The Skolney Blog

1995: By 1995, I was getting pretty well versed in film, but I didn't quite get the hoopla surrounding Heat, Michael Mann's epic modern crime drama, which was to mark the first time legendary actors Al Pacino and Robert Deniro would share the screen together. (They were both stars in Godfather 2 but shared no scenes) Honestly, I probably hadn't seen either of them in much by then. I knew OF them more by reputation, and hell, I was many years away from seeing a Godfather movie. I didn't see this in theaters. I was dissuaded by the long runtime (and at the time I had to convince my mom to take me to anything R). Boy I wish I had seen this on the big screen though. Pacino is the grizzled LA detective. Deniro is the hard boiled criminal. They're on a collision course once Deniro's crew (including Val Kilmer) robs an armored car. The plot specifics are cool, but almost incidental to why the film works. The shootout sequence later in the film is great beca...

In theaters: WICKED FOR GOOD I had pretty much the same reaction to this movie, which is essentially the 2nd half of one large movie if we're being honest, as I did to the first. It's solidly made and mostly well acted (but Taco Grande is way out of her depth when she has to be dramatic here), but I don't think it should be in contention for serious awards. And while I'm sure it's the same in the play, what a cop out ending.  AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH The spectacle is still there, but this 3rd Avatar film disappointed me. It didn't involve me on a story level, as some of the narrative choices in the previous film that I didn't like figure in here in a big way. I simply will never care about Stephen Lang and his son, the eternally annoying Spider. James Cameron can still stage an action sequence like nobody else, but even there, this movie's action is kind of just a rehash of the original's sky fight and the sequel's water fight. This is also the longe...

VIKINGS 23 LIONS 10 The Vikings hosted a Christmas Day game for the first time in over 30 years on Thursday, and after a season of giving out a lot of.coal, they pulled off one of the weirdest wins in recent memory, eliminating the fraudulent Detroit Lions from the playoffs in the process. How weird was it? Well, the Lions had more turnovers than the Vikings had net passing yards.  With JJ McCarthy probably done for the season, it was back to starting Max Brosmer for the first time since the Seattle debacle. And, I mean, I guess he wasn't as bad as he was in that game. He at least didn't turn the ball over, but between his inability to throw the football or avoid sacks, the Vikings had negative net passing yards until deep into the 4th quarter. Brosmer was 9 of 16 for 51 yards, playing behind an OL missing 3 starters, and without a couple offensive weapons available (Hockenson & Mason). How the hell did the Vikings beat the high-powered Lions with such putrid offense? Well,...

VIKINGS 16 GIANTS 13 Sunday was the first Vikings game in years that held absolutely zero meaning playoff-wise for either participant. The Vikings were officially eliminated last week, and the Giants were pretty much eliminated in training camp, and are eyeing the #1 pick in the draft. And this was a game befitting such low stakes and poor teams, filled with very little scoring, but lots of penalties and bad football. The Vikings were just less bad. The Vikings probably could have put the game away in the first half, were it not for two big blunders. Jordan Addison dropped a TD pass, and late in the half a missed block led to JJ McCarthy getting crushed on a strip sack, the ball being run back for a score by former Gopher Tyler Nubin.  As it was, the score at half was 13-10 Vikings, with a couple of Reichard field goals and a McCarthy TD run.  The injury bug hit again in the first half, as Jordan Mason was carted off, Ryan Kelly got another concussion (he needs to retire), and...

VIKINGS 34 COWBOYS 26 The Vikings' Sunday began with bad news, as the Bears win over Cleveland officially eliminated them from the playoffs, clinching the season as a rather colossal failure. It meant the Vikings would play 4 games after being eliminated, the most such games for them since way back in 2011. So all that's left then is to play spoiler, to hope that our misery can be spread to others. And Sunday night was a good opportunity for that, playing in Dallas against a Cowboys team still clinging to their own longshot postseason hopes. I wish the game meant something for the Vikings, because for the first time all year they won back to back games, led by a very good game from JJ McCarthy (clearly inspired by me labeling him Strychnine). They're suddenly looking a bit like the team we all expected 3 months ago. It certainly didn't start like it would be another promising game. McCarthy's very first pass was picked off on a deflection, and the Cowboys used that ...

Yeah, part 1. This is a busy month.  In theaters: ETERNITY A very entertaining afterlife comedy in which a woman (radiant Elisabeth Olsen) must choose whether to spend, um, eternity with her 1st husband (Callum Turner) who died in war, or the man (Miles Teller) she married afterwards and built a family with over decades. Lots of terrific detail in how the afterlife works, very reminiscent of the great Defending Your Life.  RENTAL FAMILY Warm dramedy with Brendan Fraser working for a company that rents out employees as actors for customers' scenarios. It's kind of hard to describe it, but it makes sense. It's definitely a feel good movie.  HAMNET Considered one of the year's big awards contenders, Chloe Zhao directs this story of William Shakespeare (Paul Mescal) and his wife (Jessie Buckley, astounding) losing a young son, which inspired the play of Hamlet. I was expecting this emotional wallop from the film, but it wasn't quite what I expected. It's very Terren...

VIKINGS 31 COMMANDERS 0 The last month has been a horrible time to be a Vikings fan. Awful losses, historically dreadful QB play, uncertainty at best about the future. We needed something good to happen, something to provide a trace of hope that maybe things could get better, even though the 2025 season can not be saved. We got it with gusto. The Vikings, facing the Washington Commanders in the We Wish It Were Still 2024 Bowl, posted their 1st home shutout since 1993 and the largest margin of victory in a shutout since 1980. Back off his concussion, JJ McCarthy was starting again. Much was made during the week about how KOC was supposedly "simplifying" the offense. It's unclear exactly what that means, but it was clear today that everything was quick. Quick throws, quick runs, quick decisions. And balance. Passing and rushing totals were nearly identical.  The offense went right down the field on the opening drive, getting the first touchdown since the Chicago game 3 week...

SEAHAWKS 26 VIKINGS 0 I started watching the Vikings in 1987. Lotta ups, lotta downs. But in those 39 seasons, it has never been worse than it is right now. This trainwreck of a season reached its latest low in Sunday's loss in Seattle, the first time the Vikings have been shutout since 2007.  Strychnine was concussed last week and not cleared to play in this game, so it was showtime for Golden Gopher legend Max Brosmer. Hey, maybe some of the good vibes from the Gophers retaining the axe this weekend would rub off on him.  Nah. I didn't expect Brosmer to be anything, not even better than JJ, but fittingly for this horrid season, he was worse. I mean, we got shutout, so he was obviously terrible. 4 picks, including one of the most comical pick sixes you can ever see.  Brosmer was awful, but at least the Vikings didn't waste the 10th pick in the draft on him, or hand him the franchise without a single moment of genuine competition for the job. I swear, this was the same da...

1985: I think Rocky 4 was actually the first Rocky movie I ever saw. And you know what? It still might be my favorite one. This one really breaks it all down to the basics. You got the early fight scene that sets off the main plot, you got the montages, and then you have the big fight at the end. There is actually very little in this movie, barely over 90 minutes, other than that. You got a little silliness early on in the film involving Paulie and a robot.  The foe in this entry is Ivan Drago, played by Dolph Lundgren, a Soviet specimen said to be the most powerful puncher ever seen. He wants to fight Rocky the champ, but former champ Apollo Creed enthusiastically steps in to fight an exhibition match with him. Then the match happens, and Drago obliterates Apollo and kills him. I think I first saw this movie when I was kind of little, and this freaked me out. I mean, it's still kind of a bracing scene. We're like maybe 5 minutes of screen time before Rocky has now ...

In theaters: PREDATOR: BADLANDS Predator was never a franchise I really cared that much about, but this IP has really had a revival now between the excellent Prey (from the same director) a few years ago, and now this entry that really delivers the big screen spectacle in a way few films this year have. Some perpetual internet whiners were mad that this was PG-13, although it really does go about as far as that rating will allow. Cleverly positions a Predator as the protagonist this time, with an actual character arc. Loved Elle Fanning as a synth (Alien crossover activated) who spends most of the movie with no legs.  BUGONIA The latest collabo between the very prolific Yorgos Lanthimos and star Emma Stone. This is a decent rebound from the completely up its own ass Kinds Of Kindness. Bugonia is also up its own ass, but at least it has a plot and a purpose, and a pair of excellent performances in Stone and Jesse Plemons, along with the ending of the year.  THE RUNNING MAN Did ...

PACKERS 23 VIKINGS 6 I had a most unusual reaction to watching the Vikings utterly humiliate themselves in Sunday's loss at Lambeau Field to the hated Packers. Normally, such a pathetic performance against a hated rival would fill be with anger, or sadness, or any number of negative emotions. Not this time. Watching this awful season's latest chapter made me feel nothing at all. I barely was even apathetic. The season ended last week from any sort of playoff perspective. The Vikings entered this game with already the most miniscule of playoff odds. Now, even using that word would be ludicrous. The lost season could only be redeemed with some growth by good old Strychnine McCarthy. Well, about that. The QB whose 2 career highlights are road division wins failed to win a 3rd. And he was horrible again. 12 of 19, for 87 yards and 2 picks.  But this disgrace of a performance is never the doing of just one person. No, these Vikings banded together on this day and humiliated themselv...

BEARS 19 VIKINGS 17 Despite it being just week 11, Sunday was a must win game for the Vikings if there was to remain any hope of playing relevant football into December. Sadly, in a season that continues to fly up the list of most frustrating seasons in Vikings history, the result did not go our way. And now we face two sad truths. 1. The 2025 Vikings season is effectively over, and 2. JJ McCarthy is a bust.  Facing a pretty terrible Bears defense, JJ McCarthy (new nickname "Strychnine" since watching him play QB makes me want to drink some) delivered one of the most hideous performances in the history of this franchise for 3+ quarters. Once again, he made terrible, wildly off-target throws. Once again, he threw dreadful interceptions. In this game, he even failed at many of the kinds of ultra basic throws that should have been mastered in college (if JJ threw the ball in college).  That the Vikings were in the game at all, let alone leading until the very last moment, is a t...

RAVENS 27 VIKINGS 19 Winning in Detroit last week showed that this Vikings team is capable of winning any game anywhere, and that despite a rocky opening 2 months, the season could still be something. That good feeling lasted exactly one week, as on Sunday back at the purple palace, the Vikings reverted right back to being the stupid, sloppy, poorly coached mess of a team that is now a full 2 games in last place in the NFC North.  This happened for all the same reasons. Atrocious playcalling. Bone headed penalties. Defensive breakdowns. They have placed this Vikings season on the brink again. As is so often the case, things started well before going downhill. The Vikings opening drive featured probably the best throw so far in JJ McCarthy's career, a deep shot to Jalen Nailor that after YAC was 62 yards. Aaron Jones had a walk-in TD run right after for a 7-0 lead.  The Vikings led 10-3 in the middle of the 2nd quarter, and with both efficient offense and a defense that was fly...

VIKINGS 27 LIONS 24 Sports fandom is built on hope. Hope your team wins a game. Hope your team has a good season. Hope for a championship. I entered week 9 with no hope for the Vikings. Their lousy play most of the season, culminating in that horrendous performance against the Chargers, and the way the entire master plan seemed to be crumbling around them, not only had me feeling hopeless about their chances at making something of the 2025 season, but even wondering if the next couple years were in jeopardy. And to make it that much worse, the next game up was in Detroit, against a Lions team that is among the NFL's best, and a team that had beaten the Vikings 6 of the last 8 times (the only 2 Vikings wins being last second escapes), 5 in a row, and hadn't lost at home to us since the last game.of the 2020 season. I expected a blowout. Instead, a season drained of hope got a giant injection of it, by virtue of the Vikings biggest upset win in 25 years. It started like I dreaded...

1995: Good old Eden Prairie Mall. About ten minutes from where I live. A frequent stop of mine in the early 90s, for movies (they had two theaters, one on each end of the mall) and sometimes for Sam Goody trips. I still go to that mall now, but it has been completely remodeled some time ago, its original form preserved in cinematic form in Mallrats.  When I first heard about this movie being made here, it meant nothing to me. Who cares about some Shannen Doherty movie set in a mall? But then, a few months before the movie came out, I saw a little movie called Clerks. Kevin Smith's debut was one of my formative movies, an instant favorite, which it remains to this day. So now Mallrats was going to be a big deal.  For some reason, I did not see Mallrats at Eden Prairie. I assume it showed there.  Having followed Smith for so long, I am very familiar with the lifespan of Mallrats. Despite being a low-budget movie with no major stars (or none who were stars yet), ...