Random Friday Thoughts — April 15, 2022

As we head into the weekend, some of you are shopping to prepare your Easter feast, some may be coloring eggs and putting together baskets, and others just waiting until Monday to get half-price candy!

Whatever your plans, have a great weekend and thank you for checking out my random thoughts!

HAPPY EASTER!

A flashback to 2001 with Miss ABBA, my golden, as a puppy!

Have a fantastic Easter weekend. I’m be enjoying a feast with my sister. She’s making the meal and I’m making a fun flavored cheesecake. I’ll share a photo next time!

A FUN EASTER THOUGHT

AND, A SERIOUS EASTER THOUGHT

“ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY” IS DEAD!

It’s a sign of the changing times: print (magazines, newspapers, and books), music (digital), and movie (on demand and digital) media is changing and I don’t like it.

I still love to read books and magazines by holding them. I still love to rent movies from Redbox kiosks and I want my favorite movies and series on DVD.

“Entertainment Weekly”, my favorite magazine for decades, started sounding the death knell when it went to once a month in its magazine form.

While it didn’t shock me, I got a notice earlier this week that “EW” will no longer be published and they’ll fulfill my subscription with “People” magazine.

“EW” will still be available online and on social media formats.

“DEXTER: NEW BLOOD”

While many fans saw “Dexter: New Blood”, the ten episode limited series (or the ninth season, but they don’t want you to call it that), in its Showtime run beginning in November 2021, I just watched it on DVD and it completes my “Dexter” series in that format!

You know I don’t believe in spoilers, so I’ll be very careful in my comments. And, if you comment, don’t spoil it for others late to the game!

In August 2021, I wrote: “‘Dexter’ originally ended after eight seasons in September 2013. After 95 great episodes, the series finale was a DUD! By the grace of God, we’re getting another season of ten episodes this fall and winter to make up for that finale! Showtime’s president of entertainment Gary Levine earlier this week said, ‘For me, it’s a revisiting of Dexter and a proper finale for a brilliant season.'” (I gave that eighth and final season a grade of “B” and wrote in 2014, “If the finale hadn’t been so silly, I’d given it an A-.”)

Well, Levine was right about “Dexter: New Blood”! It was a “brilliant season” and a great “proper finale”.

By the fourth episode, I had a theory in place! I was right about what would happen. However, I had the roles wrong! After a certain scene in the final episode, I correctly called how it would end!

It was great seeing Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall) again and, this really isn’t a spoiler, Debra (Jennifer Carpenter) as the “dark passenger” instead of Harry (their dad) from the original run.

Jack Alcott as Harrison Morgan was great.

He’s come a long way from how we saw him in the season four finale!

GRADE: A

WELL, SAM IS SORRY!

About a month ago, I expressed that my lovefest with actor Sam Elliott was over after his homophobic and sexist rant on a late February podcast.

I’m still okay with him not liking Jane Campion’s “The Power of the Dog”, but I took offense to him referring to Benedict Cumberbatch and others in the movie as Chippendale dancers, “who wear bowties and not much else… that’s what all these fucking cowboys in that movie looked like. They’re running around in chaps and no shirts. There’s all these allusions of homosexuality throughout the movie. Where’s the Western in this Western?”

Last Sunday, while promoting his new project, Elliott apologized to Campion, the cast, and his gay friends that have always supported him, “I mean my entire career, from before I got started when I was in this town. Friends on every level and every job description up until today… I’m sorry that I hurt any of those friends and someone that I loved. And anyone else by the words that I used.”

Well, Sam, thank you for apologizing. It may take a little more enticing.

No, silly, not that kind. Maybe getting together for a drink or two (with Katharine, too, of course) would help!

“RED ROCKET”

Simon Rex plays Mikey Saber, a washed up porn star, who returns to his hometown of Texas City, Texas, because he has no other options.

Director Sean Baker brings the same dead end feel to this movie with his characters just trying to make it through the day and life as he did in “The Florida Project”.

Bree Elrod and Suzanna Son are both amazing as the estranged wife and a teenaged girl Saber seduces at the doughnut shop, respectively.

GRADE: A-

“THE FLORIDA PROJECT”

Here’s what I said of Baker’s last full-length movie, “The Florida Project” in March 2018. It ended up being my 14th favorite movie I saw in 2018.

“This movie about people down on their luck and finances living in a “project” (The Magic Castle Motel) in Kissimmee, Florida (near Walt Disney World), is sad and incredible.

The real star of the movie is Brooklynn Prince, who plays 6-year-old Moonee.  She’s spectacular for a child actor expressing a happy childhood of not knowing just how bad things are in her life.

Bria Vinaite, is great as Moonee’s white trash mother, Halley.

My sister and I grew up in a bug-infested apartment and we didn’t have much during our childhood, so I could definitely relate to this movie.

Willem Dafoe earned a “Best Supporting Actor” Oscar nomination for his role as Bobby, the manager of the motel.”

I gave the movie a “B+”!

GLORIA GAYNOR DEFINITELY SURVIVED!

“I Will Survive”, Gloria Gaynor’s #1 worldwide hit, became an anthem for women and gay men after its late-1970s release.

Thanks to the incredible Kylie Minogue, Gaynor, the 78-year-old music legend, is back.

“Can’t Stop Writing Songs About You” is the third release from Minogue’s late-2021 release “Disco: Guest List Edition”.

Both women look and sound amazing. Get ready to dance around your living room!

It’s hard to believe that Gloria Gaynor only scored two hits on the Billboard Hot 100.

The Grammy Award-winning “I Will Survive” topped the chart in March 1979 and her first hit, “Never Can Say Goodbye” reached #9 in 1975.

“Goodbye” was first a #2 Hot 100 smash for the Jackson 5 in 1971, a #22 hit for Isaac Hayes that same year, and a worldwide Top Ten hit (#2 on the Billboard Dance Club songs chart) for The Communards in 1987.

It’s still one of my favorite hi-NRG songs, so I’m sharing it here, too, because I’m sure many of you might never have heard it!

“BLUE BAYOU”

This underrated gem is one of the most touching and heartbreaking movies I’ve seen in a long time.

While not a “true story” about one person, it’s a true story compiled from many people’s lives that were torn apart by the immigrations practices in the United States.

It was my #7 movie I saw in 2021.

GRADE: B+

THAT’S IT

With all the craziness in the world, make it the best in your little part of it!

Anthony

Random Friday Thoughts — March 18, 2022

Happy Friday! It finally feels like spring across the Midwest and spring officially begins Sunday!

Um, that has nothing to do with spring or warmer weather, but I’m sweating! Hello Jamie Dornan!

Have a fantastic weekend and thank you for checking out my random thoughts! I’ll have more in April. (I’m sure I’ll have many random thoughts before then, but I’ll share some in April!) 🙂

SAM ELLIOTT — HOMOPHOBIC & SEXIST!

I’ve been a Sam Elliott fan since falling in love with “Prancer” in 1989. It’s still one of my favorite Christmas movies.

Since then, I’ve enjoyed him in “Buffalo Girls” (1995) with Reba McEntire, “The Golden Compass” (2007) with Nicole Kidman and Daniel Craig, his run on “Justified” (2015) and “Grace and Frankie” (2016), and his Oscar-nominated role in “A Star Is Born” (2018) with Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper.

When “Prancer” came out, I was 25-year-old and I found Elliott, who was 45 then, very sexy. No, I didn’t have “Daddy issues”, but in today’s world, I would’ve have described him as a “Daddy”!

Well, that’s history now. I can’t believe how belligerent he is!

Last month, in a podcast, he called the Oscar-nominated movie, “The Power of the Dog”, a “piece of shit.” Personally, I don’t care if he liked it or not. That’s his opinion. If he had stopped there, all would’ve been good.

But, when he went on to blast Oscar-nominated director Jane Campion (“The Piano”), “I love her previous work, but what the f*ck does this woman from down there, New Zealand, know about the American West?”

And, he added, “And why in the f*ck did she shoot this movie in New Zealand and call it Montana? And say this is the way it was? That f*cking rubbed me the wrong way, pal.”

And, he wasn’t done ranting.

Elliot adds, referring to Benedict Cumberbatch and others in the movie as Chippendale dancers, “who wear bowties and not much else”: “That’s what all these fucking cowboys in that movie looked like… They’re running around in chaps and no shirts. There’s all these allusions of homosexuality throughout the movie. Where’s the Western in this Western?”

Responding to Elliott’s attack to “Variety”, Campion had the perfect response and is the spelling bee champ, “I’m sorry, he was being a little bit of a B-I-T-C-H. I’m sorry to say it but he’s not a cowboy, he’s an actor.”

Campion has already won awards from the BAFTA, the Critics’ Choice, the Directors Guild, the Golden Globe, and the Hollywood Critics Association for directing the movie.

She’s the first woman to direct a movie with more than ten Academy Award nominations (12) and is the first woman to receive two Oscar nominations for Best Director (1993’s “The Piano and “The Power of the Dog”).

AND, THEN SHE GETS STUPID

In her acceptance speech Sunday night after winning for Best Director at the Critics’ Choice Award, Campion made a “thoughtless” (her word) comment, “Venus and Serena, you’re such marvels. However, you don’t play against the guys, like I have to.”

Say what?

While they may have built their tennis legacy on the court against women, Venus and Serena Williams were always up against mostly men that ran the tournaments and they ruled a predominately white sport!

Campion issued an apology and clarification Monday!

“THE POWER OF THE DOG”

This Netflix movie is truly incredible, but it’s definitely not an uplifting movie.

All four leads in the movie are nominated for Oscars: Cumberbatch (Best Actor), Kirsten Dunst (Best Supporting Actress), and Kodi Smit-McPhee and Jesse Plemons (Best Supporting Actor).

It’s the story of love, sadness, and repressed feelings.

It was my 9th favorite movie I saw in 2021.

GRADE: B+

OKAY, MAYBE I SHOULD FORGIVE ELLIOTT?

Dear Sam,

When, for much of your career, you embodied the look of a late-1970s or early-1980s gay porn star, maybe it doesn’t take much to rattle you seeing “cowboys” that look like Chippendales?

Just saying!

GO RACERS!

Congratulations to my alma mater, Murray State.

The Racers won their first game in the NCAA Men’s basketball tournament Thursday night with a win over San Francisco in overtime 92-87.

They would have played the Kentucky Wildcats (my childhood favorite team), but the Wildcats were upset in the first round by the Peacocks of Saint Peter’s in overtime!

If Murray State wins Saturday afternoon against the Peacocks, this will be their first ever trip to the “Sweet Sixteen” in the “Big Dance”!

“THE GREAT”

This hulu original series is freaking hilarious.

Two seasons are available and it’s been renewed for a third season.

Elle Fanning plays a young and naïve Catherine in the 1700s who moves to Russia to marry Peter III to become the Empress of All Russia and “Catherine the Great”.

It’s funny and naughty with drama, death, and intrigue.

I described it to someone as a “Rated-R ‘Beauty and the Beast’ if Belle had married Gaston and he was the Emperor of Russia!”

UKRAINE PRESIDENT ZELENSKY

While the tragedy rages on in Ukraine (thanks for the heartbreak and despair, Vladimir Putin!), it’s hard not to take notice of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

He’s definitely sexy! So, who is this man?

Well, he’s had an interesting ride to the top. He’s an actor and comedian and he was the “Dancing With The Stars” winner in Ukraine in 2006.

And, he was the voice of Paddington Bear in the Ukrainian-dubbed versions of the movies “Paddington” (2014) and “Paddington 2” (2017).

Check out this fun parody video he made a long time ago — scantily dressed! (He’s the second from the left.)

“HALLOWEEN ENDS”

The latest “Halloween” movie and the follow-up to 2021’s “Halloween Kills” is done shooting.

Filming wrapped up earlier this month in Savannah, Georgia.

Last fall, director David Gordon Green said there would be a time jump in the new movie. Both 2018’s “Halloween” and 2021’s “Halloween Kills” took place on the same night.

Green: “Where we’re leaving these characters on Halloween 2018, the world is a different place. So not only do they have their immediate world affected by that trauma, having time to process that trauma—and that’s a specific and immediate traumatic event in the community of Haddonfield. But then they also had a worldwide pandemic and peculiar politics and another million things that turned their world upside down.”

While I was less than thrilled with “Halloween Kills” and I’m glad I didn’t spend money to see it in the theater, I’m very excited to see this one.

The movie is scheduled to hit theaters October 14, 2022.

THAT’S IT

With all the craziness in the world, make it the best in your little part of it!

Anthony