The Crimes of Grindelwald: A Review

If you've seen the Fantastic Beasts movies (or even just one), I can charge you with a task that you'll understand to be impossible: try not to love Newt Scamander. Try for a moment ... I'll wait here. See? Impossible! If you have not yet seen Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald (in case you didn't know, there are many), I would advise you to see it immediately if I weren't just now experiencing great depression from finishing it. Yes, as critics say, the movie really did feel like a transition, but it's a brilliant one; and although it does have its faults, so does every other movie ever filmed. Although it's much darker than its predecessor, it still contains quite a few funny parts. It has the great lines, the captivating storytelling (which resulted in me ignoring the need to use the restroom and hardly even glancing away from the screen until the end credits), and the magic of the first Fantastic Beasts, and the Harry Potter series. Eddie Redmayne, returning as our protagonist (and best friend in the realms of our imagination) Newt Scamander, Jude Law as Dumbledore (and he plays the role spot-on), Johny Depp as Grindelwald (who, as the title of the film suggests, doesn't exactly sit around twiddling his thumbs in a high-security MACUSA jail cell for the duration of the movie), and Zoe Kravitts as Leta Lestrange (who is frankly quite complicated, and I won't go into her character to avoid spoiling anything) are all, well, fantastic (for lack of a better word), in their roles, and so is literally everyone else, which is why I don't mention more actors and actresses by name. I can't say in good faith that you won't be disappointed, because I am disappointed myself, but really just because of the two-year wait ahead of us - thank goodness for Star Wars: Episode IX and an X-Men movie that may prove promising to tide me over!

Vote, America!

Tomorrow, if you're eligible, get out there and vote. Vote because you want positive change. Vote because your vote really does matter. Vote because it's your civic duty, too. Vote because you can (and some of us can't). Vote because there's some social issue you care about, an issue that you feel is being ignored. Just vote. 

A Plea to West Virginians

Please refrain from voting for Joe Manchin. Period.

Fun Fact

Did you know that no species of bat is blind? At least, according to Wikipedia, many have poor vision, but none are completely blind. Toss that simile out the window, then (and make up your own).

Fun Fact

Did you know that one particular star cluster, the Eagle Nebula, is known as M16? That could be a code: "Agent Bond, report to Eagle Nebula HQ." Maybe not, huh?

The Psychological Reasons Why People Are Still Going to See Mission: Impossible Movies

A great slogan for the current state of the Mission: Impossible franchise: "We keep hoping they'll get better." The thing is, people are drawn to pulse-pounding action films, even if the plots are empty. I can't make that judgement call in this case, because I've only seen the original Mission: Impossible movie (and liked it), but it's a truth. We love eye-popping special effects, even if there's not really a compelling story accompanying them. Even though at this point, it should be called Mission: It Seems Impossible That Ethan Hunt Hasn't Retired Yet, the movies still get mostly good reviews overall and earn decent money in the box office. The filmmakers spend so much on the special effects, though, I'm not even sure if they've been breaking even with the latest M:I movies. Arguably, though, another psychological reason why people are still going to see Mission: Impossible movies is Tom Cruise. Still, though, when I think Tom Cruise, I don't really think hanging onto speeding jets or maneuvering through laser mazes. Nope - for me, "Danger Zone" just starts playing in my head. 

End of Summer

Summer's ending ... "And I can tell you my love for you will still be strong / After the boys of summer have gone." By the way, the Eagles are on tour (RIP, Glenn Frey). If you like the Don Henley song "The Boys of Summer" (the one I just quoted), be ready to hear it on the radio several dozen times in the next few weeks, especially if you're a Californian (it's a favorite of California DJs in mid-to-late August). Also, if you haven't gone back-to-school shopping yet, be ready to maneuver crowded stores. I know, I know, nobody wants to go back-to-school shopping right when they just got off school for the summer, but shopping for school clothes and supplies is generally an easier experience then (back-to-school sales often have started then). Tip: If you have kids who might hit a growth spurt, buy clothes a couple sizes bigger than their current size if you follow the June shopping suggestion above. Anyway .... "I can see you / your brown skin shining in the sun..." By the way, I went to Arizona on vacation last month, and actually saw a guy standing on the corner in Winslow, Arizona (I'll bet you can guess the relevance, based on my earlier mentions of The Eagles: "Take It Easy," right?).