Years back, actually just before “my time” there were double features at the movies (i.e. two movies for the price of one). I saw a “double feature” of sorts yesterday, two movies.
First, “21 and Over” which (believe me I can handle the sophomoric, the silly and nudity) was a bit exaggerated for my taste. However, the combination of regret and perhaps an ability to see what is barely shown enabled me to take a key message of friendship and time from the movie.
Next “Safe Haven” was vastly entertaining and gripping. The cast was good with Josh Duhamel of television’s “Las Vegas” fame showing some “actor chops” and of course leading man looks.
It was based on a Nicholas Sparks novel and he was also a producer on the film. While not “Message in a Bottle” good, it was very good and messages or letters figure prominently in the story.
So “Frat House”/ Animal House type humor and Nicholas Sparks type sensitivity all in a nice, double movie, temporary escape, day. “Their day,” one of double features was a better time. Movie double features, and for that matter, baseball, (even basketball doubleheaders) are among the reasons this is so.
As stated here before I do not place any real emphasis on regular season Basketball or Hockey unless it is for actual playoff qualification.
Yet there are some interesting stories in the regular seasons that are worth noting. In college basketball, Gonzaga University which has made noise in past NCAA Tournaments (the real season) is ranked first for the first time in its history. By the way, Gonzaga University is in Spokane, Washington.
Yesterday,the Chicago Black Hawks got a tying goal from Patrick Kane (in 2010 he had the Stanley Cup winning goal in overtime of game six) with just over two minutes left at Detroit vs the Red Wings. Chicago then won the game in the ridiculous shootout. The Black Hawks are now (19-0-3) while Detroit got a point for an overtime loss. I prefer ties for regular season games with no overtime and certainly no shootout.
The Miami Heat have won 14 games in a row and are virtually certain to get the best record in the NBA’s Eastern Conference. Their record is (43-14). Only the San Antonio Spurs at (47-14) have a better record.
“Family of Strangers” is a riveting play about a family’s dysfunction, a terrible event and the overtones inherent in such matters.
The play features some wonderful work and talent. I have marveled at Adam Pagdon’s work before (See “Want and Need” November 2012). In “Family of Strangers,” he gives an absorbing performance as Evan, one of two children dealing with the imminent death of their father and the aforementioned other matters that will keep you in suspense.
Director Maria Riboli, who acted in “Want and Need” and writer John Pastore are both great talents. They continue to do really compelling work.
The other three actors all gave riveting performances. It can not be easy to be in a bed onstage for 90 or so minutes playing a dying father, but Tom Cappadona gave a great performance doing so. I saw some De Niro in him, well deserved high praise indeed.
Vito Leanza performs admirably as “Doctor Rubin” who offers key advice and perspective.
I “fell” for Jessica Knutson and not just because she did incredible exercise on stage and not even because of her outward beauty. She was great as were all the actors and overall production, in playing a vulnerable but strong, realistic character.
I strongly suggest getting to Roy Arias Studios and Theaters Stage 2 at 300 West 43rd Street and seeing “Family of Strangers” as soon as possible. For tickets go to smarttix.com and search Family of Strangers.
Kudos to the 2010 Stanley Cup Champion, Chicago Blackhawks on their record breaking start to the abbreviated 48 game NHL regular season. However, it really does not mean much especially in determining who will win the 2013 Stanley Cup.
Chicago is a scintillating (17-0-3) in their first 20 games and that is virtually halfway through the 48 game season. They likely, but not definitely, will get the best record in the league for the regular season.
However, especially in hockey where so called lesser teams often pull upsets in the playoffs, especially in the first round, that top record has meant little especially as of late.
The Blackhawks are an original six NHL team with great tradition. There are statues outside their home arena of legendary Chicago players Bobby Hull and Stan Mikita. Their hot start is a good story but again will mean little come playoffs time.
Twenty years ago, the Toronto Blue Jays repeated as World Series champions. However, they have not made a postseason appearance (despite expanded playoffs) since that time.
Now the Jays are among the favorites to win this year’s World Series. I do not see it but that is why they play the games, as I have often written.
When the Blue Jays repeated, the Series ended on a home run by Joe Carter. Only one other time did the Fall Classic end on a home run and that was when Bill Mazeroski ended the 1960 World Series in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ favor vs the New York Yankees.
It is noteworthy that in the Jays’ rally to win the World Series vs Mitch Williams and the Philadelphia Phillies that Hall of Famers contributed mightily for Toronto. Rickey Henderson started the rally with a walk and Paul Molitor singled him to second with one out. Carter then homered vs Williams, who also blew a lead in game four of that series.
When Mazeroski hit the home run to win the 1960 World Series, one can notice a Hall of Fame player named Roberto, (Clemente) on the right side of the “victory celebration.” When Carter homered to win the 1993 World Series, another Hall of Fame player named Roberto (Alomar) is on the right side of the victory celebration.
Roberto Alomar
Roberto Clemente
There is much conversation regarding the movie “Silver Linings Playbook” which netted Jennifer Lawrence a Best Actress Oscar last night.
As I stated in my post on 1/31/13, “Silver Linings Playbook” was truly entertaining and moving, but likely very unrealistic. Why the need for happy endings when there are so few in real life?
I am no “scrooge” and love fictional happy endings but do not demand them. This is a huge topic far beyond my scope and probably beyond most people’s realm.
One thing I know is sports history and how to look it up. One factual falsehood in the movie, perhaps among many, is when Lawrence’s “Tiffany” character said the Philadelphia Phillies dominated Tampa Bay in game four of the World Series on Halloween. They did ease to a (10-2) victory in game 4 of the World Series in 2008, but the game was played on Sunday night October 26th. (Oh to be able to hear the late, great Harry Kalas calling a home run as I did that night!).
There are other sports facts stated as part of the unrealistic gambling subplot and I would love to check on their accuracy. That would involve seeing the movie again, which despite my criticisms thereof, would be far from an unpleasant task.
The Academy Awards will be presented tonight in Hollywood, televised nationally by ABC television. The awards are “apples and oranges” and have been at times, “highway robbery.”
I love the movie “Cat Ballou” for many reasons and Lee Marvin was an excellent actor. However, it was an injustice when he and not Rod Steiger won the Best Actor Award for 1965. Steiger’s performance was so powerful that perhaps it is the reason “The Pawnbroker” has rarely been shown on television. The movie is just too “real” for the public.
I once asked the late, great Geraldine Fitzgerald, who played a social worker in the movie, why the movie was/is not shown? She had “no idea,” she said, at least when giving her answer.
Two years later, Steiger won the Best Actor Award for a lesser, albeit excellent performance as a southern sheriff, in the movie, “In the Heat of the Night.” One could label that a “makeup call.”
Usually the favorites, aka “the chalk,” win the Academy Awards. Therefore, very likely “Argo,” a seven to one favorite, and a fine film will win the Best Picture Award. At first, the race for “The Best Picture” award was considered tight between “Argo” and “Lincoln.” Now that is not the case. Yet Steven Spielberg, the director of “Lincoln” is a three to one favorite to win Best Director. As I said “apples and oranges” and you can always throw in politics when talking about The Academy Awards.
Rod Steiger Accepts the Academy Award
Exhibition baseball starts today and it may be as exciting as regular season basketball which certainly in college, is almost meaningless as far as determining a champion.
Nobody benefited more from the end of last year’s NBA lockout than LeBron James. Not that he was worried with all his riches, but had there been no season, his no title status would have weighed a bit heavier.
However, the season was played and down 3 games to 2 in the semis, James delivered 45 points in a win at Boston. The Heat starting at that point, won 6 of 7 games and the NBA title.
Now playing in the far inferior Eastern Conference, the Heat are prohibitive favorites to at least make the Finals. Since the Western Conference teams figure to exert much energy to survive, one would think the Heat will be favored to win the finals when and if they get to that point.
Having said that the games must be played. When the playoffs start, there will be coverage here, both in the NBA and NHL. Right now, the regular season games that people, incredibly pay high prices to attend, mean little more than nothing as far as determining a champion.
Something made me think about Mike Hershberger, a pretty good player whom I remember as a member of the Chicago White Sox. Sadly, he died last year.
I did discover some interesting things about Mike and the mid-sixties White Sox. They had some really good records but did not win any pennants. (No bogus wild card then.) The closest they came to a pennant was in 1964 when they finished one game behind the Yankees. (The Orioles with MVP Brooks Robinson finished only two out but the Yankees did clinch the pennant on the next to last day.) It is worth noting that the Yankees had won 14 pennants in 16 seasons at that point, but would not win another for 12 years.
In the great American League pennant race of 1967, the White Sox were dealt a crushing blow when they lost a last week doubleheader at Kansas City vs the second division A’s, who moved to Oakland the next season.
Hershberger was then with the A’s and told friend, ex teammate, and ’67 White Sox fine pitcher, Joel Horlen that the A’s would beat the Chi Sox in that doubleheader. This despite going with two “kids” as pitchers.
The A’s “kid” pitchers were Chuck Dobson, who had a decent career and went (15-5) for the A’s first post season team in 40 years (1971) and Jim “Catfish” Hunter, who pitched on five World Series winning teams and is in the baseball Hall of Fame.
In searching about Mike Hershberger, I found an interview Hershberger had with Mark Liptak of “White Sox Interactive.” It was most informative and highly recommended.
Doctor Jerry Buss, who died yesterday at age 80, has a very positive association with “80” as in 1980 and did a truly kind deed two days after his Lakers won the NBA Title.
I was as intense a Lakers’ fan as there was dating back to the days of Wilt Chamberlain and even before then feeling their “pain” in so many Championship Round losses to great Boston Celtics’ teams.
In 1980, I paid my way from New York to Los Angeles feeling I had to be there for the remaining games of the NBA Finals which were tied two games apiece vs the Philadelphia 76ers. I went to Game 5 at the Los Angeles Forum, a close Lakers win, but in the game Kareem Abdul Jabbar got hurt.
Kareem did not even accompany the team to Philadelphia for game six but with Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Jamaal Wilkes leading the way the Lakers captured the title with a stunning (123-107) win. It was a great win for the team, fans like me, and a rookie owner named Dr. Jerry Buss.
I tried to get all I could from the victory and two days later stood in the parking lot of the Forum hoping to get into the “Victory Party.” I deserved to be there as I lived and agonized with the Lakers’ quest. In hindsight, I realize that not only did I talk with Buss’ sister but a young girl introduced as his daughter, who had to be Jeanie, later to win titles of her own as part of Lakers’ management. They loved my story of coming from New York and my loyalty to the team. However, they could not get me into the victory party.
I was walking in another direction when a limousine pulled up and out came Dr. Buss with a beautiful starlet on his arm. This man had money, power, a beautiful woman and most important to naive me, an NBA Title in his first season as owner.
I approached him and told him my story asking if I could go into the party. He said “Sure come on in” and it was one of the nicest things to ever happen to me. That fact is sad but what Buss did was a great kindness that meant so much to me. On that alone, and he did so much else, when Buss gets to the “pearly gates,” surely God will echo what Dr.Buss said to me on May 18, 1980, “sure come on in.”
