Cheer Up Keanu Day

Okay, June 15th has unofficially become 'Cheer Up Keanu Day' where people are urged to send well wishes to the ridiculously successful actor because of a picture taken of the actor sitting on a park bench, alone, eating his lunch.

God, he is so deep!

So....here goes.

In the beginning, it was fun insulting Keanu Reeves as an actor. His stoner act. His appearance in "Dangerous Liaisons". His attempt at Shakespeare alongside the likes of Kenneth Branaugh and Denzel Washington, for the love of all things sacred. But then, I got older and I found myself enjoying 'Point Break'. And then 'Speed'. Yes, 'Speed'.

And then....... the first 'Matrix' film came out. Let's not forget the slow-mo fight scene on the staircase in the second 'Matrix' film. Remember watching it in awe?

I started tallying the number of films I'd actually seen him in and had fun watching. There are a few. More than I can say for some other unworthy actors.

So, with that, I send out a 'thank you, Keanu' that is full of appreciative undertones.

Be happy........dude.






© 2010 Henry McMullen III

Roger Ebert

It's a gloriously beautiful, sunny day here in Chicago. One of those days that reminds me of why I moved back after upteen years of being away. I stand at the huge windows facing downtown's Loop as the train roars by on the eL(evated) tracks a block away. Beautifully picturesque in an urban sprawl kind of way.Glass and steel are my grass and trees.

I was reading Esquire magazine the other day and came across a brilliantly written piece about one of my childhood idols, Roger Ebert. Yes, that one. He, single-handedly, taught me how to express myself when it came to film. As a child, I used watch Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert verbally joust over films on "At the Movies" which aired on PBS, then, "Siskel & Ebert At the Movies" which was syndicated.

I knew Ebert had been diagnosed with head and throat cancer some years ago, which limited his public appearances on television or anywhere else for that matter. He had suffered a serious setback due to doctors trying to rebuild his....well, his mouth and the 40 or so surgeries have been unsuccessful.

Along with the article in Esquire is a moving, if not jolting photo of the Pulitzer Prize winning film critic, known for his eloquence, turn of phrase and fierce love of film. He no longer has a jaw. He has lost the ability to eat, drink or speak.

And I am devastated beyond words.

Aside from those setbacks, he is fine. His fiercely loyal wife, Chaz, cares for him in their 5 story Lincoln Park walk-up which, of course, is unimaginably beautiful. Or maybe it's beautiful to a film geek like myself. Thousands of books on film and a screening room is actually what I envision Heaven to be.

The silver lining to this is that he has retained the ability to write beautifully.

To communicate.

To continue being a champion of Black filmmakers.

To continue being one of my childhood idols.

I give him two thumbs up.






© 2010 Henry McMullen III