Year of the horse

This Kermit sounds like Constantine impersonating Kermit. BUT I’m glad to see literally anything from the Muppets these days, so I’ll keep an open mind.

Okay. I learned Kidz Bop covered Hot to Go and fell down a very annoying rabbit hold. Here's the take-away: Apparently if sex lyrics are turned into lyrics about dancing, and drug lyrics are turned into lyrics about having fun, you can cover SO many things that aren't really for kids.

Being a retired loafer seems like a pretty sweet gig if you can afford it.

I've been re-watching The Flash (CW) on lunch breaks. In its original run, I remember joking that the plot of most episodes was "Barry needs to make up with a dad," and I forgot how present that already is in Season 1. What this show lacks in cleverness it makes up for in a likable core cast.

another robot highlight for 2025: man wearing humanoid mocap suit kicks himself in the balls

The new SpongeBob move is a little chaotic but pretty fun. But the star of the show is the Ninja Turtles short. That was great.

I watched “Santa Stole Our Dog,” a movie that will reframe your notion of what a low budget Canadian TV movie is. It is simultaneously a super ambitious Christmas movie and a super uncreative Christmas movie. I hope How Did This Get Made? finds it.

A part of me is like “bring on the new year!” But then I remember that we’ll still have the same leaders and the same cultural issues. But I think I have my 2026 shoes picked out. Something bold.

I have now turned off motion smoothing on the TVs of no less than three relatives who were VERY uncomfortable with me touching their TV settings to make their lives better. Tomorrow I might even do it to my sister’s TV. Shocked by how many of my relatives are willing to watch movies that way.

I’m watching Jingle Bell Heist and there is a confidence this movie has in using circle wipes that I think George Lucas would find to be a bit much.

Scheduling conflicts this year mean that by Christmas day I will be on my sixth Christmas gathering. Like, I've been putting off the Muppets specials, because I feel like that, and Christmas with my mom is all I have left before my brain departs for 2026. Good gifting this year though!

Look, I'm sure 2026 will be exhausting in plenty of ways, but it's shaping up to be an interesting year for The Muppets, and I am HERE for that.

This is the first thing my brother and I quote whenever someone mentions this movie. Not “it’s Turbo Time”, not “PUT THE COOKIE DOWN!”, not “Here’s to you, dad…” No. “I’m not a pervert!” Of all the holiday movies with nonsense plots, this is one of the best.

Man, this would be such a peanut butter and chocolate situation if the robot modes weren’t so disappointing.

A Lord of the Rings cover band called Durin Durin

Man, I REALLY want to see that Ninja Turtles short, but it's attached to a whole SpongeBob movie, and I'm just not confident in modern SpongeBob's ability to not irritate me.

Re: #Plur1bus I wonder how many pregnancies Diabate has caused at this point.

NEW MUPPET SHOW!

The funniest thing to me about the already very funny SNL Christmas Gumby sketch is just where they decided to hang his hat.

Disclosure Day looks good, but I really hope they tweak the fx. I think unpolished CGI sticks out harder as cartoonish when a shot looks really great otherwise.

When I think of Tarantino, I think of a guy who I wasn't sure had teeth when he showed up in a pretty funny scene in a pretty underwhelming Muppet special. At no point then, or since, have I wondered what his opinions are on things. And that's my hot take.

Vamola is everyone reading, waiting for it to finally happen.

Fingers crossed for more Brad and his Dad shorts.

Artists rendition of me with my siblings’ kids.

My Viz top 5 was corrupted by my brother getting REAL into slice-of-life manga. I've heard NaNa is really good though.

I'm surprised Sakamoto Days isn't higher, but I did a lot of re-reads this year. Also, I was like "where's Witch Hat Atelier" but that's on K-Manga. Anyway, Dandadan is really good is the moral here.

I love how lawful Manousos is in the face of the end of the world. #Plur1bus

Chubby Northman Santa. May his jingle bells ring in the halls of Valhalla.

Just wanna say Plur1bus is really good.

See, Transformers Animated gets it.

Sonic is Santa. #canon

Well shoot… now civilization (and Paramount) needs to avoid collapse until at least 2029.

Ever text a dear friend, and realize you haven't spoken in two years? Like they moved states, got a divorce, and survived cancer in the time you've been busy with solo adventures? Let me tell you, it does NOT feel good to realize you're the Elrond to someone's Durin.

The trouble with Christmas shopping is I keep finding stuff I want to gift to myself. Look at this ornament. Sonic does the loop and it makes coin noises and his braking sound.

Aside from saving shelf space, I guess the thing I kind of like about getting “art of” books in a digital format is that you can sometimes zoom in to the art and get a better look. Something you can’t do on paper (though I still prefer a good hardback. That paper smell, man. Can’t be beat.).

I don’t want to spend $400 on a LEGO ship no matter how much I like it, but I DO want more Star Trek sets so we can get Captain Proton, Queen Arachnia, and their silly robot.

Man, the deep dive that could be done on what it is that makes that Cat in the Hat trailer so off-putting.

Zootopia 2: now with even more uncomfortably sexy gazelle hips. The movie kind of defied the odds and was really good! A relief.

Teslas keep cutting me off as if they think they can phase through my car. You think this is a bug in the driver assist or is owning a Tesla just a good litmus test for being a tool?

It's weird how when the holidays come around, no matter where you go in Orlando, there are SO MANY PEOPLE. Where are they the rest of the time? My lunchtime trips to the Publix deli are usually so quick and calm. Makes me grateful most of my family lives within 30 minutes of my place.

Once again, they are rich because you’re poor. www.msn.com/en-us/news/o...

When I started sketching holiday cards a decade ago I sent them to 7 people. Now it’s 55. A lot, but community is partially what you’re willing to put in to show you care, and this is such a silly, easy thing. Matt at 30 “needed” nobody, so this is also a therapy win.

I was right. Just like 25 minute segments of me being like "I love this." Batman has to be like the one thing you can present in every possible way and it still works.

I get that A Charlie Brown Christmas is THE Peanuts holiday special, but I think Thanksgiving, Halloween and New Year's Eve all have better soundtracks. That is to say I really like a jazzy soundtrack and Vince Guaraldi delivers every time, but there is definitely a sweet spot.

Alton Brown coming back years later to cover Thanksgiving on his YouTube is like my version of encountering Galdalf the White in Fangorn Forest. Just a very welcome "hey, you can do this" as I prepare for two days of food prep.

Hot takes: 1. The Last Ronin should be animated OR, if it has to be live action… 2. The Last Ronin should be done in the style of the 90s TMNT movies. Really, I just hate that every time someone nails it with a TMNT thing, the people who own it are like “eh… let’s pivot.”

I think it’s a Regular Show. Some evil sentient hotdogs realize they taste good and eat each other. That’s the GOP right now. It was always going to happen.

Brutal. #dandadan