I have a feature at this blog when every Friday I recommend a great film specifically for those on their first date or are Christians and don't want graphic sex, violence, swearing called the "Wholesome Weekend Date Movie". Below is my entire list of "Laura-Lee's Requirements" that ALL the films I recommend must follow. But before I started that I did just a regular film review of one of my all time favorite films called, "The Trap" with Oliver Reed and Rita Tushingham. But, alas, (Yes. I say words like "alas" in real life), when I originally reviewed the film, the version on YouTube (although appreciated) was not very good and actually had several crucial minutes in the middle missing. ACK! (Yes. I say words like "ACK!" in real life too) I have just discovered a BETTER version uploaded on YouTube. It is not only free and available immediately, but includes the part that was missing from the original YouTube upload.
Oliver Reed portrays a French Canadian trapper who "buys" himself a bride and takes her to his cabin in the beautiful Canadian wilderness. Since I happen to BE a French-Canadian, I knew he was getting his role right, but I didn't initially know just how huge the transformation from his usual self that his performance was.
Oliver Reed (NOT in "The Trap")
Oliver Reed & Rita Tushingham (in "The Trap")
But, as with all things YouTube, you never know when something will suddenly NOT BE THERE. So I didn't want to risk waiting for the weekend. I'm also cutting this blog post short (which goes against my "long-winded" nature) so you don't waste any more time. Walk, run or crawl to your keyboard, mouse or touchpad but see this version of "The Trap" right NOW! Consider this my "WEEKLY random act of kindness" and I'll see you again Friday for my usual "Wholesome Weekend Date Movie" recommendation. LINK to "The Trap" (BETTER upload at YouTube) Sincerely, Laura-Lee CAUTION: As usual, "Wholesome" does not mean for children. This film has some adult themes that might not be appropriate for younger or sensitive viewers.
After Ray Comfort made his film, "The Atheist Delusion" he let fellow filmmaker, Scott Burdick have an advanced look and asked him to review it. You will find his review of the film and his opinions of Ray Comfort copied below in their entirety directly from the Comments Section for Burdick's video, "Lawrence Krauss VS Ray Comfort."
"My thoughts on Ray Comfort’s film 'The Atheist Delusion' "
[ by Scott Burdick ]"Ray sent me a preview link to his film, 'The Atheist Delusion' and asked my opinion.
After watching the link to your film, my first thought is that you certainly chose some low-hanging atheist fruit to debate (preach to) in most of the film. The people you selected seemed to know little of the very basics of biology. It would be like me making a film called “The Christian Delusion” and only interviewing students who had hardly read the Bible and knew very little of the history of the church and how the Gospels were compiled in the first place. I imagine if I convinced such people that Christianity was a hoax, you’d cry foul (as you should). Why is it any different when you do this?
Of course, Lawrence Krauss was the lone exception, and yet you chose to edit down your discussion with him from approximately 6 minutes to around 2 minutes 15 seconds. Almost everything you cut out were his more detailed elaborations on your questions so it looked like he was simply making claims and failing to back them up. I'm wondering why you would do that? You gave more time to almost every one of the other clueless “atheists” you interviewed on the street who lacked any familiarity with the subject, and even then you mostly preached to them so I'm left to wonder how much of what they said you also edited out.
So the one time you had a truly intelligent person who could elucidate the actual facts and arguments on the other side, you consciously limited him to a sound bite and edited out much of his argument. This is the opposite of what I did when I interviewed you. I asked you tough questions, just as you did of Lawrence, but I left in your full reply so your view point came through clearly. I imagine that this is why you thanked me afterward.
After watching your film, your intellectual dishonesty was quite clear to me.
After I posted my one-hour YouTube film with the full, unedited version of you and Lawrence, as well as parts of the sit-down interviews I did with each of you, I received a nice email from you thanking me for the fairness of my questions and allowing you to have your full say without editing your replies. Your cameraman and editor, Scotty, also emailed and said he felt it was quite fair and balanced.
In contrast, you did not extend the same courtesy to atheists with your film. Instead, you chose to mischaracterize the arguments by finding people on the street who could not identify a false analogy and knew little about basic biology and the subject matter in general. You very deliberately used this deceptive tactic to make it seem like they were representative of non-believers generally.
While beautifully filmed and edited, what you chose to do in you film was dishonest, plain and simple. It is one thing to have a point of view, but another to deliberately distort the opposing viewpoint and hide facts to convince your audience that your argument is correct. If you really believe what you're saying, then you shouldn't be afraid of letting the other side put their best argument forward and actually debate it on the merits. Instead, you choose to argue against a straw-man.
I enjoy a true intellectual discussion, which is why I wanted to interview you and then film you and Lawrence, but it's clear you do not—or at least you don't actually want your audience to see one. My guess is that no one would have ever seen the full discussion between you and Lawrence had I not filmed it as well as your crew, and certainly not if I didn't have a good release form covering everything I filmed that day that allowed me to release it on my YouTube channel as well.
I'm now sorry I provided you with my footage for your film (and I noticed you used only my footage of your discussion with Lawrence, rather than your own). I felt comfortable doing this knowing your agreement with Lawrence to use all or nothing of your interview with him, and you neglected to inform me, either then or later, of your decision to cut out 2/3rds of what he said.
You said you wanted my opinion, so here it is. On the whole, I found the film quite slanted and not a very serious exploration of the subject. To be completely honest, I was left wondering if you actually believed what you preached when you purposely avoided having anyone actually explain the mechanisms of evolution, but chose rather to mischaracterize it so you could pretend to knock it down. I'm sure you must have heard the real argument many time, and it wouldn't have been hard to have someone in the film lay out the basics, so the fact that you didn't do this makes me suspect you are afraid to allow your audience to hear the other side's thoughts at all.
Oh well, live and learn. It’s your film, so it’s your decision of how to present it, but since you asked me my opinion of 'The Atheist Delusion,' there it is."
Scott Burdick"
Lawrence Krauss talks with Ray Comfort
MY First Comments (in response to Scott Burdick)
Dear Scott;
I'm a Christian (38 years) and a supporter of Ray Comfort, but I found your review of Ray's "The Atheist Delusion" as pretty accurate. However, there is a large difference between standing on a street corner and having only a few minutes to ask questions of someone who can walk away from you at any moment and the time to sit down and probe into the 'deep-ness' of things. If you had only 5 minutes of Krauss's time and he might get up and leave at any moment, how different would your video be?
Please don't feel ill used. I don't think Ray was trying to "manipulate" or purposely "deceive" you. In fact, to give you (a person who is not another Christian) an advanced copy of "The Atheist Delusion" and asking you to give your opinion publically demonstrates he actually values you and your opinion very much (even though he fully realized you might give the negative opinions that you did give).
It's the things he says when he has the time to say them properly and more thoroughly that demonstrate what he's really all about. For me, "The Atheist Delusion" isn't Ray at his best until you get right to the end when he tells people that they have "worth and value and purpose". This is what he truly believes and also the reason he makes his films and stands on street corners when he could be at home in his Lazy-Boy.
As Christians, we believe we are assured of Heaven. We gain or lose nothing by how many people we may convince or convert. The only reason we tell people about Jesus is because we love them and want them to know there is a better way to live (right now AND later in Heaven). We believe this because we've lived BOTH ways: without God in our lives and then with Him.
MY Second Comments (in response to Scott Burdick)
To begin with, when I review a film I NEVER do so until I've watched it completely. TWICE. Just like tasting food, the first bite just prepares your taste buds, but the second bite allows you to really focus on what you're tasting.
The next thing is that you have to determine the "theme" of the film and the "point" in making it.
Ray made a previous film called "Evolution vs God" and In the title we find his purpose in making that film. It's more of a "debate" film, so he actually interviews several of the "experts" and "teachers", not merely 'some low-hanging atheist fruit' [as you refer to several of his subjects].
The point of the "Atheist Delusion" is NOT for a debate. The point (or theme) to this new film can also be found in it's title. You hit upon it intuitively but then went right past it. You're correct in saying the young people Ray interviewed knew very little about evolution, science, biology etc. That's probably exactly why Ray chose them. Each one claimed to be "devout", firm Atheists but it wasn't based on their knowledge of Evolution. That IS the point. They are clinging hard to their beliefs (Atheism and Evolution) without knowing why. They can barely answer the most basic questions about these beliefs yet they cling firmly to them. Ray is not there to DEBATE the points of Evolution and the merits of Atheism but to expose a "delusion". To show these people they have a "blind faith" in something they know almost nothing about.
Now that you know the point behind the creation of the film "Atheist Delusion" why don't you go back and watch it again and then compare it to Ray's other film "Evolution vs God", which IS meant more for debating purposes and where he DOES interview the "experts.
Ray Comfort is definitely very knowledgeable about science, evolution, Atheism, biology and the Bible yet he wears this knowledge with humility. The film also includes a great deal of humor but it is filmed in a most vivid and colorful High Definition. It is most definitely meant to highlight the beauty of nature and the fact that God has given so many good things in this life to enjoy.
When this film was over I had a fresh sense of the HUGEness of our God, the goodness and righteousness of His character, the fact that he desires each of us to have a purpose and views us with value and through his love and mercy.
It seems to me extremely tragic that the "delusion" of Atheism keeps us away from all these things. As Ray often says, "soften your heart and think about these things because today is the day of your salvation."
"The Atheist Delusion" can now be viewed free at YouTube and I give it 7 out of 10 little, Christian 'fishies' :
This week before I picked the film to recommend, I was looking over my list of "requirements" again. I'm not sure if this movie possesses all of them, but since I was watching it yet again, I thought, "What better reason is there to recommend this film to others than that I, myself watch it repeatedly?" (even if I'm not sure why).
On the surface it seems like it will be just a piece of 1950's Technicolor fluff, but first impressions aren't always accurate. "All That Heaven Allows" is the story of a middle-aged widow (portrayed by Jane Wyman), with two grown children who lives in a small, conservative American town. She falls in love with her much younger gardener (portrayed by Rock Hudson) who is very different than the type of man her husband was and the type of man she is used to. But they inevitably fall in love and decide to get married which causes the town to go into "gossip-overload" and they have to weather a lot of opposition.
Jane Wyman
Rock Hudson examines the tree that "only grows by a house full of love."
This film is interesting and demonstrates the same attributes as the love affair at the heart of it: a tender, playfulness and enduring peacefulness. Not to mention witty dialogue, a great supporting cast (led by the always wonderful Agnes Moorehead) and a perfect 'snapshot' of 1950's small town, middle class, conservative America.
Town Gossips start their Tongue Wagging (as Agnes Moorehead looks on)
Simply put, I enjoy this movie and feel good when I watch it. I hope you do too. Have a wonderful weekend.
Sincerely, Laura-Lee (Rahn)
LAURA-LEE's REQUIREMENTS :
Good Story
Appeals to BOTH Men & Women
Funny
Witty
Good acting
Plot Twist
Evokes "warm fuzzies"
Motivates snuggling
No Graphic Sex, Violence or Swearing
Leaves you with good feelings/thoughts
Available on the Internet right now for FREE (so you can watch it Immediately)
There is nothing tense about this week's recommended film. It's about glamour, romance with just a few plot twists to keep you on your toes. But let yourself (and whomever you're with) float away and be peaceful and happy, even if only for a couple hours.
Joan Fontaine & Joseph Cotton have a snack that leads to romance
This week it's "September Affair" starring Joan Fontaine & Joseph Cotton. I hope you had a good week. Thank you so much for stopping by. Recommended with love & sincerity by Laura-Lee (P.S. It includes some great music too)
LAURA-LEE's REQUIREMENTS :
Good Story
Appeals to BOTH Men & Women
Funny
Witty
Good acting
Plot Twist
Evokes "warm fuzzies"
Motivates snuggling
No Graphic Sex, Violence or Swearing
Leaves you with good feelings/thoughts
Available on the Internet right now for FREE (so you can watch it Immediately)
I know it will seem very odd to recommend a film all about adultery as a "wholesome date" movie, but that's what I'm going to do. (And by now you should be used to me being "odd" ) The film of this week is called, "Brief Encounter" starring Trevor Howard and Celia Johnson and directed by David Lean. It's the story of two rather ordinary and truly happily married people who meet in a chance encounter and almost accidentally fall in love with each other. Their love is deep and real and completely unexpected by either of them.
I don't usually give a movie a 10 out of 10 rating because that would mean it's "perfect" and [almost as a matter of principle] I don't believe anything on earth is totally perfect. But if I feel a movie is close to it, I give it a rating of 9 out of 10 and then use words such as "flawless" or "must see", which is basically splitting hairs, but what I'm going to do in this case.
Even with the poorer quality upload on YouTube, this film is so wonderful, gripping and mesmerizing it's worth viewing (even if in some places you can't even see peoples' heads). What's interesting is the way the film pulls us along mirrors the way the characters in the film fall in love. I've searched for this film on YouTube before and never found it. Then suddenly I found it just 'waiting' for me as a "Recommendation" on YouTube's Home Page. But on YouTube a film can disappear (and be removed) just as quickly as it appears, so you should probably watch it as soon as you can.
And this film is SO good you will probably wish at least 2 viewings. I've watched it 3 times in the past 24 hours and each time I find something new about it to appreciate and it never loses it's power to capture and entrance.
I'm sure everyone will enjoy this film and I hope the same will be true for your weekend. Sincerely, Laura-Lee
LAURA-LEE's REQUIREMENTS :
Good Story
Appeals to BOTH Men & Women
Funny
Witty
Good acting
Plot Twist
Evokes "warm fuzzies"
Motivates snuggling
No Graphic Sex, Violence or Swearing
Leaves you with good feelings/thoughts
Available on the Internet right now for FREE (so you can watch it Immediately)
NOTE: I've made several updates at my YouTube Channel (including new Play Lists, Recommendations for you and Featuring other Channels). Why not go check it out? L-L
Usually during the week a movie for this feature 'pops' out at me. Nothing did for me this week. Then suddenly today I was thinking of the Grace Kelly, Alec Guiness film called, "The Swan". However, I couldn't find it anywhere immediately and for free, which are on my list of "requirements". But then I came across the Grace Kelly, Jimmy Stewart film, "Rear Window", which IS available and an even better film. I don't know how much "snuggling" it will inspire, because you'll be engrossed in the story pretty fast and pretty thoroughly.
It's not a very good quality YouTube upload, but you can still follow the story just fine and it's so good a movie it's worth missing a bit 'off the edges'. Plus, it's hot in the film and also a hot day where I am right now ... so I could relate. It's Alfred Hitchcock at the very height of his story telling - suspense causing abilities. Enjoy your weekend everyone and don't forget to leave me your comments.
LAURA-LEE's REQUIREMENTS :
Good Story
Appeals to BOTH Men & Women
Funny
Witty
Good acting
Plot Twist
Evokes "warm fuzzies"
Motivates snuggling
No Graphic Sex, Violence or Swearing
Leaves you with good feelings/thoughts
Available on the Internet right now for FREE (so you can watch it Immediately)
Available somewhere on the Internet for FREE (so you can watch it Immediately)
As I was looking over my list of "requirements" I was also thinking about being on a date with someone for the first time or someone you don't know very well. It's good to have something that can help you open up conversation. "12 Angry Men" is a classic Must See Movie but it is also a good film if you want to have something to talk about. It's deeply interesting without being hugely controversial. Even if you wish to discuss the "olden" days when women were not allowed to serve on a jury. Or to discuss the death penalty. But whatever your beliefs, this film is gripping and both men and women will find it so ... without being angry hopefully.
So open up those precious lines of communication and enjoy getting to know more about each other. Just follow the LINKS below. And don't forget to leave me a comment or some feedback. You know I love it. Laura-Lee 12 Angry Men FREE at YouTube
Almost everyone knows about the Cary Grant/Deborah Kerr film, "An Affair to Remember", but did you know it's actually a remake of a film simply called, "Love Affair" from a generation earlier. And it's my pick of the week for the "Wholesome Date Movie".
There is something so much more lasting, deep and appealing in this original version. I suppose that's why Hollywood keeps trying to either remake or capitalize on this story in some way. And even though it's the oldest version of the story (from 1939) it's actually the most realistic, due mostly to the superb acting by the main characters portrayed by Charles Boyer and Irene Dunne.
Charles Boyer & Irene Dunne
The story of a man and woman who are each being "kept" by their richer lovers find each other and fall in love during an ocean voyage home to New York. They know that for them to be together they need to find a way to make their own money, but more than that, they each feel the need to gain back their self-respect in order to have something of inner value to offer to each other.
Also, in this original version, they have not removed all references to God and actually show the two main characters praying together in the grandmother's small chapel. This only serves to deepen and enhance our understanding of the story, because you can't truly find love and redemption without God being involved in some way.
I've admitted I'm not the biggest fan of romantic movies, but this one got to me. I don't just recommend it for those who are newly dating, but even more for those who experiencing problems in their relationship and/or marriage. This story is all about second chances. You come away knowing that "love for a lifetime" not only exists, but is within the grasp of anyone who wants it enough. Even the fact that this one is entitled "LOVE Affair" because it's all about "LOVE", while the Cary Grant/Deborah Kerr version doesn't even have the word "Love" in the title. But make no mistake, even though this film actually has practical advice to make love last, it is not a trip to the Marriage Counsellor. It's still a witty, inspiring, often funny and beautifully told love story. As near to flawless as any film can be.
"As near to heaven as is earthly possible" (L-L)
So dim the lights and let this one take you to a wonderful place of peace and possibilities. Hopefully you will find a way to be sitting next to and sharing it with the person you love the most (or the person you want to love the most). I recommend it to you with my prayers and my heart. Laura-Lee
The videos I've created/uploaded at YouTube are pretty strange, but check out my Play Lists and what I've got Recommended to share with you at my YouTube Channel. (L-L)
