Take 3: Tombstone Review

On By 18cinemalane1 Comment

When an actor or actress is celebrating a birthday, I will sometimes write about a project from their filmography and publish that article on their birthday. This has given me an excuse to check out a movie or television show I haven’t seen before. Because July 11th is Stephen Lang’s birthday, I found a perfect opportunity to finally see the 1993 western, Tombstone! This is a movie I not only have heard of before, I have heard the movie receive consistent praise over the years. It’s even earned the coveted title of “classic” within the western genre. Though I have covered some movies from this particular genre on 18 Cinema Lane, I had no idea how Tombstone was going to stand out among those other titles. Now that I’ve seen the 1993 picture, I found an answer to that question. But you have to read my review to discover what that answer is!

Tombstone poster created by Hollywood Pictures, Cinergi Pictures Entertainment, Alphaville Films, and Buena Vista Pictures Distribution

Things I liked about the film:

Historical accuracy: In my recent review of Young Washington, I praised the film’s creative team for effectively executing their project’s historical accuracy. Because of how well-done that storytelling element was, the creative team behind Young Washington successfully created an illusion of immersion. Tombstone also possessed the illusion of immersion due to the efforts of that movie’s creative team. From the construction of the town itself to the artwork on a wall at the Bird Cage Theatre, the appearance of the film and its finer details effectively reflect Tombstone’s respective time period of the late 1800s. An example of how this particular time period was brought back to life was through the characters’ wardrobe. In a scene where Wyatt Earp goes for a horse ride with Josephine, Josephine wears elegant yet practical riding attire. Sporting a black tailored jacket and a long black skirt, she adds a black and white polka dot scarf as well as a black top hat adorned with black and white ribbons. Finishing the ensemble is a pair of simple black gloves. Josephine even rode side-saddle, what would have been the appropriate way for a woman to ride a horse at that time. The example I presented in this review visually represents the research and attention to detail that went into Tombstone’s presentation!

Interconnected stories: Tombstone is a movie known for its large cast of characters. At the beginning of the film, the characters are shown engaging in their own separate part of the story. Whether it’s the Cowboys rudely interrupting a wedding or Doc Holliday winning a poker game, the first minutes of Tombstone let the audience know everyone who is featured in the movie has an important role to play. As the film progresses, each separate story becomes interconnected. Characters who may seem like strangers are actually revealed to be friends. The actions caused by one character greatly impact another character. And crossed paths develop consequences. These interconnections between characters allowed on-screen interactions to contain a strong sense of intrigue. That intrigue kept me invested in what was happening in Tombstone!

The acting: Because Stephen Lang is the reason why I’m reviewing Tombstone, I have to talk about his performance first. Though he appeared in the film for a limited period of time as Ike Clanton, Stephen’s portrayal was very memorable! This memorability was due to his expressiveness and animated reactions. Yet, Stephen’s animation never came across as over-the-top or too “cartoony”. Instead, he effectively utilized a variety of emotions which helped him stand out among the ensemble cast. One of Stephen’s best moments in Tombstone is when Ike is watching a play involving Faust, the confused look on Ike’s face appearing completely genuine. I also liked Sam Elliott’s portrayal of Virgil Earp, Wyatt’s brother. In a scene where Virgil receives bad medical related news, a combination of fear, anger, and sadness are present in his eyes, through the frown on his mouth, and even within the muscle control throughout his face. Virgil’s wife, Allie (portrayed by Paula Malcomson), is also upset by the news Virgil receives. Her tear-streaked face says so much without saying anything at all. Even as she yells at Wyatt, the anger in her voice holds an intensity that forces Wyatt (and the audience) to take her seriously. But besides these three performances I brought up, the cast as a whole gave solid portrayals throughout Tombstone!

Since I’m reviewing Tombstone on Stephen Lang’s birthday, I thought including a picture of his character, Ike Clanton, in this review made sense. Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.

What I didn’t like about the film:

Glossed over parts of the story: There were a few parts of Tombstone’s story that became glossed over as the movie progressed. One of those glossed over parts involved Wyatt’s wife, Mattie. Toward the beginning of the film, Mattie seeks to receive laudanum in order to cure a headache. Yet, she refuses to visit a doctor when Wyatt suggests it. Later in the movie, Mattie is seen drinking a bottle of opium. These displayed behaviors imply she is battling an addiction. But none of the other characters, including Wyatt, address Mattie’s concerning issue. In historical/period stories like Tombstone, a storyline involving addiction will sometimes be woven into the script. Usually, these storylines will not only be addressed in that respective story, they will also be treated with a sense of respect, as addiction is a serious, real-world topic. With everything said, I wish Mattie’s part of the story had received some more attention within Tombstone’s overarching story.

The underutilization of Billy Zane: In movies containing ensemble casts, an actor or actress may sometimes become underutilized due to how much screen-time the cast needs to share. The case of Tombstone shows Billy Zane as an underrated performer within the film. Portraying a stage actor named Mr. Fabian, Mr. Fabian represents something beautiful that came to the ugliness of Tombstone, according to Josephine. Billy’s appearances in Tombstone were so limited, he was present in only three scenes within the first half of the movie. He doesn’t show up in the film again until toward the end of the story, when the actions of the Cowboys and Wyatt’s group have taken their toll on Mr. Fabian. Taking Josephine’s words into consideration, I was disappointed Mr. Fabian wasn’t utilized more in the story, as a way to achieve peace within Tombstone. But I guess as a stage actor, there was only so much he could have done to find a solution to the town’s conflict.

Half of the story feeling “slice of life”: The overarching conflict of Tombstone involves the Cowboys and Wyatt alongside his brothers and Doc fighting over control of Tombstone. But this conflict doesn’t really become the story’s central focus until the second half of the movie. In the film’s first half, the emphasis is placed on the “slice of life” aspect of the characters residing in Tombstone. While it was interesting to catch a glimpse of life within the late 1800s, the intrigue wasn’t as consistent in the movie’s first half as it was in the second half. In fact, as I watching the first half of Tombstone, I honestly wondered why this story wasn’t a television show instead of a movie?

Birthday party set-up image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/food”>Food photo created by freepik – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

As I said in the introduction of this review, I chose to write about Tombstone in honor of Stephen Lang’s birthday. Therefore, I was looking forward to seeing his performance in this movie. While I did witness a very memorable portrayal of Ike Clanton, there is so much more this film gave me. The cast as a whole was strong, which made each performance enjoyable to watch. The research and attention to detail put into Tombstone’s historical accuracy allowed the movie’s creative team to achieve an illusion of immersion. Interconnections between characters’ stories added intrigue to characters’ on-screen interactions. Though the film gave me an enjoyable movie-viewing experience, there were flaws that held it back from being stronger. I wish the overarching story had consistently focused on the conflict for control over Tombstone. I also wish Mattie’s part of the story had received some more attention in the script. Seeing Billy Zane’s talents become underutilized was disappointing as well. But despite these flaws, I can recognize why Tombstone is highly regarded by fans of the western genre!

Overall score 7.3-7.4 out of 10

Have you seen Tombstone? Are there any films from the western genre you’d like to see me review? Let me know in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Young Washington Review

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

2026 marks the 250th birthday of the United States of America’s founding. Because of this major milestone, MovieRob selected July’s Genre Grandeur theme as “Red, White and Blue Movies”. This means a chosen film has to deal “with The American Revolution, American Patriotism or related to the 4th itself”. For my selection, Young Washington, I had planned to publish my review on July 4th. But because of my schedule at the time, I didn’t get the chance to see the 2026 picture as soon as I had hoped. Now that I’ve seen the movie, I can finally post my review for MovieRob’s Genre Grandeur Blogathon! As I already mentioned in this introduction, a chosen film for the event had to deal “with The American Revolution”. When George Washington appears in entertainment media revolving around this period in history, the story itself focuses on what led up to the signing of The Declaration of Independence. In Young Washington, however, the story explores the events that shaped George into the leader history remembers him as today. Reflecting on The American Revolution related pieces of entertainment media I’ve seen, heard, or read, Young Washington’s approach to this specific time period seems to have addressed a creative void.

Young Washington poster created by Wonder Project, 2521 Entertainment, Angel, Provident Films, Radar Pictures, Red 56, Ten Ton Studio, and Wild Atlantic Pictures

Things I liked about the film:

Incorporation of the story’s natural landscape: IMDB lists Ireland as Young Washington’s primary filming location. Yet the story is set in Virginia. Since the majority of the movie takes place outdoors, the forest landscape of America’s tenth state was given center-stage through long and medium shots. Clear blue waters, rolling green hills, and what appears to be pine trees literally and figuratively represent the “calm before the storm”, as the Ohio Territories are at the center of a major conflict. This same landscape was also shown at different times of the day as well as in different climates. On a few occasions, snow covered the forest floor and trees. Paired with a gray-blue sky, this landscape visually presented a peaceful environment, despite the uncertainty this type of terrain brings. The incorporation of Young Washington’s natural landscape added natural beauty to the film. This creative decision also reminded me of Europe’s natural landscape receiving importance in I Am David, showing a side of the United States of America that could be easily taken for granted.

The acting: As I just mentioned in this review, the Ohio Territories are at the center of a major conflict in Young Washington. The reason is because the French desire to claim the land as their own. In order to convince the French to leave, George is tasked with persuading a French military officer named Joseph Jumonville. In a scene where George negotiates with Joseph, Joseph, at first, appears very jovial. His huge smile, jolly demeanor, and laughter gives George (and the audience) the impression things will go George’s way. But as soon as George addresses the French residing on the Ohio Territories, Joseph’s attitude immediately changes. His intense stare and sharp tone of voice lets George (as well as the audience) know he means business. Joseph’s change in attitude causes a shift in the scene’s atmosphere, raising the stakes of the situation. Despite having a limited presence in Young Washington, Joseph became such a memorable part of the movie! That’s because the actor who portrayed Joseph, Clement Toyon, gave a performance that was captivating due to his flawless transition between attitudes. With that said, I wish Joseph made a few more appearances in the film.

While George and a surveyor named Christopher are surveying the Ohio Territories, they cross paths with Half-King Tanacharison. Similar to Joseph Jumonville, Half-King Tanacharison appears in Young Washington for a limited period of time. Also similar to Clement Toyon’s portrayal of Joseph, Half-King Tanacharison was so memorable because of Ryan Begay’s performance! Whenever he showed up in the story, Half-King Tanacharison carried himself with a strong confidence, his demeanor letting others know how he should be taken seriously. At the same time, Half-King Tanacharison carried a gentleness which emphasized how he was a leader who sought fairness. These combined characteristics in demeanor allowed Ryan’s performance to contain a commanding presence. Because we’re on the subject of leaders, I must talk about William Franklyn-Miller’s portrayal of George Washington! Like I said about Liev Schreiber’s portrayal of Orson Welles in RKO 281 and Tom Hulce’s portrayal of Amadeus in Amadeus, William brought humanity back to George’s name by finding the heart of the “genius” and putting some genuine emotion behind it. What I also liked about William’s performance is how it possessed a strong sense of realism. This element didn’t show an actor portraying a historical figure, but, instead, a young man becoming the leader he was destined to be. Working in William’s favor as well is his understanding how to utilize emotion and when to increase or decrease the intensity of those emotions.

Historical accuracy: Filmmakers have the ability to create the illusion of immersion. This illusion makes the audience feel immersed in a movie’s world, giving them a reason to stay invested in the story. One way to achieve the illusion of immersion is through historical accuracy. When a film’s creative team adopts that element of storytelling, research and attention to detail must be prioritized in order to effectively bring the chosen time period back to life. While watching Young Washington, the historical accuracy could be seen as well as felt! One of my favorite examples is when George attends a party at the Belvoir plantation. Every room within the plantation is lit by candles. Throughout scenes taking place at the plantation, the lighting was consistently dim. Looking back on the movies I’ve seen (and even reviewed) relying on historical accuracy, I never thought about how a film’s lighting could affect a film’s historical accuracy, let alone illusion of immersion. The example I brought up of the dim lighting in Young Washington allows the audience to grasp how different lighting options were in the 1700s.

The dialogue: An underrated film-making element is the quality of a script’s dialogue. If the dialogue among a movie’s characters is good, it can become a memorable component of the movie itself. As I watched Young Washington, there was dialogue that stood out to me because of how good it was! When George applies for the British Army, he is ultimately rejected due to his social status. To prove his worth, George presents his collection of quotes he wrote down while being tutored by his half-brother, Lawrence. But George is told how an imitation of great men doesn’t make him one. This quote not only encourages George to forge his own path in life, it also foreshadows George’s future. Earlier in the story, Lawrence teaches George how to play chess. During the lesson, Lawrence says how a pawn can take a king. This quote was, once again, clever foreshadowing, as George’s role in the American Revolution helped the Thirteen Colonies break away from a king ruled government to form the United States of America. The two examples of dialogue I presented in this review show how much thought and effort went into the screenwriting as well as how the dialogue was delivered!

Children holding American flags during a sunset image created by rawpixel.com at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/people”>People photo created by rawpixel.com – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

Inconsistent incorporation of subtitles: Earlier in this review, I brought up how George and Christopher cross paths with Half-King Tanacharison while surveying the Ohio Territories. Christopher and Half-King Tanacharison share a conversation, despite never meeting before. Half-King Tanacharison and Christopher’s conversation is not in English, yet no subtitles appear on the screen during their conversation. But any other time characters speak to one another in a language that isn’t English, subtitles are present on the screen. This inconsistency became noticeable to me by the third non-English conversation characters shared in Young Washington.

A missing “And then what happened” segment: In movies based on true stories, there is sometimes a segment toward the end of the movie explaining what happened to the story’s key individuals after the events presented in the movie. But Young Washington lacked this kind of segment. Toward the end of the 2026 film, on-screen text reveals a few of the events leading up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence. However, what happened to key people from Young Washington, like Sally Cary, David Frisk, and even Robert Dinwiddie, was not brought up. This creative decision left me disappointed, as I wanted to know more about the people in the story.

Some underutilized talent: Before watching Young Washington, I knew Kelsey Grammer starred in the movie. From what I remember, he was heavily featured in the movie’s marketing. At the end of the film, Kelsey himself delivered a message on the film’s importance. Yet he appeared in Young Washington in two scenes as Lord Fairfax. One of my family members almost forgot Kelsey was cast in the movie due to his very limited screen-time. While I understand why Kelsey starred in the film for a short period of time, this was one example where, to me, talent was underutilized.

Since colonial style hats were worn throughout Young Washington, including a photo of the small colonial style hat from my Oh Lil Christmas Tree collection made sense. Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.

My overall impression:

The best way I can describe Young Washington is a “hero’s journey” woven into a history lesson. Throughout the 2026 movie, the audience sees George experience both trials and triumphs. What the audience of Young Washington also sees is solid acting performances, immersive historical accuracy, and a beautiful forest landscape. They can hear dialogue that is well written and delivered, as well as good messages and themes. Another strength of Young Washington is the ebb and flow between action-heavy, suspenseful scenes and quieter, slower-paced scenes. This ebb and flow maintained the story’s intrigue, keeping me invested in what was happening on screen. There are flaws within the 2026 picture, like inconsistent incorporation of subtitles and some underutilized talent. But, in my opinion, there’s a lot Young Washington got right when it comes to film-making. Now that we’re at the halfway point of 2026, I can honestly say I’ve seen more movies, so far, I liked than didn’t. Young Washington is one of those films belonging to the first category of movies I liked!

Overall score: 8 out of 10

Have you seen Young Washington? Is there a movie set around the American Revolution you like? Please tell me in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Playing with Fire (1985) Review

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Have you come across a movie that fell into your lap at the right place and time? That’s what happened before I reviewed the 1985 television film, Playing with Fire. This is a movie I not only had never seen, I had never heard of. But that changed when I listened to the Telehell Podcast episode, ‘The Top 8 Darkest Moments in Kids TV Cartoons’, as the upcoming episode about Playing with Fire was advertised at the end of the episode about the darkest moments from kids TV cartoons. According to Telehell’s episode, ‘Prologue of Fire (“Playing with Fire” PREVIEW)’, the 1985 movie was considered “lost media” up until 2024. As someone interested in the subject of “lost media”, I think it’s worth celebrating when a sought-after piece of “lost media” like Playing with Fire not only gets found, but is also archived on Youtube. For any “lost media” that was eventually found, however, one has to wonder why it was “lost” in the first place? In this review of Playing with Fire, I hope to find an answer to that question!

Playing with Fire (1985) poster created by New World Television, Zephyr Productions, and National Broadcasting Company (NBC)

Things I liked about the film:

Characters who subvert expectations: In Playing with Fire, Mike Harris is a friend of the protagonist, David. Based on his personality and appearance, Mike would be considered a “bully” in other ‘80s entertainment media. Throughout the 1985 movie, he teases David, pulls pranks, and doesn’t seem to take school seriously. But when David starts a fire in a trash can (because he was upset Mike wouldn’t play basketball with him), Mike pulled David away from the fire as well as encouraged David to pull their school’s fire alarm in order to get help. Mike even warns a fellow student named Pamela about David’s issues. These actions and choices help Mike subvert expectations, showing the audience how, despite his initial introduction, he actually cares about David’s wellbeing.

Entertainment media from the ‘80s that revolves around younger characters will sometimes feature a school principal who is a stickler for the rules. This creative decision may be made to either emphasize how much “cooler” the younger characters are or to show how the principal is holding the younger characters back from being themselves. But in Playing with Fire, Principal Sweeney subverts those aforementioned expectations. In a meeting between Principal Sweeney and David’s parents, Principal Sweeney acknowledges how intelligent David is. He’s also brutally honest about how it’s the responsibility of David’s parents to help David with his problems. Principal Sweeney even puts David on probation in an attempt to assist David in resolving his issues. Because of the subversion of expectations, Principal Sweeney is presented as a character who actually prioritizes the wellbeing of all his students.

The role of Fire Chief Walker: Throughout Playing with Fire, Fire Chief Walker tries to solve the mystery of who started a series of fires around his neighborhood. He wants David to admit he’s responsible for creating the fires. But Fire Chief Walker doesn’t want David to tell the truth in order to arrest him. Instead, he believes David is worth saving. Fire Chief Walker encourages David’s family to seek out family counselling, in order to help them solve their personal problems. He also encourages David to talk to his parents about how he feels, acknowledging how David is causing fires for a reason. It would have been easy for the creative team behind Playing with Fire to show their protagonist simply facing the consequences of his actions. Instead, the role of Fire Chief Walker shows how there is more than one way to solve a problem, with a way being getting to the heart of an issue to resolve it as well as preventing it from escalating.

Showing the reasons behind the behavior: The synopsis for Playing with Fire on IMDB gives David the label of “teenage arsonist”, due to how often he starts fires. The creative team behind the movie could have focused on David’s problematic behavior in order to give their project “shock value”. But instead, the script emphasizes the reasons behind the behavior. Sparks fly (literally and figuratively) due to David’s parents having marital issues. These issues cause a domino effect in David’s life, from failing grades at school to becoming easily angry. Starting fires is a manifestation of David’s unresolved feelings toward the problems within David’s parents’ marriage. By showing the reasons behind David’s behavior, the creative team behind Playing with Fire gives their audience a reason to empathize with David and his family.

Campfire with marshmellows and shooting stars image created by macrovector at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

David as a static character: As I already mentioned in this review, showing the reasons behind David’s behavior gives the audience a reason to empathize with David and his family. But for the majority of Playing with Fire, David remained a static character. He doesn’t come to terms with his decision to start fires until an hour and forty-seven minutes into an hour and fifty-five-minute movie. This means he spends more time remaining bitter and angry about the problems in his life instead of transforming his life for the better over the course of the story. I recognize resolving problems like David’s takes time. But the static status of David held back his character development.

Fire related scenes feeling like PSAs: David starts multiple fires over the course of Playing with Fire. While these moments are frightening due to how dangerous they are, it felt like the story shifted to present a somewhat subtle PSA (public service announcement) about fire safety. One way this feeling is achieved is how causes of fire or safety measures are heavily emphasized. In a scene where David causes his first fire within his home, his mother asks him how the fire started. David explains how an overloaded electrical socket was likely the cause, followed by a close-up shot of an overloaded electrical socket. This approach to the fire related scenes made the overall movie kind of seem like an “afterschool special”.

The disappearance of Mike and Pamela: Like I mentioned earlier in this review, Mike is a friend of David who actually cares about his friend’s wellbeing. Pamela is also a friend of David, someone who kind of understands how David feels due to her parents’ divorce. Both of these characters were interesting. While Mike was subverting expectations, I wanted to see where Pamela’s character development went as the story progressed. But Pamela and Mike disappear from the story after about the film’s halfway point. Even though Pamela returns toward the end of Playing with Fire, she’s only on screen for almost four minutes. I wish Mike and Pamela played a more consistent role in the story, as they could have represented what to do if someone is afraid to speak up or doesn’t know how to help a loved one.

Breaking heart image created by Kjpargeter at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/broken-heart-valentine-background_1041991.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Kjpargeter – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

In the introduction of my review, I said I hoped to find an answer to the question of how Playing with Fire became “lost” in the first place. Now that I’ve seen the movie for myself, I think the movie just, simply, fell through the cracks of time. The way I feel about the 1985 movie is similar to the way I felt about the 1988 television film, Dance ‘Til Dawn; it didn’t go above and beyond enough to be considered good or great, but it wasn’t offensive enough to be bad or even disappointing. While there were elements of Playing with Fire I liked, such as how showing the reasons behind David’s behavior gives the audience a reason to empathize with David and his family, there were flaws that held the movie back from being a stronger picture. Some of these flaws include keeping David a static character for the majority of the movie, fire related scenes feeling like somewhat subtle PSAs, and Mike and Pamela disappearing from the story. At best, Playing with Fire is ok. It seems like the creative team behind the 1985 presentation had their hearts in the right place. But, at worst, the film feels like an hour and fifty-five-minute PSA about fire safety. There was even a video message at the end of Playing with Fire where Gary Coleman (the actor who portrayed David) explains the dangers of arson. With everything said, it’ll be interesting to hear what the consensus what will be for the movie on the Telehell Podcast.

Overall score: 6-6.1 out of 10

Have you seen Playing with Fire? Is there a piece of “lost media” you’d like to see become discovered? Let me know in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

If you want to check out the podcast episodes I referenced in this review, visit the Youtube channel, Telehell Podcast, and listen to the episodes, ‘The Top 8 Darkest Moments in Kids TV Cartoons’ and ‘Prologue of Fire (“Playing with Fire” PREVIEW)’.

Why ‘Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries’ is One of the Worst TV Shows I’ve Ever Seen

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

In March of 2023, I wrote an editorial explaining why the mystery movie, Francesca Quinn, PI, is, in my opinion, the worst Hallmark movie I’ve ever seen. Three years later, that editorial has become my most popular one at over ten thousand views! But I honestly didn’t think I would publish another editorial like my Francesca Quinn, PI editorial. That changed, however, when I saw UP Network’s television series, Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries. Before this particular program debuted as a TV show, a preceding movie titled Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries: Blessings in Disguise premiered on UP Network. When I reviewed the film last year, I found it to be just ok. However, I saw potential for Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries: Blessings in Disguise to lead a series, as UP Network had an opportunity to bring something new to the table of made-for-TV mystery films. When I discovered Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries would become a television series, I believed I would get what I wanted; a continuation of the story that learned from the movie’s flaws while maintaining the strengths the movie put in place. But the longer I watched the show, I saw how I wasn’t getting what I wanted the way I wanted it. Before I explain why Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries is, in my opinion, one of the worst TV shows I’ve ever seen, I must make it very clear that everything said in this editorial is not meant to be disrespectful or mean-spirited. The purpose of this editorial is to, simply, express my honest opinion about a television show delivering wasted potential.

Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries (2026) poster created by American Cinema Inspires

A Broken Illusion of Immersion

The visual elements of filmmaking, such as costume design, set design, and even establishing shots are woven together to create a specific illusion. This illusion makes a film’s or television show’s audience feel immersed in the story’s world, as if they are alongside the characters as the movie or show progresses. But a mishandled detail can break that illusion, preventing the audience from becoming truly invested in the story’s world. It’s established in the Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries TV show, and even in Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries: Blessings in Disguise, that the story takes place in Sugarcreek, Ohio, a state known for possessing the four seasons (Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter). Yet, in the first three episodes of Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries, taking place between Thanksgiving and Christmas, every establishing shot of Sugarcreek shows a very green landscape; green leaves on trees, green grass, and even green fields. If there was, for example, a lack of funds to purchase/rent a machine to create fake snow, why didn’t the screenwriters attempt to craft their story around the Spring and Summer time? Then, featuring green landscapes as establishing shots would have built the illusion of a warm climate environment. A consistent part of Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries is the Swiss Miss, the store the show’s protagonist, Cheryl, works at. The view outside the windows is a large sheet with a picture of buildings surrounding the Swiss Miss printed on it. But this illusion is broken because, in a scene where a character leaves the store, a medium shot reveals edges of a gray wall, the borders of the sheet shown through one of the windows. The broken illusion of immersion found in some moments of Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries sometimes took me out of the show.

This establishing shot is from the Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries trailer. I included it in my editorial as an example of the type of establishing shot featured within the show’s first three episodes (taking place between Thanksgiving and Christmas). Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries establishing shot found on IMDB.

Stripping Away the Movie’s Creative Identity

When I reviewed Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries: Blessings in Disguise, I praised the movie for pairing Cheryl, an English woman, and Naomi, an Amish woman, together as amateur sleuths. As I said in my review, this pairing was a creative way to avoid some of the tropes and clichés of made-for TV mystery films, such as a story’s female and male protagonist working together to solve the mystery, with these characters eventually forming a romantic relationship. When Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries became a television show, Naomi returned to the story but wasn’t really involved in solving mysteries alongside Cheryl. Instead, her role on the show consisted of sharing tidbits about Amish culture and quoting Scripture. Similar to Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries: Blessings in Disguise, I liked the incorporation of Amish culture. I also liked the inclusion of Scripture quotes, as it felt reminiscent of Hallmark’s Signed, Sealed, Delivered series. But not allowing Naomi and Cheryl to work together to solve mysteries strips away the movie’s creative identity which lay the blueprint for the television series. Not only does this creative decision do the character of Naomi a disservice, it also does the actress who portrays her, Denise Gossett, a disservice.

Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries: Blessings in Disguise poster created by American Cinema Inspires

Inconsistent storytelling

The biggest flaw of the Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries TV show is the writing. One specific weak spot within the script is the inconsistent storytelling. I remember toward the beginning of the show’s first episode, ‘The buggy before the horse’, Naomi finds a silver necklace on the floor of her family’s barn. This necklace plays no role in the episode, let alone the rest of the series. An important detail about Cheryl that was established on the Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries television show and in Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries: Blessings in Disguise (from what I remember) is how interested she is in the mystery genre. She even listens to a true crime podcast on her way to work. While amateur detectives are likely to make mistakes, the mistakes Cheryl makes don’t add up for someone who seems to consume a lot of mystery genre stories. A glaring example is when Cheryl touches evidence after her office at the Swiss Miss was vandalized, despite Sugarcreek’s police chief’s, Chief Twitchell’s, warning not to do so. When parts of the story don’t match up, it can become a distracting detail. Because the inconsistent storytelling happened on several occasions throughout Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries, I couldn’t stay fully invested in the story.

Detective work image created by Photoroyalty at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/investigation-background-design_1041877.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Photoroyalty – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Lack of urgency

As I shared my overall impression of Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries: Blessings in Disguise, I said if UP Network is serious about creating a series out of this movie, they need to fix the lack of urgency. But when Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries became a TV show, the creative team behind the program doubled down on that lack of urgency, choosing to prioritize the story’s wholesome moments over the mysteries themselves. This imbalance between the mysteries and wholesome moments negatively impacted the story to the point I couldn’t take it seriously. In the show’s fourth episode, ‘Off the Beaten Path’, an FBI agent is desperately trying to find his grandmother, believing she boarded a bus full of tourists that went missing. The FBI agent fears his grandmother may be in danger, acting as if finding her is his top priority. Yet, he can somehow find the time to feed the goats on Naomi’s family’s farm, causing the momentum of the FBI agent’s frantic search to come to an abrupt halt. I recognize the brand of UP Network emphasizes family-friendly content. Even though there is a time and place for family-friendly content, this emphasis overshadowed the mysteries, causing the episodes to receive a slower pace and even feel boring.

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Like I said in the introduction of this editorial, I honestly didn’t think I would publish another editorial like the one about Francesca Quinn, PI. This is because I never thought I’d come across another program that was so bad (in my opinion), it warranted its own editorial explanation. As someone who not only wrote about Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries: Blessings in Disguise, but was also looking forward to the Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries TV show, saying the television program was a disappointment is an understatement. To quote Alan from the Youtube channel, Film Threat, Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries is “profoundly awful”. Besides the flaws I pointed out throughout my editorial, this TV show was plagued by other errors. Some of these errors are repetitive storytelling (Cheryl’s office at the Swiss Miss gets robbed three times over eight episodes), a consistently weak performance from Galadriel Stineman (the actress who portrayed Cheryl), and parts of the story that don’t make sense (a character named Lacey perfectly fits into an outfit designed for Naomi’s daughter, Esther, who is several inches shorter than Lacey). According to Net, from the blog, It’s a Wonderful Movie, the creative team behind Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries has been filming a second season. However, I haven’t heard any official word if the show has indeed been renewed. If Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries does receive a second season, I’d like to see the show’s creative team learn from their mistakes. A few ways to do this are maintaining the illusion of immersion, telling a more consistent story, and incorporating more urgency into the script. At the same time, I would like to see Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries embrace what made Sugarcreek Amish Mysteries: Blessings in Disguise unique, like having Naomi become more involved in solving mysteries alongside Cheryl.

Have fun on television!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford Review

On By 18cinemalane8 Comments

June’s theme for Genre Grandeur is “Movies With Genre Bending themes”. I spent a lot of time researching potential titles due to how specific this theme is. But with this month’s Genre Grandeur overlapping with the Legends of Western Cinema Week Blogathon, I chose the 2007 movie, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. According to an article of The 10 Best Genre-Bending Movies Of All Time from the website, Taste of Cinema, “What makes the film [The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford] one of the true genre-bending westerns is how it chooses to present it mythology of the west”. The author of the article, Mark Serravalle, explained how “The characters are more life-like and complicated than how they are made out in the stories that are told about them”. I will admit that, even though I’ve heard of him, I know very little about Jesse James. In fact, the titles I’ve selected for past Legends of Western Cinema Week Blogathons have revolved around either fictional or fictionalized stories. Therefore, reviewing The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is not only a learning opportunity for 18 Cinema Lane, it’s allowing my blog to travel newer paths within the realm of blogathons.

The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford poster created by Warner Bros., Virtual Studios, Scott Free Productions, Plan B Entertainment, Alberta Film Entertainment, and Warner Bros. Pictures International

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford received two nominations at the 80th Academy Awards. One of those nominations was given to Casey Affleck for his portrayal of the titular Robert Ford. Looking back on the 2007 movie, I can agree with the Academy’s decision! What I liked about Casey’s performance is his ability to say so much without saying anything at all. A perfect example is when Robert is reflecting on the similarities he and Jesse share. Throughout this recollection, Robert appears disappointed and even defeated. His eyes and the slight frown his mouth adopts give these feelings away. But every now and then, a smile shows up on Robert’s face and his eyebrows even move upwards. This moment effectively illustrates how Robert has become disillusioned by the reality of who Jesse really is, yet fondly remembers his fabricated image of him.

If I had to be brutally honest, I think Brad Pitt should have been nominated for his portrayal of Jesse James. This is because, through his acting talents, Brad presented Jesse as the opposite of what one might expect. When it comes to legendary figures like Jesse James, presentations of being “larger than life” and a “showman” could give the impression Jesse was an untouchable, unstoppable force. But Brad’s portrayal of Jesse emphasizes the human he was; capable of feeling fear, making mistakes, and constantly looking over his shoulder. A perfect example of this point is when Jesse is interrogating Robert’s cousin, Albert. When Albert claims he doesn’t know Robert’s whereabouts, Jesse beats Albert up because he thinks Albert is lying. During the beating, the anger on Jesse’s face is very evident. But as he realizes Albert is, indeed, telling the truth, Jesse’s face quickly goes from angry to confused. He adopts a “thousand yard stare” as well as a look of disbelief, wondering how he could be so wrong. Several minutes later, as he’s preparing to leave on horseback, Jesse bursts into tears, realizing he just crossed a line.

The cast of The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford gave performances that were well-done. However, I was pleasantly surprised to see Jeremy Renner star in the film as Wood Hite! Before reviewing the 2007 film, I had seen Jeremy’s portrayal of Clint Barton/Hawkeye throughout the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and his portrayal of Aaron Cross from The Bourne Legacy. But what was different about Jeremy’s portrayal of Wood is how he had to rely more on emotion in order to carry the character through the story. During an exchange between Wood and Robert, Wood shares how his mother is Jesse’s father’s sister. He tries to use his familial connection as leverage against Robert, smugly smiling and his tone of voice sounding very arrogant. When Robert questions this familial connection, Wood’s face quickly changes to a look of shock. His tone of voice becomes defensive and his eyes grow wide. This example shows how, even though Jeremy appeared in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford for a limited period of time, the versatility of his acting talents were on full display!

The cinematography: Remember when I said The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford received two nominations at the 80th Academy Awards? Well, the other nomination was given to Roger Deakins for the Cinematography category. Once again, this is a decision I agree with the Academy on! Two of the best examples of the cinematography’s mastery in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford happens during a train robbery taking place toward the beginning of the movie. When the train stops right in front of Jesse, only the train’s front light is shining. White smoke forms around both the train and Jesse. Because of the minimal lighting, Jesse is presented as a silhouette. He’s presented as a silhouette again when he’s walking beside the train, emerging from the aforementioned white smoke. Only the light from the train’s window illuminates the scene, giving the scene itself a warm, orange glow. Through the cinematography, these two examples elaborate how Jesse was depicted by those who didn’t know him well; a mysterious myth who seized the attention of others.

More unique ideas brought to the Western genre’s table: It seems like the two most common settings in the Western genre are deserts and plains. But what if I told you a forest is where parts of The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford take place? While there were plains in the 2007 film, I’d argue forests were featured in the story the most. Because forests are usually not known for being a Western genre location, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford brings something more unique to the genre’s table. In Western genre films revolving around legendary figures like Jesse James, the script typically focuses on the prime of the figure’s life, highlighting the most exciting, thrilling parts of their story. But The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford showcases Jesse and his gang’s life after crime. Even the train robbery I referenced earlier was not presented as a thrilling, exciting event. Instead, that train robbery is shown as a scary event full of uncertainty, fear, and even violence. These screenwriting choices gave the 2007 movie a sense of honesty that isn’t always found in the Western genre.

Legends of Western Cinema Week banner created by Hamlette from Hamlette’s Soliloquy and Heidi from Along the Brandywine

What I didn’t like about the film:

The run-time: As listed on IMDB, The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford’s run-time is two-hours and forty-minutes. Similar to my thoughts about Gods and Generals’s run-time, the 2007 film’s run-time can definitely be felt. The story of Jesse James and his gang’s life after crime is told at a slower pace. That paired with the aforementioned run-time causes The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford to feel unnecessarily stretched out. I found myself zoning in and out while watching the movie, concerned I’d fall asleep during my movie-viewing experience. One solution to this flaw would have been to trim scenes that linger, such as a scene where Jesse stares at his brother, Frank, for what seems like a minute.

A somewhat misleading title: When I recently reviewed The Naked Jungle, I criticized the movie for its somewhat misleading title. Even though the titular jungle played a role in the story, it didn’t appear until about the last forty minutes of the hour and thirty-five minute film. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford possesses the same flaw. Based on the title alone, one would believe the titular event would serve as the story’s primary focus. But that event doesn’t end up happening until the film’s last twenty-seven minutes. This means during The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford’s two-hour and forty-minute run-time, most of that time is spent leading up to the event itself. The audience is forced to wait over two hours for Jesse’s other shoe to drop.

The dialect: The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford takes place during the late 1800s. This setting in time encouraged the film’s creative team to adopt historical accuracy. While that aspect of filmmaking was achieved visually, it was also achieved vocally, as the cast spoke with the dialect (as well as the dialogue) of the story’s time. Despite these historically accurate achievements, there were times I found it difficult to understand what the characters were saying. Because I don’t hear that dialect (and dialogue) consistently, I was forced to actively pay attention to what was being said. Otherwise, there’s a good chance I would have missed important context.

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My overall impression:

The more I think about The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, the more it reminds me of Gods and Generals and The Naked Jungle. Not only does the 2007 movie possess a run-time that is, in my opinion, too long (like Gods and Generals), its title is also somewhat misleading (like The Naked Jungle). While I appreciate the creative team’s efforts to make their film look and sound historically accurate, I sometimes found it difficult to understand what the characters were saying. But despite these flaws, it’s evident there was merit put toward the project. Besides the historically accurate appearance of The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, the cinematography made the film visually interesting. The train robbery scene proves how the movie’s creative team took advantage of film’s visual medium to present their intended ideas. The cast as a whole gave good performances, especially Casey Affleck, Brad Pitt, and Jeremy Renner. But what I appreciate the most about The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford is how more unique ideas were brought to the table of the Western genre. From setting parts of the story in a forest to showcasing Jesse and his gang’s life after crime, these creative choices prevent the Western genre from becoming stagnant. It also illustrates how creatively diverse the Western genre can be.

Overall score: 6 out of 10

Have you seen The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford? What creatively unique ideas from the Western genre have stood out to you? Let me know in the comment section below!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Here’s the link to the article I referenced in this review if you’re interested in reading it: https://www.tasteofcinema.com/2023/the-10-best-genre-bending-movies-of-all-time/

Take 3: The Naked Jungle (1954) Review

On By 18cinemalane2 Comments

This is my third time participating in the Luso World Cinema Blogathon. Back in 2021, I wrote about the 2005 film, Ladies in Lavender, which I thought was just ok. Then last year, I reviewed Jasmine Guy’s episodes of Touched by An Angel. While the episodes, “Sympathy for the Devil” and “Lost and Found”, were fine, “Clipped Wings” became my least favorite Touched by An Angel episode reviewed on 18 Cinema Lane, so far. But these previous entries for the Luso World Cinema Blogathon were chosen based on a particular actor’s or actress’s involvement in a project. For this year’s event, I decided to select a movie based on its location. Therefore, I picked the 1954 film, The Naked Jungle! According to the criteria for the Luso World Cinema Blogathon, The Naked Jungle takes place in Brazil. The movie was also recommended to me by Maddy (from Maddy Loves Her Classic Films). Both Charlton Heston and Eleanor Parker are no strangers to 18 Cinema Lane. Not only have I covered 1959’s Ben-Hur, I’ve also written about Interrupted Melody, The Man with the Golden Arm, and Return to Peyton Place!

The Naked Jungle (1954) poster created by Paramount Pictures

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: In this review’s introduction, I stated how both Charlton Heston and Eleanor Parker are no strangers to 18 Cinema Lane. After reviewing three of Eleanor’s movies, what I’ve noticed is how Eleanor uses emotion to her advantage. Despite only writing about one of Charlton’s films, Ben-Hur, I can appreciate the consistency of his acting strengths. These compliments can be applied to Eleanor’s and Charlton’s portrayal of Joanna and Christopher in The Naked Jungle! Throughout the 1954 picture, Christopher is a stoic man who prioritizes his plantation. So, when Joanna comes into his life, he carries frustration, pride, and even entitlement in his eyes, through his voice, as well as his body language. Meanwhile, Joanna is a sweet and gentle woman who is open-minded to her new life with Christopher. But when Christopher becomes argumentative with her, Joanna shows little to no fear, effortlessly replacing sweetness with fierce confidence. Because of how strong both Charlton’s and Eleanor’s performance was, their characters were interesting to watch! One of my favorite scenes in The Naked Jungle is when Joanna meets a Commissioner who happened to board the same boat as her. Portrayed by William Conrad, the Commissioner had the charisma and friendly personality to brighten up a room. I could even sense nice on-screen chemistry between William and Eleanor. These factors made me look forward to scenes featuring the Commissioner!

The set design: When it comes to set design, sometimes less is more. This was definitely the case for The Naked Jungle! My favorite set was Joanna’s room because of how pops of color were incorporated into the space. Standing out against the white walls and shutters were gold sconces, dark wood furniture, and bright hued chairs. The vanity area was, in my opinion, the most impressive! An ornate, gold mirror proudly hung on the wall. Right underneath the mirror was a dark wood vanity table, nicely complimenting the mirror’s shiny frame. A chair with green cushions provided a visually appealing bridge between the darker and brighter hues. Though all the pieces of décor were simplistic in design, the overall room presented an elegant, classy, and timeless space!

The dialogue: I sometimes come across films where some of the dialogue is so clever, it sticks in my memory. The Naked Jungle happens to be one of those films! An example of memorably clever dialogue is when Joanna arrives in Brazil for the first time. As Christopher’s “number one man”, Incacha, introduces himself, even bringing up his title, Joanna addresses herself as Christopher’s “number one wife”, as she desperately wants to know where her husband is. The quick response and immediate play on words make this response cordial and somewhat hilarious. Another great example arrives after Joanna and Christopher meet. When Christopher tells Joanna how the tropics have their own schedule, Joanna asks, “What time is bedtime”? Christopher replies by saying, “Whenever you wish, madam”. Joanna then tells Christopher with a hint of playful sarcasm, “I wouldn’t want to upset your schedule”. This comeback works because of the screenwriting and Eleanor’s performance!

6th Luso World Cinema Blogathon banner created by Le from Crítica Retro and Beth Ann from Spellbound With Beth Ann

What I didn’t like about the film:

Lack of on-screen chemistry: As I previously talked about in this review, I liked the acting performances of Charlton Heston and Eleanor Parker. But what I didn’t like about their portrayals of Christopher and Joanna was their lack of on-screen chemistry. In this case, the fault lies in the screenwriters. Not only was the relationship between Joanna and Christopher tense, this tension between them lasted the majority of the movie. By the time Christopher and Joanna finally got around to appreciating the other’s company, this renewal of chemistry came too little too late. That writing choice made it difficult, for me, to determine if Charlton and Eleanor truly possessed any on-screen chemistry.

The “locals” as background characters: “Locals” of the story’s Brazilian setting make appearances throughout The Naked Jungle. But these “locals” aren’t given much to do in the story. Among them was a gentleman who not only possessed Mayan ancestry within his family tree, he also carried around a small head known as his “treasure”. Because of these details, I thought he’d make a fascinating addition to The Naked Jungle’s script, using his family history and maybe even his “treasure” to help resolve the film’s overarching conflict. Unfortunately, this gentleman barely said anything in the one scene he was featured in. Even Incacha, the “number one man” of Christopher, receives a smaller role within the script. Despite dealing with a personal conflict of his own, that conflict has little bearing over the movie’s plot. I was disappointed by the creative decision to turn the “locals” into background characters. This is because their inclusion in the film made me want to learn more about their culture and perspective.

A somewhat misleading title and synopsis: According to The Naked Jungle’s synopsis on IMDB, “a 2-mile-wide, 20-mile-long column of army ants” plan to destroy anything in their path, including Christopher’s plantation. With a movie titled, The Naked Jungle, one would think the titular jungle would play a significant role in the story. But the jungle doesn’t actually appear in the movie until about the last forty minutes. Meanwhile, the “army ants” I previously brought up aren’t shown on screen until about the last thirty minutes of the movie. Keeping in mind The Naked Jungle has a run-time of an hour and thirty-five minutes, this means the majority of the script prioritizes the tension between Christopher and Joanna. These creative choices I talked about make the title and synopsis seem kind of misleading.

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My overall impression:

Have you ever seen a movie where it wasn’t bad, but it just didn’t meet or exceed your expectations? That’s how I felt after watching The Naked Jungle. Before reviewing the 1954 film, I expected a story where a husband and wife worked together to solve the problem of an ant infestation. But what I got instead was a movie that prioritized the tense relationship of Joanna and Christopher, the aforementioned husband and wife. While there was an ant infestation and the titular jungle did play a role in the story, these parts of the script didn’t arrive until toward the end of the movie. But as I waited for these arrivals, I came to appreciate certain aspects of The Naked Jungle. Not only did I like the “less is more” approach to the set design, I also liked how clever some of the dialogue was. I even liked the acting performances, including those from Eleanor and Charlton. When it comes to The Naked Jungle, however, I was left desiring more. Maybe I’ll review a film where the “locals” are given center stage.

Overall score: 6 out of 10

Have you seen The Naked Jungle? Is there a movie from Charlton Heston’s and/or Eleanor Parker’s filmography you’d like to see me review next? Please tell me in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Word on the Street: Could Sebastian Stan Portray a Different Villain in ‘The Batman Part II’?

On By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

Last month, I wrote a Word on the Street story about Sebastian Stan joining the cast of The Batman Part II as Harvey Dent/Two-Face. In that article, I brought up how intrigued I was to see Sebastian approach that character, especially since I’ve never seen him portray a villainous character before. But now an article from The Direct and even those from the Youtube channel, Film Threat, are singing a different tune. A recent report reveals Sebastian may portray a different villain. According to Aeron Mer Eclarinal, from The Direct, an actor named Brian Tyree Henry could be given the role of Harvey Dent/Two-Face. Meanwhile, Sebastian would receive the role of Victor Zsasz, a “serial killer who carves tally marks into his skin for each victim”. Confused by this potential development, one of the guests of ‘Film Threat Versus’, Stephanie (from the Youtube channel, My Nerdy Home), asks, “Wasn’t it announced that he [Sebastian] would be playing Harvey Dent”? Another guest on the show, Angry Badger (from the Youtube channel, The Angry Badger), said, “It never got officially confirmed, unfortunately”.

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Whenever I write a Word on the Street story, I always try to create an article containing the most accurate information possible. Not only do I mention who originally reported the piece of movie news I write about, I provide references for readers to check out the original article or video. But, sometimes, new information becomes published that is different from what I originally wrote about in a Word on the Street story. Sebastian Stan’s role in The Batman Part II is one of those times where it’s happened. When I watched the Film Threat video about this piece of movie news, I knew I had to write a Word on the Street story about it, so my readers would be notified about this potential change in casting. I apologize if this recent possible development made my first Word on the Street story about Sebastian Stan’s casting seem contradictory.

What are your thoughts on this piece of movie news? Would you rather see Sebastian portray Harvey Dent/Two-Face or Victor Zsasz? Let me know in the comment section below!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

References:

https://thedirect.com/article/the-batman-part-2-movie-villains

‘THE BATMAN 2 HAS ITS VILLAINS? | Film Threat Versus’ (from the Youtube channel, Film Threat)

The Atlantis: The Lost Empire Book Tag

On By 18cinemalane4 Comments

June 15th, 2026, marks the 25th anniversary of Atlantis: The Lost Empire’s release. Since Atlantis: The Lost Empire is one of my favorite animated movies, I wanted to do something to celebrate this special milestone! One of the squares on 18 Cinema Lane’s Year-Long Bingo Card is “Complete at least one book tag”. This gave me the idea to participate in a book tag based on Atlantis: The Lost Empire! But when I searched Booktube (the book community on Youtube), I couldn’t find an Atlantis: The Lost Empire themed book tag in existence. So, I chose to create my own! In this book tag, I came up with questions based on the movie’s key characters. Each question relates to something that either happens to the character in the movie, something the character possesses, or one of the character’s quotes. If you’re interested in participating in the Atlantis: The Lost Empire book tag, you are welcome!

The Atlantis: The Lost Empire Book Tag banner created by me, Sally Silverscreen. Character images and title card originally created by Walt Disney Pictures, Eastman Film, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Walt Disney Feature Animation, and Buena Vista Pictures Distribution. Book covers images found on Goodreads. Universal globe picture found in the Youtube video,
‘A Deep Dive Into Classic Universal Studios Florida’ (from the Youtube channel, Poseidon Entertainment). Picture of Mary from The Children’s Hour found on IMDB.

Milo

Throughout Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Milo never gives up on finding Atlantis, even when he originally faced scrutiny from the Smithsonian Institute’s board of directors. What book series do you see yourself not giving up on?

I’ve brought up in the past how much I’ve enjoyed the Figure Skating Mystery series. While I thought the second and third book was fine, I still believe the best book is the first one. With Figure Skating Mystery containing only five books, this means there’s only two books I have yet to read. It’s been interesting to read about Rebecca “Bex” Levy’s balance between being a figure-skating researcher and an amateur detective. Plus, the longer I read the Figure Skating Mystery books, the more I learn about sports researching and broadcasting. So, I’d like to see how Bex’s story continues and learn more from her world!

Kida

While recounting the state of Atlantis, Kida says, “We [Atlanteans] are like a stone the ocean beats against. With each passing year a little more of us is worn away”. Which book would you save from becoming lost to time?

When it comes to lost media, I rarely hear books being brought up in the conversation. Though I wouldn’t consider the Palm Beach Prep series lost media yet, I fear it could become that. This is because a) I barely hear anybody talking about it and b) the books are out of print. If this series were lost to time, middle-grade readers would miss out on a story that teaches them how to work with their peers to solve problems and maintain friendships. Explaining why the series’ bully, Cara, is the way she is seems like a storytelling concept that was ahead of its time, especially from the middle-grade genre from the ‘80s and ‘90s. You’d think with ‘80s and ‘90s nostalgia being capitalized on in pop culture, there’d be a push to either get the Palm Beach Prep series reprinted or give the series a little more recognition. As far as I know, none of these things have happened.

Audrey

As a gifted mechanic, Audrey is tasked with making sure the Ulysses submarine and the team’s vehicles run smoothly throughout the expedition. What book had a pace you thought ran smoothly?

One of the best books I read last year was Scarlet Witch, Vol. 3: The Final Hex! A reason why I liked this graphic novel was how steady the pace was. Throughout the book, no parts of the story were either drawn-out or felt like padding. The steadier pace of Scarlet Witch, Vol. 3: The Final Hex helped maintain the story’s intrigue and engagement! This pace also allowed the story to adopt heart-warming moments, which I found a pleasant surprise.

Vinny

One of Vinny’s most memorable lines is “Hey look, I made a bridge” after creating a pathway using dynamite. What literary worlds would you like to see bridged together?

I already mentioned in this book tag how I’ve enjoyed the Figure Skating Mystery series. Another series I’ve enjoyed, so far, is the Murder, She Wrote series. One of the books in that series is Skating on Thin Ice, where Jessica tries to solve the murder of someone connected to the world of figure skating. With Bex being a figure-skating researcher, a figure skating event and a mystery surrounding it would be a perfect opportunity to bridge Bex’s and Jessica’s world! It would be fascinating to see them working together to solve a case, especially since, more often than not, they solve mysteries on their own.

Joshua “Doctor Sweet” Sweet

According to Disney Wiki, Doctor Sweet was the first character to show Milo kindness during the Atlantis expedition. Which book character would you give kindness to?

I’m familiar with the saying, “Be kinder than necessary, for everyone is facing some kind of battle”. With that said, I’d give kindness to Doris from The Red Address Book. Without spoiling the book, all I’ll say is Doris experienced several major hardships in her life. In fact, as I read The Red Address Book, it felt like I spent more time reading about her misfortunes which kind of made the book feel too “doom and gloom”. I honestly wish the story contained more joyous moments, as well as moments where Doris received kindness. This way, a balanced view of the world would be presented in The Red Address Book, reminding readers how the world can be both cruel and beautiful.

Mole

When Milo meets Mole, he discovers Mole’s dirt collection, with each particle of dirt coming from different parts of the world. If you could collect dirt from a book’s world, where would you go?

I don’t remember if the world of Piranesi contains any dirt. If it does, that’s exactly where I’m going! Because the world of Piranesi is so different and fantastical from the “real world”, I’d love to know how different the dirt there is. So, I would want to collect a sample, test it, and learn more about it.

Cookie

On Cookie’s chest is a tattoo of “all 38 states”. Which book would you choose out of the states represented in Cookie’s tattoo?

Based on what is shown of Cookie’s tattoo in the movie, one of the states appears to be Tennessee. Because of that, I’ll select Before and After: The Incredible Real-Life Stories of Orphans Who Survived the Tennessee Children’s Home Society. The quality of the book’s writing allowed the book to be thought-provoking, as well as gave adoptees’ and their families’ stories reverence. The use of descriptive imagery also added memorability to the overall story. This is not only one of the most important books I’ve ever read, it’s the best book I’ve read this year, so far! I’d recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about the Tennessee Children’s Home Society from adoptees’ perspective.

Wilhelmina “Mrs. Packard” Packard

According to Disney Wiki, “Packard is hardly involved during the journey to Atlantis”. Yet as the Officer of Communications, Mrs. Packard plays a vital role in the Atlantis expedition. Which underrated book character do you wish received more recognition?

I brought up earlier in this book tag how I barely hear anybody talking aboutthe Palm Beach Prep series. That means characters like Alicia aren’t getting the recognition they deserve. I would love to see Alicia get her “standing ovation” because, in my opinion, she’s the most interesting character in this series! Not only have the writers done a good job balancing her flaws and likable qualities, she also has the heart of a saint. In fact, Alicia was the first character who showed the series’ protagonist, Quinn, kindness, similar to how Doctor Sweet showed Milo kindness. I kind of wish the Palm Beach Prep series was primarily about Alicia and her story.

Preston B. Whitmore

Because of his funding, Mr. Whitmore is the reason why the Atlantis expedition happens in the first place. If you possessed a large sum of money, what book related purpose would you use the money for?

Since Jessica Fletcher is an author on the Murder, She Wrote television show and since there is a book series associated with the tv show, I believe this answer will count for this question. Two years ago, I wrote an editorial advocating for the creation of Murder, She Wrote Weekend. Through a basic concept of the event’s schedule, I proposed how the fan event could benefit both the fans of Murder, She Wrote and Universal Orlando Resort. But if there’s one thing I know about hosting any kind of fan-related event, it’s that money (and how much is invested) plays an important factor in how smoothly the event is run. So, if I possessed a large sum of money, I’d use it to not only make Murder, She Wrote Weekend a reality, but to also build it into an event people want to continue attending.

Kashekim Nedakh and the Queen of Atlantis

Kashekim and the Queen of Atlantis play important roles in Kida’s story, despite spending most of the movie apart. Which book couple do you wish had gotten to spend more time together?

Like I said earlier in this book tag, Bex solves mysteries on her own in the Figure Skating Mystery series. But that changed in the third book, Axel of Evil, when Bex was paired with a man named Sasha. I liked this part of the book because it provided a unique dynamic to the series. It also lay the foundation for a potential romance. I would be interested to see where Sasha and Bex’s relationship goes after Axel of Evil. But based on the synopsis for Figure Skating Mystery’s fourth and fifth book, I’m not sure if their relationship will get acknowledged. Therefore, I’m selecting Bex and Sasha as my answer for this question!

Helga

As one of the villains of Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Helga is not intended to be a likable character. In your opinion, what book possesses an unlikable female character?

As of mid June, 2026, the worst book I’ve ever read is Veronika Decides to Die.While both of the book’s female characters, Veronica and Zedka, are unlikable, Veronica (the protagonist) is worse. Not only is Veronica self-centered and entitled, she has the audacity to believe she’s better than the other patients at the hospital she resides at. She also treats her love interest, Eduard, so disrespectfully, I wish Veronica faced accountability for her behavior. While I had other issues with Veronika Decides to Die, Veronica’s consistent unlikability was one of the book’s biggest flaws.

Commander Lyle Tiberius Rourke

In Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Rourke desired to locate a book called the Shepherd’s Journal. Once found, he removes one of the pages from the Shepherd’s Journal in an effort to use that page for bad intentions. Which book would you not want to see fall into a fictional villain’s hands?

In my recent review of The Children’s Hour, I talked about the movie’s antagonist named Mary. She’s a very manipulative and controlling girl who created a rumor that ruined her teachers’ lives and careers. Mary did this simply because she hated her teachers for disciplining her. With that said, I wouldn’t want Mary to get her hands on any book from the murder-mystery genre. Those kinds of stories are not appropriate for children to read. Plus, I’d be concerned how Mary would interpret the text, especially considering she had no qualms destroying the lives and careers of her teachers. Because Mary’s accountability for creating the rumor is never addressed in The Children’s Hour, there’s a chance she could continue her horrible behavior.

Have fun in Atlantis!

Sally Silverscreen

We Now Conclude Commencements of The “Eddie’s Year” Blogathon

On By 18cinemalane2 Comments

Hello everyone! Like any graduation ceremony, it’s time to conclude The “Eddie’s Year” Blogathon. This year’s event was a success, as it had a similar turn-out to last year’s Food & Film Blogathon. I apologize for not publishing my book review of Stranger Things: Flight of Icarus by Caitlin Schneiderhan. I actually didn’t get to completely read the book, as I had other blogging projects to write and publish around the time of The “Eddie’s Year” Blogathon. However, I was able to deliver my Comparing with the Critics reviews of King Kong Lives and The Fly. Those reviews, as well as the event’s other entries, showcased the creative storytelling 1986 had to offer. Through reading these entries, I was introduced to films that are new to me. I also learned something new and discovered interesting points about Eddie Munson I never thought of before. There will be a new blogathon on 18 Cinema Lane in 2027! The event’s details won’t be revealed yet, as I haven’t even chosen a theme. Until then, you can check out my upcoming reviews, editorials, and lists! To everyone who participated in The “Eddie’s Year” Blogathon, thank you so much for your contribution.

The “Eddie’s Year” Blogathon banner created by me, Sally Silverscreen. Original image created by 21 Laps Entertainment, Monkey Massacre, Netflix, and Upside Down Pictures.

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: The Children’s Hour Review

On By 18cinemalane6 Comments

Audrey Hepburn is no stranger to 18 Cinema Lane. In the eight years I’ve been blogging, I have reviewed The Nun’s Story (which I liked), Funny Face (which I also liked), and Roman Holiday (which was, in my opinion, ok). For Classic Film And TV Corner’s Audrey Hepburn Blogathon, I decided to pick a movie I don’t often hear in the discussion of Audrey’s films. Over the years, I’ve heard 1961’s The Children’s Hour has been considered “controversial”. Though I wasn’t sure if the movie still carried that title today or if it once held that title when the film was originally released. Wanting to find an answer to that question, I selected The Children’s Hour to write about for the event. Another actor who’s no stranger to 18 Cinema Lane is James Garner. Despite only reviewing one of his films, Hallmark Hall of Fame’s Promise, I have seen other projects from his filmography, such as Atlantis: The Lost Empire, The Notebook, and Hallmark Hall of Fame’s Decoration Day. So, I was pleasantly surprised to discover James starred in The Children’s Hour.

The Children’s Hour poster created by The Mirisch Corporation and United Artists

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: As I said in this review’s introduction, I’ve written about three of Audrey Hepburn’s films; The Nun’s Story, Funny Face, and Roman Holiday. Through her roles in these films, Audrey has proven to be a very expressive actress who allows her characters to adapt to any situation. This sentiment holds true in The Children’s Hour, as Audrey portrays a teacher named Karen. One great example of Audrey’s expressiveness takes place during a conversation Karen shares with a doctor named Joe (portrayed by James Garner). Throughout their conversation, Karen shares her desire to get married. As soon as Joe agrees to marry Karen, her face lights up, complete with wide eyes and a big ear-to-ear smile. It also helps how this reaction from Karen appears genuine. Speaking of James Garner, I also want to talk about his portrayal of Joe. During his and Karen’s aforementioned conversation, Joe is frustrated by lack of funds and resources at the hospital where he works. As he takes Karen for a car ride, Joe carries that frustration on his face, from a narrowed stare to his mouth turning in a scowl. The look on Joe’s face is consistent from a previous conversation he shared with Karen’s friend, Martha (portrayed by Shirley MacLaine). In his and Martha’s conversation, Joe expressed his frustration through his facial expressions and tone of voice. This consistency, as well as his versatility, showed just how strong of a performance James gave in The Children’s Hour!

Like I mentioned earlier, Audrey portrays a teacher named Karen. This means throughout The Children’s Hour, Karen’s students appear in the story from time to time. Out of the young actresses who received lines in the movie, two of the strongest performances came from Karen Balkin and Veronica Cartwright! In The Children’s Hour, Karen portrays Mary, a manipulative girl who never takes ‘no’ for an answer. Meanwhile, Veronica portrays Rosalie, a fellow student of Mary’s who is terrified of Mary. Whenever Mary tries to control Rosalie into following a plan of hers, Rosalie’s terror for Mary is visibly displayed through her wide eyes and appearance of fear on the rest of her face. Even when she’s questioned about the rumor about Martha and Karen, Rosalie bursts into tears as Mary’s figurative grip on her is just too powerful. On the other hand, Mary’s mood changes depending on the situation. One moment, as she’s presenting flowers to another teacher named Lily, Mary displays a sweet demeanor with a smile on her face. But when Karen catches Mary in a lie about those flowers, Mary’s attitude immediately changes to being defensive, complete with a sharp tone of voice and an angry look in her eyes. The strong execution of Karen’s and Veronica’s performance made me, as a viewer, effectively empathize with Rosalie and despise Mary.

The dialogue: I brought up earlier in this review how Shirley MacLaine portrayed Karen’s friend, Martha. One of the reasons why I liked her performance was her execution of the dialogue. To add to this, some of the dialogue in The Children’s Hour was cleverly written. A great example takes place during a conversation between Martha and Karen. While bringing up the subject of money, Karen addresses her concern for Martha’s wardrobe. Martha casually and confidently responds to Karen’s concern by saying, “I’m a skirt-and-blouse character. We’re always in style”. Later in The Children’s Hour, Martha and Lily have a disagreement. During this disagreement, Martha suggests Lily leave to pursue her Broadway dreams, even offering to give her money. Lily refuses to accept Martha’s offer and says she’d “rather scrub floors first”. Martha, her voice fueled with sarcasm, replies “You’ll change your mind after the first floor”. The cleverness of the dialogue’s writing, as well as the dialogue’s delivery, was such a pleasant surprise!

The mise-en-scène: While watching The Children’s Hour, I noticed interesting mise-en-scène that was sometimes utilized during the movie. One example shows Mary spying on Karen and Martha as they share a conversation in Martha’s room. The door to Martha’s room is in the background near the left-hand side of the frame. In the foreground near the right-hand side of the frame is Mary’s face hiding behind the door of her room. Shots like the one I described present the illusion of putting the audience in a scene alongside the characters. This creative decision was, for me, an unexpected yet memorable aspect of the movie!

The Audrey Hepburn Blogathon banner created by Maddy from Classic Film And TV Corner

What I didn’t like about the film:

Telling instead of showing: Throughout The Children’s Hour, Martha and Karen recount how Mary’s rumor negatively impacted their lives and careers. They planned on filing a libel and slander lawsuit, but ended up losing that lawsuit. The rumor became national news, as Martha mentions it made the front page. But none of these events are shown in the film. No newspapers are presented with that rumor as headline news. There’s no courtroom scenes either, so the audience is forced to take Karen and Martha’s word for it. Because of the script’s reliance on telling instead of showing, the severity of the situation isn’t fully felt. The closest The Children’s Hour gets to addressing the severity is when the students actively leave the school.

Not addressing Mary’s accountability: Karen, Martha, and even Joe are hated by Mary because they do what Mary’s grandmother failed to do: hold Mary accountable for her bad decisions. This hatred is what caused Mary to start the rumor about Martha and Karen in the first place. But The Children’s Hour spends so much time focusing on the fallout from the rumor, Mary isn’t shown facing any accountability for creating the rumor. Sure, the rumor is debunked and Mary’s grandmother discovers the truth. However, the script never addresses what happened to Mary when the truth came to light. As a viewer who was waiting for Mary to face her comeuppance, I was disappointed.

Drawn-out scenes: There were a few times within The Children’s Hour where scenes were drawn out longer than necessary. One example is when Joe confronts Karen about the rumor. While I understand this scene was intended for Karen to debunk the rumor and re-confirm the status of her and Joe’s relationship, the scene itself felt like it lasted between five to ten minutes. Because there’s only so much story you can tell in an hour and forty-eight minutes, I believe scenes like the one I described should have been trimmed a bit.

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My overall impression:

In the world of cinema, there are three types of movies: those that stand the test of time, those that were ahead of its time, and those that are a product of its time. Personally, I think The Children’s Hour fits in the latter category, primarily due to how the dialogue tries to skirt around the rumor instead of being straightforward about it. However, I don’t believe this makes The Children’s Hour a bad movie. In fact, the 1961 picture has its merits. The acting was solid, from Audrey’s portrayal of Karen and James’ portrayal of Joe to the performances from the younger actresses like Veronica and Karen. I also liked how clever some of the dialogue was and how the mise-en-scène was utilized. But the creative team behind The Children’s Hour didn’t take the opportunity to expand the story beyond the stage it was adapted from. The script relied on telling instead of showing, which prevented the severity of the situation from being fully felt. Some scenes were drawn out longer than necessary and Mary’s accountability for starting the rumor isn’t addressed in the story. Therefore, I like Funny Face and The Nun’s Story over The Children’s Hour.

Overall score: 6.1 out of 10

Have you seen The Children’s Hour? Which movie from Audrey Hepburn’s filmography would you like to see me review next? Let me know in the comment section below!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen