Audrey Watch! The Cockeyed Miracle (1946)

Watched:  08/16/2018
Format:  TCM on DVR
Viewing:  First
Decade:  1940's
Audrey Quotient:  mid-range.  A tad low.  She plays "the daughter" in an ensemble comedy.

Christmas Shark Watch! SANTA JAWS (2018)

Watched:  08/14/2018
Format:  Watched live on SyFy
Viewing:  First!
Decade:  2010's

You know, every once in a while it feels like the universe says "hey, let's do Ryan a solid and just make something exactly the way he'd like it."

MARVELWATCH PODCAST! Avengers Countdown 03 - "Iron Man 2" w/ Jamie & Ryan!

Watched: 08/010/2018
Format: Amazon Streaming
Viewing: third or fourth
Decade: 2010's

Jamie and Ryan cover "Iron Man 2", where the pieces of the Marvel U move forward, plants are placed that will pay off movies down the line, Black Widow first appears, and Tony sits in a giant donut. We also say "interesting" entirely too much. Join us as we realize we discuss how "Iron Man 2" works better now as part of the Marvel puzzle than it did when we saw it as just a sequel Marvel rushed into theaters.



For the Avengers Chronological Countdown Playlist:

Audrey Watch: The Sellout (1952)

Watched:  08/09/2018
Format:  TCM on DVR
Viewing: First
Decade:  1950s
Audrey Quotient:  Not Enough

Spooky Watch: Mark of the Vampire (1935)

Watched: 08/06/2018
Format:  TCM on DVR
Viewing:  First
Decade:  1930's

Well, huh

Noir Watch: Scene of the Crime (1949)

Watched:  08/05/2018
Format:  Noir Alley on TCM/ DVR
Viewing:  First
Decade:  1940's

MARVELWATCH PODCAST:! "Incredible Hulk" (2008) - #02 of Avengers Chronological Countdown

Watched: 08/03/2018
Format: BluRay
Viewing: unknown. 5th?
Decade: 2000's
Podcast runtime:  58 minutes

Jamie and Ryan buckle in for movie #2 - "The Incredible Hulk". Marvel grapples with the film world of 2008-ish as they adapt comics, movies and TV shows into one cinematic creature that Ryan likes, but didn't exactly take off at the time. We take a look at what Mr. Angry-Pants is all about and how it all fits in.
 

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Set Yer DVR's: Monday is Audrey Totter Day on TCM

As part of their Summer Under the Stars month-long programming event, TCM has blocked Monday, August 6th for a slate of films starring another patron saint of The Signal Watch, actress Audrey Totter.

There are several listed that I haven't seen yet and many I have. We think you should set your DVRs and watch an Audrey movie or three.

The schedule:

Happy Birthday Yesterday to Actress Jean Hagen

Born August 3, 1923 in Chicago.  Passed in 1977. 

You know her best as Lina Lamont in Singin' in the Rain, but she was also in noir films like Side Street, Asphalt Jungle and No Questions Asked. 

Myrna Watch: Double Wedding (1937)

Watched:  08/04/2018
Format:  TCM on DVR
Viewing:  First
Decade:  1930's

Well, it's not often that even the most telegraphed of movies puts the twist finale in the title of the movie, but with Double Wedding (1937), we have the equivalent of "He Was a Ghost the Whole Time: The Movie".

Happy Birthday, Myrna Loy

"There ought to be a law against any man who doesn’t want to marry Myrna Loy." -Jimmy Stewart


Happy Birthday to the late actress, Myrna Loy, who would have been 103 today.

Loy is highly popular in classic film circles, and when you start making your way through her filmography, it's not hard to see why.  She's strong as both a comedic and dramatic actor, is the force-to-be-reckoned-with up against powerhouse leading men from Cary Grant to Jimmy Stewart, and, most famously, William Powell.  She's unaffected and a natural in front of the lens, whether playing a society damsel in a romantic tangle or the daughter of Fun Manchu (where it is deeply, deeply complicated to talk about how sexy she is in the role*).  And her version of side-eye should be given a copyright all its own.

Loy's career extended beyond the usual ingenue lifespan.  Like her friend Joan Crawford, she worked her entire life, remaining relevant (and never lost her looks, which, I mean, come on.  I'm human.) and as strong an actress as you're like to see when she was shuffled into playing mothers The Best Years of Our Lives, Mr. Blandings Builds His Dream House instead of sloe-eyed, knowing girls.  Or especially the judge/ spinster sister in The Bachelor and the Bobby-Soxer.

Loy was deeply involved in American Red Cross and other ctivities in support of the fight against the Axis

For people who find "old movies" too stagey or unnatural, Loy is an excellent cure for what ails you.  She's style fits in neatly, and - I'll argue - informs a lot of what came after.  In her comedies, she's hysterical, and in any movie her tone and manner captures what other actors are still trying to pull off today when it comes to presence.  Pair her with a leading man worthy of her talents, and you've got a hell of a movie.   

Happy birthday, Ms. Loy!



*yellow-face.  She's in yellow face as an evil Manchurian.  The past (and a lot of the present) is super-racist.  Just FYI.

Super Watch: Superman - The Movie (1978) at Austin's Paramount Theatre

Watched:  07/29/2018
Format:  Paramount Theater Summer Classic Film Series
Viewing:  I believe we are northwards of 40 at this point.  Maybe the 50th.
Decade:  1970's


The past few years, I haven't had the wherewithal or ability to get downtown much for Austin's Classic Cinema Series at The Paramount Theatre.  This year's programming fit the bill for showing "classic film", and while I understand *some* grumbling from friends who don't love the line-up, if you're part of the TCM twitter crowd, as these things go and for the audience it's aimed at - honestly, it's one of their better years.  Have I made it down there?  No.

I wasn't sure I'd actually bother to go down and see Superman: The Movie (1978) as part of their family film sub-series, either, but Jamie cut me loose to go with PaulT, so I made an effort.  Unfortunately, I got my times wrong and I was buying my soda, thinking I had 30 minutes to leisurely find Paul and chat for a bit, they shut the doors.  I ran up to the balcony and got to my favorite seat in the theater.

I'm glad I did.

PODCAST: Iron Man (2008) - Avengers Chronological Countdown! w/ Jamie and Ryan

Watched:  07/21/2018
Format:  BluRay
Viewing:  At least the fifth
Decade:  00's

Jamie and Ryan begin a re-watch of all the Marvel movies in order of release! (We call it Chronological Countdown, but we're not doing in some willy-nilly Marvel timeframe). Join us as we consider Iron Man (2008), what it meant then and now in the Marvel Cinematic U and how it looks in 2018 in general.

Noir Watch: Party Girl (1958)

Watched:  07/21/2018
Format:  Noir Alley TCM on DVR
Viewing:  First
Decade:  1950's

Horror? Watch: Psychomania (1971)

Watched:  07/21/2018
Format:  BluRay
Viewing:  First
Decade:  so, so 1970's

Watched for a podcast we're saving for the Halloween season

PODCAST! Bond Watch: Goldfinger (1964)

Watched:  07/21/2018
Format:  BluRay
Viewing:  Unknown - maybe 7th?
Decade:  1960's

It's a PODCAST!

(possibly NSFW) It's "Goldfinger", Ryan's favorite Bond movie. SimonUK is back to help Ryan sort out how much he can say Honor Blackman's character's name out loud whilst being recorded. Join us as we say a lot of nice things about this iconic/ seminal film in the Bond franchise, some of its oddities and how it is just super problematic in 2018.





Get your Signal Watch Podcast on the format of your choice!

Noir Watch: Roadblock (1951)

Watched:  07/18/2018
Format:  TCM Noir Alley on DVR
Viewing:  First
Decade:  1950's

PODCAST! Marvel Watch: Ant-Man and The Wasp (2018)

Watched:  07/15/2018
Format:  Alamo Slaughter Lane
Viewing:  First
Decade:  2010's

It's a PODCAST!  Starring our own Jamie!  As the Ant-Man partners up with The Wasp, so we team up with our better half to talk big about getting small.  This one is a bit shorter than other podcasts at a trim 35 minutes, so jump right in to hear the good, the bad and the tiny of Ant-Man and The Wasp (2018).

Late 80's Watch: Fletch Lives (1989)

Watched:  07/15/2018
Format:  HBO on DVR
Viewing:  Unknown.  At least the 3rd.
Decade:  1980's

Airplane Movie Watch: Proud Mary (2018)

Watched:  07/10/2018
Format:  American Airlines seatback screen
Viewing:  First
Decade:  2010's