Something There”: “New and a bit alarming/Who’d have ever thought that this could be?”

So this could be leaning more towards an abusive relationship rather than Stockholm Syndrome. However, if any of the previous evidence has shown, this is certainly not the case. Belle’s positive feelings towards the Beast do not begin until he first changes his behavior. Her constant negative responses towards him causes the Beast to reevaluate himself. After he controls his temper, stops being selfish, learns compassion, and starts to genuinely be nice to her, does Belle actually begin to care for him.

The two of them connect on a deeper level than simple civility. Belle was an outcast in her town because she read, was not married, and questioned their way of life; while the Beast was an outcast 

because of his monstrous appearance. Meanwhile, Gaston is praised because he is good-looking, brutish, and the epitome of a “manly man”. The townspeople reject both Belle and the Beast because they do not live up to the social norm and they practically worship Gaston even though he is a selfish, condescending bully who goes as far as murder to get what he wants. They rationalize his actions because it fits with their perception of “social norm” even though neither Belle nor the Beast have done anything to them. They attempt to destroy both their lives simply because they do not understand them. It is for this reason that Belle and the Beast bond together. They are two rejected people who accept the reasons why others reject them and fall in love.

Beauty and the Beast is a story of looking past the outer appearance and seeing what is on the inside. It is not a story of a woman succumbing to the will of her captor. It is a classic and beautiful story, a “tale as old as time” if you will, full of beautiful messages that is much deeper than people give it credit for.

Works Cited

Carver, Joseph M. "Love and Stockholm Syndrome: The Mystery of Loving an Abuser." Joseph M. Carver, Ph. D. MyEvent.com, 2015.

Layton, Julia. "What Causes Stockholm Syndrome?" How Stuff Works- Health Mental Disorders. How Stuff Works, 2017.

"Stockholm Syndrome." Gale Encyclopedia of Medicine. 2008. The Gale Group, Inc.

"Stockholm Syndrome." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, 2017.

A Sacred Right

Something must be addressed here and I think that it will make some people uncomfortable. But then, that is exactly the problem... I am getting ahead of myself.

This uncomfortable idea that I will be addressing is (to put it delicately) making love. Alright, who cringed? Who automatically wants to stop reading? Well don’t. Be grown up and mature and hear what I have to say.

In the church there is this tremendous misconception that “making love” is sinful and we should never talk about it. Untrue! This is a twisted truth. What is sinful about it is when we commit the act before marriage and/or as recreation. We are actually encouraged by God himself to do it. It was the first commandment given to man to “multiply, and replenish the earth” (Moses 2:28). It is one of the most pure and sacred rights we as mortals have been given; the ability to reproduce. 

The Lord’s plan for all His children is to come to this earth and gain a body. He can only accomplish this through us. We make that possible by helping Him create the body through the art of “making love.” Think about it, a man and woman come together and give parts of themselves to create life. That is why it is called “making love” because they are creating a child, a new life, together. 

However, because this is such a pure and sacred right we have, we must guard and protect it like anything else sacred. This is where the discomfort and misconceptions come in. We are taught in the church (in fact, sometimes it’s hammered into our heads) not to engage in that type of behavior before marriage, not to look at pornography, not to dress immodestly, etc. All well and good, but I believe that because of the sacredness of the act, we all refuse to even talk about it unless absolutely necessary and when we do, we make it sound like, “SEX IS BAD!!! DON’T DO IT EVER!!! YOU WILL BE TAINTED FOREVER AND CONDEMNED!!!” But again, this is not the case. This is only in reference to doing it before marriage. 

President Spencer W. Kimball taught that “in the context of lawful marriage, the intimacy of sexual relations is right and divinely approved. There is nothing unholy or degrading about sexuality in itself, for by that means men and women join in a process of creation and in an expression of love” (The Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, emphasis added). So, even though the main purpose of this act is to create children, it is also there to bond together husband and wife. That is why it is such an elating experience. 

However, as I said, it IS a sin if it is done outside of marriage. The 8th commandment is “do not commit adultery.” The definition of adultery from the Merriam-Webster dictionary is “voluntary sexual intercourse between a married man and someone other than his wife or between a married woman and someone other than her husband.” Essentially, committing adultery is having intercourse with someone who is not your spouse (even if both partners are not married). If you are not married and doing this, you are committing adultery. Even if you love the person, it is still a sin. Richard G. Scott said on the subject that committing these acts “cause serious emotional and spiritual harm. Even though participants do not realize that is happening now, they will later. Sexual immorality creates a barrier to the influence of the Holy Spirit with all its uplifting, enlightening, and empowering capabilities. It causes powerful physical and emotional stimulation. In time that creates an unquenchable appetite that drives the offender to ever more serious sin.” (“Making the Right Choices,” Ensign, Nov. 1994). This is where people are allowed to get uncomfortable while watching movies/TV shows, hearing people talk about sex so flippantly, and so on. This is because they treat it simply as a form of enjoyment and not a sacred right endowed upon us that should be treated with respect.

So that is where people get very mixed up. Sexual intercourse, making love, whatever you want to call it, is not a bad thing; quite the contrary, it is a very good thing. It is okay to talk about it too, but we need to remember its sacredness; like talking about the temple ordinances and such. There’s no need to get so squeamish. (I mean, maybe a little, because it is a bodily function and I don’t really like talking about like bowel movements and stuff.) However, the point is that a lot of people get uncomfortable because they are mixed up about its purpose. The main reason I get uncomfortable is because people misrepresent and misunderstand its purpose inside and outside the church. So please, remember this next time the subject comes up.

Top 5 Plot Twists in Movies

Plot twists are one of my favorite plot devices if done right. I love that element of shocking surprise where you’re like “whooooooaaaaaaa! Did not see that one coming!”, but it makes so much sense and you’re just in awe for the remainder of the film, wondering how you missed that.

There are good plot twists that make you think that, and then there are bad plot twists. After The Sixth Sense came out and it was such a huge hit, putting plot twists in movies suddenly became the trend. Unfortunately, lots of people really did not know how to do it right. People thought “if I tell a compelling story and then suddenly throw a random curveball in here, it will throw everybody off and they’ll be so impressed that they didn’t see it coming!” But, see that’s the thing with plot twists; there have to be little hints scattered throughout the film (or book) leading up to the twist that seem insignificant, but when the twist is finally revealed, the audience goes, “I can’t believe I didn’t realize that!” If the twist is totally out of left field, it’s not as impressive, “You didn’t see that one coming, did you?” Well, yeah, because it literally wasn’t coming. Sometimes it can work on occasion. It can come out of literally nowhere, but it affects the story in such an impactful way and makes so much sense even without a lot of lead-in, that it can still work. But that is rare.

Anyways, I have compiled my top 5 plot twists in cinema history (from the movies I have seen and based on my personal preference). Needless to say a SPOILER ALERT is in order...

Fight Club

I would not consider this one all that great because there’s not a ton of lead-in to it, meaning, there’s not a lot of hints dropped. Going back and watching it again, the hints are kind of sloppy and strange. I mean, Tyler is always telling the main character to do the weirdest things like not to ever talk about him to Marla. There’s just a lot of strangeness all throughout the movie that is explained in the end with a big twist: the main character has a split personality! And Tyler was never real. That’s something you probably don’t see coming because it's so weird that he's fighting himself. It is a good twist, but the set-up could have been a little better which is why it’s at the bottom of my list. 

The Sixth Sense

This is the movie that started the plot twist craze in recent years, but this one did it right. When I first watched this movie, I already knew the ending, so I kept my eyes open for how it would be accomplished. How could he go about his “life” not knowing he’s dead and also not give it away to the audience? It is pulled of spectacularly. He is estranged from his wife, so every time he talks to her, it just seems like she is ignoring him and shutting him out, when in fact she actually can’t see him. “They see what they want to see,” as the kid says. The reveal at the end shows us (and him) what he’s been missing the whole time and it’s like “whoooooaaaaa!”

Planet of the Apes (1968)

So this one I feel like didn’t have a ton leading up to that ending, but it was so devastating and impactful to the story that it just makes you go “whooooooooaaaaa!” It makes so much sense and you’re like, “of course!” Also, this is one of the few movies out there that doesn’t fall into the trap of the “rushed explanation”: as soon as the twist is revealed, all the points that we missed are suddenly explained all at once like “see? This is why this makes sense!” In this instance, the twist is revealed and no explanation is required. It just ends because it’s sort of self-explanatory, it’s not too complicated.

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back

Regarded as one of the greatest plot twists of all time. Literally no one saw this coming. It was such a closely guarded secret, only four people knew about it before its release: George Lucas (obviously), Mark Hamill (was told minutes before filming so he could give a proper reaction), James Earl Jones (but he read a fake line as well and he thought the real line was the fake line), also another writer. I can just imagine what it was like living back in 1980 when it first came out and being hit with that. I mean, Darth Vader was such an evil, menacing, inhuman villain, but suddenly he’s not so two dimensional, the father of the protagonist nonetheless! Craziness! Like I said, no one saw it coming, but that’s because there wasn’t really any lead in to it. There was mention of Luke’s father who had died, but no one imagined that Obi-Wan had lied about that! There was so much speculation around it because it was so insane! But once the next movie came out, it made so much sense!

Psycho

I was debating whether I should put this or Empire first, but I eventually decided on this one because it follows my guidelines of what makes a good plot twist better than Empire does. Wow, the setup for this movie is so brilliant! I knew the twist to this movie when I went into it, but it was still exciting to watch and it still thrilled me when it came. This is how you properly lay out hints and clues, but still mislead your audience so that they are still surprised when the twist comes. Alfred Hitchcock actually would not allow people to enter theaters late when this movie was screening, they would have to wait until the next showing so that they could experience the full thrill and not miss anything. The thing about this film is that it always allows you think you’ve figured out something (or you’re supposed to figure out something), but you actually haven’t. There’s several red herrings leading you away from the main point: Norman Bates is actually the psycho. He is the mother! None of this is about the money and never was, it was all a plot device to get us to the Bates Motel to meet Norman and his split personality. It’s just so genius! While watching, lots of people sometimes guess that Norman is the killer, but then scrap the theory when they see the silhouette in the window and also Norman carrying his “mother” down the stairs. I don’t mean to carry on so much, but it’s just so good! It does fall into the rushed explanation at the end, but it sort of fits and I don’t really know how else it could’ve been done. "She wouldn't even hurt a fly."

The Significance of Korihor

I had an extremely interesting conversation the other day with someone who does not believe in the church. The reason it was so interesting is because this person was once a believer, but has since fallen away into the confusing ways of the world. 

The conversation all started because I asked them a question about what they believed. They answered it graciously, but then turned it back on me, telling me that people cling to religion because we are scared of the unknown, trying other things, and it’s all we really know. This person basically told me that I (and others like me) are ignorant of what is really out there, that I don’t know any better because I am always in a bubble, that I am judgmental of anything different than my own beliefs because it’s “wrong”, that it is impossible to “know” anything, and that everything I think I know and feel is a trick of the mind and that I am delusioned into thinking it’s something it’s not.

I will not dwell on everything that was said or the outcome, but I wanted to point out a connection I made. 

This person was so convinced that they were right and that I am delusional. They told me I am fooling myself into following the ways of my forebears... or rather, the “foolish traditions of [my] fathers.”

I went to Alma 30 and read the account of Alma and Korihor. I swear, their conversation was almost an exact replica of my conversation I had with this non-believer. I mean, seriously, Korihor’s statements and this non-believer’s statements were almost word-for-word.

Korihor (emphasis added):

“O ye that are bound down under a foolish and a vain hope, why do ye yoke yourselves with such foolish things? Why do ye look for a Christ? For no man can know of anything which is to come.” (verse 13)

“I do not teach this people to bind themselves down under the foolish ordinances and performances which are laid down by ancient priests, to usurp power and authority over them, to keep them in ignorance, that they may not lift up their heads, but be brought down according to thy words.” (verse 23)

“Ye say that this people is a free people. Behold, I say they are in bondage... that they durst not look up with boldness, and that they durst not enjoy their rights and privileges.” (verses 24-27)

“God—a being who never has been seen or known, who never was nor ever will be.” (verse 28)

“If thou wilt show me a sign, that I may be convinced that there is a God” (verse 43)

“I do not deny the existence of a God, but I do not believe that there is a God; and I say also, that ye do not know that there is a God; and except ye show me a sign, I will not believe” (verse 48)

And I also had a few of Alma’s exact responses (I didn’t strike this person dumb though). I did not even realize until we had finished the conversation. 

For example:

“Thou knowest that we do not glut ourselves upon the labors of this people” (verse 32)

“I have all things as a testimony that these things are true” (verse 41)

“Thou hast had signs enough” (verse 44)

This person was telling me that there is no proof that the church is true, that God does not exist, and all that stuff, but ironically they were walking proof that it IS true. Simply by this comparison to the scriptures, it shows that the scriptures are divine revelation to warn us of things to come. Korihor and Alma’s story was written down thousands of years ago with foresight into our day when lots more of these types of people would be popping up more and more. It serves as a warning. The fact that my conversation with this person was in the Book of Mormon almost word for word is too big a coincidence to actually be a coincidence.

I believe it was President Hinckley who said that the world is as bad as it’s ever been and it’s only going to get worse. More and more modern-day Korihors are going to continue to pop up and attack us, telling us that there’s no way that we can KNOW all these things, that we’re just clinging to these old traditions because it’s all we know and/or because we’re scared, that we’re ignorant, that we’re living in a judgmental and closed-minded bubble, and so on. I just want to testify here that I personally know that the gospel is true and that God lives. I learned that for myself through personal study over a number of years. I don’t know that because someone else told me-- the church, my parents, or anybody. I came to learn for myself. It is an unmistakeable feeling from a divine power. It is most definitely not my mind playing tricks on me. My mind might be powerful, but it’s not that powerful. I have seen so many miracles in my life, too many and too grand to be called coincidences. The commandments might seem restrictive from a narrow perspective, but every single one of them are actually for our benefit. People can keep rationalizing these things away, but I firmly believe without a doubt that all these things are true. I KNOW that they are. I testify of these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Check out my other post about "Modern-day Anti-Christs"

What's Different About Beauty and the Beast (2017)

Let me tell you why the new Beauty and the Beast movie that is coming out next month is going to be absolutely phenomenal... 

First of all, it is Beauty and the Beast which is one of the best Disney animated films ever made. I mean, it was the first animated feature to be nominated for an Oscar for best picture (since Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, which was the first animated feature ever made) for crying out loud! It has great animation, great voice work, great music, great storytelling, great characters, great everything! 

So why fix what isn’t broken? 

Essentially, they aren’t. It’s just a remake of a fantastic film in live action form. The fun of remaking anything is that it is a new interpretation of the original. We get to see a different take from a new point of view. I mean, the animated film has already been adapted into a Broadway show and it was wildly successful. And the interesting thing about remaking an animated film into live action according to the director Bill Condon is “it has to change in a basic way and contain human behavior we can recognize.” 

There have been concerns that this adaption will be too similar to the original. Is this a legitimate claim? 

Perhaps. I can see why some people might think that. Obviously it is following the original story of the animated film. It has the same characters, the same songs, the same setting, and so on. It needs to remain familiar for the fans of the original. We can see from the pictures and the trailers that it does look very similar. But it is not a shot for shot remake. There are a lot of changes being made. I have compiled all the evidence one needs to see why this new adaption will be different enough from the original to keep people happy...

Let me start with some of the big ones:

In the new version, Belle is given more of a backstory and is more proactive. According to Emma Watson, “We tried to tweak things to make her more proactive, and a bit less carried along by the story, and a bit more in charge of— and in control of— her own destiny.” While in the original, Belle was a very strong character who liked to read, was an oddball in her small town, and very independent-minded, the creators of the 2017 movie have built upon that and added more to her character. Something that stood out to me in the trailers was Belle telling her father she “will escape” from the Beast’s prison. I thought that was a nice addition instead of her passively taking it.

Another example is it explains why she stands out so much in her town. In the original, it’s only because she reads, but surely there must have been something else, right? In the new version, she is more mechanically-minded and inventive. “What is she doing with all her time?” Emma Watson says, “So, we created a backstory for her, which was that she had invented a kind of washing machine, so that, instead of doing laundry, she could sit and use that time to read instead.” You can see why this might make Belle stand out in her town a little more and make her a “funny girl” in the minds of the townsfolk.

But you may remember in the original animated film that her father, Maurice, was the inventor, so what's going on there? Well, in the new version he creates music boxes. This delves deeper into Belle’s backstory. Apparently he makes the music boxes to represent all the places and things around the world that Belle is missing. He doesn’t want her to leave due to his overprotective nature after her mother died. This explains why Belle wants to leave, but doesn’t and also it shows a deeper and more tender side to Belle and Maurice’s relationship.

Alan Menken

Speaking of the music boxes, there is a new song written for one of Belle and Maurice’s scenes together. In fact there are three new songs written for the film. Originally, I heard that the movie would be following the Broadway musical, but that idea “was scrapped” according to Alan Menken the composer, and he wrote some new songs just for the movie. The songs include “How Does a Moment Last Forever (Music Box)” sung by Maurice, “Days In the Sun” sung by the servants, and “Evermore” sung by the Beast, plus a couple reprises and credit songs. If that doesn’t get you excited, I don’t know what will. Alan Menken is a genius! His credits include The Little Mermaid, Aladdin, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Tangled, Pocahontas, Enchanted, Newsies, and Hercules, among many others.

Then, this movie goes deeper into the Beast and Belle’s relationship. Bill Condon says on the subject, “we expanded upon how Belle and the Beast become who they are when we meet them.” And you can even see for yourself in the trailers and TV spots all these extra and unrecognizable scenes. Like it looks like Belle nurses him back to health after he saves her from the wolves instead of just a brief little bandaging scene. I think that's nice. And lot of their conversation seems a lot more casual and playful (“Have you really read all of these books?” “No. Some of them are in Greek.” Ha! I thought that was cute.). I’m really excited to see their relationship play out in an even more realistic way (because the animated film was probably the first Disney feature to show a couple falling in love over a period of time.)

Some other smaller tidbits:

There is an all-new character being added; a harpsichord named Cadenza who is apparently married to Belle’s giant wardrobe. I'll be interested to see what his purpose is and why they thought it necessary to add him.

Also, since Maurice is no longer an inventor, why does he venture out into the woods and get lost? How does he find the Beast’s castle? Is he going to sell his music boxes? It should be interesting to see how they change that up.

Speaking of that, in the trailers, you see him taking a rose from the Beast’s garden and that’s why the Beast takes him captive. LOVE THAT! Straight out of the original fairytale! (Where the father gets taken captive for taking a rose from the garden of the Beast because he wanted to take it home for his daughter. So is he thinking of Belle here?)

According to the trailers, Belle seems to know the consequences of the curse. That is to say, she knows that when the last petal falls, “the master remains a beast forever.” I thought that was an interesting twist because in the original, she just thinks she’s living in a magical castle with a Beast for a master. However, in this version, she actually wonders and asks about it. Now that I think about it, why shouldn’t she know what’s up? But there is no indication that she knows that she is their only hope or how to break the curse because then that would defeat the purpose.She needs to fall in love with what's inside without knowing that there's literally something else underneath.

In a previous post when the first trailer was released, I mentioned the portrait of the Prince that the Beast claws up. It portrays him as a child with his parents. I think that is extremely fascinating. I saw in a TV spot he was in fact a young man when he was transformed, so that picture was probably painted earlier, but still. (If you want to look at that post, you can go HERE)

And BTW, Dan Stevens will actually be a good looking Prince! (Haha, sorry. It's just that the animated version does not do a very good job at pulling that off. Great eyes though.).

Also, something else I gotta bring up is it explained how Belle got the Beast on the horse after he saves her from the wolves! Haha! Fantastic! (Something that has been questioned among fans for years.)

Lastly, I keep hearing about, and have seen it briefly in a couple trailers, what is this magical atlas? I literally know nothing except that it’s in the movie. It must be important because I keep seeing it mentioned everywhere and it’s always on display with the costumes and stuff.

Magical atlas

So there you have it. All the reasons I could come up with on how this new movie will be different. I think this movie is going to be fantastic! It looks absolutely stunning! I mean, the sets and the costumes alone are breathtaking. The song sequences look like they're going to be phenomenal. I picked up on most of the familiar ones like "Be Our Guest", "Gaston", "Beauty and the Beast", "The Mob Song", "Something There", "Belle", and "Belle (Reprise)". The choreography and cinematography looks absolutely stunning. And the casting is complete perfection! Emma Watson as Belle, Dan Stevens as the Beast, Luke Evans as Gaston, Josh Gad as Le Fou, Ewan McGregor as Lumiere, Ian Mckellen as Cogsworth, Emma Thomson as Mrs. Potts, Kevin Kline as Maurice, and there’s just so many more!

I love the original so much and I really think this new interpretation is going to do it justice. I believe in Disney! And if anyone is debating on whether they should watch the original before going to see the new one or not, I say yes, you should. 1) It's an absolute masterpiece and is always worth watching and 2) That way you can see all the differences and similarities without relying on your fuzzy memory from childhood (or whenever you last saw it). If you rely on that, it will just seem extremely similar because it is, and you won't realize how different it actually is. So go watch the original and get totally pumped to see this new one!

Trailer 1

Trailer 2

Trailer 3

Emma Watson Singing Promo

The Lego Batman Movie: A Review (SPOILER FREE)

So I went an saw The Lego Batman Movie. How was it you ask? Well, let me tell you...

Fan-freakin’-tastic! I was seriously laughing the whole way through it. There are so many jokes and references I could not even list them. 

So it’s not a flat out parody like you’d think, it’s more of a homage to all things Batman told in a comedic way. 

If you are a hardcore Batman fan, you will appreciate a lot of the in-jokes from all the movies, TV shows, comics, etc. But even if you know absolutely nothing about Batman, the comedy is so on point and perfectly timed, you will definitely laugh and enjoy it. It has the same sort of random, yet sophisticated humor that The Lego Movie has. 

Like I said, there are so many references to all things Batman. It lovingly acknowledges/makes fun all things that are wrong with the franchise and the mistakes different incarnations have made, particularly things that fans and pop culture like to complain about and poke fun at (ex. “why would I get together a bunch of villains to fight other villains? That’s just dumb.”). I just loved all the references! Seriously, there wasn’t very much made up, just the general plot, but pretty much everything else was from the Batman universe. (One of my favorite parts: “We’re gonna hit them so hard, words will materialize, describing the impact” *boom!* *pow!* *wham!*)

Also, the Joker could have been extremely goofy and not scary for kids, which he was not scary exactly, but not for the sake of the kids watching the movie, but for the sake of the joke that “Batman always stops him”, therefore no one is afraid of him. But it is established that he’s definitely a bad guy. He does enough bad things to give him the title as “Batman’s greatest enemy” haha! The Batman and Joker dynamic in this movie was so hilarious. I actually really liked the direction they went with it. The Joker just wants to be appreciated!

The movie wasn’t all comedy though. All da feels! It had a lot of heart. There were some really impactful moments particularly with Batman and Dick Grayson/Robin. I almost teared up at one point near the end. 

Also, can't forget the voice actors. Will Arnett carries over from The Lego Movie as Batman and does phenomenally! Michael Cera does Robin and captures that cute, innocent, fun-loving little voice so perfectly. Zach Galifianakis is hilarious as the Joker, Rosario Dawson blends right into her role as Barbara Gordon/Batgirl, and Ralph Fiennes is flawless as Alfred.

And then the graphics! Wow, so good! The builds, the lighting, the details on the characters. Super amazing! I mean, just watching Legos interacting and fighting with each other sounds a little dumb, but it’s actually really cool. This is like The Lego Movie x10 in terms of graphics!

If I had to criticize this movie, I’d point out two things: 

First, while it did take a lot of opportunities, it did not take them very far. What I mean is it would bring up a lot of funny ideas, but missed some funny opportunities to take them even further. For example, they bring in the Justice League at one point and Batman interacts with them a little, but then they’re never mentioned again. I think there were a lot of missed opportunities there. They could’ve been brought in for the climax and Batman could’ve accepted them into his “family” and... well, onto my second complaint.

Secondly, (maybe a SPOILER ALERT) I’m not sure how I felt about them calling Batman a “bad guy”. If anything, Batman always has a heart of gold. He might mess up sometimes, but he does always have the best of intentions. I mean, I did get what that scene was trying to do (heck, the message of the movie was “take a look at yourself and make a change”), but I don’t know how I felt about that scene. It was more that he had been a jerk and not a “bad guy” before that. But, that might be a nitpick from a hardcore Batman fan such as myself.

END OF (maybe) SPOILERS

But otherwise, I thought it was a gosh-darn pretty good movie. Kids will love it, adults will love it, comic nerds will love it, everyone will love it! I think only pretentious people with sticks up their butts will not like it. 

Overall, I give it a 9.5/10.

Prayer: A Sincere Desire of the Heart

(This was an assignment for my Doctrine and Covenants class. I had to research a Gospel Topic of my choosing and research it. It's not my finest piece of writing, it's actually very sloppy. It slips in and out of first and second person all over the place. Luckily this isn't for an English class. However, the contents are very interesting. Prayer has been a topic of interest for me because I often have a hard time with it. Researching pamphlets, the scriptures, and general conference talks has opened my understanding of it and will hopefully help me improve my own prayers. So, here's my 3000+ word paper...)

While studying this topic, I came across a lot of instruction. For something that is so essential to our salvation, there sure are a lot of rules. Of course, God will not turn away anyone who is sincerely trying. I actually found all the instruction to be quite helpful because I often struggle with my own prayers, particularly public prayers. What do I say? How do I phrase it? What should be included? What order should I say these things? Is it appropriate to say certain things? I studied mainly the True to the Faith pamphlet, but I also referenced the LDS Gospel Topics, several different General Conference talks, and of course the scriptures.

Prayer is a central and crucial part of our lives. It is our way of communicating with our Heavenly Father and developing a strong relationship with Him. Understanding our Father’s will is essential to our eternal salvation. Jesus Christ commanded, “Ye must always pray unto the Father in my name” (3 Nephi 18:19). Richard G. Scott calls prayer a “supernatural gift.” He goes on to say of prayer, “think of it: the absolute Supreme Being, the most all-knowing, all-seeing, all-powerful personage, encourages you and me, as insignificant as we are, to converse with Him as our Father” (Using the Supernatural Gift). Heavenly Father is always ready to hear our prayers, but their power depends on us. We must make them meaningful. Mormon warned us that if anyone “shall pray and not with real intent of heart . . . it profiteth him nothing, for God receiveth none such” (Moroni 7:9). Joseph B. Wirthlin said in his talk Improving Our Prayers, “We must pray with true sincerity and must avoid “vain repetitions” (Matt 6:7). Sometimes they become routine. Our prayers become hollow when we say similar words in similar ways over and over so often that the words become more of a recitation than a communication.” I know that I am certainly guilty of doing this. I know that sometimes I must pray for the same things all the time, such as “please bless our church leaders” or something like that. However, as I kneel down to pray, I should actually think about what I am saying and not just spew it out like a robot. When we mindlessly say things in our prayers without really thinking about it, even if those things are good, that is when they become “vain repetitions.” 

When we pray, we must use remember that we are addressing our Father in Heaven, our Creator, the Almighty God. Therefore, we must use language that shows love, reverence, and respect. The language varies on the different languages spoken, but in English, for example, we must use the same words that the scriptures use to address God such as Thee, Thou, Thy, and Thine (True to the Faith, 119). Imagine speaking to a king. You would not just address him like you would your friends or family. You would be formal and courteous. God is a million times greater than an ordinary king. We must show him all the respect, love, and reverence He deserves.

We must always start our prayers by giving thanks to our Father in Heaven. He has given us so much and we should show our gratitude before jumping into all our needs. We should “live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which he doth bestow upon you” (Alma 34:38). As we take the time to remember all the blessings we have been given, we will begin to recognize just how much Heavenly Father has done for us. I, personally, try to find at least ten things to be grateful for before making my requests. I always thank him for my family and for the gospel. I also try to come up with some new things every time so that I avoid “vain repetitions.” Sometimes, I even try to express why I am thankful for those things and I pour out my gratitude even for the smallest of things. Remember, we are in existence because of Him. Literally everything we have is because of Him.

We must remember the needs of others as we pray. According to Alma 34:27, we must offer prayers “for your welfare, and also for the welfare of those who are around you.” We must try to think of others outside our own needs. We must remember our church leaders and the missionaries out serving in the world. We must remember our family, friends, and coworkers. There are so many people who can benefit from our prayers. 

Sometimes we need to ask the Holy Ghost what we should pray about. Is there anything extra that should be included? There are several scriptures that talk about how the Holy Ghost can guide us in knowing what to say in our prayers (Romans 8:26; 2 Nephi 32:8). He knows what Heavenly Father wants so he can help us pray “according to the will of God” (D&C 46:30). Richard G. Scott advises us to try to learn to ask the right questions. We should consider changing our requests from what we want to earnestly asking for what the Lord wants (Using the Supernatural Gift). The Lord is all-knowing. He will not lead us astray. He wants us to return to Him and will always lead us in the right direction. However, we must ask the right questions in order to receive the answers we need. Being specific is one way of receiving answers. Joseph Smith had a specific question when he went into the grove: “Which church should I join?” He was not vague with something like “please help me to know which church is right.” He had a specific question that he wanted to know the answer to. And it was a sincere, earnest desire of his heart which he received an answer to.

People most often pray when they have an important and/or troubling decision to make. In D&C 9:7-10 He advises us to “study it out in your mind” before bringing it before Him, then He will give us an answer. We must be willing to act and should not expect our prayers to be magically answered. Our prayers will be in vain if we “turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in need” (Alma 34:28). According to David A. Bednar in his talk Ask in Faith, “Action alone is not faith in the Savior, but acting in accordance with correct principles is a central component of faith. Thus, “faith without works is dead” (James 2:20)” (emphasis added). Sometimes we expect Heavenly Father to answer our prayers when all we have done is say a prayer. “The doors of heaven will ever be closed to those who hold out their hands, waiting for blessings to drop from heaven upon them” (Wirthlin, Improving Our Prayers). We must be willing to act on our prayers and the answers we receive. This is often the part people find the most difficult or choose to ignore.

We are advised to have personal prayers “in secret” (Matthew 6:6) because it is an essential part of our own personal spiritual growth. However, even if we are alone, we should sometimes make an effort to pray vocally. True to the Faith advises us to pray in private at least every morning and every night. For me, this is the time when I can truly express my soul to Heavenly Father. I lay before him my private concerns, my doubts, my needs, and then I earnestly ask that He assist me with figuring out solutions, unburdening me, or simply forgiving me of my weaknesses. I know that private prayers are the time for repenting of any sins you may have committed whether big or small. Of course the big ones sometimes require counsel with your bishop and other steps, but all sins require a one-on-one with God as you humble yourself and ask for His forgiveness.

We should also pray with our families “that your wives and your children may be blessed” (3 Nephi 18:21). True to the Faith says of this matter that “through regular family prayer, you and your family members will draw nearer to God and to each other. Your children will learn to communicate with their Father in Heaven” (p. 122). We are once again advised to make this a morning and nightly ritual with our families. Each family member should be given the opportunity to say the prayer. Children will learn the importance of saying their prayers through the example set in the home.

If we are ever called on to say a public prayer, we should remember that we are still speaking to Heavenly Father. We should not worry about what others might think of what we are saying. Instead, we should give a humble, heartfelt, and sincere prayer. Joseph B. Wirthlin said, “Some believe that the more eloquent a prayer, the more effective. Too often these prayers are not so much meant for the ears of the Almighty as they are for the ears of the audience. Do you want to commune with the Infinite? Then approach Him with reverence and humility. Don’t worry so much about whether your words are polished or not. Worry instead about speaking from your heart” (Improving Our Prayers). This is one of my biggest struggles. I never know what to say during a public prayer. I worry too much about what people will think and I can never give a “good” prayer. My private prayers are always very sincere and thought out, but when it comes to praying publicly, I can never think of anything. I always feel everything that comes to my mind is either too personal or not personal enough. I always fall back onto the cliches of public prayers such as “bless the teachers” or “bless that we’ll feel the Spirit” and I never earnestly pray for anything. I fall into those “vain repetitions” too often instead of sincerely putting my heart into it.

In Psalm 37, David revealed a step-by step process for active prayer and faith. It may serve as a pattern for us to follow as we seek to increase our faith and improve our prayers. “Fret not” is the first step (verse 1). We need to stop worrying about everything. According to Joseph B. Wirthlin, “When we worry about the future, we create unhappiness in the present” (Improving Our Prayers). 

The next step is “trust in the Lord” (verse 3). We need to trust Him because He is all-knowing and ever-loving. He wants what is best for us and knows what we need. He is perfect and wants us to return to Him. 

The next step is “do good” (verse 3). As church members, we are expected to do good as we follow Christ’s example. Joseph B. Wirthlin says, “we have made solemn covenants to serve as a light unto the world. Our Heavenly Father expects our actions to serve as a living testimony to our words. As we do good, the Lord can bless our efforts” (Improving Our Prayers). This does not mean that we should never make a mistake. The Lord asks that we do our best and that we repent of our sins. As we make mistakes, we should learn from them and try our best not to repeat them. We will become more Christlike if we do these things.

The fourth step is to “delight thyself also in the Lord” (verse 4). Rather than sulking and grumbling about what we are not receiving, we should be joyful and grateful. We should know that in His own time, the Lord will bring about our righteous desires. 

The fifth step is to “commit thy way unto the Lord” (verse 5). No matter what trials we are going through, no matter what concerns we have, we should always commit ourselves to the Lord and His commandments. They are always the right way.

The sixth step is to “rest in the Lord” (verse 7). Even though it is often very difficult, sometimes, all we can do is wait and be patient. The Lord will answer our prayers in His own due time. 

David A. Bednar encourages us to ask for missionary opportunities. He gave a specific list of some things to include in our prayers in his talk Ask in Faith: 1) Thank Heavenly Father for the doctrines and ordinances of the gospel. 2) Ask for courage to share the gospel with friends and family. 3) Ask Heavenly Father to help us find people who will be receptive to the teachings of the gospel. 4) Pledge to do our part and ask for help overcoming fear, hesitation, and anxiety. 5) Seek for the gift of discernment, meaning you are able to spot missionary opportunities as they occur. 

We should never give into the idea that we are unworthy to pray. This idea comes from Satan who wants to convince us not to pray and lead us away (2 Nephi 32:8). True to the Faith advises “if you do not feel like praying, pray until you do feel like praying” (p. 121). The Savior commanded, “Pray always, that you may come off conqueror; yea, that you may conquer Satan, and that you may escape the hands of the servants of Satan that do uphold his work” (D&C 10:5). Richard G. Scott says, “It matters not our circumstance, be we humble or arrogant, poor or rich, free or enslaved, learned or ignorant, loved or forsaken, we can address Him. We need no appointment. Our supplication can be brief or can occupy all the time needed. It can be an extended expression of love and gratitude or an urgent plea for help” (Using the Supernatural Power). I know that a lot of people who have strayed away from the church see themselves as unworthy and decide that they cannot pray. This is absolutely the opposite of what we should do when we go astray. If we decide that we want forgiveness or a change, we need to pray. God will always, always hear us. I see so many people who think “I have gone so far. I have sinned so much. There is no way I can come back. It’s not worth trying.” This is Satan talking! He’s trying to keep you in the dark by convincing you that there is no way back. There is always a way back! Praying is the first and most essential step. Get down on your knees and tell your Father in Heaven everything. He is always listening. He loves you so much.

As we pray with our Father in Heaven we receive a “gentle outpouring of the Spirit” (Wirthlin, Improving Our Prayers). The Lord tells us in D&C 50:24 “that which is of God is light; and he that receiveth light, and continueth in God, receiveth more light; and that light groweth brighter and brighter until the perfect day.” People who do not have this light will always struggle with unbelief. Only through prayer can we receive this light. As we pray, our souls will become filled with light and we will begin to understand. 

Sometimes even after we have prayed or even received a priesthood blessing, we do not see immediate effects. Elder Bednar gave an example of a family traveling through Europe. While they were there, the 13-year-old son became very sick. At first the parents brushed off the sickness as fatigue from air-travel, but as it persisted and increased throughout the day, they became very worried. They were far away from home and did not know how to get proper medical assistance. The boy was given a priesthood blessing, but the mother knew that “merely waiting for the anticipated blessing would not be enough; they needed to continue to act.” Even though the blessing the son had received was in effect, the mother and son knelt in prayer. They included an acknowledgement of trust in the blessing the son had received and a commitment to persevere through whatever was in store for them that was in line with God’s will. Shortly after their prayer, the son’s condition improved (Ask In Faith). It was the increased and unwavering faith of the mother and family that brought the promised blessings upon the son. Even though he had already received a priesthood blessing, it was after the “trial of their faith” (Bednar, Ask In Faith) that the son was healed. 

The Savior taught, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8). Heavenly Father always hears our prayers and He always answers them. He may not answer them in the way we expect or right away, but He does answer them. Sometimes He says no even when our petitions are sincere. He knows what is best and we should trust in Him. Richard G. Scott tells us that often our answers do not come in ways we expect and usually not right away: “His answers will seldom come while you are on your knees praying, even when you may plead for an immediate response. Rather, He will prompt you in quiet moments when the Spirit can most effectively touch your mind and heart” (Using the Supernatural Gift). As the Savior taught, “Thy will be done” (Luke 11:2). However, just saying “thy will be done” is not enough. We all have to completely surrender to the will of God and accept whatever the outcome may be. To quote David A. Bednar, “Prayer is a privilege and the soul’s sincere desire.” In order for our relationship with our Father in Heaven to be fully functional, our sincere desire must align with His will. If we pray always, soon the sincere desires of our hearts will align with His will.

Bibliography

Bednar, David A. "Ask in Faith." Spring 2008 General Conference.

"Prayer." Gospel Topics. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

True to the Faith. Salt Lake City: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, 2004.

Scott, Richard G. “Using the Supernatural Gift of Prayer.” Spring 2007 General Conference.

Wirthlin, Joseph B. "Improving Our Prayers." Spring 2004 General Conference.