The Hall of Fire

Such lovely photos!

I so want to hear you all someday.

I think Austen didn't describe anything because her settings were completely contemporary and familiar to her readers. The clothes, the furniture, the carriages were all well known to educated people of her class. Thus I had trouble reading Austen until I saw a BBC dramatization of P&P in 1983 o...

It is painful to be regarded as "less of a Christian" because of one's political beliefs. This is true for Christians at all points along the political spectrum.

Cerin, based on my own experience as a pastor's child, whose father knows many, many pastors as friends and colleagues, I'd have to say that a male priest or pastor in a parish is very likely to encounter heterosexual temptation. It often seems to start when a pastor is counseling a woman whose marr...

The word coming out of screenings is that it's got genuine emotional power and some really good performances—much like what were (for me) the greatest strengths of PJ's LotR. It won't have the power of LotR for me, of course, because it isn't a story I've loved all my life and it doesn't have anythi...

Whups! I missed Eärendil—sorry! Welcome! And welcome to everyone since the last time I came in here—it's been a while. . . .

Hi, Tigg! Hi, Semprini! And I see you, Melly—welcome!

Jn, it's not an abuse of power to steal those smiley URLs—anyone can see them by hitting "quote" on the relevant post. Then I—er, they just copy them to a list.

So, give in to your larcenous impulses.

I have always felt pulled north—I loved the beauty of Norway and Sweden and Scotland, and what little I've seen of Alaska, and a glimpse of Iceland and Greenland; and the most beautiful places I've ever been were in the Canadian Rockies (Lake Louise was one). Something about places north of here, sp...

Those are lovely, Eru, especially the snowy tulips. And the snowy field a couple of posts above. Iavas has a real gift.

Whistler, the subbasement is full of potholders.

You promised.

Some of the early reviews have been very positive—not just geek reviews, either.

One said it was more moving than LotR. Many seem to be raving about the overall quality of the film, and about Naomi Watts' performance.

I expected it to be fun, but PJ may have done it again.

Mine, too.

Thank you, Alatar! Very interesting.

Great! We're getting quite a crowd. All that focused Austen energy ought to improve deportment worldwide.

That sounds excellent to me, Imp. You've zeroed in on an aspect of Tolkien Virgin that made it very enjoyable.

Mrs. Frodo Baggins?

That makes me your mother-in-law.

I understand it has something to do with every living believer being caught up into the air—into the sky—and meeting Jesus there. People are supposed to literally vanish. It's called "The Rapture" in this set of beliefs, and it happens in those books at the start—the series is called "...

I'm just not a score maven. I thought I had heard of a recent DVD release where a studio-imposed score was replaced with the one the director had wanted (that had been finished and in place). Of course, the expenses of that would be much less.

As do I.

It sounds to me as if they had no choice at all. I'm certain Shore's score would have been much better, but it sounds as if it would not have been finished when it had to be. A brilliant score is a great asset, but missing a worldwide release date is a disaster. I wonder . . . ttbk, do you think the...

Edited, as vison's response is much better!