Last week, I received a special surprise from fellow blogger, Ospreyshire! They gave me my second Blogger Recognition Award! What a great way to start the new year! For those who don’t know, Ospreyshire created the blog, Iridium Eye Reviews. Films that don’t often get talked about are covered there. You might say that Ospreyshire is trying to give those projects their “standing ovation”. Before I list the rules for the Blogger Recognition Award, I just want to thank my nominator for their thoughtfulness. It’s nice to know that, in the movie blogging community, fellow bloggers look out for one another. If you want to read Ospreyshire’s articles or pay them a visit, here’s the link to their blog:
Now, it’s time for me to list the official rules, which are the following:
Thank the blogger who nominated you and provide a link to their blog.
Place the award banner somewhere on your blog
Share the story or history behind the creation of your blog.
Provide two or more pieces of advice for new bloggers.
Nominate 10 other bloggers and link their blogs.
Share the exciting news with your nominees
Since I completed the first and second rules, let’s move on to rule number three!
Because I have won this award before, I already shared the reason why I started 18 Cinema Lane. I also talked about this in my very first blog post. I’ll provide links to both of those articles:
The first piece of advice is to stay true to yourself. The internet is a vast and expanding place, filled with thousands of movie related content. But, when everything is said and done, there will only be one you. Create a blog and a series of posts that truly reflect the unique individual that you are. The second piece of advice I’ll give is to always be on the lookout for inspiration. For me, I turn to other forms of media when I’m searching for ideas for future blog posts. There have even been times where I’ve gotten inspiration from Youtube videos. Be open to any and every possibility where inspiration may present itself.
The next ten nominees who will receive the Blogger Recognition Award are the following:
Maddy from Maddy Loves Her Classic Films
Pale Writer from Pale Writer
Eric from Diary of a Movie Maniac
The Classic Movie Muse from The Classic Movie Muse
Zoe from Hollywood Genes
Hannes from Wandering Ambivert
Mark from Mark Arnold Blog
Lou from Space Time Bae
Meg from Hallmark in Real Life
Anglo from PassiveDough.com
Congratulations to these newly nominated bloggers!
At the beginning of the month, my blog received 165 followers! While I was figuring out which movie I would review, I was creating a new blogging schedule for myself. Several days ago, 18 Cinema Lane received its 170th follower! So, for this blog follower dedication review, I decided to write about one movie while acknowledging both milestones. I chose to talk about a French film called Au revoir les enfants! Foreign films are rarely talked about when it comes to these specific reviews. In fact, the first one I discussed was Vampyr last October. Au revoir les enfants has also been on my DVR since last February. So, I thought these reasons would be a good excuse to finally watch this film! While Vampyr is a French and German production, I have reviewed a French film on this blog before. For Clean Movie Month, I talked about the 1950 project, Les Enfants Terribles. Will my thoughts on Au revoir les enfants be similar to those on the aforementioned French film I reviewed last year? You’ll just have to read this post if you want to find the answer!
I chose to use this poster for the review because it verifies that I, indeed, watched this film. Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.Things I liked about the film:
The acting: Movies that have young actors make up the majority of the cast can be hit-or-miss. In the case of Au revoir les enfants, this aspect worked in the film’s favor! All of the young actors were not only allowed to act their age, but they were able to work alongside other actors within their age group. This made their performances feel genuine and realistic. Speaking of realism, I noticed that all of the character portrayals and the situations showcased in the movie appeared like it came directly from real-life. It gave these elements a sense of authenticity. Because this film is based on a true story, the creative team’s focus on making the characters and situations look and feel believable seemed to be taken very seriously.
The historical accuracy: This film takes place in early 1944. Because of this, all of the material elements of the project looked like it came directly from that period in time. The wardrobe of all the characters feature articles of clothing that one would likely find within the mid ‘40s. The architecture of the boarding school shows off the preserved interior and exterior style from an era gone by. Even the finer details of the picture, such as the books, feel like relics of that specific year. While watching this film, I noticed the way the characters spoke also reflected the time period. Whenever subjects related to World War II were brought up, it was done in a very subtle way. Even though this was a period film, I never felt like I was being talked down to or like the movie was treating itself like a history lesson. If anything, I felt like I was watching a moment in time.
The presentation of the subtitles: How the subtitles are presented in foreign films is very important. If they can be seen clearly, it allows the audience to better understand what the characters are saying. I liked how the subtitles were showcased in Au revoir les enfants! While all of the text was white, it was presented against backgrounds that were dark in hue. The very first scene in the movie is a great example of this. The station and train itself adopted colors of black and gray. None of the characters in this scene wore bright colors. Because of this creative decision, I never had a difficult time reading the subtitles.
A weak plot: The more movies I watch, the more I realize that “slice of life” stories aren’t my thing. That’s because I don’t find them to be as intriguing as other cinematic stories. That’s what the majority of Au revoir les enfants is: a “slice of life” story. To me, it didn’t contain as much interest as it could have. It felt like the screenwriter put so much emphasis on the premise of Julien and Jean’s relationship, that there was nothing else to offer in the narrative.
A somewhat mis-leading premise: In the synopsis I read for this movie, it said the film was about a Catholic boy and a Jewish boy becoming friends during World War II. However, the friendship aspect of their relationship isn’t portrayed until about the last twenty minutes of the film. Julien and Jean spend most of the movie apart than together. In fact, Julien starts off not liking Jean as a person. Julien does become nicer to Jean as the film progresses. When this does happen, it just makes them seem like acquaintances more than anything.
Situations being shown, but not explained: Throughout Au revoir les enfants, there are situations shown on screen that aren’t given explanations. One example is when Julien pokes his hand with a compass. As he is doing this, he tells the classmate sitting next to him how it doesn’t hurt. Not only was this action never explained, but it’s never referenced again in the movie. Julien’s action didn’t seem to serve a purpose for his character development or the overall narrative. Moments like this one happened at several times in the film and I found myself being frustrating by them.
Before I share my final thoughts on this film, I want to thank each and every one of the followers! 18 Cinema Lane would not be the success it is today without you. Now, on to my overall impression of Au revoir les enfants! Personally, I thought it was just ok. The movie does have merits that are earned, as well as a plot twist that works. But the overall project could have been stronger. As I mentioned in my review, Au revoir les enfants is based on a true story. It felt like the creative team approached the narrative as respectfully as possible. Because the creation of the movie was handled with a sense of reverence, it allowed the film to have the emotional weight it contained. The realism of the acting and writing gave me a reason to stay invested in what the characters were saying and doing. I’m not often given opportunities to watch and review French films. However, I’m glad I chose this movie for my latest blog follower dedication review!
Overall score: 6.1 out of 10
What are your thoughts on my review? Are there any French films you’d like to see me review? Tell me in the comment section!
Before the end of November, I received 160 followers on 18 Cinema Lane! As I usually do when this occasion takes place, I take the time to thank all my followers for choosing to support me, my blog, and my blogging journey. My way of thanking them is by dedicating a movie review to each and every one of them. For this post, I have chosen a movie that was released in November of 2006. Since I haven’t talked about an animated film in three months, I decided to talk about a film called Flushed Away. This is a movie that I have heard of, but never seen. Prior to watching this film, I was aware of Aardman Animations, the studio responsible for Flushed Away. That’s because they have an animation style that is different from other studios. When I was looking for images to feature in this review, I discovered that, in the Chinese New Year, 2020 will be the Year of the Rat! So, talking about Flushed Away before the start of a new decade now makes a lot of sense.
Flushed Away poster created by Aardman Animations, DreamWorks Animation, and Paramount Pictures. Image found at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Flushed_poster.jpg
Things I liked about the film:
The animation: In Flushed Away, I found the animation style to be visually appealing for a number of reasons. The first is how realistic some of the animation looked, such as the bricks in the sewer and anytime water is shown. Another aspect is the color palette that is used in the film. One of the movie’s most memorable locations, the sewer city, was filled with bright hues. This added to the visual appeal of the scenes where this area was featured. The sewer city also showcased interesting and creative elements, like a Ferris Wheel made out of teacups. What I also found interesting in this film was how the characters were created. Aardman Animations has a very distinct style that is rarely seen in mainstream cinema. However, I’m more familiar with this animation style appearing in stop-motion films. Flushed Away’s creative team used computer technology to construct their project. I found it fascinating to see this unique animation style incorporated in a different cinematic format.
The “Easter Egg” humor: Sometimes, in cinema, screenwriters will include “Easter Eggs” in their story in an attempt to delight and humor their audience. This was a pleasant surprise to find within Flushed Away! The jokes that were brought into the movie using this “Easter Egg” method were clever and genuinely funny. One example is when Roddy is falling down into the sewer system. During this process, Roddy comes across a small fish that asks him if he has seen his dad. This is meant to reference Finding Nemo, a movie that was released three years prior. Because of how well this type of humor was executed, this helped me maintain my focus in the film.
The overarching message: In some children’s/family-friendly films, there are times when a message can feel heavy-handed or preachy. I didn’t feel that way about the overarching message in Flushed Away. The idea that “everybody needs somebody” was written into the story very intelligently and subtly. It was also visually showcased through the use of situations and character choices as well as through dialogue. This choice to present the message in a “show and tell” style was handled better than if it was just verbally explained to the audience. The incorporation of this message showed that the creative team made an effort to put heart in their project.
The plot: Flushed Away is about a rat who is trying to return home. While this sounds like a simple story, I found the film’s overall narrative to be too simplistic. Even though there were other plots featured in the movie, I also found those to be on the simpler side. Because of this, it made the story feel like there was very little intrigue. It also made it difficult for me to stay fully invested in what was happening on screen.
The villain: Yet, another film I’ve recently reviewed where I didn’t like the villain. In the case of Flushed Away, I not only found the villain, The Toad, to be poorly written. I also found him to be unconvincing. Similar to what I said about Blair from The Nine Lives of Christmas, The Toad came across as one-dimensional. He also never felt like a legitimate threat to the protagonist and his friend, Rita. Both Roddy and Rita outsmart him and his henchmen every time, causing the villain to not be as powerful as the film’s creative team wanted us to think. If anything, The Toad just appears to be a goofier version of Governor Ratcliffe from Disney’s Pocahontas.
Some of the humor: While I liked the “Easter Egg” humor of this film, there was other humor that I was not a fan of. This came in the form of “gross-out” humor and injury related humor. To me, the “gross-out” humor felt it was there just for the sake of being there. Meanwhile, the injury related humor happened too consistently. There was one character that constantly got hurt throughout the story. However, I never found any of these moments to be funny. I know that comedy is a very subjective thing. But this kind of humor, at times, took me of the film.
Before I share my thoughts on Flushed Away, I want to thank all of my followers for supporting 18 Cinema Lane! 2019 has been a great year for the blog. Part of that is because of my readers, followers, and visitors. Ok, now it’s time to share my overall impression of this film. Personally, I thought it was just ok. In Flushed Away, there were components that I liked seeing, such as the animation and the overall message. But there were aspects that held Flushed Away back from reaching its full potential. Just one example is how the overall plot was too simplistic for my liking. As I’ve said before, comedy and film are subjective. Yes, I enjoyed the “Easter Egg” style of humor. But I did not like the “gross-out” and injury related humor. While I think there are better animated films than Flushed Away, there are definitely worse children’s/family friendly films than this one. No matter the style or format of the animated project, I will continue to do my best at presenting the best movie reviews I can offer.
Overall score: 6 out of 10
What are thoughts on my blogging journey so far? Which review of mine has been your favorite? Tell me what you think in the comment section!
In honor of Thanksgiving, I thought I’d use this review to express my gratitude toward my readers and followers by taking a suggestion from one of my readers. Back in July, when I reviewed Hush…Hush, Sweet Charlotte, Emily, from The Flapper Dame, recommended a film called Gaslight. As I told her, I had heard of the film, but had never seen it. Fortunately, I had this movie on my DVR for several months. This means that I now had an excuse to finally watch this film! I don’t often receive film recommendations on 18 Cinema Lane. But, when I do, I try my best to review each film and acknowledge the person who told me about it. This happened when I reviewed The Santa Incident last December. Since I have acquired several suggestions within my year of blogging, I have created a list to keep track of the films. This is so I know which ones I’m able to rent or record on my DVR. Maybe I can find a way to create a tradition around these suggestions!
The acting: Prior to watching Gaslight, I had seen a few of Ingrid Bergman’s films. But, to me, her portrayal of Paula is one the best I’ve seen from her filmography! What makes this performance so good is how expressive Ingrid is. She’s able to change her expressions at a moment’s notice, causing Ingrid’s portrayal to appear fluid and natural. I was pleasantly surprised to see Angela Lansbury star in this film! I’ve never seen any of Angela’s live-action films, as the only live-action project of hers that I’ve seen is Murder, She Wrote. However, it was nice to see her portray a character that is different from what I’m used to. Angela brought a sense of sass to her character, Nancy. Her interactions with the other characters was interesting because of how different her personality was from the other members of that household. Though her on-screen presence was limited, Angela found a way to shine with the material she was given!
The lighting: I wasn’t expecting anything special from the film’s lighting. But, when I watched Gaslight, I found the lighting to be one of the most memorable parts! In the London scenes, when it was night-time, the lighting reminded me of a noir film. What I mean by this is how the light is primarily dim and obstructed by another source. In the case of Gaslight, this source was fog. A common practice in this film was the use of shadows. This helped add a sense of mysteriousness to the story, as there was an uncertainty about the people who caused those shadows. One scene that used lighting in a creative way was when Paula and Gregory entered the drawing room of their London home for the first time. In this scene, the only light came from the outside. This means the shadow of the window’s blinds reflected off of these two characters.
The set design: Gaslight takes place during the Victorian era. As I’ve said in reviews for other period films, the sets in this movie appeared authentic to that specific time period. It shows that the creative team truly cared about the film they were making. It also shows that thorough research had been done during the pre-production stage of the project. The sets were very massive in scale, presenting the grandeur that would have been found within the world of these characters. It also helps that the architecture made these structures feel life-like. My favorite of this collection is the hotel where Paula and Gregory spent their honeymoon. While the exterior was the primary focus of this scene, it was still impressive to look at. The location itself seemed inviting and charming, like it would be a prime destination for anyone’s vacation.
Some of the accents: Like I’ve said in other reviews, accents in films can be hit or miss. In Gaslight, the accents sounded authentic and believable. But there were times when it was difficult to understand what some of the characters were saying. This was the case for Gregory Anton. At several moments, I found myself rewinding the movie in an attempt to hear what he was saying. This definitely took away some enjoyment from the film.
Some under-utilized characters: In this movie, I found some of the characters to be under-utilized more than they should have been. One example is the neighbor of Paula and Gregory, who Paula met on a train prior to the couple moving to London. Based on her first encounter with the protagonist, I thought she was going to play a larger role in the overall narrative. Sadly, it just felt like she was there for the sake of being there. Had this character been removed from the story, I don’t think it would have made much of a difference.
The mystery’s resolution: When a movie features a mystery, its resolution usually takes place during the film’s climax. This decision is made to not only make the moment feel big and action-packed, but it’s also made to get a reaction from the audience. I will not spoil Gaslight for anyone who hasn’t seen this movie. But I found this mystery’s resolution to be anti-climactic. The scenes involving the resolution were well-written and interesting. However, they failed to feel big or action-packed. Something that hurt them was how one particular confrontation was not shown on screen. I understand that this film was released during the Breen Code era. However, the confrontation’s absence took away from some of the climax’s excitement.
Is it just me or is Paula’s choker necklace just the cutest piece of jewelry? Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.
My overall impression:
Gaslight is the third mystery movie I have reviewed this November. Maybe it’s to make up for Hallmark Movies & Mysteries taking a break from making mystery films due to the Christmas/holiday season. In all seriousness, I think the mystery aspect of Gaslight was the best out of those three films! While it had its issues, it was still the most compelling. I can now agree with Emily, from The Flapper Dame, that this is a good movie! Even though it is a “slow burn” story, it works for the overall picture. This allows for the events to happen at their own pace, which made elements of the story grow organically. If you have the patience, this is a movie you might enjoy. As this review is meant to celebrate receiving 155 followers on 18 Cinema Lane, I’d like to thank each of my followers for choosing to support my blog. When I first started my blogging journey, I never imagined achieving such a large number of followers this quickly. However, I’m very thankful for the success I have earned. I’d also like to thank Emily for recommending Gaslight to me. I appreciate when readers leave comments on my blog, so I was more than happy to choose this movie for this review!
Overall score: 7.5 out of 10
Have you ever seen Gaslight? Are there any movies you’d like to recommend to me? Tell me in the comment section!
Last week, the Brannan sisters, from Pure Entertainment Preservation Society, nominated me for my second Liebster Award! This makes it my ninth award since starting 18 Cinema Lane! I couldn’t be more thrilled to receive this honor! Before I begin this post, a thank you is in order. To the Brannan sisters, thank you so much for thinking of me when it came time to choose nominees. You have always been so thoughtful to me and my blog, which is something I will continually admire. Now, let the Liebster Award post begin! Let’s start with a list the official rules of this award, which are:
Thank the blogger who nominated you.
Put the logo of the award on your blog.
Share 11 facts about yourself.
Answer your nominator’s questions.
Nominate up to 11 bloggers.
For your nominees, provide a series of questions (11 is the recommended maximum)
What famous, beloved, or iconic classic film leaves you cold, even though a lot of other people love it?
Last year, The Birds became the worst movie I saw in 2018. While this film is considered a classic by many, I was not a fan of it. To me, the movie was boring and didn’t build up to anything. I felt it was a waste of time.
What actors are your favorite classic film couple, even if they only made one movie together?
One of my favorite movies is Portrait of Jennie. In that film, Joseph Cotten and Jennifer Jones had great on-screen chemistry! They also gave a good performance individually and as a pair. I’m not sure if Joseph and Jennifer starred in any other movies together, but this is the answer I’ll choose for this question.
What classic film genre is your least favorite?
For this question, I’ll say the sci-fi genre. Not because I have anything against it, but because, within the scope of classic cinema, this is the genre that I watch the least.
What type of classic movie musical do you prefer, one where people are constantly singing or one in which all the music is logical and in context with the story?
I like musicals that feature music in a logical way that also fits the context of the story. A few years ago, I tried watching the 2012 version of Les Miserables. I ended up turning the movie off after about twenty minutes. One of the reasons was because of how often the characters were singing. It came across as annoying instead of entertaining.
What novel, book, or story do you really wish was made with certain actors in the Golden Era of Hollywood?
One of the most famous lost films is Four Devils. Despite what the title suggests, this story, from what I’ve heard, doesn’t sound sinister or creepy. I would have loved to see this movie receive a remake within the Breen Code era. That way, this narrative wouldn’t be completely lost to time.
What modern film can you most visualize as a classic film with particular actors in the lead roles?
In August, I reviewed I Never Promised You a Rose Garden for “A Month Without the Code”. Because this was the only rated R production that was included in my roster of movies, it would be fascinating to see what this story would look like as a Breen Code film. How different would it be from the movie we ended up receiving? That would an interesting question to answer!
What is your least favorite performance from your favorite actor or actress? Why?
I have two examples to share. The first is Mickey Rooney’s roles in It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World and Breakfast at Tiffany’s. While Mickey’s role in the first film consisted of yelling and arguing, his role in the second film didn’t add anything to the story and feels like a product of its time. The second example is Allison Scagliotti’s performance in Back When We Were Grownups. I understand that her appearance in this film took place toward the beginning of her career. However, out of all the young actors that starred in this movie, she was overshadowed the most. Because she’s gained acting experience through several television shows, I think that she would be given a larger role now if she were cast in another Hallmark Hall of Fame project.
What is your favorite performance from your least favorite actor or actress? Why?
Personally, I’m not a fan of Andie MacDowell. This is because, in my opinion, she is one of Hallmark’s weaker actresses. But her performance in Hallmark Hall of Fame’s The Beach House was such a pleasant surprise! It felt like that role was specifically created just for her, highlighting her acting strengths and minimizing her acting weaknesses. Andie did a really good job with the material she was given!
What is one movie that made you appreciate an actor or actress you didn’t think you liked before?
For this question, I actually have three examples. The first one is Matthew McConaughey. I have seen some of his films, but it wasn’t until I saw his performance in The Newton Boys that I truly came to appreciate his acting abilities. Matthew’s portrayal of Willis Newton was both light-hearted and dramatic, something that is very difficult to pull off. My next example is Vincent Perez. While I enjoyed his performance in Queen of the Damned, his performance in Swept from the Sea became one of the best acting performances I’ve ever seen in my entire life! As I said in my review for this film, Vincent portrayed his character, Yanko, with such captivation, it came across as heart-warming and heart-breaking. The last example is Jack Turner. This particular actor has appeared in several Hallmark films. Recently, I saw Forever in My Heart and Jack’s performance was one of the best I’ve seen from a Hallmark movie this year, so far! He did a good job when pulling off an Irish accent and his portrayal of Charlie O’Hanlon appeared natural and believable.
Can you name a film adaption of a book that you think was better than the book?
I have two examples for this question. “The Beach House” and “Rome in Love” are books that I read after I saw their respective films. I thought “The Beach House” was ok, but I did not like “Rome in Love”. Hallmark Hall of Fame’s The Beach House and Rome in Love were both enjoyable movies that I thought were better than their source material. In fact, the latter is, so far, my favorite Hallmark production of 2019!
What is a remake which you like better than the original film? Why?
I will pick the 1996 version of The Hunchback of Notre Dame. I tried watching the 1939 version of this story, but I just couldn’t get into it. Maybe I’ll give it a second chance during next year’s “Clean Movie Month”. However, it all depends on whether I can rent it.
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?
Back in May, my post called “A Bucky Fan’s Response to one of Looper’s Avengers: Endgame related videos” became my 200th published post! Whenever I publish a hundred posts, I coordinate a double feature where I try to answer a thought-provoking question through the viewing of two similar films. But, around the time when I published my aforementioned post, I discovered that I would soon reach the milestone of 100 published reviews. So, I postponed my Double Feature until that milestone was reached. It was achieved in July when I published my review of Christmas Camp! However, that post was published just before I embarked on an out-of-town trip. So, I postponed my Double Feature until after the trip. But August became my busiest month, as I participated in four blogathons. Because of that, the Double Feature had to be pushed back again. Now that I have set aside some time to coordinate my Double Feature, I can finally announce that it will be published this week! Since I’m celebrating two milestones, I will be writing about three films.
I am fully aware of the irony that comes with reading The Secret Garden from the Hallmark Gift Books collection before watching the Hallmark Hall of Fame adaptation. Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.If you ask anyone what the best adaptation of The Secret Garden is, most of them will tell you that it’s the Hallmark Hall of Fame version from 1987. For years, I have heard this statement from many people on the internet. In fact, when I asked a search engine which adaptation of The Secret Garden was the best one, the Hallmark Hall of Fame version was the film that came up as the answer. But is this movie really the best adaptation? That’s what I wanted to find out for myself! The most well-known versions of The Secret Garden that I will be watching are the 1949 release, the Hallmark Hall of Fame presentation, and the 1993 project. I read The Secret Garden prior to watching these films, so I could gain a better understanding of how similar or different each adaptation is from the source material. Because I’m going to talk about three versions of the same story, I will ask myself fewer questions than I did for my Halloween Double Feature. I will also not be giving these films any score ratings because I’m judging them as adaptations. There will be no pre-movie thoughts, questions, or predictions this time because I know what the movies are about before I’ve seen them.
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.
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18 Cinema Lane 