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#21
Movie Reviews / Re: Mutant Reviewers From Hell
Last post by Sitting Duck - January 06, 2026, 08:04:36 AM
#22
Off Topic Discussion / Re: Random Statements About So...
Last post by claws - January 06, 2026, 06:56:48 AM
Is it just me, or has the holiday spirit vanished from YouTube ads? This season, I've seen next to no festive content besides the Coca-Cola truck. Instead, my feed is filled with "summer-themed" car ads and pet food. Even worse, the day after Christmas, the algorithm immediately pivoted to aggressive summer vacation promos. I miss the days of traditional TV, where every commercial break felt genuinely festive.
#23
Good Movies / Re: Movie Anniversaries in 202...
Last post by claws - January 06, 2026, 04:21:31 AM
2011 (15th Anniversary)

### TIER 1: THE MASTERPIECES
1. Drive - A neon-soaked, ultra-stylish neo-noir with a career-defining performance by Ryan Gosling.
2. The Artist - A breathtaking and charming silent-film tribute that deserved its Best Picture win.
3. Rango - A visually stunning, sophisticated Western that happens to be an animated movie about a lizard.
4. The Cabin in the Woods - A brilliant, meta-commentary on the horror genre that subverts every trope imaginable.

### TIER 2: HIGH QUALITY (EXCELLENT TO GREAT)
5. Rise of the Planet of the Apes - A rare blockbuster with a soul, anchored by Andy Serkis's incredible mo-cap work.
6. Attack the Block - A high-energy, witty sci-fi adventure that introduced the world to John Boyega.
7. Bridesmaids - A hilarious, groundbreaking comedy that proved R-rated female-led ensembles are box-office gold.
8. You're Next - One of the smartest and most brutal home-invasion thrillers ever made.
9. Super 8 - A nostalgic and heartwarming "kids on an adventure" flick that feels like classic Spielberg.
10. The Grey - A harrowing survival drama that is much more philosophical and moving than its "Liam Neeson vs. Wolves" premise suggests.
11. The Innkeepers - Ti West delivers a masterful, slow-burn ghost story with great chemistry between the leads.

### TIER 3: SOLID ENTERTAINMENT (GOOD TO DECENT)
12. Captain America: The First Avenger - A charming, old-fashioned pulp adventure that perfectly sets up Steve Rogers.
13. Thor - Kenneth Branagh brings a welcome Shakespearean weight to the cosmic family drama of the MCU.
14. Scream 4 - A sharp, self-aware return to form for the franchise that was ahead of its time regarding social media.
15. Horrible Bosses - A mean-spirited but consistently funny workplace comedy with a great ensemble.
16. Fright Night - A rare remake that honors the original while adding its own fun, modern energy.
17. Final Destination 5 - Features some of the best kills in the series and a genuinely clever "full circle" ending.
18. My Week with Marilyn - Michelle Williams is transformative in a film that otherwise feels like a standard biopic.
19. Our Idiot Brother - A sweet, low-stakes comedy that succeeds entirely on Paul Rudd's immense likability.
20. Take Me Home Tonight - A breezy, fun 80s throwback that captures the vibe of the era better than most.
21. Unknown - A solid, twisty Liam Neeson thriller that keeps you guessing until the final act.
22. Drive Angry - Pure, unadulterated Nicolas Cage chaos that embraces its over-the-top grindhouse roots.
23. The Squad (El Páramo) - A tense, atmospheric Colombian horror film that uses its isolated setting to great effect.
24. A Lonely Place to Die - A taut, well-shot mountain thriller with impressive stunt work and high stakes.
25. Retreat - A claustrophobic three-person thriller that relies heavily on its paranoid atmosphere.
26. The Awakening - A handsomely produced, traditional British ghost story with a solid lead performance by Rebecca Hall.

### TIER 4: THE MIXED BAG (MEDIOCRE TO FLAWED)
27. Paranormal Activity 3 - Effectively expands the lore and provides some creative "jump" moments for fans of the style.
28. The Green Hornet - An awkward mix of Seth Rogen's humor and Gondry's visuals that never quite finds its rhythm.
29. Sucker Punch - Visually ambitious and stylistically bold, but narratively hollow and emotionally distant.
30. Battle: Los Angeles - A loud, shaky-cam alien invasion movie that feels more like a video game than a film.
31. The Thing - A functional but ultimately unnecessary prequel that suffers from replacing practical effects with mediocre CGI.
32. Immortals - Visually stunning action sequences wrapped in a story that is unfortunately forgettable.
33. The Rite - A very standard exorcism drama that even Anthony Hopkins can't quite save from mediocrity.
34. I Am Number Four - A generic young-adult sci-fi adaptation that fails to spark much interest for a sequel.
35. Grave Encounters - A found-footage flick that starts with a fun premise but descends into predictable clichés.
36. Detention - A hyperactive, genre-mashing experimental comedy that will either delight or exhaust you.
37. The Caller - A decent, low-budget supernatural phone thriller with a few clever ideas.
38. Apartment 143 - A derivative found-footage haunting movie that offers very little new to the subgenre.

### TIER 5: THE LOWER TIERS (DISAPPOINTING TO POOR)
39. Green Lantern - A CGI-heavy disappointment that feels dated and lacks the heart of its comic book source.
40. Hobo with a Shotgun - Deliberately trashy and ultra-violent; it achieves its goal but is definitely an acquired taste.
41. Apollo 18 - A slow-moving found-footage horror that fails to make the moon feel truly frightening.
42. Priest - Stylized vampire action that feels incredibly empty and derivative of better "post-apocalyptic" films.
43. Chillerama - A gross-out horror anthology that is strictly for die-hard fans of B-movie schlock.
44. Hostel: Part III - A direct-to-video sequel that lacks the tension and "vision" of Eli Roth's original entries.
45. Intruders - A confused supernatural thriller that struggles to connect its multiple storylines effectively.

### TIER 6: THE BOTTOM (BARGAIN BIN)
46. Creature - A very low-budget and forgettable monster movie that feels like a throwback in the wrong ways.
47. Rites of Spring - An awkward blend of a kidnapping thriller and a monster movie that doesn't excel at either.
48. Mega Python vs. Gatoroid - Pure Syfy channel cheese that is fun for a "bad movie night" but objectively poor.
49. Children of the Corn: Genesis - A lifeless addition to a franchise that had already run out of ideas decades ago.
50. Supershark - Low-budget shark schlock that lacks the self-aware charm needed to make it truly watchable.
51. Swamp Shark - Another generic "giant shark" entry that offers nothing you haven't seen before.
52. Hellraiser: Revelations - A rushed, low-quality sequel made solely to keep film rights; a low point for the series.
#24
Off Topic Discussion / Re: Alex's even longer post th...
Last post by Trevor - January 06, 2026, 12:54:30 AM
Quote from: Alex on January 06, 2026, 12:32:45 AMHad to ditch one of the Autism groups I've had started following. 90% of its posts were about autistic kids that had wandered off by themselves and died. I understand the need to raise awareness, but this was relentless. These acknowledgements might be for someone who had died recently or had done so years or decades ago. I don't know if it was friends or family sending the details or what, but reading these obituaries every day wasn't helping me in any way and I don't think their are any words that I could say that would make anyone who did know the victim any.

Six days of snow now. I've seen heavier falls in other areas, but for Lossie this is a lot. I wonder if its part of climate change or just an off year. Our street isn't too bad, but the main one running through the estate was basically a sheet of ice from one side to the other. Guess I'll be doing to penguin waddle getting home in that. Schools were closed yesterday. Today they are opening late (the high school is only opening because volunteers gritted the long path from the road down to the school.

Hugs to Kirsty and Ash 🤗😊🐢
#25
Off Topic Discussion / Re: Alex's even longer post th...
Last post by Alex - January 06, 2026, 12:32:45 AM
Had to ditch one of the Autism groups I've had started following. 90% of its posts were about autistic kids that had wandered off by themselves and died. I understand the need to raise awareness, but this was relentless. These acknowledgements might be for someone who had died recently or had done so years or decades ago. I don't know if it was friends or family sending the details or what, but reading these obituaries every day wasn't helping me in any way and I don't think their are any words that I could say that would make anyone who did know the victim any.

Six days of snow now. I've seen heavier falls in other areas, but for Lossie this is a lot. I wonder if its part of climate change or just an off year. Our street isn't too bad, but the main one running through the estate was basically a sheet of ice from one side to the other. Guess I'll be doing to penguin waddle getting home in that. Schools were closed yesterday. Today they are opening late (the high school is only opening because volunteers gritted the long path from the road down to the school.
#26
Off Topic Discussion / Re: the I hate xmas thread
Last post by LilCerberus - January 06, 2026, 12:11:26 AM
A late entry here...

As most of you know, I was a fan of Rush Limbaugh in his living years.... But there was one thing I really couldn't stomach....

As a music lover, sometime in the early '90s, he discovered Mannheim Steamroller, and their new Christmas album...

I couldn't understand his excitement, I'd already lived through Harold Faltermeyer, Jan Hammer and dozens of other synth rock bands of the 1980s....
But Rush would play the same two or three songs all throughout every show in December, then to the very end...
For me, January didn't just mean the end of the holiday season, but also, no more Mannheim Steamroller for the next eleven months!
#27
Entertainment / Re: What have you been listeni...
Last post by Allhallowsday - January 05, 2026, 10:57:20 PM
Never Mind The Bollocks Here's The Sex Pistols 

#28
Good Movies / Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Last post by indianasmith - January 05, 2026, 08:09:31 PM
28 YEARS LATER (2025) - I watched this the other night with my daughter and found it to be the most enjoyable of all the 28 YEARS franchise thus far.  All of England is under total quarantine, and the Infected run rampant.  One small group of survivors has formed a colony on a small island off the coast, with a causeway that is only exposed at low tide. But they still visit the mainland regularly to forage for supplies.  Enter young Spike, about 12 years old.  His father is taking him on his first foraging expedition, leaving his sick mother at home. They barely make it back from the expedition, but the boy learns that there is still a doctor living on the mainland who might can help his mother . . . and so the quest begins.  Very well done film!  4.5/5
#29
Good Movies / Re: Recent Viewings, Part 2
Last post by M.10rda - January 05, 2026, 08:06:55 PM
THE HANDS OF ORLAC (1924):
I skipped this for many years, figuring if you've seen at least two versions of this story (w/ one of them being MAD LOVE) you've probably seen them all. Then it occurred to me: the director (Robert Wiene) and star (Conrad Veidt) of CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI made another horror movie - why am I not watching it?!

Well, indeed you can't do it much better than the Lorre/Freund masterpiece, but this was worth watching once. Even in a more realist milieu, Wiene's impressionist sets and lighting are... impressive! And Veidt looks like he's having a really good time staggering around striking poses and regarding his hands in abject horror. At least I hope he's having a good time... it would be no fun for a method actor to play Orlac.

The plot gets a little carried away with itself and the penultimate twist, which is similar to one in MAD LOVE, really strains one's credulity. (MAD LOVE somehow gets away with this by just asking the viewer to commit to Lorre being a complete insaniac and thus throwing scientific plausibility to the wind.) But the final twist here - which seems different from other versions I've seen - is pretty clever and actually more disturbing for pulling an "Orlac was totally overreacting the whole time" switcharoo.

3.5/5 Good enough for 102 years ago!
#30
Games / Re: Answer the question with a...
Last post by bob - January 05, 2026, 07:38:46 PM


How do you smell?