Daniel Day Lewis Archives - Wisdom & Folly

It’s been another exciting year, and we want to thank you all for reading and, if applicable, posting comments on our blog. Once again, we would like to close out the year with some summary remarks about good and bad stuff related to film, music, books, sports, food, and family.

Film Experiences:

Jim: This year I saw numerous films and few of them were disappointments. My expectations were low going into several of these, which contributed to my delight at their quality. One of these was Solo: A Star Wars Story, which wonderfully matched the Star Wars campy humor aesthetic at its best. Another was Incredibles 2, which blew me away in terms of how naturally it followed and even improved upon the seemingly unmatchable first film. What took them so long?! And my expectations were especially low with regard to A Star is Born, but under Bradley Cooper’s superb direction, combined with some strong acting and singing performances by Cooper and Lady Gaga, what seemed from the start to be a really bad idea (why remake such a bad film?) became a stunning triumph—an authentically portrayed tragic tale at a time in Hollywood history when tragedy seems to be a dead genre. Bravo! Two other highlights for the year for me were Phantom Thread (Daniel Day-Lewis is truly a master of his craft) and The Ballad of Buster Scruggs (the Coen brothers—directors of the film—are masters of theirs).

Amy: Jim stole a few of my choices for great film experiences, but here are a few others he didn’t mention. I spent a lot more time watching the small screen than the big screen this year. However, two highlights among blockbusters were Avengers: Infinity War and Mission: Impossible-Fallout. Neither was the best movie ever, but once you have committed to a series, you have to see it through, right? The Searchers and My Life as a Zucchini were two small screen gems we enjoyed as a family. I discovered Sneaky Pete which is a brilliantly produced con series and Patrick Melrose. The kids and I devoured The Great British Baking Show and all I can say is it was scrummy! We also made sport with several Hallmark movies this Christmas (one point if you can predict upcoming dialogue, two points for predicting plot developments) which are a bit like your Aunt Betty’s cheese ball: unoriginal and bland but for some reason you can’t stop yourself from consuming it.

Jim’s Best Musical Experiences of the Year: One of the highlights of the year was taking my daughter, Maggie, to see Taylor Swift in concert at Lucas Oil stadium in September. Maggie cried through much of it, while I simply enjoyed the show. Seeing Bailey, Sam, and Andrew develop as musicians (guitar, drums, and piano, respectively) has been wonderful. As for new music that I’ve especially enjoyed, by far my biggest discovery of the year was the Avett Brothers. I have been vaguely aware of them for years but I never really dug into their stuff. Then I discovered their song “No Hard Feelings” at a time in my life when I really needed it. This prompted a deep dive into their catalogue and I’ve been astounded by the musical beauty and lyrical wisdom of their work ever since.

Amy’s Best Food Experiences of the Year: This summer, a friend and I catered two weddings, with our husbands and kids playing supporting roles. So much work, so much time, so much fun. Kind of like marriage, actually. Being trusted to play a significant role in one of the biggest days of a couple’s life is a true honor . . . not to mention the joy of discovering homemade pickled beets and chicken shawarma. Yum yum.

Jim’s Favorite Sports Moments of the Year: The Chicago Cubs had a strong regular season, but I’ll leave it at that (see disappointing sports moments below), and the New Orleans Saints have been dominant in the regular season as well, and I’m hopeful that their season this year won’t end in a crushing last second defeat like last year (see below as well). Sam’s Eastbrook high school soccer team won sectionals again, which was fun. And his first year on a travel team was great for him as well.

Amy’s Favorite Sports Moments of the Year: Ironically, my favorite sports moment involved watching my team lose. We had a challenging spring semester and making a run for the border (to Canada) with Jim for our anniversary was a much-needed break. Attending my first NHL game (Detroit vs. Montreal) was icing on the cake. Go Red Wings!

Jim’s Most Disappointing Sports Moments of the Year: The Chicago Cubs early dismissal from the playoffs via a loss in the wild card game against the Colorado Rockies was disappointing. But it wasn’t terribly surprising, as all season long they seemed to lack the timely hitting that great teams consistently come up with. And the New Orleans Saints’ sudden ousting from the playoffs in January due to the “Minneapolis Miracle” TD pass reception by Stefon Diggs was one of the most difficult moments in my life as a sports fan. Oh well, there’s always next year, and I’m hoping this year will be it for my Saints.

Amy’s Most Painful Sports Moment of the Year: I really thought (and hoped) the Cubs would make a deep run in the playoffs, but I enjoyed watching the Red Sox win it all. On a more personal note, Andrew’s travel basketball team lost in double overtime despite the other team going down two players and he ended up with a concussion, a first for the both us.

Good and Bad Reads of the Year:

Jim: One of my favorite reads this year was Christian Faith and Social Justice: Five Views, edited by Vic McCracken. The book displays just how widely varied are the perspectives on social justice, even within the Christian community. And it doesn’t even include a chapter on the natural law perspective, which is probably the book’s main weakness. Here is my full review of the volume. Another superb scholarly text I read this year was Linda Zagzebski’s Epistemic Authority, which explores the role of authority in belief formation. Next to Alvin Plantinga, Zagzebski is probably my biggest contemporary hero in Christian philosophy and, more specifically, virtue epistemology. Everything she does is lucid and profoundly insightful. The worst book I read this year (and probably for many years) was Willie James Jennings’ The Christian Imagination. It is a work which is unfortunately highly touted in many circles, but which lacks anything like a coherent argument for its thesis. I also read many superb (and a few not so good) scholarly articles pertaining to hell and open-mindedness, my primary scholarly projects these days.

Amy: I read so many great books this year, some for pleasure, some I had to muscle through, and some that were a little bit of both. Mindset by Carol Dweck and A Failure of Nerve by Edwin Friedman were two that challenged my narrative-oriented brain but were well worth the effort as was Reflection on the Psalms by C.S. Lewis, though in a more spiritually edifying way. Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin and Up from Slavery by Booker T. Washington were sobering reminders of the history of prejudice in our country which both, ironically, left me hopeful about the potential of our future. The Choice by Dr. Edith Eger is one of the best books I read this year and one I couldn’t stop recommending to people. Our family entered the world of the Enneagram with The Road Back to You and I have loved all things P. G. Wodehouse this fall and winter. Lethal White, the next in the series by Robert Galbraith, aka J. K. Rowling, did not disappoint.

Best 2018 Family Memories:

Amy: Our 20^th wedding anniversary trip in March was wonderful especially our trip to the Toronto Museum of Art and hiking around Montreal. This year was full of transitions for us as a family. Bailey graduated from high school started at Taylor this fall. His absence is felt by us all and yet we are excited to see him moving on to bigger and better things. I wrapped up homeschooling with Maggie and Andrew and with their entrance into our local public school, I have taken on the role of cheerleader rather than teacher, a role I quite enjoy unless it means explaining linear equations, to myself and Maggie, at 11:30 at night. The kids and I took a trip over fall break with my folks and enjoyed beautiful scenery and one another’s company. We have all also loved having my niece, Rachel, living with us this year.

Jim: Our trip to Canada in March was a rewarding and timely excursion. On the way home, we visited Ausable Chasm, the “Grand Canyon of the Adirondacks,” which we both enjoyed immensely. Also, seeing our sons Sam and Andrew develop as athletes (soccer for Sam and baseball, basketball, and soccer for Andrew) has been a lot of fun. And having Bailey as a student in my History of Philosophy class at Taylor was also a memorable, if sometimes strange, experience. Also, building a chicken coop and acquiring some chicks (which are now full-grown, ready-to-lay, hens) has been quite the adventure. Lastly, taking part in a two-day retreat of silence at the Abbey of Gethsemani monastery in Kentucky two weeks ago with my father-in-law, brother-in-law, and our six sons was a highlight as well. The extended time of prayer, Bible study, and silent meditation was spiritually enriching and cleansing. And the bourbon chocolate fudge made by the monks was a nice bonus!

Best Kids’ Quotes of the Year

Here are some of the best quotes of the year from our kids, which come from Maggie (14) and Sam (16):

Maggie: “I wish cancer would get cancer and die.”
Sam: “The worst things happen to people when they forget how small they really are.”
Maggie: “Moms know. Dads understand.”
Sam: “No one is anonymous under the divine eyes.”
Maggie: (in a conversation about sexual ethics) “Truth does not have an expiration date. It’s not frickin’ milk.”
Maggie: “If someone kidnapped me and held me against my will but gave me ice cream regularly, I would stay.”

New Year’s Resolutions:

Amy: I want to strive to be more disciplined in scripture reading. I am working on turning worries into prayers and with my career as a homeschooling mom coming to an end, I am figuring out what I want to be when I grow up.

Jim: Once again, my primary goal this year is to be more regular with posts on Wisdom and Folly. But I really mean it this time!

Happy 2019 everyone!

January 12, 2013

Lincoln vs. The Iron Lady

By Amy Spiegel

I have no problem admitting that I am a total history nerd. For someone like myself, who struggles with non-fiction reading, history is the perfect bridge between the dramatic and the factual. In history, I find all the elements of fiction I appreciate but can still enjoy the feeling of moral superiority that comes from reading non-fiction. So make a movie based on a historic figure and, for me, it is analogous to eating chocolate-covered Brussel sprouts—the pleasure of dessert without the guilt.

Recently, I have watched two such movies, Lincoln and The Iron Lady, and was struck dumb by the contrast. Obviously, the dumbness has worn off, though I still may gape a bit now and then when comparing the two films. I have read several books about the life and death of Abraham Lincoln and especially enjoyed Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin. So Lincoln, based it loosely on Goodwin’s book, was just my cup of tea. I highly recommend the movie though I will say that being knowledgeable about Lincoln and especially the back story of his relationships with his cabinet enhances the experience. There just isn’t enough time to develop the complexity of those stories within the film, especially with Spielberg’s focus on the passage of the thirteenth amendment.

I wish we had the time and money to have seen the movie twice because I am still undecided as to whether or not it was a truly great movie or if it was good movie with an amazing performance. Daniel Day Lewis makes you feel as though you are watching Lincoln the man rather than Lincoln the movie. My respect for him as an actor could not be higher.

There is another amazing portrayal of an historical figure in The Iron Lady—Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher. This is an example of a terrible film with a fantastic performance. Told from the perspective of an aging, delusional and alcoholic Thatcher, this film manages to take one of the most interesting political dramas of the twentieth century and reduce it to a pathetic old woman watching home movies with her long dead husband. As Jim asked me afterwards, why make a movie about a person you so obviously dislike?

The best I can say about this film is at least it has inspired me to find out more about Lady Thatcher. While Lincoln had everything I love about history, The Iron Lady wasn’t even Brussel sprout, take-your-medicine-like-a-good-girl history. While Lincoln was both enjoyable and edifying, The Iron Lady was neither chocolate nor Brussel sprout, just a gooey, unappetizing mess and that is certainly a meal I am happy to pass on.

January 4, 2013

The Best and Worst of 2012

By Jim Spiegel

Best Film Experiences:

Jim: This year I was blown away by two films whose plots involved the silent film era: Hugo and The Artist. The former, directed by Martin Scorsese, is a powerfully redemptive story that is a visual and emotional delight. Even given his impressive filmography, I regard Hugo as one of Scorsese’s best. And The Artist is a true original at a time when Hollywood needed a breath of fresh air.
Amy: What have I watched this year? Obviously nothing that great or I would be able to remember. I did love the experience of watching Lincoln, but I told Jim afterward, I don’t know if I loved it because it was a great movie or because it was such an amazing performance by Daniel Day Lewis. He is so good, it’s hard to evaluate the film as a whole. From a pure experience standpoint, gasping in shock surprise with several girlfriends and a theater full of shocked fellow watchers in Twilight: Breaking Dawn was a highlight.

Worst Film Experiences:

Jim: I didn’t see any really bad films this year, but Hunger Games was a definite disappointment. I read the book, and then watched the film, and they were equally disappointing. The problem: none of the characters made any reference to God, prayer, the afterlife, etc. Given that death and physical trauma figure into the story so prominently, this is highly unrealistic and a significant flaw in the narrative.
Amy: This year has seen a lot of disappointments for me, more in the shows that I watch than in films. Frankly I expect most movies to be bad but several favorites on the small screen turned into just another agenda driven lecture punctuated by commercialist drivel. I guess one of the worst would be Snow White and the Huntsman but was I really expecting that one to be good or did I just want to get out of the house? Hmm.

Best and Worst Musical Experiences of the Year:

Jim: The new Dylan album, Tempest, was the highlight of the year for me. These days, every new Dylan album, especially given the fact that the man is so well along in years, is a treat. And the fact that his music is as good as ever is really astounding. Unprecedented, in fact. What other popular artist is still writing and recording great songs into his/her 70s? Another highlight was the Black Keys concert in Cincy that I attended last March. Those guys are finally getting the recognition they deserve. But will their popularity undermine their creativity from here forward? Time will tell.
Amy: I don’t really do musical experiences. Concerts give me vertigo and my iPod is mostly full of stuff for the kids. But I did enjoy discovering The Tallest Man on Earth, The Temper Trap, Grace Potter and The Nocturnals, and Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros.

Jim’s Favorite Sports Moments of the Year: Seeing the Detroit Tigers win the American League Championship was definitely a thrill. But like 2006, they swept their way there (defeating those darn Yankees 4-0), while the Giants had to go the distance to defeat the Cardinals in the NLCS. So, just like 2006, the Tigers were hurt by the long layoff and got swept in the World Series. Hopefully, next year, the Tigers can win the ALCS in a more protracted series so they’ll be well-tuned for the World Series.

Jim’s Most Disappointing Sports Moments of the Year: Watching the Giants sweep the Tigers hurt, but the whole “Bounty-gate” debacle concerning the New Orleans Saints hurt even worse. Ugh.

Amy’s Best Eating Experience of the Year: Eating curried goat with my hubby in the Bahamas. I seriously would have licked the plate had no one been watching.

Amy’s Worst Eating Experience of the Year: I made the mistake of purchasing heavily scented yet temptingly discounted dishwasher detergent a few months back and paid dearly for my frugality when it “tainted” all of our dishes. No matter what we ate, all I tasted was synthetic lavender. Yuck.

Satisfying Reads of the Year:

Jim: In the scholarly category, it’s Plantinga’s Where the Conflict Really Lies. As is typical for Plantinga, it is lucid and well-argued—the best treatment of science and religion I’ve ever read. Also, this year I resolved to read three classics every year, and this year they were Virgil’s Aeneid, George Eliot’s Silas Marner, and Eusebius’s History of the Church (which I am still reading). Three very different books, but each rich with insight and deserving of the moniker “classic.” I also greatly enjoyed reading another superb apologetics book by Paul Copan—When God Goes to Starbucks. He tackles some really challenging questions, such as regarding homosexuality and the Old Testament “holy wars,” and his responses are consistently insightful and sensitive.
Amy: This has been a good book reading year for me. If I am going for mind-expanding, worldview-challenging it would be The Fountainhead. I realize she would think I am a mindless religious zombie but I still love Ayn Rand. I read a lot of history this year, my favorite being Destiny of the Republic about the assassination of James Garfield. For sheer pleasure, Roald Dahl’s Boy and Going Solo were pure delight.

Political High Point of the Year: Jim: Still waiting for one. Amy: Ditto.

Political Low Point of the Year: The presidential election. Nuff said.

Best 2011 Memories of Our Kids:

Bailey: “There is no better feeling than picking up a heavy whipped cream can.”
Sam: Through tears and cries of pain over a splinter “You promise it’s just a thin layer of tissue?”
Maggie: “Mom, do you have a town inside your head where you go when you are bored?”
Andrew as he hands us his front tooth after riding the bummer cars: “That was the most awkward time I ever lost a tooth.” And another good one from Andrew, when explaining that he would rather listen to Rascal Flats than my gospel choice: “I don’t like this one, no offense to God.”

Most Satisfying Shared Experiences of the Year:

Jim: Our time in the Bahamas last January with the Taylor softball team.
Amy: Redoing our upstairs bathroom.

New Year’s Resolutions:

Jim: To take my wife out on even more dates and to avoid sugary carbonated soft drinks.
Amy: To limit the number of times I begin sentences with the phrase “I am so sick and tired…” and to take time every day to remember what an awesome guy I married.

Happy 2013 everyone!