Month: December 2020

Kurt Russell is Fun in The Christmas Chronicles

Darby Camp, Judah Lewis, and Kurt Russell in The Christmas Chronicles.

The Christmas Chronicles

Directed by Clay Kaytis
Written by Matt Lieberman

The review:

Like many Christmas films, this starts in the land of sad* so that we can find the true meaning of Christmas and get to the land of happy. The film brings Christmas magic by showing a brief glimpse of Santa caught on video which leads to an attempt to capture Santa** in action once again. There are hijinks, a ticking clock, some Santa magic, and even a blues performance in this very nice Christmas film.

The verdict: Good (-ish)

Cost: Netflix monthly fee ($8.99)
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*In this case, Teddy and Kate are sad because their fireman father has died.
**The always charming Kurt Russell. I could have done without his constant griping about being mistyped as fat.

Questions:

  • Why is Kurt Russell so damn charismatic?
  • What’s your favorite Christmas film with children as main characters?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

Santa’s list includes several of Kurt Russell’s grandchildren.

Other reviews of The Christmas Chronicles:

Orange background with a white frame. Text: Trading in eight reindeer for 400 horses! —The Christmas Chronicles. Read the three sentence movie review. 3SMReviews.com

The Prom: A Bunch of Movie People Doing Theater in a Movie

Ryan Murphy and the extended cast of the 2020 Netflix feature: The Prom

The Prom

Directed by Ryan Murphy
Written by Bob Martin and Chad Beguelin

The review:

The Prom is a not-terrible adaption of what was probably a not-terrible Broadway production and includes at least one song that earwormed its way into my brain for an extended period of time.* The story of washed up Broadway stars who decide to step in and “help” when a gay teen from Indiana** is excluded from bringing her girlfriend to prom, this is a of-the-moment story that will hopefully look quaint in about ten years. Jo Ellen Pellman is fresh faced as Emma Nolan, the gay teen in question and the four leads (Meryl Streep, James Corden,*** Nicole Kidman,**** and Keegan-Michael Key) give their best razzle dazzle performances.

The verdict: Good

Cost: Netflix monthly fee ($8.99)
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*I cannot remember which song it is, but I’m not going to go and re-expose myself to the earworm.
**If Hoosiers is the apex of Indiana-positive films, this is the opposite.
***A straight man playing a gay man, which has been criticized.
****She seems to be having fun in this stage of her career.

Questions:

  • What is that magical pixie dust that makes a movie musical feel like something more than a placeholder for those of us who don’t make it to Broadway?
  • What was your favorite number?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

Although the original actors from Broadway auditioned for the role, Ryan Murphy decided to go with the “star-filled” cast. This is sadly ironic, as the stage version was designed to give leads to actors who had spent their entire career in supporting roles, such as Beth Leavel, Brooks Ashmanskas, Angie Schworer and Christopher Sieber, whose roles in the film are played by Streep, Corden, Kidman and Rannells, respectively.

Other reviews of The Prom:

Orange background with a white frame. Text: We have come to show this community that gay people, and gay positive icons such as myself, are made of the same flesh and blood as they are. —The Prom. Read the three sentence movie review 3SMReviews.com

Queen Latifah and Mo’Nique Dazzle in Bessie

Queen Latifah as Bessie Smith in the film Bessie.

Bessie

Directed by Dee Rees
Written by Dee Rees, Christoper Cleveland, Bettina Gilois

The review:

The always remarkable Queen Latifah gives us a tutorial of blues singer Bessie Smith’s rise to fame and fortune including the usual downturn that comes with biopics of performers. First cast in this film in 1997, Latifah delivers a very physical performance* with a ton of nuance. Mo’Nique also is amazing as Ma Rainey, the singer who teaches Smith the value of performance, and alerts her to the many people who are standing by to cheat blues singers out of their money.

The verdict: Good

Cost: Free. Borrowed the DVD from the Multnomah County Library
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

  • Ma Rainy’s Black Bottom
  • Ray
  • Dreamgirls
  • We are the Best (because I can’t not recommend this punk rock girl film every chance I get)

Further sentences:

*Aside from knock-down-drag-out fights, there is also enough enthusiastic sex to remind you that your generation wasn’t the first to invent sex.

Questions:

  • What was your favorite performance scene in Bessie?
  • Do you prefer Mo’nique or Viola Davies as Ma Rainey?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

Charles S. Dutton, who plays Pa Rainey, made his Broadway debut in 1984 in August Wilson’s play Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.

Other reviews of Bessie:

Orange background with a white frame. Text: I ain't playing second to nobody! —Bessie. Read the three sentence movie review. 3SMReviews.com

An Author Teenage Me Loved

Jude Deveraux was one of the romance novelists I cut my teeth on in the 80s. I suspect I haven’t read this book (it was published in 2002) but I enjoyed how finding this book in a Little Free Library reminded me of that time in my life.

Also, I looked up Deveraux on Wikipedia and discovered that her eight-year-old son was killed in 2005 and that a psychic stole all her money. That’s not a happy ending for a romance writer.

Add Arthur Christmas to Your Christmas Movie Collection

The cast of the film Arthur Christmas arranged in a pyramid with the elves on the bottom and Arthur at the top.

Arthur Christmas

Directed by Sarah Smith, Barry Cook
Written by Peter Baynham, Sarah Smith

The review:

Even if this movie didn’t have a scene that takes place in Idaho, it would be worth watching just for the action movie–style depiction of how presents are delivered using the S2, a googleplex of elves, and a doddering Santa, but what makes it a magical Christmas movie is how that operation is contrasted with a simpler one later in the film.* The story of Santa’s second son Arthur, this film has all of the hallmarks of a quality Christmas film: wonder, delight, sorrow, hilarity, and steadfastness. The worriers among us will love how Arthur harnesses that feeling to save Christmas and those of us who hate wrapping presents will marvel at the elf Bryony’s** skill in a time of need.***

The verdict: Recommended

Cost: $2.99 via Redbox On Demand
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*Look out for Bill Nighy’s voice stylings as Grandsanta.
**Ashley Jensen, with a delightful accent
***Three pieces of tape!

Questions:

  • What’s your favorite animated Christmas film?
  • How do you imagine those presents get delivered?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

This is the second Christmas film featuring a title song sang by Bill Nighy. He also starred in Love Actually.

Other reviews of Arthur Christmas:

Orange background with a white frame. Text: And may one hundred percent of your Christmases be white. —Arthur Christmas. Read the three sentence movie review. 3SMReviews.com

Mank: Amanda Seyfried Shines

Amanda Seyfried and Gary Oldman in the film Mank

Mank

Directed by David Fincher
Written by Jack Fincher

The review:

The film that made me wonder if Fincher is feeling old and worn out.* While I can see what he’s doing there with the looping plot and the black and white and the deeper meaning, Herman J. Mankiewicz was not someone I was super interested in,** Gary Oldman’s fine performance notwithstanding.*** However, this is probably worth watching just for Amanda Seyfried, who was excellent as Marion Davies, and it was a solid depiction of Old Hollywood.****

The verdict: Good (ish)

Cost: Netflix monthly fee ($8.99)
Where watched: at home

Consider also watching:

Further sentences:

*His father wrote the original script, so perhaps it was the elder Mr. Fincher who was feeling very beat down.
**You can catalog this under: Tales of a Privileged White Man Who Wastes His Talents and is Generally Horrible to All, Volume 3,458,721.
***Although I really wish they would equalize their age-wise ridiculous casting. Gary Oldman was born in 1958 and is playing a 43-year-old man. Tuppence Middleton was born in 1987 and is playing his similarly aged wife.
****You know, when it was just some fun hijinks to have the stenographer sit around with pasties on.

Questions:

  • How many more films of this ilk will be made before we move on to a more interesting angle? (Like say, the story of that stenographer with the pasties.)
  • What’s your favorite movie about making a movie?

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

The presenter announcing the Academy Award for best original screenplay to Mankiewicz and Welles at the end of the movie is played by Ben Mankiewicz, a grandson of Herman J. Mankiewicz. Ben Mankiewicz is a presenter for Turner Classic Movies, which frequently airs films by Herman Mankiewicz and his brother Joseph. Ben’s father, Frank, is portrayed briefly in Mank by the uncredited child actor Matteo Menzies.

Other reviews of Mank:

Orange background with a white frame. Text: Irving, you are a literate man. You know the difference between communism and socialism. In socialism, everyone shares the wealth. In communism, everyone shares the poverty. Read the three sentence movie review 3SMReviews.com

When the Starlight Ends Should Have Never Started

Arabella Oz and Sam Heughan in the film When the Starlight Ends

When the Starlight Ends

Directed by Adm Sigal
Written by Adam Sigal

The review:

Sometimes enjoying actors in TV series leads me to really great films made by the actors,* and sometimes they lead me to stinkers. The looping stories in this film made it hard to tell what was the story and what were side bits the author was writing so he could get over his failed marriage.** And Sam Heughan, who has been holding my attention in Outlander, failed to do so here.***

The verdict: Skip

Cost: $2.99 via Google Play
Where watched: at home

Consider watching instead:

Further sentences:

*Steve Carell is a good example. He was great in the Office, but I’ve also enjoyed him in Dan in Real Life, Foxcatcher, The Big Short, Battle of the Sexes and Beautiful Boy.
**This film also featured terrible green screen stuff, and I couldn’t tell if that was due to budgetary constraints or an intentional feature.
***And, his performance here may have just diminished my enjoyment of him as Jamie Fraser in Outlander.

Questions:

  • Did you have a favorite scene in this film?
  • This movie was so lackluster I can’t come up with a second question.

Favorite IMDB trivia item:

Kane Knox is the cute baby in this picture.

(This was the only trivia item and I have no idea who Kane Knox is.)

Other reviews of When the Starlight Ends:

SKS Postcard: Spoils from a Small Business Saturday Shopping Trip

One thing about Humboldt County, they don’t lack for quality postcards. Sara reports that their small business Saturday shopping got them in a good spot for Christmas. She says they usually buy when they travel, but since there has been no travel, the money is staying local.