ninja captain Alex – Sydney Aaliyah Michelle

Best and Worst Movie Remakes Blogfest

Published on May 16, 2013 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle30 Comments

Hosted by Alex Cavanaugh, Stephen Tremp, Livia Peterson, and Al Diaz.

What a cool line up!

Best Movie Remake – Total Recall

The original was good, but let’s face it, it was an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie.

The remake stared Colin Farrell (love him) and Kate Beckinsale (love her) and included hot fight scenes between the two (love it).

The movie made me want to write science fiction. I wanted to build worlds and create technology and choreograph chase scenes through multi level, maze like hotels. The world created in this movie was inspiring.

Worst Movie Remake – Father of the Bride

Steve Martin is a good actor, but he could not fill the shoes of Mr. Spencer Tracy in this classic role.

And, the original had Elizabeth Taylor as the bride. I can’t even remember who played the bride in the remake.

Spencer Tracy is brilliant. He was nominated for an Oscar for best actor for this role and the movie and the screenplay were also nominated.

Have you seen the new Total Recall? Have you seen the old Father of the Bride? What do you think are some of the best and worst remakes?

Top Ten Movie Countdown Blogfest

Published on March 18, 2013March 18, 2013 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle44 Comments

It is time, once again, for another legendary blogfest from our Ninja Captain Alex. This time it is all about my favorite subject, movies. But, to pick only ten. Wow, only ten. Can I possible narrow my list down to ten? Let me give it a try.

Sydney Aaliyah Michelle’s Top Ten Movie Countdown (quotes included):

# 10 – The Matrix (1999) – “You hear that Mr. Anderson?… That is the sound of inevitability… It is the sound of your death… Goodbye, Mr. Anderson…” “My name is … Neo.”

#9 – Goodfellas (1990) – “As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster.”

#8 – Fight Club (1999) – “All the ways you wish you could be, that’s me. I look like you wanna look, I fuck like you wanna fuck, I am smart, capable, and most importantly, I am free in all the ways that you are not.”

#7 – Gladiator (2000) – “My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions and loyal servant to the TRUE emperor, Marcus Aurelius. Father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife. And I will have my vengeance, in this life or the next.”

#6 – The Empire Strikes Back (1980) – “No. Try not. Do… or do not. There is no try.”

#5 – The Bourne Identity (2002) – “I can tell you the license plate numbers of all six cars outside. I can tell you that our waitress is left-handed and the guy sitting up at the counter weighs two hundred fifteen pounds and knows how to handle himself. I know the best place to look for a gun is the cab or the gray truck outside, and at this altitude, I can run flat out for a half mile before my hands start shaking. Now why would I know that? How can I know that and not know who I am?”

#4 – Notting Hill (1999) – “I’m also just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her.”

#3 – Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958) – “There ain’t nothin’ more powerful than the odor of mendacity!”

#2 – Transformers (2007) – “We live among its people now, hiding in plain sight, but watching over them in secret, waiting, protecting. I have witnessed their capacity for courage, and though we are worlds apart, like us, there’s more to them than meets the eye. I am Optimus Prime, and I send this message to any surviving Autobots taking refuge among the stars. We are here. We are waiting.”

#1 – The Avengers (2012) – “Let’s do the head count here. Your brother, the demigod; the super soldier, living legend who kind of lives up to the legend; a man with breathtaking anger management issues; a couple of master assassins and you, big fellow, you’ve manage to piss off every single one of them.”

Do you agree with my list? What films are on your top ten list?

Insecure Writer’s Support Group – Writing Group Fears

Published on February 6, 2013February 5, 2013 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle38 Comments

I signed up for a Writing Group last month. I found a group on Meetup.com that meets close to my home and had the characteristics of my ideal group. Online, they seemed like a good mix of people both experienced and beginner writers. The group is relatively small with 25 members, but they average about 15 members at each meeting. They meet once a month with the aim of making each other better writers. You can come to watch the first time or prepare 8-10 pages for the group to critique. They even have a whole list of guidelines and suggestions to take the scary out of of the process.

It all sounds great, doesn’t it? So, why did I chicken out on the first meeting? What am I scared of? The next meeting is scheduled for next Tuesday. I have RSVP’ed, but can I work up the courage to go this time? Help me out, group.

Are you a member of a writing group? Can you give me an idea of how your first meeting went? How has it affected your writing?

Insecure Writer’s Support Group – Optimistic, but Should I Be

Published on December 5, 2012 by Sydney Aaliyah Michelle15 Comments

First of all, did you hear they declared a new National Holiday. On December 10 – 12, 2012, it is officially Ninja Captain Alex Cavanaugh Day. Make sure you participate in all things Alex that day including “Cheers, Cavanaugh BlogFest”.

Click on the badge to sign up and for more information.

My insecurities this month stem from the fact I quit my job of 7 years and will be moving back to the United States tomorrow. I am excited and optimistic about the future, but should I be.

Or, I am crazy for making this move. This is one of those moves were I am 100% percent ready to pursue my passion of being a writer and making a living at it. I have a plan that will be revealed shortly and I am confident if I work hard and am patient, I will succeed.

But, perhaps I am fooling myself. I have no concept of day to day reality in the United States. I haven’t lived there in 6 years. I haven’t even been in the states for 2 years. I a little in the bank, but nothing that will sustain me for any long period of time.

But, you never know until you try, right.

So, anyone else made a ~~drastic~~, ~~dramatic~~, carefully calculate, but still filled with unknowns, move on behalf of pursuing your dream. How did it work out for you? Give me the good and the bad results.