Of Pizza, Movies, and Marvels

So it appears that spring has finally sprung, and with it, my neurosis about traversing winter roads into the city to catch a movie are starting to subside.  And just in time, too, as Marvel's latest, Captain Marvel, has been thrust upon the world.  But of course, there had to be a last-minute panic.  Thursday, it was a quick trip into the city after work for a dentist appointment.  Everything was fine.  Friday...a huge dump of snow.  But, above zero temperatures for the next day.  Would everything be find on Saturday morning?  I woke up, looked outside at the sunshine, saw the above-zero temperatures on my weather apps, an "all clear" on the road reports, and I knew my day in the city was a go!

After a lovely, uneventful, springtime drive, I arrived and made my first stop at Wal-Mart.  For you see, I was in the market for some new socks and underwear.  Sorry, gang, but not all my big city purchases are always sexy new action figures and sexy new Blu-Rays.  I need the neccessities, too.  And double sorry, but you're not going to see any pictures of my sexy new underwear.  I may have lost some weight, but I've still got a long ways to go before you're seeing pics of me with rock hard abs.

For those who may not have seen my tweets or Facebook posts over the past year, it's good news.  About a year ago, my mother finally convinced me to get a full physical.  And the prognosis was good, with a big "but."  The doctor's exact words that I was in "the grey zone for diabetes," so I had to lose some weight and get my blood sugar under control.  Here we are, a year later, and the doctor says I'm down 20 pounds, and my blood sugar has gone from a dangerously high 6.3 to a more typical 5.7, officially getting me out of "the grey zone."  I haven't really noticed the weight loss, but friends say they have.  And I can pull my pants up over my gut and starting wearing them around my waist like a normal person again.

Which led me to the most delightful brain fart as I was buying underwear.  I looked at the tags and started thinking, "What's my pants size again?"   I tried discreetly looking at the tag on the jeans I was wearing, but they'd been through the wash too many times, and the writing was too faded.  So I went with a different option.  Since I always complain that I could never find pants in my size, I went to go look at the pants, to see if the ones that were sold out would jog my memory.  It seemed to work, and I made my best guess at an underwear size.

I arrived at West Edmonton Mall, just in time for an early lunch, and settled on a rice bowl from Edo Japan.  Again, all part of the attempting to eat healthier and get healthier.  I'm opting less and less for the burgers in the food court and trying to explore the healthier options...like rice bowls.  And besides, as my dietician once advised, "A burger every once in a while ain't gonna kill you...as long as it's not one of those half-pound monster burgers."

I checked my watch and saw that I had a full hour and a half before my movie.  I figured I may as well get up and explore the Mall.  Hadn't made it all the way down to the Mall in a while, so I was looking forward to just exploring.  "And this is a good time to squeeze in some cardio," said the healthy part of my brain.  On the one hand, I hate that I'm having thoughts like, "This is a good time to squeeze in some cardio," but on the other hand, I love that I'm having brain farts like, "What's my pants size again?"

I got up and started exploring the Mall.  I've traversed these halls ever since West Edmonton Mall was built back in the mid-1980s.  I love how dynamic the mall is, always changing, always something new.  But, it also gives me a sense of nostalgia.  I miss the opulence of West Edmonton  Mall in the 1980s, when they really leaned into the "World's Largest Mall" quite hard and everything about the Mall had to be the world's largest.

Which is why it's always a shock when I see that a big change is coming.  It may not seem like a big change to some, but I was shocked to see that the Brick is moving.

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Holy moly, they’re moving the Brick? The Brick is one of the stores that hasn’t moved since the mall opened back in the 80s. I am shook.

A post shared by Mark Cappis (@chaosinabox) on Mar 9, 2019 at 11:41am PST

The Brick is one of those anchor tenants that's been in the same place in West Edmonton Mall since it first opened in the mid-1980s.  I remember my family buying a new TV from the Brick in West Edmonton Mall in 1994.  I miss the Star Wars diorama they used to have.  They had this diorama set-up designed to look like an alien world, complete with a few model AT-ATs and Star Wars action figures set up.  And then, they had camcorders set up all around it so you could try them out by filming the diorama.  They did a massive renovation to their store in the late-90s/early-2000s and a had a huge grand reopening.  I remember because my favourite radio station at the time was on location from the newly renovated Brick for, like, an entire month.

And now it's moving.  All the way to the other side of the Mall where Sears used to be.

My nostalgic stroll continued as I went into Sunrise Records.  A part of me still thinks of that store as HMV.  I browsed the shelves of Blu-Rays, and as much was I wanted to buy a few new films, I knew I had to show some restraint.  I see Chicken Run is finally on Blu-Ray, and I still think it's one of the funniest animated movies ever made, but I put back, thinking that my old DVD is still good enough.  I see the Steve Martin classics The Jerk and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels have just gotten new super-special editions, but they were a little pricey, and so I left them behind.  But I did break down for one.

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Today’s Blu-Ray acquisition. Yeah, I fell for the novelty VHS clamshell packaging.

A post shared by Mark Cappis (@chaosinabox) on Mar 9, 2019 at 5:35pm PST

Backdraft, Ron Howard's 1991 loving ode to firefighters.  Won great acclaim at the time for its practical effects...cleverly hidden propane torches to put the actors right in the middle of the fire.  This one seems to have been filling discount bins for far too long, and I've been tempted to pick it up, but seeing it in novelty VHS clamshell packaging for just $10, I couldn't resist.  When I bought it, the clerk and I complained a little bit that the retro VHS packaging was being billed as "1980s packaging," and Backdraft came out in 1990s, but whatever.  It'll still look good on the shelf.

I glanced at my watch, and saw it was a half-hour before my movie.  Even in this modern age of assigned seating at the theatre, I still like to show up about a half-hour early to claim my seat, get settled, and open up any noisy candy packaging.  So I made my way over to the Scotiabank Theatre and settled in to watch Captain Marvel.

On the distant planet Hala, home of the Kree Empire, a Kree warrior named Vers is troubled. She’s still learning to harness her massive power under the tutelage of Yon-Rogg. Their squad of Kree commandos are sent to take down a cel of evil shapeshifting aliens known as Skrulls, but Vers is capture. She eventually escapes, and winds up on the planet designated C-35 by the Kree, but the natives call it Earth. Something about Earth begins triggering memories in Vers, and she begins to learn that she was once a woman named Carol Danvers. But, Skrulls led by Talos have made it to Earth as well. With her new partner, SHIELD agent Nick Fury, can Carol Danvers uncover the secrets of her past and save Earth from a Skrull invasion?

I found Captain Marvel to be a very satisfying superhero film.  Yeah, I've probably watched too many of these, as I saw some of the big plot twists coming from a mile away.  And the soundtrack, full of 1990s rock (as it's set in 1995) is cute, but does get a little too...obvious as the film goes on.  I was kinda worried about Brie Larson as Captain Marvel, because she struck me as kinda flat in the trailers, but she brings it in the film, and does a great job.

I give it three out of four nibs.  Full review over on the website.

With the movie done, I still had very special plans for dinner.  I had resolved that, this night, I was going to check something off my bucket list.  I love pizza.  And for many, many years, anchovies tops the list as the most hated pizza topping.  But here's the thing.  Because it is so hated, it's very hard to find an anchovy pizza.  They hardly make them anymore.  So it soon got added to my bucket list to find and try an anchovy pizza.  After some searching online, I found I could get one at Famoso.

Famoso is one of those newer restaurant chains that's been popping up in power centres all across the land.  They specialize in traditional Italian-style pizza.  I've eaten there a few times, and they do make pretty good pizza, and it was one of the few places where I could get my anchovy pizza.

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Alright, we’re heard the jokes on sitcoms for years, let’s finally do this...an anchovy pizza! I picked one off to try the full flavour. Salty little thing. But the rest of the pizza kinda overpowered it. Next time, I’ll have to order the anchovies fresh instead of cooked to see if that makes a difference.

A post shared by Mark Cappis (@chaosinabox) on Mar 9, 2019 at 3:48pm PST

I hit up Famoso in Spruce Grove, and placed my order.  They changed it up a little bit since the last time I was there.  Originally, they had you fill out your order yourself and take it to the front counter.  But now, they have the waitress do that for you, like a regular restaurant.  Having studied the menu online, I knew exactly what I wanted:  a Magherita pizza with anchovies.  The waitress asked if I wanted the anchovies pre-cooked or fresh.  I went with pre-cooked.  She said OK, and then I sat back and waited.

She brought me my pizza, and I dug in.  I tasted the cheese, the tomato sauce and...that's it.  Couldn't taste anything else.  I figured the cheese and tomato sauce must be overpowering the anchovies.  So I picked one off an ate it on its own.  I found it to be a greasy, salty little thing.  That's probably why it's not liked...and that's probably why the cheese and the tomato sauce overpowered it.  I finished off my pizza, and resolved that I'd have to try this again, to see if having the anchovies fresh makes any difference. 

The waitress brought my bill and I settled up, and that's when I realized that she got my order wrong.  My own fault for not eating there enough and not being familiar with the Italian words on the menu.  I ordered a Magherita pizza with anchovies, and I got just a plain pizza with anchovies.  I decided to let it go and just move on, but since I'm blogging about it a week later, obviously I haven't done that.  Besides, the whole mission was to try an anchovy pizza, and that's what was done.  And since I'm going to try this again with fresh anchovies, I'll be able to try again. 

But with a full belly, I returned home, on another uneventful drive on warming, ice-free roads.  I got home, and after noting my car's mileage, realized I'm getting due for an oil change.  At my last oil change, they noted I should probably get a tire rotation in the spring.  But getting a tire rotation means going to a proper mechanic, and not one of those "Quickie Lube" oil change places.  I always worry about taking my car into the mechanic.  It might be for something as simple as an oil change, but once they get it up on the hoist, they're like, "Oh, yeah, you need a new fliberty gibbet.  That'll be $8000, please." 

My car.  I love ya, but I'll always have reason to worry. 

(Oh, and the underwear fits.)

Fishing in the Discount Bin - Shadow Raiders: Volume 1

Here we go again on Fishing in the Discount Bin.  I think you know the drill by now.  I watch a DVD I own and blog about it.  This time, I'm going to crack into an entire series.  We're watching volume 1 of Shadow Raiders.  This is originally in my notes at January 26, 2019.

Fishing in the Discount Bin - Venom

Here we go again on Fishing in the Discount Bin.  You know the drill, I watch a movie and blog about it.  This time out, we're doing the surprise hit of the fall of 2018, Venom.  I originally watched & blogged on January 13, 2019.

Fishing in the Discount Bin - How the Grinch Stole Christmas!

Here we are again on Fishing in the Discount Bin.  You know the drill...I watch a movie and blog about it.  This time out, I'm doing the original animated How the Grinch Stole Christmas.  I originally watched this and wrote this on December 16, 2018.

Cabin Fever

We're coming up on the 6th anniversary of when I hit a deer with my car.  Before that incident, I used to be so confident about my winter driving.  I had a rusty old 1996 Dodge Neon with balding tires, and I'd drive that thing through snowstorms when it was forty below just to get into Edmonton to see a movie.  But ever since then, when winter rolls around, I'm checking road reports and weather reports whenever I want to hit the city and I see the mercury has dipped below minus ten. 

As was the situation a week ago, when the Family Day long weekend rolled around.  Thanks to the Polar Vortex, this has gone on record as one of the coldest Februaries in recent history.  But it was the long weekend, and I really wanted to get out and do something.  I won a free pass to Landmark Cinemas at the office Christmas party, and I had it earmarked for The Lego Movie 2.  It was cold during the entire long weekend, but the holiday Monday was predicted to be the warmest, at a balmy minus twenty.  So I figured I could do what I did when I went to Bumblebee about a month ago:  head to the new-ish Landmark Cinema on the north end of St. Albert.  Get in, see the movie, get out, time on the streets would totally be minimized.  Waking up on Family Day Monday, and seeing that the extreme cold warning had been brought back didn't daunt me...I had a plan! 

Until I checked the movie listings for Landmark Cinema and saw that The Lego Movie 2 was already sold out.  Gee, one of the biggest family movies in the country is all sold out at the movie theatre that's having all kinds of Family Day specials.  Should have seen that coming.  But damn it, I wanted out.  I needed to see a movie.  This was becoming a holy crusade. 

Yup, because of Landmark's Family Day specials, pretty much everything in St. Albert was sold out.  The next closest theatre would be Cineplex's North Edmonton Common.  To go there would mean driving straight through St. Albert.  Road reports and street reports all looked good.  Got a Cineplex gift card for Christmas so could still see it for free.  But again, Family Day and family movies, Lego Movie 2 was sold out.  Second choice:  Alita: Battle Angel.  My brain was pondering whether to go through with it, but my hand was moving of its own volition.  Before I knew it, I'd purchased my tickets to Alita: Battle Angel.  The die is cast.  We're doing this. 

I got behind the wheel, and started up my car.  I think I've mentioned this before.  I love my car.  I've had it for eight years now, and I still think of it as my new car.  That rusty ol' Dodge Neon finally gave out at around Thanksgiving of 2010.  So, I ran some numbers, got a second job, and got a 2007 Chevy Cobalt, which I'm driving to this very day.  I do my best to look after her.  The last major repair I got done was she needed the brakes done and a new set of tires about a year and a half ago.  She has served me well.  But, Dad always said that when a car is more than 10 years old, it's time to start thinking about trading up, because that's when things start falling off.  And, as my job frequently requires me to be up before the snowplows, something with four wheel drive would be nice.  But for now, my little old Chevy is tried and true. 

I hit St. Albert city limits, and slowed down accordingly.  The city streets weren't too bad.  Before I knew it, I had safely made it through St. Albert, and was heading towards Edmonton city limits.  I arrived at the power centre that's home to Cineplex's North Edmonton Commons, and saw that I had made it with just enough time for lunch.  And wouldn't you know it, a Popeyes Chicken had just opened up in that power centre. 

Just to refresh your memories....  Popeyes Louisiana Chicken is a very popular fried chicken fast food chain.  A few years ago, they were bought out by the same consortium that now owns Tim Hortons and Burger King, and thus began an aggressive Canadian expansion.  Popeyes' first western Canadian location opened in Edmonton during the holiday season of 2016, and was a runaway success, with people line up around the block to try it.  My first journey to Popeyes Chicken was their third location.  I believe this new one on the north side is now officially their seventh location, and would serve for my second visit.

No lines out the door this time, as I was easily third in line, and the lunch rush was well underway.  Popeyes offers two kinds of combos:  the combo and the platter.  With the combo, you get one side dish, and a medium drink.  With the platter, you get two sides and a large drink.  I opted to go for a Chicken Tenders platter, because hey, it's just my second visit.  May as well sample as many side dishes as I can.

I placed my order, only for the clerk to tell me that they were out of Chicken Tenders.  So I went with a two piece platter instead.  It's funny.  I've recently discovered Reddit, and from there, I've learned this is a common exchange in newer Popeyes locations in Edmonton.

Clerk:  And would you like to try (promotional item)?

Customer:  That sounds delicious!  I would love to try one!

Clerk:  Sorry, sir, but we're all sold out of (promotional item).

Customer:  Then why did you ask me if I wanted one?

Clerk:  Manager makes us stick to the script.  

I went with the mild chicken instead of the spicy.  It was good.  Nice and crispy, and juicy on the inside.  For my sides, I opted to go with the coleslaw and the red beans & rice.  Coleslaw was nice and tangy, and the red beans & rice had a nice texture to them.  Now that this is literally the closest location to me, a third visit will be much easier. 

With a full belly, it was over to the theatre to catch Alita: Battle Angel.  This is a film that feels like I've been reading about online for years.  Based on the manga (Japanese comic book) Gunnm, Alita had one North American fan in James Cameron, he who gave us Titanic and the Terminator films.  About 15 years ago, Cameron announced that he had two performance capture epics in development.  One was a live action Alita, the other was an original property of his with the code name Project 880.  Whichever one took off faster, would be the one he made first.  Well, Project 880 turned out to be Avatar, and made all the money.  It was widely assumed that Alita would be Cameron's next film, but he got wrapped up making his Avatar sequels.  So, a few years ago, Cameron passed the Alita football to Robert Rodriguez, he who gave us Sin City and Spy Kids, to carry to the end zone.  And now Alita is finally here. 

In the distant future, when cyborgs are common place.  One cyberneticist, Dr. Dyson Ito, is scavenging the scrapyard for parts, when he finds perfectly intact cyborg head with a still breathing human brain inside.  He gives this woman a new body and names her Alita.  Alita has no memories of her past life, but finds that being place in extreme combat situations triggers old memories.  So, against Dr. Ito's wishes, she gets a job as a hunter-warrior (bounty hunter) and starts participating the extreme sport of motorball.  On top of that, there's no shortage of people coming after Alita to kill her.  Will Alita uncover the secrets of her past?

I liked Alita.  Needless to say, it's visually stunning.  Our lead, Rosa Salazar, is just adorable as Alita, even when performance capture turns her into a live-action anime character.  And it's good to see Christoph Waltz going against type a bit as the fatherly Dr. Ito, rather than the villains he's usually stuck playing these days. 

My big objection, though, is it really reminded me of John Carter back in the day.  You can tell Cameron and Rodriguez are off-camera going, "Oh, man!  I can't wait to get into that in the sequel!"  It's stuffed pretty full, with hopes of being the next Star Wars and sparking a trilogy.  That being said, they do remember to actually end the film and bring it to a satisfying conclusion...something they forget to do in a lot of these franchise-starters. 

So, yeah.  I liked Alita.  Three out of four nibs.  Full review on the website.

This past weekend, though, I was finally able to go about my original plan:  straight into the Landmark Cinema in St. Albert to see The Lego Movie 2.  As I said when I first visited the Landmark Cinema to see Bumblebee, it is such a nice theatre.  The chairs...all the chairs are leather, power recliners.  Nice and big so you've got lots of room.  Nice, big cup holders.  Nice, wide armrests so you're not fighting with your neighbour over the armrest.  Such a comfy theatre, and a great place to catch the latest chapter in the Lego Cinematic Universe. 

It’s been some years since our last adventure. The Lego metropolis of Bricksburg has become the wasteland of Apocalypseburg, thanks to constant attacks by beings from the Systar System. But, our hero Emmet is still as chipper as ever, trying to make the best of this new life. But then, General Mayhem of the Systar System kidnaps Batman, Unikitty, Benny the Spaceman, Metalbeard, and Emmet’s love Lucy. Emmet panics, as this all resembles his visions of the forthcoming Armomageddon. Emmet decides he must venture to the Systar System to save his friends. Along the way, he gets an ally in the grim and gritty adventurer Rex Dangervest. Meanwhile, Lucy and the rest have become prisoners of the Systar System’s ruler, Queen Watevra Wa’Nabi, as she tries to tempt them over to her kingdom. Can Emmet save his friends? Is Queen Wa’Nabi really the villain? And can they stave off Armomageddon?

Lego Movie 2 is also pretty good.  The meta-humour and heart that made the original so memorable is back in full force.  In fact, I'd say this one leans a little more towards "sweet" than "funny" this time out.  As the big twist of the first film is common knowledge now, they play a little more with the breaking of barriers between the real world and the Lego World.  My only complaint is that, well, the freshness of the original is now long gone.  Don't forget, thanks to Lego Batman and Lego Ninjago, this is technically the fourth Lego movie.  So the things that were fresh originally are now part of the formula.

All in all, it was still a fun movie.  Again, three out of four nibs.  Full review on the website.

My only problem, right now, with the new Landmark Cinema is the power centre it's in is rather new, and doesn't have a lot of tenants yet.  So, after the movie, there's not many places to grab a bite.  There's a Canadian Brewhouse, and that's about it.  And after a movie, I'm more in a fast food kind of mood.  I made a quick stop to the power centre next door for a browse through Wal-Mart, and came out mildly disappointed.  The action figures for the new Star Wars cartoon, Star Wars Resistance are now on store shelves, and I'm on the prowl to acquire some for my collection.  But, sadly, Wal-Mart was all sold out.

With that mild disappointment, I decided to hit the power centre up the road and grab a late lunch/early supper at Panda Express.  This is quickly becoming a favourite stop of mine as I leave St. Albert.  It's pretty much the same greasy Chinese food you'll find in a mall food court, but it is rather filling, and it has just the right amount of spice.

And then I ventured home, on roads much nicer than the ones on Family Day.  It looks like our long, cold February is almost at an end, and I'm looking for things to warm up.  Hopefully, when i go see Captain Marvel in a couple weeks, it'll be with much less drama.  

Fishing in the Discount Bin - City Slickers

Here we go again on Fishing in the Discount Bin.  I watch a movie and blog about it, because I need something to do on the weekends.  This time out, I'm watching the 1991 classic City Slickers.  I watched this and reviewed it on December 16, 2018.

Fishing in the Discount Bin - National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation

Here we go again on Fishing in the Discount Bin.  I watch a movie and blog about it.  Simple as pie.  Anyway, in my notes, I'm currently going through all the Christmas movies I bought and watched this year.  I'm up to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, which I bought and watched on December 9, 2018.

Fishing in the Discount Bin - Mircale on 34th Street

Here we go again on Fishing in the Discount Bin.  I watch a movie, I blog about it.  You know the drill.  I'm getting into all the Christmas movies I watched back in December, which is why on this February 7, 2019, I'm blogging about Miracle on 34th Street.  I originally watched this on December 2, 2018.

Fishing in the Discount Bin - The Princess Bride

And we're off again on Fishing in the Discount Bin.  I watch a movie and blog about it.  You know the drill.  This time out, I'm watching The Princess Bride.  This is in my notes at December 2, 2018.

Scarecrow's Oscar Picks - 2019 Edition

Well, gang, it's time to continue on a tradition that I've been doing ever since I developed an online presence 20+ years ago to promote my college radio show.  It's time to blog my Oscar picks!

Now, I've always done my Oscar picks a little differently.  I only do the two categories that I have a good track record in picking:  best visual effects and best original song.  Best visual effects because, well, I gravitate towards those movies.  And best original song because, well, back when I started doing this in the 1990s, it was the height of the Disney Renaissance, and for a good stretch in the 90s, the Oscar in this category would always go to the love ballad from the Disney animated film.  When they started with best animated film, I started doing that one, because I love my cartoons.  And I do best picture, because that's the big one.

Got all that?  Cool.

Best Visual Effects

• Avengers: Infinity War
• Christopher Robin
• First Man
• Ready Player One
• Solo: A Star Wars Story

My Thoughts:  I liked Solo, but let's be honest, when it comes to visual effects it really offered up nothing new.  Ready Player One is a visual treat, as about 80% of that film is performance capture was we explore our virtual world, but still, nothing really new.  I really regret not catching First Man in the theatre, as I heard a lot of good things.  A biography of astronaut Neil Armstrong, it was heralded as being one of the most accurate depictions of spaceflight since Apollo 13.  Christopher Robin, Disney's live-action  Winnie the Pooh, was cute, but we've seen talking stuffed animals before.  Really, though, Avengers: Infinity War wound up being such a pop culture juggernaut this year that it deserves to walk away with something, and this one makes the most sense.

My Pick:  Avengers: Infinity War

Best Original Song

• "All the Stars" from Black Panther
• "I'll Fight" from RBG
• "The Place Where Lost Things Go" from Mary Poppins Returns
• "Shallow" from A Star is Born
• "When a Cowboy Trades his Spurs for Wings" from The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 

My Thoughts: Personally, I think this on is going to come down to Mary Poppins and A Star is Born.  I mean, people have been raving about A Star is Born since it came out back in the fall, so no doubt it'll be picking up a few trophies.  But, Mary Poppins has been winning over the critics, so no doubt that'll sway some Academy voters.  But A Star is Born has been the favourite for too long.

My Pick:  Shallow

Best Animated Film

• Incredibles 2
• Isle of Dogs
• Mirai
• Ralph Breaks the Internet
• Spider-Man:  Into the Spider-Verse

My Thoughts:  Wow!  First year in a long time I've seen more than 50% of the nominated films.  Saw Incredibles 2, loved it.  Saw Ralph Breaks the Internet, loved it.  Saw Spider-Man, loved it.  I skipped Isle of Dogs.  I saw the trailers and thought, "Wow, Wes Anderson has finally gotten too quirky for me," and gave it a pass.  But still, the Academy does love Anderson.  And Mirai, our token foreign film.  The first anime in this category that's not from Studio Ghibli.  With a lot of good films on this list, I think Spider-Man surprised a lot of people, and since it came out in December, it's still the freshest in a lot of minds

My Pick:  Spider-Man:  Into the Spider-Verse

Best Picture

• Black Panther
• BlacKkKlansman
• Bohemian Rhapsody
• The Favourite
• Green Book
• Roma
• A Star is Born
• Vice

My Thoughts:  Firstly, yay!  Black Panther is the first superhero film to get nominated for Best Picture.  And the whole point to expanding the nominations to more than five years would be so more mainstream films like this would get nominated.  That being said, let's be honest.  As great as Black Panther is, I don't really think it's Best Picture worthy.  Green Book was an early favourite, but being an early favourite means it's already getting early backlash.  The film -- about an African American pianist in the 1960s on tour in the south and his white driver/bodyguard -- was lauded when it first came out, but has already started getting flak fore being a sanitized look at race relations.  A Star is Born was another early favourite, but over on social media, the one I see people constantly raving about right now is Roma.  It hit Netflix in December, so lots of folks are raving about it right now. 

My Pick:  Let's go with Roma. 

The big show's on February 24. 

Fishing in the Discount Bin - The Pixar Short Films Collection Volume 3

Here we go again on Fishing in the Discount Bin.  You know the drill by now.  I watch a movie, and blog about it.  It's just that easy.  Today, I continue my love of Pixar with The Pixar Short Films Collection Vol. 3.  This is originally in my notes at December 1, 2018.

Fishing in the Discount Bin - Incredibles 2

Here we go again on Fishing in the Discount Bin.  I watch a movie, I blog about it.  Why?  Because I launched a blog 20 years ago, and I haven't moved on with my life!  Anyway, this time out, I'm watching Incredibles 2.  This is originally in my notes at December 1, 2018.

It's About Time

While I had a lot of fun heading into the city last week to see Bumblebee, it wasn't quite what I wanted to do.  I still wanted to make the trek all the way into West Edmonton Mall and spend some gift cards.  I also had a very specific goal in mind as to what to spend those gift cards on:  calendars. 

Man, calendars seem to be one of those things that are dying out now that everyone has one in their pockets at all times thanks to smartphones.  But at work, I still like to have one on the walls of my office.  It helps keep me organized to lift my head up from my computer and see all the looming deadlines.  Last year, I even got one of those laminated ones that you can write stuff on using whiteboard markers.  I swear, it's how I've stayed organized ever since college.  But that's just in my main office.  I do so much work at work that I'm constantly flitting about from room to room, and I need new calendars in offices numbers two and three.  And it's just that time of year when the calendar pop-up stores are starting to clear out their inventory, and everything's half-off.  So I snatched up Castles of Germany for my main office, Star Wars for office #2, and a second, writable calendar for office #3. 

Then it was time to spend some gift cards.  I went on over to the Scotiabank Theatre to see Aquaman. 

Man o man, as I was riding the escalator up the theatre, I had a frightening thought.  The Scotiabank Theatre in West Edmonton Mall is going to be celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.  It opened with much hype in the summer of 1999, replacing Famous Players' old West Mall 5 theatre.  It was the ultimate movie theatre in Edmonton, with its fire-breathing dragon, stadium seating, and curved screens.  And THX!  To date, the only times I've ever seen that famous THX trailer on the big screen was in those early days at the Scotiabank Theatre. 

Of course, being the summer of 1999, the first film showed at that theatre was The Phantom Menace.  I remember seeing the line for tickets on the news.  The line wound down the staircase and around the indoor lake.  The first movie I saw in the Scotiabank Theatre, though, wasn't The Phantom Menace...it was Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.  Although, you may remember, it had a fantastic Episode I-spoofing trailer. 

But, the old Scotiabank Theatre was showing it's age.  As I settled into my chair, it sure felt kind of small when compared to the gigantic, super-comfy recliner that I enjoyed at the Landmark Theatre for Bumblebee.  It's still a very good theatre, though. 

Anyway, how was Aquaman? 

Aquaman is bug-nuts, bonkers insane, man.  They lean heavily into the fantasy elements of Aquaman, creating a very lush looking film.  We are treated to some spectacular computer generated underwater empires as we see Atlantis and all the kingdoms under the sea.  And the final battle...as mush as I tire of the massive CGI armies fighting each other, this one has armoured sea life.  Sharks vs giant seahorses.  And the kraken shows up.  It's beautiful.

It's a pretty standard Aquaman plot.  Aquaman's half-brother Orm, the ruler of Atlantis, is seeking to unite the seven kindgoms under the sea and raise an army to go to war with the surface world.  So, to stop the war, Aquaman has to challenge Orm for the throne.  Which sends him on a quest for a magic trident with Orm's forces hot on his tail.

And one thing I keep forgetting to mention is they film actually has a really meaty subplot delving into the origins of Aquaman villain Black Manta.  It almost feels like an entire second movie, and I found the whole thing quite compelling.

But yeah, I really enjoyed Aquaman.  Between this and Wonder Woman, it looks like the DC Cinematic Universe is starting to find its footing.  I give it 3.5 Nibs out of 4.  Full review on the website.  

Fishing in the Discount Bin - Stan Lee's Mutants, Monsters, and Marvels

Moving along on Fishing in the Discount Bin, where I watch a movie and blog about it.  I tend to work a few weeks ahead with this.  I watched this particular film near the end of November, and originally wrote this on December 1, 2018, when the death of Stan Lee was still recent.  So that's why I watched Stan Lee's Mutants, Monsters, and Marvels.

Braving Winter Roads

Well, the Christmas holiday season is practically over, but there was still one thing I wanted to do that I hadn't had a chance to yet.  I wanted to go see a movie.  I wanted to go see Bumblebee.  I had set aside this weekend to do it!  I was ready to go!

But then it snowed all day Friday. 

Dang it.  Do I brave the snow-covered streets to venture into the city to catch a movie, or do I wait another weekend?  I feared to wait another weekend, because Bumblebee isn't doing so hot at the box office.  What if it's out of theatres by next weekend?  What is this poor old Transformers fan to do? 

I woke up on Saturday morning and checked the road reports.  The highway was currently listed in "fair" condition.  OK, that's pretty much typical winter driving conditions.  That's drivable.  But the last thing I wanted to do was navigate city streets in this weather.  So it seemed like it was finally time to check out the new Landmark Cinema in St. Albert. 

Landmark Cinemas is currently the second-largest movie theatre chain in Canada.  They're working hard to narrow the gap between themselves and the largest chain, Cineplex.  Their St. Albert theatre is coming up on its first anniversary, and when it opened up last spring, it was with much fanfare.  While Landmark already has a few theatres in Edmonton, they were all acquisitions.  But their St. Albert theatre is the first one in the greater Edmonton region that they built from the ground up...all according to their standards.  And it's ridiculously easy to get to, on the very northern edge of St. Albert.  When I drive south on Highway 2 to hit the city for the day, it is literally the first building I see when I hit St. Albert city limits.  I wouldn't have to navigate any city streets at all, just kiss the edge of town. 

Plus, I won some free Landmark movie passes at the office Christmas party.  I could see it for free! 

This plan was falling into place.  I can do this.  I have the touch.  I have the power. 

I set out late on Saturday morning.  I figured I'd give the snowplows more time to work their magic.  As expected, it was typical winter driving conditions.  There was enough road salt out there that it made the roads pretty wet.  Good thing I filled my tank with washer fluid before hitting the road.  And sure enough, I hit the first set of lights as soon as I hit St. Albert, and I was there.  I might finally start going to this theatre a whole lot more because of how ridiculously easy it is to get to.

I went into the lobby, and I was taken with how large and spacious it is.  Tables with USB charging ports, so you can check your phone while you wait.  The first strike against it, though.  The box office was closed, so they were making you buy your movie tickets at the concession.  Man, I hate this modern trend of reducing the number of cashiers.  Even worse when they start amalgamating positions.  Most grocery stores these days are doing away with their express lanes and making you go to the customer service desk instead.  Hell, the Giant Tiger here in Westlock only opens up a cashier when the line at the customer service desk is ten people deep.  You're not even replacing cashiers with self-checkouts anymore!  You're just hiring less cashiers and making them do the work of three.  Hate it hate it hate it.

Luckily, the concession/box office line was moving pretty quickly, so I got my ticket and my free popcorn and drink.  The drinks were pretty cool.  They have these Coke Freestyle machines.  You put your cup in, and hit the buttons on the touch screen to decide what you want.  You can even add your favourite flavoured syrups, so I went with a good ol' cherry Coke. 

Went to my theatre and found my seat.  Oh my God.  The seats are massive.  They're at least twice the size of typical a movie theatre seat.  And they're recliners.  The seats are full leather powered recliners.  With cup-holders.  It's pretty much Cineplex's VIP theatre experience, only at regular prices.  Oh, and no folding tray tables to put your snacks on.  But still!  The most comfy movie theatre seats I've had in a long time. 

Second strike, though.  With this big, comfy chairs, there's no place for me to put my coat.  In the old days, I'd just put my coat on the chair next to me.  But with reserved seating becoming more and more the norm, I don't want to do that, for fear of stealing someone's seat.  So lately, I've been folding up my coat and placing it under my chair.  But with big comfy leather recliners, there's no room under your chair.  So I wound up balling up my coat and leaving it on my lap.  This is Alberta, dude, where everyone at the movies in winter is coming in with a parka.  One feature I'd love to see them bring back to movie theatres is good ol' fashioned coat check, so you can hang up your coat.  Or at the very least, lockers in the lobby, so you can stuff your coat inside. 

Anyways, once the previews were done, I figured it'd be safe to literally put my feet up and not block the aisle.  And then I enjoyed Bumblebee. 

I really like Bumblebee.  Dear God, the opening 10 minutes, where we watch the fall of Cybertron and the Autobots fleeing to the stars is probably the closest we're ever going to get a CGI movie version of the classic cartoon.  I was crying tears of joy.  And you can tell that the director of this one, Travis Knight, must have grown up with Transformers, because Transformers Easter eggs were flying fast and furious. 

But it was more than just gratuitous fan service.  It's taken this long, but they finally realized that one of the best ways to make a good Transformers movie is:

a)  Actually develop the Transformers into characters we love and care about
b)  Make the human characters not annoying

Our heroine is Charlie Watson, played by Haillee Steinfeld.  She's still mourning the loss of her father, and resents the rest of her family for moving on so quickly.  On her 18th birthday, she gets her first car, a yellow Volkswagon Beetle, who quickly reveals himself to be Bumblebee.  Bumblebee's war wounds have damaged his memory, and together, these two damaged souls may just be able to heal each other.

Bumblebee is a much-needed breath of fresh air for this franchise, as some long-missing heart and soul is finally returned to the proceedings.  About my only quibble is the plot is highly reminiscent of The Iron Giant and E.T. so you kinda knew what was coming.  But I loved it.  3.5 out of 4 nibs.  Full review on the website. 

And did I mention I also saw Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse?  I don't think I ever got around to blogging about it.  But yeah, I saw it three weeks ago, right before Christmas vacation kicked into the high gear.  I also really loved Spider-Man.  I mean, I love animated films.  I love superhero films.  I think superheros and animation are a genre and a medium made for each other, so of course I was going to be there for a Spider-Man animated film. 

Much has been made by now of Spider-Man's animation style, and it is truly amazing.  It really does look like a comic book brought to life.  And the blending of animation styles, too.  Spider-Ham looks and moves like he stepped out of an old Looney Tunes short.  Peni Parker, our anime Spider-Girl, looks and moves like she stepped out of an Astro Boy rerun.  And the climax...wow.  The animation for the big climax almost gets psychedelic.  It just looks great. 

But it's more than just amazing animation.  There's some great character work here, as Mile Morales comes to grips with his spider bite and taking on the mantle of Spider-Man.  Luckily, there's a half-a-dozen other Spiders from across the multiverse to mentor him.  While Spider-Ham gets all the laughs in the trailers, the scene-stealer is Spider-Man Noir, a grim and gritty Spider-Man from a world of pulp fiction heroes, hilariously voiced by Nicholas Cage. 

The focus, though, remains firmly on Miles Morales and his hero's journey, as he tries to connect to his father.  It is a great film, and a wonderful addition to the Spider-Man film canon.  3 out of 4 nibs, full review on the website. 

And that should pretty much bring you up to speed on my all latest trips to the city.  There's probably one more in the days ahead, though, as I got a Cineplex gift card for Christmas and still wanna see Aquaman.  Hopefully the roads will be better next weekend for a much more conventional trip to the city. 

Fishing in the Discount Bin - Mickey's Christmas Carol

Welcome back to Fishing in the Discount Bin.  You know the routine by now.  I watch a movie and blog about it.  Simple as that.  Kinda missed last week because I was off on Christmas vacation, but I'm back now with a Christmas movie!  Here's my look at Mickey's Christmas Carol.  This is originally in my notes at November 4, 2018.

Fishing in the Discount Bin - The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad

Here we go again, Fishing in the Discount Bin.  Watchin' movies and blogging about them, because we all need hobbies.  This time, doing the Disney animated classic The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad.  This is originally in my notes at November 4, 2018.

Well,  Halloween has come and gone, and this past Halloween I was thinking, "Do you know what was on TV every Halloween when I was a kid, but I haven't seen in ages?  Disney's animated Sleep Hollow."  A couple of mouse clicks later, and I'd bought it on Amazon.  Gotta make that Prime membership pay for itself!

I don't think I'd ever seen it in its original theatrical exhibition, as part of the animated film The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad.  I tend to get my Amazon purchases delivered to work, because that's where I am whenever the courier comes around.  As such, I tend to force my co-workers to watch the unboxing.  As I was skipping around the office, showing off my purchases, one co-worker asked, "So why is it called The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad?  Is Mr. Toad the name of his horse?" 

And questions like that make me launch into Leonard Maltin mode.

*ahem*

Disney's animated film unit was just getting off the ground when World War II broke out.  As such, Disney found a lot of their resources being diverted to the war effort, be it animators getting drafted, or the remains of the animation department putting their resources on making training and propaganda films.  In order to keep the feature film unit alive, Walt Disney came up with the concept of "package films."  These animated features were several animated shorts released as a compilation.  We know such projects as anthology films today.  Most of these shorts were eventually released individually, and in fact, a lot of well-known Disney animated shorts came out of the package films.  Mickey and the Beanstalk comes from Fun and Fancy Free, Peter and the Wolf comes from Make Mine Music, and a personal favourite, Johnny Appleseed, comes from Melody Time.  The final of these package films was The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad, released in 1949.  And then, in 1950, Disney returned to full-length feature films with Cinderella.  . 

End Leonard Maltin Mode.

So, The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad is actually two, half-hour long shorts.  The first one is an adaptation of The Wind in the Willows, and this is where we get Mr. Toad.  The beloved classic children's novel becomes quite the slapsticky adventure in the hands of Disney animators.  Our hero is Mr. Toad of Toad Hall, some classic old money.  His kind heart and fast-spending ways means he usually gets himself in quite a bit of trouble, both personally and financially.  Fortunately, he's got his friends Rat, Mole, and Badger to help reign him in.  Or, as Disney re-named them, Rat, Moley, and McBadger. 

The main plot is Mr. Toad becoming infatuated with this new invention called the motorcar, and he years to have one to go for a rip.  Sadly, his mania gets the better of him, and he soon finds himself on trial for stealing a car.  Rat, Moley, and McBadger soon learn that it was all a scam to swindle Toad out of his fortune and Toad Hall, and we're soon on a madcap chase to save Toad. 

All I can say is it's strange seeing such a manic interpretation of The Wind in the Willows.  I mean, my main exposure to The Wind in the Willows is the incredibly mellow stop-motion animated series out of the UK from the late-1980s.  YTV showed it a lot in the early 90s, and it was one of those things I'd sleep through while waiting for Ninja Turtles. 




Now, the Disney version.




So you can see, it was quite the jarring contrast.

And showing that Disney's love of celebrity voices goes back their early days, The Wind in the Willows was narrated by Basil Rathbone, who, at this point in cinematic history, was defining Sherlock Holmes on the big screen. 

But then we get to our second segment, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, which was narrated by Bing Crosby.  Telling a friend about my purchase, he was telling me that, thanks to this, he forever associates Bing Crosby with Halloween and Boris Karloff with Christmas, when for most, it's the other way around.

For those who need the explanation, Bing Crosby's biggest hit was White Christmas, and Boris Karloff was one of cinema's first horror stars, having played Frankenstein's monster and the Mummy in the classic Universal horror films.  And later in his career, Karloff was the narrator of the classic Christmas special, the animated adaptation of How the Grinch Stole Christmas. 

Anyway, I'm sure we're all familiar with the tale.  In the early days of American independence, in the small New York town of Sleepy Hollow, a new schoolmaster comes to town by the name of Ichabod Crane.  He's a gangling and awkward sort, which soon makes him a target of the town's good ol' boy Brom Bones.  The way Brom Bones is portrayed, he could quite easily be a distant cousin of Gaston's, but not quite as malicious. 

Despite his awkward mannerisms, Ichabod Crane soon proves himself to be utterly charming and a smooth talker, making him the town's ladies' man.  And it's not long before Crane and Bones are competing for the hand of Katrina van Tassel, the wealthy daughter of the local land baron.  Things come to a head at the social event of the season...the van Tassel's Halloween ball.  it appears as though Crane has all but secured that heart of Katrina, when Bones hatches his plot.

Knowing that Crane is a superstitious sort, Bones entertains the crowd with his tale of the Headless Horseman that roams the woods, looking for a head to replace his own.  This tale scares Crane out of his mind, and on his moonlit ride home, he begins imagining various ghosts and goblins in the woods...until the very real Headless Horseman shows up, leading into the very memorable chase scene that caps the tale. 

Was Ichabod Crane spirited away by the Headless Horseman, or was the Horseman Bones in disguise, running Crane out of town?  The world may never know, but it sure makes for one hell of an entertaining chase scene, which still holds up to this very day. 

For it's life outside this film, Disney's animated version of Sleepy Hollow became a mainstay of many a Halloween episode of The Wonderful World of Disney, and Disney-produced Halloween specials.  It doesn't get much airtime anymore, mainly because something so frightening doesn't mesh with Disney's carefully cultivated family-friendly image anymore. 

All I know is its still as thrilling as the first time I saw it when I was a kid.  Great stuff.

Fishing in the Discount Bin - Ant-Man and the Wasp

Here we go again on Fishing in the Discount Bin.  I watch a movie and blog about it.  You know the drill by now.  Today, I'm doing Ant-Man and the Wasp.  This is originally in my notes at November 1, 2018.

Fishing in the Discount Bin - Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom

Here we go again on Fishing in the Discount Bin.  I watch a movie, I blog about it.  Just like that.  Today, I'm watching Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom.  This is originally in my notes at September 30, 2018.

News from MarkWorld: December 2018

Once again, I am blogging my annual Christmas card letter, for those who have drifted away from me, wondering whatever happened to me, and googling my name some night.

Hello there!

Mark Cappis here, with another holiday form letter about how my 2018 was.

Things are still pretty much static for me.  I’m still up in Westlock, still pluggin’ away in the newsroom of Real Country 97.9.  If you read the financial pages, then you’ll know that we were bought out by a company called Stingray a month or so ago.  It hasn’t led to any big changes for those of us in the small markets yet, so it’s still the same great station.

The key word for me in 2018 was “health.”  Back in the spring, I finally caved to my mother’s wishes and got a full medical check-up.  The doctor’s exact words were that I’m in the “grey zone” for diabetes.  High blood sugar and a history in the family put me at a high risk for developing it.  So, I’ve been keeping a closer watch on what I eat and getting out and exercising more.  At my last follow up, doctor says I’m down 14 pounds, which is good.  I’ve got no real weight loss goals, but it’d be nice to fit into an XL T-shirt again. 

And that’s all I really have to say, that you probably haven’t read already across the social media platforms.  Hey, I’ve been blogging since before the word “blogging” entered the lexicon, so a quick Google search can always catch up on what’s new with me.

I really don’t know how to end this letter this year.  Normally, I’d do it by mentioning how I’m counting down the minutes to the next Star Wars movie, but this year’s Star Wars movie came out back in May.  (And I really dug Solo: A Star Wars Story for what it’s worth.)  So...how about that Aquaman?  Aquaman sure looks good.

Yeah.  Just not the same. 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Fishing in the Discount Bin - Solo: A Star Wars Story

Here we go again on Fishing in the Discount Bin, as I blog about the movies I watch because I really have nothing better to do.  This time out, we're taking a look at Solo: A Star Wars Story.  This is originally in my notes at September 30, 2018.

The Holiday Season Begins

I need a new computer.

It's something that's been top of mind for a while now.  I'm currently writing this on a 10-year old PC that's still running on Windows Vista.  That was to be my big purchase for 2018, but then life got in the way.  I think for my next computer, I'll go back to a laptop.  I miss the portability of a laptop.  This blog took a real nosedive in frequency when I moved into a two-bedroom apartment and set up my computer in bedroom #2.  I used to get so much blogging done just plucking away at the keyboard while watching TV.  With a laptop, I can set it up on the coffee table and go back to just plucking away.

Which is why I've got a real backlog of blogging to do, which I've been putting off this whole week.  I had some unused vacation time that the company wanted me to use up by the end of the year, and one of the best uses I've discovered is to take the last week in November off, and just focus on getting all your Christmas prep done that week.  This is the third year I've done it now, and trust me, it makes for a much more relaxing December.

The stores!  Oh, the stores were so good.  There's hardly any crowds right now.  The clerks and customers are still full of Christmas cheer.  It's hasn't withered away to holiday stress yet.  Getting the Christmas shopping done was almost a peaceful experience.  Of course, the peace is now starting to give way to the anxiety that I've gotten my friends and families something wrong for Christmas. 

Of course, though, being out and about so much means my attempts at eating healthier took a hit, but I still tried my best.  While perusing the food court in West Edmonton Mall, I finally gave Freshii a try.  Freshii always seemed to be the definitive health food fast food place, as their menu items on display are always kale this and keto that.  Then I saw that they had rice bowls.  I like rice bowls.  I don't know why I don't make them at home.  Just take a bowl of rice and put all your favourite tasty things on top.  So I sampled Freshii's Teriyaki Twist and it was quite good. 

I also tried the Chopped Leaf.  Another newer fast casual chain popping up in your favourite power centres.  This one specializes in salads.  I'd only tried it once before, about a year ago, and again, they make a good salad.  One of their specials right now is a salad called the El Rancho, and again, quite good. 

And with the holiday season upon us, that means the holiday blockbusters are starting to filter into theatres.  Always being a lover of Disney animation, I decided to take in Ralph Breaks the Internet.  Now, when Wreck-It Ralph came out a few years ago, I was reluctant to see it.  I'd never been much of a gamer, and the commercials were really making it out to be "Video Game Nostalgia: The Movie."  Positive reviews brought me around, though, so I went to check it out, and greatly enjoyed it.  Now, I see many have had similar reservations about the sequel, and I will admit, a lot of the commercials do give it a "Internet Company Product Placement: The Movie" vibe, like The Emoji Movie.  But again, I'm pleasantly surprised at how emotional and heart-warming it is.

It's been a few years since the first film.  Wreck-It Ralph is living his best life.  He loves the day-to-day routine of the arcade.  But not so with his friend Vanellope.  In true Disney princess fashion, she's starting to yearn for something more.  Tragedy strikes when Vanellope's game Sugar Rush is damaged, and it looks like the game is going to be scrapped.  But, Ralph and Vanellope overhear a couple of arcade patrons say that they can get a replacement part on the Internet from some place called "eBay."  And wouldn't you know it, the arcade just got WiFi!  So, Ralph and Vanellope head to the Internet to save Vanellope's game!  On their quest, though, Vanellope finds an online racing game called Slaughter Race, and it's everything she's ever dreamed of.  Will Ralph be secure enough to let go of her friend so she can find what she's looking for? 

I loved it.  It's equally as heartwarming as the first.  And not to fear, all the Internet company product placement doesn't dominate the script.  As always, the voice work is great.  Gal Gadot is Shank, the lead racer in Slaughter Race and Vanellope's new BFF, and she does a great job.  And stay for the end credits, because it has what I think are the funniest post-credit stingers in a long time. 

My only complaint is it does seem to drag a bit.  It feels like it has one ending too many.  You reach a point in the film where it just keeps going and you start thinking, "OK.  I get the message." 

Ralph Breaks the Internet is easily as good as the first film.  Three out of four nibs.  Full review on the website.  

And man, I've got a lot of movies to catch up on.  This past week, I grabbed Miracle on 34th Street and National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation on Blu-Ray.  I used to question the logic of buying Christmas movies on home media.  I mean, the one time of year you want to watch it is the one time of year it's on TV non-stop.  But, as I've finally learned in my old age, even when you've got 100+ channels, it won't be on during that one opportunity you have to watch it.  And the streaming services don't have your back.  Hell, last year, Netflix issued a public apology for not having Home Alone.  So home media becomes your best option. 

This has been a bad month for buying Blu-Rays...especially impulse buying on Amazon.  It all started about a month ago.  With Halloween on the horizon, I thought, "Hey, do you know what was on TV constantly when I was a kid, but I haven't seen in ages?  Disney's animated Sleepy Hollow."  So, with a couple of clicks, I ordered The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad.  And alongside that, I also bought Mickey's Christmas Carol.  That's another reason for buying Christmas movies on home media...especially the animated TV specials.  They've been edited so much over the years to squeeze in more commercials, that buying them on home media is the only way to watch them uncut. 

And then I got the alert that a couple of Doctor Who Blu-Rays I'd had my eye on were marked down to $10 each, so clickity-click, and another Amazon package.  Then the Criterion edition of The Princess Bride went on sale, and I saw the new Shout! Select release of City Slickers and thought, "I want this."  BOOM!  Another package from Amazon.  And that's just what I bought online.  In addition to snatching up those Christmas movies, I also bought up Incredibles 2 and The Pixar Short Film Colleciton Vol. 3 while out Christmas shopping. 

Buying so many movies, it's no wonder I can't afford a new computer.  Oh, well.  We'll see what 2019 brings.  I'll have to do what I did when I finally upgraded my smartphone two years ago:  just suck it up and start using this thing called "debt." 

Fishing in the Discount Bin - Deadpool 2

Here we go again on Fishing in the Discount Bin.  I watch the movie, I blog about the movie.  It's just that simple.  Today, let's take a look at Deadpool 2.  This was originally in my notes at September 2, 2018.

Fishing in the Discount Bin - Avengers: Infinity War

Here we go again, on Fishing in the Discount Bin, where I watch a movie and blog about it.  Quick heads up, I had a brain fart last week and forgot to share the link to last week's entry, The Fisher King, on social media.  So give that one a read, if you haven't already.  And now, on to Avengers: Infinity War.  This is originally in my notes at August 26, 2018.

Fishing in the Discount Bin - The Fisher King

Here we go again on Fishing in the Discount Bin.  Watchin' movies and bloggin' about them, because I launched my blog in 1999, darn it, and I'm going to keep providing content for it until the day I die!  Today we do The Fisher King.  This is originally in my notes at August 5, 2018.

Fishing in the Discount Bin - Ready Player One

Here we go again, Fishing in the Discount Bin.   You know the drill, I watch a movie and blog about.  "Just rant about why you like it," was how a friend told me I should do it.  Today we're doing Ready Player One, which I originally watched and blogged about on August 5, 2018.