MOVIES I WATCHED - DECEMBER 2020

*****

Jingle Jangle 

Creativity, family, happiness, betrayal, loss, grief, friendship, hope, trust, and music - it's all there! This movie tells the story of a brilliant toymaker, his dishonest apprentice, and the determined granddaughter who helps pull him out of the isolation he's sunk into in over years of loss. 

*****

The Miracle Match

Based on the true story of a 1950 soccer competition between England and the United States, this movie is about an American team pulled together at the last minute competing against a much more polished English team that was clearly favored to win. A great story about underdogs pulling together to get a job done. 

*****

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MOVIES I WATCHED - JUNE - NOVEMBER 2020

*****

A Bear Named Winnie
We read Winnie: The True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh quite a while ago, so the story line of this movie was familiar to us. A black bear. The man who saved her. Her time in the military. Her transfer to the London Zoo. Those details are the movie is based upon, but her time in the zoo is what led to a little boy naming his teddy bear after her and that boy's father, A.A. Milne, writing a series of books about a bear named Winnie-the-Pooh.

*****

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood

Fred Rogers was a kind man who genuinely loved people. Known through his TV show as Mr. Rogers, his life positively impacted millions of people, young and old, on screen and in person.

*****

The Call of the Wild
A dog goes through multiple owners, both kind and cruel, for a variety of reasons. He ultimately ends up in the Yukon wilderness. Cared for by the last man to own him, he becomes less dependent on humans and more capable of surviving on his own as a wild animal.

*****

Just Mercy

The book and movie by this title have become really popular in the discussions about racial issues in 2020. I read the book back in early 2018, but saw the movie earlier this year. The movie focuses on the true story of Bryan Stevenson's work with one particular client, an innocent man who spent six years on death row. I highly recommend people read the book and watch movie, as well read The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom on Death Row (written by an innocent client who spent three decades on death row), which I read over the summer.

*****

The Nightingale
With parents who invest more in their careers than their marriage, a bratty daughter who's largely neglected by her parents, and a grandfather who values simplicity and family, the movie is fairly predictable. Still a good story and the scenery in China is gorgeous. 

*****

A Place at the Table

I don't know what the statistic is now, but 25% of kids didn't know where their next meal was coming from when this movie was released in 2013. I think many people I know would be stunned if they realized how many of those around them are hungry, and humbled if they ever had to be in the place of choosing to get help or suffering (or watching their kids suffer) in silence.

*****

Ride Like a Girl
This inspirational movie tells the story of Michelle Payne, the Australian jockey who is currently the only woman to have ever won the Melbourne Cup. 

*****

The Santa Clause 

Parents are divorced. Mom and step-dad tell the son Santa's not real. Dad's upset they're ruining Christmas fun. Dad becomes Santa. There's tension. Everyone lives happily ever after

*****

Storm Boy

A wealthy businessman recalls the pelican he rescued as a child, a memory which helps him navigate some family drama and business decisions with his son and granddaughter. Based on the story by Colin Thiele, which I haven't read.

*****

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MOVIES I WATCHED - MAY 2020

*****

I Still Believe
Based on the story of Jeremy Camp's relationship with his first wife, who was being treated for cancer while they were engaged and died four months after their wedding, this movie challenges viewers to take commitment seriously, whether their commitment to God or to those they love, and always be looking forward.

*****

Princess Kaiulani
Based on a true story, this movie shows how the overthrow of Hawaii's monarchy was met with the strong determination of its young princess' belief that her people should all be allowed to vote.

*****

The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio

I'll just copy what I said after reading the book and watching the movie a decade ago.

It's the true story of Evelyn Ryan, a woman whose natural ability at winning contests for various ad campaigns kept her family fed, clothed, and entertained during the 1950s and 1960s. She had a determination to make the best of a hard situation and consistently chose to not wallow in the self-pity that she could have easily justified.
*****

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MOVIES I WATCHED - APRIL 2020

*****

The Collector of Bedford Street
This short documentary is about an intellectually disabled man who lives below the poverty line, but raises thousands of dollars for charitable causes. His neighbors become concerned about what will happen to him after his uncle, who provides some of his care, passes away, so they rally together to create a trust fund that will support him.

*****

Dolittle
Nothing like the book, but still an entertaining movie about a man with the ability to communicate with animals and a grand adventure he goes on.

*****

More Than Funny 
Our whole family enjoys Michael Jr.'s sense of humor and appreciates the way he weaves serious topics into his comedy.

*****

What About Bob?
Someone recommended this movie to Silas and he asked me to watch with him. I know it's a classic movie, but this story of a man with lots of fears and a total lack of boundaries who becomes overly attached to his therapist falls flat for me.

*****

Zoo
Based on a true story, this movie is about a boy who finds people to help him rescue an elephant from Belfast Zoo during WWII, a courageous attempt to spare the animal death from the guns of soldiers assigned to kill the animals and from air raids.

*****

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MOVIES I WATCHED - MARCH 2020

I haven't done a movie list in two and a half years. Yikes! The following list doesn't cover all I've seen in that time, and I definitely didn't see all of these last month, but these are the titles I could remember and March is the list I'm starting back up again with.

*****

Aladdin
We all enjoyed this live-action version of the story as much as the animated Disney version.

*****

The Best of Enemies
A black, female, civil rights activist and a white, male, Klu Klux Klan leader were unlikely teammates in the 1970s, but that's exactly what these two became in this movie based on a true story about racial desegregation in schools. I enjoyed their story.

******

Brian Banks
Sent to prison after being falsely accused of rape, Banks discovers upon his release that not only is his realistic dream of playing professional football unlikely, but finding any kind of employment is challenging because of his record. Enlisting the free help offered by the California Innocence Project, he fights to get his name cleared. Although I haven't read it yet, What Set Me Free: A True Story of Wrongful Conviction, a Dream Deferred, and a Man Redeemed is his book about what he went through. False accusations and wrongful convictions are such important topics!

*****

The Courageous Heart of Irena Sendler
This inspirational movie is about how Sendler, using her position as a social worker, worked as part of the Polish Underground and saved thousands of Jewish children from the Nazis.

*****

Crazy Rich Asians
Comical moments, as well as stressful ones, ensue when a couple flies to Singapore for her to meet his family. A family that she doesn't realize is quite wealthy.

*****

Driving Miss Daisy
A spunky, elderly, Jewish woman and a level-headed, black man don't hit it off very well when he's hired by her son to be her new chauffeur. Over the years, however, their professional relationship develops into a sweet friendship. It was fun to introduce the old movie to the little Ws.

*****

Dumbo
This is another live action movie that we enjoyed just as much as the animated Disney classic.

*****

Emmanuel's Gift
Because he was born with physical disabilities, Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah was likely to be killed or abandoned. Overcoming the mistreatment and neglect of the disabled, he did a one-legged bike ride across his country, then went on to use his notoriety to bring positive changes to the lives of other disabled people in Ghana. I love it when people make a difference instead of making excuses!

*****

The Green Book
In a switch from the expected arrangement, Tony Lip, a white man who's a bit rough around the edges, becomes the temporary chauffeur for Don Shirley, a black classical pianist with an appreciation for well-used vocabulary, in the 1960s.

*****

Harriet
The inspiring story of Harriet Tubman, a courageous woman who not only escaped slavery herself, but was responsible for bringing many more slaves to freedom.

*****

Indivisible
Based on Army chaplain Darren Turner's fight for his country, faith, and marriage.

*****

The Man Who Saved Christmas
The true story of a A.C. Gilbert, creator of the erector set, toy company founder, model train expert, producer of military supplies, and someone who was born in our neck of the woods, hence the existence of Gilbert House Children's Museum. We've watched this movie a few times over the years.

*****

Mary Poppins Returns
This sequel may have come fifty-four years after the original, but it was great. Better late than never, in this case.

*****

Peanut Butter Falcon
A young man with Down syndrome and aspirations of becoming a professional wrestler sneaks out of the facility he lives in and embarks on a grand adventure.

*****

Please Vote for Me
Democracy comes to a third grade class in China as the students get to vote for one of three candidates to become the class monitor. An interesting look at human behavior - that of the students and of the candidate's parents.

*****

The Professor and the Madman
This movie is based on the collaboration between James Murray, a professor who led the charge in compiling the first Oxford English dictionary, and William Chester Minor, an Army surgeon who spent decades in a psychiatric facility after murdering an innocent man. Minor contributed a vast amount of information for the dictionary, becoming a critical volunteer to the project.

*****

Run the Race
Two brothers are ready to get out of town and leave their hard life behind, but an injury keeps one from having a chance to attend college on a scholarship. The other picks up the slack, working hard to earn a scholarship of his own to give them the opportunity they've been waiting for.

*****

The Star of Bethlehem
This movie ties biblical, scientific, and historical information about astronomy to help viewers discern if the star of Bethlehem was a real thing.

*****

The Woman in Gold
This movie tells the story of Maria Altmann, a Jewish woman who fled Austria with her husband during WWII as a new bride in her early twenties. Several decades later, she spent her eighties working to recover paintings the Nazis stole from her family. In monetary value, it was the largest collection of art stolen by the Nazis in Austria to be returned to its rightful owners. I'd never heard the story before and enjoyed the movie.

*****

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MOVIES I WATCHED: 9/20/17 - 12/26/17

********

Gleason
Steve Gleason is former NFL player who was diagnosed with ALS in his mid-30s. This movie is part documentary and part videos he made for his then unborn child. It's an intimate look into the life of a man moving from his physical peak to complete dependence on others, a woman committed to her husband, the way medical technology changes lives, and how our own struggles can be the catalyst for blessing others. The rating is due to language and there are some crass moments in the movie, which I realize is a deal-breaker for some.

********

Greater
Based on the true story of Brandon Burlsworth, a college football walk-on who eventually became the top NFL recruit while also earning his Master's degree. A story of perseverance and a reminder to speak life into people.

********

The Inspector General
Believed to be an inspector working in disguise, an innocent man, one who happens to be less than clever, finds his life in danger. If you like this one, you should also watch The Court Jester.

********

Kon-Tiki
Based on a voyage of Thor Heyerdal, a Norwegian explorer who crossed the Pacific in a wooden raft to prove that Polynesia wasn't necessarily settled the way everyone believed it was.

********

Rabbit-Proof Fence
There was a time that the Australian government was taking mixed kids from their aboriginal moms and placing them in camps where they were trained to serve white people as house helpers, a practice stemming from the belief that white culture was better and that watering down the mixed races to be more white was to everyone's advantage. Three girls, part of what was later called the Stolen Generations, escaped shortly after being captured and began a 1,500 mile walk across the Outback to return home. This movie tells their story.

********

Ragamuffin
I grew up listening to Rich Mullins' music, knew he'd moved to a Navajo reservation, and remember when he died, but I never knew anything more about him as a person or his battle with depression. I'm thankful for a man who kept pressing on when it was hard, those who encouraged him along the way and didn't let his failures, doubts, and struggles define him, and for a God who loves all of us in the midst of our brokenness.

********

Zora's Roots
A documentary about Zora Neale Hurston, author and anthropologist,

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MOVIES I WATCHED: 6/21/17 - 9/19/17

Abel's Field
A desperate teenager forced to raise his younger sisters and the quiet man forced to take him under his wing. Both make poor choices. Both find healing and the ability to move forward. Good, clean flick.

Queen of Katwe
Based on the true story of Phiona Mutesi, a young woman from Uganda who, as a teenager, became a chess champion. Her success would have been impressive under any circumstances, but the abject poverty and academic deficit she was living out in the process made it really admirable. I really liked this one!

Sing
I watched the movie with and for some little Ws and it wasn't my favorite, but it had good things about it. People following their dreams. Rallying the troops for a worthy cause. Getting priorities in the right place.

Still Alice
I read Lisa Genova's book that preceded this movie a couple years ago, before I knew it was also turned into a movie. I really liked both the book and the movie. I'll just copy what I posted about the book in my monthly book list for May 2015.

"Alice is a highly respected and world-renowned psychology professor and linguistics expert from Harvard who is diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease. The reader is brought along for the ride as her family grapples with the ramifications of her illness, her colleagues and community find out about it, and her world quickly starts changing."

Trust Fund
One daughter who rebels, another who is responsible. A dad who loves them both. A family who figures out what matters most.

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MOVIES I WATCHED: 4/12/17 - 6/20/17

23 Blast
The true story of Travis Freeman, a high school student and star football player, who suddenly and unexpectedly went blind. A neat story of courage, perseverance, and teamwork that also includes a cameo appearance by the man who the movie is about.

BFG
A young girl. A giant. Bad guys. Good guys.  Adventure. Friendship. Laughter.

The Court Jester
Funny movie about a man who pretends to be a court jester and finds himself caught in the middle of two very different, very secretive plans.

Discovering Beverly Cleary
Interviews with Cleary, some of her illustrators, and other authors, as well as a peek at the neighborhood that served as the setting for her stories.

Hidden Figures
Three smart people who had their gender and skin color working against them. Three people who overcame significant challenges and whose work at NASA was instrumental in the first American orbiting Earth in 1962. Based on the lives of three women - Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson.

Lion
Based on the true story of Saroo Brierly, a man who was unintentionally separated from his family when he was a young boy living in India, ended up being adopted in Australia, and eventually sought out his biological family.

Mao's Last Dancer
An impoverished boy from China becomes a world renowned ballet dancer from America, a decision that cost Li Cunxin his Chinese citizenship.

A Man Called Ove
I read the book that preceded this book back in January and thought the movie followed it well. Ove is a curmudgeon whose life changes when a young family moves in next door. It's a reminder that the kindness we show others can help pull us out of our own funk and/or pull them out of theirs.

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MOVIES I WATCHED: 1/22/17 - 4/11/17

Doubletime
This documentary shows the strength, agility, coordination, and teamwork of two rope jumping teams as they prepare for a big competition. Super impressive!

Fences
Maybe it was the picture on the case, but I expected something happier than this was. The story of a black man facing the realities of his life in the 1950s, I expected there to be some hard stuff. The actors did well, but this was just a downer of a story for me with the negatives far outweighing the positives.

The Great Gilly Hopkins
A foster child who's convinced her birth mom wants her makes choices that cause her to risk losing everything good in her life. Totally predictable, but still a decent movie.

Loving
Based on the civil rights case of Loving v. Virgina in 1967, this movie is about an interracial couple whose marriage was illegal because of their skin color and the court battle to overturn laws preventing restrictions on marriage related to race.

Me Before You
I loved the book by the same title, which I read in February, and the movie didn't disappoint. It's about a happy small town girl and a bitter paralyzed man who used to live the high life. I think it's difficult and beautiful at the same time, regardless of how one feels about the issues at stake.

Mr. Church
This was a fabulous movie about the relationship between a woman, her daughter, and the man who cooks for them. Originally intended to be a six month arrangement, it ended up lasting fifteen years and they all became family to each other. I loved this movie.

Pete's Dragon - 1977 and 2016 versions
Other than an orphaned boy and a dragon, the two movies don't have a much in common, but they're both enjoyable stories about fighting against evil and finding a place to belong.

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MOVIES I WATCHED: 11/20/16 - 1/21/17

Christmas Candle
After I read the corresponding book in December, the kids and I watched this movie about an elderly couple who has to decide which needy person in their small community most needs a Christmas miracle.

Endgame
Based on the real life success of chess players in Brownsville, Texas, this movie deals with single parenting, death and grief, family dynamics, a school culture that places sports above all else, perseverance, teamwork, friendship, and finding your strengths.

Moana
We used some movie passes we'd been given and saw this in the theater as a family. Based on Polynesian mythology, this story is about the daughter of a village chief who sets out on an adventure to end the curse that's wreaking havoc on her community.

Oklahoma
This was a little more risque than I anticipated (the woman who sings about how she can't say no to a guy, the man with pornography on his walls, the kaleidoscope that shows it (pictures referenced, but not shown in either situation). It's a story of cowboys from Oklahoma trying to capture the hearts of the women they love while fighting the advances guys with less than noble character who are making toward the same women. Somehow I'd never seen this classic musical.

The Sound of Music
I've seen this movie countless times and the bigs have all seen it at least once, but Teebs hadn't seen it yet. A woman who wants to be a nun, a widowed Captain who runs his home like a soldier, six kids, Hitler taking over Austria, and lots of music.

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MOVIES I WATCHED: 6/29/16 - 11/19/16

The Finest Hours
I watched this after reading The Finest Hours: The True Story of a Heroic Sea Rescue, written by Michael J. Tougias and Casey Sherman. Both tell the inspiring story of a few brave men who put their lives on the line to save several men stranded on two sinking ships. I enjoyed both the book and the movie.

For the Glory
This movie is about Kurt Kuykendall, a man who was originally on track to become an Olympic basketball player, but who unexpectedly became a professional soccer player.

Into the Cold: A Journey of the Soul
This documentary is about two men who set out to reach the North Pole. While I certainly admire their hard work and determination, I actually enjoyed their photography more than the story of their journey.

Mariachi High
Hard-working students, a passionate teacher, great music, and some fierce competition. We enjoyed watching the mariachi band from Zapata High School as they prepared for and participated in mariachi competitions, as well as seeing snippets of several other bands competing.

Mr. Holland's Opus
I hadn't seen this one in many years when I recently introduced it to the kids, but I loved it just as much as I had before. It's about pursuing dreams and walking away from them, being committed to your family and letting them down, loyalty and perseverance, temptation and failure, teamwork and being self-centered. Life, basically.

Storks
No longer baby deliverers, storks now deliver packages. Until they accidentally have to deliver a baby and things fall apart. And then come together. There were a few things we found funny and/or creative, but none of us were particularly impressed with the movie overall.

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MOVIES I WATCHED: 5/6/16 - 6/28/16

12 Angry Men
I've always liked this movie and recently watched it with Tim and the boys. It's about a group of jurors who must make a unanimous decision in a murder case, with one juror who votes non-guilty because he doesn't think the evidence confirms guilt and eleven who, for a variety of reason, vote guilty..

The 33
We don't watch TV, but I remember watching live coverage on our computer of the Chilean miners coming out of captivity in 2010. Even though I knew everyone would get out safely, the part in the movie where they hauled the 33 men up through the ground, one by one, was still stressful to watch. It was a good movie, though. The whole ordeal is so impressive - the miners' ability to stay alive for as long as they did on their own, the technology that kept them nourished for so long, the countless hours of paid workers and volunteers who helped with the rescue, served the loved ones, kept everyone updated on the progress, and so on. Amazing.

As a sidenote, I'm not selling the little bit of jewelry I already own because of this movie or anything, but the part where someone says they'll get paid $200 a month for the mining job made me sick. The fact that people are putting their health and lives at serious risk to provide for their families at $10 a day in order for other people spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on a single piece of jewelry to wear for the sake of appearance, status, or tradition is wrong. I don't know what the solution is, but that's just so wrong.

The Brooke Ellison Story
This is the true story of a woman two younger than me who was paralyzed on her first day of middle school. With an immense amount of dedication from her entire family, she went on to graduate with honors from high school and eventually became the first quadriplegic to graduate from Harvard, which she did magna cum laude. Speaking of quadriplegics, this was the last movie that Christopher Reeve directed.

Gruffalo & Gruffalo's Child: Double Feature
I'd never heard of either of the books by these titles when Teebs picked the movies for us to watch together, but both movies were cute. The first is about a mouse who has to outwit some forest animals,including a gruffalo, who would love to eat him. The second is about the gruffalo's child going out to find the terrifying mouse.

A Small Act
This documentary is about a Kenyan man whose secondary education was sponsored by woman he'd never met. He grew up to be a Harvard graduate and a United Nations lawyer who specializes in human rights, discrimination, and genocide. He eventually founded a Kenyan organization, named after his own benefactor, that sponsors secondary education for gifted students. It was only after he was established in his career and the foundation was in operation that he met his benefactor and discovered she was a Holocaust survivor. The power of generosity, the importance of education, and the opportunity to pay kindness forward are all part of their friendship and story.

Woodlawn
A 1970's Birmingham high school filled with racial tension has a football team that experiences a spiritual revival, which makes a hugely positive impact on the players and coaches. That year their previously divided team ends up uniting and playing in the largest high school football game Birmingham has ever had. Also, that year Tony Nathan, who eventually played in the NFL, became their first black player to rise to stardom.

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MOVIES I WATCHED - 4/11/16 - 5/5/16

American Farm
This documentary is about family from New York who shares the story of their life and farm at a point when no one from the current adult generation wants to take over for the current farmer, a man who is the fifth generation farmer of their land. I expected it to be a lot about farming, but it was mostly about their family.

Best of Men
Based on the true and inspirational story of Dr. Ludwig Guttmann,  a doctor in WWII who revolutionized the type of care paraplegics receive, treating them as human beings deserving of respect and believing they were capable of living full lives. His treatment included the introduction of sports and exercise, which ultimately lead to the formation of the Paralympics. I really liked this movie.

Concussion
The true story of a man, Dr. Bennet Omalu, who discovered that the unseen brain trauma sustained while playing football is killing the players, even though the technical cause of their deaths is suicide. The man is brilliant and holds multiple degrees, but his research puts him at odds with the powerful NFL and they refused to accept his findings for many years. Definitely worth watching.

The Last Royals
This National Geographic documentary focuses on four remaining monarchies - Buganda, England, Nepal, and Tonga - discussing how much power they have, what the citizens like and dislike about them, and so on.

Nicky's Family
The true story of Nicholas Winton, a young man who rescued nearly 700 children from Czechoslovakia right before the start of WWII. He secured foster families in Britain for those Jewish kids, ultimately saving their lives. Part drama, part documentary, this movie introduces us to many of the people he saved. Completely humble, he didn't tell anyone what he had done and his story came out decades later when his wife happened across all the paperwork in their attic. One of the things that struck me as I watched was all the different careers the children he saved ended up having as adults, the ripple effects of one man have influenced thousands of people. An amazing movie about an amazing man. As a sidenote, he died last summer at the age of 106.

Overfed & Undernourished
A documentary about an overweight boy's journey to better health. I have no idea if he's maintained a healthy lifestyle and don't think there's any one right way to eat, but there were good things in this movie. Move your body more, both in long stretches of exercise and in little bits here and there. Eat way more produce, especially vegetables. Set yourself up for success. Realize that what works for one person may not work for another. On the spectrum of things close to the sun (plants grown in your garden) to things far from the sun (foods made or processed in factories), we should eat as close to the sun as we can as often as we can. The little Ws periodically bring up this movie and talk about the progress the boy made in his health, particularly in regards to his run up a hill at the start of the documentary and then again at the end.

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MOVIES I WATCHED: 2/9/16 - 4/10/16

Candyman: The David Klein Story
The background on the creator of Jelly Bellys, his never-ending stream of ideas, and the demise of his business. Produced by his family, it's a bit of a bummer to watch because he's been taken advantage of in some big ways. Interesting, though. Heads up there's an unexpected (and totally unnecessary) scene with dancers that I think was right around 25-30 minutes that you may want to skip over, particularly if you're watching with your kids. Not the worst scene as far as dancers go, but not very tasteful either.

A LEGO Brickumentary
Pretty self-explanatory title. We watched this on a family movie night and all 6 Ws thought it was pretty awesome.

Room
I read the book several months ago and loved it. Although I liked the movie, I don't know if I would have liked it without reading the book first. The movie was good,but the book was awesome. In a nutshell, it's about a mother and her five year old son who live in an 11x11 room, the only place the boy has ever known.

Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken
I've seen this several times since it came out back when I was in high school. Naomi and Teebs hadn't seen it before, so we got it from the library. It's based on the true story of a young woman who became a diving girl in the 1920s, jumping off of 40-60 foot ramps into a pool of water while on the back of a horse. Blinded in a diving accident, she continued diving for 11 more years. I did a little research on her and, among other things, discovered that she wrote a book called A Girl and Five Brave Horses, which I plan on reading.

Zootopia
We watched this as a family and although there were a couple aspects I didn't love, we all enjoyed it.

MOVIES I WATCHED: 12/15/15 - 2/8/16

A Smile as Big as the Moon
I read A Smile as Big as the Moon: A Special Education Teacher, His Class, and Their Inspiring Journey Through U.S. Space Camp, written by Mike Kersjes, back in 2012, but our library system didn't have the movie at the time. They have it now, so we watched it as a family and everyone enjoyed it. It's a great story, whether in book or movie form. We actually watched it in the late summer or early fall, but I forgot to list it back then.

Ramona and Beezus
This was our selection for a family movie night and it had each W laughing at one point or another. I've only read one or two Beverly Cleary books, and only when the kids had them assigned for school, but this movie almost made me want to read more of them.

War Room
Tim and I watched this together one night. It served as a good reminder to make prayer a high priority, to take responsibility for our own behavior, and that there are always consequences for our choices, even in the midst of grace.

Home Run
A professional baseball player whose alcoholism is destroying his life and career finds himself coaching a kids' team in his hometown. It's definitely a "happily ever after" kind of movie and fairly predictable, but it was fine. Celebrate Recovery, an organization I have no personal experience with, but that friends have been helped greatly by, is part of the movie,

He Named Me Malala
This is the documentary of Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani young woman who, at age 15, was shot in the face by the Taliban for speaking publicly about the importance of and right to an education in girls' lives. She'll be 19 this year and continues to make advocacy her life's work. Tim and I watched this together, but will be having the big boys watch it soon. It pairs well with Girl Rising, for those who haven't seen either movie. I plan on reading her book, I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban, as well, and will check out Malala Yousafzai: Warrior with Words, written by Karen Leggett Abouraya and illustrated by L. C. Wheatley, or something comparable if the library doesn't have it, for the younger kids.

MOVIES I WATCHED: 10/12/15 - 12/14/15

Girl Rising
Tim and I watched this with the big boys and as we were watching I realized I'd seen it before, although I don't remember when. It's a great documentary about nine girls from different parts of the world who have all risen above incredibly challenging circumstances. They each place a high value on having access to an education, something the average girl in America can so easily take for granted and yet these girls are generally denied. It includes some sobering stories, facts, and statistics, but is presented with tact.

Stomp Out Loud
I don't usually list movies we've seen before, but we love this movie and check it out from the library every few months. It's a really fun movie of choreographed percussion. You can read more about STOMP on their website.

Belle
This was a great movie based on the true story of a biracial woman raised by an affluent uncle and aunt in England during the 1700s. Her life is a mix of cultural extremes - the privileges afforded to her because of her dad's lineage and rights denied because of her mother's skin color, along with the fact she was born out of  wedlock in a time where such children were treated poorly because of their parents' choices. It's a great story of family, loyalty, compromise, justice, compassion, love, equality, and how life is often layered in shades of grey.

Life is Beautiful
I haven't watched this since it was a new release, but we watched it with Silas and Devon recently as part of our attempt to watch some movies with them that deal with real life atrocities. In this case, the story is about Jews in German-occupied Italy during the Holocaust. Although the story is fictional, it's such an amazing movie! The family's love for and commitment to each other, the willful decision to choose to be positive in the midst of horrific circumstances, the incredible value of humor and imagination. I love it.

The Drop Box
I've been waiting to see this for ages and finally got it from the library. This is a documentary about a man in South Korea who finds an abandoned baby on his steps, an event which becomes the catalyst for creating a safe place for mothers to place infants who would otherwise be left on the street. It's a phenomenal story of sacrifice and dedication, of taking action instead of just talking about a problem, of valuing every single life.

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MOVIES I WATCHED: 4/8/15 - 10/11/15

Crooked Arrows, starring Brandon Routh, Chelsea Ricketts, and Crystal Allen
Fairly predictable sports movie about an underdog Native American lacrosse team whose new coach used to be a star player.

Fiddler on the Roof, starring Topol and Norma Crane
I haven't watched this since I was a kid, so all 6 Ws watched it on a recent Friday night. It's a great story about family and friends, tradition and change, love and hate, faith and humanity, plus it has a healthy dose of humor.

Flywheel, starring Alex Kendrick
The Kendrick brothers have now produced several movies, but this was their first one and was intended only for local viewing. While it's not the same quality as their later films, the lessons taught about honesty and integrity through the lens of a used car salesman are important and our family enjoyed it.

The Help, starring Emma Stone and Viola Davis
Silas and I watched this together (Tim and I saw it a long time ago). It's the story of a story, how a book about what life for black maids was like during the 1960s came to fruition. Simultaneously heart-breaking and heart-warming, it's a neat story of bravery and cowardice, kindness and cruelty, and a strong reminder that people matter more than politics and that character matters more than social standing. I haven't read the book by the same title and written by Kathryn Stockett, but I'm sure it's good.

Hotel Rwanda, starring Don Cheadle, Sophie Okonedo, and Nick Nolte
Tim and I saw this a long time ago, but watched it with Silas and Devon one night. The older they get, the more important it is for them to understand the real suffering people experience. We thought this movie was one good way to expose them to the horror of genocide and the heroism of those who do whatever they can to save lives. I've mentioned it in a former book list, but An Ordinary Man: An Autobiography, written by Paul Rusesabagina with Tom Zoellner, is a great book about the man the movie is about.

The Jazz Singer, starring Al Jolson and May McAvoy
This movie was referenced in another one we saw and I thought it would be good to see it for the historical value of being the first talking picture. I thought it had more talking than it did, as it's just "synchronized dialogue" for the songs and one conversation, but Naomi got to snuggle while we watched it.

Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium, starring Dustin Hoffman and Natalie Portman
This is one of my all-time favorite movies and we've watched it multiple times over the years. It's magical and sweet, the story of an awesome toy store, it's eccentric owner, two people who love both the shop and its owner, and one person who seems too uptight to fully appreciate the wonder of the store. It's a family friendly movie that adults will enjoy as much as the kids.

McFarland, USA, starring Kevin Costner
I'm a sucker for underdog movies and loved this one that's based on a true story. It's about a cross country team in California that was comprised of a bunch of non-runners in a poor and predominantly Hispanic community. Great lessons about the value of hard work, family, and friendships. The community reminded me a lot of our own town with a demographic made up largely of families from Mexico who leave early in the morning to work in the fields that surround us and come home late at night to put food on their tables.

Miracle of the White Stallions, starring Robert Taylor, Lilli Palmer, Curd Jurgens, Eddie Albert, and James Franciscus 
I found this movie after reading White Stallions of Lipizza, written by Marguerite Henry and illustrated by Wesley Dennis, for school the third time. It's the true story of how the Lipizzaners were saved during the bombings of World War II. The bigs and I watched it and enjoyed it, perhaps more because we've read the book than we would have otherwise.

Paddington, starring Hugh Bonneville, Sally Hawkins, and Julie Walters
This is a fun movie that we watched for a family movie night. A young bear travels from the jungles of Peru to London and ends of living with a family there. It has plenty of silly antics, but also has the love of a family trying to help a bear they care about.

Philomena, starring Judi Dench
This movie is about the true story of a woman who became pregnant while young and unmarried, was sent to a convent by her parents during her pregnancy, and eventually had her son placed for adoption without her consent. She then spent fifty years looking for him, eventually finding answers to her questions with the help of a journalist. It's not really a "happily ever after" kind of movie, but I liked it because I think it's important for all of us to remember that we never know someone's whole story. We don't know what they've experienced, all their hurts and losses, the courage and forgiveness they've chosen or anger and bitterness they've clung to, the kinds of people who matter to them ... so we need to be kind.

Singin' in the Rain, starring Gene Kelly, Donald O'Connor, and Debbie Reynolds
This is one of my all-time favorite movies and I realized I'd never had the little Ws watch it. They loved it, laughing throughout the whole thing and replaying a couple funny parts. It's the story of a movie star who finds himself in a jam because talking movies have just come out and the beautiful woman he always co-stars with has a horrendous voice. Romance, friendship, business, comedy, singing, choreography ... it's perfect.

Unbroken, starring Jack O'Connell and Domhnall Gleeson
I'd heard such great things about this movie, but I was so bored watching it. I think the story is great and the man it's about is admirable, but the movie just seemed to go on and on and on. Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for it. It's the true story of Louis "Louie" Zamperini, an American Olympian and soldier whose plane crashed in WWII, leading him to spend nearly seven weeks adrift on a raft and over two years as a Japanese prisoner of war. The movie is based on Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption, written by Laura Hillenbrand.

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MOVIES I WATCHED: 12/1/14 - 4/7/15

When the Game Stands Tall, starring James Caviezel, Michael Chiklis, Alexander Ludwig, and Laura Dern
A good movie and a true story, this is about a coach who values character far more than winning and works hard to teach his players to do the same. As it turns out, they end up winning over 150 consecutive games before they all get a chance to see what really matters most to them when the rubber meets the road. I loved the life lessons packed into this movie, both for the adults and little Ws in this home.

Mary and Martha, starring Hillary Swank and Brenda Blethyn
Motherhood, malaria, and using one's grief and experiences to inspire others to make relatively minor sacrifices to bring about great change. That's this movie in a nutshell.

 

Annie, starring Jamie Foxx, Cameron Diaz, and Quvenzhane Wallis and Annie, starring Albert Finney, Carol Burnett, and Aileen Quinn
We watched the newer version first, then I realized I'd never seen the older one, so we watched in next. Miss Hannigan is sleazy in both, so there's some sexual innuendo in each version.

Fireproof, starring Kirk Cameron and Erin Bethea 
We watched this with the big boys, though Tim and I had seen it before. A man whose marriage is falling apart agrees to complete The Love Dare, a 40 day challenge that his dad gives him, an unenthusiastic last ditch attempt to reconcile with his wife.

The Girl, starring Abbie Cornish and Will Patton
I watched this alone one night, just a random movie that was suggested to me by IMDb when I was looking at another film. It's the story of a young mom whose child has been placed in foster care and who decides to smuggle people over the border to earn the money she needs to get her child back. That plan backfires and she ends up maturing quite a bit as she tries to make things right.

The Mighty Macs, starring Carla Gugino, Marley Shelton, David Boreanaz, and Ellen Burstyn

The true story of a hopeless women's college basketball team who ended up winning the first ever national championship. The predictability of a story about an underdog beating the odds is certainly there, but I like true stories and we all enjoyed the movie.

Big Hero 6, starring Scott Adsit and Ryan Potter
Super heroes and techy stuff aren't my thing, so I didn't expect to like this movie. It was great, though! Loyalty, bravery, and humor. Can't beat that combo!

Courageous, starring Alex Kendrick, Ken Bevel, Kevin Downes, and Ben Davies
Tim and I had seen this before, but we watched it with the big boys. After tragedy strikes a police officer, he and three of his co-workers vow to be intentional about being people of integrity who take their roles as husbands, fathers, employees, and men very seriously

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