Recent Movies!

 You guys, it's been YEARS since I've posted a "movie post" here. Because it's been YEARS since I've watched enough movies to have enough material to do so. 

But recently, I've been on a movie kick. That's right, I'm all about movies. Especially 2000s setting, and 1980s setting, and especially romcoms. But, there are other movies outside that genre sprinkled in here and there. 

There are SO many movies I've seen recently, I'm keeping the reviews rather short. More like review snapshots. 

Clueless (1995)

So, here are my opinions, short and simple. 

I'm greatly interested if you have watched any of these, and if you would rate it similarly to me. 

Here we go!

Say Anything (1989)

• The Notebook (2004) - 2 out of 10. Boo! Didn't like it. I can see why it's such an iconic flick... But not for me. Too many character problems. And wHyYy are we romanticizing cheating.?!.?!
• Say Anything (1989)- 7 out of 10. Really sweet movie. Great music. I loved their relationship. This movie was maybe a little slow, but that's what you appreciate about it as an older movie. Not everything meaningful happens all at once. With this movie, I could slow down, appreciate their relationship progression, appreciate the time period, and appreciate the plot as it unfolded to something memorable, vulnerable, and meaningful.
• The Breakfast Club (1985) - 4 out of 10. This movie gave me that sickening feeling of dread in my stomach as when your family is fighting all around you and you can't stop it and can't get out. But, maybe that was the point. Weird ending, too.
• Pretty in Pink (1986) - 5 out of 10. A pretty good movie that I heard about after watching The Breakfast Club because the same actress was in it. It was a great picture of being a teen in the 80's, and later I heard that Molly Ringwald had a say in who was cast as her romantic interest based on who she would realistically be attracted to, and I think that is pretty interesting. 
• Pitch Perfect (2012) - 5 out of 10. Hilarious. Iconic. Great actors. But, kind of gross. Also, a cappella isn't my thing. 

The Breakfast Club (1985)

• Almost Famous (2000) - 2 out of 10. This movie wasn't bad, it was just "meh", and had weird pacing and just felt like a nostalgia dump for nostalgia's sake. I honestly don't have much else to say about it.
• Clueless (1995) - 9 out of 10. So cute! The age difference is a little weird, but overall I really liked this movie and thought it was cute, iconic, and funny.
• How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003)- 8 out of 10. One of my new favorite rom-com couples. But the second hand embarrassment was rough! Also Matthew McConaughey is way hotter than I ever realized he ever was, LOL!
• Love, Actually (2003) - 8 out of 10. A very charming movie with lots of great British actors. Inappropriate at some parts. But very iconic and sweet movie. 
• Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994) - 4 out of 10. Funny, iconic. Also stupid. VERY quotable. A lot of talent from Carrey. 

How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (2003)

• Letters to Juliet (2010) - 10 out of 10. A rewatch from my childhood. The perfect rom-com, no notes.
• Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005) - 10 out of 10. My husband and I adored this movie. So sweet and heartfelt. A movie about friendship, hardships, and all of life's and love's twists and turns. The love of romance and the love of family. We loved this movie. 
• Age of Adaline (2015) - 2 out of 10. Stupid, took it self way too seriously, tried so hard to have meaning when it didn't have much at all. Shallow, bland, just dumb. Also, Blake Lively. Ew. 
• Last Holiday (2006) - 10 out of 10. This is a trailer I saw when I was a kid and I never watched it until now. Worth it, loved it. Adorable. Hollywood has changed so much for the worse since they made movies like this. Was nice to go back in time. 
• Groundhog Day (1993) - 10 out of 10. A classic. Even my husband loved it. Adorable. Thought provoking. Timeless. A philosophic and comedic gem. A must see!

Letters to Juliet (2010)

• Big (1988) - 9 out of 10. Cute, classic, funny, and endearing even if the relationship is weird cause he's a kid. But it's one of those classics that you can't help loving due to the acting, the charm, the interesting plot, the humor, and the characters. You gotta watch it.
• Million Dollar Baby (2004)- 9 out of 10. Extremely sad and deeply emotional. Makes you think of life and living it. It was also incredibly acted. 
• When Harry Met Sally... (1989) - 10 out of 10. How could anyone not like this movie? I love the friends to lovers plot. The conversation is so interestingly and charmingly written. You can't help but be enveloped in it like a warm hug, as if you were there with them. You HAVE to see this one. 
• What Women Want (2000) - 8 out of 10. Honestly I liked it. It was pretty cute and it was a lot like Groundhog Day, in that the selfish misogynistic male main character learns to think of others, think of women as more than just objects whose sole purpose is his pleasure, and be a better person in the end. 
• Uptown Girls (2003) - 9 out of 10. This movie was a gem. Sad, beautiful, though-provoking, funny. A story of two girls and the coping mechanisms they use to escape the difficulties in their lives, finding an unlikely but unique friendship in one another during a time when both of their lives take unexpected turns. A beautifully sad and satisfying movie. 

What Women Want (2000)

• Girls Just Want To Have Fun (1985) - 8 out of 10. The most "80's" movie I've ever seen! The clothing, the music! A complete blast, and perfect sleepover movie material. 
• Failure to Launch (2006) - 5 out of 10. While I liked the actors, this movie is not my favorite. I liked Matthew McConaughey with Kate Hudson better (in How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, which is beloved and iconic). And there were too many "funny" bits that didn't make sense to the main plot, which I found irritating. Like, what do the animal bits have to do with anything..?? I'm assuming they are a metaphor, but it's just weak and stupid. Do better! 
• The Intern (2015) - 6 out of 10. I liked this movie for the most part. The characters were adorable, and I always love Ann Hathaway. Overall it didn't have that "spark" or "X Factor" that made me LOVE it. Perhaps it was a bit unsatisfying, even boring a little? It seemed like things didn't escalate in a way that would have made it more engaging. But I LOVED the main old guy as far as his character (man, he was so cute!), and Ann Hathaway as far as her acting. Meh, it was just ok.
• The Help (2011) - 10 out of 10. Obviously a winner, anyone who's seen it knows. A must see, and great adaption from the book (which I've also read)!
• Material Girls (2006)- 4 out of 10. This one was "meh" for me. It was fun, and cute in some ways, and I liked their 2000s attire. But, neither the plot, characters, nor anything else wowed me, or make me love it in any way. It was just ok. Hillary Duff is always fun, though. 

The Intern (2015)

• Forrest Gump (1994) - 9 out of 10. I watched this at first when I was 16 years old and loved it. Through the years online I heard a lot of hate about it, and assumed my opinion was faulty due to my naivety and young age. But I watched it again as a seasoned adult, and I still really love it. Sure there are some problems, especially with Jenny. But it's such a classic and so lovable in many other ways, and the main message is not lost on me, and I believe is illustrated very well. Can't not watch.
• Of Mice and Men (1992) - 5 out of 10. This is one of those stories that they make you read in high school as a commentary on deeper symbolism. It was fine, although not my type of movie. It was made well, I can say that.
• Leap Year (2010) - 6 out of 10. A very cute movie! Halfway through I realized I had seen it when I was a kid or teenager. But it was pretty good as far as romcoms go. I just love Amy Adams so she always influences my scoring. 
• Chocolat (2000) - 8 out of 10. I liked this movie. It was sweet and comfy, with unique meaning. Also, it was interesting to see such a young Johnny Depp. 
• Mean Girls (2004) - 6 out of 10. An iconic teenage drama. Was fun to watch although inappropriate at times. Although I was homeschooled, I could appreciate the enduring relatability to the American high school experience and the satirical humor that came with it. 

Chocolat (2000)

• Arrival (2016) - 10 out of 10. The type of movie that changes how you think about life, love, and time. I wish I could watch it again for the first time. A strong premise, good acting, well-written, deeply emotional and meaningful plot. Also, Amy Adams. 
• 12 Angry Men (1957) - 10 out of 10. A must see classic. Another movie that makes you contemplate your own choices and who you are as a person. I liked it a lot. 
• Easy A (2010) - 5 out of 10. A clever drama in which I love Emma Stone as she's very talented. Much like Mean Girls, this movie satirically paints a picture of the high school experience in a funny and bold way. I liked it for what it was trying to be. 
• Paul Blart: Mall Cop (2009) - 8 out of 10. This movie is a great time capsule of the heyday of the American Mall experience. And it ACTUALLY made me laugh, and warmed my heart too. Honestly, you gotta watch it if you never have. 
• Air Bud: Golden Receiver (1998) - 6 out of 10. This was a rewatch from my childhood. This was an interesting movie to rewatch as an adult. When you're a kid, you are entertained by watching a dog playing football. But when you're an adult, you see a single mom making hard decisions, a family trying to adjust to life's difficult changes, and a scarred little kid trying to cope. There's something for everyone, even me (and I'm not a sports fan).

Well Friends, that's all we have for today. I hope you enjoyed my thoughts, and I will see you all again soon! 

~ Amaris // ☆

An Interesting Summer

Hello there, people!

This post is a peek into my Summer of 2018. The Summer in which I spent a lot of time NOT blogging. :P In fact, I've not only failed to write my own blog, but I've neglected reading blogs as well. So if I haven't been commenting on your blog posts lately, I apologize. I still love you all!

Not my photo- taken from Pinterest

It's just been really busy and so much has changed in my life. Like, for real. I think I've changed more in the past 8 months or so than I ever have. Except maybe when I was a toddler. Hehe. :)

Anyways. My Summer has been an interesting time. For one, because it's the first Summer that I've owned a smartphone, and (I don't know if you've noticed this, but) smartphones have a way of influencing your every day life.
So, it's just been... I don't know, different. But good.

// Summer of 2018 //

Not my photo- taken from Pinterest

// Movies //

As of August 15th (the day I am originally writing this post), I have watched 42 movies this year! That might not sound like much to some people, but it's certainly a lot for me! In 2017 I literally watched like, 10 movies.
But anyways! Here are just a few of my favorites from this Summer.

July 9th: Big (1988)

 This movie was literally so cute it had me and my sister laughing and crying. It's safe to say this is one of my favorite Tom Hanks movies. There is a bit of content, so I would read a review first. But it's literally, like, 3 things. :) We loved it. 

July 16th: The Terminal (2004)

 It's not surprising that me and my sister loved this Tom Hanks movie as well. We loved it so much we even watched it a second time the next week to show it to Mom! Thankfully, this one is even cleaner than 'Big' and definitely worth the cuss word or two.

July 19th: Big Eyes (2014)

 Oh my goodness, I just adored this movie. It was so sad and heart wrenching, and I just wanted to hug the main character and the story was so FRUSTRATING but it ended up ok which was amazing! I also loved Amy Adams in this movie. I'm pretty sure the only reason it got the PG-13 rating, was because of one really loud f-word. But other than that, I loved this one. 

July 21st: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly (1966)

Even though Westerns aren't my thing, it was really enjoyable to watch this one because not only is it a timeless and iconic classic, it's also my mom's favorite movie of all time (which I don't really understand because she doesn't even like Westerns...??? Who knew..). It's also the first R-rated movie I've ever seen without a filter. Not sure if that counts for any accomplishment, but. *shrug*

Not my photo- taken from Pinterest

 // I Taught At Vacation Bible School //

...and it was such a good experience. I learned so much and made a really good friend through it! Me and my friend, Maggie, wrote the lessons from scratch to teach the kids each day (we taught the lessons as well as wrote them, me and Maggie), instead of using curriculum lessons!

Maggie and I began meeting about twice a week at her house starting late in April to figure out/write the lessons.
We knew that God was telling us to teach the kids stories that inspired them to fall in love with God, instead the idea of being saved and going to heaven. Heaven, after all, is just a side bonus. The real reward is serving God with your life.

But anyways! After weeks (months...?) of studying and preparing our props and our lessons (we had skits and props and visuals to go along with our custom lessons of course!) the VBS in July went very smoothly.
It was truly so fulfilling to be used by God in such a way!
I know I would rather come up with my own lessons for kids anytime rather than just read from a curriculum script, because then I will be able to teach from what I have already learned about God.

Photo credit: me

// I Dyed My Hair //

... for the first time ever! Unfortunately, it didn't come out according to the picture I showed the salon worker. It doesn't look bad, but definitely different than what I asked her to do. The color that she used is growing on me, however, and I'm able to dress 'the new hair' up to look pretty good.
I also got it cut as well as colored, so it's been fun having low-maintenance hair again!

Photo of me taken by me, taken from my Instagram

// I Started Drawing Again //

...and I also created a Tumblr to post my lil drawings on! It's quite a small ordeal (I have 0 followers right now XD), but I mostly created it to motivate myself to keep drawing! I've been practicing mostly eyes lately, and if you follow my Instagram, you've probably seen a few examples.
I kind of explain the reason for taking up drawing again in the synopsis of my Tumblr blog:

"My whole life, I would be off and on with drawing. Here and there I would get a burning, passionate motivation to draw, so I would. For awhile. The Summer of 2018 I decided to take drawing more seriously and enhance my skills through more consistent practice, and I figured a blog would help motivate me. I hope you enjoy what you see, feel free to comment but please be nice... I am learning. Thank you!"

Drawing by me, photo by me, taken from my Tumblr.

If you like drawings of eyes and have a Tumblr account, go follow me! :)

---

Well, that's about it. I didn't do a whole lot of note-worthy things this Summer, but to wrap things up, here are a few more small things I did that might be interesting.

-I went to an outdoor theater for the first time ever!! It was such a blissful and relaxing experience. The breeze the night we went was absolutely wonderful!

-I have been getting to know the area I live in. You might remember my family moved back in May. I was quite unfamiliar with the area surrounding our new apartment, but the past couple of months I've been discovering more things around here. There are some great restaurants as well as a movie theater almost next door to us!

-I went to our local Science Center to see an exhibit about Apollo 11 and the Moon! They had the entire Apollo 11 Command Module there on display. It was pretty neat, and I learned a lot. The moon is kind of my thing, so it was very fun. :) We also saw a very informative and cute documentary about pandas, because they have a giant IMAX theater at the Science Center.

---

Not my photo - Taken from Pinterest

As you can see, it was a good Summer. I am still working at my job at the embroidery shop, and I'm going to be serving at my local AWANA club as the Sparks Director. I am looking forward to Fall and Winter!

Thank you for reading!

-Amaris

When You Get a Vacation And All You Want To Do Is Watch Movies...

So, I house-sat this week. (You know. It's like babysitting, but with a house). And after going to work everyday, I had free time. Yes, that glorious thing that I didn't have a lot of this past Summer. So what did I choose to do with said free time? I watched movies. Movies were my vacation, so to speak. You might remember that I mentioned that the only movie I watched all Summer was Spider-Man: Homecoming. So you might consider this marathon my "catch up".
Any-who, I watched some movies, I have opinions, here they are.
(FYI, I had never seen any of these before).

Father of the Bride (1991):
(trailer)

I guess I had high expectations for this movie, which would explain why it fell a little short for me. I mean, it was cute, (mostly) clean, and very sentimental, but I didn't find very funny (in fact, most of the things that I think were supposed to be 'funny' just annoyed me, such as the father complaining so much about the wedding). Nor did the movie interest me a whole bunch. The movie did a good job making fun of the kind of things that your typical 'father of the bride' would experience (such as stress concerning wedding expenses and 'losing his little girl'), but I guess that's one of the reasons I didn't resonate with it too much. It wasn't all bad, though. It had pretty moments. And I did laugh a couple of times.

1/5 stars

Leap Year (2010):
(trailer)

You know how you just keep hearing about a certain movie, so you just want to go ahead and watch it so you will stop wondering about it? That was "Leap Year" for me. It was pretty good, I think. It was your typical sweet romance story, and even though the entire plot line was basically one big huge cliche, it wasn't your fluffy, cheesy, irritating type of chick flick. The events were carried out pretty well, in my opinion. I found it quite enjoyable, cute, and best of all, not boring or entirely predictable. There were a few innuendos, as well as some kissing (because duh), but nothing too sensual, thank heavens. I would probably even watch this again in a few years, that's how not bad it was.

4/5 stars

Jurassic Park (1993):
(trailer)
This movie was a lot like Jurassic World (which I enjoyed in theaters as a new release), except there was no Chris Pratt. There was a lot of running from dinosaurs, being eaten by dinosaurs, trying to outsmart dinosaurs. You know. I really liked how real the raptors looked (comment if you know what song that's from), I thought all the actors did a splendid job, and the whole family-type relationship between the kids and Mr. Grant made me happy. But overall, nothing really wowed me. I can see how it's a Steven Spielberg classic, but other than that, there was nothing that really makes me want to see it again. I did really like the soundtrack, surprisingly. Even nowadays, when soundtracks don't do a lot for me. But hey. *shrug*
3/5 stars

The Walk (2015):
(trailer)
YOU GUYS. THIS MOVIE WAS SO ADORABLE. It tells the true story of a (borderline certifiable) French dude back in the 70s who wanted to walk a high-wire between the two buildings of the World Trade Center. This movie has everything... a tiny bit of romance, humor, a good plot that keeps you moving forward, a touch of suspense... everything. Plus, it was adorable, as I have already mentioned. Philippe and Annie's relationship was completely ship-worthy (look at me, using fangirl terms.. oh how things change), and I just love how the whole story was carried out. It was a good old-fashioned enjoyable movie. It was great, honestly. I am totally buying this on DVD. Watch out for some cuss words, but there really isn't much besides that (hooray because that means it's great for family movie night). I also really liked the soundtrack to this movie as well.
 Basically, I loved this movie.
5/5 stars 

Doctor Strange (2016):
 (trailer)
"While heroes such as the Avengers protect the world from physical dangers, we sorcerers safeguard it against more mystical threats."
 There is more out there in our universe to believe in than the material things, the tangible things. It is not all as it seems. You all know I'm not the biggest fan of Marvel movies. I watched Doctor Strange, and... I'm still not. However, this movie didn't seem like a Marvel film. It seemed... different. Somehow. Unconventional, perhaps? Any-who, I enjoyed it well enough. It kept me un-bored, which is good enough for me. Spider-Man is still my favorite, but Doctor Strange was not bad.  There is a bit of spell-casting nonsense to watch out for, of course, but the the focus on spiritual warfare, and the dangers of going astray from what is right are a clear theme in this sci-fi flick. But there is a good dose of language which annoyed me, as usual.
Let's be honest, though. I'm a bit partial. I feel like you could put Benedict Cumberbatch in ANYTHING and I will automatically enjoy it. He's just an amazing actor. I also have to mention how I really loved Stephen and Christine's relationship. I loved their (thankfully clean) moments. They were so precious.
3/5 stars

Forrest Gump (1994):
(trailer)
"My mama always said, 'Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.'"
This movie surprised me in two ways. First of all, it was way more dirty than I had anticipated (which made me really sad and annoyed), but the second surprise is that... I actually loved this movie. I loved it. It was so cute.
 It made me laugh... and cry (like, actually cry).
I'm really sad that there was a lot to speak of in the way of 'content'. A lot of language. A lot of crude behavior, including indecent bedroom and party scenes. Let me just say, if you have one of those movie filter thingies, use it. I beg of you. Because people should see this movie. It's a classic. It's hilarious. It's heartwarming. It's Tom Hanks.
But... I don't recommend anyone seeing some of the stuff in it. I wish more of Tom Hank's movies were clean because I really enjoy his acting. Honestly, right now I can't even think of one Tom Hanks movie I haven't liked.
 Overall, "Forrest Gump" was really good. (But bad... but good.)
...
 But bad.
...
 (*whispers* but good).
5/5 stars (NOT FOR CLEANLINESS)

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (2008):
(trailer)
I've wanted to watch this ever since I read the book for a WWII class I took in high school. The book was very good, and very sad, and so was the movie. We follow the 'explorations' of a young German boy, Bruno, who is trying his darnedest to understand why Jews are the 'bad guys', and why his family is so tense about it all. There's more than that, too, of course, but basically this is a WWII movie that will leave a person touched, saddened, and very sombre at heart. There was nothing amazing that really stood out for me, exactly, but the movie was good. And I would definitely recommend the book, too.
Also, I have to shout out to the actress who played Bruno's mom. She did an extraordinarily good job at her part, I observed.
3/5 stars

Mulan (1998):
(trailer)
If I ever told you guys how many Disney favorites I have not seen, you would be shocked. I could never call myself a 'Disney person' or 'Disney fan' because I simply have seen enough Disney movies to qualify for that. So anyways, to help fix that, I watched one Disney movie in all of my marathon. I chose "Mulan". I thought the movie was really cute. It made me laugh, it wasn't boring, it wasn't entirely cliche, either. The cricket was the best. :) You also wouldn't believe how many internet memes and references I now understand because of watching this movie. Like the whole "dishonor on your cow" thing? I never understood that. Until now. Thanks, Mulan.
3/5 stars

  La La Land (2016):
(trailer)
"City of stars... are you shining just for me?"
Ah yes, that musical 'masterpiece' that called a classic before it's even 5 years old. It took me awhile, but I finally watched it. Can I just say, it was a good movie, but I'm very under-impressed. That's probably because I'm not one who likes musicals. They are weird (I mean, I'm weird, I know... but this is different). Also, (even though I hate to put down a fellow human being) I'm not a huge fan of Emma Stone's.
But I'm putting it much more negatively than it actually was for me.
Lemme put it this way. I thought it was really sweet. It was dreamy. It was relaxing. It's a classic. It was nostalgic. It was pretty, it was beautiful. But I just... didn't like it too much.
 It was unconventional, but not in a way that I necessarily like. It's the same classic problem I always have with musicals. "Can we stop singing and get back to the story? I'm bored. It's a pretty set, but... I'm bored."
There were a lot of things I did like about it. The soundtrack was golden. That jazz piano... *magicallll* I've always liked jazz, ever since I heard some in a talent show when I was a child. And this movie certainly gave me a good dose of it.
I must mention before I end this review, that there are quite a few swear words. They are sprinkled everywhere that I kept tripping over them, including an f-word. (y u gotta do dis, hollywood)
2/5 stars

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013):
(trailer) 
"I am alone... my mind drifts like the snow."
It was sweet, and very cute. I always like Ben Stiller. It's the story of a guy who needs to save his job at LIFE Magazine, but he has a problem; he's a daydreamer (which isn't a problem exactly...), and he lost something very important to the magazine. And I've always had a special place in my heart for 'underdog' characters.
The movie wasn't amazing, though. It wasn't wonderful. Just sweet. There were a few cuss words, but nothing else.
3/5 stars

~*~
And now, for fun, just a really quick list of favorites out of all that I watched.

10.  Father of the Bride (Sorry, Steve. You last)
-
9. Jurassic Park (because "how real the raptors looked...")
-
8. The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (because I'm a daydreamer too, buddy)

7. Mulan (because of Mushu... who was hilarious)
-
6. The Boy in the Striped Pajamas (because that ending, man)
-
5. La La Land (because that piano music got me)
-
4.  Leap Year (because #dat accent tho)
-
3. Doctor Strange (Ok I gotta confess: because Benedict Cumberbatch)
-
2. The Walk (because I thought it was adorable... which you should know by now)
-
1. Forrest Gump (by far... even though it was..."bad"... #dontkillmemom)
-
By the way, at the end of writing this, I realize that my two favorite movies from this list are directed by the same person. Huh. Way to go, person. :)

Also I just realized how long this post is. Hm. Sorry bout that. Thanks for sticking around till the end! Hey, let's do one of those YouTube things... If you read all the way to the end, comment "Galaxies". Hehe.
#so fun
G'bye.

-Amaris

A Few Small Reviews

So I actually haven't been watching a lot of movies lately, but I wanted to share my opinions on a couple that I HAVE watched. :) Thus, a 'mini review' post. :)

Apollo 13 [1995]

3.5 out of 5 stars

I'm an incurable stargazer (or maybe I'm just called a spacey person? I don't know...) who loves pretty much anything related to outer space, so I enjoyed this movie pretty good. I've always been really intrigued with the history space travel and such, so when I heard of this movie, I made sure to remind my mom to get it when we went to the movie store. 

I can't ignore the fact that the movie was just a leeetle rough around the edges. None of us were really crazy about the amount of cuss words sprinkled throughout, and a couple of cringe-worthy sexual references dampened my experience just a little bit, but cut those few things out and you have a great, timeless movie.*nods decidedly* I liked it.

Moana [2016]

3 out of 5 stars

I think people are making too big of a deal out of this whole movie. But in spite of the fact that it isn't as good (in my opinion) as everyone is saying, I enjoyed it well enough during our family movie night. There was some unwelcome crude humor as well as some ridiculous 'magic spiritual water' moments, which I didn't like very much. However, we all agreed the soundtrack was 5 out of 5 stars (I dare you to tell me that Lin's voice isn't amazing). And Moana herself I liked pretty well.
(Honorable mention: the shiny crab was pretty hilarious.)

Hidden Figures [2017]

5 out of 5 stars

Another space-y movie, this follows the journeys of three African-American women in the 60's as they work for NASA in spite of various discrimination issues, and how they left their mark in the history of NASA. Another one of those "What Happened Behind the Scenes of the Story We All Know" stories, it was very inspiring with funny quips and, not to mention, I actually cried like three times. I saw this almost two months ago, but as far as I remember, there wasn't really any cringe-worthy sexy moments or too much cussing, except for maybe one or two 'd' words.

But anyways, I will definitely buy this one on DVD when it comes out.

I'm Not ashamed [2016]

4 out of 5 stars

I feel like most Christian movies fall into two separate groups: {1} The low-budget, cheesy Christian 'save-the-farm' kind of movie that tries to throw in some weird romance subplot to make it interesting (except it only succeeds in making it more cheesy), and {2} the over-hyped, "Where Have I Seen That Christian Actor Before"  movie with a dramatic story that warms your heart until you get to the climax and it unexpectedly breaks out into either violence or heart-wrenching tragedies.
Honestly, both kinds annoy me a bit. But this one, although heart-wrenching, was not cheesy, nor very violent. In other words, I enjoyed it quite well, and it was rather inspiring.

You walk away from this movie wanting to live for Jesus the best way you can. It's a great takeaway.

I have to mention that at a book fair the other day, I found the actual book about the shooting, Rachel's Tears, written by her parents. I'm halfway through, and so far it's really good. It was only $1. :)

Gifted Hands - The Ben Carson Story [2009]

5 out of 5 stars

I know, I know. The title sounds completely cheesy. And the DVD case looked cheesy when my mom randomly brought it home because 'It looked good'. I had every reason to believe that it was a cheesy movie. Except when we watched it, it was not.
 In fact, it was pretty good. REALLY good, in my opinion. It was inspiring, it kept me guessing, it kept me engaged, and it pointed me to God. It tells the intriguing story of Ben Carson, whom you may remember from the 2016 primaries who almost ran for president, but dropped out soon after the race began. 

Like I mentioned before, low-budget, cheesy Christian movies annoy me. But this was another movie that was not like that. It follows the story of Ben as a child, through his teenage years and how he came to be one of the greatest neurosurgeon in... I think the world? But yeah. I love 'biography' type movies, and this was a huge winner.

Last Days in the Desert [2016]

0 out of 5 stars

Bad, bad, bad. Also confusing. And just bad. I mean the story. It wasn't inappropriate bad, just bad story-wise. In fact, ridiculous. Waste of time and money. We watched all the way to the end in the hopes that the climax will tie something together and make sense. But no. someone died, someone left, and nothing happened. Nothing. No one even had names. I don't even remember why the movie was PG-13. But it doesn't matter. It was just bad.

Bad, bad, bad. 

Me no like. 

p.s. don't watch it.

#youoweme2hoursofmylife
Just bad. 

(Wow, Amaris. Calm down your hateful self.) 

Well, I hate to end this post with a negative note, so I'll just throw something random in here.... hm.
 Oh yes! I cut and styled my hair myself today! It turned out super cute. I am never going to the hair salon again... :)
Also, I've been helping one of my siblings out with WWI history, and I've become kind of obsessed lately. I mean, I've always enjoyed learning about wars (and just history in general), but up until now, WWII has been more my thing. Anyways, I guess it's time to take out War Horse and Testament of Youth from the dusty ol' shelf to watch again, since we're on the subject!
Oh, but they're both such SAD movies... I don't even know if I'm READY to watch them... But I guess I'll do it.
For history.

Bye.

#random

I Have Returned

Well, hello, friends! This post is probably a shock to you. You probably assumed I was wiped off the face of the earth, or worse... DEAD.
Well, (surprise) I'm NOT. If you follow me on Pinterest, you would've seen a couple of recent pins that would indicate recent internet activity. Therefore, not dead.

My last post on this blog, (ON JUNE 10TH!!!) stated I would be gone for a few weeks, and it's true, I was. For two weeks I went to a special training, where they taught us to teach Bible Clubs. It was a very enlightening experience. I could probably share the gospel with anyone now. Anyways, after I got home, I drove all around my hometown doing Bible Clubs for another two weeks.

To say "I was too busy to post" would be a horrendous understatement.
Of coarse, after all of that busy-ness was over, I should have had time to post on The Blog and catch up with friends, but actually, I didn't. Why?
Well, a week ago, (surprise again), I had A TONSILLECTOMY! As in, I HAD SURGERY.
Now I need to focus on rest and recovery until I get better (seriously, my throat is killing me. And my ears are especially sore).
I literally have nothing to do except sit on the couch and take naps for two whole weeks.
Oh, and I can eat Jell-O. And pudding. And water. And watch Call the Midwife while coloring.

Yay.

That's about it.
You get the idea.

Actually, we've also been trying out the BBC show Sherlock. I've been hearing about this blasted show for the longest time now. So, now that I haven't anything else to do, we've been watching it.
It's really good. I didn't really care for the first few episodes. I mean, they just didn't interest me too much. But then it started to get much better. The Sign of Three in season 3 I REALLY enjoyed.
Still, if you have a movie filter, like Vid Angel or Clear Play, do please use it. There is quite a bit of stuff in the show that, shall we say, could be done without. :P A filter would be best, I say.
The best part is, I finally understand all those Sherlock jokes on Pinterest.

 So. That was my little miniature review. Bottom Line: Good show, but Watch Out.

Look, look, guys! It's BILBO. :D

My recovery will be ending in another couple of days, and I hope to be back to posting regularly once again before too long.
For now, have a good day.
I hope your throat is feeling much better than mine at the moment.
-Phoebe