Someone getting a little too hyper for you? Telling them to relax might not do the trick. Asking them to take it easy might just get them riled up. To make it clear that they need to back off more than a few notches, you need to channel your inner Sgt. Hulka from the movie “Stripes”. Yes, the movie is a classic Bill Murray vehicle, but Sgt. Hulka steals the scene here.
Alright, let’s bring some comedy to the blog. We’ve all committed a faux pas from time to time. Some worse than others. What’s the best way to beg forgiveness? Even better than forgiving? I think George Costanza played it best.
This may be a clip from the world of comedy, but it’s worth trying this in the real world. I know I have used it. Admit it, you’d like to as well! (Disclaimer- I do not recommend trying this when stopped by a police officer.)
Growing up in suburbia, there was always at least one man whose pride and joy was his lawn. Every week like clockwork he would man the lawnmower with all the sense of mission of a grand master oil painter. His lawn was meticulously groomed, and nobody was going to mess with the artistry of his perfect lines, half with the grain, half against the grain. Pity the kid whose errant baseball flew out of reach and onto his property.
In this scene from “Gran Torino”, Clint Eastwood takes this protection to the extreme. While seemingly offering protection to his neighbors being bullied by a bunch of ruffians, he chases the bad guys off with a clearly bad case of PTSD from his days in Korea. When his neighbors offer their thanks, he makes it clear (with some salty language, so be forewarned) that he’s more interested in protecting his turf than protecting his neighbors. I promise, you will never hear the phrase “Get off my lawn” without thinking of Clint.
Any job can be made easy with the right tools. Even if you lack skills, having the right equipment will help you accomplish your task. Want to build furniture? You need good woodworking tools. Want to be a star chef? Get some good cooking implements. You want to be an expert fisherman, and catch the big one? Roy Scheider in “Jaws” said it best. Although clearly shocked and in panic at the sight of the great white beast, he walked calmly and steadily to report the news, cigarette firmly planted between his lips.
As Good As It Gets, the movie from 1997 is a fabulous trip into the mind of a happy but curmudgeonly misanthrope who would like to be a better person but completely lacks the skills and/or any innate ability not to be a miserable lout. Played magnificently by Jack Nicholson (when has has he not been magnificent?) Melvin Udall finds himself entrenched in the lives of people who, on the surface he doesn’t like, but deep down has great affinity for.
As much as he might like to seem like a helpful person, he can’t help spewing venom. Like this classic.
Elsewhere in the movie he takes a road trip with his neighbor (played by Greg Kinnear) and his romantic foil (played by Helen Hunt). While discussing whether or not people by nature can be happy, he offers this wonderful explanation, capped by a wonderful “catch-all” quote.
Finally, to show his mastery of the human experience, he explains why it is that some people just can’t be happy.
You gotta love Jack, explaining human experience in one golden nugget.
In the end, he expresses his undying quest for self-improvement when forced to say something nice about his dinner date. And she just melts to pieces.
All told, these are wonderful examples and quotes from Jack…..being Jack.
Sure, we all get aggravated from time-to-time at some of the most inconsequential frustrations in life. Sometimes it’s inanimate objects giving us a hard time, and sometimes it’s other people not so smart as they should be. We’d love to laugh them off or easily let them slide, but where’s the real relief in that? Better to let off some steam. Maybe you thought the movie “The Sandlot” was a cute kids baseball movie, but it provides some great adult anxiety relief. Here’s my antidote to life’s little thorns in my side.
Try it……. makes you feel better, doesn’t it?
One reason General George S. Patton was such a strong leader in battle was his vast knowledge of history. He read extensively on classic military history, going back to Julius Caesar and other great leaders of ancient times. In the movie “Patton”, his character, played by George C. Scott, spoke often about ancient civilizations and how they handled themselves during wartime. So when it came to battling the Germans, Patton liked to be one-step ahead of the feared army of the Third Reich. In this scene, the United States Army takes on troops led by General Erwin Rommel, known as the “Desert Fox”. Not to be outdone, though, Patton’s army lay in wait, and took Rommel’s brigades by surprise. It was no surprise to Patton though, who laughed with joy at how his preparation paid off. Now, whenever you’ve done your homework and you’ve successfully dispensed with your adversaries, you know what to say:
Eddie Murphy, in Trading Places says it best, and as we say goodbye (and good riddance) to 2020, it’s time to bring out the annual greeting that I’ve shouted out every year since the movie was made.
Here’s hoping 2021 is blessed for us all.
In disussions over the best TV series of all time, The Wire, seen on HBO, is always part of the debate. The show weaved together the underbelly of drug culture, hard-working if sometimes corrupt police, Baltimore City politics and more. At the root is simply the urge for success in America, seen through the eyes of Baltimore , from the “corner boys” plying their drug trade, the local crime bosses, trying to honor their code, the police fighting them as well as City Hall, and the City leaders themselves, and their struggles between making the City a better place vs their own personal advancements. No doubt this is an oversimplification, but the pursuit of the American Dream, whatever that means, is at the heart of so many great stories.
The series begins at the scene of a street murder of a local young man known as “Snot Boogie”, with a Detective trying to have a conversation with a potential witness. At first the witness makes it clear he’s no snitch. Feeling bad for the victim, he reveals to the Detective what happened. Basically the victim regularly caused havoc with a friendly street game of craps. The witness suggests that the victim brought it on himself. Listen along as the Detective asks why the players let “Snot” in the game. At first the witness looks at the Detective with scorn and asks the Detective to repeat the question. He then answers the question with what is the general theme, not only for the entire series, but perhaps the theme for everyone trying to get ahead in life. It’s a very powerful statement that explains so much of what’s good and bad in this Country.
Clint Eastwood has played many roles in Hollywood. Actor, Director, Composer, Producer… but perhaps his most famous role, certainly the one that put him on the map, so to speak, was “Dirty Harry” Callahan, the no-nonsense member of the San Francisco Police Department. Quiet and unemotional, he put the bad guys in their place. And he loved his Smith and Wesson; although, he was known not to be able to count to 6. Maybe you can give it a try. I don’t know, do you feel lucky? Well, do ya?
And if the bad guys thought they’d outsmart him, Dirty Harry was unmoved.
If that’s not the paragon of keeping your cool, I don’t know what is.
After their stellar performances in Godfather 2, Al Pacino and his mentor Lee Strasberg teamed up again in the movie “And Justice For All”. Great film that exposes some of the seamy underbelly of criminal law.
There is a wonderful scene where Pacino’s character is taking his grandfather, played by Strasberg, and his grandfather’s friend, played by Sam Levene, to a Thanksgiving Open House. As he gets ready to leave for the feast, Levene offers a line that I repeat every year when I go to someone’s house for Thanksgiving. Maybe nobody else gets the joke, or feels the way that I do, but I find it amusing every year, nonetheless. Watch for it at the end of this clip.
And, in this year of small celebrations, I wish you a happy and blessed Thanksgiving, hoping that very soon we will all be able to congregate with expanded family and friends.
Come on, do I really need to tell you who “Jack” is? When it comes to great actors, there is only one “Jack”.
Here he is as a witness in the movie “A Few Good Men”. Spoiler alert (as if you don’t already know), he quickly goes from witness to Defendant. And, in case you can’t comprehend this, then maybe, just maybe……
Enough said. More Jack to come…stay tuned.
We’re almost 5 years beyond the magical “future” of Marty McFly. Still no flying cars, but we can still hope that the Elon Musk’s of today have a plan. Meanwhile, do we have enough road to get us to that place?
Times are tough out there these days. You want to make things right, maybe push back a little bit, hold your ground and not let bad times get to you. When life is stacked against you, often you have nothing to fight back with. Well, for inspiration, you need look no further than Lucas “Luke” Jackson, portrayed stunningly by Paul Newman, who was nominated for his role in “Cool Hand Luke” (1967). How does he so calmly and coolly win when he has nothing? Well, there’s no better explanation than the one he gives.
Most of you know who Hyman Roth is. He was the main antagonist in Godfather II, superbly played by Lee Strasberg. Roth was a jewish mobster who did business with Vito Corleone who, as was pointed out in the movie, “did business with Hyman Roth, respected Hyman Roth, but never trusted Hyman Roth”.
He was a sickly man in his later years, but apparently still strong as an ox.
Nevertheless, he suffers from a condition not uncommon to men of his age.
But the best line is one perhaps repeated the most. Certainly something I’ve been known to say on multiple occasions, when things may not have been going my way.
Ultimately, he met his match with the Godfather. Although, he was just a retired investor, living on a pension.
How good does it make you feel when you get a second shot at greatness? Invigorating, inspiring, rejuvenating… That was the spirit that the Blues Brothers were trying to coax out of their bandmates. And doesn’t it make you feel a little bit jazzed (pun intended) when you hear the enthusiasm in their voices?
Lest you think this post has any personal or hidden agenda, I’m sorry to inform you that such is not the case for me. At least for now. The Blues Brothers had a higher calling.
Some day, and that day may never come, I’ll let you know if this takes on some personal meaning. Until that day, enjoy these clips from Jake and Ellwood Blues.
Times are tough. I get it. Not too long ago the economy was soaring, life seemed like a breeze. All of a sudden - WHAM - along came Coronapocalypse 2020. We were up, now we’re down. That’s life, though. Good times and bad times. That’s the cycle. Been that way since time immemorial. I think The Dude said it best, though.
Yep, strikes and gutters, ups and downs. Of course, the mystery man played to perfection by Sam Elliott put it in a way that only the purest of American cowboys could.
Here we are nearly on lockdown in the middle of the Coronavirus pandemic. Many public health experts are advising us to “shelter in place” or quarantine or avoid social contact. Then we have conservative pundits such as Glenn Beck saying it’s better to die from the virus than to “kill the country”. Hmm, dying for a cause….seems like a very noble gesture. Let’s hear what General George S. Patton, thought to be one of the greatest field commanders in the 20th century, had to say on the matter.
As part of this scene, performed and delivered expertly by Academy Award Winner (and noted award refuser) George C. Scott, Patton also addresses the concerns that some may not have the courage to do battle. Take note and heed his advice anytime you may think you’re not mentally equipped to fight back.
All caught up in the Coronavirus crisis? According to Bobby Baccalieri, aka Bobby Bacala from the Soprano’s, we were foretold of this many years ago. As usual, though, mankind ignored the warnings.
Stay safe and clean out there. This too shall pass.
I don’t know about you, but ever since I saw this scene, whenever I’m asked for some ID, I want to quote this scene with all the gusto that Alfonso Bedoya delivered it with in the movie “Treasure of the Sierra Madre”. So next time you’re asked to show your credentials, give this a try!
Come to think of it though, I would not advise trying this in the TSA line at the airport, if you’re stopped on the highway by police or just about anywhere else these days. So maybe just keep it to yourself and just get a big grin on.