Before I start the introduction of this review, I want to remind everyone that Thursday, February 13th, is the last day to cast vote in the first poll of the 2nd Annual Gold Sally Awards! The second poll will be posted on Valentine’s Day! Here is the link to the poll:
In the past two years, I have reviewed a Valentine’s themed Hallmark movie on February 14th. But since this year’s polls for the Gold Sally Awards are taking place on Fridays and because Hallmark has chosen not to air a new Valentine’s themed movie on Valentine’s Day, I decided to do something different in 2020. Five days ago, 18 Cinema Lane received 180 followers! For this review, I chose to talk about Dracula for three reasons. 1. This movie was released in February of 1931. 2. The movie premiered on Valentine’s Day. 3. Valentine’s Day is a time when we show appreciation to those who have helped us along the way. My followers have definitely done that during my two years of blogging. With that, I have dedicated this special blog follower dedication review to all my followers in honor of Valentine’s Day! As I discuss this film, I realize Dracula is the fifth vampire movie I’ve reviewed on my blog! Who knew that vampires in cinema would be a recurring topic at 18 Cinema Lane?
Dracula (1931) poster image created by Universal Pictures. Image found at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Dracula _-_1931_theatrical_poster.jpg
Things I liked about the film:
The acting: For years, I have heard great things about Bela Lugosi as an actor. Even though this is the first film of Bela’s I have seen, I can understand why people give him this amount of praise! His portrayal of Dracula was commanding and captivating, effortlessly directing the audience’s attention towards him. Bela was very expressive through his facial expressions and body language. But the emotions in his eyes are what elevated his performance! Great examples of this are whenever Dracula appeared in front of his victims. Another expressive performance came from Dwight Frye! The character of Renfield was executed really well because of the versatility of Dwight’s acting abilities. Before and during his stay at Dracula’s castle, his demeanor was calm and collected. After becoming Dracula’s victim, his persona changes to being paranoid and on-edge. I was also impressed with Helen Chandler’s portrayal of Mina! Her on-screen personality was likable and sweet. Similar to Bela Lugosi, her eyes provided the emotion for her performance. A great example is when Mina is looking intently at her fiancé toward the end of the film.
The set design: I really liked seeing the overall set design in Dracula! It was constructed really well and fit the world the film’s creative team was trying to bring to life. Dracula’s castle and the Abbey in London were the two best locations in this movie! These places were grand in scale and felt larger than life. For Dracula’s castle, elements like spiderwebs and trees growing through broken windows created an unsettling environment. In the Abbey, a large, winding staircase was impressively captured on film. The locations in this movie were grandiose and had a sense of style to them!
The lighting: The way that lighting was used in this film was very interesting! Even though parts of the movie took place at nighttime, enough lighting was used to show what was taking place on screen. The times when Dracula is waking up from his coffin are good examples. Another creative way that lighting was used was anytime Dracula approached his victims. His eyes are the only things captured by the light, highlighting one of Bela’s best qualities as an actor. It also indicates how intense the power of his eyes is on humans. The lighting in Dracula helped make the project visually appealing!
Limited amount of music: The power of music can be very influential when it comes to film. Music can be used to set a tone for a particular scene or enhance the events happening on screen. In Dracula, however, music was used sparingly. Only two scenes and the opening credits is where music could be heard. The rest of the movie is music-free. Had there been orchestral music during moments when Dracula is in the presence of his victims, it would have brought a certain intensity toward those moments. It also would have highlighted the fear that can come from such an event. Sadly, music in this project felt underutilized.
Treading on familiar territory: It has been said that Nosferatu is the story of Dracula. But because of copyright laws at the time of the film’s creation, direct references to Dracula had to be removed. While watching the 1931 version of Dracula, I could tell that certain patterns in story-telling mirrored the 1922 silent film. In fact, certain events almost followed the predecessor beat-by-beat. Since I saw Nosferatu prior to seeing the 1931 picture, I feel like I knew what would happen, leaving little to no room for any surprises. While this movie did have some differences from the 1922 film, it wasn’t enough to create its own identity.
The run-time: Dracula is a one hour and fifteen-minute film. After Renfield meets Dracula in his castle, the movie kind of drags on, making it feel longer than its run-time suggests. Some moments felt like they were included to provide padding, such as the “woman in white” story. Personally, I think this film should have been less than an hour. This story is pretty straight-forward and has a recognizable character. If it were eighty or ninety minutes, the film could get straight to the point sooner.
Dracula is a film that I found to be decent. There are aspects within the project that I liked, such as Bela Lugosi’s performance. However, the script played it safe when it came to the story. The creative team behind the movie didn’t really take any chances or try to think outside the box. In the end, the final product failed to create its own identity from its predecessor, Nosferatu. What I can say about this film is if you’ve seen Nosferatu, you’ve already seen Dracula. Compared to the other vampire movies I’ve reviewed, this movie would be placed around the same range as Queen of the Damned. While I liked both films for what they were, I think they could have been stronger. Before I end this review, I’d like to thank my followers for helping 18 Cinema Lane get this far! This blog has thrived every day because of you!
Overall score: 7 out of 10
What you do think of this special blog follower dedication review? Are you looking forward to seeing what I review when I receive 185 followers? Let me know in the comment section!
Last month, my review of A Time to Remember became my 150th movie review! In that review, I said that I would be publishing a special post to commemorate this achievement. For the Mystery Mania Blogathon last March, I wrote an article where I reviewed some episodes of Murder, She Wrote. After I published that article, the moderator of that blogathon, Robin from Pop Culture Reverie, recommended some episodes for me to watch. So, in this post, I’m bringing back “Sally Watches…Murder, She Wrote”! This time, however, I’ll be reviewing the episodes that Robin shared with me in the comment section!
Since I reviewed this book last October, this image felt like a good fit for this post. Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.Name: We’re Off to Kill the Wizard
Season 1, Episode 7
Premiere Date: December 9th, 1984
The title card for “We’re Off to Kill the Wizard”. Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.What I liked about this episode:
In some Murder, She Wrote episodes, the mystery starts at the halfway point. But the mystery in ‘We’re Off to Kill the Wizard’ began fifteen minutes into the episode. This allowed the mystery to be explored much sooner. It also kept the audience’s interest in what was happening in the story. When it came to exposition, there was enough room set aside to keep viewers satisfied. Within the first fifteen minutes, the audience was introduced to the characters, setting, and lead-up to the mystery in an effective way. In this period of time, nothing felt rushed or overlooked. The screenwriters associated with this episode took their time in an effort to let all story-telling elements flourish.
What I didn’t like about this episode:
When I discovered this episode would take place in an amusement park, I was excited to see what kind of perspective would be associated with this location. While it was interesting to see the behind-the-scenes aspect of theme parks, I was disappointed by how there was no educational or insightful commentary provided. For example, in the episode, ‘Film Flam’, the different steps involved with organizing a movie premiere were showcased. This process was an educational and insightful look into the movie industry. With ‘We’re Off to Kill the Wizard’, I don’t feel like I learned anything new about the amusement park industry. Not including this kind of information in the episode seems like a missed opportunity.
The mystery itself:
I found the mystery in ‘We’re Off to Kill the Wizard’ to be interactive and engaging! As I already mentioned, it helps that the mystery started fifteen minutes into the episode. It gave the audience an opportunity to solve the mystery alongside Jessica. However, I think the resolution was met way too quickly and it was a little too far-fetched. I’m not going to spoil this episode if you haven’t seen it. But it required more suspension of disbelieve than I expected.
The other factors from this episode:
When Robin recommended this episode to me, she brought it to my attention that Joaquin Phoenix guest starred in this episode. I’m glad she pointed this out because I wouldn’t have known that piece of information otherwise. It’s always nice to see a familiar face on Murder, She Wrote! It’s also interesting to see how far Joaquin has come as an actor.
In the haunted house attraction at the amusement park, there was a prop that consisted of a giant face. All I’ll say is, to me, it looked creepy.
During this episode, one of the male employees at the amusement park made a comment to Jessica about seduction. I understand that the ‘80s were a different time compared to today. But, personally, I don’t think this comment aged very well. It made me feel uncomfortable and was very off-putting. I’m honestly surprised that the comment wasn’t omitted from the script.
Toward the beginning of this episode, there was a demonstration where a few actors were acting out a scene to promote the theme park’s haunted house attraction. This demonstration was so convincing, that I honestly thought the episode’s murder had taken place. Fortunately, none of the characters were harmed and it was all an act. That specific scene shows just how talented the actors and screenwriters were in this episode!
My overall thoughts:
I liked ‘We’re Off to Kill the Wizard’ more than other episodes I’ve seen. However, there are elements in this episode that could have made it stronger. I wish this script would have left some room to provide educational or insightful commentary about the amusement park industry. It would have provided interesting content for the story. Also, the resolution of the mystery was far-fetched and way too easily resolved. This took away some of the narrative’s believability. While I respect the show’s creative team for thinking outside the box, the execution could have been better.
Rating: A 3.5 out of 5
Yesterday: Guest star on Murder, She Wrote Today: Cinematic champion Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.Name: Paint Me a Murder
Season 1, Episode 14
Premiere Date: February 17th, 1985
The title card for “Paint Me a Murder”. Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.What I liked about this episode:
The biggest showstopper in ‘Paint Me a Murder’ was the scenery! According to IMDB, this episode was filmed in California. Since the Golden State does have picturesque beaches and appealing foliage, it makes sense for the creative team to take advantage of this location. From the beach to the grounds of Diego’s photogenic house, everything was appealing to look at and was captured well on camera. Like I’ve said before, the show’s location scout deserves a Lifetime Achievement Award!
What I didn’t like about this episode:
Because the subject of art was incorporated in this story, I was hoping to learn more about the art industry through this episode. But, similar to ‘We’re Off to Kill the Wizard’, no commentary was provided in the narrative. In fact, art didn’t play as big of a role in this story as I expected. If anything, it felt like it was an afterthought. The limited amount of attention for this subject made me disappointed. Also, like ‘We’re Off to Kill the Wizard’, this lack of commentary was a missed opportunity.
The mystery itself:
‘Paint Me a Murder’ consisted of two mysteries, as there are two murders taking place in the story. There’s also a guest that’s trying to harm Diego. Even though there were more mysteries in this episode than are usually on Murder, She Wrote, I still found them to be engaging! Enough suspects and clues keep the audience invested in the story. Another thing that helped was letting the audience solve the mystery alongside Jessica. This creative choice allowed a sense of interactivity to be incorporated into the episode.
The other factors from this episode:
Out of all the Murder, She Wrote episodes I’ve seen, the cast in ‘Paint Me a Murder’ is one of the most star-studded! Besides having Angela Lansbury as the lead actress of the episode, some of the guest stars include Cesar Romero, Stewart Granger, and Robert Goulet. I’d say that the star power is strong with this story!
At one point in this episode, Diego shares how his faith has influenced his art. As I said in my review of “The Days Dwindle Down”, Murder, She Wrote is not known for introducing thought-provoking dialogue and encouraging conversation. But seeing the idea of faith playing a role in one of the character’s lives was interesting to see in this episode. It reminded me of the brief discussion about how different people view topics relating to belief systems from “The Legacy of Borbey House”.
The biggest flaw of ‘Paint Me a Murder’ was how it sometimes felt like a soap opera. There were some scenes where characters would sit around and talk about their problems. Relationship drama is also a common occurrence in this episode. Personally, I didn’t find this part of the story to be interesting.
My overall thoughts:
Even though I liked this episode more than ‘We’re Off to Kill the Wizard’, it still had its flaws. The soap opera element of the story should have been left out. There also should have been some commentary about the art world. However, I did think the mysteries were interesting. I also liked the cast in this episode, as it consisted of very talented actors and actresses. The best part of ‘Paint Me a Murder’ is the scenery! Murder, She Wrote has a good track record when it comes to their sets and backdrops. This episode is a perfect example of this!
Rating: A 3.7 out of 5
How can anyone look at this beach and not think it’s breathtaking? Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.Name: Murder Takes the Bus
Season 1, Episode 18
Premiere Date: March 17th, 1985
The title card for “Murder Takes the Bus”. Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.What I liked about this episode:
In this episode, the show’s creative team did a good job when it came to paying homage to the classic film, Psycho. The setting was a dark and stormy night, similar to the setting in Alfred Hitchcock’s film. The weather condition causes the characters in the episode to rest at a road-side diner. This situation is similar to how Marion ended up at the Bates Motel. Another similarity is the murder in each story takes place at the rest-stop. Details like this that are found in the story show how much the show’s creative team respected this iconic film.
What I didn’t like about this episode:
Unlike the film this episode was paying tribute to, ‘Murder Takes the Bus’ featured too many characters in the story. Because there were so many people in this episode, it was difficult to keep track of who was who. It also didn’t allow the characters to be fully developed in their own narratives. There wasn’t enough time or room in the script to truly get to know these characters. This did a disservice to the actors and actresses in this episode.
The mystery itself:
Since there were so many characters in this episode, it took the primary focus away from solving the mystery. Instead, the episode was about the characters and their various conversations. This brought down the intrigue of the story and I did not find it to be very interesting. The mystery started within the first twelve minutes of the episode. But that’s the only good thing I can say about it.
The other factors from this episode:
As I already mentioned, the setting of ‘Murder Takes the Bus’ is a dark and stormy night. I’ve seen other episodes where this setting has been placed in the story. Every time this has happened, the creative team does a good job creating the setting! Even though the lighting is used sparingly, it’s still enough to see what is going on in the scenes. This choice is to represent lightening and it appears effective on screen! It also sets the mood for the rest of the episode.
It was nice to see Rue McClanahan guest star in this episode! I’ve seen her acting work on The Golden Girls and in a few Hallmark films. Her role in ‘Murder Takes the Bus’ was different from those other projects. This gave Rue the opportunity to move out of her acting comfort zone!
My overall thoughts:
I was not a fan of this episode. The homage toward Psycho was a nice touch, but the episode itself was executed poorly. Having too many characters was the biggest flaw of ‘Murder Takes the Bus’. It tampered with every element of the story, from the character development to the mystery itself. Speaking of the mystery, it felt like an afterthought within this mystery story. Similar to ‘Paint Me a Murder’, I was not a fan of the drama among the characters. The overall episode was not interesting and had little to no intrigue.
Rating: A 2 out of 5
I couldn’t tell what book Jessica was holding, but I’m wondering if it’s one of her own books? Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.Name: Crossed Up
Season 3, Episode 13
Premiere Date: February 1st, 1987
The title card for “Crossed Up”. Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.What I liked about this episode:
In my review of “The Days Dwindle Down”, I talked about how I loved the Jarvis house in that episode. That same house makes an appearance in ‘Crossed Up’! The same interior and exterior shots were shown in the episode. But new perspectives were given to this location in an attempt to show it in a different light. In this episode, more exterior shots were presented, highlighting the size of the front yard. It also emphasized the wealth of the characters living there.
What I didn’t like about this episode:
Throughout the episode, Jessica’s loved ones and friends don’t believe her when she tries to warn them about an upcoming murder. They honestly think she’s crazy. Had this episode aired within the show’s first season, the idea of the people in Jessica’s life looking out for her would make more sense. But because this episode was featured in the third season, it feels unnecessary. By this time, Jessica has successfully solved several mysteries. So, the warnings she receives seem out of place.
The mystery itself:
Like the other episodes I reviewed in this post, the mystery in ‘Crossed Up’ started early. This gave the audience a chance to solve the mystery alongside the characters. However, I didn’t like how Jessica didn’t solve the case by herself. This show is called Murder, She Wrote for a reason. If Jessica isn’t involved in the story, it defeats the purpose of that title. What makes the show work is Jessica’s intelligence and wit when it comes to each case. That aspect was lost in this episode.
The other factors from this episode:
Just like I said about ‘Murder Takes the Bus’, the creative team did a good job creating the setting of a dark and stormy night. From the lighting to the sound effects, it definitely fits the tone they were going for!
In this episode, Jessica is bed-ridden due to a back injury. However, the people in Jessica’s life act like her back injury is worse than it really is. I understand that back injuries can be painful and disruptive. But the other characters view Jessica’s injury as something she needs to spend more than a week in bed for. This seemed very confusing and wasn’t as effective as the screenwriters thought.
My overall thoughts:
This episode of Murder, She Wrote was ok. I respect the show’s creative team for trying something new. But it didn’t work as well as it could have. ‘Crossed Up’ should have been placed somewhere in the first season. In that context, the things the characters in Jessica’s life are saying would make more sense. It also doesn’t help that Jessica doesn’t play a big role in this story. This episode kind of defeated the purpose of the show’s title.
Rating: A mid 3 out of 5
This shot of the house showcases just how grand this location is! Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.What are your thoughts on these reviews? Are they any episodes of Murder, She Wrote you’d like me to discuss? Please tell me in the comment section!
With the 2nd anniversary of 18 Cinema Lane comes the start of voting for the 2nd Annual Gold Sally Awards! The first poll is to determine the best movie I saw in 2019! Just like last year, you are allowed to vote for more than one movie. But you can only vote once per person. This poll will run from today, February 7th to Thursday, February 13th. Below is the poll and the link where you can vote. If you’re having any difficulties, don’t hesitate to mention it in the comment section.
When Gill from Realweegiemidget Reviews announced that her blogathon would focus on James Garner, I found the perfect excuse to talk about one of his Hallmark Hall of Fame movies! For this review, I chose to write about the first one he starred in called Promise. This entry from the Hallmark Hall of Fame collection is one of the most beloved. It has not only received critical praise, but several awards as well. Movies that achieve a lot of praise can be hit or miss. I either find myself not liking the film as much as other people (in the case of The Christmas Card) or I gain understanding for why people like the movie so much (in the case of The Nine Lives of Christmas). With Promise, I wanted to judge it for myself. Is it worth its praise or is it overrated? I was lucky enough to find a copy of this movie on DVD, so I could bring this review to my readers and followers!
When getting this DVD, I was surprised by how rarer it was to find than other Hallmark Hall of Fame titles. Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.Things I liked about the film:
The acting: The acting in Promise was definitely one of the best parts of this film! Throughout the movie, James Garner and James Woods go toe-to-toe with their acting prowess. What brought believability to these respective roles were the versatility and emotionality of Garner and Woods. When it comes to the acting, the best scene in this movie is when Bob discovers D.J. having a psychological catatonic break. James Garner’s portrayal of Bob was heart-breaking, as his voice was battling sobs and his eyes were full of fear. As for James Woods’ portrayal of D.J., he was so listless and still that I honestly thought this character had died. Piper Laurie did a really good job bringing the character of Annie to life! What worked in her favor was the on-screen personality she presented. Since it was so sweet and gentle, it made Annie a likable individual. Even though she had a limited presence in Promise, Barbara Niven portrayed her character, Joan, wonderfully! The great thing about Barbara’s acting abilities is how expressive she is. A perfect example is when Joan spots D.J. watching her and Bob having an intimate moment, as she quickly changes from a passionate and flirty attitude to screaming in fear.
The set design: There were some interesting creative choices made when it came to the set design. For the interior design, I really liked the look of the restaurant where Bob visits his co-workers. The use of red and gold was magnificent, from the rich red carpet to the way the light illuminated off the gold details on the wall. There were also some visually appealing choices made for the film’s exterior design. On Annie’s porch, there was a large, white, multi-paned window at one end of it. It made that space feel like an outdoor room! It also provided a unique look from the other porches that were featured in this film. At one point in the movie, D.J. and Bob discover an abandoned castle. The way this castle looked was mysterious, but not scary. It reminded me of the abandoned places that are shown in urban exploring videos. Because of the look and feel of this place, it made me want to explore the castle alongside Bob and D.J.!
The scenery: Another appealing element of Promise was the scenery! My favorite place in this movie was the lake Bob and D.J. visit. This location was shown at different times of the day. It was even shown in the rain. But the lake always appeared serene and peaceful. Mixed with the forest’s foliage, it looked like an inviting environment! Long shots were used to showcase various landscapes. The field in front of D.J. and Bob’s mother’s house is one of them. The way this location was framed brought up the feelings of possibility and hope. This fit within the context of the story.
The secondary storyline: In Promise, Bob tries to sell his and D.J.’s mother’s house. This part served as a secondary storyline. I wasn’t a fan of this narrative for a few reasons. Personally, I didn’t find it to be very interesting. Also, it felt distant from the main plot. I’m glad this story didn’t adopt a cliché similar to the “woman from the city coming back to her small hometown” cliché. However, I wish this movie kept its focus on Bob and D.J.’s story.
The discussion of Mental Illness: Promise’s discussion of Mental Illness is similar to A Time to Remember’s discussion of Alzheimer’s. I commend this film and its creative team for addressing the ways Mental Illness can affect an individual and the people around them. But I honestly think this discussion could have been executed better. For starters, D.J. ends up being a supporting character in the story instead of an equal co-lead. This does a disservice not only to D.J., but also to members of the audience who have been affected by Mental Illness in some fashion. Within the first half of the movie, D.J. is called “crazy” by Bob because he has Schizophrenia and because his beliefs happen to be different from his brother’s. I understand that stories like this are meant to feature unlikable protagonists, in an effort to showcase their personal growth throughout the movie. However, Bob’s attitude and views toward D.J. were unfair and they did not sit well with me. In one scene, D.J. explains to Bob what having Schizophrenia is like. While this monologue was well written and delivered, I think this explanation would have been a little more effective if the audience could see at least one of D.J.’s hallucinations and/or hear the audio from his “voices”. It would have shown and told the audience an idea of how Schizophrenia affects someone.
The editing: As I was watching Promise, the overall film felt uneven. This was caused by some scenes ending too quickly. One example is the scene where D.J. tells Bob that he feels normal again. Right after he says this, the next scene immediately starts. This not only felt abrupt, but there also wasn’t a smooth transition provided. The presentation of these scenes was the equivalent of stop-and-go traffic.
As the cover of Promise’s DVD says, this movie is “the most-honored television movie of all time”. However, I thought the film was just ok. This is certainly not one of the worst projects Hallmark Hall of Fame has created. Elements like the acting, set design, and scenery prevent it from being unenjoyable. However, I can think of other Hallmark Hall of Fame stories that are stronger than this one. The primary focus of Promise should have remained on Bob and D.J.’s story. It also should have given D.J. an equal portion of the narrative as Bob. This way, he could have a bigger voice and more perspective to share in the film. Since this is one of four Hallmark Hall of Fame movies James Garner starred in, I would be interested to see how those movies compare to Promise. I have Decoration Day on my DVR, so I might have to review it in the near future!
Overall score: 6.9 out of 10
Have you seen any Hallmark Hall of Fame movies? Are there any Hallmark Hall of Fame films you’d like me to review? Share your thoughts in the comment section!
The day after the Super Bowl is filled with reflection. People share their favorite commercials and talk about highlights from the game itself. In this post, though, I’ll be sharing my thoughts on the movie trailers that aired for the Super Bowl. I referenced an article in my previous Word on the Street story that focused on movie studios trying to save money on game day advertising by choosing to show their trailers before or after the actual event. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to watch the Super Bowl, as I was working on a non-blog related project that took up a lot of my time. But I did record the pregame, postgame, and the game itself on my DVR so I could watch the trailers and write about my thoughts on them. While watching each trailer, I kept reflecting on the aforementioned article from my Word on the Street story last week. Out of all eleven trailers that aired for Super Bowl, more of them were shown during the game than before or after it. While there were five trailers shown during the pregame, none were shown during the postgame. Also, almost all of the trailers belonged to films that have already started their marketing campaigns.
During the Super Bowl pregame, five movie trailers aired between interviews, performances, and early predictions. Two of them were Sonic the Hedgehog and The Invisible Man. It makes sense that they appeared during this segment because both films have a February release date. With Sonic the Hedgehog, the marketing team had a good idea with having athletes introduce Sonic. The second half of the trailer featured clips from the movie. I thought the visuals looked really good, especially Sonic’s redesign! Even though I think this trailer could have tailored to better reflect the Super Bowl event (having former Super Bowl champions introduce Sonic as one example), it was a well-crafted commercial. When it comes to visuals, The Invisible Man’s trailer provided a good balance between the colors of black and white. Most horror movies adopt a darker palette for their collection of marketing material. Seeing lighter hues in the trailer for The Invisible Man was an interesting choice. Personally, I’m not interested in seeing this film. However, it did present the synopsis in a simple way through visuals.
Another horror trailer that appeared during the pregame is A Quiet Place Part II. I was not a fan of this trailer for a few reasons. While I haven’t seen A Quiet Place, I’m aware of what the story is about. Audio could be heard in this commercial and all the characters were talking. This defeats the purpose of the title as well as the events of the first film. The monsters are also shown in at least two shots. Despite having good cinematography, I found this trailer to be the worst one to appear during the Super Bowl festivities. The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run was, surprisingly, the best trailer from this collection. Their self-awareness for their pregame placement and for the cost of Super Bowl ads added humor to the trailer. They also did a great job explaining what the film was about through a series of visuals. Top Gun: Maverick is another trailer that had good visuals, this time due to cinematography. Having voice-overs over the clips was an interesting choice, even though I would have had the theme music playing over clips and text. I wish this trailer had been presented during the game, especially since Walmart referenced Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure in their commercial.
Like I mentioned in the introduction, most of the films presenting trailers during the Super Bowl festivities had already started their marketing campaigns. The only movie that didn’t was Minions: The Rise of Gru. In this trailer, the marketing team tried to do what The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run did with their trailer. However, they ended up showing random scenes with little context. At the end of this trailer, the words, “Trailer Wednesday” appeared on the screen. Why wouldn’t the marketing team make their Super Bowl ad the official trailer? To me, this commercial wasn’t utilized as well as it could have. Two other trailers I didn’t like were the ones for Mulan and the 25th James Bond film, No Time to Die. The biggest flaw of both trailers is how choppy the editing is. This made it difficult for me to see the various featured clips. I was also confused when the words “The 25th Bond will change everything” were presented in the trailer. If this is Daniel Craig’s last time portraying James Bond, why wouldn’t the marketing team capitalize on that piece of information? Both trailers do have another thing in common: they didn’t make me excited for their respective films.
One similarity I noticed among these trailers were how they felt shorter than expected. Fast & Furious 9’s trailer is a good example. Because of its time length, there was no context provided as to what the story could be about. It also brought up more questions than it was willing to answer. Why is Han in one of the clips? Will the story revolve around the Olympics? Despite not receiving its own trailer, Wonder Woman 1984 made a surprise appearance during the game. The brief marketing for the film served as a collaboration with Tide’s Pod commercial that emphasized waiting until later when taking care of dirty clothes. This makes me wonder if Wonder Woman’s image will be featured on Tide products closer to the film’s release date? Another female superhero that has an upcoming movie is the MCU’s Black Widow. Her solo movie also had a trailer during the game. The best part of it was the collection of visuals, as they were captured very well through good cinematography. Similar to Top Gun: Maverick’s trailer, voice-overs were relied on to create the commercial’s tone. Black Widow’s trailer was one of the better pieces of movie marketing that was featured during the game.
I’m going to be honest; I was not planning on writing a Word on the Street story today. But, yesterday, I discovered there was a movie news story involving Sebastian Stan. Being the Bucky fan that I am, I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to talk about it. With the Super Bowl just around the corner, I also wanted to discuss an interesting article that I happened to come across. Like I do with most Word on the Street stories, I will share the story and express my opinions. Now, let’s get started with the final Word on the Street story of January 2020!
I think this is the first time my Bucky Lego figure has made an appearance in a Word on the Street story! Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.In my post, A Movie Blogger’s Christmas Wish-List 2019, I said that I wanted to see Disney and Marvel stop treating Bucky like an afterthought. It looks like I’m not the only person who is tired of seeing this happen. In recent videos from Clownfish TV and Geeks + Gamers, it was reported that Sebastian Stan, who portrays Bucky Barnes in the MCU, shared his displeasure toward Marvel’s treatment of the character in a subtle but creative way. Kneon and Geeky Sparkles, creators of Clownfish TV, and Ryan, a contributor of Geeks + Gamers, talked about an Instagram post of Sebastian’s that indicated his feelings. In this post, Sebastian adds a blushing emoji over a picture of Bucky and Steve with the caption “Together until the end of the line”. Under that image, one person expressed their dislike over the way Steve’s story played out in Avengers: Endgame. In both videos, Kneon, Geeky, and Ryan mention that John Boyega, star of Disney’s Star Wars trilogy, responded to Sebastian’s post by saying “Welcome Mr. Stan” on Twitter. If Sebastian’s post was meant to express his views on how Bucky was treated in the MCU, then I’m glad he spoke up, even it was just through emojis. At the end of the day, honesty and being yourself will get you so much farther in life than trying to be everyone’s cup of tea. As Albus Dumbledore, from the Harry Potter series, once said, “It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities”. Sebastian’s choice to speak his mind will, hopefully, earn respect from fans and appreciators of cinema who just want quality story-telling and well-crafted characters.
You can watch the videos I referenced in this story by typing “Sebastian Stan Throws Shade At Disney, John Boyega Welcomes Him To The Club!” and “John Boyega, Sebastian Stan Team Up AGAINST DISNEY?!” into Youtube’s search bar. If you do choose to watch these videos, I just want to let you know that they do contain language. You can also visit these links:
With the Super Bowl coming this weekend, one of the most important pieces of the puzzle are the movie trailers. Yesterday, I came across an article that felt like a fitting topic for this week’s Word on the Street story. In an article from CinemaBlend, Nick Evans writes about the steep cost of commercial spots for this year’s Super Bowl. It’s said that “a 30-second TV spot airing during this weekend’s Super Bowl LIV between the San Francisco 49ers and the Kansas City Chiefs carries an eye-watering price tag of $5.6 million”. Nick also says that this new price is “roughly $186,666 per second and a $400,000 increase from the $5.2 million a spot cost just last year”. To save money within their marketing budgets, various studios are choosing to show their movie trailers before and after the game. With this choice, these trailers still have the ability to captivate the attention of social media, as the article says. However, some studios might also show their trailers during the game. The three studios that Nick expects to show trailers are Disney, Paramount, and Universal. While reading through this article, I noticed some of the movie titles belonged to animated films. When watching the Super Bowl in years past, I’ve primarily seen trailers for action-packed or big-budget movies. By having animated films take the stage, it creates a variety among the type of movies that get advertised and helps break the stigma of animated films being “just for kids”. Another thing I noticed was how some of these titles have already started their marketing campaigns. Nick reports that Sonic the Hedgehog’s trailer can already be seen. There has also been a teaser trailer and poster for Fast & Furious 9. While the article doesn’t mention either piece of marketing, Annlyel, from Annlyel Online, talks about the poster in a recent article! You can read about it here:
What are your thoughts on this Word on the Street article? Which trailer do you hope makes a Super Bowl appearance? Please tell me in the comment section!
From January 7th to the 14th, I participated in a readathon called Filmathon! As I explained in my post, “Goodbye 2019, Hello 2020!”, the reason why I wanted to join this readathon is because it’s the only one I’m aware of that is movie themed. Originally, I was planning on reading three books to complete all six prompts. But I ended up reading only one of those books. The good news is that book completed half of the prompts! So, for this first round of Filmathon, I feel pretty proud of myself! What book am I talking about? That would be Amy Foster by Joseph Conrad. Below, I will list which prompts this book met and the “cinema tickets” (points) it helped me earn.
This is a picture of my copy of Amy Foster I received for Christmas. Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.
Fight Club – Read an underrated book (2 cinema tickets) In my opinion, I think Amy Foster is not only an underrated story, but I also think its film adaptation, Swept from the Sea is underrated.
Casablanca – Read a book that is either romance in genre or has romantic elements (3 cinema tickets) One of the most important parts of this story is Yanko and Amy falling in love.
Pulp Fiction – Read a book in an unconventional format (3 cinema tickets) Amy Foster is actually a short story. I feel most of the stories that get published are written in a novel format.
Since this was only the first round, I’m looking forward to the next round and the progress I might make!
In 2019, I started a special series of polls called The Gold Sally Awards. This was created as an interactive way to commemorate the anniversary of 18 Cinema Lane’s beginning. While I appreciate the success that came in the first year, I’m going to make a major change, in order to improve the awards. During each period of voting, I noticed that very few people cast their votes and participated in the Gold Sally Awards. Looking back on it, I realized something. While I do talk about Hallmark films, they’re not the only type of movie I discuss on this blog. Starting this year, the Gold Sally Awards will be more reflective of this blog and the kinds of films it covers. It will, hopefully, encourage more people to vote. So, the nominees for the 2nd Annual Gold Sally Awards will be based on the movies that were placed on my list of The Top 10 Best Movies I Saw in 2019! There also might be some nominees from the Honorable Mentions section as well! Like last year, the Gold Sally Awards will start in February. It will also commemorate the 2nd anniversary of the start of 18 Cinema Lane!
Last week, Zoe, from Hollywood Genes, nominated me for my third Liebster Award! It was such an unexpected surprise, as I just happened to notice my name while reading Zoe’s Liebster Award post! Thank you so much, Zoe, for this nomination! It amazes me how, in only two years, I’ve becoming a multi-award-winning blogger! These awards would have never been earned had it not been for the nominators who believed in me. If you want to visit Zoe, please visit her blog at this link:
And now, for the official rules of the Liebster Award!
Thank the nominator in your award post.
Place the award logo somewhere on your blog.
Share 11 facts about yourself.
Answer the questions your nominator provided.
Nominate up to 11 nominees.
Ask your nominees 11 questions.
Since steps 1 and 2 are completed, let’s move on to step 3!
The 11 Facts
I’ve never won a trophy before
My favorite style of pizza is Deep Dish
I only went on one out-of-country trip
I’m a proud owner of a cardboard standup from the movie theater (it’s of Bucky from Captain America: Civil War)
I’ve participated in 40 blogathons (and counting)
Once, I went Black Friday shopping (and I wasn’t a fan of it)
I’ve donated my hair to charity twice
I, sometimes, journal in my spare time
I attended the midnight premiere of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
I love Fuze Iced Tea in raspberry flavor
I own two books that were signed by their respective authors
Since this is an award post, I thought this royal image of Bucky was an appropriate choice. Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.
My Answers to Zoe’s 11 Questions:
1. What is the strangest or most off-brand topic/thing you’ve blogged about?
Out of all the 325 articles I’ve ever published, there’s only two I can think of that are the closest to being off-brand. The first is my entry for the Murder, She Wrote Cookalong. While I have talked about Murder, She Wrote before, that was the first and, so far, only time I ever talked about cooking on my blog. The second is my review for California Angel by Nancy Taylor Rosenberg. Yes, I occasionally talk about books on 18 Cinema Lane. However, this was the only time where my review was completely negative. In the case where I review a movie I don’t like, I always try to share the things I liked about it. This is to show my readers how to find the good in almost any film. When it comes to California Angel, I just couldn’t find anything good to say about it. If you want to check out these articles, I’ll provide the links to them here:
I’ve shared this before, but I’m more than happy to share it again! In R.J. Palacio’s book, Wonder, Auggie says “Everyone in the world should get a standing ovation at least once in their life because we all overcometh the world”. That quote is what gave me the initiative to start 18 Cinema Lane! It also has become a statement that I try my best to follow as I continue to blog. With 176 followers, it looks like Auggie’s message has resonated with others as well!
3. & 4.Recast one of your favorite classic movies (pre 1970s) with modern actors & Recast one of your favorite modern movies with classic actors
For questions three and four, I decided to take a different approach. Instead of picking my favorite movies (because the acting is one of the reasons why they’re my favorites), I picked two movies that I didn’t dislike, but could be improved with certain casting choices. The movie I chose for question number three is Edward, My Son. In my review of that film, I shared that I wasn’t a fan of Edward’s absence. To correct this creative error, I would cast Charlie Plummer in that role. Because he’s in his early 20s, Charlie would be old enough to portray Edward in his teenage and young adult years. Also, he has a good amount of experience acting in films and television shows.
The film I chose for question number four is The Christmas Card. While this movie had stand-out performances, I feel the performances from the leads were not as strong or memorable as they could have been. So, I would switch them for Cary Grant and Carole Lombard. Two weeks ago, I reviewed In Name Only for the Carole Lombard Memorial Blogathon. While watching that film, I enjoyed seeing Cary and Carole’s individual performances and felt their on-screen chemistry was really good! If cast in The Christmas Card, I could totally see Cary portray a soldier in the military and Carole as the small-town woman with a big heart!
5. What is a book that you would love to see adapted into a film and why?
As I said in my post, A Movie Blogger’s Christmas Wish-List 2019, I would love to see Murder on Ice by Alina Adams become a Hallmark Movies & Mysteries film! In fact, I think it would be great if the entire Figure Skating Mystery series were adapted into a Hallmark Movies & Mysteries series! If you want to learn more about why I feel this way, check out my Wish-List at this link:
6. What do you consider the biggest misstep behind the scenes in the cinema world (i.e. not casting someone for a role, a specific directorial choice, a remake that shouldn’t have happened, an interview that went on to haunt someone, etc.)
In the mid to late ‘90s, Dreamworks devoted a lot of time, effort, and talent to one of their earlier releases, The Prince of Egypt. Because of this, it caused another project of theirs, The Road to El Dorado, to become an afterthought. This led to the movie receiving several setbacks, from a delayed release to a poor advertising campaign. These things resulted in a box office failure. If Dreamworks had given both films an equal amount of attention, maybe they both would have been successful. Years after these missteps, however, The Road to El Dorado is remembered more fondly than The Prince of Egypt. So, I guess The Road to El Dorado didn’t completely lose.
7. What do you consider the most fascinating film community scandal (past or present)?
In 2013, Legends of Oz: Dorothy’s Return arrived in theaters to scathing reviews and a disastrous box office. At that time, however, the public wasn’t aware of the behind-the-scenes issues that led to the movie’s premiere. Years later, it was revealed that the entire operation was a scam. As of 2019, a lawsuit was filed against the creators of the film. If this lawsuit turns into an official case, more legal action could take place. Despite all of this happening, very few people have shed light on this situation. If you’re interested in learning more about this incident, AniMat, from the Youtube channel, ElectricDragon505, created two very informative and well documented videos about it on his channel. These videos are called “The History of Legends of Oz: Animation’s Biggest Scam” and “The UPDATED History of Legends of Oz: The Scam’s Return (including Noah Centineo)”.
8. Which actor or actress do you think died way too soon and where would you have liked to see their career go had they lived?
For this question, I have two choices. They are Heather O’Rourke and Judith Barsi. For those of you who don’t know, Heather portrayed Carol Anne in the Poltergeist trilogy and Judith provided the voices for Ducky in The Land Before Time and Ann-Marie in All Dogs Go to Heaven. Both of them passed away before they became teenagers. According to a post I found about Judith, she “loved voice acting, and wanted to do it into adulthood”. So, I’m guessing that, had she lived, Judith would have become a successful voice actress and probably one of the most beloved in that field. As for Heather, I honestly can’t say where her career would have gone. In a video from the Youtube channel, Daze with Jordan the Lion, it was said that Heather had a successful film and television career. Also, there’s always the possibility she could have fallen in love with a different profession. If you want to watch Jordan’s video, you can find it on their channel under the title, “#1185 What Happened to HEATHER O’ROURKE of POLTERGEIST Grave (11/4/19)”. You can also check out the post about Judith Barsi I referenced at this link:
9. Which actor or actress missed their calling in a specific genre and why do you think they would or would have excelled in this vein?
According to his IMDB filmography, Burl Ives has several voice acting credits to his name. However, most of these roles consist of narrating or singing a song. I think it would have been fascinating if Burl had devoted his acting career to voice acting. The characters he could have voiced and the movies he could have starred in would have been interesting!
10. Which 6 guests would you invite to your Hollywood party and why these specific 6?
After thinking it over, I chose these six people based on their impact on me or because I feel they deserve more recognition. These people are the following:
Sebastian Stan (He portrays my favorite superhero in the MCU, Bucky Barnes)
Vincent Perez (Despite watching only two of his movies, I’ve come to appreciate Vincent as an actor)
Cree Summer (She provided the voice for Kida, my favorite Disney princess)
R.J. Palacio (the author of Wonder)
John Christian Plummer (one of the screenwriters of Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ Mystery 101 series and Charlie Plummer’s dad)
Jonathan Hall Kovacs (he portrayed my favorite character from Little House on the Prairie, Matthew Rogers)
11. Which onscreen outfit would you wear everyday if you could and why did you pick this one?
I gave this last question a lot of thought. In the end, though, I chose the outfit Jesse wore in the climax of Queen of the Damned! The primary components of this outfit consist of a red tank top and a long black skirt with gold sequins and embroidery. What’s great about this outfit is how it’s a good choice for warmer weather. When it’s cold out, layers can be added to the outfit. If the weather is too hot, you can just stay indoors.
It’s now been a week since I published my reviews for this double feature. Since that time, I’ve been able to ponder over the films I have seen and my thoughts on both of them. In the conclusion of my double feature, I will reflect on what I learned, as well as the three questions that I sought to answer. These questions were the following:
Is there any aspect of either film that could be seen as relevant today?
Besides having young actors as the leads, do these films share any similarities?
Do the socio-economics of each film’s world affect the characters or the story?
As I was watching Rich Kids and Over the Edge, I was surprised to discover that there was nothing about either film that could hold it back from standing the test of time. No bygone pop cultural references or lingo plagued the scripts. By having each story focus on a simple concept, it helps each film achieve a sense of universality. I was also surprised by how little influence socio-economics had in both films. Before watching them, I thought socio-economics would be an overarching theme. But Rich Kids and Over the Edge put an emphasis on the exact same thing: its characters. Speaking of characters, there were two similarities I noticed when writing my reviews. The first one is how the youth in both films desperately needed guidance in their lives. Because they weren’t receiving any from their parents, they chose to find it somewhere else. The second similarity is how the young characters turned toward their friends for advice and help, showing how youth need to spend time with their peers. After everything is said and done, I ended up liking Rich Kids more than Over the Edge, giving the former 7.1 and the latter 6.1. Despite this, I can now recognize that they share important similarities as well as differences.
Have fun at the movies!
Sally Silverscreen
If you want to read my articles related to this double feature, here are the links to those posts:
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18 Cinema Lane 