# Whatcha Watchin'? (Jan 09) Thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 1, 2009, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-watchin-jan-09-thread/479474 "2009-01-01T16:45:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2009, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-watchin-jan-09-thread/479474/1 "2009-01-01T16:45:33Z")
At the request of **Auntie Pam** I’m going to do a monthly thread for movie updates. CD, TV, in the Theater, whatever you wish. Let us know what you’ve seen and if you liked it. Please do be courteous about spoilers though. I went to _The Spirit_ last week and as I mentioned in another thread, I thought it was bad. I didn’t know the source material, I was just looking for a fun, fast movie. I nearly fell asleep. There were some smokin’ hot women though. That is worth something. But I recommend against seeing it. I am in the middle of \*Cashback \*which is a quirky little film where the narrarator believes he can stop time. I’m not sure, to be honest, if he \*believes \*he can or \*actually \*can. I watch when I’m on the elliptical machine and lately I’ve been either not walking (far too often) or walking outside, so I have no idea when I’ll finish it. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2009, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-watchin-jan-09-thread/479474/2 "2009-01-01T16:57:00Z")
I’ve all but stopped seeing movies in theatres. From Netflix and Blockbuster, I’ve been watching mostly TV series: **Nip/Tuck, Battlestar Galactica, Wildfire, Eli Stone, Point Pleasant, St. Elsewhere, Party of Five.** ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2009, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-watchin-jan-09-thread/479474/3 "2009-01-01T17:12:40Z")
Haven’t been to many movies lately. Although I took my nieces to see _Tale of Despereaux_ last week - okay but not great. I’ve been watching Simon Schama’s _History of Britain_ on DVD. Very good. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2009, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-watchin-jan-09-thread/479474/4 "2009-01-01T17:17:12Z")
> [@](#): > > I am in the middle of Cashback which is a quirky little film where the narrarator believes he can stop time. I’m not sure, to be honest, if he believes he can or actually can. I watch when I’m on the elliptical machine and lately I’ve been either not walking (far too often) or walking outside, so I have no idea when I’ll finish it. Were you aware this movie was based on an 18 minute short film by the same guy? You can see it on the DVD _A Collection of 2005 Academy Award Nominated Short Films_. ---
**Author:** ![fusoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2009, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-watchin-jan-09-thread/479474/5 "2009-01-01T17:18:01Z")
I watched the _Prince Caspian_ Bluray last night. There’s a REASON why LionWitchWardrobe gets a lot more attention than its sequels… Right now watching the second episode of _Band of Brothers_. Pretty much the best war show ever made. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2009, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-watchin-jan-09-thread/479474/6 "2009-01-01T17:46:14Z")
I’m working my way through the 1967 BBC adaptation of _The Forsyte Sage_. I remember when I started reading the books. I hated Soames and hoped he’d be a minor character. I’m glad he wasn’t. His makeup is great, but old Soames sure looks like Boris Karloff. I haven’t seen the newer adaptation but I can’t imagine that it could be better. Now I want to get _Upstairs Downstairs_ and _The Pallisers_. And _Poldark_! I was given a bunch of DVD’s for Christmas and heartily recommend: _The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada_ _There Will Be Blood_ _The Orphanage_ – Guillermo del Toro produced – it’s billed as horror but it’s really a mother-child love story and it’s brilliant. ETA: Thanks, Khadaji! ---
**Author:** ![Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleanor_of_Aquitaine)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2009, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-watchin-jan-09-thread/479474/7 "2009-01-01T20:17:43Z")
> [@fusoya](#): > > I watched the _Prince Caspian_ Bluray last night. There’s a REASON why LionWitchWardrobe gets a lot more attention than its sequels… _Prince Caspian_ is my least favorite of the books, but they managed to make the movie even worse than I was expecting. Peter Dinklage’s performance was the best thing about the movie. I’m halfway through watching the single season of _Freaks and Geeks_. It’s growing on me. My husband was in high school in 1980 and he’s getting a kick out of the period stuff. When I’m finished with that I’m going to try _Supernatural_, recommended by **jsgoddess**. ---
**Author:** ![Charlie\_Tan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/charlie_tan/32/12582_2.png) [@Charlie\_Tan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charlie_Tan)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2009, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-watchin-jan-09-thread/479474/8 "2009-01-01T20:30:04Z")
> [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](#): > > When I’m finished with that I’m going to try _Supernatural_, recommended by **jsgoddess**. You have all that goodness in front of you? Congrats. All shows are on hiatus, so I’ve been catching up a little. \*\*Legend of the seeker \*\*is only worth it because of **Bruce Spence** , but even he can’t save this trash. I’m getting to like **Crusoe**. It’s a bit corny, but the production values are good (except the CGI ships on the horizon), but I’m sure it’ll die soon. Curious, since good looking men and women mixed with pirate topping should draw a big audience, and there’s no arc problem either. I’ve also caught a BBC show called \*\*Apparitions \*\*which is… different. About a Catholic Priest in the UK who performs excorcisms contrary to the orders of the Holy See. In a few weeks everything is gonna get rolling again and I’m giddy about the awfulness that is \*\*24 \*\*and cautiosly optimistic about the resolution of **BSG**. Hopefully \*\*Lost \*\*will continue the good momentum they had last season. Will never get all the answers, but it looks like they’re gearing up for some kind of resolution that won’t suck. ---
**Author:** ![KatieCats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/54ee81/32.png) [@KatieCats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KatieCats)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2009, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-watchin-jan-09-thread/479474/9 "2009-01-01T20:42:45Z")
My sister gave me the first season of **Picket Fences** for Christmas, so I’m watching it today. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2009, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-watchin-jan-09-thread/479474/10 "2009-01-01T22:58:47Z")
Nothing really, as I’ve given up on **Desperate Housewives** and the pending return of **Lost** is not exactly blowing my skirt up, but I am awaiting the return of **The Closer** and **Burn Notice**. ---
**Author:** ![DataZak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ea666f/32.png) [@DataZak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DataZak)\ **Post date:** [January 1, 2009, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-watchin-jan-09-thread/479474/11 "2009-01-01T23:47:13Z")
I have _Jeeves and Wooster: The Complete Collection_ and _Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Collection_ waiting to be watched. Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry & Jeremy Brett. W00t! ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-watchin-jan-09-thread/479474/12 "2009-01-02T09:34:01Z")
I’m currently Netflixing Torchwood, Battlestar Glalactica, and Bones on DVD. I watched Cashback and fell asleep. The Orphanage was fantastic! ---
**Author:** ![Stauderhorse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Stauderhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stauderhorse)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-watchin-jan-09-thread/479474/13 "2009-01-02T14:31:32Z")
My brother and I have found a new obsession (_House MD_), and I’ve seen the second season and half of the third. We bought all four seasons on DVD, so I’ll be watching those for a while. I’ve also been trying to “catch up” on old, classic movies that I’ve never seen. I saw _The Wizard of Oz_ and _To Kill a Mockingbird_ (both fantastic). I watched _Gladiator_ on a whim, expecting it to be really boring. But I was actually amazed at how good it was. I didn’t look away from the screen once, the characters and story were so engaging. Also saw _300_, which was both better and worse than I expected. I saw _Poltergeist_, or rather half of it. I just couldn’t get into it for some reason. _Troll 2_ (which [some](http://www.bestworstmovie.com/) say is the worst movie ever made), and yeah, it was pretty bad (and funny). _The Exorcist_, which was a little bit over the top for me (though I can see how it was scary in the '70s). And last night we caught _Benjamin Button_ and _Seven Pounds_. I was blown away by _BB_, thinking it would be endlessly slow and uninteresting. It was funny and sweet and sentimental and really lovely; I’d definitely see it again. _Seven Pounds_ was actually not that great. I obviously have a lot of free time. ---
**Author:** ![wonderlust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonderlust/32/7237_2.png) [@wonderlust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonderlust)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-watchin-jan-09-thread/479474/14 "2009-01-02T16:39:07Z")
I’ve discovered that I prefer to watch series DVDs (Netflix) rather than movies, I guess because they’re shorter. The problem is that I’ve run out of really good series, so I’m starting with Season One of _X-Files_ and hoping for the best. I’m also watching _NUMB3RS_, which isn’t wonderful, but it’ll do until something better comes along. ---
**Author:** ![Kal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Kal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kal)\ **Post date:** [January 2, 2009, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-watchin-jan-09-thread/479474/15 "2009-01-02T16:49:46Z")
Watched _Live Free or Die Hard_ last night, am in the middle of watching the Mitchell and Webb comedy _Magicians_ right now. Telly-wise, I’m going through \*Scrubs \*from season one and am interested in looking at a new series starting on ITV tomorrow night called _Demons_, which stars Phillip Glenister from _Life on Mars / Ashes to Ashes._ I do suspect it might be really bad, though. ---
**Author:** ![Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@Eleanor\_of\_Aquitaine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleanor_of_Aquitaine)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-watchin-jan-09-thread/479474/16 "2009-01-05T15:53:47Z")
There was a Planet of the Apes marathon this weekend on one of the movie channels. I watched the first one with my kids last night, and they had more patience with it than I expected. The final scene was mostly spoiled for them because they’ve seen parodies of it in various cartoons. I had forgotten how pathetic the spaceship looks in the opening scenes (guess they used all their budget on costumes) and I didn’t remember Heston’s bizarre overacting in places. ---
**Author:** ![schnuckiputzi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecb155/32.png) [@schnuckiputzi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/schnuckiputzi)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-watchin-jan-09-thread/479474/17 "2009-01-05T16:00:15Z")
I bought myself a portable DVD player and have been watching DVD’s as I work on jewelry lately. I bought the series ‘Firefly’, and have watched the first two episodes. Good so far – I know there’a a lot of love out there for this series. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-watchin-jan-09-thread/479474/18 "2009-01-05T16:01:16Z")
Watched _Lars and the Real Girl_ the other day, and ended up liking it a whole lot. Definitely not the smutty humor I half expected from the bare-bones version of the premise – it was a wonderful meditation on the nature of love. Some people might find it sappy, but I gave it 4 stars (and I’m very sparing with my stars). ---
**Author:** ![Kal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de053/32.png) [@Kal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kal)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-watchin-jan-09-thread/479474/19 "2009-01-05T16:09:37Z")
> [@Kal](#): > > Telly-wise, I’m … interested in looking at a new series starting on ITV tomorrow night called _Demons_, which stars Phillip Glenister from _Life on Mars / Ashes to Ashes._ I do suspect it might be really bad, though. I underestimated exactly how bad. For the benefit of you foreign-types, think of a televisual blend of Buffy and Sanctuary with just a hint of Torchwood. In this case, Buffy is a boy and Glenister sports one of the worst US accents these ears have ever heard. ---
**Author:** ![AmericanMaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@AmericanMaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AmericanMaid)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-watchin-jan-09-thread/479474/20 "2009-01-05T19:25:50Z")
I am enjoying Leverage on TNT. I also got caught up on Private Practice thanks to a marathon. I also got my brother hooked on How I Met Your Mother. Movie-wise, over the holiday break, I basically wore out On Demand. \*Don’t Mess With Zohan \*was actually much funnier than I expected! _National Treasure 2_ sucked sooo bad. Did the writers really think that mentioning random Indian tribe names with no regard to geography would fly? _Hellboy 2_ was pretty good too. Not really TV or movies but I have been adoring Drunk History on [funnyordie.com](http://funnyordie.com) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whatcha-watchin-jan-09-thread/479474.md?page=2)