Movies and the Lucky 7

I’m traveling a different path with this blog as I discuss movies and the Lucky 7 (which I’ll explain later). How do they relate? They don’t!

Bear with me, and we’ll have a little fun.

The movie experience

A fellow writer in our Facebook writing group recently posted a blog about how going to the movies was a cruddy experience and that no movies are worth seeing anyway.

I respectfully disagree.

Every Friday night, my hubby and I put on our sweats or jeans and tennis shoes, put our dogs in charge of the house (yes, we let them use weapons!) and head for the movies. I have to admit that my husband and I are both workaholics in our chosen fields, so this Friday night ritual is more than entertainment – it’s a rite of passage into the weekend.

Sitting in the plush, comfortable seats of our favorite theatre with a big bag of delicious popcorn and our cold drinks, we allow our minds to relax and refresh as we totally engage in another world for that brief stretch of time.

I’m the emotional, sensitive type, so I go through the whole gamut of emotions as I munch and crunch my once-a-week popcorn splurge.  I laugh, cry, expect, worry, hope. I sit on the edge of my seat to aid the good guy in his pursuit of justice. I inwardly cheer when a parent understands, a love is reunited, a boy defeats a bad villain, a girl finds her long-lost mother, a country is saved, an evil plan is thwarted.

Sometimes, I lean over and whisper the next line to my hubby. He whispers, “How did you know that?” I whisper back, “I’m a writer.”

It feels wonderful to guess exactly what the screenwriters will “say” next. Try it sometime – you’ll like it!

When hubby and I are not pleased with the ending of a film, we spend many happy moments on the way home discussing how it could have been written differently to give x, y, or z results. That’s better than medicine for a writer’s soul, let me tell you!

I admit that not all movies are worth seeing.  

We’re very selective about the content and intent of what we feed our brains. Additionally, we cringe at some of the trash movies we see adults taking their young children, pre-teens and teens to watch. I feel sorry for those young minds and spirits having to absorb garbage that isn’t productive or positive. End of subject.

People at the Movies

My fellow writer I mentioned earlier said babies cry and people leave their cell phones on and it’s just a generally awful experience in the movie theatre itself. Again, I disagree.

It has been years since I’ve heard a cell phone ring or a baby cry during a movie. Once, a baby started fussing, and the mom immediately took the baby out of the auditorium. End of problem. One time, I forgot to turn my phone off and it rang! I almost died of mortification, but people turned to me and smiled. They understood. No big deal. Hey, we’re out to have fun, not get our rears tied in a knot.

Popcorn

If the popcorn is lousy, I’m not going back. A theatre chain that rhymes with “shave” used to be our favorite, until they started serving popcorn that tasted like cereal. Put it in a bowl, add milk and sugar and you could have breakfast with that dry, tasteless stuff.

To make matters worse, they cut out providing *free* Kernel Season’s Popcorn Seasoning (White Cheddar is to die for), or even making it available to buy in the itty bitty shakers. Big mistake. With so many choices available, why would a business go backward in providing the best for their customers? Mind-boggling.

You knew it was coming:  For whatever reasons…Jodi Lea Stewart’s humble list of favorite movies for 2011.

  • The Iron Lady (what can I say? It’s Meryl Streep in a fascinating role)
  • Water for Elephants (almost as good as the book – rare, indeed)
  • Moneyball (Brad’s best)
  • Soul Surfer (most inspirational)
  • Sherlock Holmes 2 (lots of sleight-of-hand fun)
  • Hugo Cabret (amazingly imaginative)
  • Larry Crowne (Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts? I’m there)
  • The Ides of March (makes you wish we could have government without politicians)
  • Captain America (standing up for mom, apple pie, and the American way!)
  • Real Steel (you’ll cheer at the end)
  • The Help (fab, except for the pie thing…should have just added ex-lax)
  • Thor (Chris Hemsworth is just so…so…well, anyway)
  • Tower Heist (stupid, corny and makes you laugh)
  • Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas – enough said.)
  • Limitless (if you read my blog about Squeeze, this guy got into it and added steroids!)
  • The Lincoln Lawyer (more Matthew McConaughey movies, please)

What is Lucky 7?

Lucky 7 is a little tornado that blew into our WANA112 writing group recently.

Here are the rules of the game:

1. Go to page 77 of your current MS/WIP
2. Go to line 7
3. Copy down the next 7 lines, sentences, or paragraphs, and post them as they’re written.
4. Tag 7 authors, and let them know.

If you don’t yet have 77 pages of your current work in progress completed, just choose the first seven sentences.

I’m tagging my authors first. Only one author is in our writing group, but that adds a nice bit of seasoning – sort of how Kernel season’s White Cheddar seasoning livens up popcorn, you know?

Nikki McCormack, Kristen Lamb, J.r. Sanders, Chris Eboch, Carol Buchanan, Sue Cauhape, Dutch Henry

Here are the nine (shh!) seven sentences from my current Work in Progress: Silki, the Girl of Many Scarves: CANYON OF DOOM

A shaky sigh rose from my stomach and leaked out as a sob.

“Stop bawling!” Talastic ordered, frowning at me like I had two heads. Her scowl dissolved into quivers. “I don’t want to live, Silki…I just…”

She closed her eyes. Teardrops pushed past her eyelashes and raced down her dirty cheeks. Her whole body shook as she shrieked and pounded the ground with her fists. I stared at the sky so Talastic and her sorrow could be alone.

Would her outburst cleanse her soul of its torment?

So there you have it – my blog featuring two very different subjects that purposely don’t tie into each other. I had oodles of fun, and I hope you did, too.

 

Arrow

 

Of course, a visit isn’t a visit without a two-way conversation. I know you’ll have lots to say after reading  our seven tagged authors’ Lucky 7 lines, so fire away!

I truly hope you’ll pick up a copy of my novel Silki, the Girl of Many Scarves: SUMMER OF THE ANCIENT. The print version is on sale at Amazon for only $11.21!!! For your convenience, it’s also available for Kindle, the Nook and for most other eBook readers. If you love the Southwest and kooky little characters that make you laugh aloud as authentic danger and mystery swirl at every turn, you’ll love this novel! The second book in the series, CANYON OF DOOM, debuts in early 2013.

While you’re here, please have a look around my website. To sign up to receive notices of my new blogs, recipes, appearances and media news, just leave your email address above. I’ll take care of the rest. Y’all come back soon … I miss you already!

 

25 thoughts on “Movies and the Lucky 7

  1. What a fun post! I love the book Water for Elephants but I don’t know if I could watch the bit where they hurt the elephant. Is that bit glossed over?

    I love your excerpt Jodi, and thanks for telling us about your book. I’ve put it straight on the TBR list.

    • Well, thank you, Catherine. I’m honored to have made your TBR list!

      Yes, the part about hurting the elephant is hard to take, but they don’t dwell on it. They can’t – too many animal lovers these days, right? And, as you know, justice is served in the end, albeit, a bit differently than in the book. I prefer the book, but the movie sure isn’t bad.

    • So glad you liked my Canyon of Doom lines, Mike. I’m excited when I get to share Silki with my friends. Makes me all warm and cozy, and I’ll bet you know exactly what I mean! Oh, and thanks for the compliment on the cover. Lots of thought went into it…and we’re happy with how it turned out. Come back often, okay? I’ll leave the light on…

  2. You had me laughing from the “How do they relate. They don’t.” Because when Silki hits the big screen and Wes Studi becomes the father of your baby, er … protagonist – look how nicely it all relates 😀

    Enjoyed your Lucky 7 lines and now I’m wondering what’s tormenting Talastic’s soul? If Silki was a TV series, that was the season-ending episode … to be continued in early 2013. WAAAAAA! *pounding ground with fists*

    • You had me smiling from your first line, Elaine! And laughing. And feeling proud that you are looking forward to Silki, the Girl of Many Scarves: Canyon of Doom in early 2013. I’ll see if I can hurry things up, okay? Your visits mean a lot to me, girl. Thank you.

  3. I loved your lucky 7 lines, and I couldn’t agree with you more about movies. (and popcorn!) I love movies . I don’t get to go to them as often as I’d like… *sigh* great post, Jodi!

    • Just show me the person I need to speak to about your low-time-for-movies syndrome, and I’ll give them a piece of my mind, Laird! You need those movies. They need you. Popcorn is popping and spilling out over the lid. Cold drinks are bubbling in the cup. Candy is calling from the counter…now put on those sneakers and get out of that house! 😀

  4. Clever how you combined movies and writing…
    I haven’t seen all on your movie list, but I loved Lincoln Lawyer, Water for Elephants and The Help. DH and I have our Friday movie date night too. Even it it’s a Neflix oldie. Those theatre trips can get expensive with the popcorn, tickets and coke. LOL
    Your sentences have me wondering what’s tormenting poor Talastic. I’m going to add CANYON OF DOOM to my watch-for list.
    Great Post, Jodi

    • Weren’t those great movies, Judy? I’m ready for more just like them. And like War Horse, Red Tails and Act of Valor and …

      I’m burning up my keyboard to finish Canyon of Doom! Thanks for visiting!

  5. Great and fun post, Jodi … Thanks for including me … You had me chucklin’. …

    Okay, here is my lines … Hope ya like ’em :)

    She sat with her knees pulled to her chin, hugging her legs watching Hero leisurely pick at his hay. For ten years he had been her partner. Exactly nine years longer than she’d been married. She clucked. His head popped up. She clucked again. He came to her. She reached up, grasped his forelock and gently pulled his head down so she could hug his neck. She buried her face in Hero’s mane. Then the real tears started.

  6. Thanks for counting me in, Jodi. Here are my 7 lines:

    He was an immigrant, born in the Breage parish of west Cornwall in 1844. As a young man Humphrey R. Symons had come to Gold Hill, Nevada. Spitting distance from Virginia City and smack in the heart of the Comstock Lode, Gold Hill was described as “the personification of a wild young rip-roaring frontier mining camp.” “Cornish Jacks” settling in the States gravitated to mining regions. With skills forged in the copper and tin mines of their home country, they found ready work in the mines and stamp mills. Brutal, hazardous work, its main product was ore and its byproduct was widows and orphans. For a time, Symons worked the rich gold and silver mines, but he ended up on what likely seemed a safer career path; he became a police officer in Gold Hill.

    • Hi, J.R! Two of your lines really rocked my boat: 1) Brutal, hazardous work, its main product was ore, and its byproduct was widows and orphans. 2) For a time, Symons worked the rich gold and silver mines, but he ended up on what likely seemed a safer career path; he became a police officer in Gold Hill.

      Good stuff! Thank you for sharing, and I truly hope you come back more often. I’ll put the beans on the burner, so y’all come!

  7. Loved your 7 lines, Jodi! Fabulous writing! I also enjoyed your write up about movies and going to the theater. When I get the chance to go, I so love being completely absorbed in the story and scenery. So different from watching it at home. Great post!

    • Isn’t it amazing how different it is to watch a movie at the theatre vs watching one at home? I think, for me, it’s because I can’t tune out the little jobs and errands I could be doing instead of watching the movie. Definitely need to work on that! You always make me smile, Tami, so don’t be a stranger, okay?

  8. I love going to the movies and escaping reality. Sitting in a dark room, popcorn or hotnuts in hand and staring up at the big screen never gets old. I must go rent The Ides of March, missed it in cinema.

    • I know, Emma. Movies and popcorn are such stress relievers! For that few hours, no worries. Let me know if you enjoy the Ides of March, and thanks for stopping by!

  9. HI, Jody. Thanks for the list of movies. Looks like a good list. I have only seen a few of them. I also just spent a wonderful week in Arizona, so I’m trying to read more fiction and nonfiction set in that area. I just ordered your Silki, the Girl of Many Scarves. I’ll read it, then pass it on to my 12-year-old granddaughter who will be moving to Arizona in late May. (Looks like I’ll get more trips to your area!)

    • Oh, Janice, a whole week in Arizona can be quite an adventure! Where did you go? It’s so perfect there this time of year. Thank you for ordering Silki, the Girl of Many Scarves! If you like novels set in the Navajo Nation, I’m betting you’ve read the Tony Hillerman mystery series, right? I’ve read all them about three times. They are very popular with the Navajo people. You keep me up to date on which of those movies you liked when you see them, okay? Thanks for visiting!

  10. Okay, here are my lines from my book, Paradise Ridge:

    As Cody tucked his trade bag under the rack, he turned to Leandro. “You work hard, boy, and earn your way, you’ll have all that too. I guarantee it.”
    The man’s hopes for Leandro’s future rang hollow. So far, he only had his skills to show for his worth and he had never felt any of the ranch’s leftovers to be his due. The occasional nods of approval he got from the two buckaroos, though, showed him his skills were growing straight and true. That alone should make him proud.

    • Hi, Sue! It’s a pleasure to have you on my blog! Thanks so much for participating in our Lucky 7 and for sharing your novel’s lines with us. You have me wondering what Cody’s skills are…and just who those buckaroos think they are just giving him little nods when he definitely deserves a high five! Great lines…they have whetted my reading appetite, for sure! Come back soon!

  11. I’m a fan of hitting the movie theater, too, Jodi. I’m a bit of a theater snob so we usually don’t pick a movie as much as we pick one of three or four theaters and see what’s playing there. My favorite local chain always has one of the workers standing outside the door with a tray of chocolate treats to thank us for coming.

    • What? Chocolate treats? Is that the Millionaire Theatre chain? Lol! My favorite chain has workers standing outside the door telling us they’re glad we came and to have a good rest of the evening. I love that. Now, if they add the chocolates, I might just have to revise my will.

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