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Archive for Christmas

** Christmas Caper (2007)

Posted on Dec 28, 2011 under 2 Star Rating, Christmas, Comedy | No Comment

ABC Family, Shavick Entertainment, Regent Entertainment

Shannen Doherty, Ty Olsson, Conrad Coates, Stefanie von Pfetten, Sonya Salomaa, Natasha Calis, Reg Tupper, Tara Wilson

Cate Dove (Shannen Doherty) is a common thief. The burgler, break-into-your-home kind of thief. But when her latest heist goes bad, she high tails it to Connecticut to her hometown to hide out a while. She’s tasked to babysit her niece and nephew until the parents can get home for Christmas, which seems like a good way to hide out. While there, she spends her time planning revenge on Clive (Conrad Coates) her former partner who double crossed her until she finally finds some Christmas spirit and is able to turn her life around.

Shannen Doherty is not awful in this film. I think a lot of people wanted her to be. But she’s not great either. This is a somewhat familiar story, of a crook who gets in a bit too deep, hiding out from the cops and from those who want to steal what she has, finding value in family and wishing to change her life around, but not being able to because she gets pulled back it. It’s a pretty simple concept, two sisters, one good and one bad. The good one got married and had kids, the bad one became an outlaw. There isn’t enough uniqueness to this film to make it very worthwhile. It’s ok, just to pass the time, but I’m not sure why they keep bringing this back. It was ok in 2007, but I don’t think it’s good enough for repeated viewings. Perhaps it’s because it’s an ABC Family movie, and they have to fill up 25 days, and like to use a lot of their own stuff. This one ought to be retired. It’s not horrible if you’ve not seen it before or if you’re a Shannen fan, but let’s not bring this one back next year, ok?

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Movie Review – The Nutcracker in 3D (2010) {PG} (aka: The Nutcracker The Untold Story

Posted on Dec 28, 2011 under 3 Star Rating, Action & Adventure, Christmas, Drama | No Comment

HCC Media Group, Nutcracker Holdings, Russian Roulette Ltd.

Elle Fanning, Nathan Lane, John Turturro, Frances de la Tour, Richard E. Grant, Yuliya Vysotskaya, Shirley Henderson, Aaron Michael Drozin, Charlie Rowe, Peter Elliott

Note: This film in theaters was called “The Nutcracker in 3D” and is often referenced by that title. When it was released on DVD, it was NOT a 3D movie, so the title was changed to “The Nutcracker the Untold Story”. If you seek the DVD look for the alternate title although both are often referenced.

This is a very fanciful telling of the “story” of The Nutcracker without the ballet part. It’s fanciful and very imaginative, but it it is NOT the ballet. Let’s start with that upfront. This is the story of Mary (Elle Fanning) in a wonderful house with a bratty little brother Max (Aaron Michael Drozin) who drives her nuts, and two loving parents who are so distracted by their own lives that she is mostly lonely and neglected. On a big night out, Uncle Albert (Nathan Lane) arrives to babysit bringing a wonderful mechanical doll house filled with amazing dolls, and of course, a nutcracker which Max breaks almost immediately. Mary’s imagination takes off and brings the Nutcracker to life and all the other characters from the doll house. However, the Rat King (John Turturro) wants to take over the world of humans and turn it into a rat kingdom. He’s a bad guy, so Mary and NC (which the Nutcracker Prince prefers to be called) have to fight with all their might to turn back the Rat King’s plans.

This is a very bizarre story, and one that a lot of people hated. First, it’s a little bit dark and scary as the rat people look like evil “Whovians” from The Grinch! They’re a bit nasty toward the end, and act like Nazi’s, which might scare the under 10 crowd a little bit. Also, it’s not very believable. How many fantasy dream sequences are though? I’ve dreamed I can fly before, and it’s not very believable when you wake up. It’s also got the music of Tchaikovsky filled with lyrics which are a little bit strange to hear. But the thing is that this is a work of art. I wish I had seen it in 3D. It had it’s share of magical moments. I didn’t like the rats very much, but I guess that’s the point. The first part of the movie was certainly better than the latter part with the War of the Rats, but it had to go somewhere.

Don’t expect a traditional Nutcracker performance, and go into this with an open mind expecting that anything can happen, and you will probably not be disappointed. It’s out there, for sure, but it was fun to watch. I think they did a good job on it, and I liked it.

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** The Sons of Mistletoe (2001)

Posted on Dec 27, 2011 under 4 Star Rating, Christmas, Drama, Family & Kids | No Comment

CBS Productions, Downey/Todoroff Productions, Jaffe/Braunstein Films

Roma Downey, George Newbern, Scott Terra, Cathy Lee Crosby, Doris Roberts

An heiress, Helen Radke (Roma Downey) has never had a close relationship with her father who has recently passed away. He was the benefactor of an orphanage for boys. While trying to settle his estate, she has to decide whether or not to sell off the property of the orphanage. Jimmy Adams (George Newbern) is the one who runs the orphanage and will try anything in his arsenal to convince Helen not to turn the boys out into the street.

This is another touching Christmas story. Helen hardly knew her father, and she thought to come into town and sell off her father’s assets and get out of town without getting involved. But instead she makes a Scrooge like transformation as she learns more about who her father was and why he did the things he did. Unlike Scrooge, she wasn’t a bad or stingy person, but had been hurt and hardened herself to being hurt again. It has a lot of heart and is very touching. This is an excellent tale, very well told. Roma Downey is very good in the lead and really carries the movie. George Newbern is also does a very good job as the nice guy, former orphan, who cares for the Sons of Mistletoe. I highly recommend this film. It’s got a whole different look at the wonders of the season.

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** Holiday Affair (1949)

Posted on Dec 26, 2011 under 3 Star Rating, Christmas, Comedy, Romance | No Comment

RKO Radio Pictures

Robert Mitchum, Janet Leigh, Wendell Corey, Gordon Gebert, Griff Barnett, Esther Dale, Henry O’Neill, Henry Morgan, Larry J. Blake, Helen Brown

Steve Mason (Robert Mitchum) is the sales clerk in a large department store, and he’s lucky enough to work in the toy department selling the hottest new toy of the season, an electric train. Connie Ennis (Janet Leigh) is a comparison shopper for a competitor. She buys the train to compare prices, and is planning to return it the next day. Connie is planning to marry Carl Davis (Wendell Corey) her lawyer fiance. Son Timmy sees the train and thinks it for him, but the next day when Connie takes the train back, she sweet talks Steve into taking it back, even though he knows what she’s up to. This gets him fired. When he finds out how much Timmy wants the train, he buys it for him, so that sets Connie out on a quest to find Mr. Mason to give him back the money. In exchange for her kindness, Steve proposes and Connie rejects. This sets off a series of events as Connie has to decide what she really wants, even if it’s nobody!

It’s interesting how old movies have such a simple story. There is no unnecessary complications or back stories, it’s just a sweet and funny romantic comedy played well. Made by RKO pictures by Howard Hughes, this is a delightful look back into the 1940′s in a Black and White feature with some great acting. It’s one of the most forgotten classic Christmas films, but one that’s really light and simple. I enjoyed watching it, and it has a nice feel to it. I would recommend this for people who are fans of classic movies from Hollywood’s golden age.

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** Emmet Otter’s Jug Band Christmas (1977)

Posted on Dec 25, 2011 under 5 Star Rating, Christmas, Comedy, Family & Kids | No Comment

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), Henson Associates (HA)

Frank Oz, Dave Goelz, Eren Ozker, Jerry Nelson, Marilyn Sokol, Richard Hunt

Ma Otter and son Emmet are poor as dirt. Father Otter has passed on, leaving little but bills. Ma does laundry, and Emmet does odd jobs to make ends meet, but when Ma wants to give Emmet a pearl inlaid guitar for Christmas, his hear’s desire, and Emmet wanted to give Ma a piano to make up for the one she had to hock to buy food, they both found out about a town talent show with a $50.00 prize and decided to join.

This movie debuted on HBO back in 1977. I have been looking for it ever since. When Jim Henson was thinking of producing the Muppet movie, it was questionable whether or not they had the capability to do a full length film with all the technical issues in handling the Muppet characters. They found this darling storybook and made it into the 50 minute special shown here. It was so wonderful, that they knew they were ready for the Muppet Movie which was one of the best films ever. I don’t know whether this story was influenced by O Henry’s “The Gift of the Magi” or not, but it’s the same kind of story, where each gives up a most valuable possession in order to give a gift to the other. This was around the same time as when Fraggle Rock was on HBO, and this is very similar in a way. Fraggle Rock was a wonderful series, but this film has all the heart and love, and Christmas spirit you could ask for. It’s fabulous for kids, but I know adults are going to love it as well, and the good news is that it is available on “Watch Instantly” on NetFlix, and for sale on Amazon. I want to own this one, and keep it in my Christmas Film collection forever. I really love this special little film.

EdG – EdsReview Dot Com – A Movie Review Blog