mr. monk and the loyal viewer
It’s a rare television show that gets me so engrossed in the characters that I actually begin to care about them. It takes great writing, great acting, and probably more…
what i’m watching
early dispatches from movie season: graffiti mystery, legal murder
I can’t believe how much I’m loving having access to US Netflix through our Roku device. For the price of a new router and some easy-to-follow instructions, my leisure time…
now accepting suggestions for movie season
I hardly noticed the transition from Baseball Season to Movie Season this year. With the Red Sox having their worst season almost 50 years (1965), my tolerance for the nightly…
in which my roku experience gets even more awesome: how to set up a wireless vpn
You may recall that we switched our internet provider from Rogers to TekSavvy in order to get more bandwidth, then dumped Rogers altogether by switching from cable to streaming. >We…
tom davis deanimated at age 59
I’ve just learned of the untimely passing of a very funny man. Those of us old enough to remember the brilliant and subversive “The Franken and Davis Show” bits on…
what fans’ extreme reaction to bad reviews reveals
I noticed this story yesterday about some fans’ extreme reaction to negative reviews of an upcoming movie. As The Dark Knight Rises hits theatres this week, critics posting negative reviews…
celeste holm, 1917-2012
A grande dame of American acting died earlier this week. Celeste Holm, New York born and bred, was best known for her Academy Award-winning performance in Gentleman’s Agreement*, her memorable…
follow-up: i still ♥ roku and a question about gaming
A few months ago, I blogged about our Roku streaming device. We now only use streaming or DVDs – no more cable – and it’s been great. Shorter wmtc: I…
we movie to canada: annual wmtc movie awards, 2011-12 edition
Our 2011-12 Movie Season was a strange one, as we’re gravitating towards watching more series and fewer films. I also didn’t have a good source for quality movies on DVD…
i ♥ roku
I am absolutely gaga over Roku. This was exactly the missing piece we needed. And it all started with getting rid of Rogers cable. In February, I asked for help…
follow-up: dumping zip and dumping rogers!
Thank you to everyone who participated in the recent “help me get rid of zip” discussion, both on wmtc and by email. And thanks to CNET, for this video! I…
help me get rid of zip
When we lived in NYC, I was hugely into Netflix. The selection and convenience were terrific, and for frequent movie watching, the flat monthly fee was a great value. After…
belafonte on obama: "a dagger in our sense of justice"
On a recommendation from a friend, I watched Harry Belafonte interviewed by Charlie Rose in New York City. Belafonte – musician, actor, social-justice activist, radical – is a joy to…
the iron lady was an enemy of the people and should not be celebrated as a hero
This week, the movie “The Iron Lady” opens, a big-budget biopic starring Meryl Streep as former UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. No technical or directorial skills, nor the inevitable genius…
what i’m watching: old timey tv and old timey ads
One of my favourite comedies has always been “The Burns and Allen Show,” the old TV vehicle for the comedy team of Gracie Allen and George Burns. The show’s entire…
how can we live without polar bears? bbc’s planet earth gets political
In October, I blogged about my impressions of the BBC nature series “Planet Earth”. I loved the show, but criticized the producers for making it completely apolitical. There was not…
early dispatches from movie season
Last year I mentioned I had never seen a single Pixar movie, including any Toy Story movie. Many wmtc readers recommended I watch all three Toy Story movies, which seemed…
suggestions for movie season now being accepted, she says sadly
We now have an answer to the burning question: can a baseball team that wins seven games in September play in the postseason? The Red Sox walked the razor's edge…
heroic white people, "i am not a racist," and other thoughts on some old news
I recently read a few unrelated items that dealt with racism, equality and civil rights in the US, which raised some thoughts I want to share. This time I'm purposely…
more pupdate, more where i’ve been
I hate being away from wmtc for so long! Between Tala and my mom's visit, it's been quite the week.Yesterday we went back to the OVC in Guelph for a…