Michael Hopcroft

Howl's Moving Castle was beautifully realized, but it was also a much darker film than many give Miyazaki credit for. The air raid scene in the middle of the film was especially well-crafted and terrifying, representing a horror that Japan has experienced and from which the United States has so far been spared. I'm seeing The Boy and the Heron with my mother next week. Miyazaki has told the press that he finally decided he's given up on retirement and will keep on making movies for the rest of his life. Miyazaki is 82 but seems to be healthy.

I would be very disappointed if Godzilla Minus One doesn't win the Hugo for "Best Dramatic Presentation -- Long Form". (I should note that the martial arts drama Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon was awarded a Hugo, presumably due to its fantasy elements in addition to being an extremely good film). Shin Godzilla wasn't even nominated, though, so I'm not getting my hopes up here.

Wild Turkey Surprise with the special ingredient TNT! NT: Subtle signs you shouldn't have gotten on Bugs Bunny's bad side.

I blame The Master. They're showing the Doctor a middle finger in the most dramatic way they can. NT: Subtle signs that you're not going to survive the next Godzilla attack.

The central human character, a failed kamikaze pilot under the most horrific PTSD conceivable, is riveting. I kept hoping for the best of him even though I knew the worst was coming. The film ended to applause and to people in the audience weeping, and I was visibly shaken.

"Remember it when you hear a name called, a minority attacked, any blind, unreasoning assault on a people or any human being. He's alive because through these things, we keep him alive."

Q: Say, didn't you used to be Babs and Buster Bunny? A: I came here to eat pizza and yell at the staff. And I see no pizza.

"Worst! Rescue! EVER!"

Q: Horace, you little ****! Why did you build an 18th-century Ship-of-the-Line in our back yard and crew it with all the kids at school? A: I will never forget the day Pauline Kael said I stink. I was playing part of stable boy.

"Now, let's kick Hasbro in the ****!"

"There are no guards -- only Prisoners and the worlds they have made." "I am the Duke of New York! I am A Number One!"

Q: Is that a turkey leg in your pocket, or are you happy to see me? A: That you need explicit directions to boil water is disturbing.

Q: What do you mean, no drumsticks? What are you serving us, anyway? A: He is serving the people, with fries and a Coke.

Q: Why should I be happy about being a damned pig? A: This Young Turkey isn't getting any younger. He's not getting older, either...

That he isn't Captain Poultry.

Even when doing things like this. there was already a certain gravitas about the young Morgan Freeman. In hindsight, he was able to clown around with the best of them -- without looking at all like a clown.

Q: What do Klingons listen to when they want eight hours of uninterrupted sleep? A: I don't know how you were diverted, perverted, and inverted.

Travel certificates that provide a golden excuse to get out of office Christmas parties. . NT: Real-life candidates for a good old-fashioned Scrooging.

I know there's talk (as there always is) of an NFL team in London. Bad idea to expand to Europe, but if they do -- wouldn't Frankfurt be a better choice? Better facilities, more knowledgeable fanbase with a Gridiron tradition from the old NFL Europe, and so on. The big thing is that the Jaguars are finally turning things around, and Jacksonville had better embrace this team or they will lose it.

Q: This new Order of the Stick TV series is fantastic, don't you think? A: He sits all alone on the sidewalk, hoping that you won't pass him by,

Q: So, Suzie, when will you finally be willing to go to Prom with me? A: Madam, I'm afraid we're all out of Arsenic Sauce, but we do have a lovely Balsamic Belladona Vinaigrette or perhaps you would like a Hemlock Latte.

An extra day's pay for the retail workers who have to deal with the terrifying mess that is Black Friday. (I am facing that for the first time this Friday. I am fearful, and no I won't get a bonus or get paid for Thanksgiving.)

It is not uncommon for one half of a long-married elderly couple to pass away soon after the other. Johnny Cash dying a few weeks after Juen Carter may be the most famous example. If you are already deathly ill, a broken heart can be enough to push you over the edge. The thing is if you're ninety years old and in hospice already you might not mind and might even find the thought comforting -- and even hopeful. This would be especially true for a deeply religious person like Jimmy Carter, who is thoroughly convinced his beloved and his other loved ones are awaiting him on the other side of the veil. The point is that Jimmy Carter is well aware that life on Earth is finite and seems to have accepted it will soon be his time.

Q: Waiter, I have a question about the Dessert Menu. What is this "Sweet, Sweet Tase of Death?" A: You shagged Rasputin? You shagged Rasputin? Of course I'm not jealous!

This race was a PR nightmare for the FIA. While the conditions were not quite as dangerous in Qayar, the condition of the street track was almost undrivable. By F1 standards the track in late night conditions was very cold, making traction an adventure. Cars were sliding all over the track, and Verstappen took a ridiculously mild five-second penalty for forcing pole-sitter Charles Leclair off the track on the very first turn. In the end it did not matter because Verstappen was Verstappen and Red Bull was, well, Red Bull. Fortunately, a state-of-the-art F1-ready track is under construction in the Vegas suburbs and may be ready for the 2024 race. With so many issues regarding the track and the organizers' treatment of fans who paid up to two grand for a weekend of racing on the Strip, F1 street racing on the Strip will hopefully be left for the videogames where track conditions can be handwaved away. I still don't know whether Andretti Racing will be the F1 equivalent of an expansion team or take the place of one of the existing bottom-feeders. With one race left on the schedule, it's about time to look back on the past season. Certainly, Verstappen and Red Bull had the most successful season in Formula 1 history in terms of race results and point production, but what of the rest of the field? The racing was much better in the mid-pack than it was in front where it was like Verstappen taking an unpressured Sunday drive most weeks. So with a few exceptions (Qatar and Vegas) the races were not unwatchable. But it must have been truly demoralizing for fans of the other nine teams, and especially for the drivers consigned to the back rows of the grid in most of the races. You don't become an F1 race driver to compete for two to three points a week by getting in the Tope 10. You become an F1 driver because you want to win races and championships. So do we appreciate the incipient greatness of Max Verstappen or fervently wish for Ferrari or Mercedes to catch up in 2024 and give Max some compensation for the top of the table at last?