Monday Movie Meme - The Worst Offenders in Upper Management

In honor of Labor Day, the theme for this week’s Monday Movie Meme is inspired by a Washington Post article I read about American workforce statistics. One of the various charts displayed in this article shows the rates of employee engagement among the U.S. working population over the last decade, highlighting a Gallup survey showing that only one in five workers describe themselves as “actively engaged” in their jobs.

Having worked in different retail and office environments myself, I believe that the level of care that employees have for their job performance is oftentimes (though not always) a reflection of the leadership available to them. As such, I wonder how many people among the disengaged labor force are less interested in their jobs because they are working with supervisors or bosses who cause staff to dread coming in, cain’t wait until quitting time and frequently considers calling out sick. That, my lovelies, brings us to the focus of this week’s Monday Movie Meme: People with Poor Upper Management Skills aka The Worst Bosses Ever.

Share on your blog or in the comments section, movies featuring bad examples of upper management in the workplace. The job supervisors in these films cause poor morale among their employees and are long overdue for either an attitude adjustment, sensitivity training, jail time or a new position -- possibly in another field or at a different company. Here are my selections for this week’s The Worst Bosses Ever theme.

Horrible Bosses

A dentist sexually harasses her assistant and blackmails him, in this comedy starring Jennifer Aniston and some other amusing peeps. Talk about, an uncomfortable workplace! No wonder why the poor assistant isn’t exactly anxious to perform at his best.

The Firm

As if practicing law isn’t hard enough, try maintaining your composure at work after realizing the senior partners at the company that once wooed you with lavish perks are now trying to kill you.

Set It Off

Luther, the owner/manager of a janitorial company, constantly belittles, yells at and insults his employees in this crime drama starring Queen Latifah, Jada Pinkett, Vivica Fox and Kimberly Elise.

If he’d stop addressing them as “you Bitches” and start calling them by their names and treating them like human beings, they just might put more effort into separating the recyclables from the garbage, after all.

Happy Labor Day, guys and gals!

What movies have YOU watched that feature the worst people to ever have a position in upper management?

Monday Movie Meme - Retail Therapy

I hate shopping for clothes and shoes because it’s difficult to find items that peak my interest and are in my budget. So when I do finally find clothing or footwear that are worth trying on, the store doesn’t have it in my size or worse -- they do but the item still does not fit me.

Sometimes I go home angry, sulking over many failed attempts to complete a good wardrobe, soothing my frustrations with cakes or other pastries but more often than not, I hastily visit other stores that were not on my itinerary and then buy stuff that I may or may not need (shirts, hair products, perfume, etc.) just to feel like I completed something during my trip through retail land.

The theme for this week’s Monday Movie Meme is based on the fact that it takes me longer than many people to find the necessary items to complete a nice outfit: Retail Therapy.

Share on your blog or in the comments section, movies featuring scenes where one of the main characters has an unpleasant shopping experience.

The situation at hand doesn’t have to be limited to interactions between the character and customer service associates.

Just about any and all frustrating shopping circumstances depicted in film are pretty much fair game to mention among your list of selections.

Speaking of selections, here are mine for this week’s Retail Therapy meme.

Maid in Manhattan

Marisa’s quest for stockings to accommodate one of the hotel guests is put on hold as the rude cashier at the checkout counter continues a personal telephone conversation in this romantic comedy starring Jennifer Lopez.

Taken

I’m no expert in parenting nor consumer behavior but I’d be willing to bet that, never in a million years, would any father want to be in Bryan Mills’ shoes. The ex-CIA operative-turned-security guard forces a stranger to buy his daughter at an auction organized by human traffickers in this action crime thriller, starring Liam Neeson.

Yes, this particular movie selection is a bit off the beaten path in terms of the merchandise and a willing shopper; it’s still relevant to the subject at hand, nonetheless. The shopping experience depicted in “Taken” is about the most unpleasant of all movies listed here, particularly because no one on either side of the coin wants to participate in such a heinous transaction.

Pretty Woman

The sales associate at a swanky shop in Beverly Hills turns Vivian away while she attempts to find an ensemble that complements Edward’s sophistication, in this romantic comedy starring Julia Roberts and Richard Gere.

Sex and the City: The Movie

Miranda has a difficult time shopping for a Halloween costume that she can wear to festivities at her son’s school (or whatever...I forget) in this romantic comedy starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Cynthia Nixon.

Of all the costumes Miranda finds in the store, none are to her liking. Witch or Sexy kitten….those are the only two options we women have these days?!

*Speaking of “Sex and the City: The Movie,” there is another scene in this film that features an unpleasant shopping experience -- Samantha gets pissed off when stiff competition at a jewelry auction forces her to wager much more than she planned to spend on an extravagant accessory item.

What movies where people have unpleasant shopping experiences would YOU add to this list?

Monday Movie Meme - Restroom Antics!

The theme for this week’s Monday Movie Meme is loosely based on my inability to recall many scenes from “Why Did I Get Married,” except for the one in the bathroom where Sheila confronts her (supposedly) friend Tammy. This particular movie was Angela Brown’s (Pursuit of Publishness) selection for the Most Memorable Outbursts theme from two weeks ago, so all props goes to her because it helped me come up with an easy theme for this week: Bathroom Conversations.

Share on your blog or in the comments section, movies featuring scenes where two or more people are in a bathroom, discussing or engaging in matters that have to do with everything else but showering, urinating, bathing, washing of hands or other typical uses of this space. Instead, maybe they’re sharing secret plans to swindle an opponent, maybe they’re trying to get a girlfriend/boyfriend back, or maybe they’re debating with friends about where to stash some stolen goods -- who knows? Whatever it is, it ain’t got nothin’ to do with normal bathroom behavior! Here are my selections for this week’s Bathroom Conversations theme.

Liar Liar

A lawyer named Fletcher (played by Jim Carrey) has a wild bathroom episode to try and get out of his court case after being hit with an honesty “curse,” in this comedy film. “I’m whooping my ass, do you mind?!!!” is one of my most famous lines from the bathroom scene in this movie.

Lean on Me

When Mr. Clark catches a group of delinquents cutting class and trying to smoke in the boys’ bathroom, these students are challenged to perform the Eastside High school song.

Their on-the-spot bathroom performance, however, introduces the principal to a surprising rendition of the school’s alma mater.

Hustle & Flow

DJ enters into a bathroom brawl with a famous rapper after finding out that his dreams of having songs on the radio may not get past the toilet.

What movies have YOU watched that features scenes where the most memorable Bathroom Conversations or interactions are taking place?