Recommendations you can check.
Science fiction novelist (Old Man's War, Redshirts, The Kaiju Preservation Society); has blogged at Whatever since 1998.
16 things
Almost ThereOther The Academy Is…
The Academy Is…, one of my favorite bands from this century (and yes, I feel old just typing that out), has recorded their first new album in eighteen years, titled Almost There, and will be putting it out in March.
A music post about The Academy Is… returning with a first album in eighteen years. Posted by John Scalzi and signed — JS.
2026-01-14·whatever.scalzi.com ↗
Notting HillOther
Notting Hill, in addition to being just a lovely little romantic comedy about two people from entirely mismatched stations in life, trying to negotiate a space in the world they might get to call their own, is one of the best films out there showing at least a little bit of what it’s like to be famous to everyone, everywhere, all the time, forever and ever, amen.
One entry in his December Comfort Watches series, a movie a day that he returns to for comfort.
2025-12-22·whatever.scalzi.com ↗
A Fish Called WandaOther
I have thought a number of films have been riotously funny, but only A Fish Called Wanda made me laugh so hard that I was in very real danger of pissing myself right there in the movie theater.
One entry in his December Comfort Watches series, a movie a day that he returns to for comfort.
2025-12-20·whatever.scalzi.com ↗
This is Spinal TapOther
This is Spinal Tap offers a lot of joy. It is one of the funniest movies ever made, a movie that can make you laugh until you cry, and also, make you laugh even if you have been crying.
One entry in his December Comfort Watches series, a movie a day that he returns to for comfort.
2025-12-15·whatever.scalzi.com ↗
I am a relic of the 80s as much as Raiders of the Lost Ark, and while I acknowledge how storytelling has changed between now and then, as a storytelling vehicle, in many ways it is still peerless and endlessly watchable.
One entry in his December Comfort Watches series, a movie a day that he returns to for comfort.
2025-12-13·whatever.scalzi.com ↗
Strictly BallroomOther
In fact, I will say this: Strictly Ballroom is, in its way, an absolutely perfect movie.
One entry in his December Comfort Watches series, a movie a day that he returns to for comfort.
2025-12-09·whatever.scalzi.com ↗
MoanaOther
And in fact, I do like Moana very much. It’s my favorite film out of Disney Animated Studios in the last decade, and even (barely) edges out Coco when you include Pixar in the mix
One entry in his December Comfort Watches series, a movie a day that he returns to for comfort.
2025-12-07·whatever.scalzi.com ↗
Master and Commander: The Far Side of the WorldOther
Still, I’m glad that Rothman decided to spend a little bit (or actually a lot) of the money Fox was getting out of the X-Men and Ice Age series to make this extremely handsome, extremely rewatchable ballad to the high seas.
One entry in his December Comfort Watches series, a movie a day that he returns to for comfort.
2025-12-02·whatever.scalzi.com ↗
K-Pop Demon HuntersOther
K-Pop Demon Hunters functions fabulously as an action-oriented animated musical, but what makes it rewatchable are the character interactions.
One entry in his December Comfort Watches series, a movie a day that he returns to for comfort.
2025-12-01·whatever.scalzi.com ↗
The RecordOther boygenius
Lucy Dacus is one third of boygenius, whose album The Record is my favorite of the last couple of years
A short music post on his blog, sharing the first single from Lucy Dacus' forthcoming solo album. Posted by John Scalzi and signed — JS.
2025-01-16·whatever.scalzi.com ↗
Apollo 13Other
Every film ages, but it seems to me that 30 years on, Apollo 13 has aged rather less than other films of its time
One entry in his December Comfort Watches series, a movie a day that he returns to for comfort.
2025-12-29·whatever.scalzi.com ↗
Starship TroopersOther
Hey! There’s a novel called Starship Troopers! It’s pretty good! Coincidentally and unrelated, there’s a movie called Starship Troopers! It’s also pretty good! Not the same, but pretty good.
One entry in his December Comfort Watches series, a movie a day that he returns to for comfort.
2025-12-18·whatever.scalzi.com ↗
DreddOther
But as a spectator, it’s fascinating, and in Dredd, it feels close enough to real to pack a punch.
One entry in his December Comfort Watches series, a movie a day that he returns to for comfort.
2025-12-05·whatever.scalzi.com ↗
CocoOther
(Coco is wonderful, though, you should absolutely see it if you have not).
One entry in his December Comfort Watches series, a movie a day that he returns to for comfort.
2025-12-07·whatever.scalzi.com ↗
Forever is a FeelingOther Lucy Dacus
I can’t imagine I won’t be getting the album when it comes out.
A short music post on his blog, sharing the first single from Lucy Dacus' forthcoming solo album. Posted by John Scalzi and signed — JS.
2025-01-16·whatever.scalzi.com ↗
Alita: Battle AngelOther
None of this is brilliant filmmaking, even if it is efficient, and much of it isn’t even necessarily good, but damned if I can’t stop watching it.
One entry in his December Comfort Watches series, a movie a day that he returns to for comfort.
2025-12-27·whatever.scalzi.com ↗
Every entry is a verbatim quote and a link to the public post it came from. Nothing is paraphrased. If it is not on record somewhere public, it is not here.
The verdict is what they actually said: loved and liked are explicit; recommended means they told others to get it; uses means they only say they use it; read is a book on their public shelf with no verdict; mixed and disliked are kept too.
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The shading behind a date shows how dated a recommendation is for its kind of thing.
The shading behind a date shows how dated a recommendation is, for its kind of thing. Fully green is recent. It drains a quarter at a time as the post gets older, and is empty once it reads as dated.
What counts as old depends on the thing. A laptop praised four years ago has been replaced twice; a book loved twenty years ago is probably still loved. The shading is gone after about:
Stripes mean the post carries no date and the date shown is an estimate. No date at all, no shading.