Cod Almighty | Diary

Twisters

30 August 2024

Your A46 Diary had some fun at the pictures last night with the film Twisters. Twisters isn't a film about tornadoes. It's about the indomitable human spirit, courage over adversity, recovery after trauma, the little guy triumphing against the wicked capitalist etc. It's a tale Dickens would've been proud of. Yes, the little guy was able to compete in the dog-eat-dog world of cinema box office with a meagre budget of $155m. A tale to rival the romance of Wrexham. Or Chelsea. Or the Marvel juggernaut-romance that is Man City.

The male lead, Glenn Powell's Tyler Owens, has become a YouTube sensation as a self-styled "tornado wrangler". If you haven't seen it, imagine a cowboy with a truck to chase storms. Whatever you're imagining, no matter the stereotype, that's him. Anyway, a bucket full of charisma and a can-do attitude makes for some enjoyable movie moments, even if he is a somewhat cliched foil for the 'girly swot' cliche of Daisy Edgar-Jones's Kate Carter. The two of them combine science, charisma and a clear moral centre to save the day from those rampaging twisters.

These larger than life individuals are better in fiction. If the rise of the head coach over the all-powerful manager has had one benefit, it is that we no longer have to suffer the deadline day fetishisation of the transfer wrangler, the Play-Do face of the not-quite-proven-guilty Redknapp staring up at us through his car window, winking like a footballing Del Boy and shifting himself in his seat to get a little comfier (yes, a cheap gag about the stuffed envelopes in his back pocket), even as he and his ilk complete their meat market melodramas.

So, will I be ignoring this ridiculous day? Of course not. Blood is as attractive now as it ever was. I enjoyed Twisters. I will enjoy today, the rumours, the twists, the over-excited radio pundits, my own moral high ground.

Town already have Jayden Luker signed on loan for the rest of the season – nice young man, can't wait to begin his "next chapter", likes to score, likes to drive forward, wants to impress the fans – and the rumours swirl of more. A striker would be nice. A deep midfielder who can stamp his presence (happy birthday, McEachran – oh, hi, Khouri!). A fullback who can stop the cross (oh, hi, Khouri!). A wide player to come off the bench and affect the game. It's a long list and long day for the money wranglers. Watch it, bit try not to enjoy it. Blood should be losing its attraction, shouldn’t it?

Is today the most obscene day in the season? From our point of view, I guess that depends on who else we might sign and how Luker turns out. If he makes a positive impact tomorrow against Bradford, then then our melodrama will have been Hollywood-fabulous and twister-tastic, darling!