Trolls & Ogres OR Rainbows & Unicorns

So I haven't published on this for over a decade. I honestly hadn't thought about my blog spot for years and I don't even know if people still blog. Doesn't everyone just vlog, YouTube, or do social media? Anyway, I have been telling people about my theory of what kind of person you are for quite a while now, but yesterday brought it to a whole new level, so I decided I need to write about it. So here it goes. Welcome back to me. . . . Here's my theory: You are either an optimist "Rainbow & Unicorn" OR not an optimist (but not necessarily a true pessismist) "Troll & Ogre". I fall firmly in the Troll & Ogre camp. I am positive around the children I teach Sunday school to and my niece & nephews. But when life happens, I tend to wait for the negative to happen. I can also let a bad moment spiral into a bad day. Now you can have Rainbow & Unicorn moments if you are a T&O, but your go to state is one or the other. You also live in the land of whatever you are. And you can move closer to the border of R&U land if you reside in T&O land, but you won't ever really live in the land of which you are not a native. Now I own a townhome in T&O land, but I had a sublet right on the border for awhile. Then some of life hit me and I gave up the sublet and moved back to my townhome. However, I am trying to find a new sublet right on the border and I love being able to see into R&U land even from my townhome. I due have friends that are so far from the border (in both lands) that they can't see the other. I believe you have to have both kinds of people. One of my closest friends is a "Rainbow & Unicorn" and we get along so well because we balance each other. I can tell her.. . ."um, NO, this may not work" and she can talk me of a ledge when I spiral and a bad moment expands. And what prompted this post at all is because yesterday, a co-worker brought me a Unicorn headband he had 3D printed for me so that when I'm feeling like a troll I can put on the headband and be a unicorn. Because I discovered it's impossible to have a truly bad day when you have a Unicorn headband on and you are a middle aged woman walking around work generating equal numbers of smiles and side-eyed glances. So I'm going to attempt to do some self-discovery and life recording here instead of a movie review location and this is really just for me, but I'm giving this a go.

Different Era--Same Abuse of Power

The Conspirator (Loved It)--This movie depicts the trial of Mary Surratt. She was one of the alleged conspirators in the assassination of President Lincoln. Now I am making no judgments on whether she was guilty or not guilty, but regardless of what she knew or didn't know, the way her trial was handled was wrong.

This movie is directed by Robert Redford, so I will admit it has a more liberal spin to it, but it fits my feelings to a tee. And, I can say, I've recommended this movie to more politically conservative friends, and they loved the movie as well. So, I think everyone should watch this movie. It makes you think. That is not a bad thing.

The movie is from a new company call the American Film Company. They want to make movies that are historically accurate and depict true events. This film met that goal. It shows what can happen when hysteria and fear envelop a nation. I feel that Mary Surratt was a victim of this type of environment and shows what can happen when there is an abuse of power.

I feel we are in an era where there is also a lot of fear and worry. I think our country is great and that our government is a little broken now, but it is still based on the correct principles. But, there are times when it makes mistakes. This film shows one of those times.

The performances are great, especially Robin Wright as Mary Surratt and Kevin Kline as Edwin Stanton (the Secretary of War). The other performances by James McAvoy and Evan Rachel Wood are also great. This film is just very well made and should be seen. It didn't get a lot of attention when it was in the box office, so I trying to get the word out, SEE THIS MOVIE! It's worth the rental.

So you know I'm not a Republican. . .

Fair Game (Liked It)--So I was not a big fan of George W. Bush's administration. Actually I'm not really a fan of politicians in general. But I like political movies. For instance-All the President's Men, the Insider and this movie.

It tells the story of Valerie Plame, who was the CIA operative that was outed by the Bush administration when her husband wrote a story contradicting the "evidence" that there were WMD's in Iraq (which I may need to remind people that there WEREN'T any).

Naomi Watts and Sean Penn do a very good job of portraying Valerie Plame and Joe Wilson (her husband). Now I don't know how accurate the movie was but the commentary by the actual couple seems to think it's accurate enough.

It does a good job of showing what abuse of political power can do to people. Now I feel that Washington D.C. is broken and that both of the major political parties have ISSUES, but to do what Scooter Libby (and not to be petty, but no adult should be called Scooter), did to this family and this women's career is WRONG and for W. to have pardoned him, is even worse.

The story keeps your attention, the plot moves along, and the performances are good. There is some really unnecessary bad language at the beginning of the movie, that makes it PG-13, but the rest is clean, clean, clean. So I would highly recommend this movie to anyone.

I love Matt Damon!

The Adjustment Bureau (Loved it Enough to Buy It)--I LOVE Matt Damon. Other than Robert Redford, I own more movies with Matt Damon in them than any other actor, and I like them all. So, it should not come as a surprise that I loved the Adjustment Bureau.

I liked the movie because it explored themes of destiny, free will, God (although code named the Chairman), and love. This movie was not afraid to explore those themes. Not many movies that make it in the mainstream do that much anymore. There is so much trash out there now and it's easy to find mindless entertainment, but I still like/love a movie that makes you think. This movie did that for me. I thought it was fun to see how little coincidences or chances and how you react to them, can affect your life. You just never know what's going to lead you down a different path.

I thought the chemistry between the Matt Damon and Emily Blunt was great. They seemed to really like each other which always helps when you're trying to believe these two are lovers torn apart by fate. Emily Blunt is another one of my favorite actresses. Ever since The Devil Wears Prada, I have been a fan of hers, and she works in this movie for me.

I don't want to give too much of the plot away, but this movie will make you think, keeps the suspense up until the end, and has pretty people to look at, so what's not to love.

If you're looking for a good rental, rent this. It's worth the 90 minutes and the $1.07 it will cost you to Redbox it.

Go to see "The Help"!!!

The Help (Love It Enough To Buy It)--So, I bought the book "The Help" last year when my friend Heidi came to visit. She recommended the book and so I bought a copy. It took me a little while to get to reading it and I admit that it took about five chapters in before I was hooked. But then, I loved it. I know there has been some "controversy" because a white woman was writing a black woman's perspective, but to be honest, anything that revisits the turmoil and strife of the civil rights need in the country is alright with me.

So now to the movie. The movie is a very good adaptation of the book. For me books are almost always better, but I think this movie did a wonderful job of conveying the most important parts of the story and helps to develop the relationships beautifully.

Viola Davis as Abileen and Octavia Spencer as Minny are mind blowingly good. I LOVED their performances, and felt they perfectly captured the women in that book. Break out the Oscars, because they deserve nominations. The younger ladies did well too. Emma Stone does a good job with Skeeter and Bryce Dallas Howard is pitch perfect as Hilly. I can't stand her (the character) and that is a good thing. Bryce absolutely conveys the bigotry and ignorance that was pervasive and strong in that era.

The supporting cast is also good. There is not a weak performance in the movie and I really liked Allison Janney as Skeeter's mother (she's always one of my favorites).

I also thought the film did a great job of conveying the fear that the two lead maids felt and the fear and degredation that the other maids in the movie felt as well. The worry that your whole life could change or end because you step out of line, was hard to watch, but needs to be seen. There's a line in the book that white men will fight it out, but that white women will pick away like a dental tool until they get what they want. This is shown in the movie and it's scary that people will abuse and use their power that way.

I love the scene where the other maids finally decide to tell their stories. They are scard to death, but they are brave enough to show what really goes on and to get this information out. I also like that not all white people in the movie are awful, some of the maids have good stories about the families they work for. They show the good and the bad.

Go see this movie.

It's told from the perspective of women, but I think it's not a "chick flick". Men and women, young and old should see this movie, and how the history behind it is still shaping our world today.

I recently had a book club that was talking about Germany and the rules that outlawed Jews from basic citizenship. Someone in the discussion asked if this could ever happen in America. I told him to go see this movie, The Help, because it shows that we've already been there. We need to remember the past so we don't repeat it.

GO SEE THIS MOVIE!!!! AND READ THE BOOK!!!!

This has nothing to do with what I've been watching.

OK, so for the last little while (since May 19th) to be exact I have been more narcissistic than normal. On that day, I discovered I have a benign football sized tumor in my abdomen. It's coming out on August 2nd (YEA!!!) Recently I had my pre-op visit with my OB/GYN surgeon. My friend Shauna went with me and this is what she posted on her blog. I wanted to post it here, so anyone who reads this can see it and so I have a record on my own blog of the much needed hysterical and slightly sad event.

From lifeonclestialcircle.blogspot.com

Thursday, July 28, 2011
Sick Minds Think Alike
I joined Dear Friend Chris yesterday for her pre-op visit to her gynecological surgeon. She is having a benign fibroid tumor, the size of a football, that is attached to the outside of her uterus removed next week, along with the uterus. The tumor was discovered earlier in the spring, and the surgery is her best option. I've been with her at the other appointment with this surgeon to verify that this is really the problem, so I had met the doctor with her back in May. I go to give her moral support and to have an extra set of ears listening to the doctor's instructions.

Dr. Rees is simply terrific. He is kind and funny, and seems to really know his stuff. And, really, any man who chooses to become an OB has some kind of special talent for dealing with women, their hormones, and the crazy stuff that happens in their bodies. He works with a series of other OB/GYNs in a very popular Provo practice.

It's the Provo angle that makes this story worth sharing.

You know Provo--the home of BYU, affectionately known as "Breed 'em Young" University. Where a high percentage of undergraduate students are married, and many of those are starting their families while they are still students themselves. This is a leading factor in the popularity of this doctor's office--as well as any and all OB/GYNs in Provo.

There are a LOT of babies born in Provo. And many of their mothers were coming in for their regular pregnancy check ups yesterday, apparently. But as this town is family-central, most of those women coming in for their check ups were with their husbands too.

Chris' doctor had been called in to help with an emergency C-section, so we had to wait a little longer than normal to get in to see him. We watched a dozen or more BYU-like couples head back for the weights and measures kind of appointment. As fast as the waiting room emptied, it refilled with new little BYU-esque parents-to-be.

When the nurse finally called Chris back, we both stood up to head back to the exam room to talk with the surgeon. There we were, two women. Together. Walking back to an exam room at an OB/GYN's office. Together.

EVERY set of eyes in the building were looking right at the two of us. I could feel their laser-like gaze recognizing the discrepancy between us and the other couples who had been walked back behind the desk. There was NO doubt in my mind that everyone there was thinking the same thing: "LESBIANS, right here in Provo. Can't be?! Which do you think is the pregnant one?!"

The glares felt heavy as we passed the registration desk and walked down a little hallway. Once through the door, Chris and I looked at each other and, sure enough, we were both feeling those same stares. We were thinking they were thinking the SAME thing! "They think we are lesbians having a baby."

Once we got into the little room where the doctor would speak with us, we were cracking up thinking of all the self-righteous and judgemental thoughts everyone in the waiting room must be having about us at that moment. Just goes to show you can't judge people by what you see. And really, isn't that was we've been taught all our lives? Quick judgements are often wrong.

We facitiously joked about the little Molly-Mormons fearful that some"gay" might rub off on the unborn, or that their safe harbor from the world (Provo) was no longer the pure home they wanted to live in to raise this baby. All the homophobic things I had heard from uptight and judgemental folks around here sounded in my mind.

Then as Chris was having her blood pressure taken in the hallway outside the exam room, I heard the song that was playing on the radio at that moment. Irony, pure and simple: it was AC/DC's "Shook Me All Night Long".

Provo may not be my favorite town, but tell me, what is NOT to like about this office?
Posted by Shauna at 10:31 AM

Two in one month--Wow!!

Secretariat (Liked It)--I really enjoy underdog sports movies. I've watch many of them. Miracle, The Rookie, Seabiscuit, Cinderella Man, and now Secretariat. I love these type of stories, because if they weren't true they would be just cheesy. But they are true (as true as a movie can be), and I love them.

This movie is no different. It's tried and true material. Underdog overcomes great obstacles to triumph in the end, but the people in this story are endearing and the relationship that Secretariat has with his owner is fun to watch.

Secretariat was an amazing horse, the last one to win the Triple Crown, and it's worth the 2 hours you'll spend watching this movie.

I don't know much about horses. I've only been on a horse twice in my life and that was just walking around a barn yard, but I know they are beautiful animals and that someone can develop great love for a horse. Secretariat is that kind of story. A housewife decides to risk it all for a horse she loves and the horse delivers.

The movie keeps your interest even though you already know how it ends. Diane Lane does a good job as does John Malkovich (in an unusual role for him). I liked it, would watch it again, and am recommending it.

Yeah, I clearly need to watch more stuff. . . but I've been reading!

American Experience: Triangle Fire (Loved It)--OK, I LOVE history. I almost majored in history, but I wanted something more practical, so I majored in Microbiology & minored in Chemistry. But, history became a hobby. I love to read about it, watch documentaries, historical films, just about anything to learn about the past. This documentary from PBS's series American Experience is one of my favorites.

If you don't know about the Triangle Fire, it occurred on March 25, 1911 in Manhattan off of Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village. I've been there, I've seen this building where a fire claimed 146 lives. I don't know how I first became familiar with the fire, but the story has been an interest of mine for years. With the centennial of this tragic event, there has been more interest and so more coverage. This fire helped to change America. It lead to child labor laws, workman's comp, workplace safety, and other advances that we now take for granted.

This documentary spells it out in 53 short minutes, but they pack a punch. I am also reading a book on this event, David von Drehle's, "Triangle: The Fire That Changed America". The author was one of the consultants on the documentary. It's a sad and tragic story, but one that should not be forgotten. It was the worst workplace disaster in New York history until 9/11 and was the 4th worst event of this type in the history of the nation at the time. Young Jewish and Italian immigrants (123 of them women), some as young as 14 had to burn before people would take notice and help with workplace safety and justice for the working class people. It occurred during the Gilded Age which is one of my favorite time periods, the huge immigration from Europe, the staggering poverty eclipsed by unbelievable wealth and the old not having caught up with the technology. Issues that in some ways we are dealing with in today's world. And if we don't remember the past, we are doomed to repeat it. This story is largely forgotten and it needs to be remembered.

Watch this story. It's hard to watch but so worth it. There are parts of the story that show amazing bravery and heartbreaking loss, but I highly recommend it. It can be streamed on Netflix and it can be DVR'd if you look for it.

I've been gone forever

Flipped (Loved It)--So I have not blogged in forever. I haven't been watching fewer movies, just not writing about them, but I want to start up again. So, I am starting with a great new movie called Flipped. This is a cute little movie about a junior high relationship told from both the girl's and boy's perspectives. It's great to see how differently the two see the same event. I wasn't familiar with either the actor or the actress, but I love how they portrayed Bryce and Juli. It's a cute little movies. It's got some bad language, but overall it's G rated.

It was totally worth the 1 1/2 hours I spent watching it. I would highly recommend this little film. It's by Rob Reiner. I like his movies and this one is no exception. It's worth the rental.

Amelia Earhart was lost at sea-That is totally new information!

Amelia (Liked It)--This movie has been much maligned by critics. It's far from perfect, but I don't think it's as bad as some have let on. The things I found disappointing about this movie were that all I really found out was that Amelia Earhart was the first woman to fly across the Atlantic solo and she was lost at sea while trying to circumnavigate the world. I already knew that. I don't expect biopics to be deep or hugely revelatory or even all that accurate, but this one was so basic that it just could have been better. Hillary Swank does look very much like Amelia, but that's not enough. I would have liked them to just explain more. I don't just want a picture to look pretty and that's what this one did. Why did Amelia have an open relationship with her husband? What ended the affair with Gene Vidal? What drove her to take the risks she did? And was it really all her navigators fault? I don't think so. It just could have been better and that's what's disappointing. However, if you don't know anything about her, watch a documentary and then watch this film. There are some positives, including the feel of the 20's and 30's and the highlights of her ground breaking flights. I've spent two hours doing worse things than watching this film. It's also PG, so it's very family friendly. The affair is only alluded to, there's very little bad language, and they try to tell a good story.

Claymation-Who'd of Thought

The Fantastic Mr. Fox (Liked It)--So the Fantastic Mr. Fox is a claymation story based on a Roald Dahl story and directed by Wes Anderson. Now, I don't watch this kind of animation often. I think the last movie was Chicken Run (and that was a long time ago), but I had a good friend recommend this and since I trust his opinion, I decided to give it a try. I really liked this movie. The animation is great. The voices are perfect. George Clooney as Mr. Fox was right on the money and I really liked Meryl Streep as Mrs. Fox. The story is original and funny but kind of dark. It is after all, Roald Dahl. That's his signature and this movie falls right in line with that style. But it's funny, original, smart, sassy, and really well done. The interplay between the characters is very adult but it's humorous enough for kids as well. And there are some funny things thrown in by the director. An example is not having the characters really say the cuss words, but instead, say, "What the cuss!" That was just funny. I loved the plot. Mr. Fox wants to "support" his family by stealing chickens and such from three mean farmers. The way Mr. Fox convinces his family and the other animals in his community to go along is wonderful. My favorite characters and my favorite subplot are Mr. Fox's son and nephew. There's a bit of sibling rivalry going on there and it was fun to watch. I highly recommend this movie. It's good for the whole family and it's short. It's only 1 1/2 hours. It's SO worth the rental. I think you'll laugh.

Nature's Movie Theatre

Yellowstone National Park (Loved It)--So I haven't posted in quite awhile. I've been busy working and then I went on vacation. I'm digressing from my normal format on anything I can watch on a screen to write about Yellowstone National Park. It was amazing. It was nature's movie. I can't say enough about how much I enjoyed my visit to the world's first national park. I had asked quite a few people who had previously visited there to tell me about their visits. Everyone, and I'm not exaggerating, everyone I asked loved that place. I am with them. I thought I might like it, it would be pretty, I would get to see a buffalo/bison, it would be fun. NO, it was phenomenal. I got to see a bison within the first 10 minutes in the park, the scenery was beautiful, and Old Faithful was as cool as I'd heard. I loved the geysers and the hot pots. I was floored by the vast array of terrain in that 3400 square mile uncommercialized oasis. And then, I got to see two grizzlies, who were no more than 25 yards away at their closest point, also the point where we got back into the car and drove away. I would recommend this park to anyone and I would go back. I saw people from France, England, heard people from Germany, saw license plates from almost all 50 states and would have seen them from all 50 if I'd looked harder, and plates from several of the Canadian provinces. It was so fun to see nature as true to nature as I will in my life. The wildlife, the baby bald eagle learning to fly, the enormous 6 point bull elk in the middle of the road just chilling out, the trumpeter swan, all of it was so cool. It may sound cliche, but it felt so American to me. That we would take this land and give it to humanity is awesome. A coworker challenged me once to find a government program that actually works, after my visit to Yellowstone, I stick by my choice of the National Park system. I'm telling everyone I know to go visit this park. It is so worth the time. You will not regret it.

I'll be back with a regular movie review soon.

A Must See Documentary On The Civil War

Ken Burns: The Civil War (Loved It)--So, I haven't watched many movies in the last couple of weeks, because I've been watching a documentary on the Civil War. This documentary is 9 parts, but it is a must see. I love to study history. It's one of my hobbies. I like to read about it, I love to visit these places, and I really enjoy watching documentaries and movies about history. I also like the Burns brothers. Both Ric and Ken choose subjects that interest me and do an very thorough job of giving the history and the details of the subjects they pick. This documentary is no different. It's wonderful. That's not to say it's always easy to watch. The carnage and sheer numbers of people that died during that four year war is mind boggling. Thousands of men would die in battle in the morning and then it would all repeat in the afternoon. This went on for 4 years and the total number of men dead outnumbers all other deaths in ALL of the other American wars combined. It also shows pictures, many which I had never seen before, of the soldiers, the carnage, and the people who were part of this event. I also really enjoyed the actual writings of the many of the soldiers and those they left at home. This is done through journals, letters, and memoirs of the actual players in history.

Another favorite was Shelby Foote. He was a southern historian who has written a definitive three part history of the Civil War. Mr. Burns was going to use him as a resource and liked him enough to put him in the documentary. He talks as if he knew the people he's written about and I feel he tries to be impartial even though he's southern. He criticizes and praises people on both the Blue and the Gray equally. He later said that Ken Burns made him a millionaire because sales of his books skyrocketed after this documentary premiered and I know why. His knowledge and insight were wonderful and the way he tells the stories was mesmerizing.

This is worth the time investment. It's information that any American should learn and know. It is well done. I highly recommend this to anyone.

I'm changing a rating. . . a new movie to see

The Young Victoria (Loved it enough to Buy it)--First, I need to say that I am changing the rating of The Snow Walker to Loved it enough to Buy it, because I did. I bought it. So, this is the first time I've changed a rating but that is because I decided I really loved this movie. And the ending which at first I didn't like, I have now decided that I enjoy that it's not entirely wrapped up and the end. It's a bit ambiguous, and you have to think about the ending. In this case, that was a good way to end the movie.

Now, on to The Young Victoria. I LOVED this movie. I'm buying this movie as well. I have watched it twice already and I could and will watch it again. Now, I'm a history buff. It's one of my hobbies. I love to watch, read, visit, learn about the past. That's why I love to visit Europe and historic sites in the USA. I love to visit museums and old homes. It's as close to time travel as I can get. I feel the same way about movies. It allows me to visit places I will never get to and to be part of experiences that I could never have been a part of. The Young Victoria is one of those movies.

I visited London in July 2009 and there was a billboard of this movie on the train platform in the small town we were staying in. I saw it every morning for an entire week and I remember I put it in my Netflix queue when I returned. It was just released in the U.S. on DVD about one month ago and it went to the top of my list of must sees. The story is compelling and for the most part true. There are a few embellishments, but this is a movie and not a documentary. And, from what I've read about Victoria and Albert, it's close enough to the truth. Besides, it transports you to the reign of a young Victoria and her new husband. It shows how they became the great team they were, and how they were better together than they were apart. Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend where pitch perfect and Victoria and Albert. They had amazing chemistry and the performances were wonderful. They became the two people they were playing. It worked. Their performances show a royal match that actually resulted in love and team work. The film also showed the machinations of royalty and politics, but how in this particular case, love conquered it all. Everyone wants to believe that's possible and it's rare. So, I really enjoyed watching a true case where it happened.

The costumes are terrific (they won an Oscar), the sets look perfect and are lavish, and the acting is top notch from everyone in the production, and I do mean everyone. There really isn't a weak link. I LOVED this. I also want to say, that it's PG and for good reason. No bad language, very little violence, and although quite a bit of kissing (it is about newlyweds), there's NO skin. It's great. Everyone can watch this. Now, as I said before, there are a few poetic licenses taken, but it's close enough and if you want to know the history, watch a documentary. Watch this for the fantasy, the romance (men included, because ALL women want an Albert), the escape, and the feel and look of the past. It's one of my favorites and I'm recommending it to everyone!!!!

A sports movie

The Express (Liked it)--I liked The Express. I like underdog sports movies. I watch quite a few of them. Rudy, Miracle, Hoosiers, The Rookie, etc., you get the idea. A coworker of mine says you can pretty much write any sports underdog movie (I agree). They're all sort of the same formula, but I still enjoy them anyway. Life isn't always easy and I enjoy watching someone beat the odds. Sports flicks are usually one way of seeing that.

Well, I didn't know anything about Ernie Davie before this movie. The only thing I knew about this film going in is that it had something to do with the Heisman Trophy. I had never heard of this man, but his story was compelling. He was the first African American to win the Heisman. I'm not sure why I hadn't heard of this player before this movie, although the ending may have something to do with that. However, if making this movie helps get the story out there, it was worth doing. I love true stories and this telling was good. The acting was good, especially, Rob Brown, who played Ernie Davis. The story was good, and although the ending was sad and may explain a bit why I hadn't heard of this player before 2010, I would highly recommend it. There is absolutely nothing offensive in this movie. It's PG, so anyone can and should watch this. It's definitely worth a rental.

The reason I'm finally visiting Yellowstone National Park

The National Parks: America's Best Idea (Loved It)--This is a documentary by Ken Burns. I love both Ric & Ken Burns documentaries. Their styles appeal to me. but this documentary is now one of my all time favorites. It is beautiful and should be watched. Rent it, Nexflix it, DVR it, do what you have to do to see this. It's GREAT. I didn't know there were 58 parks in the National Park System. I've been to two (Zion's & Arches) and after seeing this, added Yellowstone to my travel itinerary. I'm going in June with my mom, my stepfather, and my sister.

It's wonderful how Ken Burns combines the history of the parks and their development with the stories of "ordinary" people. These or4dinary experiences are the truly extraordinary part of this series. And I'm not going to lie that I teared up (as I often do) when listening to the stories about John Muir and the Gerkes who toured the parks in the 20's in a series of Buicks. The real tears came when I listened to my favorite story of Tuan Luong who has visited and photographed all 58 parks and has the stamps to prove it. He's a French/Viet Namese man who fell in love with the parks, set a goal to see each one, and did so. I have a goal to visit all 50 states before I die (I've been to 30 and to Washington D.C., but none of the 5 U.S. territories), so I understand his motivation and that's probably why I loved his story so much.

A man at work asked me to find one government program that has worked and my answer was the National Parks. The United States invented this idea and we are the benchmark for the other nations that have followed this pattern. It is a system that provides universal democracy. It allows all men to "own" a piece of the most beautiful and important land this country has to offer. So plan on watching this and then visiting a National Park. There are 5 in Utah, so if you live near me or not so near--GO!!!

Netflix Streaming is Awesome

The Snow Walker (Loved It)--So occasionally I stream movies on Netflix. It's another way for me to get my movie fix. I just watch them on my computer and I love it. If I don't like a movie, I can instantly stop it and move on to another movies ASAP. It's perfect for me. But yesterday, I started a movie that captured my attention from minute one and I didn't need to find something else to watch until the movie was over. The movie was The Snow Walker. It's directed by Charles Martin Smith. He is the actor that starred in Never Cry Wolf a couple of decades ago, and I loved that movie. It also stars Barry Pepper, who I really like as an actor and I think he's under utilized. He's starred in a couple of my all time favorite movies, so when this popped up on my Netflix recommendations I wanted to give it a try. The movie is based on a short story by Farley Mowat (who also wrote Never Cry Wolf). It's a simple story about a pilot in 1950's Canada, who is taking a native to the hospital to treat TB when the plane hes' flying crashes into the Canadian Wilderness. The pilot, Charlie (Pepper) and the native Kanaalaq, played brilliantly by a non-actor named Annabella Piugattuk, have to survive together in a cold, brutal, and vast countryside. The pilot is cocky and thinks he can traipse out to civilization on his own. He soon finds out this isn't the case and learns to depend on Kanaalaq to survive in such a harsh environment. Anabella is wonderful. They auditioned hundreds of girls and I really think they picked the perfect person for this role. She is a natural and the interplay between herself and Barry Pepper was great. Their scenes together have a natural chemistry and the arc that Charlie has is completely believable. The story is much weaker when civilization and the search party stuff is brought in, but to see how the survival happens and how the pilot learns, is worth the two hours. The ending (which I don't want to give away) was a little weak, but overall, I could watch this again. And, I probably will. It had the elements in a movie that I love. It took me to a situation which I will never be in, but was thrilled to view.

I have a confession. . .

Inglorious Basterds (Loved It)--I have a confession. I will watch just about anything that has to do with World War II. I am especially interested in any story concerning the European Front and the Holocaust. I had a co-worker mention one day that I was a Holocaust fan and I told him that you can't really say that because it makes you sound like you can't wait for the next one. That is not the case for me. I just find the war and the stories that feed from that dark period of history interesting because I do not think I am brave enough to go through what so many millions had to deal with in one of the darkest periods of human history. I watch many documentaries, I've read countless books, and I have viewed so many movies about these topics. So, although I don't see a lot of Tarantino film, I wanted to watch this one. His films are very violent and this film is NO exception. The language and violence are R rated (and for good reason). But, I wanted to see Tarantino's take on how he thought World War II should have gone. Plus, this film had Brad Pitt in it and that never hurts. He was perfect as the good ole' boy that wants to "hunt some Nazi's". This movie is NOT for the faint of heart. I found it entertaining but I admit I had to fast forward some of the Nazi killing. It was bloody but satisfying. I also loved that the film cast Germans playing Germans, French playing French, and Americans playing Americans, with Mike Meyers doing a great cameo as an Englishman. I had a friend who thought I wouldn't like this movie because it was NOT historically accurate, but I knew that going in, so I enjoyed the revisionist story. It's not a film for a World War II history lesson, but oh, if only. . .

Materpiece Classic

The 39 Steps (Liked It)--So I have recently started watching Masterpiece Classic. This movie is one of those shown on this season of Masterpiece. It was fun. I really like Rupert Penry-Jones, who some of you will know as Captain Wentworth in the latest version of Persuasion. He's equally as charming in this story. The 39 Steps is based on a novel by John Buchnan. There's actually 5 novels in the series about Richard Hannay and involves espionage, war, excitement, etc. This movie was fun to watch and the acting was great. I also enjoyed the interplay between Rupert and Lydia Leonard who plays Victoria. She's a suffragette and a good match for Mr. Hannay. The plot involves the Germans trying to steal the British Naval plans on the eve of World War I and it kept my interest for the entire movie. Being Masterpiece Classic means it's well made and there are many of actors from the British front that many will recognize even if they aren't necessarily household names over here. If you're looking for something to watch one evening, give this movie a run in your DVD player or see if it's going to be rebroadcast on PBS. It's worth the 90 minutes.

So, I'm reviewing DVD's I own, when I can't get to a new movie

Cast Away (Loved it Enough to Buy It)--So, I'm rewatching some of the DVD's I own. I haven't had the time lately to sit down and watch a new movie or actually to make it to the movie theater to see a new movie. But, I have had time to put on a DVD of a movie that I loved enough to buy. Usually when I do this, I am doing something else that should be done and the DVD is in the background, but I can multi-task and since I have a pretty good memory, I can remember why I liked the movie enough to buy it in the first place.

So here is Cast Away: I thought this movie was fascinating. It was an interesting story and although not original (I'd have to be reviewing Robinson Crusoe for that to be true), it was an idea that Hollywood hadn't visited in awhile when this was made in 1999. Tom Hanks is a good actor and although I won't see just anything he's in, I usually like his acting choices as well as movies he decides to produce (From Earth to the Moon, Band of Brothers, etc.). This movie had a story that interested me from moment one. It's a modern day shipwreck story on a deserted tropical island. Many people often think being stranded on a tropical island would be paradise, but the situation the main character is put into in this story is hardly ideal. The time that Chuck Noland spends on the island is amazing. I don't know how I would do in that situation, but I have a pretty good guess that I would not survive it. I thought the movie did a great job of showing the mental and physical anguish that would happen with such an ordeal and when Chuck triumphs in the end, it makes the previous time of watching the difficulty worth it. I also like how much of the movie is free of dialog. Chuck does have a companion he creates (Wilson, the volleyball) and it helps him maintain a bit of sanity. It was interesting how I thought of this inanimate object as real during the course of the movie.

Now this is not a movie I watch often because it's a difficult situation to watch, but I think it's a fascinating premise and I love watching movies because I can experience situations that I will NEVER deal with in real life. That is why I LOVE to watch movies and so this movie is a good one for me. Plus the special features are informative and interesting. The survival specialists they used as advisors on the film are an eclectic group of men and it was great to listen to them give the advice on how to survive in an extreme situation and the tidbits about how the roller blades had to be changed to ice skates were fun.

So if you Netflix, consider this DVD as a possibility.