Movie Recs

I've read a lot of books (as in thousands which is not an exaggeration). I've also watched thousand of movies and shows, and from time to time I get asked what my favorite movie, show, song, etc... is. As a general rule when it comes to movies I have a handful of go to answers depending on my mood, the day of the week and more. Those answers I give usually have tongue and cheek reference to my frame of mind but don't have any real depth behind them.

For those who want to know. My knee jerk answers include Tremors (Giant killer worms, what more could you want?), Live Free or Die Hard (This was the first Die Hard movie I remember seeing and is still my favorite), Angry Bird (animation with a ton of adult humor), Now You See Me (Magicians! enough said), or Witches of the Caribbean (cheap b-rated horror flick. don't watch it, seriously.)

Today, I want to rec a few movies which have a little more depth and meaning to them. These are movies of inspiration, tragedy, and more, and they are movie that I tend to guard much closer to my heart. 

Freedom Writers: This is a drama film that was released in 2007 and features Hillary Swank as a new english teacher in a high school in Long Beach where she is forced to work with several minority group students who are treated unfairly in a school system that is made with the sole intent of their failure but manages to overcome the issues to bring these students together and help them through their high school years. It is based on a book called The Freedom Writer Diaries which is a true story. As far as movies go, I find this one to be both tragic and uplifting and recommend it to any avid movie watcher.

Coyote Ugly: This 2000 musical romantic comedy is not for everyone, but it is a story of inspiration. It's about a girl chasing her dream to become a song writer and goes to New York City to follow her dream. Once there, the floor of her dreams falls out from under her and she ends up working in a bar called Coyote Ugly. It's not a super serious story but it can be inspiring.

North Country: A 2005 drama movie around the work in the coal mines in the late eighties and how women workers were treated. This movie gives a hard look at how women may be potentially treated when working in a "man's world." It is based on a 2002 book that is inspired by a true story. 

Some other movies include Soul Surfer, Gone With The Wind, My Sister's Keeper, Sound of Music, Mary Poppins, If I Stay, and Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid  (the 1975 anime, not the disney version)