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2025 Movie Diary: The Greatest Showman (2017)

Decided to give it a try in spite of hearing some unfavorable things about it. My guarded attitude going into it kept my expectations pretty low, which is why I ended up actually enjoying it. Aside from the glorious, creative visuals, it’s no world beater, but Hugh Jackman has a lot of energy and is, as always, enjoyable to watch (even though I don’t like his singing). The music is mediocre, but inoffensive. An accurate bio of P. T. Barnum would be pretty fantastic, as he was a very surprising/troubling mixed bag of a person. This is not that movie. But there are worse ways to kill a couple of hours. And as I said, it’s so pretty.

An osprey, also a symbol…

“Hope” is the thing with feathers –
That perches in the soul –
And sings the tune without the words –
And never stops – at all –

And sweetest – in the Gale – is heard –
And sore must be the storm –
That could abash the little Bird
That kept so many warm –

I’ve heard it in the chillest land –
And on the strangest Sea –
Yet – never – in Extremity,
It asked a crumb – of me.

Emily Dickinson