The Take Three

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A couple of weeks ago, my friends and I had our annual Christmas party/dinner/Yankee Swap. And this year, our lovely hostess and host threw in a twist: a game. We were given a list of nine quotes from Christmas movies and asked to name that movie. Out of the 15 of us at the party, your truly finally had the opportunity to win one of these things (because obviously I excuse myself from my Oscars games), and if I do say so myself, I stepped up to the plate. That’s right– I won. And it was a nice prize, too (travel coffee mug and a few hot cocoas). But I could only name seven of the movie quotes, and I missed two (blasphemy!). Take a look at my very authentic entry card pictured here (click on the photo to make it bigger), and see if you can guess the ones I got wrong. If you can outscore me, I’ll share some hot cocoa with you.

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Just because a movie is crushing it at the box office, doesn’t always mean it’s worth seeing. Of the current top 10, there’s only five we think are worth seeing. Read up on our recommendations below, and then head out to a movie theater. It’s time to start turning those box office dollars around.

Flickr/Double Feature Podcast

Scary movie fans were rejoicing this Halloween with the release of “Saw 3D,” the final installment in the terrifying series that spawned the torture porn sub-genre. It topped the box office this weekend, bringing in $24.2 million, with “Paranormal Activity 2″ taking a second place $16.5 million. Do the original “Saw” and “Paranormal Activity” make your list of all-time scariest movies? Rack your brain with a little help from “Time” magazine’s best 25.

But then again, after you see what they’ve got for #20, you may just discount their picks completely.

Flickr/benstein

Don’t have enough Facebook in your regular life– need it in the movie theater, too? Well then you’re in for a treat this weekend. “The Social Network,” David Fincher’s much-hyped tale of the early days of Facebook, hits theaters Friday, and Jesse Eisenberg and Justin Timberlake are sure to attract crowds. You don’t have to be a Facebook fanatic to “like” this, but  if social media isn’t your thing, get your gore on in early anticipation of Halloween with another brand-spanking new weekend flick. Well, except for “Freakonomics.” Don’t expect that one to be too gory.

“Case 39”
“Chain Letter”
“Freakonomics”
“Hatchet II”
“Let Me In“

Flickr/LauraFries.com and dsearls

There’s a super-secret deal going down, and if talks go through, Amazon.com could be the next big thing in movie rentals. Bloomberg.com today is reporting:

Amazon.com Inc. has approached media companies including Time Warner Inc. with plans to start an online video subscription service to rival Netflix Inc., said three people with knowledge of the talks.

The service, sold for a monthly fee by the Seattle-based Web retailer, would consist of older films and TV shows, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the conversations are private. They said talks are early and could still fall apart.

Think Amazon could actually rival Netflix? Read the full story and decide for yourself.