Christmas In Montana (2019)

Sara Bradley (Kellie Martin) is a financial advisor sent out during the Christmas season to help rancher Travis Carlson (Colin Ferguson) figure out what he can do to secure a large loan that will save his business. Travis has a decent core business, but it soon becomes obvious that he also does a lot for the local citizens at no extra charge. Especially when it comes to Christmas-time celebrations. Travis will not be swayed on a lot of these activities - he's not going to start charging people for what have become Christmas traditions - and Sara struggles to find the right solution that will please both Travis and the bank. Meanwhile, she also gets to enjoy a lot of the activities and atmosphere, as does her daughter, Chloe (Ava Preston).

Director T. W. Peacocke has a filmography largely made up of TV show episodes. A LOT of TV episodes. Writer Julie Sherman Wolfe also has a number of TV show credits, but has spent the past few years writing a number of holiday-themed movies, so she should be familiar with the formula. And she is. Although there's nothing special here, it's in line with many other seasonal TV movies. It's just not as good as many of them.

Sara is the woman from the big city who falls for the charms of a small town, and a small town man. There are a couple of deceased figures casting large shadows (Sara is a single mother nowadays because her husband passed away, Travis carries on a lot of traditions started by his dead mother). Hot chocolate is a comfort to all, strangers become friends, who become family, and there are lessons about the true meaning of the season.

It's just a shame that the leads are quite dull. Sara and Travis don't really butt heads enough during the first act before settling into a more comfortable rapport, and Martin and Ferguson are left with many moments that rely on their chemistry together, which isn't there. Although neither have a great deal of presence, Ferguson is one of the blandest male leads I have seen recently. Preston does better, allowing herself to be welcomed into the local community, and finding some unexpected friendship and happiness. Art Hindle is the cheery grandpa figure (Pops Carson), it's nice to see him, and Victoria Snow plays Kay, an older woman who often pops round with tasty treats, and has grown closer to Pops over the years.

It may be unfair, I may have had a better run than usual lately, but Christmas In Montana is a Christmas TV movie that almost revels in its blandness. I can always remember that these things are often crafted to simply accompany viewers as they focus on other things (wrapping presents, decorating, maybe prepping some festive food), but this feels less worthwhile than so many others you could pick from the packed schedule. 

4/10

https://ko-fi.com/kevinmatthews

Yule Love It: Christmas Encore (2017)

Another Christmas movie from the experienced hands of director Bradley Walsh, and writers Mark Amatos and Jennifer Notas Shapiro, Christmas Encore pitches itself as a perfect example of this kind of thing. You wouldn't really give it any thought at any other time of year, but it's a colourful and frothy 90 minutes for the holiday season.

Maggie Lawson plays Charlotte Lacy, a struggling actress who is just about to resign herself to giving up on her dream and moving on with her life. Her one last chance comes along in the shape of an audition for a stage version of A Christmas Carol, directed by a TV star named Julian Walker (Brennan Elliott). The play gives her a chance to shine, as she takes the lead role in a reworked version of the classic tale, but will it be enough? And will she be able to forget the past that she once had with Julian, someone she views as having thrown her aside when his shot at fame came calling.

As usual, there's plenty that you can choose to hate on with this type of thing. The lead character is almost sickeningly sweet and good, there are moments that teach lessons to someone with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer to the face, and there seems to be a world that writers think exists in which people who are struggling to get on with their lives can still afford pretty great living conditions, always look well-groomed and chipper, and generally don't often suffer anywhere close to the realities of those on, or below, the breadline. I get it, this is a holiday film that isn't interested in actual reality (and why would it be? that isn't what people want as they often make themselves poor and stressed at this time of year) but it always stands out when it's supposed to inform the character. This is far from the worst offender, as Charlotte isn't ever shown to be crying over finances or worried about a roof over her head, but I guarantee that a lot of people working in the service industry will wonder how she has the time to also be involved in a play, especially at Christmas, and how she seems to generally maintains a smile on her face and spring in her step.

Amatos and Shapiro hit all of the right notes, giving the main characters enough of a backstory to provide a small amount of tension while the storyline focuses on a "if we put this show on then we might just save the theatre" premise that will please any fan of The Muppets. There are one or two spanners in the works en route to the expected ending, of course, and they ensure that the pace works well throughout.

Lawson is a bright lead, outshining the others, which isn't that hard. Walker does okay though, Art Hindle is the standard kindly elder figure, and Murray Furrow is the potential villain who doesn't seem to carry any seasonal goodwill in his soul.

Walsh directs everything capably enough, crafting yet another disposable schedule-filler that manages to be sweet and cheery without feeling as cheap and slapdash as some. It lands in the arena of the average, as so many of these films do, but that's perfectly fine, especially when you sit through the ones that don't manage to get to that level.

5/10

Here's that festive film collection again.
Here's a 4-pack that some Americans may enjoy.
Or just click a link and go shopping. That works for me too.

Sci-Fi September: Invasion Of The Body Snatchers (1978)

There are lots of people who love Invasion Of The Body Snatchers. They will tell you that it's one of the best remakes ever. I am not one of those people, although I DO really like the film.

Taking the classic plot, adapted from the book by Jack Finney, this interpretation of the material stars Brooke Adams and Donald Sutherland as the two main humans who stumble upon a subtle alien invasion. People are being copied, with bodies born and developed while the original human being sleeps, and the only indication that anything is majorly different comes from a lack of emotion. Can these two people, accompanied by some scared friends, inform the general public and put a stop to everything before it's too late? Or will they witness the development of a very different kind of i-Pod generation?

Directed by Philip Kaufman, there's no denying that this version of Invasion Of The Body Snatchers mixes the familiar elements of the plot with a number of touches that cement it firmly in the time it was made, the late '70s. Paranoia and cynicism were both running rife at this point. It was, in many ways, similar to the atmosphere of the '50s, which is probably why both versions work so well as two movies that are the same but different (if you know what I mean).

The screenplay by W. D. Richter doesn't waste much time, and builds everything beautifully towards a tense finale. Details are sprinkled liberally throughout every major scene that shows just how the invasion is supposed to move forward, and the science of the process feels much more scarily realistic, and visceral, than it did in the original movie. It's just a shame, however, that a lot seems to happen in such a short space of time, making the third act something of a foregone conclusion once viewers see the rapid exponential growth of the problem.

Adams and Sutherland are both excellent in their lead roles, with both offering believable performances as they stumble upon one oddity after another and eventually piece everything together. They're joined, for part of the movie, by Veronica Cartwright and Jeff Goldblum, who also do some great work. And then there's Leonard Nimoy, a suitable inclusion for two main reasons. One, he's a sci-fi icon. Two, he's best known for playing a character who doesn't show any emotion, making his role both ironic and nicely ambiguous (because it's hard to watch Nimoy onscreen and not still think of him as Spock, a character he will always be so thoroughly intertwined with). Art Hindle plays Adams' husband, and does solid work with his relatively small role.

While the special effects may not be up there with the likes of The Thing, The Fly and other great sci-fi horrors that would appear in the next decade, they're quite impressive. Used sparingly, the practical work is as life-like as it needs to be, without ever being given too much time in the spotlight. This isn't an FX showcase - they serve the story, and that's all (although, for those who have already seen it, there's one detail in the final half hour that remains one of the most enjoyably bizarre ever included in any version of the material).

There's so much to like here that I feel slightly guilty for not liking it quite as much as most sci-fi horror fans. Hell, the Kevin McCarthy cameo alone gives it a bonus point. Yet I just can't help yearning for the simpler, more streamlined execution of the story that we got with the original version. This film doesn't necessarily feel bloated, but the layering added throughout detracts slightly from the beautiful simplicity of the core premise.

Already enjoyed by so many, be sure to give this one a watch if you've missed it up until now. Or people may point at you and make strange noises.

8/10

http://www.amazon.com/Invasion-Snatchers-Collectors-Donald-Sutherland/dp/B000QQJ3Q0/ref=sr_1_3?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1410500929&sr=1-3&keywords=invasion+of+the+body+snatchers

Although anyone with multi-region capabilities should really go with the Arrow Bluray release.

You know what you can do if you liked this review, or any of the other reviews here at For It Is Man's Number? Yes, you can buy my e-book, that has almost every review I've written over the past 5 years. It's packed full of gems (the movies, not the actual writing - hey, I know my limits) and very reasonably priced for the sheer amount of content.

The UK version can be bought here - http://www.amazon.co.uk/TJs-Ramshackle-Movie-Guide-Reviews-ebook/dp/B00J9PLT6Q/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1395945647&sr=1-3&keywords=movie+guide

And American folks can buy it here - http://www.amazon.com/TJs-Ramshackle-Movie-Guide-Reviews-ebook/dp/B00J9PLT6Q/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1395945752&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=TJs+ramshackle+mov

As much as I love the rest of the world, I can't keep up with all of the different links in different territories, but trust me when I say that it should be there on your local Amazon.

Monster Brawl (2011)

Guys love monsters. Guys also love wrestling. So what could be better than a movie about monsters wrestling? That's the concept of Monster Brawl and that's all you need to know about it. Written and directed by Jesse T. Cook, it really does keep things that simple.

The movie is shot/shown in the style of a wrestling special. A couple of commentators (played by Dave Foley and Art Hindle) are on hand to talk to viewers while monsters square off against each other. It's not non-stop fighting, however, as there are also backstories to be told and statistics to be reeled off. Jimmy Hart appears in the role of . . . . . . . . . Jimmy Hart and he's very annoying in between each wrestling match, though he's also accompanied by a couple of pretty women so every cloud has a silver lining, I suppose. There's also the gravelly voice of Lance Henriksen introducing opponents, announcing special moves and declaring the winner in a style very reminiscent of many old beat 'em up videogames.

Wrestling fans may be kept happy enough to see Kevin Nash in a supporting role but monster fans will want to know who is getting in the ring. Well, that would be Frankenstein (who they admit at one point should be called Frankenstein's Monster), Cyclops, Witch Bitch, Swamp Gut, The Mummy, The Werewolf, Zombie Man and Lady Vampire. A decent selection, I think you'll agree.

Monster Brawl IS fun, it is. You should know from the title exactly what you're getting and you get just that. It's just a shame that there's really nothing more to it. The script has a few funny lines here and there but more would have been welcome. The fighting action is amusing enough the first time around but soon gets tiresome after that. Having said that, perhaps any fan of wrestling (which I am most definitely not) will be able to derive more pleasure from this. It's a standard competition set-up, a kind of Top Trumps with physical abilities being used as opposed to just measured against one another in statistical form.

Add a point to my rating if you're a huge wrestling fan, subtract two points if you're not a huge fan of monsters of any kind and take the score down even lower if you're a cineaste who only likes to watch the worthwhile classics.

6/10

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Monster-Brawl-DVD-Dave-Foley/dp/B00838056U/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1347484705&sr=1-1