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Post by Shark on Apr 9, 2017 19:43:54 GMT -5
Let's talk about the penultimate episode of the season!
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Torgo
Moderator Emeritus 
-segment with Crow?
Posts: 15,420
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Post by Torgo on Apr 17, 2017 12:08:34 GMT -5
The least of the Christmas specials (unless you count KTMA's Gamera), and the third disappointment in a row.
The movie is a movie I've never seen before, but felt as if I've seen a billion times, with a Scrooge type character that hates Santa and Christmas because he didn't get a toy when he was a kid and wants to ruin it for everybody. There's an earnest childishness about it that's easy to mock, and while they mock away there's not many huge laughs. Though I thought the freeze frame montage was hilarious, as was the parody of it in the final segment.
One episode left, and I hope it's a good one. Otherwise I'll be left wishing the Kickstarter settled at nine episodes.
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Post by Diet Kolos on Apr 17, 2017 12:16:23 GMT -5
The least of the Christmas specials (unless you count KTMA's Gamera), and the third disappointment in a row. The movie is a movie I've never seen before, but felt as if I've seen a billion times, with a Scrooge type character that hates Santa and Christmas because he didn't get a toy when he was a kid and wants to ruin it for everybody. There's an earnest childishness about it that's easy to mock, and while they mock away there's not many huge laughs. Though I thought the freeze frame montage was hilarious, as was the parody of it in the final segment. One episode left, and I hope it's a good one. Otherwise I'll be left wishing the Kickstarter settled at nine episodes. You're not going to be happy with the last episode. The back third of the season is completely forgettable, honestly. It doesn't really make any sense because they were all written and performed at the same time, so maybe they just ran out of steam? |
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Post by starsteam on Apr 21, 2017 7:55:06 GMT -5
So, what are people calling this episode? The episode guide on Satellite News usually uses the title that appears on screen (Attack of the the Eye Creatures) but the Christmas that Almost Wasn't has a foreign title card. The MST wikia is using what appears on screen, but VHX and Netflix uses the English title.
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Post by slainmonkey on Apr 22, 2017 10:24:34 GMT -5
I dunno if I'm alone in this but I actually thought this episode was a really strong one, I found myself laughing at it a lot more then most episodes this season. Only thing I felt holds it back from being one of the top few is that the Whipple baby complex jokes (while often funny) was used way too much and started to get kinda old. Still I liked this episode a lot and found it a big improvement over the last one.
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Post by travis on Apr 23, 2017 17:40:08 GMT -5
Finally got to see my name in the end credits!  I found this episode to be my least favorite of the season. Maybe it was the movie itself not giving them a lot to work with (Mexico made a better Santa movie), but I didn't have anywhere as much fun with this one as the previous couple episodes. Though, like any MST episode, there were still some very funny moments. The host segments were good but obviously lackluster compared to the 2 classic Christmas episodes. It's funny seeing how many reviewers on Amazon and IMDB grew up loving this movie... So, what are people calling this episode? The episode guide on Satellite News usually uses the title that appears on screen (Attack of the the Eye Creatures) but the Christmas that Almost Wasn't has a foreign title card. The MST wikia is using what appears on screen, but VHX and Netflix uses the English title. Everyone should just call it THE CHRISTMAS THAT ALMOST WASN'T. It looks like there wasn't an HD scan of the U.S. version available, so they used the Italian version. |
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Post by Mighty Jack on Apr 24, 2017 19:52:33 GMT -5
I laughed, thought it had some top notch riffs. The quips during the stills montage had me in stitches. Almost as good as the Painted Hills montage.
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Post by starsteam on Apr 25, 2017 8:49:28 GMT -5
Rewatched this one last night. I think we have a new tradition for December.
The movie isn't as bizarre as the other MST3K Christmas episodes, but it has just the right about of strangeness to fit on the show. Between the characters, the dubbing, singing and holiday tropes, it's a festive silly movie that's both charming and weird. I had a few good laughs throughout with the riffing. The widdle-baby running gag got dull though. The host segments were above average, but I wish they sung a holiday song. Joel as Santa was good fun. I love the expression on Max's face when he gets the first-aid kid.
9/10, I'll be checking this one out again in December. Also, this one has my name in the credits.
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Post by mrmeadows on Apr 28, 2017 0:25:34 GMT -5
This didn't quite work for me. An offbeat movie, but not as outlandish and goofy as Santa Conquers the Martians. It had it's weird moments, but it wasn't quite as surreal or borderline nightmarish as the Mexican Santa Claus movie. The overall tone was kinda like a watered-down, low-rent Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (and indeed there was a Veruca Salt riff included), but at the end of the day it wasn't THAT bad of a kids' movie. It was overly sincere perhaps, but not god-awful. They just didn't seem to have a lot to work with compared to the other two Christmas flicks. I did enjoy the end of the episode where they were re-creating the photo montage all the way to the "push the button" moment. I halfway thought Jonah's holiday sweater was going to say "JOIKENAH" or something, but guess that would have been too obvious a gag.
Not one of my faves this season, and the reviews I've peeked at for the next/last episode haven't exactly been overwhelming so maybe this season's best eps. are behind me. . .but still looking forward to wrapping up this season and prepping for S.12!
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Post by Caedmon on May 5, 2017 18:09:12 GMT -5
I love this one. It is definitely up there with the two Wizards movies as my favorite episodes of the new season. 9/10.
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Post by gorncaptain on May 11, 2017 15:33:01 GMT -5
I enjoyed this one, and was laughing pretty much through the whole thing. Not every holiday movie has to be as disturbing as Mexican Santa Claus, and this was pleasantly goofy enough. Loved the creepy stuffed toys and Santa's laughably tiny workshop. I got invested in the movie enough to want Prune to get his comeuppance after buying the dept. store and screwing Santa over again. It's a lot like those Rankin/Bass holiday specials in a way. Surprised Tim Burton hasn't remade this yet. Seems like a lot might have been cut. (A song or two?) How does Prune get to the North Pole and back so quickly anyway? We see a flying machine in the opening credits. And what was up with that weird still montage? It's like those lost Dr. Who episodes that are recreated with photographs. Joel as Santa seems very appropriate. Does that make us Kickstarter donors his elves?  |
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Post by CrowTrobotfan92 on May 11, 2017 19:17:20 GMT -5
Ayy I found Tom Noel! And of course, our good friend Travis, in the credits.
This episode wasn't too bad. Riffing did drag a little but it had some really funny bits (Ren and Stimpy music, the Three Stooges jokes, Dire Straits' Saultans of Swing and I loved when they were poking fun at Santa on the Reindeer).
The host segments didn't really stick too much for me (though I did enjoy Joel as Santa and the little stop motion Montage at the end).
Hopefully the final episode of this season will be a little better.
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Post by Samurai Manos on May 28, 2017 0:21:36 GMT -5
Seems like a lot might have been cut. (A song or two?) How does Prune get to the North Pole and back so quickly anyway? We see a flying machine in the opening credits. I've seen the movie uncut. There's no flying machine anywhere in it. In fact, I thought that if the movie had actually resembled the opening cartoon, with Prune as a sort of Jack Lemmon in The Great Race, riding a steampunk zeppelin-cycle throwing bombs at Santa, it would have been soooooo much better. |
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Post by crowschmo on May 29, 2017 17:48:47 GMT -5
This one is right up there with Hamlet with me - as in unwatchable a second time. And not very Christmas-sy. Riffs aren't really bad, it's just that the movie itself is just so icky, I just can't...
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