The All-Time Best TV Friendships!? C’mon, Man!

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 Allison Keene and the Paste TV Writers posted a fun piece titled The 25 Best TV Friendships.  Their list isn’t a bad one and contains many of the tv friendships you’d expect to see including…

  • Mary Richards and Rhoda Morgenstern from The Mary Tyler Moore Show.
  • Hap and Leonard from, uh, Hap & Leonard  
  • Jerry Seinfeld and George Costanza from Seinfeld

But I have to question any list of The 25 Best TV Friendships that doesn’t find a spot for…

  • Ralph Kramden and Ed Norton from The Honeymooners
  • James T. Kirk and Spock from Star Trek
  • James West and Artemus Gordon from The Wild, Wild West

C’mon, man!

RIP – Felix Silla

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Felix Silla, whose acting career spanned 55 years, died yesterday after after a battle with pancreatic cancer.  While you may not instantly recognize Felix Silla’s name, you’ll be surprised at the number of roles you saw him play.

One of his most famous was as Cousin Itt in the tv series The Adams Family.  That wasn’t the only popular show that featured an appearance by Felix Silla.  He also had roles on: Bonanza, The Monkees, Petticoat Junction, The Girl from UNCLE and Star Trek.  Sila appeared in the movies Point Blank and Planet of the Apes.  He followed those roles as a regular cast member of HR Puffinstuff.

Other television highlights include: Bewitched, Night Gallery, Mary Hartman, Battlestar Gallactica, a regular role on Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, Mork & Mindy, and Married with Children.  Movie highlights include: The Black Bird, Demon Seed, Kentucky Fried Movie, Under the Rainbow, The Sting II, Meatballs II, Spaceballs and Batman Returns.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Felix Silla’s family, friends and fans.

Elvis Presley’s Graceland – Facts You Might Not Know!

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I like Elvis Presley’s music and maybe even a few of his movies.  So I’m not what you’d call an Elvis fanatic, but truth be told, I wouldn’t mind visiting Graceland.  There’d be something cool to be able to walk around in Elvis’ mansion (now a tourist hot spot) that has been kept like it was when Elvis lived there.  

Ellen Gutoskey posted 9 Rockin’ Facts About Elvis Presley’s Graceland and it was a fun read.  Before you click over for the full story, here are my three favorites…

ELVIS BOUGHT GRACELAND WHEN HE WAS ONLY 22 YEARS OLD.  (Elvis paid $102,500.00 for the mansion and almost 14 acres of land.  $102,500 in 1957 dollars equals $950,127.58 in 2021.  That shows you how popular and how much dough Elvis was bringing in at such an early stage in his career.  – Craig)

GRACELAND’S JUNGLE ROOM DOUBLED AS A RECORDING STUDIO.  (This is probably the most famous room in the mansion.  Elvis recorded his second to last studio album in the Jungle Room.  It’s cool to know that John Cougar Mellencamp, Kid Rock, and Lisa Marie Presley (Elvis’ daughter) also recorded albums in the Jungle Room. – Craig)

ELVIS KEPT GRACELAND’S KITCHEN STOCKED WITH VERY SPECIFIC ITEMS.  (A lot has been made over the years of Elvis’ love for fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches.  Other items that Elvis wanted to always be available included: banana pudding, ingredients for meatloaf, fudge cookies, fresh orange juice, ice cream, brownies, shredded coconut, hot dogs, ground round steak, biscuits, and gum. 

Looking at that list I’d  say: banana pudding only if it contained Nilla Wafers, meatloaf is a good idea for leftover sandwiches, I’d substitute chocolate chip for fudge cookies, fresh orange juice is good but with Elvis money I would have a McDonald’s Iced French Vanilla Coffee maker installed, ice cream is a must and make sure we have Hershey’s syrup, brownies are a big YES, pass on the shredded coconut, yes to hot dogs (all beef), yes to ground round steak, big YES to biscuits and pass on the gum. – Craig)

“Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness” Trailer – Zombies in the White House!

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I almost missed the trailer for Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness.  That’s because it is animated in the style of a video game and I don’t play video games.  With that said, I did watch it and plan to tune in when Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness shows up on Netflix.  What’s not to love — zombies in the White House.  ; )

The world of Resident Evil that intertwines horror, action and suspense is presented with beautiful and realistic visuals in this brand-new entertainment epic on a unprecedented scale!

Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness releases worldwide in July 2021, only on Netflix.

“Riders of Justice” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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Riders of Justice.  I like the poster.  It’s nothing fancy but gets the message across of the type of film it represents.  I like the trailer.  Love the opening that sets up everything.  Riders of Justice looks to have the right mix of action and humor.  Deal me in.

RIDERS OF JUSTICE follows recently-deployed Markus, who is forced to return home to care for his teenage daughter after his wife is killed in a tragic train accident. But when a survivor of the wrecked train surfaces claiming foul play, Markus begins to suspect his wife was murdered and embarks on a mission to find those responsible.

In theaters May 14 and on demand May 21
Directed by Anders Thomas Jensen
http://ridersofjustice.com/

2nd COVID-19 Shot; Day Two Side Effects

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Yesterday I posted that my wife and I received our second COVID-19 vaccination.  Like with the first shot we both experienced some pain in the arm that received the injection.  In the afternoon I felt sleepy, but my wife didn’t experience that issue.  We knew that with the second shot many people experienced tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, fever, and nausea.  We hoped to avoid those reactions.

Unfortunately, as the night wore on we began to experience them.  We both developed chills, joint aches and hot flashes.  I also had muscle pain (lower back) and nausea.  Neither of us slept well, waking up throughout the night several times.  We took Tylenol and drank water.  It felt like the flu.  It’s a little after 1;00pm and we’re starting to feel better.  I imagine by tomorrow we’ll be back to our normal selves.

Given that in two weeks we should be assured of not dying or being hospitalized if we contact COVID-19, the side effects were a small price to pay and if we have to get booster shots ever year, I’m fine with that.  It sure beats the alternative.

Today We Received Our 2nd Covid-19 Vaccination!

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This morning my wife and I received our second COVID vaccinations.  We arrived at 7:15 for our 8am appointments, which were the first of the day.  For our first shots we arrived at the same time and were the very first car in line.  Today we were probably the 50th car in line.  Like last time it was set-up so that you were directed to a parking spot and then allowed to enter the building.  They had folks monitoring the line so that people went in according to their appointment time.  They even opened things up about 15 minutes early.

We entered the building and it was laid out so that everyone stayed spaced apart.  For my first vaccination I felt some heat when getting the shot and my wife didn’t feel a thing.  For the second shot, neither of us felt anything.  After getting the vaccination we moved to an adjoining room for a 15 minute waiting period to make sure we suffered no ill after-effects.  Neither of us had any reactions so we left and again, the layout made it a breeze.

On day two of the first shot we both had a little arm pain tomorrow, but nothing that Tylenol couldn’t handle.  I felt sleepy this afternoon and took a nap.  Can I blame it on the shot?  My wife has felt no ill effects.  In two weeks our immune systems will have the full effect of both vaccinations and we will be able to start visiting friends and family again. I can’t wait.

“Fast & Furious 9” – The Trailer is Here!

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The trailer for F9, the next in the Fast & Furious saga, is here.  It’s all that you’d expect.  There are the returning franchise stars, big-name new additions to the cast, a plot that takes the stakes even higher and stunts/special effects that are mind-blowing.  You’re either down with that or not.  Either way is fine.  As for me, I’ll put my brain on hold, fire up some popcorn and enjoy F9.

No matter how fast you are, no one outruns their past.

F9 is the ninth chapter in the Fast & Furious Saga, which has endured for two decades and has earned more than $5 billion around the world.

Vin Diesel’s Dom Toretto is leading a quiet life off the grid with Letty and his son, little Brian, but they know that danger always lurks just over their peaceful horizon. This time, that threat will force Dom to confront the sins of his past if he’s going to save those he loves most. His crew joins together to stop a world-shattering plot led by the most skilled assassin and high-performance driver they’ve ever encountered: a man who also happens to be Dom’s forsaken brother, Jakob (John Cena, the upcoming The Suicide Squad).

F9 sees the return of Justin Lin as director, who helmed the third, fourth, fifth and sixth chapters of the series when it transformed into a global blockbuster. The action hurtles around the globe—from London to Tokyo, from Central America to Edinburgh, and from a secret bunker in Azerbaijan to the teeming streets of Tbilisi. Along the way, old friends will be resurrected, old foes will return, history will be rewritten, and the true meaning of family will be tested like never before.

The film stars returning cast members Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Jordana Brewster, Nathalie Emmanuel and Sung Kang, with Oscar® winner Helen Mirren and Oscar® winner Charlize Theron. F9 also features Grammy-winning superstar Cardi B as new franchise character Leysa, a woman with a connection to Dom’s past, and a cameo by Reggaeton sensation Ozuna.

F9 is produced by Neal H. Moritz, Vin Diesel, Jeff Kirschenbaum, Joe Roth, Justin Lin, Clayton Townsend and Samantha Vincent. www.thefastsaga.com

“Army of the Dead” – The Trailer, Another Poster and Craig’s Thoughts!

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A new poster and a trailer for Army of the Dead are here.

I like that the poster is using art rather than photos.  It makes me want to know about the movie which is what a poster should do.

I’m going to be the first to admit that I had concerns that Army of the Dead was going to have too much humor for my taste.  I was also concerned when I heard that Army of the Dead would have “smart” zombies.  The trailer has relieved me of those concerns.  I thought there was just the right amount (as in a touch) of humor in the trailer.  If the movie keeps the same scare to laugh ratio we’re in good shape.  These zombies aren’t mindless and aren’t zombies in the traditional George Romero sense, but that’s okay.  I loved 28 days later and they weren’t Romero zombies either.

I can’t wait to see Army of the Dead!

From filmmaker Zack Snyder (300, Watchmen, Zack Snyder’s Justice League), ARMY OF THE DEAD takes place following a zombie outbreak that has left Las Vegas in ruins and walled off from the rest of the world. When Scott Ward (Dave Bautista), a former zombie war hero who’s now flipping burgers on the outskirts of the town he now calls home, is approached by casino boss Bly Tanaka (Hiroyuki Sanada), it’s with the ultimate proposition: break into the zombie-infested quarantine zone to retrieve $200 million sitting in a vault beneath the strip before the city is nuked by the government in 32 hours. With little left to lose, Ward takes on the challenge, assembling a ragtag team of experts for the heist. With a ticking clock, a notoriously impenetrable vault, and a smarter, faster horde of Alpha zombies closing in, only one thing’s for certain in the greatest heist ever attempted: survivors take all.

Starring Dave Bautista, Ella Purnell, Omari Hardwick, Ana de la Reguera, Theo Rossi, Matthias Schweighöfer, Nora Arnezeder, Hiroyuki Sanada, Tig Notaro, Raúl Castillo, Huma Qureshi, Samantha Win, Michael Cassidy, Richard Cetrone, and Garret Dillahunt.

The OSCARS All-Time Greatest Best Picture Winners

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Brian Truitt at USAToday came up with his list of The 25 greatest Oscar best picture winners, ranked.  I enjoy lists and playing around with them.  So using just Truitt’s list I came up with my top five.  Here’s a chart comparing our choices:

TruittZablo
1. ‘The Godfather’ (1972)
1. ‘Rocky’ (1976)
2. ‘Casablanca’ (1942)
2. ‘The Godfather’ (1972)
3. ‘Schindler’s List’ (1993)
3. ‘The Godfather Part II’ (1974)
4. ‘On the Waterfront’ (1954)
3. ‘Casablanca’ (1942)
5. ‘All About Eve’ (19/50)5. ‘Gone with the Wind’ (1939)

“Endangered Species” – The Poster and Trailer are Here!

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Here we have the poster and trailer for Endangered Species.  I’m not a fan of the poster.  The hyenas look like pets and the floating heads at the top of the poster add nothing of interest.  I did like the trailer much better than the poster and would watch the film when it comes to one of my streaming channels.  Watch for the plot twist!

Starring Rebecca Romijn (X-MEN) and Jerry O’Connell (Showtime’s “Billions”) this gripping adventure tale unfolds beneath a brutal African sun. Jack Halsey takes his wife (Romijn), their adult kids, and a friend for a dream vacation in Kenya. But as they venture off alone into a wilderness park, their safari van is flipped over by an angry rhino, leaving them injured and desperate. Then, as two of them go in search of rescue, a bloody, vicious encounter with a leopard and a clan of hyenas incites a desperate fight for survival.