Inklings // December 2024

Rules:

1. At any time during the month, on your own blog post a scene from a book or film that matches the prompt, including a link back here in your post.

2. Make sure to come back and leave a link to your entry in the box on this post. That's it!

~

December's prompt is:

Scene by a Christmas tree

Believe it or not, it took me like an extra week to post this as I had my chosen scene in mind, but wasn't exactly sure how to form it into a prompt. Then I decided to just be masterfully original and go with the above. (And I'm enjoying keeping things very simple and traditional round here this year. So in the end it all works. xD)

Full admission, I'm not a fan of a few of the dance numbers in White Christmas -- and in other ways as well it's not a perfect film -- but, come the ending, I'm always misty-eyed. The loyalty and camaraderie (all hearkening back to everything the men were going through at the beginning) is just a tear-jerker.

(Special edit re the song and dance interludes: As much as I like to skip some numbers, I equally love Other Ones, so... I'm always conflicted where it falls on my list.) 

Plus, about halfway through this last time, I realized that Betty Haynes (played by Rosemary Clooney) is one of my all time favorite characters in classic cinema.

But let us focus. Back to the ending. 

There are the red dresses...

But the entire ending is iconic. *mild spoilers and speaking with deliberate obtuseness* I just love the whole metaphorical imagery / dialogue Betty and Bob (Bing Crosby) develop throughout, epitomized by Betty's surprise gift at the end. {{melting}} And then the backdrop lifting... and the snow... *end spoilers* 

All absolutely epic and iconic. And so festive. *happy sigh*

Have you seen White Christmas? 💚

You can pop your links below:

🎄 Can't wait to see what y'all come up with and have fun! 🎄

Inklings || November 2024

Rules:

1. At any time during the month, on your own blog post a scene from a book or film that matches the prompt, including a link back here in your post.

2. Make sure to come back and leave a link to your entry in the box on this post. That's it!

~

November's prompt is:

A scene with family breaking bread together in book or film

I'm mixing it up a little by doing a picture book this time (which also feels only right as it's the title that inspired the prompt), i.e. Sharing the Bread by Pat Zietlow Miller.

Anyhow! This one is just charming. I love how they're all pitching in together to prepare the laden table... 

And I find the clean simplicity of the illustrations charming. It's actually giving me some inspiration for how I might do our decorations this year.

I reviewed it here last year. (Unabashed plug for my book blog that's been pottering along gently. Never know when a new review might happen to pop up though! ;))

You can pop your links below:

Have fun!

My 2024 Fall Film List

The following are titles that feel like fall to me. Enjoy!

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Ever After

Still love this one to. bits. 

(reviewed here)

Anne of Avonlea

I mean... need I say more??

Jeeves and Wooster

The seasonal connection might be because the first page I ever read of Wodehouse contained the following:

"I reached out a hand from under the blankets, and rang the bell for Jeeves.

‘Good evening, Jeeves,’
‘Good morning, sir’
This surprised me.
‘Is it morning?’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Are you sure? It seems very dark outside.’
‘There is a fog, sir. If you will recollect, we are now in Autumn – season of mists and mellow fruitfulness.’
‘Season of what?’
‘Mists, sir, and mellow fruitfulness.’"
(The Code of the Woosters)

Love it so much.

But seriously, so many eps from the series just shout fall. An absolute seasonal essential.

Pride and Prejudice '05

Along with Ever After, the clear yet hazy golden light (+ the fog and rain scenes)... the textures and colors... everything in this film is just an entirely autumn-y immersion. It's scrumptious. (reviewed here.)  

The Princess Bride

Hadn't seen this one for years and realized on a recent rewatch that it's kinda set in late summer (with an overarching Christmas setup), but (similarly to EA & P&P) the clear lighting for this film feels so fall-ish. + there're the iconically rustling leaves in certain scenes. (Note: still have to review this one and had forgotten the mentions of self harm -- which definitely stuck out to me more now as a mother -- so just a quick fyi in case you forgot that too before family viewing.) That said, I'd also forgotten just how quotable it is. xD

Rob Roy: The Highland Rogue (1953)

Reviewed here years ago, I hadn't seen this one in eons, but rewatched it recently with my daughter and it held up quite well. As we were watching, it did strike me as kind of more wintery in places than autumnal, but something about all the outdoor scenes and colorful plaids and smoky interiors also just seemed very seasonal at the moment. Anyway, glad it was on our viewing list for this year. 

Love Comes Softly

Satisfyingly romantic (and including one of my favorite hymns in its score), I always end up wanting to rewatch it at least once a year. (short review here)

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There you have it! Do you have any favorite fall inspired films?