Tis the season for films

By the end of this week, I'll probably have been to the movie theater as many times (or more) in the past month as I typically go in a full year. 

I've now seen "Wicked" (twice), "For King and Country: A Drummer Boy Christmas," and "The War of the Rohirrim." I'm also going to see if I can sneak in "Gladiator II" before it leaves this week, pushed out by the next wave of new releases.  

It's nothing new for lots of highly-anticipated films to come out around the holidays, but this year felt especially drastic. There were not a lot of major films (not ones I was excited for, at least) released throughout the year, and then suddenly a whole bunch of good ones got dumped on us one after another right before Christmas. Not the best timing for the pocketbook, unfortunately. 

I usually wouldn't go to the theater so many times so close together. However, these films were ones I've been excited about for a long time that are important to me. 

"Wicked" is a musical I've loved for a solid decade. It was the first Broadway tour I got to go see when I went to it with my Mom and best friends to celebrate my 21st birthday. I was blown away by it, loving the story and songs and spectacle. I saw the film opening weekend with my family, and went again this week with my best friend. I also cried, a lot, both times. From hearing the familiar opening notes to seeing the fantastic world come to life to being excited over the perfect casting of the characters to feeling the depths of the emotion in the story, the film met and exceeded my expectations. It's a fun watch, with catchy music and spectacular visuals, but it's also a deep and powerful story about friendship and standing up to injustice. This is a big statement coming from me, but I believe it's now my favorite movie musical adaptation.

One of my other theater trips this month was even more music-heavy, since it was a filmed concert. "For King and Country: A Drummer Boy Christmas" took a concert I've been wanting to go to for several years and brought it to me. If I had to choose a single favorite Christmas album to listen to, it would probably be For King and Country's. I've loved their music, especially their Christmas music, for a long time, and thought their Christmas concert would be fun to go to. Unfortunately, plans for traveling in winter aren't easy. So I was grateful to hear that they filmed one of their Christmas concerts and would be releasing it in theaters. And it didn't disappoint. It was an incredibly fun concert, as I suspected, which was also filmed very well. I smiled wide, occasionally sang along, and shed a few tears as their music captured and shared the joy of the season. 

The last film I saw was probably one of the less-anticipated films of the season for most people, but one of the most anticipated and most meaningful to me. "The War of the Rohirrim" is a new story set in the fantasy world of Middle Earth, but unlike the previous "Lord of the Rings" films, it was brought to life through the anime. I've been a "Lord of the Rings" fan for over 20 years. I remember standing outside in December waiting in line for "The Return of the King" when the Star Stadium in Rock Springs was new. I remember my excitement for "The Hobbit" films when I got to see them on Christmas breaks in between semesters of college. Returning to Middle Earth in theaters at Christmas time again felt so nostalgic. And seeing my favorite fantasy world brought to life through anime, an art form I've come to appreciate in more recent years, felt so fitting. I loved the film, thinking the artwork was gorgeous, the story was engaging, and the characters were complex. And, yes, I cried at this one too. 

Movies mean a lot to me, because I've always believed in the power of stories. And while it may be a lot to go see several back to back, it also feels right to make them part of the Christmas season.