The Curious Critic

Ordinary Architects of Fate: A review of “One Life” (2024)

I don’t often do movies reviews, partly because I rarely watch recent films. I haven’t been to the theaters to see a movie since Avengers: Endgame (2019). But per the Critical Drinker’s recommendation, I borrowed the 2024 film One Life, and amid a snowstorm I enjoyed a cozy night in with a wonderful film (and some tears).

I was not going to give a premise of the plot (those are dull to write, duller to read, and you can find one elsewhere), nor a synopsis with spoilers. But if you’re like me, you don’t want to look one up since they tell too much. So if you have seen it already, skip this paragraph to get to my critique. If you want a brief premise, read on. The film takes place in the 1980s, but goes back and forth between the present and the late 1930s, following Nickolas “Nicky” Winton, an elderly Englishman who during the outbreak of WWII worked to help child refugees in Prague. The story begins with him in the present, but often reminiscing of the past, and looking through his old scrapbook at pictures of the children. Early in the film it cuts back to 1938, when he travelled to Prague just after Hilter’s invasion of Czechoslovakia (Sudetenland), and then follows his motivations, trials, and endeavors then and now.

Per my usual breakdown of writing (including plot, story structure, etc.), characters, and themes, here follow my thoughts on the film.

Epiphany

On we marched beneath the firmament,
Eyes alight, entranced by such a star!
Bright and new, in darkness clear, that herald
Ancient, kingsman, prophet, glorious news!

Till we saw that humble home, abode of
Peasant, shepherd, or artisan?
So we stared, exchanged a troubled look, then
Hastened to the door.

There we found him, in babe’s attire and
Simple dwelling, unhonored, unloved,
Lacking pomp and comfort, fest or feast,
Save a mother’s milk, and gentle touch.

Stop! Who is that maid, so unassuming,
Poor and young, but eyes illumine all she
Sets her gaze upon—Me? Those eyes
Lift in wonder, awed, yet unafraid.

Eyes that hold some light of heaven, gaze at
All in love, and holy fear, and justice,
God’s own blessing to bestow, so like that
Star, which guides men wandering in darkest night.

Dawn then seemed to fill the room;
Light, to spring up from the earth,
For that babe let out a cry, and
Justice down from heaven looked.

Then we saw, our faces radiant,
Hearts athrill, rejoicing!
Finding journey’s end at last, and
Humble gifts bestowing.

On our knees we fell, heaven’s
Glory, Sun of Justice, beholding!
And beneath that blessed Star, the
Son of God, adoring!

Mercy and truth are met together;
righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
Truth shall spring out of the earth;
and righteousness shall look down from heaven.
~Psalm 85:10-11

Then you shall see and be radiant,
your heart shall thrill and rejoice;
because the abundance of the sea shall be turned to you,
the wealth of the nations shall come to you.
~Isaiah 60:5

Did I Use My Gifts Wisely?

The Purpose of Power and Strength

The following is a discussion and analysis of one of my favorite scenes in the Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba manga. This contains spoilers from the Mugen Train arc in the manga and anime.

“Do you know why you were born stronger than other people?”

Review & Analysis: The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier

(Minor spoilers—nothing big.)

Again Jonathan Auxier tells an intriguing story with compelling, interesting characters, while dealing with the question of ‘What is a story, and what is it for?’ in a way that both a child and an adult can understand and appreciate. Set amid the Irish potato famine and English prejudice against the Irish, and in a time when children would rather risk dangerous work and living conditions than an orphanage, Auxier still sprinkles in jewels and opens shafts of light to shine on a dark world.

Meditation on Virtues & Trials

It is better to be burdened and in company with the strong than to be unburdened and with the weak. When you are burdened, you are close to God, your strength, who abides with the afflicted. When you are relieved of the burden, you are close to yourself, your own weakness; for virtue and strength of soul grow and are confirmed in the trials of patience.
St. John of the Cross

Friends, remember that virtues are mountains: with the pinnacle being the pinnacle of perfection, and on either side of the mountains there being two valleys of vice: the vice of excess, and the vide of deficiency. So on the mountain of courage there lies rashness on one side and timidity on the other. On the mountain of hope there lies presumption on one side and despair and despondency on the other. When trials occur, we have the chance to climb the mountain, but also we should, in humble self-knowledge, recognize the particular dangers of our situation and dispositions: what vice do I have a habit of? Which valley do I tend towards, or might I fall into now without God’s help? God disciplines and chastises His children, but do not forget that by Baptism you are His child whom he loves, His son or daughter whom He receives. (Heb. 12:6) “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant; later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” (Heb. 12:11)

Reading Experiment Update

In my previous post, admittedly some time ago, I explained a reading experiment I had begun. In short, it was to read only one book at a time, with some exceptions such as audiobooks, short stories, essays, etc. I actually forgot to mention the audiobook rule, but part of why I kept that rule is for long car rides, and because I don’t like podcasts very much, and because I have a rather long audiobook on the cultural history of Russia that I want to read but don’t want to only read. Perhaps I should. But I digress. My proposed experiment was for February and March. It is, according to some authorities, now April. So how did my experiment go?

An Experiment in Reading

I have begun an experiment. Years ago, I used to think that my habit of reading many books at one time was due to my lack of self-control. Then I decided: No, this is just what I like doing—I like to read different books at a time—who says that you have to read only one book at a time? Two months ago I concluded I was right in the beginning: It is a lack of self-control. At least, for me it is. Let me provide the prompt for this change, and some clarification.

Book Review: Starlight

I enjoyed this collection of short stories by Hannah Lee Kidder. It includes 11 short stories, six of which are flash fiction. The flash fiction was excellent. Kidder rarely uses exposition, and all of her stories in this collection unfold gradually with little to no expositional setup, leading the reader along through intrigue. Whether her stories end in a twist or not, there is almost always an excellent “drop” at the end—an “Oh, crap” realization either of plot (as in The Swamp Witch or Margrove) or in theme (as in Warm, which might be my favorite). All of her stories start right where they should, in the middle of a scene which she sets well. As for the endings, the flash fictions don’t necessarily have one—and often deliberately so (which makes sense, given the nature of flash fiction, which I am new to and which seem to me almost as “scenes” or even parts of scenes). Several of stories end so as to enlighten the whole story, or to shift the reader’s perspective. For instance, the last line of Ink shows what everything preceding it really entailed, and the end of Mother shows the illusion that misled both the reader and protagonist throughout the story. Or in Bruising and Warm, the end begs new questions: When does violence end and healing begin, and how does violence impact our view of the world (disillusioning us, or warping our understanding); or how might an act of self-defense impact our view of ourselves?

Book Review: The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey (#2)

Almost as delightful as the first one! Again, Trenton Lee Stewart delivers a book as wonderful as his name. The pacing was a little more varied than that of the first book, which I think I enjoyed more (I get anxious easily and use books to help regulate my emotions; so when a book is constantly tense, so am I HAHAHAHAHA [cries]). There is the constant urgency that exists in all but the first and last chapters, but there are more periods of rest for the reader’s heartbeat than the first book contains. The tone of the pre-internet modes of communication remains captivating and fun in a world where four children can go off on their own to save the world. Even so, adults are necessary in the story. The protagonists cannot do everything on their own, but their efforts matter and their dignity equals an adult’s.

Coraline: A Fun, Eerie Read

Spoilers!

I really enjoyed this book! At 30,826 words I think it makes more sense to call it a novella than a short story. I think my favourite aspect of Gaiman’s writing in this work is the tone (I’m now on my third Gaiman book, and that seems to be one of his foremost skills). Our world is shown in all its mundanity, and Gaiman lets the action and dialogue speak for itself, communicating a small, rather dull world wherein Coraline’s parents leave her, somewhat neglectfully, to her own imagination. I find it hard to communicate boredom in a way that isn’t boring, but Gaiman did a good job of it. Maybe it was the ever present conflict in relation to Coraline that made the boredom so interesting. Coraline wants to explore, but is soon confined to her flat. She wants her parents to spend time with her, but they are consumed by chores, work, etc. She wants the neighbours to pay attention to her, but Ms. Spink and Ms. Forcible are too busy rehashing the past to remember her name, and Mr. Bobo is too focused on his work to pay attention to her name. This conflict also helps us understand her wandering into another world (but honestly, who wouldn’t?), and enhances one of the main themes: that this world and its inhabitants are imperfect, yet still real—and when something is real then there is more to it than meets the eye. Her parents do care for her, and not just superficially—her father’s ‘recipe’ meals are acts of love, and he learns to show more affection toward her, picking her up and carrying her, by paying attention to her affection towards him (I also loved that she learns to show affection to others—her parents, Ms. Spink and Ms. Forcible—without them needing to be perfect in love towards her).