With the sun rising on 2023, it’s time to prepare my readers for what’s to come on 18 Cinema Lane! For those who are unaware, I publish these start of the year posts out of courtesy for those who have taken the time to read and hear what I have to say. In 2023, I have four major announcements I’d like to share! But before that happens, I’ll list my blog’s stats from 2022.
When I announced the winners of the 4th Annual Gold Sally Awards last August, I stated the awards would return the following year with a new format. This format will be separate, individual awards that are more unique/creative/fun. The new version of the Gold Sally Awards will be fully implemented in February. Due to this change, the awards will now take place one day a year instead of over a multi-month time period.
Sally Solves a Mystery
In 2022, Chesapeake Shores came to an end. This means I will now be re-capping only one show; When Calls the Heart. You’re probably wondering what I’m going to do with all this free time on my hands. That leads me to introduce my new series; Sally Solves a Mystery! As I’ve said before on 18 Cinema Lane, the mystery genre is the most popular one on my blog. I also talk about television shows from time to time. So, I decided to combine the best of both worlds with this series, where I will write about tv related mysteries I find interesting. Sally Solves a Mystery is going to replace the ‘Evenings At The Shore’ folder. However, the re-cap articles for Chesapeake Shores will still remain on 18 Cinema Lane.
Buzzwordathon and Eurovisionathon
For the first time last year, I participated in the Buzzwordathon readathon. Out of twelve months, I had four fails and I didn’t finish reading December’s book before the end of the year. While this result is not too bad, I would like to participate in Buzzwordathon again this year. Hopefully, my readathon results will be better. In 2023, I will also be taking part in the Eurovisionathon readathon! Hosted by the Youtube channel, Helen’s Book Haven, this month-long event places emphasis on reading books related to the countries participating in the song contest.
5th Birthday Celebration
18 Cinema Lane is turning five in 2023. To commemorate the celebration, I will revisit one of my past articles. But this article won’t be revealed until the publication of the new post. That decision was made to maintain the element of surprise for my readers.
Now that this year’s Gold Sally Awards is coming to a close, it’s finally time to announce the Star of the Year Award! For those who don’t know, this is a recognition award where readers can nominate someone who they think deserves a “standing ovation”. Since I’ve explained the award’s guidelines and past changes, I’ll provide the links below:
Since 2019, I’ve been posting a beginning of year article to prepare my readers and followers for the new year. I do this out of courtesy for those who have taken the time to read and hear what I have to say. For 2022, I don’t have as many announcements as in previous years. However, these announcements I feel are important enough to share. Like past years, I will first start by revealing my blog’s stats from 2021. I’d also like to thank you for your continued support of 18 Cinema Lane!
2022 marks the fourth year of the Gold Sally Awards, a movie award where my readers and followers choose the winners! When I announced the winners of the third annual event, I said I would start presenting two voting polls at a time. This decision was made in order to move the polls at a smoother pace. For this year’s awards, my new plan will go into full effect! So, when voting season comesaround, you’ll be choosing two sets of winners with each poll post.
18 Cinema Lane’s 4th Annual Blogathon
When I wrapped up my Olympic Dreams Blogathon in July, I said I would be hosting another yearly event in 2022. That statement is true, as I still plan on hosting another blogathon. At the time, I hadn’t chosen a theme. But I am happy to say that I have picked one! What it will be is going to be revealed when I officially announce my blogathon this month!
2022’s Buzzwordathon
If you look near the top of my blog’s home page, you will see a tab called ‘Readathons’. But as of 2022, I have only “accomplished” one readathon, which was 2020’s Filmathon. In the few times I have participated in a readathon, I end up not finishing all my books within the readathon time frame. Instead of enjoying the overall experience, I’m left feeling disappointed. So, in order to make up for past “failures”, I have decided to join the 2022 Buzzwordathon! This readathon is a year-long event hosted by Kayla from the Youtube channel, BooksandLala. Each month, participants must read a book based on a pre-chosen word. Throughout 2022, I will write a review for the books I read for this event. This will give me an excuse to keep up with the readathon!
Earlier this month, 18 Cinema Lane received 340 and 345 followers! Before I continue, I’d just like to say thank you to each and every person who has chosen to follow my blog. I appreciate you taking the time to read my articles and listen to what I have to say. Speaking of articles, let’s back to the review! For April’s Genre Grandeur, the theme is “travel films”. Because this topic is so broad, it took me a while to figure out which film I would write about. Then I remembered I had the 1966 movie, Born Free, on my DVR. While Joy and George Adamson, the story’s protagonists, do travel within the movie, it is not the central component of the story. I also have participated in Thoughts From The Music(al) Man’s Star/Genre Of The Month Blogathon, with my review of China Seas being my first contribution. April doesn’t have a theme, so I thought Born Free would be the perfect choice for the blogathon! Prior to writing this review, I had heard of, but not seen, the 1966 picture. This is because I was familiar with the movie’s theme when it was featured on the soundtrack for the film, Madagascar. Now, the moment you’ve been waiting for; the start of this review!
Because I recorded this movie on my DVR, I took a screenshot of the movie’s poster from my phone. Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.
Things I liked about the film:
How the animals were showcased: While I liked the acting in Born Free, it’s the animals that steal the show! Animals were showcased in a natural way, allowing them to be shown in situations that are more realistic. None of the animals were given voice-overs, giving the audience a chance to witness their authentic expressions. A great example is when Elsa, the lion Joy and George take care of, interacts with a male lion. Throughout the scene, Elsa and the male lion take turns roaring. They also can be seen fighting over food. The way these lions were presented made it look like they were having a conversation. The human characters’ conversations about these animals also gave them a humanistic quality. After Joy and George leave Elsa alone with the aforementioned lion, Joy compares the experience to waiting for a daughter to come home from a date. The cinematography and script gave the animals just as much importance as the human characters!
The scenery: The majority of Born Free takes place outdoors, as the African landscapes serve as the principal scenery for the story. Toward the beginning of the movie, Joy is painting in her front yard. A clear blue sky enveloped a large space of plains. This specific location appeared peaceful as long shots were used to capture it on film. Another impressive location was the beach that Elsa, Joy, and George visit. Once again, a blue sky is visible, soaring over the blue of the ocean and bright beige of the sand. The beach was very photogenic, with long and medium shots helping to showcase that location!
The music: I liked the use of music in Born Free! The pieces of instrumental tunes provided the tone for each scene it was included in. When a suspenseful and tense moment took place, the sound of beating drums could be heard. This sound elaborated on the seriousness of what was happening in that particular scene. One example is when, toward the end of the film, Elsa is fighting with another female lion. For more light-hearted, joyful moments, the movie’s theme played in the background. Some scenes that featured this piece of music revolved around Elsa and her sisters as lion cubs.
An inconsistent narrative: When a close friend named John suggests Elsa should be placed in a zoo, Joy is completely against the idea. This decision has even resulted in a heated argument between Joy and George. Joy’s decision for wanting Elsa to remain wild is understandable. However, earlier in the film, she doesn’t object to sending Elsa’s two sisters to a zoo. Joy also takes in a baby elephant that Elsa happened to be chasing one day. This specific narrative was inconsistent, which prevented me from getting fully invested in Joy’s side of the story.
The run-time: According to IMDB, Born Free is an hour and thirty-five minutes. But because the story is a simpler one, I don’t think this movie needed that run-time. While watching the film, I noticed how some scenes contained montages. For example, when Joy, George, and Elsa go to the beach, a montage lasting several minutes featured these characters playing on the beach and in the ocean. I feel these montages were placed in the film to satisfy its run-time. Had these montages been shortened, the movie could have had a run-time of an hour or less.
Unnecessary voice-overs: Throughout the film, Joy provides voice-overs to explain what is happening in the story. These voice-overs were beneficial in understanding Elsa’s journey. But there were some scenes where Joy’s voice-overs were not necessary. At the beginning of a scene where Joy, George, and Elsa are at a camp, Joy explains how, one night, she heard the roar of a lion who was eating the livestock of a nearby African village. If the voice-over had not been included in this scene, the on-screen event could have spoken for itself. Having the voice-over only reminded the audience of what they already knew.
When you think of “travel films”, a movie where the protagonist takes an extravagant and adventurous trip will likely come to mind. However, traveling can mean different things for various people. In the case of Born Free, Joy and George Adamson travel from England to Africa. Throughout the film, they also travel to town and several African villages. As I mentioned in the introduction, Born Free does not focus on the travels of Joy and George. Instead, it prioritizes the relationship these characters share with Elsa. While I liked the natural portrayals of the animals, these depictions are more suited for an older audience. This is also a simpler story, calling for a shorter run-time than the one it received. Not only were some of Joy’s voice-overs unnecessary, but her stance on keeping Elsa out of a zoo was inconsistent. Despite these flaws, I thought Born Free was a fine film! If you are interested in the subject of animals, I feel this is the movie for you!
Overall score: 7.1-7.2 out of 10
Have you seen any “travel films” lately? Do you have any films to recommend for the next blog follower dedication review? Let me know in the comment section!
Last month, Rebecca from Taking Up Room nominated me for two awards, the Sunshine Blogger Award and the Blogger Recognition Award! But because January was such a busy month for me, I had to postpone my award post to February. Now, I’m finally able to accept these awards from Rebecca! Thank you for choosing me as one of your nominees! It has been a few months since I received an award, so I appreciate the recognition. Before I start answering questions, I need to list the rules for each award. Here are the following:
Blogger Recognition Award Rules
Thank the blogger who nominated you and include a link to their blog.
Post the award banner on your blog.
Share the reason you started your blog.
Share two pieces of advice for new bloggers.
Nominate a maximum of 15 other bloggers.
Tell your nominees about the award post, so they can participate.
The Blogger Recognition Award banner found at Taking Up Room.
Since this is my fifth Blogger Recognition Award, I’ll provide a link to my very first blog post and my first Blogger Recognition Award post. Those articles explain why I started my blog.
Be kind to others – Behind every article is a person dealing with a variety of situations in life. Whenever you write on your blog or interact with bloggers, remember the Golden Rule: “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”.
Plan ahead – If you are participating in multiple blog events or would like to create certain posts within a given month, write those post ideas and all of the deadlines or dates you’d like to publish those posts down on a calendar. This is just one way to help you stay organized!
Before I reveal my nominees, let me list the rules and my answers for the Sunshine Blogger Award!
Sunshine Blogger Award Rules
Thank the blogger who nominated you in the blog post and link back to their blog.
Answer the 11 questions the blogger asked you.
Nominate 11 new blogs to receive the award and write them 11 new questions.
List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post and/or on your blog.
The Sunshine Blogger Award banner found at Taking Up Room.
What’s your hope for 2021?
Anyone who has read my television show re-caps would know I’m a fan of When Calls the Heart. However, I have become a fan of The Crow as well. What would be the best way to bring the best of both worlds together? Having Bai Ling join the main cast of When Calls the Heart, portraying Hope Valley’s first female Mountie! Since the show’s inception, many characters with various backstories and personalities have found their way to Hope Valley. If the creative team decided to do this, it would be a perfect opportunity to not only introduce a new character and story, but also give an underrated actress more recognition!
2. What helped you stay sane in 2020?
Definitely writing and maintaining my blog. By doing those things, it gave me something to look forward to. My blog even reached 200 followers in 2020!
3. Are there any movies you’re looking forward to this year?
Either Fast and Furious 9 or the new mystery films from Hallmark Movies & Mysteries.
4. You can visit any five celebrity homes from any era. Which ones would you pick?
One celebrity’s home that I find fascinating is Azusa Barbie’s! If you are not familiar with Azusa, she is a Youtuber who is also a Barbie collector. Azusa creates custom Barbie themed items as well, such as Barbie window blinds. Seeing her apartment in person would be so cool!
5. You’re about to hike the Pacific Crest Trail. What, if anything, would you take that the experts might frown on?
I would bring Creek Stewart from the Weather Channel show, SOS: HOW TO SURVIVE! During our hike on the Pacific Crest Trail, Creek could teach me how to survive in an emergency, even though the “experts” would think I was defeating the purpose of the hike itself.
6. Who are your three favorite film critics and why?
I don’t follow film critics as closely as other people do. However, if I had to choose three of them, they would be Roger Ebert, Gene Siskel, and myself.
7. When you’re watching stuff other than movies, do you prefer YouTube and streaming services or traditional broadcast TV?
It depends on the program. I watch more movies than TV shows, but there are some shows I watch that are featured on traditional television, such as When Calls the Heart. Other times, I watch videos on Youtube that feature topics that interest me.
8. If you could adapt a TV show into a movie, which one would you pick and why?
The first scripted television show Hallmark ever created was Cedar Cove. In 2015, Hallmark Channel ended the showafter season three, with the season finale leaving the overall story on a cliff-hanger. Since then, fans of the show have been asking for a movie to wrap those storylines up. Even though this idea doesn’t seem to be placed very high on Hallmark’s list of priorities, a Cedar Cove movie would give the fans a sense of closure.
9. Which film prop or costume would you most like to own?
If I had to choose one item, it would be Grace Kelly’s weekend suitcase from Rear Window! I have always thought that suitcase was so cute and dainty. I believe the one used in the movie was sold at an auction. However, I wouldn’t be opposed to owning a replica.
10. Who is your favorite movie or TV couple? Your least favorite?
My favorite couple from pop culture is Dom and Letty from the Fast and Furious series! I like seeing their relationship progress over the course of the franchise. It also helps that their relationship is a healthy one, where we see Dom and Letty respecting one another and using cars and/or racing as a way to bring them closer together.
When I think about movie or TV couples I don’t like, Top Dollar and Myca’s relationship from The Crow comes to mind. To me, their relationship is so toxic, that the more I think about it, the worse it gets. I plan on writing an editorial in the near future about why I feel this way.
11. What was the last album you listened to?
Lately, I’ve listening to individual songs. But, from what I remember, the last album I listened to was TheBodyguard soundtrack.
Another new year comes new goals and new paths! As 18 Cinema Lane embarks on a third year in the world of blogging, there are many more things to accomplish! Some of these things I’d like to share with you. I have created a post of what readers can expect for 2021, similar to articles from years past. The post will also include statistical highlights from 2020. The support I’ve received during this time has served as the fuel that has kept this blog going. To everyone who has left a like or comment, thank you. I also thank visitors and followers who have taken the time to read my content. To this day, it still amazes me how successful 18 Cinema Lane has become in such a short amount of time. Grateful is the word I would use to describe this blogging journey so far!
The tradition continues as I host a new blogathon in 2021! What is different about this year’s event is how it will take place during the summer, instead of the fall like the first two blogathons. Because of this, I will announce the event in January.
New Blogathon Folders
As I was resolving a technical blog-related issue, I was told my site’s blogathon folder was too long. To fix this problem, I decided to create a new folder for blogathons I participate in between 2021 to 2023. For the original blogathon folder, I have named it “My Blogathon Folder 2018-2020”. This decision was made to prevent my readers from becoming overwhelmed by blogathon related content, as I have participated in over fifty of these events.
Separate Blog Folders
At the top of 18 Cinema Lane’s home page, there are separate tabs for different content-related areas of the site. This was done to make my blog easier to navigate. Originally, I had a tab called “Sally’s Special Posts”, where readers were led to a section of the site that featured all the editorials, lists, and double features I’ve created, as well as all the awards I’ve won. Now, these categories are split into separate folders. For example, each award I have won will be located in the “Awards” folder.
No set schedules
Last year, I announced I would be publishing posts on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays. I thought this would promote structure and consistency on my blog. However, I found this particular schedule to be too restrictive for myself. While I continue to make regular content, it won’t be within a pre-set schedule. This means that posts may be published on any day of the week.
TBR Tin
Occasionally, I talk about books on 18 Cinema Lane. This is to create a sense of variety on my blog. In 2021, I chose a different way to determine which book I would select next. With the John Wayne Hot Chocolate tin I won in a blogathon, I have written titles on slips of paper and placed them in the tin. Every time I read a book, I will randomly pull a slip out of this tin in order to choose the next book I read. From time to time, I might bring up which books I selected. As of January of the new year, my first book is The Musician’s Daughter by Susanne Dunlap!
If you’re still interested in participating in my blogathon, A Blogathon to be Thankful For, you have a week left to sign up! Even though there is a three entry limit, you are allowed to publish more than three posts. Just let me know before November 19th if you plan on doing so.
Have fun at the blogathon!
Sally Silverscreen
Created by me, Sally Silverscreen, on Adobe Spark.
I want to let you know that I got rid of the “Sally’s Special Post” page. That page was originally created to feature posts that weren’t movie reviews, movie news stories, or tv show re-caps. Instead, I’ve broken up each section into its own distinct category. For example, when you click on the word, “Editorials”, at the top of the homepage, every editorial I’ve ever written will be listed. This decision was made to make it easier for my visitors, followers, and readers to navigate my blog. I also want to remind everyone that they have one month left to sign up for my second blogathon, “A Blogathon to be Thankful For”! If you’re interested in joining, you can apply for the blogathon at this link:
While the Legends of Western Cinema Week was just getting started, I was nominated for my fourth Blogger Recognition Award! Like my Sunshine Blogger Award nomination, I waited until after the aforementioned blogathon to officially accept my award. Before the start of any new blogging events, I’m taking this time to create my award post. This award was given to me by J-Dub, creator of the blog Dubsism! On this blog, you’ll find thorough articles about sports and film. J-Dub also has several interesting series, such as “Movies Everybody Loves That I Hate” and “Sports Analogies Hidden In Classic Movies”. You can check out these and other articles at this link:
Thank you, J-Dub, for giving me my fourth Blogger Recognition Award! I appreciate your kind words and thoughtfulness. Before I start this award process, let me list the rules below:
#1: Thank the blogger who nominated you and include a link to their blog.
Because this is the fourth time I’ve received this award, I’ll post a link to my very first blog post and my first Blogger Recognition Award post. I’m doing this to avoid repeating myself.
The first piece of advice I will give is to think before you post. Behind every keyboard is a human being with thoughts, feelings, and their own unique perspectives. There have also been stories where things said and done on the internet have negatively affected people in the long run. Every published post should be given a good amount of thought before it gets released to the public. My second piece of advice is always proofread your work. No writer is perfect, as there are going to be errors in almost any piece of writing. Taking the time to proofread articles before they are published will improve their overall quality.
During The Legends of Western Cinema Week, I won Hamlette’s, from Hamlette’s Soliloquy, giveaway, where I won the John Wayne Hot Chocolate in the photo above. Once I’m finished with the hot cocoa, I will use this as a TBR (to be read) tin!
Last month, 18 Cinema Lane was nominated for a fifth Sunshine Blogger Award! Because the nomination was given to me around the start of The Legends of Western Cinema Week, I postponed my award post until that week had passed. Now that I found some time to write and publish this post, it’s time to accept another award! This nomination comes from animegoodreads from the blog, animegoodreads! Their award-winning site covers various anime titles and discusses non-anime topics from time to time. If you’re interested, you can check out animegoodreads’ blog at this link:
Thank you animegoodreads for my fifth Sunshine Blogger Award, as I appreciate your thoughtfulness! Before the award post officially begins, I need to list the rules, which are:
Thank the blogger who nominated you in the blog post and link back to their blog.
2. Answer the 11 questions the blogger asked you.
3. Nominate 11 new blogs to receive the award and write them 11 new questions.
4. List the rules and display the Sunshine Blogger Award logo in your post and/or on your blog.
As a blogger, what is more important to you other than just writing blog posts?
Something I have always strived to do is give recognition to those who don’t often receive it. This is why you’ll see me talk about lesser known subjects from time to time. I hope by addressing these people, films, and topics, they can finally achieve recognition.
2. If you were to create your own anime, then explain how would the “protagonist” would look and behave like?
An anime that I like is Sailor Moon. Throughout the series, the audience gets to see Serena/Usagi grow as a person and hero over time. For my anime, I would create a character that grows and adapts as the series went on. This would be a relatable concept, as people can change throughout the journey of life. As for the look, the protagonist would have more realistic looking features. They would also dress in age-appropriate attire.
3. Any best moment or scene from an anime/movie/drama show that you would like to share with us?
A scene I’ll choose for this question comes from the best movie I’ve seen this year so far, The Boy Who Could Fly. The scene features the protagonist, Milly, watching home videos with her mother and brother. Milly’s friend, Eric, also watches these videos, as he was invited to her house for dinner. These videos cause an emotional reaction from the family, as they feature the family’s father who had died prior to the film’s events. Eric also experiences an emotional reaction, even though he had never met Milly’s father. This is an important moment for Eric because he made a personal breakthrough, as it shows Eric is capable of forming connections with others.
4. Are you a gamer? If yes, then which types of games do you prefer to play the most?
I don’t play many video games, so I wouldn’t consider myself a “gamer”. In terms of board games, however, I’ve enjoyed playing the Blockbuster party game!
5. What is more important to you, sports or academics?
I’d say academics. Sports offer no guarantee for longevity, as many different factors can come into play. I have heard of athletes experiencing injuries that have ended their careers. For every superstar in the world of sports, there are probably five athletes who don’t enjoy success or fame. Once you receive an education, no one can take that knowledge away from you. You can apply it to any area of your life and can even create a career of your choosing.
6. Any thrilling childhood experience that you had with your friends or family, maybe an adventure or a memorable trip? If yes, then please share!
As I’ve mentioned before in an award post, I’ve ridden on an elephant! This happened many years ago while I attended the circus. I haven’t been to the circus for a long time, so I would like to attend one (after the Coronavirus passes) if there are any around. If given the opportunity, I’d also like to ride on an elephant again!
7. Your thoughts on the current “COVID” scenario. (Very Odd Question)
I’m not one to be envious of other people. But when I see posts on the internet of fellow movie-goers returning to the cinema, I can’t help feeling a little jealous. This is because, where I live, the theaters are not open or the drive-ins aren’t showing many new titles. I know I can wait until newer films are available for rent. However, if I were to summarize my feelings in a nutshell, it would be frustration.
8. Some skillful dreams that you want to accomplish (Ex. Riding a horse, Mountain Climbing etc)?
As I’ve said in a previous award post, I’d like to improve my swimming skills. I also want to become a better roller-skater. I hope to focus on these skills after 2020.
9. Any countries or places where you want to visit just to relax and chill?
For years, I’ve wanted to travel to Hawaii. I knew someone that decided to take a vacation there and they ended up having a good experience. Hawaii seems like one of those places where pictures and videos don’t do it justice!
10. Arrange the following points based upon the priority (high to low) that you consider the most while watching an anime. The points are : Story, Characters, Animation, Music and Dialogues.
I’ll admit I don’t watch a lot of anime. But if I did choose to watch an anime, here are how I’d arrange these points:
Story
Dialogue
Characters
Animation
Music
11. In the future, will you change the ‘prime niche’ of your blog or continue to write on the same topic?
For now, I don’t plan on changing 18 Cinema Lane’s ‘prime niche’. However, I will continue to publish content that is different from the niche, such as re-caps of When Calls the Heart and Chesapeake Shores. This will be done in an attempt to create a sense of variety on my blog.
During The Legends of Western Cinema Week, I won Heidi’s, from Along the Brandywine, giveaway, where I won the John Wayne playing cards in the photo above. This is honestly the nicest set of cards I’ve ever received! The gnome in the picture was not included.
What is the most creative blog post idea you’ve ever thought of?
When was the last time you left a comment on someone else’s blog?
Is there a movie or tv show other people like that you don’t? If so, what is it?
Do you like reading? If so, what book are you currently reading?
What is a movie related opinion you and your friend see eye-to-eye on?
Is there any advice your family has given you that has be applicable to your blog?
Has Coronavirus affected your blog in any way? How?
What was the most recent gift you purchased for a loved one?
Have you come across a character from media that you found relatable? Who and why?
If given the opportunity, which movie scene would you re-do?
18 Cinema Lane 