Good Kris Vyas-Myall Last Looked Out...

Next up, some 90s US TV animation, 1996's The Story of Santa Claus.

Festive Rating: 8/10
Subjective Rating: 8/10
I had never heard of any the actors in here but I was really impressed with the performances. It also contained both a sweet message about caring for others and the complexities of family.

Even if you don't count the Call to Power games that is over 150 different people!
Good luck!

Next up, another 80s TV movie. 1986's Christmas Eve.

I also watched today A Hobo's Christmas (1987)
Festive Rating: 7/10
Subjective Rating: 3/10
This was an odd mix. It seems to want to both be a sad tale of men losing their identity in post-industrial America whilst also being a romanticisation of the hobo figure, making for a questionable combo.

Festive Rating: 6/10
Subjective Rating: 7/10
Even though it is not actually set at Christmas, it feels surprisingly festive, with the supernatural mystery in ski town and dark secrets coming to light.
Not entirely my thing but I still found it intriguing, particularly how it looks at predatory men.

I assume the only way is up with next film, The Wolf of Snow Hollow. Probably the complete opposite.

Festive Rating: 3/10
Subjective Rating: 0/10
Now I may have seen a worse film in my life but I cannot think of it to hand. I am not sure there is a single thing I would recommend about it.

Now watching the next item on my list, possibly the opposite of British angst, Godmothered (2020).

I also watched Last Train to Christmas (2021):
Festive Rating: 7/10
Subjective Rating: 7/10
This is an odd British version of the Butterfly effect, where he jumps back in time 10 years and then shifts timelines, all down via carriages on the East Midlands Railway (my commuting route).

Festive Rating: 6/10
Subjective Rating: 7/10
I watched this yesterday but wanted to take a while to muse on it. Adults acting like kids is something that icks me out so had to get used to it, but once I did it was interesting. It really is a trad British Xmas drama, festivities hiding family angst.

Next up, one that I have heard a lot of good things about, The Flint Street Nativity.

Picture from the Simpsons. A diagram labelled food chain showing a wide variety of aniamls pointing to a human.

I half expected Troy McClure to come out to explain the food chain to me.

Festive Rating: 4/10
Subjective Rating: 1/10
Now, I can cope with campy holiday movies, the problem for both subjective and festive rating is it all felt so mean-spirited. Rather than just sweet self-discovery, more "how stupid are these millenial city-folk."
In particular really seem to hate vegans

Four Christmas movies to know me by:

Is it actual phone calls or contacts? And how close do they have to be?
Because I only have about a dozen numbers in my phone, most of which are businesses.
I probably worked for people who know people who know people who are billionaires but they would never answer my messages if I reached out.

Next up, going into more romantic territory with Netflix's Falling for Christmas.

Festive Rating: 6/10
Subjective Rating: 2/10
Another case of "not for me." A sequel to Iron Man 2 copying Die Hard poorly but having everyone constantly saying "wow this is like Die Hard". The kind of pastiche that rubs me exactly the wrong way.

Next up, going for something a bit more Marvel-ous, What if: Happy Hogan Saved Christmas.

Not going to give this a rating as it was just an odd experience, probably having seen the show before.
We are largely just watching a bad sitcom episode, barely even any commentary on it, just is.
Kind of some nice statements but hard to make any judgements on.

Read them all. Felt this was a brilliant year of nominations, albeit one where the least interesting won (which often happens due to reversion to the mean).
Chain-Gang All-Stars is brilliant but heavy and brutal.
Corey Fah is absolutely Banana-Pants and perfect for it.

Tomorrow's watching, a Chritmas episode of a show I have not seen before BoJack Horseman: Christmas Special: Sabrina's Christmas Wish.

Festive Rating: 4/10
Subjective Rating: 4/10
The plot of this is bizarre even by Rankin-Bass standards. Involves a sailor accidently freeing a banshee and having to protect leprechaun gold from her.
Although there is a Christmas song and it is involved in the plot but largely is shoehorned in.

Start of my annual tradition of trying to watch 24 new-to-me festive films\TV shows (selected via a randomiser) and rating them on how good and festive they feel.
First up 1981's The Leprechanun's Christmas Gold. Apparently their penultimate Christmas special before going out of business.

Good morning, I am thankful for your fluffy bookishness.
Today I am reading Vector for Seven by Josephine Saxton for review. Brilliantly bizarre as is usual for her works.

Don't forget to join us later today when it is time to run amok:
Schedule 29/11 (GMT):
16:50: Marine Boy: Attack of the Robot Sharks
17:15: Star Trek: Amok Time
18:00: Dad's Army: Boots, Boots, Boots
discord.gg/vm8ucb6yp?ev...

Happy Birthday.

Good morning. I am bit grumpy in my reading as someone gave a free month of Spotify Premium and didn't realise it was limited by minutes per month so stopped me at 80% through the book.
Need to decide what reading next before I get the last bit of book from library.

Official Charts: 26. Chains of Love - Charli XCX 27. The Day That I Die - Lewis Capaldi 28. No Broke Boys - Disco Lines & Tinashe 29. Love in a Bottle - David/Cooper/Glenn/Alabado

Fascinating feature of UK charts that Hazbin Hotel songs are entering UK top 40 (not in any other country i checked), just behind new releases from Charli XCX and Lewis Capaldi.
And almost entirely driven by YouTube views and the way UK measures it.
Take that people with massive pop careers! 😜

Four science fiction book covers, each described more thoroughly in the article proper

Four books, four stars apiece—which stellar #ScienceFiction books should be next on YOUR reading list!

galacticjourney.org/november-14-...