No More Shoving Leonardo DiCaprio Down Your Throat.... #NaBloPoMo

We may have selected the wrong King Dong this month because as it turns out, actor Leonardo DiCaprio hates being called hunk or babe of the month according to IMDB. Then again, he was nominated by people who may not only like his looks but also enjoy his movies as well so it should be just fine to let the fans celebrate their favorite actor and everything that they like about him.

DiCaprio’s position on this and strong feelings about not wanting to “be part of this meat factory” is understandable, so does this mean that movie goers should not find him attractive and concern themselves with the on-screen performances and these performances only?

Leonardo DiCaprio is hot but is there something to this particular pet peeve of his that more of us should take into consideration before highlighting one’s, um, physical package? Do movie fans sexualize, fantasize about and romanticize actors too much?

Wait a minute. I started feeling guilty when reading DiCaprio’s quote about not wanting to be labeled as a “hunk” and then realized that the Madlab Post doesn’t contribute to the meat factory, relatively speaking. Previous posts centered on him included a variety of non sexual topics such as him being wooed for Clint Eastwood’s new film, his work off of the film set to save endangered species and even how he taught me lessons on love.

Sure, he is the "Babe of the Month" but it's more of a babe of the month with a purpose. The Madlab Post’s King Dong series has become more than a meat factory, no pun intended. However, if crowning Leonardo DiCaprio as such means that I am shoving him down the throat of my blog readers, then this will stop now. No more shoving Leo down your throat......at least until next weekend when he may (or may not, since people still need to vote) retire on the thrown so another male celebrity can take his place.

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Pros and Cons of Midnight Movie Showings #GBE2 #NaBloPoMo #NowPlaying #atthemovies

Movie showtimes that are scheduled to take place at midnight are among the most populated screenings during opening weekend and beyond. This can be one of the greatest experiences ever for movie going audiences or one of the worst because there are advantages and drawbacks to attending these screenings. Here are pros and cons of midnight movie showings to consider when purchasing your next ticket at the box office.

The Pros of Midnight Movie Showings
1. Large groups of people who are mentally, physically and emotionally invested in a particular picture may share similar reactions to what is happening on the big screen. They laugh, cry, cheer, scare and get angry together, which creates a more communal experience. Therefore, people who camped out and went to see “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2” at midnight when it was released on July 15th likely had more fun watching the movie than a group of people who went to an afternoon show surrounded by people who are only there to get their kids, spouses and/or friends to stop nagging them about watching the movie.

2. Lots of new movies are often released at midnight, giving early audiences an opportunity to see them before everybody else in the town. This can be an advantage for everyone from office employees who want to brag at the water cooler about being among the first to see a film to students or parents who have a busy schedule an want to get a showing in as quickly as possible so they can get on with their upcoming day.

3. Going to see a movie that is released at midnight helps to eliminate the possibility of someone spoiling the plot during and after opening weekend. Learning about a crucial plot point in a movie that one plans to go see is no fun and ruins the anticipation for many, if not all movie going audiences. Someone will either decide to not go see the movie at all, which lowers the film’s box office gross or the person will go see it anyway but the experience will never be the same since another person who attended an earlier screening spilled the beans about the plot.

The Cons of Midnight Movie Showings
4. A college student that I consulted with about this blog post told me about a frustrating experience of going to see “Twilight: New Moon” at midnight. She had a difficult time enjoying the movie because fellow fans at this midnight movie screening were so excited that they were talking as it played on the big screen. The point of going to a theater is to watch the movie being shown, not to discuss what is happening or what you think is going to happen in later scenes.

5. Poor theater choices for midnight movie showings can sometimes result in audience members wishing that they waited until the daytime or after opening weekend has passed to see a film. This is because some movie theaters attract rowdy, ignorant and violent audiences that are inconsiderate of others. Movie goers who attend midnight screenings at low quality theaters are more likely to endure cell phone conversations, crying babies, kiddie pranks, fights and other nuisances that do not take place at theater locations where the audience is more mature, reserved and respectful of one another and the venue’s policies.

6. Having to stay up and awake late at night is one of the disadvantages of attending midnight movie showings. Many audience members do not enjoy staying up until 3:00 in the morning and then driving all the way home, even if the movie that they watched was enjoyable. So while going to see a movie at midnight may seem exciting at first, the experience becomes less enjoyable after the night has wound down and people realize that they have to get up in a few hours to go to work, church, school, run errands or complete other tasks. Their responsibilities need to be completed, despite the fact that they are running on only a few hours of sleep.....if they slept at all when returning home from a midnight movie showing.

What Pros or Cons of midnight movie showings would YOU add to this list?

Photo courtesy of Bonita Sarita

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As the 31 Day July Challenge Continues..... #NaBloPoMo #HeckYeah

The heat is still making it very uncomfortable in the city, especially since humidity is high as well. This is not a fun experience and makes for a very hot and miserable summer where one does not want to do anything more than sip on some ice cold water and lay in the shade.

Earlier today, I started to watch David Lynch’s “Island Empire” but I just could not get into this strange movie, so I turned it off in favor of watching “The Local” on DVD instead. The nearly 3-hour running time of “Island Empire” didn’t help either but “The Local” was a refreshing change of scenery.

As July is coming to a close, I’m going to be completing more questions from Heck Yeah’s 31 Day July Challenge. Here is where it continues.
13. Do you have any summer traditions? If so, what are they?
No, I do not have any summer traditions unless wearing more jeans than shorts and skirts counts.

14. Do you have any summer goals? If so, how are they coming along?
Yes, the summer goals I have are to upgrade my blog and to at least raise production funds for a feature film that I’ll have to wait to make next year while also being able to learn more about Leonardo DiCaprio’s Save Tigers Now campaign. Oh, and one of my new summer goals is to find a livable space that has air conditioning, since I’ve been without air conditioning for more than several months now and it’s weighing on my ability to work, sleep and complete everyday tasks around the home.

Most of my summer goals this year seem to be coming along okay except for the air conditioning and lodging issue. I am currently lacking peace and comfort and hope to find it before the end of the summer.

15. If you could do one thing everyday of summer, what would it be?
Show my movies to a new audience in different places around the country, in a theatrical or microcinema type of setting.

16. How often do you pull all nighters? What do you do during these sleepless nights?
Very often because I have too much to work on and nit enough time to do it all and also because I have trouble sleeping. During these sleepless nights, I wish that I could be sleeping....duh!

17. Do you have a summer reading list? How far along are you on it?
No, I do not have a summer reading list. I planned to focus on moviemaking this year and art and I rarely have a reading list because I just read as I go along. The last book I read was probably Crush It or He’s Just Not That into You and these books were read during the Spring, so I guess they don’t count. I don’t remember.

18. Summer time is a popular time for movies to come out. Have you seen any of them at midnight?
No, I haven’t seen any movies at midnight this summer, although I wish that I saw Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 at midnight when it was released last week.

19. Have you gone to any concerts or shows this summer?
No, I have not gone to any concerts or shows this summer.

20. Who do you spend all of your time with?
I spend all of my time with computers, my iPod and my cell phone. Oh, they aren’t a “who” but that is all I have at the moment.

21. How much time do you spend with your family?
This summer, I spend too much damn time with my family. I wish I could spend more time with my friends.

22. Have you met anybody famous?
No, I have not met anybody famous this summer aside from maybe the director, cast and crews involved with “The Casserole Club,” although I am not sure if they would call themselves famous. Some may and some may not....I guess it all depends on who you ask. If this question is referring to somebody like Justin Bieber or Lady Gaga or whoever, then no, I have not met anybody famous. So, my answer is yes and no depending on each and every person’s interpretation of the term “famous” on their own :)

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