O' Brother Where Art Thou? Now on Blu-Ray DVD

What do you get when you cross The Three Stooges with Homer’s Odyssey? You get what the Coen Brothers call ‘O’ Brother Where Art Thou?’ This star-studded, well acted, scored and directed film has become a cult classic over the years, but more than that, this highly anticipated release on Blu-ray DVD has become a classic Coen Brothers film. Released initially in 2,000 this 10+ year old film tells an incredible story that is as timeless as The Odyssey by Homer which it is based on.

Over the years the Coen Brothers have contributed a great deal to the cinema. From such films as Raising Arizona, Barton Fink, Fargo, The Big Lebowski, No Country for Old Men, and as of late, True Grit, this brother director force has produced some of the top grossing, well reviewed films of the last 10 years. Some would justifiably argue that O’ Brother Where Art Thou, may be the best of the lot. I wouldn’t go quite that far but I would go so far as to say it is certainly in their top 5, possibly top 3 films. The story weaves together like a fine Amish quilt and of all the roles George Clooney has played, his role here as Ulysses Everett the leader of the trio of convicts on the run is my favorite. Every role though has incredible talent, especially Pete and Delmer, played by John Turturro and Tim Blake Neslson. While mixing in humor with allegorical story, the film is quite entertaining.

The story follows the exploits of three escaped convicts in the 1930’s. Shortly after the after their escape they come across an old man who shares a prophesy with them about how their lives is going to change for the better after a series of difficulties. The location of the movie set in the South in the 1930’s incorporates a part of the regions history as well as the music of the region in its storytelling. It seems as if Everett, Pete and Delmer are three convicts searching for their freedom, not just in a literal sense, but also in a spiritual sense. As the three come across various circumstances and opportunities their story mixes in humor with stunning visuals. Along the way is a mixture of spiritual themes that each character must address in their lives.

The Coen Brothers do something somewhat incredible in their movies, they find ways to take the strange character and make them not only likeable, but present them in such a way that the audience can relate to, and appreciate them. The same can be said for O’ Brother. One of the things they do here, especially in the primary three characters is they do this with humor, but also with us caring for each of the characters presented on screen. There is no doubt as to who is a good guy or who is a bad guy, but there is also no doubt that the acts of the person in the past does not make them who they are now. We see this especially as the characters develop and come to recognize the important things of life such as friendship, freedom, and the hope for an eternal future.

The spiritual significance of the story can be easily associated with various Christian concepts, ranging from scenes of acceptance of all people, despite race, or background to the ability to change and become a new creature. We also see the danger of religion, especially of those pretending to be something they aren’t. We especially see this in the role of a Bible salesman by John Goodman. We also see the positive aspects of religion, especially in a character that goes through a transformation in a baptism scene. In another symbolic baptism scene, we see characters getting ready to be hung and killed when suddenly, after a confession and prayer, a giant flood comes in. Out of the water emerge new creatures that recognize the potential for the future. We also see the imagery of crosses and church played out in the storyline. Of all of these themes, I especially liked the way the redemptive themes are presented. They are played out in such a way that we can see that whosoever can find redemption, for whatsoever. We even see this in the movies featured track, by Alison Krauss and Union Station, featuring Dan Tyminski, Man of Constant Sorrow. During an exciting conclusion of the film, we see the song play out to the point that not only the characters, but the viewer sees the possibility of hope, especially hope that comes with the love from others and commitment to God.

There is nothing I didn’t like about this movie. The story flows with ample spiritual themes that have the viewer relating to the temptations of their own life, and the possibility of change. Not only change though but the hopes of a bright, eternal future. The Blu-ray transfer is quite nice; especially the sound aspects and both of these make the DVD worth owning. While there are some good special features, I would have liked more. It is well worth owning though and is a movie I have watched many times and now with the Blu-ray aspect, will watch many more, but with more clarity, sound quality and an overall enjoyable experience. If you haven’t seen the film, get it, watch it, and enjoy a Coen Brothers classic.

To see the video posted below, click on the video, if the video doesn’t appear or appears in distorted form, click on the following link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08e9k-c91E8&feature=related


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Now for those that do not know, make sure you check out the numerous articles and blogs by checking out the archives. If visiting The Virtual Pew or MySpace they are archived on the left hand side of the page. Scroll down to where you see newer or older listed under archives and then click there. There are hundreds of postings so make sure to check out the archives. You can also contact me for a free e-book pre edit version of The Keystone Kid at mike@thevirtualpew.comYou can visit http://www.thevirtualpew.com/ and on the front page down on the left side you sill see our store. Your purchase provides needed funds to The Virtual Pew. If you do not see something to purchase you can click on the search engine, (do not put anything in the search box at this time). You will be taken to Amazon where you can search for anything you desire. Hopefully you will consider a gift to The Virtual Pew.

Now I get asked this quite often, Can we repost your blogs or articles? The short answer to that is, what an honor that you would ask, and by all means, spread the word.Here is our contact information

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Dumbo on Blu-Ray, 70th Anniversary Special Edition

There are some movies that pass the test of time; Dumbo is one of those movies. Disney has just released this classic on Blu-Ray DVD and the question for most will be this, is it worth it? Let me tell you, as a fan of Disney, and especially as a fan of classic animation, this product is well worth it and we now have the opportunity to see Dumbo like never before.

There was the magic age of Disney where it seemed like everything they touched turned to gold, Dumbo is among that era, and the fact that Walt Disney himself had his hand involved in this is no coincidence. The fact that a film released in 1941 would still have appeal to a small child today, and at the same time, entertain their parents or grandparents is a testament to the reason Dumbo is a classic. This animated tale includes valuable lessons in everything from family, to friendship, and from bullying to obtaining dreams. There is more though and the reality that it is all included in only 64 minutes is outstanding. Some would consider Dumbo a part of Disney Gold, count me among them.

For those not familiar with the story, Dumbo is the new baby delivery to Mrs. Jumbo the elephant. He is delivered by the stork, and early on we see how much mothers love their children, whether a lion or a chimpanzee, parents from all walks of life love their children, (or at least they should.) Unfortunately Mrs. Jumbo doesn’t get her baby on time, he comes a little late. We see her go from sadness to joy, back to love and protector as she discovers that Dumbo has an apparent defect, he has giant ears. In a moment of Dumbo being bullied and her trying to protect him she is put into captivity and separated from her baby. This scene, some years later, still brings tears to most that see the love of Mrs. Jumbo for her son when they are separated. Fortunately, Dumbo is befriended by Timothy Q. Mouse who takes Dumbo under his wing, and in the process, helps Dumbo learn to accept himself.

I used the word ‘magic’ earlier, along with the word ‘outstanding.’ I don’t use either of those words lightly. What happens on screen, especially with the time frame given, is nothing short of either of these two words. We see an outstanding, magical story that has many life lessons for those watching. The 64 minutes of this presentation may be as close to 64 minutes of perfection ever put on screen. We see everything from plot development, incredible voice acting, brilliant animation, (not the CGI we are used to, but real animation) and life affirming, eternal messages that will last as long as movies exist. I have seen movies that have lasted for hours that were unable to come close to the character development we see here. I have seen entire series that have said less in their hours than Dumbo presents in its 1 hour. I have seen less entertaining films, that get boring and yet after numerous viewings I have never gotten bored with this story, yes, I use the words ‘magic’ and ‘outstanding’ with intent.

There are so many lessons that one could touch on with Dumbo, but one I have thought little of in the past is the importance of friendship and encouragement we see in the character of Timothy Q. Mouse, not just him though, but in other characters like the crows who encourage Dumbo to find a way to put his giant ears to good use. Those lessons of encouragement, of befriending the outcast, the one who is bullied is a message and theme just as important today as it was in 1941 when this movie was released. In a world where we see bullying and making fun of others played out so much, to know that a lesson of friendship can be learned, appreciated, and at the same time, entertain even for a 2 year old is refreshing. That refreshing concept is the concept I appreciated as I watched the movie with my 18-month-old granddaughter who was entertained throughout the film. I understood, those are lessons I will be able to revisit with her over and over again as she gets older, not just those messages though, but others that are presented in the film such as the love and appreciation of family. The spiritual lessons of how we are to love each other, to see the positive in each other, despite those things we consider faults in others is another life lesson of value. If we could learn to see the benefit and potential in others in the same way God sees those things in us we would be in such a better place. Of course real friends can help with that process. We can learn, whether the one needing encouragement, or the one giving encouragement, there is benefit to loving each other and treating each other like family. Dumbo and Timothy both learn those lessons and we learn along with them.

One of the things I normally like to comment on is the quality of the DVD and the special features. In those aspects, Disney, with Dumbo, delivers. While we have a small screen format as opposed to a widescreen presentation, the colors and sound are more vibrant and brilliant as ever. Disney has included some special features including artwork around the framing of the film to fill out the television screen. I also found myself enjoying as much as ever the abundant special features that Disney brings to this product. In the past Disney has mostly been a hit in the special features they present; sometimes there is a let down; that is not the case with Dumbo. While the navigation bars are not the easiest to navigate, there are numerous features that I have not seen before which make this DVD a definite must own for those owning Blu-ray players. I would go so far as to say this; the purchase of a DVD player would be worth it if buying it to watch this movie. One will quickly find out there are ample features on the Blu-ray DVD’s, (generally speaking) but when finding a blu-ray like this one, you realize, your purchase of the player, plus the extra cost for the DVD are well worth it because it isn’t often we get the opportunity to enjoy a magical, refreshing, outstanding film and product like this version of Disney’s Dumbo.

To see the video posted below, click on the video, if the video doesn’t appear or appears in distorted form, click on the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zvTstdw1g6o



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Now for those that do not know, make sure you check out the numerous articles and blogs by checking out the archives. If visiting The Virtual Pew or MySpace they are archived on the left hand side of the page. Scroll down to where you see newer or older listed under archives and then click there. There are hundreds of postings so make sure to check out the archives. You can also contact me for a free e-book pre edit version of The Keystone Kid at mike@thevirtualpew.comYou can visit http://www.thevirtualpew.com/ and on the front page down on the left side you sill see our store. Your purchase provides needed funds to The Virtual Pew. If you do not see something to purchase you can click on the search engine, (do not put anything in the search box at this time). You will be taken to Amazon where you can search for anything you desire. Hopefully you will consider a gift to The Virtual Pew.

Now I get asked this quite often, Can we repost your blogs or articles? The short answer to that is, what an honor that you would ask, and by all means, spread the word.Here is our contact information

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Park City Kansas, 67219

Email: mike@furches.org

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ABC's No Ordinary Family, Season 1

Imagine a family consisting of a father, mother, son and daughter starting to fall away from each other. Some of us would be used to it as it tends to happen, especially when the children become teenagers and the parents are caught up in their own careers. The family decides to come together, spend some time together and take a trip to South America. Along the way, the plane they are traveling in crashes. They fall into a body of water where they end up breathing in unknown substances from the lake. Unknown to them, they each develop super powers which enable them to do unique things, the father can leap buildings in a single bound and has a new super human strength. The mom can run faster than the speed of light. The daughter can hear the thoughts from others and the son goes from a C student to super genius. If one didn’t know better, they would almost thing No Ordinary Family starring Michael Chiklas from The Shield and The Fantastic Four, and as his wife, Julie Benz, known best for her role as Dexter’s wife in the Showtime series Dexter is based on the Pixar film, The Incredible’s If one doesn’t take the series too seriously they will find a ABC series that deserved more respect and viewership than it received.

One of the benefits of new technological advancements is that a television series like No Ordinary Family can appear almost like a feature film as to the quality of acting, special effects, and story. In those regards this is a pleasing series that deserved another chance to bring in an audience. Michael Chiklas and Julie Benz do a terrific job as does their supporting cast. Everything about the series proved enjoyable, with quality editing, direction, and always entertaining enjoyable story.

I was especially pleased how the story developed. Each character grew into their part, especially true with the children who have their own special powers and issues related to those powers. In some of the same ways as series Smallville, the characters develop in such a way where we find ourselves caring about them and the struggles they are going through. While far from perfect, the issues related to growing up are addressed in a way most can relate to.

At the heart of the series is the desire of the characters to serve their community and those in trouble. While there are sacrifices to be made, those sacrifices take into consideration the role of family and the gifts they have been given. Each character has their own issues and difficulties to face, yet there is a willingness to serve their fellow man. Often times we see individuals in movies make these kinds of decisions, yet never take into consideration the cost of those decisions. That is not the case here, there is a love of family, an understanding of gifts, yet also an understanding of what could be lost when serving others. The difficulty of those types of decisions hits home to me in No Ordinary Family. There is a cost to pay, but ultimately, the need to serve their community and using their gifts for the wellbeing of their fellow humans come at a cost, but a cost that is worth it.

I enjoyed No Ordinary Family. It is a series that deserved a chance for continuation as it was well done, and promoted the family. It promotes more than that though, it promoted the need of each person using their gifts for the good of their community. Those are themes we just don’t have enough of and it was a refreshing program in comparison to all of the other programs on the air. One of the only negatives regarding the DVD series for me was the lack of special features. While there are a few, they are not listed on the product and are not enlightening to the series. ABC unfortunately never gave the series a chance so it doesn’t surprise me that they didn’t put more into the DVD, that isn’t a reflection on the product though, it is a reflection on ABC, there are many fans who wanted more. Watch for yourself, see how the show could have gone places, places we need, and places we deserved.

To see the video posted below, click on the video, if the video doesn’t appear or appears in distorted form, click on the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i3ssH58qf8I



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Click to visit with Pastor Mike regarding any of your needs. He will respond to each request personally, and if need be refer you to one of our other pastors.

Click to subscribe to my blog

Click to visit and join our sister group at MySpace Hollywood Jesus.

Now for those that do not know, make sure you check out the numerous articles and blogs by checking out the archives. If visiting The Virtual Pew or MySpace they are archived on the left hand side of the page. Scroll down to where you see newer or older listed under archives and then click there. There are hundreds of postings so make sure to check out the archives. You can also contact me for a free e-book pre edit version of The Keystone Kid at mike@thevirtualpew.comYou can visit http://www.thevirtualpew.com/ and on the front page down on the left side you sill see our store. Your purchase provides needed funds to The Virtual Pew. If you do not see something to purchase you can click on the search engine, (do not put anything in the search box at this time). You will be taken to Amazon where you can search for anything you desire. Hopefully you will consider a gift to The Virtual Pew.

Now I get asked this quite often, Can we repost your blogs or articles? The short answer to that is, what an honor that you would ask, and by all means, spread the word.Here is our contact information

The Virtual Pew
6441 N. Hydraulic
Park City Kansas, 67219

Email: mike@furches.org

Click on the following links to learn more about The Virtual Pew

Donations to The Virtual Pew

The Virtual Pew Blog

Personal Furches Web Site

Mary Jane Furches MySpace Page

Mike Furches MySpace Page

Mike Furches MySpace Blog

Hollywood Jesus

Reviews With Mike

The Virtual Pew Sermons

The Virtual Pew News

MySpace Hollywood Jesus Group

MySpace The Virtual Pew Group

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To Subscribe to The Virtual Pew Live Feed