Although I love to read, I also devour movies at an excessive rate. Being surrounded by stories helps me relax, and it reminds me why I love to tell stories of my own. However, these aren’t the only advantages. Movies, for one, have taught me some invaluable — and, in some cases, life-saving — lessons, all of which are sure to come in handy in my daily life, if not in my writing. Because I am helpful and wish only the best for my readers, let me now share with you what I have learned.
1) As long as you’re shooting back, enemy fire will never hit you. Unless you’re a minion on the side of evil, in which case you haven’t a prayer, no matter how many shots you squeeze off in a row. Bonus Tip: Never be an evil minion.
2) Everybody needs a henchman. Unless you’re the good guy, in which case you have a best friend/sidekick who is less attractive and has a worship complex when it comes to you. Bonus Tip: If you have a choice, opt for a henchman. They’re better at following directions.
3) Whenever you need to steal a car, there’s always one available curbside, usually with keys in it and the doors unlocked but the engine off. To make things handy, the keys are always visible, even when viewed from the driver’s side window, and the car is never flashy. Bonus Tip: Sometimes there’s a baby in the backseat, so examine the interior first. If you’re escaping from the forces of darkness — or from somebody’s henchman — you have enough to worry about without adding a baby to the mix.
4) If you are ever being chased on foot and there’s no time to snatch a nearby car, detour through a restaurant kitchen. This not only causes confusion, but will also result in a burly cook or a multi-tiered cart blocking the villain who is after you. This is most effective if a large party is currently in session, but normal working hours will do. You won’t be stopped, even if you do overturn a few trays of canapés, and no one will look at you with anything stronger than minor irritation, so this is clearly acceptable behavior. Bonus Tip: If the situation is reversed and you are the one chasing, just give up when they enter the kitchen, because you will be stopped. Go out the front and around to the alley; that’s where the back door always leads.
5) If you should ever need them, you will have no trouble securing detailed plans of bank/museum/casino/mansion interiors, alarms and all, without raising suspicion. Everybody has a trustworthy friend or uncle or friend of an uncle who can procure the needed information — for a price. Bonus Tip: This friend/uncle/uncle’s friend is usually in the Mafia, so consider if these maps are worth your inevitable involvement in organized crime.
6) And, finally, if you realize too late that you love someone, look for them at the airport. Although they’ll return in a few days, your heartfelt “I-was-wrong, I’m-sorry, I-love-you” speech must not wait another moment. Nervous fliers needn’t worry; actual air travel is not necessary for this plan to be effective, although you may need to board the plane. Most airline attendants will let you on because they can differentiate between a true threat and harmless, goofy love. Bonus Tip: In the event that the attendant doesn’t let you on the plane, simply walk away, dejected. This is the cue for the object of your affection to emerge from the gate, loaded with baggage and wearing a rueful smile because, after all, how could they board a plane when they realized they loved you?
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Adam said,
Sunday, February 10, 2008 at 9:46 pm
Brilliant!
…I don’t suppose you also know the trick used to keep elevator doors from re-opening when a henchman is reaching through?
Liz said,
Monday, February 11, 2008 at 5:58 am
ROFL oh my word – Another bonus tip – if you are on a boat running from the bad guys, there will be a garbage barge that YOU can ramp up over, but the bad buys don’t realize that and they will end up in the garbage. LOOK FOR THE GARBAGE BARGE
Erica Orloff said,
Monday, February 11, 2008 at 8:09 am
My God, I laughed OUT LOUD. This is brilliant.
Don’t forget, too, that bad guys will NEVER kill you right away. They will ALWAYS have a sililoquy, in which they explain everything they did, how they got away with it, and their evil motivations. THIS is the time for your sidekick to come in and shoot the bad guy first.
Jill S. said,
Monday, February 11, 2008 at 8:20 am
LOL, loved this. I am such a movie hound. This weekend was a Josh Lucas weekend. Sweet Home Alabama, Stealth, and Glory Road . . .
Caryn said,
Monday, February 11, 2008 at 8:23 am
Adam, now I’m curious. I would guess it’s pushing the Door Closed button, but I don’t think that would work. Will have to think about that one!
So true, Liz! It works with manure, too! (But only in a comedy, of course. If we’re not supposed to be laughing, there’s no garbage anywhere except to provide setting.)
Thanks, Erica. And that’s so true! They always have to confess everything, don’t they? And it’s usually within hearing of the police, just to make the arrest even tidier. Don’t want any of that, “Well, the bad guy said…” stuff.
Jill, that sounds like so much fun! I love to fit in several movies in one weekend. Too bad my husband’s not as big into movies. I have to wait for him to go away before I watch them!
Dru said,
Monday, February 11, 2008 at 12:42 pm
I did it again. Read a blog while sitting at my desk at work. I laughed my butt off. These were funny and now I have to explain to my co-workers what was so funny. Hmm, shouldn’t I be working. I guess I better not explain anything.
The funny thing is I know all these scenes.
Have a good Monday.
Mary said,
Monday, February 11, 2008 at 1:14 pm
Too funny!
“We need an up-to-date plan of the museum. A couple of quick phone calls should do it!”
“I’ll pick them up for you, boss.”
“Steal that red car. The keys will be in the ignition.”
“Back in a jiff, boss.”
“Easy as pie.”
Anti-Wife said,
Monday, February 11, 2008 at 7:24 pm
Don’t forget the scene at the church with the bride at the altar and her true luv bursting in just in the nick of time. We need a bonus tip for that one! Great post.
no milk said,
Monday, February 11, 2008 at 7:25 pm
these are totally spot on. you should write it in a book
Eileen said,
Monday, February 11, 2008 at 7:33 pm
I loved this! The bonus tips were especially helpful.
Caryn said,
Monday, February 11, 2008 at 9:30 pm
Oh, Dru. Thank you for that. It made me feel very good to read it.
LOL! Exactly, Mary!
So true, Anti-Wife. I can think of two off the bat that fit with that theme, and I’m sure I’d come up with more if I tried.
Interesting idea. I hadn’t thought about that. Somehow my book writing and my blog writing are separate. But I could probably find some places to cross over.
Thanks, Eileen. Glad I could provide guidance.
bookbabie said,
Tuesday, February 12, 2008 at 6:50 am
Hilarious, are you sure you’re not writing a screenplay? I’ve thought about trying one myself, I have the male and female leads all lined up (in my head!).
sandi said,
Tuesday, February 12, 2008 at 7:12 am
These are absolutely brilliant! Another thing I’ve noticed is that the hero never has to worry about physical pain while he’s being shot at/maimed/chased through back alleys and restaurant kitchens…but let the woman he adores start to tend to his wounds with medicine, and then he’s flinching and wincing. I think the lesson here is: Nothing hurts worse than Bactine.
Robina said,
Tuesday, February 12, 2008 at 8:04 am
Great advice! I love it! What about one for toddlers trying to follow you in to the bathroom???
Tink said,
Tuesday, February 12, 2008 at 8:23 am
LMAO. Omg, that was awesome! I really love number 4.
patti said,
Tuesday, February 12, 2008 at 8:53 am
whew…good things to know.
also, your comment about the possible downward spiral when drinking hits me every time i drink and write. not that i do it that often, but when i do…i’m just ~hic~ saying….
Larramie said,
Tuesday, February 12, 2008 at 11:34 am
Aw-w-w, an early Happy Valentine’s Day to you too (cue the music)!
Caryn said,
Tuesday, February 12, 2008 at 1:08 pm
No screenplays here, bookbabie! It might be kind of fun, but my first love is reading. Movies are just my second love. (That is, of course, if you don’t take hubs and the cats and the rest of my family into account!)
Thanks, Sandi! And I have to tell you, I laughed out loud at your comment. SO TRUE!
Thanks, Tink!
LOL, Patti! That Bailey’s sure did help the writing flow, I gotta tell you. Even if it did make me nervous!
Thanks, Larramie! Hope you have a good one!
JJ Loch said,
Tuesday, February 12, 2008 at 3:12 pm
SNORT!!! I can’t wait to see your name come across the movie screen.
Hugs, Nancy
Allison said,
Tuesday, February 12, 2008 at 8:04 pm
Sounds like you’ve been watching a lot of action/chase flicks. I’ve been trying to watch Bourne Identity for the past week and I can’t seem to stay awake more than 20 minutes at a time. Maybe if I started thinking critically about how I could apply aspects of the movie to my own survival (like you have), I could finally finish it.
Barrie Summy said,
Wednesday, February 13, 2008 at 2:00 am
Very, very funny! I hope all these tips help me navigate life.
77free said,
Wednesday, February 13, 2008 at 9:08 am
I loved that about enemy fire – great. And the connections on getting plans, yep they usually are in the mafia or some organized crime ring. I learn that everything is accessible in film. I love it!
Caryn said,
Wednesday, February 13, 2008 at 9:18 am
Thanks, Nancy & Barrie! Glad you liked it.
Allison, I like almost any type of movie (except those that are unnecessarily disturbing, just to shock people). The airport one, for example, comes straight from far too many romantic comedies. I haven’t tried the Bourne Identity yet, though I’ve been meaning to because it seems like everybody has seen it but me.
77free, as it turns out I have no connections to organized crime, which means that if I ever need plans like that I’m in trouble…
Melissa said,
Wednesday, February 13, 2008 at 10:09 am
OMG, that is too funny. I feel so smart now and that I can defeat anything as long I’m on the good side.
Bianca Reagan said,
Wednesday, February 13, 2008 at 4:17 pm
Ha ha! I need to hang out in more airports. Well, more than I already do.