The Wondrous Life (It’s a Wonderful Life, 1946)

Frank Capra’s It’s a Wonderful Life was not a hit when released, yet it managed to become a classic. Due to copyright errors the film became a Christmas mainstay, cementing it as a Christmas Classic. And that is alright by me.

It’s a Wonderful Life is a wonderful dark fairy-tale. It focuses on George Bailey, a guy full of big hopes and dreams, for whom none get realized. There is always something that stands in the way. And now, married with children, George finds himself in a bind. It looks like he might lose everything. Despondent and prepared to commit suicide, even then he is interrupted by goofy angel in training Clarence.

What follows is Clarence walking George through his town, except, it is a town that never had a George Bailey. And what he finds is that as miserable as he thinks his situation is? His friends and family were worse off without him.

George is kind and constantly self sacrificing. Probably the closest he comes to selfishness in his pursuit of Mary (Donna Reed). He knows his friend Sam has been pursuing Mary, but he is drawn to her, and she has always wanted George. George fights his feelings for Mary, seeing her as someone who will tie him to the town of Bedford Falls, which he desires to leave ever so badly.

In a way, he is correct. His marriage to Mary is another nail in the coffin of his dream to travel the world. Yet, when he sees a world without him, George realizes how much is lost. There are people who never have homes, because he was not there to run his Father’s Saving and Loan. The cruel Mr. Potter (in the Scrooge model) is never obstructed by George Bailey. His mother is bitter, his brother is dead and his Uncle is the local town lunatic.

This is a classic because it strikes at the heart. We have all felt that lack of connection to our lives, when things get dark, it is easy to wonder why we might matter. And the film challenges that in it’s special and whimsical way.

This is a superb work from Capra and company, worthy of it’s status of “Holiday Classic”.

December 14, 2015 0

Confusing Christmastime (Black Christmas, 2006)

This movie is why people hate horror remakes.

Seriously, they tossed out the things that work and add in…uh, a backstory. One of the most unnecessary back stories ever. See, now the sorority house is Billy’s old house, and that is why Billy came back.

Except, now Billy is not alone. Apparently his daughter/sister (don’t ask) is in the house and has been for awhile. Cause somebody is killing the sorority girls while Billy is still locked in the asylum. See, the film does not reveal the sister/daughter until after the killings begin, so it is totally confusing.

The film is just a mess, and truthfully, the cast is not all that memorable in their roles. The characters are far more generic feeling. Bitchy Girl, Drunk Girl, Nice Girl, Weird Girl…the cast feels like it was culled from the WB. Probably cause it was.

There is an added “eyeball torture” aspect and a happier ending. Nothing added to the remake improves upon the original, and everything skipped is that much more noticeable.

December 11, 2015 0

Christmas Darkness (Black Christmas, 1974)

Halloween is often cited as the father of the slasher genre. But three years prior was Bob Clark’s Black Christmas. If you are wondering why the name Bob Clark might sound familiar, there is a reason. For about a decade, for 24 hours every Christmas, TNT aired back to back showings of Clark’s “A Christmas Story”. Yeah, that guy who brought us a beloved holiday classic also gave us another, lesser known (but no less classic) holiday film.

Black Christmas is a little bit different in tone, of course. It is set on Christmas Eve at a sorority house. As the women engage in festivities, their house is plagued by an obscene caller who speaks in guttural cries.

The film is mainly focused on Jess (Olivia Hussey) who is pregnant, and set on having an abortion. Her boyfriend, Peter (Keir Dullea), is dead set against it. There is also a hunt for a young missing girl, and the first girl to die. But nobody is sure if the sorority girls are running off or truly missing.

We the audience, of course, no better. The killer is in the house, but what is his motive? Why this house? It is a mystery that the film never chooses to answer. “Billy” has no origin story. He just shows up and terrorizes the girls. And it is an effective and unnerving choice.

Black Christmas is well acted, with great visuals. Rather than focus on gore, it is focused on mood. And it is powerful. The film’s final shot as the credits begin to roll are chilling. There is no music as the camera pulls away from the house. Just a lone ringing telephone…

December 10, 2015 1

Cannon Blasts (Electric Boogaloo: The Wild, Untold Story of Cannon Films, 2014)

The 80s were the heyday for Cannon Films. Electric Boogaloo is the story of Israeli cousins Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus. Their goal? To make Hollywood Blockbusters. Things did not quite pan out, in spite of their tries.

What we got were schlocky gimmick films and attempts to create trends with their films. This documentary chronicles the rise and fall of their studio Cannon Films.

The film talks to a thorough list of their directors, actors and employees that offer a entertaining and fascinating look at the studio’s rise from sexploitation films to goofy dance films to Chuck Norris actioners.

The film offers some interesting tidbits I was unaware of. One example? The Chuck Norris Vietnam POW action flick Missing In Action was actually the second film. The director of the film told Menahem Golan and Yoram Globus the first film (which was not yet released) was terrible. So they released the sequel as Missing In Action, and the first film was released as Missing in Action 2: The Beginning.

I found the documentary was interesting and enjoyable. The Cannon world was a crazy one. Interestingly, the cousins refused to be interviewed for the documentary, instead funding their own (the Go-Go Boys: The Inside Story of Cannon Films) and beating Electric Boogaloo in release by three months.

December 9, 2015 0

Family Road Trip (Vacation, 2015)

The National Lampoon’s Vacation franchise is an uneven one. The original is a quotable classic, as is Christmas Vacation. European Vacation has it’s moments and Vegas Vacation? Well, it is Vegas Vacation.

National Lampoon has been dropped from the title for this updated tale of a Griswold Family Vacation. This time around it focuses on Rusty Griswold (Ed Helms) and his wife Debbie (Christina Applegate). Pilot Rusty is inspired to take his wife and two sons on the very same road trip to Wally World as his father took him on. In one of the more clever sequences of the film Rusty and Debbie argue whether a new Vacation is a good idea. The whole discussion is a veiled defense of this fourth sequel. Who remembers the Vacation from thirty years ago? Why take the same trip? How is it any different?

Alas, most of the film is not quite as clever. Don’t get me wrong, I did laugh. But the film just never quite reaches the heights of either the original or Christmas Vacation. It tries, mostly through rude and gross-out humor, but really, the truth is? Chase just brought a level of heart to the character of Clark Griswold that Helms never seems to have here.

Clark’s failures were a byproduct of major devotion to what he believed family should be. His awkwardness was his belief in how he should be as a father and husband. And while Helms’ Rusty pays words to this…it just feels less…real.

The film has a good cast, but the film itself never gels as well as the best of the Vacation films. The writing never gives the cast any real heart to work with.

December 8, 2015 0

No Santa (Krampus, 2015)

The Krampus is a part of Christmas folklore largely unknown to the U.S., he is not part of our tales of Santa. It is a popular bit of European folklore though. But, as the film states, he is the dark shadow of Santa. Santa rewards goodness, but the Krampus condemns the naughty.

It only makes sense that there would be a Christmas film for the Krampus. Christmas horror stories have been around for quite some time. A Christmas Carol is a Christmas horror story.

Mike Dougherty, most well known as a screenwriter of numerous super-hero films, this is his second feature as Director. His first was the very entertaining Halloween themed Trick R’ Treat. And now he returns to the holiday theme with a Christmas Monster movie.

Young Max is frustrated that his family Christmas is not like it onvce was. There is fighting, cruel put downs and tension. After being humiliated with his letter to Santa, Max is angry and heart broken, tearing up his letter to Santa. He does not realize he has called forth a terrible wish.

The family wakes to discover there was a terrible snowstorm and they are out of power. And that is not the really bad news. what follows is the family discovering they are in for a terrible night.

The Krampus and his minions work to take the family to hell. The thing about Dougherty is he has a skill with letting a horror film have the right amount of dark humor. The monsters are wonderfully whimsical and creepy, which results in some enjoyable laughs. I mean, the giggling evil gingerbread men cookies were crazy enough. The designs are terrific. The Krampus is almost like a melted Santa…his skin hanging loose, like ill fitting cloth.

The use of a frigid winter and snow are well used. It is harsh and unforgiving. The cast (including Toni Collette, Adam Scott and David Koechner) are great. I genuinely found myself wanting this family to succeed, stop the Krampus and get out alive.

Krampus is a fun and enjoyable ride. It won’t be winning any awards, but it was great fun for a horror fan.

December 6, 2015 0

The Next Generation (Creed, 2015)

Awhile back, when I first heard about Creed, I thought I was hearing a desperate idea of continuing a franchise that had run it’s course and closed out nicely with 2006’s Rocky Balboa.

And yet, it turns out that it was the smartest move they could have made. Creed opts to focus on the son of the late Apollo Creed, Adonis Johnson (Michael B. Jordan). Born of an affair, Adonis is taken in by Creed’s widow Mary Anne (Phylicia Rashad). He desires to be a boxer, but is blocked from every direction. His only outlet is underground Mexican boxing matches.

Ultimately, he moves to Philadelphia and seeks help from a reluctant Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone).

The film is a reflection of the original Rocky, and driven heavily by the characters. The chemistry between Adonis and Bianca (Tessa Thompson) is genuine. Jordan and Stallone forge a bond that is at times heartbreaking and others exhilarating.

This is a strong and terrific film. It draws you in and keeps your attention. Creed is an excellent film, worth the watch.

December 5, 2015 0

He Lives! He Dies! He Is Canceled! (The Death of “Superman Lives”: What Happened?, 2015)

In 1998 the comic world was abuzz with talks of a new Superman movie. We heard talks of a script, a director (Tim Burton) and a star (Nicholas Cage). And then one day it was dead, and Superman did not return to the screen until 2006 with Bryan Singer’s Superman Returns.

Since the comics internet was barely a thing in 1998, the film remained shrouded in mystery for almost a decade. We had no idea really how far it had gotten until a few years ago when pic of Cage in a shiny Supersuit surfaced on the web. Kevin Smith had shared some tales as the second screenwriter.

Really, the story behind the story is quite intriguing. Cartoon Network animator Jon Schnepp decided to investigate how the film went so wrong, exploring the story by talking to almost everyone involved. John Peters, Tim Burton, Kevin Smith and other screenwriters and producers and production designers all contribute to tell the odd tale of Burton and Cage’s goal of a lonelier Superman who struggled as an outsider. Superman Scissorhands, if you will.

Oh yeah, and Peters’ desire to get another Giant Spider and some polar bears on screen.

I was impressed by how many people Schnepp was able to get to sit down and discuss the project. The only person that seems to be missing is Nick Cage, who is represented via archival footage.

The film is thorough in it’s research and leaves no stone unturned. Schnepp fills the documentary with cool graphics from the comic books, images of production art and everybody is quite forthcoming.

The film does not persuade me that it would have been a disaster, but it is an entertaining peek into film history.

November 17, 2015 3

Spirits In the Material World (Spirited Away, 2001)

Chihiro is an unhappy girl moving to a new city with her parents. Along the way, they stumble across what looks to be an abandoned town. There they discover unattended food, and her parents start to eat it, deciding to repay the townsfolk later. Chihiro does not eat the food, instead opting to explore the town. She runs into a lone inhabitant, Haku. He tells her there is great danger. He is not lying, as she finds her parents have transformed into pig. The town is actually inhabited by demons, ghosts, witches and gods.

Chihiro ends up working in the bath house in the town, cleaning up and starting to befriend the various creatures as she tries to figure out how to save her parents. Spirited Away is a joyous adventure which takes Chihiro from a selfish child to a strong hero.

The animation flows beautifully filled with magical designs. It is a masterpiece filled with dragons, masked gods, phantoms, talking frogs. It is, in a way, a whimsy overload. But in the most wondrous way.

The film is a classic for the family, thrilling and a visual feast.

November 16, 2015 0

Love In Wartime (Howl’s Moving Castle, 2004)

A young woman, Sofi, lives in a war torn town. One day she meets Howl, a well known but mysterious wizard. Soon after she is cursed by a jealous and vindictive witch. Now looking like an old woman, Sofi seeks help from Howl and his companions who reside in his walking castle.

Howl’s Movie Castle is a fun fairy tale, set in a world of witches and princes fighting in a war, where nobody is willing to compromise. Howl is a charming, yet at times childish, wizard seeking to stay out of the war. Nearly every character is under some kind of curse.

Much like Miyazaki’s Spirited Away or My Neighbor Totoro, Howl’s Moving Castle is infused with a real touch of the whimsical. One of the interesting things is that the removal of the curse become set aside for the development of the relationships between Sofi, Howl and the other inhabitants of the castle.

That is the real heart of the film, the curse is just the excuse to bring them all together.

The backgrounds are stunning, and the animation gorgeous. No surprise, as this is a Studio Ghibli film. Howl’s Moving Castle is an enchanting and engaging film for almost any age.

November 15, 2015 0