December Recap

Feature films:
 
Gold Diggers of 1935 (1935) ***
The Big Trail (1930) ****
A Slight Case of Murder (1938) ***
The Paleface (1948) ****
Wagon Master (1950) ****
Rosetta (1999) ****
Le boucher (1970) ****
Tropical Malady (2005) ****
The Crowd (1928) ****
One Hour With You (1932) ***
The Lemon Drop Kid (1951) ***
The Hobbit (2012) ** 1/2 to 3
Django Unchained (2012) ***
Cosmopolis (2012) ****
Amour (2012) ****
Holy Motors (2012) ****
Tabu (2012) ****
This is Not a Film (2011) ****
Oslo, Augst 31 (2011) ****

Re-watched (holiday edition):

Holiday Inn (1942) ***
White Christmas (1954) *** 1/2
The Shop Around the Corner (1940) ****
Christmas in Connecticut (1945) ****
It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) ****
The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) ***
The Santa Clause (1994) ** 1/2
Elf (2003) *** 1/2

TV:

Homeland Season 1 and 2
Dexter Season 7

HOMELAND Season 1 is as taut a potboiler you're likely to find anywhere these days. Season 2, still tense and eminently watchable, but strays too far into ludicrous territory (plausibility is not something the show often aims for).  A very good show that is easy to watch, but does not reach the heights of GAME OF THRONES, BREAKING BAD, or MAD MEN (still the best triumvirate on TV).

DEXTER Season 7 is the worst the show's produced by far.  Had a better finale then one would have expected though.  Here's hoping the next and final season has more focus and cohesion.  And more Joey Quinn hooker story lines that go nowhere.