What are some Memorable Payback Movies?

If you’ve been reading this blog for some time now, you know by now that it’s time for another installment of the Monday Movie Meme, hosted by yours truly and Dale at Smurfin’ the Web. Last week, Dale had us focused on reading -- sorta, in film. Today, it’s my turn and this week’s theme is: The Big Payback. Share on your blog movies that feature characters who are out for revenge. Here are my selections for this week’s Monday Movie Meme.

Double Jeopardy

In Ashley Judd’s case, justice didn’t come in the form of jail time, fines or an expunged record. Judd plays a woman named Libby who is framed for her husband’s murder. Do not judge a scorned wife and mother who sets out to track down and kill another human being -- especially if the she already served time for said crime. I mean, what are you going to tell her? Something like “You could get arrested and go to jail for this!” -- Nope! A warning like that just won’t work and it shouldn’t, after an innocent person is imprisoned while the jerk that is assumed to be dead is sitting pretty somewhere, living a brand new life, worry free. C’mon now. Something’s gotta give here.

Gladiator

Oh, Commodous! What do you do when daddy, the emperor, reveals his plans to make an Army general his successor on the throne? Ooooh, I know. You kill daddyo, steal the ruling position for yourself and then make an even worse enemy out of the man you envy, by making him a slave to fight in deadly battles for your entertainment. The thing is -- who gets the last laugh in this situation? Whatever jealousy you hold and immature tactics to be the big man on campus -- or Rome, in this case, is no match for the wrath of a man whose wife and son you are responsible for murdering. The revenge in “Gladiator” is bittersweet but at the end of the day, Maximus is justified in his actions -- for that time period, at least.

A Time to Kill

Many people could probably understand how a father can get up the nerve to find and kill the men who raped and tried to hang his young daughter -- unless your a black man living in Mississippi, AND the brother of one of the men you murdered has ties to the KKK. This movie shows revenge on all sides of the table. Samuel Jackson’s character, Carl wanted to avenge his daughter’s suffering and the townspeople wanted to make him pay for murdering their good ol’ neighbors, family members and friends. I mean, how dare he kill these men?! Who does he think he is? Now, would have the same position if there was a murder trial where Carl’s daughter was killed and the men who did it were up on trial? Probably not.

Changing Lanes

Ben Affleck plays a lawyer named Gavin who bankrupt’s a recovering alcoholic named Doyle, after a road accident involving these two guys leads Gavin to lose important legal documents that could cause his firm to lose a major case. This leads to a string of back-and-forth acts of sabotage that causes both characters to not only lose their cool but also ruin their personal relationships. Gavin leaves Doyle threatening messages on the telephone, Doyle removes the wheels from Gavin’s car -- it’s a big ol’ mess.

I had another movie in mind, but I totally forgot what it was, so this is it.

What revenge movies come to YOUR mind?

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My Favorite Movies Featuring Books in the Story #meme

It’s a Cyber somber Monday...nothing like a funeral in the morning to get the week started off on a pretty depressing note. Thank goodness that it’s Dale’s week at Smurfin’ the Web, to host the Monday Movie Meme and he has made it all about the story. Isn't this what life is about anyway...what you're story is going to be? Dale says to share your favorite movies that feature a book in the story, not movies based on books. Here are my selections for this week's "book in the story" meme.

The Answer Man

Jeff Daniels and Lauren Graham (of the WB’s “Gilmore Girls” and currently of NBC’s “Parenthood” star in this romantic comedy about a reclusive author who wrote a best-selling book called Me and God. His life changes in unexpected ways after he starts dating his chiropractor and well, things don’t turn out so well when everyone in the world shows up at the doorstep, seeking help with their problems or curiosities that range from the very serious and spiritual to the oh-so mundane.

Well, what did you expect after writing and publishing a book about your close relationship with God? Of course, everyone in the world...or at least enough to fill up several football fields will show up, wanting answers, wanting the hookup with the lord and wanting solutions since you have the direct connection to the all mighty one, and all!

Seven

Ok, if you don’t know how this movie fits, stay with me for a minute. The serial killer that Brad Pitts’ and Morgan Freemans’ characters are investigating commits his murders based on the seven deadly sins. Where are these sins found? In the Bible. So, that’s a book. There you go! By the way...I still haven’t gotten up the balls to watch this movie in it’s entirety but it’s on my to-do list. Everything about this film is just too creepy.

The Book of Eli

It’s post-apocalyptic story takes Denzel Washington’s character on a long journey to keep a sacred book out of the hands of those who want to use it for their own greed or ill intentions. He fights his way through the battle of a lifetime while trying to stay true to his mission. This movie, in particular has me thinking about the many books we buy and keep in our libraries or small book collections and whether they are worth fighting for.

The founder of Couchfest films said that he would get in a bar brawl for any of the films that were selected for his film festival this year....can you say the same thing for the books in your possession? Are they good enough to fight for? Are they worth going to the depths of the earth and encountering all sorts of challenges for their protection and preservation for the next generation or the fellow men you encounter today? If not, then why are you keeping them?.....just something to think about!

Since I think I may have used one or more, or all of these films in a previous meme, I'm really going to have to take a friend of mine's advice and step my movie game up, fast!

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Films that Scream No-Bon-Appetit for You! #thanksgiving #movies #foodies

In just a few days, some people will most likely devour food that they otherwise would not eat, all for the sake of being polite to the chef or an entire host family, making for an awkward and pretty brutal way to have to celebrate the holidays.

What’s worse about this picture is that there are cooks in this world who expect everyone to eat the turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, yams, macaroni and cheese, mashed potatoes and gravy, ham, apple pie and everything else that is served up on their Thanksgiving day dinner table. That is nuts and I’ll tell you something else....whoever does this is nuts.

I mean, everyone doesn’t like turkey or stuffing or cranberry sauce or yams or macaroni and cheese or mashed potatoes and gravy or ham or apple pie, so why should they be expected to eat these things just because you made it? I feel sorry for kids, since the little ones are forced to deal with this nonsense often and it gets worse during holidays. That brings me to this week’s Monday Movie Meme topic: What’s for Dinner?

Share on your blog movies that feature crazy cooks. The characters in these films may be able to whip up a good feast but they are either wackos in one way or another...or they do wacky things.

Dale over at Smurfin the Web had us on a sweet vacation tip last week. As it’s my turn to host the meme this week, I’m inviting you all to take a closer look at food in the movies. Not what’s on the plate, but who’s behind the dish! Here are my selections for movies that feature crazy cooks.

The Casserole Club

What started as a fun way to get friends and neighbors together for some good ol’ socializing over dinner turned into a battle of the casseroles that became less about the food and more about hiding secrets, playing naughty games and swapping spouses behind closed doors....and sometimes out in the open...poolside, as a matter of fact. It’s the kind of movie where you’d probably wish you were invited over for Thanksgiving dinner, if only for just one year, to find out if you would either fit in and have a blast OR if you would be very uncomfortable and clearly out of place.

Do the Right Thing

Most chefs wave cooking utensils such as a spatula in their hand. Sal, the pizza man waves a baseball bat in his hand. Unless he’s using it to roll dough for an 18 inch pepperoni pie, the bat makes him look like “crazy joe clark” from “Lean on Me.” Sal is one cook that you do not want to offend nor catch him on the wrong day when he’s in a bad mood.

Sex and the City: The Movie

Samantha made sushi for Smith and then threw it at him when he came home later than expected on Valentine’s Day. Prior to that, she was laying on a dining room table naked with his meal on her body. So, not only is she missing some table manners (hello! grown ups...wait...civilized grown-ups don’t throw food at people) but she’s also unsanitary. I get that this was a special one-on-one meal but since Samantha doesn’t usually cook, whose to say that she won’t be serving up food to her guests this way in the future? Um, I’ll have my seafood without the extra butt crack, please.

House Party 3

Showboat’s toe jam cracker leaves much to be desired, yet it’s not easy to figure out which one takes the cake....his nasty cracker spread or the prison inmates that catered Kid’s bachelor party with butcher knifes in hand while addressing the hungry guests. Master chefs? I think not.

What are some of the craziest cooks YOU’ve watched in a movie?

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