For It Is Man's Number: December 2023

Sunday, 31 December 2023

Netflix And Chill: Operation Christmas Drop (2020)

A Christmas movie that tries to maintain that seasonal feeling while being set in a very warm and non-Christmassy environment, Operation Christmas Drop has a tougher time than most making you feel the contrast of the winter chill and the fuzzy warmth of good deeds done by good people. The fact that it comes close, and certainly delivers on the latter part of that equation, is testament to the worthwhile story at the heart of it. That's not to say that it's a great film, and it still suffers in comparison to other Christmas movies that are happy to fill the screen with tropes and shots of snow-covered landscapes, but it does much better than expected at delivering a message of festive cheer.

Kat Graham plays Erica, a young woman sent from Washington to an island Air Force base, with a mission to check the efficiency there and make any recommendations for improvements (which could ultimately lead to the closure of the base). Once there, she is placed in the care of Andrew (Alexander Ludwig) AKA CLAWS, and it's not long until she sees how things are done on the island, with everyone donating their own time and talent to maintain strong relations with the many other islands in the local area. The big focus, the tradition that got the Air Force base noticed in the first place, is the upcoming Christmas air drop, with gifts and supplies being dropped during planned flights that take place at the same time as Santa might normally be making his rounds. Congresswoman Bradford (Virginia Madsen) doesn't see this as a good use of taxpayer dollars, but Erica might eventually see enough positive repercussions from the operation to be able to persuade her that the base should be allowed to carry on doing what it has been doing so well for many years already.

As is often the case with these things, writers Gregg Rossen and Brian Sawyer have a filmography overflowing with films in this vein (well, they seem to have moved between Christmas movies and a series of "Crossword Mysteries" TV films). Inspired by the real events at Andersen Air Force base, so much so that there is a lovely little cameo for Bruce Best AKA Brother Bruce, as well as photos during the end credits alongside text describing the good work done there, Rossen and Sawyer plug a familiar formula into a plot that mixes good cheer and a celebration of the oft-overlooked humanitarian work done by military personell during times they are not in any active warzone.

Director Martin Wood, much like the writers, now has a few of these movies to his credit, as well as work on a number of TV shows (including Virgin River, which everyone seems to have dived into during the past few months), and he handles the material well enough. Without any of the usual Christmas spectacles to make use of, Wood instead makes good use of a script that keeps moving between various characters, including a very cute gekko, and easily conveys the good feeling that can come from helping others in need. Which is arguably much more in line with Christmas traditions than, for example, rushing to try and get your hands on the latest best-selling toy.

The leads are as bland and "safe" as expected, although both Graham and Ludwig become more enjoyable to spend time with as they start enjoying their time together and working more as a team. Madsen makes for an enjoyable "villain" and the rest of the supporting cast includes upbeat and sweet turns from Jeff Joseph, Janet Kidder, Trezzo Mahoro, Bethany Brown, and Rohan Campbell, as well as the aforementioned Brother Bruce.

Not the best film of this kind, but very few of them get close to the top of the tree, but it's enjoyably different. I wouldn't mind seeing other films in this vein, using Christmas as a backdrop for a story that showcases the good work done by some people year in and year out, instead of the many that seem to focus on just one season bringing about a major change in the mindset of a lead character. Let me know of any obvious titles I may have forgotten, and I'll be sure to check them out.

6/10

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Saturday, 30 December 2023

Shudder Saturday: Attachment (2022)

Some people are fortunate enough to go through their lives in a state of blissful harmony. They have a great relationship with their family members, and there's a smooth transition later in life when they forge a strong connection with someone they fall in love with. Those people are very rare though. You can call me cynical if you like, but I would estimate that those people are actually so rare that you should buy yourself a lottery ticket on the day you meet any one of them. Attachment looks at someone in a more common situation, struggling to maintain a close, sometimes claustrophobic, relation with their mother as they develop a relationship with someone they have quickly developed a strong bond with.

Ellie Kendrick is the woman at the heart of this triangle. She plays Leah, a Jewish academic living in London, her own home situated one floor above the home of her mother (Chana, played by Sofie Gråbøl). Josephine Park is Maja, a Danish woman who inadvertently comes between the two. Having started a relationship with Leah without knowing too much about her, Maja quickly tries to learn more after Leah hurts herself during a seizure. Trying to navigate the mother-daughter relationship she has walked in on, as well as learning enough about Judaism to avoid any embarrassing errors, Maja soon starts to suspect that there's more for her to be worried about than the usual pitfalls of meeting your partner's family.

Writer-director Gabriel Bier Gislason is actually both Danish and Jewish himself (from what I could glean while seeking out some more information about him online anyway), which makes his feature debut a fairly logical move after his work elsewhere, working as either a translator or helming a couple of his own short films. Attachment feels both familiar and a step removed from the everyday, which proves how well Gislason does at conveying that sense of someone wandering into a world they are unfamiliar with, be it another country or the trappings of another religion. It would be easy to assume that Gislason has crafted this from his own experiences, but maybe he just has a good empathy for people who end up trying to understand something nuanced and complex from a position of relative distance and ignorance.

Although Kendrick is very good in her role, she has arguably the lightest workload. It's Park and Gråbøl carrying most of the weight, showing their own struggles and their strain as they try to find a way to get along with one another. Park is easy to root for, and Gråbøl plays her character in a way that allows viewers to know that her cold and harsh behaviour seems to stem from a place of good intentions. David Dencik plays Lev, someone who can both deliver the required exposition and also play a prominent part in the third act, when things start to become clearer for the two women trying to maintain a steady orbit around Leah.

There are some familiar elements used here, and those familiar with any Jewish mythology should know where it's all heading from very early on, but Gislason doesn't bother trying to fool viewers, nor does he add too much to distract from the tension that keeps moving between Maja and Chana like static electricity. You don't get a load of bells and whistles, but you do get a consistently clear and pleasing visual flow from cinematographer Valdemar Winge Leisner, a very good score from Johan Carøe, and the strength of the lead performances from people who know that the layered material will satisfy those who are happy to be patient with something enjoyably different from numerous other riffs on this kind of thing.

7/10

Friday, 29 December 2023

8-Bit Christmas (2021)

If there's anything that really embodies the spirit of Christmas, it's a small child becoming increasingly desperate as they start to realise that "Santa" probably isn't going to deliver the amazing new videogame system that they've had their heart set on for so long. That's the heart of 8-Bit Christmas, a film that is as much an ode to the joy of the Nintendo Entertainment System as it is to those childhood years spent pleading and scheming with parents for assistance in ensuring that the perfect present ends up under the tree by Christmas morning.

Starting in the here and now, Jake Doyle (Neil Patrick Harris) is being constantly pestered by a daughter (Annie, played by Sophia Reid-Gantzert) who wants a mobile phone for Christmas. Once they get back to Jake's childhood home, Jake shows his daughter his prized Nintendo Entertainment System, something he spent time wanting as badly as Annie wants a phone. This is the cue to move back through time, where we join young Jake (Winslow Fegley), his sister, Lizzie (Bellaluna Resnick), herself desperate for a Cabbage Patch Kids doll, and the parents (played by June Diane Raphael and Steve Zahn) trying to please their kids without necessarily giving in to their every whim. We see Jake developing his love/obsession for the videogame system, and the numerous setbacks he experiences as he tries to ensure the one thing that he thinks will guarantee him one of the best Christmases ever.

Director Michael Dowse has a filmography full of comedy features, with one or two notable exceptions, but this nostalgia-tinged romp (not his first film making use of that rose-tinted filter) is one of his best. He seems to work well with writer Kevin Jakubowski, someone I wasn't familiar with at all before this film, and makes excellent use of a near-perfect cast. It also helps that Christmas looms large in every scene, it's a deadline that may make or break the happiness of our lead characters, or so they think, and it's easy to remember that feeling of wanting something so badly that not getting it would signify the end of the world, because that's how huge and catastrophic it can feel when you're a child with that sharp focus.

Harris and Reid-Gantzert frame everything nicely, and the story structure maintains a nice connection between the past and the present as it shows the material side of Christmas counter-balanced by adults who know that there can be much more value in quality time and love shared between family members. Fegley is great fun as young Jake, whether he's coming up with a new plan to get his hands on a Nintendo or helping his parents make his sister happy. Resnick is cute enough, and her sibling relationship with Fegley's character feels natural and real. Both Raphael and Zahn are superb, even if the former is slightly overshadowed by the eventual front and centre positioning of the latter. Other children onscreen feel well-suited to their roles, Cyrus Arnold once again portrays a bully with aplomb (not sure how many he has played in his career so far, but I think he's three for three in the last films I have seen him star in), and there's a fun cameo role for David Cross.

An easy film to recommend to those who enjoyed the style and tone of The Wonder Years (and who didn't enjoy the style and tone of The Wonder Years?), 8-Bit Christmas is a funny and heart-warming Christmas story that should somehow connect with every viewer, whether it's a child hoping for their first mobile phone or an adult remembering the time when they wanted nothing more than a videogame console, Cabbage Patch Kid doll, or any big seller that seemed to disappear from shelves quicker than you could add it as a P.S. on your letter to Santa.

8/10

Thursday, 28 December 2023

Silent Night (2023)

I can imagine the excitement that director John Woo must have felt when he was given the option to make an action film in which the lead character didn't speak. Maybe there was an earlier script draft that had some other characters speaking, maybe there wasn't, but Woo surely relished the opportunity to deliver his trademark visual flourishes with no pesky dialogue dragging things down. It's certainly a strong central idea, but it's one that cannot be maintained for the length of a feature. Nobody wanted to tell Woo that, however, which leaves us with this.

Joel Kinnaman plays Brian Godlock, a man we first see chasing after some gun-fighting gangsters. He manages to deal with some of them before being shot, and left for dead, by Playa (Harold Torres). He somehow survives though, although his voice doesn't. After time spent recovering in the hospital, Brian starts on a path of revenge. It turns out that those gun-fighting gangsters accidentally killed his son. Getting himself armed and learning techniques from online videos, Brian doesn't care if he survives his quest. He only cares about taking the life of the man who killed his son. Oh, and there are some Christmas trimmings scattered here and there, seemingly just to work with the film title, like all of the non-speaking characters.

Written by Robert Archer Lynn, someone who must have been extremely grateful to have grabbed the interest of Woo, Silent Night has infrequent moments that hint at a much better film, but it’s generally a woeful experience. The fact that the central concept won’t actually work becomes clear quite early on, leaving viewers hoping for some patented Woo action, but Woo seems to have more faith in the script than it deserves.

Although there are some action sequences, none of them really hit the dizzyingly high bar set by Woo throughout many of the previous highlights of his filmography. In fact, the gunfire is particularly weak, Woo instead doing a much better job this time around with some car-based carnage. The varying quality of the action may not be so bad if alongside some strong dramatic performances, but the cast are all hampered by the lack of standard dialogue.

Kinnaman can be a great actor in the right roles. This is not one of the right roles for him. Watching him attempt to yell out in rage with no sound coming from his voicebox is just one of many poor, occasionally laughable, moments. Kid Cudi, billed here as Scott Mescudi, is a cop who ends up drawn into the trail of violence, but his character could have been played by almost anyone. As for Torres, he is a generic villain with no real charisma or personality, basically waiting around to be confronted as the “final boss”. None of those people are treated as poorly as Catalina Sandino Moreno, who has to play the suffering wife who also chooses not to speak to her voiceless husband (for no reason other than the script requires her to, because . . . Silent Night).

Many fans of Woo may have been waiting for his return to American movie-making, but I think this just proves that he continues to do his best work in his home country. I love both of his Travolta-starring movies, and I actually don’t mind Paycheck, but it remains obvious that fans of his action and style would be better off revisiting his impressive back catalogue than awaiting any new mainstream offerings from him. Each one offers disappointingly diminishing returns.

3/10

Wednesday, 27 December 2023

Prime Time: Merry Little Batman (2023)

Take the usual enjoyment of almost any animated Batman adventures (they are available in a variety of styles, and varying levels of reverence, all are great though), add a dash of Home Alone, and sprinkle liberally with a surprising amount of nods to Batman & Robin, and the end result is Merry Little Batman, an amusing Bat-bauble to enjoy at this time of year.

To summarize the plot in the most basic way, Batman (Luke Wilson) is called away to a false emergency, leaving young Damian Wayne (Yonas Kibreab) home alone at Christmas. Well, Alfred (James Cromwell) is around, but he’s not the best company. And he isn’t quite up to the challenge when the Joker (David Hornsby) aims to get himself a little Bat-trophy for the holiday season.

With the main screenplay credit going to Morgan Evans and Jase Ricci, although it takes a whole messy history to make every main incarnation of Batman, Merry Little Batman has your usual superhero movie lessons about responsibility and readiness mixed in with a healthy sprinkling of Christmas cheer. Director Mike Roth already has experience with anarchic animated adventures, making him a good choice to helm this, and he helps this maintain a unique identity throughout. It comes close to the Teen Titans Go! style, but manages to reference plenty of Bat-history without feeling too meta or iconoclastic.

As surprising as it may seem, Wilson is a good vocal choice for Batman here, presenting a different side of the character compared to many others we have seen. This is him in kindly father mode, and Wilson works well with the material, and switches it up slightly when ready for a fight. Kibreab is enjoyably full of energy and optimism, a child with a skillset that makes him both a boon and a danger when enemies are in the vicinity. Cromwell makes an excellent Alfred, and Hornsby is a brilliant fit for the Joker (although I have seen/heard others who disapprove), and the rest of the cast all fit their roles nicely (whether it’s Mr. Freeze, Poison Ivy, The Penguin, Bane, or anyone else along for this Gotham City sleigh ride).

I can see this not going down well with some viewers, especially if you prefer the more traditional style of animation used in most of the WB Batman features, but I had a blast with it, and I know many other people felt the same way. It feels put together with real care and affection, and it’s a reminder that DC have been doing consistently better in the field of animation than they have with their live-action outings. If you didn’t realise that by now, have fun exploring their huge back catalogue.

7/10

Tuesday, 26 December 2023

The Heist Before Christmas (2023)

It's no big surprise to see that the director of The Heist Before Christmas has spent most of his career working on TV shows. That's not to denigrate the work of Edward Hall. It's just a generalisation that most Christmas movies, whether made for TV or not, feel more restricted than movies that aren't delivering the festive trimmings and a seasonal message. What is a bit more surprising is the fact that this is written by Ronan Blaney, who also did the superb A Good Woman Is Hard To Find. That does help to explain the grit and grime mixed in with the snow and Santa Claus outfits though.

Bamber Todd stars as young Mikey, a young lad who seems to have a chip on his shoulder. He spends his time trying to cause mischief and steal some odds and ends (spray snow, food, etc), which makes things even harder for his mother (Patricia, played by Laura Donnelly). Mikey also has a younger brother, Sean (Joshua McLees), and he is torn between being protective of him and wanting him to realise exactly how crappy their current situation is. Their mother is struggling to hold on to a job that doesn't pay her enough, but keeps her away from home for far too many hours, and Santa is unlikely to bring that bicycle that Sean has been wanting for so long. Or maybe he will, especially when someone dressed as Santa (James Nesbitt) robs a bank and then hides in some nearby woods with a bag stuffed full of cash. Mikey comes up with a plan, but things are complicated when he heads into those woods and finds another Santa (Timothy Spall). And that Santa believes that he is THE Santa.

I wouldn't recommend this to anyone after something distracting and heartwarming for this time of year. In comparison to many other dramas set over Christmas, including the classic Dickens text reworked many times over the past decades, this is grim stuff. There are children in peril for almost the entirety of the runtime, albeit in different ways, neither of the two Santas feel safe, and there's a second main storyline regarding Patricia and her boss (played by Lloyd Hutchinson) that is as tense and downbeat as any Ken Loach movie.

That dark tone is all done to Blaney's script, but Hall directs it in a way that refuses to allow too much light to be seen at the end of the long tunnel. I understand the idea of keeping everything harsh and dark on the way to an ending that most will hope is light and satisfying, which makes it all the more disappointing when the final scenes don't quite do enough to make up for everything that came beforehand.

Both Todd and McLees do good work in their roles, and I believe both are newcomers to acting, although Todd has much more work to do, considering how abrasive his character is throughout. Donnelly is excellent, and her scenes with Hutchinson allow both to dig into the best and worst of the nature of Christmas for those already struggling, and both Nesbitt and Spall are as good as you expect, even with the latter putting on a strange accent in line with what he considers a more authentic portrayal of Santa Claus. The other characters worth mentioning are the main police officers on the case, played by Bronagh Waugh and Peter Rethinasamy.

It's not that this is a waste of your time, and it's not that this is a bad feature. It's just that everyone has forgotten to make the destination worth what is quite a cold and difficult journey.

5/10

Monday, 25 December 2023

Mubi Monday: Gosford Park (2001)

There are many things that could be compared to Gosford Park. It was basically responsible for the hugely successful TV show you may have heard of, Downton Abbey, it explores the class divide in a way that has been a staple of British entertainment for decades (I am sure many came beforehand, but I always view this kind of thing as a relative of the wonderful Upstairs Downstairs), and it shows people bickering and veering off into conversations as they figure out who they are obliged to be nice to and how they can maintain, or improve, their own social standing. I couldn't help thinking of another unlikely comparison point though, and that was Blow-Up. There's a murder at the heart of the plot here, but is it as important as the ongoing hustle and bustle of everyone trying to go on about their lives?

The plot here is quite simple, although things get a bit more complicated in the third act. It's the 1930s. A group of rich and famous (some famous in the arts, some just famous for being rich) gather at a large estate for a weekend of relaxation and shooting, two things that many other people wouldn't assume go hand in hand. Many of those in attendance have their own agendas, whether they are part of the posh crowd or part of the serving staff, and there are one or two people doing their best to portray themselves as something they're not.

If there is anyone in the cast list that you dislike, don't worry about that. Like an anthology movie, this is so stuffed with variety that you just need to wait a moment or two until you get to something more suited to your personal preference. I won't summarise every character, and will undoubtedly forget to mention a couple of notable names, but this cast includes the excellence of luminaries such as Maggie Smith, Helen Mirren, Richard E. Grant, Michael Gambon, Kristin Scott Thomas, Kelly Macdonald, Stephen Fry, Jeremy Northam, Bob Balaban, Tom Hollander, Clive Owen, and Ryan Phillippe (don't be too put off by his accent, it's a deliberate choice). Everyone is doing absolutely stellar work, possibly boosted by their chance to work with the celebrated Robert Altman.

As well as directing, Altman gets himself a writing credit alongside Balaban and Julian Fellowes, although it certainly feels as if the majority of the groundwork was put in place by Fellowes. There's the usual busy dialogue, with many conversations continuing as the camera moves to and from wherever it seemingly decides to wander in each scene, and everything is pieced together incrementally to eventually give viewers more information about each of the most central characters and the deadly development that causes the weekend plans to be derailed.

Please don't come to this if you are looking for an intricate and well-plotted murder mystery. Although it has that element at the heart of it, and that was at the heart of the marketing (from what I recall), Altman and co. are much more interested in the relationships between all of the characters, the fragile spiderwebs that wrap around a huge room, sticking together in some places and easily snapping apart in others.

Much like a wedding at some large country venue, this is a gorgeous affair that gives you time and space to wander around and admire your surroundings, eavesdrop on numerous conversation and make snap judgements about people, and then be stuck there while arguments start to develop and you become increasingly anxious and uncomfortable as nerves fray and composures crack. Not literally, but it does a great job of bringing those feelings to the surface as you watch things unfold from the comfort of your safe viewing environment.

8/10

Sunday, 24 December 2023

Netflix And Chill: The Noel Diary (2022)

Based on a book by Richard Paul Evans, not one I can say I am familiar with, The Noel Diary is, in many ways, a Christmas film with a bit more depth to it than most. That doesn't mean it's unpredictable, and it's far from perfect, but I was drawn into this from the opening scenes, and ended up rooting for the characters to overcome the various obstacles to happiness put in their way. That's the aim of so many of these movies, of course, but not all of them do enough to make you really care about the protagonists. This one did.

Justin Hartley plays Jake Turner, a successful author who has spent the majority of his adult life alone and happy. When he has to head back to his childhood home after the death of his mother, clearing out the items she had hoarded over the years forces him to remember the past events that made him the way he is today. It also leads to him encountering a young woman, Rachel (Barrett Doss), who is searching for her birth mother, a woman she believes once worked for Jake's family many years ago. As the two work together to piece together the journey of Rachel's mother, Jake ends up addressing and re-evaluating his own past, and our leads inevitably grow closer as they are forced to put themselves in a position of vulnerability.

Directed by Charles Shyer, who also co-wrote the screenplay with Rebecca Connor (her only screenplay credit, to date) and David Golden (responsible for many of these films, but this may be his best), this has a sheen of care and polish to it that many of these films can lack. Although there's an ambiguity in the opening act that makes the whole thing feel slightly odd (maybe it's just me, I wondered if Jake and Rachel would find out some big secret that would connect them in a way to rule out any chance of romance between them), everything soon settles into an easygoing and enjoyable vibe while our main characters realise truths that viewers will have suspected from very early on.

Hartley is a very good lead, believable and charming. He's genuinely good at showing someone struggling to learn how to let down the walls that he has built up over many years, and this performance is a reminder of how much screen presence, and talent, he has. Doss is equally good, delivering the kind of performance that has me hoping there will be many more lead film roles for her in the near future. Although the core cast is kept relatively small, both Bonnie Bedelia and James Remar excel in main supporting roles, both portraying people who have impacted Jake's life in different ways.

All of the tropes you expect are here (lots of snow, disrupted journeys, a potential failure or two on the way to success), but things feel fresh thanks to the moments that feel pleasantly atypical. There aren't any major misunderstandings between our leads, with clear and open communication helping them avoid the kind of confusion you usually get in this kind of thing, and the resolution feels satisfying without being as "paint by numbers"as it could have been, which makes this feel like a bit of a rarity: a Christmas movie with characters who don't keep jumping to the worst possible conclusion when one thing goes slightly wrong.

7/10

Saturday, 23 December 2023

Bloody Muscle Body Builder In Hell (1995)

Some films are easy to review. Some films you decide to pick over while writing about them, hoping that inspiration strikes, or you're able to communicate your personal connection to whatever has played out onscreen. Some films are harder, they make you sweat a bit as you summarise some of the plot or the people involved, circling around until you find your way into the main body of the review. And then there's something like Bloody Muscle Body Builder In Hell, a film that almost defies any proper criticism.

As many horror fans may already know, and it will certainly be obvious to anyone who has already seen it, Bloody Muscle Body Builder In Hell is a riff on the Evil Dead movies. That's really all it is, although it doesn't seem to work on any proper lore or background to the madness unfolding onscreen. What you get is a group of people turning up at a haunted house, being trapped there, and being subsequently terrorised by terrible entities. And, as the title suggests, one of the trapped people is a body builder (Shinji, played by writer-director Shinichi Fukazawa).

Clocking in with a runtime of just over an hour, Bloody Muscle Body Builder In Hell certainly doesn't waste too much time in diving into madness. There's a prologue that delivers some action before you get introduced to the main characters, then it's attempted creepiness and horror for most of the time that our leads are inside the haunted house.

Making his feature debut here, and he hasn't written or directed anything else after this, Fukazawa shows an enthusiasm and passion that makes up for the many failings. There's no obvious decent budget to work with, the effects are cheap and crude, but also admirable, and everything has a surprisingly enjoyable feeling of being both derivative and boldly inventive. Viewers know what movie Fukazawa is replicating, but he has such limited resources that it becomes mesmerising to see what he can come up with in each scene as he tries to match the standard of that classic. Does he ever come close? I'll leave that up to you to decide.

As for the cast, they're overshadowed by the bloodshed and insanity. Fukazawa works alongside Masaaki Kai, Masahiro Kai, Aki Tama Mai, and Asako Nosaka, and the best I can do for all of them is just to namecheck them here. Nobody appears to have gone on to any other acting jobs, but they all prove themselves admirably game for whatever Fukazawa needs them to do.

Bonkers, bloody, and refreshingly brief, Bloody Muscle Body Builder In Hell is a cult film that many will enjoy. It's almost impossible to hate, as long as you know what kind of film you're about to watch, but I'm not sure how many people will absolutely love it. The sheer madness of it all works both for and against it.

6/10

Friday, 22 December 2023

EXMas (2023)

It’s always difficult to adjust back to single life after a painful relationship break-up. Some people try to keep doing the kind of things they did before. Some people try to change everything about their daily and weekly schedules. And some people throw themselves into their work. Graham Stroop (Robbie Amell) ends up in the latter group, although he was always a bit of a workaholic anyway. But his work is due to stop him from visiting his family for Christmas this year. Until it doesn’t. Graham decides to surprise his family, but the surprise is on him when he finds out that they’re all spending Christmas in the company of his ex (Ali, played by Leighton Meester).

That is all you need to know about EXMas, a fun Christmas rom-com that feels more spiky and slightly bawdy in comparison to the usual festive fare we get at this time of year. While it still stays within certain parameters, and some of the plotting seems to make no sense (although that isn’t unusual for this kind of thing), it’s a very enjoyable way to pass some time this month.

Both Amell and Meester are very good in their main roles, and they have the most fun when striving to compete against one another for the affection of the surrounding family members. There are also plenty of enjoyable supporting players, including Kathryn Greenwood and Michael Hitchcock as the mother and father, Veronika Slowikowska as the sister, and Donna Benedicto and Thomas Cadrot as potential love interests/complications.

Although I am unfamiliar with director Jonah Feingold and writer Dan Steele, both acquit themselves admirably here. Unlike numerous other Christmas movies at this level, there are actually a couple of set-pieces here that stand out (the best involving a large crowd and a goat), and a couple of running gags that become more enjoyable as they keep recurring. This is enough to help compensate for the muddled character development, even if things momentarily come to a screeching halt in the third act with a major incident that almost unbalances everything. Overall, fun is the main aim here and fun is delivered.

While it doesn’t do enough to break out of the tinsel-adorned confines of the Christmas movie box, EXMas stands above many others jostling alongside it. You can enjoy the festivities, as per usual, but you can also enjoy some proper laughs. I would happily rewatch this, and it’s highly recommended to those who don’t mind their seasonal treats having a teaspoon of spice to offset all that sugary sweetness.

7/10

Thursday, 21 December 2023

The Family Stone (2005)

I am not sure whether it is the streaming effect or whether people genuinely hold this film in high esteem, but 2023 was the year that I finally couldn’t seem to avoid seeing The Family Stone mentioned as a standard Christmas movie favourite for many people. So I figured I should see what all the fuss is about. I am still none the wiser, despite some good moments here and there that either deliver chuckles or tug on the heart-strings.

Dermot Mulroney plays Everett, a young man who decides to take his girlfriend along to the usual family Christmas. The problem is that his girlfriend, Meredith (Sarah Jessica Parker), seems a bit uptight and prone to confuse herself while stressed. This amuses some of the family, but also eventually causes them to become upset as Meredith appears to display some horrible bigotry. Things get messier and messier, not helped by Everett’s brother, Ben (Luke Wilson), taking a shine to Meredith while her sister, Julie (Claire Danes), proves to be quite a surprise distraction for Everett.

Written and directed by Thomas Bezucha, The Family Stone has plenty of snow, a number of Christmas traditions, and a final scene that underlines the good intentions it was aiming for. Unfortunately, it also has a bunch of people who seem quite horrible, either unprompted or due to the escalating circumstances they’re caught up in, and it’s hard to find anyone to fully care about. I am not sure that I wanted anyone here to have a happy ending, and the tone fails to get the balance of sweet and sour right.

The cast aren’t bad, and they all do what they can to elevate the material they have to work with. Diane Keaton and Craig T. Nelson are absolute highlights, the mother and father trying to maintain order as things start to slip further and further out of control. Parker can do uptight and stressed very well, and she manages to become more likable when she finally gets a chance to relax as she continues to struggle with her own awkwardness. Mulroney and Wilson feel well-suited to their respective roles, Danes shines in a way that will have many viewers questioning why she never got enough huge movie roles, Rachel McAdams is irritatingly bratty, and there are fleetingly worthwhile moments for Tyrone Giordano, Brian White, Elizabeth Reaser, and Paul Schneider.

I cannot say I disliked this, the cast alone kept it watchable and more entertaining than it otherwise would have been, but I also cannot say that I actually liked it. The whole thing has a mean spirit that doesn’t feel counter-balanced by enough festive cheer, and it’s strange to watch such an ensemble cast of characters that only have a few people you hope have a relatively happy ending.

I already know that many people feel different to me on this one. I hope there are maybe some others who agree with me though, if only to make me feel less like I am taking crazy pills for being so disappointed with it.

5/10

Wednesday, 20 December 2023

Prime Time: Your Christmas Or Mine 2 (2022)

I enjoyed Your Christmas Or Mine? and I have to start this review by stating that I quite enjoyed Your Christmas Or Mine 2. It’s not as good as the first movie though, despite getting so many people to reprise their roles, both behind and in front of the camera. There’s a very specific reason for that, a notable flaw that becomes clear as things move into the third act, but I will get back to that momentarily.

The plot is simple enough. James (Asa Butterfield) and Hayley (Cora Kirk) are setting off on another Christmas holiday, but this time they intend to remain together. And their respective families are joining them. Unfortunately, a slight mix-up at their destination leads to Hayley and her family ending up in a super-lush and expensive hotel while James and his family end up in what amounts to little more than a large shed. This isn’t enough to sustain the whole movie though, and it’s only the first half of the movie that keeps the two families separate. The rest plays out with a number of misunderstandings, personality clashes, and talk of people living in different worlds. Can James and Hayley soldier through another holiday mishap, or will this be enough to make them call it quits?

Director Jim O’Hanlon once again does well in terms of the straightforward visuals onscreen here, and in the way that he allows every member of the large ensemble cast to capitalize on at least one moment that allows them to shine. There’s nothing spectacular or unexpected here, but it has a fluidity and polish that many other non-theatrical Christmas movies lack.

Writer Tom Parry, on the other hand, seems to stumble slightly. He’s able to come up with some fun moments for the supporting cast, but there are times when it feels as if one or two people are being written in a way that serves the plot, as opposed to feeling natural and in line with how they have previously behaved.

Kirk suffers worst at the hands of Parry, and the grand finale relies on her being a bit less reasonable and willing to listen. She still remains a character you root for, but that is more thanks to her onscreen glow than it is thanks to the script. The same can be said of Angela Griffin (returning as Hayley’s mother), who is given a moment or two when she reacts to someone irritating her with a sharpness and anger that feels at least slightly misdirected. Butterfield gets to be a bit awkward and nervy again, and his character doesn’t seem to change much, which leads to him having a much easier task. Elsewhere, Daniel Mays, Alex Jennings, David Bradley, and Natalie Gumede help to add the most humour to the film, with newcomer Jane Krakowski also a welcome addition, and a running joke about her best-selling book creating exponentially more giggles every time it is mentioned. Ram John Holder (Hayley’s granddad) has some wise words at the right time, and the two youngest characters once again amuse themselves while the adults go through their different dramas. I suppose I should also mention Rhea Norwood as Bea aka Plot Obstacle B.

Skiing mishaps, a goat to be wary of, thoughtful Christmas gifts, an evening of excessive alcohol intake, and more fun elements guarantee that most people will at least enjoy this. It just doesn’t quite add up to a wholly satisfying picture though, and I think many looking for the right balance of Christmasiness, comedy, and romance will end up revisiting the first movie again before this one.

6/10

Tuesday, 19 December 2023

The Naughty Nine (2023)

This is the story of Andy (Winslow Fegley), a young criminal mastermind who is so good at what he does that he ends up on Santa's naughty list. Determined to right what he sees as a terrible injustice, Andy assembles a team of other kids on the naughty list, each one possessing a different particular talent to add to the team, and enlists the help of an airplane pilot to get them all to Santa's village in an attempt to pull off the most important hesit of their lives. The clock is ticking, and the odds are stacled against them, but if anyone can do it, Andy can.

It can sometimes still seem strange nowadays when you stumble across a movie on a streaming service that has a modern sheen, but otherwise feels like the kind of cheap schedule-filler from a few decades ago that would have passed some time before disappearing from your mind, and from the listings, within a matter of weeks. The Naughty Nine is one of those movies. There's nothing inherently wrong with it, and younger viewers should be kept amused and entertained for the runtime, but there's nothing especially right about it either, barring a pleasingly brief runtime of approximately 83 minutes.

Jed Elinoff and Scott Thomas continue to deliver screenplay results as a team, putting together the most formulaic and tame Christmas adventure that you could ask for. Actually, that's not strictly true. The film starts with a pretty great little school-set heist, as Andy and his bestie, Dulce (Camila Rodriguez), free a selection of confiscated toys they can then return to their rightful owners, but it's all a bit downhill after that.

Director Alberto Belli does what he needs to do, which basically means moving around often enough between the enjoyably diverse team members and ensuring that viewers see a number of the details that make up the security measures of Santa's village. It's competent, but nothing more than that.

Fegley isn't a bad lead, although he and his fellow cast members suffer from often being made to act older than their young ages. There's an odd clash of the childish innocence and sophistication of the whole plan. Rodriguez is fine, Madilyn Kellam works well as the sibling who ends up dragged into the whole scheme, and Ayden Elijah stands out as he is shown being able to affect people while he does his own equivalent of the Puss In Boots "big eyes". Everyone else has fun, but maybe they feel as if they're having more fun than most viewers. Or maybe that's just me being so far removed from the target demographic.

The end delivers a fun cameo when Santa Claus finally appears, but also delivers a final scene that feels strangely irritating in what it seems to be setting up. Overall, however, most people should find this to be a pretty inoffensive time-waster. It's just a shame that it wasn't a bit better.

4/10

Monday, 18 December 2023

Mubi Monday: Soul Kitchen (2009)

Director Fatih Akin has delivered some interesting variety in his filmography. The only common denominator, in the films I have seen from him anyway, is the level of quality. If you have seen and enjoyed one film from him then I encourage you to check out more. Soul Kitchen is a comedy drama that wanders through some very familiar territory with enough enjoyable quirks and twists to avoid feeling stale.

Adam Bousdoukos plays Zinos, a young man about to have a very bad time of things. Zinos is in charge of a struggling restaurant, his girlfriend is heading to Shanghai for a while, his brother seems intent on ruffling feathers as he “helps” at the restaurant, there’s a new chef making a menu that the regulars don’t find appealing, and a back injury to top everything off. With odds stacked against him, and deadlines set by both the local environmental health officers and representatives of the tax office, Zinos finds himself staring into quite an abyss. But there may be glimpses of light.

Co-written by Akin and Bousdoukos, this is a satisfying viewing experience that places extra obstacles in between central characters and their potential happiness, but also wants everyone to have a third act that will lead to people ultimately smiling and happy, even if it’s a bittersweet resolution for some. The titular restaurant is a cool and vibrant place, and we get to see it effectively transform and realise its full potential as Zinos steers through some incredible choppy waters.

Bousdoukos is good in the lead role, happy to be as helpless and shambolic as he needs to be before he manages to fully screw his head on. Moritz Bleibtreu is also very good as the brother who may end up doing more harm than good, and there are very enjoyable performances from Pheline Roggan, Anna Bederke, Birol Ünel, and Wotan Wilke Möhring. You even get a cameo appearance from Udo Kier, always a welcome addition, even if he is delivering one of his more sane and staid turns.

Akin and Bousdoukos work well together, using the characters as links in a circuit that energises the material, and the visuals are accompanied by a soundtrack that features some cracking tunes, including a couple of classic tracks that you would expect to enjoy hearing played in any premises named Soul Kitchen.

8/10

Sunday, 17 December 2023

Netflix And Chill: A Castle For Christmas (2021)

Okay, these films still woerk within the Christmas movie formula, but there have been various extra tropes that have become popular over the past decade or so. Instead of just focusing on a successful businesswoman holidaying in a small town where she falls for a man who spends his time looking ruggedly handsome and chopping trees (replanting at least two for each one he cuts down, of course), there are many films that have our lead character falling for a charming royal, spending time in a grand estate/castle, and/or being amusingly bamboozled and warmly welcomed by the residents of a small Scottish town. A Castle For Christmas is one of these films.

Brooke Shields plays Sophie, a very successful author who has just upset most of her fanbase by killing off a very popular character. Needing to get away from everything for a while, to keep away from the angry mob and spark her creativity again, Sophie heads to Scotland, visiting a castle that she remembers being a big part of her family many years ago. The good news is that the castle is up for sale. The bad news is that it is currently owned by a grump Duke named Miles (Cary Elwes). Sophie and Miles butt heads as they negotiate moving ahead with a sale that the latter doesn't really want to see through to completion, but there's also a spark of romance there.

Written by first-timer Ally Carter and the more experienced Kim Beyer-Johnson, A Castle For Christmas is absolutely everything you want/expect it to be. It allows the stars to shine, keeps things moving towards a very Christmassy finale (of course), and fills the screen with a number of supporting characters who see the reality of the central situation before our leads do. Director Mary Lambert knows what she needs to do, and she gets the job done, helped by a cast that approach the material with plenty of enthusiasm.

Shields has fun in her role, and gets to establish her character believably enough with an appearance on The Drew Barrymore Show in the opening sequence (featuring a cameo from . . . Drew Barrymore). Elwes also has fun, his amusing grumpiness almost making up for his attempt to deliver his dialogue in a Scottish accent. Almost. The other good thing is that the two look well-suited to one another, and it's somewhat refreshing to watch this kind of tale based around a couple who are in their late fifties/early sixties (not that either Shields or Elwes look as rough as I will at that age). Lee Ross is good value as Thomas, a helper to the Duke, a tour guide, and general handyman, and extra fun comes from some local knitting club members who befriend our lead (the knitters played by Andi Osho, Tina Gray, Eilidh Loan, and Stephen Oswald).

It's quite bland and safe, as so many of these films are, but it's also good enough to make you smile and enjoy the distraction while you get everything prepared for your own festive celebrations. I've already watched it twice, because I first watched it last year and forgot to write up a review, and neither viewing made me resent giving it my time, although I should note that I didn't find it as enjoyable and cute to see the Drew Barrymore scenes this time around (considering her woeful lack of judgement during the recent major strike action).

6/10

Saturday, 16 December 2023

Shudder Saturday: The Psychic (1977)

I was going to start this review by saying that this was one of the few Lucio Fulci movies I hadn't seen before, but that's not quite true. There are lots of Lucio Fulci movies I haven't seen before. The Psychic just happens to be one of the other titles I was already aware of, although I don't think I ever saw it mentioned as one of his best film.

A murder mystery that revolves around the visions of a clairvoyant woman, Virginia (Jennifer O'Neill), who hopes to use her particular talent to prove her husband (Francesco, played by Gianni Garko) innocent of a murder, The Psychic is an enjoyable bit of nonsense that is susprisingly satisfying by the time it plays out a fairly predictable finale. The mixed cast of characters aren't really people you care about, this is all about atmosphere and plot ahead of characterisation (standard for Fulci . . . although you could easily argue that he often doesn't even care about plot), but our lead is strong enough to carry the film on her shoulders, and acts in a way that feels plausible and understandable.

I will admit that my memory of this is already fading, having only watched it a few days ago for the first time, but horror fans will certainly view this as a very tame work compared to other Fulci horror movies. There aren't any standout set-pieces, no extreme gore or tension, but the script, co-written by Fulci, the prolific Roberto Ganviti, and Dardano Sacchetti (who would also work with Fulci on the Gates Of Hell trilogy), never tries to pretend it is aiming for anything other than a solid amateur detective tale in which the detective has the "gift"of second sight that may help or hinder her investigation.

It may have helped that I didn't know what to expect from this, all I knew (assumed) was that it didn't feature any major zombie outbreak, but The Psychic won me over quite early on. A large part of that is due to O'Neill, who is extremely watchable in the lead role. Nobody else is quite as good, and that includes Garko, Marc Porel, Gabriele Ferzetti, Ida Galli, and one or two others, but it doesn't matter. What matters is the lead that we are most closely attached to for the bulk of the runtime.

It's easy to see why this is rarely mentioned by people listing the best films from Fulci. It's just a decent little thriller, nothing more and nothing less. But I liked it. The use of the fragmented visions, lacking crucial context until much later in the movie, is a fun, albeit familiar, device, and the musical motif also plays in nicely before the end credits roll (the original Italian title is Sette Note In Nero, which translates to "Seven Notes In Black" . . . if Google Translate can be trusted).

Not an all-time great, but this was a decent distraction while it was on. Oh, and there's some excellent music contained within the score, including a section that will already be familiar to anyone, like myself, who saw the Kill Bill movies before seeing this.

7/10

Friday, 15 December 2023

Trapped In Paradise (1994)

The second feature to be both written and directed by George Gallo (and I think we can agree that he has generally done better work on films that have hired him only for screenplay duties), Trapped In Paradise is an enjoyable and cute crime comedy that is constantly almost unbalanced every time Dana Carvey is onscreen. Put anyone else in that role, or at least stop Carvey from doing a Mickey Rourke impression for most of the runtime, and you have a much better movie.

It’s all about three brothers. Nicolas Cage plays Bill Firpo, the only one of the three to stay on the straight and narrow, Jon Lovitz is Dave, a wily man who rarely tells the truth about anything, and Carvey is the kleptomaniac Alvin. All three brothers end up in the small town of Paradise, Pennsylvania, just in time to see the small-town bank stuffed with an enormous sum of money. It seems like a great time to rob the place, which is what they do. But, as has happened in many other movies before this one, the robbery proves to be a lot easier than getting away with the loot.

There’s a good movie here, one that is enjoyable enough to survive the antics of Carvey, but it’s also something that could have been much better. In fact, do we even need all three brothers? I would suggest that we don’t, and some minor tweaking of the script could have easily turned this into a low-key little gem. Some people do view it that way already, but it’s easy to see why most have forgotten it exists.

Gallo does a good job when it comes to setting up the well-populated cast of characters and various plot strands. There are family connections to establish, law enforcement looking to tighten a net, town residents being sweet and lovely, and other criminals, or wannabe criminals, who help to show just how good (deep down) our leads are. It helps that the screen is filled with so many people who are far less irritating than Carvey.

Donald Moffat and Angela Paton have main roles, and embody the good nature of the town, Florence Stanley is a tough and loving Ma Firpo, Mädchen Amick is a very believable potential romantic complication, and both John Ashton and Richard Jenkins portray two people approaching the situation from very different angles. Aside from some believable heavies, the hardened criminals who see the robbery and know someone has used information gained while alongside them in prison, that leaves our leads. Cage is a good mix of good behaviour and, well, Nicolas Cage, and Lovitz is amusing enough, if not best-served by a script that doesn’t make the best use of him. I think I have already mentioned Carvey enough. Maybe technology is available now that makes it much easier to replace him with someone less annoying. Like Carrot Top.

Enjoyable enough, and with the right amount of sweetness and hope that you want from any Christmas movie, Trapped In Paradise is one I would tentatively recommend to those who can overlook the one major problem it has. Although nothing really stands out, with regards to the visuals or score, it’s a generally solid piece of work that allows a few of the supporting players to shine whenever the focus turns to them.

7/10

Thursday, 14 December 2023

There's Something In The Barn (2023)

Although it's a far from perfect film, and it's hard to think of anyone who will love it (although I hope many others at least like it as much as I did), There's Something In The Barn may be best described as everything I wanted Unwelcome to be. In fact, the starting point is very similar, being all about a family moving to an inherited property after the death of a relative.

Martin Starr plays Bill Nordheim, married to Carol (Amrita Acharia). He is a father to Lucas (Townes Bunner) and Nora (Zoe Winther-Hansen), two teens who sometimes seem to act resentfully forwards their step-mother. That isn’t Carol’s fault though, and her life is made harder as she keeps being made to assume the role of disciplinarian within the household. Anyway, as the title suggests, when this family move into their new Norwegian home, there’s something in the barn. It’s a barn elf (played by Kiran Shah), a creature that doesn’t like bright lights, loud noise, or too many changes to his main environment. You can imagine his displeasure when the Nordheims decorate the barn for an ice-breaker party.

With a number of little creatures ready to cause havoc, the three main rules eventually broken, and the Christmas timing of the whole thing, it’s obvious what 1980s classic this is hoping to at least partially emulate. Surprisingly, there are a couple of moments in the third act that come close to really nailing just the right blend of anarchic violence and silliness that it is aiming for.

Although others were involved in different aspects of crafting the script, Aleksander Kirkwood Brown gets the main credit. He does a decent job, helped by the main cast all playing up to the comedy as the situation unfolding around them goes from bad to worse. Director Magnus Martens handles everything well, and happily takes the time and care to set up every plot point and gag that pays off in the finale. It’s a bit clumsy at times, and the film desperately needs more people available to be killed off by the barn-dwellers, but it has an energy, and an occasional earnestness when showing the interactions between Lucas and the barn elf, that helps keep viewers amused and entertained.

Starr may be slightly mis-cast, but it’s obvious why he was given a main role that feels just a step or two away from his more obviously comedic work. He’s fine, but the least of the central quartet. Acharia, on the other hand, is great, and she is allowed to take her character on a journey that feels the most satisfying out of anyone onscreen. Winther-Hansen is an enjoyable and typical teenage girl, and Bunner does particularly good work in the first half of the movie (when he’s akin to a certain young boy who found a certain creature in his own exterior structure in another classic ‘80s movie). Shah has fun as the main elf, and there are some fun supporting turns to show us other characters disbelieving the situation until seeing the madness with their own eyes (Henriette Steenstrup steals every scene she is in as a calm and unarmed local police officer).

Silly in the right ways, enjoyably full-on with the seasonal festivities, and balancing things nicely between frantic moments of tension and the lessons that our leads need to learn, There’s Something In The Barn is a fun addition to the ever-expanding selection of Christmas horror movies. It’s lighter fare than most, and I did wish for some more bloodshed and gore, but it makes it quite clear early on that the emphasis is on fun ahead of frights.

7/10

Wednesday, 13 December 2023

Prime Time: The Killing Tree (2022)

Although it isn’t wise to make a sweeping generalization, there are some production/distribution companies that make me dread whatever movie I am about to sit through. Wild Eye Distribution is one Uncork’d Entertainment is another. I wasn’t expecting greatness from a cheap British horror movie about a killer Christmas tree, but my heart sank when I saw the words “Uncork’d Entertainment”. It sank even further when I noticed that it was directed by Rhys Frake-Waterfield (who gave us the horrible Winnie The Pooh: Blood And Honey).

Thankfully, this was a fun bit of nonsense. While I wouldn’t rush to recommend it to many people, there are friends of mine who should enjoy this as much as I did.

You could write the plot on a grain of rice, but I will summarize it here. A killer is brought back to life, but he ends up taking on the form of a Christmas tree. Quite frustrated by this turn of events, he nonetheless sets out to kill the young woman who helped to get him caught and executed, and that young woman is attending a party that also has a few of her friends there, upping the potential bodycount.

Co-written by Frake-Waterfield and Craig McLearie (the latter having a filmography chock full of titles that the more innocent and casual film viewer might assume are all parodies . . . but we know better), this has some of the flaws you would expect, but at least counters the worst elements with a healthy sense of humour and self-awareness.

Sarah Alexandra Marks is a decent enough female lead, and she’s surrounded by a surprisingly solid mix of wannabe tree victims, and Marcus Massey voices the killer tree in a way that helps to make this much more fun than it otherwise would have been. You do get some people who stand out for the wrong reasons, of course, but it’s hard to fault people for not being able to elevate such a silly script and concept.

The kills aren’t brilliant, mainly due to the poor quality of the CGI used, but they’re strange and entertaining. The runtime is brisk, it somehow barely feels like a feature while also paradoxically feeling a bit padded out in places, and the finale works because of everyone involved embracing the silliness.

Bizarrely, the more I think about this while writing this review, I have to accept that I quite enjoyed watching this nonsense. It’s no Treevenge, but you could pair it up with that wonderful short and have yourself a fantastic double-bill of killer tree carnage. Once again, I end a review with a sentence I never thought I would write.

6/10

Tuesday, 12 December 2023

The Mean One (2022)

A comedic horror riff on the familiar tale of The Grinch, not actually named as The Grinch here for what I am going to assume are legal/copyright reasons, this contains a slim plot that plays out probably exactly as you think it will. And you get some rhyming couplets, of course.

Krystle Martin plays Cindy, a young woman who was traumatised as a child when she saw the titular mean one (played by David Howard Thornton) kill her parents. That was twenty years ago, but now the Christmas killer is back, and he is determined to claim more victims. Cindy becomes equally determined to stop him. Hardly anyone believes her version of events though, which makes it hard for her to get assistance from anyone.

Written by Finn Kobler, the good thing about The Mean One is a level of self-awareness and playfulness that manages to raise a smile on occasions (most obviously when people almost mention the word “grinch”). This might not seem like much, but it makes it better than a certain other horror film released in the last year that was based on properties now in the public domain. It’s just a shame that there’s little else here to enjoy, with poorly-written characters and a third act it becomes very hard to care about. The finale works though, as amusing as it is obvious.

Director Steven LaMorte cannot come up with better ways to present the material, sadly, and what should have been a bright and gory slice of silliness is instead a murky and messy slog through mishandled set-pieces on the way to an ending that may or may not be enough to save it, depending on the amount of goodwill you are willing to give it.

Martin isn’t a terrible lead, although she also isn’t great, but it’s hard to imagine what she might have done with better direction. Thornton, already so well-known to horror fans for his portrayal of Art The Clown in recent years, works hard to overemphasize his character through an impressive make up job, but it’s hard not to wish that the film-makers had leaned into the potential humour of the material. It’s there, but only intermittently. Chase Mullins and Erik Baker are a couple of bland cops, and John Bigham is a highlight in the role of Doc Zeus. There are other people poised to have a very bad Christmas, but the five mentioned here are the only characters that feel rounded out enough to hold your interest for a while.

I didn’t mind this while it was on, but I was definitely expecting the worst (and the worst includes a number of films just made around the word “krampus”). I won’t rewatch it though, and I cannot recommend it, because if you’re after another festive horror then there always seems to be so many more to choose from. But I am sure many reading this will be curious enough to check it out anyway. That’s why these films get made.

4/10

Monday, 11 December 2023

Mubi Monday: Passages (2023)

People who know me even slightly will be unsurprised to find out that I was happy to prioritise this film in my viewing schedule. Because I am happy to make time for anything starring the absolutely never-less-than-stellar Adèle Exarchopoulos. Put her in a main role alongside Franz Rogowski and Ben Whishaw and there is no holding me back.

Rogowski plays Tomas, a man in a turbulent period of a relationship with Martin (Whishaw). That turbulence is caused by his own behaviour, with narcissism and insecurity creating an unpleasant environment for the couple, and things become much more complicated when Tomas starts a relationship with Agathe (Exarchopoulos). Claiming to be in love with Agathe, and ready to commit, Tomas cannot stop trying to visit Martin, holding himself between a past he cannot let go of and a future he won’t fully grasp. And that isn’t good for anyone.

Directed by Ira Sachs, who also co-wrote the script with Mauricio Zacharias (and there’s an additional dialogue credit for Arlette Langmann), Passages is a thoughtful and brilliant look at some adults struggling to make relationships work while one adult tries to have his cake and eat it. It is in line with other films from Sachs, with everything shown in a realistic and natural way that keeps it aimed very much at adult viewers who will recognise the easy confusions of love, sex, personal freedom, and commitment to others.

Sachs is helped by his superb cast, although he is used to working with great performers who seem to deliver wonderful performances in response to his work. Exarchopoulos is arguably the most riveting actress working today, and portrays someone here who is optimistic, but also strong enough to take a stand when it is necessary. Whishaw does likewise, although his character is a bit more manipulated by a partner who is familiar with how to connect and reframe the conversation they are having. As for Rogowski, he is just brilliant in a role that requires him to clarify his neediness and selfish nature.

I am choosing not to say any more, for fear of any minor spoilers I think you should avoid, but I highly recommend this to you if you are a fan of any of the main players. It takes a few scenes to settle in to the main thrust of the plot, but things soon become riveting, and I know that many viewers will spend the second half of the movie hoping that Sachs can resolve things in a way that feels plausible and satisfying. And he absolutely does.

I can’t imagine wanting to rush to revisit this, but I really appreciated it while it was on. It’s akin to a bold and challenging stage play, and I wouldn’t be surprised if any incarnation of the screenplay had ever been developed with that in mind. Definitely worth your time.

8/10