This week we’re watching a gem of a movie starring Jay Baruchel as Leon Trotsky. Sort of. He’s playing a guy who believes that he’s the reincarnation of Leon Trotsky and seeks to replicate every facet of the socialist revolutionary’s life. He starts a revolution among his fellow students and falls in love with an older woman named Alexandra. Meanwhile we’re out here talking about Ohio and terrible puns, as WE were fated to do, apparently. Let's watch The Trotsky!

Intro song: Justin Jet Zorbas - Taro Coconut

Outro song: Dreama - Dreaming of You

Where to watch the movie: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/le-trostky (if not in the U.S. then set “Streaming in” to whatever country you’re in)

We’re heading to the Danger Zone with Top Gun, one of the most iconic movies of the 80s. It boasts a top-tier cast, a stellar soundtrack and some impressive effects for the era, not to mention a fairly recent sequel that pretty much everyone’s heard about by now. Let’s fly high with a Forced Family Fun Night! (We'll explain the context of that saying in the episode.)

Intro song: trxxshed & lomtre - Forgotten

Outro song: cxlt. & amies - Aurora

Where to watch the movie: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/vesper-2022 (if not in the U.S. then set “Streaming in” to whatever country you’re in)

With its sequel now making waves on Netflix, we’re kicking off our 2023 lineup with Knives Out, the movie that made everyone forgive Rian Johnson for his polarizing Star Wars movie The Last Jedi. In fact, it was so successful that Netflix is making it into a trilogy, with the third Knives Out movie due to come out sometime in the next couple of years. And yes, this one's great!

Intro song: Retro Aesthetic Boy - everything changed

Outro song: DonLear - Ignore

Where to watch the movie: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/knives-out (if not in the U.S. then set “Streaming in” to whatever country you’re in)

Once every 10 years, the British film magazine Sight and Sound puts out a ranking of the 100 greatest films of all time, as voted by over a thousand industry professionals. So we at Watch This thought it would be cool to discuss the movies that made the newest list (which came out in December), as this podcast as we know it may not be around for the next ranking. Also this is our unofficial first episode of 2022 - the Knives Out episode, the "true" first episode of 2022, will be out later this week.

Intro music: g o g h _v i b e s - morning in nature

Outro music: Pointy Features x Kanisan x Softy - Dozy

See the list on Letterboxd: https://letterboxd.com/bfi/list/sight-and-sounds-greatest-films-of-all-time/

And just like that, we’ve reached the end of another year of Watch This. Our 2022 has been much more eventful than our 2021, managing to last nearly the entire year. And you better believe that we’ll be discussing what we watched this year, plus some hopes for 2023 and beyond. Plus, you’ll get to find out what our first movie of 2023 is! (Hint: It’s gonna be super special. But you probably knew that already.)

Intro music: Kenny G - Auld Lang Syne

Outro music: Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone - City of Stars

Apologies for not having this episode out actually on Christmas, but that’s what happens when unavailability gets in the way. Anyway, here’s the Grand Finale of our second Holiday Moviethon, and our 2022 lineup in general. It’s the inspirational story of a man who shows up in New York City claiming to be Santa Claus - and it’s our first-ever bona fide Hollywood classic, not to mention the oldest movie we’ve done yet, and it couldn’t be a better way to end the year. Happy Holidays!

Intro song: SiIvaGunner - Bubbly Clouds (OST Version)

Outro song: Sesame Street Cast - Keep Christmas With You

Where to watch the movie: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/miracle-on-34th-street (if not in the U.S. then set “Streaming in” to whatever country you’re in)

Plus, a list of movies that would be fun to remake with Disney characters, which I made while recording the episode: https://letterboxd.com/fragglevision/list/movies-that-would-be-fun-to-remake-with-disney/

The Miracle on 34th Street episode was gonna be out for this weekend, but last-minute availability problems prevented that from happening. Rest assured, the episode will be out sometime after Christmas, along with two special bonus mini-episodes (one of which is our second annual roundtable; the other will be a bit of a surprise). In the meantime, and in belated celebration of this beloved holiday movie’s 30th anniversary, here is last year’s commentary for The Muppet Christmas Carol, featuring special guest Citizen HAL! You’re gonna love it, I guarantee!

(Also we just may do a redux commentary for this one sometime in the next few years for the complete version of this movie with When Love is Gone reinstated… just keep an eye out.)

Intro song: Muppet Christmas Carol Soundtrack - Overture

Outro song: Sesame Street Cast - We Wish You A Merry Christmas (Reprise)

Where to watch the movie: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-muppet-christmas-carol (if not in the U.S. then set “Streaming in” to whatever country you’re in)

The third entry in our 2022 Holiday Moviethon is a brave tale of two fathers duking it out to find the same sought-after toy for their kids during the last-minute gift rush. In the 26 years since its release, it’s become highly prophetic in regards to Black Friday rushes and the like. But does the rest of it hold up? And what other strange topics will our conversations veer towards? Find out when we watch Jingle All the Way!

Intro song: SiIvaGunner - Title Theme (Jeopardy on Genesis)

Outro song: Elise Ecklund and RYANcomedy - If Christmas Songs Were Honest

Where to watch the movie: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/jingle-all-the-way-1 (if not in the U.S. then set “Streaming in” to whatever country you’re in)

From the director of Roger Rabbit, Back to the Future, Forrest Gump and that terrible Pinnochio movie from earlier this year that doesn’t involve Pauly Shore, comes this delightful motion-capture fantasia about a train bound for the North Pole in a world where everyone has the face of Tom Hanks. While it’s mostly well-liked, the general consensus is that there’s too much filler and the animation is weird. But what do you think?

Intro song: Muppet Race Mania OST - Old London Town

Outro song: SiIvaGunner - Ending (Alpha Mix) (Super Mario Bros. 3)

Where to watch the movie: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-polar-express (if not in the U.S. then set “Streaming in” to whatever country you’re in)

This episode is dedicated to Bob McGrath, whose passing we learned of during recording shortly after it was announced, and Kirstie Alley, whose passing I was notified of during the editing phase.

Our second annual Holiday Moviethon is officially underway, and we’re kicking it off with an out-of-left-field choice: a TV movie based on a popular Disney Channel kidcom from the early ‘10s. Good Luck Charlie, It’s Christmas is exactly what you’d expect from a made-for-TV holiday comedy, but for those who grew up on Disney Channel’s late 2000s-to-early 2010s output (i.e. me and Andrew), it provides a goldmine of memories. Let’s begin our Christmas celebration with the Duncans!

Intro song: Sesame Street - Christmas Overture

Outro song: SiIvaGunner - Contest Menu (Beta Mix) (Check Mii Out Channel)

Where to watch the movie: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/good-luck-charlie-its-christmas (if not in the U.S. then set “Streaming in” to whatever country you’re in)