Monday Movie Meme - Walking the Walk!

Thanks to all who joined in on last week’s “Sisterhood of the World” celebration! The theme for this week’s Monday Movie Meme is inspired by The Swede, father of Tina Downey at Life is Good. The Swede exceeded his expected time in walking the longest loop in a “Walking the Walk” event for Parkinson’s Disease at one of their local parks.

To many, it might sound like an extraordinary accomplishment but the experience is nothing unusual for a man who spends his time doing what he does best -- living!

Having Parkinson’s does not keep him from participating in activities that he enjoys. The Swede remains an avid hiking and cycling man that you would likely also find skiing cross-country. He is the man behind the theme for this week’s Monday Movie Meme: Walking the Walk!

Share on your blog or in the comments section, movies featuring retirees or seniors who do not let aging and/or illness slow them down. The characters I’m referring to live vibrant lives and stand their ground in ways they believe are justified given their circumstances or position among people around them.

Here are my selections for this week’s Walking the Walk! theme.

The Aquadettes

An elderly woman named Margo takes back her freedom to enjoy life while managing the pain of Multiple Sclerosis in this 10 minute documentary, directed by Drea Cooper.

The use of medicinal marijuana allows Margo to participate in water stunts as a member of her retirement community’s synchronized swimming team.

Stay tuned for an interview with Cooper, to be posted as a part of my upcoming Couch Fest chats series. In the meantime, you can watch "The Aquadettes" movie on YouTube!

The Hangover: Part II

A vow of silence didn’t stop the elderly monk from partying with a group of drunken strangers in Bangkok, in this comedy directed by Todd Phillips. Maybe viewers can use this as a lesson that you don’t have to say much to have a good time.

The a benefit of silence lies in being able to refrain from saying something you might regret. Instead, you just sit back and watch other people make a fool of themselves with their silly -- sometimes unintelligible -- comments.

Throw Mama from the Train

The woman in this comedy movie, helmed by Stu Silver, may be a mean old lady but she holds her own. Momma’s take-no-prisoners approach toward her son Owen and his friend Larry is enabled by the fact that she is always the boss. That is...until she is shaken to her core!

What movies have YOU watched that include retired or elderly people who are still going strong and living life to their fullest?

The Woman who Made ‘Player Hating: A Love Story’ – A Prelude #indiefilm

In an upcoming interview that’s long overdue, I will be introducing you to Maggie Hadleigh-West, a film director who took several leaps of faith to capture the kind of stories that are not seen on your local morning (or evening) TV news shows.

Embarking on the documentary “Player Hating: A Love Story,” about a young hip-hop artist who has a record deal and plans to use his debut album as his ticket out of the projects, she risked her safety – and that of her interview subjects – to highlight the grim realities that some of us are privileged to not having ever experienced in our lifetimes.

On Maggie’s first day of production at the Brownsville Housing Projects, some neighborhood teenagers robbed her film crew – stealing their equipment and almost blowing her cameraman’s brains out with a 9mm pistol. When the rapper she was working with dropped out for safety reasons, her search for a new main character of the film led to the Albany Projects in the Crown Heights neighborhood, where lyricist Half-a-Mill (who was managed by a former NYPD detective) became the subject of this movie. Half’s protection by Brooklyn Bloods also extended to Maggie but she eventually obtained her own security while filming the rest of “Player Hating: A Love Story.”

Blood Sport, one of the founding members of the Crown Heights Chapter of the Brooklyn Bloods, was among Half’s many associates that Maggie came to know while making her movie. He lost his mother to homicide after she was raped and then thrown off of a building.

While many of us do not know what it’s like to lose a friend or loved one to such violent deaths, we all share the common grief and possibly even anger that accompanies the loss of anyone closest to us. We also know what it’s like to feel abandoned or less important to the entities that are supposed to serve and protect our communities. Yet, there is very little concern for the fires, gas leaks, missing persons and homicides that go unnoticed in the media headlines nationwide – probably due to a mentality of people not having to “deal” with the troubles that are present in what has become a melting pot for fear and hopelessness.

I have no idea how one would go about exploring, and even attempt to address, all of the issues that plague the poverty stricken areas of our nation but I’ve wondered -- how does a filmmaker -- any filmmaker -- literally put herself or himself in harm’s way for a labor of love that focuses on day-to-day realities that a lot of people prefer to avoid and/or even refuse to acknowledge? Maggie’s experiences in making “Player Hating: A Love Story” is just one example of the lengths that many filmmakers are willing to go to bring their work to fruition.  

As I try to scream and throw my hands up to rid the stress of finishing my own movie, I hope – for the sake of every filmmakers’ sanity and health, no matter where they are in the world -- it’s all worth the hassles in the end. Maggie is one of the filmmakers whose work is a reminder that some of the challenges that we face are not as bad as they seem to us at the moment. I mean, if you aren’t in a workplace or situation where it’s likely you will be shot at any given time (as Maggie and her associates were while making this movie), then chances are you’re doing just fine.

Stay tuned for an interview with one of the most daring women directors of our time!

*Also, tomorrow’s Monday Movie Meme will be posted in the evening.

Monday Movie Meme: The Sisterhood of Award Recipients

The theme for this week’s Monday Movie Meme is based on the kindness of my Road Trip partner, Tina Downey at Life is Good. Thanks to Tina, I received the “Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award.” It is given to 10-12 lovely lady friends of previous award recipients but I will pass the badge onto eight of the coolest blogger chicks I know because...well...I need to keep it as short and sweet as possible, ok?!

So, let's get down to business with the Monday Movie Meme theme: Badges of Honor.

Share on your blog or in the comments section, movies featuring people who receive awards in one or more scenes. The awards can be in any form (statue, certificate, medal, sash, crown, etc.) and can -- but do not have to necessarily -- result from competitions or contests.

Here are my selections for this week’s Badges of Honor theme, followed by the ladies to whom I’m passing the “Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award.”

The Fighter

 Different guys win prize money, titles, Championship belts and/or a combination of the three in this boxing movie about two brothers torn apart by greed, family quarrels and bad reputations. It stars Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale and Amy Adams.

Courage Under Fire

Army Lieutenant Serling (played by Denzel Washington) who fought in the Gulf War receives a Silver Star upon his return. He later heads an investigation that intends to qualify Army Captain Walden as the first woman in history to win a Medal of Honor for valor in combat. Two awards, one movie. Checkmate!

Troop Beverly Hills

A ritzy housewife leads her daughter’s Wilderness Girl scouting troop in a race to become recognized by their regional council -- that’s if a nearby competing troop doesn’t interfere with their progress. There is a trophy at the end and I won’t tell you who wins it, for it would spoil the plot of this movie. So, go on and watch it already....it’s cookie time!

Now, here are my eight “Sisterhood of the World Bloggers Award” recipients:

So much can be said about Angela Brown at Pursuit of Publishness that I know I’m not alone in the army of appreciation for her strides in the blogging world. When Angela is not publishing her own YA novellas and working on future stories, she uses any remaining free time to support the work of other authors while also raising the profile of blog posts, giveaways and other online happenings that might otherwise fall under the radar.

Sydney Aaliyah who shares Happiness, Passion, Love & Faith to those who care to welcome a healthy dose of her musings. She quotes the movies like a true cinemaniac while also letting you know that the stories behind tattoos, and the people who rock them, are often much different -- sometimes even more surprising, than we think.

I always look forward to getting my glimpses of overseas travel, life ponderings and positive vibes from Erika at Chimerikal. She has a lot of offer the world and is very supportive of those in her circle. Erika is honestly the one of the (few), if not the most, best things that came of the Blog Everyday in May Challenge and for that, I am grateful to have found a new blogging buddy.

Alana Garrigues at Writercize has good things cooking up in her box of writing tricks. She teaches us how to play with words in a way that’s fun and useful for build our mental strength and creativity.

In addition to being my fellow LAMB, Shala Thomas at Life Between Films spreads her love of indie cinema through film festival reviews, roundups, recommendations and artist spotlights.

Kristen Dyrr at Random Musings from the KristenHead is among those who make sure my blogging efforts aren’t done in vain. She re-started blogging with a bang after Posterous closed down and if I don’t say so myself, this fellow caretaker of felines (aside from having the A-to-Z and Blog Blitz in common, we’re both cat mommies) has done a great job of making her fresh start count with a growing network of friends, fans and followers. Go Kristen!

When you come across someone like Alison at AliOfftheMark, who tells it like it is -- or how she perceives it to be, you gotta appreciate the raw and uncensored material. Ali’s not one for sugar-coating things such as the awkwardness of teaching your toddlers how to refer to their “lady parts” and finding some normalcy and practicality in pay-by-the-hour hotels, she keeps it real.

Paula at Paula’s Place is one of the strongest women that I’ve had a chance to come across this year. Her life experiences could make for one heck of a memoir; Paula’s family should be proud of her compassion for people and the work she’s done as a health professional. I’m just glad to have the opportunity to check out what she contributes to the online space.

What movies have YOU watched that feature people receiving awards?