Happy Saturday From the Arena

Happy Saturday, friends. Feeling slightly better about the world this weekend, and hope you are, too. A Friday night Friendsgiving with some neighbors and new friends was a lovely way to reconnect and recharge. Pumpkin pie AND birthday cake? Sure, why not. Let’s embrace the “and.”

Plus it’s a particularly busy time for movies, which keeps the days packed. In case you missed our reviews this week on our Breakfast All Day YouTube channel and podcast, here they are:

• GLADIATOR II. It doesn’t come out until Nov. 22, but we wanted to review Ridley Scott’s epic sequel as soon as we possibly could. This is a spoiler-free review, but we can let you know that we’re mixed on this. It’s massive and old-fashioned, and Denzel Washington is having a blast chewing the scenery, but we also found it kind of boring at times. Lots of strong feelings in the comment section of this one. In theaters next weekend.

• RED ONE. We have reviews of several Christmas movies for you this week, including this $250 million blockbuster action comedy which we feel extremely differently about. Santa Claus (J.K. Simmons) has been kidnapped, and Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans must team up to save him. The beginning is good and the end is good, and in between is about an hour and 40 minutes of terrible. In theaters.

• HOT FROSTY. I am shocked at how much I enjoyed this. Dustin Milligan stars as a snowman who comes to life as a hunky handyman when a lonely widow (Lacey Chabert) places a magical scarf around his neck. This movie is stupid, cheesy fun, and it knows it. I laughed a lot. Craig Robinson and Joe Lo Truglio co-star as the town’s deputies. If you’re looking for an escape, this is it. Streaming now on Netflix.

• CHRISTMAS EVE IN MILLER’S POINT. Everything happens and nothing happens in this low-key but evocative indie. A sprawling Italian-American family gets together for what may be their final Christmas Eve in their ancestral home. Francesca Scorsese, Michael Cera, Maria Dizzia, Ben Shenkman and Elsie Fisher are part of the massive cast. It’s a vibe. In theaters.

• MEANWHILE ON EARTH. This is also a vibe, but with an undercurrent of trippy tension. This live-action feature from Oscar-nominated, French animator Jeremy Clapin (“I Lost My Body”) is about a young woman in her 20s (Megan Northam) who’s grieving the loss of her older brother, an astronaut who disappeared during his mission. But one day, a voice comes to her and offers her a deal to bring him back. It’s mysterious and beautifully shot. In theaters.

Nic and I were screaming at the television during “The Penguin” finale. We’ve really come to love this series, a spin-off from Matt Reeves’ 2022 film “The Batman,” but we were stunned by some of the final choices Oz makes. Yes, of course he’s a sociopath, but did he have to do that? Colin Farrell, Cristin Milioti and Rhenzy Feliz all did incredible work throughout the season, and this show just kept getting bolder and better. You can find all of our recaps here on our Patreon.

Also at our Patreon, Alonso had this crazy idea that we should recap the Hallmark+ miniseries “Holidazed.” The 8-episode show follows several families who live on the same cul-de-sac and find their lives intertwined in the run-up to Christmas. Virginia Madsen and Dennis Haysbert are among the ensemble cast. Alonso loves this kind of thing, I think it’s terrible. But we recapped the first two episodes, which came out on Thursday, and we’re leaving it up to our patrons to determine whether we keep going. So if you’re a member, make sure you cast your vote before 5pm today. No pressure, but you hold my fate in your hands.

Our favorite local indie rock band, Rec Hall, has a new EP out called “Otherworld”: five insanely catchy songs that will get stuck in your head, and you’ll thank me for it. They’re from right here in the Palos Verdes/Torrance area, and two of the three members went to Nic’s high school. Nic actually did a piece on them for his middle school’s TV news program last year, and they couldn’t have been nicer. It’s been so cool to watch them grow a following and expand musically. The video I linked above for “How Long” is a great example of their sound, and it features some of the beautiful area we’re lucky to call home, but “Olive” is my favorite of the new tunes. Give ‘em a listen.

Thinking of starting your own newsletter, or maybe just sprucing up the one you already have? I’ve loved using beehiiv. It’s been so fun and easy to navigate, and hopefully you find it fun and easy to read. If you’d like to check it out for yourself, you can take 20% off your first three months at any level. Plus they have a free level to get you started. Find out more here.

(Some links are affiliate links, which means if you purchase something, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.)

Thanks so much for sharing some of your time with me. The holidays are coming, and the days are getting particularly nutty, so I’m thankful you’ve chosen to spend a few minutes with me. If you’ve found value here, or at least a decent distraction, I’d be honored if you’d pass along my newsletter to a friend or family member. Have a great week, and I’ll see you back here next Saturday.

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