The Mandalorian (2019)

Hey all!  My Christmas movie marathon is over, which means I'm back to normal reviews.  And just last night, my wife and I binged The Mandalorian (2019).

SYNOPSIS:
After the fall of the Empire (Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983)), the far reaches of the universe have fallen into disarray.  No more galactic rule means no more law and order, and the New Republic has yet to extend their control across the galaxy.  A lone Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) survives by taking on jobs with a bounty hunter guild.  But his latest job makes him question the guild's rules and he finds himself being pursued as the latest bounty...

REVIEW:
This show was amazing!  Jon Favreau (Writer/Executive Producer) proves yet again that anything he touches turns to gold!  He created a unique story line in the Star Wars franchise that exemplifies the Star Wars universe, while also being able to stand alone as its own independent thing.  You don't need to know anything about the rest of the Star Wars universe to enjoy this TV series.

It fits the old western genre, with the Mandalorian being the lone gunslinger.  He ventures out to lawless territories, shooting his way through conflict.  It has incredible suspense and keeps you engaged in the story from start to finish.  The Mandalorians (a sect of warriors originating from the former planet of Mandalore) are sworn to never remove their helmet in front of others.  Yet, you can read so much emotion through that solid helmet.  You can see the wheels turning when he finds himself stuck in a desperate situation and you can see him weighing his options when presented with an emotional twist.  Pedro Pascal does an excellent job conveying emotions with his entire face obscured.

And of course, there's baby Yoda! It's not actually Yoda, but his species has yet to be named in the Star Wars movie universe, so he's essentially a baby of Yoda's species.  The Internet has gone nuts over this cute, tiny version of Yoda.  Despite being an infant, this baby is apparently 50 years old!  The explanation being that species age at different rates across the galaxy.  Which makes sense; Yoda was 900 years old by the end of Episode VI.

I chose to binge this series because the episodes were only 30 minutes long and I couldn't wait week after week for the next episode to release.  I wish Disney+ would release complete series and not treat their new streaming service like a TV broadcast.  That's what Netflix discovered when they started streaming TV shows; that people preferred to binge an entire series in one sitting.  I boycotted this show until the first season was complete and available to stream.  And I'm glad I did, because at 8 episodes, you can power through this show in only 4 hours.  It's a perfect show to burn through in a free afternoon.

RECOMMENDATION:
If you love old western shows and you're interested in sci-fi, you'll love this modern twist on both genres!  Not only do you get all the old cowboy tropes (lone gunslinger, bounty hunting, jailbreaks, outnumbered shoot-outs in small lawless towns, etc.), but you get beautiful exotic worlds, unique creatures and cultures, and awesome space travel.  I highly recommend this series!

Die Hard (1988)

Merry Christmas Eve!  Tonight, I wanted to watch the most epic Christmas film ever... Die Hard (1988)!

SYNOPSIS:
NYPD cop, John McClane (Bruce Willis) flies to LA to visit his estranged wife for Christmas.  But shortly after he shows up at her office's Christmas party, the place is overrun by Hans Gruber (Alan Rickman) and his team of terrorists.  John find himself isolated in the building and takes it upon himself to single-handedly stop the terrorist plot.

REVIEW:
I don't care what anyone else says; this is most definitely a Christmas movie.  It takes place on Christmas Eve.  It takes place at a Christmas party.  John McClane dresses up a defeated bad guy with a Santa hat and writes on his sweater, "Now I have a machine gun. Ho-ho-ho."  John uses Christmas tape to affix guns to his back.  Plus the numerous mentions of Christmas and its various themes scattered across the film.

There are also several Christmas themes played throughout the film (Winter Wonderland, Christmas in Hollis, Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!, Jingle Bells, and Ode to Joy).  Several people whistle Christmas themes too.  There was even a scene where the bad guys are first setting up in the building and I noticed some intense music playing in the background, which was just a rearranged version of Winter Wonderland.  This film is pretty good at reminding you periodically throughout that it's a Christmas film.  So I don't see how anyone could protest.

This is also a classic old-school cop film.  John McClane mentions that rule-following is something his boss has to keep reminding him about.  He is the "cowboy," comparing himself to Roy Rogers.  He's a lone gunslinger, keeping his side-piece on him, even though he's on vacation.  He plays by his own rules and scoffs at the "professionals" attempting to take over control of the situation.  He stays alive by relying on his wits and intuition.  Films like this have disappeared in recent years, being replaced by more fantastical things like superheroes and fantasy films.

This film was the first movie role of Alan Rickman, known best for playing Snape in the Harry Potter series.  And he did excellent!  He was 41 years old when he made it big, which should be motivating for anyone who feels like their life isn't going anywhere. Look at how famous he was, and he didn't even start until he was already over the hill!

Random trivia: Clint Eastwood owned the rights to the original novel this film was based on: "Nothing Lasts Forever."  He planned to star in it in the early '80s, but it took too long to develop and he got too old, so he eventually handed it off to someone else, who cast Bruce Willis in the titular role.

RECOMMENDATION:
If you enjoy action films, this is a classic must-watch!  If you like Christmas films, you should check this out and decide for yourself if it's Christmas-themed enough for you.  Either way, you need to see this film!  It spawned a 5-movie franchise that ranks up there with some of the greatest action films of all time.  Merry Christmas, everyone!

Office Christmas Party (2016)

This is my third and final film for tonight's Christmas movie marathon: Office Christmas Party (2016).   If you missed out on any of my other reviews tonight, you can either Facebook stalk me or read all of them at https://cobyreviews.blogspot.com.

SYNOPSIS:
Clay (T.J. Miller), the branch manager of an IT company, is the cool guy who bends over backward to help his employees, all while having fun.  When his uptight sister, Carol (Jennifer Aniston), the CEO of their company, threatens to close his branch, Clay decides to hold the most epic office Christmas party ever to woo a wealthy prospective client and save his branch.

REVIEW:
This was your standard story where everything goes to hell and the protagonist(s) has to perform a last-minute miracle to save the day.  But it was unique enough that it was enjoyable to watch.  I usually find T.J. Miller to be annoying, but he was entertaining in this film.  The real protagonist of the story was Josh (Jason Bateman) and his subordinate, Tracey (Olivia Munn).  Despite being a sort of co-branch manager, Josh is the one actually performing all the work while Clay just parties.

There are other characters that get some screen time, like the strict but odd H.R. rep (Kate McKinnon), the sweet mother/employee who keeps being harassed by her creepy coworkers (Vanessa Bayer), and the awkward nerd who has to hire a prostitute to impress his subordinates with his "hot girlfriend who totally exists" (Karan Soni).  There are actually a lot of big names attached to this film; a lot of them Saturday Night Live alumni.

Just when you think things can't get any worse, the film finds a way to up the stakes.  Several times, you think this office party is out of control and then something else happens that digs a deeper hole for the main cast to get themselves out of.  As a member of the military, used to strict rules and following orders, seeing a civilian party that essentially trashes the entire office and nearly bankrupts a company was a bit shocking for me.  I'd actually be surprised if people don't suffer legal repercussions for a lot of the destruction caused, like throwing various IT equipment through windows.  The CEO is almost killed by a printer thrown out a window at one point!  And yet nothing really comes of it.

I think the real hero of the film is the security lady, Carla (Da'Vine Joy Randolph).  She takes her job seriously, choosing to guard the front door instead of attending the party.  And when things start to get rough, Josh tells her this is her "John McClane moment" (from Die Hard) and she dual-wields tasers to reign in the crazier attendees and to prevent property theft.  If anyone kept some semblance of order at that office party, it's Carla.

RECOMMENDATION:
This was an enjoyable film to watch.  Definitely meant for adults.  There is a ton of vulgar language and concepts, and even a few scenes of nudity, so put the kids to bed before you put this one on.  But if you want some wild and crazy comedy action, this'll scratch that itch.  I'd recommend it!

Frosty the Snowman (1969)

Tonight. I'm really doing a Christmas movie marathon!  For my second of three films tonight, I watched Frosty the Snowman (1969).

SYNOPSIS:
When a terrible magician (Billy De Wolfe) throws his hat out, some kids pick it up and add it to their snowman, who magically comes to life!  Afraid of melting in the warming temperatures, Frosty (Jackie Vernon) decides to go to the North Pole to stay cool. He is assisted by Karen (June Foray), one of the children who helped bring him to life.  But the magician, discovering the magic in his hat, wants it back and proceeds to follow them...

REVIEW:
I loved this film as a kid!  I can't tell you how many times I watched it over and over again.  But I haven't seen it since I was really young, so it was interesting to see it again as an adult.

This story was narrated by Jimmy Durante, who played a cartoon version of himself, something he was known for doing at the time (playing himself, not the cartoon version of himself).  This is the second older cartoony film I've seen today that had a narrator who looked like his character, as Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) had a snowman designed to look like Burl Ives, who narrated the story.  Must've been a thing in the '60s.

I always thought it was funny how Frosty always said, "Happy Birthday!" every time he came to life.  I mean, it's accurate; he WAS just born...

It was interesting that everyone claimed the magician had no right to his own hat, simply because he got mad and threw it out the door.  His own rabbit (named Hocus Pocus), who lived in the hat, made sure he wouldn't get his hat back and follows Frosty and Karen, doing what he can to help them out and keep the magician away.

Karen made a dumb decision to go with Frosty to the North Pole, which put her in a dangerous situation.  While Frosty was fine in the cold, Karen started to freeze to death and had to be rescued.  Also, the scene where they both get locked in a greenhouse and Frosty started to melt in the heat was devastating for child me!

RECOMMENDATION:
I absolutely loved this TV special!  Like I said, I watched the hell out of it when I was little.  Anyone who hasn't seen this wonderful special needs to track it down on YouTube (I haven't seen it anywhere else).  It's a fun little story about Frosty coming to life and learning about the world around him with the help of children.  Go watch it!  It's only 25 minutes long.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964)

Happy Holidays!  Tonight, for my Christmas movie marathon, I'll be reviewing THREE films!  (Not counting Elf (2003), which I actually watched yesterday)  The first review is on Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964).  Just a reminder that you can read all my reviews at https://cobyreviews.blogspot.com.

SYNOPSIS:
Sam the Snowman narrates the tale of Rudolph, the reindeer born with a glowing red nose.  Rudolph's unique nose is rejected by his father, Donner.  He attempts to hide it, but the other reindeer discover it and make fun of him, not letting him play in any reindeer games.  He runs away and runs into a couple other misfits: Hermey, an elf who wants to be a dentist; and Yukon Cornelius, a prospector.  The trio of misfits escape from the Abominable Snowman and come across an island of misfit toys.  Rudolph decides to help the toys find homes and heads home to the North Pole.

REVIEW:
I haven't seen this film since I was a child!  I remember the Abominable Snowman scared the hell out of me when I was a kid.  I was also weirded out by King Moonracer, the winged lion who rules the island of misfit toys.

Santa is really mean in this TV special!  He shames Donner for having a red-nosed son, is bored out of his mind when the elves perform a song for him, and constantly complains about everything.  He only changes when he realizes Rudolph's red nose might save the day.  Which honestly, is pretty selfish.  Probably the worst Santa I've ever seen on film.

I've always known the story of Rudolph, but this film seemed to add a ton of filler to the tale.  Like the elf who wanted to be a dentist, the eccentric prospector, the island of misfit toys, and the Abominable Snowman.  Not to mention, Rudolph has a love interest in the doe Clarice and has to save her and the rest of his family from the Abominable Snowman.  It felt like the story was all over the place.  I kept wondering how the story was going to get back to Rudolph saving the day, but it kept branching into new adventures.  Which was plenty entertaining, don't get me wrong.

RECOMMENDATION:
This is a classic Christmas story that's been around 20 years longer than I have.  It's a traditional TV special that's familiar to most everyone.  If you haven't seen it yet, you should!

Random trivia: In the original version of the film, Rudolph promises to tell Santa about the misfit toys so they can be given to children who would love them.  But then no other mention of them was ever made.  Children from all over wrote in to the producers, complaining that nothing was done to help the misfit toys.  So they added a segment to the end where Santa goes to pick them up and distribute them to the children of the world.  That addition has become a standard part of the special ever since.

Elf (2003)

Merry Eve of Christmas Eve!  Continuing my Christmas movie marathon last night, my father and I watched Elf (2003).

SYNOPSIS:
A baby sneaks into Santa's gift bag at an orphanage and is only discovered later at the North Pole.  One of the head elves, "Papa" Elf (Bob Newhart) names him Buddy (Will Ferrell) and offers to raise him as an elf.  But once Buddy reaches adulthood, he suspects that he's not the same as the other elves.  Discovering that he's human, he decides to set out for New York to find his real father (James Caan), a grumpy businessman who's currently on the naughty list...

REVIEW:
I've always thought I've seen this film before, but having watched it from start to finish, I realized I've only seen bits and pieces.  It was fun to see the entire movie for once.

My wife and I absolutely hate Will Ferrell movies because he's the same annoying character in all of them.  And this film didn't disappoint in that regard.  Only this time, he's a clueless kid raised as an elf with no idea what the world is like outside of Santa's toyshop.  So there's a lot of awkward scenes where Will Ferrell is... well... Will Ferrell.  At one point, I started to relate more to his father.  If some random guy in an elf outfit showed up at my office and claimed he was my kid from the North Pole, I'd kick him out too!

Buddy gets confused for one of Santa's helpers in a toy store and ends up working there for a bit, where he meets Jovie (Zooey Deschanel).  While Will Ferrell is playing his normal over-the-top character, Zooey Deschanel is playing the exact opposite. She's absolutely dull, doing nothing but looking pretty and awkwardly staring at everyone.  She delivers bland lines and go along with whatever Will Ferrell is doing.  The most character she displayed was when she was singing in the shower, and I think it was because she had to close her eyes while under the water.  I normally like Zooey Deschanel, but she was a bore to watch in this film.

Early in the film, you see some stop-motion characters from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer (1964) interacting with Buddy.  Apparently, this is because of an error in that film's copyright notice, allowing it to be used freely despite its copyright.

Another interesting tie to another Christmas film is that the elf Ming Ming at the beginning of the film is played by Peter Billingsley. He is most famous for playing Ralphie in A Christmas Story (1983).

RECOMMENDATION:
Overall, I feel like the plot was pretty obvious.  Relationships were forced. There wasn't any real revelation that motivated the characters to change or grow; they just... did.  If you're here for the over-the-top Will Ferrell humor, then you'll probably enjoy this, but it was just awkward and cringey for me.  The whole film felt like an attempt to squeeze as many uncomfortable scenes into an hour and a half.  I wouldn't recommend it, but your enjoyment depends on whether you like this kind of humor or not.

Random Trivia: Will Ferrell had to film the spaghetti with candies and syrup, etc. scene twice because he vomited the first time he attempted to eat it.  Throughout filming, he suffered from headaches because of the massive quantities of sugar he consumed - because he actually ate all the sweets you see in the film.  If nothing else, at least he has commitment to the role.

Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992)

Good evening!  I'm visiting my family in Minnesota for the holidays, but I still have a little time to continue my Christmas movie marathon!  Tonight, I watched Home Alone 2: Lost in New York (1992).

SYNOPSIS:
After the previous year's shenanigans, Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) is being watched like a hawk by his mother, as the whole McCallister family plans to travel to Miami for Christmas.  But at the airport, Kevin accidentally follows the wrong person into a plane bound for New York.  Recalling a commercial for a ritzy hotel in New York, Kevin uses his father's credit card to book a room and enjoy a peaceful vacation on his own. But while wandering the streets of New York, he runs into the Wet Bandits (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern), recently escaped from prison and still holding a grudge for the pain and suffering Kevin put them through the previous year...

REVIEW:
This film follows the same formula as the original.  But it creates a fun sequel that doesn't feel like a rehash of the original by switching up some details.  Instead of being left home, Kevin ends up in New York.  Instead of booby-trapping his own house for the bandits, he finds a relative's house that's being renovated and booby-traps it.  The scary neighbor who's not what they seem is replaced with a scary homeless bird lady who's not what they seem.

Minute details concerning other films are preserved between these films, like how Kevin watches How the Grinch Stole Christmas! (1966) in both.  Or how his family spends their vacation in a hotel room, watching a foreign film that no one can understand.  Or the black-and-white mafia film Kevin watches in both, and uses to trick adults. Although this film shows a sequel to the original mafia film.  Random trivia: Both mafia films were created specifically for these Home Alone films; they don't really exist.  Also, you can see the first mafia film playing in Pokémon Detective Pikachu (2019).

Like its predecessor, the first two-thirds of the film are spent exploring Kevin's predicament; first in his enjoyment of being adult-free and what he can get away with, then his realization of how lonely he is and how much he misses his family.  The final third is spent dealing with the bandits and all the cartoony traps they encounter while trying to capture Kevin.

One brilliant addition is Tim Curry as the hotel concierge, who really hams it up throughout the film.  He plays a wonderful villain, who is suspicious of Kevin from the moment he shows up alone in the hotel.  Honestly, he really steals the show!  I miss Tim Curry; I hope he's doing better now.

Also, there's a brief cameo of Donald Trump at the hotel!  I had totally forgotten about this scene.

RECOMMENDATION:
In an era when sequels were just cheap cash-grabs by studios and had no effort put in to them, Home Alone 2 stood out as a quality sequel.  It added to the world of Kevin McCallister while keeping up the excitement and flow from the previous film.  Even with a lot of parallels to the original film, you were still on the edge of your seat, waiting to see how it plays out.  I'd highly recommend this film!

However... I would NOT recommend the three other sequels that followed.  THOSE were cash-grab sequels and not worth seeing.

Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983)

Here's a late entry for today. For my Christmas movie marathon last week, I watched The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992) and mentioned that it wasn't the version I grew up with. So today, I wanted to watch that version: Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983).

SYNOPSIS:
The penny-pinching Ebeneezer Scrooge (Scrooge McDuck) works his employee, Bob Cratchit (Mickey Mouse), to the bone on Christmas Eve, all while shooing away his nephew (Donald Duck) and collectors for the poor (Ratty and Moley).  But after retiring to his home for the night, he's visited by the ghost of his late partner, Jacob Marley (Goofy), who warns him about where his greedy and selfish behavior will lead him.  Jacob tells Scrooge that he will be visited by three spirits that night: the Ghost of Christmas Past (Jiminy Cricket), Christmas Present (Willie the Giant), and Christmas Future (Pete).  With the revelations each spirit brings, Scrooge must reevaluate his life and decide whether to keep heading down his path or change his ways.

REVIEW:
This was the version of A Christmas Carol that I grew up with.  At only 25 minutes long, this short animated film was succinct and to the point.  It was also a great way to introduce children to the classic Charles Dickens story.  Despite being a dark and foreboding tale, this version keeps it light and silly, preventing the viewer from getting lost in the gloom of Scrooge's plight.

This was also fun seeing Scrooge McDuck play the role of his namesake.  He was actually named and characterized after Ebeneezer Scrooge from the classic novel.  And here's a little fun trivia for you: Scrooge McDuck (created in 1947) was actually created just a hair over 100 years after Charles Dickens published his novel, A Christmas Carol (written in 1843).

I've always been very good at being able to "walk a mile in others' shoes."  I empathize greatly with people around me and I'm very hard to upset because I always try my best to consider the point of view of others before I open my mouth.  And I can attribute this personality trait to various experiences as a child, but one that definitely holds true is Mickey's Christmas Carol.  It released just a year before I was born, so naturally, I spent my childhood watching it through the winter holidays.  Seeing a sour, cruel man re-examine his life, consider how he affects others, and then discover the horrible fate awaiting himself if he continues to be mean, helped young me learn to respect others and treat everyone with kindness.  The crippled Tiny Tim definitely moved me as a child and his passing in the potential future struck a chord with me.  If I could prevent a dark fate for others with just a little kindness, then that's all the motivation young me needed!

Also, the grave scene scared the hell out of me when I was a child!  Re-watching it as an adult, it's pretty mild.  But as a kid, seeing a coffin deep in a grave open up with hellfire spewing from it terrified little me.  Even more so when the laughing Ghost of Christmas Future pushed Scrooge into the grave!  I was afraid of graves for a long time after watching this short film.

RECOMMENDATION:
I grew up with this film, so naturally, I have to recommend it as a must-watch!  It faithfully retold the classic novel's tale, with a few silly moments here and there to add levity to an otherwise dark tale.  Even still, it was brief enough to keep the wandering mind of a child focused and entertained, while still getting across a simple, digestible message for young minds.  If you haven't seen this version yet, you're missing out!  It's currently up on Disney+ (which is where I stumbled across it tonight).

Home Alone (1990)

Last night, for my Christmas movie marathon, I watched Home Alone (1990).  But I ended up finishing it really late, so I'm only now getting around to reviewing it.

SYNOPSIS:
8-year old Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin), the runt of his family, always getting picked on and blamed for causing problems.  Frustrated, he wishes that his whole family would disappear.  The next morning, his family boards a flight to Paris, totally forgetting to bring Kevin along.  Kevin wakes up to an empty house and celebrates his Christmas miracle... until a duo of burglars (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) targets his house!  It's up to Kevin alone to defend his home!

REVIEW:
This was a favorite film of mine throughout my childhood!  I was a couple years younger than Kevin when the film released, so I related to his plight.  Watching it as an adult is kind of trippy, though.  For instance, Kevin's home is massive!  No one could afford a rich house like his today, unless they were millionaires.  That really shows the change in the economy from 1990 to today.  Even then, I'm sure it was a pricey home even for folks in the '90s.

Another interesting thing I never noticed before is that Kevin is completely dependent on his family at first.  He can't even pack a suitcase without help.  But after being left alone, he realizes he needs to step up and take control of his life.  He overcomes his fear of the dark basement and its scary furnace.  He learns how to go shopping, and is even quick-witted when the cashier starts asking him probing questions about his parents.  He even faces the scary neighbor; the one rumored to have murdered his entire family.

And of course, when two bandits attempt to break into his house, he initially hides in fear before deciding he needs to take a stand and defend his territory.  He sets up elaborate traps to injure and main and overall embarrass the two grown men encroaching upon his property.  Despite being a child, he manages to out-smart two otherwise intelligent burglars who had already cased and robbed the rest of the block.

One random thing I like about this film is how good it is at establishing shots.  You get great music and visual build-up to some of the scenes.  Like when Kevin is running down the street from the tailing burglars, you get a momentary pan over a manger outside a church before discovering that Kevin is hiding in the manger.  Or the night before the family leaves, you get some haunting music while the wind howls outside.  You see scraping branches on the house, a spooky zoom up to a Santa face in the center of the wreath on their front door, then a branch snapping as it falls on the telephone wires, knocking out power to the house.  The furnace also comes alive, with a low shot of it while it glows and subtly growls Kevin's name.

Random trivia: The kid who "wets the bed," Fuller (Kieran Culkin) is played by Macaulay Culkin's real-life brother.  You may know him best as the gay roommate Wallace in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World.

RECOMMENDATION:
This is a classic Christmas story!  I love the idea of a child being forced to overcome their dependence and learn how to take charge and get things done.  It's very motivating.  I also love all the Christmas themes, with beautiful decorations, church pageants, and Kevin's Christmas wish for solitude that he eventually wishes to rescind.  About the only bad lesson here is about confronting bad guys instead of calling the cops.  But then again, Kevin recognized one of the burglars as the cop who visited his home at the beginning of the film, so he has a legitimate reason for not trusting the police initially.  There was excellent slapstick humor as the bandits attempt to break into Kevin's house, which was my favorite part of this film as a child.  I'd recommend this film for all ages!

The Grinch (2018)

I took a day off from my Christmas movie marathon.  Sorry!  I'm back tonight with the latest version of this classic: The Grinch (2018).

SYNOPSIS:
The Grinch, a nasty green creature who lives in the mountain above Whoville, hates the Christmas season.  He hates everything about Christmas and makes a plan to steal Whoville's Christmas from them, to finally put an end to the holiday!

REVIEW:
We've all grown up with this classic tale.  We know the story.  However, this animated film decides to give it a little spin.  They kind of neutered the Grinch (Benedict Cumberbatch).  He's not the scary mythological creature hiding away in a dark cave in the mountains.  No, this Grinch wanders around town, being greeted as if he were just another Who in Whoville!  He even goes shopping!  No one bats an eye at his presence, and at worst, they just call him rude.

His infamous abuse against his dog, Max, is gone.  He's actually nicer to Max than most people are with their pets.  All his anger and loathing and hatred are pretty much just a mask in this version.  You can see his love for Christmas peeking out from behind the mask long before his "heart grows 3 sizes that day."  No... in this version, the Grinch is just lonely.  He takes it out on Christmas because of one Christmas in his youth, when he was left all alone at an orphanage during Christmas day.

Cindy Lou Who is the exact opposite personality in this version.  Instead of the adorable, shy, tiniest Who from the original, she's a loud-mouthed tomboy, plotting and scheming with her friends to capture Santa so she can ask him in person for a personal gift.

Oh, and remember in the original how Cindy Lou was the one who explained to all the other Who's what the true meaning of Christmas was?  In this version, she blames herself for ruining Christmas because of her attempt to capture Santa.  Her mother had to explain the true meaning of Christmas to her instead.  So the innocent child lesson was abandoned for a "mother knows best" moral.  Which isn't too bad, except it invalidates all the previous planning that Cindy Lou and her friends did in the first half of the film.

I will say, the animation is spectacular in this version. Everything is very clean and bright and beautiful.  Even the Grinch got a make-over.  His original version was twisted and scary, with crooked, yellow, termite-infested teeth.  This Grinch could star in a toothpaste commercial!  Plus his fur was perfectly managed and so soft-looking.  This was the most friendly, huggable Grinch imaginable.  You'd be terrified to be on the same mountain as the original, but people had no problem hugging this Grinch.  And his only resistance would be an exasperated grunt.  Totally non-threatening.

RECOMMENDATION:
I watched this on my brand-new 65" 4K TV and it was absolutely beautiful-looking.  The bright colors lit up the room and everything about Whoville (and even the Grinch's lair) were gorgeous to watch.  But that's about where the positives end.  This is a complete 180 from the original Grinch.  He was a total softie who put on a "tough guy" act.  His transformation at the end was extremely weak and undeserved, given his behavior throughout the rest of the film.  It felt more like he ruined Christmas because he had a mild tantrum about being inconvenienced one day, and finding out the Whovians didn't care that he ruined Christmas made him immediately regret his actions.  He even rolled into town with their gifts, gave a heartfelt apology, then left.  I didn't feel like he changed at all; just realized he made a mistake and did his best to correct it.  If you want something bright and colorful to entertain your kids, then this movie does the trick.  But if you're a fan of the original story, don't expect this film to help you relive those childhood memories.

Frozen II (2019)

Tonight, my wife and I went out with our "little brother" (through the Big Brothers Big Sisters of America program) to see Frozen II (2019) in theaters.  It was a pretty good sequel!

SYNOPSIS:
Three years after the events of the first film, life has gone on in Arendelle.  But Elsa (Idina Menzel) begins to hear a haunting song that only calls to her.  Setting out with her sister Anna (Kristen Bell), snowman Olaf (Josh Gad), Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), and reindeer Sven, the group head off toward an enchanted forest to the north, surrounded by an impenetrable fog, to find the source of the song and uncover the mysterious history of Arendelle.

REVIEW:
This was an enjoyable sequel to the original.  It found a way to continue the story without rehashing the previous film (much).  I personally felt it dragged a bit in places, and I saw the climax coming a mile away, but that didn't detract from the overall film.  It had a lot more grown-up elements to its story this time around.

Heck, Olaf was much more mature in this one!  Despite continuing to be the comic relief, he's also grown as a person.  Being 3 years old now, he's more than a bumbling moron.  He's learned more about life and is a lot more introspective in this film.  (He's even learned to read now!)  He sees Elsa and Anna as "ancient" in age and even has a song about how he'll understand things better when he's older.  He even discovers the emotion of anger at one point, and has a very mature discussion with Anna about this new emotion.  He also has a few deeper moments where he explores his own mortality.

Kristoff was the perfect example of how a man should be.  Not because he was the "big strong hero" or any such manly stereotype.  In actuality, he spends most of the film frustrated at being left behind and practically ignored by Anna.  He's in a relationship with her, but feels like she's emotionally disconnected and he worries that they're growing apart.  He has a big musical number (an 80s power ballad, of all things) where he vents about feeling like he's losing the one he loves.

But one line of Kristoff's that stuck out to me was when he shows up for Anna and all he said was, "I'm here, what do you need?"  He didn't ask what was going on (and a lot was going on at the time), he didn't ask what she did or attempt to take charge of the situation.  He didn't take time out of the story to vent about how frustrated he was with her.  He saw she was in trouble and offered his immediate unconditional assistance.  It was refreshing to see a guy make a selfless act of service toward someone he loved.  That's how it should be, but you rarely ever see that in media.  Kristoff spends the film a romantic wreck, but still puts his problems aside to help in a crisis.  And that's a very important lesson for men to understand.  It's okay to be fragile and emotional at times, but you shouldn't take it out on those you care about.  If you offer to be there for your significant other (and of course, keep open lines of communication), your relationship will be that much stronger.

Anna spends the film clinging to her sister, determined not to lose her again.  She's so desperately attached to her sister that the thought of losing her sends her into a very dark, depressing spiral.  But she, too, has a powerful song about pushing forward, taking that next step even when all seems lost.  I feel it's an important lesson for those who feel like there's nothing left in their life.  There's always something worth living for and it's important to always keep making the effort, even when it feels like there's no point left.

Elsa has become a lot more powerful by this film, but still struggles to keep up with magic she finds in the world.  She's always felt out of place and spends the film on a journey of self-discovery, trying to understand her powers and where she best fits in the big picture of things.  So overall, there was plenty of character growth across all of the characters.  Even Sven seems a little less silly than the previous film, being a more direct support for Kristoff as he's struggling to understand his relationship with Anna.

RECOMMENDATION:
This was a lot more mature story than its predecessor, but a good step forward in that regard.  It gives you good morals in life and love, while also guiding you toward ways to deal with emotion and frustration in a healthy manner.  Frozen (2013) was absolutely fantastic and I got my hopes up expecting Frozen II (2019) to be the next major step forward in the world of Arendelle.  I was a little let down that the plot was kind of obvious and didn't have as strong of an impact as the original.  But where it lacked in storytelling, it made up in character development and social interactions.  There were plenty of powerful can't-miss moments.  I'd highly recommend seeing this film if you haven't yet!

The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

Continuing with my Christmas movie marathon, tonight I watched The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992)

SYNOPSIS:
Ebenezer Scrooge (Sir Michael Caine) is a wicked, greedy old man, pinching every penny he has and turning up his nose at the Christmas cheer surrounding him.  But late on Christmas Eve, he's visited by three spirits who give him a glimpse of his past, present, and future, in hopes of changing his mind and saving him from eternal damnation.

REVIEW:
The classic Charles Dickens novel comes to the big screen, this time in the form of Muppets!  Honestly, I grew up with Mickey's Christmas Carol (1983), but I couldn't easily find a copy to watch tonight, so I went with my second-favorite version, The Muppet Christmas Carol (1992).

Sir Michael Caine plays his part very well.  He claimed that he was going to play it like he's working with the Royal Shakespeare Company; very serious and dramatic as if he wasn't surrounded by puppets. And it worked perfectly for the character of Scrooge!  Despite the silliness of the muppets all around him, Scrooge is unfaltering in his serious and grumpy demeanor.  As he's experiencing his journey, I truly felt the heartbreak of Scrooge as he begins to worry for Tiny Tim's well-being.  The fear he felt for his own potential future could also be experienced as he begged on his knees, crying.  There's a reason Sir Michael Caine is one of the most acclaimed actors in the world.  He actually got his knighthood in recognition for his contribution to cinema.

Gonzo the Great plays Charles Dickens, narrating the movie throughout with his sidekick, Rizzo the Rat.  Both of them constantly break the fourth wall, adding a bit of levity to this film.  Surprisingly, this is actually one of the darker film versions of A Christmas Carol.  They had to cut some songs from later releases for being too upsetting for children, and they actually show how sick Tiny Tim is, rather than just seeing him hobbling on his one crutch.  At one point, Rizzo the Rat asks Gonzo if this movie is all right for children to watch.

Personally, I found the Ghost of Christmas Present to be the most depressing.  He starts out the most energetic and jolly of all characters in the film.  His very presence brightens up the room (literally!) and even has the grouchy Scrooge smiling and dancing along at one point.  But near the end of his time, he starts aging rapidly until he's tired and white-haired.  He has a conversation with Scrooge about how his time on Earth is limited and quickly coming to an end, which somehow struck me hard personally.  Probably because I used to be an unstoppable ball of energy as a young man, but have been getting slower and more tired with age.  I guess his sudden aging resonated with me, as my own youthful childhood has somehow vanished overnight.

RECOMMENDATION:
This is a classic you can't pass up!  Whether you've read the original novel or watched various versions of this famous tale on the big screen, the Muppet's Christmas Carol is one that shouldn't be missed.  I love introspective thought, and this story is all about self-exploration and discovery.  Scrooge learns from his past, reconsiders himself in the present, and then gets a glimpse of his unaltered future, giving him a chance to reevaluate his life and change for the better.  Which is a gift that I'd love to have myself.  I'd recommend this to all ages!

Christmas with the Kranks (2004)

Apologies for the brief hiatus these past few days; I've been busy building a blog to host all my movie reviews and slowly copying over every single review I could find on Facebook.  As nice as Facebook has been, it's not convenient to look up previous reviews unless I start building a bunch of photo albums to corral them.  I'll still post reviews to Facebook, but I will also post a copy to my new blog for easy archive.  You can find it here: https://cobyreviews.blogspot.com.

With that said, let's continue the Christmas Movie Marathon!  Today's film is Christmas with the Kranks (2004).

SYNOPSIS:
The Kranks' daughter goes off to Peru with the Peace Corps, leaving her parents (Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis) alone for the holiday season.  Deciding to save some money this year, they decide to boycott Christmas and instead go on a Caribbean cruise together.  But with their traditionally selfless donations each year, avoiding their coworkers, neighbors, various charities, and even the police will prove to be a challenge.

REVIEW:
I both love and hate this film.  I love it because it's a Christmas film about learning to be more selfless and help out your fellow man.  I hate it because it promotes the idea that charity and community are more important than your own wants/needs.

This movie would be an excellent propaganda film for Communism.  The Kranks decide to be a little selfish and treat themselves for one holiday.  Save some money, take a romantic tropical vacation, and avoid all the stress of the holidays.  But their community attacks them for wanting something for themselves.  When they don't buy a Christmas tree from the local Boy Scouts, they're shamed for not helping out the children.  When they don't buy Christmas cards from the local shop, a shop attendant chases them down in a restaurant and publicly shames them for skipping out on Christmas.  When they decide not to decorate their house with the standard Frosty the Snowman decoration on their roof, the neighborhood starts a rally in their front yard, chanting for them to "Free Frosty!"  Most of the rallying is led by Vic Frohmeyer (Dan Aykroyd), who acts as a sort of neighborhood "tough guy."  The Kranks are bullied, harassed, and shamed all through the season.

As someone who is planning a Caribbean cruise around the holidays, I'm kind of upset at the idea that a community can't respect the wishes of a family.  I would hate it if my neighbors shamed me for avoiding Christmas with them.  Everyone should be free to live their life as they see fit, but the Kranks' neighborhood assumes they know what's best for everyone.  And as feel-good as the end of this film was, it just further pushes that "community is everything" message.  I dunno; maybe it's the introvert in me, but I'm not comfortable with my community deciding how I'll donate my money and decorate my house each year.

RECOMMENDATION:
The main cast is full of big-name actors and it's a fun comedy to watch, so I'd recommend checking it out.  But I personally don't agree with its message. I think it had a good idea for a message but didn't portray it very well.  So go watch it for yourself and let me know what you think.

Sonic Christmas Blast (1996)

All right, tonight's Christmas Movie Marathon pick is gonna sound a little weird... get ready for the TV special, Sonic Christmas Blast (1996)!

SYNOPSIS:
A fake Santa announces his official retirement and hands off his title to Dr. Robotnik, who uses the role of Santa to steal all the presents of the world and enslave everyone in his workshops. Only Sonic the Hedgehog can find the real Santa and save Christmas for all!

REVIEW:
If you didn't already know, I'm one of the biggest Sonic the Hedgehog nerds you'll ever meet. I've been following the franchise ever since I was 10 years old. My personal website (http://cobysev.net) is a public archive of all the Sonic comics that have ever been released, and I own all 799 of the American comics (802 as of tomorrow's comic book release 😉). And I've watched all 7 (Yes, SEVEN) TV series and played almost all of the 90+ video games. So of course, I couldn't resist reviewing the ONLY Christmas special in the entire franchise. (And yes, I WILL review the live-action Sonic movie coming out on Valentine's Day next year!)

The Sonic Christmas Blast special is the series finale for Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog (1993), a 66-episode acid trip of yelling, childish quips, and psychotic breaks in reality. Surprisingly, this special is one of the most sane episodes in the series. It also came out 3 years AFTER the series ended, so there's been plenty of time for the series creators to grow as people and reflect on their past work. Maybe that accounts for a slightly more coherent story here.

This special also includes a small cameo of Princess Sally, a main character in the other Sonic cartoon airing at the same time: Sonic the Hedgehog (1993). She doesn't have any speaking lines, though, and is mostly there for the fan service. Also, she's pink like her original test colors in the Sonic the Hedgehog (1993) pilot episode, not her usual squirrel brown colors.

This version of Santa is probably the most depressing version ever! After Sonic rescues him, he gives up, proclaiming that Robotnik has ruined Christmas and there's no hope. He even encourages Sonic not to try and save Christmas! Sonic is the only one who doesn't lose hope, and he finds out that a ring Princess Sally gave him happens to be the key to unlocking the "secret of ultimate velocity." To unlock it, he has to master all of the "impossible challenges." Sonic manages to pass all the challenges and gains the ultimate velocity. He uses it to steal back all the presents from "Robotnik Claus" and redistribute them to the children of the world, all in a matter of minutes!

Even after Sonic saves the day, Santa admits that he should retire anyway and proclaims Sonic the new Santa.

Also, weren't there a bunch of enslaved people to save? Maybe I missed the part when Sonic saved them all. Or maybe the special just forgot about them. It's really hard to tell with all the running and screaming and whatnot that happens on this show.

RECOMMENDATION:
If you're a die-hard Sonic fan, then you absolutely must force yourself to sit through this hot mess of a special, including the previous 65 episodes of this diarrhea of lights and sound. But for the average joe, you may be a bit lost trying to figure out what's going on. Despite the whole special being focused on Christmas, I doubt this will ever make a top-10 list of greatest Christmas specials. Unless you have a hyperactive kid that needs something flashy and noisy to distract them, I'd recommend you skip out on this one.

Klaus (2019)

Tonight, my wife and I watched a wonderful new film called Klaus (2019)!

SYNOPSIS:
Jesper (Jason Schwartzman) is a spoiled rich kid living off his wealthy father who runs the Royal Postal Academy. In a last-ditch effort to mature his son, Jesper's dad makes him the sole postman on a remote island in the arctic circle, insisting he's permanently cut off from his life of luxury unless he personally processes 6,000 letters in a year. In a desperate attempt to escape the island and its two feuding clans, Jesper encourages the local children to mail letters to Klaus (J.K. Simmons), the lonely woodsman on the other end of the island, who will send them toys in exchange. And as Klaus responds to each letter with a new toy, a legend surrounding the mysterious man begins to form...

REVIEW:
This was a wonderful origin story for Santa Claus! And it didn't involve magic or elves or anything mystical. Just a simple act of kindness that spread like wildfire. Through whispers of the children and a few subtle suggestions from the postmaster, Klaus became this magical man who would make presents appear overnight, but only to good boys and girls. All the magical elements of Santa were justified by real-world actions in this film. It was very fun to watch.

Jesper reminded me a lot of Kuzco from The Emperor's New Groove (2000) (and Jackie and I had to look it up because Jason Schwartzman mimicked David Spade's whiny entitled voice very well). He started out a spoiled brat who will do anything to get home, but he eventually starts to get wrapped up in the good deeds he's performing and finds himself torn between returning to his life of luxury or continuing to help bring cheer and peace to a dark, depressed, and angry town. It was fun to watch his selfish acts slowly become selfless. I love redemption films and I always enjoy seeing if one is tempted to return to their former character, or if they've truly learned a lesson and grown as a person. Jesper was definitely put to that test in this film.

The animation of this film was beautiful! I was surprised to learn that it was hand-drawn animation, with a CGI lighting effect to give it more of a 3D appearance. That gave it a unique style and made it very visually appealing. I'd watch it again just for the look of it. This was Sergio Pablos' first film that he wrote and directed himself and I think he knocked it out of the park!

There was also a remote Saami clan featured in this film. Saami is both an indigenous Finno-Ugric people and describes the groups of languages spoken by them. The little blonde girl who spoke Saami in this film was so adorable! Probably my favorite part about this film. And Sergio Pablos actually flew to northern Norway to record her lines from an actual Saami girl who didn't speak any English. I think she tugged at my heartstrings more than anything else in this film. She was so cuuute! 😍

RECOMMENDATION:
I've never heard of this film until just a few days ago when I saw it pop up on Netflix, but the trailer made it seem interesting, and I'm glad I watched it! I enjoy unique origin stories for traditional tales and this one scratches that itch pretty well. If you like a down-to-earth, feel-good Santa story, you can't pass this one up! I highly recommend it!

A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965)

Sorry for a late review tonight... I spent my evening binging the three "Berserk: The Golden Age Arc" movies. (I love that franchise!) But Berserk is far removed from anything resembling Christmas. So tonight's Christmas movie marathon review is on A Charlie Brown Christmas (1965).

SYNOPSIS:
As Christmas approaches, Charlie Brown finds himself depressed at all the commercialism overtaking the holiday. Lucy offers him the role of director in the Christmas play, but he's inundated with more calls for commercialism. When he gets a small wilting Christmas tree to bring back the spirit of Christmas in his peers, he's instead yelled at for not getting a shiny, expensive, aluminum tree. Desperate, he turns to Linus for advice on the true meaning of Christmas, who gives a rousing speech and stirs the Christmas spirit in their peers.

REVIEW:
This is a classic TV special that predates my existence by a couple decades, but was still an important and nostalgic part of my childhood. Vince Guaraldi's original piano music score is the perfect soothing blend for this calm, Christmas piece. One of these days, I'm gonna get some sheet music for this special so I can learn these songs on piano!

The Peanuts has always been a wholesome Christian comic series that, like Mr. Rogers, promotes good will to your fellow man without cramming religion down your throat. However, the important "meaning of Christmas" speech that Linus gave at the climax was a direct biblical quote; Luke 2:8-14 to be precise. Which is fine in this context, being that a lot of Christians attribute Christmas to the birth of Christ.

Even if you aren't religious (like myself), the message that commercialism distracts from the true meaning of Christmas is still a powerful one. And at the end, when all of Charlie Brown's peers use that blatant commercialism to help decorate his poor wilting tree and make it beautiful for him... that camaraderie and willingness to help out that one depressed kid (even if everyone agrees he's a blockhead) shows that the meaning of Christmas has not been lost to them.

RECOMMENDATION:
I cannot recommend this special enough! It's only 25 minutes long, so you're not put out of your way to watch it. It's wonderful that they actually got child actors to play all the parts, so you don't feel like you're being pandered to with adults mimicking children's voices. And despite showing a day-in-the-life of the Peanuts children, you still get a pretty straight-forward and powerful message. This is a must-watch for EVERYONE!