THE MUPPET CHRISTMAS CAROL is a 1992 film written and directed by Brian Henson. The story follows the classic Dickens story of A CHRISTMAS CAROL, Muppet style. It uses the Muppet characters to play Charles Dickens (The Great Gonzo) and Rizzo the Rat (Co-Narrator). The story, though played by Muppets, has been deemed one of the most faithful adaptations of the original book. I have been a Muppets girl since before I was born. Truly, I don’t think there is…
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Kristen Chenoweth and Lindsay Lohan. I’m not sure much else needs to be said. But for review’s sake, OUR LITTLE SECRET works as a wonderful comedy of manners, and while it might not be heartwarming or moving or even remotely sincere, it sure is funny. When it comes to Christmas movies, what really matters — the heartstrings or the humor? I say humor, and whether or not the film is self-aware about its silliness, the entertainment value is strong. The…
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The legacy of EMMET OTTER’S JUG-BAND CHRISTMAS is somewhat complicated and confusing for me, almost 50 years later. It was first released on CBS on December 4, 1977. I was 3 years old and recall already being a huge fan of THE MUPPET SHOW and SESAME STREET at that age. This unique special is also from the mind of Jim Henson, who produced and directed it. EMMET features hand-puppets (Muppets), marionettes, and even has an introduction from Henson’s most famous…
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HOME ALONE 2: LOST IN NEW YORK is a 1992 film directed by Chris Columbus and the sequel to HOME ALONE. The film follows young Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) as he’s separated from his family during Christmas and has to defend himself against Harry (Joe Pesci in his peak year, MY COUSIN VINNY and HOME ALONE 2 might be the best 1992 double feature list) and Marv (Daniel Stern)… again! HOME ALONE 2 might be the most definitive example of…
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If you’re looking to take a break from the saccharine allure of the North Pole and opt for a WWII POW camp in Indonesia, I recommend MERRY CHRISTMAS, MR. LAWRENCE.…
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One of my mother’s favorite holiday season movies was THE BISHOP’S WIFE. I have seen it more than a dozen times. I fondly remember us sitting together on our worn-out couch, watching movies. She could share inside tips and info about the stars as if she knew each one personally. Her knowledge enraptured me, and I enjoyed every moment of being whisked deep into an engaging story. She was a huge fan of David Niven, Loretta Young, and, of course,…
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I doubted that GREMLINS would hold up after all these years, but holy hell, it does. With the structure of a B horror movie, the film somehow defied the odds and became a classic that generations are still talking about forty years after its release. And yes, this is 100% a Christmas movie. Let me count a few of the reasons: Upon rewatching it, I also started digging into the film’s theme, which is all about consumerism. The movie paints…
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DISCLAIMER: This review will not discuss how THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS is a cinematic classic with deep critical analysis. If you want that, you can head over to Rotten Tomatoes. Instead, I’m taking a trip down memory lane this Halloween with the hundreds of times I’ve seen this movie. In 1993, Touchstone’s animated classic THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS was released, and it touched my heart. The darkness, serious themes, and characters were that of an adult film, yet the songs…
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This will be an odd comparison, but AGATHA ALL ALONG is the closest Marvel Studios has gotten to a Mike Flanagan series. If you think about it, especially after viewing the final two episodes, there’s a lot here about the effects of grief on an individual and how that (coupled with greed and power) can corrupt them. Each member of the coven confronts fears and traumas episodically and makes peace with the idea of death. And given that, I have…
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