What are you watching..

[mkmf]

Surprise find while searching for new-to-me films with Bill Nighy: "Still Crazy" (1999)

Bill Nighy is a middle-aged long-haired rocker (no NOT his character in Love Actually) whose band broke up in the 1970s and they are trying to make comeback in twenty years later. It's fun and funny and nostalgic. Bill does his own singing, and the songs were written for the film by legit rockers.

It's directed by the director of The Full Monty. The rest of the cast is great: Billy Connelly, Stephen Rea, Timothy Sprall, and the first acting role for young Rachel Stirling (Diana Riggs' daughter). You can't lose.

It's free to stream on Tubi (with ads) - no registration even necessary.

[hcbirker]

“Repair Shop” used to be on Discovery+Roku but has disappeared. Anyone find it?

[Al Sisti]

“Repair Shop” used to be on Discovery+Roku but has disappeared. Anyone find it?

There are some full episodes on YouTube.

[hcbirker]

“Repair Shop” used to be on Discovery+Roku but has disappeared. Anyone find it?

There are some full episodes on YouTube.

We found those, thanks Al!

[ship4u]

Whist in London this past October, we visited the Sherlock Holmes Museum on Baker Street. It was a real treat! I returned home to delve myself into The Easton Press 3 Volume Set on the Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, etc. If that wasn't enough, we loaned out from out library the DVD Series, Sherlock Holmes, The Complete Granada Television Series, starring Jeremy Brett.

I cannot recommend this series highly enough. Brett's portrayal of Holmes is incredible! He portrays all of the quirkiness, mannerisms and behaviors of Holmes as depicted by A. Conan Doyle's writings. The series itself is also true to the original stories.

[Joe Ross]

I blame @Guffman.

[Guffman]

I blame @Guffman.

This is one of my all-time favorite commercials.
Take note: That's Barney Martin in the front of the bowl.
Most folks should recognize him from being on Seinfeld as Jerry's dad.

[Joe Ross]

[Joe Ross]

Fascinating:

[KayW]

It's too scary how many of these I remember shot for shot or word for word. And does anyone else hear Pachelbel's Canon within "hold the pickle, hold the lettuce..."?

[KayW]

Some things are best not searched for. As if the earworm that ruined Pachelbel for me years ago needed any reinforcement...

But at least now I know I'm not crazy! Well, OK, maybe I don't know that. But at least I'm not the only one who hears this.

[Joe Ross]

Yeah, thanks, Kay.

It's going to take a monstrous effort to not sing along at every wedding I attend.

[mkmf]

"The Last Repair Shop" -(40 minutes)
This beautiful leading contender for this year's 2024 Academy Award for Short Documentary is free to watch on Youtube.

It's a lyrical tribute to a program that started in the Los Angeles School District in the 1950's that provides musical instruments at no cost to children. They have 8,000 instruments that are kept in working order by a small group of technicians. The film features first person accounts from children whose lives are enriched by the program and from repairers whose lives are also enriched by doing such fulfilling work.

For any musicians and/or tinkerers out there, you'll enjoy watching the various repairs and seeing the equipment spread throughout this vast warehouse like space. I hope this will win on Sunday, and I hope we'll get to hear the filmmakers' acceptance speech.

[Joe Ross]

Shogun on FX, but much better on HULU, where it's unedited, has dubbed episodes or period Japanese, excellent podcasts for each episode, plus weekly interviews of producers & actors.

It strives for historically accurate attention to detail, movements, language, architecture, weaponry, armor, & boats.

I cannot recommend this highly enough.

[MatthewL]

Shogun on FX, but much better on HULU, where it's unedited, has dubbed episodes or period Japanese, excellent podcasts for each episode, plus weekly interviews of producers & actors.

It strives for historically accurate attention to detail, movements, language, architecture, weaponry, armor, & boats.

I cannot recommend this highly enough.

I've been watching on FX (and very much enjoying it) but didn't realize it was edited from what was being aired on Hulu. Just curious -- what is being edited out on the FX version?

[Joe Ross]

Shogun on FX, but much better on HULU, where it's unedited, has dubbed episodes or period Japanese, excellent podcasts for each episode, plus weekly interviews of producers & actors.

It strives for historically accurate attention to detail, movements, language, architecture, weaponry, armor, & boats.

I cannot recommend this highly enough.

I've been watching on FX (and very much enjoying it) but didn't realize it was edited from what was being aired on Hulu. Just curious -- what is being edited out on the FX version?

Some 'bathing suit parts,' to quote Sheldon Cooper, and language. I only watched the beginning of Episode 3 on FX to see those changes, then switched back to the HULU version(s).

I prefer the undubbed version.

The HULU podcasts & interviews are also excellent. The background enhances the episodes.