Thursday Movie Picks - All in the Family Edition: Adopted/Foster Families

Damn it! Why did I use Annie already? I guess it's okay. I had plenty to choose from this week. After the hard-hitters last week with the Journalist movies, I feel like it's time to lighten things up a bit.

Now, stories of adopted kids, or kids from foster families, can certainly get a bit sad and sappy. Some, though, are nice mixtures of sweet and funny. That's what you'll find here today.

So, welcome back to Thursday, people. The weekend is nigh! This week on Wandering through the Shelves' Thursday Movie Picks, it's an All in the Family Edition...Adopted/Foster Families.

Introducing...Pop Depravity

Greetings Blog Friends!

Late last week, I was introduced, through social media, to a pop culture blogger/site runner out of Memphis with a slick new website called Pop Depravity. This is a great place for interesting, humor-laced perspectives on media.

I am pleased to announce that I will be a regular contributor to the site after hitting it off with the team over there. I will, of course, be writing about movies, specifically providing new reviews of sci-fi flicks and thrillers and all the movie fanatic stuff you've come to love about me at my home here at Speaks in Movie Lines.

My work for Pop Depravity certainly won't change what I've got going here but will offer another platform in which to showcase my movie mania.

I am so happy to be a part of this new site, and I hope you all will check it out.

My first piece is up...a rundown of some of the bigger, American films screened at TIFF, the ones with release dates in the coming month, including Ridley Scott's The Martian, Denis Villeneuve's Sicario, and Lenny Abrahamson's Room, which made big waves with its People's Choice Award.

Cheers!

Kevin

In Movie Lines: August 23 - September 19

August 23 - September 19, 2015

Thursday Movie Picks: Journalists

I have always had a fascination with journalists. As a kid, I wanted to be Roger Ebert. That's not weird, is it? He is why I have this blog. I loved movies. I read his stuff. I fell in love with writing about movies, with being knowledgeable about them. I have to write about movies. It makes me happy. It is my great hobby in life.

There are some great movies about journalists and journalism. I really had to cut down my initial brainstorm for this post...quite a bit.

On Home Video: Noah Baumbach's While We're Young

A Review by Kevin Powers

★★★

I wish Noah Baumbach was as consistent a storyteller as he is a writer. It makes his movies hit and miss. But really? Who am I kidding? I have never not liked a Noah Baumbach movie. He is just that good. But they don't always work as compelling stories.

On Home Video: Insurgent

A Review by Kevin Powers

★ 1/2 

As I am wont to do when I watch any movie, I post a screencap on my Instagram. There are some awesome movie fans with great IG accounts out there, and I am proud to be a part of that. One of these followers of mine commented on my post for the newest installment, the second of three (maybe?), of The Divergent Series.

It went something like this:  "otherwise known as the other Hunger Games."

To which I replied: "And so not as good. Yep. Hunger Games Lite."

Thursday Movie Picks: Train Movies

Happy Thursday! This week on Wandering through the Shelves' Thursday Movie Picks, it's Train Movies. Cool topic! Hard to narrow down.

I can only think of maybe two movies (that I've seen) that are set entirely on trains. I have seen plenty of movies with scenes on trains.

Thursday Movie Picks: Teachers

Being that I am a teacher, I find it hard to pinpoint strong teachers in movies. There just aren't many movies that get it exactly right, as far as the day-to-day grind goes. TV has done quite a bit better than the movies, if you ask me (more on that later).

Now, I'm sure there are some out there. I just don't think I've ever seen them. It's almost as if I avoid movies about teachers. I think it hits too close to home.

There are some movie teachers out there, though, that inspire in lofty ways that provide plenty of entertainment and emotional impact for the audience. It's those that I've gone with week.

So, this week on Wandering through the Shelves' Thursday Movie Picks, it's Teachers.