I've seen the wardrobe

Just tonight I took in the Chronicles of Narnia film, with my wife. I must admit up front that I had not desire to see it since I made it only a few pages into the book. Fantasy has never been startling enough to keep me interested, perhaps because I face it with the knowledge that noone, not even the author, actually believes this could happen. But, fantasy dislike aside, this is one good film. The messianie and salvific themes are prevalent without being abnormally pushed. The child actors make you forget they're young in their craft, and the talking animals deliver lines that keep the story curiously humorous. My only complaint - and I realize it might just be an arrogant one - is that the wardrobe in the film is nothing like the one Lewis was staring at while writing these stories. Unlike the ornate piece in the film, the actual wardrobe - which was on display on the 2nd floor of the Wheaton University library when I toured the campus some years ago - was quite simple, made from hard, black walnut, and quite unremarkable. Even so, it's charm was so inviting that the library staff had posted a small, handwritten warning saying they could not guarantee the safety of any who tried to go inside!

Kudos to the filmakers behind the Narnia film! It told the truth, fostered real thought, all with an all-but-lost sense of authenticity and sublety. I hope its commercial success means more Chronicles in the near future.