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!
2020 is finally here! I am so excited to be embarking on my second year as a movie blogger! My movie blogging journey has, so far, been a good one. One reason for this is the support I have received from my readers and followers. Every like, visit, and comment is appreciated. It makes me feel like what I write about matters to someone. Like the previous year, 2019 was more successful than I ever expected! From receiving 100 followers to publishing 300 posts, 18 Cinema Lane grew and became a place that I’m proud of. Similar to last year, I will be sharing the stats of my blog and announce upcoming projects. This kind of post will be a new tradition for 18 Cinema Lane, as it allows my readers and followers to be informed about what’s happening on my blog.
Once again, I will be hosting another blogathon in 2020! It will be movie themed and it will take place later in the year. So that announcement will come in either May or June.
Changes to the Gold Sally Awards
The Gold Sally Awards is another event that will be coming back! However, there will be some changes made to the awards. These changes are not major, but they will, hopefully, improve the voting experience for my readers, followers, and visitors. This announcement will be posted toward the end of January.
Yearly Double Feature
Every time I publish 100 posts, I coordinate a special double feature to celebrate the accomplishment. At the end of 2019, I published 300 posts. I decided to create my double feature reviews in January because I wanted to take my time and make the best articles I realistically could. This double feature will correlate with Movierob’s Genre Grandeur, as January’s theme is “Youth-Led Movies”. Those series of articles will be published in either the middle of or later in the month.
Filmathon Readathon
On rare occasions, I talk about books on my blog. But I try to make that an exception to the rule, as my primary focus is on film. When I discovered a readathon that was movie themed, I knew I had to participate! The readathon is called “Filmathon” and will take place from January 7th to the 14th. It was created on the Youtube channel, lookingforshaki. I will making at least one post about it sometime in January.
New Blog Banner
Last year, K, from K at the Movies, created the official logo for 18 Cinema Lane. I love how it turned out and K did a fantastic job with the image! They also made two additional logos that I also like. One of them will be used as the new banner of my blog! This will take place shortly around the time this article is published.
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!
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.
Created by me, Sally Silverscreen, on Adobe Spark.
Hello everyone! If you’re interested in joining my blogathon, Siskel and Ebert at the Blogathon, you still have time! All you have to do is leave your topic request in the comment section of the post, “Announcing my new blogathon called ’Siskel and Ebert at the Blogathon’!”. This post can be found when you click the blogathon banner at the right-hand side of the page or by visiting this link:
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?
Created by me, Sally Silverscreen, on Adobe Spark.
Greetings to all of my readers and followers! I just want to remind everyone that there’s only one month left to sign up for my blogathon, “Siskel and Ebert at the Blogathon”! If you’re interested, please request a topic as soon as possible. To check out the original blogathon announcement, click on the banner that’s located in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. I also want to share that I have just received The Baroness Orczy Blogging Award from the blog, Silver Screenings! I’m going to be honest, I had never heard of this particular author until I won this award. So, I went to Goodreads and learned more about her. Based on the presented information, she sounds like a fascinating individual! I’ll definitely have to check out one of her books sometime. Thank you to everyone at Silver Screenings for selecting me for this award. Having my written work compared to someone like Baroness Orczy is truly an honor!
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:
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18 Cinema Lane 