It’s October.
Fall has fallen, the nights get a slight chill to them, hopefully you’ve paid
your rent. The leaves will be changing soon and then things will really start
to cool down. This is the time when filmmakers are running around from location
to location trying to finish their exteriors so everything will still match.
I feel like
movies are my topic of the month. I’m currently involved with a production that
has an opportunity to pitch the project to The Duplass Brothers. If you’re not
familiar with their work, check out Baghead or Safety Not Guaranteed, they work
a lot in the indy comedy genre. How would you like to bask in that warm glow of
being a supporter of the arts? What if I told you that it would not cost you a
cent? That’s right, send no money, that’s not what I’m here for. What I need
from you is the click of a button. Part of the contest is to generate
followers. If we can get people to follow the project then they take us
seriously. The favor I have to ask of you is to go to www.seedandspark.com/fund/thewayitgoes
and click on the “Follow” button. That’s it. It takes about 85 seconds out of
your life. It’ll make you feel good and you’ll have some thankful people
singing your praises.
When I haven’t
been working on The Way It Goes, I’ve been editing Order 86. I’m feeling good
about the work we’ve put in on it. It’s been an intermittent project for a
while but we’ve been really taking care of business the last couple of weeks.
We still have some sound work to do but the rest is shaping up nicely. With a
bit of luck, it could be in a theater near you by next year. And then we can
focus on the next project…
A quick plug for
the live stage- if you haven’t made it out yet to see Antigone of Men In Boats,
make that happen soon, they’ll be closing and you’ll miss out.
Looking for a
good book? I’ve found a few that you might want to check out-
Worth Dying For by
Lee Child- Picking up after 61 Hours, Jack Reacher is passing through a
small town in Nebraska where he winds up on the bad side of the local power
structure after responding to a plea for help. With half of the county hunting
for him and the other half too scared to help him, Reacher finds himself stuck
in the middle with only himself to rely on. Sometimes those aren’t such bad
odds. If you enjoyed 61 Hours then check this one out.
The Affair by Lee
Child- Child went back on the timeline for this one. It’s 1997 and Jack
Reacher is a major again. There has been a murder committed in Alabama that may
involve a secret Ranger detachment stationed there. The locals can’t
investigate base personnel so the army sends down a special investigator. Just
to cover the bases, Reacher gets sent down undercover to follow the civilian
investigation. If you’ve never read any of Child’s books before, this might be
a good place to start. If you have, this is still a fun read that doesn’t feel
like you’re being pandered to.
A Wanted Man by Lee
Child- Spoiler Alert-Jack Reacher lives at the end of Worth Dying For.
Okay, now that the cat’s out of the bag, I can tell you about the book. At the
end of Worth Dying For, he gets a ride to a crossroads where he sticks out his
thumb and ends up getting a ride in a stolen car with two guys who are wanted
by the F.B.I. Remember when your mother told you not to accept rides from
strangers? Read this and find out what can happen when you don’t listen to good
advice.
Never Go Back by Lee
Child- Reacher finally gets to Virginia and he finally gets to put a face
to the voice on the phone. Unfortunately, things are never as easy as they seem
in Reacher’s life. He’s been recalled into the army as he’s facing a 16 year
old murder charge and a 14 year old paternity suit and the voice on the phone,
Susan Turner, she’s in jail with him on a bribery charge. Things only go
downhill from there. For the most part, Child writes these books in an episodic
fashion but, obviously, he’s had a running plot device since 61 Hours so, if
you’ve enjoyed the last three books, you might as well complete the quartet.
The book is really good and after reading it I can understand why people didn’t
like the movie.
Deliverance by James
Dickey- It feels like I’m just reading series lately so, just to take a
break, I finally picked up this American classic of four friends who start out
taking a canoe trip down a river about to be dammed up and find themselves
paddling through the heart of darkness. It gets a little heavy in places but
still worth your time. If you’re in the mood to look behind the curtain, Burt
Reynolds was in the movie adaptation and he has some choice recollections of
Dickey on location in his book, But Enough About Me.
The Removers by
Donald Hamilton- Matt Helm tries to take a vacation to Reno, Nevada to
visit his kids. There’s no such thing as a vacation when you’re in a secret
government organization. This is the third book in the series and I will say
that if you didn’t quite enjoy The Wrecking Crew as much as you thought you
would, give this one a look. Hamilton seems to have his mojo working again in
this story.
Created, The
Destroyer by Richard Sapir & Warren Murphy- I’ve been looking for this
book since 1985 and I finally found it! The best part- I wasn’t disappointed.
It’s not ground breaking literature or anything like that but , considering
that it’s an adventure series from 1971, I found it to be pretty fun. If you
can track it down, definitely give it a look. The storyline deals with a man
who gets recruited into a secret government agency to become the ultimate
assassin. Like I said, it’s fun.
I’ve been busy
with making movies so I haven’t been watching too many of them but, here are a
few recommendations-
Death Note- If
the title sounds familiar, it’s because this movie is a live action remake of a
Japanimation series. The story deals with a death demon who gets bored and
releases a notebook on Earth. Whoever possesses the notebook has the power of
death, all you have to do is write somebody’s name in it and how they die and
it comes true. A high school boy finds the notebook and problems soon find him.
I liked the movie, if I were in high school I would’ve probably loved the
movie. I’ve heard nothing but good things about the series but I’m not that into Japanimation to find
out. Both are currently playing on Netflix, watch for yourself and be the
judge.
The Devil’s Candy-
I’m not usually a fan of possession films but this one is kind of cool. If you
can overlook the last five minutes, it’s really cool. The visuals are amazing
and the story holds your interest for the hour and nineteen minute run time but
by the end you just feel like you’ve coasted to a stop with no real payoff.
Without giving anything away, I’m going to make a suggestion to help you enjoy
the movie. There Is a scene where the staircase is on fire-stop the movie when
you reach this point. Whatever your imagination fills in will be amazing and
you will enjoy the movie more.
The Double-
Richard Gere stars in this spy vs. spy thriller about a retired C.I.A.
operative who’s being brought out of retirement to help find an assassin that
everybody thought was dead. It’s a lot different from Invasion U.S.A. than I
make it sound, it’s just hard to say too much without giving a lot away. It’s
not great but it is worth a look.
Dressed To Kill-
The title has been recycled a few times but this movie is from 1941 and stars
Lloyd Noland as Michael Shayne. Surprisingly, it’s not based off of a Bret
Halliday novel but a Richard Burke novel instead. I guess Shayne had a bigger
following than Quinny Hite. It’s okay. It’s only an hour and thirteen minutes
long so by the time you get bored with it, the credits are rolling. If you want
some good Mike Shayne, read the Halliday novels.
Everly- This
movie stars Selma Hayek, is very good and currently on Netflix. That’s all I’m
going to tell you about it. Watch it now!
Repo Man- Alex
Cox’s 1984 sci-fi/comedy opus was played on the big screen at a local theater.
It was already on the calendar before we lost Harry Dean Stanton but,
fittingly, it turned into the tribute showing and there were interview clips
played and a moment of silence before the feature. Seeing it on the big screen
is always a great time but having the memorial beforehand really completed the
experience. If you haven’t seen it in a while, go check it out, it’ll be an
intense experience.
Finally, for the
t.v. watchers, I have a couple of things I’ve been watching during mealtime-
The Andy Griffith
Show season 3- It’s hard to believe that so much happens in a small town
where the sidewalks roll up at 8 and the jail closes on Sunday. This season we
meet the pump jockey at Wally’s Filling Station, Gomer Pyle, and then there’s
everybody’s favorite musical mountain family, The Darlings. This was also the
introduction to Ernest T. Bass as he protests Charlene Darlings wedding. If you
enjoyed the first two seasons, you’ll like this one.
The Andy Griffith
Show season 4- The Darlings are back, Ernest T. Bass is back and Gomer
leaves, giving up his job to his cousin Goober. It kind of feels like they
originally intended to spin-off Ernest T. but then went with Gomer instead.
Another season of small town shenanigans that ends with Gomer joining the
Marines. A spin-off from a spin-off is born and Danny Thomas has another hot
property on his hands. It’s still fun so if you enjoy season 3, keep going.
Doctor Who series 9-
Peter Capaldi enjoys his second season at the helm of the T.A.R.D.I.S. but this
may be the end of The Impossible Girl. Want to know more? You’ll just have to
watch the show.
That’s all I have
for this month. Tune in next time to see how far along I am on the movies and
maybe I’ll watch a few more. With the holiday season coming up, it’s time to
dust off my slasher collection and maybe find some other new classics to pass
along.
It’s hard to
believe it’s already September. The summer has just flown by. Some of you are
probably happy about it because it means that your kids get out from under foot
and back in school. Personally, it just means that colder weather is on the
way. Oh well, I can’t stop it so I’ll just wait until it gets here to start
complaining about it.
Last month, I
finally broke my yoga cherry. I’ve always been curious to try it but never had
the opportunity. My doctor is in training to be an instructor (she’s an amazing
multi-tasker, I keep waiting for her to form a rock band and start test driving
rocket cars) and they had a bring-a-beginner-night. I couldn’t be more of a
beginner if I tried, so with those qualifications, I took two classes on the
first night and then went back for a free week to try out some of the other
classes. They’re all pretty cool and the more I get into it the more I’m
realizing that it’s not just stretching and breathing, there’s a lot more to
it. I now have my own mat and a couple of towels (oh yes, you will sweat) and I’m
going a few times a week when my schedule allows it.
I’m trying to get
into a self- improvement regimen where I can balance the physical side of my
life with the mental side. It’s slow going so far but I’ve been doing it for
about a week. Hopefully, I’ll have more to report next month.
The Junior
Warriors played the last game of the season in August. Team Black ended up
taking it 2 to 1. Next season could get real interesting since some of these
girls are getting too old for Juniors and planning to level up to the home
teams. I’m making the prediction now that 400 point games will start becoming
common place in the next couple of seasons.
While I’m
thinking about it, what is your favorite “ghost story” movie? I have a new idea
roaming around in my head and I need your help, so click “reply” and let me
know. Thanks.
One other thing,
while we’re on the subject of ghost stories and horror movies, I’m sad to
report that Tobe Hooper passed away. I know he hasn’t done much recently, but
when you can leave behind a legacy that has touched so many, you get my
condolences.
Here’s the rest
of what I’ve been up to in the past month, maybe you’ll get some good
suggestions or just a warning-
Tarzan The Untamed by
Edgar Rice Burroughs- The Great War has come to East Africa (keep in mind,
this was written in 1919) and Lord Greystoke feels a certain obligation to join
the resistance against the Huns of the German empire. I won’t say too much
about this book because spoilers are like a minefield with this one. If you
have enjoyed the series up to this point, I think you’ll like it. It has a
familiar feel to it while at the same time going way out into left field.
O Pioneers by Willa
Cather- The epic story of a pioneer family on the Nebraska plains. I picked
this up out of curiosity and while I can’t say wow, this is amazing, you should
read this right now, it is worth a look if you’re so inclined.
Gone Tomorrow by Lee
Child- Imagine yourself on a New York subway. It’s 2:00 on a sweltering
summer morning. There are eight other people in the car with you, most look
like they just got off of a late shift, a couple of others may be getting home
from the bars, but one is wearing a coat, zipped up and a big hand bag in her
lap with both of her hands in it. Knowing the profile of suicide bombers, you
know that the only option you have for all concerned is to try to talk her
down. You approach and strike up a conversation. She takes one hand out of the
bag and then the other, but that one has a .357 Magnum in it. She points it at
you and before your life is finished flashing before your eyes, without a word,
she puts it under her own chin and pulls the trigger. Figuring out the thread
of the events that lead to this moment will keep you guessing through the whole
book. This is definitely worth your time.
61 Hours by Lee Child-
Nothing is ever easy in Jack Reacher’s world. He was just minding his own
business, riding on a bus through South Dakota when a chance patch of ice
causes him to end up smack dab in the middle of a remote town where the local
police have their hands full protecting a witness who’s due to testify about a
drug deal she witnessed. Winter storms approaching from the north and west,
drug dealers approaching from the south and his biggest ally is a voice on the
phone from the east. If you’re a fan of the series and you liked the last one
(see above), definitely give this one a look. A quick side note- for all of the
criticisms you may have about Tom Cruise in the movies, you have to applaud the
casting directors of Jack Reacher: Never Go Back. This book introduces the
character of Susan Turner and it was published in ’10; Coby Smulders fits the
description perfectly.
The Wrecking Crew by
Donald Hamilton- Everybody’s favorite swingin’ spy is back…well, sort of.
He doesn’t sing like Dino, but when you need somebody to get the job done, you
can always count on Matt Helm. This time he’s in Sweden trying to track down an
international assassin. If you liked the first one then give this one a try.
Here are a few
suggestions for my movie watching friends-
The 101-Year-Old Man
Who Skipped Out On The Bill And Disappeared- This is a direct sequel of The
100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out The Window And Disappeared. If you haven’t
seen this in a while, or ever, then start at the beginning because you will be
lost. They’re both comedies from Sweden and very good, so check them out if
you’re in the mood.
Being Charlie- I
ran across this one on Netflix. It got my attention because it was directed by
Rob Reiner. The story follows a young man who is trying to kick a drug habit
with varying results. It’s definitely worth a look.
Bowie: The Man Who
Changed The World- The documentary is interesting in that it tells a lot
about Bowie as a young man and struggling artist but after a while you start to
wonder if this is some kind of unauthorized biography. There are a couple of
interviews with old flames and friends but for the most part it’s all random
press footage with a narrative. The glaringly obvious question that gets posed
in this movie is- why do you talk about Bowie’s music but we never hear any of
Bowie’s music? It’s not a total waste of time but it leaves you with that Kurt
And Courtney kind of feeling as far as how much has actually been cleared.
Chinese Zodiac-
It’s refreshing to see a decent Jackie Chan film again. He wrote, directed and
starred in this one and, of course, did all of his own stunts (at 58!). This
falls in line with the Armour Of God series where he plays a treasure hunting
adventurer. This time he’s looking for 12 golden statues of the zodiac. It’s
definitely worth your time. Side note- as of 2012, Jackie held the Guinness
record for most stunts performed by a living actor. What did you do today?
Cousin Bette- Based
on the novel by Balzac, the story follows a woman (Jessica Lange) who enlists
the aid of an actress (Elisabeth Shue) to help her win over an artist. This was
a lot better than I was expecting and definitely worth a look.
Dawn Of The Dead-
Back in July, we lost George Romero. A local theater had a memorial screening
of Dawn Of The Dead in 35mm so, of course, I had to go check it out. It was
cool to see it on the big screen, I can’t remember the last time that happened.
If there is a screening near you any time soon, you should check it out. A
couple of quick side notes- Back in ’05, I visited the Monroeville Mall. They
don’t have the ice skating rink anymore and some of the stores have changed but
it’s still pretty much the same place. The security guards get a little touchy
when you start taking pictures. My other Dawn Of The Dead experience was when I
was at a Sci-Fi/Horror convention a couple of years ago and Ken Foree was there.
I didn’t really get a chance to meet him during the actual festivities but
afterward as things were winding down and everybody was packing up and going
back to the airport, I was hanging out by the hotel entrance with Tiffany
Shepis and Debbie Rochon (watch your toes, not trying to name drop but the
story makes more sense if you know who’s involved). I think it was Tiffany who
was waiting for a ride and she and Debbie were off saying good-bye to a couple
of other people when Ken Foree came over to where I was standing and put his
bags next to the column I was leaning against. He asked me if I could keep an
eye on his stuff while he checked out. I said it was no problem. I guess I just
looked trustworthy hanging out with Tiffany and Debbie or maybe he’s in the
habit of leaving his bags unattended with strangers ( does he admit this to the
airlines?). I was kind of hoping he would have said something like “Hey troop,
watch my gear, I’m coming back” , but since he wasn’t looking at me as a
fanboy, I didn’t feel the need to act the part. He came back and we introduced
ourselves, shook hands and he got in a car and went to the airport. I didn’t
say it was a great story, just said it related to the movie.
Dunkirk-
Christopher Noland’s war film has arrived. I wish I could say that I saw this
in 70mm but I was a little late getting to this party so, I just had to settle
for digital cinema. The story is still good and everything looks great. It
manages to draw you in even though you know how it ends, and that’s always a
challenge for a historical drama. If you haven’t seen it yet, go now, it
definitely needs to be seen on the big screen.
They Live- The
Golden Age of Carpenter was between 1978 and 1989. Anytime a movie that falls
on this timeline plays at a theater near you, drop what you are doing and go
watch it, especially if it’s in 35mm. This movie is still amazing, check it out
if it plays in your neighborhood.
And finally, for
the t.v. watchers-
The Andy Griffith
Show season 2- It’s time to take down your fishin’ pole and meet at the
fishin’ hole again for another season. If you got into season 1, you’ll enjoy
it. There are some writing inconsistencies with some of the characters but if
you just use that sit-com suspension of disbelief, you’ll get past it.
The Defenders-
Okay, I’ll admit that it wasn’t as cool as I had hoped it would be but, it was
still pretty damn good. Out of respect for those of you who still have it on
your list and are waiting for time to watch it, I won’t pick over all of the
plot points. I will recommend watching an episode at a time since it is only
eight episodes. Plus, by watching it daily, you really start to feel with the
characters when they start talking about the crazy week they’ve been having. I
did find it interesting that with four different stunt coordinators to choose
from, they went with Matt Mullins from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. It doesn’t really
show outside of some of Daredevils’ scenes. Iron Fist looks like he’s advanced
in his training from the last time you saw him. Jones is still a brawler who
goes for the quick and simple take down or knock out. Cage has the one man
wrecking crew thing down but Daredevil just feels a little too much martial
artist and not enough boxer. If you enjoyed the four series, definitely check
it out, you won’t be sorry.
That’s all I have
for this month. Tune in next time and see what happens because even I don’t
have that answer.
I hope everybody
is enjoying the summer so far. July flew by, I hope August sticks around for a
while, I don’t look forward to the next two seasons. Did anybody make out to
The Fringe Festival? I had three shows that I was trying to make an effort to
see and only made it to two of them. Luckily, they brought the third one back
for a limited engagement. Now, if only I can find some time over the weekend…
One of the shows,
Liminal State, introduced me to something really cool. It’s a dance form called
Butoh and is performed in the moment. It
originates from post-war Japan. There are no real fixed positions or
choreography, it’s sort of like improv for dancers. If you get the chance to
see it sometime, you should definitely check it out.
After all of the
traveling I did the previous two months, it feels like I’ve been sitting still.
The fact that I’ve been staying home and editing my movie hasn’t helped much. I
feel like some steps forward have been made but we still have a bit to go. My
personal mission is tracking down music for this thing. I’ve been inspired by a
lot of movies lately (we’ll get to them soon). It’s the most fun I’ve had at work in a while!
Well, there’s
only so much I can say about staying home and sitting in front of a computer,
so I’ll just start in on my recommendations. First up are a few things you may
want to add to your summer reading list-
The Big Sleep by
Raymond Chandler- Philip Marlowe made his debut in this novel. He is hired
by a wealthy man in his declining years, because his daughter is being
blackmailed. Marlowe is asked to make all of the arrangements to make the
payment, but he knows that there’s nothing to stop them from dragging out more
money, so he’s on the trail to find a blackmailer while trying to avoid the
daughter and a host of other problems that seem to keep landing in his lap.
If you get the
chance, track down the audio book. It’s read by Elliott Gould so it kind of
feels like it’s an extension of The Long Goodbye, except when he starts talking
about the ‘40’s instead of the ‘70’s. I haven’t had a chance to see if he
narrated the other books in the series since I just ran across this one at the
library. It’d be cool if he did.
Death Of A Citizen by
Donald Hamilton- Matt Helm gets drawn back into a web of intrigue after a
fifteen year retirement. His former partner enlists his help when a local
scientist becomes the target of kidnappers. This is the first book in the
series and it’s completely different from the Dean Martin movies. One of the
interesting things about this book is the feel of it. It was written in 1960.
World War II had only been over for 15 years, Korea was only in the periphery,
Kennedy was still alive, Viet Nam had not happened yet and landing on the moon
was still the subject of science fiction writers. There is a very un-cynical
way of viewing world politics. Sure, The Commies are untrustworthy, but if
you’re an American, well, you’re okay, Joe. Check it out if you can find it.
The series has been out of print for a while so you have to dig through
libraries or used book stores or maybe online.
George Lucas-A Life
by Brian Jay Jones- If you are a fan of George Lucas, read this book. If,
like me, you stopped being a fan around the turn of the century, read this
book. Whether you love him or hate him, you’ll definitely walk away from this
book with a new respect for the man. This is not a
Lucas-is-great-and-you’re-foolish-for-not-seeing-it kind of biography. Nor is
it a Lucas-is-the-son-of-the-devil-and-defiled-your-childhood hate piece. Jones
covers all of the angles and just presents the facts. If you’re a filmmaker,
I’d definitely recommend this. There are some tips that I’m planning on using
with my production company. Lucas is a no bullshit kind of guy. He started
Lucasfilm Ltd. as a way of getting out from under the Hollywood studio system.
Sometimes his ideas took off and other times they bit him in the ass. Read this
for yourself and form your own opinions of the man.
Memoirs Of A Mangy
Lover by Groucho Marx- This is a collection of essays written by Marx on
the opposite sex (well, opposite if you’re a man). Most of them are
autobiographical, all of them are pretty entertaining. If you’re a fan I’d
definitely recommend this one.
Fletch by Gregory
McDonald- I read this at the beginning of the month and had no idea or
intention to start reading the first book in so many series. Fletch is an
investigative reporter who is working on a story about the local beaches when
he finds himself being hired to kill somebody…the guy who’s trying to hire him.
Now he has two investigations to pursue and the clock is ticking because he’s
supposed to commit the murder later in the week. On top of this pressure, he
has his boss riding his ass about a deadline and his two ex-wives attorneys
keep hounding his steps everywhere he goes. How will this turn out? Read the
book and see. Even if you’ve seen the movie as many times as I have, you’ll
still be entertained by this book.
Tom Sawyer, Abroad by
Mark Twain- If you’re thinking to yourself, I’ve read most of Mr. Twains works
and I don’t recall coming across this one, there’s a reason. It’s not that
good. He admitted in his autobiography to writing it for money and it shows.
Tom, Huck and Jim find themselves shanghaied on a blimp. They eventually mutiny
and gain control of the ship and by this time they are in Europe. There are a
few adventures that get discussed but it would have been more interesting to
have been a part of them. Instead, it’s just a lot of conversations where Tom
plays man of the world with Huck and Jim in the roles of yokels. It’s short, so
if you’re a die- hard fan and just want to complete your collection, go ahead
and read it, otherwise, there are many other more enjoyable books out there
waiting to be discovered, go find them.
Summer time can be a good time for movies.
July was a surprise month theatrically. I almost feel like I’m done going to
the theater until September. Read on, it will all be explained.
Atomic Blonde- I
saw a preview for this back in April/May and at the end it just said coming
soon. As soon as I got home I looked up the release date, marked my calendar
and set my sights on the horizon. I’ve seen a lot of good movies by accident,
others have surprised me, some looked interesting and turned out to be better
than I expected but, this is the first one I’ve seen in a long time that
excited me from the word go and kept its promise. It’s a spy story set just
before the fall of the Berlin Wall. You’re probably saying to yourself, I’ve
seen The Soldier and Other People’s Lives and The Spy Who Came In From The
Cold, you’re going to tell me that there is a movie that’s as good or better
than these? Yes I am. It’s called Atomic Blonde and it will probably be the
last movie you see all summer because I haven’t seen a preview for
anything that’s going to outdo this one.
Baby Driver- See
this before you see Atomic Blonde. It’s a really cool crime thriller with
interesting characters and a good story that deserves to be measured on its own
merits. I’ve become a big fan of the soundtrack. It’s one of the few movies
I’ve seen in a while that I really want to see again. I thought about seeing it
after Atomic Blonde since the schedule lined up with about 10 minutes to spare,
but then I walked out of Atomic Blonde…
The Bandit- CMT made a documentary about a
year ago on the making of Smokey And The Bandit. For those of us who don’t have
CMT, it is now available on the blu-ray of 40th Anniversary edition
of the movie. The filmmakers do a good job with most of the facts, but they
kind of wander off point in the middle of the film. There are interviews with
Burt Reynolds and Paul Williams and Hal Needham’s son, along with a few others,
but you can’t help but wonder, where’s Sally Field? They also have BTS coverage
of Smokey And The Bandit II that starts to make you question if they’re talking
about the first movie or the franchise. If you’re a casual fan, check it out.
It’s entertaining and informative. Even I picked up a couple of new facts. If
you’ve devoured every story since the release and read Needham’s and Reynolds’
autobiographies, you sometimes find yourself saying, they left out the part
where Hal said…
Jaws- Speaking of
great movies in their 40’s, The Alamo had their annual screening of everybody’s
favorite holiday classic. They played it in 35mm and it still looks amazing. I
got lucky enough to be seated next to a young woman who was seeing it for the
first time. Even after 40 years, when Ben Gardener’s head comes floating out the
hole, people still jump. They jump at the other appropriate times as well.
After so many viewings over the years, it’s always nice to see it through fresh
eyes.
Mad Max Beyond
Thunderdome- For years I thought that this was the weakest link in the Mad
Max chain. After Fury Road, I gained a whole new appreciation of this movie. I
mostly picked it up because a local production company was doing a staged
reading of it and I hadn’t seen the movie in years. It’s not as great as it
could have been, given the first two, but it’s still enjoyable. It doesn’t
translate to the stage as easily as you’d think it would, but I enjoyed that
production as well.
Planet Of The Apes-
I picked this up on dvd because it was on sale and because it had two
commentary tracks, one by Roddy McDowell, Kim Hunter, Natalie Trundy and makeup
guru John Chambers. The other track is by Jerry Goldsmith. I’ve always hoped
they would release something like this one day and it looked like that day had
arrived! I haven’t listened to the one by Goldsmith yet but the other one is
only a select track and Chambers is the only one who sounds like he’s watching
the movie. The others feel like sound bites out of interviews. It was
informative, to a degree, especially the actors personal stories, but most of
it you’ve already heard before. The movie is still great, but all that glitters
definitely ain’t gold.
Spider-Man:
Homecoming- It’s refreshing to see a Spider-Man movie that is not an origin
story. It does a good job continuing the storyline from Captain America: Civil
War, so if you’ve been following the Marvel Cinematic Universe, you need to see
this, there’s a lot that comes into play.
Streets Of Fire- I
had not seen this movie in a while and to make matters worse, right as I was
feeling the itch to watch it again, a local theater was going to play it on the
big screen…on the same night that I had a ticket to see Blondie and Garbage. It
wasn’t on the big screen, but I got the best of both worlds that night. I had
never seen Blondie live before, so that was cool. Garbage is always a fun show.
Even on the small screen, Streets Of Fire is still a great movie. If you
haven’t seen it in a while, remedy that.
Valerian And The City
Of A Thousand Planets- The previews and critics haven’t really done this
film justice. Even I was feeling lukewarm about seeing it until I saw a clip
from Luc Besson online talking about what a labor of love this had been and how
it was based on comic books that he used to read as a kid. It was a slow week
for movies so I took a chance and really enjoyed it. Here’s the trick to it- if
you look at it like a Saturday afternoon matinee film, it’s a lot of fun. It’s
about space cops trying to solve a mystery and the lengths their investigation
takes them to. There are narrow escapes from dangerous situations at every turn
and you never know who you can trust. If I was 12 years old, I would love this
movie. Being slightly north of 12, I can appreciate it for what it was. Also,
the visual effects are amazing. ILM really raised the bar on themselves and the
industry. If you get the chance to see it theatrically, take it.
I haven’t
forgotten my t.v. watchers. Netflix is releasing The Defenders in August. This
is a series where Daredevil, Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and Iron Fist join forces
to defeat a common foe. Think of it like The Avengers for the Marvel Television
Universe. I had seen Daredevil but needed to catch up on the others, so, if you’re
in the same boat, here are some recommendations. I’d also suggest that you
watch them in the order that I’ve written them down because, while the main
characters never interact, the world around them seems to follow a progressive
time line and it can get interesting.
Daredevil-season 1-
If you’re a Daredevil fan, you will love this show. The most negative thing I
can say about this show is that Charlie Cox is not blonde. The show seems to
take on the feel of the Marvel Knights comic series that featured Captain
America and The Punisher along with The Man Without Fear. They really seemed to
pay attention to the evolution of the character and the costume, even though
they jumped over the black and yellow period (spoiler alert). The stunt work is
amazing!
Jessica Jones-season
1- I thought it was odd that Marvel would choose this character to make
into a series. She’s not exactly a household name. Jones is a private
investigator who happens to have super strength. The show hints at her being
the subject of a medical experiment but the details are hazy. It’s probably something
that will be addressed in season 2. Kristen Ritter does a good job in the role
and the episodes are well written. I was surprised how much I enjoyed it.
Daredevil-season 2-
This is the season that introduces The Punisher. It’s an interesting contrast
and comparison between Matt Murdoch and
Frank Castle that runs through the whole season. I won’t say too much more
except that this season has one of the great moments in television that you
should not miss.
Luke Cage- Like
everything in the comic book universe, this is not the same Power Man I read as
a kid. It’s still interesting to see what they’ve done with the character but
if you’re expecting the jive talking soul brother with the furious fists of
vengeance, you might want to sit down first. It’s definitely worth your time.
Iron Fist- If you
thought they changed Luke Cage, stay seated. This is not the partner of Power
Man from those thrilling days of yesteryear. He doesn’t wear a mask and he has
his own story. It’s a slow burn that seems to have the writing formula
reversed. Where most shows start off with in your face action to get you hooked
and then start developing the characters to keep you interested, this show puts
all of its character development up front and it’s not until you’re a few
episodes in that you realize that this guy is a mystical martial artist. Stick
with it, it’s only 13 episodes long and you’ll probably be tested on it in The
Defenders.
That’s all I have
for this month. Stay hydrated and we’ll meet up again next time.
Hello again! Here
we are in July, about to blow a lot of stuff up in celebration of our
Independence… It’s too frustrating to go into our current state of affairs so
I’ll just let that hang there and you can fill in your own opinions. It’s like
the pick-a-path adventure books from your youth, you’re welcome for that little
trip down memory lane.
In May I went on
The Great Southern Tour and then I followed it up last month with a tour of The
Western Expansion. It wasn’t cinematically related this time, although I did
see a few movies along the way (more on those later). It started off,
innocently enough, with three days in Denver, Colorado that turned into one of
the outer circles of Hell and then ended in California, where the sun always
shines…most of the time…in the afternoon.
I’d worked all
day, came home and took a 90 minute nap, showered and dressed and was on the
road by midnight after stopping off at QT for gas and coffee (a traveling
essential). I made it to the gig in Denver by Halftime of the first game
(morning traffic sucks no matter where you are). KCRW was playing Sac City’s
Capital Punishers in the second game. We lost 213 to 109. We would come back
the next day and play an opponent yet to be named. In the meantime, I still had
five more derby games to sit through without a horse in either race. You always
hope that you’ll see that one exciting game, but this was day one and there are
very few exciting games on the first day. The teams are just trying to make it
to the next bracket and they’re still feeling each other out.
A little before
10 p.m., I went in search of something that didn’t come out of the concession
stand. I was surprised that Denver rolled up its sidewalks so early on a Friday
night. I ended up at a Village Inn. I hadn’t been to one in a long time and it
was different than the one in KC, more like a Perkins. By the time I got
checked into the hotel, wrote and posted my story about the first day, it was
midnight. Jack Bauer may save the world in 24 hours but I cover more ground
than he does.
Up at 6, eating
at 7, derby by 8. I want to take a quick second to say a few things about
Quality Inn. I went with them because they were the cheapest and the closest
and they had free internet. Having never been there before, this was the only
criteria I had for a hotel. I’ve covered tournaments before and knew that I
just needed a place to write, sleep and shower. I wouldn’t even have time to
turn on the tv because I’m not going to be there that long. When they advertised
“free breakfast”, I was expecting some bagels, little boxes of cereal and
unnaturally yellow toaster waffles with a pot of coffee, a carafe of juice and
maybe some milk for the cereal. Quality Inn has bagels, toast, yogurt, cheese
omelets and make-your-own waffles along with pots of fresh coffee and bottles
of juice. I was surprised to find real food for what I was paying. I was
thankful there was a Denny’s across the street, just figured I’d take a look at
the spread before I headed over there. It was good as well as filling.
Boulder County
and Treasure Valley started the day. KCRW was playing the third game this time.
We played Wasatch’s Midnight Terror and they became our nightmare with a final
score of 235 to 104. We won the first four games of the season and now we’re
choking on the road. Sunday morning we get to fight it out for 10th
place. Four games later and I’m at Chipotle trying to finish my tacos before
they lock the doors. Back to the hotel to lather, rinse and repeat as
necessary.
Sunday morning
saw KCRW going against Sacred City’s Sacrificers for 10th place. The
first half went well, we were only trailing by 10 points at Halftime and that
can be made up in one Jam. Somewhere in the Second Period, it just all fell
apart and we came in at number 11. There’s always next season, right?
I watched the
rest of the games and the MVP ceremonies. Now it was time to get ready for
phase two, California. I found a hotel close to the airport so I could just get
ready and be there. You always hear about “those seedy places by the airport
that charge by the hour” but I’ll be damned if I could find one. I just needed
a bed for seven hours. If it happened to be hart shaped or filled with water
with a mirror over it, I didn’t care. I just needed a mattress and internet for
one last story. I would stretch out on a pink bear skin rug (where do they find
pink bears?), post the final results and put the tournament behind me. I ended
up finding a Motel 6. Mattress-check, internet-check. I got everything streamlined and airport
friendly and went to bed. When I woke up, it felt like Denver would not let me
go.
I woke up 15
minutes before the alarm. The party next door must have wrapped up an hour
before. Did the morning routine. When I checked out, there was a delay because
they couldn’t tell if I paid or not. Apparently, when you check out at 1 a.m.
they get confused. It took two people behind the counter ten minutes and my
receipt to show that yes, I did pay when I checked in.
Stopped at
Denny’s next door (there’s always a Denny’s next door). First thing you learn,
eat when you can because you never know when you’ll get another chance. It’s a
long way to California. The food showed up promptly but the waitress seemed to
take a break after dropping off the check. I was contemplating a dine-and-dash
on the basis that it was more of a dine-and-get-forgotten when she reappeared.
I paid and left.
There are signs
for satellite parking but they don’t really tell you where to go. I followed a
sign that said Cell Phone Parking and it led me to a waiting area. I asked the
guy working the convenience store about it and he had no idea what satellite
parking was. I had to break everything down to its basest form to communicate.
Me: I need long term parking. Is that what this lot is?
Him: Sure, you can park here. There’s a lounge across the
parking lot where you can wait. They have all of the flight information there.
Me: Is there a shuttle that comes by to pick me up?
Him: A shuttle?
Me: A bus or some kind of transportation?
Him: No, the buses don’t come out here.
Me: How do I get to the airport?
Him: You’ll turn right, down that street, it’ll take you
straight to it.
Me: I need some kind of long term parking lot where I won’t
get charged twenty-five bucks a day. Is there anything like that around here? I
followed the signs off the highway and they lead here.
Him: There might be something on the other side of the
highway, but not around here.
Me: Okay, that’s all I needed to know.
I try the other
side of the highway and eventually find it. I park and wait. The buses do run
at 2 a.m., right? One eventually shows up and drops me at the terminal. Now,
the games are ready to begin.
I already have my
ticket so I don’t need ticketing. There’s a sign that points to Security Check
In. Well, the sign wasn’t entirely wrong, it just didn’t mention that the check
in point it refers to was up an escalator and closed so that I had to go to the
opposite end of the terminal to find the open one.
After separating
my possessions into three separate tubs, I get dressed and proceed to the train
that takes you to the departure terminal. I’m always reminded of Escape From
New York where the subway goes from Denver to Atlanta. That was 1997, why
hasn’t that happened twenty years later? As I’m waiting for the tram, this guy
walks up and is completely lost as to which terminal to go to. I show him how
to read his boarding pass and it turns out we’re going to the same terminal.
Apparently I am the seasoned traveler now because no sooner do I get that guy
straightened out when a woman asks me where she has to go. I don’t even need a
boarding pass for this one. I see that the tram is due to arrive in 30 seconds.
Me: Where are you headed?
Her: Salt Lake City.
25 seconds
Me: What airline are you taking?
Her: Delta
20 seconds
Me: What time do you leave?
Her: 6:15
14 seconds
I scan the board under S
Me: Salt Lake City, Delta, flight number 1645 out of gate 74
in Terminal C.
The doors open. “Please watch your step as you enter the
tram.”
Me: (to both of them) That’s us.
We board. There’s a map of the train route on the wall.
Me: (to him) We’ll get off at the next stop. (Pointing to
the last stop. To her) You’ll get off two stops later.
They both look at the map and thank me.
As we leave the tram, there are two ways back
up to the terminal level. To the left, the up escalator is out of service. Both
are working on the right. I see him start for the left side.
Me: You’re not going to get too far that way. We have to go
over here.
We take the
escalator up and I get him pointed towards his gate. Detroit is still a long
way off, I hope he finds it. My gate is in the opposite direction, all the way
at the end. Surprisingly enough, my flight was on time.
I made it to
Dallas and then on to Santa Barbara without difficulty. It was great to see the
folks again. My step-dad was showing off his new electric car that does
everything but make the morning coffee. It’s surprisingly fast and has an
auto-pilot feature. I couldn’t help but think how handy something like that
would have been last month. I’ll bet I could have turned 19 hours into 17 and a
half. No stopping for gas and then take a quick nap on an open stretch of
American highway… maybe for the 45th anniversary.
Meanwhile, back
in California, I’m surrounded by mountains and an ocean with beaches and
everything that the Midwest does not have to offer. I had been cooped up for
far too long and desperately needed a change of scenery. First The Rockies and
now California, I could get used to this.
I was out there
for ten days and managed to see most of Santa Barbara. I even made it to San
Francisco for a couple of days to see my sister. There’s too much to see in SF
to try to cram it all in to one day. I need to get up there more often.
Finally, it came
time to leave. My layover was in Phoenix this time. Everything was expensive
there. I ended up getting a $2 candy bar to hold me over to Denver. Made it
back to Denver. The airport feels a lot different at 4 in the afternoon than it
does at 4 in the morning. I retraced my steps and caught the shuttle out to my
car. Planes, trains and automobiles all in one day and it wasn’t even
Thanksgiving.
The drive to KC
was made interesting by the lightning show that was going on just outside of
Manhattan until I reached Topeka when the rain started to come down, and down,
and down. Here’s a quick travel tip for those of you who may find yourselves
driving in the rain, even though your hazard lights may be on, do not play
Pac-Man with the dotted lines on the road. If you feel the need to drive 30
miles an hour with your hazard lights on, pull over to the side of the road and
wait for the rain to pass. Those of us born before 1995 learned to drive in
foul weather and you’re just getting in the way.
I made it home
before 3 a.m. and just went to bed. Woke up later that day, unpacked and did
laundry and made it to Memorial Hall for the game against Nashville. KCRW
managed to keep their home record intact and beat The Music City All Stars 211
to 101. It was Xcelerators final game. Our ranking had taken a beating in
Denver and if we wanted to maintain what we currently had, we had to beat
Nashville with a 2-1 ratio in points. The last 13 points of the game were scored
by X. That’s how you retire.
That was the last
game of the season so chances are we won’t go on to any of the tournaments
(unless everybody else suddenly starts to suck and we can get over this
rectal-cranial disorder that seems to have infected the majority of the team).
With so many people retiring, next season is going to be one hell of a building
year.
With my vacation
time behind me, I’ve returned to work. My home store is still being remodeled
so I’ve been moved to another store. I think I like it more than I like my home
store. The customers aren’t as loud and obnoxious. When we re-open, we’re expected to be even
busier…oh joy.
Did anybody else
happen to make it out to see Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert-the musical? It
played at The Unicorn. I’m usually opposed to this trend of taking popular
films and turning them into Broadway musicals. There is a serious lack of
creativity going on in the entertainment industry. It feels like the world is
afraid or uninterested in moving forward. Mainstream Hollywood is re-making or
coming out with a sequel to anything it can get its hands on, the adult
industry just keeps cranking out parodies of tv shows and film franchises,
television seems to only be interested in bringing back shows that went off the
air for a reason the first time, and Broadway seems to just close its eyes and
point to the screen of their Netflix que to see what next season will be and
even books are not safe. Instead of just letting a series die with an author,
somebody else starts writing them. Why have we stagnated as a society?
The topic of
conversation, before I jumped up on my soap box, was Priscilla. I figured that
since it was already mostly a musical, how bad could it be? I wasn’t sure how
they were going to get a Winnebago on The Unicorn stage, so that was kind of
intriguing. Plus, my friend Laura Jacobs was in it as Mitzi’s wife, so I went
and ended up enjoying it. Of course, just like Terrance Stamp, Ron Megee stole
the show as Bernadette. I hope you had a chance to make it out.
Looks like we’ve
made it to the what-have-you-been-up-to-lately section of this thing. Here are
a few recommendations and warnings for your entertainment needs-
When Will Jesus Bring
The Pork Chops? by George Carlin- Filled partly with new observations on
the world around him and partly with some classic material, this book makes for
some fun, light reading if you’re a fan.
Death In The
Afternoon by Ernest Hemingway- This is a really interesting book if you’ve
ever followed a sport like a groupie. This particular book happens to be about
bull fighting but I think that even if you’re not into bull fighting you can
still appreciate the approach he takes with all of the insight. Definitely
worth your time.
Sole Survivor by Dean
Koontz- A former reporter has given up hope and all interest in life since
his family was killed in a plane crash a year ago. There was no way anybody
could have survived…but somebody has come forward claiming they did. Worth your
time to follow this mystery.
Mr. Majestyk by
Elmore Leonard- A melon farmer is just trying to get his crop in on time to
get to the market. Unfortunately, he also has a labor dispute and a mob hitman
to deal with. If you want to know more, you’ll have to read the book.
The Diaries of Adam
and Eve by Mark Twain- Originally written as two separate serialized
magazine pieces, this volume puts the two together in chronological order. Some
of the views of the first man on the first woman are pretty hilarious. You
should definitely track this down.
Like I mentioned
earlier, I did see a lot of movies this month. Most of them were good, others,
not as much. There were some pleasant surprises as well as a few let downs. As
we head into the Summer Movie Season, it’s only going to get worse.
47 Meters Down- I
have waited 42 years for somebody to make a decent shark movie. Finally,
somebody wised up that it’s not just the situation of peril or the number of
sharks but how realistic your shark looks! Steven Spielberg scared the bejeezus
out of a generation with a mechanical shark that only worked some of the time.
Because, it looked authentic. I’ve seen most of the killer shark movies that
have come along through the years and they have all sucked for the most part.
Some less than others but none that you want to revisit, except, maybe Jaws 2
when you’re in the mood to lower your standards and have a little guilty
pleasure. 47 Meters Down has realistic looking sharks that behave in a
realistic manner. The drama comes from the fact that two sisters are at the
bottom of the ocean in shark infested water. What do you do to survive? The sharks have not been whipped into a frenzy
by ocean drilling or meteorological circumstances. They are not genetically
bred to be overly aggressive. They’re just hungry, and if you happen to be
outside the cage, you could be something tasty. The director does a great job
of incorporating classic elements of the haunted house genre with darkness and
the fear of the unknown as well as camera angles. If you’re looking for a good
thrill ride, go see this movie.
After Midnight- I’ll
admit to being intrigued by Fred Olen Ray trying to revisit the “undercover
stripper” genre, which has been dormant for a while now. I’ll say this for it,
he’s changed the plot device of undercover cop looking for a serial killer to a
journalist looking for her sisters killer, that was a little refreshing. I can
also say that I’ve never seen anything quite like this before. He managed to get
Richard Grieco and Tawny Kitaen for supporting roles. I have a hard time recommending
it with a straight face. Personally, nothing will ever top Stripped To Kill.
The Bad Batch-
When I saw the preview for this I was intrigued because it didn’t give away too
much of the story line and it had an interesting cast of supporting
players-Jason Mamoa, Keanu Reeves and Giovani Ribisi. I’m not going to give
away the story line because, well, there’s not that much to give away. It will
hold your attention and it’s very cinematic but you walk out of the theater
kind of wondering, what exactly did I just see? It’s reminiscent of some of your
favorite dystopian future sci-fi films, so it is fun, just not a lot of
substance.
Beatriz At Dinner-
I’m always amazed when make-up artists can turn Selma Hayek into a plain
looking wallflower. She plays a holistic healer who is making a house call when
her car breaks down. She is now stranded with her clients and his business
associates are coming over for dinner. John Lithgow is great, as always, in the
role of a billionaire developer who is the root of all things evil in Beatriz’s
world. I thought it was just okay, which was a little disappointing because I
was looking forward to this. One of my main problems with it are the
characters. If you can identify with one of these two factions, then you’re
sure to enjoy the movie. I found both sides a little grating.
The Big Short-
Set back in the early 2000’s when Fanny and Freddy were playing fast and loose
with the housing economy, a small group of people figured out the pattern and
found a way to make millions while everybody else was going homeless. It’s a
pretty interesting film that is definitely worth your time and should probably
be viewed as a double feature with 99 Homes.
The Book Of Henry-
Here’s another movie that started off really well, it turned into something
that the preview didn’t show you and then just runs out of steam in an
anti-climax. Wait for home video on this one.
Churchill- When I
saw that Brian Cox was playing Winston Churchill, I was interested from the
start. Cox does a great job and the movie holds your attention, it’s just not
as great as you were hoping it was going to be. I saw it on June 6th,
so it was holiday appropriate, but if you wait for home video you won’t be
missing much.
Escape From New York-
This is always a fun one. It recently played at The Alamo Drafthouse on 35mm
so, of course, I had to go. If you’ve never seen it on the big screen, keep a
vigilant eye on your local theaters, even if it’s just digital video, it’s
always better on the big screen.
Maggie- This one
came in under the radar when it was released theatrically. I don’t know about
where you live, but it played in one theater for a week in KC. That’s kind of
amazing considering it stars Arnold Schwarzenegger. Abigail Breslin plays the
title character and Schwarzenegger is her father. In the not too distant future
(next month or next year) there is an epidemic that ravages the land. It’s
similar to Rage (27 Days Later) but with less aggression. Maggie is one of the
infected and her father just wants to make her final days comfortable on the
family farm instead of in a CDC holding facility. It’s pleasantly surprising.
Check it out, I found it on Hulu.
Meagan Leavey- The
preview leads you to believe that this will be The Hurt Locker meets Ol’
Yeller. I kind of wish it was that movie. It ends up being a Milos Foreman-esque
biopic in full Hollywood regalia. It comes in at just under two hours and I
wish they had either gone for twenty more minutes or focused more on one aspect
of the story instead of lingering on different parts that were interesting but only
propelled the character and not the story. Wait for home video.
Norman: The Moderate
Rise And Tragic Fall Of A New York Fixer- Richard Gere does a quality job
as the title character who is just trying to make it in the world and be somebody.
He gets caught up in a political web when he does a favor for a foreign
diplomat who’s on his way to becoming a prime minister. It’s good but a little
predictable. Wait for home video.
Paris Can Wait-
Diane Lane stars in this road movie that starts off with the wife of a movie
producer getting a ride with one of his associates from Cannes to Paris. What
should take 6 to 8 hours takes two days. It’s enjoyable. On a related note, for
those of you in the KC area who don’t have tickets to the Garbage/Blondie show
on the 18th, The Alamo Drafthouse is playing Streets Of Fire on the
big screen. Even if you decide to wait on Paris, you won’t want to miss that.
Wonder Woman-
Well, it finally happened, DC put out a good movie and it’s making money. I’ve been
south of impressed with their franchise so far, but this makes me want to see
The Justice League movie. Something tells me I’ll probably stop after that, but
I’m keeping an open mind. The character of Wonder Woman has been rebooted since
I was reading her as a kid, but this movie did a good job of introducing me to
the character and how she is now. You should go see it if you haven’t already.
Finally, for the t.v. watchers, I have a couple of
suggestions you might not have seen yet-
Agents of
S.H.I.E.L.D. season 4-They are finally doing what I always hoped they would
with this show, introducing new characters for the cinematic universe. Ghost
Rider plays a big role in this season. I’m guessing that, like the rest of my
childhood, the character has been rebooted since it’s no longer Johnny Blaze,
but Robbie Reyes. All things considered, it was a good season and if you’ve
liked it so far, keep watching.
Stranger Things-
I’m a little late to the party on this one but I now see what all the huh-bub
was about. It’s a total throw-back to the thrilling days of yesteryear when it
was just you and your friends and your bikes. Of course, there are monsters and
evil scientists and experiments that get loose, so it almost feels like early
Dean Koontz, but with a Creepshow element. Check it out if you haven’t already,
it’s only 8 episodes long.
Looks like we’ve
reached the end. Be sure to tune in next month as I go back to business as
usual at work and hermit myself away to work on The Movie… See you then.
Greetings all!
It’s hard to believe we’re half way through this year. Where does the time go?
I was asking myself that recently as one of my favorite movies celebrated its
40th anniversary. Really, it was forty years ago that Smokey and The
Bandit was released? Hal Needham made his directorial debut with that film. In
the course of those forty years we’ve lost Jackie Gleason, Hal Needham, Jerry
Reed and Pat McCormick, but their work will live on. I’ve written about the
dream it inspired and how it finally came true at http://therealalexpaxton.blogspot.com
, those of you who are interested can click and read. Of course, now that I’ve
done what they say can’t be done for Smokey and The Bandit, what am I going to
do for the fortieth anniversary of Hooper next year? Smokey and The Bandit
evoked a dream but Hooper sparked a passion! Maybe this is the time to do a
full body burn or maybe a high fall, better yet, a high fall while on fire! Has
anybody ever done that before? I feel like I’ve seen it done but I can’t place
where. Oh well, I’ve got some time to figure it out.
So, we’re almost
into the summer reading season, what have you read lately? Here’s what I’ve
read for the month, you may want some suggestions-
Bad Luck And Trouble
by Lee Child- This is book eleven in the Jack Reacher series. If you’ve
enjoyed the series up to this point, then you are going to love this one. Frances
Neagley (you might remember her from Without Fail) is getting the unit back
together after two of the members wind up missing. Read the book to find out
what happens next. It’s definitely worth your time.
Still Foolin’ ‘Em:
Where I’ve Been, Where I’m Going and Where The Hell Are My Keys? by Billy
Crystal- Crystal talks about his childhood and how he got into comedy and
acting, along with how he’s gotten older and how he views life now. If you’re a
fan, you’ll enjoy it. If you get the chance, track down the audio book. Crystal
reads it and there are parts that they recorded in front of an audience because
it felt more like a performance piece than an autobiography. Check it out, you
won’t be disappointed.
Bucky F*cking Dent by
David Duchovny- Set in the late ‘70’s, this story follows a sons’ struggle
to make his father comfortable in the decline of his life. The father is
determined to live long enough to see The Yankees get into The World Series.
Check it out, it’s pretty good.
Juliet, Naked by Nick
Hornby- A rock star who’s been a recluse for the past twenty years seems to
have a ripple effect on everybody he comes in contact with after his “new”
album is leaked to the internet groupies. It’s light and makes for a pleasant
read.
The Mark Of Zorro by
Johnston McCulley- Originally serialized in a magazine in 1910, this is the
Zorro story that started it all. If you’re a fan, you’ll enjoy it. If you’re
sitting there scratching your head trying to figure out who Zorro is, please,
read this book and send me an mail letting me know what you thought.
Loitering With
Intent-The Apprentice by Peter O’Toole- The second volume of his
autobiography mainly focuses on his years at The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts
and the start of his acting career. If you enjoyed The Child, then you really
should read this one.
But Enough About Me
by Burt Reynolds- Like most memoirs by your favorite actors, he goes on
about the things you didn’t know just long enough to keep it interesting and
then brushes over your favorite movies so that you’re left wanting more. If
you’re a fan of Mr. Reynolds (and who isn’t?), then you’ll really like this
book. If you’re just interested in a good human interest story, well, there’s
something in here for you too.
I didn’t make it
out to too many movies this month, but, with one exception, what I saw was
pretty good.
Ambushed- Dolph
Lundgren is a federal agent trying to shut down a cocaine ring. Randy Couture
is a dirty local cop intent on seeing to it that the drug business continues to
do business and Vinnie Jones is the head of the cocaine distribution. All three
have been in better movies and done better work. Even Benny Urquidez (stunt
coordinator) has done better work. I’ve seen worse but there are better ways to
spend 96 minutes.
American Psycho-
I am a fan of Bret Easton Ellis and while this may color outside the lines of
the book just a little, it is a lot of fun. It’s also one of my favorite
Christian Bale roles and he’s always fun to watch. A local theater got a hold
of a 35mm print so I was able to get off work early, cancel my reservation at
Dorsia and make the late show. It’s still good.
Guardians Of The
Galaxy Volume 2- Maybe it was that I knew what to expect but I warmed up to
this movie faster than the last. I guess you could call it faithful in its
adaptation since I never got in to the comic books either. If you enjoyed the
first one, check it out, it’s a lot better than the previews make it out to be.
Smokey And The Bandit-
To say that I enjoyed this movie would be an understatement. It was really cool
to see it with a crowd of enthusiastic fans after 40 years of countless
viewings. If you ever get the chance to see this movie, take it!
Last, but not least, I have a couple of things my t.v.
watching friends might enjoy.
American Horror Story
season 1- Connie Britton and Dylan McDermott play a couple who move across
the country with their daughter to make a fresh start of things. Unfortunately,
the house they just bought has other plans for them. Jessica Lange does a great
job as their neighbor. Watch it if you dare!
The Andy Griffith
Show season 1- I was feeling a little nostalgic and looking for a sitcom
when this happened into my field of vision. It’s pretty light but makes an
entertaining way to spend 26 minutes.
I guess that
about wraps it up. Tune in next month as I’ll tell you about my travels to most
points west as well as the usual list of books and movies. See you then.
If this were a movie, you'd be watching an opening flashback sequence right now. The year would be 1978 and there would be a young boy sitting on a living room floor in front of his grandparents console television anxiously awaiting ABC's Sunday Night Movie. This particular week it happened to be the broadcast premier of Smokey and The Bandit. Two hours later, the seed would be planted that would take forty years to come to fruition.
The next day, the scene would pick up where he was at school and found out that his friends had watched the movie as well. Scenes would be reminisced, favorite lines quoted, dreams to one day own a Trans-Am made, as if they needed another reason to appreciate that vehicle. Your bike was no longer a mere two wheeled mode of transportation, it was just a way to get around until you had enough money and a drivers license. People always said that owning The General Lee was impractical because there were no windows, what do you do when it rains? Owning a motorcycle like Evel Knievel wouldn't work either, what happens when you wreck? Remember Caesar's Palace? But a Trans-Am, they sold those at the dealership just down the street. You knew people who owned one. It wasn't impossible.
The montage would continue through the years. The annual showings on t.v., the invention of video tape and the popularity of cable television, finally the evolution of DVD. After every viewing you'd see the far away look in the eyes of the young boy who grew up. He thought back to those days on the playground, the vicarious journey he'd just taken courtesy of Mr. Hal Needham. He would look at the current state of his life and see that he was too busy to take time off or couldn't afford to take time off or didn't have a mode of transportation that would get him that far. Something always enabled him to come up with an excuse for doing it at another time.
Last year, the dream came the closest it's ever been to coming true. The Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, Texas was playing The Bandit on the big screen. This is a documentary about the making of Smokey and The Bandit that played on Country Music Television. I don't have CMT and neither do any of my friends so this seemed like the perfect opportunity, especially because they were playing three of Hal Needhams' other films. They were billed as "Mystery Films" but if you read between the lines, you had a pretty good idea it was going to be Smokey and The Bandit, probably Part 2, and then either Hooper or Cannonball Run. I planned out and budgeted the whole excursion and presented the plan to my best friend who shared the dream so long ago on the playground. His response-"You're crazy, I'm not doing that. I have to be at work on Monday morning." I had factored that in and had us back easily by 6 a.m. at the latest. Plenty of time to get ready and be at work by 9. I even had him driving the first shift so he could get some sleep before he went to work. Still, the answer stood and there was no moving him. Unfortunately, there was no way I could do this by myself without meth amphetamine so I let it slide by. I even had an idea about renting a theater and a print of the film and inviting all of my friends. It wasn't impossible, just expensive. I decided to give it a couple of years and wait for a landmark anniversary. I figured there would be at least one cool theater in Atlanta that would play it. The movie has always been huge down there.
Flash forward to February 2017. I start doing an internet search for theaters in Atlanta and then I start to contact them. Getting no response after a few days, I realize I have to get proactive. Go to the Googles and type in theaters in Atlanta playing Smokey and The Bandit. An ad for TCM's Fathom Events screening shows up. Click here, it says. I click. Type in your city to find a theater, it says. I type in Atlanta. A list pops up and I scroll through it. McDonough Stadium 16 shows up in the list. McDonough is technically outside of Atlanta but, there were parts of the movie filmed there and I have a cousin there. It might be easier to talk him into going if he doesn't have to drive that far. McDonough Stadium 16 it is! I now have a theater and a copy of the movie and haven't spent a dime yet. The production budget on this project is getting more manageable with every keystroke. I have a date, time and location. After a couple of text messages, my cousin says he's on board. When will you be in town?, he asks... I won't have a timetable until a couple of days before the movie. Chaos factors make that impossible too far out.
In movie terms, I have my location, I've established local contacts, the budget is set and the light is blindingly green. Now for the casting. I draw up the plan and present it to my friend. I'm expecting a little apprehension but with two months out, he has time to put in for vacation and explain to his wife that he's just going on a beer run and then seeing a movie, don't wait up. The same day I sent the message, I get a response, "Sure, sounds good." The dream is coming to fruition, everything is falling into place. The Bandit and The Snowman together again, and this time we weren't just pedaling to the mall. In the original time frame, my place of employment was supposed to be closed for remodeling in May so I didn't have to worry about anything. When that schedule got pushed back I ended up just putting in for time off. This has been forty years in the making, I'm not letting their schedule stand in the way.
Three weeks out and the ripples of potential storms start to roll in. I have a friend who travels some time and always has some really entertaining posts on her facebook page. I was enjoying a series she had written about another car that she happened to be following for several miles when I mentioned that I was taking a road trip would love for her to come along. I didn't expect anything to come of it but then she seemed agreeable to the idea. I asked her for her thoughts on Smokey and The Bandit and after a few minutes she replied that she had to Google it because she hadn't seen it. Suddenly, taking her along felt like a duty. How could somebody go for this long and not have seen this movie? This travesty must be rectified! That's what friends are for, right? Unfortunately, there was a scheduling conflict so now we were back to two. That's okay...but still...wouldn't it be cool to share this with somebody who's never seen the movie? Remember when you saw Jaws for the hundred and umpteenth time with somebody who hadn't seen it before? You got to rediscover the movie through new eyes. Okay, who do I know who probably hasn't seen the movie and I could be incarcerated in a small car for twenty plus hours with and still remain friends with? That is a mighty short list and they were both busy that weekend, although, one of them did let me borrow her cooler.
Two weeks to go and there is no Frog. Not a problem. When I brought the trip up to "The Snowman" and mentioned Georgia, we suddenly had a problem. He had somehow missed that part of the message and thought I was talking about a late show at a local theater. He also missed the part about vacation time and got himself scheduled on the day of the movie. I think I might start posting dirty pictures in my messages to get him to scroll through the whole thing. The schedule would be grueling but not as impossible as the Texas run if I left early on Saturday. Besides, I still had a back up plan.
He didn't have the time in service seeing as how his parents were just barely out of Kindergarten when this plan was conceived, but my Godson has never seen this on the big screen and I think he'd have a good time. Of course, when I ask him, he says he's working. He seems to work eight days a week. It's great to see him working after being without a job for so long but our schedules just don't match up at all any more. Well, the cat's in the cradle with that one...
I was going on this trip regardless. I had all of the costs covered and the schedule seemed to be loosening up so that I wasn't getting 47 minutes of sleep in two days. Still, somewhere in the back of my mind, I started to entertain some strange ideas. Burt Reynolds went to Universal with the idea to cast Sally Field. They said, "What? Are you crazy? You want to cast The Flying Nun? She's not sexy." Burt replied with, "She's talented, and talent IS sexy." We know how that turned out but that discussion got me thinking about who I could call next. What if I just facebook posted the shit out of this trip like my friend did? She has a better knack for that kind of thing than I do but what if I could get a local public figure? Now my producer side was starting to take over. I know plenty of sexy and talented actresses but, are they available and do they want to spend the weekend being the subject of a series of facebook posts? Let's face it, this is not a career maker. Okay, I should probably just drop it before I end up putting out a casting call. Before the door completely closed on that thought, one name slipped out. She wasn't an actress but she is a local celebrity as well as a sports hero of mine. How surreal would that be, even without the postings, to finally see this thing happen and you look in the seat next to you and see JessiKa Boom? It's like a dream where you're walking down the street and suddenly find yourself on a boat with Wayne Gretzky...wake up before you wreck the car. Just because sometimes the craziest ideas turn out to be the best ideas, I did send Boom a message to see if there was any interest. The worst she can say is no, like everybody else, right? No surprise, she was busy. Looks like it's just me.
The big day came and I was up early, 4 a.m. Gassed up and loaded the cd player (But Enough About Me by Mr. Burt Reynolds) the night before so all I had to do was stop off at Quik Trip for a cup of coffee and a breakfast burrito and I was heading down the road. I've been to Georgia a lot and Texas a few times but I'd never taken this route that would lead me through Missouri and Arkansas. The Arkansas mountains are really something to see with the mist covering them. I made my first stop for gas and coffee in Arkansas. I think I may have found the last business in America that still takes checks. Next stop would be Texarkana, Texas. It felt so good to be out on the open road.
In 1977 (well, let's just say before the '80's), Texarkana, Texas was one of the last places that far south you could buy Coors beer because there were no preservatives in it and they didn't have refrigerated trucks back then. Any place East of Texas was just too far to transport beer for safe consumption.
When Hal Needham was working as the stunt coordinator on Gator, one of his team members brought a couple of cases with them while filming in Georgia. It wasn't anybody's intention to bootleg, they just brought some of their favorite beer with them so they wouldn't have to leave the location and track down a liquor store. Hal noticed that his supply in the motel mini fridge kept dwindling a little at a time. Eventually, he figured out it was the maid. She only took it because it wasn't sold in Georgia. It was this event that gave him the idea to write Smokey and The Bandit.
There was an E-Z Mart over on the Texas side of Texarkana that sold gas, ice and Coors. One stop shopping! With the tank, the cooler and a coffee cup all filled, I was East bound and down! The first leg of the trip completed in about 9 hours. The next stop would be Birmingham, Alabama to see a buddy from the army.
I had not eaten since Missouri so a trip through the DQ drive thru on the Arkansas side of town was in order and then I was back on the great American highway after throwing a double cheeseburger down my neck. It didn't take long to get to Louisiana. The scenery is beautiful in that part of the country. Mississippi went by without difficulty. I had never been through it so the chance to see something new was exciting.
I'd never been to Alabama either. Luckily, there was still enough daylight to see most of it. Shortly after it got dark, I pulled off for some go go juice in a place called Livingston. I think the town may have consisted of only the three gas stations that were just off the highway. The one I went to seemed like something out of a comedy film. It was a truck stop with gas pumps and all the things you're used to seeing. There was a restaurant attached, which is not uncommon, except that this happened to be an Indian restaurant. The thought of getting Tandoori chicken and naan at a truck stop in the middle of Nowhere, Alabama made me chuckle. If I wasn't on my way to eat with an old friend, I probably would have tried it. But, I had to keep movin' on.
I sent messages every hundred miles or so to update him on my progress but hardly got a response. These weren't really messages that warranted a response so I just figured he was calculating time and distance and would meet me when I got there. He probably fell asleep because I rolled into town, had The All-Star breakfast at Waffle House, eating slow, and then got a large coffee to go and didn't hear from him. I guess I have to wait for another time.
My cousin called me around midnight. I know I should be used to the technology by now but every time my phone rings and I'm far from home, somewhere in the back of my mind I'm thinking, who in the hell knows I'm here? We guesstimated that I had about an hour or so left, not counting the time zone change. He said he'd leave the door unlocked for me. I figured I'd sneak into the house, relax on the couch with a couple of beers and relish in the fact that I did what they say can't be done in a little over 19 hours. Twelve hours later I would be seeing one of my favorite movies on the big screen for the first time and not long after the credits rolled I'd be back on the road, homeward bound.
The rain varied from a light sprinkle to a heavy downpour and people in Georgia don't seem to function when it's wet. I'm used to slow drivers but these people would randomly brake for no reason or just take their foot off the accelerator. At least brake lights give you a warning. When you're two car lengths behind someone and they suddenly start coming at you as you maintain the same speed, it will wake you up. This happened more than once. One minute they're in front of you and suddenly you have to change lanes and they're now just pinpoints in your rear view. Crazy, man, crazy.
It was a light rain as I pulled into his driveway. I wasn't expecting him to wait up for me but there he was, in his garage. We hadn't seen each other in ten years. That may be the most time that's ever gone by between visits. We grew up together and after my aunt and uncle moved the family down to Georgia, there were always yearly visits between my mom and my grandparents somebody was always going down there or they'd come up here. It was great to see him after all that time. We hung out on his front porch drinking bootlegged beer and talking about whatever came to mind. By the time we called it a night, I had been up for 24 hours and was ready for bed. He lives out in the middle of nowhere so with that much quiet I just dropped right off.
Later that morning, he fixed breakfast for everybody (his wife, daughter and my aunt who drove down for the occasion). There was some more catching up and a little leisure time before we had to leave for the theater. His wife and daughter would end up pooping the party and not going but nothing phased me at this point. I had had so many cancellations that this just rolled right off.
In the summer of 1977, I was visiting Georgia with my mom. I don't recall where my younger cousin and uncle were but our moms wanted to get us out of the house so it was decided we would go see a movie. I had only seen Star Wars once but was willing to go again. That was vetoed. My cousin wanted to see something called Smokey and The Bandit. The movie did not have a national release at that time so being from the mid west, I had no idea what he was talking about. In fact, when it was first released, Universal played it at Radio City Music Hall because the test audiences loved it. Well, those test audiences were clearly not from New York because the movie bombed the first week. Universal was annoyed and ready to write it off when Hal Needham went to them and asked to take it to Georgia. That was where they filmed it, that was where most of the publicity had been, it's where they tested it. New York was the wrong crowd, Georgia would do better. It did and spread out from there. The only other movie to make more money that year was Star Wars.
His suggestion was vetoed as well since our moms hadn't heard of it either, they were apprehensive. The compromise ended up being Smoky. It's a story about a horse. I remember the movie being okay, nothing great. You'll notice how there were no 40th anniversary screenings of that one. It took us forty years but we were finally here, watching the right movie.
There are some movies you see on the big screen and it really adds another dimension, like Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid. When you see that movie on the big screen, it really comes alive in ways that just don't happen on the small screen. Easy Rider is in a similar vein. It's great to see on the big screen but if you can see it at the drive in, it'll change your life. Smokey and The Bandit doesn't have the aspect ratio of Butch Cassidy or the cinematic flair of Easy Rider but when you can see it on the big screen with a crowd of enthusiastic viewers, you really get that full movie experience. There were no cell phones going off, nobody talking like they were in their own living room, just a theater full of people who want to be there to see what's on the screen. They laugh and cheer in all the right places and it was really just a communal experience. Everybody stuck around through the credits and after when Ben Mankowitz came back on with his closing remarks. They even applauded when it was over.
After all was said and done, we went back to my cousins house, had lunch and said our goodbyes. My aunt had about an hour drive ahead of her and mine was about 13 hours with another planned stop in Nashville. I left behind a six pack of bootlegged contraband as a parting gift and also a barter payment. This is quite possibly the most expensive movie I've ever seen... but worth every penny.
The trip home went well. I had David Duchovny (Bucky F***ing Dent) and Nick Hornby (Juliet, Naked) as traveling companions along with some various other cds. The scenery in Tennessee was amazing. I managed to get there before the sun set.
I was going to meet another friend who migrated to Music City, U.S.A. but he had warned me earlier that he might be working. I sent him updates on my location but never heard back so when I stopped for food and didn't find him, it was no big surprise. He was coming to town in a couple of weeks so we'd just catch up then.
The drive from St. Louis to KC seems to get longer you're tired. The clock says four hours but it feels like nine. I could barely keep my eyes open as I pulled into my parking lot at 5 a.m. I had to be at work noon so I had just enough time to get a couple of hours of sleep and grab a shower until it was back to reality...until the next adventure.
Greetings all,
Welcome to May. Publishing the last one so late really threw off my clock so I hope you didn't think I forgot you. I've been putting in the hours at the grocery store. They say that a man who enjoys what he does never works a day. If that's true then I've been working a lot. I'm between movies so I tend to spend my down time at home. I've had a few ventures to the theater, it's always good to support the arts, it keeps my friends employed and off the streets. I saw Not With A Bang But A Whimper, it's an enjoyable dark comedy about the end of the world. There was also the staged reading of Weird Science. I only got to see the tail end of that because of work but it had the dream cast of Richard Burt, Evan Lovelace, Alice Pollack, Rebecca Ralstin and Curtis Smith. I'm sure I've forgotten a couple of people from the curtain calls but these were the folks I saw and wanted to see more of. I haven't seen Curtis on stage since March and Rebecca's appearance was the best kept secret since she moved out of town last month. Speaking of best kept secrets, I finally got to attend The Burlesque Festival on Friday. This was their seventh and every year past I've been busy, working or just broke. Puss N Boots (Kat Kimmitz) was there! She moved to New York by way of London a few years ago and I had given up hope of ever seeing her perform live again. She is amazing. She's the one who turned me on to the burlesque scene in KC. We met through work and she told me about a show that was going on. Thinking the burlesque scene died off years ago, I went out of morbid curiosity. I'd seen a few acts here and there over the years but nothing all that memorable. The other ladies in her troupe were good, there is a sense of professionalism about them, they're not just exhibitionists who were too overweight to cut it in a strip club. This had class and style. She came out and did a routine to Venus In Furs by Velvet Underground and I've been a fan ever since. She played Frank N. Furter in a Rocky Horror send up one year and stole the show.
On the sports front, the home season came to a close for The Roller Warriors. Any guesses as to who took home The Cup? If you said The Black Eye Susans, then you would be correct. They played The Dreadnought Dorothys, who only lost one game all season, they just lost the wrong game. The Knock-Outs came in third, beating out last years champions, The Victory Vixens. It was cool to see them win, they've been the underdog all year since the train wreck that was last season. Xcelerator announced her retirement again, I think she means it this time. She's been with the league for 10 years. She was voted MVP back in '07 after they won The Championships. We had such a good team back then. This years team is almost as good, it's better than it's been in a while. We're currently undefeated, hopefully we can say the same thing after Besterns in June. Jess Decker announced her retirement as well. At least X is going to finish out the season with The All-Stars but Decker is done. Track Rat is another who is retiring. Some good-byes just hurt.
Moving on to happier things, maybe you have some travel plans in the near future (I know I do) and you're looking for a good book to while away your time in a plane, train or automobile, I have a couple of reccomendations for you-
The Hard Way by Lee Child- Jack Reacher finds himself in New York, just enjoying a cup of coffee at a local cafe, when he is then recruited to put his skills as an investigator to work for the leader of a group of mercenaries whose wife has been kidnapped. If you're a fan of the series, you'll definitely enjoy this one.
My Lucky Life In And Out Of Show Business by Dick Van Dyke- This is a really interesting autobiography if you're a fan. He talks about the early days, the Air Force years, his t.v. years, what was going on behind the scenes, all the news that's fit to print. This is totally worth your time.
Keep Moving: And Other Tips And Truths About Aging by Dick Van Dyke- If ever there was a how-to book on making the most of your golden years, this is the one. He wrote this when he turned 90 and while he talks about some stories from the old days (some of which were in his first book), it's really just a collection of advice and outlooks from someone who's been there. It's a good read.
I haven't seen as many movies as I'd like but, here's what I've seen lately, maybe something will strike your fancy-
4 Got 10- A man regains consciousness in the desert surrounded by dead bodies and vehicles. He's been shot but he can move. He has no memory of why he was there or what he was doing. One of the vehicles has a lot of cocaine, the other has a lot of money. He gets in the money van and finds a gps that he manages to follow backwards to the point of origin in hopes of finding some answers. Things don't always turn out as planned. The movie has an interesting premise but some of the character development falls a little flat and their story gets so overly complicated that they end up explaining everything to the audience in the last five minutes. It has Dolph Lundgren, Michael Pare and Danny Trejo but they've all been in better movies. Watch it if you're curious.
Colossal- I'm a fan of Ann Hathaway but when I saw the preview for this, I had some serious doubts. I had a chance to see it for free so, since there was nothing else out at the time, I decided to go see it. I'm glad I did. The premise sounds dumb but there is a story that turns out to be really good. I was impressed and definitely recommend it.
Eyewitness- I never saw this when it first came out because the critics killed it. Peter Yates was the director and it stars Sigourney Weaver as a reporter trying to get information out of William Hurt, who witnessed a murder, or did he just say that because he has a crush on her? I'm not going to say much outside of check it out, definitely worth a look.
Free Fire- I'll admit to going into this looking for a new guilty pleasure. Maybe if I had kept my expectations lower, I might have enjoyed it more. As it was, I thought it was just okay.
The Graduate- I've got one word for you, plastics. Cinemark played this for a couple of days to commemorate its anniversary. Any time you can see it on the big screen, do it. Hearing the soundtrack through a theater sound system is incredible.
How To Steal A Million- Audrey Hepburn stars as the daughter of an art counterfeiter who enlists cat burglar Peter O'Toole to steal a piece her father did from a local museum before it gets appraised by an insurance company. The cast is great and it's a fun heist movie so check it out.
Logan- Have you been burned by every other X-Men movie to the point where you just don't give a damn anymore? Me too. But, I still enjoyed this movie. They don't waste time talking about "the impending war between humans and mutants" and actually manage to tell a story that's not just a set up for the next movie. This movie is as good as everybody says it is.
Se7en- A local theater played this on the big screen so, of course, I had to go check it out. This is one of my favorites and it's the best movie David Fincher has directed. Go see it any chance you get.
I recently got Netflix so I've been catching up on some t.v. shows.
Agents Of S.H.I.E.L.D. season 3- If you've enjoyed the last two seasons then you'll like this one. S.H.I.E.L.D is rebuilding after the Hydra attack of last season. There is a big story arc with The Inhumans that makes you wonder why they don't just call in The Avengers and end this shit in 15 minutes, but over all it's enjoyable.
Well, I guess this is the end because I'm running out of things to talk about. Thanks for reading and I'll see you next month.
