Olive, The Other Reindeer (1999)

Olive, The Other Reindeer is an odd, sweet slice of animation that, thanks to the quirky humour and strange style of the whole thing, perfectly hits all of the expected Christmas story beats without feeling like a carbon copy of so many other tales just like it.

Drew Barrymore voices Olive, a dog that doesn't always act as a dog should. Olive also loves Christmas, so she decides to head on a long journey to help out Santa. A reindeer is injured, which means no sleigh availability, which means the possibility of NO Christmas. And that just won't do. Along the way, Olive befriends a hustling penguin (Martini, voiced by Joe Pantoliano) and has to avoid the clutches of a very grumpy mailman (voiced by Dan Castellaneta).

Directed by Steve Moore, and "presented" by Matt Groening, it's quite obvious from the opening scenes that this is something that will appeal to those who enjoy The Simpsons. The crude animation makes up in heart what it seems to lack in grace and precision, the dialogue is a lot of fun, and the pacing is perfect (with a runtime of approximately 45 minutes, it doesn't feel too short but also doesn't outstay its welcome). The script, written by Steve Young, based on the book by J. Otto Seibold and Vivian Walsh, is simple in the plotting but full of delightful lines peppered throughout every scene.

The voice cast also helps a lot. Barrymore has just the right, upbeat, voice for the main character. If anyone can play a likable, hustling penguin then that someone is Pantoliano, and Castellaneta can do general grumpiness in his sleep. As well as those featured players, viewers are also treated to the vocal stylings of Edward Asner, Peter MacNicol, Tim Meadows, Jay Mohr, and even a great little musical moment involving Michael Stipe.

Overall, this is a great short film to incorporate into any annual viewing selection. While not as established as many other classics, and not as polished or covered in bells and whistles as some modern features (yes, you know I am looking at you and your 3D motion capture shenanigans, Robert Zemeckis), this makes up for any shortcomings with humour and heart. And it's mostly the heart that makes it such a lovely seasonal gem.

8/10

UK folks can pick up the DVD here.
Americanos can pick it up here.

Poison Ivy (1992)

Like other, slightly better, examples from the subgenre, Poison Ivy is an erotic thriller that walks a fine line between pulpy trash and dark psychological study. It's maybe not the cream of the crop but it's certainly a very enjoyable movie, buoyed by great performances from all involved and the easy-to-understand appeal of Drew Barrymore in full-on sexy mode.

Sara Gilbert plays Sylvie Cooper, the young girl who finds herself developing a friendship with the strange and exciting Ivy (Barrymore). The two soon become inseparable, which helps Sylvie no end as she deals with the continuing illness that keeps her mother (Cheryl Ladd) bedridden and the animosity that she has for her father (Tom Skerritt). But friendship can quickly sour and Sylvie soon starts to envy Ivy, with her free spirit and her ability to get attention and the fact that she doesn't mind shopping for new fashion choices that Sylvie usually ends up paying for. Things get even worse when Ivy takes things further, scheming and manipulating to get exactly what she wants.

Director Katt Shea doesn't really have a lengthy, glowing filmography but she actually does very good work and certainly meet audience expectations (and, hey, I even quite enjoyed The Rage: Carrie II despite expecting to hate it). She's helped here by a decent script (co-written by herself and Andy Ruben) based on a story by Melissa Goddard, something that titillates and teases in places while also ensuring that viewers stay considerate of the very differing personalities onscreen and how they're affecting each other.

The camerawork is perfectly fine, though the soundtrack is a bit cliche and cheesy in places (a bit of soft rock here, a saxophone moment there), but the cast make up for any shortcomings elsewhere. Sara Gilbert is likeable and understandably emotional, Drew Barrymore is a fantastic potential femme fatale - sexy, persuasive and always just playful enough to avoid being hated. Tom Skerritt does well as the flawed father figure and Cheryl Ladd is very good indeed as a woman tired of living with her ongoing health problems.

Some people may watch the movie and hope for more nudity, others may want more drama and thrills. I think it gets a decent balance of the two and remains a solid erotic thriller.

7/10.

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