Buffa's Buffet: 5 things on my mind

There's a few things I need to get off my head.

One of the most annoying sayings of all time is “I need to get this off my chest.” Who in the white sugar hell has a grumbling issue located in their chest outside of medical problems? Are there words down there? Unless you’re talking about food or a lack thereof, it doesn’t work. Getting something off your head, aka your mind, is the more appropriate way. Before you continue reading, get your sayings in check.

It’s these little, useless details that power a day through the grinder.

A quick note on the history-making Blues team. They have started the season with three wins, eight losses, and now seven wins in a row. The latter mark-winning seven straight after losing eight-made St. Louis the first team to accomplish the feat. They are now 11-8, a far cry from the “trade everybody and rebuild the team” chants we heard a couple of weeks ago.

Sports is a rabid carousel that swallows fans whole and spits them out. 95% of them collapse after a few weeks of bad hockey. Things can change on a dime. The Cardinals and Blues have proven this, lately and often. It feels like fans have experienced a whole slew of attitudes and moods, and it’s the fourth week of November. My advice is clear: Don’t get worked up until the calendar changes to the next year, at the earliest.

The Blues aren’t rebuilding unless the record is 15-29 folks, or something drastic like that, so settle in and get ready for another rocky schedule.

The other rocky element of my late year activity is movie awards voting. I’m proud to be a member of the St. Louis Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Awards, but I don’t look forward to viewing overlong, depressing or cliched winter releases that feel like the studio stuffing “Best Picture” contenders down our throats. Our trade is access for consideration; there is no financial incentive for MOST film critics.

Now, I am going to let you in on something that has been building in my head: I am moving, faster than gradually, towards a cinematic mindset of wanting to watch what I want. What I don’t feel like watching are the films that are SUPPOSED to be considered. These usually are happy, entertaining, or halfway lively movies.

Steven Spielberg’s “The Fabelmans” for example. Watched it last night and found it to be OKAY. It was fine, but I didn’t feel the magic of a story about one of Hollywood’s most famous filmmakers’ coming-of-age tale. The rocky disconnect between his parents (played by Paul Dano and Michelle Williams), the burgeoning presence of film and love in his life, and how that shaped the rest of his life. Aimed to blow me away, I wasn’t moved like I was supposed to be.

So, what do I do now: shift my view to appease the masses, or just stick my feet in the ground and stand by my words? If you’re still thinking about it, you’re already wrong. Be YOUR own film critic. Pick the films that YOU love. Don’t love the films everybody else tells you to. Fuck that.

What’s my kind of Christmas movie? “A Violent Night” with David Harbour. That looks fun, different, and quite giving instead of Spielberg dry-humping his own illustrious history.

Oh, by the way, movie reviews aren’t easy to write. People assume these 600-1,000 word critiques just flow out of me are mistaken. Gathering your thoughts on a piece of art in an amount of time that resembles a vice can be tough. Finding out what you think, and then putting it into words. After that, you have to stand in front of your words for all the naysayers who wish to climb into your brain and rearrange your thoughts.

It’s becoming a task. This is my view. Someone else may think this is great. I don’t.

Quentin Tarantino thinks Marvel actors aren’t actual movie stars. He told Variety that Chris Evans isn’t the star of “Captain America” movies; it’s Captain who is the star. Essentially, it’s another dagger from a well known director that exploits the fact that Marvel movies are CGI creations boosted by fan friendly action, and not drama/acting infused enterprises. While I disagree with QT, I see his point.

I think it’s a case to case basis, and it takes time. Evans slowly became Captain over the course of the three films he starred in, and the additional team-up or large cast MCU films. Same for Robert Downey Jr, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, the late Chadwick Boseman, Paul Rudd, and so on. If it was that easy to replace an actor, Kevin Feige and company would have just recast the actor for Black Panther 2.

The concept that Tarantino is presenting doesn’t stretch to every Marvel movie, but it’s a viable idea and point that other wise minds share. More and more, especially with their recent films, it does seem to be more of a carbon copy production. However, watching certain films (especially the ones with Evans or Downey Jr.) is hard without recognizing the actor in the role.

However, people losing their shit each time Marvel is critiqued by an old fashioned director (Scorsese, Tarantino, etc.) is getting tiring. It’s just a movie!

You know what’s cool? Consistent training methods. Being told ONE way how to do things, instead of 3-4 different ways, must be the best. If every company could achieve this, that would be swell. Swell like getting the toast just right, and not burnt. Swell as in perfectly parallel parking without scraping the curb. Swell like getting home at night, and the next 6-8 hours NOT flying by too quick.

Can I do one more “swell” joke? Being taught one way how to do things would be swell like everyone following half of the rules on the road.

What else?

~The Cardinals are interested in players. You heard it here first. Whether it’s Dansby Swanson or Trea Turner, they need AN IMPACT BAT somewhere on the field. Short, catcher, outfield. If not, they will exit stage left in the first round next fall. Book it.

~Is Lebron James still relevant? For a player who built his entire career on constant change and challenge, I don’t hear what he’s eating every morning as often. What worked in Miami and Cleveland doesn’t work in LA.

~If you want to listen to an uncomfortable yet 100% authentic interview, take a gander at the Mike Babcock interview on the Cam and Strick podcast. The former NHL coach is among the most revered and hated (by players, current and former) personalities in the NHL and sports in general. Think of him as a more likable Joel Quenneville. Most episodes of C&S go around three hours, with half of it being a bullshit session between the two hosts and the other half being the interview. Babs only ran around 36 minutes!

I have more to say and gripe about, but the sun’s getting real low. Thanks for coming to the Buffet. Tip your writer with a share or subscription.