Category: Celebs

“Smokey and the Bandit” – Trivia

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The fine folks at Me-TV posted 8 Quick Facts about Smokey and the Bandit.  Before you click over… Smokey and the Bandit holds a special place for me… 

First, it’s a funny movie.  You’ve got Burt Reynolds (the #1 box office star of the time), Jackie “the Great One” Gleason and Sally (ain’t she just too cute) Field in a silly car chase movie that works every time if you’re looking for a good time.

Second, it brings back tons of great memories.  Here’s one – my now deceased brother-in-law, loved Smokey and the Bandit. Randy could do a hilarious impersonation of Jackie Gleason as Bufford T. Justice.  If you could have been there the night he ordered a Diablo Sandwich and a Dr. Pepper and “make it fast cuz I’m in a gol-darn hurry” — we, along with the waitress couldn’t stop laughing… which of course just encouraged him to continue.

And here are my three favorite Smokey and the Bandit facts with my thoughts…

It was Alfred Hitchcock’s favorite movie.  I find this hard to believe, but if true, I’d loved to have had the chance to watch and then discuss Smokey and the Bandit with him!

It was based on real life.  I’d read before that Sherriff Buford T. Justice’s name was based on a real police officer’s name.  Can you imagine?

It beat Star Wars at the box office. The caveat is that this was just for one week and Smokey and the Bandit was in over ten times as many theaters.  But, still it did win for the week. (And I actually prefer Smokey and the Bandit to Star Wars!)

 

RIP: Sir Thomas Sean Connery

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Sean Connery has died at the age of 90.

Best known for his portrayal of James Bond, Connery was the first actor to play the character in a major motion picture.  Connery starred in seven Bond films and was widely considered the best actor to ever play 007.  Connery was much more than James Bond. With over 100 acting credits on his resume, Connery made every movie he was in better by his presence.

In 1987, Connery won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Jim Malone in The Untouchables. Connery was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in July, 2000. Connery was popular in Scotland and throughout the world.  In 2004, he won a poll as The Greatest Living Scot.  In 2011, another survey named him as Scotland’s Greatest Living National Treasure. People magazine named Connery the Sexiest Man Alive in 1989 when he was 59 years old. Then in 1999, People magazine named Connery the Sexiest Man of the Century. He received the American Film Institute’s Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006. 

When I think of Sean Connery, like most folks, my thoughts go to James Bond.  For my money, Connery was the coolest of all Bonds and set the standards for all who followed.  But even if Connery had never played Bond, look at all the movies that he made that entertained us.  My personal favorite Connery movies include: The Wind and the Lion, Robin and Marian, Outland, Highlander, The Name of the Rose, The Untouchables, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, The Rock and (even) The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Sir Thomas Sean Connery’s family, friends and fans.  

“Halloween Kills” – The Poster, the Trailer and a Few Thoughts

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So the poster and trailer for Halloween Kills has premiered although we won’t see the movie until October 2021.  That is a LOT of lead time.

I am a fan of the original Halloween movie.  I watched the first couple of sequels but then lost interest.  I do plan to see the last Halloween film that Jamie Lee Curtis starred in and am surprisingly looking forward to Halloween Kills.  I wonder if that will change in the coming year.

“Zappa” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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Here we have the poster and trailer for Zappa.  I don’t really care for the poster, but the trailer has me interested in seeing the movie.  I was never a big fan of Frank Zappa’s music, but then again, I never was exposed to much of it.  I am interested in learning more, so this is one I’ll want to watch.

With unfettered access to the Zappa family trust and all archival footage, ZAPPA explores the private life behind the mammoth musical career that never shied away from the political turbulence of its time. Alex Winter’s assembly features appearances by Frank’s widow Gail Zappa and several of Frank’s musical collaborators including Mike Keneally, Ian Underwood, Steve Vai, Pamela Des Barres, Bunk Gardner, David Harrington, Scott Thunes, Ruth Underwood, Ray White and others.

Available everywhere Thanksgiving Week
Directed by Alex Winter
http://www.thezappamovie.com/

“Girl” starring Bella Thorne, Mickey Rourke and Chad Faust – The Trailer is Here!

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The trailer for Girl starring Bella Thorne, Mickey Rourke and Chad Faust definitely looks like a drive-in movie feature.  As regular readers know, that’s not always a bad thing.  I do think the trailer gives away the story but that doesn’t mean I won’t tune in.

A young woman (Bella Thorne) heads back to her hometown, intent on exacting revenge on her abusive father, only to discover someone beat her to it. She soon finds herself prey to a sinister sheriff (Mickey Rourke) and his wicked brother (Chad Faust) as she slowly uncovers a family legacy more disturbing than she ever could have imagined.

George Clooney’s “Midnight Sky” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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Here we have the poster and trailer for George Clooney’s Midnight Sky.  Although the poster is just ok, the trailer is interesting.  Sadly, I read in some online comments what may be the big twist to the story.  I hate when that happens.  Since Midnight Sky is on Netflix, I’ll definitely tune in.

Our humanity always endures.

This post-apocalyptic tale follows Augustine (George Clooney), a lonely scientist in the Arctic, as he races to stop Sully (Felicity Jones) and her fellow astronauts from returning home to Earth, where a mysterious global catastrophe has taken place. Clooney directs the adaptation of Lily Brooks-Dalton’s acclaimed novel Good Morning, Midnight, co-starring David Oyelowo, Kyle Chandler, Demián Bichir and Tiffany Boone. Coming to Netflix December 23rd.

“Dreamland” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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Here are the poster and trailer for Dreamland.  The poster shows some imagination and the trailer ain’t bad either.  (Update – I just learned that the poster is not official and was made by a fan!  What an awesome job she did.  Her name is Nicole Baroudi and you can see more from her by clicking the link! – Craig 10/28/20)

Academy Award® nominee Margot Robbie (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood) “is fantastic” (Indiewire) in this “dazzling” (Hollywood Reporter) love story set amidst America’s struggle during the Great Depression. Eugene Evans (Finn Cole, “Peaky Blinders”) dreams of escaping his small Texas town when he discovers a wounded, fugitive bank robber Allison Wells (Robbie) hiding closer than he could ever imagine. Torn between claiming the bounty for her capture and his growing attraction to the seductive criminal, nothing is as it seems, and Eugene must make a decision that will forever affect the lives of everyone he’s ever loved. Travis Fimmel (Warcraft), Kerry Condon (Avengers: Infinity War) and Lola Kirke (American Made) also star in this “beautifully shot coming-of-age story” (Indiewire).

Featuring: Margot Robbie, Finn Cole, Garrett Hedlund, Travis Fimmel, Kerry Condon, Darby Camp, Lola Kirke

Kurt Russell Trivia!

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Photo by Gage Skidmore

Jake Rosen at Mental Floss presents 8 Fascinating Facts About Kurt Russell.  Here are three of my favorites…

2. KURT RUSSELL PASSED UP A CHANCE TO BE IN STAR WARS TO DO A TELEVISION WESTERN. (Since he hadn’t been offered either of the Star Wars roles he was up for, he made the right decision.  A bird in the hand… – Craig)

5. KURT RUSSELL WAS PAID TWICE HIS GOING RATE FOR STARGATE BECAUSE HE WAS CONSIDERED IMPOSSIBLE TO DISLIKE.  (Who doesn’t like Kurt Russell?  I went to see Stargate and didn’t particularly like it.  I went because I like Russell, so it was money well-spent by the Stargate producers. – Craig)

6. KURT RUSSELL MAY HAVE STEALTH-DIRECTED TOMBSTONE. (Turns out that Russell may have directed Tombstone the way that Stallone directed Rambo, First Blood: Part Two! – Craig)

RIP James Randi aka The Amazing Randi

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James Randi aka The Amazing Randi died on Tuesday at the age of 92.  Mr. Randi began his career as a magician (that’s where the Amazing part of his name came from).  He was a different kind of magician though.

Sure, he could perform mind-reading stunts, bend spoons just as those who claim to do so via mental powers, escape from padlocked chains and the like, but The Amazing Randi claimed no supernatural powers.  In fact he offered his own money (eventually getting the amount to one million dollars) own money to anyone who could show scientific evidence of supernatural powers.  No one ever collected.

James Randi became famous for debunking spiritualists, mind readers and the like who claimed supernatural powers to defraud people.  He had his own radio show, television specials and was a popular guest on television shows.  Randi was also the author of ten books.  By all accounts he was a fun guy to be around.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to James Randi’s family, friends and fans.

Mike Lynch Gets Carter!

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Check out Sly Stallone as Jack Carter by Mike W. Lynch!  This was Mike’s first time drawing Sly and he nailed the likeness.

Mike Lynch had a contest for a free drawing and my buddy, Ron Wendt aka
Darth_Rawn won.  Instead of getting a piece for himself, he asked for the Stallone piece above to gift to me!  Ain’t friends great?

You can see more of Mike’s art using the two links above (Instagram and Twitter).   Thanks to Mike and Ron for a sweet addition to my Stallone art collection.