Movies from every state day 49- Arkansas

Arkansas is known as "The Natural State" for it's natural beauty, clear lakes and streams along with an abundance of natural wildlife. Another state I haven't been to, so I'll take their word for it. We should see a good sampling of AR tonight since we're visiting Clarendon, Fort Chaffee, Fort Smith and Lamar Porter Baseball Field in Little Rock.

We know nothing about this one "A Soldiers Story". It's timing is near the end of WW11 at a Black Army base where there is a murder of a Sargent. A black Army attorney is sent to investigate. The segrigation and hatred at this time in history still amazes me. I was actually stationed in Alabama in 1971 and the signs were still, literally, in the South then. Most had been painted over or removed, but you could see the outline of "Colored Entrance" or "Whites Only" in many places. Two different drinking fountains that were once race separated. 

Before and during WW11 there were very few "Colored" officers and none in the South until a Black Captain shows up from Washington DC to investigate the killing. It's eye opening to see how he is treated by "White" officers. The show is of a troubling time, but the humor and the acting make it a pretty darn good one. Denzel Washington is in it and in 1984 he's way down the list of actors. 

Well, That's #49. One to go. We've saved the best for last. A movie marathon celebrating our favorite state 'The Last Frontier" ALASKA!!! Adam will be home for Thanksgiving next week and we're going to save #50 for then. You'll see many parts of the biggest dang state in the union and actors like John Wayne, Sandra Bullock, Cuba Gooding Jr,. There will also be a story about real Alaskans and friends who survived everything by doing anything they need to do.

 

Movies from every state day 48- North Dakota

I know, I know, it's been awhile. We finally found two movies that cover states we had to pass over. Our collection did cover 48 states with no problem, but Arkansas and North Dakota were giving us a hard time. I'll admit we had to shop for these two. Thank goodness for Amazon.com and a huge list of  movies. Better yet is the fact that the two I chose must not have been highly sought after, because their prices were slashed. Tonight we are in North Dakota, because #4 child (Rob) is there too. North Dakota, known as the "Peace Garden State" because of the International Peace Garden that straddles the international boundary between ND and Manitoba Canada. Flickertail State, because of the way the Richardson ground squirrels flicks it's tail or " The Roughrider State" because of the ND Cowboys who joined Teddy and his First US Volunteer Calvary.
We'll visit Medora, Fryburg and Beach ND. A Medora local (Sheila Schafer) has one line and plays "Lady at Diner". Her husband, Harold, also had one line as an extra in "How the West Was Won" with Henry Fonda who happens to be the father of one of the stars in tonight's show, Peter Fonda along with Kris Kristofferson, Keith Carradine and Joe Mazzello all round out the cast of "The Wooly Boys"a story of an older ND rancher, his cronies, his young "Big City" grandson and the adventures they have when Stoney (Peter Fonda) goes to Minneapolis for medical treatment he doesn't realize has been set up for him. He ends up schooling his pampered grandson about life in general and his roots. The reviews I've read said "Funny, Sad, Heartwarming all make this a Winner". With a few big names you'd yhink the acting would be a little better. Must be why it did less than $500,000 at the box office. I might be a little too harsh, it is watchable, a good idea for a film, and it was filmed in North Dakota. Thank goodness for Dakota the one bright spot among the characters played by Guapo a big, black, beautiful horse who can actually act.

Movies from every state day 47- Hawaii

In order of Statehood, "The Aloha State", Hawaii is the last and it's out in the middle of no where in the Pacific Ocean too. It consists of a group of mountains that stick out of the ocean. Gee, 1959 aren't we overdue for another state. Maybe Puerto Rico should make the move from unincorporated territory.
Even though our son was announced as Adam Sandler at several of his out of town basketball games, Adam , the Sandler one, has not been my favorite actor. In this show he actually works pretty well with Drew Barrymore. Whoever came up with the idea of "50 First Dates" had a great idea. It's a little to corny at times, OK most of the time, but the idea was great. Hawaii, what a great place, where Aloha is used as Hello or Goodbye, just in case you can't remember which way you're going. If you haven't seen it yet, quit reading now........... Because they end up in my favorite state, Alaska at the other end of the Pacific.