My Top Ten Movies from 2014

-I took a little break from blogging, so, I thought I would return with some fun lists from 2014.
-I didn't agree with the lists in the KC Star, so I thought I'd make my own.
-Below are my favorite movies that I watched in 2014, most of them are new movies from last year, but a couple were older ones that I didn't watch until last year.

My Top 10 Movies from 2014!
1) Lone Survivor
 -The movie and the book, both based on an incredible true story, were amazing.
2) Fury
-Brad Pitt was compelling.
3) The Good Lie
-A wonderful movie based on the true events of Lost boys from Sudan adjusting to life in the U.S. with a Kansas City tie.
4) Unbroken
-An inspirational true story.
5) When the Game Stands Tall
-You mix Jim Caviezel with a meaningful movie and you've got a great mix.
6) Belle
7) Invincible
8) 12 Years a Slave
9) 3 Days to Kill
10)The Shooter

Sexiest Men Alive

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Taylor Kitsch: What I love him in--Friday Night Lights and Lone Survivor

-People always leaves out a couple of gems in their Sexiest Man Alive Issue.  I decided I would post the ones that I agree with, and then add some great ones that they missed.

Matt Czuchry: What I love him in--Gilmore Girls and The Good Wife

Mark Wahlberg: What I love him in--Lone Survivor and Invincible

Charlie Hunnam: What I love him in--Sons of Anarchy

Who They Missed--

Timothy Olyphant: What I love him in--Justified

Anson Mount: What I love him in--Hell on Wheels

American Sniper

 
--I remember the first time I saw Chris Kyle on O'Reilly's show, I was impressed.  I immediately wrote down his book and put it on my Goodreads list.

--Tragically, after being a Navy Seal and the most successful sniper in American military history, he was killed by another soldier he was trying to help who suffered from PTSD.

--I have since bought Kyle's book and was very excited to see that they have made a movie about him starring Bradley Cooper.  The movie has the same title as his book, American Sniper.  It comes out in December.  I will be one of the first in line to see it.

--I am a big Bradley Cooper fan, so I'm glad that he is playing Kyle.  And to add icing to the cake, Clint Eastwood is the director.

--I have 3 months to get the book read before the movie.  I'm looking forward to it.

Lost Boys in Kansas City--The Good Lie

That’s the story told in the new movie “The Good Lie,” which stars a brunette Reese Witherspoon as a Kansas City employment counselor who befriends the three young men. (The fourth refugee, the sister of one of the guys, gets sent to a family in Boston.)

The movie is fictional but based on real events: About 3,600 Lost Boys (and girls) from Sudan settled in the United States around 2001 after surviving civil war in their homeland. Sixty or so came to Kansas City then, and hundreds have arrived since.--Tim Engle

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/entertainment/movies-news-reviews/article2168318.html#storylink=cpy

--I'm pretty excited, as I was reading my 2nd article about this movie in the Kansas City Star, I realized there might be a way to get free tickets to the upcoming screening.  I was successful, so I am going to see The Good Lie tomorrow night.

 
--The movie has ties to Kansas City, because it is supposed to take place here, although most of the filming was done in Atlanta.

The film is also being used to raise money for Lost Boys organizations through the Good Lie Fund (thegoodliefund.org). The fund’s initial focus will be the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya, which was shot for the movie.

Two local kids and their father are prominently featured in “The Good Lie.” Keji Jale, 12 during filming, plays young Abital, the girl in the group, and her brother Okwar, 13, plays a boy named Theo. Filmmakers visited several U.S. cities with Sudanese communities, including Kansas City, and auditioned as many as 1,500 people.

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/entertainment/movies-news-reviews/article2168318.html#storylink=cpy

--I am looking forward to seeing this because of my love for Africa, and learning about the lost boys from Sudan.

--I will definitely be doing a review of the movie.  Stay Tuned...

Previously:
The Lost Boys of Sudan
What is the What--A Review

Twilight!

My teenage daughter isn't a big reader, but she loves the "Twilight" book series by Stephanie Meyer. It is a teenage love story between a normal girl and a guy who is a vampire. They are a huge hit right now with teens AND adults. Several friends of mine have read the books and really liked them.

My daughter has been counting down the days until the premiere of the movie based on the first book. So, last night 2 friends of mine, my daughter and one of her friends all went to the Midnight premiere of the movie. The movie theater we went to was showing it on 5 different screens, and the parking lot was packed.

I was the only one in the group that hadn't read any of the books. They all thought the movie wasn't as good as the book, although they enjoyed it. I had nothing to compare it with, so I thought it was pretty good. I can see why the storyline is so compelling and I look forward to reading the books.

My Take on the Writers Strike

This is my take on the Writers strike.

First, I think the Writers strike is valid and they should get their demands. The above video explains what they are upset about. While Hollywood is awash in money and actors may make obscene amounts writers often don't get near what they deserve. I am almost always against strikes since I am no fan of unions but this time I think they have a point.

Second, I am concerned about the strike. The thought of some of my favorite shows being disrupted is not fun. Save all the lectures on how I will have more time to read and pursue other worthier causes, they won't help ;-). I'm hoping they come to a speedy resolution and soon.

24 already appears to be taking a hit. This article says this season is being cancelled all together and this one says it is just being postponed.

TV Guide shows the status of some of the popular shows, below is the status of some of the shows I watch:

Grey's Anatomy: Eleven episodes will be produced. Seven episodes have aired, so there are four left.

Lost: Eighth episodes will be produced. None have aired yet, so there eight episodes left.

The Office: Twelve half-hour episodes will be produced. Eleven half-hour episodes have aired, so there is one half-hour episode left.

Prison Break: Thirteen episodes will be produced. Seven episodes have aired, so there are six left.

Private Practice: Ten or 11 episodes will be produced. Six episodes have aired, so there are four or five
left.

One Tree Hill: Twelve episodes will be produced. None have aired yet, so there are twelve episodes left.

Another perspective: This guy points out how many people are being put out of work by this strike. Camera, make-up, hair people are all out of work plus numerous others. He talks about how during these strikes many lose their houses and much more. I think it is a bad deal all the way around and I don't understand why the powers that be don't just pay the writers their due and not make everyone, including themselves suffer.

Freedom Writers

I saw a great movie yesterday. Freedom Writers goes on my list for being one of those movies that empowers and inspires. It is based on the true story of Erin Gruwell, a teacher who reaches out to kids who everyone else has given up on and helps them find their voice. Here is a description of the book on which the movie is based:

"The Freedom Writers Diary is the amazing true story of strength, courage, and achievement in the face of adversity. In the fall of 1994, in Room 203 at Woodrow Wilson High School in Long Beach, California, an idealistic teacher named Erin Gruwell faced her first group of students, dubbed by the administration as "unteachable, at-risk" teenagers. The class was a diverse mix of African-American, Latino, Cambodian, Vietnamese, and Caucasian students, many of whom had grown up in rough neighborhoods in Long Beach. In the first few weeks of class, the students made it clear that they were not interested in what their teacher had to say, and made bets about how long she would last in their classroom.

Then a pivotal moment changed their lives forever. When a racial caricature of one of the African-American students circulated the classroom, Erin Gruwell angrily intercepted the drawing and compared it to the Nazi caricatures of Jews during the Holocaust. To her amazement, the students responded with puzzled looks. Erin Gruwell was appalled to discover that many of her students had never heard of the Holocaust. When she asked how many in her class had been shot at, however, almost all of them raised their hands, and began lifting their shirts to show their scars. This initiated a battle-scar show-and-tell that left Erin Gruwell shocked and inspired to take advantage of the powerful energy she had sparked.

By fostering an educational philosophy that valued and promoted diversity, she transformed her students' lives. She encouraged them to rethink rigid beliefs about themselves and others, to reconsider daily decisions, and to rechart their futures. With Erin's steadfast support, her students shattered stereotypes to become critical thinkers, aspiring college students, and citizens for change. They even dubbed themselves the "Freedom Writers" - in homage to the Civil Rights activists the "Freedom Riders" - and published a book."

Erin Gruwell faced a lot of obstacles, not only did people not support her but many tried to thwart her every step of the way. It was a good reminder for me that when you have a cause worth fighting for you can persevere even if you don't get the support that you would desire. In fact, sometimes you will be abandoned in your cause, that doesn't make it any less worthy.