Christmas Angel (2009)

Kari Hawker plays Ashley Matthews, a young woman who doesn't seem to have too many decent prospects on her horizon while others are preparing to enjoy Christmas. But not everyone will be having a good time. In fact, some people will be doing even worse than Ashley, even if she doesn't want to think about them. It turns out that her older neighbour, Nick (Bruce Davison), does enough thinking about the less fortunate for the both of them. He's a rich man who likes to do good deeds, and he needs a helper. As Ashley processes this new information, and starts to help Nick, she also meets Will (K. C. Clyde). Will seems like a nice guy, despite the fact that he's also a journalist who may sense a great story involving Ashley and Nick.

Christmas Angel is, like so many other movies now jostling for position in the viewing schedules at this time of year, a perfectly fine slice of snow-covered schmaltz. It's pretty harmless, and also pretty hard to praise or criticise to any great degree. I liked it, in the sense that I didn't really dislike it. The fact that this tends to be my default position with any movie, a starting point that I assume any movie will either improve upon or make a bit (sometimes a lot) worse.

Hawker, Davison and Clyde all do well enough in their roles, and none of the supporting cast cause any major problems. The potential relationship between Hawker and Clyde is given the expected unsteady beginning, with the former giving the latter a hard time because . . . . . that just seems to be the way she is, but the way the characters develop throughout the movie is quite nicely handled.

Brittany Wiscombe and Scott Champion are responsible for the screenplay, and therefore responsible for that character development. They do a good job, ladling on the Christmas sugar while attempting to offset the overwhelming sweetness with little moments of acidity. They don't quite do enough, there's just no way I can say that this isn't a bit of a schmaltz-fest, but they manage to make it better than it could have been. If this had featured an Ashley Matthews who was a bit younger, and quicker to believe in Christmas "miracles", then it would have been a real slog.

Director Brian Brough doesn't really have to do much, or so it seems. The camera keeps everyone in the frame, there are many reminders that everything is taking place at Christmas, and everything is laid out simply and efficiently enough, from A to B to C.

Yet another in a long line of seasonal movies that you'll forget about as soon as the big day has come and gone, Christmas Angel is sweet and earnest and eminently disposable. I tend to repeat myself when it comes to reviewing these movies, which is something I worried about until I remembered that most of these films repeat themselves anyway.

5/10

http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Angel-Bruce-Davison/dp/B002LVGXHK/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1418067960&sr=1-1&keywords=christmas+angel

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Horrible Bosses 2 (2014)

The biggest thing going against enjoyable comedy sequel Horrible Bosses 2 is that it, inevitably, pales in comparison to the first movie. But the biggest thing going for it is just how close it comes to providing as many laughs and great lines for anyone, like myself, who really liked the first movie.

All of the main players return for this meander through familiar territory. Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis and Charlie Day are now about to go into business for themselves, hoping to make a success of their Shower Buddy invention. They're made an offer by Rex Hanson (Chris Pine), which they refuse. They're immediately made a more attractive offer by Rex's father, Bert (Christoph Waltz), and they seize that one with both hands. But things aren't quite what they seem, which sees our incompetent trio attempting to turn to crime once again, this time with a spot of kidnapping on the agenda instead of murder.

Director Sean Anders, who also helped to write the screenplay with John Morris, has done a surprisingly decent job here of avoiding the usual pitfalls of comedy sequels. Yes, it replicates the beats of the first movie, but it does so in a way that never feels as if it's trying to desperately outdo what came before. Perhaps downgrading the main crime from murder to kidnapping dictated the planned perimeter of the gags, or perhaps everyone involved was just so busy having a good time on set that they had faith in the humour being infection, instead of planning the film around a few set-pieces.

Arguing over walkie-talkies about potential codenames, Bateman distracting a group of people by talking about pretend sex addiction, Jonathan Banks being a tenacious cop, a wonderful moment bringing people together with the power of Predator - these are just a few of the highlights.

As well as the lead trio, Kevin Spacey also returns to raise a few laughs as the "original" horrible boss Dave Harken, Jennifer Aniston brings more filthy chuckles as sex-pest dentist Julia Harris, and Jamie Foxx has more fun as "Motherfucker" Jones. They all come back on top form, and are given a few great scenes each. On the other hand, Waltz is sadly wasted in his role. He does well enough, but is only really a motivating factor for the plot and nothing more. Pine, who gets much more screentime, makes up for that slight disappointment with his performance, which is hilarious at times. The biggest laughs, however, come once more from Day. Bateman and Sudeikis get their share of funny lines, although once again Bateman is stuck trying to be the voice of reason at times, but it's Day who seems to always make the most of every line/reaction to events.

Let's not mince words here. This is glossy, mainstream stuff. It's aiming to be a crowd-pleaser. That's an aim that I think it succeeds in achieving. There aren't many BIG laughs, although many of the gags had me laughing out loud every few minutes, and anyone who doesn't like it can write it off as yet another lazy sequel. Yet I think fans of the first movie will easily find plenty to enjoy here. It's a no-brainer, which I realise is another criticism that anyone disliking this movie can level at it.

7/10

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Comfort And Joy (1984)

Bill Paterson stars as a radio host, Alan "Dickie" Bird, who isn't having a very good Christmas in this gentle comedy from writer-director Bill Forsyth. Alan has just been ditched by his girlfriend (Eleanor David), he's feeling pretty low, and then he gets caught up in the middle of a strange attack on an ice cream van while simply buying a cone for himself. This incident leads to him becoming involved in the middle of an "ice cream war" between Trevor (Alex Norton) and Mr. McCool (Roberto Bernardi), relaying coded messages through his radio show that makes his employer (Rikki Fulton) start to worry about his sanity.

If you've seen both Gregory's Girl and Local Hero then you'll be familiar with the way Forsyth likes to approach his material. Unfirtunately, this film isn't as good as either of those movies, but it's still enjoyable enough. It just runs the risk of being so low-key and light that it could blow away, like a dandelion in a strong breeze. Most of the humour is derived from the fact that the people involved in this "war" take it so seriously, despite the fact that it's just about ice cream, and Paterson is the outsider looking in on the whole thing. It's also worth noting, for anyone who doesn't know, that the movie is loosely based on some running turf wars in Glasgow that WERE dubbed "The Glasgow Ice Cream Wars". That situaton wasn't as pleasant, but Forsyth does well in transforming it and making everything more palatable while still being able to point at the underlying ridiculousness of any business competition that escalates to such extremes.

Paterson is very good in the lead role, initially watching events unfold with sheer bemusement before deciding to take a more pro-active stance. He also has a great voice for radio, making him all the more believable in the role. Norton and Bernardi are both fine as the warring rivals, Fulton is as wryly amusing as usual, and Clare Grogan has a small role, catching Paterson's eye and inevitably dragging him into the whole mess. David is also very good, albeit not in the film for that long, and Patrick Malahide does well as Colin, a friend who just wants Alan to move on with his life after a break-up that he assumes must feel pretty sore.

There's another great soundtrack supplied by Mark Knopfler, a great running gag about a car constantly being damaged, and a final act that feels as logical as it is amusing. There are also a few unnecessary dream sequences, one bizarrely awkward conversation between Alan and Colin about Colin's young daughter, and the feeling that every scene has space for some more humour to be added. I'm not JUST creating a clumsy analogy by saying that it's almost like receiving an ice cream cone with only half a scoop sitting on the top. Well, okay, maybe I am.

6/10

Keep hunting for a cheaper disc than this R2 release - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Comfort-Joy-DVD-Bill-Paterson/dp/B0002W19VA/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1417913464&sr=1-1&keywords=comfort+and+joy

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The Star Wars Holiday Special (1978)

Anyone who complains about the Star Wars prequels ruining their childhood, and the franchise, has obviously never seen this infamous holiday special, made with as little money and care as possible (or so it would seem). While not directly about Christmas, it IS about a major holiday and was first shown in November of 1978 in America, which certainly gives it a prime holiday spot, on the run up to both Thanksgiving and Christmas. And when I mention when it was first shown I should also mention that it has never been shown again. If George Lucas could nuke the entire planet from orbit just to ensure that this would be wiped from existence ("it's the only way to be sure") then I suspect he would.

The slim plot concerns Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew back in the Wookiee costume) trying to get back to his family in order to celebrate a major holiday, Life Day. Han Solo (Harrison Ford) is helping him. That's really all you need to know. Oh, well, I guess I should also mention that Chewbacca's family (wife Malla, father Itchy and son Lumpy) are somehow nightmare creations compared to good ol' Chewie, and guest stars make an appearance (Art Carney, Harvey Korman, Bea Arthur) in between small moments that feature Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), C3PO (Anthony Daniels) and R2D2 (Kenny Baker).

I don't know where to begin when it comes to expressing my reaction to this. Imagine that you saw Star Wars at the age of 8. But you saw it while ill, and under the influence of too much cough medicine. And there was also a strange music video featuring Diahann Carroll spliced in. Then hit yourself over the head 50 times with an old VHS BIG box of either of the Ewoks movies. Watch some episodes of The Golden Girls. And repeat. If you can still tell fantasy from reality then perhaps use some intense hallucinogenics. You'll be close.

Everyone involved looks embarrassed, and rightfully so, and for a holiday special this certainly isn't any fun. Director Steve Binder seems to have no idea what he's doing, despite (or perhaps because of) the input from 5 different writers. The only legitimate point of interest here, aside from the warped comedy value of watching a young Harrison Ford die a little every time the camera points at him while a young Mark Hamill continues to act beautifully naive throughout the whole experience, is the first appearance, in cartoon form, of Boba Fett, bounty hunter extraordinaire.

Honestly, however bizarre you might think this will be . . . . . . . . . . . . it's a LOT worse. The fact that nobody ever considered stopping this before it was transmitted is perhaps the most damning evidence available to prove just how many drugs were still being hoovered up by folks in showbusiness at the end of the 1970s.

3/10

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Christmas With A Capital C (2011)

There are times when I'm watching a movie that I start to wonder if I should continue watching it right through to the end. I always do. I'm a completist when it comes to movies. Even the worst films end up becoming some kind of endurance test. Yet a film like Christmas With A Capital C ends up being one of the more challenging viewings for me. Because I'm so far removed from the target audience. Should I even bother giving my opinion on it? Will my opinion be worth anything? Well, as conceited and arrogant as I have to be to keep writing nonsense like this daily, I tend to believe that I can always come at something from an angle which makes it worthwhile. In this case, I have to be upfront about why I realised I wasn't the target audience.

Christmas With A Capital C is a movie that could almost be summed up thus - one man (Daniel Baldwin) returns to his home town, intent on taking Christ out of Christmas. Locals, led by their mayor (Ted McGinley) fight back against him. Meanwhile, kids act sweet, adults are all warm and neighbourly to one another, and a little digging around unearths the fact that this troublemaker may have issues with something other than Christmas. Maybe he just needs shown the right path.

I am, and have been for many years, a happy atheist. That doesn't mean that I disparage, and dismiss, any personal beliefs. It just means that, yes, I start to feel irked when those beliefs are either thrust upon myself, or society as a whole. Many people will know what I'm talking about, I'm not going to use this review as an excuse to take a major sideroad. And that's why I wasn't sure about what to say about this movie. Because it's clearly very pro-religion. The title, and main driving factor of the plot, is derived from a song by Go Fish (a contemporary Christian band who tend nowadays to aim a lot of their music towards kids).

Yet, and I'm as surprised as anyone else by what I'm about to say, it's not actually THAT bad. And there are two reasons for that. First of all, the moments that show characters unable to repress their urge to shout out about Christmas having a capital C are settled among other moments that deliver some standard, pleasant family moments. Second, the scenes that show how the law can be used to keep religious activity/paraphernalia separate from government business are quite interesting. Whether they are based on truth or not, I have no idea. But I hope so, simply because I like to believe in that separation of church and state, as it were.

There is actually also a third reason for this film not being as bad as it could have been, and that's the cast. McGinley is very likable, even when he's being a bit self-assured and pious. Baldwin is appropriately unwavering in his attempt to keep the town a relatively Christianity-free zone, Nancy Stafford is fine as the wife of McGinley's character, and Cooper Peltz and Francesca Derosa play the two main kids, with the former being a teenage lad and the latter a young girl who just wants to be a singing angel at this time of year. They both do fine. In fact, they're better than Brad Stine, who is saddled with playing the kind of guy who assumes that kids will be entertained by short plays that comedically reinterpret the story of Christmas (and, in this film, they ARE).

The script by Andrea Gyertson Nasfell is pretty horrible at times, and director Helmut Schleppi seems content to stick scenes together with no fluidity or thought of context, so it's amazing that this doesn't sink right to the bottom of the barrel. It's preachy during many moments, of course, but it's aiming to preach to the converted, literally, in a way that feels just as positive and schmaltzy as many other festive outings.

4/10

http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Capital-Blu-ray-Ted-McGinley/dp/B005BRX8RY/ref=sr_1_1_twi_2?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1417728676&sr=1-1&keywords=christmas+with+a+capital+c

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To All A Goodnight (1980)

The first, and only, feature film directed by horror genre star David Hess, it becomes clear early on in the movie that the man was better in front of the camera than he was behind it. Not helped in any way by a poor script, and a bland cast, To All A Goodnight has very little to recommend it.

The wafer-thin premise concerns a bunch of girls who end up being terrorised by a killer dressed as Santa Claus. That really puts a crimp in their weekend plans, which involved some boys and as little clothing as required, but it doesn't cause any immediate halt to their proceedings thanks to the way in which people thankfully slip off on their own to be killed while the rest of the group conveniently forgets about them for a while.

Yes, this is one of THOSE slasher movies. One of the worst kinds. I like slasher films, even many dumb ones, and they're not movies that you watch if you require complete believability and logic. But it's still hard to enjoy a film that's as haphazard as this one, with every death seeming to take place in a different time zone, or in some kind of soundproofed environment.

There are a few fun death scenes, and some moments are so amusing (purposefully or not) that you'll be entertained, but this really sits low on the slasher movie totem pole, and even lower when compared to many of the other Santa-centric slashers that we've seen over the years.

I can't even tell you much about the cast, as most of them blended together into one, congealed mass of bad acting. Jennifer Runyon is the sorta-lead, I guess, and Forrest Swanson also gets a decent amount of screentime, but please don't ask me to tell you who was better between any of the other young women waiting for the killer to strike. Kiva Lawrence was okay as Mrs. Jensen, and West Buchanan, billed here as Buck West, has fun playing the first "crazy" Ralph, that I know of, to feature in a 1980 slasher movie. There are young men also onscreen, but they make even less of an impression than the young women, so I can't even bring myself to namecheck any of them. Okay, okay, William Lauer can get a mention, but that's it.

If most of the cast members aren't worth mentioning, it seems unfair to spend any time on the script. Alex Rebar has written something as silly and lazy as it is clichéd and predictable. Admittedly, this might have felt a bit fresher back when it was first released, but not by much. The kills aren't spectacular enough, the tension is non-existent, and the third act is messy and uninteresting.

It does, however, still manage to fulfil the bare requirement that fans will expect from this kind of film. And that is what allows it to gain a bonus point or two. IF you're a slasher movie fan.

4/10

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Happy Christmas (2014)

Writer-director Joe Swanberg is quite a prolific guy. The last film that I saw from him was Drinking Buddies, which I found to be okay. With an interesting, and diverse, filmography, Swanberg is probably most associated with films that are labelled as "mumblecore" - films with very naturalistic styles and sometimes non-professional actors mixed in. You won't find any major set-pieces in mumblecore movies. The focus is, instead, on the everyday struggles that people go through, the decisions they make and the repercussions of those decisions. Or, as I like to think of them, some Swanberg movies are like feature-length equivalents of Seinfeld episodes. Without the humour. I know that sounds horrible, but it's not really. I'm just emphasising that movies don't have to be about anything in particular.

Swanberg also stars here as Jeff, a young man happily settled down with Kelly (Melanie Lynskey). The two have a baby and they're also about to welcome a new arrival . . . . . . . . in the shape of Jeff's younger sister, Jenny (Anna Kendrick). Jenny has recently split up from her boyfriend and is relocating, which means that she needs a temporary place to live. But it's not long until she shows that she's not always the most considerate person, which causes a few problems as the household tries to adjust to the new situation.

I can't criticise the acting here. Swanberg is solid enough, Kendrick and Lynskey are both as fantastic as they always are, and there are decent supporting turns from Lena Dunham, as Jenny's friend, and Mark Webber, as a man who Jenny may want to get to know a bit better.

It's just everything else that's the problem. None of the characters are that interesting, nothing about the situation creates the tension that Swanberg must think it creates, and a number of moments just feel unnecessary, which is surprising in a movie that only runs for about 80 minutes. It's not that there aren't moments of, say, confrontation. It's just that they don't seem symptomatic of anything major under the surface. Jeff and Kelly are a loving couple who are trying to balance their lives. Kendrick is a bit young and irresponsible. Oh no, good god, how will this group even get through a week together? People drink, sometimes to excess, and people smoke pot. Those things may have been more frowned upon decades ago, but they will barely cause people to so much as blink nowadays.

I've probably given the impression that I really disliked this movie. That's not true. I just didn't like it all that much. It's so just . . . . . . . . . . . . there . . . . . . . . that I can't bring myself to have any strong feelings about it whatsoever. You'd have a better chance of rallying around a group of people to help protest against the colour beige.

Swanberg has talent. There are often, at the very least, individual moments in his scripts that make that much clear. And he knows how to get great, naturalistic performances from his cast. Hell, he's a decent actor in his own right, and good on him for wearing so many hats at the same time without everything turning to complete crap. I just prefer it when he also seems to have something to say, and that wasn't the case here.

5/10

http://www.amazon.com/Happy-Christmas-Anna-Kendrick/dp/B00MEQUO8G/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1417694014&sr=8-2&keywords=happy+christmas

Christmas Mail (2010)

Ashley Scott plays Kristi North, a young woman who has the job of replying to children who have written a letter to Santa. Kristi takes her job very seriously. So seriously, in fact, that she could end up causing a potential backlog at the mail office, something that the manager (Lochlyn Munro) doesn't want to happen. So he asks Matt (A. J. Buckley) to find out a bit more about her, and just what exactly she might be up to. It turns out that she just genuinely loves Christmas, and wants to make as many children happy as possible. But does that include Emily (Piper Mackenzie Harris), the young niece who has been staying with her Uncle Matt ever since her parents died? All she wants is for her uncle to meet someone special.

As ridiculous as it is predictable, Christmas Mail manages to be a fairly painless experience thanks to the main cast members. Buckley is easy to believe as a sweet and earnest guy, North is as cheery and cocoa-obsessed as required, and even Harris isn't too annoying as the girl trying to plan some way for her uncle to meet a good woman. Munro is pretty funny, playing the nominal villain of the piece, and Rolonda Watts is another bit of good cheer. Vanessa Evigan also gets some screentime, for no other discernible reasons than to provide the standard confusion/complication required in this sort of fare, but she's given very little to do.

The script, by Lorene Lacey and Steven Palmer Peterson, feels quite slapdash. It's almost as if they had the germ of an idea and then decided to flesh it out with minor touches they'd seen in other Christmas movies. Someone taking a great interest in the letters to Santa isn't a new idea, of course, but that doesn't mean that it has to be executed as lackadaisically as it is here. I mean . . . . . . it's SO lackadaisical that I had to check the spelling of the word "lackadaisical" to put here, as it was the most appropriate choice.

Director John Murlowski does nothing to pep things up. The only other plus point, aside from the cast, is the fact that is somehow still moves along nicely enough. Okay, there are one or two mildly amusing moments too (mainly involving Munro and/or Watts, but a dinner arranged for Matt and an elderly neighbour also made me smile), but not enough to make this one of the better choices you could make while organising a potentially crammed viewing schedule. Yet, like so many other films just like this one, it would probably work as background noise while you're battling with wrapping paper and sticky tape. Is that the real reason behind so many of these filmic baubles being made? Or do I just keep reverting back to the same scenario because I'm a poor writer with little imagination? Maybe both. Either way, you've been suitably advised about this one.

4/10

http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Mail-Ashley-Scott/dp/B005GUVGKM/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1417608746&sr=1-1&keywords=christmas+mail+dvd

I Am Santa Claus (2014)

If you saw Becoming Santa in the past few years then you probably owe it to yourself to watch this, similar, outing. Directed by Tommy Avallone, with a lot of input from Santa-loving Mick Foley (yes, THAT Mick Foley), this is a documentary that looks at a handful of men who look forward to the last month of every year, that time when they get to play Santa once more and give joy to the many children they meet.

So who are these men? Well, there's Russell Spice, a man who really doesn't seem to have much going for him apart from his Santa gig. I don't mean to sound nasty. Spice has had his share of bad luck, it seems, and as the documentary covers a full year we get to see him struggle to find a step back up the ladderof life. Even his Santa job may be in jeopardy. Then there's Jim Stevenson, also known as (to me, at any rate) Big Lovable Gay Santa. Stevenson is such a sweet man, and has many moments when his emotions bubble up to the surface as he talks about his life and the love he has for his partner, who stays too far away to make regular visits possible. Frank Pascuzzi takes his Santa duties so seriously that he legally changed his name to Santa Claus. Seriously. And Bob Gerardi is a real estate agent who enjoys putting on the suit and hat when equired. Oh, and Mick Foley gets his share of screentime, obviously.

While this isn't a terrible way to spend 90 minutes or so, by any means, it just never feels as if it delves deep enough into the psyche of men hardwired to be Santa. Most of the main participants give some background details, telling us when they realised that they could be a good Santa, but it still somehow feels like just skimming the surface. Perhaps that's because the selection isn't big enough to cover more interesting ground. It's obvious that Avallone thinks he has enough characters to work with, but only two stand out - Stevenson and Spice. Pascuzzi AKA Santa Claus is a nice enough guy, but he just seems like so many other men who found out that they were good at something and went overboard in attempting to be the best at it. Gerardi, on the other hand, just always feels like a real estate agent with a nice Santa suit on. Foley is fun, and his enthusiasm for the joy of the season proves to be the most infectious. There's also a moment with 'Rowdy' Roddy Piper that will raise a smile on the face of any fan.

I Am Santa Claus is good. It's just not great, and I'm surprised that we haven't had a great documentary on what it takes to play Santa during "the most wonderful time of the year". Call me cynical, but it has to be a job full of just as many lows as highs. Where is the footage of the day an excited toddler threw up all over Santa? What does Mr. Claus do if he had too much coffee in the morning and keeps needing to nip to the loo? What about those having to use false beards, just how do they stop the kids from tugging at them constantly? And COULD anyone get away with being as bad as Billy Bob Thornton? I want the Santa documentary that also shows me THAT stuff. In the meantime, I guess this will do.

7/10

http://www.amazon.com/I-Am-Santa-Claus-Blu-ray/dp/B00O2H4SQO/ref=sr_1_2_twi_2_twi_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1417606536&sr=8-2&keywords=i+am+santa+claus

St. Vincent (2014)

Bill Murray is on top form here as Vincent, an old curmudgeonly type, in this heartwarming tale. You could say that it's a film you've seen many, many times before, and it is. But the main difference here is that the main character doesn't change. The moral of the message isn't about changing for the better, it's about our perception of people changing as we get to know more about them, from their backgrounds to the deeds they may not talk about.

Vincent likes to drink, gamble, spend time with a pregnant hooker (Naomi Watts), and generally get up to things that are no good for him, either health-wise or financially. Which makes him far from an ideal babysitter. Yet that's what he becomes when his new neighbour (Melissa McCarthy) is stuck at work and has nobody else to look after her son (Jaeden Lieberher). And, yes, it's not long until Vincent seems to change as he and the boy begin to develop a friendship. Or so it would seem. As mentioned above, it's perception that changes more than any of the characters here, but that doesn't change the overall outcome of the film.

Writer-director Theodore Melfi, who seems to have honed his skills on a number of shorts after making a decent impression with his feature debut, Winding Roads (1999), puts this all together with great care and skill. Yes, it's a pretty simple premise to work with, but he makes the most of it, thanks largely to the great cast and the ever-so-slight twists given to overly familiar moments.

Murray is an actor I have happily watched in any movie for the past two decades. He rarely lets me down, and this performance sits up there with the best of his dramatic work. There are moments, especially in the earlier scenes, in which it feels a bit too affected, but that soon wears away as Murray seems to become more and more comfortable in the role. Lieberher is great as Oliver, the young man who sees Vincent in a different way from so many other people around him. McCarthy needs to mix more films like this into her filmography. She's just brilliant in a role that doesn't ever use any of her comedic talent, allowing her a chance to show just how good she can be without shouting, swearing or acting like a slob. Watts has fun, Chris O'Dowd does well as a Catholic Priest/schoolteacher, and Terrence Howard is just fine for the few minutes he has onscreen.

There's a pretty good soundtrack here, with one or two songs standing out, camerawork that feels nice and relaxed without ever dragging, a number of great lines scattered throughout, and a third act that is as moving as it is fairly predictable.

If you're a sucker for this kind of movie then it's one of the better examples to give your time to. I'll admit that I had a lump in my throat on a couple of occasions. Mind you, I'm a sucker for such emotional manipulation.

8/10

http://www.amazon.com/St-Vincent-BD-UV-Blu-ray/dp/B00P1WGIT4/ref=sr_1_2?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1417888295&sr=1-2&keywords=st.+vincent

Holiday Affair (1949)

Janet Leigh plays Connie, a young woman who is employed to shop at other stores and compare goods. She's a very nice kind of corporate spy. And Robert Mitchum is Steve, the salesman who knows exactly what she's up to as soon as she takes a toy train off his hands. That would be that, I guess, except for the situation that develops when she tries to return the train the next day. Steve becomes involved in Connie's life, meeting her young boy (Timmy, played by Gordon Gebert) and the man (Carl, played by Wendell Corey) who wishes to marry her, despite her reluctance to let go of the memory of her deceased husband.

Holiday Affair is the kind of light entertainment that shows how easy it can seem to get everything just right. A lot of the charm comes from the leads, but the pacing and fun script help a lot. One exchange in particular, one that occurs when Steve and Carl first meet, had me laughing aloud. Based on a story entitled "Christmas Gift" by John D. Weaver, Isobel Lennart provides a script that rattles along too briskly to allow viewers too much time to start picking things apart. Director Don Hartman goes with the flow, allowing the cast to carry the material without ever requiring them to lift anything too heavy.

Leigh is on fine form here. She's sweet and earnest, as a confused woman who wants to do the best by her son, but also doesn't want to leave her past completely in the past. Mitchum is at his best, as laid-back as usual, never holding back when it comes to saying what he means and meaning what he says, and very kind to everyone around him without ever appearing saintly. Corey also does well. He can't compare to Mitchum, although he does his best with a role that doesn't take the easy route of making him into any kind of major ass. Gebert is your typical gap-toothed, all-American kiddiewink from this era, and he's just fine. And it's worth mentioning that Harry Morgan has a small, but fun, role, because Harry Morgan is always worth mentioning, in my opinion.

I WAS going to end this review by commenting on the premise and plot developments not standing up to close scrutiny, with my main point being that they don't have to. The film keeps providing enough fun to ensure that nobody is overthinking things. Yet, it has to be said, this is actually one of the less fantastical seasonal movies that I've seen. The more I think about it, the more I realise that I think it entirely plausible. Okay, maybe not entirely plausible. But it's a Christmassy treat that manages to feel magical and delightful without having to include any angels, miracles or Santa Claus. Which is kind of a miracle in itself.

8/10

http://www.amazon.com/Film-Favorites-Classic-Blossoms-Happened/dp/B0050MB43A/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1417603922&sr=1-1&keywords=holiday+affair

Go on, you know you should really buy my e-book, that has almost every review I've written over the past 5 years. It's 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.

20 Great Christmas Gifts

I have made this list UK-centric but would love any of my American friends to simply use this link and shop away to your hearts content - http://www.amazon.com/. I get rewarded for anything bought as soon as you use a link on this blog, which helps make MY Christmas nicer too . And I'm sure you'll all be picking up this movie review guide anyway - http://www.amazon.com/TJs-Ramshackle-Movie-Guide-Reviews-ebook/dp/B00J9PLT6Q/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417775226&sr=8-1-fkmr0&keywords=tj%27s+ramshackle+movie+guide

Now . . . . . . . . here are 20 gift ideas for the movie fan in your life.

20. This wonderful slice of Price - http://www.arrowfilms.co.uk/vincent-price-in-six-gothic-tales/

19. An impressive ape head - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Caesars-Warrior-Collection-Set--Exclusive-Amazon-co-uk/dp/B00LO95JUM/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1417774036&sr=8-8&keywords=planet+of+the+apes+box+set

18. A super double-bill - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Captain-America-Winter-Soldier-Blu-ray/dp/B00JZL5BEK/ref=sr_1_2?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1417774112&sr=1-2&keywords=captain+america+box+set

17. This classic heist movie - http://www.arrowfilms.co.uk/rififi/

16. Some hunger before all that food - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Hunger-Games-Catching-Fire-Blu-ray/dp/B00GJLPLBC/ref=sr_1_5?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1417774316&sr=1-5&keywords=the+hunger+games

15. Top bants here - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Inbetweeners-Movie-Blu-ray-Simon-Bird/dp/B00O58MCHC/ref=sr_1_2_twi_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1417774524&sr=8-2&keywords=inbetweeners+box+set

14. Get schooled - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jump-Street-Double-Blu-ray-Region/dp/B00KMZ4BNA/ref=pd_bxgy_d_h__text_y

13. Have another walk in the park before the 2015 movie comes along - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jurassic-Ultimate-Trilogy-Blu-ray-Region/dp/B004KKXMSI/ref=sr_1_2?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1417774657&sr=1-2&keywords=jurassic+park+trilogy

12. *cough* http://www.amazon.co.uk/TJs-Ramshackle-Movie-Guide-Reviews-ebook/dp/B00J9PLT6Q/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1417774845&sr=1-1-fkmr0&keywords=tj%27s+ramshackle+movie

11. Some great clothing options are here - http://www.lastexittonowhere.com/

10. Action, action, and more action - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Raid-2-Blu-ray-Iko-Uwais/dp/B00IG9DESC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1417774972&sr=8-2&keywords=the+raid+box+set

9. My secondary choice for film of the year - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Inside-Llewyn-Davis-Blu-ray-Oscar/dp/B00HS2P7PG/ref=sr_1_2?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1417775075&sr=1-2&keywords=inside+llewyn+davis

8. My main choice for film of the year - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Calvary-Blu-ray-Brendan-Gleeson/dp/B00JO9O392/ref=sr_1_1_twi_2_twi_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1417775008&sr=8-1&keywords=calvary

7. The TV show of the year? Possibly - http://www.amazon.co.uk/True-Detective-Season-Blu-ray-Region/dp/B00HYCNWZM/ref=sr_1_2?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1417774790&sr=1-2&keywords=true+detective

6. Yes, everything IS awesome - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lego-Movie-Blu-ray-Copy-Region/dp/B00EXPOEGO/ref=sr_1_3?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1417774595&sr=1-3&keywords=the+lego+movie+blu-ray

5. Feeling blue? Get this - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Breaking-Bad-Collectors-Exclusive-Amazon-co-uk/dp/B00N433OE4/ref=sr_1_4?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1417774421&sr=1-4&keywords=breaking+bad+complete+box+set

4. Here be dragons - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Train-Your-Dragon-Double-Blu-ray/dp/B00LN488NS/ref=sr_1_2?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1417774383&sr=1-2&keywords=how+to+train+your+dragon+1+and+2

3. What's in the briefcase? A LOAD of goodies - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pulp-Fiction-Anniversary-Deluxe-Blu-ray/dp/B00M482Y0A/ref=sr_1_1?s=dvd&ie=UTF8&qid=1417774161&sr=1-1&keywords=pulp+fiction+20th+anniversary

2. Arguably the most fun film of this year - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Guardians-Galaxy-Blu-ray-Chris-Pratt/dp/B00IXGU7XI/ref=pd_cp_d_h__2

1. Anything from Dark Bunny Tees 

The Nine Lives Of Christmas (2014)

Sometimes I watch so many cheesy Christmas movies at this time of year that I start to wonder if it affects my judgment. Are some of the films better than others, or am I just so relieved when one is less painful that it gets bumped up a few points in my mind? I like to think the former, but bear that in mind whenever you check out reviews that I wrote up throughout December.

The Nine Lives Of Christmas is based on a book by Sheila Roberts. Nope, I'd never heard of it either. But that doesn't matter. What matters is that Nancey Silvers adapted it into a screenplay, and Mark Jean was allowed to direct it. And the two of them don't seem to do a bad job.

Taking place in the kind of picture-perfect American small town that now only seems to exist in the world of TV movies, this is the tale of a kind, handsome fireman (Zachary, played by Brandon Routh), a kind and attractive young woman (Marilee, played by Kimberly Sustad), and the cat that brings them together. Unfortunately, Zachary is afraid of commitment, which may hamper any potential progress for the attraction that the two clearly have for one another.

I really expected to have to endure this film, as I endure many other seasonal outings (so that you all don't have to), but I have to say that this was a pleasant surprise. Still not quite good enough to be classed as GOOD, it at least has some amusing moments that will raise a genuine smile and benefits from two leads who are very easy to like.

Routh deserves to be a much bigger star, and I run the risk of saying that every time I watch a movie that he's in. The guy is a decent actor, even if he's not among the very best, and he has the looks and good humour to make a role like this a bit better than it could have been. Sustad is a nice match for him, in terms of the tale being told here, and the two never feel too annoying or sickly in any of their scenes together. Chelsea Hobbs is okay as the woman who most people know isn't really nice enough to be with Routh's character, while Stephanie Bennett, Gregory Harrison, Sean Tyson and Dalias Blake all offer solid support.

As previously mentioned, script and direction aren't too bad either. You're never likely to get any major lesson in cinematic techniques when watching these festive TV movies, but this never feels like some of the worst examples - the ones with stationary cameras and sets that look paper-thin. No, this feels like events are taking place in a real environment. There's movement, and there are a variety of nice sets/locations used.

And there's some fun to be had. Especially if you're looking for something that's both romantic and also tolerable.

5/10

http://www.amazon.com/Hallmark-Lives-Christmas-Family-Romance/dp/B00PTGRZJE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1417266259&sr=8-1&keywords=the+nine+lives+of+christmas+dvd

The Christmas Spirit (2013)

If I'd known beforehand that this was based on a story idea by star Nicollette Sheridan then I may have been hesitant to give it my time. Not that I have anything personal against Sheridan. I don't know her. I can't, off the top of my head, think of anything that I've seen her in (although I am well aware of her success as part of the Desperate Housewives group). It's just never a good sign when someone attempts to give their acting career a kickstart with a movie that springs from their own imagination. It can often lead to unenjoyable ego trips. Prime examples being almost every Steven Seagal movie from the past two decades.

Anyway, let me get to the movie. Sheridan plays a woman named Charlotte Hart. Bart Johnson plays a man named Daniel Huntslar. The two of them meet, get along, and then find themselves on opposite sides of the fence when it comes to light that Huntslar is looking to buy up a lot of businesses in the area, in order to make a lot of money. Charlotte doesn't think that the offer on the table will make up for the potential negative impact on the lives of the many residents. But when one crashes their car into the other, the bickering comes to a temporary halt as they find themselves wandering aroung as spirits. They move around town, sometimes working together to help out the residents and sometimes working to either help (Daniel) or hinder (Charlotte) the potential sale.

Although I wouldn't say that this is actually a terrible film, considering the KIND of film it is setting out to be, it just ends up so horribly uninteresting, and slightly smug, that it's hard to care about anyone onscreen. Director Jack Angelo, who also developed Sheridan's story idea, seems to know that something good could be made here, but either loses interest or just didn't have the resources to make it the best that it could be.

Sheridan is fine, I guess, in her role. I'm not going to rush away to watch all of those Desperate Housewives episodes, but I'm also not rushing away to craft a voodoo doll in her likeness. Johnson is a good match as her male co-star. You can imagine the two of them being a horrible, vomit-inducing, power couple. Mind you, it is the season for such bouts of nausea. Olympia Dukakis is the biggest name in the cast list, from what I can see, and she does a good job with her few scenes, playing an old woman who can see our lead characters, even when they've transformed into spirits. Sammi Hanratty and Tristan Leabu do well as Charlotte's niece and nephew, respectively. Amanda Foreman is required to look harried, yet also emotionally strong, and she does that fine.

Oh, I forgot to mention everyone else coming onscreen long enough to wonder at events occurring, receive messages from people who couldn't possibly send messages, and accept a few other things that have no rational explanation. Christmas is the time to believe in the unbelievable - that's something you might say. You'd be right, but it still doesn't help make movies like this feel any less slapdash and lazy.

The Christmas Spirit is below average, and that's the bottom line. It could have done enough to become average, but that wasn't to be. Yet another one that you can tolerate in the background while wrapping up the presents and/or decorating the tree, although even then you may end up changing the channel.

3/10

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Christmas Magic (2011)

Here we go. This is more like it. The typical TV movie that appears in the weeks leading up to Christmas, one that takes a half-recognisable star name (hey, you all may not know who the hell Lindy Booth is but I like her so don't start with the sarcasm yet) and drops her/him into a half-baked, lazy story that assumes holly and fairy lights are enough to distract viewers from the fact that they're watching rubbish.

Booth plays a career-minded young woman who uses her mobile phone while driving through some bad weather and ends up crashing. When she comes to she finds out that she's an angel. No wings, no halo, but an angel nonetheless, and one with a job to do. That job is to cheer up Scott Walker (Paul McGillion - think of Norm McDonald with absolutely no sense of humour and you're there) and to get him to rediscover some Christmas spirit. Scott has a lovely young daughter (Kiara Glasco) to look after, a failing restaurant, and some musical talent that he's left to stagnate since the death of his wife some years ago.

It beggars belief that it took three people to write this thing. Joany Kane, Kevin Commins and Rickie Castaneda. Kane came up with the original story, which means that the three of them had to put their heads together for a few days to . . . . . pretend to be fleshing it all out, I guess. Director John Bradshaw then simply had to set up the cameras, ensure that they weren't moved much, and make every set and design choice in line with the work that you would see on some cheap daytime soap opera.

Booth does gain the film some bonus points, she's a pleasant enough presence in the lead role and if you like her (as I do) then you should find this at least bearable, and Glasco is alright as the typical lovely child only found in these kinds of movies. Not once does she ever try to beg for a new games console or super duper toy, and she seems perfectly adjusted to her life, despite having a father with such major hang-ups. Derek McGrath isn't too bad either, playing the angel who gives Booth her assignment, and Tricia Braun and Teresa Pavlinek both benefit from having limited screentime. They're not bad, but they don't get much chance to dissuade us of that opinion anyway. McGillion, on the other hand, is just a wet blanket sitting in the middle of proceedings. I know that his character has suffered, hence the need for a magical intervention, but he's still just too uncharismatic to really be bothered about. In fact, he becomes downright irritating at times.

If you're happy to watch the kind of film in which strangers can meet up and then, within minutes, one can offer to help promote a business, and also offer to help babysit a young girl, then this might be passable entertainment for you. But bear in mind that it also has a rubbish song included, one that is used a few times during the third act.

It will kill just over 90 minutes, sure, but it may also kill off a little bit of your goodwill.

3/10

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Or Amazon is nice at this time of year - https://www.amazon.co.uk/hz/wishlist/ls/Y1ZUCB13HLJD?ref_=wl_share 

Christmas Do-Over (2006)

It's a Groundhog Day Christmas, that's all you need to know about Christmas Do-Over. It's also enjoyable enough, if you're in the mood for it, and not quite as sickly sweet as so many other movies that have been created to fill up the schedules on the run up to the big day.

Jay Mohr stars as Kevin, the selfish sonofabitch who is invited to a Christmas that he ends up spoiling for most of the people around him. Those people are his ex (Daphne Zuniga), his son (Logan Grove), the people who used to be his in-laws (Tim Thomerson and Adrienne Barbeau) and the man that his ex is now dating (David Millbern). It's far from the best way to spend Christmas day, so you can imagine the frustration that Kevin feels when he's forced to keep reliving the day over and over again, for no apparent reason. I wonder if changing his ways might help.

Directed by Catherine Cyran, and written by Trevor Reed Cristow and Jacqueline David, this is a very effective timeloop comedy. It delivers everything you expect it to deliver, and it does provide some moments of amusement. The opening sequence sets up the main character, and how careless he can be, while the first run through of the big day then places all of the markers that viewers can use to keep track of the progress (if any) made by Kevin on each subsequent re-run of events.

Mohr is fine in the lead role. He's fairly amusing, especially as he grows more exasperated, and has fun when his character indulges in moments of more extreme selfish douchebaggery. Zuniga is required to look puzzled and exasperated, depending on the scene, and she does that perfectly. It's a shame that she wasn't required to do much more though. Thomerson is a treat as the grumpy ex-father-in-law, Barbeau tries to remain civil and pleasant at all times, and Millbern is, unsurprisingly, the butt of a few unpleasant surprised. Grove also does well, whether he's hiding disappointment or laughing at the actions of a childish dad.

You get snow, you get carol singing, you get a Christmas market, you get people trying to give each other decent gifts. Basically, you get everything you see in pretty much every Christmas TV movie ever. Someone gets hit with a snowball, of course. Someone starts to realise the important of non-material goods, of course. And there are some horrible items of clothing on display.

Barring one awful, cringe-inducing sequence that shows the main character helping to make a song and dance routine "hip and cool", this is actually quite far from the bottom of the tree. It may not be a beautiful yule log, but it's much better than a lump of coal in your stocking.

6/10

http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Do-Over-Jay-Mohr/dp/B000UAFDRA/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1416355190&sr=1-1&keywords=christmas+do-over&pebp=1416355191757

You know how you can show your appreciation for bloggers? If you share and share then every additional reader helps. Connect through Google or Blogger or any way you can, and rest easy in the knowledge that you've made little ol' me a very happy man.

And/or you could also buy my e-book, that has almost every review I've written over the past 5 years. It's 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.

Grumpy Cat's Worst Christmas Ever (2014)

Yes. It begins. It's that most wonderful time of the year. And I thought I'd start off my festive viewings with THIS film.

In case you hadn't heard already, or figured it out from the title, Grumpy Cat's Worst Christmas Ever is the first movie to be developed from an internet meme. Which means we may be able to look forward to a second Willy Wonka movie in which he sarcastically asks to hear your opinion on subjects, there's a whole film to be made from Sad Keanu, and perhaps even a horror movie entitled I Don't Always Know What You Did Last Summer, But Even When I Don't . . . . I Do.

Anyway, the slim plot here sees a little girl (Megan Charpentier) making a Christmas wish that allows her to hear the voices of the pets in the mall pet shop that she frequents. Actually, she asked for some friends but this seems to be a strange way of making that happen. One of the pets in the shop is the famous grumpy cat, and the two girls end up working together when a pair of robbers break in to steal a dog that's worth a million dollars.

The plot, however, is incidental to the main focus of the movie, which happens to be Lifetime movies, how to sell things to consumers, and the ridulousness of its own existence. Co-written by Tim Hill and Jeff Morris, with the former also working as director, the film takes almost every opportunity to poke fun at itself, and also the viewers who have tuned in to watch such a ridiculous idea. Grumpy Cat comments on everything unfolding onscreen with the right amount of sarcasm and disdain, which makes this a whole lot funnier than it otherwise could have been.

Aubrey Plaza provides the voice of the famous cat, and it's hard to think of better casting. Famed for playing characters with eye-rolling, sullen attitude, Plaza delivers a most appropriate vocal performance. And she even gets to appear in person very, very briefly. Charpentier does a decent job, essentially playing second fiddle to the cat, and it's good that the script also makes her consider the ridiculousness of things during the earlier scenes. This isn't a small girl who simply believes that Christmas is a time for magic and miracles. She wonders what the hell is happening and then gets caught up in the midst of a dog heist. Daniel Roebuck is a security guard, and Evan Todd and Isaac Haig have fun as the incompetent robbers.

There are moments that don't work. Scenes featuring the mother of Charpentier's character, and her possible blooming relationship with a young man working as a mall elf, seem to do nothing more than take viewers away from the main entertainment, while a scene in which the young girl feels genuinely at her lowest and worst simply feels out of place, considering the tone of the majority of the movie.

Just as easy to hate as it is to enjoy, the movie tries to use that judgment to wring extra laughs from the material. And it kinda works. I'm not going to say that this is a movie I'll rush to rewatch, but it's certainly one of the better Christmas TV movies that I've seen in recent years. I laughed at a number of the lines, fans of Grumpy will be pleased to see her face featured so much, and the scene involving a fast car and some mall doors is a dopey highlight.

Yes, I'd even watch a sequel.

6/10

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Noir November: L.A. Confidential (1997)

L.A. Confidential is, to me, a perfect film. Sometimes I just want to start off with a statement that clarifies all the nonsense I'll be about to write. In this case, I'd like to beg your forgiveness in advance for a shameless torrent of effusive praise. I really can't think of anything bad to say about this, a movie that I class as a modern classic and easily the best neo-noir of the past twenty years.

Dense and rich, this is a film that benefits from superior source material (by James Ellroy). It's adapted into gripping cinema by Brian Helgeland and Curtis Hanson, with the latter also taking on the directorial duties. It's not exactly hard to follow, as hard as that may be to believe, but it's a film that assumes that viewers will give it their full attention. It certainly deserves it.

Now, let me try to cover the plot and main characters without taking up too much space here. Guy Pearce plays Ed Exley, a young policeman who is ambitious, but also unwilling to use any eans necessary when it comes to catching the baddies. Russell Crowe is Bud White, a brutal policeman who doesn't mind bending/breaking the rules. The two men don't get along. When a local crime boss is jailed, Los Angeles suddenly looks like a very appealing pitch to a number of criminals who want to move in and set themselves up. This keeps the police department, led by Captain Dudley Smith (James Cromwell), very busy. But when a shooting occurs that results in the death of a fellow officer, and when the end result starts to throw up some minor details that hint at a much bigger problem, Exley and White realise that they may need to work together to get to the bottom of things.

There are other characters who play quite an important part in the proceedings described above, with the main ones worth mentioning being a newspaper reporter (Sid Hudgens, played by Danny DeVito), a beautiful woman named Lynn Bracken (Kim Basinger), a cop who advises on a top TV show and loves the celebrity life as much as his job (Jack Vincennes, played by Kevin Spacey), and a man who makes a living through not entirely legal means (Pierce Patchett, played by David Strathairn).

Okay, I probably took up too much space, but I'm still happy with that summary. L.A. Confidential is a film brimming over with detail and character nuance in every scene. Although it runs at just over two hours in length, there isn't a scene that feels superfluous to requirements. Some viewers may not appreciate everything on the first viewing, but return to it and you'll notice new touches of brilliance. Little touches that will ensure you return to it again and again.

The script is pretty perfect, as far as I'm concerned, with the use of narration by reporter Sid Hudgens a great way to both set up the context of events, and also skim through one or two montage moments. The direction is smooth and precise. There's a coolness in the setting and characters, but there's also a beating heart within every main character, something that becomes more apparent as the movie progresses and events allow them to show their true nature and intent.

Pearce and Crowe may have slight wobbles here and there when it comes to the accents, but they overcome that minor hiccup by delivering performances that I'd tentatively call star-making (despite both having already done some great work before this). Cromwell, Spacey,DeVito and Strathairn are also excellent, and Basinger gives one of her best performances (one that resulted in her winning an Academy Award). Ron Rifkin, Matt McCoy, Graham Beckel, Simon Baker, and everyone else onscreen for more than a few seconds, all do equally great work. In fact, even people onscreen for a few seconds seem fine. Admittedly, they don't have much time to screw things up, so that's probably just a given in most movie productions. My point is that everyone feels perfect in every role they're given.

The soundtrack from Jerry Goldsmith moves nicely in between some classic tracks from the era, the clothes and makeup are all as gorgeous as they should be, and there are plenty of enjoyable twists and turns that never feel forced while the whole tale unfolds.

Not just one to watch, this is one to own, cherish and rewatch on many occasions.

10/10

http://www.amazon.com/L-Confidential-Blu-ray-Kevin-Spacey/dp/B000Q8QH0I/ref=sr_1_2?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1417030620&sr=1-2&keywords=la+confidential

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Noir November: The Long Kiss Goodnight (1996)

Director Renny Harlin had quite a run of movies in which he could do no wrong, as far as I'm concerned. I include Cutthroat Island in that selection (a decent action flick undeserving of its legacy as "the film that sank Carolco" - well, Showgirls also had a part to play there). Shane Black is a writer who has consistently entertained me over the years (from the greatness of Lethal Weapon up the not-as-great-but-still-good-ness of Iron Man 3). And Geena Davis? Well, I've been a big fan of her ever since I fell in love with her in Tootsie, small role though it was. I'm telling you all of this as a way to explain part of the reason why I love The Long Kiss Goodnight so much, which is directed by Harlin, written by Black, and stars Davis.

Davis is Samantha Caine, a housewife who only has memory of her last eight years on this planet. Anything before that is a blank. She has a private detective (Mitch, played by Samuel L. Jackson) on the case, but has resigned herself to the fact that she may never know about any of her old life. Unfortunately for her, it soon becomes clear that her old life is looking to majorly bite her on the ass. Events start to occur that jolt Samantha back to her old self, a woman who used to work as a skilled assassin for the government. As you might suspect, she made some enemies with her past career choice, and some of them are keen to get their revenge.

Davis is a convincing action heroine, and has a lot of fun transitioning from the sweet and innocent Samantha Caine to the foul-mouthed, deadly Charly Baltimore of her past. Jackson does great work as her co-star, with the two sparking off each other nicely in between, and even during, the action moments. The two might not quite make it to the level of previous action movie team-ups, but they're great nonetheless. Craig Bierko is an entertaining villain, irredeemably nasty and always slightly over the top, while Brian Cox and David Morse both play characters who could be good or bad, making Samantha's encounters with them all the more interesting. Yvonne Zima does fine as the young daughter, who may end up in a bit of trouble thanks to her mother, and Tom Amandes is the supportive partner.

There's a decent soundtrack, an unsurprising use of snow and Christmas decorations throughout (it's a Shane Black thing), enjoyable and ridiculous action moments, and plenty of great one-liners (also a Shane Black thing, of course). I can't say that Davis has had a bad film career, but her capability in this always makes me regret that she didn't ever get a chance to truly shine in many other female badass characters. Harlin directs with his usual competence, but the film turns to gold thanks to the great dialogue and the convincing turn from Davis. I love it.

9/10

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Noir November: Cast A Deadly Spell (1991)

A noir set in a world full of magic, this TV movie allows viewers to enjoy a memorable adventure in the life of detective H. Philip Lovecraft (see what they did there?), a man tasked with recovering a stolen book that just happens to be the Necronomicon.

Fred Ward plays Lovecraft, and does well in the role. He's always ready with a dry, witty comeback and he can take whatever's thrown at him. Which is sometimes magical, despite his own rule of never using any. He's hired by Amos Hackshaw (David Warner) to find that big book, which leads him to a run-in with his ex-partner (Clancy Brown) and the lovely Connie Stone (Julianne Moore). Before you can say "The Maltese Cthulhu" it all starts to get twisty and dangerous.

Joseph Dougherty's script may not constantly reference the author that lends his name to the main character, but there are plenty of little touches that certainly give the man a tip of the hat. There's also a big finale that could have been ripped from any number of Lovecraft tales, which allows for some great tension and fun for fans.

Director Martin Campbell treats the standard detective story seriously enough, yet manages to keep things light and enjoyable with the numerous details that come together to create the world that the main characters inhabit. This is a world of lively gargoyles, drinks being poured by servers who can levitate items, people being marked for death by dangerous runes, and much more. While not exactly action-packed from start to finish, the film is paced nicely and contains at least three of four decent set-pieces.

Ward seems comfortable in his role, as if it's the kind of part he always wanted but somehow missed out on. Warner does his usual kind of thing, and it's what he does well. He's been around a while, and knows a thing or two about . . . . . . a thing or two. And Brown is a bit gruff and intimidating, which is what HE does well. The one drawback among the main leads is Julianne Moore, who just doesn't fit her role as well as anyone else. She seems strangely out of time, a bit too contemporary. I can't explain it any better than that. Perhaps it's the forced attempt to make her extra sexy at all times, which doesn't pay off at all during scenes that force her to pretend to be singing, or maybe it's just my eyesight. Alexandra Powers is suitably lovely, playing the virginal daughter of Warner's character, Raymond O'Connor is suitably unlovely as a henchman named Tugwell, and Arnetia Walker is a fun addition, playing a witch trying to look after our hero (even if he doesn't always pay his rent on time). Lee Tergesen has a couple of decent scenes, but his character is used for a surprise/twist that doesn't have any impact, thereby rendering it unsurprising.

While it never quite does enough to break out of the confines of the small screen, Cast A Deadly Spell does enough to make it well worth tracking down. The details throughout make it a relatively unique experience, ripe for (re)discovery. I could even say, perhaps in a whisper, that this could also be ripe for a remake.

7/10

The film is, at this time, available on YouTube. It deserves a disc release, but until now this video is one way to own it - http://www.amazon.com/Cast-Deadly-Spell-Fred-Ward/dp/6302233941/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1416849379&sr=1-1&keywords=cast+a+deadly+spell