It's hard to believe that tonight is our 4th Christmas movie for 2012! And we're not in Advent yet. Tonight, we move away from the 'made for TV' offerings of recent weeks and attempt to watch a 'proper' festive film. This week we look to;
Deck The Halls
It sometimes gets really hard to write originally and enthusiastically about films, especially festive feelgood movies. You know that it will be the same format regardless of storyline. Set the scene. Establish the plot. Is it good versus evil. Or miserly versus giving? Build the rivalry, build the tension. Hit the point where they cannot go on and then repent and live happily ever after.
It's no different with Deck The Halls.
Danny de Vito stars as Buddy Hall, who moves into the neighbourhood, alongside Steve Finch (Matthew Broderick). After some initial banter, the rivalry between the two begins, with Buddy intent on stealing Christmas, with a huge display of lights on his house.
Finch is your more traditionalist, when it come to the festive season and was always the one who admired Christmas the most, enjoyed it the most and made the most effort. However, Buddy seems to be moving in on the act and starts the process of decorating his house with more lights than everyone else.
So we have the Christmas rivalry, the somewhat evil Buddy Hall against the hapless Steve Finch. You all know that it will go the full course, with bigger, better, brighter lights. More antagonistic behaviour etc. etc.
However, it is a funny film. There are quite a lot of laughs on the way. De Vito and Broderick make an ideal partnership in their feuding and are ably supported by their wives played by Kristin Davis (Kelly Finch) and Kristin Chenoweth (Tia Hall).
The story is reminiscent of a TV series called Christmas Lights, starring Robson Green and Mark Benton. I would say the TV series is slightly better than the film, but that doesn't take away the fact that Deck The Halls is a worthy Christmas movie and one to watch should it be on.
Enjoy and Merry Christmas.
Tuesday 27 November 2012
Tuesday 20 November 2012
A Christmas Kiss - 20th November 2012
The Tuesday Night is Film Night countdown to Christmas continues with another made for TV classic...... *ahem* .... well maybe not. Here is what we thought of;
A Christmas Kiss
So, let us just get the cast and the synopsis out of the way. Laura Breckenridge plays Wendy Walton, a put upon assistant to Priscilla Hall (Elisabeth Röhm), who is a major designer in Boston.
Priscilla is in love with Adam Hughes (played by Brendan Fehr), however a chance encounter in a lift between Adam and Wendy sparks an affair of the heart between the two of them.
In between this point and the inevitable happy ending, is about an hour of padding, where we discover what a bitch Priscilla is. What a fool Adam is. And how very lovely Wendy is.
It kept us entertained, and the supporting cast were actually quite good, but whether you'd want to spend any money on this film, well, maybe not.
As Christmas films go, it was OK, but we really need to watch some decent Christmas films soon!
Enjoy. (Or not as the case maybe).
A Christmas Kiss
So, let us just get the cast and the synopsis out of the way. Laura Breckenridge plays Wendy Walton, a put upon assistant to Priscilla Hall (Elisabeth Röhm), who is a major designer in Boston.
Priscilla is in love with Adam Hughes (played by Brendan Fehr), however a chance encounter in a lift between Adam and Wendy sparks an affair of the heart between the two of them.
In between this point and the inevitable happy ending, is about an hour of padding, where we discover what a bitch Priscilla is. What a fool Adam is. And how very lovely Wendy is.
It kept us entertained, and the supporting cast were actually quite good, but whether you'd want to spend any money on this film, well, maybe not.
As Christmas films go, it was OK, but we really need to watch some decent Christmas films soon!
Enjoy. (Or not as the case maybe).
Tuesday 13 November 2012
Christmas in Boston - 12th November 2012
Doesn't time fly? We are already at week 2 in our festive film fiesta. This week we delve into the somewhat "hit & miss" area of the "made for TV" movie.
So, will it be a Christmas cracker or a tinsel covered turkey? Let's find out, as we discover all about;
Christmas in Boston
As titles go, it's a bit of a non-starter, it certainly doesn't grip you does it? The film was only marginally better. Let us take a look at the storyline, then elaborate on the finer points.
Christmas in Boston follows the story of pen-pals Seth and Gina. They have been pen-pals since school, some 13 years ago. Now they are both grown up, both with jobs. Gina is a lowly journalist, Seth works for a major toy company.
They are still writing to each other, only now via email, rather than letter. They have never met. They have never spoken to each other on the telephone and they have never seen each other.
The only thing they have done is exchanged photographs over the years.
Enter plot twist number one. Actually they both thought themselves to be too awkward and ugly to send photo's of themselves, so they both sent photo's of their best friends; Ellen and Matt. Luckily they have remained best friends, although Ellen and Matt are unaware of the subterfuge they are embroiled in.
Plot twist number two. Seth has to attend a major toy conference in Boston (at Christmas, come on, it is a festive film!) And Gina, who lives in Boston, has to cover it for her newspaper. Which makes a change from the obituaries she normally writes.
So, the pen-pals of 13 years will finally get to meet. But hold on! Gina thinks Seth looks like Matt. And Seth thinks that Gina looks like Ellen!
Confused? It's OK, you will work it out.
So is the film any good? Well, yes it's alright. It is certainly your archetypal feelgood Christmas holiday romance. The storyline is fairly unique. The four main characters are likeable, funny and realistic. The actors playing the parts do a pretty good job too.
I think if you paid full price at the cinema to see this film, you would want some kind of discount. However, at the end of the day it is, what it is, which is a sometime bittersweet romance, with some funny moments, a good plotline, a happy ending and all set against a fine festive backdrop.
Enjoy.
So, will it be a Christmas cracker or a tinsel covered turkey? Let's find out, as we discover all about;
Christmas in Boston
As titles go, it's a bit of a non-starter, it certainly doesn't grip you does it? The film was only marginally better. Let us take a look at the storyline, then elaborate on the finer points.
Christmas in Boston follows the story of pen-pals Seth and Gina. They have been pen-pals since school, some 13 years ago. Now they are both grown up, both with jobs. Gina is a lowly journalist, Seth works for a major toy company.
They are still writing to each other, only now via email, rather than letter. They have never met. They have never spoken to each other on the telephone and they have never seen each other.
The only thing they have done is exchanged photographs over the years.
Enter plot twist number one. Actually they both thought themselves to be too awkward and ugly to send photo's of themselves, so they both sent photo's of their best friends; Ellen and Matt. Luckily they have remained best friends, although Ellen and Matt are unaware of the subterfuge they are embroiled in.
Plot twist number two. Seth has to attend a major toy conference in Boston (at Christmas, come on, it is a festive film!) And Gina, who lives in Boston, has to cover it for her newspaper. Which makes a change from the obituaries she normally writes.
So, the pen-pals of 13 years will finally get to meet. But hold on! Gina thinks Seth looks like Matt. And Seth thinks that Gina looks like Ellen!
Confused? It's OK, you will work it out.
So is the film any good? Well, yes it's alright. It is certainly your archetypal feelgood Christmas holiday romance. The storyline is fairly unique. The four main characters are likeable, funny and realistic. The actors playing the parts do a pretty good job too.
I think if you paid full price at the cinema to see this film, you would want some kind of discount. However, at the end of the day it is, what it is, which is a sometime bittersweet romance, with some funny moments, a good plotline, a happy ending and all set against a fine festive backdrop.
Enjoy.
Tuesday 6 November 2012
Christmas Every Day - 6th November 2012
Tuesday Night is Film Night reaches into November and like it or not, there are only 8 weeks to Christmas Day. So, the advent calendar is out early and from now until the big day, Tuesday Night is Christmas Film Night!
This will not please some of you I'm sure, but there are others who wish that it could be;
Christmas Every Day
Did you see what I did there? Did you? I segued straight from the preamble into the title of the film. What? Oh please yourself!
We kick off our season of seasonal movie cheer, with a "made for TV" classic. Which is such a shame, as this one could really do well if it were out on DVD or BluRay for you youngsters.
Christmas Every Day is a feelgood movie, in the same style of Groundhog Day. Released in 1996 it's stars Erik von Detten as Billy Jackson. Billy is not having a good Christmas. Everything appears to be against him. His basketball skills, his Uncle David, the bully at school.
So, when he upsets his sister, telling her there is no Santa, she makes him wish for it to be Christmas every day.
And guess what? It is.
If you're familiar with the Groundhog Day story, you know what happens next. Billy needs to explore all the tangible ways to get time back on track. This means trying different scenarios to make people happy and he finds out quickly that you can't please all of the people, all of the time.
Yes, there is a message in this movie. And it is a saccharin sweet feelgood film, but it's a great one. It encapsulates that magical Christmas spirit, that you find in really good seasonal films. And the unique twist in this film, is that you see the story through a child's eyes.
It's not an adult trying to put things right, or making amends after several ghostly visitations, it's a teenager, trying to pull together family values, so that the people around him can enjoy Christmas.
If you love Christmas movies and you love to have a good cry, then you'll love Christmas Every Day. As I say, it's not out on DVD, so look out for it in the Christmas film schedules.
This will not please some of you I'm sure, but there are others who wish that it could be;
Christmas Every Day
Did you see what I did there? Did you? I segued straight from the preamble into the title of the film. What? Oh please yourself!
We kick off our season of seasonal movie cheer, with a "made for TV" classic. Which is such a shame, as this one could really do well if it were out on DVD or BluRay for you youngsters.
Christmas Every Day is a feelgood movie, in the same style of Groundhog Day. Released in 1996 it's stars Erik von Detten as Billy Jackson. Billy is not having a good Christmas. Everything appears to be against him. His basketball skills, his Uncle David, the bully at school.
So, when he upsets his sister, telling her there is no Santa, she makes him wish for it to be Christmas every day.
And guess what? It is.
If you're familiar with the Groundhog Day story, you know what happens next. Billy needs to explore all the tangible ways to get time back on track. This means trying different scenarios to make people happy and he finds out quickly that you can't please all of the people, all of the time.
Yes, there is a message in this movie. And it is a saccharin sweet feelgood film, but it's a great one. It encapsulates that magical Christmas spirit, that you find in really good seasonal films. And the unique twist in this film, is that you see the story through a child's eyes.
It's not an adult trying to put things right, or making amends after several ghostly visitations, it's a teenager, trying to pull together family values, so that the people around him can enjoy Christmas.
If you love Christmas movies and you love to have a good cry, then you'll love Christmas Every Day. As I say, it's not out on DVD, so look out for it in the Christmas film schedules.
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