three excellent, smart, movies in just two days!

That's a bit of a rarity, as a rule, but 'tis the season of last minute hopefuls for Academy Award nominations, and I am more than happy to reap those benefits!

Yesterday, I took in a double header, as I was already going to be southside for the second AMC Screen Unseen film and had yet to have an entry on my A*List dance card.

"The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes" was timed perfectly to be my first show of both the A*List and this twosome.

I'd recently seen "The Hunger Games", as Comcast has given possession of it to me as a reward, and I was reminded then of how much I had enjoyed it when I first saw it.

That girl - and boy - were on fire, literally, and ended up flaming in love as the public watched and cheered for them at that 74th anniversary of the annual event.

The latest movie is a prequel, set 64 years earlier, when the televised "games" are in danger of being discontinued, as the public has tired of the same old gore fest.

So the two in charge make changes, starting with putting the onus of mentorship on the students of the elite academy.

That includes Coriolanus Snow, a student whose family has fallen out of favor with the ruling class, making him a poor relation to his rich classmates... but quite a smart cookie, one that Captain James T. Kirk would have recognized as a kindred spirit.

Excellent movie, excellent story, and very nice use of "Snow" puns sprinkled throughout!

Mi amiga, Barbara, joined me for the second film, which turned out to be "American Fiction", starring Jeffrey Wright as a black author trying to carve out a place for an intelligent voice on literary bookshelves... and getting enormous pushback.

Such a smart and funny and real feel to this one!

It had the same "feel" to me as did "Dear White People" and "Sorry To Bother You", both of which I had enjoyed greatly!

I do hope it will come again, as more folks will want to see this one.

Those, as I said, were both yesterday.

Today, for Tina Tuesday, I had the bfe with me for the first of the two movies he had specifically requested to see: "The Holdovers".

One thing is sure: the marketing majors who put together the trailer made this seem to be a lightweight flick for the holidays.

Nope!

This is a true sleeper, with much more depth than could ever have been captured in a 90-second preview.

I was in for it, anyway, as it has Da'Vine Joy Randolph, who I adore, as well as Paul Giamatti, who certainly has his moments.

The physicist and I both enjoyed the three storylines interwoven so well, though I could have done without the continuous sight of so much snow - really made me cold!

No, really, it did; I've been getting enough of that from the weather, which has been in the twenties - yes, the friggin' TWENTIES - until 9 AM for the last two mornings.

Brrr.

Now, I'm home from our two-hours-plus conversation at B&D Burgers - where neither of us had a burger, make of that what you will - and watching one of my favorite game shows.

That would be "Press Your Luck", and tonight each Whammy has a Christmas theme!!!

This poor guy has gotten his money wiped out by a mean Santa with a snickering dog guiding his sleigh - lol!

Last night, I had "the Jane that Stole Christmas" setting the theme on "The Weakest Link" - very funny!

She began the show with four Santas, two carolers, one Mrs. Claus, and one elf.

I kept hoping it would end up with the sleigh rider versus his toy-making helper... and it did!

Santa Bob ended up winning, but Eric the elf made a good run for the money!

I wonder if any of the other game shows at night while play along in this vein?

I hope so!!!

(smile!)