movies – Page 2 – Peaceful Reader

Weekend Joy.

I’ve had a great weekend. We picked out two lovely pumpkins on Friday and we’ve taken several walks to admire Fall colors. I’m almost finished reading Iron Hearted Violet by Kelly Barnhill and I’m at a point where I don’t want to put it down. I read four more chapters this morning before going to church. I have to really push for other times in my days to read other than bedtime because then I only get 2-3 pages read before my eyes drift dreamily shut.

I finished the post about four of my favorite ARC’s from September’s reading. It is frustrating to plan a post in my head, finish the books, but not get to my computer all week long to write it. I have a certain glee over finishing and finally completing the post.

The best part of my weekend though was spent curled on the sofa with Groovy Girl and the dog, watching two movies on Friday and Saturday night.

My husband and I awarded her 2 movie nights for how well she prepared herself for a recent Social Studies test on Native tribes. She studied three different times with us and her hard work paid off-she scored 100 % on the test! My husband took her to our local movie store on Friday night even though we have a Netflix acct., somehow now going to the movie store is more thrilling that pulling it from the ole queue.

Friday we settled in with a big bowl of popcorn and watched We bought a Zoo with Matt Damon as the adorable widow with two adorable children. I don’t get out much apparently because I didn’t pay attention while this was at the theater so when the credits started flowing I knew we were in for something interesting with Cameron Crowe as the director. His other big movie, Almost Famous, is one of my favorites. I teared up a few times during the movie as the family struggles with the mother’s death. I know my family would also completely fall apart if something tragic happened to me. For Real-we joke about it all the time here. I appreciated the teenage son, well-played by Thomas Ford, as he tries to cope with his mother’s death. Plus who could resist Maggie Elizabeth Jones as little Rosie! We loved her impish look.

Saturday we watched Big Miracle with our favorite Office character, the handsome John Krasinski, plus Drew Barrymore and Kristen Bell. This is a great story of three whales, a mother, father, and baby California Grays, stuck in an ice swell off the coast of Barrow, Alaska. Ted Danson plays against type as the owner of an oil company angry about the whales and the environment who finally sees the reason behind trying to save them. The local indigenous tribe is in favor of killing the whales so their traditions are shared with their children. This incident did take place in the 80’s during Reagan’s administration yet the arguments are still timely as we struggle with natural resources vs. the natural world issues.

Both stories are based on real events and they were great picks by Groovy Girl. I have a whole cleaning list that didn’t get finished this weekend but I’m grateful for the time spent relaxing and sharing good stories. How did you spend your weekend? Everyone in my family is now quietly working on projects which means it must be time for me to steal away to finish Iron Hearted Violet!

Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

My friend Tina and I strolled through the library one afternoon on lunch break and I came home with an arm full of books. Anna and the French Kiss was one of them. Tina always reads the newest stuff and often picks up brand new books that the library has ordered for her. She’s on the cutting edge of book-newness!
I, on the other hand, am always a little behind! It is a good thing I have her to lead me a long like a blind person.

Synopsis:

Anna’s wealthy writer dad decides she needs to experience a year abroad her senior year. Anna is happy with the life she’s already living in Atlanta with a great mom, a little brother, a wonderful best friend and her job at the movie theater with Toph, her might-be crush. Her divorced parents get her set up at The School of America where she meets her next door dorm neighbor, Meredith who in turn introduces her to the rest of her friends. `Etienne is one of them and he makes Anna a blushing and bumbling idiot for most of the book. They get all their signals mixed and confusion occurs.

My thoughts:

I loved all the characters and the Parisian setting was beautiful. I did so want to shake both `Etienne and Anna at different times. Good golly: `Etienne has a girlfriend for more than half the book-obviously it’s not working out-but really you can tell he is totally smitten with Anna. She, on the other hand, keeps throwing this almost crush with Toph in `Etienne’s face every chance she gets. Once they finally begin to connect it is a bit of magic though.

Stephanie Perkins has a gift for a teen chatter, which makes it easy to read. I’m very interested in her follow-up books, Lola and the Boy Next Door and Isla and the Happily Ever After. I understand these are companion books but I would really like to know what happens to Anna and `Etienne once they are ever so close to each other in California. Of course, Anna and the California Kiss lacks a bit of romance! If your behind the times like me don’t leave this book behind.

It begins:

Here is everything I know about France: Madeline and Amelie and Moulin Rouge. The Eiffel Tower and the Arc de Triomphe, although I have no idea what the function of either actually is. Napoleon, Marie Antoinette, and a lot of kings named Louis. I’m not sure what they did either, but I think it has something to do with the French Revolution, which has something to do with Bastille Day. (3)

I know a little bit more about France than this but an interesting starting point for Anna…

Weekend Update; fun library picks and the Oscars!!

Groovy Girl and I stopped at one of the two public libraries we are fortunate enough to have in our adjoining small towns. She plunked herself down with a stack of interesting picture books while I ventured out to look around. I am always on the search for chapter books to capture her attention. She is a struggling reader and as of yet hasn’t really finished a chapter book on her own. One reading teacher told me I’m enabling her by always reading to her but I did this with our other children-the oldest one was already an accomplished reader by the time we met but she still loved listening to stories. Teenage Boy didn’t take off on reading until his 3rd and 4th grade years so I’m not worried but none-the-less ever the good librarian I seek a perfect reading fit that will send her to a quiet corner to read and marvel.

We picked Orphan Train Children; Lucy’s Wish by Joan Lowery Nixon, which I thought would appeal to her American Girl love of history and Amber Brown is Not a Crayon by Paula Danzinger, which is a 3rd grade character like herself and filled with fun.

I brought home only two treasures from the new section: In the Garden with Dr. Carver by Susan Grigsby; a picture book, and She Looks Just Like You; A Memoir of (Nonbiological Lesbian) Motherhood. Groovy Girl actually picked this last one out as we perused the new adult nonfiction. I’m not a fan of nonfiction and maybe I was looking for cookbooks but G.G. pulled this one out and liked the mother/daughter on the front cover. She was thrilled that I decided to check it out!

Tonight we go off to an Oscar party at a friend’s house. We usually sit home and watch them with our score pads. My husband is a bit obsessed with watching all the nominees. Luckily we can get half of them from Netflix. I hope that Winter’s Bone, The King’s Speech, The Kid’s Are All Right, and Black Swan do well. I liked Inception, 127 Hours and The Social Network also-so many good ones this year.

I can’t decide if The Illustionist, How to Train Your Dragon or Toy Story 3 should win for best animated movie-I loved all three! I don’t understand why Julianne Moore wasn’t nominated at all-I thought she should have been in best supporting actress category. In will all be over within the next couple of hours and I know it is not the Most Important Thing right now but it serves a purpose, just like going to the movies or reading a book for that matter-to escape, for just a little bit.

Happy Sunday.
and I’m off to the Oscars…

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1

I saw it! I loved it!

We went last night at 7 with teenage boy. He sat between us so he could hold the popcorn bucket. There were scary parts and swooning parts. I didn’t realize they were breaking it up into two parts but that was okay. I liked the introspective flair to it-it wasn’t just rushing from scene to scene although there were a few times I was like, oh, hurry up and speak. There is one storytelling scene that blew our minds-we all agreed it was our favorite-it looked like paper cut-outs and puppetry combined. I thought it was inspiring and really showed the acting growth of all three major players. Luna and her father were luminescent in their secondary roles.

I haven’t had a chance to read much about it in the blogging world yet as I alternated this weekend between relaxing to get well and working. I was a little sad we didn’t see it on Thursday night but for number 6 we did go to the midnight showing with both teenagers and well, (said sheepishly) I began to nod off at some point. [My husband says my elbow slipped off the armrest]…, really?? Even though I love Harry, Ron and Hermione it was way, way past my bedtime so this time we opted for an easier viewing time for all of us.

HP Clip

post note: I realized upon further contemplation that this is the perfect HP comparison to teenagers-the feeling is moody, troubled and tangled.

Time for change-Watch Food, Inc.

My family has had an amazing weekend with both my moms here and our other long distance teenage daughter. After the craziness of yesterday; bike race, bridal shower, 3 graduation open houses (this is what happens when your husband works with youth in several different capacities) and a feast of a dinner that I whipped up last night-today (Sunday) was a day to kick back a little. I’ve still managed to do some loads of laundry, hanging some on the line outside to dry and finishing yesterdays dishes, I was able to read in our backyard hammock for over an hour-I did fall asleep for some of that time but oh, well! As the wind blew up and seemed destined to storm we headed inside to watch Food, Inc., which has been on our shelf for some time now. We’ve seen Fast Food Nation and read several books on the food crisis in our country but this one brought added knowledge as well as frustration, fear and a renewed interest in making the best food choices we can make. This topic generally brings wrath and fury from odd places but it is one of such great magnitude-we eat every day and it seems like a basic human right to know the food we are eating will not kill us.

If you are unfamiliar with Food, Inc. written by Robert Kenner– here is a synopsis from IMDb:

Did you know that it only takes 48 days for a chicken to go to market. Is this natural? This film explores how food is grown, and the concerns that people have, such as the e-coli outbreak that seems to happen every year. I am a lover of meat, but after this film you will want to change some of your practices like switching to Organic etc. This film also explores demand for certain products that are not Genetically modified.

We all have to eat but we can make decisions based on facts, instead of based on perception. People need to be aware that their consequences may have dire repercussions, so if you need to eat, and we all do, then go out and see this.

Me:

I’ve been a local food advocate for years, which began at my grandmother’s sink, watching her rinse vegetables from the grocery store in her sink with a cold water bath mixed with some vinegar (who needs that fancy veggie spray). I feel blessed to come from a long line of happy gardeners, who’ve paid attention to where food comes from. I’m a huge fan of any farmer’s market and have made my husband stop, while on vacation, at fruit and veggie stands just to pick up some local produce and he does, because he has a similar family background. This movie made clear again how important it is to know where our food comes from because everyday chemical companies are selling us processed food for profit.Of course they are trying to make a profict-they’re in business-but it is hard to fathom how deep it runs and how they just do not care.

This documentary traces our food controversy to Iowa corn farmers and the farm bill, which gave birth to High Fructose Corn Syrup (a very yucky sugar substitute made from corn and produced to make food cheaper to purchase). Since my husband is a runner, he read about HFCS and how prevalent it is so many, many products. Check your bread, cereals, granola bars-even things you might think of as “healthy” and you still might find the dreaded HFCS as one of the number one ingredients.
The meat industry is the next focus and how all that “cheap” Iowa corn is shipped across the country to cattle feed lots. Cows aren’t meant to eat corn and we are forever changing species to fit the needs of these huge companies. Chickens farms (those massive productions) run by Tyson and Purdue are shown up close. One farmer takes us inside her huge chicken house and shows how many of the birds die (so many crammed together) but also how these poor chickens can hardly walk more than a few steps because they’ve been genetically modified to have larger breasts. The chickens literally topple over after a step or two. This is the part where I start talking to the” television”!!

Much of the same ground is covered in Super Size Me by Morgan Spurlock and King Korn, though Food Inc. presents a broader picture of our food problems and as my son said, “this should be required high school viewing.” People need to know this stuff so if you haven’t watched this movie or any others about our deterioting food systems, I encourage you to watch one because one will lead to another as you will want to know a little more. It is disgusting but crucial and critical.

Many of us can make a difference with our buying power-everyday.

Take a stand; Take a difference.

Plant a garden.

Buy local.

Support farmer’s markets

and local farmers.

Buy organic.

Read labels.

Take a step away from fast food.

Pay attention to legistation about food. Within the last few years the word” natural” lost any real meaning. Products sold as natural do not really have to be natural…just partially natural. what ??? i’m not kidding!
Spend time online researching companies where your food comes from-many of them have slick ads showing
how green they are, what great strides they are making but browsing websites gives you articles such as this one.
Other helpful websites/blogs:

Local Harvest.org (helps locate a local market/CSA near you)
The Healthy Palate blog-I discovered this lovely little blog while researching this post.
Moms Rising website/blog
Okay, I’ve had my say…
Have a healthy Monday!!
Next up in our informative movie viewing-The Cove.

Oscar Frenzy

My husband is a drama king. While I’ve always enjoyed going to the movies, eating movie popcorn and watching the Oscars, he’s raised the experience to a whole new level for me. He likes to watch all the Oscar nominated movies before the Big Night. I don’t think we’ve ever completely accomplished this goal but its fun to try!

So here’s my rundown so far:

Precious

Lee Daniels-Director
based on the novel Push by Sapphire.

This one should win because it’s gritty and good. The performances are fantastic from Mo’nique, as the abusive mother, to newcomer Gabourey Sidibe in the title role. Even the smaller roles shine with Mariah Carey, as a concerned social worker, and Lenny Kravitz is wonderful as a gentle male nurse. All adults should see it, especially those working in education or any field closely related to education or if you’re human. Why, you ask, do I think this is the worthwhile movie of the year? I think the performances are that good and it shows a very real look at the struggles many of our children face at home. I work in a small urban area and I see younger versions of Precious both male and female. Precious is growing up in a very abusive home, with a mother constantly attacking her. She finds salvation through a teacher. It won’t win the Oscar even though it should. If you’ve hesitated seeing this movie please go-it is well-worth the price of admission. Click here for IMDb info. I haven’t read the book yet but it is on my list.

Sapphire Interview on NPR

For Sister Rose’s views on both Precious and The Blindside-click here.

The Blindside

John Lee Hancock-Director

based on the book by Michael Lewis

I like this one also. For me, it was about a family stepping outside the box to care about another human being. Michael Oher(Quentin Aaron) is homeless and forgotten. A family friend gets him a place at a Christian high school based on the idea that Michael will eventually play football for them. S.J. (Jae Head) befriends him even though there is a huge age and size difference. Leigh Ann (Sandra Bullock) and Sean Tuohy (Tim McGraw) bring him home one day and slowly Michael becomes part of the family. Michael and S.J steal the show. I think it dealt really well with racial issues of today. My favorite scene is where Collins, S.J.’s older sister, a cheerleader at the school, is studying with her friends in the library and gets up to join Michael at another table, separating herself from her friends negative views. All it takes is getting up and moving but it is the simple fact of doing it that makes all the difference. There are two good scenes with Leigh Ann lunching with her wealthy friends that demonstrate this personal upheaval as well. This movie, while feel-good, is not my idea of Oscar-worthy. I’m interested in reading this book as well just to see how Hollywood changed it. IMDb info-click here.

Avatar
written and directed by James Cameron

In the first 20 minutes of this movie I almost walked out…but it’s not like me to give up so I stayed and loved it. It combines many themes but some are close to my heart. It has an interesting cast; Sigourney Weaver plays Dr. Grace Augustine, an interesting choice with her leads in Alien; Giovanni Ribisi, love him-disliked his role as a money-hungry boss, Parker Selfridge; and Stephen Lang as the seriously over-the-top GI Joe Colonel, with bulging muscles and no neck. I don’t consider myself a techno-head but there were a lot of cool devices in this movie as they zoom to Pandora to fight/understand more about this alien race. Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) is placed on Dr. Augustine’s team to find out more about the alien race. The problem arises when The Colonel and Parker decide negotiation time is over, they want the magical rock under the special tree. The visuals are incredibly beautiful and the story is pretty stunning-this will probably win because it is flashy Hollywood and good-I don’t really want James Cameron to win again though. I think he already has a bit of an inflated noggin-perhaps he could just win for original screenplay. IMDb info-click here.

Crazy Heart
Scott Cooper-Director
based on the book, Crazy Heart by Thomas Cobb

We saw this just the other night and really liked it. Jeff Bridges plays the aging country singer, “Bad” Blake and Maggie Gyllenhal is a reporter for the local Santa Fe newspaper on a mission to interview him. Chemistry occurs and love happens but in between there’s a lot of drinking. Colin Farell plays the young country star, Tommy Sweet, and Robert Duvall is lovely as Bad’s best friend, Wayne. The music is wonderful and Jeff Bridges disappears into this role.
IMDb info-click here.

Up in the Air
Jason Reitman-Director

This one is an interesting look at the single life. Ryan Bingham(George Clooney) thinks he has the perfect life traveling, working, completely free of any connections until he meets Alex Goran (Vera Farmiga). It’s the ultimate hook-up love affair until the Ryan’s company grounds him and he’s forced to look at life from a different angle. Natalie Keener (Anna Kendrick)is the young business associate he’s forced to share the ropes with, and Jason Bateman plays Bingham’s boss, Craig Gregory. I liked this one as well.
IMDb page-click here.

The Hurt Locker
Kathyrn Bigelow-Director

War story-watched the first half and couldn’t handle any more but very well done!!
Should win but probably won’t-too intense for Hollywood. IMDb info here

Loved Up but don’t know why it’s in the Best Picture category.
District 9-yuck-why, why why?
Still to watch in the next day: Julie and Julia, A Serious Man, Invictus and An Education. I missed Fantastic Mr. Fox but I hope The Princess and the Frog or Up wins best animated.

Watching the Oscars is exciting and we often have a little family party, with dress-up clothes and kiddie cocktail champagne. Many parts about this go against my natural, hippie-side: so much money spent as well as the inflated salaries of actors. It’s like going to the movies though…one night of fantasy!

What about you? Will you tune in to find out “and the Oscar goes to…”???

Where the wild things are…[movie spoilers included but still a must read]

It has taken me several days to process watching Spike Jonze’s version of Where the wild things are. I read Maurice Sendak’s version to k-2nd grade students all last week, which was good for them and me. It’s always good to rediscuss the theme of imagination with students. Many of my students haven’t grown up with the book as I did and my own children have. I also showed them the quick Scholastic movie which follows the book exactly.

Our family merrily went off to see the movie on Friday with great anticipation!! We loved the late 70’s clothes -it took me back to my childhood. The boy playing Max is adorable, lovable and wild. The opening scenes of him playing in the snow, having a snowball fight with his sister’s friends all give a feel of Max’s character-obviously more than the book; even as deep as the book is. We witness Max get wild and his wolf suit is perfectly impish! He fit the Max of my imagination, well, until he runs away! He runs away…which goes against everything kids learn from Sendak’s book. It’s about the imagination! Max takes of down the street to an empty lot with his mom chasing after him. She never catches up to him and Max makes his way to where the wild things are. The wild things are interesting characters, lovable yes, but argumentative, bossy, scared and sad. Max offers himself up as a king who can make everything right in their world. The movie is good maybe even great but it is so not what I expected. It is much darker than the book, which is fine depending on its intended audience. My 6-year-old peaceful girl turned half way through and said “I like the book better, mommy.” On the other side of me was peaceful teenage boy and he was riveted, really, really enthralled! He is 14 and he got all these varied levels of community and expectations of life [i overheard him talking] as he talked later with a family friend who also saw the movie the same opening night. My husband and I were disturbed about Max’s run down the street-literally running away in instead of running to his room. This sends a different message to kids-let your mom chase you down the street, come back much, much later and you will get chocolate cake and your mom will not be mad at all, only relieved.

I was very sad when I came out of The Tale of Desperaux movie because it was so far removed from the book and I love Kate DiCamillo. This one didn’t make me feel that way; I liked it and would watch it again but I was unhappy the writing team strayed so far from original imagination theme. Max could have run to his room and hid out in his bunk bed fort and still had the same encounter with the wild things. And why did they need to change the names of the wild things? Why Carol instead of Barnard???

Have you seen the movie??? What did you think???

Merry Christmas to all

What a wonderful day it has been. Santa was good to the girls in the family but sadly, my son was not happy with the choices Santa made for him!!! Santa was tired of electronic, tuned-out toys and made more thoughtful and creative presents for the 13-year-old and the 13-year-old did not appreciate Santa’s efforts!!! oh, woe is me that he only feels happy with toys that plug-in/use batteries/zone him out, which is partially his age, I concede. I long for the lego/play mobile years of building, once again, showing me you have to appreciate what you have when you have it. Everyone did love the books that were chosen for them and we have read another version of The Nutcracker today. Another Christmas passes and everyone will go to bed happy and that, my friends, in a family of five is the main goal.
I was able to knit a little today, and read one more chapter of The Lightning Thief. We watched The Princess Bride (a family fav.) on DVD, played a board game and I even snuck in a nap while my husband did the dishes.
Happy, Happy Day!!!