A weekend remembered

Stranger Things 4

I didn’t have the time or inclination to watch Volume 1 in one session. I did two-a-days starting on Friday and watched the finale yesterday. The first death of the season surprised me, and the first near-death enthralled (and ultimately disappointed) me. The identity and origin of the Big Bad fooled me, for the most part. I expected this season to be more scary, especially compared to the prior season, and it proved to have a more unsettling direction.

Top Gun: Maverick

I watched Maverick on Sunday afternoon. The theater was nowhere close to being full, but that was my preference. A cursory glance showed a few dozen older people and some kids. The adults probably remembered the original’s cultural impact, and everyone certainly admired this sequel’s aerial footage. The climax was exciting, and Maverick’s protective maneuver was memorable and even moving. I missed the Maverick-knows-best scene.

Champions League final

I listened to this game on BBC5. I was leaning toward Liverpool because I wanted Mohamed Salah to avenge his injury from Sergio Ramos’s questionable foul four years ago. On the other hand, I also wanted Gareth Bale to be a super-sub and be the deciding factor likein that final. Vinicius Junior was the unlikely lone goal-scorer, but Thibault Courtois earned Man of the Match. I wished that he was helping his prior club re-create its 2012 glory.