I'm a mom blogger/vlogger in Utah, blogging about everyday life. As a mommy blogger I write about being a mom (obviously) and making it more fun. I love to take the mundane things in life and blog about making them extra-ordinary. I also work in the film industry in Utah and often post film appreciation videos and things you can talk about with your family. I am The Ultimate Queen of Chaos living in Utah.
Showing posts with label Movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Movies. Show all posts
Monday, March 30, 2020
Family Film Appreciation Videos
In light of the Covid 19 epidemic I am sure many of you are like us, at home with lots of time to kill. So I decided to revamp my vlog videos. I have come up with a video for every weekday with a suggestion of a film to watch as a family. Each one has something to talk about and discuss as a family. It could be a topic, skill set, film job or technique. So subscribe to my youtube channel and follow my facebook or instgram for updates. Let me know what your all time favorite movie is and maybe I'll do a video on it!
Saturday, April 11, 2015
Freetown Fun Fact Day 4
As a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints when I watched this I wondered, how many actors in this was also a member of the church. One thing that many don't know when making lds films is that not all the actors are actually lds. Actors are hired to do just that, act. They hire people to act, look and sound like they are lds missionaries, but may or may not be.
This movie had only a handful of individuals who were actually lds. Which they didn't even know till after that had been done casting. One funny story goes a little like this. When they were doing their first read through one of the actors approached Garret and said to him, If you want this to look authentic I'm going to have to shave. I actually served a mormon mission and missionaries are always clean shaven. They both had a good laugh when they both realized that they were both in fact LDS. They also assured him that he would have to shave when it came time to film. In the end there was 1 lds actor for every missionary companionship.
There is still time to go see Freetown, visit http://threecoinproductions.com/films/freetown/ for more information.
Friday, April 10, 2015
Freetown Fun Fact Day 3
On today's fact that I learned when I interviewed Garrett Batty and Adam Abel. Just like many of you I was curious how this movie came to be. After Garret Batty did The Saratov Approach he was asked by many of you to do another movie like that. "More high stakes yet faith affirming movies," is what Garret kept being asked to make.
One day he was reading some pioneer stories on lds.org. They were actually pioneer stories from people in other countries and culture. He then stumbled across this one. It was actually a bunch of letters from the missionaries to their mission president about their experiences trying to travel to a safer place in Liberia during their civil war.
Garrett and Melissa Leilani Larson started writing the script in the fall of 2013, In May 2014 a few spent 2 weeks prepping and doing pre production needs in Africa. Then they officially started filming end of August right after the release of Saints and Soldiers: The Void.
That's a little bit about how the movie came to be. Hope you are enjoying this little facts and the movie Freetown!
That's a little bit about how the movie came to be. Hope you are enjoying this little facts and the movie Freetown!
Thursday, April 9, 2015
Freetown Fun Facts Day 2
Freetown came out yesterday, and I'm hearing nothing but good things. Here's what I promised, another fact about Freetown.
Since I've started acting I've been a lot more aware of some of the behind the scenes and how some stuff works. One thing I wondered when watching the movie was how much of the cast and crew were from the U.S. and how many were from Africa?
To answer the question only 6 of the crew members were from the United States. Everyone else was hired in Africa. I know what you are thinking, wasn't the mission president white? Well yes, yes he was. He was one of the six that flew in and he was actually part of he crew. So it worked perfectly.
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Freetown Fun Facts Day 1
Have you gone and seen Freetown yet? Make sure you get your tickets, before all you hear is how awesome it is and how much you missed out! Today is the first day of fun facts about the movie Freetown. I was able to interview the director Garrett Batty and producer Adam Abel. I found some fun things out about the making of the movie. So go see Freetown and come back here every day till Saturday to find out more.
Go follow Freetown's Facebook page and come back tomorrow for more.
Monday, April 6, 2015
Freetown
It's is about a group of missionaries in Liberia during 1990 when they were in the middle of their own civil war. A group of missionaries set on a journey to save one of their own from the ultimate persecution.
The movies suspense is very come and go. Moments wondering what's around the corner, or are they go to make it through the next check point, will their car and budget allow them to be delivered to their mission home in Freetown? There are also lots of moments of breathing sighs of relief and laughs of comedy. There's a lot of scenes I love but one of my favorites is when the missionary takes some passed out guards beer and says, "what? I'm saving lives!"
I love historical fiction. It is one of my favorite things to read. So the story and history in this was fascinating to me. How even though this happened 15 years ago how common this is even in our world today.
This movie grips you from the go. You are fascinated with the way the story unfolds. You find yourself fearing for and cheering for the characters instantly. I loved the cultural music, clothing and even scenery is fascinating. The shots of the little red car among the beautiful foliage of Africa makes me feel like I'm there watching it for myself.
The importance of this movies success depends on how opening weekend does. So please go see it this week! Request it at your local theater. Share the trailer. Share this review. Share Freetown.
Opens this week, April 8th. Here is a list of theaters it is currently available at:
http://threecoinproductions.com/theaters/
Thursday, February 6, 2014
My Top 5 Favorite Valentines Movies for the Family
Today I am sharing my top 5 favorite shows to watch with my family around Valentines day. If you want some suggestions for just you and your husband that aren't on most people's romance favorites make sure to read yesterday's posting.
5. Up
How cute is the couple in this movie? It's rare for Disney to keep both parents alive till old age, even though the wife dies in the first 10 minutes. technically they lived a long happy life. Usually Disney has single parents or dead parents right of the bat. I love how much the husband is willing to go through just to fulfill his and his wife's life long dream. I also love in the end when he realized all the things him and his wife really had accomplished together. I think too often we forget how much the little things in life count and can mean so much more than the big things.
4. Enchanted
Princesses, comedy, cartoon characters and real life characters? Yup this is a perfect for my family. With only 1 boy and 3 girls, my son gets to laugh at the guy mocking love, and get the cool fight scenes, all while my girls get the gushy love stuff, big frilly dresses and other princess stuff. I like to see how many Disney Easter eggs my kids can spot in this movie when I watch it. Here is a little slide show I made of a few of them, but this movie is loaded with them.
3. Winnie the Pooh A Valentine For You
Winnie the Pooh is one of my favorite shows from my childhood. It's not something my kids like to watch too often, but every once in a while (like on Valentines Day) they'll sit through one with me. It's just a fun cute movie to sit and watch while the kids load up on the treats from school. It's fun for me to see all the fun personalities of the characters I so fondly remember.
2. Gnomeo and Juliet
What's Valentines Day with out Romeo and Juliet? Gnomeo and Juliet is a great introduction to the Shakespeare classic. Only this one has a much happier ending. I love the ninja scene where she sneaks out wearing a black sock. I also love when the best friend is watching the person buying the new lawn mower, "Not the kitty clippers."
Want to make this into a fun movie night? Here is the link to download and print 13 fun coloring and activity pages. http://www.gnomeoandjuliet.com/main/activities/flash/activityPack/int/pdfs/printables.pdf
1. Mulan
If you read my list of favorite movies for moms and dads this one shouldn't be that surprising. There's a love a story, but not the usual love at first sight lets get married Disney movie. Muln shows that she is more than just beautiful. She's smart, brave, honorable and besides "You don't meet a girl like that every dynasty."
I mentioned earlier that few Disney movies have both parents, alive, well, and competent through the whole movie. This is one of the few I can think of. I love the history and culture in this movie. I also can't help but dance and sing along with all the great songs in Mulan. This is my all time favorite Disney movie and Disney princess. This is my kind of love story.
Here is a link to throw a Mulan movie night party. You can print and make a Mulan paper doll, make a sweet twist on Mulan's smiley face breakfast and make cute panda cupcakes.
Bonus-
The Princess Bride
I thought I would try something new this year. My kids are getting older and I thought maybe they were ready for a movie like this classic. Sure enough I was right, they loved it. Well at least the parts they watched and didn't ask a million questions through.
There were 3 scenes that were questionable with kids. One was the scene with the rodents of unusual size (ROUS's.) That freaked the kids out a bit, till I told them they were actors in costumes, then they laughed. However his bloody shoulder after the fact made them cringe. The second scene I thought would freak them out was when Wesley is in the pit of despair being tortured. Again they just laughed, they thought it was funny. At the end where Inigo Montoya finally fights the 6 fingered man was too much for them. The knife being thrown, then being stabbed and then ending in his death with an obvious swear word. My son looked at me and said, "Mom is that a..." I just interrupted, "Yes, yes it is." (If you can't tell we don't swear in our home and my family are naïve to cuss words.) Really it was just 2 scenes with a little blood, but really not that bad.
The rest was great. My son loved the little boy who interrupted the story, cause it was almost the exact reactions from him almost mirroring the boy played by Fred Savage. He loved the fighting, catch phrases, and twists in the plot. My girls loved the princess, and silly saying they actually understood.
The fun part was for me to watch it again, and pick up on little things, or sayings that may have gone over my head when I was younger. I actually watched it again the next night just my husband and I.
If your family isn't all kids under the age of 6-8ish than this is a fun Valentines movie recommendation from me. If you have all tiny tots, then I recommend making it a date night and saving it for a few years.
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
My Top 5 Favorite Valentine's Movies for Mom and Dad
Here is a list of my favorite movies to watch around Valentines Day. Keep in mind I am not a huge romantic. I don't typically read romance novels or watch romantic movies. I do like romantic comedies, but more for the comedy than the gushy parts. So pretty much what I'm trying to say is this list isn't going to be your typical Sleepless in Seattle type movie list.
5. Valentine's Day
I know too cliché right? I also know this movie got horrible reviews. Oddly enough I know how much it cracks me and my husband up every time. Ashton Kutcher is hilarious, especially him and George Lopez together. It also has Bradley Cooper, Julia Roberts, Jessica Alba, Jennifer Garner, the list goes on and on.
I love Anne Hathaway's "side job" in this movie, cracks me up every time. The girls with the I Hate Valentines Day party is also fun. I wish I would have thought of that piñata in my singles years. My husband loves movie where there is that twist of how everyone is all connected in the end. Plus what guy wouldn't love the last 3 words of the movie?
4. Mr. & Mrs. Smith
This is not only one of my favorite movies, but my kind of love story. Action, fighting, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, what's not to love. It has the sarcastic humor that is right up my alley. I think my favorite scene in the whole movie is the car/van chase towards the end. When they are discussing what was real in their relationship, and what wasn't while trying to evade the bad guys at the same time. When we saw this in theaters we were seriously laughing so loud the whole movie. Now I know we were the only ones laughing in the theater then, but today we still laugh the same amount.
3. The Notebook
Ok, ok I can't have a Valentines movie list with out a Nicholas Sparks movie. If I had to pick one it would be The Notebook. I do enjoy the courting part of their relationship. The crazy, silly, dance in the street was (and is) my kind of thing. I like the spontaneity of it. I also love the beach scene where she pretends to be a bird randomly. That is something I would randomly say. Let's face it, if you want gushy romance, no doubt, The Notebook is the way to go.
2. Crazy, Stupid, Love
Steve Carrell and Ryan Gosling, enough said. This movie may be on the dirty provocative side, but it is also on the ridiculously hilarious side as well. Steve Carell is so funny, and one of our favorite actors. The way he interacts with his wife, kids, friends and lovers are great. I love the sarcasm between him and his wife's personal conversations, like their joke about switching kids in the hospital. I enjoy Emma Stone's character in this. I think we all sometimes try and walk that line of what I should do and makes sense and the what I want to do and be crazy side. The scene when she goes home with Ryan Gosling's character cracks me up. The classic awkward "Ok, now what?" moment. I always felt bad for the son though. Till the end, then I'm a little disturbed for him.
1. Date night
Sorry to put another Steve Carrell movie on here, especially back to back, but what can I say? We obviously like him as an actor. I'll bet he and Tina Fey had a blast making this movie. As many married couples may feel the same way they did at the beginning, stuck in a rut. Same dating rituals, who would blame them for wanting to change things up a bit, and pretend to be the Tripplehorns. We may or may not have used that name for a reservation, just to spice up our own date night.
I also love how much was improve in this. After the director did his few takes, he would ask if they had any suggested changes. Almost always they did, and apparently they almost all made the movie. For instance the scene in the strip joint. They didn't want it choreographed at all, they wanted it just as awkward as the characters themselves. Also I know the scene with James Franco has a lot of improv in it as well. The only part in that scene from the script is "Zip your face," the rest was made on the fly. Don't forget to watch the outtakes on this, hilarious movie!
Bonus-
Live Free and Die Hard
For my bonus I thought I would share with you the movie I have watched for the past 3 years on Valentines Day itself. That's right, it's Live Free or Die Hard. Not exactly romantic- AT ALL! That is one of my favorite movies of all time. I figure this movie doesn't reference Christmas at all like the other's so why not make it a Valentines movie?
There is only one man in the whole world that I know that could actually take down a helicopter with a car, and that's John McClane. Ok in all seriousness Jack Bauer could too, but that's besides the point. If you haven't noticed by now I love sarcasm, and this movie is oozing plenty of it. The story line progresses' but isn't too complicated for me to understand. I also love the daughter in this, you can tell she is her father's daughter for sure!
That's it for my favorite movies that I watch with my husband around Valentine's Day. For the list of my favorite family friendly love movies check back tomorrow.
Friday, December 20, 2013
My top 5 Must Watch Christmas Movies
I like to watch movies, especially with my family. There are a few movies that I love to watch every year right before Christmas. Here is my list of family friendly movies that I can't go a Christmas year without watching.
5. Jingle All The Way
I remember when this movie first came out, and it still cracks me up. I've watched it with the kids a few years now. It takes a few minutes for them to get into it, It's not till the Dad's start fighting that they really pay attention. It's really cheesy but perfect for a funny family movie night.
4. A Muppet Christmas Carol
I love watching the Muppets, ever since I was a little girl watching it with my dad. I miss watching one Muppet movie that they did a long time ago where the meet the fraggles from fraggle rock. Anyone remember that? Or know where to get one? A Muppet Christmas Carol, however, is one that we watch on a Sunday leading up to Christmas because of it's good message. I love the music and the classic Muppet sarcastic jokes while my kids love the characters and the silliness. It's the perfect combination to keep everyone happy.
3. The Grinch Who Stole Christmas
Which one you ask? Well usually both. When I watch one it makes me want to watch the other. I do love the Jim Carrey version though. When I was in high school I use to watch this almost every Sunday and then take a nap. Kind of an odd routine, but that's what I did. I really enjoy Jim Carrey's portrayal of the Grinch, the costumes and the way they make the Dr. Seuss classic come to life.
2. Elf
This is first year I remember actually sitting down and watching it with my kids. They loved it. In the past I have just watched it with my husband. It was such a good and fun movie to watch as a family. I really wanted something not cartoony, but would still keep my kids attention. It was perfect. I love Zoey Deschanel and she also happens to sing my favorite Christmas song in this as well. In the future I would love to go see the musical.
1. A Christmas Story
This is my all time favorite Christmas movie! For YEARS I watched it at least once during TBS's 24 hours of The Christmas Story. A few years ago when we were living in Oklahoma we didn't have cable or any way of watching it. I was really sad to be missing out on my favorite show. Then I found it on DVD and it made my day. It was like a little piece of home even though I was far away and missing my traditions with my family.
Just talking to people about this movie cracks me up and makes me want to watch it. I love the grumpy Santa, the little brother who can't put his arms down, and the many dreams that Ralphie has of himself in the future. If you have never seen it before don't watch it with me, I laugh so loud throughout it you'll never know what's going on.
Bonus: Favorite Not Family Friendly Movie:
The Family Stone
This is a movie I do not recommend with young kids. I know this movie didn't get great reviews, but I love it. I love sarcasm and realistic awkward family situations that may or may not have happened to me. I know in real life we wouldn't act or react like they do in TV, but that's what makes it funny. Like the scene where the girlfriend doesn't quite know whether to join the family picture or not. Realistically people with common sense either offer to take the picture to avoid the awkwardness or the boyfriend makes a big deal about getting in the picture. Now that's if you have common sense. We should all know by now that not everyone in this world has common sense. So we get this funny uncomfortable scene where you want to laugh and feel bad for the character at the same time.
The quirky brother played by Luke Wilson is one of my favorite characters. He just marches to the beat of his own drum, and I love it. It reminds me not only of myself, but my baby brother who is currently serving a mission for our church in El Salvador. Ok, so he reminds me of my brother minus the drinking and the pot.
I also love Rachel McAdams. She plays that one person that no matter how hard you try to be friendly and nice to she just will never warm up to you. So you get to a point where you say, "Fine I'll just be mean to you then!" In the end you end up best buddies and think, "Why did I try so hard in the first place, I should have just been mean from day 1, It would have saved so much time in the end."
This show is bursting with characters with very dynamic personalities. It's nice when all the personalities clash and get together when it's not real life. Then instead of being in the drama you can just laugh at it.
I will warn you that right before the end (and the funniest climax ever) is one of those scenes that can be awkward if you are watching it with your sweet granny. You know the ones I'm talking about. Then you get to my favorite part. The realistic family fighting, chasing, and rolling with laughter part. Maybe a family wrestling match doesn't break out in your home, but that's probably cause you have all girls. I just laugh, and laugh till I can't breath every time. I recommend getting your hands on a copy for some fun cuddle time with you special honey bunny.
So those are some of my favorite Christmas movies. I posted them with enough time to watch 1 every day till Christmas. Or make a top 5 list of your own. What movies can't you go the holidays with out? I would love to know. Comment or tweet me your favorites.
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