Indeed, by now, a lot of people seem to know about Star Wars Day, and to join in expressing "May the Fourth be with you!"
And with you.
But not so many people are as familiar with May the Sith Day.
I am sorry to say that I was not even aware of yesterday's significance, in terms of the Star Wars universe. Yesterday was Revenge of the Fifth Day, although I only actually found out about it yesterday.
Still, I do not believe that this has quite the same ring to it as May the Fourth be with you or May the Sith Day, although all of these Star Wars analogies are entertaining, at the very least.
So, in the spirit of keeping the Star Wars spirit alive for the month of May (which is, after all, the month that quite a few of the movies have been released in), I am dedicating this particular blog entry to May the Sith Day.
Here is a picture that I saw and reposted last year for "May the Fourth" day, also known unofficially as Star Wars day.
This was called "Leia on a Half Shell." Obviously, this was a reworking of a already well-known classic work of art, but it is well done. A modern update to a great work of art, if you ask me, yet also obviously meant to be quite humorous. Indeed, she does look a bit like a modern day Venus, although for the fictional, yet also mythical, Star Wars saga.
This was really cool, and it felt like I needed to share it last year on Facebook. This year, it seemed like a good idea to do the same here.
Enjoy!
Moe Labelle enoSrospdtth M 15 1 m 0 a8tcu 4 730mu00l609hfla y a 3 2 36l 2 ff1 3g 8162c1 · A Long Time Ago in an Art Gallery Far, Far Away...
This year, "May the Fourth be With You" Day seems especially relevant, given the news that Peter Mayhew, who played everyone's favorite wookie, Chewbacca, has passed.
So, it is in his honor that I post this particular post today.
When I grew up, certain movies felt not only magical, but almost...predestined. As if they could not have been any different than they were, both in terms of the story itself, as well as the cultural impact that they had and, in many respects, continue to have. Perhaps the best example of this, at least for me, were the Star Wars movies, which I absolutely loved. I loved the movies, loved the few books and comics that I had of them, and loved the toy lines. Hell, I even loved to talk about Star Wars with other kids and think about Star Wars on my own. When my parents drove during nighttime, I would look at the reflector lights on the roadways and highways and imagine that this might be a scene from a Star Wars movie, and particularly Return of the Jedi.
Which is why it is almost shocking, even as an adult, to learn that none of this necessarily had to be so. Most people did not expect Star Wars to have anywhere near the success that it did, much less to be the cultural phenomenon that it actually turned out to be. What I, as a child, assumed almost to be preordained actually seemed unlikely to older people at the time.
Of course, it follows that the stories themselves might have been very different. Can you imagine, for example, Return of the Jedi having one of the major characters killed off? How incredibly different the movie - and the response to it - would have been? Or if the Ewoks had not been so cute, and maybe would have been different, albeit more familiar, creatures altogether?
Interesting to think about.
Below is a relatively short video that discusses just how differently the third and final installment of the original Star Wars trilogy actually might have been, under slightly different circumstances.
Vue du siège et de la Prise de la Bastille, Musée Carnavalet (14 juillet 1789)
Today, in honor of this being France's national holiday, and specifically in celebrating the memory of the "prise de la Bastille," or the taking of the Bastille prison in Paris on the 14th of July, 1789, it seemed like a good idea to post a blog entry for this movie. It is from 1989, and I believe that I heard somewhere - perhaps it was in college when I took a course which focused specifically on the French Revolution - that this was the best movie out there about the events of that monumental moment in history. Indeed, it does not so much dramatize things, as it shows the history, or what actually happened, as it happens. From Camille Desmoulins addressing a crowd and symbolically plucking a leaf from a tree and urging everyone to do the same as an identifier for revolutionaries, to Louis XIV jotting down "rien" or "nothing" in his diary for July 14th, and other small details. There is a lot packed into this admittedly very long movie. If memory serves correctly, it is over five hours long!
Still, it is the best and most complete movie version which I know of regarding the French Revolution, from the first stirrings (and addressing the bankruptcy of the French government and the reasons for it), the need for the King to call for les états généraux (the Estates General) in order to raise taxes, and then watching the Third Estate slowly empowering itself to become l'Assemblee nationale, or the National Assembly, to the events of the revolution itself, from the mostly positive first parts (including the storming of the Bastille, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, and so on) to when it begins to spiral out of control during the period known as "The Terror."
This has a truly international cast, and some of the actors are well-known (even to English speaking audiences) and accomplished actors. And again, it is as complete a recounting of the historical events of that era as there is (at least that I know of). I have seen a few movies on the French Revolution, but none of them felt anywhere near as complete or stripped of opinion as this one is. Surely, there are biases that people can find. But to me, it seems mostly focused on just getting the history right. And as a former student of this particular chapter in history, which always fascinated me from an early age, I try to watch it once every few years or so, just as a quick reminder of many aspects of this historical chapter in France's history.
So it seemed appropriate on this day in particular to post a blog entry about it. Also, to include both parts of the movie, which are available for viewing on Youtube, entirely for free. It is something which I recommend for any fans of French history, or France itself. It is not a casual movie which you should approach merely for entertainment, however. Because this is not a comedy, or anything. There are no huge explosions. Again, this is a historical movie, and as such, it requires some effort and a serious approach to recognize it as such. Perhaps that is why it did not do particularly well in the theaters when first released, as I heard somewhere at some point.
In any case, here are the two parts of the movie.
Enjoy!
La Révolution Française (1989) Part 1 ENG SUB Upscaled & Improved
La Révolution Française (1989) Part 2 ENG SUB Upscaled & Improved
Indeed, by now, a lot of people seem to know about Star Wars Day, and to join in expressing "May the Fourth be with you!"
And with you.
But not so many people are as familiar with May the Sith Day.
I am sorry to say that I was not even aware of yesterday's significance, in terms of the Star Wars universe. Yesterday was Revenge of the Fifth Day, although I only actually found out about it yesterday.
Still, I do not believe that this has quite the same ring to it as May the Fourth be with you or May the Sith Day, although all of these Star Wars analogies are entertaining, at the very least.
So, in the spirit of keeping the Star Wars spirit alive for the month of May (which is, after all, the month that quite a few of the movies have been released in), I am dedicating this particular blog entry to May the Sith Day.
Here is a picture that I saw and reposted last year for "May the Fourth" day, also known unofficially as Star Wars day.
This was called "Leia on a Half Shell." Obviously, this was a reworking of a already well-known classic work of art, but it is well done. A modern update to a great work of art, if you ask me, yet also obviously meant to be quite humorous. Indeed, she does look a bit like a modern day Venus, although for the fictional, yet also mythical, Star Wars saga.
This was really cool, and it felt like I needed to share it last year on Facebook. This year, it seemed like a good idea to do the same here.
Enjoy!
Moe Labelle enoSrospdtth M 15 1 m 0 a8tcu 4 730mu00l609hfla y a 3 2 36l 2 ff1 3g 8162c1 · A Long Time Ago in an Art Gallery Far, Far Away...
This year, "May the Fourth be With You" Day seems especially relevant, given the news that Peter Mayhew, who played everyone's favorite wookie, Chewbacca, has passed.
So, it is in his honor that I post this particular post today.
It has been the better part of two years since the final installment in the Indiana Jones franchise, "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny," was released.
The perception by many is that it was basically a flop.
Now admittedly, my own reaction to the movie was mixed. I enjoyed being able to see one last new Indiana Jones movie in actual theaters. There were parts of the movie which I enjoyed and appreciated. That said, there were parts of it which were, frankly, underwhelming, and probably would have been better being left out.
Still, I was glad overall to have a new Indiana Jones movie to go see, and was especially glad to share that movie experience with my son. Obviously, each movie from the original trilogy came out in the eighties. But even the fourth one, "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull," came out in 2008, when he was still only two years old. So this was going to be the first time that he got to see a "new" Indiana Jones movie, although he had enjoyed watching the movies on DVD once he did get older. Perhaps not surprisingly, he enjoyed the last one the most, perhaps because it was the most modern one, so he maybe felt that he could relate to it the most.
My own favorites were the first and third. That is pretty common for fans of the franchise, of course. But I did not really hate Crystal Skull, nor the most recent one, either, which differentiated me from some hardcore fans. Like with some of the more passionate Star Wars fans, there were people who really hated this movie, and probably some felt that it ruined their childhood, or something like that.
The big star of the movie, Harrison Ford, has now played Indiana Jones five times overall. And while the two most recent installments felt like they lacked some of the energy and charm which seemed to come so easily during the original trilogy, these nevertheless still were bona fide Indiana Jones movies. They did not generate the often wild enthusiasm surrounding the original trilogy, which came to be among the favorite movie franchises for many during the eighties, and the last one in particular was even hated by many.
Ford himself, however, remained mostly philosophical about it all:
“Shit happens,” Ford said. “I was really the one who felt there was another story to tell. When [Indy] had suffered the consequences of the life that he had to live, I wanted one more chance to pick him up and shake the dust off his ass and stick him out there, bereft of some of his vigor, to see what happened. I’m still happy I made that movie.”
He hardly seems all that worried about it, does he?
For the most part, I agree. This is a different time, a different era. Most of the younger people really did not know who Indiana Jones even was. I knew some people who had vague ideas about who he was, and some others who knew him exclusively from video games, never having even bothered seeing any of the movies. And while the reviews for the original trilogy were often glowing, there were more criticisms than anything else from underwhelmed reviews this time around.
So be it.
Like Ford himself suggests, it's time to let it go. I doubt that I will be watching that last movie many times over, like I have now watched the original trilogy many times over. Still, as I said before, I was glad to be able to go to the theaters - especially with my son - and just sit with some popcorn and enjoy Indiana Jones on a big silver screen one last time. If it was not everything that I personally would have hoped for in a new Indiana Jones movie, so be it.
Sometimes, life is like that.
Time to move on.
Below is the link to the article which got me on this topic, and from which I obtained the quote from Harrison Ford used above. Below that are some links to articles which I used in previous blog entries for reviews of the movie, and how the major story at the time seemed to be how it largley was regarded as a flop. Also, it seemed worth sharing a review of the movie from shortly after it was released, as well. Enjoy:
Harrison Ford Says ‘S— Happens’ Over ‘Indiana Jones 5’ Flop, Joined the MCU With ‘No Script’ Because He Saw Actors ‘Having a Good Time’ in Marvel Movies by Zack Sharf, February 5, 2025:
It may seem a bit strange to review a movie that came out more than a quarter of a century ago. In fact, it's been closer to 30 years now since this movie was released.
But this is no ordinary movie.
Of course, let's get one obvious thing out of the way immediately: it is a strange and unconventional movie, to say the least. The title itself suggests as much, as there is no way for anyone not somewhat familiar with this movie, or the television series, to glean any meaning from it or get an idea of what this movie is about just from the title. Then, add some scenes from the movie at random, as I have seen in some of the original trailers, and it probably gets even more confusing. There is a guy who seems dressed up in a space suit, monkeys climbing up a construction site in a modern American city, elephants running through that same city, glimpses of what could be taken as a car chase as well as gun shootouts, and a lot of mysterious talk about viruses and time travel. Again, if you are not familiar with this story, all of this would surely add to the confusion. Even just describing all of that reminds me that, yes, it is a weird movie.
And to think that even a full viewing of the actual movie might seem to many even stranger still!
Add to that the tagline (although it was ultimately rejected), which reads: "The Future is History."
Now, isn't that intriguing? Just four words, yet in some respects, it kinds of explains the entire movie. Time travel is once again conveyed, yet it also suggests a kind of apocalyptic obliteration of the future, that it no longer exists (or at least, not in any way we would recognize or want it). I still wonder why they rejected this tag line?
This movie has long been one of my favorites, although admittedly, it is not a movie that is too easy to follow (at least not until well, well into the movie). I used to warn people to give it at least twenty or so minutes. If you could bear with it through that much, everything would fall into place, I promise.
After watching it again recently, however, it was obvious that I was wrong, and had underestimated just how long the confusing part specifically meant to disorient the viewer really is. In fact, the first hour or so is specifically designed to make you feel almost disoriented. Here's the thing: this is not a simple movie to "get," but rather, like artwork, it takes a serious and complete examination to fully appreciate it. Because really, it is a work of art, inspired by an artsy old French film, La Jetée. Inspired by that movie, but not a replica or remake. This movie is it's own product, and it is, in many respects, very unique and original. At least as original as a modern move can get in this day and age when no ideas seem to be completely new ideas anymore.
Believe it or not, this movie has many layers to it. Yes, it addresses numerous issues which remain very relevant to our world today. In fact, I suspect that in many respects, it is more relevant today even than it was back in the mid-nineties, when it was first made and released.
Let me just say, first and foremost, that there is a lot going on in this movie. Thus, it requires some effort, not least of which is patience. I'm not kidding. Indeed, this movie can be both very entertaining and rewarding, even, on many levels. On some levels, it both implements and explores history, mythology, and even popular notions of sanity. And it does this in an interesting and unique way, as it actively tries to make you think about what we understand as sanity versus insanity. It does this right away by deliberately making you wonder exactly what is going on, and to seriously wonder if the main character (James Cole, played very capably by Bruce Willis) is sane or not. After watching it this most recent time, I could see how this movie might bother some people and almost feel possibly like an exercise in lunacy. There are parts of it that are or can be unpleasant to watch, even. Included in this is a sort of repetition in actions and themes, although it is subtle and set under very different circumstances. Yet, it reinforces this notion of this movie and the main character both being and feeling disoriented, not to mention disorienting for the viewer.
I have recommended this movie to some people, and was disappointed in a few cases to hear that they could not get past even the first twenty to thirty minutes. Let us just say is that this is the type of movie that rewards your patience, assuming that you go into it with some and give it a chance.
The fact of the matter is that this is a purposely strange and unorthodox movie. All kidding aside, it asks more than most movies do, requiring patience and trust on the part of the viewer that the makers of this movie actually know what they are doing, and that things will make sense before all is said and done. I remember feeling confused the first time that I saw it, not knowing exactly what was going on for quite some time.
Trust me, though, it does all come together eventually and, once it does, this movie really becomes rewarding to the viewer. In fact, I liked it so much that it instantly made me want to watch it again, knowing this time what it was about. It became one of my very favorite movies, one which I rarely go more than, say, a couple of years or so without watching. Again, it takes a little patience, although some of the people that I talked to about this movie (I long ago learned not to even bother advocating this movie to most people) never really gave it a chance. Once you actually watch it from beginning to end, there is a good chance that this will be the type of movie that will make you want to see it again and again. I have seen it a number of times over the course of many years now, and it always seems like there is something new, some aspect of it that I had not seen, or at least not had appreciated as much in previous viewings, which I see with the latest viewing.
I have now watched the movie numerous times, and have been on kind of a 12 Monkeys kick lately, since I decided to watch it again a couple of weeks back, and then decided to watch it yet again, feeling that I saw some things with that viewing that I had not paid as close attention to before. So I cannot stress enough at this point that it requires some effort on the part of the movie watcher to actually peel away some of those layers themselves, since the film makers did not want to make it to easy for the viewer. They intentionally made it a movie that requires some thinking.
Frankly, I do not like to overstate things, because that can come back to bite you later. But this movie seems to me to be a masterpiece. It is entertaining, fun and funny at times, yet also serious enough to give you serious pause for thought. Kathryn Railly (played very well by Madeleine Stowe) is everything you could want in a woman, and there are even times when this movie has a nostalgic, old movie feel to it. There are even brief periods when it almost becomes romantic, although it never goes to far or takes itself too seriously in this regard. To me, this has almost everything that you could want in a movie, and comes highly recommended - but again, you have to have some patience with this one. If you do, it will almost assuredly reward you, as this is a movie that you likely will remember and think about for the rest of your life.
Give it a chance, and see what you think.
Also, don't forget to share any thoughts or feelings you may have - positive or negative - here with me. I would welcome any discussion on this movie.
15 things you (probably) didn't know about 12 Monkeys Published by Shortlist 4 years ago:
Vue du siège et de la Prise de la Bastille, Musée Carnavalet (14 juillet 1789)
Today, in honor of this being France's national holiday, and specifically in celebrating the memory of the "prise de la Bastille," or the taking of the Bastille prison in Paris on the 14th of July, 1789, it seemed like a good idea to post a blog entry for this movie. It is from 1989, and I believe that I heard somewhere - perhaps it was in college when I took a course which focused specifically on the French Revolution - that this was the best movie out there about the events of that monumental moment in history. Indeed, it does not so much dramatize things, as it shows the history, or what actually happened, as it happens. From Camille Desmoulins addressing a crowd and symbolically plucking a leaf from a tree and urging everyone to do the same as an identifier for revolutionaries, to Louis XIV jotting down "rien" or "nothing" in his diary for July 14th, and other small details. There is a lot packed into this admittedly very long movie. If memory serves correctly, it is over five hours long!
Still, it is the best and most complete movie version which I know of regarding the French Revolution, from the first stirrings (and addressing the bankruptcy of the French government and the reasons for it), the need for the King to call for les états généraux (the Estates General) in order to raise taxes, and then watching the Third Estate slowly empowering itself to become l'Assemblee nationale, or the National Assembly, to the events of the revolution itself, from the mostly positive first parts (including the storming of the Bastille, the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen, and so on) to when it begins to spiral out of control during the period known as "The Terror."
This has a truly international cast, and some of the actors are well-known (even to English speaking audiences) and accomplished actors. And again, it is as complete a recounting of the historical events of that era as there is (at least that I know of). I have seen a few movies on the French Revolution, but none of them felt anywhere near as complete or stripped of opinion as this one is. Surely, there are biases that people can find. But to me, it seems mostly focused on just getting the history right. And as a former student of this particular chapter in history, which always fascinated me from an early age, I try to watch it once every few years or so, just as a quick reminder of many aspects of this historical chapter in France's history.
So it seemed appropriate on this day in particular to post a blog entry about it. Also, to include both parts of the movie, which are available for viewing on Youtube, entirely for free. It is something which I recommend for any fans of French history, or France itself. It is not a casual movie which you should approach merely for entertainment, however. Because this is not a comedy, or anything. There are no huge explosions. Again, this is a historical movie, and as such, it requires some effort and a serious approach to recognize it as such. Perhaps that is why it did not do particularly well in the theaters when first released, as I heard somewhere at some point.
In any case, here are the two parts of the movie.
Enjoy!
La Révolution Française (1989) Part 1 ENG SUB Upscaled & Improved
La Révolution Française (1989) Part 2 ENG SUB Upscaled & Improved
Indeed, by now, a lot of people seem to know about Star Wars Day, and to join in expressing "May the Fourth be with you!"
And with you.
But not so many people are as familiar with May the Sith Day.
I am sorry to say that I was not even aware of yesterday's significance, in terms of the Star Wars universe. Yesterday was Revenge of the Fifth Day, although I only actually found out about it yesterday.
Still, I do not believe that this has quite the same ring to it as May the Fourth be with you or May the Sith Day, although all of these Star Wars analogies are entertaining, at the very least.
So, in the spirit of keeping the Star Wars spirit alive for the month of May (which is, after all, the month that quite a few of the movies have been released in), I am dedicating this particular blog entry to May the Sith Day.
Here is a picture that I saw and reposted last year for "May the Fourth" day, also known unofficially as Star Wars day.
This was called "Leia on a Half Shell." Obviously, this was a reworking of a already well-known classic work of art, but it is well done. A modern update to a great work of art, if you ask me, yet also obviously meant to be quite humorous. Indeed, she does look a bit like a modern day Venus, although for the fictional, yet also mythical, Star Wars saga.
This was really cool, and it felt like I needed to share it last year on Facebook. This year, it seemed like a good idea to do the same here.
Enjoy!
Moe Labelle enoSrospdtth M 15 1 m 0 a8tcu 4 730mu00l609hfla y a 3 2 36l 2 ff1 3g 8162c1 · A Long Time Ago in an Art Gallery Far, Far Away...
This year, "May the Fourth be With You" Day seems especially relevant, given the news that Peter Mayhew, who played everyone's favorite wookie, Chewbacca, has passed.
So, it is in his honor that I post this particular post today.
Now this is a notable anniversary of a historical event, is it not?
It was on this day back in 1912 that the Titanic sank in the northern Atlantic. Since then, this incredible event has captured our collective imaginations. That makes it 112 years ago.
As you guys likely will recall, the Titanic was supposed to be unsinkable. The ship appeared to be a technological marvel, a shining example of what humanity was capable of. It was the biggest and fanciest, most luxurious ship ever to that point in history. Everyone wanted to have a ticket for the maiden voyage. The people in charge knew it, and decided to capitalize on it even more. They would try and get it to cross the ocean in record time, racing to try and get even more news headlines.
That was a mistake.
As we all know, they should not have pushed that ship beyond what would have been safe. The northern Atlantic Ocean has floating icebergs, and obviously, the ship struck one of those, sustaining serious damage in the process. Now, there was a hole on the side of the ship, which allowed water into the ship. More and more water got in, which began to sink under the added weight, and which then allowed still more water, which sank it more, which added still more water, and on and on. As was mentioned in the famous 1997 movie about the incident, the sinking of the ship that had once been billed as indestructible was now a mathematical certainty. It was just a matter of time, mere hours after striking the iceberg, that the Titanic sank.
Also, as was mentioned in the movie, they would indeed make headlines. Just not
It was a tragedy of epic proportions. Not only did the sinking of the supposedly unsinkable engineering marvel cause shockwaves, but so did the human tragedy that resulted. As the movie illustrated, the wealthy were largely ushered into boats that were not packed too tightly, so as not to inconvenience these VIP’s. Meanwhile, the poorer, common folks were locked in the lower decks. They broke free, but many of them – most of them – were not saved.
We do not know the exact number of people who sailed on the Titanic, but it is estimated as 2,224. Of those, more than 1,500 died. Clearly, a vast majority. There were not enough lifeboats could have held about 1,178 people when full. Again, though, they were not full. Also, even in a best case scenario, there were not nearly enough lifeboats to save everyone on board. This was perhaps one of the main reasons why they began to regulate these things a bit more following this level of tragedy.
In any case, the Titanic sank on this day, 112 years ago.
Thought it might be an interesting idea not only to acknowledge this anniversary, but also to add a video of the actual alternative ending of the "Titanic" movie from 1997. Have to say that this ending would have made the entire movie feel kind of different.
Think that I've mentioned, and possibly even reviewed, some episodes of the ESPN film series "30 For 30" before.
Well, whether I have or not, this series is enjoyable. It often shows you some of the behind the scenes stories that you probably were not familiar with. It also usually includes interviews with thoughts from prominent figures involved in whatever story they are doing.
In the weeks leading up to, and since, the Super Bowl, there were a lot of football related stories. One of them was particularly enjoyable. It was "30 For 30: Four Falls of Buffalo." It was released in 2015, and it explored the fate of the Buffalo Bills of the nineties, the only team to go to four straight Super Bowls, but also the only team to have lost four straight Super Bowls.
Here's something strange, admittedly: I am a Giants fan, yet I liked those Buffalo Bills. Don't get me wrong: I was so happy when the field goal went wide right and the Giants won Super Bowl XXV, that I jumped up in celebration. I taped the game, and think I might have watched it literally three times that first week alone!
Yet, I was happy that Buffalo had enjoyed such a successful season. And I really did hope that they would get back to the Super Bowl, and win it. But when they did go back the next season, I had a bad feeling. People don't seem to remember, or appreciate, just how dominant that 1991 Washington Redskins team was. To my mind's eye, they were likely the third most dominant single season team that I can recall, behind only the 1985 Chicago Bears and the 1989 San Francisco 49ers. They had the most explosive offense in the league, scoring nearly 500 points (back when that was really saying something) and the second best defense that season. They scored at least 33 points in half of their regular season games, and held opponents to 17 points or less in 12 of their 16 regular season games. Then they swept aside the Atlanta Falcons in the divisional round and crushed the Detroit Lions in the NFC Championship Game. They raced out to a fast start in Super Bowl XXVI, and Buffalo only got in rhythm and finally realized that they could play with that Washington team when the game was already out of reach.
After that, it felt like the narrative for the Bills was that they had established themselves as a very good team, but one that could not take that next step and win the Super Bowl. That mixed legacy followed them around, unfortunately, when they reached the next two Super Bowls, both against Dallas. Nobody before had ever reached four straight Super Bowls, and they also had the greatest comeback in NFL history under their belts. Yet, they are remembered largely only for losing those Super Bowls.
Still, to me, they were a team that I both liked and appreciated at the time. If anything, my respect for them has only grown in the years since.
This documentary really goes into that team's mixed bag of success and failures. It focuses mostly on the Super Bowls themselves. But you get to hear from many members of that team: running back Thurman Thomas (probably the biggest star on the team), quarterback Jim Kelly, wide receiver Andre Reed, defensive end Bruce Smith, linebacker Darryl Talley, head coach Marv Levy (who I thought then, and still think now, was a class act), back-up quarterback Frank Reich, wide receiver Don Beebe, special teams star Steve Tasker. Most of those guys are in the Hall of Fame, and they all seem like pretty damn decent guys. Frankly, that's not a given in football, where you get a lot of...well, guys that are less than likeable, to say the least. And I'm not just talking about those who were convicted (or should have been convicted) of awful crimes. Many personalities in the NFL were just jackasses off the field, even if their talent on the field made them stars. Also, you hear from Scott Norwood, the placekicker who missed that field goal that could have won it for Buffalo in Super Bowl XXV, and which clearly is a memory that still haunts the Buffalo Bills franchise and their fans, as the "Wide Right 2" playoff exit last month reminded us.
So I really enjoyed this particular installment of "30 For 30." And I would recommend it to anyone who wants to understand that incredibly resilient (and again, likeable) Buffalo Bills team, who came so close to reaching the summit numerous times, and just could not quite get there. They were a great team, and deserve to be remembered as such. This documentary relives those times, and was highly entertaining! Recommended to any fair-minded football fans, or sports fans more generally.
New ESPN First Take - Andre Reed on ESPN 30 For 30 Four Falls of Buffalo
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