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FilmNight: Movies you watched recently


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1001 Arabian Nights (1959): Well, blow me down, I never knew that Mister fucking Magoo made his own version of Aladdin--playing Aladdin's bumbling uncle. And oh yeah, this is another movie that Disney probably used for inspiration years later...

Maybe I'm just not a Magoo fan, but I wasn't really feeling this. Aladdin doesn't really do anything other than finding the lamp, it's "Uncle" Magoo that winds up saving in his usual clueless way.

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I half watched Jurassic World: Dominion last night. It's a terrible movie, and it's a shame that the original cast all came back for it just to do half-baked rehashes of iconic moments from the first movie.

But the most interesting thing is that the special effects seem worse than even the original Jurassic Park. I don't know if it's just because I have such affection for the first movie, and the impact those effects had on me, but even the clear CGI shots in the original seem more detailed and with more attention to detail. How is that possible after thirty years of development in CGI?

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  On 12/23/2024 at 11:04 AM, Danny Franks said:

But the most interesting thing is that the special effects seem worse than even the original Jurassic Park. I don't know if it's just because I have such affection for the first movie, and the impact those effects had on me, but even the clear CGI shots in the original seem more detailed and with more attention to detail. How is that possible after thirty years of development in CGI?

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You can't expect the best results without the best effort. The original was something new and in the hands of a master, who made sure it was all done as good as possible. These days, standards have slipped. You need time, money, and the right people. But if all right is good enough, then you get all right results.

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Recently watched Cyrano (2021); didn't feel like resurrecting the topic for my quick thoughts:

Gorgeous to look at! Peter Dinklage was great; the rest of the cast as well. Obviously, the role was tailored to Dinklage, but re-imagining Cyrano as having dwarfism rather than a huge nose worked well.  Was underwhelmed by most of the songs and singing. Dinklage clearly isn't a singer, but he did his best and wasn't terrible.

And I guess I thought I knew the story of Cyrano, but I guess I didn't, because I was surprised

  Reveal spoiler


Anyway, would recommend!

 

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  On 12/23/2024 at 11:04 AM, Danny Franks said:

But the most interesting thing is that the special effects seem worse than even the original Jurassic Park. I don't know if it's just because I have such affection for the first movie, and the impact those effects had on me, but even the clear CGI shots in the original seem more detailed and with more attention to detail. How is that possible after thirty years of development in CGI?

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It may also have to do with everything being hi-def these days, as opposed to then. But yeah, the effects in the original hold up remarkably well.

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I'll Be Home for Christmas (1998).  This was I think toward the end of JTT's teen heartthrob status.  

 

I definitely remember this film and even watching it a little WOW 25 years ago already.  I had not watched it since and was looking for a Christmas related movie to watch.  

 

Surprisingly didn't find it that bad even if it was a little corny and far fetched.  A solid 7 out of 10 stars from me.

Edited by BlueSkies
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The Holiday-Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet switch houses after Amanda finds out her boyfriend cheated on her and Iris's ex-boyfriend who keeps flirting with her is getting engaged. What a great movie. I liked Iris's story a bit better because of Arthur. I loved his friendship with Iris. Her with him and his friends. The random Hanukkah party, finding him alone and taking him home. Convincing him to go to the Writer's Guild event. I love his reaction when he sees how many people showed up for him. He really thought he was forgotten and no one would show up to the event which was why he kept turning them down. What a really wonderful moment. I'm not sure how I feel about her and Jack Black getting together. Maybe a year later. He just got dumped. I love Iris finally standing up to her ex. I kind wish she'd call his fiancee and let him know what he's been doing so she gets a heads up.

I liked Amanda's difficulties at first with driving on different side of the road and living in a small cottage. The fish out of water was great. Graham was a really good guy and his daughters were adorable. I love how we see him through her eyes at first assuming he was a single guy who dated a lot only to learn he was a widower and the names were his daughters not his dates. I liked that he stayed over when Amanda was too drunk but just to keep an eye on her. 

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  On 12/27/2024 at 5:44 AM, andromeda331 said:

The Holiday

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I've never re-watched it, and probably won't, but I liked it far more than I expected to based on the description.  Nice performances and lovely scenery.

(The similarly-named Holiday, with Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant, on the other hand, I watch every year on/around New Year's Eve, though -- fabulous film.)

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I thought Jack Black was fine in The Holiday. One of his better movies. And he and Kate Winslet were so cute together. I don’t have any issues with Miles and Iris  getting together after he found out his girlfriend cheated on him; they had been spending time together before that, and both connected more over the fact that they wound up in toxic relationships. Besides, Amanda just broke up with her boyfriend, and nobody quibbles about her going on the rebound with Graham.

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  On 12/27/2024 at 1:57 PM, Spartan Girl said:

I thought Jack Black was fine in The Holiday. One of his better movies.

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I admit I'm not a big fan of Jack Black, so I'm biased in my opinion, but I do agree it's one of his better movies.  What ruins it for me is the gesture he gives after he invites himself to England go out with Iris on New Year's Eve.  It's even a relatively subdued fist pump for Jack Black (though it's a very Jack Black kind of gesture), but I don't like it.  I can't articulate exactly what bothers me about it, except that it's completely unnecessary.  Right up until that moment, Jack Black is tolerable.  Even likable, for someone like me who doesn't particularly care for him in the first place.  That one gesture wrecks the rest of his character up until then.

Irrational, I know, but that contributes a lot to why I think he was the weak link.

That said, I thought the video store scene was hilarious.

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(edited)

Valmont (1989): Strange that two film adaptations of Dangerous Liaisons were released so close together. And this…wasn’t the good one. I love Colin Firth but this version doesn’t give Valmont the depth the character needs, and I was too distracted by how uncomfortable I was by the CLEARLY teenaged Fairuza Balk being preyed on by older men. Was Uma Thurman that young in Dangerous Liaisons? Anyhoo, in this version Cecile and Tourvel 

  Reveal spoiler

Costumes were pretty though.

Edited by Spartan Girl
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(edited)
  On 1/4/2025 at 8:35 PM, Spartan Girl said:

Valmont (1989): Strange that two film adaptations of Dangerous Liaisons were released so close together. And this…wasn’t the good one. I love Colin Firth but this version doesn’t give Valmont the depth the character needs, and I was too distracted by how uncomfortable I was by the CLEARLY teenaged Fairuza Balk being preyed on by older men. Was Uma Thurman that young in Dangerous Liaisons? Anyhoo, in this version Cecile and Tourvel 

  Reveal spoiler

Costumes were pretty though.

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Meg Tilly was going to play Constanze in Amadeus but she injured her ankle before filming and had to be replaced. I think Milos Foreman cast her here to make it up to her. She met Colin Firth on the movie and dated for years and had a kid together.

Just watched Cactus Flower(1969).  54 year old Ingrid Bergman looks great!

Edited by Fool to cry
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  On 1/5/2025 at 7:51 PM, Fool to cry said:

Meg Tilly was going to play Constanze in Amadeus but she injured her ankle before filming and had to be replaced

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Yes, I know about that, which made it all the more interesting to watch her in this. Meg would have been a great Constanze, but I liked Elizabeth Berridge too.

  On 1/5/2025 at 10:42 PM, Spartan Girl said:

Yes, I know about that, which made it all the more interesting to watch her in this. Meg would have been a great Constanze, but I liked Elizabeth Berridge too.

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Yeah Elizabeth Berridge and Tom Hulce are a cute and more believable couple.  If it was Meg Tilly I'd think "What's she doing with that guy?"

Land of Saints and Sinners-My love Liam Nesson. A former assassin not cool. Murdering a man who beats kids? Very cool. Okay so he ended up not being on the one who killed Curtis. But he threw him in the car and took him out to kill him. And would have if Robert hadn't shown up to help. I don't mind Robert's death too much. Too bad the other too IRA henchmen didn't just leave. They should have. Curtis was worthless even before it turned out he was abusing Moya. Didn't care at all about the sister. She didn't care about anyone she blew up in the beginning of the movie or would have blown up in the pub. No loss there. The only thing I did like was her assuming Curtis was killed because of the bombing. One of my favorite things in movies and real life is when people are murdered by someone else who has no idea who the person is but murders him/her for a different reason. 

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(edited)

Over the new year, I watched E.T. and it still makes me 😂😂😂😂😂🤣 when E.T. gets drunk on Beer and it affects Elliot; makes me 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 when he dies, and laugh and cry with chills when he comes back to life and happily says “E.T. Phone HOME!!!! E.T.PhoneHomeE.T.PhoneHome!” And Elliot is telling him to shut up and closes the zip to the body bag. And more tears as they say goodbye and tell each other I love you.

 

Edited by GHScorpiosRule
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Waterloo, 1970, starring Rod Steiger and Christopher Plummer. The build-up to and featuring Napoleon's last real battle before his eventual surrender for real this time.

It's an interesting movie. Not my normal thing, but still worth a watch. God I miss the days when you could put 200 people on screen, instead of 20 looped ten times. Yeah, effects are fancier these days, we can cook up any kind of monster we can imagine, but you can't match the feeling of actually watching 200 people.

However, I couldn't follow the tactics. For a movie built on one battle, you'd think a little more attention to detail. Which units are where? What are their numbers and weapons? We see a whole bunch of infantry squares, shooting at circling horsemen. Cut away, cut back, some of the squares look awfully ragged. One has reformed into a triangle. What did the horsemen do in that missing moment? That's what I want to see!

There's a copy on YT with subs. Go watch it if you desire!

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  On 1/16/2025 at 2:14 AM, GHScorpiosRule said:

Over the new year, I watched E.T. and it still makes me 😂😂😂😂😂🤣 when E.T. gets drunk on Beer and it affects Elliot; makes me 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 when he dies, and laugh and cry with chills when he comes back to life and happily says “E.T. Phone HOME!!!! E.T.PhoneHomeE.T.PhoneHome!” And Elliot is telling him to shut up and closes the zip to the body bag. And more tears as they say goodbye and tell each other I love you.

 

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The goodbyes always make me cry. 

  On 1/16/2025 at 2:23 PM, Anduin said:

Waterloo, 1970, starring Rod Steiger and Christopher Plummer. The build-up to and featuring Napoleon's last real battle before his eventual surrender for real this time.

It's an interesting movie. Not my normal thing, but still worth a watch. God I miss the days when you could put 200 people on screen, instead of 20 looped ten times. Yeah, effects are fancier these days, we can cook up any kind of monster we can imagine, but you can't match the feeling of actually watching 200 people.

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The movie was a co-production between Italy and the USSR and filmed in Russia and 17,000 soldiers from the Soviet Army were used as extras. 

  On 1/16/2025 at 2:23 PM, Anduin said:

However, I couldn't follow the tactics. For a movie built on one bat you'd think a little more attention to detail. Which units are where? What are their numbers and weapons? We see a whole bunch of infantry squares, shooting at circling horsemen. Cut away, cut back, some of the squares look awfully ragged. One has reformed into a triangle. What did the horsemen do in that missing moment? That's what I want to see!

There's a copy on YT with subs. Go watch it if you desire!

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I think the only thing you need to know is the Duke of Wellington(Plummer) and his allies held the line against bombardment and attack from Napoleon's army until the arrival of the Prussian forces turned the tide. 

They made a big deal about the Duchess of Richmond's ball because it was a real event and became a romanticized by artists after because of the drama of news breaking during it that Napoleon was coming and all the officers having to depart their ladies probably to their death:

Henry-Nelson-ONeil_Before-Waterloo_1868.thumb.jpg.c24177b32a2ef0d7b595975a3671e368.jpg

 

 

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  On 1/16/2025 at 2:14 AM, GHScorpiosRule said:

Over the new year, I watched E.T. and it still makes me 😂😂😂😂😂🤣 when E.T. gets drunk on Beer and it affects Elliot; makes me 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 when he dies, and laugh and cry with chills when he comes back to life and happily says “E.T. Phone HOME!!!! E.T.PhoneHomeE.T.PhoneHome!” And Elliot is telling him to shut up and closes the zip to the body bag. And more tears as they say goodbye and tell each other I love you.

 

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This was the first movie to make me cry. It was probably my first movie in a theater as well.

Finally got around to watching My Fellow Americans last weekend.  Omg, it was funny and yet still incredibly timely.  And I really feel like James Garner never really got the credit he deserved as an actor.  I simply cannot imagine anyone else playing President Douglas.

Plus, "Hail to the Chief, he's the chief and he needs hailing". 😁

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  On 1/27/2025 at 7:07 PM, proserpina65 said:

Finally got around to watching My Fellow Americans last weekend.  Omg, it was funny and yet still incredibly timely.  And I really feel like James Garner never really got the credit he deserved as an actor.  I simply cannot imagine anyone else playing President Douglas.

Plus, "Hail to the Chief, he's the chief and he needs hailing". 😁

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That was a great movie. 

Watched We Are Marshall over the weekend.  I'd seen it before, not long after it came out, but having become a Air Disasters fanatic since then, the beginning hit rather differently.  And of course, it seems a little prescient now.

The crowd outside the Chancellor's office all shouting "We are Marshall" in unison still made me tear up.  Even though the movie itself is uneven, that scene is gold.

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Two movies I've seen recently:  Sing Sing and Love Hurts.

Sing Sing is set in the prison of the same name, and is about the Rehabilitation Through the Arts program that was founded there.  It's based on real people, most of whom play themselves.  I liked it a lot.  The program itself is pretty strict about who is chosen to participate, and some of them are quite talented.  Colman Domingo received an Oscar nomination for his role as Divine G.  I highly recommend it.

Love Hurts is the latest outing from Ke Huy Quan, and it put me in mind of a Jackie Chan-style movie, with a little Everything Everywhere All At Once (no alternate universes though -- just the action sequences and different identities).  At its heart, it's a romance, although there's lots of violence and quite a lot of blood.  I thoroughly enjoyed it.  Lots of humor mixed in with the martial arts.  And as I said, it's a romance at heart, even set on Valentine's Day.  I recommend it with reservations -- if blood or martial-arts-type fighting bothers you, this movie is not for you.

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I just watched You’re Cordially Invited on Prime. 
 

  Quote

When two weddings are accidentally booked on the same day at the same venue, each bridal party is challenged with preserving their family's special moment. In a hilarious battle of determination, the father of one bride (Will Ferrell) and the sister of the other bride (Reese Witherspoon) chaotically go head-to-head as they stop at nothing to uphold an unforgettable celebration for their loved ones.

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The consensus of the reviews I’ve seen is “sure, it’s fine” and I wholeheartedly agree 😀 

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  On 2/9/2025 at 2:39 AM, SoMuchTV said:

I just watched You’re Cordially Invited on Prime. 
 

The consensus of the reviews I’ve seen is “sure, it’s fine” and I wholeheartedly agree 😀 

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I thought the official reviews were maybe a little harsh and then again, not.  I do think they wanted two things out of this movie--Will Farrell getting to tap into his creepy side while also doing a romcom.  In the end, those two aren't exactly compatible because Reese's character wasn't sufficiently weird in her own right.

That said, while I wouldn't wholeheartedly recommend it, I also wouldn't say "stay away" if people feel like they might like it.

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(edited)
  On 1/6/2025 at 2:48 PM, tearknee said:

 Yes, M3gan the movie about the robot toy that uses its own AI to boost its capabilities and decides to turn to murder when humans get in its way. Everyone you know whose name is Megan has been teased about this by now. (The command for the robot to sleep is 'Megan, turn off', and that'll get old if your name is Megan.)

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There’s a sequel coming soon!  

  On 2/9/2025 at 2:39 AM, SoMuchTV said:

I just watched You’re Cordially Invited on Prime. 
 

The consensus of the reviews I’ve seen is “sure, it’s fine” and I wholeheartedly agree 😀 

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Ooh I couldn’t stand it. I just can’t take Will Ferrell in this part.  I also can’t stand people who are stuck in a mistake comedies. I get too anxious.  I fast forwarded to the end. 
I was hoping for fun, like Back in Action, which I liked. 

Edited by EtheltoTillie
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  On 1/13/2025 at 5:09 AM, andromeda331 said:

Land of Saints and Sinners-My love Liam Nesson. A former assassin not cool. Murdering a man who beats kids? Very cool. Okay so he ended up not being on the one who killed Curtis. But he threw him in the car and took him out to kill him. And would have if Robert hadn't shown up to help. I don't mind Robert's death too much. Too bad the other too IRA henchmen didn't just leave. They should have. Curtis was worthless even before it turned out he was abusing Moya. Didn't care at all about the sister. She didn't care about anyone she blew up in the beginning of the movie or would have blown up in the pub. No loss there. The only thing I did like was her assuming Curtis was killed because of the bombing. One of my favorite things in movies and real life is when people are murdered by someone else who has no idea who the person is but murders him/her for a different reason. 

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I love these silly Liam Neeson action films. I hope they cast him

  Reveal spoiler

 

In the same vein, I wish Denzel would make more Equalizer movies. 

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We watched The Emperor's New Groove the other night for the first time in well over a decade.  Some of the jokes might be considered too offensive today, but otherwise it holds up.  I read an oral history on the making of it and it's quite amazing that it came together.  Apparently, it's become a cult classic.  Our two kids, both in their 20s, one of whom wasn't even born when it came out, love it.  I'm sorry it wasn't promoted well and isn't discussed much when talking about Disney movies (at least not from people writing the articles or making the "Best of" lists).  It's so underrated. 

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Big Girls Don't Cry ... They Get Even is made for kids, which I was long past when it came out in '91, never mind now, but this came up as a recommendation and I love David Strathairn and liked Dan Futterman in Judging Amy, Patricia Kalember in Sisters, and Margaret Whiting in Major League ("Cross him off then" and "I hate this fucking song" are two of the film's best moments), so I thought why not.  And stayed even when I realized the pre-teen main character was not only going to narrate, she was going to do so by speaking directly to the camera.  Because she was pretty funny in her descriptions of her crazy-ass blended family, and the actor above the poor average for that age.  But she became almost as annoying as her family as the film went on, and I'm just too damn old to root for her adventures.  The reconciliations are unearned, and there's a new relationship that was obvious from jump, but also unearned plus adds a layer of weird messiness that isn't even addressed.  I knew I should have quit at some point, but kept going.

I'd say lesson learned, but just a couple of days later I went onto watch in its entirety another recommendation I realized was not for me despite the cast -- Pretty Ugly People (2008).  I've really liked Missi Pyle in the few TV shows I've seen her in, and I love Octavia Spencer and Allison Janney (although it turns out Janney only has two scenes).  It should have been quirky, but it was just flat.  Beautiful scenery, but that does not a film make.

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  On 2/16/2025 at 9:29 PM, Bastet said:

Big Girls Don't Cry ... They Get Even is made for kids, which I was long past when it came out in '91, never mind now, but this came up as a recommendation and I love David Strathairn and liked Dan Futterman in Judging Amy, Patricia Kalember in Sisters, and Margaret Whiting in Major League ("Cross him off then" and "I hate this fucking song" are two of the film's best moments), so I thought why not.  And stayed even when I realized the pre-teen main character was not only going to narrate, she was going to do so by speaking directly to the camera.  Because she was pretty funny in her descriptions of her crazy-ass blended family, and the actor above the poor average for that age.  But she became almost as annoying as her family as the film went on, and I'm just too damn old to root for her adventures.  The reconciliations are unearned, and there's a new relationship that was obvious from jump, but also unearned plus adds a layer of weird messiness that isn't even addressed.  I knew I should have quit at some point, but kept going.

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I remember that movie. I agree with everything you said. The takeaway is supposed to be that you should still love your family even when they’re the absolute worst? 

A film version of Waitress the Musical is on Max now. The one thing I hate about both the film and the stage version: I cannot buy the romance between Jenna and Dr. Pometer. Jenna was married to an abusive asshole, but we only see Mrs. Pometer and she seems perfectly nice. We never get a reason why he’s so unhappy with her except that he’s possibly resentful that she’s busy finishing her residency and she doesn’t need him the same way Jenna does or some Nice Guy horseshit as that. Ugh. Yes, they don’t end up together at the end, but still…

Edited by Spartan Girl
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Godzilla: King of the Monsters. It almost feels like it was meant to be a family drama that somehow got kaiju shoehorned in. Further, Godzilla himself gets a little lost between the family stuff and the focus on Gidorah. I get that you can only bend a story so far, it just feels not quite one thing, not quite the other. Good, though. I've absolutely seen a lot worse. I feel the 6 rating on IMDB is too low.

Trivia: that large red chunk of stone is called Uluru these days, not bloody Ayers Rock. But I like that our kaiju is called bunyip. One of our two cryptids, along with our bigfoot analogue yowie. Drop bears are real, honest!

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