Watching the most Christmassy film of all: The Master

Cosmo Kramer, Bagel Technician. / S09E10 The Strike

Well, I have some personal news

Scary Christmas Movie Advent Calendar: Day 24 Curse of the Cat People (1942, Directed by Robert Wise and Gunther von Fritsch) The final movie and one of my favourite films, a strange and magical ode to being a kid at Christmas and finding the neighbours real spooky. Happy Christmas everyone!

There is a lot of debate about what historically occurred during the nativity. Many scholars maintain it was a silent night but a different school of thought is emerging that there was some kid there really slamming the drums.

Had a very pleasant stand at the traffic lights because a car was blasting Highwayman by The Highwaymen at top volume.

Brought my classic sparkling banter* to Christmas lunch. 🎄 *explaining the various miracles of St. Gobnait

Christmas Adam's series of thrillers from the 1950s are an essential read for mystery fans but readers new to his work must be aware that certain attitudes have changed since then and

And Tiny Tim, who did NOT die, may find himself living in a shotgun shack and he may find himself in another part of the world and he may find himself behind the wheel of a large automobile and he may find himself in a beautiful house, with a beautiful wife and he may ask himself, "Well, how did I

Do you think the old screenwriter in The Holiday named names to HUAC? And yes, I am great fun to watch movies with!

Having a bummer of a Christmas Eve. Not only am I stuck in the drunk tank, but this old man in here is moaning and singing "The Rare Old Mountain Dew". Come on, man, this isn't a Foster and Allen gig, I have a hangover. 😞

I read this to the tune of "Short Skirt / Long Jacket"

I was definitely not prepared for how touching this is.

This is an almost shockingly wise essay. I'm glad I've finally read it.

This is an interesting question because I don't think there is truly a 100% bad piece of writing advice - you have to be careful that you are not just dismissing advice to avoid breaking a crutch.

How I'm turning up to the Bluesky Christmas party

Oh no!

As the person who got a Four Realms question answered on the This Had Oscar Buzz mailbag in 2020, I like to think that I in some small part caused this miracle.

Watching Anastasia after Russian Ark yesterday, a bumper double bill for anyone who secretly wants the return of the tsars.

Police: have you been watching movies? Me: a few Police: a few what?

Enjoying how many Top 25 Movies of 2025 lists are featuring The Ugly Stepsister! Good for you, gory fairy tales!

Chapter 1: The Discover Feed and How to Avoid It at All Costs

Ran into a fictional version of this the other day where the writer confidently referred to the immortal Rob Roy.

i had to drop what i was doing to make this

In 2026, I think it's time to bring back the "problematic college professor" literary novel, if nothing else to give genre writers a real book grouse about.

I don't know why people are complaining about historical accuracy in the Odyssey trailer. I think it looks fine.

Other than the pretty cursed prospect of a Johnny Depp Scrooge, isn't a horror version of a Christmas Carol kind of pointless?

Wake Up Dead Man discourse:

Listening to a Father Brown mystery and enjoying the explanation for the inexplicable behaviour of the main suspect is rationally explained as "he's a poet."

Me checking the use by dates at the back of the shelf:

If Wake Up Dead Man was really dedicated to being a tribute to theologically based Golden Age mysteries, Netflix would release a book of apologetics by the same author alongside it.

Listening to a podcast about the new Avatar movie and using the most powerful special effect of all - my imagination!

Scary Christmas Movie Advent Calendar: Day 21 Cash on Demand (1961, Directed by Quentin Lawrence) A tense bank heist movie with a most polite game of cat and mouse with a festive message about being a better boss. A little Christmas treat from Hammer

I do think technology peaked with the ability to make the Caterpillar emoji play the saxophone emoji. 🎷🐛

"Hah, the truth teller strikes again! Weird he didn't tell us about Russell Brand or David Walliams but that Golden Globes speech really got those Hollywood hypocrites!"

Part 2 should be in your Beaver Holes now!

Overheard someone recommending The Rightous Gemstones as "no Inglorious Basterds but good" and honestly no notes.

important

I had my doubts about GenAI but those weird "today's billionaires hanging out in carparks" AI pictures do exactly capture the awkward energy real billionaires have in the Epstein photos.

Usually more of a just before New Years activity but why not! My favourite movies of 2025: 1. The Mastermind 2. Mag Mag 3. The Phoenician Scheme 4. Sinners 5. The Rule of Jenny Pen

Cars big as bars you say? That's pretty big.

Finally a movie about Apple employees living in Cork

Patience is a virtue, Past Cethan.

The Jake Paul match shows what an odd state Boxing is in. Imagine if the most hyped basketball games were only Harlem Globetrotters matches?

For anyone who can't make it to the pub this Christmas and spend an hour with a guy on a stool saying the same things he said a year ago, good news! A new Dave Chappelle special has dropped!

Climate change has really made the last few months of the year a real "Always Christmas, Never Winter" situation.

Remember when Ken Russell called David Walliams a fascist at an award show? Different days!