Senator's Selects 2025/11/26
"I do my own penance for my own sins." All that and your 2025 Christmas Challenge preview!
From the Desk of…
I want to address something as nicely as I can. In the wake of the recent elections, there has been a groundswell of energy. That’s good! It’s good when people get energized. I’ve also seen a lot of people who are grasping towards some sort of activity, maybe even considering an electoral candidacy. Yes! Fantastic! I love to see it.
Please… please connect with a friendly organization and get organized before making decisions or announcing plans. Please don’t make me read another “I’ve decided to run for office. Any tips?” thread. People are standing by to take your call and help you navigate into a position that will actually build power. Disorganized energy exhausts quickly.
I was pleased to read a decent article in the Columbus Free Press about a recent DSA debrief. Not to say that there are often indecent articles in the Free Press, but… you know what I mean. Anyway, I have to get back to the kitchen and put the apron back on, so I’ll cut it there.
The Brain Dump
ugh can’t believe i have to watch love actually next week
Google search depression era thanksgiving recipes easy
got too many emails at the same time and turned evil
blues brothers 3 could have one of the most incredible cameos in film now that there’s a chicago pope
hate it when a mf trolls the ancient yuletide carol
Do You Want This?
So, apparently, they made soap opera trading cards in the early ‘90s.
Naturally, they’re from the maker Star Pics, with whom I am familiar owing to their Twin Peaks trading cards. That makes sense, of course, to have trading cards for Twin Peaks. I’m looking for a rookie Ben Horne if anyone is willing to trade. There’s 72 cards in the set, so with 25 unopened packs clocking in at 10 cards per pack, it’s a decent chance you’ll get them all. Maybe you’ll even get a holographic Susan Lucci! I can’t really do much more riffing on this than that because I have hit the depth of All My Children knowledge.
Anyway, if you’re in need of a good stocking stuffer this season, I’m sure you could find worse things than this. They’re all part of the same lot down in Chillicothe… if you want it.
At the Movies
In lieu of some recent reviews, here are some reviews of movies that won’t be included in the 2025 Christmas Challenge.
Ernest Saves Christmas (1988), dir. John Cherry ⭐⭐⭐
Even if the career petered out, Jim Varney would’ve never had to buy himself a beer throughout most of the Midwest and Upland South. Would’ve been great to get a dramatic turn from him at some point. Jim Varney the Academy Award winner.
Comfort and Joy (1984), dir. Bill Forsyth ⭐⭐⭐⭐
I think I relate too much to Dicky Bird, the put-upon intermediary settling absurd squabbles who just wants to go home, any home, and also he keeps getting recognized by very weird people like some sort of local hero. One time, someone walking by stopped my car on the way to rehearsal so he could freestyle a rap at me. He said it meant a lot to him, and how much he looked up to me, but I was convinced by the end of it that he actually had meant to rap at a good friend of mine. He also asked if I’d design a tattoo for him, which I didn’t. I really did need to get going.
Yule Log with Christmas Music and Loud Family Fighting (2016), dir. Timothy Dunn ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ ❤️
it’s pet peep
One Picture
This is what the average grocery store run looks like for people taking on the Christmas Challenge. Groceries, now that’s an old-fashioned word.
In closing,
So, I promised a preview. I’ve already gestured at the fact that this year’s Christmas Challenge will be the largest yet, both by length of runtime and by number of films. As such, I’ll reveal two films that will included in this year’s set: Mystery Tape #5 and Mystery Tape #6.
Oh, what, that’s not a good enough reveal for you? I put my blood, sweat, and tears into sourcing this material, and that’s not enough? Fine. Here are the returning films from challenges prior, films that our newer champions and challengers may not have seen before.
Based on when they were last seen, we have A Christmas Carol (1951); Abraxas, Guardian of the Universe; The Apartment, Babes in Toyland; Holiday Affair, and The Silent Partner from the inaugural challenge in 2020. From 2021, Brazil, Frosty the Snowman, Rocky IV, and The Night of the Hunter. From 2022, Scrooged. From 2024, The Holdovers. I never cared much for 2023.
Until next time, eat well, sleep well, be merry, and see some friends before you bunker down to watch holiday movies.