Trio of Local Acting Titans Brings Albion Theatre’s ‘Heroes’ to Life

Trio of Local Acting Titans Brings Albion Theatre’s ‘Heroes’ to Life

By Lynn Venhaus

An idealist, pragmatist and a fence sitter want to walk out of a military convalescent hospital…

In “Heroes,” an amiable French comedy that’s been translated into English by the esteemed playwright Tom Stoppard, there’s drama and absurdity mixed in, of course.

Gerald Siblevras’ play, “Le Vent des Peupliers,” which is set in 1959, was first performed in London in 2005, winning an Olivier Award for best new comedy. It made it to Broadway two years later, with Richard Benjamin, Len Cariou and George Segal as Henri, Gustave, and Philippe.

In Albion Theatre’s inaugural production, three acting heavyweights play the disparate characters – David Wassilak, Will Shaw and Isaiah Di Lorenzo. The award-winning veterans have been honored for their work — Wassilak has awards from St. Louis Theater Circle, Shaw has AFL’s Theatre Mask Awards and Di Lorenzo has both Circle and TMAs.

The trio deliver their customary nuanced work, demonstrating their ease with each other and their finely-tune rhythms. The wounded veterans spend their days on a terrace in a sanitarium, having served in one World War and been through another from afar. They dream of escaping this tedium.

We recognize the characters they talk about – we can conjure up images of annoying fellow residents, the help – and fear Sister Madeleine, just like they do. We accept the stone dog as their companion.

Shaw drolly delivers many of the best lines as the grumpy agoraphobic Gustave. Di Lorenzo uses his nimble physicality well, for Phillippe has fainting spells and seizures. And Wassilak believably projects a lonely heart trying to stay positive.

The show is deftly directed by Robert Ashton, who is also the founder of the new theater company that specializes in mainly plays from the United Kingdom and Ireland.

The men bicker, but still show affection and concern for each other. Without their well-worn camaraderie, it would just be three guys killing time, but they add human touches to make us care about them.

The small black box space at the Kranzberg works well for such a small show. Brad Slavik’s set design, Tracey Newcombe’s costume design, Nathan Shroeder’s lighting design and Robin Weatherall’s sound design help bring the production to life.

With dashes of “Waiting for Godot” and “The Gin Game,” and some carping like “The Odd Couple,” “Heroes” wears its heart on its sleeve and is a paean to dreamers everywhere.

Time passes for all of us. These three fine performers show us its best to not go it alone.

The Albion Theatre is presenting “Heroes” for three weekends starting Sept. 23-25, then Sept. 30, Oct. 1 and Oct. 2, and wrapping up Oct. 7-9, at the Kranzberg Arts Center’s Black Box Theatre, 501 N. Grand Blvd., St. Louis. For more information, visit AlbionTheatreSTL.org.

Robert Ashton was a guest on my podcast, PopLifeSTL.com, on Sept. 24. Here is that link, along with my co-host Carl “The Intern” Middleman:
 https://soundcloud.com/lynn-zipfel-venhaus/september-24th-2022-with-robert-ashton?si=6e49983b4cf84727818a4ff73e96cc71&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

Popster Picks for Oct. 7 and Weekend

Popster Picks for Oct. 7 and Weekend

By Lynn Venhaus

Stage: American Idiot at Webster University Oct. 7-9

Whoa! I saw rehearsal clips of the musical “American Idiot,” before interviewing Lara Teeter, the director , and this cast has got game. The energy! Really impressive. I’m planning to go Saturday afternoon, it is about an hour and a half.

Webster University’s Sargent Conservatory of Theatre Arts presents its first show of the 2022-2023 season, “American Idiot” this weekend on the Browning Mainstage Theatre (Loretto-Hilton). Tickets are available at https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/5565666

“American Idiot” follows the exhilarating journey of young Americans as they struggle to find meaning in a post-9/11 world, borne along by Green Day’s electrifying score. The rock musical draws on all the songs from the album “American Idiot,” plus material that did not make the album and a handful of numbers from Green Day’s Grammy-winning “21st Century Breakdown.”

“American Idiot” is for mature audiences only. It involves adult content, sexual themes and situations, strong language, and stimulated use of drugs.

Listen to the PopLifeSTL.com Presents podcast featuring director Lara Teeter to hear more on the production:

https://soundcloud.com/lynn-zipfel-venhaus/october-7th-2022-joe-hanrahan-lara-teeter?si=951e6276d9554160a4ed23e829083b80&utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing

To see some clips, visit:https://www.dropbox.com/sh/m77zuvbyd240abp/AADxC7RrXfj-VaYQo-00tEKza?dl=0. 

Photo and Video courtesy of Andrew Sanker.

Movie: “Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile” in theaters

Family fun, Shawn Mendes singing Pasek and Paul show tunes, and Javier Bardem having a blast! Here is my review in the Webster-Kirkwood Times

https://www.timesnewspapers.com/webster-kirkwoodtimes/arts_and_entertainment/reel_world/lyle-lyle-crocodile/article_901bb388-45a2-11ed-85d9-974c29bdbd9c.html

Trailer: The Super Mario Bros. Movie

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is an upcoming computer-animated film based on Nintendo’s Mario video game franchise, produced by Illumination in association with Nintendo and distributed by Universal Pictures. Release date is April 7, 2023.

https://variety.com/2022/film/news/mario-movie-trailer-chris-pratt-nintendo-1235369647/#recipient_hashed=bb64e01aee50d449aa21820964b6eeead30bf8285a166730a8875138da3a9eca&recipient_salt=5af7a91c256563e8a2a1ca92d27e043941083c455962856a217cbbc6daa826b1

Weekend Happenings

Cardinal Nation: Wild Card Games at Home

Friday’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies will be on ABC at 1:07 p.m. and Saturday’s game is set for 7:37 on ESPN2. If needed, Sunday is at 7:37 p.m., possibly on ESPN2, but that could change, depending on all the other games.

St. Louis Public Radio’s 50 Fest Satruday

Celebrate 50 years of STLPR with a street festival full of food, fun and festivities. We’re taking over our little branch of Olive Street and the Public Media Commons! Enjoy food trucks, live entertainment, and a children’s zone with games, face painting and more!

Plus, pop inside for St. Louis Public Radio’s 50th Anniversary Exhibit, a chance to meet some of your favorite St. Louis Public Radio hosts and staff or record a testimonial. They might even use your voice on air.

Meet and Greet Schedule:

1 p.m. – On air hosts and journalists

2 p.m. – St. Louis on the Air team

3 p.m. – Politics team

Live musical performances by DJ Crim Dolla Cray, The Saint Boogie Brass Band, and HEAL Center for the Arts Point of View Jazz Ensemble.

More info: stlpr.org/50fest


Belleville Chili Cook-off Friday and Saturday

Main Street, downtown square

For more than 39 years, the Greater Belleville Chamber of Commerce has hosted the Annual Chili Cook-off and has grown to over 50 vendors – individuals, local organizations, and area businesses.

Haunted Garage Horror Festival Oct. 7-9, Westport Playhouse

Last year’s Best of Fest, “Fresh Hell,” will screen on Friday evening. Co-director Matt Neal will be on hand tonight.

Who will take home this year’s Golden Piston Awards?

For a complete line-up of the fun and fright that awaits this weekend on the 40-foot screen at the renovated Westport Playhouse, read on:

https://www.hauntedgaragehorrorfest.com/

To hear more from fest founder Franki Cambeletta, listen to the PopLifeSTL.com Presents Podcast with co-hosts Lynn Venhaus and Carl “The Intern” Middleman:

And if you can’t attend tonight, “Fresh Hell” is available to stream for free, shown with ads, on Tubi and Redbox, and for rent for $2.99 on Amazon Prime.

“Fresh Hell,” co-directed and written by Ryan Imhoff, takes place inside the dark days of 2020. A group of friends reunite online and experience another level of darkness, terror. From their isolation comes this strange tale that turns brutal when they begin to uncover the depths of their dammed era.

Next Week: MasterBlaster Stevie Wonder Tribute

Lincoln Theatre in Belleville, Oct. 14

Steve Ewing, of The Urge, is back with a new project aimed at bringing the classic hits of Stevie Wonder to the stage, MasterBlaster. In this two-hour tribute Steve Ewing reproduces the beloved songs of this music legend. This is no small task, but Ewing has gathered the best musicians in the area to conquer the challenge.

To open the show, special guest Brad Jackson from O’Fallon, Ill., will perform a mix of popular hits.

For tickets, visit: https://117.formovietickets.com:2235/T.ASP?WCI=BT&Page=PickTickets&SHOWID=40733&PLACEID=2

Playlist: Shawn Mendes, “Top of the World” from “Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile”

Benji Pasek and Justin Paul, of “The Greatest Showman,” “Dear Evan Hansen” and “La La Land,” have written songs for the new hybrid animated-live action family film, “Lyle, Lyle, Crocodile.” Here is a Mendes’ music video. He’s the voice of Lyle.

https://youtu.be/kgLc_UIFgKc

Word:

“Beauty of whatever kind, in its supreme development, invariably excites the sensitive soul to tears.”

― Edgar Allan Poe, who died on this day in 1849.

Muddled ‘Amsterdam’ Wastes Fine All-Star Cast in Epic Misfire

Muddled ‘Amsterdam’ Wastes Fine All-Star Cast in Epic Misfire

How five-time Oscar nominee David O. Russell, director and writer of “Amsterdam,” could squander such a star-studded award-winning cast in one of the most eagerly anticipated fall releases is more of a mystery than this convoluted period piece.

Set in the 1930s, the basic structure is that three friends witness a murder, are framed for it, and uncover one of the most outrageous plots in American history.

Russell, in his first film since the lackluster 2015 “Joy,” has crafted a historical comedy-drama that is not as funny as he thinks it is, which serves as a cautionary tale about the evils of fascism — but is too heavy-handed to be a sharp social commentary.

After a zippy opening introducing a quirky cadre of characters, midway through its 2 hours, 14 minutes’ run time, I thought: “What is this movie about?” “What is going on?” and “Why was this made?” The climax – especially DeNiro’s strong showing as military brass — prevents the story from totally going off the rails, but still, this is a major disappointment.

It’s mind-boggling, really, that you can have a cast, top to bottom, that does quality work but is either under-utilized or poorly drawn. Oscar winners Christian Bale, Rami Malek and DeNiro are joined by Margot Robbie, John David Washington, Chris Rock, Anya Taylor-Joy, Zoe Saldaña, Mike Myers, Michael Shannon, Timothy Olyphant, Andrea Riseborough, Taylor Swift, Matthias Schoenaerts and Alessandro Nivola.

The A-list cast isn’t the problem, for this ensemble gives it their all, but can’t convince us of caring about a messy murder-mystery that reveals political intrigue and nefarious conspiracy theories.

For every attempt at a madcap 1930s screwball comedy, it becomes a chore to sort out what’s credible in the global arena.

Perhaps you have heard of the “Business Plot,” a 1933 political conspiracy to overthrow President Franklin D. Roosevelt so his socialist “New Deal” agenda couldn’t happen. It was funded by a Wall Street coalition of affluent businessmen who wanted to install a dictator instead. Obviously, the plan failed.

Of course, Russell is trying to connect what’s happening now in the U.S. to what took place then, making sure we get the references to the rise of Hitler in Germany and Mussolini in Italy and the resulting White Supremacy – not to mention parallels to Q-Anon conspiracy theorists

When a U.S. Senator is killed, three friends – a doctor (Bale), a nurse (Robbie), and a lawyer (Washington)– who were on the front lines in World War I, are accused of the crime.

Thus begins a race against time and a never-ending parade of eccentricities, undercover agents, and people with a hidden agenda.

As the three friends, the always superb Bale, a well-suited Washington, and a riveting Robbie gel quite nicely, and I think Washington does better in ensembles than he does in some of his leading roles. Robbie excels as a smart and savvy artist who uses shrapnel to craft designs.

Among the supporting players, Mike Myers and Michael Shannon are very funny as spies who are quite enthusiastic about birds.

At first, the film is reminiscent of Wes Anderson’s distinctive landscapes, in the vein of “The French Dispatch,” but then it unravels quickly because Russell fails to make things cohesive, and the pacing turns sluggish.

Russell was Oscar-nominated as director of “American Hustle,” “The Silver Linings Playbook” and “The Fighter,” and screenwriting for “American Hustle” and “The Silver Linings Playbook.”

However, the look of the film is exceptional. Three-time Oscar-winning cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki, who often collaborates with Alfonso Cuaron (“Gravity,” “Birdman” and “The Revenant”), makes the night settings glow and his overall look is striking.

Costume designers J.R. Hawbaker and Albert Wolsky outfit the characters in stunning vintage attire while production designer Judy Taylor has enhanced the European settings in fitting details.

Despite those elements and an all-in cast, this movie lands with a thud.

Chris Rock

“Amsterdam” is a 2022 comedy-drama-mystery written and directed by David O. Russell and stars Christian Bale, John David Washington, Margot Robbie, Chris Rock, Anya Taylor-Joy, Zoe Saldana, Rami Malek, Robert DeNiro, Mike Myers, Michael Shannon, Timothy Olyphant, Andrea Riseborough, Taylor Swift, Matthias Schoenaerts, Alessandro Nivola It is rated R for brief violence and bloody images, and has a run time of 2 hours, 15 minutes. Lynn’s Grade: C-

New Line Theatre’s Crisp ‘Something Rotten!’ is Fresh, Fun and Frisky

New Line Theatre’s Crisp ‘Something Rotten!’ is Fresh, Fun and Frisky

By Lynn Venhaus

“I believe it’s called ‘Miser-ahh-bluh’!”

Brimming with references to many modern musicals, the spoofy, goofy “Something Rotten!” is a humdinger of a regional professional theater premiere from New Line Theatre. After all, it has an exclamation point in the title, so it must be special!

It is!

Fresh, funny, and frisky, the cast accepts their mission to have fun with the fluff, and the tight-knit ensemble is downright giddy frolicking in some of the most original show tunes in the past decade.

Besides the peppy song-and-dance numbers, the crowd-pleasing show provokes oodles of laughter and features an expertly tuned high-energy ensemble all-in with the snappy repartee and fun hijinks.

With its scaled-down setting and a smaller cast, this upbeat show flows smoothly on the Marcelle Theatre’s intimate stage. Scenic designer Rob Lippert used Shakespeare’s famous Globe Theatre as his guide, and director Scott Miller builds the action on two levels.

“Something Rotten!” opened on Broadway in 2015 and received 10 Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical, with Christian Borle winning the only one, as Best Featured Actor in a Musical as William Shakespeare. This is the regional professional premiere.

Written by Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell as both a love letter to literature and a send-up of musical comedy, it never takes itself too seriously.

Karey and brother Wayne Kirkpatrick penned a clever music score and lyrics that the New Liners deliver in a zippy and zany style that has the audience engaged at “Welcome to the Renaissance,” the opening number.

The time is 1595, and William Shakespeare is an idol-like bard. Meanwhile, brothers and playwrights Nick (Chris Kernan) and Nigel (Marshall Jennings) Bottom crave the same rock-star celebrity and fame. They are desperately in need of a hit but disaster plagues their endeavors.

Then one day, Nick listens to a soothsayer, Thomas Nostradamus (not THE Nostradamus, but his neophyte nephew), who predicts that musicals will be the next big thing.

When Nostradamus guesses Shakespeare’s next hit will be “Omelette,” wackiness then ensues.

The book’s cheeky wit comes through when principals engage in wordplay and display their sterling comic timing. It’s as if everyone is winking while they are smiling.

As the downtrodden Nick, Kernan confidently leads the ensemble. A versatile performer, he delivers “God, I Hate Shakespeare” and “Bottom’s Gonna Be on Top” with aplomb and “Make an Omelette!” showcases his character’s despair and stubbornness.

An ebullient Jennings, as the talented but shy brother Nigel, works well with Kernan, and they deftly land the theater-insider quips. When conflicts arise, their clash is believable.

Jennings and Melissa Felps are a charming romantic pair. As the Puritan lass Portia, Felps is radiant, and their strong voices soar in the ballads, blending beautifully in “I Love the Way” and are bouncy in “We See the Light.”

Jason Blackburn is comical, delivering double-entendres as Portia’s overbearing, religious zealot father Brother Jeremiah, who does not approve of his daughter’s relationship.

In one of his best performances, Clayton Humburg swaggers like a rock star as the egomaniac Shakespeare, encapsulating all the preening cliches in his “Will Power” introduction and has fun with the sly references. He’s amusing in his lament, “Hard to Be the Bard.”

Carrie Wenos uses both her comedic and vocal skills as Nick’s supportive wife Bea, a burgeoning feminist, and has fun with “Right Hand Man.”

And as Nostradamus – not “THE” soothsayer but his nephew Thomas – Jeffrey Izquierdo-Malon has a daffy debut that’s part Monty Python, part Marx Brothers.

The merry ensemble – Robert Doyle as Shylock and Lord Clapham, Chris Moore as a Minstrel and Peter Quince, Mara Bollini as Francis Flute, Kent Coffel as Robin Starveling, Brittany Kohl Hester as John Snug, Ian McCreary as Tom Snout, Maggie Nold as Helena and a psychic, and Alyssa Wolf as Miranda and an astrologer — are plugged into presenting the low-brow Mel Brooks’ type humor as well as the ‘higher brow’ theatrical and Shakespearean jokes.

Music Director Mallory Golden capably conducts band members Joe Akers on trumpet, Jack Catalanotto on guitar, John Gerdes on bass, Joe Hendricks on reeds and Des Jones on percussion while she plays keyboards. The band is strategically placed under the balcony.

Sarah Porter’s playful costume design allows the performers to move while wearing such period attire as puffy pants and petticoats.

Ryan Day’s sound design and Matt Stuckel’s lighting design seamlessly enhance the action.

Choreographer Alyssa Wolf’s crisp and snappy dance routines really shine, but the standout is “A Musical,” a hilarious pastiche of Broadway hits. “It’s Eggs!” is a rib-tickler too.

By the time the show wraps up with a reprise of “To Thine Own Self” and “Welcome to America,” your sides may ache from laughing and you may notice you have been grinning for over two hours.

“Something Rotten!” is a must-see comedic gem, a well-cast, well-staged show that’s a bright spot in local theater this fall.

New Line Theatre presents “Something Rotten!” from Sept. 23 through Oct. 15, at 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, at The Marcelle Theatre, 3310 Samuel Shepard Drive, in the Grand Arts District. For more information, visit www.newlinetheatre.com

Nostradamus. Photos by Jill Ritter Lindberg.

Popster Picks for Thursday, Oct. 6

Popster Picks for Thursday, Oct. 6

And Some Weekend Happenings, Too

By Lynn Venhaus

Video: “Night of the Living Dead”

Criterion Collection

It’s that time of year for spooky movies, and “Night of the Living Dead,” shot outside Pittsburgh on a shoestring budget and released in 1968, has now been released through the Criterion Collection. There’s a 4K USD disc of the film and two Blu-rays with the film and special features.

The film’s zombie plot and the guerilla filmmaking are part of film lore. Now a horror master, George A. Romero directed and co-wrote with John A. Russo this landmark indie, at first relegated to midnight movie bookings but became a box office hit and is considered one of the most influential films of all-time.

The story is a simple one about a group of strangers trapped in a farmhouse find themselves battling recently dead flesh-eaters. Romero’s claustrophobic vision of a late 1960s America, along with his social commentary, changed the horror genre. He also broke ground casting black actor Duane Jones in the leading role.

For more info on all the extras, read: https://onvideo.org/criterion-collection-october-releases-3/

To read insights from Film School Rejects, visit this site: https://filmschoolrejects.com/26-things-we-learned-from-the-night-of-the-living-dead-commentary-1f0ef17cda1e/

Wilco


Music: Wilco “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot”

To celebrate its 20th anniversary, Wilco has reissued its masterpiece “Yankee Hotel Foxtrot”

Here’s the versions: https://wilco-reissue-store.com/

Now considered a “Chicago group,” we all know they started here in St. Louis, and Jeff Tweedy grew up in Belleville.

For more on Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, check this out: https://www.thisisdig.com/jeff-tweedy-on-wilcos-yankee-hotel-foxtrot-reissue/

Food: Four Fall Inspired Flavors at Clementine’s Creamery

Mexican Hot Chocolate has rich dark chocolate, cinnamon, smoky heat from chipotle, and a touch of Tuaca. In the Naughty section.

Orange Ghoulius is a creamsicle-like ice cream made with orange juice and cream and laden with house-made colorful Halloween pretzel crisps.

Pumpkin Toffee Cake consists of natural pumpkin ice cream with warm notes of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg and sprinkled with bits of toffee for added crunch and sweetness.

Vegan Boo-Berries is bursting with blueberries! It is a creation with bubbling baked blueberries and sprinkled with a crispy gluten-free crumble of rolled oats.

As participants in the National Domestic Violence Awareness Month giveback organized by STL Wine Girl, 15% of all pint sales of Vegan Boo-Berries will be donated to @thewomenssafehousestl through the month of October.

For more information, visit www.clementinescreamery.com

Theatre: Something’s Rotten

Must-see at New Line Theatre, Thursdays through Saturdays now through Oct. 15 at The Marcelle. Really fun show! Regional professional premiere. Here is my review:

https://www.poplifestl.com/new-line-theatres-crisp-something-rotten-is-fresh-fun-and-frisky/

New Line’s “Something Rotten!” Photo by Jill Ritter Lindberg.

Today’s Trailer: Action-Romantic Comedy “Shotgun Wedding”

Jennifer Lopez and Josh Duhamel star as an engaged couple at a destination wedding, and the guests are taken hostage by criminals. This rom-com comes out on Prime Video on Jan. 27, 2023. Amazon dropped the trailer yesterday.


Playlist: “Faith” George Michael

On this date in 1987, George Michael released the single, “Faith,” which went on to become the Billboard Song of the Year in 1988. It was from his debut solo album of the same name, released on Oct. 30, 1987, which is one of the best-selling albums of all time having sold over 25 million copies worldwide. The album won several awards, including Album of the Year, at the 31st Grammy Awards.

Cardinal Nation: Wild Card Games this weekend

Tickets are on sale for the Wild Card games, which are set for Friday afternoon and Saturday night at Busch Stadium, and if needed, Sunday night.

Friday’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies will be on ABC at 1:07 p.m. and Saturday’s game is set for 7:37 on ESPN2.

Weekend Happenings:

Belleville Chili Cook-off Friday and Saturday
Main Street, downtown square

For more than 39 years, the Greater Belleville Chamber of Commerce has hosted the Annual Chili Cook-off and has grown to over 50 vendors – individuals, local organizations, and area businesses.

Haunted Garage Horror Festival Oct. 7-9, Westport Playhouse

Last year’s Best of Fest, “Fresh Hell,” will screen on Friday evening. Who will take home this year’s Golden Piston Awards?

For a complete line-up of the fun and fright that awaits this weekend on the 40-foot screen at the renovated Westport Playhouse, read on:

https://www.hauntedgaragehorrorfest.com/

To hear more from fest founder Franki Cambeletta, listen to the PopLifeSTL.com Presents Podcast with co-hosts Lynn Venhaus and Carl “The Intern” Middleman:

Word: She’s got Bette Davis Eyes

“Without wonder and insight, acting is just a trade. With it, it becomes creation.” – Bette Davis

One of the legendary Hollywood stars of the golden era, Bette Davis died on Oct. 6, 1989, at age 81. She made over 100 movies during her 60-year career, won two Academy Awards and the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award in 1977. Ruth Elizabeth Davis was born in Lowell, Mass., on April 5, 1908

Popster Picks for Monday, Oct. 3

Popster Picks for Monday, Oct. 3

By Lynn Venhaus

Movies: It’s #MeanGirlsDay

This is so fetch!

In the 2004 movie, Cady Heron started talking to Aaron in math class when he asked her what day it was. And just like all classic date lines in movies or music, we now celebrate the pop culture phenom “Mean Girls” on Oct. 3. Just look at your social media today.

Ways to Celebrate:

  1. Wear Pink
  2. Or wear something vintage
  3. Watch the movie on Netflix

If you do not have the streaming service, you can rent the endlessly quoteable movie Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Vudu, Microsoft Store, Redbox, AMC on Demand, Apple iTunes, DIRECTV, Alamo on Demand online.

For more:
https://www.newsweek.com/mean-girls-october-3rd-celebrations-mean-girls-day-1634615

Streaming: “Schitt’s Creek”

All six seasons of the hit sitcom “Schitt’s Creek” are now available on Hulu.

Down on their luck, the once-wealthy Rose family has moved back to a small town that Johnny (Eugene Levy) once bought as a joke. Levy’s son Daniel plays son David, his fellow Second City trouper Catherine O’Hara plays his wife Moira, and Annie Murphy plays daughter Alexis. The Roses deal with the culture shock in humorous ways. One of the wacky characters is the town mayor played by Chris Elliott. Schitt’s Creek won nine Emmy Awards 2015-2021.

TV: “The House That Norm Built,” PBS, 9 p.m. CST (Ch. 9)

Master Carpenter Norm Abram is retiring from PBS’s “This Old House” after 43 years. He started on Episode 2 in 1979, and this hour retrospective features classic archival footage and tributes from celebrities and colleagues.

On This Day in TV: 1960

If you can whistle, all together now – the theme of “The Andy Griffith Show,” which premiered on this day in 1960. For Sheriff Andy Taylor and the denizens of Mayberry entertained us on CBS until 1968.

The series won 7 Emmys, including four for Don Knotts as supporting actor. His portrayal of deputy Barney Fife won in 1962-63 and 66-67.

Quote: ‘If there’s anything that upsets me, it’s having people say I am sensitive.” – Barney Fife.

New Trailer: “Wakanda Forever”

Out Nov. 11: https://youtu.be/_Z3QKkl1WyM

Food: Steve’s Hot Dogs + Eckert’s

Back by Popular Demand is the Eckert’s Caramel Apple Campfire at Steve’s Hot Dogs – available only Oct. 3-9 only. The sleeper hit has the flavors of fall a smoked & grilled all-beef dog topped with spiced cinnamon apples, sweet ricotta cream, and a decadent caramel sauce. Comes with an optional Cinnamon Toast Crunch crumble.

Steve’s Hot Dogs is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. at 3145 S Grand Blvd, St. Louis.

Playlist: Tom Petty

On this day in 2017, Tom Petty died at age 66

He went into cardiac arrest at his Malibu home and was taken to UCLA medical center, but cannot be revived. Later that night, after his friends and family gather, he is taken off life support.

Just a week earlier, Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers wrapped up their 40th Anniversary tour, a successful 53-date trek that found the band in top form and Petty in good spirits. In January 2018, when the medical examiner’s report is complete, Petty’s family issues a statement explaining that he was in inconsiderable pain throughout the tour, with knee problems and a fractured hip. His death was the result of an accidental overdose of prescription medications – the same thing that killed Prince in 2016.

Listen to some “Free Falling.”

https://youtu.be/1lWJXDG2i0A

ICYMI: Cardinal Nation

Waino, Yadi, Pujols leave the field together on Sunday.

‘The Greatest Beer Run Ever’ Falls Flat as Vietnam War Dramedy

‘The Greatest Beer Run Ever’ Falls Flat as Vietnam War Dramedy

By Lynn Venhaus
Dumbfounded, I can’t recall a recent movie that is as tone-deaf as “The Greatest Beer Run Ever.”

In 1967, John “Chickie” Donohue decides to track down his friends fighting in Vietnam and honor them with a Pabst Blue Ribbon for their service. When the pro-war Merchant Marine is confronted with the horrors of the conflict, he sees that the ‘real’ chaos is different than the ‘public relations’ portrait the powers-at-be are giving to the American people.

Director Peter Farrelly has followed up his Oscar-winning crowd-pleaser “Green Book” with another true story, although this one is harder to make palatable. Somehow, pairing a harrowing war drama with comedic elements doesn’t work, getting more head-scratching as it unfolds in 2 hours, 6 minutes.

This isn’t “M*A*S*H,” not even close. It is also a war depiction that we have seen multiple times, and with a much better story, although I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a dunderheaded protagonist.

Merchant Marine and world-class slacker John “Chickie” Donohue lives in Inwood, a working-class enclave in northern Manhattan. Without thinking, he agrees to a scheme suggested by bar owner “The Colonel,” a World War II veteran played by Bill Murray.

The bar crowd at Doc Fiddler’s Tavern is pro-war, this being early in the escalation, and everyone’s dad or grandad fought in World War II, aka “The Good War.”

So, when The Colonel says he’d like to send the guys serving in ‘Nam a beer to thank them for their service, Chickie volunteers: “I could do that.”

Well, nobody thinks he can, so he doubles-down. Zac Efron’s grown on me as an actor, but he can’t make such an idiot, with far too much hubris, that likeable. He thinks he will just hitch-hike through enemy territory handing out beers on the front lines.

And when did New York accents sound like Boston Southees?

His duffle bag of beer seems to have an unlimited supply of warm, maybe stale, Pabst Blue Ribbon. As Russell Crowe, playing a war correspondent for Look magazine says: “They have beer here,” Chickie retorts “but not American beer!”

(My Uncle Eddie, a career Air Force officer, was at Tuy Hoa Air Base for a year in 1968, and I know they had beer. He wrote letters home talking about the guys unwinding.)

The soldiers from back home don’t exactly know what to think about this gesture. Some are glad to see him, some think its foolhardy to risk life and limb this way.

Because people think no one would be a tourist in a war zone, guys believe he is a CIA operative, so he gets around using military and media guides to help him.

Along the way, he sees intense action. The tail-end of his visit actually coincides with the Tet Offensive. (Another aside – I had a cousin in the Marines who was killed right before Christmas in 1967. I’m sure he would not have appreciated some lunkhead roaming around where he shouldn’t have been. This movie is rather offensive, I would think, to those who served honorably.)

Chicken comes home a changed man because he learns “war is hell.” He’s seen the guys who love the smell of napalm in the morning. Once a hawk, he starts to understand the anti-war sentiment 

Russell Crowe, Zac Efron

So, that’s the takeaway. He has an epiphany that LBJ, General Westmoreland and others in the government are lying about how well the war is going, which the media keeps pointing out to Chickie over bars in Saigon.

Does he deserve a round of applause, a medal? He not only put himself in harm’s way but endangered his buddies too.

He does tell the barflies that the chaos is not like the previous world war, and they should be more skeptical of what the U.S. brass is telling citizens.

At the end, he doesn’t become a peacenik like his sister Christine (Ruby Ashbourne Serkis), who is seen chanting “Hey, hey LBJ, how many kids did you kill today?” earlier, but they come to an understanding.

Chickie’s harsh lesson is a good thing, and he’s endured the loss of several friends, which does tug at your heart strings — especially the flashbacks in which Will Hockmann plays Tommy, questioning if he did the right thing by signing up. He’s one missing in action early on, and it’s sad. 

The other soldiers – just kids – making an impression are Jack Picking as Rick Duggan and Archie Renaux as Tom Collins.

Crowe lends gravitas as the jaded journalist, but he’s been given the “important” task of being the voice of reason – and he’s not in the film that much (neither is Murray).

Farrelly, in an attempt to have lightning strike twice, debuted this at the Toronto International Film Festival, hoping to be in contention for the Audience Award, just like “Green Book” did. Well, it didn’t win – Spielberg’s semi-autobiographical film “The Fablemans” did. 

The only awards I think this film might be considered for would be The Razzies, which honors the “worst.”

Farrelly’s used to success with low-brow humor, such as “Dumb and Dumber” and “There’s Something About Mary,” but in recent years, he’s moved into more ‘prestige’ picks that seem pretentious.

He stages some harrowing action scenes and shows how a jungle climate threw wrenches into things, as in long slithering insects. 

Cinematographer Sean Porter’s work captures the madness that was an Asian country where you couldn’t tell the enemy from the supporters, and the dangers therein.

Just because this is based on a true story doesn’t mean it’s a sympathetic one to tell. There are so many WTH moments that it becomes painful to slog through. For instance, Chickie is riding in a helicopter. Another man is interrogating a Viet Cong operative. He tosses him out the chopper while The Association’s song “Cherish” plays.

Oh, the irony.

Farrelly co-wrote the script with Brian Hayes Currie and Pete Jones, based on the book by Chickie and J.T. Molloy. Did they not see that Chickie should have ‘read the room’ — or themselves?

The soundtrack is chock-full of groovin’ 60s hits, which is a plus when it’s used in context. But not suitable for a montage of dead soldiers in flag-draped coffins. Not sure it all fits or syncs well to the story, but sometimes it’s on the nose, punctuating a bizarre tale.

This buddy movie is a dud, and can’t quite blend the somber with the silly in an effective way.

“The Greatest Beer Run Ever” is a 2022 war drama-comedy directed by Peter Farrelly and starring Zac Efron, Russell Crowe, Bill Murray, Jack Picking and Will Hockmann. Rated R for language and some war violence. It is in theaters Sept. 30 and streaming on Apple TV+. Lynn’s Grade: C-

Popster Picks for Sept. 27

Popster Picks for Sept. 27

By Lynn Venhaus

DVD: “Thor: Love and Thunder” released today.

The third “Thor” superhero stand-alone movie combined comedy and romance with the cosmic action-adventure, earning $746.670 million worldwide. After losing his home planet and close family members during the events of “Avengers: Endgame” and “Thor: Ragnarok,” Thor embarks on a journey to find his way in the universe.

Director Taika Waititi also played a supporting role in a cast that included Chris Hemsworth as the Nordic god, Natalie Portman as his one true love Jane Foster, Christian Bale as Gorr the God Butcher, with , Karen Gillan, Chris Pratt, Matt Damon, Vin Diesel, Tessa Thompson, Bradley Cooper, Russell Crowe, Pom Klementieff, Jaimie Alexander, Melissa McCarthy, Sam Neill, Dave Bautista, Simon Russell Beale, Luke Hemsworth, and Sean Gunn. Rated PG-13, its runtime is 118 min.

Formats: DVD, Blu-ray + Digital Code, 4K Ultra HD/Blu-ray Combo + Digital Code, VOD, Digital. Extras: Gag reel; commentary; “Hammer-worthy: Thor and The Mighty Thor” featurette; “Shaping a Villain” featurette; “Another Classic Taika Adventure” featurette; deleted scenes

Here’s my review (“Fresh” on the Tomato-meter): https://www.poplifestl.com/fast-furious-and-funny-thor-love-and-thunder-is-a-rip-roaring-good-time/

Reese Witherspoon, Josh Lucas

Movie: “Sweet Home Alabama,” 20th Anniversary

On Sept. 27, 2002, a romantic comedy starring Reese Witherspoon as fashion designer Melanie Carmichael, who has reinvented herself as a socialite, opened. In the screenplay by C. Jay Cox, she becomes engaged to NYC’s most eligible bachelor, a JFK Jr.-like Drew Hennings, played by Patrick Dempsey. But her past holds many secrets, including Jake (Josh Lucas), the down-home husband she married in high school, who refuses to divorce her. She sneaks back home to Alabama to legally end the relationship after seven years of separation, but confronting her past isn’t as smooth as she had hoped.

I fell in love with this movie, not ashamed to admit it, and own the DVD – and still watch it every so often if I find it on cable. I don’t care what other critics say or what it’s ratings/scores are. What matters is that I like it, and so do many of my girlfriends. When it came out on DVD, we had a group viewing and listened to the commentary by director Andy Tennant. We still talk about how fond we are of it

I find the love triangle chemistry palpable and the supporting cast endearing. What’s not to love about Mary Kay Place and Fred Ward as her parents Pearl and Earl Smooter? And Jean Smart as Jack’s Mom Stella Kay Perry and Candice Bergen as Drew’s Mom, mayor of NYC? And the wondrous Melanie Lynsky as Lurlynn, the friend with a ‘baby in a bar’? Dakota Fanning as a young Melanie? Ethan Embry (“Grace and Frankie”) as Bobby Ray, and Earl Bridgers “The Truth About Pam”) as Eldon.

It is on the Freeform Channel today and Wednesday. There are several streaming platforms where you can watch it, as long as you have a subscription, and you can rent it on multiple platforms.

From JustWatch.com: Currently you can watch “Sweet Home Alabama” streaming on Hoopla, DIRECTV, Freeform or for free with ads on The Roku Channel. It is also possible to rent “Sweet Home Alabama” on Apple iTunes, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Vudu, Microsoft Store, Redbox, DIRECTV, AMC on Demand, Spectrum On Demand online and to download it on Apple iTunes, Amazon Video, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Vudu, Microsoft Store, Redbox, DIRECTV, AMC on Demand.

Nathan Lee Graham, Reese Witherspoon, Rhona Mitra

Fun Fact: Nathan Lee Graham, who plays one of Melanie’s assistants (Frederick Montana, graduated from the Webster University Conservatory of Theatre Arts. He is currently playing Hermes in the national tour of the Tony-winning “Hadestown,” which will be at the Fabulous Fox Theatre Oct. 11-23.

Bio: https://www.broadwayworld.com/people/Nathan-Lee-Graham/

TV: David Letterman will be a guest on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” tonight at 10:35 p.m.

This week, Jimmy returned to his hometown, Brooklyn. Growing up, he idolized Letterman. The other guest is SNL alum Tracy Morgan.

Here’s Jimmy’s favorite Letterman moments, Part II:
https://youtu.be/xhn8vHg5E-o

Part I: https://youtu.be/3BI8v8_4ZVA

Fun Fact: Today, in 1954, “The Tonight Show” debuted nationwide on NBC hosted by Steve Allen.

Music: The Dave Matthews Band

On this day in 1994, The Dave Matthews Band released their first album, “Under the Table and Dreaming,” which included the tracks “What Would You Say” and “Ants Marching” that received wide airplay. The album went on to sell over 6 million copies. They had been gaining fans on the road, especially in the Virginia area, where they played live starting in 1991.

On This Day: Cautionary Tale

In 1962, marine biologist and writer Rachel Carson published ‘Silent Spring’ about the deleterious impacts of pesticide use on the environment.

Redford, Streisand

Playlist: “The Way We Were”

Barbra Streisand sang “The Way We Were” on her 15th studio album of the same name, which was released as the album’s lead single on Sept. 27, 1973. The song, written by Alan and Marilyn Bergman, and Marvin Hamlisch. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song.

All together now: “Memories..misty-watercolored memories…” Watch this special Oprah moment when Babs sang the song on her show

Cardinals Nation: If you can’t get enough of Albert Pujols’ 700 home runs

All 700 home runs from MLB:

Albert Jr. on his dad:

Go, Cards!


Popster Picks for Monday, Sept. 26

Popster Picks for Monday, Sept. 26

By Lynn Venhaus

LIVE STREAMING: NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test Spacecraft (DART)

DART is set to collide with a small asteroid that is the moon of a larger space rock, Dimorphos. NASA launched the DART mission last year to see if this technique could one day be used for planetary defense.

DART is set to crash into Dimorphos at 14,000 miles per hour at 6:14 p.m. Central time on Monday.

NASA Television will broadcast coverage of the end of this mission beginning at 5 p.m. You can watch it here on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=21X5lGlDOfg

If you want to watch a stream of photos from the spacecraft as it closes in on the asteroid, NASA’s media channel will begin broadcasting those at 4:30 p.m. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nA9UZF-SZoQ

From the New York Times:

The DART mission isn’t like the movie “Armageddon.” Blowing up an asteroid generally would not be a good thing to do. Rather, the mission is a proof-of-principle demonstration that hitting an oncoming asteroid with a projectile can nudge it into a different orbit.

For a dangerous oncoming asteroid, that nudge could be enough to change the trajectory from a direct hit to a near miss.


TV: “tasteMAKERS,” PBS Nine, 8 p.m.

In an hour-long documentary, “Winemaking in Missouri: A Well-Cultivated History,” Emmy-winning producer and host Catherine Neville (cover photo, above) dives deep to uncover the roots of one of the U.S.’s most storied wine regions, which at one time was the second largest wine—producing state in the country.

The documentary traces the nearly 200-year history of Missouri’s rich winemaking past and discusses its present as one of the state’s leading industries.

The series “Taste Makers” explores the local food movement, and the show can also be found on Amazon Prime.

(Besides Monday, it will be on Sept. 27 at 10 p.m., Oct. 1 at 2:30 p.m., and Oct. 2 at 2 p.m. on Nine PBS)

A Chorus Line at Stages St. Louis. Photo by Phillip Hamer.

LIVE THEATRE: “A Chorus Line,” Stages St. Louis, Kirkwood Performing Arts Center.
Stages St. Louis closes out its ground-breaking 36th season with “A Chorus Line,” ending on Oct. 9. The show is not performed on Mondays, but you can see it Tuesday through Sunday (with 2 shows on Wednesday, a matinee at 2 p.m. and an evening show). It’s directed by Stages’ artistic director Gayle Seay, who knows that story well – she’s appeared in Broadway shows and on tour, including several stints in “A Chorus Line.”

Here is my review in the Webster-Kirkwood Times: https://www.timesnewspapers.com/webster-kirkwoodtimes/a-vibrant-theater-masterpiece/article_83dc9972-3a8d-11ed-8b9c-ff2eebcd1693.ht

Tasty: Sugar Fire Smokehouse is celebrating its 10th anniversary

In a space in a strip center in Olivette on Sept. 26, 2012, Charlie Downs and chef Mike Johnson opened Sugarfire Smoke House, and it didn’t take long before the lines formed.

They eventually opened 12 more in Missouri and Illinois, and have three more in Colorado, Iowa and Texas. To see the locations and hours, visit: https://sugarfiresmokehouse.com/locations/

Their RIBBLE ME THIS special today had pulled rib, mac and cheese, fried pickles, and honey badger sauce in a flour tortilla.

Check out their Facebook page and Instagram for their daily specials and what’s happening.

ON THIS DAY: “West Side Story” debuts at the Winter Garden Theatre, 1957

The Leonard Bernstein-Stephen Sondheim-Jerome Robbins’ musical “West Side Story” premiered in Broadway. The original, directed and choreographed by Robbins, was Sondheim’s Broadway debut. It ran for 732 performances before going on tour.

Nominated for six Tony Awards, it won two (lost to “The Music Man” for Best Musical).
It ran in London’s West End, has had a number of revivals. The 1961 movie was nominated for 11 Academy Awards, winning 10. The 2021 film, nominated for seven Oscars, features Oscar winner Adriana DeBose as Anita.

Spielberg’s film is currently available streaming on HBOMax.

Fun Fact: The 2021 film features several Muny alums, including:  Sean Harrison Jones as Action (Mike in “A Chorus Line” 2016, “Newsies” 2016); Jonalyn Saxer (Peggy Sawyer in 2017’s “42nd Street”); Eloise Krupp (Minnie Faye in 2014’s “Hello, Dolly!”); Halli Toland (), Kyle Coffman (“Seven Brides for Seven Brothers”2021, “Newsies”2016, “West Side Story” 2013); Garrett Hawe (“Seven Brides for Seven Brothers”2021) and Gaby Diaz (“West Side Story” 2013.

My review of 2021 “West Side Story”:  https://www.poplifestl.com/west-side-story-brims-with-vitality/

Playlist: TV Theme Songs

The popular sitcoms “The Beverly Hillbillies” (1962, featuring Belleville’s own Buddy Ebsen), “Gilligan’s Island” (1964) and “The Brady Bunch” (1969) premiered today. Their theme songs are among the most iconic. Here they are:

The Beverly Hillbillies: https://youtu.be/OvE9zJgm8OY

Gilligan’s Island: (Second season here) https://youtu.be/-fqXcKFg08w

The Brady Bunch: https://youtu.be/d2JooUMsDdA

Paul Newman

Words for Today
From Paul Newman, who died on this date in 2008 at age 83:
“If you don’t have enemies, you don’t have character.”

Popster Picks for Saturday, Sept. 24

Popster Picks for Saturday, Sept. 24

By Lynn Venhaus
What’s Poppin’ this Saturday? Here are our Popster Picks for the Bi-State Area (and beyond):

Live Theater: “Winds of Change” in Bevo Mill, presented by St. Louis Shakespeare Festival. Free. LAST NIGHT.

One of my favorite things to do every September, Shake in the Streets this year is in my old stomping grounds. This year’s show is a delightful mix of music and comedy, performed with humor and heart.
It starts at 8 p.m. and will end about 9:20 p.m., without an intermission. There is local food and drink around the area, and it’s recommended that you come early. This is the last night, for it was performed Sept. 22 and 23 too.
The play, written by Deanna Jent, uses The Bard’s “The Comedy of Errors” as a foundation for a story on Bosnian immigrants’ contributions to St. Louis, is part of the “Shakespeare in the Streets” annual program. Come to the intersection of Gravois and Morganford, bring a lawn chair, and enjoy the spirited neighbors who love the transformed south city enclave. Lots of laughs and whoops from appreciative crowd (300 on opening night Thursday!)
Directed by Adam Flores, it features Ashwini Arora, Milly Burris, Hannah Geisz, Noah Later, Hady Matta, Youssef Matta, Colin McLaughlin, Brenda Morrison, Christina Rios, Rosario Rios-Kelley, Carly Uding and local denizens Father Mitch (Doyen, pastor of St. John the Baptist and Mark and Joani Akers of Oasis International. Edo Maajka plays the accordion and Nadja Kapetanovich performs a lullaby, “Nini Sine, Spavaj Sine.”
KTK Productions humorously explains the history of the Bevo Mill — Bill Bush, Aileen Kidwell, Chris Kidwell, Matthew Lewis, Jake Singer and Mike Singer III.
It took an army of folks to make the outdoor presentation happen. Kudos to producing artistic director Tom Ridgely, music direction and composition by Colin McLaughlin, music composition by Noah Laster, stage manager Kathryn Ballard, KTK Productions chair Joe McKenna, assistant director Miranda Jagels Felix, producer Colin O’Brien, set designer Dunsi Dai, costume designer Michele Friedman Siler, and lighting designer M. Bryant Powell.

Natalie Wood and James Dean in “Rebel Without a Cause”

TV: “Rebel Without a Cause” on PBS Ch. 9, 9 p.m.
James Dean, Sal Mineo and Natalie Wood gained stature for their roles as conflicted suburban middle-class teenagers in this 1955 American coming-of-age drama directed by Nicholas Ray, shot in the recently introduced CinemaScope format. It opened on Oct. 27, almost a month after top-billed Dean’s tragic death in a car accident on Sept. 30. It’s his most celebrated role, and followed his Oscar nominated performance in “East of Eden.”

Offering social commentary, it was considered groundbreaking for depiction of moral decay, delinquents, parenting and generational gaps. After all, it was adapted from Robert M. Lindner’s 1944 book, “Rebel Without a Cause: The Hypnoanalysis of a Criminal Psychopath.”

Mineo, Wood and Ray all received Oscar nominations. In 1998, it was ranked #59 on AFI’s Hundred Years…Hundred Movies.

Fun Fact: The most famous line: “You’re tearing me apart” was lifted by writer-director-actor Tommy Wiseau for his 2003 cult film “The Room” (the worst movie I have ever seen, and also one of the most unintentionally funny movies).

Movie: “Sidney” streaming on Apple TV Plus.
The 2022 documentary “Sidney” on the great Sidney Poitier, directed by East St. Louis native Reginald Hudlin and produced by Oprah Winfrey. You’ll hear from Sidney, his family, friends, filmmakers and fans for an indelible portrait of the artist — as a movie star, mentor and activist.
I reviewed the film on KTRS (“Mueller Furniture Presents Lynn Venhaus Goes to the Movies”) Thursday with St. Louis In the Know host Ray Hartmann. Here’s the audio: https://soundcloud.com/550ktrs/itk-lynn-venhaus-gttm-9-22-22?in=550ktrs/sets/rayhartmann

Stay tuned for an interview with Reginald Hudlin, coming soon in Belleville News-Democrat. I talked to the filmmaker Friday via Zoom.

Fun Fact: “In the Heat of the Night” was partially filmed in Sparta, Ill., which subbed for Sparta, Miss., and both Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger stayed in Belleville during the film of the 1967 film, which went on to win the Oscar for Best Picture (and Best Actor Steiger) in 1968.

Happening: Taste of St. Louis, Sept. 23-25, Ballpark Village, Free and open to the public.
Want to try Boardwalk Ice Cream and Waffles, Chicken Out, Hi-Pointe Drive-In, Kimchi Guys, Mission Taco Joint, Salt + Smoke, Steve’s Hot Dogs and Under the Sun SnoCones? Locally based brick and mortar food establishments can participate in Sauce Magazine’s Restaurant Row. There’s live music and other vendors that are part of the festivities. More info: https://tastestl.com

Fun Fact: On this day in 1952, Kentucky Fried Chicken opened its first franchise in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The Machine, El Hombre, Uncle Albert.

ICYMI Cardinals Nation: No. 5

Can’t get enough of Albert Pujols‘ magical night Sept. 23? Check out coverage on the St. Louis Cardinals MLB site: https://www.mlb.com/cardinals (and a wrap-up article on this website).

Fun Fact: On this day in 1922, St Louis Cardinals future Baseball Hall of Fame infielder Rogers Hornsby set the National League Home Run mark at 42. That season, he also had 52 RBI’s, a .401 average and 450 total bases.

Millie Bobby Brown

Latest Trailer to Watch: “Enola Holmes 2”
Millie Bobby Brown is back in another adventure as Sherlock Holmes’ teenager sister in the sequel dropping on Netflix Nov. 4. Enola takes on her first case as a detective, but to unravel the mystery of a missing girl, she’ll need some help from friends — and her brother.

Also starring Henry Cavill, Helena Bonham Carter, Louis Partridge, Adeel Akhtar, David Thewlis, Susan Wokoma and Sharon Duncan-Brewster.


https://youtu.be/KKXNmYoPkx0

Playlist: Nirvana, “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”
Listen on Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/album/smells-like-teen-spirit/1440783617?i=1440783625
On this day in 1991, Nirvana released its second album, “Nevermind.”
A critical and commercial success, by January 1992, it had reached no. 1 on the US Billboard 200 chart and this lead single has been inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. The album garnered three Grammy Awards nominations and has sold more than 30 million copies, considered one of the best albums of all-time.
Frontman Kurt Cobain was dubbed “voice of his generation,” and the album brought grunge and alternative rock to the mainstream.