Joshua

Joshua (2002/I) - definately a movie worth recommending to others.
It's about how people would react if Jesus walked among us today.
In actuality it is probably not much different than 2000 years ago.
What stood out was how skeptical people can be about others helping.
Yes, people can be that interested in others even mere strangers.

Joshua appeared to be a wanderer just appearing in the town.
He saw there was work that needed doing and went about doing it.
A church building had been destroyed by a storm so
he started fixing it and in turn other townsfolk joined in.
People of all faiths and backgrounds joined in the effort.

Serious Sunday #2

We watched a couple of serious movies.
Since it was the Academy Awards day
we also watched a previous Oscar winner.

Paper Clips - amazing documentary *WOW*
It has to do with a school studying the holocaust.
Since it was hard to visualize the 6 MILLION that died.
They decided to collect paper clips which was symbolic.
I strongly recommend this documentary to others.
I am not big into documentaries but this one is great!
Their Paper Clip Project created a Holocaust Memorial.

The Second Chance starring Michael W Smith
I thought this was a great movie with a great message.
I will let each person decide for themselves.

Crash - 2005 best picture Oscar
My girl, Sandra Bullock, is in it!
The same people keep "crashing" into each other.
Its a six degrees of separation concept ...
People are interrelated in each other's lives.

Serious Sunday

We decided to watch some more serious movies today.
We are thinking we may continue to do that on Sundays.
Maybe movies about actual events and maybe religious.

Come to the Stable (1949)
It was about two nuns from France who came to America.
They are determined to build a children's hospital.
They have great faith and friends to help.
It was written by Clare Boothe Luce.

Schindler's List (1993) *** WOW ***
This was a first time watch for both of us.
It was really good and seemed realistic to me.
There were disturbing scenes but not sensationalized.
It was a good follow up movie to seeing Freedom Writers.

I found this actual copy of Schindler's List.
Schindler and his wife Emilie are both individually
included in the Avenue of the Righteous Among the Nations.
Steven Spielberg was the director and all his royalties/residuals
go to Shoah Foundation which preserves history of genocide.

The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima (1952)
I had seen this when young at my grandmother's house.
Three children living outside Fatima claim to see a lady in a cloud.
It is presumed to be the Blessed Mary who wants to use them.
It is based on actual events that occurred in the summer of 1917.

Sister Lucia was the only surviving visionary.
On February 13, 2008 the process towards sainthood for her began.
Francisco and Jacinta were declared venerable and then blessed.
Other associated links at wikipedia follow:
Our Lady of Fatima, Miracle of the Sun, Three Secrets of Fatima

Freedom Writers

The first movie we watched Valentine's Day was Freedom Writers.
We thought it appropriate since it was about the love of a teacher
for teaching and especially for each of her students individually.
It is an amazing story of a first year teacher making such an impact.
Hats off to teachers everywhere especially those who truly care!!!
Teaching really should be a labor of love.

Erin Gruwell, the teacher portrayed in the movie, definately felt that.
She went the extra mile or maybe MILES for her students.
She took on her first part time job to pay for reading books.
And then a second part time job to defray field trips expenses.
She gave the students the learning experience they needed.
She and her students became family and still are today.

The journals she had them keep were turned into a book.
The script went around for awhile waiting for the right backing.
Hillary Swank got a copy and read it and wanted the part.
Many of the actors playing the students are first time actors.
But they truly could relate to the experiences they were acting.
The actors along with Hillary also became a close knit family.

Erin found out the students had never been taught the "Holocaust".
She took them to the Musuem of Tolerance in Los Angeles.
She also sent their dairies to Miep Gies who had hid the Frank family.
Miep and other Holocaust survivors met and shared their stories.
Erin and her students started Freedom Writers Foundation.

Maine connection: Patrick Dempsey played Erin's husband.
Patrick was born and raised in Lewiston, Maine.

(Considered MRE of HUMORE)

The Ultimate Gift

This is the first time we turned on the phone or tv all week.
We ordered delivery from Pizza Hut.
We had finished up the Sicilian Meat Roll at lunch.
Then we figured a movie would go good with the pizza.
Randy picked The Ultimate Gift with Abigail Breslin.
It was a great movie. Brought us to tears a few times.

The movie was about a grandfather dying and what he left.
In order to get the inheritance Jason had to complete twelve tasks.
In turn these tasks were teaching him life lessons thru self discovery.
The "ultimate" gift was really 12 in 1:
the gift of work, money, friends, learning, problems, family,
laughter, dreams, giving, gratitude, a day, and love.