Story Stream: 11/21 - 12/4
Hello friends, neighbors, and patrons! I want to go ahead and prepare you: I know I consume an above average amount of content in any given week. I work from home, and basically always have something going, be it a TV show, podcast, movie, whatever. I get it. It's a lot. With traveling last Saturday post-Thanksgiving, and the lighter-than-normal amount of streaming I did with the holiday week, I decided to combine last week and this week into one post. So, before you scroll any further and begin thinking I do nothing but watch and listen to things 24 hours a day, please know: a) this is two weeks worth of streaming, and b) this week WAS a bit above average, c) there are 1-2 entries in here from three weeks back that I just forgot to list, d) I do have a life. I go outside, I go to the gym, I go to therapy, I spend time with my wife, I walk my dogs, etc. I'm not who this post might make me seem to be. :)
Enough disclaimers. We've got a marathon ahead. Let's get to it.
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MOVIES
Jingle All The Way (1996)
A holiday classic, that I'm not sure I'd ever sat down and watched straight through. I've definitely seen most of it at various times over the last 25 years, but never really on purpose. This holiday season I'm trying to pick up a few classics that I missed along the way. I expected this to be super corny, and it absolutely was, but in that charming, fun, mid-90s, they-don't-make-em-like-they-used-to way. I thoroughly enjoyed it with all it's corniness. Streaming on Amazon Prime Video. (6/10 - Highly Recommended)
Jingle All The Way 2 (2014)
So, my father-in-law and I have a thing about watching terrible movies. It always starts as sort of a joke. One of us will turn something ridiculous on to get a laugh, but then, almost like that scene in Footloose where Ren McCormick stumbles into a game of chicken on tractors with the bully, Chuck Cranston, we keep watching. He usually caves a few minutes in, but I sorta goad him into continuing. This Thanksgiving, he picked Jingle All the Way 2, a terrible movie by all accounts, and because he had it coming (I promise he did), I pulled my tricks to sucker him into watching the whole thing. He actually did stop it about 20 minutes in, but I got him to resume. It was entirely punitive, and I have zero regrets. I will henceforth love this movie for the nostalgia of that shared moment. (But you should absolutely never watch it). Streaming on Amazon Prime Video. (1/10 - Not Recommended)
Die Hard (1988)
Merry Christmas, friends! It's that time. Die Hard season. What is there to say even? This movie, with all it's merry machismo, is an absolute classic. I will never not love it. Streaming on Amazon Prime Video. (10/10 - Most Highly Recommended)
Die Hard 2: Die Harder (1990)
Is it as good as the original? No, probably not. But is it still pretty great? Absolutely. I love this movie almost as much as its predecessor. It's even less realistic than the first, but who needs realism at Christmastime? Am I right? I'd rather have John McClane Streaming on Peacock TV. (8/10 - Highly Recommended)
Christmas at Castle Hart (2021)
I've been into the campy Christmas movies this year. I don't know why. They definitely aren't good. But they do make for good background noise. They require so little to keep up with their simple (virtually identical) storylines. Plus, they remind me of my mom. So, whatever. I'm watching them (mostly ironically, but also with a sense of preemptive nostalgia). This one? Ridiculous, but not the worst I've ever seen. If you had to watch one of these movies this year, this one isn't a bad choice. Streaming on Hallmark. (3/10 - Not Necessarily Recommended)
Christmas a la Mode (2019)
This is one I forgot to share in my last Story Stream. Probably because of how utterly forgettable it was. Pure campy trash. I can only suggest watching this one if you're doing so to punish your father-in-law, my father-in-law, or someone equally deserving.. Streaming on Lifetime. (2/10 - Not Recommended)
Snowed-Inn Christmas (2017)
Again, I've seen worse. This is absurd start to finish, don't get me wrong. But if you strip away the bad acting, the predictability, the picturesque, perfectly manicured lives of the characters, the plot, etc., you'd be left with at least mediocre storytelling. It's fluffy, and dumb, but again, if you HAD to watch one of these movies this year, you could do worse. (Not much worse, but worse.) Streaming on Lifetime. (4/10 - Not Recommended)
The Shop Around the Corner (1940)
Now, this is excellent storytelling. Yes, this is the original You've Got Mail, so you probably won't be surprised by much. But, it's just dripping with class and nostalgic richness. I hadn't seen this one before, but I'll definitely watch it again. Streaming on HBO Max. (9/10 - Very Highly Recommended)
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TV
Survivor (Season 41, Episode 10 & 11)
I'm getting a little more into this show each week. Not just because I'm being drawn into the drama of this season, although it's been a great season. It's because the show has so shifted gears, and I genuinely love the way they're telling this story now. It's not drastically different from what it's always been. But it's subtly different in exactly the right ways. 41 seasons in, and still tweaking the formula to make it perfect. That's inspiring to me. Streaming on Paramount Plus. (9/10 - Highly Recommended)
The Bachelorette (Weeks 5-7)
We're getting to the end of the season now, when they typically start REALLY dragging things out. My top choice (as if I cared...) is still in it, but my gut says he won't be picked. I hope I'm wrong though (as if I cared...). Michelle is great, and (if I cared) I (would) want her to end up with the right person. But... I don't. I don't care. I don't want to talk about this anymore. (Till next week). Streaming on Hulu. (5/10 - Recommended, but please don't tell anyone)
The Great British Baking Show (Episode 10)
It's over! While my first choice didn't make it to the finals, I loved the three that did, and I think exactly the right person won. They were my second choice throughout the entire season, so I'm good with them being the winner. You must watch this show and this season. VERY good. Streaming on Netflix. (10/10 - Most Highly Recommended)
Invasion (Episode 1)
Yawn-fest. This was recommended by my in-laws, and from the description sounded really good. And maybe it is? I don't know. I could barely make it through the first episode without falling asleep. It was just SO slow. I'm undecided as to whether I'll pick It back up or not.. Streaming on Apple TV+. (4/10 - Not Recommended)
The Great British Baking Show: Holidays ("The Great Christmas Baking Show")
Review. Streaming on Netflix. (?/10 - Recommended level in italics)
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PODCASTS
Rethinking Possible - "Garrett Bucks: The Role of White People in Anti-Racist Work"
This podcast popped up on my radar this week as I was providing tech support for one of their team members. The episode title intrigued me, so I started listening. As they got into the content, I was very, very impressed. Both the host and the guest have clearly done, and are doing, their work. I so deeply appreciated the way they each articulated their answers to questions I find myself wrestling with so often. Streaming on the various podcast listening apps. (9/10 - Very Highly Recommended)
The Just Enough Family - "Perestroika"
This was a Listening Session listen this week, and while I fully recognize that it's well-produced, and the idea of it is somewhat compelling, in the end I found it to be pretty forgettable. That does not seem to be the consensus among most folks who listen to it, as it's receiving a fair amount of acclaim right now, so maybe I need to re-listen in a different headspace. But so far? It's good, not great. Streaming on the various podcast listening apps. (6/10 - Recommended-ish)
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MUSIC
Sufjan Stevens (Holiday) (Pandora Station)
If you're looking for just exactly the right vibe for this holiday season, this has very quickly become my favorite Pandora station. It's such a phenomenal (and ever evolving) collection of holiday classics + quirky, acoustic takes on sacred Christmas hymns and carols. Streaming on Pandora. (10/10 - Most Highly Recommended)
One Car Motorcade - One Car Motorcade (2010)
I found this album within a couple weeks of its release if I remember correctly, and it's been an absolute fav ever sense. The guys who made up (make up?) One Car Motorcade were in another band together in the late 90s / early 00s called Send the Beggar. I stumbled across their music in one of those 10-CDs-For-A-Penny deals that used to exist. I chose them because I liked their name. That was it. And for a number of reasons I can get into some other time, their music became VERY significant to me. When I heard they'd reformed as OCM, I was ecstatic. This album came to mind this week in a conversation with a co-worker, and after I shared it, I went back and re-visited it, and basically haven't been able to turn it off again since. I love it so much. Streaming on Bandcamp. (10/10 - Most Highly Recommended)
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We made it! Wow. No more two week streams if I can avoid it. That was a lot. But, also totally worth it. I'm sure there'll be a lot more holiday goodness in the weeks to come, so I hope you'll read again next week! And as always, if you have things you'd recommend, please share in the comments below!
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