I have a couple more movie reviews to add to this summer's list. I suppose since we're not taking a vacation this year, this summer will be remembered as "the movie summer" (or alternately, "the summer we painted all the walls").
I took my teenagers plus one to the theater to see Inception last week. I can't give you a review for that movie, but I can you tell what I thought of Despicable Me. Because I was taking the boys to a theater 20 minutes away, I thought I'd just find something for Faith and I to see together while the boys were in their movie. I thought that Beezus and Ramona was in theaters. I was wrong. The only movie for us to see was Despicable Me, and I told my sons I'd rather eat dirt than see it. I guess the moral to that story is "don't judge a movie by its trailer." What I thought was going to be a movie about good guys and bad guys, was actually a movie about three little girls and a tough guy with a really soft heart. It was cute, funny, and had a great lesson to be learned.
On the Netflix front, Doug and I sat down to watch "Taking Chance" last week and I was very surprised, pleasantly so, by this movie. Not for any women with a husband deployed, or maybe even in active service, depending on your emotional level, but other than that exception, this movie is one I would recommend every American see. It is the story of USMC officer Lieutenant Colonel Michael Strobl who makes the choice to escort a fallen Marine, Pfc. Chance Phelps, across the country to his home in Wyoming. The story gives an insider look at the care and respect given to each fallen soldier as he (or she) is prepared for and taken to his final resting place. It is a sad, but beautiful story of American loyalty, and HBO did a great job with it. The screenplay was written by Strobl and gives a unique insight to the job of the soldier escort. My brother told me that he had a hard time watching the film because it was so moving. He had also escorted a fallen soldier during his career as a Marine, about 10 years ago, and he said the movie was very "real.".
Those both sound good. I know my kids are dying to see Despicable Me. And Meg wants to see Ramona!
ReplyDeleteMy older kids saw Despicable Me with hubby on his birthday and they all loved it! I've been hearing about it all week and enjoying it vicariously through them. They all say that Agnes is the cartoon version of my little Shortcake. "It's so FLUFFY!"
ReplyDeleteI watched Taking Chance last fall. My husband and I watched it three nights before he deployed. He's been an escort, once for his own 1SGT. It is gut wrenching but the level of pride these soldiers take in going into the job of being an escort. You'd never hear a single one saying "It's just a job." They'd tell you it's the biggest and most humbling honor they've ever received. I watched the movie with a sense of pride knowing "we take care of our own".
ReplyDeleteBut it is hard to watch a few nights before your own husband deploys and you're pregnant. A combo that left me crying. And I can't wait to see Despicable Me with the kids! Sounds cute! :) :)
I loved the respect shown in the movie, played by Kevin Bacon.
ReplyDeleteMy husband got this movie and I didn't know anything about it and was pleasantly surprised.
Nice to know about Dispicable me (sp?)