Well, here it is. The entry where I recap all the things that happened in the year. Except... such a post only really made sense when I was actually doing lots of stuff (meaning prior to 2020). Not that nothing at all happened in 2024. Plenty of stuff happened. It's just that going through it all month-by-month doesn't really work when the notable stuff just isn't a massive list. And here we go...

The single biggest lesson I learned in 2024 is that Apple is a shitty fucking company who does not give a single fuck about your data. I started using their "iCloud Drive" which was more expensive than other options, but I wanted the benefit of integration with all my Apple stuff. And it was great. Until my data started zeroing out. I called support and we watched as file after file would be reduced to zero bytes in real-time. And they could offer no help except to suggest that I copy my files off iCloud Drive (no shit, I started doing that immediately). Of course I had backups, but recent files that hadn't backed up yet were gone. Very old files that never got backed up were gone. And after jumping through hoops Apple blamed me because "iCloud Drive is not a backup service." So if you're using Apple cloud storage, better get your files off of it before they're gone.

I paid loads of money to have my shower ripped out and rebuilt because a company I hired to diagnose a leak told me that was the problem. Except it wasn't the shower at all. It was the toilet. That's a lot of money down the drain. But at least the leaking nightmare is finally over.

I had kidney stones for the first time in many years (I used to get them regularly). But this time was different in that I suffered in absolute agony instead of going to the emergency room for drugs because I really couldn't afford to do that. Despite paying absurd amounts of money for "health insurance." I fucking despise that Americans pay a fucking shit-ton into "health insurance," whose only function is to pull money out of the system and make profits for health insurance company executives.

I ran across one of the funniest cat videos ever this past year, and here it is. The cat is speaking French, but there's subtitles...

Next up in cat news? Jake has a snaggletooth sometimes now...

   
After yet another eye surgery, I decided to get my eyeball lenses replaced and blogged all about it starting in Part One here (and here are Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, and a follow up post), and that's been very cool.

And, oh yeah, if you've ever wanted a lot of Drunk Dave stories in one place, here you go!

If you're a Disney Parks fan, I wrote a shitload of posts once I got back from Walt Disney World...

• Tiana’s Bayou Adventure
• TRON Lightcycle/Run
• Runaway Railway
• Star Wars Land
• Remy’s Ratatouille Adventure
• Avatar Land
• Cosmic Rewind
• Seven Dwarfs Mine Train
• Skyliner
• Disney Eats
• Disney Sleeps
• Future Backward
• Disney Regrets
• Copycat Disney Regrets
• I say whip it! Whip it Dole good!

The Aurora Borealis visited a couple times...

   
I finally played around with that AI garbage that all the kids are talking about...

   
And I'm going to wrap this up in a surprising way by re-mentioning that I discovered the movie Half Brothers in 2024, which really struck a cord with me for some reason. I'm kinda obsessed with the movie, and it's become the film that I put on whenever I need background noise. It's just so well done, in particular the exceptional performance by Gerardo Méndez. This is a comedy, but he has to communicate far past this because there's a lot of heartbreaking stuff going on.

And that's a wrap on 2024. Hope everybody has a safe and happy New Year.

And it's time once again for my annual wrap-up of my favorite TV shows that came out this year. Or, more accurately, a "wrap-up of TV shows that I saw which came out this year." As always, there's a bunch of shows I never got around to watching that might have ended up on my list... and (more likely) shows I loved but have forgotten about. And here we go... THE 18 BEST

#1 Shōgun (Hulu)
My favorite novel of all time is James Clavell's Noble House. But Clavell is much better-known for another book... Shōgun, a novel set at the onset of the Edo period. There was a very popular television adaptation in 1980 starring Dr. Kildare himself, Richard Chamberlain. It was overwrought and overdramatic, but also entertaining. When it was announced that FX/Hulu was making a contemporary adaptation, I was happy but also concerned. The potential for fucking it up was monumental. The first time around they bent over backwards to make the Japanese a supporting character in their own story. That's not what the book was about. Fortunately for all of us, FX set out to make a faithful adaptation which put Japanese culture and their story at the forefront. It's beautifully made, impecably acted, and uses CGI in all the right ways. It's said that there's a sequel series (or two?) in the works, which is all new levels of terrifying. The next Clavell novel is Gai-Jin which takes place 200 years later, so there's no source material to draw from. I sincerely hope that the people who made Shōgun know what they're doing because I'd love to see more.

#2 Black Doves (Netflix)
The show that came out of nowhere to win me over in a mere six episodes. First of all, Keira Knightley is incredible. Her character is more than a little complex. Plus a total badass. Pair that with Ben Wishaw and Sarah Lancashire, who are always amazing in everything, and it's a show that's primed for dynamite. If they could get the story right. And they did. The wife of an English politician is having an affair. It would be a fairly ordinary show if not for one thing... she's also a spy. A spy who gets involved in a situation that sends several lives into chaos. And there's a cameo appearance that's so unexpected... so good that it made a great show with a great ending even better. Bring on the next season!

#3 The Brothers Sun (Netflix)
If you put Michelle Yeoh into anything, I'm going to watch it. That's just a fact. But this series really put her talents to good use, and the result is a funny, brutal, action-packed bit of genius that I was praying got a second season. Alas, it did not. But it doesn't diminish what they were able to accomplish in the season they had. A guy who's been shielded from "the family business" his entire life gets a rude awakening when the family business drops into his life unexpectedly. Insanity of the best kind ensues.

#4 So Help Me Todd (CBS)
Fuck this shitty network forever for flushing one of their best shows down the toilet and ending it on a cliffhanger. Todd is smart, funny, highly entertaining television which had a cast that killed it every week it wasn't preempted... which was often, because CBS didn't want it to build a fucking audience. It chaps my ass so bad that network execs renew a show just to intentionally kill it like this.

#5 Sugar (Apple TV+)
If you haven't seen this series... just watch it. Don't read anything about it. Don't watch trailers. Just watch it. Then stick with it. Because the show is not what it seems in the early episodes. It takes a hard left-turn into something far more interesting, which was a surprise because nothing prepared me for it. So well done. Colin Farrell is excellent in everything (see The Penguin, below) and he's perfect here. Very, very happy it was renewed for a second season.

#6 The Penguin (HBO Max)
I hated the new The Batman movie and was going to give this spin-off series a big ol' pass... until I heard that Colin Farrell (who's unrecognizable!) was in it, and the rave reviews start dropping. And they were on-point. This is an excellent crime/drama series that just happens to be set in a comic book universe, and they took it all the way. You can set it right next to more "mainstream" series in the same genre, and it's not out of place. I have no idea how/why a show like this exists, but it's worth a watch.

#7 High Potential (Hulu)
Kaitlin Olson is one of the most compelling actors going, and it's amazing that she's still finding time to do Always Sunny in Philadelphia when I'm sure she has a lot of demands on her time for other projects. Like this one! What I love is that they are not making her into some kind of genius as a reason she's helping the police solve crimes... she's just exceedingly observant and has a great memory. And that's more than enough to make her the smartest person in the room. I'm holding off on watching the French(?) original because I'm sure that some of the stories have been taken from there and I don't want them spoiled.

#8 The Gentleman (Netflix)
I will watch absolutely anything by Guy Ritchie because the guy just knows how to create stuff I'll enjoy. And since I loved the movie version of The Gentlemen, I thought the spin-off would be worth a look. And while it's not really a spin-off or re-boot... heck, I don't know how it relates to the original... it was indeed something I enjoyed. I wish that they hadn't taken the brother character to such bizarre extremes because it just wasn't needed, but maybe they'll address that in the second season.

#9 Ripley (Netflix)
This is like the third or fourth time that they've remade The Talented Mr. Ripley, but it's my favorite yet. Not only because Andrew Scott absolutely kills it, but because it's shot as a black-and-white art piece, and every fucking frame is a work of art! It never falters. It's beautiful and interesting from start to finish.

#10 Monsieur Spade (AMC)
This is a take on Sam Spade that was ridiculously well-done. They sunk the money into the cast (Clive Owen!) and the script and the setting to craft a noir-drama that delivers at every turn. I really, really, really hope that they give us a second season where they send Spade back to San Francisco for a hard-noir follow-up. No idea if AMC could finance something like that, but it's worth the money to try.

#11 The English Teacher (Hulu)
This could have just been another "gay teacher" stereotype shoved into the same old jokes in the same old situations... but they make it very clear that this is not going to be the case early into the show. Brian Jordan Alvarez (who writes and stars in it) has come up with something special, and it subverts things nicely while being funny, charming, and entertaining. No word as to whether we're getting a second season, but I sure hope they get on that. This is the kind of unique show we need on television.

#12 Star Wars: Skeleton Crew (Disney+)
I'm one of those people who enjoyed The Acolyte because I thought it was good Star Wars that took things into a direction we haven't seen before. A lot of people didn't agree and it was canceled. Then the hate brigade started dumping on Skeleton Crew next and I thought we were in for a repeat. But here's the thing... this show is too good to die like that. It got a bunch of kids in it, but they're not annoying. They're a terrific set of characters you actually want to see. Plus? Surprisingly dark. And Jude Law. This show is The Goonies in space and Disney really got their shit together this time. It's not even over and I'm hoping for a second season.

#13 Matlock (CBS)
I'm being completely honest when I say that without Kathy Bates in the lead, this show would not be ranking this high. The overall story arc which was a shocking twist at the end of Episode 01 has become a dull endgame in Episode 08. The rest of the cast is struggling to keep up with Bates, as she's stealing absolutely every scene. And the "legal shenanigans of the week" are tired and uninteresting. But... Kathy Bates. She's just phenomenally good in this, and I look forward to new episodes every weeks. Hopefully they find a way to make it all pay off without a cliffhanger, because I will be fucking pissed if I keep hanging in there only to have it canceled before we get answered.

#14 Abbott Elementary (ABC)
This is a series that keeps chugging along... knocking out amazing show after amazing show week after week. Every character is so fully-realized and funny, still, and you just can't help but be entertained by it. Sure the style and tone are taken from The Office, but they've really made it fresh. This could easily go on for ten seasons and I don't think anybody would think it strange if they can maintain the absurd levels of quality and care that Quinta Brunson and Company lovingly pour into it.

#15 Creature Commandos (HBO Max)
It's James Gunn super-hero dynamic crazy in an R-rated package that's well-animated, well-voiced, and of course well-written. Nazi-killing GI Robot is the gift that keeps on giving, and I really, really want to see him brought to the DCU in live-action, which I'm told is a serious possibility.

#16 Reacher (Amazon Prime)
I am crazy in love with this show. First of all, they are trying really hard to honor the books. Second of all, they are casting every role to a flawless degree (including Alan Ritchson as Reacher, which is perfect). No, the second season was not as phenomenal as the first, but it was still loads of violent fun. The fact that Amazon keeps renewing the show (Season 03 drops February 20th!) gives me hope.

#17 Slow Horses (Apple TV+)
This show does not slow down, and that they're managing to keep it so fresh season after season is a testament to everybody involved. Usually spy thrillers lose their steam very quickly and back themselves into a corner that they can't escape from. But I guess everybody involved cares enough to learn from the mistakes of other shows and makes an effort to keep their show moving ahead. Doesn't hurt that you've got Gary Oldman and Kristen Scott Thomas leading an exceptional cast to boot.

#18 Fallout (Amazon Prime)
Shows and movies based on video games usually suck. I was looking forward to Borderlands (based on a game I love) because the cast looked exceptional. No surprise, it sucked hard. And I had zero expectations for Fallout (also based on a game I love)... but they somehow managed to absolutely nail it. I like the story that honors the game. I love the cast. And they sunk in enough money to make it work too. A recipe for success.

• Kaos (Netflix)
  Well waddaya know... a wholly original concept for a series with the perfect cast, note-perfect dialogue, and Jeff Goldblum?!? Sounds perfect! And it is! So let's cancel it so we can shovel a bazillion dollars to Zack Snyder so he can crank out his stupid fucking Rebel Moon bullshit! We're Netflix. That's all we know how to do!
• Heartstopper (Netflix)
  This third season was a drastic step down for me compared to the first two, and yet it's still better than so many series on television. Not sure if the next season is the last (if it even happens), but its probably best if it is before the kids are too old and they are out of source material to draw from.
• What We Do in the Shadows (Hulu/FX)
  This sixth and final season was bittersweet. Yeah, I'm sad a show that I've loved is ending... but I also think that they let things get away from them these past three seasons. Even so, there were moments so hilarious that it was still must-see television for me and I wish more was on the way.
• The Lake (Amazon Prime)
  The first season was a complete shock. Once it popped up on Prime I watched out of boredom and was immediately hooked. Then they announced a renewal and I was happy to see where it might go next. No, it was not renewed for a third, but this final run was more than I would have expected and it went out on a high note.
• Ted (Paramount+)
  All things considered, this is a great series IF you are a fan of the movies AND you can keep your expectations in check AND you can withhold the urge to become offended by the many, many offensive things in the series (including the language). Basically, the show is a prequel to the movies which takes place after the time Ted was a Hollywood sensation and Johnny is in high school. It's a funny (and surprisingly heartwarming) take that was savaged by critics falling all over themselves in an effort to be edgy. Well, I all I wanted was to be entertained, and I loved it. The animation and physical interactions with Ted were flawless, and enough money was spent to make it work.
• Dead Boy Detectives (Netflix)
  Neil Gaiman became toxic after he was accused of sexual assault, so there's no telling if this excellent series was canceled because of that... or what it was. I'm sure nobody at Netflix is going to make a statement on it, so I guess we'll just have to be grateful that we got what we got? I sure hope that the second season of The Sandman still gets released, because losing that would be devastating.
• Echo (Disney+)
  Like Taskmaster, Maya has "photographic reflexes" in the comics. Meaning she can see how somebody moves or fights and mimic that ability. In the MCU Maya is a skilled fighter and combatant, but lacks any powers. Until this new series where she gains what I guess is "super strength" by calling on the strength of the women of her past generations that "echo" through her. She also can use these powers to heal. Or something. Overall I'm not so upset about the change in powers as I am the fact that the show was kinda boring. The entire time I was watching it, the only thing I kept thinking was A) Boy I wish we could get a second season of Hawkeye... B) Boy I can't wait for the new season of Daredevil to get here... and C) Why can't they just give us a Kingpin series, because holy shit is Vincent D'onofrio killing it in this role! That's not great when watching a show about somebody who is not those three characters. But anyway... it was something to watch and it didn't suck, so I guess I can be happy about that.

• Tig Notaro - Hello Again (Amazon Prime)
  I've been a huge fan for a very long time. But I always tune in to whatever Tig has going on because she just keeps getting better and better... and this is the best standup from her I've seen yet. Well worth a look.
• Anthony Jeselnik — Bones and All (Netflix)
  Jeselnik is not the first person to do this particular kind of comedy... but I think he's the best person to have done it. He's so precise in his timing, and that's absolutely everything. I have enjoyed every special he's ever had, plus his TV shows, and am already looking forward to the next one.
• Nate Bargatze — Your Friend, Nate Bargatze (Netflix)
  The fact that Bargatze manages to be this funny while delivering his usual clean material is a miracle. This special isn't in any danger of eclipsing The Tennessee Kid, but it's still a funny watch that has some genuine hilarity happening in spots.
• Rory Scovel — Religion, Sex and a Few Things In Between (HBO Max)
  Scovel's latest is very good. I don't want to say that it's more mature and refined... this is Rory we're talking about... but it does seem as though he's scaling back on the "wacky" enough to build a stronger rapport with the audience and court a new level of success. No more schleppy Member's Only jacket hiked up to his armpits with his shirt hanging out (which is what his last Netflix Special was about). Nope. Rory got himself a stylist!

• Pachinko
• Julia
• The Traitors
• Iwájú
• Star Wars: The Acolyte
• Tokyo Vice
• Agatha All Along
• Apples Never Fall
• Under the Bridge
• Baby Reindeer
• Extraordinary
• Get Millie Black
• Arcane: League of Legends
• Interview with The Vampire
• Lady in the Lake
• True Detective: Night Country
• The Tourist
• Sunny
• Grotesquerie
• A Gentleman in Moscow
• The Sympathizer
• Masters of the Air
• Expats
• The Regime
• Girls5Eva
• Mr. & Mrs. Smith
• Nobody Wants This
• X-Men '97
• Only Murders in the Building

• Dune Prophecy
  This show started out so good. Interesting political intrigue, plots within plots, a great cast, supreme special effects... the list goes on and on. But then... we crossed the half-way point. And suddenly everything got real boring real fast. It's like they made putting the pieces on the board more important than the actual game or something. The series has already been renewed for another season, and I sure hope that they figure out a way to keep things more exciting than the back-half of the first season.
• 3 Body Problem
  Blergh. This was awful to a disproportionate degree compared to my caring about the show. Which is such a shame because I loved the books. It's like every time there was a decision to be made, they went the wrong way or something. The sole scene that hit me was the nanotechnology wire slicing through that ship. Illogical, but beautifully done. Though the entire time I was thinking "Ya know, Ghost Ship did it first and did it better." Oh well. You can't win them all. I suppose for every magnificent adaptation like Villeneuve's, Dune, there's going to be a pile of shit like this.
• The Umbrella Academy
  I don't know what I was expecting for the final season, but it wasn't this hot mess. I read somewhere that they were ordered to cut some extra episodes from the planned amount, but that still doesn't excuse coming up with an entirely unsatisfying ending that had you wondering why anybody in the show ever fucking bothered with absolutely anything. The final two seasons had an uphill battle trying to live up to the first two, but surely somebody could have dreamed up something better than this. I almost want a fifth season to undo what happened so that I don't feel I wasted my fucking time getting invested.
• Tracker
  Justin Hartley is a better actor than he's ever really given credit for (having come up through soap operas), and I've always been waiting for him to get a part that can make use of his talent. Everybody told me that was This is Us, but I couldn't get into that show. I was hoping it might be Tracker but this ain't going to be it either because the writing is awful. I know that there have to be absurd action beats to make things exciting, but when the setup is so horrifically bad... it doesn't matter. The action has been tainted because all you can think of is how idiotic it was to get there. As if that wasn't bad enough, the efforts at a backstory are so one-note. Oh well. Better luck next time Justin Hartley.
• Elsbeth
  I keep giving this show another chance because it feels like something I should be absolutely loving. But every time I just can't do it. I find everything about it to be extremely annoying and unwatchable. Maybe it's not Elsbeth and it's just me.
• Doctor Odyssey
  Physically painful to watch. It's that bad. And do you know how hard it is to say that when the show stars Joshua Jackson? This medical drama on a ship could have been a home run, but it's just fucking senseless and stupid and poor Mr. Jackson is playing his every scene way over the top when he's capable of so much better. I despise this show way too much to watch more than the first episode, so maybe it improves? I will never know.

• Landman
  
• Dexter: Original Sin
  
• The Day of the Jackal
  
• A Man on the Inside
  
• Watson
  
• Batman: Caped Crusader
  

I'm going to be brutally honest here... 2024 did not hold a lot of music that I absolutely loved. Sure there were songs and albums I listened to quite a lot (you'll find a lot of them below), but it wasn't as it's been in past years where I'm just awash with music that makes it incredibly difficult to choose which I'm going to feature on my end-of-year recap. I don't know why that is. Maybe I spent too much time listening to old favorites instead of exploring something new? Possibly!

#1 Nonetheless - Pet Shop Boys
Well that's a new one... second year in a row that Pet Shop Boys have landed in the top spot. To be honest, this album ranks way below their best, but is still a good listen that tries to look back to their more classic stuff. The fault that this album couldn't overcome for me was yet another fucking song featuring "bohemia." Please. For the love of God. Just stop.

#2 Sincere — Khalid
Gotta say, Khalid really pulled it all together this time, crafting a beautiful album which has a little variety where it counts. Often times when I didn't know what I wanted to listen to, I'd just push play on this one from August onward.

STRFKR — Parallel Realms
This is a very late entry on my list, given that I only found out about it when Kapgar had it on his list two days ago. But I love the band, and a few listens later it was an easy #3. Not that this is new. I often find out about their releases months after it gets released because it's not mainstream enough to land anywhere I'm at. Which is a shame, because they really know how to craft some catchy pop music.

#4 eternal sunshine — Ariana Grande
Miss Grande has always been phenomenally talented outside of music, with her appearances on Saturday Night Live being the stuff of legends (not to mention a little film called Wicked which you may have heard of). But it's music where she shines brightest, and this is probably my favorite album of hers yet.

#5 Tortured Poets Department — Taylor Swift
While I'm thrilled that TayTay escaped from her Folklore/Evermore bubble with Midnights, this feels like a backslide given that the back half goes right back into acoustically-flavored tracks that I just don't care for. My favorite Swift album is 1989, and the further she gets away from it, the more she loses me. Even so, the first half of TPD has enough material to make my list.

#6 Short n' Sweet — Sabrina Carpenter
I was able to safely ignore Sabrina until her single Espresso dropped. It was very catchy, got played way too much, and I finally went back to take a listen to the album it came from. Very nice mix of well-crafted tracks.

#7 Adult Contemporary — Chromeo
It boggles my mind that Chromeo never seems to get the recognition they should. Sure there was a single that gets some play here and there, but their music is consistently excellent and deserves better. This album is yet another example why.

#8 Ask That God — Empire of the Sun
Visually-driven Empire of the Sun always seems to have a single stuffed somewhere in my playlists, and I look forward to when they manage to get together to record something new. This album drop was a complete surprise, and I happened across it completely by accident.

#9 Radical Optimism — Dua Lipa
For the life of me I still don't understand where Dua Lipa came from. One minute I hear her on the radio with Elton John singing Cold Heart and the next thing I know she's everywhere. Including the Barbie movie and Argylle. This is the first album of hers that I've gotten in on from the ground floor, and it's quite a good one.

#10 F-1 Trillion — Post Malone
Posty does Country! And even though I only like half the tracks on this album, those are enough to make my list because they're really good songs.

#11 Hit Me Hard and Soft — Billie Eilish
It seems that there's never enough material I love on a Billie album to propel it onto my list. Until now. Her style is still not one that I latch onto easily, but she's had some songs that are so remarkable that I guess I can call myself a fan. The song that pushed this album over the top for me was this one, which is sublimely beautiful...

As a bit of a bonus, I'm including the "story behind the song" because whenever Finneas and Billie do these I am absolutely captivated by how they create...

#12 Deeper Well — Kasey Muskgraves
Kasey came out of nowhere with Golden Hour back in 2018, and I loved it so much it hit #2 on my list that year. It had a wonderful variety of beautiful songs that each had a different feeling, which is something I really appreciate. This time her songs all sound pretty much the same, which I don't like at all. But they are still beautifully crafted, so Deeper Well just made the cut.

And here are some singles that I ended up really enjoying in 2024...

And here we go... my annual wrap-up of my favorite films of the year! Or, to be more accurate, my favorite films that I actually saw. Which has been hampered severely by my unwillingness to go to the theater. The experience is absolute shit in a day-and-age where people are inconsiderate assholes, and I am just not doing it. And so I am stuck to streaming services where I sometimes miss movies because I rotate through all of them rather than paying the stupid prices they charge. Oh well. Still love movies though.

THE TWELVE BEST...
These are my favorite movies from this year that I managed to see.

#1 Dune: Part Two (Legendary/Warner Bros.)
If Villeneuve's Dune: Part One was a masterpiece, then Dune: Part Two is whatever word is beyond a "masterpiece." It's the grand payoff that the first film sets up, and every second of it looks stunning. Based on one of my favorite novels of all time, the second installment continues the story of Paul Atreides as he forges ahead towards becoming the Fremen messiah. Once again his enemies are all around, headed by the evil Harkonnens and the Emperor himself. While Villeneuve made a few choices I didn't care for (Thufir Hawat was short-changed in the first film... and he was nowhere to be found in this one?) but the vast majority of his approach to the material is interesting and flawlessly executed. Especially when you consider how rich, dense, and impossible to adapt the book is. Overall a stunning cinematic achievement that's my favorite movie of 2024... and has me anticipating Villeneuve's finale to the trilogy with Dune Messiah when he gets around to it.

#2 The Fall Guy (Universal)
Well, well, well, color me shocked. An old TV show turned into a film that doesn't suck? Will wonders never cease. And not only does the film not suck, it's actually very darn good. Ryan Gosling playing stunt man Colt Seavers knocks it out of the park yet again in a story that has a perfect blend of action, twists, mystery, and humor to make it a great watch from beginning to end. Add in Emily Blunt, Hannah Waddingham, and a few surprises and, well, it's unapologetically my #2 film of 2024.

#3 The Wild Robot (Dreamworks)
Chris Sanders created my favorite Disney film of all time, Lilo & Stitch... plus had his hand in loads of other classics like Aladdin, The Lion King, and How to Train Your Dragon. It should come as absolutely no surprise that his take on a beloved children's book would be aces... and it is. Beyond gorgeous in execution, every frame is a work of art, and the story unfolds in a way that is the very definition of "heartwarming." The film was so well-received that a sequel is already in the works, and I can't wait to see it.

#4 The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (Starz/Amazon)
Inspired by Winston Churchill's declassified files, Guy Richie unleashes his cinematic genius in WWII a film that doesn't reach his past heights, but was still entirely great and worth my valuable time. Henry Cavill and Alan Ritchson lead a team that excels at stylized violence with a comedic edge. And if you love nothing more than watching Nazis getting slaughtered by the hundreds while witty banter ensues, this is your film.

#5 The Beekeeper (MGM)
After wasting away in The Expendables, The Meg, and Fast & Furious franchises, Jason Statham is finally back in true form for the first time I can think of since 2016's The Mechanic sequel. And it's a glorious action-revenge flick that has some of the best Statham action beats I've seen in a long time. A former "Beekeeper"... one of a mysterious group of assassins with government ties... Statham is out for blood after his landlord is scammed out of charity money and commits suicide. It's a fantastic ride which features... Jeremy Irons? And is one of my favorite flicks of 2024.

#6 Deadpool & Wolverine (Marvel Studios)
I've watched the first two Deadpool films more times than I'd ever admit because they're just so hilariously entertaining. The third film was sure to be a slam-dunk for me, but didn't really live up to my lofty expectations. Not because I'm tired of the character or think the film was bad, but because the franchise swerved from where it seemed to be heading. Wolverine was great fun and handled well... and the action was great, but the whole diversion into the multiverse of Deadpools was boring Fortunately there was a slew of awesome guest appearances and Emma Corrin's deliciously wicked Cassandra Nova to make it all worthwhile.

#7 Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl (Netflix)
This is what it looks like when somebody takes their time to make sure a project is perfect before starting in as opposed to throwing something together just because you want to release something. A sequel to The Wrong Trousers, infamous criminal Feathers McGraw is back to wreck vengeance on our favorite clay duo for ruining his plans to steal The Blue Diamond and getting him jailed. Hilarity ensues. This is a stunningly beautiful animated feature which uses traditional clay-based characters and physical sets instead of CGI. Really hope that Aardman is not done with the characters yet, because this was gold from start to finish.

#8 Nowhere Special (Lucky Red)
A 2020 film that didn't make it to the USA (or streaming) until 2024, this is a slow, methodical character piece that will destroy you with its exceptional performances. Inspired by a true story(!), a window washer in Ireland finds out he doesn't have long to live and tries to find a home for his young son who's his entire world. And while James Norton adds a depth to his character which is remarkable to watch... it's Daniel Lamont as the kid that will crush you. The majority of the time I find child actors insufferable with their artificial delivery and stiff presentation, but when you get a child actor who just... works... it's gold. Do not go in expecting anything more than a touching observation on love and letting go, and you'll be rewarded. That's all the film is.

#9 Robot Dreams (B-Team/Wild Bunch)
To be honest, this could have easily gone in my #1 spot. It is an amazing film with an emotional core so devastating that it's more than a little hard to wrap your head around. What helps is the simple animation style for a simple story that has something much, much deeper going on beneath the surface, because it's relatable in a very human way. Which is ironic considering it's about animals and robots. That it manages to communicate so much with no dialogue is just icing on the cake.

#10 Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (Warner Bros.)
Despite the fact that I was pissed off Charlize Theron was not reprising her amazing turn as the titular character, I tuned in because the critical acclaim was too good to ignore. Turns out it was justified. While not as good as the first film, the prequel has an awful lot going for it, providing back-story for a character that needed to be told. Action-packed with brilliant performances by Anya Taylor-Joy and an unhinged Chris Hemsworth, I'm pretty bummed that it wasn't a much bigger success because I want to see more of George Miller's post-apocalyptic saga.

#11 Alien: Romulus (20th Century)
The Alien movies started with the mind-blowing space-horror original from Ridley Scott that seemed impossible to follow. Then James Cameron said "hold my beer" and proceeded to take things in a fresh direction while honoring every frame of the original. From there it's been a futile series of attempts at continuing the franchise which have moments of brilliance mired in stories that were ultimately forgettable. Fortunately, the curse has been broken with Romulus, which is slick, stylish, scary, and smartly told. No, it's not perfect (resurrecting deceased actors will never feel right), but it's got enough going for it that I was happy to have a new Alien movie.

#12 Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (Netflix)
Yeah, I know. This is just another retread of an old movie that is banking on nostalgia in order to sell the entire movie. But here's the thing. It works. Eddie Murphy is back as Axel Foley and everything else is secondary. While not the fresh take on the character you'd hope for, it's still funny in the right ways.

HONORABLE MENTION

• Conclave (Focus)
  Ralph Fiennes gives us one of his best performances out of a slew of great performances in this story of the internal Catholic politics behind how a new Pope gets elected. You'd think that a movie like this wouldn't have many surprises, but you'd be wrong. There's a twist which hits you upside the head in a good way. As if that wasn't enough, it's gorgeously filmed and has terrific visuals which keep things interesting.
• Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story (Warner Bros.)
  It's a love letter to a beloved actor whose most famous role is still revered as the best possible representation of Superman.
• Fly Me To The Moon (Apple/Columbia)
  Given the absurd number of people who think that humans didn't go to the moon when the evidence is overwhelming, a movie like this should be mocking them from start to finish. Instead it takes a more subtle tact with a fictional account of people who were challenged with faking the moon landing in case it failed. The editing could have been much tigter, but overall I enjoyed the movie and all the actors bringing it to life.
• Longlegs (Neon)
  It probably helps that I'm a massive Nicholas Cage fan, but the entire cast was delicious to watch in this atmospheric horror film.
• Ghostbusters Frozen Empire (Sony Pictures Releasing)
  The previous installment, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, dipped heavy into nostalgia because it was the only way to move forward after the death of Harold Ramis. The real test was the film after that. And here we are with Frozen Empire. I enjoyed it, but felt it really didn't know where to go. It lacks the comedy the franchise was built on and meandered through characters without any real commitment to doing anything interesting with them. Even so, it was still Ghostbusters and had enough story to make me like it. If they do another one, I seriously hope that they come up with more than that.
• Spaceman (Netflix)
  I'm not sure why this film resonated with me. Adam Sandler's performance was fine. The story was good. The cinematography was interesting. The special effects were serviceable. But too much of it was a slog that didn't really go anywhere overly interesting, which is a real blow to anything science-fiction-related.
• Rebel Ridge (Netflix)
  Corruption and injustice are on full display in this suspenseful thriller with action beats that don't let up. But the real star are the stars, which aren't phoning in anything, but giving their all to every scene.
• Argylle (Apple/Universal)
  Okay. It went on too long, needed to consolidate two of the final sequences into one (and made it far less stupid), plus not sacrifice clarity for surprises... but I ultimately liked it! Big dumb fun!
• Hit Man (Netflix)
  This Glen Powell vehicle was sure to have an ending so obvious that I almost didn't watch. And indeed you do get that ending... at an hour in. Then the movie snowballs to the real ending which, I gotta say, was not what I expected. With a tighter script this could have been a great movie instead of a good movie. As it is, there are parts that drag so badly that you have to wonder how it got greenlit in this state. They really, really needed to take another pass on the story to make it more exciting in those dead zones which try to sabotage it.
• Bad Boys: Ride or Die (Sony Pictures Releasing)
  What can I say? It's more of the nonsensical same. You either like the movies because you can remove critical thinking and enjoy them for what they are... or you can't.
• Will & Harper (Netflix)
  Will Ferrell and his longtime friend Harper Steele hit the road after Steele comes out as a trans woman. Interesting and full of heart, this is a feel-good "documentary" which feels staged and sanitized at every step, but is still an important story to be told.
• Role Play (Amazon MGM)
  Look, all these movies trying to be the next Mr. & Mrs. Smith inevitably fail because they just can't be as interesting as that film was at that moment in time. But there are films that are still entertaining despite it all. Role Play is not a great film. But it doesn't aspire to be. It's just a fun flick where a woman has a secret life as an assassin which her husband and kids no nothing... and her secrets come back to haunt her in a predictable, but still entertaining way.

DISAPPOINTING

• Borderlands (Lionsgate)
  After the brilliant hob that Amazon did with Fallout, I was primed for a killer videogame adaptation that featured the excellent Borderlands series. And once the cast was revealed, my expectations were through the roof. Alas, the movie was a complete mess and made me wish that they hadn't bothered. Everybody involved would have been better off putting their time into something that was worth their talents.
• Trap (Warner Bros.)
  M. Night Shyamalan is truly a mixed bag. Sometimes you get brilliant films with amazing twists. Sometimes you get a pile of shit. And sometimes a movie lands somewhere in-between. Like this one. The concept of a serial killer getting trapped at a concert in lockdown is good. The cast is mostly good. The music is very good. But the way it's all put together is stupid and sloppy. Especially in the final act, which needed a few more passes to nail down. Shyamalan cast his daughter as pop star "Lady Raven" and she has no trouble pulling off the musical performances, but struggles to hit the acting beats the role demands of her.

WORST

• Madame Webb (Sony)
  It's like Sony is determined to exploit its license for Spider-Man-adjacent films using characters that nobody outside comic book gives a shit about... then saddling them to truly awful stories... just for kicks. Because it certainly isn't for money. And this is the worst so far (which is saying a lot considering Morbius was the previous installment). Gut-wrenchingly awful and nonsensical, I can't figure out how this was ever greenlit. Hopefully between Morbius, this, and Kraven all tanking we're finally done with Sony's shitty movies that do nothing but contribute to super-hero fatigue.
• Atlas (Netflix)
  Artificial Intelligence gone bad and a big robot. What more could you ask for? Well, a good script would be nice. Or, at the bare minimum, a story that has something new to say. I went in blind only knowing that Jennifer Lopez and Simu Liu, two actors I like, were in it. I wish I had avoided it instead.
• Uglies (Netflix)
  I am told that the book is pretty good. I wouldn't know. What I do know is that this movie was an absolute shitshow. Nothing makes sense. And I do mean nothing. The entire time it was playing I was trying to understand what the logic was behind any of it. I never got there.
• Rebel Moon: Part 2 (Netflix)
  FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, STOP GIVING ZACK SNYDER MONEY TO MAKE THESE SHITTY FUCKING FILMS! I ended up fast-forwarding through half of this mess because it was inexplicably even worse than Part 1. Where do you go after gut-wrenchingly fucking awful? Here's your answer.
• Unfrosted (Netflix)
  Long, boring, unfunny, and a waste of the talent involved. I think that everybody just did this as a favor to Jerry Seinfeld, even though he was doing them no favors with this crap material.
• Megalopolis (Lionsgate)
  I was ready to defend Francis Ford Coppola against the criticism for this film. Surely people were just not understanding his genius! And then I saw it. What in the hell was he thinking? This was a pretentious embarrassment that was supposed to explore the fall of Rome as projected on modern New York... but then injects some magical time-altering bullshit for deus ex machina taken to entirely new levels.

DIDN'T SEE, MIGHT HAVE MADE MY LIST

• Straume (Flow) (Janus)
  I don't recall ever putting a movie on my list that was released the previous year, but I didn't get to see it until the current year. Sounds like something I'd do if the movie was amazing enough. Based on the trailers and word-of-mouth, this may be one of those films. I am dying to see it, and will no doubt buy it the minute it gets released to home video.
• Nickel Boys (Amazon/MGM)
  Inspired by actual events around a place that really existed, two young Black men are sent to a heinously abusive reform school. Their story, which originated in a critically-lauded book of the same name, unfolds as one of injustice and tragedy. And it's an important story to be told.
• Better Man (Paramount)
  I have no idea what to make of the trailer that documents the life and times of Robbie Williams, but it certainly looks intriguing.
• Piece By Piece (Focus)
  What may be an even more intriguing concept for a documentary of a popular musician may be this one... the life and times of Pharrell Williams AS TOLD IN LEGO FORM! Something I absolutely want to see.
• Nosferatu (Focus)
  A remake of the 1922 classic that's been getting rave reviews. And has Willem Dafoe.
• Saturday Night (Sony Pictures Releasing)
  A comedy and drama about the debut of Saturday Night Live back in 1975, which has GOT to be a good story.
• Gladiator II (Paramount)
  The first film was a fantastic revenge story that was as riveting as it gets. And it had a conclusion that didn't need a sequel. Probably doesn't want a sequel. But we got one and I'm sure Ridley Scott made it a spectacle to behold.
• Heretic (A24)
  Hugh Grant is a criminally under-appreciated actor. Sure he's famous, but I really don't think he gets the credit he's due. From the sound of things, he is getting raves for his performance as a real asshole villain, which I have no doubt is worth a watch.
• Moana 2 (Disney)
  I loved the first film. Not only does it have a compelling story that's beautifully rendered... but it also has great characters and incredible music (Shiny is probably my favorite Disney movie song of all time). The fact that Lin-Manuel Miranda is absent from the sequel has diminished my hopes a bit, but I'm still excited to see it.
• Shirley (Netflix)
  Regina King plays Shirley Chisholm, the first Black woman elected to Congress who subsequently ran for president. This was released alllll the way back in March, but I only discovered it recently when I ran across a Regina King interview where it was mentioned.

DIDN'T SEE, MOST CERTAINLY SHIT

• Kraven The Hunter (Sony)
  I was almost willing to give this film the benefit of doubt... even after Morbius and Madame Web turned out to be shit. But then the reviews dropped and it's like NOPE! Just more of the same idiotic shit that Sony is crapping out with characters nobody cares about outside of comic book nerds who will demand a faithful adaptation. Which this is apparently not.
• Joker: Folie a Deux (Warner Bros.)
  I didn't watch the first film because the trailer and reviews made it sound like it wasn't the least bit faithful to the character. It got good reviews and made major bank even so. Then the sequel dropped and was trashed so utterly thoroughly that I was relieved I clearly wasn't missing anything.

Yesterday the mountain passes were off-and-on closed due to weather or stalled due to accidents or requiring chains. Needless to say, I wasn't looking forward to the drive home this morning. I mean, chaining-up is no big deal. I've done that loads of time. And temporary closures are annoying, but part of the game (just make sure you've got a full tank of gas). The problem is, of course, morons driving like assholes and causing accidents. I've seen the consequences far too many times, mostly due to people in 4-wheel-drive rigs thinking they're invulnerable to ice and slush.

It's only my dumb luck that I haven't been sucked into their stupid all these years.

But when I woke up, all passes home were open. And my preferred mountain pass, which was chains-required all day yesterday, was in great shape. So the drive home was easy and, dare I say it, enjoyable...

In the end I felt fortunate that I was able to escape for a few days on my Christmas holiday.

Hopefully yours was equally good.

I keep a running list of cool things I find on these here internets so I can share them on Bullet Sunday.

But sometimes... sometimes... something is so cool that I can't bring myself to wait. Today's YouTube video is one of those times. Except I actually found it on the 23rd, so I guess I did end up having some restraint in waiting three whole days.

This video is 35 minutes of absolute joy. It's got it all... old tech... random strangers helping across international borders... entertaining history... and something so hilarious at the 32-minute mark that I nearly choked to death. This right here is why I love the internet...

Earlier this year I posted this epic video along the same lines where a guy tracked down a McDonalds DS cartridge, which is equally fantastic...

If anybody has any recommendations for more videos like these, be sure to comment. The YouTube algorithm is pretty good, but it can't know everything.

I hope.

Christmas morning was a morning unlike any other when I was a kid. So. Many. Toys. I suppose it's that way for a lot of people, because the saying "It's just like Christmas morning!" had to come from somewhere.

This morning before crawling out of bed I looked through an old digital photo album labeled "Christmas" to bathe in the warm waters of nostalgia for a few minutes. One of the photos was of me playing with my brand new Spirograph as a kid...

And that got me wondering... in this digital age, does Spirograph even exist any more?

Indeed it does...

   
But of course Spirograph has been taken digital in a dozen different directions too. Including this awesome HTML version you can play with right here...

   
And here's one which tries to replicate the physical process...

So there you go! Entertainment for days on your Christmas morning. You're welcome!

Wintertime driving over the mountains in my neck of the woods can be a scary prospect.

Because even though WhizDOT (aka WSDOT, the Washington State Department of Transportation) and their awesome crew of dedicated workers does an exceptional job keeping the roads cleared, heavy snows can overwhelm the system. Whiteout snow conditions married with ice, deep slush, and morons who drive like assholes is a recipe for disaster, and I've experienced more than my fair share of terrifying experiences over the years.

And yet... if you gotta go, you gotta go, and that's just the way it is.

Plus, it's pretty...

Fortunately my trip today wasn't bad at all. A little slush here and there, but otherwise bare and wet.

Alas, the forecast for my return trip is not looking quote so pretty. But we'll see.

While having a "smart home" is cool, I would have never spent the money on it if I didn't feel I had to. I bought my home so that I could care for my mom, and part of that was making sure that I could control it remotely. As her dementia progressed, I worked at home whenever I could but still had to go into the office from time to time for a bit. While at work I needed the cameras, a security system, and remote access to everything so I could keep watch and help out if she ran into trouble.

Likely the most important piece of the smart home puzzle was smart smoke detectors.

Mom had put plastic in the oven... twice... while I was home and had the oven on to cook something, so the worry was that she would turn the oven on and do that when I wasn't home. So I bought Google Nest smoke detectors that would alert me to smoke or fire no matter where I was.

Lately the CO₂ sensors have started to fail, and so I have been replacing the detectors as needed.

Until I couldn't.

All of a sudden, nobody had the wired Nest Smoke Detectors available. Nobody. Except Google's own store. But the problem is that they will only allow you to order one of them. This is a problem when I have two detectors with dead CO₂ sensors and one which had expired.

I finally decided to chat with "Customer Support" to find out what to do.

What followed was my wasting an insane amount of time being passed around while being told to do truly insane things. Including (but not limited to) unplugging the failing detectors and removing the batteries so they'll stop beeping.

Yes, you read that right... YOU CAN SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF NOT BEING ABLE TO REPLACE YOUR SMOKE DETECTORS BY DISABLING YOUR SMOKE DETECTORS!

If I didn't have the complete chat transcript of the bizarre shit Google said from my call, I wouldn't believe it.

Note that at any point in my conversations, all the Google "Customer Support" agents had to do was tell me that they were sorry they couldn't sell me replacements for all my dead detectors and I should buy a different brand so I could stay safe. But rather than tell a customer to buy a non-Google product, they thought it was better to tell me to risk my life and illegally disable my smoke detectors.

I can only guess that wanting your customers dead rather than buying a non-Google product is company policy.

Remember when Google's motto was "Don't be evil?"

Ho Ho Ho! Christmas may be around the corner, but the gift that keeps on giving is here, because an all new Bullet Sunday starts... now...

   
• Not so flat as we were lead to believe! NEWSFLASH: Flat Earthers realize 'they are wrong' after traveling to Antarctica to prove the Earth isn’t round in hilarious footage. And yet it won't move the needle much (if at all) because flerfers are so accustomed to ignoring painfully obvious empirical evidence in order for their deranged worldview to work that they'll just come up with even more deranged ideas to explain it. Oh well. It was fun while it lasted.

   
• Selfish Cow! I laughed way too long at this...

But can you blame me?

   
• Swap! The SNL tradition that never disappoints...

   
• Sad Milk! NEWSFLASH: Infectious Bird Flu Can Linger in Refrigerated Raw Milk for 5 Days. I wish I understood the whole raw milk movement. It makes zero sense to me. And the fact that people are getting really fucked up (or dead) after drinking it, yet people are still drinking it? That makes even less than zero sense.

If only those who developed the first Disney units could see where Imagineers are now.

   
• Cravin' No More Kraven! The latest super-hero movie fiasco, Kraven The Hunter, is struggling to make $30 million on its likely $120+ million budget. And that's =chef's kiss= because it probably needs at least $250 million to break even. Between this abomination, Madame Web, and Morbius, you have to ask yourself if our Sony Pictures Spider-nightmare is finally over. Lord I hope so. We're already at peak super-hero movie fatigue, we don't need complete shit like this making it worse. Why doesn't Sony sell their Spider-rights back to Marvel Studios and just stop with this nonsense. FOR THE LOVE OF GOD... PLEASE STOP!!!

   
• Data Broken! I finally went with one of those data-finder services to scrub as much personal information about me from the Internet as possible. Every time they send a new report, I'm dumbfounded at the number of places I've been popping up. These data brokers are absolute parasites that should shut down. No wonder I get shitloads of spam and spam texts... there's companies working overtime to make it happen. If you want to take a look at the service I picked, DeleteMe, here's my link for 20% off. If you don't want my link, that's okay... you can visit the site without it here.

   
Only one more set of bullets left in 2024.