Tom Hanks Hustle: Philadelphia

Tom Hanks' next role is one that I haven't heard much about.

This is the story of a lawyer at a prestigious law firm in Philadelphia. He has worked for the firm for many years when he is promoted to a big case and is on his way to making partner. When being congratulated some of the partners sees some lesions on his face. Not long after the case file that he was working on mysteriously disappears. After finding the file at the last minute he is fired. After thinking about why he would be fired for the only mistake he has ever made for the firm he realizes that they must have found out that he has been diagnosed the HIV. After going to 9 lawyers to take his case, and everyone turning him down, he comes to his old rival for help.




Philadelphia is one of those movies that I have never really heard about. I can't believe that it's not talked about more because the cast alone. How many times are you going to get Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington in a movie together? However, I am more shocked at the fact that Tom Hanks have been nominated for Best Actor five times in his career, he has one twice and this role was his first win.


I will say that this movie makes you think about HIV in a different way. When we are taught about it in school it's this super scary disease that anyone can contracts and die in what feels like a matter of days. Don't get me wrong it's a super scary disease but it's not like you can catch it like the flu. However, what we are taught in school is that the disease is mainly contracted by African-American males. Now, it's been a number of years since I took a health education class in his school so I am sure that is not the "normal" statistic anymore but that is what I remember.


So, under the influence of that learned fact from high school I was under the impression that Denzel Washington who would be portraying the man who has HIV. I was shocked to learn that it was Mr. Hanks that would be playing the man who had HIV.


I am so glad that is how the writers, directors, or whoever decides how to work the cast decided to do that. The whole movie is not about the trial but rather the stigma of anyone who has HIV. That they are somehow dirty or unworthy of being human.

Denzel's character, a black male who has people being prejudice against him some in the film, can't even look past the fact that his man has a "disgusting disease" or the fact that he is gay. It really showed how bad the stigma of HIV is. That people who are unfairly judged on a daily basis because of the color of their skin also judge unfairly those who have a disease that they don't want and their sexual orientation.


This movie doesn't give you a lot in the education of HIV, like how is works in your body or scientific terms. What this movie does is so much more important than that. This movie humanizes this disease. It shows that someone who has HIV can still be hugged, and treated the same. That they are not dirty or unfit for the public. That these people suffering from this disease can still be loved. Just like everyone else they can still be loved. This movie shows you that while there is a "main demographic" of people that this disease is involved with that doesn't mean that those people who fall under the "main demographic" are guilty of something. That they did something wrong. It's not like they sought out to get this disease, no one seeks out to get any disease. They don't want HIV anymore than you or I want it. They just want to live their life just like we want to.

This movie really shows that we as a society need to be better educated about HIV and many other diseases. We should no be oppressing anyone because of a health concern many people aren't really told about. This movie should be seen by every person it can reach. It needs to be because if we can show everyone that there are people behind the disease they are diagnosed with I think this world could be better for it.

Year of Courage: Visit Family Alone

As we continue on with this lovely year of 2018 we are coming to the end on Month number four, April. Now, I have that this was not the original challenge that I was going to do this month. I didn't even have this on the list. However, life happens and whatever it was that I was going to, I can't remember, it was changed to this.

First off lets go ahead and start by having me tell you why this is scary. Growing up I have always travel to visit family, however, I have never really gone alone. When it came to visiting my family mom and dad would always be there. We never really had the whole "I am going to see the grandparents for a few weeks" kind of relationship growing up. We moved around when I was little, and we didn't really live that close to much family that I can think of growing up. That is until we moved to Knoxville and I have family near us now which is cool.

Anyways, the movie that I chose to prep myself for this adventure was Auntie Mame. 

The reason I chose this movie is because Auntie Mame is the godmother of her nephew. When his father dies he is sent to live with her. His life is literally turned upside down. This woman is... wonderful, forward thinking, in your face, and EVERYWHERE at once. I mean she can't stand still to save her life. She has to be doing something. She is like my dad at work or me when I am cleaning. We both think "I can everything done fast if I do a little bit of everything at one time" instead of cleaning all of one thing at one time. 

Anyways, the movie goes that she is his guardian and she very much wants him to do his own thing and have him think for himself. Then the Great Depression hits and she must now find a job. The whole movie is about her crazy life and how great and slightly crazy she is. She is wonderful I love her! I very much felt like Patrick, the nephew, in wondering "how is this going to go I have never met this lady before". He comes to find that she lives life to the fullest!

I won't lie. I was watching this movie going "Thank God it's goin to be nothing like this! It looks fun but I don't think I could handle a crazy trip with a crazy Aunt"....

Well, let me just tell you everything that happened to visit my Auntie Linda....

So, my I had to take a plane but the cheapest way to do the whole trip was for me to drive down to Atlanta, Ga to fly out of there. I HATE Atlanta's roads! I truly do! So, I was not happy about driving there alone. Then five miles from my hotel I had to stop and go to the bathroom. I can not hold it anymore. The gas station where I stopped at, one stall, someone was in it, and I could not wait. I ended up using the men's room.... Not proud of that moment... but it's my year of courage I chose to brace the unknown! 

I got to my hotel and felt good. I could not sleep because I was scared of the next day where I had to fly. No, I was not scared of the flying itself, I was scared of the airport. I have never flown before and I have never had to go through the airport and security. I was worried that I wasn't going to find my gate, or be very late. One top of all of that I had to deal with the fact that I needed to park my car in their lot for four days. So, I am tossing and turning all night. Not to mention EVERY time I would almost fall asleep a plane, hotel was near the airport, would fly over where I could hear it! I got up 30 minutes before my alarm when off, got ready and went to the airport. It was waaaay quieter that I thought it was going to be for the busies airport in the USA. The whole process went way smoother that I thought it was going to. Everyone at the airport who told me where to go, and what to do was super nice! Everything was laid out really well! I mean they even have a train that will take you to the right gate! I got through security, found my gate, and still have 30 minutes before they even started boarding. I was very proud of myself! 

Then I am on my way to Kansas! Yes, Kansas! My Aunt Linda and Uncle Chris live in Kansas! Being The Wizard of Oz nerd that I am I am crazy excited to say the least. The only way that this whole trip would have be nerdier is if my Aunt and Uncle where named Em and Henry.

Now, it was my mom's idea for me to visit her sister, well because it's her sister, but my Aunt lives near The Wizard of Oz Museum in Wamego! 2000 Artifacts that deal with The Wizard of Oz AND ALL IT'S GLORY! However, that is not the only nerdy thing we did! 

The first day we had donuts at Varsity Donuts and then we went to go and see the movie Sherlock Gnomes. Elle, my 3 year old cousin, liked it however I think Linda and I enjoyed it much more than any "grown up" should have! It was also that's the day I found out that my Aunt might be just as crazy as Mame! it wasn't any one thing that she did it was all of the stories that she told, and all of the crazy pranks that she pulled off. It was also the fact that after seeing the movie she got the idea on giving my mom an inappropriate gnome for her sidewalk...  

Junction City had a community theater that was putting on The Wizard of Oz production the week I was there! Linda got us tickets for opening night! It was put on in this Opera House that has been there since the 1800s! One top of that it was the first time in nearly 40 Years since this theater company has put on The Wizard of Oz. Yes, there is a way to nerd out about that because the beginning of the movie there is this note...

I mean come on! The Universe HAD to know I was coming to Kansas!!!!!

Let me tell ya'll something... Earlier this year my mom and I went to go see the professionals do the SAME play at the Tennessee Theatre, and I had so much more fun at the community theater production! I mean it was so funny, and everyone enjoyed it! I can not get over how great it really was! 

Then the next day I was OFF TO SEE THE WIZARD! I was so excited for the museum. I was ready to learn everything! There are over 2000 artifacts related not only to the movie but to the author as well! I mean really there is so much to this movie it's crazy! They had collectables, they had autographs, and replicas of movies outfits, they even had life sized figures made, and YOU CAN TAKE PICTURES OF EVERYTHING! 

I will be nice and I won't post all of the pictures... 

I mean it was AMAZING though! Along with all of the reading materials, there are Three documentaries playing on loop, AND they had the whole movie playing on loop in the theater in the back! They even had a hot air balloon basket that you can get inside of a take pictures!!! 

Dear lord I was nerding out super bad. I didn't think it could get any better! So, after the museum, my cousin Nick and I were planning on going to the record store! I love records, I don't have a record player but I love them none of the less. On the way to the car we pass by something that you just can't pass up if you are a Wizard of Oz fan...

THEY HAD A YELLOW BRICK ROAD!!!!!!!!!!!! 

Then on the way to the record story Elton John's song "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" come on shuffle on Nick's playlist! It was just wonderful! So, Nick and I were at the Record Store, on National Record Store day thank you very much, and I was looking at some Frank Sinatra Records while he was looking for a limited release record. It was a very cool store! I enjoyed it! 

When we got home I was finally able to do the thing that my mother had sent me to do. Mom gave me a mission to give Elle a whole bag of confetti and do it without Linda and Chris knowing! I was finally able to sneak it past them and give it Elle....

Let's just say that I am not longer her favorite niece. I don't think I have ever laughed so hard about a mess I didn't have to clean up in my entire life! It was EVERYWHERE! They are going to move one day into a new house and it was somehow be in that house too!

After she cleaned most of it up my Aunt suggest to my 3 year old cousin to pick out a movie for us to watch..... 

SHE PICKED THE WIZARD OF OZ! 

It was GLORIUS! I don't think I have every had so much Wizard of Oz thrown at me in such a small amount of time... I could not have been a prouder cousin of that three year old if I tried! That she VOLUNTEERLY chose that movie! 

The next day was the day that I would be leaving. However, my flight was not until like 7pm so we had some time to kill. We met up with my cousin Brandon for lunch, he got a lot taller since the last time I saw him... it's been about 8 years...

Then did some site seeing and I finally got home and got to do another nerdy thing.... I got to FLY out of Kansas and say "Toto... I have a feeling we are not in Kansas anymore". 

Now, you would think I would be home free right? That I made it one the plane and back home without any hiccups right? Wrong! That did not happen! First it was 10pm so it's dark and one top of that it's raining. I am driving on unfamiliar roads that I LOATH ENTIRELY! The signs don't seem to be clearly marked on how to get back out to the highway. I follow the wrong sign and get stuck trying to take a road that my car will not be allowed into. Finally someone nice told me how to get out and back where I needed to go. Then I think I take the right way to end up in ANOTHER airport parking lot that I have to drive through in order to get out. I finally make it onto the highway and listen to my show tunes and drive home.

That is until I 40 miles away from home.... I am driving in the fast lane of I-75 at 2:30am in the fast late when my car abruptly start veering to the right. I, thankfully, make it safe to the emergency lane, get out and see that my tire is flat. I call my mom and she gets me the number for Triple A to come and put my spare on. He gets there in 20 minutes and I ask him how bad it is. He tells me that I have to get a new tire because this one is a goner. 

I have to say that has got to be one of the most fun trips that I have been on! I mean I got to hang out with family I don't get to see very often but I also got nerd overload! Everything that I was afraid of, like having nothing to talk about, or being board, was so not the truth in this case! I would hands down go and visit with them again! 

 

Tom Hanks Hustle: Sleepless in Seattle

We finally get back around to my Tom Hanks movies! I am have been missing watching his movies recently. I feel like I am behind on his movies this month because I just watched the first of four this week. However, we were able to kick things back off with a classic that I have never seen before this viewing, Sleepless in Seattle.

I have heard about this movie growing up but had no real interest in watching it. Truthfully I didn't know Mr. Hanks was in it until I wrote out his list of movies. I felt rather stupid not knowing that but oh well.

I will say that I also didn't know that Meg Ryan and Rosie O'Donnell were in the film as well. Seeing that they both did work with Mr. Hanks in previous movies I thought that this was going to be a great film. I mean it's a romance movie right? It has all of these funny people in it right?

Well, I was wrong. It was a funny in some parts but this was more dramatic that comedic. Looking back I should have known since it was really known for being a RomCom. I don't know why I just assumed that it was. However, it wasn't the sort of traditional romantic movie either. It wasn't over the top or crazy plot twists. It really was a movie about a man finding love again.

I think that is why this movie is remember so well because it was story being told factually rather than a movie trying to impress a mass audience. Mr. Hanks' performance is great showing for what is to come! My favorite movie of his is just around the corner!

Alaina's Trial by Movie: Lucille Ball

Funny girl Lucille Ball is was Alain's actor of choice this go around!

Known mostly as her role as Lucy in the hit TV show "I Love Lucy" Lucille Ball gets looked over sometime for her roles that she has done in movies. A lot of people know that she starred in The Long Long Trailer with then Husband Desi Arnaz. However, she was once on the lovely ladies of the screen. She was in many musical and dramas. Another of my favorite that she was in was Stage Door which also starred Kathrine Hepburn and Ginger Rogers. She is a phenomenal actress that deserves more recognition than she is given.

Because of that, I told Alaina that she had to watch a movie that had Ms. Ball in it so she could know that there was more to her than "I Love Lucy".

So, even though I LOVE Stage Door I didn't pick it. The reason for that was I still wanted Alaina to see Ms. Ball in a comedy type movie. So the movie that I picked is a movie called Du Barry is A Lady. 

This movie is about two young men in love with the same girl, May Daly. May is in love with one of them but wants to marry for money so is trying to get with a rich man. When the hat checker of the club, Red Skeleton, wins the sweepstakes he asks May to marry him. In a crazy twist of fate he gets knocked out and dreams he is King Louis of France and is trying to win the heart of Madam Du Barry.

It doesn't sound like the greatest movie of all time but it has what I wanted Alaina to experience. Ms. Ball in a comedy role, doing more acting than in her shows, and showing off that she really can, in fact, indeed, sing. 

1. What were your thoughts going into this movie? I was really excited to see her in something other than "I Love Lucy". That was the only thing that I have ever seen her in.

2. What was your favorite part of the film? At the beginning when Gene Kelly comes into the room and she tells him that she loves him and he keeps coming back to hear her say it again.

3. Who was your favorite character? Louis, played by Red Skeleton.

4. Why? He was very entertaining and quirky.

5. What di you not like about the film? There was anything really that I didn't like. Well, that is not true. I know that it goes against the idea of the movie but when everyone realized the Louis was the king none of the guard would help him. The people that were sworn to protect him didn't do anything. 

6. What did you think of Lucille Ball? I enjoyed seeing her in a serious role. In "I Love Lucy" she is dopey. I love "I Love Lucy" and watching her in that but it was nice seeing her in this type of role.

7. What do you think of the movie after we watched it? I enjoyed it. It was fun.

8. Would you watch it again? Yeah, probably.

9. Would you recommend? Yes, especially to show someone who has only seen her in Lucy because it will broaden your idea of her ability to act.

10. What relevance does this movie have to today? I think how at the end Louis did what was right and gave up the girl because that is what she wanted. He wasn't bitter about it and he was being a good friend. I wish movie movies showed how to care about another person well being rather than their own wants.

Alaina's Trial by Movie: Fred Astaire

The legendary dancer, actor, and all around charmer Fred Astaire

So, when Alaina told me when she was free to watch the next movie she said it was going to be the day after Easter. I told her that since it was going to be the day after she did not get a choice in who the next actor we were going to watch because the movie I had picked out for Fred Astaire was Easter Parade. I am sorry but I ALWAYS was Easter Parade during Eater time so she was going to have to watch that movie!

Friends, this is/was the HARDEST movie to sit through and keep quiet on....

I am not kidding....

I know so many fun facts about this movie that I thought that I was going to explode trying to shut my mouth. Like during the scene were he is dancing with the drums all of the drum and tapping noise were recorded before the scene was shot. Which means that Mr. Astaire HAD to be perfect with every mode he made while dancing because the sound of the taps and drums would have been off. Generally, in musicals, all of the sounds for the taps of shows are put in during editing. So they would always be perfectly times with the movements.

Then there was Ann Miller's back was hurt before the shoot and was hooked up to a harness at night by her mother so her back could heal so she could be in a movie with Fred Astaire.

Then there was the fact the Gene Kelly was supposed to have the role that Mr. Astaire played but Mr. Kelly broke his ankle and could not do the role. Mr. Kelly called Mr. Astaire and asked him to come out of retirement to do the role!

I am going to stop myself.... because I can keep going for another hour of typing at least if I don't.

However, Alaina seemed to like the movie.... mostly...

1. What were your thoughts going into the movie? More excited that the rest so far because I like Fred Astaire (Sidebar: I made Alaina watch Holiday Inn many years ago and he was in that movie with Bing Crosby).

2. What was your favorite part of the movie? I liked the song "Fell with an Umbrella" and also when Judy forgot him on the phone.

3. Who was your favorite character? Johnny (Peter Lawford)

4. Why? Because of the bro support he has for Fred Astaire. Like he is his best friend and wants the best for him. He also likes the same girl he likes and even taker her out on a date but then realizes that Judy like Fred back and helps them to get together.

5. What did you not like about the movie? The dresses (Sidebar: To be fair put that part in. She kept making fun of all of the bright colors of the dresses during the film.. Like Ann Miller's yellow gloves during her tap routine....) I also did not like that Ann Millers character was a mean face...

6. What did you think of Fred Astaire? I thought Fred was charming and had a very nice smile, although he character was self absorbed.

7. What do you think of the movie now that we watched it? I really liked it! I love how much personality Hanna Brown had. A lot of times in the old movies they females are very coy or don't have much of a personality at all. (Sidebar: I don't know what old movies she was watching before she knew me but that is going to change!!!!)

8. Would you watch this movie again? Yes.

9. Would you recommend this movie? Definitely!

10. What relevance does this movie have today? (Sidebar: I should note that my mama, Margie, and Alaina's Mom, Jeannie, all watched the movie that day so they all had stuff to say.)
Jeannie: "That compared to the clothing we wear today we are boring. They used to wear hats and feathers and now we don't. Although I don't think feathers and rain mix very well".
Margie: "I liked all of the dresses that I saw in the movie and liked all of the colors".
Alaina: "Common human decency. I mean everyone in the film was able to hang out together and friends and not have all of these love triangles. I wish movies today were more like that. That they were platonic relationships and friendships. They weren't hanging out with you because they wanted to sleep with you.

Other than the fact that Alaina did not like the dresses, which I am still wrapping my head around, I think this was a successful venture. I am glad she likes this film. I had a hard time picking one out of Fred's because he has so many! It's hard to narrow it down to just one!

Well, until the next round!