Yesterday's Movie:

Freedom Writers

I taught high school English for a couple years and before I had my first day of school, my aunt gave me this movie.  I was teaching in a rough neighborhood in a school that had, a few years prior to my arrival, been closed down because it had gotten so bad.  Students were failing, they had gang violence, etc.  While my students weren't as bad off as the kids in this movie, it certainly hit close to home and struck a chord with me.  What makes this movie better than most "white teacher in a ghetto school" is that it's a true story.  I've been out of the classroom for a couple years now and I still cry when I watch this.  There is so much hope in this movie and I love how the teacher, Erin Gruwell, doesn't give up on any of her students.  Go white girl!

Today's quote:

"Well, frankly, I wouldn't eat at the same bale of hay with him."

Last week's movie:

Overboard

I haven't seen very many movies with Goldie Hawn in them.  Even less movies have I seen with Kurt Russell.  Good thing they're both in this one.  There are so many good lines in this movie that it was hard to pick just one.  Do you have a favorite from this movie?  "I just.... ate a bug."  One I use with my husband a lot when we're having one of "those" meals is "spaghetti-o surprise."  Other favorites include: "I like when she goes ba-ba-ba-ba-ba."  "Andrew?  I'm sitting."  "Why don't we all smoke?"  Oh, this list could go on and on.  

Today's quote:

"An F?  What, are ya trippin'?"

(what should have been) Yesterday's Movie:

The Prestige

I loved this movie.  I love Christian Bale.  I love Christian Bale in this movie (and yes, the picture about is Hugh Jackman - another recent favorite of mine).  One thing boggles me though: how did Christian Bale avoid getting British teeth (or, teef, as the case may be)?  Actual British peeps usually have the nastiest teeth.  But if they make it big in Hollywood (Mr. Bale, Hugh Grant, Sean Connery (is he British?  I know he's got a cool accent), those teeth just shape/whiten right up!  And is it just me, or does Christian Bale seem to talk with more saliva in his mouth that anyone else?  Maybe that's what it is about him that I love.  Anyway.... this was one of those movies where when I got to the end, I wanted to watch it again right away and look for clues and figure things out.  I mean, the movie is about magicians!  How can you not want to try to figure out 1)what they're doing but 2) how they're doing it!  Oh, and David Bowie is in this movie too.  He's come a long way since Labyrinth.  But haven't we all?

Today's quote:

"I'm a short, fat slut."

Yesterday's Movie:

The Great Race (1965)

This is a movie I've been watching since I was a kid. Jack Lemmon, Tony Curtis, Natalie Wood and Columbo, I mean, Peter Falk. I haven't met a lot of people that know this movie but this movie plays a part in the first kiss between my husband and I. We initially met online and when we met in person, things went great. During our first weekend together, we were flirty and held hands and I hoped something was going to happen between us. During a conversation, I mentioned this movie. He said he knew that movie. That was all I needed to know. Kiss!!! Later I found out that he'd seen that movie only a couple weeks before. Lucky him.

Today's quote:

"No one cares about the man in the box, the man who disappears."

Welcome Back

It seems we've taken a bit of a break from this blog. Let's get this rolling again!

Quote: "Leslie escaped with a chicken?"

If you can name this movie, do so in the comments section!

Tuesday's movie:

Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark

Probably my least favorite Indiana Jones movie. It's not that it's not good or that I don't like it, just that out of the three, it's the one I would pick last. My family watched this one a lot growing up and all I remembered from it was the guy's melting face at the end of the movie. Kind of resembles the guys deteriorating/quickly aging face in the third one. My husband and I recently sat down and watched all 6 Star Wars movies and it's funny to see Harrison Ford so young. He's certainly still young looking in these movies and a lot of fun to watch.

Can you name the movie:

"Ah... well, you know, you go out there and you give a 110%, and you wanna play good, and, you know, you hope you play good... I think we played pretty good tonight!"

Yesterday's movie:

Stand By Me

Wil Wheaton, Corey Feldman, River Phoenix, Jerry O'Connell as kids. Do you really need another reason to watch this movie? My favorite part of this movie is when Gordie (Wheaton) is telling the story around the campfire about the fat kid and pie eating contest. Or maybe it's when they're all covered in leeches. Can't quite decide which is more disgusting. This is a genuine "brotherhood" movie.

Can you name the movie:

"You want to talk to God? Let's go see him together, I've got nothing better to do"

Friday's movie:

Sleepless in Seattle

Who doesn't love Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan together? I still think I could watch this movie again and again and again and not get tired of it. And little Jonah. What a doll. I tried to watch "An Affair to Remember" once and just couldn't get into it, probably because of this movie. I know Becky and Annie love it in this movie and quote it and I kept thinking of them every time one of the famous lines would come up.

Can you name the movie?

"If I could only have one food for the rest of my life? That's easy - Pez. Cherry flavored Pez. No question about it."

Yesterday's movie:

The Fugitive

Alicia, not too bad. Although Mike Meyers is the last person they'd cast in a movie like this. Nicole, I'm with you. I've never seen any of the originals either. When my family moved to Germany, we watched this movie again and again. After a decade+ hiatus of not watching it, my husband and I sat down to watch it and I was surprised how much of it I'd forgotten. That's so not like me. This will sound weird, but I remember having somewhat of a crush on Tommy Lee Jones in this movie. I look at him now in this movie and can't figure out why. My husband's movie quoting abilities have definitely improved since we met, and this is one that he quotes quite often. He'll branch out soon, I'm sure.

Can you name the movie:

"How long have you been standing there?"

"Forever!"

"What did you just hear me say?"

"Six girls in college, maybe seven."

"Seven.... EIGHT! Mary Kelly!"

Yesterday's movie:

Men in Black

Gotta be honest here: I own this movie but have never seen it. Sorry guys! I really don't have anything to post about it. Did anyone get this one? Any comments on this movie, for those of you that have seen it?

Can you name the movie:

"If they can dye the river green today, why can't they dye it blue the other 364 days of the year?

Yesterday's movie:

Mary Poppins

Julie Andrews is amazing. Between this movie and The Sound of Music, I think she should receive some sort of honorary good-will degree or something. She has done so much for kids and families, just through those 2 movies alone. And how many of you don't think of floating around with your umbrella every time there's a big wind coming around. Wouldn't that be a blast?

Can you name the movie:

"There's only one way off this planet, baby, and that's through me."

Friday's movie:

Forrest Gump

So many lines from this movie, it was hard to choose one. Doesn't Tom Hanks look so young in this movie too? I knew a kid who dressed up as Forrest Gump (as he is dressed above) for Halloween one year. He had the suitcase and box of chocolates and everything. One of the more creative Halloween costumes I'd seen in awhile. This is one of those movies that I can't watch more than once every couple months, but I do enjoy it when I watch it.

Can you name the movie:

"Speaking of names, I know a man with a wooden leg named Smith."

"What's the name of his other leg?"

Yesterday's movie:

Frequency

Dennis Quaid and Jim Caviezel. Not a box office smash hit, but one of those "Could this really happen?" movies. A son is able to communicate with his dad 20 years in the past. Maybe 25 years. I don't remember the actual time frame. They talk to each other through a ham radio and it has something to do with a glitch in the weather or something. I first saw Jim Caviezel in "The Count of Monte Cristo" and have enjoyed him in other movies as well. I never saw him in "The Passion of the Christ" and I don't think I ever will. I just can't bring myself to watch that.

Can you name the movie:

"And cause I was a gazillionaire, and I liked doin it so much, I cut that grass for free."

Yesterday's movie:

Adventures in Babysitting

No one? I thought for sure someone would get this one. When I taught high school English, I used this clip from the movie to introduce the blues and poetry. My kids were singing "baby baby, baby sitting blues" for days. It was fun.

Can you name the movie:

"I want you to remember this word, okay? It's kind of like a code word: Yahoo. Can you remember that? "

Yesterday's movie:

Remember the Titans

Denzel Washington is another one of my favorite actors that I always forget about. I've never seen a movie of his that I didn't like. I also like his philanthropic lifestyle. I was out visiting DC a couple years ago and I saw the actual high school that is portrayed in this movie. I love this movie and could watch it again and again. Ryan Gosling is such a weenie in this movie but really seems to have grown up in The Notebook, another favorite movie. The music, the feel-good warm fuzzies, the high school fun, and the fact this is a clean movie, nary a cuss word to be found. That's what I like.

Can you name the movie:

"Nobody leaves this place without singing the blues!"

Yesterday's movie:

The Little Mermaid

Whenever I hear the song "Part of Your World" I think of my mother-in-law. It's really the beginning of the song that reminds me of her because my mother-in-law is a collector of "stuff." Actually, she collects antiques, but the line, "Look at this stuff, isn't it neat? Wouldn't you think my collection's complete?" does make me think of her, in a loving sort of way, of course. Has anyone ever seen the stage performance of this? I've heard it's amazing. I had a roommate who thought of herself as Ariel because she had red hair, had an amazing voice and could swim. She was pretty much 3 for 3 in the Ariel contest. I almost cried the first time I saw this movie. It was the part where her dad grants her "legs" and she runs up to him and hugs him. I get goose-bumps right now just thinking about it. What a softy I am.

Can you name the movie:

"Hey now, all that rubbin' ain't gonna make them golden locks grow back no faster, now, you know that, right? "

Friday's movie:

Superman

I actually had to look up a quote for this movie. I'll admit it's not one that I know very well. On that note, I don't have a lot of commentary about it or Christopher Reeve. I knew a kid named Christopher Reeve. He looked nothing like Superman.

Can you name the movie?:

"What is it?"

"A banded, bulbous snarfblatt."

Yesterday's movie:

The Neverending Story

If you really know your films, you know that this movie is actually "Die unendlich Geschichte." That's right. It's a German movie! If you've ever watched the credits for this movie, it's one Dieter after another. Regardless, it's a classic. Atreyu! And Artex, the stupid horse who gets swallowed by the Swamps of Sadness. Good thing Bastian saves the day. My husband swears that the name he calls out at the end (the beckoning princess, "Bastian! Call my name!") is "Moonchild." Can anyone confirm that? There's an old guy that we went to church with whom we lovingly called The Rockbiter because there was quite a resemblance between him and the limestone muncher in this movie. What a weird and crazy movie.

Today's quote:

"Some people can read War and Peace and come away thinking it's a simple adventure story. Others can read the ingredients on a chewing gum wrapper and unlock the secrets of the universe. "

Tuesday's movie:

Dances With Wolves

Ok, so maybe Kevin Costner had 3 decent movies. I forgot about this one. Wasn't this movie forever long too? I was in middle school, living in Germany when this movie came out and I believe it came out on Halloween over there. It's been years since I've watched it. Come to think of it, I wonder if I ever have watched the *whole* movie in one sitting. One of my other favorite lines from this movie is, "Stands? Your name is Stands?"

Today's quote:

"The video arcade is down the street. Here we just sell small rectangular objects. They're called books."

Yesterday's movie

Say Anything

Ladies, ladies, ladies.... I'm surprised no one got this! Alicia, I thought for sure you'd be all over this one. No matter. John Cusack. I could just end this entry with those two words. He started his movie career decades ago and is still going strong. His co-star in this movie, Ione Skye? Whatever happened to her? I don't think I saw her in any other movie. Googling her produces only pictures of her from this movie. At least she can say she was in one of John Cusack's best movies. I love how John and his sister Joan almost always are in the same movie. I wonder if it's part of his/her contract agreement. I don't know that I'd be so willing to do that with one of my siblings. What if John Cusack and Ione Skye got together for a reunion movie? Is that something you'd go see?

Today's quote:

"I'll bet someone back East is going, 'Now, why don't he write?'"