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trwesterman.bsky.social
@trwesterman.bsky.social
300 followers 260 following 840 posts
Writer. Movies. Rock & Roll aficionado. Horror fan. Political genius.
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trwesterman.bsky.social
My last 4 watched, Christmas horror is my reason for the season.

My thoughts are in the alt-text.
Please follow my letterbox if you like my takes:
boxd.it/b3JeX

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays or you-do-you & that’s coo’ too.

#LetterboxdFriday #LastFourWatched #FilmSky🎞
1. Don’t Open Till Christmas. This UK Christmas horror film inverts the serial killer Santa, trope with a Giallo style killer who hunts Santas. A fraught production with a lead quitting makes the movie feel listless in that it’s lead-less. The first guy on the call sheet tried to direct then quit; the screenwriter took over then drank on the set until they fired him. Other storylines then take precedence, after the lead cop leaves, and while we do get a complete story, the highlights are the seedy juxtapositions against Christmas of sex and violence. Investigations sometimes turn over so it weirdly helps the verisimilitude having a third person universal pov, rare in film. There’s an especially great London torture museum sequence. 2. Martin Starr as a dad who inherits a farm in Norway, uprooting his kids and their stepmom. The young boy adjusts when he meets the nissen who lives in their barn. Christmas gnomes that eat porridge and represent Scandinavian ancestors, we often see in the US too. This horror comedy that’s a lesser Gremlins won me over more on a second viewing, but also has some pretty obnoxious jokes targeting reasonable European criticisms of American cultural violence. I also find that the ending, the elf’s change in heart after calling in reinforcements, wasn’t really earned. The elves forgive their slaughter a little too easily after such a bloody battle, and sometimes main character armor keeps the logical thing from happening. 3. Elf in the Hood. This came across like a student film that needed another re-write, most scenes playing like a first table read by apathetic participants in a class. There’s some okay SFX for a indie. 4. Better Watch Out. This movie has an amazing turn and while it cheats a little for its reveal, and has moments I can pick apart, overall it’s so fun and so much works I don’t really care. The pacing really makes it fun too, fast paced and action packed. Darkly funny too. It’s a top 5 Xmas horror for me.
December 19, 2025 at 5:55 PM
trwesterman.bsky.social
I had a smudge on my phone that looked like a human skull. I wanted to take a picture of it using my camera phone, but obviously can’t. So then I almost took a screenshot until I realized the smudge wasn’t part of the displayed image. So instead a wet wipe has robbed prosperity of great art.
December 16, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Reposted
markosilberhand.bsky.social
.
In memory of a truly great . . .

... Rest in Peace Rob Reiner

💔 🙏 💔
December 15, 2025 at 8:53 AM
trwesterman.bsky.social
#music #musicsky #tuccac #xmas #christmascarols #christmasmusic #underplayed #musicchallenge #nowplaying #vinyl #advent #adventcalendar #musicadventcalendar

Thanks to everyone who has engaged so far! Were a little pass the halfway mark to 🎄! (My shopping is not done 😬), 💵 boycotts & blackouts…
trwesterman.bsky.social trwesterman.bsky.social @trwesterman.bsky.social · 20d
🤮 the baby talk of Scary Merry Carey? Simply 🤢 of Wonderful Xmastime?

Fear not!

While annoying, notorious standards persist, torturing tasteful retailers, good Christmas music exists!

For 24 days in December, I will post an under-played Xmas song as a digital advent 📆.
#musicsky #adventcalendar
The Underplayed Christmas Carol Advent Calendar 2025, a naughty list you wanna make. For the next 24 days and maybe Xmas time permitting, I commit to introducing or reminding you of a lesser known Christmas banger of the song variety. If you’re sick of overplayed standards, freshen up your holiday playlist with some Christmas music you should anticipate hearing. At the end, I will provide a score sheet and answer key where you can tabulate your (self-reported albeit Krampus is watching) score of “knew-it-already” picks. A high music knowledge score will be the consolation prize 🏆 for not learning a new great tune. 🎶
December 14, 2025 at 4:10 PM
trwesterman.bsky.social
#musicsky #adventcalendar #nowplaying #music #xmas #xmasmusic
Repost. See original.
December 14, 2025 at 12:53 PM
trwesterman.bsky.social
I try to be a charitable audience, but I had to watch 3 great movies rid the taste of Killer Christmas Elves, an all-time irredeemable. Claudia Jennings motorboating on the Bayou, me-o-my-o, Howie’s best work, and traumatic tales of Lincoln’s birthday.

#LetterboxdFriday #LastFourWatched #FilmSky🎞
The posters for the worst Christmas horror movie since Silent Night Blood Night, the redneck masterpiece from husband and wife proto-Coen brothers team Ferb and Bev Sebastian, Gator Bait, staring playboy playmate serial Rolling Stone dater and Bowie roommate, Claudia Jennings and The Gremlins duology—two classic Christmas movies from Joe Dante that fill up the frames with more fun ideas in a single frame than some films have during their entire runtime, with classic performances by Dick Miller, the other Thomas C Howell aka Zach Galligan, Phoebe Cates Kline, and Howie Mandel as Gizmo.
December 12, 2025 at 11:00 PM
Reposted
trwesterman.bsky.social
Day 6. The last Day of Theme #1 with the classy “1st Lady [back when that was a compliment] of American Song”—
#EllaFitzgerald

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aEK...

Bonus: Hotta Chocolatta

www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0Vq...

#music #musicsky #nowplaying #vinyl #musicchallenge #TUCCAC #adventcalendar
Day 6 of the Underplayed Christmas Song Advent Calendar 2025: Ella Fitzgerald’s Good Morning Blues. Ella rides a horse drawn Santa slay loaded with wrapped presents and Santa stands of the horse’s back clutching Ned Flander’s expert-level hot cocoa from the Simpsons. Ella Fitzgerald bonus track: Hotta Chocolatta. I included a link to the live Ed Sullivan performance. It’s Christmas adjacent but a great way to add variety to a playlist that offers a break from the word “Christmas” while evoking a great drink of the season. Good Morning Blues doesn’t get played much as an Ella Christmas deep cut, but there’s few misses when it comes to Fitzgerald. Ella Wishes You A Swinging Christmas cover with Ella in a green dress, leaning in, chin in hand; a deep red vinyl pulls out from the cover.
December 6, 2025 at 5:58 PM
trwesterman.bsky.social
A Rock Legend’s latest concert film shot in the Circus Maximus.
The Cold Full moon 🌕 inspired — this week has gone to the dogs. 🐕 Last Drive-In presentation of Bad Moon on my friend’s b-day.

#lastfourwatched #letterboxdfriday #letterboxd #filmsky #films #movies 📽️
My letterbox last 4 watched. Werewolf Santa eeked out a 3/5 “I like it” due to the Joe Bob animated opening; it’s highly flawed. I’m glad to finally see Good Boy after being too busy to catch it in theaters. Joe Bob Briggs animated in Werewolf Santa.
December 5, 2025 at 9:44 PM
trwesterman.bsky.social
#Music #MusicSky #Vinyl #VinylSky #VinylCommunity #VinylCollectors #VinylRecords #NowPlaying #theunderplayedXmasAdventCalendar #ChristmasMusic #musicChallenge
trwesterman.bsky.social trwesterman.bsky.social @trwesterman.bsky.social · 19d
Day 2.

Just Another Christmas song by Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings.

youtu.be/ZMdbmliQQrg?...

Alt-text for fun facts and a bonus It’s A Holiday Soul Party track.

#musicsky #SharonJones #DapKings #itsaholidaysoulparty #underplayedxmasadventcalendar #adventcalendar #Christmassongs
Text: The Underplayed Christmas Carol Advent Calendar 2025. “Just Another Christmas Song” by Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, superimposed on a claymation still from a music video promoting their Christmas Album. A Candy cane 2 square sets like a postage stamp in the corner. Jones came from the same hometown as James Brown. She was one of the most dynamic live performers of soul music I’ve ever seen, despite becoming a front woman late in life after a stint as a wedding cover singer; she’d control the crowd with the learned intimidation of a former prison guard, hoping on one foot to turn on the funk motor, leading audiences through the history of black dance, bringing young frat boys to embarrass as she slow danced close to “Easy on Me” teaching them how to groove, then belting out revival soul classics that got crowd dancing on their feet. The Dap Tones backed Amy Winehouse on Back to Black. Together with Brown they formed the establishing cornerstone of Dap Tone Records, the best neo-soul, soul-revival label out there, still operating out of NYC, led by wunderkind producer, Bosco Mann. Sadly, Sharon passed away from cancer within years of when the Dap Tone’s other soul singing discovery also died of the C, a James Brown imitator who traded in an impression for originals, the screaming soul Eagle, Charles Bradley. Both I saw at a music festival and loved for keeping a great musical tradition alive and yet so fresh. Both leave behind a strong discography, and Sharon’s includes a classic-destined Christmas album that like Sharon, manages to be both outrageous fun and also Church. R.I.P., Soul-warriors. This song remains under-played on streaming and radio. I added Damian Wayne to this image due the songs inclusion by Patrick Stump in Merry Little Batman. Way to go, Stump! It’s a Holiday Soul Party LP cover with a peppermint red and white vinyl—available direct from DapTones (not a paid promo but promoted from my ❤️). Check out bonus track Big Bulbs. https://youtu.be/uL19eKEa3CY?si=7qSWbc_ft0rhx2K1 It’s a great bit of holiday hokum ready made for a burlesque show or family potluck. Help give Bosco a happy Hanukkah, keeping the gents entertained at Christmas being a proud American Jewish tradition since Rudolph (who gets 💩 about his nose). 👃
December 2, 2025 at 8:23 PM
trwesterman.bsky.social
#musicsky #christmassongs #xmas #adventcalendar #music
#theunderplayedXmasAdventCalendar #adventcalendar #hollygolightly #thechristmastreesonfire
trwesterman.bsky.social trwesterman.bsky.social @trwesterman.bsky.social · 20d
Day 1.

The underplayed Christmas Carol Advent Calendar 2025…

Holly Golightly’s “The Christmas Tree’s On Fire.”

Holly’s cover of a Cledus T Judd song aka “the Weird Al of Country.” Holly Golightly (Smith), named after the Capote character, appears on the White Stripe’s 🐘.

youtu.be/Qq9VlvfODn8?...
December 2, 2025 at 3:28 AM
trwesterman.bsky.social
🤮 the baby talk of Scary Merry Carey? Simply 🤢 of Wonderful Xmastime?

Fear not!

While annoying, notorious standards persist, torturing tasteful retailers, good Christmas music exists!

For 24 days in December, I will post an under-played Xmas song as a digital advent 📆.
#musicsky #adventcalendar
The Underplayed Christmas Carol Advent Calendar 2025, a naughty list you wanna make. For the next 24 days and maybe Xmas time permitting, I commit to introducing or reminding you of a lesser known Christmas banger of the song variety. If you’re sick of overplayed standards, freshen up your holiday playlist with some Christmas music you should anticipate hearing. At the end, I will provide a score sheet and answer key where you can tabulate your (self-reported albeit Krampus is watching) score of “knew-it-already” picks. A high music knowledge score will be the consolation prize 🏆 for not learning a new great tune. 🎶
December 1, 2025 at 7:29 PM
Reposted
natcassidy.bsky.social
One of the most important works of literature in my life. This play opened my eyes to what was possible in drama, in comedy, in philosophy, in performance, in conversation with the past. My first play was an almost direct homage and I’ve been chasing it ever since. RIP to a true genius.
November 29, 2025 at 11:53 PM
trwesterman.bsky.social
While I’m not the audience for this movie, and its intended viewership seems to love it, the oxymoronic title still annoys me. And not in an Annoying for Pleasant way. Or in a Painful for Soothing way. Or in a Dumb for Smart way. But in a what for oh kind of way. No disrespect to its fans.
a lightning bolt is coming out of a white object
ALT: a lightning bolt is coming out of a white object
media.tenor.com
November 30, 2025 at 12:20 AM
trwesterman.bsky.social
1. Christmas Evil
2. The Last Thanksgiving.
3. The Last Waltz
4. Black Friday

See the alt-text for movie mini reviews.

The Last Waltz and Thanksgiving—“Happy Thanksgiving,” the Band.

#LetterboxdFriday #LastFourWatched #FilmSky🎞
1. Christmas Evil. The Last Drive-In presentation. The original killer Santa movie with some pretty great songs no indie could afford today. John Waters helped repopularize the movie and Joe Bob sold me on its quirky charm. 2. the Last Thanksgiving. A recent, indie slasher that has its moments. Linnea Quigley’s makes it worth it as the one patron who keeps a doomed diner crew from leaving early for the holiday; her kill is very Quigley-esque. 3. The Last Waltz. Happy Thanksgiving! The high-mark of classic rock and roll, filmed at the Winterland ballroom on the Thanksgiving Day of 1979; the audience had to pay the then high price of $25, double a high priced ticket then, to attend one of the most important concerts ever, resulting in Martin Scorsese’s best rated film; but included in the price they got the Band, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Dr John, Bobby Charles, Ronnie Hawkins, Eric Clapton, the Staples, Van Morrison, Muddy Waters, Neil Diamond, Joni Mitchell, Paul Butterfield, Ringo Starr, Ronnie Wood, and even beat poets Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Michael Mclure—and included in that $25 was a full Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings. Some complained about the high price, but today it’s hard not imagine feeling anything but gratitude this miracle concert happened. Forever young and immortality preserved, one of the most important rock docs outside Pennebaker. 4. Black Friday. Devon Sawa and Bruce Campbell in a fun holiday horror comedy. A few plot holes hold it back, but I’ve watched it most Black Fridays and always enjoy it. On my third watch, I should probably bump it up a half-star.
November 29, 2025 at 12:36 AM
Reposted
theguardian.com
Jimmy Cliff, Jamaican reggae singer, actor and cultural icon, dies aged 81
Jimmy Cliff, Jamaican reggae singer, actor and cultural icon, dies aged 81
Star of The Harder They Come had hits including You Can Get It If You Really Want and I Can See Clearly Now
www.theguardian.com
November 24, 2025 at 11:48 AM
trwesterman.bsky.social
RIP 🪦
Jimmy Cliff

The Harder They Come is the best reggaexploitation 🎦 ever, towering above classics like Rockers and Babylon.

Cliff’s a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee—an incredible discography. I saw him perform live, including better versions of other artists tracks from his 🎞️soundtrack.
Young Jimmy Cliff as a pot dealer reggae man printed on a record puck. He’s backgrounded by bullet holes on a Jamaican flag, and has a wide collared leopard print shirt like any respectable Jamaican from the 1970s. Jimmy Cliff belting out a song in concert, against a black background, clutching a mic in a stand; he raises one arm, and wears and orange t with a black star. Jimmy Cliff in studio in the Harder They Come laying down the grooves of one of the most famous and well-regarded soundtracks ever, inspiring endless covers. A sepia yellow image that’s a famous still of Cliff squaring and shooting, legs spread, from The Harder They Come.
November 24, 2025 at 2:06 PM
trwesterman.bsky.social
I 👀 2 fun kid 👦 protagonist led X-mas 🎅 horror 🎦 showcased on the Last Drive In, Edgar Wright’s latest, and a bizarre albeit captivating New 🇩🇪 cinematic classic from the great Herzog.

Now 👀ing: Frankenstein (2025), the bull’s latest. So far—41/2✨

#LetterboxdFriday #LastFourWatched #FilmSky🎞
The Running Man — Edgar Wright’s one of my favorite directors and he succeeds again with the year’s second Richard Bachman adaptation that writes a different ending, but adapts what’s best from the original, improving on already solid source material. Rare Exports. A Fin kid takes on the Finnish Santa that’s a lot more Krampus like despite Lapland (where Europeans tell their kids Santa lives instead of the North Pole) having Santa village where the big man takes after Clement Clark Moore’s “Account of a Visit from St. Nicholas” iteration of Claus. This movie instead uses the Christmas folk horror of Finland with an interesting reveal, and offers a truly unique holiday action-horror-comedy hit. No other movie I’ve seen depicts the Sami people who travel between Scandinavian countries hearing reindeer, the first animals humans domesticated. Even Dwarves Started Small. Werner Herzog’s all little person comedy art film where he cuts his teeth, advancing New German cinema. The movie provides a lot of interesting moments and imagery but it’s ultimately not the perfect triumph of Aguirre or Nosferatu. But if you ever want to see little people crucifying a monkey, and a chicken eating another chicken, you’re in luck. 4. 3615 code Père Noël aka Dial Code Santa Claus aka Deadly Games aka Game Over aka Hide and Freak. The French Home Alone that likely inspired Hughes. This kid lives in a much cooler mansion and faces a more psychotic intruder, that itself takes inspiration from Christmas Evil, Don’t Open Til Christmas, and the Silent Night, Deadly Night franchise; the mom’s works at the French equivalent of a Gimbles-like dept. store giving a nod to Miracle on 34th Street too—asking what if a Santa wasn’t just delusional but truly as dangerous as Mr Granville Sawyer said. A loveable diabetic Grandpa helps sell the stakes, and the kid also seems like a Frog version of the Frog bros from Lost Boys—pint size 80s action movie hero kids. It’s fun.
November 22, 2025 at 4:11 AM
trwesterman.bsky.social
I’ll always remember the great cloudfare outage of 2025 when I couldn’t update my Letterbox diary for a full 10 minutes.
November 18, 2025 at 3:13 PM
trwesterman.bsky.social
It’s amazing that if an ape wears a suit and grooms its hair how many people won’t understand it’s still just a gibbering ape.
🦍 🦧 👨 🧍‍♂️
November 16, 2025 at 9:34 PM
trwesterman.bsky.social
I saw Todd Snider play live. He was one of the last folkies carrying on the message song tradition, a def raconteur and poet. Police arrested Todd for refusing to leave a hospital when unable to breathe, then died days later of walking pneumonia.

youtu.be/F5hlil50vi4?...

#musicsky #rip #toddsnider
Todd Snider - Conservative Christian, Right Wing, Republican, Straight, White, American Male
YouTube video by Farm Aid
youtu.be
November 16, 2025 at 4:51 AM
trwesterman.bsky.social
> > > > greater than kind of week
#LetterboxdFriday #LastFourWatched #FilmSky🎞
My last 4 watched: 1. Black Christmas. It’s my favorite Bob Clark Christmas movie with a great story, great characters, great cast…Joe Bob and Darcy don’t dig it like I do on their Red Christmas special but I’d defend its classic status even if it’s has prior-art. It definitely made holiday slashers a thing and has most of the slasher elements before their main era. 2. Blood Quantum. I hover between 4 and 41/2 due to the last 48 minutes that hurts a flawless 3/4ths. From a castration seen on, the movie becomes a kind of confusing mess that I could summarize but had me questioning character motivations and even physical capacities. Still, it’s a unique film about some of the most marginalized people on earth, the only people who like livestock have to prove their blood purity, blood quantum being the title but also a controversial federal practice. 3. Requiem for a Vampire. This movie has many stunning visuals but it’s indulgent and a bit too weighed down with fetish to tell a story. It has a plot, but the story feels rushed and the exposition a bit heavy as a transitional device. It’s Jean Rollins personal favorite of his films, but I prefer Living Dead Girl. 4. Dungeonmaster. It’s watchable high fantasy meets science fiction that’s so bad it’s good, but also just kind of middling. Richard Band and Shirley Walker (one of the few female conductor/composers who worked with John Carpenter and on Batman the animated series) collaborated on the music, so that’s fun.
November 15, 2025 at 12:11 AM
Reposted
theblogginggoth.bsky.social
#Postpunk history made this day in 1978 with the release of "The Scream" - the debut album by #SiouxsieAndTheBanshees
Four Decades of Face-to-Face: “The Scream” released this day in 1978
One of the most recognizable bands in the goth pantheon, Siouxsie and the Banshees released their debut album “The Scream” on 13th November 1978. They had impeccable punk credentials, w…
theblogginggoth.com
November 13, 2025 at 1:11 PM
trwesterman.bsky.social
Happy 90th Birthday, Tom Atkins!
Actor Tom Atkins in a brown trench coat wields a pump-action shotgun in front of a chain link fence.
November 14, 2025 at 4:42 AM
trwesterman.bsky.social
If we can’t have campaign finance laws because they limit speech, maybe we should require instead that political donations require a matching, discretionary fund to payfor the winner’s agenda. Pay $55 million to beat Mamdani obligates you to give his agenda $55 million in funding.
kendrawrites.com Kendra "Gloom is My Beat" Pierre-Louis @kendrawrites.com · Nov 7
"In the weeks before Andrew Cuomo’s mayoral dream went up in smoke on election night, a handful of independent spending groups backed by New York City’s oligarchy spent more than $55 million supporting the ex-governor or attacking his ultimately victorious rival, Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani."
Cuomo Backers Burned $65 Per Vote, Including $13.3 Million From Bloomberg
A blizzard of outside spending on ads, including a spot that linked Zohran Mamdani to 9/11, failed to move voters and may have even backfired.
www.thecity.nyc
November 8, 2025 at 12:23 AM
trwesterman.bsky.social
I don’t know who the latest Fox blonde is—I block Fox—but I saw this excerpted clip and now can’t unsee this:
#fox #election
A blonde on Fox mouth tweeting blonde things. ATweety Bird plush toy looking stylish in a suit. This house has no dog.
November 5, 2025 at 11:43 AM