5 Things On My Mind: The world needs more Cliff Booth

Good evening, world. Or, my near 500 subscribers. It’s been a slow and steady rise in email subscribers because some people treat their personal email like a piece of China. But I digress, so let’s discuss a few things.

Lately, I haven’t exactly been a prolific writer. Facts are facts. After averaging 25-35 articles per month, the output took a nosedive this month to a round of crap that no one is interested in. As Joaquin Phoenix told a room of reporters after being asked how he lost weight or why he left a project days before shooting was set to begin, no one wants to hear that story.

If you missed a Starbucks trip this week, donate a few shekels to the cause. Without further delay, let’s get into it.

~The Batman 2 script is finished. It only took… who gives a shit? You can’t force art to take shape due to a financial impulse. Robert Pattinson made a fine Bat/Wayne and Colin Farrell stole it, but when did second acts become a given? Outside of money gained, it’s a creative back-breaker to push a second chapter out. It took Matt Reeves years for a reason. Batman has already given fans multiple film series, so I wasn’t one of the beggars with this particular script. It’ll probably be worth the wait, but patience needs to spread.

~The Cardinals took four of seven against the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs at home, which is not a bad result. This team doesn’t have any real stakes, folks. Don’t trust the success just yet, but don’t drown in the doom and gloom of defeat. They’re a heavy payroll, light upside threat that works like an old lawnmower: decent, most of the time. Don’t think too far into the future, though. They have depth, but some of their hitters are taking a nosedive. I still see them as a wildcard threat, but they only 4.5 games out of first place as play opens tonight.

~Draft Day leaves Netflix on June 30, so don’t waste any more time and give this Kevin Costner rock-solid football drama a look before it expires. Denis Leary and Jennifer Garner are great, but appreciate a young Chadwick Boseman as Vante Mack, the prodigal Cleveland Brown son destined to save the day. It’s got thrills and heart, with an ability to take your mind off things. Tom Welling as the injury prone QB. Boseman as the running back. Superman and The Black Panther teaming up.

~I haven’t seen F1 or Ballerina yet, but they will get watched at some point. Further proof that I am just not in a hurry to see upcoming films as I used to be. I got there in my early 40s. With no offense to Brad Pitt or the gorgeous Kerry Condon, it’s nothing against the caliber of acting. It’s the need for the entire movie to be seen promptly, or not. As Neal McCauley said about getting furniture or a woman in his life: “When I get around to it.”

~Speaking of Mr. Pitt, aka I left Mizzou a semester short of graduating to pursue a risky film career, he’s returning to his Oscar-winning role as Cliff Booth, his stuntman/best friend 60s lion, scraping around to stay relevant in a changing world with the ease of a cool cat staring down a thunderstorm. Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood will get another Booth-centric movie directed by David Fincher and written by Quentin Tarantino. That’s a dream team. We all need a Cliff in our life. A really good friend.

Advice time: Don’t take what you have for granted. Attach this to any part of your life, small or large. Develop your own meaning for it, because it’s broad and also personal at once. Life is full of traps to become complacent. Avoid them. Stay far away from them. Keep your eye on the things you love. Stay open, to embarrassment or nuance. Don’t assume tomorrow will look like today.

That’s all I got. Enjoy your Friday and weekend.

-DLB