The Sunshine Blogger Award!

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It’s been a while since I got to post something like this, but it’s my honor to accept the Sunshine Blogger Award, courtesy of Christian from AniBProductions. Thanks, Christian! And I highly recommend others check out his animation blog, which posts great character pieces and reviews of animated shows, both East and West. According to the rules of this award, I should:

1. Thank the nominator and include a link to their blog
2. Answer the eleven questions they asked
3. Nominated eleven more bloggers for the award and ask them eleven questions as well
4. Comment on one of their blog posts to alert them to their nomination
5. List the rules and the Sunshine Blogger Award logo (that’s two already done!)

 

So on then to the questions!

 

1. What’s one animated show you’ve watched that you didn’t expect you’d like going into the watch, but wound up really enjoying? (It can be anime or Western animation.)

 

I suppose this could apply to a show that is outside my usual preferences, which typically involve sci-fi. I’ve always steered clear of zombie movies, so I was hesitant about the series Gakkou Gurashi, or School Live! Yet I ended up loving it and even crying by the end. Likewise, I wasn’t much interested in the ultra-violent gangster trappings of Baccano, but its story and characters made it a surprisingly fun watch.

2. Sports fans are everywhere, so if you’re a sports fan, who’s your favorite team and if so, why?

 

Sadly, I’m not much of a sports fan. In fact, the Super Bowl and the Wimbledon finals are basically the only sports I actively watch all year. What football teams I favor were inherited from my parents, so I typically root for the Redskins, Steelers, Cowboys, and Dolphins, although I’ve also cheered for the Seahawks for no other reason than to be different.

 

3. What’s the best thing you ever ate?

 

Boy, that’s tough. There was a corn and trout chowder I had in the North Georgia mountains that has always stuck in my head as truly exceptional, and I still pine after a horseshoe sandwich I tried in Chicago. (For those who don’t know, a horseshoe is an Illinois delicacy of toast, meat, fries, and cheese sauce; pardon my drool.)

 

4. Name a popular series that you disliked, contrary to most people’s opinions?

 

I’ve had a pretty good record of watching shows I at least somewhat liked, but I was definitely disappointed in the anime Angel Beats. It has this huge reputation as an all-time favorite tear-jerker, yet I was annoyed at how rushed the series was. It certainly has its strengths, but not enough of its huge cast got any kind of real character development, and the gut punch twist at the end just left me confused at its lack of logic.

5. Is there a city, place, or a country you’d really like to visit on a vacation?

 

I’ve always dreamed of doing a tour of Europe, from England to Germany to Italy to Switzerland and France. Oh, and I’d love to do the Lord of the Rings tour down in New Zealand and visit all the filming locations.

 

6. What’s that one show or movie you always intended to see or watch, but never got to yet?

 

I’ve actually got my Blindspot series to catch up on movies that fit this description, and there are plenty more for future years, though I’m making progress. As for series, I have yet to see why Code Geass or Breaking Bad are so popular. One of these days…

7. Books or video games?

 

I’ve got barely enough time for blogging, so both have fallen by the wayside recently, but, as a lover of literature, I tend to make some time at least for books.

 

8. Since I liked this one from TPAB a lot, your guilty pleasure movie/anime/series?

 

For anime, that would have to be Girls und Panzer, which is ridiculous fun combining high school girls and tank war games, but I also could mention the English dub of Ghost Stories, which has become famous for its parody-level sense of humor and ad-libbing, like if the characters from Mystery Science Theater 3000 wrote the official dub. It’s highly politically incorrect, and whether you’re black, Jewish, Christian, gay, or dead, there’s bound to be something that will offend you, but it can also be darn funny.

As for movie, a Canadian comedy called Roller Town also fits that description. So bad, you feel guilty about it, but laugh anyway.

9. If you had a dream job, what would it be? (And if you already have it, share it!)

 

I recently settled into a tech job that I honestly love doing more than any job I’ve had thus far, but my biggest dream job I think would be an actual film reviewer for an official website or publication.

 

10. Ok, one fun theoretical setting question: A school relay competition is held between Kunugigaoka Junior High’s Class 3-E (Assassination Classroom), U.A. High School’s Class 1-A (My Hero Academia) and Luna Nova Academy’s girls (Little Witch Academia). The objective is to use teamwork to move a baton about a mile and a half (or 1.6 km) to a finish line, and the course is lined with dense forest. Who wins, and why?

 

I think my vote would go to U.A. High, simply because of the many unique skill sets in My Hero Academia, which have been used in races before. Keep in mind that Kunugigaoka’s class members are entirely normal humans so that puts them at a disadvantage, and I just think that superheroes would edge out magic users.

 

11. What inspired you to be a writer and/or a blogger?

 

I’d always enjoyed movies and lists and writing poetry, and even compiled a list of my top 365 favorite films long before I considered blogging about it. After a failed attempt at starting a hot dog cart business (trust me, it’s harder than it looks!), it was suggested that I try my hand at combining all the things I loved into a blog and counting down that top 365 with a poem and a review over a year’s time. That was back in 2014, and while my productivity has waxed and waned over the years, I’m still here, enjoying this creative outlet with so many others.

Now on to my questions!

 

1. If you could prevent any single Hollywood/entertainment tragedy from occurring, which would it be?
2. If you’ve seen any anime (series or film), which is your favorite?
3. If you could live in any cinematic world, what would it be?
4. If the world was ending and you could only save three songs in the history of the planet, what would they be?
5. What’s a movie that you absolutely hate while others love it?
6. What’s a movie that you absolutely love while others hate it?
7. Are you more of a dog person or a cat person?
8. With what animated character do you most identify?
9. Someone tells you that animation is just for kids and shouldn’t be taken as seriously as live-action. How do you respond?
10. Plain water is suddenly the only liquid available to drink in the world. How do you and the world respond?
11. If you could break any Guinness world record, what would you want it to be?

And lastly the lucky victims bloggers who get to answer the above questions, if they so choose, and accept the Sunshine Blogger baton. (I wouldn’t be surprised if they already have a few awards to their name.)

Vegan Children’s Stories

Sci-Fi Jubilee

Rachel’s Reviews

Jordan and Eddie (The Movie Guys)

Keithgarretpoetry

Movies and Songs 365

PeggyAtTheMovies

Often Off Topic

Tranquil Dreams

Not quite eleven, but I’m aiming for quality over quantity. And of course, anyone else who wants to is welcome to answer them as well. I’d love to hear as many answers as possible! Thanks again to AniBProductions for kindly bestowing this award on my humble blog!

The Mystery Blogger Award, Courtesy of Drew

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A very big thanks to Drew of Drew’s Movie Reviews for nominating me for the Mystery Blogger Award, which has been gifted around quite a bit since its creation by Okoto Enigma. Since this is a new award for me, here are the rules for accepting it:

 

1.  Put the award logo/image on your blog.

2.  List the rules.

3.  Thank whoever nominated you and provide a link to their blog.

4.  Mention the creator of the award and provide a link as well.

5.  Tell your readers 3 things about yourself.

6.  You have to nominate 10 – 20 people.

7.  Notify your nominees by commenting on their blog.

8.  Ask your nominees any 5 questions of your choice; with one weird or funny question (specify)

9.  Share a link to your best post(s)

 

So, three things about yours truly, other than my obvious pastimes of movies, poetry, and lists. Well, why don’t I answer in poem form, just because it’s what I do.

 

Since trivia’s my specialty,
One day I fully plan to be
A candidate on Jeopardy!
I’ve taken online tests, it’s true,
And once did get an interview,
But still must wait for my debut.
(Though I’m afraid that when I do,
I might lose what I thought I knew.)

 

My favorite sport is bowling.
It’s comfy, indoor fun.
I’m inconsistent with my score,
But so’s ‘most everyone.

 

How ‘bout a mini-list as well?
My top five poets, here to tell:
For number five, no buts or “ifs”
With Rudyard Kipling’s lyric gifts.
The fourth is Robert Service, known
For Yukon ballads all his own.
I’d love to see his verse become
A gold rush musical to hum.
And third is Dr. Seuss; don’t mock.
My love of poems he helped unlock.
The second’s Alfred Tennyson,
A lord with talent third to none.
My favorite poet, so you know,
Is Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.
His life deserves a biopic,
So someone go and make one, quick!

 

 

And here are the questions to answer from Drew himself:

1.  What is your favorite place you have visited?

Probably Helen in the north Georgia mountains, a favorite family vacation spot which is also where my parents honeymooned. The surrounding Appalachians are beautiful and peaceful, especially at the nearby Anna Ruby Falls. The Unicoi Lodge there is a fantastic place to stay, and there’s a restaurant a few towns over called the Smith House, which has the best family-style buffet you can imagine.

2.  What would you do if you had a time machine and didn’t have to worry about the ill effects of time travel?

I would gather up artifacts I knew would be valuable one day, like ancient currency or original comic books, and meet as many historically famous people as possible to collect their autographs.

3.  What was your favorite film released last year?

For sheer entertainment value, Captain America: Civil War

4.  Why did you start blogging?

I had already compiled my Top 365 movie list just because I love making lists, and after a certain business venture crashed and burned and left me asking “Now what?”, my mom suggested that list as a potential countdown to write about. Adding poetry for each movie just seemed natural to set myself apart and keep me in practice with my writing.

5.  If you could live in any fictional universe, which would you choose?

There are so many I would love to visit (Middle-earth, Narnia, Prydain, Amestris, Remnant, the Star Wars universe), but I wouldn’t want to actually live in any of those death-and-danger-prone lands. No, the most ideal fictional world seems to be that of Star Trek. Even though interstellar relationships aren’t ideal, it’s a whole lot better than most potential futures. Mankind is at least at peace with itself, and our advanced technology is such that exploration is our main goal. With holodecks and replicators close at hand, I would gladly live in that version of the 24^th century.

For the mention of my best post, I’m personally proud of the poem I wrote for The Raven, an old horror-comedy that provided me an opportunity to rewrite Edgar Allan Poe’s classic poem from a different perspective but still the same meter. While that’s one of my favorites, I’ve noticed that my most viewed posts seem to be my list of Top Poems in Movies, my list of Na Na Na songs, and my rant about Urban Cowboy.

And as for my five questions for the nominees below, and anyone else who feels like answering…

1. What film(s) do you love that others seem to ignore or not even know about?
2. If you had to eat one food (or kind of food) for the rest of your life, what would it be?
3. If technology allowed us to live in an ideal virtual Matrix-world, would you choose that over reality?
4. What one film do you think is vastly overrated?
5. For a fun question, you have three paradox-free wishes that won’t come back to bite you (says a genie). What would they be?

 

And then my 10-20 nominees, who might very well have already been nominated before, but hey, what’s one more award, right? *drumroll please*

 

A Fistful of Films

AniB Productions

dbmoviesblog

Dell on Movies

100 Films in a Year

Film Music Central

Emmakwall (explains it all)

Cindy Bruchman

Abbi Osbiston

Movie Reviews 101

Violet’s Veg*n e-Comics

Rachel from Reviewing All 56 Disney Animated Films and More!

The Vern’s Video Vortex

Curry N Code

Frank Solanki

 

Thanks again to Drew for this award, and to all who take part!

My First Liebster Award…in Verse!

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Just why I have waited this long, I’m not sure,
But it’s about time to accept and secure
The Liebster Award I was honored to get
From Carly of Carly Hearts Movies. No sweat!
And like the award I received the last time,
I’ll write my acceptance completely in rhyme!
At least that’s the plan.
Why? ‘Cause I can.

From my understanding, I answer some questions,
Eleven of my nominator’s suggestions,
And after I’m finished, I make my own quiz,
And task several more in the blogosphere biz
To answer each question, whatever it is.

Thus, here’s the eleven-count quiz Carly chose,
Along with my lyrical answers. Here goes!

 

Which director would you most want to have a beer with?

 

Although I don’t drink, I can see myself licking
A large chocolate milkshake and casually picking
The brain of the great Steven Spielberg, by name.
(You may not have heard of him, which is a shame.)
His film repertoire’s such a varied creation
That I’d like to ask where he finds inspiration.

 

Name three movies that every film student in college/university should watch if they’re serious about the medium. Explain your reasoning.

 

I may not be an expert in the art of making films
Since I mainly do analysis for fun,
And I tend to be turned off by strange, pretention-ridden films
Like the endlessly acclaimed 2001.

So with that little caveat, a film I would propose
Is Orson Welles’s great Citizen Kane.
From mirror shots and angles to foreshadowing exposed,
Its artistry and themes will never wane.

As far as moving drama goes, Shawshank Redemption reigns,
And with good reason, multitudes revere it.
Both audience and critic see how well it entertains
And renders something of the human spirit.

And lastly, I would be remiss if I did not include
All three of Peter Jackson’s trilogy
That brought Lord of the Rings to film with epic magnitude,
An adaptation everyone should see.

 

Who is one movie villain that you can’t help but love?

 

Captain Barbossa from Pirates might count,
Though “love” isn’t quite the right word.
One worth both hate and love in equal amount
Is Hook’s Captain Hook, my preferred.
Oh, Dustin Hoffman plays him perfectly,
With the swagger, the menace, the look,
And as he concludes, what would the world be
Like without the depraved Captain Hook?

Is there a movie generally considered bad that you love unironically?

 

I’m generally pretty soft on most movies,
Yes, even the ones mostly hated,
Like Spider-Man 3, Brother Bear, and the like,
But my fondness for one must be stated.

In 2006, High School Musical came out
When I was the perfect tween age.
I didn’t let lackluster acting detract
From the music, both on and off stage.

For all of the cheesiness born from the ‘80s
That people forgive and embrace,
This film and its sequels are my kind of candy,
Which critical flak can’t erase.

 

Name three actors of any gender you’d want as your sibling, best friend, and significant other.

 

This is a hard one, since actors on screen
Are rarely the same in real life, I have seen.
So I’ll be selecting the three you suggest
Based on the role that would fit them the best.

For sibling, I guess I can’t pick animation
(Tadashi from Big Hero 6 is temptation),
So maybe I’ll choose Ferris Bueller since, hey,
He’s the coolest at school, and if Jennifer Grey
Hadn’t been so resentful, she might have realized
That a brother with that much clout ought to be prized.

For best friend, the first that came on my radar
Is Ansel Elgort in The Fault in Our Stars.
As Gus, he’s the nicest guy you can believe
And lets his friends damage his trophies to grieve.

For girlfriend or wife, I’ve a crush, you can bet.
(Too bad Lindsey Stirling’s no actress, not yet.)
Winona Rider in her prime makes me wilt,
Like in How to Make an American Quilt.
In The Mummy films too, Rachel Weisz is on fire,
A heroine too lovely not to admire.

What category(ies) should they add to the Oscars? They can be as serious or nonsensical as you please.

 

Best Cameo could join its recognized brothers,
Though such roles mean more to some people than others.
While a prize for Best Remake would spawn even more,
Competitiveness could make quality soar,
Or
The main category I would like to add
Would be Best Soundtrack, which so many have had,
A collection of used unoriginal songs
With a judgment of each and how well each belongs.
Cameron Crowe, Tarantino, the Coens, and such
Excel with soundtracks, having done them so much.
Best Soundtrack could go to films Oscar ignores,
Like Elizabethtown, The Big Chill, or The Doors.

 

In 1,000 years, when paper money is a distant memory, how will we pay for goods and services? (Yes, I pulled this from Cards Against Humanity. Humor me here.)

 

We’ll probably go back to silver and gold,
The tangible money that people can hold,
But maybe
The world will be run by the digital token,
Earned by the hour and lost by laws broken,
And tokens in people all over the globe
Could be stored in a chip in the temporal lobe
Of the brain, which is linked to a scan in your eye
So that you could look closely at something and buy.
Then the chip in your brain, with the power of thought,
Would transfer the digital tokens you’ve got.
Then again maybe not.

 

Tell me about an advertisement you absolutely hate and makes you immediately change the channel. It can be a commercial, infomercial, or PSA.

 

Cialis ads of ill repute
Are cured by buttons labeled “Mute.”

 

Do you have a favorite meme?

One does not simply single out memes.
There must be “over 9000”, it seems,
From “This is Sparta!” to Rick Astley’s roll,
From O RLY owls to the face of a troll,
From Hitler in Downfall creating a fuss
And “All your base are belong to us,”
To cute feline photos, both grumpy and shy,
And notes that remind us “the cake is a lie.”
I could keep on but for the “arrow in my knee.”
So shut up and take my poetry!
(For those who don’t know what this poem even meant,
Look it up! It’s then cooler by 20%.)

 

You can talk to animals but only one kind of animal. What is it?

 

I’d love to converse with a cat,
The one critter in my habitat,
Though I fear she’d grow bored
And just leave me ignored,
Even with the new option to chat.

 

Your non-dominant hand has been replaced with a rubber stamp. What does it say?

 

A strange question indeed.
(How’d it happen, I wonder?)
The one thing I’d need
If my hand was asunder
Is my signature.
I’d then rest my good hand,
When signings occur
For that novel I’ve planned.
If I had to be lame,
I’d at least stamp my name.

________________________

 

So now that I am finished with this fun new waste of time,
I suppose I should apologize to those who dislike rhyme.
You’re welcome.
And now my nominations, blogs deserving likes and fame,
Though most of them most likely have some Liebsters to their name.
You’re welcome to take part or not in something that, I guess,
Is a glorified chain letter that can be fun nonetheless.

 

Nominees:
MovieRob
Cinema Parrot Disco
Movie Reviews 101
Alex Raphael
A Fistful of Films
Emmakwall (explains it all)
Abbi Osbiston
Vinnieh
Damien Riley
54 Disney Reviews

 

Questions:

 

1. If any franchise could be revived with a truly awesome sequel, what would you choose?
2. What book would you most like to see adapted to screen? (It will probably happen eventually.)
3. If you were stranded on Mars like Matt Damon, what five movies would you most want on hand?
4. If you were stranded on Mars like Matt Damon, what would your preferred music playlist look like?
5. If you could wink any three films out of existence, what would they be?
6. What play or musical do you wish would be adapted to screen?
7. Who do you consider the best actor of all time?
8. What’s your favorite poem?
9. What bad movie do you wish could have been good (and not in a “so bad it’s good” kind of way)?
10. Is there any Oscar year where you completely agree with the Academy’s choices?
11. What movie do you most wish you could have seen as a kid?

 

Again, thanks to Carly for thinking of me,
And blessings and good luck to each nominee.

 

The Creative Blogger Award…in Verse!

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To James Haseltine back at Back to the Viewer,
I must extend thanks in accord
With the fact that he’s offered to little ole me
My first ever blogging award!

When I first began this here film review site,
I thought that my summary rhymes
Would set it apart from the bloggers who write
On films they’ve seen hundreds of times.

I may not be Longfellow or Dr. Seuss,
But I thought it only made sense
For me to accept this award as excuse
To rhyme at my readers’ expense!

 
The Rules:

From what I have heard and what I understand,
The rules are suggestions and not a demand,
But I am to offer five facts about me
And nominate five other bloggers (you’ll see),
Who then can accept with no need to explain
Or else can continue the nominee chain,
Until every blog with creative creators
Can show off this prize to the infrequent haters.

 
Stuff about Me:

 
1.  Besides the facts that all can see
(Did you know I write poetry?),
I’ll mention that I’m now attending college, going slow.
One class a season takes a while,
But slowly goes the measured mile.
A job in Web Design is calling once there’s more I know.

2.  I used to run a hot dog cart
And worked at it with eager start.
At Hot Dog University, Chicago taught me lots.
A shame it didn’t last for long,
Two months since business wasn’t strong,
But still it gave me insight into mobile food hotspots.
I do still get a kick at parts
Of films that feature hot dog carts.
Most films in New York City have one somewhere in the plot,
Like once in The Avengers where a Sabrett comes to naught.

3.  My favorite film that always sings
Is Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings.
I’m fairly good at imitating Gollum’s raspy sneer.
In his first scene, he croaks a threat,
“They’re thieves! They’re thieves!”, and you can bet
That I’ll be sneering out his lines whenever I am near.

4.  I’m known for, on a frequent basis,
Fitting things in tiny places;
Dishwashers and puzzles never stand a chance with me.
Some may think this talent banal,
Or perhaps I’m simply anal.
I prefer to think I’m thorough, wouldn’t you agree?

5.  Of dogs, I’m not the biggest fan;
To me, a better friend of man
Is cats, who never need a walk or slobber, growl, or bark.
I’ve got a sweet feline instead,
The cutest little quadruped
Who can be slightly less cute when her eyes glow in the dark.

My nominees:

These are the bloggers that I nominate;
I’d not be surprised if the five that I state
Already possessed this award, or had eight!

1.  A movie connoisseur to rival any blogger you can find,
MovieRob’s most likely seen more films than you and I combined.
While anime and horror movies aren’t his chosen cup of tea,
It seems there is no limit to the movies (good and bad) he’ll see.
From blogathons to genre highs to yearly retrospective tens,
Rob is always staying active with his movie-blogging friends.

2.  Cinema Parrot Disco is the site where one can be impressed
At all the many musings of a Table 9 Mutant, self-professed.
Beyond reviews, Miss Mutant loves to love her 1980s roots
And dreams up lists of movie rugs and greatest cinematic fruits.

3.  Who doesn’t like red-headed Drew who operates Drew’s Movie Reviews?
From write-ups of films old and new to movie quotes that still amuse
To Fave Five lists all worth a view, Drew’s site was obvious to choose.

 
4.  If you have ever thought that the Academy just got it wrong,
Then head on to A Fistful of Films, where you may end up staying long.
There Andrew’s covering each year, both films you love or maybe missed; he’s
Listing, ranking, and presenting his own film awards, the Fistis.

 
5.  Movie Reviews 101 has genres as its backdrop, so
That maybe gives you some idea of just how many films he’ll know.
Reviews by Darren focus on each actor and component part,
Which helps to understand a film when good and bad are a la carte.
Opinion Battles bring together bloggers with their movie picks,
And countless other features help you satisfy your movie fix.

 
My thanks again to James for nominating me for this award.
(His own reviews are excellent so visit if you’re ever bored.)
I hope to keep appreciating film and poetry for years.
May all of you continue being you and stay creative! Cheers!