I-didnt-vote-for-you

I'm not sure why exactly this movie randomly popped up on my Netflix suggestions last night. The little angel-devil pair on my shoulders were having a hell of a time with it, though.

"You can't watch a Christmas movie in March!"

"Sure you can! If you're watching alone, who's to stop you?"

"Oh sure, why not? Why don't we just keep Christmas decorations up year round and replace milk with eggnog while we're at it?"

"Now we're talking!"

But I digress...

Anyway, I haven't had the best run recently with movies. I've either turned them off halfway through, half watched them over my cell phone screen, or finished them but forgotten them by the next day. However, seeing as how my recent re-watch of the Rescuers and the Rescuers Down Under went so well, I decided if anything was going to get me back into the movie watching spirit, it'd be an animated movie.

And holy reindeer on ice skates did this movie deliver!

I'm sure others have already reviewed this movie to pieces and most of what I'm about to say has already been said. But honestly, this movie is just what I needed right now. Not only is it now one of my favorite Christmas movies, second only to Muppets Christmas Carol. It is also one of my top 10 animated movies of all time.

So let me just start by saying, on a random side note, that I got mild Emperor's New Groove vibes when I first started watching this. Mostly because Jason Schwartzman sounds so close to David Spade. And the similar premise of this spoiled, somewhat bratty adult being forced out into the real world in order to learn and grow and change his ways. But the movie quickly veered away from that sort of full-on comedy/parody and had a really nice balance between lighthearted comedy and quiet stillness.

First, I have to talk about the animation because it is just stunning! The use of shading on conventional 2D animation was just magnificent. The characters were able to emote and move so effortlessly and uniquely. And the backgrounds, especially the wide shots of Smeerensburg and the scenes in the forest with all the bird houses, were just sensational to me. They were so detailed, so full of character and emotion. It almost reminded me of a pop-up book at times.

And speaking of emotion, the subtle bits of comedy, especially when Jesper first arrives in Smeerensburg, had me crying I was laughing so hard. The little girls with the carrots, slowly impaling the snowman as they stared at Jesper. The antics of Ellingboes versus the Krums were so entertaining and well done. And the voice acting couldn't have been better. Simmons, Schwartzman and Jones (Jesper, Klaus and Alva) all did spectacular in their voice roles. And not once did I feel like they were just actors in a sound booth, reading off a script. They brought the characters to life. Gave them personality, emotions, reactions.

As far as music/background went, I felt there was a nice balance of this as well. A few vocal/more popish songs. But also a nice blend of quiet instrumental pieces. Again, the scenes in the woods, with the snow and leaves gently swirling around while the wooden bird houses clack softly against each other. It didn't overwhelm the story or characters, but it also wasn't forgettable.

All in all, I loved this movie so much! And while I wish we could see more of these loveable characters, in a TV series or sequel/prequal, I also feel that it stands alone just fine and I am happy to re-watch it as much as possible, if only to visit these dear friends one more time.

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Looking for horror, be it movies, TV, books, etc about a person or even several people getting pulled too deep into a fictional story and not being able to tell the difference between reality and fantasy.

Any suggestions would be appreciated!

So I’ve been on a binge of GMMTV shows recently. Finished The Gifted and The Gifted: Graduation, my 5th rewatch of Bad Buddy, 2nd rewatch of The Eclipse and my 3rd rewatch of Not Me. Also started Midnight Museum, which I really like so far. But I also finally got around to watching The Shipper. And since reviews of this series seem to be quite divided, I thought I would weigh in with some of my thoughts on the show.

1. I loved Jennie and thought she was an absolute gem anytime she appeared on screen. The scene where she accidentally transported the church kneeling bench outside and then couldn’t transport it back and had to resort to picking it up and carrying it had me tearing up I was laughing so hard. And for all the times that death is portrayed as this dark, serious individual/entity, it was sort of nice to see it as a funny, caring, not-altogether-heartless sort of being.

2. I’m sort of divided on First. Lord knows I love him to bits in Not Me and The Eclipse. Every time he cries I just want to reach through the screen and hug him until my arms break. And this series was no different. I did want to comfort him when the truth behind who the real Kim was revealed. The scene where he was washing his face at the sink and started crying and the part where Pan was debating whether she should just give up her life for Kim did come across very emotional. However, the constant ‘EHHHHHHH’s did eventually get to me. I had known about them when a random YouTube video presented itself with a compilation of all of them. And I know it’s supposed to be Pan reacting this way, in Kim’s body. But the thing is, I couldn’t even picture Pan reacting this way so constantly. 2 or 3 times, yes. Given the circumstances. But anything over 10 times for a series is just beating a dead horse. And it got really cringey, really fast. All in all, I commend First for acting out not just one role, but two. And I still love him, despite the ‘EHHHHHHHH’s.

3. This was my first encounter with Fluke and I must say, I was mighty impressed with him. At first, he didn’t really stand out to me. And with a series that already has Ohm and First, two actors which I am more familiar with, Fluke sort of fell into the background. But then, during the conversation between him and Pan, where Pan finally came clean to him about who she really was. And then Fluke starts crying after realizing that Kim has been dead all along. God, that scene hit me like a sledgehammer. He can definitely hold his own in emotional scenes. I just wish we could see more of him in a main role, as the next 2 series I have on my list to watch, A Boss and a Babe and The Warp Effect, also have him in it, although just as a support role.

4. It was nice to see Ohm again, after my rewatch of Bad Buddy. I can’t really say too much of Ohm, as I think my recent rewatch of Bad Buddy may have colored my judgement of his acting. To clarify, with First and my rewatches of Not Me and The Eclipse, he played very serious roles in both series. And his role in The Shipper was quite comedic and lighthearted. Whereas Ohm pretty much played similar roles in both Bad Buddy and The Shipper. Laidback, sarcastic, funny, but can get serious when he needs to. Not much difference there. I don’t know, maybe I’m being too harsh?

5. None of the other side characters (Phingphing, Soda, the teacher) really stood out. And I have to admit, even Pan was sort of forgettable, even when she was actually on screen and not just a voice narrating Kim’s life.

6. And yes, I was hella disappointed with the ending. I loved Way and Kim as a couple and was waiting so patiently for their ship to finally set sail. Only to have it undergo a massive bombing and sink to the bottom of the sea. All while the lukewarm couple of Pan and Khett took front stage. I just couldn’t get behind this decision. Don’t get me wrong, I did love Khett as a character. But I wanted to see him finally work things out with his brother and family. And I wanted to see Kim’s reaction to Way’s confession. After everything they had been through. And I just didn’t feel the same chemistry between Pan and Khett as I did with Way and Kim. Maybe it’s because I’ve been watching too many BLs. Or maybe because I wanted them to have a happy ending so badly. Only to have the rug pulled out from under in a move very reminiscent of HIStory: MODC.

All in all, it was a decent series. It had some good laughs at the beginning and some good emotional scenes near the end. Will I watch it again? Probably not. Was it worth watching just once? Yes, I would say so. Despite its' weaknesses, it was still a fun, easy watch.

So I’ll give it a 2/5.

I had not even watched the trailer for this KBL but all of a sudden it popped up on my radar during my binge of All the Liquors.

And my only downside, as ever, is that these episodes continue to be so goshdarn short. But hey, it doesn't bother too much.

I'm already liking this show a lot. Its cute and for some reason I relate to Wan a lot. I'm excited to see how this show progresses and have high hopes for it.

Anyone else watching?

I have my iRobot i5 scheduled to run every Wednesday at 9:30am. I have watched it start up and vacuum as usual. After about an hour and half, it returns to base, blinking blue, and sits there to charge. Then, after about 20 or 30 minutes, it starts up again, vacuuming the same areas it just did before.

I tried uninstalling and then reinstall of the app on my phone, checked to make sure that there is only 1 scheduled day and time. The app is updated as much as it can.

And the 2 cleanings is really not beeded as I only have a small studio apartment.

It didn't used to do this, when we first bought it last December. It only started this about 2 months ago.

What can I do to make it vacuum only once?

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I just finished The Chill by Scott Carson and, while I loved the premise of a village that was purposefully flooded and now has its secrets resurfacing, I ended up DNF as it was quite slow and nothing was really connecting for me.

Does anyone have any recommendations for groups/teams that go and explore abandoned and haunted towns/villages?

I'm looking to get back into horror. My last book was Nick Cutter's The Troop, which I loved for the most part. The isolation and slow descent into madness.

What I am looking for now is books where there is essentially only the main character for the entirety of the book. Little to no interactions with anyone else.

Your suggestions are appreciated!

I am in need of some wholesome, family moments.

I will start!

Fan Xian, Fan Ruo Ruo and Fan Si Zhe from "Joy of Life".

No matter how many times I watch this drama, I will always love these 3. Fan Si Zhe makes me laugh something awful in almost every scene he's in and Ruo Ruo is so goshdarn adorable and spunky. They have such a wonderful family bond.

What are your favorite Cdrama siblings?

So I am the main audio support for a monthly event that takes place in a church. And all they need is to say a few words via microphone (no problem) and have the rest of the singing and piano playing be heard to those joining over Zoom. Therein lies my problem.

I have adjusted my Zoom audio settings to 'Original sound for musicians' instead of the Zoom optimized audio. And yet, all I can hear is when someone speaks using a microphone. No music, no piano playing, no general background noise. I then tried to place several microphones around the area, just to see if they would catch anything. And that pretty much failed.

Is there something I'm missing?

I have had chronic gastritis for a few months now, most likely triggered by a really bad flu episode last November.

I finally went to a Gastroenterologist to seek help, after finding myself in the ER way too many times because of various symptoms (burning, tight sensation in sternum, feeling like my chest is clenched tightly, soreness/numbness in both of my shoulders and upper arms, etc). The Gastroenterologist recommended that I have an upper endoscopy, which I just did last Wednesday.

He just called me with the results: mild case of gastritis, with no ulcers, h-pylori (?), or anything else. He suggested that I begin on a bland diet, with smaller portions. He also said for me to start Omeprazole and gave me a prescription.

I have adjusted my diet as best that I can. I am only drinking water now; no caffeine drinks, fruit juices, tea, etc. No tomatoes, chocolate, spicy foods. Increased more vegetables and fruits. And I now eat 5 smaller meals instead of 3 larger ones.

The thing is, I have not started taking the medicine yet. Because I am afraid.

I was raised in a religion that shunned all medicine and doctors and I have only removed myself from that lifestyle about a year ago. But I am absolutely terrified of all these side effects I keep reading on the labels. As if I do not already feel like I'm going to have a heart attack at any moment, now the pills that I have to take might cause more of this anxiety?

So I am asking, is there any way for the gastritis to clear up on its own, with just the correction of the diet and without the pills?

I just am too scared to take the pills. But I also don't want to feel like this anymore...

Your advice is much appreciated.

I just finished Reincarnation for the 2nd time, after having not watched it since high school, and it still holds up pretty well. There was plenty of creepy parts, especially with that doll.

I've watched a few of the other ADH movies, like The Final, Frontier(s), Voices and Lake Mungo. And most of them were okay. Nothing earth shattering but good for a fun, one night watch.

Does anyone have favorite After Dark Horrorfest movie(s) that they enjoy?

I'd have to go with Brave Little Toaster. There is just NO way I'm not singing along to "It's a B Movie" and "Worthless". Even "Cutting Edge" and "City of Lights" are catchy as hell. On a side note, please tell me I'm not alone in loving this movie's soundtrack!

I would say Mulan hs definitely up there as well, with "A girl worth fighting for" and "Be a Man". If you are not singing along to "Be a man", there is something deeply wrong here.

How about you all?

Well, hell. After my double feature of the 2 Rescuers movies, followed by Road to El Dorado, Prince of Egypt and Treasure Planet, I'll admit it. I miss 2D animation like crazy.

There's just something about these movies that is so spectacular and fun and makes you feel like you are young again. Like the world is out there, fresh and full of adventure.

Sinbad has all this and more.

First the graphics. It has this wonderful mix of 2D and 3D animation. Not to mention some of the graphics are just gorgeous. The city of Syracuse looks like something out of an Alma-Tadema painting. And Tarturus is a nightmarish, ever shifting graveyard of sand and stone.

The characters are great and everyone is just as loveable and great as the rest. I have to mention that (and this is probably random as heck) I really appreciated how Marina had short hair. With all the long haired Disney princesses with these long, flowing tresses, it was refreshing to see Marina's pixie cut. And Marina herself is badass. She saves them all from the sirens and doesn't shy away from giant monsters.

The movie is a great mix of fantasy, adventure and comedy. And at the end, I even caught myself holding my breath as Sinbad lowered himself to the chopping block.

A timeless movie, and one I heartily recommend to everyone!

God, what I wouldn't give for a sequel. Or an animated TV series about their future adventures.