new thread--How did you like Narnia?

[Debbie Jean]

Disney marketed to both Christian and secular audiences.

C.S. Lewis was a Christian and the book has a strong Christian allegory (allusion? reference? I can't remember the term!). Aslan is representative of Jesus, etc. What's nice though is that it's not over the top. It's not specifically a Christian movie; it's there if you are interested in that aspect and if you're not into that, you can still enjoy the book (and the movie I assume, haven't seen it.)

It's pretty much a staple in many Christian households.

C.S. Lewis was an Anglican theologian who often used allegory as a method for presenting his views. One of my favorites is "The great divorce" for his perspective on hell and heaven. Another very popular one is "The screwtape letters". Lewis had a wonderful ability to transform dry theological material into stories, ideas that were engaging, humourous and thought provoking.

When I was in college in the 60's/early 70's, C.S. Lewis was all the rage!

 

[ohiominnie]

Screening in Columbus, Ohio was about 90% full, I'd say. I went in and showed them my copy of my email and they tried to check me off of the lists they had. I wasn't on there. They kept looking and then asked if I was part of some group (?) I said "I got this through the Disney Visa website." Some other lady said she didn't think they had an official "list" for that. So they let us through. They did have security there to check us if necessary, but they just let us through. They did have the "no recording devices or cell phones/PDAs/blackberries allowed."

Movie was great. Visuals were stunning. Casting was good. Very good movie!! I'd say about as true to the book as it could be. Of course some things were left out for time's sake, but I think they did a much better job at following the book than other movies that are based on books.

 

[RetroJulie]

We saw the movie in Winter Park / Orlando. Loved it! How wonderfully cast were all the kids?! I can't wait to go back and see it a second time.

Most of the people in our theatre seemed to be there through some promotion with Radio Disney. The men we sat next to said they got thier tickets through their youth group.

We had to go through the bag check & metal detector before entering the theatre. I'd guess it was about 80% full.

Again, loved the movie!

 

[gottaluvdis]

I can't wait to see this (neither can DD9). It will be interesting to see this weekend's box office returns for this vs Harry Potter 4 (which was excellent and has earned over $200 million in the US already, over $500 mil worldwide).

 

[SleepyatDVC]

Partial repost from other thread since it seems more appropriate here:

Saw the movie in NYC. The theatre was full as I expected. We arrived at 9:15am and the line outside was at the end of the block. After we got on the line, it wrapped around the corner. The line moved quickly once the doors opened at 9:30am. They collected the tickets but didn't check any ID's. So, some one could have printed out a bunch of the e-mail invites and gone with everyone they knew. Glad we went a little early to snag seats together.

The theatre was half full when we went in. We picked 4 seats mid way up on the aisle so that it was easy to go to the bathroom. By 10am the theatre was full, although there seemed to be people stil wandering in. They had some reserved seating that they later opened up though. I saw many families wandering up and down the aisles, trying to find seats together.

Loved the movie. My DD6 and DD4.5 loved it too. It really helped that we had just finished reading it. They weren't as scared during the "disturbing" parts and it helped them understand the whole story. It was pretty true to the book. There were some minor changes to make the movie flow better - mostly to the time lines - but the major themes were kept in tact.

The kids actually understood the biblical correlation. DH who had never read the books was surprised that the biblical themes were so obvious, he thought they would be more subtle.

 

[CinRell]

We saw it in NC. The theater was very full, but not crowded. They did security checks. No one could take in a camera phone. A local Christian radio station had also given away tickets.

Loved it!! Hope everyone stayed for the credits.

I took 1/2 day to see it this friday early.. teehee... is this a movie that something happens after the credits? Please let me know and I"ll stay if that's the case

 

[CheapMom]

I know the credits began to roll and people started leaving but then maybe 45 seconds passed and there was a bit more to the movie. Then we left. Was there more to it than that?

 

[Pinkprincessmom]

There is a little bit during the middle of the credits.

CheapMom...I think you saw it all.

 

[STHcruzer]

LOVED IT! It exceeded my expectations. Very true to the novel, but condensed of course for time. Visually stunning. And, DEFINITELY, too scary for little ones. There were three and four year olds in our theater, crying.

We watched it in Philadelphia. Theater about 2/3 full. No security checks or anything. There were people there who had gotten tickets as part of a church group, not many seemed to have the Disney VISA email.

Same here .

 

[chrissyt27]

I loved it, I read the book a long time okay and thought they accurately depicted the book to the best of my memory. I have the chance to see it again tonight and I would so go sit through it again if I weren’t sick.
The theatre in Indy was pretty full, although there were a few empty seats. There was security, but no Visa People even asked to see our card. The security took my printout ticket and we actually had a 5th little one and no one asked a question about her.
The other group that was there was Walden Media. They had a guy checking off names.
I may have to read the book again. My boyfriend bough the whole set in one book soft back. It is huge though.

 

[BankBunny]

I have a dumb question....
Is the movie just The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe or is it all of the books that make up The Chronicles of Narnia?? I wasn't sure since the full title of the movie is The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.
Also, is there somewhere I could go to see the other biblical references? I'm in the middle of reading the whole collection and I just don't see it.

 

[SleepyatDVC]

I have a dumb question....
Is the movie just The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe or is it all of the books that make up The Chronicles of Narnia?? I wasn't sure since the full title of the movie is The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.

Just the one book.

 

[bytheblood]

..........snip.............
Also, is there somewhere I could go to see the other biblical references? I'm in the middle of reading the whole collection and I just don't see it.

I have read all of the Narnia books quite a few times. It is much like reading your Bible. You pick up more each time you read.

Aslan - Jesus
Peter, Susan, Edmond, Lucy - Disciples
Beavers - Followers of Christ
White Witch - Satan
Queen of Charn (also White Witch) - Satan (also in The Silver Chair)
The Last Battle is full of relation to the Book of Revelation, Anti-Christ, False Profit, etc
Tumnus - martyr
Aslan being slain at the Stone Table - crucifixion
Aslan coming back - resurrection
Aslan giving himself for Edmond - death for my sin
All who serve the White Witch - non-believers
The Magician's Nephew is full of relation to the creation of the earth, the fall of man, temptation in the garden, choosing to follow God as well as the power of Christ.
Digory, Jill, Polly & Eustace - Disciples
Prince Capsian - Servant of God. King David, Paul the Apostle & others fit in as well. somewhat even Moses.
Uncle Andrew - non-believer, dabbles in sorcery/magic, lost
Shasta, Bree, Aravis & Hwin - Servants of God
Reepicheep - Servant to God - many Old Testament stories there
Miraz - an anti-Christ, non-believer, lost, strongly opposes Christ, like we see in our world today
The 7 islands visited by Prince Caspian and his shipmates - you can see many sins deeply rooted there - greed, lust, hatred, etc....temptation itself
Prince Rillian - Servant of God, following down the Tribe of David
Shift - Anti-Christ/False Profit storyline
Puzzle the Donkey - misled, not understanding truth - I think the point of Puzzle's story is to show God's heart and that only God knows the heart of each - but I also think he falls into the false profit story line
Susan In The Last Battle - She is no longer in Christ, but has taken to the world
Tash - The Beast
Those the follow Tash - All religions that oppose Christ
Narnia - Heaven
In The Last Battle, when a new Narnia is created - the new heaven and the new earth
Caspian’s battle with Miraz – David and Goliath

I could go on, but these are some that come to mind. Like I said, the more times I read the books, I see more correlation between Narnia and the Bible.

 

[Kimberly815]

I enjoyed the movie very much. I haven't read the book since gradeschool.

Although, I did find it to be a wee bit long (not terribly long, just by the time we got to the major battle, I though to myself: I hope this is a quick battle! LOL) But that could just be me!

 

[DizneyDogs]

My husband and I both gave it 3 popcorn bags out of 4.

 

[NJBlackBerry]

A dissenting opinion - and it is just an opinion of the movie: I thought is was very slow paced, much too long, predictable and the human acting was awful. The animals were wonderful. I did not read the book, and knew nothing about the story. The religious themes were obvious. In fact, the whole moving was obvious and predictable.

I know that dissent is generally unacceptable here, and I am not attacking the book, the theology or the author. But I though the movie was terrible.

 

[LegoMom3]

Earlier in this thread there was a post or two on 3 and 4 yr. olds in the audience who were crying, etc. due to some pretty intense parts. I'm not taking my 4-yr. old, but wondering about a 6 yr. old? My oldest, who's 9, has read the book and dying to see the movie, but so is the 6 yr. old simply because he's familiar with the story (DH has read it to him, chapter by chapter, at bedtimes). I've seen several other posts from folks who DID bring a younger child, but then there's my MIL who heard some review and swears up and down NO child under 9 should see this (course it's not like she's seen it herself, either, but she tends to get overly cautious).

SO! Would just like to know if the general consensus is for or against a 6 yr. old boy seeing this? He's seen the original 3 Star Wars movies (episodes 4, 5 and 6) and similar type stuff, and not overly wigged out by battle scenes.

TIA!

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

Earlier in this thread there was a post or two on 3 and 4 yr. olds in the audience who were crying, etc. due to some pretty intense parts. I'm not taking my 4-yr. old, but wondering about a 6 yr. old?

My DH, seven-year old and I went to see it yesterday. The movie was nothing short of awesome. The theater was PACKED and we ended up sitting two rows from the screen (can you say neck pain?).

The movie does have some intense scenes, but I think it was magnified (literally) by us sitting so darn close. I would make sure you give yourself plenty of time to get a good, back of the theater seat.

The battle scenes are pretty intense, but I don't recall ever seeing any blood at all. There were a bazillion kids in the theater, and I only recall one crying, but it sounded more like a baby and when the baby was crying, nothing was really going on in the movie to have caused it.

 

[Shanan]

DH and I went to see it yesterday and loved it. Yes I had tears when Aslen was walking in the forest to sacrifice himself through the scenes where he breathed (breath of God) on the frozen soldiers & Thomas at the White Witch's palace. I was talking about it this morning in Sunday School class. Told them that they really ought to go see it. Would I see it again?? YES

 

[Am_I_There_Yet]

DH and I went to see it yesterday and loved it. Yes I had tears when Aslen was walking in the forest to sacrifice himself through the scenes where he breathed (breath of God) on the frozen soldiers & Thomas at the White Witch's palace. I was talking about it this morning in Sunday School class. Told them that they really ought to go see it. Would I see it again?? YES

I forgot about that! I cried too! Of course a Campbell's Soup commercial can make me come undone, but that whole scene, from the beginning to the end got me.

I plan on seeing it again with my 15 1/2 and 20 year old daughters. I think it's one of those movies where if you see it a second time, you see things you missed the first time around.