Today We Say Goodbye to a Legend

An unfortunate weekend this weekend for moviegoers in particular, and the general public in specific... something like that.  Not to mention the families of the recently departed.  But they live on forever on video, of course.  I'm talking about Reg E. Cathey, probably most recently best known for his appearances on that show we can't talk about anymore... but I'll mention the title anyway.  "Outcast"... there!  I said it.  Oops, I mean "House of Cards."  Well, he got himself out of the tangled web of that show just in time, anyway.  But as you can see, I'm including a still from What About Bob? because that's when he first came onto my own personal radar.  Ah, nostalgia.  How I cling to you when the house isn't a beehive of activity... oh, right, and John Mahoney as well.  I'm a little disappointed that he didn't get the chance to play Joseph Gordon-Levitt's father in something.  No, this episode of "3rd Rock From the Sun" is as close as we're gonna git now!
Anyway, back to the current box office.  It's close to Valentine's Day, and the release of the final installment of the Fifty Shades of Grey saga is at #1.  Remember when the first one came out?  And to counter the arguments that people made about Trump's infidelities, someone came up with the idea to cite Fifty Shades of Grey and its success as proof that... something.  I think it was to prove that Trump's infidelities are okay, because of Fifty Shades of Grey.  I guess because the data breach over at Ashley Madison was too long ago, or less legitimate somehow.  Well, depending on the ending of this final installment, arguments will have to be amended.  I understand, and my sources confirmed this, that the filmmakers were scrambling at the last minute to include a Stormy Daniels-inspired subplot at the last minute.  But, you know... they're no Ridley Scott, and this is no mere matter of Gumping out Kevin Spacey as J. Paul Getty, and replacing him with Christopher Plummer.  But director James Foley is/was/continues to be until the #MeToo movement gets him, a director of some esteem.  Not as hard-working as brother Jerry who had to deal with that huge pain-in-the-you know what David Letterman lo those many months, but hard working.  He knows where to place a camera, to be sure... usually behind a dark object, and having it come out from behind it to introduce the next scene... nothing for it on YouTube yet.  I gotta do everything myself.
At second this week, following the success of the Paddington sequel, now comes Peter Rabbit.  Now, I don't watch the James Corden show, but now that I took a look at the cast list, I'm thinking he put in a plug or two for it.  Every little bit helps.  But as with such things, I can't help but wonder what would round out the trilogy.  What old British faerie tale will be next to get the modern digital video CGI treatment?  Peter Cottontail?  Is there a third Alice in Wonderland book?  Will the Jabberwocky get an upgrade after one to two generations now?  ...that's the last one I got.
The last debut this week is Hollywood auteur Clint Eastwood's latest.  He's been directing a new film on an average of one per year for a while now, but now that he's going to be 88 in May, well... I guess it's time to slow down a bit.  The 15:17 to Paris took a bit longer because apparently the cast is filled with the actual victims... maybe a few of the actual perpetrators even!  Looks like Alek, Anthony and Spencer were actually on the train... they play characters with the same name.  They take longer to direct... once they get out of the speedy acting courses taught by people who've only heard of Stella Adler and... you know, Al Pacino's friend.  The guy who played ... that guy.  Meyer Lansky?  If only I had access to some sort of database... THOMAS LENNON?  Boy, how time flies.  I keep forgetting that "Reno 911"'s Lieutenant Jim Dangle is a serious actor now.  It'll take me a while, but I'll remember it eventually... then forget it again.  No room for his buddies in the film, I guess.  Ah, opportunity cost is a harsh mistress.  But kudos to Clint Eastwood from stealing this story out from under Luc Besson's nose.  Figures, don't it?  Besson's been trafficking in made-up stories about terrorists forever; now here comes the perfect true story for him to ruin, and he misses out.
Whelp, the things that float in front of my eyes are telling me it's way past time to quit... what are those things?  Little bacterium that float in front of your eyes.  You can see them better with a blue fluorescent light of some kind.  As my years are advancing, a little faster than I would have hoped, a couple of those floater thingies seem to be getting more aggressive.  One of them looks like a bunch of balloons tied together, only the ones I got aren't continuing up into the sky.  Maybe I should get some of that Lasik (TM) surgery they keep talking about.  The only downside is I won't get to say "Hey, you wouldn't hit a guy with Lasik (TM) surgery, would ya?  I mean... glasses, wouldja?"  See, doesn't have the same ring to it.  Same with contact lenses.