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The Great Outdoors April 2021 Captain Kidd (Tom Hanks): See all those words printed in a line one after the other? Put them all together, and you have a story. ---News of the World (2020) America’s fascination with the outdoors began long before the growth of Hollywood in the early 20th century, and so it has been woven throughout our cinematic history as well. Typically, the role of wilderness in movies has been adversarial, playing on the trope of “man vs. nature.” Other times, it serves as a gorgeous backdrop, giving the action a profound sense of place, or even a setting for personal transformation Whatever the purpose, the outdoors has played a starring role in many iconic films, from the serious to the silly. Here is our look at a few of them.
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- Screen Actors Guild Awards April 4, 2021
- Independent Spirit Awards April 22, 2021
- Academy Awards April 25, 2021
Don't forget our streaming services! Free with your Naperville Public Library card! -> Hoopla -> Kanopy
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Five years after the Civil War, Captain Kidd (Tom Hanks) moves from town to town as a storyteller. In Texas, he crosses paths with Johanna (Helena Zengel), a ten-year-old taken in by the Kiowa people six years earlier. She is being returned to her biological aunt and uncle against her will. Kidd agrees to deliver the child where the law says she belongs. As they travel hundreds of miles, the two will face tremendous challenges of both human and natural forces as they search for a place that either can call home. Rated PG-13. Based on the bestselling novel by Paulette Jiles.
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Diana Prince/Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) lives quietly among mortals in the vibrant, materialistic 1980s. Though she's come into her full powers, she keeps a low profile by curating ancient artifacts, and only performing heroic acts incognito. But soon, Diana will have to muster all of her strength, wisdom and courage as she finds herself squaring off against Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal) and the Cheetah (Kristen Wiig), a villainess who possesses superhuman strength and agility. Rated PG-13.
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Drawn from Conrad Richter's beloved trilogy of novels, this television miniseries follows the Luckett family of Pennsylvania, who travel to unexplored territory in Ohio to carve out a homestead in post-revolutionary Colonial times. A stellar cast including Elizabeth Montgomery, Hal Holbrook, William H. Macy and Jane Seymour bring authentic historical language characteristics to their performances, enriching the filming process which took place in New Salem, Illinois. Not rated.
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Author Bill Bryson (Robert Redford), instead of retiring to enjoy his loving and beautiful wife (Emma Thompson) and large and happy family, challenges himself to hike the Appalachian Trail: 2,200 miles of America's most unspoiled, spectacular, and rugged countryside from Georgia to Maine. The peace and tranquility he hopes to find, though, is anything but, when the only person he can find willing to join him on the trek is his long-lost former friend Katz (Nick Nolte), a down-on-his-luck serial philanderer. Rated R. Based on a true story.
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In 1902, three generations of women in a Gullah family prepare to move North from the Sea Islands off the coast of Georgia, facing the challenge of honoring their unique African ancestral history while embarking on a more modern, 'civilized' way of life. Filmed with lush visuals on location, and featuring the Creole-English Gullah dialect, this film has been named for preservation to the Library of Congress' National Film Registry. Rated PG.
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Will (Ben Foster) and his teenage daughter, Tom (Thomasin McKenzie), have lived off the grid for years in the forests of Portland, Oregon. When their idyllic life is shattered, both are put into social services. After clashing with their new surroundings, Will and Tom set off on a harrowing journey back to their wild homeland. Rated PG. A quietly moving story of family and letting go.
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In 1930s China a young woman (Gong Li) is sent by her father to marry the elderly owner of a winery. In the nearby red sorghum fields she falls for one of his servants (Jiang Wen). When the master dies she finds herself inheriting the isolated business, with surprising results. Mandarin language. Not rated. This simple tale with almost fairy-tale like visuals marked the debuts of acclaimed director Zhang Yimou and actress Gong Li. Yimou and Li would go on to collaborate on 6 more films, including the Oscar-nominated Ju Dou and Raise the Red Lantern.
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A stunning documentary about the life of indigenous people living in the heart of the Siberian Taiga. Deep in the wilderness, far away from civilization, 300 people inhabit the small village of Bakhtia at the river Yenisei. There are only two ways to reach this outpost: by helicopter or boat. There's no telephone, running water or medical aid. The locals, whose daily routines have barely changed over the last centuries, live according to their own values and cultural traditions. Not rated.
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The Maori people of Whangara, New Zealand believe their ancestor Paikea was saved from drowning by riding home on the back of a bull whale. The tribal group has since granted leadership positions to the first-born males, believing them to be descendants of Paikea. But then a young mother dies in childbirth along with her newborn male son. His twin sister survives and the little girl, Pai (Keisha Castle-Hughes), is brought up by her grandparents. Learning the skills of chiefdom from her uncle, Pai shows that she possess a natural leadership ability. Rated PG-13.
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Ace fishing equipment salesman and renowned author on the subject Roger Willoughby (Rock Hudson) ironically can't stand the outdoors or fishing. A public relations representative (Paula Prentiss) for a major fishing tournament wants Roger to be the competition's star attraction. When he confesses he doesn't know the first thing about the sport, Prentiss and a con man attempt to give the expert a crash course on being a great outdoorsman. Not rated. Director Howard Hawks intended this movie to be an homage to his classic screwball comedy Bringing Up Baby, but was unsuccessful in recruiting Katherine Hepburn and Cary Grant to reprise their roles.
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