141/365

Dear A Dog's Purpose-

I wept.
Flat out, ugly cry, gasping out loud for air, sobbed.

I thought I knew what I was getting into. I thought I was ready for a dog movie. Maybe it was the combination of the kids growing up and the dog growing old and my own kids growing up and my own dog getting old. Maybe it was the very familiar voice of the dog, one with words similar to those we imagine our own pup speaking. No matter, the cinema experience this afternoon was something akin to ripping out my heart and stomping on it, four times.

Then we came home and told our old man Dillon what a good dog he is. Yes, he has fulfilled his purpose.

No more dog movies for a while, okay?
Thanks.
k.

1/366

Two movies in one day?

184/365

Randol Schoenberg: It's hard to believe Hitler once applied to be an art student here. 

Maria Altmann: I wish they'd have accepted him.

- from Woman in Gold

78/365

Just-right late spring evenings, a crowd of friends, a couple cousins, two van-fulls of snacks, and a couple really good movies on a drive-in screen (and what?! sitting on the top of the van?!), not to mention the providence of having jumper cables in the back and two super helpful guys to hook us up and get us back among the living when it was all over- THIS must be living very well!

323/365

I smile that the trailer for the newest princess movie can still be dreamily magical...

100/365

All I know is that I'm pretty sure that I wouldn't have survived the first 90 seconds of the cloud of space junk. And if I did, I wouldn't have survived the explosion on the Russian space station. And if I did, I wouldn't have grabbed the Chinese space station. And if I did, I wouldn't have survived re-entry. And if I did, I sure as heck would have wanted the movie to end with a ticker tape parade.

330/365

no birds, no mice.
not quite Enchanted.

(see video here)

85/365

don't you love it when you finish studying the Civil War in the same week Lincoln is at the dollar theater?
when you pay $5 for 5 tickets, popcorn is in order, right?

Paperman

Paperman is among the animated short films nominated for an Academy Award this year. And I love it.

363/365

Just Dance.
Oh how you make us laugh!

289/366

75 cents for a Monday movie!?

Summer Olympic countdown

We are Olympic geeks here at the Holliday house. So much so that today, we watched the Trials in men's gymnastics and swimming (hello Omaha!), and track and field finished the evening. Best Job is my favorite of the Olympic commercials so far this year- makes me tear up every single time, much to my kids' amusement...

26 days and counting.
Go Team USA!

165/366

During the 3 hours and 15 minutes that it took to sink watch The Titanic 3D at the cheap theater , my son could run into a post while playing soccer, break a tooth, travel back across the border, and get to the dentist.

That's a long movie.

(and the boy is fine)

media

We went to the movies and saw The Avengers. I thought it was long. And I don't remember The Hulk being so mean. Everyone else in my family enjoyed it. We got home and took the "Which Avenger are you" quiz.
We have two Captain Americas, three Hawkeyes, and one Iron Man. We're half the Avengers!

We stay at home and watch America's Got Talent. We're suckers. We cheer. Sometimes we jeer. We're pleasantly surprised by Howard. We fist bump with Howie. We love Sharon. Tonight we saw a kid piano player that we are SURE that we saw playing in the New York subway two summers ago. How fun is that? We can't wait to go to Vegas.
(ok- we're not REALLY going to Vegas!)

With every single commerical we're more ready for the London 2012 Olympics.
We.
Love.
The Olympics.
Only 65 more days.

"I love a dancing dog!"

Have you seen Ashleigh and Pudsey, the most recent winners of Britain's Got Talent? As Simon says (in his best British accent), "I. Love. A dancing. Dog!" If you don't "awwww....!" out loud  watching Pudsey, it is possible you have no soul. Pudsey is adorable and Ashleigh's enthusiasm is contagious. Alas, our dog-of-very-little-brain, Dillon, is no Pudsey, but we're working on it...

Brilliant!

Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

"People aren’t like numbers.  They’re more like letters and these letters want to become stories.  Dad says that stories need to be shared.”

-Oskar Schell, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Sad and sweet and full of loss and searching and courage and even forgiveness and hope.

I read that Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close has received a ton of negative reviews, but I fall on the side of the Academy Awards. I walked away glad I had the experience of watching the film, and that hasn't happened often lately. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close told a story that I would recommend to all.

Downton Abbey

If it is January, it is Masterpiece Classic on Sundays.
Starting with Downton Abbey.
We.
are.
hooked.

In fact, some of us just took the Downton Abbey: which character are you? quiz...
VERY amusing!
We won't name names, but let's just say, HOW do they know?
Our results:
You are Mr Bates, Lord Grantham’s valet (Brendan Coyle). You are a patient, kind, salt-of-the-earth type. But sometimes your self-righteousness can threaten to engulf you.


Your results: You are Thomas Barrow, head footman (Rob James-Collier). Nothing will stop you in your quest for world domination. Nothing. And certainly not the second footman.


Your results: You are the Dowager Countess of Grantham, Violet Crawley (Maggie Smith). You do not suffer fools gladly. In fact you do not suffer anything at all because you refuse to entertain any form of discomfort in your life whatsoever.

Any guesses on who is who? :-)
If you are watching too, or if you take the quiz, let us know!

dpp- 24 december

Adventure indeed!
and a great soundtrack.
and the best detective dog since Asta.

days of summer- 42

$5.25 for 7 people to see a movie.
And that made me smile even before the movie started.

Felinos de Africa

Felinos de Africa  is a great movie! 
The footage of the cats is fantastic- how majestic is His Creation! 
And, at times, how harsh!  Cheetahs attack gazelle; lions attack zebra; cats attack each other.
The babes are adorable; the adults are fascinating.
Great job, DisneyNature.  We're hooked.
(and, ps- we saw it in Spanish. I read that the English version is narrated by Samuel L. Jackson but I thought the Spanish voice was great!)