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.