Hey everyone! I just wanted to publish this post to say thank you to all of my readers, visitors, and followers who took an interest in ‘Siskel and Ebert at the Blogathon’ by reading and/or liking the articles associated with it! I also want to give a special thank you to all of the blogathon participants! ‘Siskel and Ebert at the Blogathon’ was more successful than I expected. In total, there were ten bloggers who submitted entries! For my first blogathon, this is a great start. As I’ve already told some of the blogathon participants, I will be hosting my second blogathon in 2020! But the theme will be announced in next year’s first half.
Created by me, Sally Silverscreen, on Adobe Spark.
Last month, when I released my review of Swept from the Sea, it became my 250th published post! As I made that realization, I knew that I had to do something to commemorate the occasion. My most popular post on 18 Cinema Lane is my list of “The Top 10 Worst Hallmark Movies of All Time”, with 3,019 views and counting! Because this particular list brings readers and followers to my blog, I thought it would be fitting to create a similar post. While other people on the internet have talked about worst clichés from a variety of genres, I have never seen anyone discuss the worst clichés from Hallmark movies. That’s where this list comes in, as I talk about the clichés that I am not a fan of seeing in Hallmark’s films. These clichés are not the worst because the clichés themselves are bad, but because they are poorly or overly used. My list is in no way meant to be mean-spirited or negative. Also, this list will not include a Dishonorable Mentions section, unlike my aforementioned post. Before I begin, I just wanted to say that the clichés I’ve selected are based on my opinion.
This cliché has been found in movies from Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Either the male and female protagonist tells someone that they’re not together after someone assumes that they’re dating or they try to convince people that they’re not in a relationship. The way these characters share their relationship status comes across like they’re embarrassed by the possibility of being mistaken for a couple. A recent example of this is one of the latest mystery films, Witness to Murder: A Darrow Mystery. I’m not as bothered by this cliché as I am with the other ones on this list, hence the reason why it’s featured at number ten. But, whenever this cliché is included, it seems like the characters are making a big deal over nothing. In real life, I’m pretty sure that these individuals would just tell others about the state of their relationship in the calmest and honest way possible.
The “moving out of the way for an oncoming vehicle” cliché
In most films on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, the protagonist is in danger of getting hit by an oncoming vehicle. Fortunately, they are rescued just in time by being pushed out of the vehicle’s way. I understand that a moment like this is meant to create suspense for the story. But this cliché makes the protagonist look like they are willing to overlook simple and important safety precautions, such as looking both ways before crossing the street. Throughout the Aurora Teagarden series, the audience has come to know the titular character as an intelligent detective. But, when the “moving out of the way for an oncoming vehicle” cliché was incorporated into Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: An Inheritance to Die For, it makes it seem like her intelligence is being belittled to a certain extent.
The “it’s not what you think” cliché
This cliché can usually be found in Hallmark Channel movies. Either the male or female protagonist will overhear pieces of a conversation or discover small tidbits of information, causing them to assume the worst. Instead of having a civil and respectful conversation with the other person, they will accuse that person of something they didn’t do and distance themselves from them. More often than not, the person who became upset has those feelings for ridiculous reasons. Fortunately, there are Hallmark movies that try to use this cliché in a way that complements the story. Two good examples are Easter Under Wraps and Rome in Love, where the people who discover the information have a legitimate reason to be upset. It’s also understandable how someone could get upset by the information that the movie presents. While I’m still not a fan of this cliché, I’m always appreciative when a cliché is not just put in a movie for the sake of being there.
The “male and female protagonist always fall in love with each other” cliché
While I’m not bothered by this cliché like I am with others on the list, the idea of the male and female protagonist always falling in love with each other is kind of getting repetitive. As soon as you see the movie poster, you know how the relationship will turn out. One of my favorite Hallmark movies is This Magic Moment. In that film, the male protagonist falls in love with the main female supporting character, who happens to be his childhood best friend. Meanwhile, the female protagonist ends up becoming single at the end of the movie, a decision that she’s perfectly content with. I really wish that Hallmark would incorporate more surprises like that. Whether they tell a similar story to This Magic Moment or having the female protagonist fall in love with the main male supporting character, the story would be a breath of fresh air.
The “protagonist’s ex showing up unannounced” cliché
A Hallmark Channel movie that adopts this cliché is The Story of Us. In this film, the protagonist’s ex, portrayed by Sam Page, showed up unannounced in her life. That aspect of the story worked, especially since Sam Page’s character was the male protagonist. This allowed both of the protagonists to reconnect as a couple as well as giving the audience an opportunity to watch their relationship grow. But the protagonist’s other ex, a dentist who moved away to Texas, also shows up unannounced. For me, this part of the film didn’t work because it didn’t feel like it went anywhere. It was a waste of a character and subplot, especially since we knew that the female protagonist, portrayed by Maggie Lawson, had no intention of pursuing a relationship with him. This is not the first Hallmark movie to feature this cliché and it’s highly likely not going to be the last. But I still feel that if the male or female protagonist has no plans to get back together with their ex, then the cliché is pointless.
The “planning a wedding in an unrealistic time period” cliché
Throughout my one year of blogging, this cliché is the one that I’ve probably talked about the most. As the cliché’s title indicates, it’s when an engaged couple decides to plan a wedding in an unrealistic time period, just so they won’t have to wait so long to get married. I find this cliché to not only be unrealistic, but also unhealthy. Weddings have the ability to cause stress and anxiety, yet every time this cliché is incorporated into a film, these aspects of wedding planning never get talked about. I’d like to see a Hallmark movie address how not everyone can plan such a large-scale event in six months or less. But, until then, Hallmark has created movies that effectively use this cliché in a way that fits within that cinematic world. Two examples are Wedding of Dreams and The Good Witch’s Gift, where the engaged couple has the money and resources that allow them to plan a wedding in a short amount of time. What also works in these movies’ favor is how this cliché is not the primary focus of the story. They include other interesting subplots to help move the plot along.
The “business person is a jerk and/or out of touch” cliché
Whenever this cliché appears in a Hallmark film, I noticed that it’s mostly the businessmen who are dating the female protagonist that embody this cliché. Either they don’t act as nice as the male protagonist or they are “out of touch” with what’s important to the female protagonist. Because of this, the female protagonist ends up not falling in love with them. The reason why this cliché is placed higher than others on my list is how outdated it seems. After receiving films like the All of My Heart trilogy and Love Unleashed, the “business person is a jerk/out of touch” cliché doesn’t really feel like it has a purpose anymore. It also seems like this character’s sole purpose is to make the male protagonist look better in the eyes of the female protagonist. I’m surprised that Hallmark still adopts this cliché from time to time, especially since the Hallmark company is run by business people. I doubt that they would want to see their profession portrayed in a negative light.
The “building condos is bad” cliché
Despite the many years that I’ve spent watching Hallmark movies, I’ve never understood the purpose of this cliché. In films that incorporate this cliché, the people in a small town are mad because a beloved piece of land or business will be replaced by a series of condos. The person planning on building the condos is either the film’s villain or just an antagonist. When this cliché was placed in Aurora Teagarden Mysteries:A Very Foul Play, it felt out of place. While it only played a minor role in the movie, it didn’t have any significance on the plot. Why would anyone be against the building of condos? Condos would create homes, which would also create a place for someone to belong and spend time with family. These ideas have been promoted by Hallmark for years, so having a cliché that contradicts that seems strange. I am waiting for the day when Hallmark makes a movie where the protagonist or a member of the protagonist’s family happily lives in a condo.
The “royal movie” clichés
You’re probably wondering how I’m able to get away with putting so many clichés in one spot. Well, when it comes to Hallmark’s “royal” movies, these clichés usually come in a set. From the European prince with a British accent to the royal family not approving of the relationship between their family member and a “commoner”, these clichés make me discouraged by Hallmark’s lack of creativity. In an editorial called, “When Creativity is Squandered: The Wasted Potential on Hallmark’s Good Witch”, I talked about how these clichés prevented an episode of Good Witch from reaching its creative potential. The effects of these movies are now spilling into the television shows, holding the screenwriters back from exploring different methods of story-telling. My favorite movie from 2018 was Royally Ever After. One of the reasons is how this movie used as few “royal movie” clichés as possible. The creative team’s desire to move away from most of these clichés made the movie such a pleasant surprise for me. When Hallmark has created about twelve of these movies and about one or two of them actually try something new, that looks like a pretty bad track record.
The “woman from the city coming back to her small hometown” cliché
Out of all the clichés that Hallmark includes in their movies, this is the one that is probably used the most. It’s as predictable as it sounds; a woman who currently lives in the city goes back to her small hometown for a variety of reasons. Once there, she realizes that she’d rather stay in her small hometown than go back to the city. I’m guessing that this cliché was once an important plot component before it received its current status. Whenever it’s included in a film, it makes that picture ten times more predictable. Even though this cliché can be found in a variety of Hallmark’s films, I’ve mostly seen it within their Christmas movies, with Christmas Wonderland being a recent example. I doubt that the “woman from the city coming back to her small hometown” cliché will go away anytime soon. But it would be nice if Hallmark explored other stories from different perspectives.
Royally Ever After poster created by Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Channel. Image found at https://www.crownmediapress.com/Shows/PRShowDetail?SiteID=142&FeedBoxID=845&NodeID=302&ShowType=&ShowTitle=Royally%20Ever%20After&IsSeries=False.
What are your thoughts on my list? Which cliché from a Hallmark movie is your least favorite? Share your thoughts in the comment section!
Last month, I was nominated for the Liebster Award by Annlyel from Annlyel Online. Because August was my busiest month, some blog posts had to get pushed back to September. I figured that this week would be the perfect time to finally accept this award, especially since my blogathon, Siskel and Ebert at the Blogathon, will start next week. Thank you, Annlyel, for nominating me for the Liebster Award! This is my first time receiving this particular award, so I appreciate your thoughtfulness! If you want to visit Annlyel’s blog, you can click on the link below:
Before I officially start this post, I must share the rules of the Liebster Award. These are:
Thank the nominator in your award post
Place the award logo somewhere on your blog
You must state 11 facts about yourself
Complete the 11 questions that your nominator provided
Nominate as many bloggers as you’d like (11 is the maximum)
Ask your nominees a series of question (11 is the maximum)
So now that I completed steps one and two, it’s time to move on to step number three. Here is my list of facts!
In 2012, I attended a special 100th anniversary screening of Titanic. I was not only interviewed about my experience, but I also received a commemorative poster!
Two weeks ago, I published 250 posts on 18 Cinema Lane!
My favorite episode of The Brady Bunch is “Kelly’s Kids”.
I really like cream soda.
In my spare time, I enjoy watching Youtube videos related to movies and books.
I’ve read five books for the Hallmark Hall of Fame Reading Challenge!
My favorite Disney princess is Kida from Atlantis: The Lost Empire.
A fashion style that I like is the Lolita style! It originated in Japan and it’s characterized by cute and girly garments and accessories.
Land of Oz in North Carolina is a place I would love to visit.
It’s time for me to answer Annlyel’s questions! Here is my list of answers!
What’s your favorite time of the day?
I’d say the afternoon, because it’s a time when you’re not too tired but it’s far enough away from bedtime.
Are you a dog or a cat person?
Since I don’t have a preference for dogs or cats, I’ll say both.
If you could travel to any planet in the galaxy which would it be?
Pluto, so I can harness it back into the Solar System!
Which Marvel superhero would you want to be best friends with?
Bucky, of course! But, for anyone who has followed or visited my blog, are you really surprised that this is my answer?
Which Star Wars character do you find most relatable?
As I mentioned in my post where I received my third Sunshine Blogger Award, I’m not as invested in the Star Wars franchise as I am with other film series. For this question, though, I’ll choose Princess Leia. Yes, she is a part of royalty. But that hasn’t stopped her from joining the team and contributing to the overall mission. She also deals with problems and obstacles, showing how she is not only human, but also not invincible.
You’re traveling abroad, which country is your destination?
I’d say Canada, so I can visit the set of When Calls the Heart and Chesapeake Shores.
The Mission: Impossible or John Wick franchise?
The only film from the Mission Impossible series that I’ve seen is Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. Personally, I really didn’t like that movie. I’ve never seen the John Wick films, but I’ve heard good things about them. Also, I heard that the writer of these films will also be the official writer for The Falcon and the Winter Soldier. So, for this question, I will pick the John Wick series!
What’s your go-to movie genre?
I mostly choose which movies I watch based on whether their stories sound interesting. But I have enjoyed films in the action/adventure genre. With this genre, you can blend other genres into the narrative. Several films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe are good examples of this.
Are you a Star Wars or Star Trek person…or neither?
I’m going to say neither. This is because I’ve never seen any of the Star Trek programs and I’m not really invested in the Star Wars franchise.
What’s your favorite fast-food chain?
Over the years, I have really come to like Chick-fil-A. Their grilled chicken nuggets are delicious and I also like their frozen lemonade.
What’s your favorite sweet treat?
I love Red Velvet flavored treats! If there’s a red velvet dessert on the menu, I’ll make an effort to order it!
Award show image created by Nick Winchester at freeimages.com. “FreeImages.com/Nick Winchester.”
Now, the moment you’ve been waiting for! My nominees for the Liebster Award are:
Adam Fisher from Fishing
Summer from Not Your Season: Summer’s Blog
Cubby from Cubby’s Cruises
Emma from emmakwall (explains it all)
Erica from Poppity Talks Classic Films
Meredith from Vitaphone Dreamer
Moosmosis from Moosmosis
Kungfuninjaman from Marital Arts Weapons and Training
Jay from Cinema Essentials
Jenny from Silver Screen Suppers
Meg from Hallmark in Real Life
And finally, my questions for my nominees! They are:
If you could go back in time, what movie mistake would you fix?
What is your idea of brightening someone’s day?
What was the last book you read?
Which sequel do you think is better than the predecessor?
Is there any error in the world of blogging that you have commonly seen?
Have you ever participated in a blogathon? If so, which one was your favorite?
Who was the first blogger to follow your blog?
What is your least favorite post you’ve ever written?
Are there any pleasant surprises that you encountered in 2019 so far? If so, what is it?
What advice would give to make the blogging community better?
Well, here we are. The conclusion of this double feature has finally arrived! At the start of this project, my goal was to figure out which adaptation of The Secret Garden was the best one. After reading the book, I watched and analyzed three of the most well-known film versions of this story. Now that we’re at the end of this double feature, it’s time for me to evaluate my results!
I know I’m featuring the photo from the Double Feature Introduction post. But, I figured it would fit appropriately with the context of this post’s topic. Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.In the video, “Talking Anne with an E (Spoilers)”, Rachel and Amber, who are also hosts of Hallmarkies Podcast, share their thoughts on Netflix’s adaptation of Anne of Green Gables. During this discussion, Amber was saying how the film or television adaptation of this story is “not the end all, be all of Anne”. What she meant by this was that there is much more to the source material than just the first book, Anne of Green Gables. Other stories and characters from this series are just as important as the content that is considered when it comes to adaptations. Amber’s beliefs can also be applied to my double feature. No matter how many adaptations are made, they should never be a replacement for the source material. Each adaptation has a different creative team associated with it, so the beliefs about which elements are worth including in the movie are going to vary. With that said, I think that both the 1987 Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation and the 1993 version are the best adaptations of The Secret Garden! Both of these films have their fair share of similarities and differences. But I found them to be close enough to the book where I was satisfied. As a film, however, I would prefer the one from 1993 over the Hallmark Hall of Fame movie. While the 1987 production was good, it felt a little too drawn-out. I also think that Kate Maberly did a better job at portraying Mary than Gennie James did. Since I now found the answer to a question that I’ve wanted to find for years, I can honestly say that my mission is finally accomplished.
Have fun at the movies!
Sally Silverscreen
If you want to read the other posts from this double feature, go to these links:
If you want to watch the video that I referenced in this post, type “Talking Anne with an E (Spoilers)” into Youtube’s search bar or visit the Youtube channel, Rachel’s Reviews.
I was nominated for the Mystery Blogger Award two weeks ago by Annlyel from Annlyel Online! However, because of my involvement with Clean Movie Month Blogathon and other movie reviews I wanted to get caught up on, I didn’t have time to complete this post as soon as I had wanted to. Since I’m taking an out of town trip this weekend, I chose to create and publish this post before I left. Before I begin this nomination, I’d like to thank Annlyel for taking the time to recognize my blogging efforts! She has so kind and supportive of not only me as a blogger, but also of my blog. Check out her blog at
Like most blogging awards, there are a series of requirements that must be followed. They are:
Feature the award banner anywhere on your blog
List all of the nine rules
Thank the person who nominated you as well as feature a link to their blog
Explain what the Mystery Blogger Award is. Make sure credit the award creator and provide a link to their blog
Share three things about yourself to your readers
Nominate 10 – 20 bloggers (if possible)
Let your nominees know that they’ve been nominated by leaving a comment on their blog
Create five question to ask your nominees. One of the questions has to be either weird or funny, so please specify this within your list of questions.
Provide a link to your best post(s)
Before I continue, I need to share what the Mystery Blogger Award is. It is:
“Mystery Blogger Award” is an award for amazing bloggers with ingenious posts. Their blog not only captivates; it inspires and motivates. They are one of the best out there, and they deserve every recognition they get. This award is also for bloggers who find fun and inspiration in blogging, and they do it with so much love and passion.–Okoto Enigma
Now it’s time for me to share three things about myself, which are:
After a request from K from K at the Movies, I have created a special email address so my readers and followers could contact me! It’s connected to a special page under the tab “Contact Me”. The address is 18cinemalanefans@gmail.com.
If you have looked at my list of Upcoming Blogathons, located at the right-hand side of my blog, you would see the banner for the 2019 6th Annual Christmas in July Blogathon from the website, Christmas TV History. I am one of the participants and my series of answers to Joanna Wilson’s questions will be posted on, I believe, July 28th! You can read that post on the website Christmastvhistory.com.
This week, I reviewed my 100th movie! That review was for the film, Christmas Camp, which I reviewed for the Christmas in July Blogathon from Drew’s Movie Reviews. I will commemorate this achievement after my out of town trip that I’m taking this weekend.
For this segment, I’ve chosen ten nominees for the Mystery Blogger Award! They are:
Raveena from Raveena Nigam
Robin from Pop Culture Reverie
Maddy from Maddy Loves Her Classic Films
Crystal from Maybe Crazy Help
Tony from Seattle’s Best Pest Detection
Eddie from Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)
AHazardDesigns from Elves Choice
AZ from AthemovieZ
Jordan from The Art of Blogging
Crystal from In The Good Old Days of Classic Hollywood
And now is time to answer Annlyel’s question’s!
1. (Weird) What strange food combination have you ever experimented with and realized it was actually kind of delicious?
It would have to be pieces of apple on pizza. I actually like eating pizza with pineapple on the slices, so apples as an added ingredient isn’t that weird for me.
2. If there was any ancient civilization you could visit what would it be?
Since I’m a fan of Atlantis: The Lost Empire, I would visit Atlantis! It would be interesting to see how similar or different Atlantis is from the movie.
3. What’s your favorite holiday movie?
Prancer has always had a special place in my heart! It’s a simpler story, but I find it to be very sweet. I also like A Smokey Mountain Christmas starring Dolly Parton. For me, it’s the best “modern” re-telling of “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs”!
4. What’s your idea of a dream vacation?
As I’ve mentioned before, I have always wanted to go to Dollywood. What would make this trip a dream vacation is if it were all expenses paid.
5. Reality, drama, or comedy; what’s your favorite television show genre?
Judging by the shows that I re-cap (When Calls the Heart and Chesapeake Shores), I would choose drama. With Hallmark’s shows specifically, there’s not only a good balance of comedy and drama, but also messages and themes that are realistic and relatable.
Here are my list of questions for my nominees!
Funny: What is the funniest joke you’ve ever heard?
Which 2020 released movie are you looking forward to?
What was the last book you read?
Are there any movie related mysteries you would like to see solved? If so, which one?
Which cake flavor is you favorite?
I’ve made a list of what I think are some of the best blog posts of mine! They are:
Last month, I was nominated for the Blogger Recognition Award by Annlyel from Annlyel Online! Because I was out of town during the week I was nominated, I postponed my award post for another day. Since I now have the time to complete this post, I decided to do that today. Thank you Annlyel for nominating me for the Blogger Recognition Award! This is my first time receiving this honor, so I’m so excited to share this achievement with all my readers and followers! If you want to check out Annlyel’s thoughts on movies, superheroes, and cinematic news, visit her blog at this link:
Before I begin the official award post, I need to list the rules for receiving the award. There rules are:
Thank the person who nominated you and feature a link to their blog in your award post.
Post the award banner somewhere on your blog.
Share the reason why you started your blog.
Share two pieces of advice that could benefit new bloggers.
Nominate a maximum of fifteen other bloggers.
Tell your nominees about your award post so they can participate!
Since I’ve already completed the first two steps, I’ll now move on to the third step.
As I said in my very first blog post last February, I wanted to give the movie related things that I like the “standing ovation” that I think they deserve. With this digital platform, I’ve realized that I can make a positive difference through my blog posts and interactions with others. If you want to learn more about why I started 18 Cinema Lane, you can read the first blog post I ever published.
The first thing I would tell new bloggers is to type and save your posts in Microsoft Word first. Sometimes, the save option on the “add new post” page, which is located in the upper left-hand corner of the page, doesn’t record the changes you might make to your article. So, writing and saving your posts in Microsoft Word allows bloggers to have a sense of security that their work will get completed with few technical interruptions.
The second piece of advice I would give is to reach out to other bloggers, especially those that have the same interests as you. Fellow movie bloggers have become followers of mine because I reached out and recognized their hard work and dedication. Reaching out to other bloggers can also give you inspiration for future blog entries. One example for me is Cameron’s article, from The Blog Complainer, about making good movie sequels. This creative idea inspired me to think more critically about Queen of the Damned as a cinematic sequel, as I was able to apply some of Cameron’s points to my review of the film. If you want to learn more about how good movie sequels can be made, as well as how Cameron’s article influenced my movie-viewing experience, you can read these two articles:
Last week, I was nominated for the Sunshine Blogger Award by K from K at the Movies! Since I had to devote time to the Gold Sally Awards, a Word on the Street story, and a movie review, I decided to publish my award entry this week. During that time, I was nominated again by Cameron by The Blog Complainer! Because I was nominated by two people within the same month, I decided to combine some of K’s questions and some of Cameron’s questions into my overall list of questions. Before I begin this post, I wanted to take the time to thank both K and Cameron for their nominations. I’ve never received the Sunshine Blogger Award before, so it’s an honor to be recognized for such an honor like this! Now that introductions are out of the way, let’s officially start this award entry!
What is your favorite Score or Soundtrack to a film or television show (I will accept an Album or any collection of music if you find this question difficult to answer)? There are so many great soundtracks that I’ve heard in my life! If I had to choose one, however, I would pick the soundtrack from The Bodyguard. This is one of my favorite movies of all time, with the music being just as good as the film itself. I’m so glad that Whitney’s music was incorporated into the film as well as to her individual character. Her songs are such a timeless addition to any playlist. This soundtrack is so good, I not only still listen to it (over 20 years later), but I can name which scenes each song appeared in.
What is one piece of media you would like to see adapted to a different medium? One of my favorite Christmas songs is “Christmas Through Your Eyes” by Gloria Estefan. For years, I have always wanted to know who the narrator was talking to and how much of an influence this person had on the narrator. Based on the lyrics, it seems like a great story could come from this song. So, to answer K’s question, I would love to see Gloria’s song adapted into a movie! I’ve always thought that “Christmas Through Your Eyes” would make a great Hallmark Hall of Fame film! If this movie were to become a reality, I wonder if Gloria herself would make an on-screen appearance?
What’s your favourite type of weather? As it was said in Miss Congeniality, my favorite type of weather is “not too hot, not too cold, all you need is a light jacket”.
What is one post or article you’ve written that doesn’t get enough love, you feel is underrated that’d you like more people to see? (Yes, shamelessly plug yourself) Like Cameron said in their Sunshine Blogger Award post, you have very little control over what people read and view on your blog. On 18 Cinema Lane, I’ve been very fortunate to have good viewership numbers on my various posts. However, I feel like my editorials should receive a little more recognition. I don’t write them often because they are long and require a significant amount of work. However, compared to the other content on my blog, it seems like these posts aren’t sought out. So, if anyone is interested, I will include a link to each of my four editorials into this post!
A movie studio decides to make a movie based on your life. Who would you like to play yourself? I had to give this question a little bit of thought. But, after thinking about it, I decided that I would like to see Laci J. Mailey from Chesapeake Shores portray me in a movie based on my life! She is one of the most talented actresses in the Hallmark community. Plus, her acting abilities would be compatible with comedic and dramatic material. As far as I know, Laci has never led a film before. So, if this movie were to be a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, this would be her first starring role in a Hallmark project!
“Your Childhood is Ruined!” When someone decides to make a terrible reboot or remake of what? Two of my favorite animated films of all time are Atlantis: The Lost Empire and Anastasia (1997). Since Disney has the ability to remake almost anything and since they have recently purchased the movie rights to 20th Century Fox films, any of these two films have the potential to get remade. But, lately, it seems like Disney is remaking their movies just for the sake of receiving money. Like I said in my review of The Bad Seed (2018), a good remake should do two things: 1. Respect the original film and 2. Do something new with the story and provide your own voice to the narrative. While Kim Possible (2019) did a good job at following these two rules, there’s no guarantee that a remake of Atlantis: The Lost Empire or Anastasia (1997) will apply these rules to their project. Besides, why remake a movie that was already good to begin with?
You have been given the chance to go on the holiday you have always dreamed of. Where are you going? For the majority of my life, I have always wanted to go on a cruise. From what I’ve heard about them, they sound like fun as well as a unique experience. Every year, Turner Classic Movies (TCM) hosts a cruise to celebrate classic cinema. However, I’ve haven’t had the money or time to attend one of these cruises. Another place I’ve wanted to visit is Dollywood. Ever since the cast of Home & Family spent an entire week filming at the theme park, it seemed, to me, like such a fun place! There are other attractions around that area that sound just as interesting. Going to Dollywood for vacation would be such a great experience!
If you could go back in time and tell your younger self something important, what would you tell him/her? The one thing that I would tell my younger self is that it’s ok to expand your pop cultural horizons. Years ago, the only piece of superhero pop culture that I truly cared about was Sailor Moon. Today, my favorite superhero is Bucky Barnes. Because I chose to expand my horizons when it comes to pop culture, I became invested in characters and stories that I might not have cared about otherwise.
What is an unsolved mystery that you wish you knew the answer to? As I mentioned in my post about My Top 5 Dream Double Features at the Cinema, I have always wondered why Kida (from Atlantis: The Lost Empire) and Chel (from The Road to El Dorado) share some similarities between each other, even though they were created by two different animators from two different animation companies. I would love to receive an answer to this question that I have been asking for over fifteen years.
10. You are given a magic phone with a T-Mobile Fave 5 plan that allows you unlimited calls to any fictional characters. Who’s in Your 5? I’m not going to lie, this question, for me, required a significant amount of thought. However, I was able to create this short list that made me happy! The characters in my Fave 5 plan are:
Bucky Barnes – from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU): For me, this choice was a no-brainer. Like I’ve mentioned before, Bucky is my favorite superhero in the MCU. So, of course, I would want to grant him a special spot on this plan.
Moon – from Cedar Cove: Out of all the characters that have ever stepped foot in the town of Cedar Cove, Moon has always been my favorite! Because he doesn’t have any known family and since the other characters from Cedar Cove could be busy dealing with their own situations, there might be times when he could be lonely. So, Moon would have a chance to call me if he wanted to reach a friend.
Jiggy Nye – from Felicity: An American Girl Adventure and the Felicity Merriman series from American Girl: Anyone who has read the books or seen the movie would know that Jiggy Nye is the antagonist of this particular story. However, he evolves over the course of the series/movie into a hero. Similar to Moon, Jiggy doesn’t have any known family. He also could become lonely due to the other characters from the series/movie possibly dealing with their own situations. Giving Jiggy a piece of this plan would be a good way for him to connect with, at least, one friend.
Karen Brewer – from the Baby-Sitters Little Sister series: Years ago, Karen Brewer became one of my favorite literary characters. Since she was a child when this series began in 1988, Karen would likely be an adult in 2019. This means that she has more life experience now than she had 31 years ago. By granting her a piece of this plan, I would get to learn more about her life as well as see how some of her life experiences compare to my own. Based on the books, Karen seemed to have an interesting life. So, it would be fascinating to hear about her adventures that would have never appeared in the books.
Debbie Thornberry – from The Wild Thornberrys: In my review of Rugrats Go Wild, I shared that Debbie is my favorite character from The Wild Thornberrys. Similar to Karen Brewer, Debbie was a teenager at the start of the show. Therefore, it’s highly likely that she would be an adult by now. I would to love to hear how her life turned out after the Thornberrys traveled the world. Had she planted roots or become an explorer of her own? If I gave Debbie a piece of this plan, I would hopefully get answers to these questions.
The thing you’re most proud of? For several years, I had been considering starting a blog. However, I was always met with self-doubt and poor timing. But, last February, I finally took the first step in creating 18 Cinema Lane. Starting my blog is what I’m most proud of because it has given a sense of confidence that I didn’t think I had. In fact, I wouldn’t be receiving this award had I not made that decision to, finally, become a blogger.
Now that Thanksgiving leftovers have been stored away in the refrigerator and Christmas shopping has officially begun, it’s time that I share some good news. Last week, I was nominated for The Blog Complainer’s Appreciation Award! This prize was created by The Blog Complainer (a.k.a. Cameron), who nominated me as well. Thank you, Cameron, for not only creating this award, but also for nominating me! Here is the link to where this award began:
For this award, there are a set of rules that must be followed. These rules are:
Mention who made this award and who picked you
Name your top 5 (insert topic here)
Mention something about yourself
Complete a small Challenge
Nominate 4 people for this award
Since I’ve already completed step #1, I’ll now move on to step #2. Instead of talking about snacks (an example that was used in the original post), I’m going to share my Top 5 Best Hallmark movies I have seen this year (so far). Here is my list:
Royally Ever After
Cooking with Love
Wedding of Dreams
Love, of Course
Christmas at Pemberley Manor
For step #3, I will say that I am planning to create a special movie awards on my blog! These awards will correlate with 18 Cinema Lane’s first anniversary, so stay tuned! I’m also planning on hosting a blogathon in 2019! I will probably make an announcement in April or May of next year.
From December 3rd to 9th, Zoe, from the Youtube channel Readerbee, and Georgia, from the Youtube channel Reading Euphoria, are hosting a readathon called Cosyathon! My small challenge for this award will be to read two books for this readathon! These two books will count for three of the readathon’s challenges.
We have now arrived at the last step! The four bloggers that I will nominate for this award are:
Kaycee from Hallmark My Words
DM from Pointless Overthinking
The Soundtrack Man from Soundtrack Alley
K from K at the Movies
For steps 2 through 4, they have to be something movie related. If you need suggestions or questions answered, you can share your thoughts in the comment section below.
I’m so excited to be winning my very first blogging award! Image found at https://pointlessoverthinking.wordpress.com/2018/11/04/versatile-blogger-award-nomination/
Four days ago, I was nominated for the Versatile Blogger Award by DM from Pointless Overthinking! This is my very first time winning a blogging award, so it’s really exciting for me! Thank you, DM, for the nomination! If you want to visit their blog, here’s the link:
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18 Cinema Lane 