There's truly nothing like home.
I spent the past five days in California, hanging out on Venice Beach, Santa Monica, and eventually traveling up to Lake Elsinore to see family.
My dad, aunt, and I took a vacation, and it was satisfying. From taking off out of Lambert on Thursday afternoon to riding back into the Lou late last night.
However, every vacation should remind you in the end how much your home is important to you, and this one did. St. Louis never looked or felt so good as it did last night.
Now, let's talk about a few things that happened while I was spending time on beaches.
Rest in Peace, Albert Finney
The acclaimed actor passed away at the age of 82 on Friday, and it's a loss for film history, if not the present day of film.
Finney hadn't made a film in years, battling an illness that eventually got the best of him. What he left behind was an encyclopedia of film that should live on.
He was nominated for an Oscar for Erin Brokovich and was superb in so many movies, but to me, two roles will remind me of Finney's work.
Leo and Ed Bloom.
In the Coen Brothers' classic, Miller's Crossing, Finney played one of the most ruthless mob bosses of all time who happened to have a heart as well. In one of the film's signature scenes, he thwarts an ambush from a rival mobster in his own house, lighting up two henchmen with a Tommy gun while in his robe and smoking a cigar while "Oh Danny Boy" plays along.
In Tim Burton's Big Fish, Finney played Bloom, a wide-eyed old man with a fairy tale past that may or may not be true. Played in his youth by Ewan McGregor, Finney tells the tall tales of his life to his son, played by Billy Crudup. Burton rarely ventures out of the whimsical in his movies, and this was his dreamy ideals being put to great use. The caliber of acting from Finney made it all work and believable.
Like a lot of his films, Finney's work will hold up.
More Breaking Bad is always a good thing
Today, it was announced via Deadline and Variety that a Breaking Bad movie is in the works. A sequel that would pick up Aaron Paul's Jesse storyline and possibly air on Netflix, where dreams truly come true in all cinematic shapes and sizes these days.
With the stellar production of BB's prequel, Better Call Saul, rolling along, there's really no reason to explore what happened after Jesse got away from that drug bust. Bryan Cranston's Walter White may be gone, but there's plenty of juice left on Vince Gilligan's storytelling steak here. If it goes to Netflix, the limits to where the creators could go is endless.
Avengers: Endgame theories run amok
We are running up to the two month away mark of Marvel's extravaganza, and the fan theories are hitting a high point.
What did Doctor Strange do to the time stone before handing it over to Thanos? Is this the ONE way the Avengers win? Will Tony Stark die? What role does Ant-Man play? Where is Captain America's Nomad beard?
I think of the Russo Brothers as magicians trying to keep their card trick secret for a matter of weeks.
The anticipation for a film like this is only comparable to a Star Wars film. Nothing else comes close or draws this much attention.
Aquaman may have been a big success for DCEU, but Marvel's restraint in its marketing and diabolical planning is second to none.
Personally, I think Thanos falls at the hands of Brie Larson's Captain Marvel, but I'm sure there's more. As Captain would say, they will find a way to win, at great cost nonetheless, together. Bring it on.
Revenge on the White Walkers Coming Soon!
It's also a good time to remind you that HBO's Game of Thrones returns two months from tomorrow.
How will that wrap up its run? Who is going to tell Jon Snow that he had sex with his aunt? How many Lannisters will die? How far from the books will the creators go? If the Russo Brothers are the cinematic Houdinis trying to hide their trick, David Benioff and Dan Weiss are the television matadors right now.
I don't see how they beat those devious White Walkers, especially with one of the dragons turned blue and bad. We shall see.
The Mads Mikkelson Show Commences
After years of being "that guy," the Danish actor is getting leading roles these days, and not wasting them.
Netflix's Polar was a whole lot of fun for action junkies, and the survival flick in limited release, Arctic, is the Iceland version of Castaway. A full-throttle entree of tension, thrills, and perseverance anchored by Mikkelson all by himself.
You may know him as the bloody-eyed villain in Casino Royale, the creator in Rogue One, or Doctor Strange's adversary, but soon enough, you'll know him as a star. A rightful one.
More Krasinski's Jack Ryan on the way
When the Amazon Original Series, Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan, was announced last year, I had a moderate amount of pause.
This would be the fourth iteration of the character, leading one to wonder how much there was to tell about the CIA analyst turned field agent hero. Well, John Krasinski's take on the character, along with showrunners Carlton Cuse and Graham Rolan's visceral delivery of the terrorism-centered stories, changed my mind real quick.
It's also a true dedication to Clancy's creation instead of some Hollywood-cooked rendition.
The first season's eight episodes were tightly packed, left me wanting more, and led to me rediscovering just how good a character can be in the right hands and the correct vision. A second season was already on the way, but at a Television news conference today, Amazon announced a third season is in the works.
What's the best thing about it? Each season is EIGHT episodes. Not 13, 10, or 12. If you can make it right and tight at the same time, you're a true genius.
Closing Credit Takes
*Donnybrook, the first must-see movie of the year, arrives in limited fashion this weekend before expanding on Feb. 22. If you can get to it, go see it.
*Before you get a dog, please make sure you are absolutely ready for anything, including an animal that can't be trained. There are currently five animals in my house, which is three too many. One of them, a female beagle named Janie, is problematic. She pees and poops inside the house, shivers and pees when disciplined, and is just a pain. There are lovable moments, but on the whole, it was a bad idea. Beagles are nearly impossible to train, and Janie is a clear cut example. She's cute, but bad. Karma, pet-rescuing karma, caught up to us here. Make sure your dog is trained or be ready for the consequences of CONSTANTLY cleaning. Be sure.
*If The Favourite wins a bunch of Oscars, I'm going to be angry. It's just not that good.
*The Venice boardwalk is a true experience. From walking past the shops, to the electric bikes flying by your side, and the dozens of runners/joggers. There was a guy hitting golf balls on the sand near the Pacific Ocean. He was content to work on his wedge shots. It's a departure for this Missouri boy to witness that kind of care-free action.
That's all for now. Come back for articles about a burgeoning Hollywood screenwriter named Adam G. Simon, and what is in store for Frank Grillo in 2019.
Thanks for reading.
