Saturday Evening Movie Thread: Holidays at the Extremes II [moviegique]

Last time, I noted a bunch of movies I had gone to in the recent weeks, and ran out of room: At casa 'gique, we're back to pre-lunacy moviegoing levels, for as long as movie theaters manage to stay open.

"Everybody act natural."

The Holdovers. If I say "Paul Giamatti portrays a curmudgeon in his latest role", the reader could be forgiven for not knowing what year it is precisely. (Is Win-Win the only laid-back Giamatti role?) But in fairness, his curmudgeons are different one to the next: The misanthropy of Harvey Pekar (American Splendor) is not at all the irascibility of Miles Raymond (Sideways) or the all-out comic villainy of Hertz (Shoot 'em Up). So it is with Paul Hunham, the quiet defender of academic integrity at the religious prep academy Barton.

The year is 1970, and Hunham has been assigned the duty of babysitting the "holdovers", kids whose parents didn't pick them up for Christmas break. (Hunham was going to stay anyway, but only to read mysteries.) His assignment is punishment for failing a Senator's son.) One of the students is Angus, a particularly snotty senior who is, nonetheless, the only kid in Hunham's class who actually gets good grades. One of the fabulously rich parents shows up to take them all on a helicopter to a snow resort—all except Angus, because they can't get ahold of Angus' parents.

It's an entertaining slice-of-life, as we learn the truth about Hunham and Angus, and also get a little inside to the life of the black cook, whose son went to Barton only to go off to Vietnam and get killed. There are a lot of progressive rakes to step on, and this movie largely avoids them. In the end, our three leads get their own character arcs, like real people rather than stock props.

This one gets the rare 'gique's mom Seal of Approval.

Nothing more awkward than posing for the family Christmas photo. Do you put the mistress next to the patriarch, or in-between the wife and eldest child?

The Lion In Winter. I saw this triple-Oscar winning film decades ago and absolutely loathed it. However, given Peter O'Toole, Katharine Hepburn, and young Anthony Hopkins and Timothy Dalton, I thought I should watch it again on the big screen. I didn't loathe it quite as much, and there are parts of the movie which are nigh unreadable on an 19" TV which are actually visible in the theater. It did not, however, jump up in my esteem like 'saw did.

My original impression still holds up very well: The trivialization, the edgy (for '69) presentation of royal amorality, the whole imposing of (probably your own) family dysfunction onto historical events—it's not for me.

And it's not particularly internally consistent, either. Early on we're treated to Henry and Eleanor discussing Henry's promiscuity which is limited neither to a particular sex nor even species, but a big punch line is that Richard is gay, and this is supposedly going to cause some sort of problem. I mean, make up your mind, at least, as to how you're going to distort history and stick to it.

Ultimately, there's no one to root for or care about in this thing, and whenever you think you might, it turns around and mocks you for it. But if you want 130 minutes of acting exercises by past and future masters, this is your huckleberry.

This is a Christmas movie. Christmas, 1183 AD.

TFW she says she's having crazy hot sex dreams about you and you know you can only disappoint her.

Dream Scenario. Based on a real hoax (or was it?), this movie tells the story of a man who, for no rhyme or reason, starts to appear in people's dreams all over the world. An intriguing starting point to a story, this A24 drama/black comedy (not horror, whatever the marketing is) gives us as a main character, a nebbishy mediocrity of a university professor (Nicholas Cage) who latches on to the mob adulation, though he's done nothing to warrant it.

The movie becomes an allegory for "viral fame", particularly when the unearned adulation becomes unearned disapprobation, as the professor's role in dreams becomes more violent. Our protagonist, who even in his dream state does nothing while events unfold around him, finally takes action and fails spectacularly at every turn.

It's not a happy movie, even at the end when we see that our protagonist very much wants to return to his old life, but can only confront even approaching that idea in his dreams. We found it entertaining but are not surprised to see it didn't make back its meager $10M budget. (It will probably recoup its costs in other ways, though.) Terrific acting from Cage and Julianne Nicholson in particular.

Not a Christmas movie.

This explains everything! (Or does it?) Also note: Christmas tree.

Deep Red (1975). I admit I struggle with Giallo. This movie, widely considered Argento's best, is emblematic of the transition of giallo from murder-mystery/slasher to more supernatural horror. Some movies you have to turn your brain off, but for Giallo you have to drive a stake through the corpus collosum and bury the two halves in separate consecrated graveyards.

A series of often memorable visuals and wonderfully chauvinistic '70s Italian dialogue is held together by this story: A psychic is demonstrating her powers when she senses a serial killer which nearly causes her to pass out. Later she realizes who the killer is and announces this on the phone while declaring she's saving the answer for her book.

She is, of course, promptly murdered, as is the next person who figures out who the killer is and announces that he's going to be coy about spreading the news. And the next person. And this is far from the only time I found myself brought up short by illogic.

Well, it's a deep, symbolic dream or something. I had fun watching it at the Alamo, though. Oh, the score is done by the guy who would go on to form Goblin, which would score a bunch more Argento films. (I don't dislike the Goblin music per se but I find it very unspooky.)

Argento's latest movie, Dark Glasses came out this year and was...fine. It made more sense than this, but "making sense" just isn't a criterion he is graded on.

A Christmas movie!

Godzilla's coming! And he's pissed!

Godzilla Minus One. Everything you've heard about it is true: It's a Godzilla movie where the humans are front and center, and Godzilla's effect on their lives is what's important. The main story is shamelessly manipulative (and the two "twists" are pretty obvious) but it all works anyway. In a world where prequels generally suck, this prequel to a prequel—well, I've seen it twice.

To me, the problem with kaiju movies is that the kaiju scenes are interminable. Pointless 20-minute segments of the army futilely shooting fireworks at a guy in a rubber suit, separated by some cheesy expository dialogue. This movie actually leaves you wanting more Godzilla, but not because he's invisible most of the time. Rather, you really feel the destruction, and you never know how he's going to strike—tail, claw, bite, breath (fun!)—and it's all devastating.

Many wonderful touches. The original music, for example, makes an appearance. What I especially enjoyed was the stock characters (the scientist, the captain, the "kid", etc.) are all fleshed out and given backstories. Not enough to bog things down but enough to where you care what happens.

The SFX are typical of Asian movies: They're less about trying to fool you and more about trying to please you. Might be the first time a subtitled Japanese film has been #1 at the U.S. box office. (For one weekend, this movie was #2 and The Boy and the Heron was #1.)

Something strange is in the air when the American-made Godzilla movies involve a super-power globalist quasi-governmental organization handling the kaiju and the Japanese one explicitly calls out the governments of the world as being useless and it takes a ragtag bunch of ex-Navy men to solve the problem.

Not a Christmas Movie.

A Canadian healthcare training video.

Raging Grace. This is a straight up gothic horror with the only twist being that the maid that comes to work at the creepy old mansion full of family secrets is an illegal Filipina with a child. Really good, with the exception of a completely unneeded harangue by said maid about how much the English need the Filipinas, not the other way around—immediately followed by a scene of "save me, whitey!" when immigration shows up.

It's a fine movie that makes it points quite well, then spells it out tediously, then tacks on an even less necessary coda. Worth a look anyway.

Not a Christmas movie.

Before "The Flash" was putting babies into microwaves.

Tokyo Godfathers (2003). This is "The Three Godfathers" but set in modern-day Tokyo. Instead of cowboys, you have three homeless: A middle-aged man with a mysterious past, a tragic trans character, and a runaway. One of four films directed by the late Satoshi Kon (Perfect Blue, Paprika, Millennium Actress), it reminded me how we used to have transsexual characters in movies and it was okay.

All of our characters are flawed and all of them exaggerate their own sins in their minds. A very human tale about redemption.

A Christmas movie.

A Christmas Story (1983). Leonard Maltin introduced this 40th anniversary presentation by saying this was a timeless movie and I couldn't help thinking how wrong that was. It's so very much of its time, I'm sure a lot of younger folks can't relate to it. From the macguffin of wanting a bb gun, to crowding around a radio, to waiting six to eight weeks for delivery or getting your mouth washed out with soap—this time is so far gone and was such a small window in eternity, even I have trouble remembering it.

It's fun, though. It builds nicely to a climax after which it just sort of peters out. It really could've used a quick sequel but I guess the studio didn't really care much about it.

A Christmas movie. The Christmas movie, some might say.

Joe Bob's Creepy Christmas: The Brain/The Gingerdead Man. A goofy, fun pair of movies that take place around Christmas, so, good enough. A shout-out for the charity auction: Bid on items of dubious historic value or buy some ridiculously overpriced merch with all proceeds going to charity.

Merry Christmas, everyone.

Posted by: Open Blogger at 07:32 PM

Comments

(Jump to bottom of comments)

1 Book 2 of my series coming out on Jan 7! Advance Reader Copies still available! (Email at i-at-dsblake.com)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CLKZ3RP2/

Posted by: moviegique at December 23, 2023 07:35 PM (asXVI)

2 From previous thread:

105 Hey a-rogue you must live close to me
I'm in N. Pomona
Posted by: MAxIE at December 23, 2023 07:18 PM (twxj3)

MAxIE - if you're still around - I'm in Huntington Beach.

There's a few of us Morons in So. Cal including one who got the ban-hammer....

Posted by: Anonymous Rogue in Kalifornistan (ARiK) at December 23, 2023 07:41 PM (QGaXH)

3 Just read MP4s second Theda Bara book. Are there any extant clips of her acting work?

Posted by: OrangeEnt at December 23, 2023 07:43 PM (Angsy)

4 Stuck listening to Michael Crawford doing “Christmas” “songs.”

I want to poke my ears out with an awl. Or drill holes in my brain where sound is registered.

Posted by: BurtTC at December 23, 2023 07:43 PM (jx/5S)

5 Uh-oh - what happened -where is everyone?

Posted by: Anonymous Rogue in Kalifornistan (ARiK) at December 23, 2023 07:43 PM (QGaXH)

6 Godzilla Minus One gave me heavy Jaws vibes.

Its definitely one of those films that you are going to rewatch many times no matter where you come into the film.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at December 23, 2023 07:43 PM (XV/Pl)

7 Rebel Moon is Battle Beyond the Stars but charmless and portentous.

It wants to be Seven Samurai for Star Wars for the 21st century, but it is Battle Beyond the Stars for edgelords.

Posted by: TJM's phone at December 23, 2023 07:47 PM (GBKbO)

8
I've always despised Katharine Hepburn, not just for playing Katharine Hepburn playing a role in every movie but for being celebrated for having an affair with Spencer Tracy.

Sorry. I'll see myself out.

Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at December 23, 2023 07:48 PM (MoZTd)

9 No chance getting to movies again for some time

Posted by: Skip at December 23, 2023 07:48 PM (fwDg9)

10 Uh-oh - what happened -where is everyone?
Posted by: Anonymous Rogue in Kalifornistan (ARiK) at December 23, 2023 07:43 PM (QGaXH)
---
Watching the ONE TRUE CHRISTMAS MOVIE:

Prometheus

Just kidding. Everyone knows it's Die Hard.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at December 23, 2023 07:49 PM (BpYfr)

11 Sorry. I'll see myself out.
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh at December 23, 2023 07:48 PM (MoZTd)

Don't go. You certainly won't be the only one with that opinion here....

Posted by: OrangeEnt at December 23, 2023 07:49 PM (Angsy)

12 Godzilla

Posted by: Jamaica at December 23, 2023 07:49 PM (Eeb9P)

13 3 Just read MP4s second Theda Bara book. Are there any extant clips of her acting work?
Posted by: OrangeEnt at December 23, 2023 07:43 PM (Angsy)

===

Four are still extant. The Stain (1914), A Fool There Was (1915), East Lynne (1916), The Unchastened Woman (1925).

Pretty much all of the rest were lost in the Fox vault fire.

Make sure to leave him a positive review on Amazon and Goodreads!

Posted by: TJM's phone at December 23, 2023 07:49 PM (GBKbO)

14 I am also in SoCal.

I actually saw Godzilla Minus One again today (second time) at the mall on December 23rd.

So I assume that's where everyone is: At the mall. Because ALL THE PEOPLE were there.

Posted by: moviegique at December 23, 2023 07:50 PM (asXVI)

15 "A Christmas Story" also suffers a bit from being episodic, but it's also true to life; this is not your fancy "Father Knows Best" home or family, a kid gets bullied, Dad can be gruff from behind the paper, and children long for Christmas. I still enjoy.

Posted by: JM in Ill -- Behold the Manchurian Candidate at December 23, 2023 07:51 PM (yO/qx)

16 Make sure to leave him a positive review on Amazon and Goodreads!
Posted by: TJM's phone at December 23, 2023 07:49 PM (GBKbO)

Don't miss tomorrow's Book Thread!!

I saw a story about Goodreads after I read the book. Apparently they're having fake review problems. Leftists are attacking the site.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at December 23, 2023 07:51 PM (Angsy)

17 14
So I assume that's where everyone is: At the mall. Because ALL THE PEOPLE were there.
Posted by: moviegique at December 23, 2023 07:50 PM (asXVI)

=====

Watching Gravity Falls with Junior while I drink some Writer's Tears Irish whiskey and wondering why I chose to watch Rebel Moon instead of Arsenic and Old Lace.

Posted by: TJM's phone at December 23, 2023 07:51 PM (GBKbO)

18 Evening.

Tokyo Godfathers was fuckin' great. I'd say less Christmas movie, cuz Japan, and more winter movie. Very wintery. Gotta watch when it's cold.

Posted by: Robert at December 23, 2023 07:51 PM (NEfe8)

19 Make sure to leave him a positive review on Amazon and Goodreads!
Posted by: TJM's phone at December 23, 2023 07:49 PM (GBKbO)

Don't miss tomorrow's Book Thread!!

Posted by: OrangeEnt at December 23, 2023 07:51 PM (Angsy)
---
Spoilers!

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at December 23, 2023 07:52 PM (BpYfr)

20 I actually saw Godzilla Minus One again today (second time) at the mall on December 23rd.

So I assume that's where everyone is: At the mall. Because ALL THE PEOPLE were there.
Posted by: moviegique at December 23, 2023 07:50 PM (asXVI)

People still go to malls?

Posted by: Robert at December 23, 2023 07:53 PM (NEfe8)

21 Watching Union of Salvation, longer version as it's in at leat 8 parts just under hour long each on YouTube

Posted by: Skip at December 23, 2023 07:53 PM (fwDg9)

22 Four are still extant. The Stain (1914), A Fool There Was (1915), East Lynne (1916), The Unchastened Woman (1925).

Posted by: TJM's phone at December 23, 2023 07:49 PM (GBKbO)

The second and fourth are on YT. Maybe Internet Archive has the other two.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at December 23, 2023 07:54 PM (Angsy)

23 I too struggle with giallo. I'm more of a rosso kind of guy.

I also don't love the genre of Italian slasher films outside of a couple examples like Suspiria.

Posted by: TJM's phone at December 23, 2023 07:55 PM (GBKbO)

24 10 Uh-oh - what happened -where is everyone?
Posted by: Anonymous Rogue in Kalifornistan (ARiK) at December 23, 2023 07:43 PM (QGaXH)
---
Watching the ONE TRUE CHRISTMAS MOVIE:

Prometheus

Just kidding. Everyone knows it's Die Hard.
Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at December 23, 2023 07:49 PM (BpYfr)

I've got Christmas Story on in the background - Ralphie, BB Gun, etc. I remember watching it first time on the plane on my way home for Christmas. Parents are gone now but the memory lingers...damn....getting dusty here....

Posted by: Anonymous Rogue in Kalifornistan (ARiK) at December 23, 2023 07:55 PM (QGaXH)

25 Sadly no subtitles or dubbing, just watch and try to figure out what's happening

Posted by: Skip at December 23, 2023 07:56 PM (fwDg9)

26 Ralphie’s mom.

Posted by: Eromero at December 23, 2023 07:57 PM (NxC5+)

27 >> People still go to malls?

RIGHT?! The last time I was there it was to see Medieval, and it was a freakin' ghost town!

The plan is to turn the whole section of the city into, like, a Logan's Run environment where you live, work and recreate all in one mass. I hate every part of the concept, and I hoped it was going to die but...maybe not.

>> and wondering why I chose to watch Rebel Moon instead of Arsenic and Old Lace.

We're ALL wondering that, really.

Though, okay, in the spirit of the season: You have to occasionally watch something new or you'd just be watching the same, great, thousand movies over-and-over again.

Actually, that doesn't sound that bad.

And of all new things, a Snyder film? Talk about putting coal in your own stocking.

Posted by: moviegique at December 23, 2023 07:57 PM (asXVI)

28 "The Shop Around the Corner" is on in a couple of minutes. Trying to decide if I want to watch it for the umpteenth time.

Posted by: Tuna at December 23, 2023 07:58 PM (oaGWv)

29 25 Sadly no subtitles or dubbing, just watch and try to figure out what's happening
Posted by: Skip at December 23, 2023 07:56 PM (fwDg9)

====

Frank Capra's first sound film, The Donovan Affair, no longer has a soundtrack. The sound was held on sound discs (records) instead of an optical soundtrack on the film itself. The film still exists, but not the sound.

Imagine trying to watch that.

Posted by: TJM's phone at December 23, 2023 07:58 PM (GBKbO)

30 Oh, I mentioned this on the last movie thread but I recently discovered a charmingly cute and intelligent reviewer of old movies who goes by the name Jerome Weiselberry.

Not her real name.

Anyway, she's a fantastic film reviewer. Did a whole series on Godzilla. All of them. But she's also a diehard Jane Eyre fan.

Definitely recommend checking her out.

Here's her Godzilla Minus One review.

https://youtu.be/jlzoDJ1NbG8

Random Harvest, which is more typical of her channel.

https://youtu.be/FRbTZZ2LiDk

Posted by: Robert at December 23, 2023 07:58 PM (NEfe8)

31 Looking forward to "The Holdovers" and to "Godzilla Minus One". Ah, the Japanese interminable shooting fireworks at the monster scene; I was bored as a kid in the fifties when this went on and on in the Japanese sci-fi film, "The Mysterians".

Posted by: JM in Ill -- Behold the Manchurian Candidate at December 23, 2023 07:59 PM (GlfRJ)

32 27 And of all new things, a Snyder film? Talk about putting coal in your own stocking.
Posted by: moviegique at December 23, 2023 07:57 PM (asXVI)

====

I don't hate Snyder, but he does seem to be getting worse as a filmmaker.

I was curious. I have Netflix. I had misadventures involving ceiling fans and needed to decompress.

Posted by: TJM's phone at December 23, 2023 08:00 PM (GBKbO)

33 28 "The Shop Around the Corner" is on in a couple of minutes. Trying to decide if I want to watch it for the umpteenth time.
Posted by: Tuna at December 23, 2023 07:58 PM (oaGWv)

====

Huzzah for Ernst Lubitsch!

Posted by: TJM's phone at December 23, 2023 08:00 PM (GBKbO)

34 Looks like East Lyme in on YT as well.

Not going to watch the full movies, I'll just skip around to see what her acting was like.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at December 23, 2023 08:02 PM (Angsy)

35 @32

>>I don't hate Snyder, but he does seem to be getting worse as a filmmaker.

He's a one trick pony and the one trick ran out after 300.

He should probably direct television, the budgets would constrain him and perhaps allow him to grow, because, realistically, the dude should never direct a motion picture ever again.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at December 23, 2023 08:02 PM (XV/Pl)

36 35 He should probably direct television, the budgets would constrain him and perhaps allow him to grow, because, realistically, the dude should never direct a motion picture ever again.
Posted by: Thomas Bender at December 23, 2023 08:02 PM (XV/Pl)

=====

I think he should be a visual effects supervisor. Maybe he could make cinematics for video games.

Posted by: TJM's phone at December 23, 2023 08:04 PM (GBKbO)

37 And of all new things, a Snyder film?
Posted by: moviegique at December 23, 2023 07:57 PM (asXVI)

Only movie of his I really liked was 300. Man Of Steel was okay. Everything else he does is pretty much trash. Sucker Punch, a movie starring nothing but cute girls with long legs, was boring as hell. Just...bluuuuuuhhhhhhh!!!!!!!

Strangely enough I've seen most of his films.

Team him with a real story teller. Let him just do action scenes. He's very good at action scenes. He's not a story teller.

Posted by: Robert at December 23, 2023 08:04 PM (NEfe8)

38 >> I don't hate Snyder, but he does seem to be getting worse as a filmmaker.

I honestly don't hate the guy either, but I kinda hate what he did to Superman.

>> I was curious. I have Netflix. I had misadventures involving ceiling fans and needed to decompress.

Well, I hope it helps. Somehow.

Posted by: moviegique at December 23, 2023 08:04 PM (asXVI)

39 38
Well, I hope it helps. Somehow.
Posted by: moviegique at December 23, 2023 08:04 PM (asXVI)

====

It didn't!

Now, Taskmaster reruns!

Posted by: TJM's phone at December 23, 2023 08:05 PM (GBKbO)

40 Ah, Lubitsch.

Lock me in a room with only "Shop Around The Corner", "Heaven Can Wait", "Ninotchka"...maybe "Bluebeard's Eighth Wife"...I'm happy.

Posted by: moviegique at December 23, 2023 08:06 PM (asXVI)

41 What kind of misadventures can one have with a ceiling fan?

*Imagination runs wild*

Posted by: Robert at December 23, 2023 08:06 PM (NEfe8)

42 40 Ah, Lubitsch.

Lock me in a room with only "Shop Around The Corner", "Heaven Can Wait", "Ninotchka"...maybe "Bluebeard's Eighth Wife"...I'm happy.
Posted by: moviegique at December 23, 2023 08:06 PM (asXVI)

=====

Gotta include the Maurice Chevalier/Jeanette MacDonald musicals! The Merry Widow and The Love Parade in particular.

But, his best is The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg.

Posted by: TJM's phone at December 23, 2023 08:07 PM (GBKbO)

43 ‘Dwead Pirwate Woberts!’

Posted by: Eromero at December 23, 2023 08:07 PM (NxC5+)

44 One of the things I liked in The Lion In Winter was the soundtrack. It is sort of neo gothic and fits the film beautifully.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here at December 23, 2023 08:08 PM (FVME7)

45 Glad you liked "The Holdovers" too! Maybe my favorite this year.

It was actually kind of subtle in showing class distinctions. Like, the kid who was whisked away in a helicopter by his dad who works for Pratt-Whitney, while the cook's son actually goes to Vietnam (brought to you by Pratt-Whitney, Dow Chemical, et al).

Posted by: All Hail Eris at December 23, 2023 08:09 PM (+RQPJ)

46 If you've not seen it, I recommend A Christmas Story Christmas. While not as good as the original, it is a worthy successor, and far superior to the other attempts to recapture the magic.

Posted by: No One of Consequence at December 23, 2023 08:11 PM (F4bAW)

47 @36

>>I think he should be a visual effects supervisor. Maybe he could make cinematics for video games.

Yeah, maybe that.

I think he just came up too late and probably would have been better if he had come up in the era of Zemekis, Scott, Spielberg and Lucas where you had to achieve you're vision practically.

Again, he should never be handed a movie budget higher than 15 million dollars.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at December 23, 2023 08:12 PM (XV/Pl)

48 Does The Holdovers have a naked fat guy attacking Paul Giamatti's car?

Because I'm vaguely interested in seeing the movie. Unless a naked fat guy attacks Paul Giamatti's car.

Posted by: Robert at December 23, 2023 08:13 PM (NEfe8)

49 17 14
So I assume that's where everyone is: At the mall. Because ALL THE PEOPLE were there.
Posted by: moviegique at December 23, 2023 07:50 PM (asXVI)

=====

Watching Gravity Falls with Junior while I drink some Writer's Tears Irish whiskey and wondering why I chose to watch Rebel Moon instead of Arsenic and Old Lace.
Posted by: TJM's phone at December 23, 2023 07:51 PM (GBKbO)

----------------------------

I've watched and re-watched Gravity Falls several times. Always a fun time.

Posted by: No One of Consequence at December 23, 2023 08:13 PM (F4bAW)

50 I saw a Whose Line clip on YT in which Colin Mochrie is a director giving instruction to Ryan Stiles et al. as they act out a scene. Colin assigned them to impersonate celebrities and Ryan was assigned to impersonate Paul Giamatti and, apparently, he didn't know who Giamatti was, at least not well enough to impersonate him. Giamatti became a punchline throughout the show. He probably wasn't too happy about it.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here at December 23, 2023 08:16 PM (FVME7)

51 26 Ralphie’s mom.
Posted by: Eromero at December 23, 2023 07:57 PM (NxC5+)

Ralphie's Mom > Ralphie's teacher.......

Posted by: Anonymous Rogue in Kalifornistan (ARiK) at December 23, 2023 08:18 PM (QGaXH)

52 Perhaps Paul Giamatti's least curmudgeonly role is as Ralph the cheerful limo driver in Saving Mr. Banks. He has been one of my favorite actors since his bit part in My Best Friend's Wedding as the hotel porter who tries to get Julia Roberts to extinguish her cigarette and ends up joining her. The guy just shines in whatever part he plays.

Posted by: BRWombat at December 23, 2023 08:18 PM (aikS1)

53 The Lion in Winter is *almost* as depressing as Robin and Marian.

Posted by: sven at December 23, 2023 08:19 PM (X0I7i)

54 Holdovers is a *fantastic* movie.

Posted by: sharksauce at December 23, 2023 08:19 PM (y7wyF)

55 Ultimately, there's no one to root for or care about in this thing, and whenever you think you might, it turns around and mocks you for it. But if you want 130 minutes of acting exercises by past and future masters, this is your huckleberry.

This is a Christmas movie. Christmas, 1183 AD."

As I've said before, I love the character of Henry II - he's everything you expect a semi-barbaric warrior king of the 1183 to be!

And there's another factor that seldom is mentioned, that looms behind everything here. It may appear to be just some Medieval soap opera, but there's a reason that we're still talking about this particular family 850 years later. This family - the actions of Henry II, Eleanor, Richard Lion Heart, Bad John, and the rest created, in a very real way, the framework on which all future developments in the English Speaking world were based.

Posted by: Tom Servo at December 23, 2023 08:19 PM (S6gqv)

56 Gotta include the Maurice Chevalier/Jeanette MacDonald musicals! The Merry Widow and The Love Parade in particular.||

I got 'em sitting right here but I've never seen them.

>> But, his best is The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg.

Bold statement! It is on the hot list.

Posted by: moviegique at December 23, 2023 08:20 PM (asXVI)

57 I saw "The Shift" this week, an interesting SF take on the story of Job.

As Kevin's life, job, and marriage unravels, he gets into a car accident and is pulled to safety by a mysterious man known as The Benefactor, who zaps him into a parallel reality. Kevin observes how terrified everyone is of The Benefactor in this other reality and realizes he is really the Devil. The Devil will grant him everything he desires if he will "shift" people around at the Devil's whim. Kevin refuses and suffers increasingly grim circumstances.

Neal McDonough was terrific as Old Scratch, by turns charming and vicious.

Posted by: All Hail Eris at December 23, 2023 08:22 PM (+RQPJ)

58 I was disappointed in this YT in which Spielberg discusses one of my favorite movies, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. Whatever you think about Spielberg, he knows movies. You wouldn't know it from this, though. (3 minutes)

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUqxhx4pHG0

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here at December 23, 2023 08:22 PM (FVME7)

59 >> It was actually kind of subtle in showing class distinctions. Like, the kid who was whisked away in a helicopter by his dad who works for Pratt-Whitney, while the cook's son actually goes to Vietnam (brought to you by Pratt-Whitney, Dow Chemical, et al).

It could have been so ham-handed. I was sorta worried it would veer off, but it kept things human and showed there are many degrees of "privilege".

There's a certain irony in the "nepo-baby" Giamatti being in that role, I suppose.

But people like him and Julia Louis-Dreyfuss kind of shoot that whole concept down, as a blanket term for rich kids.

Posted by: moviegique at December 23, 2023 08:22 PM (asXVI)

60 55 Posted by: Tom Servo at December 23, 2023 08:19 PM (S6gqv)

If you enjoyed it, and you can get past the stunt casting of the shrew in it the two halves of "The Hollow Crown" are worth a watch.

Posted by: sven at December 23, 2023 08:22 PM (X0I7i)

61 Snyder's "Dawn of the Dead" is excellent. Far better than the original.

But, yeah, wrong dude for DC and esp Superman. And yeah, he's lost his mojo as a director.

Posted by: naturalfake at December 23, 2023 08:23 PM (nFnyb)

62 56
>> But, his best is The Student Prince in Old Heidelberg.

Bold statement! It is on the hot list.

Posted by: moviegique at December 23, 2023 08:20 PM (asXVI)

====

Your Lubtisch education needs work! I mean, you can probably skip most of his German work (save The Doll and The Oyster Princess which are minor joys), but he did very well in Hollywood.

There's a reason Irving Thalberg essentially just let him do whatever he wanted at MGM, Billy Wilder worshiped him, and Wyler bemoaned no more Lubtisch movies at Lubitsch's funeral.

Posted by: TJM's phone at December 23, 2023 08:23 PM (GBKbO)

63 I drove by a movie theater today. Caught a glimpse of a few movie posters. Hadn't heard of any of the movies (I think one was called The Beekeeper).

Posted by: No One of Consequence at December 23, 2023 08:24 PM (F4bAW)

64 @58

>>Whatever you think about Spielberg, he knows movies. You wouldn't know it from this, though. (3 minutes)

So an inverse Tarantino?

Posted by: Thomas Bender at December 23, 2023 08:24 PM (XV/Pl)

65 Gravity Falls is pure genius. I need to rewatch it.

Posted by: All Hail Eris at December 23, 2023 08:26 PM (+RQPJ)

66 Why those particular Plantagenet's were so important: Henry and Eleanor were two dominant personalities who firmly established dominance of the nobility by the Monarchy (in their time) Richard and John were the men they raised them to be (this movie is a snapshot of the process) Richard was brave, but foolish, and abandoned his kingdom to John; John was so spoiled and arrogant, as he was taught to be, that he eventually inspired a revolt by all levels of society, which resulted in Magna Carta, which for the first time ever gave the early Parliament true fiscal power.

From those early beginnings rose all traditions of democratic government in the English speaking world, and eventually all of our democratic governments today. The Lion in Winter is a picture of the first few moments of what would grow to be a great avalanche.

plus it has a delightful, endlessly quotable script.

Posted by: Tom Servo at December 23, 2023 08:27 PM (S6gqv)

67 I saw "The Shift" this week, an interesting SF take on the story of Job.

As Kevin's life, job, and marriage unravels, he gets into a car accident and is pulled to safety by a mysterious man known as The Benefactor, who zaps him into a parallel reality. Kevin observes how terrified everyone is of The Benefactor in this other reality and realizes he is really the Devil. The Devil will grant him everything he desires if he will "shift" people around at the Devil's whim. Kevin refuses and suffers increasingly grim circumstances.

Neal McDonough was terrific as Old Scratch, by turns charming and vicious.
Posted by: All Hail Eris at December 23, 2023 08:22 PM (+RQPJ)
---
Heh. I just started reading "The Book of Joby" which is *another* take on the story of Job. That one story in the bible has had a lot of influence. Probably because of how it resonates with peoples' ideas of free will.

Posted by: "Perfessor" Squirrel at December 23, 2023 08:28 PM (BpYfr)

68 Is The Lion In Winter just Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf in a castle?

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at December 23, 2023 08:28 PM (63Dwl)

69 The music from The Lion In Winter is one of my favorite pieces of non-pop, non-metal music.
I've never sat and watched the movie as a whole as I can't stand CH but the title is definitely majestic and alluring.

Posted by: Ciampino - The title is also somewhat majestic at December 23, 2023 08:29 PM (qfLjt)

70 They should reboot The Lion In Winter updated to be about the Bidens. Needs an appropriate title, though.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here at December 23, 2023 08:30 PM (FVME7)

71 Ralphie’s mom.
Posted by: Eromero

Showed her moneymakers in 'Slapshot'. Nice!

Posted by: Tonypete at December 23, 2023 08:31 PM (x7plP)

72 >> Your Lubtisch education needs work!

One has limitations when one's movie viewing is largely constrained to actual movie theaters.

>> There's a reason Irving Thalberg essentially just let him do whatever he wanted at MGM, Billy Wilder worshiped him, and Wyler bemoaned no more Lubtisch movies at Lubitsch's funeral.

There was nothing like him before or since. It's like he took the screwball ethos and made human warmth out of it.

Posted by: moviegique at December 23, 2023 08:31 PM (asXVI)

73 Watched "Maestro", which is mostly about bisexual Leonard Bernstein's relationship with his wife. My favorite part was Lenny conducting Mahler; it felt like you were seeing the real thing. Bradley Cooper really captured his passionate conductor style.

Posted by: All Hail Eris at December 23, 2023 08:32 PM (+RQPJ)

74 They should reboot The Lion In Winter updated to be about the Bidens. Needs an appropriate title, though.
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here at December 23, 2023 08:30 PM (FVME7)

Thurmiprazuduhnumurfur.

Posted by: Joe Biden on a good day at December 23, 2023 08:32 PM (NEfe8)

75 70 The Lyin' in Winter

Posted by: MAxIE at December 23, 2023 08:32 PM (twxj3)

76 Last week I saw a Christmas Movie I had never seen before.

Die Hard.

Enjoyable, with plenty of plot holes.
Makes me want to carry hearing protection at all times, and wear shoes.

The heart of the movie was not Hans Gruber, but the satisfying arc of the relationship between John and Holly.

And yes, big city policemen leaders and the FBI have not gotten better.

Some critics tout it as the greatest action movie of all time. Uh ... no.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at December 23, 2023 08:33 PM (u82oZ)

77 72 There was nothing like him before or since. It's like he took the screwball ethos and made human warmth out of it.
Posted by: moviegique at December 23, 2023 08:31 PM (asXVI)

====

It's ironic you say that because screwball came up because of the imposition of the Hays Code, but when the Hays Office really started to enforce its code, Lubitsch became more restrained.

It is kinda funny that you end up focusing mostly on new stuff and I do the old stuff. It's almost like it was planned, but I don't think it was.

Posted by: TJM's phone at December 23, 2023 08:34 PM (GBKbO)

78 "Godzilla Minus One" is shockingly good.

Posted by: Taro Tsujimoto at December 23, 2023 08:35 PM (5YmYl)

79 >>I've never sat and watched the movie as a whole as I can't stand CH but the title is definitely majestic and alluring.

*me, sitting here trying to figure out who CH is for 30 seconds before realizing poster means KH*

>> Is The Lion In Winter just Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf in a castle?

I haven't seen Woolf, but I think so.

>> plus it has a delightful, endlessly quotable script.

135 minutes of family dysfunction.

I could see, at least, this time why some people might like it. It is very actorly. It's pithy, even though some of the pithiest lines are actually meaningless.

The whole movie, really, is meaningless. Eleanor comes, they family fights, a plot is foiled, everything goes back to the way it was, at least until Easter when they get together again.

I'll take "Becket" for my Peter O'Toole Henry II movies, thank you very much.

Posted by: moviegique at December 23, 2023 08:35 PM (asXVI)

80 Anonosaurus Wrecks

No. Just NO! The less I hear about the Bidens, the happier I am.

A movie on the failure of the Bidens about everything but being parasites would still not get me into a seat to watch.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at December 23, 2023 08:36 PM (u82oZ)

81 Is Minus 1 dubbed or has subtitles or what?

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here at December 23, 2023 08:36 PM (FVME7)

82 Last week I saw a Christmas Movie I had never seen before.

Die Hard.
Posted by: NaCly Dog at December 23, 2023 08:33 PM (u82oZ)

Die Hard Cherry status:

[ ] Unpopped
[X] Popped

Posted by: Joe Biden on a good day at December 23, 2023 08:37 PM (NEfe8)

83 A movie on the failure of the Bidens about everything but being parasites would still not get me into a seat to watch.
Posted by: NaCly Dog at December 23, 2023 08:36 PM (u82oZ)

Even if they all died at the end?

Posted by: OrangeEnt at December 23, 2023 08:38 PM (Angsy)

84 The Winter of Our Discombobulation

Posted by: Bertram Cabot, Jr. at December 23, 2023 08:38 PM (63Dwl)

85 || It's ironic you say that because screwball came up because of the imposition of the Hays Code, but when the Hays Office really started to enforce its code, Lubitsch became more restrained.

*shakes fist at Joseph Breen*

|| It is kinda funny that you end up focusing mostly on new stuff and I do the old stuff. It's almost like it was planned, but I don't think it was.

There are some uncanny parallels between us, as I have pointed out previously.

Just gotta up your Korean pop cinema game. And probably your Israeli cinema game. (And I need to be more vertically thorough, but that's gonna be hard because of the whole "have to see it in a theater" thing.)

Posted by: moviegique at December 23, 2023 08:38 PM (asXVI)

86 Is Minus 1 dubbed or has subtitles or what?
Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here at December 23, 2023 08:36 PM (FVME7)

Subtitled.

Posted by: Robert at December 23, 2023 08:38 PM (NEfe8)

87 || Is Minus 1 dubbed or has subtitles or what?

Subtitles. To quote the post:

"Might be the first time a subtitled Japanese film has been #1 at the U.S. box office. (For one weekend, this movie was #2 and The Boy and the Heron was #1.)"

Posted by: moviegique at December 23, 2023 08:39 PM (asXVI)

88 @81

>>Is Minus 1 dubbed or has subtitles or what?

Subtitles.

It's no Iron Chef. Which ironically made Iron Chef the phenomenon it became.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at December 23, 2023 08:39 PM (XV/Pl)

89 85 Just gotta up your Korean pop cinema game. And probably your Israeli cinema game. (And I need to be more vertically thorough, but that's gonna be hard because of the whole "have to see it in a theater" thing.)
Posted by: moviegique at December 23, 2023 08:38 PM (asXVI)

====

If Korea had any other filmmaker than Park Chan Wook, then I'd pay more attention!

/jk

Posted by: TJM's phone at December 23, 2023 08:39 PM (GBKbO)

90 69
KH

Posted by: Ciampino - The title is also somewhat majestic. at December 23, 2023 08:39 PM (qfLjt)

91 I wrote a Christmas carol for all of you Grinches who still can't accept the true meaning of Christmas. It's sung to the tune of "Sleigh Ride Together with You":

Oh, Yippee-ki-yay, motherf***er, Hans Gruber's outta luck and it's true,
Because John McClane's in the building and he's gotta lotta killing to do,
He's wasted Marco and Uli and Franco and Tony and Fritz
He's got the bag of detonators and that's giving Gruber the fits...

Posted by: Taro Tsujimoto at December 23, 2023 08:41 PM (5YmYl)

92 87 "Might be the first time a subtitled Japanese film has been #1 at the U.S. box office. (For one weekend, this movie was #2 and The Boy and the Heron was #1.)"
Posted by: moviegique at December 23, 2023 08:39 PM (asXVI)

=====

Surely during the Era of peak Kurosawa, there was a weekend when Rashomom or Seven Samurai was #1. Surely!

Posted by: TJM's phone at December 23, 2023 08:41 PM (GBKbO)

93 CHORUS

"Giddy up, giddy up, to the roof, let's go",
It's wired to blow,
To the Caymans all the bad guys think they'll go,
"Not so fast, not so fast, not so fast" says "Roy",
He's got a new toy,
"Now I have a machinegun,
Ho-ho!
Ho-ho!
Ho-ho-ho!"

Posted by: Taro Tsujimoto at December 23, 2023 08:41 PM (5YmYl)

94 Oh, "Shoot the glass!" said Hans, now John's got some bloodied-up feet,
While Al the cop made a stop, 'cause he needed lots of Twinkies to eat,
Then Theo cracked the code to the motherlode of bonds in the vault,
Because the Feds did meddle, so this miracle's the FBI's fault...

Posted by: Taro Tsujimoto at December 23, 2023 08:42 PM (5YmYl)

95 I like historical drama, and many modern productions get their characters ridiculously wrong. That's perhaps what I like about Lion in Winter the most; from what I've read, every one of the characters portrayed in that movie appear to be believable versions of the actual, real people. That's why I like the casting of Peter O'Toole and Katherine Hepburn so much in this one; both of them are constantly overacting and trying to steal the scene from the other one whenever they're together; and that appears to be exactly what the real Henry and Eleanor were actually like. (He kept her confined for leading a revolt against him, which she lost, even though they were still married)

Posted by: Tom Servo at December 23, 2023 08:42 PM (S6gqv)

96 Now it's a very merry Christmas for Holly and her friends in the biz,
(except for Mister Takagi and that douche Harry Ellis, that is...)
Because Al Powell shot Karl and John blew away all the rest,
That's why of all Christmas movies Die Hard is the absolute best!

Posted by: Taro Tsujimoto at December 23, 2023 08:42 PM (5YmYl)

97 The whole movie, really, is meaningless. Eleanor comes, they family fights, a plot is foiled, everything goes back to the way it was, at least until Easter when they get together again."

Is it too pretentious to say that it's a character study? Of come extremely significant characters.

Posted by: Tom Servo at December 23, 2023 08:45 PM (S6gqv)

98 "House of Saddam" (200

4 ep HBO miniseries. I enjoy movies about villains, and this has OT-level cruelty. Don't know how true it is, but the actors perform it well, except for a few extras who don't know how to shoulder a rifle. Trivia Q: which actress has the bassiest voice, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Suzanne Pleshette or Brenda Vaccaro?

Posted by: gp's Movie Laffs at December 23, 2023 08:45 PM (MvF+J)

99 OrangeEnt

Not even then. Damnatio memoriae

Posted by: NaCly Dog at December 23, 2023 08:45 PM (u82oZ)

100 @92

>>Surely during the Era of peak Kurosawa, there was a weekend when Rashomom or Seven Samurai was #1. Surely!

Sadly no.

This was Miyazaki's first number one film at the US box office, if you can believe it.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at December 23, 2023 08:45 PM (XV/Pl)

101 Christmas TV Short Series - "Happy" - Great fun for the whole family, except the children. First season only, as most it goes down from there.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at December 23, 2023 08:45 PM (cOq4q)

102 Evenin'
(sips coffee)

Posted by: Puddleglum at work at December 23, 2023 08:46 PM (AdHga)

103 Taro Tsujimoto

* Bravo *

Posted by: NaCly Dog at December 23, 2023 08:46 PM (u82oZ)

104 If Deep Red is the Italian movie Profundo Rosso as I think, it has an awesome soundtrack by Goblin.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at December 23, 2023 08:47 PM (lTGtQ)

105 Posted by: Taro Tsujimoto at December 23, 2023 08:42 PM (5YmYl)

Throws panties

Posted by: Slutty Groupies at December 23, 2023 08:47 PM (NEfe8)

106 104 If Deep Red is the Italian movie Profundo Rosso as I think, it has an awesome soundtrack by Goblin.
Posted by: Thomas Paine at December 23, 2023 08:47 PM (lTGtQ)

====

Correct.

Goblin also did the soundtrack for Suspiria, and probably others.

Posted by: TJM's phone at December 23, 2023 08:48 PM (GBKbO)

107 A Christmas Story (1983). Overrated. Grossly so.

I saw it and just don’t get the fuss.

Posted by: Catch Thirty-Thr33 at December 23, 2023 08:49 PM (lE1L7)

108 Just downloaded 'They Were Expendable'.
Write ups say, "the film is noted for its relatively accurate and detailed depiction of naval combat for the era in which it was made".

https://archive.org/details/they-were-expendable-1945

Posted by: Braenyard at December 23, 2023 08:49 PM (MFHSd)

109 Goblin also did the soundtrack for Suspiria, and probably others.

Posted by: TJM's phone

I made a custom best of playlist of Goblin using Profundo Rosso and Suspira. Some really good bass lines, and all instrumental.

Posted by: Thomas Paine at December 23, 2023 08:49 PM (lTGtQ)

110 Not even then. Damnatio memoriae
Posted by: NaCly Dog at December 23, 2023 08:45 PM (u82oZ)

Not enough of that anymore. We should bring it back.

Posted by: OrangeEnt at December 23, 2023 08:50 PM (Angsy)

111 Our local Googleplex is showing both the dubbed and subtitled versions of Gojira

Posted by: All Hail Eris at December 23, 2023 08:52 PM (+RQPJ)

112 Posted by: Tom Servo at December 23, 2023 08:42 PM (S6gqv)
-------------------

Ditto, The Lion in Winter

Posted by: Braenyard at December 23, 2023 08:52 PM (MFHSd)

113 Rashoman is also on my Top 10 all time list, for what may seem an unusual reason - I think it's the most realistic crime/detective story ever made. We always like to think of things having 2 sides, where we just have to decide which one is right and which is lying; but in Rashoman there are 3 different stories (actually 4, slyly) by different eyewitnesses, and each of them disagree with the other two. How can you figure out what actually happened? But in the real world, even today, this is the situation you run into far more than the binary one. Nobody tells the same story, and everybody lies, in part.

After several watchings, I've decided Kurosawa actually did give us the answer to what happened, but it's subtle and takes some thinking on the part of the viewer to get to it.

Posted by: Tom Servo at December 23, 2023 08:52 PM (S6gqv)

114 Just downloaded 'They Were Expendable'.
Write ups say, "the film is noted for its relatively accurate and detailed depiction of naval combat for the era in which it was made".

-
"relatively accurate and detailed depiction of naval combat for the era in which it was made"? Is this the movie equivalent of "she has a great personality"?

Actually, I liked it quite a bit.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks, Abandon All Hope Ye Who Enter Here at December 23, 2023 08:54 PM (FVME7)

115 107 A Christmas Story (1983). Overrated. Grossly so.

I saw it and just don’t get the fuss.
Posted by: Catch Thirty-Thr33 at December 23, 2023 08:49 PM (lE1L7)

I love it because it's a window into the America I grew up in, which is now lost and gone forever.

Posted by: Tom Servo at December 23, 2023 08:54 PM (S6gqv)

116 @113

>>Rashoman is also on my Top 10 all time list, for what may seem an unusual reason - I think it's the most realistic crime/detective story ever made.

Or as it's pronounced in English, The Usual Suspects.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at December 23, 2023 08:55 PM (XV/Pl)

117 || Is it too pretentious to say that it's a character study? Of come extremely significant characters.

No, I think it's the right level of pretentiousness.

And, again, as an actors' exercise, it's very...exercisey.

But no humans ever behaved this way, surely. I mean, John borders on pure camp.

"We all have knives. It's 1183 and we're barbarians."

I mean, that's kind of fun as a line, but it's absolutely imposing a very modern (196

POV on characters who would have eaten the cast of this movie for lunch.

Posted by: moviegique at December 23, 2023 08:56 PM (asXVI)

118 Ralphie's mom.

Posted by: Eromero at December 23, 2023 08:56 PM (NxC5+)

119 I love it because it's a window into the America I grew up in, which is now lost and gone forever.
Posted by: Tom Servo

The home I lived in until I was 6 was a dead ringer for the home in the movie. It conveyed the exact same feel. Cold, drafty, tempermental coal furnace - etc. The works.

Posted by: Tonypete at December 23, 2023 08:57 PM (x7plP)

120 A Christmas Story (1983). Overrated. Grossly so.

I saw it and just don’t get the fuss.
Posted by: Catch Thirty-Thr33 at December 23, 2023 08:49 PM (lE1L7)

It's a wonderful story of youthful greed.

Also, I think it's something you had to grow up with. I saw it no less than 250 bajillionty times as a kid.

Posted by: Robert at December 23, 2023 08:57 PM (NEfe8)

121 Or as it's pronounced in English, The Usual Suspects.
Posted by: Thomas Bender at December 23, 2023 08:55 PM (XV/Pl)

ha! Another one of my Top 10. I remember the first time I saw it, I kept noticing little discrepancies that didn't make sense, and I was thinking "well this film is kind of sloppy." And then the last 30 seconds explained every one of them brilliantly.

Posted by: Tom Servo at December 23, 2023 08:59 PM (S6gqv)

122 Actually, I liked it quite a bit.

Posted by: Anonosaurus Wrecks,
---------------

All the write ups say its good to very good.
John Wayne, Robert Montgomery (Elizabeth's daddy), Ward Bond and Donna Reed for starters.

Posted by: Braenyard at December 23, 2023 08:59 PM (MFHSd)

123 Way, WAY back in the day, PBS showed Jean Shepard's "Wanda Hickey's Night of Golden Memories", based on his short stories, and that's what a lot of "A Christmas Story" was based on.

Posted by: All Hail Eris at December 23, 2023 09:01 PM (+RQPJ)

124 122 All the write ups say its good to very good.
John Wayne, Robert Montgomery (Elizabeth's daddy), Ward Bond and Donna Reed for starters.
Posted by: Braenyard at December 23, 2023 08:59 PM (MFHSd)

====

It is.

Really feels like an ode to men Ford actually knew while working for the OSS during WWII.

Posted by: TJM's phone at December 23, 2023 09:02 PM (GBKbO)

125 I mean, that's kind of fun as a line, but it's absolutely imposing a very modern (196 POV on characters who would have eaten the cast of this movie for lunch.

Posted by: moviegique
--------------------

But Texas Chainsaw Massacre is realistic.

Posted by: Braenyard at December 23, 2023 09:02 PM (MFHSd)

126 What kind of misadventures can one have with a ceiling fan?
*Imagination runs wild*
Posted by: Robert

Will not support a bedroom swing. As math is not allowed, engineering would be heresy. Just trust me on this one.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at December 23, 2023 09:02 PM (cOq4q)

127 @121

>> And then the last 30 seconds explained every one of them brilliantly.

It's what you call, an earned ending.

The entire film is building and pays off masterfully in those 30 seconds.

It's like Shawshank in that regard.

Posted by: Thomas Bender at December 23, 2023 09:03 PM (XV/Pl)

128 "A Chrismas Story" - Didn't even put up my own leg lamp this year.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at December 23, 2023 09:04 PM (cOq4q)

129 I loved the Christmas Die Hard song. I sang along to my less than impressed wife.

Posted by: Corona exile-back_in_exile at December 23, 2023 09:05 PM (URIv5)

130 || If Deep Red is the Italian movie Profundo Rosso as I think, it has an awesome soundtrack by Goblin.

The girl doing the intro at the Alamo said it was pre-Goblin but IMDB disagrees.

I liked it more than usual.

As for foreign films at the box office, I want to say "Das Boot" was the first to crack the top 10 but I can't really back that up.

Posted by: moviegique at December 23, 2023 09:05 PM (asXVI)

131 Watched, The Maltese Falcon (1931) the other night. It's as good and in some ways better than the Bogart one.

Posted by: Braenyard at December 23, 2023 09:05 PM (MFHSd)

132 The home I lived in until I was 6 was a dead ringer for the home in the movie. It conveyed the exact same feel. Cold, drafty, tempermental coal furnace - etc. The works.
Posted by: Tonypete at December 23, 2023 08:57 PM (x7plP)

I grew up in a new house, but whenever we'd travel back to relatives in the midwest they all had houses like that. I remember having the run of them with cousins; I remember hiding in the dark under the stairs and trying so hard not to laugh when Grampa farted because we'd get in trouble for spying on him; I remember being dragged downtown to kind of goofy Christmas parades, and the Sears stores being decked out this decorations and costumes like no one would imagine today. And yeah, I remember my mom and dad being a whole lot like Ralphie's mom and dad.

Posted by: Tom Servo at December 23, 2023 09:06 PM (S6gqv)

133 TJM's phone

Wasn't Fold more an USN movie guy?

Posted by: NaCly Dog at December 23, 2023 09:07 PM (u82oZ)

134 Damn, missed a SpaceX launch. Got no notice of this one, going to the ISS. My apologies. Anyway launch was good. By the time we got yo the site it was already almost 2 minutes in the air.
Carrying people.

Posted by: Ciampino - No fanfare. at December 23, 2023 09:07 PM (qfLjt)

135 Not sure ever saw Maltese Falcon 1931

Better turn this off and get to normal schedule
Hope you all have a great evening

Posted by: Skip at December 23, 2023 09:07 PM (fwDg9)

136 134
Okay I was fooled - this was not live, it was a launch from a long while ago and I got hoaxed.

Posted by: Ciampino - No launch at December 23, 2023 09:09 PM (qfLjt)

137 133 TJM's phone

Wasn't Fold more an USN movie guy?
Posted by: NaCly Dog at December 23, 2023 09:07 PM (u82oZ)

====

If I remember correctly, he worked for the OSS but was embedded with the Navy.

Posted by: TJM's phone at December 23, 2023 09:09 PM (GBKbO)

138 132 The home I lived in until I was 6 was a dead ringer for the home in the movie. It conveyed the exact same feel. Cold, drafty, tempermental coal furnace - etc. The works.
Posted by: Tonypete
-------------------------

My aunt said she never had a warm nights sleep until she went to college. Me too.

Posted by: Braenyard at December 23, 2023 09:10 PM (MFHSd)

139 I will grant you that there are an incredible number of historical booboos, including the fact it never happened, in Lion in Winter, but there's a lot good in it, too. My favorite scene will always be Henry and Eleanor sweeping down the entry steps of Chinon, kicking the chickens out of their way. "My Lord!" "Your Grace!"

You have to remember that around the time the original play was written, it was a common belief that Richard was gay. He was unmarried and there are no first hand sources I am aware of that he had either a single or multiple mistresses. When he finally married Berengaria, I don't think he spent a lot of time with her, which is why John became King of England after Richard's death.

Posted by: Captain Josepha Sabin -- I stand with Israel and all Jews everywhere at December 23, 2023 09:10 PM (6TzTY)

140 115 Same here. The book "In God We Trust; All Others Pay Cash" is written by Jean Shepard, upon whose work the movie is based. He grew up in Hammond Indiana, and his reminiscences are close to mine living in Chicago in the 1950s.

Posted by: gp's Movie Laffs at December 23, 2023 09:11 PM (MvF+J)

141 {{{Captain Josepha Sabin}}}

Merry Christmas to you and your stalwart XO.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at December 23, 2023 09:12 PM (u82oZ)

142 || But Texas Chainsaw Massacre is realistic.

I'm actually pretty strongly in the anti-realism camp.

A subject like that of the royal family of 12th century England can be tackled a number of ways. The most popular of which is to mythologize: People have fun and they end up having more faith in the stories that prop up their culture.

The least popular way is to be realistic, of course. Realism is dry. Or it can be a kind of seasoning to a mythological tale. Mel Gibson likes to do that, even if people can't stop shrieking about the mythological parts.

TLiW takes the third approach, which is to neither be realistic nor to mythologize, but to use it as a launching point for whatever the author wants to do, which in the late '60s was invariably make a grody movie about grody people. This is often mistaken for realism by critics, who are themselves pretty grody.

And there's nothing wrong with any of these approaches, but the last approach, particularly in that era, is not something I get much out of.

Posted by: moviegique at December 23, 2023 09:12 PM (asXVI)

143 If I remember wiki correctly, Ford kept pushing way from directing the movie because he was filming Navy for the OSS.

Posted by: Braenyard at December 23, 2023 09:12 PM (MFHSd)

144 >>> Damn, missed a SpaceX launch. Got no notice of this one, going to the ISS. My apologies. Anyway launch was good. By the time we got yo the site it was already almost 2 minutes in the air.
Carrying people.
Posted by: Ciampino - No fanfare

When did it go? Live just far enough south of the Cape that by time we hear it it is gone... But if we know there is a launch we can see it pretty much the whole way.
Last night I stepped outside to take a leak (we need one more bathroom) and saw that one. Watched it until stage separation or go behind cloud cover. Didn't stay out long enough to even hear it.

Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher at December 23, 2023 09:12 PM (cOq4q)

145 got Die Hard all cued up to watch sometime tomorrow.

don't forget to leave a pair of shoes, some loose 9mm ammo, a pack of cigs (w/ book of matches) and twinkies in a heating duct!

( *lol*)

g'night everyone, & Merry Christmas Eve!

Posted by: sock_rat_eez - these lying bastardi e stronzi have been lying for decades at December 23, 2023 09:13 PM (kc18b)

146 {{{NaCly!}}} Same to you and your lovely wife.

Posted by: Captain Josepha Sabin -- I stand with Israel and all Jews everywhere at December 23, 2023 09:14 PM (6TzTY)

147 >>>Richard was gay. He was unmarried and there are no first hand sources I am aware of that he had either a single or multiple mistresses.
-----

Where's Richard?
Off somewhere killing people.

Posted by: Braenyard at December 23, 2023 09:15 PM (MFHSd)

148
But no humans ever behaved this way, surely. I mean, John borders on pure camp.

"We all have knives. It's 1183 and we're barbarians."

You're right, that's a very weak line, humorous but weak. Much better is "woman, would you give me some peace?" "Peace? Well why not Eternal Peace, there's an idea."

And I would say John's entire life bordered on pure camp - he actually, on one of his travels around the kingdom, lost the *Entire* treasury of the Kingdom of England in a swamp. He really did. Just think of how long lived the Robin Hood stories have been - that all started with Bad King John.

Posted by: Tom Servo at December 23, 2023 09:15 PM (S6gqv)

149 Sorry if this doesn't belong on this thread, but I had surgery on December 13th, so I haven't been following the blog very closely....

Did the lovely Delilah pass away?!?!? How awful! Can somebody tell me what happened / give me a link to where I can read about it?

Oh, how awful! To lose such a lovely and beloved member of the family, and so soon after she had retired / given birth to her puppies!

Posted by: Teresa in Fort Worth, Texas, AOS Ladies Brigade, Plucky Comic Relief at December 23, 2023 09:15 PM (SRRAx)

150 Thank you moviegique for another great Film Thread. Merry Christmas Horde!

Posted by: SuperMayorSuperRonNirenberg-Political Hack, Student Of All Things Buff, Like Me at December 23, 2023 09:18 PM (xvDSE)

151 149 but I had surgery on December 13th, so I haven't been following the blog very closely....

Posted by: Teresa in Fort Worth, Texas, AOS Ladies Brigade, Plucky Comic Relief at December 23, 2023 09:15 PM (SRRAx)

TiFW wishing you a speedy recovery and joyful Christmas.

Mrs. AriK had emergency surgery just before Thanksgiving 2022 so this time last year we were still in recovery mode.

Posted by: Anonymous Rogue in Kalifornistan (ARiK) at December 23, 2023 09:19 PM (QGaXH)

152 **I*ve always despised Katharine Hepburn, not just for playing Katharine Hepburn playing a role in every movie but for being celebrated for having an affair with Spencer Tracy.

Sorry. I*ll see myself out.
Posted by: Hadrian the Seventh**

Hey! Wait up, I am coming with you!

Posted by: SuperMayorSuperRonNirenberg-Political Hack, Student Of All Things Buff, Like Me at December 23, 2023 09:20 PM (xvDSE)

153 "A Chrismas Story" - Didn't even put up my own leg lamp this year.
Posted by: Itinerant Alley Butcher

Dummy! You're not supposed to take it down.

Posted by: MkY at December 23, 2023 09:21 PM (cPGH3)

154 149 Did the lovely Delilah pass away?!?!? How awful! Can somebody tell me what happened / give me a link to where I can read about it?

To answer your question - yes. It was apparently sudden and unexpected. I'm not smart enough to know how to find it/link to it.

Posted by: Anonymous Rogue in Kalifornistan (ARiK) at December 23, 2023 09:21 PM (QGaXH)

155 "Did the lovely Delilah pass away?!?!? How awful! Can somebody tell me what happened / give me a link to where I can read about it?"

She had a very aggressive cancer. If you haven't seen it already, there is a picture of her cute pups on the pet thread today.

Posted by: Tuna at December 23, 2023 09:21 PM (oaGWv)

156 I'm not saying anyone shouldn't enjoy TLiW, just explaining why I don't, which y'all can reduce to "You didn't like it and you're just making excuses about why."

Which is, indeed, all anyone ever does vis a vis movie reviews.

I don't think Richard was gay but I also think there's no way to know because history boils down to "everyone is lying all the time about everything". I've heard he had an illegitimate child but there are motivations to lie about that. And I've heard he was accused of rape on the Crusades, or some other campaign, and the accusations were from his enemies so...

TLiW made me think I wanted to write an alt-history where John was just a limited government guy and his enemies wrote all the stories about him to tarnish his reputation. ;-)

Posted by: moviegique at December 23, 2023 09:22 PM (asXVI)

157 63 I drove by a movie theater today. Caught a glimpse of a few movie posters. Hadn't heard of any of the movies (I think one was called The Beekeeper).
Posted by: No One of Consequence at December 23, 2023 08:24 PM (F4bAW)

Jason Statham kicks asses

Posted by: JM in Ill -- Behold the Manchurian Candidate at December 23, 2023 09:23 PM (RFrId)

158 On Monday, Paramount channel on cable is showing "Die Hard" at 11AM and 1:30PM.

Posted by: Ciampino - Grab bag ready at December 23, 2023 09:24 PM (qfLjt)

159 145 -- I somehow never got around to seeing Die Hard. We rented it from Amazon and watched it yesterday.

I never was much of a Bruce Willis fan, although I really like Blue Moon. My absolute favorite of his was RED. John Malkovich was a hoot, but Brian Cox stole that movie out from under the rest of the other cast.

Posted by: Captain Josepha Sabin -- I stand with Israel and all Jews everywhere at December 23, 2023 09:24 PM (6TzTY)

160 147 >>>Richard was gay. He was unmarried and there are no first hand sources I am aware of that he had either a single or multiple mistresses.
-----

He may have been much like his relative William Rufous, the son and immediate successor to William the Conqueror; I've thought his life could be an entertaining movie. William Rufous was notorious for not only never marrying, but for never allowing any women to be in his presence. He was of a bellicose temperament, the Church didn't like him, his nobles didn't like him, his brothers didn't like him. And then one day they were all out hunting and an arrow came out of nowhere and pierced his lung, and everyone said "Oh too bad so sad!" and no one even bothered to investigate. His brother Henry 1 seized the crown 24 hours later, but no one dared to speculate about who may have shot the fatal arrow.

Posted by: Tom Servo at December 23, 2023 09:24 PM (S6gqv)

161 real, compared to what?

Posted by: sock_rat_eez - these lying bastardi e stronzi have been lying for decades at December 23, 2023 09:24 PM (kc18b)

162 Merry Christmas,

*deep breath*

SuperMayorSuperRonNirenberg-Political Hack, Student Of All Things Buff, Like Me

And a happy new year!

Posted by: moviegique at December 23, 2023 09:24 PM (asXVI)

163 TLiW made me think I wanted to write an alt-history where John was just a limited government guy and his enemies wrote all the stories about him to tarnish his reputation. ;-)
Posted by: moviegique at December 23, 2023 09:22 PM (asXVI)

and people drag me for wanting to write about the hard money absolutist, Auric Goldfinger, attempting to stand up to the states' monopoly on violence in defense of their fiat money system.

Posted by: Kindltot at December 23, 2023 09:28 PM (D7oie)

164 Posted by: Teresa in Fort Worth, Texas, AOS Ladies Brigade,
-------------------

Are you back in Texas?
Hope you are doing well and heal up soon.

Posted by: Braenyard at December 23, 2023 09:29 PM (MFHSd)

165 Auric Goldfinger, attempting to stand up to the states' monopoly on violence in defense of their fiat money system.||

I think your time may be now!

Make it a musical, call it "Fisc!" or maybe "Fisced!" and boom, you got yourself a Broadway hit!

Posted by: moviegique at December 23, 2023 09:31 PM (asXVI)

166 Make it a musical, call it "Fisc!" or maybe "Fisced!" and boom, you got yourself a Broadway hit!
Posted by: moviegique at December 23, 2023 09:31 PM (asXVI)

that's good, it could work! Get some good heavy metal music for it too.

Posted by: Tom Servo at December 23, 2023 09:33 PM (S6gqv)

167 Sounds like The Lion In Winter would benefit from a libretto as done for Opera.

Posted by: Ciampino - libretto = Italian for small book at December 23, 2023 09:34 PM (qfLjt)

168 I watched Valkyrie last night, Tom Cruise & all, because I couldn't find a vein.

There are no Hollywood-bs faux pas in the film. Credit is due for that. But it seemed to me that the less a viewer knows about the underlying events, the more a viewer would enjoy it, & vice versa.

For those already pretty familiar with the events depicted, the film is rather... dull. Too documentary-like. Btw, Hitler is a minor character in this film, & the actor who got the role will never make the world forget Bruno Ganz in Downfall. Tom Cruise is perfectly OK. I was prepared to hate his performance, but I didn't.

I thought it was quite interesting that German film critics liked the film more than American critics.

Posted by: mnw at December 23, 2023 09:34 PM (NLIak)

169 160
'but no one dared to speculate about who may have shot the fatal arrow.'

I thought one Walter Tyrell was named as the shooter.

Posted by: Dr. Claw at December 23, 2023 09:35 PM (roH4R)

170 If a producer wanted to subvert Bond, it would be him realizing that he's become a tool against the British people and fighting against M.

However, Bond diehards would hate that, even if it was the sort of thing they'd love by paying attention to the movement of politics and intelligence over the past 20 years.

Posted by: TJM's phone at December 23, 2023 09:35 PM (GBKbO)

171 Now if you want to pick out a man with an extraordinary life try Henry's right hand man at arms, William Marshal. He has a little screen time in Lion in Winter. Great biography of him, "The Greatest Knight" by Thomas Asbridge. I've always wondered why no one has ever made a movie or mini series about his life.

Posted by: Tuna at December 23, 2023 09:36 PM (oaGWv)

172 3rd period

Sabres 2 / Rangers 3

A Christmas nail biter Jack …

Posted by: zombie Satchel Page at December 23, 2023 09:40 PM (TTAGa)

173 In somewhat related film news, I only have one more bit to add to my stupid animation to make it more stupid. I mean, complete.

Posted by: BeckoningChasm at December 23, 2023 09:42 PM (CHHv1)

174 Oh, crap, in a discussion of Christmas movies I forgot one I watched.

Last week I watched the 1984 made for teevee version of A Christmas Carol with George C. Scott.

Very good!

I didn't know it was made for tv when I bought it. When I was a teenager made for tv movies were schlocky garbage. It's easy for me to forget there was a time when they put real time and effort into these things and hired good actors. It was great! Enjoyed it thoroughly.

I watched it shortly after watching It's A Wonderful Life. I decided that It's A Wonderful Life is basically A Christmas Carol told from Bob Cratchett's point of view if Cratchett were a bitch that needed a good slap and if Scrooge was an irredeemable shitbag.

Posted by: Robert at December 23, 2023 09:44 PM (NEfe8)

175 Have a great night, everyone.

May you all thrive.

Posted by: NaCly Dog at December 23, 2023 09:44 PM (u82oZ)

176 173
'to my stupid animation to make it more stupid.'

Oh. I bet it isn't that stupid.

Posted by: Dr. Claw at December 23, 2023 09:45 PM (roH4R)

177 175

U 2, Salty.

Posted by: mnw at December 23, 2023 09:45 PM (NLIak)

178 3-3

Still lots of time

Go Sabres

Posted by: browndog not seeing a snowy Christmas at December 23, 2023 09:46 PM (TTAGa)

179 In somewhat related film news, I only have one more bit to add to my stupid animation to make it more stupid. I mean, complete.
Posted by: BeckoningChasm at December 23, 2023 09:42 PM (CHHv1)

You do animation?

Is it...is it about the cat?

Posted by: Robert at December 23, 2023 09:47 PM (NEfe8)

180 I understand why you might not like Lion. As I said, there were an ungodly number of historical inaccuracies. I guess that one reason I liked it so much was because it was so close to actual midieval living conditions. There was mud, there were the chickens on the royal steps, it wasn't all fairy tale sweetness and light. And the family dynamics were fairly true: Eleanor always plotting with Richard, her favotite, to unthrone Henry, and Henry favoring John.

And, yes, Katherine Hepburn was a bit over the top. I don't know why she kept making movies for so long.

There's probably a lot more inaccuracies I could point out, such as Geoffrey was dead by then, but that period of time is out of my wheelhouse. I concentrated on the Tudors. Between John and Henry VII there are too many Edwards and Henrys.

But that's why there is chocolate and vanilla. You don't particularly like it, but I do.

Posted by: Captain Josepha Sabin -- I stand with Israel and all Jews everywhere at December 23, 2023 09:47 PM (6TzTY)

181 Founding Dixie Chicks member killed in head-on car crash in Texas

https://is.gd/scuOVQ

Posted by: Ciampino - Hen gone at December 23, 2023 09:48 PM (qfLjt)

182 But that's why there is chocolate and vanilla. You don't particularly like it, but I do.
Posted by: Captain Josepha Sabin -- I stand with Israel and all Jews everywhere at December 23, 2023 09:47 PM (6TzTY)

I do my best to bring people together.

I try and still people spit in my face.

Posted by: Neapolitan at December 23, 2023 09:49 PM (f8UoH)

183 174 Robert

Have you ever seen the Alistair Sims version? If B&W movies don't bother you, you might want to check it out.

Posted by: mnw at December 23, 2023 09:50 PM (NLIak)

184 Last week I watched the 1984 made for teevee version of A Christmas Carol with George C. Scott.

Very good!
Posted by: Robert at December 23, 2023 09:44 PM (NEfe

The best of them all (Fight me!) and my personal favorite.
Wonderful cast (with the exception of Tiny Tim), good production values and a vivid performance by Scott.

Posted by: sal: tolle adversarium et afflige inimicum at December 23, 2023 09:51 PM (KB0Aa)

185 I thought one Walter Tyrell was named as the shooter.
Posted by: Dr. Claw at December 23, 2023 09:35 PM (roH4R)

I got interested and spent an afternoon looking into this once - Walter Tyrell was indeed named, but he fled to France where he had relatives. He lived a long life and amazingly, an account of his final confession was saved in Church archives. On his deathbed, he swore to his priest that while he had committed many sins in his life, he was absolutely innocent of the killing of William. And he added that the reason he fled was because he could tell right away that he was being set up to be the Fall Guy for someone else's crime, someone much more powerful than he was.
(some things never change)

Posted by: Tom Servo at December 23, 2023 09:52 PM (S6gqv)

186 184 The best of them all (Fight me!) and my personal favorite.
Wonderful cast (with the exception of Tiny Tim), good production values and a vivid performance by Scott.
Posted by: sal: tolle adversarium et afflige inimicum at December 23, 2023 09:51 PM (KB0Aa)

===

There's a made for TV animated version by Dick Williams that I always recommend. Easily found on YouTube.

It's the only version to include the sailors in Present's section.

Posted by: TJM's phone at December 23, 2023 09:53 PM (GBKbO)

187 Have you ever seen the Alistair Sims version? If B&W movies don't bother you, you might want to check it out.
Posted by: mnw at December 23, 2023 09:50 PM (NLIak)

The older I get the more more I need black and white in my life.

In hindsight, this might be the first straight retelling of the story I've ever seen. I can't be entirely sure but I think the only versions I've seen were a Disney animated version (with Scrooge McDuck as Ebenezer), the Muppet version and Scrooged with Bill Murray.

I feel like I've seen others but honestly I can't recall.

Posted by: Robert at December 23, 2023 09:54 PM (NEfe8)

188 Scrooged is another Xmas movie I have enjoyed seeing a few times.

Posted by: Ciampino - Bill Murray is good at December 23, 2023 09:55 PM (qfLjt)

189 171 -- Yes, William the Marshal. Since he wasn't royalty, he gets short shrift. But he heavily influenced the early Plantagenets. I've got a couple decent biographies of him that I've just been too damn lazy to read. The last real history book I read was the Cambridge Biography of Richard III. It reminded me why I never finished my BS: even the damned footnotes had their own footnotes.

Posted by: Captain Josepha Sabin -- I stand with Israel and all Jews everywhere at December 23, 2023 09:56 PM (6TzTY)

190 185
You have a point. Plus, Henry I didn't try very hard to make Tyrell pay for the 'crime'. It was enough that someone not called Henry I was blamed.

Posted by: Dr. Claw at December 23, 2023 09:56 PM (roH4R)

191 The thing about a story that's been filmed a number of times, like "A Christmas Carol", is the interesting debates you can have over which story adaptation was best, who played which character best and so on.

See also: Pride and Prejudice, The Three Musketeers, The Count of Monte Cristo etc., etc.

Posted by: sal: tolle adversarium et afflige inimicum at December 23, 2023 09:56 PM (KB0Aa)

192 But that's why there is chocolate and vanilla. You don't particularly like it, but I do. ||

Indeed. And what I've always tried to do is make it clear what my tastes are so that people can figure out from a review whether THEY might like it.

Because, honestly, even =I= don't care if =I= like it.

That's not why I go to the movies.

Posted by: moviegique at December 23, 2023 09:56 PM (asXVI)

193 A couple nights ago I rewatched BlackAdder's Christmas Carol, with Mrs. Scratchitt and Tiny Tom.
"Mrs. Scratchit, Tiny Tom is fifteen stone and built like a brick privy. If he eats anymore heartily, he will turn into a pie shop."

Posted by: Tom Servo at December 23, 2023 09:57 PM (S6gqv)

194 192 That's not why I go to the movies.
Posted by: moviegique at December 23, 2023 09:56 PM (asXVI)

====

Go to Twitter to see the reaction when Bleeding Fool recently told its followers that I put Die Hard as #3 in my ranking of the series.

You'd have thought I'd insulted their mothers.

Posted by: TJM's phone at December 23, 2023 09:58 PM (GBKbO)

195 I know we're gonna get NOODed soon, so thanks to everyone who stopped by. (I thought this was going to be a total ghost town tonight.)

Merry Christmas and God Bless Us, everyone!

Posted by: moviegique at December 23, 2023 09:59 PM (asXVI)

196 "The thing about a story that's been filmed a number of times, like "A Christmas Carol", is the interesting debates you can have over which story adaptation was best, who played which character best and so on."

Sim and Scott are the best portrayals of Scrooge in my opinion.

Posted by: Tuna at December 23, 2023 09:59 PM (oaGWv)

197 Happy Kwanzaa, moviegique!

Posted by: TJM's phone at December 23, 2023 10:00 PM (GBKbO)

198 Robert

You could watch a trailer/excerpt on Youtube & see what you think.

Sims was once often mentioned in any discussion of great Brit actors, along with Olivier & Gielgud. Like that. But Sims is largely unknown to U.S. audiences.

It was famously said of Christmas Carol that had it not been a great novel, it would've made a good sermon.

Posted by: mnw at December 23, 2023 10:00 PM (NLIak)

199 nood

Posted by: Kindltot at December 23, 2023 10:02 PM (D7oie)

200 || You'd have thought I'd insulted their mothers.

lol

It is a truly weird thing when people are like "NO! YOU HAVE TO LIKE WHAT I LIKE!"

Posted by: moviegique at December 23, 2023 10:02 PM (asXVI)

201 || Happy Kwanzaa, moviegique!

Thanks, man.

Every year I throw a party. Every year no one shows up.

Posted by: moviegique at December 23, 2023 10:03 PM (asXVI)

202 192 -- And that's your thing. I'm into escapism. I very seldom go to a movie that doesn't have BEMs or some other fantasy. If I want reality, I can read the news. And if I want to reality, I can look at my checkbook.

Posted by: Captain Josepha Sabin -- I stand with Israel and all Jews everywhere at December 23, 2023 10:03 PM (6TzTY)

203 I can't call Deep Red a Christmas movie. Yes, the pre-title sequence that sets everything off happened on a Christmas Eve, but the entire rest of the story takes place during a summer many years later.

Most of the movie should take place on or around the holidays.

Posted by: Rusty Nail at December 23, 2023 10:05 PM (3AR13)

204 I don't like George C. Scott but he was excellent in Patton.
I don't like Katherine Hepburn but I can't think of a better actress for the role of Eleanore in that movie.

Posted by: Braenyard at December 23, 2023 10:06 PM (MFHSd)

205 194 -- You haven't lived until a popular author writes a non series book. Christ, you'd think the world was ending -- and you didn't hear the end of it until said author produced a series book

Posted by: Captain Josepha Sabin -- I stand with Israel and all Jews everywhere at December 23, 2023 10:08 PM (6TzTY)

206 Pretty good star of Bethlehem video ... gives reason for a specific date of birth of Jesus Christ, but the wise men were coming for broader, earlier reasons .. planetary conjunctions and such.

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

Posted by: illiniwek at December 23, 2023 10:31 PM (Cus5s)

207 Saw "The Hcldovers" withe family several days ago. We all enjoyed it very much, and it encouraged me to ask spouse to reorder from the library the series with Paul Giammati about John Adams.

Posted by: FenelonSpoke at December 24, 2023 12:37 AM (zQS0B)

208 and people drag me for wanting to write about the hard money absolutist, Auric Goldfinger, attempting to stand up to the states' monopoly on violence in defense of their fiat money system.
Posted by: Kindltot at December 23, 2023 09:28 PM (D7oie)

Good God, you can’t even have fun watching a bloody Bond movie. Walter Ulbricht, is that you?

Posted by: Catch Thirty-Thr33 at December 24, 2023 01:05 AM (Q9bls)

209 "The Holdovers" sounds like something I would really like. Thanks for writing about it.

Posted by: m at December 24, 2023 04:16 AM (x7m+Z)

210 >>>From the macguffin of wanting a bb gun, to crowding around a radio, to waiting six to eight weeks for delivery or getting your mouth washed out with soap—this time is so far gone and was such a small window in eternity....

Nicely said.

Posted by: m at December 24, 2023 04:18 AM (x7m+Z)

211 Anyone who doesn't like the Christmas Story is probably a Disney fan and devotee of their little princess gift shop.

Posted by: Jane at December 24, 2023 01:05 PM (EcD5Y)

212 Great info. Lucky me Ι recently found your site by ⅽhаnce (stumbleupon).
I have saveɗ as a favorite for later!

Posted by: sapsucker at December 25, 2023 04:46 AM (PKk7m)

Processing 0.04, elapsed 0.0419 seconds.
14 queries taking 0.0124 seconds, 220 records returned.
Page size 138 kb.
Powered by Minx 0.8 beta.