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Archive for December, 2011

** Beethoven’s Christmas Adventure (2011)

Posted on Dec 22, 2011 under 2 Star Rating, Christmas, Family & Kids | No Comment

Universal

John Cleese, Munro Chambers, Robert Picardo, Kim Rhodes, Kyle Massey, Tom Arnold, Curtis Armstrong, John O’Hurley

One of Santa’s elves accidentally takes off in the sleigh, and crashes at a small town. In the process, he loses Santa’s magic bag which is taken by the owner of a big toy company who uses it to get hold of Santa’s never ending supply of toys. It’s up to Santa’s lovable Saint Bernard Beethoven to save the day, find the bag, and get everything back to the North Pole in time for Santa’s annual journey.

This film is perhaps the weakest of any of the Beethoven films. For some odd reason, Beethoven talks in this movie. To make it worse, he’s voiced by Tom Arnold, and that’s exactly who he sounds like. The story is mostly silly, and it’s not really too good. I’m sure young kids, maybe about 5-10 will love Beethoven and enjoy the magic of Santa and the elves, but anyone over 10 will probably just find it stupid. Sorry, but this is not my favorite film at all. If you’re into better doggie Chrismas Movies…Santa Buddies and In Search of Santa Paws are both better films. Unless you’re a Beethoven fanatic, stay away from this one.

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** Richie Rich’s Christmas Wish (1998)

Posted on Dec 22, 2011 under 2 Star Rating, Christmas, Family & Kids | No Comment

Saban Entertainment

David Gallagher, Eugene Levy, Keene Curtis, Jake Richardson, Martin Mull, Lesley Ann Warren, Marla Maples

Richie Rich (David Gallagher) is really rich! He has all the toys and gadgets that you can imagine, and lots of friends. But he also has a unique friend Professor Keanbeant (Eugene Levy) who is a great inventor. He invented a wish machine that grants any wish, but only on December 24th. When Richie gets in trouble for ruining Christmas, he makes a wish that he was never born. But he was too close to the wish machine, and his wish was granted and he ceased to exist. He woke up in an evil version of his town where Reggie Van Dough (Jake Richardson) was now Reggie Rich, and he now ran the town. Richie has until midnight to figure out how to turn back into Richie Rich, negating the spell.

This is a kids movie, through and through. It’s a lot like the Spy Kids stories, where Richie has lots of toys and gizmos and special devices that keep him occupied on his mission. This is technically a sequel to the Richie Rich film with Macaulay Caulkin. It’s a little silly for grown ups, but it’s a good kids film. If this one comes on (It’s often on the 25 Days of Christmas on ABC Family), put it on for the kids and find something else to do. Three’s not much for the grown ups in this movie, but I’m fairly sure the kids will like it.

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** Christmas in Boston (2005)

Posted on Dec 21, 2011 under 3 Star Rating, Christmas, Comedy, Romance | No Comment

ABC Family, Curmudgeon Films, Marvista Entertainment

Marla Sokoloff, Patrick J Adams, Lindy Booth, Jonathan Cherry, Shawn Lawrence, Art Hindle

Gina (Marla Sokoloff) and Seth (Patrick J Adams) have been pen-pals for 13 of years. They had an agreement that they would never met, and have never even talked on the phone, as they were strictly pen-pals. But when both of them unexpectedly get a trip to Boston before the holidays, they’re both petrified because even though they really like each other, they both used pictures of their best friend to send to the other to hide their insecurities. So both insist their friends take their place to meet the other. To make matters worse, the impostors can’t remember the lies they were told to tell, and the two “friends” hit it off together and are ashamed at having feelings for what each thinks is their friend’s special person. Then, as a last straw, the two shy friends meet each other without realizing who they really are. It’s a Christmas fiasco!

This original ABC Family film is a moderately interesting Christmas film. It’s not a wholly original story, of course, but it’s passable as a teener Christmas film. The two leads are pretty decent, but the two “friends” didn’t strike me as very into their roles. It’s not riveting, and it’s not overly sappy, but it’s a typical “wrong place, wrong time, too many lies” movie. There’s not a lot of Christmas spirit, but plenty of mix-ups and misunderstandings. Keeping that in mind, there is certainly an audience for this type of Christmas film, and it’s pretty very well done. It’s not my cup of tea, but I didn’t want to rate it badly for those who will really enjoy it. If you’re into the teen angst genre, for goodness sake, watch this film, but if you’re looking for the Christmas spirit, there are many other great choices to pick from.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

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** Christmas Vacation (1989) (aka. National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation)

Posted on Dec 21, 2011 under 5 Star Rating, Christmas, Comedy | No Comment

Warner Bros. Pictures, Hughes Entertainment

Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo, Juliette Lewis, Johnny Galecki, John Randolph, Diane Ladd, E.G. Marshall, Doris Roberts, Randy Quaid, Miriam Flynn, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Cody Burger, Ellen Hamilton Latzen, William Hickey, Mae Questel, Sam McMurray, Nicholas Guest, Nicolette Scorsese, Brian Doyle-Murray, Natalia Nogulich

The Griswolds are back. Clark (Chevy Chase) has decided he wants to spend a wonderful Christmas at home this year, and both his parents and Ellen’s (Beverly D’Angelo) parents have decided to come over. Even Cousin Eddie (Randy Quaid) and his whole family have shown up unannounced. But from the very start everything that could go wrong, does go wrong. With a few blow-ups and a couple felonies, they make their way slowly through a Christmas that could kill them or put them all in jail.

This is one of those ultimate Christmas movies. Is it really possible that it was made in 1989? That’s amazing. This is a film that is replayed year after year after year, and is still great fun to watch. I decided to watch it again this year to bring some cheer to myself, and to include it in my Christmas on TV Project since I didn’t get it last year.

I love everything about this movie. The characters are so wonderfully developed from the previous films (despite the kids changing faces). Therefore they get to develop new characters like the wonderful neighbors (Nicholas Guest and Julia Louis-Dreyfus) who have the pleasure to live next door to Clark’s kin. Brian Doyle Murray who plays Clark’s cheapskate boss, Frank Shirley. That along with all the inlaws and cousins makes a delightful couple hours. There as so many classic jokes and gags in this film that Clark’s followers in Facebook have been doing quotes from this film all through November and December. This is probably the best of the Griswold movies, although it’s hard to top Wally World for fun too. But this one has all the best gags in it, and some classic lines that will last forever. There’s no real weak point in this film (although the super fast disk trip down the mountain could have been cut I guess. I have no idea in the world why they had Eddie say “Bingo” at the end of this overdone trip down the hill.)

If there’s anyone left on the planet who has not seen this film, see it immediately. And if you’ve seen it before, watch it again! I know I’ve seen this 10 or 12 times over the years, maybe more, and I still enjoy every minute.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog

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** Under the Mistletoe (2006)

Posted on Dec 21, 2011 under 3 Star Rating, Christmas, Romance | No Comment

Insight Film Studios

Jamie Ray Newman, Michael Shanks, Conan Graham, Ingrid Torrance, Russell Porter, Burkely Duffield

Tom Chandler (Conan Graham) is a loving and devoted father to Jonathan (Burkely Duffield), and a loving husband to Susan (Jaime Ray Newman), but when he is suddenly killed in a car accident, he left them in a difficult place. Not enough insurance, and no way to pay the mortgage and keep up with the expenses, makes life hard. Together Jonathan and his Dad try to make life better for his Mom in order to be able to go on. They arrange for Susan to enter a radio show dating game so she can find someone. She’s leaning toward a lawyer named Greg (Russell Porter), but father and son determine that Kevin (Michael Shanks), a widower and Jonathan’s former ice hockey coach is a better fit. Now to convince her.

This is a Christmas ghost story. It’s odd how many people are killed in Christmas movies and how many times they come back, either as an angel, or a ghost, to set things right. This is another one. It’s a pretty fair little love story. It’s about home and family, and how to survive a terrible tragedy. It’s a bit of a tear jerker, naturally, and it is a bit sappy. But for a good Christmas romantic story, this is a decent member of that genre. It’s emotional, and touches the heart strings, but it is a pretty good story.

Definitely lots of Christmas spirit and plenty of sweetness and sugar.

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