2013 Summer Movies: #13 Braveheart

Braveheart is rated R for brutal medieval warfare.  How much is freedom worth?  Daisy and Mica thought it was good and Hedgehog added it to her list of favorite movies.  If you wish to learn more then there are a number of sites that discuss the history of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce and other notable historical figures of the time.

2013 Summer Movies: #12 Independence Day

We've got to have a couple of popcorn, solely for entertainment, not really emotionally tense, or mind-bending flicks for the summer and here's one from 1996. Independence Day rated PG-13 for sci-fi destruction and violence.  There's a bunch of well-known names like Will Smith, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman, Adam Baldwin, and Brent Spiner just to name a few of the actors in this big budget summer blockbuster.  We thought it was suitably entertaining. And, I appreciated the nod to the old technology of morse code.   You can even get a morse code app for $.99 at: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/morse-it/id284942940?mt=8

2013 Summer Movies: #11 Schindler's List

Schindler's List, rated R, released in 1993.  Mica had seen Schindler's List before and said it was good.  Hedgehog echoed the good  but both agreed it's not the kind of film you want to see over and over again.  Daisy will have to wait to see it since she was away at camp when we watched it this time.  At 3 hours and 17 minutes, it is a long film and it is emotionally draining.  The film also shows the power of black and white in a day and age where many things are over-saturated.

You can read more about Oskar Schindler at: http://www.yadvashem.org/yv/en/righteous/stories/schindler.asp

2013 Summer Movies: #10 Freedom Writers

Rated PG-13 and dealing with both gangs and the holocaust, this educational film (that was based on the non-fiction book) came out in 2007.  A young idealistic teacher (Erin Gruwell) both teaches and learns from her students.  The Los Angeles Times published an interesting article on January 9, 2007 by Gina Piccalo titled: "Did 'Writers' get it wrong?" wherein Gruwell defends the movie and how it was portrayed.  We liked it and it was a good segue into modern history.  In a less positive twist, we read about a gang related death in our area the day after we finished the movie.  Would it make a difference if any gang members in our area saw this movie?

2013 Summer Movies: #9 Mona Lisa Smile

In 2003 Julia Roberts starred with Maggie Gyllenhaal,  Kirsten Dunst, and Julia Stiles in Mona Lisa Smile, rated PG-13 for thematic issues and sexual content (nothing graphic is shown but there is kissing, implied actions, and things like contraception and affairs are discussed).  The movie is set in the 1950's and Roberts character is the new art teacher at Wellesley College for girls.  She introduced her students to a new way of looking at art and life. 

Sunday Randomness #379 Jack in the Box

We have our very own Jack in the Box!

Doesn't matter the size, if it's a box, it's a second home for Jack!

(He admittedly doesn't like the door shut on his crate but I can get him to go in the crate now and then for practice in case he ever needs to take a trip to the vet or to go on a trip with us.)