The Sandy Bottom Orchestra

I'm always searching for music-related movies, and here is a sweet one that your whole family can enjoy.  There seems to be only a few movies like this that get made for television, so we were thrilled when we discovered it through NetFlix (because we don't have TV at home).  Based on the book by Garrison Keillor and his musician wife, Jenny Lind Nilsson, the storyline features a Midwest family who is trying to fit their classical-music personalities into a rural and not-so-cultural community.  If you live in a small town, you will easily relate to the issues. Set amongst a breathtakingly beautiful landscape, there is honesty about neighbors, marriage, and teenage peer pressure.  Not a love story (as the cover might suggest).  The mother hopes to use her piano degree and the daughter is a talented violinist, but both are wondering about their friends and their sanity.  Sound familiar?  In the end, the movie has a clear but not patronizing message about staying with your principles and offering understanding and forgiveness to others. Inspiring enough for me to take it to Youth Group in the near future.  And the music played (see list here) is quite good!

Black History Month and "Sounder"

Last year, I posted my family's favorite movie about Abraham Lincoln. This year, I thought it worth mentioning "Sounder" as a good family choice for Black History month and related unit studies on the Civil War or civil rights. Disney produced this movie in 1972, and it's a heart-tugging story about the Morgans, a strong family of Black sharecroppers in 1933. The father is convicted of stealing to feed his family and sent to a prison camp. The mother sends the oldest son, who is about 11 years old, to visit his father, and the movie is about that trip--with the dog, of course! Check the library and NetFlix.

Galileo: On the Shoulders of Giants

We are studying Galileo and astronomy since this is the 400th Anniversary of his Invention of the 30x Telescope. In fact, 2009 has been dubbed International Year of Astronomy, too. Posted here before but worth repeating, the movies in this "Inventor" series from Devine Studios are wonderful! "Galileo: On the Shoulders of Giants" is only one hour and quite fair to the Church's history. Especially important is the closing scene when he renounces his life's work and discoveries. These movies are still not available from NetFlix, but likely to be found at good libraries or from used sources listed online like Amazon and Half.com.

Studying WWII with movies

From our study of World War II, we have three movies to recommend:

"Saints and Soldiers" is PG-13 because it contains a fair amount of violence. Based upon the actual events of the Malmedy Massacre, five Allied soldiers are trapped behind enemy lines and are desperately trying to get intelligence information delivered. Beautiful cinematography--especially when you learn that this was an independent film (made with 1/140th of the budget of "Saving Private Ryan" by using World War II re-enactors who volunteered to be extras and equipment/props from private military collections). It's not always easy to tell who are the "saints" and who are the "soldiers." War is ugly in its realities, and there are "good guys" on both sides. Especially compelling is the character nicknamed "Deacon" for his Bible reading and hope of heaven. If the true measure of love is "to lay down one's life for one's friends," than this movie is very Christian in content and authentically catholic (with a little c). Filmed in 2004 and only 90 min. in length.

"In Love and War" (Hallmark version) is more of a love story with the War as a backdrop. My daughter loved it, while my son didn't even want to watch it to the end. Some romance, some comedy as an injured British soldier has trouble after his escape from a POW camp because of a foot injury. With the help of the local villagers, he hides from the Nazis, learns some Italian, and falls in love.

"The Miracle at Moreaux" The nuns running a French boarding school try to protect the children from the politics and racism of the War. Superb story line as the children must come to grips with their own stereotypes and bigotry when confronted with Jewish children under the threat of Nazi genocide. Additional benefit is the Christmas scene at the end. A nice story for families who want to get a glimpse of soldiers and Holocaust sufferers without PG-13 violence.

Violin Music and Suzuki Teachers

We rented “Music of the Heart” -- a movie about a Suzuki violin teacher, and I would recommend it for all violin students. Meryl Streep stars in this 1999 true story about a part-time music teacher in Harlem who dreams of making a difference. I highly recommend the finale – a concert featuring Marc O’Connor playing "Orange Blossom Special" with all the extras!! plus Joshua Bell, Gloria Estefan, and other famous music artists also make cameo appearances. For younger children, I might suggest fast-forwarding through the single-mom drama parts. But don't miss any of the violin playing/practising to see if you can recognize all the Book 1 songs! That was our favorite part. Plus Roberta Guaspari was not exactly sweet-natured when talking to her Suzuki students! Still a lovely music lesson for the whole family.

"In this House of Brede"

Here's a convent movie with a happy ending! "In this House of Brede" by Rumer Godden is a fictional tale of a late-in-life vocation that was shown on the Hallmark Hall of Fame. I thought it was sensitive in every way and compelling in its realistic portrayal of convent life. A worldly London business-woman hopes to "escape" by becoming a Benedictine nun. But she finds jealousy, past hurts, affection, and pride are part of everyone's life. She gently conforms to the rule first out of obedience, then out of genuine love. There are important lessons about friendships, because community life challenges them to love all sisters equally.

The scenery is beautiful, and the movie was filmed on location at genuine convents in London and Ireland (with some limitations of television technology in 1975). Film is good for all ages. I recommend the book, of course, because the movie doesn't exactly follow the book nor have its depth (for older students).

Truman is well done and well said

We watched this movie during election week--Powerful! I was surprised how many things haven't changed: like media bias, unrest in the Middle East, fragile European alliances, and making tough military decisions based on the best-guess of the facts at the moment.

Gary Sinise does a Harry Truman that's so believable you would think you were in Independence, Mo! This biographical movie of Harry Truman is true to history and based upon the Pulitzer Prize winning biography by David McCullough. My kids had read about his childhood beforehand. We also visited the Truman Library and saw his grand piano, his two "Truman Chryslers," and his love letters to Beth.

Truman was a WWI soldier, a failed business man, a latecomer to the Senate, and a compromise candidate for vice-president. Then he unexpectedly became president when Roosevelt died only 3 months into his fourth term. Three years later, Truman boasts a come-from-behind victory (see "Dewey Defeats Truman" newspaper headline) in the 1948 election which showed that his integrity and All-American values resonated with the average American voter. His presidency was actually full of historical significance: the Marshall Plan, the atomic bomb, beginning of the Cold War, NATO, Israel becoming a state, anti-Communism in our foreign policy, the United Nations charter, Civil Rights, and the Korean War. Great movie for a unit study within many subject areas!

Warmly,

Candise & Crew

Catholic Actors

Padre Steve of Da Mihi Animas - Catholic Actors Making a Difference

Movies with Educational Magic

From the makers of
"Beethoven Lives Upstairs"...

Additional favorites for your family! Devine Entertainment Corporation. Check out all their movies, sets, AND teacher's guides:
http://www.devine-ent.com/

The movies are short (55 minutes) and not animated (both seem to be key to making the context of history come alive for my older elementary and high school students!) These educational films bring the world's most famous figures to life in historically beautiful locations.

We own most of the Artist Series:
- "Mary Cassatt: American Impressionist"

- "Degas & The Dancer"
- "Winslow Homer: American Original"
- "Rembrandt: Father & Sons"
- "Goya: Awakened in a Dream"
- "Monet: Shadow & Light"

and The Inventor's Series:
- "Edison: The Wizard of Light"
- "Leonardo: A Dream of Flight"
- "Galileo: On the Shoulders of Giants"
- "Einstein: Light to the Power of 2"
- "Newton: A Tale of Two Isaacs"
- "Marie Curie: More than Meets the Eye"

Now I want to start acquiring the Composer's Series:
- "Strauss: The King of 3/4 Time"
- "Rossini's Ghost"
- "Liszt's Rhapsody"
- "Bizet's Dream"
- "Handel's Last Chance"
- "Bach's Fight for Freedom"

(Just think!) IN DEVELOPMENT
The Writer's Series:
- Alexandre Dumas "Three Musketeers"

- Mark Twain "Huckleberry Finn" 
- Molière "The Misanthrope"
- Cervantes "Don Quixote"
- Edgar Allan Poe "The Tell-Tale Heart"
- Lewis Carroll "Alice in Wonderland" 

*spoiler* = I can't seem to get any on NetFlix, but a few are available at my library. I'll be pushing for both to acquire more copies! (Often I have found them cheaply on auction sites.)

"Follow the Stars Home" by Hallmark

Here's another movie with pro-life themes. Hallmark made "Follow the Stars Home" in 2002, based on the book by the same title. I highly recommend this inspirational tale for families because it shows the strength and blessings that come from making "good" decisions. Love is a decision -- not just a feeling. This movie touches on both sides of dating, broken marriage (some alcoholism and domestic violence are suggested but not clearly shown), abortion, and birth defects.

*spoiler = Younger children might be scared by the scene when a puppy is put in a pillowcase and thrown into the river.

The happy ending of this movie ultimately shows that loving sacrifice, patience, and hope make for a better life.

The Great Debaters

Althought it's rated PG-13, I allowed my whole family (aged 10 and up) to watch "The Great Debaters" last night. I was glad we did. Based on the true story of the first African-American college debate team, the drama revolves around Melvin Tolson and his Wiley College students. I was impressed how Tolson taught his debate team to stand up for themselves and use their God-given intelligence. I was impressed how James Farmer, Jr. attended college at age 14. I was impressed that he quoted from Saint Augustine in his final rebuttal agains the Harvard University national champions. But Texas in the late 1930s is still mired in Jim Crow rules and blatant racism.

*Spoilers* We skipped the bedroom scene between the Wiley College sweethearts. But I was able to narrate in whispers while playing through the lynching scene. The car-load from Wiley accidentally comes upon a mob who has just lynched a black man, and they narrowly escape back down the dirt road.

The special features include a live interview with the living members of the Wiley College debate team and Denzel Washington. An inspirational drama produced by Oprah Winfrey.

Happily, this movie shows that people of all colors can be very smart and very stupid. It opened the door for a good discussion of slavery and would work well as a follow up to a Civil War unit study. We also watched "Black Ulysses" which is an episode in "The Young Riders" DVD #2 about the underground railroad helping slaves escape in 1961.

Spotlight on Actor: Eduardo Verastegui

Mahalo to Barbara of Praying for Grace
The star of Bella tells us in his own words how he became involved in the prolife movement. Very touching video.