How To Raise An American

Band of Brothers

Based on the bestseller by Stephen E. Ambrose, the epic 10-part miniseries Band of Brothers tells the story of Easy Company, 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, U.S. Army. Drawn from interviews with survivors of Easy Company, as well as soldiers' journals and letters, Band of Brothers chronicles the experiences of these men who knew extraordinary bravery and extraordinary fear. They were an elite rifle company parachuting into France early on D-Day morning, fighting in the Battle of the Bulge and capturing Hitler's Eagle's Nest at Berchtesgaden. They were also a unit that suffered 150 percent casualties, and whose lives became legend.

Alex Haley's Queen

There are two sides to every story, the saying goes. For Alex Haley, one side was roots, the towering chronicle tracing severn generations of his mother's family. The othe side comes to the screen in Alex Haley's Queen, the remarkable history of a paternal side of the author's family. David L. Wolper (Roots, The Thorn Birds) is the executive producer of this acclaimed adaption of the story Haley was working on when he died. Halle Berry plays Queen, daughter of a slave (Jasmine Guy) and a plantation owner (Tim Daly). During the turbulent decades of the antebellum South, the Civil war, Reconstruction and beyond, she searches for a home in the two cultures of her heritage - and at times is shunned by both. Rejection and hate are no match for her unconquerable will, however. Ann-Margret, Danny Glover, and Ossie Davis are among the many stars of this poingnant, uplifting final chapter of the Haley legacy.

The Alamo

In 1836 General Santa Anna and the Mexican army is sweeping across Texas. To be able to stop him, General Sam Huston needs time to get his main force into shape. To buy that time he orders Colonel William Travis to defend a small mission on the Mexicans' route at all costs. Travis' small troop is swelled by groups accompanying Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett, but as the situation becomes ever more desperate Travis makes it clear there will be no shame if they leave while they can.

AAM: Abe Lincoln in Illinois

Covers the period from Lincoln's early years as a Kentucky woodsman until his election to the Presidency in 1860. Included are his first love, his marriage, the Illinois law practice and his debates with Stephen Douglas.

A Christmas Story

This delightfully funny holiday gem tells the story of Ralphie Parker (Peter Billingsly) a 1940's nine-year-old who pulls out all the stops to obtain the ultimate Christmas present.

AAM: Amelia Earhart - The Final Flight

A telling of the story of the famous U.S. aviatrix Amelia Earhart who attempted to fly solo around the world in 1937. She disappeared during the process.

AAM: Cinderella Man

Academy Award winners Russell Crowe and Rene Zellweger star in this triumphant, powerfully inspiring true story. In a time when America needed a champion, an unlikely hero would arise, proving how hard a man would fight to win a second chance for his family and himself. Suddenly thrust into the national spotlight, boxer Jim Braddock would defy the odds against him and stun the world with one of the greatest comebacks in history. Driven by love for his family, he willed an impossible dream to come true.

All-American Movies

Who says television, or at least your DVD, can’t be good for your kids?  Each week we’ll give you a couple of  suggestions for some our favorite movies.   If you want more information about these movies, when they were made, the cast, and a short summary of the plot, reviews, and trivia, you’ll find it at one of the Internet’s best movie sites www.imdb.com. While not all are suitable for all ages, they are tales of heroes and heroic deeds and illustrate the kind of American values that have made this country strong and free. Hopefully, they will leave your family feeling good about America. If you want more information about these movies, when they were made, the cast, and a short summary of the plot, reviews, and trivia, you’ll find it at one of the Internet’s best movie sites www.imdb.com   Send  us your comments and your family’s reviews!