Month: January 2014

Lone Survivor: The Best I Saw in 2013

January 11, 2014January 12, 2014 · Leave a comment ·

I’ll be honest. Peter Berg’s tribute to Marcus Luttrell, who was a part of a mission gone wrong in 2005 called Operation Red Wing, is as powerful as it gets and deserves every set of eyes this month as it gets released wide. I saw it in November and was knocked on my ass immediately. Here is my take and why it is the best thing I saw in 2013.

Quick Setup-Mark Wahlberg stars as Marcus Luttrell, the author of the first-person memoir “Lone Survivor,” whose book has become a motivational resource for its lessons on how the power of the human spirit is tested when we are pushed beyond our mental and physical limits. Starring alongside Wahlberg as the other members of the SEAL team are Taylor Kitsch, Emile Hirsch and Ben Foster.

My Take-Peter Berg was born to bring the story of Marcus Luttrell and his fallen brothers to the big screen. If there is one director capable of visceral action, high stakes drama and a real world compass, it’s the filmmaker who gave us Friday Night Lights and The Kingdom. Remember 2012’s alien action flick Battleship with Taylor Kitsch? Berg made that movie so Universal Pictures would let him make this passionately intense and highly brutal true story of a failed Navy Seal operation. Recruiting his longtime muse Kitsch, Berg has made one of the best movies I have seen all year and the most powerful war film since Saving Private Ryan.

In a cast anchored by the performance of Mark Wahlberg, Berg sets his sights on Operation Red Wing, a recon mission where four Seals were supposed to gather intelligence on a Taliban leader for a possible capture/kill. Instead, they were spotted by locals and had to literally shoot their way towards survival. Berg got the full consent of all the men’s families and those include Luttrell, Mike Axelson(Ben Foster), Mike Murphy(Kitsch) and Dan Dietz(Emile Hirsch). More than anything, this film is a dedication to the men and women who sacrifice themselves to keep us safe and it’s a direct salute to the dangerous waters and terrain that Navy Seals deal with every time they step foot on a mission.

In the opening credits, we get a glimpse of the vicious training they are put through. These men are truly built to become machines and defend the honor of the United States. While the movie’s overall tone is drenched in imminent dread and sadness, a raw heroism is at the center of the story (crafted by Berg). Luttrell(who has a small cameo in the film) and several other Navy Seals participated in the production and you feel it throughout the film. The story isn’t dipped in Hollywood melodrama and instead delivered like a bullet to the chest.

A true physical director, Berg spares you nothing in the carnage department. I credit his bravura filmmaking here, unleashing the mayhem at full power. Once these guys hit the dirt and try to escape, the action gets intense very quick. Limbs breaks, bullet wounds, and bombs feel like they land in the seat next to you. This film contains the longest and most visceral action sequence since Saving Private Ryan’s opening scene on D-Day.

The cast is perfectly assembled. Wahlberg got to know Luttrell and the actor brings the dramatic chops and professionalism to a bittersweet role. His outburst at a recent awards show came straight from the heart and the fact that he is playing a man who literally walked through hell on earth. Kitsch is strong and shows his badass ability in playing the leader of the group, Murphy. Foster adds a heroic flavor to his usual complex menace and Hirsch is the reliably earnest young man simply trying to survive. Eric Bana lends a fine supporting hand as the Lieutenant Commander Erik S. Kristensen. Berg handpicked these guys and they grow into fully fleshed out roles. By the time they hit the battle field, they feel like a person and not a caricature.

At the end of the film, real footage of the men is put on display to the sounds of Peter Gabriel’s cover of “Heroes” and the fantastic instrumental band Explosions in the Sky(a Berg favorite). This is where you see where Berg’s heart is located and why this film matters so much to the families and to people who value the sacrifice made by these soldiers in the worst of times. Sometimes movies only wish to show the victorious battles of our history. Lone Survivor dares to unveil a dark hour in our Navy’s history and through the blood and loss, the rust and bone of heroism shows its true soul. Thanks to a courageously electric filmmaker willing to go to the depths of hell to tell a hard-nosed story and a flawless cast, this film is one of the best I’ve seen all year and has a spot on my top 10 films of 2013. You will walk away feeling happy to be under Marcus Luttrell’s watch.

***Dan Buffa is the co-creator, administrator and writer for the movie website, film-addict.com. He also contributes to United Cardinal Bloggers, Arch City Sports, Aaron Miles Fastball, Voicesfilm.com and writes for his personal blog, www.doseofbuffa.com. He is also a published writer for the Yahoo Contributor Network. Dan is a St. Louis, Missouri born and raised writer with a need to inform and the ability to pound out 1,000-1,500 word pieces with ease. When he isn’t writing or drinking coffee, he is spending time with his wife and son in South City. Follow him at @buffa82 on Twitter and reach him for thoughts, comments and general feedback at buffa82@gmail.com.

Judging Jhonny Peralta and PED’s in Sports

January 10, 2014April 13, 2017 · Leave a comment ·

I won’t sit here and waste your time. I will make it this as blunt as I can and start it with a question. If you thought I was under suspicion of plagiarism, would you still read my material or wait until there was proof I stole/cheated? This is a similar issue with athletes using performance enhancing drugs and the fans perception of it. Whenever people have the chance to jump to conclusions and roll around in the dirt with athletes, they run at the opportunity.

People think it is acceptable to scrutinize athletes because they are rich and famous and that it’s perfectly okay to accuse them of cheating. Before you throw your weight into calling a player dirty or using PED’s, remember that suspicion doesn’t equal indictment in this world. Sports are a business and not a classroom full of kids. You may think Joey stole the bubblegum from your locker but unless you have proof lay off the accusations.

When the St. Louis Cardinals signed shortstop Jhonny Peralta, a former PED user who was caught and served a 50 game suspension in 2013, a lot of people went haywire. “We signed a cheater!” “He will do it again.” These are the people who wanted an unproven young prospect to play shortstop or wanted John Mozeliak to wager the future of the franchise on one player. When Mo made the quick trigger deal for a known substance abuser(caught, confessed and time served), this gave all the blood hounds plenty to run at with all their blogger wisdom. This guy reserved the right to step back and just observe the situation.

What did the Cards do here? Peralta used, got caught and was suspended and missed a portion of the 2013 season after using during the 2012 season. Here is the funny part. For all the people who say that PED make a player better, they will have a hard time with the newest Cardinal shortstop. Peralta performed better in 2013, when he was clean, than in 2012 when he was dirty. As the great sports columnist Bernie Miklasz wrote today, fans and writers have a hard time finding the thin red line when it comes to cheaters in sports. Peralta broke a rule for sure and was punished, but did the PED make him a better player? NO.

Good luck shredding the weeds this upcoming baseball season when twitter and facebook explode with instant hits whenever Peralta plays bad or good. It’s an unfortunate situation but one that the Cards were full aware of when they signed him. Mo and Bill DeWitt Jr. are business men and not passionate beer drinking loud mouth’s sitting in a pub chewing on stale peanuts. They have to be diligent because they are taking a fair wager on a man’s good faith here that he won’t cheat again. My message to my readers is this. Forget about what Peralta did and keep your eyes on what he does in 2014. That is what he was paid to do. No one likes to live in the past, especially when the case is closed.

When a player takes PED’s, that doesn’t automatically make him better. You don’t grow hand eye coordination as well as bigger biceps. You have to be able to play. Why are all the cheaters in the Major Leagues not playing well? If you told me, I could go out and take steroids and be able to hit 15-20 home runs and bat .280 in an instant, I am not sure I could resist the allure. It’s too bad that is not true. There are tons of dirty players in baseball and there used to be a lot of more. We don’t know all their names because the prosecutors don’t carry a huge need for the players who cheat and don’t produce. All I am saying is keep an open mind and keep things simple.

If I had made the mistake of cheating in my writing in the past but learned from it and was thoroughly punished, it would be unfair to hang that over my head forever. If you heard I plagiarized, don’t stop reading until you hear it from me or I am officially caught. Anything else is a waste of time. Don’t talk bad about my writing because you think it’s pure theft unless you can point it out and put the cuffs on me. Don’t label Peralta a cheater for life just because he did so once. And please, for the love of god, don’t keep players out of the Hall of Fame like Jeff Bagwell and Mike Piazza because they “may” have cheated. It’s soft, old, lame and pretentious. Suspicion isn’t equal to and never will be equal to indictment.

Let Jhonny Peralta play it out this year and let the chips fall where they may. If he disappoints, don’t instantly point out that it’s because he isn’t juicing anymore, because his 2012/2013 stats don’t support it. If he explodes for a monstrous year, don’t think he must be juicing again because he proved he has a lot of ability outside of his one time mistake. In the end, keep an open mind with flawed athletes like Peralta. They are human just like all of us and deserve a second chance even if their bank accounts carry a few more zeroes.

Pitchers and catchers report in 33 days. It is time to get a little excited. Go Cards!

Sincerely,

Your local blunt information highway specialist.

Stan Musial: The Epitome of Greatness

January 9, 2014April 13, 2017 · Leave a comment ·

Wednesday marked The Hall of Fame induction day in the world of baseball and that always gets this Cardinal fan thinking about one man in particular. Stan Musial. The legendary Cardinal passed away nearly a year ago and that makes this particular January(or the eve of Spring Training reporting) especially nostalgic. He was and always will be the epitome of greatness and what a baseball player and general athlete should strive to achieve. In my opinion, The Cardinal Way started with a player like Musial.

These days, when people talk about inductions, all I hear is who should have made it and who still isn’t in the Hall. Fair enough, but every January I remember what the benchmark for induction should be. If basketball players and fans wanted to be like Mike, baseball players should want to be like Stan The Man. In a sport with a dirty history of cheaters, suspect role models and crazy dirty players, Musial was the greatest because he exceeded his amazing ability on the field when he was off. What is so hard about being a good man while you are famous?

Athletes can be larger than life these days, and young kids far too often chase the wrong ideals in being a great player and form bad habits in the process. It’s classic human nature to miss the point behind what being great and Hall of Fame worthy is all about. They think large muscles will get them fame and legendary status. Benching 300 pounds doesn’t buy you a fine earned run average or batting average folks. It’s about skill, perseverance and character. This is where young athletes in high school and college chase performance enhancing drugs and damage their careers and reputations forever. They forget what is most important in being a good ballplayer. For that benchmark, they need to look no further than Stan Musial.

I don’t have to bore you with all of Musial’s stats. To St. Louis Cardinal fans, his numbers and achievements are like oxygen and water intake. However, let’s roll over the highlights because they truly never get old. .331 batting average, 24 All Star games, 3 World Series rings, 3 MVPs, 475 home runs, 3,630 hits, and a .417 on base percentage. Lifetime. He hit 6 home runs in All Star games. He hit 5 home runs in a doubleheader. He hits a ton of triples, scored a ton of runs and didn’t strike out. He got his 3,000th hit at Wrigley Field.

Unlike Ty Cobb, he didn’t play dirty. Unlike Mickey Mantle, he took care of himself. He fought for his country and retired with 11 Cardinals franchise records. This is my favorite stat line. When he retired in 1963, he held 17 Major League Baseball records, 29 National League marks and 9 All Star Game marks. That’s greatness. Off the field, he was a fan favorite, didn’t shun the media and respected other baseball players.

If there is a perfect athlete, it’s Stan Musial. Plain and simple.

As I made my way through my office yesterday, I found my son Vincent playing with Musial’s bobblehead statue. Instead of grabbing it from him and polishing it with a wet wipe, I sat down and let him toy around with the prized piece of memorabilia. I wanted to see where this encounter went. After shaking it incessantly, Vin looked at it and back up at me. For a split second, he was curious. As in, tell me a story dad. 10 seconds later, he left the room but here’s the thing to remember. It’s important for fathers and mothers to teach their kids what greatness in an athlete is and how to achieve it. When Vin gets old enough, he will get the full story on Stan The Man Musial.

Today, I remember Musial. He passed away a year ago this January at the tender age of 92 and while he had lived a full life and went peacefully, something tells me if someone deserve to hit 100 and beyond, it was Stan. In some way, I am glad Pujols left because that allowed Stan Musial to remain the #1 Cardinal of all time. Sure, Albert Pujols would have never cleanly approached Stan, but at least it is unanimous today and when he passed.

Outside the 3rd base gate, facing west, stands the statue of Stan Musial. It is the biggest statue around the venue and rightfully so. If anyone wants to know what it means to be a Cardinal, look no further than Musial.

Photo Credit-Associated Press

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Dan Buffa is the co-creator, administrator and writer for the movie website, film-addict.com. He also writes for the local blog United Cardinal Bloggers in addition to Arch City Sports and also writes for his personal blog, http://www.doseofbuffa.com. He is a STL born and raised writer with a need to inform and the ability to pound out 1,000-1,500 word pieces with ease. When he isn’t writing or drinking coffee, he is spending time with his wife and son in South City. Follow him at @buffa82 on Twitter and reach him for thoughts, comments and general feedback at buffa82@gmail.com.

The Black Rebel Motorcycle Club: Music Spotlight

January 8, 2014January 9, 2014 · Leave a comment ·

“We’re not the righteous/We’re not the innocent/We’re just the sign it’s all gone wrong.”-Black Rebel Motorcycle Club on “Rival”

The first time I heard The Black Rebel Motorcycle Club(or a more easier name to remember them by, B.R.M.C.), I was watching HBO’s sports series 24/7 three years ago. The special was about the Winter Classic between The Pittsburgh Penguins and The Washington Capitals. The annual event is a special occasion, as is the music selection of the premium cable network.

As the shaky job status of then head coach of the Capitals Bruce Boudreau was talked about, a certain slow building rock song with an addictive chant was played. Slowly, the chant turned into lyrics about needing a drug to move and a lot to live and then the guitars and drums turned a regular track into a killer beat. A song by the name of “Beat The Devil’s Tattoo” was the tune and it is one of those songs that sticks inside your head for a while.

There is no peace here
War is never cheap dear
Love will never meet here
It just gets sold for parts
You cannot fight it
All the world denies it
Open up your eyelids
Let your demons run-“Beat The Devil’s Tattoo”

A few episodes later, “Weapon of Choice” was used and that sent me on a mad search for this band’s history, albums and music. This is typical for me. I find a fair portion of my music through movies, TV shows and other random bits of entertainment business outlets. Once I do, I slowly make my way through that band’s entire catalog before leaving with a few songs to remember. Today, The B.R.M.C. has me slowly collecting their entire arsenal of music and finding the ability to be stunned repeatedly by their versatile performances.

The B.R.M.C. is all I listen to. You know you love a band when you constantly throw 2-3 of their songs on a single mix instead of the mandatory single track. Once you seriously plug into their music, you will find yourself in the world of a different kind of rock n’ roll band. A band that isn’t defined by large blasting waves of guitar or overzealous lyrics but a group of musicians who create tunes that give you all the pleasures of hard rock but also offer the mellow tracks and poignant ballads. Singer/songwriter tunes feel like personal stories being told to you through a one way voice track through the microphones stuck in your ear, gathering noisy wax as the enjoyment level goes through the roof. The B.R.M.C. are a rock n’ roll band in blood and bone but don’t confine themselves to one kind of sound. They are toughness personified but allow their innocence to be shown in various slower ballads and melodies.

I’ve seen the battle and I’ve seen the war
And the life out here is the life I’ve been sold
Yah I’ve seen the battle and I’ve seen the war
And the life in here is the life I’ve been told-“The Devil’s Waitin”

The Black Rebel Motorcycle Club originated in 1998 and originally went by the name, The Elements. After recognizing another band had that name, they switched to Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, taken from a 1953 Marlon Brando film called The Wild One. In the film it was what Brando’s character called his gang. The main members were guitarists Robert Been and Peter Hayes. Been’s father, Michael, later joined the band as the sound tech and producer and helped them produce their first album, B.R.M.C., in 2001. A rough Led Zeppelin sound mixed with a Sonic Youth restraint and it continued on Take Them On, On Their Own in 2003. For me, their music took off with 2005’s Howl, where the bluesy guitar and poignant rock took over their sound. Songs like “Devil’s Waitin”, “Ain’t It Easy”, “Restless Sinner” and “Fault Line” were crafted on that album and it made for an experience that didn’t include any skips.

Drummer Nick Jaggo contributed to earlier album work on Baby 81 and toured with the band live for stretches of time. On Beat the Devil’s Tattoo and Specter At The Feast, the band has welcomed in drummer Leah Shapiro. She adds a required consistency to the various electric and acoustic guitar work provided the male leads. Peter Hayes contributes a very well used harmonica as well as vocals and guitar work while the younger Been contributes vocals and guitar work as well. The two bring different singing styles to the band. Hayes has more of a soulful grace while Been can howl at the moon like few other musicians.

I never thought I’d see it coming
I never thought I’d ever know
Nothing seems to take me over
Nothing seems to let me go.-“Shuffle Your Feet”

The success continued on 2007’s Baby 81, which holds their two best songs in my opinion and two tracks that sound completely different. “All You Do Is Talk” is a slow building rocker sung by Hayes with the format of a ballad that relies heavily on the band’s electric grace. “Weapon of Choice” is a 2 minute 43 second rocker that picks you up and slams you down with a closing electric guitar rumble that will ask for repeated listens and could help finish any run or workout.

2010’s Beat the Devil’s Tattoo is another stellar album with the title track being the best on there and another quieter song, “The Toll”, bringing to our ears one of their most personal songs to date. While on tour in 2010, Been’s father, Michael, suffered a fatal heart attack backstage during a show in Belgium. In my eyes, that song is a fateful reminder of the toll we take in life and the weight of our decision making and losses following us around daily.

“Everything’s taken its toll
It’s a moment we carry alone
With a cause there’s a cure for the soul”-The Toll

After a three year hiatus, the band came back in 2013 with Specter At The Feast, an album that took a few rounds to fully appreciate because the band stretched its sound a bit into different realms of rock. With slower tales like “Lose Yourself” and “Angel Baby” mixed with faster moving tracks like “Rival” and “Hate The Taste”, the latest album was another classic B.R.M.C. album. Rockers laced with slower ballads and instrumental sessions.

I got a fatal heart, I’m tried to living
Got a tortured soul, I can’t give it away
Gonna find a line, to get me through to reason
Gonna bury it all just to give it a name-“Hate The Taste”

Listening to the band work, you get that cool vibe that always comes up when a rock song is playing. These guys can play just about anything and can deliver a versatile set of songs. This is the kind of band that puts it all on the line every time they play a live venue. They are who they say they are and what their album promises. While other bands pigeon holes themselves with adjusting their sound album to album, B.R.M.C. can do so on one album. Provide 2-3 different sounds with an overlying tempo of acoustic and electric guitars.

This past September, I had the privilege to watch the band live at St. Louis’ concert venue, The Pageant, and they didn’t disappoint. A lot of bands can sound great in a studio with the equipment blocking out the rougher edges of their musicianship. On a live stage, with your ability and voice carrying the load, is where safe bands with no true skill are separated from the groups who can play great ANYWHERE. The Black Rebel Motorcycle Club delivered a solid 2 hour show that had me begging for more by the end.

Help yourself don’t think
Help yourself don’t speak
Help yourself don’t say a thing at all
You’re lucky words don’t bleed-“All You Do Is Talk”

For a guy who keeps discovering great music every day, I can tell you this. The Black Rebel Motorcycle Club always have me coming back to revisit their work. I have been a confessed Dave Matthews Band fanatic for most of my life and while that still holds true, the B.R.M.C. are quickly making their way up my daily must listen to band list. Right now, I can listen to a couple of their albums without skipping a single track. That is the true mark of great music for fans. Putting their disc in and not feeling the need to find a particular song. I can’t say that with any other band right now, and that’s right, not even D.M.B..

It can’t be known
What lies in wait
For those of us in crippled states
A broken mind is no escape
When there’s no one left to reason with
There’s no one left to call your name-“Restless Sinner”

Being a newly addicted follower of The B.R.M.C., I will be checking out their completely instrumental album, The Effects of 333, which is a collections of tunes best saved for a dark night and few cups of coffee and could drape a movie in suspenseful wonder. Being a fan of Texas instrumental band Explosions In the Sky, anytime a band puts out a vocal less piece of work, I think of a long run through an early dawn morning with some fog.

The band has stayed under the radar for around 15 years and it’s the right method. This group doesn’t need worldwide attention or acclaim. They are perfectly independent in their sound and can make music whenever they want. They will get together soon, after a brief winter tour, and start writing the next album. When will it come out? No idea but let me tell you this. I will wait for a great album instead of getting a rushed album that doesn’t sound cohesive or as strong as their previous work. Music takes time and patience and isn’t for the clingy or needy.

The B.R.M.C works on their own schedule and that’s a good thing. Do me a favor and listen to this band. Below is a small taste of their music. A tune from just about each album.

Devil’s Waitin(HOWL)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAik76-yHEg

Heart+Soul(Take Them On, On Their Own)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nldmCQjADFI

Spread Your Love(B.R.M.C.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nldmCQjADFI

All You Do Is Talk-(Baby 81)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e8v7w46WHa0

Beat The Devils Tattoo(Title track)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gn9C1vKd7Gc

Rival(Specter At The Feast)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfnszUQrobQ

Listen. Digest. Listen again. This band can appeal to rock n’ roll addicts and music fans in general. My wife digs it. My 2 year old song bobs his head to it when it plays as well. Try it out and let me know what you think. With music, there are no guarantees but a thorough investigation here is required. Have fun!

I won’t be denied
I’m coming in this time, babe
I’ve fallen in love with your creatures soul
And I’ve been a witness to your sickest obsession
And I feel alive as long as I keep hold
Of what I think I thought I heard you loved me
I think you thought you heard I loved-“Took Out A Loan”

*With additional help and insight from Paula K.

Jason Motte’s Comeback

January 6, 2014April 13, 2017 · Leave a comment ·

When the Cardinals lost Jason Motte to Tommy John Surgery in May last year, a fine set of panic settled in. He was pitching in spring training last year when he suddenly felt a pop in his elbow as he fired a fastball towards the plate to exit an inning. In an instant his season was redirected towards injured reserve.

Motte’s injury set off a chain reaction that included the demise of Mitchell Boggs, the rise of Edward Mujica as a legit closer in the big leagues(2 year contract with the Red Sox to show for it) and the emergence of Trevor Rosenthal as the type of pitcher that resembled what existed inside Tom Cruise’s pool stick case in The Color of Money….doom.

The Cardinals rode that concoction of arms to the playoffs and came within two wins of a 12th World Series. All the while, Motte didn’t throw a single pitch while spending a fair amount of time inside the dugout and cheering for his teammates. He also put his public persona to use and kept his money in the right place during the past year. When Motte steps away from baseball down the road, 2013 will become known as the year he became a great man in front of the world.

Unable to throw a fastball for many months, Motte took his fight to the community and set up a cancer foundation. The slogan “K Cancer” became pasted on t-shirts, posters and draped across the St. Louis area. Motte befriended young cancer patients and connected with so many others. While other athletes spend their down time checking their bank account while laying on a yacht in the middle of an ocean, Motte stayed home and fought the medical disease known as Goliath. To a kid or adult with the horrible disease, seeing an athlete not just donate their money but their coveted time to your predicament only inspires them to push harder. It is one thing for an athlete to write a check and quite another to spend up to 10 months of the year making a lot of friends in a hospital. In short, we need more men like Motte around. More athletes that can put out the right message about using your popularity in the best way.

Back to baseball, and keeping the new found 9th inning arm of Rosenthal’s in mind, one wonders what role Motte will return to in 2014. First, he needs to get to spring training and fire a few fastballs without incident. Once he goes through that, an innings workload awaits him and the new season will present him with many options. Those possible roles are simple and fall in this order.

1.) A propane tank arm out of the bullpen available for multi-purpose usage. Motte can be what he was before he was a closer. A man who can come into a dicey situation where 1 out and a three digit heater are needed. He did this job superbly in 2010 and part of 2011. There is nothing wrong with building his arm strength back up this way.

2.)Setup man to Rosenthal. This is more likely to happen in May after Motte gets a few outings under his belt and gets a feel for where his arm is. Rosenthal was so good in the last stages of 2013 that for many it’s hard to think of him doing something different. The final week of the season and the playoffs provided Cards fans with a Rosenthal that is set up to dominate for ages. He didn’t just strike hitters out. He made them look like extras from a baseball movie. For more on his domination, check out my friend and United Cardinal Blogger colleague Joe’s blog about the greatness of Rosenthal right here.

http://stlcupofjoe.com/2014/01/05/trevor-rosenthal-brings-the-heat/

Motte can set up Rosenthal for at least half the season before he is considered for his old position. This also won’t hurt the team at all. Carlos Martinez is in line to be a utility reliever(jack of all late inning trades) or in fact enter the rotation. He could be the flamer thrower to get one out, the man who can pitch 2 innings or a setup man himself. The Cards have options and this is good for Motte and the team in his recovery.

3.)Motte can reclaim the closer role. This is something I can see happening around the All Star Break or I can see not happening at all this season. Rosenthal still wants to start, but his value in the 9th inning is too great to consider that right now and with the Cards load of starter candidates, it’s just not smart baseball. Motte would have to pitch lights out to be considered for this or have Rosenthal encounter an injury. All things considered, Rosenthal did it for a month while Motte accumulated 59 saves(playoffs included) after taking over the role in August of 2011. Both men are playoff proven finishers. Rosenthal currently has the leg up due to health and momentum in the role.

All in all, it’s important to not forget about what Motte did and what he can still bring to the team. He started out as a catcher in the organization before entering the majors in 2008 with one decent pitch. After mastering a cutter as his secondary pitch, Motte was tied for the National League lead in saves in 2012 with 42. He is entering the final year of a 2 year, 12 million dollar contract which will pay him 8 million this season. Whatever role he finds, it will be a prominent one and if I had to bet, Jason Motte will come back with a vengeance in 2014.

Personally, I missed this guy’s tenacious ability on the mound. The mannerisms, the beard, the intensity and the quirks that he brought to a tight late inning matchup. It’s one thing for a man to throw 100 miles per hour towards your body. It’s quite another for that man to look as mean as that particular pitch while throwing.

A good part of me wants to see him close for the Cardinals again, while the majority is simply glad to see him pitching for our team in some capacity come April. 2012 marked his arrival as a closer. 2013 saw him become a wonderful ambassador of the city and a defender of a sea of victims to a horrible disease. 2014 will be another important chapter in the 31 year old’s career. I am quite excited to tell you I am not sure what this year will bring from the Motte Man but I am so ready to find out.

He reports to Jupiter, Florida in 37 days for spring training. That day cannot come soon enough for St. Louis Cardinals fans and the Jason Motte fanbase.

Thanks for reading and stay warm in this snow packed St. Louis winter season. Check out a few links below on how to connect with Motte and his foundation.

*Contribute to Motte’s Cancer Foundation by buying a “K Cancer” t-shirt right here.

http://www.108stitches.com/Gear/Detail_Player/STRIKEOUT-CANCER-TEE/03-70017-05/770#.Usq-mvRDuSo

*For another passionate take on Jason Motte’s efforts in 2013, read my Arch City Sports colleague Carly Schaber’s heartfelt piece.

http://archcitysports.com/jason-motte-striking-out-cancer/

*For general information on his foundation, head over here to his K Cancer Facebook Page.

https://www.facebook.com/StrikeOutCancerWithJasonMotte

You can also follow Motte on Twitter at his handle, @JMotte30.

Lots of links but comes with a good reason. Jason Motte is a lot more than just a baseball player. He’s a role model for us all.

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“The Secret Life of Walter Mitty” Is Refreshing Cinema

January 5, 2014 · 2 Comments ·

Since a colleague of mine wrote an official review for the film on my site, film-addict.com, I get to come here and dish my take on the film. There will be no rating, info or trailer. Just the plot and my take on a new film. A Dose of Buffa movie special if you will. My review of The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

SETUP-Walter Mitty works as a negatives collector at LIFE Magazine(framed after the real life TIME) and the magazine is shutting down it’s publishing department and pumping out one last print version. The cover will come from war photographer(Sean Penn) and Mitty can’t find the negative required for it. This guy is a daydreamer and gets lost in moments thinking about sudden great adventures that he has thrown himself into. Suddenly, he is in one of his classic adventure moments but this time it’s real. On a trip that takes him from Greenland to Iceland to The Himalayas, Mitty finally is the adventure.

MY TAKE-Ben Stiller dares you to dream with his latest feature and reminds this film addict why I love the movies in the first place. When we enter the theater, we have little clue of what awaits us or what this experience will do to our day or whether it will have an effect on our lives. That is the visceral punch of filmmaking; Leaving a dent on someone’s soul inside two hours.

With The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, Stiller knocks this one out of the park and takes us on an amazing experience for 2 hours.

This movie is a special experience for many reasons. Stiller was born to play Mitty, an insecure dreamer who can’t say the right thing in front of the woman he loves or get the guts to live wild again. I am not a huge fan of the actor, often because I think he could be doing more with his talent. Greenberg and The Cable Guy showed me what he can do when challenged and this is material made for him. He will make his kids comedies and box office hits, but this film feels personal to me and I can guess it was f or him. Stiller produced and directed the tale with a stellar script from Steven Conrad, and it’s adapted from a short story by James Thurber. The role calls for the eccentric wackiness that Stiller can perform with ease. He doesn’t give an Oscar worthy performance here, but it’s a very good one and serves as the grounding agent for this head in the clouds tale.

The production isn’t pigeon holed into one genre and keeps the story moving at all times. Mitty doesn’t slow down and never stays trapped in one area of interest, and that adds to the experience. Action, comedy, drama, romance and fantasy enter the whiskey bottle that this film is developed in and the result is quite invigorating. There are hilarious homages to The Curse of Benjamin Button and The Matrix. The object of Mitty is to entertain while wrapping the viewer up in that nostalgia that is missing from far too many movies who take themselves so seriously that it drains out the fun.

The cast is great all the way to the bottom of the barrel. Sean Penn makes for a larger than life photographer who shoots erupting volcanoes while hanging off the edge of a charter plane and the actor’s persona fits the role. Shirley Maclaine gives a lovely performance as Mitty’s warm and caring mother, and this marks her first film work in years. Kathryn Hahn is her usual lovable wacky self here as the sister who doesn’t seem to be paying attention. Kristen Wiig’s performance in a film is appealing to me for the first time, as she adds just enough whimsical quirk to the object of Mitty’s affection. Patton Oswalt and Adam Scott are fine in smaller roles. The steal of the film and the role I won’t forget is the boozing helicopter pilot in Greenland played by newcomer Olafur Darri Olafsson. His interactions with Stiller are hilarious and catapult the film.

A scene involving a woman playing an acoustic guitar, a man running into a helicopter and a David Bowie’s song is one of the best I’ve seen all year. Mitty is full of those wildly unforgettable moments.

The soundtrack is electric and full of classics and unheard gems, like “Wake Up” from Arcade Fire and “Dirty Paws” from Of Monsters and Men. In a movie that is framed about the images in our life and how we shape ourselves in them, music is the water that these characters move around in.

As a kid, I spent a decent amount of time daydreaming and getting lost for a few minutes. These days, I still find myself walking into a store and creating this adventure in my head where I am the hero. Creative people do this and never stop because it keeps life fresh when the days run bland. Stiller’s Mitty teaches us that it’s okay to dream as long as you take the required adventures in life. A movie that reminds us the best dreams are the ones we actually play out in real life after a soundcheck in our head. Don’t leave it all in your head.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty may not be the perfect film for award circuits, but it was the perfect experience for me. A 31 year old daydreamer who loves movies that take him away from that dark seat in a movie theater to a place that energizes his soul. The best parts of Mitty are the quiet dramatic moments mixed with the feel good elements of the plot. There’s an adventurous kid in every one of us, but it’s our job to let them come out and play. Go see this movie. If you let it in, the result will be one of the best experiences you will ever have at the movies.

For more movie news, reviews and sophisticated take on the world of cinema, head over to my site, film-addict.com. I hope you enjoyed this Dose of Buffa special movie review.

Banshee: The Boldest TV Show You Haven’t Seen Yet

January 3, 2014April 12, 2017 · Leave a comment ·

Find the time and give this show a set of eyes and ears because it’s primal rage entertainment and truly badass. Banshee season 2 premieres on January 10th. This is my third write up on it. Read up. This is my 300th post on WordPress, and it couldn’t come about a better subject. I posted this piece a week ago on Film-Addict and it’s already got over 500 hits. If you need a show to watch this month, check out Banshee. Here it is.

I was a fan of Banshee long before it graced large billboards in California and New York and before it crawled up on people’s top 10 list of TV shows of 2013. When it premiered in January, no one had any clue what to think would come of this collaboration from the minds behind True Blood and House.

A year later, more than a handful of people know that Executive Producer Alan Ball and Creator/Executive Producer/Director Greg Yaitanes have crafted a genuine thrill ride of a television series, and one that could run for a long time on Cinemax if they know what good television is.

From the minute I watched the first episode of this wildly addictive show, I knew something special was brewing and that the entire world (not just entertainment fans) needed to be told about it. This is my third Banshee spotlight piece. There is a pretty clear fascination going on here. Let me break it down for you why it is so good and why you should donate 10 hours to its story right away.

This show doesn’t need awards to vindicate its greatness. This isn’t 30 Rock or The Good Wife. It breeds fanaticism and a devout cult following of fans straight from its skill at hooking viewers to a network without a big television series background and a story that is easy to digest yet impossible to ignore. There isn’t another show on TV that I have spent re watching this past summer, fall and winter more than Banshee. It isn’t a series that weighs you down with plot twists and a long list of complicated characters. It is smooth digestible chaos.

You have a man who gets out of prison, goes to this small town in Pennsylvania because something or someone is there that he wants. Without it, he is incomplete. Through a series of events, this man becomes the sheriff of this small town, Banshee. His name is Lucas Hood. He finds a woman from his past living under disguise there. He quickly pisses off local Amish gangsters and lures in mysterious beautiful women to his bed. He befriends a local bartender who used to box and has a few secrets of his own. He has a long trusted sidekick telling him to get out of dodge. Lucas isn’t’t going anywhere and we are thankful for that.

If people made sane logical decisions on Banshee, the entertainment value would drop in a heartbeat. In Yaitanes and writer Jonathon Trooper’s world, there are tons of secrets and mystery but that just makes for years of energetically deep storytelling. Their writing fuels the actors and actresses who bring this hypnotic blend of crazy to life.

Antony Starr’s soulful and brutal Lucas is the rock at the center of the show and the previously unknown New Zealand actor surprises you with his depth and emotional storage of feeling and resolve. Ivana Milecevic’s(learn that name and scream it) dual faces of sexy ex con Ana and the new wife and mother Ana show Ivana’s ability to be a romantic and a physical force to reckon with. Need proof, watch the video below of her epic fight with Christos Vasilopoulos’s Olek from Season 1.

Ulrich Thomsen’s Kai Procter, a man who looks like a villain on the surface but carries as much pain around as anyone. Hoon Lee’s comedic and assured work as Job, the brain behind Lucas’ madness. Frankie Faisen’s Sugar, the old puncher feeling new blood stream through his veins with Lucas in town. Trieste Kelly Dunn’s fierce cop, seeing her past and future collide with deadly force. Demetrius Grosse’s larger than life officer sharing some hidden abilities and power of his own. Rus Blackwell’s conflicted lawyer, trying to maintain his marriage, his thirst for justice and his sanity at the same time with new revelations walking through his door.

Lili Simmons’ Rebecca, torn between her past and her uncertain future as an Amish lady with a wild side. Ryann Shane’s young woman, unaware that her father could be this sheriff who keeps showing up in her life. Matt Servitto’s seasoned lawman dealing with this guy who is causing a tornado of change in an already unstable town. Matthew Rauch’s deadly henchman for Procter. I could go on but some things are better left discovering. Let’s just say the incoming presence of Lucas throws the entire town for a loop, in good, bad and ugly ways.

The characters on Banshee are comic book fueled creations with a real heart and soul that don’t fall on the clean cut sides of good or bad. There is only one man who could create this kind of madness and that man is Yaitanes, who has directed a handful of the episodes, executive produced the show and put his neck on the line for the show. Trooper’s dialogue and stories hit you over the head like a blunt instrument.

The people on this show are a special breed of deadly and we are privy to their actions on a weekly basis. Banshee is entertainment at its finest. Full of bad intentions and an ambition to top one ridiculously over the top scene with something even more outrageous. Banshee doesn’t need your sympathy but demands your attention.

Now is the time to jump in. Catch up before the second season begins. Grab a blanket, a bottle of whiskey, a knife and cozy up on the couch for a night full of anti-heroic actions, visceral action, red hot sex, violent tendencies and a cinematic blend of television that is so rare these days. You are either in or you are out. Put down the smart phone, kindle, book and tell the spouse to shoot up.

Pay attention to this show. There is a quiet emotional storm of drama streaming right beneath the bloody action and nudity. There is more than meets the eye at all times.

The second season of Banshee starts on January 10^th, 2014. I own the Blu Ray/DVD and would invite anyone to come watch it with me. The first season is on demand via U-Verse and Charter. It’s available via Max Go. Go to a friend’s house and watch it. Politely ask a stranger if they can lend you their television for the evening. Find the time and give this show a set of eyes and ears because it’s primal rage entertainment and truly badass.

-Dan Buffa is the co-creator, administrator and writer for the movie website, film-addict.com. He also writes for the local blog United Cardinal Bloggers in addition to Arch City Sports and also writes for his personal blog, http://www.doseofbuffa.com. He is a STL born and raised writer with a need to inform and the ability to pound out 1,000-1,500 word pieces with ease. When he isn’t writing or drinking coffee, he is spending time with his wife and son in South City. Follow him at @buffa82 on Twitter and reach him for thoughts, comments and general feedback at buffa82@gmail.com.

Christian Bale: Renegade Actor

January 1, 2014 · Leave a comment ·

Calling Christian Bale amazing doesn’t explain half of his talent. The man is a true chameleon and doesn’t waste movie roles or our time. If Daniel Day Lewis worked more often, you would have an idea of what Bale brings to the big screen every time he appears on it or teases you in a trailer.

This month, Bale carries two different movies in two very different roles.

In Out of the Furnace, he is Russell Baze, a blue collar factory worker who has to take the law into his own hands when his brother goes missing in the dangerous mountains of New Jersey.

In American Hustle, he brings a real con man to life as Irving Rosenfeld, part of the legendary Abscam FBI sting operation. Based purely on physical appearance, Bale is instantly transformative. As Baze, he isn’t razor thin but skinny and fit to play the role. In Hustle, he is overweight, rocks a comb-over and hunches down in his walk to fit the role. This isn’t director instruction. This is Bale taking a role to another level all by himself. Working with directors like Scott Cooper and David O. Russell most certainly helps an actor’s methods, but Bale is the kind of performer who grabs a movie by the throat and takes it in another direction completely.

His film career started with a headlining role in the fantasy flick 1987’s Mio and The Land of Faraway. He had roles in Steven Spielberg’s Empire of the Sun and Henry V in 1987 as well, making a decent splash into film after a cereal commercial in 1983. His role in Empire of the Sun brought him a special award from the National Board of Review for a performance by a juvenile.

The 1990’s saw Bale slowly work his way into bigger roles on a more consistent basis. Roles in Little Women, Swing Kids and voice work in Pocahontas gave the actor a versatile array of performances.

However, it was in 2000 that Bale’s career took a turn for the great when he played Patrick Bateman in American Psycho. Playing the maniacal businessman who turned into a serial killer by night, Bale went through every range of emotional and introduced comedy to true terror. A scene where he plays a Huey Lewis tune as he prepares to ax a guy in his apartment is truly classic.

After turning in solid bad guy work in the remake of Shaft, Bale turned in fine work in the cult favorite action flick Equilibrium, the drama Laurel Canyon and the dragon slaying feature, Reign of Fire. In 2004, Bale lost over 60 pounds to play the lost soul of factory worker Trevor Reznik in Brad Anderson’s The Machinist. This was the first real time an actor had lost that considerable amount of weight only to have to put it all back on for his role.

That next role turned out to be a career changer and a franchise that would turn Bale from a credible actor into a legitimate superstar and world class actor. That movie was Batman Begins, the first of three Bat films with director Christopher Nolan. Together, the actor and director reshaped the persona of Batman and turned it into something else. Nolan’s tale was a darker venture than previous Batman trips and he needed the right actor to ride that wave with him. Bale met him at the door of innovation and took it further than any actor could have taken the legendary role.

This set off a string of powerful and versatile work that made Bale the actor he is today. He wasn’t waiting any longer to take Hollywood by storm. By starring in a blockbuster relaunching of a long heralded hero, he had the green light to get the other roles. He made The Prestige with Nolan and Hugh Jackman.

He made two dark films in David Ayer’s Harsh Times and Werner Herzog’s Rescue Dawn. These were great performances in overlooked films. Bale went to the depths of hell in each and took fellow thespians to school on how to follow up a summer blockbuster role.

In 2007, Bale teamed up with Russell Crowe and director James Mangold to remake 3:10 to Yuma, and revamped the expectations for a cold blooded western. His role was a heartbreaking rendition of the family man just trying to do right. His work with Crowe was tremendous.

The Dark Knight, in 2008, registered as the second film in the Batman journey with Nolan, and Bale took the role further than before. His duel with Heath Ledger’s Joker will go down as the one of the best screen showdowns every made. Often overlooked due to Ledger’s genre defying work, Bale was strong and powerful in his own right.

In 2009, Bale made a couple big budget films with Michael Mann(Public Enemies) and McG(Terminator Salvation) and neither worked on a complete level, and left Bale with the reputation of being a hothead.

The misfires didn’t stop him from turning in a truly Oscar winning performance as the real life trainer of Mickey Ward, Dicky Eklund, in The Fighter in 2010 in his first film with O. Russell. In 2011, he made Flowers of War with Yimou Zhang, returning to a similar setting as Empire of the Sun. This prepped another killer chapter of films from the Welsh actor as he completed the final chapter of the Batman series, The Dark Knight Rises, with Nolan in 2012 and fired back to back winter shots of greatness in this season’s two films.

People often forget this is the same guy who went and visited the victims and families of the Aurora residents affected by the Dark Knight Rises shootings. He also visited victims of the Boston Marathon bombing earlier this year while filming for American Hustle. While intense on set, Bale is a good man off it even though he doesn’t admire the publicity side of the business.

As he turns 40 in January and preps two films with Terrence Winter(Knight of Cups and an untitled project) as well as a 1910 action drama called The Creed of Violence with first time writer/director Todd Field, Bale also takes on the role of Moses in Ridley Scott’s Exodus with Breaking Bad star Aaron Paul and Ridley favorite Sigourney Weaver.

The guy simply doesn’t stop producing great roles. He won’t make a crappy romantic comedy or phone in a performance. Bale is the real deal and one of the best actors working today. His work isn’t defined by physical transformation alone. There is a necessity towards a craft that drives this man. He is an actor that deserves every bit of accolades that come his way.

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