Hustle

Mentor Sandman

The 2010s weren’t the best decade for Adam Sandler.  He had settled into a comfortable niche starring in movies whose quality generally ranged from tolerable to dreadful, and his lack of interest only became more apparent in the movies he made under his lucrative Netflix contract.  But in 2019, his performance in Uncut Gems reminded us that he could be a compelling dramatic actor when he wanted to – although the release of Hubie Halloween less than a year later dampened hopes of a McConaughey-esque late career renaissance.  The Netflix sports drama Hustle sees Sandler back in more serious territory, to mixed results.

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Double Team (1997)

Bad as I Wanna Be

If nothing else, one can admire the fact that Double Team represents an era of film when studios weren’t afraid to take big risks.  Today, the idea of spending 30 million dollars on an R-rated movie starring a past-his-prime action star and a famous athlete would never get past the pitching stage, let alone greenlit.  And though Double Team’s gamble didn’t pay off, neither in quality nor box-office receipts; I, for one, am happy that this turkey exists.

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Leo and the Cubs: America’s Greatest Losers

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Maybe next year…

Another year, another disappointment for the ever-disappointed Cubs fans, a group of which I am a member by only the loosest standards.  The Cubs’ 107-year-long losing streak has become the stuff of baseball legend, and though some are optimistic, I don’t think it’s ending anytime soon.  But this perpetual failure is what makes them so endearing; everyone loves an underdog, and who can lay claim to that status more than the Chicago Cubs? Continue reading