Tag: movies

Take 3: Avengers: Endgame (SPOILER-ZONE) Review

On By 18cinemalane1 Comment

One opening weekend and three hours later, Avengers: Endgame has officially owned the box office! With both the domestic and foreign box office records being broken, Avengers: Endgame will certainly be a movie for the history books. Because I posted my spoiler-free review on April 27th, within the film’s opening weekend, I chose to publish my spoiler-zone review this weekend. This way, any of my readers or followers who wanted to see Avengers: Endgame could do so without being spoiled. In this review, I will expand upon the things that I didn’t like about this film, since I talked about them only vaguely. However, I will also discuss spoiler related things from the movie that I liked. Similar to my spoiler-zone review of Avengers: Infinity War, this post will be long. So, with that out of the way, let the spoiler review for Avengers: Endgame begin!

Be aware that there are spoilers ahead!

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Yes, I know this is the same picture I used for my spoiler-free review of Avengers: Endgame. But, I didn’t have time to take a separate picture for this spoiler-zone review. Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.
  • A slower first half: As I said in my spoiler-free review, I thought that the first half of Avengers: Endgame had a slower pace than the second half. Now that I’m publishing my spoiler-zone review, I can give an explanation to what I said. The first half of the movie was not only meant to build-up to the time-traveling portion of the story, but it was also reserved for the exploration of loss that I talked about in my spoiler-free review. The majority of Avengers: Endgame takes place five years after the events of Avengers: Infinity War, so it makes sense for this exploration of loss to be incorporated into the first half. The various superheroes that had survived the events of the previous film had gone on their separate ways. This first half also showed how these heroes came back together in order to accomplish their mission. When the time-traveling portion of Avengers: Endgame began, that’s when the pace picked up.

 

  • Plot Points that Complicate Future MCU Projects: In my spoiler-free review, I mentioned that there were a few plot points that confused me in the context of future MCU projects. Because this is my spoiler-zone review, now I can explain what these plot points are and why they confused me. The first was when Black Widow died as she was sacrificing her life to acquire the Soul Stone. Even though this was a shocking moment that I did not see coming, it brought up questions about the upcoming Black Widow movie that was announced to premiere after Avengers: Endgame. Will this movie be a prequel or will Marvel find a way to bring Black Widow back and tell her story in the present? These next two plot points bring up confusion for the upcoming shows on the Disney streaming service, Disney+. One of these shows is WandaVision and from what I’m heard, the show will be about both Scarlet Witch/Wanda Maximoff and Vision. However, Vision never made an appearance in Avengers: Endgame. So, does this mean that the show will be about Wanda trying to find Vision? Was Vision in another area of the world/universe completing his own mission? Another show that was announced is Falcon & Winter Soldier, which will feature both Sam Wilson and Bucky Barnes. But, toward the end of Avengers: Endgame, Sam receives the title of Captain America. Since Sam is an Avenger (again) and Bucky is not an Avenger (again), will Sam end up being the star of the show, with Bucky being a supporting character? Will the title change to Captain America & White Wolf (since Bucky hasn’t been the Winter Soldier since 2014 and he was called “White Wolf” in the end-credit scene of Black Panther)? With these creative decisions being made, it seems like the creative team behind Avengers: Endgame wasn’t willing to address this confusion because they were probably not prepared to do that. Their job was not to promote the MCU’s future projects, but to tell the story at hand. If Avengers: Endgame’s creative team knew that these creative choices were going to affect upcoming projects, they should have at least used dialogue or interesting story-telling to answer some of these questions.
Avengers Endgame Bucky poster
Avengers: Endgame Bucky Barnes poster created by The Walt Disney Company and Marvel Studios. © Disney•Pixar. All rights reserved. Marvel and Avengers Characters: ©2017 Marvel. Image found at https://www.marvel.com/articles/movies/mcu-heroes-unveil-avengers-endgame-character-posters
  • A Personal Disappointment: This paragraph is about something that personally disappointed me in Avengers: Endgame. What ended up making me feel this way is connected to one of the things that I didn’t like about this movie. In my post called “A Movie Blogger’s Christmas Wish-List”, two of the things that I wanted was for Bucky’s cure to be confirmed in Avengers: Endgame and for Bucky to become the next Captain America. Unfortunately, none of those things happened. I get it, some wishes weren’t meant to come true. And I’m fine with Sam receiving the title of Captain America. However, if the creative team behind Avengers: Endgame were going to add something new to Sam’s story in preparation for the show, Falcon & Winter Soldier, they should have also added something new to Bucky’s story to get the Bucky fans excited for the show. In the scene where Steve gives Sam the shield, it almost seemed like Bucky was an afterthought, as he was standing in the distance and watching everything going on in front of him. Since the creative team knew that Bucky wasn’t going to become the next Captain America, they should have, at least, given him another superhero title to make up for it. Had they made Bucky an Avenger by expanding upon the White Wolf “title” he was given in the end-credit scene from Black Panther, I would’ve been totally content with that. It would have given me, as a Bucky fan, an incentive to want to watch the show. Could Bucky’s cure be confirmed in Falcon & Winter Soldier? Possibly. Could Bucky finally receive a superhero title on that show? Again, it’s possible. But, because the creative team behind Avengers: Endgame weren’t prepared to acknowledge Falcon & Winter Soldier, their creative choices brought up more confusion and complications for the show than they were willing to address. Because of this, I’m finding it very difficult to get excited about Falcon & Winter Soldier. I want this show to be good and I want it to be something enjoyable for both the Sam and Bucky fans. But I’ll wait to hear what other people have to say about the show first, in order to determine if it’s worth the price of admission.
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Yes, I know I used this picture in my spoiler-free review of Avengers: Endgame. But, I thought this picture was relevant for this specific review. Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.
  • Genuine surprises: Black Widow’s death was definitely one of the most shocking moments within this movie. But it wasn’t the only shocking death in Avengers: Endgame. Toward the end of the film, Tony Stark/Iron Man dies in order to use his own Infinity Gauntlet to snap Thanos and his army out of existent. This was shocking for me because I did not think Iron Man would pass away, considering how popular both the character and Robert Downey Jr. are. The character that I did think would pass away, Steve Rogers/Captain America, did not lose his life. Instead, he manipulated time in order to live out his life with Peggy Carter. Not all of the surprises had to do with a character’s fate. One example is Joe Russo’s cameo toward the beginning of the film. Pleasant surprises like this kept Avengers: Endgame

 

  • Clarifications on things from Avengers: Infinity War: In my spoiler-zone review of Avengers: Infinity War, I mentioned how some of the creative choices that were made in that movie ended up confusing me. One of them was how Rocket was one of heroes that survived Thanos’ plan. In Avengers: Endgame, when Rocket teamed up with Thor to retrieve two of the Infinity Stones, Rocket’s explanation for why he was with Thor helped his survival make more sense. Another interesting choice that, at the time, confused me was why Rhodey/War Machine was one of the remaining heroes at the end of Avengers: Infinity War. However, when Rhodey and Nebula were paired together, in Avengers: Endgame, to collect one of the Infinity Stones, the reason for this creative decision was well-explained. It was because both Rhodey and Nebula have been mechanically “repaired” over the course of their cinematic journeys. It definitely helped that Avengers: Endgame was released exactly a year after Avengers: Infinity War, as it seemed to give this film’s creative team a sense of urgency to make some of these clarifications.
Avengers Endgame poster
Avengers: Endgame poster created by The Walt Disney Company and Marvel Studios. © Disney•Pixar. All rights reserved. Marvel and Avengers Characters: ©2017 Marvel. Image found at https://www.marvel.com/articles/movies/marvel-studios-reveals-avengers-endgame-poster.

There’s definitely going to be some comparisons and contrasts to the spoiler-zone review for both Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame. But after the dust has settled (no pun intended), I ended up liking this movie a little bit more than Avengers: Infinity War. As I’ve explained, this was not a perfect or near perfect film. But I thought Avengers: Endgame was enjoyable for what it was. There were some creative choices that confused me as to how they will affect some of the future MCU projects. Hopefully, this confusion will be cleared up as the months go on. I’ve seen other responses for the film and it has been a variety of reactions. Some of these opinions are similar to mine, while others are the complete opposite. To this I say that it’s ok. Everyone is going to see this movie through their own unique lens. In fact, if any of my readers or followers have a different opinion than me about Avengers: Endgame, that’s fine. As long as we can have a conversation that is respectful to all parties. Now that we’ve reached the end of this post, I’d just like to wish everyone a happy Summer movie season! Since Avengers: Endgame has premiered in what is now considered the start of the Summer box office season, the battle to become the number one movie of the Summer has officially begun!

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I apologize for using some of the same pictures I used in my Avengers: Endgame spoiler-free review. It’s not that I’m lazy, these pictures are just that relevant. Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.

What are your thoughts on this review? Are there any other spoilers that you would like to discuss? Tell me in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

 

If you want to learn more about some of the future MCU projects I referenced in this review, check out Grace Randolph’s videos called “Disney Plus BREAKDOWN – Marvel Shows, Release Date, News” and “Black Widow Movie Cast – Florence Pugh” on her Youtube channel, Beyond The Trailer.

The Best Ensemble division of the Gold Sally Awards has finally come!

On By 18cinemalane2 Comments

Today is the day for the last acting division of the Gold Sally Awards to begin! In these polls, you will determine which is the Best Ensemble from a Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries film! Like with the previous polls, you are only allowed to vote once per person. But you are allowed to vote for more than one nominee. Your votes can be placed in the comment section of this post. This round of the Gold Sally Awards will conclude on May 10th. After that day, two casts will receive the title of Best Ensemble from the Gold Sally Awards!

SS Cinema Lane
The official logo of 18 Cinema Lane! Image found at https://katthemovies.wordpress.com/2019/03/30/graphic-design-is-my-passion/.

Best Ensemble from a Hallmark Channel Movie

Royally Ever After

The Beach House

Cooking with Love

Once Upon a Prince

Wedding of Dreams

Christmas in Evergreen: Letters to Santa

It’s Christmas, Eve

When Calls the Heart: The Greatest Christmas Blessing

A Gingerbread Romance

Entertaining Christmas

 

Best Ensemble from a Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Movie

Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: The Disappearing Game

Hailey Dean Mysteries: A Will to Kill

Darrow & Darrow: In the Key of Murder

Garage Sale Mysteries: The Mask Murder

Deadly Deed: A Fixer Upper Mystery

Marrying Father Christmas

Christmas Bells are Ringing

Time for Me to Come Home for Christmas

Northern Lights of Christmas

Christmas Wonderland

 

Have fun voting!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Hallmark Hall of Fame’s Love Takes Flight Review

On By 18cinemalane7 Comments

On the weekend of April 27th, Avengers: Endgame was not the only movie that premiered. While I did give a little more priority to Marvel’s latest film, I also wanted to see the new Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, Love Takes Flight. To give both films the attention they deserve, I decided to publish my spoiler-free review of Avengers: Endgame on the 27th and my review of Love Takes Flight today. When I found out about this Hallmark Hall of Fame movie last month, I knew that this was a movie that I had to review. Last year, I reviewed both of Hallmark Hall of Fame’s movies, with those reviews being well-received. However, when I learned more about this year’s film, I started to have doubts about it. It also didn’t help that Love Takes Flight was given one of the worst marketing campaigns in Hallmark movie history. In my opinion, the film’s poster looked worse than the one for The Beach House and Love Takes Flight’s trailer looked like a haphazard and rushed tv spot. However, I still wanted to give this film a chance. Last year, I wasn’t impressed with the marketing for The Beach House. But the movie itself ended up being better than its marketing campaign. Keep reading this review if you want to find out if Love Takes Flight had a similar fate.

Hallmark Hall of Fame's Love Takes Flight review
Hallmark Hall of Fame’s Love Takes Flight poster created by Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Channel. Image found at https://www.crownmediapress.com/Shows/PRShowDetail?SiteID=142&FeedBoxID=845&NodeID=302&ShowType=&ShowTitle=Love+Takes+Flight.

Things I liked about the film:

  • The acting: In Love Takes Flight, the acting was the driving force of this story! All of the acting performances felt so believable, that every character appeared as if they were real-life individuals experiencing realistic situations! Even though I had my doubts about Nikki’s incorporation in this cast, she proved me wrong by bringing the emotional versatility that is usually required for Hallmark Hall of Fame projects. In fact, she was one of the strongest actors in this film! Another actor that I was impressed with was Tom Thon. His portrayal of Walter Allen was emotionally effective, as his journey throughout this film seemed very believable. Tom’s acting talents brought some depth to his character’s narrative.

 

  • The scenery: Love Takes Flight was filmed in Savannah, Georgia, the third Hallmark Hall of Fame movie in a row to be filmed in the Peach State. The natural landscape of this location was showcased really well throughout the film. The foliage of the trees, flowers, and plants added a serene feeling to the overall atmosphere. This helped the story maintain its sincerity and thoughtfulness, as the natural surroundings brought a sense of peace when it seemed like the characters needed it the most. Walter’s property was absolutely gorgeous, its on-screen presence reminding me of architecture of past Hallmark Hall of Fame films! While the house itself was very cozy and elegant at the same time, the grounds surrounding the house are a scene stealer! The waterfront appeared so peaceful, complimenting some of the emotional moments that took place in that area. The creative team behind this movie made the right decision to choose Savannah as their filming location!

 

  • The exploration of grief: In some Hallmark movies, the protagonist or someone that the protagonist knows loses a loved one. However, because movies on Hallmark Channel are primarily light-hearted, the topic of grief is briefly touched upon. Since Hallmark Hall of Fame is historically known for addressing topics that are darker and more serious, the creative team behind this movie used this to their advantage to explore the concept of grief. In Love Takes Flight, Walter was dealing with the loss of his wife. The way this narrative was written made it feel like a story that would have been incorporated into Hallmark Hall of Fame movies from years past. The story of Walter and the protagonist’s daughter, Quinn, forming a friendship was a very thoughtful and interesting way to show how one moves forward from such a saddening situation.
Delivery Stickers Set
Helicopter sticker image created by Macrovector at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/delivery-stickers-set_1539060.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/banner”>Banner vector created by Macrovector – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

  • The editing: While watching this movie, I noticed that some scenes felt shorter than others. When these scenes would play out, they ended a little too abruptly. As I wondered why this was happening, I realized that this had to do with the film’s editing. To solve this problem, each scene should have run their course and been at an equal length. That way, every part of the story could have had a chance to be developed.

 

  • A little too predictable: When it comes to Hallmark Channel movies, the story is inevitably going to be predictable. However, Hallmark Hall of Fame movies are meant to be separate from the typical Hallmark Channel material. In Love Takes Flight, there were a few plot elements that were more predictable than I’d hoped. Because of this, it blurred that line between Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Hall of Fame. In some of these moments, it made the movie feel like a glorified Hallmark Channel film.

 

  • Too many plots: Love Takes Flight had seven plots that played out throughout the story. While some of these plots were well explored, other plots were undeveloped. As I watched this film, I felt that at least two or three of these plots could have cut from the overall narrative. I think that this movie should have had one main plot with two or three subplots. While this main plot is played out, the subplots could be equally developed.
PaperPlane-01
Paper airplane image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/paper-plane-in-cartoon-style_766478.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/paper”>Paper vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

Despite the poor marketing campaign that was given to this movie, Love Takes Flight was a good film! Yes, there were things about the project that could have been better. But, for what it was, I found the movie to be enjoyable. Once again, Hallmark Hall of Fame has had a consistent track record, since 2017, of creating films that are good. While I would like the films to become consistently great, I realize that it’ll take time for this to happen. I have a feeling that this can come to fruition one day. But the most important thing is that Hallmark is making the right steps for this to occur. Just like last year, the next movie for Hallmark Hall of Fame wasn’t advertised during the end credit commercial after the film. But whatever that film is going to be about, I just hope that it can take the Hallmark Hall of Fame to a whole new level.

 

Overall score: 7.8 out of 10

 

Have you seen Love Takes Flight? What would you like the next Hallmark Hall of Fame movie to be about? Please let me know in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Avengers: Endgame (SPOILER-FREE) Review

On By 18cinemalane9 Comments

After billions of dollars, millions of fans, thousands of talent, hundreds of source material, eleven years, and one dream, Avengers: Endgame has finally made its grand entrance. This seems like a movie for the history books, even before its release. Websites offering tickets crashed multiple times, yet the film still owned records in the process. Trailers and tv spots appeared wherever they could, announcing their message like the sound of a trumpet. The official premiere had their carpet decked out in purple, representing the villain’s signature color. With the opening weekend upon us, the time has come for me to review the film! I’ll be honest, I had lower expectations for this movie than I did for Avengers: Infinity War. This was due to the ending and end credits scene of the aforementioned predecessor. However, because Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers: Endgame are a two-part story, I wanted to find out what happens next. With positive word-of-mouth and skyrocketing levels of anticipation, it seems like other people had the same idea I did. Speaking of ideas, I requested six films for a potential Breening review at Pure Entertainment Preservation Society. One of these films, The Moon-Spinners, was just given a Breening Thursday article on the blog! This was such an insightful review about how the Breen Code could be applied to this film. Make sure you check out that review as well as this review of Avengers: Endgame!

Breening Thursday: 24. “The Moon-Spinners” from 1964

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When I saw this at my local cinema, I knew I just had to take a picture of it for this post! Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.
Things I liked about the film:

  • The acting: Like in Avengers: Infinity War, Avengers: Endgame had a great cast! Everyone did a really good job at portraying their characters, no matter what the size of their role was. All of the reactions, expressions, and behaviors appeared as realistic as possible, helping me, as a movie-goer, stay invested in the film. Also, like in Avengers: Infinity War, the comedic and dramatic timing was perfectly executed. This helped both types of moments stick the landing.

 

  • The different ways of dealing with loss: Within Avengers: Endgame, one of the narratives was how the heroes dealt with loss. This aspect of the film reminded me of Flicka: Country Pride, where grief affected almost all of the characters. Each of the heroes faced the subject of loss in a very different way, highlighting how everyone has their own way of dealing with this topic. This aspect of the story really added some depth to the overall project. It was an interesting addition to each of the characters’ stories, as this narrative helped incorporate a distinct stepping stone in these individuals’ character development. Understanding the different ways that the characters react to loss helped to show how they move forward from it.

 

  • The special effects: All of the special effects in Avengers: Endgame looked really good! They were not only photogenic, they also had very unique color palettes. The different colors that were used for these special effects were complimentary, working in their favor to be appealing to the eye. The various locations in this film appeared so realistic, I wondered if one scene in particular was filmed on location or created with CGI. This reminded me of the scenery in Avengers: Infinity War. Also, just like in Avengers: Infinity War, Thanos’ overall design looked and felt very real. This helped continue the believability of the character as well as my investment in his story.

 

  • Balance between comedy and drama: As I already mentioned, the comedic and dramatic timing was perfectly executed. This was not only because of the acting performances, but also because of the writing. Both the comedic and dramatic moments were spaced out really nicely, with the narrative maintaining a good amount of intrigue. What also helps is that these moments felt genuine. It makes their emotional weight effective, whether it is light-hearted or serious.

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Like last year, Bucky, Bucky, and Thor joined me on this cinematic adventure! Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.
What I didn’t like about the film:

  • A slower first half: Because this a spoiler-free review, I will be very mindful of what I say in this post. To me, the first half of the film had a slower pace than the second half. I understand that this part of the film was meant to be build-up for upcoming events. However, that build-up seemed to be a little bit longer than I expected. This pace does eventually pick up at the start of a particular event.

 

  • Confusing plot points: In this film, there were a few plot points that confused me. They didn’t confuse me in the context of the film, but they did confuse me in the context of future MCU projects. These plot points seemed to bring up more questions than I was expecting. Since this is a spoiler-free review, I’ll explain more about what confused me in my spoiler-zone review.
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It looks like I’m not the only one who was impressed with this display. Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.

My overall impression:

History is a very interesting thing. It makes us who we are and helps us shape the world around us. What do you we want to be remembered for? What legacy do we want to leave behind? When we look back on Avengers: Endgame, what will this film be known for? Even though it’s way too early to determine this film’s place in history, we can definitely talk about its immediate impact. Starting with my own thoughts, Avengers: Endgame is a great film! While it’s not perfect, it does do a good job at being an entertaining and enjoyable movie. Something I noticed while watching this film was how much heart, soul, love, passion, and care seemed to be put into this project. It felt like the creative team behind this movie tried their best to make something that a large amount of people would enjoy. It’s unclear what the future holds for the MCU, but we at least have an idea of the kind of legacy it will leave behind.

 

Overall score: 9 out of 10

 

Have you seen Avengers: Endgame? Are you looking forward to my spoiler-zone review? Tell me what you think in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Wild Oranges Review + 95 Follower Thank You

On By 18cinemalane4 Comments

18 Cinema Lane received 95 followers last week! To all of my followers, thank you for helping me achieve this milestone! Your interest in this blog means a lot to me. Because I now have 95 followers, I can review a film that was released 95 years ago (in 1924). One day, when I was scrolling through Turner Classic Movies’ (TCM’s) schedule, I discovered a film called Wild Oranges. Before choosing this movie for this post, I had never heard of this title. In fact, the only silent film I’ve seen prior to the aforementioned movie was The Kid, starring Charlie Chaplin. So, I thought this would be a good opportunity to expand my cinematic horizons. According to the pre-movie commentary, Wild Oranges was one of the first movies to be filmed on-location as well as having a smaller cast. These facts interested me into seeing how they would work within the overall context of the film. Before I begin this review, I would just like to share that I actually ate oranges while watching Wild Oranges (I thought it would appropriately fit the occasion).

Wild Oranges poster
Wild Oranges poster created by Goldwyn Pictures. Image found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Wild_Oranges_(film_poster).jpg

Things I liked about the film:

  • The acting: Because Wild Oranges is a silent movie, the actors have to rely on body language, facial expressions, and actions/behaviors to portray what their characters are saying and feeling. All of the actors in this cast accomplished their goal of doing just that! The acting performances in this movie played an essential role in telling this story, helping to fill in the blanks when words were not available. These performances were also well-rounded, adding to the intrigue and investment of the film. Looking back, I believe the most memorable performance in this movie came from Charles A. Post as the film’s antagonist, Iscah Nicholas! Despite the unheard dialogue, Charles effectively conveyed the nasty and disturbing nature that his character contained. This performance truly added a sense of suspense and dread whenever he appeared on-screen.

 

  • The scenery: As I mentioned in the introduction, Wild Oranges was one of the first movies to be filmed on-location. According to TCM’s pre-movie commentary, this movie was filmed in Georgia and Florida. Filming on-location was the right decision, as it gave a sense of realism to the movie. The natural elements of the scenery, from the forests to the dilapidated home of the Stope family, added a haunting feel to the overall atmosphere. Even the beauty of the beachfront was captured very well within the lighter moments of the film. This element made Wild Oranges a wonderful sight to see!

 

  • The use of title cards: While the body language, facial expressions, and actions/behaviors of the actors helped carry the story, there were times when title cards were necessary. In Wild Oranges, title cards were used to not only highlight the dialogue between the characters, but also to transition between scenes. These title cards provided some depth to the narrative, as it explained things that the acting performances couldn’t. Having the title cards be presented on illustrations of oranges trees was very creative. It also fit with the continuity of the film.
wormsloe-plantation-ii-1334468-1278x677
Forest in Georgia image created by Roger Kirby at freeimages.com. “FreeImages.com/Roger Kirby.”

What I didn’t like about the film:

  • A limited amount of title cards: While I liked the use the title cards in Wild Oranges, I thought that the amount of them was fewer than I’d expected. Some scenes were accompanied with very few title cards to support the dialogue or other details within the narrative. This left me guessing as to what was going on in the film. It also debunked my personal stereotypical view of title cards in silent films, where title cards are used to explain everything. Wild Oranges definitely could have benefited from the use of more title cards.

 

  • The run-time: At an hour and twenty-eight minutes, I felt that Wild Oranges was a little too long. Sometimes, there were scenes that went on longer than they should have. Two examples of this are a fight sequence between the antagonist and protagonist as well as a boating scene. If these scenes were a little bit shorter, it would have had a big impact on the overall run-time. In my opinion, this movie should have been, at least, an hour.

 

  • An unclear connection between Nicholas and the Stope family: While watching this movie, I was really confused about the connection between Nicholas and the Stope family. Sure, Nicholas was in love with Millie. However, Nicholas was allowed on the Stope family property without any issues. Even though Millie revealed more about Nicholas’ character to John Woolfolk, it didn’t explain what his connection was to her family. The only thing I was able to do was guess this connection as I continued watching the film.
oranges-at-tree-1325437-1280x960
Oranges in tree image created by Jose Luis Navarro at freeimages.com. “FreeImages.com/Jose Luis Navarro.”

My overall impression:

The silent film genre is one that I don’t watch often. The two reasons for this are 1.) Silent films are not as easily available as other genres and 2.) The on-screen events might be confusing to decipher without dialogue. Despite these concerns, I ended up having an enjoyable experience watching Wild Oranges! Part of this has to do with the fact that I was able to provide my own personal commentary to the film. Besides this, the movie itself stands on its own, thanks to the merits found in the film. The various creative pieces came together to tell a cohesive story. The historic choices that were made, such as filming on-location, ended up working in this film’s favor. It gave the project a special uniqueness that helped make the film so memorable. If you haven’t seen silent films before and would like to give them a chance, I think Wild Oranges is a good introduction to the genre!

 

Overall score: 7.6 out of 10

 

Have you seen any silent films? Would you want to give silent films a chance? Put your thoughts in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Easter Under Wraps Review

On By 18cinemalane3 Comments

Because I was participating in Easter festivities, I didn’t get around to reviewing Easter Under Wraps over the weekend. However, I was able to watch the movie on the Monday after Easter. When I discovered that Hallmark was creating their first Easter movie, I was so excited! I even talked about the film in a Word in the Street story last month. As I shared the movie’s official synopsis in that post, I expressed my feelings of disappointment about how it sounded. To me, the premise felt like it would focus more on the corporate side of Easter than the holiday itself. But I still chose to watch the movie with an open mind and give it a fair chance. Did Easter Under Wraps disappoint or triumph? I’m glad you hopped on over to this review, as we’re now about to find out!

Easter Under Wraps poster
Easter Under Wraps poster created by Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Channel. Image found at https://www.crownmediapress.com/Shows/PRShowDetail?SiteID=142&FeedBoxID=845&NodeID=302&ShowType=&ShowTitle=Easter%20Under%20Wraps&IsSeries=False.

Things I liked about the film:

  • The acting: The cast of Easter Under Wraps is, so far, the strongest I’ve seen in any Hallmark movie this year! Every actor and actress did such a great job at portraying their characters, making them feel like real-life individuals. From the lead stars to even the only prominent child actor in the cast, all of the performances seemed so natural and genuine. This helped the characters maintain a sense of likability. It also helped me stay invested in what was happening to the characters. The acting was one of the things that made my movie-viewing experience so enjoyable!

 

  • The on-screen chemistry between the characters: In most Hallmark films, the on-screen chemistry between the lead characters is emphasized. This is partly the case with Easter Under Wraps. Fiona Gubelmann and Brendan Penny’s on-screen chemistry was really good! What helped make this on-screen relationship feel so genuine was the quality of Fiona and Brendan’s performances. A pleasant surprise in Easter Under Wraps was the on-screen chemistry between all of the characters. The various relationships in this film were not only portrayed well by the actors, but they were also well-written. This component helped make the story that much more interesting.

 

  • The writing: In Easter Under Wraps, the writing was such a great element to this narrative! Through the movie, conversations amongst the characters felt like real-life conversations. The comedic timing in this film was perfect, making the funnier moments feel effective. All of the sub-plots blended in really well with the main plot. Easter Under Wraps was an engaging movie because of how good the writing was. This component elevated the story into a truly memorable narrative!

 

  • The messages and themes: Like any Hallmark movie, Easter Under Wraps was filled with good messages and themes! These pieces of the story added to the relatability of the movie. Characters learning about personal growth, incorporating important traditions, and effective problem solving can be found in this film. Something that I found interesting was how chocolate was included in Easter Under Wraps. While the main plot revolved around a chocolate factory, the characters found ways to attach interesting messages to the candy itself. It, honestly, made me think about chocolate in a different way.
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Cute Easter image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by freepik – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

  • Lack of Easter specific messages and themes: Because this is Hallmark’s first Easter movie, I kind of figured this would be an issue. While Easter Under Wraps had good messages and themes, they really didn’t correlate directly with the Easter holiday. A few of these messages and themes were sprinkled into the story, but they weren’t explored as thoroughly as I had hoped. If Hallmark continues to create Easter themed movies (which I hope they do), I hope they take the time to explore the messages and themes that the Easter holiday has to offer.
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Easter egg painting image created by Jcomp at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background photo created by jcomp – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

For their first Easter themed movie, Hallmark did a really good job with Easter Under Wraps! While there were a few “Hallmark movie clichés” in this film, the overall quality of the other components made me overlook them. There was so much about this movie that I liked, from the acting to even the festive decorations. This is, so far, the best Hallmark movie I’ve seen this year! I really hope that Hallmark continues to make Easter themed movies, as there are some interesting stories that can be told. I also wouldn’t mind if this movie got a sequel, since it definitely has the potential for another chapter. There’s no doubt that I had an egg-cellent time watching Easter Under Wraps!

 

Overall score: 8.6 out of 10

 

Which 2019 “Spring Fever” movie was your favorite? Would you like to see more Easter themed movies from Hallmark? Let me know in the comment section!

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

The Best Supporting Actor division of the Gold Sally Awards has officially begun!

On By 18cinemalane2 Comments

Hi there! The time has come for the arrival of the Gold Sally Awards’ Best Supporting Actor division! For these set of polls, you will decide which actor will receive the title of Best Supporting Actor in a Hallmark Channel Movie and Best Supporting Actor in a Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Movie. Like the previous polls, you will be able to vote for more than one nominee. However, you can only vote once per person. All votes can be left in the comment section of this post. Voting for the Best Supporting Actor division will end on April 29th.

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The official logo of 18 Cinema Lane! Image found at https://katthemovies.wordpress.com/2019/03/30/graphic-design-is-my-passion/.

Best Supporting Actor in a Hallmark Channel Movie

Dewshane Williams – One Winter Weekend

James Brolin – Royal Hearts

Preston Vanderslice – Cooking with Love

Barry McGovern – Royally Ever After

Rob Kipa-Williams – Pearl in Paradise

Dennis Haysbert – Christmas Everlasting

Cole Gleason – Christmas at Pemberley Manor

Laurie Murdoch – It’s Christmas, Eve

Nicholas Banks – Christmas at the Palace

Giles Panton – A Gingerbread Romance

 

Best Supporting Actor in a Hallmark Movies & Mysteries Movie

Bill Dow – Marrying Father Christmas

Giles Panton – A Godwink Christmas

Jordan Dean – Christmas on Honeysuckle Lane

Mark Humphrey – Christmas Bells Are Ringing

Curtis Tweedie – Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: The Disappearing Game

Edward Ruttle – Garage Sale Mysteries: Picture a Murder

Viv Leacock – Hailey Dean Mysteries: 2+2=Murder

Chris William Martin — Garage Sale Mysteries: Murder in D Minor

Geoff Gustafson – Darrow & Darrow: In the Key of Murder

Jake Stormoen – Christmas Wonderland

 

Have fun voting!

Sally Silverscreen

I won the Sunshine Blogger Award!

On By 18cinemalane16 Comments

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!

Here are the links to K’s and Cameron’s blog:

https://theblogcomplainer.com/

https://katthemovies.wordpress.com/

Sunshine Blogger Award banner
It’s an honor to be receiving my very first Sunshine Blogger Award! Image found at https://katthemovies.wordpress.com/2019/04/09/shine-like-the-sun-the-sunshine-blogger-award/.

The Award Rules:

  • Thank the person(s) for nominating you as well as provide a link to their respective blogs
  • List all of the rules and post the award logo somewhere on your blog
  • Answer all 11 questions
  • Nominate another 11 people and ask them a series of 11 questions
  • Share the exciting news with the nominee in the comment section of one of their blog posts
Hand holding trophy
Hand holding gold trophy image created by Macrovector at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by macrovector – http://www.freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

The Questions of the Sunshine Blogger Award:

  1. 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.

 

  1. 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?

 

  1. 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”.

 

  1. 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!

Blockbuster leaving Alaska; the Saddest Movie Related Article I’ve Read This Year

Bucky Barnes and Matthew Rogers: Paralleling Stories of Disability

What makes a Shirley Temple movie a “Shirley Temple movie”?

Toxic Valentine: Why Lestat and Akasha’s relationship is very problematic in Queen of the Damned (2002)

 

  1. 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!

 

  1. “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?

 

  1. 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!

 

  1. 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.

 

  1. 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.

 

  1. 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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Winner’s medal image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/golden-awards-set-with-colors-details_844356.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/gold”>Gold vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

The next 11 nominees are…

  1. James J. Cudney IV from This Is My Truth Now
  2. Ruth from Silver Screenings
  3. Up On The Shelf from Up On The Shelf
  4. Tari Hann from Cuddle Up With a Cozy Mystery
  5. Kim from Tranquil Dreams
  6. Silver Screen Classics from Silver Screen Classics
  7. Donald McKenzie from Dining with Donald
  8. Justin from Today I Watched a Movie
  9. Ivana from Diary of Difference
  10. Garden Illustrations from Garden Illustrations
  11. Drew from Drew’s Movie Reviews
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My 11 Questions:

  1. What was your first blog post and how does it compare to your latest blog post?
  2. The last movie you saw is your new adventure! Where does this journey take you?
  3. What piece of media (movie, music, book, television show, or video/computer game) would you like to see receive more attention?
  4. Which tv show would you not recommend to someone?
  5. Who was the last person to follow your blog?
  6. The last book you read vs. the last television show you watched. How does this battle play out?
  7. What is your favorite candy?
  8. Which movie do you wish you never saw?
  9. Which movie quote is your favorite?
  10. What is the best blog related advice you’ve ever received?
  11. Where would you like to see your blog in 5 years?

 

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen