It’s kind of an odd feeling starting off a new year where the movies I’m most excited about don’t have the word “Marvel” or “Star Wars” in the title.
There won’t be another “Star Wars” theatrical film until 2022. Marvel Studios is releasing two new MCU movies in 2020 - “Black Widow” and “The Eternals — and while I’m sure they’ll be solid entries, I don’t have the same sense of anticipation I did for movies like “Black Panther” and “Avengers: Endgame.”
Without further ado, here are “The 5 Movies I’m Most Excited About in 2020”:
TOP GUN: MAVERICK
From the moment I heard Jerry Bruckheimer and Tom Cruise were making a sequel to “Top Gun,” I was in! They’ve released two trailers for the movie (as of this writing) and I couldn’t be more excited (Harold Faltermeyer’s “Top Gun Anthem” has a way of doing that).
One of my favorite movie memories was watching “Top Gun” at the Indian Hills Theater in 1986. While the theater no longer remains (“They paved paradise and put up a parking lot”), it was an Omaha icon that was originally part of the “Cooper Cinerama” family — and the main screen was a monster. The aerial sequences looked amazing on that wraparound screen. Definitely looking forward to more practical aerial combat shots in “Top Gun: Maverick.”
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WONDER WOMAN 1984
I liked Gal Gadot’s turn as the lasso wielding superhero in 2017’s “Wonder Woman.” The trailer for the sequel — “Wonder Woman 1984” — is terrific. I’m a sucker for anything that takes place in the 1980s, and “Blue Monday” (by New Order) was a perfect song for the spot.
I’m also excited to see what “The Mandalorian’s” Pedro Pascal does with the character of Max Lord.
BTW… is it just me, or does the shopping mall featured in the trailer look a lot like Starcourt Mall in the most recent season of “Stranger Things”…? 😉
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TENET
I have no idea what exactly “Tenet” is about, and I don’t care. As far as Bridget and I are concerned, Christopher Nolan “doesn’t make a bad movie.”
That's why I'm excited. It isn’t a sequel (which is always welcome during the summer box office season). Plus, the cast includes acting stalwarts Kenneth Branagh and Michael Caine.
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GHOSTBUSTERS: AFTERLIFE
They might have finally found the right way to reboot the “Ghostbusters” franchise. If you’re going to make what is essentially “Ghostbusters: The Next Generation” it makes sense to bring one of the kids from Netflix’s “Stranger Things” along for the ride (Finn Wolfhard just looks like he’ll play the perfect grandson of Egon Spengler).
I was impressed when I saw the first teaser trailer in December. I think writer/director Jason Reitman (he’s the son of “Ghostbusters” director Ivan Reitman) has what looks to be a promising sequel/reboot on his hands. The trailer manages to bring the feels without featuring any of the original cast.
Plus, it has the eternally affable Paul Rudd (who is brilliant in Marvel’s “Ant-Man” franchise).
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NO TIME TO DIE
I reviewed the first teaser trailer for “No Time To Die” on this blog back in December. I think the movie looks terrific. As I said in December: “If this is Craig’s last outing as Bond, I hope the filmmakers send him off with a bang.”
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And those are “The 5 Movies I’m Most Excited About in 2020.” While they might not turn out to be the best movies of 2020 — or even the most successful at the box office — they’re the movies that I am looking forward to seeing at the theater this year.
What do you think? Head down to the comment section below and let me know your thoughts.
It’s time to dive into General Mills Mermaid Cereal.
In 2018, I reviewed the limited editionUnicorn Cereal Kellogg’s trotted out to grocery stores across the nation (a move that likely caused a magical glut of impulse purchases when daughters begged parents for it as they rolled through the breakfast aisle).
The Unicorn Cereal featured circular, sugary “Os” similar to those found in the Kellogg’s Fruit Loops brand (albeit, different colors).
I described the taste of Unicorn Cereal as this: “Imagine — if you will — that a glazed donut and a Fruit Loop decide to have a baby. The resulting offspring is sort of like a fusion of both parents, but is ultimately unremarkable on its own.”
When I saw the colorful General Mills Mermaid Cereal box at our local Hy-Vee store, I knew I had to check it out. This is the sort of hard-hitting content I like to bring you on this blog. 😉
I’m a big fan of novelty breakfast cereals, but my experience with Kellogg’s Unicorn Cereal left me wary of its aquatic counterpart.
First of all, I don’t understand why General Mills doesn’t include marshmallows in their Mermaid Cereal. It makes no sense whatsoever. If you’re going to market an ultra-colorful/ultra-sugary cereal to kids, please throw in a few cups of marshmallows. Please!
The Mermaid Cereal tastes like a “subdued” version of General Mills Frankenberry (a cereal that features marshmallows). It is rather bland — not memorable at all. Marshmallows would have helped.
The cereal’s official description is: “Naturally Fruit Flavored Sweetened Corn Puffs With Other Natural Flavors.”
I dunno about any of you, but the “star” and “fish” shaped pieces kind of look like dry cat food.
The good news is that it doesn’t taste like seafood. So there’s that.
There is a game on the back of the Mermaid box that you can play… if you want. Spoiler Alert: Your “treasure” is “jewels”… and there are 11 treasure chests in the picture.
I’ve gotta say, I was pretty underwhelmed by General Mills Mermaid Cereal. I mean, I didn’t have a lot of hope going in. If they’d just tossed in some marshmallows, I might have been able to recommend this.
Instead, it’d probably be better if General Mills loaded up a harpoon and “deep-sixed” this particular brand…
I was introduced to mystery writer Harlan Coben years ago when I read his breakout novel “Tell No One.”
I mentioned my fondness for that book in a review I wrote about Coben’s 2018 Netflix series “Safe” (which is terrific — read my review).
“Tell No One” (which, at the time, was a departure from Coben’s Myron Bolitar series) became the blueprint for the author’s string of successful “suburban thrillers.”
Coben's protagonists aren’t secret agents or highly trained special forces operatives. Instead, his novels focus on regular, relatable people like you and me.
His thrillers (other than the occasional entry in the Bolitar series) are standalone in nature.
It’s nice knowing you don’t have to slog through two dozen novels to get caught up. You can read his novels in any order.
I have all of Coben’s novels resting neatly on a bookshelf in our basement. I purchased half of the books in the collection. The rest were passed along to me when my mom died of gallbladder cancer in 2013.
The author has been spending time the past few weeks tweeting about the series adaptation of his 2015 thriller “The Stranger” — set to drop on Netflix on Jan. 30, 2020.
I decided I wanted to read “The Stranger” before watching the series so I could compare and contrast the two.
“The Stranger” tells the story of Adam Price. Price is lawyer who lives in Cedarfield, New Jersey, with his wife Corinne and their two sons, Ryan (a 6th grader) and Thomas (a high school sophomore).
In the opening pages of the story, Price is attending the 4th, 5th, and 6th grade boys lacrosse draft (his son Ryan plays) at the American Legion Hall. A stranger (a man described as having piercing blue eyes) comes up to Adam at the bar and tells him that his wife faked her recent pregnancy.
The stranger informs Adam that he didn’t have to stay with Corinne when she became pregnant — and that her subsequent miscarriage was all a ruse.
“She lied to you, Adam,” the man says. “Corinne. She was never pregnant. It was all a ruse to get you back.”
Adam is both stunned and incensed by the man’s pointed accusations.
He questions the stranger’s veracity and brings up the fact that he saw a sonogram. The stranger replies, “if you really need proof, check your Visa card. Look for a charge to Novelty Funsy.”
Before he leaves the Legion Hall, the stranger twists the dagger a little more. “If I were you,” he tells Adam, “I’d probably run DNA tests on your two boys.”
It is a classic Coben setup — a family man living an idyllic suburban life getting thrust into a swirling conspiracy that is both chilling and instantly relatable.
It's a deceptively simple “what if” concept.
Coben’s strength as a mystery writer is the way he is able to pose a question — a question that throws the protagonist’s life into turmoil — then spend a few hundred pages peeling back the layers as the characters work to find the answer.
He is adept at seasoning his novels with the right dose of “MacGuffins” and “red herrings” to keep you guessing — without making the wait frustrating.
I devoured “The Stranger” in fairly short order. The story weaves in a number of interesting characters, and has you on edge until the somber and satisfying conclusion.
In addition to the thrilling twists Coben is known for, the author also does a nice job exploring Adam’s relationship with his two sons.
It’s the small moments that make the story feel real... like a scene where Adam is trying to figure out what kind of pizza to order his sons for dinner — one wants pepperoni, the other wants buffalo chicken. So he tells them he’ll order the pizza half-and-half.
Both boys worry they won’t have enough to eat, so Adam adds an order of mozzarella sticks and informs his son Ryan there are Chipwiches in the freezer for dessert.
While it might seem like an innocuous part of the plot, the interaction illustrates how much Adam (who is fairly distraught at that point in the story) cares about his sons.
I mentioned earlier that “The Stranger” has been made into a limited series for Netflix.
When it comes to filmed versions of Coben’s novels, the author has found a receptive audience overseas. “Tell No One” was made into a theatrical movie in 2006 by a French filmmaker. It was nominated for — and won — several Cesar Awards (France’s equivalent of the Oscars).
“The Stranger” spans eight episodes and was filmed in Great Britain (where two other Coben series — “Safe” and “The Five” — were filmed).
The book took place primarily in New Jersey. I look forward to seeing if a different locale brings any unique plot dynamics Netflix’s adaptation of “The Stranger.”
Here is the trailer for the series:
While I’m sure there will be a number of creative departures from Coben’s novel, the Netflix series looks terrific. I can’t wait to watch it. Once I do, I’ll have a review.
If you haven’t had the opportunity to read Harlan Coben’s thrillers, I would encourage you to give novels a try.
“The Stranger” might be a good place to start. It embodies all the elements that make Coben’s stand alone thrillers so compelling. Plus, you can check out the new Netflix series after you’re finished with the book.
“The dreams are lovely. It’s the waking up that I’m beginning to resent.”
Jean-Luc Picard in “Star Trek: Picard”
SPOILERS AHEAD!
It is fascinating to me how the world of pop culture continually tries to label science fiction fans as either “Star Wars” or “Star Trek” people.
When I was growing up in the 1970s and 80s, most of my space fantasy-loving friends seemed to like both properties. I know I did.
It was a different time back then. “Star Wars” didn’t really have a lasting halo outside of the original three movies released during that era.
The reality is that by the time the late 80s rolled around, “Star Wars” had sort of faded from the cultural zeitgeist.
On the other hand, the three seasons of Gene Roddenberry’s 1960s-era “Star Trek” TV series proved to be a top ratings producer in syndication. I loved watching those reruns on Saturdays at 6 p.m. and Sundays at 10:30 p.m. on KMTV, and later, on KPTM when that station started broadcasting in Omaha (check out my 2016 blog post “Phasers Locked” about the original series).
The popularity of the original series resulted in a number of novels, toys, comics, and an animated series.
There was also the successful string of theatrical movies from Paramount Pictures featuring the original crew.
In addition, Bridget and I consider 2009’s “Star Trek” reboot (directed by J.J. Abrams) to be among our favorite movies of the past 20 years.
On Sept. 28, 1987, Paramount Television brought a brand new “Star Trek” series to the small screen with “Star Trek: The Next Generation.”
Like the original series, “Star Trek: The Next Generation” is definitely a show of its time — especially as it regards the overall look and feel. The show — and its spinoffs — largely defined science fiction in the 1990s.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart) was a departure from William Shatner’s roguish Captain Kirk. His Shakespearean sensibility was at the heart of TNG’s seven seasons and four feature films.
Here we are — nearly 26 years after “Star Trek: The Next Generation” bid adieu to the small screen — with a brand-new “Star Trek” TV series focusing on Picard’s life after Starfleet.
The first episode of “Star Trek: Picard” debuted on CBS All Access (in the United States) on Thursday, Jan. 23.
I wasn’t sure what to expect going in.
I’ve had trouble staying invested in “Star Trek: Discovery” on CBS All Access, so I was a bit skeptical going into “Star Trek: Picard.”
The first episode of “Star Trek: Picard” is titled “Remembrance.” A few minutes into that episode and I knew the series creators had crafted something special.
Show runner Michael Chabon (who wrote the terrific literary novel “The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Klay”) wrote a 40-page “treatment” for the series which proved to be an attractive lure to get Patrick Stewart back into the fold. Chabon talks about the process during the first episode of “Ready Room” (which gives fans behind the scenes information on the series):
The opening moments of “Remembrance” find Picard and Data playing poker in the crew lounge Ten Forward on the U.S.S.Enterprise NCC-1701-D (which was destroyed in the movie “Star Trek: Generations”). The musical strands of Bing Crosby’s “Blue Skies” waft over the scene.
The dream sequence has a nice way of tying this new series to adventures past. Picard tells Data, “I don’t want the game to end.”
His words are both sentimental and haunting, possibly foreshadowing somber things to come.
The episode finds Jean-Luc overseeing operations at Chateau Picard in La Barre, France. Fans of TNG won't be surprised see the character living life as a vintner in his later years.
It is a wonderful way to start off the series, and serves as a nice juxtaposition to the typical “Star Trek” environs.
Picard has a pet pitbull he calls “Number One” — a loyal companion in an otherwise listless life.
The story shifts to a girl (likely in her late teens) spending time with her boyfriend in Boston. Her name is Dahj (Isa Briones) and she has just been accepted to the Daystrom Institute of Advanced Robotics.
Dahj's world is turned upside down when three black-clad figures “beam” into her apartment, kill her boyfriend, attach some sort of electronic device to her forehead, and declare “she hasn't activated yet” as they pin her down on her coffee table.
One of the men (through his dark mask) asks, “Where are the rest of you? Where are you from?”
Dahj is utterly confused as they put a hood over her head, but a moment later she kicks into gear and takes down her attackers with a series of martial arts heroics and gun work that would make Sydney Bristow proud.
She has a vision of Picard, flees her apartment, and manages to track him down in France.
Upon meeting the girl, Picard has a renewed sense of purpose in life. It’s a mystery that 1940s-era detective Dixon Hill (a character Picard liked to play on the Enterprise’s Holodeck) would have found worthy of investigation.
We soon learn (during a broadcast interview with a news reporter at the chateau) that Admiral Picard left Starfleet after the tragic events surrounding the “Romulan supernova.”
Years before the events in “Star Trek: Picard,” Starfleet learned that the Romulan sun was going to explode. Picard called for a massive relocation of 900 million Romulans. He believed they had “a profound obligation to help.”
Critics questioned whether the Federation should dedicate resources toward helping its oldest enemy. The rescue efforts were ultimately approved and Picard left the Enterprise to command the rescue armada — 10,000 warp-capable ferries.
Picard compares the efforts to Dunkirk in World War II.
Unfortunately, a group of “rogue synthetics” (androids) hacked Mars’s defense net, which wiped out the rescue armada — completely destroying the Utopia Planitia Shipyard. Because of the actions of the “rogue synthetics,” Starfleet has banned androids.
The only reason I mention this information in detail is because it serves to illustrate why Picard has the life he has at the vineyard.
Picard believes banning synthetic life forms was a mistake.
This information ties into Picard’s past experiences with Lt. Commander Data, as well as with the girl Dahj — who we later learn is an advanced synthetic (with an uncanny resemblance to a girl in one of Data’s oil paintings, titled Daughter).
Every so often I pull up the HD versions of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” on Apple TV and watch an episode before bed. A few weeks ago, I happened to watch the episode “The Offspring” (which first aired March 13, 1990).
(I mainly watched it because it was next in the queue after one of my favorite episodes “Yesterday’s Enterprise”).
In “The Offspring”, Data creates an android in his own likeness — a girl named Lal.
As I was watching “Star Trek: Picard,” I was happy that I serendipitously watched that episode from 1990. It seems like a number of the ethical and existential questions posed in that episode will be explored in the new series.
It is nice to see Jean-Luc Picard back in fine form. A number of interesting things happen in the first episode as Picard looks into the origins of Dahj.
There is a fun sequence where Picard visits the Starfleet Archive Museum in San Francisco. While there, he looks at his “quantum archive” (only he has access to it, and it’s locked in stasis).
Obviously, there are a lot of little “fan service” moments in his personal archive, including the “Captain Picard Day” sign that appeared in the 1994 episode “The Pegasus.”
But the fact that he’s looking at the archives to find a possible clue regarding Dahj’s identity makes the moment of “fan service” relevant to the overall story.
That’s the genius of the first episode of “Star Trek: Picard.” It is deftly crafted and takes a light touch approach that works brilliantly.
Ultimately, Dahj is killed at the hands of Romulan agents at the end of “Remembrance,” but we learn she is one of a pair of twins. We briefly see the twin (Soji) at a Romulan Reclamation Site.
By the way... why the hell is the “Romulan Reclamation Site” a Borg Cube???
One of the questions people will inevitably ask is whether “Star Trek: Picard” can be enjoyed by people who weren’t fans of “Star Trek: The Next Generation.” It’s a relevant question considering the fact that there are subtle nods to the past series and movies. I would say that fans of all stripes can enjoy it, but I think the show is far more layered if you have a familiarity with the characters and some of the backstory.
I’m just happy to see Jean-Luc Picard back in action. While the character might have seemed like a “benign old codger” (as he described himself at the beginning of the first episode), he shows that he’s as dependable as a hot cup of Earl Grey tea.
At one point in “Remembrance,” Picard’s Romulan assistant Zhaban (Jamie McShane) encourages him to “be the captain they remember.”
Not only does he show himself to be the captain we remember, he reminds us that he’s the captain we need.
I guess I should have known something was amiss when I started Lee Child’s 24th Jack Reacher novel “Blue Moon” a few weeks ago.
I can’t quite put my finger on why I felt that way as I plunged into the narrative. For some reason, the “feel" just seemed different than your typical Reacher novel.
As I flipped the pages, I wondered if Child was intentionally shaking things up, or if he’s just run out of steam (more on that later).
Readers of this blog know how much I love Child’s Jack Reacher series. Each novel in his library is the literary equivalent of a hearty breakfast of fried eggs, bacon, hash browns, and black coffee (a meal dependably served at diners across the fruited plain — favorite haunts for Reacher).
This time out we find Reacher traveling on a bus (something the former military police officer is apt to do) when he spots a fellow passenger scheming to rob a sleeping traveler who has an envelope full of money in his pocket.
The bus is exiting the highway for its first stop of the day. Reacher (who has no place to be) decides to depart the bus at the depot. Curiosity is his motivation — he wants to see if the unwary passenger toting the money gets mugged.
Reacher being Reacher, he helps thwart the mugging attempt. The man with the cash is older and he gets scraped up in the process. His right leg is sore, which makes it difficult to walk.
The man’s name is Aaron Shevick. The cash is for a payment he needs to make at a bar before noon.
Shevick doesn’t want to say what the payment is for, but our protagonist soon deduces the gist of the situation. Shevick owes money to a loan shark, and sold off his Chevy Caprice to raise the funds — hence the reason he was on the bus with Reacher.
At first, Shevick shuns Reacher’s offer to help him walk to his destination, saying he can’t bring anyone along. But he soon realizes he won’t make it in time if he doesn’t get assistance walking (and the payment increases after 12 p.m.).
Pretty intriguing setup, right?
I’m not going to give away any spoilers this review.
The city they are in goes unnamed throughout the story, but it is shaped like a pear and controlled by the Ukrainian mob and the Albanian mob (with both crime organizations controlling separate halves of the city).
Reacher eventually learns why Shevick is indebted to mob loan sharks. We find out in fairly short order. We also learn that Shevick is married and has an adult daughter.
Reacher wants to aid the Shevicks during their time of crisis. That effort eventually pits our hero against the Ukrainians and the Albanians — meaning Reacher gets himself embroiled in a full-on mob war.
I’ll be honest, I found the reasoning behind Shevick’s money woes to be somewhat contrived. It’s not that the underlying reason lacked resonance in today’s society.
Rather, the way it was presented didn’t seem particularly credible. At first, I thought it might be a “cover story” for the real reason the Shevicks were indebted to the mob. That, however, was not the case.
As usual, Reacher stumbles across a number of interesting characters who weave their way though the narrative.
Early on, Reacher meets a waitress named Abby Gibson. She works at one of the mob-controlled night clubs. Before we know it, Abby’s fate becomes intertwined with that of Reacher and the Shevicks.
She wasn’t nearly as well developed as some of the other female protagonists Reacher has teamed up with over the years.
Abby is friends with a couple of struggling musicians (Frank Barton and Joe Hogan) who assist Reacher along the way.
One of the more interesting characters in “Blue Moon” is a former tank commander named Guy Vantresca. He's introduced to Reacher because his language skills are needed for the translation of Ukrainian text messages.
Despite a number of “Reacher tropes” strewn throughout the “Blue Moon,” the whole is not greater than the sum of its parts. Therein lies my disappointment.
A comment Abby makes during the story sort of sums up my feelings: “It’s like one movie is playing in slow motion, and the other one is running all speeded up.”
Most authors of series fiction have entries that are better than others. That’s to be expected.
Child, who is 65, told The Bookseller, that “I love my readers and know they want many, many more Reacher stories in the future. I would love to make that promise, but realistically I am aging out of being able to keep it up. A few more, maybe, but not many, many more.”
Andrew Grant is 15 years younger than his brother. Child told The Bookseller, “we’re going to work on the next few together, and then he’ll strike out on his own.”
This made me wonder if the two brothers had *already* collaborated on “Blue Moon” — maybe as a trial run for the shift in duties.
I have no evidence of that, but the thought crossed my mind upon hearing the news. It is kind of sad that Lee Child will no longer be at the helm of the Jack Reacher novels. It is a terrific series and Reacher is one of the most compelling protagonists of our day.
“Blue Moon” is fairly entertaining, but lacks the spark Child has consistently brought to the series.
I found the story of competing mob bosses to be hard to keep straight at certain times. I would periodically ask myself, “Is this guy in charge of the Ukrainians or the Albanians?”
The notion that mob henchmen would be roaming every street of a sizable city — as if the 21st century is like Al Capone’s Chicago in the 1920s — lacked verisimilitude.
That’s why Reacher novels are typically best when they take place in small, rural places that lay off the beaten path. Tiny dots on the map don’t attract the attention of prying eyes. That’s what makes them terrific fodder for mystery and intrigue.
Reading a new Lee Child novel is a highlight for me each year. My mom introduced me to the series in 2006, and I’ve enjoyed following the exploits of Reacher ever since.
The next Reacher novel will be titled “The Sentinel” and it will be published on Oct. 27, 2020.
“The Sentinel” will apparently see Reacher in Nashville, Tennessee, aiding a music band that has been cheated by a local bar owner.
I hope Andrew Grant is able to get the series traveling in the right direction. So much of Lee Child is infused into Reacher. It'll be fascinating to see where things go from here.
My fellow Nebraskans will remember the storm that paved way for historic flooding in our state in March 2019.
I am writing this blog post on Jan. 23, 2020. Forecasters are already talking about the potential for flooding in our state as ice on vital waterways thaws this spring.
The storm system that hit the state mid-March 2019 has been described as “historic.” The snowfall was particularly troublesome in the northeast part of Nebraska — and had tragic effects for a significant number of communities located near the Niobrara, Platte, and Missouri Rivers.
The storm was referred to as a “mid-latitude cyclone” (or “bomb cyclone”), bringing strong winds and precipitation. This particular storm strengthened rapidly.
The weather system brought wet snow, rain, and 40 to 60 mph winds. The lingering snow and ice from February didn’t help matters. To at insult to injury, the ground was frozen, meaning the earth couldn’t absorb the additional moisture.
The results proved devastating for a number of towns, villages, and hamlets strewn across the eastern part of the state. The communities impacted included a number of familiar places within spitting distance of the Omaha metropolitan area.
Nature’s destructive power also decimated smaller communities located off the beaten path, in remote parts of the state. Homes and businesses were lost, dams disintegrated, and vital roadways were washed away.
NET Nebraska produced a terrific documentary called “And The Floods Came” that chronicles the influx of moisture. The film is available on the NET Nebraska website, the PBS app, and NET’s YouTube channel.
Here is the full documentary on YouTube:
“And The Floods Came” was the subject of the Omaha Press Club’s Noon Forum on Jan. 23, 2020. NET Senior Producer Bill Kelly presented the documentary and discussed its production with attendees.
“Many media organizations had difficulty getting around the state,” said Kelly. “In this day of reduced media resources, there weren’t as many boots on the ground.”
As a result, NET culled footage taken from a variety of sources, including video shot by residents, businesses, and emergency service personnel in the communities that experienced the brunt of the flooding.
“There were 53 individuals and businesses that you saw their footage,” Kelly said about the finished documentary. “There were 100 to 150 others that contributed.”
"I’m proud of that, but I also think it’s a real interesting sign of how, for journalists, storytelling is changing. It’s just people who are, in effect, taking home movies, but they don’t realize how important that is.”
I’ve talked before on this blog of the role the responsibility people have — as “citizen journalists” — in today’s news cycle. The abilities that technology enables (compared to even a decade ago) allows for vital “man on the scene” content.
I try to take photos and videos on my iPhone with a “landscape/horizontal” orientation because the image will be formatted properly for platforms like YouTube on 16:9 TV screens.
Kelly concurs with that sentiment.
“If you are ever in the middle of some crisis or big news event — or even with your own home movies,” said Kelly, “don’t ever shoot vertically (turn your phone and shoot horizontally).”
“And The Floods Came” focused largely on smaller communities further afield from big population centers like Omaha. Among the communities featured were St. Edward (population 796), Verdigre (population 575), Lynch (population 245), O’Neill (population 3,705), and Dannebrog (population 303).
Anthony Ruzicka — one of the farmers effected in the northern part of the state — described the floodwaters as looking like “an ocean.”
The flooding impacted vital structures like Spencer Dam (providing hydroelectric power in Boyd County) and Cooper Nuclear Station in Brownville, NE (the largest single unit electrical generator in the state) where my brother-in-law is an engineer.
In addition, the floodwaters impacted travel on Interstate 29 and Highway 75 for many months north and south of Omaha.
Kelly wishes the documentary could have spent more time in Sarpy and Cass County (along the Missouri River). He made the decision to focus on smaller communities because he liked the idea of spending more time focusing on areas receiving less news coverage at the time (that needed the attention). Had the resources been available, he believes NET could have done an interesting 90-minute program.
My friend Christopher Marlowe (a high school classmate) runs Marlowe Family Farms — a sustainable farming operation in Anoka, NE. His home and business suffered when Spencer Dam was destroyed during the 2019 floods (the damage took out the rural water pipeline that supplied Boyd and Holt Counties with water).
Bridget set up a GoFundMe to help with Marlowe’s rebuilding efforts. Specifically, the fundraiser was put together to rebuild a dam on Marlowe’s property in conjunction with the USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service–Nebraska (NCRS). The NCRS picked up 75 percent of the cost, but Marlowe had to pick up the other 25 percent (~$5,000). The fundraiser is designed to help with that expense.
“Our state did a pretty remarkable job,” said Kelly. “The federal government did step up. There was a lot of grumbling, but they did step up.”
Bridget and I donate annually to NET Nebraska and enjoy seeing important programming like “And Came The Floods” on our PBS affiliate. This sort of in-depth coverage (that goes beyond the soundbite) is a meaningful resource in our world today.
The destructive effects of the 2019 floods are still being felt in Nebraska. Entire towns still can’t be occupied (Winslow, NE is looking at relocating the whole town). In addition, sand transported by floodwaters has made certain lands "un-farm-able."
“And The Floods Came” is a documentary reminding us all that nature’s destructive power can last for generations. It also illustrates how communities — with a unified purpose — can rise to the occasion and lift up neighbors, friends, and family during a time of crisis.
