The Weirdest Movies Blogathon

Ronyell at The Surreal Movies and TV blog is hosting The Weirdest Movies Blogathon this May.

The rules are to list up to 5 to 10 of the weirdest movies you've ever seen. They don't have to be our favorite movies or ones we even like - just films that we thought are weird. The blogathon runs into May 20th. If you want to join in, feel free to check the official post here.

I don't watch a lot of weird movies - it's not a genre that I typically reach for. Granted these picks aren't probably odd for everyone or the weirdest ones ever, but they were out there enough for me. 

At The Movies Blog Challenge - 10 Movie Theater Experiences

Cinemas have taken a huge hit during the Coronavirus lockdown. Theaters have been closed for almost two months, leaving many who love going to the movies to watch films at home, and those working in theaters furloughed. I was inspired to create this blog challenge that celebrated memorable cinema experiences as something to look forward to when the pandemic ends - experiences or events that wouldn't be the same watching at home. 

From dramas to action movies and musicals, here are ten of my favorite movie theater experiences. This post is a part of my blog challenge to celebrate memories at the movies. You can find my post and others who have participated here.

At the Movies Blog Challenge

Since social distancing began earlier this year, the state of cinemas as we know it was turned upside down. Not only have theaters closed temporarily and permanently, but employees have been furloughed, critics have questioned what the future of movie-going experiences will be like, and flicks slated for release this year have been rescheduled or shelved. It's a bleak moment in time to love movies, to say the least.

While staying home and taking advantage of streaming, *Carrie Bradshaw voice* I couldn't help but wonder about my experiences at the cinema - all of the happy and exciting memories I've made escaping for a few hours in front of a screen. Watching a film with a sold-out crowd or entirely on my own, attending blockbusters, celebrating re-releases, has made up too much of my life to adequately put into words. So with the pandemic still ongoing, and the film industry put on hold until further notice, I thought it'd be fun to do a blog challenge - At the Movies.

Mount Rushmore of Hot Beards

m.brown at Two Dollar Cinema is holding a blogathon called Mt. Rushmore of Movies, where fellow bloggers pick four actors, performances, or themes that they think should replace the U.S. Presidents on Mount Rushmore.

I've never participated in the challenge before and thought it would be fun to give it a go. If you follow me on twitter, you guys will know I have a type. And that is a dude with a glorious beard. If an actor (on my radar or not) cranks out some scruff, he becomes worthy of being displayed in a museum, or in this case, on a mountain for the whole world to bow down to. My theme was fairly easy to choose after some inspiration from Rambling Film and Mettel Ray. I started questioning my life choices after seeing their magnificent selection, but these are my picks for the Mount Rushmore of Hot Beards. If you think there's a beard I missed including in this list or should check out, let me know in the comments!

Dell on Movies Against The Crowd Blogathon

Dell on Movies is hosting the fifth year of his blogathon Against the Crowd, where bloggers share their unpopular opinions about movies "everyone" seems to love or hate. The blogathon sounded like a lot of fun, and not something I've participated in before. It was interesting to rummage through different genres, trying to find movies I thought were universally loved or hated and then find out my assumptions were completely wrong. I'm pretty surprised I actually found a pairing that fit a genre. If you want to see the full blogathon and the rest of the entries, check out Dell on Movie's blog here!

The blogathon guidelines:
1. Pick one movie that "everyone" loves (the more iconic, the better). That movie must have a score of 75% or more on rottentomatoes.com. Tell us why you hate it.

2. Pick one movie that "everyone" hates (the more notorious, the better). That movie must have a score of 35% or less on rottentomatoes.com. Tell us why you love it.

3. Include the tomato meter scores of both movies.

Here are my two picks. What do you think - agree or disagree? Feel free to let me in the comments!

The Ten Best Christmas Movies of All Time Relay

Nostra came up with a great idea to get everyone in the Christmas spirit: a Best Christmas Movies of All Time relay race, where bloggers try to decide which are the best holiday movies. Thanks to Margaret at Cinematic Corner for passing the torch over to me! Let's get started!

Here are the rules:

The list has 10 Christmas movies (in random order) and when the baton is handed over to a new blogger, he or she has to remove one title of the list (with an explanation why) and add one new title. 

Once that is done a new blogger is contacted who will take the baton and run with it, doing the same (you can reinstate a title which has been previously removed). 

As Christmas is in three weeks I want to ask you to publish your entry as quickly as possible to make sure the list changes as much as possible before the 25th of December. Add the logo of this relay race to your post and also add links to those who came before you making it easy for everyone to find all the entries

The bloggers so far: Marked Movies, Keith and the Movies, Flixchatter, Rambling Film, Two Dollar Cinema, Dell on Movies, A Film a Day, Cinematic Corner

2nd Annual Merry Fictional Challenge

The holiday season is here! And, I thought I would pep this place up a bit with a little Christmas cheer from a holiday blog challenge I created last year. Get the list of questions at this post. If you'd like to join in, feel free to comment with a link to your blog in this post below or tweet me! I'd love to see your answers!

Mettel Ray Movie Alphabet Challenge

One of my favorite movie bloggers Mettel Ray just celebrated her seventh blogging anniversary. Reminiscing about how our favorites change over time, she rebooted one of her previous blogathons: My Movie Alphabet, where participants share their choice of favorite actors, movies, directors, etc.

I thought this would be so fun to participate in, but didn't know where my picks would lead. Classic Hollywood has been on my mind lately, but more modern movies and musicals squeezed their way in too. This was so much fun and helped me think out of the box, and I honestly could've kept this going over and over again. See any of your favorites below? What movies or actors would you put on your list? Feel free to give a shout-out in the comments! Be sure to head over to her blog to join!

My Merry Fictional Challenge Answers

Christmas is just around the corner. I created this little holiday meme a while back and thought it was finally time to give it a whirl! If you'd like to join in, feel free to comment with a link to your blog at this post or with your own picks. I'd love to see your answers!

Advent Calendar: Traditions you celebrate during December?
My mom, sister and I make a whole day of shopping together - going to the mall, getting a drink at Starbucks, etc. My family also know that my Christmas day is 1000% reserved for watching A Christmas Story marathon - it's one of my favorite days of the year.

Carols: What's your favorite song(s)?
Christmas Is A Comin' by Bing Crosby, Underneath the Tree by Kelly Clarkson, Jingle Bells by Barbra Streisand - to name a few. I'm a bit of a freak when it comes to holiday music. I can't get enough!

Coal: A naughty character you'd send coal to?
Spencer Monroe - The Walking Dead. Negan kinda took care of that for me but still....

Fireplace: Favorite Christmas movie that melts your heart?
It's A Wonderful Life. It just doesn't feel like Christmas if I don't watch this at least once.

Gingerbread: What's your favorite holiday snack?
Anything peppermint flavored- chocolates, marshmallows, cookies, candy canes.

Hot Cocoa: What's your favorite drink?
BARNIES WHITE CHRISTMAS MOCHA. It's so hard to find but such a good coffee.

Mistletoe: Character you'd like to meet under the mistletoe?
STEVE ROGERS. HELLOOOOOO.

Mittens: A cozy outfit that keeps you warm during winter?
This Christmas has been so hot in Florida (thanks, global warming); it's been the usual shorts and t-shirts I typically wear during the summer. Usually a pair of jammies will keep me warm enough though. I actually can't wait to move and go somewhere where the seasons change. I don't know how I'm going to react when I encounter snow again.

Naughty: Three characters who'd make the Naughty list.
Negan - The Walking Dead, Kilgrave - Jessica Jones, Rumpelstiltskin - Once Upon a Time.

Nice: Three characters who'd make the Nice list.
Eleven - Stranger Things, Regina - Once Upon a Time, and Sasha - The Walking Dead.

North Pole: If you could spend Christmas anywhere, where would you go?
Absolutely - Hogwarts. I'd just love to spend time in the Gryffindor common room by the fireplace or in the Great Hall and watch the tree get decorated.

Presents: A book or movie on your wishlist?
Agent Carter season one. That girl needs some support after everything that happened to her this year.

Rudolph: What's your favorite TV holiday special?
I Love Lucy Christmas special. Lucy, Ricky, Fred and Ethel try to make Christmas magical for little Ricky and end up encountering a little magic of their own. I'm so happy CBS has played it the past few years.

Santa: A character you'd love to exchange presents with? What would you get them?
Rick Grimes - I'd give him a bunch of stuff - canned foods, water bottles, knives - and then I would force him to hide it from Negan.

Scrooge: A villain you'd help see life in a different way?
I don't know how many villains are pass the point of being redeemed. Maybe Kylo Ren?

Snowflake: Something that makes you feel special.
Random conversations with strangers like a barista or cashier. It's nice to just pause and talk to someone and connect, even if it's fleeting.

Tree: What do you decorate your house with for the season?
I like to make a lot of little crafts like paper snowflakes and chain links. It's starting to get a bit fancier with more complicated craft projects though (thanks Pinterest!).

Yuletide: The top 3 things in your life that make you happy?
Trying to think outside of the box of friends and family - soooo... I'll say taking walks early in the morning, dachshunds, and late nights watching movies in bed.

BONUS: Ugly Christmas Sweater: Would you wear a sweater Molly Weasley made you or avoid it like the plague? I'd definitely wear it but it'd have to be on a cooler day here. I'd probably pass out otherwise!

Hope everyone has a wonderful holiday!

A Merry Fictional Blog Challenge

'Tis the season to be jolly and ponder about our feels from the past year. I thought it'd be fun to make a challenge to chat about the holiday season and include some of our favorite (or least) fictional characters in on the fun. Below is A Merry Fictional Blog Challenge! 

You're invited to join in on the fun! Simply copy & paste the questions to your blog for you to answer. Feel free to use the banner above or make your own. This is an open challenge - so no deadline to participate!

Advent Calendar: What traditions you celebrate during December? Are you starting new traditions this year?
Carols: What's your favorite song(s)?
Coal: A naughty character you'd send coal to?
Fireplace: Favorite Christmas movie that melts your heart?
Gingerbread: What's your favorite holiday snack?
Hot Cocoa: What's your favorite drink?
Lights: A character has had the brightest or most positive impact for you this year?
Mistletoe: Character you'd like to meet under the mistletoe?
Mittens: A cozy outfit that keeps you warm during winter?
Naughty: Three characters who'd make the Naughty list.
Nice: Three characters who'd make the Nice list.
North Pole: If you could spend Christmas anywhere (even fictional), where would you go?
Presents: A book or movie on your wishlist?
Rudolph: What's your favorite TV holiday special?
Santa: A character you'd love to exchange presents with? What would you get them?
Scrooge: A villain you'd help see life in a different way?
Snowflake: A special fandom or movie moment that made 2017 awesome.
Tree: What do you decorate your house with for the season?
Yuletide: The top 3 things in your life that make you the most happy?
BONUS: Ugly Christmas Sweater: Would you wear a sweater Molly Weasley made you or avoid it like the plague?

❄️ Tag! You’re it! ❄️
I welcome anyone who would like to do this challenge and add a little holiday cheer to their blog. My answers will be coming along in a separate post as well. Comment below or  tweet me your post for a re-tweet and so I can add you to a master list of entries - I'd love to see your answers!

Thanks for joining in! Check out these awesome participants so far: Nikkipedia, Princess Deia, Layla Wrote, Live Love Random, DePepi, Her Geekery, PrimaGeek, OftenOffTopic, BizarreBrunette, Epicfied, My Open Sketchbook

On We Go! Dream Vacation Blog Challenge

If I could trek to any place in film universe, where would I go? who would come along with me? This kickstarted an idea for a dream vacation blogathon I started earlier this summer. Moving between homes delayed me from answering this a little later than I would have liked, but the time away delivered some awesome inspiration.

No adventure would be complete without some inclusion of Harry Potter for me. So that's where my vacation would kick-off. Having received my letter to attend Hogwarts as an honorary Muggle, I would tour and explore the grounds of Hogwarts.

To share this momentous occasion, Mia Thermopolis is my tag-along gal and also honorary Muggle. She seems like the perfect enthusiastic buddy to stop by Diagon Alley for a few pre-travel treats and ride on the Hogwarts Express with. We are greeted by Hagrid at the Hogsmeade Station. Our stay is only a stone's throw away at the Three Broomsticks Inn and our arrival is a magical boat ride across the lake where we gaze up at the castle glowing in the distance. Let's not put a time limit on this part of the vacation - perhaps a week or two to sit on some of the courses and Quidditch matches and stock up on candy from Honeydukes.

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Upon my exploration of the grounds and despite all warnings not to go into the Forbidden Forest, it's just something I can't ignore. But Mia is not a fan of this idea, so she stays behind (sorry Mia but I have to go!).

During my walk into the dangerous woodlands, I don't find the bewitched Ford Anglia but a Tardis. (Yes, not film related but it's a dream right?) Looking a bit tarnished, it's not long before I remove some of the vines and moss blocking my way from nudging the door open. Who should be inside but the Tenth Doctor! Despite the appearance of the Tardis, it seems he just landed and is obviously in need of a new companion.

He asks me where I want to go. Giving it some thought, the mad boy and girl in a box whirls through time and space to....

the Emerald City. Going back to 1939, we land at MGM studios right on the lot where the movie is in production. Only something is amidst on the set. Crossing over from another dimension, the poppies are actually making everyone fall into a deep sleep. No one can explain why or how this is happening. Studio head Louis B. Mayer shuts down the production temporarily claiming a change in directors while he entrusts me and the Doctor to figure out what's going on.

When we're done and things have calmed down for a bit, the Doctor uses his psychic paper to help me visit some of the other sets and meet some of my favorite movie stars like James Stewart, Bette Davis, and Clark Gable. We also try to befriend Judy Garland to overcome some invisible monsters similar to the Krafayis. But as we know, some moments in time cannot be re-written.

When I finally must depart from the Doctor, he drops me off back home at Pittsburgh. But, there's something strange and not-so-ordinary about my childhood town....

Bane has taken over "Gotham"! The bridges are down and nobody can escape the city. Of course, never giving up on hope and Batman, Commissioner Gordon and John Blake need all the help they can get. I do my best to give supplies to the police men trapped under the city and help them make markers of the tank containing the nuclear bomb.

Thankfully, during my escapades with the Doctor, I missed most of the battle between former League of Shadows member and the Caped Crusader. It isn't long before Bruce Wayne is able to dispose of the nuclear bomb by dropping it into the ocean. The apparent loss of our Dark Knight is nearly impossible but he sacrificed himself for the citizens of Gotham, and that is how they are able to move forward.

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This has been one heck of an adventure, so it's time for things to be taken down a notch. My last stop is good ol' New York City to go sight-seeing.

Visiting the New York Public Library, I overhear a conversation between two people who don't belong to each other just yet.

There's a lot of uproar on the streets about a few paranormal exterminators.

At FAO Schwartz, two men playing Chopsticks on a grand piano are a huge hit.

Stopping by Riverside Park to enjoy a delicious lunch, a golden retriever on the loose seemingly named Brinkley brings together a shop girl and a fox.

Overall, it's not a bad trip - if I do say so myself.

Dream Movie Vacation Blog Challenge

It's summertime and the living is supposed to be easy. Everyone is wishing bon voyage to their homes and workplaces to sail the open seas or relax on the beach. This little seasonal tradition gave me an idea : a dream (film-related) vacation blog challenge!

If you could travel to any place in the film universe with any of your favorite characters or love-to-hate villains, what kind of a vacation would you take?

Would you travel to a death-defying stay at Jurassic Park, a magical night at Hogwarts, midnight rendezvous to 1920s Paris, an alien planet far, far away?

Which characters would be your travel buddies - Hermione Granger, Jack Sparrow, Holly Golightly, Mary Poppins, or Indiana Jones?

Post your choice(s) of a destination(s), and at least three characters who would tag along.

Use pictures or gifs of your choices. What kind of things would you do on your vacation? Who would you meet? Venture to some place modern or a fantasy world? Be as creative as you would like!

Feel free to use one of my (full-size) banners or make your own. There's no deadline to post or share your idea! Tweet me or comment with your post!

*open image in new tab for full size

Alphabet Blog Challenge for Movie Buffs

I was taking a day off from movie reviews when inspiration struck. Memes have always been something I loved, but finding one for movies was a challenge. In free moments here and there, I created this blog challenge which I hope everyone enjoys.

As all alphabet memes go, each letter is a theme or question to answer about your love of movies. Feel free to share this on your own blog, and comment with a link to your own list. I'd love to see what your answers and choices are!

Anxiously Waiting For...
Book Adaptation I'd Love To See
Celebrity I’d Most Like to Meet
Dream Director/Actor Pairing
Essential Classic Film
Favorite Franchise
Genre I Watch The Most
Hidden Gem
Influential Movie That Changed Your Mind/Beliefs/etc.
Just Right Movie for A Rainy Day
Kiddie Movie I Still (Shamelessly) Enjoy
Location I'd Like To Visit
Movie I Know By Heart
Never Seen This Classic Movie:
Overrated Movie
Preferred Place To Watch A Movie: Cinema Or At Home?
Quote that Inspires Me
Remakes - Friend or Foe?
Snack I Enjoy Most
Twist That Boggled My Mind
Unapologetic Fanperson For
Vehicle I'd Love to Travel In
Wish I Never Watched...
XXX Movie I Watched At A Really Young Age
Your latest movie-related obsession
ZZZ-Catcher