What are you watching in (late 2025 and) 2026?

[billd91]

But I can see why Irish people rioted when it was first put on. Many of the characters feel like alcoholic rural hick caricatures (and the one character who doesn't drink is a coward) and their reaction, to glorify a patricide (however nice and regretful he is) seems like some sort of take that at contemporary Irish culture. In some ways it's quite relevant to today - the elevation of unexpected and reprehensible people on social media, very temporary celebrity, people being ruined by celebrity - but the whole story doesn't sit very well with me. At the same time, I don't feel able to criticise it because I'm not Irish and don't know anything about Irish culture then or now. It's a weird thing.

There's also the tendency for outlaws to become folk heroes, particularly when you've got a population that distrusts a lot of the legal authorities like the government and their representatives, the Peelers. Rural Ireland, particularly in western counties, would have been pretty rife with that kind of distrust, even though Ireland's "respectable folk" would think it didn't reflect well on Irish society.
Plus, it's all well and good when you hear the exploits of the folk hero/outlaw, but something else entirely when you witness the brutality of their crimes first-hand.

 

[jian]

There's also the tendency for outlaws to become folk heroes, particularly when you've got a population that distrusts a lot of the legal authorities like the government and their representatives, the Peelers. Rural Ireland, particularly in western counties, would have been pretty rife with that kind of distrust, even though Ireland's "respectable folk" would think it didn't reflect well on Irish society.
Plus, it's all well and good when you hear the exploits of the folk hero/outlaw, but something else entirely when you witness the brutality of their crimes first-hand.

Yes, and that's very much noted in the third act when Christy appears to kill someone again - he expects to be praised again, but the people of the village react in horror and try and string him up, either lynching him or tying him up to take to the authorities so that they won't be blamed for his crimes.

What's worse is that it's possible that the author based the story on that of an actual Irish robber who brutally assaulted an old woman and then fled to the US. There, when the authorities caught up with him, he claimed that he'd had political reasons for his crime (this was a complete and blatant lie) and was immediately lionised by the Irish-American community, who prevented his extradition.

 

[jian]

Watched The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension yesterday, and it’s more or less exactly what I expected - a pulp science fantasy movie from the 80s. Enjoyable performances, John Lithgow in particular really commits to the bit.

 

[overgeeked]

Watched The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension yesterday, and it’s more or less exactly what I expected - a pulp science fantasy movie from the 80s. Enjoyable performances, John Lithgow in particular really commits to the bit.

Such a great flick. “John Big-Booty.” “It’s Big Boo-Tay!”

 

[overgeeked]

I just watched the documentary The Automat, about the Horn & Hardart Automat restaurants in New York and Philly. Such a trip.

 

[VashVet]

Watching the second season of “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” on Netflix. It scratches my British mystery itch and I’ve found the story pretty engaging with a likeable cast of teen sleuths. If that’s up your alley, I would give this a watch.

 

[Ryujin]

Watched The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai Across the 8th Dimension yesterday, and it’s more or less exactly what I expected - a pulp science fantasy movie from the 80s. Enjoyable performances, John Lithgow in particular really commits to the bit.

I hope that you got the limited edition version that shows the Buckaroo Banzai's parents James Saito and Jamie Lee Curtis.

 

[The Soloist]

The Boroughs (Netflix, 8 episodes) produced by the Duffer Brothers (Stranger Things). This is clearly a nod to Twilight Zone. Some have also called it Stranger Things at a retirement community in the middle of the desert. It was good fun but we guessed the 'mystery' too fast. All the performances are great. Loved Geena Davis, as always. Nods to Telma & Louise with twits. Nods to the Goonies. The last episode was anti-climactic for us. Something unexplained happens near the end. Could be the hint of a second season. Overall we give it a 7.5. We would watch a second season.

 

[The Soloist]

Watching the second season of “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” on Netflix. It scratches my British mystery itch and I’ve found the story pretty engaging with a likeable cast of teen sleuths. If that’s up your alley, I would give this a watch.

My brain fought against it for the first two episodes. For the second season, I wanted her to be in college and have to solve a mystery on the campus. But once I accepted it was not that, I enjoyed watching it. Poor Pip. She gets battered by the turn of events in this one. It's a cruel world sometimes.

 

[VashVet]

My brain fought against it for the first two episodes. For the second season, I wanted her to be in college and have to solve a mystery on the campus. But once I accepted it was not that, I enjoyed watching it. Poor Pip. She gets battered by the turn of events in this one. It's a cruel world sometimes.

I had the same struggle at first because of the gap between seasons, but by the second episode I was hooked again. The show can be quite dark sometimes.