Movie Reviews ~ Midway and Hacksaw Ridge

This past weekend was a WWII movie weekend.

We started off by watching "Midway" on Friday night and then on Saturday we watched "Hacksaw Ridge".

We saw the preview for "Midway" while getting ready to watch a movie a few weekends ago.  When I saw it in the Redbox, I snagged it up as the hubby and I both thought it looked interesting.  I didn't know much about the Battle of Midway.  Of course, I'm familiar with Pearl Harbor and how the United States got involved in WWII but Midway was new territory for me.

The movie was great!  I love history so it especially appealed to me.  The hubby was a bit bored in some parts but I thought the whole movie was interesting, even the low key scenes that were setting up for bigger scenes.  I especially liked the whole concept of the decoders.

The movie was realistic and graphic in a "war movie" sense.  Please use caution with younger children.

"Hacksaw Ridge" is an older movie that we realized we had never sat down and watched.  I knew that it had gotten a lot of awards but, man, it was amazing!

The story of Desmond Doss was so very interesting.  I loved the movie from start to finish.  It had to be absolutely horrific to go through what our Military goes through each and every day to keep us safe and free.

Again, this movie was VERY realistic and was very bloody.  We didn't allow our 13 year old to watch it with us as I knew it would be upsetting to her.  Use caution.

Watching these movies pretty much back-to-back was a very eye-opening experience.  We didn't intend to have a WWII themed weekend but it was well worth the time.

Have you seen either of the movies?  What did you think of them?

Colletta

Thankful Thursday ~ 11/14/19

 

Here are some things that made me smile this week:

 

~My Mom's Birthday!  Today is my Mom's birthday.  I won't tell you how old she is even though I doubt she'd care!  She's not one to bemoan getting older.  We'll be celebrating her birthday this weekend as she came down with the flu yesterday and isn't feeling quite the thing yet.  Happy Birthday, MOM! :)

~Aunt Mary and the Girls!  My Aunt Mary and my cousins, Heather and Nikki, are flying up from Florida tomorrow for a long weekend visit!  We don't get to see them nearly as often as we'd like.  I'm really looking forward to spending some good quality time with them :)

~A Beautiful Fall Walk!  Before winter hit on Tuesday (lol), the weather was beautifully Fall-like.  Monday was gorgeous and I decided to get my tennis shoes on and go for a walk.  It was wonderful.  The sun was shining and the leaves were blowing (I like to crunch them under me feet!).  I was soaking it in because I knew we were to get a cold snap.  And we did (are) :)

~Criss Cross Messy Bun Beanie!  I found a new pattern on Ravelry for a Messy Bun Beanie that I am loving.  The pattern is from www.loopsandlovecrochet.com and she allows the items made to be sold.  I've been crocheting away with different colors and adding them to my Etsy Shop www.etsy.com/shop/collettakay .  I love how it works up  :)

~The Art of Racing in the Rain!  We rented this movie from the Redbox and I absolutely LOVED it!  I laughed and cried and cried some more.  If you haven't seen it, you should.  I actually wrote a Movie Review on Tuesday.  You should check it out :)

Colletta

Movie Review ~ The Art of Racing in the Rain ~ RECOMMENDED!!!

I don't often write Movie Reviews but I couldn't let this movie go by unrecommended!

"The Art of Racing in the Rain" may be the best movie I've seen all year!  Here's the trailer for your viewing pleasure:

The hubby has been working a lot of over-time and I knew he'd just want to relax Saturday night so I picked up the movie at our local Redbox to have a nice quiet Family Movie Night.  I was very excited to see "Racing in the Rain" as an option!  I quickly snatched it up.

I really can't recommend this movie enough.  I laughed and cried.  I cried a lot actually...  My family thought I was over-reacting but I think I saw some other misty eyes.

It was so odd, but the entire time the movie was on our Chocolate Lab, Kona, kept coming up to me and putting her head on my leg.  Her sweetness probably made the movie even better for me.

I was very pleased with the how clean this movie was.  I think it is rated PG and it was definitely family friendly.

There was some custody drama toward the later part of the movie which could be confusing or maybe hit a little too close to home for some.  I just wanted to mention this in case you are going through anything similar or have littles who wouldn't understand.

So, definitely grab this movie if you see it out and about!  I may even buy it.  I loved it that much!


Let me know if you've seen the movie and what you thought.  If you haven't seen it yet, do you think you will?


Colletta

Movie Review ~ Paul, Apostle of Christ ~ Recommend!

Saturday afternoon we decided to take the family to the theater to see "Paul, Apostle of Christ".  We heard from some friends at Church that it was an excellent movie.

There was a bit of friction from Laken who really wanted to watch "Sherlock Gnomes" instead, but she understood that we were going as a family and were all going to watch the same movie.  I can understand this of an 11-year-old.

Here's the official trailer for your viewing pleasure:

Now for my thoughts:

Our friends from Church were right!  This was an EXCELLENT movie!  I was captivated from start to finish!

I really don't know how to describe the emotions this movie evoked.  It was a roller coaster.

There were some aspects of the story that weren't technically "BIBLICAL" as in they aren't recorded in the Bible.  But at the same time, the events were definitely things that COULD have happened.  I didn't really see anything that was "UNBIBLICAL".

Laken had lots of questions throughout the movie.  It is rated PG-13 and there were a few places that I worried that the movie might be too much for her but I'd rather her see a movie about Christians that is PG-13 than a secular PG-13 movie.  Overall, she handled it very well.

There were so many thought provoking moments in the movie.  I wish I could tell you how much it impacted me and has made me want to strive even harder to win the race.  There was so much to be encouraged by.

The ending of the movie was so emotional for me.  Tears were definitely falling.

I would definitely recommend this movie to everyone.  If you take kids, be prepared to answer questions so use your discretion on the age and maturity of the child.


So, let me know if you've seen the movie and what you thought.  If you haven't seen it yet, do you think you will?


Colletta

Movie Review ~ Wonder ~ 3/7/18

 

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Rated:  PG

 

Description:

 

Based on the New York Times bestseller, WONDER tells the incredibly inspiring and heartwarming story of August Pullman, a boy with facial differences who enters fifth grade, attending a mainstream elementary school for the first time.

 

Trailer:

 

My Thoughts:

 

I LOVED THIS MOVIE!

 

This is one of the very best movies I have seen in a long, long time!

 

My brother and SIL had taken my nephew and Laken to see it at the theater.  When it came to the Redbox, Laken was so excited to rent it.  I knew that it had gotten good reviews and Laken really liked it, so I was excited to see it.

 

We settled in with our M&M's and Dr. Pepper and I was mesmerized!

 

There were so many heart-warming, touching scenes that I can't even start to pick a favorite but one does stick out to me as a Mom:  It was on Auggie's first day at "school" and her first day of not home-schooling him.  The family saw him off to school and then the Mom (Julia Roberts) went home by herself and sat in their home-school room.  Oh, my heart!

 

I enjoyed how the movie featured the lives of the different characters.  It gave a different perspective and answered a lot of questions.

 

You should definitely watch this movie with your family!

 

So good!

 

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Linking up Totally Terrific Tuesday,  Titus 2sdays, Unite, Share Your Stuff, Treasure Box, Do Tell Tuesday and Titus 2 Tuesday, Hearth and Soul, A Spirit of Simplicity,  Tuesdays with a Twist  , Inspire Me , Tuesday Talk , The Scoop, Raising Homemakers .

Family Time ~ A Dog's Purpose ~ 1/31/17

 

The girls did VERY well on their report cards this nine weeks.  In fact, they both had all A+'s and A's!  I'm a very proud Mama for all their hard work.

 

We decided, as a reward, to go see "A Dog's Purpose" this past Saturday for the Matinee.

 

Now, I know some of you had probably seen the same clip that I did claiming that the dogs were mistreated.  But, then I read an article in the newspaper that claimed the clip was misleading.  You never know what to believe in the media.  Sad, but true.

 

We had been looking forward to this movie ever since seeing the previews last fall, so we decided to put the media aside and go watch the movie! 

 

I'm so glad we went!

It was one of the very best movies I have seen in a long time!

I'm not going to lie.  I cried.  In fact, I may have sobbed uncontrollably at one point!  I'm sure there were other people in the theater who cried also, but I think I might have been the loudest!

It was just such a touching, moving, loving look into the thoughts of a dog.

I absolutely loved it!

If you get the chance, go see it!  I would, however, be careful taking younger children as they might get upset.  (kinda like I did!)  My 10 year old cried right along beside me but she's old enough to understand that it is just a movie.

Here's a trailer for your viewing pleasure in case you haven't seen the preview:

Have you seen the movie?  What did you think?  If you haven't seen it, do you think you will?


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Family Time ~ BFG ~ 1/17/17

 

 

I mentioned in a Happy Homemaker Monday post that we watched BFG as a family a week or so ago.

 

We had the essentials.  Popcorn.  Twizzlers.  M&M's.  The musts for a family movie night :)

 

For your viewing pleasure, here is the trailer for BFG:

 

 

I must say that there were MANY lough-out-loud moments.  Some of my favorites were the BFG's mannerisms and speech.

However, there were some parts that I would consider scary, especially for younger children. 

For one, Sophie gets snatched out of her bed by a giant.  That could be the stuff of nightmares for some.

Secondly, the mean giants (not BFG) were scary.  They were mean, ugly and just plain scary looking.  Again, could be nightmarish.

I actually kept looking out of the corner of my eye to see how my youngest daughter was handling it.  Of course, she IS almost 10 year old, so it didn't seem to effect her.  (I guess I have to get used to the girls getting older. )

So, it is a cute movie with lots of funny, made-up words that we enjoyed but keep an eye on younger children as they might get scared.

If you've watched BFG, let me know what you thought.  Am I just too over-protective?


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Family Time ~ Sing ~ 1/3/17

 

 The Friday before Christmas, the kids were off of school.  Doug and I decided to take them to see "SING".  We brought my little cousin, Dex, along for fun :)  He is such a character!

 

Of course, we had to have popcorn and a drink.  (I won't mention that half the bag ended up on the floor after an unfortunate juggling of the popcorn. )  Luckily we had a free refill!

Kaylee had a cough so she scored her own little drink.  Usually we just share.

 

Doug was eagerly anticipating the show and watching previews.  He didn't care a bit that I took a picture of him in a dark theater with the flash on :)  He's a good sport!

 

 

For your viewing pleasure:

 

 

 

I guess I better talk about the movie itself.

 

I thought it was really cute.  As fans of the Voice and all those other singing competitions, we really enjoyed the auditions.

 

I loved how the main theme was about trying to save the old theater.  So many old things are just trampled over when they can be made into something new and wonderful with a little work.

 

This was a great movie for the family :)  The kids are still talking about it!

 

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Linking up Totally Terrific Tuesday,  Titus 2sdays, Unite, Share Your Stuff, Treasure Box, Do Tell Tuesday and Titus 2 Tuesday, Hearth and Soul, A Spirit of Simplicity,  Tuesdays with a Twist  , Inspire Me , Tuesday Talk , The Scoop.

Family Time~ Moana ~ 12/6/16

 

Over Thanksgiving weekend, we took the girls to see "Moana".  Who am I kidding?  We also took ourselves because Moms and Dads like Disney movies too!

 

Laken and Kaylee

Here's the trailer for your viewing pleasure:

My Thoughts:

I loved the animation and the songs in this movie.  The scenery was beautiful and makes me want to go to Hawaii even more!  Maybe someday....

I love Dwayne Johnson and really enjoyed him as Maui.  He even sings!

I was a little worried about having to explain to Laken (9) that there is only ONE true God and that "little g" gods aren't real.  I didn't have to worry at all.  She already understood it all.  Either we're doing a good job at teaching her about the Lord or she's just growing up on me.  Hopefully both!

I especially enjoyed the fact that Moana's character doesn't have to fall in love with a handsome prince in order to have a great ending.  In fact, she says that she isn't a princess.  She's the daughter of a chieftain.  I like that!

It was definitely a fun movie to watch and see the story unfold.  It is bound to be a classic!

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Family Time Tuesday ~ December Bride and Hallmark ~ 11/29/16

 

 Thanksgiving.

 

Family.  Food.  Sleepovers.  Hallmark Movies.

 

We spent the long holiday weekend at my Mom and Dad's house.  One of my favorite things about this time of year other than the family time of Thanksgiving Day is gathering around the TV in the evening and watching Hallmark Christmas Movies!

 

This year was no different.  Every night we watched Hallmark movies.  Laken is actually a bit obsessed with Hallmark movies :)  It is so funny!

 

The one that stuck out to me the most this year was "December Bride".  (Maybe because it had Daniel Lissing!  sigh....  lol)  Or maybe it was because it was based on a novella by one of my very favorite authors, Densie Hunter.  Either way, it was a treat!

 

 

The movie itself was just as sweet as could be.

So, if you get a chance, pop some popcorn, gather the family and watch some Hallmark Christmas Movies :)


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P.S.

I hope you'll consider joining in the 2017 PenPal Sign-ups here on my blog!  For more information click HERE or the picture below or the button on my sidebar.

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Family Time Tuesday ~ Max ~ 7/21/15

Laken was the first of our family to see the preview for "Max".  She kept saying that she wanted to go see it and I had no idea what she was talking about.  Finally, I saw the preview and agreed that , yes, we needed to go see this movie.

Take a few minutes to watch the trailer below:

               
            
We don't go to the theater very often.  It is just too expensive to take all of us.  And get popcorn.  And get a drink.  Man, does that popcorn make a person thirsty!

It was the Saturday after we got back from vacationing at the cabin, so technically we were still on vacation.  That how I justified spending the extra money to go see the movie.

Here's what everyone thought:

ME:

I cried.  Plain and simple.  I cried and cried and cried.  It was all I could do not to sob!  I love it when a movie or book gets to me like that.

                                            

The HUBBY:

It was a good family movie.  (That's all I could get out of him.  He was watching tv....)

KAYLEE (14):

It was a good movie.  I like how it was dedicated to the real War Dogs that had been killed in action. 

LAKEN (8):

I really, really wanted to see this movie.  It was the cutest movie ever!  I liked Max and wish I had a dog like him.

Needless to say, our hounds got extra lovin's when we got home from watching this movie!

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Family Time ~ Paddington ~ 5/12/15

 

I loved watching the TV show and reading the books about Paddington when I was little.  There was just something about the little bear with the clothes and hat.  Just thinking about it brings back warm memories.  I was excited when I heard they were making a movie from the books and show.

 

Have you seen "Paddington" yet?  If not, check out the trailer below.

            

We watched it for Family Movie Night and loved it!  (To see our essentials for Family Movie Night click HERE.)

I thought it would be fun to see what each Family member thought of the movie.  I'll go first:

ME:
This movie was laugh-out-loud funny.  It was also sad, intriguing, mysterious and heart-warming.  I was surprised by how much I liked this movie.  I enjoyed it entirely.

The HUBBY:
I liked it!  It is probably one of my favorites recently.  My favorite part was when the family worked together to save Paddington from getting stuffed. 

KAYLEE (13):
I actually liked it!  My favorite part was when Paddington completely demolished the bathroom. 

LAKEN (8):
It was cute.  My favorite part was when Paddington finally found a real home and family.  It was really funny when Paddington tried to use the escalator!  I liked the Chihuahua. 

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Family Time ~ Into the Woods ~ 4/14/15

The hubby called me Friday morning at work to tell me he rented a movie from the Redbox on his way home that morning.

In our house, family movie night needs certain things to be complete, so I made a quick trip to the store on my lunch break for the essentials.  Popcorn, Twizzlers and M&M's.  Yeah, baby!

Here are a few pre-movie pictures:

 Now, for the actual movie.  "Into the Woods"

                           

 Laken had been wanting to see this movie for weeks and it finally came to the Redbox.  You can check out the trailer below.

            

What did I think of the movie?  I hate to say it but I thought it was really strange!  The acting and singing were spectacular (the song did get a bit repetitive) but the storyline was just not what I was expecting at all.

Laken and the hubby liked the movie.  Kaylee didn't say one way or the other.  Typical teenager.

Although I wasn't a fan of the movie,  it was a great evening spent together as a family.

Have you seen "Into the Woods"?  What did you think of it?

What are some Movie Night essentials at your house?

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Movie Review ~ Love's Everlasting Courage

Synopsis:

Clark Davis (Wes Brown) struggles to maintain his land and support his family during a long drought. With a bank loan to repay, his wife, Ellen (Julie Mond), takes a job in town as a seamstress, but soon becomes ill with scarlet fever. Eventually, she dies, telling Clark to leave his heart open for Missie's sake and to find love again. Devastated to lose his beloved wife, Clark and his young daughter Missie (Morgan Lily) turn to his parents Irene and Lloyd for support.
 

Cast

Clark Davis - Wes Brown
Ellen Barlow - Julie Mond
Missy Barlow - Morgan Lily
Lloyd Davis - Bruce Boxleitner
Irene Davis -  Cheryl Ladd

My Overall Thoughts:

This is the second "prequel" in the Love Saga.

I found this movie to be very sad.  Clark and Ellen have fallen on hard times and then Ellen becomes sick.  It doesn't have a happy ending, but we already knew that from "Love Comes Softly."

It does have a very strong message of enduring through trials and facing one obstacle at a time.

My Favorite Scenes(s):

I couldn't find a picture of it but my favorite scene is when it finally rains.  Clark and everyone else goes out into the rain.  Clark just lifts up his arms and soaks it in!

Watch This Movie With:

Anyone.  Friends, family, adults, children...

Other Notes:

-  I didn't read the book so I can't do a comparison.

My Rating:

4/5

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Have you seen this movie or read the book?  What did you think?

Movie Review ~ Love Begins

Synopsis:

Clark Davis (Wes Brown) adventurous dreams of seeing the world are put into jeopardy after he and a friend start a fight which damages a local cafe. Through a plea deal with the Sheriff (Jere Burns) and café owner Millie (Nancy McKeon), Clark works off his sentence as a farmhand for the Barlow sisters, Ellen (Julie Mond) and Cassie (Abigail Mavity). Older sister Ellen doesnt understand Cassies friendly nature with Clark; she agreed to the Sheriffs offer only because the farm has become too much to maintain alone. Clark is slowing winning Ellen over, but suddenly suffers a traumatic head injury in a fall. After Ellen nurses him back to health, her former fiancé returns to win her back. Will Clark travel on or stay behind where love begins?
 

Cast

Clark Davis - Wes Brown
Ellen Barlow - Julie Mond
Cassie Barlow - Abigail Mavity
Millie - Nancy McKeon

My Overall Thoughts:

I must explain that this is actually one of the prequels to "Love Comes Softly".  This movie portrays Clark falling in love with his first wife Ellen.

I wasn't sure how I would feel watching Clark fall in love with someone other than Marty, but I found it very charming.  Clark is much younger and didn't even seem like the same person.

I can't wait to watch the second prequel "Love's Everlasting Courage".

My Favorite Scenes(s):

Of course, the Kiss.

The dance was very sweet, also.

Watch This Movie With:

Anyone.  Friends, family, adults, children...

Other Notes:

-  I didn't read the book so I can't do a comparison.

My Rating:

5/5

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Have you seen this movie or read the book?  What did you think?

Movie Review ~ Love's Enduring Promise

Synopsis:

In this Janette Oke sequel to "Love Comes Softly," the eldest child in an 1800s frontier family, Missie Davis is a bright and beautiful elementary schoolteacher whose love for the prairie is matched only by her passion for books. When Missie encounters Grant, a handsome New England railroad executive, she feels as though shes met a hero from one of her novels. But their courtship is complicated by the appearance of Nate, a mysterious young man who helps Missies family in a time of need. Torn between two worlds, Missie finds herself at a crossroads, forced to choose between the love of two very different men and two very different futures.
 

Cast

Marty Claridge - Catherine Heigl
Clark Davis - Dale Midkiff
Missie Davis - January Jones
Willie "Nate" LaHaye - Logan Bartholomew
Grant Thomas - Mackenzie Astin

My Overall Thoughts:

Sigh......  Loved it!

I didn't think I would like the second in the series as well as the first but I did!  Ten years has passed and Missie is grown up now and has two younger brothers.

She is the town's schoolteacher but has to stop teaching in order to help out her family in a time of need.  Enter "Nate".  Just let me say here:  "What a cutie!!!"  Nate hires on to help with the harvest.   But...there's also Grant, a wealthy railroader who catches Missie's eye.

I definitely knew who I wanted her to end up with but you never know when there might be a curve ball thrown in.

Again, like with the first movie, I cried.  I just couldn't help it.  I was so worried about the father, Clark.  I really didn't now where that storyline would go.

My Favorite Scenes(s):

I loved when Nate saw Missie struggling with the plowing and just couldn't stop himself from coming to help. What a gentleman.

I also loved the Kiss.  Sigh....

Watch This Movie With:

Anyone.  Friends, family, adults, children...

Other Notes:

-  I didn't read the book so I can't do a comparison.

My Rating:

5/5

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Have you seen this movie or read the book?  What did you think?