For a Christmas film to do its job, there are certain boxes that it needs to tick. Firstly, and most obviously, it needs to be set at Christmas. Secondly there needs to be something that the main character is striving for, with obstacles constantly appearing in his way. There should be a nice feeling of nostalgic sentimentality to everything, preferably some snow and children … [Read more...]
Review: It’s a Wonderful Life (1946)
Frank Capra stands as one the greatest directors of all time. He has won the Academy Award for best direction 3 times for the films It Happened One Night (1934), Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (1939) and You Can't Take it With You (1938). Two of these classic films star one of the biggest movie stars on the 1930s, James Stewart. The actor and director worked together numerous … [Read more...]
Review: Scrooged (1988)
Christmas time is a season of giving, recieving and all-round merriment. It is no coincidence then, that Charles Dickens' classic A Christmas Carol is one of the most enduring tales of the period. It is so popular that for years people have attempted to recreate, reimagine and reuse the story in the medium of film. From Scrooge to The Muppet Christmas Carol, the story of a … [Read more...]
Review: Love Actually (2003)
Love Actually is a predominantly British cast, portmanteau Christmas film written and directed by Richard Curtis, a man most famous for his writing credits on Notting Hill and Four Weddings and a Funeral. He has an incredible knack for creating sweet, sentimental films without them being over-bearing or too saccharine. His previous body of work deftly combines uplifting, … [Read more...]
Review: Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows (2011)
Guy Ritchie re-imagined the classic Sir Arthur Conan Doyle character Sherlock Holmes in the 2009 film of the same name. With Robert Downey Jr. as Holmes and Jude Law as his sidekick Dr. Watson, the film was a thumping success taking $524m off of a budget of $90m at the box office. A sequel was almost immediately announced. That sequel, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows was … [Read more...]
Review: Christmas Vacation (1989)
What your about to see isn't pretty, in fact its rather shambolic. Chevy Chase once again takes to our screens as Clark Griswold in National Lampoons: Christmas Vacation (1989). The Griswold family including a young and fresh Juliette Lewis and Beverly D'Angelo as the mother, attract chaos wherever they go, whatever they do. This time is no exception. Its Christmas time and … [Read more...]
Review: Home Alone (1990)
Home Alone is now considered a Christmas classic, although many don't remember that, at the time, it received a lukewarm (at best) reception from critics. As a Christmas film, there isn't really much in it that is related to Christmas. Sure, they have a bit of Christmas related dialogue and a moral that fits with it, but apart from that, it's an oddly mean-spirited film. With … [Read more...]
Miracle on 34th Street (1994) review by That Film Guy
John Hughes, the master of 1980s kid-orientated films always had a good track record around the holidays. Home Alone, Home Alone 2 and Planes, Trains and Automobiles were all released in the lead-up to Christmas and they stand as some of his most successful works. So it made sense for him to have a go at remaking a 1947 classic and make it more relevant for a modern audience. … [Read more...]
Review: The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993)
In quite frankly the freakiest animated children's Christmas film, Tim Burton and Henry Selick have created the world of Halloweentown. The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) is unlike any other Christmas film, especially when it contains Burton's bizarre touch of creativity. Coming from a world of death and obscurity is the character Jack Skellington (Danny Elfman's voice) “ … [Read more...]
Review: Sherlock Holmes (2009)
Sherlock Holmes, released in 2009, takes Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's legendary character and gives him an action-adventure reboot at the hands of Guy Ritchie. The film was a monster success in both the US and the stories setting of the UK and it took over $524m at the box office off of a budget of $90m. This lead to the immediate announcement of a sequel Sherlock Holmes: A Game of … [Read more...]