Neighbors from Hell and New Monday Movie Meme Visitors #atozchallenge #atoz

 

“Nightingale, sing us a song of a love that once belonged. Nightingale, tell me a tale. Was your journey far too long? All the voices that are spinnin’ around me trying to tell me what to say. Can I fly right behind you? And you can take me away”

“Nightingale” by Norah Jones is one of those songs that I tend to play if I want to fall asleep or relax after a long day. My mention of such habits are not meant to imply that this is a boring tune or less-than-entertaining track. It just packs a smooth sound with simple lyrics to make for one very calming retreat in the world of music. I am not quite sure if this song is about any one thing in particular -- it seems as though Norah Jones possibly made it up while looking out the window, staring at a bird. I could be wrong.

Either way, birds are interesting creatures -- or shall I say, they symbolize so many different things to us. One bird or a flock of them soaring through a clear and sunny sky could remind us of a new day ahead, where we can start fresh, knowing that with each new day lies great opportunity.

Today, my Monday Movie Meme co-host, Dale at Smurfin’ the Web is highlighting a band called Nightwish. While Dale continues to introduce us to some new music during in the A to Z Challenge, I’m using this time to give all of you who are new to The Madlab Post and/or new to the Monday Movie Meme a little glimpse into one of our previous meme topics that just so happens to start with the letter N.

Neighbors from Hell

Movies featuring neighbors who make you want to relocate or wish you never moved into a particular place of residency.

Read My List of the Worst Neighbors in Film

-and-

Read Smurfin’ the Web’s List of the Worst Neighbors in Film
 
Have YOU or anyone close to you ever been annoyed by a rude, nosey or inconsiderate neighbor?

If so, what was the experience like?

If not, how would YOU handle a neighbor from hell?

Stay tuned in here next week for a fresh installment of the Monday Movie Meme that I have brewing!
 

In the meantime, hop on over to Smurfin’ the Web and check out what the Smurfdok has been cookin’ up for the A to Z Challenge.

3 DIY Wedding Movie Party Games #saturday #atozchallenge #atoz #trivia #karaoke

 

“Maybe you might be more than just a one night lady. Maybe you might be matrimony trying to save me.”

“Matrimony: Maybe You” by Maxwell often delivers the necessarily relaxation that I’m seeking when I listen to this tune. Although it’s not among my top favorite Maxwell songs, I found the track to be appropriate for today’s post as the A to Z Challenge hits Letter M. I like this song for it’s smooth melody but the lyrics could use a little more variety because they tend to get repetitive after about one minute or so. Once the tune starts to play, it’s not unusual to start thinking about weddings, which got me wondering “what’s my favorite wedding movie?”

I don’t think I have one yet but for today, I’ll select “The Best Man” starring Taye Diggs and Nia Long, directed by Malcolm D. Lee. This movie is filled with lots of drama after an advance copy of one of the main characters’ autobiographical book titled Unfinished Business ends up in the wrongs hands.

Controversy and secrets brewing in a wedding party made up of childhood friends began to jeopardize relationships in the hours leading up to the big day. Inspired by the happenings in this romantic comedy-drama film, here are three wedding movie party games that I put together for you to play in celebration of your big day -- or someone else’s if you are in the wedding party or if you are among the happy in-laws.

The Battle of the Wedding Party: Groomsmen vs. Bridesmaids Games: 

1. Host a karaoke game of Groomsmen vs. Bridesmaids teams where each team sings songs from wedding movie soundtracks and the Bride and Groom serve as judges, scoring these performances. The team with the highest score by the judges, wins this game. You could also assemble an alternative judging panel made up of guests in attendance if this wedding movie party game is being played during an engagement party or wedding reception.

2. Host a trivia game where Bridesmaids and Groomsmen have to compete against each other by naming as many movies that contain any variation of "wedding," "marriage," "bride" or "groom" in the title as they can -- within 60 seconds. You can provide each team with notebook paper, posterboard or a large chalkboard to list their answers.

Give the Bridesmaids and Groomsmen one point for each correctly identified movie title that they list on their sheet. The group with the most points wins this movie trivia game. So, to keep in line with these rules, movies about weddings or marriages that do not contain any of the aforementioned words in the title, such as "27 Dresses" and "Fools Rush In" -- even my favorite flick “The Best Man,” perhaps, do not qualify as a point for any of the playing teams.

Just for spontaneous kicks, I’m putting a spin on the 2nd game for the sake of this post and challenge YOU to also name the wedding movie in the following photo -- right here, right now, in the comments section!

WEDDING MOVIE SCENE:

Movie Title: ______________________________

3. Host a reverse movie guessing game where both the Bridesmaid and Groomsmen teams perform short scenes from movies about marriage, weddings or relationships and the bride and groom have to guess the name of the movie. The key element here is the guests of honor are playing on behalf of their entire wedding party. So, if the bride guesses correctly, the bridesmaids team wins a point. If the groom guesses correctly, then the groomsmen team wins a point.

You can also mix this 3rd game up by placing the bride with the groomsmen and the groom with the bridesmaids -- but someone has to keep score, so designate a parent, friend or wedding planner to do so. This wedding movie guessing game is suitable to be played during an engagement party, since there are more choices for someone to keep score -- unless the wedding party is large. In cases of large wedding parties or circumstances where outside guests are not available, choose either the Maid of Honor or the Best Man to keep score.

Can YOU name the wedding movie depicted in the photo in this M blog post?

How many movies containing any variation of “wedding,” “bride” or “marriage” can YOU name within 60 seconds? Ready, set, go!

Also, which one of the three games mentioned here would YOU be likely to play if you were getting married or chosen as a member of someone's wedding party?

Love according to Hollywood #friday #atozchallenge #atoz #lovebomb

 

“I wanna love you, I wanna love and treat you right. I wanna love you every day and every night. We’ll be together, with a roof over our heads, to share the shelter in a single bed. Is this love, is this love, is this love, is this love that I’m feeling?”

“Is This Love” by Corinne Bailey Rae is one my favorite songs to listen to -- many of you might be surprised to learn that I didn’t like Rae’s music when she first came out. Now, I can’t get enough of her. Excuse me as my letter alignment gets a little funky as the A to Z Challenge progresses. I also chose “Lovegame” by Lady Gaga as an honorable mention and while Gaga fits the L letter of the day appropriately, I don’t listen to that particular tune as much as Rae’s track, so the slow song wins over the frisky one.

It’s interesting how we find ourselves asking if we’re in love or wondering whether we know what it is -- what it looks like, what it feels like. Maybe it’s a gesture such as writing a whole bunch of letters to one’s significant other to help him or her cope with loss or serve as a reminder to smile, such as what makes up the storyline in “P.S. I Love You” starring Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler. This movie has been sitting in my Netflix queue for some time and I tried to watch it at the last minute before writing this post -- until I found out that it’s not available for streaming.

So, I’ve compiled some quotes on love from film actresses, as I wait for this DVD to arrive. Here they are for your reading pleasure if you want to share them with fellow guests at a bridal shower, bachelorette party, afternoon tea or even Thanksgiving. These quotes on love could make for some great conversation starters -- especially since everyone tends to have clashing views on the subject.

"I don't need someone to make me whole" - Hayden Panettiere (Remember the Titans; Scream 4) on the best relationship advice she’s ever received. (Cosmopolitan Magazine, 2008)

"I was never one of those girls who dreamt of my wedding and Prince Charming....To piss my mom off, I used to say ‘I’m never having kids I'm going to be be a fabulously rich old maid with cute butlers and dogs’ " - Jessica Biel (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, The A-Team) on having kids and her relationship with Justin Timberlake. (Elle Magazine, December 2011)

"You have to give love your all, and if it doesn’t work out, he wasn’t your man...Now that I’m actually in a healthy relationship, I know that what came before wasn’t real" - Ali Larter (Resident Evil: Extinction; Legally Blonde) on romance. (Cosmopolitan Magazine, 2007)

Also, since March, I’ve been participating in a group called Love Bomb, which sends out weekly missions for members to spend 5 minutes each week sending words of encouragement, hope or simple kindness to people who may need an extra ray of sunshine during a hardship. These Love Bombs are done in the form of comments on the person’s blog or a blog operating on his or her behalf.

The Love Bomb recipients are everyday people like you and I such as a woman named Susan, whose stroke affected 2 arteries in her brain and there were many loving messages sent to her -- I sent one to her, myself. Unfortunately, she passed away within days but those messages are still there and can hopefully comfort her family.

Another memorable Love Bomb that I participated in was sending support to a budding California based photographer named Kim who lost her best friend Jenn to suicide in mid-February. After some dark days filled with sadness, Kim wrote a new blog post expressing her gratitude for all of the love and support, as well as providing an update on her efforts to get back into the swing of things -- enjoying the outdoors and soaking up the sunshine, trying to live her best life!

While I never thought that I could squeeze out any extra time in my day for something that may seem so trivial on the surface, participating in the Love Bomb missions reminded me of how powerful genuine love or caring can be -- even when it comes from strangers, but ESPECIALLY when it comes from a close friend or family member. Therefore, it’s five minutes well spent, in my book!

If you haven’t already, check out the Love Lessons from Leonardo DiCaprio!

Did YOU see “P.S. I Love You” in theaters or on DVD? If so, how would you rate it on a scale of 1 to 10?

Do YOU agree or disagree with what these actresses had to say regarding love and/or romance?

How do YOU know when you’re in love?