An MST3K Christmas movie double header

Here's a Christmas gift from me. Two absolutely awful holiday movies, made hilarious via comments by the crew. Both movies are streaming on youtube. However, if they don't work for some reason, do a search on youtube.com using the words "Santa Claus" and "MST3K" and they'll pop up. As I like to say in PC vernacular: Seasonal Salutations everyone!

"A Child's Christmas in Wales"

 I read "A Child's Christmas In Wales" every Christmas Eve. It's a time-honored tradition (along with watching the Queen's speech) that goes back to when my daughters were little and I think I've only missed reading it one or two times. I saw this special, narrated by Denholm Elliot, several years ago on CBC. It's a beautiful retelling of the Dylan Thomas classic. Hopefully this link will work. If not, do a search for it on youtube. Merry Christmas to all!
4.5 out of 5 stars

"The Angel"

Based on a true story, "The Angel" is the gripping saga of Ashraf Marwan, the son-in-law of President Nasser of Egypt. It takes place in the aftermath of the 6-Days War between Egypt and Israel. Ashraf, brilliantly played by Marwan Kenzari, negotiates with the Mossad to sell them state secrets. While he appears to be an Egyptian traitor, his ultimate goal is peace between the two countries. The movie is based on the best-selling novel, "The Angel: The Egyptian Spy Who Saved Israel" by Uri Bar-Joseph. I had never heard Ashraf's story, and I feel he deserves to be a household name.
4 out of 5 stars.

"Into the Forest"

This loosely falls into the "Post Apocalyptic" genre, which is a favorite of mine. The story revolves around two sisters, brilliantly played by Ellen Page and Evan Rachel Wood. They live with their father in the middle of the woods, somewhere in the Pacific Northwest. When power outages mysteriously occur around the country, they have to fend for themselves. When their dad dies in an accident, they're totally on their own. While it's somewhat slow-moving, Or, "nuanced" as some critics like to say, it's a beautiful shot and acted drama, that will hold your attention right until the end. The movie is based on a novel, that I'll have to look for.
4 out of 5 stars.

"Set it Up"

A refreshingly smart rom-com about a couple of personal assistants who work for over-the-top, driven bosses. They happen to meet while fetching a late night dinner for their employers, and devise a plot: if they can get their bosses romantically involved, they'll gain a bit of personal freedom. The movie is somewhat predictable, as you'd expect, but it's still thoroughly enjoyable nonetheless.  Zoey Deutch and Glen Powell, the two leads, are both perfect in their roles as matchmakers. If you're in the mood for something light, "Set It Up" is nice evening of pure escapism.
3.5 out of 5 stars

"The Late Bloomer"

Warning: this is a total guy-flick. The absolute polar opposite of a so-called chick-flick. You know it's aimed at men when just about every third word is either dick or cock, and not referring to detectives and roosters. While it's not quite on the same level as "This is Spinal Tap" or "Wayne's World", it is a funny/dumb movie well worth watching, if you're in the mood for some mindless entertainment. The allegedly true story is about a 30-something sex doctor, who advises people on how to channel their sex urges into other positive activities. The reason he's so focused on this is he's never gone through puberty, due to a benign tumor which has been pressing on his pituitary gland. After he has an operation to correct this, he experiences puberty over an intense three-week period. Johnny Simmons did a decent job playing the doctor, but I especially enjoyed his two friends, played by Beck Bennett and Kumail Nanjiani. Their quick and humorous banter warrants watching the movie a second time. And J.K. Simmons (no relation to Johnny) was excellent as always.
4 out of 5 stars

"The Land of Steady Habits"

I don't know how the actor Ben Mendelsohn has gone under my radar, but he has. I've seen a couple of his films lately, and have thoroughly enjoyed his performances. In this Netflix original film, he plays a well-to do middle-aged man who is going through a mid-life crisis. He quits his job as a financier and leaves his wife. Then he starts having regrets about his actions, but it's too late to reverse the damage. He befriends a troubled neighbor kid and the two get into mischief together. It's a quirky little, slice-of-life movie that I thought was great. There isn't a lot of action, and the plot is pretty subtle, but overall, it was a lot of fun. One question I have is, how do Aussies manage to totally lose their accents when they play American characters?
4 out of 5 stars

"To All The Boys I've Loved Before"

I'm a total sucker for high school romance movies. This movie is one of the few Asian-American focused movies I've seen in a long time. The story is about a nerdy girl who hooks up with a guy. They pretend to be in love to get his ex-girlfriend jealous. As you'd expect, they fall in love. It's fairly predictable, but the film is very well done. Kudos to Netflix for making an  intelligent movie for young people.
4 out of 5 stars

"The Kindergarten Teacher"

To their credit, Netflix has recently been producing quirky, indie films. And that's a good thing. I'm so tired of the predictable, overproduced Hollywood drivel. One of the better movies I've seen from them is "The Kindergarten Teacher". It's a remake of an Israeli movie from a few years ago. The movie stars Maggie Gyllenhaal, who plays, surprise, a kindergarten teacher. She takes an adult ed poetry class, where her poems aren't very well received by the teacher or classmates. One day, she discovers that one of her students makes up unique and original poems. She starts presenting them in class as her own, and they're extremely well received. The story is about her obsession with her 5-year old pupil and Ms Gyllenhaal gives an Oscar-worthy performance. I haven't seen the Israeli version, but I can't it being as powerful as this remake.
4.5 stars out of 5

"The Darkest Hour"

Okay I confess, this is one of the few movies I've rated that wasn't streaming on Netflix. It most likely will be soon, but I was so impressed by it, I thought I'd review it anyway.  First of all, Gary Oldman IS Winston Churchill. I can't imagine anyone personifying him better that Oldman did. A well-deserved Oscar winning performance. The story deals with the beginning of WWII when it didn't look good for the Brits. Germany had overrun most of Europe and the English were barely holding on to Calais and Dunkirk. The story focuses on Churchill's dilemma on whether to make a peace deal with Hitler or to fight them to the bitter end. The cinematography is remarkable to the point where I said to myself, several times through the movie, "Wow, that was an amazing shot." I like the fact that the movie focuses on a small part of the war, rather than do the typical Hollywood take, which would encompass the entire war. Definitely worth at least one rewatch.
5 stars out of 5

"The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society"

Absolutely marvelous film. The Nazis take over this small British island off the coast of France during WWII. The story jumps back and forth between the occupation and a group of eccentric locals who form a book club, and a journalist, played by Lilly James, who contacts them after the war. Of course, the film takes a predictable romantic turn, but it's well done. The acting and the scenery are quite well done. It's one of those films that makes you want to travel there. Astonishingly beautiful island. I need to reread the book, which was great as well.
4.5 stars out of 5

"Prodigy"

Interesting film. It's about a young girl who has exraordinary powers and uses them for evil purposes. She's in a lockdown situation and the woman in charge of her case brings in an old friend who's a child psychologist to evaluate her. A great psychological thriller. It's slow moving at first but the pace picks up heading into a crazy ending. The acting is absolutely superb.
3.5 out of 5 stars.

"The Ornithologist."

Here's another wild and crazy movie that Netflix recommended to me and thought I'd like. It's about a Spanish birdwatcher in search of a rare and elusive bird. When he spots said bird on a river in his kayak, he's so captivated, he loses track that he's about to go down some challenging rapids. He crashes on a rocky shore and is rendered unconscious. He's resuscitated by a couple of crazy Catholic Chinese girls who are on the the Santiago De Compostela pilgrimage. He informs them that instead of being in Northern Spain, they are, in fact, in Portugal. When he passes out for the night, they tie him up with a bunch of ropes. He manages to undo the knots and escapes. This is after they discuss, castrating him in the morning. And this is just the first half of the movie!

"Come and Find Me"

Excellent thriller with several plot twists. The movie starts out with David, (Aaron Paul) who's stalking a woman. As it turns out, it's a game they play every evening. They're totally in love. One thing that bugs David is that Claire (Annabelle Wallis) never tells him anything about herself, her past, or her family. One day she goes missing, and he attempts to find her, using the photographs she left behind as clues. It turns out, she's not the person he thought she was. I won't say anything more, because it would give away the rest of the movie. If you like suspenseful movies, you'll eat this one up.
4 stars out of 5.

"Bad Match"

A gamer, who's into one night stands, has a date with a woman, who turns out to be a stalker. He refuses to return her tweets and phone calls, and then things get very weird. He loses his job, and then is accused of sharing child-porn on his computer. That's all I'll tell you about this movie. If you enjoy films with a twist, this one's for you.

4 stars out of 5

"My Happy Family"

This is a very depressing movie focused on a Georgian mother who moves out of her family home and starts a life on her own. The whole family seems to to meddle in her situation. It's so refreshing to see everyday people play these roles. I thought everyone in the movie was a real person, and not an actor. Great acting. When I first clicked on it, it was dubbed in English, which was very weird. None of the voices matched, and I hate dubbing anyway.  Watch it in the original Georgian.

4 out of 5 stars

"Last Rampage"

A violent and disturbing movie which takes place in the 1970s, is based on a true story. A dad is sprung form prison along with a fellow prisoner, by his kids. The two of them go on a violent rampage. As a side story, his wife is interviewed by a reporter who tells her side of the story about her precious kids. If you're not into violent films, stay away from this one. I thought the acting was above average. The two escapees personified evil to the max.

4 out of 5 stars.

"Extinction"

Excellent sci-fi movie from Netflix. The movie is focused on a dad with two daughters. He has weird nightmares where aliens invade the earth. His wife and his co-workers think he should see a shrink about it. Then, aliens really do attack earth. Just when you think this is your usual alien invasion movie, there's a very unexpected plot twist. I can't give any more of the movie away without spoiling it. When you get half way through the movie and want to say, "I've seen this before," stick with it, it's well worth it.
3.5 out of 5 stars

"Nights in Rodanthe"

As you may know, I'm a sucker for romantic movies. And, as my wife likes to point out, Nicholas Sparks is one of the cheesiest writers ever. So this is one of his screenplays, and I loved it. Diane Lane and Richard Gere are caught up in a hurricane in North Carolina. The two of them both have troubled pasts.  They both connect with each other and then... I won't reveal more of the story, but, let me just say, if you're up for a real tear jerker, this is your ticket.
3 out of 5 stars

"Kodachrome"

Ed Harris, Jason Sudeikis. and Elizabeth Olsen star in an interesting road flic--one of my favorite genres. Ed plays a retired famous photographer who has a couple months to live. He has several rolls of Kodachrome film that he shot years ago that he wants developed and printed before he dies. The problem is, there's only one film lab that can still process them--they're in Kansas and he lives in New York. He asks his son, who despises him, to drive him there. It's not exactly a feel-good road trip. But well acted and well worth watching.
4 out of 5 stars

"The Gift"

Another creepy one. I don't know why Netflix keeps recommending these movies to me. I sort of enjoy them, in a perverse way. In this movie, a youngish married couple move from Chicago to California. They're played by Jason Bateman and Rebecca Hall. He runs into an old high school "pal," let's say, and the drama begins. His buddy, (played by Joe Egerton) begins stalking them, for an event that occurred back in high school. Jason Bateman proves in this movie that he's more than a comedic actor. Good acting and storyline overall.
4 out of 5 stars

"That Night"

One of the sweetest movies ever. Absolutely magical. A 17-year old teenager loses her dad, and a younger girl who lives across the street follows her exploits. It takes place in 1961 in New Jersey and doesn't follow the usual scripted format. I don't know why I've never heard of this movie--it's over 25 years old, for Pete's sake! It stars a very young Eliza Dushku and Juliette Lewis. The younger girl is fascinated by her neighbor's affair with an ostracized boy. She befriends her and becomes her accomplice to help her work things out with him. Their friendship is about kindred spirits, if you know what I mean. Wonderful movie.
4.5 out of 5 stars

"In Search of Fellini"

A small town Ohio girl, from a dysfunctional family, discovers the movies of the master filmmaker, Frederico Fillini. Out of the blue, she flies to Italy to try to meet him. While she's there, she has several Felliniesque experiences. It's a sweet homage to the master.  The movie vacillates between a Fellini style movie and a typical indie film. The acting is superb and the Italian scenery will make you want to hop on a plane and fly there immediately.
4 out of 5 stars

"Me and the Alien"

Talk about an off-beat movie. This one was quirky, different and rewarding. A Spanish punk band lets a kid with Downes Syndrome join the group. When they realize that the punk genre is becoming passe, they let him write some tunes. The group becomes hugely popular. The tension in the band starts when he becomes the star of the group. It's a fun, different movie, and in the end, it's really sweet. The acting and writing is quite good. Well worth watching.
3.5 out of 5 stars

"The Phenom"

Not at all what I expected. Based on the title, I thought this movie would be about a superstar that lights the baseball world on fire.  Actually, it's about a talented young pitcher (played by Johnny Simmons) trying to come to terms with his talents. He makes it to the Majors but when he struggles with his pitching, he's sent down to the minors. A large part of the movie involves him discussing his life with an unorthodox sports psychiatrist, (played brilliantly by Paul Giamatti, who's father was the Baseball Commissioner, Bart Giamatti) and dealing with his relentless father (Ethan Hawke). The acting and cinematography are wonderful. An underrated little gem.
4 out of 5 stars

"Indiscretion"

Excellent stalker film. The story revolves around the wife of a politician (played by Mira Sorvino) who's running for a Senate seat. she has a brief fling with an artist who starts stalking her. The artist is totally possessed with her and won't take no for an answer. Then he befriends her husband and starts dating her daughter. It's a total creepfest. Great acting, writing, and cinematography.
4 out of 5 stars.

"Anon"

To use an old cliche, this is a total "mind bender" of a movie. It's set in the future where everyone can see data in front of them about everyone else. There are no secrets. And detectives can see what happened at the scene of a crime, through the eyes of the killer. So it's basically a futuristic detective drama. Very well done. It does take a while to figure out what's going on. And Clive Owen does an excellent job.

3.5 out of 5 stars

"Una"

A movie about a very disturbing topic. It's about a woman who was molested as a 13-year old child and then encounters the person as an an adult. It's a very powerful film and I'm still not sure what to make of it. I don't totally agree with the bias of the film, but it is really well acted and filmed.
Feedback welcome. Feel free to leave a comment.
3.5 out of 5 stars.

"Dare to be Wild"

Based on a true story, the film is about a young Irish landscape architect who is focused on creating natural designs which incorporate native species into her plans. She gets a job with a high-profile designer who steals her notebook, fires her and moves on. Her ultimate dream is to enter the prestigious Chelsea Garden Show with a natural, Celtic-themed design. Without giving too much of the plot way, I'll just say, a significant part of the movie takes place in Ethiopia,n which is beautiful. The cinematography is absolutely stunning. The acting is great. And the soundtrack is one that makes you want to own a cd of it. What more can one say in praise of this wonderful movie?

4.5 out of 5 stars.

"Cuba and the Cameraman."

What a wonderful movie. All these years we were told what a monster and a tyrant Fidel Castro was. After you watch this movie, you will have a different impression of him. I was lucky enough to visit Cuba while he was still President. What a great country and warm, friendly people. I'd go back in a heartbeat. This is a documentary about a photographer who befriended Castro in the early days of the revolution, and remained his friend throughout his life. He took a lot of video footage and did a bunch of interviews with him over the years.
4.5 stars out of 5

"6 Days"

Very intense drama based on a true story. This film takes place in the early 1980s, during the Thatcher administration in London. A group of Iranians take a number of British citizens hostage at their embassy. The movie deals with their negotiations, and ultimately, with how the police handle the situation. Extremely well done.
3.5 out of 5 stars

"People Like Us"

A fast talking salesman has a real bad day. Then he comes home to find out his father, a hot shot producer and musician, has died. He flies out to L.A. where his parents live, only to discover he has a sister from another mom he never knew about. From there, things get a lot more complicated. The movie stars, Chris Pine, Elizabeth Banks, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Mark Duplass. Excellent writing and performances all around.
4 out of 5 stars.

"Blood Stripe"

Very powerful movie. A female Marine returns home to her husband and family after several tours of duty in Iraq. She suffers from PTSD, however there's a 129-day waiting list to get treatment. She takes a job that she doesn't like and ends up driving to the summer camp she went to as a kid. She is totally driven and she works long hours helping get the camp ready for a retreat. The film looks like it was shot in Northern Minnesota, and the scenery is absolutely gorgeous. In a way, it's a subtle anti-war movie, but it's also a movie about a woman struggling with her past.
4 stars out of 5.

"Bullet Head"

This film starts out with  a botched robbery. The three robbers end up in an abandoned warehouse where dog fights are held. Apparently, the promoters always leave a vicious dog behind to keep strangers away. The robbers have to deal with this rogue dog and the action gets pretty intense. The movie is slow moving at times, but it certainly holds your attention. Rory Culkin, Adrien Brody, Antonio Banderas, and John Malkovich star.
4 stars out of 5

'Inconceivable'

Another wild ride of a movie. A woman arrives in town with her young daughter and starts to hang out with her new found friends. She's invited to stay on as a house guest with a couple of doctors as a care-giver. Then things get weird. The story has a bunch of plot twists, and it's pretty unpredictable. I have to say, Nicholas Cage gives one of his best performances ever in this film.
4 stars out of 5

"The Bachelors"

Wonderful film. Any movie that stars J.K Simmons is guaranteed to be great. This film is about a father and son dealing with the death of their mother They move to a new neighborhood and  the son has to deal with s new school. He meets a troubled girl and, of course, they strike up a relationship. The dad is a math teacher at his school, who starts a relationship with the son's French teacher. Just a great movie, overall.

4 stars out of 5

"Tangerine"

Right off the bat, I have to tell you, if you're not  into transgendered, off-beat and super, foul-mouthed movies, don't go here. That said, I wasn't sure what I was getting into with this movie. It started pretty weird until I got 20 minutes into it, but I stuck with it. What a fun movie. Here's the basic plot: A couple of black, transgendered men/women are involved in a dispute about their boyfriend. Then they drag another hooker into their story. As my daughter once said, "Every story is either the Illiad or the Odyssey." This is another Odyssey.
4.5 to of 5 stars

"Face2Face"

Interesting concept and movie. 99% of the movie is based around a young couple who were friends as young children and reconnect years later. Most of the film focuses on their interaction on Facebook. It sounds pretty boring but this one held my interest right until the end. And the ending will catch you off guard.

3.5 out of 5 stars

"On Body and Soul"

Hard to describe this one. It starts out at a slaughterhouse where a minor crime takes place. During the investigation, it's revealed that two employees are in each others dreams. They're both deer roaming a forrest together. When they discover this, they warm up to each other and become friends. They're both flawed and quirky individuals. Although it's a Hungarian movie, it has a cold, impersonal feel to it--more like a Scandinavian film.
4 out of 5 stars.

"Bokeh"

Incredible photography, great acting, and interesting story. A couple ends up in Iceland  on vacation, where it's an end of the world scenario. Everyone has disappeared, mysteriously, and the couple is totally on their own. So basically, they learn to fend for themselves. I love these types of movies, and this one is really well done.
4.5 out of 5 stars

"A Futile and Stupid Gesture"

A biopic about Doug Kenney,: one of the founders of the National Lampoon. If you're a fan of the magazine like I was, in my formative years, you'll love this movie. It's an inside look at what went on during the early years of one of the funniest humor mags of all times. Netscape hit another home run with this one!
4 out of 5 stars

"Lion"

Absolutely wonderful film. If you haven't heard about this movie, here's a quick plot summary: A five year old Indian boy is dropped off and abandoned at a train station. He hops on a train and is taken 500 miles from his home and family. He is eventually adopted by a loving Australian family. As an adult, his quest is to reconnect with his mother. Epic journey and movie.
4.5 out of 5 stars

"Fun Mom Dinner."

What a fun movie. I'm huge fan of so-called. "chick-flix." And this was one of the best I've seen in a while. Totally predictable, but with good acting, and a decent storyline. It held my attention right to the end. If you're up for an amusing 1 1/2 hours of great entertainment, this is one you might enjoy.
3 out of 4 stars.

"Handsome: A Netflix original Mystery Movie"

I was in the mood for a dumb, funny movie, and this one delivered. It was a decent murder mystery plot, and the actors all rose to the occasion. The acting was great, offbeat in a good sort of way. The writing was pretty funny, and the storyline was predictable, but engaging. If you're in the mood to see something in the "Caddyshack" vein, check this one out.
3 out of 5 stars