Category: Film News

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National Smile Day

 

Smiling is one of the first things we learn as a child. From the day we are born we are showered with smiles and so we learn through mimicry. Smiling is contagious, when the people around you are smiling you can’t help but to smile too. On National Smile Day send a smile into the world and the world will smile back at you.

On this National Smile Day, send a warm smile to someone's and turn their day from sad to rad. When you are smiling you are no doubt feeling better than when you are not. Recent research has shown that smiling increases your Serotonin, a chemical process that produces feelings of happiness and well being. After a smile you will feel happy, and you will smile more because you are happy! Its a cyclical process.

National Smile Day is a great time to watch a heart-warming movie with your best friends. The best movies that will make you smile are the funny ones. Classics such as Airplane, National Lampoon’s Vacation, and Ace Ventura are always a great movies to go to for a smile. But on this National Smile Day find a movie that will make you smile that you have not seen yet. Pop Kowboy is one of those intriguing movies that you just can’t help to smile. It follows the lives of three people: Frankie, a transgender woman in need of money; Vinnie, an incompetent aspiring gangster who is given one last chance to make good with the local mob boss; and Pony, a wannabe cowboy who has trouble with love.  As the plot unfolds smiles will be had.

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National Cancer Survivor Day

 

National Cancer Survivor Day is a celebration that honors those who survived all forms of cancer. It is held every year on June 7th and considered to be one of the largest cancer celebrations here in the United States. According to the American Cancer Society, there are over 13 million cancer survivors alive in the US today, and that number will grow to almost 18 million by 2022. With amazing turnarounds, there are great opportunities for people to connect with each other about their struggles and bring inspiration on Cancer Survivor Day.

There are many inspirational short stories and films that talks about cancer survivors. In the book What Helped Me Get Through, a color cancer survivor, Suzanne, says hope is one of the reasons why she’s still living today.

“There is always hope, and that hope is sometimes changing.  It means something different for each person in any given situation.  When one doctor tells you there is nothing more that can be done, he is merely saying that he has exhausted his expertise.  The next oncologist may have more up his sleeve.  Hope may come in the second, third, or fourth opinion, or totally evolve into a different form."

In the film, The Lovely Patient, one part of the film concentrates on a man who deals with male breast cancer and is in desperate need in finding a way to his daughter’s wedding. This goes to show that this illness is often overlooked, and by bringing awareness to such such event as National Cancer Survivor Day, people have a greater appreciation for raising issues about cancer.

It’s a never ending battle and it’s unpredictable for these survivors. There are many ways of living a healthier lifestyle after treatment. Eating lots of fruits and vegetables and limiting red meat and processed foods can help prevent cancer from coming back. Another part is to get regular screenings to detect early cancer and to get it treated immediately. Exercising is an alternative way for survivors to continue to be healthy.

Remember to save this day on your calendar to celebrate this inspiring event. Also, be sure to check the book (What Helped Me Get Through) and purchase the film here.

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Daryl Hannah starring in Netflix series Sense8

 

It looks like many celebrities are moving their talents to the streaming world, and many are appearing in Netflix original series. There’s Kevin Spacey in House of Cards, Will Arnett in BoJack Horseman, Ben Mendelsohn in Bloodlines, and now Daryl Hannah in Sense 8. The vibrant 54-year-old Daryl Hannah was seen on Wednesday, May 28th, attending the premiere of the Netflix series, Sense8 in San Francisco. Sense8 was created and written by Andy and Lana Wachowski, better known for The Matrix Trilogy, and Babylon 5 creator J. Michael Straczynski.

The American science fiction television series, Sense8, shows eight different people around the world who are suddenly linked mentally, and must find a way to survive being hunted by those who see them as a threat to the world's order. Daryl Hannah will be starring in three episodes of the twelve-episode series.

Hannah can also be seen in the documentary Welcome To Eden. The piece focuses on a South Central Los Angeles farm that was forced to close, and the farmers’ protest against eviction. Hannah, along with other celebrities such as Willie Nelson and Joan Baez were there to support the farm’s continued existence.

The series premiere of Sense8 begins June 5 with 12 episodes on Netflix, and Welcome To Eden is currently available on VOD/DVD.

 

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Brother’s Day: A Gift That Should Be Cherished

 

Everyone knows Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, but did you know that May 24th is Brother’s Day?  There is a special place held in our hearts for our brothers. Whether it is a big brother or a little brother, you can always count on them to be there for you. Sometimes they are there for you when you need help winning a battle or to pull you up when you are feeling down and out. Other times they are there when you just want to relax and have a beer. So take Brother’s Day to reach out to your brother and remind him how much he means to you. Arrange a time to take your brother out to catch up on your life and reminisce about your favorite memories.

Brothers do not necessarily have to be connected through a family tree; they can be symbolically connected through experiences and events that have united them. Brothers are the ones that are they for you during the moments of pure bliss, as well as when times are tough. It’s through these shared experiences where this bond is built.

A great example of ordinary men who became united as brothers through their extraordinary lives is the winner of six Emmy Awards, Band of Brothers Miniseries. It tells the story of Easy Company, 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, U.S. Army and chronicles the experiences of these men who knew extraordinary bravery and extraordinary fear. Another film centered around the theme of brotherhood is Ways to Live Forever. This Brother’s Day worthy film that tells a story of 12-year old Sam who wants to know about UFOs, horror movies, ghosts, and girls. Sam,  played by actor Robbie Kay, also has leukemia, and although the adults in his life don’t want him to dwell on it, Sam wants to know everything about his disease and death, a possibility he might face. Through his sickness he meets another young boy with Leukemia. Sam and his newfound friend Felix, played by Alex Etel,  embark on a journey to explore the world around. Although these two meet through unfortunate circumstances, they were able to enjoy their lives as best as any blood brothers.

 

 

 

 

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Save Your Hearing Day

 

They say that you never know what you have until it's gone hearing is one aspect of yourself that most people take for granted. We no longer listen to the song birds, but traffic noise that we cover with loud music. Not only are we shutting out the world, but we are damaging ourselves. Today, May 31, is Save your hearing day it’s a special day when we recognize the importance of hearing and that it should be protected. This is an opportunity to learn about what we can do to avoid hearing loss and there are ways we can prevents deafness.

Sound is measured in decibels, a normal speaking voice is 60 decibels. A rock concerts generates 135-155 decibels, which can lead to permanent damage if you are exposed to it for a long period of time called NIHL, noise induced hearing loss. At 120 decibels, the sounds of a thunderclap or chainsaw will cause pain in the eardrums and at 150 decibels the human eardrum pops. According to John Hopkins, nearly a fifth of all Americans 12 years and older will have hearing loss in their lifetime to such a degree that they have a hard time communicating. This is most often due to overuse of new technologies, such as iPods, laptops, and cell phones while using headphones. Some of these have a higher volume limit than is safe for the human ear. The highest volume you can achieve on an ipod is 105 decibels, which is much louder than the 75 decibels that are recommended. The rule of thumb for using an iPod is 60% volume for 60 minutes to retain your hearing. Did you know that you can also detox from your overconsumption of loud music? It consists of 16 hours of rest for your eardrums, which is under 50 decibels. Everyone should be aware of the noise going on around them to prevent hearing loss.
If you need examples of the difficult life you would be leading just watch some of the following films with characters that have impaired hearing. In the film Amy, distributed by World Wide Motion Pictures, the main character loses her hearing due to emotional trauma and the journey of her mother and neighbors to bring her back. To be unable to communicate with those closest to you is hard to imagine for most of us who have perfect hearing. Being extra patient with the elderly and those who have a hard time hearing is important, because, even though their hearing is impaired, their minds are not. Other films include Copying Beethoven, which is about the famous composer with impaired hearing, There will be Blood, The Miracle Worker, Beyond Silence and many more.

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Joan Baez On Tour in Australia and New Zealand

 

The iconic American folk singer, songwriter, musician, and activist Joan Baez announced last month a 2015 Australian and New Zealand tour. Some of her popular and hit songs include “Diamond & Rust”, “Night They Drove Old Dixie Town”, “Blowin’ in the Wind”, and  “Farewell Angelina” and the tour begins September 17 at the Royal Theatre in Canberra and ends at the Festival Theatre in Adelaide on October 12.

Joan Baez has been known for her philanthropic and activist mentality and actions. Her beautiful songs represent major themes of social justice and have often been considered “protest songs” of her day. On May 21st, 2015, Baez received the Amnesty International’s Ambassador for Conscience Award, recognizing her lifelong commitment as an outspoken activist, subjects evident in her rich music catalogue.

“The Ambassador of Conscience Award is a celebration of those unique individuals who have used their talents to inspire many, many others to take injustice personally. That is why both Joan Baez and Ai Weiwei make such worthy recipients; they are an inspiration to thousands more human rights activists, from across Asia to America and beyond,” said Salil Shetty, Secretary General of Amnesty International.

Joan Baez has led an extraordinary life. She used her songs to protest in Vietnam, fought for women’s rights, participated in a protest with Dr. King, and most recently was featured in the documentary film Welcome to Eden. The documentary took place in the year 2006 where farmers and activists, such as Daryl Hannah and Willie Nelson, came together to stop an awful eviction of the fourteen acres of farmland in South Central Los Angeles and prevent the largest farm in America. Baez was part of the farming demonstration. She sang and voiced her opinion that a land developer, Ralph Horwitz, wanted to get rid of.

You can read more about Joan Baez on tour here and on her website. Welcome to Eden is now available on VOD and DVD.