Movie Review: The Holiday

PLOT:

In London, Iris Simpkins writes a wedding column in a newspaper and nurtures an unrequited love for her colleague Jasper Bloom. Near Christmas, she is informed that Jasper is engaged to marry another colleague, and her life turns upside down. In Los Angeles, the movie-trailers maker Amanda Woods has just split with her unfaithful boyfriend Ethan and wants to forget him. Through a house exchange website, Amanda impulsively swaps her mansion for Iris’ cottage in Surrey for the holidays. While in Surrey, Amanda meets Iris’ brother and book editor Graham and they fall in love with each other. Meanwhile, Iris meets her new next door neighbor the ninety year old screenplay writer Arthur, who helps her retrieve her self-esteem, and the film composer Miles, with whom she falls in love.

REVIEW:

What did I like?

Kiss me, Kate. Full disclosure, I love Kate Winslet! Most of her movies aren’t my cup of tea, but they are worth it to see this vision of loveliness appear on screen. What I like about her in this film is that she plays a character that is meant to be just average, in comparison to Cameron Diaz. Even their houses are opposites. Kate lives in a small cottage, while Diaz is in a giant mansion. Back to Winslet’s portrayal, though. As the movie progresses, and with the help of a couple of new friends, she gains confidence. As her confidence grows, her looks begin to change. She never goes full glam, but she does blossom, if you will, from the shy violet at the film’s beginning to the bright sunflower at film’s end. She may very well be the most developed character of the film in doing so, as well.

Chemistry. This film is often compared to, or at least mention in the same breath as, Love, Actually. Why is that? Well, they are both about love around the holidays. The difference is the cast’s chemistry. Not to take anything away from the former, but Winslet, Diaz, Jude Law, and Jack Black have a tremendous amount of chemistry. Surprising, really. Well, not so much with the Kate and Jude, but more how Diaz and Black fit so well together with their on screen counterparts. I’ll get to Jack Black shortly, but Cameron Diaz and Jude Law was a fantasy matchup at the time this was released. They instantly hit it off and you can see the sparks flying. Throw in other developments about his character that are sprinkled in as the film progresses and it seems as if she falls for him even harder. Watching the two of them, one has to wonder if there were any real life sparks. Hmmm…

You don’t know Jack. We all know Jack Black as the schlubby, funny guy. The over the top, comic relief in all of his films. Even the few seconds that he is on screen in Mars Attacks has him being a character, if you will. While he has been the lead in a few films, no one thinks of Black as a leading man, let alone one in a rom-com, right? Apparently, the director did, and she wrote this role with him in mind, specifically. There are two things about this character that I love. First, he is a film composer, a profession that we don’t often get in movies. It seems that everyone is either a writer, businessman, or have some profession where they make enough money to live in a big house. Second, no offense to the Jude Laws of the world, but there are more guys that look like Jack Black. Seeing him get the girl was a win. These days, there is a seeming non-stop conversation about representation, but no one mentions that chubby, average guys being represented. Maybe its something that should be brought to mind? Black kills it in the role, oozing charm, wit, and toning down his humor. It make you think that he could be cast in this type of role from time to time, if he wanted.

What didn’t I like?

Holidays. The title refers more to the British term for a vacation than it does to any particular holiday, which is fine considering half the film/cast is British. That said, this is supposedly a Christmas movie and yet, there are few mentions of it being Christmas. I mean, it starts with an office Christmas party, and there mentions of it being Christmas eve and all, but the  holiday feeling doesn’t permeate. Now, this is never marketed as a Christmas movie, but you’d think there would at least be some trees or something. I think the only tree was at Jude Law’s house. A small nitpick, sure, but given this is often considered a Christmas rom-com, it should be mentioned.

Can you guess? I hate to say this, but this film is so predictable. Everything that happens is no surprise, with one exception regarding Jude Law’s character, and even that was something that could have been a multiple choice answer, All I’m saying, really, is that it would have nice to get some suspense in before everything plays out. It makes for better cinema, but that whole “will they or won’t they” that is so popular in movies of this nature, is not here because of said lack of suspense.

Get away from your problems. Not to be “that guy”, but what message is this film trying to put out there that one can just swap lives with someone halfway across the globe and everything will be fine. Granted, if you have the means to take a couple of weeks off work, then who am I to object. Still, I was always taught to face my problems. Having said that, had these women done that, then we wouldn’t have a film, but I wanted to bring that point to light, at least.

Final verdict:

What did I think of The Holiday? Well, this is a film that I should not love as much as I do. It is a saccharine laced chick flick with no real moments of eye candy (though I will never turn down a chance to look at Kate Winslet). The ascension of Jack Black as a leading man is intriguing, as is pairing him with Winslet. Diaz and Law are the beautiful people that belong together. Screen legend Eli Wallach has a small, but important, supporting role that not only ties into the film, but is nice to see him again. The plot is a little flimsy, but it works for what it is. No one is going to watch this expecting an epic love story, but viewers will be entertained. For this heartless, devoid of emotion blogger, it actually puts a smile on my face everytime I watch it. I highly recommend you check it out and/or place in your holiday film rotation

4 1/2 out of 5 stars

Movie Review: Captain Marvel

 

PLOT:

After crashing an experimental aircraft, Air Force pilot Carol Danvers is discovered by the Kree and trained as a member of the elite Starforce Military under the command of her mentor Yon-Rogg. Six years later, after escaping to Earth while under attack by the Skrulls, Danvers begins to discover there’s more to her past. With help from S.H.I.E.L.D. agent Nick Fury, they set out to unravel the truth.

REVIEW:

What did I like?

Sense of humor. A big controversy surrounding the film before it was even was released revolved around Brie Larson not cracking a smile in all the images we saw of her as Captain Marvel. Rest assured, this is not the case. Larson cracks jokes left and right and seems to be enjoying herself as a superhero. For me, this really works because Captain Marvel isn’t really that interesting a character. Giving her some personality was a wise decision.

Tone. Keeping on the train of thought, I was going into the mindset that this was going to be a serious, feminist-type flick. Thank goodness this wasn’t the case. Yes, there are some female empowerment moments, but these are not shoved down the audience’s throat. There is a light tone to this film that works. Also, the nostalgia factor is high for someone who came of age in the 90s. I doubt we would have had those Easter eggs had this been given a more serious tone.

Stan Lee. The great Stan Lee passed near the end of the year. Rumor is he filmed a bunch of cameos before his death, so that we won’t miss him. Actuality is his cameo in this film, Spider-Man: Into the Multiverse, and the upcoming Avengers: Endgame were his final times on film. Interesting how he plays himself in this one, reading the script to Mallrats. Also, i have to mention the beginning. Normally, when the Marvel logo music rolls we see the Marvel characters, Captain America, Black Panther, Spider-Man, Scarlet Witch, etc. This time around, though, it was all about Stan Lee, a fitting tribute to the man who created or had a hand in creating long before anyone ever thought of a Marvel Cinematic Universe.

What didn’t I like?

Nick Fury. We know Col. Nick Fury as the badass, no-nonsense head of S.H.I.E.L.D. and the man who started the Avengers initiative. Watching him as a young agent, you would never guess this, as he is more or less glorified comic relief. Realizing that the years and time take its toll and change a person, the elements of who you become are still there, and with this version of Fury, I was…and still am struggling with how this guy is going to become the Fury we all respect. Conversely, Agent Coulson, same guy we’ve known from the first Iron Man all the way to Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. So, perhaps there is something else that happens to Fury that changes him, but for now I’m left scratching my head.

Oh Captain, my Captain. Marvel is banking on Captain Marvel being a big to-do in the MCU. Also, they want her to be a big selling point for girls (totally ignoring Black Widow, Scarlet Witch, Shuri, and the Dora Milaje). Apparently, she is supposed to be the most powerful being in the universe, from what I’ve been reading. I argue that Thor has more power, but that’s not point here. I give Brie Larson props for the training and all she went through for this role, but I don’t see her as Captain Marvel. I see someone more along the lines of Charlize Theron, Jessica Biel, etc. Carol Danvers has lived a life and it has made her a hard woman. Watching Larson, I couldn’t help but think of a girl playing dress-up. Having said this, while I still protest that she does not have the right body type to play Wonder Woman, I have come around on Gal Gadot. Perhaps the same will happen with Brie Larson.

Kree-Skull war. The war between the Kree and Skrull is such a big event in the comics that i find it strange that it was crammed into just this one film. Surely we’ll be getting more, right? If not, then surely there are other stories that could have served to give us Danvers’ origin, right? As it stands, we have been introduced to the Kree in Guardians of the Galaxy and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D., the latter of which also has mentioned Skrulls (I can’t recall if any actually appeared, though). So, general audiences are pretty much aware of these two species in the MCU. Hopefully, this was just the beginning, though. Who knows, perhaps the Kree-Skrull war is where the MCU will be heading after Thanos’ defeat.

Final verdict.

Captain Marvel defied my expectation. I have never been excited for this film because of the blandness of the character and the way everyone has been using her as a feminist icon, for the sole purpose of her being a female superhero. That being said, other than having to leave the theater very early on with a stomach issue, I rather enjoyed myself. This isn’t the greatest entry in the MCU, but it is far from the worst. I’m probably going to give this another go, but as it stand in my head right now, it is most assuredly worth your time.

4 out of 5 stars