In this film (based off a TV show, I wasn't aware of) an unknown band is trying various crazy schemes to a get a concert at a well-known Canadian venue. Unfortunately, one of these crazy schemes accidently has them travel back to 2008 in a Back to the Future inspired way.
The storyline is completely over the top and silly. However, it is the dedication to this over-the-top silliness that gives the story its charm. It is hard not to appreciate a silly movie that dedicates itself so completely to silliness, especially when these types of comedies have sadly been too rare in recent years. Yet as silly as the story is it has a surprising amount of heart to it. We actually really like our main characters and the relationship between them is very well fleshed out and kind of touching.
I also very much appreciated this movie's mockumentary style of filmmaking. This film perfectly captures the look and feel of a documentary. I was impressed by just how great from a technical standpoint this was achieved, even to the point of using older cameras for the part that took place in 2008.
The main problem is that for a film that is first and foremost a comedy, it is only sporadically funny. There were some moments that made me laugh out loud here that they were too few and far between. A lot of the humor simply falls flat. This is most of all because it seems to try so hard to be funny that it can come off as a little off-putting and occasionally annoying instead. Matt Johnson as the main character can often be too over the top in his delivery of gags as well.
This movie has its charms but for such an over-the-top comedy, it is never as funny as it should be.
In this film, an employee (Rachel McAdams) is the smartest person at the firm but because she is socially awkward and not exactly fashionable, her new boss (Dylan O'Brien) gives a promotion to someone less qualified and treats her like a joke. However when the two end up as the only survivors on a deserted island, she becomes the one in charge.
The basic premise of being on a deserted island causing a great role reversal is nothing new. In fact, it has been done since the silent era (Male and Female (1919)). However, what Sam Rami does with it here makes it feel completely fresh. Rami makes a dark and twisted ride that is always a lot of fun. At first this movie seems very morally simplistic. We like the employee and think that her boss is a completely jerk. The early scenes do a great job of setting this up. Anyone who has ever had someone underestimate them and treat them as if they are incapable of something by someone who they are more capable than at that. This means pretty much everyone at one point in their lives or another. This fully puts us into her shoes and makes us care deeply about her and hate him. However, the characters soon turn out to be more complicated than that. She has her dark side, and he has his more vulnerable side. Because of this multiple times throughout the film, we find ourselves changing our alliances. This is because though both characters have their dark sides, we can still relate to each one. The last act of this movie becomes incredibly dark in its twists and turns but because everything was set up so well, this darkness feels completely earned.
This movie also works so well because of Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien. They are both incredibly excellent here capturing all the sometimes-contrasting character traits that make these characters so real and three dimensional. Rachel McAdams is especially great here. She has always been a very gifted actress, but she outdoes herself here with some of her best acting. She can go from a kind and caring person to someone who is absolutely terrifying at the drop of a hat and still feel like the same character.
This movie does have some flaws though. Much of the humor in the story's first act can feel forced and never as funny as it should be. While the final act takes this story to dark R rated places masterfully, the second act, sometimes can rely a bit too much on scenes that are only there for shock value. These flaws however hardly take away from how great this film can be elsewhere.
Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church.
Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with Jesus Loves the Little Children. Jesus would state, “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me." There is no doubt that Jesus did love the little children and he loves us big children too. If we will humble ourselves and become like little children, the blessings he has for us are immeasurable.
This is followed by Carl T. Sprague with his 1927 recording of Last Great Round Up.
Afterwards comes Susan Raye with What a Friend We Have in Jesus. This hymn still has an important message for us today. When it seems like there is no one to turn to at any moment of our lives, Jesus is always there. He is always there to listen to us, no matter what. More than that though he deeply cares about every single one of us. A better friend than Jesus could never be found no matter how hard we try. What a friend we have in Jesus indeed. This version of the song comes from Susan's 1973 gospel album, Hymns by Susan Raye.
Then comes Zach Williams and Walker Hayes with Jesus' Fault. This comes from Zach's 2022 album, A Hundred Highways. This album is not to be confused with the Johnny Cash album of the same name.
Next is The Sons of the Pioneers with their 1941 recording of What Wonderful Joy. Though many don't want to give their loves to Jesus because they don't want to give up their sins, the truth is that the joy Jesus can give us is greater than anything we may get out of sinning. This song is about the incredible joy that only Jesus can provide. This recording is very much a duet between two members of the band. Lloyd Perryman and Bob Nolan share the main vocal duties on this song, and both sounds as great as ever.
This is followed by Rhonda Vincent with You Don't Love God If You Don't Love Your Neighbor. This song comes from her 2001 album, The Storm Still Rages.
Afterwards is Vern Gosdin with If Jesus Comes Tomorrow (What Then).
Today's musical selection ends with Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings with The Greatest Cowboy of Them All. This is a song about heroes and all of us have our heroes. While these heroes may be entertainers, writers, political figures, intellectuals and humanitarians, when you put any of them up against Jesus Christ, they simply pale in comparison. This because even someone who is great by human standards is nothing when compared to the glory of God.
Now for a sermon from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Today's movie is Cowboy from Sundown (1940) starring Tex Ritter.
Psalm 146
1 Praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord, my soul.
2 I will praise the Lord all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
3 Do not put your trust in princes,
in human beings, who cannot save.
4 When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;
on that very day their plans come to nothing.
5 Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord their God.
6 He is the Maker of heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them—
he remains faithful forever.
7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed
and gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets prisoners free,
8 the Lord gives sight to the blind,
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down,
the Lord loves the righteous.
9 The Lord watches over the foreigner
and sustains the fatherless and the widow,
but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
10 The Lord reigns forever,
your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the Lord.
Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy Trails to you until we meet again.
Hello my friends and Happy Saturday morning. Once again it is time for some classic cartoons.
Today's cartoon selection begins with a real classic, Falling Hare (1943). This cartoon features one of the few characters to get the upper hand of Bugs, the gremlin. Despite only appearing in this one short, the character has proven quite popular and has appeared in quite a few Looney Tunes spin offs. The original title for this movie was going to be Bugs Bunny and the Gremlin. However, since Disney was working on an animated feature film about Gremlins (a movie that would never be finished), the studio took the word Gremlin out of the title of this cartoon to appease the Disney studio. The following is a review from The Film Daily, "Literally and figuratively, Bugs Bunny, already a prime favorite among current cartoon characters, gets off to a flying start in the distribution season just started. The buck-toothed, long-eared clown meets up with a gremlin and both find themselves aloft in an airplane, with Bugs or what's left of him being darn glad to get back to earth. There are plenty of laughs throughout. The tough Bunny, if this initial '43-'44 offering of his producer Leon Schlesinger, is any criterion, is in for a further rise in popularity among fans who like humor. Of course, the reel is in Technicolor. It was supervised by Robert Clampett and animated by Roderick Scribner. Warner Foster wrote the story and Carl W. Stalling handled the musical direction." This movie amounts to one of my favorite Bugs Bunny cartoons and it is appropriately in Jerry Beck's book, The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes.
Next comes the Fox and the Crow in Unsure Runts (1946). In short film, the crow tries to sell the fox some accident insurance and goes to great lengths to do so. Though forgotten today, the fox and the crow were Columbia's most popular cartoon stars and would even get a successful comic book series (published by DC Comics).
Now for the Fleischer Screen Song cartoon, The Stein Song (1930). The song in this film is performed by Rudy Vallee and his Connecticut Yankees. Vallee was one of the most popular crooners of his day.
For the most part characters that originally appeared in Disney's animated feature films did not appear in the studio's short films. There were however exceptions to this. One of the most interesting of these exceptions was The Winged Scrouge (1943), which features the Seven Dwarfs. This is not your typical Disney short. During the time when the studio was making a series of South American films (some of them celebrating South American culture and some made for South American audiences) as part of the US's Good Neighbor Policy, The Office of the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs (or the CIAA) commissioned the studio to make a series of films about health and safety. This is the marked the first of these films and the only one to use already established characters. Originally going to be titled The Mosquito and Malaria. Because of the nature of this film, it was made with the CIAA working closely with the Disney story team. The CIAA in fact sent specialists to work with the Disney story crew. Working with them on this film were Dr. Edward C. Ernest, acting director of the Pan American Sanitary Bureau and Assistant U.S. Surgeon General, Dr. E.R. Coffey. The studio came up with a format of the first part of the film being played completely seriously and essentially a lecture. The second part would introduce the dwarfs and bring some slapstick comedy into the film. However with this second part Walt warned, "The only reason to bring in the dwarfs is to add a little interest; when you get into gags and impossible things, you're not accomplishing the job you are supposed to do - show in a simple way how to get rid of the mosquitoes. If you make it look like a tremendous job, they'll say, hell, I'll take the mosquitoes." Even with this not being your typical Disney short, it had a great cast of animators, which even included two of Walt's future Nine Old Men, Milt Kahl and Frank Thomas. John McManus animates much of the first more serious part of the film. Milt Kahl animates the introduction of the dwarfs, Doc and Sneezy in a boat, Happy spraying oil, Dopey with a dipper and an oil can, Bashful and the birds applying the green color, Sleepy digging the ditches, Grumpy chopping the stump, dwarfs with the deer and the cart, Doc with the wheelbarrow and Grumpy with the Woodpecker. Frank Thomas animates the sequence with Dopey and the mosquitos. Harvey Tombs animates Happy with the rain barrel, the dwarfs hanging the screens, Sleepy with the birds and the dwarfs snoring.
Now it is time for a commercial break.
Now for the New Three Stooges cartoon, Goofy Gondoliers (1965).
Next comes a wonderful, animated short from Disney, Goliath II (1960). This film was released to theaters alongside the live action Disney movie, Toby Tyler or Ten Weeks with a Circus (1960) and the live action documentary short Gala Day at Disneyland (1959) creating a full Disney night at the movies. This short film was directed by Wolfgang "Woolie" Reitherman, who would later direct, The Jungle Book (1967). This cartoon has a very similar look to that later feature.
Up next is the Van Beuren, Rainbow Parade cartoon, A Waif's Welcome (1936). The Rainbow Parade series was started by Burt Gillett. The Van Beuren studio was no receiving the same success that the Disney or Fleischer studios were and it was felt that brining in a successful director in to head the animation studio was the best solution. So Burt Gillett who had directed the most popular cartoon short at that time, Disney's The Three Little Pigs (1933) would become the head of the whole cartoon studio. There were however constant riffs between him and those who had worked at the studio for a long time. Animator Jack Zander would later say, "He worked like Walt did. We'd do pencil tests. Of course when we were working at Van Beuren, nobody ever heard of a pencil test. We'd just animate and they'd ink and paint it and that's all there was to it, He initiated pencil tests and movieolas. We'd have to animate this stuff and look at it; he'd look at it and then he'd make changes. It was a very stimulating thing. The only ones who had any trouble were the real old animators, animating for years in a set manner. They found it to difficult to adjust." Animator I. Klein went much further on the last comment stating, "The people who were there before him felt, 'why the hell did they take this swell-head from Disney?' They often took that attitude, you know; very seldom did they say, 'Gee that's great - a good man came in,'" However one can't argue that some of the animosity was partly Gillett's fault. Klein also stated, "He was constantly firing people. There was a swinging door all the time, people coming and going." The following is an exhibitor's review from The Motion Picture Herald, "A Waif's Welcome: Rainbow Parade Cartoons - Just a colored cartoon and not so hot. Why not stay by Molly Moo Cow. C.L. Niles - Niles Theatre, Anamosa, Iowa. General Patronage."
Now let us close with a song.
Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for more animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry.
Resources Used
The 100 Greatest Looney Tunes edited by Jerry Beck
Two Gun Mickey marked the directorial debut of Ben Sharpsteen. About Sharpsteen Walt would write, “Concerning Ben Sharpsteen and his contributions to the development of the Disney organization, I want to say he played a very important part.” Sharpsteen was born in Tacoma, Washington, on November 4, 1895, although he was raised in Alameda, California. He studied agriculture at the University of California at Davis. In 1917 he joined the marines serving in World War 1. After the war he went into animation working for the Hearst International Film Service. Later he came to work at the Max Fleischer Studio. A mutual friend introduced Ben to Walt. Walt valued Sharpsteen so much that he hired the artist at $125 a week. This salary was higher than even Walt's. It was also higher than Walt's head animator at the time, UB Iwerks who was only making $90 a week. In 1933, Ben would establish an in-house animation training program. He would also supervisor new animators. In this he was assisted by his cousin in law George Drake. Few people at the Disney studio were as hated by the artists as Drake, who was known for firing people for no good reason. Ben's opinion on some of these new artists was not much higher. Ben once told an inbetweener, "Listen, you artists are a dime a dozen and don't you forget it." Starting with this short, Ben would direct 21 cartoon shorts for Disney. He would then move on to features as soon as the studio started making them, first as a sequence director then a supervising director then a production supervisor. He would even get involved with the studio's live action output, producing the True-Life Adventure nature documentaries then the anthology Disneyland TV series. Ben retired in 1962. He would pass away on December 20, 1980, in Calistoga, California.
Though today, Mickey Mouse is known as a company mascot and a straight man to the more comedic characters of Donald and Goofy, in the 1920's and early 1930's Mickey was often cast as a fun-loving adventurer and a Fairbanks-ian action hero. One of his earliest screen appearances was The Galloping Gaucho (1928), where he swoops in and saves Minnie from Pete in a true Fairbanks inspired role. He is a tough character in that film with a fearless devil-may-care attitude, even drinking, smoking and being quite forward with Minnie. That cartoon would be remade as The Catus Kid (1930) with Mickey fully in the guise of an American cowboy. With the early Mickey being a rugged adventurer, it was only natural that he would play a cowboy again in Two Gun Mickey. This film would also follow the basic premise of The Galloping Gaucho with Mickey saving Minnie from the villainous Pete.
Though Pete is best known today as Mickey's nemesis, he actually dates back further than Mickey, first appearing in Walt Disney's silent Alice Comedy, Alice Solves the Puzzle (1925). Walt and co. would continue to use the character as an adversary for Oswald the Lucky Rabbit in that character's silent cartoons.
Walt Disney provides the voice of Mickey here as he does in most of the Mickey cartoons of this era. Marcellite Garner voices Minnie. The voice of Pete is by Billy Bletcher. Billy Bletcher is one of the main voices for cartoon villains in the 1930's. Most famously he provided the voice for the Big Bad Wolf for Disney's Three Little Pigs (1933). As well as his work at Disney, he also provided the voice of Papa Bear from Chuck Jones' Three Bears cartoons at Warner Brothers. Before his cartoon work, Bletcher appeared in many live action comedy shorts during the silent era.
In true cowboy fashion, this film uses traditional folk songs on its soundtrack. These include She'll be Coming Around the Mountain and Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie. She'll be Coming Around the Mountain is a folk song based off the Christian Hymn When the Chariot Comes. Two of the earliest known recordings of the song are Henry Whitter in 1924 and Vernon Dalhart in 1925. The earliest known written version of Bury Me Not on the Lone Prairie appeared in John Lomax's Cowboy Songs and Other Frontier Ballads in 1910. The earliest known recording was by singing cowboy Carl T. Sprague in 1926.
The following is an exhibitors' review from an issue of the Motion Picture Herald (Dated December 7, 1936).
"Two Gun Mickey: Mickey Mouse - The Mickey and Silly seem to go over well second-run. Would advise everyone to pick them up. - C.L. Niles, Niles Theatre, Anamosa, Iowa, General Patronage."
This cartoon was released to theaters on December 15, 1934. It would be reissued to theaters in 1936. The film would make its TV debut with an episode of The Mickey Mouse Club that aired on October 7, 1955. It would later appear again on an episode that aired on March 27, 1958. It is available on the DVD set Walt Disney Treasures: Mickey Mouse in Black and White.
Animation
Leonard Sebring (Minnie in at iris; horses stop at puddle of water; C.U. horses-Minnie falls into water; Mickey and horse laugh-talk; Minnie sitting in puddle)
Archie Robin (Mickey's horse drinks- let's water out; Mickey and Minnie on horse)
George Drake (L.S. Minnie into town; Lasso pans to limb)
Nick George (M.C.U. Pete - Minnie "hello keed" C.U. poster; Pete sees Minnie coming; Pete accosts Minnie)
Jack Kinney (Minnie in bank; Mickey on mt. - sees smoke; L.S. Mickey sees chase; Shadow truck back to Mickey; Mickey throws lasso)
Wolfgang "Woolie" Reitherman (Minnie on to the wagon; Pete on horse-whistles; Pete Pursuing; Minnie on springs out -reins shot away; Minnie across log - Pete follows; L.S. Mickey and Minnie towing Pete)
Don Towsley (Bandits leave town; C.U. Cellar Door; Pete and gang)
Ugo D'Orsy (Minnie startled - dips down around bend - gang follows; Minnie-wheels are shot off wagon; Minnie ono bridge-bridge shot away; L.S. bridge shot away- bandits reconnoiter)
Louie Schimdt (Horse and Mickey into action)
Paul Allen (Mickey to rescue on inclined pan; Mickey downhill; Horse skids to stop; Mickey firing)
Earl Hurd (Minnie in chariot)
Cy Young (Last of wagon torn away wheel spins; Bandit cactus deflated hole reamed in ledge - bandits fall through; Bandits around catus - mushroom gag; Bandits firing from pinnacle; Bandits down pinnacle X-Dix; Mickey across chasm - horse bites Pete)
Art Babbitt (Minnie escapes Pete - rec Posses logs; Pete tilts log; Pete shakes leg; Pete catches Minnie - bites gun muzzle; Pete in air; Mickey catches Pete in pistol - shoot; Pete in air - shoe; Pete lands on Mickey - fight; Mickey puts on hat; Mickey into clothes - Mickey kicks him over chasm; Mickey and Pete fight on ledge; C.U. Pete pulls knife; Mickey eludes Pete - hangs onto root; Pete gets cactus on fanny. Ledge breaks)
Ed Love (Minnie running on log)
Ed Smith (Minnie grabs top of log; Minnie falls; Pete falls past Mickey; Pete onto cactus X-Dis)
Frank Oreb (L.S. Bandits)
Roy Williams (Mickey fires a la artillery; bandit sneaking; Bandit shot in fanny - leaps off cliff; Mickey fires like machine gun)
Eric Larson (Mickey sees shadow - throws gun on lasso)
Story: Minnie is out west and wishes to take care of herself. Pete tries to tell her to let him help her, but she refuses. When it turns out the Pete is a bandit and he pursues Minnie, Mickey rushes to her rescue.
Here is the original version of this film.
And here is the colorized version.
Resources Used
Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse: The Ultimate History by David Gerstein and J.B. Kaufman
Of Mice and Magic: A History of American Animated Cartoons by Leonard Maltin
The Life and Times of Ward Kimball: Maverick of Disney Animation by Todd James Pierce.
A mostly successful reimagining of the Dracula legend.
This movie reimagines Dracula as tragic romantic figure (almost similar to the titular character in The Mummy (1932)), who has waited 400 years to be reunited with his dead wife. For the chance reunited with her, he will do anything no matter how violent nor how it affects others. This take on the character creates a quite engaging and emotionally charged story that ends on a surprisingly emotional note. Caleb Landry Jones' performance perfectly captures that this is a horrifying character but also one whose love for his wife marks his one true virtue. You both get a sense of a horrifying and scary monster while also believing that he truly loves this woman. This creates a truly engaging character, who gives an emotional resonance to this horror story. Christoph Waltz as the priest, Zoë Bleu as his reincarnated wife and Matilda De Angelis as a creepy female vampire round out this great cast.
Being directed by Luc Besson, naturally this movie has a very stylized look to it. This look is one of the film's greatest assets. The whole movie has a delightfully gothic look to it that perfectly suits this type of story perfectly. Even the brighter colored scenes (such as those at the carnival) have a dark and sinister look to the way they look. There are visual moments here that will stay in your mind long after the movie finishes.
These movie does have some rather large flaws though. Some scenes that are supposed to feel sexually charged are instead unintentionally funny. One gory scene feels like it is only there because modern horror movies are supposed to have them. As great as this film looks there are also moments of surprisingly bad CGI, especially those involving the gargoyles.
This is a very flawed film but the things that work here are fantastic.
This is the third segment of the fifteenth (and final) episode of The All-New Super Friends Hour, unlike most other Super Friends formats, this one had hour long episodes that were made up of various shorter cartoons. The first segment would be an adventure staring two members (or three in some cases as Batman and Robin would often team with another Super Friend) of the Super Friends. The second would be a morality play staring the Wonder Twins. The third would be a typical half hour Super Friends adventure. The fourth and last segment would feature one of the main Super Friends (or two in the case of Batman and Robin) teaming up with a special DC Comics guest.
In this cartoon, the villainous Gentleman Ghost (a real comic book supervillain who is called Gentlemen Jim in this episode) once again rises from the grave. He wants to get revenge on Superman and Wonder Woman who stopped his evil deeds the last time he rose from the grave. All the Super Friends team up together to stop him.
This is a wonderful episode. There is a real atmospheric feel here that gives the whole segment a great Halloween-y feel. This is especially seen very well in the great gothic background art. This artwork is reminiscent of the best Scooby-Doo episodes. Gentleman Ghost is a wonderful villain here. He is actually kind of creepy for a Super Friends villain. The way he turns people into ghosts makes him especially creepy. He also feels like a real threat to our heroes here, creating a great sense of suspense throughout. The climax is especially exciting and effectively creepy. Though the villain's plan is aimed against Superman and Wonder Woman, this episode makes great use of each Super Friend.
This is simply a very exciting and atmospheric episode.
This is the second segment of the fifteenth (and final) episode of The All-New Super Friends Hour, unlike most other Super Friends formats, this one had hour long episodes that were made up of various shorter cartoons. The first segment would be an adventure staring two members (or three in some cases as Batman and Robin would often team with another Super Friend) of the Super Friends. The second would be a morality play staring the Wonder Twins. The third would be a typical half hour Super Friends adventure. The fourth and last segment would feature one of the main Super Friends (or two in the case of Batman and Robin) teaming up with a special DC Comics guest.
In this cartoon two teenage girls get in trouble when they stowaway on a yacht. The Wonder Twins must save them.
This is one of the better Wonder Twins cartoons. While the dialogue can still feel overly didactic, the action is pretty fun here. This is thanks to some strong artwork, including some great effects animation. The climax is actually kind of exciting. The two teenage girls though are as bland as can be and speak only in forced dialogue that drives the message home further.
In this movie a psychist (Jodie Foster) finds that one of her patients has died with the reason given being suicide. However, something seems off about the whole ordeal to her, and she takes it upon herself to investigate.
Despite the basic premise, the mystery is never the main focus of this film. Instead, the movie is first and foremost a character study. Our main character is someone who often defines yourself by her profession often at the extent of her relationships with others, including her own son. When she loses confidence in her ability to do her job and begins to wonder if she actually makes things better or worse for her patients, she loses her sense of self. Her grip on reality and her understanding of her own life. This complex character study is presented in a way that feels completely believable and natural. She is not always the most likable character, but she is always a very relatable one. I found myself connecting deeply to her and becoming invested as I saw her grow as a person. Of course, being played by Jodie Foster (who speaks fluent French) doesn't hurt at all. She is truly wonderful here and perfectly captures the complexity of this character. While not the focus, the mystery is engaging enough keeping us wondering what the truth is. This film also has a stylish look and subtle sense of humor both of which give this an almost Hitchcock-ian feel.
As well developed as the main character is though, some of the supporting characters are underdeveloped. Also underdeveloped are some dream sequences, whose themes are never fully explored.
Despite some flaws, this is a truly excellent movie.
I am a newcomer to Stephen Rebello's writing and I am so glad I have discovered his work. This book about the making of the 1950's classic On the Waterfront is a wonderful introduction to his work.
On the Waterfront stands as one of the seminal American films of the 1950's and any cinephile has heard about it at length, even before they actually watch it. It is hard to think that there is anything new about this film that I haven't heard before. This book is incredibly well researched and detailed. From the various people considered for casting in the main role (Frank Sinatra, Paul Newman) to Marlon Brando's initial reluctance to work with director Eliza Kazan due to the filmmaking naming names to the House on Un-American Activities to producer Sam Spiegel's constant interference to day-to-day shooting, there is little here not discussed. Even the most dedicated film buffs will find themselves learning a lot from this book.
This is not only a must-read for its wealth of information though. This is a very well written book. It is hard not to admire Rebello's way with words. Much of this book reads like a great novel. The introduction alone, where the author grapples with his complicated relationship with the movie and how long it took him to see it, could work as a great short story. Throughout the rest of the book, Rebello places us firmly in the time and culture the film was made in. Because of this we become fully swept up in this story as if we were there ourselves. This book is an important reminder that a great historian or critics needs not only to be knowledgeable and insightful but also a good writer.
If I were to find fault with this book, it is in that Rebello often times delights a little too much in Hollywood gossip. Some of these passages seem unnecessary and ultimately don't add much to the actual story the book is telling.
Despite some minor quibbles this is an excellent book, and I can't wait to dig deeper into this author's work.
This movie takes a familiar sci-fi premise about a time traveler finding himself in a different time and finding a friend from that time to help me get home but it makes this premise feel fresh. This movie achieves this feeling of freshness in multiple ways. One way is that it switches up this premise by making neither of the time periods current. Both of the time periods are in the future, one 50 years from now and the other further in the future. This film also is a rare movie to show a dystopian future that still has a glimmer of hope behind it. Here we are shown hope through the child characters learning from the mistakes of their predecessors, letting us know it is in each new generation's powers to change the future for the better. Speaking of children, this film captures a feeling of childlike wonder magnificently. The futuristic worlds pictured here are very well-realized and engrossing. They also feel like they could have come directly from a child's imagination. A rainbow-colored suit that allows you to fly through time while leaving full sized rainbows behind you as well as robots taking care of the kids while the parents are away sound like ideas that might come directly from a child's mind. This helps bring us back to when we were the same age as the characters and there makes us also revert to a time when we saw the world around us in a more fantastical way. Because of this we buy into the fantasy completely and become completely sucked in. Even the art style, while incredibly detailed has a childlike charm to it. Another reason is just that the story is so well told. This is a film that will pull on your heartstrings. I found myself very moved multiple times and the ending was quite lovely and touching.
If I had to fault this movie for anything, it is that some of the humor falls flat. However, since this is not a comedy and there is not a whole lot of humor, this is a minor fault.
This is a lovely film that will touch even the greatest skeptics.
Hello my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church.
Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans with Have You Read the Bible Today. It is important for each of us to read our Bible each and every day. The Bible is not just some book, it is the living breathing word of God. It is easy for our faith and Christian walk to become idle and stagnant and the easiest way for this to happen is to simply not read our Bible. Taking some time each day to read the Bible is the best way for our faith and our walk with God to continue growing and maturing. This recording is the B-side of a 1955 Little Golden Record by Roy and Dale. The A-side was The Bible Tells Me So.
This is followed by Red Sovine with The Treasure I Lost.
Afterwards is the Kentucky Jubilee Four with their 1927 recording of Let Us Cheer the Weary Traveler.
Then comes Susan Raye with Who at My Door is Standing. This recording comes from her 1973 gospel album, Hymns by Susan Raye.
Next is Elvis Presley with his 1957 recording of Peace in the Valley. As much as Elvis is known as the King of Rock and Roll, perhaps no other type of music was nearer and dearer to his heart than gospel music. This was the music he grew up with and that continued to have a major influence on him through all the years. Elvis has been quoted as saying "I know practically every religious sing that's ever been written." There is no doubt that these songs moved him very deeply. After Elvis had made his first two appearances on TV's The Ed Sullivan Show, he was clearly a very controversial figure. These performances consisted of pure rock and roll music and Elvis shook his hips to them in a way that was considered much too suggestive for the 1950's. Many groups were quick to condemn this as a horrible influence on the kids and some even claimed it to be demonic. Yet Elvis' third appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show was quite different. This time Elvis did not perform rock and roll but instead did a gospel number in a slow and traditional manner. The song was Peace in the Valley and the performance was a huge success. Elvis had never done a studio recording of any gospel songs, but fans of the performance quite writing letters requesting a recording of Elvis singing Peace in the Valley. RCA quickly rushed Elvis to make a four-song gospel EP entitled Peace in the Valley. This EP of course included the title song, as well as Take My Hand Precious Lord, It is no Secret and I Believe. The EP was a huge success and gospel music would soon play a major role in Elvis' singing career.
Then comes Ray Price with Where He Leads Me I Will Follow. This recording comes from his 1960 gospel album, Faith.
Afterwards is Johnny Cash and U2 with The Wanderer. This song was written by Bono in 1993 (under the working title The Preacher). The song was inspired by the book of Ecclesiastes but takes place in a future time with a narrator who is worried about the lack of God in society. It is considered to be one of Bono's best songs, but for some reason whenever he tried to record it himself, it didn't work for him. Then he came up with the brilliant idea of having Johnny Cash sing the song (this idea came to Bono when he learned Johnny was going to be in Dublin). Bono would say that Johnny would teach him a lot about how to deliver a song like this during this recording section giving advice about how to put over each word effectively. Johnny told a reporter, "I don't know if it will ever be released or even what it's called." The song would be released on the U2 album, Zooropa (one of U2's most experimental albums) and John would state that this song gave him a sense of artistic renewal.
Today's musical selection ends with The Sons of the Pioneers with their 1937 recording of Power in the Blood. Though it may be simple doctrine that we have heard since Sunday school, I hope we never forget how much power there truly is in the blood of Jesus. No matter what temptations and struggles we may face in life, Jesus' blood spilled on Calvary's cross has overcome all of it. With man something may be impossible but with God all things are possible.
Now for a sermon from Reverand Martin Luther King Jr.
Today's movie is Riders of the Rockies (1937) starring Tex Ritter.
Psalm 97
1 The Lord reigns, let the earth be glad;
let the distant shores rejoice.
2 Clouds and thick darkness surround him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
3 Fire goes before him
and consumes his foes on every side.
4 His lightning lights up the world;
the earth sees and trembles.
5 The mountains melt like wax before the Lord,
before the Lord of all the earth.
6 The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
and all peoples see his glory.
7 All who worship images are put to shame,
those who boast in idols—
worship him, all you gods!
8 Zion hears and rejoices
and the villages of Judah are glad
because of your judgments, Lord.
9 For you, Lord, are the Most High over all the earth;
you are exalted far above all gods.
10 Let those who love the Lord hate evil,
for he guards the lives of his faithful ones
and delivers them from the hand of the wicked.
11 Light shines on the righteous
and joy on the upright in heart.
12 Rejoice in the Lord, you who are righteous,
and praise his holy name.
Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church. Happy trails to you until we meet again.
Run Time: 24 minutes. Studio: Christie Film Company. Director: Al Christie. Writers: Scott Darling, Frank Roland Conklin. Producer: Al Christie. Main Cast: Colleen Moore, Earle Rodney, Eddie Barry,
Billy Bletcher, Ward Caulfield. Cinematographer: Anton Nagy.
Most silent comedy fans know the work of the Keystone (or Mack Sennett) and Hal Roach comedy studios very well. However other comedy studios of the era tend to go quite overlooked. One such studio is the Christie Film Company. This is a shame as many of their comedies are still delightful today. Case in point is our Silent Film of the Month, A Roman Scandal.
In this film Mary (Colleen Moore) refuses to get married until she makes it in show business, which upsets her fiancée Jack (Earle Rodney). When a nearby stage company goes on strike, Mary volunteers herself and her fiancée to fill in for some of the roles. However, the two end up causing more trouble than help.
This is a truly delightful comedy. Certain story points may have dated. For instance, if this were made today, there is no reason why Mary couldn't have both gotten married and pursued a stage career. Despite this the humor has not dated at all. This is still a very funny movie. The play, even before Mary and Jack get ahold of it is hilarious in its cheapness and ineptitude. It is even more funny thanks to Mary's reaction to the play. Her being as enamored of this play as if it was a great masterpiece is very funny. When Mary and Jack get ahold of the play, it becomes even more hilariously inept. The scene with the fake bull will never cease to crack me up. With delightful gag after delightful gag, a fast pace and the charms of its stars, this is a winner in every area.
Al Christie (this film's director and producer) was born on November 23, 1886, in London, Ontario, Canada (legendary comedy producer Mack Sennett was also born in Canada). Al Christie had worked as a stage manager and director for Liebler and Company. During a summer lay-off he began his movie career in 1909 as a director for the Nestor Film Company. It wouldn't be long until his career was tied to comedy. In 1911, he went to direct a series of comedies based off Bud Duncan's Mutt and Jeff comic strip that starred, Bud Duncan. In 1912 he moved to the studio's new California facility to direct a series of shorts known as Wild West Weekly. On this series he worked with such comedy stars as Eddie Lyons, Lee Moran, Victoria Forde, Betty Compson, Stella Adams, Billie Rhodes and Neal Burns. By January 1916 along with his brother Charles Christie, he began to produce his own comedies under the Nestor name. Later that same year he established his own studio. This studio would become one the three most popular comedy studios at the time along with Mack Sennett (or Keystone) and Hal Roach. Unlike those other studios the Christie Film Company would often rely more on situational humor than outright slapstick. The films also tended to focus more on younger stars. A 1917 trade ad stated, "Christie Comedies are Comedies of Youth!" In this ad "Youth" was spelled all in capital letters and had images of the studio's stars appearing within the word. The films also tended to have a greater focus on female characters having them play a direct part in the comedic action. This brings us to the star of this film, Colleen Moore.
Colleen Moore was born as Kathleen Morrison on August 19, 1899, in Port Huron, Michigan. Her first screen test was made at Essanay and came about because the famous film director D.W. Griffith owed her uncle, Walter Howey (managing editor of the Chicago American) a favor. However, the test went well, and she made her film debut in the feature length crime drama The Bad Boy (1917). Though some false publicity claimed she was an extra in D.W. Griffit and h's movie Intolerance (1916), this statement has been proven to be erroneous. With her gift for comedy, it was decided that she would benefit from working with a studio that specialized in comedy. Colleen would state in her 1968 memoir, Silent Star, that her grandmother disapproved of the rowdy Sennett comedies and that is why she signed up with Christie. For Christie she would make two short comedies (this one and Her Bridal Night-Mare (1920)) and two features (So Long Letty (1920) and His Nibs (1921)). Both the short comedies are still available to watch, while the two features are considered lost.
Scott Darling, a writer on this film was born on May 28, 1898. During the silent era he had written many short comedies for both the Kalem studio and Christie Film Co. as well as having directed 27 movies for Universal. However, he is best remembered today for his work in talkies. During the talkie era he wrote scripts for such movies as The Ghost of Frankenstein (1942), Sherlock Holmes and the Secret Weapon (1943) and Laurel and Hardy's films for the Fox Studio.
Exhibitor's Herald, 1919
Motion Picture News, 1920
The following is from an issue of The Moving Picture World dated, February 20, 1920.
"Starting the New Year right, the Plaza, San Fransico, Calif., comes out with a page for its New Year attractions and gives rather more than half a space to a Christie comedy, 'A Roman Scandal.' This is going to be a great year for comedy and live managers realizing this, are starting in to make the most of their comedy material.
"There has never been a time when comedies could not sell some tickets the feature could not reach, but the demand now is for more and more for comedy and the wise manager caters to this demand by giving more space to his small stuff. More than once the comedy has topped the five reel feature on the general proposition that the feature can take care of itself, and in every instance the additional space has paid. This full page is exceptional, but it is by no means an isolated instance."
If you wish to watch this delightful film, you can do so below.
Hello my friends and happy Saturday morning. Once again it is time for some classic cartoons.
Today's cartoon selection begins with Sylvester the cat in A Mouse Divided (1953). Though best known for his cartoons with Tweety and Speedy Gonzales, the cat has shown many times that he is more than capable of making a great cartoon without any famous co-stars. This is one of those. The story of Sylvester wanting to eat a small animal until it considers him its parent and then protecting it would be repeated much later in Father of the Bird (1997). A Mouse Divided was directed by Friz Freleng, who directed the Tweety and Sylvester cartoons.
Next comes Tweety in Birdy and the Beast (1944). This is the second Tweety cartoon. The first three Tweety cartoons were directed by Bob Clampett and feature the bird with other cat antagonists than Sylvester. After Friz Freleng directed the award winning short Tweetie Pie (1947), which first paired Tweety and Slyvester, Tweety would only appear in theatrical cartoons with Slyvester.
Next comes the first Mickey Mouse cartoon made, Plane Crazy (1928). This was back in the days when Mickey was still a simple country mouse who went around barefoot and didn't wear gloves. These early Mickey cartoons have a genuine rural feel to them (partly because Walt always considered himself a farm boy at heart) that I personally find irresistible and definitely prefer over the later and bland suburban settings featured in his later cartoons. In this film Mickey dreams of being a pilot and makes himself a homemade plane that would make the Our Gang kids jealous. This is because aviation was a popular topic around this time due to the fame of Charles Lindbergh (briefly caricatured here) after his New York to Paris flight of 1927. Walt had already had his earlier star, Oswald the Lucky Rabbit in an aviation themed cartoon with The Ocean Hop (1927). This cartoon began production in March 1928. The production of this cartoon was done in secret due to the fact that Walt was still under contract to make Oswald cartoons for Universal. Animator Ub Iwerks (who animated the film by himself) was separated from the artists working on the Oswald shorts so that he could not be seen by them. Hugh Harman later described this saying, "They curtained off part of the studio with a great black drop, black skim of some kind, so that I and a few others who were leaving couldn't see the great secret that was going on." Ub Iwerks was one of the fastest animators of the time and finished this cartoon in only a matter of weeks. It has been said that he made as many as 700 drawings in one day. This cartoon was originally made as a silent film, yet you will notice the opening title card says, "Sound Cartoon." The reason for this is that after the success of Steamboat Willie (1928) with sound, a soundtrack was added to this cartoon.
Now for the silent Aesop's Film Fables cartoon, Snapping the Whip (1929).
Now it is time for a commercial break.
Next comes the New Three Stooges cartoon, A Flycycle Built for Two (1965). The Stooges voice themselves in this made for TV cartoon. In this cartoon, the Stooges try to create a flying bicycle. The live action wrap around segment here is reminiscent of the classic Stooge short, The Ghost Talks (1949).
Now for the Mighty Mouse cartoon, Hero for a Day (1953).
If you asked me to pick a cartoon that perfectly shows what the style of the Fleischer Studio was, I would pick, Bimbo's Initiation (1931). This cartoon has everything that makes the Fleischer Studio one of the most unique animation studios of all time. The film has a lot of surreal humor, a very detailed look, a dark and dangerous atmosphere, and was definitely intended more for adults than kids. One thing the Fleischers strived for was to put a gag in every moment of the film and this cartoon has that in abundance. Bimbo was a star character at this time, but his star was soon to be eclipsed by another character in this film, Betty Boop. Betty had made her debut a year earlier with Dizzy Dishes (1930). It wouldn't be long until Bimbo would be playing supporting roles in Betty Boop cartoons. Eventually Betty's films would drop Bimbo. Betty would also later own a dog making her one of the few cartoon characters to both own and date a dog (and even be a dog in her earliest appearances). This cartoon was placed at 37 in Jerry Beck's book, The 50 Greatest Cartoons.
Now let us close with a song.
Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for more animated treasures. Until then may all your tunes be looney and your melodies merry.
Resources Used
Hollywood Cartoons: American Animation in its Golden Age by Michael Barrier
Of Mice and Magic: A History of the American Animated Cartoon by Leonard Maltin
This movie follows the exact formula as most Jason Statham films. He is a loner with a violent past, who befriends someone and must fight to help protect her. We have all seen this story before and this film doesn't add anything new here. Because of this it is hard for the movie to stand out and from being truly memorable.
Despite this the movie tells this story quite well. As you may expect the action scenes are often excellent. They are well paced, staged and quite exciting. The movie never once drags and by the time it is over it is hard to believe that over 100 minutes have passed. However the real heart of the film is in the relationship between our two main characters, the hero and the young girl he befriends. This relationship is quite touching actually and keeps you emotionally invested in the story. Child actress Bodhi Rae Breathnach (who had previously appeared in Hamnet (2025)) is a very talented young actress, who has great chemistry with Jason Statham.
As a massive fan of both Looney Tunes and TCM, I have long been hoping that these two would cross paths more often. After all cartoons are an important part of film history as there was a time when cinema goers couldn't image a trip to the movies without a cartoon. Recently I found some amazing news that I am very excited about. Starting February TCM will now host the classic Looney Tunes shorts. This is being kicked off by making Bugs Bunny, February's star of the month. From February 2nd to the 9th, the channel will be showing 45 selected Bugs Bunny shorts, that include many long-time favorites of Looney tunes fans. In the spirit of a classic night at the movies these shorts will be grouped by themes and will be followed by a live action feature of the same theme. For instance, Rabbit of Seville (1950) and What’s Opera Doc (1957) will play before the Marx Brothers classic, A Night at the Opera (1935). And this is only the beginning doc; classic Looney Tunes cartoons will become a staple of the channel for the foreseeable future.
So, Overture, curtain, lights. This is it tonight of nights. No more rehearsing and nursing a part. We know every part by heart. Overture, curtain, lights. This is it; we'll hit the heights and oh what heights we'll hit. On with the show this is it. Tonight, what heights we'll hit. On with the show, this is it.
In this movie a man (Chris Pratt) finds himself in an AI court having to prove that he is innocent of killing his wife. To prove himself innocent he has all of technology (which is being monitored by the government) at his disposal.
This movie is heavily inspired by such films as Searching (2018) and Missing (2023) with how for much of the runtime every shot is either of the screen for the AI court or our main character. It does little to deviate from the formula firmly set in place, even down to the main story being a mystery. It does however break away from this with some shots neither of the screen or our main character towards the end (though there is a reason for this narratively).
Though this movie may lack originality, it works quite well as a murder mystery. The mystery itself is very well-written, and it kept me guessing all the way through. The film is full of twists and turns, most of which are very effective. The movie even makes us doubt the main character's innocence at many points or if he knows more than he is telling. The main character himself is quite engaging with how he is a very flawed person but one who truly does care about his wife and daughter. At the end when the mystery is all wrapped up, it feels quite satisfying.
The movie also benefits from very strong performances from Chris Pratt and Rebecca Ferguson. Chris Pratt delivers what might be his best non-Guardians performance as he is very believable and deeply human in this role. This show that when called upon to the man really can act. Rebecca Ferguson is fantastic as the AI judge. This is true to the extent that we forget at times we are watching an actress not a real AI.
I do wish this movie would have delved more into its commentary on AI and capital punishment as well as its implications of how much access the government is given into our technological lives in this film. The movie will touch on these subjects and then quickly move on to the more conventional murder plot.
Though this movie often plays it too safe, it is still a well-constructed sci-fi murder mystery.
Gore Verbinski's new dark sci-fi comedy is a real mixed bag.
The plot of this movie involves a man from the future who travels back in time and assembles a team to help him stop the future from being overtaken by AI.
This is a rare modern-day film in which you never know where the story is going. Nearly every twist and turn caught me by complete surprise. I found myself constantly second guessing everything I thought about the plot. This kept me glued to the screen even when many elements didn't work.
Sam Rockwell is another reason to see this movie. He is simply fantastic and brings a quirky charisma that is perfect for this type of film. As over the top as he gets though, he also does a great job in the more serious scenes.
Verbinski and writer Matthew Robinson simply have too many ideas and rely too much on being quirky. Though the main story revolves around this group of characters trying to stop AI from taking over the world, there are many side plots and other messages this film is trying to convey. We get various flashbacks throughout that show us what had been happening in various characters' lives up to this point. These flashbacks disrupt the flow of the film completely and some feel like they belong in a different film.
One flashback having to do with a mom losing her son in a school shooting, especially feels out of place with the rest of the movie (though admittedly it does play a role in the story later on). It turns the dark satire on to a different subject, in a way that can feel derivative. It also introduces characters that are simply elaborate caricatures that react in an exaggerated way that no real person would. This goes against the rest of the film, where as over the top as things might get characters react in a way most people would. Taken on its own this section might be the most effective part of the movie. It doesn't focus on an easy subject for satire like AI or cellphones and never plays it safe (the rest of the movie plays it too safe in comparison). It even has the strongest humor in the movie, while providing us with a terrifying message of how prevalent violence is in our culture and the effect that this has on our perception of tragedies. This type of bleak reflection being matched with actually funny dark humor works quite well. If this was its own short film, I would have loved it. However, as a part of a larger movie, it simply feels at odds with everything around it. Comparing the rest of the movie to this makes the flaws of the rest of the movie all the more apparent, especially how the rest of the movie takes on too easy of a target and gives us a simplistic message we have all heard a million times.
The constant quirky humor doesn't quite work here. It feels like it is trying too hard to be Everything Everywhere All at Once, without ever capturing the comedic highs of that film. Many of the comedic ideas here simply seem to be quirky for the sake of being quirky. For a movie that is so critical of technology, it falls into the same trap as most internet humor. Being random or quirky in and of itself is not funny. There are a few funny moments here but the majority of them fall flat.
There are some great things about this movie, and it does keep your attention all the way through. However, there are also many times when it takes a swing and completely misses.
Hello, my friends and welcome back for another service of Cowboy Church.
Today's musical selection begins with Roy Rogers and Dale Evans singing In the Sweet By and By. This song came about because of a friendship between composer, Joseph Webster and poet, Dr. Sanford Fillmore Bennett. One day Webster was depressed and Dr. Bennett recognized this. Dr. Bennett asked his friend what was wrong. Webster replied, "Oh nothing. Everything will be alright by and by." These words brought up an idea in Bennett and he wrote down three verses and a chorus to this song as soon as he could. He handed it to his friend saying, “Here is your prescription, Joe.” Webster loved the lyrics and wrote music for them in practically no time at all. Dr. Bennett later said, “It was not over thirty minutes from the time I took my pen to write the words before two friends with Webster and myself were singing the hymn.” The hymn was first published in 1868 and went on to great fame since. This version of the song comes from Roy and Dale's 1973 gospel album, In the Sweet By and By.
This is followed by Red Sovine with The Church Around the Corner. If you have been wandering from God, there is still time to come back to him, and he will welcome you with open arms.
Afterwards is Blind Willie Johnson with his 1927 recording of If Had My Way I'd Tear the Building Down. This song would most famously be recorded by the Grateful Dead on their 1977 album, Terrapin Station. This song would also be recorded by Bob Dylan and surprisingly Tom Jones.
Next comes The Sons of The Pioneers with their 1937 recording of One More River to Cross. Our good friend Leonard Slye (aka Roy Rogers) takes the lead vocal here, but like many of the best Sons of the Pioneers recordings, the highlight is the group's great harmonies. The incredible Hawaiian steel guitar player, Sam Koki joins the boys on this recording and does a fine job.
Then comes Jerry Lee Lewis with I'm Longing for Home. This comes from The Killer's 1971 album, In Loving Memories: The Jerry Lee Lewis Gospel Album.
Now comes Johnny Cash singing Let the Lower Lights Be Burning. In the notes for the box set Unearthed, John wrote, "This is a very special song for me, and I'll tell you what it means to me now. When my father was dying, he was in a coma, and all my brothers and sisters and I were gathered around the bed, and we felt like telling him goodbye. But my oldest sister Louise said, 'Let's sing to him.' So we started singing 'Let the Lower Lights be Burning.' At some point I looked at him and, though he had been sound asleep in a coma for days, his lips started moving and he started singing that song along with us. The more we would sing it the more he sang. And he opened his eyes, and he looked around at us as we were singing. Ad of course everybody had a good cry as watched him and listened to him as he sang 'Let the Lower Lights be Burning' with us."
Today's musical selection ends with Roy Clark with 'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus. 'Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus was another hymn born out of personal tragedy. Louisa M. R. Stead was happily married and one day her, her husband and their four year old daughter had a day at the beach, when they heard a scream. They went to see where the scream was coming from and saw a little boy drowning in the sea. Her husband tried to pull the boy out of the water but the boy pulled the husband down with him. Louisa and her daughter Lilly watched helplessly as the two died before their eyes. It is unknown when the song was actually written, but it is known that it was inspired by this tragedy and how God helped pull her through it as she soon went back on the mission field. The song was first published in 1882 a collection of hymns entitled Songs of Triumph.
Today's movie is Sing Cowboy Sing (1937) starring Tex Ritter.
Now for a message from the Reverand Martin Luther King Jr.
Psalm 121
A song of ascents.
1 I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
where does my help come from?
2 My help comes from the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth.
3 He will not let your foot slip—
he who watches over you will not slumber;
4 indeed, he who watches over Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
5 The Lord watches over you—
the Lord is your shade at your right hand;
6 the sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon by night.
7 The Lord will keep you from all harm—
he will watch over your life;
8 the Lord will watch over your coming and going
both now and forevermore.
Thanks for joining me. Come back next week for another service of Cowboy Church.
