Movie Reflection: “Beauty and the Beast”

Beauty and the Beast (2017) imdb.com
“.. An adaptation of the Disney fairy tale about a monstrous-looking prince and a young woman who fall in love.
Director: Bill Condon
Writers: Stephen Chbosky (screenplay), Evan Spiliotopoulos (screenplay)
Stars: Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans |..”

Beauty and the Beast – US Official Final Trailer

“Published on Jan 30, 2017

The final trailer for Beauty and the Beast is here 🌹 On March 17, rediscover a tale as old as time. Get your tickets now at BeOurGuest.com

—
Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” is a live-action re-telling of the studio’s animated classic which refashions the classic characters from the tale as old as time for a contemporary audience, staying true to the original music while updating the score with several new songs. “Beauty and the Beast” is the fantastic journey of Belle, a bright, beautiful and independent young woman who is taken prisoner by a beast in his castle. Despite her fears, she befriends the castle’s enchanted staff and learns to look beyond the Beast’s hideous exterior and realize the kind heart and soul of the true Prince within. The film stars: Emma Watson as Belle; Dan Stevens as the Beast; Luke Evans as Gaston, the handsome, but shallow villager who woos Belle; Oscar® winner Kevin Kline as Maurice, Belle’s eccentric, but lovable father; Josh Gad as Lefou, Gaston’s long-suffering aide-de-camp; Golden Globe® nominee Ewan McGregor as Lumiere, the candelabra; Oscar nominee Stanley Tucci as Maestro Cadenza, the harpsichord; Oscar nominee Ian McKellen as Cogsworth, the mantel clock; and two-time Academy Award® winner Emma Thompson as the teapot, Mrs. Potts.”

Reviews:

Beauty and the Beast (2017) rottentomatoes.com
3.20.17 –“70%
Average Rating: 6.7/10
Reviews Counted: 212
Fresh: 148
Rotten: 64

Critics Consensus: With an enchanting cast, beautifully crafted songs, and a painterly eye for detail, Beauty and the Beast offers a faithful yet fresh retelling that honors its beloved source material.
“
Why Some Parents Say Christians Should Watch Disney’s Beauty and the Beast 03-19-2017 www1.cbn.com
“..When Disney announced it would feature an “exclusively gay moment” in its new “Beauty and the Beast” remake, Christians everywhere vowed to boycott the movie. Despite the backlash, some Christians say parents should think twice about prohibiting their children from seeing the film.

CBN News caught up with folks who saw the movie opening weekend to find out what they think about the controversy. Click the video above to see what they said.

One of those parents is Sarah Wallace, a blogger for The Gospel Centered Mom, and mother of four. She says the movie gives parents the opportunity to teach their children how to interract with a world that loves sin.

“This is the culture God has appointed for us to raise our children in. We need to know how to live in it and interact with it,” she says. Instead of ignoring a culture that celebrates homosexualtiy, Wallace argues that Christians should send their children out into the world with strong knowledge of what the Bible says. ..”
*see Homosexual Acts a Sin? Judge Not! goodnewseverybodycom.wordpress.com

Sal: I’ve seen various versions of this story, but somehow this particular movie inspired me to write about this one. One major reason was the character…

Hattie Morahan as Agathe /en.wikipedia.org
“..– a reclusive, old woman who lives in Villeneuve who, in reality, is a beautiful enchantress in disguise responsible for cursing the Prince. She watches and manipulates the events between Belle and the Prince, secretly acting as their guardian.[18]

Morahan also narrates the prologue…”

I saw her as the “guardian” angel and a particular symbol in the Bible of someone we “humans” need to watch for in life. Can’t let looks disguise you as the theme of this movie pretty much teaches..

Others:

SPOILER ALERT!!!

What’s Up With Agathe In ‘Beauty And The Beast’? She’s A Complicated Character, To Say The Least By Olivia Truffaut-Wong bustle.com
“..Just a nameless and vindictive creature in the animated film, the Enchantress depicted in the new Beauty and the Beast, as played by Hattie Morahan, has a life beyond just cursing a spoiled Prince who refused to give her shelter. Named Agathe, the Enchantress appears in the prologue scene to curse the Beast, but she also pops up throughout the film as a villager. Agathe makes her debut in the film as the provincial town’s local old maid. She is an unmarried woman left begging on the streets, used by Gaston as a cautionary tale after Belle tells him she doesn’t want to go out with him. Pointing to Agathe, Gaston warns Belle that, in this town, an unmarried woman is destined to end up on the street…

Perphas the most significant change to the story in the live action Beauty and the Beast is the presence of Agathe at the end of the film. In the movie, the last rose petal has already fallen when Belle tells the Beast that she loves him. Belle didn’t break the curse at all, Agathe did. When the townspeople rush the castle, she enters with them, slipping in among the angry mob and making her way up to the West Wing of the castle. After witnessing Belle’s declaration, Agathe makes the conscious decision to lift the curse. In other words, she plays an active role in creating their Happily Ever After. Ultimately, the power to break the curse is in her hands and hers alone. She’s not just a random witch, she’s a woman with agency….”
*see Deep Thought: What “causes” us to do “bad” (sin) stuff? goodnewseverybodycom.wordpress.com
on breaking that “generational curse”

What other “life lessons” or any personal thoughts or reflections you got from this movie or any of the Beauty and the Beast versions?

SPECIAL FEATURE

Music

(Music: Karaoke-“Tale as Old as Time” (Beauty & the Beast) from Crazy lil’ Sal creativemusicartsy.wordpress.com)

Beauty and the Beast (2017 soundtrack) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia wikipedia.org
“…Condon originally planned on not only drawing inspiration from the original film, but he also planned to include most, if not all, of the songs composed by Alan Menken, Howard Ashman and Tim Rice from the Broadway musical, with the intention of making the film as a “straight-forward, live-action, large-budget movie musical”. Menken returned to score the film’s music, which features songs from the original film by him and Ashman, plus new material written by Menken and Rice. Menken said the film would not include songs that were written for the Broadway musical and instead, created four new songs. On January 19, 2017, it was confirmed by both Disney and Celine Dion, singer of the original title track, that she will perform one of the new original songs, “How Does a Moment Last Forever”, to play over the end titles.[1][4] The film will also feature a new version of “Beauty and the Beast” by Ariana Grande and John Legend.[1][5] Some songs contained Ashman’s unused lyrics that were cut from the animated version…”
Beauty and the Beast (From “Beauty and the Beast”/Official Video)

Music: Karaoke-“Be our guest” (Beauty & the Beast) by Crazy lil’ Sal creativemusicartsy.wordpress.com

Theatrical

Miscellaneous

10 MOVIE MISTAKES Fixed By Beauty And The Beast (2017)

Thoughts of the new version? Any similarities and differences that stood out for you between the old and new? Anything interesting you would like me to add on this subject?

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Neutral Perspective: Masturbation is “good” and “bad”?

GOOD

10 Reasons To Make Masturbation Part Of Your Wellness Routine by Alexandra JamiesonMay 5, 2015 10:42 AM mindbodygreen.com
“..Through working with thousands of women as a health coach (in addition to my own personal experience), masturbation has been both an uncomfortable topic to talk about — while also being a powerful healing technique. It’s time to finally embrace it.

Masturbation has gotten a bad reputation, mainly because religion and culture tell us it’s a sin. The Bible doesn’t explicitly talk about masturbation, although there is some stern warning against “spilling your seed on the ground.” The Catholic Church decided that masturbation (sometimes referred to as “onanism” after Onin, a Biblical character) was a sin deserving of eternal damnation.

By the time World War I came around, onanism was being called “self-abuse” and described in medical texts as more dangerous to young boys than lying or stealing. Girls and women aren’t even mentioned, as if “the fairer sex” couldn’t even possibly do something so dirty.

So it stands to reason that most of us would feel some traces of shame, guilt, or even fear when practicing this very natural act. But take heart from the animal world and modern science! Dozens of mammal, bird, and insect species have been documented to masturbate in captivity and in the wild. From penguins, to dolphins, horses, and even porcupines, mother nature has no judgment when it comes to wrapping your hand, wing, or fin, around your own personal magic wand. ..”

NEUTRAL

Masturbation Debate (Part 1) , from youtube.com
“..Published on Aug 17, 2012

One of the most common topics that gets debated in our ministry is masturbation. Is it a sin? Does the Bible say anything about it? Does it even matter when talking about sexual purity? These and many other questions come up over and over. This 3-part series will help shed light on this issue from a biblical perspective…”

WOMEN

Masturbation: Is It Wrong? Dr. Juli Slattery todayschristianwoman.com
Yes . . . and no. Guidelines for sorting out a complicated question.
“.. 1. What are you thinking about?

While masturbation itself isn’t immoral, the sexual fantasies that usually go with it may be. Most women only masturbate when they are thinking about or looking at something sexual. Sexual fantasies about someone you are not married to are, as Jesus stated, “adultery of the heart.”

“But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman [or man] with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” (Matthew 5:28)

If you are single, fantasizing even about some fictional sexy guy is promoting lustful thoughts. If you are married and fantasizing about another man, you are violating, in your mind and heart, your promise to give yourself sexually only to your husband. On the other hand, there is nothing wrong with a married woman fantasizing about her own husband…

2. What is your motive?

The Bible makes it clear that God is very concerned about our motives. For example, giving money to your church might be a wonderful act of worship or an empty gesture, depending upon the attitude of your heart. The same can be true of masturbation.
….
3. Is it mastering you? (No pun intended.)

The apostle Paul taught that “nothing should master” us. In other words, we shouldn’t be controlled or addicted to anything…

4. Am I honoring God with my body?

“Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19–20)….

“

BAD

Can Christians Masturbate?

“Published on Jun 9, 2013

This video uses common Protestant theology to show that masturbation for Christians does not need to be such a guilt-ridden, condemning act as it is often treated.
—

For my regular subscribers, please note that I am not using a skeptical method of analyzing doctrine but am staying within the bounds of commonly accepted Protestant beliefs.
(Essence of Spring by Jeff Woodall licensed by http://www.ambientsoundgarden.com)”
Christian girls talking about sex and masturbation

“Published on Jul 18, 2014

2014 : http://www.marcellee.com”

Negative Effects of Masturbation
September 24, 2012 by Andrew Michell howtostopmasturbation.com
“…Picture
Does masturbation have negative effects? Scientists published this very revealing graph in the Archives of Sexual Behavior here. You can see that as masturbation increases the satisfaction with life decreases. The more a person masturbates the more dissatisfied a person may become. This leads to depression, unhappiness, lack of motivation, and other problems. (click to enlarge picture)

If masturbation is so healthy as so many claim then why are so many people here complaining of pain and negative effects from masturbating? Religion has nothing to do with it because even non religious people experience the same pains and negative side effects. Actually %100 of the data from this study came from Sweden, which is the most atheistic country* in the western world! The more often atheists masturbate the worse they feel. Some will reply “But masturbation is okay unless you are doing it 10 times a day.” Look at the graph. People who feel the worst masturbate only 10 times a month. ..”

Others:

Health: Benefits of Masturbation? goodnewshealthandfitness.wordpress.com

What are your thoughts?

Good News Sex
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Deep Thought: What’s the “oldest” age recorded of women having a baby?

Faith

“….”–Genesis 17

The Bible talks about barren women who later had children. Why did they have to wait? thisisyourbible.com

What does the bible say about barren women who had to wait til late in life to have children? What is the lesson for us?

“Thank you for asking a question on http://www.thisisyourbible.com

In the Bible just 6 women are described specifically as ‘barren’.

By nature the women who were barren would have borne no children. Each had children by the direct intervention of God.

Barrenness in women and infertility in men are evils of this present world of sin and death brought about by Adam’s disobedience. Barrenness is not punishment on individuals, but like disease, accidents, famines, floods and earthquakes, just another evil that many have to endure.

The promise to Israel, had they kept the covenant made with God at Sinai, makes clear that God can and would intervene and ensure fertility of both people and livestock…
“
Top 7 Bible Verses About Barren Women patheos.com
“..Children are a blessing from the Lord, and motherhood is a gift to mankind. In many cultures across the ages a woman’s value was based on her ability to reproduce, and her worth went up even more if she gave birth to a son. Not everyone can have children, though, so it has been a source of pain and suffering for many families through the years. Fortunately, a woman’s value today is not based solely on her fertility, but rather on the many other gifts and talents she might possess. The Scriptures do provide a source of hope and comfort to those who desire children, so here are my top 7 Bible verses about barren women…”
Scriptures concerning Fertility and Childbirth stronginfaith.org
“..Is it God’s will for me to conceive and give birth to children?

Yes, absolutely, The first command God gave to mankind was to “be fruitful and multiply.” ..”

-AFRICA

After Menopause, 52 Year Old Woman Delivers Her First Baby

“Published on Aug 11, 2013

http://www.africtoday.com

Mrs Kate Fezigha, a 52-year-old woman, has given birth to her first baby, which came after 19 years of her marriage.

Mrs Kate Fezigha got married in 1994.

For years, the new mother, who is a midwife at the General Hospital, Sagbama in Bayelsa State, has supervised the delivery of many children but she never had a child.

She got frustrated after her attempt to adopt a child from a Bayelsa-based orphanage home was scuttled, as she was duped by the coordinator of the home.

Her menstrual flow ceased sometime last year and Fezigha concluded that menopause had set in and her chances of having a child gone.

Afterwards, she started experiencing regular dizziness and pains in some parts of her body and went for a test and the scan showed she was pregnant.

Nine months after, she gave birth to a baby girl named Prudent on June 3, 2013.

Fezigha said at the dedication of the child and thanksgiving service, in Yenagoa that the conception and birth of the “miracle baby” was “the Lord’s doing and it is indeed marvellous”.

She said the pressure on her during her 19-year wait was unbearable, especially as the children she assisted their mothers to be delivered had become parents.

She said: “I was worried that all the children I had taken delivery of while on duty in the hospital were now parents.

“I reflected and declared to myself that in spite of the fact that no child had died in my hand during birth as a midwife, why shouldn’t I have mine?

“But a voice kept telling me to redouble my effort and I shall be blessed.

“But the mysterious voice started reducing in my head as I was fast losing hope. I decided to adopt a baby from an orphanage and I was swindled.

“At this stage, I ignored the voice and handed the matter over to God. And now I am a happy mother.”

It emerged that it was a mysterious sickness that led her into going for a scan that revealed a fibroid or cyst.

Another scan revealed that she was pregnant.

“I had mixed feelings after the second scan. I even told my husband that it’s false pregnancy.

“When my husband asked me what that meant, I became his lecturer, telling him what it meant and saw the expectation of a pregnancy in his eyes.

“A few months later, I started seeing some changes in my body. Throughout this period, I could not go to work and had to be hospitalised twice before I was delivered of the baby.

“Those who knew me could not believe it and screamed when they saw my protruding stomach. They screamed and shouted praise the Lord.”

Basking in the euphoria of her new bundle of joy, Fezigha said that her family is full of praises to God.

“All the period of waiting was not easy, but I am comforted by the word of God. Women who are hoping to have children should put their trust in God.””

-AMERICAS

=>USA

90-YEAR-OLD WOMAN PREGNANT AFTER YEARS OF PRAYING!, by Magde 11 months ago 2,601 views (today is March 14th 2017, so minus 11 months)
“..“But God always answers my prayers and though, at my age, the so called “doctors” say I can’t get knocked up, they is wrong. I pray hard enough, God will let me give birth to a grandchild. I mean, my own child, that I will treat like a grandchild.”

What Margaret Allen does every morning is get at 3am and pray to God for 14 hours make her pregnant. When she finishes with praying, this 80-year-old has dinner and goes to bed “mating with” a 22-year-old who she’s chosen to be the father of her baby…”

-EUROPE

How old is too old to have a baby? – Health – Health care – Breaking … By Arthur Caplan, Ph.D. msnbc.com contributor
updated 1/24/2005 3:06:34 PM ET nbcnews.com
”
The case of the ‘world’s oldest mom’

Assistance in knowing how old is too old has now been provided by a Romanian woman named Adriana Iliescu. The 66-year-old unmarried professor and writer gave birth by emergency Caesarean section to a baby girl on Jan. 17 at the Giulesti Maternity Hospital in Bucharest. She is now the oldest woman in the world ever to give birth. Her doctor, when asked why he would use reproductive technology to permit a 66-year-old woman to become pregnant, said he helped her because that is what she wanted to do, and because he was impressed with her faith in God and with her “determination.”…

-MISC

Stories of Faith from Miracle Mothers… – Miracle Mothers International miraclemothers.org

“..That first meeting was so amazing! Listening to all the women’s stories, their successes, and their struggles, it was nice to not feel so alone! I began to see that the Lord led me to this group. I began to understand that I was in need of spiritual healing. Karen was so dynamic and passionate about helping us through our struggles. The meeting left me emotionally exhausted, but with a sense of renewed faith and peace! Through Karen’s teaching, I learned that the Lord will fulfill His promises to me and that my past sins cannot separate me from His love—if I ask for His forgiveness. I learned that the Lord is never early and never late! He has a plan, which I can now see unfolding little by little. I now know that He will direct me to the path I should follow—whether IVF, adoption, IUI, or natural conception. WOW, what a weight that has been lifted off of me! Knowing that He is in control and I don’t have to be, I no longer feel pressure to do IVF or even know all the answers. I have put all my faith in Him, and I am giving Him my dreams! ..”

Genesis Chapter 21 – Isaac is Born

“Published on Feb 7, 2015

Audio by Word of Promise”

Thoughts, stories, prayer requests, etc..?

Good News Women
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