Indy's Back!

So I saw "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull." (Yes, it's a clunky title, but it's actually growing on me." Overall, an awesome summer adventure. Seeing Indy on the big screen is an incomparable experience. Harrison Ford, at 65, looks great and it was sort of intriguing to see the character, a 1930s era Nazi-hater, thrust forward into the 1950s with the Red Scare, atomic testing, and fifties rock n' roll.

Having said that, even though the chracters are all game, there's like almost no chemistry between them. "The Last Crusade" did a great job of combining action with heart and allowed the characters a little more depth. "Crystal Skull," though, feels more like a straight action piece.

Not that I'm complaining. They've had twenty years to get rusty. Spielberg and company, get to work on Indy 5 and see what you can do. Please don't wait another twenty years, because I'm not sure even Harrison Ford can pull off Indy at Eighty-five.

But I'll be there if he tries.

When guys bond

So I went to see a doctor I've never been today, just for an annual physical. In the course of idle chit-chat, it came out that we both have cats with the unusual name "Sneezer." This may sound like only a mildly interesting fact at best, but we bonded over this. How do I know? Well, despite the fact that various ominous acoutrements that accompany the final indignity of a guy's physical were proudly displayed behind him during the whole exam, he let me go without a rectal exam.

The moral: get a pet. A well-named cat will cover your butt.

If only really life came with standing ovations

"Twelve Angry Men" was a smash. Multiple standing ovations and lots of good press put the the capper on this awesome experience - on stage and off. The guys were great and their performances were even better.

If you've never put on a show for a crowd craving good entertainment with a group of your fellow humans, all of you wanting just to make that crowd happy (or moved or energized), you're really missing something. Go audition for that play, musical, open mic night, dance recital. Go now. Do it. Even if the theatre is closed. Just go sit there and wait for a director to show up. You'll be glad you did.

Opening Night

Tomorrow night is opening night for the production of "Twelve Angry Men" for my theatre group. I am hoping many legs will be broken.

I was reminded tonight that the classic 1957 film was later remade with Jack Lemmon. Anyone seen it?

If you're in Moline this weekend or next, check us out at Playcrafters. Ask nice and I'll even sign something for you. No tushies though.