Queen of Katwe tells the true story of Phiona Mutesi, a girl who sold corn on the streets of rural Uganda until her world rapidly changed when she was introduced to the game of chess as a 10-year-old. With support from her family and community, she discovers with the confidence and determination needed to pursue her dream of becoming an international chess champion. The trailer was just released today and it gave me serious chills. You can see the Queen of Katwe trailer here:
“The size of your dreams must always exceed your current capacity to achieve them.” – Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Nobel Peace Prize Winner and President of Liberia
My daughter really liked that quote from the beginning of the trailer.
A movie about an adolescent girl coming into her own by discovering and owning her talent and changing perceptions in the process? Yes, please! And the part where the mother asks, “Are you my daughter?” I’m already verklempt.
Queen of Katwe is right up my cinematic alley, and my daughter’s. She loved the trailer, too, and we’re both really excited to see this.
It stars David Oyelowo, Oscar® winner Lupita Nyong’o (love her!), and newcomer Madina Nalwanga.
As if that isn’t enough, Queen of Katwe is directed by Mira Nair, whom I’ve loved since 2001’s Monsoon Wedding, which was released in 2001. She is a fantastic story teller, and I think this is one story that I think we can all benefit from hearing and seeing. Speaking of seeing, I think the Queen of Katwe poster is so eye-catching and unique.
You can like Queen of Katwe on Facebook and follow on Twitter.
Media courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures.
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Here are the trailers of some of the Disney and Pixar films my family can’t wait to see at the movies in 2016, in order of their release dates.
The Finest Hours – January 29, 2016
Zootopia – March 4, 2016
The Jungle Book – April 15, 2016
Captain America: Civil War – May 6, 2016
Alice Through the Looking Glass – May 27, 2016
Finding Dory – June 17, 2016
The BFG – July 1, 2016
There isn’t a trailer out yet for Queen of Katwe, which I’m very excited to see when it comes out this fall for three reasons:
1. I love Mira Nair, director of the film;
2. I love Lupita N’yongo who is starring in the film;
3. I love the story of the film, that of a young girl from Uganda trains to become a world chess champion.
Event just this photo from the film simultaneously tugs at my heart strings and makes me feel a surge of girl power:
Finally, there’s Moana, the anticipated animated film about a teenager from Oceana who sails out on a daring mission to prove herself a master wayfinder and fulfill her ancestors’ unfinished quest that will be released in November.
I’m excited to head to the cinema often this coming year and see these compelling, wonderful stories. Which movies are you most excited about this coming year?
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What is Disney Screen?
Each day, Disney Screen will host four classic Disney films at 10:30AM, 1:15PM, 4:00PM and 7:00PM, with new films starting every Friday. All four films are accompanied with a short film, and the theme of the films changes weekly. August theme weeks are Disney Music, Disney Dogs, Pixar and Disney Animals!
Here’s the schedule for the month of August:
This video also explains it, and gave me the chills:
Where is Disney Screen happening?
Disney is testing the exciting concept of Disney Screen in six markets, including Chicago as well as Dallas, Cleveland, Orlando, and LA. You can find specific theater info here.
I feel like I was born under a good sign because the Chicagoland theater is located in Woodridge, which is very close to me. If you’re headed this way to watch a flick, let me know!
How do I win a family 4-pack of tickets for the month of August?
So glad you asked. Enter here!
Two winners will be notified on July 29th and need to . (Please make sure your contact info is correct.) I’m rooting for you! Good luck!
What do I win in the Disney Screen Giveaway?
I have two family four-packs of tickets to give away. Each ticket in the four-pack gains admission to all the Disney Screen showings in August. So there will be two winning families.
And if you don’t win…
Don’t despair! There are a lot of options for tickets to see these movies, with quarterly, monthly, weekly or daily passes available, and they’re pretty affordable.
- Daily – $5, 4 Movies, One Great Day!
- Weekly – $10, Unlimited admission for seven days
- Monthly – $20, Unlimited admission for one month
- Quarterly – $40, Unlimited admission for three months
Is Disney Screen just in August?
Nope! I saw on the website that there’s a schedule for September, and it’s pretty awesome. I may have announced that I’ll be seeing all four movies of Princess week as a birthday event. Given that quarterly packages are available, looks like October will be happening, too! So exciting!
Let me know in the comments which of the 16 movies in August would be your top pick to go see!
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Lisa’s father instantly popped to mind when I saw that the trailer for the new heroic action-thriller, “The Finest Hours,” was available. “The Finest Hours” tells the extraordinary true story of the greatest small boat rescue in Coast Guard history. Presented in Digital 3D
and IMAX® 3D, the film transports audiences to the heart of the action, creating a fully-immersive cinematic experience on an epic scale. “The Finest Hours” is based on the book by Michael J. Tougias and Casey Sherman.
On February 18, 1952, a massive nor’easter struck New England, pummeling towns along the Eastern seaboard and wreaking havoc on the ships caught in its deadly path, including the SS Pendleton, a T-2 oil tanker bound for Boston, which was literally ripped in half, trapping more than 30 sailors inside its rapidly-sinking stern. As the senior officer on board, first assistant engineer Ray Sybert (Casey Affleck) soon realizes it is up to him to take charge of the frightened crew and inspire the men to set aside their differences and work together to ride out one of the worst storms to ever hit the East Coast.
Meanwhile, as word of the disaster reaches the U.S. Coast Guard station in Chatham, Massachusetts, Warrant Officer Daniel Cluff (Eric Bana) orders a daring operation to rescue the stranded men. Despite overwhelming odds, four men, led by Coast Guard Captain Bernie Webber (Chris Pine), set out in a wooden lifeboat with an ill-equipped engine and little, if any, means of navigation, facing frigid temperatures, 60-foot high waves and hurricane-force winds.
I was thrilled to see the trailer because the Coast Guard often doesn’t get the attention or recognition that other branches of the United States Armed Forces do, but their service to our country has saved countless lives. I think this movie will help shine a light on the amazing work the Coast Guard does. I also love that it will give our kids (and also adults) real life heroes – people who displayed extraordinary bravery and determination under circumstances most of us cannot even imagine.
It reminded me that Lisa’s dad is tough and a real fighter. I’m excited to see this movie, and I’m especially eager to hear what Lisa and here dad think of it.
It will be released in the United States on January 29, 2016. Are you planning to see it?
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]]>My fighting Irish are ranked #5 in the nation, and this weekend they face off against the Florida State Seminoles, who are ranked #2 in the nation. Both teams are undefeated but only one will have that status at the end of the game Saturday night in Tallahassee. This, my friends, is a big game. Big.
In my family, this game means even more. My mom graduated from Florida State. Our alma maters battling to remain undefeated.
Our high school team has an away game this week, so Friday night is the perfect time to get fired up for the Saturday showdown by checking out some of our favorite football movies streaming on Netflix.
These movies are all based on a true story and rated PG. They all have wonderful messages that make them great family viewing, and while they are about football, they offer life lessons on a wide variety of topics that go far beyond the football field.
Rudy
I love this movie for many reasons, and not just because it takes place on the Notre Dame campus, although that certainly doesn’t hurt. You can’t help but root for the underdog in this movie. There are many positive messages, including about the importance of perseverance, friendship and aiming high in this film that even those who aren’t fans of the Fighting Irish find themselves chanting “Rudy! Rudy!”
Radio
Set in South Carolina in 1967, Ed Harris stars as a high school football coach who takes a developmentally delayed young mean, nicknamed Radio, played by Cuba Gooding, Jr. under his wing.
Robert Ebert said in his review of the film, “Every once in a while human nature expresses itself in a way we can feel good about, and this is one of those times. For families, for those who find most movies too cynical, for those who want to feel good in a warm and uncomplicated way, ‘Radio’ is a treasure.”
Common Sense Media describes this true story of an inner-city Memphis high school football team and its dedicated volunteer coach as an “inspiring football documentary about the power of teamwork” and recommends the movie for kids ages 11 and older. Released in 2011, this is a good option if your family is looking for something more modern, and it could be a great way to introduce kids to the documentary genre.
The 5th Quarter
I’m an Aidan Quinn fan (don’t hear that every day, do you?) and he and Andie MacDowell star in this 2010 movie as grieving parents who lost a son in a tragic accident cause by reckless teen driving. Their surviving son, football player Jon Abbate, leads the Wake Forest Demon Deacons to their best season ever in 2006, where they were co-champions of the ACC.
If you’re looking for more than just a movie, check out Friday Night Lights available on Netflix Streaming.
What are your favorite football movies?
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Disclosure: I am a member of the Nextflix Stream Team, and look forward to sharing monthly stories and suggestions about using Netflix streaming. I have received a year of Free Netflix Streaming and a Roku. All opinions in this post are my own.
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Fridays are big deal in our house. I know it’s not that way for everyone. When I called my parents and wished my dad a happy Friday, he paused for a beat and said, “Uh, thanks?” He then explained that in retirement, pretty much every day is Friday. For those us still making our way through the work and school week, though, Friday night is a celebration pretty much every single time.
So many families I know have a Friday night tradition, be it pizza night or movie night. I say, why not combine them for Friday pizza and movie night?
That’s our plan for tonight, but we’re putting a twist on the pizza part and making these Double Cheese and Pepperoni pizza nachos.
Pizza. Nachos. Let that brilliant idea sink in. Yum, right? You can get the recipe here.
If that didn’t make your heart skip a beat like mine did and you’re feeling more traditional, the Food Network has 50 pizza ideas here to help you come up with a fun twist or stick to the classic if you’re a purist. And if you feel like letting your neighborhood pizza place provide you with a pie at the end of a long week, then go for it. Just remember to order on the early side to avoid the long Friday night wait times.
My family isn’t too picky about beverages, and usually water or milk will work, but I’m picky about the carpet in our family room. We break the rules for Friday movie night, but only when we’re using these fun mason jars with lids that tie into one of our favorite movies:
I found them at Target and they made us happy and keep the spills in check. The back says “It’s all fun and games until someone loses an eye.” I know, I should probably find it freaky, but it cracks me up. At 18 ounces, they’re big enough that we don’t have to pause the movie to fill up again.
With the food and drink set, we’ll enter into some high level negotiations, I mean, come together to calmly decide what movie we’d all enjoy on Netflix. It helps if we narrow down the field first rather than choosing from all movies from all time.
For bigger kids, these are all fun ones:
Littler movie goers will enjoy these fun options. I admit that The Muppet Movie is my favorite. It’s so fun to share movies I loved as a kid with my kid! I’m thinking that maybe we’ll follow that up with The Muppets Take Manhattan and pair it with pizza from the new New York-style place that recently opened near us.
And if you have teens, see above about sharing movies you loved at a certain age with your kids. I can’t wait to share Ferris Bueller’s Day Off with my Chicago girl. That night will call for some fabulous Chicago deep dish pizza! Common Sense Media recommends it for ages 14 and up, so we have a little while to wait, but not too long.
On nights when it is just my husband and me, we’re still making our way through House of Cards. Frank Underwood isn’t exactly the most family-friendly guy, and the show is our fun adult escape. It is so, so good! I know we’re late to the party, but well, we didn’t have Netflix, and now that we do, we can’t figure out what took us so long. This Netflix original series alone is a reason to have it.
Hope that your Friday night is full of good food and fun viewing that lets you destress from the week while enjoying a movie or show with the people you love. I can’t think of a better way to kick off the weekend.
What are your favorite Friday night traditions and family movies?
Disclosure: I am a member of the Nextflix Stream Team, and look forward to sharing monthly stories and suggestions about using Netflix streaming. I have received a year of Free Netflix Streaming and a Roku. All opinions in this post are my own.
Please like Mom Factually on Facebook. You can also find MF on Pinterest, Twitter, and Instagram.