Women Who Wow Wednesday – Page 5

Lucy Whitmore

Posted on June 4, 2014June 3, 2014 by Jack Flacco

How would you feel waking up every morning and not remembering what happened the day before? Some would find it scary. Not to Lucy Whitmore. To Lucy, it’s such a part of life that she accepts it as normal. Only, she doesn’t know it.

This week’s Women Who Wow Wednesday series features a girl with a problem remembering things. If you haven’t seen 50 First Dates, I’ll try not to spoil it for you. Then again, perhaps you’ll read this post and not remember anything by the time it’s all over.

The movie 50 First Dates is Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore’s second venture on the big screen. The first being The Wedding Singer where Barrymore plays Julia, a waitress who meets Sandler’s character at a wedding hall and soon become friends. In this film, Lucy (Drew Barrymore) forgets. I won’t reveal how or why, but she can’t remember from one day to the next what she did, and everyone around her feels the burden, including Henry Roth (Adam Sandler).

An interesting tidbit about the movie is it reveals the twist ending to the film The Sixth Sense. I’ll tell you, I laughed the first time watching Lucy blurt out the details, because if you hadn’t watched The Sixth Sense, it would have been the biggest spoiler ever. At the time, I’m sure I could’ve heard the Hollywood executives curse up and down Beverly Hills for Sandler’s reckless inclusion of the horror flick’s most guarded secret.

And if you haven’t watched The Sixth Sense, then consider this your warning. You’re welcome.

Getting back to Lucy, her lack of remembering serves to protect her from bad memories, but also proves to make annual gatherings, such as birthdays, repetitive for everyone else except Lucy. She manages to make her daily routine always something fascinating to watch, especially after Henry comes into her life.

Despite her situation, Lucy manages to brighten a room with her smile and her paintings. An avid artist, Lucy paints a work of art every day and makes it her homage to her father, who patiently keeps her from getting hurt from external influences.

Lucy also sings whenever she is happy. She sings The Beach Boys, and she brings joy to everyone around her. If anything is true about Lucy, she’s a fresh burst of happiness and shows that happiness any way she knows how.

If you really enjoy characters who have a zeal for life, Lucy is it. Every time I watch this movie, she never ceases to put a smile on my face. I’m hoping she will do the same for you.

RANGER MARTIN AND THE ALIEN INVASION, on sale October 21.

If you’ve seen 50 First Dates, what did you think of it? What did you think of Lucy?

Women Who Wow Wednesday

Julia Sullivan

Posted on May 28, 2014May 22, 2014 by Jack Flacco

When I grew up in the Eighties, the girls wore large hair, wide shoulder pads and long dresses. The guys, on the other hand, sported small collars, huge dress pants and thin belts. Bringing the sexes together was the color. Bright primary colors dominated the scene, wild hats became the norm, and to see guys with makeup was not an exaggeration.

The Saturday night parties became something special to look forward to as well. The music by The Police, Duran Duran and David Bowie blew all us kids away. The dance floor became a place where we could make a statement about who we were. We danced without shirts. We danced with everyone. And we had fun playing dare games while admiring each other’s styles. It was one big party.

The movie The Wedding Singer captures that era perfectly.

Julia Sullivan (Drew Barrymore) just started her job as a waitress at a banquet hall when she meets wedding singer Robbie Hart (Adam Sandler) in the 1998 movie appropriately called The Wedding Singer. Right from the outset, Julia displays attributes female characters ought to possess in order for them to be part of my Women Who Wow Wednesday series. She doesn’t kick butt, but she certainly has that warm and fuzzy feeling surrounding her.

The first time meeting Julia we find out about her engagement. The problem, though, is she’s not sure how serious the guy is with his proposal. She says, “I feel like I’m doomed to wander the planet alone forever.” Which Robbie replies, “Like the Incredible Hulk.” They agree that Robbie would sing at her wedding, if it ever takes place. Revealed later in the film is Robbie’s engagement to his own fiancée. He hopes they would last fifty years, much like one of his vocal students’ marriage.

Julia’s fiancée eventually springs the news that he wants to marry in Las Vegas, but he cedes to getting married where she wants to marry. That’s the first sign of trouble. In the meantime, Robbie has his own problems. His fiancée dumps him and his latest wedding gig turns into a dirge. He has nothing to live for but the thought of stringing his neck to a clothesline until his feet shake lifeless.

Throughout it all, Julia shows Robbie what a true friend is. She stands by Robbie in his darkest times in spite of him wanting to kill the bride and groom at his upcoming wedding gig. Julia appreciates Robbie by asking his opinion about things that matter to her. She also brings him into her world by introducing him to her friends and family. That’s a big step for a girl only having friendship on her mind.

The thing about Julia is her warmth. As bad as things get, she’s always ready with a kind word, a quirky smile and a timid laugh. Something about Julia makes her shine. She is the perfect example of support during bad times. She lifts the spirit, lends an ear and gives of herself in whole, regardless of what anyone thinks of her.

Is there anything more we need to know about Julia? No. Julia’s the perfect friend.

RANGER MARTIN AND THE ALIEN INVASION, on sale October 21.

If you’ve seen The Wedding Singer, what did you think of it?

Women Who Wow Wednesday

Kathryn

Posted on May 21, 2014May 20, 2014 by Jack Flacco

It’s not every week I include a villain in Women Who Wow Wednesday. However, given how the character Kathryn Merteuil is outstanding in that capacity, I thought it best to introduce you to this manipulative bitch the best way I know how—to show you of her cruelty.

Now, if you haven’t seen Cruel Intentions (1999), this post contains spoilers. You might want to jump to the last paragraph to find out why I’d chosen Kathryn for my weekly tribute to strong women.

Suggested by the novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses by Choderlos De Laclos, the film Cruel Intentions is a character study revolving around two step siblings, Kathryn Merteuil (Sarah Michelle Gellar) and Sebastian Valmont (Ryan Phillippe). Kathryn wagers Sebastian that he can’t deflower Annette Hargrove (Reese Witherspoon), the daughter of the new headmaster at their prep school, before the beginning of the school year. Kathryn hatches the insidious plot in an attempt to win Sebastian’s 1956 Jaguar roadster. The catch? If she loses, Sebastian will have the right to do with Kathryn whatever he pleases, including taking her to bed.

When we meet Kathryn for the first time, she’s actually quite nice. Chatting with a perspective student for new enrollment, she’s warm, friendly, honest and candid about the school. I know I’d trust her with my daughter. Asked from where she draws her strength, she pulls a two-inch gold cross from around her neck and mentions she has all the strength she needs as she holds the item tightly in her hand.

But once alone with Sebastian, the real Kathryn emerges. The cross she sports is a repository for cocaine, making Kathryn nothing more than a drug addict. Next, she reveals she has a thing for carrying grudges. She wants revenge against the guy who dumped her over Fourth of July weekend. Her plan? To have Sebastian take her former boyfriend’s girlfriend Cecile Caldwell (Selma Blair) and mold her into the school tramp. The boy won’t know what hit him since there won’t be a direct connection to Kathryn. After all, she wears a mask as the school’s radiant example of virtue. As the student body class president, she admits, “Everybody loves me, and I intend to keep it that way.”

What’s more? Kathryn’s a practiced liar. In order to corrupt Cecile, she befriends her with the supposed intention of helping her write love letters to a boy Cecile likes. In so doing, Kathryn wins Cecile’s trust. Cecile then declares they are best friends. What Kathryn doesn’t mention, however, is how she wants to get her dirty paws on the letters already written between Cecile and the boy, so she can use them for her own nefarious purposes.

It takes a special kind of evil to accomplish such a feat of deception. To lie and not feel empathy for others. To play passive aggressive games without a sense of moral direction. Kathryn may deceive everyone into believing she is this larger-than-life example of good stewardship, but she will always be the shallow slut, sucking victims into the vortex of her self-absorbed drama pit.

After having written all this, why would I even consider including Kathryn Merteuil in my Wednesday weekly post? Simply put, to show you how a woman who has everything going for her could remain corrupt despite the time she has at her disposal to change and do good. Let me make it plain, she is a strong, determined woman, and if she’d only use her talent for good, she’d be a hero instead of a villain. But a long time ago, something in her caused her to become a narcissist. She’s broken inside. Completely broken. Darkness follows her. She’s not happy until she spreads that darkness to others in her scope of existence.

For that, I’m including her, not because of her dedication to corrupt the good, but because of her ability to foster change in people even if it is for malicious intents.

RANGER MARTIN AND THE ALIEN INVASION, on sale October 21.

If you’ve seen it, what did you like/hate about Cruel Intentions? Which character could you identify with most? What do you think of Kathryn Merteuil?

Women Who Wow Wednesday

The Breakfast Chicks

Posted on May 14, 2014May 8, 2014 by Jack Flacco

Saturday, March 24, 1984, Shermer High School—It begins at 7:00 A.M. with five students serving detention. Each one coming from a different background. Each one has a reason for being there.

“… And these children
that you spit on
as they try to change their worlds
are immune to your consultations.
They’re quite aware
of what they’re going through…”

David Bowie

The John Hughes film The Breakfast Club defined a generation. The song Don’t You (Forget About Me) by Simple Minds became an anthem. For those of us who can remember that far back, we knew who the brain, the athlete, the basket case, the princess, and the criminal were. We walked the halls. We stayed in our cliques. The one thing we had in common though was we were all going through the same growing pains. Somehow, we could relate with each other.

Two characters in the movie, Claire Standish (Molly Ringwald) and Allison Reynolds (Ally Sheedy) have their problems. Claire’s last name should be Standoffish, since she is a stuck-up little rich girl who daddy pampered all the way to high school. Allison, on the other hand, blends in with the scenery. No one really notices her and no one really cares. Together, they make up the girls of The Breakfast Club.

Claire is a self-absorbed user with nothing on her mind other than herself. In Claire’s world no else matters other than what she buys, who’s she with, and what looks good on her. Don’t be fooled. What she represents is an image her spoiled friends will accept. In that hard shell, however, lies a person with a heart. She feels the awkwardness of being well off, and wishes she wasn’t an object her parents use to get back at each other.

Allison calls herself a nymphomaniac, but later admits to being a compulsive liar. Of course, no one knows this until she opens her mouth and spews out lie after lie to those gullible enough to believe her. Like Claire, Allison pretends to be someone else in order to feel accepted by others. Teen angst runs through her veins and her biggest problem is her parents ignoring her.

In spite of their problems, Claire and Allison recognize who they are in a group therapy session. Meant to spark resolution, the students bare their souls to reveal their true selves to those willing to identify with them.

The results?

Dear Mr. Vernon.

We accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was we did wrong but we think you’re crazy to make us write an essay telling you who we think we are. You see us as you want to see us, in the simplest terms, with the most convenient definitions. But what we found out is that each one of us is a brain. And an athlete. And a basket case. A princess. And a criminal. Does that answer your question?

Sincerely yours,

The Breakfast Club.

Women Who Wow Wednesday has always been about strong women. Claire and Allison belong here. Their confession to who they are and what they pretend to be provides an opportunity for those wondering what life really was like in the 80’s. In reality though, life in the 80’s was not much different to the way life is now.

Everyone pretends. Everyone wants to be accepted.

If you’re from that era, what does The Breakfast Club mean to you? Who do you identify with in the group?

Women Who Wow Wednesday

Kara

Posted on May 7, 2014May 18, 2014 by Jack Flacco

No one is above the code, especially the king. When Kara (Dina Meyer) almost kills the king, it’s the heart of a dragon that saves him. But, what may have saved the king’s life may have also destroyed his soul.

In the 1996 movie Dragonheart, a dragon slayer by the name of Bowen (Dennis Quiad) seeks revenge against the beast that had changed the heart of his beloved king, Einon (David Thewlis). For in the days when medicine ran scarce, the dragon’s heart was the only cure to save a life. For Bowen, the salvation of the king came at the price of villainy, a far greater price than anyone was willing to pay except his mother. Bowen travels the kingdom in search of the dragon that had imparted King Einon’s evil soul.

Kara seeks her own retribution against the tyrannical monarch who had done wickedness against her father. During an evening of festivities when the king made merry with his council, Kara slips into the castle with the intention of assassinating the malevolent royal. Into the dungeon she goes, with the king wanting her to be his companion for life.

Escaping, Kara makes it her mission to destroy Einon with every ounce of determination she could muster. She returns to her village inciting those around her to take up arms and fight the king. The people have a different idea, though. They cannot grasp the concept of victory without her father at the helm. Beaten and submissive to the kingdom, the village folk chase her away.

Not one for discouragement, Kara teams with Bowen the dragon slayer in order to destroy the vile wretch who dares call himself king. Having trained under the tutelage of Bowen, Kara strengthens her resolve to commit her life in the hands of faith so as she can rid the land once and for all of injustice.

Kara’s unshakable nature propels her to accomplish things she had never dreamed of on her own, and with the aid of those who have taken to her message, she yields to her compulsion for dispensing retribution.

Always displaying strength, Kara does not break down in tears when confronted with challenges, and she lives every day as if it were her last. Kara’s belief in integrity and honesty solidifies her moral standing as a true warrior. Malicious spirits may abound, yet, to Kara, she shrugs them off like water trickling from her skin. She doesn’t allow them to disturb her countenance as a force of imitable reckoning.

Kara has shown countless times what it really means to be loyal in the face of adversity. She may have unorthodox methods, but her willingness to die for justice and righteousness has given her a place in Women Who Wow Wednesday.

RANGER MARTIN AND THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, now on sale.

If you’ve seen Dragonheart, what’s your favorite part? What do you think of Kara?

Women Who Wow Wednesday

Giselle

Posted on April 30, 2014May 2, 2014 by Jack Flacco

Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom known as Andalasia, lived a maiden with whom the prince would share true love’s kiss. Her name was Giselle, and she dreamed of holding hands and dancing with her one true love.

How many of you think this is Sleeping Beauty? Show of hands, c’mon. How about Beauty and the Beast? Anyone for Shrek? I threw that last one in to see if you’re paying attention. Disney has the whole princess theme down pat. They even had it working in the movie Frozen. Well, it did have two princesses.

In the film Enchanted however, true love’s kiss is a bigger deal. It’s what brings ever-afterings so happy—that’s what the song says. The opening lyrics declare that to spend a life of endless bliss you’ll just need to find who you love through true love’s kiss. Pretty catchy, don’t you think?

This is where Giselle (Amy Adams) comes in. She’s the free-spirited embodiment of pure optimism. Her cheerfulness is so infectious that people dance in the street when she’s around, they sing in full choruses in the park, and even the animals gather to help with her chores. There’s nothing too difficult for Giselle, there’s nothing impossible for her.

That is, until we meet the prince. A real winner here. He believes in true love’s kiss, too. As soon as she drops into his lap, he’s dreaming of being married to her in the morning, finishing each other’s duets, and in years to come, reminiscing of how they grew love through true love’s kiss.

It gets better from here, but I’m not going to spoil it. Suffice it to say, Giselle learns what real love is all about. This includes the pain and the emotion attached to real love, the hardship and work behind it all, and the growth that takes place when real love hits someone who doesn’t expect it.

No matter how many times I watch this movie, and no matter how many times I listen to her voice, I always experience joy knowing I can relive my favorite moments over and over again. If anyone deserves to be part of Women Who Wow Wednesday, it’s Giselle, not because she can slay a dragon in one fell swoop, but because of her sense of wonder noticing the world around her. That childlike innocence captured on film makes her someone everyone ought to know in real life.

RANGER MARTIN AND THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, now on sale.

What did you think of Enchanted? What did you think of Giselle?

Women Who Wow Wednesday

Henley Reeves

Posted on April 23, 2014April 25, 2014 by Jack Flacco

Now you see me, now I hope you’ve seen this film. Isla Fisher plays Henley Reeves in the movie Now You See Me. I have the score. I play it on my iPod without let up. I play it in my car without relent. As for Henley? She’s one of those characters you wish you knew in real life and had an “in” on all her tricks. What would Women Who Wow Wednesday be without a magician in the mix? This is where I have to say spoilers lie therein, skip to the last paragraph.

Let’s start with actress Isla Fisher. The first time I saw this fun-loving redhead, she starred as Gloria Cleary in Wedding Crashers, the sex-crazed lunatic who hooks up with Vince Vaughn’s character, Jeremy Grey. She went on to star in movies such as Horton Hears a Who!, Bachelorette and The Great Gatsby.

In Now You See Me, Henley Reeves is a magician who attempts the impossible. Chained inside a tank filled with water, she battles to free herself before time runs out and a school of piranha makes meat of the young conjurer. She struggles, but her showmanship saves her, impressing the audience.

Later in the film, while Woody Harrelson’s character Merritt McKinney attempts to pick her up with lines such as, “You deserve to be made to feel special,” Henley feigns disinterest, but enjoys his attention nonetheless. She follows her instincts with what may be the score of a lifetime.

As one of the Four Horsemen, she becomes part of the biggest name in magic. Her earlier reservations as to whether she should join the group melt when she discovers an intricate plan three other magicians would soon rather not discuss. Henley’s contribution toward the team gives way to her desire for justice. In regards to the audience, justice becomes a Robin Hood affair.

Even with the threat of a jail term, Henley is able to maintain a humorous disposition. Her idea of fun is spinning a chair with her feet while handcuffed. She’s the girl walking out of the police station with a pair of thin gloves and a smug look on her face. She can beat the system and at the same time have no regard for the police’s desire for wanting to speak with her.

Above all else, Henley smirks whenever she wants to indicate she’s always a few steps ahead of whomever she feels is her competition. No matter how many times her competitors feel they’ve taken advantage of her, she reinforces her cunningness for situations that renders them helpless.

What’s more? No matter what anyone does, Henley never gives in to peer pressure. As terrible as things may sometimes get, she’s always the example others should follow.

Henley Reeves, a magician, a friend—she’s able to live life on the edge and at the end of the day she can still maintain her sense of humor.

RANGER MARTIN AND THE ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, now on sale.

What do you think of the movie Now You See Me? What do you think of Henley Reeves?

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