Category Archives: Challenge

03.10.19
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Writing Prompt #209: Romantic Movies (Day 9)

Romantic Movies

Image by Nietjuh on Pixabay

Coming to America (1988)

ComingtoAmerica1988MoviePoster.jpg

I’d heard of this movie for years, but didn’t watch it until a few years ago. Al brought it up in conversation, and I confessed I’d never seen the whole thing. It’s now one of my favorite Eddie Murphy movies!

Not only is this movie set in New York, Queens to be specific, it’s hilarious! Eddie Murphy and Arsenio Hall are hysterical, and the escapades they have make this movie awesome.

Shari Headley is great as Lisa, Murphy’s love interest. It’s a sweet story about love, identity, and family.

Come back tomorrow for a new movie!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

03.08.19
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Writing Prompt #208: Romantic Movies (Day 8)

Romantic Movies

Image by Nietjuh on Pixabay

Dirty Dancing (1987)

Dirty Dancing.jpg

Oh my word. This movie!

Much like Footloose, I memorized much of the soundtrack before seeing the movie in full.

I didn’t see the movie in full until I was well into college. Now it’s one of my favorite movies, and definitely a guilty pleasure.

While at Longwood, I had the great opportunity to attend the annual S.E.A.L. Leadership Conference twice, once as an attendee, and another time as a workshop presenter. The cool thing? The conference was held at Mountain Lake, near Pembroke, Virginia, where portions of the movie were filmed! They have Dirty Dancing Themed Weekends, and I’d love to do that someday.

When I joined the Longwood chapter of Alpha Sigma Tau, we participated in a fun event called “Greek Sync,” where many of the fraternities and sororities would select a group of members, and the groups would choreograph and perform a routine to that year’s theme. During my first semester as a sister in 2009, we used part of “(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life” as our opening number of our performance, where Erica and Kirk, one of the sorority sister-fraternity brother couples, performed part of the dance that was in the movie. Ironically, when we were first starting rehearsals and decided to have this part in our performance, we were watching the movie so Erica could learn the dance moves. We found out that night Patrick Swayze died! We all cried our eyes out. None of us could watch the movie again for at least a week!

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Back to the movie!

Patrick Swayze sets my heart on fire. May he Rest in Peace!

Jennifer Grey truly comes of age in this movie! I’m always jealous of their dancing skills!

It’s a good story, of course. And I love the scenery!

I shameless sing along to every song in this movie, especially “(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life.”

I want to watch this movie again, right now!

Come back tomorrow for a new movie!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

03.07.19
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Writing Prompt #207: Romantic Movies (Day 7)

Romantic Movies

Image by Nietjuh on Pixabay

The Princess Bride (1987)

Princess bride.jpg

I think this one is the epitome of a romantic movie. What’s not to like?

A good book. A good story. A handsome hero. A beautiful princess. Action. Adventure. Capers! Saving the damsel from distress.

“As you wish.”

Cary Elwes – Swoooooon.

Robin Wright is just gorgeous!

The cast of characters – Mandy Patinkin, Chris Sarandon, Christopher Guest, Wallace Shawn, Andre the Giant, Billy Crystal, Carol Kane, plus Fred Savage and Peter Falk.

Excuse me, I need to go watch this movie again!

Come back tomorrow for a new movie!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

03.06.19
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Writing Prompt #206: Romantic Movies (Day 6)

Romantic Movies

Image by Nietjuh on Pixabay

Footloose (1984)

FootloosePoster.jpg

I’d memorized the words to “Footloose” by Kenny Loggins YEARS before I saw the movie in full. Once one of my sorority sisters found out I hadn’t seen the whole movie in 2010, she organized a sweet movie night, just the two of us, and we watched it in my dorm room. It was so awesome! Thanks, Sam!

I can’t articulate very well how much I love this movie! I love the music. I love Kevin Bacon. I love the story, which is based on real-life events from Elmore City, Oklahoma. I love the certain nostalgia feelings of high school. I went to college in a small town, so I could imagine how people in towns like Farmville, and hundreds (if not thousands) of others in these United States, live in a small, close-knit community where all the kids grow up together and their families know one another.

I also love how a series of life lessons are sprinkled into this coming-of-age story, which has comedy, drama, romance, and music!

As a Christian, I also appreciated the inclusion of the pastor and his family into the story, and the roles their characters play throughout the movie.

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I will also mention that I enjoyed the Footloose remake in 2011. I loved seeing in theaters, and Al was so sweet to take me. I loved Miles Teller as Willard, and Julianne Hough was awesome as Ariel. I play the soundtrack in my car about a month, especially if I need a pick-me-up. While no one can outdo Kenny Loggins, Blake Shelton did a bang-up job with “Footloose.” I also enjoyed Jana Kramer’s version of “Let’s Hear It for the Boy,” and “Almost Paradise,” performed by Victoria Justice and Hunter Hayes. “Dance the Night Away” was a great choice for a pivotal scene in the remake as well.

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Do you have a favorite song from Footloose? Me personally, my favorite is “Footloose,” followed by “Never” by Moving Pictures, and “Holding Out for a Hero” by Bonnie Tyler.

Come back tomorrow for a new movie!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

03.05.19
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Writing Prompt #205: Romantic Movies (Day 5)

Romantic Movies

Image by Nietjuh on Pixabay

Romancing the Stone (1984)

Romancing the stone.jpg

Al was positively appalled when he learned I hadn’t seen this movie! We watched it together about two years ago? I love Michael Douglas, so I definitely wanted to see this! And Robert Zemeckis is one of my favorite directors.

This movie has a little bit of everything: Romantic comedy, adventure, and more!

Being from New York City, I love movies set in the Big Apple. And, this movie takes you on quite the adventure!

Seeing Jack and Joan develop on-screen gave me all the warm fuzzies. So many emotions during a “treasure” hunt!

Come back tomorrow for a new movie!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

03.04.19
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Writing Prompt #204: The ABC Book Challenge (The Letter V)

ABC Book Challenge - G

Memorable Books Starting with the Letter “V”:

The Vacationers

The Vacationers

  • After abandoning it originally, I’m glad I finished this book. It’s definitely more of a “fluff” or “beach” read, but it was entertaining and fun.

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The Velveteen Rabbit

  • I don’t think this was my favorite book, but we definitely had a copy!

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The Very Hungry Caterpillar

  • This book was special to me and my family! Eric Carle is such a talented artist and writer.

Victory in the Valley

Victory in the Valley

  • Domeka used to work at my company. He’s an amazing pastor, husband, and father. This is his first book. It’s part memoir, part testimony, part Bible study. I’m already looking forward to the sequel!

Books I’d Love to Read Starting with the Letter “V”:

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Vanishing Acts

  • I keep hearing good things about Jodi Picoult and her books. I need to get this one at the library soon.

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Voices from Chernobyl: The Oral History of a Nuclear Disaster

  • I wasn’t alive when the Chernobyl disaster occurred in 1986, but I’ve been fascinated by it since first learning about in several of my history classes.

What books have you read, or want to read, that start with the letter V? Let me know!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

03.04.19
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Writing Prompt #203: Romantic Movies (Day 4)

Romantic Movies

Image by Nietjuh on Pixabay

Grease (1978)

Image result for grease movie poster

I really do love movie musicals!

I can’t remember when I first saw this movie, but I know I loved almost everything about it. Danny was a tough guy, and Sandy was sweet and innocent. I know I wasn’t in high school yet, because I remember thinking about how “cool” high school was for them, and how cool high school was going to be for me. And, to see Sandy truly come of age and transform was a sight to see.

What I do remember is listening to the soundtrack in various people’s cars during youth group and other events. I borrowed the CD from the library a lot. I love the music!

I also remember asking my mom a lot of questions about the historical side, since she grew up in the 1950s. She wasn’t in high school then, but it’s a movie she likes, too.

At the end of the movie, the carnival was a dream!

Do you have a favorite song from Grease? I think mine is “You’re the One that I Want.”

Come back tomorrow for a new movie!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

03.03.19
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Writing Prompt #202: Romantic Movies (Day 3)

Romantic Movies

Image by Nietjuh on Pixabay

Doctor Zhivago (1965)

Image result for doctor zhivago movie poster

I first watched this movie in high school, after my mother’s incredulous reaction that I’d never seen it. I think I had to read the book, or maybe we were discussing it in school for history class.

Based on the 1957 novel by Boris Pasternak, the movie is set in Russia between the years prior to World War I and the Russian Civil War of 1917-1922. Before the movie was produced, the book was banned in the Soviet Union. Therefore, the movie was not allowed to be filmed there!

Omar Sharif is incredibly handsome, and Julie Christie is beautiful. There is an ensemble cast, including Sir Alec Guinness.

Critics were initially disappointed, particularly with the run time of more than three hours. However, the film’s reputation has improved.

The movie was nominated for a total of ten Academy Awards. It won five: Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Score, Best Cinematography, Best Art Direction, and Best Costume Design. Four of the five other nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director, went to The Sound of Music. The film also won five Golden Globes out of its six nominations.

If you haven’t seen it, I highly recommend it. It’s an intense love story set in a volatile history in history.

Come back tomorrow for a new movie!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

03.02.19
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Writing Prompt #201: Romantic Movies (Day 2)

Romantic Movies

Image by Nietjuh on Pixabay

Cinderella (1950)

Image result for cinderella movie poster

As much as I adored Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, I enjoyed Cinderella, too. It’s a classic story. The Technicolor is stunning. The music is amazing!

I think my favorite characters in this movie are Jaq and Gus, followed by the Fairy Godmother.

The film marked the launch of the Walt Disney Music Company. The success of the movie allowed Walt Disney to finance several productions, both animated and live-action. He also established his own distribution company, entered television production, and began construction on Disneyland, which opened in Anaheim, California in 1955. Something called the Florida Project was also started, which is now known as Walt Disney World.

The movie was nominated for three Academy Awards – Best Sound; Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture; and Best Music, Original Song (“Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo”).

Come back tomorrow for a new movie!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂

03.02.19
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Writing Prompt #200: “30 Day Disney Challenge” (Day 30)

30 Day Disney Challenge

Image Credit: Meerkat Musings

Day 30 – Your favorite theme park show

Festival of the Lion King, Animal Kingdom

Image result for festival of the lion king

This is one of those shows that captivates you from the very beginning. The cast is amazing, and it’s all-encompassing! Truly incredible!

Thank you for following along with me these last 30 days! This was such a fun challenge!

Until the next headline, Laura Beth 🙂