Hallmark Original Movies - People either love them or hate them. Me? Love 'em!
Are they cheesy? Most definitely!
Is the acting award worthy? Ummmm.....no. But that's not what they're going for. It's sort of the Nickelodeon/Disney Channel type of acting but for Christmas-love-story obsessed people such as myself. I blame my mom - it's all her fault.
A warning: Some are good, some are bad, none are great. But you know that going in. It's a lot like opening up an assorted box of chocolates from the local grocery store: you spit out the bad one's half-way through and happily enjoy the decent ones when you find them.
My Top Five:
5. Pride, Prejudice, and mistletoe
4. Finding Santa
3. The Sweetest Christmas
2. A Christmas Prince
1. Four Christmases and a Wedding
So, wrap up in a blanket, grab some hot chocolate, and prepare for some just-okay Christmas movies. Cause, they're the best!🎄
Monday, December 3, 2018
Ralph Breaks The Internet: Amazing sequel or no, just no?
Wreck it Ralf was a fun new take on your typical family animation big screen release. It took video game characters and brought them to life in a bright, colorful, and imaginative world. Did Ralf Breaks the Internet succeed as a sequel? Read on to find out!
The Details:
Genre: Family/Adventure/Fantasy
Release Date: November 21, 2018
Movie Rating: PG
Running Time: 1h. 56m.
Starring: Sarah Silverman, John C. Reilly, Jack McBrayer, Taraj P. Henson, Gal Gadot, Jane Lynch
The Plot:
When Venellope's Arcade breaks and is facing eternal retirement, she and Ralph decide their only hope it to head to the internet to find a replacement for the broken controller. But when Venellope's eyes are opened to new and exciting adventures she finds herself unsure if she wants to go back to the arcade, breaking Ralph's heart.
To view the trailer, click on the link below:
The Critics Take:
Rotten Tomatoes Critic Consesus says, "Ralph Breaks the Internet levels up on its predecessor with a funny, heartwarming sequel that expands its colorful universe while focusing on core characters and relationships."
Tomatometer: 88%
Entertainment Weekly: B+
"Sequel that's better than the original" is an elusive club, limited until now, in this crick's opinion, to Toy Story 2, The Godfather 2, and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban. Well, it's time to welcome a new member to the gang. Ambitious, beautifully animated, and clever to a fault, Ralph Breaks the Internet breaks free of the pitfalls of most sequels by never forgoing heart for the sake of bigger franchise pyrotechnics. At times, the movie suffers from a few cringe-y moments of self-proud internet awareness. (Imagine your mom telling you about the latest meme she saw. That's the feeling.). But it never steps over the line of merely cute an dit never detracts from a fundamentally good movie."
-Dana Schwartz ew.com. November 14, 2018. Ralf Breaks the Internet is a shiny one-up of the original with plenty of meta edge: EW review
My Take:
Well, okay. Not really sure how I ended up so polar opposite from the critics with this one, but I did.
I thought it was TOO much like the original: Ralph tries to help Vanellope→In the process royally screws things up→Ralph tries to fix things→Only makes them worse→Vanellope ends up mad and storms off while telling him how awful he is→Ralph feels bad and fixes his mistakes→Wa lah, best friends again.
The one major difference-SPOILER ALERT-Vanellope moves to the internet while Ralph stays at the arcade.
This one, while visually fun and colorful, was just meh for me. I found myself bored half-way through just waiting for it to end. Sorry, peeps. But on this one, the critcs and I are not on the same page. Who knows, maybe I was hungry or something...
Finale Grade: C
Tuesday, November 27, 2018
The Nutcracker and the Four Realms: Sweet or just painful?
Who doesn't love a holiday classic set in a fantastical winter wonderland wonderland with a Christmas tree forest, no less? Well, a lot of people apparently. Read on to see where I stand.
The Details:
Genre: Adventure/Family/Fantasy
Release Date: November 2, 2018
Movie Rating: PG
Running Time: 1h, 40 mins.
Starring: Mackenzie Foy, Keira Knightley, Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, and Matthew Macfayden(We're talking THE Matthew Macfayden. That's right! Mr Freaking Darcy!😍)
The Plot:
Clara, on a journey to unlock a mysterious box left for her from her recently deceased mother travels to the magical world of the Four Realms discovering secrets about her mother that she'd never known, including her own royal heritage. Can she save the world her mother loved or is it too late to save it from evil forces who wish to control it?
Click on the link below to check out the trailer.
The Critics Take:
Rotten Tomatoes critics consensus says, "Lacking a transporting yuletide or dazzling dance routines, The Nutcracker and the Four Realms is a hollow holiday confection that's lovely to look at--and easy to forget."
OUCH!
Tomatometer: 34%
"Nutcracker credits two different directors, Lasse Hallstrom and Joe Johnston. Sadly, like last year's heavily-reshot Justice League and anything subtitled A Star Wars Story, this product just feels eerily undirected, an act of community recycling. The specific spare parts here turn into a Narnian regurgitation, the sort of bland saga where characters stand in front of a green screen explaining everything that's happening all the time. A nifty mid-movie set piece involves freakish creatures who resemble living nesting dolls, but the story itself has no feeling of newness, becoming another Princess-y Chosen One tale where heartstrings are tugged until they snap."
- Darren Franich ew.com October 31, 2018 "The Nutcracker and the Four Realms needs more dancing"
My Take:
It was okay. Didn't love it. Didn't hate it.
Magical? Yup.
Whimsical? Sure.
Christmas-y? Did you hear the part about the Christmas Tree Forest? Okay, then.
Surprise Appearance by Mr. Darcy? Abso-freakin-lutely!
All I can say is following a string to find your Christmas present should probably become everyones Christmas reality. Come on Santa, all I need is a mansion, some snow, and a heck ton of string! Merry Christmas to me!
Final Grade:
Without Mr. Darcy: Upper C to lower B
With Mr. Darcy: A++
Sunday, November 25, 2018
The Grinch: Christmas Cheer or Get Out of Here?
Everyone loves The Grinch. He's green, and even a little mean, but Christmas wouldn't be the same without him. We have Boris Karloff, Jim Carrey, and now...Benedict Cumberbatch. Is three really company or just a crowd?
THE DETAILS:
Genre: Comedy/Family/Animation
Release Date: November 9, 2018
Movie Rating: PG
Running Time: 1h. 45 mins.
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Rashida Jones, Pharrell Williams, Angela Lansbury, and Kenan Thompson
THE PLOT:
A grumpy, green recluse hidden away in his mountain cave with his canine companion Max, vows to steal Christmas from the holiday loving town of Whoville.
To check out the movie trailer click on the link below
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjnqABgxfO0
THE CRITICS TAKE:
Rotten Tomatoes critics consensus says, "The Grinch gives the classic Seuss source material a brightly animated update that's solidly suitable for younger viewers without adding substantially to the story's legacy."
TOMATOMETER: 56%
Entertainment Weekly: B+
"The latest animated iteration of Christmas' most famous nemesis might not be strictly necessary, but it's still pretty fun - and revamped just enough to feel fresh. Illumination, the studio behind The Secret Life of Pets and Despicable Me, makes it all look richly dimensional, and wisely doesn't push the story behind the 90 minute mark. Kids could still watch the peerless 1966 original though their blooming little cortexes will probably respond to the shiny-bright novelty here - and be newly spellbound by a tale almost as old as color television, but still evergreen."
- Leah Greenblatt ew.com November 16, 2018
MY TAKE:
Loved it! Loved it! Looooooved it!
Funny: Check
Heartwarming: Check
Full of Christmas Cheer: Check, Check, Check!
Benedict Cumberbatch's take on the Grinch was perfectly funny, perfectly grumpy, and in the end perfectly sweet. With many laugh out loud moments and the addition of a handful of new characters such as Grinch's ever-happy neighbor(who hilariously refers to Mr. Grinch as his best friend), this latest version is a win in my book and will hit my DVD cupboard as soon as it's released and I can get to the store. (Or in my case, get my mom to get me to the store😜).
Final Grade: A
See this one!
THE DETAILS:
Genre: Comedy/Family/Animation
Release Date: November 9, 2018
Movie Rating: PG
Running Time: 1h. 45 mins.
Starring: Benedict Cumberbatch, Rashida Jones, Pharrell Williams, Angela Lansbury, and Kenan Thompson
THE PLOT:
A grumpy, green recluse hidden away in his mountain cave with his canine companion Max, vows to steal Christmas from the holiday loving town of Whoville.
To check out the movie trailer click on the link below
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjnqABgxfO0
THE CRITICS TAKE:
Rotten Tomatoes critics consensus says, "The Grinch gives the classic Seuss source material a brightly animated update that's solidly suitable for younger viewers without adding substantially to the story's legacy."
TOMATOMETER: 56%
Entertainment Weekly: B+
"The latest animated iteration of Christmas' most famous nemesis might not be strictly necessary, but it's still pretty fun - and revamped just enough to feel fresh. Illumination, the studio behind The Secret Life of Pets and Despicable Me, makes it all look richly dimensional, and wisely doesn't push the story behind the 90 minute mark. Kids could still watch the peerless 1966 original though their blooming little cortexes will probably respond to the shiny-bright novelty here - and be newly spellbound by a tale almost as old as color television, but still evergreen."
- Leah Greenblatt ew.com November 16, 2018
MY TAKE:
Loved it! Loved it! Looooooved it!
Funny: Check
Heartwarming: Check
Full of Christmas Cheer: Check, Check, Check!
Benedict Cumberbatch's take on the Grinch was perfectly funny, perfectly grumpy, and in the end perfectly sweet. With many laugh out loud moments and the addition of a handful of new characters such as Grinch's ever-happy neighbor(who hilariously refers to Mr. Grinch as his best friend), this latest version is a win in my book and will hit my DVD cupboard as soon as it's released and I can get to the store. (Or in my case, get my mom to get me to the store😜).
Final Grade: A
See this one!
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