+1. I took a chance on it a few years ago and came to really like it to the point it holds up to repeated viewings when I bought myself the DVD. A true “comfort movie”.
Sometimes those are just the kind I like!
I admit that the first time I watched them I didn’t love them, but they were fun enough, however this time around I really enjoyed them a lot.
I think that is a reaction to how few current movies are my kind of thing, most of them are going in tonal directions I don’t like (or it’s just another superhero or gross horror). I am desperate for a well-made fun adventure.
I watched it by myself last night, since my wife hates the frenetic style of shows like this (or West Wing). I rolled my eyes at a few scenes (and couldn’t they afford lights back then?). The union guys gave me a good laugh though. At the end, as the live show started, I had lots of admiration for all involved.
It helps that I watched that first episode again a few months ago.
Watched it last night and was entertained. You can always pick apart plot holes in movies like this, or you can just go along for the ride. We enjoyed it.
I enjoy Cedar Rapids. It kind of reminds me of the days when I used to travel a lot for work and how much fun you could have with a couple good work buddies trying to find something to do on an otherwise dull conference or small town business trip.
For Christmas movies we watched Red One and Spirited.
Spirited (a retelling of A Christmas Carol starring Ryan Reynolds, Will Farrell, and Tracy Morgan) is worth the watch for this scene alone
Nosferatu (2024)
Recommended.
Really good. I guess it might have made my top 10 movie list from 2024, but I did see a lot of other great movies in the year and this one is solid, but not necessarily a top tier movie.
Willem Dafoe is amazing, though.
I’ve never seen the 1922 version. I did once see Werner Herzog’s version and this new one is much better than his.
Wicked - I loved it. I was a bit trepidatious, as I really didn’t like the “Cats” movie or “Into the Woods.” But I thought they did an amazing job of treading the line between the original stories, the Wicked book, and the WoOz movie we all know and love. And the performers were all just terrific, IMHO. No notes from me.
You should make an effort to see it – it’s really amazing. And then watch Shadow of the Vampire (2000), a fictionalized account of its making, with John Malkovich as director FW Murnau, and Willem Dafoe as Max Schreck, who was so creepy that some believed him to be a real vampire.
It did stick with me more than I expected. I can see myself rewatching it someday.
Harry Potter 1
I know it’s been discussed. Want to add, Peacock has the extended version.
The restored scenes cleared up several confusing moments in the film. For example Harry’s class with Snape. Why was Snape so mean to kids he just barely met? The restored footage explains the students weren’t paying attention. Harry seemed disinterested in class.
It’s getting an extended edition on Blu-ray. I will watch again, but I’m not sure it needed to be longer.
+1. Twenty years ago I watched it with my daughter, who was about 11. I’m often disappointed by pre-1950 films, but Nosferatu felt like the wellspring of weird-spooky, and too idiosyncratic to be copied by later films.
Both my daughter and I found it a lot more chilling than laughable.
I recently saw “The Big Clock” from the 1940s - a terrific thriller with Ray Milland and Charles Laughton (with Elsa Lancaster in a smaller role). The big surprise is seeing a young Harry Morgan playing a very creepy minor character indeed
My skin crawls just seeing a young Harry Morgan. Seems wrong somehow.
Wait until you see the movie.
My impression of Harry Morgan, which my brain knows is wrong, is that he was born around 1900 or possibly even 1895. This is because my primary viewing experience of him is in MASH, where he was at least 55-60 during the Korean War. Fun fact: his age fluctuates in the show; it’s massively inconsistent.
I know for a fact he was born in 1915. But my brain won’t accept it.
Yeah, I saw some Western he was in as a young’un. It was bizarre hearing that wise old voice come out of that unwrinkled face.
A terrific movie based on a terrific book (and remade in less terrific ways under different names). Might have to rewatch that.
My son and I went and saw Nosferatu today as well. I watched very few movies in 2024: Argylle, Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire, Red One… and I think that’s it. Argylle was campy but good, the other two sucked, but Nosferatu was great. The cinematography was outstanding and it was great to see a truly scary vampire after years of shit like Twilight and it’s clones.
Highly recommended if you like psychological horror flicks.
Glad to see another upvote for Nosferatu (2024). Also that you liked Argylle – so did I. I can see why many did not, but I thought it was well done and lots of fun.
I was bummed to discover that Nosferatu just opened on December 25 in North America and thought it would be forever before it was available for home viewing. But the current buzz is that it will be available sometime in February on Blu-Ray and for digital purchase. And apparently the home release will be (or will include) an extended edition.