White Christmas (1954)

White Christmas (1954)

One thing I love about having taken on this attempt to keep up a blog, is that not only am I doing something I wish I did formally long ago (reviewing movies) but it also forces me to step out of my normal "comfort" zone and watch movies I would normally be dismissive of. Case in point. White Christmas. A 1954 flick starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and one Vera-Ellen (seriously that's her name). This is one of those films I have known about forever, but whether the underwhelming synopsis or my disdain for certain "classics" I was gun-shy about ever giving this film a reasonable chance. I am happy to say that it was a grievous error on my part for ever thinking such ridiculous thoughts.

The premise, while still underwhelming at first glance, is simple. A couple of army mates become famous.... um... variety musical broadway acts after the war, and they meet up with two sisters who also have an act. There is some chemistry and before we know it, we find ourselves in Vermont in a distinctly non-white (no snow) Christmas. Shenanigans ensue, everyone sings about it, and Vera-Ellen dances because she can't do much else. But really who cares about the story, this film is about a bygone era. Though the world itself may not have been as idealistic as it is in films of the time, but there is still a wonderful sense of whimsy and fantasy that escapes even the most visually advanced special effects of today's movies. These kind of films reassured the idea of hope and dreams that cynicism today is prevalent in media and saturates so much of our "escapism".

I will undoubtedly prove myself a hypocrite however, as it is the very same cynicism that made me irritated with such films as Frank Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life." Sacrilege to many who may consider it to be the quintessential holiday film, I personally find it frustrating and.... wait for it.... annoying. Crazy right? I mean you can't get more whimsical or sappy as that flick right? Well except that it is way too neatly wrapped up and way too fantastical. I am all about adding the magic and whimsy that is lost in real life to folks in need of cheer, but films like Capra's "It's a Wonderful Life" irritate me because you have a self-involved deadbeat who doesn't think about the atrocity he'd cause to his family by committing suicide, regardless of the divine intervention.

As per usual I digress....as I was saying, I enjoyed White Christmas. I still wasn't sold on the premise as I began watching it, but what actually sold me on it was a co-worker who explained that she was excited to see the stage version which is sort of the regular Christmas event in the city where I live. For her, it was a part of Christmas memories, a tradition. For me and my wife, the closest would probably be the stage version of A Christmas Carol, which has been a long running annual event where we are originally from. Hearing my co-worker talk about it made me want to give the film an honest effort. Still I was cautious given how many people unabashedly love "It's a Wonderful Life."

The good: The whimsy. The dance numbers. The song numbers. Unlike usual musicals where people just burst into song and dance in mid-conversation, that only happens once or twice here. The rest of it is explained away and justified by the variety show they are trying to put on to save the Vermont lodge their old retired general is running. Bing Crosby was surprisingly good. I say surprisingly because he started off a little wooden and I worried he was just going to be a crooner "acting" in this. But he was very enjoyable as the strongest singer of the cast. Danny Kaye who I can only describe as a mix between a member of the Weasely family from the Harry Potter books and Kramer from Seinfeld, is the all around singer/dancer combo. Romemary Clooney was fantastic. She portrays her character with mannerisms and nuance way ahead of her time compared to her peers. She's also pulls off the whole attractive but not in a classical sense form of beauty. You might describe it as an unconventional beauty that is beyond mere cosmetic appearances. Vera-Ellen is undoubtedly the weakest member of the cast. She's attractive in the standard Barbie-esque sense, but forgettable when she is not dancing. Like Brittney (the ditsy cheerleader in Glee), her personality only really comes out when she is dancing, in which she is obviously way more comfortable than acting or singing. Honourable mention goes out to Dean Jagger who plays the "General" for which the entire film revolves plot-wise. Watching this flick in HD and seeing the scene when everyone surprises him with the event to honour him (watch the movie, you'll understand what I am talking about), you can see him tear up and having witnessed him be such a strong confident male figure, getting misty at the show of affection, you'd be hard to not get a little misty yourself.

The bad: The little plot "contrivances" in which oh-so-many narratives revolve around. I mean I get it. I know why stories have to revolve around little miscommunication routines, but it is always rather tedious seeing drama for the sake of drama. Knowing that a simple pointed question can clear up all the confusion and yet we must bear witness to characters acting irrationally. Disregard my concern though, I think it stems from having watched one too many "Gossip Girl" episodes (my wife loves that show) which basically only has that one premise as a plot device.

Final Thoughts: To reiterate, I am very happy I had the opportunity to watch this show. I learned a valuable lesson of not treating all classics the same as any Frank Capra film. There is a lot to enjoy here, and only a few parts that aren't as fun. Definitely give it a go if you are looking for expanding your repertoire of classic film knowledge or you want another flick to enjoy with the family. Not a lot for kidlings to appreciate but still a good tale.

Add to the Vault? At this time, I don't think it needs to be added to the vault. It definitely has repeat merit but I am not to the point (like my coworker) where this is an essential Christmas tradition just yet. I definitely appreciate the film and will undoubtedly give it another gander in the future, but with it's "classic" status solidified long before I ever reviewed it, I highly doubt I will be under any pressure to add it to the vault before it disappears.


Look for it in your channel listings this holiday season, and brew up a nice cup of hot cocoa to enjoy while you watch. Without waiting for next Christmas, here is the trailer for Irving Berlin's White Christmas. 

 

Nothing Like the Holidays (2008)

Nothing Like the Holidays (2008)

Finally, a previously unseen holiday flick that was actually somewhat enjoyable unlike the drivel that was the last film. Kristin Chenoweth, I am disappoint!

Carrying on then, Nothing Like the Holidays enjoys a large ensemble cast of latino actors among whom audiences would recognize Alfred Molina, Luiz Guzman, Debra Messing, and an actor I personally feel is very underrated, John Leguizamo, though I am sure film lovers would recognize more of the cast.

The story revolves around a Puerto Rican family getting together for the holidays in Chicago at their childhood home. You have by all accounts the appearances of what could be a predictable family drama with the "prodigal son" who just arrived back from Iraq scarred and possibly traumatized, the successful son who harbors latent resent, the liberal actress daughter looking to make her break in Hollywood, the possibly cheating father, the frustrated and exhausted mother, and the rest of the ensemble.

I feel I must admit that I was in a bid of a mood before setting in to watch this flick, and really wasn't up for giving my attention to another holiday flick that could have been as stupid as the last one. But I feel I need to be diligent to keep this blog alive and for good or for bad I must endure. It didn't really help that I wasn't really sold on the synopsis which kind of sounded like the set up to another Lifetime movie. Boy was I pleasantly surprised. I was cynical thinking I knew how everything was going to play out, and lo and behold, I was wrong. It is the mark of a clever director that sets up the premise to make it feel like old and comfortable territory, only to throw it away at the last second while still staying in the realm of plausible and truthfully logical conclusions. It was a welcome change. No I am not Puerto Rican but being part of this family for 90 some odd minutes, felt familiar. The nuances and idiosyncrasies of each family member immediately makes it feel like they are a real family. Even Debra Messing's character who is the outsider of sorts being a caucasian wife to John Leguizamo, has her familiar habits that suggest a long history with this family and is not really an outsider at all.


Of course there is the necessary drama and latent frustrations that boil to the surface as the story transpires, but it is only further testament to the cast, in that they make you care for this family. As each secret is revealed, you shudder at the possibility of it tearing this family apart and yet they all bounce back, almost stronger. That kind of attention, that kind of devotion is rarely seen on screen anymore (unless overly sappy ala Lifetime) and instead the drama that typically unfolds destroys families, all in the name of being shocking and unique. 


The good: The entire cast. Very much an ensemble piece, I always credit the writing team and director when they are able to showcase all the talent equally and not feel like one person's story is overriding the others. Debra Messing gets special mention as she wasn't an annoying brat (e.g. every other acting role she's had). Here she was a complex character who at first glance definitely could have been a stereotype, but she played it real and made me believe she was as much a part of the family as the actual children. Luis Guzman was also tolerable here which is appreciated because when he's good he is good, and when he is just playing Luis Guzman, he can be bad. Does that make sense?


The Bad: Being such a large ensemble piece, some characters do drift to the background. Not a huge detriment but again it may have been a choice playing against expectations. 


Final Thoughts: I very much appreciated this film. It took me out of my slump somewhat by playing against my expectations. It was a comfortable film that I feel is what holiday films (at least contemporary ones) fail to encapsulate anymore. And given that the family was so unabashedly Puerto Rican and yet it could make some pasty white guy from Canada feel welcome like I have known this family all along is another testament to the writing, acting and directing. Kudos.


Add to the Vault? You are probably expecting me to say yes, but I am not going to. It was a good film, comfortable, but I don't feel it has the necessary repeat value to be added to the vault. I am definitely appreciative that I got to watch it and experience it, but I doubt I will need to re-visit it anytime soon. It was simply a good show and I recommend you give it a go if you are looking for a nice family holiday tale.




Enough of my yammering, here's the trailer for 2008's Nothing Like the Holidays!

Twelve Men of Christmas (2009)

Twelve Men of Christmas (2009)

Well, fresh off my sojourn to a Bavarian Christmas village in North Eastern Washington, I figured what better way to dive back into things than another holiday flick. 

Here we have a Lifetime movie with one of my secretly cherished actresses of late, Kristen Chenoweth. Actually two I guess with Anna Chlumsky (who was recently in The Good Guy) as well. Anyways, Chenoweth who I have loved since Pushing Daisies (underrated show that ended before it's time) stars as a New York commercial advertising big wig who finds her boyfriend or fiance or something fornicating with her boss at the office Xmas party. Jilted and subsequently fired, she goes all "woe is me" before swallowing her pride and moves to the midwest for some ridiculous reason and is hired to re-shape the towns postcard image.

Anyhow, despite being a hot shot advertising exec, the best idea she has is to make a nudie calendar with the men from the local search and rescue unit who could use the proceeds of the calendar to buy a helicopter or something. Except that given that this is a Lifetime movie the men aren't really nude (despite their reservations about their.... shortcomings) every dude is clothed. In fact it is more PG than the covers of most men's health magazines.

But really who cares. If you stayed awake through the explanation you just saved yourself 90 minutes you may have remotely (very remotely) wasted on watching this film. You know how it is going to end. Everybody finds love and the tough shell of the heroine is melted by the doting leading man who at first frustrates her before falling for her. It is like a visual Harlequin romance novel with much less sex.... not that I would know of course..... *cough*... anyhow....

The Good: Hmm. Not much. Kristen Chenoweth is enjoyable in most everything, but here she is supremely wasted as a walking New York archetype. Anna Chlumksy I guess is decent as Kristen's somewhat real assistant in the small town.

The Bad: Everything else. The story is bland, the town is pulled from a series of perfect postcard shots, undoubtedly meant to dazzle and amaze us with small town life, but for a community of 19000 (so sayeth the mayor) it looks to hold maybe 1500 people tops. There must be a lot of people in dem dar hillz.

Final Thoughts: I feel like I have been swindled. I watched this for the notion that it may be a holiday flick with the adorable Kristen Chenoweth, and instead I got this crapfest that wasn only tenuously a holiday flick. This may be the first film I watched where AFTER the character arc transpires the lead is even more vapid and empty than when they started.

Add to the vault? Good gravy no. There are better holiday movies, there are better romance movies. There are better holiday romance movies. Hell even if you are looking for a crap holiday romance movie there are still better ones than this. I think Matthew McConaughey has made a few no doubt.


If you are still here and INSIST on seeing the trailer for this flick, then by all means... .enjoy:

Scrooged (1988)

Scrooged (2003)

Wow, I saw the date on this and I can't believe it is over 20 years old. Man, I am getting old. This is undoubtedly one of my favorite holiday films. A goto film for getting firmly into the holiday season. It is by all accounts a retelling of the classic Dickens' A Christmas Carol, but oh what a retelling it is. Some may feel that this flick is dated, firmly embedded in the 80's, I however don't. This film for me is a timeless classic that is as relevant today (especially today) as it was back in the late 80's.

What's that? You don't know the Dickens' tale? Well Bill Murray plays Frank Cross a CEO type media mogul, who is a right bastard. Probably could give Billy Bob a run for his money. Cue ghosts, shenanigans and redemption.

But there is so much more going on. There are subtleties and hidden gems galore, which is why this film can be rewatched time and time again. Heck, I could probably give it another go one or two more times before Christmas gets here.

The good: Bill Murray, such a comedic goldmine he is! The effects! It was late 80's but such cool imagery, the ghost of Christmas Future is still creepy awesome to this day! The score! Danny Elfman has hints of some his most iconic work in this flick and hearing it as a taste of his future genius is cool.

The bad: The fashion. Ha ha.

Final Thoughts:  This is such a warm, fuzzy movie that I have nothing but good things to say. One of my all time favourites that has stayed with me since I watched it as a kid.

Add to the Vault: Undoubtedly. If it wasn't clear that you should run out and watch this movie immediately, you should go do so now. Well what are you waiting for?


What? You are still here? Gah, fine... here watch the trailer for Scrooged!

Bad Santa (2003)

Bad Santa (2003)

Ah nothing like a movie about a down on his luck criminal/department store Santa to truly get you in the spirit of the holidays. Our next holiday flick is one most assuredly a LOT of people have seen. It was marketed as slapstick comedy and I am sure many people were surprised at the final result. I for one loved this flick because it was so unabashedly honest in the story it wanted to tell.

For those not in the know, Billy Bob Thornton plays the absolute most vulgar, disgusting, pathetic Santa rendition this side of a B-Horror movie. Billy Bob's Santa is something everyone has feared to experience either as kids or as parents with kids, but thankfully one can assume there are many measures in place to prevent someone of his caliber ever getting close to your young 'uns. But as with most holiday flicks, we have at the heart of the story, a tale about redemption. This is a man so far gone that he only really has two options, kill himself or die in his own vomit. But the real exploration of the film lies in the hidden but obvious 3rd choice, that perhaps maybe, just MAYBE, this man can find some semblance of humanity before he is completely lost.

Billy Bob is also a small time crook, that we are to believe is capable enough that despite one brief stint in the clink pulls off heists with his little person partner that keeps him fed, sheltered and more importantly liquored until the next Christmas. At the time of the film, Billy Bob is pretty far gone and probably won't make it another year if he continues his ways. Cue the rest of the cast ala the possibly mentally challenged boy, the attractive and impossibly patient bartender, and the senile grandma. 

Joining Billy Bob is a cast that includes but is not limited the late great John Ritter, Lauren Graham, and the dearly departed Bernie Mac (who I have never really appreciated as an actor/comedian before, but I enjoy his role in this film). The bulk of the film is meant to have similar effect as a cheap horror film in that it tries to shock you at every turn with it's unrelenting filth, but in this day and age it is surprisingly (for good or for bad) tolerable compared to a lot of stuff television and film audiences get inundated with on a near daily basis. It gets points for trying though and the film is still charming enough that the desired effect is achieved, if only because we want to play along.


The good: The cast. Billy Bob takes top billing, but this film wouldn't be the same if it rested solely on his shoulders. The no-holds-barred (mostly) approach was also appreciated but...

The bad: ... I am not convinced that it is truly no holds barred. I think they stayed "safe" with a lot of content, and the true magic of the film is tricking the audience into thinking that it is the most foul thing that could EVER be a holiday flick. I am rarely ever a fan of slapstick, so when the film resorts to it in a couple of isolated spots it felt like it was a different movie (maybe one starring Chris Kattan?) The pacing is also a little clunky at times, the plot is straight forward but a couple of times it felt like they were just throwing scenes in for the sake of filler.

Final Thoughts: This film is ultimately a heart warming feel good holiday flick despite all the smoke and mirrors trying to convince you otherwise. Nothing witnessed on screen is truly terrible or outright evil, just bad. In that sense it more than sufficiently lives up to its name. In a good way of course.  Maybe don't watch it with the kidlings but keep it on the high shelf for you and your friends if you ever pull a Christmas flick marathon to get you in the festive spirit.


Add to the vault? I will say yes. I am going to add this title to the vault. There is enough in this film to forget and re-appreciate every year, which is about how often I feel I can enjoy this film. So as bad as this Santa is, it is in my good books.

Oy! Don't leave yet without enjoying the surprisingly relatively safe for work trailer for Bad Santa.

Christmas in Wonderland (2007)

Christmas in Wonderland (2007)

Well after a brief hiatus I return, hot on the heels of a slew of Halloween themed movies, with Christmas movies. New and old, good and bad, I will watch them. And first up for this season is Christmas in Wonderland, which really should be titled... Christmas Eve in West Edmonton Mall (aka Santa's house).

The film stars an uncanny cast of Patrick Swayze in his second to last movie filmed before his unfortunate passing, Chris Kattan, a nearly unrecognizable and forgettable Carmen Electra and Tim Curry phoning in another pay cheque. Oh how I will always love thee Dr. Frank-N-Furter, between Rocky Horror and Legend and your turn as Pennywise, you continue to do schlock as long as you want, I won't complain.

Anyways, back to the flick. Story in short. Typical paint by numbers holiday movie about a down on their luck family who have lost the Christmas spirit save for the little girl who holds Santa near and dear. Swayze is the dad who just lost his job after relocating his entire family to Edmonton, Alberta for his new career. Kids hate Canada, he is broke, and mom is stuck in an airport in L.A. until Xmas day. She tasks him with shopping for the family. He leaves the kids with the oldest son, while he shops. Kids find a bag of money, hijinks ensue.

SPOILER ALERT: In the end, family finds Christmas spirit, everything works out via Santa ex machina, and life is good yet again.

We all know how it is going to end, that is the point of the holiday flicks. What does this one have going for it that made it stand out? Well it featured my old stomping grounds of West Edmonton Mall being the sole location more or less for the majority of the flick. Granted this West Edmonton Mall, while still being the largest mall in North America, is drastically different in appearances (at least externally).

The movie version of West Edmonton Mall:

Compared to the rather drab and boring real version which is how I affectionately remember the mall I grew up with:

But really who goes to a mall for the exterior? So what if they took a little artistic liberty? The inside they faithfully captured, and as much as I generally despised the mall for the hordes of people and the annoying teeny boppers that saturated the place, there was a lot about the place that was pretty cool.



Like this:

So did I really just watch a movie because it was filmed in West Edmonton Mall in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada? Yep. The film doesn't have much else going for it. Like I said it is paint by numbers. You have the bumbling crooks (bonus points for the obese mentally deficient farting goofy one, they are always extra funny....), the bad cg parts, the doe-eyed little girl that believes enough for everyone, the wacky antics, the stereotypes, etc, etc.

This is what annoys me about these films though. They are obviously just a paycheque for most everyone involved, save for the child actors who are most likely looking for something to have on their demo reel. However, with a marginal bit of effort, the folks involved could have made a pretty decent flick. It wouldn't have been timeless necessarily but it may have been good. I miss the effort of films these days especially around the holidays. The latest CGI Christmas Carol may be a worthy addition (I have to re-watch it), but aside from that there hasn't been a half way decent Xmas flick in a long time. That's why people flock to National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, Scrooged or even older fare. If you have recommendations let me know. You can see from my library list that I own Muppet Christmas Carol, which I hold in high esteem as one of the better versions of the Christmas Carol story.

The good: The locale. It was good to see the old mall, despite how much I avoid it, even if I were to visit today. Patrick Swayze was decent too, obviously happy to just be working at the time. The gent who played Santa was a charming fellow.

The bad: The rest. Who really finds slapstick humour funny without a decent story attached? I know, I know, it's obviously a kid's flick that is meant to be family friendly fare. But story needn't be sacrificed for that does it? Chris Kattan, such a wasted actor in my opinion. He's done some brilliant work when a director can rein him in (ala House on Haunted Hill). The stereotypes. My gawd. Not every flippin Canadian walks around saying ABOOT or EH? all the time. The RCMP is portrayed as bumbling buffoons, marginally less idiotic than the hapless crooks. And is Canada so bad that the only female the older brother can find attractive is another displaced girl from L.A.? And what's with her name being Shane? I can't say I have ever met a female Shane. But I digress.

Final Thoughts: A forgettable holiday film. Check it out only if you are a hardcore Swayze fan (which I'd recommend you re-watch Road House instead) or if you have a family and need a throw-away flick on the PVR to occupy the kids for two hours. I did find it amusing that it was Christmas Eve in the film and despite the movie talking about how busy the mall is, it wasn't even a fraction of how busy that damned mall can be on a regular weekend let along Christmas Eve. It wasn't that bad I guess, it was fine to have in the background while I put up the Christmas tree.

Add to the Vault? Not in the least. But take heart, I will be reviewing some other holiday flicks that I don't currently own and will most like be added to the list.

So to welcome you into the holiday season, I leave you with trailer for Christmas in Wonderland!

One Week (2008)

One Week (2008)

Interesting film. Once again I have to apologize to any American readers out there as this film is distinctly and proudly Canadian. It chronicles the "road-trip" journey our protagonist Ben Tyler (Joshua Jackson) takes across the country ala Jack Kerouac but with different motivating factors. Ben is disillusioned late-twenties aged teacher who is about to get married. But then Ben gets the news, quite literally, of his lifetime and finds out he is dying from a Stage 4 cancer that is in his blood and liver. The story is not so much about him dying as him exploring what it is to live and find contentment with life. Something he took for granted up until the news.

Joshua Jackson, who I will freely admit I am a fan of, is excellent here. He has the patience to not wear every emotion on his sleeve and can handle nuance quite well. It is essentially for the most part, a solo film, so that's a lot of weight on his shoulders as it can make or break the film. Now I've enjoyed most everything he's done from Mighty Ducks to the supremely excellent Fringe sci-fi series that I would encourage everyone to watch. Heck, at work I even saw him in person not too long ago as he was filming scenes for Fringe downtown. I never watched Dawson's Creek so I can't comment on that, but as he only a couple of years older than me, I can admit I envy his career and wish him all the best as a Canadian actor who isn't a comedian.

In One Week, he creates a very believable character, who runs the gamut of emotion as he tries to find that proverbial epiphany about life and death that should be obvious to him. Everything in his life is questioned from love, work, pastimes, to even something as simple as singing. At times it is wonderful, tragic or even both at the same time, as we become his invisible companion on this heart wrenching journey.

The good: There are lots of things to enjoy about this film. It's use of narration which can be frustrating in films sometimes, has a similar effect to the wonderful series Pushing Daisies but in delicate doses so as not to be annoying. Everything Canadian in the film is also enjoyable. We Canadians are a proud bunch, we don't often show it quite so overtly as our neighbours to the south, but seeing films like this it is no wonder that we are the biggest little village on the planet. Joshua Jackson also shows off some decent acting chops in this film, with a complex character that is both empathetic and yet frustrating just like real people are. I never feel the Hollywood effect (as we are entering into Oscar bait season with most cinematic releases). The music was fantastic as well. The ending of the film was perfect.

The bad: The film's pacing can be a little dragging at points but thankfully even if you are drifting with the story the scenery is always pretty to look at. I also have issues with how quickly he did one act in the film that I don't condone. I get why it happened, and it is even arguably foreshadowed from Saskatchewan onward, but that doesn't entirely excuse it in my books.

Final Thoughts: To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield. 


Add to the vault? I am definitely mulling it over. It's not repeat viewing in the sense of a movie you can grab and it will never fail to entertain. But I can see this being a comfort movie when life or whatnot gets to you and you need a little reminder on what's important. 


So come on folks, buy a motorbike and join the ride. Here's the trailer for One Week: