5 things I know: 'Twister' replicas, 'Swingers' bliss and Woo's 'Killer' remix

Let’s get into it as the work week reaches second base.

It’s good to like where you work. Stress sticks to us like bees to honey no matter where we are, but you need to think highly of where you work. If not, it’s a one way street. Think about it… we see work more than any family member. It doesn’t last if the likable factor isn’t there. I like Crescent. Most of my body likes Crescent too. My knees haven’t spoken to me in weeks, so they may not like the love fest, but I’m here and happy.

Having said that, I have a few things to say and a platform to shout them from. Here’s five things I know, a little shakeup on the usual roundup of topics.

1) Twisters can wait… at least for me

I get it. The movie boasts a great trailer, two good stars, and a history of crowd pleasing delight. Glen Powell is having a moment, and Daisy Edgar Jones is coming into that movie star realm as well. Sprinkle some notable faces in the cast, update the special effects, and chase those tornados.

That’s the problem. As Courtney Howard wrote in her review, “it’s a remake disguised as a sequel.” The characters aren’t connected, at least from a pre viewing glance. The posters for it look awfully similar to the stand alone classic adventure film, Twister. The plot doesn’t move the needle much. Powell wears a cowboy hat well, rides his fears instead of running from them, and Jones is the brainiac who challenges old school ways.

If that gets your summer bean cooking, dive right in. It’s something that can wait a few days, or a week or two.

2) Mood swings axe screenings

The truth is most new movies don’t scream, “come see me now!” They present a picture that can wait to be consumed. Like Kevin Costner said before the viewing public rejected his western epic, Horizon: a film shouldn’t be defined by its opening weekend. Tell that to a bank, Kevin. I digress.

Most work days leave me too fried to consume a complex or bland form of entertainment. There’s no time for that kind of 2014-2020 play time; time moves too fast for someone who works 45 hours a week to treat it lightly. I’d rather binge Ray Donovan these days with my wife rather than go take a chance on a new movie. No offense, Glen. Catch you later.

3) Swingers still abides

Long before Jon Favreau became a television Star Wars lord of creation, he was a ragtag screenwriter/actor scratching for roles and a presence in Hollywood. In order to get there, he teamed up with Doug Liman and friends to make a comedy classic. Much of the script and cast work was similar to the actor’s real life persona, especially Vince Vaughn’s Trent. You figure one way to get there is do what you know. Favreau did just that.

There’s a certain vibe one gets when watching this lean and mean (a little over 90 minutes long) movie run its course. Favreau’s Mikey is struggling with a breakup, hanging with his bros while grabbing small scale acting jobs and hitting the bars for ladies. There’s no complexity, and it’s the best thing.

The next time your friend is going in for the big first impression, tell them to be the person in the R-rated movie.

4) A word of advice for all subscribers, especially paid

It’s okay to jump off the ship. If the content becomes a burden or it’s not worth the time, money or email space, unsubscribe. Just do it on time. Something weird and costly happened this past week. I was contacted by Stripe, the third party agency that handles all the money transactions with paid subscribers. A former subscriber had filed a dispute, more than likely mad that she was billed after the unsubscribe button was clicked.

Was it my fault she didn’t do it in time or went down a road that saw her get charged? Nope. Will I pay for it? Oh yeah--for a fee that ran close to $40. Maybe things could have gone differently if an email was sent. Either way, please don’t feel any remorse if the ejection lever has to be pulled. I don’t want to pay anyone NOT to read me.

5) John Woo freshens up The Killer

Sometimes, creating something new isn’t as sexy as putting a fresh coat of pain on one of your classics. That’s what Woo is doing with his 1989 Chow Yun-Fat action flick, The Killer. In a modern day refreshening, Yun-Fat’s lead role is gender-swapped, with Game of Thrones breakout Nathalie Emmanuel taking on the assassin role. In a tale as old as many movies, she refuses to execute a target and goes on the run.

Sam Worthington and the great Omar Sy (The Intouchables!) co-star in a fresh film from the legendary director. He churned out a low-key Joel Kinnamen-led Silent Night last year, a movie I have yet to watch. Woo loves doves, slow-motion gunplay, and a plot with just enough meat on the bone to pad the hail of bullets that frequent his scenes. If Michael Bay likes to blow stuff up, Woo prefers guns.

The trailer is promising, possibly even a see-as-soon-as-possible kind of movie. Action shot the old way mixed with a John Wick makeover has my attention. See for yourself. It arrives exclusively on Peacock on Aug. 23.

Thanks for reading. Friday is almost here.