Tag Archives: Christmas

The Polar Express (2004)

02 Tuesday Sep 2014

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On Christmas Eve, a boy must leave
Because he just will not believe
In Santa or the Christmas lore
He’s heard a million times before.
 
A polar train to ascertain
If he can overcome disdain
Appears outside, and as implied,
The boy accepts a sudden ride.
 
Within he meets on cushioned seats
Both girls and boys from other streets.
One girl around with faith profound
Proclaims their train is North Pole-bound.
 
As they commute upon their route,
Once they pick up one last recruit,
The perils flow, from ice and snow
To tunnel roofs that loom too low.
 
A friendly ghost who’s quick to boast
Assists the hero as his host.
Despite each scare and dire snare,
They reach the Pole with time to spare.
 
The elves and they know where to stay
To hear what Santa has to say,
But our main three are broken free
And tour the big man’s factory.
 
Arriving back in Santa’s sack,
The boy attains belief some lack.
A silver bell that slowly fell
Is granted him before farewell.
 
The bell slips out somewhere en route,
Which may have caused the boy some doubt,
But it appears, and through the years,
Grants music to believers’ ears.
__________________
 

The Polar Express endeavors to be an experience, a wild ride of wonder, rather than just another Christmas cartoon. Directed by Robert Zemeckis, who utilized the still-developing motion-capture technology to lend more realism to the characters’ movements and facial expressions, The Polar Express is beautiful to behold, much like the 2009 A Christmas Carol. Just as Jim Carrey filled multiple roles in that film, Tom Hanks owns several faces, including the Hero Boy (who is voiced by Spy Kids’ Daryl Sabara), his father, the Conductor, the Hobo, and ol’ Saint Nick himself.

The Polar Express is based off of Chris Van Allsburg’s popular children’s picture book, but it exceeds the already evocative images Allsburg produced. At times, the film becomes a literal roller coaster, almost like one of those virtual simulator rides without the cabin agitation, while other moments seem gloriously picturesque, such as the shot of the train winding its way up a spiraling mountain. There are frequent edge-of-your-seat sequences that are genuinely thrilling, from the train’s foray onto ice to a rooftop ski ride with some serious close calls. In addition to all this, the portrayal of the North Pole and Santa’s workshop is my personal favorite of any Christmas film, amazingly detailed and designed with both utility and fun in mind. As the three main kids explore, joyriding in pneumatic tubes and an awesome-looking funnel that always makes me jealous, I can’t help but wonder why this film was never used to create an actual theme park ride (as far as I know).

The characters are not especially deep: a lonely boy with no friends, a brave girl needing more confidence to be a leader, the main boy who has a problem believing what’s right in front of his eyes. Still, they remain relatable and likable enough as they encounter several mysterious grown-ups who never explain everything fully.

Many critics decried the film as being overly creepy, and indeed there are some rather unsettling parts (a walk through a maze of glassy-eyed marionettes, a skipping record in a deserted village). Even so, A Christmas Carol has some potentially disturbing imagery as well, which doesn’t detract from its yuletide message, and the message of The Polar Express is the importance of belief and wonder. Even on a secular level, Christmas is a time for cynicism to be cast aside to allow innocent hope and goodwill to reign, and the film encapsulates this lesson into a perfect gift: the bell. When I was growing up, we had a bell that my mom claimed she couldn’t hear; even if she could, this provided me with an exciting prospect, that belief could open doors imperceptible to others. The Polar Express may be a rather worldly Christmas film, but such a message of faith is rare nowadays.

Best line: (the Conductor) “Seeing is believing, but sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can’t see.”

 
Artistry: 9
Characters/Actors: 7
Entertainment: 9
Visual Effects: 9
Originality: 7
Watchability: 8
 
TOTAL: 49 out of 60
 

Next: #131 – National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets

© 2014 S. G. Liput

194 Followers and Counting

 

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)

29 Friday Aug 2014

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Though Kevin McCallister once lost his family
When they left him home all alone,
He still cannot get along with all his siblings
And wishes to be on his own.
 
They leave on vacation with Kevin in tow,
But somehow he boards the wrong plane.
He ends up alone again, now in New York,
While both parents freak out in vain.
 
Since Kevin has credit cards, cash, and some sense,
He heads to the Plaza Hotel,
Intent on vacationing all by himself
With toys and room service as well.
 
But Harry and Marv, his escaped nemeses,
Are in town to rob a toy store
And plan to exact overdue sweet revenge,
Till Kevin evades them once more.
 
His stay at the Plaza Hotel is cut short
When Kevin is fingered for fraud
And flees to the dangerous big city streets,
Where one lady’s friendly, though odd.
 
Since Kevin knows Harry and Marv will be stealing
The toy money meant for the sick,
He transforms his uncle’s abandoned apartment
Into a funhouse (and quick).
 
By baiting the crooks to his booby-trapped lair,
He punishes them once again.
From bricks to tool boxes to minor explosions,
He grants them more lessons in pain.
 
When they almost have him, he’s saved from behind,
And prison awaits the two still.
Since Kevin is tired of being alone,
His mom helps that wish to fulfill,
And everyone has an enjoyable Christmas…
Until Kevin’s dad gets the bill.
_________________
 

Here we have the sequel to everyone’s favorite holiday torture fest, and, unlike the three other less-than-official sequels (which obviously had lower aims), Home Alone 2 was actually trying to match its predecessor. It doesn’t quite manage that feat, but it is still an entertaining return of all the original characters, including Macaulay Culkin, Catherine O’Hara, John Heard, and the dimwitted duo of Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern. In many ways, the film follows the same beats as the first—a big family debacle turns Kevin against them, a hectic vacation rush leaves him behind, and Kevin lives it up by himself before tormenting two crooks in his own personal house of persecution. The characters themselves often realize the similarity of their circumstances, and, as Ian Malcolm said in The Lost World: Jurassic Park, they don’t make the same mistakes, but all new ones.

On the one hand, the recycled scene with the gangster movie is even funnier than the first film’s, and the events leading up to Kevin’s separation are much more plausible than the series of coincidences that left him alone in the first film, though no less irresponsible on the part of the parents. (It’s a good thing Kevin didn’t want to run away because if it’s this easy for him to evade his parents by accident, they would probably never find him if he didn’t want to be found.) The film ups the ante in several regards, including the potential danger of Kevin’s situation, the extravagance of his version of “the good life,” and the agony inflicted on Marv and Harry, who should have died many times over from his booby traps.

Yet, despite a moderately heartwarming subplot involving a pigeon lady in Central Park, Home Alone 2 lacks the heart and the Christian iconography of the first one. The bird lady’s fine and Tim Curry is hilarious as an ingratiating hotel concierge, but I missed the misunderstood Old Man Marley and John Candy the polka king. Also, the first film indicated that Kevin thought his family disappeared because his wish came true, but here he is fully aware of what happened and where his family probably is but makes no attempt to contact them, choosing instead to take advantage of his father’s credit card. Plus, the tortures he prepares for Marv and Harry elicit more severe winces, even if the two despicable thieves deserve it.

All this is to say that I prefer the first Home Alone, but the second is still a Christmas favorite that I can watch over and over. My VC would have this one much lower on her list, but Home Alone 2 is still good, painful fun.

Best line: (Mrs. McCallister, when she learns Kevin left the hotel) “What kind of idiots do you have working here?”  (the hotel’s desk clerk, proudly) “The finest in New York.”

 
Artistry: 6
Characters/Actors: 8
Entertainment: 9
Visual Effects: 8
Originality: 5
Watchability: 10
Other (slapstick ingenuity): +3
 
TOTAL: 49 out of 60
 

Next: #134 – Rocky

© 2014 S. G. Liput

193 Followers and Counting

 

#140: A Christmas Carol

23 Saturday Aug 2014

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The old miser Scrooge was the worst of cheapskates,
The most feared and hated of men,
And even on Christmas, the gladdest of dates,
His “humbug” supplanted “Amen.”
 
He hectored Bob Cratchit, his tireless clerk,
Resented his kind nephew Fred,
And never would donate or take off from work,
But praised the workhouses instead.
 
One dark Christmas Eve, in his home all alone,
His dead partner Marley appeared,
With ponderous chains and lugubrious moan
For the conduct to which he’d adhered.
 
He warned Ebenezer he too had a chain
He’d forged from a lifetime of greed.
Three spirits that night would begin a campaign             
To change his behavior with speed.
 
The first spirit showed Christmases of the past,
Of childhood and his career,
Of how Scrooge’s greed branded him an outcast,
Devoid of all romance and cheer.
 
The second ghost offered a present-day view,
Completely uncharted by him,
Of Cratchit’s large family, humble but true,
And sweet crippled boy Tiny Tim.
 
He saw that his nephew was wholly sincere
In granting a meal invitation,
And that, if some kindness did not interfere,
Poor Tim would soon face expiration.
 
The final ghost showed him a future in doubt,
In which Tiny Tim was with God,
In which a rich man no one dared care about
Had died and been raided by fraud.
 
This man so forlorn, with no friend but his pelf,
Was buried with nothing but scorn,
And when Scrooge perceived that this man was himself…
He woke up upon Christmas morn.
 
So moved by the spirits was miserly Scrooge
That he had been changed overnight
And let out a joyous compassion deluge
That gave his charwoman a fright.
 
He bought Bob a goose and surprised with a raise
And called upon Fred and his wife
And cared for dear Tim in benevolent ways
And kept Christmas all of his life.
___________________
 

Though I’ve already written a post for Bill Murray’s Scrooged, that was a modern-day comedy; this post is for the original straight-faced version of Charles Dickens’ morality tale. Although there have been countless retellings of the Christmas novella, starting with a silent version by Thomas Edison back in 1908, they’re all pretty much the same, and my poem does not apply to any one in particular. Still, I am partial to two: specifically the classic 1951 Scrooge, featuring Alastair Sim in the title role, and (believe it or not) the 2009 Disney animated version with Jim Carrey. Both have their strengths and weaknesses, and, as far as I’m concerned, both are classics.

Alastair Sim’s portrayal of Ebenezer Scrooge is often cited as the best. He spits his bitter words out quickly and has a face well-suited for scowling. When that face is turned to grinning and laughing instead, the change seems entirely genuine and unforced. All the supporting actors are excellent, especially Mervyn Johns as Cratchit and the angel-faced Glyn Dearman as Tiny Tim, who honestly is much too big to be sitting on anyone’s shoulder.

What I enjoy most about this version is its additions to the familiar story. It includes all the recognizable quotes that we expect from these films, but it builds upon Scrooge’s character, particularly in his change as a younger man. Whereas most versions have him going straight from dancing at Fezziwig’s to breaking up with his sweetheart Belle (here called Alice for some reason), this film presents the death of his sister and his betrayal of Fezziwig, events that were not in the book but certainly could have been and add context to his change of heart. I also liked the moment between Scrooge and charwoman Mrs. Dilber; whereas the Disney version features Scrooge scaring her for laughs, Sim does the same but then gives her a heartfelt gift that will surely change the unfeeling future he witnessed. Where the film stumbles a bit is in its few overacted moments and the highly dated effects, though the transitions with the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come are well-done.

As for my other favorite, the motion-capture Disney version is easily the most visually interesting telling. It utilizes the CGI animation with arresting dexterity, swooping throughout 19th-century London and viewing Scrooge’s world from a number of previously unseen angles. Jim Carrey portrays Scrooge and all three ghosts through both his voice and movements. Other actors such as Gary Oldman, Cary Elwes, Robin Wright Penn, Colin Firth, and (Lost alert!) Fionnula Flanagan also fill various roles, often more than one, but the detailed animation tends to overshadow their performances. The visuals, such as the Ghost of Christmas Present’s method of travel, are frequently spectacular, though the animators get too carried away with Christmas Yet to Come, shrinking Scrooge, launching him along rooftops, and making his voice unnecessarily squeaky. These additions for the sake of excitement or humor are impressive to watch but add nothing to the story. Even so, the film is surprisingly faithful to the source material and admirably doesn’t try to modernize the dialogue to make it more salable. Both films also feature a number of Christian hymns.

While most critics might claim the Alastair Sim film to be the definitive version of A Christmas Carol, it’s difficult for me to make that judgment. Each may have flaws, but no version of this beloved story is inherently bad. While I’m partial to these two, I also enjoyed Patrick Stewart’s portrayal of Scrooge and Disney’s previous edition of the tale featuring Scrooge McDuck and many of their most popular characters. Whichever version you prefer, there’s no question that A Christmas Carol is a holiday classic, preaching a message of goodwill to our fellow men that continues to be relevant today.

Best line: (Tiny Tim) “God bless us, every one!” (I know, it’s obvious)

 
Artistry: 10
Characters/Actors: 10
Entertainment: 9
Visual Effects: varies
Originality: 8
Watchability: 9
Other (classicness): +2
 
TOTAL: 48 out of 60
 

Next: #139 – Secondhand Lions

© 2014 S. G. Liput

189 Followers and Counting

 

Die Hard (1988)

15 Friday Aug 2014

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When John McClane visits his wife in L.A.,
A skyscraper party for Christmas Eve serves
To strain the pair more at the end of the day,
As terrorists break in and get on their nerves.
 
The leader, Hans Gruber, takes hostages fast,
And Holly’s boss, Mr. Takagi, is shot,
But John, a policeman, escapes at the last
Into the air shafts and avoids being caught.
 
From then on, it’s cat and mouse with machine guns
As John picks the baddies off one at a time.
The “terrorists” turn out to be after funds,
Locked up in a safe that protects every dime.
 
John gets the attention of one cop named Al,
And soon the police have the building surrounded.
Reflecting on life with his radio pal,
John has to save Holly, although he’s still hounded.
 
John saves all the hostages from a roof blast,
Though choppers and John’s own bare feet pay a price.
Though the thieves breach the safe, the right timing has passed,
And John and Hans are not about to play nice.
 
When both John and Holly are in Gruber’s sights,
The tables are turned by some clever gun play.
Hans quickly develops a brief fear of heights,
And John is relieved, having now saved the day.
Both Holly and John can relax from such fights,
At least till the next sequel. Yippee ki-yay!
_______
 

Often cited as one of the best action movies ever, Die Hard sparked a multitude of sequels and imitators and provided Bruce Willis (John McClane) and Alan Rickman (Hans Gruber) with the most memorable roles of their careers. Considering Die Hard’s immense success and Willis’s well-known action hero appeal, it now seems odd that the studio had doubts about his casting, but until this film, he was only known for his comedic role in the show Moonlighting. Just as Big opened up dramatic possibilities for Tom Hanks, Die Hard crafted Willis’ butt-kicking action star persona. Likewise, this was Rickman’s first film, and his calculating ruthlessness and distinctive voice instantly made him an ideal villain. Sure, he’s played more sympathetic roles (Galaxy Quest, Something the Lord Made, Sense and Sensibility), but he’ll always be Hans Gruber.

Of course, action movies that are nothing but mindless explosions fail (if not commercially, then critically). Amid all the gunplay, we get a welcome peek at John’s marital failings, as well as Al’s past regrets, which provide incentive to root for them beyond the fact that we’re just supposed to.

The film may be 26 years old, but its impressive stunts and explosions have allowed it to age quite well. The unusual Christmas setting and some unique musical choices also stand out; the safe-opening scene somehow became one of the film’s most memorable, thanks to Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy.”

The blockbuster fun is sadly hampered by an overabundance of profanity and F-words (including the film’s most iconic line), not to mention the rampant violence, much of it bloody. Nevertheless, Die Hard is an action-packed favorite (best seen cut) that can be enjoyed at Christmastime and any other.

P.S. Though this doesn’t share the high profile of the recent sad losses of Robin Williams, Lauren Bacall, and James Garner, I feel I should include a R.I.P. for James Shigeta, who played Mr. Takagi. He died quietly on July 28th, just a few weeks ago, having lived a nice long life, unlike his character in this film.

Best line (ignoring the obvious): (Holly, seeing a terrorist’s frustration and knowing John must be alive) “Only John can drive somebody that crazy.”

VC’s best line: (John recalling his wife’s invitation) “’Come out to the coast, we’ll get together, have a few laughs…’”

 
Artistry: 7
Characters/Actors: 9
Entertainment: 10
Visual Effects: 9
Originality: 9
Watchability: 10
Other (language, violence): -6
 
TOTAL: 48 out of 60
 

Next: #146 – Out of Africa

© 2014 S. G. Liput

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#150: The Nativity Story (2006)

12 Tuesday Aug 2014

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The village of Nazareth, rural and poor,
Held no importance, except to those
Who called the town home, paying taxes galore
And planting each season and doing each chore
With hope for a Savior to banish their woes.
 
Young Mary was chosen to be Joseph’s wife,
And God chose her to bear His Son.
She knew that a scandal could threaten her life
And cause her and Joseph unwarranted strife,
But still she submitted that His will be done.
 
She journeyed to visit Elizabeth then,
Her cousin, pregnant by God’s will,
Who knew Mary’s Son was the Savior of men.
When Mary returned to her hometown again,
Her pregnancy made people tempted to kill.
 
But Joseph was warned by an angel mid-dream
That Mary held God’s favor yet.
Regardless of how Joseph’s actions may seem,
He did not dismiss her, as most men would deem,
And loved her and He Whom she soon would beget.
 
The word arrived then of a census widespread,
That forced returns to old hometowns.
Since far Bethlehem beckoned him, Joseph led
A donkey that bore Mary ever ahead,
Across rocky country and uneven grounds.
 
The journey was hard, testing both faith and heart,
And when they came, there was no room.
The most that the humble locale could impart
For God’s only Son was a stable apart,
Complete with a star that above it did loom.
 
The angel pronounced to the shepherds nearby
That born was the King of Kings,
And after they’d worshipped the lowly Most High,
Three Eastern Magi, who had studied the sky,
Arrived to give homage with rich offerings.
 
Though Herod the king feared the end of his reign
And killed the children there,
The angel warned Joseph, who fled his domain
With Mary and Jesus, as God did ordain
To answer His own people’s prayer.
____________________
 

In so many cases, there is a disconnect to Bible stories. Both when we read of great deeds of the past and when we see films like The Ten Commandments, the characters take on mythological qualities that cause us to forget that they were real people, dealing with everyday life just like us, whom God chose for extraordinary purposes. The Nativity Story brilliantly emphasizes the humanity and vulnerability of Mary and Joseph, making them more relatable and real than any Sunday school lesson could.

Keisha Castle-Hughes plays a sensitive and courageous Mary, though I wish she didn’t look so continually melancholy. Oscar Isaac is the best Joseph I’ve seen thus far, presenting Joseph as the good man mentioned in the Bible but demonstrating that being righteous does not come without temptation and doubt. Their relationship is cool at first but slowly grows as Mary recognizes what a loving and honorable man she has married. Ciaran Hinds once again proves his skill as a villain as the brooding King Herod, and Shaun Toub of Iron Man is believably frustrated as Mary’s misunderstanding father. Shohreh Aghdashloo plays the trusting Elizabeth, and it’s interesting that this well-known Muslim actress is playing a Jewish character in a Christian movie.

Though it is clearly a Christian film, it isn’t preachy and utilizes more of the show-don’t-tell method, such as when Herod’s soldiers overlook humble Joseph and his pregnant wife because they are looking for a man of power. The actors themselves were touched by the film as well: Oscar Isaac said in an interview that in the scene in which he begs God for a sign, he actually saw a remarkably beautiful sunrise and had to hide his own awe.

The filmmakers took some creative license, such as downplaying the angel’s proclamation to the shepherds (probably for budget reasons), but the actual nativity scene is the most moving depiction of Jesus’ birth I’ve seen on film. There’s also the familiar misconception that the Magi were present with the shepherds, but that’s a minor objection.

I first saw The Nativity Story in the theater, and it has since become another Christmas Day tradition, a wonderful way to recall the real reason for the season. It’s not the most exciting movie, but it brings a simple Bible story to life in a relatable and beautiful way.

Best line: (Joseph, as villagers are glaring at their departure) “They’re going to miss us.”

 
Artistry: 9
Characters/Actors: 9
Entertainment: 8
Visual Effects: 6
Originality: 8
Watchability: 7
 
TOTAL: 47 out of 60
 

Next: #149 – Overboard

© 2014 S. G. Liput

182 Followers and Counting

 

The Homecoming: A Christmas Story (1971)

08 Friday Aug 2014

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Depression-time Virginia, on a snowy Christmas Eve:
The Walton children wish their daddy hadn’t had to leave.
He had to find some work, but as the sun begins to set,
His wife can’t help but worry since he hasn’t come home yet.
The eldest, John-Boy, helps to babysit each sis and brother
By having them crack walnuts and not argue with each other.
 
Though John-Boy helps bring in a tree, his mother worries more
When he is doing something, locked behind his bedroom door.
A turkey-thieving Robin Hood who goes by Charlie Snead
Drops off a gift for Livy and her many mouths to feed.
As she prepares their dinner, she finds out what John-Boy’s hiding:
A simple private journal and the dream of one day writing.
 
Encouraging her firstborn, Livy gives him hasty hope,
Then sends him after Daddy to allow herself to cope.
For transportation, John-Boy first tries Charlie Snead, who’s got
A car he’s glad to lend him, though the bandit has been caught.
When John-Boy then runs out of gas, he finds some welcome aid
From Hawthorne, a black preacher, and a social call is paid.
 
The whiskey-brewing Baldwin sisters may not be all there,
But after proper courtesy, they have a sleigh to share.
The journey sadly is cut short, and John-Boy comes back home,
With no new news of John for all the places he did roam.
His mother cannot take it, and her temper rears its head,
Yet there is nothing to be done but wait and go to bed.
 
But suddenly they hear a noise, and John is at the door
With loads of Santa’s presents they were hardly hoping for!
He hitch-hiked and then walked the rest to reach his home that night,
And though his paycheck’s nearly spent, he loves the kids’ delight.
He even lends his full support to John-Boy’s writing call,
And living off of love, the Waltons bid “Good night” to all.
____________________
 

Like It’s a Wonderful Life, The Homecoming is a Christmas tradition in my house. Since The Homecoming acted as a TV movie pilot for the classic show The Waltons, it shares much of the appeal of that series: old-fashioned values, cute and relatable kids, and an overall sense of nostalgia. Indeed, the whole film (and most of the series) possesses a unique wistfulness, like a fond childhood memory of days that are no more. Of course, that’s exactly what it is, an embellished chronicle of the younger years of Earl Hamner, Jr., the real John-Boy Walton (and Clayboy Spencer in the Fonda flick Spencer’s Mountain).

I and the majority of people nowadays are too young to remember these Depression days of “Roosevelt will save us” optimism, of reliance on neighborly goodwill but not charity (except when necessary and convenient), of trudging through the snow to retrieve a runaway cow, of trying to explain a stock market crash to children when one doesn’t understand it fully oneself, of throwing caution to the wind for the sake of some brief, carefree smiles. Still, the way in which they’re presented make them seem closer and more engaging than reading a history book. The Waltons feel like real people; Olivia, played by Roald Dahl’s wife Patricia Neal, realistically waits and watches for her far-flung husband; little Elizabeth sincerely explains how she plans to not grow up; older Mary Ellen considers herself smarter than the rest as she enters the growing pains of her “terrible teens”; John-Boy spends hours searching for his father on a wild goose chase that, for some, is surprisingly easy to relate to. John-Boy’s dream of being a writer is a particularly sympathetic touchstone for me, as I and countless others aspire to the same thing.

For those familiar with The Waltons, there are plenty of familiar faces. Richard Thomas originated the role of John-Boy and continued to play him for most of the television series and several TV movies. All the other children are the same as well (Judy Norton as sassy Mary Ellen, Jon Walmsley as musical Jason, Mary McDonough as the snitch Erin, Eric Scott as mischievous Ben, David Harper as shaggy-headed Jim-Bob, and Kami Cotler as adorable, freckle-faced Elizabeth), as is Ellen Corby as Grandma Esther Walton. All the other roles are different, from Andrew Duggan as John Walton to Edgar Bergen as Grandpa Ebenezer (not Zebulon?) Walton. Various other changed roles include storeowner Ike Godsey, the batty bootlegging Baldwin sisters, and the less familiar characters Hawthorne Dooley and Charlie Snead. Overall, though I enjoy the colorful cast of the film, I much prefer the actors in The Waltons (Miss Michael Learned, Ralph Waite, Joe Conley, etc.). In my opinion, the recasting only made the show better.

I haven’t always been, but I’m a Virginia lover of late, and part of my family’s attraction to Virginia was based in the lovely Appalachian scenery of The Waltons. (The show was filmed in California, but it looks like Appalachia. Likewise, The Homecoming was filmed in Wyoming’s Teton National Park, even though it’s also set in Virginia.) So the location of the film and show has special meaning to me too, since few movies mention familiar names like Charlottesville and my former city of residence Waynesboro.

The Homecoming (and The Waltons) is family entertainment at its purest, focusing on a tight-knit family overcoming problems of the day through love and togetherness. All the later Waltons TV movies are good and inspiring in their own ways, but The Homecoming effortlessly creates a bygone era and fills it with one of the most lovable and relatable cast of characters to grace the screen. Some might find it boring, but in this age of edgy and boundary-pushing television, it’s nice to retreat into the simpler world of the Walton family and remember that TV need not be shocking or provocative to be entertaining; it just has to be good.

Best line: (pompous, toy-bearing missionary) “This year, I said to the ladies of our society, ‘Why look to some foreign country for heathens, when the Blue Ridge Mountains are filled with them?’”

 
Artistry: 8
Characters/Actors: 9
Entertainment: 8
Visual Effects: N/A
Originality: 8
Watchability: 9
Other (pure, rustic nostalgia): +5
 
TOTAL: 47 out of 60
 

Next: #153 – A League of Their Own

© 2014 S. G. Liput

177 Followers and Counting

 

Joyeux Noël (2005)

02 Wednesday Jul 2014

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In 1914, war began,
Embraced by most, except a few.
As nations called on every man,
The horror of it came in view.
 
The Scots, the Germans, and the French
Were fortified on Christmas Eve.
Each army huddled in its trench,
No reinforcements to relieve.
 
Then, lo, there rose a single voice,
A tenor on the German side,
Reminding them to still rejoice,
For Christ was born for all worldwide.
 
The Scots employed their instrument
To complement the brave recruit,
And everybody was content
To lend an ear instead of shoot.
 
The three commanders met that night,
To call a temporary truce,
To share champagne instead of fight,
To put their time to better use.
 
A Scottish priest performed a Mass
For every soldier, friend or foe,
And one attending German lass
Performed soprano in the snow.
 
Although the night soon ran its course,
The morning saw increased rapport.
They could not dole out death and force
On those they met the night before.
 
Instead, they gathered hand in hand,
The dead of every camp to bury,
And they transformed no man’s land
Into one large cemetery.
 
When shelling was to be dispersed,
The Germans warned their rival friend,
And when their places were reversed,
The Scots let courtesy extend.
 
Yet friendship was not meant to last,
For when superiors heard tell
Of what occurred, they were aghast
And punished all such personnel.
 
Though others thought their acts a shame,
The men who lived that silent night
Were proud to greet their foe by name
And share in peace on earth outright.
________________
 

Time to kick off Christmas in July with Joyeux Noël, which is French for Merry Christmas.There aren’t many foreign-language films on my list, but this one has a unique blend of languages, since it presents an amazing event during World War I from the point of view of German, Scottish, and French soldiers. All three languages are spoken side by side, not only heightening the film’s realism but also allowing English, French, and German-speaking viewers to hear their own language a third of the time.

The film wonderfully humanizes its characters and doesn’t set out to cast any side as the villain. True, Austria-Hungary and Germany were the aggressors, but, unlike the Second World War, I don’t believe there was true evil fueling the conflict. World War I was mainly fought over border disputes and entangling alliances, and the soldiers in the trenches were present only out of duty to their nations, not malice toward the opposing side. Of course, war forces countries to inevitably demonize their enemies in order to give their troops the drive to fight (as is hauntingly illustrated by the film’s opening poem, as well as the bishop’s sermon at the end), but most of those on the ground on both sides were ordinary people, real people, family men.

The film doesn’t provide as much characterization for the soldiers as I would have liked, but perhaps that was intentional. The war had just begun and the men were just getting to know each other, whether as friends, as enemies, or as something in between. Benno Fürmann stands out the most as the German tenor Sprink, along with his lover Anna, played by Diane Kruger of National Treasure fame. Guillaume Canet, Gary Lewis, and Daniel Brühl are also marvelous as the French lieutenant, a Scottish priest, and the German lieutenant, respectively.

The film is replete with moments of touching beauty, of enemies slowly coming together to exchange gifts, of a lovely operatic rendition of Ave Maria that leaves the troops spellbound, of kindness being shown even when they know it should be forbidden. It speaks strongly of the unifying power of music, religion, uncommon decency, and coffee/tea. Little details, such as a Frenchman’s clock-related habits or the back-and-forth claiming of an itinerant cat, help bring the story to life. (By the way, much of this story was previously featured in the music video for Paul McCartney’s “Pipes of Peace” back in 1983. Here’s the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7ErrZ-ipoE)

There are several profanities and a brief but unnecessary sex scene, but, as far as violence, the film is thankfully restrained enough to be realistic without being gory. Overall, Joyeux Noël is one of the most inspiring Christmas films I’ve seen, even if the ending is less than happy. As the 100th anniversary of these events approaches at the end of this year, the film remains a timely illustration of Thomas Hardy’s poem “The Man He Killed,” which ends with “Yes; quaint and curious war is!/You shoot a fellow down/You’d treat, if met where any bar is,/Or help to half a crown.”

Best line: (Scottish Father Palmer) “Tonight, these men were drawn to that altar like it was a fire in the middle of winter. Even those who aren’t devout came to warm themselves.”

 
Artistry: 9
Characters/Actors: 9
Entertainment: 7
Visual Effects: 7
Originality: 8
Watchability: 6
Other (language, sex): -4
 
TOTAL: 42 out of 60
 

Next: #190 – Hello, Dolly

© 2014 S. G. Liput

146 Followers and Counting

 

Scrooged (1988)

29 Thursday May 2014

Posted by in Movies, Poetry, Reviews, Writing

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If Francis Cross, a TV boss,
Were dead, no one would mourn the loss.
He’s cruel and mean, at times obscene,
Controlling every TV screen.
At Christmas time, the selfish slime
Promotes his live Scrooge on prime time.
He quickly bags the slightest nags,
Like Eliot, who’s sunk to rags.
 
Then Frank one night is shown a fright;
His old dead boss appears in sight.
He tells Frank he indeed will be
Soon visited by spirits three.
While Frank at first believes the worst,
His fears of spirits are dispersed.
He talks with Claire, who’s quick to care
But left him long before his scare.
 
Frank still freaks out when there’s no doubt;
The Ghost of Christmas Past’s about.
He smokes and drives; soon Frank arrives
In his past, watching former lives:
His own childhood misunderstood
And how his job trumped Claire for good.
When this Ghost ends, Frank tries amends
With Claire, who cares for homeless friends.
 
Frank’s selfishness still causes stress,
And his alarm creates a mess.
The Present’s Ghost is Frank’s next host
And loves to pummel Frank the most.
His secretary, poor but merry,
Is shown by the ghostly fairy.
Frank then sees his bro at ease
And some poor man who chose to freeze.
 
The future next leaves Frank most vexed;
It’s even worse than he expects.
It scares him straight; he soon can’t wait
To do good and avert this fate.
Though Eliot had just had it
And tried to shoot Frank in a fit,
Frank gladly hires the man he fired
And has him help his plan inspired.
 
While on the air, Frank does declare
His love for Christmas and for Claire.
He steals the show and tells folks go
Outside and smell the mistletoe.
Claire comes that night, despite stage fright,
And on TV they reunite.
The joyful throng then sings a song
In one big merry sing-along.
____________________
 

Scrooged is a comedic merging of Dickens’s classic A Christmas Carol with the macabre humor of Beetlejuice, and Bill Murray as the Scroogish Frank Cross pours his talented unlikability into the role. Far more nasty than he was at the start of Groundhog Day, Murray succeeds in making the audience hate him just as much as many characters do, thus making his ghostly punishment and his turnaround at the end utterly satisfying. The film has plenty of humor, though it’s not nearly as quotable or laugh-out-loud funny as his earlier Ghostbusters, and there’s a healthy dose of weirdness thrown into the mix, such as Carol Kane’s bizarre yet strangely gratifying penchant for walloping Frank as the Ghost of Christmas Present. At least he deserved it since he was a self-proclaimed “schmuck.” (By the way, I take issue with that word since I had a teacher named Mrs. Schmuck and she was very nice.)

Karen Allen plays his winsome lost love, who is given more of a role than Scrooge’s Belle, and Bobcat Goldthwait goes hilariously nuts as Frank’s luckless ex-employee Eliot Loudermilk. Robert Mitchum, John Forsythe, and Alfre Woodard round out the main cast. Aside from these principal roles, the film has more random ‘80s cameos than a Muppet movie, tossing in Buddy Hackett, Jamie Farr, Lee Majors, Robert Goulet, John Houseman, and Mary Lou Retton just for the heck of it.

The somewhat dated Scrooged may lack the religious overtones of the original story and throws in some unfortunate language and sexual dialogue, but by the end, one cannot help but smile as Murray talks to the TV camera, thus breaking the fourth wall as he addresses the movie audience as well. The final rendition of “Put a Little Love in Your Heart” is downright classic and deserves a place in my End Credits Song Hall of Fame. As they say in the film, “Yule love it!”

Best line: (Frank, during the broadcast at the end) “It’s Christmas Eve! It’s… it’s the one night of the year when we all act a little nicer, we… we… we smile a little easier, we… w-w-we… we… we cheer a little more. For a couple of hours out of the whole year, we are the people that we always hoped we would be!”

 
Artistry: 6
Characters/Actors: 7
Entertainment: 8
Visual Effects: 6
Originality: 8
Watchability: 7
Other (language, sexual dialogue): -3
 
TOTAL: 39 out of 60
 

Next: #224 – Remember the Titans

© 2014 S. G. Liput

116 Followers and Counting