Memorial Day 2026

Today is Memorial Day. This federal holiday is specifically for the appreciation and mourning of soldiers who died serving in any branch of the United States' Armed Forces. I feel a great gratitude for anyone who is dedicated enough to this country that they would die in its service. I feel I am far too cynical, far too let down by those who have power in America, and (to be frank) way too out of shape to ever serve our country in the military, let alone lose my life doing so. 

Even if throughout the years there have been plenty of politicians who have tried to warp this nation into whatever they want, the American dream persists, and it is a dream that survives thanks to our military being ready to defend it. You can despise those who currently have control over the military in our nation (you all know my feelings on Donald Trump and this current Iran war), but still deeply appreciate the men and women in service to our country. The point of today is to commemorate those who are no longer with us, due to all they gave for America. I hope everyone has a thoughtful Memorial Day.

"Mortal Kombat II," Delayed...To Set it Up for Success?

Normally, when a movie is delayed, it is for problematic reasons. It is taking a lot longer to complete, for example. That, or the studio doesn't believe it will do well and wants to dump it in a quiet season, and so forth. Many times a flick gets pushed back or shelved for months or years due to how a studio lacks any hope for it. To delay a movie because you think it will do better than you initially thought, though? Well, that's a bit interesting to hear. Hence, we have, "Mortal Kombat II," going from being due this October to getting delayed about seven months to May--blockbuster season.

There were, "Mortal Kombat," movies in the 90s, but during the height of the COVID-era, "Mortal Kombat," reboot landed in theaters and on streaming about the same time and did pretty well. A sequel focused on the character Johnny Cage (played by Karl Urban) has been in the works for some time, and early buzz has been good--really good. The internet trailer has gotten tons of views, early small-scale screenings received a lot of buzz, and with, "Avengers: Doomsday," delayed from May of 2026 due to how much time and money it is taking (the usual reason things get pushed), that slot is wide-open. Hence, Warner Bros. and New Line are moving, "Mortal Kombat II," back due to optimism that it could make even more money as a Summer popcorn flick as opposed to being in the October dumping ground.

It is annoying that a flick--one which is totally done and looks decent--is getting delayed, but if a studio is doing this because it believes in a flick, that is weirdly almost heartwarming--even though at the end of the day any changes are all about maximizing profits. It is a bummer we can't see Karl Urban and friends fighting in, "Mortal Kombat II," for Halloween, but at least we can enjoy the movie closer to Memorial Day of 2026.

Have a Thoughtful Memorial Day

Memorial Day is a bit of an odd holiday. Some people view it as a three-day weekend and enjoy barbecuing or hanging out. Other people use it to commemorate loved ones who were lost in battle and it is an extremely somber, "Holiday," for them. It often occurs around my birthday which can make having a party complicated as a chunk of folks are busy on trips or such with Memorial Day unofficially kicking off Summer. Whether Memorial Day is more of a fun holiday for you or one of remembrance, I hope you have a good and thoughtful day!

Happy Memorial Day!

Today is Memorial Day. We honor our fallen soldiers who died defending our Nation. I often do not agree with the military decisions our country makes, but I support our troops who follow those sometimes-inane orders to their best abilities in an effort to protect us all. It's not just a day off, it is a day to remember why we have our freedoms.