It is hard to not be drawn to a movie set in your home city, state or region. Share on your blog movies set in your part of the world and then link back to The Bumbles. And don't forget to visit your fellow participants!

And here we go . . .

I was born, raised, and still live in Southern California, the capital of the film and television industry in the US. Lots of movies are made here, and it's not uncommon to find a film crew in a random neighborhood at any time; it's just part of living in SoCal. Remembering movies that are set in Los Angeles or California, though, is a different story. It turned out to be a little more challenging for me than I thought it would be, but here's what I managed to come up with:

Boyz n the Hood (1991): Set in South Central Los Angeles, which isn't too far from where I grew up, this film is made all the more tragic because of its unfortunate realism.

Freedom Writers (2007): Based on the true story of Erin Gruwell, a young teacher from the perfectly planned city of Irvine (the first "Stepford" community in the OC, as I call them), who gets a taste of real life when she teaches a group of high school students in Long Beach. Despite the disparities in their life experiences, Erin finds a way to reach and connect with her students so effectively that her classroom model has now spread across the country with incredible success. As an educator, this movie resonates with me in so many ways. We need more teachers like Erin Gruwell!

Gidget (1959): Gidget learns to surf at the beaches of Venice and Santa Monica. Who doesn't love Gidget?!

Paint Your Wagon (1969): I love this film! Set during California's Gold Rush, this musical comedy starring Clint Eastwood -- who sings in it -- and Lee Marvin is a movie that everyone should see for reason other than to laugh like a fool.

The Aviator (2004): Multi-millionaire Howard Hughes, the enigmatic subject of this film, lived and worked in Southern California. In fact, my father, mother, grandmother, 2 aunts, and 3 cousins all worked at, and many retired from, Hughes Aircraft, the defense contracting company he built in El Segundo.

Pulp Fiction (1994): This film provides a glimpse into the seedier side of life in Los Angeles. It's on my list of frequently played films.

Changeling (2008): I didn't care for this one very much, but it is set in Southern California.


Have a great week, everyone!

In honor of the Labor Day holiday here in the U.S. we thought we'd focus this week's topic on movies centered around work - finding a job, getting a job, loving a job, hating a job - you get the idea. Share on your blog movies all about making a living and then link back to The Bumbles. And don't forget to visit your fellow participants!

Here we go!

9 to 5: What better way to celebrate work than to tie up and hold prisoner your jerk of a boss while you get the goods and collect the evidence necessary to bring him down? What is that old saying about payback?

Norma Rae: It's been quite a while since I saw this one, but I remember being totally swept away by Norma Rae's passion in fighting for the rights of her fellow textile mill workers.

Falling Down: This film puts a whole new twist on the "going postal" idea! A defense engineer who is laid off and can't deal with it, jumps off the sanity train when he gets stuck in normal, everyday LA traffic. What he does with his anger and frustration is both frightening and eerily possible.

Daddy Day Care: When the daycare center is run by dads, very interesting -- not to mention, hilarious -- things happen!

The Grapes of Wrath: When John Steinbeck wrote the novel on which this film is based, it generated a great deal of controversy because of its realistic portrayal of the working class poor in America. The film does an outstanding job of translating Steinbeck's words into action, making this movie not just a classic but one that everyone should see!

This week's movie topic is all about The Great Outdoors...

Share on your blog movies all about living with nature and then link back to The Bumbles. And don't forget to visit your fellow participants!

The Cowboys (1972): I've never been a fan of cowboy movies, but since this one was filmed in and around my dad's hometown of Pagosa Springs, Colorado, and my grandmother loved to tell the story about how she had lunch with John Wayne after he and his crew came into the town's bank one day, I decided to watch it.

Turns out that the movie is actually pretty doggone good, partner! Even for someone like me who isn't particularly fond of the genre. This movie is also notable because it is the only one John Wayne ever made in which his character is killed!




Cold Mountain (2003): Always a sucker for a movie about the Civil War, I was pleasantly surprised by this one. Nicole Kidman was fabulous, but Renee Zellweger absolutely stole the show with her performance! I love Ruby's down-to-earth approach to life and her creative problem solving skills.

Whether it's portrayed through farming or characters riding through the snow in search of loved ones, this film is packed with images of the great outdoors. Heck, there's even a little bit of the age old struggle of man against nature in the film's theme!




White Fang (1991): Loosely based on the novel by Jack London, this film tells the story of a young man who goes to Alaska to take over his father's mining claim. When Jack first arrives in Alaska, he sees a beautiful young dog/wolf hybrid owned by a native who uses him for work. Jack, the city boy, disagrees with the man's treatment of the dog but can't do anything about it. Later, however, when the dog has been sold to another man who plans to train him to fight, Jack rescues him. With a little work and patience from Jack, White Fang learns to trust him and the two develop a lifelong friendship. Lots of beautiful Alaska scenery in this one.



Heidi (1937): By far my favorite of the old Shirley Temple films! I have no clue where it was filmed -- it seems unlikely that the outdoors scenes were actually shot in the Swiss Alps -- but wherever it was, the place was beautiful.

This is a heartwarming tale of an orphaned girl who goes to live in the mountains with her grouchy grandfather, is taken away from him by a mean old aunt who "sells" her to a wealthy family whose daughter is paralyzed and needing companionship. In true Shirley Temple fashion, Heidi works her magic on everyone she meets!

On December 5, 2008, I wrote about rediscovering an artist whom my mother loved one night when I couldn't sleep. The video that I am going to share today is the piece that actually reignited that spark. This week, it's Ella Fitzgerald who moves me.

Of Fitzgerald, Johnny Mathis said, "She was the best there ever was. Amongst all of us who sing, she was the best." From those early days on Harlem streets to the upper stratosphere of musical fame, Ella Fitzgerald's life was the quintessential American success story. Through fifty-eight years of performing, thirteen Grammys and more than forty million records sold, she elevated swing, bebop, and ballads to their highest potential. She was, undeniably, the First Lady of Song. (source)

Today's video is a clip from a movie made in 1938, the year before my parents were born. A young, beautiful, and vibrant Ella achieved her first hit with this song. I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do!





Lyrics:

A-tisket A-tasket
A brown and yellow basket
I send a letter to my mommy
On the way I dropped it

I dropped it
I dropped it
Yes on the way I dropped it
A little girlie picked it up
And put it in her pocket

SHE WAS TRUCKIN ON DOWN THE AVENUE
Not a single thing to do
She went peck peck pecking all around
When she spied it on the ground

She took it
She took it
My little yellow basket
And if she doesn't bring it back I think that I will die


Oh gee I wonder where my basket can be
(So do we, so do we, so do we, so do we, so do we)
Oh dear I wish that little girl I could see
(So do we, so do we, so do we, so do we, so do we)

Oh why was I so careless with that basket of mine?
That itty bitty basket was a joy of mine!

A-tisket
A-tasket
I lost my yellow basket
Won't someone help me find my basket
And make me happy again? again

(Was it red?) No, no, no, no
(Was it green?) No, no, no, no
(Was it serese?) No, no, no, no

Just a little yellow basket
A little yellow basket

Share on your blog movies that focus on characters being reunited and then link back at The Bumbles. And don't forget to visit your fellow participants!


Life Is Beautiful: Giosue survives the concentration camp thanks to the undying love and devotion of his father who uses his quick wit to shield his son from its horrors by turning their imprisonment into a "game" for the boy. Guido gives up his life for his son, but Giosue is reunited with his mother when he "wins" the game.

13 Going on 30: Thanks to some magic dust, unpopular Jenna Rink's wish to go from 13 to 30 is granted. She becomes a completely different person, one whom she discovers she really doesn't like very much at all. After she is reunited with her best childhood friend, Matt, Jenna realizes what she has lost. But lucky for Jenna, there is just enough magic dust left to transport her back to 13, where she carries with her the lesson learned about being careful what you wish for.

The Bumbles, our hosts, are on vacation -- a road trip from NY to Canada. Inspired by the promise of fun in their Jeep Cherokee journey, this week's movie theme is "on the road." So many movies are all about getting from Point A to Point B and the humor/drama/horror that occurs along the way. Share on your blog movies that focus on road trips and then link back to The Bumbles. And don't forget to visit your fellow participants!

This week's movie topic is all about Walking Out...

Have you ever walked out of a theater? Demanded a refund after renting? Turned the channel? Share on your blog some of the movies that made you wish you had that time in your life back and then link back to The Bumbles. And don't forget to visit your fellow participants!

I haven't ever walked out on a movie in the theater, but I have changed the channel on the television or turned off a DVD because I couldn't stand what I was watching. First, I have to say that when it comes to entertainment, I'm not one who tolerates gratuitous sex or violence and if a film's dialogue contains more vulgarities than civil language, I just won't watch. So, my list of films that were a complete waste of my time includes:

Scarface: Ok, I know that the movie is about gangsters and that they probably don't talk like Mary Poppins; however, when every fifth word begins with the letter F, I go for the remote.

Titanic: Leonardo di Caprio may have palpitated the hearts of tweens and teens around the world with his performance in this film, but it's hard for me to think of a movie that I can't stand more than this one! To make a love story out of one of the most tragic events in contemporary history and shift focus away from the hubris that cost so many people their lives ought to be criminal.

White Noise: I didn't think it was possible, but the movie is even worse than the book! Bleh!

Ishtar: How in the world Dustin Hoffman and Warren Beatty were sold on this movie is simply beyond my ken. Comedy, you say? Pshaw!

Bram Stoker's Dracula: For anyone who has actually read Stoker's novel, this film goes beyond bowdlerization and sits squarely at the center of absolute farce. The plot is thick enough to make an imaginary love story between Dracula and Mina completely unnecessary. Sadly, most young people will never read Stoker's masterpiece and thus will never know the real story.

Dumb and Dumber: The title is enough for this one.

I could have gone on and on and on with this theme, but I'll spare you this time. Happy movie watching, everyone!

Released to theaters in 1939, The Wizard of Oz has left an unparalleled cultural impact and legacy of song on American pop culture. The story of Dorothy, the farm girl from Kansas, and her companions, the Tin Man, the Cowardly Lion, and the Scarecrow -- oh, and Toto, too! -- reaches across the globe in one of the most internationally viewed films of all time.

Although "Yesterday" by The Beatles is the number one most recorded cover song, I'd be willing to bet that more people are familiar with "Over the Rainbow," the song ranked #1 by the American Film Institute on the 100 Greatest Songs in American Films list.

I love the film and the song, so my entry in today's Music Monday is three different cover versions of "Over the Rainbow." I hope that you will enjoy it as much as I do!






Lyrics | - SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW lyrics

Eva Cassidy, Live at Blues Alley in 1996
When Eva Cassidy died of skin cancer in 1996, she was virtually unknown outside her hometown of Washington, D.C. But four years later, when Terry Rogan of BBC Radio 2 played an obscure CD based on the recommendation of his producer and Top of the Pop aired a black and white video of Eva Cassidy singing "Over the Rainbow," something magical happened: Eva Cassidy achieved worldwide fame posthumously. An article in The Guardian notes that "There's an undeniable emotional appeal in hearing an artist who you know died in obscurity singing a song about hope and a mystical world beyond everyday life."

Sam Harris, Star Search 1983
Before American Idol, there was Star Search. When Sam Harris belted out his bluesy version of "Over the Rainbow," the American public paid attention. He went on to win the competition in the show's premier season. With a performance like this one, how could he not have won?


Leona Lewis, X-Factor 2007

This week's movie topic is all about Water...

Share some of the water based movies that sprung to mind on your blog and link back to The Bumbles. And don't forget to visit your fellow participants!

When I first saw this week's theme, I thought that I'd never be able to come up with a list. I'm not a fan of Johnny Depp, couldn't get through the first fifteen minutes of the first Pirates movie and haven't even tried the others, and most shocking of all, I hated Titanic. So what does that leave me with? Let's see. . .

• The Goonies -- My favorite movie of all time! Who doesn't like this story of a group of geeky kids, the "goonies," who set out to save their homes by finding the lost treasure of One-Eyed Willie the pirate?
• The Poseidon Adventure -- Whereas Titanic takes a true event and adds a fake love story that shifts audience attention away from the real tragedy in order to sell the story to the public, this film is focused entirely on the events surrounding the sinking ocean liner and the people who must work together and believe in one another in order to survive.
• The Adventures of Huck Finn -- Travel down the mighty Mississippi River with a pair of runaways: Jim, the runaway slave, and Huck, the child runaway who wants nothing more than to escape his alcoholic father's brutality and a woman's attempts to civilize him.
  
• Tharthara Fawq al-Nil (Adrift on the Nile) -- Based on the novel of the same name by the Egyptian Nobel Laureate, Naguib Mahfouz, this film is a dark look at life in post-1967 Egypt. Its primary setting is a houseboat where a group of characters are as much adrift on the Nile as they are adrift in life on shore.
• South Pacific -- Of all the Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals, this is my personal favorite.