Second Disney Renaissance Part 1: Introduction and the Precursor

Disney films hold a special place in my heart. I got to see a lot of Disney's older live action films  thanks to my Dad. I'm sure he took great pleasure traumatizing me with the freaking Banshee from Darby O'Gil and the Little People. Speaking of the live action films does anyone besides me remember The Gnome Mobile? Back on topic. My favorite aspect of Disney is the Disney Animated Canon. This a bit interesting because I think a watched the Sing-Along Songs tapes more than the actual animated movies when I was a kid. I was born in 1991, right in the high-point of the Disney Renaissance. One of my first cinema experiences was seeing The Lion King and the re-release of Oliver in Company. I started to lose interest in Disney when as I got older which was rather convenient since Disney started to go downhill in the 2000s. Based on fan and critical reaction, these movies fit in three major categories, Movies I Wished I Saw (Emperors New Groove, Lilo and Stitch), Interesting Experiments Which Couldn't Find an Audience (Atlantis, and Treasure Planet), and Animated Abominations (Dinosaur, Home on the Range, and Chicken Little). I stated watching Disney movies again when Meet the Robinsons came out and it was just kind of okay. However, the Animated Canon began to return to form with subsequent films. As a result of consecutive strong releases, myself and others have concluded the Disney Animation has entered into a Second Renaissance. The following with be a personal reflection on the films of the Second Renaissance. They won't comprehensive reviews but I might write some for these movies in the future. If anyone is looking for true Disney reviews then I direct you to That Guy with the Glasses's Disneycember series.

Animated Canon
Wreck-it-Ralph
Frozen
Pixar and other CGI Films
Live-Action Films

Before I get to the Second Renaissance films there is one I have to cover first because I feel its relevant to the discussion. So now I will introduce what I see as the precursor to the Second Renaissance

0. Bolt (2008)

Premise: Bolt (John Travolta) is a super-powered dog who is dedicated in protecting his owner, Penny (Miley Cyrus), as she tries to rescue her kidnapped father....... except none of that is true. Bolt is actually and acting dog who is convinced the TV show he stars in is reality. However, the show's producer fears a potential drop in ratings so a new storyline is written where Penny is captured by the show's villain. Bolt thinks this is real so he tries to save Penny which results in him falling into a shipping box and being mailed to New York. Bolt is now caught up in a real adventure as he travels America to get back to his owner while meeting a cynical tuxedo cat, Mittens, (Susan Essman) and a fanboy hamster, Rhino (Mark Walton), on the way.

Reflection: My experience with Bolt proves movie critics' opinions can be very useful. The only reason I saw this movie is because my friend Dustin was really bored one day and he wanted to see a movie. Now I'm the kind of person who loves movie reviews so I check Rotten Tomatoes to see which of the current movies weren't crap. Much to my surprise, the animated Disney flick had the highest rating. I was initially skeptical because at the time I did not believe Disney Animation Studios should be making movies with CGI animation. CGI was Pixar's job. Actually, I got into a bit a fight with Dustin because he thought Bolt was a Pixar movie and I just had to prove him wrong. However, I went into with an open mind and the movie ended up being a surprising solid Disney film.

While I do like this movie, I don't consider it part of the Second Renaissance. If that's the case why is it in this retrospective. I've noticed a few parallels when comparing the Renaissance of the 90s to Disney's current output. I see Bolt as The Great Mouse Detective of the new era. Back in the 80s, Disney was hit hard by the colossal financial failure of The Black Cauldron. The Great Mouse Detective restored Disney's faith in animation and helped pave the way for the Disney Renaissance. Bolt was a critical success and brought Disney Animation some positive attention in the age of Pixar dominance. As for my self, I found the movie to be really fun but it certainly doesn't rank up with Disney's classics. However, it is  worth a look if you're a fan of animated movies. The movie's greatest strength is its characters who are all very likable. Even Miley Cyrus was alright in this. My favorite character is Mittens but that's probably because I own three tuxedo cats. The plot is predictable and unfortunately indulgences in some of the more annoying movie cliches but the flaws don't hurt the movie that much. I haven't seen Bolt since it came out so I really don't have anything else to say about it. I might see it again if I can find the DVD cheap up I'm certainty not in a real hurry to get it. Disney's heavy hitters were just on the horizon.

Fun Fact: Bolt was originally pitched as American Dog and the project was headed by Chris Sanders who directed Lilo and Stitch. John Lasseter, chief of Disney's Animation department, didn't like the original plan and American Dog became Bolt. Chris Sanders left Disney after he was removed from the project and he went to Dreamworks where he directed How to Train Your Dragon.

Next time I write about the beginnings of the Second Renaissance and some of the recent Princess movies.

Music I Like: Dead Letter Circus

Before I begin I would like to give a shout out to YouTube music reviewer Absent Productions for helping me discover this band.

I'm not really qualified to do legitimate album reviews so if I want to write about music I'll just give recommendations instead. I been listening to a lot of metal this year and I certainly love the sound of people screaming like they're on fire. However, there are occasions were I get sick of my ears bleeding and I put on something slightly more palatable for a mainstream audience. One of those artists is Dead Letter Circus.

Dead Letter Circus (DLC) is an alternative/progressive rock band hailing from Brisbane. Australia. While they are an alternative band, they've caught on with American metal fans because their debut album was released on a metal record label. I find that a bit strange since but at least someone is bringing their music to the States. There are very few bands with truly "epic" sounding music but DLC certainly qualifies. They frequently use delay effects on their guitars which gives their songs a real sense of scale. DLC also incorporates electronic elements into their music. This can go wrong very easily as demonstrated by the wave of Electronic Hardcore bands but DLC pulls it of.

I'm also a big fan of DLC's lyrics. Both of their albums have a central lyrical theme. Their debut, This is the Warning is about recognizing the structures and systems of the world and breaking free from them. The follow up, The Catalyst Fire, is a sequel thematically speaking. DLC's lyrics mesh perfectly with the music. Basically its rock music with real passion to it. Intense but beautiful. Unique but accessible. 

I guess the point I'm trying to make here is please give these guys a chance. I know there a lot of people who would really like this band. There's something for just about everyone if you're a rock fan. Enough talking just listen for yourselves.

Nostalgia Goggles: The Golden Age of Toonami Part 2

Its time to continue my reflection on Toonami. Two shows down four to go. Yeah I lied in my last post when I said we had three shows left. Well lets not waste anytime time. First up is the lone western cartoon in the lineup.

3. ReBoot

80s kids had Tron as their computer inspired science fiction story. 90s kids had ReBoot. ReBoot was the first fully CGI animated TV show. The producers, the Canadian based Mainframe Studios, would later create popular shows such as Transformers: Beast Wars. The show took place in a computer system called Mainframe and the plot followed how its citizens fended off viruses and games sent by The User who was basically God. I always pictured The User as some nerdy guy who is extremely frustrated by his constant computer trouble. The first season was lighthearted with a ton of great pop culture satire and humor. Things really kicked into high gear in season 2. ReBoot slowly turned in a dark epic which came in full force during season 3. They turned the obnoxious kid character, Enzo, into a grown up, gun toting anti-hero. Wow, this really was a 90s show. Luckily Rob Liefeld was not involved and the darker tone worked in the shows favor. While I liked the first season I became a hardcore fan during seasons 2 and 3.  ReBoot and great characters and a very creative setting. For example, they turned a web surfer in to a Silver Surfer homage. I always really enjoyed the game sequences. This games in the show were like video games in real life and the characters took the role of the computer player. Never thought I'd be rooting for the CPU. ReBoot is funny, inventive, and quite dramatic at times. It was so go I might just forgive Canada for giving us Nickelback. I like this show so much I'll give you the cliff notes of season 3 complete with the music of Gilbert and Sullivan.

Best opera EVAR !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

4. Ronin Warriors

Ronin Warriors tends to be forgotten during Toonami discussions, at least in my experience. That's a tragedy because Ronin Warriors was my favorite golden age show on Toonami. Yes I liked this show more than Dragon Ball Z. Come to think of it I might have liked ReBoot more than DBZ but I digress. Ronin Warriors or Yoroiden Samurai Troopers if you're Japanese, is essentially the male version of Sailor Moon. This show was even better because I could actually say I liked it in public. The Ronin Warriors had a lot of commonalities with the Sailor Scouts including cool character designs and over the top elemental attacks. Additionally, Ronin Warriors brought a surprisingly dark atmosphere to the table. There wasn't constant death or anything but the mood could be very bleak at times. One of Ronin Warriors greatest strengths was its villains led by the floating Japanese samurai demon head of ultimate evil. Talpa got a body eventually but I liked the floating head thing. Speaking of villains, the show had one the first instances of a Heel Face Turn in a cartoon that I watched. The redeemed evil doer became my favorite character for that reason. I loved this show because it was Power Rangers on steroids. I only wish we got more of it. There are only 39 episodes. If the OVA's were aired on Toonami I never saw them.

5. Mobile Suit Gundam Wing

Japan loves their giant robots. They also love their pretty boys. Put them together and you got Gundam Wing. Gundam Wing was my first real exposure to serious Military Sci-Fi. Toonami aired Robotech back in the Moltar days but I never really watched it. Gundam Wing caught on very quickly. However, I could never call myself a huge fan. Let me clarify, Gundam Wing is in no way a bad show I just didn't get into it as much as the other Toonami programs. I mentioned that Gundam Wing was a serious show but it may have been a bit too serious for my eight year old mind. A lot of redshirts got killed and I was never comfortable with that in my young age. Looking back , the show also got very political at points and it had a strong anti war message. I might grown to like the seriousness more but I couldn't watch the show regularly since it was shown at 5:30. I had homework, Wednesday night church, and Karate lessons in the late afternoon and evenings. When I did watch Gundam Wing I enjoyed myself. My favorite character was the team funny guy, Duo Maxwell. The Gundams themselves were all awesome looking and the action was superb. One of my regrets regarding my Toonami fandom is not watching Gundam Wing as much as I should have. I would probably love the show now that I''m older. You can expect a review of the Gundam Wing movie, Endless Waltz in the future. I'm told it can be enjoyed by people who aren't super familiar with the show's story and I'm hoping that's true.

6. Tenchi Muyo!

This show was... strange. Out of all of Toonami's golden age shows I watched this one the least. Thank you late time slot. It was about some guy who met a bunch of hot chicks from outer space. They moved in with the guy and the girls constantly fought each other because they all had crushes on Tenchi. I only saw one or two episodes of the show. Plus Toonami kept confusing me because there were actually three different Tenchi shows, Tenchi Muyo!, Tenchi Universe, and Tenchi in Tokyo. Each show was part of its own continuity and if I remember correctly, Toonami never explained that. I could be wrong though it was 13 years ago. I hate to disappoint the fans but I really don't have much to say about this show. I might check out the original OVA later on.

Toonami was one of the best parts of my childhood. I continued to watch throughout the 2000s. I'll probably talk about the shows which came after Tenchi Muyo! sometime. I see that era as the Silver Age of Toonami and I have a ton of fond memories of that time. However, these six shows represent the most influential and memorable period of Toonami's existence. If this post got you interested in some of these shows, check them out and see if they still hold up. Thanks for reading and stay gold. 

Nostalgia Goggles: The Golden Age of Toonami Part 1

Many people have fond memories of waking up on Saturday morning and watching cartoons. I'm not one of them. Don't get me wrong I love watching cartoons to this day but I never did on Saturday morning. I grew up in the 90s when Cartoon Network premiered and when 24-hours of cartoons was a new thing. Plus my parents wouldn't let me play video games on weekdays out of fear I wouldn't do my homework so weekend time was precious. While I never watched Saturday morning cartoons there is a particular programming block that holds a special place in the hearts of all 90s kids.

For those of you who are tragically unaware of this block, Toonami began as Cartoon Network's weekday action block. It was originally hosted by Moltar of Space Ghost fame and the block mostly consisted of reruns of 80s cartoons and The Real Adventures of Johnny Quest. Things began to change once Cartoon Network decided to start airing anime. Ok, they did show animes like Voltron and Robotech  but they were originally aired in the 80s. I'm talking about the stuff from my day. To say Toonami changed everything would be a massive understatement. The new anime content didn't just provide unique shows which challenged its young audiences, it helped quick of the anime boom of the late 90s/early 00s. This resulted in Toonami picked up a sizable Periphery Demograpic and anime has become one of the most popular form of geeky entertainment. Toonami was animation history making at its finest and I was there in its heyday.

Of course Toonami's been around for a long time a question remains. Which era of Toonami was the best? Personally, I find it pointless to name the best because its completely subjective. Instead, I'll talk about about my favorite and in my opinion the most influential era of the block. Two of Toonmai's heavy hitters started airing in 1998 but the Golden Age didn't truly begin until 1999. What I see as the Golden Age started with the introduction of TOM and the Ghost Planet Space Ship Absolution.

From left to right: TOM, TOM 2, TOM 3, The Abomination.

Man was TOM an awesome host. I had to adjust at first because I was used to Moltar but TOM grew on me quickly. He had a really cool design and was given a great voice by Sonny Strait. Its a shame he's been kind of forgotten since he was replaced by Steve Blum once TOM 2 came along. TOM didn't just announce the shows, he also liked to give motivational speeches to the kids. Moltar did too but TOM's were much more memorable.

Kids are bound to stop throwing temper tantrums if a nuclear powered robot tells them to.

While the host of the show was pretty awesome that isn't the reason Toonami was remembered  Its was the shows. The original TOM era had the most memorable shows Toonami ever aired and many of them  remain popular in geekdom today. I'll be introducing them in the order that they aired.

 1.Sailor Moon

Ahh yes the most girly action show of late 90s/early 00s television.... and I liked it. No it wasn't because of the skirts, I was genuinely engaged with the story and characters. I never would have admitted it to you at the time but I was a Salior Moon fan when I was a kid. I wasn't alone though. Sailor Moon has picked up a sizable male fanbase thanks to Toonami. The block was mostly aimed at boys after all. Sailor Moon is a combination of Japan's Sentai and Magical Girl genres. Basically, its Power Rangers for girls. Now I was a big Power Rangers fan growing up and that's probably why I was subconsciously drawn to the Sailor Scouts. I watched the first season on occasion but I really started getting into it when season 2, or Sailor Moon R rolled along. I watched a good chunk of Sailor Moon S (season 3) which I also really enjoyed, especially when the girl who would become Sailor Saturn showed up. I never got to see her in action though which was a shame. You know character will be awesome when their nickname is the "Sovereign of Silence." Sailor Moon Super S on the other hand was just lame. I still watched it regularly and I have no reason why. Why would they replace the awesome anti-heroic Outer Scouts with freaking Pegasus. Sailor Stars was never dubbed in English so I never saw it. I guess the fans of the Japanese version were given some mercy. From what I've been told the English dub butchered the original script. Of course without the dub we wouldn't have Sailor Moon Abridged. So yeah I liked a girl's show shoot me. If the Bronies can have their fun why can't I.

2. Dragon Ball Z

If you asked someone what they thought of Toonami, this is the first show that would pop up in their minds. Every boy I new loved Dragon Ball Z. DBZ is a martial arts/fantasy series and it wasn't like anything else on TV at that point. It has all of the over the top action you could ask for. Combine that with memorable characters and storylines better than most kids cartoons and you have the perfect show for an eight year old. I first caught DBZ in the middle of its second story arc or the Frieza Saga as fans would call it. I got into the show pretty quickly and I was able to watch the first arc through reruns. I had to watch DBZ everyday when I was a kid. Whenever Toonami announced new episodes its was major event in my house. I remained a hardcore fan until the final story arc. The show was moved to the last time slot of the block  and I couldn't watch that often due to things I had to do. I wasn't that disappointed because I think DBZ went slightly downhill during the Buu Saga. Unlike other anime aired by Toonami, Dragon Ball Z actually had two different dubs by Ocean and Funimation. They switched dubs at the halfway point of the Frieza saga. I remember both quite well and I think both dubs had pros and cons. I did miss the Ocean voices at first but I grew to love the Funimation ones. Of course the best DBZ dub is Dragon Ball Z Abridged. Dragon Ball Z brought a major narrative element not present in western cartoons at the time, character death. Sure I saw characters die in movies all the time but death in cartoons was revolutionary to me. Heck the main character died in the first few episodes and you get to see his adventures in the afterlife. The Dragon Balls were typically used to wish dead characters back. Dragon Ball Z played a huge role in my childhood entertainment its what got me hooked on Toonmai. So thank you DBZ for indirectly exposing me to other great shows.

Ok  this post is late as it is so I'll be breaking up into parts. Stay tuned for part 2 where I write about my experience with the other three shows of Toonami's golden age. 

  

Memorial Day Thoughts

I've always had mixed feelings when it come to military oriented holidays. On one hand I find it very important to honor the service of our soldiers. I could never do the things that they do. However, I've never been able to indulge in blind patriotism. Blame my history classes.  There are a lot of great things about America but it also has its problems. One of the most a famous American vices is arrogance and I feel this flaw comes up quite often in regards to military matters.

What many Americans need to remember this that the United States did not fight the majority of the past century's wars alone. The sad things is that our allies contributions tend to be forgotten. During the Korean War, America was part of a UN coalition containing combat troops from many countries. Vietnam is typically seen as an American war but South Korea, Australia, New Zealand, and Thailand also participated in the fighting. We recognize out major allies during World War II but countries such as China, Brazil,  Mexico, and the British Commonwealth are forgotten. Finally, who could forget the coalition forces sent to Iraq and Afghanistan.

Memorial Day is a time to reflect on the sacrifices of our armed forces. This year I propose a challenge to my readers. While you are remembering Gettysburg, D-Day, and The Alamo, take some time to remember the Australians at Long Tan. Remember the British at El-Alamein. The Koreans on the 38th parallel.

The United States has been through very dark periods during its history. Fortunately, my country did not have to face those times alone. If any Non-American veterans read this, I thank you for your service. Of course I can't forget my countries fallen. That is the point of the holiday after all. God Bless the World.

Why I Love the Westboro Baptist Church Part 4: An Open Letter

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.

Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.

Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies.

Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.

Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.

Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.

Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.

Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.

Build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.

Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you'll get kicked in the teeth.

Give the world the best you have anyway.

—The Paradoxical Commandments,

Dear Westboro Baptist Church,

I never thought I would ever be contacting you guys. Hopefully, this will be a little bit different from the other calls and messages you receive. I will be sending this to just about every WBC Twitter account I can find so at least one person might read this. I can be quite obnoxious when I want to be heard. You all have taught me well. I can also be a bit snarky a times so keep it mind it's not meant to be mean spirited in any way. It probably means I like you. This will also be written as an open letter because I have a point to make to the reprobate as well.

I'll go ahead and get this out of the way. I find your doctrines and ministry to be utterly disgusting. There really isn't a point into going into more detail because honestly, what hasn't already been said by others? Wait there is one thing actually. I confess I'm a bit of a sicko and at times I find you guys HILARIOUS! "Big Fibbin" is the whitest rap song I've ever heard in my life. I need to write about that someday.

Anyway, I'm writing to you all because the church has had a major effect on me. No, I'm not cowering under my bed thinking I'm going to hell. To tell you the truth, if you're right then I'm convinced that most people would be better off in hell than heaven but that's a topic for another time. In fact, WBC has strengthened my own Christian faith and has taught me a lot about life and people. Let me explain. I became reacquainted with WBC through the stories of some ex-members of the church. If any of you are interested in the details please read the three previous parts of this series. To make a long story short, I've realized that no matter what you people do, you are still human beings. You are flawed people just like me even though our flaws may come in different varieties. As a result of all this, I've come to the conclusion that WBC is not evil or at least not intentionally. You're trying to love your fellow man even though it comes off as a "hateful love" or a "loving hate." Which one of those sounds better because I'll probably use that terminology in the future? Guess the point I'm trying to make here is that I don't hate you. I don't think I could even if I wanted to at this point in my life.  Honestly, if I met some of you in real life I'd probably really like some of you.

The thing is though, not hating you isn't enough. Christian morality, or at least the way I understand it, is inherently counter cultural and counter intuitive. There is even a YouTube bible study series I follow called Preposterous which recognizes this fact. One of the most straight up crazy concepts Jesus presents is the idea of loving your enemies. Unfortunately, it’s also one the principles Christendom fails to keep most often. As difficult as it may be, I've decided I'm going to love Westboro Baptist Church, hence to title of my series. Of course, we operate on very different definitions of the word love so let me clarify. I intend on treating you with kindness and compassion regardless of your actions. Sure, I might screw up a few times but it’s an ideal to strive for. Remember its counter intuitive. How exactly I'm going to do that I'm not quite sure. This letter is hopefully a good start. Love isn't just about being nice though. I will continue to affirm that what you do is evil. I will also plan on looking past that. God loves you no matter what and I'll be doing the same.

So, the next time WBC decides to gloat about being "The Most Hated Families in the World" (I did that just for you guys. Didn't want to leave the Drains, Hockenbargers, or any other Non-Phelpses out either). Remember there's some crazy geek in Georgia who loves you. If you want to tell me I'm going to hell personally, feel free to add me on Facebook. Shouldn't be too hard to find and I have the same creepy photo on my Twitter and Facebook. Don't expect a theological debate or anything. I have no interest in a screaming match. If you happen to be in Augusta we might run into each other. Not sure why you would come down here though unless God hates golf. Stay safe out on the picket line. I really don't want to see the headline "Westboro Baptist Church Found Dead in a Pink Cave in Jordan."

Paul Perry

P.S.: When I said I wasn't interested in a debate it didn't mean I wouldn't want to discuss our beliefs. I just don’t want to fight you.

Ok blog readers. I'm sure most of you are sick of me talking about WBC. I'll be moving on for a while. I've got a sporadic series I'll be starting up a sporadic series called "Music I Like" and I have some comic reviews planned if you're into that kind of thing.

Why I Love the Westboro Baptist Church Part 3: I Read a Book Without Pictures for Once

A book reflection.

My sheer excitement for Lauren's book was killing me. I wasn't this hyped since Mass Effect 3 came out. Speaking of that, there were a lot of interesting parallels between my experiences between the two. Both products came out the first week of March, I reserved a copy of both of them, and a car accident almost prevented me from acquiring the game and book. Strange stuff.

Time to get to the point I guess. This book is just plain awesome. Lauren tells her story starting with her childhood in Florida up to when she exiled from the church due to questioning their doctrines and practices. Lauren's one of the good guys now just wanted to make sure that was clear. It works as an autobiography and provides a ton of information on how Westboro Baptist works on the inside. I tore through this book in three days and seeing how my reading speed is the equivalent to a snail on Valium that's saying a lot. If you have an interest in WBC or non-mainstream religious movements, this is the book for you.

From now on we will be getting into some potential spoilers. If you really want to read this book spoiler free than go out and buy it. If you would like to hear my reaction, keep on reading. I read this a few months ago so some of the details might be inaccurate. I'll apologize ahead of time.

Many people consider Westboro Baptist to be a cult. Based on Lauren's story I'm inclined to agree. The church puts an immense amount of control over its members. The rules are very strict and are often enforced through what is essentially tattle tailing on each other. If someone sends a witness will tell an elder who will then get onto the transgressor. Unfortunately, shaming is another major way to enforce control. Anyone who slacked off on picketing was publicly humiliated in front of the church. Lauren also writes about a few other members who left or were disfellowshiped. WBC treated these people with extreme cruelty, especially if they are not part of the Phelps family. The way Lauren was treated leading up to her banishment was just flat out disgusting and from her own family even. I find both the internal and external actions of WBC to be quite distasteful.

However, part me could not help but be impressed by Westboro. Many people think WBC are a bunch of idiots but that could not be further from the truth. These people are highly educated and very informed about current events. Their "ministry" is extremely organized and everything is calculated. All of the pickets are filmed in case objectors decide to throw some punches. As a lover of villains I must say that these people are the real deal. They should genuinely consider opening an evil academy of evil. There is a buttload of money to be made.

It would be very easy to just focus on the bad in WBC but something kept me from doing that. One thing that was near universal among the ex-members was that they loved their families dearly even though they were disowned. Furthermore, Lauren gave an interview where she mentioned that Shirley Phelps-Roper was very kind to her during her time at the church. That's right she said The Wicked Witch of the West was nice to her. Shocked by this statment, I was very interested in seeing WBCs most infamous members from an insiders perspective. Ends up they were full of suprises.

Sorry Shirley but you happen to have a strong resemblance to many classic movie villainesses. I'd be proud if I were you.

As I became for familiar with the "characters" of the story I fell victim to what I now call "The Ariel Effect" Named after The Little Mermaid, The Ariel Effect is when you find a character in a story that you have every logical reason to hate, but you love them anyway. Don't get me wrong here, there were a few members who came across as really mean spirited. I'm not going to say names because they aren't here to defend themselves but remember not everyone is in WBC is secretly cute and cuddly. On the other hand, there were members who I liked. I know I was supposed to care about Lauren's immediate family, but I really grew attached to her circle of friends consisting of Megan Phelps-Roper, Rebekah Phelps-Roper, and Jael Phelps. They were just straight up likable people even though their extra-curricular activities were.....different. Honestly, I'd probably be that weirdo who would try to hang out with them at lunch. Not to hit on them or anything because they were waaaaaaaaaay out of my league (see part 1 to get my point) but just to be friends. While Lauren's are her Phelps sisters relationship came across as legitimate, I knew it was going to end horribly. The colapse of their friendship was one of the hardest parts to read.

There is one person in particular who I shockingly came to like a lot. Get ready for this one readers you might fall out of your chairs. This person happened to be.....

Shirley Phelps-Roper

Hard to believe I know. Ends up she is a whole lot more complex than I gave her credit for. Sure she could be a jerk sometimes but she is also has a very compassionate side her that the world does not get to see. I would go into more detail but if I did I would be spoiling some of the best parts of the book in my opinion. I want people to read the thing.

When most people hear a story about someone who leaves a ultra-controlling religion, our hero tends to tend renounce religion all together. Lauren's story ends a bit differently and this is not a spoiler because she talked about it before the book came out. Lauren Drain is a Christian. Not only this inspiring to me as a believer, but she is also has a capacity for forgiveness which I don't see in many people. I'm the kind of person who can hold a grudge for eternity. Lauren is someone who I personally admire. So Lauren if you find this, it looks like I owe you a sweet tea. I'll be sure to get you the Bo-Jangles kind because it’s the sweetest tea on Earth. Then again, you do live in Connecticut now so the stuff might kill but you're pretty darn metal so I think you can handle it.

The stories of the ex-WBC members have taught me a lot about life, people, and Christianity. Any hate I had towards Westboro Baptist was now gone after understood things a little more. Of course, lessons mean nothing if you don't apply them. Hahaha.... I'm being called to do something really stupid aren't I. Well Christian morality is completely counter cultural and counter intuitive.

"If you can't do something smart, Do something right."- Jayne Cobb (from the film Serenity).

Stay tuned for the final part. You'll get to learn why I chose my offensive title for this series.