Kubo

We did have time tonight to watch "Kubo and the Two Strings," and it was a visually stunning movie.  The three of us enjoyed a night out at the movies, including all the popcorn in that great big tub.  This movie has been out a few weeks, but nevertheless, there were a good deal of people in the theater to see it.  These stop-motion animation movies are modern wonders.  The amount of time and patience and artistry that goes into each frame is difficult to fathom.  Even showing the behind-the-scenes during the credits - as they did with this one and "The Boxtrolls" - you really don't get that sense of the amount of effort it takes to make something like this happen.

It clearly had a Japanese influence, and should do very well there.  Here, it's done well, and should be a leading contender for Best Animated Picture.  It was that good, so much that Pixar's run might have a little break in it.

The rest of the day went well, of course.  Madison did in fact have her Nutcracker practice this morning, the first of many.  She enjoyed that, and it went well, the frenzy of little ballerinas swarming the campus grounds on a pleasant Saturday morning.  The temperature was up, but you have a sense that it will be dipping downward soon due to the will of the people.  We're ready for fall.  A few trees have started to change colors, just egging the temperature on somewhat.  Come on, the trees are saying.  We dare you to start dropping.

And soon it will.  College football season is here, and it makes no sense to play on a Saturday afternoon when it is so hot outside.  Not that we watch college football.  It's just one of those things that surrounds us if you live in the South.

Tonight, we got to the chapter about the Vermicious Knids, which we've heard so much about prior to this reading.  We heard them referred to in "James and the Giant Peach."  And there was a reference to them in one of the movies based on the first "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" book.  And, there's the rock band.

But tonight, "Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator" added something fun with this new threat.  By spelling out the only word they knew, "SCRAM," we're suddenly back into this book again with renewed enthusiasm.

Tomorrow's script will be great for our KidPak series, the penultimate script in this ongoing series.  It's going well, with lots of Star Wars references thrown in for super fans.  It's just plain fun, but it also meaningful as well.  It should be wonderful, but also an important day too - tomorrow, it's the fifteen-year anniversary of 9-11.

Wow.