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.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2vmAttpgrg

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% 

Entertainment Weekly: C 😬


"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++

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!