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First Viewing Viewing Date: January 1st Via: iTunes Store Plot: Ove, an ill-tempered, isolated retiree who spends his days enforcing block association rules and visiting his wife's grave, has finally given up on life just as an unlikely friendship develops with his boisterous new neighbours. Rating: 8.7/10 Why Did I Watch It? I'm interested in the remake with Tom Hanks, this was a 99c rental, it has great reviews, and I wanted to start the year with something classy.

Viewed: Season 3

I have something of a strange relationship with The Boys. As much as I admire the show for a myriad of reasons, I can't say I'm ever necessarily compelled to binge it or watch it on a weekly basis; instead, I just watch episodes here and there when I have time, rather than making time to watch several episodes because I'm hooked. Still, this isn't to impugn the show as a whole, as I still quite like it, and the third season is extremely solid. It retains the polished, cinema-level production values we have come to expect from the series, the story remains interesting, and the season's secret weapon is Jensen Ackles as Soldier Boy. The overarching Soldier Boy arc is compelling, and it has gotten to the point where I'm not sure which of the main characters will actually survive at this point in the show, which amps up the tension a hundredfold during the key showdowns. There are some standout episodes in this season, including the iconic "Herogasm" which will be referenced for many years to come, and there are some truly memorable scenes such as one involving a shrinking man entering his gay lover's genitals. To say more and spoil the secrets within would be unthinkable. I still love the cast, especially Karl Urban who remains a note-perfect Billy Butcher, while Anthony Starr is formidable as Homelander. The only downfall of this season, in my mind, is the way it starts to pander to progressive politics, wandering into issues that are too complicated and controversial by simply repeating talking points from both sides without going into any true nuance. This is minor, however. It's a shame that the wait time between seasons of this show remains so long. Bring on the fourth season!

First Viewing Plot: The Groundhog tells the story of how, for once, Jack Frost became human, and helped a knight win his lady love.

I finished off last year's Christmastime viewings with a Rankin/Bass TV special, so it felt only appropriate to sneak another one in on Christmas Eve this year - especially since I hadn't watched any Rankin/Bass this year. I would say that 1979's Jack Frost is another Rankin/Bass "big hitter" that I probably should've sought out some time ago, and it's nice to finally cross it off my list after so many years. A stop-motion animated television special from the late 1970s, this is another charming and often amusing Rankin/Bass production which recounts another age-old Christmas tale based on folklore. The animation is not impressive by 2022's standards, and it might not be accessible to those accustomed to the slick, polished computer animation of current year, but the accomplishment for the time remains laudable - especially given the optical effects to make Jack appear transparent, or the effects when things are frozen. I also liked the voice cast (I can see why Chris Pine was cast to voice Jack in 2012's Rise of the Guardians - he sounds similar to the voice actor here), and the narrative being told by a groundhog is utterly adorable. It's still somewhat dated, but this iteration of Jack Frost is still a good watch; it's better than the '90s Michael Keaton movie, and it's better than the dreadful horror film reimagining.

Viewed: All episodes

I've been meaning to watch this one for several years, especially since I wrote a script for an Australian Christmas movie, but, due to my prevailing interest in films, it was not a priority. As it turns out, however, A Moody Christmas was perfect viewing for my Christmas Eve, and I gladly binged all six episodes in a single sitting. Rather than building up to a single Christmas like a movie would do, each half-hour episode of A Moody Christmas is set on Christmas, showing the Christmas Day festivities for another year. In other words, it cuts right to the chase and I greatly appreciated how refreshing that felt. The attention to detail is staggering here, from the decor of a typical Australian home, to the types of festive decorations we expect to see, and even the costume choices (lots of thongs and sandals, one character has white joggers and white socks all the time, and the daggy Christmas outfits ring true). The show always feels authentic, and incorporates many of my country's holiday traditions, from carols in the park to wearing paper crowns from bonbons at Christmas lunch, and all manner of alcoholic beverages complete with stubby holders. The characters also feel real, though some characters are somewhat archetypal and broad by design. The narrative through-line relates to Dan Moody, who flies from London to Sydney every Christmas to dutifully visit his immediate family, and has feelings for Cora, who is often in a relationship with his cousin. The progression of the family throughout the years is fun to see, and I grew extremely attached to the characters and invested in their personal lives - by the end, I knew their names and felt like I came to know them as people, rather than characters. How fortunate, then, that I still have an additional eight episodes about this family to watch in the new year. Some aspects of the story don't sit right, include an awkward side plot involving a homeless person who steals from the family without consequences, not to mention Annie Maynard's Ukrainian accent is cartoonish at best, but the show still has far more successes than failures. It's funny and touching, and accurately depicts what life is like in Australia during the Christmas period. I've since purchased the DVD and I look forward to watching it again and again.

First Viewing Plot: Over six years, the Moody family gather for Christmas in Sydney, Australia.

I've been meaning to watch this one for several years, especially since I wrote a script for an Australian Christmas movie, but, due to my prevailing interest in films, it was not a priority. As it turns out, however, A Moody Christmas was perfect viewing for my Christmas Eve, and I gladly binged all six episodes in a single sitting. Rather than building up to a single Christmas like a movie would do, each half-hour episode of A Moody Christmas is set on Christmas, showing the Christmas Day festivities for another year. In other words, it cuts right to the chase and I greatly appreciated how refreshing that felt. The attention to detail is staggering here, from the decor of a typical Australian home, to the types of festive decorations we expect to see, and even the costume choices (lots of thongs and sandals, one character has white joggers and white socks all the time, and the daggy Christmas outfits ring true). The show always feels authentic, and incorporates many of my country's holiday traditions, from carols in the park to wearing paper crowns from bonbons at Christmas lunch, and all manner of alcoholic beverages complete with stubby holders. The characters also feel real, though some characters are somewhat archetypal and broad by design. The narrative through-line relates to Dan Moody, who flies from London to Sydney every Christmas to dutifully visit his immediate family, and has feelings for Cora, who is often in a relationship with his cousin. The progression of the family throughout the years is fun to see, and I grew extremely attached to the characters and invested in their personal lives - by the end, I knew their names and felt like I came to know them as people, rather than characters. How fortunate, then, that I still have an additional eight episodes about this family to watch in the new year. Some aspects of the story don't sit right, include an awkward side plot involving a homeless person who steals from the family without consequences, not to mention Annie Maynard's Ukrainian accent is cartoonish at best, but the show still has far more successes than failures. It's funny and touching, and accurately depicts what life is like in Australia during the Christmas period. I can't wait to buy the DVD and watch it again.