Welcome to the 942nd edition of my series. I hope everyone is having a good holiday season however celebrated. My 49ers are hanging on by a thread for playoff eligibility and my fantasy team is not doing well. I'm still moving on with my day to day life. I will shut up not and get on with my selections.
Tokyo! (2008): This movie has three different short films and there are some Christmas references including carols sung in Japanese. Leos Carax, Michel Gondry, and Boon Joon Ho directed each of the three short films. The shorts are INTERIOR DESIGN, MERDE, and SHAKING TOKYO which all obviously happen in Tokyo. Each story has rather dark elements to it and I think my favorite one was MERDE. Ayako Fujitani, Ryo Kase, Ayami Ito, Nao Omori, Satoshi Tsumabaki, Shunji Awai, Yoshiyuki Morishita, Soji Arai, Denis Lavant, Jean-Francois Balmer, Renji Ishibashi, Kyusaka Shimada, Julie Dreyfus, Edith Le Merdy, Andree Damant, Yu Aoi, Teruyaki Kagawa, Naoto Takenaka, Hiroshi Yamamoto, Yutaka Matsushige, and many others co-star in this anthology series. This may not be for everyone. To those that love the Japanese cinema, it would be a good one to watch. I would suggest checking out the plots for each of the three movies. This is available to watch on Pluto TV, Freevee, and Tubi.
Red One (2024): I suppose this is the holiday blockbuster for the year. Jake Kasdan directed this holiday action film where Santa Claus, played by OZ alum J.K. Simmons, is kidnapped on Christmas Eve. Santa's Head of Security Callum Drift, played by former WWE champion Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, is charged with rescuing him. He gets some help from bounty hunter Jack O'Malley, Callum's own director Zoe, played by Lucy Liu, polar bear Agent Garcia, voiced by Reinaldo Faberlle, and some other unexpected help. Bonnie Hunt, Kristofer Hivju, Kiernan Shipka, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Wesley Kimmel, Nick Kroll, Wyatt Hunt, Clayton Cooper, Lanz Duffy, Marc Evan Jackson, Makana David, Samantha Benson, and many others co-star in this film. When I first saw this trailer, I was pretty well sold. Between the Rock, the polar bear, my own celebrity crush Lucy Liu, and even the full-size Rock 'Em, Sock 'Em robots. I believe this is the perfect holiday action movie in which no one can dispute the status of holiday movie. With DIE HARD, I do consider a holiday film, but I know many feel that is not the case. For me, this was endless fun and a bit of an adrenaline rush.
Good Time (2017): This appears to take place around Christmas as there is a Christmas tree in the movie but no real talk about it. Josh and Benny Safdie directed this crime film that takes place in New York City's underworld. Robert Pattinson stars as Connie Nikas who includes his developmentally disabled brother Nick, played by director Benny Safdie, in a robbery that is botched and Nick gets arrested. This leads Connie into an odyssey into the New York Underworld as he looks to free Nick from prison where just about everything goes wrong. Jennifer Jason Leigh, Buddy Duress, Taliah Webster, Barkhad Abdi, Necro, Eric Paykert, and many others co-star in this film. I suppose this would be referred to as a "character study". Pattinson gives a good performance and is what lead to Matt Reeves casting him in THE BATMAN. This is a very dark film with a lot of interesting characters to go along with Connie's odyssey around the city. This is available to watch on Max.
A Christmas Dream (1946): This is my holiday short for the which comes from Czechoslovakia. Borivoj and Karel Zeman directed this stop-motion animated short film. A little girl gets some new presents prompting her to put aside the old doll and play with new dolls. She has a dream where the toys come to life and wreak havoc. This is an interesting enough watch and it is very strange like most Czechoslovakian films I have seen. This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel, Max, and Tubi.
The Milky Way (1936): Now I pay homage to Boxing Day which comes on December 26th. Leo McCarey, Ray McCarey, and Norman Z. McLeod directed this boxing comedy. Harold Lloyd stars as timid milkman Burleigh Sullivan somehow manages to knock out the champion in a brawl. People see publicity in Burleigh and put him in a series of fixed fights which is to lead up into humiliation. Adolphe Menjou, Verree Teasdale, Helen Mack, William Gargan, George Barbier, Dorothy Wilson, Lionel Stander, Charles Lane, Marjorie Gateson, and many others co-star in this comedy. Lloyd has been pretty underrated through the years. He is regarded as one of the best silent film comedians of all time and he made a very successful transition into the world of "talkies" like this one. Lloyd does some really good physical gags in this film in the fight scenes. This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel, Fandor, Tubi, Pluto TV, Fawesome, and MGM +.
Scrooge (1970): Ronald Neame directed this musical retelling of the Dickens classic and the music was written by Leslie Bricusse. Albert Finney stars as the miser Ebenezer Scrooge in this musical version. We all know the story, Scrooge is very stingy and maybe greedy. He is visited by the ghost of his business partner Jacob Marley, played by Alec Guinness, now in chains who warns Scrooge he must change or he'll end up in a bigger chain. Ghosts from the past, the present, and future come down and show Scrooge events from his life including what may happen to his employer Bob Cratchit, played by David Collings. Edith Evans, Kenneth More, Laurence Naismith, Michael Medwin, Anton Rodgers, Suzanne Neve, Frances Cuka, and many others. This has some really good music numbers in my opinion. I also thought Finney captured the essence of Scrooge very well. This is available to watch on MGM +, Paramount +, Plex, and Pluto TV.
An American Pickle (2020): There is some Jewish emphasis including the main character Herschel so I suppose this could play to Hannukah. Brandon Trost directed this comedy and was based on a 2013 short story called SELL OUT which was written by Simon Rich. Seth Rogan stars as Herschel Greenbaum who is an immigrant working in a pickle factory. An accident happens where Herschel falls into a vat of brine and becomes preserved. He wakes up 100 years later in modern-day Brooklyn and stays with his great-grandson Ben, also played by Rogan, while trying to adjust to the modern era. Sarah Snook, Molly Evensen, Eliot Glazer, Kalen Allen, Kevin O'Rourke, Sean Whalen, Geoffrey Cantor, Carol Leifer, Jorma Taccone, Marsha Stephanie Blake, and many others co-star in this comedy. This is a lot different than other Seth Rogan comedies and the first he has produced that did not get an R rating. There is a lot of comedy to it but has almost as much drama in this study of people whose generations are way apart from each other.
North By Northwest (1959): This is not exactly a holiday film but it is on the Criterion Channel as part of "Hitchcock for the Holidays" so there is that. Alfred Hitchcock directed this classic film which was written by Ernest Lehman. Cary Grant stars as advertising man Roger Thornhill but is soon mistaken for a spy named George Kaplan and he is framed for murder. Now on the run from the authorities, he meets beautiful blonde Eve Kendall, played by Eva Marie Saint, who helps Roger evade the authorities. Now he must evade the authorities and those who try to kill him while now knowing who to trust when no one is as they seem including Eve. James Mason, Jessie Royce Landis, Leo G. Carroll, Josephine Hutchinson, Philip Ober, Martin Landau, Adam Williams, Edward Platt, Robert Ellenstein, and many others co-star in this film. This uses Hitchcock's favorite theme of mistaken identity. This movie has some very iconic scenes and one of the best climaxes of all time in film which involves an action scene on top of Mt. Rushmore. This is available to watch on the Criterion Channel and Tubi
Black Christmas (1974): Having watched the 2006 remake, I decided to revisit the original. Bob Clark directed this classic holiday slasher. This takes place around a sorority during Christmas break where one of the sisters has disappeared and they are getting strange and anonymous calls putting a concern on them. Olivia Hussey stars as Jess who is now pregnant and considering an abortion. John Saxon co-stars as the cop who is investigating the calls. Keir Dullea, Margot Kidder, Marian Waldman, Andrea Martin, James Edmond, Doug McGrath, Art Hindle, Lynne Griffin, Michael Rapport, Leslie Carlson, Martha Gibson, and many others co-star in this film. This is one of the best and most underrated slasher films of all time. The 2006 version emphasizes the gore factor a lot more and while this is less gory, it still has its creepy feel to it from the atmospheric scenes. This would be a good double feature to go along with A CHRISTMAS STORY which was also directed by Clark. This is available to watch on AMC +, Prime, Peacock, Fandor, Fawesome, Tubi, the Roku Channel, Shout! Factory TV, and Screambox.
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter...Spring (2003): I end the week with this Korean film and I suppose this can be associated with Bodhi Day which was on the 8th of December. Kim Ki-Duk directed and wrote this Korean film. A Buddhist master raises a young boy to grow up in wisdom and compassion through endless exercises. The boy grows up and while learning many lessons, some things he had to learn on own. Oh Yeong-Su, Jong-Ho Kim, Kim Young-min, and many others co-star in this film. It is hard to really explain this movie any further but the less known, the better. I think this would qualify as a "character study" and a bit of coming of age. This is a rather moving film but can get a bit dark at times. Sometimes the Buddhist master would use some extreme measures to teach the boy. This does have some very beautiful scenery and is a beautiful film.
Well, that is it for this week but continue on for another edition of "The Holiday Corner". Tell me what you like and dislike and I will return in a couple weeks for my last one of the year before 2025 starts which so far includes Michelle Yeoh, Lauren Bacall, Christopher Walken, Peter Sellers, Bing Crosby, and many others.
THE HOLIDAY CORNER
These selections mostly equate to Christmas with one being for Boxing Day.
Carol for Another Christmas (1964): This is part one of a Peter Sellers trilogy. Joseph L. Mankiewics directed this variation of the Dickens classic which was written by Rod Serling. Sterling Hayden stars as the Scrooge-like Daniel Grudge who is a wealthy industrialist still reeling over the loss of his son in WWII. Like Scrooge, Daniel is visited by ghosts of the past, present, and future who hope to give him more perspective. Ben Gazzara, Percy Rodriguez, Steve Lawrence, Eva Marie Saint, James Shigeta, Pat Hingle, Robert Shaw, Peter Sellers, and Britt Ekland co-star in this tv movie. I always say this is Serling's TWILIGHT ZONE CHRISTMAS CAROL. It does have quite the cast with Sellers really shining in the future scene. I have always been a Sterling Hayden fan so that helps a lot. If you want a different version of the Dickens classic, I would say this is worth a look. This is available to watch on Max.
Black Christmas (2006): Glen Morgan directed and co-wrote this remake of the 1974 classic horror film. Like the original, this centers around a sorority house where the sorority sisters are getting killed one by one. This version ups the gore factor and has a different backstory of the history of the house before it became a sorority house. Andrea Martin from the original co-stars as house mother Ms. Mac. Michelle Trachtenberg, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Lacey Chabert, Katie Cassidy, Kristen Cloke, Yan-Kay Crystal Lowe, Karin Konoval, and many others co-star in this remake. This does not beat the original by any means but has its own direction. I will also say that I love the array of girls in the sorority house. This is available to watch on Freevee, Tubi, Fawesome, the Roku Channel, and Tribeca Shortlist.
The Heart of Christmas (2011): Last week, I featured FULL HOUSE alum Jodie Sweetin in a Hallmark movie. This week, I feature her FH sister Candace Cameron Bure who plays the overworked mother Megan Walsh. She struggles to make ends meet which a lot of times results in her not being able to be there for her kids. She learns of a family celebrating Christmas on Halloween and is given a card for a blog to read. Jeanne Neilson and Eric Jay Beck star as parents whose two-year-old son Dax, played by twins Christopher and Nicholas Shone, has been diagnosed with leukemia. Dendrie Taylor, Erin Bethea, George Newbern, Burgess Jenkins, Karl T. Wright, and many others co-star in this movie. This is based on a true story and keep in mind it was produced by a company called God and Country Entertainment. This was a pretty heartwarming movie that emphasizes the importance of family. This is available to watch on Freevee, Plex, and the Roku Channel.
A Muppet Christmas Carol (1992): I know, another version of the Dickens classic! Well, this one has the Muppets so where can we go wrong? Brian Henson directed this film with the musical numbers written by Paul Williams. Michael Caine stars as Ebenezer Scrooge in this adaptation of the story. Kermit and Miss Piggy are Bob Cratchit and his wife who I don't think is named. Gonzo narrates the story as Charles Dickens with Rizzo the Rat helping him out and Gonzo might be the best portrayal of Dickens. Dave Goehlz, Steve Whitmire, Jerry Nelson, Frank Oz, David Rudman, Karen Prell, Jessica Fox, Steven Mackintosh, Robin Weaver, Raymond Coulthard, and many others co-star and provide their voices to this wonderful adaptation. Caine was perfect as the miser and has said it is one of his favorite roles. This is available to watch on Disney Plus.
Hellboy 2: The Golden Army (2008): This superhero sequel has a Christmas sequence in the beginning in a flashback scene between Professor Broom, reprised by William Hurt, and Hellboy when he was just a little boy. Guillermo Del Toro returns to direct this sequel where a prince of the mythical world starts a rebellion to rule the Earth. Hellboy, reprised by Ron Perlman, must stop him from locating the all-powerful Golden Army. Abe Sapien, played by Doug Jones, and Liz, played by Selma Blair join him in his fight. John Alexander, James Dodd, Seth MacFarlane, Luke Goss, Anna Walton, Jeffrey Tambor, Brian Steele, Roy Dotrice, and many others co-star in this superhero film. I enjoyed this more than the original film. This has some good action but it also has a good amount of drama like the relationship between Hellboy and Liz. In the original, David Hyde Pierce voiced Abe Sapien but in this one Jones gets to voice the character he plays and does a great job. In addition to Abe Sapien, Jones also plays the roles of Chamberlain and Angel of Death. This is available to watch on Max.
Creed II (2018): This is another selection for Boxing Day on the 26th of December so this counts as a holiday movie, at least in my own warped mind. Steven Caple Jr. directed this sequel to the CREED franchise. Michael B. Jordan reprises his role of Adonis Creed who is now a champion and still being trained by Rocky Balboa, reprised by Sylvester Stallone. Adonis gets a new sort of challenge in the way of Viktor Drago, played by real-life boxer Florian Munteanu, whose father and manager is Ivan Drago, reprised by Dolph Lundgren. Probably needless to say that Ivan Drago is the man who killed Adonis's father Apollo in the ring and was defeated by Rocky in ROCKY IV. Tessa Thompson, Phylicia Rashad, Russell Hornsby, Wood Harris, Milo Ventimiglia, Robbie Jones, Andre Ward, Brigitte Nielsen, Jacob Duran, and many others co-star in this sequel. This is kind of a spinoff of ROCKY IV where Ivan is trying to get respect again in his homeland and does what he can to get his son to bring the name back to glory. I feel it also has shades of ROCKY III in it as well. I guess I'm a sucker for nostalgia and closure it can bring to the characters.
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