Word on the Street: What do Vin Diesel, Sebastian Stan, and Judy Blume have in common?

On October 19, 2018 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

After you read the title for this post, you probably wondered what these three people have in common, besides the fact they are all well-known human beings. Here’s the answer: Vin, Sebastian, and Judy are the subjects of recent movie news stories! Since it seems like not a lot of attention has been given to these stories, I decided to take the time to talk about them. As I usually do with these Word on the Street posts, I’ll not only report on each story, but I’ll also share my thoughts about them. So, let’s start talking about these stories!

44808-O4G0M1 — Movie themed image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/red-cinema-ribbon-with-movie-elements_847136.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/frame”>Frame vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found on freepik.com.

While on the website, Superhero News, I came across a movie news story about Vin Diesel being cast as the lead in Valiant Comics’ first movie, Bloodshot. Reading the rest of the story on comicbook.com, Vin explained why he chose to join the cinematic project. As I read this article, Vin’s reason brought some interest to the film’s story. Within this same article, Dinesh Shamdasani, one of the producers of the film, shared some insight about Bloodshot. One thing Dinesh said that stood out to me was the following:

“The reason Bloodshot’s been so popular and so successful is that he isn’t an extraordinary human being who becomes a superhero. He’s an ordinary guy that through extraordinary situations, becomes this larger than life character”

— Dinesh Shamdasani

Dinesh brings up a really good point. After reading Dinesh’s statement, I started thinking about all of the superheroes that have been featured in the MCU so far. The only characters I could think of that fit Dinesh’s description of Bloodshot are Clint Barton/Hawkeye, Sam Wilson/Falcon, and Peter Quill/Star Lord. Because I’m not familiar with this story, I looked up the first Bloodshot book on Goodreads. Based on some of the reviews that I read, Bloodshot sounds like a combination of the Winter Soldier story from Marvel and the Jason Bourne series. When it comes to cinema, I enjoyed Captain America: The Winter Soldier and the majority of the Jason Bourne films, so the story of Bloodshot does sounds interesting. However, the one thing that does concern me is how much violence this film could contain. When I read some of the reviews for the first Bloodshot book, I discovered that the story contains a certain amount of violence and gore. According to this article, Bloodshot is scheduled to premiere in early 2020, so it’s likely that this movie hasn’t gone into production yet.

20181019_185322[1] — Why wouldn’t I post a picture of a Vin Diesel Funko POP! figure to this post? Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.

Yesterday, Collider reported that Sebastian Stan has joined the cast of Drake Doremus’ upcoming film, which currently does not have a title. The film will also star Jamie Dornan and Shailene Woodley. Based on the film’s synopsis within this article, the story sounds like something I would find on Hallmark. In most movies on Hallmark, the story revolves around a woman who not only has a career, but also has to choose between two potential boyfriends. Because it sounds like this movie is in the pre-production stages, not much is known about the film, other than what Collider has shared.

38860-O1P610 — Paint palette image created by Freepik at freepik.com <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/hand-drawn-artsy-tools_836777.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a> <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/hand”>Hand vector created by Freepik</a> Image found at freepik.com

Speaking of Collider, in a recent episode of Collider Movie Talk, it was announced that Judy Blume’s novel, Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret will receive a movie adaptation. According to Mark Ellis, host of Collider Movie Talk, Gracie Films will be the production company behind this movie. Also, Kelly Fremon Craig (director of The Edge of Seventeen) will write and direct this movie, with James L. Brooks also attached to this project. As of October 2018, the film is not yet partnered with a distribution company. I’ve never read this book, but I have definitely heard of it over the years. Because I’m unfamiliar with this story, I had to look up the synopsis on Goodreads. It seems like the creative team behind this movie have enough literary material to work with in order for this movie to be as memorable as the book has been for all these years. The panel in this Collider Movie Talk video also contemplated on whether the film would take place in the ‘70s or if the story would be modernized. Since I haven’t read this book, I’m not sure which of these two choices would work better for the movie.

342407-PA9PYX-915 — Library image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/stack-of-books-on-library-desk_2509490.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/school”>School image created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What are your thoughts on these movie news? Do any of these upcoming films interest you? Share how you feel in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

If you want to read the articles I referenced in this post, you can visit these links:

https://comicbook.com/movies/2018/10/18/bloodshot-vin-diesel-why-took-valiant-comics-role/

http://collider.com/sebastian-stan-jamie-dornan-shailene-woodley-movie/

If you want to watch the video I referenced in this post, you can either visit the Collider Videos Youtube channel or type in “Guardians of the Galaxy 3 Working Title Is Hot Christmas – Movie Talk” into Youtube’s search bar.

If you want to read the synopsis for the first Bloodshot book or Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret, type in “Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret” or “Bloodshot, Volume 1: Setting the World on Fire” into Goodreads’ search bar (just to let you know, some of the reviews for the first Bloodshot book do contain language)

My Halloween Double Feature: An Introduction

On October 17, 2018September 4, 2019 By 18cinemalane4 Comments

On October 12^th, when I published my review of Without a Trace, receiving 35 followers was not the only achievement that I accomplished. That review became my 100^th post on 18 Cinema Lane! Because this post came just weeks before Halloween, I decided to celebrate this accomplishment by coordinating a double feature in honor of the holiday! If you read my post about my Top 5 Dream Double Features at the Cinema, you might already know which two movies I would choose to review around this time of year. But, I’m still going to share with you what movies I picked, why I picked them, and I’ll elaborate on how I’ll set up both reviews.

175939-OW5Y4E-659 — Scary movie screening image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/small-skeleton-with-popcorn-and-tv_1323292.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background image created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

It all started when I came across the MsMojo video, ‘Top 10 Movies Based on Books That Need a Do-Over’. During this video, the announcer talked about the film, Queen of the Damned, with clips from the movie being shown while the announcer explained the film’s placement on the list. When I first watched this segment of the video, all I could do was ask myself, “What the heck did I just watch”? because of the video’s assortment of movie clips appearing bonkers to me. Since curiosity got the best of me, I researched this movie to see if it was truly as bad as the announcer made it seem in the video. While on the internet, I looked up about 20 bad/worst/disappointing movies and/or sequels lists to see where Queen of the Damned placed. To my surprise, Queen of the Damned only appeared on four of these 20 lists. Out of those four, Queen of the Damned never placed in any of the top spots. For example, on a list of the Top 10 Most Disappointing Movies of All Time, Queen of the Damned was listed at number 38. I even looked at a list of Golden Raspberry/Razzie nominees and I discovered that Queen of the Damned was never nominated. With my curiosity still present, I looked through the comment section of the MsMojo video and at blogs on WordPress to see what other movie viewers thought about the film. Although it appeared that few people were talking about Queen of the Damned, most of the responses that I came across were genuinely positive. Even though there were also negative responses about the movie, most of them that I found were about Queen of the Damned not being a good book-to-film adaptation. All of these positive responses inspired me to ask the following question:

When one watches a film purely as a film, not as an adaptation, can that film contain its own merit and entertainment value?

This question is what I’ll be attempting to answer during this special double feature. Since this is a double feature, you’re probably wondering what movie will be paired with Queen of the Damned. I happened to find it while I was putting together my list of the Top 10 Worst Hallmark Movies of All Time. When I was creating that list back in June, I realized there were a lot of Hallmark movies that I have never seen. The Case of the Whitechapel Vampire was one of them. While learning more about this movie, I discovered this film and Queen of the Damned share some similarities between each other. Not only do both films discuss the subject the vampires to a certain extent, they were also released in 2002 and are both considered non-canonical representations of their literary source material. Now that I’ve gotten this lengthy, but necessary, explanation out of the way, I’ll now talk about how these double feature reviews will be set up. Instead of my usual format for writing movie reviews (Introduction, Things I liked about the film, What I didn’t like about the film, My overall impression, Overall score), I will answer a list of ten questions that I have created. These questions will help in my attempt of answering this question, as well as help me think about these films more critically. As I mentioned in my review of Christine, I don’t review rated R films often. However, because I feel that by talking about Queen of the Damned, I have an opportunity to add something new to this particular cinematic conversation, so this movie will be an exception.

176402-OWIP8M-64 — Happy vampire image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/several-vampires-ready-for-halloween_1317599.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/party”>Party vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Before I finish this post, I will list some pre-movie thoughts, questions, and predictions. Each movie will get its own section and I will reference everything I talked about before the movie in my reviews. My pre-movie thoughts, questions, and predictions are the following:

The Case of the Whitechapel Vampire

Pre-movie thought: My biggest hope is that in The Case of the Whitechapel Vampire, there’s at least one character who’s a legitimate vampire. When it comes to movie titles, there are times when a film’s title can act as a promise to a film’s audience. For instance, when Marvel decided to give Avengers: Infinity War that specific title, they promised their audience that the Avengers were going to show up in their film.

Pre-movie prediction: As Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson try to solve the mystery, they come across an actual vampire. Thinking that they’re the culprit, Holmes and Watson take the vampire in for questioning. While they question the vampire, they learn that the vampire is on the same mission as Sherlock and Watson: to figure out who is committing crimes in the neighborhood. Sherlock, Watson, and the vampire work together to solve the crime, while Sherlock and Watson gain more knowledge and appreciation for the vampire community.

Queen of the Damned

Pre-movie questions:

I’ve read that in the Interview with the Vampire film, Lestat gets burned alive by Louis. However, within the movie clips from the aforementioned MsMojo video and the Queen of the Damned trailer, it appears that Lestat not only survived this incident, but also doesn’t appear to have any physical evidence of ever having been burned. How exactly was this possible? I’m hoping that one of the characters in Queen of the Damned explains this possibility, even if it is a brief explanation.

2. One the biggest criticisms I’ve read about the Queen of the Damned film is that Lestat and Jesse choose to pursue a romantic relationship with each other, despite the fact that these characters never have any type of relationship in The Vampire Chronicles books. If Lestat and Jesse love each other enough to choose to pursue a romantic relationship with each other, then how come it appears, in the Queen of the Damned trailer, that Lestat is trying to pursue a romantic relationship with Akasha? This leads me to bring up my pre-movie prediction:

Pre-movie prediction: Lestat’s affection for Akasha is all an act. He is trying to distract Akasha so that the other vampires in that particular vampire world can create and execute a plan to defeat Akasha. This entire plan that I just mentioned was all Jesse’s idea. It would make sense because, from what I’ve heard, Jesse is a vampire expert, so she would know how to defeat a vampire.

Are Jesse and Akasha in love with Lestat or are they in love with the idea of being in a relationship with him? For instance, does Jesse see Lestat as a potential significant other or something to brag about?

Both of these reviews will appear on 18 Cinema Lane closer to Halloween, so stay tuned!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

If you want to check out the references I mentioned in this post you can type in “Top 10 Movies Based on Books That Need a Do-Over” into Youtube’s search bar and visit this link:

https://www.thetoptens.com/the-most-disappointing-movies-of-all-time/ (I just want to let you know, there is some language and rated R movies on this list)

Take 3: Darrow & Darrow: Body of Evidence Review

On October 15, 2018October 15, 2018 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

With Hallmark’s Christmas movie line-ups approaching and Halloween almost around the corner, Hallmark Movies & Mysteries is winding down their mysteries series to make way for the upcoming Christmas season. But before Christmas trees can be decorated and Eggnog can be prepared, the Darrow & Darrow series gave fans a third movie to satisfy their mystery solving desire until 2019. Even though Darrow & Darrow is only a year old, the series has proven they have what it takes to run the race alongside the long running Garage Sale Mystery series and fan favorites, like the Hailey Dean Mystery series and Signed, Sealed, Delivered. Because the latest Darrow & Darrow movie is about another murder mystery, it looks like this series has adopted the identity that a lot of the other mystery series, on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, have before them. Despite these series containing the same type of mystery, they have done a pretty good job at setting themselves apart from each other and incorporating as much creativity as possible. Did Darrow & Darrow: Body of Evidence contribute to helping this series stay creative and original? Keep reading in order to solve this case!

Darrow & Darrow 3 poster — *Darrow & Darrow: Body of Evidence* poster created by Crown Media Family Networks and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries. Image found at https://www.hallmarkchannelpress.com/Shows/PRShowDetail?SiteID=143&FeedBoxID=845&NodeID=302&ShowType=&ShowTitle=Darrow+and+Darrow+Body+of+Evidence.

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: Just like in the previous Darrow & Darrow film, the cast of this movie was really good! Kimberly Williams-Paisley and Tom Cavanagh successfully led this production with performances that appeared very natural. Once again, their on-screen chemistry was a highlight of this film! I was also really impressed with Jordana Largy’s performance in this film, as it was versatile and believable.

The mystery: I liked the creativity that was found in this mystery story! Usually, the murder victim’s deceased body is shown on-screen somewhere in the first half of the movie. In Darrow & Darrow: Body of Evidence, however, the audience never gets to see the body of the murder victim. Most of the mystery stories on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries are about crimes that are less than a year old. The murder mystery in Darrow & Darrow: Body of Evidence started a year prior to the events in the film.

The humor: Like a lot of the series on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, Darrow & Darrow: Body of Evidence incorporates humor into their story as to give the audience a break from the darkness surrounding the mystery. The humor found in this movie kept in line with the humor from the other two movies and was genuinely funny. One of the funniest moments in Darrow & Darrow: Body of Evidence was when, at Lou’s fundraiser, Chester believed that telling Lou to be safe was the equivalent of cheering Lou on.

122337-OQPQ2I-585 — Paper Boats in the Sea image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/background-of-paper-boats-with-hand-drawn-waves_1189898.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

A weaker first half: For the first half of Darrow & Darrow: Body of Evidence, Claire and Miles debate about whether or not Laura Graham murdered her husband. Also, Joanna helps out an employee at the Darrow & Darrow law firm and Lou tries to raise money for military veterans. Within this first half of the movie, it seems like these subplots, as well as Claire and Miles’ debate, overshadowed the mystery itself. It wasn’t until Joanna and Claire attended an auction that the story seemed to pick up in the second half of the film.

An inconsistent pace: Because the first half of the movie was weaker than the second half, the pace was slow for about half the movie. The first 25 minutes of the film being exposition heavy also contributed to the inconsistency of the film’s pace.

Pink jump rope lies by black snickers on white floor — Jump rope and sneakers image created by V.ivash at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/pink-jump-rope-lies-by-black-snickers-on-white-floor_1114248.htm’>Designed by V.ivash</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background image created by V.ivash – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

As good as Darrow & Darrow: Body of Evidence was, I still believe that Darrow & Darrow: In the Key of Murder was the stronger film. Nevertheless, I’m glad to see that this series is continuing on with strength and creativity! Though Hallmark has not yet announced any upcoming movies in this series, I am looking forward to solving more mysteries alongside one of Hallmark’s favorite sleuthing teams! Who knows, maybe we could see a Christmas themed Darrow & Darrow movie one day? If the Murder She Baked series could receive a Christmas movie, anything is possible. For now, all we, the audience and fans, can do is anticipate the Christmas movies from Hallmark and look forward to the other projects both networks have to offer.

Overall score: 7.6 out of 10

Did you watch Darrow & Darrow: Body of Evidence? Would you like to see a Christmas themed Darrow & Darrow movie? Let me know in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Without a Trace Review + 35 Follower Thank You

On October 12, 2018 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

Because I received 35 followers on 18 Cinema Lane earlier this week, it’s time for me to review a film that turned 35 years old in 2018! While looking at my options for which film to watch, I came across a film from 1983 called Without a Trace. After reading the movie’s synopsis, I became intrigued by the mystery aspect of the film. As a fan of the mystery movies on Hallmark Movies & Mysteries, I do enjoy a story that is intriguing and engaging. My interest for Without a Trace grew when I discovered that it was loosely based on a true story. I was curious about how this real-life event would influence the film. Keep reading to see how I feel about Without a Trace!

Without a Trace poster — *Without a Trace* poster created by 20th Century Fox. Image found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Without_a_Trace.jpg

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: The whole cast in this movie was good! Kate Nelligan’s portrayal of Susan Selky was definitely one of the highlights of this film! Her performance was so emotional and versatile, that it felt like her character’s emotions were being transferred from her own personal feelings to the audience, allowing viewers to worry about Alex’s fate alongside Susan. I also thought that Kathleen Widdoes’ portrayal of the psychic, Ms. Hauser, was captivating and memorable. Kathleen’s acting talents were so versatile, it had the power to keep viewers engaged in the events happening on-screen.

The story: The basic premise of Without a Trace is figuring out what happened to Alex Selky. This story is treated like a mystery, where anyone could be a suspect and every possibility is explored. The way this narrative is written allows the audience members to solve the mystery alongside the characters. Because there are few scenes that feature Alex, it encourages viewers to ask “whodunit” and keeps them engaged as the story unfolds.

Comparisons and differences between the early ‘80s and today: Because this movie was released in 1983, I knew there was going to be some differences between the depicted world in the film and the world outside the film today. However, I was surprised by how many of the film’s topics were those that are still being brought up 35 years later. In a scene where Alex’s parents and Detective Al Menetti are being interviewed by several journalists, one journalist asks Al if Alex, a 6 year old child, was too young to be walking to school all by himself. As I watched this film for the first time in 2018, I found myself asking this exact same question. It was also interesting to see and hear how things appeared differently in the early ‘80s compared to today. In one scene, Jocelyn, Susan’s friend, asks Susan why the police aren’t using computers to solve missing persons cases. Because computers have a larger presence in society now than they did 35 years ago, I would have assumed that most crimes are solved with the use of computers. But, it stood out to me how the screenwriters were thinking that far ahead into the future at how some situations, such as those found in Without a Trace, could be improved upon.

21-150-01 — Magnifying fingerprints image created by Balintseby at freepik.com. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/glass”>Glass vector created by Balintseby – Freepik.com</a>. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/fingerprint-investigation_789253.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

Lack of suspense: When I first read the synopsis for Without a Trace, I was expecting a mystery story with suspense and intrigue throughout the film. While this movie did have intrigue, there was very little suspense that was found. There was such a lack of suspense that it made the characters appear like they didn’t have a sense of urgency. This is not a good thing, especially when a film’s plot revolves around a kidnapping.

The run-time: Without a Trace is a 2-hour long film. This caused the movie to contain scenes that felt like were included just for the sake of satisfying this run-time. This run-time also made the movie feel longer than it was probably intended. Personally, I think that Without a Trace’s run-time should have been an hour and 25 to 30 minutes. This way, it would allow the story to be more suspenseful and keep the intrigue going throughout the film.

The pace: Without a Trace’s pace was slow. This pace made some scenes drag on longer than they might have been intended. It was also the result of a longer run-time, where these scenes were possibly drawn out to fill Without a Trace’s 2 hour long time-frame.

OYHKOT0 — Newspaper image created by Zlatko_plamenov at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-psd/newspaper-mockup_1386098.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/mockup”>Mockup psd created by Zlatko_plamenov – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

Without a Trace is an ok film. Yes, this movie did have its flaws. However, I could tell that the effort, from the movie’s creative team, to make a compelling and thought-provoking film was there, even if that effort was not as strong as I would have hoped. When looking back on this film, I still can’t get over how some things have stayed the same. Trends change, popularity rises and falls, and style evolves. But certain subjects and messages are the things that remain everlasting. As I mentioned earlier, I knew there were going to be differences between the world of the ‘80s that appeared on my tv screen and the real world of 2018 that I’m living in today. Despite these differences, it’s the similarities that left a lasting and the biggest impression on me as I share this film with all my readers and followers. Thank you, once again, for making this review possible. 18 Cinema Lane would not be the same without you.

Overall score: 6.5 out of 10

Have you seen Without a Trace? What’s your favorite mystery story? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Falling for You Review

On October 7, 2018October 7, 2018 By 18cinemalane2 Comments

With my Truly, Madly, Sweetly review receiving 3 likes and 9 views, I thought I’d continue to keep the interest in “Fall Harvest” alive by reviewing Falling for You! As a Warehouse 13 fan, I was so excited to see Tyler Hynes join the Hallmark family (in case you don’t know, Tyler portrayed Claudia’s brother, Joshua, on the show). Because of Tyler’s appearance in Falling for You, I decided to watch this movie with an open mind and review it on 18 Cinema Lane. This is the third Hallmark movie of Taylor Cole’s that I’ve seen. While I was not a fan of One Winter Weekend, I did enjoy My Summer Prince. Falling for You caught my attention because this is the second Hallmark movie to feature radio within the film’s main plot. This incorporation of story elements that haven’t been told in a while increased my interest in the film. Did I “fall” in love in Falling for You? Keep reading to find out!

Falling for You poster — *Falling for You* 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=Falling+For+You.

Things I liked about the film:

The incorporation of the fall theme: In my review of Truly, Madly, Sweetly, I talked about how the fall theme had a minimal presence in the film. Falling for You, however, was filled with almost all things fall related! While there were lots of fall themed decorations featured in and around various Pleasant Valley buildings, there was also fall themed activities, such as apple-picking, and even Lacey encouraging Zac to incorporate fall-esque flavors into his Bake-Off recipe, like cinnamon and pumpkin. These touches and details made Falling for You truly feel like a “Fall Harvest” film!

The humor: Falling for You’s humor was light-hearted and good spirited, keeping in line with the humor that’s typically found on Hallmark Channel. There were some moments in this movie that were laugh-out-loud funny. However, the best line in this movie was when Pete, the owner of the apple orchard, responds to Lacey’s question about how he injured his arm by saying, “It was Fall and I fell”.

The protagonists’ views on technology and radio: When Zac is being interviewed in preparation for the Bachelor Bake-Off, he revealed that he created his new budget app in order to help people become more technologically literate. At the apple orchard, Lacey shares with Zac that she feels radio is all about helping people connect with their community. Zac’s views on technology and Lacey’s views on radio brought a new perspective to two things that affect most people’s lives. I can only speak for myself, but these views made me think about technology and radio in a different way.

Fresh Tasty Red Apples in Wooden Basket on Green Grass — Red apples in basket photo created by Valeria_aksakova at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/fresh-tasty-red-apples-in-wooden-basket-on-green-grass_1284495.htm’>Designed by Valeria_aksakova</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background image created by Valeria_aksakova – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

Lack of on-screen chemistry: While Taylor Cole and Tyler Hynes gave a fine performance in Falling for You, I was never given the impression they had on-screen chemistry. While it looked like Lacey and Zac got along well (for the most part), the build-up to their romantic relationship wasn’t as present as it could have been.

A prolonged presence of the Bake-Off: In Falling for You, the Bachelor Bake-Off was the most talked about event. In fact, there was so much talk surrounding this event that I was starting to question whether or not this Bake-Off would happen. While this event did make a presence in the movie, the Bake-Off only appeared during the last ten minutes of the film. Even when the Bake-Off was taking place, the entire coverage of the event felt very rushed.

A slow pace: The overall pace of Falling for You was slow. This made the film feel longer than the typical Hallmark Channel movie. What didn’t help was how drawn out some parts of the film seemed to be. For example, the planning process surrounding the Bake-Off was given a lot more screen time than the Bake-Off itself. This took away from the excitement of seeing this event come to life.

463 — Baking essentials image created by Olga_spb at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/background-with-elements-of-the-bakery_903718.htm’>Designed by Olga_spb</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Olga_spb – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

Falling for You is, at best, ok. While I don’t think it’s as good as Truly, Madly, Sweetly, it’s a much better film than Yes, I Do and Falling for Vermont. Even though Falling for You has its flaws, there are good things that can be found within this film. As I mentioned earlier, Taylor Cole and Tyler Hynes gave a fine performance in the movie. However, I think their performances could have been stronger. While it’s unknown if Taylor will star in any Hallmark Christmas movies this year, Tyler will make his Hallmark Christmas movie debut in It’s Christmas, Eve. Based on the film’s synopsis, it sounds like the movie will be a little more dramatic than Falling for You. I’m hoping that Tyler can pull off a good performance in that movie so he can appear in many more Hallmark movies to come.

Overall score: 6.6-6.7 out of 10

What are your thoughts on “Fall Harvest” so far? Are you looking forward to It’s Christmas, Eve? Share your thoughts in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Word on the Street: Could we get a new Captain America sooner than we think?

On October 5, 2018October 5, 2018 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

Last month, all of my Word on the Street posts were about the upcoming Christmas movies from Hallmark. Now, with most of those movies officially announced and with both of Hallmark’s Christmas line-ups premiering just around the corner, it’s time to talk about a movie related subject that has yet to receive an outcome. Yesterday, on Screen Junkies News and Collider Movie Talk, as well as today on The John Campea Show, a tweet from Chris Evans has been the talk of the town. On all three of these movie news shows, it was reported that Chris may have indicated, in a recent tweet, that after Avengers 4, he would no longer portray Captain America. While no one in any of these videos confirmed or denied Captain America’s departure in the MCU, all of the panelists provided their opinions and thoughts as to what the meaning behind Chris’s tweet was. Some of them speculated that Chris’s tweet was the writing on the wall for what was to come in Avengers 4. Spencer Gilbert, from Screen Junkies News, pointed out that, because Captain America has avoided getting killed off for so long, he might end up facing his demise in Avengers 4. Mark Ellis and Jeff Sneider, from Collider Movie Talk, questioned what else was there left for Captain America to do once Avengers 4’s story had finished. There were other people who believed that Chris’s tweet was a calculated misdirection in order to avoid any of Avengers 4’s spoilers to be leaked. John Campea, from The John Campea Show, said that since there’s nothing within Chris’s tweet that explicitly says he’s leaving the MCU, there’s a chance that Chris could continue to portray Captain America in future Marvel films. Mark Reilly, from Collider Movie Talk, suggested that all Chris was probably doing was expressing his gratitude for the opportunity he’s had working with Marvel.

20180814_155133[1] — Did Marvel show their hand by revealing a potential spoiler for Avengers 4? Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.

When I came across the Screen Junkies News video, ‘Chris Evans Says Goodbye to Captain America – SJU’, I wondered why Chris would say anything about Captain America’s fate before the first trailer for Avengers 4 had been released. As I mentioned earlier, nothing was confirmed or denied in any of these videos. After listening to all of the points of view that were found within these videos, I still believe Steve Rogers/Captain America could pass away in Avengers 4. I do agree with what Spencer said about Captain America’s potential fate. At the beginning of Avengers: Infinity War, when Thanos tells Thor, “No more resurrections this time”, I actually thought the writers of this movie were foreshadowing what was to come later in the film. Because Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers 4 are a story that’s told in two parts, maybe Captain America could get defeated by Thanos after all. In a video from the Youtube channel, Looper, titled ‘Why Avengers 4 Will Blow You Away’, the Russo Brothers shared that a specific journey/story arc that started in Captain America: The Winter Soldier would be concluded in Avengers 4. Since the Russo Brothers have directed both Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Captain America: Civil War as well as Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely writing all three Captain America movies, I think that Bucky might become the next Captain America, especially since there are subtle hints of that possibility within these films. Before this movie news story broke, I believed that Captain America could pass away toward the end of Avengers 4. Now, I think Steve Rogers could die in the middle of the film, with audiences getting a first glimpse of Bucky is his new superhero title like they did with Spider-Man and Black Panther in Captain America: Civil War.

299832-P7FMT8-686 — Popcorn and movie ticket image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/cinema-tickets-in-bucket-with-popcorn_2303439.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/layout”>Layout image created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

While we don’t know, right now, what the meaning behind Chris’s tweet is, I think Marvel had something to do with the timing of when this tweet got released. Out of all the days a tweet like this could show up on the internet, it just so happened to appear on the first day of New York Comic Con. Danielle Radford, from Screen Junkies News, mentioned that Marvel was planning on having a presence at this particular convention. I have a feeling that Marvel could reveal something significant relating to Avengers 4. Last year, Marvel premiered the very first trailer for Avengers: Infinity War at D23 and San Diego Comic Con. Maybe the first trailer for Avengers 4 will premiere at New York Comic Con? From a fan’s perspective, it would make sense for Marvel to show the trailer to convention guests a month before the public sees the trailer. The Avengers: Infinity War trailer was released to the public last November, so having a smaller window of time between New York Comic Con and a public trailer release could decrease the amount of leaked footage available for people unable to attend the convention to find. If this is what Marvel is planning on doing, this could make up for their absence at San Diego Comic Con and help the popularity of New York Comic Con grow.

newyork4 — New York City skyline with letters image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/new-york-skyline-typographic-silhouette_719554.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What do you think Captain America’s fate is in the MCU? Are you planning to go to New York Comic Con? Share your thoughts below in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

If you want to check out the videos I referenced in this post, you can go to the official Youtube channels of ScreenJunkies News, Collider Videos, and John Campea. You can also find the videos by typing the titles of each video into Youtube’s search bar. The titles to each video are the following:

ScreenJunkies News: ‘Chris Evans Says Goodbye to Captain America – SJU’ (just to let you know, there is some language within this video) Segment starts at 0:46 and ends at 8:31

Collider Videos: ‘Is Chris Evans Officially Done with Captain America? – Movie Talk’ Segment starts at 1:09 and ends at 14:48

John Campea’s The Movie Vlog: ‘Chris Evans Didn’t Actually Say He Was Done As Captain America’ – The John Campea Show (just to let you know, there is some language within this video) Segment starts at 18:28 and ends at 26:11

Why AVENGERS 4 Will Blow You Away – REACTION & ANALYSIS!!! (the original video has become unavailable, but you can watch the video within a Reel Rejects video. This video can be found on the official Youtube channel for The Reel Rejects)

Word on the Street: Hallmark reveals new Christmas movies during their Second Preview Special

On September 30, 2018April 5, 2025 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

After Brian and Jenny exchanged their wedding vows in All of My Heart: The Wedding, Hallmark took the time to announce their upcoming Christmas movies during Christmas: A Second Look Preview Special, the network’s television program where one of the stars of a new Hallmark Christmas movie shares movie clips and behind-the-scenes videos for some of the line-up’s most anticipated films. Because Hallmark aired a Christmas preview special during the “Christmas in July” marathon, the network thought it would be a good idea to air the second preview special closer to the start of “Countdown to Christmas” and “Miracles of Christmas”. After watching this preview special and compared to the preview specials from Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries last year, this presentation was, to me, a let-down. The entire production felt like it was rushed and put together with a “let’s just get this done and over with” attitude. The program was approximately 30 minutes, which wasn’t enough time to present enough content to satisfy a casual Hallmark movie viewer. As much as I respect Kellie Pickler for trying something new and going out of her comfort zone, I will admit that she is not one of Hallmark’s strongest hostesses. Her on-screen presence felt stiff and unnatural, which made her look as if she was uncomfortable on camera. As for the movies that were previewed during this special, the selection of films that were focused on was very underwhelming. During the entire presentation, only four new movies were previewed. These movies are the following:

Christmas Party Ticket Card Template — Christmas themed movie tickets image created by Kraphix at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/movie-tickets-christmas_971544.htm’>Designed by Kraphix</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/christmas”>Christmas vector created by Kraphix – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Road to Christmas – 3 movies clips and 1 behind-the-scenes featurette – After Kellie described the story for this movie, it increased my interest in this film. I thought that this movie would be very similar to A Christmas Detour, but it appears that Road to Christmas is an original concept. I liked the movie clips and featurette that I saw and the film definitely looks like it has potential!

Mingle All the Way – 2 movie clips – I think the story sounds like an interesting concept, but I wasn’t thrilled with the movie clips that were featured in this special. While the part where Jen Lilley says “So you think I’m impressive” was funny, I didn’t feel like Jen and Brant Daugherty had any on-screen chemistry.

Christmas in Evergreen: Letters to Santa – 2 movie clips – Both of the movie clips for the Christmas in Evergreen sequel (yes, Hallmark did confirm this) made the film look like it has potential. However, I’m confused about the movie’s continuity. In this movie, there will be a new protagonist, portrayed by Jill Wagner this time. Also, when Kellie announced this movie during the preview special, she didn’t mention Ashley Williams, who was the lead actress in the first Christmas in Evergreen movie. From what I’ve read, Ashley is still a part of this cast, which makes me wonder how much involvement her character will have in this story.

A Majestic Christmas – 1 long movie clip – I really liked this movie clip that was included in this special because of Jerrika Hinton and Christian Vincent’s performances! They appeared like they had good on-screen chemistry and like their acting talents truly complimented one another! Seeing this movie clip raised my interest in seeing this film.

186734-OXNN2F-951 — Merry Christmas banner created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/merry-christmas-decorative-vintage-background_1359013.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

For the rest of the preview special, Kellie re-capped all of the movies that were brought up during the first Christmas movie preview special. This made it feel like the purpose of the first preview special was totally defeated. Adding to my disappointment about this second preview special, none of the movies from Hallmark Movies & Mysteries were even talked about during this presentation (excluding Marrying Father Christmas because that movie was a part of the first preview special re-cap). For a second year in a row, the Christmas movie for When Calls the Heart was ignored. Even though the Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, Christmas Everlasting, is still in production, I think there should have been a behind-the-scenes featurette or a video chat segment between Kellie and the director or cast talking about the film. Unlike last year’s preview specials, there was no list of which movies would premiere during both Christmas movie line-ups. As I’ve mentioned earlier, this presentation was a let-down. I understand that Hallmark creates these preview specials for their seasonal line-ups to get their audience excited for the movies to come. If I wasn’t already looking forward to this year’s Christmas line-ups, this second preview special would not have done anything to add to that excitement.

stylish snowflakes background for christmas holiday season — Christmas and New Year snowflake banner image created by Starline at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/stylish-snowflakes-background-for-christmas-holiday-season_1384882.htm’>Designed by Starline</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Starline – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

Did you watch either of the Christmas movie preview specials? What is your most anticipated Hallmark Christmas movie? Please tell me in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

If you want to learn more about this year’s Hallmark Christmas movies, you can watch the first Christmas preview special by typing “Full Episode – Christmas: A First Look Preview Special” into Youtube’s search bar or by visiting Hallmark Channel’s official Youtube channel, visiting Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Movies & Mysteries’ Christmas pages, or by visiting these links:

https://ew.com/tv/hallmark-christmas-movies-2018-air-dates/#heres-when-all-36-new-hallmark-christmas-movies-will-air

https://www.crownmediapress.com/PressReleaseList/Details?SiteID=142&NodeID=144&ID=665

https://www.crownmediapress.com/PressReleaseList/Details?SiteID=142&NodeID=144&ID=667

Take 3: Truly, Madly, Sweetly Review

On September 27, 2018September 27, 2018 By 18cinemalane2 Comments

With Hallmark’s “Fall Harvest” line-up finally here, I figured I should get started with reviewing some of these films! Since Ron Oliver is directing this year’s Hallmark Hall of Fame Christmas movie, Christmas Everlasting (yes, the movie got a title change) and since I talked about Truly, Madly, Sweetly in a Word on the Street post back in April, I thought reviewing this movie would be a great place to start! In that post, I mentioned that Dylan Neal, one of the stars of the film, hinted at a fall release date for Truly, Madly, Sweetly. Because this movie is the very first movie in this year’s “Fall Harvest” line-up, it looks like it got a fall release date after all. Out of all the Hallmark Channel movies premiering during the fall season, Truly, Madly, Sweetly is the movie I was anticipating the most, especially since the story reminded me of the first All of My Heart movie (which I really enjoyed). Did Truly, Madly, Sweetly meet or exceed my expectations? Let’s keep reading to find out!

Truly Madly Sweetly poster — *Truly, Madly, Sweetly* 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=Truly%2c+Madly%2c+Sweetly

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: The cast in Truly, Madly, Sweetly was really good! I’ve seen Nikki Deloach’s performance in The Perfect Catch, so I knew she had what it takes, talent wise, to lead a Hallmark movie. Once again, Nikki gave a really good performance, but in her second lead role in a Hallmark movie outside of the Christmas season this time. Her portrayal of Natalie appeared very natural and versatile. I’ve also seen Dylan Neal’s performances in the Gourmet Detective series as well as on Cedar Cove. For his first lead role in a Hallmark Channel movie outside of the Christmas season, I think Dylan gave a really good portrayal of his character, Eric. Dylan brought a good amount of believability to his role that truly added to the enjoyment of his performance.

The on-screen chemistry: As I’ve already mentioned, Nikki Deloach and Dylan Neal gave really good performances individually. They also gave a good performance as an on-screen pair. Nikki and Dylan’s on-screen chemistry came across very believably in the film. Because of this, it truly felt like Natalie and Eric’s relationship was growing. I definitely would like to see Nikki and Dylan star in another Hallmark movie together!

The story: Before I saw Truly, Madly, Sweetly, I knew there was going to be similarities between this movie and All of My Heart. As I was watching Truly, Madly, Sweetly, I noticed there were more differences than similarities between these movies. For instance, Eric and Natalie are enthusiastic about the idea of working together to restore the bakery within the first half of the movie. Meanwhile, in All of My Heart, it takes Brian and Jenny the entire movie to figure out what they are going to do about Emily’s house. There are other things within Truly, Madly, Sweetly that made the story feel unique from other Hallmark movies with a similar story, such as Natalie’s cupcake food truck and the inherited business being a bakery.

“Easter Eggs” from the director: On social media, Ron Oliver has mentioned that he likes to put “Easter Eggs” in his films that relate to his dog, Crawford T. Manchester. In Truly, Madly, Sweetly, the daughter’s school was named ‘Crawford T, Manchester Elementary’. In another scene, there was a wine bottle with Crawford’s picture on the label and the wine was called ‘Straight Outta Palm Springs’ (a location Ron mentioned in an Instagram post featuring Crawford). Small details like these add character and a unique touch to the film, giving audience members who are familiar with Ron’s directing work something to look forward to.

8_Cupcakes1-01 — Cupcake with hearts image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/delicious-cupcakes-illustrations_779154.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/food”>Food vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

A slower pace: In Truly, Madly, Sweetly, the pace was slower than in most Hallmark Channel movies. Because of this, it made the story feel longer than it might have been intended. For example, it took more than half the movie for the characters to start renovating the bakery. Personally, I think the bakery renovation should have happened at the film’s half-way point.

Minimal use of the fall theme: Even though Truly, Madly, Sweetly is a part of Hallmark’s “Fall Harvest” line-up, it felt like the fall season theme didn’t have as much of a presence as it could have had. While there were fall inspired decorations within the film as well as a fall festival at the daughter’s school, the overall theme of fall appeared as an extra in the movie. None of the characters in Truly, Madly, Sweetly seemed to pay much attention to what season was supposed to be portrayed throughout the film. If this story were placed in any other movie line-up from Hallmark, it wouldn’t have made a difference.

43345-O3TNL5 — Bakery image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/facade-bakery-shop_845112.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/vintage”>Vintage vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

Truly, Madly, Sweetly was a good start to this year’s “Fall Harvest” line-up! Excluding the Christmas line-up, because it hasn’t premiered yet, the start of the “Fall Harvest” line-up is the strongest out of all the seasonal line-ups that have premiered on Hallmark Channel this year! While there were little references to the fall season in this movie, the film has more merits than flaws. Truly, Madly, Sweetly has gotten me even more excited for Christmas Everlasting because of Ron Oliver’s involvement in this film! From the “Easter Eggs” to the dialogue, everything felt like it has handled with great care and effort. I’m definitely looking forward to the rest of the “Fall Harvest” films and it will be interesting to see which one ends up being my favorite.

Overall score: 7.8 out of 10

Did you see Truly, Madly, Sweetly? Are you enjoying “Fall Harvest” so far? Please tell me in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

Take 3: Oliver & Company Review + 30 Follower Thank You

On September 23, 2018September 23, 2018 By 18cinemalaneLeave a comment

I received 30 followers on 18 Cinema Lane two weeks ago! It’s time for me to review a film that was released 30 years ago (in 1988)! Because I’ve never reviewed a Disney animated film on my blog before and since the last time I reviewed an animated film was Rugrats Go Wild (for my 15 follower thank you review), I chose Oliver & Company for this milestone post. Oliver & Company is a film that I’ve only seen bits and pieces of, so I was looking forward to seeing this movie in its entirety. While choosing which movie I would talk about for this particular post, I realized that Oliver & Company was released the year before the start of the “Disney Renaissance”: when The Little Mermaid made its film debut. I came across a review of Oliver & Company from the blog, Reviewing All 56 Disney Animated Films And More!. In that review, Rachel, the creator and author of the blog, provided some insight into the importance of Oliver & Company. This insight made me interested to see the type of foundation that this film possibly put in place for the “Disney Renaissance” and beyond. Keep reading my review of Oliver & Company to see how I felt about the movie as a whole!

Oliver and Company poster — *Oliver & Company* poster image created by Buena Vista Pictures Distribution and The Walt Disney Company. ©Disney•Pixar. All rights reserved. Image found at https://movies.disney.com/oliver-and-company

Things I liked about the film:

The characters: There were several likable characters in Oliver & Company! I liked how they each had their own unique personality and it was fun to see the various interactions between the characters. Some of the creative choices that were made in relation to the characters were interesting. For instance, there are times when a character who is a bulldog could be portrayed as a mean-spirited and tough individual. In Oliver & Company, however, Francis (who is a bulldog) is an aspiring actor who has a deep appreciation for the theater. This character stood out to me because I had never seen a bulldog, in television or film, portrayed this way before.

The animation: The animation style in Oliver & Company felt very reflective of the art styles and pop culture that could have been found around the film’s release (mid to late ‘80s). This reflection made the movie feel like an idea of what the ‘80s might have been like, shown to the audience as if they were looking at a snapshot. There were a lot of bright colors in this film that I felt complimented the movie overall. The use of light and dark colors was also well done. An example can be found toward the beginning of the film, when Oliver is left by himself in the middle of a rainstorm. In this scene, Oliver’s bright orange fur stood out against the dark blue background of the city. These choices relating to the use of specific colors added to the artistry of the animation!

The music: I really liked all of the music in Oliver & Company! While “Good Company” is a sweet and gentle song, the rest of the songs are upbeat and fun to listen to! To me, all of the music added to the entertainment value of this film. I can definitely see myself listening to Oliver & Company’s soundtrack long after the credits have rolled!

What I didn’t like about the film:

Lack of character development for the human characters: In Oliver & Company, there are only four human characters within the story. As I was watching this movie, I found myself wanting to know more about these characters. How Jenny felt about her parents, apparently, putting more emphasis on their dog, Georgette, than her was something that I was curious about. I also wanted to know more about how Fagin ended up in his particular situation as well as see him move out of poverty in order to achieve a comfortable life for him and his dogs. I understand this story is primarily about the animal characters. But, when it comes to character development for the human characters, I felt there was more to be desired.

A limited presence of the villain: When it came to the villain in this movie, I thought that Sykes was unsettling. However, compared to other Disney villains (and even some non-Disney villains), he wasn’t as terrifying as he could have been. In fact, I found his Doberman side-kicks, Roscoe and DeSoto, to be scarier than Sykes himself. This is because Sykes has a very limited presence on-screen and doesn’t receive a lot of character development. For these reasons, Oliver & Company doesn’t seem to have a lot of high stakes.

The run-time: There were a few times in Oliver & Company where situations seemed to happen too quickly. An example of this is when Oliver learns, at a fast pace, how to steal hot-dogs alongside Dodger. This issue is a result of the film’s shorter run-time. The other aforementioned things that I didn’t like about this film are also the results of a shorter run-time. Oliver & Company is one hour and fourteen minutes, which, as I look back on the film, made me feel like the movie went by very quickly. If this movie would have been an hour and 30 or 35 minutes, the human characters could have received a little more character development and the villain could have been featured more in the film.

nature & animals — Orange cat image created by Freestockcenter at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/ginger-cat_883376.htm’>Designed by Freestockcenter</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/gold”>Gold image created by Freestockcenter – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

As a Disney animated film, Oliver & Company is fine. As a movie in general, it’s good for what it is. I know that there are other Disney animated films that are stronger than Oliver & Company, but I would never consider Oliver & Company to be the worst or weakest movie from the Disney animated catalog. I like to think of this film as the older sibling to The Little Mermaid. While Oliver & Company was the pioneer for what a Disney animated film could and should be (at that time), The Little Mermaid was able to enjoy the fruits of Oliver & Company’s labor because of those important building blocks that were set in place before the “Disney Renaissance” began. Oliver & Company’s efforts should be celebrated, which is why it’s receiving a “standing ovation” on 18 Cinema Lane! As always, thank you to each and every one of my 30 followers as well as my readers! 18 Cinema Lane and this review would not be the same without you!

Overall score: 7.4-7.5 out of 10

What is your favorite Disney animated film? Which movie from 1988 do you like the most? Let me know in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen

The link to Rachel’s review of Oliver & Company: https://54disneyreviews.com/2014/09/11/movie-27-oliver-and-company/

Take 3: Jurassic Park Review + 25 Follower Thank You

On September 19, 2018 By 18cinemalane10 Comments

Two weeks ago, I received 25 followers on 18 Cinema Lane! Like I’ve done with my other blog follower dedication reviews, it’s time for me to review a film that was released 25 years ago (in 1993). Because Fathom Events coordinated a special 25^th anniversary screening of Jurassic Park, I decided to pick this movie for my 25-follower dedication post! This was my first time attending a Fathom Events screening, so I was pretty excited to partake in a new cinematic experience. However, the actual event itself was not as special as I had expected. Before attending this screening of Jurassic Park, I thought it was going to be more of an event than it ended up being; from announcers getting the audience excited about the film they were about to watch to contests with cool prizes and giveaways (such as Jurassic Park themed gifts, movie theater gift cards, etc.). This entire experience was just a typical weeknight screening of a well-known film. As thankful as I am that Fathom Events gives movie-goers these unique theater experiences, my experience left more to be desired. So, what about the movie itself? Did the film make me feel the same way my theater-going experience did? Keep reading my review of Jurassic Park to find out!

Jurassic Park poster — A special poster for a special screening. Picture taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.

Things I liked about the film:

The acting: The acting from all of the cast members was great! Everyone’s reactions and emotions appeared and felt so genuine as well as believable. I liked how this cast was multi-generational, as it allowed for various perspectives to be incorporated into this narrative. Each character has such a unique personality and a set of characteristics that made them interesting. Each actor’s portrayal of their character brought these personalities and characteristics to life, which helped to establish a likability to their character. This allowed for memorable character interactions that added to the intrigue of the story.

The special effects: The special effects in Jurassic Park are like a fine wine: it ages well with time. All of the dinosaurs in this movie looked so realistic, like they actually co-existed alongside the human characters. Sometimes, an action/adventure movie can either rely too much on special effects or put too much focus on the human characters. In Jurassic Park, however, there was a nice balance between featuring both the human characters and the dinosaurs enough to satisfy the audience.

The cinematography: This movie has really good cinematography! One of my favorite shots in Jurassic Park was when DNA codes from one of the computers were projected on a dinosaur. This not only looked cool on screen, but it provided context and significance to the film’s narrative. Shots like this make me, as an audience member, feel like the creative team behind this movie put a good amount of effort and care into the project they were creating.

The soundtrack: The music that was found throughout this film was fantastic! Though most of it is instrumental, the music effectively conveyed a particular scene’s tone and added to the atmosphere of the film. The musical talents of John Williams help Jurassic Park and the dinosaurs within it feel larger-than-life. These pieces of music definitely fit in the overall context of the film.

The suspense: There are several suspenseful and intriguing moments throughout this film. It definitely left me on the edge of my seat and kept me invested in the story. Sometimes, Jurassic Park feels like a horror film, with the movie relying on atmosphere, tone, and a few jump-scares to get a reaction from the audience. This movie also has the right amount of excitement that is usually expected in an action/adventure film. I think the combination of thrills and excitement worked really well in this film.

Various animal toy figures in a colorful background — Colorful dinosaur image created by Rawpixel.com at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-photo/various-animal-toy-figures-in-a-colorful-background_3011200.htm’>Designed by Rawpixel.com</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background image created by Rawpixel.com – Freepik.com</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

What I didn’t like about the film:

A delayed introduction to the dinosaurs: In Jurassic Park, it takes about 20 minutes for the movie to give its audience a good look at any of the dinosaurs. While this time was used to introduce the characters and provide the film’s exposition, it made the movie feel like it had a slow start.

The under-utilization of some of the characters: While Jurassic Park has several likable characters, there were some of them that seemed to be under-utilized. Two examples are Malcolm and Tim. At the beginning of the film, Malcolm was introduced as a rock-star-esque mathematician. Because of this introduction, I found Malcolm to be an interesting character. Unfortunately, he was never given an opportunity to use those math skills to resolve some of the conflicts within this film’s narrative. Tim’s interest and enthusiasm about dinosaurs was such a great component to his character. However, Tim was never really given a chance to apply this knowledge about dinosaurs to help the characters around him.

205649-OZBGT0-509 — Dinosaur birthday image created by Freepik at freepik.com. <a href=’https://www.freepik.com/free-vector/birthday-background-with-elements_1718067.htm’>Designed by Freepik</a>. <a href=”https://www.freepik.com/free-photos-vectors/background”>Background vector created by Freepik</a>. Image found at freepik.com.

My overall impression:

The Jurassic Park logo. Without even trying, this logo has become a cinematic symbol of the possibilities of film-making, hope for the future of cinema, and the wonder that can come from the magic of the movies. I never knew how much I would love this movie until I saw it for the first time (yes, you read that right). While there were a few things I didn’t like about the film, there was far more to love about it. After watching Jurassic Park, I can now fully understand the success of Jurassic World. However, I don’t understand how Jurassic Park, a movie with a definitive and well-executed ending, could have been the basis for sequel films. Since I haven’t seen these films, maybe there is a way to continue this story that I’m not familiar with. Thank you so much to all of my 25 followers as well as my readers! Like always, this review and 18 Cinema Lane would not be possible without you!

Overall score: 9 out of 10

Have you seen any of the Jurassic Park movies? What do you think is the best movie from 1993? Share your thoughts and opinions in the comment section!

Have fun at the movies!

Sally Silverscreen