Movies from every state day 33- Texas

Since our family came from 27 years in Alaska, I don't mind visiting the second largest state tonight. "The Lone Star State" Is this place really our 28th state? Many believe the origins of the "Lone Star" was from Mexico trying to uphold it's rights to the Lone state of Mexico under the constitution of 1824. Others believe the star represents the wish of many Texans to achieve statehood with the United States. It's part of us now, and that's a good thing. In 1839 the design of the golden star on a blue background was introduced to symbolize the republic and the " Lone Star State" and has ever since.  Tonight we all get reminded not to give up our dreams. "The Rookie" takes us to Big Lake, Texas and a high school coach that talks to his team about achieving their dreams only to have them make a deal with him. They win games and he tries out for the "Bigs". They do and he does! This small town was founded on the dreams of two nuns who take a chance and bless the site with rose petals and prayers to Santa Rita. It looks like praying to "Saint Rita the Patron Saint of Desperate Causes" still works. If you like Dennis Quaid, baseball, long shots, Texas or big dreams, you'll like this one. It's based on a true story too! It's even rated G, but watch out Dennis does say Damn once. Never too late to chase those dreams, but don't forget Saint Rita and the yellow roses!

Movies from every state day 32- Nebraska

 We are experiencing a great test of our film library while trying to cross the heartland of America. Not many movies were either shot in or possessed by us that covers a few states we're trying to visit. Don't worry, we will eventually prevail. We are lucky that a fine, if not small portion of our film tonight was shot in Scottsbluff, NE. 
The 1945 Legislature made official " The Cornhusker State " nickname. Unlike may University athletic teams who got their name from the State, Nebraska got it's from the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers who received the name in 1900 from Charles "Cy" Sherman a sportswriter.  I like " Elizabethtown" for several reasons. It could have satisfied the requirments for several states, it's got a good, no really good, soundtrack, shows small town in all it's glory and horror. It's basically about a young shoe designer that kind of goofs to the tune of slightly less than a Billion Dollar loss to his now former employer. As he's about to do himself in, he finds out his father died and he's thrown into family, town and past that he'd just as soon avoid. With his mother and sister on one side of the country and him with  the extra extended fathers side of the family. On the way he meets a flight attendant and they have kind of a weird bond that develops in a weird way, during a weird road trip she sends him on. It ends in a most logical way after a lot of fun, sorrow, confusion and more fun.

Movies from every state day 31- Missouri

Tonight's feature takes us Down Under. No I'm not talking about Australia, we're in the USA remember?
I'm talking about the largest underground lake in the world. It just so happens to be located in a mine at Bonne Terre, Missouri.The lower levels of the mine form a 17 mile illuminated lake. Jacques Cousteau even dove this baby. All of this is located under "The Show Me State". The name is attributed to Rep. Willard Van Diver in 1899 and connotes a certain self deprecating stubbornness and devotion to simple common sense. I might need to move there!
Our movie used the clear water with visibility to 100 feet year round to shoot many of the underwater scenes in "The Abyss". At 2000 ft plus underwater we get to witness the end and rebirth of a marriage,
military "Intelligence", bravery, self sacrifice . I know I held my breath too long a few times. They also toss in a bunch of cool underwater toys with a pinch or two of science.

Movies from every state day 30- Louisiana

Early European settlers were impressed by the abundance of and the generous nurturing attitude toward their young that the Brown Pelicans displayed. The Brown Pelican completely disappeared
for a time, they had quit nesting in the area due to the heavy use of pesticides. They were put on the endangered list and years later repopulated with birds from Florida. They are doing well now. Louisiana has several nicknames, like, Bayou State, Sugar State, Creole State and others including one that I like "The Child of the Mississippi" because silt from the river has added land mass to the state. Since the Pelican is the state bird, on the state flag and seal, it wins the nickname honors.
If you're going to visit the state you can't miss New Orleans.  A error in a medical check causes our star to quit her job, cash in her retirement and pursue her "Possibilities". As she tries to live the good life before she dies by spending every dime she has, amazing things start to happen including winning a bundle at the gaming tables, impressing a bunch of stuck ups, meeting her idol chef and getting the guy and career of her dreams. Queen Latifah is a perfect fit for this role. Remember the secret to life is Butter!
 

Movies from every state day 29-Iowa

 There is absolutely no other movie for " The Hawkeye State" than the choice for tonight, but first we must take care of  another little tidbit of history. The nickname got official recognition by "Territorial Officials" in 1838. It was introduced by two Iowa promoters from Burlington, Judge Rorer and News Publisher Edwards after the 1832 Black Hawk War to pay tribute to Chief Black Hawk. There you go!
We will visit Dubuque, Dyersville and Farley, IA home of the PTA meeting of the "Book Burning Nazi Cow" Field of Dreams is a favorite in the Sadler household. When you're total broke and your only hope to survive is your corn crop, what better thing to do than mow it down to create a fantastic baseball field to satisfy the voice in your head that you alone can hear, then go on a road trip in an old VW bus. Things work out, the farm is saved and everyone can hear the voice and see the ghosts. Oops, I shouldn't have given away the ending, but too late now! Enjoy!!

Movies from every state day 28- Minnesota

Minnesota 'the North Star State" because it's given people a sense of direction over time.? Not sure where that came from. I can understand where "Land of 10,000 Lakes" on their license plates comes from even though they sell themselves short, since they have closer to 12,000.

I really like tonight's show and since it takes place in so many Minnesota locations it's now number one as far a shoot locations in one state, so far.  Joe Somebody, with Tim "The Toolman "Allen is funny with Joe who wants to become a new man, be noticed, take on the big bully, only to find out that the ones that mattered like him the way he was. He's got a great daughter who helps him get straightened out. 

The karaoke scenes take place at Grumpy's Bar and grill in Minneapolis, Target store shoot was in Plymouth and the Fine Arts Resource School located in Crystal help round out the plethora of MN locations. Joe works as a AV guy at a pharmaceutical company putting out a new medication that " Makes You Better Than You Really Are" with minimal side effects, like depression, distorted vision, dizziness, dry mouth, lockjaw, heart palpitations, .............................................................................................. and possibly sudden death, 

but Makes You Better Than You Are!!

 

Movies from every state day 27-Wisconsin

 The badger is one ferocious little bugger and has been has been associated with tonights state since territorial days but became the official state animal and nickname of Wisconsin in 1957. Another of the shows I've watched several times and don't tire off is "Iron Will".  It's the "Rudy" the "Rocky" of dog sledding. During the race we'll visit Oliver and Superior Wisconsin. The story of a young man that looses his father and enters a long distance dog race to save the family farm. Will Stoneman is like the badger in that he bit into an dream and refused to let go. A great Disney movie that would have made Walt proud.

 

 

 

 

Movies from every state day 26-Illinois

I'm having a little problem with Illinois and it's nickname, actually all 6 of them. The better known Prairie State and Land of Lincoln have fairly obvious origins and according to my baby brother, the Corn State would be appropriate, but, The Garden of the West, and Egypt ( for the Southern area) might be a stretch. There is my favorite and far less known "The Sucker State" now who wouldn't want to be from there. There are at least five possible sources for that one, but who really cares.
For tonight we have choices. We've narrowed it to two. My Big Fat Greek Wedding is OK, but it's so
freaking hot out we're going with "Christmas Vacation" after all there are only 107 shopping days left. Christmas Vacation had filming locations at the John Hancock Center (Clark's Boss's office) and
Marshall Field & Company Department Store where Clark is thinking of nothing else but his wife's gift. Both places in Chicago. Clark is also wearing a Chicago Bears hat on the tree hunting expedition. I can really relate to Clark. In one way or another I have attempted most, if not all of his holiday decorating techniques. With pretty much the same results.
It is working though, we're both feeling cooler.

Movies from every state day 25- Indiana

 Wow, we're going to be half way through the states after tonight's visit to Indiana "The Hoosier State". Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be a definitive answer as to where or why Hoosier was adopted as the states nickname. Some have it coming into use after a poet by the name of Finley wrote a poem "The Hoosier's Nest". Hoosier was also a derogatory term used in the South for a hick or country simple man and that they supposedly moved North. Another possibility, and one that is easier for me to grasp is that early visitors to pioneer cabins would hail and be answered by " Who's yere?". Well, it's as probable as any explanation! 
Where else would we be going in Indiana, but Notre Dame. A movie that truly shows what tenacity and hard work can get you. Rudy is a great example of both. That dang kid wouldn't take "no" for an answer from anybody. Kind of reminds me of someone I know that has always put every thing he has into the game and brings the best out of his team with his effort, skill and attitude. I'm talkin' about the "Rally Man" himself, our son!

Movies from every state day 24-Michigan

 Ohioans gave Michigan the nickname "The Wolverine State" around 1835 during a dispute over a strip of land that became the Toledo War, because Michiganians were as mean as wolverines. I prefer the "Great Lake State" for a couple of reasons. It borders 4 of the 5 great lakes. It has more than 11,000 inland lakes and more importantly it beats the heck out of Walmart who claims you're never more than 15 miles from one of their stores. In Michigan you're never more than 6 miles from a lake! 
With that fantastic bit of trivia out of the way, we're going to visit two locations in Michigan tonight. Not only do we get to see Detroit, we get to visit Port Huron as well. I'm not a huge fan of Danny DeVito, but he does a pretty good job with his character in "Renaissance Man". He's out of work in advertising and takes a job as an instructor on a Army base where he ends up helping some struggling soldiers find themselves. For Michigan we could have gone with two other choices in our library, Grand Torino or Beverly Hills Cop, maybe next road trip we'll be in the mood for one of them. 
PS. Just finished it and I had forgotten that it's a dang fine "feel good" show.

Movies from every state day 23- Kentucky

Kentucky "The Bluegrass State" is on tonights schedule. Bluegrass isn't really blue, it's grass so it's green, but in the spring it produces a bluish-purple bud and when seen in large fields gives a blue cast to the grass. Early pioneers found it growing in the rich limestone soil and wanted "some of that there blue grass from Kentucky". The name stuck.
Tonight, since Karrie is such a good sport to sit though another dang action movie, we're going to watch U.S. Marshalls with Tommy Lee Jones and Wesley Snipes. Guys get shot, tow truck wreck, plane crash, more guys get shot, good guy swings from tall building to roof of moving train, even more guys get shot, good guy gets girl back and proves he's innocent. What more could anyone ask for? Oh, it does cover our state visit requirements by using film locations in Benton and Eddyville Kentucky. We're slowly moving West with hopes of finding a state with a somewhat lighter movie topic.

Movies from every state day 22- Ohio

"The Buckeye State" is our next destination. The name has native origins. The tree that once covered the hillsides and valleys has a nut with markings resembling the eye of a buck. They called it "hetuck" or "buckeye". Because he was know to drink and live in a log cabin built of buckeye, during his 1840 presidential campaign, William Harrison's backers walked with buckeye canes and rolled whiskey barrels in parades causing people to dub "Old Tippecanoe" from being the " Buckeye State " candidate. He won too.
Tonight's show shares a location with Shawshank Redemption. That movie and our feature tonight may have saved the Mansfield Reformatory from demolition. It had lain dormant for four years before being used in two films as a prison. In "Air Force One" it's used as the Russian prison. I'll vote for Harrison Ford for President if he'll be like the one in this show. He'd have to get new security people though, these didn't do a very good job and most of them are dead anyway. Does Air Force One really have an escape pod? The Air Force says no, but I too, wouldn't tell everyone if it did. Good deal of excitement, the good guys win, the President kicks some bad guy butt and the object was to visit Ohio. Mission accomplished.

Movies from every state day 21- West Virginia

West Virginia " The Mountain State" because of  the Appalachian Mountains. It was the only state formed during the Civil War. It's also home to the first organized golf club in America.
"We Are Marshall" is about a school, town and state that suffered a horrific disaster that killed most of the football team and many prominent citizens. I touch people all across the country. It's about Marshall University's President and a football coach, who's hope was to restore the program and community. It's a true story filled with sadness and humor that must have helped in healing. They did move on, but they've remembered the event, day and time every year since. No matter if you're a sports fan or not, the spirit required to overcome this test is truly amazing. Karrie must have been cuttin' onions again during this one.

Movies from every state day 20-Vermont

   
"The Green Mountain State" Verd Mont was a name given to the Green Mountains in 1761 by Rev. Peters. In 1791 Vermont became the first state after the original thirteen.
On one of our hottest days of the year what better way to celebrate Vermont than by watching "White Christmas" I'll not ruin one of our favorite holiday classics by telling you that the two trains shown taking them from Florida to Vermont never ran on the east coast or that the Columbia Inn Station Wagon that picks them up at the Vermont train station actually had black and yellow California license plates (because it was a shot in California) or that Vera-Ellen as Judy Haynes actually only sings one song, Probably because she was so weak from malnutrition. My God she could have worn Hunters collar as a belt. The part were Crosby and Kaye do the girls part wasn't in the script. They were goofing off and everyone thought it was great and left it in.
It's a great show not because of the music, dancing or goofs, but because it's all about friends helping out friends when their in a bind. As far as I'm concerned it will always end with a White Christmas in Vermont. 

Movies from every state day 19-Maine

Well, This is the last state on the Atlantic coast. It was tough finding movies for a couple of these upper East coast states. Maine, The Pine Tree State, for it's prolific white pine, we'll showcase "run" Forrest "run" Gump. I didn't realize that Forrest taught Elvis all his moves. Looking back it is amazing that segregation was still so deep seated. I'm real glad I went to Germany instead of Vietnam. Just like peas and carrots, Jenny and Forrest. He takes a little jog across America and on the West to East leg of the trip ends up at the Marshall Point Lighthouse, near Point Clyde, Maine. Forrest might have been considered "simple" but he'd do anything for people and that's the way it should. I could sure go for some Budda Gump Shrimp right about now! I still crack up every time I see Forrest jump off his boat to see Lieutenant Dan.  Sometimes in life "There's just not enough rocks" but "Life is like a box of chocolate, you never know what you'll get" This one sure has a good soundtrack even though they don't play much of each song.
We're working our way West from here.