The Skolney Blog

1994: The hype is very real. The Shawshank Redemption really is among the very best films ever made. I came to this film the way most people did: once it was out of theaters. I was aware of it, and by this point, I did go to a lot of movies, albeit usually just once on a Saturday during the school year. This film didn't make the cut. The film still got a lot of critical acclaim and was even nominated for best picture. Then it hit video, back when hitting video was truly a second life for a lot of overlooked films. And that's when I saw it. And it's great. It's really, really great. Directed by then unknown Frank Darabont, and based on a non-horror story from Stephen King, the majority of the film takes place at Shawshank Prison, where Tim Robbins' Andy is sent on a murder conviction. There, he meets Morgan Freeman's Red, and that becomes the key relationship in the film, and probably one of the all-time movie friendships. The performances are amazing...

In Theaters: STRANGE DARLING I almost never go into a movie completely cold. I heard some about this movie but never saw a trailer, so I only knew vaguely what it even was. And holy shit, it is probably my favorite film of 2024 to this point. Told in chapters, out of sequence, the film might be just about a man and woman (Kyle Gallner and Willa Fitzgerald) getting together for a little hotel hookup. But the film is absolutely dazzling at how it keeps upending expectations and throwing surprises at you. It is wild, a top flight genre mash.  Both leads are great, but especially Fitzgerald, who is an absolute revelation. BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE The original Beetlejuice is a movie I watched a TON back in the days. It's got stuff in it I don't like, but most of it works and is one of my favorite Tim Burton movies. Still, a 30+ year later sequel, helmed again by Burton (whose 21st century track record ain't good), didn't inspire a ton of confidence. But this sequel, a massive...

VIKINGS 31 PACKERS 29 For one half of football today, the Minnesota Vikings played about as complete and dominant as a team possibly can. For the other half...😬 At least we get to start with the good stuff. The Vikings 1st half blitzkrieg began with the opening drive, as the offense drove right down the field. A long 3rd down conversion to Jalen Nailor was followed immediately by a touchdown throw to Jordan Addison, in his 1st action since week 1. Jordan Love was also seeing his 1st action since week 1, and he drove the Packers into field goal range. But, this 1st half was so blessed that the Packers kicker missed a relatively short field goal.  The Vikings offense rolled to touchdown #2 on a drive aided by a few Packer penalties. Sam Darnold hit Josh Oliver for the score. Things began to really get out of hand when Love was soon picked off by Kamu Grugier-Hill (on a play that also injured Christian Watson). The Vikings rolled to another touchdown, a shifty run by Addison. But the...

This sure came out of nowhere. I assumed my Friday night was going to be spent spewing more bile at the Tins. And, well, it was. They're officially eliminated after another listless loss. Oh, but at least Rocco is going to use it for future motivation. 🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄🙄 But the big news came from the NBA club, as the Wolves traded KAT to the Knicks for Julius Randle, Donte DiVincenzo, and a 1st round pick. I'm not sure what the hell they are doing. You have a team that just made a WCF run, and presumably has aspirations to make a deep run again. And you do a major roster blow-up NOW? I know Randle is very good, and that draft pick helps, but I don't like the deal.  Karl-Anthony Towns leaves as one of the most underappreciated athletes in Minnesota sports history. The guy took all the blame for bad seasons, all the blame for every playoff loss, got trashed because of his contract. Yeah, this all sounds like a former quarterback too, don't it? Guess who hated on Towns the mo...

TOP TO BOTTOM, FUCK ALL OF YOU! FOR SOME REASON I ACTUALLY WATCHED FROM THE 8TH INNING ON TONIGHT. I SAW A DEAD TEAM HAVE A LITTLE COMEBACK AGAINST THE MIGHTY MARLINS AND TURN A 4-0 DEFICIT INTO A TIE AND THEN HERE WE FUCKING GO INTO EXTRAS 10TH INNING MARLINS GET A SAC FLY. TWINS ARE HANDED BASES LOADED WITH NOBODY OUT. RYAN JEFFERS WORTHLESS ASS POPS OUT. WILLI CASTRO, WHO WAS SOMEHOW AN ALL STAR MONTHS AGO, SAC FLIES TO TIE IT BUT THAT'S ALL THEY GET. GREAT JOB CAPITALIZING YOU IMBECILIC FUCKS! 11TH INNING. HEY WE DIDN'T GIVE UP A RUN! HEY WE GOT BASES LOADED AGAIN, THIS TIME WITH NOBODY OUT. THEN ROYCE LEWIS, WHO WENT FROM BUDDING SUPERSTAR TO TOTAL BUM THIS YEAR, HITS RIGHT INTO THE DRAWN-IN INFIELD. FORCEOUT THEN FLYOUT. NO RUN. FUCK YOU! 12TH INNING. HEY NO RUN ALLOWED AGAIN. BROOKS LEE WALKED. JEFFERS USELESS DIPSHIT ASS TRIES TO BUNT AND POPS IT UP TO THE FIRST BASEMAN, WHO THEN DOUBLES OFF CARLOS SANTANA WHO HAD WANDERED OFF SECOND LIKE A FUCKING MORON! SOME VETERAN L...

LYNX 101 MERCURY 88 The Lynx were given all they could handle in their 1st round series against Phoenix. Game 1 was a rout-turned-squeaker. And game 2 was a struggle, too. A Phoenix team playing for their season, and with Diana Taurasi possibly playing for her career, again made things tough for the Lynx. Phoenix might have even taken this thing back to the desert for a game 3, but there was one problem: They don't have Napheesa Collier.  The MVP runner-up and DPOY followed up her 38 point game 1 performance (tying Maya Moore's team record) by tying the LEAGUE record with a 42 point masterpiece (adding in 5 boards, 4 assists, 2 blocks, a steal and a partridge in a pear tree).  The Lynx needed everything she had early, too, cause Phoenix came out firing and led for the whole opening quarter. The Lynx finally grabbed the lead early in the 2nd quarter. The lead got as big as 9, before Brittney Griner got pretty dominant against Alana Smith and helped the Mercury hit halftime down...

The Twins freefall out of the playoffs hit a new low with the start of their final homestand. Few attended, as the pathetic Twins lost 4-1 to the 99 loss Marlins. There were at least boos heard on the broadcast. Good luck to anyone working in the Twins ticket office, cause they will have the toughest job in town the next 6 months. Detroit won. Royals won 1-0 in 10 in Washington, with Joey Gallo making the final out. Seattle lost, remaining tied with the Twins. So, 2 out with 5 to go. And the idea the Twins can even win 2 more games feels preposterous. Baltimore clinched a playoff spot, though they did give up another goldilocks homerun to Judge. Guaranteed that MLB will get him to 60. In the WNBA playoffs, the Liberty and Aces completed sweeps. I'll be at Target Center Wednesday to hopefully see the Lynx advance.