Welcome to the 941st Edition of my series. I hope everyone has had a good holiday however celebrated. I know I have a lot to be thankful for in my life. I also hope everyone has a good holiday month with all the holidays there are to celebrate this month. I'll be having a lot of holiday selections and there will still be some non-holiday ones. There will also be some holiday selections that might be pushing it a bit so just continue to read to understand what I am talking about. I will shut up now and get on with my selections for the month.
Snatch (2000): This movie is partly centered around Boxing and Boxing Day is the 26th so this is a holiday movie. Guy Ritchie wrote and directed this crime comedy. This movie centers around unscrupulous boxing promoters, violent bookmakers, a Russian gangster, very amateur robbers, and so-called Jewish jewelers all in pursuit of a priceless stolen diamond. Everything that can go wrote goes very wrong in this violent crime comedy. Brad Pitt co-stars as boxer Mickey O'Neil who has a hard time bringing himself to go down as planned. He might be the standout in this film with his very interesting voice. Jason Stathan, Stephen Graham, Ade, William Beck, Andy Beckwith, Ewen Bremner, Nicola Collins, Charles Cork, Sorcha Cusack, Benicio Del Toro, Dennis Farina, Jason Flemyng, Adam Fogerty, Alan Ford, Robbie Gee, Goldie, Sid Hoare, and many others co-star in this crime comedy. There is quite a bit going on for me to really explain this movie any further. Each group has their own funny problems in this heist film. This is available to watch on Hulu.
Kundun (1997): The holiday I selected here is Bodhi day which is December 8th and it celebrates Buddhist traditions. Martin Scorsese directed this biopic on the 14th Dalai Lama and was written by Melissa Mathison. This shows the Lama being appointed at a very early age and having to learn of his calling. This takes place between the years of 1937-1959 when the Dalai Lama must deal with Chinese communists invading their country of Tibet where he is forced to flee the country. Tenzin Thuthob Tasarong, Gyurme Tethong, Tulku Jamyang Kunga Tenzin, and Tenzin Yeshi Paichang all play the Dalai Lama at different ages. This was quite a project that Scorsese took upon and did what he could for authenticity and attention to detail. Much of the cast were relatives of the Dalai Lama. This has gone a bit under the radar through the years but was quite the cinematic achievement. This is available to watch on Youtube.
A Christmas Story Christmas (2022): Clay Kaytis directed this follow-up to the 1983 classic A CHRISTMAS STORY. Peter Billingsley reprises his role of Ralph Parker who is now a grown-up living in Chicago as a struggling writer and is married with two children. Erinn Hayes co-stars as Ralph's wife Sandy and River Drosche and Julianna Layne play his children. Ralph returns to his old hometown having learned about his father's death and tries to follow in his father's footsteps to bring the "perfect" Christmas to his kids. While there, he is also given the task of writing his father's obituary which proves to be a big struggle. Julie Hagerty, Scott Schwartz, RD Robb, Ian Porter, Sam Parks, Davis Murphy, Zack Ward, Ian Petrella, Derek Morse, Henry Miller, and many others co-star in this holiday film. Much of the original cast reprise their roles besides Ralph's mother who was originally played by Melinda Dillon but she declined so the role went to Julie Hagerty. This movie should not be that good but is very good in my opinion. This pays great tribute to the original while also making this stand on its own. Ralph is still having some great fantasies even in his adult life. This is available to watch on Max.
A Christmas Carol (1910): This is my silent short film for the week which is a very early version of the Dickens classic. Marc McDermott stars as Ebenezer Scrooge who is visited by the three ghosts which we all know the basic story. This was made in the very early days of cinema and was produced by Thomas Edison like much of the movies in this era. This is pretty interesting to watch for historical purposes and manages to cover quite a bit of ground in only 11 minutes. This is available to watch on Tubi.
A Real Young Girl (1976): Catherine Breillat wrote and directed this very provocative French film. Charlotte Alexandra stars as the sulky adolescent Alice who returns home from boarding school for summer break. She becomes very curious exploring her own sexuality going between the lines of fantasy and reality. If I describe this movie too much, I could get another red flag but the movie is Unrated so a step above R if that says anything. Hiram Keller, Rita Maiden, Shirley Stoler, and many others co-star in this film. The actress Alexandra portrays a 14-year-old kid but she was 20 years of age at this time so there was no child exploitation in this movie. This movie did not get released until 1999 partly due to the censors and partly due to the studio going bankrupt. This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.
Scandal (1950): This does partly take place during the holidays in Japan and have a couple Christmas carols. Akira Kurasawa directed and co-wrote this film that takes a look into how far the media should go. Toshiro Mifune stars as painter Ichiro who meets famous singer Miyako, played by Shirley Yamaguchi. A tabloid manages to get a photo of them and writes a very scandalous story. Ichiro decides to take them to court and hires attorney Otokichi Hiruto, played by Takashi Shimura, who agrees to work pro bono for them while dealing with his own issues. Yoko Katsuragi, Noriko Sengoku, Eitaro Ozawa, and many others co-star in this film. At first, I thought this was heading toward romantic comedy but that was far from being the case. This is a much lighter film for Kurasawa and the character played by Mifune. This is a very underrated Kurasawa film and is very enjoyable. This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.
Showgirls (1995): There is a little bit of a Christmas element to this film. I guess I'm walking a rather thin line this week with my selection A REAL YOUNG GIRL and now this one. Paul Verhoeven directed this movie which was written by Joe Eszternas. SAVED BY THE BELL alum Elizabeth Berkley grows up and becomes a drifter named Nomi Malone who makes her way to Vegas. She stars out at a strip bar and when she meets headliner showgirl Cristal Connors, played by Gina Gershon, she manages to join them. Nomi and Cristal have a love/hate relationship and Nomi wants her spot. Kyle McLachlan, Glenn Plummer, Robert Davi, Alan Richins, Gina Ravera, Lin Tucci, Greg Travis, Al Ruscio, Patrick Bristow, William Shockley, Michelle Johnston, Dewey Weber, Rena Riffel, and many others co-star in this Vegas film. When this first came out, it was the worst movie ever made. It won a lot of Razzies for that year. As time has went on, it has been forgiven and has become a cult film. This was supposed to catapult Berkley to stardom but that did not quite go on as planned. This is essentially a voyage of the sleazy world known as Vegas and holds nothing back. Keep in mind, this is rated NC-17 so it might be best to watch this when the children are gone or are asleep. This is available to watch on Tubi and Pluto TV.
They Drive By Night (1940): Who would go from an Elizabeth Berkley movie to a Humphrey Bogart movie? I guess that is me. Raoul Walsh directed this Film Noir which is based on the novel by A.I. Bezzerides. George Raft and Humphrey Bogart star as truck-driving brothers Joe and Paul Fabrini who struggle to with corrupt businessmen and get into some trouble along the way including a murder rap. Ann Sheridan, Ida Lupino, Gale Page, Alan Hale, Roscoe Karns, John Litel, George Tobias, and many others co-star in this film. This was before Bogart would become a big star and had billing under Raft. I feel if I go on further, I'll be giving away too much. It is a very compelling film with Raft and Bogart doing well as brothers just barely scraping by. This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel.
The Christmas Tree (1969): This does have a Christmas tree in it but there is far more to it than just some Christmas tree. Terence Young directed this French film which is based on the novel by Michel Bataille. William Holden stars as Laurent Segur, whose son Pascal, played by Brook Fuller, is contaminated from a nuclear weapon that was in a crashed plane they witnessed. Pascal has months to live so Laurent does what he can to make them the best months of his life with the help of his girlfriend Catherine, played by Virna Lisi. Bourvil, Madeleine Damien, Mario Feliciani, Friedrich Von Ledebur, Georges Douking, and many others co-star in this film. This is quite the tearjerker that may not be easy to watch sometimes. It is a very moving film though on making the most of your lives and living everyday like it is your last as it very well may be. This is available to watch on Tubi and Flex.
The Equalizer 2 (2018): Antoine Fuqua directed this action sequel which is based on the tv series of the same name. Denzel Washington reprises his role of Robert McCall who seems like a simple man loving books and being a Lyft driver. He is actually a retired CIA Black Ops operative to acts as a vigilante when he feels it is necessary. A longtime friend of his gets murdered and the one-man army investigates seeking vengeance on those involved. Pedro Pascal, Ashton Sanders, Orson Bean, Bill Pullman, Melissa Leo, Jonathan Scarfe, Sakina Jaffrey, Kazy Tauginas, and many others co-star in this action film. This is Washington's first sequel and it was quite a bit of fun. In the first one, he helps a young woman who he believes needs help and in this one, someone he loves is murdered. This didn't win any Oscars but still a really good watch and good sequel. This is available to watch on Hulu.
Well, that is it for this week but continue on for my segment "The Holiday Corner" which I will have in all the December editions. Stay tuned for my return in the next couple weeks which so far includes the Rock, Robert Pattinson, Harold Lloyd, and many others.
THE HOLIDAY CORNER
This will consist of mostly movies and tv specials that are holiday oriented in some way or other. I will be featuring this segment in all my December editions. I don't really know how many I will have of each one so just get your holidays going I suppose.
Home Alone (1990): This is one of the more popular holiday movies out there and was a childhood favorite of mine. Chris Columbus directed this holiday comedy which was written by John Hughes. Macauley Culkin stars as the 8 year old Kevin McCallister whose family is preparing to go to Paris for Christmas. The night before they leave, Kevin gets into some trouble and due to some misunderstanding, they leave without him. Kevin is left to fend for himself and excited to be home all by himself. He soon learns that he must deal with a couple burglars in his neighborhood in Harry and Marv, played by Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern, and the burglars underestimate Kevin. John Heard, Catherine O'Hara, Roberts Blossom, Angela Goethals, Devin Ratray, Gerry Bamman, Hillary Wolf, John Candy, Larry Hankin, Michael C. Maronna, Kristin Minter, Diana Rein, Kieran Culkin, Senta Moses, and many others co-star in this holiday classic. I have come to believe that Kevin McCallister would grow up to become Jigsaw. There are lots of iconic moments in this holiday movie. John Williams wrote the music score which I was not aware of until I watched this recently. One thing I was thinking is why they never did the movie within a movie of ANGELS WITH FILTHY SOULS. This is available to watch on Disney Plus.
Shazam! (2019): I think we can legit call this a superhero holiday film on the lines with BATMAN RETURNS. The beginning takes place on Christmas and the later years also happen around the holidays. Asher Angel stars as foster kid Billy Batson who has an encounter with a wizard, played by Djimou Hounsou, and gains new superhero powers. Billy learns when saying "Shazam" that he becomes a superheroed adult, played by Zachary Levi, with powers. With the help of his foster brother Freddy, played by Jack Dylan Grazer, he learns of his powers and must prepare for battle against mad scientist Dr. Sivana, played by Mark Strong. Adam Brody, Faithe Herman, Meagan Good, Grace Caroline Currey, Michelle Borth, Ian Chen, Ross Butler, Jovan Armand, D.J. Cotrona, Marta Milans, Cooper Andrews, Ethan Pugiotto, John Glover, and many others co-star in this superhero movie. I think this is more oriented to the younger crowd and is a lot of fun. I also felt it is about a foster family trying to make it and working together. This is available to watch on Max.
Michael Bolton's Big, Sexy Valentine's Special (2017): This may take place on Valentine's Day but it starts out with Santa Claus enlisting the help of Michael Bolton. Santa tells Michael that the elves got carried away making way too many toys but not there are not enough children. Michael must put on a telethon to help get more babies conceived. This has quite the cast including Sarah Shahi, Adam Scott, Matthew Kimbrough, Grey Griffin, Brooke Shields, Janeane Garofalo, Louis Anderson, Sinbad, Bob Saget, Sarah Silverman, Randall Park, Kenny G., Andy Samberg, Fred Armisen, Colton Dunn, Jorma Taccone, and many others. Michael holds is own among all the other comedians in the special. I grew up hating Michael Bolton and now I am a fan. He does a great job mostly parodying himself and has a lot of music numbers that include a piano version of JACK SPARROW which is my favorite part. This is available to watch on Netflix and I'll be watching again in February.
Finding Santa (2017): Now I target the Hallmark crowd with this Hallmark holiday movie. David Winning directed this Hallmark holiday that takes place in a small town which I know that is a big surprise. FULL HOUSE alum Jodie Sweetin stars as parade organizer Grace Long whose Santa Tom White, played by Jay Brazeau, breaks his arm and now needs a replacement. The ideal replacement would be Jay's son Ben, played by Eric Winter but he does not want to do it which prompts Grace to take a trip to the big city in hopes of talking him into it. Katey Hoffman, Dolores Drake, Ava Telek, Billy Wickman, Laura Mitchell, Karen Holness, Ian Rozylo, Karen Kruper, Mike Cavers, John Prowse, Devon Alexander, and many others co-star in this Hallmark movie. Okay, I think from the description, we all know what will happen. I don't think anyone watches Hallmark for the suspense. I believe this is the first time I have featured Sweetin and I wanted to feature something with her in it. This is a feel-good movie for the holidays. This is available to watch on Hallmark Movies Now, Peacock, Tubi, and Pluto TV.
Creed (2015): This is a holiday film in a sense as the day after Christmas is Boxing Day which some people tell me it has nothing to do with the sport of boxing. However, in my warped mind it is all about the sport of boxing so this counts per my own blog rules. Ryan Coogler directed this boxing film that is also part of the ROCKY universe. Michael B. Jordan stars as Adonis Johnson who is the illegitimate son of the late Apollo Creed and would like to follow in his father's footsteps. Johnson seeks out Rocky Balboa, reprised by Sylvester Stallone, and asks him to mentor him. Rocky reluctantly agrees to train Johnson and gets him a big fight. Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, Andre Ward, Tony Bellow, Ritchie Coster, Jacob "Stitch" Duran, Graham McTavish, Malik Bazille, Gabe Rosado, Wood Harris, Rupal Pujara, Brian Anthony Wilson, and many others co-star in this film. This was a great continuation from the saga where Rocky becomes a mentor for a change and takes in Adonis like his own family. This is available to watch on Max and don't forget about Boxing Day.
Anna and the Apocalypse (2017): I end with this horror musical comedy zombie movie, possibly the best musical comedy zombie movie of all time. John McPhail directed this musical and the lyrics were written by Roddy Hart and Tommy Reilly. Ella Hunt stars as small-town British girl Anna who is still in high school but nearing the end. As Anna and her friends expect to just have a typical day at school but then a zombie apocalypse starts. Malcolm Cumming, Sarah Swire, Christopher Leveaux, Marli Siu, Ben Wiggins, Mark Benton, Paul Kaye, Euan Bennet, Ruth McGhie, Kirsty Strain, and many others co-star in this musical. To those that hate the Hallmark oriented movies, this could be a good alternative. This takes place during the holiday, there are fun musical numbers, and there are zombies. This is available to watch on AMC +, Pluto TV, The Roku Channel, and Tubi.
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